"Welcome," a voice greeted, "to Mortal Kombat."
The voice came from the sorcerer Shang Tsung, the overseer and host of the martial arts tournament known as Mortal Kombat. The contest was taking place on Shang Tsung's own private island that resided in the mysterious Lost Sea, and a group of a few dozen participants gathered around at the island's courtyard. The courtyard itself was a vast open space designed to both intimidate and awe those who entered it. Surrounded by towering stone walls adorned with ancient carvings and mystical symbols, the courtyard exuded an ancient aura, some faint blood stains decorating the ground that had come from previous contestants.
At the front of the courtyard, the sorcerer sat down on a throne under a Japanese torii gate that shrouded the elderly man's figure under the shade. Between himself and the contestants that lined up next to the old cobblestone walls there were several Masked Guards, many sitting down as if they were spectators, whilst a row remained around the outskirts of the elevated square space that served as the spot where competitors would battle it out in one on one fights. The grand tournament only came once every fifty years, a lot of the contestants not having been alive to witness the last one… but they were eager for the event to begin regardless.
The sorcerer stood on a raised platform, his eyes sweeping over the diverse group of fighters assembled before him. "You have each been chosen to participate in this tournament to defend your realm from being merged into Outworld by Emperor Shao Kahn," he explained, a hint of malevolence in his tone. "As the current Mortal Kombat Champion, Goro, is on the verge of his tenth consecutive defence, Earthrealm is in peril. I wish you all luck," he added, then more bitterly, "You will need it."
"Blah, blah, blah," chimed the voice of the Hollywood actor John Carlton, who went under the stage name of Johnny Cage. He blabbered on whilst leaning casually against a pillar protruding from the wall, "you just don't stop talking, do you, old dude? I'm not interested in your role-playing." He waved dismissively, oblivious to the genuine danger of the tournament, and frustrated from the lack of a script to have any idea what his role even was.
"How rich coming from the... obnoxious Mr. Cage," Shang Tsung stated, carefully choosing his words to mask his irritation. "I suppose we shall begin with you, Mr. Cage, versus the leader of Tarkata, Baraka!" He announced as Baraka emerged from the crowd, pushing past the guards whilst hunched over and bloodthirsty, his eyes gleaming with savage anticipation.
Johnny Cage, still clueless, chuckled. "Nice makeup," he quipped, believing Baraka's sharp, enormous teeth and frightening features were just special effects. His smile faltered as Baraka drew blades from his forearms, the metal glinting menacingly in the sunlight.
"Fight!" yelled the sorcerer as the two competitors walked up opposite stairways to face each other in the elevated platform that acted as the fighting ring.
To the surprise of nobody, the actor quickly lost to Baraka. Cage managed the first hit, a spinning heel kick to the Tarkatan's jaw, but it only enraged Baraka. Cage swiftly realised that Baraka's blades were in fact both real and deadly. Baraka slashed at Cage, cutting him deeply and leaving him bleeding and dazed on the ground.
"Finish him!" Shang Tsung demanded, his voice echoing through the courtyard.
Baraka didn't hesitate. He scooped up a stunned Johnny Cage and stabbed him with one of his blades. Just as Baraka was about to sink his teeth into Johnny's 'money maker,' he was interrupted by the leader of the Special Forces, Sonya Blade.
Sonya blasted Baraka with a pair of pink-colored energy rings, knocking him over. She had no intention of joining the tournament; she was there to rescue her fellow Special Forces member, Jackson Briggs, who had been imprisoned on Shang Tsung's island. Nonetheless, she couldn't stand idly by and watch an innocent man be killed.
"You can't just murder him!" Sonya shouted, her voice filled with authority.
"How dare you interrupt!" Baraka yelled as he got back to his feet, snarling at Sonya and preparing to lunge off the platform onto her. "You Earthrealmers know no honour!"
"The fight has ended," Shang Tsung interrupted before the Tarkatan could start a riot, disappointment evident in his tone. "And the moment for a fatality has passed. The tournament must proceed. Baraka has advanced."
Baraka stormed off, clearly frustrated by his victory being interrupted. Johnny Cage got to his feet, clutching his wounds. He looked at Sonya, managing a weak smile.
"Nice uniform," he commented, attempting to flirt with Sonya despite his embarrassing defeat.
Sonya responded with a groan of disgust, zipping up her jacket to ensure she was completely covered. She then gasped when she was suddenly grabbed by the arms by a pair of masked guards. Sonya swung a closed fist at one guard, cracking their mask as the other guard began escorting Sonya away from the courtyard.
"What's happening?!" Sonya asked, kicking violently.
"Interrupting a tournament match up is the greatest violation of the rules," Shang Tsung announced, shaking his head in disappointment.
"Let her go, you old freak!" Cage demanded angrily.
"You're welcome to join her," Shang Tsung offered as a Masked Guard stood over the actor who sighed as he pushed them back and slowly walked off the platform and back to his seat.
As Sonya was forcefully dragged to the exit and the Masked Guards worked together to pull the gates to the courtyard open, pupiless eyes glowed a heavenly white light as a man lifted his traditional bamboo sedge hat. The man was none other than the Thunder God named Raiden.
"Sonya Blade," the Thunder God spoke up, his voice calm and commanding. "May I inquire why you saved Johnny Cage from death?" He was clearly surprised at the violation of the rules, which had been made clear on their boat travel to the island not many hours ago.
"Look, I don't have time for this," she responded angrily. "I have to find my friend."
Raiden acknowledged her urgency. He wanted to inquire more but decided against it as she was already being escorted out by the guards. Due to not being a mortal, Raiden had to greatly restrain himself at the tournament events, and he could only challenge the host if he abused his power over the tournament. Sonya's violation of the rules, however, were legitimate.
Shang Tsung unsheathed a straight sword that had been concealed by the deep blue robes he wore, tapping the sharp blade on a sign attached to a pole that held up a large sign listing an explanation of the tournament. Johnny Cage, who had slept through the boat trip, squinted to familiarise himself with the rules… despite being eliminated so soon.
"The Mortal Kombat tournament is contested solely in one on one combat, with the victor being determined either by submitting, knocking out… or killing their opponent. The host shall determine the arrangement of fights however they please, and these tournament matches continue until everybody on one side has been eliminated. Other combatants are forbidden from interfering in these fights and interference shall lead to the fighter they were aiding being disqualified and the rule breaker being imprisoned indefinitely…" Johnny read aloud at a whisper, processing the words written on the sign. "Imprisonment? If this shit is real… then that can't be legal!"
"The importance of this tournament exceeds the matter of basic law enforcement," Shang Tsung stated as he sat back in his throne.
"Well this hardly seems fair either…" Cage muttered as the next fight was beginning between a red haired woman and a ninja in a basic white tabard with a black cowl.
As Sonya was finally escorted from the courtyard and to her 'imprisonment', Raiden turned to his protégé Liu Kang, who had been chosen by the White Lotus Society of Shaolin Monks to represent their people in the tournament.
"I believe you will be competing next, Liu Kang," Raiden informed him, noticing the ninja assassin being executed after losing to his opponent who appeared to possess some form of blood magic.
Liu Kang nodded, confidence radiating from him. "I am ready, Lord Raiden."
"Shang Tsung, I demand another challenger!" the red-haired woman shouted, her voice filled with bloodlust. Shang Tsung knew she was too dangerous to continue fighting; her powers grew with each kill and every pint of blood consumed. Created by Shao Kahn himself, she was named Skarlet, her purpose to ensure Earthrealm's downfall.
"You will not have another challenger," Shang Tsung refused, his voice firm. "Not yet." He had only made her fight to analyse her abilities, to see if she was indeed a valuable weapon. Impressed by her performance, he signalled her to stand down. Skarlet reluctantly complied, stepping off the platform.
Liu Kang stepped forward eagerly, ready for his opponent. Shang Tsung gestured to a different female assassin who was standing to the sorcerer's left. "Liu Kang, your opponent will be Princess Kitana!" he announced.
Kitana wasted no time, using a blue wind power that emitted from a pair of steel fans she wielded to levitate her over the stands and onto the fighting platform. Shang Tsung signalled for the fight to begin once Liu Kang jogged up the stairs, bouncing up and down in position. Kitana didn't hesitate to attack Liu Kang, launching a series of swift kicks, determined to defeat the monk.
Liu Kang staggered back, then countered with kicks of his own. He leapt into the air, delivering bicycle kicks to Kitana's chest. Kitana fell but quickly returned to her feet, only to be hit by Liu Kang's flaming diving kick. Kitana flew off the platform and crashed into the courtyard wall, collapsing from the collision. She climbed to her feet again, pointing a closed fan at him which caused a small tornado to sweep Liu Kang up from behind and bring him to her. Liu Kang kipped up, gasping as Kitana charged at him immediately, this time swinging her fan blades wildly. Kitana's reckless attacks left her vulnerable, and Liu Kang easily disarmed her, knocking her down once more.
"Agh!" Kitana cried out, frustration evident even with the mask that covered her mouth.
The Outworld Princess got on her knees and suddenly thrust a steel fan at the Shaolin Monk, who countered with a backflip before launching himself at her with another flying kick. After connecting with Kitana's body, Liu Kang backflipped off her, foot catching her jaw as a bundle of fire shaped like a Dragon emerged from beneath his heel, raising Kitana up into the air. Running along the courtyard walls and bouncing off them, Liu Kang got enough elevation to slam Kitana down back onto the central platform with a fist that he drove into her gut as they descended down to a hard fall. Kitana struggled, momentarily unable to stand back up, the sight making Liu Kang feel guilty as he worried that he had gone too far… but he knew he had to fight the hardest he had ever done to ensure Earthrealm's safety; it had been what he spent his entire life training for. Kitana mustered the strength and resiliency to get up, but she quickly collapsed in an unconscious state, unable to continue fighting after her head crashed against the stone surface.
Shang Tsung watched on from his comfortable velvet throne, visibly frustrated. Liu Kang gestured to Kitana's body, her unconscious state evident, but the sorcerer attempted to ignore it.
"Shang Tsung!" Raiden yelled, stepping forth from the group of participants. "Liu Kang has clearly won by knockout!"
"She's moving, Thunder God!" Shang Tsung argued, pointing to the assassin as she sat up and looked around with clear confusion in her eyes.
"I… what?" Kitana looked up, seeing Liu Kang offer her a hand.
"Are you okay?" Liu Kang asked, Kitana reluctantly taking his hand.
"You're not... killing me?" she asked, confusion in her voice.
"Of course not," Liu Kang replied firmly. "There is no need for such brutality."
"Enough conversing!" Shang Tsung interrupted, his voice sharp. "You must fight!"
"We just did, and the fight is finished," Liu Kang explained calmly.
Shang Tsung scoffed. "You call that a finisher?!" He turned to Kitana, his eyes cold. "Shao Kahn will not be pleased when I inform him of your performance, Princess."
"Watch your tone," Kitana gritted her teeth, faintly concealed frustration over the whole tournament ordeal making her not at her best.
"You are all dismissed for now!" Shang Tsung announced, already annoyed himself with the events that had occurred. He stood up from his throne and before walking away he added, "The tournament will continue tonight!"
As the crowd dispersed, Raiden approached Liu Kang. "Well done, Liu Kang. Your performance was flawless," he complimented, pride evident in his voice.
"Thank you, Lord Raiden," Liu Kang replied, his respect for the Thunder God clear. He then turned to Kitana. "You did great too."
Kitana appreciated the compliment but didn't express her gratitude. Instead, she turned away, deep in thought.
"You must prepare for your next challenge," Raiden advised, his tone serious. "There is no doubt that Shang Tsung will do anything he can to prevent you from advancing further."
"I will not fail you, Lord Raiden," Liu Kang promised his mentor.
As the evening approached, the sky darkened over Shang Tsung's island, and the anticipation grew for the battles yet to come. Liu Kang prepared himself for the next challenge, knowing the trials ahead would be even more perilous. The fight for Earthrealm's survival was far from over, and the participants braced themselves for the continuing brutality of Mortal Kombat…