"Is it the sorcerer Shang Tsung that goes here?" Asked the voice of a blindfolded swordsman.
"Why do you want Shang Tsung?" Kahn asked.
"I want his head." The swordsman replied with determination.
"Another?!" Kahn was beyond annoyed by now. "Ermac, deal with him."
The telekinetic construct hovered over to the swordsman, quickly learning that swordsman also possessed telekinesis as he was pushed far away by the swordsman's own mind.
"I should have specified," The swordsman realized. "Unless their name is ShangTsung,then I'm not fighting them."
"Then leave." Kahn demanded.
"Is Shang Tsung here?!" He repeated, frustrations growing.
"No." Kahn answered.
"Then goodbye." The swordsman began walking out the coliseum but was stopped by Raiden.
"You too seek vengeance on Shang Tsung," Raiden noted. "What could have Shang Tsung done to cause so much hatred?"
"Being a snake is what." The swordsman replied, no interest in telling the full story to the god.
"May I offer you my protection?" Raiden asked, stretching an arm out as he did.
"I don't need protection." He dismissed. "Unless you offer me Shang Tsung's life."
"I too am unaware of his location." Raiden pulled his arm back. "I suppose we part ways now."
"You too?" Scorpion asked the swordsman. "You also seek revenge on the sorcerer?"
"Yes." He confirmed. "And I willacquiresaid vengeance."
"I doubt that." Scorpion muttered.
"Now would be a good time to say where he's heading." Cage told Liu Kang as they and Kung Lao were present when Shao Kahn ordered Shang Tsung to leave the coliseum.
"Why must I be the one to tell them?" Liu asked, an eyebrow raised.
"I... I um... Forgot what the emperor dude said." Cage explained honestly.
"Oh." Was all Liu responded with before walking over to Scorpion and the swordsman. "The emperor ordered Shang Tsung to return to his fortress."
"I know that place." Scorpion quickly pulled out the map of the realms that Quan Chi gifted to him, oddly enough the amulet of Shinnok was no longer visible on either the map of Earthrealm nor Outworld, Quan Chi's presence had also disappeared quietly. Scorpion pointed to the diagram of the fortress on the map. "We should follow this path." Scorpion said as he dragged his index finger down the main path from the coliseum to the fortress.
"How long ago did he leave?" The swordsman asked, only interested in the facts.
"Around twenty minutes I'd guess." Liu Kang estimated.
"Then we can catch up to him before he returns to the fortress." The swordsman noted.
"Let's go now," Scorpion agreed. "Tundra!"
"Yes, Scorpion?" Tundra jogged over.
"Follow me," He suddenly commanded. "We know of Shang Tsung's location."
"Hurry Up!" The swordsman yelled, he had already ran over to the coliseum gate, Scorpion and Tundra quickly catching up to him.
"Should I come with?" Smoke asked, eager to join his friend.
"It's better you stay with Raiden in case the cyborgs come back." Tundra explained.
"Yet you can leave?"
"When an old man deceives a relative of yours,then you'll understand." Tundra said darkly.
"Just stay safe..." Smoke pleaded.
"You too."Kuai smiled before turning away and leaving.
"Liu Kang!" The emperor called out. "You will face the real Erron Black."
"About time," Erron sighed. "I'm tired ofy'allunderestimating me."
"Your guns could use some er... 'upgrades' is all."Liu Kang said, looking at the unmodern guns that lay in Erron's leather holsters.
"They still hold up," Erron disagreed. "They bring back fond memories too."
"That so?" Liu began emerging flames from his hands. "Let's see if your statement 'holds'."
"FIGHT!"
Meanwhile nearby the coliseum were the three allies of Tundra, Scorpion and the blind swordsman, an alliance created by a common cause of wanting Shang Tsung dead. The three were running at a consistent speed down a deserted path.
"I trust you'll give me the final blow." The swordsman finally spoke after running in silence for the past few minutes, with an odd confidence too.
"I can't make any promises." Scorpion muttered.
"I knew you'd say that." The swordsman said ominously.
"My family and clan were slaughtered by that man." Scorpion informed, his emotions being a mix of deep sadness and immense rage.
"Then you're deserving of finishing him." The swordsman reconsidered.
"So, do you have a name?" Tundra asked the swordsman.
There was no reply.
"Answer the man!" Scorpion demanded, still not slowing his pace down.
"Kenshi." The man responded.
"Nice to meet you, Kenshi." Tundra said positively. "I'm known as Tundra and he's Scor..."
"I know." Kenshi interrupted dully.
"Oh..."
"Hold on." Scorpion placed an arm in front of the two. "Look ahead."
"Shang's an old man." Kenshi reminded. "And I'm the blind one..."
"Why's he just stood there?" Tundra asked. The man in question had his back to them and was in the end to a crevasse between two hills of sand.
"Hello?!" Scorpion called out, sword at the ready.
"Wait..." Kenshi was sensing a familiar presence. "It is Shang Tsung!"
The sorcerer turned to face them.
"I was warned that Quan Chi's puppet wanted words with me." Shang Tsung informed. "I was unaware you had friends, Scorpion."
"I was never his puppet." Scorpion corrected.
"Recognize me, Shang Tsung?" Kenshi asked.
"Honestly," Shang Tsung chuckled. "Not at all."
"Oh, I'm sorry," Kenshi figured out how to make the sorcerer remember. "Do you remember me, 'Song'?"
"You..." Tsung finally recognized the man he had left to die. "How are you still alive?!"
"The sword you spoke of was real." He informed, drawing it from a red sheathe as proof. "You will regret bringing me to it."
"You will regret coming back to me," Tsung glowered. "Leave now."
Kenshi in fact did the opposite. Without even coming up with a plan with his allies he dove at a still Shang Tsung, only for his blade to get blocked by another sword and shoved away.
A man armoured like a traditional medieval knight stood in front of Kenshi. He had emerged from a hill that Shang Tsung had been conveniently waiting beside. He wielded a broadsword which while it wasn't as special as the one Kenshi possessed, the wielder of it was just as skilled as Kenshi.
"Ah, a fellow swordsman." His voice echoed through his cylinder-shaped helmet as Tundra and Scorpion quickly aided Kenshi back to his feet.
"Garrett, attack!" Shang Tsung ordered to his servant.
Garrett Bennett, much like Erron Black, had been recruited by Shang Tsung after Shang had offered him a slower aging process. He was truly a knight from the medieval times and he was right at home in Outworld.
Kenshi used his mind to drag his sword back to him and quickly began battling Garrett, Scorpion and Tundra tried to aid Kenshi but both got knocked back by a flaming skull to each of them.
Scorpion teleported behind Tsung and the two began fighting, Scorpion's rage making him able to take control of the fight and start pummelling Shang Tsung ruthlessly.
"Anything you'd like to say, Shang Tsung?" Scorpion asked. "I'd hope it's apologies to my clan, the clan you murdered."
"I don't recall this..." Shang Tsung gasped, Scorpion had a tight and becoming progressively fiery grip around his neck.
"Lies!"
"What makes you think I killed them?" Shang Tsung asked. Hewas genuinely curious.
"Me and Tundra narrowed it down to a shapeshifter," He explained briefly, believing that Shang was just playing dumb. "You owe Tundra your apologies too!"
"For what?" Tsung snarled. "It was you who killed his brother."
"Through your deception!" Scorpion retaliated to the claims by stabbing his kunai into the sorcerer's shoulders and ironically right after it became a bullet that cut into Scorpions shoulder.
"Leave him alone." Spoke Erron Black, whom had been quickly defeated by Liu Kang mere minutes ago and had immediately left the coliseum to try to find his master to warn him of the oncoming attackers, but he was too late. "He pays mey'know."
"I find it unbelievable that one can bearably work for Shang Tsung even if he offered all the money in the world." Scorpion remarked as he threw a large fireball at Erron,but the gunslinger precisely dodged it, shooting another bullet at Scorpion as he did. Scorpion ducked, throwing his spear into Erron's chest, dragging him into a devastating punch.
Erron got knocked back from the punch, falling back into the icy grasp of Tundra. The cryomancer began delivering more punches to Erron, his were hardened by coldness of his fists. Erron got Tundra off of him via slamming the grip of one of his revolvers into Tundra's jaw, damaging the mask he was wearing.
Tundra touched his jaw, realizing that part of his brother's attire had now been damaged he became enraged. "You will repent for this!" He cried out, ripping off his face mask that was now merely dangling down his chin like a thread.
"Oh pal," Erron started. "You'll have much more than your clothes broken if you don't stand down."
Tundra created an axe with his cryomancy and rushed at Erron, Black drew his own melee weapon: A sword crafted by adding one of the arm blades from the Tarkatan warrior he brutalized during his assessment under General Reiko and an old sword handle. The two melees collided with one another, staring one another down amongst the struggle.
Scorpion was back to facing Shang Tsung once more. However, it was now Shang Tsung taking control of the fight thanks to Erron popping a shot into the spectre's shoulder. Shang Tsung was using his snake like fight style to beat down Scorpion, Kenshi was still being held back from the sorcerer thanks to Garrett.
Suddenly, Kenshi had lined Garrett up to be standing with his back facing the sorcerer. In a precise move, Kenshi telekinetically pushed Garrett into the sorcerer at full speed, the steel armour smashing into Shang's body.
"This has gone horribly." Shang muttered, quickly summoning a portal and dragging himself and Garrett through it.
"Um, boss?" Erron called out for his master as Kenshi, Tundra and Scorpion now turned their attentions to him. Erron quickly drew one of his guns but it was quickly disarmed by Kenshi's telekinesis and thrown deep into one of the sand hills.
As the three closed in on Erron the crafty gunslinger smashed a sand grenade which was madeof glass between his gloved hands, sand spitting out from all angles. This distraction allowed Erron to slide away and dive forward through the portal just before it closed.
The portal led back to one of the many imposing hallways of Shao Kahn's fortress. Erron was met by Garrett who had been waiting patiently for him, Shang Tsung on the other hand,was already walking off.
"Our attempt of an ambush was pitiful." Shang self-rebuked, already regretting his plan. "I expected Scorpion to come alone."
"A minor setback, my master," Garrett reassured. "It'd appear Scorpion has made allies with common causes."
"My death." Shang muttered in understanding of said cause.
"I was almost the one dead, dammit!"Erron Black finally snapped. "Were you trying to abandon me?"
Shang merely sighed and continued to walk off to the door at the corridor's ending, only to be surprised by Reiko opening the door before he could.
"Shang Tsung." Reiko greeted bitterly.
"General," Tsung acknowledged the greetings. "Going somewhere?"
"Our emperor has summoned for me," He answered. "It seems he's done the opposite with you."
Shang simply nodded.
Reiko shook his head in disgust of Shang's recent failures, "Rightfully so." He agreed with Kahn's decision before he and Shang walked in opposite directions, Reiko giving a glance to Erron Black as he passed him and Garrett.
"I lost one of my toys." Erron sighed, opening his jacket to replace his one remaining revolver for a different set.
"About time," Garrett muttered. "Those guns looked older than me."
"These I've had just as long," Erron corrected. "Your points irrelevant."
"My point is that you need to upgrade." Garrett explained.
"Says the guy who was a knight forfuckin'William the Conqueror." Erron recalled.
"And those history books still don't speak of a single Garrett." He sighed. "Besides, a sword is a sword, it doesn't receive upgrades like your fancy firearms."
"Sentimental value is a thing, asshole." Black insulted as he polished his replacing pair of guns.
"I've known you for nearly two hundred years and I've never heard you tell me why they have this 'sentimental' value." Garrett pointed out.
"And you've been working for Shang Tsung for nearly a thousand years without feeling like shit." Erron fired back, his gun conveniently being directed at his 'friend'as he polished it.
"Don't assume anything about me!" Garrett rebuked, storming away in anger and annoyance.
"Prick." Black muttered under his breath as the knight left the room, leaving Erron alone with his guns.