Johnny Cage received a knock on his door. Cautiously, the actor opened the door with a kitchen knife in his hand. He was relieved to find that standing in the doorway was Raiden.
"Oh it's you Raiden!" Johnny greeted as he lowered his knife.
"I see you're aware of the current invasion." Noted Raiden.
"Are you kidding me? Those damn Tarkatans have been all over Cali." Johnny gestured for the Thunder God to enter the house.
"A similar scenario to New York." Raiden said as he walked inside.
"What do they want?" Asked Johnny.
"It's not about what the Tarkatans want, it's about what Shao Kahn wants." Explained Raiden. "Shao Kahn has found a way to break the protection spell that prevented Earthrealm from being merged."
"So he's softening up Earth? Sheesh…"
"I'm here to ask if you'll help fight in the invasion on Earthrealm's behalf." Raiden cut to the point after realizing he was close to engaging in casual conversation.
"Seriously?" Johnny was unhappy with Raiden's request. "I'm exhausted, Raiden."
"But you have a gift," reminded Raiden. "That glowing energy."
"This is no gift, Raiden." Cage disagreed. "My agent has cursed me by sending me to Shang's island."
"Millions of lives are counting on the likes of you and I who are blessed by our powers to be heroes and save them." Stated Raiden. "They need you."
"They need those Elder God dudes, not Johnny Cage."
"And the Elder Gods aren't willing to interfere," revealed Raiden. "Which is why I hold a higher opinion of you after what you did in the latest tournament."
"I still lost to the four armed cat." Muttered Johnny.
"But you eliminated many threats along the way," Raiden reminded him. "Which is why I thank you."
Johnny sighed. "I've been selfish for a long time, Raiden."
"Then change that." Recommended Raiden. The Thunder God placed a hand on Johnny's shoulder. "Would you rather stay here and die or join me and fight for the greater good? I promised that I'll protect you."
"You're right." Realized Johnny. "Fine, I'll join you."
"Thank you." Raiden said gratefully. "We must leave now to visit Kenshi."
"The blindman? You're not going to be able to convince him." Johnny said negatively.
"I won't be able to if you don't remain quiet." Raiden remarked. "Trust me as I trust you."
"Alright, let's go." Johnny ordered.
Raiden raised his hand, signalling a small blast of teleportation lightning to surge through both himself and Johnny Cage.
Raiden and Johnny now stood by Kenshi's home. It was a small cottage albeit cozy. Raiden knocked gently on the door. Kenshi opened it.
"Yes, Raiden?"
"I require your help in fighting invaders from Outworld." Explained Raiden. "Your aid would be greatly appreciated."
"What do I gain from helping you?" Kenshi asked. "If the answer isn't vision or vengeance then leave."
"Fame, fortune, honour and my respect." Raiden listed. "As well as the respect of all the lives you help to protect."
Kenshi paused for a moment. "Give me a second." He requested.
"Of course." Allowed Raiden.
Kenshi walked back inside his cottage before returning with his sword at hand and dressed in the same set of armour he had previously worn. "I remember the pain I felt from losing my vision. The pain I still feel now." Kenshi recalled. "I cannot let anyone feel a similar pain from Shao Kahn's scum."
"Sweet!" Cheered Johnny. "Glad to have you, Kenshi."
"Thank you for the offer." Kenshi said as he placed his sword and sheath on his back. "I'm sorry if I haven't been the most… cooperative previously."
"It is forgivable." Assured Raiden. "And thank you for joining us."
"Where to next?" Johnny asked.
"To the Matoka Tribe." Announced Raiden.
Once more did Raiden teleport to his next destination, with Johnny Cage and Kenshi by his side the three stepped inside the tribal grounds. The Matoka grounds were a large field of land that was surrounded by fencing. Inside the grounds were countless tents and campfires which many of the Native American inhabitants surrounded by the fires, most had turned to face Raiden, Johnny and Kenshi for they had emerged from a thunderous lightning bolt which immediately drew attention to them.
Nightwolf hurried over to greet their visitors. "Haokah, Kenshi and Cage. What brings you to our grounds?"
"It is a matter of invasion." Informed Raiden. "Shao Kahn and his armies are attacking Earthrealm."
"How so?"
"The protection ward has been mysteriously removed." Raiden explained. "I seek to enlist your aid."
"I would be willing to aid you but I must protect my people." Nightwolf said with reluctance.
"Maybe bring them with you," considered Raiden. "Nonetheless, I respect any decision you make."
"There are some children and elderly here." Informed Nightwolf. "It's too dangerous to bring them into battlefields."
"Go with them, Nightwolf." Advised a fellow Matokan warrior. "We will be fine, I see no reason why our grounds would be attacked."
"Are you certain?" Nightwolf asked her.
"Absolutely certain." She assured him.
"Then I will join you Raiden," Nightwolf decided. "Just please give me some time to say goodbye."
"Why of course," Raiden granted the request. "There is a cathedral down in the city nearby to your grounds."
"I will find my way," assured Nightwolf. "I'm surprisingly quite familiar with the city so it shouldn't be much of an issue."
"You will know you've found it if it's being heavily guarded." Added Raiden. "Thank you, Nightwolf."
Raiden snapped his fingers and summoned a map of New York City. He handed it to Nightwolf, pointing at the Cathedral's location. Nightwolf used his energy manipulation to create an arrow before pressing it lightly on where Raiden pointed to.
"I will see you soon, Haokah." Promised Nightwolf.
"Goodbye for now, my friend." Raiden said his farewells before teleporting himself, Kenshi and Johnny Cage to the Shaolin Temple. They arrived and the temple was almost completely empty.
Raiden approached one of the only monks he saw. "Excuse me, my friend, where is everybody?" Raiden asked.
"Hong Kong is under attack." Answered the monk. "Bo' Rai Cho took some of the monks to fight the invaders."
"So Shao Kahn's armies have reached China." Figured Raiden. "Thank you, my friend. Stay safe."
"We're getting straight into the action, huh?" Said Johnny.
"I will protect you both, I promise." Raiden said before once again teleporting the three, this time to the city of Hong Kong.
The three were immediately dropped into action as Osh-Tekk soldiers surrounded them. Raiden immediately began electrocuting some of the attackers, Johnny Cage was using his energy enhanced kicks to fend off the soldiers and Kenshi was using his sword to slice through numbers of foot soldiers. More soldiers regrouped and surrounded the three again.
"Jump!" Commanded Raiden.
Johnny and Kenshi leapt up as a short surge of lightning went through the ground below them as Raiden punched the floor, sending a shock to all the nearby Osh-Tekk warriors.
"This is crazy!" Johnny said, overwhelmed by what he was witnessing.
"Where's the White Lotus?" Questioned Kenshi.
"I will take to the skies and find out." Raiden decided before flying up in the air, lightning coming down from beneath him as he glided over the Osh-Tekk soldiers.
"Look out!" Johnny yelled to Kenshi as he spotted movement in the many dimly lit and tightly spaced alleyways that were to the sides of the street that they stood in the middle of.
"Very funny." Kenshi said sarcastically.
"Oh sorry," Johnny apologized as he wasn't considering his wording. "There's things in the alleys."
"I can sense presences nearby, yes." Kenshi confirmed as he gripped tighter on his sword.
Kytinn began slowly emerging from the shadows, a couple crawled to the rooftops and the others approached Kenshi and Johnny Cage with cautiousness.
"K'Berah, K'Fersebe, attack!" D'Vorah directed a pair of Kytinn and they leapt at Johnny and Kenshi. Cage caught K'Berah with a spinning kick as soon as she landed on Johnny and Kenshi used his telekinesis to push K'Fersebe into a brick wall.
"Bug ladies? I never thought I'd see the day." Commented Johnny as he prepared for the next wave of Kytinn.
"Again?" Kenshi asked with mild irritation of Cage's probably intentional puns.
"Try again!" Commanded D'Vorah. "Join them, Y'Evna and Re'Enena!"
K'Berah and K'Fersebe regrouped and charged forward, this time with the assistance of Y'Evna and Re'Enena. The four began overpowering Kenshi and Johnny Cage. All four of the Kytinn had four stingers, making it difficult to fend and block off, especially for the unarmed Johnny Cage. Kenshi used his telekinesis to pick up Y'Evna and tossed her at K'Berah, their stingers stabbing each other.
"A'Vital, let us release our wasps." D'Vorah directed to the Kytinn who stood on the rooftop with her: A'Vital, her significant other.
A'Vital smiled before giving her compliance. "Affirmative, This Ones love."
The two lovers sent a huge swarm of wasps at Kenshi and Johnny Cage. Fortunately, the swarm was suddenly lit on fire by the Hell Spectre known as Scorpion.
"Thanks, Scorp." Johnny said as he fought with Re'Enena, focused on dodging her stinger attacks.
"What brings the pair of you here?" Scorpion asked as he threw fireballs at D'Vorah and A'Vital who scurried away to avoid the fire.
"Same reason as you it seems." Answered Kenshi as he combated K'Fersebe, sword and stingers were colliding as they fought to break one anothers guard.
"I spotted Raiden in the sky," informed Scorpion who looked up to see if he was still visible. "Did you arrive with him?"
"Yup, he picked us up before coming to collect you guys." Johnny explained.
Kenshi pushed away an aggressive K'Fersebe before aiding Johnny in handling Re'Enena. Kenshi used his telekinesis to hold K'Fersebe in place which allowed Johnny Cage to deliver a string of knockout blows before Kenshi once again threw her away.
"This One is not finished with you." Chimed in D'Vorah who came rushing at Johnny, Kenshi and Scorpion with A'Vital by her side.
"We've got the pest control out here, bug." Johnny said as he pointed to Scorpion. "You better run off."
"After touching This One's woman? Not a chance." D'Vorah said with anger in her tone, clearly protective of A'Vital.
"This One will take to the skies." Planned A'Vital who whispered said plan to D'Vorah.
"Final chance." Scorpion warned.
"Die!" Cried out D'Vorah as she flipped through the air, her stingers crashing onto Johnny and Kenshi's tops of their heads. Scorpion teleported in the nick of time before emerging behind D'Vorah and launching her spear at D'Vorah from a distance.
"Get over here!" He yelled as he began dragging D'Vorah towards his grasp. A'Vital intercepted by dropping a swarm from above as well as deploying a bug that was the size of Scorpion's face which was what the creature landed on before exploding like a grenade on Scorpion. Johnny Cage and Kenshi recovered but were immediately taken down by A'Vital swooping down and knocking them both over. Scorpion and D'Vorah continued their fight with D'Vorah getting an upper hand with Scorpion's now damaged vision from the bug explosion which caused him to react too late to a stinger stabbing into his left shoulder, numbing the limb. Scorpion who had been holding one of his swords in his left hand went to raise his arm up to strike back at D'Vorah but the stinging pain in his shoulder prevented him from doing so. Scorpion was now vulnerable to D'Vorah as she leapt on top of him and rose her stingers up, ready to stab all four into her. As D'Vorah began landing down the stingers she was telekinetically shoved away in the last moment by Kenshi, though this had caused an almost domino like effect with now Kenshi vulnerable to A'Vital's attacks for helping Scorpion. Johnny hit A'Vital with a shadow kick which knocked her close to D'Vorah, allowing the two lovers to regroup.
"K'Berah? K'Fersebe? Y'Evna? Re'Enena?" D'Vorah called out for her allies as she helped A'Vital to her feet.
"Thanks." A'Vital said weakly.
K'Berah stirred. "K'Berah? Are you ok?" D'Vorah called out.
K'Berah scurried behind D'Vorah and responded, "This One is fine, commander."
"There are three of us and three of them," calculated A'Vital. "We can defeat them."
K'Berah quickly flew to the air, deploying poisonous flies which Scorpion quickly disintegrated the flies with hellfire. K'Berah flew down, spreading her wings and stingers as she swooped down. As she dove at Scorpion, a sudden cloud of vapour engulfed K'Berah and transported her above Smoke and Tundra who had spotted the commotion while they were fighting Osh-Tekk warriors. As she fell she was battered by a staff made by Tundra's cryomancy. K'Berah rapidly crawled away, waking up her fellow Kytinn that had been dazed from Johnny and Kenshi's attacks.
"Retreat!" D'Vorah yelled to her allies who all began flapping their wings in preparation to fly away.
The six Kytinn took to the skies. Kenshi tried to pull back Re'Enena but K'Fersebe dropped a swarm on Kenshi to throw his focus off, allowing them to all fly high enough that they were out of reach from any of their enemies. Kenshi batted the swarm away before it could cause major harm to his exposed face.
"Thanks Smokey and lil' Sub Zero." Johnny thanked the two former Lin Kuei in a somewhat disrespectful manner.
"It's no problem." Smoke responded, slightly annoyed by Johnny's nicknaming.
"What do those things want?" Tundra asked the question that everyone had been asking.
"I think I'll save Raiden the trouble and explain it myse-" Johnny opted but was cut off.
"From someone else please." Smoke requested.
"Very well then." Kenshi began. "So it started with..."
The Kytinn were still soaring high in the air. "Where are we going now, commander?" Y'Evna queried.
"We shall stand by General Kotal." D'Vorah decided. "Keep on the lookout for him."
"Yes, ma'am." They all said in unison, besides A'Vital who changed the wording from ma'am to love.
"Is anyone hurt?" Y'Evna asked, concerned for her comrades.
"This One will live." K'Berah assured. "Though, This One's shell has been damaged."
"This One will take a look when we have the time." Y'Evna promised, having medical training. "And you two?"
"This One is fine thanks to K'Fersebe." Responded Re'Enena.
"It was no problem." K'Fersebe said while blushing. "And This One is also alright, thanks for asking."
"I see the General!" Announced A'Vital who pointed her black coloured arms that were covered in dark pink patterns towards Kotal. "He is under attack!"
General Kotal had gotten into an altercation with Raiden who was beating him down. Surrounding the two were Osh-Tekk soldiers clashing with monks of the White Lotus Society. Bo' Rai Cho was nearby taking some sort of leadership over the monks in this battle. Kotal had already been floored several times by the Thunder God but an opening was now made by Kotal's Kytinn allies arriving and summoning swarms of insects to attack Raiden. To prevent the insects from attacking Raiden, the Thunder God summoned a thunder cloud above him that was permanently releasing lightning on top of Raiden as well as his surrounding area, killing any insects that came forth. As Raiden was managing his thunder cloud, Kotal summoned a discus with a skull engraved on it and launched it into Raiden's chest. The Thunder God collapsed but lightning still surrounded him.
"Damn God!" Kotal yelled in anger as he prepared another discus. "I will end you for harming my fellow Osh-Tekk."
"Shao Kahn did the same yet you bent a knee to him." Raiden retorted as he recovered to his feet, lightning stopping. "And I will end you for aiding that Tyrant in his conquest."
"That was my father's decision, not mine!" Kotal shouted.
"You have a say in making these savage attacks, considering you're this armies General." Retorted Raiden.
Kotal threw his discus but Raiden ducked it. Kotal charged at Raiden, dual wielding sickles and began swinging rapidly at Raiden. The attacks came wildly and Kotal wasn't thinking carefully about said attacks, leaving him vulnerable to being disarmed by Raiden which the Thunder God did so by calling upon his staff and pushing the tip of the staff into Kotal's chest before then waving it left and right at a rapid speed, smacking both of Kotal's wrists at such force that Kotal dropped the sickles. Raiden then blasted a bolt of lightning at Kotal which sent him flying down the street, the turquoise body paint on his back being wiped off and replaced by blood from cuts received from the concrete as he slid across it.
Re'Enena was the first of the Kytinn to dive at Raiden, only to be struck in the back by a lightning bolt which sent her spiralling into the grasp of Raiden. The Thunder God grabbed the Kytinn by the neck who released a spaniel sized beetle at the feet of Raiden which the bug bit into him. Raiden let go of Re'Enena but still managed to kick her into a nearby wall before stomping on the beetle and crushing it.
"Re'Enena!" Cried out Y'Evna who swooped in to scrape her friend off the wall as if she had just been swatted like a fly. A blue splatter of blood was left on the brick wall of the building she had collided into. Y'Evna hissed at Raiden before flying up again with Re'Enena in her care.
Meanwhile, Kotal grabbed his Portal Stone. The Portal Stone is an ancient relic and treasure of the realm of Osh-Tekk, belonging to the royal family of the realm. The stone as its name suggests, allows portals to be created that can let the wielder travel instantly between realms. Kotal created a portal back to Outworld that now stood in the centre of the street.
"We… must… retreat…" Kotal said weakly to D'Vorah who had now landed by his side with her fellow Kytinn.
"General Kotal demands that we retreat!" D'Vorah yelled out to the Osh-Tekk, some hearing the message and running through the created portal and others paying no attention and continuing to fight. D'Vorah and A'Vital worked together to move Kotal through the portal, which closed after they did so.
"They retreat!" Cheered Bo' Rai Cho as he caught up with Raiden.
"Not all." Stated Raiden as he looked around.
"Our numbers outweigh them." Bo' assured, slipping in a pun. "So, what is going on?"
"Outworld invades Earthrealm." Revealed Raiden. "And Shao Kahn has found a way to crumble the protection ward."
"So he can now merge Earthrealm into Outworld." Finished Bo' Rai Cho.
Raiden nodded. "I'm afraid so."
"Then we have no time to talk." Bo' figured. "I will remain with the White Lotus to handle the rest of these Osh-Tekk. And good luck on your next task, my friend."
"My next task is to acquire Shujinko's aid." Revealed Raiden.
"Shujinko? Please bring him to me." Bo' Rai Cho begged.
"I have a different task for him currently, but I will try and bring him back to you afterwards." Promised Raiden.
"Thank you."
"I shall revisit you shortly once I've enlisted Shujinko's aid." Raiden informed. "In the meantime, I wish you luck in this battle."