"What the hell just happened?!" Stryker asked. The city was surrounded by a wall of souls, which was what was left of the Soulnado. Within the city itself the look of things were changing as parts of Earthrealm and Outworld began merging together.
"Outworld and Earthrealm are colliding!" Fujin revealed.
"What happened to all our soldiers?" Sonya worryingly asked.
"Their souls were consumed by the Soulnado." Raiden informed everyone. "I'm sorry."
"No…" Sonya began crying with Hsu Hao oddly trying to comfort her.
"Can we save them?" Jarek asked.
"Like you'd care." Sonya remarked.
"Those were our friends!" Tasia lashed out at her. "Our allies! You're damn right we care!"
"If we defeat Shao Kahn then we can put a stop to the merger." Raiden revealed. "I'm sorry I couldn't save everyone, my protection spell is limiting."
"If we can save them then it's fine…" Stryker commented. "Right?"
Raiden nodded. "All the souls will be freed if we can defeat Kahn. Those who were victims of the Soulnado will return to their normal lives like nothing ever happened."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Tasia asked. "Let's kill that bastard!"
"We don't know where he is." Nightwolf said.
"Err… I think I have a good idea." Stryker was pointing at a skyscraper that had been merged with Shao Kahn's fortress. A statue replica of Shao Kahn's skull face mask stood on the roof.
"Let's hurry." Hsu Hao insisted.
"One issue." Jarek realized. "Them."
Everybody turned to see two portals, one unloading an army of Shokan and the other with Centaurs pouring out.
"How do we get past them?" Stryker asked.
"Stealth." Bo' Rai Cho replied.
"I'm surprised to hear you say that." Stryker remarked.
"Let's get it done." Fujin demanded.
"Shao Kahn played us." Raiden realized. "Tricked me into halving our groups…"
"I pray that Liu Kang and Kung Lao are okay." Bo' hoped.
"I hope Johnny isn't hurt…" Sonya added.
"Tremor... might be dead…" It finally hit Jarek and now Tasia.
"Don't you dare fucking say that!" Demanded Tasia.
"We cannot dwell on the past." Fujin said in an attempt to ease the group. "We must focus on saving the future of Earthrealm."
Suddenly, something darted through the wall of souls and past the heroes at supersonic speed.
"The hell was that?" Hsu asked
"Kabal?" Styrker figured that it was his speedster friend.
"Stryker." Kabal greeted him as he backed up to reunite with his friends.
"What happened to you?" Stryker questioned.
Kabal was wearing a cybernetic, helmet-looking breathing respirator, his skin was burnt but he still lived.
"The Black Dragon ambushed the folks who were helping me evacuate." Kabal explained. "They took me to Outworld after someone mentioned something called a Soulnado."
"That's the thing you just ran through." Stryker revealed. "Or what remains of it."
"Shao Kahn absorbed the nado part." Sonya added.
"I was too fast for those souls to touch me." Kabal informed them. "That shit was freaky."
"So… The Black Dragon saved you?" Jarek asked.
"Jarek?" Kabal recognized his old friend. "Why are you with the good guys? Tasia too?"
"We disagreed with Kano agreeing to help Outworld." Tasia explained.
"And yes." Kabal answered. "Kano did it to try and convince me to come back to their clan. I understand why they lack members now."
"Hook Swords too?" Stryker was surprised by Kabal's new arsenal.
"Old weapons." Kabal responded. "I figured that they'd be handy."
"I hate to interrupt…" Fujin spoke. "But we need to advance to Kahn's fortress."
"Ah right." Kabal understood. "I'll give more details another time then."
"Follow me." Raiden commanded.
Meanwhile at the fortress, Kahn continued the merger and was admiring his work as he did so. The rooftop had become a throne room with a large open window for Shao to gaze out of. Sindel and Kollector stood by his side with Kitana and Mileena being restrained on the floor behind them.
"The heroes are here." Sindel noticed the group approaching.
"Kollector, join Shang Tsung, Reiko and the Shadow Priests on the lower floor." Kahn demanded. "Just in case they somehow make it here."
"Your wish is my command, Excellency." Kollector complied.
"What of me?" Sindel asked.
Shao Kahn turned his head to see his prisoners struggling in his magic restraints. He had a twisted smile on his face.
"Finish them." He ordered.
Sindel approached them with her Kwan Do at the ready. She first rose the Kwan Do over Mileena.
"Don't touch her!" Screamed Kitana. "Mother please… Remember Edenia. Remember Jarrod."
"Silence woman!" Demanded Kahn. "I said finish them!"
Sindel now turned to Shao Kahn. She was no longer looking at the Emperor with love and admiration, it was now hatred and disgust.
"What's taking so-" Kahn was cut off by being stabbed in the back with Sindel's Kwon Do. "Oh you fool, Sindel."
Sindel staggered back, tearing her Kwan Do out of Kahn as she did so. Shao didn't react to the pain, he merely brushed his hand over the would and it had sealed almost instantly. Though this attack caused no harm, it did break Kitana and Mileena free from their restraints as well as pausing the merging process.
"You aren't my husband!" Sindel had finally come to her senses. "You're my husband's killer!"
"Regained your memory I see." Shao said calmly, not too bothered by Sindel's mind control being broken. "I should've killed you as soon as you broke the protection spell over Earthrealm."
"And I should've killed you in Edenia!" Sindel yelled.
"I remember you trying." Kahn recalled. "But you were like your husband: weak."
Sindel went to stab Kahn again but Shao pushed the Kwan Do to one side before smashing his shoulder pad into Sindel's face.
"Mother!" Kitana cried out as she and Mileena ran to Sindel's aid.
"You can't stop me." Kahn warned. "Nobody can."
Mileena wished to test that statement and teleported behind Shao Kahn, stabbing his back repeatedly which budged Shao forward where he was stabbed in the gut by Sindel's Kwan Do once again. Kitana then slashed her Fan Blades across Shao's chest several times as Mileena's stabbings continued. Kahn suddenly began laughing as he summoned his Wrath Hammer and batted all three off of him.
"I admire the ferocity." Kahn complimented. "But it won't be enough to save yourselves."
"I want you two to teleport to Raiden and his allies." Sindel instructed her daughters.
"But what about you?!" Mileena asked.
"I shall keep him busy." Sindel promised.
"I just got you back in my life." Kitana reminded her. "I don't want to lose you again!"
"You won't." Sindel reassured. "Trust me."
"We must do what she says, Kitana." Mileena stated.
"I know…" Kitana understood. "I love you."
Sindel and Kitana embraced as Kahn continued to laugh at them mockingly, giving them their moment.
"Come here too, Mileena." Sindel requested. Mileena gladly joined the warm embrace but the three quickly let go of one another as Kahn approached again. "Go now."
Kitana and Mileena both began their teleportation ability but Kahn was prepared, he tossed his hammer at the two sisters but Sindel took the blow for them so that her daughters could escape.
"She'll be alright." Mileena assured.
"Kitana and Mileena?" Raiden was surprised by the two sisters appearing before the defenders.
"We broke our mother from her mind control." Kitana informed him. "She's currently distracting Kahn."
"Poor Baraka…" Mileena murmured.
"What's the matter?" Spoke the Tarkatan leader as he placed a hand on Mileena's shoulder.
"You're okay!" Mileena cheered as the two hugged.
"I used my blades and stabbed them into the side of that building I was thrown off of to slow my fall." Baraka explained. "I'm happy that you're okay."
"If you three are joining our cause then we're trying to reach Kahn's fortress." Fujin revealed the plans.
"He's on the top floor." Kitana gave her own information.
"Excellent." Fujin replied. "Let's continue."
"There the Tarkatan is!" Yelled a Centaur.
"He has friends!" A Shokan added.
"Sorry." Baraka apologized. "We Tarkatans aren't all too familiar with the art of stealth."
"Get ready to throw down." Stryker said to his allies.
"Wait!" Kitana ordered. "We don't have to fight!"
"Have we found them?" Asked the voice of a familiar sounding Shokan who budged in front of his allies.
"Prince Goro." Kitana acknowledged his presence. "Only the greatest Mortal Kombat Champion in history."
"Princess Kitana." Goro spoke back. "Care to explain the kindness?"
"Why help Shao Kahn now?" Kitana asked. "Think."
"To prevent our species from being driven to extinction." Goro replied darkly. "Besides, Shao Kahn has treated my people well."
"Because you were his chosen one." Kitana informed him. "Your entire species he relied on the most."
"And now?" Goro asked.
"Now it's the Centaurians." Kitana pointed out.
"Because we are the superior species." Motaro remarked.
"That's not my point!" Kitana shouted. "How long until Kahn loses faith in the Centaurs too?"
"I am destined to become the next Mortal Kombat Champion whenever the Emperor chooses his next target." Motaro claimed.
"You want that?" Kitana asked.
"While I disagree with the merging of realms I cannot refuse the glory I will receive from being Champion." Motaro argued.
"And one failure and you'll be replaced." Kitana pointed out.
"I won't fail." Motaro responded.
"Think realistically for once." Goro demanded.
"Me?" Motaro asked.
"Yes!" Goro confirmed. "You know how I feel about remaining honourable but Kitana's right… both of us and our species are expendable."
"You're just jealous that the Centaurs are now above you Shokan." Motaro claimed.
"When will you learn." Muttered Goro. "What do you think, my brethren? Shall we help Earthrealm?!"
The Shokan cheered, giving a roaring approval. Instead of doing the same, the Centaur instead prepared to attack the Shokan as they saw them as traitors now.
"You will be needed in the fight against Kahn." Kintaro informed Goro. "Join the defenders, we will help fend off the Centaur."
And just like that the Earthrealm defenders continued to make their way to the fortress with the Shokan by their side. Kintaro and Sheeva made their way to the Centaurians Champion, Motaro with their allies clearing a path for them by fighting the Centaurs.
"The Shokan truly have lost their honour." Motaro noted. "A two on one situation? Cowards!"
"More than two." Sheeva corrected. "Zen!"
Zenkaro tried to strike Motaro down from behind but Motaro wrapped his long tail around his leg.
"Nikala!" Motaro called for his most trusted student.
"Yes master?" She asked as she fought off a pair of Shokan.
"Make this one suffer." He demanded as he slammed Zenkaro on the floor by Nikala's side.
"Gladly." Nikala complied.
Nikala and Zenkaro began fighting as Sheeva and Kintaro ran at Motaro. Kintaro began delivering a combination of punches as Sheeva went to Motaro's side and kicked the side of his horse body in an attempt to topple him. Motaro instead swooped the sharp point of his tail down into Sheeva's shoulder before spinning around with her attached to the tail and dragging her into collision with Kintaro.
Meanwhile, Zenkaro had grabbed the front hooves of Nikala and flipped her backwards which knocked her to the floor. Nikala quickly rolled to one side to avoid being dropped on by Zenkaro and climbed to her hooves and drew a bow that her best friend Kavalry had gifted her. Nikala shot an arrow that went through the upper right arm of Zenkaro, the arrow getting stuck in his arm halfway through stabbing through him. Zenkaro tore the arrow out and snapped it like a twig before charging at Nikala. Zenkaro grabbed Nikala and lifted her horse body up, wrapping all four of his arms around her body and was prepared to suplex her to the ground. To counter this, Nikala grabbed a dagger she had and stabbed Zenkaro in his head. Zenkaro slumped to the floor, his body motionless after the stabbing. Nikala then stomped her two front hooves onto Zenkaro's body. Nikala went for the finishing blow but Sheeva who she and Kintaro were fighting Motaro right by their side had intercepted, using her gauntlets to block Nikala's attacks before kicking her back into a group of Shokan warriors who immediately began combating her.
"Once again I fail you…" Zenkaro said weakly.
"You fought well, my friend." Sheeva praised.
"But I lost…" Zenkaro believed that he was unworthy of any praise, he still didn't believe that he deserved to live after his behaviour at the Cobalt Mines.
"You tried your hardest." Sheeva stated. "You can't do better than your best."
"I…"
"Don't say anything." Sheeva advised. "Can we get some help over here?!"
Due to Sheeva tending to Zenkaro, Kintaro was left to fend for himself against the much more powerful Motaro. The Champion of the Centaurs grabbed Kintaro by the throat and delivered a punch to his head which sent Kintaro sailing through the air, only stopping when he collided with a group of Shokan and Centaur who were occupied in an ongoing battle. Kintaro leapt back in front of Motaro and went to punch him back but Motaro charged at Kintaro and trampled him with all four of his hooves. After running down the tiger striped Shokan, Motaro did a one-eighty and repeated his stampede on the body of Kintaro.
Motaro went for the finishing blow. He raised his tail high in the air before dropping it down on Kintaro's body, but Sheeva grabbed the tail with her powerful arms and twisted the tail which also spun Motaro's entire body onto the ground. Motaro tried to stand up but Sheeva leapt in the air and crashed her feet down on Motaro's horseback several times. During this, Kintaro had recovered and was now standing on his two feet. Kintaro activated the saber tooth like blades that were on his four gauntlets as he slashed at Motaro several times which eventually rendered the Centaur's leader as unconscious.
"What do you think?" Kintaro asked Sheeva. "Shall we kill him?"
"Kitana and her friends wouldn't approve of execution." Sheeva pointed out. "We'll take him prisoner… assuming we win this battle."
"I'll see if I can spread word to our allies to not kill any Centaur." Kintaro informed her.
"I hope they comply." Sheeva hoped. "Somebody place this Centaur under arrest!"
As the battle between Centaur and Shokan ensued, the defenders of Earthrealm had made it to Shao Kahn's Fortress. Waiting at the entrance was a group of Shadow Priests led by the ominous Talon. The Shadow Priests didn't need to retreat back to Outworld as like Raiden, they could cast their own protection spells against the Soulnado that had consumed the entire realm just less than an hour ago.
"Bravo!" Talon clapped their shrouded hands together. "You made it!"
"Spare us the mind games." Raiden demanded. "Stand aside or you will face the consequences."
"I should be saying the same thing." Talon replied. "Get them!"
The Shadow Priests and the defenders were about evenly matched in numbers as they ran at each other, ready to fight. Fujin used his wind abilities to blow a Shadow Priest towards Raiden who mercilessly shocked the Priest. This invasion was causing Raiden to be more ruthless than ever before. Raiden had gained the mindset that if you were helping Shao Kahn then your death was justified, and nobody could blame him for thinking so. Sonya joined the fight and used her high tech gauntlets to shoot a pair of energy rings at one Priest as Stryker lobbed a handful of grenades at another who stumbled back into Kabal's Hook Swords. Bo' Rai Cho used his vast knowledge of Jojutsu to unleash some solid strikes with his signature collapsible cane. Hsu Hao used his cybernetic heart to blast through a Shadow Priest, using his incredible strength to grab another and throw them at Nightwolf who stabbed one of his Tomahawks into the Priests' back. Kitana threw one of her steel fans at the chest of one Priest and Mileena teleported behind them and stabbed her Sai into the Priest. Baraka then leapt over the two sisters and landed blades first onto another Shadow Priest who was going to attack them. All the Shadow Priests had been defeated besides their elected leader, Talon.
"H-how?!" Talon stuttered.
"Final chance." Raiden warned. "Stand aside."
In a panic, Talon summoned a set of portals behind him where many allies began coming out of. Reiko, Rain, Erron Black, Garrett Bennett, Kano and No Face emerged from the portals, having been ordered to wait in Outworld in case Talon created a portal which would prompt them to help.
"You're still outnumbered." Fujin noted.
"I recommend that you listen to my friend." Bo' Rai Cho suggested. "And I still cannot fathom why people like you would want to help with this merger."
Bo' Rai Cho pointed two chunky fingers at Garrett and Erron.
"You're from Outworld right?" Erron asked. "We're quite similar… except I make better choices."
"I'm not siding with the realm that's attempting to merge everything into one!" Argued Bo'.
"You have no right to judge us!" Garrett yelled.
"A couple of rats aren't going to be much help." Tasia said, mocking Kano and No Face.
"The traitors call us rats." Kano replied.
No Face laughed like a lunatic. "Oh the double standards… how pathetic."
"Sorry that your only allies now are idiotic psychos." Jarek apologized.
"Hey!" No Face yelled. "I'll burn you to ashes."
"You should've finished the job." Kabal joined in. "I gave you a chance, No Face."
"And we gave you a chance to rejoin the Black Dragon!" No Face argued.
"Gentlemen please." Shang Tsung interrupted as he and Kollector arrived at the battle zone. "You should've known I'd pull such a trick by now, Raiden. Now billions of people who you should've been protecting are gone."
"Do not try guilting him!" Fujin demanded. "You're the man solely responsible for the Soulnado."
"Oh?" Tsung snickered. "Kitana and Mileena spared me when I had returned to my Flesh Pits… I was gathering ingredients to make the Soulnado. They had a chance to kill me and now look."
"Enough!" Yelled Hsu Hao. "You talk too much."
Hsu Hao opened fire by blasting his laser heart at Shang Tsung. As everyone was arguing, Talon was creating a protection spell that would help level the playing field against the heroes who had the numbers advantage. Kollector launched some sort of Molotov cocktail which exploded into cursed flames by the defenders' feet. Baraka leapt over it and began hacking at Kollector. The Naknadan used his chained mace to block the attacks and counter them into his own heavy blows. But these attacks didn't slow down the Tarkatans offense, he knew that Kollector and Tsing had taken temporary leadership over his army after his absence after the tournament on Shang Tsung's island. Kollector and Tsung had taken advantage of the blood thirsty Tarkatans and needlessly set them out on an assault on the Wu Shi. Baraka stabbed his blades into Kollector before throwing him into his own cursed flames.
Meanwhile, Raiden and Reiko fought. Reiko ruthlessly began his attacks with his war hammer but Raiden shrugged off each hit and began shocking Reiko. Raiden was empowered by the rage he received from the General. Raiden and Reiko battled up the stairway that led to the main doors of the skyscraper that had transformed into Kahn's fortress. Raiden launched Reiko through the entrance and into what was a reception area but now altered into a more old fashioned look with torches on the grubby brick walls and a reception table made of stone that was yet to be smoothed. Above the table was a sigil showing the logo of the Kahn Guard, this presumably replaced what was the actual business' logo.
Elsewhere, Rain and Fujin were having a rematch from their last fight at the cathedral where Rain with the help of some of his students defeated Fujin. Now Rain had none of his pupils to aid him but he did have the small perk of Talon's protection spell. Fujin performed a set of wind blasts that would usually knock the opponent to the floor but the defense spell over Rain absorbed the attacks and allowed Rain to get up close with his powerful punches and kicks. Fujin fought back with a knee while also flying up in the air, so when Fujin struck his knee into Rain he began raising him up in the air too. Fujin then went to throw Rain down to the floor but Rain teleported at the last second, leaving merely water to splat against the ground below. Rain then reappeared above the still floating Fujin and drove the Wind God to the ground. Rain then went to strike down Fujin with a lightning bolt but Nightwolf stood over Fujin and used his magic energy to absorb the lightning bolt before summoning his own which shocked Rain and knocked him down. As Nightwolf went to finish Rain off with a Tomahawk strike, Rain teleported to safety once again.
"Thank you." Fujin said gratefully.
"Of course, my friend." Nightwolf replied as he helped Fujin to his feet. "The numbers advantage really has helped us."
"Indeed." Fujin agreed. "I see that Sonya Blade and Hsu Hao are struggling with Shang Tsung over there."
"Shall we help them?" Nightwolf asked as he too was now witnessing the fight.
"Absolutely." Fujin confirmed. "I'll follow your lead."
Near the entrance of the Fortress, Erron, Garrett, Kano and No Face were holding their own against Jarek, Tasia, Stryker and Kabal. This was an unlikely alliance: two cops and two crooks teamed up to face the greater evil. Kabal immediately ran into No Face which sent him spinning in place which allowed Kabal to get a hit with his Hook Swords. Kano then threw a knife into Kabal's shoulder and Styrker quickly came to tackle Kano so that Kabal could continue his offense on No Face. Kabal ran to No Face and stabbed his Hook Swords into No Face's torso.
No Face began laughing despite his current situation of being impaled by a pair of Hook Swords. "Just like your old self!"
"You burnt me alive!" Kabal reminded him. "And you're laughing?"
"Why of course!" No Face replied. "This is hilarious! Go on Kabal, kill me."
Kabal finally realized what No Face was trying to do. No Face wanted Kabal to unleash his bad side that he left buried many years ago. Kabal pulled out his Hook Swords which caused No Face to drop to all fours.
"I still want to help you." Kabal stated as he cautiously stretched a hand out to No Face.
"Are you shitting me?!" No Face said in anger. "Just fucking kill me!"
"No." Kabal refused.
"Then I'll kill us both!" No Face yelled as he revealed that he had lit a stick of dynamite.
Kabal snatched the stick off of No Face before throwing it aside just in time before it exploded.
"Are you insane?!" Kabal asked.
"Yup." No Face confirmed.
"You're coming with me." Kabal informed him as he offered No Face his hand again. "Either as my ally or as my prisoner."
"I'd prefer the former." No Face told Kabal as he took his hand. "But my favourite option is NEITHER."
No Face grabbed a Molotov cocktail that was attached to his belt of various explosive tools and cracked it over Kabal's new mask. Once again was Kabal suffering from burns as he rolled around on the floor. Seeing this from afar, Styrker immediately came to fight off No Face to protect his best friend. For once in this battle did the remaining allies of Shao Kahn have the numbers advantage as with Stryker gone that left the battle at the bottom of the stairway of the Fortress as a three on one situation. Kano, Erron and Garrett were beginning to overwhelm Jarek and Tasia.
"What did I tell you two?" Kano queried as Erron and Garrett knocked Jarek and Tasia to the floor.
"To help a power hungry maniac take over Earth?" Jarek recalled. "Hard pass."
"Fuckin psychos." Tasia insulted.
"I didn't want this." Kano assured. "But business is business."
"I'm so sick of your voice!" Screamed Tasia.
"Finish them, lads." Kano ordered.
Garrett raised his broadsword high above Tasia and Erron pointed one of his revolvers at the head of Jarek. At the last moment, Bo' Rai Cho leapt from the stairway above and landed on top of Kano, crushing the mercenary while also sending a shockwave to the feet of Erron and Garrett which knocked them both down and allowed Jarek and Tasia to recover and fight back against Garrett and Erron. As Tasia and Jarek wailed down on Garrett and Erron and Bo' Rai Cho proceeded to crush Kano, Shang Tsung was tossed by their side by Goro with Tsung's being more brutal thanks to Fujin's control of the wind. The sorcerer climbed to his feet but Nightwolf quickly knocked him down with a solid shoulder barge. Still having some fight left in him, Tsung tried again to stand up by Hsu Hao blasted him with his laser once again.
"Had enough?" Sonya asked.
"You lot may have defeated us…" Tsung admitted. "But you won't stand a chance against Emperor Shao Kahn."
"We'll see." Bo' Rai Cho said as he got off of Kano.
"You all postpone your inevitable deaths…" Tsung warned with a weakness in his voice from the harm he had suffered in the fight. "I am very disappointed in your betrayal, Goro."
"I am thankful for the opportunities that I have received." Goro thanked the sorcerer. "But Shao Kahn needs to be stopped."
"Why are we standing around listening to the dying man?" Hsu Hao asked. "Somebody put him down."
"Gladly." Sonya replied before brutally stomping down on the parts between Shang Tsung's legs.
"Do what you have to." Fujin instructed. "I'll be heading inside the Fortress."
"As will I." Nightwolf added. "Join us soon."
"Will do." Sonya responded and Hsu Hao nodded in confirmation.
Sonya and Hsu looked down as Shang Tsung and watched as he sank through a portal he had created at the ground. Erron and Garrett who had been receiving several kicks and punches from Jarek and Tasia were also taken away by a portal made by the sorcerer.
"Shit…" Sonya muttered.
"At least this bastard's still here." Tasia looked on the bright side as she kicked Kano's head.
"We'll be taking him in." Sonya informed Jarek and Tasia.
"What?!" Jarek asked.
"You heard her." Hsu Hao replied.
"Why?!" Jarek questioned further. "Let's just kill him already!"
"We need him for questioning." Hsu Hao explained. "And don't think I've forgotten about your own criminal record, Jarek."
"Yeah whatever." Jarek replied. "Let's get going."
"Anybody know what happened to those Shadow Priests?" Sonya asked as she looked around where the unconscious bodies of the Priests used to be.
"Does it matter?" Tasia asked. "C'mon already."
Stryker then approached the group of defenders while carrying an injured Kabal in one arm while dragging a handcuffed No Face in the other.
"Somebody help me out here." Requested Stryker.
"Is Kabal ok?" Jarek asked as he took No Face from Stryker and punched him to the floor.
"I think so." Stryker said with high hopes. "It's not as bad as his previous burns."
"Raiden has healing powers." Bo' Rai Cho revealed. "Follow me, he'll be willing to help."
"Finally," Stryker said with relief. "Some good news."
"I'll be coming back for you two." Hsu Hao promised as he repostitioned Kano and then No Face against a lamppost before cuffing them both to it to prevent them from running away.
The defenders had all arrived at the reception room of the Fortress where they saw a tired and beaten Reiko struggling to get back to his feet and continue his fight against Raiden. Reiko tried to crack open Raiden's skull with his hammer but Raiden grabbed the hammer with one fist and crushed it in his hands before snatching the handle and smacking it in Reiko's face.
"You shouldn't have returned here, General." Raiden said as he stomped his foot on Reiko's chest.
"The Kahn Guard forever!" Reiko yelled at Raiden.
"The Kahn Guard is dying." Raiden gave a dull but truthful response. He turned to the Kahn Guard sigil on the wall and shocked it, burning it to ashes. "Just like you."
As Reiko prepared for his execution, Kollector was thrown into the room by Baraka, Kitana and Mileena who had been busy fighting the Naknadan leader.
"Once again you defenders forget our powers." Kollector laughed.
"What?" Mileena asked in confusion.
"Glory to Shao Kahn." Kollector said as he crawled over and grabbed Reiko's arm. "I cannot wait to hear the news when our Emperor has killed you all!"
And as Kollector finished his sentence, he had used one of his many magical artifacts to teleport himself and Reiko away. There was frustration in the defenders as many of their enemies had managed to do similar methods to escape justice. They should've expected this. But nobody could dwell on that now, what mattered was eliminating Shao Kahn once and for all.
"Raiden?" Stryker called out. "You have healing powers right?"
"I cannot revert any of Kabal's old burns but I can reverse anything recent." Raiden explained. "Actually, I shall heal us all for the final battle."
Raiden blasted a gentle shock of lightning into everyone but instead of it hurting, it began healing all wounds as well as energizing the defenders.
"Woah." Kabal suddenly awoke. "No Face… he burnt me again!"
"Don't worry." Stryker advised. "Raiden has healed you."
"We're going to confront Shao Kahn right now." Nightwolf added.
"Well shit." Kabal replied. "Let's do this then!"
"We're ready." Fujin stated.
"I hope mothers alright." Kitana prayed. "Let's be quick."
The defenders began running up the stairway, trying to get to the top of the Fortress as quickly as possible. Raiden had already drained a lot of his power with his protection and healing spells, he was worried that he wouldn't be fully recovered for the fight against Shao Kahn.
"Did you two try fighting Shao Kahn?" Raiden asked Mileena and Kitana.
"Briefly but our mother told us to retreat to you." Kitana recalled.
"That's when we met up with you." Mileena added. "Mother wanted to distract Kahn to prevent the merger from continuing."
"I haven't been seeing any new alterations from the merger since uniting with you two." Fujin realized. "This means Sindel's strategy must be working."
"But how powerful is this version of Shao Kahn?" Raiden questioned.
"I'm not entirely sure." Kitana admitted. "But he couldn't feel pain."
"Just great." Tasia commented sarcastically. "Fucking brilliant."
"I've got your back, Tas." Jarek assured.
"That's not as comforting as you'd think." Tasia informed him.
"We can still overwhelm him." Sonya assumed. "Right?"
"We don't know." Mileena said honestly.
"We have to try." Nightwolf commented. "May the Great Spirit watch over us."
"If this is the end…" Mileena began thinking the worst. "Thank you all."
"Don't say such things." Baraka advised.
"I just…" Mileena paused.
"It'll be okay." Baraka reassured her.
"I can't afford to lose you or Kitana." Mileena cried.
"Don't worry about us." Kitana instructed as she placed an arm over her sister's shoulder as they continued up the stairway.
"I won't let Shao touch a hair on either of you." Baraka promised.
"We're here." Raiden announced as everyone reached the top of the stairs.
"Behind this is Shao Kahn?" Fujin guessed as he looked at the double doors ahead.
"Only one way to find out." Raiden replied as he placed his hands on the pair of doorknobs that were shaped like the head of Shao Kahn with ingrains of his signature helmet and mask.
The door creaked as the defenders began filling the room. Shao Kahn who was holding Sindel by the throat, tossed her to her daughters' feet.
Shao Kahn laughed as he summoned his Wrath Hammer. "Raiden and his band of fools." Kahn mocked. "I knew you'd come…"