Raiden scoured the molten landscape of the Netherrealm's first plane, using his unique ability to sense those native to the realm he swore to protect when in other realms. In an unfortunate contrast, however, Raiden's powers were draining in the evil realm of Hell. He hurried the pace of his search to make sure he would still have enough energy to teleport away when he had located Scorpion. The Thunder God kept flying until he sensed an Earthrealm native beneath him at the bottom of some black hills with lava oozing down them like a volcano though in this realm they were the equivalent of a downhill stream instead. Raiden landed and looked around before finding the man he was looking for resting near two allies.
"Scorpion," Raiden called out for, "are you okay?"
"Raiden?!" Scorpion looked up and recognised the Protector God instantly. "Why are you here?"
"Earthrealm will soon be in danger once more," Raiden explained to him the bad news. "I came gathering defenders and once I made it to Kenshi he had explained that you were here."
"I see," Scorpion said as he thought of his home-realm that he already missed despite hardly being in the Netherrealm for long. "What is the threat?"
"Shinnok," Raiden answered as Scorpion's eyes set on fire hearing the name alone. "I assume you're familiar with him."
"Of course I am," Scorpion answered as he stood up from the warm obsidian rock that he was sitting on previously. "He rules this wretched place!"
"I am aware," Raiden informed him. "Who are your friends?"
"Meet Ashrah and Sareena," Scorpion introduced them. "Raiden here is the protector of Earthrealm."
"That's the place I'm hoping to go to," Sareena informed him. "Fed up with this place."
"That makes two of us," Ashrah agreed. "Why is it that Earthrealm's Protector God is here of all places?"
"I came to find Scorpion," Raiden told her. "But I have an idea…"
"Do tell," Ashrah requested.
"Are you aware of the location of Shinnok?" Raiden asked.
"His spire," Sareena vividly recalled. "Sometimes he's at Quan Chi's Fortress."
"Quan Chi…" Scorpion muttered. "I'll gladly return to his home and slay him for good!"
"Relax!" Sareena instructed. "Let's hear what idea your friend has for us."
"We're listening," Ashrah told Raiden which prompted him to continue speaking.
"They will be preparing an invasion soon," Raiden revealed. "And likely at their main bases logically."
"Earthrealm invaded again…" Scorpion said with an audible sigh.
"Perhaps not just Earthrealm this time," Raiden believed which gave him the unfortunate thought of Shinnok attempting to conquer the other realms. "Either way, I need as much help as I can get to put a stop to his plans for realm domination."
"How can we help?" Sareena asked with an interest in the Thunder Gods proposition.
"Attack his forces from within his own realm," Raiden advised. "I presume it will be a dangerous task and I understand if you refuse."
"Can you not just teleport us back to Earthrealm?" Scorpion questioned.
"That was my alternative offer," Raiden revealed.
"Y-you can just teleport us out?!" Sareena became excited immediately from the thought.
"We've been waiting so many years to leave this place," Ashrah told the Thunder God. "Wish you showed up sooner."
"I take it that you would rather get out this instant?" Raiden assumed judging by their reaction.
"Yes please!" Sareena said eagerly.
"Very well then," Raiden went to comply but felt a sharp pain when he tried to summon a teleportation large enough to transport not only himself but also Scorpion, Ashrah and Sareena.
"What's wrong?" Scorpion asked as he became immediately concerned from Raiden's reaction to the painful feeling he suddenly felt.
"My energy is… draining…" Raiden told the trio. "I am sorry… I do not possess the current strength to… transport you all…"
"Why not?!" Ashrah was disappointed in the news, feeling as if her emotions were being toyed with.
"Are you alright?" Sareena asked as Raiden was clearly in pain.
"Raiden, what's happening to you?!" Scorpion also had many questions.
"The Netherrealm drains my powers…" Raiden detailed as he prepared to take himself back to Earthrealm. "Go find where Shinnok's armies are preparing… help stop them… they must have a portal system anyway… you can use it to escape… goodbye."
"Wait!" Ashrah pleaded but Raiden had already sent a bolt of lightning to carry him back to Earthrealm where he sought to finish his task of gathering all the Defenders at his Sky Temple.
"Well at least we know what we're doing next," Sareena looked on the bright side.
"If we succeed then we can escape," Ashrah realised. "Let's do it."
"Right now?" Sareena asked.
"Sure," Ashrah confirmed. "Why not?"
"I'm eager to get out of here too," Sareena related with Ashrah. "But we shouldn't be rushing into things. It will be dangerous."
"What do you think we should do, Scorpion?" Ashrah turned to their other new ally.
"I may be being rash," Scorpion warned the two, "but the sooner I can get my flaming hands around Quan Chi's neck, the better."
"Fine," Sareena allowed them to start moving back to the sorcerer's fortress as they all stood up and began moving with haste. "Let's just stay safe, okay?"
"You too," Ashrah replied. "And Scorpion, what's your grudge with Quan Chi? Myself and Sareena were former servants of him under the Brotherhood of Shadow... awful time. But you?"
"He murdered my family and clan," Scorpion informed them bluntly of the brutal reason as to why he sought revenge on the villainous sorcerer.
"I'm so sorry," Sareena apologised.
"Me too," Ashrah said as Sareena placed a warm and supportive hand on Scorpion's shoulder. "That monster… how could he do such a thing?"
"I don't even know," Scorpion said with the lack of reason for the brutal murdering looming over his mind like a dark cloud.
"Well how about we bleed the answers out of him?" Ashrah suggested.
"I like the sound of that," Scorpion replied and began moving faster as he backtracked from where he had come from upon entering the Netherrealm in order to return to Quan Chi's Fortress. "Let's get this over with…"
Meanwhile at the fortress itself, Quan Chi and Shinnok were conducting another meeting within the war room. One of the magical maps that had been blessed by Shinnok's magic was laid out across the massive table that was in the centre of the room.
"I must once again thank you for sparing your time and power to tend to my… project," Quan Chi said gratefully, sucking up to his master. "I assure you that they will be of great aid to the invasion."
"Invasions," Shinnok corrected him. "My spies have revealed to me a clear alliance between Earthrealm and Outworld… what a bizarre age we live in…"
"They worked together to defeat Shao Kahn," Quan Chi recalled. "It is no surprise that they wish to continue their alliance."
"An alliance that may pose some threat to my plans," Shinnok confessed. "Which is why we should attack both realms simultaneously. Split my armies to split their alliance."
"And by the end of it we'll have conquered two realms," Quan Chi concluded as he grinned menacingly at the idea. "A genius plan, Lord Shinnok."
"You and your Brotherhood may lead the attack on Outworld," Shinnok offered to his most powerful sorcerer. "Attack their Jinsei as you can see located on this map… make sure it is ready for me to corrupt after I do the same in Earthrealm."
"May I make one more request, Lord Shinnok?" Quan Chi asked cautiously.
"What is it?!" Shinnok replied rather rudely in his tone, not appreciative of Quan Chi's recent wants for Shinnok to do for him.
"I would like to suggest that I accompany you to Earthrealm," Quan Chi requested.
"And why is that?"
"Just to… help you," Quan Chi suggested.
"I will be able to handle myself," Shinnok assured him. "And I trust you to manage matters down in Outworld."
"Lord Shinnok, I must insist that I accompany you!" Quan Chi pressed forth on his request, sounding demanding now.
"I said no!"
"But-"
Shinnok suddenly blasted Quan Chi with his amulet, propelling him into a wall behind him and collapsing to the hard floor. A map dropped from a piece of black cloth that the sorcerer kept securely wrapped around his trousers and in addition, a glimpse of gold shimmered from within the pocket but Quan Chi quickly pushed it back in there as he fought through the pain to do so. Shinnok meanwhile had already picked up the map. Shinnok quickly recognised it as the map of his amulet.
"Apologies, Lord Shinnok," Quan Chi realised his attempts to persuade him were doing more harm than good. "I just believe that Earthrealm will be contested greatly due to the Jinsei being located in the damn Thunder God's own home."
"I do trust your input, Quan Chi," Shinnok assured him. "So I will consider your suggestion, so long as you do something for me."
"Anything for you, Lord Shinnok," the sorcerer replied obediently.
"There is a group of Oni who are protesting my recent alliance with Drahmin," Shinnok detailed to him as he pointed to a nearby cave on the map of the Netherrealm in the room of many differing maps. "Take your new 'minions' and silence them."
"Consider it done, Lord Shinnok," Quan Chi promised before taking a bow.
"Thank you," Shinnok said to his ally.
"Oh!" Quan Chi was leaving the room but realised the absence of his map which he did not see leaving his presence, entered Shinnok's when he received the dangerous blast from his master. "Have you seen a map by any chance?"
"Which map?" Shinnok asked dumbly. "There are many here…"
"The one you gave me," Quan Chi clarified. "With the location of your amulet marked at all times…"
"I have not seen it," Shinnok lied convincingly.
"Very well then," Quan Chi believed his master and took one of the spare maps in the proximity instead, though was still worried of where he may have placed the other map. "I shall be on my way nonetheless."
"Make haste," Shinnok ordered as Quan Chi sped up his walking pace on the way out of the room. Once he did, Shinnok observed the map he had picked up from Quan Chi and watched as the true Amulet's location moved along with the sorcerer. He sulked before quietly commenting, "that fool… he's grown too big for his boots…"
Shinnok sighed as he used his dark magic to set the map aflame on command as he watched the enchanted paper burn in mere seconds. He then summoned a portal and bravely transported himself to the pier leading to Kharon's ship. Despite the hostile Oni residing in massive hordes on the bay behind him, Shinnok took the risk due to the severity of his visit to the ferryman of tainted souls.
A few of the nearby Oni spotted him and charged at him on the pier with Shinnok taking what he now realised was a fake replica of the true Amulet though still weaponised it to blast a pair of Oni off the pier and into the bottomless and boody sea below.
The fall of their two fellow Oni didn't even cause the others to flinch. They boldly leapt at Shinnok all at once but the ruler of the Netherrealm batted once into the sea using his firm backhand and blasted his replica amulet at another skinny one with a shelled head which threw them back with the spikes on the back of their head impaling the eyes of the Oni stood behind.
One more Oni attacked Shinnok, running at him and throwing a hard punch at the Fallen Elder God's face. Shinnok merely laughed before grabbing the rotten skinned being by their throat and used his magic to burn his already disgusting skin in a violent way, as if he was grilling some fine meat. Shinnok then used his might to choke the life out of the poor Oni before dumping them into the blood like the rest.
"Anybody else?!" Shinnok asked and the observing Oni surprisingly hesitating at last. "Maybe you things are gaining some intelligence afterall…"
He returned his attention back to the reason why he had arrived beside the Sea of Blood in the first place: Kharon. Shinnok walked down the pier and waited as Kharon's Ship started returning after gathering the latest souls to arrive at the Netherrealm.
"Kharon," Shinnok greeted the ferryman as he lowered his dark hood from a cloak that wrapped around him and concealed his uniquely dark grey skinned face with bright white eyes as he exited his ship to see what his ruler wanted. "It has been some time, my son."
"I care not for such titles, creator," Kharon reminded him. "You made me for the sole purpose of having the job of entering the new souls in this place and finding a suitable plane for them all…"
"I need no reminders," Shinnok clarified. "Although it has been a while I certainly have not forgotten your role in my domain… my visits have only been lessened by these wretched Oni threatening my trips to you."
"I am just stating that I know that If you truly considered me your son then you wouldn't have forced me to be the ferryman of the deceased," Kharon stated truthfully, though his comments did not mean he disliked his work, he just knew that Shinnok was merely pretending to show a slight sign of affection by calling him 'son'.
"If that is how you feel, Kharon, then I understand," Shinnok responded.
"And I understand that this feeling is certainly mutual," Kharon said bluntly.
"You'd be right," his creator downright confessed though Kharon didn't take offense to it and understood that both he and himself were busy and moved on.
"Finally risking the Oni, Shinnok?" Kharon asked as he pointed to one approaching Shinnok from behind which he quickly spun around to face and chokeslam through part of the pier made of old warped planks, the Netherrealms exclusive type of wood. "Whatever for?"
"Iris," he replied while facing away from Kharon to observe any Oni who dared to scheme an attack on him, concerned of being swarmed and potentially incapacitated by the creatures. "I trust you still have her soul kept in the jar I gave you, like I requested?"
"Of course," Kharon confirmed as he climbed back onto his ship. "I kept it safe in my quarters."
"This is excellent news!" Shinnok sounded delighted, a bizarre emotion to see emitted from the Dark Lord himself. "Give her to me."
"Right away," Kharon said as he hurried over to his quarters and searched beneath his desk in the centre of the room before grabbing a bottle containing a green essence which to Kharon was an all too familiar sight of a soul. "Farewell, sister…"
"Hurry up!" Shinnok ordered rudely through combatting another small group of Oni which he quickly dispersed of though continued to be concerned of any larger oncoming hordes but concluded he was probably safe from due to the narrowness of the pier.
"Here," Kharon reached over the side of his ship and carefully offered the jar to his creator just as he was finished savagely murdering the last Oni to dumbly try attacking him. "Keep her safe."
"I will, Kharon," Shinnok promised as he took the jar from him. "I must thank you."
"And I must return to my work," Kharon remarked coldly.
"As do I," Shinnok said as he created another portal for himself to be ready to depart before another foolish Oni dared to try and attack him. "One final request… keep a hold of Quan Chi's soul for me when next he falls."
"Your loyal sorcerer?" Kharon recognised the name. "What happened to him?"
"Oh nothing," Shinnok responded. "I'm just instructing you in case there's… an accident."
"Consider it done."
"You have my gratitude once more, Kharon," Shinnok told the ferryman.
"Leave me at peace," Kharon requested as he already began turning away from the Dark Lod.
"Consider it done," Shinnok repeated Kharon's own words. "Farewell."
Shinnok headed through the portal he had summoned and soon returned to the same resurrection pool where he had created the Revenant Saurians and even more recently he helped in Quan Chi's 'personal project'. It was rare that he would use the pool of magic contents so frequently but considering the situation he was in it hardly surprised Shinnok. He twisted on the lid of the jar he held to open it before dumping the liquid-like soul into the pool and began conducting a spell that he knew off by heart.
After a few minutes of conducting the spell of resurrection, the liquid in the pool below began reacting by bubbling and swirling as a skeletal hand emerged from beneath the small yet deep pool. Another hand soon emerged as they held against the runic stones surrounding the pool to help push them out.
Emerged from the pool was a plump and hefty looking woman with long and bright silver coloured hair that shone brightly as it wildly drooped down onto her plain black dress that she was reformed dressed in. Her flesh was missing in equal amounts on both her lower arms as only her bones remained from below the wrists as she stepped out of the pool and used her bony hands to wipe the bloody liquid off of her attire. Her skin resembled that of Kharon's as it was a similar shade of grey paired with veins that glowed white as well as her godly eyes that bore an exact semblance to Kharon once again. She scanned her new environment before setting her imposing gaze upon Shinnok: her father.
"It is great to see you again, Iris," Shinnok greeted with a smile. "I have missed you dearly, daughter."
"You!" she screamed as she stomped over towards Shinnok with heavy footsteps and threw a fit of punches at Shinnok who let her get some hits in before shoving her back. "How many years?! How many years have I been dead?! How many years have I been dead while you refused to resurrect me?!"
"Calm down, Iris!" Shinnok instructed.
"Why?!" she cried as she summoned a much larger skeleton hand that hovered above her head which was enormous when compared to her own two hands before grabbing Shinnok with the hand.
"I had to!" Shinnok explained as she made the hand that restrained him squeeze hard on his whole body as he spoke. "You would have started a war after what Shao Kahn did to you and Vaeternus…"
"Shao Kahn!" Iris reacted as if she was reminded of the former Outworld Emperor. "Where is he?!"
"Dead."
"I know that!" Iris snapped. "I have seen almost everything in my soul-like state… my vision truly widened like how the Elder Gods describe their own sight…"
"Ugh those blasted Elder Gods," Shinnok muttered with disdain.
"Maybe they were right about you!" Iris considered it from her blind rage towards her creator.
"Right about ME?!" Shinnok finally raised his voice. "THEY are the sole cause for why YOUR soul was brought here to this damn Hell!"
"I never said I liked them," Iris countered. "Hell, I agreed with you on a lot of your criticisms on their laziness-"
"And because of that they decided it was enough of an excuse to bring you here," Shinnok pointed out to her which caused her to clench her fleshless fists upon the realisation.
"You all deserve death!" Iris said with her thoughts being irrational.
"Calm down!" Shinnok requested again though began to sound commanding. "Tell me what you know about Shao Kahn…"
"He reformed!" Iris revealed.
"I know that he reformed!" Shinnok told her as he saw such a detail to be obvious.
"Well where is he in this realm?!" Iris asked. "I tried using my out of body sighting experience while I was some green goo in a bottle to find him… Oh, what those Outworlders did to him was spectacular."
"He has not been located yet," Shinnok informed her. "I'm sure he was transported to the bottom plane and will therefore never escape."
"That monster is capable of anything," Iris believed with worry of the thought of him still roaming somewhat freely. "I believe he needs to be located and put down for certain.
"That I agree with," Shinnok said in an attempt to relate to Iris. "I shall ask your brother what he did with his soul when I next visit him for confirmation."
"I can't believe that Kharon puts up with your antics," Iris remarked.
"He is loyal," Shinnok told her. "I thought you were too."
"Don't you dare try to pin the blame on me!" Iris continued arguing as sick as Shinnok was getting from it. "You told my brother to just bottle up my essence for countless millennia! And only now do you revive me?!"
"You never came to rescue me from my Spire," Shinnok pointed out, again trying to deflect the blame and guilt.
"I wanted to…" Iris claimed truthfully. "I really did. I argued constantly with the Elder Gods… I begged for you to get another chance. But they refused. I would have gone to free you myself but my duties lay in Vaeternus… the realm YOU wanted me to protect."
"And you did a great job at it," Shinnok said proudly.
"Couldn't have done too good of a job to let that scum Shao Kahn slay me," Iris remarked in doubt of her own abilities.
"Do you realise how much I longed for this?" Shinnok asked his daughter. "To slay Shao Kahn myself… take his realm after what I was expecting to be a successful invasion of Earthrealm… you are aware of that event, yes?"
"I watched it through the jar," Iris confirmed. "Spectating was the only thing preventing me from insanity from my own boredom and rage."
"I am so sorry," Shinnok finally apologised. "I wanted to restore you but I knew you would lash out and be impulsive during Shao Kahn's reign of tyranny. I feared you would cause a war between Outworld and the Netherrealm… one that for the longest of time my army wasn't strong enough to defeat. Now? I can conquer anything. And with you by my side, I will."
"Do I get Vaeternus back?" was the first question Iris wanted answering.
"If that is what you desire," Shinnok stated, "then you shall."
"Then I'll help," Iris accepted as the two relatives finally embraced despite some reluctance from both parties.
"You have now become the Princess of the Netherrealm, Iris," Shinnok congratulated as their short lived hug concluded.
"Thanks," she replied. "You are aware that your closest sorcerer-"
"Is a traitor," Shinnok finished her sentence. "I only just learnt."
"Then you know he too needs eradicating," Iris concluded.
"In due time he shall," Shinnok assured her. "His services for my upcoming invasion will be of great aid."
"Unfortunate that it couldn't stay that way," Iris observed.
"Indeed," Shinnok agreed as he frowned again. "He was excellent in fulfilling most tasks I gave him… and was the main cause for my escape from Lucifer's Spire and eventual conquering of him, the spire and this realm."
"I don't need another history lesson," Iris remarked rather rudely. "I spent my time feeling like an invisible ghost by observing everything. He was a good sorcerer, but you know that he is full of himself to stop you."
"I do not wish to lose his services," Shinnok thought logically, despite the sadness that came from Quan Chi's betrayal. "Perhaps after one brutal death and imprisonment in the spire's dungeons he will finally surrender to me once more."
"He can just make portals to escape a cell," Iris pointed out to her father.
"Clearly you haven't been too observant while you were observing the realms," Shinnok stated as he walked over to the fortress' balcony and observed the towering spire in the distance. "The dungeons were enchanted by that Elder God called Vutix long ago in order to prevent magic beings from activating their powers to escape the cells. That is why Lucifer and Lilith are still trapped within."
"I see," Iris said after making a mental note of the information. "Well maybe you'd be interested to know that just recently I located Auntie Cetrion… she has resigned from her Elder God status and is coming to Earthrealm."
"My sister?!" Shinnok's eyes widened in shock. "Whatever could she be planning?"
"I could only observe events," Iris clarified. "The sounds I was hearing were just what I could remember before my death… they haunted me for ages."
"What matters is that you're alive and here now," Shinnok told her as he placed a supporting hand onto her shoulder. "Where in Earthrealm did you see Cetrion?"
"Raiden's Sky Temple."
"What a fine coincidence," Shinnok commented, "that place is one of my targets already!"
"She is after her own amulet," Iris revealed what else she knew. "She must've given it to Raiden in case a time like this would emerge."
"Care to stop her for me?" Shinnok requested. "I will try to convince her to be by my side later. But I do not know her allegiance and she therefore cannot get her amulet."
"I'll try," Iris promised before a bone hand surrounded her and vanished along with herself.
Elsewhere in the first plane of the Netherrealm, Quan Chi and his new minions were just finishing up on slaughtering the outspoken Oni rebels as they exited the caves that were now covered in Oni blood. Quan Chi exited first with an Oni head in his grasp, wishing to show it to Shinnok to prove his success.
After smugly grinning at the large severed head of a beast-like Oni, Quan Chi looked forward only to see three familiar faces. Scorpion, Sareena and Ashrah. The trio had overheard the commotion in the caves as they were heading to the sorcerer's home. It was only fitting that they'd run into each other at such close-by territory.
"What did you do?!" Scorpion asked as he observed Quan Chi's allies.
"Do you not recognise your clanmates, Hanzo?" Quan Chi asked to anger the Spectre even more.
"I do…" Scorpion answered with audible pain. "I asked what have you done with them? Tell me!"
"Do you not realise?" Quan Chi asked in surprise that the Spectre hadn't figured his goals out yet. "I didn't wipe out an entire clan just for your services! I wanted as many members of your ninja clan as possible…"
"Curse you!" Scorpion yelled as Ashrah and Sareena held him back for the moment. "How come I'm only seeing them now?!"
"Well I must admit… my plan failed," Quan Chi confessed honestly. "The souls that were slain as a result of my plan didn't all transport to this realm, and the ones that did failed to survive the hungry Oni. All besides you."
"So you turned them into Zombies?" Sareena assumed.
"Zombies, Undead, Revenants, whatever you wish to call them," Quan Chi answered. "Either way they are now mindlessly obedient to me. My theory that I could manipulate enraged and mindful Spectres was flawed. But this? this is perfection."
"You're sick," Ashrah chimed in.
"And I see you've made allies with two other servants of mine who betrayed me," Quan Chi noticed as he gestured for his newly created legion of Revenant ninja to come forth. "It is no matter. You are outnumbered no matter what."
"How did you even do this?!" Scorpion asked as his hands began setting aflame as he pushed both Ashrah and Sareena off of him who wanted Scorpion to calm himself to prevent him from making a foolish move.
"Shinnok's a generous leader," Quan Chi commented. "He grants many people a new life…"
"Once I am done with you he will be next!" Scorpion threatened as he began approaching the sorcerer only for a familiar face to step in front of Quan Chi in their new undead form.
"Recognise this one, Scorpion?" Quan Chi asked as he pointed at the undead ninja.
"Grandmaster Suzuki!?" Scorpion exclaimed, shocked to see what was left of his clan's former Grandmaster.
"Correct," Quan Chi confirmed with a sly smile. "Yoshi Suzuki here was among those of your clan who were sent to the Netherrealm thanks to me. For spawning a clan of killers? I'd say it was well deserved."
"Because the likes of you can judge what we did," Scorpion remarked. "You killed innocents! My wife! My eight year old son!"
"Oh please," Quan Chi hardly cared for his cruel actions, "get over it."
"Get over here!" Scorpion threw his spear but Suzuki caught the chain as the two engaged in a tug of war over the weapon.
"Remember that this is the self proclaimed leader who failed to protect your clan of friends and family…" Quan Chi continued toying with Scorpion's emotions and to great effect.
"My feud is with you, not my former allies!" Scorpion told him as he was finally able to pull his spear back to himself.
The husk that remained of the Shirai Ryu's former Grandmaster began suddenly creating a groaning noise as they staggered about in place in a dazed state.
"He wishes to speak to you," Quan Chi claimed.
"Let him!" Scorpion demanded.
Quan Chi cast a spell quietly as the undead Grandmaster stopped stumbling about and stood straight, prepared to speak.
"Hanzo Hasashi," he spoke in a tone that bore similence to his original self though now had a small but eerie echo paired with it.
"What has he turned you into?" Scorpion asked.
"Into perfection," the delusional Revenant replied.
"I will fix all of you," Scorpion promised as he glanced at each of the several undead ninjas who were formerly his good allies.
"Shinnok fixed us."
"Shinnok has ruined you!"
"The Netherrealm will do that in general," Quan Chi chimed in. "Had we received these ninjas' souls fresh, they would be less… rotten."
"You disgust me," Ashrah commented again as she and Sareena kept close together as they observed the nerve racking events unfolding around them.
"Do something about it," Quan Chi offered. "Oh and Scorpion, the leader who was supposed to protect your family is right here."
"You want to manipulate me into false vengeance again," Scorpion said with full realisation in what the sorcerer was attempting. "Nor will I kill any of my allies."
"Well they shall kill you," Quan Chi threatened as he began summoning a portal to escape as the undead ninjas began closing in.
"Get back here, murderer!" Scorpion demanded.
"Thanks for the reminder," Quan Chi continued taunting the Spectre. "Did I ever tell you how enjoyable it was to cut your son's head off? Such a fragile thing…"
Finally completely unable to restrain himself and having heard more than enough, Scorpion finally attacked. He roared in rage and was now angry enough to activate his teleport ability, though no longer had the desire to escape when Quan Chi stood before him. He used the power offensively instead. With Suzuki standing in his way of reaching the wicked sorcerer, Scorpion activated his teleport, leaving a trail of flames behind as he made the short travel past Suzuki and reformed with his hand grasped around Quan Chi's neck right before he jumped through his portal. Suzuki went to intercept Scorpion's attack only for Sareena and Ashrah to run over to prevent it.
Yoshi Suzuki spotted the two Demons approaching him and spun around with a stiff and boney elbow that connected at full force into Ashrah's face, knocking her back as Sareena swung one of her kama at Suzuki who simply allowed the attack to connect with his zombified state meaning he could hardly process pain. He only growled like a feral TaiGore at Sareena before sinking his decaying teeth into Sareena which forced her to drop one of her kama as Suzuki ripped the second kama out of his rotten flesh. Sareena and Suzuki both went to grab the fallen kama which Suzuki had the upper hand in due to stealing the other and using it to hack at Sareena which caused her to stagger back as Suzuki retrieved the second kama. As Suzuki went to attack Sareena with her own weapons, Sareena used a Demon Fang sword that she had retrieved from Siann during their last conflict. The two collided their weapons together as they struggled for control.
Ashrah tried to help out Sareena as she fought through the large group of undead ninjas to try and reach her new friend. She impaled her Kriss into one who got in her face before kicking them back and spinning to back off another oncoming three from all angles. She kept running to Sareena but was tripped up by one of the ninjas she had previously knocked down as they grabbed her leg and a rock from the ashy ground and began wailing on her but she soon sent a blast of light in his face before flipping the scenario so that she now stood atop the zombified ninja with her Kriss at the ready.
"If it will aid in my purification," Ashrah began thinking aloud, "then you shall all perish!"
"Don't kill them!" Scorpion demanded as he was still choking the life out of Quan Chi with his burning grasp.
Ashrah and Sareena both noted Scorpion's merciful request, understanding that these were all his former allies but now under a mind controlled state. The duo continued their fight against the ruthless Zombies while Scorpion began raising Quan Chi off his feet with just one hand around his neck and began punching his pasty flesh beneath his rather small chest plate that was scorched by the flames emitting from the hard fists that came raining down violently on the sorcerer, causing immense pain.
"I will destroy you, murderer!" Scorpion continued his threats as he threw Quan Chi at full force back through the entrance of the cave the sorcerer had just exited after leading the slaughter of the Oni rebels. He briefly surveyed his surroundings as he pinned Quan Chi against a jagged rock against the cave wall. Although they were monsters, Scorpion couldn't help but be reminded of the horrors when after returning to Earthrealm from the dead, he examined the remains of his own clan… the reminder enraging him somehow to a new degree.
"Kill me and I will only reform," Quan Chi suddenly revealed as he saw Scorpion grabbing his two swords. "You are wasting your time!"
"I will gladly kill you again and again and again!" Scorpion said like he was on loop as he cut his swords beneath the sorcerer's armour and used them to pry the front of the chestplate off, exposing the rest of his vulnerable torso.
"But you shall never gain the true satisfaction of my death!" Quan Chi argued though was briefly interrupted as he cried out in agony with Scorpion slicing his swords down his chest. But Quan Chi managed to fight through the pain to muster his words, "revenge is a fool's game… made even more foolish when you try to exact it on a Demon… Us Netherrealm natives can simply reform in this place forever… but I cannot say the same for you, Spectre."
"Another lie!" Scorpion immediately assumed and went to behead the sorcerer after finally hearing enough of him speak, only for it to be prevented when Quan Chi summoned his signature green skull to smash into Scorpion's own skull from point blank range which blasted him away.
"I have the soon to be ruler of all realms to meet," Quan Chi said as he began calling upon a portal for the second time. "Fare-"
His speech was cut off by a loud crunch from a darting chain and spear which had impaled the sorcerer's left hand to such a deep level that it pierced his palm and stuck into the stone behind it.
"If what you just spoke of is true… which I highly doubt," Scorpion spoke as he lined up one of his swords to where Quan Chi's blackened heart was located and prepared to charge, "then I look forward to doing this again."
As Scorpion came charging at the immobile sorcerer, with his sword ready to plunge deep into his heart, an inky-like black portal emerged in front of Quan Chi which blocked Scorpion's charge at him. A night black hand reached out from the portal and yanked Scorpion through it before emerging from the other side above a flat surface at the very top of the tallest nearby mountain that oozed lava from its sides like a volcano, but in the Netherrealm such was a natural sight for almost all large rocks.
Noob slammed Scorpion into the ground as they fell out the sky portal and then the Wraith drew his scythe and landed, striking the scythe first as he aimed to impale Scorpion. The plan failed however, as Scorpion for a second time managed to call upon his powerful teleport. Though it wasn't charged enough to be able to return to Quan Chi's location, it allowed Scorpion to escape death and emerge from behind Noob Saibot with a flaming kick to his skull which knocked him into a jagged rock that stood on the edge of the cliff, pushing it down into a pit of lava below.
"I have defeated you before in my former life," Noob reminded the Spectre as he climbed to his feet and eyed his enemy with his intimidating pale eyes, the only light thing about his appearance. "When we raced to the Temple of Elements to retrieve Lord Shinnok's Amulet… do you not remember?"
"Where you slayed me after my foolish Grandmaster accepted Quan Chi's offer and sent me to do his work," Scorpion recounted, "it sent me down a bad path… I'm overcoming it now."
"I shall kill you again," Noob threatened.
"I forgive you for killing me," Scorpion told him. "Can you not forgive me for my foolish vengeance and my inability to see the true culprit behind everything?"
"And who would that be?"
"Quan Chi."
"Enough of your wicked attempts of deception!" Noob snapped and launched his scythe at Scorpion who blocked it with one of his swords though the Wraith maintained his offense by teleporting above Scorpion only for the Spectre to launch his spear into him and throw him back down to the ground.
"Will you please listen to me?!" Scorpion requested.
"I have heard enough!" Noob shouted as his shadow helped him to his feet again.
"You haven't heard everything yet!" Scorpion yelled back.
"I care not for the rest of your recount of events I already know of!" Noob said in defense of his new master.
"But you're the one being deceived," Scorpion hopelessly tried to clarify. "You aren't in a state where you can properly recount things yourself…"
"And I should trust you?!"
"And you should trust Quan Chi?!"
"Die!" Noob yelled as he charged the Spectre into one of the several jagged rocks.
"Stop!" Bi-Han yelled as he charged the Shirai-Ryu ninja into one of the walls within the Shaolin Temple.
The map of Shinnok's Amulet had been given to the Order of Light by Raiden, now trusting his close friend Bo' Rai Cho to keep the map safe. Though some suggested it should be destroyed, the Thunder God disagreed as he saw that such a map could be of use if someone did manage to steal Shinnok's Amulet and that it requires locating. The Amulet itself lay within the Temple of Elements, sadly only guarded by Fujin now after the sacrifices made by the other three Gods who used to reside in said temple. Raiden had retrieved both items after narrowly defeating Shinnok when he attempted his invasion of Earthrealm.
The two warriors who were now fighting over the map of Shinnok's Amulet had been sent to retrieve it each by a different sorcerer. The infamous Shang Tsung had enlisted the aid of the Lin Kuei to locate Shinnok's Amulet for his own uses of weaponizing the Amulet to overthrow his master Shao Kahn. Meanwhile, the Shirai Ryu's aid had been commissioned by the Demon sorcerer from the Netherrealm known as Quan Chi who too had similar desires as Shang Tsung though disguised it as wishing to return the Amulet to his own master who was Shinnok himself.
Hanzo Hasashi and Bi-Han Liang clashed in the room of the Shaolin Temple where the map of Shinnok's Amulet rested majestically atop a fancy pillar in the center of the otherwise empty room. The area was small and meant the two men could easily smash each other into the nearby walls for some environmental offense. Hanzo was seemingly winning their bout until Bi-Han, known as Sub-Zero, began utilising his cryomancy to gain the advantage over the skillful but supernaturally powerless ninja.
A sequence of icicles were shot into Hanzo's body as he tried to resist the pain to charge forth with a powerful punch which he followed with a sword strike which was blocked by the assassin's cryomancy as he quickly created an ice shield which shattered on impact but was enough to prevent the sword from causing any damage to himself. Sub-Zero then followed up by creating an ice sword and plunging it into Hanzo's stomach before shoving him against the wall again.
Hanzo desperately tried fighting back with body blows using the hard hilt of his own sword and reckless headbutts, the hits backing Bi-Han away but this turned into a negative for Hanzo as Bi-Han pulled the sword out as he paced away which caused immense pain and caused a large amount of blood to spit out at the blue garbed assassin who quickly froze the generous amount of blood to create a small spear and impaled it awkwardly into the medial knee of Hanzo which caused him to collapse in pain from the attack.
"Stand down," Bi-Han demanded as he stood over Hanzo. "You do not have to die."
Determined to succeed for his clan, Hanzo foolishly made the attempt to try reaching for his sword. Bi-Han used his foot to slide it across the room before raising his ice sword to try and warn Hanzo of the consequences if he continued to try fighting back. Hanzo, using his one good leg, kicked Bi-Han in the shin which dropped him to a knee. Seizing the opportunity, Hanzo desperately scrambled over to his sword and made one final attack at Bi-Han, only for the cryomancer to leap back to both feet right as Hanzo came nearby and impale his ice sword upwards through Hanzo's jaw and out through the top of his head in a brutal scene.
"It had to be done," Bi-Han told himself quietly, something he did frequently after committing an assassination. He then returned his attention to Shinnok's map and grabbed it from the pillar before sneaking out the Shaolin Temple with the only trace being his sword through the corpse of the Shirai Ryu ninja as it bled out on the floor in the center of the room.
Noob's vicious scythe swings cut Scorpion badly as he bled out a concerning amount on the centre of the mountain they fought on. Noob's rage had allowed him to gain the upper hand against Scorpion, much like how Scorpion's own rage aided him in victory when they fought on Shang Tsung's Island. Scorpion crawled over to one of the jagged rocks on the cliffedge, only for Noob to charge forward with a tackle that sent the two men flying through the rock and falling through the air where death seemed inevitable from the lava down below. At least it seemed inevitable in the eyes of Noob, who created a portal below him as he was crash landing to return him to Quan Chi as he felt satisfied with finally gaining some level of vengeance even though Shang Tsung and his own brother lingered in his mind as his next targets.
Scorpion meanwhile was attempting his hardest to teleport himself to safety, but found it impossible at this current moment with fear and terror of his life potentially truly coming to a close lingering over his mind rather than anger. He prayed that his soul, if it even would reform considering it already had once before, would this time be transported to the Heavens so he could be with his wife and son.
His prayers were interrupted though, as a strange feeling of some chain similar to that on his unique spear began being wrapped around him. He turned while falling to see the source of the chains only to find Moloch wrapping the plentiful chains attached to his weighty Mystical Orb around Scorpion like a lasso and using his inhuman might to pull Scorpion towards them.
"Yeah this looks like the fella that Torcher told us about!" Drahmin loudly told his companion. "Bring him up!"
Moloch grunted in compliance as he dragged Scorpion up to the ashy land where he planted face first into the ashy land.
"Th… th-thanks," Scorpion said between spitting out a mouthful of ash. "Why'd you help me?"
"You're an ally of Shinnok right?" Drahmin asked as he offered him a disgusting hand to help Scorpion to his feet which the Spectre cautiously accepted.
"Uh… yeah," Scorpion lied to stay in the good books of the two misinformed Oni.
"Well done, Moloch!" Drahmin praised his closest ally. "So… you seen Quan Chi around? The Lord sent us to find him. We gotta gather everyone for the invasion."
"I have seen Quan Chi," Scorpion informed them. "He is beyond that mountain I just fell off."
"Clumsy of you," Moloch spoke in his deep and chilling voice.
"Yeah it sure was," Scorpion commented.
"Well lead the way, Scorpion," Drahmin instructed as Moloch slammed his Mystical Orb deep into a thin yet quite tall mountain that stood to their left which soon came crashing down to become a makeshift bridge over the lava pool.
"We have friends beyond here," Moloch pointed out as he began recognising the area more and more as they walked over the makeshift bridge.
"Oh you do?" Scorpion asked as he began to feel sorry for the two as he soon realised they were referring to the cave of now slaughtered Oni.
"Yeah Moloch's right," Drahmin confirmed. "They didn't take well to our alliance with Shinnok…"
"Can't say I blame them," Moloch remarked.
"Nor can I," Scorpion agreed.
"Don't worry about it," Drahmin instructed reassuringly. "I'll have a talk with them, get them on our side."
"Alright," was all Scorpion could say as he thought of conversation to create. "So… would you two happen to know how soul reformation works?"
"Like when we die?" Moloch asked for clarification with Scorpion nodding in confirmation. "I dunno. Drahmin?"
"The Netherrealm's natives will always reform somewhere in this realm," Drahmin explained to the puzzled Spectre. "Yourself? You only reform once. This is supposed to be your afterlife… you don't get another."
"But your kind don't get your own afterlife?"
"Most Oni and Demons are native," Drahmin continued, explaining with an impressive level of intelligence for an Oni. "Their souls are forever connected to the place."
"Must be awful to be trapped here forever," Scorpion sympathised.
"Eh we don't mind it," Drahmin said as he turned to face Moloch, "ain't that right, big guy?"
"Plenty of good meat," Moloch reviewed.
"Riiight…" Scorpion said as the reminder of the Oni and their human eating tendencies came to his head. "So the pair you can't stay dead?"
"I can't," Moloch confirmed with his origins being that of an Oni, making infinite reformations possible.
"I could end living in this filthy body forever if I truly desired to," Drahmin revealed as his former life as an Outworlder still remained in his memory. "But there's still some stuff I wanna do first. And I wanna do said stuff with you, Moloch."
"So do I," Moloch added.
"Do you know if Quan Chi can reform forever?" Scorpion questioned.
"Not a clue about that guy," Drahmin admitted bluntly. "Rumours are that apparently he used to be one of us! No clue how that happened… if it's true."
"Well thank you anyway, Drahmin and Moloch," Scorpion said gratefully as the trio made it to the end of the bridge. "We're almost there."
It didn't take much walking later for them to spot the group of undead ninjas being fought off by Sareena and Ashrah outside the cave the two Oni were referring to on their journey. Quan Chi's attempts of escape had once again been thwarted by his enemies as Sareena and Ashrah began targeting him and working together to keep him down between having to back off his lackeys.
The fitting duo made for an impressive and powerful pairing, performing double team attacks on any Zombie ninja who so dared to mindlessly step in their path though they used their skills in hand to hand combat to assure that Scorpion's wishes were upheld. When they checked up on Quan Chi and Scorpion in the cave they soon found that just the sorcerer remained as he tended to his wounds, struggling to walk over to the second portal he made.
Now Quan Chi was back outside, and being pummeled by the duo. Sareena used her Demon Fang as Ashrah used their Kriss to slice more cuts on his already bloody topless torso. Quan Chi was already hurt from Scorpion but even without that earlier handicap he admittedly may not have stood a chance against the pair united as they were able to dodge all his attempts to attack them. As he backed away in retreat from the two women, he attempted to send his signature green skull spells to strike and push back Ashrah and Sareena in an act of desperation as he realised his Zombie allies were too weak to stop the pair when united. Each oncoming projectile was either blocked by one of their blades, dodged or one of the two would move their ally to safety, making Quan Chi's efforts useless.
Although death was not an issue to Quan Chi as he was one of the 'lucky' beings to be a Netherrealm native and thus able to constantly reform in his homerealm, as well as the factor that he could use his sorcery to create portals if he ever found himself lost. But the sorcerer had never actually died before, and the idea was still somewhat frightening to him though he could never admit it. Even more frightening was the thought of failing and enraging Shinnok as he wanted to be greatly in his favour for when it was time to execute his plan.
Quan Chi soon found himself pinned against another wall, this time it was the outer walls of the entrance towards the open cave. As Ashrah and Sareena closed in on him, with the group of about a dozen Zombies now either unconscious or too dazed to interfere, the sorcerer realised he was once again in a tough position. He quickly spun around and tried to scale up the wall but Ashrah and Sareena both simultaneously sliced their blades at his legs before grabbing him by the ankles and pulling him to the floor. Before they could continue their attack on the grounded sorcerer, Yoshi Suzuki had finally recovered after the two ladies had previously sidelined him with a sequence of double team maneuvers which they believed had knocked him out. Still possessing a solid amount of his skills in his former body, Suzuki made for the most dangerous within the Zombie horde.
The Zombies had not yet been equipped with weapons as Quan Chi was not expecting to encounter such dangerous threats. He drew both of his broadswords while the two Demons were facing the groaning Zombie who was slowly approaching them without a care in the world. Quan Chi charged forth with both swords, aiming to stab one in the back of Sareena and the other in the back of Ashrah. Ashrah checked after having heard his fast footsteps as he came charging forward and gasped as she instinctively pushed Sareena aside and took both broadswords as they impaled her viciously. One sword went straight through her back and out her chest and the other went the opposite way.
"NO!" Sareena cried out in sadness after watching the gruesome scene. "ASHRAH!"
Sareena quickly stood up and immediately began trying to slash his way to Quan Chi. The sorcerer was a skillful swordsman though, and was capable of blocking all her reckless attacks. Sareena managed to get a few kicks in on the sorcerer's leg which knocked him to a knee but he still blocked Sareena's oncoming attempts to behead him. Sareena soon used her might to use her Demon Fang to push Quan Chi down to the floor as she started pushing Quan's two broadswords towards him.
Suzuki eventually made it over to Quan Chi and Sareena and dragged the woman off of his master, only to be elbowed right in the nose by her. Suzuki staggered back though soon recovered in time to catch a sword thrown over by Quan Chi.
"Here…" Ashrah said weakly and quietly from the ground where she was bleeding out as she used all her remaining strength to offer her Kriss to Sareena. "Use… this…"
"Please stay with me!" Sareena pleaded as she accepted the Kriss. "I… I-"
"Get her!" Quan Chi commanded, his confidence now restored after what he had done to Ashrah.
"I love you, Ashrah!" Sareena admitted to her good friend as she began passing out from blood loss. As desperate as Sareena was to try and help her recover from her awful wounds, Quan Chi and his Zombie companions would not allow this, prompting her to fight back.
Sareena accepted Ashrah's Kriss as Suzuki and Quan Chi came at her from both sides. She blocked both oncoming sword strikes before dashing back and targeting Suzuki first, wanting to save the wicked sorcerer for last.
Suzuki still retained much skill from his mastery in the art of ninjutsu and although he was not wielding a ninjato he was still lethal with a broadsword. He swung the blade down as Sareena charged forth, the Demon positioning the Kriss Ashrah had offered to her to block the oncoming blow to her back as she bent over, and used the Demon Fang to shank Suzuki in the stomach which caused him to stumble backwards as he registered the damage done to his body. It didn't hurt, but he felt the need to protect himself by going on the defensive. The Demon Fang remained lodged in his stomach as he attempted to rip it out with his free hand as he used his broadsword to try and fend off Sareena's attacks using the Kriss. After suddenly busting out a spinning heel kick with such height that it connected with Suzuki's jaw which already appeared like it was falling apart, the move stunned him long enough for Sareena to disarm the Zombie in rather brutal fashion by slicing the hand carrying the broadsword clean off and booting him again to knock him to the floor, hoping that was enough damage to permanently hold him off while she dealt with Quan Chi.
Unbeknownst to Sareena, Quan Chi was already approaching from behind. He had already stealthily scooped up the broadsword dropped by Suzuki and went from another sneak attack, much like how he stabbed Ashrah moments ago. Unlike the last attempt, Sareena caught him in time and was ready to combine both the Kriss and her Demon Fang to parry the oncoming sword blows.
Sareena kicked the sorcerer back before lunging forward while pointing both weapons forward, only for Quan Chi to roll aside as she missed her attack on the sorcerer once more. This only frustrated Sareena further which made her attacks more careless as she turned her direction to face Quan Chi before swinging both blades at him wildly with him getting caught off guard by the pace of the first few blows before being capable of blocking the next few and then reversing with an attempted leg sweep which Sareena hopped over and landed a foot down on his leg as it swept, causing it to press against the ground in an awkward way as he tripped over.
Sareena charged her fist until it was burning with a bright red flame before delivering a huge right hook that connected with the side of Quan Chi's with incredible force, half his face being momentarily set on fire as the blow connected and floored Quan Chi completely. Sareena had been taken over by her hatred of the evil sorcerer and like a woman possessed began ruthlessly stomping down on his skull as her foot set on fire too. Sareena then punt kicked Quan Chi so hard that he was propelled slightly into the air as he was knocked back and crashed back into the ashy ground, rolling around in it from the landing.
"Never realised how cowardly and weak you are until now," Sareena commented as she recalled the days where she would actually fear the man who she used to take orders from. "If only I tried this sooner."
Of course even the slightest break from pummeling Quan Chi would somehow be Sareena's undoing. One of Noob Saibot's portals had finally after he had finished his business with Scorpion and the Wraith himself darted out of the portal and immediately tackled Sareena to the ground with her weapons flying out her hands as she was brought down by Noob's power.
"Bi-Han!" Sareena cried out his true name before he could put her down using his signature scythe. "Wait!"
"Why should I?!" Noob asked with blatant frustration in his tone of voice. "I have had enough of my master being slandered by those who backstabbed him!"
"How can you see things that way now?" Sareena questioned as she tried to understand Noob Saibot's mentality. "You were the only person to have ever given me a chance, Bi-Han. At Quan Chi's Fortress, you could've killed me but didn't. I don't really know how but it managed to push to the point of finally breaking free from the Brotherhood of Shadow's grasp… to see a human show mercy… It only motivated me to try and escape this wretched realm even more."
"I care not for such pitiful emotions any longer," Noob replied brutally with no care for Sareena's tale whatsoever.
"I am sorry again that the Brotherhood's grasp is now wrapped around you," Sareena apologised before readying her weapons as Noob's response to her story clearly indicated that words would be unable to make him see the light.
"The Brotherhood has saved me from my flaws," Noob remarked as he got into his fighting stance with his scythe at his side, ready to draw blood. "This time I shall not hesitate in slaying you, Sareena."
"Your words wound me, Bi-Han," was all Sareena could reply with to express her sadness.
"There will be plenty more wounds to come," Noob threatened. "Now it is time for you to feel the agony of death again, Sare-"
"QUAN CHI!"
The loud and booming voice of Moloch sounded out throughout the area as Moloch, Drahmin and Scorpion all arrived on scene. The two Oni immediately spotting the severed head outside the cave entrance being near Quan Chi who was tending to his wounds as Noob Saibot distracted Sareena.
"DID YOU CAUSE THIS?!" Moloch continued to yell at a frighteningly loud yet deep tone as he threw the severed head of his brethren at full force at Quan Chi. "ANSWER ME!"
"Did I?" Quan Chi repeated, stalling to forge a justification to save himself. "Why of course not, my friend, I-"
"I am NOT your friend!" Moloch shouted as he began approaching Quan Chi with steps even heavier than usual with Noob boldly trying to get in between the two as he could tell Moloch could pose a threat to his master, only to be completely trampled as Moloch picked up his pace as his hulking body began moving at an alarming pace.
Moloch soon made it to Quan Chi who was once again against a wall as Moloch hoisted him up with one massive arm around his throat and held him up against said wall. Noob soon tried to defuse things by approaching Moloch from behind and slashing his back several times with his scythe but the enormous Oni paid him no attention as he breathed heavily on Quan Chi.
This event gave Sareena ample time to hurry over to Ashrah and check on her after the deadly wounds she had suffered. Having learnt some healing magic from her old friend Kia, Sareena used the helpful teachings to try her best at restoring Ashrah back to her healthy self before Quan Chi rammed two broadswords into her. It took much effort and time but the wounds were beginning to close and would eventually completely revert the injuries sustained. Meanwhile as Moloch was interrogating Quan Chi, he batted Noob Saibot over both Ashrah and Sareena.
"I… I was trying to help prevent this!" Quan Chi tried his best to defend himself. "Those two women over there did this! I tried to prevent it!"
"We had nothing to do with this!" Sareena stated as she continued healing Ashrah.
"He's lying!" Scorpion yelled, trying to motivate Moloch to crush Quan's neck.
"Tell the truth, sorcerer," Moloch demanded as he squeezed harder around Quan Chi's neck. "NOW!"
"Here's… some truth…" Quan Chi tried speaking though it was difficult due to the lack of air thanks to Moloch's strong grip. "Scorpion… isn't on our side…"
"What?!" Drahmin himself spoke now. "What do you mean?!"
"He betrayed me," Quan Chi revealed.
"Is this true?" Moloch now turned to Scorpion as his grip on Quan Chi loosened slightly.
"He murdered my clan," Scorpion revealed his knowledge. "I had no reason to align myself with him any longer."
"So... you were just lying to us?" Drahmin concluded.
"Yes but-" Scorpion was now attempting to defend himself but Quan Chi spoke over him.
"He is working alongside those two murderers over there!" Quan Chi continued his manipulation. "The one in white is Ashrah! Remember her? The self proclaimed slayer of those within the Netherrealm?!"
"Ashrah did nothing to these people!" Sareena instantly came to her defense as the healing process was near completion.
"ENOUGH!" Moloch raised his voice fightingly once more as he tossed Quan Chi to one side and he and Drahmin turned their attention to Scorpion. "We will make you suffer, Scorpion!"
"And then your friends too!" Drahmin threatened.
"I do not wish to fight you!" Scorpion said in an attempt to defuse the situation with the two deadly Oni.
"Because you know you cannot defeat us!" Drahmin believed with Moloch snickering in response. "C'mon Moloch, if Torcher could've killed him then we certainly can!"
Scorpion began running in the direction of Quan Chi's Fortress, hoping to reach the nearby portal systems that Raiden had mentioned earlier. Scorpion was also aware that Sareena and Ashrah needed more time and needed to get the two hostile Oni away from them immediately. Quan Chi also took advantage of this with the sorcerer gathering his Zombies and commanding them through one of his portals with Suzuki sticking his hand back onto the rest of his decayed body with relative ease as Quan Chi grabbed the severed Oni head before they all departed to Lord Shinnok. This left Sareena and Ashrah to themselves for the moment.
"Hey…" Ashrah spoke as she finally awoke to find Sareena finishing with healing her wounds.
"Oh thank the Elder Gods!" Sareena cheered as she threw her arms around Ashrah in an embrace warmer than the heat of the Netherrealm.
"You healed me?" Ashrah realised as she examined herself.
"Yes!" Sareena confirmed as she began crying tears of joy.
"Thank you," Ashrah said as she hugged Sareena back. "Now what was that you were saying to me before I fell unconscious?"
"Huh?" It took Sareena a brief moment but she soon recalled what Ashrah was referring to. "Oh! Well… Ashrah, I… I love you!"
"So soon?" Ashrah asked as she smiled while they helped each other up to their feet.
"I know you're the one for me," Sareena explained with her own kind smirk. "You risked your life for me…"
"And in return you saved mine," Ashrah pointed out. "Yeah… I think we are in love."
"So, you feel the same way?" Sareena sought confirmation as she began to get uncontrollably excited.
Ashrah laughed, "I love you, Sareena," she confirmed.
"I love you too!" Sareena said once more.
"I know," she replied as the two passionately kissed for a moment as they forgot about everything else… but just for a moment.
"We should probably help Scorpion," Sareena realised as they both reluctantly ceased their kissing. "Two Oni are after him."
"You'll have to explain what I missed on the way," Ashrah stated as the two began hurrying off with Sareena leading the way as she had seen which direction Scorpion and the Oni had headed.
Not too far away, Moloch and Drahmin were still pursuing Scorpion throughout the plane, though neither was as nimble as the Spectre, especially not the former Oni. As he ran he recalled the events that Drahmin had referred to regarding his encounter with an Oni named Torcher.
Hanzo Hasashi suddenly awoke after what felt like a haunting nightmare. He woke up in chains attached to hooks that were impaled within his flesh, stretching his legs and arms apart in agonising fashion. He tried moving, only for the hooks to tear deeper into his flesh which caused him to cry out in pain with his screams echoing throughout the terrifying landscape. His cries were soon drowned out by a nearby evil laugh.
"What the Hell?!" Hanzo asked as he stared at his environment, trying to process everything as it overwhelmed him greatly.
"Don't start crying without me," came the source of the laugh. "I wouldn't want to miss your suffering."
Approaching the chained man was a hulking Oni of the Netherrealm, though such specific knowledge was unknown to Hanzo as he just recognised the being as a hideous monster. The Oni wore very few pieces of heavy armour around his shoulders and upper legs but mainly left his green skin exposed. His face had three eyes, similar form to that of Moloch, and they glowed a bright orange as his black mohawk drooped sideways in the warm air. He appeared to be about as large in stature as Moloch, though much of the latter Oni's height was disguised by his hunchback.
"What are you?!" Hanzo only gained more questions from the creature's presence.
"An Oni," he replied as he headed over towards a table littered with various instruments of torture as he picked out the largest blade. "The name is Torcher."
"And where am I?"
"The Netherrealm."
"The what?" Hanzo had no clue what the Oni had just told him.
"Your demise," Torcher became more blunt in his clarification, though his weapon was anything but blunt as he began sharpening it with another one of his tools. "It will be over soon… but not too soon."
"How did I get here?!" Hanzo quickly questioned before having the large blade slowly impaled into his torso, causing him to soon cry out again.
"Fresh meat," Torcher commented as he kept bringing the blade deeper into Hanzo's flesh. "Your soul had just reformed in your afterlife of torment, agony and suffering. Me and my brethren made sure to take you and… some others…"
As Torcher said that, more screams echoed out from others nearby who were being tortured as their welcoming into the Netherrealm by other hungry Oni. The voices crying out sounded somewhat familiar to Hanzo but he couldn't make them out clearly as he was too focused on his own torturing.
"Ah," Torcher let out a sound of satisfaction as he heard the screams. "Do you hear it? The symphony of pain."
"What will you do with us?" Hanzo managed to muster a question shortly after Torcher pulled out the enormous sword he had shoved into him moments ago.
"Relish in your pain," Torcher answered truthfully and brutally, "and then we feast."
"Let me go!" Hanzo demanded.
Torcher chuckled again, "save your strength, human."
"No…" Scorpion muttered to himself as Torcher considered what else he could do to him.
"Yes," he replied as he reached for a much smaller blade that appeared to be a knife, though still large considering Earthrealm's standards. "Weep for me."
"Why are you doing this?!" Hanzo was becoming more infuriated as Torcher put the knife against one of Hanzo's fingers, prepared to take them one by one.
"Why?!" Torcher repeated before following up with a booming laugh. "For fun! and… I am quite starving."
Scorpion cried out again as Torcher pulled his chained arm downwards a bit for him to not have to reach up for him. He slowly began cutting at Hanzo's index finger as he came up to his face as he salviated while Hanzo cried.
"I may be starving… but I wish to savour my food," Torcher explained as he kept cutting. "Perhaps just a few bitesize snacks will do for now."
"Get away from me!" Hanzo pleaded only to no avail.
"You are in this place for a reason," Torcher detailed to him. "A life of sin you must have had. Same for your friends. You all deserve this."
"My friends?"
"More fresh meat came here around the same time as you," Torcher explained. "What tragedy led to your demise, human?"
"I died alone."
"Ah," Torcher replied understandingly. "So you were merely a loner. No friends. No family."
"No…" Hanzo suddenly began thinking about his family and clan, concerned for them as he thought what they were feeling about his sudden death at the hands of Sub-Zero. "No!"
Torcher laughed only to soon be cut off by a sudden burst of flame that emitted from Hanzo Hasashi. The hulking Oni was knocked back though only slightly as he dusted the embers of his seemingly immune body. He gazed over to Hanzo who now had glowing white eyes and had gained the strength to begin tearing out the chains that painfully held him prisoner.
"Oh?" Torcher spoke as he observed Hanzo as his hands sent fire to the chains as he prepared to use them as weapons. "Did I annoy you that much, Spectre?"
"Spectre?" Hanzo knew not of what he had become but sure was willing to use the new abilities to come from his transformation to his advantage.
"You question too much," Torcher analysed as he readied his giant sword to fight the Spectre. "I shall take pleasure in ripping and then feasting on all your flesh!"
Before the two could fight, a green skull flew between the two which caused them both to become distracted as they turned to the source of the projectile. It was of course sent from the infamous sorcerer of Quan Chi as he approached the pair.
"He is with me, dog," he told Torcher.
"I'm the dog?!" Torcher didn't take kindly to the sorcerer's insult. "Spoken from the mouth of Shinnok's errand boy?"
"Leave us," Quan Chi demanded.
"Why should I?' Torcher questioned. "I could crush you both."
"Try it and Lord Shinnok shall make you the one who is tortured," Quan Chi threatened.
"Like I fear that old man!" Torcher said boldly and bravely, few would dare insult the Dark Lord of the Netherrealm.
"He will hear my complaints," Quan Chi said as he created a portal and gestured to Hanzo. "Come with me."
Hanzo felt no other option but to comply and follow the sorcerer through the swirly portal where they soon emerged at his Fortress' balcony that overseered the nearby fiery land. Before Hanzo could make further observations, Torcher had managed to get halfway through the portal, trying to drag his victim back to him.
"You cannot escape me that easily!" Torcher said as he began using his unnatural strength to start taking Hanzo back.
"Stay away!" Quan Chi yelled as he shoved one of his broadswords into one of Torcher's eyes, brutally popping it as he screamed in agony while retreating away by backing away from the portal with Quan Chi closing it as he left.
Hanzo turned to Quan Chi and asked, "why did you help me?"
"Those Oni are horrible brutes," Quan Chi described. "I was just being a good man. There are very few like me in this place."
"I see…" Hanzo commented though his lack of trust in the strange man was apparent. "Well I suppose I should thank you."
"Ah yes!" Quan Chi said as he searched in his pockets before revealing the map of Shinnok's Amulet. "To show your thanks, I would like you to retrieve-"
"I've seen that before," Scorpion realised as he recalled the quest that led to his recent demise.
"I know," the sorcerer admitted. "I am Quan Chi, the source who struck a deal with your clan to retrieve this map."
"What do you want now?!" Hanzo was annoyed by the thought of the sorcerer being the man who commissioned the mission that caused his death in the first place.
"I need the stealth of somebody capable of retrieving the Amulet itself on this very map for me," Quan Chi detailed the task. "Will that somebody be you?"
"Let me see my family again," Hanzo pleaded, "and I shall."
Quan Chi had a smile on his face as he created another portal with this one heading to the grounds of the Shirai Ryu, "of course..."
Scorpion was snapped out of his thoughts as he had to stop running, not out of loss of stamina, but because he reached a deadend as a ravine with lava bubbling at the very bottom stood in the way of his path. He soon heard Moloch and Drahmin catching up with him. He soon realised that he would have to fight the two Oni and decided to run at them, jumping up and throwing a punch at the face of Moloch.
"Pathetic!" Moloch insulted as he grabbed Scorpion as he fell down and slammed him into the ground before chucking him back into the air as Drahmin got involved by using his iron club to bat Scorpion like he was a baseball.
"Such weaklings," Drahmin taunted as Scorpion landed by the edge once again after being pelted back far. "In our last fight we defeated a Demi-God. You are no competition."
Scorpion kept trying to defend himself but as he approached the Oni again, Moloch simply took his orb and smashed it into Scorpion's entire body, knocking the Spectre off the cliffedge for the second time in one day. Scorpion clung to the edge as Moloch prepared to boot him to his doom.
"Wait!" Drahmin commanded his friend. "We should spare him!"
"Why?!" Moloch questioned with audible anger at the mere suggestion.
"We killed Shinnok's best General, remember?" Drahmin reminded him as he referred to Belokk. "We should probably try and get back in his good books… so he doesn't try imprisoning us once his whole conquest of the universe schtick is finished."
"Fine," Moloch saw the reason as just enough and for the second time helped Scorpion from death before hoisting him over his shoulder as the two walked off to find Shinnok. Ashrah and Sareena had failed to make it in time.
The Dark Lord was still located at Quan Chi's Fortress as he and the sorcerer were once again having a discussion as Shinnok observed the Oni head that Quan Chi had offered to him.
"Well done," Shinnok praised as he gave the Oni head a close examination before hurling it over the balcony. "Now we just have to wait for those two idiotic Oni!"
"I think they're in pursuit of that Spectre I was telling you about," Quan Chi explained.
"Then they best hurry up," Shinnok commented. "You did as I asked, Quan Chi, you may accompany me to Earthrealm."
"Thank you, Lord Shinnok," the sorcerer faked his gratitude.
"However, most of the Demon sorceresses that you have personally trained I require in Outworld," Shinnok detailed as he considered the need to balance his army out as they would split between fighting Earthrealm and Outworld. "Belokk shall lead the Outworld side."
"You honour me, Lord Shinnok," Belokk said as he bowed, also being in the scheduled meeting with Shinnok.
"Tell Kia and Jataaka that they shall accompany you and I to Earthrealm," Shinnok spoke to Quan Chi. "The others shall fill the numbers in Outworld."
"They're all here?" Quan Chi asked.
"Yes," Shinnok confirmed with a nod. "And Kia and Jataaka have fully installed the portals around both Earthrealm and Outworlds Jinsei. They will both soon be mine."
"Excellent strategy, Lord Shinnok," Belokk continued to give Shinnok his endless praise.
"Sorry we're late!" Drahmin loudly apologised as he and Moloch walked in on the meeting late. "We brought you someone."
"Great," Belokk sarcastically remarked. "These two savage murderers have finally arrived."
"Yeah sorry about that," Drahmin apologised. "Again, Moloch brought you something to apologise for squishing your head."
"Sorry," Moloch shared his own apologies as he threw Scorpion to the floor before the trio.
"One of Raiden's allies?" Shinnok guessed.
"And the Spectre I was discussing," Quan Chi added as he crouched down to the beaten Scorpion. "What happened to killing me?"
"I'll get you!" Scorpion promised.
"You'll get an everlasting prison sentence!" Shinnok countered before pointing to Moloch. "You! Take him to my Spire's dungeons. You and Drahmin shall be heading to Outworld in the invasion!"
"How come?" Drahmin asked as Moloch reluctantly obeyed the Dark Lord.
"Your miniscule brains wouldn't be able to comprehend my plannings," Shinnok stated rudely.
"Mean," Drahmin commented. "So what are we waiting for?"
"For one more person," Shinnok revealed. "My daughter…"