As the sun began to go down during the evening in China at Earthrealm, the Wu Shi Academy concluded their training sessions for the day. Since the defeat of Shinnok, the ranks of the Shaolin Monks worthy to join the White Lotus Society grew. With the likes of Kung Lao and Liu Kang himself taking on students, it was no surprise that the future of the faction would be great, a prediction constantly made by the former greatest teacher for the group: Bo' Rai Cho.

Although Bo' Rai Cho was rarely available due to his duties now being the Protector God of Outworld, the future generation was still even brighter with the support that was available. The Wu Shi Academy had worked as hard as possible to assure that whenever the next major world threat emerged, that they would have plenty of warrior's ready to defend Earthrealm and any other realms deserving of their aid.

One of the greatest among this new generation of Shaolin monks was Kai Kareem, Liu Kang's most powerful student yet. Kai had always been a traveller, having explored many places in his youth. Eventually Liu Kang himself had paid a visit to many cities throughout America to invite young men and women to travel with him back to Asia to become Shaolin monks. In his trip to Detroit, Liu Kang had met Kai who eagerly joined along with the consent of his parent's who had always supported Kai's hopes and dreams and chose to accompany their young son to China where he would be taught at the Wu Shi Academy.

"Well done with training today, Kai," Liu Kang praised as his lesson was done for the day.

"Thank you, Master Kang," Kai replied as he gave a gesture of respect. "Have a good evening.".

"You too, Kai," Liu Kang wished. "Farewell for now."

Kai as per usual was the last to leave Liu Kang's class after dismissal. He walked out of the dojo as he headed on outside to the beautiful grounds of the Wu Shi Academy. The prettiness of the grounds had only been enhanced thanks to the delicate and precise gardening that a well respected member of the White Lotus Society would always work on in their freetime. Kai was unsurprised to see them planting various flowers of several bright colours.

"Master Lori!" Kai greeted her kindly, "it is good to see you."

"The feeling is mutual, Kai," Lori replied as she continued planting flowers.

"What flowers are they?" Kai asked, "you have introduced me to so many kinds already."

"Windflowers," Lori answered. "The name felt fitting to place something in honour of the Wind God."

"You're doing a great job," Kai praised. "Well done!"

"Thank you, Kai," Lori said gratefully.

"Thank you for making these grounds so nice," Kai shared his own thanks.

"Is training over today?"

"It is indeed," Kai confirmed. "If it weren't then I wouldn't be out here."

Lori laughed before saying, "I suppose that makes sense."

"Kai!" another voice called out for him.

"Master Lao?" Kai recognised the man as he jogged over to him. "Is something wrong?"

"Have you seen Jin around?" he asked with worry on his face.

"I just finished training," Kai told him as he grew concerned just by the question. "What happened?"

"Jin… he came out to his parents," Lao revealed to Kai.

"That's great!" Kai said supportively. "Wait, it didn't go well… did it?"

"My uncle and aunt have some questionable views," Lao told him in admittance. "But I never expected them to… not accept him."

"They what?!" Kai was shocked and a rush of anger suddenly came over him. "Why not?!"

"I don't know…" Lao said with sadness in his voice. "I'll confront them about it, I swear."

"Good," Kai said. "I'm guessing Jin hasn't taken it well…"

"He told me he was leaving," Lao continued to make the revelations to Jin's closest friend. "Ran off before I could properly talk to him."

"I feel awful for him," Kai sympathised. "We have to find him."

"Exactly what I'm trying to do," Lao explained himself. "Then I'll have a talk with the rest of my family…"

"I heard running!" Lori suddenly remembered. "I was too busy gardening to look but the footsteps headed that way."

Lori pointed over to one of the gateways outside the Academy. It became clear to Kung Lao and Kai that he likey left through said gate. Lao didn't say a word and immediately took off to try and catch him in time.

"Thanks, Lori!" Kai said before chasing after Kung Lao.

"Goodluck finding him!" Lori wished sincerely. "I'll look elsewhere!"

As Lori conducted her own search around the grounds of the Academy, Kung Lao and Kai barged through the gateway and began searching outside the walls that stood in hopes of protecting their community. They looked into a small forest area behind the walls of their home. They soon found Kung Jin, sitting on a branch on the highest tree in the small forest. Kai pointed up to him as he was looking out into the valley beyond, with the forest area being so small due to it ending at a point where an edge of a hill was met, leaving an open valley of greenery for Jin to observe.

"Jin!" Kai shouted for. "What are you doing?"

"Leaving," Jin replied as he observed a map of the local area. "Did Lao not tell you?"

"He did," Kai admitted. "Look… we can resolve this, Jin."

"I just turned twenty three," Jin reminded him. "I don't need those assholes around my life anymore."

"How exactly did they react?" Kai asked him. "If it's okay to ask, that is."

"The standard 'it's unnatural' and 'it's just a phase' bullshit," Jin said as he threw the map he was carrying down in frustration. "This is the last straw with them. I can hardly get any peace with them around!"

"That's terrible and I'm so sorry, Jin," Kai agreed with his friend. "I have no idea what it'd be like to have parents who don't accept you for... anything really. But just for loving other men?! It makes no sense!"

"Exactly why it's stupid!" Jin ranted. "Ugh, I don't know why I listened to you telling me I should come out."

"I'm sorry, Jin," Kai apologised. "I hadn't expected this to be the genuine outcome. I'm so sorry."

"I'll talk to them," Kung Lao promised again as he listened to the two close friends interact. "Come home, Jin. We'll sort everything out for you. I promise."

"Why should I stay?!"

"What about everybody else?" Lao asked him as he gestured to Kai, "what about Kai?"

"Thanks for caring, Kai," Jin said gratefully. "You've been a great friend… But I'm not going back."

"Please, Jin," Kai pleaded.

"Why don't you come with me?" Jin offered as he jumped down from the tree and retrieved his map. "You'd always tell me about how much you loved to travel… why don't we do that together?"

"I'd like that," Kai admitted as Jin's face finally brightened up with a smile instead of a frown.

"Then come with me," Jin requested.

"I can't…" Kai replied sadly. "That sounds really nice but I've found my place for now and it's here."

"It's not for me," Jin replied. "But I respect your decision. I'll miss you…"

"This seems very rash, Jin," Lao spoke up as he tried to make Jin see sense. "I understand how difficult and upsetting how your parents responded to you was, but you shouldn't leave as a result of this."

"Again… why not?"

"It's your choice in truth," Kai clarified as he didn't want to pressure Jin into anything. "Maybe you'd be happier outside of this place…"

"But I feel that's not what you truly want," Kung Lao interrupted Kai.

"Huh?" Jin was confused.

"You want to stay," Lao predicted. "You want to stay but feel as if you can't because of a lack of acceptance."

"Well yeah," Jin confirmed. "But…"

"But let me talk to them," Lao requested again. "They love you, Jin. They just need to process this revelation and to learn that there is nothing wrong with you being gay."

"They've had long enough," Jin remarked bitterly. "And you're seriously going to take their side?"

"I'm not defending them," Lao clarified. "But I know them and… they'll come around."

"And if they don't?"

"Then they'll be the ones leaving," Lao told him as little as he wanted to see such an outcome. "Feeling unaccepted in this place was absolutely not what is wanted in our community. Those causing such feelings may be stripped of their privilege here."

"I don't want that!" Jin yelled. "I just want them to accept me… not to give them another reason to see me as a failure."

"You're not a failure though!" Lao reassured him. "They… didn't say that to you, did they?"

"No," Jin said as he shook his head. "That's probably what they think though."

"Because you're into men?"

"Well, yeah!"

"I'm sure they're not that mad," Lao tried to reassure him despite being uncertain himself. "Look… you and your parent's have had some time to think. Why don't you come with me and Kai and find them. We'll just talk and truly figure this out."

"I… I don't know," Jin was unsure on if he should accept. "What do you think, Kai?"

"You really want my opinion?" Kai was surprised considering his last advice had led to this incident in the first place.

"Of course!" Jin confirmed.

"Well I think your cousin is right," Kai expressed his opinion. "So shall we go?"

"Sure," Jin finally agreed.

"Great!" Kai cheered. "Lead the way, Master Lao!"

"Wait," Jin stopped. "Since we're trying to get all this out of the way…"

"Yeah?" Kai asked only to suddenly be kissed on the lips by Kung Jin which caused the two to blush bright red.

"You just convinced me not to be afraid," Jin said to him as he had processed what he had just done. "Thanks for that by the way. For both the advice... and that kiss."

"Jin, I…" Kai was still shocked by what had just transpired. "I love you!"

"I love you!" Jin returned the words. "Even if that's pretty clear now…"

"Aww," Lao reacted with joy as he was both proud and happy for his cousin for the strides he had been making in his life. "Congratulations to you both. But I'm not sure how much this extra layer of news will help with talking to your parent's."

"You guys were suggesting I don't run away from this," Jin reminded him. "Why not kill two birds with one stone?"

"Oh my, that kiss sure has given you a confidence boost," Lao quipped. "But no, that's seriously really brave of you."

"This'll go fine," Kai promised him.

"You sure this time?" Jin asked him as he still had his doubts.

"Well… not fully," Kai admitted as he didn't wish to lie to his new boyfriend. "But this time you won't have to deal with them alone."

"I'm ready," Jin said as he held Kai's hand. "Let's go."

The new couple held hands proudly as they followed Kung Lao back inside the walls of the Wu Shi Academy as they walked down to the housing portion of their grounds. Lori, who had begun her own search, spotted the trio making a return which brought her relief. She approached them as they walked.

"Everybody alright?" she asked.

"We are at the moment," Lao assured her. "Whether or not Jin's parent's change that attitude we'll have to see."

"I can come too," Lori offered. "I am… homosexual myself."

"Ah! I never knew," Lao replied. "Thank you for telling us, Lori. You have our support."

"I know," Lori replied with her usual warm smile. "The White Lotus has my support as a whole. Same goes to you, despite what a few exceptions may believe."

"I'd be able to ignore them were they not my stupid out of touch parents," Jin commented as he rightfully still felt a great deal of frustration regarding how they reacted to him coming out.

"My parents never accepted me either," Lori related to him. "And in those times hardly anybody did."

"I'm sorry to hear," Jin apologised. "And wait… just how old are you then?"

"I've aged worse than you!" Lao jokingly complained. "Why don't you tell the new lovebirds about your… more supernatural secret?"

"They're in love?" Lori asked and then suddenly noticed the couple holding hands. "Aww!"

"We are," Kai proudly confirmed.

"About that secret?" Jin asked curiously.

"I am immortal," Lori suddenly revealed casually.

"WHAT?!" Jin yelled in surprise as Kai's jaw dropped.

"I have no idea how all this magic stuff still surprises me," Kai remarked. "Please tell us more, Lori."

"I shall," Lori assured them before continuing her story of the past. "I was born at the beginning of the eighteen hundreds…"

"Congratulations on your two hundredth birthday," Lao quipped.

"I actually turned two hundred and seven last month, thank you!" Lori remarked as the two shared a brief chuckle. "Anyway… I am bisexual and like I said, my family didn't take kindly to that news. So I wandered the streets for a while in a city that was called Zhu Zin and found Jin and Lao's great ancestor."

"You met the Great Kung Lao?!" Jin asked as he was even more shocked, this story having taken his mind off of his parents for a moment.

"He took me into the White Lotus Society," Lori continued her story. "There I met Master Bo' Rai Cho and Lord Raiden. They raised me as if I was their own daughter. They taught me a lot."

"Same here," Lao related. "They're great… I miss Bo' Rai Cho."

"I'm sure he'll visit soon," Lori assured him. "Where is Raiden actually? Fujin too?"

"Ask and you shall receive," Kai said as he spotted Raiden and his brother Fujin approaching the group. "Hello, Lord Raiden and Lord Fujin!"

"Greetings, everybody," Raiden said as Kai gave the two Gods a bow of respect. "The gesture is greatly appreciated, Kai Kareem."

"However, you need not to bother with such signs of respect," Fujin assured him as he offered him a hand up.

"Thank you, Lord Fujin," Kai said respectfully as he took the Wind God's hand. "We were just wondering where the two of you were."

"We had a mandatory meeting in the Heavens with the Elder Gods," Fujin informed the group of where they had been, usually being with the rest of the White Lotus in the times where their services aren't strictly required.

"Much to my displeasure," Raiden remarked grumpily.

"Still fed up with the Elder Gods?" Lao could tell easily, feelings that had been clear since Shao Kahn attempted to invade Earthrealm so many years ago. "Understandable if so."

"I am," Raiden confirmed bluntly. "That isn't relevant to anything, however. What are you four up to?"

"Long story…" Jin said with sadness in his tone of voice.

"What's wrong?" Fujin asked with genuine concern.

"Jin came out to his parent's," Lao began explaining to the two Gods, "and they didn't take the news very well."

"How dare they!" Raiden yelled. "These are not the types of attitudes I condone! Especially not for those within the White Lotus Society!"

"Calm down, brother," Fujin instructed. "This is certainly unfortunate news. My apologies, Jin."

"We're going back to talk to them," Lori informed them. "I was just talking about my own past…"

"Yes," Raiden recalled. "It was a blessing when you returned here."

"I was about to get to that part," Lori told him before turning to Kai and Jin who she had been telling the story to. "So… on top of realising I liked women, I realised that I myself was a woman. I suppose this part isn't as relevant to your own situation, Jin, but this took me a long time to realise. I even left to go on a journey to find myself."

"And I gave you my original Lightning Staff as a farewell gift," Raiden vividly remembered. "I never expected that you'd return after so many years apart."

"I'm sorry for such a long absence," Lori apologised. "And that staff is why I will never age so long as it is in my possession."

"Wow," Jin didn't know what to say at the shocking story.

"I never knew you had the powers for that, Lord Raiden," Kai commented.

"I didn't either," Raiden confessed. "Gifting her my old weapon was merely intended to be a token of my respect."

"Thank you so much for everything, Raiden," Lori expressed her gratitude. "I don't get to say it enough."

"I just make sure to do what is right," Raiden said as the two smiled at one another. "Me and Fujin still have some more matters elsewhere for tonight. But goodluck with your parents, Kung Jin."

"Please report on the outcome," Fujin requested. "We will resolve it ourselves if things go awry."

"Thank you both," Jin replied. "What do you have to do now?"

"The Special Forces believe they have found a location to one of the Red Dragon bases," Fujin reported. "We will join them for the night and oversee their plans."

"The Red Dragon are currently the largest threat in our realm," Raiden added.

"Hence why the Special Forces will gain the aid of all our available Gods," Fujin commented as Raiden was already beginning to cast his teleportation lightning. "Farewell for now, everybody!"

With a blast of lightning, both the Thunder and Wind God disappeared as they took themselves to the main headquarters of the Earthrealm Special Forces which was in an undisclosed location within America. Meanwhile, the other members of the White Lotus continued to journey to Kung Jin's parents' home that was amongst the large village portion of their faction's grounds.

Before even having reached the home of Jin's parents, they were soon spotted talking to an old couple who lived close by. Wen and Shen were two retired masters and spent their days together within their community. Jin was surprised to see his parents talking to them, and suddenly felt nervous once more now that they had found each other.

"There he is!" Wen pointed to the group that Kung Jin was a part of.

"Thank you, Wen," Jin's father said as his mother ran over.

"Jin!" his mother cried out before suddenly embracing him, only for Jin to lightly shove her off of him. "Jin… we're sorry…"

"Now you're sorry?" Jin was puzzled by the news and didn't believe it. "You couldn't have just supported me half an hour ago?"

"It was a lot to process for us," she tried to explain.

"A lot for you?!" Jin raised his voice. "How much do you think it was for me?!"

"Your ancestor… he came to us," his father began to detail. "After you ran off. His spirit emerged from your bow and talked to us…"

"You left your bow at home?" Kai sounded surprised.

"Wasn't hoping to be leaving to fight," Jin replied. "Wait… came out of my bow?!"

"I placed a fragment of my spirit within the golden dragon ornament that your cousin gifted to you recently," came the voice of the Great Kung Lao.

"I never knew…" Jin told him with his cousin being just as surprised. "Wait so you emerged just to talk to my parents?"

"About your sexuality and their lack of acceptance, yes," he confirmed.

"So now they're apologising because you forced them to," Jin automatically concluded. "Just great…"

"I merely explained things properly to them," he clarified to an irritated Jin. "Something that I see you bunch were seeking to do anyway."

"What would you know anyway?!" Jin snapped aggressively.

"I too am a homosexual man," he revealed his secret. "Here I make contact with anybody who are those in my family here in Earthrealm from up in the Heavens where I reside in a paradise with my husband named Siro."

"I never knew," Jin said as everybody was stunned by the news. "Sounds like a good afterlife."

"It is indeed," he assured him. "And I am sure you will find such happiness with the love of your life."

"Ah yes," Jin realised there was still one more matter to reveal to his parents. "Mom. Dad. If you actually accept me now, which I doubt, then you will accept that I have a boyfriend."

"Who is that?" his father inquired slowly, he and his wife starting to have conflicted feelings again.

"Me," Kai revealed himself as he stood in front of Jin and before his parents. "Can I date your son, Mr and Mrs Kung?

"Well…" Jin's dad spoke up. "Uh…"

"He's asking if a man can date your son," Jin clarified for the pair. "Actually change that question… why can't I date a man?"

"Jin…" his mother tried to speak up.

"You can't even properly pretend to accept it!" Jin shouted in frustration. "It's my life and you can't just simply accept that and be happy for me! Why can't you do that?!"

"I guess the news was just a surprise to us…" his father tried to explain himself. "Our outburst was unnecessary."

"We're sorry," his mother apologised. "We could've handled that a lot better."

"Understatement of the century," Jin remarked. "And in case you haven't noticed there's probably more LGBTQ people here than there are not."

"There certainly is here," Lori commented as she examined the ground around her. "What about you, Lao?"

"Me?" Lao was surprised to be asked. "Well… I don't… I don't really know… sorry, auntie and uncle."

"No it's fine!" they assured him. "We shouldn't have reacted to Jin so badly."

"I still don't properly get it," Lao said.

"What do you mean?" Jin's father inquired.

"What exactly was your issue with Jin coming out as homosexual?" Lao asked a question of his own.

"Precisely what I was wondering," Jin said as he crossed his arms and looked at his parents. "Will you answer your nephew or not?"

"I will," Jin's father finally stepped forth. "We… we were concerned that our bloodline was at risk of not continuing…"

"Hey! Do I have no chance with a lady?" Lao asked.

"That is likely," Jin's mother assessed. "But… we talked to our ancestor and he assured us that it's okay."

"And we should accept whatever choice you make," Jin's father concluded, "because you're family. So we're sorry for before… but now we accept you."

"I suppose this is as good a response as I can get," Kung Jin realised as he and his parents finally embraced. "Thank you, everybody."

"As long as you two truly love each other then you are both welcome into our family," Jin's mother told the new couple.

"I love him," Kai assured them. "I have done pretty much since we met."

"Aww," Jin replied and thanked Kai by kissing him on the cheek. "Well, I love him more."

"You both remind me of myself and Wen when we were younger," Master Shen commented as everybody watched the lovely sight. "I wish you both the best."

"As do I," Master Wen added. "And having a queer kid is an absolute blessing, Xia and Tai."

"We're so sorry again," Jin's mother: Kung Tai apologised.

"Deeply," added Kung Xia: Jin's father.

"Greetings, everybody," Liu Kang suddenly said as he and Apep approached the group that had gathered in the street of their community village. "How is everyone?"

"Alright now I think," Jin replied first.

"What did I miss?" he asked.

"It's a long story," Lao told his childhood friend.

"We'll discuss it la-" Jin went to say but Kai suddenly spoke over him.

"Me and Jin are in love!" Kai announced loudly and proudly.

"That so?" Liu asked with the two nodding in confirmation. "I'm so happy for you guys!"

"Kang, can we get to the point?" Apep asked quietly, trying not to come across as rude.

"Apologies, Apep," Liu Kang said before turning back to the group. "I take it nobody has seen Apep's son come to our grounds lately?"

"Another runaway?" Kung Lao asked.

"Another?!" Apep sounded even more worried.

"We just dealt with it all," Kai reassured Apep and Liu Kang. "Now how can we help with this?"

"Help by looking!" Apep desperately requested.

"I'm sure he'll be back soon," Lao tried to reassure him. "You always say he's an explorer right?"

"Yeah but he'd never be gone for this long without informing me," Apep told him while frantically looking around. "Not that I'm protective of him, that's just what he does!"

"I thought I saw you with him down the countryside before the Academy itself," Kung Jin had thought but now concluded he must've been incorrect.

"I never left with him," Apep made clear. "I was preparing dinner for his return home… but that's clearly not happened."

"You sure it's not just him taking a while to come back?" Kung Lao asked him, not seeing this as something to be majorly anxious over.

"He's always prompt," Apep stated. "He always makes sure he's on time to anything on his schedule."

"Well let's split up and look around!" Liu Kang commanded as he took the role as the leader of the group…

Meanwhile, a man seeming to be Apep led his son down some deep woods that spread through the higher parts of the hills behind the Wu Shi Academy which was built at a flattened out hill before the larger and more wild ones which were covered in overgrown nature that was rarely tended to by anybody besides Lori and Apep's curious young son.

"Where to now, my boy?" Apep asked his son.

"Is this a new thing?" his son shared his own question.

"Huh?"

"Calling me boy," he clarified. "I'm not used to it."

"Oh. I'm sorry," Apep apologised.

"It's fine," he assured his father. "I just found it amusing is all."

"What is your preferred title?"

"My name?" he replied with confusion by the odd query. "Just Inka like you normally do?"

"Of course," Apep replied. "I am just tired today."

"I understand," Inka Otoko replied as the two continued to journey through the woods. "Anyway, you said you had news to share?"

"Yes," Apep confirmed as a sudden shift came in his tone of voice. "I am afraid it is unfortunate news…"

"What's wrong?" Inka asked as he grew worried. "Father?"

"This will be difficult to believe," Apep claimed. "But the White Lotus Society has been deceiving many of us."

"How so?"

"The community is funded by those who will reward them for their protection against threats to Earthrealm," Apep began to detail as Inka grew nervous as to where this was going. "So… to receive such rewards they need a threat, yes?"

"Right," Inka confirmed. "They haven't done anything bad… right?"

"I wish I could say that they haven't," Apep replied with a frown on his face as the two continued walking. "But I have learnt dreadful news that they have painted those of Outworld in a negative light."

"They have?" Inka raised an eyebrow. "I've only heard positive things."

"Since the new Empress has taken power," Apep clarified. "You've heard of those such as Shang Tsung, yes?"

"You've warned me about the likes of him," Inka reminded him.

"Ah. Well… I was wrong," Apep corrected himself. "Do you trust me, son?"

"Of course!" Inka confirmed. "Always!"

"Then trust that I am about to tell you the truth," Apep requested.

"You've never lied to me, father," Inka told him with the pair's level of trust being very strong.

"And I never shall," Apep promised before beginning his tale. "So… Shang Tsung is, in truth, a kind and innocent man. He had recognised the corruption in the White Lotus Society, and opposed them for this. In return, he was slandered and painted as a villain. They then gathered a group of 'heroes' who assaulted him on his private island and nearly murdered him."

"No… n-no way!" Inka was stunned by the revelation.

"Yes way," Apep continued to assure him. "I confronted them shortly after you departed… they now seek to murder us both."

"This… is t-too much," Inka was trying to figure out how he should feel. "We're being h-hunted?!"

"Unfortunately so," Apep calmly confirmed. "But fear not… I have made contact with Shang Tsung himself. He has kindly offered us refuge in Outworld… despite how oppressed his group is by the current leadership there."

"Did he tell you all this?" Inka asked. "How can you tell he isn't lying?!"

"He showed me evidence," Apep assured him. "I'm sure he'll present such evidence to you as well."

"Alright…" Inka replied as he began shaking. "Wh-what do we do now?!"

"Inka!" a voice of a Shaolin Monk called out. "Where are you?!"

"They're already here," Apep said before embracing his son. "Inka, remain here. No matter what you hear, remain here. Do you understand?!"

"I do, father," Inka confirmed. "Where are you going?!"

"To confront these villains!" Apep confirmed before running through the trees, soon to be hidden by the forest and the surrounding mist.

Inka Otoko could no longer see his father, only distant noises which he refused to investigate due to his father's request. The sounds he heard, however, were very terrifying for the young man.

A short distance away from Inka was his true father. He had led a group of Shaolin Monks to help him search the mountain forest for his son. The group was soon stunned to see a man with an appearance identical to Apep.

"What sorcery is this?" Apep wondered as his doppelganger stood before him. "Wait… Shang Tsung!"

The man who had disguised himself as Apep returned to his true form. The sorcerer known as the infamous Shang Tsung. He suddenly blasted a skull shaped fireball which knocked down the group of Shaolin Monks as they all cried out in pain.

"I've just paid a visit to young Inka, Mr. Otoko," Tsung whispered to Apep while he snapped the neck of one of his allies before swiftly stealing their soul.

"No!" Apep yelled in anger. "Stay away from my son!"

Shang Tsung smirked, his plan having gone perfectly so far. He hit a backfist which knocked Apep out cold, as if he was dead. Tsung then quickly dealt with the remaining Shaolin Monks before returning to Inka.

"Wh-who are you?" Apep asked nervously as the sorcerer approached him in his true form while carrying his father in his hands. "Father! No!"

"I am sorry, young man," Shang Tsung apologised. "I tried to save him… I tried all that I could."

"Are you Shang Tsung?" Inka asked as he gazed sadly at his seemingly deceased father.

"I am indeed," he confirmed before creating a portal. "We must go quickly."

"Woah!" Inka was startled by the sudden portal. "Where does that lead?"

"To my palace in Outworld," Tsung clarified for him. "Please enter. My allies will keep you company while I tend to your poor father…"

"Alright," Inka complied. "Thank you, Mr. Tsung."

"You're welcome," Shang Tsung replied as Inka Otoko entered through his magical portal. Now in peace, Tsung said to himself with a snicker, "such an utter fool…"