The portal that Bo' Rai Cho had created back at the party at the Grand Palace of Edenia had led himself and Fujin into the Heavens. They landed on a floating cloud above the main flat cloud-like base of the Heavens where a perfect village resided beneath the cloud they stood on. Of course, clouds in the Heavens were physical and far more prominent, with the Elder Gods having the freedom of creation in this realm unlike the rest due to the risk of awakening the One Being…
"The sanctuary of the Paragons of Virtue," Fujin recognised the location from a few visits in the past to the new allies of the Gods.
"We should ask if Raiden came here," Bo' Rai Cho suggested.
"Let's head inside then," Fujin decided as the two friends headed up a stairway leading up to a higher cloud level, with cherry blossom trees planted on soil that had been neatly spread across the base of some small clouds beside the stairway. "How nice."
"It is certainly an extravagant exterior," Bo' Rai Cho acknowledged.
"I like cherry blossoms," Fujin shared his opinion as they continued to walk up the stairs. "What about you?"
"They're rather unique," Bo' Rai Cho admitted. "However, I myself don't care much for such intricacies."
"What do you mean?"
"Well to me nature is just nature," Bo' Rai Cho explained his point of view. "I see it as neither ugly nor beautiful."
"I don't quite understand," Fujin said honestly.
"These blossoms amongst other leaves shall fall, plants shall wither away," he pointed to Fujin himself for his final point, "and the wind blows as it may, amongst other weather conditions. That's simply how things are."
"How I've missed these philosophical discussions, old friend," Fujin said with a smile as they both reached the top of the stairs where two guards covered from head to toe in white plated armour with golden accents stood still, protecting the entranceway. "Greetings, Paragons, is Cetrion home?"
"Lord Fujin, Lord Bo' Rai Cho," one of the guards spoke and acknowledged the two Gods as they both bowed. "The Mother of Virtue is inside the Training Sanctum. Do you require my guidance there?"
"I remember where it is," Fujin told the guard as he gestured for Bo' Rai Cho to follow him. "Thank you for the information."
"Of course, My Lord," the guard replied as the other guard opened the bright pearly gates leading into the large cloudtop sanctuary, the entranceway clearly bearing semblance to traditional mortal depictions of entering the majestic realm.
"They sure have gone all out with this," Bo' Rai Cho noticed as he glanced around the corridors with walls covered in texts, one side summarising the history of one realm, then the opposite side being another. "Very informative," he said as they took a turn into another corridor, which continued the same trend of writing historical facts about different realms now alongside statues made resembling various Gods.
"There's you!" Fujin pointed over to the end of the lengthy corridor where Bo' Rai Cho's statue stood at the end of the row of very impressively sculpted pieces of art.
"I had no idea they made a statue of me!" Bo' Rai Cho was audibly shocked as he paced over to take a closer look at the replica of himself. "They made me look a bit too wide, don't you think?"
"I'm not going to comment on that," Fujin replied, which made Bo' Rai Cho laugh.
"Most impressive regardless," the Drunken Master reviewed as he turned to his left to gaze at Fujin's statue built beside him as he stood between a statue of himself and Raiden. "Who made these?"
"I'm not sure," Fujin admitted. "I've speculated that all came from Cetrion, perhaps with the aid of other Elder Gods."
"I thought the Elder Gods were displeased with her denouncing her status as one," Bo' Rai Cho assumed.
"I have no clue on that matter either," Fujin once more admitted, "I tend to avoid the matters of other Gods."
"Is that why you moved to Earthrealm?"
"That was one reason," Fujin confirmed. "Additionally, I wished to live amongst mortals to be able to better understand them… also my father made Raiden's Sky Temple unnecessarily large in its formation."
"Considering falling from that had me dead for a few minutes, I'm inclined to agree with you there," Bo' Rai Cho said as he recalled the infamous invasion of Shinnok, with the Earthrealm side of the war primarily taking place in or around Raiden's Sky Temple in Japan.
"Come along," Fujin gestured to a set of double doors at the end of the corridor. "The Training Sanctum is through here I believe."
Fujin pushed open the pair of well polished cherry tree wooden doors and was immediately taken aback by a sudden intake of thick black smoke that flooded out of the room which nearly made Bo' Rai Cho vomit after smelling the horrible air. They then both fell over due to a sudden ground shaking food which dropped them onto the spotless golden floor.
"By the Elder Gods!" Fujin cried out as he and Bo' Rai Cho helped each other stand back up as the tremors in the ground ceased.
"What is happening, Cetrion?!" Bo' Rai Cho called out while he and Fujin rushed through the opaque smoke.
Fujin used his powers to blow the smoke away, finally making the interior to the Training Sanctum visible to the two Gods, who saw Cetrion standing before them with her back facing them.
"Hm?" Cetrion turned around as she thought she had heard her name being called. "Ah! Good to see you both!"
"What was all that?!" Bo' Rai Cho asked.
Cetrion stepped aside, pointing to the open space which acted as a training square for physical combat atop a completely flat cloud surface. In the centre of this arena was Tremor and Geras, wrestling each other in an intense sparring session. Fujin and Bo' Rai Cho quickly realised that all the ruckus and smoke they were previously caught in the crossfire of, was being done by Tremor himself.
"If you need them then please do not interrupt their practice," Cetrion requested as she returned to watching them train.
"We came to ask you something actually," Fujin clarified.
"Then ask away," Cetrion permitted as she blocked a boulder that Geras had deflected with just the palm of her hand, causing the large rock to shatter into many pieces.
"Did Raiden come here?" Fujin questioned as they spectated Geras and Tremor as they wrestled each other to the ground whilst trading heavy fists, holding nothing back.
"Recently?" Cetrion asked with Fujin nodding. "I have not."
"Thanks for telling us, Cetrion," Fujin said gratefully as he turned around and prepared to leave. "Let's go, Bo'."
"I can help you locate him," Cetrion offered, which made Fujin stop and face her again. "Is it urgent?"
"Probably not, but we have our concerns," Fujin replied.
"Then tell me about it," Cetrion requested.
"Alright," Fujin agreed to do so, seeing that explaining everything to Cetrion would be worth their time. "Perhaps you may understand this…"
Fujin and Bo' Rai Cho began explaining what had happened with Raiden at the party at the Grand Palace of Edenia, whilst watching Tremor and Geras in action.
Geras summoned his massive fist made out of a brass-like material, essentially serving as a massive knuckle duster. As he did this, Tremor grew more rocks on his shoulder as he bashed them into Geras, causing him to stumble backwards. Tremor charged at him but Geras retaliated by swinging his knuckle duster at full force, only to be blocked by giant boulder-like fists which Tremor had immediately formed around his fists. Rocks crumbled from the boulders but Tremor had become so powerful at Geokinesis that he immediately repaired his boulder fists before beginning to punch back at Geras. Geras' knuckle duster shattered through the boulder on Tremor's left fist as their massive hands collided. Tremor broke free of this struggle by smashing his other boulder fist in Geras' face, causing the Time God to fall to the cloudy ground due to the sudden impact.
Going for the finishing blow, Tremor began climbing a set of makeshift stairs he made of course out of rock. Once at the top, Tremor threw his massive body off and went to splash down onto Geras. Unfortunately for Tremor, Geras suddenly rewound himself to bring himself into a standing position further away from Tremor which caused him to smash against the soft but still impactful surface. As Tremor attempted to stand, Geras kicked him beneath the chin which threw him into a pillar at the back of the training space.
"You've fought valiantly, friend," Geras commended. "Do you yield?"
"No," Tremor replied plainly as he shook himself off as he got back to his feet.
"I suspected not," Geras remarked as he began to form sand in the palm of his free hand which soon hardened into the shape of a sword.
Tremor ran at Geras, summoning a sword made of stone to deflect Geras' first swing. Tremor then spun around and cut Geras' hip on the side he wasn't expecting. The wound immediately healed itself as Geras laughed, always one to enjoy a worthy challenge in training. As Tremor went to hack at Geras with his stone sword again, Geras' blade suddenly burst into sand, temporarily blinding Tremor as it launched into his face. Tremor spun around, clueless of his surroundings, prompting Geras to run in and grapple him by the back before throwing him down and getting on top so that he could utilise his knuckle duster to begin pounding away at the back of Tremor's head. Tremor knew he had to get out of this before Geras' knocked him out. He began throwing elbows behind him into Geras but they didn't do enough to get Geras to cease his offence. Tremor then had one more idea…
Suddenly, a large stalagmite shot out of Tremor's back from his rock coated skin. Geras was surprised as he looked down to see himself impaled by this stalagmite. Tremor then slowly stood up, Geras still latched onto his back, and he summoned a large rock wall as he rammed his back into it, crushing Geras in between himself and the wall which simultaneously broke the stalagmite he had summoned. Tremor picked Geras up and did a jump before landing him head first onto the ground with a variation of a piledriver. Geras immediately rewound himself again though, now standing over Tremor who had fell into a sitting position to execute his grappling move. Geras went to kick Tremor in the face, but his leg was caught and he was dragged into a punch from Tremor which knocked Geras back first onto the ground. Tremor wasted no time in asserting a top mount position over Geras, but he didn't do this to bring down a barrage of fists, Tremor instead saw this as an opportunity to create a mallet made of rock as he went to smash Geras' head in with it… but he stopped before contact was made.
"Boom," Tremor spoke calmly in his typical stoic voice. "You're dead."
"You can actually kill me," Geras reminded him. "I can just revive myself, remember?"
"I'm not going to do that," Tremor said as he got off of Geras and offered to pull him up with Geras clamping his massive knuckle duster-covered fist into Tremor's stone coated hand.
"You're still improving," Geras praised. "That's the first time you've defeated me in our sessions."
"It won't be the last," Tremor promised as they walked back to Cetrion who applauded them both. "What do these two want?"
"Raiden's gone missing," Cetrion explained. "He's seeking out threats he can sense."
"What threats?" Geras wondered.
"We have no idea," Bo' Rai Cho replied. "We came here to see if he had seen you."
"What should we do?" Tremor asked.
"Check the realms," Cetrion decided. "Ensure that there is no major threat that we are blind to."
"And how are we expected to achieve that?" Tremor continued to question. "By the time it takes to scour the land of every realm, such a threat will have already made themselves known."
"Are you sure about that?"
The Gods all spun around to face Cynder the heavenly Dragon as she stood atop the roof of the Training Sanctum and peered her head through the gap in the centre where the training space was located. Geras gently petted her clear bright white scales upon her arrival.
"I'm fast enough to fly you over the lands of all the realms," Cynder offered. "Except for one…"
"That's a very kind offer," Fujin replied. "That'll help a lot, Cynder, thank you."
"What realm can't you fly through?" Bo' Rai Cho asked.
"The only other realm that is infinite in space," Cynder told him. "The Netherrealm."
One alarming presence in the Netherrealm was at the bottomless Sea of Blood. The Nethership had emerged from a massive orange portal created by a certain sorcerer.
"Let's sail, lads!" Captain Shayde cheered as he steered the Nethership as Shang Tsung acted as first mate and stood with his arms neatly behind his back. "Did ya find anything out from that rave, Shang?"
"They were just being pathetically wholesome," Shang Tsung remarked as Kendrick laughed. "No information to eavesdrop on… but I did have a conversation with Liu Kang."
"Ooo the champ!" Shayde remarked. "So?"
"I think with what I learnt," Tsung assessed, "that his soul shall be mine shortly."
"Speaking of souls," Bonez spoke up as he approached the captain and their master. "This is where souls end up after they die! I'd know!"
"Tainted ones at least," Tsung noted as he peered overboard. "I might indulge in a light snack, my friends."
"Bonez," Shayde called for.
"Aye, Captain?!" Bonez replied as he enthusiastically saluted.
"Gather the lads for a shanty," he ordered.
"Aye aye!" Bonez complied as he went down to all the other crew members who were fellow Skeletons to instruct them.
"How long'll this take?" Erron Black asked.
"He gets seasick," Garrett clarified.
"Piss off," Erron demanded as Garrett burst out into laughter. "I just lost a limb, I don't need this shit."
"Cry about it!" Bonez yelled from below. "We Skeletons have that happen to us all the time!"
"Did that little shit really just speak to me like that?!" Erron Black felt incredibly insulted and immediately drew a gun on Bonez. "Be quiet!"
"Focus up," Hachiman ordered. "We're about to start the first phase of Master Tsung's plan!"
"Give me a break," Erron remarked as he withdrew his revolver.
"Considering the fuckall you've done since you joined us, I think you've already had a long enough one," Kendrick Shayde continued to poke fun at the former outlaw.
"I didn't see you assholes at the tournament," Erron commented.
"I didn't see you winning any fights at the tournament, mate!" Shayde remarked as the others laughed.
"Give the softie a break," Okita Hime demanded as she stepped between the group of fellow Earthrealmers from old history.
"I ain't soft, samurai," Erron Black remarked.
"Whatever," Hime said as she rolled her eyes. "Hachiman is right, we need to be focused."
"Shall we spar, Ms. Okita?" Hachiman suggested.
"Let's head to the interior," Hime instructed. "There's plenty of space down there."
"To 'spar'," Kendrick quipped as they headed beneath the upper deck. "Hol' up! I think I see something!"
"Another ship?" Shang Tsung was puzzled by the sight as he finished feasting on some of the countless souls scattered throughout the Sea of Blood.
"Prepare the mortar!" Shayde ordered. "Those bastards are heading straight at us!"
"That bastard," Erron corrected as he looked at the ship through a telescope. "It's just some old geezer."
"That's not just some old man!" Shang Tsung yelled. "That must be Kharon!"
"What?!" Garrett couldn't believe this. "You forgot to mention there's some damn deity roaming this place?!"
"I hadn't anticipated being found," Shang Tsung confessed. "No matter… just one more powerful soul for me to taste."
"Mortar ready, Cap'n!" Bonez announced.
"Fire!" Shayde ordered.
The Skeleton crew fired the mortar and unleashed a barrage of explosives that were aimed perfectly so that they'd land on Kharon's Ship. They were very surprised to see a beam of green magic create a forcefield to catch all the explosives, before the energy bursted off into smaller groups that began flying towards the Nethership.
"What the Hell?!" Erron yelled as he tried shooting the magic which achieved nothing.
"What is that?!" Garrett asked as he readied his sword and shield.
"Souls," Shang Tsung revealed.
"Magic like yours?!" Garrett asked as Tsung shook his head.
"The souls of the damned themselves," Tsung clarified. "From what I've heard about him over the years… he can create a bond with the souls in the brief time they are with him."
"Shit!" Shayde cussed. "Brace for impact!"
The souls began dropping the explosives onto the Nethership. Captain Shayde tried his best to swerve past them, but they suffered numerous hits as more Souls arrived. To avoid being sunken, Shang Tsung stretched his sorcery into the dim skies of the Netherrealm, his magic latching onto the Souls and being absorbed into his body.
"What's going on?" Hime asked as she and Hachiman emerged from below the deck due to the sudden explosions.
"We're under attack!" Hachiman figured.
"Took you long enough to realise!" Shayde complained.
"If he can send Souls to do that shit then we're sitting ducks here!" Erron assessed. "Why did you even bring us to the Sea of Blood? You can just make portals anywhere, Tsung!"
"If you have a better idea for how we'd transport the statue then you should've told me beforehand!" Shang Tsung countered angrily. "The Sea of Blood was a good spot to assess everything regardless… until Kharon showed up!"
"I trust your plan, Master Shang," Hachiman told him loyally. "But what do we do now?"
"We-"
"We ram this fucker!" Shayde decided for himself. "Raise the sails, lads, full speed ahead!"
"That won't work!" Shang Tsung told him angrily. "Unless…" Shang Tsung created another portal, the other side emerging on Kharon's Ship behind the back of the ferryman. "I shall distract him and you will ram him in the meantime!"
"Hell yes!" Shayde cheered. "I'm loving the open mindedness, sir!"
"Just don't mess up," Tsung ordered before he walked through the portal.
Shang Tsung immediately readied his straight sword and snuck up on Kharon before attempting to stab him in the back…
"Sorcerer!" Kharon yelled as he spun around and blocked the sword attack with his staff that he kept beside him leant against the ship's wheel.
"How?!" Shang Tsung was puzzled as he took a couple steps back out of caution.
"I can sense… so many souls within you," Kharon revealed. "Yet the most repulsive one is your own."
"I'm flattered," Tsung quipped.
"Welcome to the Netherrealm," Kharon greeted. "You and your friends' arrival has been long overdue."
"Just a quick visit."
"What are you planning?"
"Stick around and find out," the sorcerer warned. "I usually have more of my arrogance to spread to my victims… but I am very focused on this plan of mine, Kharon."
"And I'm equally as focused on banishing you eight planes under!" Kharon shouted as he swung his staff at the sorcerer who's sharpened straight sword cut through cleanly.
Shang Tsung laughed as he grabbed Kharon, only to be shoved over the helm and onto the upper deck which made him lose grip of his straight sword. Kharon stood atop the railing, surprisingly nimble considering his elderly form, and jumped onto a rope which slowed his fall whilst also dropping a barrel onto Tsung's body, causing a bunch of souls he had contained in the barrel to burst out and scatter back into the Sea of Blood.
"You have a delicious supply of souls, Kharon," Shang Tsung praised as he stood up and brushed the shattered pieces of barrel from his red and gold attire.
"You shall join it!" Kharon threatened as he began to attack using strikes learnt from his own father who invented the martial art of Kuo Shou which focused on heavy strikes with the arms combined with quick sudden kicks which is exactly what Kharon began doing as he lunged forth with an elbow strike followed by two kicks to the chest which knocked Shang Tsung against the door leading into the quarterdeck.
Shang Tsung ducked a right hook, Kharon's pale fist smashing through the small circular window on the door, cutting his hand open from the glass shards of the window as they impaled his flesh. As his hand was stuck on the other side of the door, Shang Tsung took this opportunity to begin striking back. The sorcerer used the Snake Fist martial arts style for his attacks, chopping Kharon in the face first before hitting an upward finger strike on the inner side of Kharon's right elbow as it was still lodged in the window. This was a well calculated strike which greatly hurt Kharon's right hand. As the ferryman yelled in pain, Tsung threw the wooden door wide open, smashing Kharon in the face which broke his nose upon impact and sent blood gushing down his old worn out cloak that covered his body. Shang Tsung stepped inside the quarterdeck and grabbed Kharon's right arm as it was stuck on the other side through the window. He grabbed the arm and did a hop before landing on his knees on the hardwood, dragging Kharon's arm down with him which dragged the ferryman into the door again as well as causing a great deal of agony on his old arm.
"Pathetic," Tsung mocked as he shapeshifted into Motaro and used his hind legs to kick down the door as it launched into Kharon's face and knocked him to the other side of the deck. "Give up, Kharon. I can offer you a place amongst my inevitable empire."
"Never," Kharon said weakly as he shoved the door of himself and attempted to stand only for Shang Tsung to use the horse body of a Centaur to trample him.
Tsung walked over to where his straight sword had fallen and scooped it up. He turned around, prepared to stab Kharon to death… but he no longer saw the form of an elderly ferryman… but something else. Shinnok.
"You are not the only one who can shapeshift," Kharon revealed as he stood up and brushed the wooden parts from the broken door off Shinnok's regal attire. "You see yourself as an expert on soul magic, but you are no master."
"With your soul I shall be!" Shang Tsung yelled as he galloped towards Kharon with his sword at the ready.
Kharon replicated Shinnok's dark magic to send a powerful energy construct of a pink coloured fist at Shang Tsung's horse legs. The sorcerer collapsed as Kharon utilised bone magic to create a new staff, this one with sharp points on both sides. He leapt atop Shang Tsung, impaling him in the chest which forced him into reverting back to his true form. Shang Tsung spat blood onto Kharon's face as the ferryman spat back, angering his enemy. Tsung suddenly lifted a hand and latched his soul magic onto Kharon, beginning the very painful process of absorbing his soul. Kharon cried out in pain as the wounded Shang Tsung cackled. Before Shang Tsung could claim the soul of a God, however, he turned to see the Nethership incoming as it rammed into Kharon's ship, the powerful front of the Nethership interrupting Kharon and Tsung's fight whilst the Skeleton crew alongside Shang Tsung's trusted Earthrealm allies boarded Kharon's ship.
"Kill him!" Captain Shayde ordered.
"Where is he?!" Erron asked as the crew looked around… soon realising there were two Shang Tsung's standing before them. "Ah shit…"
"How do we know who is who?!" Garrett questioned as the group surrounded the two identical sorcerers.
"Kharon knows shapeshifting!" Shang Tsung announced. "Just let us fight!"
"Do not interfere," Kharon ordered as he and Shang Tsung glared at each other. "This is between you and me!"
Shang Tsung scooped up his straight sword once more and it met Kharon's bone staff. Kharon kicked Tsung in the gut, causing him to stagger back where he then had to duck Kharon as he spun the staff around him. Shang Tsung then snuck in a sudden finger strike, right between the lungs, winding Kharon who nearly collapsed from the sudden loss of breath, stabbing his staff into the wooden planks to maintain his standing position. Whilst Kharon was focusing on his balance though, Shang Tsung ran forth and performed a step up front kick which caught him on the chin and sent him staggering back to the edge of the ship as he leant against the bulwark. Tsung then launched a flaming skull at Kharon which smashed him through the bulwark barrier and he plummeted into the bottomless Sea of Blood.
"You don't get out of this that easily," Tsung commented as he shifted into the form of Scorpion the Spectre and thus gained his chained kunai. "Get over here!"
Launching the blade under the sea, Shang Tsung impaled Kharon with the replica of Scorpion's spear. He then shifted into Kintaro, using the might of a Shokan to pull the chain up and over his head as Kharon was hooked to it, hurling him through the upper deck and landing down to the cabin that was on the lower deck. Shang Tsung jumped down the gap made by the broken planks, the massive feet of Kintaro landing on top of Kharon as he lay on the ground writhing in pain, causing him to return back to his true form while Tsung did the same.
"What have we here?" Shang Tsung asked as he glanced around the cabin area which was filled with more enchanted barrels and crates which Tsung found out to be an even greater supply of souls as he opened the lid of one box. "Don't mind if I do," he remarked as he began to absorb the many souls contained within Kharon's Ship.
"No!" Kharon cried out as he pulled himself up and went to punch Shang Tsung who simply side stepped out of the way and tripped him up before continuing to absorb the rest of the souls. "They must be taken to their afterlife!"
"They'll be of more use my way," Tsung commented as he finished consuming the souls. "Now… you."
"Do you not realise what killing me shall cause?!" Kharon asked as Shang Tsung grabbed him by the throat. "Without me then these souls shall not reform in the Netherrealm!"
"As if I care," Tsung said with his typical sly smile as he realised his victory.
"Please!" Kharon begged. "There is a crazed ferryman from Chaosrealm!" he revealed. "With me gone, he'll have free range to steal the souls of this Sea to take to his own realm!"
"Hmm… Chaosrealm," Shang Tsung thought about the bizarre realm… he thought about its potential role in his plans. "I'll have to pay the great people of that realm a visit."
"You know of it?" Kharon asked as the sorcerer nodded. "Then you must know of the chaos that could spawn from this! It is in their name!"
"Like I said," Shang Tsung spoke as he called upon his soul magic as it wrapped around Kharon's battered body, "I care not for such matters…"
"No!" Kharon screamed as Shang Tsung began to absorb his soul. The evil sorcerer of Outworld laughed wickedly as he did so, the life of the ferryman was rapidly drained as his soul was passed into Shang Tsung's body… to fuel and empower him.
"How delicious," Shang Tsung commented as he threw Kharon's corpse to the ground. "The soul of a God is mine at last!"
"You alright down there, boss?" Erron Black asked as he peeked down the broken planks on the deck to see Shang Tsung stood over the lifeless body of Kharon. "Is he…?"
"Dead," Shang Tsung confirmed as he shifted into Nitara briefly to fly out of the cabin and onto the upper deck before returning to his true form as Hachiman handed him his straight sword.
"Well done, Master Shang," Hachiman praised.
"What shall we do with this ship?" Shayde asked as he looked around at the vessel. "She's a right beauty."
"She's almost valueless to us," Shang Tsung told the pirate. "We have the Nethership, we don't need another ship."
"Lads!" Shayde called for his crew of reanimated Skeletons. "See if there's any valuables you can pinch."
"You heard the man!" Bonez yelled as they complied with the order.
"Be quick," Tsung commented. "I want us focused on getting to land."
"You got it," Shayde replied. "I'll get the Nethership ready again."
"What's the rush?" Garrett asked.
"The more time we have the better," Tsung explained to the knight. "Mainly because of those attending that party, and I'm not sure how well Lady Kasem can occupy Inka…"
While Shang Tsung and the vast majority of his allies were continuing to travel through the Sea of Blood in the Netherrealm, many Masked Guards remained at their varied posts throughout Tsung's Palace, as well as Inka Otoko with everyone in the building being under the watch of the frightening and mysterious Lady Kasem. Curious about Shang Tsung's Palace, Inka had decided to spend his spare time wandering the spacious grounds to explore the magnificent structure. Heading down the stairs after exploring the upper floor, noticing there was a basement level that he hadn't realised beforehand.
"Ooh," Inka made a noise of excitement as he ran down the stairs, only to be disappointed by the sudden quality shift in the basement space. "This is it?"
At the bottom of the stairway there were no longer the crimson coloured interior walls decorated with golden patterns, nor was there a spacious and clean floor. Inka looked around the small space and all he saw was plain grey stone, which was a tremendously boring and underwhelming site for the young man. He also had a strange feeling of unease though as he spotted a dull door made from the strongest of Outworld Steel. Inka cautiously approached the door and went to open it, unsurprised that it was locked as he tried pulling down on the cold metal handle.
"It is just storage…"
Inka gasped from shock at the sudden voice, he hadn't even heard any footsteps follow him downstairs. He turned around and saw Lady Kasem, her entire body still shrouded as always by a ragged black cloak.
"Sorry," Inka apologised. "Why's it locked though?"
"Off limits," Kasem told Inka as she walked slowly towards him. "That is what locks are for…"
"Why is it off limits though?" Inka asked again, becoming increasingly concerned by the bizarre situation.
Kasem sighed.
"What is it?"
"Sir Shang has a surprise for you waiting in there," Kasem revealed. "Do NOT mention this to him," she warned. "You are NOT supposed to know yet."
"Oh," Inka found it odd but believed her. "That's kind of him."
"So do NOT snoop around here until that surprise is prepared," Kasem instructed. "Understood?"
"I understand," Inka confirmed as Kasem stretched a gloved hand out and placed it on his armoured shoulder. "Um…"
"Come back upstairs," Kasem directed him out of the basement area, before slamming a hatch over the stairs leading to the basement that must've accidentally been left up.
"Where is Shang?" Inka continued to ask questions which made Kasem quietly groan.
"Important mission," she answered bluntly. "NOW GO!"
"Agh!" Inka shrieked from horror at Kasem suddenly raising her voice. "Alright!"
Inka walked off at a fast pace to get away from the disturbing woman, returning to the training area in the courtyard named the Acid Bath to continue honing his Shaolin skills so that he was ready to face the threats of Outworld again. Lady Kasem meanwhile, vanished through the floor, almost as if she melted into an oil-like substance as nobody was looking. She emerged back in the basement before phasing through the Outworld Steel door which led directly into the Dark Prison.
"My son!" Apep cried out. "I heard him!"
"Silence!" ordered a Masked Guard as he banged his naginata against the jail cell bars.
"You!" Apep pointed at Kasem. "What's going on?!"
Kasem calmly turned her head and tilted it as she looked upon the old prisoner who continued to yell at her. Kasem then after Apep blinked, she suddenly appeared inside the cell using her hidden powers that were as mysterious as herself.
"Hush…" Kasem whispered into Apep's ear.
"Let me out!" Apep yelled as he snapped and grabbed Kasem by the head and drove her face first into the filthy brick wall in his cell. "Tell me what you're doing with my son, freak!"
Kasem began to giggle to herself.
"Hey!" the Masked Guard shouted as he began to unlock the cell to assist Kasem. "Leave her alone, prisoner!"
"You want some too, you bastard?!" Apep called out as the Masked Guard opened the cell. "Then come get some!"
Apep charged at the Masked Guard, sending them both out of the cell and ramming the Masked Guard through the flimsy railings surrounding the pit in the centre of the small prison. Apep picked up his naginata and turned to Kasem, pointing the bladed weapon at her which made her giggle even more.
"You damn psychoes!" Apep yelled.
"It's not worth it, Apep!" Janani cried out from her own cell, not wanting to see another victim to the Dark Prison's savage crusher.
Kasem reached into her cloak as she continued to laugh, drawing a small knife with a dark grey blade as Apep continued to stand his ground with the Masked Guard's naginata held firmly in his grasp.
"Really?" Apep was surprised to see such a small weapon. "Just a knife?"
"Made from Onyx Shards," Kasem revealed a detail which was irrelevant to Apep but made him intimidated regardless as he magic suddenly made it glow a bright white which greatly contrasted the rest of her appearance. "Have a feel, boy."
"I'd rather not!" Apep replied as he swung the naginata forth, only for the sharp blade to be cut in half by Kasem's powerful knife. "What the-"
"My turn," Kasem said as she ran forth at a surprisingly fast speed before swinging her knife which Apep had to roll out of the way of.
Apep backed away in the narrow space between the railing and the cells, dodging Kasem as she chased him down with her peculiar knife. Realising he had nowhere to go due to there still being a well sealed door, Apep grabbed onto the bars of Janani's cell who gasped in shock as Apep using them to swing his legs forth and kick Kasem in the face, making her stumble back against the railing. Apep charged forth and delivered a lariat to Kasem, throwing her over the barrier, but she held on by one hand which Apep kicked for her to lose grip and fall to the lower level. Apep took this opportunity to run towards the door and begin pounding on it desperately as he realised it was definitely locked. Kasem meanwhile immediately got to her feet and scaled the wall, grabbing Apep from behind and dragging him down into the area below with her. The Masked Guard from before snuck up on Apep, grabbing him in a headlock from behind which caused Apep to struggle and walk backwards to try and get the Masked Guard off of him. This eventually led to the Masked Guard tripping up and falling back into the space where the crusher was… landing on a pressure plate which activated the death trap and thus killed him.
"By the Gods…" Apep reacted in horror at the gory sight.
"No God can save you, boy," Kasem replied as she grabbed Apep from behind and plunged her knife into his back. "We must now make up for the loss of a guard."
"Agh!" Apep cried out in agony whilst Kasem teleported into a cell of a different prisoner, grabbing them and rapidly teleporting back to the crusher to drop them in before teleporting to Apep… causing another death in mere seconds.
"Your defiance caused that," Kasem whispered as Apep struggled to his feet, only to be grabbed and hurled back up to the upper level where the showers were, blood pouring from the shower heads due to the blood being splattered from the crusher having brought blood into the water system. "Their blood is on your hands."
"No!" Apep cried out as he looked at his hands covered in blood as the showers covered him with the liquid. He then glanced up to see Kasem stood over him once more. "Wh-what… what are you?"
Kasem went silent, grabbing Apep by the collar of his ragged and blood stained shirt, and began dragging the Shaolin Monk back to his cell in the Dark Prison…
As all this was happening, Shang Tsung and the rest of his allies had finally arrived to land in the Netherrealm, arriving at Kharon's personal docking area that was in front of a large empty beach with ash for sand, much like how it was often the alternative for soil in the Netherrealm. What did populate this empty space, however, were Oni. Lots of Oni.
"Is this… normal?" Shayde asked as everyone began heading off the Nethership as Shayde steered it beside the docking area.
"Part of the land Kharon must've sectioned off with a forcefield," Shang Tsung concluded judging by the scent of magic in the air. "With him dead… it is now gone."
"Fresh meat!" Torcher announced as he came charging through the crowd of his fellow Oni whilst brandishing a massive sword.
"Cease!" Shang Tsung ordered as many Oni began to surround them. "We request an audience with Drahmin!"
"Why?!" Torcher asked, licking his chops at the mouth watering thought of eating the group of mortals that stood before him and his friends.
"I wish to help him rule this realm," Shang Tsung offered. "We have a plan and we want your leader to be a part of it!"
"You puny mortals have nothing to offer us!" Torcher believed. "Friends, let us feast!"
"Wait!" Moloch shouted from behind his brother as he came charging into the commotion. "Drahmin would at least want to hear them out, brother!"
"Since when did you start acting as if you're all smarts?" Torcher asked his brother as their eyes met despite Moloch being hunched over as per usual.
"I am not!" Moloch declined the accusation angrily. "I just know Drahmin better than anyone!"
"Fine," Torcher complied. "Unfortunately we'll have to be a bit patient, friends!"
"Herald!" Moloch called for his night black owl companion who came swooping in and landed on one of his muscular turquoise shoulders. "I need you to send a message-"
"There is no need," Shang Tsung interrupted. "Where is Drahmin now?" he asked. "I can make a portal to him."
"How ridiculous!" Torcher yelled.
"The sooner we can meet him then the sooner you can decide on if we're worth eating or not," Shang Tsung pointed out.
"He's at one of our encampments," Moloch revealed. "The one closest to Nekros."
"We're cooking a good plan to take over that place!" Torcher added.
"How does taking it over right now sound?" Shang Tsung asked as he began working on his portal magic. "Do you know the specific coordinates?"
"The specific what?" Moloch asked, very confused by the question.
"Nevermind…" Shang Tsung said as he summoned the portal. "This'll take us near Nekros, but you'll all have to give us directions wherever we end up."
"That can be done," Torcher promised as Moloch walked through the portal boldly. "See you on the other side, fresh meat."
"I prefer the name Tsung," he remarked as Torcher went through the portal. "Anyway, let's bring out the statue."
"I almost forgot," Erron Black remarked.
"I'll open the hatch!" Shayde said as he climbed back aboard the Nethership with Shang Tsung following. "It's right here safe and sound."
Kendrick Shayde pulled open the hatches he spoke of that stood in the middle of the upper deck of the Nethership, revealing an open space in the Nethership's interior that had been reserved for this statue Tsung had spoken of instead of just corpses for once. Stood atop a wooden platform on wheels was a large wooden statue carved to resemble a Cerberus, the famed three headed type of Hellhound that allegedly roamed the Netherrealm. Shapeshifting into Kenshi for a brief moment, Tsung used telekinesis to pull the statue and its portable stand from out of the Nethership and he placed them on the ashy beach. The Oni crowd watched in awe as the massive statue was so accurate that it almost frightened some which it sure did scare the Skeleton crew.
"Wh-what is this used for ag-again?" Bonez asked nervously.
"I'll explain when we see Drahmin," Shang Tsung promised. "Push the statue through the portal after me."
"You heard the man!" Hachiman shouted as he organised for everyone to get behind the statue and push the platform so that the wheels would move it forth with Tsung increasing the size of the portal drastically to fit the large object.
After the group emerged from the portal and Moloch and Torcher directed them towards their nearest encampment, they soon entered the large but well hidden Oni camp that Drahmin had decided on the location for as it sat in a mound between a large set of hills that concealed where the encampment was from the enemies at the Netherrealm's capital city Nekros. They walked inside and found Drahmin writing on a scroll as Amon stood beside their leader.
"Take a look, Amon!" Drahmin instructed as he handed his writing to her.
"I can't read this," Amon told him as she handed it back.
"I thought you were smart!" Drahmin complained.
"I can read," Amon clarified, "your handwriting is just atrocious."
"It's my non-dominant hand!" Drahmin defended himself. "Look I'm still waiting to hear any ideas from you, Amon."
"I'm still just a warrior," Amon remarked. "I'm not the brains you need for planning."
"Damn!" Drahmin yelled angrily. "That's the first thing I'll need to set up as ruler!"
"What's that?" Amon asked.
"An Oni education system," Drahmin stated. "Ooh! I better write that down!"
"Focus on plans to become ruler, Drahmin," Amon recommended.
"It's hopeless!" Drahmin sounded defeated. "The only method we Oni can possibly follow is brute force!"
"Perhaps I can suggest an alternative," Shang Tsung offered as Moloch and Torcher presented Tsung and a group of his allies to the Oni.
"I'm listening," Drahmin told him despite his caution by the sudden arrival of outsiders.
"Outside this encampment is a large wooden statue of a Cerberus," Shang Tsung revealed.
"How is a statue going to help, you plonker?!" Drahmin asked, already frustrated from brainstorming ideas to invade Nekros again.
"You and some of your followers can hide inside it along with some of mine," Shang Tsung clarified.
"Hiding from the enemy?" Amon wondered if that was the right move.
"Pathetic!" Torcher had already made up his mind though. "You had your chance, sorcerer, now you're supper!"
"Stop!" Drahmin ordered before Torcher could hack through Tsung with his sword. "Keep going."
"Gladly," Tsung spoke as he grinned at Torcher who growled in his face. "For those unaware, my name is Shang Tsung! I am a sorcerer with many abilities, such as shapeshifting," he revealed. "I will shapeshift into Kitana, Queen of Edenia, and claim that the statue is a gift from the current party that she's had to deliver."
"There was a party?" Moloch asked as he scratched his head with his pointy claws.
"Yes," Tsung confirmed. "It's between all the heroes."
"So what happens when we deliver this gift?" Torcher questioned.
"I will request that it be delivered to the Spire at once," Shang Tsung continued to explain his masterplan. "Once we get inside I will give a signal and you will all burst out and slaughter those inside."
"I like the sound of this!" Drahmin praised. "What's the signal?"
"When I say 'now'," Shang Tsung informed the group. "You will be able to take the throne yourself from there, Drahmin."
"Excellent!" Drahmin said cheerfully.
"Hold on," Torcher was still sceptical. "What's the catch, Tsung?"
"There is someone in the dungeons of the Spire that I would like to see," Shang Tsung revealed. "He's an old friend."
"That's it?" Moloch asked.
"I would also like to request a continued alliance with your people," Shang Tsung told Drahmin. "It will be mutually beneficial. We help out your Netherrealm predicaments such as this, and you help us out with our Outworld predicaments."
"I don't trust this guy, Drahmin!" Torcher yelled.
"Calm yourself, Torcher," Drahmin instructed. "I see no reason not to accept… but there is somebody else who I must ask for the consent of the aid of the Oni species."
"I thought you were their leader," Tsung replied.
"We have our own system," Drahmin stated. "Those here at the encampment will be happy to help with your current plan though, Shang Tsung."
"Perfect," Tsung replied as the two shook hands as their followers cheered.
"When do we begin?" Drahmin asked.
"We have everything we need and I'm sure a good chunk of Nekros' defences are at that party in Edenia," Shang Tsung pointed to the Cerberus statue that loomed over the encampment walls. "I say we begin right now…"
Whilst Shang Tsung's group and his new Oni allies prepared to seize the throne of the Netherrealm, the party in Edenia was wrapping up as it had gotten very late in the realm. There were many guest rooms and places for those to stop and sleep in the realm though which is what most did, whilst portals were being made for some to return home. Firstly there were the Tarkatans.
"I was hoping you'd stick around," Mileena admitted to Baraka as Sindel operated the portals for those departing from the realm.
"With the recent intrusion of Shang Tsung, it's important that we ensure our lands are safe," Baraka explained.
"I know," Mileena said understandingly.
"I was hoping you'd come home," Baraka replied as the two hugger and Mileena kissed him on the forehead.
"I will!" Mileena promised. "There's just some work to do here still."
"I understand," Baraka replied. "I'll see you soon, my love."
"Goodbye!" Mileena waved as Baraka and the rest of the Tarkatans departed through the portal back to their tribal grounds.
The Shaolin were another group who were all ready to return home to the Wu Shi Academy in China.
"I'm not even tired," Kung Jin admitted. "Can't we stay a little longer?"
"We still have a daily routine to stick to," Liu Kang reminded the group. "It's better to get a good's night rest."
"Where's Raiden?" Kai wondered.
"And Fujin and Bo'?" Jin was also puzzled.
"I'm sure we'll see them again soon," Liu Kang promised. "C'mon now."
"Goodbye to you all!" Kitana called out as she saw the group departing.
"Bye!" Lori replied.
"It was a pleasure to meet you, Lori," Kitana told her.
"You too," she replied. "I hope we meet again."
"As do I," Kitana also expressed her mutual feelings. "I'll see you later too, Liu Kang."
"Farewell for now, Kitana," Liu Kang waved goodbye as the Shaolin Monks began to leave through the portal.
"Is that all who want to leave tonight?" Sindel asked as she closed the portal.
"I would," Mokap stepped forward through the crowd outside the Grand Palace of Edenia. "All this other realm stuffs just a bit much for me."
"And we still have Zaterra to save," Khameleon said as the Saurians stepped forth.
"It was nice catching up, Khameleon," Sindel told the Saurian as the two embraced. "You know where we are if your people need our help."
"Thanks," Khameleon said gratefully.
"Where to?" Sindel asked as she began creating the portal made of swirling purple energy.
"Just drop us off at Varkain," Chameleon requested as his sister nodded to confirm the order.
"Can do," Sindel confirmed as she made the interrealm portal to Zaterra. "Good night to you all."
The Saurians departed as they lined up behind the two siblings of Khameleon and Chameleon. Sindel then turned to Mokap who was also eager to return to his native realm.
"This place is great!" Cassie said cheerfully. "Why leave so soon, Uncle Mokap?"
"Just too much for me is all," he told her.
"See ya later then," Cassie said as she hugged him.
"How are you not tired yet, Cass?" Johnny wondered as he approached his best friend as well as his daughter. "You should've used your telekinesis stuff for those lanterns like the others, Mo."
"Too much pressure on that," Mokap told him. "I'm no expert anyway."
"I could teach you," Kenshi offered.
"Aren't you busy with the Shirai Ryu?" Mokap asked.
"I'll go wherever I'm needed," Kenshi replied. "Ermac helped me master telekinesis, I can pass on what I've learnt to you."
"No thanks," Mokap declined the offer. "I'm not a fighter and I know enough martial arts for self defense."
"If you say so," Kenshi replied as the two shook hands.
"I'll call you when I'm back, Mo," Johnny promised.
"Alright," Mokap replied as a portal for him was made. "Cya!"
As the party in Edenia was coming to a close for the night, Shang Tsung's peculiar group of allies were getting ready to commit something worth a celebration for their cause. They all hid inside the Cerberus statue, the choice of a Cerberus intentionally being to justify a large space for many to hide inside the hallowed wood. Shang Tsung meanwhile had shapeshfited into the form of Kitana and began pushing the heavy statue along before reaching the gates to Nekros which were under repairs from the previous attack by the Oni.
"Halt!" Shouted a city guard.
"Is that Queen Kitana?" Asked another.
"I bring a gift to Lady Iris!" Shang Tsung announced. "I'd like to take this to her home."
"Let us help you!" The guards offered as they began pushing the wooden platform that the statue stood on forwards all the way through the city on the journey to the Spire at the very back.
"Psst!" Drahmin whispered from within the Cerberus statue. "Moloch!"
"Yes?" Drahmin had gained the Oni Beast's attention.
"Did you make sure Herald sent that message to Gagroth?" Drahmin asked as Moloch nodded. "Perfect…"
"This space is a little tight," Torcher commented as himself and his brother touched both sides of the statue.
"Quite," Moloch agreed.
"Shh!" Hime noised. "Be silent."
"You heard Tsung's orders," Hachiman reminded the Oni.
"Fine…" they muttered in unison as they stayed in silence for the rest of the trip to Iris' Spire.
"Here we are," one of the guard's said as the other banged on the giant gatesthat closed when the space of the Spire open to the public wasn't available at particular times even if the Netherrealm civilisation couldn't really ever tell the time so it was merely only closed when Iris desired some quiet peaceful time.
"Hello?" Twin-Ki asked as he came downstairs on behalf of Iris. "Everything alright?"
"You have a visitor, sir," the guard told him as he moved out of the way to show Kitana, or at least Shang Tsung in the identical form of Kitana.
"Queen Kitana!" Twin-Ki realised as he quickly opened the gates. "What is this?"
"A present for Lady Iris," Tsung replied as the Cerberus statue was wheeled inside the Spire walls.
Interrupting their conversation were screams and loud bangs. They looked through the gateway and saw the giant Oni Warlord named Gagroth storming the city on his own. The guards immediately rushed off to help stop him. Twin-Ki glared at the sight in horror, having always been afraid of the Oni Warlords more than any other subspecies of Oni due to their immense size.
"Oh no!" Twin-Ki cried out. "We have to stop them, Queen Kitana!"
"Now!" Shang Tsung yelled as a trapdoor on the bottom of the Cerberus statue was kicked open and his allies flooded from out of the statue one by one.
"What is this?!" Twin-Ki asked, completely confused by what he was witnessing.
"Me and Moloch improvised with Gagroth," Drahmin explained to Shang Tsung as he revealed his true form.
"Well done," Shang Tsung commended.
"It's you!" Twin-Ki stuttered from shock as he fell back against the wall of the Spire. "Who's your new friend, Drahmin?!"
"Your demise," Drahmin said before laughing as Shang Tsung summoned his straight sword and plunged it into Twin-Ki's gut with such force that it wedged him against the wall. "Buh-bye!"
Drahmin raised his iron club up high before slamming it down atop Twin-Ki's head, crushing his skull with a single blow which brutally killed him in an instant.
"He'll reform," Drahmin acknowledged. "But that gets him and the guards out of our way."
"Unless you snag his soul," Shayde remarked as he glared at Tsung. "Aren't you gonna?"
"The soul of that weakling?" Tsung asked. "No," he declined. "We must hurry!"
"What's going on?!" Came the voice of Iris as her heavy footsteps could be heard as she headed down the spiral stairway alongside some more guards from within the Spire itself.
"Get ready," Shang Tsung ordered the group as they all got into their fighting stances.
"Drahmin!" Iris gasped before her gaze went past the group of intruders to see Twin-Ki's body slumped against the wall. "Twin-Ki!"
"We paid your brother a visit too," Shang Tsung remarked. "His soul is now mine."
"We did?!" Drahmin asked, Tsung's group not having mentioned such to the Oni beforehand.
"HOW DARE YOU?!"
"Here we go…" Drahmin said with a sigh whilst Iris summoned a scythe made of bone.
"YOU WILL ALL DIE!"
Iris jumped down the stairwell and into the entranceway of the Spire, smashing her scythe down with such force that it broke part of the tiled floor. She spun around with her scythe, catching Torcher and impaling him onto the large bone weapon. Torcher's lava blood spewed out and burned Iris' flesh which Torcher used to his advantage. Due to his ability to control lava, Torcher used his own blood to spread across Iris' arm which immediately seared off her thick flesh on her right arm, making her skeleton more visible than just the bone hands. Iris cried out in pain as she began staggering back as Erron Black unloaded all six bullets in the chamber of his revolver in rapid succession as the bullets all got stuck in her back. Moloch then charged at Iris, tackling her through the wall of the Spire which led the two to begin fighting on the cliffside before the lava lake beside them. Moloch began pounding away at her face using his Mystical Orb. Iris was still able to fight despite the immense beating she was taking though, flicking Moloch off the cliffedge using a bone hand. Torcher ran over and grabbed his brother by the arm to pull him back up, meanwhile Amon leapt on and off of Torcher's shoulders before throwing the legendary Bone Shield at Iris with the object crashing into Iris' jaw. Iris valiantly tried to continue fighting despite the overwhelming odds. Some guards who were still inside the Spire had come outside after hearing the commotion, but were all swiftly taken out by Okita Hime who was used to soloing the masses from many events in her past. In one hand Hime wielded a naginata that was well sharpened and made of tamahagane, one of the finest types of steel in all the realms that originated from Japan. It was such a well made weapon that she hacked through numerous of the heavily armoured guards who also had countless years of experience with ease. Her other hand carried a yari bishamon, a spear-like polearm weapon with crescent blades attached on either side. The yari was a traditional samurai weapon, and she was equally as effective at eliminating foes with it as she was with her naginata. Soon her fellow Earthrealmer allies helped ensure all the guards had been dealt with. Once that was done; Hime, Hachiman, Shayde, Garrett and Erron all charged at once and impaled their melee weapons into Iris' already badly injured back as she was too busy focused on grappling with the Oni. With a naginata, a spear, a cutlass, a longsword and Tarkatan arm blade impaled within her, Iris collapsed to the floor as a massive amount of blood spewed from her several wounds that would almost all be fatal to a lesser being.
"My turn!" Drahmin yelled as he lunged forth and bonked Iris on the head with his iron club.
The rest of the group soon joined in beating up the already downed Iris. Shang Tsung laughed as he watched Drahmin, Moloch, Torcher, Amon, Erron Black, Garrett Bennett, Hachiman, Otoko Hime, and Captain Shayde punch and kick away at Iris.
"Such fun," Shang Tsung remarked. "But let's wrap this up now."
"You… will… pay… for… this…" Iris spoke weakly as Moloch and Torcher scooped before hurling her off the cliff edge and into the lava lake below…
"You fools!" Tsung insulted the two Oni Beasts. "I wanted her soul!"
"How were we supposed to know that?!" Torcher asked angrily.
"You and your oath of a brother need to follow orders properly!" Tsung advised.
"Leave Moloch outta this!" Drahmin yelled, protective of his closest friend.
"Guys!" Moloch shouted out before any further arguments could begin. "We won! The Netherrealm is ours!"
"Lord Drahmin!" Amon called for. "Why don't we find the throne room?"
"You four can do that," Tsung permitted. "The rest of you need to watch the entrance. Make sure nobody else shows up."
"Yessir!" Hachiman replied as he began to organise the group whilst the Oni headed up to the top floor whilst celebrating.
Shang Tsung meanwhile, headed downstairs into the dungeons. He was surprised that there was nobody guarding the cells that followed a door which he blew down with a single flaming skull projectile. He walked inside, impressed by the dungeon.
"I'll use this for inspiration when I upgrade the Dark Prison," Tsung thought aloud as he walked through each row of dimly lit cells, looking for one individual in particular… "Quan Chi."
The Demon sorcerer gazed up to see Shang Tsung, surprised by his sudden presence. Quan Chi's cell was very cramped and he had been trapped in the small space ever since Shinnok killed him for his attempted betrayal… many years ago now, albeit Quan Chi had lost track of time. Through the doors leading into the dungeon space, a magic spell had been put in place that prevented magic from being used in that area in an attempt to keep powerful people from breaking in and out. Shang Tsung smirked at his old friend who smiled back at him.
"There are cell keys on the wall there," Quan Chi instructed as he pointed a slender finger through the bars which directed Shang Tsung to the key he needed to free Quan Chi. "What brings you here, Tsung?"
"I have a proposition for you," Tsung told him as he grabbed the cell keys. "My group just aligned with some Oni and my masterplan has allowed them to otherthrow Shinnok's daughter."
"Most impressive," Quan Chi commended as he eagerly awaited for Shang Tsung to unlock his cell. "I presume I've missed much more."
"Quite," Tsung told him as he heard a clicking noise as he turned the key and thus the cell door was now unlocked. "I'll fill you in."
"I take it, you want my aid as well?" Quan Chi asked.
"You clearly needed mine more," Tsung said as he opened the cell door. "I will tell you this next thing now…"
"Oh?" Quan Chi leaned forth as he stepped outside the cell, listening intently to the fellow sorcerer.
"Outworld will be next," Tsung revealed. "Care to rule it alongside me?"
"Most certainly," Quan Chi answered. "But… Why me?"
"Well let's see; you're intelligent, handsome, understandable, useful, the only sorcerer besides myself who is truly worth something," Shang Tsung listed off his points of praise, "and you are the only man who can share some very particular information with me."
"How pleasant of you," Quan Chi commented. "Had I not known any better I'd have assumed you were trying to seduce me."
"I'm not confirming nor denying anything about that," Tsung replied, which made Quan Chi burst into laughter.
"I forgot how amusing you are, Tsung," Quan Chi said. "So, what do you want me to tell you?"
"RELEASE US!" Yelled a sudden plea from another prisoner which made Tsung and Chi roll their eyes in unison.
"Do you know any of your prison mates?"
"I do not," Quan Chi denied. "Previously this was the home to enemies of Shinnok," he clarified, "but now it's just for Netherrealm criminals."
"This place has rules?" Tsung asked as Quan Chi nodded. "How ludicrous…"
"Some might be of use," Quan Chi admitted.
"I'll decide that later," Shang Tsung promised. "I'll explain everything once we're somewhere more… private," Tsung told him. "That is assuming we have an alliance?"
"Most certainly," Quan Chi confirmed as the two sorcerers stretched their hands out and shook them, both smirking as they stared into each other's eyes. "Remember what I told you years ago?"
"Yes," Tsung recalled. "You said we could be a deadly alliance."
"No," Quan Chi corrected him.
"We are The Deadly Alliance."