The portal that Shang Tsung had created led the Deadly Alliance into the Realm of Chaos. They glanced around their surroundings, having emerged on a random coal black rock that had split away from the mainlands and floated throughout the disorienting void-like surroundings of the realm. The rock defied the laws of physics, something that was all too common in this bizarre place.
Chaosrealm was a constantly changing and unpredictable dimension that not even its native Chaosrealmers truly understood. Its surroundings were characterised by a landscape that was in a state of constant flux. The terrain of Chaosrealm varied greatly but the majority of the land appeared to be purely a strange type of stone that was specific to such a realm. Other lands were made up of strange and unpredictable materials that constantly shifted and changed. The lands could shift and move around the space without a moment's notice without any cohesion. Mountains and valleys would appear and disappear, and the ground would sometimes open up into deep chasms without warning which threatened to plunge its residents into the endless space below the levitating islands. Even stranger was the fact that these emerging mountains were often appearing inverted, being upside down as their peaks dug into the floating islands that were typically flat when such inexplicable events weren't occuring.
The sky above the Chaosrealm was a kaleidoscope of colours and patterns that shifted and changed with each passing moment, but they consistently remained disorienting and sickly for outsiders to the realm. Strange and unpredictable weather phenomena would occur, such as sudden storms, raging gusts of winds that threatened to propel Chaosrealmers over the edge off their islands, or bursts of lightning that would strike seemingly at random. A brief blizzard could take place on the warmest day, a sun or at least some light providing equivalent being hidden through the constant fog that was the only consistent weather condition of the realm. It had an unappealing yellowish tint as it shrouded the realm, making it difficult for outsiders to gather their surroundings.
The fauna of the Chaosrealm was equally strange and unpredictable, with creatures that defied conventional biology and physics. Some of these creatures were dangerous and predatory, while others were strangely kind and curious. Many resembled creatures from other realms like Earthrealm and Outworld, but many appeared unnaturally deformed, although such was natural in actuality. There was a noticeable amount of creatures that appeared normal, such as crows that flew over the heads of the Deadly Alliance. The main difference was that the majority of them were covered in pitch black feathers.
Despite the unpredictability and danger of the surroundings, the inhabitants of the Chaosrealm had adapted to the ever-changing environment. They had learned to live off the land and had developed unique technologies and strategies to survive in this strange and unpredictable world. What happened most with adapting to such a place? Embracing the chaos. The Chaosrealmers resided here by choice and relished in their land of no laws or stability. Despite its dangers, the Chaosrealm remained a source of fascination and intrigue for many. It was a place where the laws of physics and reality were constantly being defied, and where anything was possible. For those brave enough to venture into its chaotic depths, the Chaosrealm held endless possibilities for discovery and adventure. The Deadly Alliance weren't here for a holiday though…
Before the Deadly Alliance could even decide on their next move, they saw the distant figures of numerous Chaosrealmers gathered dangerously close to the edge of the island. They were glaring at them with pupiless eyes that glowed bright through the mist.
"Meht teg!" One Chaosrealmer screamed.
"What language is that?" Quan Chi questioned.
"They talk backwards, usually," Shang Tsung explained. "I've been making frequent trips to this realm in my planning."
"I'm glad to hear," Quan replied. "I can't stand this place and I say that as a Netherrealmer!"
"At least the Netherrealm's state is comprehensive," Tsung agreed. "What are these lunatics doing?!"
The Deadly Alliance watched as the Chaosrealmers formed a stack, impressively balancing each other on their shoulders as they formed a ladder. Holding onto each other, they fell forth and created a bridge from the mainland to the stray rock the two sorcerers were on. Quan Chi rolled his eyes before launching a skull projectile at the bridge, but not before several warriors draped in various pieces of old dirty armour leapt across the bridge to reach the sorcerers. The skull collided with a Chaosrealmer making up the middle of the bridge, causing it to collapse with many of the Chaosrealmers plunging into the abyss as others dangled onto the edge, laughing in joy instead of being afraid.
"What do you people want?!" Quan Chi asked as he summoned his broadswords, ready to clash with the several rusty jagged blades being pointed at them.
"You are the new order of Outworld!" Yelled a voice coming from the mainland as he pulled the chain of Chaosrealmers up from the edge of the land. "Your kind is unwelcome in our realm!"
"Just who are you?" Shang Tsung asked as they turned to see a hooded figure who was flanked by a man dressed in a combat suited uniform with orange accents whilst wearing a pair of sunglasses tinted with the same accent colour, clearly also not a native of Chaosrealm.
"I am Havik," he introduced himself, "a cleric of Chaos."
Before either of the Deadly Alliance could reply, Quan Chi shoved his ally aside from an incoming attack from behind. He then sliced through the unkept weapon with his much larger and sharper broadswords, before beheading the Chaosrealmer. Another warrior charged at the Demon, but Tsung extended his leg and tripped over the warrior which caused him to crash into one of their own allies and sent them both over the edge of the small rock they stood upon. The final Chaosrealmer warrior suddenly pointed up into the air. They were pointing at nothing in particular but it served as a distraction, allowing the warrior to poke Quan Chi in the eye whilst ripping their own arm off casually and slamming it over Tsung's head.
"Seriously?!" Quan Chi said angrily as he rubbed his eye.
The two sorcerers glared at the mischievous warrior, who tried reattaching their arm only to accidentally drop it. Quan Chi and Shang Tsung gave each other a nod before launching a skull projectile at the warrior. Tsung's skull set the warrior aflame whilst Chi's skull began biting the warrior's flesh whilst pushing them over the edge. Quan Chi then quickly made a portal at his own feet, emerging from the air and landing on top of Havik. Quan began stomping on top of the cleric, but a spinning kick from the man accompanying him sent Quan Chi flying off his feet.
"Thank you, Darrius," Havik said as he helped him up.
Shang Tsung meanwhile, went to follow through a portal of his own, but the severed head of one of the warriors began biting his feet. Tsung repeatedly stomped on the skull before kicking them away. The Chaosrealmer's carelessness of body harm including dismemberment greatly intrigued Shang Tsung, but he dismissed it for the moment to make a portal that stood between Quan Chi and Darrius.
"You are free to decide on your own," Havik addressed the nearby civilians, "but my opinion is to disperse from these tyrants."
"You and your friend here should follow your own advice," Shang Tsung recommended.
"I was simply offering a tour to Darrius here," Havik explained. "We have recently struck an alliance with the Seidan Resistance."
"Resistance, huh?" Tsung chuckled.
"What's so funny about that?" Darrius asked as he extended the blades of his gauntlets and pointed them at the sorcerers. "A resistance is bound to dethrone you two."
"I've seen many rebellions throughout Outworld," Tsung told him. "I've watched them all fail, including one that concluded yesterday."
"I've been the right hand of Shinnok for far too long," Quan Chi added. "The amount of failed attempts to overthrow him over his reign is countless."
"Well perhaps our own alliance may have to pay a visit to Outworld," Darrius warned.
"Perhaps this Deadly Alliance might have to storm Seido and seize it before your resistance even gets the chance," Tsung threatened.
"And is that what your intentions here are?" Havik questioned.
"No," Quan Chi denied it. "There's no value in ruling a realm where its residents will never listen."
"If your people continue to get in our way though…" Tsung spoke up.
"Then we'll have to destroy Chaosrealm instead," Quan Chi threatened.
"You'd stand no chance of achieving that also," Havik told them. "So, why exactly do you come here?"
"I actually haven't even been told," Quan Chi realised. "You mentioned allies, Tsung, who can we possibly enlist the aid of in this wretched place?"
"I'm aware that this realm has two tribes," Shang Tsung recalled, "the Yinasi and the Yangese."
Havik burst out in laughter, his jaw almost literally dropping to the floor.
"I take it you're aware of them," Tsung concluded.
"They both exist to be tribes of destructors whose sole desire is to wreak chaos!" Havik revealed. "They will absolutely have no desire to help you two!"
"I have a convincing argument to make," Tsung assured him.
"If that's what you think," Havik remarked. "I'll leave you two be then, it'd be much more brutal for you when the tribes slaughter you both."
"If anything is not happening on this day, it's that," Quan Chi replied. "How pleasing that we could find a peaceful resolution though, cleric."
"Do not make me regret my decision," Havik warned as he reached behind him and pulled out a morning star mace from seemingly thin air. "My work intends to be non conflict, but I can be violent!"
"Well you've seen what we can do to your kind," Quan Chi pointed out. "Fight us and you'll stand little chance."
"I'd advise you to get out of my sight before I change my mind," Havik recommended.
"We're just going to let them go?!" Darrius asked.
"I will," Havik decided. "You are welcome to fight them though."
"Forget it," Darrius refused. "I do not fear them, but I'm not getting myself killed when I have a resistance that needs me."
"You're a smart man," Quan Chi complimented.
"Ready to resume your tour?" Havik asked Darrius. "There are plenty more islands to show you."
"How many exactly?" Darrius wondered as he retracted his blades.
"The number can shift at any time!" Havik revealed. "How exciting!"
"Just great…" Darrius sighed. "Let's hurry this up then, Havik."
"Follow me," Havik instructed, "but only if you wish to do that!"
"Now where are these tribes?" Quan Chi wondered as Havik and Darrius departed, despite the latter's reluctance to leave two powerful villains alone.
"The Yangese Tribe is in the west," Tsung revealed, "and the Yinasi is in the east."
"You sure did your scouting for this," Quan noticed.
"A perfect plan is one that needs to be actually planned out in full," Tsung explained. "I have witnessed too many fools make a half-baked plan and then gasp at its failure."
"Then I sure hope you've planned out a convincing argument to gather their help," Quan Chi replied.
"Most certainly," Tsung assured him. "The first offer is most appealing to Chaosrealmers…"
"Oh?"
"We invite one tribe to Outworld for the sake of causing chaos," Shang Tsung revealed.
"Pardon?!" Quan Chi was not following such a plan. "Why would we invite these delinquents to harm our own realm, Tsung?!"
"Because the Union who will of course try to oppose us cannot run from Outworld, they cannot hide in the shadows," Tsung justified his extreme plan. "They will bravely try to cease the chaos and fall in their efforts!" Tsung promised. "The other tribe will be responsible for hunting every last one of them down, alongside several of our current allies."
"I suppose this could work," Quan Chi considered. "How do we go about this then?"
"I shall visit the Yinasi and you shall visit the Yangese," Tsung decided.
"Do you know their specific whereabouts?" Chi asked as he already began concocting a portal.
"It's impossible to tell in this place," Tsung admitted. "You'll be searching the islands in the west though."
"How specific," Chi remarked sarcastically. "What am I even requesting of them?"
"The Yinasi seem to be more barbaric from what I've heard," Tsung claimed, "they'd likely be more suitable for hunting our foes."
"So, I'll be asking the Yangese to cause general chaos in Outworld," Quan Chi concluded.
"Correct," Tsung confirmed. "Get searching and meet back up at our fortress."
"Of course," Quan Chi replied before walking backwards through a portal.
Due to having a greater understanding of Chaosrealm, Shang Tsung found the tribal grounds he was searching for first. Their encampment was set up beside a cliffedge which hadn't been there when they initially built their grounds, relocating would be necessary in due time. The tribe members appeared to be not bothered though, showing no care for the nearby risk. The grounds did not belong to the tribe, no land in Chaosrealm could be owned by anybody, but few attempted to approach the ruthless group. Shang Tsung proved to be an exception.
There was no fencing or walls to deter outsiders, a free passage into unwelcoming faces. Barbarian-like warriors poked their heads up and glared at the approaching sorcerer like dogs. They sat around a campfire lit by a mysteriously green flame. One tribe member stood up and approached Shang Tsung, staring at him with one eye whilst the other was disturbingly out of its socket and being bounced around by the Chaosrealmer like a ball.
"What?!" the Chaosrealmer asked as they got in Tsung's face and tilted their head menacingly.
"Your leader," Shang Tsung replied, "may I meet her?"
"You can keep your eyes off this one!"
The voice came from behind the Chaosrealmers glaring at Shang Tsung, who pushed past to see them. Standing before him was a Chaosrealmer woman who was carelessly throwing a dagger around whilst carrying a disturbing staff in the other hand. Her face was greatly deformed with an absent nose and several scars around her mouth. Bits of her lips were missing, constantly exposing a set of teeth that inconsistently ranged in shades of yellow with several teeth being missing too. One of her eyes was covered by an abundance of crimson hair, whilst her uncovered eye beaming in the same colour. She wore pieces of dull ugly armour like the rest of her followers over some robes that ranged in colours from dark oranges to greens. Her tattered cape blew wildly in a sudden gust of random wind. The staff she carried had a spearhead with the tall handle itself being swallowed by a fleshy mesh, bearing semblance to an Oni mutation. Teeth from parts unknown clamped onto the bladed end of the intimidating staff that she held at all times.
"I take it that you're their leader," Shang Tsung presumed.
"Do not use that word!" She requested. "I am the agreed upon head of the Yinasi!"
"The difference being?"
"You are expected to abide by the orders of a leader always!" She claimed. "My word is subjective, my demands are not compulsory."
"I see," Tsung understood.
"You can call me Ruen," she introduced herself.
"Shang Tsung," he offered a handshake.
"Eugh!" Ruen was taken aback by the handshake offer. "What a disgustingly formal gesture!"
"I'm here in hopes of striking a partnership with your tribe," Shang Tsung jumped to the point, caring not for the antics of a Chaosrealmer. "Perhaps we can discuss this further in a meeting?"
"Also a hideously formal suggestion," Ruen complained. "However, you have piqued my interest… I accept it!"
Full of energy, Ruen grabbed Tsung by the arm and sprinted into the largest hut on the grounds of the Yinasi, kicking the doors open and shoving the sorcerer onto a stool held up by a single chair leg, an intentional design choice. She then grabbed a table that was pressing against the dark ceiling, the piece of furniture defying gravity and in need of being held down constantly. Red flames roared from torches attached to the walls in no particular pattern, lighting up the coal coloured room.
"Right then," Ruen spoke up as she pulled up a stool of her own and pinned the table down. "Meeting time!"
"Such a nice abode…" Tsung muttered as he wiped the arm that Ruen snatched.
"I know right?!" Ruen replied as she suddenly peeled a layer of skin off her arm with ease and laid it out across the table which made the sorcerer shudder despite his countless experiences of horrifying sights in his Flesh Pits.
"What exactly are you doing?" Tsung asked.
"I've gotta take notes!" Ruen stated as she began recklessly sharpening a long yellowish nail with her dagger. "This'll do!"
"Do what?"
"Name!" Ruen demanded. "I forgot it!"
"Uh… Shang Tsung," he repeated.
"Got it!" Ruen said as she used the sharpened nail to cut into the removed skin as an equivalent to writing on paper. "So… what qualifications do ya got?"
"Qualifications?!" Tsung raised an eyebrow.
"I'm joking!" Ruen laughed maniacally to herself. "Us Chaosrealmers have no forced education system, qualifications aren't required to get an occupation!"
"How reasonable," Tsung said sarcastically. "Just let me explain my proposal…"
"Okie!" Ruen agreed as she got her nail ready. "I'll take notes!"
"I am one half of the new rulers of Outworld-" Tsung was immediately cut off from his explanation as Ruen leapt on the table and pointed her dagger at him.
"Ruler?!" Ruen repeated. "No ruler is welcome in Chaosrealm!"
"Wait!" Tsung demanded. "I want to invite your tribe over to Chaosrealm, to help upkeep the chaos in Outworld by hunting some of our foes."
"I was at that great battle in Sabar City," Ruen recalled. "Would be fun to eliminate some of the fighters… for fun of course!"
"The Yangese we are also hoping to invite to help with creating more chaos," Tsung clarified. "I heard the two of you managed to form some kind of alliance."
"We have recently," Ruen confirmed.
"Then there will be no quarrels with working together?"
"None at all!" Ruen claimed. "Although I cannot promise anything!"
"Good enough for me," Tsung replied. "When you are ready, find us in Outworld's capital."
"Will do!" Ruen promised as Tsung departed through a portal.
Meanwhile, on the opposite side of Chaosrealm, Quan Chi had finally located the Yangese tribe. The grounds were similar to the Yinasi's in terms of materials used, the two having begun sharing resources with how frequently they had to rebuild their huts. The sorcerer walked past two tribe members playing catch with a strange skull. Born as an Oni in the Netherrealm, Quan Chi was quite familiar with bizarreness. Although he had to admit that Chaosrealm truly lived up to its name, he was less fazed by the Chaosrealmers peculiar antics than his deadly ally, despite having never visited Chaosrealm in all his long life until now.
"What have we here?"
Quan Chi turned around, surprised as he realised the skull was speaking to him.
"Who's in charge?" Quan Chi asked. "I have a proposition."
"Technically… that'd be me."
A headless Chaosrealmer soon walked by, grabbing the skull and attaching it onto his body. He wore some armour resembling some form of tin over clothes that were a collision of shades of green, with some yellowish accents. He carried a staff much like Ruen, but his was strangely a green colour. The Chaosrealmer clearly had a colour preference, as was clear by his green painted skull that still had hair attached by long strands being tied inside cracks at the top of his skull. He also had a long beard, half a natural grey whilst the other half was dyed another shade of green. The halves of hair colours of course couldn't be perfectly even with the dye spreading over the natural side to create an uneven balance. Unlike Ruen, he sported a complete set of surprisingly clean teeth that gleamed constantly. His one eye was black with glowing green pupils, an old eyepatch put over the hole that was missing a second eye. The rest of his body was completely covered from the neck down, leading Quan Chi to be unsure on whether or not the Chaosrealmer had any flesh left.
"What happened to your face?" Quan questioned him bluntly.
"The same thing that happened to your hair, I presume," he answered. "I shaved my flesh off by choice. Our inner body is too beautiful to be hidden within!"
"I never chose to lose my luscious locks!" Quan complained.
"I'm Myscheff," he introduced himself.
"Quan Chi."
"What brings you here?" Myscheff asked. "I'm a busy thing, so be quick… if it suits you."
"I shall," Chi promised. "I'm offering an alliance with Outworld."
"Oh?"
"My partner is already in talks with the Yinasi tribe," Quan Chi elaborated, "my offer for you is to come to our realm and bring as much chaos as you desire along with you."
"Who am I to refuse such a good time?"
"This is our only request," Quan Chi told him. "Do we have a deal?"
"Most certainly!" Myscheff eagerly accepted. "I'll let my chums know and we'll pop over to Outworld in a jiffy, the spectacle at that city the other day was remarkable."
"It most certainly was," Quan Chi said with a grin as he made a portal to depart. "How do you travel between realms?"
"You're not the only goofball with a knack for magic!" Myscheff replied as he slammed his bizarre staff against the ground, creating a portal of his own. "Catch ya on the other side?"
"Find me in the large stronghold on the mountain in the city you Chaosrealmers visited for that… spectacle," Quan Chi instructed him.
"You got it!" Myscheff confirmed as Quan Chi departed
"That wasn't so bad now, was it?" Tsung asked as Quan Chi returned to the Soul Chamber in Outworld through his portal.
"How long have you been waiting?"
"Not long at all," Tsung admitted. "Did you succeed in striking a deal?"
"I did," Quan Chi confirmed. "Chaos is quite a motivator it would seem."
"I noticed that also," Tsung agreed. "The Yinasi will meet us shortly."
"As will the Yangese," Quan Chi added. "I hope this turns out as planned."
"Of course it will!" Tsung promised.
"They could prove to be… too aggressive," Chi warned.
"When have my plans ever faltered?" Tsung questioned.
"The one involving the Amulet you stole from me," Quan Chi remarked.
"Shinnok's," Shang Tsung corrected him. "And yes, we do need to discuss that soon."
"I'll see to it," Quan Chi promised. "But first, let us get ready for our chaotic guests…"