Chapter 1: The Journey Begins!

*Somewhere in Earth Realm!*

A group of humans were meeting together at an unmarked island in the Pacific Ocean. But these humans were no ordinary humans; they were some of the best fighters in the world. Each and every one of them had their own specific reasons for coming to this island, but there was one thing they all had in common. They wanted to be the new Champion of Mortal Kombat, an ancient fighting tournament.

One of those fighters was a Chinese Martial Artist and Monk by the name of Liu Kang. He wore a sleeveless black leather jacket with a white tank top underneath, as well as a pair of red and black sweatpants, and some black sneakers. On top of that, he wore a red head band around his head. He had been training for this tournament his whole life and he was more than ready.

"I don't care who or what I may face in this tournament; I'm ready! But I must remember what Lord Raiden taught me. I must fight with honor for all of Earth Realm." Liu Kang told himself as he began walking towards a shabby old ship.

At the same time, another fighter began making his way towards the ship. Unlike Liu Kang, who was humble, he was a loud and obnoxious Hollywood movie star. He wore a light blue collar shirt with black slacks, dress shoes, a silver watch, and a $500 pair of sunglasses. His name was Johnny Cage, and he was entering this tournament for the hopes of fame and fortune.

"I don't give a shit who he works for! No, I don't care if he works for the President! Look, Cage-Con would not exist without me! He can pay just like everyone else! Excuse me, will ya? I gotta go; my ride is here!" Cage argued on his fancy cellphone.

Behind him were two other fighters, annoyed be his loudness and rudeness. They were Special Forces agents on a mission to track down and retrieve a notorious cyber terrorist named Kano. The first of the two fighters was a young blonde woman with a muscular but attractive figure. She wore a black tank top, black shorts, black fingerless combat gloves, and black combat boots. Her name was Sonya Blade, and she took no bullshit from anyone.

"Ugh...please tell me that we aren't stuck with that guy the whole way?" Sonya grumbled in frustration.

The other fighter was a large and muscular black man, who wore purple sweatpants and black combat boots. But the most peculiar thing about this man was that his arms were completely metal, due to losing them in the line of duty. He too was a no nonsense kind of guy, but was also big in being a team player.

"Remember our mission, Sonya! We need to find out of Kano is participating in this tournament." Jax reminded.

"I know. I just can't believe that I was stupid enough to trust him, that's all!" Sonya said with a deep bitterness in her voice.

"Hey! Don't beat yourself up over it; what's done is done! Remember that this isn't personal!" Jax said.

"It is for me!" Sonya muttered.

After they both got onboard the ship, it took off to sea. As they ventured deeper into the horizon, a storm began brewing.

"Whoa! Would you look at that?" one of the many fighters pointed out. Lightning crashed and danced around in the air, putting up quite a display.

Finally after a few hours, the lightning stopped and a great fog began creeping towards their direction.

"We are getting close!" Liu Kang said out loud as he leaned against the stern.

His thoughts were interrupted when a hand grabbed his shoulder, alerting him. "Hey, excuse me? You getting any signal on this crate? I think my phone is fried!" Johnny Cage asked as he showed off his dead cellphone.

"I don't really use technology. Besides, where we're going, we won't need that. You will need to rely on your skills and wits." Liu Kang answered as he shook his head.

Johnny Cage smirked as he said that. "Skills and wits, eh? Well, not to brag or anything, but I'm damn good at what I do!" Johnny Cage said as he put his cellphone in his pocket.

"And what is it that you do?" Liu Kang asked trying his best not to sound annoyed.

"I bring the boom, that's what I do. The name's Cage; Johnny Cage! Maybe you've heard of me?" Johnny Cage said as he grabbed Liu Kang's hand and shook it furiously.

"Um, I can't say that I have, sorry! My name is Liu Kang!" Liu Kang replied after he gently wrenched his hand away.

"Well, I don't know about you kid, but I can already taste that championship belt. Or whatever this prize is, anyway!" Johnny Cage sneered.

Liu Kang chuckled at him, earning a strange look from the Hollywood actor. "What's so funny My fly is not down, is it?" Cage wondered.

"You! You honestly think that this tournament is a game, do you? Let me tell you something: This tournament has been fought by many warriors for hundreds of years. Only the best, however, have a chance of winning. No offense to you Johnny Cage, but this is no game. This is Mortal Kombat!" Liu Kang explained gravely.

"Say...that sounds like a great title for my next movie! I can see it now; Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat!" Johnny Cage said not even knowing how serious the monk was being.

"Wow! This guy is a complete fool. I sure hope he realizes just what he's gotten himself into!" Liu Kang thought as he rolled his eyes.

(X)

Finally, after what seemed like forever, the ship arrived at another island. It was a large and rather ominous looking island, almost not human in nature. At the center of the island was a large mountain, and on top of that mountain was a temple of unknown origin. As everyone got off the ship, they made their way to the beach where a group of masked warriors with spears awaited them.

"Oh thank God! Do any of you guys know where the bathroom is?" Johnny Cage exclaimed.

None of the warriors answered him, however, and they simply walked away. "Hey, where are you guys going?" Johnny Cage exclaimed.

"I think we better follow those guys!" Jax said as he pointed.

"What? Oh, right...maybe they'll show me on the way. Thanks! Johnny Cage is the name. Who are you again?" Johnny Cage said.

"Sergeant Jackson Briggs, but my friends call me Jax." Jax said as he firmly shook his hand.

Johnny Cage grinned as he heard this. "Oh, great! The military is here; listen, you guys are not going to believe this. But apparently, they're holding some sort of ancient fighting tournament here!" Johnny Cage chattered as they walked.

"You don't say?" Jax said as he rolled his eyes.

"I know, right? But I just hope for their sake that this tournament isn't as cheap as the ride they gave us. At the very least we could do with a four star hotel!" Johnny Cage went on.

"You are a long way from Hollywood, kid!" Jax said as he shook his head.

"Hey, so you're a fan?! Have you ever seen UnCaged: The Revenge? Or how about Cage Master?" Johnny Cage continued before he glanced over at Sonya Blade.

Johnny Cage smiled as he approached her, hoping to woo her. "Hey there! The name's Johnny Cage, and you are?" he began as he got a little too close for her comfort.

"Not interested!" Sonya said as she brushed him away.

"Ah, you gonna play hard to get? That's cool; Johnny Cage doesn't mind a challenge." Johnny Cage said as he chased after her.

But as he said that, he realized how many stairs they'd have to climb to get to the top.

"Oh, great...I guess the elevator is out of service?" Johnny Cage muttered.

(X)

Eventually, everyone reached the top of the mountain and stopped at the main gate entrance. The entrance was huge; the doors had to be over 50 feet tall and were made of ancient wood and enamored with gold. There was a large dragon logo on the door's entrance, as well.

"Dragons? How cliche! What, do they have koi ponds and cherry blossom trees, too?" Johnny Cage smartly remarked.

"Shh! Look!" Liu Kang shushed as he pointed towards someone standing in front of the gate.

The person in question was a man wearing a black leather jacket with a dragon design on the back, as well as black leather pants and shoes. He even wore metal gauntlets on his hands, some of the finger tips razor sharp like claws. The man himself had long black hair and a sneaky smile on his face.

"Welcome to my island, fellow warriors. My name is Shang Tsung, and I am the host of this year's Mortal Kombat Tournament." he announced with a sly tone of voice.

"He's our host? I've got several complaints for this guy!" Johnny Cage grumbled.

"Be quiet, will you?" Liu Kang hushed.

"Before you settle yourselves in, let me give some ground rules. The first rule is that while you are free to explore the island at your leisure, there are certain areas that are off limits. Such as my own private chamber. Rule number two: No one gets off this island until the tournament is over! And lastly, do have fun...but remember that each day could be your last!" Shang Tsung announced.

After he spoke, he motioned his guards to open the doors. As they opened, a pathway was lit up with candles that led up to a large palace.

"Oh! Now that's more like it; it certainly stylish!" Johnny Cage said out loud.

Shang Tsung noticed this and chuckled sinisterly. "Well, I can see that some of you are easily impressed. But we haven't even started yet! Come, our welcoming feast is about to begin. We will then show you to your rooms afterwords. Follow me!" Shang Tsung said as he led the way.

"A feast?! Finally, I'm starving!" Johnny cried excitedly.

(X)

A few hours after the feast, everyone was shown to their rooms. Most of the other warriors were too tired to do anything else but sleep. But Johnny Cage was not one of those people. He decided to try and explore around the island.

"Oh man, if only my phone was working I could take some pics! Oh well! Let's see what I can find around this joint!" Johnny Cage said to himself. He explored a massive garden for a while until he got bored and entered inside another part of the palace. Inside of this section of the palace were chests, large vases, and old paintings on the walls.

"Well, I certainly wouldn't have chosen this interior! Huh? What's this?" Johnny Cage said out loud as he caught sight of something.

He found himself staring at a large statue of a four armed monster. "Whoa! Now what the hell is that?" Johnny Cage exclaimed.

"That would be Goro!" Liu Kang answered as he walked out of the shadows.

"Wait, what? What's a Goro? And how long have you been here?" Johnny Cage replied in confusion.

"I grew weary of the crowd and wanted to find a quiet place to meditate." Liu Kang explained.

"Let me ask you something. Is it me, or is there something strange about this place?" Johnny Cage wondered.

"What do you mean?" Liu Kang asked now obviously annoyed.

"I mean, there's no cameras or camera crew anywhere! Did they hide the cameras in the walls or something?" Johnny Cage blabbered on.

Suddenly, two people were seen coming towards their direction. It was Sonya and Jax.

"I'm telling you, he's here somewhere! I know it!" Sonya said in disdain.

"We've looked everywhere and we haven't found him, Sonya! Maybe that tip we got was false information!" Jax retorted.

"No! I'm sure that Kano is here on this island, we're just not looking hard enough!" Sonya objected.

"Hey, Sonya!" Johnny Cage announced. "Oh, God...not you again!" Sonya groaned in annoyance.

"So...any of you guys seem to notice that this place is a little...off?" Johnny asked casually.

"If by off, you mean the whole damn place is empty! Not a single soul anywhere outside of the dining hall or their rooms." Jax replied. "Yeah, and no cameras either! I don't know about you guys, but either this place is haunted or they're ripping us off! Which is it?" Johnny Cage suggested.

Suddenly, a lone figure walked out of the shadows towards them. "Neither, Johnny Cage." an old raspy voice announced.

"What?! Who the heck are you?" Johnny Cage exclaimed in surprise from his sudden appearance.

The old man wore white robes that completely covered his body and walked with a large white metal rod of some sort. He also wore a large rice paddy hat on his head. His skin was fair and his hair was long and white, and his eyes shined fiercely whenever he spoke.

"Lord Raiden? You've come to the tournament?!" Liu Kang said in surprise.

"Just to keep my eyes on you, my friend. But the tournament does not start until tomorrow. Why are you not resting?" Raiden wondered.

"I was trying to meditate, until I was interrupted by present company!" Liu Kang answered.

Johnny Cage chuckled as he said that. "Oh, ok! I see what's going on here; this is some kind of a role playing game, isn't it? Like, you're supposed to be a wizard of some sort?" Johnny Cage said with a laugh.

"That's enough! You will show Lord Raiden the respect he deserves!" Liu Kang cried angrily as he finally lost patience. Raiden held up his hand to calm him down.

"Patience, Liu Kang. Everyone must learn in their own way. If you think that this is all a game or an illusion, Johnny Cage, think again. The threat we face here is very real!" Raiden began gravely.

"If by danger, you mean death by boredom? Nothing's happened here all day! I was told that there'd be some action here, and so far all I've done either eat until I nearly burst or walk around in circles. Where's the excitement? Where's the adventure?! Come on, I need entertainment!" Johnny Cage exclaimed.

Raiden laughed at Johnny Cage's overeagerness, making him angry. "So that's what this all is to you, is it? A game? I can assure you that this is no game, Johnny Cage. This is Mortal Kombat, and only the greatest warriors can be chosen to participate. You were all chosen by the Elder Gods to partake in the greatest battle against evil of all time: Shao Kahn!" Raiden explained.

"Shao Kahn? Is he the champion that we are to defeat in order to win this tournament?" Liu Kang asked.

"No, my son. You must defeat him in order to protect Earth Realm. You see, there are different realms throughout all of the planes of existence, and Earth Realm is just one of many realms that Shao Kahn plans to conquer. He's already conquered Outworld, and if he wins this tournament, then Earth Realm shall certainly perish!" Raiden further explained.

This worried Liu Kang greatly, but the others looked like they weren't having it. "A battle for good and evil? Different dimensions? Why wasn't any of this mentioned in the contract?!" Johnny Cage exclaimed.

"Look, Raiden, or whatever your name is! My mission is to find Kano and bring him back to the Special Forces HQ, not participate in some game of life or death!" Sonya snapped.

"You heard what Shang Tsung said earlier, did you not? You cannot leave this island until the tournament is over. You have no choice but to fight! Besides, I'm afraid your mission is not your main concern anymore. We are talking about the fate of millions, perhaps even billions of innocent souls at stake here." Raiden replied calmly.

Jax clapped Sonya on the shoulder. "He may have a point, Sonya. I mean, let's be real: Nothing looks right about this place. And if what he says is true, then maybe we oughta reprioritize ourselves." Jax said.

"Is your head in the right place, Jax? This is Kano we're talking about here! He's murdered several of our own people, stolen weapons from our armory, and-" Sonya cried angrily.

"He has killed someone that you cared about." Raiden finished.

Sonya glared at him as he said that. "How could you possibly know that?!" Sonya demanded.

"I know why you all are here; you have your own reasons for participating in this tournament. You, Sonya Blade, are here because you wish to avenge the loss of your loved ones. You Jackson Briggs, are here to protect your loved ones. You, Johnny Cage, are here because you are eager not to win this tournament, but because you want to prove everyone you're not a fake. And you, Liu Kang, you are here because you have trained your whole life to fulfill your destiny!" Raiden explained as he paced around the room.

The others grew silent after he said that. Deep down, they knew that what Raiden was saying was right, even if they didn't want to admit it. But before another word could be said, they caught sight of a bright green light outside.

"What's that?" Liu Kang asked.

"Are we missing the fireworks or something?" Johnny added.

"The tournament can't be starting now!" Raiden said halfway to himself. As such, they all rushed outside to see what was happening.

(X)

As they made their way towards the graveyard, they saw a large portal of some sort opening up in the air. It was giving a sickly green glow, but at the same time was hotter than the flames of hell.

"What is going on?" Jax exclaimed.

"Another dimension appears to be breaking through to the other side!" Raiden said.

"Wait, so who's coming to our side?" Liu Kang wondered. Suddenly, just as the portal appeared, it disappeared. "Aw, that was it?" Johnny Cage joked.

But as he said that, the air suddenly grew dark and thick with the feeling of dread. It also grew quite cold like death, as if a massive shadow was cast over them.

"What's going on? Who's there?! Come on out and show yourself!" Sonya Blade demanded.

At first there was nothing, slightly scaring the others due to the sudden silence.

"Out of the shadows! Reveal yourselves at once, and I promise you no harm will come to you!" Raiden announced.

Finally, a faint whoosh was heard from behind them. Raiden and the others turned around to see what had come from the other side. Or rather, who it was. A large, crimson red cape flowed in the air, covering a good bit of the figure standing there, save for some menacing glowing green eyes. A low growl came from the shadowy shroud before he stepped out from the cape that covered him like a pair of curtains.

The monster that stood before the others towered over them, glaring ominously at them with his glowing green eyes. He wore a black, red, and white costume, had spiked gauntlets on his arms and feet, had massive chains wrapped around his waist, and reeked of brimstone and death. It was Spawn and hell was about to break loose on Shang Tsung's island!