The duo sprinted deeper into Goro's lair, the darkness swallowing them with each step. Stryker's flashlight cut through the void, guiding them along a winding path. Occasionally, a flickering torch or dying ember revealed glimpses of their surroundings—stone walls, jagged rock formations, and eerie silence. But there was no sign of an exit.
"Okay, stop!" Stryker panted, doubling over as he caught his breath. "What the hell was that? One minute you're all business, and the next we're running for our lives!"
"We're not gonna find Kano down here," Sonya said between heavy breaths. "This was a trap. He just wants me."
Stryker exhaled sharply. "Yeah, I figured that much. But we could've taken him. He's just an old man."
Sonya turned to him, eyes sharp with frustration. "Have you been paying attention at all? That 'old man' is the final challenge. He's probably some kind of monster, just like the rest of them, maybe wearing human skin."
Stryker groaned and checked his gear, making sure his weapons were still in working order. "Well, running isn't getting us anywhere. We might as well set up an ambush."
Sonya hesitated but gave a reluctant nod. She scanned the area, searching for anything useful. Against one of the damp, crumbling walls, she spotted a pile of discarded weapons—ancient, rusted, and barely holding together. A battered shield, some dull daggers, and a broken spear.
"Anything good?" Stryker asked as she handed him the shield.
"Not likely. This crap's rusted to hell." She tossed a dagger aside in frustration, about to suggest rigging an explosive trap—when something caught her eye. A shadow shifting behind one of the pillars. Her breath hitched. Someone was watching them. Then, just for a second, the dim light caught the glint of a revolver. She reached for her pistol, but Erron fired first, a deafening crack echoing through the lair. Sonya rolled to the side, firing her energy rings in response. The golden blasts hit the pillar near Erron, sending chunks of rock flying. Reptile took advantage of the distraction, uncloaking and spitting a glob of acidic venom at Stryker, who raised the old shield just in time. The acid hissed and smoked as it ate into the shield, forcing him to discard it.
"Keep moving!" Sonya barked as she ducked beneath Erron's chain shot, which clanged against the stone floor. She closed the distance between them, her fists a blur as she struck at the gunslinger. Erron blocked her blows with surprising speed, drawing a dagger to counter. Their weapons clashed in a symphony of steel as Sonya swept his legs, sending him crashing to the ground.
Meanwhile, Stryker grappled with Reptile, dodging the lizard's claws and tail strikes. Reptile lunged, jaws snapping, but Stryker used a baton strike to deflect the attack, slamming the weapon into Reptile's ribs. The creature roared in pain and vanished into thin air. "Sonya, he's cloaking!" Stryker shouted, scanning the shadows.
Sonya landed a powerful roundhouse kick to Erron's chest, sending him tumbling toward the wall. Before she could finish him, Reptile reappeared behind her, claws raised. Stryker reacted instinctively, hurling a concussion grenade that detonated midair, knocking Reptile off balance. Sonya spun around, delivering a punishing uppercut that sent the lizard warrior sprawling.
Erron staggered to his feet, aiming his revolvers once more, but Stryker was faster, tackling him into a nearby pit of embers. The outlaw howled in pain, scrambling to escape the searing heat. Reptile hissed and retreated into the shadows, dragging Erron with him.
Sonya and Stryker stood amidst the chaos, bruised but victorious, their breaths heavy as the echoes of the fight faded into the depths of the lair. "That was too close," Stryker muttered. Sonya nodded.
"You're not free yet…." Before Sonya or Stryker could react, Shang Tsung launched a wave of fire toward them. Sonya quickly flipped backwards, narrowly dodging the flames as they scorched the stone floor. Stryker fired several shots, the bullets ricocheting off a shimmering barrier Tsung created with a simple gesture.
"Your toys can't hurt me, officer," Tsung sneered, his body shifting into Kurtis Stryker's form.
Stryker's eyes widened. "What the?" He adjusted his stance, but Tsung's imitation was fast—striking him with a baton swipe. Stryker parried, but the mimic was too quick, catching him off guard with a low sweep that sent him to the ground.
Before Tsung could follow up, Sonya leaped into action, delivering a powerful flying kick that slammed into Tsung's chest, sending him stumbling backward. "Don't underestimate us," she warned.
Tsung's face twisted in irritation. "I'll do more than underestimate." He raised both hands, summoning soul fire that shot out in multiple directions, forcing Sonya and Stryker to split up. Sonya darted to the side, her kick catching Tsung in the side. He staggered but quickly recovered, shifting his form again, this time into Raiden, and launched an electric bolt directly at Sonya. The strike hit her, and the impact sent her back several feet.
Shang Tsung, still in the form of Raiden, raised his arms, summoning a thunderstorm inside the cave. Bolts of lightning flashed overhead, striking the ground with terrifying force. The guards who accompanied Shang cowered as the electric currents buzzed through the air, sparking off the iron bars.
But Sonya, using her agility, rolled to the side, avoiding a bolt of lightning that struck the platform. She quickly grabbed one of the nearby staff from the weapons pile, swinging it like a makeshift projectile. With precise aim, she flung it at Tsung, knocking him off his feet.
Stryker moved forward, gun drawn. With a steady hand, he fired a shot that hit Tsung's head, but it passed through his shifting form, now a perfect copy of Liu Kang. Then the sorcerer attacked with a set of Liu Kang's fire balls, sending both heroes to the ground.
"Enough!" Tsung roared, changing his appearance once again. This time, his face was familiar—Shang Tsung returned, but he was visibly more aggressive, his eyes glowing with malevolent power.
He lunged at Stryker, who barely dodged the incoming strike, retaliating with a left hook. Shang Tsung twisted away, his hand glowing green as he reached for Stryker's throat, lifting him into the air. Before Tsung could crush the life from him, Sonya appeared behind him, striking with a roundhouse kick that sent Tsung tumbling into a nearby prison cell wall.
The impact caused the bars to bend, and a few masked guards gasped in shock. Sonya was quick to press the advantage. "Now, Stryker!"
Stryker nodded and fired a quick series of shots, forcing Tsung into a defensive stance. As Tsung blocked the incoming bullets, Sonya lunged forward, wrapping her arms around Shang Tsung's neck in a desperate attempt to choke him out and end the fight. He thrashed against her grip, his body flickering as his energy waned. The relentless assault from both Earthrealm fighters had pushed him to his limit—his stolen forms faltering, his strength rapidly fading.
Then, with a guttural roar, Tsung unleashed a violent surge of soul magic. A blast of emerald energy exploded outward, tearing Sonya off him and sending her crashing hard against a stone pillar. She groaned, dazed, as pain shot through her back. The ground trembled, cracks webbing beneath them as Tsung hovered, his body wreathed in eerie green flames. The air hummed with raw power, his voice a layered chorus of tormented souls.
"You cannot win, Earthrealmers!" he hissed.
Stryker rushed to Sonya's side, helping her to her feet as she shook off the hit. They were outmatched, but there was no time to hesitate. Gritting her teeth, Sonya snatched the last of Stryker's frag grenades from his belt. With a sharp pull of the pins, she hurled them toward the fractured ground beneath Shang Tsung's feet. The room erupted in fire and dust.
The grenades detonated with a deafening roar. The already fractured ground gave way, sending shockwaves through the chamber. Sonya barely had time to register the collapse before the floor beneath her feet crumbled entirely. She and Stryker plunged into the darkness below, swallowed by dust and debris.
The fall wasn't long, but the impact was brutal. Sonya hit the ground hard, rolling over jagged stone before coming to a stop. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself up, coughing as dust filled her lungs.
"Stryker?" she called out, her voice echoing.
A few feet away, Stryker groaned, pushing himself up from the rubble. "Still in one piece… I think."
The air was damp, the space around them lit only by eerie flickers of torchlight. The walls were rough-hewn rock, carved with ancient symbols—some faded, others fresh, as if something had been clawing at them recently. Sonya exhaled sharply, glancing upward. The hole they had fallen through was too high to climb. Worse, there was no sign of Shang Tsung.
"We just keep going deeper," Stryker muttered, rubbing his head.
Sonya narrowed her eyes, scanning the dimly lit chamber. A low, guttural growl echoed from deeper within the lair.
"We're not alone down here," she said, reaching for her weapons.
The shadows shifted. Something was coming. A deep, rumbling growl echoed through the cavern, vibrating in Sonya's chest like a distant earthquake. The torches flickered, casting long, jagged shadows across the ancient stone walls.
Stryker instinctively raised his weapon, scanning the darkness. "Tell me that was just the wind."
Sonya didn't answer. She was too busy listening. Heavy, deliberate footsteps reverberated through the lair, slow and measured, like a predator in no hurry to strike. Small pebbles trembled with each step, dust drifting from the ceiling as if the very earth feared what was coming. Then, from the shadows, two smoldering red eyes emerged.
Goro stepped into the dim light, his massive frame forcing the chamber to feel even smaller. His four arms flexed, muscles rippling beneath his thick, battle-scarred hide. He exhaled sharply, nostrils flaring as he took in the sight of the two Earthrealmers before him. A cruel grin spread across his monstrous face.
"You are far from home," he rumbled, his voice a deep, gravelly growl that carried a sinister amusement. "And even farther from survival."
The Shokan warlord took another step forward, the ground groaning beneath his weight. Torchlight glinted off the golden adornments on his wrists and shoulders—trophies of past victories, reminders of warriors who had stood before him and fallen. Sonya tightened her grip on her weapons, her breath steady despite the dread creeping up her spine.
Stryker muttered under his breath, eyes locked on the towering brute. "Yeah… we're screwed."
Goro let out a slow, rumbling chuckle, low and menacing, like he already knew the fight was over before it had begun. Then, with a roar that shook the cavern, he lunged. Goro's roar rattled the cavern as he attacked, all four arms poised to crush Sonya and Stryker where they stood. Then A blinding flash of blue lightning split the darkness.
The shockwave sent dust and debris flying, forcing Goro to skid to a halt. Electricity crackled through the air, illuminating the chamber in ghostly flashes. She shielded her eyes from the sudden burst of light. When she looked up, he was there. Raiden stood between them and the Shokan warlord, his piercing white eyes glowing like twin beacons in the gloom. Sparks of energy danced across his fingers, the hem of his robes fluttering from the residual static in the air.
"Enough," Raiden's voice carried the weight of a god, calm yet commanding. "These warriors are under my protection."
Goro's lip curled into a snarl. "Earthrealm's protector…" He rolled his massive shoulders, his knuckles cracking like boulders colliding. "I have waited for this."
With a furious roar, Goro charged. He swung one of his massive fists at Raiden's head—only for the Thunder God to vanish in a flicker of lightning. The blow struck empty air, sending a powerful gust rippling through the cavern.
Raiden reappeared behind him in a crackling surge of energy. Before Goro could react, Raiden thrust his hands forward—bolts of lightning exploding from his fingertips and striking the Shokan square in the back.
Goro roared in pain, muscles convulsing under the electrical onslaught. But he didn't fall. With sheer brute strength, he pushed through the attack, turning with a furious swipe of his lower arms.
Raiden ducked, then retaliated with a spinning kick, his foot charged with electricity. It connected with Goro's chest and he followed with a quick strike to his face, sending him staggering backward.
For a moment, silence hung between them. Goro wiped a trickle of blood from his lip, then let out a slow, rumbling breath.
He rolled his shoulders, cracking his neck. "Hmph. I could fight you, Thunder God. But even I know the odds." His red eyes flickered toward Sonya and Stryker. "Take them. Leave."
Stryker blinked. "Wait… that's it?"
Goro's upper arms crossed over his chest while his lower ones clenched into fists. "I know what happens if I challenge you, Raiden. My battle is with Earthrealm's champions. Let them reach the final stage of the tournament." His grin widened. "It will make my victory all the sweeter."
Raiden studied him for a moment, then gave a single nod. "Very well."
Without another word, he turned, placing a hand on each of the battered warriors. With a crack of thunder, the three vanished in a burst of lightning—leaving Goro standing alone in the cavern, awaiting the true battle yet to come.
The trio materialized just outside the mess hall, where the other Earthrealm heroes were gathered, their voices muffled from within. Raiden turned to face Sonya and Stryker, frustration etched across his features.
"I suppose I should have been more cautious when it came to you, Sonya Blade," Raiden began, his voice low but sharp. "I knew you were bloodthirsty, but to risk your life in Goro's lair—this was reckless. Very foolish."
Sonya met his gaze without flinching, but Stryker was about to speak when Raiden raised a hand to silence him.
"You, Stryker," Raiden continued, his tone growing colder, "I expected better from you. I thought you were smarter than this. I've warned both of you about the dangers of this tournament."
"Well, we were trying to eliminate one of those threats... Kano..." Stryker started, but Raiden's interruption was swift.
"Kano was no longer a threat after being defeated by Johnny Cage," Raiden replied, his voice unwavering. "He is no longer a participant in this tournament."
"But he's still alive!" Sonya snapped, her frustration boiling over.
Raiden's gaze softened, but there was a coldness to it. "For now, yes. But Shang Tsung plans to consume his soul. I find that fate fitting for a Black Dragon."
Sonya clenched her fists, her eyes burning with determination. "No, I have to kill him. It has to be me."
Raiden raised an eyebrow, his voice now laced with concern. "You don't understand. This isn't just about you and him anymore. We have bigger threats to focus on, things that could determine the fate of Earthrealm."
Sonya's jaw tightened. "This isn't about Earthrealm. This is about me. Kano betrayed me. He's the reason I'm in this mess. He's the one who turned my life into a nightmare. I don't care about the tournament anymore. I need to finish this, Raiden."
Raiden's expression darkened, but he didn't argue. He understood that some human emotions ran deeper than the gods could comprehend. But this… this was toxic even to Raiden.
"Very well," Raiden said after a long pause, his tone heavy. "But know this: vengeance will not bring you peace."
Sonya's eyes didn't waver. "I'm ready."
Raiden sighed, his gaze softening but still carrying the weight of his responsibility. "If that is what you truly want, Sonya Blade, I will help you. But only after the tournament is over." Sonya nodded in agreement, though the fire in her eyes was undimmed.
Raiden turned to Stryker, his tone shifting to something more authoritative. "Go inside, Stryker. The others are wondering where you've been. Sonya and I need another moment to speak." Stryker hesitated for a brief second, sensing the tension in the air. He gave a curt nod before heading toward the mess hall, the door creaking shut behind him.