- •Is a brief (but not exclusive) list of character's real names and / or
- •In Earthrealm (and the people in them).
- •It has cracked in several places.
- •Ice begins to materialise in the prison, taking the form of a man. The ice
- •In a burst of hellfire, Scorpion teleports onto the arena floor. Johnny Cage
- •Into the visage of the wraith Noob Saibot.
- •If not Liu Kang, then who?
- •In Outworld, but I will be able to transport us near enough to her.
- •Insure.
- •In his realm.
- •Interested in your merchandise.
- •Vision; this time of Smoke turning into a cyborg.
- •Itself. A wave of souls float out and around the area.
- •I will not be scolded like some child!
- •In particular catches Kitana's eye. The occupant of the tube is naked
- •In the Armoury, Baraka and another Tarkatan are inspecting a crate of
- •Intense battle, Jade soon has the Tarkatan down on the ground.
- •It is now Quan Chi's turn to smile. Shang Tsung is less than happy with
- •In slow motion, Kang charges forward and punches Shao Kahn straight in the
- •In Earthrealm.
- •Vision. This time, we are not shown what it is.
- •It's now apparent that the both of them are in Shang Tsung's Flesh Pits.
- •It's heads-up display. The search comes up blank.
- •In the cemetary, Noob Saibot is magically drawing two lines across
- •I have failed Earthrealm?
- •In the newly created Soulnado, which reaches into the heavens.
- •In anger and charges in, lands a solid punch across Noob's face and
- •Vision?
- •Invasion!
- •Is disintergrated by the light, and Nightwolf does the same as he also
- •Injured.
- •In this conflict.
- •In Earthrealm.
- •In the day. The area is now devastated from Outworld's assault and a
If not Liu Kang, then who?
JAX: Ya got me. Not sure anybody coulda done what he did. Made Shang Tsung
look like a chump.
While they're talking, a much younger looking Shang Tsung walks up to them
seemingly unnoticed.
RAIDEN: (Not looking at Tsung) Here to congratulate us on our victory,
sorcerer?
Jax turns round and throws away his cigar.
JAX: What? Shang Tsung?!
RAIDEN: You have been revitalised, I see. I didn't realise your master was in
the habit of rewarding failure.
SHANG TSUNG: The emperor has an offer, Raiden. A new tournament.
RAIDEN: Heh. I see no reason to participate in any plan of yours.
SHANG TSUNG: The emperor proposes a single tournament, to replace the current
system of ten. It will be held in Outworld. If Earthrealm does not win,
Outworld will absorb it. But if Earthrealm wins, Shao Kahn will abandon his
claim to it forever.
RAIDEN: Give your emperor my regards.
Tsung smiles and generates a large portal across the courtyard. Out of it
emerge hundreds of Tarkatan warriors. Furiously, Raiden begins fighting with
Tsung while Jax jumps into the rampaging army. He clotheslines one Tarkatan
down, headbutts another, punches and knees yet another, throws him down and
finishes him with a head stomp. A fourth Tarkatan sucker punches him, a fifth
hits him and the fourth then kicks him in the face, sending him sprawling.
As he lies on the ground, the Tarkatan brings his boot down hard on his face,
knocking him unconscious.
Jax starts hearing Raiden's voice as he comes to, and spots Johnny Cage
kneeling over him. The Academy has been devastated by the Tarkatans, but Liu
Kang and Kung Lao as well as Cage are uninjured.
RAIDEN: He gained a momentary advantage during our kombat and escaped. I now
realise what we must do.
JAX: Uggh... Anybody get the number o' that--? Wait. Where's Sonya?
RAIDEN: Shang Tsung has taken her.
JAX: We've gotta find her!
KUNG LAO: We must follow them!
RAIDEN: Shang Tsung has made it clear that Earthrealm will be under constant
threat unless I agree to a new tournament.
Raiden then receives another vision; one of Liu Kang punching a hole through
Shao Kahn's chest.
JAX: Another vision?
RAIDEN: Yes. I saw Liu Kang win the proposed tournament. I believe we must
attend. But my earlier vision, of your victory over Shang Tsung, was not the
solution I sought. Therefore this premonition must show an event I need to
change. Perhaps "He must win" refers to another.
Liu Kang looks a bit downcast at this.
RAIDEN: Hear me, Elder Gods! I accept the terms proposed by Shao Kahn!
A light from the heavens briefly absorbs Raiden, which is presumably their
acknowledgement of this.
RAIDEN: We go to Outworld.
In Outworld, Goro brings what appears to be an amulet with a ying-yang symbol
in the center to Shao Kahn. Kahn studies it, then returns it to the Shokan.
Raiden enters the scene with Jax and Johnny Cage flanking him.
JAX: I assume that's the Big Man himself.
JOHNNY CAGE: The wrestler guy with the cow skull on his head? And why aren't
the Kung Fu Twins here helping us?
RAIDEN: I sent Liu Kang and Kung Lao to free their Shaolin masters. I
expected Sonya Blade to be here with Shang Tsung.
JAX: She'd better not have a scratch on her.
Jax stalks toward the throne.
RAIDEN: Wait! This is a tournament!
SHANG TSUNG: Ah! the Earthrealm delegation has arrived. And we have a
volunteer for First Kombat!
JAX: What?
SHAO KAHN: The tournament will begin!
The Tarkatan crowd in attendance roars in approval.
SHANG TSUNG: Jackson Briggs! You will face... Baraka!
The Tarkatans cheer louder as Baraka unsheathes his blades.
JAX: Damn, you ugly.
BARAKA: My blades will find your heart!
They fight. The match is a brutal, bloody affair, but Jax's strength and
power sees him eventually triumph against the Outworld nomad.
JAX: You shouldn't be runnin' with those.
While Baraka tries to pick himself up, Jax approaches Shang Tsung.
JAX: Where's Sonya?
SHANG TSUNG: Tell me, Major Briggs; Do you and she do anything other than
rescue one another?
Jax growls as the Tarkatans behind him laugh.
SHANG TSUNG: Your next opponent will be--
Reptile appears behind Tsung and starts whispering in his ear.
SHANG TSUNG: What is it?
Reptile continues whispering.
SHANG TSUNG: Excellent. It seems I have a pressing matter to attend to. With
the emperor's permission, we will reconvene later.
Shao Kahn approves with a wave of his hand. As he rises from his throne, Jade
and Kitana look knowingly at one another and walk off.
JAX: What was that all about? I think we should follow 'im.
Raiden receives another vision; this one of Sonya in shackles.
JAX: You ok?
RAIDEN: Sonya Blade... she is to be executed. My powers are compromised here