"It was ten years ago, when the last tournament was held. It was the last stand for Earthrealm. The battle between it's forces and Outworld in the past having resulted in nine Outworld victories.
Johnny Cage was the first to be called forward, within this new tournament, by Shang Tsung to fight Reptile and Baraka. Cage defeated both opponents and was ordered to "finish" Baraka, but didn't comply. Immediately afterwards, Cage is congratulated on his victories by Raiden who, along with Liu Kang. They also warned him, however, that Earthrealm is in grave danger, but he did not take their warnings seriously.
The Shirai Ryu wraith, Scorpion, deceived by his creator Quan Chi, into believing that the Lin Kuei and Sub Zero personally, were responsible for the eradication of his clan. Rage tore through him, as he demolished Bi-Han in the Netherrealm. However, learning of his brother's death, Kuai Liang ventured off with fellow Lin Kuei named Smoke, to find his brother's killer.
Raiden then spoke to Sub-Zero's former friend, Cyrax, who vowed to make Scorpion pay. Unfortunately, this conversation led Cyrax to being ambushed later on by Baraka and Sheeva, who had been sent to kill him by Shang Tsung. Cyrax was victorious over both warriors, and confronted Shang Tsung as he was conversing with Sektor.
Tsung scolded Cyrax for having jeopardized his plans by speaking with Raiden. Sektor nevertheless explained that Cyrax will continue his mission, which was to kill Johnny Cage. Immediately afterwards, Cyrax fought and defeated Cage, but refused to kill him, leading him to rebel from his clan.
In time, Liu Kang emerged as the only Earthrealm warrior left in the tournament. Shang Tsung summoned Ermac and had him fight Liu Kang, but Kang stood victorious. Watching the fight, Kitana told Tsung she would ensure Liu Kang doesn't reach the next match. While training for the next fight in the courtyard, Liu Kang and Raiden discussed the god's visions more, especially the sentence of "He must win!" Believing that "he" referred to Kang, The Thunder God further encouraged him.
Later, Kang was ambushed by Kitana, but when he defeated her, he spared her life, even though Kitana asked him to kill her. Instead, he remarked that they truly had no encounter, and expressed a desire to meet her under more favorable circumstances. Kang later fought Scorpion, Quan Chi, and even the reigning champion, Goro.
Yet, it was in vain, as Liu Kang had managed to successfully defeat them all. With those victories, Kang was next to face off against his last opponent: Shang Tsung himself. As Raiden foresaw, Kang bested the sorcerer, who conceded defeat, handing victory to Earthrealm.
After that humiliating defeat, Shang Tsung was brought before the emperor. Shao Kahn ordered Kitana to execute him in his anger. However, to save his skin, the sorcerer quickly made a new proposition to Shao Kahn.
Liu Kang is presented in a ceremony as the new champion of the Mortal Kombat tournament, with Kung Lao, Johnny Cage, Sonya Blade, and Jax in attendance. Meanwhile, Raiden had takem notice of a revitalized Shang Tsung at the Wu Shi Academy, where the sorcerer proposed an offer from the emperor: A single tournament, replacing the original system of ten. Along with this, he told Raiden that if Earthrealm were to win this tournament, Kahn would be forced forever abandon his claim to Earthrealm. On the other hand, should Outworld win, Kahn would merge Earthrealm with Outworld.
Initially, Raiden dismissed the offer, which resulted in the Wu Shi Academy being overrun by Tarkatan warriors. In the chaos, Sonya and the Shaolin Masters were kidnapped and brought to Outworld. Raiden received another image, showing Liu Kang winning the new tournament.
He decided to accept the challenge, but concluded that he must change the outcome of this tournament, as Kang's victory over Tsung had no effect. In Outworld, Raiden sent Liu Kang and Kung Lao to tend to their masters whilst he, Jax, and Johnny Cage begun the tournament. Jax stepped forward to find Sonya, only for Shang Tsung to declare this as Jax volunteering for first kombat. The first round of the new tournament saw Jax defeating Baraka, but the tournament was briefly postponed after Reptile informed Shang Tsung of some "pressing matters".
By the time Liu Kang and Kung Lao return they found that things are going badly for the Earthrealm warriors. Smoke and Johnny Cage have been defeated. Sonya and Jax had already left Outworld. Shao Kahn demanded that Raiden send in a champion.
Liu Kang however, believing that he is not "He [who] must win", refuses to compete and goes to free Kitana whom had been betrayed by Shao Kahn to be executed. Thus, Raiden selected Kung Lao in his place. Lao managed to defeat Shang Tsung, Quan Chi, and even Kintaro.
With Shao Kahn as his final opponent, the two of them clashed. It was a grueling battle, and it seemed that Kung Lao had emerged having bested Outworld's Emperor. Shao Kahn however, was a poor loser and went for a backhanded attempt to kill Lao. Yet, this was prevented by Liu Kang, and they used their combined might to again overpower him.
While this would normally seem to be great news for Earthrealm, the Emperor was not killed by the young warriors. Instead, it seemed that he had been healed by the Netherrealm sorcerer Quan Chi. Deciding that Shang Tsung's failures were enough, Shao Kahn had the Sorcerer killed, to instead fuse the souls to the former Edenian Queen, Sindel whom Quan Chi had resurrected.
She was the former Queen of Edenia along with her daughter, Princess Kitana, whose realm was conquered by Shao Kahn. Her resurrection however, was due to her placing a barrier on Earthrealm so as to prevent Shao Kahn before she had taken her own life. Under compulsion of Quan Chi's magic, she sword loyalty to the emperor.
With spiteful vengeance on his mind, Shao Kahn used her to once again invade Earthrealm. Many of the Earthrealm warriors were lost in that battle to her hand. This included her own daughter, Kitana who had sided with the Earthrealmers as she had discovered the truth. It required the sacrificial power of Nightwolf, so as to be able to defeat her at his own expense.
In the end, when Raiden finally realized that Shao Kahn must attempt to merge the realms, forcing the Elder Gods to react, was when Liu Kang decided he'd finally had enough. They had lost too many, and Raiden's visions were leading to nothing more than tragedy. So, instead of placing his faith in Raiden any longer, he decided to stop Shao Kahn himself.
This, however, led to a battle between Raiden and Liu Kang. Kung Lao did what he could to try stopping them yet, in the end, by Raiden's lightning coupling with Liu Kang's fire, severely burning Liu. Lao and Raiden ran to his side, only for Kang to retort to Raiden with the last words "You've killed us all..."
Now with Shao Kahn having broken the barrier to keep him out of Earthrealm, Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade attempted to rush him, only to be cast aside like mere children. Kung Lao didn't initially leave from his grieving, and thus, Raiden submitted to the Outworld Emperor.
Shao Kahn beat the Thunder God to a bloody pulp. Kung Lao had eventually tried to step in, but it was void. It seemed that Shao Kahn had won, until the Elder Gods empowered Kung Lao.
Using his combined grieving rage and desire to end Shao Kahn, the power of the Elder Gods overwhelmed Shao Kahn. From there, they took him away for punishment....
All the while, in the shadows, a new threat would emerge from the Netherrealm...."
[OOC - M] Mortal Kombat: Machinations [DC & Celeste]
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