Mortal Kombat: Shinnok's Uprising

Mortal Kombat: Shinnok's Uprising, aka Mortal Kombat 4: Shinnok's Uprising or The Uprising of Shinnok, was another epic of Mortal Kombat created by TheIkranRider. This takes place 2 years after the events of Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, Part II, as the timeline said MK4/GOLD transpired a couple years after MK3/Trilogy. Needless to say, Ikran wasn't thrilled with the fourth installment, specifically the N64 version she used to encounter when she was 10. Indeed, 1997 was the Dark Ages of Mortal Kombat, as every project made in that year flopped, including Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero and Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, even though the latter was a guilty pleasure of hers. It was due to the results of her online polls she shall continue on the epics involving MK4.
== Prologue ==
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As stated, two years had passed since Shao Kahn's invasion and merger of Earthrealm and Outworld, followed by Liu Kang's victory destroying the evil Emperor. Edenia had prospered finally after the 10,000-year-old conquest and Kitana and Sindel reclaimed the throne! Thanks to alliances made to the Shokan, courtesy of Sheeva, the process was slow but very successful.
In Earthrealm, Liu Kang left for America to find more promising candidates for the Shaolin, and much like Aiko and Kung Lao, he spent some of his downtime in Edenia with Kitana. Both realms developed a strong alliance with each other. Recently, Lao and Aiko's relationship began to blossom, that was until the Wind Elder God, Fujin, made a surprise appearance! He then offered to train Kung Lao's prowess and aerokinesis since he's known as the realm's second best, and he believed he can even surpass his ancestor!
Also, Kung Jin was developing well thru first and second grade, even attending a special karate class to enhance his new abilities, as he still desired to follow in his uncle's and great's footsteps. Aiko became a personal tutor of sorts as well.
The Special Forces caught wind of the agents' new Dragon Jet built by Nightwolf a couple years back! With the state-of-the-art ingenuity, and Clinton's prospering presidency as dreaded by Aiko, they increased America's defenses tenfold and easily won the Somalia War as well as other foreign conflicts, in other countries, than in other realms.
Kuai Liang and Smoke continued to develop their HQs of the Lin Kuei. The robotomy surgeries had been falling out of favor, especially when Oniro and Sektor were out of the picture. They were starting to become costly both to the participants' lives and finances, and the procedures' sour reputation began to spread. It soon became optional, as demonstrated by Smoke that a person can possess both human and cyber portions without having their internal organs affected. Unfortunately, the reformation eventually frowned upon the risky conversions.
Things had gotten better for all the Kombatants...excepting there were some cracks unfolding within the subconscious of a few victims. Recently, Kung Lao, Aiko and Nightwolf had been receiving night terrors of a mysterious overlord consisting of blue, pale skin, ominous though colorful robes matching his tall hat, and possessing a staff while sneering onto his victims; it was unknown though scary on what he might be capable of. Aiko was the most terrified as she had seen him at times in her dystopian future leading the Revenant warriors who were once the heroic Kombatants. Fujin eventually identified him as Shinnok, the fallen Elder God who was banished to the Netherrealm thousands of years ago. Even the Elemental had some vague visions of a war involving the heavens, thus was in desperate need in finding the Champion, though recruited Kung Lao instead. Those disturbing nightmares may be omens that Shinnok has risen onto the heavens once more.
Sure enough, Fujin spotted an ever-growing black mass over the Wind World and the guys felt a sudden chill run down their spines. To their horror, Fujin hollered that Shinnok has returned! Before Lao offered to help, he conjured a funnel taking the warriors to the Wu Shi Academy!
"It has begun..!"
== Con't I - The Second Invasion ==
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"Thousands of years ago, in a battle with the fallen elder god known as Shinnok, I was responsible for the death of an entire civilization. To rid all realms of Shinnok's menace, I waged a war that plunged the Earth into centuries of darkness and banished Shinnok to a place called the Netherrealm. Now, after Shao Kahn's defeat at the hands of the Earth warriors, Shinnok has managed to escape his confines of the Netherrealm. The war is now being fought once again, only this time; it can be won by mortals."
- Raiden, beginning of Mortal Kombat 4/GOLD
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As perpetual peace stretched across the realms, Raiden with the help of Fujin were trying to find a reversal for Liu's Championship curse of immortality; alas, the Elder Gods never gave them any clues. It was true they were petty and negligent to lesser-known beings. Yet still, Raiden had stationed two warriors who were fatally slain inside the Jinsei Chamber healing while in suspension. Every one of the Kombatants had been living well...that was until there were some cracks forming within the subconscious of three victims: Kung Lao, Aiko and Nightwolf. The former two discussed their terrors with Fujin during Lao's training and the Elder God was surprised they encountered his and Raiden's old nemesis, Shinnok! Even he had disturbing visions of him, and he believed they were bad omens that he may have escaped from the Netherrealm! They were proven true as a dark mass began to expand and the weather became suddenly violent! Shinnok has returned!! Fujin immediately evacuated Lao and Aiko from the Wind World!
The funnel touched down at the Wu Shi Academy, much to the shock of the fellow monks, even Liu who has returned from his journey in America! He brought along his most promising student, Kai! They too witnessed a meteor fall and chased after it!
Sub-Zero and Smoke at the Lin Kuei headquarters spotted the danger too, though only the cryomancer volunteered to check it out.
Nightwolf, with his advanced monitor and surveillance, picked up the incident. Through his advanced sensors he was able to magnify the so-called comet. It turned out NOT to be a comet at all, but more like a fallen celestial, like a God, presumably Raiden since there was a bleak body at the tip! He and Kiba stormed out and followed Lao's and Aiko's cries! They were brought along for the ride in the shaman's Dragon Jet!
While they soared toward the meteorite, Fujin was being mangled by demons while still unconscious! Liu and Kai were the first on the scene and fought off the infantry seamlessly, while the Jet swooped in and made a few clear shots! The trio leaped out and assisted the monks, while Aiko used her cardiokinesis as she drained energy from the enemies while recuperating Fujin. The Kombatants were successful, only to have Raiden break the news. The heavens are under attack by Shinnok's invasion, even Edenia, much to Liu's dismay! He hurriedly took his injured brother away to the Jinsei Chamber, leaving the heroes stranded!
== Con't II - Edenia in Peril ==
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At Sindel's throne, she was alerted by Sheeva there was a group of refugees. The Shokan bid them to enter, and both the ambassador of the new realm and Tanya offered to seek asylum. They said they were from the artistic realm of Triche, always known for their fantastic artisans, and it had been in constant slavery for the past two years. The name of the sorcerer, Sil Kaad, sounded suspicious to Sheeva, as the name left a bad impression... Sindel, however, accepted the offer, and the father lend her a mysterious gem which he said would grant her heart's desires. Sindel became infatuated by its beauty, even Asgaarth! Little did the Edenians know...that gem was actually a weapon!!
Five hundred miles south, Kitana was at the Shokan city, Kuatan, and found herself at the middle of an intense feud between the Shokans and Centaurs; the latter tribe wouldn't accept the Edenians' offer as Kahn promised to give them more land, but the Shokan territory shall remain the same just as the Centaurs would. This angered one of the Centaurs, and he was about to lunge at Kitana until Goro suddenly jumped in from above!!
Everyone was astonished of his sudden entrance as they believed him to be dead! Goro confessed he'd been in hiding since he failed the first tournament against Johnny Cage, and the second fight with the Shaolin warriors; he wasn't willing to serve Shao Kahn since he had a tendency to banish people for their failures! He eventually agreed with Kitana's offer, and to their surprise, one of the Centaur made peace and a handshake to prove it!
Meanwhile, the portal opened as the gem shattered! In came the Army of Darkness consisting of demons, Scorpion, Reiko and other generals loyal to Shinnok!! The sorcerer then emerged, then Quan Chi from the distant raffles arrived beside him!! They threatened the Edenians to surrender since Shinnok entered Edenia to escape from the Netherrealm and wage war against the Elder Gods!!
At Shanghai, Sonya was chasing after the last surviving member of the Black Dragons, Jarek! Unfortunately, she was unsuccessful as he fled after he made a direct kick to her ribs and rode away on his stolen motorbike nearby! She then received a message from Jax, stating that according to the Outworld Investigaton Agency, a subsidiary of the Special Forces, that they sent a chopper en route to her! Much to her astonishment, Johnny Cage was resurrected and on board!! He explained he woke up in the Jinsei Chamber and Raiden revived him after two years due to the extensive damage done by Motaro! His head was still tightly on, no pain. Cage offered to help as the heavens raged from Shinnok's invasion! He never had time to check out the green ninja...
They landed where the meteorite was and reunited with Liu, Lao, Aiko, Nightwolf and met Kai! They also greeted Sub-Zero who arrived from the Lin Kuei headquarters! He believed, from his brother Bi-Han, he encountered Shinnok and it's up to them to put an end to the demon's schemes! Everyone volunteered, if only they'd get a portal to Edenia... Sonya did just that as she offered a gizmo of hers, though it needed to be powered up by a nuclear reaction. Nightwolf offered to power up with his tomahawk and its soul energy! It was just enough power to activate a portal!! Liu led the charge and the party dashed in...
The group was upset of the destruction of the fallen kingdom, even the bloody sky accompanied with the usual violet hue of Outworld... Quan Chi greeted the humans to a tournament they'd never experienced before! Liu immediately accepted the challenge and led the pack thru Hell! Johnny wasn't so confident, though.
== Con't III - Rallying up the Raptors ==
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Aiko, Nightwolf, Kung Lao and Sub-Zero recalled who that face belonged to, the demon sorcerer of the Netherrealm, Quan Chi! Nightwolf remembered him most vividly as he was involved in the scrimmage as the gem of Tetsurri infected the heroes. Aiko, as her younger self, recalled that said incident as well. Sub-Zero, Liu Kang and Sonya had vague memories from that altercation. Johnny grew impatient and reluctant that every hero had a strange connection with that maniac! And he asked Sonya if Liu was still obsessed with Kitana, to which the agent replied sarcastically he is.
The guys were then ambushed by the Army of Darkness consisting of Onis and Shadows; the latter group of enemies were the most difficult as they'd the tendency to hide beneath the ground and be invulnerable unless they flashed solid. Sub-Zero took advantage as he froze them on contact, making them easier targets! Aiko seemed to have the most tumultuous time, though she provided as a decent healer. Johnny exasperated if that was the sorcerer's best, to which there were more enemies! There were the generals consisting of Warmongers and Archers, in which Lao and Liu recognized from the journey thru Outworld, specifically at the Tower and Foundry. It was a tougher battle, but more waves greeted the team which overwhelmed them! Liu then declared for them to split up and infiltrate the Palace on all sides, while also divide their adversaries!
Kai followed Liu away, Johnny covered Sonya, Nightwolf left with Sub-Zero, and Aiko stuck with Kung Lao! The latter pair escaped west into the Living Forest and with the smaller army and more room to roam, Lao let loose a decimating F0 Tornado! He noticed his skills had improved greatly courtesy to Fujin's training! He then spotted a silhouette covering the nearby cave Aiko was in, and out popped Kitana!! They were thrilled to have a guide thru Edenia! Kitana wished she'd find Liu after the Palace's downfall, but the two'd suffice. They made camp and Kitana broke the news that the Great Kung Lao also had some scrimmages with Quan Chi.
The first Champion battled his indirect assaults as he commandeered three women (Siann, Mika and Sora) to slaughter and manipulate him; however, Quan had been unsuccessful, as he became intrigued in Lao desiring to have his soul for himself. He made a temporary alliance with Shang Tsung, until Kahn favored Quan even more since Tsung was known to be treacherous and had lost in the previous tournament. It was said he'd usually mistreated the three girls, but Mika in particular looked like she had feelings for him, and he seemed to return those feelings. Later on, Quan Chi is sealed in the Cobalt Mines of the Shokan by Shao Kahn's rampaging Shadow Priests, then sealed back into the Netherrealm, until Bi-Han and Scorpion were involved in his business before the wraith killed the cryomancer in the first tournament 500 years later.
After several hours, the trio arose, and Kitana escorted them to a desolate bog surrounded by the mutated trees! They were ambushed by a Saurian general which spat acid into Kitana's face! Aiko tended her while Kung Lao fought him off! Due to his past experience, he had the upper hand, despite the slippery silt and the enemy's invincibility. Luckily, he was overmatched but Kitana implored Lao to spare him! She forced him to identify himself as Syzoth, a Saurian elite. He had no allegiance to Reptile nor the overlords, as he only wanted to preserve his dwindling race. Kitana urged he must rally the Raptors to assist their cause against Shinnok. Never wanting their land to be dominated, Syzoth escorted them to the Zaterra ruins.
The Saurians eventually allowed them thru since they were only territorial on defending their kind from outer threats, ever since their devolution and the incident involving their extinction thousands of years ago; they were originally from Earthrealm, until Raiden evacuated them to Zaterra as he was fighting against Shinnok, legend had it. Which to Lao's and Aiko's astonishment is what triggered the extinction of the dinosaurs!! Kitana promised once the war is won, they can have their civilization restored and have the abandoned ruins be a part of Edenia as they ally with the Kombatants, Shokan and Centaurs!
Kung Lao then questioned Aiko as to how she was "resistant" to the gem of Tetsurri, Zaterra's valuable treasure. Tetsurri was once a vicious ruler of Zaterra, and with his cursed heart turned the Saurians hostile. She mentioned there were some Koopas assisting the heroes, from one of the realms that became anomalies by the rips in Earth's dimensional fabric; she remembered them vividly when she was younger. They chased after a portal to the Caribbean rainforest where the team met a fugitive boy escaping from Outworld! The kids got in trouble, and she pulled one out of a thornbush, thus never making contact with the gem, the boy's gift; this was like deja vu involving the attack on the Edenian Palace! Nightwolf destroyed the heart and that was the heroes' first encounter!
Lao was astonished on how all those past occurrences always went back to Quan Chi; he was starting to believe his and Aiko's visions were a forewarning. As the guys slept, Syzoth walked out to one of the overgrown balconies and broke the news that the Raptors were willing to fight in the war; everything seemed to go according to plan...
== Con't IV - Into the Cobalt Mines ==
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Sonya and Johnny were still escaping from the overwhelming army, and one of the Shadows tripped her over! She fell and tumbled down a hill then Cage came to help her up, however, their body weight caused some ground to collapse! They rolled down a landslide, but they caught themselves before Sonya's machine gun fell onto a jagged rock the strap wrapped around! After a few moments of recovery, Sonya noticed a skinny passage to the right of the landslide, then the duo noticed some flickering, bright light belonging to some forgers. Sure enough, it was the Shokan! Each one was assigned different tasks on heating and cooling new equipment, shoveling minerals into a large burner, hammering, carrying equipment, etc. One of the generals marched up to them and Johnny instantly thought he was Goro! Before a fight should break out, Sonya assured they never worked for Shinnok nor Quan Chi. He said they were lucky from escaping an unfortunate fate as he and his people witnessed the attack at the Edenian Palace fifty miles away while they were in the middle of a peace treaty in Kuatan with the Centaurs and Kitana. Some hid themselves into the shadows of Outworld while others hid in the Cobalt Mines.
This place was used once as a prison, and Quan Chi and Shang Tsung were banished there over 500 years ago. Legend said that cobalt was used to negate Quan's magic abilities, thus using alchemy to create new equipment for the war, while the Centaurs acted as guards; since the demon never had a human heritage, outsiders can be poisoned/weakened on contact! The Shokan was willing to put aside their differences as they never wanted their realm to be conquered again. But in order to approach the Palace discreetly, they must trek thru Jade's Desert, much to everyone's dismay. No one really knew why Jade would own an excruciating wasteland for herself!
As the Centaurs carried the weary travelers who were taking naps on their backs, they hurried before the sun should rise and irritate the sand while making the heat skyrocket! At one point, a Centaur jerked causing Sonya to awaken. When she did, she saw Cyrax deactivated and stuck in the sand! The herd halted and assisted her on pulling out the weak cyborg! They soon sped up like a herd of wildebeests beating the time before the sun should rise!
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They made it to the cool swamps and from on top of a precipice, Sonya recognized Jarek! She chased after him and cornered him, but he backed her toward the edge as she was reporting Jax. Thanks to her agility, she avoided his charge as he kept refusing to be taken by the Special Forces; he eavesdropped over Shinnok's business, but Sonya wasn't buying Jarek's lies on fighting against him! He fell off the cliff, however, his flexibility prevented him on his demise and grabbed and threw Sonya off instead!!
Luckily, though, she was caught by someone in midair as he teleported her to safety! It was Kung Lao!! She thanked him and noticed the commotion between him and Jax who apparently followed him in via portal! The Agent had him in a stranglehold lifting him a few inches and forcing him off the cliff! Jarek begged he can't do this "brutality" and needs to uphold the law, but Jax declared this was a "Fatality" and dropped the thug to a lake fifty feet below, causing his bleeding body to sink!!
Sonya and Jax were relieved the Black Dragons were no more! As were the rest of the team. Lao wasn't thrilled on enlisting the Shokan and Centaurs as they never broke their vow on being vicious. Sonya assured they'd have to do, especially since Lao, Aiko and Kitana recruited the Saurians. She alerted Jax to take in Cyrax and create a portal to Earthrealm since the half-dead cyborg won't survive in a warring realm. He carried him away and Sonya was also impressed on the new getup setup by the Raptors utilizing camouflage, though Johnny questioned it, as they took the tactics from soldiers blending in. The team reunited and it was off to the Palace!
== Con't V - An Unlikely Ally ==
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Liu Kang and Kai continued to fight off the Army of Darkness, but the waves of demons were overwhelming the duo! They were reluctant on running away, but they had little choice! They were lucky they had firm footing but Liu signaled Kai in Chinese to hide in one of the distant hills! After blocking from a few blows, his temperature skyrocketed, and his eyes brightened! He elongated into his own Dragon Animality and scorched the oncoming army! Kai was so enthralled with the transformation that he didn't notice a general attack beside him! Liu came to his rescue, and it was good to relieve his high ardency. Kai became envious and despondent,"Damn it, Liu! I'll never be as good as you! You being the Mortal Kombat Champion and all..!"Liu just reminded him,"Remember what I've told you, Kai. There's more to martial arts than just fighting. You must become one with your inner spirit. Only then can you summon your real inner strength and have that power that you've only dreamed about."Kai was still not reassured, then Liu motioned him to head to the distant tower with the dome top. The trek there was no incident, but the monks grew disgusted on the Tomb's decor. They made it inside to the topmost floor and they never spotted any prisoners, not even Kitana. Then, the men were suddenly trapped as the exit was barred! With the shriek, Kai tackled Liu out of the way before a large, spiked platform dropped! A flexible male leaped and flipped off and identified himself as one of Shinnok's esteemed generals, Reiko! He declared the heroes don't have much time to save Kitana and the prisoners and they'd do well to hurry. The guys were ambushed by more soldiers, each one hiding in the numerous sarcophaguses! Liu ordered Kai in Chinese to face off the horde while he dealt with the elitist!
The fight was brutal, and Reiko nearly looked and fought similar to Shao Kahn, and the scars over his eyes reminded Liu of Shang Tsung! He was proven to be a lethal opponent, even slicing a portion of Liu's arm with a Shuriken! And nearly clobbering him with a thrown club in which Liu evaded and hit a tough demon instead! Liu's legendary Kicks were potent against Reiko, despite having the disadvantage over his spiked arms! With a powerful Kick, Liu sent Reiko back and he hit his head on the stone wall. Down, but not out, Reiko witnessed Kai defeating the demons; however...
Kai was wrapped in a stranglehold after Reiko teleported thru the floor!! Liu was unable to catch up as Reiko leapt out of an opening while the remaining demons followed! Liu was alone and vulnerable, and he remembered Raiden's words that no one is Champion alone, and that if one is in chains no one is free... That lecture filled him with doubt and regret, until he met Tanya. She was lucky she found the Champion since she escaped from the destruction of Edenia, as her village was close to it. Liu sympathized with her, then she suggested to head into the subterranean tunnels to breach the Edenian Palace without detection. The monk doubted it since the army and one of Shinnok's generals had stepped ahead since minute one! She assured that she used those passageways to help refugees escape. Liu asked if she had seen Kitana, Kai, or his friends, but she hardly recognized any of the prisoners she evacuated. Still, he was desperate, and Tanya volunteered.
Liu and Tanya found a stone slab similar to the entry in the Wu Shi Dragon Grotto. With his help, they removed it and descended into the tunnels. Tanya guided him thru, though Liu was intrigued with the intact stone walls and floor. Tanya got his attention to follow her, but he doubted as to where his friends were. Then, another female voice urged Liu to wait! A green stiletto touched a rock switch making the metal doors close before the archway! The female challenged Tanya, rectifying her mistake having the treacherous succubus escape the Netherrealm! The skilled emerald ninja was successful, even decimating her body with a staff! Liu was just stunned not knowing who to trust nor get involved.
The woman that came to his rescue was actually Jade!! She was resurrected thanks to Raiden! She remembered Liu and Lao slaughtering her and Mileena barely escaping on the Tower! He was in so much remorse, but Jade silenced him. She confessed that maybe both she and Kitana were brainwashed by Kahn serving him... She then saw the two monks at the Soul Tombs before she ascended; Liu stated that the Tombs were destroyed after Baraka was killed. She woke up in a white light and remembered the Thunder God, in which it belonged to the Jinsei Chamber. She met an egotist wearing shades, before he assigned her to scout Edenia. She grew as desperate as Liu looking for Kitana after she heard of the incident. Being that she noticed Edenia in great prosperity before the assault, she relied on the Champion since he destroyed Kahn! She grew more confident and offered to aid him!
They headed to the Palace thru some thick brushes until Jade heard a distant, tremendous boom that shook the ground! There were muffled shouting and clashing metal! Jade figured Kitana must've rallied the cavalry with the different tribes and she and Liu rushed into the fray!
== Con't VI - Bloodstained Hands ==
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Nightwolf and Sub-Zero stayed the longest enduring the devilish horde, until they overmatched the duo! They escaped to a gurney and the cryomancer attempted to make a huge, ice blockade, till they saw a silhouette of a beast with a blade protruding from each arm! He plowed thru every general, Oni and Shadow seamlessly, then he turned onto the heroes! Nightwolf took him on and remembered to keep his distance like he did with Sheeva a couple years ago! They noticed those deadly features belonged to Baraka, who fell to the likes of the strategic shaman! Sub-Zero froze the beast but they didn't kill him! Nightwolf demanded what side he was working on, to which Baraka spat out he works for no one and was sick of having his clan be dominated by overlords like Kahn. The duo wasn't buying it since Tarkans were known to be bloodthirsty maniacs, even during that time when he paid them to destroy the Wu Shi Academy; Baraka mentioned he was ordered to, but the heroes weren't convinced. Nightwolf then sensed another assailant and warned Kuai to evade him! The fiery streak melted Baraka's prison, but Scorpion was only after the Lin Kuei ninja! He lost as he didn't fight back, then Nightwolf displayed the data chip both he and Smoke analyzed from Sektor!
He also managed to enter Scorpion's mind, urging him to fight the darkness of his evil spirit. He was able to incapacitate him for a while as he shown him the data chip; the recordings had a fuzzy display and the conversations between Quan Chi and Bi-Han were muffled, but the meanings were still clear. The sorcerer hired the best thief to kill Scorpion and lend the bones of Scorpion's family as payment to the former Grandmaster!! Scorpion realized the small skull as his own son along with two others. The footage then shifted to Bi-Han's defeat by Scorpion, then Quan Chi literally unveiled everything between the ninjas and was about to send Hanzo into the Netherrealm, but both maniacs disappeared before the chip went blank.
Nightwolf was able to restore Hanzo's senses and the Matokan came to the conclusion that he'd been manipulated ever since his death; Quan Chi corrupt his soul feeding him lies and letting his dark wraith consume his body and mind! He remembered stories of the Great Kung Lao, even about Takeda, Baron's best friend, was also possessed by a wraith who lured Kung Lao to the Temple of Light and murdered Jen Reyland! Though it was Shang Tsung that made his undead vessel run amok then, as they were both capable of necromancy and wanted Lao's soul for either one or the other! Kuai assured Hanzo none of his actions was his fault but under the will of Quan Chi whom they were after. He then had a flashback discussing with his brother of the Temple of Elements, which was said to be a hard place to find. It was protected by the elemental Gods; however, Bi-Han stated it was empty. It was supposed to protect an omnipotent amulet... Baraka returned with his clan of Tarkatans and they were ravenous on tearing apart the demonic army since their DNA was mixed with theirs, he recognized Scorpion and Mileena, and couldn't wait to tear Quan Chi and Shnnok limb from limb. Nightwolf and the guys were flabbergasted as they saw the mutants charge toward the Edenian Palace without a proper plan!
== Con't VII - The Edenian Melee ==
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While Baraka and the Tarkatans stormed toward the Palace, Jade and Liu Kang continued to follow the uproars, with the ninja assuming that Kitana has rallied the cavalry! They wound up in an unsuspecting ambush with the Army of Darkness but several of the undercover allies came to their aid. The Saurians hid themselves amongst the shadows and were equipped with Cobalt armor along with other heroes such as Kung Lao, Aiko, Kitana, Sonya and Cage. They made their move and both Lao and Jade were appalled seeing each other again since their fatal feud atop the Outworld Tower. Liu broke off the quarrel, clarifying she was resurrected by Raiden and no longer had interest in serving Kahn. She was especially joyous as she reunited with Kitana like two close sisters! Nightwolf, Kuai and Hanzo caught up to the team, even though they were alarmed on seeing the undead ninja! The shaman clarified Hanzo's on their side since he found out of Quan's massacre, courtesy of Sektor's data. He still chased after the cavalry without relent, then the cryomancer and Matokan followed suit.
The cavalry soon broke their cover as they stormed into the Palace, though the Edenian women found a hidden stone slab underneath some detritus. The heroes took it to the subterranean tunnel system, though they wound up at a trifecta.
At the topmost floor of the Palace, Quan was lounging in the throne room, without a care of his army clashing against the rebels. He noticed Baraka attempting and failing to make a sneak attack since he never bothered to equip the Cobalt armor. The sorcerer assured everyone shall fall and he and Baraka would be the only ones ruling all realms, however, Baraka refused to serve a madman, especially when he recognized Shinnok's legendary amulet! He bore his blades into him, only to dice a doppelganger while the real Quan Chi suspended him high!
His neck was strangled by Scorpion's spear, and he decapitated the demon sorcerer!! He then unleashed his fiery fury onto his rotting corpse before he attained the Amulet. The two stragglers caught up to him, only for Raiden to brief them they must enter the Temple of Elements. He informed that Bi-Han had defeated all the elemental guardians, allowing Quan Chi to steal the Amulet for himself. He then made a duplicate as well while Bi-Han ventured thru the underworld to retrieve it, only to have the genuine artifact remain in Quan's possession. Assuring it was real, Hanzo and Kuai decided to right the crimes Bi-Han made in the past! Raiden ordered Nightwolf to remain with the heroes, before he sensed Shinnok's omnipresence...
Sonya and Johnny met up with the shaman, only to have him inform the duo they took a wrong turn...
Meanwhile, Kung Lao and Aiko managed to find the prisoners following the cries for help. Though Lao needed to ease himself due to Aiko's limited stamina; she went thru a blood test which resulted her as Blood Type A and it was lacking iron. The monks' physician decided to improve her circular system and manifesting her abilities as well. Lao decided to evacuate the prisoners discreetly and not cause a ruckus disallowing their chances upon Quan's and Shinnok's eyes. He was successful as he escorted the escapes free, even Teleporting behind any booby-trapped cells! He contacted Sonya to make a portal leading into Earthrealm, specifically near the Bayan Har Mountains, close to the Wu Shi Academy!! He did just that, and some of the monks were alarmed on meeting otherworlders, even Liu's grandpa.
They returned to the prison, determined to win over the oncoming threat of Shinnok, since Raiden forewarned the monks with his clashes in the heavens. The couple noticed they emptied the prisons, excepting for the massive cells with the rotating fan aloft! They spotted Kai, wounded by the merciless general, Reiko! He was now wearing the spiked helmet in which the heroes thought was another Shao Kahn! Lao took him on while he urged Aiko to be on healing duties. The former monk was very skilled, even using her club against Reiko's, or outmaneuvering him! He even managed to deflect his shurikens via Tornado Kick, till some stabbed him as his vision was poor amongst the darkness. Yet still, Lao emerged victorious, even when he tossed the weary general into the massive fan, scattering his limbs!!
The guys congratulated him a job well done, and everyone was healed while Aiko used Reiko's remaining essence. The couple left the prison, however...
Kai turned on them! He used Aiko's own abilities against her as he sped up her heart, disabled her breathing, and gave her sharp pangs! Lao soon followed suit! And to their horror, it was nothing but Shinnok in disguise!! Weak as kittens, he easily dragged them into the Netherrealm!!
Liu Kang followed Kung Lao's screams, only to find he was too late! Raiden warned his Champion they'd been taken to Hell, just for Shinnok to lure in the Champion! And using Aiko's rare cardiokinesis, he became more lethal! Raiden and Fujin were more determined than ever to put a stop to their ancient nemesis, once and for all!!
== Con't VIII - Showdown with Shinnok! ==
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Raiden and Fujin assisted Liu Kang as they traversed thru the Netherrealm. The Thunder God pointed out the twisted temple of Shinnok, although the Gods' powers were reduced since they crossed over. Unfortunately, the trio came too late for Lao's and Aiko's hearts became corrupt. Shinnok chained and shackled them inside the Well as he kept on incanting and feeding their hearts desires for revenge. To Lao, no one would save them, and he'd fail to protect those he cared for unless he should switch sides and join him. To Aiko, he stated the world would always betray her and the Order of Light was her only salvation as a hermit place, unless she should join his cause. Shinnok even utilized his own blood as he used her rare abilities to rejuvenate them! By the time Liu was the first to bust in, they awakened and were ready to fight! They must decimate the former Champion and make him one of them, no longer worrying on becoming a Revenant according to the couple's future.
Alone, Liu put up a fight, but was hardly a match for them! Raiden and Fujin intervened, only for Shinnok to stun them! He used his telekinesis to draw Liu close and read and drain his heart!
Nightwolf and the other heroes met up with the Edenian women at the Prison only they'd came too late. Sonya offered Nightwolf to generate a portal to the Netherrealm, but the shaman said it wasn't possible. Johnny grew impatient, as it can only be crossed by spiritual means. He offered a ritual in which he volunteered Kitana since she's close to Liu. She was able to find his spirit struggling against Shinnok by his spirit-charged tomahawk and just like in the fight with Shao Kahn, everyone pitched in to give their energy to Liu Kang, even the rebels! The result was Shinnok absorbing his positive essence which weakened and overwhelmed him!!
Meanwhile, Hanzo and Kuai reached the end of the Temple only to have the wraith hesitate before relinquishing the Amulet, as if he'd use it to usurp it for himself... Kuai tackled him, only to have the artifact fly out of his hands and be magnetized to the end of the pillar. Eventually, Lao retrieved the Amulet Shinnok lost by Liu's Kicks, and to have it attached to his Staff! He continued to absorb Liu's soul...only to give away! From then on, Shinnok was using the FAKE Amulet while the real one was stationed in Earthrealm!
Raiden incapacitated Aiko and Lao and transported them to the Sky Temple while Liu backed Shinnok away to a massive Well. Before he conjured with all his mighty pyrokinesis, Fujin knocked him away, stating he won't be the Champion this tournament. Instead, Raiden finished Shinnok into the Well and Fujin forced him down faster into the massive spikes below! His vessel died and dissolved into a skeleton while the duplicate shattered. The two Gods escorted the hurt hero before the damned should be reckless without any restraints.
Everyone cheered upon their triumphant return to Edenia, and Liu and Kitana reunited in their arms. Sonya and Johnny smiled at each other, and Nightwolf briefed of the ritual he used for Liu's success. That reminded him of Lao and Aiko's fate. Fujin was the first to wake up Lao and soon Aiko. She first saw Raiden and he and Liu assured they were forgiven. Fujin stated Shinnok shalln't invade for another millennia or so since his soul is trapped! Several hours later, everyone returned to China, though Lao was still not whole...
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Raiden ascended into the heavens and briefed the Elder Gods of winning the war. From now on, Raiden shall join their ranks and must find a successor to guard over Earth. It was easy for Raiden as he met up with Fujin at the Chamber stating he has achieved Elder God status with his brother as the new defender. Fujin was ecstatic of the offer, and Raiden warned the people are good though have self-destructive tendencies. Fujin still accepted his duties and will not fail him!
Aiko and Jade wanted Liu and Kitana to spend more time together now that the green ninja offered to keep an eye on things while she has downtime. The Edenians wanted to have more R&R which gave Kitana a golden opportunity for the monk to show her the rounds. Jade could've sworn he saw Liu and Kitana kiss for the first time...
== Epilogue ==
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A few days had passed since the end of the Netherrealm War. By the time Kung Lao and Aiko were finally out of recovery, they returned to the Wu Shi Academy with Liu, Sonya, Johnny, Kitana, Nightwolf and Kai. The Shaolin was escorting his disciple around and Lao wasn't himself... He soon reunited with his nephew who was curious on where the cool Edenians were heading as they beheld the large portal. He concluded they were returning home. His head was in a fog until a familiar Shokan entered his mind, forcing Lao to act as a stowaway with the refugees.
Jade along with the monarchs stated to Nightwolf that they must be more prepared for any future invitations from refugees, while also keeping in mind that only six realms exist, according to Raiden. Jade recapped Baraka's rage as they heard a hiss from below, when he came to after Raiden's incapacitation; he and his kind blew the cavalry's cover by rushing into the fray and refusing to wear Cobalt armor which would've neutralized Quan Chi's machinations and using the Amulet. The royals decided to exile the ravenous mutants to Outworld on a permanent basis as they'd been too difficult to control after all the clans of Edenia reunited for the war, but not till after they cleaned out the prison beneath!
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Mileena hid herself during the quarrel until it was just her and Kitana inside the throne room; she was jealous on never being the ruler of Edenia to which the Edenian replied she'd no right to rule it. Out of vengeance, Mileena uppercutted Kitana onto the throne in which, conveniently, there was a switch which forced the twisted sister into massive blades!
At the Lin Kuei headquarters, Smoke disobeyed Kuai's orders on staying in base, as Smoke actually remembered the fight against Oniro and recalling it being at the Appalachian Mountains, he believed the deceased Grandmaster had the sacred Dragon Medallion! To his surprise, Smoke was correct, and he offered it to his surrogate brother! Kuai heard the warnings on losing control while wearing it without intense skill, but he was thankful he'd no longer suffer while in intense heat since Shang's lethal fissure! Later on, he made it official to move the Lin Kuei to the Northern Pole, Arctika! Hanzo wished him a safe journey and in good terms, relieving Kuai of Scorpion's undead curse! Hanzo himself also took off his yellow vial revealing his more human outlook!
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Aiko discussed with Sonya and Johnny of their future concerning their possible daughter, Cassie, as she never wanted them to go thru the same fate as her ruined time, whether it'd be in a lethal divorce, Revenants, or even Jax having a daughter named Jacqui while also going in a downward spiral after his wife was killed. Cage offered to work for Bollywood, the same thing Bruce Lee did for a time, and soon volunteered to be a part of the Special Forces. He was aware Hollywood shall never accept resurrection, and he didn't want to be a part of the Shaolin. So, together, Sonya was summoned by Jax who made a successful experiment on restoring Cyrax's humanity!! He decided to work for the forces of Earth and refused to return to the Lin Kuei.
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Lao wound up at Edenia, miles away from the city of Kuatan. He eventually arrived as he followed the Shokan, and Goro accepted to sign Kitana's treaty between his kind and the Centaurs, the one that had been interrupted by Shinnok's invasion. Only to have IT be abruptly halted by a sudden assault from a glowing buzzsaw turning out to be Kung Lao's hat!! Kitana urged him to not start another kombat, and Goro challenged the former monk. Never backing down, Lao explained this was a ceremonial strike for his ancestor whom Goro killed several centuries ago. Goro questioned if he wished to continue the brutal feud, to which Lao replied he just wanted to make things even and have peace between them. Under the circumstances, Goro was impressed over Lao's pride and skills, which reminded him on how his ancestor was in nobility, looks and spirit. Goro realized the last descendant's his spitting image and if he wished to have a son, he shall carry on their legacy, and the Great Kung Lao shall be proud of his accomplishments, and Lao shall be proud of his as well... They shook hands and Kitana was successful.
At the Palace, Syzoth was mauled by one of the innocent Saurians who watched the plans behind the scenes. Chameleon unveiled from his camouflage wearing his rainbow ninja garb. His partner, Khameleon, was willing to reform Zaterra along with him!
With Raiden as the new Elder God, he summoned most of his fellow warriors for a final farewell near Fujin's crater... He contacted Sonya and even she was as emotional as the gathering audience... Liu Kang, Kung Jin, and Aiko grieved for him the most. Even Kiba, now separated from Nightwolf, howled up at the full moon crying for him... Sub-Zero also wondered if his mentor shall return someday. As did Queen Sindel as he wished the former guardian godspeed.
== Soundtrack ==
* Opening (Final Fantasy IV: The After Years)
* Choose Your Destiny (Mortal Kombat 4)
* Enter Ganondorf (Ocarina of Time)
* Deku Tree (Ocarina of Time)
* The Bomb Ring (Final Fantasy IV)
* MK Meat (Mortal Kombat 4)
* Alternate Intro - Paul Unfaces (Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm)
* Kahn and Shinnok (Mortal Kombat: Annihilation)
*Environmental Tension (Metroid Fusion)
*Stairway (Mortal Kombat 1995)
*Wu Shi Academy (Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks)
*Defenders vs. Lin Kuei Cybers - Paul Unfaces (Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm)
*Kitana's Abduction (Mortal Kombat: Annihilation)
*Warriors of Light (Dissidia Final Fantasy) - End of chapter fanfare!
*The Wastelands/Pit II (Mortal Kombat II - Arcade)
*Evening Bells (Mortal Kombat 1995)
*Demon Mist (DBZ)
*Bleed (Nirvana)
*Johnny Cage (Mortal Kombat 1995)
*Staff Cavern (Starfox Adventures)
*Garlic Jr. Theme (DBZ)
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*Wastelands Battle (Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks)
*Fight scene 01 Alternate version - Paul Unfaces (Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm)
*Shang Tsung's Island - Battle (Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks)
*Fatality (Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks)
*Ocarina of Time Ambience - Hyrule Field (night)
*The Woods (Mortal Kombat 4)
*Snake (Mortal Kombat 4)
*Bill Thene (Starfox 64)
* Join the Party (Final Fantasy IV SNES)
*Quan Chi's Theme (Mortal Kombat Conquest)
*Shang Tsung's Theme - Paul Unfaces (Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm)
*The Master (The Time Machine (2002))
*Cobalt Mines - Paul Unfaces (Mortal Kombat Conquest)
*Jade's Desert (Mortal Kombat Trilogy)
*Rain (Mortal Kombat 4)
*Dark Ice Mines Surface Caves (Starfox Adventures)
*Bowser's Castle (Mario Kart 64)
* Eternal Palace (Mortal Kombat: Annihilation)
*Force Your Way (Final Fantasy VIII - Dissidia rearrangement)
*Leave Your Fear Behind (Mortal Kombat: Annihilation)
*Animality (Mortal Kombat: Annihilation)
*Main Theme (Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks)
*Panik Kontrol (Mortal Kombat: Annihilation)
*Smoke's theme (Scooter - Fire - DJ Shocker XLG remix)
*Boss Theme (Majora's Mask)
*Boss Theme (Ocarina of Time)
*Shaolin Temple (Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero)
* Secrets Revealed (Austin Powers in Goldmember) - start after 0:45
*Inflexible Determination (Final Fantasy X)
* Sandstorm - Long Version (Darude)
* Elder God (MK4)
*This is Your Story (Final Fantasy X)
* The Paladin (Final Fantasy IV DS)
* Dark Ice Mines - Underground (Starfox Adventures)
* Out of Control/The Crash (Star Trek: Generations)
*Prison (Mortal Kombat 4)
*Don't Be Afraid (Final Fantasy VIII - Dissidia rearrangement)
*Continue - N64 Style (Mortal Kombat 4)
*Defeat Fanfare (Dissidia Final Fantasy)
*Final Boss (Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks)
*The Well (Mortal Kombat 4)
*Fight with Seymour (Final Fantasy X) - N64 Soundfont Remix
*Forming the Genkidama (Dragon Ball Z: The World's Strongest)
*Flawless Victory (Mortal Kombat 1995) - start at 5:50
*Spy Family Finale (Spy Kids)
*The Ends (Mortal Kombat 4)
*Imagine (The Beatles - Seiko Clock)
* Sub-Zero and Smoke - Slow Version (Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm)
*Tears (Pokémon Anime Sound Collection)
*Epilogue, Part 1 (Metroid Fusion)
*Engel (Rammstein)
=== Bonus tracks ===
* Cyrax Theme (EZXD)
* Sindel Theme (EZXD)
* Raiden Theme (EZXD)
* Jade Theme (EZXD)
* Smoke Theme (EZXD)
* Reptile's Theme Song (Mortal Kombat Conquest)
*Goro's Lair (Mortal Kombat 4)
== Trivia ==
* thumbOf course, this epic takes place a couple years after the MK Trilogy, as well as the events in Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, Part II, and the oneshot, A Date and a Destiny.
* Needless to say, this was one of the hardest stories Ikran ever made, due to fatigue, inexperience, mostly bad flack regarding MK4 in general.
* Just like the last epic, this would still take elements from other media such as the 95 movie, Annihilation, Defenders of the Realm, and Conquest. There were also a few elements from the prequel comic as resided in this YouTube vid. Even MK Temple's History of Mortal Kombat (Part 8) helped Ikran out immensely! The Realms vid by The4thSnake motivated her too, as Edenia should be represented more in the series as the konflict began there, and Edenia has always been a big deal for the franchise!
* The rating of this fic was debatable on whether it should be T-Rated or M-Rated if there were any intense, gory scenes. Don't be surprised if it should go from T to M in a moment's notice.
**The decision was official once Kung Lao made his stage fatality in the Prison as Reiko splattered his body in a massive ceiling fan. Also, the Prison was erroneously chosen as a location in Edenia instead of the Netherrealm...
* Ikran was also unsure who the mains would be, as well as the cast of characters, music, etc. Thus, the parties splitting up; she figured it was easier to work with numerous characters in smaller groups.
*In one chapter, Ikran just threw in Bowser and the Koopalings from the Mario series. This was no accident! A long time ago, when she was around 9, she really got into Defenders of the Realm. Her mind went wild since then, and years later she decided to throw them in since it was about rips in Earth's dimensional fabric and other realms invading Earthrealm! So, those anomalies got the Koopas involved as a power struggle against Kahn and his extermination squads. This was the group that stood out to her the most as a kid. She made Aiko get involved in it, specifically the battle with Quan Chi and the gem of Tetsurri which played huge parts in her Showitious!
*Unlike in MK4, Scorpion didn't wind up as a damned soul transporting Quan Chi to the Netherrealm. Instead, he had his vengeance by decapitating the sorcerer like in MKX, and he was successful in helping Kuai restore the real Amulet he possessed to the Temple of Elements. After the war, Scorpion was able to restore his humanity like in MKX, although he has the wraith as a ticking time bomb.
*Kharacters that were kut were Meat, Sektor, Noob Saibot.
*Stages that were kut include Ice Pit, Reptile's Lair, Shaolin Temple, Elder God Hall (excepting Fujin accepting Raiden's Elder God status), Netherrealm, Soul Chamber, The Church, and Ladder.
*In the finale, the dialect Shinnok used to describe to Aiko how the world never accepted/supported her as an autistic rain true as the real world hardly ever accepts nor supports people who're neurodivergent, including autistics; Ikran has dealt with a lot of trolls who seem to be neurotypical, even some internet celebrities she hates, or offline!
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