"Soon... everyone will feel my power." "Vorpax commanding?" "She's become a better leader than her late queen." "I want you as my mate." "Taking her out first is a smart move." "I'm not going to be someone else's assassin." "Shao Kahn gains ground, we take it back." "Welcome to Shakkana." "How could they have kept all this a secret for so long?" "Shakka - it's Shao Kahn!" "Chase your new traitor, Shao Kahn." "Shao Kahn's forces are practically limitless." "Maybe it's time to say the hell with the rules." "Bow and swear to me!" "I've turned traitor for you." "Has everyone turned on me?" "I'll kill them all." "I will have my revenge!" "Shao Kahn!" "Shao Kahn!" "You will bow to me." "Never." "You will." "Stay where you are." "You can't stop me, Rayden." "No one can." "I said stay back." "I found your invasion route, now remove it." "When it's served its purpose." "The day of reckoning is here, Rayden." "Enemies will fall, names will be erased from memory." "You can do nothing here." " Will you stop me?" " Yes." "I am Rayden." "God of Thunder... and Protector of Earth Realm." "And I am Shao Kahn." "Conqueror of Realms and Emperor of Outworld!" "In each of us there burns a soul of a warrior." "In every generation, a few are chosen to prove it." "Centuries ago in a time of darkness and fury that fate befell three strangers." "A monk" " Kung Lao..." "An exiled guard" " Siro..." "And a thief" " Taja..." "Who have to defend our Earth Realm from the forces of Outworld." "By fighting for their lives." "By fighting for their honour." "Your soul is mine!" "And by fighting for their realm." "It's the burden you must carry." "In a tournament called..." "Mortal Kombat." "Siro!" "Taja!" " You all right?" " Yeah." "Yeah." " This place isn't though." " Yeah, a big aftershock." "Third one." "As if the first quake wasn't enough." "What's this?" "It's Kung Lao's..." " from winning Mortal Kombat." " Good thing I found it." "It would've been lost in this trash." " Things are really weird." " Yeah, earthquakes... and this heat." " Strange for this time of year." " Everything's just a little out of whack." "Even the sky is spooky... colours I've never seen before." "I don't like it." "Everything okay in here?" ""Okay" is a real relative term after an earthquake." " Did you find Rayden?" " No." "I called for him, meditated, but..." "You don't suppose he stayed at the hidden city?" "I don't know." "It looked like he was going to destroy it." "This is so Rayden." "Always here when you don't want him... but when you need to ask him something, he just..." " retires." " Yeah." "We need him." "I've gotta keep looking for him." "Shakka!" "Shakka!" "Shakka!" "Shakka!" "You're losing your mind, Shao Kahn." "The Elder Gods will never allow you to take Earth Realm." "Great rulers take great risks." "When I have Earth Realm... when I've combined its power with those of Outworld, then... then even the Elder Gods will be forced to respect me and fear me." "You are mad." "Perhaps I am." "But if so, my madness also comes with a gift." " What gift?" "Stupidity." " Wisdom, Rayden." "The ability to understand who my enemies are and what I must do." "Kung Lao." "Kitana?" "What're you doing here?" "Why didn't you come to the Trading..." "It's not safe." "I'm being followed." "I can feel it." "Followed by whom?" "Or by what." "I need to talk to you." "But not here." " He'll look for me in Zhu Zin." " Shao Kahn?" " Yes." " What happened?" "It's what's about to happen." "Something is wrong." "There's a deadly calm at the palace." "Servants sent away, extra guards posted and he isn't in his throne room." "He's going to strike." "Yes, but I don't know where." "I'll explain what I can." "Meet me at the Temple of Light." "We can talk there." "Should I bring Taja and Siro?" "Yes." "If I'm right about what's going on, no one is safe." "Still sulking?" "Watch your mouth or they'll be a need for another new queen around here." "Yes, my queen." "Your plan failed." "Kung Lao lives!" "And so do you, safe and sound here in my camp... after I rescued you from your fight with Reptile." "You have the solution to your problem, Shang Tsung, but you withhold it from me." "The agreement was to mate after Kung Lao was dead." "But our mating will kill him." "In two days time, we can have an army of thousands." "Two days from then, thousands more." "All with the blood of a sorcerer." "Armies you'll send against Shao Kahn." "I'll crush him." "But first..." "I'll send them against Kung Lao." "All of them, if you wish." "You're lying, of course." "Just to use me." "I never lie about things I need." "As for using you... well, I'll make that feel very, very good." "Your generals are assembled." "They're waiting for you in council." "You've got to tell them something." "Tell them what?" "That everything's lost?" "We sided with Kreeya to defeat Shao Kahn." "And Kreeya's dead." "We're traitors with no allies." "All you've lost is Kreeya's promise to share her throne with you." "We could still have an arrangement with Vorpax." "She's chosen Shang Tsung." "As a mate." "Or to make him a king, who cares?" "He is only one man." "We are an army." "And Vorpax knows that." "She won't refuse an alliance." "You could still save your people." "Go to her." "And I'll make her agree that Zaterra will be free." "Yes." "It's all we ever wanted in the first place." "I'll explain it to the generals." "So it's true." "Kreeya's dead." "Perhaps I underestimated Vorpax." "So much ambition in such a small woman." "She can't be trusted." "Fine." "Neither can l." "None of this alters our agreement." "It was Vorpax herself who approached me." "She's smart." "She knows she needs a sorcerer as much as Kreeya did." "Ah, Cilene." " The new slave." " Better than being the old one." " Go on, what were you about to say?" " Does she have to be here?" " She serves me." " I thought that was my job." " Maybe you didn't do it well enough." " Should I show you what I can do well?" "You'd have to take your clothes off for that, wouldn't you?" "Continue your report." "Maybe I should whisper it to Cilene and have her tell you." "You tell me." "Now." "All right." "You said Vorpax needs a sorcerer." "Now she has two." "What... do you mean?" "Shang Tsung is in her camp." "Shang Tsung..." "Shakka." "Shakka." "Shakka." "Shakka." "How long has it been, Rayden?" "Since we last stood face-to-face like this?" "Centuries." "And in all that time, have you ever thought what it would be like.." "if you had joined me... if we had stood side by side." "I would have loved to have been close enough to destroy you." "If you could." "It seems the more power I obtain..." " the more enemies appear." " They're countless, Shao Kahn." "Instead of worrying about those in Earth Realm... you should look at those closer to you." "Oh, I have." "I've seen their faces." "Full of greed and envy, treachery." "I have a traitor, Rayden." " Only one?" " Who could it be?" "Time is running out." "The emperor will learn of my betrayal." "One whose people have the power to come and go unseen." "Took you long enough to figure it out." "But Reptile's only one." "There are more." "All around you." "You're alone, Shao Kahn." "There's no one you can trust." "No one to do your dirty work." "All you have left is a few worthless pawns." "Worthless?" "You know as well as I do, Rayden... if you play your pawns correctly, you can still win the game." "I'll go to Vorpax tonight." "Shakka!" "Shakka!" "Shakka!" "Shakka!" "There are many faces to treachery, Rayden." "I know, I'm looking at one right now." "Others would do well to remember that." "I have found one traitor I have kept at arm's length, but there are more." "Some that I have embraced as my own." "Kitana..." "The princess... the dutiful step-daughter." " A viper in my own palace!" " You've suspected Kitana for years... yet you've never harmed her." "It suited my purposes." "She's a powerful symbol to the Edenians." "But there's another reason, isn't there?" "Darker and more personal than politics that keeps you from her." "She is my enemy!" "All sins must be answered for." "All sins." "Kitana..." " Where is she?" " I don't know." "She said she'd be here." "She must be around here somewhere." " Kitana." " Stop." "No!" "If you've harmed Kitana, you'll have to answer to me." "Where?" "!" "In Outworld?" "The rules run both ways, don't they, Thunder God?" "!" "We've got to find Rayden." "The last time we saw him was in the hidden city." "Hold it." "Just hold it." "What did Rayden say when he stood in front of the portal to Outworld?" ""Get the hell out of here"." "Now you want us to go back?" "We don't have a choice." "Things are out of control." "We need Rayden." "Or maybe he needs us." "If a God's in trouble, how are the three of us gonna bail him out?" "We get some help from an immortal." "Who?" "You've got some list of immortal friends?" "There's someone who kept the both of you from dying from old age." "Though you're right, I wouldn't exactly call her a friend." "Omegis?" "The old hag in the woods?" "I'm here, Sorcerer." "No guards, no attendants." "As instructed." "The only question is why?" "Ah, assassin, whore and spy." "What a versatile girl you are." "Want to go back to the assassin part, "Queen"?" "If you like." "You and Siann could get your wish, Vorpax." "There might be a great deal of violence here if I don't get the right answers." "About Shang Tsung?" " My enemy in your camp..." " At my invitation." "You do this to me?" "Do you have any idea who you're dealing with?" "I do." "The most powerful sorcerer in all realms." "The man who will help me defeat Shao Kahn." "I will do nothing for a friend of Shang Tsung." "You see?" "We agree on everything." "Shang Tsung is a tool, nothing more." "I'll mate with him to make an army on Earth Realm... then right after, you'll kill him." "I despise him, even more than you do." "When does this mating take place?" "Soon." "Today." "Come to my camp and wait for him." "It's a trap." "Why don't you go lie in a grave somewhere?" "And what do I get from this killing?" "A dead enemy." "And a grateful Queen." "I'll mate with Shang Tsung because I need to." "You." "You I'll mate with because I want to." " Never!" " Silence." "The Queen has my attention." "Shakka!" "Shakka!" "Shakka!" "Is that your plan, Shao Kahn?" "To lash out at all your enemies, real or imagined?" "Why?" "Has your fear grown that great?" "I don't do it out of fear." "I do it because..." "I can." "And you could do the same thing, Rayden." "Never." "Yes, you could." "You're a God... with a great power." "You stand there in all your righteousness." "But you must have thought what it would feel like to crush an entire realm... to bend everything to your will." "No, that's you, Shao Kahn, not me." "I'm not a beast." "No, you're a coward!" "Too afraid to taste even true power." "Afraid it might take hold and consume you." "I should've destroyed you long ago." "A mistake." "A flaw, Rayden." "You're full of many." "Spent too much time with the mortals." "Not much of an enemy to fear." "Your downfall will come from the joining of all those who hate you." "Consumed by your passion to see me gone." "So remember, Rayden... too much desire... can kill." "You really going to do Vorpax's work for her?" " You know she can't be trusted." " I don't need to trust her." "She can give me what I want." "Shang Tsung tried to kill Shao Kahn using my face." "For this, he'll die." "Yet, because of it... the only way I can enter Outworld's throne room is over the Emperor's body." "Vorpax can make that happen, too." "Then she'll die for all her deception." "Yes." "I'll do it." "Ah, dinner." "Cilene's been at work." "You don't approve of my new choice." "No." " But why?" "The woman has initiative." " She doesn't use her head." "I told you." "Tell Shao Kahn it will really be me next time." "And I will kill him." "Cobalt." "Omegis!" "Omegis!" "Kung Lao." "And you've brought a friend." "This is the "old hag" in the forest?" "Yeah." " This is Siro." " Not the Siro?" "The one that I saved from aging?" "Glad I could help." "If I would've known what you looked like, I would've come in person." " We came for your help." " A little late for that." "It's a pity, too." "You'll never know what you missed." "Omegis, please." "I think Rayden's in trouble." "He's not the only one." "What is it?" "What do you know?" "Can't you feel it?" "It's death, Kung Lao." "Wonderful death." "And there's nothing any of us can do about it." "We can't just sit here and do nothing." "Well... we don't have to do nothing." "You could stay with me." " We've got to try something." " Try?" "I have tried everything in my power that's been given to me." "The answer to our prayers, Kung Lao." "Death over endless life?" "Don't fear what's coming." "Embrace it." "Enjoy it." "We'll soon be free." "I don't want the freedom of death." "I want to go on." "I want my friends to go on." "That's not my problem." "Then do it for the realm." "Help it survive." " You've got to be kidding." " Look, all we're asking for is a chance." "He's right." "So we can at least fight what's happening." "Him, I understand." "But you, are you that anxious to go into battle, too?" "Yes." "I have to." "What a waste." "Fine." "If you don't want to stay and have fun... then you might as well die fighting." "Fight as hard as you'd like today." "This is one battle that you can't win." "Where have you been?" "Preparing myself for you." "My gown... my hair... my body." "A far cry from the Mines." "That blue hell is just a distant memory." "Things are different now." "Things are different." "A Queen's bed." "A first for us." "Believe me, Shang Tsung, tonight will be filled with firsts for you." "My Queen, may I enter?" "Yes, it's fine." "The sorcerer is gone for the moment." "Should I bring food or wine?" "No." "Just remove this bed." "And burn it." " Burn it?" " I said burn it!" "Quan Chi." "Perfect timing." "Good-bye, Shang Tsung." "Guard!" "Shakka!" "Shakka!" "Shakka!" "Shakka!" "It's funny." "I maintain my power, but forbidden to enter Earth Realm." "You... are free to enter Outworld at any time, but you lose your powers." "You've become another pathetic mortal." "You've survived longer than anybody has a right to." "Not just survived, Rayden." "I have grown more powerful." "My realm is the greatest force in the universe." "And there isn't a soul in Outworld... who wouldn't slit your throat given the opportunity." "Many have tried." "And they all lie... dead." "All except one." "Just one." "What if I... stepped through that portal... right now?" "The Elder Gods would destroy you." "You're sure?" "The decree was only that I couldn't take Earth Realm..." "I had to fight for it." "In Mortal Kombat." "Maybe that too is merely a myth." "A futile attempt to keep me out." "You know that's not true." "It's the law of the Gods." "And besides, you'd never make it to the opening." "You'd have to go through me." "Ah, yes." "I have to deal with you." "Oh... it's you." "I was expecting some guard to try and slice me up like last time." " Did you see anyone?" " No." "It's really weird." "There's no one here." "Did you find the old bat?" "You must be Taja." "Wow." " This is Omegis." " The old bat." "I..." "I'm sorry, I..." "Oh, you'll be more sorry, very soon." "Where's the opening Rayden made?" "It's sealed." "Closed up." "It can't be." "It was here, we came through it." "It would take a hundred men to move those boulders that quickly." "Or one wave of a very powerful hand." "Is this where you want to go?" "Yes." "Then step aside." "Let's get this over with." " Here you are." " Will you come with us?" "No." "I made your door." "Now you go through it." "We have no idea what's ahead of us." "We could use your powers, Omegis." "I've helped you enough to die." "Now I'm just going to go to a nice quiet place... and wait for the end." "My offer still stands." "Fine." "It's going to be wonderful though." "She's out of her mind." "The same could be said about us." "This is really it, isn't it?" "All that talk about "the end" and Shao Kahn's vengeance." " He may have killed Kitana." " And Rayden might be in trouble." "Guess that leaves just us." "We've fought our way through everything so far." "So we fight one more time." "You fiercely protect them." "But you weren't always like that." "What happened?" "Did you change them or did they change you?" "What do you care?" "I'm curious." "So tell me... do you preach the same message to them that I give to my warriors?" "You're rambling." "What message?" "Know your enemy." "Find his weakness." "Exploit it." "That's the smart move, isn't it?" "What have you done?" "I studied your three mortals." "Their weaknesses are the very things you hold up as their virtues." "Shakka." "Shakka." "Shakka." "Shakka." "Caring... compassion... friendship." "It's going to kill all of you." "All I had to do... was keep you here long enough and they would come." "You've made great bait." "Kung Lao!" "Stay back!" "They're going to kill you!" "They're dead, Rayden." "Go back to Outworld." "You're already in Outworld!" "You gave me the time, Rayden." "Time to transport you... and your friends... an entire city." "You are now in my realm!" "Let's see what little gifts we have for our guest." "Ah... a traitor..." "Dead." "Two sorcerers..." "Dead." "A queen..." "Dead." "A daughter..." "Dead." "A bodyguard..." "Dead." "A thief..." "Dead." "A champion..." "Dead." "You... will... bow... to... me!"