PROLOGUE: Stories To Be Told

"You...amuse me."

The Dark Emperor wiped at the trickle of blood that dripped down his chin. He looked at it, smeared on his thumb, and inwardly scowled with rage. Not since he had fought the late king Jerrod had he felt pain...it was an odd sensation for him, something long forgotten. It was not unwelcome however...the feeling of anger it brought out made him thirst for his opponent's death even more. He looked over at the brash young upstart who had dared to challenge him, and grinned.

The man's name was Liu Kang. Mid-twenties, Asian, and a fire in his eyes that could make the most vicious of dogs back away in respect after gazing into them. He stood on the balls of his feet, shifting back and forth, eyes never leaving the tyrant's, a look of grim determination set on his face. It was he who had overcome all obstacles, all adversaries, all injuries. It was he who had overcome the Shokan prince Goro, he who had bested the great Kung Lao so long ago. It was he who had stood face to face with the demon sorcerer, Shang Tsung, and overcome him and his deceptions as well.

It was he who was the immortal champion of Mortal Kombat.

Shao Kahn, the Emperor of Outworld, that dying wasteland of misery and desolation, awaited a response. He received none.

"Not too eager to talk, are we? Well, you'll be screaming for mercy after this..."

In his hand, a green light danced. That light elongated, and transformed into a spear made of pure energy, which Kahn hurled at his enemy. It was one of his favorite energy-manipulation techniques, and had felled more than several foes.

To his surprise, this 'Liu Kang' not only dived toward the spear, but rolled under it, and caught Kahn in the heel with a sweep. The Emperor stumbled back, and before he could even regain his footing, was hit square in the face by his challenger's fist. The faceplate of his helmet, with the Skull motif that he loved so much, bent inward with the impact, and blood flowed from his nose.

The crowd roared. They loved a good fight.

They stood in the middle of Shao Kahn's sacred Arena, with an audience of a good 10, 000 of Outworld's numerous deformed, mutated citizens watching, and roaring their approval whenever either fighter connected with a blow - of course, their cheers were especially loud whenever their Emperor made a successful attack. Whether this was out of fear for their own safety, should they choose to support the challenger, or because they really loved their King, no one could be sure. Probably the former. Nevertheless, they cheered. And the battle raged on. Both warriors were looking bruised and bloodied, and each sought a way to end it in the quickest way possible. But they could find no weak link in the other's armor to exploit. They just kept pounding on each other, until finally, the dark lord dashed forward with every last bit of energy he had left in him, and slammed straight into the challenger's midsection with enough force to lift him into the air, through which he flew until a brick wall ended his course. His skull smacked into the stone, and for a moment, he appeared dead as he slid down the wall, coming to a halt at the very bottom, head down.

The crowd went mad with applause as their Emperor raised his fist in triumph. And, as always, they let out their traditional cry...

"FINISH HIM!"

Shao Kahn smiled, and began to walk over to his inert opponent - at least, 'walking' was the impression that he tried to give off. He ached all over, and he was certain he had dislocated an ankle.

"FINISH HIM!"

The challenger, this Liu Kang, did not move.

"FINISH HIM!"

Finally, he stood over his defeated opponent, and looked down at him.

"FINISH HIM!"

The audience was lively today - understandably so, because it was not often that one issued a challenge to Shao Kahn. It was even rarer that he accepted. Usually, even the weakest of his soldiers was enough to wipe away whatever madmen sought to defeat the Emperor. But this one....

"FINISH HIM!"

...this one was a danger, and could not be allowed to live. He had bested prince Goro, Shang Tsung, and would probably have defeated general Kintaro as well, had Raiden not intervened, and destroyed the Shokan himself, at the last minute. He almost laughed. His decision to appease his fans' bloodlust by actually fighting was proving to be a most painful one indeed. Even though Tsung's plot did call for Kahn to destroy his enemies personally, he never had any intention of doing battle himself. He trusted his loyal servants would be enough to overwhelm the scurrying little Earth-rodents. And at the worst case, there were always his mighty Shokan fighters...but no, he reminded himself, Goro was apparently dead - and Kintaro was now nothing more than ashes scattered over the floor, courtesy of the Thunder God, who was watching the duel from an alcove high above. Tsung had stepped forward to fight, but had not fared well. He might have been killed as well, had Kahn not stepped up to finally do battle, awarding Kang the victory.

"FINISH HIM!"

But was it because this young man was exceptionally powerful, or because his warriors were weak? He began to question the necessity of the Shokan race...and of certain `important' servants, one of which was seated on the grass nearby, slowly recuperating from the gashes and bruises sustained during his battle. Tsung had performed horribly, worse than the first time the two of them had met.

Pathetic, Kahn thought. Even with the renewed youth I have granted him, he still cannot defeat a lowly worm from the Earthrealm. I will have to...speak with him.

"FINISH HIM!"

Time for that later. For now....

"You fought well. My people have not showered such praise on a foreign warrior since generations before your birth."

He clenched his fist, and it pulsated with green, glowing energy.

"I will give them something else to applaud...your death will be so violent, that the talespinners will talk of how the mightiest of men fell ill at the sight of your end...goodbye!"

He brought his fist back. The crowd hollered.

And Liu Kang stopped being dead and rolled from his position to stand directly before the emperor, and slam him in the chest with a palm strike of immense power. The crack was quite audible.

"A - k..... agh...."

The green flame died out. And the fire in Kang's spirit blazed as he assaulted Kahn with a flurry of attacks - an elbow to the gut, followed by a roundhouse to the chin, and a backhand to the face, all of which connected.

Kahn toppled back, his eyes closed in pain for an instant. He opened them -

and saw Kang coming down from his cartwheel. Both his heels connected with the emperor's face, as did the ferocious uppercut.

The next thing Kahn saw was the sky, as he fell backward, and collapsed onto the ground.

The crowd was absolutely silent.

So was U.S. Special Forces Agent Sonya Blade, from her viewing point in chains at the right side of Kahn's throne in the center of the arena. But a smile was on her face.

The criminal and murderer Kano, chained as well, on the opposite side, looked on in disbelief and awe.

Kahn got up, very slowly, and looked Liu Kang, champion of Mortal Kombat, in the eye.

I cannot believe I am saying this...but it is all I can do. I have nothing left...he has my life in his hands, and he knows it. I must prey upon his weakness...his sense of honor. He will not fight, if he has been awarded victory...

He spoke with a voice loud enough for all who watched to hear.

"KNOW THIS! You have fought well, warrior of Earthrealm. You have even made me feel a drop of sweet pain...."

The onlookers remained silent, listening to their wise and benevolent lord's words.

"But, you have succeeded to do little more than irritate me. I am the immortal lord, Shao Kahn...I am the conqueror of worlds. To me...you are little more than an insect."

The audience began to cheer again, but Kahn raised his hand for silence. They complied.

"However, your tenacity is admirable, as is your skill and technique. That is why..."

Silence.

"I award you...with my blessings, and respect. Go, now. Go, and tell your people that you stood face to face with the universe's most powerful being, and lived to tell the tale. Go now...Liu Kang."

Silence, as they watched and waited, for what would happen next.

Liu Kang stared hard at Shao Kahn.

And he walked toward him.

He's not falling for it...he knows...it is...over...

The warlord, and the onlookers, watched, as the Earth-realm warrior stopped before the emperor. Kahn awaited it...the finishing blow...the strike that would end his life....

What he received instead was a bow.

Liu Kang stood bowed before him, hands together steepled before his chest.

The crowd's applause was deafening. As much as they loved chaos, they loved an honorable fighter as well.

The fool! He doesn't know! He truly doesn't fear-

He was stopped short, as he heard Kang's words - only he could hear them, only he could even know that the former member of the White Lotus Society was even speaking - his hair was dangling below his chin, no one could even see his face. But his face, the emperor did not have to see, to hear....

"Shao Kahn....I leave you with three things. The first, my gift to you. The appearance of victory. Satisfy your ego as you will. The second, my mark - know that you have been bested today - I know that for one such as yourself, defeat is worse than death. That, and only that, is why I will not execute you here. The third, my warning-"

Here he raised his head just enough so that his eyes could meet Kahn's.

"-if you ever again attempt an invasion of my home world, I can assure you...the talespinners will talk of how the mightiest of Kings, the ruler of Outworld, was utterly and totally destroyed by a mere mortal - and your name will be synonymous with 'embarrassment' throughout the annals of time, forever more."

And with that Liu Kang rose, turned, and walked away from Shao Kahn, away from the multitudes, back to his friends who awaited him.

The crowd began to disperse, as the applause slowly died down.

Shao Kahn said nothing, but turned and walked to his throne. He sat.

A servant came bearing food and drink. He waved him away. He just wanted to be alone. He was hungry, but didn't care.

Tsung was screaming something, off to his right. He didn't care.

He heard chains snap and fall. Someone was freeing his prisoners. He didn't care.

All he cared about now was the best possible way to make Kang regret the mistake of leaving him alive. That, and rest. He was tired. So tired.

As he slowly drifted off, exhaustion taking its toll, he contented himself with his own black thoughts.

You will pay for this indignity, Kang. So swears Shao Kahn.

All of Earth will pay...

Author : Bob J Dole

Creation date: 2004-12-28-2-3

Modification date: 2004-12-28-2-3