Your opponents will be chosen by lot. The winner of each combat will progress to the next, until only one remains! Some will even have the privilege of fighting Prince Goro, the reigning champion. You are all witnesses to a great turning point in the history of the world. Treasure these moments as if they were your last. And now, a taste of things to come!”
A strange creature stalked into the hall. It was dressed in strange bionic armor which covered its entire body, while a helmet of bone covered its face and head. The Outworld warrior whirled a long spear through the air with a swishing sound. When it came to the center of the Great Hall, it gave a loud cry of defiance.
Down from the dais came a ninja dressed in black and blue. This was Sub-Zero, one of Shang Tsung’s servants.
The creature and the ninja faced one another in the center of the hall. The creature shook its lance and prepared to strike. The ninja merely stood in a defensive stance, but a faint blue light began to glow around his hands.
All at once, the creature charged Sub-Zero. The creature jumped at the ninja. Sub-Zero raised one of his hands. A blast of pure cold shot out, striking the creature in mid-air. Then the ninja stepped aside. The creature hit the floor and shattered. It broke into a thousand tiny, frozen pieces.
The demon sorcerer stood watching in silence from the high table.
“Flawless victory,” Shang said.
From his seat in the Great Hall, Johnny sat and stared. The creature had smashed to pieces right next to him.
“‘Come to a little tournament,’ the man says,” Johnny muttered. “‘Be good for the career,’ he says...”
Shang Tsung stood and walked from the hall. Two ninjas walked behind him. As soon as Shang had passed by them, Liu stood and began to follow the evil magician.
“Where are you heading?” Johnny asked. He caught Liu’s arm to stop him from going anywhere.
“I’m going after Shang Tsung,” Liu said in a reasonable tone of voice.
“You can’t,” Johnny said. “Remember what Rayden told you?”
“Rayden didn’t say anything to me,” Sonya said. She also stood and turned in the direction the sorcerer had gone.
“Shang Tsung knows where Kano’s hiding,” the young woman said, and strode out of the hall.
Johnny watched her go.
“You gotta admire her,” he said. “When she sets her mind on something...”
It’s not her mind you’re admiring,” Liu interrupted with a smile.
“I’m going to follow her,” Johnny said. “She might need help.”
Johnny started after Sonya. Liu shrugged, then hurried to catch up with the actor. Liu and Johnny left the Great Hall together.
Shang Tsung walked through the garden full of statues. This time he took a different path, one which led him to a high cliff. In the base of the cliff there was a tunnel leading into the black depths of the realm of Shokan. Torches burned on either side of the tunnel opening. Shang and his two ninjas entered the tunnel, not looking back.
Sonya was hiding near the tunnel mouth, using all of her Army skills to follow Shang Tsung without being seen. She spotted Johnny and Liu, and stopped them from entering the tunnel after Shang and the ninjas.
“What are you doing here?” Sonya asked.
“We’re helping you,” Johnny said.
“How many times do I have to tell you?” Sonya hissed. “I don’t need your help. I can take care of myself.”
“We can’t help it. It’s a guy thing,” Johnny replied.
“What are you doing?” Sonya asked, turning to Liu.
“I’m following him,” Liu replied. He turned in the direction Shang had gone.
“I work alone,” Sonya said.
“Shang Tsung is mine,” Liu said. Without another word he entered the tunnel and vanished into the dark.
Sonya followed Liu in. A moment later, Johnny picked up one of the torches which burned beside the tunnel’s entrance and followed the other two.
The inside of the tunnel opened out into a wide cavern. The floor was a maze of
A strange creature stalked into the hall. It was dressed in strange bionic armor which covered its entire body, while a helmet of bone covered its face and head. The Outworld warrior whirled a long spear through the air with a swishing sound. When it came to the center of the Great Hall, it gave a loud cry of defiance.
Down from the dais came a ninja dressed in black and blue. This was Sub-Zero, one of Shang Tsung’s servants.
The creature and the ninja faced one another in the center of the hall. The creature shook its lance and prepared to strike. The ninja merely stood in a defensive stance, but a faint blue light began to glow around his hands.
All at once, the creature charged Sub-Zero. The creature jumped at the ninja. Sub-Zero raised one of his hands. A blast of pure cold shot out, striking the creature in mid-air. Then the ninja stepped aside. The creature hit the floor and shattered. It broke into a thousand tiny, frozen pieces.
The demon sorcerer stood watching in silence from the high table.
“Flawless victory,” Shang said.
From his seat in the Great Hall, Johnny sat and stared. The creature had smashed to pieces right next to him.
“‘Come to a little tournament,’ the man says,” Johnny muttered. “‘Be good for the career,’ he says...”
Shang Tsung stood and walked from the hall. Two ninjas walked behind him. As soon as Shang had passed by them, Liu stood and began to follow the evil magician.
“Where are you heading?” Johnny asked. He caught Liu’s arm to stop him from going anywhere.
“I’m going after Shang Tsung,” Liu said in a reasonable tone of voice.
“You can’t,” Johnny said. “Remember what Rayden told you?”
“Rayden didn’t say anything to me,” Sonya said. She also stood and turned in the direction the sorcerer had gone.
“Shang Tsung knows where Kano’s hiding,” the young woman said, and strode out of the hall.
Johnny watched her go.
“You gotta admire her,” he said. “When she sets her mind on something...”
It’s not her mind you’re admiring,” Liu interrupted with a smile.
“I’m going to follow her,” Johnny said. “She might need help.”
Johnny started after Sonya. Liu shrugged, then hurried to catch up with the actor. Liu and Johnny left the Great Hall together.
Shang Tsung walked through the garden full of statues. This time he took a different path, one which led him to a high cliff. In the base of the cliff there was a tunnel leading into the black depths of the realm of Shokan. Torches burned on either side of the tunnel opening. Shang and his two ninjas entered the tunnel, not looking back.
Sonya was hiding near the tunnel mouth, using all of her Army skills to follow Shang Tsung without being seen. She spotted Johnny and Liu, and stopped them from entering the tunnel after Shang and the ninjas.
“What are you doing here?” Sonya asked.
“We’re helping you,” Johnny said.
“How many times do I have to tell you?” Sonya hissed. “I don’t need your help. I can take care of myself.”
“We can’t help it. It’s a guy thing,” Johnny replied.
“What are you doing?” Sonya asked, turning to Liu.
“I’m following him,” Liu replied. He turned in the direction Shang had gone.
“I work alone,” Sonya said.
“Shang Tsung is mine,” Liu said. Without another word he entered the tunnel and vanished into the dark.
Sonya followed Liu in. A moment later, Johnny picked up one of the torches which burned beside the tunnel’s entrance and followed the other two.
The inside of the tunnel opened out into a wide cavern. The floor was a maze of
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