Mortal Kombat: The Komplete Story

The Beginning

In the beginning, there was only The One Being, a singular consciousness with no physical form. It was everywhere, yet nowhere. It was everything, yet nothing. Until the Elder Gods appeared. How did they come into being? No one can say for sure. Some believe they created themselves. Their origin may never be known. The One Being resented their appearance. It tried to destroy them, but the Elder Gods would not be destroyed. They could not face The One Being in a physical state, for it had none. Instead, they used their powers to split it's consciousness into an infinite physical state, a state we call existence. This plane of existence includes what we know to be the universe, and all of the realms and levels of reality it contains. Our existence is The One Being. Each of the seven Elder Gods possesses a mystical artifact. Six of these artifacts, the Kamidogu, are all that is keeping the consciousness of The One Being split into existence. These six relics are hidden throughout the realms, their purpose and meaning known to no one. A seventh item exits, an Amulet which belongs to the Elder God of Shadow known as Shinnok, that binds the Kamidogu together. It is through this Amulet that the Elder Gods control the Kamidogu. It too, is hidden somewhere in existence. As long as these seven items remain hidden, The One Being will lay dormant for all eternity. The One Being may not be able to exist in a physical form, but it is nonetheless aware. Somehow it will seek a way destroy the Elder Gods and collapse our existence back into a singular consciousness. The Elder Gods have placed the fate of the universe in the hands of the mortals that reside in it. These ethereal, elemental forces have governed the universe since its creation. They do not rule the universe, they oversee and make laws in order to keep the forces in the universe balanced. The universe is filled with countless realms and all are free. In fact, all of the laws of the Elder Gods are regarding the mysterious tournament known as Mortal Kombat.

The Tournament

Where there are forms of life, there is conflict. War is inevitable. War between realms is no exception. The Elder Gods knew this to be true. They devised a method of warfare that would place the destinies of mortals in their own hands. The rules go like this - If one realm wishes to conquer another, they must challenge that realm to Mortal Kombat. If the opposing realm wins the tournament, the portals between the two realms would open, and the worlds would merge into one. It is only then that an all out war could be fought. There is a catch. The tournament is actually a series of tournaments, one held every 50 years. To open the portals, the opposing realm would have to win 10 in a row, which would take no less than 500 years. The reasoning behind this is that the Elder Gods expected that no realm would be able to win 10 in a row over and over again, thus peace would remain throughout the universe. But there was one determined emperor whom they underestimated. Every generation the chosen fighters from each realm are pitted against one another in hand to hand combat. In the case of Earth Vs. Outworld, the tournament is held on a neutral location between the realms, known as Shimura Island. Each match is a fight to the death, although granting mercy to one's opponent is accepted. The winner of the tournament is given the title Grand Champion, and receives the gift of immortality, that is, until the next tournament begins. Thus, one will remain ageless as long as they remain champion. Immortals are not allowed to participate in the tournament. Kombatants may use any skill they possess including magic or sorcery.

The Betrayal of Shinnok

There are seven Elder Gods. Six have unknown names. No one even knows what they look like or which elements they represent. The other is Shinnok, Elder God of Shadow. When the Earth was created, the young god of Thunder, Rayden, was appointed its protector. Earth is the most beautiful and powerful realm in all existence. The Elder God, Shinnok, wanted the realm for himself. He tried to take the world from Rayden. A great battle was fought. In the end, the Elder Gods banished Shinnok for his betrayal. He was sent to Netherrealm, the most evil of all realms in the universe, a literal Hell filled with demons, fire, and brimstone. He could not escape the Netherrealm, but he would not allow himself to suffer the fate of the damned. Shinnok killed the ruler of Netherrealm, Lucifer, and took the throne for himself. And for millions of millennia he was not heard from again.

Outworld

The realm of Outworld is a dark, arid wasteland. It was ruled by a foreboding creature named Onaga, known to most as the Dragon King. Onaga had under his command the greatest army the universe had ever known. In fact, it was known as the Undefeatable Army, a countless horde of warriors with unquestioned and unwavering loyalty to Onaga. Despite his great power, Onaga had little interest in conquering other worlds. He ruled Outworld with an iron fist, and was content with his domain. But Onaga's top aid and greatest ally would betray him. His name was Shao Kahn, a name that would soon come to strike terror in the hearts of all who heard it. In a surprise sneak attack, Kahn murdered Onaga, and took the throne of Outworld for himself. Onaga's undefeatable army instructed his priests to ritualistically mummify them, and place their bodies in Onaga's grand tomb, so they could serve him in the afterlife. The priests did so, and upon building the tomb that would house millions of soldiers, they made an incredible discovery. An egg. A dragon egg. The holy men knew this was a sign of Onaga's eventual return. They hid the egg in an underground chamber to incubate it until it hatched. They knew that when it did, the Dragon King would return. Having crowned himself emperor, Shao Kahn began to rule Outworld with his own brand of evil. Kahn is immortal, but not a god. However, he will not rest until he is. He has challenged countless realms to Mortal Kombat, and to the chagrin of the Elder Gods, he has won every time. Kahn's warriors seem to be invincible. With the merger of so many realms, Kahn's Outworld is immensely vast. Each realm contains an aura of energy, or power. With as much power as he has absorbed, Kahn is now a threat to the Elder Gods themselves. He needs only one more realm to give him enough power to destroy the Elder Gods, and rule the universe himself. The Elder Gods can do nothing, for Kahn has not broken any rules. He has set his sights on Earth, and the humans of that realm are all that stand between Kahn and total domination of the universe.

The Fall of Edenia

Thousands of years after Shinnok passed out of all knowledge, the reign of Shao Kahn began. It was 10,000 years ago when he conquered the realm of Edenia, a beautiful world not unlike the Earth. Edenia was a peaceful land ruled by the benevolent King Jarrod and Queen Sindel. After their warriors lost the tenth tournament, Kahn slaughtered them and adopted their newborn daughter, Kitana. This was by no means a display of affection, only a means of political manipulation. Over the years, Kahn laid waste to Edenia as it became part of the Outworld. Kahn waited until every ounce of power had been drained from the once beautiful world before he moved on to the realm of Earth.

Earth is Challenged

Kahn first challenged Earth to Mortal Kombat 1000 years ago. At that time, a young warrior named Shang Tsung was Earth's chosen one, the one destined to win the tournament and protect the Earth. Shang Tsung was a powerful warrior, and had limited knowledge of sorcery, which made him very formidable for a human. He was also an ambitious man, perhaps too ambitious. Shang felt that something was holding him back, that he could somehow be something more. He was not content with being the chosen one. Shao Kahn took notice of the young Shang Tsung, and watched him with great interest. He too could see that Shang was not living up to his full potential. Kahn approached Shang Tsung and offered to train him personally in the ways of the dark arts. Shang was seduced by the power he would come to learn, and eventually he pledged his allegiance to the evil emperor. Shang Tsung became the greatest sorcerer any realm had seen and Kahn appointed him High Priest of his Shadow Priests. Shang had achieved a great honor and a stature of tremendous importance in Outworld. He was nearly as revered as Kahn himself. Kahn also taught Shang Tsung the darkest of all powers, the ability to absorb a man's very soul. Taking a soul provides immense power within one's own soul. For every soul Shang Tsung enslaved, he became more and more powerful, and retained his youth, almost as if he had achieved immortality itself. The poor souls he absorbed would remain slaves within the evil sorcerer for eternity. During the initial tournament, Shang turned on his own realm and began fighting for the emperor. To no one's surprise, he won the tournament. An Outworld warrior was Grand Champion. One down, nine to go.

Earth's Savior

Five hundred years passed, and Shang Tsung won eight more tournaments in a row. The dark day arrived. The tenth tournament. It took five centuries but a new chosen one finally emerged. It came in the form of Kung Lao, a humble young monk from the Temple of the Order of Light in China. Rayden was determined to not let the Earth fall into Kahn's hands and had helped train Kung Lao all his life. The final battle between Kung Lao and Shang Tsung was nearly lost. But in a final moment of desperation, light prevailed, and in an amazing display of determination, Kung Lao sent the sorcerer to the floor. Shang was too weakened to stand. Disgusted, Shao Kahn spat on Shang Tsung and gave the command – "Finish him." But looking down on his opponent, Kung Lao could not vanquish the pitiful sight he saw before him. He granted Shang Tsung mercy, and with that, the tenth tournament was over. Earth had been saved.

Kahn's Wrath

To say the least, Kahn was not pleased. Shang Tsung was afraid Kahn would execute him for his failure. But the emperor was not that nice. Shang's punishment was to spend the rest of eternity slaving in the cobalt mines of Kuatan, a subterranean region of Outworld. Shang was sent underground to work side by side with the dregs of the universe. He vowed revenge against Kung Lao, and was forever scheming on a way out of the mines. Escape was impossible. He would have to be more clever. After many years, Shang met an individual that would be his salvation. The native inhabitants of Kuatan were a race of beings called the Shokans. The Shokans were human in form, but stood eight feet tall and had four arms instead of two. The Prince of the Shokans was a 1500 year old warrior named Goro. Shang knew that no human could possibly stand a chance against a behemoth like Goro in a fair fight. He convinced the prince to fight in the next tournament and that upon victory, Shao Kahn would no doubt grant him a place of importance within the ranks of Outworld. Shang Tsung was granted an audience with the emperor in which he explained his plan to conquer the Earth. Kahn was impressed with Shang's initiative and granted his freedom. Shang Tsung was assigned to host the tournament and was looking forward to seeing Goro in action.

A New Champion

When 50 years had passed, the next tournament began. Kung Lao had not aged a day and was ready to defend his title and his world once again. Kung Lao had no trouble defeating the Outworld warriors. As the final match was about to begin, Lao was first introduced to his new opponent. The Shokan brute towered over the human and Shang Tsung could not wipe the grin from his face. Kung Lao had never felt a fear like this before. The fight began, and at first Kung Lao could do nothing but dodge the blows of Goro's mighty fists. His arms were like tree trunks, but Kung Lao was determined. He managed to strike Goro here and there, but the prince seemed unaffected. The brutal fight lasted an astounding 2 weeks. After that much time, both warriors could barely stand. In a final display of brutality, Goro managed to pin Kung Lao against the wall and pummeled him with four flying fists of frightening fury. After which, Kung Lao's eyes were filled with blood and he could no longer see. When it was clear the fight had reached its end, Shang Tsung jumped to his feet and with great jubilance shouted the command, "Finish Him!" Goro literally ripped the heart from Kung Lao's chest, and the humble young monk fell to the ground. Goro raised his arms and roared with victory. Shang Tsung then took his prize. He sucked the warrior's soul from his lifeless body. Kung Lao joined the legions of prisoners within the sorcerer and Shang was filled with an incredible energy. He and Goro returned to Outworld in triumph. Goro was appointed general of Outworld's armies and Shang Tsung was reinstated as High Priest. Outworld was once again in control of the tournament.

An Ancient Evil

No one could understand how Kahn had become so powerful, or so ambitious. The truth is, Kahn was being driven by a force even he was not aware of. The One Being. That singular consciousness was using the Elder Gods' own rules against them. Working through Kahn, The One Being was slowly but surely merging all of the realms into one singular realm, converging the energies of the universe together. But this plan was not foolproof enough. The One Being realized that it needed a contingency plan in case Kahn failed to merge all of the realms. The answer was clear. There was one other way to gain ultimate power. It needed the Kamidogu to free itself and destroy the Elder Gods. The One Being would have to find them, and chose to do so through the manipulation of a mortal, a young boy from Earth named Shujinko. Shortly after Goro had won his ninth tournament, the young Shujinko dreamed of one day being a great warrior like the legendary hero, Kung Lao. The One Being appeared to Shujinko in a vision. It told the boy that he was Damashi, a messenger of the Elder Gods. Damashi explained that the Elders had a quest for Shujinko, if he were up to the challenge. Shujinko was enthusiastic about working to protect Earth, and believed Damashi's every word. Shujinko was sent on a lifelong quest, searching the realms for the Kamidogu. Damashi explained that the Elders would need these items in their battle against a coming evil. Shujinko was truly a victim of a horrible deception.

A New Hope

The tenth tournament arrived. Goro was unstoppable. Kahn's victory seemed inevitable. Rayden and the Elder Gods were quite nervous to say the least. But a new chosen one had finally appeared. It was none other than Kung Lao's descendent, Liu Kang. Kang was not like his ancestor, however. Although he had been trained his whole life to fight in the tournament, he believed it was nothing more than ancient tradition, a myth. Shortly before the tournament was to begin, he decided to leave the temple of light, and see the world, make a better life for himself in America. The monks pleaded with Liu to stay and represent the order of light in the tournament, but even Rayden himself could not convince him of what was at stake. It was Earth's worst enemy that finally got Liu's attention. As the chosen one, Liu Kang's soul was the most powerful in the realm, and Shang Tsung wanted it. Shang paid a visit to the temple and murdered Liu's brother, Chow. Liu vowed vengeance as Shang knew he would and entered the tournament. But it was the worst scenario. Liu's mind was clouded with vengeance, his conscience with guilt, and his soul with despair. Rayden warned that in his current state he could not defeat Shang Tsung and the Earth, the universe, was doomed. As the tournament began, Liu got a chance to see what he was up against. The Outworld warriors were formidable adversaries. Liu overcame challenge after challenge, and finally Goro himself fell. But the tournament would not be won that easily. As a mortal host, and former champion, Shang Tsung reserved the right to challenge the winner of the tournament himself. He would not return to Outworld in disgrace for a second time, for his fate could only be worse than before. Shang was sure his long years of wisdom and experience would overpower the chosen one. However, Liu's thirst for vengeance was now overshadowed by a more nobler driving force; that of vanquishing evil. Liu Kang defeated Shang Tsung. Before he could finish the sorcerer, however, Shang Tsung escaped through a portal to Outworld. It hardly mattered. The tournament was over. Outworld was once again foiled. Liu returned home in triumph, but the Earth was only to enjoy a brief moment of peace.

A Clever Diversion And An Unlikely Ally

When Liu Kang returned home, he found his Shaolin temple under attack by Kahn's army, an act of retribution. Rayden was convinced that the fight must be taken to Outworld. Liu Kang and his allies traveled to the dark realm to seek out the sorcerer and end this quarrel. However, this was all a wild goose chase. While the heroes were occupied in Outworld, Shang Tsung and Shao Kahn initiated a dastardly plot that would begin in the Earthrealm itself. The princess of Edenia, Kitana, was now 10,000 years old. Shao Kahn had placed a spell on her that made her believe she was the true daughter of the evil emperor. She unwillfully loved him as any daughter would her father, and she did his bidding without question. During the Earth warriors' quest in Outworld, Kitana was freed from this spell and joined the heroes in standing against Kahn. The spell that gave Kahn control over Kitana was just a precursor to the true plot, a test. And a successful one. For there was another that Kahn desired to control. And for an even more nefarious purpose.
The Rules Are Broken

Shao Kahn was tired of waiting. For 1000 years, domination of the universe was only one realm from his grasp. He would not wait another 500 years just to fail again. Kahn and Shang Tsung had devised a plan in case the worst had happened. After Shang had taken the soul of Kung Lao, he gained all of the monk's knowledge and secrets. One such secret was the location of a map, that led to an ancient temple which housed a mystical amulet. Shang had no use for the amulet, for he did not know its true power. But there was another who desired it. Quan Chi, a powerful sorcerer who resided in the Netherrealm, made a deal with Shang Tsung. In exchange for the location of the map, Quan Chi would resurrect Queen Sindel, under an evil spell that made her a loyal wife to Shao Kahn. She would not be revived in Outworld, however, but on Earth. This unholy act would open the portals between the two realms and allow Kahn to step through to reclaim his bride. Of course, he would bring his army with him, and Earth was not prepared. Within hours, Kahn's extermination squads had scoured the Earth and killed millions of innocent people. As the portals opened wider, the realms began to merge. Rayden went to the Elder Gods and demanded to know why they were allowing this to happen. They explained that this war was inevitable. Better to end it now, than stand on the edge of it for countless generations. Rayden would not stand by, however, and decided to fight side by side with the Earth warriors. Unfortunately, as a god of Earth, he could only exist in the combined realms as a mortal. He was stripped of his powers, and became human. However, Kahn would not go completely unpunished. For breaking the rules, he was stripped of his immortality. Rayden would not be the one to face Kahn in battle, however. Liu Kang was the chosen one. It was his destiny to fight Shao Kahn. The Elder Gods forced a final confrontation between Earth's champion, Liu Kang, and the now mortal emperor, Shao Kahn. They stated that the fate of the universe will be decided as they had originally intended once and for all – in Mortal Kombat. Liu and Kahn fought and the destiny of the universe would be revealed in moments. In the end, light extinguished the shadow, and Liu Kang defeated Shao Kahn. The realms were once again separated. As further punishment to Kahn, even Edenia was liberated from his rule, and returned to its original state. Kahn returned to Outworld in shame. The Earth was safe. Sindel and Kitana returned to rule Edenia, and there was finally peace. Yeah right.

The Return Of The Shadow

Quan Chi had used the map and acquired the amulet, but it was not for himself. He was serving none other than the Elder God, Shinnok. The amulet was not only a powerful weapon, but also a key to the portals. Shinnok would use it to easily escape the Netherrealm and resume his war on Earth. Liu Kang, Rayden, and their allies had barely recovered from the fight against Kahn when Shinnok attacked. The realm was once again devastated and millions more were slaughtered. This time, the Elder Gods were powerless against the mystical amulet. Shinnok sent his warriors to the Heavens to attack the Elder Gods themselves. With his amulet, Shinnok's warriors were practically invincible, even against the Elders. The universe was doomed, but betrayal between its foes became Earth's salvation. When Shinnok no longer needed the sorcerer, he intended to destroy Quan Chi, and not honor the deal of sharing power. Quan Chi, suspecting this, kept the true amulet for himself and gave Shinnok a decoy. Quan Chi was now invincible and Shinnok was at his mercy. The sorcerer destroyed the Elder God and was about to become ruler or the universe. First, he wanted to get rid of another thorn in his side. The warrior Scorpion had been fighting for Quan Chi, but later realized that the sorcerer was the one responsible for killing his family. Instead of bothering to fight, Quan Chi decided to send Scorpion to the Netherrealm. But at the moment he was being teleported, Scorpion tackled Quan Chi, and they both arrived in the hellish underworld. While there, the vengeance fueled Scorpion nearly killed Quan Chi, but with his amulet, he was able to escape through a portal to a long forgotten place in the Outworld. With the threat of evil seemingly out of the way, the Elder Gods granted Rayden the title of Elder God, and he joined them in the Heavens to aid in governing the universe.

A Deadly Alliance

Quan Chi found himself at the foot of an alter that described the resting place of the long dead Dragon King, the original ruler of Outworld, Onaga. The writings on the ancient rune stones revealed to Quan Chi the true power of the amulet. Also, he discovered the mummified remains of Onaga's undefeatable army. With such a force under his control, he could wage a war on the realms, claiming ultimate power for himself. But he could not do it alone. Millions of soldiers stood ready to fight, but were useless vessels. Without souls to occupy the bodies, the army was of no use to him. Quan Chi then sought out the one person who could help him. Someone with vast knowledge of soul manipulation. Shang Tsung. The two sorcerers struck a deal. Quan Chi revealed to Shang Tsung the location of the soulnado, the point where souls entered the Heavens. Whenever someone dies anywhere in the universe, their soul travels to the soulnado, where it is led to the afterlife. Here, Shang would have an endless supply of souls to retain his immortality for eternity. Also, he would use these souls to resurrect the mummified army. He would rip a soul from the soulnado and transport it into the body of one of the soldiers. The soldier would then spring to life, and the soul inside would become a slave to the sorcerers. It would take a great deal of time to resurrect every warrior, but eventually the task would be done. Quan Chi would then use the power of the amulet to control the army, and the two sorcerers would share the spoils of victory. In the meantime, they plotted to remove the only two beings who could stand in their way.

Fall Of The Titans

First, they traveled to Shao Kahn's palace. There, they bowed to Kahn in a false show of allegiance. Still recovering from his fight with Liu Kang, Kahn was weak. The sorcerers sprung a surprise attack and killed the emperor. Next, they traveled to Earthrealm, and to the Shaolin temples. It had been Shang Tsung's desire to get revenge on Liu Kang for defeating him in the tournament. Shang disguised himself as Liu's best friend, Kung Lao, and attacked. Liu Kang was caught off guard for only a moment. He was still more than a match for Shang Tsung. Alone, that is. Quan Chi soon entered the fight, however, and Liu could not take them both. He was defeated. Liu Kang was dead. Shang then took his soul, and the Earth echoed a sense of vulnerability it never had before experienced. The sorcerers returned to Outworld and continued rebuilding the army. Rayden gathered his allies together once again to lead them in battle against the deadly alliance. The undefeatable army proved to be just that. Rayden's warriors fought with great veracity, but were all of them defeated. In the end, only Rayden himself stood facing Quan Chi and Shang Tsung.


A Prophecy Fulfilled

During the Earth's battle against the deadly alliance, the great dragon egg that was hidden underground hatched, just as Onaga's holy men had prophesied. However, no physical being emerged from the egg. Instead there was only a blast of energy. An intense light shot from the egg and into the body of the warrior named Reptile. As the light entered him, his body was twisted and reshaped to that of a familiar image. Onaga had been reborn. With Kahn dead, The One Being now chose the Dragon King as its tool of destruction.

A Deception Revealed

After a quest of nearly fifty years, Shujinko had found all six of the Kamidogu. As he awaited Damashi's instructions of what to do next, the old man found himself face to face with Onaga. The Dragon King, possessed by The One Being, revealed his deception to Shujinko. He was delighted to explain how Shujinko would be single handedly responsible for the destruction of the universe. He took the Kamidogu from Shujinko and headed to Outworld. Only one item remained. The Amulet. Onaga knew that a fool sorcerer named Quan Chi was in possession of the amulet, ignorant of its ultimate power.

Full Circle

Rayden faced Shang Tsung and Quan Chi alone. With the amulet's power protecting them, even the Elder God was defeated. As Rayden lay beaten on the ground, Shang Tsung turned on Quan Chi. With Chi in control of the amulet, Shang knew his leverage in the partnership was waning. Soon, Quan Chi would no longer need him, and would inevitably betray him. The two sorcerers fought, and Quan Chi emerged the victor. But before any deathblows were dealt, Onaga appeared and demanded that Quan Chi hand over the amulet. Onaga knew the amulet's true power, and was thus the greatest threat to Earth and the deadly alliance. Shang Tsung and Rayden managed to get to their feet. Together with Quan Chi, they attacked Onaga with every ounce of force in their beings. But it proved to be futile. The three of them coupled with the amulet were no match for Onaga, for he possessed the Kamidogu. Rayden knew there was only one chance. In an instant, he released his godly essence in a blinding flash of lightning energy that decimated an entire region of Outworld. Shang Tsung and Quan Chi were killed in the blast. Onaga, however, survived the incident. On the charred ground before him lay the amulet. With all seven artifacts in his possession, he had the means to destroy the Elder Gods, and The One Being could once again emerge. Only one task remained. Onaga had no idea how to fuse the six Kamidogu and the Amulet into one singular ultimate Kamidogu. Until that was done, the singular consciousness would remain dormant. Rayden finally reemerged in the Heavens. He had to act quickly. It was only a matter of time before Onaga would learn how to fuse the Kamidogu. If that happened, all of existence would collapse in on itself, and The One Being would return.

TO BE KONTINUED........