Vision; this time of Smoke turning into a cyborg.

RAIDEN: They must not take him.

He charges up a lightning strike and fires it at the cyborgs. The lightning

shocks all of the cyborgs at once, stopping them from restraining Smoke.

Sektor gets back to his feet and, noting the disadvantage he's now at,

activates his stealth camouflage and disappears. The remaining cyborgs, all

shorted out by the electricity, collapse on the ground, leaving only Smoke

standing. As he sees Johnny Cage and Raiden approach him, Smoke crosses

himself and kneels in front of Raiden.

SMOKE: Thank you, Lord Raiden. I am called Smoke.

He stands up.

SMOKE: Why are you here in Outworld?

RAIDEN: To participate in a tournament to save Earthrealm. Join us, Smoke.

SMOKE: Forgive me, but if Sektor was searching for me, he is hunting Sub-Zero

as well.

JOHNNY CAGE: Sub-Zero? Call me crazy with a K... but didn't we see him die?

SMOKE: The Grand Master intends to turn every Lin Kuei into a cyborg. My

friend is in danger.

RAIDEN: The tournament. I have a feeling your friend will be there.

SMOKE: Then let us go. Sub-Zero's soul depends on it.

------------------------

(3K) CHAPTER 8: SUB-ZERO

------------------------

The scene cuts away to the Soul Chamber. Sub-Zero is busy practicing his

freezing powers - on an unseen victim (although, at least on the PS3

edition of this game, the victim is Kratos).

SUB-ZERO: A pity you could not have cooperated.

As he finishes, a cyborg in yellow deactivates his stealth camoflauge and

approaches him.

CYRAX: You are ordered to return to the Lin Kuei temple for assimilation.

SUB-ZERO: Cyrax!

CYRAX: I am Lin Kuei Unit L-K-4-D-4. You will come with me.

SUB-ZERO: I am sorry for what they did to you, but I will not comply.

They fight. Although unprepared for an attack from a cyborg, Sub-Zero's

control over ice and his fighting skill allow him to take it to Cyrax. After

a brutal fight, Sub-Zero emerges victorious.

SUB-ZERO: I will face the Lin Kuei when my task is done, not before.

Defeated, Cyrax teleports away, just as Jax and Sonya enter the chamber.

SONYA: The readings were getting stronger and now they're gone. I--

They both pause as they spot the ninja.

SONYA: Sub-Zero?! But... you're dead!

SUB-ZERO: I am not the Sub-Zero you speak of. He was my brother.

SONYA: Your... brother?

SUB-ZERO: I'm only here to learn Sub-Zero's fate.

Sonya and Jax look at each other for a moment, and then Jax nods his

approval.

SONYA: He was killed by someone named Scorpion.

SUB-ZERO: Where would I find him?

SONYA: Try the Coliseum. That's where--

Before she can continue, a strong vibration eminates from the Soul Chamber

Itself. A wave of souls float out and around the area.

ERMAC: You have disturbed our regeneration process.

The red garbed ninja appears in front of them.

JAX: Ermac!

He strides over to Ermac and grabs him by the throat.

JAX: Gotcha!

He tries to throw a punch, but Ermac stops it by raising his glowing

telekenetic hand. He then uses the other glowing hand to telekenetically

remove Jax's choke-hold. Jax is unable to stop his arms from being moved

out to his side. Jax's arms then start vibrating with green energy and he

begins screaming in terror. Ermac then brutally explodes Jax's arms into

bloody pieces via his telekenesis and shoves him to the ground.

SONYA: Jax!

Acting quickly, Sonya cauterizes the bloody stumps that are Jax's arms with

her wave energy blasts.

SONYA: Stay with me, Jax!

With Jax writhing on the ground and Sonya tending over him, Ermac faces down

Sub-Zero.

ERMAC: We will break you as well.

SUB-ZERO: Not if I break you first.

They fight. Ermac's telekenesis finds an equal match in Sub-Zero's freezing

process, resulting in a brutal display of magic and sorcery. But in the end,

Sub-Zero prevails against Shao Kahn's enforcer.

SUB-ZERO: I remain whole, for now.

By now, Jax has fallen unconscious from the blood loss and pain.

SONYA: Sonya Blade to Command. Sonya Blade to Command. Do you read? Sonya

Blade to Command. Do you read?

SUB-ZERO: You have stopped the bleeding.

SONYA: Yeah, but he needs a medic as soon as possible.

SUB-ZERO: I must go to the Coliseum.

SONYA: But I need your help to get him t--

SUB-ZERO: There is a portal to the south. You can use it to transport

yourselves back to Earthrealm.

He walks off, leaving Sonya by herself.

SONYA: Motherf... That portal better be close...

She picks up Jax's motionless form and carries him off.

The scene cuts to the Coliseum. Kitana is fighting a Shaolin monk, with Shao

Kahn and all of his subordinates watching. Sub-Zero arrives just in time to

see Kitana knock the monk to the ground. She readies her bladed fan for the

killing blow, but hesistates.

MONK: I have failed. I deserve death.

Her earlier words to Liu Kang echo in her mind.

KITANA: I have failed my father. You must kill me.

Back in real time, Shao Kahn calls out to his daughter.

SHAO KAHN: Kill him!

She looks over to her father. He growls impatiently and blasts the monk with

a burst of green magic.

SHAO KAHN: Kitana! You will join me.

She takes her place at Kahn's side as a Tarkatan carries away the monk's

charred body. Sub-Zero walks up to the throne.

SUB-ZERO: Shao Kahn! I challenge Scorpion, the murderer of my brother! You

will bring him before me!

SHANG TSUNG: No one makes demands of the emperor! Reptile!

The Zaterrean assassin faces Sub-Zero and assumes a fighting stance. He

growls expectantly.

They fight. Even with his reptillian speed and special abilities, Reptile is

no match for the skill and powers of Sub-Zero. The Lin Kuei soon has the

Outworld servant defeated on the floor.

SUB-ZERO: I would kill you, but that is not my purpose here.

Reptile rolls away as Sub-Zero turns to face Shao Kahn again.

SUB-ZERO: Your followers hold you in high esteem, warlord. They fight and

die for your amusement. My brother participated in this folly. I do so only

to face his killer!

SHAO KAHN: And you shall.

Quan Chi clenches a fist that glows with green energy. A moment later,

Scorpion appears in a flash of hellfire.

SCORPION: What is this? You are not Sub-Zero.

SUB-ZERO: I am his family and clan. I fight for his honour.

SCORPION: He had no honour! And you will die as he did!

They fight. The battle is even more visceral and bloody than when the elder

Sub-Zero fought Scorpion. Unprepared for the increased power of the younger's

ice attacks, the hellspawn specter finds himself at the disadvantage and

Sub-Zero mericilessly presses the attack. After a hard fought battle,

Sub-Zero finally knocks Scorpion to the floor.

SUB-ZERO: For my brother!

As Sub-Zero prepares to finish Scorpion, several Lin Kuei cyborgs teleport

into the Coliseum and surround him.

SUB-ZERO: No! You--

The cyborgs restrain him with their pulse charges. Scorpion takes the

opportunity to teleport away. Cyrax and Sektor teleport in and approach Shao

Kahn's throne.

SHANG TSUNG: Who now interrupts the emperor's tournament?

Raiden, Smoke and Johnny Cage walk into the Coliseum.

SMOKE: Sub-Zero?! No!

Raiden holds him back.

RAIDEN: You cannot save him! Stay here or they will take you as well.

Sektor and Cyrax are now bowing before Shao Kahn.

SEKTOR: We request that we may return him to our temple for judgment.

SHAO KAHN: And what do I gain from granting this bold request?

CYRAX: The Lin Kuei's loyalty and service.

SHAO KAHN: Very well. He is yours.

Cyrax and Sektor bow once more before Kahn.

RAIDEN: The flow of time has been changed. I spared Smoke this fate, only

to watch this new Sub-Zero fall.

The cyborg ninjas approach the restrained Sub-Zero.

SUB-ZERO: No! I will not be turned!

They all activate their stealth camouflage and leave the area.

SHAO KAHN: Kitana!

Kitana faces him.

SHAO KAHN: How is it that Earthrealm ninjas brazenly appear before me when

my daughter, Princess of Outworld, was sent to intercept them?

KITANA: Father, I--

SHAO KAHN: Begone!

Disheartened, she leaves the Coliseum.

SHAO KAHN: (To Shang Tsung) Continue.

RAIDEN: Kitana's faith is a slender reed, bent before the storm. If it can be

uprooted altogether...

He walks off after her.

JOHNNY CAGE: Sure. Let's go ruin someone else's life.

He follows. Smoke, noticably upset by the loss of his friend, joins them a

few moments later.

----------------------

(3L) CHAPTER 9: KITANA

----------------------

Back in the Wastelands, Kitana and Jade are conversing.

KITANA: Is this how you show your loyalty, Jade?

JADE: Kitana, I--

KITANA: You follow me when I clearly wish to be alone, then you upbraid me?