Stolen Lies

It begins in a city where the priests are beginning to make a sacrifice to their God, Shakka. They are preparing for their holy week and are sacrificing a woman in his name as they prepare to welcome his return. At the temple, Kung Lao is meditating when he is haunted by visions of Earth realm’s annihilation.

That night at the trading post, a thief breaks in and is about to make off with some jewellery when Siro discovers her. Siro is holding her against the wall, as he is about to punish her, Taja walks in and recognises the thief as an old friend, Dion, from her life as a thief. At the tavern, Kung Lao discovers Raiden trying to get drunk with a beautiful lady sitting on his knees. Raiden warns Kung Lao of the impending danger with a crazed emperor seeking revenge and says that he is just getting a little R&R.

While Dion is stealing at the market, much to Taja’s disapproval, a masked warrior who is after what was stolen from his people attacks the trading post. The warrior is killed and upon removing his mask Siro and Kung Lao notices a skull tattoo on the warrior’s forehead. They begin to grow very suspicious of Dion. That night as Lao recovers from the fight, he receives another second vision depicting the annihilation of Earth Realm. Outside in the courtyard, Taja catches Dion studying the dagger that the warrior had been after and tells her the two are travelling to the city to return it. Dion protests but Taja says they are going and that’s that. Dion tells her that she will need help to get in, and so Kung Lao and Siro decide to accompany them.

Arriving at the entrance of the city, Shakka’s guard, a cat woman, attacks them and a fight begins in which Siro has his arms slashed by her claws. Maybe realising that these warriors are too much, the guard retreats allowing them to enter the city, however unknown to them once they enter the entrance is sealed.

Inside the city, Dion returns the dagger when a high priest appears and confronts them. He informs them that their presence was foretold and he explains to the warriors about their city and the God, Shakka, who is said to be coming back tonight. Walking around, Kung Lao watch as children are play fighting and overhears the winner telling the other child to give him his soul which frightens Lao. Upon seeing the shawl that Dion obtained from the city, everything seems to make sense. The six-armed centaur on the shawl is like the ones he has seen in his visions before, the skull on the warrior’s head, the children fighting; Shakka is Shao Kahn! Racing to the entrance, they see that it has closed over.

Returning to the city centre, they see the High Priest standing on an alter and placing a dagger in the skull’s mouth he turns it, opening a massive portal. Three shadow priests enter the realm asking if they are here? Dion stands up and says they are, revealing herself as a traitor before travelling through the portal to Outworld, as the Earth Warriors are placed in captivity. Later that evening Raiden realises that something is very wrong and teleports. As the shadow priests return that evening, a voice announces that the people’s salvation awaits; only one sacrifice remains.

The three priests merge into one and attack Kung Lao. Lao is no match and just as he is about to be killed, a bolt of lightning kills the priest. Sensing the danger, Dion wants to go to Outworld, so removing the dagger from the lock the priest stabs Dion and takes her body through the portal, thus keeping the portal open indefinitely. Raiden tells the Earth Warriors to run like hell before frightening off the Shakkans with a fury of lightning strikes. Walking over to the portal he calls out Kahn, and after Raiden unleashes a fury of lightning, Kahn appears and says Raiden will bow to him.

                   

In Kold Blood

Kreeya (guest star Fabiana Udenio) is back in Earth Realm and has partnered with Reptile (guest star Jon Valera) to raise an army.

A villager comes to the trading to post trying to sell Taja (series regular Kristanna Loken) something the likes of which he’s never seen–a comb from one of Kreeya’s (guest star Fabiana Udenio) hives. Taja, however, knows exactly what it is and calls to Kung Lao and Siro (series regulars Paolo Montalban and Daniel Bernhardt) with the news that Kreeya is back in Earth Realm, most likely to raise another army. All three know that they need to move fast, as Kreeya’s offspring only need days to incubate before being born as fully grown adults, ready for battle.

Kreeya was forced to reinfiltrate Earth Realm because Shao Kahn has made the destruction of her hives throughout Outworld a top priority, weakening her empire. When Kung Lao, Taja and Siro inform Rayden (series regular Jeffrey Meek) that Kreeya has returned, he warns them that she has probably aligned herself with another of Earth Realm’s enemies and they should be doubly careful.

Kung Lao, Taja and Siro set out to destroy the hives that Kreeya has established around Zhu Zin. During the outing, Siro is attacked by a warrior guarding one of the hives. The warrior turns out to be one of Reptile’s Zaterran fighters, thus solving the mystery of Kreeya’s new partner. It’s a brutal fight, with the Zaterran fighter nearly killing Siro, until he’s rescued by Kiri and Ankha (guest stars Sung Hi Lee and Tahitia Hicks), who were last seen fighting against the Earth Realm alongside the evil Noob Saibot. Kiri and Ankha are superior fighters and make short work of the Zaterran fighter.

After Kiri and Ankha save Siro’s life, they help him to the trading post, explaining along the way that their last encounter wasn’t personal, they’re just mercenary fighters and now the money’s on keeping Earth Realm safe. Kiri and Ankha explain to Kung Lao, Siro and Taja that they all share the common goal of keeping Kreeya from taking Earth Realm, however, their loyalty is to Shao Kahn, who more than anyone, wants to thwart Kreeya’s plans–again.

Reptile’s (guest star Jon Valera) association with Kreeya hasn’t been embraced by his key warriors, who feel Kreeya is using the Zaterran race as a pawn against Shao Kahn. When one of the Zaterran warriors turns against Reptile, pledging allegiance to Shao Kahn, Reptile kills him on the spot, thus quelling any further resistance from his troops.

With Siro out of the game, Kiri and Ankha agree to help Kung Lao and Taja search for hives and destroy them with bombs that they’ve made. Taja and Kung Lao find a hive and destroy it after killing the Zaterran who was guarding it.

The news of the two fallen warriors, in a fight that’s not even his own, sends Reptile into a rage. He tells Kreeya that her plan to have Kiri and Ankha divert the attention of Kung Lao, Taja and Siro is not working and now the lethal twosome must kill the Earth Realm warriors. Meanwhile, Siro, has discovered the double-cross and sets out to warn Kung Lao.

Kiri and Ankha have transformed themselves into Zaterran reptilian warriors in order to kill Kung Lao. Just as Kiri is about to unleash the trademark Reptilian deadly acid blast on Kung Lao, Siro knocks him out of the way and the acid spray kills Ankha. Kiri escapes into the night.

With her Earth Realm invasion yet again thwarted, Kreeya convinces Reptile to abandon his people and become her mate to raise countless armies of dark warriors to unleash against the forces of good.

                     

The Master

A mysterious Master comes to Zhu Zin to settle a old score with Shang Tsung and train new warriors with Kung Lao.

Shang Tsung (series regular Bruce Locke) has escaped to Earth Realm and is enjoying his freedom when he comes upon Master Cho (guest star George Kee Cheung)–the very Master Shang Tsung turned against many years ago to join forces with Shao Kahn. Master Cho has been waiting a very long time to settle the score with Shang Tsung, and in no time, physically beats him and then reverses his immortality, turning him into an ancient old man.

The Master leaves Shang Tsung to die and heads to the trading post to find Kung Lao (series regular Paolo Montalban) and begin training him for future Mortal Kombat matches. When Taja and Siro (series regulars Kristanna Loken and Daniel Bernhardt) see this old man wanting to join their ranks, they’re both skeptical and amused–until Master Cho demonstrates some moves that remove everyone’s doubts.

The Master reveals his history with Shang Tsung to Kung Lao. Long ago, Shang Tsung was a sorcerer being training to defend Earth Realm in Mortal Kombat. In his first match, Shang Tsung violated the rules of Mortal Kombat and was basically given the choice to join Shao Kahn’s dark force or die (Shao Kahn sensed the inherent evil in Shang Tsung and exploited it). Among the moves Shao Kahn taught Shang Tsung was how to take a victim’s soul to fuel one’s own immortality. What the Master leaves out of his story is that Shao Kahn has also touched him with the ‘curse’ of immortality and what it takes to maintain–the taking of others’ life force.

Meanwhile Shang Tsung has summoned Omegis (guest star Angelica Bridges) to bring her potions and reverse the Master’s aging spell. Omegis comes as beckoned, but only reverses the physical effects, returning Shang Tsung’s youthful looks, but leaving his body on the verge of death. Omegis, it turns out, was double-crossed years ago by Shang Tsung and sees this as her opportunity for payback. Many years ago, Omegis had helped Shang Tsung betray Master Cho, with the understanding that they would partner for eternity in Outworld. Instead, Omegis was cursed to immortality by Master Cho and left behind in Earth Realm by Shang Tsung.

Concurrent with Master Cho’s arrival, a flu-like epidemic sweeps through Zhu Zin. The illness is revealed to be the work of Master Cho, who, to stay alive, must take a bit of life force from the mortals around him–not enough to kill them, but enough to make them physically ill. When Kung Lao learns of this (and after Master Cho has tapped Taja), he is repulsed and throws the Master out of the trading post.

Finally, Omegis agrees to once again help Shang Tsung if he promises to remove Master Cho’s curse and make her mortal again. Shang Tsung agrees, and Omegis reverses Master Cho’s curse. Presently, Master Cho arrives on the scene and thanks Omegis for falling into his trap of aiding Shang Tsung–now the two who betrayed him are together and he shall finish them off once and for all. In the ensuing melee, however, Master Cho is beaten by his former students, who then seal his not-dead body in a cave to perish.

Her end of the bargain fulfilled, Omegis seeks her mortality from Shang Tsung. As he did many years earlier, Shang Tsung laughs at Omegis, telling her he can’t reverse the Master’s curse and then leaves her. Not one to be fooled twice, Omegis returns to the cave and unbeknownst to Shang Tsung, frees Master Cho–now she will have the last laugh.

                   

Kreeya

She-warrior Kreeya plans to conquer Earth Realm and wage battle with Shao Kahn.

Shang Tsung (series regular Bruce Locke) is brutally attacked in the Cobalt Mines by three female warriors. Just as he’s about beaten, Vorpax (series regular Tracy Douglas) appears, but instead of helping him, she delivers the blow that levels him. Shang Tsung is spirited from the Cobalt Mines and taken to Earth Realm as a prisoner.

Vorpax and the warriors, it turns out, are subjects of Empress Kreeya (guest star Fabiana Undenio), a woman warrior determined to topple Shao Kahn’s empire. Like Shao Kahn, Kreeya has been amassing her universe realm by realm, growing stronger with each conquest. Now she has her sights set on Outworld–thus the invasion of the Cobalt Mines.

Kreeya has settled on the neutral, and therefore relatively safe, Earth Realm as the place where she will raise her army to defeat Shao Kahn.

Meanwhile, Rayden (series regular Jeffrey Meek) warns Kung Lao, Taja and Siro (series regulars Paolo Montalban, Kristanna Loken and Daniel Bernhardt) that something is amiss in their realm. He can’t quite name it, but something is definitely not right.

Presently, that something arrives at the trading post in the form of Vorpax and two of Kreeya’s warriors. Vorpax invites Kung Lao, Taja and Siro to meet with Kreeya and hear her plans to bring peace to all realms through the destruction of Shao Kahn–the three are even asked to join Kreeya’s armies. Taja and Siro are intrigued by the invitation and meet with Kreeya; Kung Lao is skeptical and stays behind. In an effort to woo Kung Lao, Kreeya shows up at the trading post with Shang Tsung in chains.

Kreeya tells Kung Lao of her people and their quest. She goes on to tell him that her people are a powerful race and when they breed with others, their traits prevail–eventually erasing all traits other than their own. Kreeya proclaims this is all in the name of peace and harmony, however Kung Lao sees it more as the conquering and vanquishing of entire races and realms.

Reluctantly, Kung Lao goes to Kreeya’s compound to learn more of Kreeya and her people. Simultaneously in Outworld, the Shadow Priests have brought Shao Kahn news of Kreeya and her impending attack. Shao Kahn now declares war on Kreeya–even though she is on Earth Realm, which is technically off limits to him. Shao Kahn will deal with the Elder Gods once he’s dealt with Kreeya.

At Kreeya’s encampment, Kung Lao learns much more about Kreeya and her ways than he planned. He discovers a ‘hive’ filled with thousands of incubating female warriors who will grow to adulthood in a matter of weeks–all spawned by Kreeya! When he confronts Kreeya, he and the others are given a choice: join them or perish. When they refuse, they are taken prisoner with Kung Lao being put in the cage where Shang Tsung is being kept. Kreeya, it appears, plans to ‘mate’ with each of them to create new legions of super warriors.

Kung Lao, realizing the desperation of their situation, goads Shang Tsung into a fight. Once Shang Tsung strikes Kung Lao, Rayden appears–the rules of Mortal Kombat have been violated and he can now intervene. Rayden frees Kung Lao and Shang Tsung and, ironically, the mortal enemies must fight together to stop Kreeya and save the Earth Realm from her invasion. The two are successful in destroying Kreeya’s compound and the hive, but disturbingly, when the dust settles, Shang Tsung, Kreeya and Vorpax have all gone missing in the Earth Realm. Back in Outworld, Shao Kahn has discovered that Kreeya deposited thousands and thousands of hives on her visit and his kingdom is about to be attacked by hordes of her warriors.

                   

The Festival of Death

A traveling festival visits Zhu Zin, secretly raising an army of undead warriors.

Kung Lao (series regular Paolo Montalban) has taken a friend from his past, Lori (guest star Brooke Burns) on as a martial arts student. Although Lori’s enthusiastic and hardworking, Kung Lao and Siro (series regular Daniel Bernhardt) doubt her abilities as a fighter. Lori, on the other hand, is overly confident about her ability and wants nothing more than to fight.

One day, a traveling circus of sorts arrives in Zhu Zin with the fighter Qali (guest star Roshumba Williams) as its ringleader. On the surface it appears to be just another carnival with acrobats, jugglers and costumed characters, but as Kung Lao, Taja (series regular Kristanna Loken) and Siro know, where Qali’s involved, trouble is sure to be close at hand. (The last time Qali was in Earth Realm, she betrayed Princess Kitana on behalf of Shao Kahn.)

Taja and Siro warn Qali that they’re watching her and will not tolerate any trouble. Qali claims that the festival allows her to make a living since being shunned by both Kitana and Shao Kahn–which is only partially true. She has been shunned, but the festival isn’t a living, it’s actually a means for Quan Chi to collect humans to raise an army of undead warriors!

Each night, the festival holds secret fighting contests in which the villagers compete for a chance to win money. At the end of the night, the strongest villager (and thus, the best candidate for Quan Chi’s army) faces the assassin Mika (guest star Jamie Pressly), whose stunning beauty belies her deadly skill. Once Mika has beaten the villager, Qali releases one of Quan Chi’s undead souls to take over the body.

Shang Tsung (series regular Bruce Locke) is concerned that Quan Chi is raising an army as a way to strengthen his alliance with Shao Kahn. If Shao Kahn begins to look favorably at Quan Chi, then he’ll have no use for Shang Tsung, when and if he is ever freed from the Cobalt Mines. Shang Tsung knows he must put a stop to Quan Chi and dispatches Vorpax (series regular Tracy Douglas) to Earth Realm to investigate.

Vorpax reports back to Shang Tsung and the two devise a plan. If they can get Kung Lao to fight at the festival and he is beaten, then Qali would unleash a soul to take over his body. If Shang Tsung could control the soul that’s put into Kung Lao’s body, then his value to Shao Kahn is restored.

Shang Tsung needs Qali to help him carry out his plan, so he tells her that once he’s back at Shao Kahn’s side, she will benefit–perhaps even getting Princess Kitana’s throne. She agrees to have Shang Tsung’s fighter face Kung Lao and will make the soul transference as instructed. Getting Kung Lao to fight, however, is another thing.

Lori has heard about the fighting contests and thinks she’s got what it takes. Determined to fight, Lori sneaks out to the contest. Once there, she’s taken in by Qali, who is using her as bait to get Kung Lao to the fights. It works.

When Kung Lao agrees to fight in Lori’s place, Qali presents Shang Tsung’s fighter–a giant of a man who looks as if he’ll crush Kung Lao. It’s a fierce battle, but Kung Lao manages to get the upper hand. As Kung Lao delivers the final crushing blow, the giant falls to ground knocking over the chest containing the undead souls of Quan Chi and creating a firestorm of unworldly pandemonium. Kung Lao, Taja and Siro literally run for their lives, leaving Lori behind–for she’s already joined Quan Chi’s dark legions.