Chapter Text
The calm breeze of the newly arrived night passed over Shang Tsung's body, a few drops of rain falling on his face as his vision reflected in his hand mirror. He didn't deserve this. No, he didn't deserve it. Of course, he wasn't a hypocrite; he knew he wasn't the best person in the world, but for his attempts, he didn't deserve such contempt. After all, he was just a man who owned nothing.
His sad, decaying reflection in the mirror, his kindly old man makeup, no longer fooled people. He deserved better.
"It's sad when the few of your kind have their lives scorned by their marks." A voice echoed through the cold forest, a hooded figure appearing before him. "You could live in a world surrounded by all kinds of wealth, with all kinds of lackeys. But..." The figure laughed mockingly. Shang Tsung grimaced in confusion. "Here you are, scorned by the multitude of civilians who didn't fall for your charms."
"Who are you?" The question came out of his mouth almost like a tired whisper. "If it's revenge you want, go ahead. If it's restitution, there's nothing left."
"My wish is to make you better. Greater. And the most powerful. You are the piece we've been waiting for so long. Our very own Marked One." The figure moved closer, and he could see the man in front of him in more detail, a slender, tall man with black hair and several inscriptions on his neck.
Shang Tsung felt the sweet taste of hope in his heart, but it was suspicious. What could he have to offer?
"Do you want to help me? Why?" There was sincerity in his question, for what could possibly be special about him? Marked?
The figure laughed again, a laugh that sounded slightly insane. "Be our Marked One. And we will do anything for you."
Shang Tsung knew this offer was far too generous, but his heart filled with blind trust. It was true; it had to be true.
Even with a pang in the back of his head telling him not to go through with whatever deal the man had offered him, he was already tempted to follow it anyway.
"What's a 'marked'?" he asked, his head held high and a proud smile on his face.
"Huhuhu..." the man laughed, extending his hand to Shang Tsung.
**
The sun begins to set in quiet, rural Fengjian, a small village surrounded by mountains in the Chinese countryside. The calm place with its small, rustic buildings may not be the most prosperous, but it certainly has a close-knit atmosphere. The comfort emanating from the simple wooden houses, the warm rays of sunlight, and the ordinary crops bring this unique feeling, the familiar feeling of home. A light wind carries the various scents of the place, like earth, wheat, Raiden's body sweat, and...
"Ah..." A deep sigh escapes Kung Lao. He knows he shouldn't complain, but the peaceful country life leaves him without hope of a more interesting life. Where are the great fights? Where are the great creatures from Madam Bo's stories? For God's sake, where are the women?!
Raiden rolls his eyes, not waiting for the torrent of complaints to come from Kung Lao's mouth. "You have to see the bright side of our lives, you know?"
"I didn't even say anything."
"I know you thought."
"Look, this isn't life, we don't have the main part!" he said, putting down his hoe for a moment, adjusting his large hat on his head, and wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead.
"What would it be?" the quieter one asked, not particularly interested in the answer.
"FUN!" he exclaimed. "We need action, a fight!" He clenched his hand into a fist, lightly punching the other's shoulder. "Or our lives will end like old Wei's." He said the last part in a lower tone, which wasn't entirely necessary; they both knew old Wei didn't have good hearing.
"A fight, huh? You can't even fill the cart faster than me." He said with a laugh. It was a far from discreet invitation, but it seemed to be what Kung Lao needed at the moment: a challenge.
"HA! You're not even faster than me in your dreams." His previously depressed gaze now began to shine with the challenge ahead. "Whoever loses pays for OUR dinner at Madam Bo's." Lao snapped his fingers, preparing to grab his sickle and begin harvesting his cabbages.
The following minutes were filled with relentless effort in a bet that was more serious than it seemed. Raiden and Lao had been vying for a special spot as Madam Bo's best pupil their entire lives; small challenges like this lit a glow of recognition in their hearts.
When the sun had completely set, they had both finished their carts, and this time Lao had emerged victorious, with a mischievous smile Raiden already knew. All his money would be gone.
They entered the door of Madam Bo's simple but cozy restaurant, the varied aromas wafting from the kitchen caressing their nostrils. That place would be forever etched in their hearts, along with the fond memories of their childhoods, when they would help the old lady who took them in as children wait tables, compete among themselves to deliver the most dishes, and at the end of the day, they would have the chance to eat the leftovers while Madam Bo told horror stories about evil creatures that crossed the membrane of reality.
Madam Bo had many stories, from blood zombies to other beings with disgusting characteristics. Lao believed in his mind that all these stories were real, that Madam Bo never lied. Raiden knew that was impossible.
One of her stories told of a secret organization, operating since before modern countries acquired their names. The Order, an organization created to defend our side from the other side.
A side without rules, obscure, and that operates illogically. These stories somehow shaped his mind, he always grew up with a great sense of protection in his chest, he might never have believed such stories, but if he did, he would fight for his land, for his side.
"Don't look now," Lao spoke softly near Raiden's ear, waking him from his thoughts. "But I think we're going to be kidnapped."
The words took a while to sink into Raiden's mind.
"What?" Raiden looked in the direction Lao was looking. There was a man sitting at a table with a hood over his head. Of course, it's not often you see a guy alone at a table with a brown hood hiding his face, but that didn't mean it was a kidnapper. Raiden rolled his eyes intensely. Madam Bo's fables had done a little damage to Lao's brain, smooth as a chicken breast. The boy had a huge imagination, incapable of paying attention to life as it is and instead creating his own theories of what might or might not happen. "Stop it, it's just a guy."
"I swear I saw him looking at us," he whispered even more softly, with what sounded like genuine fear in his voice. "His eyes shone."
"You're crazy." Even though he couldn't believe the ridiculous story Lao was telling, his own voice dropped lower as he spoke. "And even if he was..." He swallowed, realizing this was truly strange. "We.. we have nothing. What would he get from us?" He tried to sound logical and sarcastic, which at the moment was a failure; his voice betrayed him, and he stuttered.
"Organs, Raiden! People steal organs." The other spoke as if it were obvious. They both turned to look at the hooded figure again, their impressionable young minds losing all logic, but as they did so, the stranger was no longer there. "DAMN! We lost sight of him."
They finally reached their usual table. It was located on the second floor of the wooden building.
Raiden chuckled to himself, unable to believe he'd fallen for his delusional brother's idiotic ideas. Even though his heart was beating faster.
"What's with your faces, boys?" Madam Bo said excitedly, a strange glow twinkling in her eyes. “Did you see a ghost?” Her eyes widened, a playful smile playing on her lips.
“Don’t even joke! I’m sure Death came for us,” Lao said, exasperated, one hand dramatically on his chest. It was a joke, just to get Madam Bo’s attention.
Madam Bo laughed.
“You know that Death is much bigger than anyone here in this establishment. I’ve faced it face to face myself.” The older woman always spoke with great confidence. “How do you think I got so old?” She paused briefly, before her amused expression completely changing into a serious one. “I hope you're practicing the martial arts I taught you.”
“We try, Madam Bo, but the work takes a lot of time,” Lao replied, hoping the answer would please the old woman’s ears.
“Ever since you learned to speak, Kung Lao, you’ve only known how to make up lies.” The old woman said, lightly tapping the younger man on the head.
"He's an idiot," Raiden said.
"An idiot who's more skilled than you, it's your turn to pay," Lao said, laughing broadly.
Just as quickly, everyone forgot about the strange incident, and the evening continued, with the best meal of their lives. Madam Bo was stuffing them both with so much food it felt like they were going straight to war.
After a full dinner, complete with each man's favorite food and plenty of nutritious vegetables, the evening ended with a large dessert that left them both full and inspired. It was the best dinner of their lives.
The mood became mellow again, but not for long. While Raiden teased Lao, saying, "He ate like a buffalo," a strange commotion began in the center of Madam Bo's now-empty hall. A strange man, whom neither of the two young men had seen passing through their village before, was speaking loudly to Madam Bo.
"Madam Bo, we have business to discuss," said the man wearing a gray smoke mask and white hair. He had a large build, intensely muscular arms, and a karambit was visible on a belt at his waist; the boys recognized the weapon from one of their elderly mentor's training sessions. The tone of the conversation seemed threatening. "The Lin Kuei await your answer."
"I have nothing to discuss with you, Smoke," said Madam Bo simply, turning her back and beginning to gather the dirty dishes left on abandoned tables.
"I don't think so," said the man in a menacing voice. "Either you pay for our protection, or we will have to destroy this place." Raiden and Lao's eyes widened at the words. The fact that this Smoke had threatened Madam Bo so simply and directly was disgusting; they didn't move, however, paralyzed by the situation. Smoke's gaze fell on the two boys for a moment, but briefly, then returned his attention to the woman in front of him.
"I'm not paying you anything!" Madam Bo said, her eyes fixed on her opponent, as she dropped the plates onto a random table. That's how it begins.
"It's... really a shame that this is your decision." Before he could finish his sentence, Madam Bo advanced on her now-adversary. The first attack was a punch with her right arm, easily dodged by the larger man. Smoke defended himself with one arm and, with the other, pushed Mrs. Bo's head against a guardrail connecting with the stairs to the second floor. Madam Bo was thrown from the second floor to the first, landing on a wooden table that shattered under her weight. Madam Bo was unconscious.
The boys instinctively stood up. Lao clenched his hands into fists, rushing to defend Madam Bo. He tried to punch Smoke, again easily dodged by the white-haired man.
"This isn't your fight, you can go," he had the audacity to say, as if Lao or Raiden would give up so easily.
"I would never leave Madam Bo alone," he said before throwing his leg at the man with all his strength. Raiden was ambushed by four men in black clothes and masks, but Lao's focus was on defending Madam Bo's honor and establishment.
Smoke drew his karambit, the knife spinning deftly between his fingers. He got into an attacking stance and advanced on Lao, landing two punches with the knife in his hand, not cutting with the blade but wounding like brass knuckles. Lao took two steps back, feeling a bit of blood trickle from his mouth, which only infuriated him further. Lao knew Raiden thought he was stupid for believing Lady Bo's stories, but those stories gave him strength and courage. He knew that if normal people could fight paranormal creatures twice their size using only technique and knowledge, he could certainly take down a man stronger than himself.
Determination flared in Lao's chest. With the help of good old-fashioned adrenaline and the impetus of fury, he threw various punches aimed at Smoke's face, forcing him to defend himself with both hands. Once he did, he took advantage of the distraction and landed a solid kick to the back of Smoke's neck. This knocked him off balance.
Lao grabbed the back of his neck and forcefully kneed his opponent in the stomach, making him widen his eyes. Smoke staggered back and landed on one knee, breathing heavily.
"HA! Is that the technique you use to threaten Madam Bo?" His laughter echoed through the room. Lao stroked his right hand, thinking that he should have heeded his mentor's advice and always wear hand wraps. His brief moment of victory was interrupted by a massive punch, this time from his right side.
This time, his head froze for a few seconds, a sharp pain shooting down his spine like a shock as a kick landed on his back.
Raiden, for his part, had managed to handle the four men well, but now a larger opponent was fighting him. A man wearing a mask and the same outfit as Smoke, but yellow. Also notable was the large scorpion tattoo on his left arm. He threw fast, powerful punches, which Raiden managed to dodge in some way even he couldn't understand. The real problem was a chain with a kunai on the end. It caught him off guard and grazed his left rib, throwing him off guard. The other opted to land a left punch that nearly sent him flying in the same direction as Madam Bo.
Both boys were now prostrate, breathing heavily. Lao looked up to meet his opponent's, finding himself face to face with a man even larger than Smoke, wearing the same robes, but blue.
"You're no match for the Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei." The deep, intense voice of the man in blue echoed through the hall, his heavy footsteps shaking the wood beneath their bodies.
Raiden took a deep breath. Had he trained his whole life to be defeated in his first real fight?
No.
Even with his ribs bleeding, he forced himself to stand and charge at the man in yellow again, grabbing him and throwing both of them to the ground, the two rolling around, looking for a chance to strike back.
"Kung Lao! Get up!" he exclaimed through gritted teeth. "We won't let Madam Bo down!" His scream was cut off by a punch to the left side of his face. He retaliated with a hard headbutt to the nameless man's nose. Raiden stood up, grabbed the thick arms with all his strength, and forced his legs off the ground, throwing the yellow man's body from the second floor to the first with a powerful thrust.
The quick movement momentarily distracted the blue warrior. Lao, in turn, repeated his brother's movement, jumping at the muscular body. However, he couldn't knock him to the ground, only pushing him away and destabilizing him.
For some reason, his first impulse, with the distance he'd created, was to throw his hat at the body of the large man in front of him. Obviously, it did nothing.
Lao looked disappointedly at his own hat on the ground, crumpled and defeated. He shrugged with a slight smile, staring at his opponent's irritated expression. Lao definitely knew how to be irritating. He quickly remembered that weeks before, he had personally purchased an object that would serve as decoration for Madam Bo's establishment. Everyone had judged it to be something nondescript, but he knew it would be useful.
He grabbed the object, which could only be described as a small, incredibly sharp, circular sickle, hanging on the wall on the right side of his body and threw it at the man, who had no name at that point. The object was supposed to hit his chest, but with a quick movement, he dodged it, but not enough to avoid being hit. The object cut his arm, blood gushing from the wound. The man, now completely irritated with Lao, exhaled deeply before sprinting toward him.
"I'm tired of your incompetence!" he shouted in his direction. He attempted to land an extremely heavy punch to his face. Lao dodged it with force and speed, delivering a less powerful but precise punch to his face.
The man threatened to elbow him in the chest, which Lao again parried, spinning around and delivering a strong kick to the man's left ear with the back of his shoe. Even with the exorbitant force Lao put into his kick, the man didn't fall to the ground. They were both surprised by a flying kick from Raiden, which hit the man's shoulder, forcing him back again. Then the two boys closed in and began throwing various punches at their opponent, who managed to dodge many of these punches, but not all.
Lao grabbed his arm, opening it and elbowing him in the chest. For a moment, the larger man gasped for air. Raiden then finished him off with a kick to the back of his right leg, sending the man to the ground.
Both boys were ecstatic with the experience. Raiden's hand returned to his rib, pressing the wound, and Lao turned back and grabbed his hat. He looked at it, looked at the round scythe, and something in his head clicked. He had an idea.
But not now.
"Madam Bo!" Raiden shouted, running for the stairs, descending them quickly with Kung Lao close behind. It was strange; they were just young boys. Taking down all those men seemed... too easy. They both reached the unconscious woman on the ground. Raiden placed his hand in front of her nose and mouth, waiting for her to breathe. "I can't feel anything."
"Oh my god! Is she..."
"Dead? Not for a long time yet," Madam Bo said with an unreadable smile on her face. She stood up and took something out of her pocket. A pack of cigarettes, selected one, and quickly lit it with a lighter.
"But wha... I thought..." Raiden began but couldn't finish his thought.
"Look!" Lao proclaimed, pointing to the hooded figure from before descending the stairs. Raiden could see with his own eyes that Lao hadn't lied before; the man really did have eyes glowing beneath his hood.
Raiden was apprehensive, but the fact that Madam Bo seemed so relaxed made him conflicted. What was going on?
"Are they ready, Madam Bo?" the mysterious man asked. His voice was commanding.
"Yes, they're a bit dumb, but I did what I could." Madam Bo smiled at the man, a wide, warm smile.
The man removed his hood. Underneath the hood was a man in his 40s, with a red headband and, of course, his most striking feature: his shining eyes. He, however, smiled calmly, closed one hand, and covered it with the other, bowing in respect. "My name is Liu Kang. I am the founder of the Wu Shi Academy, one of the Order's organizations."
"Wait... the Order?" Lao asked, his eyes wide. "Like, THE Order? The Order Madam Bo used to tell me stories about? This Order?" He talked nonstop, not even he could believe the situation.
Liu Kang nodded.
"Madam Bo raised you from a young age so you could join my academy, learn more about the other side, and fight against it in our reality."
Kung Lao's smile was huge, placing his hands on his forehead and running them down his face. Raiden, on the other hand, hadn't yet absorbed this information.
"You must go with him, finish your training at an Order base, and fight on our reality's side in this war," said Madam Bo, taking a drag on her cigarette and blowing the smoke upward.
A strange movement began to occur around them; all the previously fallen men now stood up. Instinctively, Raiden and Lao took a defensive stance. Madam Bo laughed, placing a hand on Raiden's shoulder, calming him. "They won't hurt you. Not anymore." The old woman laughed.
"Will, both of you, come and finish the training with us? Do you accept this mission?" Liu Kang spoke calmly, as the men gathered behind him.
"More training?" Lao began. "Those guys couldn't even defeat us." He said with a wide smile on his face, smug that they had truly defeated three men with twice their skills on their own merit.
Madam Bo laughed hysterically, clutching her cigarette in her hand. "Of course they held back." She laughed again and also did the men behind Liu Kang.
"Hmph." Lao snorted, but didn't get upset. The moment he'd most awaited in his life was upon him.
Suddenly, everything would change. "I accept." He made the same gesture as Liu Kang with his hands and also bowed. Liu Kang's eyes closed and he nodded, all eyes now on Raiden, expectant.
"Leave Fengjian?" Raiden spoke softly. "I... I can't. They need me here."
"You'll help more people by being there, not here," said Madam Bo. "You can come back whenever you want." Madam Bo caressed Raiden's cheek with a motherly smile, her eyes brimming with tears. She was tough; she wouldn't cry in front of them, but this was a demonstration of her love.
Raiden reconsidered; leaving his entire life behind wasn't what he wanted. But he would never go against his mother's request.
He turned to Liu Kang, took a deep breath before making the same gesture of respect. "I accept your invitation," he said finally.
A proud smile filled Liu Kang's face. It was a moment of glory.
Liu Kang had recruited his first Marked Ones.