From alt.games.mk Sat Jun 18 15:06:56 1994 Path: panix!zip.eecs.umich.edu!newsxfer.itd.umich.edu!gumby!yale!yale.edu!xlink.net!nntp.gmd.de!Germany.EU.net!EU.net!uunet!news.delphi.com!usenet From: Stephen Karstensen Newsgroups: alt.games.mk Subject: The Tournament: part II Date: Sat, 18 Jun 94 02:58:26 -0500 Organization: Delphi (info@delphi.com email, 800-695-4005 voice) Lines: 379 Message-ID: NNTP-Posting-Host: bos1d.delphi.com The Tournament part II "OUCH!" Sonya hit the stone floor hard, her shoulder threatening to dislocate from the impact. The sound of the steel door slamming shut behind her signified the finality of her capture. She was on her feet in a moment, throwing herself against the cell door. "Let me out of here, you bastards!" When there was no response, she smacked the door a few times. Hard, cold, steel. Defeated, Sonya slumped to the floor. Johnny Cage shifted the weight of his duffel bag, then surveyed the situation. Nobody had come to greet him upon his arrival at this place...and heading through that jungle was a severe bitch. Still, the Asian flavor of this palace was nice, and the statues in the courtyard provided a nice touch. Actually, that four-armed monstrosity in the center of the menagerie was a bit overdoing it. Johnny surveyed the stone figures, his gaze constantly returning to the heavily muscled thug in the center. Bald, except for a black topknot...four arms, with a belt of a sash, buckled with a Yin-Yang. It gave him the creeps just to look at it. A t hug with baggy clothing...a fellow with a disc-shaped hat, his hands stretching to the sky...a Bruce Lee-ish type, two ninjas..wow. The babe on the end was a looker, stone or not. But what was this? Cage let his Ray-Bans slip down to the end of his nose so he could get a better look at this statue. The resemblance was amazing...but was it really HIM? The eerieness of this place, especially the utter desolation, was getting to him big time. Johnny looked around, but saw no one. He cupped his hands to his mouth. "Hello?" Nothing. "Hello!! Someone answer me, damn it!" He turned, and nearly bumped into a tall being who had to have appeared out of nowhere. There was no way this guy could have approached without Johnny having seen him. "I said, Hell...-SHIT!" He visibly jumped backward. The new arrival was a full head taller than him, cloaked in gold robes. The robes appeared to have been woven from the precious metal itself, inlaid with strains of red that caught the setting sun and sparkled like jewels. His head was hidden in a full helmet, shaped like an inverted star. The spear he held was at least seven feet long. "Don't sneak up on me like that, bro." Johnny extended a hand to shake. "Johnny Cage, film star. Black belt and future winner of your tournament." The figure spoke not a word, merely standing at attention, spearpoint to the sky. "So, where is everybody?" Nothing. "I'm talkin' to you, idiot!" Johnny raised a fist. "Say something!" This whole thing was not right. His fear was building, and Johnny was not one to feel such an emotion. He did NOT care for it. The helmeted figure lowered his spear, its tip pointing directly at Cage's throat. "Whoah. Wait a minute." Johnny Cage put up both hands, palms out. "You could hurt someone with that thing." Dawn broke over the courtyard. The ancient one rose from his carved throne, his silken blue robes fluttering in a warm breeze. He surveyed the warriors below him in distain. Was this the best his army could find? "Let me go, you stupid fuck!" Shang Tsung sighed. The woman had not stopped screaming obscenities since she had been brought in. Originally, he'd been eager to see what would become of the two ninjas, as the one in yellow showed open hostility toward the one in blue. Opposing c lans, most likely. The one in blue had to be of the Lin Kuei, but the one in yellow bore the same uniform. Odd. His guards separated the combatants, then edged the one who called himself Cage to the center of the arena. Johnny looked up at the high stone pedestal, inset with a carved Yin-Yang symbol. The ruby throne, its armrests carved in the coiled style of oriental dragons, stood atop this pedestal. An ancient male with white, wispy hair and long moustache was s eated atop it. Obviously, the guy in charge. He spoke little, but exuded an air of power. Liu Kang gazed at his opponent. From the way this American had been carrying himself, he expected everyone to know who he was. Strange. Kang filled himself with peace, as the elder ones had taught him. True peace and harmony was the way to victory, and anger and fear, while bringing temporary power, lasted only as long as the brief fire that fueled them. Eventually, the anger burns out, and there is nothing left. But he who has peace has strength. Thus, he was not as startled as his foe when the deep, hollow voice sounded from nowhere: "FIGHT!" Cage lunged forward, seeming to slide on one foot, the other outstretched in a kick. Kang merely ducked, and unleashed an uppercut that sent Cage sailing onto his back, his trail a blur of greyish black behind him. Liu Kang danced, his weight shifting easily from one sneakered foot to the other. Cage had regained his feet. Kang sensed strength in this person, but his arrogance and the fear of his surroundings were clouding his mind. Best to end this quickly, and not prolong the proud man's agony. A footsweep knocked Johnny down as he stepped in with a low kick aimed at Kang's chest. A second uppercut sent him flying again. Cage stood, blood running from his mouth as Liu Kang leaped, delivering a kick to his head. Johnny fell, and Kang nodded, bowing his head in respect. The hollow voice complied. "Liu Kang...wins." The second round was even quicker. Cage was thrown off balance from his speedy defeat, and Kang used a blinding combination of quick, light punches to keep him away. Finally, he sensed the end was near. As he uppercutted Johnny away again, he resum ed his stance. The voice rang out through everyone's ears. "FINISH HIM!!" Its ferocity unnerved Kang. Was the fight not over? Cage stood, but his head swam in circles. Kang looked to the pedestal, waiting to be declared the winner. The elder one atop the throne was watching him with anticipation. Liu Kang let loose with a loud cry, then vaulted over in a spectacular flipping windmill kick, both legs spread in a wide V. First the left foot struck Cage's head, then the right, and Liu Kang finished this display by decking him with a final upperc ut that knocked him prone, and still. His gaze returned to the elder one. A mixed look flickered across the old man's face, readable as disappointment. Liu Kang was puzzled. What was going on? The metal-faced Kano faced the yellow ninja across the way. He had been a bit unnerved when he saw himself carved in stone a few meters away, but he had more important things to worry about. Facing him was a well-built, solid-looking man in a black bodysuit bearing a yellow sash belt and wide yellow strips that extended up and over the shoulders. A yellow mask obscured the lower half of his face. His foe called himself Scorpion...No matter, Kano reasoned. He smiled grimly to himself. He had seen Kang's show of skill with the windmill kick, but he had more...final ways of dealing with his enemies. Should this Scorpion fight well, he would be spared...but if his sources had been correct, and anything went in this fight...well then? This Scorpion w ould be crushed like the bug he named himself after. "FIGHT!" Kano jumped as Scorpion approached, sailing over the yellow ninja. He landed, catlike, and snapped a leg backward to kick him in the head. Scorpion staggered, and spun around. For the first time, Kano got a good look at his eyes...they burned with hate and bloodlust. As hardened as Kano was, it frightened him. The pause that resulted was enough for Scorpion's hand to disappear in the sash of his belt. Kano lifted his arms in a block to ward off a punch from the ninja's other fist...then leaped, flipping backward and landing in a crouch. Kano clenched his fists, warily keeping an eye on Scorpion. Why was he clutching his waist in such a fashion? Kano had kicked him in the head, not the gut. Scorpion suddenly whipped his hand out in a throwing motion. Shuriken! Kano should have known the sneak would try something like that. His hand went to his boot, and a knife whipped through the air. But the throwing motion was merely a fakeout. Scorpion jumped backward, and his form appeared to blur and shift just before Kano's vision exploded in black stars. What the fuck? He had time enough to see his throwing knife ricochet off the stone archway overlooking the main path through this area before being spun around. Scorpion had somehow leaped behind him and landed a nasty punch to the back of his neck. A high kick fo llowed, the black boot of the ninja drawing blood as several of Kano's teeth broke. The gangster withdrew as Scorpion's hand went to his belt a second time. Kano spun around, dizzy but expecting a second fakeout. There was a whoosh, as if something had been thrown, and a whirling twang of a rope drawn tight. Pain rocketed up from the base of Kano's neck. Looking down, he saw a spearhead buried in his pectorial muscle, attached to a thick cord. "GET OVER HERE!!" Scorpion pulled at the rope with both hands, putting his entire weight behind it, and Kano stumbled as he was dragged toward the ninja. A grinding punch across the face sprayed blood, then an uppercut sent Kano sailing. His hand went to his boot a second time. If this fuck wanted to play rough, then so be it. A second knife went sailing, and as predicted, Scorpion leaped. As he appeared behind Kano, the thug stood, his fist sailing in an upward arc. WHACK! As Scorpion hit the ground, Kano threw another knife, and as Scorpion ducked it, Kano threw himself at his opponent, aiming his foot in a flying kick. It connected. Scorpion's head cracked into the stone path. "Kano...wins." The eerie voice proclaimed. Kano stood, wiping the blood from his mouth. Shit, best two out of three was going to be hard. It wasn't. Scorpion was still reeling badly from his first loss, and Kano beat the tar out of him. As in the fight he had watched earlier, the voice sounded a second time: "FINISH HIM!" "You were good, pal." Kano snarled, lifting Scorpion up by the neck. "But not good enough. Merry fuckin' Christmas." Kano's hand shot forward, and suddenly went warm with blood as it punched into Scorpion's chest. A horrible, wet ripping sound followed, and the corpse of Scorpion fell to the ground as Kano raised his foe's still-beating heart aloft. The voice soun ded yet again, with an air of satisfaction in its tone. "Kano wins...FATALITY." Liu Kang shuddered violently. Now he understood why his elders had sent him to this tournament. Normally the Lotus left such mindless competition to others, but there was a more noble purpose to his fighting here. These bouts were the murder of those who lost, and that was evil. Kang looked to Cage, who stood beside him, his jaw having dropped to his feet. "I didn't just see that." Johnny covered his eyes with one hand and stepped back. "That didn't just happen." Liu Kang nodded. "No, you did see it. And now I know what I must do." Johnny shook his head, violently. "I'm leaving." He said, as his voice nearly broke. "That guy can take home all the hearts he wants, but I'm going back to the States." "None of us will be allowed to leave," Kang countered. "Unless we are either victorious, or dead." Cage shivered violently. "I'm not going to be dead." "Nor am I." Kang returned. The ninja in blue, whose outfit was an exact carbon copy of Scorpion's (although blue where the former's was yellow), stood in the center of the exquisite throne room. Shang Tsung sat on his golden throne, two statues of gold, coiled dragons flanking him. The room was done in red silks and ruby, with gold dragon windows. Truly a place to be proud of. His opponent had been freed from her bonds, and her hands were clenched into angry fists. Sub Zero coolly regarded her. As had Inferno before him, she would fall because of her anger. Recklessness and lack of control were banes, and to keep one's h ead was of utmost importance. Sonya glared at Sub Zero, growling through clenched teeth at their host. "Win my freedom, eh? You got it, asshole." So she thought she'd win, thought Sub Zero. She obviously didn't know what she was getting into. "FIGHT!" Sonya leaped, foot outstretched. She meant to kick him in the head, but Sub Zero knew she would open the round in such a fashion. Anger was predictable. He ducked, and took her feet out from under her with a sweeping kick. Next, Sonya threw a punch, but Sub Zero saw that coming as well. Crouching, he extended one leg. As ice over stone, he slid forward across the palace floor and knocked her on her ass. Sub Zero leaped backward, then touched both hands together, palms extended outward. For a brief moment they were blue, and then a spray of frosted air flew toward Sonya. She lifted her arms to block, but the icy blast caught her full-on, freezing he r solid where she stood. He approached, then crouched. An uppercut cracked the icy shield and sent her sailing high into the air, and when she landed he bounced her again with the sliding kick. Sonya hit the floor, out cold. "Sub Zero....wins." He nodded as the voice proclaimed him victor. Kano had garnered no adverse penalties for causing Scorpion's death...and Sub Zero had a few more surprises than Kano's knives and strong hands. Silence. The courtyard was still, the only motion being that of the wind in the trees. A still form lie sprawled in a pool of blood on the stone walkway, a gaping hole in its chest, its heart lying a few feet away, having been tossed there in distain. There was a flicker of motion, then the corpse stirred. Scorpion's eyes opened, and he painfully crawled to his feet. His groping hands felt for his heart, then closed upon it. He awkwardly shoved it back through the hole, resettling his torn unifo rm over the wound. In his ears, he could hear a hideous chanting, deep voices in rhythm and accord. One voice cut above the rest. "Hate flows from you, Scorpion. Let it fuel your strength....for where there is hate, there is no barrier. Death is secondary. You have died once, and now twice, but still you live. And so you shall until you achieve your purpose." Scorpion groaned, as although he was dead, he was still in pain. He did not feel hate...and yet, his mind often seemed to be controlled by that which he could not understand..... "FINISH HER!" Sub Zero glared icily into the eyes of his beaten opponent. Sonya Blade, your time to die is upon you. His hand flew from its place at his side in a wide upward arc, catching a firm grip on Sonya's hair. She opened her mouth in a scream that curdled into an agonized howl as her neck stretched slightly. After a moment, it split, and her voice died awa y as head and body separated. But it was not to end there. A hideous popping followed the crunching rip of the head, and in moments her body flopped to the floor, soaking the rich carpet with a steady draining flow of blood. Sub Zero raised Sonya's head in victory, his fingers still curled in her short blonde hair. Her face was distorted in agony, her last expression before death. Her spinal column, still attached to her head, dangled nastily, dripping fluids and blood into the growing pool in the rug. "Sub Zero wins...FATALITY." Johnny Cage stood in the courtyard, trying hard to keep from shaking. His opponent was nowhere to be seen. The sky swelled, darkening. It looked like it was going to rain, and Johnny shivered a bit from the rising wind. He had tried to find a way out, but the guards were everywhere. Suddenly, the sky seemed to split, and a huge fork of lightning slammed into the ground nearby. Johnny shot into the air, ten years flying from his lifespan. His opponent had arrived. Cage swelled out, trying to make himself look bigger and more intimidating as he glared at the new arrival. The mere fact that he was glowing with a blue outline while static electricity played across the surface of his clothing was a tip-off that som ething was really wrong, here. The new arrival glared back at him. His eyes were blank, and glowed purple. He smiled, slowly. The smile split into a derisive grin. "Is this the best Shang Tsung has to offer?" Cage opened his mouth to protest, when Raiden's gaze seemed to sweep past him, his head rising slightly. Scorpion suddenly stepped past Cage. Johnny convulsed as the yellow ninja brushed him aside, feeling a chill of revulsion and disgust. But there was also a sense of depression, hatred, and fear mixed in there, too. Cage stared at the ninja, as he s tood in front of Raiden. "I am to fight the movie star," Raiden stated simply. "Wait your turn." Scorpion's hand flew to his belt, and suddenly a spearhead flew toward Raiden's throat, the rope uncoiling behind it. Raiden glowed white for a second, then vanished. Cage's vision exploded as something struck him from behind. As he spun around to face the threat, Scorpion also reversed direction, bringing his spear back to his palm with a flick of his wrist. Raiden had somehow teleported, and was aiming punches at Cage's head, intent on starting the fight. Johnny's heart sped up. He had fought before, plenty of times..even been beaten, but he didn't want to die, damn it! Johnny deflected an open-handed strike from the Thunder God, then struck him upside the head with a backhand slap. Raiden recoiled, anger flaring up in his features. Something whistled past Johnny's ear, and Raiden let loose with a strangled growl o f pain. Scorpion pulled the line tight. "C'MERE!" Raiden's chin hit a powerful uppercut as he was yanked past Cage, then hit the ground, groaning. Soon the God's movement ceased, and the glow faded. Scorpion pulled on the rope, and the spearhead lodged in Raiden's collarbone pulled itself free with a sickening pop. "Thanks, man." Johnny smiled awkwardly. "That guy wanted to kill me!" Scorpion silently wound his rope back into a coil, wiping Raiden's blood off the spearhead. "Me and Liu Kang are gonna escape this place. You're welcome to come with us if you-." Cage tried again, but cut himself short as Scorpion looked directly at him. Damn...the ninja's eyes were full of hatred and anger.....and they narrowed as they me t Johnny's glance. Cage took a step backward, the blood draining from his face as he saw the bloodied hole in Scorpion's chest, suddenly remembering what had happened earlier, which had been the signal for him to escape. Then, he ran. Kano was pretty darn happy with himself. He had cleaned himself up since that little mishap with the ninja, and he was ready. As soon as all the others were dead...Shang Tsung included, the palace of gold would be his. "Your time has come, mortal." The voice sounded from behind him, and he paused in admiring his statue to spin and confront his next opponent. "Shit!" Kano took a step back. He didn't consider himself a religious man...hell, you couldn't and be in the line of work he was in... but he recognized the figure before him. And in the balcony of the palace above, Liu Kang watched, and recognized the God as well. This was getting bad. A loud shout in Japanese erupted from Raiden's throat, and he leaped forward, both arms outstretched. Like a torpedo, he shot forward through the air, catching Kano by surprise. When Kano regained his feet, he grabbed at a throwing knife from his boot. "Fuck you, pal!" The blade struck Raiden's hat, and blood ran down the God's face, mingling with his sadistic smile. He gestured, a single hand outstretched, and a purple bolt of lightning shot from it, striking Kano squarely in the chest. The gangster fell a second time, his body convulsing as the electricity tore through him. Raiden's hand closed on Kano's head, hauling him to his feet. "Now, you die." The God laughed, his glowing eyes fixed on Kano's as he lifted his other hand. A light current of electricity flowed from Raiden's fingers, closing the gap from his hand to Kano's face. Kano's back arched, as the pain in his skull built to an unimaginable agony. Raiden's face contorted in a snarl as Kano began to writhe and jerk spasmodically. He released the grip on the gangster's head, and generated even more current with his second hand. Kano let loose with a single scream, cut short as his head exploded in a gory blast, drenching the God's clothes and hat in bone fragments and bloody muck. And up in the balcony, Liu Kang's body tensed with anger. This madness must come to an end. Shang Tsung would be confronted. Now.