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‘But I am not the one who must win,’ Liu Kang wanted to say with frustration. If he was not the champion that was perceived in Lord Raiden’s visions, then wouldn’t fighting in this tournament jeopardize Earthrealm’s chance to be free of Shao Khan forever? He should be focusing his efforts to free Kitana from her chains and let the true champion, whoever that may be, defeat the Outworlders.
As he was about to refuse Raiden’s request to fight, he paused. If Johnny Cage, Smoke, and all the other Earthrealm champions have already been defeated, with Sonya Blade and Jackson Briggs being nowhere to be found, then that meant that only he and Kung Lao were left to fight for Earthrealm in this tournament.
Shifting his gaze from Raiden to his shaolin brother, Liu could see the anticipation and eagerness in his eyes, as if he wasn’t in a fight to the death tournament that would decide the fate of Earthrealm and its people.
‘He shouldn’t be here’, Liu Kang lamented. While Kung Lao was more than a capable warrior, and, in Liu Kang’s opinion, much more skilled than he would ever be, his pride and arrogance held him back from his true potential. It was what led to his defeat by Scorpion in the previous Mortal Kombat tournament. That desire to live up to the Great Kung Lao’s name, to bring honor and pride to his family was what blinded him to his flaws in mentality and in fighting.
Suddenly, Liu came to a horrifying revelation. If he did not fight upon Raiden’s request, it would be Kung Lao who would take his place in the tournament. Kung Lao could barely hold his own against that shadow warrior and Goro, needing Liu Kang’s help to defeat both opponents.
While his heart was in the right place, Liu Kang knew that Kung Lao was not ready for the fights to come in this tournament. Looking back to Raiden, the shaolin could see the panicked expression on his mentor’s face. Liu would not put it past Raiden to send Lao in his place if he was desperate. And Liu would never forgive himself if his brother were to be killed in this tournament.
Taking a deep breath to calm his frustrations, he accepted Raiden’s demand and went off to fight, asking Kung Lao to go and free Kitana. He could see the disappointment behind his brother’s dutiful expression, which only affirmed his beliefs that Lao was not ready for this tournament.
Stepping up to take his place, Liu Kang got into his fighting stance, ready to face any opponents Shao Khan had prepared for him to fight.
Fighting Shang Tsung, Quan Chi, and Kintaro had certainly left Liu Kang exhausted by the end of it. Nevertheless, he prevailed. Knocking out Kintaro with his Dragon Kick, he had officially won the tournament.
With the boos and sneers from the onlookers being almost deafening, the Shaolin warrior allowed himself a moment of peace. He had won, the battle was over. Earthrealm was safe from Shao Khan’s armies this time around. Turning around, Liu Kang smiled triumphantly at Lord Raiden. He may not have been “he who must win” from Raiden’s visions, but at the very least Earthrealm would not have to worry about Shao Khan’s wrath any time soon.
“It is over Lord Raiden,” Liu Kang had said with relief. “Earthrealm is fre-.” At lightning speed, Shao Khan had snapped the neck of Earthrealm’s champion. For a second, everyone was still, either from shock or surprise. In the next, the crowds of the coliseum screamed in appraisal and satisfaction to an almost deafening degree. It was so loud that the scream of anguish coming from Kung Lao could not be heard over the crowds.
In his moment of basking in his glory, the emperor had not dodged Kung Lao tackling him to the ground. Pushing the shaolin off, the Khan could only sneer in arrogance and disgust.
“Foolish boy, do you know who I am!” the Khan calmly asked, as if it was the most obvious thing in the realms.
“The murderer of my brother,” the Shaolin had answered hatefully, his usual cocky attitude nowhere to be found on his rageful visage.
The Khan only laughed at that. As though he found the Shaolin’s anger to be the most amusing thing in the world at that moment.
“I am Shao Kahn, conqueror of worlds,” he roared to all those present. Shifting his gaze down at the little warrior, he added, “You will taste no victory.”
“You will taste your own blood,” Kung Lao had stated in his rage, his fighting stance one of determination and barely contained hatred.
It was, by far, the toughest battle of his life. As to be expected when fighting the Kahn of Outworld. His sheer speed, tenacity, and brute strength gave Lao far too many close calls to his death than he would have liked. It was only through Lao’s quick thinking and teleportation that he was able to even wound Shao Khan and dodge his attacks. By the end of it, both combatants had appeared bloody and worn out from trading blows with one another. And with one swift uppercut, the Kahn had fallen to the ground, dazed.
Kung Lao stepped back, allowing himself to take a deep breath while keeping his guard up, in case the Kahn tried to surprise him. Seeing the Kahn slowly stagger to his feet, Lao prepared himself for another fight. But as he came to realize, Khan was far too dazed and disoriented to fight, giving him the perfect opportunity to strike him down and land the finishing blow. Walking slowly over to the murderer of his Shaolin brother, Lao took off his hat and raised it over his head.
“For Liu Kang, for the Shaolin,” He said, grief and hatred staining his voice. He knew what he was about to do went against everything the Shaolin had taught him. That all life was sacred. It is what Liu Kang had valued above all else. ‘Perhaps Liu would be disappointed’, Lao lamented.
But then he thought of those of his world. The innocent people who had no idea of the sacrifices that were being made to keep them safe, his surviving Shaolin brothers, the friends he’s made in these tournaments, his family and his little cousin Jin. If Shao Kahn would be dishonorable enough to kill Liu in a surprise attack, then what would stop him from trying everything else in his power to control Earthrealm. Kung Lao would not give the bastard another opportunity to take someone else he had cared about away from him.
“For Earthrealm,” he said with finality, as he brought his sharpened hat down upon the dazed Shao Kahn. The former Emperor of Outworld was sliced into two, each half falling to the ground.
Once again, the crowd and the combatants of the tournament had gazed in shock and silence. No one could really understand what had just transpired before them. And once again, the silence was broken, not by the screams of the audience, but by the bright light of the Elder Gods shining down upon the Kung Lao, signifying that Earthrealm had won the tournament.
It should have been a momentous occasion. Earthrrealm being free from Outworld’s imperialism once and for all. There should have been cheers of triumph and celebration to be had among the humans. Kung Lao had dreamed of being the hero, just like his inspiration and namesake, the Great Kung Lao. He had always protested that he was Liu Kang’s equal in combat, that he should’ve thought on Earthreallm’s behalf for the fate of his world. And, to his shame, he had even felt a tinge of jealousy when Liu Kang had won in Shang Tsung’s tournament. Yet, here he was. Standing victorious over a dead Shao Kahn, Shang Tsung’s master and better. He should have felt immense pride and satisfaction, boasting to the crowd of how he bested their fearsome emperor in combat.
But there was none of that to be found with him. Instead, happiness and pride were replaced with sorrow and grief. Liu Kang, Earthrealm’s greatest champion, had been killed. The one that succeeded where all else had failed. The warrior that defeated Out World's greatest warriors, from Goro to Shang Tsung, and secured peace for Earthrealm and its people. And despite all that, he was a humble warrior that saw value in all life, giving mercy to those that did not deserve it. His fellow Shaolin, who he thought of as a brother, regardless of blood relation. Dead on the ground with only a broken neck to show for it.
Making his way over to his fallen brother, Lao fell on his knees and hugged Kang tightly, not caring for how anyone reacted with his display. All of the other combatants, especially Raiden, could only watch with sympathetic, downtrodden expressions, not knowing what to say to the grieving Shaolin or to the dead champion.
Grabbing his amulet, Raiden watched in surprise as the cracks had faded away. His amulet had been fully fixed. Shao Kahn will not bring Armageddon to the realms. This should’ve been great news for Raiden and his champions, yet he knew this was not the right time or place to discuss this. Armageddon was avoided, but only at the gravest of costs. Right now, his champions needed time to rest and recover from their long days in this accursed tournament. They all needed time to mourn the death of their friend.