Goro Vs Us.

Chapter 25: The rematch of the century.

“Me?” Fenrir said, pointing at himself with one finger, flabbergasted at Goro’s challenge. Every stare in the room fell upon him, just as shocked at what had just transpired in front of their eyes.

The Shokan prince smirked confidently. His eyes never left the emperor, despite Shang Tsung's dismayed expression at the Shokan’s choice. The robed figure seemed to be enjoying herself, seeing Shang Tsung’s plan take an unexpected twist.
“Who else?” Goro stated. “But you, emperor.”

The crowd erupted, their voices deafening to everyone around. Then Sheeva raised her voice, silencing everyone. “Kilur,” she called towards the elder. “What does the code say about this?” The female Shokan asked, pondering what Goro was proposing to her between the lines. For Fenrir to take her place in the Ungalin and therefore battle the prince to the death in the arena below.

The elder lowered his head. For a good while, he thought and discussed with his two companions. Then, with certainty despite his fear, he spoke. “It is possible…” The room roared once again in contempt. “SILENCE!” Kilur stated with a guttural roar, silencing everyone. Once again, the elder Shokan had to compose himself afterwards. The years on his shoulder carrying unspoken weights only a few could understand.

Once recovered, with the weight on his staff supporting him, he said, addressing Sheeva once again. “If both candidates agree, then one of them, or both, can choose a champion to fight for them instead.” Then, the elder’s eyes fell upon the emperor. “That is if the champion agrees as well.”

Sheeva pondered for a couple of minutes. She looked at Fenrir, then at the queens at his side. Fenrir kept a composed expression, while Jade and Kitana differed from his. They were concerned, to say the least. Both of them understood what this fight would mean for him if Sheeva accepted. Fenrir barely defeated both Goro and Kintaro that day in the arena. They still believe, despite how skilled he was, that luck had something to do with him defeating Shao Kahn.

This fight could go either way, especially with what was on the line. Goro wouldn’t hold back. Hopefully, Fenrir didn’t either. While Kitana’s fears didn’t go beyond the fight and its consequences, Jade’s expression seemed to carry a deep sort of concern. One that Sheeva could not read easily. For she had no answer for it.

Jade’s gaze fell upon her soulmate with fear and concern for his safety. Deep down, she hoped she would reject the proposal. But she knew him all too well by now. Fenrir was not someone who would back down from a fight so easily, especially one that had the fate of Outworld and its people hanging upon it. Yet she was even more afraid of something else. Something she could never explain after all these months.

Indeed, Jade still remembered Sun Do. What had transpired that day. His fight with Reiko. But specifically, the last moments of it. That dreaded moment when Fenrir had Reiko at the tip of his blade, where just one flick of his hand would have cut the general's neck. Finishing him off. Jade remembered it as clear as day. But what she truly remembered was him, the state he was in.

He wanted nothing more than to kill the general; he had confirmed it to her the night after, and his eyes looked dead inside. His expression bloodthirsty. It was as if the man she had fallen in love with had vanished in front of him and something else had possessed her body. Something that wasn’t just bloodthirsty but hungry for power. If it hadn’t been for her words afterwards, perhaps he wouldn’t have come back to him.

More than ever, she wanted nothing more than never to see him in that state ever again. Yet, if her theory was correct, then combat or seeing something that “tipped him off” emotionally could be the trigger.

“I- “Sheeva said, yet her response was cut short by her opponent.

“I accept,” Goro stated solemnly. His eyes were placed upon Sheeva and Fenrir. “I will fight for myself. No champion will represent me.” His supporters cheered for the shokan prince in reverence. Already assured of victory under these circumstances. Goro’s might was unmatched.

“General Sheeva?” Kilur called to the shokan candidate. Awaiting her response as all of her supporters caught their breath in anticipation.

Sheeva pondered once again; a decision needed to be made now more than ever. Then, the decision was made for her.
“I accept the challenge,” Fenrir stated, taking a step forward and standing next to the female shokan. A gasp escaped from the supporting crowd of Sheeva’s at his response. Kitana grabbed Fenrir’s arm solemnly. The emperor noticed it, as well as Jade’s concerned expression. Both of them made a denying gesture with their heads side to side, their eyes begging him to reconsider. Especially Jade’s. Yet, he only smiled at them. Reassuringly, as best as he could. Neither of them seemed to take it well. Then Fenrir's head turned to Sheeva, addressing her. “That is, if the queen accepts it,” Goro smirked at Fenrir’s response, pleased.

The robed figure seemed to shift as well, taking a small step forward as if trying to reach him and stop him. That was until Shang Tsung’s deadly gaze fell upon her. Stopping her in her tracks and forced her back in place. The sorcerer’s pleased and poisonous look had gone. Now replaced with a cold and calculating expression at the scene in front of him. Needless to say, he was full of ire. But not at Fenrir nor any of his enemies. But at his ally. At his choice to leave everything to luck and skill rather than his precise calculations.

Everything in the room seemed to darken around Sheeva. The sounds around her seemed to dim until the only ones that stayed on repeat in her mind were Fenrir’s and Goro’s words. She thought long and hard for what felt like an eternity in that pocket dimension inside her mind that she had cast herself in. She measured every outcome and pondered which one to choose. But in her soul she knew there was only one choice she would be allowed to have.

With sorrow, she looked at Jade. A solemn look followed it. Jade widened her eyes. Understanding what her friend was about to do. Then Sheeva did the same with Kitana. The same reaction followed, yet Kitana gave her an appearance of composure. It was useless; Sheeva knew that, just like Jade, Kitana was hurt by her friend’s choice. It was in that moment that Sheeva truly understood how much both Kitana and Jade had fallen in love with the earthrealmer. And if they felt that way, Mileena certainly did as well.

That certainty made Sheeva’s respect for the new emperor grow ever more in that very moment. Everything that Fenrir had done was a feat few could ever accomplish. He unified Outworld. Despite the civil war, Sheeva knew how much the people of Outworld’s perception not only of the emperor but of their society had shifted under his ideology. Even without the Shokan support, Fenrir’s belief had caused a ripple effect on Outworld. The vision he had proposed, and already given to them, had created something unheard of in this realm. Despite him not being from Outworld, he had given them something that would last for centuries. Hope. A future beyond conquering and murdering. A culture. A society.
Fenrir didn’t know it, nor would he ever comprehend what he had become or what he would become after death for the people of Outworld. A symbol.

Even more so, he didn’t understand how many lives he had changed with those simple feats he had achieved. She had seen it in all of his allies. Syzoth, Skarlet, even the generals such as Baraka or Kotal had changed. They were no longer shackled under the obligation of servitude; rather, they were allowed to grow and therefore fight in the name of Outworld and its people rather than being forced to, as Shao Kahn had. It was in that small action, where he took a step forward and accepted Goro’s challenge to protect her, that Sheeva knew. He was her emperor.

But what truly made her choice feel the right one was how the queens looked at him. If Fenrir had given his people hope, then he had given them something they were certain could never be found in their lives. Love. Sheeva had seen it, and she was certain in her reasoning. The way they looked at him when he wasn’t looking at them, how their gazes lingered on him for longer than necessary. How they listened to his voice closely and were pleased at the harmonic sounds that escape them. How safe they felt around him.

For him to have accomplished that was incredible for her. She knew Kitana and Jade well, and even Mileena enough to understand how hard it was to do what Fenrir had. The three of them had accepted that love couldn’t exist in this realm, not a real one. Fenrir had proven them otherwise. And for Sheeva, that spoke of something bigger than just the formality and duties of being a leader. It spoke of Fenrir as a person. For to capture the heart of someone like Kitana, Jade, or Mileena required someone pure in intentions, not only in the beauty of his appearance but in what his heart meant underneath every action and word used.

When Sheeva’s gaze fell upon him, there was only one thing remaining for her to be sure of her statement. Fenrir looked at her, composed. With a certain nod, he reassured her of his choice.

Sheeva smirked at the Nephilim. Then she said to him, in admiration of who he had become. “Kotal was right about you, earthrealmer.” Fenrir could only raise a brow in reply. “You truly are impressive.” Both leaders looked at each other with appreciation and regard for one another.

Then, Sheeva turned and, with a booming statement that echoed throughout the halls, she said with certainty: “I accept.”
Cheers and roars echoed all around them. This time Kilur didn’t stop them. Instead, he allowed the moment to settle in; the weight of their choices would be remembered for years to come.

Slowly, the two men began to leave their respective stands.

Goro was the first to move. His enormous frame descended the stone steps toward the arena confidently. Each footfall echoed through the chamber, heavy enough to be heard above the growing roar of the shokan gathered around them.
Fenrir remained where he was. For a moment, he simply watched Goro descend. Then he felt a hand close around his.
Jade stepped in front of him before he could take another step. “What the hell are you doing?!” Her voice came quickly, almost breathless.

Fenrir looked down at her hand gripping his. Then at her face. Her expression carried none of the composure she had maintained throughout the council. Fear had broken through it. “What do you think I'm doing?” he replied calmly, deliberately avoiding her eyes. He already knew what he would find there.

“You're putting yourself at risk, Fen. That's what you're doing.” Jade retorted. Kitana stood beside them in silence. She didn't need to repeat Jade's words. The look in her eyes said everything.

Fenrir finally looked at both women. Jade's fingers remained wrapped around his hand, refusing to let go. Kitana looked toward the arena, then back toward him. They both understood what was waiting below. Goro was not Reiko. He was not an opponent Fenrir could afford to underestimate. The Shokan prince had centuries of combat behind him. He had won countless Mortal Kombat tournaments and conquered realms as Shao Kahn's enforcer. Fenrir had already discovered once how difficult it was to defeat him. This time, no warrior would hold back, and one of them would have to fall.
Fenrir looked toward the crowd. The Shokan were already gathering around the arena; the voices became louder with anticipation. They were waiting to see history. “Look around you.” He gestured toward the stands. “I don't have much of a choice.”

Kitana stepped closer. “There is always another choice, Fen.”

Fenrir looked toward her. There was no anger in her voice. Only certainty despite the desperation underneath it.
Jade tightened her grip. “You taught us that.” The words struck him harder than any attack could have. Fenrir looked down at her. She wasn't wrong.

He had spent months telling them that there was always another path. That rulers were meant to find solutions where others saw only walls. And now he was doing precisely the opposite.

Except this time, the wall was not political. It was standing at the bottom of an arena, waiting for him.

Before Fenrir could answer, Sheeva stepped forward. Her expression was solemn. “No. Not this time.”

Jade's eyes snapped toward her. That answer immediately drew anger from her. She released Fenrir's hand only to step toward the Shokan woman. “Don't.” Her voice was cold. “Don't you dare.”

Sheeva did not flinch. She understood Jade's anger. More than that, she deserved it.

“Jade...” Kitana gently caught her friend's arm. There was pain in her own expression as well. She did not want Fenrir to go. But more than anyone, she understood duty. And, certainly, she understood that Fenrir had already made his decision.

Jade looked toward Kitana. “Don't tell me it's going to be fine.” Her voice broke slightly. She turned back toward Fenrir. “Let me go instead. Perhaps I can—”

Fenrir closed the distance before she could finish. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his chest. Jade immediately buried her face against him. For several seconds, neither spoke. The noise of the chamber became distant. The roaring crowd...the crackle of the lava. None of it mattered.

“Please...” Jade's voice was barely audible against him. A tear slipped from the corner of her eye. “Don't. Not again...I can’t…”

Fenrir closed his eyes. He knew exactly what she meant. Sun Do. The look in his own eyes when Reiko was at his mercy. That moment when Jade had wondered whether the man, she loved was still standing behind them.

Fenrir lowered his head and whispered against her ear. “Yes, you can, Jade.” His arms tightened around her. “You're stronger than you believe.”

Jade's fingers curled into the back of his clothing. She didn't answer. She couldn't. Because she knew something else. He was trying to reassure her. Not only that he could survive. But that if he didn't... then he wanted her to know that he believed in her. That she could continue without him. That she could lead and live. The thought made her hold him tighter.

Kitana watched them. For a moment, she allowed herself to step closer. She placed one hand against Fenrir's shoulder. Then she joined the embrace. The three of them stood together while the chamber thundered around them; none dared to speak. The tenderness of the moment reassured them that no matter what, they were in this together till the end.
Sheeva stood frozen in place. If there was any doubt in her mind about them. It was long gone now. She could see it in the way Jade refused to let Fenrir go. The way Kitana's hand remained against him. How Fenrir held both of them as though nothing in the realms could take them away while he still had breath in his body.

It was then that Sheeva finally, and truly, understood the depth of the man's influence. Fenrir hadn't conquered these women nor demanded their devotion. He had earned it. And they had given it willingly. That was something she found herself admiring more than she cared to admit.

Across the chamber, another pair of eyes followed the scene. The robed figure watched them closely. Her posture rigid. For several seconds she seemed almost frozen. Something in the scene visibly wounded her. She wanted to move. To cross the chamber and join them. To do something...Anything. But she remained where she was.

Shang Tsung noticed. He turned his head slightly. His voice was quiet enough that only she could hear. “Quite the sight, isn't it?” The figure did not answer. “Makes you wonder how something like that happened.” His tone remained soft...poisonous underneath. “It might even anger you.”

The figure's shoulders tightened. She turned her face away from him. Shang's eyes narrowed. His next words carried a colder edge. “Don't forget what she did to you.” The figure's hand slowly curled into a fist. Her eyes shifted toward Kitana. Something darker appeared there. Resentment. Pain...Perhaps even envy. Her fingers drifted toward the weapon at her hip. Shang's smile returned. “And don't ever forget why I brought you here.”

The figure remained silent. But the hand gripping the weapon tightened. Shang Tsung looked back toward the arena. Whatever happened next, he was certain the balance of the evening would eventually return to his favour...At least, that was what he believed.

The three monarchs finally separated. Jade wiped the tear from her cheek, Kitana steadied herself, and Fenrir looked between them. He leaned toward Jade first and kissed her. Then Kitana. Neither kiss lasted long; neither needed to. They carried everything that words could not. Fenrir then turned toward Sheeva. He gave her a single nod of respect. Sheeva returned it with the same determination. No words were necessary between them. They both knew what was expected now.

Fenrir turned toward the stairs leading down to the arena. Jade suddenly called after him. “Beat the living shit out of that asshole.”

Fenrir stopped. He glanced over his shoulder. For a brief moment, the old spark returned to his eyes. A crooked grin appeared. "Don't worry." He winked. “I always punch hard.”

Jade's expression softened. Despite everything, a small smile appeared.

Fenrir turned away and descended the steps one after another to what would be a battle to be remembered for years to come.

Fenrir approached the circular arena suspended above the molten lava. The closer he came, the more the heat seemed to press against his body. The enormous golden chains holding it in place creaked softly beneath the strain, each movement accompanied by the distant sound of molten rock flowing beneath them. More importantly, his opponent was waiting.
Goro stood on the opposite side of the arena. Every eye in Golvalin was fixed upon them. The Shokan prince reached up with one of his upper hands and removed the crimson cape draped across his shoulders. Without ceremony, he tossed it over the edge.

The fabric fell into the lava below. It ignited before it even touched the surface. Goro watched it disappear for a moment before stretching the muscles in his four arms, rolling his shoulders and loosening his neck. His expression carried the same confidence it had when he first challenged Fenrir.

But there was something else behind his deadly eyes. Anticipation. He had waited too long for this. “I was beginning to think you wouldn't come down.”

Fenrir stopped several steps away. He chuckled. He rotated one arm, then the other, rolling his shoulders before reaching behind himself. Arondite materialised in his hand. The blade hummed faintly. A brief flash of dark-blue light flickered through Fenrir's eyes. “And miss the rematch?” A crooked grin formed on his lips. “Wouldn't even think so.”

Goro's grin widened. He lowered himself into a fighting stance. “I won't hold back as I did in the arena.”

"Wasn't hoping you did so." Fenrir shifted into his Sun Do stance, balancing lightly on his feet. “Bring it on. We've got a crowd to entertain.”

The crowd roared as the two warriors charged toward each other. They collided in the centre of the arena. Goro moved first. A combination of strikes came toward Fenrir from four separate angles, each punch carrying enough force to break stone. Fenrir slipped between them with practised precision, ducking one blow, twisting beneath another and allowing the remaining two to pass within inches of his body.

Then he struck after casting a spell. Igniting his fists with hellfire. One after another and another strike of fire-empowered blows hammered into Goro's chest. The Shokan did not move as Fenrir kept going. His fists became a blur as punch after punch landed against Goro's body, each impact producing a dull, heavy thud that echoed throughout the cavern.

Ten. Twenty. Thirty... perhaps even fifty strikes landed. The crowd began to cheer louder. Fenrir tried to change angles. He attacked Goro's ribs. Abdomen. His chest again. Yet, the Shokan merely stood there. His lower hands rested casually upon his hips. His upper arms spread outward, gesturing toward the crowd as though inviting them to cheer louder.
The sight was almost absurd. Fenrir's punches were strong enough to leave scorch marks across Goro's flesh, yet the enormous warrior barely seemed to acknowledge them. It was in that moment that Fenrir realised something. He had gotten stronger. Tougher, even. The shokan had prepared for this fight for months. Training his body to endure everything the nephilim had thrown at him in their last fight.

Fenrir kept hitting. Fifty...Sixty. By then, he had lost count. The rhythm became relentless. The arena seemed to shake beneath the constant impacts. Goro's supporters erupted. Sheeva's followers shouted Fenrir's name. Jade and Kitana could only watch in astonishment.

Then Fenrir planted both feet and drove one final punch into Goro's chest with everything he had. The impact cracked loudly. Goro's body shifted...but enough for victory. The Shokan prince smiled. Fenrir's grin faded slightly. Then Goro moved. A single kick struck Fenrir squarely in the chest. The force from it was monstrous, so much so that it threw Fenrir backwards across the arena. Forcing his boots against the dais, trying to stop himself from falling to the lava below.
It was almost too late. One foot slid over the edge. For a heartbeat, he was suspended above the lava. For a moment, both Jade and Kitana gasped. Their hearts stopped in fear. Fenrir's hand quickly shot downward. His fingers caught the arena's edge as heat rose against his body and the lava below churned. Fenrir gritted his teeth and pulled himself back over the edge.

Goro's supporters roared. On Sheeva's side, Jade released a breath she hadn't realised she had been holding. Sheeva's fingers had dug into the stone railing so deeply that her knuckles had gone pale.

Fenrir lay on the ground for a moment, staring downward. “Fuck... that hurt.” Before he could recover fully, Goro jumped. His enormous body rose into the air and headed towards the emperor. Fenrir's eyes widened once he saw him move. “Shit!” He quickly rolled to the side as Goro's foot crashed into the arena where he had been lying. The floor cracked slightly beneath the impact.

Fenrir quickly pushed himself upright and stared at the crater. “Mental note: don't let him stomp you.”

Yet Goro barely gave him time to finish thinking. A green blast erupted from one of the rings on his hand. Fenrir, instinctively, raised Arondite. Instead of moving aside, he intercepted the blast. The impact travelled through the blade and into his arms. Fenrir gritted his teeth. Then something else answered. Blue-white energy spread from his hand. Lightning emerged from it and formed into a barrier around Arondite, catching Goro's attack and redirecting it. The green blast veered sharply away, striking into a distant wall. Making the stone that held it in place explode outward.

The chamber fell strangely quiet afterwards; Goro raised an eyebrow. Even Jade and Kitana exchanged bewildered looks.
Kitana stared at Fenrir. “Has he—”

“No.” Jade interrupted quietly, her eyes narrowing. “That's new.” There was no excitement in her voice. Only uncertainty about what it could mean. She had seen Fenrir grow stronger; they all had. But this was different. After their journey to Z'Unkahrah, something in him had changed. A weight had disappeared from his shoulders...but another had taken its place.

Both of them had trained with him almost every day. Jade had watched his fire grow from something he could barely manipulate into a weapon capable of answering his thoughts. His fire was more focused. More powerful. He could manipulate it with a degree of precision he hadn't possessed before. And now lightning seemed to answer him too.
Fenrir raised one hand. Flames gathered around his palm, as if he had absorbed some of the parried energy blast Goro had thrown at him. He hurled a fireball toward the mighty Shokan. Goro, in reply, crossed his arms defensively. The blast detonated against him, making the prince stagger for a moment. Jade's eyes widened at the raw power of the blast.

Goro looked down at the burn marks across his chest. Then he grinned, and his eyes narrowed. Not with anger, but with genuine satisfaction. “Didn't remember that one from our battle.” The Shokan's expression became almost approving. “You have gotten stronger.”

Fenrir gave him a smirk in reply “I had to keep myself at your level.”

Goro laughed a deep sound that echoed through the cavern. “You speak my language, Earthrealmer.” Then they charged again.

The battle continued. Minutes blurred into something resembling hours. Neither warrior surrendered an inch. Fenrir fought with skill and style simultaneously, changing direction whenever Goro thought he understood his rhythm. He switched between Arondite, his revolver and his increasingly varied magic, each attack flowing into the next.
Goro didn't back down either. Instead, he answered with brutal efficiency. Every movement served a purpose, and every punch carried enough force to shatter bone. He did not need Fenrir to come to him. Instead, he cunningly made the arena smaller by rushing in.

The crowd was enthralled. Never had Kuatan witnessed such a battle between two warriors. Fenrir's agility and Goro's might created a spectacle to be remembered forever. It was a battle of skill and wits against raw physical might.
Yet Jade noticed something the others did not. Fenrir barely spoke. He didn't taunt nor laugh. There was no playful spark in his eyes. No enjoyment from battle as he had once shown. His expression remained grave and focused.

The realisation hurt her more than she wanted to admit. She missed the Fenrir who smiled during a duel. The man who could trade insults with his enemy while fighting him. The warrior who genuinely enjoyed the challenge of standing against someone stronger.

That part of him seemed quieter now. The war had taken something from him, far deeper than she, or Kitana, had realised. Every battle had left another scar that didn't heal properly. The lives lost throughout the conflict had formed an unspoken guilt on his shoulders. Fenrir blamed himself for every soldier who died beneath his command, every village damaged or destroyed and every decision that resulted in unnecessary bloodshed.

He kept telling himself that this was necessary. That the sacrifices would lead somewhere. But Jade knew what it was costing him. And more than anything, she feared one day there would be nothing left beneath the weight.

Goro continued pressing forward. His attacks were slower than Fenrir's but no less devastating. Fenrir understood that distance was his greatest advantage. So, he let Goro commit. Following a style that had proved effective against the shokan. Dodge, counter, step back and attack again.

Neither could gain a decisive advantage. Until Goro finally caught him. One blow struck Fenrir across the chest. The Emperor stumbled backwards. He recovered almost immediately. But that was exactly what Goro wanted. The Shokan lunged forward. Fenrir tried to move...but it was too late.

Goro's two upper arms wrapped around him. The Shokan's enormous muscles tightened around his back. Fenrir's body was crushed against Goro's chest slowly and steadily. Fenrir screamed in pain. The harrowing cry echoed through the chamber. Goro's supporters erupted in cheers and taunts. Sheeva leaned forward. Her eyes widened in shock. Kitana stepped toward the railing in horror at the sight below.

Jade covered her mouth with both hands. “Fen!”

The crowd's roar became distant to Fenrir. His lungs could barely expand, his heartbeat muffled as his vision blurred and the pressure applied by the shokan increased. His ribs protested as his blood split from his mouth.

And then the world disappeared in darkness. Fenrir found himself somewhere inside himself. A place without walls or ground. Only blackness. His breath seemed to echo strangely around it.

Then another voice spoke. It sounded just like him. Yet, it wasn't. The differences were subtle. The voice's cadence and resonance differed from his...but above all, there was something else. It was colder in nature. Fenrir knew immediately who or what it was. Being at death's door wasn't even as terrifying as that realisation.

“Release me.” The voice stated, almost calm...Almost diplomatic. “Or we will both die.”

Fenrir's jaw tightened once he heard it. “I'd rather die than see you free again.” The darkness seemed to tighten around him. Suffocating and oppressive.

“RELEASE ME!” The voice exploded into a guttural roar.

Fenrir closed his eyes. The pressure inside his chest became unbearable. He could feel Goro crushing him outside. How his own life was slipping away. “Fuck you.” He let himself fall into darkness. For a moment, there was silence.

Then the voice returned, as cold as before. “Remember that I gave you a chance to join me willingly.” Heat began to spread through Fenrir's body. At first it felt like fever. Then it became something else. Something unnatural yet all too familiar.

His blood began to burn. Fenrir opened his eyes as black lines spread beneath his skin, darkening his veins. Each of them became more pronounced with every heartbeat.

“No...” Fenrir shook his head. “NO!” He tried to fight against it. His entire body and soul resisted. But the darkness kept spreading.

“Enjoy the ride, Fen.” The voice sounded almost amused at his pain. “It will be far more enjoyable for us all,” Fenrir screamed in agony. Then his voice disappeared. His consciousness slipped away. Something else had taken its place.
Outside, Goro tightened his grip. He could feel Fenrir's body slowly weakening. The Shokan prince grinned and squeezed harder. “I'm going to enjoy breaking you.”

Then, Fenrir laughed. Goro froze in confusion. The sound that emanated from his mouth was wrong. It was deeper. Hungrier...Crueler. Goro narrowed his eyes. The Emperor's body suddenly went still.

Then Fenrir slowly raised his head. Dark veins pulsed beneath his skin. His eyes had become entirely black. Only a tiny blue light remained within them, flickering like a dying flame.

In that moment, Goro's confidence faltered.

Fenrir smiled. Though, as the shokan had sadly realised, it wasn't his smile. The voice that followed sounded almost identical to Fenrir's. “No, Goro.” But the hunger for blood inside of it was unmistakable. Fenrir was long gone, and in front of him was something else. Death itself. “I'm breaking you.”

Before Goro could react, Fenrir planted both feet against his chest. His hands seized the Shokan's upper arms. Then he pushed; the strength behind the movement was monstrous. Goro's eyes widened. His upper arms tore free as blood split across the arena from them.

“NOOOO!” The Shokan prince's screams of pain echoed through the cavern.

Fenrir landed heavily upon the ground. Goro staggered backwards, blood pouring from his shoulders. The crowd fell silent in shock. No one dared to move either.

Fenrir, or whatever this sadistic being was, threw the severed arms aside casually. Then he called Arondite. The sword appeared in his hand, yet it seemed to have changed. The blade burned as it always had. But no longer with its familiar black-and-blue flame. The fire had changed. It crawled across the steel in violent, twisting patterns, as though something inside the weapon had awakened alongside its wielder. The blue flame died down, giving way to a crimson-and-black flame in its place.

Fenrir moved. Goro's remaining arms were gone in two precise and deadly strikes before the prince could defend himself. The Shokan fell to his knees as his body was covered in blood.

Fenrir stood before him, victorious. Silent...Hungry for more. The crowd slowly found its voice. Then the chamber erupted.

“FINISH HIM!”

Sheeva remained motionless. Her expression was grave. This wasn't the same warrior who had entered the arena. Jade's heart was pounding. Kitana looked horrified. Neither woman had ever seen Fenrir like this. The strength. The brutality...The complete lack of hesitation. That thing standing in front of Goro looked like him. Yet it couldn't be in the slightest.

The hooded figure had gone rigid as well. She had watched every second. Her hand trembled near the weapon at her side. Something inside her wanted to move. To stop this. To reach him. Yet she remained frozen.

Kitana finally spoke. Her voice was barely above a whisper. “Fenrir... don't.”

The creature seemed to hear her even from that distance. Yet it didn't answer. Shang Tsung did instead. The sorcerer laughed. Not because the sight was amusing. Because he had just received confirmation of something he had suspected.
His eyes remained fixed upon Fenrir. “Well, well...” His smile slowly returned. “So it's true.” His gaze moved toward the hooded figure. “The little devil has finally shown his horns.” The robed figure said nothing; the confusion in her expression at Shang's words said it all.

Goro coughed. Blood spilt from his mouth. He looked up at the creature standing above him. There was pain in his eyes, as if it was in conflict with itself. A war for a soul. But no fear.

Nevertheless, even when the end was nigh, Goro was, and will always be, a warrior. He raised his head proudly. “Finish me...” His voice was weak, but the strength in his soul wasn't. “Give me a warrior's death.”

The creature smiled and crouched. One hand closed around Goro's chin. “You have no idea how beautiful that sounds to my ears.” Arondite moved in one swift and deadly motion. The blade passed through Goro's neck like silk. The Shokan prince's head fell. His body followed. And just like that, the life of Kuatan's greatest champion came to an end.
The chamber went silent. The chants disappeared. Even the lava seemed distant as Goro's bloodied corpse lay upon the arena floor.

Fenrir stood above it with a wicked and sadistic smile that only he could see. Blood dripped from Arondite. The creature did not move nor speak. It simply relished being free after so much time locked away inside the Nephilim's soul.

Shang Tsung was the first to break the silence. “Well.” His voice was cold. “I suppose sooner or later this was bound to happen.” He raised one hand. Dark energy formed around his fingers as he cast a communication spell. “Goro has been defeated.” His eyes shifted toward the city beyond. “I leave you to decide what comes next for the Shokan, General.” The spell vanished. Then, he turned towards the dark passageway. Yet, the robed figure stood in her place.

The sorcerer looked back sideways for a moment, addressing her. "What comes next will be up to you to decide." Then, with disdain, as cold and poisonous as it was. "Princess."

Miles away, at the entrance to Kuatan, several Shokan guards stood watch, waiting for the council's verdict. Yet, they never heard it. Arrows suddenly tore through the air. One struck a guard through the throat. Another pierced the second. Their bodies fell to the ground below.

Then the distant sound of wood and metal groaned. A barrage of flaming projectiles from catapults sailed through the darkness toward the enormous gates. The impact was deafening. Shattering the stone and buckled the doors. Making them collapse inward. Through the darkness, the artillery came; thousands of soldiers wearing Shao Kahn's banners stormed into the city, their weapons raised and their war cries echoing through Kuatan.

The attack had already been prepared. Their leader never intended to wait for the council's decision. If Goro won, Kuatan would become the perfect doorway into victory. And if the Shokan rejected him...then they would be crushed before they could organise.

Reiko watched his forces charge beneath the banners of the dead Emperor he still worshipped. His expression twisted into a wicked grin as he watched the first wave disappear into the streets. “Heh. This is going to be fun.”

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