The blind warrior uses a projection of himself to strike his heavily armoured opponent.

Yaray notices a orange clad man with black spiky hair and two dragons on his vest walk by hurriedly. A look of disappointment is written on his face.

By tracing back the path of the upset warrior, Yaray is able to pinpoint where he had come from. A man in white and blue body suit and a straw hat stands with his back to the fighting. Another man with no shirt on and the word 'Johnny' tattooed across his chest walks towards the first man.

Yaray's curiousity gets the better of him and he positions himself within earshot while still pretending to watch the fight.

"Who was that yuk?" the shirtless man asks.

"He is another."

"Another one? You've got to be kidding me! What's this one's story?"

"He claimed to be made into a half-dragon." The man with the straw hat said with a grim tone. "This matters not Johnny, we must not lose our focus. My visions are getting stronger yet I cannot control the outcome of any of them!"

Small bolts of electricity fly off the unnamed man.

"Whoa Raiden, you need to chillax just like Sub-Ze... well, maybe that's not the best example. But... I do think you need to stop taking all of this so seriously. Look it all these people coming up to you, claiming to see the future just as you do with all kinds of stories. One's a God, one's a freaky robe guy that looks like all the ones I've seen crawling all over the place, the next one will probably be an Egyptian or something. It's funny! You just got to see the humour in it."

"This is not funny Cage, this is serious! All these kombatants want different help from me and in the midst of everything, I cannot focus on my own visions. Maybe this is part of Armageddon. So many warriors with so many powers and so many problems that one day they will all meet and destroy the entire cosmos."

"Now you're talking crazy Raiden. How are a bunch of freakshows here going to bring about the end of the world, by throwing some fireball of the week into the skies and blowing everything up?"

There is silence. The one named Raiden points his head down in fatigue.

"Perhaps you are right Johnny. I must not concern myself with these extracurricular distractions, even if it means completely disregarding some of these new allies we've come into contact with. Come, we should find the others and regroup. I fear the end of this tournament will heed the same result as the last."

With that the two departed, leaving as the blind swordsman receives the end of shoulder charge from his heavily built opponent.

Yaray looks down at the helmet he stole from the Outworld wastes and then looks at the blue energy that has appeared upon the charging warrior. It is of the same design.

Yaray has barely been at the tournament ten minutes but things are getting bizarre at an alarming rate.

As soon as Serenity says his name, a portal opens nearby and Marek steps out, his skin turned pale and gleaming runeson his face. And he does not look happy.....

"My time in darkness has corrupted me, but in this moment, I shall not fall to it again!"

Okorik's sword soon temporarily loses the black smear and shows a pure, white blade engulfed in white fire which burns brighter than any star. Okorik looks with determination at Ekimaru and says, "Prepare yourself!"

Serenity hears the portal opening and sees Marek coming out with a grim expression on his face.

But being to tired to move she couldn't go to him to see how he was, but only muster a sentence
"Marek, What happen?"

Snake, charging at Rain, draws his sword and teleports it behind Rain. Rain sees the blade coming from behind and bends back, dodging the sword, and creates a ball of water with his hands. As the sword returns to Snake's grasp, Rain fires the orb of water towards Snake. "You think that will hurt me!?" Snake charges at the orb, unaware of it's consequences. The orb of water splashes into Snake's chest, going through the pores in his skin and clothing, into his veins, rendering Snake unable to move, paralyzed as his skin turns pale. Rain shifts his hand towards himself and Snake's body begins levitating into the air, and floating towards Rain. Snake shouts out in desperation, "What is this magic?!" Rain simply waits until Snake is close to him, only to spin around, raise his right leg up into the air, and deliver a roundhouse kick into the face of Snake. Snake's face twists in anguish as his jaw bone cracks into pieces, and his body as a whole gets sent flying back into a wall.
Kia and Jataaka charge at Rain as well, Kia with her razor sharp boomerang blades, and Jataaka with her beam sword. Rain transforms himself into a swift mist of water, and swiftly moves himself behind the two assassins. Rain places his hands on the back of the two's heads, and begins spurting water down their faces. The water seeps into the women's eyes and floods the eyesockets, causing their eyeballs to shoot out. Kia and Jataaka fall to the ground in despair as they suffer through pain and sudden blindness. They can't help but cry out in agony.
Rain approaches Snake who is knocked out on the ground. Rain crosses his legs and sits next to the fallen wraith, he puts his hands together and begins a strange process. Tiny miniature streams of water begin coursing into Snake's body. They travel through his bloodstream, and revitalizing his damaged organs. Snake's body begins healing itself, returning back from it's dead form. Rain's unique water approaches the corrupted soul of the wraith, it surrounds the tainted soul and begins cleansing it. The soul slowly revitalizes, and Snake falls into a deep sleep of lost memories.

"Power, Serenity. I have traveled from the depths of the Netherrealm to the wastes of the Chaosrealm, defeating all in my path, absorbing the power I need to prevent Armageddon. I have even bested Quan Chi in Kombat and absorbed a portion of his sorcery. I can now control the dead and fallen themselves."

Ekibyogami was glad to see Marek okay,but was disheartened by what he heard. The thought of losing Serenity had made Marek much more obsessed with his goals,to the point even her return has not softened them. What really bugged him was that he was not happy to see Serenity back to normal,he instead had a grimace. From his previous attitude he would have expected Marek to run to Serenity and make some oath not to let her get harmed or something. Instead he is miserable looking and boasting of his power and his ability to stop Armageddon. It could be nothing but this new attitude could be dangerous. At this moment Ekibyogami secretly hoped nightwolf had stayed,he was really beginning to dislike the effects of the netherealm.

Marek drops to his knees and clutches his head in pain, the runes upon his brow gleaming bright red. "That cleric may have been right, after all. Something inside me is fighting for control."

Seeing Marek fall to the ground surprises Ekibyogami.

"Are you okay? What Cleric?"

Marek regains his composure and rises to his feet. "I believe so. Oh yes, the Cleric of Chaos, Havik. I saw him in one of my visions and sought him out while I was in the Chaosrealm. Feigning my past loyalties to Shao Kahn, I managed to gain his people's aid in Kombating Quan Chi and his dark scheme. Better than having someone else out for our blood. "

"I've met him,he was around before I was locked away,trust me making an alliance with him will not mean him not being out for your blood. When I first met him he walked up,kicked a puppy, tipped a sombrero at me and walked away. So what was the cause of this?"

"I am aware of how insane he is, I spent several minutes hearing him babbling on about Chaos this, and Chaos that. Thankfully he does not know who I really am. So, what happened while I was gone?

Serenity noticed how different Marek has become since her death.

How sad.. I had high hopes for him.. Maybe this is contamination from his ventures in the Neatherrealm.

"Well for starters I am ok, thank you for asking.." Serenity turns her back and limps towards Ekibyogami caring for his wounds.. since after all it was HER fault he is hurt..

"I am glad you're not tainted anymore, Serenity. Although I don't think I'll be able to forget the trouncing you gave me earlier. you have gotten much stronger. I'm glad."

Ekibyogami noticed the guilty look on Serenity's face. He let her continue clean his wounds,it seemed to help her conscious a bit.

"Don't worry Serenity,this is not your fault,it is the fault of Mr. Mute and the denizens of the Netherealm."

He did not know how far along the tournament in outworld was.

"Marek,we will need a portal to Outworld soon,we will not be allowed to compete like in the last tournament,but we should be there in case Shao Kahn decides to cheat,or send assassins after the competitors."

"Very well, I shall prepare a portal." Marek looks over at Serenity and smiles at her. "Now you no longer have to worry about surprise trips through the dark dimension."

Serenity does not smile back but just gives a small nod.
She touches Ekibyogami's chest and her own and with her powers she heals Ekibyogami and herself.

"Ok. Let's go."

The three warriors walk through the portal one after another...

The walk into a dense forest reeking of death and decay.. "Where are we?"

"New Jersey"

"The Living Forest. Reptile's Lair is hidden somewhere deep within this wretched place. Even Shao Kahn is terrified of this rotted nightmarish land."

"No that is just a myth,he just hates what the forest does to his complexion"

"I think his complexion is the least of his worries haha"

Looking around there is no sign of an actual exit.

"Where is the exit?"

"Regardless, we should be on our guard. The Flesh Pits are somewhere in this forest as well, and it would be best not to tread there."

Never heard of it,but considering it is called the flesh pits,not treading there may be a good thing,I may be a plague god,but that doesn't mean I'm unclean."

Looking around he finally decides on sending a locust out to scout. But before he does,he hears the sound of electrocution.

"I think Raiden may be here"

"Indeed, Lord Ekibyogami. The Flesh Pits are where Shang Tsung creates more monsters to fill Shao Kahn's ranks."

"Let us see if we can find raiden and his fighters. Im sure they' are in need of assistance."