(yeah lurker lol)

"We have not been in orderrealm recently. Right Marek?"

Deon pauses to answer through his ear piece and puts his hand up

"We have been compromised Deon, our informant no longer uses the safe password we gave to him nor does he act like his old self."

"There's something wrong here" Deon said concerned "Take precautionary measures Elyse, take our Order into hiding."

"Will do, I will inform the Senior leadership of this latest development."

"Very well, take care Elyse." Deon said as he turned off his ear piece. "

Deon then returned his attention to Serenity and Marek "I don't know what to believe at this point, according to Havik you two were planning on using the realm of Seido to attack him in addition to the crimes Marek was accused of committing."

Deon was angry and confused, "There is a plot going on, but I know nothing of what is happening." Deon tried to see into Marek's intentions, but his mind was blocked from doing so.

"Deon had become more perplexed than angry "I want to hear from Marek where he has been today."

"Before Marek says anything i want you to know that the plan using seido to attack was only a suggestion we were discussing. Nothing more, we had no intentions of actually going through with it without talking with our other companion. With that said Marek can answer any questions you like."

Marek looks at Serenity and the newcomer Deon with confusion, but quickly regains his composure. "Look, Deon, is it? Here's the truth. A short time ago, I foresaw visions of Shao Kahn winning a bloody battle for the power of a God and bringing about the apocalypse. I was horrified by what I saw and defected from the Shadow Priest order to prevent Armageddon. After my defection, I met Serenity, who is also involved in this Armageddon business. But she was later slain in a Tarkatan assault on the Wu Shi Academy, and I was searching the realms to find a way to bring her back. This quest led me to the Chaosrealm, whose inhabitants I knew favored Shao Kahn's rule, and tried to get their aid in fighting the Netherrealm, because their forces have been persistently attacking Serenity and I at every turn. Then after I left and revived Serenity, this swordsman in Quan Chi's employ called Okorik who was the one that killed Serenity came to both of us and tried to get us to join Quan Chi's forces in their invasion and said that they had gained the aid of Havik's people. That's why I was suggesting to Serenity that we go to Seido to get their help, because lord Hotaru and his people are oppossed to the chaos caused by Shao Kahn's rule. However, Serenity requested that we handle the Chaosrealm ourselves without getting Seido involved, and I relented because-Well, let's just say she's pretty persuasive. I promise you, I've never even set foot in Seido, for all I know it was Shang Tsung using his shape shifting abilities to frame me as retribution for my betrayal. How would anyone even know I was planning to go to Sei-" Marek stops and his eyes glow dark blue. "We're being watched. Right now."

Deon seemed thrown off by Marek's revelations"It appears we have a common enemy...I have been chasing Okorik and Cyrax in an attempt to undue the damage they have done. Okorik and the Lin Kuei were responsible for the explosion in Seido, I just assumed you were apart of it..."

Deon pursed his lips in deep thought and then continued , "though I am weary of shadow priests, if you will allow me to have an insight into your mind, I can verify your words, I can sense there is good in you...I just need to place my hand on your skull to do so,"

Deon notices Marek's eyes glow blue, "who is it that is watching us? ...Verifying your story will have to wait."

Serenity begins to whisper "That bird that Okirik has.." she looks up and back down at Marek and Deon "we have to get rid of it"

Marek whispers back. "Corruption...Okorik kept talking about that, that must be how he knows where we always are, and his talking bird keeps overhearing our information and reporting back. There msut be a way to remove the taint permanently. Huh, I never thought I'd say this, but I'm glad you saved me from death and corruption, Serenity. It made me more powerful than before. Without it, I may not have discovered our spy until it was far too late."

"What shall we do first? Get the bird or remove the taint?"

She looks at Marek "You are welcome, it made us both stronger"

"Allow me to assist you two in dealing with this abomination" Perhaps I can use my Finch form to reach that vile bird and destroy it, if that is okay with you two?." Deon prepares to morph.

"I'm not sure. If only there was away to get rid of two birds with...One...Stone." Marek reaches inside of his robes and pulls out a talisman, uttering a magical spell that makes the talisman glow. "There that should do it. For the time being, this stone should mask the taint and allow us to travel without fear of eavesdroppers. But just in case....Anyone up for fried bird?"

"So they've hidden themselves. No matter, I heard enough. Skyward, they seem to want to kill you. They wouldn't dare attack us here. Send 2 of your hatchlings, exactly the same as the originals, and convince them they destroyed you when in fact it's just a copy of us." Skyward soon hatches 2 offspring who take the forms of Okorik and Skyward. "Go hatchlings and fool those warriors!" The hatchlings walk through the portal far away from the warriors.

"Deon you can morph but quickly! I dont know how long were going to be hidden for."

"I've got this!" Deon morphs into his finch form and quickly flies into the air and then morphs back into his human form and creates a purple energy lance, Deon quickly slices the bird into four pieces and then fires an energy wave that obliterates the bird.


Deon teleports back onto the ground and smirks "Deep fried bird's the house special for this evening, how's that guys?" Deon's smirk fades, "we should get going."

"Excellent job Deon. Now that it is out of the way, we need to get rid of this taint permanently. " Serenity looks at Deon and Marek "Or we can go hunt down its owner.."

"Good. They think Skyward is gone. Return to us hatchling." Okorik opened a portal which allowed the hatchling entry back into the Temple. "Now that they think you're gone," said Okorik while petting Skyward, "we must now focus on counteracting that morphing ability on Dean. I believe there is a way to maintain the taint in Serenity and Marek while at the same time cripple Dean's abilities. Killing 2 birds with one stone indeed." Okorik looked at the Grandmaster and asked, "May I get some tea leaves from the pantry?" "Making yourself tea," asked the Grandmaster. "Not exactly. I've devised an idea to cripple some Earthrealm warriors using tea." "By all means, have all the tea you need." Okorik entered the kitchen and grabbed a few tea leaves, cups, and tea packets. Okorik laughed as he ordered the hatchling to take the form of a kind, old man. "With this tea, Skyward will infect it will his eggs. The warriors will drink the tea and be infected by the eggs, thereby maintaining their taint and allowing me to control their abilities. The eggs will shapeshift into tea and the tea leaves will ensure true tea flavor without arousing suspicion. Go Skyward!" Skyward laid 3 eggs which were handed to hatchling now taking the form of an old man who went through a portal near the location of the warriors. There, a new egg shapeshifted into a bandit who was mugging the old man. The old man yelled, hoping a warrior would save him.

Ekibyogami wakes up.

"what,what who's there,oh nobody,I should probably get up"

As the three warriors are discussing their next move, a cry for help is heard.

"Someone needs help" Serenity looks around and sees someone attacking an old man.

Looking at Marek and Deon Serenity sighed "Hold on let me take care of this.."

Serenity ran at the thug and without him noticing gave him a devastating blow to his neck causing him to fall unconscious..

"Are you ok?"

"Yes miss. That horrible monster was threatening me to pay him money or he'd kill me and burn my house down. I had not expected there to be such kind compassion here in Outworld but it is good to know there are some kind souls here," said the old man while kissing Serenity's feet, "would you mind telling an old man the name of such a beautiful rescuer?"

"You don't have to kiss my feet for i am no one worthy of that."

Helping the old man to his feet, Serenity smiles "Go on your way, this man won't harm you ever again"

"Thank you for your kindness mistress. If you wouldn't mind, would you care to walk an old man to his home. It is just down this road but I fear for more bandits as I am not as young as I used to be."

Shiku feels a strong presence in the desert as he looks over the ruins of an ancient statue of Sindel. He does not know who this woman was, but she obviously was quite important to some people. Shiku stands behind a column as he sees Quan Chi and Noob Saibot approach the ruins. He watches as the two NeatherRealmers cast some sort of spell and resurrected Sindel. Shiku could not let these two get away with any more corruption, so he teleports down through the sand and up in front of Noob Saibot.

"Have you forgotten the Lin Kuei, Sub Zero?" Shiku stared the phantom in his empty eyes.

"Who are you?" Noob replies, a little confused because this human he did not recognize seemed to know him.

"I am Shiku, of the former Lin Kuei. I used to know of you, before our clan split. It seems what I heard was true, you have left them and forgotten them and now they are all going to lose their souls. You are a coward and a traitor."

Quan Chi and Sindel watched as the two Lin Kuei fought in the desert, and took notice of this new fighter that they felt they could get some use out of. Quan Chi ordered Noob to stand down, and with hesitance he did.

"I could use a warrior of your talent in the NeatherRealm" Quan suggested to Shiku.

"I bet you could. But that is all you do sorcerer- use people. You are nothing on your own. You will stay out of Earth Realm, Oni, or I will see redemption."

Shiku stopped and looked at each Sindel, Noob, and back at Quan Chi. "I will see you and your puppets later," and Shiku sank into the sand, he had places to be.

(I think this is around where we are at in the timeline? I hope)

NO! We are nowhere near there. The current location is Sub-Zero getting captured. TOO FAR!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'd recommend saying it was just a dream so you can save some time.

Shiku enters the Armory and looks around at the weaponry and machinery there, as he waits there. It seemed that there was a new addition to the tournament, a fighting wheel, that was spun before a fight to decide where the kombatants would do battle, and Shiku was set for a fight against Deon Bordeaux in the Armory.

(off topic, I would give up Test your might, sight and strike for more stages, or TYL options. but I love this game. Haaha)