6 The world gone to hell pt. 5

While Sonya stops to confer with one of her men, trying to regroup, trying to do what Rena would have done, Johnny races up to Kenshi, who is following his glowing sword Sento across a wall, looking for something as Johnny asks curiously though figuring out what the blind swordsman is looking for

"That the elevator?"

Kenshi deadpans but confirms as it is the best explanation for the actor as it is more than just that

"Yes. The elevator."

He continues walking with the sword in front of him, a wonderous feat that even has Johnny in awe. Johnny's confusion is evident to Kenshi and he explains

"Sento contains the souls of my ancestors. They guide me."

Johnny looks back to the cave entrance as a rumbling sound is heard from outside and asks with some impatience, not aware of grumbling and a possible

'don't you get snappy with us boy'

"Could they hurry the hell up?"

He runs back to the mouth of the cave. Some soldiers near the entrance are shooting at an unseen force of what can only be Netherrealm reinforcements, and Johnny and Sonya get antsy and worried. Kenshi eventually stops at part of the wall and chants something in Japanese. The wall lights up with kanji lettering in response. As Johnny turns around, he sees the hidden portal open before him, he says thrilled hope somewhat restored for the actor who still sometimes cannot quite comprehend all of this

"Goin' up!"

Sonya gives the order to her men, needing as much help and firepower they can muster

"Fall back. Now!"

As the soldiers with them race to the portal, Sonya stops for a moment with Johnny, before he says to her, as he can then do something

"Go on."

She runs into the portal. Cage addresses two soldiers who run up to him at the cave mouth a quick salute and Johnny asks of them probably the last thing they will ever do in their lives

"You guys stay here. Close the door."

One soldier takes out a block of explosives from his satchel and passes it to his comrade. As they rush back to the entrance, Johnny runs into the portal, teleporting into the unknown, as it is their first time into this part of the world. The scene cuts to an underground cavern beneath the Sky Temple, fighting can be heard here. Raiden and Fujin are shooting electrical and wind blasts at the revenants pursing them but are gradually being forced backward by them, being overcome. Quan Chi strides just behind his undead puppets, letting off an evil laugh as he does so, oh it was so good to be bad. Though Raiden and Fujin successfully down the revenants, two cloudy shadows shaped like large hands begin to glide toward them, coming in quick succession of the revenants. As the shadows encircle them both, Raiden realizes what they are and jumps back with Fujin in the nick of time, as the shadows form into skeletal hands that clasp the air where they were standing just before, missing them but that was no matter. The gigantic hands unfold to present the fallen Elder God known as Shinnok, the god of death, and decay. He smirks and taunts the thunder god

"You see it now, Raiden... Your legacy. You poison their hearts with hope."

Raiden bites back at Shinnok, refusing to be swayed by the poisonous words of the death god

"And what do you offer? The same as you did millennia ago when you betrayed your fellow Elder Gods and attacked Earthrealm! We stopped you then, imprisoned you in the Netherrealm! We will do so again!"

Shinnok tsks before continuing in a silky voice, his voice could sway others to his cause, it was his gift, after all, a gift he used to his advantage.

"Remove the shadow from the light, the shadow grows. The legacy of life is death, Raiden. My followers accept this and live on. They fight for me."

As the shadow clouds come around Shinnok, the revenants and Quan Chi charge into battle. Kabal buries his hook swords into Raiden's shoulders and places a foot in his chest, trying to tear his arms clean off his body. Raiden grabs the weapons and charges them with lightning, electrocuting Kabal. He follows through with a crescent kick, causing Kabal to backflip from the force and crash hard on his front. Quan Chi charges in, and Raiden avoids his kicks and punches, managing to strike him in the kidney, then the face, before kicking him in the stomach and punching him away. The sorcerer rallies and summons a snake-like skeleton with a human skull, which he shoots toward Raiden. The skull latches onto Raiden's face with its teeth, then wraps its body around him. With the thunder god incapacitated, Quan Chi uppercuts him on the chin, sending Raiden to the floor. Fujin knocks the former oni aside with a jump kick, then narrowly ducks a baton swipe from Stryker. He blocks another swipe, then lands a combination of punches that downs the revenant. Before he can close in, Sindel grabs him and unleashes a banshee scream point-blank into his ear. The vibrations threaten to liquify Fujin's head, but in the nick of time, Raiden grabs Sindel and electrocutes her head, rendering her unconscious. As Raiden nods to Fujin, they both ready themselves for Shinnok's onslaught. The fallen Elder God now holds his amulet, which he uses to nonchalantly blast Raiden and Fujin, sending them crashing through the wall behind them. Raiden's mind flashes to two years ago when they defeated Shao Kahn. Raiden realizes the Revenants are not Shinnok's only victims. Shao Kahn, his wife, and his twin children. Raiden knew that the infant prince had lived, he also knew that the infant prince was in the care of the Black Dragons. As much as Raiden did not like it the boy was safe among those thieves and murders as they protected and cared for their own.