Volume 1, Chapter 0 — The Prologue

  Foreword: Hello, my name is Death 666.

  My friend Atlas and I are the authors of this story. Since childhood, we've been devoted fans of Mortal Kombat. Out of our deep love for this universe, we created this book — from fans, for fans. This story is a spin-off that takes place between the events of Mortal Kombat 9, Mortal Kombat X, and Mortal Kombat 11.

  Enjoy the journey.

  ---

  In the beginning, there was only the One Being — the ultimate essence of existence.

  It was everything: matter, energy, consciousness, and soul. Its power was so immense that all of reality, all realms, existed within it, like limbs of a single divine entity.

  From its endless essence emerged the Elder Gods. But they soon realized that as long as the One Being existed, they would never be truly free. So they devised a plan — to destroy it. They shattered its power into six fragments, known as the Kamidogu, the Elemental Stones.

  When the Elder Gods sundered the One Being, the universe fractured into multiple dimensions — the Realms. Each Kamidogu became the heart of a new realm: Earthrealm, Outworld, Netherrealm, Edenia, Chaosrealm, and Orderrealm.

  But before its destruction, the One Being cursed its betrayers. It vowed that its essence would never truly fade and one day, it would return — reborn, to reclaim its rightful throne…

  As the realms took shape and chaos wrestled with order, the Elder Gods stood as guardians of balance.

  Among them was Shinnok, the keeper of knowledge and master of magic, once revered for his wisdom. But that wisdom twisted into a lust for power.

  Shinnok believed the realms were flawed — too chaotic, too fractured. The only way to bring true balance, he argued, was to merge all existence back into the One Being. This would obliterate not just the gods, but all life — leaving only infinite void. Using his amulet, he gathered all six Kamidogu and betrayed the other gods.

  To achieve his vision, Shinnok seduced ancient demons and savage creatures of the Netherrealm, promising them a future without Elder Gods. His chaos army scorched Edenia, turned Outworld's deserts into seas of blood, and desecrated Earthrealm’s sacred temples.

  At the peak of his betrayal, Shinnok tore open the gates to the realm of the One Being, slaying his divine siblings who guarded its seals.

  One by one, the defenders of the realms fell. Argus, protector of Edenia, was the first — dying on his knees, torn apart as his shining armor was soaked in crimson. Cetrion, his sister, begged him to stop. He answered by ripping her life essence from her body, using it to fuel the gates. Only Raiden, the God of Thunder, dared challenge him.

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  Their clash shook the heavens. The earth split beneath their fury, yet Shinnok shattered Raiden’s lightning with ease. In that final moment, the remaining gods and realm guardians gathered their strength and sealed Shinnok inside his own amulet.

  But Shinnok was immortal. He swore vengeance — and that one day, all realms would bow before him.

  Peace was short-lived. The aftermath of Shinnok’s assault left the realms in ruin — chaos reigned, war and rebellion erupted.

  Among these realms, Outworld emerged as the strongest. Led by the Dragon King Onaga, it launched brutal invasions, crushing all in its path.

  Onaga held a terrible secret. Beyond his brilliance as a tactician, he possessed the power to resurrect fallen warriors — turning death into a weapon. This made him nearly unstoppable.

  Onaga craved immortality. According to an ancient prophecy, the Kamidogu — those six magical relics used to divide the One Being — could grant godlike power if reunited. Onaga believed they would lead him to eternal life.

  He unleashed his armies across the realms in search of them. But his obsession bred dissent, and from his shadow rose a challenger — Shao Kahn.

  Once Onaga’s most trusted general, Shao Kahn was a master of conquest whose ambition dwarfed even the Dragon King's. He longed to rule Outworld himself.

  In secret, he rallied followers, promising liberation from the dragon’s tyranny and the glory of new conquests.

  While Onaga focused on his search for the Kamidogu, Shao Kahn made his move — poisoning the Dragon King and claiming the throne. With Onaga weakened, Shao Kahn declared himself the new emperor, eliminating all rivals and plunging the realm into an era of brutal domination.

  After his death, Onaga's spirit entered the Netherrealm, the most hidden place in the Underworld (Hell).

  Shao Kahn's rule was different from Onaga's. Instead of magic and control over life, Shao Kahn relied on brute force and terror. He destroyed entire civilizations, turning worlds into ruins. His armies crushed Edenia. Absorbing small kingdoms, he stopped at nothing.

  The Elder Gods began to notice that the balance between the worlds was disturbed. They were forbidden to interfere, as long as the gods themselves or their worlds were not threatened. However, Shao Kahn's actions threatened the very structure of Realities. Then they decided to intervene, but not directly, but by creating rules that could limit the tyrant.

  The Elder Gods developed a new system to maintain the balance between the worlds. They established a law according to which the conquest of one world by another can only occur through a ritual tournament - Mortal Kombat. This tournament required the participation of the greatest warriors of both worlds, and only victory in ten consecutive tournaments gave the right to devour the other world.

  Shao Kahn was forced to agree to avoid the wrath of the Elder Gods. However, he turned Mortal Kombat into an instrument of his tyranny, using it as a way to intimidate and manipulate. He sought out the strongest warriors and mages to win the tournament and continue his conquests.

  Mortal Kombat became an arena for the struggle for the fate of worlds. It marked the beginning of not only the confrontation between Shao Kahn's empire and the defenders of Earthrealm, but also gave birth to legends that will live on for centuries. The tournament became not just a battle, but a test for souls and bodies, where every choice could change the course of history.

  Shao Kahn wanted to conquer Earthrealm and according to the rules of Mortal Kombat, he had to win 10 tournaments. Shang Tsung, a sorcerer from Earthrealm, initially competed in the tournaments on Earthrealm's side. He won the title of champion, but later betrayed his allies for the power and immortality promised to him by Shao Kahn. By the 8th tournament, Shang Tsung had completely betrayed Earthrealm and began using magic to undermine Earthrealm's chances of winning. He became the tournament organizer, helping Shao Kahn control the battles.

  Earthrealm was able to win thanks to its champion, the Great Kung Lao. He was a Shaolin monk and the strongest warrior of his time, the first human to defeat Outworld. His victory restored the balance of time, giving Earth time to prepare for new threats.

  Shang Tsung used his influence to enter the strongest warriors of Outworld into the tournaments, including the Shokan prince Goro. It was a strategic move that would prove decisive for his subsequent victories.

  Outworld fielded its new champion, Goro, a mighty warrior of Shokan. The Great Kung Lao accepted the challenge, fighting for Earthrealm. Despite his strength and skill, he was no match for Goro's incredible might.

  Goro killed the Great Kung Lao in the final battle, breaking the spirit of Earthrealm's defenders. His death was the turning point, after which Outworld began to dominate the tournaments. And now the 10th Mortal Kombat tournament is brewing, which will decide the fate of Earthrealm.