Forest Battle pt. 2

As the scene shifts from his perspective, their tender moment is interrupted by Ermac - levitating a considerable distance above ground level - uprooting the tree that Takeda was resting by.

"Hold that thought."

They flee just as Ermac brings the tree down where they were standing. He flies after them, shooting blasts of soul energy as Takeda and Jacqui dodge as best they can. After a while, it seems like they manage to outrun him - but then they come face to face with Kotal Kahn and his soldiers. Ermac soon floats into view behind them.

"Lady's choice."

"I've got Ermac."

As Takeda rushes Kotal, Jacqui charges at Ermac. She shoots off a plasma bolt that hits Ermac to no effect. In response, he telekinetically lifts her into the air and slams her into a tree. She struggles to rise as Ermac floats down to ground level.

"You are the spawn of Jackson Briggs."

"And damn proud of it! I know what you did to him."

"We took your father's arms. We will take all of you."

They fight. The battle proves to be one of the toughest of Jacqui's life, as Ermac brings the power of a thousand souls to bear against her. But hardened by resolve and the will to avenge her father's maiming, Jacqui takes the fight to the Outworld construct. After a fierce battle, she manages to emerge victorious against Ermac.

"That was for you, Dad."

As Jacqui rushes back to where Takeda is fighting Kotal, Ferra/Torr jumps into her path. Ferra laughs and Torr roars, taking a massive swing at her with his meaty fists. Jacqui dodges two swipes and barely escapes as Torr almost pounds her into the ground. He manages to grab Jacqui and lift her into the air with both his hands around her waist.

"Squeeze, squeeze, Torr!"

Torr complies, and Jacqui's bulletproof vest begins to crunch under the strength in his hands.

"Your eyes, so bright."

She readies the metal claws on her wrist.

"Gonna carve 'em out!"

She slowly brings the claws towards Jacqui's face. In the nick of time, Jacqui's gauntlets finish charging up. She unleashes a plasma blast that rocks Torr backward, letting her lose his grip. He doesn't fall though, and neither does Ferra.

"Trickery! Deceit!"

Jacqui shoots off a plasma bolt, but it isn't charged and doesn't faze Torr. He throws two more meaty punches that Jacqui barely avoids. She gets into a fighting stance.

"No more tricks. Just a straight-up beatdown."

They fight. The sheer power and brutality of Ferra/Torr force Jacqui to use all of her kickboxing skills to avoid their mighty attacks. She proves to be up to the challenge, and with the help of her charged gauntlets, she lands multiple blows on the two Outworlders. After a long brawl, they eventually fall unconscious at her feet.

"Two for one. I'll take it."

Back with the rest of Team S-F, Kung Jin blocks the sword of a charging soldier with his staff, and Cassie kicks him in the side, staggering him long enough for Jin to put an arrow through his brain. He swings his staff around just in time to parry a sword blow from another soldier trying to cut down Cassie, allowing her to kick him in the stomach and smash her knee into his face, knocking him out.

A third soldier charges Jin, who again blocks the sword strike with his staff-bow. Cassie punches the soldier in the kidney twice and knocks him down with a right cross, and Jin swings his staff-bow around and fires an arrow straight through the head of a fourth soldier, causing him to backflip from the force.

A couple more soldiers arrive to confront Cassie and Kung Jin, but they are flanked by the tall half-Outworlder, Alex, who readies his hook swords. The two soldiers swing their swords, but they are deflected easily by Alex, who circles around the first one and connects both hook swords to smack the second soldier with the hilt and then sweep him on his feet. The first soldier turns around and lunges towards Alex, who again deflects the attack and, in one fluid motion, sheathes both of his hook swords and takes out his shield. With a quick discus spin, Alex ducks a second swing and slams his shield against the soldier's face and chest, knocking him out cold.

Meanwhile, Takeda is still fighting Kotal Kahn one on one. He smashes Kotal in the face with a right hand, but the Osh-Tekk kicks him in the stomach, forcing him back. Takeda holds back for a moment, allowing Kotal a chance to speak.

"We know D'Vorah is here. Where is the amulet?"

"Kotal Kahn, the situation has changed--"

"Do not fling your spittle at me."

He charges at Takeda and attacks. Takeda blocks his punches but takes a kick to the chest that knocks him down. He rolls to his feet and fires off one of his whips, ensnaring Kotal by the wrist. Kotal merely takes a firm grip on the whip and pulls, whirling Takeda around him. Takeda manages to stay on his feet but is forced to retract the whip. Jacqui runs up to them both.

"You tell 'im?"

"Not yet!"

"He needs to kno--"

"Busy!"

Kotal interrupted them

"I will kill you both."

"Shinnok's been freed. He's at Raiden's Sky Temple. He's already infected Earthrealm's life force."

She gestures to the sky. Kotal looks up at the red clouds and realizes the truth of her words.

"The heavens boil... Earthrealm is lost!"

"Not if we hang together!"

Kotal draws his macuahuitl from the scabbard on his back and readies it for kombat.

"I will appease Shinnok. Bring him your heads. Gain time to bolster Outworld's defenses."

He swings the weapon at Takeda, who barely ducks in time. Kotal backhands it towards Jacqui, who blocks with her gauntlets. Kotal holsters the macuahuitl as Takeda throws a punch that he blocks before he punches him in the kidney and kicks him in the ankle, knocking him to the ground. As Takeda rises, Ferra/Torr charges straight towards him. Takeda ducks under Torr's attempted grab, but the behemoth slaps away his follow up kick.

While Takeda fights Ferra/Torr, Jacqui now goes up against Kotal Kahn alone. She deflects one of the Kahn's punches and one of his roundhouse kicks with her gauntlet and shoots off a blast of plasma that stuns him for a moment.

"You need to help us, Kotal Kahn!"

"It is too late for Earthrealm. Shinnok is now its master."

They fight. With both kombatants fueled with desperation for their realms, the battle proves to be a long and hard one for Jacqui. The Emperor of Outworld brings everything he has to the fight, and Jacqui only barely manages to defend against it. Calling upon her last reserves, she throws everything she has right back at Kotal Kahn and amazingly manages to defeat him.

"You should'a been with us."

Kotal rises to his feet, growling impatiently. Erron Black steps in, flanked by soldiers, who push Alex toward Jacqui, and aims one of his revolvers right at her.

"That's enough."

Kotal's forces slowly back Jacqui, Cassie, Alex, and Jin towards each other in a clear part of the forest. Cassie tries to shoot her pistol, but she's out of bullets. She holsters the gun and readies her fists.

"Fuck me!"

"Right now? Sure!"

"ALEX?!"

Ferra/Torr stomps back into the fray, with Takeda's bound body in Torr's arms. Torr lifts him up and throws him toward the clearing. He lands hard as Ferra laughs, and Jacqui helps him to his feet. Team S-F is now surrounded and have all been backed into one another, Jacqui quips

"Don't know about you guys, but I'm living the dream."

"You have odd dreams."

Kotal having regained his strength quite pleased with the results says

"Chattel. You die tonight."

He calls to his soldiers in the Outworld tongue and they begin to close in. He says nothing to Alex who stands ready with his team and says

"Then I will do so gladly. For my friends, my family, and my realm."