Mortal Kombat Conquest - Episode 05 - The Essence

 

When Shang Tsung's sorcery puts Taja and Siro's lives in danger, Kung Lao risks all of the Earth Realm to save his friends.

Kung Lao takes Siro and Taja to the Temple of the Order of Light for some meditation and reflection. What Siro and Taja discover after some reflection is that this isn't for them and they decide to leave Kung Lao and head back to the trading post.

As they're leaving the post, and elderly monk notices a water sack hanging on a post, and assuming it's theirs runs after Taja and Siro to give them the sack. The monk drinks some of the water before he gives it to them. The sack, as it turns out, is Kung Lao's, but his friends take it anyway.

The monk returns to the Temple and dies shortly thereafter. As the other monks are preparing his body for burial, it continues to age and disintegrate until there is nothing left except a pile of dust. It is clear to the other monks that the dark powers of sorcery are at work.

Vorpax, having completed her mission, is discovered trying to sneak away from the Temple. Kung Lao chases her and she narrowly escapes through a portal back to Outworld. Piecing together the events of the day, Kung Lao surmises that Vorpax, acting for Shang Tsung, put something in the water sack that was meant for him, not the monk. He then realizes that Siro and Taja have the water sack and are probably drinking the remainder of the potion that caused the monk to age into oblivion--and will do the same to them.

The monks tell Kung Lao of a woman, Omegis, a sorceress who has defeated mortality and can reverse Shang Tsung's potion. Unfortunately, the monks warn, Omegis is a friend to no one and only serves her own desires.

Arriving at the trading post, Kung Lao discovers that his friends have already aged almost 20 years from the day before, and the aging shows no signs of slowing. Their journey to Omegis is labored, considering that Taja is more than 50 years old and Siro is well past 60. Sensing time is running out, Kung Lao leaves his friends at an abandoned temple and goes on alone.

Kung Lao tells Omegis why he's come, but as he was warned, she is unsympathetic and unwilling to help. She tells Kung Lao that he should get used to seeing his friends die--since he's immortal (until he's defeated in Mortal Kombat), he'll outlive everyone he meets. Kung Lao persists and Omegis finally relents, giving him a potion to reverse Shang Tsung's sorcery.

By the time Kung Lao gets back to Taja and Siro at the temple, they have been taken captive by Shang Tsung. Unless Kung Lao agrees to face off with Shang Tsung there and then in Mortal Kombat, Shang Tsung will keep Taja and Siro from getting Omegis' potion. It's fierce battle, but once again, Kung Lao is victorious and defeats Shang Tsung (who barely has the strength to make it back to Outworld) in just enough time he gets the antidote to Taja and Siro.

With Taja and Siro back to normal and Shang Tsung back in Outworld, Rayden visits Kung Lao and berates him for selfishly putting all of the Earth Realm in danger by engaging in Mortal Kombat to save two friends. Oddly enough, Rayden's warning echoes Omegis'--immortality comes with a price.