A/N: Writing bug bit me again, and after the MK11 trailer, I simply had to write something. Hope your holidays are peaceful, filled with happiness and laughter, ya lovely bunch. :)
Ascend
Chapter 1
Everything went by in a blur, limbs whizzing past, blades swinging, missing severing those limbs by mere inches. It didn't matter whom they belonged too, flurry of weapons, newly, self appointed Emperor Kotal Kahn's men haphazardly attacking, directionless.
It was as if justice had dissolved, acid the perpetrator, thrown from the mouth of Kung Lao, Shaolin morals cast aside for sheer anger, man, guilty of stealing, purely to feed his distraught, famished family, about to be publicly executed, a show of 'power,' exacting it with wanton abandon.
If you fucked with the Emperor, he would react accordingly? The monk refused to hear the guard out, notching an arrow, lining it up with the man's heart. Cassandra Cage and her group were stunned that the Emperor himself couldn't make an appearance, likely bathing in liquid gold, his people ants under vast magnifying glass, they'd shrivel, burn, ashes scattered to the wind.
One refused to fight, speaking with an as yet unknown woman, acting on behalf of him. She left to locate the Emperor's convoy, have him deal with the Earthrealmer's himself.
They couldn't be allowed to disrupt justice being served. Outworld's leader burning the Earthrealmer's alive would serve as ample warning to those who wished to disobey...
Upon freeing the trembling man from having his head unceremoniously severed from his neck, the 'revered' Emperor, God Kotal Kahn bothered himself long enough to make a show of the man, the mortals standing before him, bellowing about power, or something or other, Kara couldn't care less. She'd heard it all before, finding it dull, yawn inducing, eyes rolling back more times than she cared to count. The emissary for the Lin Kuei, daughter of their General, child of a Goddess, Kara's position held weight, though it was up to Kotal how much.
He had the advantage, Kara the upper hand.
He just didn't know it yet.
To avoid further conflict, providing more shovels for the five to dig their own graves, Kara froze the environment, heat of battle's sizzle brought down to sputters...
Kotal's eyes scanned his surroundings, inevitably falling upon the woman responsible, hand extending upward, eyes shifting lilac sand. He hadn't encountered a mortal with abilities, seemingly able to control all around, within eyesight with relative ease.
Keeping eyes trained on the floor, Kara knelt, position vulnerable, ruler unaware her fighting style was predominantly spent low to the ground.
"Emperor. Its an honour."
Kotal's lips thinned, eyes widening, snort curt, off-putting. The company she kept meant the woman remained quiet. To her credit, she did not begin quivering, weeping, begging for 'forgiveness', her life be spared, her folly downplayed.
"Facetious. You spew deceit at me? Deceive my view? Relinquish your hold on time, lest I relinquish it for you."
Eye roll came too fast for her to stop it.
"Okay." Kara dared look up, higher than anticipated, shielding hazels from glorious sun's rays, bathing the God before her, carnelian glow. "Its far from honour that I feel. Its more akin to worry. Your actions have been reported to Earthrealm. People flee there, Emperor, to get away from you. They are famished, skin and bone, worked half to death. They look like slaves, battered, bruised, bloody. As a convoy, I am here to keep the peace, speak with you, clarify what, exactly is going on. Surely executing people for the 'crime,' exaggerated air quotes gained her sharp glare, aquamarine waves receding, carmine sand emerging, "of being unable to afford to provide, cater for the most basic human needs is harsh, no?"
The Emperor surprised the woman, yanking her up by her collar. She jumped backward, stumbling, catching herself quickly.
"Was this your decree, or your predecessors? We have...," hazels closed, "a history. Megalomaniac bastard. Please, don't be like him. Your aura is steadfast, bold, but washes over everything. It doesn't push, pry, or battle with mine."
"You pry into my mind, as well as control my realm? Pray, tell me," Kara bat away hand that went to grab her a second time, "who do you think you are?"
Kara laughed, readying herself, stretching, popping limbs, rotating her neck.
"See, I studied up on the history of your people, Gods, the like. You learn through battle? I can work with that..."
"It was not by my hand that murder for petty theft came into being. The crime committed does not deserve penalty, death too harsh a sentence. Tell me of Shao Kahn."
Kara tapped out, yelps of relief as dead weight removed itself from her arm, pinning it behind her back. She stood, rotating shoulder, accepting defeat with reluctant bow. Loss was lesson, learning preferable to pouting, arms folding childishly.
"Dictator, the type who ignores anything and everything, so long as it didn't involve him, murdered citizens, kidnapped Queen Sindel, claimed her as his own, and 'adopted' her daughter, Kitana. When neither served him, he had sorcerer, Quan Chi take Sindel's soul, make her malleable. Kitana refused to be controlled, so with help from Shang Tsung, the two created a clone. Mileena. I believe she plagues you from the shadows? Lapis fire could light the way, Emperor. Merely a suggestion."
Producing fire in quantity that thoroughly embarrassed the Emperor, sunlight unable to permeate whatever barrier the woman had placed around them, Kotal extinguished them, flecks of paint obliterated, ash slipping through his fingers.
"Kara," she saluted in Lin Kuei fashion, "Kara Amakura, member, daughter of General Jin Amakura, of the Lin Kuei clan, based in Earthrealm. My Mother, Tiama is from the Heavenly plain, above Earthrealm. Goddess of energy, mind, telepathy, telekinesis, that sort of thing, hence why I spoke of your aura, Emperor. Each and every person has one, the brightest being those with power. Blue is all around you, I believe Lapis Lazuli is what you use to communicate with the outside world?"
"You read me as I were scant pages, when I write, contain volumes. You know not whom you speak."
Kara shrugged, to Kotal's dismay.
"I don't, but, hopefully, we can change that, for the good of both our realms, Ko'atal Kahn. I swear that on my life. End it, if you think I lie, mock. I won't try to stop you, though my family likely will be rather pissed. Can't blame them, I am their ONLY child..."
Kara's 'aura' thickened, violet mist swirled, decorating her form in amethyst.
"Yeah, that happens when I am nervous..."
"You needn't be. I neglected my duties, that much is true. I deigned believe Mileena to be nought but cub, prowling after a jaguar, truly not a challenge to myself. However, much of her 'rule' fell upon my shoulders, her people's weight, their burdens should become mine. Fruitlessly, I sought a way to cease her meddling, she troubles Outworld more than I care to admit. My mind frays, adding more weight would bend, break the bow, if I let it."
He offered hand, Kara speechless, astonishment clear. In it, he formed Lapis Lazuli, effervescent glow resplendent.
Gesturing for her to take it, Kara snapped from daze, extending her hand to form an Amethyst, brilliance eclipsed by former gem, though dazzling all the same.
The two exchanged crystals, Kara failing to hide smile.
"Now that IS an honour. I shall give this to Lord Raiden, when we get back to our kamp. He is our leader, an Elder God, wisest of them all. Incredibly humble soul, purest white. We're lucky to have someone like that, his care goes beyond what we deserve, given our past. I trust he will wish to come here, speak with you, give you his White Quartz."
Kotal shaking his head had earlier dissipated worry rearing its repugnant head again...
"In the company of Gods, there is little to discuss other than business, and I long tired of that. My men will locate Mileena, this will end, I trust with your help?"
Kara blanched, raising hands in, 'woah, no, no, no, no' manner, before realising the few thousand year old God in front of her likely didn't know what that meant.
She went with shaking her head.
"Whilst that is, er, kind, Lord Raiden will be able to assist you in business, whereas Cassie, the group and I will assist you in locating Mileena. I am not equipped for talking on important matters. Netherrealm, I only recently read the Reiko Accords, in order to fully understand, grasp what was going wrong. Outworld isn't an ally to Earthrealm. I can, and would like to challenge that, in friendly debate, of course."
Halted people mid-cheer, others mid-jeer at the sight of Kotal's 'traitor' being freed made anguish seep from wounds on his arms, running alongside blood. Kara saw this, making a face.
"Sorry." She slowly approached him. "Mind if I heal those?"
"Mortals vocation is to serve Gods..."
Second eye roll was noticed, subsequent growl prompting woman to jump, then squeak.
"Demi-Goddess, but, do go on. What next? Water, filtered through mountain rocks, pipette dripped into your mouth by some poor schmuck, who's stood upon another's back? Ugh..." She palmed her face. "Want me to heal those? Use the crystal if you don't want my, 'dirty, fragile, mortal hands' near you."
The amethyst lit up, painted scarlet lines on chest and arms bled freely, until Kara was sure they were clean. They sealed themselves, swellings easing, pinch of looming headache whisked away.
"Before I restore the scene, humour me. Just answer one, teeny question for me, please?"
Given Kara had actually done what she said she would, neither stabbing him in the back, treachery notwithstanding, Kotal nodded.
"I froze everyone in place, everyone, except you, Emperor, and yet, you did not move, until we fought. Did you truly believe I did that, without your permission, or did you genuinely not know?"
Something lay there, in undertones, atmosphere thickening, with each passing second.
"That was more than one, 'teeny' question, Kara. I knew."
"Then, why didn't you move? Coulda killed me, right then and there, but you listened? Aren't mortals all terrible, dogmatic fiends, who seek your ruin?"
"They may well be. But I recall I speak with a Demi-Goddess, far from insignificant."
The smirks the two wore were enough to melt the sturdiest sheer wall of ice Sub-Zero could muster...
"Oh, you're good." Kara laughed. "Very good. You are apt, as well as witty, rather amiable too."
Standing on tiptoes, she whispered, fully aware none would hear, regardless...
"Don't tell anyone I said that. Ahem! Excuse me for a few minutes, Emperor."
Straightening up, Kara returned the scene to how it was prior, heading back towards her friends.
"The fuck happened there? One minute we were busting skulls, next, we're here, standing around?"
Cassie exclaimed. Everyone knew Kara had done something, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly unnecessary add-on.
"Well, I halted things, after helping Jin free the prisoner, and the guards get acquainted with the floor."
Laughter found the five for a good long while.
"I moved you guys here, so you were out of the fray. See?"
Kotal's men frantically looked around, bewildered as to where the Earthrealmer's were that they were fighting, moments ago could have gone. Their leader walked over, all men bowing, as he explained the situation.
"Kotal is about to absolve the man of any wrongdoing."
He did so, four stunned faces greeting the woman.
Cassie swore, Jin was livid, Jacqui was nursing bruised shoulder, Takeda grinned, knowing what Kara had done.
"You spoke with him, managed to convince him to stay his hand. Clever."
The man like younger sibling to her, Kara clapped him on the back.
"Got it in one. Basically, I told him of his people's plight, he said Mileena had taken his eye off the ball, gaze firmly on her as she schemed from the sidelines. Rumour is Rain wants in. He knows if Kotal kills Mileena, he is one step closer to ruling Outworld. As a God himself, he'd be able to stand up to Kotal. God of Water versus God of Fire? Pretty obvious who would win that one..."
"Pretty sure that isn't why his eyes are on Mileena..."
Sixteen eyes scanned the monk as if his skin was green...
"What? Jus' sayin'..."
Kara snorted.
"You saying he's a pervert? WOW. That's bold. Go on. Dare you to say it to his face. He already likes you, after the Raiden's amulet spiel. You could out run him though, he's rather, bulky."
Jacqui's jaw dropped.
"And how do you know that, exactly?"
"We fought, he beat me. made sure I couldn't get up until I tapped out. Actually, he does move kinda fast..."
Jin smirked.
"I'd love to see you tell him he's fat..."
Chortles at Kara directed all attention at her, several hundred eyes upon her, including the Emperor himself...
"We're going to head back. Mom just informed us Kano has escaped his cell, and bought cloaking gear from a stall nearby. Should check it out. See you soon?"
Kara nodded, hugging the blond, watching the four head toward the portal chamber.
"Kano escaped Outworld confines, huh? You really did drop the ball..."
Kotal ignored her. Kara would have found it rude had her crystal not began to shake in the Emperor's palm. She took out his Lapis Lazuli, seeing it flop around, quivering just a tad. Usually, that meant the owner of the gem was weak, near perishing, but Kotal stood, like pillar beside her, powerful as can be, sunlight cascading down, rejuvenating him.
Loud static filled her eyes from nowhere, radio tuned incorrectly. She doubled over, world phasing in and out of vision, spots of colour dancing out of eye line. Vaguely registering Kotal kneeling at her side, he too, doubled over, growling as pain thrummed in veins, spiking all over his body.
His 'guard-dog' (Kara had called him,) Erron rushed over, helping his boss up, onto his feet. He hauled Kara up, one ankle wobbling from effort of standing, she hit the deck before anyone could stop her. Filling the air with expletives, Kara heard cracking, sharp sting gripped her chest, breathing increasingly difficult.
Watery eyes saw her crystal, in two? She scrambled for it, realising that it was, indeed in two halves, edges roughly hewn, nicking at her finger, blooming fresh blood buds from her fingertips.
Managing to sit up, Kara tried to find Kotal's gem, more so finding him on the ground, holding it. He opened his palm, faced her and looked ill, like he would puke everything he'd eaten in the past week, spew his guts out, possibly stomach in the process, if its acid hadn't melted his throat in the process...
His Lapis Lazuli was broken, two halves jagged, ripped apart from one another harshly, split up when it should have been one, cohesive force.
It took time for the two to recover, recurrent ground shaking, aftershocks of nonexistent earthquake further exacerbating stress.
Finding the portal chamber empty, magic devoid, seemingly vanishing, or failing to react with Kara's own? Tears wished to work their way down her face, blotch it with sadness.
Kotal told her she could use the chamber in his palace, in Z'Unkahrah. It was a few hours away by coach, but Kara didn't care. She simply stared out of thatch windows, praying this would all be fixed when they arrived...
