(DISCLAIMER:I don't own Mortal Kombat or its characters in any way. )

Chapter 6: Ice, Fire, and Darkness

The sounds of screaming echoed the halls of Kahn's fortress. The sun had long since risen, but many went through the last portion of the night without rest. Mileena had been up, making an absolute mess of her room. She brought her dresser down, she tore her bed apart, she cast away parts of her seating arrangement from the window, and finally caved in the door to her closet. When she wasn't destroying her room, she was pounding the pavement with her fist, cursing and screaming at the ceiling. In a fit of rage, Mileena collapsed to her knees. Her bloodied knuckles caused her fingers to twitch as they bleed out over her legs.

Her eyes bloodshot and leaking with tears that smeared what mascara she did wear. Her veil was down around her neck…, though in her enraged fit didn't allow her to come to the realization. She looked up…and just barely could she see herself in her untouched vanity table. She looked horrible with those red, tear filled eyes. So helpless, so weak.

She moved closer, crawling up onto the seat. Short cut strands of atramentous hair fell into her line of sight. As her chin lifted, each hand flicked her hair out of the way so that she could see her face. The sharp rows of teeth were visible. Her horrid wide mouth gave her the grin worthy of a deranged court fool. She was no Tarkatan, she was no Edenian, she was not even worthy of the Oni scum inhabiting the low lands. This was the reason she had such bad luck – it was all her own doing. It was because she was the outcast, the ugly one that only fit when she pretended to be something more appealing to the eyes of others.

The anger intensified as her mind rushed on. She felt Kuai Liang would never love her in this timeline. Perhaps he was simply scared because he pretended so long while she was 'Kitana'. Perhaps the feeling was less than she was making of it. If so, her only choice in life was an abusive, angry, deceptive, and crazed individual in Baraka?

She drew her Sai upward from the side of the table, drawing it right up to the side of her head. Her eyes narrowed down as her breathing deepened. Her heart began to palpitate with the thought of ending herself to save further pain. She was too stupid to live any further, she felt. Her actions went against Kitana's warnings, and now here she was; alone as she would always be and just as dead inside as she was in the Netherrealm years ago.

Her eyes squeezed shut as she applied a little pressure to the weapon, feeling the blunt end of the Saki against her skull. She felt that with her strength, she could drive it through her own skull with ease. To die would be a better fate, wouldn't it? She wouldn't have to worry about fate intervening in her hopes and dreams. She wouldn't have to worry about rejection due to her looks, or letting her sister and Jade down. That emotion, that raw emotion of hers went from negative…to positive as soon as her eyes opened. She looked at herself again. She remembered once upon a time, she was the most fierce and feared person in the Mortal Kombat tournaments. She was unpredictable, vicious and vile. A little exposure to love and she forgot who she was? Who was she to follow rules like a simple pet?

She grit her teeth, lowering the weapon down. Her veil was lifted back up and over her lower face. She knew she had to use what she had to make things work in her favor. Unlike Kitana and Jade, Mileena was more than willing to play ball with the enemies and slit their throats as soon as she had what she wanted.

However, she would not need to plot on such very long, as things started to shift as soon as she got a knock on her chambers door.

"Go away!" Mileena yelled out, grabbing a bottle of perfume from the vanity and tossing it to its demise against the surface of the door.

Her attempts to scare off the visitors failed, as the door was opened anyway. Through them were two very unexpected guests…

"Shao Kahn requests you at his side for the viewing of the tournament. Get dressed." Baraka said, while paying more attention to the trashed room than her. He couldn't look at her just yet, in fear he'd do something he would later regret.

Shao Kahn wanted her present at the tournament? Perhaps this would give her a good chance to end him? Maybe even a chance to see Kuai Liang if she was lucky? She said nothing to Baraka, and instead stared at herself in the mirror.

"And clean this room! Shao Kahn has not raised swine!" He turned to leave, letting only Sheeva remain to watch over her. "We will escort you to the Coliseum once you are dressed. Do not keep Shoa Kahn waiting!"

She wouldn't keep him waiting that was for certain. Her yellow eyes shifted over toward Sheeva once Baraka shut the door. "Mileena can dress herself." She came to a stand, fingers arching toward her palm as she stepped about the trashed room. "Mileena wonders what she should wear…hmm…"

"Had you not dishonored yourself, you wouldn't have been removed from the tournament." Sheeva stated sternly, "Waste little time considering what to wear, and more putting it on. You can only regain your honor by obeying."

"Honor? Hmhm… Mileena's never heard that word." She chuckled, opening her closet up to examine. She took a double take at Sheeva however. She was bruised along her jaw, and her eyes seemed to be ready to shut at any moment. She could tell the Shokan had seen better days. "…Do you need to rest?"

"No."

"Are you sure? You look—"

"No."

"Bah!" She went back to sorting through her attire. She had a few dresses, most in which were more skimpy than what she usually wore to combat. She didn't see a reason not to put one of them on…,but she just wanted it to be the right color. Not too purple, not too pink. She needed something with sleeves so she could conceal her Sais without summoning them. She changed clothing fairly quickly, now having the sleeves she required, but having enough room to move about freely in combat situations.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of light snoring near the door. She glanced back to the Shokan…, who was now visibly asleep while standing.

"Sheeva?"

"….."

"Sheeva…?"

"…"

"You dishonor yourself!"

Sheeva's eyes shot open, straightening her posture. "I was meditating!" She said in her defense, only to realize no other was in the room with them. Mileena's laughter showed proof of this. "…Very humorous. Now, let us get serious about things."

"Serious?" Mileena turned from her closet. "Mileena can be serious. Deathly serious…" As if she'd intentions of doing the Shokan extreme harm, she lowered her tone as well as her eyelids.

"Good, child. Now come." Sheeva stepped forward, examining Mileena over. "…This will not do."

"…What?"

"Your makeup rivals that of a rodent's hindquarters."

"What?" Mileena growled, clutching at her Sai's handles beneath her sleeves.

"Come. Allow me." She led Mileena back to her vanity table, opening the drawers with her lower arm, and guiding her to a seat with the others. "Let's clean up this runny makeup and apply a fresh amount." Sheeva started to clean the makeup from Mileena's face, much to her dislike.

"Ngggh!" She struggled, whining as she went about cleaning her face up! "Stop it! Mileena can do it herself!"

"I will not allow you to dishonor yourself with less than fitting application of makeup." Sheeva did her best to keep Mileena still, even having to apply a bit of her strength to her shoulders. "Now is not the time to be a baby. It is okay to accept assistance from an elder."

Kitana was the only one who helped with makeup. She felt…awkward taking assistance from a Shokan. "Grr... Sheeva…!"

"Miss Sheeva, please." She began to sort out the various tools for makeup application on the table, getting a good look at Mileena in the mirror. "Now, this will not take long. Smile, it will make things go by faster."

"It is…difficult for Mileena not to smile." She narrowed her eyes at her reflection, but kept her mask up over her features.

"That is the attitude! Now! Let's begin!"

Side Event #15: Chinese Ninja Warrior

After the dismemberment of Jax at the might of Ermac, Sub-Zero was charged with fending off the powerful warrior while Sonya tended to her fallen comrade. The green energy consumed his form as he was lifted and thrown to the ground unforgivingly. Despite this impact, Kuai Liang sprung back to his feet, prepared to fight further. As Ermac wound his hands up to throw a projectile of his soul energy toward him, Kuai Liang charged it and slid beneath it coming toward the vulnerable Ermac.

Despite the sudden movement, Ermac managed to levitate just above Sub-Zero as he came inward. With his enemy overhead, the slide came to a sudden end. He stood prepared to guard himself from the incoming feet of the legion of souls. The foot's impact on his forearm was like a wall of bricks falling upon his limb. It took the feeling right out of his gingers and sent him back a few steps. Ermac proceeded on, but Sub-Zero kept his eyes on him. The slightest movement gave away his next move, as told from the masters of the Lin Kuei temple.

He waited for the sudden motion of a shoulder and he foresaw the incoming punch. He weaved aside it, as well as the next set to follow. Like a skilled boxer, Kuai Liang threw a left jab right at his jaw to break up his failure of a combination attack.

Flustered, Ermac went for a low sweep which was avoided by a lifting of the foot, then a thrusting of it right into his back. As the legion of warriors tumbled forward, Sub-Zero threw ice about the floor between them, then used it as a base to begin building a tall wall of ice between Ermac and himself, keeping Sonya and Jax on his end. Once it was solidified, he saw Ermac rising high above it, beginning to dive bomb down toward him!

Avoiding contact was no easy task, but with quick thinking, Kuai Liang dove backward, leaving behind a frozen statue of himself. Upon touching, the statue shattered but left Ermac frozen in mid-air with the remains of the statue. Moving his palms together, he began to gather a great amount of his energy to deeply freeze Ermac there. He eventually created quite the sizable block of ice to hold him contained for at least a few minutes. Victory was his. "I remain whole…for now."

"Sonya Blade to command! Do you read? Damnit…come on!" Frustrated, Sonya still attempted to use her communicator while keeping her hand along Jax's head affectionately, to some extent.

"…You've stopped the bleeding." Kuai Liang said, examining the damaged Jax. He had seen worse in battle…but at least the man was alive. Driven by the desire to catch up with Shang Tsung and Quan Chi and demand the identity of his brother's killer, he could not bother himself long enough to assist Jax and Sonya personally.

"Yeah, but he needs a medic ASAP." She frowned, "…He's not conscious, but alive—…" She noticed Sub-Zero starting to walk away from them. "Where are you going? I need your help here!"

"I must get to the coliseum . There's a portal south of here. A young man from Earthrealm followed me through it, and I doubt it has gone anywhere since." He proceeded forward along the bridge slowly.

"…Motherf…" She bit her tongue… "That portal better be…close…!" She grunted, doing her best to pull Jax up. Once he was up, Sonya pulled him up onto her shoulder, trying to carry his body weight as best she could.

It hadn't taken but a few minutes before she was nearly out of the Soul Chambers. When she arrived near the exit of the location, there were two just now reaching the area; Jade and Nido.

"Whoa-whoa-whoa…! What the hell happened to him?" Nido said, slowing down his rush toward the entrance of the Soul Chambers.

Jade too ended her trek forth, examining the severely wounded Jax mounted on Sonya's shoulder. "…By the gods…" She whispered to herself, stepping closer to Sonya, but reluctant to touch her or Jax.

"That freak who speaks in the first person ripped his arms off." She explained. "Sub-Zero froze him solid, but it's only a matter of time before he or that weird… cyborg comes back. We have to move out to the portal to get the hell out of here."

At first Jade thought she was speaking of Mileena…but her speaking patterns were more third person than anything…and she obviously wasn't a 'he'…and would more or less pounce Sub-Zero than attack him. "You are leaving? Earthrealm needs you here, Sonya! Johnny –…" She paused, feeling a severe pain surge through her skull. She held her forehead to tend to the pain.

"…Jade? Are you alright?" Nido said, placing a hand at her shoulder.

"…I'm fine."

Sonya couldn't stand by idly much longer, she started to walk. "Johnny can take care of himself. My partner is depending on me to save his life like he saved mine. I'm not going to let him down." She looked between the two of them. "Sub-Zero is heading for the coliseum. If you're not going to…," She adjusted Jax on her shoulder. "Help me take him back to Earth, this conversation is over."

"…I'll help Sonya with him. I know exactly where the portal is." Nido volunteered. "You go ahead to the coliseum, I'll catch up."

With a nod of her head, Jade gave Nido and Sonya a stare. "Be safe." Were the kunoichi's parting words before she took off in a run on the opposing section of the bridge.

( End Side Event )

"Denise! Did I not request my garments to be properly ironed once I returned?" Shang Tsung said as soon as he stepped through the doors of his private quarters. The lights were off…just barely peeking inside was the light of halls cut across the darkness. Shang Tsung's lips curled into a grin, rubbing his hands together. "…Oh…after seventy years, you are in a romantic mood? Well, as I have suggested my sweet…this will be very rejuvenating for us both…" Shang Tsung shut the door behind him, starting to undo the front buttons of his vest. He walked through the darkness, knowing the layout of their home within the fortress very well.

He passed the crystal ball…, the messy desk of books…, he rounded toward the bathroom, but could see it was empty. Perhaps she was hiding in the bedroom? He removed his vest, taking a deep breath to suck his stomach in and stick out his toned chest to make it seem as if he'd gained a little more muscle since his last hit of souls. He was not going to mess up this opportunity. "Come out, come out where ever you are…" He said slowly approaching the bedroom. The door was just slightly ajar…she must have been inside. "We have plenty of time before the tournament…but I would suggest you cancel any plans you have for the day…"

As he opened the door, he continued to speak. "Where are you, my bride…?"

Fwoosh!

"OVER HERE!" A commanding voice roared out after a sharp pain entered Shang Tsung's chest!

"Wh-!" The sorcerer was taken by surprise, yanked through the darkness and into the room! Once he reached the spectre, Shang Tsung found himself on the painful end of a fist right beneath his chin! He went flying toward the ceiling, and down through the antique table within the bedroom.

Scorpion approached him after holstering his spear. He grabbed Shang Tsung by the hair, dragging him back toward the bedside area. He grabbed his second victim – the beaten sorceress Denise, by her throat. "Where is Quan Chi?" He shouted down to Shang Tsung, lifting Denise above the ground. A gateway to the netherealm rapidly opening beneath her feet. "Answer me, sorcerer!"

Realizing his wife was in danger, Shang Tsung cracked immediately. "Scorpion! Wait! I can bring him to you!"

"Do it NOW or this worthless woman dies!" He threatened, lowering her heel clad feet over the burning portal.

As Denise started to come to, she realized what was happening fairly quickly. She even heard Scorpion refer to her as a 'worthless woman'. "-! Shang…! Are you going to let him say th-?" She tried to speak through being choked!

"Silence!" Scorpion barked back.

Denise kicked at the spectre, putting up a fight in the very least! "My husband will not let you – do anything!"

"Denise…, now is not the time…!" Bleeding from his wound in the chest, Shang Tsung put his hand over it, starting to get up to his feet. "Just wait, I'll retrieve Quan Chi!" Where was Denise's spellbook? Surely by now he could summon Noob Saibot! It had to be somewhere on the floor…

On cue, a green gateway opened within the room. Quan Chi had sensed this danger as soon as Shang Tsung found himself struck down. With a motion of his hand, Quan Chi attempted his means of controlling Scorpion. "This ends now. Close the gate." He commanded…but alas, his magic wasn't working. He waved his hand a few more times…but Scorpion only seemed to grow angrier! "…Now wait…!"

Scorpion cast Denise across the room and proceeded to Quan Chi. Both hands gripping his throat as he drove him into the wall. Hard punches came to his face, breaking skin and bone, leaving heavy splatters of blood leaving his mouth and staining his pale flesh in the darkness. He cast him to the ground, sending a shin up to his ribs with such force that the bones cracked in webbing like patterns upon initial impact. The second kick did even worse damage as Quan Chi left the ground briefly. He tried to lift his hand to cast some sort of magic, but his arm was grasped by Scorpion. "This is from my family!" He shouted as the spear was drawn up and driven through the point of Quan Chi's elbow. As he screamed out in pain, Scorpion dug into that arm until he was able to saw it right off of Quan Chi's body at the elbow.

Shang Tsung had gotten the lights and the spell book, immediately shouting the commands to summon the demon of darkness himself, Noob Saibot. Just as the dark entity was arising from the shadows of the room, Scorpion created another gateway to hell itself…

Noob touched down on the ground…but his eyes caught sight of Quan Chi…the sound of his horrific screams bringing back memories of years past. He had just defeated Quan Chi in the netherrealm…there was…there was a woman. A woman who's image was distorted to his very mind. Her hair…dark…with a streak of white? He felt a sudden thump in his chest. Clutching it in confusion, Noob Saibot was lost in this wonderment of sensation. However…it ended when the power of the magic that brought him to life gripped his mind. He had to act. "Hanzo…" He remembered him extremely clearly.

Scorpion was prepared to toss Quan Chi into the flaming gate…but the voice of Bi Han stopped him dead in his tracks. "…Bi Han?" He saw that he wasn't as he once was…and being dead himself, he could sense Bi Han was no longer among the living. What had they done to him? It was clear, however…he wanted a fight. Dropping Quan Chi, Scorpion threw his spear! "Get -!"

The spear went through the shadowy figure, and immediately Bi Han was in his face. A sudden knee to the chin followed with an instantaneous elbow to the spine left Scorpion stunned. In a single second, ten strikes landed on his body, and he hadn't been able to begin to pull his spear back. His stomach, his ribs, his spine, and even his groin were victim of these lightning fast and impactful strikes. Noob Saibot grasped him, sending his skull right against his, internally fracturing the tough bones of the burning spectre.

"Finish him!" Shang Tsung commanded…and at those very words, Noob Saibot gathered that chain…wrapping it around Scorpion's neck…and jamming the spear right into his heart. The spray of blood splattered across Noob, but he hadn't stopped. He drew his foot back, kicking Scorpion as hard as he could to send him flying through that gate to the Netherrealm. As soon as he passed through it…the gate closed.

Quan Chi still lay writhing in pain in a pool of his own blood. His face rearranged by Scorpion's brutal assault…but he was still alive. Noob Saibot stood there…and glanced back toward Shang Tsung. "Who is the woman in my visions? The woman with hair of black and white..! Tell me where I can find her!"

"You mean Sareena?" Denise spoke up, rubbing her neck. She saw a potential spin here…obviously Saibot could easily kill them all if he wasn't…directed properly. "Shao Kahn knows. We must crush Earthrealm for her to be found…"

Shang Tsung was very in tune with his wife's plots…and stood, still holding his wound. "Yes…, if you can assist us further by defeating Earthrealm warriors, we can find out just where Sareena is…"

"…Then it is done." Noob said simply. "…Get this sorcerer some help. He is of no use to me dead." With his fist over his chest, Noob Saibot vanished completely from sight….

By now, Quan Chi's groaning and pained exclamations had ended with his passing out from the pain. Before Denise or Shang Tsung even began to help him…Densite spoke up, noticing just what Shang Tsung was wearing. "…Why is your shirt off?"

( Later, at the Coliseum )

The stage was set. The fighters were gathered, and the battles had begun. Liu Kang, Kung Lao, Smoke, Johnny Cage, Goro, Kano, and others were all in attendance. At the emperor's side, his daughter Mileena stood along with Sheeva. Kitana had currently been the first up in the series of battles against a highly skilled Shaolin warrior. Each attack she fended off only reminded her of Liu Kang. She found herself holding back, not having any intention of murdering the man.

Feeling the angering eyes of her 'father' on her…Kitana began to make her comeback in the fight. Ultimately, she overpowered him and sent him to the ground. On instinct she drew her fan and held it above her head, threatening to cleave into the man. She could only see Liu Kang in his eyes…she couldn't bring herself to do it. Despite the calls of the crowd, and even the man's own plea for death due to his failure, she would not do it.

"Kitana!" Shao Kahn called out.

She closed her fan. "I show you mercy." She turned to leave the man there…though the loud crackle of Shao Kahn's energy filled the air with the approving cheers of the crowd. She had no need to glance back…she knew the man had been killed at the hands of Kahn regardless of Kitana's call of mercy. She froze, her eyes widening as the dying screams of the man entered her ears. Would that be the fate of Liu Kang had she acted out of line? Killed in the most cowardly fashion?

"Kitana!" Kahn shouted, "You will join me!" He motioned his head toward the side, signaling for his daughter to stand on the other side of the throne.

She obeyed…coming to stand on the opposing side as her sister.

Mileena glanced over at her, seeing the troubled gaze in her sister's eyes. She hadn't known what was wrong…, but she did not see the big deal in the loss of a life they had no connection to. At least with her current somewhat angry mood. Her eyes glanced over the lined up warriors…when suddenly they stopped. She took a double take as she spotted Kuai Liang approaching. Her heart fluttered, her stomach went into knots, her knees felt weak upon his sight. "Kuai Liang…" She spoke softly.

"Shao Kahn! I demand the whereabouts of Shang Tsung and Quan Chi! I demand that they bring forth the identity of my brother's killer!" He pointed two fingers toward the Emperor. "You will bring them before me…"

Sheeva stepped forth. "Foolish piece of excrement!" She growled, "No one makes demands of the emperor!"

Shao Kahn lifted his hand to silence Sheeva. "Had I known where the two fools have been, I would break their legs for being late. I will give you a challenger until they arrive. Should you survive…, perhaps you will get the information you seek." Among the challengers, he leaned over to Sheeva, speaking a whisper. "Fetch Skarlet." Clearing his throat, he sat up straight again. "Baraka. Face our Lin Kuei challenger…"

Seeing Baraka step forward, Mileena's fingers clutched into her palm. The last she saw these two in the same place…Kuai Liang was killed. The battle was set to begin…and deep down, Mileena was hoping Kuai Liang would pass whatever test came his way. As Sheeva began to depart, Mileena's worry only increased. Depsite the fact she saw Jade arrive…and Kitana was at her side…something in her gut told her that this would not end as smoothly as it once did in the past….