Across the dull purple expanse, the Outworld sky welcomed the her with a cold breeze and a dry wasteland beyond the palace city. She tugged on the black and red cotton robe gifted to her by Raiden and Hanzo Hasashi, then etched the desert with the rest.
A greeting party met on horseback and armor, Osh-Tekk and proud, they halted the group dead in their tracks near half a mile from the palace gates. Ahead of the rest Bo' Rai Cho and Raiden approached the housebound troop. Skarlet watched the decadence of their group like flowers wait in the wading Outworld silence.
The air here had never felt colder.
This would be the first time here since her death on Shang Tsung's Island. This would be the first time returning for many of them, including Shang Tsung behind her. Raiden turned to signal the group and soon the horses reared and turned. They would be accepted by Kotal Kahn into the city.
Would she?
As their tired legs crossed the sand and stone, she remembered the last encounter with the Kahn was in battle. They tried to kill one another for an equal betrayal of character. She then went on to take it out on Kitana and Mileena, an error that cost her what she felt was her only life. Since then, the bee sting touch of resurrection still never left her feeling whole.
Now she shook at her core like vertigo when their feet reached the gates.
In the city, she could trace it blindly to all of the spots she went through as a child, and beyond toward the castle, she could trace through that as if she were beside Shao Kahn or Kotal Kahn, but not as well as the phantom limb of her poverty struck self.
It was kind of hard not to notice the city had dried since she saw it last. More arid, less forgiving and the air was thinner. The more she paid attention to the journey toward the palace, the more she noticed was new, and a lot of like dust that cracked to the touch.
Attached with no real feeling.
Almost like an army, Raiden marched with Fujin, Scorpion, Sub-Zero and all behind them to the royal palace where Kotal Kahn waited. No children played in the grass at winter's end, and no purple summer sky to take their eyes high, they marched beneath heavy robes and single file as they entered the palace walls, kept on the road unchained.
The meeting hall was almost the same as it ever was under Kotal Kahn, though Skarlet noticed a few things had changed. There were no trophies of war and all of those that hung from pillar to pillar, wall to wall were replaced by sconces or banners to the Kahn. The chamber was still long, made of dark wood and lit only by the fire when the light outside began to wane.
She was snug within the group of Edenians, Earthrealmers, and Outworld's lost. She wasn't confident enough to pull up ahead, and instead as they all kneeled to greet the Kahn, Raiden and Fujin, of which would only grant a slight courteous nod, the two deities approached Kotal Kahn first.
At the thrown was the Kahn, which Skarlet noted was without Jade. Whether he had failed or succeeded was not known as of yet to her. At his right hand, Mileena, the clone of Queen Kitana and Skarlet's murderer. Though Mileena wore loose linen attire that kept a royal decorum and her face covered in a black and pink veil of the same clothe, she could still see the great maw widen at her, and the feeling of her own flesh torn from her with fatal success.
Beside Mileena on Kotal Kahn's right was a new person she had never met. He was also covered from head to toe, from a leather cowboy hat and mask to an outfit that screamed spaghetti western. She would have begged to be there when this man found out that Outworld was neither christian, nor Texas, but by the look of him, he fared well enough with the aggressive Osh-Tekk culture.
To Kotal Kahn's left, a massive beast stared and drooled beneath its own mask. There seemed to be a theme with all of the protectors of the Kahn. Atop the fleshy beast was a smaller feminine figure that seemed bored with the meeting. She was painted with war patterns, wore a metal helm that opened beneath her nose, which, really only protected her skull. Skarlet could already see how she'd take out both with minimal effort if given the chance.
Barely with room beside that monstrosity was another, King Gorbak, father of Goro. Kitana would never have aligned with the estranged figure, Kotal Kahn was not Kitana.
"We seek an audience with the Kahn and his most trusted commanders." Raiden stopped about three Shokan paces from the Kahn.
Mileena would address him, "you have it now, protector of Earthrealm."
"As we speak, war has broken out between Daegon and the realms." Raiden continued, "he has sent assassins to take out the Lin Kuei, Shirai Ryu, and my Special Forces."
"From our communications with Kung Jin, we already know of this." Mileena added, "as well as the attacks from the Red and Black Dragon on Edenia."
"If you know of the dangers we face, why not help?" Fujin pondered.
Finally Kotal Kahn leaned forward to straighten his back as he addressed their question. Hands on the throne, eyes on the Gods, he spoke, "because Outworld is dying. After destroying the forbidden forests, our world is suffocating. We have more pressing matters than the Red Dragon."
"That is grave news," Raiden understood, but he prodded further, "but we can offer Outworld assistance if they come to our aid as well."
"These are matters for Outworld, not Eathrealm, and not Edenia." Kahn rejected.
"Then allow us asylum while we gather ourselves to move forward with our own plans?" Fujin hoped.
"You may rest within the city. The gates of my palace will only be open to you, Fujin, Raiden, and your stowaway."
Raiden perked, confused by the phrase, but turned as a crack in formation revealed Skarlet at the center. Who else?
"She is my charge, Kotal Kahn. I implore you promise nothing happen to her." Raiden turned back, Kotal Kahn's narrow eyes on the risen dead alarmed him. He now had his doubts with Outworld, but if the two before them had reached out to Mileena, he hoped they'd be able to at least get out of Outworld unscathed and with the imposter Queen of Edenia.
"We will speak privately then." Kotal Kahn leaned back.
Skarlet knew there were dark thoughts in his head and plenty of questions. Questions she herself had, but after their last encounter, she wasn't sure if either of them would accept the same answer.
Once dismissed, Raiden had chosen to seek out an inn for himself, Skarlet, Fujin and Bo' Rai Cho to reside in. Perhaps a safety net for her, she thought, as she knew the other members would have their own issues in Outworld, but none of them had unfinished business with the brooding Kahn himself.
She tried to sleep. She tried to lay down and even tried to enjoy the sounds of Outworld's city beyond the palace as she would have what felt like just days ago. Somehow the sounds were somewhat different, and felt emptier, or foreign to her. She couldn't grasp the voices the way she did then. The only benefit she noticed was the lack of Naknada.
Raiden sat at the window which was thick and carved into the stone tavern that overlooked the busy street. Some lamp posts beneath a deep bluish purple sky helped illuminate for the people below, and those of the travelers that wished to drink the night away.
She watched his silhouette, his brow furrow and his hair long and concerned. She never really looked at Raiden before. He was always just a troublesome Thunder God, but now, she realized this might be the only man between her and second death, and he did it all with nothing to ask for in return, save for her honesty.
Above him, thick curtains were tied up and ready to fall at a moment's notice and as a knock came at the door, he withdrew them to blacken the room, with only the light at the end of his staff to illuminate his face.
Slowly he approached the door and she watched as it cracked and partly veiled in the light of his staff was the right hand of the Kahn, Mileena.
He guided her in and let the light shine just a bit more. With only the three of them, Mileena stopped midway through the fifteen by fifteen room when she saw Skarlet.
"Didn't I kill you?" She pondered, but Raiden gathered her toward the center of the room. That conversation would be another time.
Still, Skarlet felt the need to respond, the moment was awkward, and she didn't understand why Mileena had sought Raiden privately, or perhaps the other way around.
"Yeah, you did."
There was a long pause between the three of them, Mileena scrutinized what she could see of the blood witch, unable to grasp how she had returned, but Raiden would block any attempt to understand. "How you been?"
"Can't complain."
"Have the sisters of the Shadow spoken with you?" Raiden interjected.
"Yes, and I will help." Mileena focused back on Raiden.
"Edenia is in your blood, Mileena, but it is also home to the pyramid of Argus, where we must have Kotal Kahn's aid."
"I will speak to the Kahn, but I make no promises regarding that. For Kitana, however, I will do what I can."
"Leave with us tomorrow night, I dare not spend long in Outworld." Raiden's light dimmed and he returned Mileena to the doorway.
"Kotal Kahn," she stopped him," will be expecting you and Skarlet alone tomorrow morning. At the palace." There, she implied, answers must be given.
As the door closed, and the darkness consumed them, Raiden returned to his post and Skarlet, to the best of her ability slept.
The long nights of Outworld would betray them should they let it, but the thick fog of betrayal was still to be pierced by the guiding light of the Thunder God between Skarlet and Kotal Kahn.