"Nobody looks good in their darkest hour. But it's those hours that make us what we are. We stand strong, or we cower. We emerge victorious, tempered by our trails, or fracture by a permanent, damning fault line."
― Karen Marie Moning
"Dearest Tanya, just how stupid did you think I was?"
Rain spoke in a blunt, wry tone whilst pretending to inspect his nails. A genius wasn't required to guess he was smirking underneath his mask. But really, who could blame him? Outsmarting and putting this petulant worm in her place was a feat worth bragging about. Her fury at his smugness made it a thousand times more amusing.
Tanya's white eyes glowered at him in a manner that brought new meaning to the phrase "if looks could kill". Given her predicament, murdering him via staring was the best she could hope for.
Tanya sat in the center of the tent, bound to a pole. Purple magical bonds encircled her legs, wrists, and arms, in addition to a chained collar on her neck that served as the attachment between her and the pole. All those restraints were enchanted/designed to void the victim's powers, hence their use for people chained in the coliseum or those imprisoned in the dungeons/tower. Tanya, having spent time chained in the coliseum as punishment for scheming against Shao Kahn, was perfectly aware of this.
His second-in-command, Ruby, snorted at his rhetorical question. She had tanned skin, ash brown hair in a ponytail, and hazel eyes. Her attire consisted of a long-sleeved leotard, pants, gloves, gauntlets, and leather combat boots that were each a different variant of the color red. She stood near him with crossed arms.
Like Kitana and Jade, Ruby was part of the younger generation of Edenians kept ignorant of their heritage and raised to serve the man that conquered their home. When Mileena became empress, Rain revealed the truth to Ruby and let her go into hiding in exchange for a favor, which he cashed in by requesting her aid in rebuilding the Edenian Resistance and deposing Kotal under the pretense of serving Mileena.
Rain and Ruby formed the same agreement that Mileena and Tanya did: put the former on the throne of Outworld and the latter would receive a free Edenia. Since Rain cared not for his birth realm, he had no interest in keeping it merged with Outworld, and Ruby could not care less what Rain did with Outworld as long as he kept Edenia out of it. A logical deal, as neither of the two possessed a tolerance for nonsense.
Rebuilding the Edenian Resistance, considering he'd aided in the destruction of the original one, was difficult. But there was an understanding between them. He betrayed their predecessors because they denied him leadership of his own army, and he'd turned to Shao Kahn to amend that. Once Rain completed his end of the bargain, it became clear that the emperor lied, making excuse after excuse for the delay in his reward, until Rain realized he'd been played. He was left alone, nowhere to go, no one to turn to, nothing to do except stay in Shao Kahn's service. The new rebels were his second chance at success. With Ruby's help, he built the army he wanted, and in the process he earned the recognition he craved as a prince, general, and demigod.
His mother had been a hydromancer princess, his adoptive father was a renowned general that died protecting King Jerrod, and his birth father was Edenia's protector god. Much as Rain adored flaunting his divine blood, he despised Argus for abandoning his mother to die and leaving his unwanted bastard son to be raised by another man. The main reason he sought leadership was to gain the same notoriety as his adoptive father, though the fact that the man would have been disgusted by his crimes was not lost on him. Nevertheless, Rain missed him, and he wished he could have known his mother.
Mileena was supposed to die in an apparent heroic sacrifice to keep the Tarkatans loyal, but that plan was foiled by the Kytinn and Earthrealmers' interference. He and Tanya were forced to flee when Mileena was arrested. The Tarkatans disappeared the next day, leaving no traces of where they could have gone. An impressive feat from a race of savages that did not know the definition of the word 'subtlety'.
Regardless, the fact remained that the Edenians now had to hide, recuperate, and plot. A decent amount of their soldiers were weakened, and the non-kombatants, mostly consisting of children, needed protection. New alliances would have to be sought and built elsewhere. So much work to do, but patience was a virtue and would make their eventual success all the more satisfying.
Tanya had been a useful ally, mainly due to her seduction of Mileena in a manner similar to Reiko. Her betrayal was frustrating, but far from shocking. Rain knew her like the back of his hand, far better than she thought she knew him, and he'd gained enough of Ruby's trust to not worry about her selling him out and vice versa.
Rain was the devil their people knew, whereas Tanya was a wild card that wasn't even certain what she wanted. Thus, he faced no trouble convincing their fellow Edenians to keep a close eye on Tanya for the last week. Sure enough, it was discovered that Tanya sent messages to the enemy, offering Rain's life and the rest of the rebels' fates in exchange for her own life being spared.
Preparations to flee began quickly and quietly, as much for practicality's sake as to lull Tanya into a false sense of victory. Ten minutes had passed since they subdued her, and still the satisfaction of defeating her was as strong as ever.
Tanya, not one to humbly accept defeat, spat in his direction."Savor this while you can," she growled through gritted teeth.
Before he could respond, Ruby gave another snort and arched an eyebrow."That's exactly what we're doing," she said to the pyromancer.
Now Tanya spat at Ruby."You choose him? Have you forgotten what he's done?"
Ruby's eyebrow moved higher."Is that a trick question?" When Tanya continued glaring at her, Ruby started listing on her fingers."He betrayed our predecessors, kept myself and Kitana and Jade in the dark about our true heritage for centuries, and many more things that exceed the number of fingers I possess..."
Unconcerned, Rain glanced at Ruby, who returned his gaze for a second before returning her attention to Tanya.
Sighing, the red-clad woman uncrossed her arms and pointed a thumb at Rain."General Rain, Prince Rain, Lord Rain, whatever anyone prefers to call him, although Elder Gods know I won't use any of those titles..." She paused to chuckle when she noticed him rolling his eyes at her usual impudence. Then, in a blunt tone that developed an increasing amount of acidity with every word, she spoke,"Rain is an entitled, treasonous, hypocritical, opportunistic brat."
Rain stifled a sigh. Ruby's sharp tongue was a trait she would never lose, although he did find it amusing when her barbs weren't aimed at him. Sadly, he was her favorite target, and he wouldn't expect otherwise from her.
Tanya frowned, her voice dropping to a whisper."Yet you follow him, and you trust him." She shook her head, acting as if he wasn't there and feigning pity for their kinsmen that allied with him.
Ruby again pointed at the hydromancer."He knows what he wants." She put a hand over her heart."As do I and the other Edenian rebels." She began to circle the pole that Tanya was bound to."He wants to rule Outworld, we want a free Edenia."
"I want a free Edenia too!" Tanya blurted."I schemed against Shao Kahn, I was chained in the coliseum, I-"
"You didn't do it for Edenia!" Ruby snapped, stamping her foot."You also betrayed our predecessors, you also kept myself, Kitana, and Jade in the dark instead of helping us learn the truth. You started a rivalry with Jade and probably cackled in private about how much fun it was watching her, along with Kitana and I, unknowingly serve the man who conquered our real home."
"How is Rain better?" Tanya demanded, eyes wild with rage and face red."He had similar opportunities, especially while he was sharing Kitana's bed!"
Ruby froze, as did Rain. Tanya sneered at him, then locked her attention onto Ruby, hoping that the reminder of what he'd done to her friend would be the victory she needed to convince their brethren to rethink their choice. Ruby had already mentioned Rain's role in keeping herself and her friends ignorant of the truth, but the reminder of his relationship with Kitana stung thrice as much.
Rain's deal with Shao Kahn involved not only leadership of his own army, but also his false daughter's hand in marriage. Another promise he had no intention of fulfilling. Perhaps Kitana had known, perhaps she did not, but she never spoke of it.
Kitana was cautious around him, but she was among the few that showed him kindness. He had considered revealing everything to her, but hesitated. Kitana was clever and kind, but would she have believed him? Was Shao Kahn prepared for such an occurrence? Maybe he should have taken that risk and told her. But he hadn't, and the consequences of his inaction could not be undone.
They often worked together on missions. His attraction to her developed into something more, beyond mere lust, he slowly got to see her softer side, and she started confiding in him regarding her moments of doubt...
Kitana was very young when Shao Kahn took Edenia, so she didn't know that the emperor wasn't her real father, but she had memories of her mother. Jade also remembered Sindel, since the queen had begged Shao Kahn to let her adopt Jade after Jade's parents, whom the emperor killed shortly afterwards, 'gifted' her to Shao Kahn, which he allowed as long as the queen kept quiet about Edenia. Ruby, alongside many others, were taken and trained to serve Outworld with similar ignorance.
Memories of how sad and scared her mother seemed, especially in the days leading to her death, haunted Kitana. Jade tended to suppress her emotions and sometimes lectured Kitana for dwelling too much on the past. Thus, Rain became an extra confidant for Kitana, rarely commenting but always listenting. It eventually grew into something more.
Their relationship was common knowledge to Shao Kahn and his other enforcers, but by that point it had become obvious that Rain was in no position to outplay the emperor and that Kitana's loyalty wasn't faltering. In fact, Rain's tendency to listen rather than comment, to give Kitana an ear to rant into instead of advise her, let her sink deeper into her stepfather's deception and merely let Rain serve as an outlet whenever her emotions overwhelmed her.
She ended things a few months prior to the tenth tournament against Earthrealm, during which she met Liu Kang, and she hardly interacted with Rain during the events of the new tournament proposed by Shang Tsung. When he learned of Mileena's creation, and subsequently of Kitana and Jade's defection, he contemplated defecting to their side. Again though, he hesitated, trying to figure out how that could benefit him, if it was worth the risk.
He was always selfish, he would never try to deny that, and he'd been a coward. In a different time, mayhaps he would have taken the risks and been less self-centered...
The events happened so quickly, Sindel's resurrection and brainwashing, and the queen's subsequent slaughtering of Kitana, Jade, and several of their new allies, Shao Kahn's destruction by Raiden and the Elder Gods...
Not long after Earthrealm's costly victory, Raiden approached Rain and explained that he'd discovered Rain was the son of Argus. Rain fled, not interested in joining Earthrealm nor serving Outworld after he wasted centuries as Shao Kahn's puppet.
During the chaos and confusion that followed the death of Shao Kahn, the disappearance of Reiko, and the ascension of Mileena, Rain approached Ruby, making sure she learned every detail of hers and Kitana's and Jade's past, and that she spread the truth to the other ignorant Edenians. That was when he convinced her to stay where he could find her once the time came for him to devise a way for her to repay him. No Edenian wished to serve the clone of Kitana, not that he blamed them, given his own hatred for Mileena's mockery of Kitana, and so they escaped before the madwoman had a firm grasp on the throne.
After the Blood Code, Rain was left alone. He'd barely survived Kotal burning him to a crisp and was lucky that his half-brother Daegon's Red Dragon Clan had decided not to abandon him to die or finish him off. Older Edenians, survivors of the first Edenian Resistance that Rain betrayed, were members of the clan, but they weren't involved in that mission, thank goodness.
Much as he loathed Mileena, he took his chance for an advantage and warned her of Reiko's treachery. He convinced the handful of Tarkatans that Mileena ordered to stay with him while she traveled to Shang Tsung's Island to take him to the area where he knew Ruby had been residing at the time. As he recovered with Ruby tending his wounds, he started scheming for everything that had led him to this point: contacting Tanya and sending her to free Mileena from prison after Ermac betrayed and arrested her for Kotal Kahn, having Ruby help him begin reforming the Edenian Resistance, forming an alliance with the Black Dragon Clan, arranging the theft of Shinnok's amulet...
He snapped out of his musings when Ruby heaved the deepest sigh he'd ever heard her emit. She pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head, taking a moment to give him an emotionless look afore refocusing on Tanya.
Crouching by the pyromancer, she made eye contact and spoke in a flat tone."On one hand, he isn't better. On another hand, he is better." She scoffed at Tanya's perplexed expression."He has the same selfishness and hubris as you, but since we started this alliance, he's never tried to hide anything from us. We know what to expect from him, and he from us. Whereas you and Mileena could give Chaosrealmers arun for their money in unpredictability."
Rain stepped forward, grateful for his mask that hid his grimace. He kept his own tone flat whilst speaking to Tanya."Shao Kahn deceived me, made me his pawn, and I was as eager as you to give him a taste of his own medicine." He inclined his head."The difference between us is that I am patient, and I have no delusions about what I've done." He gestured to Ruby."I also know that I stand no chance of survival, let alone victory, by myself. I require our people's help as much as they require mine. Shao Kahn denied me a reward for my aid, and I know from personal experience how the sting of such trickery can come back to bite the betrayer. Hence why I cannot afford to lose Ruby and the others' trust, and why they cannot afford to lose me either."
Without looking at the demigod, Ruby nodded in agreement with his statements. Then she sneered at the pyromancer."Face it, Tanya, no matter what you tell us or yourself, we'd be safer marching into Netherrealm than putting our faith in you."
"And frankly," Rain said, cold as ice."My deception of Kitana was no different to yours of Mileena." Then, just for an extra sting, he for the second time called her,"Dearest Tanya."
Whatever Tanya's feelings for Mileena, she never warned the clone of Rain's intentions to slowly kill her via the amulet. It didn't matter why, just like it didn't matter why Rain had lied to Kitana, she had done it and her crime could not be denied nor excused.
"What was your plan for the rest of us, Tanya?" Ruby questioned, now resting her chin on her fist and tilting her head in fake curiosity."Leave us to either be imprisoned alongside you or be executed alongside Rain? Or have us pretend to join Qali's group that submitted to Kotal Kahn and stage a coup?" She scoffed."Since you kept your plans a secret from all of us, I doubt you ever cared about what happened to us."
Tanya was now silent, not even daring to glare at Rain anymore. Her gaze was downcast and her shoulders were slumped. It was like all the energy was sucked out of her, and for a microsecond he pitied her, perhaps Ruby felt the same, because she studied Tanya for a long moment before scoffing and turning away.
It was then that an Edenian soldier entered the tent."Prince Rain, General Ruby," he called to the duo."We are ready to leave."
"Excellent," Rain replied."I will be out in a minute." He exchanged curt nods with Ruby, who was already following the soldier out.
Tanya remained despondent, even as Rain tied a note in the form of a gag around her face. He lacked the interest to taunt her further, so he wordlessly exited the tent.
His people were indeed ready for departure. Caravans were filled with children, adult non-kombatants, or wounded troops. Meanwhile, the non-wounded soldiers were split into two groups: one group was directing the horses that drove the caravans and the other group either rode their own steeds or walked in a formation which surrounded and protected the non-fighters. Naturally, Ruby was at the front of the army, seated on her own horse and waiting for Rain to join her. She was silent as he climbed onto the horse and sat behind her in the saddle, both of them gripping the reins.
"Let's go," he commanded, and she spurred the horse into movement.
They knew the jungles well, so hiding and getting through would be simple. They had an hour until sunset and would be far gone by the time Kotal arrived to collect Tanya. They would spend the night trekking, then rest and hide for the day before reaching their closest hideout at sunset. It was a hideout they made sure Tanya was unaware of.
Rain pondered his next move. The Tarkatans were a lost cause, the Centaurs had faded into the shadows after Motaro and Shao Kahn's demises and even the Shokan (who were also pointless to seek out since Queen Sheeva was allied with Kotal) did not know where they were or what they were up to, the Kreeyans...perhaps that was worth looking into.
Queen Kreeya and her eldest Vorpax tended to stay out of main Outworld affairs, and information on their activities was scarce, though they stayed somewhat on the grid as opposed to the disappearance of the Tarkatans and the Centaurs. Lately, however, rumors circulated that Kreeya wanted to make changes to her people's traditions, which Vorpax disapproved of. The disagreements were serious enough that Vorpax might try to rebel and dethrone Kreeya. What specifically these disagreements could be was unknown, but it was bound to be interesting.
It was best that the Edenians rest for a couple of days, send spies to investigate this potential lead, then figure things out from there.
He started to speak, pausing when he noticed how slumped Ruby had become. She was nodding weakly, as if the movement was beyond her control, and a faint murmur escaped her lips. He leaned over to get a clear look at her face; her eyelids seemed heavy and her brows were furrowed as she struggled to concentrate.
"As pleasant as your breath in my ear is," Ruby said in a tone that was half wry and half groggy,", sharing a horse with you is the closest I'd like to get to you right now."
Rolling his eyes, he inquired,"When was the last time you slept?"
Her elbow nudged his abdomen."Get your mouth away from my ear."
He wrapped an arm around her and drew her closer so her back was against his chest and his mouth was closer to her ear. This was as much to give her a taste of her own impudent medicine as to prevent her from being able to elbow him again.
"Answer my question and I will comply," he stated with a small hint of amusement. It was nice to annoy her in return for the headaches she usually gave him.
Scowling, she grumbled,"Ask yourself that question and you'll be able to guess my answer."
He hummed thoughtfully."Three days." It had been three very long and very busy days. Fatigue was beginning to affect him as well, but his divine blood granted him a bit more time before his body demanded a respite.
"Rest," he told her."I'll wake you halfway through the night so you can take over. Once morning comes, we'll both have a normal sleeping schedule."
She was quiet, and he wondered if she'd passed out while he was talking, but then she exhaled and looked at him with pursed lips.
He raised an eyebrow."Are you doubting the ability of a prince, a general, and a demigod of Edenia to stay awake for a few hours? Are you distrusting him, even though he needs you alive and healthly as much you need him in the same state?"
Ruby stared him down for ten seconds before snickering and muttering,"Thank you." With his assistance, she maneuvered herself forward to rest her head atop the steed's and let him keep one arm around her waist to keep her from falling off. His other hand grasped the reins.
"We're switching positions when I wake up," she told him."I don't need you slumped on my back and breathing in my ear."
He snorted."You must be extremely exhausted if you are mistaking me for Tanya or Mileena." That earned a chuckle from her before she finally relaxed and slipped into slumber.
Now there was no sound other than the steps of hooves, creaking of caravans, and footfalls of soldiers. The non-kombatants and the wounded were also beginning to sleep, and the soldiers were content to keep quiet during the trip. They all needed a respite after their recent losses. But this quietude was not to last...
Half-an-hour later, the sun was abruptly covered by dark, heavy storm clouds. Thunder and lightning crackled, and water came pouring down with harsh and swift pressure. Ruby and the others that slept jerked awake as soon as it started. Alarmed exclamations and flabbergasted cries came from most of the Edenians, including the demigod, as this was a thunderstorm far beyond his capabilities.
Rain thrust his hands upwards; he sensed that he couldn't stop this, but he could lessen its intensity and make a small shield in the area surrounding his forces. It would expend a lot of his energy, but there were caves nearby where they could seek shelter until this passed, though given how strong it seemed, they might be delayed for several hours.
The Edenians hurried the speed of their steeds and their caravans, Ruby shouting orders and Rain straining to protect them. Few storms were this sudden and intense. And he couldn't shake the small yet strong feeling of familiarity this incident invoked in him...
His eyes widened right before a cackle sounded, not near them fortunately, but still echoing throughout the sky so all of Outworld heard it. He'd realized prior to the cackle what, or who, was responsible for this.
"Raiden?" he whispered. He'd never heard the Earthrealm Protector laugh that way.
More thunder and lightning, more cackling, and that was the confirmation Rain needed.
Raiden was in Outworld, not close to Rain but he was in this realm, and the pouring of water and crackling of electricity was getting stronger.
Rain wasn't capable of ending this and the echoes of Raiden's laughter made him dread trying that lest he alert the Thunder God to their location. So he focused everything he had on maintaining his protection around his army.
He ground his teeth and shut his eyes as his people's voices and the noises of the storm assaulted his eardrums, and Raiden's distant laughter was louder than both of those combined.
Why was this happening? What was Raiden doing? These and multiple other queries flooded his mind, but now was not the time to wonder, he needed to concentrate.
Finally, after Elder Gods knew how long, they arrived. The hydromancer was so deep in his concentration that he didn't realize this until Ruby squeezed his arm and called his name.
A choked gasp burst from his lips. He was holding onto his second-in-command as she helped him out of the saddle and off the horse. His knees buckled, bringing her with him as he collapsed to the floor.
The fatigue from the last three days, combined with what just happened, had consumed his remaining energy, as if he'd fought Shinnok and Shao Kahn combined.
His people were still scared and confused, but they had calmed now that they were safe in the caves.
He cracked an eye open to glance at Ruby, who immediately realized he was struggling to stay conscious. She placed a hand on his shoulder and gave him a nod that he tried to return.
With a strained groan, he passed out.
Kotal Kahn's reign had never been an easy one, nor did he expect it to be.
The rebels were the longest and sharpest thorn in his side. His burden eased once Mileena was finally captured and executed, leaving her armies without the leader whom they depended all of their ambitions upon. The Tarkatans had vanished and were a worry for another time. Now he was, hopefully, close to stopping the Edenian rebels.
Rain and Tanya's traitorous history was impossible to forget. Both were doubtless planning to betray one another to save themselves as Kotal closed in on them; it was merely a matter of time as they played the waiting game. He wasn't surprised that Tanya acted first. Rain, and his second-in-command, Ruby, had too much to lose by committing betrayal. Additionally, they despised the indecisive Tanya and even more so Mileena for her mockery of Kitana, whom Rain had been romantically involved with in the past and whom Ruby loved like a sister. This sentiment must be shared by the rest of the rebels. Tanya was well aware of this; without Mileena and the Tarkatans, she might as well be alone, so of course she jumped at the chance to sell Rain out.
Well, Kotal wasn't going to complain about this. Tanya would rot in a cell, Rain would be burned at the stake, and he prayed that Ruby could be reasoned with. Several Edenians, led by Qali, had agreed to join his court, although they could not say for sure whether Ruby's group could be similarly convinced.
He possessed no knowledge of where Shao Kahn hid the orb that formed the magical connection between Edenia and Outworld, nor was he willing to risk rending Outworld by attempting some unpredictable magik, especially when his use of Blood Magik caused immense grief years ago. Qali saw Edenia as a lost cause and tired of people dying for it, whether it be for Shao Kahn or Mileena, but again, she did not know if Ruby would agree.
He sighed and shook his head. The Edenians were a noble race that did not deserve suffer more than they already had due to petty reasons. He had lost his own people thanks to the antics of Reiko and Goro, and he understood Reptile's own grief regarding the destruction of his fellow Zaterrans long ago; the mere thought of putting someone else through that agony sent a shudder down his spine.
And he especially did not wish to harm her people...
Jade drifted in and out of his thoughts since the moment he learned of her death. It had been right before the beginning of the new tournament proposed by Shang Tsung was to begin that Shao Kahn, fearing that Kotal's popularity with the minions he'd always thought the least of would cause the Osh-Tekk to oppose him, arranged for Kotal to be ambushed and imprisoned in the Flesh Pits.
It hadn't been that long an imprisonment, but every minute resembled an eternity. The taunting, the torture, the hopelessness, it haunted his dreams. He thought he'd gone mad when his father, Reptile, and Ferra/Torr came to free him. The trio had fallen to their knees before Mileena, begging her to let Kotal go. Amused, she agreed, but swore that she would do far worse to all of them if they betrayed her. Kotal smirked at the memory of her petulant indignation when she was overthrown and, as of recently, killed.
He never saw Jade's revenant form; Quan Chi used her the least and at some point she simply vanished as if she'd never existed. Kitana wielded her weapons, but neither she nor the other revenants mentioned her name. He considered various case scenarios of what could have happened to her, each worse than the last. Perhaps he would never know.
The grief was not as agonizing as it'd been in the beginning, lately he just found himself remembering her more.
Kotal heaved another sigh. His duties as emperor came first, and Jade herself had always been a woman of duty. She was not the first loved one he lost, nor would she be the last.
He refocused on leading his men to the area where Tanya's messages claimed the rebels were. His armies were damaged by recent conflicts, yet the Edenian Resistance fared no better, so it would not be difficult to handle them and he held onto the hope that the majority would be willing to listen.
Now he recognized the tents and banners of Edenia, as well as the entrance of the camp. However, there was a problem: no one was there. The aforementioned tents and banners were there, of course, but not a soul occupied the area. No weapons, no caravans, no people, it was as if they'd packed up and gone, not too long ago nor very recently.
The emperor's entourage examined their surroundings whilst keeping their guard up. Was this a trap? No, surely there would have been an assault by now, and the Edenians weren't so reckless as to risk everything in a such a bold move when they were so hurt by recent events.
It soon became obvious that their targets had indeed escaped in the nick of time and must have gone decently far by now.
Had Tanya changed her mind at the last minute and warned her people? Kotal scoffed at the idea. As Earthrealmers put it, pigs would fly before that happened. Rain must have discovered her treachery; he and Ruby would never pardon Tanya, so they went their separate ways with the pyromancer. Where they could have gone was anybody's guess.
Erron Black scowled beneath his mask."Well, this trip was for nothin," he grumbled.
Rolling his eyes, Kotal shot a gander at the sky. Sunset was a good hour away and there was nothing for him here, so it was best that they make haste for the palace. There were other things to do, like try to get in contact with Earthrealm. He'd kept his distance in the week since Shinnok's defeat, as much as for his own sake as for theirs, believing it was best not to interrupt or stick his nose into their recuperation efforts. Plus, it granted him time to contemplate various ways to atone for his rash behavior.
His obsession with Mileena blinded him to the importance of maintaining his non-aggression pact with Earthrealm, no doubt he owed General Blade a great deal of apologies for imprisoning her daughter and goddaughter, the same girls he'd been furious at Erron Black for kidnapping in the past.
He owed Li Mei an apology; she'd always been supportive of his reign and was all too happy to discuss concerns amongst her people as well as other villages. She deserved much for her loyalty, mayhaps more so than his enforcers. He had not even noticed her exodus when Mileena began using the amulet to destroy anyone she encountered.
He cursed himself for being oblivious to D'Vorah's treachery. Yet for all his ire at her, he sometimes wondered if he'd failed her as an emperor and friend so badly that she sought Netherrealm to fill the gap. It was for the best that she remain in Special Forces custody, lest his emotions get the better of him in punishing her.
Nodding to himself, Kotal ordered his men to start making their way home.
"Wait!"
Everyone froze at Ermac's exclamation. He didn't sound concerned, more like he'd noticed something peculiar. Kotal looked to the construct, who lifted a hand as a wordless request to give him a minute.
Although Ermac was the last to join his entourage, having turned on Mileena following the events of the Blood Code, he'd worked hard to earn Kotal's trust and respect, so Kotal did not hesitate to grant his request.
Ermac flew to the entrance, his attention on the center tent, both his regular vision and spiritual senses concentrating on it. They started to draw their weapons, just in case, but Ermac shook his head to stop them, and then he calmly pointed at the tent.
Kotal exchanged perplexed glances with his other men. Whatever might be inside wasn't a threat, but Ermac insisted that they enter. The emperor, the Saurian, the gunslinger, and the symbiote followed the construct to the tent. Ermac pulled open the curtain and held it for his leader and fellow guards to go in.
Immediately, it became obvious what, or who, had caught Ermac's attention.
In the middle of the tent, gagged and bound to a pole, was Tanya.
So it was as he'd guessed. Rain and Ruby discovered Tanya's betrayal, and turned the tables on her. Either they learned of it at the last minute or deliberately waited until a certain time so Tanya would think she won and they could revel in her shock when she realized she'd been played.
Ferra/Torr made zero effort to hide their laughter. The girl pointed at Tanya and spoke between cackles:"Splashy and Red Lady outsmart Tawny!"
Black and Reptile coughed to conceal their chuckles. Kotal exchanged a gander with Ermac, who now wore the ghost of a smile that the emperor knew matched his own expression.
The gag, Kotal realized as he crouched before her, was a note that had been tied around her face. He yanked the gag off, ignoring her yelp, and unfolded the paper. Rain's handwriting was easy to recognize:
'She thought I was royally and divinely stupid.'
Kotal chortled. Jade's memory drifted back into his mind, creating the image of her amused visage at seeing Tanya outplayed in this manner. He wished she were here, as much out of longing for his lost love as a desire to see Tanya squirm under her rival's inspection.
"Excellent work, my friend," he said to Ermac whilst motioning to Tanya. Nodding, Ermac undid the chain that bound her neck and telekinetically ensnared her, flying out of the tent with her levitating near him.
Kotal was torn between satisfaction and annoyance as he led his men home. On one hand, Tanya being arrested and put in her place was a good thing, but he was disappointed that Rain managed to escape. Of the two traitors, Rain was the bigger threat, and though Kotal held onto the hope that he could convince Ruby to defect, the Edenian Resistance remained a hindrance for the time being.
All the emperor and the rebels could do now was recover and make better plans for the future.
Tanya was stoic and silent the entire time. She seemed to be a husk of her former self, as if being defeated by Rain had done more damage to her pride than usual. Kotal wasn't going to complain about the pompous pyromancer keeping her mouth shut for once in her life, so he and his retinue made no comment on the matter.
They settled into finishing their trek back to the palace in quietude. But this peace was not to last...
Dark and heavy storms clouds suddenly swept over Outworld, blocking the sun. Thunder and lightning crackled in the sky, and rain poured down with the speed and harshness of buckets of rocks being dumped upon their heads.
A trap, an ambush, the hydromancer and his men must have staged this, with or without Tanya's knowledge.
Kotal recalled the last time Rain had used his powers to block the sun, during Kotal's battle with Goro. Blood Magik had given Kotal the extra strength he needed to repel the attack and use his own capabilities to scorch Rain. But Kotal didn't require Blood Magik to defeat Rain, as their most recent fight had proven.
But then there was a cackle, one that echoed throughout the skies and winds, and one that definitely did not belong to Rain.
And for all his power, this particular storm seemed beyond Rain's capabilities.
There was another crack of thunder and lightning, followed by a second cackle, and then the culprit appeared, along with his own forces.
Raiden levitated several feet above the emperor, gazing down at him with an ugly grin on his face and sadistic glee shining in his eyes. One hand was pointed toward the sky and the other held Shinnok's amulet.
The Shirai Ryu, led by their Grandmaster Hanzo Hasashi, were surrounding and charging at the Outworld warriors.
"You were a fool to invade Earthrealm, Kotal Kahn." Raiden's voice boomed over the sounds of his storm."Now you and your lapdops shall pay the price!"
Raiden summoned a gigantic bolt of lightning at the same time that he blasted red energy from Shinnok's amulet, both attacks aimed directly at Kotal Kahn...
During all of this chaos, no one noticed the trio of hooded people who were dragging Tanya's unconscious body, the pyromancer having been knocked away at the beginning of Raiden's attack, into the shadows and into a portal that closed immediately after they entered it...
You are blind to the consequences of your actions.
So long as he lived, Kotal would never let himself forget his father's words.
His pride made him keep track of his greatest failures. He had failed a human tribe by making them follow his blood-drinking example that led to their deaths, he had failed his father and his race by losing to Reiko and Goro too many times, he had failed his subjects by becoming so embroiled in the civil war against Mileena that some fled his realm or didn't trust him enough to reach out to him with their concerns anymore. And in doing so, he had failed himself worst of all. But none of these failures compared to his current defeat at the hands of the Thunder God.
The Thunder God's ambush was brutal and swift, and the emperor's forces were almost instantly outmatched by the Shirai Ryu.
Raiden stood over him with that ugly grin still on his countenance. Although it was clear who the victor was, he didn't lower his guard, one hand ready to blast lightning and the other pointing Shinnok's amulet at the emperor. Perhaps he was hoping Kotal would move, give him an excuse to torment him some more and rub his victory in his face. He stepped closer, locking gazes with his foe, and his grin widened.
Kotal's blood boiled, though the anger he felt toward Raiden could not compare to the self-loathing.
The cries of his men as they were slaughtered or subdued made him feel like his ears would start bleeding.
His most loyal and trusted enforcers were shouting for him, trying to get to him, to help the man who was responsible for their predicament. Noticing this, Raiden gave a scoff and roll of his eyes. Kotal realized their shouts were getting closer, and his own eyes widened in alarm as Raiden directed the amulet toward them.
Kotal frantically shook his head."No!" he yelled, almost pleading. Raiden ignored him.
Against all odds, Kotal stood and charged, not caring if he managed to hit Raiden or took the blast for himself, so long as his men were not harmed.
Raiden mercilessly electrocuted him, but his cries did little to muffle the screams of his enforcers as they suffered the wrath of Shinnok's amulet.
After what felt like forever, the agony stopped and Raiden's victims collapsed.
Kotal was on all fours, every part of his body aching, gasping for breath, saliva tasting like blood, and self-loathing at its strongest. His men were crumbled in heaps all around him.
Reptile lay closest to him, groaning and shuddering in pain and exhaustion. The most loyal of them all, the first to trust and follow him, and the one that suffered the most due to his loyalty. Kotal reached out to touch his shoulder, only for Raiden to stomp on the emperor's hand.
"No," he growled as Raiden pointed the amulet at Reptile."Leave them alone! Do what you wish to me! I am the reason you came here!"
Raiden arched an eyebrow."Are you deaf?" He shifted his weight onto the foot that was crushing Kotal's hand, making him groan."I said you and your lapdogs shall pay the price."
He began to circle the group. Though he attached the amulet to his chest-plate, he was ready to shoot lightning if they dared move a muscle.
"Useless, self-righteous hypocrite." He sneered, kicking Kotal in the gut."You have preached to me about wanting to be Earthrealm's ally, about wishing to avoid conflict with us. Yet all you have done is drag us into your petty squabbles, take advantage of our mercy, betray our trust, and blame your mistakes on us..." He snarled as he grabbed his headdress and pulled him to his knees. Forming an electrical blade, he pressed it to Kotal's throat and hissed,"You have called me a devil. Well, now I must become a devil to protect Earthrealm from the likes of you." He chuckled."You will suffer as I have suffered, you will watch as I destroy everything you hold dear, you will know how it feels to be helpless, and you will weep under the knowledge that you have no one except yourself to blame for yours and your lapdops' suffering." He chuckled once more."You will learn, as I have learned."
The Thunder God gestured for his allies to take over in restraining Kotal. Hanzo's troops restrained the emperor while Hanzo pressed his sword to Kotal's neck.
"Make sure he sees this," Raiden said over his shoulder. He was approaching Ferra/Torr.
"No!" Kotal exclaimed. The sword dug lightly into his skin to make a tiny cut. Reptile, Ermac, and Black yelled their own protests as they fought in vain against their captors.
Gripping Ferra by the hair, Raiden tossed her into the arms of a Shirai Ryu, who held her in an iron tight grasp as she kicked and screamed. With his free hand he electrocuted Torr, grinning at the brute's cries of pain and Ferra's screams of her partner's name. Torr was already weak and being held down by Raiden's allies, but the deity was far from satisfied with his torment of the poor creature. He planted a foot on his chest and lifted his electrical blade overhead.
"Let this be your first lesson, Kotal Kahn," the deity drawled with a wink.
"No, Lightning Hand, please no more hurt Torr!" Ferra begged, tears cascading down her cheeks.
Kotal was screaming at Raiden, although he was so consumed by anger and fear that he couldn't tell if actual words were coming out of his mouth. Raiden looked him directly in the eye, time seeming to slow as he thrust the blade down into Torr's gut.
Torr cried out, but Ferra's cries, as if she were feeling the same pain as her companion, were twice as loud.
After five seconds, Raiden roughly yanked his weapon out. Torr wheezed for air. The sobbing and trembling Ferra could not stop staring at Torr.
"Torr!" she choked out, her face red and eyes wide as saucers."Torr, please no sleep! No leave Ferra behind!"
Raiden sneered at the girl and ignored the death glares he was receiving from Kotal's other guards as he knelt by the Osh-Tekk, using the bloodstained blade to tilt his chin up.
"That was merely a taste of things to come," he whispered."One by one, your lapdops shall die and you shall watch." He slashed Kotal across the chest with the blade and kicked him there, knocking him onto his back. Hanzo ordered his troops to surround Kotal as he weakly sat up.
At this point, Ferra was released and had rushed to Torr's side, clutching his hand and begging him to stay awake. Kotal wanted to run to her, beg her forgiveness, promise her that everything would be alright, but he was helpless and he hated himself for it.
Raiden gave a serene smile."Do not worry, Kotal Kahn, your realm will be in good hands." He spread his arms wide."From this day forth, Outworld is under my dominion."
That snapped everyone, including Ferra, out of their despair. They glowered at Raiden with a newfound ferocity, ignoring their wounds and restraints as they tried to get up, even as the Thunder God prepared to electrocute them and the Shirai Ryu brandished their weapons closer to the imperials.
"No!" Kotal growled, clutching his side. He paid no mind to Hanzo's men stepping closer to him. He fixed his glare on Raiden, all traces of despair and fear replaced by the determination his race was known for.
Raiden shook his head."Ah, the infamous pride and idiocy of the Osh-Tekk. That which led to their extinction." He reached for the amulet."Give up, Kotal Kahn, Outworld is mine!"
"Over my dead body!" Kotal snarled."As long as I breathe, Outworld will never be yours!"
Raiden's eyebrows rose. He spread his arms again, daring Kotal to try anything, if only so he could laugh at the Kahn's last-ditch efforts.
Kotal shut his eyes and took a deep breath. He glanced at his warriors, Ferra and Black looked confused but Reptile and Ermac widened their eyes in realization. They exchanged a glance before looking at Kotal and nodding in unison.
There was no other option left...
Kotal looked up at the sky and cried out to the heavens."Elder Gods, please, I beg you, do not let this...this devil take Outworld! Not without first giving us a chance to defend ourselves as you did with Earthrealm." His voice became raspy."Please...aid me."
Raiden's eyes widened as he glared at sky."No, surely not now," he muttered, scowling.
Silence followed for what like an eternity. Just when it seemed that all hope was lost, a bright light shone from the heavens around the Osh-Tekk and the Thunder God, making it clear what the Elder Gods' decision was.
"Thank you," Kotal breathed, holding back tears.
"Now?!" Raiden whisper-shouted, as much to himself as to the heavens."Now, of all times?!" After a moment of seething, he exhaled."So be it." He nodded at Hanzo, who ordered his fellow Shirai Ryu warriors to stand down.
The deity glared at Kotal. The Osh-Tekk glared back, refusing to let the devil frighten him. A moment of silence followed before Raiden spoke.
"Prepare yourself, Kotal Kahn. Choose your warriors wisely, for you will soon face my challengers in Mortal Kombat."
In a flash of light, Raiden's forces vanished and the storm at last ended.
Kotal staggered to his feet and examined his battered men. Reptile and Ermac helped each other up and bowed their heads, reaffirming their approval of his decision. Black was avoiding eye contact and cursing under his breath. Ferra was still focused on Torr, but when Ermac approached her and gently moved her away so the soldiers could tend to Torr's wounds, she snapped out of her shock and ran out of the construct's arms toward the Kahn. Kotal grunted in surprise when the sobbing girl hugged his leg. He knelt down to pat her head.
"What now, Big Bossy?" Her voice was barely above a murmur.
Kotal patted her head again."Now, we must plan for the tournament." He heaved a sigh.
Ferra hugged him tighter. Reptile and Ermac stepped closer to place their hands on his shoulders. Black continued to avoid eye contact, but was pretending to be very interested in examining one of his guns.
All of them were as worried about the near future as they were eager to get revenge on Raiden and his Shirai Ryu minions...
Rain awoke with a groan, his head pounding. It took several seconds for him to unclose his eyes and sit up, and even the latter required assistance from the woman tending to him.
"General Ruby, he's awake!" she called, and he stifled a grunt as her yell worsened the pain in his head. Ruby thanked the woman for informing her and allowed her to leave as she took over in sitting beside the demigod.
In a raspy voice he asked,"How long?"
Ruby handed him a cup with medicine to ease his headache. She sighed as she hugged her knees to her chest and rested her chin on them."How long have you been out cold or how long did the storm last?"
"Both," he said, downing the contents of the cup in one sip.
She lowered her eyes."It stopped ten minutes after you passed out, just as suddenly as it started. You've been out cold for an hour."
He rubbed his temples and looked around the cave."How are the others?" he asked whilst examining his fellow Edenians who were huddled together near campfires and wrapped in cloaks. Some of them kept glancing at himself and Ruby, no doubt praying that their leaders would have answers for them soon.
Following his gaze, Ruby grimaced."As well as can be expected. Everyone survived and there weren't any more injuries." She gave a minuscule shrug."Thank goodness for small miracles in the form of pompous but practical hydromancers, I suppose."
Rain rolled his eyes at her remark."I believe that is the closest thing to a compliment you have ever given me, Ruby," he said dryly.
She snorted."Least I can do after you saved our skins, but don't get accustomed to it."
Now it was his turn to snort. He held his hands up and wryly replied,"I would not dare dream of it."
That coaxed a faint grin out of her that quickly faded as the moment of amusement passed for the pair.
He fully sat up, startled by the sudden remembrance of the cackling during the storm."Raiden," he hissed through his teeth."He was-"
"I know," she interrupted, nodding."I sent scouts to investigate while you were out cold. Raiden attacked the emperor, and tried to claim dominion over Outworld." Her grimace grew."And the emperor invoked Mortal Kombat."
Rain narrowed his eyes and his body stiffened. He did not try to hide his worry as he stated,"Raiden wants revenge for Kotal taking the amulet and invading Earthrealm." The worry became twice as obvious when he added,"And he is bound to know that it was my idea to steal the amulet, which is how Mileena and later Kotal managed to get it."
Ruby hugged her knees closer to her chest. Her voice dropped to a whisper."He tortured Torr, threatened to make Kotal watch as he slowly killed his other enforcers." She took a subtle gander at their people."I helped you with those schemes, so did the others." She looked back at Rain as dread flashed in her hazel eyes."If he was willing to do that to Kotal's group, what's stopping him from doing that, or worse things, to us?"
It was a rhetorical question which they both knew the answer to: nothing, absolutely nothing was preventing Raiden from turning his wrath to Rain's forces.
"Prince Rain, General Ruby," the woman from earlier called to them. She was twiddling her thumbs and biting her lip."What shall we do next?" Her inquiry prompted the rest of the Edenians to completely direct their attention to their leaders.
"We will rest here for a few hours," Rain said."And then we shall keep heading for our hideout."
Ruby nodded."We'll arrive a few hours later than we initially planned, but as long as we're quick and careful we should be fine." She stood and reached out to pat the woman's arm."Get some rest, all of you. Once we're home, we'll discuss our new plan." Her comforting smile put the others at ease, and they all bowed in acceptance of the orders before returning to their previous positions.
Ruby sat down next to Rain again."Think we should keep a low profile for awhile longer than we originally planned?" she suggested.
"Possibly," he replied, rubbing his chin in thought."There is no telling what Raiden and Kotal may do next. We'll both ponder these things as we travel, then we'll discuss it together before we tell the others anything concrete."
She inclined her head."I guess that's the best we can do right now."
"What now?" Hanzo asked Raiden as soon as they returned to the Sky Temple.
Raiden crossed his arms."I shall make some alterations to our plan, but I doubt anything large is needed."
Hanzo bit his lip."The Elder Gods will not inform the others?"
Scoffing, Raiden waved a dismissive hand at the notion."Whom specifically could they tell? They know the others do not trust or respect them enough to approach them for aid or information. And their acceptance of Kotal Kahn's invocation means little, given they did practically nothing to help me during the war against Shao Kahn." He recrossed his arms."I have a story ready for our friends, which I am certain they will believe. You will fulfill the orders I originally gave you. I shall keep you up to date on any changes."
Hanzo bowed his head."Very well."
Raiden laid a hand on his shoulder, giving him a small smile."I do appreciate you assisting me, Master Hasashi. You are helping me do what is necessary to protect Earthrealm."
Hanzo tilted his gaze downwards."I must atone for my recent mistakes," he murmured.
Raiden squeezed his shoulder."And not waste your life and usefulness by committing hara-kiri." He wrinkled his nose in distaste as he spoke that last word.
Hanzo simply bowed his head again.
Raiden snapped his fingers, causing a portal to open for the Shirai Ryu warriors and their leader. Without another word, Hanzo and his people walked into the portal to fulfill their orders.
Left alone, Raiden let out a sigh as he prepared himself for his next move. He took out a communicator attached to his belt and pressed a button to contact the Special Forces.
Exactly one second before the call began, he began hyperventilating and shaking, appearing to be the very picture of panic and urgency.
"Raiden?" Jax, who had answered the call, was clearly worried and confused by his friend's apparent emotional state.
"Jackson Briggs," Raiden breathed, one hand over his heart as fake tears came to his eyes."Kotal Kahn has, he has..." He pretended to choke.
"What?" Cassie now came into view of the hologram for the call, her face twisted in vexation at the mention of the emperor who'd recently betrayed and almost killed herself and her teammates.
"What did that son of a bitch do now?" she demanded, the apparent panic of her mentor making her more angry and concerned about what the emperor could have done this time.
Raiden moved his hand to his forehead and whispered with false fear filling his voice:
"Kotal Kahn has kidnapped Fujin, Kuai Liang, and Sonya Blade..."
Author's Note: I'm not sure if anyone has realized it, but although Raiden has been corrupted, his appearance and voice have not yet changed. His voice does not have any echoes, his eyes are still blue and not red, and his clothing is also still normal. He will eventually start sounding and dressing as Dark Raiden at some point, but for now he sounds and looks the same as before. This is because I'd like to explore the "Wolf In Sheep's Clothing" trope with Raiden in this story. I think that helps make him more creepy and dangerous, especially to his longtime friends, as well as give me a chance to explore his sneaky side.
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And feel free to PM me if you ever just want to talk or have any questions, MK-related or otherwise.
