"Rude Awakening"
I impatiently stared at Ikarus waiting for an answer. He claimed he knew why I kept having strange dreams and why I always felt out of place in my father's army. I stared at him with my arms crossed waiting for his explanation. I wasn't expecting to believe a word of whatever he was going to tell me, but I guess I was curious nonetheless.
"Well? What's the big secret? Enlighten me." I groaned.
He stared at me for a moment then asked "Do you know what Edenia is?"
I moaned impatiently and said "No."
"Edenia was the name of the last realm Shao Kahn conquered."
"And..? My father's conquered dozens of realms. Why should I care?"
"Because you are an Edenian."
I have to admit I wasn't expecting that, but I wasn't exactly shocked either. "That's it? That's the big secret?" Ikarus didn't answer me and I grew very impatient. "You're wasting my time old man. I should just kill you right now."
"There's more."
"Oh, for God's sake..." I grumbled. "Look old man, either tell me something relevant or I'll cut your damn throat right here and now."
Ikarus was about to speak when suddenly a large sai shot right in front of him, just narrowly missing his face. We both turned and saw Mileena lunging from the shadows. Before she reached Ikarus he quickly teleported away in a cloud of smoke, leaving Mileena and I alone in the ruins.
"Damn it!" Mileena snarled.
"What the hell are you doing here?!" I yelled at her. "This is my mission and you have no right to try to steal my kill!"
"Father sent me to back you up. And I was just doing your job! What the hell were you doing?"
I sneered at her and grumbled "It doesn't matter. Unfortunately now, we're right back where we started."
"He couldn't have gotten far. The rebels' camp must be in this area."
"Yeah. It's late though. We should probably set up a camp and start looking in the morning."
"Yeah. I could you some rest anyway." Mileena said as she began to settle down.
As night fell, we built a fire and camped out in the old ruins. I always hated being alone with Mileena. The same horrible tension and awkwardness between us was almost unbearable. I could tell Mileena wasn't thrilled to be stuck with me either.
"I still don't understand why father sent you." I sneered. "I could easily handle this myself."
"You think I like being your baby-sitter? I could find better things to do myself, you know."
I decided to get some sleep so I could be rested up for the next morning. I always had trouble falling asleep when I was around Mileena though. I knew she'd never try anything, but I was always paranoid she'd do something to me while I slept. I hated being on missions with her. It's hard to leave your life in the hands of someone you don't trust.
I finally managed to doze off but I got very little sleep. More of the same dreams. Same routine, same things and I wake up in a cold sweat. As I woke up, Ikarus' words repeated in my mind. I wanted to know what he was trying to tell me, even if they were all lies. Telling me that I was an Edenian didn't really bother me. My father's taken dozens of concubines. So my mother happened to be an Edenian, it didn't change anything.
What was really preying on my mind was what he said about seeing me before. I never met him before in my life so how did he know me? I was expecting anything he'd say to be garbage, but...I wanted to see what he had to tell me that he expected would turn me against my father. Morbid curiosity, I guess.
I looked over and saw Mileena had fallen asleep so I decided to go for a walk through the ruins. It was late and I didn't intend to go far, but for some reason I felt pulled further and further away, as if something was calling me.
I wandered for maybe a mile when I found an old graveyard in a large open field. At the time I couldn't say why, but I felt I had to go in there. As I walked through the graveyard I felt the same feeling of unease I felt in the ruins. Only much worse. I swear, I could almost hear people whispering there.
In the distance at the far end of the graveyard, I saw a single, large tombstone with someone standing in front of it. As I got closer I recognized it was Ikarus.
"I thought you'd find your way here." he said, keeping his eyes on the tombstone. I walked over and looked at the tombstone. There were several inscriptions written on it that I couldn't understand. "Do you know who's grave this is?"
"No."
"This is the grave of the King of Edenia. He was killed by Shao Kahn when he took over."
"That's usually what happens." I moaned, not really paying attention.
"After he died, what was left of his generals stole his body and gave him a proper burial here."
"Fantastic." I interrupted, "You said you had more to tell me about my dreams."
Ikarus didn't even look at me and continued "His name was Jerrod." He then sighed and said "I wish he were still here. I could use his help now..."
"Are you deaf old man?" I interrupted again. Ikarus was really getting on my nerves. "I want to know what you meant when you said 'last time you saw me.'"
"I meant we've met before." he answered.
"When? I don't remember ever meeting you."
"You wouldn't. You were just an infant."
"What do you mean?"
"I was there when you were born. I was the physician who helped your mother give birth to you."
I suddenly felt very confused. "I don't understand...you...you just said you knew the Edenian King....but then how could you have known my mother.....when she was with my father...."
Ikarus stared at me for a few moments and said "I could tell you..."
"But..?"
"But I'm not sure if you're ready for what I have to tell you."
My patience for Ikarus and his riddles was all but gone when I suddenly got an idea. "Okay. Can we meet tomorrow then?"
Ikarus seemed a little taken aback and said "You want to meet me again?"
"Yeah. I'll meet you here tomorrow and maybe then you can tell me what my dreams mean."
Ikarus stared at me, a little surprised by my sudden change in mood and said "Very well. Tomorrow we'll meet here at noon."
"On one condition."
"Which is?"
"Don't send the Urn of Strength to Earth until you tell me everything."
"What?"
"I'm supposed to be killing you right now. But I'm willing to listen to what you have to tell me." I said. "I need a little insurance that I'm not wasting my time."
Ikarus looked unsure and after a few moments he reluctantly said "Very well. I'll keep the Urn here...for now."
"Good. I'll see you tomorrow then." I said leaving the cemetery.
I reached the ruins where Mileena and I were camped by dawn and found Mileena pacing around impatiently. She didn't look like she was in a good mood.
"You!" she yelled seeing me approach. "Where the hell were you?!"
"Relax." I said walking past her to my things to get a drink of water. "I was talking with Ikarus."
"Are you out of your God damn mind?!" she yelled at me as I took a gulp of water.
"I know what I'm doing. I'm going to meet with him again at noon."
"What the hell are you doing?! We're supposed to kill him before he sends the Urn to Earth!" Mileena screamed. "Do you know what father will do to us if we mess this up? You're going to get us both killed!"
"He won't send the Urn to Earth until he talks to me."
"And what makes you think that?"
I walked to Mileena and started whispering in case Ikarus or a spy was watching "Because he thinks he can convert me. He's a stupid old fool and he thinks he can make me join his cause. If I play along, we can get him, the Urn and whatever other rebels are with him."
"What do you mean?"
"When I meet with him, I'll try to get him to take me to the rebels' camp. You follow and when I give a signal we can take out Ikarus' rebels in one stroke."
Mileena stared at me as I calmly started to get dressed for my meeting with Ikarus later. She quietly said "I have a bad feeling about this Kitana. You're playing a dangerous game here..."
"Oh, calm down." I moaned. "I know what I'm doing."
A few hours later I made my way to the cemetery. I told Mileena to watch for my signal for her to attack. I would open and close my fan. I waited Jerrod's tombstone and told Mileena to stay out of sight. I knew what I was planning was risky and dangerous, but I didn't care. I could handle whatever Ikarus threw at me. I was the daughter of Shao Kahn. No one could hurt me.
At noon Ikarus appeared, seemingly out of thin air, and walked towards me. I stared at him with my arms crossed and said "I hope this is going to be worth it."
"I told you I was only going to tell you the truth. Whether or not you consider it 'worth it' is up to you." he answered.
Ikarus was about to start talking again when I cut in and said "Wait. You said you were going to provide proof of whatever you were going to tell me."
He was quiet for a few moments then said "I am. But it's in my camp."
"Then take me there." He stared at me for several moments and kept looking around, very unsure. I then added "That I'm even talking to you is big leap of faith on my part Ikarus. I'm going to need one from you. You can blindfold me if you wish."
He was quiet again then said "Very well." He said a some sorcerer words and I suddenly felt this strange wrap over my eyes. I felt him take my hand and say "Come with me."
As we started walking, I started to smirk beneath my mask. He must be pretty desperate to convert me, I thought to myself. He was making this too easy.
We walked for almost an hour, until we finally stopped and Ikarus removed the blindfold from my eyes. I looked around and was in a large camp hidden in some kind of valley. There were tents and people everywhere. Everyone in the camp stopped dead in their tracks as soon as they saw me though.
Ikarus motioned me to follow him and we walked towards a large cave at the end of the encampment. Before we reached it a dark skinned woman wearing red clothes scurried in our way. She took one look at me with Ikarus and looked very angry.
"What is she doing here?" she demanded.
"Regina, calm down..." Ikarus began.
"What is SHE doing HERE?!" she repeated.
"Kitana, allow me to deal with this for a moment." he said to me as he took the woman, Regina, to a nearby tent.
I looked around and quietly walked to the tent. I waited outside and decided to listen to what they were saying. Fortunately for me, Regina was speaking rather loud.
"You can't be serious!" she yelled.
"Regina, please keep your voice down..." Ikarus said trying to calm her down.
"No! You should not of brought her here! It was bad enough you put off sending the Urn, but you should not of brought HER HERE!"
"If it can help turn her against Shao Kahn, then I think it will be worth it." As he said that I couldn't help but smile again. I was right and he was playing into my hands.
"And what makes you so sure she will turn against him? Did you ever stop to think that she already knows and just doesn't care?" Regina said grimly.
"She doesn't know." Ikarus answered. "And I believe she can change. Just imagine what it will mean to our cause if we can get 'Kitana the Bloody,' Shao Kahn's own daughter to join us." Regina didn't answer and I quickly moved aside so Ikarus wouldn't know I was listening as he left the tent. "Come with me." he said as he started to move towards the cave again.
As I followed, I turned and saw Regina staring at me. I gave her a smug little wink and continued to follow Ikarus. Just before I went in, I very quickly opened and closed my fan to signal Mileena.
The cave was set up as Ikarus' quarters. It looked as though he'd been living in it for years. It was decorated and there were dozens of candles and old books lying around everywhere. "I guess I'm not the only one taking a risk here am I?" I said casually.
"Are you surprised no one trusts you?"
"Not really." I answered. "So what makes you so sure whatever this big secret is will turn me against my own father?"
"I was there when you were born Kitana. I watched your mother hold you in her arms and watched your parents care for you while you were just a baby. I cannot believe that Shao Kahn stamped out all the good that was in you."
"My mother cared about me? That's a twist." I mumbled.
"Kitana...I'm going to tell you the truth. You may not like it...you may have trouble believing it...but I swear to you it is the truth." He paused to make sure he had my attention and continued "Everything you believe is a lie. You are not who you think you are."
"And who am I?"
"You are not the daughter of Shao Kahn."
"What..?"
"Your father...your real father...was Jerrod the King of Edenia. Shortly after you were born Shao Kahn invaded and conquered the realm. He killed your father and took your mother as his bride."
I didn't say, but I stopped paying attention as soon as he said I wasn't Shao Kahn's daughter. As I suspected, all he was feeding me was trash.
"He took you as his step-daughter and turned you into what you are today." he continued. He paused to see if I had any reaction, but there was none. As he talked I started to hear some commotion outside. I knew it had to be Mileena. As I thought about Mileena, he coincidentally said "Mileena is not your sister."
This I'll admit amused me. "Oh really? Then who is she?"
"I don't know where she came from but I do know that your mother only gave birth to one child."
"And what does this all have to do with my dreams?"
"I believe the dreams are your way of trying to tell yourself the truth. You always knew, deep down in your soul that you didn't belong with Shao Kahn and your dreams are a product of that. The man in your dreams, he's your father. He's trying to tell you the truth."
I didn't buy any of it. I was honestly a little disappointed that this was Ikarus' grand scheme to convert me. The whole story was too absurd. Too ridiculous to believe. Nevertheless, I decided to call Ikarus' bluff and said "And where's your proof of all this?"
"All the proof you need is in that chest." he answered pointing to a small gold chest that was on his desk.
I looked at it and said "That's it? All the proof?"
"Yes. Everything you need is..."
Ikarus was cut off by one of my fans being driven into his gut. I had everything I needed out of him and no longer had any use for him. He slowly sank to the floor with a pained look of shock and outrage on his face. I chuckled and taunted "Still good in me, right?"
I walked to the chest and opened it expecting...I don't know what I was expecting. Something big if Ikarus really believed it would turn me against my father. But it was a book. Some kind of journal, but all the writing was the same as the inscription on Jerrod's grave. I couldn't read any of it.
I turned and looked at Ikarus who was bleeding to death and said "A book? This is your proof? Some old book?! Are you kidding me? I've been wasting my time on you for this?!" I kicked Ikarus in the face and removed my mask to give him the Kiss of Death. "I am really going to enjoy this you worthless piece of shit."
As I moved close he suddenly grabbed my head and quietly said "I'll have to do this the hard way." Suddenly his hands started to glow and before I had a chance to get away from him my mind was flooded with images of my mother, Jerrod and so many other things. I saw Ikarus' memories. I saw Edenia as it was before Shao Kahn invaded. I saw Jerrod and Sindel holding me as their only daughter. I saw Shao Kahn challenge Jerrod to Mortal Kombat and I saw Jerrod's death. I saw my mother's despair and I saw Kahn take me as his own.
It was all there, every detail and every memory of Edenia was flooded into my mind. It was all too much to take at once and I started to scream. When it stopped I threw myself away from Ikarus and tried to take in everything he showed me. It's hard to describe...but when he showed me...actually showed me everything...I don't know how but somehow I knew it was the truth. Deep down in my heart...my soul...I knew what he had shown me was the truth. I was the daughter of Jerrod. I was the Princess of Edenia. And I was stolen by Shao Kahn and turned into his killer.
"...no....no it's not true..." I whispered quietly, not wanting to believe it.
"....what I have shown you.......is the truth....everything you believe is the lie....." Ikarus struggled to say. He could see in my eyes that he had gotten through to me.
I couldn't take it. I realize now why Ikarus didn't want to tell me everything all at once. He was afraid it'd be too much for me to bear. And it was. I grabbed Ikarus by his collar and screamed "Take it back!!! I don't want this!! Take it away!!! TAKE IT BACK!!!"
Ikarus let out a slight smile and whispered "Enjoy...your new life.......princess." And with that he died.
"NO!! Ikarus!!! Take it back!!!! Take it back!!!! I don't want this!!!" I continued to scream. I started pacing around his cave, trying to convince myself it was all a lie. Some sorcerer's trick to deceive me. But the words and images kept repeating in my mind. Edenia. Jerrod. Sindel. "Stop it!!! STOP IT!!" I screamed trying to shut it out.
I saw Mileena enter the cave, I guess she heard my screaming. She was covered in blood and she also had the Urn of Strength in her hand. She stared at me panicking and looked confused. "Kitana? What happened? What did he do to you?" I was cowering in the corner of the cave still trying to block out all the memories Ikarus put into me. Mileena came close and put her hand on my shoulder. "What happened?"
I turned and looked at her and I jumped up and screamed "Get away from me!!! I won't believe it!!! I don't believe it!!! Shao Kahn is my father and you're my sister! And that's the truth!!"
Mileena looked at me and I guess she realized that Ikarus had gotten into my head "Oh God damn it! Kitana listen to me...whatever he did to you...it isn't real. It's just a trick..."
"I don't believe it!" I continued repeating to myself. "Shao Kahn is my father...and...and...you're my sister...and that's the truth...and...."
"Yes, I know. He's our father. I'm your sister. That is the truth and everybody knows that." Mileena said trying to calm me down. I would like to believe that for that brief moment, Mileena actually cared about me as a sister. But I realize now, she was more worried about herself. Kahn sent her to watch me and make sure nothing happened to me. But if something did happen to me...he'd take it out on her.
I wasn't really paying attention to Mileena's reassurances. I was just trying to convince myself that what Ikarus showed me was a lie. I started hyperventilating and slowly sank to my knees and I passed out still telling myself ".....Shao Kahn is my father....that's the truth...."
I slowly awoke near a camp fire. I looked around and saw we were still in the rebels' encampment. Dead bodies, including Regina, were everywhere. On the other side of the camp fire I saw Mileena sharpening her one of her sais. Beside her was the Urn of Strength and a blood stained bag which I later found out contained Ikarus' head.
"You okay?" Mileena said, sounding vaguely concerned.
"We're still here?" I said quietly.
"You didn't really think I was going to carry your ass all the way back, did you?"
I didn't answer and lied back down. The memories of Edenia were still fresh in my mind. I refused to believe any of it. It couldn't be true...it just couldn't.
"So what did Ikarus make you see that freaked you out so bad?" Mileena asked, nonchalantly.
".....lies." I answered and left it at that.
We didn't say a word to each other the whole journey back. As we reached the fortress I couldn't help but notice how foreign it suddenly felt to me. I had grown up there and lived there for thousands of years but suddenly it felt different. Like it was someplace I didn't belong in. Everything seemed different. It seemed darker. Even more forboding.
Mileena and I entered the throne room to meet with my....father. We bowed before him and Mileena presented him with Ikarus' head and the Urn of Strength.
My father approached and laughed. "Excellent, my daughters. You've both done well."
"I recovered the Urn and I took Ikarus' head, father." Mileena proclaimed. In the past, I would've been outraged that she took credit for the whole thing. But for some reason, I just didn't care anymore. I just wanted to be alone.
"Strange. I sent Kitana to do this mission, yet Mileena does it." Kahn said. He looked at me, very puzzled. For some reason, I couldn't bear to look him in the eye. "Is something troubling you my daughter? You seem different..."
"I'm fine." I answered quietly. "Ikarus....attacked me and.....I'm fine. I just need some rest."
Kahn looked at Mileena and grimly said "And where were you?"
"It wasn't her fault." I quickly cut in. "I went on ahead without her and I let Ikarus catch me off guard. Mileena couldn't help me."
Kahn stared at Mileena grimly and said "Very well. If you need rest, you are dismissed Kitana."
"Thank you fa........father." I said quietly as I turned to leave the throne room. If you were to ask me at the time, I couldn't say I why I tried to cover for Mileena. But my efforts were in vain. I later found out as soon as I left the throne room Shao Kahn beat Mileena into unconsciousness and broke three of her ribs. Sometimes I understand why she hates me so much.
I went to my chamber to gather my thoughts. Memories of Edenia kept repeating in my mind the whole journey. I decided to get some sleep. I hoped that with time, the memories Ikarus gave me would go away. They weren't true after all.
I tried to fall asleep but I kept thinking about Edenia. I still couldn't sleep and decided to get a drink of water. By then it was late in the night so the fortress was extremely quiet and extremely ominous. Even more so than usual. As I got a drink I thought I heard someone moving behind me. I quickly turned and saw no one was there. I returned to my chamber and quickly shut the door behind me. I turned and in my bed I saw my mother's body. She looked half rotted and blood was pouring from her wrists, soaking my sheets. I just stood and stared at her in shock. She suddenly rose from the bed and in a screeching voice yelled at me "LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO ME!!!"
She slowly walked....no....more like glided...towards me and wrapped her icy hands around my throat. I just stood there frozen in terror. She pulled me close and hissed "Look what you've driven me to."
She suddenly screeched again and I woke up. It was just a nightmare. I sat in my bed in a cold sweat, breathing heavily. That was far worse then any of the dreams I had before. As I sat in my bed it became clear to me that this was only going to get worse. The memories Ikarus put into me wouldn't just go away with time, no matter how hard I tried to forget.
It was then that I understood Ikarus' revenge. I ended his life....but he destroyed mine.
End of Chapter VII