SHANG TSUNG
Something is wrong with Skarlet. Shang Tsung could sense it. He was no fool. Not only had Skarlet begun conversing with others and showing an actual grasp of language, She has seemed less keen to fulfill his demands. She was still powerless of course, but the glow in her eyes each time he instructed her was growing dimmer, when Shao Kahn's orders had still manifested the bright red light.
And his suspicions had landed on Mileena. The damn girl had been acting out of line recently. She had become obsessive with her training and had begun to take up some of Kitana's own hobbies, albeit in a bastardized imitation. Multiple times he had caught her taking various texts out of her template's room, and returning them before her return.
The time of the tournament was supposed to be a time of relative relaxation for Kitana and her clone, but Mileena has spent every day since the last 2 months obsessively trying to better her fighting prowess and intellect.
One was going easier than the other.
Mileena was still childish in her nature, and was very irresponsible. Shang Tsung almost cursed himself for believing that Shao Kahn would be foolish enough to let her control Skarlet, but there was no other explanation.
Adding to his as of recent poor decision making, annoyingly, Shao Kahn had often tasked both to look after the other. Look after Mileena to prevent whatever outburst was coming, and Shang Tsung watched closely because the Emperor believed he somehow was plotting against him. After Jerrod's stunt Shao Kahn lost a large amount of trust in him.
Regardless of the many potential better uses of his time, he was watching her attack a wooden dummy over and over again.
The face of it was covered in scratches after scratches, the varnish was ruined and peeled away by the slashes of the claws at the ends of her gloves, and the stabs she made with her sais.
"Are you finished?" Shang Tsung asks sarcastically.
"Quiet Shang Tsung!" Mileena growls, "I will finish when I am done!"
He raises an eyebrow. "And when is that?"
The Purple woman opens her palm wide, and shoves her hand forwards. Once her palm touches the wood she tightens her grip. Her claws dig into the wood, and pulling out her arm she takes a chunk outside of the dummy into her hands. Splinters and shavings dig into her hands and the blood drips onto the floor.
Shang Tsung shakes his head.
"What exactly are you attempting to prove?" He asks, "All you've managed is carving open your own arm."
"That I am strong!" Mileena says, yelling as she resumes her scratching.
"No. your sudden interest in literature." Shang Tsung clarifies, "Being strong is not special, your sister is strong as well."
Mileena's eyes narrowed. She was having a bad reaction to his statements, and The Sorcerer was enjoying it. Mileena was a reminder of his failure and Shang Tsung enjoyed wronging her.
"Did my father say anything about not being able to read?"
"Your "father" doesn't say much about you at all."
Her hits became more ravenous and powerful. Shang Tsung's face crept into a smile.
"That... will change..." Mileena explains, "This tournament is a chaotic time... What if I need to take Kitana's place."
Shang Tsung would laugh audibly if he could. At one point in time Mileena was assigned to take her place. In the one moment where Shao Kahn found he had at last made a stable clone. Over and over, Shao Kahn would repeatedly confront each time the deadline had been reached. Over the course of months, he eventually fabricated a clone that met all of his own standards.
Edenians could not be easily replicated, Kitana's DNA killed itself rapidly if instantly replicated. Shang Tsung had to manually splice her DNA with those of both Tarkatans, whom were hybrids themselves of Outworlders and Netherrealm demons.
Mileena was special for a short time. When she was the only clone able to breathe. She was stable, and showed her own ability and formation of her inherent edenian powers. Though different from Kitana's she was extremely capable and deadly, worthy of Shao Kahn's assignments. But to Shao Kahn's standards she was nothing.
How ironic it was for him to call her ugly. Near immediately he showcased being pleased with a new pawn, but contempt for her appearance.
"What can you do which Kitana cannot?"
"Many things!" She growls.
The clone raises her right hand with the sai and lets out a yell before ramming it forwards into the chest of the wood. The force of the sai exceeds her normal input into her swings, and the wood splinters around it. Purple energy collected around the sai is exerted on the wood around it, and it forms a hole into the wood.
It really is a bit of a tragedy for Mileena her wish to replace Kitana will never come into place.
Shang Tsung owns multiple secret areas on the island. The flesh pit was the most public, and his soul chamber was the most well hidden. On his own time, when Shao Kahn had not required or wanted his services, He performed his own experiments to himself.
Wearing a thick white robe he commissioned to sustain any abuse of any fluid onto himself, he got his hands dirty. The focus of his new experiment was his own.
To create a perfect Kitana clone.
A single corpse was stretched across his own table. The latest and greatest attempt. It would take months to grow another clone, but this time Shang Tsung was certain he could replicate Kitana perfectly over his centuries of practice.
"Failed lungs. Collapsed during Stasis." He says to himself.
The corpse is perfectly reflective of Kitana's appearance. The only issue is her damn organs. Edenians were highly confusing, in both power and biology. Humans for all of their complex flaws were simple as Mileena's mind compared to Edenians.
But this clone would not be for Shao Kahn. It would be for himself. An Edenian for his own purposes. And part of his grand plan.
Shao Kahn would fall, but not by the hands of Earthrealm or the apparently still functioning Edenian Resistance. Instead it would be by his hand. And a protectors soul would be Shang Tsung's to claim, enough power to live for an eternity.
KITANA
The stone was strange. A small, fragmented piece which contained unimaginable power. Through just a touch, Kitana was able to send herself to the void, and speak to the personal protector of Earthrealm. Through various conversations with him at multiple intervals, she was starting to wonder if she was using it perhaps too much. Jade was easily able to identify when she took the stone, and voiced disapproval with how much she seemed to use it.
But Kitana couldn't help it. There was too much she didn't know and Raiden knew just about everything.
Everything she wished to.
Again inside of the great blue void, she went on a supervised conversation with Raiden inside of it. He showcased no annoyance, but Kitana couldn't help but think she was bothering him greatly.
"I wished to speak with you." She calls.
"I am aware. The stone calls to me when you attempt to use it."
Kitana shakes her head. "What do you know of the Blood Code?"
Raiden's face goes blank, and he shows no emotion. This one question seems to make him uneasy, and Kitana regrets asking him.
"Why do you wish to know?"
"Skarlet. She's a friend, and Shao Kahn has binded her to the Blood Code, making her some kind of Blood Mage." Kitana explains.
"Hemomancer." Raiden corrects. "The Blood Code is a curse, binding the essence of the One Being to the user."
The Thunder god stretches out one of his arms, and the void reshapes to his wishes.
In the blue light, the sky reforms into a face, one not of any species Kitana has ever heard of, and is constantly forming and changing into separate forms each second. This is supposed to be the one being, or at least a recreation of it, and even then Kitana could barely percept it. But the One Being had no physical form, and had never taken one.
"It is common truth that the Kamidogu pieces are pieces of the One being. But the Being's body is not all that are scattered across the realms."
The Face in the sky as the one being cried out, unleashing a horrible noise before a steady blue stream of blood comes out of it's form, and begins pooling on the ground in between Raiden and Kitana.
"Blood was also scattered across the realms. Pooled into six daggers." Raiden explains, "Over Millenia, these daggers had their blood purged out of them, separated into different, weaker daggers. Still, the blood is highly concentrated into the original daggers."
Blue blood in the pool rises, and a false person in the void is formed. The blood condenses and changes form into a dagger, which runs itself along the person's chest.
"The binding to the blood code is done through stabbing by the dagger. And if done by another, the person cut will become a slave to the other's will."
Eyes of the false person in the void light up, and they go limp.
"Regardless of her will, Skarlet will follow any order by Shao Kahn, regardless of previous sentiment or danger to herself."
"Is there any way to free her?"
Raiden shakes his head. "Only one, which I don't believe you can perform. The blood has been isolated long enough to nullify itself. If Skarlet is stabbed with a different dagger, or by herself with the one which she was enslaved with, Skarlet will be free."
Kitana looks down to her feet. "That's certainly difficult..."
"It is not easy. And a task I do not expect you to perform..." Raiden apologizes, "What you must do, until I may be able to assist you, is to prevent Skarlet learning of your new duties. Although she may not be spying on you now, there is no guarantee Shao Kahn will not use her for such activities once he takes notice of your time together."
Eventually, Shang Tsung's security has gotten lax enough for Skarlet to merely wander when she is not set to train with Mileena. But wandering is not what Skarlet wishes, instead, it's to spend time with Kitana.
As usual, Raiden was correct. Although Kitana does not believe Skarlet is being tasked to spy on her just yet, Skarlet is being treated as somewhat of a "replacement Jade" to Shao Kahn as Jade has been sent on more and more missions as of yet.
Skarlet is now able to engage in relative conversation with Kitana, even if there's times where she messes up, or doesn't quite make much sense. By the time of the tournament they should be able to interact close to the level of normal speakers.
The Hemomancer showcases a great love for art, something which Kitana has been indulging her in, though it has no correlation with her learning.
Inside of her personal quarters, she sits atop her own bed and watches The redhead as she showcases a great love and passion, one Kitana only feels as she reads. Her eyes are raised even through her red mask as through a smile her cheeks push them upwards.
Lying down on the soft covers Kitana just observes her process.
Her skills are amateur, but that's to be expected. Most of her life has been using a fucking stone wall as a canvas, and using her own blood to do it. Luckily, paint is both easier to acquire (for most people) and less painful to obtain or use. She still has a great attachment to red, but she's expanded to a few other shades and to Violet.
Skarlet's painting is of the tournaments emblem, and her reference is a small medallion Kitana stole from the dining halls for her.
With the reference, it's clear the painting is of the tournament's dragon, albeit a bit crudely drawn. The different shades add more to it than the single red Skarlet had insisted on using until recently. And it's almost complete.
Kitana's read about "Positive Reinforcement" as a method to improve upon a skill one may have, and she's unwilling to make Skarlet sad. There's just something that makes her happy when she is.
The Hemomancer grabs a hold of the painting's canvas after adding a signature of her own name. Happily, she turns around and presents it to Kitana.
"You like it?"
"I do."
MILEENA
An inconvenient piece of Mileena's plan to make her father see Kitana's manipulation is going directly against his will. Ironically, she was committing high treason against him with her actions, and had already by ensuring Kitana had learned the truth, which Mileena was sure had been known through monitoring Skarlet's descent with Jade and her sister.
Inside of her hands was one of her father's most prized objects, and she could not hold onto it for long.
The dagger of the One Being in her hands was precious, allowing her father total control over Skarlet's conscious actions. Through the power of deceit she had convinced the Tarkatans to allow her into the vaults, and to retrieve it, masquerading the dagger with a lesser artifact. Slipping it into her robes, she concealed it in the privacy of her room, and exited to find Skarlet.
Walking through the hall, she arrived at Kitana's room, and knocked.
"Kitana! Father wishes to speak to Skarlet for a moment."
After a few loud noises, none of which Mileena paid any attention, the door was opened, and Skarlet slipped outside.
"What does Shao Kahn wish to speak of?"
Checking the closed door to be sure of it's closing, Mileena grabbed the dagger out of the folds of her robes, and leaned to Skarlet's ear.
"Stay still and do not make a single sound. I will bleed you, and you must absorb it afterwards."
The red glow shined extremely bright from her eyes, and Skarlet's eyes opened wide in fear.
Grasping the dagger with a firm, steady hand, Mileena places her left hand on Skarlet's shoulder to steady herself, and lifts her right, armed with the dagger to aim for the heart on the left side. With heavy breathing from both, Mileena shoves the dagger inside of the red haired woman's chest, and the dagger gets extremely red hot in an instant, burning her hand. With a klang to the ground the dagger falls.
Clutching at her burnt hand in pain, Mileena whispers again in Skarlet's ear.
"Do not forget the rules my father and Shang Tsung have placed on you. All, except for those for you to report on Kitana's... loyalty still apply. But I am your master now, and do not forget it."
Mileena picks up the dagger, which has lost it's heat, and conceals it. Skarlet's robes reform to cover the wound, and the expelled blood is reasbsorbed back into her own clothes.
An ability Mileena has which her sister does not is of crafting. Mileena can sew and create many things. Her collection of teddy bears was a great example of such actions. For many in the palace she has a kit of, which she would use for another of her games, besides for wearing Kitana's clothes.
This game was even more childish.
Personally, Mileena has made teddy bears and accessories for each, one to represent a person in her own life, and she provided voices for each, to varying ranges of accuracy. They were representative of Mileena's own perception of reality.
The game was played on her floor, using a small toy table she had convinced Shang Tsung to gift her. The objective was just to play out multiple scenarios using the bears, and one was relevant and played out the most, taking Kitana's place. After making sure the door was closed, she was just about to start.
She then placed the bears in their rightful spots.
Kitana's at one end of the table, with two chairs next to her, one for Jade, and another for Skarlet. At the other end, with some care, she put the bear of herself into another. Turning around, she reached into the basket which stored the bears, and sorted around the ones made for others and found her father's and Shang Tsung. The last, of course, was Raiden's bear, with a large straw hat.
Propping up Raiden next to Kitana and placing Shang Tsung and her father to the side, she was ready to go.
Clearing her throat beforehand, she began with her Kitana voice.
"Yes Raiden, this is the list of all of my father's Outworld fighters and all of their weaknesses!"
"Thank you Kitana. I will give this list to my monks to kill your father." Mileena shakes the bear to simulate talking, "This plan will surely work, as it is secret."
Raiden's bear is thrown out of the way to show his quick escape.
Mileena turns to her own bear in the false chair, and lifts her up. Moving it to Kitana's with a slow, simulated walk, she changes back to her natural voice. "Kitana! You conspire with Earthrealm to overthrow father?"
"You don't have evidence! Father will throw you in the pits once he learns of this stunt?"
Through Skarlet's bear, Mileena begins speaking hushed giberrish to mimick Skarlet's native language in an insulting fashion.
"Skarlet, repeat what she's said to Raiden."
She stops for a moment, trying to remember what Bear Kitana said to Bear Raiden. "Raiden... this is a list of Father's Outworld fighters and their weaknesses."
"Aha Kitana! You are finished!" The Mileena bear says.
Mileena brings over the Shao Kahn and Shang Tsung bears, and makes them stand. To the Bear of her father she assigns a loud and commanding voice.
"KITANA? YOU CONSPIRE AGAINST ME?"
"Yes father! Kitana has been aiding the Earthrealm warriors."
"THROW HER IN THE DUNGEONS!"
She throws the Kitana bear to the side.
The Jade bear attempts to plead her case. "What about Mileena? As the new heir she certainly needs a protector-"
"THAT IS NOT YOU!"
Jade's bear is thrown to the sides with Kitana's as well. Skarlet's bear is moved to Mileena's side.
Mileena throws herself back first onto the floor and smiles to herself. "This will soon be reality. Kitana will begin her treachery, and I will stop her and take her place. Then Father will recognize me, and I will be his true heir."
RAIDEN
After his conversation with Kitana, Raiden set his medallion down onto the floor. In reality, outside of the void he sat onto the floor of the Wu Shi Academy. The site which he sat was atop the Dragon Grotto, and a spring of Earthrealm's life force, the Jinsei. It was in this spot he had felt the most connection to the heavens, and the powers within, including time and prophecy.
Lately Raiden had been experiencing brief visions, and uneasiness which settled into his being.
"Armageddon." Raiden utters.
Raiden, inside of his head was transported to a great field, barren and dry. Cracks ran across the arid ground, revealing hot lava underneath. All moisture had been plucked outside of the air. Leaning over onto the ground, Raiden lifted himself in the air once the ground below him gave way, revealing a pit to lava underneath. But this was not the Netherrealm. It could not be, and that scared Raiden. He moved himself to solid rock to stand upon, and observed to make sure it too would not fall.
Sounds of many warriors screamed in the distance, and From the left and right of the field came two opposing forces. None in either force was discernable, but the Forces of Light and Darkness itself could be. The forces of Darkness were dark shadows, and those of light illuminated in the air. With war cries and shouts for unity both forces collided in the center, battling with all manner of weapons.
Brutality of the fight was akin to nothing Raiden had ever seen on any battle in Earthrealm. All were fighting not to beat the other into submission, but to kill all in the opposing forces. Even those in the light were fighting with desperation and bloodlust.
Over minutes, many corpses fell onto the floor, emanating pure black or white blood onto the ground. From the edge Raiden watched over in horror, he once again avoided the cracking ground, levitating above it.
A fissure ran from his end to the middle of the battlefield, and erupted on fire. Forces moved from the breaking of the ground, and further once the flame trail formed the outline of a square in the ground.
From the floor, a pyramid rose into the air, reaching a height that could rival the Heavens. From the top came a booming voice, one which changed with each syllable into different forms.
"ALL REALMS SHALL BECOME ONE. THE ELDER GODS ARE NO MORE. GREATEST WARRIORS OF ALL REALMS HAVE CONVERGED TO OBSERVE THE MERGING OF ALL REALITY. CHALLENGE ME IF YOU DARE!"
In an instant, The forces of light converge to march up the pyramid, while the forces of Dark instantly collapse into warfare between themselves. Only one staircase leads up the pyramid, and the fighting becomes even more horrific as the two forces converge at the bottom of the staircase. Raiden stretches out his hands and propels himself to the top of the pyramid, and gets a look at the One Being's physical form.
Blaze, the elemental created by Queen Delia. Constructed of godlike power.
The Elemental takes notice of Raiden and rears back his fist, shooting a stream of lava directly at the Lightning god. Although attempting to teleport out of the way Raiden is frozen by Blaze's energy and is struck.
Heat flows through as he suffers immense pain, burned alive.
Raiden fades out of the vision.
AN: Both Mileena and Shang Tsung are unknowingly doing a solid to reality with their scheming.
I've inflated the role of Armageddon to be the One Being's return as it is the end of the Original Timeline in it's entirety. It's an event of biblical proportions which will either end reality or change it forever.
Now that we're on tournament time, expect way more characters to appear and do things. I've made several alterations and additions to MK9's tournament and process, as well as try my best to fuse OT and NT.
Eventually this story will have a happy ending, but first some have to die in the process, and many will die in Armageddon.