Ashlynn woke up to the sound of yelling. She was once again in the throne room, bound, but Arilayn and Rhapsody were nowhere in sight. Two people, a man and a woman, stood in the doorway, both had been bloodied. Quan Chi stood before them, Ashlynn had no doubts that he had been the cause of their injuries.
"You will pay for this!" he bellowed, "Those two rats have gotten a hold of the orb! Get up! I want them back here! Do not rest until they are found! GO!"
The two guards, terrified, scrambled quickly out of the room. Quan Chi ran a hand over his face. Feeling Ashlynn's eyes on him, he turned to her.
"While you were napping," he said, "Your little princesses made a getaway. Clever, aren't they? But not too wise."
"Not like you were smart to leave the orb where they could reach it," Ashlynn said.
"You look a bit thin," the sorcerer said, ignoring her comment, "You must be starving. You will need your strength."
Ashlynn shuddered, remembering the first time he'd said those words to her. Quan Chi called two of his servants into the room, ordering them to haul Ashlynn to the dining room. Apparently, he'd had this planned out. The table was already laden with food. Ashlynn was shoved into a chair, the sorcerer sat across from her. She didn't want to eat the food, but she couldn't help herself, she really was hungry. She dug into the food. Quan Chi's were glued to her the whole time. After she had finished, she wondered where her daughters could possibly be. How did they manage to escape, when she herself could hardly move? The guards removed her from the chair, taking her back to Quan Chi's chamber, and of course, locking the door. Quickly, she riffled through the desk drawers until she found what she was looking for. A small, leather bound book. It had been Shang Tsung's, she knew. The writing was that of Outworld, but Quan chi had forced her to learn it long ago. Finally, she found the right page. On it was a sketch of the orb, and instructions.
"The only way to destroy it," she said to herself, "Is to cover it in the blood of its creator..."
She shook her head.
"How in the world am I supposed to do this?"
Hearing footsteps in the hall, she put the book back and sat on the bed. Suddenly, she realized that her friends were still locked in the dungeon. She wondered if they were still alive...Then she wondered why no one had entered the room yet. She glanced at the door, then quietly crawled under the bed, pulling herself up so that she wouldn't be visible when someone checked underneath it. Finally the door opened, she held her breath. She could hear footsteps, and she knew Quan Chi was searching for her. She almost lost her grip when he looked under the bed, but he stood up and walked away. She heard him berating the guards, and then they rushed down the hallway. Ashlynn lowered her body to the ground. Her arms had turned purple with the effort to keep herself up. She crept out from under the bed and into the hallway. She ran, and finally ended up in the armory. Quickly, she searched for a small weapon, one she could conceal easily. She settled for a small dagger, slipping it into her shawl. She left the armory, heading for the front doors...then she stopped. What was the point in running? She had to face Quan Chi, now without any of her powers. Now, she thought, life really sucks.
Maria pulled out her hand mirror. Since coming to live with Scorpion, she had stopped wearing makeup, and her face had taken on a more natural look. There was a clap of thunder, and she followed Scorpion outside. The sky was a dark purple, and through the darkness she could make out figures running quickly toward them.
"Assassins," Scorpion said, "We must go."
"Oh my god! The others! Let's go!" Maria gasped, she had forgotten about her friends. She started toward the village's portal, but Scorpion pulled her back roughly.
"You're hurting me," she said.
"I can't let you go anywhere," he replied.
"I thought you said we had to leave?"
"Listen...Maria," Scorpion said slowly, "I'm sorry about this."
Maria felt herself fly backward. She hit the ground with a thud...
A while later, she awoke in a completely different place. She was in chains, and she could make out shadowy figures.
"Sarah?" she asked.
Sarah lifted her head slightly.
"Maria," Sarah said hoarsely, "We're dying..."
"Where are we?" Maria asked, confused.
"Quan Chi's fortress," Sarah replied, "Ashlynn's...somewhere. I don't know, but we don't have very long...and neither do you."
Suddenly, she remembered Scorpion, and she burst into tears.
"Scorpion's a traitor," she said, "He was lying to me the whole time..."
Maria continued to cry, and Sarah let her head fall onto her chest.
Amilee, Sub-Zero, and Jay Yung were wandering through the woods near Quan Chi's fortress. Cherin had refused to come, and had stayed in Lei Chen with Stryker. Amilee stopped, sensing something behind her. She turned, and let out a small squeal. Several of the sorcerer's demon soldiers were approaching from the trees. Sub-Zero pushed Amilee backward.
"Don't miss this time," Amilee warned.
Sub-Zero didn't answer. He froze the demons, who shattered. But as soon as they had hit the ground...their body parts had begun to piece themselves back together.
"Oh hell no," Amilee said, "Let's go."
There was a scream from somewhere in the distance. Jay Yung took off into the sky, he knew that scream. He flew until he caught sight of two small figures down below, one kneeling, the other one on the ground. Rhapsody looked up when he landed, her brown eyes wide. Arilayn lay on the ground. She was sweating, even though the air was cool.
"What happened!" Jay asked, placing a hand on her forehead.
"I don't know," Rhapsody replied, "She started shaking, and then she fell."
"How long has this been going on?"
Rhapsody shook her head, "I...I don't know. Thirty minutes."
Jay picked up Arilayn...something was strange. He lay her back down on the ground and lifted her shirt.
"What is that!" Rhapsody shrieked.
Embedded in Arilayn's stomach was the glass orb. Jay tugged at it, but it refused to budge. Arilayn was bleeding profusely now.
"Shhh," Jay said, stroking Rhapsody's cheek. When he removed his hand, her face was smeared with blood. Quickly, he snatched both girls and flew toward the fortress.
Ashlynn had finally found Quan Chi in the throne room, reading from Shang Tsung's book. She knew better than to attack him from behind, so instead she pulled the dagger from her shawl and sliced her own shoulder, then hobbled into the room and fell dramatically to the floor. The sorcerer spun around.
"You've been injured," he said, removing her hand from the wound. She slipped the dagger from her shawl, she had to get it done before it was too late...
Suddenly, Amilee burst into the room, followed by Sub-Zero, and then Jay Yung. Ashlynn put the dagger back, angry that she had missed her opportunity. Her anger was forgotten when she saw Arilayn, covered in blood. Jay lifted her shirt to show Ashlynn the orb.
"The orb is feeding off of her life force," Quan Chi said, though he didn't sound glad.
"Where are the others?" Amilee asked.
The sorcerer turned to her.
"You are still alive," he said, "I thought my soldiers would have taken care of you. If you really want to know, I will show you. Your friends are in the dungeon, probably dead by now."
Just then, Rhapsody remembered something. The key.
"No!" she screamed, grabbing Amilee's hand, "Don't go with him!"
Amilee, feeling the small object in her palm, knew exactly what the little girl had done.
"I'll be okay," she said, winking, "Take us to them."
Quan Chi laughed, watching as Amilee and Sub-Zero were led away. Ashlynn was trembling by now, cradling her daughter.
"Get this off of her!" she screamed.
"I would," the sorcerer replied, "But she would die in the process. The orb has become a part of her, there is nothing to be done."
Jay Yung took a step forward, staring the sorcerer in the eye. Unexpectedly, Quan Chi hit him with a skull, sending him backward. The servants that had taken Amilee and Sub-Zero came back, and Ashlynn didn't struggle as she, Jay, and her daughters were led away, back to the room with the clones. This time the forth table was uncovered...it was Jay Yung. Quan Chi was chanting something, eyes closed. Rhapsody and Jay were pulled backward by the servants.
"Please!" Ashlynn begged. Before she could do anything, the sorcerer had a handful of her hair, dragging her forward toward the table where her clone slept.
"Somehow," he said, choosing a gruesome looking knife from another table lined with sharp objects, "You always manage to escape me. Not this time Ashlynn."
Ashlynn felt the knife on her throat...Before he could finish her, she pulled dagger from her shawl, slicing him across the chest. He stumbled backward, falling onto the table full of sharp things.
"Sorry," she said, "But I'm getting away this time too."
She snatched the knife from his hands and raised it above her head.
"It is over..." he said quietly.
"It's about to be."
With a grunt, she plunged the knife into his abdomen. The servants released Jay and Rhapsody. There master was about to be defeated, there was nothing they could do. Ashlynn picked up Arilayn, clearing off the table and laying her next to Quan Chi, who was still barely alive. She stared at him for a moment, remembering everything he had done to her. Then she closed her eyes and plunged her hands into wound. She cringed as warm blood covered her small hands, then touched the orb in her daughter's stomach. She looked at Quan Chi one last time. He nodded, and then there was a blinding green light. Ashlynn blinked. The sorcerer's body was gone, and the ground was shaking.
"Come on Ash!" Jay yelled, pulling her with him, "The fortress is collapsing!"
They ran, each carrying one of their daughters, until they were at a safe distance from the crumbling fortress.
"No!" Ashlynn screamed suddenly, "Amilee and the others!"
"Chill woman," said a familiar voice, "I'm trying to enjoy the show."
Ashlynn turned. There they were, all helping eachother to stay on their feet. She looked at Arilayn.
"She's not moving," Jay said.
"Wake up," Ashlynn cried, "Ari wake up!"
Arilayn didn't move. Rhapsody was bawling, unable to comprehend the fact that she's lost her sister and best friend. While everyone else was crying, Jax was watching Arilayn. She started to cough.
"Did ya'll see that?" he asked.
Ashlynn looked at her daughter. She coughed again, and her eyes fluttered open.
"GET IT OFF! IT'S STUCK TO ME!"
"It's okay now," Ashlynn said, lifting her from the ground, "It's okay..."
"Mother I can't breath."
Ashlynn let her go, and smiled as she ran to her sister.
Ashlynn looked at Jay, "Everything's okay now."
He kissed her, receiving an eye roll from everyone else. But then Johnny, unable to help himself, kissed Sonya, they were followed by Amilee and Sub-Zero.
Jax was tapping his foot impatiently, staring at Sarah.
"What the hell," he said, "Get over here and kiss me already."
They made their way toward Lei Chen, tired and ready to go home.
"Where's Cherin anyway?" Sonya asked.
"Back in Lei Chen," Amilee replied angrily, "With some guy."
Ashlynn noticed Maria, who was walking a few feet behind the others.
"Where's Scorpion?" she asked.
Maria looked at her, tears in her eyes.
"He's gone," she said, "He hit me. Then he left for who knows where...He never really cared about me, I don't know why I let myself think he did."
Ashlynn put an arm around her. She didn't know how to comfort her.
"We'll track him down," she said finally, "And get some answers."
Later, in front of the gates of Lei Chen...
"Ashlynn," Raiden said, smiling, "You've managed to save the day again."
"Let's go home," was all Ashlynn could say.
They had three years of peace after that. Ashlynn could never locate Scorpion, but now she wouldn't need to, because he had plans...