Queen Sindel had never felt so sick in either of her lives.

There was much Sindel had done that she would never consider herself proud of. Ten thousand years ago, her realm had lost its tenth consecutive Mortal Kombat tournament to Outworld. Despite their best efforts, the warriors of Edenia had failed to prevent the merger of the two realms. Shao Kahn, Outworld's Emperor, was then legally allowed to invade Edenia, by the decree of the Elder Gods. His conquest had been fast, efficient. It was the first of many such invasions, and Sindel knew why her realm had been chosen as the first: her.

The Emperor had always felt a certain affection towards Sindel, hence why she and her daughter were spared, while Kahn personally slew her husband, Jerrod. Jerrod had stood in defence of the two, but there was no chance he could have actually defeated as imposing a figure as Kahn. His death, from what she was later told, was not a quick one. What became of Jerrod's soul beyond that, Sindel doubted she would ever know. Even with her own death soon after, she found no answers. Her soul was kept imprisoned in Outworld by the cunning conqueror.

As she had been legally married to him shortly before her suicide, she was the key to his abuse of a loophole in the rules of Mortal Kombat, should he need it. Two consecutive defeats at the hands of Liu Kang a decade ago proved just such a need. To prevent a participant's loved ones from being used as leverage against them, the dimensional boundaries would weaken, should said loved ones turn up in the rival realm. With a resurrection and some mind-controlling magic, Sindel found herself in Earthrealm, now an adoring slave to the Emperor's will, not to be reunited until he and his army had entered the realm, and the merger begun.

Ultimately, it was Sindel's daughter, Kitana, raised by Shao Kahn with false memories until her encounter with Raiden in Outworld, that was the key to saving the home of her new allies. Despite her selfish abandonment of her daughter and the people she was sworn to rule over and protect, Kitana still loved her mother enough to seek her out and snap her out of her trance, even at the risk of estranging herself from her more desperate and pragmatic Earthrealm comrades. Rather than a much-deserved second death, Sindel had received her daughter's love and the restoration of her realm. She didn't deserve such a happy conclusion to her story.

Perhaps, then, that was why the fallen Elder God, Shinnok, and the revived former Emperor of Outworld, Onaga, had both laid claim to her realm in their respective conquests. Liu Kang had once again appeared to defeat Shinnok, further deepening the bond between himself and Kitana. But since then, Liu Kang had been killed. Earth's greatest warrior had been slain, and his comrades had soon followed suit.

But, as Sindel had long known, death was not the end, especially if one could be utilised as a pawn in the game of chess that was the fate of the realms. Thus, Onaga's first act upon claiming Shinnok's amulet from the so-called "Deadly Alliance" was to revive the five warriors that Raiden had led into their ill-fated battle: Kung Lao, Sonya Blade, Jackson Briggs, Johnny Cage, and Princess Kitana. Of course, there was a snowball's chance in the Netherrealm that any one of them would have served the Dragon King willingly.

Sindel knew all-too-well what it was like to be revived from the dead and placed under a powerful mind control spell, stripping one of their free will and corrupting them into a darker, more sadistic version of themselves. Sindel had never forgotten a single moment of her time as Shao Kahn's thrall, despising the late emperor all the more for not allowing her the dignity of being an empty-minded puppet; instead twisted into a gleefully willing enforcer. And while neither Shao Kahn, nor Shang Tsung, currently lived, the particular magics now used to suppress Kitana's will were no doubt the same. These magics were put on full display when Onaga, having quickly reclaimed the throne of Outworld, had then done as he had always intended before his assassination, and invaded Edenia.

Edenia had been in the early stages of rebuilding after the split from Outworld when Shinnok had invaded, setting the efforts back some ways. Things had finally been looking bright for the people of Edenia by the time Onaga arrived, but the migration of the remaining Edenians from Outworld was still incomplete, leaving their defences too low to put up a real fight. The only hope the people had had was for their queen to step up and face the interloper herself.

Only, by his side was the enthralled princess, whose presence had crushed any hope Sindel had had of emerging victorious. She could barely stand in the face of such a foe, and had quickly been incapacitated by her own daughter. Aided by the traitorous Tanya, Onaga would be able to get the lay of the land and crush any opposition without any real delay. And there was nothing Sindel could do but rot in her cell, guarded by her daughter, whose kind, loving personality had been twisted into a sadistic monster who revelled in her own mother's despair, and dressed like some high-priced whore, ready to share her master's bed at his discretion. Such thoughts suppressed any energy Sindel might have used to escape, leaving her effectively no better off than in her ten thousand years of death.

However, there were those who remained loyal to Sindel, in spite of her countless failures. In particular, Kitana's best friend, Jade. Unlike Sindel, Jade had no qualms about beating Kitana into unconsciousness, if it would lead to her emancipation. She had released Sindel, but Kitana's Shadow was always close by, forcing the duo to leave Kitana in Onaga's thrall as they fled, vowing to find some way to avenge every indignity the Dragon King had enacted against their people and their family.

For now, the two had fled Edenia entirely, beginning their quest in Outworld. The two were given refuge by an Edenian family that had stayed behind in Outworld to assist their remaining people as they made their way back to Edenia. Jade met with some of Sindel's spies to learn more of the situation. The two already knew that Onaga had confronted Raiden, Quan Chi and Shang Tsung and brought about their deaths, for he was no less boastful than his successor.

Jade believed their best option, for now, would be to find the Dragon King's original resting place in the hopes of learning more about his resurrection and capabilities. Sindel, however, simply sat in the armchair that had been provided for her, staring off into space, contemplating her utter failure.

Jade sighed deeply before stepping across the room. A loud crack and a dull sting awoke Sindel from her stupor, bringing her back to reality to realise that Jade was gripping her clothes with one hand and had slapped her hard across the face with the back of the other.

"Enough," she said in the tone of a parent scolding a child. "Rather than feeling sorry for yourself, you should be using your failures to motivate your first success. Your people aren't going to free themselves, and you can't rely on your daughter to deal with the situation for you this time. Only you can make things right here. You are the queen and it's time you started acting like it."

Sindel allowed the words to wash over her for a moment, forcing tears from her blank eyes and reinvigorating her limbs, prompting them into action. Sindel's first action in her quest to finally fulfil her duty to her people and her daughter was to stand tall and grip her loyal companion in a tight embrace.

"Thank you, Jade," she said, voice barely above a whisper.

Jade smiled and wrapped her arms around her queen. "That's what I'm here for, Your Majesty."


It was a strange thing, to be free of Shao Kahn's influence. Being given life by the late emperor and knowing nothing but his will until his supposed death would naturally leave anyone lost and confused. It was a sensation that was, no doubt, shared by a number of his servants - Sindel, Mileena, Skarlet, Ermac - but the latter was in a state of pure turmoil.

Ermac was an amalgamation of souls, created by Shao Kahn himself from the essences of innumerable Edenian warriors. He didn't know who any of those individuals were, yet he also knew them intimately. None of them influenced his actions, and yet, they all did. It was as if each individual synapse of his brain had its own voice, its own will, and each was pulling him in a different direction.

It had been worse for the last few years, up until his encounter with the blind swordsman, Kenshi. The Earthrealmer had come to Outworld recently on some quest; vengeance was all Ermac had been able to glean from his thoughts. Upon encountering Ermac, rather than slaughtering the befuddled homunculus, he had instead helped him, reaching out with his mind and helping to soothe the anguish of the souls that composed Ermac's being. In return, Ermac had taught Kenshi to tap into his latent telekinetic powers, which he hoped would assist the swordsman in his quest.

The confusion was still present, but it had certainly eased off, like a migraine being reduced to a dull throb through medicine. Ermac needed a goal, something to give his thoughts focus, to unite his souls with purpose. Until then, he wandered Outworld, occasionally stopping to assist some settlement under attack by roving bands of tarkatans. Shao Kahn was dead. Whomever the nomads' new master was, Ermac had no interest.

A few months into his wanderings, Ermac was travelling through the Living Forest when he sensed a powerful presence nearby. It was familiar, though he couldn't quite place it. He sensed that it was distinctly... Earthrealm. Ermac had nothing to fear from Earthrealmers, given just how powerful he was, and thanks to Kenshi, they now had nothing to fear from him. He telekinetically hovered into the clearing, where he was met by a truly bizarre sight.

Before him was not a man, but a spirit, a wandering soul freed from its physical form. He hovered, green and transparent, almost masking him against the dark, green foliage. In spite of this new form, Ermac recognised him immediately.

"Liu Kang," the red-clad abomination uttered.

The now deceased Champion of Mortal Kombat seemed surprised by Ermac's presence. He was sure the Shaolin would have taken a fighting stance, were his martial arts not rendered moot by his lack of corporeality. Ermac had always wondered if his telekinetic powers could affect an incorporeal being, but he decided not to test it, unless the Earthrealmer bore ill intent.

It seemed, however, that he didn't. Instead, he seemed almost desperate. At first, Ermac assumed he was desperate to find a way to return to his lifeless remains, but he could sense something deeper about his intent.

"Ermac. I sense... a change in you."

"Shao Kahn is dead. His influence over us is over."

"I see. It looks like Shang Tsung and Quan Chi were covering their bases then." From these words, Ermac concluded that the two sorcerers were responsible for the deaths of both Earthrealm and Outworld's respective greatest warriors. Clever. "I sense you now seek another path, one wholly your own."

"Even in death, your senses are not dulled." There was a hint of respect in Ermac's tone that even he couldn't suppress.

"Then, I offer you a new path. My allies from Earthrealm were also killed by the Deadly Alliance. They have been revived as mindless puppets by the Dragon King, Onaga."

This revelation gave Ermac pause. Onaga's downfall was long before his time, but the Edenian souls within him had imparted in him some knowledge of the former emperor's history, which had then been completed by Shang Tsung.

Onaga had been the Emperor of Outworld many centuries ago. Back then, Shao Kahn had been his adviser. Knowing the Dragon King's power far outstripped his own, Kahn had slowly poisoned his master over the course of several months, waiting until his body was weakened and his sensed dulled enough that he could stand toe-to-toe with the emperor and slay him. And slay him, he did.

Ermac theorised that it was Onaga's slower approach to conquest, preferring to strengthen his powerbase first, that had incited this insurrection. Shao Kahn had likely felt Onaga should have made a show of power by quickly conquering as many realms as possible, the same tactic he himself would subsequently use to terrifying effect. Shao Kahn had conquered fast enough to incur the intervention of the Elder Gods, which may have been what Onaga himself had aimed to avoid.

Ermac supposed things had worked out better for Onaga in the long run: he had died, yes, but he had evidently had a plan in place to bring himself back when the time was right. In his absence, his successor had done most of the work for him, reducing the number of realms from dozens to a mere six, through his conquests. And now that Shao Kahn was dead, there was no one powerful enough to prevent Onaga from simply walking into the palace and reclaiming the now far more imposing realm of Outworld.

But, even taking all of this into account, the throne of Outworld had nothing to do with Ermac anymore. He had no desire to take on one whom even Shao Kahn himself had feared facing in open kombat. But even so, he felt indebted to Liu Kang for defeating the emperor and weakening him enough for Ermac to break free of his control. He at least owed him the right to make his case.

"You have other allies in Earthrealm. Why not simply seek them out to aid you?"

"I cannot travel between the realms. As a spirit, I am bound to whatever realm I exist in. I only arrived in Outworld inside Shang Tsung's soul depository. And as skilled as they are, they are no match for Kung Lao, Sonya, Jax, Johnny and Kitana." Again, the monks' words gave Ermac pause; or rather, one of them did.

Kitana.

Ever since the revival of Sindel before the invasion, Ermac had found himself in a strange state of mind. There was a certain irresistible draw to the Queen of Edenia that, even a decade later, he couldn't quite explain. He had felt an intense desire to protect her, which he had initially thought was simply born from his devotion to his master's ambitions. But when Kitana, Sindel daughter, had arrived at the Black Dragon safehouse to release her mother from the emperor's control, he had felt a strange impulse to allow Kitana to succeed. At first, it had seemed like some sort of Earthrealm trick interfering with his thoughts; but on reflection, he concluded that this desire was his own.

Where this desire had come from, he still had no idea, but he felt it flare up again at the mention of the princess' name. She was now forced into a position similar to that of her mother all those years ago. He hoped that Sindel would be able to do for her daughter what her daughter had done for her. But, given Sindel's history, he found himself doubtful of that, though he was ashamed to admit it.

"We will assist you in this endeavour," Ermac replied without much further contemplation.

"Y-You will?" The monk seemed both elated and surprised by the response.

"Yes. The warriors of Earthrealm have done much for the people of Outworld. It is about time their good deeds were rewarded. We give you our word that your allies will be freed from their mental bondage, and the one responsible dethroned."

"Thank you, Ermac," Liu Kang responded, bowing respectfully.

"Your thanks are unneeded, Champion," Ermac replied, raising a hand to indicate for him to stop. "You, more than anyone, have aided Outworld in its liberation from Shao Kahn's wrath. As well as Edenia. The debt the people of both realms owe you can never truly be repaid."

Liu Kang contemplated these words. From what he knew of Ermac, he was an amalgamation of the souls of dead Edenian warriors, fused into one being to put their skills to work in the emperor's service. Perhaps it was just the monk's imagination, but he couldn't shake the feeling that these warriors were exerting some sort of influence over Ermac, now that their overpowering obedience to the emperor had been vanquished.

What he couldn't have realised, however, was that, for all his claims of a debt in severe need of repaying, Ermac's true motive was far more self-serving. Perhaps, it was a sense of fealty towards Sindel from the amalgamated souls within him, but he recognised that it felt different from his fealty towards Shao Kahn. No, this was something else entirely. He would liberate the princess from Onaga's thrall and return her to her mother unharmed. And in doing so, he was sure he would finally understand the truth behind the unexplainable swirl of emotions he felt when Queen and Princess were on his mind.


Sindel and Jade made their way across the plains of Outworld by night, seeking refuge with displaced Edenians and sympathetic Outworlders alike during daylight. They had managed to avoid detection for a few weeks now. Sindel's nights were fraught with desperation as she and Jade moved cautiously, yet quickly, to evade Onaga's forces that continued to hunt them. Her rest was plagued with nightmares of all the terrible things her daughter might be subjected to every second her mother wasn't there to protect her, inspired by her own experience as Shao Kahn's puppet.

She often woke up screaming, one time even unleashing her powerful Banshee Scream and devastation the home of the poor souls that had agreed to provide them shelter. She was lucky Jade was there to provide comfort, holding her and rocking her gently until she calmed down. Apparently, she had often done the same for Kitana after Sindel's death, her own nights plagued with nightmares of an undead Sindel or some similar horror.

Their journey to Onaga's tomb had borne little fruit. They found that his entire 'undefeatable' army had been moved, leaving only the Dragon King's original body and a few artefacts and texts lying around. There was a ritual Sindel might be able to perform to force Onaga's soul back into his original body, which she could then slay before he recovered his strength. But there was a severe limit on the distance at which the spell could be cast, and the two could hardly lug the massive corpse all the way to the palace. Instead, they decided to head to the palace without it to see if they could find Kitana.

By now, the two were only a day or two away from the emperor's palace. From intelligence gathered by the seemingly untiring Jade, it seemed that Onaga had returned to Outworld upon subjugating Edenia, leaving its governance in the hands of the treacherous Tanya. But Jade was unable to uncover information on the location of Kitana and her Earthrealm allies. All the two could do was continue to approach the palace and hope Kitana was there. If not, they would have to either assassinate the Dragon King in his palace, or overthrow Tanya and call him out.

As the two continued their journey, they heard a sudden commotion as they passed a cliffside settlement at the edge of the Golden Desert. The settlement had been established there centuries prior upon the discovery of a deep water spring. Largely used as a religious retreat with numerous statues dedicated to Outworld's long-dead gods, the place was usually a very quiet, very serene place to be. But now, the sounds of battle rang out across the golden sands.

Sindel and Jade approached cautiously, making sure to stay hidden as they approached. Tarkatan snarls and growls were almost drowned out by the sounds of clashing steel and snapping bone. The two Edenians ducked into the alcove of one of the statues and observed from the shadows. They couldn't see the force battling the tarkatans, but they were clearly winning, as dozens of the savages' bodies lay broken and dismembered across the area, while not a single one of the other force's warriors had seemingly yet joined them.

Suddenly, a nearby wall exploded, the bloodied, broken body of a tarkatan general crashing through and leaving a red smear across the ground as he skidded to a stop some ten feet away from the rubble. An eerie green light emerged from the smoke as a red-clad man hovered through the hole, moving toward the general with purpose.

Sindel and Jade exchanged a confused look as Ermac gripped the nomad's skull and its eyes light up like mystical green lanterns. Jade recognised this as Ermac forcing his way into the creature's mind, tearing through the memories until he found what he was looking for. As he always did, he caused the beast's head to explode into wet, crimson chunks upon finding what he was searching for.

"We have the location," he said to some unseen comrade.

Concerned about what Ermac was doing here, attacking the tarkatans, Sindel contemplated numerous possibilities. Given his nature as a single entity created from the souls of many, he might have gone berserk and begun seeing his former allies as enemies. He might still be loyal to Shao Kahn, slaughtering the turncoat tarkatans and plotting to assassinate his master's successor. Whatever his purpose, Sindel needed to know more.

Just then, Ermac turned his head sharply in their direction, seemingly sensing their presence. He used his vast telekinetic powers to lift the statue between them upwards with enough force to decapitate it on the roof of the alcove and cause the entire hole to collapse. The two dove out of there just in time to avoid being buried. Sindel and Jade took their battle stances, Kwan Dao and Bo Staff in hand.

Ermac made no further move to attack them, evidently having not realised it was them until they were in the open. Even so, the two women stood ready to fight back, should the telekinetic ninja prove to bear any ill will towards them.

"Queen Sindel, wait!" a voice cried out from the other side of the wall the tarkatan had exploded through. The unmistakable (if transparent and green) visage of Liu Kang hovered through the hole towards Ermac, holding out his hands to indicate for the Edenians to stop.

"Liu Kang?" Sindel said in surprise. The last she had heard, Liu Kang had been killed by the Deadly Alliance and his soul taken by Shang Tsung, prompting Kitana to head to Earthrealm to join her allies in avenging him. Sindel had always known there was something between the two, but Kitana's duty to rebuilding Edenia and Liu Kang's to protecting Earthrealm had kept the two apart. But if there were ever an example to prove the old saying, 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder', it would certainly be those two.

"Queen Sindel," the deceased monk said hurriedly, "Ermac is no longer in Shao Kahn's thrall. He is his own man with his own will. He has agreed to help me in freeing Kitana and the others from Onaga."

Sindel and Jade both looked over towards Ermac, stunned. The emperor's loyal enforcer, literally born to serve him, was now helping those that had defeated him?

"We owe much to the Earthrealmers and the princess," he said in explanation. Sindel wasn't sure if his 'we' referred to only himself, or to her as well. She also felt there was more to Ermac's motivation than that, but she chose to let it go for now.

"Yes, we do," she replied. "Jade and I were on our way to the emperor's palace to search for them there when we came upon the two of you."

"You will not find them there," Ermac replied simply. "The tarkatan's mind revealed to us their location. Onaga has sent them back to Earthrealm. He plans to use them to infiltrate Earthrealm's governments and seize control from the shadows."

"But without a victory in Mortal Kombat-" Jade began, but Liu Kang cut her off.

"If Earthrealm were to surrender to Outworld willingly, the Elder Gods would have no choice but to consent. Sonya Blade is a high-ranking military officer. Kung Lao is a well-respected member of the White Lotus. Johnny Cage has a strong media influence. Such individuals serve as a strong starting point in converting Earthrealm's major organisations into puppets of Onaga. If they can enslave or replace the right people, Onaga could have Earthrealm turn itself over to him before the next tournament is set to take place."

"And Edenia is already in his pocket with Tanya governing," Sindel added bitterly.

"Time is short," said Ermac. "We must return to Earthrealm. Onaga has an ally there in the Red Dragon Clan. They will be providing assistance to their infiltration."

"Agreed," Sindel replied, nodding. "Please, allow us to accompany you. I have made many mistakes in my long life and I will not allow my daughter to suffer the consequences."

Ermac nodded. "Rest assured, Queen Sindel, we will have the princess and her comrades back to their old selves promptly."

Sindel smiled. "I am glad to have you by my side, Ermac."

"And we you, Queen Sindel."

Liu Kang leaned in towards Jade. "Is it just me, or...?"

"No, it's not just you," she replied.


Finding a portal back to Earthrealm was not difficult. The difficult part was finding the Red Dragon's location. Being on the watch list of most military and law enforcement organisations in the U.S., yet still remaining active, meant they were very cautious and knew how to stay hidden. There were few organisations that might have anything to really go on. Liu Kang began by reaching out to Kurtis Stryker. Since Shao Kahn's invasion, the NYPD officer had become a government agent with access to information that even the Outerworld Investigation Agency did not.

It didn't take much convincing for him to agree to help them, though he was very clearly uneasy, given that he had yet to meet the real Sindel, and that he had fought Ermac during the invasion. But, he trusted Liu Kang enough to speak with his superiors on their behalf. They refused to hand over the information to agents of other realms, so Stryker 'accidentally' left a few key doors unlocked in the facility where the information was being kept, allowing the ghost and the former assassin to sneak inside and get the information. Knowing the blow-back he would receive in the event any of this came to light, Sindel offered Stryker refuge in Edenia in the event his government determined his act of treason to be worthy of execution.

Why the government had yet to act on their mostly complete intelligence, none of the five could say, though the cynical Stryker had his theories. But that didn't matter for now. What mattered was that the four now had enough evidence to place the Red Dragon stronghold's location, and head there.

The Red Dragon guards were easily eliminated, thanks in no small part to Ermac's vast telekinetic abilities. The others barely had to lift a finger to help. Before too long, they found themselves inside a large circular room with an amber-coloured glass floor. The walls were lined with various artefacts that clearly hailed from each of the six realms. Of particular note was a large sword encased in some kind of emerald casing at the centre of the room.

The room was full of Red Dragon warriors, including a man the four recognised from Stryker's intel as Mavado, the leader of the Red Dragon. His black longcoat left his chest exposed to reveal two large, horrid scars on his chest that reminded Liu Kang of the wounds Kabal left in his opponents with his hookswords.

With one look at the four, Mavado ordered his men to kill them while he himself retreated, no doubt to report this intrusion to his dark master. But, it wasn't the number of goons or the quick retreat of their leader that concerned the four. Rather, it was the presence of Kung Lao, Johnny Cage, Sonya Blade and Jackson Briggs among them, stepping forward first, eager to engage their former allies.

Kitana was nowhere to be seen. All four were deflated by this revelation, but they had to focus on the thralls that were present for now. The battle was a long and arduous one. Liu Kang had never fully appreciated just how skilled his American allies were until he was forced to engage with them. They couldn't touch him, of course, nor he them, but it was clear that Sindel, Jade and Ermac were not having an easy time of it. The minions were easily dealt with, often by simply being in the way of projectiles and wide swings, leaving only the eight combatants left before too long.

Sindel faced off with Jax, while Jade battled Sonya, and Ermac stood his ground against Johnny and Kung Lao. With the distractions from the Red Dragon dealt with, Liu Kang could finally make his move on his fellow monk. He moved between him and Ermac, the red-clad warrior understanding his intent and luring the film star away to give Liu Kang room to operate.

"Do you recognise me, Kung Lao?" Liu Kang asked.

His white-eyed cousin gave no reply, simply attempted to strike at him, his fist going straight through his ghostly form. Liu Kang hovered in the direction of the central emerald. It was transparent, but reflective enough for Liu Kang to confront Lung Lao with his own reflection.

"Do you see what you have become, Cousin?" Kung Lao slowed down upon seeing his reflection in the emerald. "You once fought to defend Earthrealm from the threat of Outworld. You dedicated your entire life to that pursuit, despite being a peace-loving man at heart. You trained yourself to be the greatest warrior you could, seeking the strength to put an end to the fighting yourself. You did everything you could to compete in the tournament-"

The mention of the tournament seemed to spark memories of Kung Lao's failure and his jealousy of his cousin. His face contorted in rage as he threw a punch so hard at the emerald, that it shattered into a million pieces. He grabbed the sword at the centre and launch it at Liu Kang. Somehow, the sword actually managed to impale the monk's spirit form and drag him along with its weight, sending him crashing through the glass floor to a lower level and pinning him to the ground.

Kung Lao jumped down and gripped the sword's hilt, evidently intent on using the blade to cleave Liu Kang in two. The monk didn't want to contemplate what might happen in the event his soul was killed. He had to act fast if he didn't want to find out the hard way.

"Look at you now, Cousin," he implored. "After everything you sacrificed for Earthrealm, all those years you trained and fought, you now stand as Earthrealm's enemy." This gave Kung Lao pause. "You are now undoing everything you or I or our ancestors have done for Earthrealm. You are serving the same people who destroyed out home, murdered out brothers, our masters. Cousin Bo! Master Wen! You are making their deaths meaningless with your actions now."

Kung Lao released the sword and discarded his razor-rimmed hat, clutching his skull with both hands as a colossal migraine overcame him.

"That's it, Cousin! Fight it! You are Kung Lao! Show me that you deserve to bear the name of our ancestor!"

Kung Lao let out a mighty cry that echoed throughout both levels of the chamber. He fell to his knees, panting and wheezing at the exertion of his resistance. But it bore fruit, in the end. He looked up at his impaled cousin, recognition paying across his face.

"C-Cousin?" he asked, clearly mortified by what he had done.

Despite the pain, Liu Kang waved off his concern. "I don't have any organs to rupture anymore, Cousin. Just get this thing out of me so we can help the others."

The mention of the other Earthrealmers gave Kung Lao a sudden burst of energy as he yanked the sword free from his cousin's chest and following his hovering form back up to the upper level.

By the time they reached the top, Johnny, Sonya and Jax lay in a heap at the feet of the other three. Clearly, the three thralls had given them the toughest challenge they had yet faced.

"Is everybody alright?" Liu Kang asked.

"We're fine," Jade replied as Sindel panted heavily. "I'm happy you're back with us, Kung Lao," she said with a smile.

Kung Lao averted his gaze in shame. "Thank you," he said quietly.

"Whatever you did for Kung Lao, do you think you can do the same for the others?" Jade asked the spirit beside Lao.

"Hopefully. I had a strong connection with Lao to work with. For all the years I've spent fighting alongside them, I don't have any hook quite so powerful with the others."

"Mr. Cage has an infatuation with Colonel Blade," Kung Lao offered. "And she and Major Briggs are very close. We might be able to use that."

"Then, we begin with Cage," Ermac said, kicking the actor sharply in the groin, awakening him with a groan. Clearly, this was personal for Ermac.

Using Johnny's attraction to the still brainwashed Sonya and his desire to help snap her out of it, Liu Kang was able to coerce him into breaking free of Onaga's control as Lao had. His groin still hurt, but he couldn't hold it against Ermac. With Johnny's help, Sonya's strong friendship with Jax and feelings of guilt over the state of his arms drove her to break free as well. Upon waking up, Sonya actually hugged Johnny as thanks, which surprised the two monks, as she usually displayed mild-to-intense irritation around the film star. Sonya took on the act of freeing Jax herself, begrudgingly using his feelings of inadequacy over his arms, which he had expressed to her in confidence, to reignite his fighting spirit.

The four now free warriors were naturally overjoyed to see Liu Kang again, but the mood darkened as he explained what had transpired since their deaths.

"Do any of you know where Kitana is now?" Sindel asked desperately.

"It's... hazy," Sonya replied, hand on her head as she struggled to remember. "I remember we were sent here to infiltrate the government and prep Earthrealm to turn itself over to Onaga... Kitana was..."

"She was sent back to Edenia... right?" Johnny offered.

"I think that's right," Jax concurred. "Defending Tanya, I think."

"It makes sense," Lao chimed in. "There is little Kitana could do in Earthrealm, so assigning her to Edenia to ease the people into the idea of Tanya and Onaga's takeover seems a far better use of her abilities."

"Then, we need to get back to Edenia as soon as possible," Sindel demanded, in spite of her clearly fatigued body.

"There will be time to save Kitana later, My Queen," Jade insisted. "We have barely had time to rest since joining up with the other two. You need to rest so you're ready when we do reach Kitana. For her sake."

"I..." Sindel sighed in defeat. "You are right, Jade. I just..."

"I understand how you feel. We all do. But facing Kitana as you are now would be a death sentence. She is a lot more skilled than you give her credit for."

Sindel nodded, smiling slightly. "Of course. Rest."

Jade nodded and gave her queen an arm of support as the two departed from the Red Dragon hideout, accompanied by their now six allies.


After a quick survey of the base and reporting its location to HQ, Sonya and Jax concluded that this was not the Red Dragon's main hideout. Still, it would be a major blow for them to lose so many artefacts, which could now be returned to their rightful homes. Some of them were from Edenia, a realm none of Earth's heroes had set foot in since Shinnok's takeover all those years ago. It was beginning to bear more and more of a resemblance to Outworld as its sky gradually darkened.

"We have to move," Jade said, taking charge for her near catatonic queen. Ever since her resurrection, Sindel had taken the fate of her people very personally, even contemplating abdication following the conflict with Shinnok. She tended to view every misfortune her people suffered as her fault, due to either poor leadership or simply karma. Ermac helped Jade guide Sindel to the nearby home of one of Edenia's royal guards, a woman named Qali, who was more than happy to allow the group a place to operate from. Her dark skin marked her as originating from the continent of Zamiar, the same region of Edenia that Jade and Tanya hailed from, which was to the west of the royal family's continent of Argdel.

Jade pulled out a large map of the area and draped it over a table for the planning meeting. They were currently only a few miles away from the palace, in an area where a number of the royal guards lived. This meant that gathering allies for an assault would be easy. The difficulty lay in convincing them to battle their former comrades that had defected to Tanya's side. The owner of the home assured them that those in the area were loyal to Sindel and would gladly face off with the turncoats.

Sindel barely said a word throughout the planning phase. She was clearly unwell from the current state of her realm and her guilt over allowing her people to suffer so, but Jade, Ermac and Liu Kang sensed there was something more.

"My queen?" Jade asked, bringing the planning to a halt.

"What? Oh. I'm sorry. I have... a lot on my mind."

"As we approach the final confrontation, you are dreading facing the princess again," Ermac said with certainty.

Sindel nodded slowly. "It all seemed so simple in my head, but now that we're about to actually see her again... I can't help but feel... anxious. I don't know that I will be able to face her as she is."

Liu Kang glided a little closer. "And yet, you know you must, or she will remain trapped as you once were." Again, she nodded. "You may believe that you are not strong enough to face her, but she was strong enough to face you when you were enslaved, once upon a time. And she hardly inherited that strength of will from the uncaring, unloving Shao Kahn. She is living proof that you are stronger than you believe. Just as she inherited her strength from yours, allow her strength to inspire yours in turn."

Sindel lowered her head and smiled before looking up at him. "My daughter was very lucky to have had you, Liu Kang. Thank you."

The monk smiled in turn. "Emotional support is all I can really offer at this point." His smiled faded, allowing that point to be made as part of their planning as well. "I won't be able to help in the fighting."

"Hey, give us some credit, Lou," Johnny Cage said, a little incensed. "You're not the only one here who can fight, you know."

"Probably not the best time to say that, given the outcome of our last couple of fights," Sonya said quietly.

Johnny stopped in his tracks. "Um... Yeah, fair point."

"Well, no offence to Kitana, but she's hardly a Shang Tsung or an Ermac," Jax pointed out. "And with Onaga back in Outworld, we're not likely to have to fight him either."

"Do not allow that fact to downplay Kitana's skill as a fighter," Kung Lao warned. "She was able to give my cousin a run for his money during a skirmish on Shang Tsung's Island." The others looked to Liu Kang, having never been told the story of Kitana's brief secret excursion to the island during the tournament to assassinate him. He nodded in confirmation, bring down the mood a little.

"But I know how she fights," said Jade, who had not only known about the secret encounter, but had also helped Mileena in keeping the excursion a secret from the emperor. "I helped train her, after all, and we've sparred a great many times over the centuries. If the rest of you can keep Tanya and the other forces busy, I'm sure I can get through to her."

"That may be our best option," Liu Kang concurred.

"Then, I think we have a plan," Sindel declared with authority as she rose from her seat. "Jade and I will confront Kitana, while the rest of you hold off the guards. Keep them alive, if possible, as there may be a chance to redeem them. Once we have Kitana back, we will depose Tanya and restore order to Edenia. And once Edenia is restored, we will march on Outworld and destroy the one responsible for our people's suffering!"


Jade and the Earthrealmers were resting up for the final battle, having had very little rest since their clash in Earthrealm. Sindel, meanwhile, was sat on the porch of Qali's home, looking up at the stars. She hadn't spent much time gazing upon their beauty since her husband was alive, ten millennia previous. They really were beautiful.

She heard the door behind her quietly open. Ermac silently hovered across the threshold onto the porch. She chuckled at the fact that Ermac could have easily snuck up on her, if not for the presence of a wooden door. "You should be resting up, Ermac," she said, turning back towards the sky.

"We need very little rest to continue on. It is a part of the magic that went into our creation to create the ultimate warrior. And besides, we could very easily say the same to you, Queen Sindel."

She shrugged. He did have a point, but she was too restless. She'd tried sleeping, but every time she felt herself drifting off, the image of Kitana's blank, white eyes returned to her mind and she jolted awake. She said as much to Ermac, who moved to sit beside her.

"I'm not worried about our ability to save her from the mind control," she assured him. "I just think back to that blank, white-eyed face and I shudder to think that she once saw me the same way. But more so, Kitana looked so much like Mileena, and you remember how she broke down after her resurrection."

"And you fear the same will happen to Kitana," Ermac inferred.

"Yes. How could I ever forgive myself if something like that happened to Kitana?"

"Mileena was an unstable creation, even before her death. Kitana survived ten thousand years under the emperor's thumb. If that experience could not break her, something as trivial as a temporary death will not."

Sindel smiled. "I think spending time with Liu Kang is rubbing off on you." He looked at her with a puzzled expression. "Then again, I always did feel strangely comforted when you were around. I suppose the Edenian souls within you exuded an aura that reminded me of home."

Ermac titled his head thoughtfully. "We also... felt a connection to you, Sindel. Perhaps, as you said, it is merely the Edenian souls that compose our being, but... we always suspected there was something more to this connection."

Sindel simply stared in surprise. She also felt their connection was somehow deeper, but she had no idea how to put it into words. She just felt it was deeper than it should have been. Even shortly after first meeting Ermac, she had felt like she'd known him all her life.

Neither one said anything further, simply sat on the porch, Ermac placing a comforting hand on Sindel's, as she rested her head on his shoulder until sleep finally took her.


Their force wasn't particularly large. Qali had gathered up a force of Edenian loyalists to create a diversion, allowing Sindel, Jade, Ermac and the Earthrealmers to sneak into the palace through secret escape tunnels. Hopefully, Kitana was yet to divulge the fact of their existence to the new ruler. The tunnels were clear, so she seemed to have not brought it up.

Sindel guided the octumvirate through the passage until they reached the hidden door behind a recently restored statue of the late King Jerrod. The statue had been destroyed by Shao Kahn during his invasion and had ceased to be while the two realms were merged.

Evading or incapacitating the guards was easy enough, thanks to Ermac's powers. They were able to reach the throneroom in no time, where Tanya was meeting with some of Sindel's former ministers. Evidently, she was well on her way towards turning Edenia into some kind of republic. The idea wasn't necessarily bad, but the choice of the treacherous Tanya at the top certainly was.

There was no way to sneak into the throneroom, by design. Their only option was to rush in and try to attack before Tanya could react. Kitana was nowhere to be seen, but Sindel suspected she was hiding inside the room somewhere. Ermac informed Sindel that he could sense some form of dark magic inside the room, obscuring what he assumed to be hidden defences. It was only natural for Tanya to have guards hidden away, given that the rightful ruler was still at large and would naturally come to reclaim her throne.

There was also a second form of magic: a barrier that was designed to prevent spirits from entering the throneroom. It had been conceived millennia ago, following an intruder's astral projection claiming intelligence that had cost Edenia one of its tournaments against Outworld. Thanks to this, Liu Kang would not be able to join them for the battle, but he would be able to run interference outside until the others found the hiding place of the orb casting the field. Tanya had no doubt planned for this moment. But she could never have expected the queen to be joined by Ermac and Onaga's now former thralls.

Sindel stepped into the doorway and unleashed her Banshee Scream, stunning every traitor present as they covered their ears with their hands in a vain attempt to block out the queen's powerful cry. Ermac took advantage of the situation to telekinetically grab one of the ministers and throw him off to the side, where he passed through the dark magic and evidently collided with someone hiding within. The other ministers were quickly incapacitated by long-range attacks from Sonya and Johnny. While not particularly powerful attacks, the ministers were clearly no fighters, and each went down to one hit, leaving Tanya standing alone. At least, until she chose to reveal her hand.

Knowing full well that Sindel and Jade would not give her a chance to gloat and would strike her down as soon as they could, Tanya gave the signal for the guards to move out of the magic fields and fill the room. One of them was quick enough to deflect Jade's thrown triblade with his spear as is soared towards Tanya's neck.

"Ah, Queen Sindel," Tanya said smugly, her time to gloat now secure. "Or should I say... former queen."

"You guards," Sindel shouted, ignoring the usurper, "is it loyalty to the throne or loyalty to Tanya that leads you to point your weapons at your rightful queen?" A few of the guards shifted uneasily, but they all remained steadfast. "I cannot abide by traitors, not when Edenia's condition remains so fragile. Surrender now, or be bled from our realm's festering wound like the poison you have become."

"A festering wound that you are the cause of, might I add," Tanya interrupted. "Every atrocity committed against our realm is on your head, Sindel. Shao Kahn's conquest that demolished our inadequately-prepared defences. Our people's suffering under the emperor because you, the one person he ever showed any affection for, weren't there to temper his wrath."

"And then you handed our realm over to Shinnok and allowed it to become a battlefield."

"I would not have been able to succeed were you not so inept a ruler. All it took was a shiny bauble and Quan Chi had you utterly entranced and open to attack. Your weak will is the root cause of all of our suffering and it's time Edenia had a ruler who can actually lead."

"And that ruler would be you?" Jade spat.

"If need be. There are far better candidates than I, but also far worse, as our people have become painfully aware. Once Edenia is finally stable, I will find one more capable of rule and install them in my place."

"To rule as a puppet beneath Onaga," Sindel observed.

"If you truly believe a man who was poisoned by his own adviser has any hope of long-term rule, then you are even less capable than I gave you credit for. And I gave you very little of it. Onaga is expanding his sphere of influence far too quickly to be sustainable, especially with all the enemies he has made in doing so. Whether by treachery or attack from his enemies, his death will come soon. And then, Edenia will finally be freed from Outworld's influence forever. And also from yours."

"And you are so much better?" Jade chided. "You allied with the very forces that caused our people such suffering."

"To prevent them from doing harm to our people, yes. Having Shinnok or Onaga as our allies prevents them from conquering us and buys us time to rebuild and strengthen our defences. A ruler must be pragmatic for their domain to survive."

"Queen Sindel has learned much from these experiences and she will be much better prepared this ti-"

"She does not. Deserve. Another. Chance, Jade!" Tanya spat. "How many times have you already burned through the good will your subjects had for you, Sindel? You failed to protect them from Outworld's invasion, you abandoned them in your suicide, you failed to protect them from Shinnok, and now you've failed to protect them from Onaga. The only reason your people accepted you back in the first place is because anyone seemed better when compared to Shao Kahn. You've had more than enough chances to do right by your people and it's high time someone with a stronger will gets a chance."

"You are right, Tanya," Sindel replied, her head lowered in defeat. "I am a terrible queen. And a terrible mother. Nothing I do will ever be enough to truly make amends with my people or my daughter."

"Finally, you see sense," Tanya replied, seeming almost relieved. Even her tone was less condescending that it had been until now. "There may be a place for you elsewhere in the new government, if you're truly capable of learning from the consequences of your actions."

"However, I will not allow you to bring our realm to ruin."

"Come again?" Tanya said, the friendliness in her tone gone once more.

"You think Onaga will have spent millennia of death without thinking carefully through his grand design? You think he would ever divulge his entire plan to a woman who has betrayed every master she has ever served? No. You know only a fraction of Onaga's plan; exactly as much as you need to know to dance to his tune and play into his hands. Your desire to do what is best for our people is noble and I applaud you for it. But it has made you short-sighted. You are blind to the larger implications of your actions. Just as Onaga recruited agents from Earthrealm, Orderrealm and Chaosrealm to weaken their defences and prepare them for his conquest, Edenia will fall to Outworld once more if you continue on this path."

"Of course I am aware of Onaga's intent. As I said, my allegiance is to buy Edenia time to prepare for his-"

"And you think helping to depose me and divide our people into loyalists and separatists will make our realm stronger? You think revealing to all the other realms just how fragile Edenia's government has become will make us stronger? You are delusional, Tanya. You see only what you wish to see in this situation and believe that your way is the correct way. You and I are more alike than you think."

The self-aware comparison to the woman she held with such contempt was the last straw for Tanya. Her face contorted in rage as she commanded her followers to attack. A few of them turned their weapons on their comrades, moving to guard Sindel, whom they now viewed in an all-new light. The first strike was delivered by Johnny Cage. The turncoat went down, clutching his groin, as the other kombatants began to clash.

Immediately, Sindel was attacked by Tanya. Jade moved to provide backup, but was forced to block with her staff as a shadow leapt into the fray from above. As expected, Kitana had been waiting in the shadows for the right time to strike. Jade deflected the fan strike and Kitana flipped through the air, landing on her feet in a battle stance. Jade had never fought Kitana with their lives on the line. They had sparred many times, and clashed for real during the invasion, but neither had ever aimed to slay the other. In her current state, however, that was exactly what Kitana had planned.

Jade remained mostly defensive, hoping to observe how Kitana fought in this savage state, but despite the similarities to her normal fighting style, Kitana moved in almost a poor imitation of it, making it harder to predict and defend against. She would have to try getting through to her. If nothing else, it might help Kitana's mind come forward and restore her style to its proper form.

"Kitana, please!" Jade cried out, struggling to be heard over the clashing steel and Earthrealm projectiles. "You have to wake up! It's me, Jade, your friend!"

Her words fell on deaf ears as Kitana barely seemed to register that she was speaking at all, so intent was she on killing her friend.

"We are all here for you, Kitana. Your mother is here to repay the love you showed for her in Earthrealm. Even Liu Kang is here - the man you love!"

This seemed to give Kitana pause, but only as far as softening her expression in recognition. A little as it showed, it was working.

"The Deadly Alliance is dead, Kitana! Liu Kang's spirit is free. You need only come back to us and we can return him to his body. Please, Kitana. Remember who you are!"

As with the others, the strain to break free of Onaga's hold proved painful for Kitana as she clutched her head with both hands, screaming in agony. But she didn't break free. Instead, she seemed to suddenly lose all will to fight as the tension left her body and her demeanour became totally blank. It seemed Onaga had been made aware of his other pawns being freed and added failsafes to Kitana's conditioning. Did he have a constant connection to them, or was he informed of this? And by whom?

Jade's question was answered, though she was not aware of it, as she received a sharp blow to the back of the head from the heavy pommel of a sword. Jade collapsed in an unconscious heap as Qali and her followers entered the battle to reinforce the dwindling turncoat forces.

This bought Kitana time to return to her vicious thrall persona and raise her weapon to deliver the finishing blow. However, the fan was wrenched from her grasp as Sindel's kwan dao collided with it and pinned it to the floor nearby. Sindel followed this attack by grasping Tanya around the ankle with her hair and swinging her around, launching her into her fellow traitor and sending both sprawling across the floor.

With one firm leap, Sindel was soon standing before her daughter. She winced at once more seeing the blank white eyes staring back at her. Her expression was not too dissimilar to the last scornful glare she had seen on the face of the retreating Mileena upon her 'betrayal' of Shao Kahn. She supposed she deserved that.

Not wanting to harm her daughter any more than she already had, Sindel launched her hair, wrapping tightly around Kitana's barely clothed body. Kitana still had her other fan, however, and she was able to use it to cut right through Sindel's mummifying hair, forcing her to pull it back. He hair was now cut to just below her shoulder blades, compared to the waist-length it had been until now. She wouldn't be using her hair as a weapon any time soon, even if she did survive this fight.

"Kitana, please," Sindel urged. "Please, stop this. You have to fight him."

"Oh, Mother," Kitana replied snidely, speaking for the first time in the entire battle. "You are so deluded to think you, of all people, could turn me against my master. You, who has brought nothing but misery into my life. Tanya was right; you've had far too many chances to do right by those under your care. You are pathetic and weak."

"I know, Kitana. I know my weakness is what led to this. But I will not allow you to suffer anymore because of me. I will release you from Onaga's hold no matter the cost."

She stepped forward, arms out wide to her sides. Kitana stepped back and readied her weapon in a closed, dagger-like form. She clearly hadn't been prepared for Sindel to not take her own battle stance, but she recovered quickly. But Sindel took another step forward. And another. And another. Each time, Kitana took her own step back until her back was against the wall. She didn't know what Sindel was trying to prove, but not taking this battle seriously would be her undoing.

Kitana lunged forward, weapon in hand to strike, but Sindel made no move to counter or dodge. It was only as Kitana's blade pierced the flesh of Sindel's abdomen that Kitana understood Sindel's intent, as her arms wrapped tightly around her daughter in a warm embrace. Kitana's mind was racing a mile a minute, trying to comprehend what was happening. Sindel held her tight, even with Kitana's weapons jutting out through her lower back.

"I'm sorry, Kitana," Sindel croaked as warm tears ran down her cheeks and onto Kitana's shoulder. "I have never been the mother a woman as wonderful as you deserves. You deserve so much more than a pathetic woman like me could ever offer you. But please... don't let my failures poison your soul. Fight Onaga's hold as you helped me to fight Kahn's. You can do it, Kitana. You're far stronger than I ever was. Now, show your mother that if she can do it, so can you."

Kitana's body spasmed, going rigid in Sindel's arms. After a few moments, her form loosed up and she sank into her mother's arms. "M...Mother?" Her voice was quiet, sorrowful, confused. "W-Why am I...?" She tried to pull away and look down at her bloodied hand, but Sindel held her tight.

"No, Honey, don't look. Focus on my voice. Forget everything else and focus on my voice. I'm proud of you, Kitana. Every day, you prove yourself more and more the queen our people deserve."

"Q-Queen? But, Mother-"

"Yes, Kitana. Queen. Recent events have forced me to realise that... mmm... I am far from deserving of the throne. But you never stopped fighting for our people. You fought to free them from Outworld for ten long years, sought alliances with the Shokan, were not too prideful to request aid from Earthrealm. You are the future of Edenia, Kitana. And a bright future... you will... be..."

Sindel's grip around her daughter loosened and her body slid from Kitana's own. Kitana moved quickly to grab hold of her mother and gently lower her to the ground, the bladed fan still lodged in her flesh. Kitana almost yanked the blade from her mother's weak form, but common sense broke through the haze of distress and stopped her. She turned her head to call for help, only to find Qali lunging forward with her naginata to end both Queen and Princess for good.

Only, her body froze mid-step, encased in a luminous green aura. Kitana's gaze darted towards Ermac, who telekinetically held the traitor in place with one hand. Though only his eyes were visible beneath the shroud of leather straps that composed his new mask, the murderous rage barely contained within his amalgamated flesh was clear. With his other hand, he reached out with his mind, gripping Qali around the throat and snapping her neck with a harsh yank of his arm. He angrily tossed her body aside, stopping in the now vacant spot where she and Tanya had previously fallen. Uncharacteristically, he ran over to where Kitana held her mother's dying form, coming to a stop before them and crouching low to get a better look.

By now, the fighting had ended. Some of the guards on both sides now lay dead, but most had survived and surrendered, as Sindel had hoped. Sonya and Jax watched over the surrendered guards, while Kung Lao roused Jade from her unconsciousness and Johnny hunted down the orb to release the barrier. Once he'd found it, he shattered it on the ground, allowing his friend to enter the room and fly over towards his distraught lover.

"Princess," he said comfortingly, placing one incorporeal hand over hers.

"Liu Kang?" she said, barely above a whisper, as her eyes widened. He had never seen her so vulnerable before.

"Yes, Kitana. I am glad to see you restored to your old self." He placed his other hand over her cheek. While he couldn't actually touch her, his presence did seem to calm Kitana. "How is she?" he asked, turning to face Ermac.

He said nothing in reply. He instead placed one hand on Sindel's forehead, feeling the oncoming fever. "Time is short," he said, finally. "Kitana, pull out your blade on three."

"What!?" Kitana responded, distressed.

"Trust me," Ermac said in a tone that Kitana found strangely reassuring. "Do as I've asked."

Slowly nodding, she gripped the fan and waited for three before pulling the blade out as quickly as possible, as commanded. Sindel let out a bloodcurdling scream as she did, which didn't much diminish as Ermac telekinetically forced the geysering wound to close. Blood was beginning to form in Sindel's mouth, which Ermac slowly and surgically removed from her mouth with his power, causing her to gag slightly. There was nothing he could do for the pain, but he could at least keep her alive, even if she found herself begging for release. With the blood removed and one hand free again, he reached out and placed it beneath Sindel's head, turning her to face him.

"Sindel," he said gently. "Sindel, look at me." Despite her blank eyes, he could tell that she was doing so. "You did it, Sindel. You saved Edenia from the turncoats and you saved your daughter from Onaga. They have heard your convictions and they will stand by you, come what may. But only if you resist the embrace of the afterlife. It is not yet your time. You still have much to do in this world. Stay away from the light and come back to us."

Sindel's eyelids fluttered rapidly, her head lolling from side-to-side. She seemed to be struggling to concentrate on any one thing. Her white eyes met his glowing greens and focused for only a brief instant as she uttered, "J-Jerrod...?" before succumbing to the darkness...


Sindel awoke some time later. It took her eyes a moment to focus on her surroundings, eventually realising she was back in her bedroom in the Edenian royal palace. Even now, her nights were long and lonely without her husband in this bed with her. She sat up in her bed, feeling something tightly wrapped around her hand. Upon investigating, she found her hand to be held tightly by both of Kitana's as she slept soundly at her bedside. It was a great relief to see Kitana wearing her own clothes again.

"You are awake," said a voice from across the room. Looking up, Sindel found Ermac standing by the door. Before she could ask any questions, Ermac was almost eager to tell her that Kitana had been by her bedside almost constantly since bringing her up here a few days prior. Sindel stroked Kitana's cheek with her free hand, causing her sleeping daughter to smile.

"I am... alive?" was the first question on Sindel's mind.

"Yes. We were able to hold your wound closed until proper magical aid could be applied."

Sindel turned over the bedsheets to look down at the formerly impaled flesh, running a finger along the now smooth skin. "Incredible. You can control your powers to that extent?"

"In our travels after being freed from the emperor's command, we spent many days finding new purposes for our powers beyond execution. It has been an... invigorating experience, to say the least."

"I see. So, you have been wandering without a place to call home ever since?"

"Correct. We lacked purpose without our master. But the liberation of being able to choose, no matter how unnerving having to do so was in the beginning..."

"It is a truly wonderful thing, isn't it?"

"Yes. It is."

Silence fell as neither one knew what to say, though both felt that they hardly needed to.

"What else has happened since the battle?"

"Jade has taken to governing in your stead, while the princess stayed by your side. She has hunted down and incarcerated most of the turncoats and is proving an effective minister. The princess would be wise to consider officially making her such, once she ascends the throne."

Sindel smiled. "Then, Edenia will be in good hands when the time comes."

"Yes. You have done well in guiding the two until now."

"No, I-"

"They did not learn compassion, nor how to govern, from Shao Kahn. Take pride in that, though you may not think much of yourself as queen, you have paved the way for a far greater Edenia than even King Jerrod could forge."

Sindel almost chastised Ermac for speaking ill of her late husband, but she stopped herself. She felt a strange wisdom in Ermac's words - he was right, she had to admit. And she was sure Jerrod would be proud, wherever his soul had ended up.

"Tanya managed to escape, however. We believe she has fled Edenia to return to her Outworld master. However, reports indicate that she will find no allies there." Sindel cocked her head to the side. "Onaga is dead."

Sindel's eyes widened in shock. "Someone... killed him?"

"In open kombat, according to the reports."

"W-Who could be capable of such a thing? Even Shao Kahn feared facing him in kombat."

"An Earthrealmer named Shujinko. He is said to have wielded enough power to beat Onaga to death and destroy the six Kamidogu."

Sindel was speechless. She had met an elderly warrior by that name shortly before all this began. He had claimed to be the Champion of the Elder Gods, on a quest to recover the six Kamidogu, which had all suspiciously entered into Onaga's possession shortly thereafter. Not only had he turned out to not be an agent of the Dragon King as she had come to believe, but he had actually defeated him and prevented the Kamidogu from ever being used to fuse the realms into one. He truly must be the Elder Gods' Champion, she thought. She would have to seek him out and thank him personally, once she was recovered.

"What will you do now, Ermac?" she asked, eyes fixed on her sleeping daughter as she stroked her raven hair.

Ermac took a moment to respond, as if he had not really thought about it. "We... are not sure. We have had little time to contemplate since your injury."

"There is always a place for you here. My daughter and I can never repay our debt to you for all that you did for our realm in its time of need."

Ermac contemplated this a moment. "We will gladly take you up on your offer, Queen Sindel. Tanya was right about one thing: Edenia is fragile, liable to break at the slightest hint of conflict. We will provide whatever aid we can to hold Edenia together until it can be properly mended, as we did your body."

There was something about Ermac mentioning her body that made Sindel blush. She doubted she would ever be able to fully comprehend what it was about Ermac that affected and fascinated her so. But, she was grateful, and she would make sure he knew that for the rest of his days.

"Mmm... M-Mother?" the groggy Kitana asked as she came around and looked up at her mother. Tears welled up in Sindel's white eyes, as well as Kitana's brown ones. Brown? Why were they no longer white? Kitana seemed to pick up on this and explained as she wiped away a tear. "Oh, ancient texts were discovered by our spies in Outworld that included a masking spell for undead eyes. They apparently belonged to Shang Tsung."

"I see," Sindel replied, grateful. "I'm glad you could keep your beautiful brown eyes, Kitana."

"Thank you, Mother. We can do the same for you. Restore your eyes to normal."

Sindel thought about it and shook her head. "No, I... I think I should keep them white. Let them be a reminder of what I did all those years ago. Let it motivate me to be better."

Kitana hugged her mother tightly. "Thank you for saving me, Mother."

Sindel returned the embrace. "How could I ever call myself a mother if I continued to let you suffer as I had?"

As he watched the two, Ermac felt something stirring deep within his core. He had felt it a number of times before, especially in the last few days, but only now was he beginning to understand what it meant.

He now knew exactly what had become of King Jerrod's soul.


I've been planning this one for a while, since even before the Sindel and Ermac episodes of Wasted Plotential. It was supposed to just be the two pairs coming together, but ended up evolving into a full adaptation of the four's roles in Deception in the longest chapter of MKK yet. I guess that's just what happens when dealing with my favourite entry in the series.

One idea I had involved Liu Kang possessing an unconscious guard, or Jade allowing herself to be possessed to get through to Kitana, but neither really amounted to much, given how I wanted the scene to end.