Kalliste pouted by the number of times she had to do a rescue mission, sadly she did not get the rest she deserved.
Everyone prepared themselves, traveling to Z'unkahrah where Kotal resided alongside the shackled empress. There will be many guards around and only a few of Tarkatan scouts stayed behind as Tanya, Rain, Kalliste, and Kollector continued forth.
They stopped just outside the Koliseum. The outside walls decorated and still being built to honor the Osh-Tekk emperor. Where the sky runs pale blue, warm golden light shimmering from above and onto dry land. Tanya leads the group, everyone crouched, hidden in the shadows.
The structure of the outside walls were quite obscure, it was completely different from Shao Kahn's palace. Like it was completely thrown and erased from this land.
Near the towering walls, the group noticed a large opening into Koliseum. Kalliste remembered how easy it was to enter as the palace was more under construction and opened. As now it has been mostly covered and built, it seemed more difficult to understand the structure.
Near an entry, a gathering of slave workers were transporting things, guards surrounding them as they kept watch.
Everyone observed as Tanya nodded at the others. She sneakily made her way to one guard, hand covering their mouth as she quickly snapped their head. A sudden guard from in front quickly noticed yet Tanya was quick to react as she blasted him with a fiery orb of heat. A piercing flame staggering the guard's chest.
"Come now." She flicked her finger at the others, signaling that they move quickly.
As they hid near the shadows, observing the open inside the Koliseum. Kalliste pondered for a while.
"Are you sure that Mileena is here..?" Kalliste asked Tanya. She looked back at her with a serious grin.
"She's no petty prisoner, she will be held someplace else special." Tanya states. "Keep in the shadows, and we'll get our empress."
They quickly entered underneath the seatings, a narrow dark hallway where they traveled across and through. Finally, as they arrived in the large corridors, plenty of passing souls lingered into the place, more obstacles in their way. Tanya and Rain peered from their shade from once they came, watching closely to those who soon came close.
A lone guard came their way, and as soon as he was close enough, Tanya pulled him into the gloom, apprehending them coarsely. She tightens her grip as Rain stood over the bound Osh-Tekk guard; his hands entwined with water magic.
"Tell us where Empress Mileena is being held!" Rain exclaims. The guard's face continued to gawk at Rain, silent and stiff. With no response, Tanya cocks her head at Kalliste, indicating her to make the guard talk. Kalliste promptly went by the guard's side, she equipped a dagger and began to designate the surface of the blade onto the guard's bare stomach. The sharp end beginning to draw blood.
"Speak now, Osh-Tekk scum." Tanya hardens her grip around the neck. All they could hear from him was hoarse gasps and dim winces. Tanya began to become impatient as she gazed at Kalliste, pursing her lips.
Kalliste took a deep breath and began digging the blade into the guard's stomach, twisting the dagger intensely, a small river of blood began to pour out of his wound. The guard began to pierce agonizing screams, but Tanya quickly clasped his mouth to prevent him from making too much noise. Yet, his screams were able to slightly bypass her tightening hand.
"Tell us where the empress is, or your intestine shall linger outside your body." Bloodied tears peered from the guard's eyes and finally, he gave a gesture of obedience.
Tanya softly removed her hand from the guard's mouth.
"—-T-the -pits."
"Thank you."
With one final word from the frivolous guard, Tanya instantly snapped the guard's neck backward, almost dulling the connection between his head and neck. Finally, as they got word of where the Empress was held, they hid the guard's body as deep and far into the shadows as they could and began starting their next quest.
"Where are the pits...?" Tanya asked. She looked at Kalliste for an answer.
"...I don't know.." Kalliste dimly said. Slightly stammered by the pressure in Tanya's eyes.
"You've served Sha-"
"I know the way, Tanya." Kollector abruptly spoke, a sparse grin appearing on his face.
"Then show the way, Nakadan." Tanya scornfully said as Kollector began to show the way to the pits. Where all was clear, everyone followed Kollector's steps, keeping themselves hidden and quiet along the way.
There was a small entryway that was heaped with brick walls, a stone stairway leading down below. They all immediately went along the stairs, no longer a golden light fulfilled the corridors of Kotal's, a darkening place began to fill their way. The scent of putrid blood and rot filled the air, it was already a grim area besides all the opulent architecture from above.
The pits were a dark crimson area, bodies hanging along the ceiling, and large chambers filled with odd creatures. In an instant, Tanya's sudden movement gained attention to the others, she hurriedly ran to a certain area where finally she spotted a shackled Mileena.
She was slightly weakened, broken, and worn out, chained from cobble pillars.
"Empress, I am here now. I've come to set you free." Tanya wholeheartedly spoke to her. She soothes Mileena who feebly trails her eyes onto. Her hand softly caresses the cheek of the empress, comforting her as she proceeds to release her.
Kalliste wandered around the pits, her eyes gazing at these tall abominations contained inside these chambers of liquid. Female bodies, disfigured, razor-sharp teeth, almost resembling Mileena for a moment.
Wondering and glancing around the area, something felt empty, something was missing.
Kalliste blankly stared at Rain. He looks back at her in confusion.
"What is it?" He sternly questions.
"...Where is Kollector?" Kalliste emotionlessly asks. Her eyes darting
Rain unpassionately looks around for a moment, shrugs stiffly back at Kalliste. Kalliste furrows her eyebrows in response and immediately darted out of the pits and up the stairs.
"-Kallista!" Rain exclaims in sternness. Tanya slowly turns towards Rain in a bitter and indifferent expression.
"Can't trust Outworlders," Tanya said haughtily. She gives a scanty smirk, but when she imperceptibly struggles with the shackles around the empress, she grows slight frustration.
"Rain. Come assist me with this."
When Kalliste finally reached the top of the stairs, exiting from the pits, she rushed against the walls where the shadows burrowed and hindered. She concentrated for a moment, shutting her eyes as she thickened her strength on her darkness; she looked at her hands. It glowed a blacken umbra, surrounding her entire body as she gave flowed into the shadows. Beginning her search for the misplaced Kollector.
Kollector where are you?
She gave into her thoughts, searching within her mind of where his whereabouts could falter. His only desire ever was... collecting. Could he be...? In... or near a chamber of gold and riches? A place where he could only yearn to go. Climbing onto the ceilings where she distorted flat across the tall ceilings, soaring in the shadows, searching for the greedy spider.
A place where it all began. Kalliste began to familiarize her sense of the way in the innovative corridors. She sprang into every corner of gloom there ever was in each hallway. Keeping watch of every soul that she witnessed, an empty and clear passage gave her an interest.
Slowly she crept down from above the dark ceilings, her eyes distended when she finally detected a creeping goblin with six arms. How did he exactly come here without detection and violence? From climbing down below, she gave a vague expression; an aura of exceeding gloom perspiring around her countenance.
Her feet touching the marble floors, she nonchalantly strode her way behind him. But when she crept behind him, Kollector managed to enter into the treasure room, the passage pervaded with deadly traps now disabled. He marched his way into the room, his mind met with indulgence.
Now Kalliste grows impatient and irritable, beginning to follow him from behind.
Kollector hungrily searches in the piles of gold, riches overflowing and surrounding him. He searches for something.
Kalliste finally reaches up to him as he slouches over the riches like a savage he is. His excessive avarice overcoming him once again.
"Kollector." She calls out. He turns around, glances at her, and continues for his digging.
Kalliste purses her lips and glares at him as her hands laid against her hips in fretfulness.
"We must leave, we have found the empress and we now are leaving." She continues forth, closening in on Kollector's build.
"I must find my satchel... and-" He pauses for a moment, raising a piece of jewelry in his fingers, his eyes radiating by the sight of it. His smile grows big. Meanwhile, Kalliste continues to grow utterly impatient.
Kalliste begins to lay her hand on his arm, her sudden touch jolting him for a moment. Her eyes drifted away for a moment, squinting her vision into the further distance. As she rose from the ground, the floors covered in gold coins. She marches her way to another pile where she spots a fabric satchel. Intricate and detailed; it definitely belonged to Kollector. Kal rushed over to it, obtaining it into her own hands and quickly making her way back to Kollector.
She extends the satchel near the Kollector's view. As soon as he notices it, he grabs it like a madman.
"There, now we sh-"
The sounds of intruding footsteps, weapons clashing together stopped her words. Kalliste hastily turned around, a group of guards flooding the exit.
Kalliste and Kollector both stared at the sudden intrusion, now they are in beyond trouble.
A sudden familiar figure appeared, hovering over the guards.
Ermac.