Chapter I

Home

Kitana opened her eyes.

The canopy drapes swayed from the gentle breeze coming from the balcony. Outside she saw a shining turquoise sky with only the slightest wisp of clouds in the distance. She heard the ocean and the song of birds singing. Beside her was a vase of flowers that filled the air with a pleasant aroma she'd never known.

She sat up and took in the large, comfy bed she lay in. The sheets were silk and as soft as a newborn's flesh. The sleeping gown she wore seemed to be a similar material. The quilt covering her was thick but fluffy and light. They, like the rest of the chamber, were soft hues of white, gold, and blue.

I must be dead.

It seemed the only reasonable explanation for her surroundings. Climbing out of bed, she took a closer look out the balcony and found she was atop an ivory tower in some grand palace. The ocean was indeed nearby, as was a vast forest of green so bright it seemed to glow in the sun.

This was not Outworld. She didn't even think this was Earthrealm. A paradise this glorious could only be the mythical heavens where the dead go, though that begged the question of how she managed to get there.

The door at the other end of the chamber creaked open and in entered a woman of brown skin, dark hair, and elegant green and maroon clothing. Jade gasped upon seeing her and nearly dropped the pitcher she was carrying.

"Kitana! You're awake!"

Before she could respond, Jade rushed to her and practically tackled her in a crushing hug.

"Thank the gods!" she said. "We thought we lost you!"

"Jade? What's happening?"

"Wait here!" she said, releasing her. "Your parents need to know!"

And again, before she could respond, Jade was rushing out of the chamber. Kitana remained in place, trying to recall her last memory. It was oddly blurred and hollow, as if she'd been drinking the night before and couldn't remember past a certain point. But wherever she had been, whatever she was doing, she couldn't imagine how it led to her being here.

Jade rushed back in and took her hands. "Are you okay? Do you need anything? Should you even be standing?"

"Jade," she said. "I don't understand what's happening. Where are we? What is this place?"

Jade hesitated and blinked. "Oh, yes," she said. "The healer warned your memory might be lost. That's okay. We'll have to—"

"Where is she?! Where's my Kitana?!"

Another woman entered the chamber. Clad in a beautiful purple and gold gown, she had long, silky white hair and dark eyes that looked eager and expectant. Upon seeing her, a grateful smile came to Sindel's face.

She managed only a single step before her daughter shrieked, "Get away from me!"

Kitana threw herself backward and slammed against the wall. Her hip banged against the vase of flowers, causing it to shatter on the floor. She barely felt the broken shard stab her foot, but knew its sting confirmed this was no dream.

"Don't touch me!" she screamed, frantically searching for some kind of weapon. "You stay away!"

Sindel stopped in her tracks and looked mortified. Jade put her hands up like she was trying to tame a wild animal.

"Kitana!" she said. "Just calm down! Everything is okay!"

Kitana looked from Jade to her mother to Jade again. "What are you talking about?! You were there! You know what she did!"

"Kitana," said Sindel. "It's me. I'm your—"

"I know who you are!" she barked. "You think I'll ever forget what you did to me?!"

"What's the shouting?"

Now a tall man of dark hair dressed in regal robes entered. He stopped beside Sindel with a look of confusion and concern on his bearded face. Kitana looked him in the eye and felt her heart pound. She only knew his face from portraits and statues but dared not believe. It couldn't be him. It wasn't possible.

"Father?"

"I don't know what's wrong, Jerrod," Sindel said. "She just started panicking for no reason."

"It's okay," he said, slowly approaching. "The healers warned us about this. Kitana, I understand if you're feeling confused. Just be calm, and we'll help you."

She pressed her back against the wall, wishing for somewhere to go. Her breathing was frantic, and the floor seemed to sway beneath her feet. "You," she said between panicked breaths. "You're not … you can't be …"

"Kitana," Jerrod said. "It's okay. I'm your father. I'm here …"

"You're not!" she screamed, darting toward the balcony. "You … it's you, Shang Tsung! It has to be you!"

"Shang Tsung?"

"I will not be deceived by you, sorcerer!"

"Listen to him, Kitana," said Jade. "Please, just calm down. You're confused. You're upset. That's fine. Let us—"

"Why?" she choked out, tears filling her eyes. "Jade, why are you helping them? Don't you … don't you remember what they did to us?"

She felt dizzy. Her head throbbed as if it would split in two. Why was this happening? What new torture were her enemies doing now? Why was Jade allowing it to happen?

She glanced over her shoulder. The tower was high, and she saw nothing to jump to. But she had to escape. Somehow. Even if it was suicide.

"I won't let you hurt me again!"

She lunged, intent on diving over the railing. She heard Sindel scream, but Jerrod managed to grab her before she went over. He wrapped his arms around her, and she struggled and kicked and screamed as he dragged her back inside.

"Sindel!" Jerrod said. "Get the healer! Jade, help me with her!"

They wrestled her to the bed and pinned her down. They were talking, but she heard nothing over the sound of her roars. She thrashed and fought as hard as she could, but there was no escape.

When it became clear she wouldn't get free, she stopped resisting. She looked her "father" in his eyes, certain it was that damned shape-shifter, and tried to understand what game he was playing at. Did he really think she'd believe he was her father? What could he hope to gain from this latest mockery?

She looked to Jade and tried to guess what had happened to her friend. Perhaps it wasn't really Jade, but another shape-shifter? Or maybe she was entranced—taken by the sorcerer's magic? There had to be an explanation, because she would never …

She almost thought Jade would never betray her. But then she never would've believed her mother would betray her.

Sindel returned with an elderly fellow she didn't recognize. He wore a plain white and gray robe and carried with him a leather bag that clinked as he set it down. The first thing he took from it was a small vial of some clear liquid.

"Drink some of this," he said, pressing it to her lips. "It'll put you at ease."

Kitana glared at the man and the people holding her down. Some kind of poison? No, she thought, they wouldn't go through all this just to poison her. Something to alter her mind more likely, but should she spit it out or play along?

She took a small sip but pretended to drink more than she did. He didn't seem to notice or force it on her. Putting the vial away, he nodded to Jerrod and Jade who released her and stepped away from the bed. Despite the impulse to flee, she remained still and allowed to old man to check her.

"Now then," he said, looking into each of her eyes. "You obviously have your strength. What is the last thing you remember, your highness?"

There was still no clear memory of the last thing she did before waking up here. She was certain she had spoken with Jade or Liu after the battle. She vaguely recalled confusion and chaos outside Kronika's Keep.

But there was one thing she still remembered with heartbreaking clarity.

"I remember the Sea of Blood," she said. "There were dead bodies all around me. I was reaching for Liu Kang's hand. I remember my mother standing over me. Laughing. She said she wanted me in chains so I could live with the pain of my failure."

Her eyes never left Sindel. Her mother paled and covered her mouth. She looked horrified and even ill. A fine performance, Kitana thought. You could almost believe the idea of hurting her own daughter sickened her.

"That sounds like quite the nightmare, your highness," the healer said. "No wonder you're so upset."

"The nightmare hasn't ended yet."

"By the gods, what is she saying?" Sindel said. "What's the matter with her?"

"Please, your grace," the healer said, turning his attention to Kitana's injured foot. "Your daughter has endured some ordeal. I knew if she awoke there was a good chance she would be withdrawn or even hostile."

"But you didn't warn us of this," Sindel said. "Listen to her! She's like a completely different person."

"The mind is a remarkable thing," he said. "It would appear in her unconscious state Kitana conjured some vivid and terrifying visions. Given the memory loss she's likely suffering, it's understandable those visions are the only thing she can latch onto."

"What are you talking about?" Kitana asked. "What visions? What memory loss?"

"Princess Kitana," he said. "I realize you're feeling very disoriented right now, so this will be difficult to take. But you've been asleep for some time. What I believe the Earthrealmers refer to as a 'coma.'"

Kitana sat up, staring at him. Her first instinct was to call him a liar. It wasn't possible. She looked to Jade, who said, "Close to two months."

"We'd feared we lost you, 'Tana," Jerrod said. "We've prayed every day you'd wake up again."

She shook her head and tried to make sense of it. It had to be a ruse. This was Shang Tsung's trickery—posing as her father, entrancing Jade, and serving this ridiculous story about a coma. It had to be.

"You're telling me everything I remember … everything I've been through … suffered and endured … all of it was just a dream?"

"A bad dream by the sound of it," the healer said, standing up. "But over now."

She sneered. How stupid did they think she was? Tsung was always arrogant and looked down on her, but he couldn't possibly think she'd accept this. It was infuriating. And that he would desecrate her father's image—with her mother's approval no doubt—made her sick to her stomach.

"I don't know what demented game you bastards are playing," she said. "But if you're going to torture or kill me, just be done with it. You've already taken everything else from me."

Jerrod stared at her as if she'd said the most outlandish thing he'd ever heard. "No one is going to hurt you, 'Tana."

"Don't you dare call me that."

A pained looked came to her mother's face. "By the gods, Kitana. What are you—"

"You don't speak to me, you witch!"

Sindel actually flinched. Jerrod took her in his arms and consoled her. As angry as she was, seeing it almost made Kitana want to cry out. There was a time, and not long ago, she believed her mother was a good and loving woman. And there was a moment, painfully brief, she thought she had that woman back after thousands of years.

But it was a lie. Her mother was every bit the monster her step-father. And now she was being forced to watch this mocking display. She had to sit and watch her mother and Shang Tsung—or whoever it really was—taunt her with the loving family she should've had.

"I beg your pardon, your grace," Jade said. "But perhaps you should cancel tonight's ball? You don't need this on your mind on top of everything else."

"I appreciate your concern," he said. "But it's too late to cancel, and it's much too important. In the meantime, Kitana needs rest."

He motioned Sindel and Jade to leave. The healer followed. Kitana wouldn't take her eyes off him, convinced this would be the moment Tsung revealed himself and strangled or stabbed her.

Instead, he took her hand and said, "The nightmare's over. You're safe.

"You're home."


Scorpion opened his eyes.

The smell of incense was in the air—a warm, welcoming aroma that filled him with nostalgia. The window shade was aglow with the sunlight shining behind it, and it gave the room a subtle golden hue. Familiar wooden beams that he remembered constructing lined the ceiling.

He sat up and knew Harumi was likely preparing breakfast. Satoshi should be in his crib. He'd had this dream before. This was the life he had before he died. Before it was all taken from him by Quan Chi. It was a painful thing to be reminded of what he lost, but still welcome to revisit. Even if was just a dream he'd wake up from.

Harumi appeared at the door. She smiled upon seeing him and was a vision despite clearly just waking up herself. "Feeling better?"

She sat at the mirror and began tying her hair. Scorpion, without a word, went to her and wrapped his arms around her. She giggled as he pulled her to the bed in his embrace. If this was another dream, he would enjoy it while it lasted.

"I guess so," she said, kissing him.

She straddled him as he lay on his back. Her long, black hair hung loose and over him as she leaned in to kiss him again.

"You were always a beauty, Kana."

"Oh?" she replied, smirking. "You like when I look like an onryō?"

"I never told you enough. I know you didn't need to be reminded every day, but I was a lucky man."

She kissed him again and climbed off the bed. "Still are, Hanzo-san. Now you'd better get ready before Takeda gets here."

He almost pulled her back, but that name halted him. Takeda? The founder of the Shirai Ryu? Why would she mention him? And even if he was somehow alive, why would he wish to meet? Scorpion had dreamed of being with his family and clan again many times since his death, but Takeda making an appearance was new.

Harumi tied her hair into a loose tail and left the room. As he put his robe on, he was surprised by how vivid and real this latest dream felt. And oddly linear. Usually by this point the dream would jump in time and location—often shifting to a nightmare as Quan Chi or Sub-Zero stormed in to kill.

Looking in the mirror, he was also somewhat surprised he was indeed Hanzo Hasashi and not the spectral Scorpion.

He decided not to dwell on it and instead use the opportunity to see Satoshi. He found his infant son standing in his crib, looking eager to climb out. The boy's eyes gleamed at the sight of his father, and he raised his hands to the air with an excited smile.

Scorpion picked up his son, felt his weight in his hands, and was hit with pained longing. The boy's brown eyes sparkled with life. His tiny hands groped at his beard. Satoshi was barely over a year old when …

The anger burned. It smoldered inside, and all he could see was that damned sorcerer. "I will avenge you, my son," he growled. "Whatever becomes of the realms, I will never rest until I make the bastard pay."

That was enough. He placed Satoshi back into the crib and went to the den. It was just as he remembered it before that fateful night he ventured to the Shaolin Temple. It was nice to be back in his home, reunited with his wife and son, but it was only a dream. They were long gone, and all that remained was his solitary quest.

He shut his eyes, expecting the dream to end or become a nightmare any moment. Then he'd wake up and get back to work.

Any moment.

"Hanzo! What are you doing?"

When he opened his eyes, he was still in his home. Harumi stared at him from the kitchen with an expectant look.

"Are you going to shower? Get dressed? I'll make breakfast, but Takeda is on his way."

He blinked at her, feeling lost. "I … I'm not …"

She went to him and felt his forehead. "Are you still feeling ill? I know you had trouble sleeping, but I hoped the worst was over."

There was a knock at the door. She answered, and in entered a young man wearing the apprentice garb of a Shirai Ryu. Harumi greeted him as Takeda, but Scorpion had never seen the boy before. This dream was becoming very peculiar.

"Grandmaster Hasashi," Takeda said with a bow. "I'm pleased to see you're feeling better."

Grandmaster?

"I'm sorry, Takeda," Harumi said. "But I fear Hanzo may still be unwell. He might need more rest after all."

Without a word, Scorpion strode to the window and couldn't believe his eyes. He was back in his home, yes, but his home was in a new location. Outside he saw a vast field of red and orange trees with a stream and pond. The Fire Garden, as his future self had left it.

He turned to Takeda and remembered. He met a version of himself from the future—one resurrected who went on to reform the Shirai Ryu. Before he was killed by D'Vorah, he urged Scorpion to help Raiden and his fighters against Kronika.

The Takeda boy must have been his apprentice. But … Harumi and Satoshi? It wasn't possible …

"Forgive me, Grandmaster," Takeda said. "If you need more rest, I'll inform the emissary from the Lin Kuei that—"

"Stop," he barked, feeling dizzy. Was this not a dream after all? But if that was true, how could Harumi and Satoshi be alive? Was this more of Kronika's trickery? "This … this doesn't make sense …"

"Hanzo," Harumi said. "You should go back to bed. You're clearly still—"

"What emissary?" he demanded. "What does the Lin Kuei want?"

Takeda seemed taken aback by his tone. "I think it's the one called Smoke. He … you meet with him often."

He didn't understand. He had many questions, but one thing above all took precedence. He might not be in his own time, or this might be some new deception, but if his wife and son were somehow alive, he needed to protect them at all costs. And whatever his future self's relationship with the Lin Kuei might have been, to Scorpion, they were the ancient enemies of the Shirai Ryu.

"Takeda, stay here with Harumi and Satoshi. See to it nothing happens to them. I will meet Smoke, and I will get to the bottom of this."


Before leaving, the healer offered another potion that was supposed to help Kitana sleep. She pretended to drink but spit it out when no one was looking. Her parents and Jade offered kind words and reassurances, but she only watched them in silence like a cat might watch a potential threat—ready to spring if need be.

For the next hour, she paced around the chamber. She searched every inch of it, not sure what she was looking for, but determined to find anything that might be out of place. The door to the balcony was shut and locked, probably in the fear she'd try jumping again. The only thing of worth she found were a pair of razor-sharp steel fans beneath the mattress of her bed. She was pleased to be armed, but at the same time her suspicions were even more aroused. If this was some trap or game devised by her enemies, why would they allow her weapons?

She pondered the nature of her surroundings. If this was an illusion, it was far beyond anything Shang Tsung or Quan Chi could conjure. Maybe they had her trapped in some abandoned fortress and used their magic to make it appear as an Edenian palace? Perhaps she was being held somewhere and entranced in a dream? The wound on her foot felt real though. She poked her finger with the tip of her fan, drawing a thin stream of blood, and that pain felt real, too.

Having had her fill of her chamber, she put on some fresh clothes and ventured out. If she was trapped in an illusion, surely the spell had limits. And if someone confronted her and tried to keep her confined to her room, that would further prove something was wrong.

The stairs down the tower led to a hall of stone columns, large, draped windows, and a polished floor of marble. Works of art lined the walls, as did the occasional statue of great Edenian warriors and rulers she didn't recognize. If it was all a sorcerer's deception, it was certainly detailed.

"Kitana? Should you be out of bed?"

She almost drew her fans on reflex. But recognizing Jade's voice, she took a breath and kept her weapons sheathed behind her back.

"Were you guarding me?" she asked.

"Standing by in case you needed anything. Are you feeling better?"

Kitana looked at her friend and tried to anticipate her part in all this. "I just want to be on my feet," she said. "If what you said is true, I think I've slept enough."

Jade smiled and nodded, but with a hint of sadness in her eyes. "May I join you?"

They walked down the great hall in silence. It was outwardly pleasant, but the tension was palatable. Kitana supposed she should try to get information, but she didn't know what to even ask or if Jade could be trusted. Was it even really Jade? Was she being controlled? It could be her but entrapped by the illusion and unaware.

Or could the worst be true?

Please, not you, too, she thought, praying Jade hadn't betrayed her. Her mother's betrayal tore her heart out. If she lost Jade as well, it would be too much to bear.

"'If' what we said is true," Jade said. "If. You truly don't trust us now?"

"What am I to think, Jade? I went through a lifetime of horror, deception and betrayal just to wake up and be told it was all a dream. And I conveniently can't remember anything beyond that. What would you have me do?"

"The healer said your memories should return," she said. "But not if you fight them."

"What even happened? Why was I in a coma?"

"You were out riding," she began. "Alone, as you like to do sometimes. But your horse was bitten by a snake and bucked you off. We know because we found her dead a hundred yards from where we found you. It was a bad fall made worse because we don't know how long you were lying there. You were practically dead when they brought you back.

"The healers mended you as best they could," she continued. "It seemed like you'd pull through, but then the fever hit. You got worse and worse, and I swear, one night we thought you were having a seizure. You almost died."

A chill went through Kitana's blood. Her first instinct was this was more deception. A story so mundane, it was almost easy to believe. But doubt crept into her mind. Was it possible all the pain and suffering were simply a nightmarish fever dream born out of being near death?

"When you finally stabilized," Jade said, sniffling and wiping her eye. "The healers prepared us for the worst. You might never wake up. You might wake up but be … damaged. Permanently. And, yes, you'd have no memory."

A tear dripped down her cheek. But she smiled and hugged her tight.

"You really scared us," she said. "But it's over. I don't know what you saw in those visions or dreams or whatever they were, but they're gone now. You can let it go. Come back to us."

Kitana hugged her back and looked toward the window beside them. Edenia stretched out beyond, a glorious picture of perfection and beauty. Rolling hills of green and grand mountains with waterfalls and rivers lining the land. Her home—the one she always wished for. Could it all be true? Had everything been a nightmare finally over?

"Jade … I …"

"There she is! There! She! Is!"

She turned from Jade only to get snatched in another crushing hug. It took a moment to register the smiling woman's face before her. It was a face she recognized, but not one she was used to seeing outside of a mirror.

"Mileena?"

"Who else would it be?" she replied before hugging her again. "I was out with Skarlett, but I came as soon as I heard. I'm so glad you're better. I know this will sound crazy, but somehow I knew today would be the day. The healers kept saying to prepare for the worst, but I knew … I just knew you'd be okay."

Mileena was smiling, and it was surreal. There were no sharp teeth. No fangs or devilish Tarkatan grin. Not even yellow eyes. It was just her, and she was beautiful.

"What's wrong?"

"I …" she said. "Mileena, I just … I can't believe you …"

"Oh!" Mileena cut in. "And tonight's the ball! This is perfect!"

"Mileena," said Jade. "Kitana is … her memories aren't all there. She's out of sorts from everything that happened. She should probably sit out the ball."

"Oh, I see," she said. "Yeah, I guess it might be much. But then again, maybe it'll help. All our friends will be there. Especially you-know-who."

She winked and gave a playful jab on the shoulder. Kitana stared at her, feeling lost and adrift.

"Who?"

"Your fiancée, dummy," she said. "Besides, you really think when Liu Kang finds out you're on your feet again anything's going to stop him from seeing you?"


The Fire Garden was quiet and serene. The only sound to be heard was the gentle breeze as it blew through the trees. Red and orange leaves rained from above and drifted along the ground like the embers of a dying blaze.

Scorpion stood outside the gate dressed and armed for battle. Although the scenery was peaceful, he was tense. In every corner, he expected movement. He felt certain enemies were all around him. He didn't understand how or why he had come to this place and time with his wife and son still alive, so he settled into what he did know: combat.

Takeda claimed Smoke would appear at the gate. That he even knew the Fire Garden's location would suggest trust. Though Scorpion knew little of the man himself, he knew him to be a friend of the younger Sub-Zero. As much as he despised the Lin Kuei, and despite their own differences, he respected Kuai Liang.

He also needed to account for his future self's accomplishments. They had little time to talk before he fell, but he had apparently made peace with Sub-Zero's Lin Kuei.

Yet the fact remained: somehow, some way, Harumi and Satoshi were alive. As far as he was concerned, keeping them so was paramount above all else and his alliance with the Lin Kuei meant nothing compared to that. If he sensed even the slightest ill-will from Smoke, he would not hesitate to kill him, Sub-Zero, and anyone else that got in his way.

There would be time to wonder how his family was brought back—and dread the price it would surely cost—later.

A few yards ahead, a cloud of smoke manifested from seemingly nowhere. When it cleared, the gray and black Lin Kuei stood before him, his silver hair swaying in the wind and matching eyes cool.

He bowed and said, "Good morning, Grandmaster."

"What is your business, Lin Kuei?"

"I bring tidings from Sub-Zero," he replied. "We heard you've been ill."

"Have I?"

"Food poisoning was it? Sounds like bad luck."

Scorpion kept his hands to his sides, fists clenched, and was ready to draw a weapon. Smoke seemed at ease—even casual—but that only made him more tense. Was he supposed to believe this Lin Kuei had come all this way just to chat about his health?

"You came alone?"

"Yes," Smoke replied. "Are you okay? You seem on edge."

He didn't answer. Although his eyes were on Smoke, he focused his attention on everything around him. This had to be a trap or distraction. He should return to the house, he thought. The Lin Kuei were closing in, he could feel it.

Concern came to Smoke's face. His eyes shifted from left to right, and keeping his voice low, he asked, "Hanzo, do you suspect something?"

"How do you mean?" he replied, his hand moving closer to his kunai. "Is something amiss?"

"I wasn't followed. But do you suppose …?"

Smoke tensed, and gray mist swirled around his body. He was bracing himself for attack. Scorpion took hold of his kunai. If this was a trap, he would beat answers out of the Lin Kuei—his truce with Sub-Zero be damned.

He prepared to throw …

"Tomas! Welcome!"

Harumi approached and greeted Smoke with a bow. The Lin Kuei gave one of his own and said, "Lady Harumi! It's always a pleasure to see you."

Scorpion rarely felt fear, but upon seeing his wife in the open, cold terror snatched his spine. She was supposed to stay in the house. She shouldn't have come. This was when the trap would be sprung …

"Hanzo," she said, shaking her head. "Are you really going to make him stand outside the whole time?"

"It's no trouble," Smoke said. "I just assumed you husband preferred no smoking in his home."

"That joke's still not funny, Tomas." She looked at Scorpion and said, "Hanzo, if you're still ill you should go back to bed."

"I hope I'm not imposing," Smoke said. "This visit is nothing that can't wait. But I assume you're still not planning to attend the royal ball in Edenia?"

"Royal ball? Why would I go to a ball in Edenia?"

"Oh, yes," Harumi said. "Why would a husband take his wife to a fancy ball in a royal palace? Why would I ever want that?"

"A valid point," Smoke said with a smirk. "At any rate, Kuai Liang just wanted me to make sure you were well and confirm if you were going or not. To tell the truth, he's been tense himself lately."

"Oh?" Harumi said. "Seems to be a lot of that going around."

"I think it's the price of peace," he said. "One tends to expect the worst when things seem to be at their best."

"Only if you're morbidly negative," she said. "Which explains my husband at least."

"If anything important happens at the ball, we'll let you know. Oh, and Hanzo-san, remember the next Mortal Kombat is in just a few months. I've been practicing with my kunai, and I'm looking forward to testing my skills against the legendary Scorpion."

He gave a parting bow and disappeared in another cloud of smoke.


The ball started in early evening. Kitana heard gentle, elegant music playing even in her chamber. From her balcony, she saw the guests arrive—nobility from Edenia and Outworld. High ranking figures from Earthrealm. The guests of honor were men and women glad in golden armor that was familiar, but she couldn't place. It certainly appeared to be a lavish and luxurious affair.

She wasn't expected to appear. It was apparently accepted she was supposed to be in a coma and would've been left in peace while the party went on. Considering she'd only just woken up, and her memory issues, she was told she could remain in her chamber to rest.

But Kitana's suspicions hadn't abated in the slightest. She still couldn't tell if she was ensnared in some sorcerer's illusion or trapped in a demented dream, but she thought if she was going to find any answers, it would be at the ball.

Though tempted to go as she was, she figured it best to blend in. She rummaged through her closet and found a blue dress with gold trim that hung off one shoulder. It was funny, she thought. Looking back on her years serving Shao Kahn, despite being "The Emperor's Daughter," she didn't recall many instances where she was called upon to dress fancy.

It probably said something about her as a person that, upon seeing herself in her pretty dress, her first thought was how likely blood stains could be washed out of it.

The ballroom was a massive chamber with a high domed ceiling. A great chandelier lit with what had to be hundreds of candles overlooked the center of the room. Dozens, maybe hundreds of people danced and mingled about everywhere in sight. At the far end, a small band played pleasant music. Food was being prepared somewhere, and steady stream of wine was served. It was unlike anything Kitana had ever seen in her ten thousand years.

Her parents were at the head of the chamber, but she decided to keep a low profile. If she could find out what was going on without their notice, she'd consider that a victory.

"Hey, look who it is!"

Startled, she turned sharply to find a familiar, handsome face in a well-kept Earthrealm tuxedo. Johnny Cage greeted her with a smile and cheers of his drink.

"Mileena said you were feeling better," he said. "But no one was sure if you'd show."

"Yes," she said. "Well, I thought it would do me good to make an appearance."

Behind him were two Earthrealm army officers clad in their dress uniforms. Sonya Blade and Jax greeted her with smiles and handshakes.

"It's good to see you, K," Sonya said. "I'm glad you're on your feet again."

"Same here," Jax said. "You had us all worried."

Kitana nodded and thanked them. She thought she should ask questions, but what could she even say? Everything seemed normal. But only a short time ago, weren't they all dealing with the disaster outside Kronika's Keep? Her mother's betrayal hurt them all, too, had it not? None of them should know what Edenia even was.

"Um," she said. "If I may ask, why are you all here?"

"Your father wanted us around to meet the Seidan emissaries," Sonya said, gesturing to the golden armored people standing near Jerrod at the end of the ballroom. "Apparently Seido, or the Orderrealm some people call it, is looking to extend relations to other realms. Diplomatic stuff. Real boring. You're not missing anything."

"That's why they're here," Johnny said. "I'm here for the food."

"Jesus Christ, Johnny," Sonya grumbled.

"No," she said. "I mean … why were you brought to an Edenian ball?"

Johnny wasn't paying attention, munching on some food he picked up from somewhere. Sonya seemed perplexed by the question.

Jax thought little of it and answered: "Earth and Edenia have been allies for so long, it's a courtesy for us to represent."

"Allies against whom?"

"Whomever," he said. "I mean we've been at peace for hundreds of years now. Knock on wood."

Kitana hesitated. Did he say peace for hundreds of years? "But what about Shao Kahn? Or Quan Chi and Shinnok?"

"Who?"

She was stunned. "What do you mean? How could you not know who Shao Kahn is? He's the whole reason we all even know each other."

The three of them stared at her as if she'd grown a second head.

"You feeling all right, Kits?" Johnny asked. "Mileena said you were still a little out of it."

"Yeah," Sonya said. "No offense, K, but maybe you should be taking it easy."

Jax noticed someone getting their attention, and they offered friendly though concerned farewells. Sonya and Jax headed toward her father, likely to meet the Seidan emissaries, while Johnny Cage drifted to a bar for a fresh glass of wine.

Kitana backed to a corner, feeling a profound desire to shrink away and hide. Was it all an illusion? Were they all entranced? How, and more importantly why? Her skin crawled with the creeping dread she was going mad.

She looked around the ball. Sonya and Jax greeted her parents with bows and salutes. Johnny Cage was telling jokes by the bar. She saw Jade dancing … with Kotal! He was not dressed for combat, but ceremony, and she smiled as he held her in his arms. Mileena was dancing as well, and she'd never looked so happy.

Maybe she had gone mad? What if the disaster on the Sea of Blood was the final straw and her sanity snapped? Had she been confined to some asylum deep in Outworld, left to stare at a blank wall while her broken mind conjured an elaborate fantasy escape?

"You are a welcome sight."

He appeared through the crowd, almost as if they parted just for him. He looked so unlike himself clad in his dress clothes. And yet, it almost made him look regal. His hair was pulled back in neat tail, and his smile was soft but confident. He was as handsome as she'd ever seen him.

"Liu?"

In the moment, she forgot all about her suspicions and dread. She stopped caring if it was all an illusion or dream. She could only think of her last memory of him—beaten, bloodied and defeated by Shao Kahn—and rushed to take hold of him.

"I missed you, too," he said as she wrapped her arms around him. "Are you okay?"

"I don't know what's happening," she said. "I feel like I'm going insane. Nothing makes sense, and I don't—"

"Easy, easy," he said. "You've been through a lot. No one's expecting you to just return to normal like nothing happened."

She wanted to believe. To hear it from him, she wanted to believe everything was as it should be, and there was no danger lurking in the shadows. He couldn't be a part of it. Could he?

"Is this real?"

He smiled and kissed her. "Does it feel real?"

She looked into his eyes, and for the first time since she woke up that morning, she felt safe.

"You want to dance?" he asked.

Before she could reply, he led her to the center of the ballroom. The music was slow, melodic, and soothing. He held her close, and she let herself be taken by the moment.

"Be merciful," he said. "I've never been much of a dancer."

She laughed. "Neither have I."

She held him tight, as if afraid he might slip away and be gone forever. She looked around, and all the guests watched in approval. Jade, still with Kotal, smiled at her. From afar, her mother and father looked on and seemed happy for her.

It was everything she could hope for. Her friends and family were with her. The man she loved was with her. She was in her homeland and at peace. She had wished for this for so long. It was all she wanted. More than she wanted. It was perfect.

"Kitana," Liu said. "What's wrong? You're shaking."

Too perfect. At last she understood what Shang Tsung or whoever was responsible for this was doing. They had given her everything she wanted … everything she dreamed … and that meant the sword was going to drop any moment.

"I can't," she said, pushing herself away from Liu. "I can't do this."

She rushed to the terrace outside, clutching her aching heart. The night air was cool and damp. A full moon shined over the ocean, and waves broke on the beach below.

Kitana stopped at the railing, holding herself as if she might fall to pieces. She had done terrible things in Shao Kahn's name. She sometimes thought, at her lowest moments, that perhaps the betrayals and horror she suffered was fate's way of paying her back.

Maybe she deserved it. Maybe what Sindel did to her on the Sea of Blood was what the Earthrealmers called karma.

But this was too much. It was cruel. Far worse than anything Shao Kahn or Mileena had ever done to her. To give her a glimpse of a perfect life—the beautiful life she so longed for—just to rip it away at the worst possible moment.

"Kitana?" Liu said, joining her on the terrace. "Are you okay?"

"No," she said. "No, I'm not."

He sighed and held her. "Your father told me what happened this morning," he said. "I'm sure this is all confusing and strange to you. But your memories will come back. Just give it time."

"No, Liu, no. It's not that. I … for all the things I've faced … out of everything I've gone through … for the first time in my life I'm truly scared. I feel like the moment I let my guard down the ground is going to cave in underneath me. Every step I take I keep expecting the knife in my back. I can't … I can't accept this. I look around and I feel it in my blood something is wrong. Something awful is waiting to strike."

She hung her head, and despair came to her. An open wound inflicted by her mother that hadn't healed. How can she allow herself to hope for anything good again after that? After her own mother gleefully tore apart her love and dreams.

"I just want it to stop," she said, though she wasn't speaking entirely to Liu. "Whatever horror is coming, get it over with. I'm so tired."

"Kitana, look at me," he said, turning her to face him. "I can't imagine what you must've seen in your coma to make you feel this way. But it's over now. The nightmare is over. You're safe, and everything is going to be better now."

"Liu … I …"

"There is no dark secret. The ground isn't going to cave in, and there's no evil coming to get you. And even if there was, I would never let anything hurt you. Never!"

He held her close—so close she felt his heart beat. She shut her eyes and took in the night air, the warmth of his body, the smell of sea, and wanted to believe it was real. But she couldn't shake the certainty when she opened her eyes again, she would be back on the Sea of Blood, reaching for Liu's hand as her mother stood over her.

Maybe this is just a dream, she thought. But would that be so bad after all?

Was a beautiful lie better than the ugly truth? If she was only dreaming, could she not just continue sleeping?


Scorpion didn't feel at ease the rest of the day. Much of it was spent in the house with Satoshi in his presence, as if the moment he let him or Harumi out of his sight, something terrible would come. He expected the Lin Kuei to storm the windows. He felt certain Quan Chi would reveal himself. An invasion from Outworld … Shinnok … anything.

He couldn't even truly appreciate the joy of having his son in his arms again. The boy seemed thrilled to be around his father, but Scorpion had come too far and endured too much to let his guard down. He knew there would be a catch, and he hardened himself knowing it would come swift.

Even after Satoshi was put to bed, he stood by the door like a sentinel. He couldn't imagine what the explanation for this was. An elaborate dream? A sorcerer's illusion? The last thing he remembered was heading into battle against a woman who controlled time itself. A woman who plucked him from his present and left him in a time where the Shirai Ryu was restored and allied with the Lin Kuei.

Could Harumi and Satoshi have been revived somehow? If so, at what cost? He felt as though someone had struck a bargain for him without his knowledge, and he hated not knowing who pulled his strings. He spent years manipulated by Quan Chi's lies, he would not suffer that again. Especially when his wife and son were involved.

"Hanzo," Harumi said. "Come sit with me."

She sat in front of the fireplace and took the rose out of her hair. Loose black locks dropped to her shoulders, and she looked ethereal with the flames behind her. It ached his heart to have her there in front of him, within reach, yet unable to appreciate it. The dread this was a trap weighed on his shoulders. A part of him feared if he so much as touched her, she would disintegrate to ash.

Sighing, he sat beside her and looked into the flames before them. Fire had become such a constant part of his life—or afterlife rather—like the unending rage inside him. He couldn't let it go, even with his beloved right next to him. It was a part of him, and he needed it to be.

"What's wrong?" She caressed his face, her touch so soft and gentle. "You've been … distant all day."

"Why didn't you stay in the house?" he asked. "When the Lin Kuei was here, why did you come out?"

"I know you, Hanzo. You went out there looking for a fight."

"What if it had been a trap?"

"A trap? By whom?"

He didn't answer and only looked at her with troubled, haunted eyes.

"The Lin Kuei? Hanzo, the clans have been allies for generations. Whatever animosity there was is long over. Kuai Liang has always respected you. You've met with Tomas dozens of times. Why would they destroy all that now?"

The words she spoke were so contrary to everything he knew. The very idea the Shirai Ryu and Lin Kuei could co-exist—much less be allies—was so foreign and strange to him.

"Besides," she added. "I told Takeda to keep watch for any movement in the trees. The Lin Kuei is not our enemy, but I'm not stupid either. Listen, you're probably still ill, and it's making you paranoid." She paused. "More than usual."

"About that … what was wrong with me? Smoke mentioned food poisoning?"

"Bad sushi, I think. You were in real ugly shape for a while there. And you must've had some awful nightmares, because you'd wake up in the night screaming about sorcerers and wraiths and someone coming for your soul."

He felt a chill.

"One night you just kept howling my and Satoshi's names. You really scared me."

His first thought was it sounded absurd. Bad sushi? The horror and pain he suffered, the seeming years of rage and grief … and it was all due to some poorly prepared fish? And now, having his family and clan back … no sorcerer's deception, no Kronika, no gods. Merely a bad dream he'd woken up from?

"And," he said, trying to make sense of it. "That's it?"

"What do you mean? You think someone did it to you on purpose?" She rolled her eyes. "Don't be ridiculous, Hanzo. I put poison in your tea, not your food."

She grinned with a playful, mischievous glint in her eye, and Scorpion, in spite of his nature, managed a slight chuckle.

"So serious," she said. "Always looking for the worst. Always thinking everything's wrong. My father warned me you were trouble. He always told me to remember the story of the scorpion and the swan."

"I never go looking for trouble. It just finds me."

"That is a bald-faced lie and you know it, Hanzo-san. You were ready to murder poor Smoke this morning because you woke up on the wrong side of the bed."

He laughed again and remembered Harumi was always the only one who could make him. "I'd forgotten how willful you were."

"Were?" She took his face in her hands and looked him in the eye. "Hanzo … I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

She kissed him, and he held her tight. For so long, he carried only the anger of his loss. It drove him and kept him moving when he might have otherwise perished long ago. But he always denied what was under the anger—the actual pain. Like a festering wound beneath a bandage he refused to look at.

"I'm lost without you, Kana," he said. "You … you wouldn't like the man I was without you."

She sat across his lap and kissed him again. "You're a good man, Hanzo. You take yourself far too seriously, but I know your heart."

He wanted this to be real. He didn't care what the price was or what he would have to pay. Or maybe the horror had all been a bad dream. He was never a godly man—even before his death—but Scorpion prayed then.

I'll do it right this time. If this is my second chance, I won't fail.


The ball came to an end. The servants went about cleaning and putting everything away as the guests slowly filtered out. Visitors from other realms returned to their home worlds.

Liu bid Kitana farewell and returned to Earthrealm with his companions. She never fully relaxed through the whole party but being in his presence put her somewhat at ease. Now that she was awake, there was much talk of when their wedding would finally take place. Some even suggested holding it during the next Mortal Kombat—an idea she found ghoulish, but perhaps her negative feelings about the tournament was another holdover from her nightmare?

After they left, her father found her and offered a warm embrace. "I'm glad you came out, 'Tana," he said. "Are you feeling better?"

"I don't know," she said. "I feel sort of like glass. I'm afraid one wrong move and everything will break."

"And that is perfectly understandable," he said. "But give it time. As much as you need. You'll get better, and we'll all be here for you when you do."

She smiled and took a moment to marvel that her true father was standing before her. That she could hear his voice for the first time in her life. He was still a stranger to her, but she at last could know him.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and, when she turned to look, found Sindel behind her. On reflex, she flinched and backed away with her fist clenched. Her mother was startled but held her hands up to put her at ease.

Sindel looked wounded yet forced a smile. "In time. Yes?"

Her parents left her to attend to the cleaning. Feeling exhausted, she rubbed her eyes and started back to her chamber. The palace was dark and quiet but didn't feel threatening or foreboding—unlike Shao Kahn's fortress back in Outworld. Roaming the halls felt strange and foreign, but Kitana thought she could get used to it. This could be home.

She turned a corner and found Mileena standing farther down the hall. She smiled, thinking that was perhaps the most surreal thing of it all. To have a true sister—genuine and even loving. Out of everything, even more than her mother, that might take the most getting used to.

As she approached, she saw Mileena looking at herself in a mirror. She almost spoke, but then saw the haunted look on her sister's face. Mileena stared at her reflection like she'd never seen it before. She touched the glass with one hand and felt her cheeks with the other, as if something was missing or out of place. She looked lost.

"Mileena?"

Mileena looked at her, and there was a split second where intense fury came to her eyes. But just as quickly as it came, the rage passed, and she stood there blinking at her.

"Kitana," she said. "Hello. I … I didn't see you there."

"Are you … okay?"

Mileena bit her lip and glanced at her reflection again. "Yes," she said. "Yes, I just … it was the strangest thing. Have you ever felt like … you're not sure if you're awake or still dreaming?"

Kitana's blood ran cold.

"I should get to bed," Mileena said. "Long night, and I might've had a little too much wine. Sleep well, sister."

Mileena left her there, and whatever ease she'd gained from the party curdled. Kitana locked herself in her chamber and sat on the bed, hugging her knees. She didn't dare go to sleep the whole night.

End of Chapter I