Chapter XVIII

Sacrifice

Shang Tsung felt a surge of power as he absorbed the last of Ermac's souls. His muscles tightened, senses sharpened, and he hadn't looked so young in ages. It was almost intoxicating. The collective consciousness that had been Ermac spoke one last time, reminding him of his task, and accepted their fate with grim resignation, hoping their sacrifice would be worth it.

His sense returning, he certainly hoped so, too. Gazing upon his enemy, the Dragon King was everything he anticipated. Not just sheer size, he sensed great power in the beast—even without the Kamidogu at his command.

"AND WHAT IS THIS?" Onaga demanded. "OF ALL BEINGS TO COME FORTH … OF ALL CHALLENGERS TO DEFY ME … I FIND A SNAKE? WHAT DO YOU WANT SORCERER? TO GROVEL AT MY FEET AS YOU WOULD SHAO KAHN?"

Sareena was motionless on the ground behind the Dragon King, her face frozen in shock and disbelief. And that, combined with Onaga's insult, crystallized why he made his choice.

Perhaps, after all he'd been through, there was some small part of him that wanted to attempt the "noble" thing just once. But this was no change of heart. He knew he was far beyond redemption even if he wanted it. This wasn't even a power grab, even if taking control of the Kamidogu was tempting.

It is often said love is the strongest force in life, but Shang Tsung never believed that. As far as he was concerned, if there was one truth he held in his long existence, it was that spite was the greatest motivator. And ultimately, the idea of being the great savior when all expected treachery and cowardice amused him more than he imagined.

"I've conquered gods, Titans, and Shao Kahn himself, Dragon King," he said. "What could I possibly fear from you?"

Onaga grimaced and, without looking, swiped Sareena aside with his tail. She was thrown across the apex and tumbled over the edge. He then growled and strode forward, shaking the floor beneath his thunderous footsteps.

As the massive beast approached, Tsung took his fighting stance and braced himself. The schemer in him suggested he attempt bargaining. But the warrior in him … the part of him that had once been a Champion of Mortal Kombat and took pride in his skills … welcomed the challenge.

Rue the day you overlooked me, Dragon King, he thought. When this snake strikes, he aims to kill.

With a flap of his wings, Onaga lifted into the air and raised his fists with a great bellow. Tsung rolled out of the way at the last second as the behemoth crashed down where he'd been standing. The ground shattered, and he answered with a pair of Skull Fireballs to the Dragon King's face.

Onaga barely flinched as the fireballs burst off him. More irritated than wounded, he growled and tried to grab Tsung by his head. The sorcerer slid under his grip and stepped off his knee to kick him in the jaw.

Hitting the Dragon King was like striking solid stone and did little aside aggravate him even more. Tsung backflipped away when he tried to smash him into the ground with both fists. He then conjured a magic shield to defend against the spew of fire that followed.

Before the flames cleared, he morphed into Sub-Zero and slid away on a sheet of ice to avoid Onaga's grasp. He threw a freezing blast at the Dragon King's face as a parting shot, knowing it would only anger him further.

From Sub-Zero, he changed to Kung Lao and hurled his razor-tipped hat at Onaga's chest. The beast grunted in pain, but the hat did little to damage his thick hide. In a flash, he morphed to Kano and struck with a Cannonball Roll.

Onaga stumbled back a step, uninjured but fuming. "YOU'LL NEED MORE THAN YOUR MASQUERADE TRICKS, SORCERER! COME AT ME WITH EVERY FIGHTER YOU CAN IMAGINE, AND IT STILL WON'T BE ENOUGH!"

Tsung returned to his normal form and backed away. He'd seen enough. The Dragon King was confident in his might, and if angered, would resort to brute force attacks without consideration. He wouldn't be bested in standard combat.

But the sorcerer had a plan.


Scorpion hit the floor with burning pain in his side. Blood dripped around his back as he tried to get to his feet. He focused on Quan Chi's grinning face and put all his heart into the goal of tearing the bastard sorcerer's head from his shoulders.

But just as he reached his knees, more pain struck his back with multiple slices. He grunted and stumbled, unable to defend himself from the blow to the head that followed.

Harumi moved around him as a blurred white shape. In her kimono, she seemed to almost glide, and her claws glistened in the dark. Despite his fresh wounds, he paid no mind to her and lunged at Quan Chi again. He didn't even get close before Harumi stopped him with more slices to his chest, an elbow to the throat, and final kick to jaw that sent him back to the floor.

"I do hope you realize, Scorpion," Quan Chi said. "Your bride is not under some enchantment. Killing me won't save you from her."

Scorpion ignored him as he stood up. He spared only a glance at Harumi, whose face remained obscured by her black hair, and returned his attention to ending the sorcerer. Despite Quan Chi's taunts, he focused only on his vengeance. He needed to. Because the alternative …

Harumi was all over him with swipes and slashes to his chest, ribs, and thighs before he could even attack. Bleeding cuts marked his body by fours as she clawed at him like a vicious animal. Amidst the onslaught, he caught a glimpse of her face: a mask of cold fury so unlike the warm, vibrant woman he loved.

A final uppercut left him on his back again. In all his life, he'd never felt so overwhelmed in combat. He'd faced foes too great for him in the past—Bi-Han and even Moloch and Drahmin in another time. But this was perhaps the first time he faced an opponent intent on hurting him as much as possible before finishing him.

"Will you not fight, Scorpion?" she asked, her voice harsh and cruel. "I thought that was what you were best at?"

"Harumi," he said, backing away. "Listen to me … Quan Chi … he's the one who …"

"What, Hanzo?" she interrupted. "Killed me? Yes, he did do that. Once."

He reached his feet, but continued backing away from her. He was not used to trying reason in battle. The numerous cuts she inflicted all over his body burned. He knew he should defend himself, but how could he fight his own wife?

"He took you from me," he said. "He took our son!"

She stopped. The hair in front of her face hid her expression as she stood before him, breathing her ragged, croaking breaths.

"Quan Chi has done many things," she said. "There are other timelines, Hanzo. We all know that now. In one, it was he who killed Satoshi and me. In another, it was indeed Bi-Han after all. There was even a timeline where Raiden killed us. But through all those lives, do you know what the common link was?"

Without warning, she plunged her claws into his sides. The blades slid between his ribs, and Scorpion howled in pain. She looked him in the eye, her face etched in pure rage.

"It's always your fault!"

She threw him to the floor. He tried to move on instinct, but only reached his hands and knees before she began jabbing at his back with the claws. She didn't go deep, but within seconds, his back was riddled with dozens of bleeding puncture wounds.

"My father warned me about you," she said, circling him. "He never knew you were part of the Shirai Ryu, but he sensed what kind of man you were. He told me: that's a man who would doom himself and all he cares about for his own pride."

She kicked him in the side.

"You call it honor," she continued. "But it's arrogance, Hanzo. You didn't need to be a ninja. Your father didn't even want you to join the clan, remember? He thought to spare you from his life."

She kicked him again.

"But you wouldn't listen. You wanted to be the great warrior. To be a Shirai Ryu, like your father and his father before him. A thief and murderer just like them."

Scorpion roared. He sprang to his feet and pushed her against the wall by her throat. His fist was raised, ready to strike, but Harumi showed no fear. She glared at him, her dead eyes cold.

"Well?" she asked. "Will you finally do it yourself this time?"

He froze, mortified at what he was about to do. He released her and backed away, feeling ill, and offered no defense when she tore into him again without hesitation. Slashes to his chest, abdomen, and back left him out on his feet. He stumbled away, the chamber seeming to spin, and another painful slash at his leg made him crumble to his knees.

"Kana …" he moaned. "… please …"

She dragged her claws across his face, and he at last collapsed to the floor. His strength left him. He could barely lift his arms, and pain wracked his entire body. Harumi straddled him and pinned him down by plunging her claws into his shoulders.

Nearby, Quan Chi laughed and clapped. "Glorious! Simply glorious, my dear! I should've brought you back sooner! Finish him."

She removed her right set of claws from his shoulder and placed them over his chest. He tried to speak, but he didn't even have the strength for that. He looked up at his beloved wife, searching for the woman who had been his purpose and reason for so long, but saw only a vengeful spectre. For the first time, Scorpion had no fight left in him.

"Your heart has always belonged to me, Hanzo," Harumi said, digging her blades into his chest. "Now I will take it."


It didn't make sense.

Johnny Cage looked out the window of his home, and the normally blue sky had become an orange and black hell. The familiar city skyline was in flames, and he smelled the smoke from where he was. Worse, he could even hear the echoes of fighting, screaming, and things he knew weren't human.

He turned to Sonya, who was frantically tapping on her phone so hard it looked like she might break it. "I'm not getting through!" she snapped. "I can't get in touch with Jax! I don't know what the hell is going on!"

He looked out the window again, for once at a loss for words. Only moments ago, everything was as it should be. But then, without warning, the sky darkened and a nightmarish vortex appeared over the center of the city. Within minutes, everything was in chaos.

He checked the news, though channels crapped out one by one. Whatever this was, it was happening all over the country. Probably the world.

"You don't think," he said. "Could this be Outworld?"

"It's not local, I can tell that much," she said, still trying in vain to contact Jax. "I know a portal when I see one."

"But I thought Kotal was cool? Why would he …?"

"I don't know," she said. "Maybe he was lying? Maybe this isn't him? Maybe … maybe it's … God dammit!"

She slammed her phone on the counter in frustration. After dragging her hands through her hair, she dug through her duffel bag for weapons. Though outwardly she kept her cool as best as she could, Johnny saw she was rattled. He didn't blame her.

"Listen," she said. "Daniel's on his way. Hopefully he can get in touch with Jax if he hasn't already. I'm going to try to—"

"Hold up," he cut in, waving his hand. "One of Raiden's special chosen ones standing here, too. I'm going with you."

"Someone needs to stay with Cassie."

Their daughter waited in the living room, her seven year old eyes wide and petrified. Just seeing her like that made Johnny's heart wrench. Since the day she was born, he prayed she would never have to witness the horrors he knew existed beyond Earthrealm.

"I agree," he said. "Which is why I think we should all go."

"Johnny …"

"Sonya, look out the damn window! This is all-hands-on-deck! We need to get in touch with Liu! Sub-Zero's crew! We need freaking Raiden!"

"But Cassie—"

"Is coming with us! We get her someplace safe, then we need to—"

Someone knocked at the front door. Shaking her head, Sonya rushed to answer only to find her twin brother already opened it. He stared at her a moment, his eyes glazed and confused. She slowed to a stop and almost asked what was wrong, when she saw the blood pouring from the open cut across his throat.

"Daniel …?"

He managed only a strangled gurgle before he collapsed face-down on the floor. Cassie screamed.

"Daniel!" Sonya shrieked, rushing to her brother.

Johnny's eyes fixed on the burly figure standing in the doorway with a smug grin on his face and bloody knife in his hand. He leaned against the frame, his metallic eye glaring with hate in contrast to his otherwise cavalier expression.

"'ello, baby," Kano said. "Yeh miss me?"

Time almost seemed to freeze—for Johnny at least. The sudden invasion was one thing, but Kano … alive and at his front door … Sonya's brother dead … it was too surreal. It felt like a nightmare.

Just as abruptly, time unfroze and too much happened at once. Sonya lunged at Kano, curses and threats on her lips, but she was stopped in her tracks when he plowed into her with his Cannonball Roll.

Cassie was screaming. Johnny hesitated, torn between helping Sonya or defending their daughter. Without thinking, he shouted for Cassie to hide in her room. As she fled to the stairs, Kano grabbed a handful of Sonya's hair and yanked her up.

Johnny charged, intent on leveling the son of a bitch with his Shadow Kick. But the front wall of the house tore away, spraying glass and wood everywhere. The force of whatever hit knocked him off his feet and slammed him into the opposite wall.

Coughing on dust, his head spinning, he regained his bearings with the sound of a horse clopping in his ears. When his vision cleared, he looked up to find standing over him a massive Centaurian beast.

"Remember me, little man?" Motaro growled, brandishing a spear. "We have unfinished business."


They came from the darkness. Snarling beasts with razor teeth and blades growing from their arms. The attack was sudden and swift, and like a wildfire, they were spread throughout the Shaolin Temple—killing and burning as they went.

Liu Kang had been meditating when the quiet of night was shattered by the sound of bells and battle. Once it was clear his home and brothers were under attack, he set out fighting off the invaders as they appeared, but it quickly became evident there was little he could do alone.

With Raiden nowhere to be found, he fought his way to the Great Kung Lao's chamber. Even if he was the current Champion of Mortal Kombat, Lao would have a better chance of organizing their fellow monks and combating the creatures. Hopefully, the Thunder God would soon arrive and explain what was happening.

"Master Kung Lao!" he shouted upon reaching the room. "Are you here?"

He was. The former Champion lay face-down on the floor by his bed in an expanding puddle of blood. Liu rushed to his mentor and found he'd been stabbed in the heart. His face frozen in a look of surprise and confusion—whoever killed him had caught him by surprise.

Anger and despair took hold of Liu Kang. The former Champion of Mortal Kombat … undefeated for over five hundred years … a man he'd looked up to and admired his whole life … murdered in his sleep. An unworthy death for any man, let alone one such as the Great Kung Lao.

The beasts would pay, he thought. They would pay for what they did to Kung Lao, his home, and his Shaolin brothers. He turned to rejoin the battle …

The knife slid just below his ribs, near his abdomen. His body froze, unable to even register the shadowy figure before him. He stumbled back against the wall, clutching his wound, and tried to understand how he could be so easily sneaked up on.

"Have you thought much of me, brother?" the figure said from the shadows.

"Chow?"

"All these years," he said. "Did you think it was Shang Tsung who killed me?"

"What are you talking about? You've been … we were …"

He trailed off, a distant memory coming to him. Chow, his brother … hadn't he been missing since they were young? He disappeared not long before Liu entered the tournament. But that was only a dream, wasn't it?

"I had a destiny of my own, Liu. While you went to face the sorcerer, I began my own quest."

"Chow … did you kill Kung Lao?"

"I can't kill a dream," he said. "The Great Kung Lao died centuries ago. I don't know what that thing was."

Liu's blood chilled. None of it made sense. Where did these monsters come from and how did he know they were called Tarakans? Why were his thoughts becoming flooded with memories of pain and death … the slaughter of his temple … his own murder … a battle on the Sea of Blood …?

For some reason, it was Kitana's words that came to him then. Was this the horror she feared? Was the world unraveling?

"Chow … I don't understand …"

"I've seen things, brother. You think Shang Tsung and Shao Kahn are the worst there is?" Chow stepped forward, out of the shadows. His mouth was curved in a vacant, placid smile, but his eyes were a scarred ruin, as if he'd clawed them out. "I've seen such sights, Liu. You have no idea what dwells in the darkness between the realms. They're always hungry …"

His smile turned to a demented grin as he approached his brother with a dagger in his hand.


Shang Tsung retook his fighting stance, planting his right foot on the ground.

The Dragon King thrust at him with a massive, scaled fist. Keeping his foot on the floor, he maneuvered out of the way and slipped behind him. Onaga roared and swung at him, but he dodged the attack and ducked around him. He then spun beneath Onaga as he swung his tail at him—all the while keeping his right foot pressed onto the ground.

This went on for some time. The Dragon King threw punches and stomps, swiped with his tail and wings, and tried to snatch him, but Tsung dodged and evaded. He moved like the flowing of water, staying just out of Onaga's reach and constantly circling around and by him. He never once countered or even touched his enemy. And not once did his right foot leave the floor.

"YOU CAN'T KEEP THIS UP FOREVER, SNAKE!" Onaga snarled. "IF YOU THINK YOU WILL TIRE ME, YOU ARE SADLY MISTAKEN!"

He slammed his fist down, hoping to smash Tsung into the ground. But the sorcerer back-flipped away and came to a stop with a confident smirk on his face. "No, Onaga," he said. "I didn't think you would tire."

"THEN DO YOU MEAN TO DANCE FOREV—"

He tried to step forward, but was stopped by an invisible wall. When he looked down, he saw marked on the ground around him was a circle with a strange rune in the center. As the design began to glow, he looked at the sorcerer and realized what he'd been doing with his foot the whole time.

"It's a binding spell," Tsung said, clasping his hands together. "I always expected I would have to use this on Shao Kahn, but you'll do just as well."

"YOU THINK YOU CAN HOLD ME WITH THIS PARLOR TRICK?"

"By binding," he said. "I don't mean it will hold you here."

The ground within the circle lit up with bright light, as if a portal opened beneath Onaga's feet. Before he even realized what was happening, glowing chains hurled up and locked onto his wrists and ankles. Tsung pressed his palms together and chanted as the chains snapped taut and began pulling the Dragon King into the light.

"NO! YOU CANNOT DO THIS TO ME!"

Another chain appeared and wrapped around his neck. He roared and resisted, but to no avail as the mystical shackles continued pulling him deeper and deeper.

"I bind you, Dragon King, to the Netherealm where you belong. No coming back this time. No resurrections. No Kamidogu to save you."

Onaga was down to his chest. His face was etched in outrage and fury as he sank deeper—engulfed in the terrible light.


Screams echoed throughout the halls. The cyborgs appeared from seemingly nowhere and had the temple surrounded without warning. The machines attacked relentlessly, without fear or tiring, and gradually, the Liu Kuei fell to their limitless hordes.

Sub-Zero carried Smoke through the main hall, desperately trying to find him safety. The Grandmaster and his friend fought the coming attackers alongside their comrades, but the numbers were too great. The cyborgs were spreading through the temple and would soon overrun them.

Making matters worse, something seemed to be ailing Smoke. "I don't understand, Kuai Liang," he said, his voice strained. "The enenra within me … something's wrong …"

"Just hang in there," Sub-Zero replied. "I'm taking you to my chamber. You can gather yourself there, while I—"

An explosion rocked the main hall—a fired missile or dropped bomb or perhaps both. Sub-Zero collapsed as debris crashed around them and smoke filled the air. He looked around in horror as his clan … his students … were cut down and butchered all around him. Broken and burnt bodies littered the floor. Surviving fighters retreated, some missing limbs.

More cyborgs appeared from the storm outside. They moved in unison, their robotic eyes glowing in the night like unholy entities. Soulless, interchangeable, and merciless, they marched forth like a plague to smother all life and eradicate the Lin Kuei from existence.

How could it come to this, he wondered? How could everything he worked for be torn down so suddenly? Where did these things come from? On the cyborgs' chests was a symbol he recognized to signify the Tekunin clan … but how did he know what the Tekunin was? Was it a dream or memory of a past life?

Like Sareena?

He shook off his disorientation and helped Smoke to his feet. Whatever the meaning of this, he couldn't afford to be overwhelmed. He needed to regroup his people. He needed to find Bi-Han. He needed to find Frost. He needed—

Smoke screamed as what appeared to be a grappling hook latched onto his shoulder. The chain attached snapped tight, and he was torn from his grasp. Smoke turned around and pulled on the chain to resist, but something continued dragging him across the floor.

In the darkness ahead, glowing eyes flashed and a figure came forward. It was humanoid in shape, wearing black and red leather, but seemed to be made of swirling gray mist. Its face was a demonic cyborg mask with red eyes and black markings. It was difficult to tell whether the creature was a machine or enenra in physical form.

"No," Smoke said upon seeing it. "No! Not you!"

The creature said nothing. Could it even speak? Looking upon it, awful memories came to Sub-Zero—memories he'd thought were just a bad dream. He remembered Smoke getting turned into a cyborg against his will … and only getting worse from there.

"Not again!" Smoke bellowed, getting to his feet. "I will not be you again!"

He charged at the mist-creature and began fighting it. Though still reeling from the chaos that had consumed his home, Sub-Zero knew he needed to assist his friend against this phantom from another timeline. He pressed his palms together and charged an Ice Blast to shoot.

But before he could, his body was consumed in ice. Frozen in place, he couldn't defend himself when something leveled him with an uppercut that slammed him against the nearest wall.

Regaining his bearings, he saw with horror what had hit. Frost stood over him, her body now a sleek engine of metal and plastic. Her eyes glowed blue—not with the familiar ice power of their ancestors, but cybernetics.

"You always held me back, Sifu," she hissed. "Now, at last, I can reach my true potential."


Sindel's hair snapped around Kitana's wrist and jerked it up, exposing her midsection to an uppercut. She grunted in pain as her breath was torn from her before getting thrown down the corridor and landing hard on her hip.

Her ribs weren't broken, but the strength of the blow was enough to give her pause. Clutching her side, she got to her feet and stared at her mother. A memory of their previous fight flashed across her mind, and with it came a feeling like someone dumped ice water down her back.

Sindel disregarded her daughter and looked down on Jerrod's body. "I recognize the Seidan influence on his armor," she said. "To be honest, I didn't think he had it in him—throwing his lot in with those fanatics. More backbone that I would've expected."

Kitana's heart pounded. Her hands shook and eye twitched. She gritted her teeth, and her breathing sped up. A volatile mix of emotions clashed inside her like a raging storm. She tried to focus on her anger—her drive to cut her mother's black heart out—but it was caught in a swirl of fear, panic, despair, and confusion.

I … she thought. I can't lose to her again. Come on, Kitanayou defeated Shao Kahn!

As if sensing her thoughts, Sindel turned to her and offered a vile smirk. "Shall this be the third time I humble you, dear? Fourth if you count your revenant. Her second death in Kronika's Keep was as pathetic as her first."

Kitana lunged at her. Despite her inner turmoil, she tried to be precise and methodical. Swift with her strikes and careful not to leave herself open to counterattack. But she could not land a single blow on her mother. Sindel blocked every attack and kept pace, her dark eyes taunting—letting her know she could go on offense and turn the tide any time she pleased.

As their battle wore on, memory of her failure on the Sea of Blood gnawed at her. A sinking sense of inevitability came. A feeling she'd already lost. That anything she achieved would only be taken from her.

Sindel caught one of her punches and struck with a smack to the back of her head. She hesitated a moment, then attacked with a rising knee. Her mother evaded and delivered a jab to her kidney. Getting desperate, she swung a roundhouse kick, but Sindel ducked and drove both her fists into her sternum, knocking the air from her, and punctuated with a backflip that kicked her in the jaw.

Kitana stumbled against the wall and crumbled to the floor. Fear came to her. Despite her thousands of years fighting … despite overcoming countless foes far stronger than her … despite defeating Shao Kahn himself …

I can't beat her

Sindel saw it. "Aw," she said. "Have I broken your spirit already? You put up more of a fight last time."

Her knees felt weak, and her stomach churned. Nevertheless, she stood her ground and took a fighting stance. "I …" she said. "I won't give up …"

"Your eyes say different. It's a sad truth of life, daughter. Sometimes … no matter how good you are, no matter how hard you try, no matter how much you deserve it … there are some fights you just can't win." She grinned, and her white hair seemed to come alive. "Allow me to demonstrate."

The assault was as brutal as it was swift. Like the snap of a whip, Sindel's hair snatched her wrists and neck and pulled her close. The hair tightened around her throat, choking the life from her, and left her defenseless as her mother rained blows onto her face and body.

Worse than the beating was the sense of helpless that came to Kitana. Yet again, she found herself at the mercy of her cruel mother. And this time, she didn't even have the hope someone could save her. Liu was gone. Her father was dead. She was alone in this damned pyramid, left to suffer at her mother's hands.

Sindel grabbed a handful of her hair and held her head up. She smiled at her daughter before unleashing an ear-piercing shriek. Kitana tried to scream, but she was drowned out by the horrific shrill.

Her head spinning and ears ringing, she was helpless as her mother's hair coiled around her body, binding her hands behind her back. She was then slammed into the walls. Her vision blurred, and blood dripped down her face as her body crashed from one side of the corridor to the other.

Keeping her bound in her hair, Sindel let her sink to her knees. Kitana could barely lift her head, much less stay conscious. It was over. She'd failed.

Again.

"You'd think I'd be tired of this by now," Sindel said, holding her head up by her chin. "But I don't know what it is, dear Kitana. You simply have this sad, lost look in your eyes that just invites abuse."

Kitana looked at her mother and tried to find some semblance of the woman she'd met in Edenia just a few days ago. But she saw no warmth or love. That had been only a dream. Even the other Sindel—the ghostly one with sad eyes—was the memory of a world that no longer existed.

"… why?"

"What's that?" Sindel asked. "Speak up, dear."

"Why?" she repeated. "Why do you hate me so much?"

The sadistic glee in her mother faded. In its place came a look of disappointment. "I don't hate you, daughter," she said. "I'll admit I only had you to keep your father happy. But there was a time I hoped to mold you in my image. If not for Quan Chi, I might have played my rightful part in your upbringing.

"Believe it or not," she continued. "There was a brief moment I thought perhaps you were what I hoped. When I was first revived and your real father told me of how you served him, I dared feel pride in you. I don't hate you, Kitana. I hate what you pretend to be."

"Shao Kahn is not my father. That's not who I am."

"Wake up!" she snapped, slapping her. "You tell yourself Shao Kahn was the one thing wrong in your life. You act as if, if not for him—only him—you would've enjoyed some idyllic fairy tale life. What do you know of Edenia? Where were the people when you needed them on the Sea of Blood? Look at me, daughter. Look at what I am. My blood flows in your veins, does it not? Look at Jerrod. Left to his own devices, he aligned with the Orderrealm! Your sister? What is she if not the real you unleashed? And as much as you deny it, Shao Kahn is more your father than Jerrod ever was."

She clutched Kitana's face, holding her so tight her nails dug into her cheeks.

"You cling to a dream that was never true. Maybe it's just you living in denial, daughter?"


Mileena's head slammed into one of the empty tubes where Shang Tsung grew his creations. The glass cracked, and she felt a stream of blood drip down the side of her face. She had barely a moment to register the pain or shake off the dizziness before her opponent slit her up the back with her blade.

Her wound stinging, she turned to face the clone who stood twirling her weapons with an evil smirk. Anger burned within her to see that face—Kitana's face—look down on her with such arrogance and malice.

"Are you not having fun?" the clone hissed. "Did our sister never give you this attention?"

"I am going to kill you!"

"Will you now?" the clone said with a dismissive chuckle. "You can't even beat Kitana."

She charged with a roar. Her sai met the clone's blades with a metallic clang, and they pushed against each other for dominance. Mileena hoped the Tarkatan in her would give her the edge in strength, but the clone easily resisted.

Without warning, the clone grinned and sank her teeth into her shoulder. Mileena screamed as her fangs dug into her flesh and tried to push away, but the clone held her close. When she finally released, she struck Mileena in the heart with a stiff jab that knocked the wind from her.

Clutching her chest and gasping for breath, Mileena backed away as the clone licked her lips and laughed. "I've as much Tarkatan in me as you, little sister. But I have the better balance."

Shao Kahn, who'd been watching in silence the entire time, chuckled and said, "Outstanding!"

Doubt came to Mileena then, realizing what she was dealing with. "N-no," she said. "You … you won't take my place!"

"You're an obsolete prototype," the clone said. "I am perfection."

She looked to her father, hoping he would say or do something. He always pitted her against Kitana. She knew he would never fully accept her unless she proved she was better than her sister. But this was different. He wouldn't stand aside and let this pretender kill her, would he? She'd done too much for him to be cast aside like that, hadn't she?

"Father," she said. "I … I carried on your rule after you perished. I did it for you …"

"And you failed," the clone said. "I would've succeeded, for I am what you should've been. I would've held the Empire together."

"You go to hell!"

She charged again, but her efforts were in vain. The clone easily evaded her attacks and exploited the injuries she suffered from her previous battle. She struck with quick, precise jabs and slashes that wore Mileena down and left her riddled with bleeding cuts all over her body.

She stumbled, and the sai fell from her hands. The clone bowled her over with a knee to the gut and followed with an elbow to the back of her head that sent her crumbling to the floor. Without giving her time to catch her breath, the clone dragged her to her feet by her hair and delivered a pair of punches to the face.

Dazed and dizzy, Mileena didn't resist as the clone tore her mask off. "Look at you!" the clone said. "To think this defective freak thought she could be the daughter of Shao Kahn!"

In desperation, she tried to bite the clone's throat as she had the previous one. But her opponent saw it coming and blocked with her blade. Her teeth clamped onto the metal, and she felt the razor edge at the end of her mouth. She hesitated, knowing if the clone wished, she could cut her head off at the jaw.

"Predictable, little sister," the clone said. "No wonder you could never match Kitana."

A head-butt left Mileena out on her feet and unable to defend herself as the clone picked her shots. Haymakers and kicks to the face, jabs to the throat and sternum, and finally a jumping kick that left her flat on her back.

"Well done!" said their father.

The clone bowed with a proud smile. She then straddled her, pinning her arms down with her knees, and started pounding her with lefts and rights. Mileena struggled beneath her enemy's weight, but it was no use. Her vision blurred and teeth cracked as the clone rained blow after blow onto her face.

The clone stopped to catch her breath, her eyes alive with excitement and cruelty—a nightmarish vision she had never seen on the real Kitana. Giggling, she then gripped Mileena's neck and squeezed. "I'm sure you already know how sweet Edenian blood is," she hissed. "But have you ever noticed how sour Tarkatan blood is?" She leaned close and licked Mileena's face with a look of ecstasy in her eyes. "… delicious …"

"I've seen enough," Kahn said. "You've proven yourself admirably, daughter. Finish her."

"May I keep her, father?" the clone said. "I would like a pet."

"If you wish," he said. "But be quick. I must find your mother. I know she's here somewhere. Then we will return to Outworld and reclaim what is ours."

He left the Flesh Pit, even as Mileena tried in vain to call out to him. Never in her life had she felt so helpless. She faced Kotal Kahn's judgment and D'Vorah's execution with defiance. In another time, she had been killed by her sister and died snarling. But now, for perhaps the first time, she knew true fear.

She was alone. As before, with Kotal and D'Vorah, she had no allies. No friends. Not even her father to defend her now, even after all she'd done for him. All she had was the mercy of this demented mirror of herself and Kitana.

"You and I are going to be close, little sister," the clone said, holding her blade to Mileena's face. "Closer than you ever were with Kitana. I'll see to it you know your place." She smiled, but then tapped the blade against Mileena's teeth. "Oh, but this won't due. No, not at all. If you wear a mask, you might be mistaken for me, and I can't have that. People need to know what you are, even if you hide your deformity."

She grinned as she pressed the blade's point against Mileena's flesh.

"I'll just carve 'dog' into your forehead. That way everyone will know."


Sweat poured down Shang Tsung's brow. Onaga struggled against the mystical bonds that pulled him deeper and deeper into the pit, and it took everything in Tsung's power to keep him contained. If he could hold just a bit longer, the Dragon King would be damned to the Netherealm for good.

Onaga's eyes burned with hate and rage. Smoke spewed from his mouth as he howled and snarled. Veins bulged in his muscles, but he continued to sink. He cursed and spat at the sorcerer in a strange, unknown language. He'd been dragged down to his chest, and the chains tightened around his neck.

The Dragon King lurched up. Tsung chanted his incantations louder and had his hands clamped together so tight, his wrists began to ache. Blood dripped from his nose due to the strain. He was so close … victory was in reach …

"ENOUGH!"

With a thunderous bellow, Onaga sprang out. The chains binding him shattered, and the circle containing him burst in a flash of light. Tsung was thrown backward by the force, his ears ringing, and tumbled across the ground in a daze.

Though free, the struggle took its toll on Onaga. He collapsed to one knee, gasping for breath, and glared at the sorcerer. His eyes bulged, and drool leaked from his grinding teeth. However weakened he might have been, his fury was stronger than ever.

"YOU …" he snarled. "YOU DARE …?! YOU DARE … INSULT ME?!"

Tsung wiped the blood from his nose and regained his bearings. If their duel with the binding circle weakened the Dragon King, it drained him. He needed to think fast, because that had been his trump card.

"I WILL END YOU!" Onaga said, stomping toward. "I WILL TEAR YOU LIMB FROM—"

In flash, the shape-shifter changed forms to the four-armed beast Kintaro. He met Onaga with a thunderous punch to the face that staggered the Dragon King. It was dangerous for Tsung to change into forms radically different than his own, as they required more energy and focus than others, but at the moment, he needed a Shokan's strength.

He pressed his assault, raining blows as hard as he could. Onaga grunted and stumbled backward and nearly fell to his back. If he could hold the form long enough, Tsung hoped to overpower him and perhaps break his neck or cripple him.

But the Dragon King answered with a crushing head-butt that put an abrupt stop to his efforts. A pair of haymakers left him out on his feet and open to an uppercut that sent him crashing to the ground on his back.

Tsung reverted to his normal form, writhing on the ground. Onaga stood over him, rubbing his jaw and breathing heavy, and picked him up by the neck.

"PITY YOUR ILL-CONCEIVED ATTEMPT AT HEROISM SHOULD COME UP SHORT, SORCERER. BUT THEN THAT'S BEEN THE STORY OF YOUR EXISTENCE, HASN'T IT, SHANG TSUNG?"

As the Dragon King's grip tightened on his neck, Tsung shot green flames into his chest in a last-ditch hope of draining his soul. Onaga winced slightly, but was unafraid. He took old of his wrist and forced his hand away—the green fire fading to nothing.

"AS A FORCE OF EVIL," he continued. "YOU WERE SECOND TO SHAO KAHN. AS A SORCERER, SECOND TO QUAN CHI. AS A WARRIOR, SECOND TO LIU KANG AND THE GREAT KUNG LAO BEFORE HIM. AND NOW … AS A WOULD-BE DEFENDER OF REALMS … YOU ARE ONCE AGAIN WOEFULLY INADEQUATE."

Tsung struggled, but his vision blurred as the Dragon King's thick hand strangled the life from him. He frantically tried to think of something—some last trick or maneuver. Anything from his arsenal to combat this, but nothing would come. He would meet his end with only Onaga's insults to take with him.

As everything went dark, he saw something moving. He blinked and cleared his vision enough to see her climbing onto the altar holding Shinnok's Amulet. Onaga noticed he was looking at something and turned.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

Sareena stood before the Amulet. Her face was resolved and fearless. Her eyes met the Dragon King's, and she didn't need to say anything.

"YOU FOOL!" he bellowed. "DON'T TOUCH THAT!"

She grasped the Amulet, and the Kamidogu came alive with a roar and blinding light.

End of Chapter XVIII