-Chapter 5: A Rebellion Renewed

Twenty-five years ago, the ruins of Oslo...

Many cities had been hit hard during the Netherrealm invasion, broken beyond recognition and left abandoned long after the invasion had come to an end. Some were still reeling from the previous Outworld invasion, which had carved its own path of destruction, when the hell beasts and revenants attacked. Suffice to say, even in the aftermath, Earthrealm had certainly seen better days.

Raiden walked the deserted streets of Oslo, a northern city he seldom visited. He felt led here, some sort of strange feeling guiding him to this location, away from the Sky Temple and away from the nearest military headquarters. Truly, there was nothing special about here. And yet he felt led here...

"There is something about this place." He quietly mused, looking around. His sharp gaze scanned over every piece of debris and every piece of rubble strewn about this chaotic place. "Elder Gods direct me..." He whispered. Raiden did not want to miss out on whatever might be here, be it some threat that needed to be quelled or some power that needed to be uncovered. It was then that a commotion drew his attention skyward. Several winged demons rummaged through the remains of a small apartment building, a massive hole torn into the uppermost floors, completely exposing them. Their activity piquing his curiosity, Raiden took flight, lightning enveloping his body. Rushing towards the three demonic beasts, he attacked with a cry, powerful thunderbolts striking them all and killing them via electrocution. Thunder rumbled overhead as their dead bodies fell from the building, Raiden alighting where they had once stood. He surveyed the remains of the broken-in apartment, it's walls collapsed inwards and the roof turned to powder. Raiden decided to poke around himself. The dining room was mostly intact and Raiden stepped over some rubble to enter. A crinkled, dusty photo lay on the table, slightly disturbed during the chaos. The thunder god picked it up and eyed the family of three: mother, father and very young son. Such innocent lives likely lost during the horrific invasion. Flipping it over, Raiden read aloud a few penned words on the back. "The 'Shadrix' family..." He mused. It was then that Raiden's senses detected the presence of a mortal, somewhere within the rubble. Perhaps that was why those demons were rummaging around up here. Setting the photo down and turning around, Raiden saw the smudged and grime-covered face of a young child poking out from beneath the rubble. "Poor child... your parents were killed, weren't they?" He wondered, kneeling. The child shrunk back into the shadows, hiding under one of the larger pieces of rubble. "It's alright, little one. You are safe now." Raiden reassured him, reaching out a hand. The child slowly began to crawl out of his hiding place, keep wide, frightened blue eyes on the white-clad man wearing a big straw hat. The light slowly exposed his dirty and ripped red t-shirt and thin features, along with the dried tear streaks running down his cheeks. Who knows how long he'd been here for. Days? Weeks? As the child reached out to him, Raiden saw to his great surprise arcs of electricity jumping back and forth between his little fingers. "By the Elder Gods...!" he breathed, realizing this child was indeed powerful. "This traumatic event must have awakened your abilities." The child said nothing as Raiden took his hand in his, slowly leading him all the way out into the open. The thunder god felt a sense of kinship with this young boy and his godly senses revealed to him that this child was unlike any other. For this child had the powers of a lightning elemental. The boy stood still, looking back and forth between his destroyed home, the exposed outdoors and the strange man here with him. "What is your name, young one?" Raiden inquired.

"M-M... M-Magnus...?" He stammered in reply. Clearly frightened and obviously scared stiff, Raiden took pity on this little Magnus. He deemed the boy to be no older than four, maybe five years old. An innocent victim of the Netherrealm's brutality. He would find a new life, though. Raiden determined then and there to take this little Magnus under his wing and bring him back to the Sky Temple. The Shaolin would care for him, as would Raiden. This boy would not be abandoned to hopelessness. Despite the darkness surrounding the past few days, a light would shine soon enough. Raiden pulled the boy close, comforting him.

"You will be alright, Magnus Shadrix." He stated.

Present day...

Stumbling through the portal, Magnus suddenly found himself in the Kuatan Jungle, the greenery a welcome sight by comparison to the Netherrealm's hellscape. Surveying his surroundings, Magnus could only see a stream and a few stone ruins amid the thick jungle undergrowth. No sign of the rebel camp Mileena had established.

Still, the change of scenery was most welcome.

Bright sunlight streamed down through the thick, clustered treetops above them, creating a muggy atmosphere that was still warm and a tad suffocating, though the hot and humid jungle was definitely preferable to the choking, sweltering heat of the Netherrealm.

"Well... at least we're out of there." He mused, rolling his shoulders. "Any idea where we are?" He wondered aloud, thinking of Mileena. She didn't answer and he stopped, concerned. That's when he remembered that they were back in the land of the living and Mileena should've been resurrected. If not, he had a serious problem on his hands. "Mileena?" He wondered, turning around. But it appeared he had nothing to fear. It seemed the soul medallion had done its job.

There, crouched on the ground, was a very much alive Mileena, restored to life and no longer a spirit. The appearance of her spirit now manifested into whole flesh and bone, fully clothed as well, just like her ethereal appearance. The half-tarkatan examined herself, feeling the jungle breeze on her skin, her hands slightly damp from the mist-covered ground. She could feel again... live again.

"I am free... Free!" She breathed, basking in the sensation of what it felt like to truly be alive again. She looked up, eyes slightly wide as she began to experience things again. "I live... I live again."

"Yes you do." Magnus said as he knelt beside her. "And a good thing too. I wasn't quite sure how this was all going to work out."

"Yet you still tried... on pain of death no less." She added, looking to him. Magnus examined her amber eyes and the Tarkatan teeth lining her cheeks. Yet he did not see the supposed beast that everyone else claimed to see.

All he saw was a soul... a soul that was in need of care just like everyone else.

"Trust me yet?" He wondered with a grin, offering his hand.

"You're getting there." Mileena replied, taking his hand as he helped her up. "Come, I will lead you to my camp." With Mileena taking the lead, Magnus followed her as they began to trek through the jungle.

The remains of her rebel camp were far from pristine, but also not completely ruined. Still, no one was around and there were no signs that anyone had been there since Mileena's death.

"Deserted." Magnus mused looking around. "I'm tempted to say this was a bust."

"Not yet... I know Tarkatans. They are nomadic and there is always some sign of where they went." Mileena replied, kneeling and examining the ground. The impressions of many boots had been left behind, but none of them were fresh. Magnus began to attune his senses, hoping to be able to detect where they had left. If an army of Tarkatans had passed through anywhere, there would be a residual disturbance left behind in the particles in the air.

It was then that he detected a different type of disturbance.

"Someone's still here." He said, recognizing a strong cluster of ions somewhere close by. Mileena rose and followed his gaze to a batch of collapsed tents.

"I am Mileena Kahnum, true empress of Outworld!" She loudly called. "And I order you to reveal yourself!" Such a command would likely spark one of two reactions. Should this individual be a friend, they would come forward without hesitation. But if this was a foe, then a fight or a confrontation of some kind would be inevitable.

Fortunately, not one, but two Tarkatan scouts stepped forward from behind the ruined tents.

"Empress?!" One of them exclaimed, laying eyes on Mileena.

"Yes. I have returned." She answered. Then the other Tarkatan spied Magnus. One sniff of the air and he was able to tell who this was.

"Earthrealmer!" He growled, deploying his blades from within his arms and glaring at Magnus.

"Hold!" Mileena ordered him, raising her hands. "He has restored me to life! You owe him your allegiance." Stopping in his tracks, the Tarkatan retracted his blades as he and his friend knelt, muttering something in their native tongue.

"I'm gonna assume that this is a good thing." He noted, relaxing a little.

"You will have their respect as long as you stand with me." Mileena told him. "Tell me, where has my Tarkatan army gone?"

"We fled into the wastelands, Empress. After your demise, Kotal Kahn scattered us, chased us down in an effort to utterly crush the rebellion!" They answered.

"What of Tanya? What has become of her?" Mileena asked next, concerned about the wellbeing of her most loyal ally.

"She was caught and has been imprisoned by Kotal Kahn." A Tarkatan answered.

"And Rain?"

"Dead." He said, face downcast.

"That is unfortunate." Mileena responded. She knew Rain was not nearly as trustworthy as Tanya was, but he had still been a powerful ally.

"Now hold on, why would Kotal kill Rain but spare Tanya?" Magnus wondered. Something didn't seem right, especially if Kotal was so hellbent on destroying the rebellion and its leaders. Wouldn't he want Tanya gone as well?

"I do not know. But one living ally is preferable to two dead ones." Mileena answered.

"Very true." Magnus agreed, nodding his head. "So now what?"

"Where have the other survivors gone?" Mileena asked of the scouts.

"We have set up a camp in the desert, near the wastelands so that we might have access to the Sea of Blood." They told her.

"Take us there. We must gather our strength and form a plan of battle!" She determined. "This rebellion will be renewed. Ko'atal will fall!"

That night...

Upon arriving in the Tarkatan camp, Mileena's return was highly regarded by those she considered kin. They had great respect and reverence for her, given how they as a people owed their loyalty to Shao Kahn and how she was part Tarkatan. Magnus was at first greeted with some measure of hostility until Mileena calmed them down and explained that he was her savior. From then on, they treated him with similar respect and regarded him with the highest honor, for he had restored their true leader to them.

There numbers were few, Kotal Kahn having been quite thorough in his efforts to destroy the rebellion entirely. Magnus counted maybe five dozen of them, hardly enough to comprise an army but enough for a rebellion.

As long as they were put to use correctly...

Late that night, under a bright full moon, Magnus practiced alone on the shore of the Blood Sea. Raiden had taught him his personal fighting style of Nan Chuan, in addition to teaching him how to properly use his elemental powers in a fight, but he had also picked up some Wu Shu training during his time with the Shaolin. The two combined, along with his powers, made him a very potent fighter. Beating the air with synchronized punches and kicks, Magnus put on an elegant display of fluid movement that would surely impress anyone watching.

As a matter of fact, someone was watching.

From among the rocks surrounding the shore, Mileena watched as this curious Earthrealmer honed his skills, oblivious to her presence. Her piercing amber eyes gleaming in the dark, she watched him like a predator observed prey, waiting for the right moment to reveal herself. As Magnus slowed down, his movements less frequent and less aggressive, she slowly stepped out from between the rocks and continued to observe him, walking ever so slowly towards the Earthrealmer.

Coming to a rest as he slowed, Magnus concentrated on the ions in his body and around them, drawing on their power to keep his senses alert. It was then that he detected the cluster of ions behind him and he turned to see who it was. His powers could not tell him who, only where. Mileena seemed startled by his sudden move, not expecting him to notice her.

"I could sense you coming." He stated with a grin, surprising her. "Everything alright, Mileena?" He asked.

"All is well. The Tarkatans are most certainly pleased I have returned." She answered, confidently walking up to him. "Kotal Kahn has not been kind to their race in my absence."

"Actions, no doubt, brought on by their allegiance to you." Magnus mused, generating a ball of electrical energy within his hands. "Cause and effect. It's what makes the world go 'round." He added, bouncing his construct back and forth between his hands, arcs of electricity rising as he toyed with it. Mileena watched him curiously. He seemed to know exactly what he was doing. Everything about his actions were fluid and smooth, one translating into another with a structured and intentional grace she had not seen before.

"Your powers... I know Rain could summon bolts of lightning as well." She commented.

"Perhaps a latent effect of his hydromancing abilities. No doubt they're linked to storm clouds." Magnus said. "But I doubt raw electricity was his to command."

"Water was more his thing." Mileena replied, crossing her arms. Summoning his abilities, Magnus generated a sword made of electrical energy.

"This one takes a lof of concentration and sheer power, but it's worth it." He explained, showing off his construct before it dissipated in a burst of sparks.

"Pretty." Mileena mused, looking out over the sea before them. "Have you given any thought to our plan of action?" She wondered.

"I have. It's good, we just have to make it work." Magnus replied. The current battle plan involved a two-pronged assault by the Tarkatans in order to provide a distraction. However, Magnus had a few thoughts in addition. Mileena wanted to take Kotal by force, but he had other ideas. "We need to free Tanya first. The three of us stand a much better chance against him and his allies. How many does he have now?"

"Ermac, Reptile, D'Vorah, Erron Black," Mileena listed off, "there are many who stand with him."

"All powerful in their own right." Magnus concluded. "We need Tanya to get past them, we can't allow Kotal any support."

"I agree. Many of them are traitors, they must pay for rebelling against me!" She growled, remembering how Reptile and D'Vorah had conspired against her.

"Justice will be done." Magnus reassured her. "If anything, I will help you see to it personally." Mileena fell silent, but was very grateful for his words. Turning back to look out over the Sea of Blood, Mileena fell to contemplation, pulling the pink veil over the lower half of her face down. Magnus' gaze was drawn to her large, white Tarkatan teeth. He thought them a very interesting feature, despite the fact they seemed quite out of place. It added to her personality of being a femme fatale: beautiful yet dangerous.

Beautiful... Yes, that truly was an accurate description of Mileena, he thought. Teeth and all.

"I... I know how I feel about Shao Kahn now. Still, I cannot help but feel drawn to my old ways." She admitted after a moment of silence.

"By trying to avenge him?" Magnus wondered.

"Yes."

"I think you may have to ask yourself the hard questions." He surmised, crossing his arms. "Do you really want to avenge the man who belittled you, ridiculed you and disowned you?"

"No." Mileena responded, shaking her head.

"I know such a connection will be hard to break, but you must. It will only help you in the future." He continued. "By not taking after him, you will only improving your chances as empress. You cannot afford to make the same mistakes he and Kotal have made. You'll have to change everything about the way you rule."

"To what end, Magnus?" She quietly asked.

"Until everyone views you as an empress," he responded, "and not as a threat." His words sank in and Mileena realized he was right. The only way to be perceived as an Empress was if she acted like one. And her dogged pursuit of avenging Shao Kahn had cost her the throne to begin with. She had not acted like an empress, therefore, she had not been treated like one. "You're going to have to be more than Shao, more than Kotal. You're going to have to be better than any emperor to ever sit on Outworld's throne." Magnus continued. Mileena slowly nodded, understanding what he was saying and knowing that she would have her work cut out for her. But the more she dwelt on his words, Mileena's thoughts slowly drifted to Magnus himself. His determination to help her, whatever the reason may be, seemed so unlike any Earthrealmer she'd met before. Surely there was something behind his actions...

"What do you want out of this?" She suddenly said. Magnus wasn't quite sure how to answer that.

"I'm sorry?"

"You have gone to all this trouble to free me, to restore me... to what end?" She elaborated. "What do you seek from me?" A momentary lull ensued as Magnus determined how to best answer her, picking his words carefully.

"To be completely honest, Mileena, I just want peace between Earthrealm and Outworld." He finally stated. Mileena was clearly taken aback by his simple answer.

"Peace? That is all?" Magnus nodded.

"That is all."

"Why?" Mileena wondered.

"Because I have seen the toll these tensions take on Lord Raiden. They darken his nature, harden his heart. He is not the benevolent thunder god I grew up with." Magnus quickly took note of her dour expression and her creased brow as she frowned at the mention of the thunder god. "I know you are not fond of him, you still hold some element of hatred towards him for his role in killing Shao Kahn."

"And he would never accept me as ruler of Outworld. He hated Shao Kahn, surely he feels the same way about me, the one declared his daughter." She growled. "Be assured, the feeling is mutual."

"Sometimes you have to be better than those you hate by choosing not to hate them." Magnus stated, taking a much softer tone. "Hating Raiden will only bring you down a level, beneath your rightful position as empress. A true empress knows who is worth their attention and who is not." Mileena's expression shifted with his words as she recognized the truth behind him. She hadn't been a very good empress prior to Ko'atal's usurping the throne, so hellbent on avenging Shao Kahn she became oblivious to the threats amassing right under her nose. Magnus was putting everything into perspective for her. She realized now what she had done wrong and how to correct it. Fortunately, she was going to get a second chance.

"You are a wise man, Magnus." She thoughtfully mused, pondering his thoughts. "You... You truly believe me capable of being an empress? So many others would disagree." Magnus nodded.

"I do." He answered, truthfully. "Do not listen to the folly of others, only the truth that resides in your heart." Mileena smiled a little, wisdom seemingly dripping from his mouth like an overflowing jar. She continued to dwell on his words when she was struck by a sudden thought. Magnus was giving his all for her sake and so that Raiden might reap the benefits.

Nowhere in his words or intentions was there anything for him to gain.

The longer Mileena dwelt on this, the more she realized Magnus also had everything to lose. He would face the distrust of other Earthrealmers, Raiden's own anger and quite possibly banishment from Earthrealm, if the thunder god was enraged enough. All because he was helping her reclaim the throne. He was putting everything on the line... for her sake.

But why? His reasoning still did not make sense to her. Mileena was determined to figured out his true intentions. Did he like her? Did he secretly crave power for himself? She decided to test him. "Many are often frank about their opinions of me." She quietly stated. Magnus looked to her.

"I can imagine those words must hurt sometimes." He said. Mileena nodded slowly.

"Some deem me a monster, others simply 'hideous'. Some mock my ability to rule while others look down on me altogether, calling nothing more than a... a construction of Shang Tsung." She continued. Mileena suddenly looked up, her feral eyes meeting Magnus' electric blues. "What do you think of me, Magnus? Do you think me hideous as well?" She asked, no doubt explicitly referring to her Tarkatan teeth. Her question left Magnus a little strapped for words. She must want him to be frank with her, but if he was, Magnus wondered how she might respond to the truth. As for how he felt about her appearance, he could concur that Mileena was certainly a shapely individual, curvaceous and very beautiful. But the presence of her Tarkatan teeth generally tended to dissuade anyone who might be attracted to her.

But Magnus... didn't see that.

He'd heard her referred to by many degrading titles, even more than the ones she'd mentioned. 'Loathsome beast' and 'vicious cur' among some of the more colorful names ascribed to her. But he saw a woman. A living, breathing woman with thoughts and dreams. She was no different from any other, despite what her looks might suggest. Sure, he knew of her carnivorous and sometimes cannibalistic urges, but she was still someone worthy of being respected... and deserving of love.

"On the contrary, I am not repulsed by your appearance. In fact, I find your teeth rather... alluring." He admitted. Mileena cocked her head.

"Do you now?" She wondered in a curious tone.

"Yes. They invite a certain sensation of danger that is... hard to resist." He said, carefully choosing his words.

"A pleasant kind of danger..." She mused, intrigued by his words. She couldn't say as anyone had ever used them to describe her before. In fact, hardly anyone had ever described her so positively before. "Few have ever referred to my appearance with such terms. They would prefer I keep my face covered, or that I be dead altogether."

"I say to hell with what they'd prefer." Magnus stated. "You are you, and there's nothing wrong with who you are." Mileena openly smiled at his warm, calming words. If he wasn't spouting a truthful proverb or wisdom of some kind, he was reassuring her and encouraging her.

"I have never properly thanked you for restoring me. You have given me what is the most precious gift of all: a second chance at life." She honestly told him. Magnus nodded in acceptance.

"You can thank me by declaring peace between the realms." He replied with a slight grin. Mileena lightly chuckled in response. "I'm gonna go get some rest, tomorrow will be busy." Magnus stated, turning around to leave the beach. Mileena stayed behind and watched the setting sun, pondering the person of Magnus and who he was. So many men had used her for their own means: Shao Kahn, Reiko, Goro, even Rain.

But Magnus... Magnus was the only one to ever truly help her.

Surely, he was unlike any man she'd ever met and definitely unlike any Earthrealm man she'd met. He was wise and considerate, encouraging and uplifting. Tomorrow's attack on the Outworld palace would truely test his loyalty to her. But so far he had proved himself a man worthy of her trust.

That, and he was pretty handsome too.

Despite his robes, she could tell he was fairly well-muscled, his fluid movements testament to how much practice he had. His piercing blue eyes and thick black hair, combined with his sharp jaw and toned features really completed his look. Mileena would be lying if she said she didn't find him attractive. Plus, his willingness to help her and be there for her certainly helped her positive feelings for him.

But there would be time for that later. Tomorrow would be a trying day which would require her full attention.

For tomorrow she would reclaim the throne of Outworld.