Netherrealm-Sea of Blood
After teleporting to the Netherrealm, Tanya and Rain began their search for the Edenian she had sensed earlier, but they quickly reached a dead end. It wasn't that they were searching for hours and just couldn't find the Edenian, no, Tanya just couldn't feel their presence anymore. Rain was obviously frustrated at this and Tanya couldn't blame him. They were deep in enemy territories now and could run into Liu Kang and the other revenants any time now. None of this sat well with him.
"Are you sure you can't sense the Edenian?" Rain asks.
"Yes," she replies. "They've must have left the Netherrealm."
"Or they don't even exist," Rain accuses. "And you've lead us on an imaginary quest into the Netherrealm!" She watches as the male angrily glares at her when not too long ago he caressed her in his arms. They've been through so much for so long. Everyone in their alliance was either dead or captured and now she could see they were coming to the end of their journey with each other.
"We might as well leave," she says, just as a foggy mist begins to swirl around their feet. A giant shadow suddenly appears and soon the pair is staring right at Smoke.
"I've located the intruders," He says.
"Excellent, Enenra," Kitana says, walking out of the smoke with her steel fans. So the smoke demon, Enenera, was now entirely in control of Smoke's body? Rain took out his sword and Tanya had her dragon naginatas in each hand. "Rain and Tanya, the only two reminders of the weak Edenian race."
"You were Edenian!" Tanya yells. "You were our princess!"
"And you were thief!" Kitana snaps, turning to Rain. "And you were a bitter prince who abandoned his home out of jealousy of his two half brothers. Then you both dared to serve that abomination created by Shao Kahn!" Tanya stood her ground. She didn't expect the former princess to lose her hatred of her clone, especially since said clone has tried to kill her several times.
"We chose the side that suited Edenia's best interest!" Rain argues. "Which is why we are here. We think there's an Edenian wondering through the realms somewhere." Tanya's glare turns to the water sorcerer. Moments ago he doubted an Edenian even existing and now he was sharing this information in hopes of survival? Kitana replies by unfolding her fans.
"I've had enough," she says. "Time for your execution." She leaps into the air and begins spinning rapidly, the blades of her fans transforming her into a deadly cyclone before they collided with Rain's blade. Tanya is about to assist him when Enenra suddenly appears, punching her square in the face. She stumbles back, spitting out the small amount of blood that formed in her mouth.
"A traitor and a thief," He says, raising his fists.
"Talking to yourself, Enenra?" She asks. He takes another punch at her but she manages to block it, grabbing him by the wrist and bringing him forward as she twists around to slam her elbow into his nose. She pushes his back and tries to kick him but he blocks her heel with his forearm. With a loud grunt he forces her back, forcing her to lose her balance. She quickly arches into a back walkover, regaining her footing before avoiding another one of his attacks. She backhands him before delivering two kicks to the chest and to the head. He stumbles back, dizzy from the blows and that's when Tanya knows she has him. It only takes two more calculated jabs to the face to have the demon collapse to the ground. She doesn't celebrate her victory just yet, quickly turning around to see Kitana about to deliver the final blow to a battered Rain. She grabs one of her weapons from the ground and chucks it at her fan, knocking it out of the woman's hand. Kitana yells out in anger and pain as she turns to face her.
"You will die, Tanya!" She threatens. She somehow manipulates the air around her so that her fan returns to her hand and charges at Tanya. The women's weapons begin to clash, sparks flying as it quickly becomes steel versus steel. Kitana leads the assualt as Tanya simply tries with all her might not to lose her head. The former princess manages to get the upper hand, kicking Tanya in the gut before raising her knee to her forehead. Tanya feels herself fall back before hitting the ground hard. Not soon after Kitana kicks her twice in the ribs, causing Tanya to scream out in pain. She feels the edge of Kitana's fan press against her neck and she stops moving.
"You don't have to do this, Kitana," She says. "Help us bring Edenia back to it's former glory." She was running out of options, if she didn't come up with something quick she was going to die in this hell realm.
"It is time for Edenians to become extinct," she says. She raises her fan to strike.
"Just like Jade," Tanya blurts out. Kitana stops her attack in mid-air, her eyes widening at the woman on the ground. Kitana tosses her fan to the side and wraps her hand around Tanya's throat, lifting her to her feet. Tanya struggles to break free as Kitana tightens her grip.
"Watch your tongue," She hisses.
"What happened to her, Kitana?" Tanya gasps. She stares into the other's eyes, sensing that she's found a way out. "No one has seen her since Shao Kahn's defeat. What did you do?" She watches Kitana's eyes briefly fill with tears before she launches Tanya away. Tanya rolls on the ground and gets up on her feet just as Kitana grabs her fan.
"I tried to save her!" Kitana yells. "But Quan Chi..." She cuts herself off, glancing at Enenra to make sure he's still knocked out.
"What did Quan Chi do, Kitana?" She asks. Tanya sees that the name brings hate in Kitana's eyes, yet she knows the female warrior still served him and Lord Shinnok. Kitana whips around her fans, a portal appearing suddenly.
"Take Rain and get out of here," She says. "Go quickly before Enenra awakens." Tanya didn't need to be told twice. She quickly runs up to Rain and throws his arm over her shoulder. They limp over to the portal but Tanya stops just as they're about to enter it.
"Thank you, Kitana," she says.
"Don't thank me," Kitana warns. "If you're caught here again, I will kill you." Tanya nods and without further delay enters the portal. They seem to be in a rocky area, a place unfamiliar to her.
"I think we're back in Outworld," Rain mumbles, beginning to come to. Tanya is about to agree when she hears someone approaching. She barely has time to turn around when she's face to face with someone she thought was long dead.
"Well, well, well," Shang Tsung muses. "What an unexpected surprise."
Outworld-Wastelands
Lorelei has been traveling with Ashrah for a few days now and hasn't had anymore strange visions since. They somehow managed to get out of Netherrealm without being detected. Ashrah had figured as much, something about the new emperor having bigger things to worry about. Now they were in Outworld, in an area that reeked of death and sorrow.
"What is this place?" she asks, looking at the night sky they had been under for more than twelve hours. Strange birds flew all around them as they continued to walk. Ashrah seemed hesitant to answer at first but finally looked back at the other girl.
"These are the wastelands," she answers, taking off her hat out of respect. "Although now these grounds are filled with loss, they were once the home of Edenia."
"Edenia?" she repeats, looking at the tattoos all over her body. "That's-"
"That's where your markings come from," Ashrah finishes. "A former emperor of Outworld had invaded the realm and killed their king, fusing their realm with Outworld's. The result was this." Lorelei was disgusted. She could tell by the delicacy of her tattoos that the place they originated from must have been beautiful. The fact that it had now crumbled to what was in front of her truly showed what a monster that emperor must have been.
"How long until we reach Bo Rai Cho?" she asks. Ashrah laughs slightly.
"We won't be able to until we get some supplies," she says, nodding forward. Lorelei looks ahead to see a huge storage room with a strange dragon symbol on it's doors. Lorelei stops walking as she continues to stare at that symbol. Memories of her in front of men with those symbols flash across her mind. She sees them handing her these huge weapons as a woman besides her gives them money. Her vision clears as Ashrah snaps her fingers in front of her. "Are you ok?"
"Yeah I'm fine," she says, shaking her head clear.
"Are you sure?" Ashrah asks. Lorelei nods her head, which finally satisfies the other woman. She walks up to the storage door, taking out her sword. There's a strange energy coming from that sword, she can feel it. Ashrah waves it around until she strikes at the door lock, slicing it off the door before the door itself swings open from the impact. They both walk inside, the lights somehow turning on as soon as they walk in. Before them were tubs filled with weapons similar to the ones in her memory. Ashrah ignored all of that and walked to a large cabinet at the end of the room. She opens it and gives out a sigh of relief. Before Lorelei can ask what she found, the other women has already tossed a bag into her hands. Lorelei opens it and quickly understands that the cabinet is filled with food. She takes the dried up jerky meat and quickly eats it as Ashrah starts putting more and more food in her empty sack.
"Who does all this belong too?" She asks, still eating as she starts to examine the weapons one by one.
"Humans from Earthrealm," Ashrah answers. "I'll explain them later." She throws the sack over her shoulder and starts walking to the front. Lorelei sees a small device in the shape of a sphere and grabs it.
"What does this do?" she asks.
"Don't touch that!" She yells, snatching it away. As soon as it's in her hands electric volts shoot all over her body. Ashrah cries out quietly before falling to the ground. Lorelei goes to help when a man shows up in front of the door, laughing.
"To answer your question, it zaps anyone who touches it when I press this button," He says, showing a device in his hands.
"Who are you?" she asks.
"The names Jarek," he replies. "Now who might you be and why are you stealing Black Dragon property?"
"We didn't know this belonged to anyone," Lorelei says.
"Right, which is why you broke in?" He counters, calmly taking out his blade. He charges at her but Lorelei holds out her hand and a bright green blast shoots out of her palm, hitting him directly in the chest and sending him out of the room. She looks at her hand stunned, not believing that the power came from her. She hears Ashrah's coughs and quickly runs to her side to help her.
"We need to go," she insists, helping the other girl up to her feet. They grab the bag of food and leave the storage, finding Jarek still passed out on the ground.
"I didn't think the Black Dragon would come back," Ashrah said. "Not after betraying Kotal Khan."
"It's not your fault," Lorelei says. "Let's just keep going." Ashrah nods her head and the pair begin to run away. Both of them were unaware of the shadow that was watching them. Completely hidden by the night, Ethrot flew off to report back to Nitara. They have found their enemy.
Outworld-Shang Tsung's Flesh Pits
"Meat!" Mileena yells out. Like an obedient lap dog, the hideous creature limps quickly to Mileena's side.
"Yes, empress?" He asks, bowing before her.
"Where is Shang Tsung?" she demands. "I wish to have a word with him." She wanted to know the progress of her clones. Her mental connection with them after their first initial 'birth' was disconnected due to her still being weak from resurrection.
"He has left to investigate a portal near our hideout, my empress," Meat tells her. "He should be back momentarily." Mileena lets out a small hiss, but collected herself before she lashed out. There was nothing she could do but wait for the sorcerer to return.
"Very well," she says. "Where's my General?"
"In the training room, your highness," He says, leading the way through the corridors. Eventually he opens the doors to a large room where Baraka is training. Not too far away Prince Goro and Ermac watch on.
"I thought Tarkatan don't believe in trained kombat?" Goro asks.
"Which is why I have been able to maintain my position high among the ranks," He says, noticing Mileena. "That, and my loyalty." She smiles at her General, turning to the Shokan.
"And why haven't you gathered the rest of your race?" Mileena questions. "Are they no longer the savage warriors you've praised over and over again?"
"After their defeat to Kotal Khan Sheeva took over," He explains. "She has a plan that will help us later on, empress. You have my word." Mileena begins to hum as she walks around the four armed warrior.
"Well, you and your sister have proven to be exceptional to my cause," she says, deciding to trust her old friend. She turns to Ermac, who crosses his arms. "But why should I trust you? You were the one who tipped the fight with Kotal Kahn in his favor. How do I know you won't betray me again?"
"We are under Shang Tsung," He answers. "As long as he serves you, we do." Mileena caresses the male's cheek, her veil covering her teeth.
"The day you don't is the day I feed on your flesh," She promises. She then turns to Baraka, her most trusted ally.
"I think I'm ready for my training," she says. Baraka retracts his bones back inside him.
"Very well," He says. Mileena makes her way to floor when the double doors suddenly open, revealing a smug looking Shang Tsung. Very annoyed, Mileena took out one of her sais to pick at her fingernails.
"About time you showed up," She says. "I want a report on my clones."
"They are doing excellent, empress," He reveals. "But that is not why I'm here. I've found something of yours." He grins at the sight of her of her confusion, which angers her more. How dare he speak in riddles? She walks forward with her weapon in hand when Tanya and Rain appear through the entrance. The last time she saw them was when Kotal Khan attacked her hideout. They told her to run as they laid out their lives for her.
"You're alive," Tanya breathes out, quickly wrapping her arms around her. Mileena quickly returns the hug.
"My dearest Tanya," she whispers, pulling away from her to look at Rain. "You're both alive."
"And here to help you regain your throne," Rain adds. Mileena turns to Shang Tsung, the sorcerer now proven that he means what he says. With her new allies joining her and her clones, Outworld was within Mileena's grasp. Now she would stop at nothing until she has Kotal Khan's head and she will kill anyone who gets in her way.