The Confrontation

Darrius held his fists out before him as he bounced back and forth. Tremor the whole time stood as stiff as a mountain.

"C'mon now." Darrius smirked as he danced about before him." C'mon bring it." Mileena chuckled darkly. She had picked up Darrius off the streets of the Orderrealm. There he was the number one criminal, known and wanted for his anarchist and immoral character. But that was exactly the kind of character Mileena liked.

With a grunt Darrius dashed forward and punched Tremor on the side of his stone face. The punch tilted his face and the grinding of the stone was heard but Tremor simply stood there. More like he could do nothing as Darrius quickly punched him on the other side of his face.

With a laugh he reached up and punched him again. This fight already seemed over. Tremor looked too big, too slow and too dumb to even think about blocking Darrius' quick punched.

With another step forward Darrius jabbed his right fist ready to take Tremor's head clean off. But for the first time this entire fight Tremor moved. He swung up his hand and caught Darrius' hand in his own. Then with his free hand Tremor swung up a fist and punched Darrius in the jaw.

The strength of it not only broke Darrius jaw but caused it to rip open the left side of his face, with the jaw hanging clean off.

Unable to withstand the immense pain but aware it had happened Darrius stumbled back, his legs wobbling beneath him and forcing him to reach out for the pillar to try and balance himself.

Kotal watched with a smile as Tremor took a heavy step forward. The entire palace shaking with each slight step of his foot. Darrius pushed himself off the pillar and wobbled out before Tremor.

Tremor slowly brought us hands up. As he did his stone arms grew, not only that but the pillars and floor broke apart and added to them until both his hands turned into giant hammers. Then he swung both further and crushed Darrius' head between them. Leaving a headless body behind.

"Winner, Tremor." Kotal announced. The mask on Tremor's face hissed as he let out a sharp breath. With his task accomplished he returned to his Emperor's face having won him their first victory in the Tournament.

Mileena however was enraged. This has been a second fight in a row she had lost. With each passing moment her claim as Empress seemed to fade faster.

Meanwhile Sub Zero removed himself from the palace grounds after that and sought the peace and quiet that only nature could provide. But in this dark place even nature's grace was tarnished.

"Lin Kuei!" called a voice. And Sub Zero knew who it was. Turning he saw none other than the Empress herself Kitana standing there. The sour look that was her face for the past few days was still there. And those shining blue eyes looked more enraged now that ever.

"Empress." He turned to her. But as soon as he finished saying that she swung out both her hands, holding her fans in each of them.

"The penalty for insubordination is death." She told in an iron voice." On your knees." Surprisingly he did not argue and did as she requested. Placing both knees on the ground and then resting his hands on them, waiting for her. When he looked back up she was standing over him, her fans placed around his neck and ready to sever his head." You obey me now in private yet openly rebel me in public, why?"

"I swore to fight for you." He answered." But not to kill for you." Since her fans had inched away from his neck he thought it was safe from him to stand so he did. Towering over her several inches forcing her to look up at him." I do not kill those that cannot fight back. There's no honor in that."

"Would you not kill a man if he tried to kill you?"

"Many men have tried to kill me." He told." And I promise you, very few of them were killed by my hands." He would not give in on this principal. It was the defining subject of his character. He had reformed the Lin Kuei based around such principals and he would never abandon them.

"Your Sub Zero." She said." And you are the Grandmaster no less, killing is in your blood. Your brother wore the same armor and he acted much more fitting." A dark glare flashed in Sub Zero's eyes. It always came back to Bi Han. All his life all he ever was, was compared to Bi Han.

"And he served under your father." Sub Zero replied." And we see where their lives of warring and violence took him." And that seemed to visibly shock Kitana. "You want to take back your throne but killing a defenseless person is not Justice. Was it Justice when Kotal Khan killed Jade before your very eyes?" Without another word Kitana reached up and slapped Sub Zero across the right side of his face. Had it been the left he would have seen it coming. She sat there huffing and puffing angry breaths before him. It was a few more moments before he spoke again." Outworld shouldn't have to trade one bloodthirsty tyrant for another. You can be a better that Kotal Khan or your father if you abandon these extreme methods." Silence followed between them after that.

And now Kitana had a choice to make. Time stopped still and history was looking down at her. It was the time to decide what ruler she was going to be. Either a bloody thirsty tyrant or a benevolent angel of mercy. Glory was her's if she'd only reach out and grab it.

"You have thought long and hard on these principals haven't you Lin Kuei?" she questioned.

"Someday you might learn how they grieve me so." He answered. With her hands on her hips Kitana continued to look at him.

"You just might be right Lin Kuei." She answered." Very well." She tilted her face back to him." We shall continue to fight but we will do it in a less 'brutal' manner."

"It's a start." He answered.

"We will not kill?" Reptile and Ermac questioned together.

"Yes." Kitana said." I forbid it. Unless it is of the utmost importance and in defense of yourselves."

"But in every fight we are defending ourselves." Ermac pointed out." And any foe who challenges us are your enemies."

"And we are sworn to kill all your enemies. "Reptile added." And-"

"Not anymore." Kitana jumped in.

Sub Zero casually stood by as Kitana addressed the two. She didn't sound entirely confident with herself and the words sounded unnatural coming from her. But she said them none the less and though confused Ermac and Reptile would obey her.

Evidently a reformed Kitana had given up on her vow of earning her throne back by blood. Only time would tell if she would stick with it.