"I should have told you much sooner," Rain says.
He and I have been conversing and lying near the stream for what feels like hours. I lean on his chest as he peers downward at me in contentment. I have never felt so relieved to have someone finally recognize me over Kitana. However, things like this I particularly enjoy taking advantage of.
"It is of no great concern," I say quietly.
I listen to the distant sounds of town commotion, as well as the stream's quiet waters traveling from one end of the backyard to the next. We lay in silence for a moment. I feel his chest move up and down as he inhales and exhales. I close my eyes slowly, watching as my surroundings go dark due to my eyelids. Oh, how I long to rule Outworld with my sister's head as a trophy.
"It is almost sunset..." I sigh, knowing what lies ahead.
"You will succeed. Do not overthink it," he convinces me.
I smile upward at Rain behind my veil and climb on top of him. My hands rest near both of his shoulders as my legs trap him to the terrain on both sides of his body. I gaze into his eyes with lust written on my face.
"Yes, I will," I say seductively.
Rain's eyes narrow and reflect the same emotion of my own. He wastes no time in moving his hands to my hips, rubbing them sensually. I was never shy around Rain, he was always my ally. Now that he is more than that, I feel more alive when I am near him. Why not have fun with my lenient prey? I place my hands onto his hands as they explore my figure, being sure that they remain on my body. I guide his soft hands upward and advance to my breasts. He grips them and rubs them with his thumbs just before bringing me closer. Rain begins kissing my neck, causing me to giggle at the sensation.
Seduction is a wonderful thing. To have him under my influence brings a great thrill to me. Rain brings his grip to my hips, lifts me, places me on my back just before climbing on top of me. I wrap my legs around him as his lips travel down to the middle of my chest. The feeling delivers a strange delight to me and I let out a small snicker. He stops then looks up at me with a smile.
"What is so amusing?" he asks joyfully.
I pull him closer, closing any slight space that might have still been between us.
He comes face to face with me as I reply, "Do not worry about it, waterboy," alluringly.
"Oh, really?" he lets out a laugh then glances at the sky. "Dammit..." he states, still peering upward.
"What?" I ask wondering what is going through his head.
"We must go, the kombat gong will sound any moment now," he faces me again.
I see that it is now sundown, and it will soon be night. Such a pity this tournament is, first it prevents me from taking Kitana's life, Smoke's life and now it prevents my fun with Rain. Oh, how unfortunate. He stands and offers me his hand. I take it and he assists me in getting back to my feet. Our hands intertwine as he leads me back the way we came, exiting the only healthy garden I have ever seen in Outworld. I believe it is safe to assume I now fully have Rain under my influence.
We walk through the gate and proceed through the city. The crowd is a much less dense than what it was before. The closer time comes to night, the more civilians stay out of sight. The turmoil here has already begun, for we pass by people with swords and axes that aimlessly roam about the city. When they spot Rain and I walking hand in hand, they run in the other direction or simply stare at us in awe. They are probably wondering why the emperor's daughter is not at the tournament.
"Here we go," irritation laces my voice.
This upcoming battle is merely wasting precious time I could be utilizing to devour Kitana.
"Just win this and get it over with," he inputs.
We walk past the market stands we had passed earlier. Hiroto is no longer working, but something tells me he will be back tomorrow. He is most likely avoiding death like the other civilians. As we walk Rain grows quiet, so I inch closer to him and grip his hand tighter. He peers down at me with a now hidden smile as we approach the tournament building's door. As soon as he places his hand outward to open the door, the kombat gong sounds.
"Just in time," he says to me.
We open the door and inch inside. We do not even bother being stealthy about our entrance being that the gong is so loud. The heavy door closes behind us and we continue walking. Rain faces me and stops, seizing my other hand in his. I hear the sound of fighters fill the hall behind me, most likely heading for the kombat room just ahead of Rain and I in this corridor. I ignore them. Rain plants a gentle kiss on my forehead and then gazes at me with confident eyes.
"I shall succeed for the both of us," I promise, when in reality I will only succeed to move closer in my plans to quell Kitana.
Though it seems as though he is under my influence, I am uncertain how he will feel about my plans if I ever decide to inform him. There is also the possibility he may still care for her. If I can corrupt him enough to completely turn against her, he will obey me more than he obeys father and I shall be a step ahead of everyone. In due time I shall receive the credit I deserve.
"Do what you do best Mileena," he compliments.
He separates from me and I slowly watch as his hands part from mine as he heads into the kombat room with other kombatants. I stand here a moment as more warriors pass by, mentally preparing myself. I know where this fight will lead me; I shall claim my spot in the semifinals or claim my death. This is the tournament's last night being in Outworld.
"Mileena," I hear and turn to see none other than Smoke.
"Smoke."
"Good luck," he says as he places a hand on my shoulder.
"You are not going to teleport me are you?" I joke, referencing his special ability.
He chuckles and faces me with joyful eyes and a concealed smile.
"Not unless you want me to," he states.
The sound of all the warrior's feet traveling through this corridor rings in my ears. I begin to walk and he joins me at my side. His facial expression shows uneasiness as he follows alongside me.
"Who was that?" he asks me.
I know he must be referring to Rain. Why he cares is beyond me, but it matters little.
"Something of an ally," I reply cleverly.
I am unsure of what to call Rain. He is just the man I keep under control with my persuasion, for now. Rain being under my influence may prove to give me advantages in the future.
"Oh..." his tone is disappointing.
Smoke must have seen us standing hand in hand together. I question why he is so concerned about it, but I have greater things to worry about such as who I may be tearing the skin off of in the next three minutes. We walk through the door alongside other warriors.
"I shall see you afterwards," he pronounces while passing in front of me and joining the Thunder God at his side.
I walk through the crowd and join father's side, knowing I will soon be in the arena. I watch as all the warriors come in, awaiting the final battle. I peer down at Shang Tsung who has a more sinister grin planted on his face than usual. Father and Kitana on the other hand look bored of the entire thing. The drums seem to play louder and faster tonight as well. This surely is a big event for both forces. All of the warriors, servants and guards now settle, along with the drums. I spot Rain in the crowd, staring at the arena. He knows just as well as I do what is ahead.
"Kombatants!" Shang Tsung booms. "Welcome to final battle! The victor of this match will be the one to secure their spot in the semi-finals, which shall take place in Earthrealm!" his voice travels through the room impacting everyone. "Now may I present, Mileena, the daughter of the emperor Shao Kahn!" he announces, holding his hand out toward me.
I make my way down from father's throne and walk through the now parting crowd of fighters. Our forces cheer me on and pick up the volume as I enter the arena. I look through the crowd and spot Rain peering at me with joyous eyes. I strike a pose and point to him, letting him know I will still uphold my "promise," and to lead him on. This makes him laugh, though I cannot hear it over the cheering. He points back to me as well. I then turn left and spot Smoke standing near the Thunder God. He is not even looking my way, he is glaring at Rain. I merely act as if I do not notice and turn my attention to Shang Tsung.
"Mileena, you will be kombating Sub-Zero!"
The name strikes as familiar. Suddenly, a ninja in blue steps on to the arena, with cold ice blue eyes that stare back into mine. I have seen this man before, he is supposed to be dead. Interesting.
"This fight shall be your last," he says with anger in his voice.
"Then, let us dance," I say playfully while prancing around the arena.
This causes the cheers to grow louder. I fall into my stance and face him with determined eyes.
"Fight!" Shang Tsung shouts.
I waste no time and go in for the first attack. I swing my open palms forward, striking his chest and then I aim for another strike to his upper shoulder. He blocks it and sends a heavy kick to my abdomen, making me fall back. I do not falter, I teleport, leaving trails of magenta essence behind as I reappear in the air. I land on his shoulders and quickly flip him with my legs onto the arena floor and retreat back into my stance. He grunts as he comes to his feet with his fists clenched. I go for another attack, but I am cut short in my tracks.
I feel a force weighing down my foot and peer downward. Ice glues my right foot to the ground. I turn my attention to my foe once more in confusion. Sub-Zero takes this opportunity to send a jab to my upper jaw. He then sends yet another heavy kick to my chest just before stepping on my frozen foot, shattering the ice and leaving me in a great deal of pain. He then lifts me off the ground by my neck and left leg just before tossing me away and sending me flying to the other side of the arena. I land on my stomach with a groan. This one is strong, but I know I can win this battle.
I stand quickly and face him. I draw my sais swiftly and point them in his direction. Pink energy surges come from each, and travel in his direction swiftly. It strikes him in the mid chest and upper waist. I hear him grunt as I advance closer and land a sweep attack against him, causing him to crash on the ground. Before he can stand, I jump into the air, planting a sai into his shoulder. He shouts in pain as it penetrates into his skin, causing him to bleed. I begin to twist my blade as he grabs hold of my hand, freezing it in a few layers of ice. Sub-zero then proceeds to headbutt me just before kicking me off of him. I fall back slightly then catch my balance.
He places his hand on his shoulder I wounded, gripping the sai and pulls it out speedily and engulfs it in ice. He throws it at me with much force as it stabs through my leg. The pain is so sharp and cold it feels as if it cannot be real. I kneel and put my right hand on the ground for support with a painful groan, looking up at Sub-Zero who is about to attack. I remove the icy sai and it shatters on the ground. He conjures a ball of ice and aims it for me. As it advances, before it can make contact with me, I curl into a ball and roll quickly, sweeping Sub-Zero off his feet and into the air.
Before he lands, I teleport just above him, meeting his eyes as he falls. He lands on his back and a second later, I land on him, plunging my last sai into his lower chest with both hands. His eyes widen as he struggles for words, looking upward at me. He tries to reach for my hands for a last attempt, but I twirl the sai deeper into his flesh, making him flinch and tense up. Soon he is unable to move, so I stand, drawing my bloody sai from his body. I take a step back, wiping the blood from my sais onto my clothing as I catch my breath.
"Finish him!" father exclaims.
The look on father's face shows pleasure, he is indeed glad that I am the victor. However, killing Sub-Zero would be a waste of time. I strut over to where he lies on the ground and look downward at him with a hidden grin. He peers upward with tired eyes as I proceeded to stomp on his chest where I had stabbed him previously. A painful groan escapes his mouth and his eyes narrow. Our forces begin to cheer in unison as I place my sai back into its holster and face Shang Tsung with my hands on my hips.
"Congratulations Mileena, you shall compete in Earthrealm!" Shang Tsung's evil grin grows wide.
"Ermac, Rain, Mileena, and Kitana are the Outworld semi-finalists. Johnny Cage, Liu Kang, Kung Lao, and Smoke are the Earthrealm semi-finalists. The portal to Earthrealm will open at dawn," Shang Tsung announces. "And with that being said, let the real tournament begin!" he finishes his speech and turns to father, engaging in conversation.
I turn to see Kung Lao and Smoke run up to their now injured ally. They help him get to his feet. Kung Lao's eyes suddenly meet my own as they assist Sub-Zero.
"You did not kill him?" he asks in shock.
"I fight for myself, not my realm," I say loud enough for only him and Smoke to hear, putting his curiosity at slight ease.
Smoke however is more in awe than Kung Lao, and faces me with questioning eyes as they aid Sub-Zero.
"You are a formidable warrior," Sub-Zero manages to get out as he winces in pain. "But, I am not here to kill you," he states as they help him off of the arena and place him in front of the Thunder God.
The Thunder God reaches out with his hands as electricity shoots outward, slowly healing Sub-Zero's wounds. Smoke turns his attention to me. I get distracted by Rain entering the ring and wrapping his arms around me.
"I knew you would be successful," he whispers softly in my ear.
"Thank you, Rain," I respond in the same tone.
"For what?" he questions.
I end our embrace and face him.
"For believing in me," I reply with a concealed, devious smile.
He then smiles under his mask and lifts me up, and I wrap my legs around him as he raises his right arm up high.
"For Outworld!" he shouts, turning to our forces.
Our warriors go wild. I place one arm around Rain's shoulder and aim my other arm toward the skies as well, joining them in their cheer. It is a celebratory time for father's forces due to my win, but a celebratory time for me for being one step closer to executing my plan to murder Kitana. Rain sets me down, plants his lips on my masked cheek and places an arm around me as we chuckle in victory. I never witnessed Outworld warriors so full of life before. How pleasurable ruling over this realm shall be in the future. I discreetly turn and see Smoke still standing alongside Sub-Zero, Kung Lao and the Thunder God, glaring at Rain. I suddenly snap out of it when Sheeva lifts me with her top two arms and places me on the back of her neck.
"Mileena!" our forces started chanting my name as we all exit the kombat room.
We proceed down the corridor like an indoor parade as the Earthrealm forces proceed past us, going into their rooms. I feel so much taller atop of Sheeva. I touch the silver ceiling as she keeps walking. I see Kano, Reptile and even Baraka in the crowd below me cheering along with the rest of our forces. This brings another devious smile to my face. This is the first time so many warriors have acknowledged me for anything, it feels satisfactory. We reach the staircase and I jump down from the back of Sheeva's neck. The commotion lessens a bit.
"Bring us honor in Earthrealm just as you did this night," Sheeva states.
Everyone adds on to what she said, but it all sounds like one big shout.
"I shall," I say and everyone takes off in different directions, retiring to their quarters.
I wait a moment to for the crowd clear before heading up the stairs slowly. Rain is in the semi-finals, and so is Smoke, my only two allies despite my true sister Li Mei and the other Earthrealm acquaintances such as Johnny Cage. However, they could be drafted against each other...and that would be...strange; my allies murdering each other. However, I am plotting to murder my sister, so I am sure I seem much worse. Rain does not exactly know about Smoke or the others either. Regardless of the outcome, I will carry out my plan and I will not fear what may lie ahead. I reach the floor that my room rests in and see all the warriors heading into their rooms for the night in the distance. I suppose I should sleep tonight, for tomorrow I tread on unfamiliar grounds. I reach the end of my corridor, directly in front of my door. I do not open it yet, for I sense presence behind me.
"What is it with you?" I hear, knowing it is Smoke.
He must be addicted to pestering me everywhere I go. I would question how he managed to beat me here so quickly, but his teleportation is indeed rapid.
"What are you blabbering on about?" I turn to face him.
Shadows conceal most of his face and most of his body, making him slightly difficult to see. Though, I can tell he is leaning against his door and facing me in the darkness.
"You are the daughter of Shao Kahn, yet you do not fight for him. Your motives are your own. Why?" I could hear the seriousness through his voice.
"Why is it any of your concern?" I ask.
"There's a mystery to you Mileena," he steps closer to me; I can now see his masked face through the shadows. "You now have allies, but you fight for only you, and you do what you please. You are obviously not here to assist Outworld," he says as if he knows me. "Are any of your allies even truly allies? Or just advantages?"
Why are my actions such a great matter to him? It is not as if I am betraying him, or any of the other futile Earthrealmers.
"You know nothing mortal," I reply coldly while remaining calm.
"I know you are most likely here to murder someone in particular, who I wonder..." his words leave me somewhat stunned.
Smoke sees through me. I cannot think of anything to reply. I merely stare at him in silence, as he stares back at me. Are my ways so obvious that even an Earthrealmer can see through me? He steps closer, peering down into my eyes. He places his hand on my mask in an attempt to remove it. This causes me to panic, and I quickly grab onto his hand, stopping him.
"What are you doing?!" I exclaim with confused eyes.
"I want to see the real you," he speaks calmly but determined.
"I-I cannot allow you to do such!"
I step backwards and my back strikes my door, but he does not falter. He steps closer, places his right hand on the top of the door and reaches for my mask again. I grip his hand faster this time, with wide eyes. If he knew what I was...he would run like all the others. I do not wish to be looked at in fear anymore because of my appearance, while Kitana on the other hand has nothing to worry about.
"Yes you can," he then begins to pull my mask down slowly.
My sharp, pointed teeth are slowly revealed. I do not fight it anymore, I let him remove it from my face. I gaze upward at him as he analyzes my face for a moment, and then also removes his mask, allowing me to see his smooth face. His eyes hold interest as he looks into mine.
"There is a beautiful intrinsic mystique to you Mileena, why do you hide it?" he placed his left hand on the side of my face, rubbing it softly.
He looks at me as if I were...normal. I gasp at his comment and feel the unmistakable hunger urge come across me. I fight it, resisting the urge to bite into his flesh. I can see my eyes glow a deep orange, reflecting in his. I turn my head, but he makes me face him with his hand gently.
"You need to leave me be, I-I do not want to do this..." I concentrate on the words to make them sound serious.
I do not wish to lose control and attack him mercilessly. Maybe I should, his life is of no importance. He is just a mortal. But why can I not?
"Do not be afraid to look at me," his words are gentle.
"I am going to kill you..." I mutter in anger, masking the worry in my voice.
Why am I hesitating? He is an enemy! Yet he is also an ally...I do not wish to murder him like I do plenty others; feeding upon them afterwards. My body tenses even more, so I inhale and exhale at a steady pace, trying to slow down the hunger. Why it is so difficult to control as of late eludes me. How I am struggling against my natural instinct also baffles my mind.
"No, you won't," he reassures me as he gazes into my glowing, crescent eyes with his hand still gently grasping my cheek. "Why fight for Shao Kahn and destroy a realm when you are in this for yourself? Join Earthrealm Mileena, come with me," I know he is being honest; he wants me to fight for them.
But, I could never belong there; I do not even fit into the horrid forces of Outworld as it is. I might as well live in the Netherrealm. On the other hand, if I did join their forces, I may be pitted against my sister in the tournament. Then I would have fulfilled my goal. However, I would not have anywhere to go after it is all over, for I would be betraying father. That also means I would no longer be an heir.
"But...my father..." I say slowly, still calming myself and resisting devouring him where he stands.
"He will never be able to get to you, he cannot invade Earthrealm," he tries reassuring me.
"And if we capture Earthrealm?"
He leads his left hand down to my own and locks his fingers in mine.
"He will not take our realm," his voice rings with determination. I look downward as he stares intensely at me. "Come with me Mileena."
I focus my eyes back to his, seeing the reflection from my glowing eyes still illuminating brightly. Smoke's hand in mine feels unusually natural, so right. No...I cannot think like that, Rain is my ticket to Outworld success. Only he and Tanya have looked at me as if I am normal. Well...at least until now. How could I have allowed an enemy to become so close to me? What in the Orderrealm has gotten into me?
"Just kill him! Just kill him!" my thoughts run rampant.
I pull my hand away and turn my head, placing my mask back on. How pathetic of me to hesitate. I have never showed mercy to an Earthrealmer before in my ten thousand years of existence.
"I cannot..." I say as I twist my doorknob.
His hand stops mine suddenly, but gently. The soft texture of his skin upon mine comes to my immediate attention.
"As you wish..." he says as he brings me in closer by my upper waist, closing the distance between us. "I care for you either way," he whispers.
He gazes deeply at me as I return his glare. This calms my hunger urge and causes my eyes to divert back to their normal state. I stand here as my heart begins to bump nervously in his close proximity. Why am I so shaken? But more importantly, why is he doing this? Smoke then parts from me slowly and turns back. He heads inside his room across from mine, leaving me to the silence of the blue lit corridor.
"I care for you either way," his voice replays in my head.
I shake my head slightly, making certain this is real, and then head inside my room. How dangerously close the thought of betraying my father was. It would not be the first time, being that dearest Tanya also tried shifting my loyalty. However, I could not bring myself to do it five thousand years before just as I cannot now. How foolish my life seems at times such as these. I ease further into my room without a sound to see Li Mei in a deep sleep on the left side of my bed. I do not get time to tell her everything that happened tonight. I suppose tomorrow will do, for my mind is still at war. I close the door behind me and get into bed with her, placing my left arm around her torso. I close my eyes and let my mind return to war.
"Just get through the night. Just be ready for things to come," I think to myself.