Chapter 12: Merciful Vengeance
Kitana is in the Tarkatan camp, searching for Lin Kuei members. But unknown to Shao Kahn, she is defying her 'emperor'. It is time for her to do her part of the mission. But she is being followed.
"I know you are there, Li Mei. Show yourself." Kitana said. Li Mei comes out of hiding from behind some big tents and approaches her.
"Forgive me, Kitana. I could not help but want to get away from Shao Kahn." Li Mei said.
"You dare to try to abandon him?" Kitana demands while pretending to be loyal to Shao Kahn.
"No. It is just him lecturing me like a child while reminding me of my village, the Sun Do. It….. Shook me. He has always been this angry. But he's always like that towards me, but never to you." Li Mei said.
"I am the princess of Outworld! Daughter of Shao Kahn! I always accomplish my goals! Whatever to please him!" Kitana lies.
"Then why do you speak with Earthrealmers?" Li Mei reveals, surprising Kitana.
"I do not know what you mean." Kitana claimed.
"I watched you come out of their chambers the previous day. What are you up to, Kitana?" Li Mei accuses her.
"Li Mei. I need you to listen to me." Kitana said.
"No! I will bring you before Shao Kahn!" Li Mei said, getting out her sais. Kitana is forced to fight her.
Li Mei swings her sais at Kitana, only for her to use her fans to block it. Kitana jumps and triple kicks her in the face and sends her stumbling back. Li Mei throws her sais at her, but Kitana throws her fans to deflect them away, approaches Li Mei and does a chop strike to her left rib cage, a knee strike to the chin, and double kicks her in the chest and forehead. Her fans come back to her hands and she waves them in place, and the wind picks up, scooping Li Mei off her feet. Kitana jumps up and kicks Li Mei in the chin, sending her back. She jumps again and punches her head to the ground, easily defeating her.
"Forgive me, Li Mei. I did not wish to do that." Kitana apologizes. She brings out a blue vile. "Liu Kang knew this would happen. Please remember everything."
Kitana pours the blue mist stuff onto Li Mei's face after she was knocked out. The princess of Outworld then leaves to continue her part of the mission. Lightning strikes down from the sky to reveal Fire God Liu Kang and Raiden approaching Li Mei as she begins to wake up.
"Li Mei. Are you alright?" Fire God Liu Kang asks her.
Li Mei starts to regain her bearings as she comes to. She gasps for air, like she just had a dream. "What…. What has happened? How did I get here?"
"Li Mei. Do you recognize me?" Raiden asked as he steps up.
Li Mei takes a good look at Raiden and is stunned by his change of appearance. "L-Lord Raiden? How? What has happened to you? And the chosen one?"
"I am only Raiden now. We have to explain to you the situation we all face." Raiden tells her.
Raiden and Liu Kang explain to Li Mei everything that has happened following Mileena's demise, Shinnok's defeat and the rise and fall of Kronika and crafting the New Era. And that they are trying to improve the timeline as much as possible and restoring everyone's memories.
Li Mei took some time to take it all in. "So all of this happened after Mileena died. And now we are back here again for the tournament. Where Shao Kahn ruled. And now Kitana was Kahn for a while before this Kronika messed with time. Given that I could not remember anything until now, I would say I have no choice but to believe you."
"Fear not, Li Mei. Right now, we are working together to win the tournament and hopefully kill or banish Shao Kahn. There is something that I need you to do." Liu Kang said. He whispered something in her ear. Li Mei looks at the new god and nods.
"I do not like this idea, Lord Liu Kang. Given my recent failures, I do not know if I will succeed." Li Mei doubts herself.
"Have faith in your abilities. Do not let Shao Kahn's words get to you. He is not your master. Not anymore." Liu Kang assures her. Li Mei smiles a little before Liu Kang and Raiden teleport away. As Li Mei sighs, she hears Jade approaching.
"Jade. I knew you were one who would always follow people wherever they go." Li Mei said to her.
"I am here because Kitana has not yet returned. Where is she? And why are you here?" Jade demands answers. Li Mei knows what she has to do.
"I caught her conversing with Earthrealmers. I believe she is committing treason. She is heading to the Living Woods." Li Mei tells her.
"The Living Woods? But going through that area only leads to the flesh pits. A place where Kitana is forbidden to go to." Jade said.
"The flesh pits? I do not understand. Why is she forbidden?" Li Mei asked.
"I will search for Kitana. For now, you must return to Shao Kahn. Speak nothing of this until further notice." Jade instructs her. They go their separate ways as Li Mei returns to Shao Kahn's throne room and Jade heads to the Living Forest. Li Mei smirks, seeing how easily fooled Jade is.
Kitana walks alone in the Living Forest on her way to the flesh pits. She remembers exactly what happened last time. Fighting Jade there and defeating her. Kitana knows what she has to do this time.
"Jade. I know you're there. I hear you following me. Come out and show yourself." Kitana tells Jade. Within a few seconds, Jade comes out of hiding.
"I know where you are going, Kitana. Li Mei told me everything. Shao Kahn has strict orders to make sure you don't step foot in that place." Jade said, standing in front of her.
"I'm sorry, Jade. But I cannot let you stop me from what I have to do." Kitana said. She stands back, ready to fight Jade, thought out of reluctance.
Jade comes at Kitana and throws several punches, which Kitana parries away before kicking her away. Jade is forced to bring out her staff. However, Kitana still fights barehanded. Jade swings her staff at Kitana multiple times and misses with every swing. She grabs Jade's staff, knees her chin and gets behind her and holds the staff at her throat, holding her at choking point.
"Forgive me, Jade. But you were not making this easy for us." Kitana said. She struggled to grab another vile, but managed to. Kitana opens it and spreads it all over Jade's head. Jade gasps as her eyes nearly roll back. Kitana lets go of her and steps back as Jade begins to remember everything.
Jade remembers her short life in Edenia before it was conquered by Shao Kahn and raised to be a lethal assassin and Kitana's bodyguard. Overtime, she became Kitana's only friend and always saw each other as sisters. Then she remembers rebelling against Shao Kahn and joining Raiden after Liu Kang frees Kitana. Her alliance did not last too long as Jade met her end at the hands of the brainwashed Sindel and was resurrected as a revenant by Quan Chi to serve him, Shinnok and Kronika.
Jade also remembers her life when the time merger happened when she shows up to the present and reunites with her lover Kotal. She sees herself being caught up years after Shao Kahn's death and reunion with Kitana, Kung Lao and Liu Kang. She remembered the pain she went through when tortured by Skarlet, who painfully drained Jade of some of her blood. Jade then remembers meeting Alex alongside Kitana and agreeing to train him and be his friends. Jade in fact, started seeing Alex like a younger brother to her as she calls him 'little brother'. Finally, she remembers the day she met Kotal and they shared their first kiss before Kotal's disappearance.
Jade returns to the present, gasps for air and regains her bearings as she takes deep breaths. She managed to keep her footing as she looks around and sees that they are in the Living Forest before she looks at Kitana.
"Kitana? What? Why are we in the living forest? I thought we were in the Netherrealm fighting against Kronika." Jade remembered. Kitana doesn't say anything. The first thing she does is hug Jade closely and smiles, seeing that she has returned to her normal self.
"Jade. I'm so pleased that you're back. It's been too long." Kitana said as she pulls away.
"I do not understand. What is going on here?" Jade is confused.
Kitana explains everything. She tells Jade about the final fight against Kronika and having to craft the New Era because of her rewinding time. And she made sure to explain everything to Jade, including the mission, and restoring everyone's memories, recently some of the Lin Kuei and Li Mei.
"So this is the New Era. But not what Kronika wanted. And Shinnok and Cetrion are both gone. But wait. If all of us are here during this present time, where is Alex?" Jade worries for her little brother figure.
"He's alright. He's safe. Alex is at the beginning of time watching everything. We need all the help we can get in order to change everyone's fate, yours included." Kitana said. "So we have restored almost everyone so far. I am going to the flesh pits to free Kotal."
"I am coming with you, Kitana. Kotal needs me." Jade tries to protest.
"No. I do not want to chance both of us getting caught. I need you to alert Liu Kang and the others. Let them know that you have been turned. We need to stick with the plan. Speak of this to no one except for Li Mei. Shao Kahn and the others do not remember their past lives from the Old Era. It is better that we keep it that way." Kitana said.
"Kitana, I… I have to. What if something happens to you just like last time?" Jade worries for her safety.
"Do not worry about me, Jade. You've always been my closest friend and my sister. And the last thing I would want is you being killed." Kitana smiles and puts a hand on her shoulder. Kitana leaves to head to the flesh pits. Jade sighs out of reluctance as Jade finally leaves to alert Liu Kang and the others.
Kitana slowly walks down into the flesh pits, with her weapons in her hands. As she looks for Kotal, she looks around and sees tubes of different bodies, inside parts and blood everywhere. There were even hooks covered in a lot of blood hanging from the ceiling. Kitana hears a small groaning in the background. She looks around to find the source. Kitana reaches a dead end… and there is a mystical barrier projected by two barriers and Kotal's arms shackled to the walls.
"Kotal!" Kitana exclaims.
Kotal wakes up. He appears to be a bit beaten since he tried to rebel against Shao Kahn. The conqueror himself may have mostly likely left those injuries onto Kotal after presumably fighting him.
"K-Kitana….. Daughter of Shao Kahn. Why are you here, you simple-minded follower?" Kotal looks at her in defiance.
"Kotal, please listen. I am not here to hurt you. I am here to get you out of this prison. But we cannot stay here long." Kitana said.
"And why should I believe you? You are his daughter. The daughter of Shao Kahn. The monster who took many lives, and plans to merge all six realms at once." Kotal said.
"Shao Kahn is an enemy that we have in common. Along with his two sorcerers." Kitana tries to tell him.
"Do not think I am gullible to fall for your lies! If you are here, then why is that creature who resembles you on that table here?" Kotal asked her. Kitana looks at him with a confused look. Then she remembered something. She turns around and sees someone lying on the table. Someone she utterly despised with a passion.
Alex is watching from the hourglass and couldn't help but wonder what Kitana is up to. "Kitana, what are you doing?" Despite watching everything, Kitana actually cannot hear him. She could only hear Liu Kang.
Kitana sees writing close to the table. It reads: Mileena. My finest creation. Soon you will awaken and unite with your father Shao Kahn and your sister Kitana.
"By all the monstrosities. Shang Tsung created this thing that dares to mock me. Make replicas of me. You, Mileena, are not my sister. You are nothing but a monster who knows nothing but the insanity that you carry with you." Kitana said. She raises one of her weapons, ready to kill her so-called sister Mileena, now fully-clothed.
Hearing everything Kitana said, Alex then started to remember something. He remembered who Mileena was and how she came to be, being born from Shang Tsung's flesh pits and being Kitana's half sister and becoming Kahn after Shao Kahn died.
"Mileena…. Mileena. Half-sister. That name. I remember now." Alex said and his eyes widened. "Kitana! NO!" He yells for her to stop, but once more, she doesn't hear him.
Kitana thrusts her weapon down onto Mileena….. But it stops midway when her arm is suddenly caught by Mileena herself as she wakes up and stares at her.
"Sister." Mileena smiles as she stands up from the table while holding Kitana's arm still. "Awe, how nice of you to see me awake. Come with me. Let us be a family. Let us be sisters."
"You….. You are no sister of mine. You are nothing but a monster. And I will make sure you die a monster!" Kitana said.
"Why, that is no way to treat your new sister, Princess Kitana." Shang Tsung evilly smirks at her.
"Shang Tsung. You've been down here making clones of me! Behind my back and lying to me!" Kitana stares angrily at him.
"I am only aiming to perfect you, your highness. Despite how difficult you are to handle, Mileena is a masterpiece. She has a soul like yours." Shang Tsung chuckles.
"Do not compare me with Mileena! I will have your head this time!" Kitana said. She prepares to fight them one on two.
Shang Tsung fires fire skulls at Kitana, who uses the wind from her fans to push them away before waving forward towards Shang Tsung, knocking him backwards. She turns to Mileena and does an uppercut to the chin and a roundhouse kick to the side of the face and uses her fans to boost herself forward and knock Mileena backwards. The sorcerer smirks and jumps backwards, uses his telekinesis and slams Kitana into the floor, face first and lifts her up. Mileena jumps on Kitana's back and takes a bite on her shoulder, causing her to scream as she draws a good amount of blood. Mileena jumps off and does two backflip kicks to the head before doing a spin kick to the face, grabs Kitana by her shoulders and throws her into Shang Tsung. The sorcerer does a knee to the stomach, a kick to the face followed by a back kick across the head, sending Kitana into the air. He summons fireballs from the ground, which hit her in the back twice. Mileena then teleports and does a dive kick to Kitana's chest, cracking it greatly and sending her into the ground. Mileena pins Kitana to the floor and jams some fingers into Kitana's shoulder, causing her pain and making her scream in place.
"Now that's what I love to hear. Screams of pain and agony. I just love it. Don't you, sister Kitana." Mileena said, staring at her before licking her blood.
"Go to Netherrealm hell." Kitana said in defiance. This only earns her two punches to the face, leaving some more bruises.
"That is not a nice thing to say, sister. Shao Kahn would be mad if he were to find out you tried to put me to sleep forever. No. Wait. He will." Mileena starts laughing as Shang Tsung smiles, impressed at his creation.
"I believe it is time to introduce you to your father, Mileena. Your father Shao Kahn." Shang Tsung tells her.
"Yes! A true father at last! I hope he will have something special for me when he sees me." Mileena smiles and licks her long teeth.
"Shao Kahn will have plenty of surprises for you, Mileena. Come. Let us go." Shang Tsung said. His hand glows red as a fire hand entraps Kitana, partly burning her body and causing more pain.
"Sorcerous snake! Release her!" Kotal yells at him.
"Oh! Kotal! I almost forgot that you're still alive. Do not worry. You will join her soon enough." Shang Tsung chuckles more as he and Mileena leave with Kitana embound, unable to break free. Alex watches from the hourglass in horror, unable to do anything.
"Kitana! KITANA!" Alex yells for her. He tries not to panic and tries to think of what he should do. But what can he do?
Note: Kitana may or may not have acted out of character here. If so, then I apologize. The reason for this is because she loathes Mileena, her half-sister and does not want to share with her, considering that she would be more loyal to Shao Kahn than her, and believed that she would be a dangerous leader if left alive in case something happened with Shao Kahn. Hope you enjoyed.