Even with her commitment to aid Raiden and the Special Forces, as well as free the revenants, her predecessor and mentor included, from their undead states, Eyota, the latest holder of the mantle of "Nightwolf", answered formostely to her tribe, the Matoka.
The Matoka had contacted Eyota and summoned her back to their lands, warning that the "Dark Spirit" had returned. It was Eyota's duty, both as Nightwolf and as Sin Bearer, to do battle with the dark spirit and bring an end to its most recent reign of terror.
Eyota was familiar with the evil that menaced her tribe. Her predecessor had battled it on a few occasions. Battled him. The Dark Spirit was in actuality the man consumed by sin that Eyota had told the Special Forces of when she detailed her plan to free the revenants. Ruutuu, a Sin Bearer of the Matoka's past who had failed in his duty. It was because of this event that the Matoka decided that the carrier of the Nightwolf mantle would in turn inherit the title of Sin Bearer. The Nightwolf was granted their powers from a deity the Matoka referred to as the Great Spirit. The Great Spirit was known to grant certain protections to the Nightwolf, including defenses against dark magic and sin, thus making them better suited for the additional duty as the Sin Bearer.
Unfortunately, the Great Spirit could not protect the bare soul, as death separated a Nightwolf from its power. This was what had allowed Shinnok to capture the soul of Eyota's predecessor, Akicita, and transform him into a revenant. Before his death however, Akicita had been heavily involved in training Eyota. Teaching her the skills of both combat and magic that would be required for her to serve as the next Nightwolf. In many ways, he was like an older brother to her, and the closest thing to family she felt. She missed him deeply, but had to press on until he could at last be saved. And that included her current duty to fend off Ruutuu.
As Eyota approached the small Matokan town, she heard the screams of people fleeing from Ruutuu, saw a few houses ransacked and even on fire. The Dark Spirit was hovering in the middle of the town, black smoke billowing from its featureless but discernibly human form. The only traits that could be made out of this man that was otherwise an outline was the permanent look of disdain on his face and his eyes which glowed a deep blue.
Eyota approached Ruutuu without an ounce of fear, holding two tomahawks firmly in her hand as they began glowing with green spiritual energy. Ruutuu turned from the people he was terrorizing and glared at her, floating there in front of her, watching her. It was as if the two were drawn to each other. Naturally opposing forces, destined to come into conflict.
"The Great Spirit has chosen a child," Ruutuu said in a ghostly half-whisper, his unending frown contorting into a smirk. "Is this the best the Matoka have?"
"I was chosen by my people to take on the Great Spirit's power." Eyota answered.
"The Nightwolf before you defeated me quite thoroughly," Ruutuu recalled. "It has been twenty-six years since I have been able to manifest fully, to make these people feel the true extent of their sin. I am to understand he is no longer with us?"
Eyota narrowed her eyes. "He died honorably, defending Earthrealm."
"A shame, I would have enjoyed denying him such an end. Do you wish to die honorably, child?" Ruutuu asked. It was clearly a threat, but his tone came across almost casually, like he was merely asking her opinion of the weather.
"I do," Eyota answered honestly, raising her weapons in preparation for the inevitable battle. "But it will not be by your hands."
"We'll see." Ruutuu said almost nonchalantly.
The dark spirit raised a hand and sent out a blast of pure darkness at the newest Nightwolf. Everything went black for Eyota for about a second as she was knocked back by the projectile.
Ruutuu floated towards her, silent and neutral in stance and expression. Eyota was far from finished however, jumping back to her feet and creating a bow and arrow out of spiritual energy, and aiming it straight at Ruutuu. She fired the arrow, summoning another just like it immediately after and shooting it as well.
Ruutuu was pierced by the two arrows, their energy causing the dark spirit to back away and grunt in pain, but he didn't flinch and merely turned his disdainful sneer into a smirk. Shortly after though, his corrupting influence began to cover the glowing green arrows in blackness, before they receded into his body and were absorbed by him.
Fighting a spirit with spiritual energy. Only now did it dawn on Eyota that this was a poor choice of strategy. A shift would be required.
Eyota's train of thought was taken off the rails when Ruutuu created a scythe out of darkness and swung at her head. Eyota ducked under it and grabbed one of her tomahawks off of the ground. She charged it with spiritual energy, noticing that it could at least harm Ruutuu in the short-term. She slashed upward at the dark spirit, tearing open his frame for a few brief moments before she jumped back to give herself distance from her opponent.
The gash across Ruutuu's chest sealed seconds later. Eyota then channelled her energy through her entire body, and charged Ruutuu, intent on tackling him. The dark spirit hovered out of the way and then punched her, causing Eyota to be thrown off course and fall to the ground.
Eyota got up and raised her tomahawks, which now began to glow with a red energy.
"Have I angered you, child?" Ruutuu tauntingly asked. "Is the chosen warrior of the Matoka not finding things as easy as they thought?"
"My anger is only at the destruction and torment you have caused, demon," Eyota clarified. "And the thought that you were ever one of us."
"Give it time, you will all be consumed by sin," Ruutuu threatened. "It is inescapable. Just ask the Nightwolf before you, now that he resides in the Netherrealm."
Eyota yelled in frustration and charged at Ruutuu, who created two axes out of darkness to counter her. Ruutuu dodged most of her strikes, swinging with his own axes which Eyota was able to parry against. They were both clearly fueled by anger, striking at one another with the aim to kill. Eventually however, Ruutuu realized that they were too evenly matched in this particular contest, instead hovering backward and sending out another blast of darkness that knocked Eyota back.
Ruutuu then released yet another blast, but this time, Eyota summoned a green energy shield around her body to defend against the attack. She summoned her bow, this time made of red energy, before Ruutuu's strategy became apparent to her.
"Your attacks are no mere projectile intended to keep me at bay," she realized. "You're trying to taint my soul with your dark energy, make me more easily succumb to anger. Make me be like you."
"Faced with enough darkness, anyone will be like me." Ruutuu argued.
"I don't believe that," Eyota refuted. "I believe that at their core, people seek to go good. To atone for their sins. Creatures like you that would be consumed by sin ….are just monsters."
"Such insults," Ruutuu responded, clearly not actually offended and only mildly amused. "I'm almost honored. The previous Nightwolf never dared show me their anger."
Eyota raised one of her tomahawks to the sky as it started glowing blue and a bolt of lightning was summoned onto the weapon, which she directed at Ruutuu.
The dark spirit only narrowly dodged the attack, rushing towards the new Nightwolf like a black phantom and tackling her to the ground. Ruutuu constructed a spear out of darkness and prepared to drive it into Eyota's heart, when suddenly a loud bark could be heard.
Quite suddenly, a wolf ran towards the two combatants and lunged at Ruutuu, sinking its teeth into the dark spirit's arm and knocking him completely off of Eyota, who quickly scrambled back to her feet.
"Kiba!" she shouted, both in gratitude for the wolf saving her life and worry for its own well-being.
The wolf continued to attack Ruutuu, and probably would have been more effective at it were it dealing with a fully corporeal being. Ruutuu eventually managed to wrestle Kiba off, creating a dagger from his darkness and slashing at the wolf, causing it to yelp in pain and back off.
Kiba growled at Ruutuu even as its blood dropped to the ground from its wound. The dark spirit approached the wolf with the intent to do even further harm, only to be knocked down when Eyota charged at him, her body enveloped in red energy. Her spiritual power was starting to mix with her anger, something Eyota recognized that she would have to temper even as she went to tend to Kiba.
Kiba had been a trusted companion of Eyota for many years now. As part of her training to prove herself worthy of the Great Spirit's power, she had been sent into the woods at the age of thirteen in order to tame this very world, who had prior been responsible for eating and killing some of the Matoka's cattle. The test had been one to prove that as a Nightwolf, she could make peace as well as she could fight evil. Eyota had returned with not a single scratch on her, and with a lifelong friend. And now it was that same friend who was the one that had been hurt.
"It's ok Kiba," Eyota reassured. "I'm here now."
"Not for long you won't be."
Eyota barely had time to look before she was hit with another sudden burst of darkness. In spite of its own injuries, Kiba again attempted to pounce at Ruutuu, only to be knocked away with a backhand. Angered as she was by the harm brought to her friend, Eyota found that it created a solid opening, taking advantage of Ruutuu's momentary distractedness to channel another blast of lightning from the sky and through her tomahawk, hitting the dark spirit square in the chest. The bolt of lightning knocked Ruutuu back, as Eyota began to march towards him. Even in spite of the fact that Ruutuu had nearly killed her more than once today, she conveyed no fear.
"I have made a mistake," Eyota admitted. "I have been fighting you like you are a common enemy. I have not accounted for some simple fact: you are a being of darkness."
Ruutuu sneered at her, considering his next move. "What's your point?"
"The only way to fight a creature of darkness," Eyota explained. "Is to use light."
Ruutuu's eyes widened and he lunged at her, but he was too late.
Eyota spread her arms like she was welcoming an old friend, summoning forth the power of the sun itself. A pillar of light came down from on high and surrounded Ruutuu. The dark spirit began to scream out in pain as the pure light burned into him, burning his blackened body to the core, the light taking him to pieces until he was stripped clean of flesh, leaving only his pitch black bones and the unnatural purple glow of hollow eye sockets.
Luckily for Ruutuu, Eyota would not prolong his agony. Reciting an ancient spell of her tribe, Eyota hit Ruutuu with a blast of spiritual energy that resembled a shield. She then summoned forth a swirling orange portal that appeared behind Ruutuu.
"The Great Spirit condemned you long ago, Ruutuu," Eyota recounted. "But this does not mean that I must bring an end to your existence. Instead, I have bound your blackened soul to the Netherrealm, where you shall live out the rest of your days as penance for your sins." The Embodiment of sin would not be denied however, desperately trying to force his way from the portal, seeking only to continue his bloodshed and torment.
"My sins…. are the sins of the tribe entire… the sins of our people… they must be answered for!" Ruutuu roared, sounded almost consumed with fury as he demanded his cause be honoured, glaring with every hateful step he took towards Eyota.
"All the more reason to excise you," Eyota reasoned. "To cleanse ourselves."
Kiba then walked next to Eyota, eyeing Ruutuu. Suddenly, it's eyes began to glow white as the wolf's very spirit leapt from its body and pushed Ruutuu into the portal, before Kiba again became one in body and spirit as the portal closed.
Eyota smiled, both in pride that after centuries, she had been successful in finally banishing Ruutuu while her predecessors had only ever managed to temporarily dispel him, and in relief that the battle was over and her people were safe.
She then knelt down in front of her companion and petted the wolf's head. "Well done Kiba, well done. Now let's get you some bandages."
While this was a moment of victory for Eyota, the entire experience had proven nothing more than infuriating for Ruutuu, who tumbled through the portal before finally landing within the Netherrealm, body swiftly regenerating with aid from the dark energies of the Realm.
The dark spirit got up and began to take note of his now radically different surroundings. Ruutuu's train of thought was broken when he heard a strange and ethereal voice:
"How curious… a wraith, and yet, not one born of this realm. No, your darkness is of a different origin."
Ruutuu looked around in confusion, until Baphomet suddenly manifested in front of him.
"Welcome to the Netherrealm," said the Elder Demon. "I am Baphomet. And you, I presume, are a spirit with a desire for revenge. Allow me to tell you how you might achieve it…"
While Ruutuu had just entered the Netherrealm, others had recently escaped from it. Case in point, Jade, who had found herself having to undergo something of an adjustment now that she was among Mileena's group of rebels in the fight for Outworld.
When she rematerialized in the rebels' base, Jade could not help but look around and begin to take in the surroundings.
"Do you like it?" Mileena asked. "Skarlet and I built it ourselves, with help from my others of course."
Jade looked at the other clones. "Yes, I'd been meaning to ask about that. How did you..?"
"Truthfully I'm not entirely sure," Mileena admitted. "After I was killed by that insect D'Vorah, I awoke in this new body within the Flesh Pits, and discovered my others as well as my sister and brother, Skarlet and Meat."
"You… died?" Jade asked.
"So did you," Mileena pointed out. "Death and resurrection is a strange thing, isn't it?"
"Yes," Jade agreed. "Yes it is."
"I suspect that the extra bodies were some kind of parting gift from Shang Tsung," Mileena explained. "But I'm not sure."
"I for one haven't really cared," chimed in Tanya, putting her arm around Mileena and pulling her closer. "I'm just happy to have my dearest Mileena back."
Mileena started blushing. "Tanya, you're too kind," she complimented, before deciding to clarify things for Jade. "We reunited when my brother, sister, and I had ventured to Tarkata in the hopes of gaining allies."
"Ermac, who was our double agent at the time, informed us that Kotal would be there," Tanya added. "So we planned an ambush. It failed ….but my beloved Mileena was there to save our lives."
"But of course," said Mileena. "I could never allow anyone to hurt you, dearest Tanya."
"Tanya... I feel like I recognize that name," said Jade, trying to recall memories of ten thousand years ago. "My memories of Edenia are ...somewhat clouded. I'm not sure why…"
"You might remember me on account of my father serving as Edenia's ambassador to other realms before… Shao Kahn," Tanya explained. "I believe I even met the princess once when we were children. Even back then I thought she was pretty. Of course, ten thousand years later I'd end up falling for her little sister, a decision I will never come to regret."
"Me neither." Agreed Mileena, planting a quick kiss on her cheek.
"We have another sister?" Meat asked.
"It's… a long story, brother." Explained Mileena.
"Speaking of the princess," interceded Emerald. "I believe that raises a question. Jade, if you are here, alive once more... where is Kitana?"
Despite the needless to say complicated nature of her past with her elder sister, Mileena could not help but listen curiously for an answer as well.
"Unfortunately… Kitana remains a revenant," Jade informed the group, before looking at Mileena specifically. "As does your mother, Sindel."
Ermac, who had hovered into the room after the group returned, clenched his fists in frustration at the news. "So… they remain trapped in the Netherrealm."
"N-Not quite," Jade clarified, slightly startled by the sudden realization of the soul construct's presence. "From what I could make of Liu Kang's mad ramblings the last time we saw one another, they have gone somewhere else… it has something to do with Raiden, but that's all I know."
"Do you trust Earthrealm's protector god to keep them safe if they are in his presence?" Emerald asked.
"Normally, I would," Jade answered. "But Raiden seems to have… changed. I witnessed him massacring the Brotherhood of Shadow. Those cultists were no friends of mine, but even they did not deserve so grizzly a fate."
"We must do something," Ermac said firmly. "Raiden cannot be allowed to bring Sindel and Kitana to harm."
"In case you haven't noticed, Ermac, we have a war to win," pointed out Skarlet. "Raising the ire of Earthrealm's Thunder God is only going to complicate matters further, especially if he isn't taking prisoners."
"Sister is right," agreed Mileena. "We have to focus on defeating Kotal Kahn, as well as freeing Edenia and Vaeternus."
"Vaeternus?" Jade asked.
"My realm," Nitara clarified, entering the room with Rain. "No one told me we were bringing in a new recruit. Greetings, I am Nitara." The vampire offered her hand.
Jade shook it. "Jade. Seeking your realm's liberation alongside Edenia?"
"Indeed," Nitara confirmed. "Mileena here is quite gracious in that way."
"I admit, I'm surprised," Jade said. "I wouldn't…"
"Expect something like freeing realms from Shao Kahn's heir," Mileena assumed. "Especially with how blindly I served him when we last saw one another. I promise you Jade, I'm not that person anymore."
"With how you defended those protesters today, I can believe it," Jade decided. "Although I may have to question your choice in allies…"
Her gaze became harsher as it fell on Rain.
"Is there a problem?" Rain questioned.
"Yes," Jade answered. "You betrayed the Edenian Resistance to Shao Kahn."
"All the more reason for me to make amends by fighting for its liberation," Rain argued. "Or have you forgotten that you once served Shao Kahn as well."
"My loyalty was only ever truly to Kitana." Jade countered.
"And what did you do to help Edenia while you were her bodyguard?" Rain asked.
"Fight and die for it during Shao Kahn's invasion of Earthrealm!" Jade shouted.
"Enough arguing!" Demanded Emerald. "We will not get anywhere like this."
"Jade, I trust Rain," added Mileena. "He is my friend. And if you are willing to trust me, for which I am extremely flattered, you must also be willing to trust my friends."
Jade nodded. "Very well. And Rain, I'm sorry."
Rain sighed. "It's fine. And thank you, Mileena."
"Of course." Mileena responded.
"Seeing that our numbers seem to be growing day by day," reasoned Nitara. "I think we should start working on our next strategy against Kotal."
"You raise a good point, Nitara," Skarlet complimented. "The ambushes have brought some near-successes but I fear attacking him directly is proving too risky."
"Why thank you, Skarlet." Nitara said with a smirk.
Skarlet avoided eye contact with her, still not sure if or when she would say what she wanted to say to Nitara.
"What if we were to free Edenia and Vaeternus before defeating Kotal?" Jade suggested. "The merging of realms is maintained by some kind of mystical orb, as far as I know. If we were to locate these orbs, we could separate Edenia and Vaeternus from Outworld right under Kotal's nose, and both realms would become powerful allies in defeating him."
"And he would be unable to reclaim either realm without victory in Mortal Kombat," added Nitara. "Unless he discovered some kind of workaround as Shao Kahn did when he attacked Earthrealm.
"I doubt Kotal is smart enough for that." Tanya mocked.
"Do not rule out that others may seek to use him and suggest such ideas." Ermac warned, great wisdom guiding him, "if you were truthful that the Lin Kuei are operating in Outworld, we have much to be concerned with."
"The Lin Kuei are an ally, and their Grandmaster is an honorable man who I would gladly call a friend. How dare you suggest he would do such a thing?" Jade was certainly not a fan of what Ermac was implying.
"I dare because I know the Lin Kuei. It was a Cryomancer Assassin of their clan who distracted King Jerrod long enough for Shang Tsung's treachery to see him dead." There was very little anyone could say to challenge that. The legion of souls simply sighed.
"If you are to say they are allies, we will let the matter lie. But we will not trust the Lin Kuei until the possibility of treachery is gone and Mileena sits upon the throne, as is her right. And we cannot be certain of other parties intervening to end our cause to free the Realms."
"Speaking of the Realms," chimed in Mileena, hoping to change the subject. "During the invasion, fathe—Shao Kahn told me that he intended to task me with properly hiding the orb that would result from Earthrealm's merging upon his victory."
"A victory that thankfully never came." Added Jade.
"How are we going to find these orb things, though?" Asked Meat.
"I've been attempting to locate the orb that binds Vaeternus to Outworld for years now," Nitara informed. "It will be difficult, but now that I won't be searching alone, we might find it."
"And I know how we might uncover the orb that holds Edenia's merging." revealed Jade.
"How?" Mileena asked.
"We need to restore your mother and sister to life," Jade explained. "Kitana and especially Sindel will know more about Shao Kahn's vile machinations and about Edenia than any of us."
"I ...I don't know…" said Mileena. "Would they even ...want to help us?"
"Of course they would, Mileena," Jade assured. "I have known Kitana almost all my life, she would gladly join this fight."
"But she ….she hates me…" Mileena replied.
"She hated that Shao Kahn sought to replace her," Jade clarified. "She told me as much during the invasion. You two are far more similar than you realize, you both value your identity."
"I suppose you have a point…." Mileena conceded.
"And Queen Sindel loved you as much as she did Kitana," added Ermac, his voice once more becoming that uncharacteristic baritone. "We could sense it even behind the spell used to control her mind. She saw you as just as much her child as Kitana, never hold even a moment of doubt in that."
"Mileena, this is a chance for you to free Edenia and be reunited with the rest of your family," Jade argued. "If we save Kitana and Sindel from their revenant states, I know they will be eternally grateful to you. You don't have to fear being rejected."
"I….I..." Mileena stammered. "This is a family matter. Skarlet, Meat, and of course dearest Tanya ...what do you think?"
"I wouldn't mind bringing more people into the family." Meat said with what passed for a smile given his lack of skin.
"I've ...never had a mother before," admitted Skarlet. "And you are the only sister I've ever known, Mileena. I suppose it might be nice ….to properly meet them."
"I think they would be a great help, but it's still ultimately your decision, my love," reasoned Tanya. "Though I admit, it would be nice to have Queen Sindel's blessing when I marry you one day."
Mileena smiled, briefly kissing Tanya before turning back to Jade.
"Ok, let's do it," she decided. "Let's save my mother ….and my big sister."
As for Kitana and Sindel themselves, they along with Akicita, the previous Nightwolf, and Kabal, were standing at Raiden's Sky Temple, awaiting the Thunder God's return.
They ended up not having to wait long, as just before Kabal was about to say something, Raiden teleported into the room with a crack of reddened lightning.
"I have need of you all." Raiden informed.
"What is it?" Asked Kitana, her tone coming off more rudely than she had intended.
"As you know, my ability to call upon the Seidan Guard has recently become limited," Raiden explained. "Which is rather poorly timed, as I have recently received troubling news."
"What's the scoop?" Asked Kabal.
"Shang Tsung is alive." Raiden told them.
Kitana clenched her fist. "That snake. We fall in battle yet somehow he draws breath?! By all means Raiden, allow me to to gut him for all the evil he has done."
"There is no need, Kitana," Raiden assured. "I intend to have another one of my allies put an end to the sorcerer. Our main focus is on Outworld's current ruler, Kotal Kahn."
"The Osh-Tekk barbarian that overthrew my daughter, yes?" Sindel asked disdainfully.
"Yes mother, that's the one," Kitana confirmed. "Raiden here mentioned him before."
"Outworld remains locked in a civil war between Kotal Kahn and Mileena," Raiden explained. "While Mileena did briefly prove to be a threat when she gained possession of Shinnok's amulet, Kotal Kahn attempted to side with Shinnok himself during the fallen Elder God's attack against Earthrealm just one year ago. This act directly violates the agreement that Earthrealm and Outworld had agreed to after joining forces to defeat Reiko, and the punishment for threatening Earthrealm will be severe."
"No mercy shown, no quarter given," Kitana recited from Raiden's visit to the Netherrealm upon she and Liu Kang seizing its throne. "When do we strike?"
"My plan is for the Special Forces to be the ones who directly attack Kotal Kahn," Raiden clarified. "It will be a covert operation, and I require a diversionary force to hold Kotal Kahn's attention."
"You want us to raise hell in Outworld so you and the SF can sneak in and take the bastard out." Kabal surmised.
Raiden nodded. "That is as accurate a summary as any."
"Sounds like fun," Kabal said nonchalantly. "When do we go?"
"Soon," Raiden answered. "I must inform the Special Forces of their part in my strategy."
"Are Sonya, Johnathon, and Jackson aware that we are now aligned with you?" Kitana asked.
"No," Raiden said firmly. "And they are not to be made aware until you are all freed from your revenant forms."
"What of Eyota?" Akicita questioned.
"She will be summoned when needed." Was all Raiden told him.
"Once Kotal Kahn is dealt with, what shall become of Mileena?" Kitana then inquired.
"She will recognize our intent to bring an end to her enemy if she is wise," Raiden explained. "She will be dealt with if she follows her father's example and becomes a threat to Earthrealm."
"You will not dare hurt my daughter!" shouted Sindel, glaring angrily at Raiden.
Raiden simply glared back for a moment, before another crack of lightning came down and he teleported away.
The Special Forces were still recovering from their battle with the Red Dragon. Kenshi had been moved to the medical bay, being cared for by Vera due to her medical experience, with Takeda and Jacqui waiting outside the door.
Sonya meanwhile was hunched over a table writing epitaphs for the multiple funerals she'd be having to attend as a result of the soldiers lost in the battle. Johnny, Cassie, and Mokap, all watched her worriedly, unsure of what any of them could even say.
Kung Jin was giving Kai a tour of the Special Forces base. Kai knew there was something Kung Jin wasn't yet ready to tell him, but was content to wait it out.
Sonya in particular was interrupted when Raiden suddenly teleported into the room, startling especially Mokap, although Sonya herself was used to it by now, getting up and turning to face him.
"What's the situation?" Sonya asked.
"We have ignored matters in Outworld too long. The situation has become increasingly chaotic, and now that chaos threatens to spill over into other Realms. Into Earthrealm," Raiden explained.
"The time has come to bring an end to the reign of Kotal Kahn."