Author's Note: Getting funky with some montages! See if you can name all the Easter eggs/references.


-Chapter 4: Know Yourself-

Days turned into weeks as Raiden and his Shaolin continued to train Magnus, Mileena, Sonya and Johnny in preparation for the tournament. With the specifics of Mortal Kombat laid bare, the foursome were pushed and tested to improve upon improvement. Sometimes their training took on rather inventive forms…

"Physical training is good for the body. Studying and learning is good for the mind. But in order to excel in kombat, you must hone your other senses as well." As he spoke, Raiden held out a small medallion emblazoned with a dragon emblem for all to see.

Mileena stood alone before him as the thunder god placed the medallion down on the table and concealed it under a metal cup, one of three in a sequence. Behind her, her five fellow champions observed from seated positions, watching as Raiden stepped back and summoned his powers to move the cups around in random, shifting patterns. Mileena's gaze darted this way and that, doing her best to keep track of the medallion cup as it moved with increasing speed. 'I have to keep track of it…'

At last, Raiden let his magic abate and the cups came to rest in a singular line before Mileena. "Choose wisely." Heeding the thunder god's advice, Mileena studied her three choices carefully. She had done her best to track the medallion cup, but things had grown a little blurry at higher speeds. She was second-guessing her choice, doubting the possibility she had accurately tracked the medallion cup. Mileena closed her eyes, doing her best to recount the moment in her head and try to discern where the proper cup had gone to.

Steeling her nerves and cementing her decision, Mileena reached out and grabbed the cup on the far right. She turned it over, seeing nothing on the table…

And then an explosion of white paint went off in her face.

The Outworld woman froze for a moment as she was plastered with thick, gloopy paint that slowly dripped off in large dollops, making an absolute mess of her. Those watching collectively grimaced to the tunes of oooooh's and sharp inhales, many of them thankful they were not in her position. While most of them seemed sympathetic, only Sonya appeared indifferent to her plight. Mileena loosed a sigh of defeat and slammed the cup back down before wiping the paint away from her eyes and mouth. "Wow. That hurt to watch." Johnny loudly remarked. "I bet I could do that with one eye closed." He said confidently.

"That would be quite the display of skill." Liu Kang agreed. "Why don't you show us next." At that, Johnny swallowed nervously…


Within the monastery's library, Sonya took extra time to improve her knowledge of their impending enemies. There was more to Outworld to learn and she was determined to have a head full of knowledge that would come in handy when the fighting began. Her fellow champions could be as ready to fight as they wanted. Sonya was going to be able to fight smart and win every single time.

Seated at a table with Liu Kang pacing around her to help answer any questions she might have, the blonde poured over the scroll containing Outworld's various species. One in particular caught her eye; a six-armed species far more lanky than a Shokan but no-less creepy. "What's the deal with these blue multi-armed things?" She asked. Liu bent over to see the artwork for himself. He soon had an answer.

"Naknadans are a cowardly, deceptive species that has served in Outworld's courts for generations. They are organized around business pursuits and their society is comprised of a rigid caste system determined by profession. Naknadans do not have names as you and I do. Instead, they are referred to by their occupation." He explained. Sonya frowned, digesting that for a moment.

"So… if one of them is a soldier…"

"Then his name is Soldier." Liu affirmed. Sonya shook her head slowly.

"Judge. Officer. Captain." She listed off, attempting to wrap her head around the concept of a profession or position being a name. 'Mine would be Lieutenant. If that's what everyone called me, I'd hate it'. "Some days I feel like the bureaucrats behind the scenes are gonna take notes from these guys one day." She remarked, earning a chuckle from Liu.

"One problem at a time, Lieutenant Blade."

Sonya moved on, returning to a previous species only briefly covered beforehand. "So what's the deal with these Tarkatans? Raiden said they're nomads."

"They used to be, until they fell under the command of Shao Kahn." Liu answered. "They are a violent and primitive race of bloodthirsty savages. Some suspect they are of demonic descent,"

"I can see that." Sonya murmured, her gaze drawn to the mouthful of razor sharp teeth.

"Regardless of their past, the truth of Tarkatans is that they will happily feed on any warrior they can kill and will not hesitate to take a bite out of you while you live. You could call them cannibals… but that would mean they eat their own, which we are not. What is known is that they can sprout two-foot long blades from their arms made of bone. These can be snapped off and regrown, giving them a deadly arsenal to work with. Shao Kahn employs them as the bulk of his forces, but only the best of the best will represent Outworld." The soldier looked up, visibly confused.

"How could he possibly know who is the best?" Sonya inquired.

"He has adopted the Tarkatan Ritual of Blood into his ranks. It is a brutal regimen which only a handful survive. Despite their primitive natures, the most intelligent of Tarkatans make for cunning and deadly warriors that can spell the downfall of any unprepared Earthrealmer." Liu cautioned her. Sonya looked back down at the image before her, processing the information the monk had to offer. She leaned back, folding her arms and drumming her fingers against her bicep as she contemplated the enemy before her.

"I get the feeling they like to get up in your face when they attack." She mused.

"They are not limited in their abilities, Lieutenant. Some Tarkatans are capable of spewing bone shards from their back and shoulders like a porcupine. Others more have mastered the ability to generate sparks by grinding their arm blades together." Liu added. The blonde rubbed her forehead in exasperation.

"Sorry I asked." Sonya muttered…


The sound of splintering wood resounded throughout the room followed closely by a whoop from Johnny Cage. "Oh yeah! You see that? Johnny Cage has got the touch!" He smugly declared. Some scattered applause from his observers met his boasts as several of the monks moved the remains of the broken pine planks, four of them shattered by his fist.

"It is unwise to act so victoriously when you have merely overcome the first of several obstacles, Mister Cage." Kung Lao stated, observing from the sidelines.

"Come on, hat-man, why you gotta be such a downer?" Johnny groaned, rolling his eyes.

"Kung Lao speaks the truth. Prematurely claiming victory in kombat is a path to your downfall." Raiden interjected. "Take pride in your success but do not let it get the best of you, Johnny Cage."

"Yeah yeah, alright, whatever. Can we move on to the next thing I'm supposed to break?" Johnny dismissively wondered. By now the monks had moved his next challenge into place; a timber of teakwood. Bouncing on the balls of his feet, Johnny started psyching himself up for his next ask.

"Perhaps the skald will fail this challenge." Magnus said aloud with a bemused look on his face. "Perhaps his ego will be broken next." Johnny took up position behind the teakwood and pointed right at Magnus.

"You watch what a black belt can do, Beowulf. Believe me, it's a long stronger than your smash-n-grab stuff." He retorted. With that out of his system, Johnny exhaled loudly and centred himself studying the teakwood with an intense, vicious gaze. It was his enemy, a record held by a competitor, just waiting for him to come along and smash it. He clenched his fists, tensed his muscles, readying himself…

Winding up with a cry, Johnny executed a downward palm strike that destroyed the teakwood, snapping it in two. As the pieces clattered to the floor, Johnny threw his fists up victorious to more scattered applause. "WHOOO! How'd ya like them apples?! Huh?!" He threw out a wink in Sonya's direction, the blonde groaning and looking away. Johnny carried on. "Oh yeah. I am the special effects." The monks cleared up the remnants of the teakwood and brought in a massive walnut log. "Woah… hey now…" Johnny trailed off, clearing his throat.

"Intimidated?" Magnus wondered from among the observers.

"Just, ah… A little thicker than the others, ain't it?" Johnny asked, looking around for an answer. The Norwegian chuckled and leaned forward.

"The skald is scared of some wood." He sneered.

"I did not say I was scared!" Johnny firmly retorted.

"You don't have to. I can see it in your eyes." Magnus continued. "You will break your pretty little hand trying to break that log and you know it." Successfully goaded into trying, Johnny frowned and steeled himself.

"Oh yeah? Watch and get ready to eat crow. The whole bird!" The actor snapped. Exhaling loudly, Johnny clenched his fists and lined up his shot. Once he was certain, he drew back his arm and struck…

The thunk of wood being struck resounded throughout the room… almost as loudly as the crack of bone in Johnny's hand.

With a yelp, the actor recoiled, clutching his wounded hand with watery eyes as he doubled over in pain. Magnus shook his head slowly. "Called it." He muttered. Raiden stood and approached Johnny Cage, conjuring electrical energy between his hands. His magicks soon enveloped the broken hand, bathing it in divine power that worked to heal and repair. After a few moments of focused concentration, Johnny's hand was as good as new.

"Wow…" He marvelled, sizing up his hand and flexing it. He was pain free, feeling good as new. "You, thunder hands, have a gift." He remarked.

"You too have gifts waiting to be unlocked, Johnny Cage." Raiden replied, folding his hands in front of him. "Gifts that can only be discovered through trial and training. Now… try again." Johnny followed his gesture back to the walnut log and whimpered in dismay…


Content to sit on the sidelines, Mileena watched intrigued as Magnus sparred with Liu Kang. Rendered shirtless for the time being, the Norwegian put his powerful physique on display, showcasing the numerous blue tattoos curling around his arms and across his chest. He was marked, by his people and his heritage, and his appearance had certainly earned Mileena's eye.

More importantly, how he fought was another testament to his nature. Unlike the athletically-built, slim and limber Shaolin, Magnus was broad and tall. His body was for that of strong powerful blows, ending fights with two heavy hits while the Shaolin might take five or six in a fluid sequence. To see these two worlds clashing was fascinating, Glima butting heads with Jun Fan. But Mileena never once took her eyes off Magnus…

The Norwegian grappled with Liu Kang, having closed the gap between them with three wide strides. Gripping him by the shoulders, the two struggled to be the first to throw the other to the ground. While Magnus had power, Liu had agility and could keep his balance with ease. When he finally had the Norwegian at a standstill, Liu swung a leg around and reared back to throw his weight into a toss that might knock Magnus down.

But Magnus lived by one principle; 'Ground is bad. Never be the first on it.'

Using Liu Kang's posture against him, Magnus applied strength and weight to the off-kilter Shaolin and threw Liu to the ground, pouncing on him to wrap his beefy arms around his head in a chokehold. Biceps bulging, it was quie a display for Mileena to witness, who leaned forward with interest.

His agility coming to the surface, Liu did not fight against Magnus' chokehold but played to his own strengths; wriggling and contorting his way out until he executed a backflip that put him on his feet again. Magnus scrambled back to his feet, refusing to be caught at a disadvantage. He and Liu circled each other, looking for an opportunity. Magnus launched a push kick at the Shaolin, Liu Kang deftly avoiding it by frontflipping over him. Liu whipped about in an effort to deliver a kick but Magnus caught him and promptly threw him on the ground. Anticipating his attack, Liu drilled Magnus' chest with successive kicks and knocked him off, giving him room to leap to his feet. Liu followed up with a windmill punch that struck Magnus on the shoulder, the Norwegian tanking the hit until a sweep kick put him flat on the ground. Clambering to his feet as Liu bounced back and forth on the soles of his feet, Magnus resumed his Glima stance and started circling to force Liu to make a move.

Sure enough, Liu charged him again, leaping into the air and executing a bicycle kick that pummeled Magnus' block. The Norwegian was sent sprawling, Magnus forcing himself to his feet as the monk readied himself to go again. He executed a flying dragon kick, but Magnus was ready to move this time. Catching Liu by the belt, he threw the Shaolin to the floor, where he pounded his chest with heavy blows.

Twisting and churning himself around, Liu managed to grab Magnus' arm in a lock and roll them over, springing back to his feet with a cry, his fists suddenly cloaked in chi fire. Liu to struck with two kicks to Magnus' face and then a hard blow to his abdomen that caused the Norwegian to double over. Liu went on the offensive and exploited his staggered state with a fiery dragon kick that struck Magnus in the chest before he then performed a flip kick that caught him on the chin.

Flung to the ground with a cry, Magnus lay there for a moment with a groan as Liu Kang strode over and knelt beside him. "Are you hurt?" He wondered.

"Only enough to make me interesting." Magnus grumbled before accepting the hand up. Pulled to his feet, Magnus rolled the muscles of his sore body as he tried to get back into fighting shape. "How'd you do that… fire thing? Is that your arcana?" He asked. Liu smiled.

"No. I do not possess an arcana." He answered. "I have spent years mastering control over my chi. It obeys my every command to aid me in kombat, often taking the appearance of flames. I direct it as need be to reinforce my blows or fight on my behalf."

"Some serious dedication." Magnus mused in a complimentary tone. "My people would call you wælreow festa."

"What does that mean?" Liu asked.

"Roughly, 'one who is fiercely learned'." Magnus explained. Liu smiled appreciatively before beckoning him back to the centre of the training pit.

"Come, let's go another round. We must work on developing your arcana. I did not see it appear once last time." He encouraged. Magnus exhaled and took up position opposite him.

"And my people would call me móðr." He commented dryly.

"And what does that mean?"

"Tired." Magnus said simply as he assumed another Glima stance. The two men went at it again and Mileena watched all the while…


Mealtime was communal affair at the Wu Shi Academy, with the populace gathered at long tables with enough room to fit most. Monks came and went, the tournament champions clustered together… for better or for worse.

"…I'm just saying, how am I supposed to pitch an idea to the studio without ever seeing one of those Outworld monsters in action?" Johnny complained.

"Patience is a virtue, Johnny." Liu Kang calmly chided. "The time you need to digest your new reality is far preferable to being thrust into the situation with no prior knowledge at all."

"Fine. Whatever." The actor grumbled, throwing up his hands in resignation. "I'm just saying that this is a million-dollar idea and I can't wait to-"

"Oh for fuck's sake, would you stop with the sales pitches?!" An exasperated Sonya griped from across from him. "You're still carrying on with this Hollywood horseshit and haven't even bothered to grasp the reality of what's going on here! Quit acting like celebrity and act like a martial artist, dammit!" She grumbled. Refusing to be cowed, Johnny levelled his chopsticks at her.

"You don't see me telling you to stop being a soldier." He countered. "Politeness goes a long way, princess. We're not your barracks buddies, we're your fellow champions." He said smugly, earning another eyeroll from the blonde. The actor's gaze turned sideways, catching a distant glimpse at the less-populated end of the table. "Looks like M and M are enjoying themselves." He mused aloud. Sonya, Kung Lao and Liu Kang glanced down to see Magnus and Mileena sitting opposite one another, enjoying their meal in relative quiet.

"He still doesn't understand what a massive breach of security protocol she is." Sonya grumbled.

"Perhaps, Lieutenant Blade, it is you who does not understand how she is not a 'breach of security'." Kung Lao sagely countered.

Ignorant to their conversation, the Outworld woman and the Norwegian ate together as they often did. Their recent interactions had drawn them closer together, to a point where they were seemingly inseparable when not training or sleeping.

"You have some…" Magnus trailed off, catching Mileena's gaze as he gestured to her right cheek. Realizing she had a stain, her tongue suddenly darted out in a long and serpentine manner to clean her cheek with a quick swipe. Magnus smirked. "Handy." He chuckled. Mileena just smiled and continued eating. "If you don't mind me asking…" He continued.

"Not at all." Mileena quickly answered.

"Your… 'other mouth', does it hurt at all when you shift between them?" The Norwegian asked. Mileena paused, setting down her chopsticks.

"Once I'm in one form or the other, it doesn't hurt. The process, however, is a bit uncomfortable." She admitted. "The fact there is a measure of magic involved certainly helps, but I'm still rearranging the bone structure of my jaw and teeth."

"Can you stay that way?" Magnus queried, wondering if it might be a timed skill.

"Yes, much like I can stay like this." Mileena replied, gesturing to her human appearance. "It's entirely controlled by me, an exercise in thought and execution." Magnus nodded thoughtfully as the two resumed eating.

"Do you prefer one over the other?"

"No. Both have their uses. I suppose Shao Kahn wanted me to resemble my 'sister' more often than not and save my Tarkatan abilities for kombat. I suppose you could think that I could be a diplomat or an interrogator, depending on the situation."

"Very practical."

"Shang Tsung certainly thought so." Mileena slowed mid-bite, chewing more gradually as she pondered a question of her own. "Why do you ask?"

"I was merely curious." Magnus responded with a partial shrug. "If you preferred your other mouth to this one, then perhaps you should assume that appearance if it made you feel more at ease. That way you wouldn't have to deal with the discomfort of shifting again." Mileena smiled.

"You're sweet. But, no, it does not matter to me which form I assume. As it stands, I think it's for the better I blend in around here." She said. "After my earlier displays I assume many are quite fearful to even look at me the wrong way, let alone get anywhere near my face. At least, by looking like this, it will keep them calm." Silence ensued as they kept eating, then Magnus paused.

"Hold still…" He said softly, earning Mileena's attention. Reaching out with a napkin, he showed no hesitation to wipe up the stain on her right cheek, much to Mileena's surprise. Such a fearlessness showed he was at ease with who she was and what she could do. Not so much to her detriment but because he had accepted her… something few had ever done.

Mileena smiled again, batting her eyelashes in brief non-verbal thanks…


Raiden stood at the very edge of the arena with arms crossed, watching attentively as Mileena sparred with Kung Lao. With her new sais drawn, the Outworld woman brought a new dynamic to the training regimen as the thunder god now allowed for the use of weaponry in order to see the extent of Mileena's training under Shao Kahn. As such, Kung Lao and his chakram hat made for an excellent sparring partner.

With hat in hand, Kung Lao turned it into an improvised shield to ward off Mileena's rapid stab attacks, the glancing blows of metal on metal echoing throughout the training floor. Kung Lao was quick on his feet and deft with his motions, the perfect foil to Mileena's speedy assaults. He swung his hat back and forth, blocking stab after stab as Mileena closed the gap between them. Seeing his opportunity, Kung Lao turned the tables, attacking with wide swings of his hat as Mileena parried each with a flick of her sai, sparks erupting as metal met metal.

Cartwheeling backwards, Mileena stayed just out of range and forced Kung Lao to adapt. The Shaolin responded by throwing his hat like a buzzsaw, the razor rim scything through the air with an ominous hum. Mileena ducked and rolled, avoiding the first pass before executing a corkscrew jump as Kung Lao's hat came flying back towards him. While in midair, Mileena threw out her sais towards the Shaolin. Kung Lao caught his hat and blocked both at the same time, the tips piercing into his weapon. Suddenly, the Outworld woman vanished in a plume of violet fire only to reappear perched on on his hat, hands gripping her sais. With the scope of the fight having shifted, Kung Lao rolled back to force Mileena off. Both of them rolled to their feet and held positions.

"Excellent work, Mileena." Raiden praised. "Your skills have not dulled. Your kombat is worthy of the Shaolin." The ebony-haired woman straightened up and tucked her sais into her belt.

"I highly doubt I'm worthy of that position."

"Nevertheless, you are a skillful kombatant. As a champion, you will do right by Earthrealm." The thunder god continued. Kung Lao had to concur.

"This fight was an honor, Mileena." He said simply, offering her a bow of respect. "You are a true kombatant." Suddenly rather bashful from their barrage of compliments, Mileena brushed some hair behind her ear.

"I… Thank you. I'm certainly trying." She softly replied. Kung Lao and Raiden paid her their respects before moving on, leaving Mileena alone on the training floor. As they left, she glanced up to where Magnus was sitting, having been watching quietly this whole time. "Enjoying the view?" She wondered, hand on one hip.

"I got to watch you fight. I am not complaining." The Norwegian answered as he rose and made his way down to meet her.

"Learn something?" She asked.

"You are precise, controlled. Your attacks are faster than mine." Magnus said. "You can compensate where others are lacking." Mileena snorted in amusement.

"What's with everyone trying to flatter me today?" She wondered passively.

"I speak the truth. We all bring something to this, everyone seems to have their specific expertise. Yours is speed and accuracy."

"Well, you certainly bring the power." Mileena remarked, patting his brawny shoulder as she walked off... not without letting her hand linger for a moment longer. "I must go. Liu Kang expects me in the library." Magnus nodded in acceptance, remaining on the training floor as he watched her go…


"A familiarity with one another will increase your chances of survival in kombat." Raiden stated. "By understanding the strengths and weaknesses of your fellow champions, you will be better prepared to assist one another during the tournament. Should you find yourself fighting side by side, knowing how your ally will strike before they do will give you a crucial edge over your enemies."

As he spoke, Johnny and Sonya stood together in the ring. Sonya was primed and ready for a fight. The actor, however, seemed confused. "Wait. You want us to… fight each other?" He asked.

"Firsthand experience will be a boon to you." Raiden answered with a nod.

"Now hang on a minute, normally I'm okay with going toe-to-toe with someone." Johnny trailed off, trying to find the words for his excuse. "But, like, you know…"

"What? Because I'm a girl?" Sonya questioned. "You don't wanna lay hands on me?"

"No! I mean, uh, I never said that-" Johnny protested, only to be cut short as Sonya pounced on him, trapping him in a hurricanrana that threw him face first onto the training room floor. Liu and Lao collectively winced as Johnny groaned. "Not fair…! I wasn't ready!"

"Stop your whining." Sonya snapped. "The enemy doesn't care if you're ready or not."

"Aren't you taking this soldier thing a little too seriously?" The actor queried as he stood, massaging his sore jaw. Sonya frowned.

"I took an oath to put the safety and wellbeing of others ahead of my own. Every single day I strive to live up to that oath." She stated. "You? You probably just try to figure out how many bottles you can knock back and how many notches you can add to your bedpost."

"Hey! That's not fair!" Johnny retorted. "Drinks, yes. Notches, no." Sonya just rolled her eyes. "Alright, you wanna do this, warrior princess? Let's do this!" Steeling his nerves, Cage threw out a punch without warning… But Sonya didn't need one.

She grabbed his incoming fist and punched his face with multiple hard blows before grabbing his head and slamming it into her knee. She then landed an elbow smash and followed up with an overhead blow as Johnny tried to retaliate, launching a flying knee that put the actor on his back. "Ow! What the hell…?!" He hadn't been expecting such hard-hitting blows right off the bat. 'Aren't we supposed to be on the same side?' "Ugh, not cool!" Scrambling back to his feet, he lashed out with a Shadow Kick, fully powered by his arcana, only for Sonya to counterattack with a cry. The blonde slammed her fist past his defences and into his face, spinning him around. A kick to the back of his head pitched him forward before Sonya landed a roundhouse kick that spun Johnny back to face her.

Sonya closed in and grabbed the actor around the neck and driving her knee into his gut multiple times before throwing him over her shoulder. As Johnny tried to get up, Sonya grabbed his arm and rolled over, locking it in a vicious armbar twist. Johnny howled in pain only to be silenced as Sonya rolled back and purposefully drove her knee into his face, and all of a sudden, she was pouncing on Johnny. Sonya drove him into the ground with a flurry of blows as she started pummeling him further, driving both fists hard into his chest with a surprising amount of force. She then pinned him to the ground beneath one of her legs, bending his arm back for good measure in a move that threatened to break it. "Ow ow ow ow OW! Alright! Okay! You win!" Johnny yelped.

Liu Kang strode towards them and Sonya relented, releasing Johnny and rising to her feet. The blonde marched off without waiting for a word from either man. "Have you learned anything from this experience, Mister Cage?" He queried, somewhat playfully.

"Yeah… that she gets pissed off pretty easily!" Johnny grumbled from the floor…


All had fallen quiet at the Wu Shi Academy. After another hard day's training, the opportunity to recover was welcome. Shirtless on the training floor, Magnus crossed his arms and studied the empty expanse before him. He pondered his earlier match with Liu Kang, the way the Shaolin employed many hard-hitting blows against him in an overwhelming fashion. The only to to circumvent the assault was to get in close, his strength lay in grappling his opponent to the floor…

Footsteps stirred him from his thoughts as Mileena strutted onto the scene. "I thought I might find you here." She said in greeting. "Long days, aren't they?"

"Yes." Magnus agreed with a nod.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Mileena queried as she stood beside him.

"In practicing with the Shaolin, I find they can land more hits before I find an opening to exploit. I fear I may be lacking when it comes to my pacing." Magnus told her.

"There's always going to be give and take in kombat." Mileena surmised, circling around to his front. "Where they excel, you might not. But where you excel, they may not." Magnus nodded slowly. "Raiden's right. Don't be too worried about what you don't bring to the table. Take your own advice and let others be strong where you are not." Her encouragement improved his mood and the bare-chested Norwegian nodded again.

"Very well. Thank you." He said softly.

"While we're on the subject, something's been on my mind since I watched your match with Liu Kang." Mileena continued. "Would you… be willing to teach me a few things about your Glima?" Magnus folded his hands behind him.

"What would you like to know?"

"How is it you know when to take advantage of your opponent to throw them to the ground?" Mileena asked. Magnus strode forward, settling a hand on her shoulder.

"It is a question of momentum. During the initial struggle for dominance both warriors get a sense for the strength and grip of the other and test each other's patience and control. When the enemy attempts to make his move that is when you resist the hardest and open him up to your attack. Only if you know you are stronger than your foe can you make the first move." He described. Their eyes locked, blue and brown boring into one another, while Mileena curled one arm around his and settled her opposite hand on his shoulder. "Glima operates around one core tenant: ground is bad. It is the one place you do not want to be. That is where your enemy belongs."

"What is your technique for getting him to the ground?" Mileena wondered, voice dropping lower.

"It is a question of balance. I watch his body, I see his timing and exploit his efforts to subdue me." Magnus answered. "Move your leg behind mine, as if you are trying to throw me." He suggested. Mileena did as such, maneuvering one toned leg behind his, perfect for tripping him up to throw him backwards. But as she extended her body to make that happen, she felt Magnus push and capitalize on her uneven stance. Mileena suddenly felt like she was falling, one leg flying up as the other caught on Magnus' leg…

But then his other arm caught her, letting her dip low but never touch the ground. She was now caught between his two muscular limbs, with nowhere else to look but into his eyes. "You were off balance." He said softly, still holding her. Mileena suddenly realized just how close his face was to hers and she had nowhere else to go. "Always lean into your efforts, never away from them." After a moment longer he righted her. Back on her own two feet, Mileena wished she could've been held in his arms for a moment longer. She hurriedly regulated her breathing, hoping she wasn't blushing too hard.

"What do you do when you have your opponent on the ground?" She asked after a swallow.

"Had I a weapon, I would engage in Laustak. It is a… more violent version of Glima. You fight with the intent to kill, the ground becomes their grave." Magnus said. "Without a weapon, it is a matter of subduing the enemy."

"One might say hands could be just as violent." Mileena mused, running her hands across the back of his.

"They can be." Magnus agreed as he realized just how close together they still were. "But Glima requires the whole body. A testament of strength and skill to ensure the enemy cannot fight on."

"Will you show me that strength and skill?" Mileena asked softly. Magnus obliged her, moving behind as one arm wrapped slowly around her neck. Her chin came to rest in the crook of his elbow as his other arm settled on her shoulder. His arm was big enough to cover her entirely, concealing her neck from view. Then his other arm stretched across her abdomen, just under her breasts, and gripped her opposite arm. In such a position she was perfectly pinned, trapped and at his mercy.

"Forcing the enemy to submit requires total control over their movement. They cannot be allowed to escape." Magnus said softly, tightening his limbs just enough so Mileena felt entirely surrounded. His thick, muscular body pressing against her back while his burly arms cinched around her front… she was blushing without question. Her thoughts surprised her.

'I don't want to escape.'

She squirmed, wiggling back and forth, but Magnus held her in place so she made no gains. "No matter how hard they try, they are trapped. At my mercy." The way his voice was so close to her ear sent shivers down her spine and his warm breath against the exposed flesh of her neck made Mileena bite her lip in pure want. 'This closeness… His pure masculinity, h-his voice… I feel it in my chest. My heart i-is pounding. It is intoxicating… HE is intoxicating.'

"Are you alright?" Magnus asked, snapping her from her haze.

"H-Huh?"

"Your breathing has quickened. I do not mean to frighten you." He elaborated.

"I am not frightened." Mileena quickly said. 'Quite the opposite.' "I am simply discovering that I cannot escape. What would you do then?"

"They are at my mercy. Disable, kill… whatever I want." Magnus said and Mileena stifled a moan. 'Please… whatever you want with me…'

Clearing his throat, Magnus suddenly released her and it took everything in Mileena's power for her to not whimper in disappointment. Now she was flushed without question and, as she turned around, it seemed Magnus was rather reddened as well. 'So much for subtlety…'

"I… trust that answered your questions." He said, parsing his words. Mileena straightened out her clothes.

"Yes. Quite thoroughly." She managed to say despite how parched she felt. Magnus offered a simple nod.

"The hour grows late. We can pick this up tomorrow if you'd like." He suggested.

"Yes, I'd like that." Mileena agreed. 'So long as it's physical, I'd very VERY much like that.' Magnus bade her farewell for the evening and went on his way, leaving Mileena alone on the training floor. The Outworld woman took a moment to compose herself… an effort that was largely undone when she remembered vividly everything that had taken place within the last few minutes which prompted her to close her eyes and whimper with absolute need…