A/N Hello! I am so unbelievably excited for this chapter lol, this has been one of the funnest and most enjoyable things I think I have ever written. I really hope this makes up for the almost two week hiatus! I tried really hard on this one, and I'm almost positive it is the longest single chapter I have ever written! Super proud of the results. Let me know what you guys think! I'll see ya in the next one!
They arrived at the gates of Sun Do just as the moon was beginning to rise in the night sky. Smoke plumed up in multiple places over the skyline, reflecting the pale glow in dark, ominous masses. A cacophony of combat, mixed with the screams of what sounded to be terrified civilians, echoed throughout the city and into the surrounding countryside. Whatever was occurring within the city's limits wasn't good.
Mileena and Tanya had stripped themselves of the casual clothing they had worn over their original garments, their horse leading the way for their two companions. Both had their weapons ready. Behind them, Jalul and Kuai Liang had drawn their swords, which were given back to them at the request of the empress before they left Kaluk. The horses neighed collectively, smart enough to recognize the sound of combat and knowing they would be riding right into whatever awaited them within the walls.
As they galloped through the gate, mangled corpses littered the streets. It seemed whatever attacked Sun Do hadn't discriminated, the bodies of soldiers and civilians alike strewn about in heaps. Street shops were smashed to pieces, while houses and businesses had their windows burst and the doors broke off their hinges. The smell of blood and fire wafted from all around.
Mileena lowered her frame further onto her horse, heels digging into its side as she willed it to go faster. Tanya had an arm wrapped around her waist, her staff held firmly in the other hand. Suddenly, a blur appeared from one of the side streets, dashing out in front of their horse before the beast or Mileena could react. The horse screamed as it was toppled, its two riders sent sprawling through the air. The two women landed roughly on the cobbled road, bouncing as they skidded along its length. Mileena groaned as she picked her face from the ground.
The horse lay unmoving, a long slash running its flank as blood began to pool around it. Further up the road lay the two Shirai Ryu, also thrown from their horses in the ambush. Their steeds weren't dead but shrieked as they lay broken beside each other, legs bent at awkward angles. Standing at the intersection where the attack had come from stood two Shokan, bodies covered in recent wounds from obvious combat.
The empress picked herself up. "Stand down," she barked at the Shokan. "You just attacked your own empress!" To her shock, one of the giants laughed, a low rumbling sound as his ally came to his side. Her compatriots stood, moving to her flanks as they squared off with the warriors.
"No, empress," started the warrior, his voice mocking. "Your reign is over. It is time for a real ruler to take the throne." Mileena took a step forward, a mixture of confusion and anger on her face. She could feel the itch of her disease working its way to her mind.
"How dare you" she screamed, her words an accusation in every sense. The Shokan laughed again, flipping the sword he held in his hand into a backward stance. The blade looked like a knife wrapped in his grip, his other three hands curling into fists. Besides him, the other warrior did the same: two clubs held at the ready, his other hands flexing in preparation for combat.
"We will take the one with the clubs," stated Kuai Liang, his sword drawn. The empress only nodded before breaking off into a sprint. Tanya followed close behind, twirling her staff. The Shokan grinned and ran to meet them, issuing a challenge as he roared. "With me, Jalul," said the grandmaster as the duo raced towards the other giant.
The warrior swung one of its massive clubs, forcing Kuai Liang to bring his sword up to deflect it. Jalul dropped to his knees, sliding past his elder and slashing his sword through the thick skin of the Shokan's thigh. He stood and wheeled about, only to be crushed by a retaliatory swipe of wood and steel that landed squarely in his chest, sending him spinning through the air. Kuai Liang lunged forward, delivering a crushing knee to the giant's jaw.
The four-armed monstrosity grabbed ahold of the grandmaster's leg before he hit the ground, flinging him into a street vendor cart. Jalul had gotten up from the blow he took and thrust a standing kick into the Shokan's abdomen. The warrior roared and turned about, slamming a club into the road in a shower of splinters as the ninja dashed out of the way. The giant continued the onslaught, one blow after another, as Jalul dipped and weaved, his sword lashing out like a snake to sting and slash where he could.
Mileena jumped, propelling herself over her adversary. Tanya met the monster head-on, her staff twirling as multiple blows connected with its face. Mileena lashed out with her sais, digging them into the Shokan's back to slow her descent. The giant roared in agony as she then used the sais to climb up the creature's back, each plunge of her blade causing waterfalls of blood and sinew. The beast reached forward with one of its arms, grabbing the Umgadi's staff from her grip and smashing it into her chin, sending the woman flying. It tossed the weapon aside.
The empress reached the giant's shoulders. Before she could remove her weapons and stab them into the Shokan's skull, the giant's other hand reached upwards, grabbing one of her forearms. She let out a wail as she was thrown from its back and smashed into the street below, her body bouncing from the impact. It raised a foot, aiming to crush her beneath its massive weight. She rolled at the last second, the road trembling and the cobble shattering at the force of its stomp.
Jalul spun past an attack, twirling his sword and attempting to thrust it into the giant's abdomen. Before the blade landed home a fist blasted into his stomach, knocking the wind from his lungs and forcing him to his knees. The Shokan raised both clubs above its head, ready to crush the ninja into paste. Just before the motion started, a blast of flame appeared beside him, Kuai Liang teleporting to his clan members' assistance. He threw out a fist, catching the giant in the jaw and causing him to stumble backward.
"You never mentioned these guys," Jalul coughed out as his grandmaster lifted him to his feet. Kuai Liang shrugged as the Shokan recovered his balance, sneering at the two.
"I didn't think we'd have to deal with any," he answered, readying his blade. Jalul did the same, feeling a trickle of blood begin to dribble down his chin from within his mask. He had bit his lip when the Shokan had punched him, tearing into the soft flesh with his teeth.
"Any tips?"
"Don't get hit," the grandmaster answered simply as he burst into a sprint. He dove under a flying club, appearing behind the giant. The warrior turned to meet him, slamming his weapon towards him. Kuai Liang dodged the blow easily, responding with a kick that smashed into the monster's jaw. Roaring, the Shokan started to press forward, swinging his weapons wildly.
Mileena jumped to her feet as Tanya ran up to her, retrieving her staff from where it had been left on the ground. The Shokan lashed out with his sword, attempting to skewer the empress. She twirled away effortlessly, the Umgadi returning the favor by smashing her staff underneath the creature's chin, shattering teeth. She pressed the attack, spinning the staff in quick succession as she struck repeatedly at the giant's head.
Mileena took the opportunity to run behind it, lunging back to her sais. The Shokan reached behind itself, attempting to grab her once again, but she dug her heel into the small of its back and launched herself clear, ripping her blades from its shoulders. She landed in a crouch as the Shokan bellowed in a mixture of agony and frustration, parrying the priestess's staff with his sword and turning to face the empress. Blood ran down the giant's length like a waterfall from where her blades ripped its flesh.
Mileena tossed one of her sais, catching the Shokan off guard. The blade plunged into its sternum, buried in its flesh almost to the hilt. Mileena rushed the monster, rolling towards it and pushing herself up into the air as she got close. She slammed her other sai straight through its chin, using the momentum to make the giant collapse to its back. It still had some fight, however, as it lashed out with its blade, causing Mileena to leave both of her weapons yet again in the Shokan as she dove out of the way. Tanya ran up, slamming her staff down into its head, caving the skull and finishing the fight.
Kuai Liang spun around the clubs, dipping and dodging with excellent timing acquired only after years of dedicated practice. The giant reared back, preparing to swing both clubs simultaneously, but roared angrily as its face contorted in pain. Jalul had removed a kunai from his vest, the one that had the rope attached to it, and tossed it through the air, the weapon burying itself into the Shokan's shoulder. Jalul held onto the rope as he sprinted forward, diving past the monster and spinning back around it, causing the rope to wrap around its neck.
He jumped onto its back, tugging the rope tight. The giant stumbled backward, its massive fingers struggling as it tried to tear the rope from its neck. In its strangulation, it failed to notice Kuai Liang rushing forward. He took advantage of the struggling Shokan and leaped into the air, plunging his blade directly into its adam's apple, just above Jalul's rope. As he landed, he pulled the stunned giant to his height and, with one vicious motion, carved the blade up and through the remainder of its throat, the steel exploding outwards in a shower of blood.
The monster gurgled, eyes wide in shock as it collapsed onto the street. Jalul removed his kunai, stuffing the weapon back in his vest as he stepped off the dead Shokan. "Good work," said Kuai Liang proudly, nodding at his clan member. The ninja returned the nod as they looked towards their two companions, who had just dispatched their own foe, Mileena retrieving her blades from its corpse.
"Traitors," she growled, her voice growing raspy as the tarkat threatened to take her over once again. Tanya appeared by her side, laying a hand on her shoulder gently. The two Shirai Ryu approached, placing their blades back into the sheathes connected to their hips. A distance away, the horses the two ninjas rode had fallen silent, succumbing to their broken bodies.
Mileena shrugged off the Umgadi in frustration. "We need to get to the palace. These Shokan were warriors under Kitana. Under me! They were loyal when we left for the diets," she seethed. Her mind was reeling, a mixture of confusion, anger, and her disease, all vying for control.
"These Shokan were part of the military?" In the back of Kuai Liang's mind, he began to make calculations. If the forces of the empire had indeed risen in revolt his clan might be required to come to Outworld after all. This situation was quickly becoming a convoluted web, and he couldn't help but think Bi Han was at the center of it all, in one way or another.
"All Shokan within the capital are career soldiers," said the empress as she faced the grandmaster. "They excel in combat. Kitana continued the tradition of using them as shock troops."
"Do you think Kitana…" started Tanya, the empress whipping around to face her.
"Don't you even finish the sentence, Umgadi," Mileena spat, venom dripping with every word. "My sister would never betray me. I can't believe you would even suggest such a thing." In the back of her mind, the empress knew Kitana didn't always see eye to eye with her choices. Her mother and her sister would always speak about how she was too impulsive, made decisions with too much emotion, and didn't think before she acted. But betrayal wasn't something she could fathom.
"There is no use in speculating. Even if Princess Kitana caused this, the fact of the matter is there is obviously resistance against whatever is occurring. Our best course of action is to get to the palace. At the very least, we should find answers there, and possibly reinforcements."
Mileena nodded at the grandmaster's words. By now, the moon had risen even further, shining down on the streets with a ghastly hue. The sounds of combat and panicked civilians still echoed around them, and she felt compelled to investigate. She wanted to help the people and save the soldiers who were still loyal to her, if there were any. But she knew Kuai Liang spoke the truth. They had to reach the seat of her power. Securing the throne and regaining a semblance of control was the best way to help her people now.
"This way," she barked, turning and sprinting down the road. Her three companions followed closely behind, weapons at the ready. They stuck to side streets and off routes, prioritizing reaching the palace over combat. At each intersection they crossed and each blind spot they rounded, they expected to be attacked. Yet nothing came. The only constant was the mangled bodies of those who had died and the destroyed infrastructure of Sun Do. In some instances, the rare appearance of a Shokan lay among the piles of corpses.
"There," Mileena exclaimed, panting from exertion as she rounded a final bend in the street. A large building that overlooked the city was ahead of her, towering over the skyline. "It's the main barracks. It's just before one of the bridges that lead to the palace." The sounds of weapons and the roars of combatants could be heard from the buildings base, hidden by a row of buildings that blocked their view. It was clearly the site of a significant battle. Mileena grew tired of avoiding every fight she heard, but they had to cross through the barracks to reach their destination. She wouldn't have to ignore the fights any longer.
"We should go around," started Jalul breathlessly. The empress shook her head vehemently.
"We have already spent too much time avoiding the main streets. The quickest route to the palace is through the barracks. That is the way we will go." The Shirai Ryu looked between themselves but eventually nodded. Tanya remained stoic; her forehead beaded with sweat as she twirled her staff in preparation. Mileena led the way as they rounded a final bend.
The sight before them was carnage. Up ahead, the street was divided between two front lines. Before the bridge that led to the palace stood a line of Shokan, their numbers swelled by human troops filling in their ranks. Their military attire was disfigured, the royal insignia torn off, and the fabric ripped. On the other side was an assortment of soldiers, some dressed in the attire of the royal military, others in the colors of the Sun Do Constabulary. The road wasn't wide enough to fit either force in its entirety, forcing them to fight in lines of bodies.
On the sides of the road and in between the front lines lay the corpses of the dead. Blood flowed freely in the street gutters, the smell ranging from day-old, sun-baked decay to the scent of freshly spilled vitals. Hanging from ropes attached to the shingles of the main roof of the barracks were dead men and women, their imperial uniforms desecrated and in tatters. A vigil of sorts, a display of the death that was to come to those who still supported the throne.
Behind the lines of Constabulary and Imperial soldiers stood a woman, barking orders to the troops in the front as the lines clashed. She bled freely from a gash on her forearm, her clothes dark and damp from sweat. Her fists were balled at her sides, the knuckles purple and swollen. It was obvious from her appearance that she had been in the thick of the fighting on more than one occasion. The rapid breaths she took, as if starving for oxygen, was a clear indicator of the physical toll her body had taken.
The empress led her small contingent towards the woman. "Li Mei," she shouted as she ran up to her side. The head Constable turned, along with the back rank of soldiers that were close enough to hear her words. Li Mei's face was a mixture of confusion and relief.
"By the gods, empress! What are you doing here? I thought you were in Zaterra?" Mileena shook her head, her face betraying the anger she felt behind her veil.
"No, and it will take too long to explain. What the hell is happening?"
"The Shokan revolted," explained Li Mei over the din of carnage that was still occurring not fifty yards in front of them. "Whatever this was, it was planned. One minute, everything was fine; the next, it was all-out war. We've been fighting for the better part of two days now. Multiple detachments joined the Shokan forces. The initial hours were utter confusion; nobody knew who was friend or foe. We can only differentiate now that the traitors have removed their insignias.
We lost the barracks almost immediately. They have been using its overlook of the city to coordinate their forces. We've held parts of the market districts and chunks of the residential areas, but we are losing ground. I led this force to try and retake it; if we don't, we will continue to be picked off and surrounded. We must consolidate our forces and get a lay of the land if we hope to crush this rebellion."
Mileena nodded, watching as the front-line forces continued to attack one another. The human traitor's main line was led by a single Shokan, the gigantic creature ripping through his foes like a god of war. On his flanks, his subordinates kept him clear of being overrun, forcing the Constables and Imperial soldiers to attack head-on.
"What about the palace? Where is my sister and the Umgadi?" She watched as Li Mei's face contorted in anger.
"We lost all routes into the palace earlier this afternoon. Reports from the neighboring residential districts we still have control of say they can still hear combat occurring within, but all of the routes to it have been cut off. Clearly, some of the Umgadi, and the Constabulary forces I had placed within are holding out, but I don't know how much longer they can last. I haven't seen your sister since earlier this morning."
The empress growled in frustration. "We need to retake the palace. We have to resecure the throne and help my sister if we are going to kill these wretches." her body began to tremble at the thought of the royal palace being desecrated by traitors. If anything had happened to her father and mother, who resided in Ermac's body, or to her sister, she wouldn't rest until those responsible were nothing but mangled chunks at her feet. The tarkat was screaming inside of her.
"I agree, empress, but we also need to take the barracks. Without it, the battle for Sun Do is as good as lost!" Mileena bristled in agitation. She understood the logical reasoning behind reclaiming the barracks, but every fiber of her being urged her to charge the palace. She spun on her heel, coming face to face with the priestess and the grandmaster.
"Kuai Liang, Tanya, help Li Mei secure the barracks. We need that tower under our control, or we are going to lose the ground war." Kuai Liang nodded immediately, his military mind already following the same train of thought. She turned further, the other Shirari Ryu standing beside them. "Jalul, with me. We are taking back my palace," she finished, her voice as sharp as a blade edge.
"Mileena," started Tanya. As her position demanded, she wanted to be by her empress's side. She was responsible for the royal family's safety; she couldn't let her go off alone. Besides, she knew the palace like the back of her hand. Surely, she would be more useful than the Earthrealmer.
"Do not question me," Mileena roared. "You know how to fight Shokan. I need you to support Li Mei's forces in securing the barracks, do you understand?" The priestess wore a face of evident agitation despite the obvious rationale of the situation. She clenched her teeth and gave a curt nod, not trusting her words.
"Be careful, Mileena," said Li Mei softly, placing a hand on her shoulder. The woman turned from the Umgadi and the Constable, her brown eyes shifting to an amber-like color as her pupils began to morph, appearing more akin to a cat than a person. Her voice was noticeably more raspy as her body trembled underneath the Constable's touch.
"Get me my city back," was all she managed to say before she spun and sprinted down the road. Jalul chased after her as they worked their way around the ring that encircled the palace. The path through the barracks would take too long to fight through, so they raced towards the more affluent residential districts still under imperial control. They would use the less congested bridges there to get to their objective. Mileena hoped they would find her sister and parents still alive.
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Li Mei turned to her two unexpected allies. She was utterly familiar with Tanya. The Umgadi priestess was an extremely prideful woman, an excellent combatant, and loyal to the core. After her discreet relationship with the empress had ended, an infuriating amount of bitterness had also been supplemented into her personality. She knew her combat expertise would help in the ensuing fight for the barracks, but she just hoped she would follow her orders.
However, Kuai Liang was alien to her. She had met the ninja only once before, during the fight against Titan Shang Tsung. She knew he was an excellent fighter, but his motives left her wary. His brother had betrayed all of them, and while the word was that he had started a new clan to bring Bi Han to justice, she still had her suspicions. She also couldn't understand why he, of all people, was with the empress, or why he was in Outworld to begin with.
Neither of her concerns was significant at the moment, however. In front of them, a line of her soldiers, a mixture of constabulary and imperial military, were battling before a group of imperial traitors led by a massive Shokan warrior. Both armies had split their forces into lines, as the street did not have the width to accommodate either force in its entirety. More Shokan stood in the traitor's arrangements further back, and multiple segments stood between her troops and their objective.
"We'll join the front," she said with determination as she walked forward. "We must break these lines if we are going to storm the barracks." Her two new compatriots nodded in understanding, joining her as they wormed their way to the following line in waiting. As the Shokan grabbed a constabulary and snapped her neck, tossing her body into the moat surrounding the palace, Li Mei gave the order for the next line to charge.
They crashed into the enemy formation like a tidal wave. On either side, imperial soldiers and constabulary fought tooth and nail against their traitorous brethren. Swords, spears, and maces flew about in a storm of sparks and blood as they smashed into each other. Leading the charge, Li Mei ducked under a soldier's blade, allowing her fellows to clean up what she left behind as she charged the giant four-armed monster in the center.
The warrior sneered and lashed out with a blade, the attack being parried easily by the bracers on her forearm. She leaped towards the Shokan, placing one foot squarely into its chest and then kicking back off in a backflip. As she did so her other foot landed a devastating kick to its chin. The Shokan stumbled backward, a sickening crack ringing out amongst the din of combat. Kuai Liang pushed the advantage, teleporting from behind her.
He appeared out of a plume of fire and smoke directly to the warrior's flank, his sword lashing out as he flew past. The steel separated two of its four arms from its torso. Blood fountained like a geyser from the wounds as he flew into the following line of traitors, catching them off guard as he began to carve through them like a fiery turbine. Tanya finished the giant off.
She ran past Li Mei, using the staff as a polevault to soar through the air. She landed squarely on the warrior's shoulders with her two feet, forcing it down to its knees from the impact. She swiped with her staff, cracking its head to the side and causing it to tumble the rest of the way to the ground. She stood over it and slammed the butt of her weapon into its face once, twice, and finally, a third time. The skull caved in, coating her weapon and feet in the brain matter of the monster.
Their allies cheered, willed to more extraordinary feats at the display, and surged past the enemy lines. The formation pushed to Kuai Liang, taking the pressure off the ninja. Two Shokan deeper in the traitor's ensemble growled in annoyance at their ally's demise and started to push their way forward, tossing their own soldiers out of the way. They reached the new front in tandem, crushing imperial soldiers and constabulary underneath their massive frames or tossing their lifeless bodies into the moat. For each one they killed, two more took their place.
"Kuai Liang, Tanya," shouted Li Mei over the cacophony of combat. "Focus on the Shokan! We will handle the rest." The ninja and priestess disengaged from their fights, converging on the rightmost giant. Mini battles took place all around them, and Li Mei and the rest of her forces did their best to keep the two free of intervention.
The First Constable rammed her shoulder into a traitor, sending a heel kick into another's abdomen. She dodged and parried her way through the enemy's forces, spurred on and energized by the sight of their progress. All around, her allies surged ahead, pushing the enemy formation further and further back. A second Shokan fell, wreathed in flames conjured by the grandmaster. As he screamed in agony, two imperial soldiers stabbed their blades into its flailing body, silencing the monster.
The remaining giant was armed with a massive club, using two hands to wield the weapon as he swung in wide arcs, demolishing multiple troops with every swipe. Kuai Liang appeared behind it, slicing his blade through the back of one knee. The Shokan stumbled, roaring in frustration. Before the Shirai Ryu could react, it reached behind him, grabbing the ninja by the collar and tossing him over the battlefield and toward the moat.
The grandmaster threw out his chain spear, watching as the blade dug into the giant's chest. The chain went tight, and Kuai Liang used it to pull himself back into the thick of the fighting, never once touching the ground until he landed between the downed giant and his own allies. He ripped the chain spear free and swung down with his sword, aiming to decapitate the giant in one strike. His sword reverberated roughly, numbing his hand as the blow was parried by its massive club. He lunged backward to avoid a follow-up attack, flying into the arms of two allied soldiers behind him. The two shoved him forward, pushing him back towards the giant.
The grandmaster used the momentum to fly past the Shokan's right, connecting his knee to its nose as he did so. The giant groaned, one of his free hands racing to its face as blood erupted from its shattered snout. Tanya appeared to its left, whipping her staff in a two-handed grip directly into the giant's throat, crushing its windpipe. The giant tumbled onto its back, a group of constabulary swarming its broken body and plunging their blades into its flesh.
"Keep pushing! This is it!" Li Mei surged forward, launching herself over a group of traitors who tried to stop her advance. She landed in a horde of enemies, slamming her fist into the road as she did so. Edenian magic erupted from her fist, shooting out a shockwave in all directions that staggered her foes. Her warriors pounced on the disrupted soldiers, cutting them down. They were close to routing the enemy, their formation on the brink of collapse.
As they approached the barracks, the street began to widen, finally breaking through the tight bottleneck the traitors had been defending. Fresh reserves from the back of their formation sprinted ahead, adding their weight in numbers against the traitors. A final Shokan roared, killing one of his men with a sword blade through the chest as he tried to flee. "Kill them!" it bellowed. "Death to the royal family!"
Li Mei surged forward, sprinting as she battered traitors aside. She dove into a roll, spinning under the Shokan's feet as he missed a swipe with his sword. She appeared behind the giant and thrust her elbow back in a mighty blow aimed at the warrior's spine. A purple glow of Edenian magic accompanied the strike, the elbow breaking the spine on contact. The Shokan spammed, falling to its knees as Li Mei turned on a dime and grabbed the creature's head, snapping its neck with a vicious twist of her hands. Her warriors cheered at the display, cleaning up the rabble as the traitor formation was entirely consumed within only a matter of minutes. She smiled, watching her forces at work, knowing she owed the swift turn of events to the two fresh allies she had received at the Empress's orders.
"Warriors of the throne," Li Mei started as she turned to the barracks, her two allies standing with her as the rest of the soldiers grouped behind. "Charge!" The formation sprinted ahead, intent on battering their way into the barracks. Securing the tower would flip the tables on the traitors and allow Sun Do to be reclaimed. Excitement filled her bones; the end was within reach. Justice was at hand.
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Jalul panted as he kept up with the empress, awed by her seemingly limitless endurance. Her movements seemed more ferocious than earlier, her legs bounding her forward with massive leaps. His Shirai Ryu attire was damp with sweat, his mask sticking to his wet face aggravatingly. Still, he pressed on, determined to prove his mettle to the ruler of Outworld and show his clan's resiliency.
They reached a line of soldiers, their uniforms dirty and grimy but with their imperial insignias still displayed proudly on their collars and chests. The leading man, presumably an officer, raised his hand, ordering the two individuals racing to their lines to halt. Neither reduced their pace, sprinting ahead. The officer began to ready his weapon, only stopping in a mixture of shock and delight when he realized the woman charging was none other than the empress herself. "Empress," the officer called out, waving his hand back as his soldiers made a gap in their lines.
Mileena didn't even regard the man, charging forward with the ninja a step behind. Her blood lust was coursing through her veins, the desire to lash out at even her own men battling with her intent to reach the palace. Continuing her pace was the only way she could keep herself under control, whipping by soldiers and houses as they neared the bridge that would take them to the royal house. They turned a corner in the road, and the bridge and a line of loyal soldiers came into view.
On the other side of the moat stood a conglomerate of traitors. The two lines stood guard against one another, neither side engaging. Bodies were strewn about in between, evidence of prior fighting. For now, it seemed the two sides were content to hold the line, not wanting to over-extend and try to take on more territory than they could adequately defend. Mileena growled at the sight, the tarkat screaming louder than her logic could. Her warriors should be attacking; blood should be spilled, and the lack of initiative, even if for a strategically sound reason, made the fluid in her veins boil.
The imperial soldiers turned at the sound of feet on cobble and looked up at the sky in shock as Mileena leaped over them with an elegant yet violent flip. She landed with a roar and sprinted toward the traitor line, the soldiers quickly yet haphazardly readying themselves for the whirlwind about to strike. Jalul slid to a stop at the line of loyal men, catching their attention with his voice. He didn't know what exactly had overcome the empress, but if the fight in Zaterra were any indicator, she would charge relentlessly without regard for her own life. He needed to get more support.
"Half of you, with me, we have to support the empress!" Some of the men turned, others struck by the sight of Mileena ripping her way through flesh and armor as she slaughtered the men on the other end of the moat.
"And who the hell are you?" a soldier asked, his accent heavy. He had olive skin, with black stubble lining his chin and jawline. Deep, heavy set brown eyes gazed at him almost dismissively. The men beside him nodded in agreement, staring at the ninja with suspicion and weariness.
"Does it matter? I'm with her," he said, pointing to the ball of carnage that was the empress. "She needs our help. Leave some of your men behind to hold the bridge, but we need you to take the palace!" A few of the men seemed convinced enough, their loyalty to the throne winning out over their hesitation to listen to the random ninja in front of them. But not enough. He needed to convince them further. "Wouldn't you want to be remembered as the men who helped take back the throne?"
That won over the rest, the man who initially called him out turning to his men. He ordered a group to stay behind, then, without turning back to the Shirai Ryu, he raised his sword and charged forward. The men following him bellowed their battle cries to the sky as they ran towards Mileena. Jalul kept pace, sprinting to the front, sword drawn as their line crashed into the few remaining traitors. He bisected a soldier shoulder to hip, the man distracted by the force of nature ripping through his allies.
Mileena had caused utter carnage. Body parts were thrown about, fresh blood caking every inch of cobble that made up the bridge. Over half of the enemy had already been hacked apart before any of her allies had even arrived. Once they did, the fight became even more effortless. She rolled and dashed between the rest of the occupied enemies, using her sais to slice throats and carve stomachs. Entrails spilled out of numerous traitors, her men leaving them alive to suffer in their final moments as punishment for betraying the throne.
She had to fight the urge to slay her own troops. Her blood lust was in full swing, and she hardly felt sated after her first taste of combat. The only thing that made her cease was seeing the Shiria Ryu, his sword decapitating a final enemy with a vicious side swipe. She turned on a dime and continued to charge forward, the entrance to the palace within sight. She could faintly hear the ninja and her men struggling to keep up, but that mattered little to her. She wanted to kill.
Leaping and bounding up the steps that lead to the main doors, she found herself in front of two enemy soldiers. The men had been close enough to hear the carnage that had befallen their allies but were surprised to see their former empress rushing them by herself. The first attempted to raise his sword, which was repaid with a stab directly into his eye with a sai. The man screamed, the sound cut short as Mileena twisted his neck by pulling the weapon around, the brutality of the kill amplified by a sick snap.
For his credit, the second man didn't show any fear at the display. He lashed out, his sword parried by one of her blades. She yanked out her other sai from the corpse it was buried in, letting him fall, and jumped into the air, sending a flying kick directly into the chest plate of the staggered traitor. The man flew back, grunting as he smashed into the heavy oak doors that led to the palace. He didn't even have time to react as Mileena removed her veil and leaped onto the man's abdomen, her teeth shredding into his neck.
Blood gurgled from his throat as the empress tore into his flesh, carving a path directly to the opposite shoulder. His body sank to the floor as she gave a final, awful chomp, removing his head from his body as she did so. She roared in victory, her mandibles flaring as her tongue snaked about in the air. Replacing the veil, she stood, turning to see Jalul and her soldiers just making their way up the stairs. They were not quick enough to see her tarkat affliction on display. The blood lust had calmed during her feeding, but just ever so slightly. It was enough for her to regard them, however.
"Hurry," she screeched, her voice a raspy growl. "My throne is in reach!" She pushed the heavy oak door open and lunged into the foyer. Jalul and her soldiers stopped, their eyes washing over the headless corpse of their enemy in fear and awe. Her subjects knew of her affliction, but the Shirai Ryu ninja was still in the dark, not even able to comprehend the sight of the headless man who lay slumped against the door. Their attention was pulled from the sight as they heard combat from within.
The men raced forward, Mileena already having thrown herself into the group of enemies inside. They raised their weapons and charged forward, assisting their empress in the slaughter of the traitors. Jalul ducked and weaved through the enemy lines, pushing himself to Mileena's flank as he defended her back. He was forced to his limit as he parried blow after blow, countering where he could. He had to rely on the rest of the soldiers to reach his position for relief.
A spearhead, led by the first man on the bridge who had almost disregarded Jalul, finally pushed their way toward him. The extra space allowed him to turn, only to see the empress jumping between two men, kicking off each one as she climbed high into the air. The men she kicked off went sprawling to the floor as she landed onto a third, her sais digging into the screaming traitor. She rapidly plunged the blades into his chest, removing them to do it all over again until the man stopped struggling. Just as quickly as she landed on him, she was gone, sprinting down the hallway and to the doors leading to the throne room.
"Empress," he called out, trying to get her attention. But the woman paid him zero mind, leaping through the threshold and disappearing from view. Jalul growled in frustration, turning to help the soldiers finish off their enemy. Some had fallen in the melee, but they held the numbers advantage. Encircling the last of the enemy fighters, they systematically cut them apart. A loud crash rang through the foyer from behind as the last man fell.
Jalul and the soldiers turned to see two Shokan and a plethora of fresh reinforcements crashing through the front doors and swarming into the palace's foyer. "Form up," he yelled to his allies, taking a step back. The rest of the soldiers, six in total, formed around him, their blades held defensively as the enemy lined up opposite them.
"Where is the empress?" asked the man he had spoken to on the bridge, nursing a slash that ran down his forearm.
"She ran down the hallway behind those heavy set doors." The man nodded, showing him a look of respect that differed significantly from his previous interaction with the ninja.
"The throne room. We must give her time; she can handle herself." Jalul wanted to disagree. Logic told him she would need support, that she couldn't hope to handle whatever lay beyond those doors. But the carnage she had already dished out was evidence enough that she was much superior of a fighter than he had thought possible. The best way he could assist her was to keep her rear clear of enemy reinforcements. He nodded in agreement.
"What is your name?" he asked as the Shokan strode to the line, smiling as they readied their weapons. Their subordinates looked just as eager, their numbers dwarfing their own.
"Krendan," the man responded. Jalul tasted the word in his mouth, nodding. The traitors were like rabid dogs, waiting to be let off the leash by their masters. The Shokan regarded them with a mixture of humor and hunger, bloodlust evident. They were grossly outnumbered, his confidence waning as he weighed the odds. This could very well be his last stand.
"Krendan. Well, Krendan, let's give them the fight they want." The man nodded, readying himself. They formed a U shape, pressed tightly together. Credit given where it was due, even in the face of almost certain death, Krendan and his men didn't back down, their weapons held at the ready. They just had to give the empress enough time. For what Jalul wasn't sure, but he had to hope that she found the forces the first Constable had mentioned prior. She would need them, especially if they fell here.
"Death to the false empress," bellowed a Shokan, his men joining its words with a battle cry as they surged forward. Jalul lashed out, side to side with Kendran at the front of their formation as they began their fight for survival. The two men worked well together, helping the other by striking at their opponents after one parried or blocking blows intended for the other. These men weren't Shirai Ryu, but Jalul found himself honored to fight with this final group of warriors.
Their numbers began to dwindle. Even though their formation was hitting at a three-to-one ratio, the enemy was just too numerous. The traitors quickly wrapped around them, forcing their formation to close to a circle. The man to Krendan's right fell to a spear through his chest, himself responding with a thrust of his sword that removed the culprit of his spear arm. The soldier to Jalul's left was beaten down to his knees by a club, a final strike caving in his skull as he retaliated with his sword, spilling the enemy's entrails in vengeance.
The number of enemies was starting to take a hit, the Shokan content to watch as their men died attempting to overwhelm the small squad. Only a handful remained, but their team had been reduced to the Shirai Ryu and the wounded Krendan, the men fighting back to back ferociously. Jalul lashed out with a spinning heel into an adversary's abdomen, kicking the air from his opponent's lungs. He took the advantage, crashing forward into another soldier with his shoulder and following up with a stab of his blade, the tip of which ruptured into the man's throat. He yanked the blade free and turned on his heel, decapitating the man who was still doubled over, trying to catch his breath.
"For the throne!" Krendan's voice took him by surprise, and he turned, seeing the rest of the human soldiers dispatched, their corpses mingling with their allies and the rest of the men from their small squad. Krendan rushed the Shokan, sword held high above his head, his battle cry reverberating through the marble walls of the palace. The lead giant grinned ear to ear, readying itself for the man charging toward it. Its four arms flexed in anticipation, a massive, awful looking club held defensively in one of its hands.
"Krendan, stop!" The words came too late as the soldier met the Shokan. The monster slammed his club down in front of the man, Krendan dashing to the side to avoid the blow. He lunged forward, his sword springing out and burying itself deep in the Shokan's stomach. The giant roared angrily and smashed a backhand into Krendan's head, sending the man sprawling. The giant pressed forward, sword still dangling in its abdomen as he leaped into the air. Jalul watched in despair as its massive foot crashed down onto the man's exposed head, squishing it between the granite flooring. Vitae and brain matter spurted out in all directions, killing the man instantly.
The other Shokan watched in amusement as his ally plucked the sword from his hide. The weapon was coated in its sickly red fluids, but it seemed to cause almost zero discomfort for the giant. He tossed the weapon aside, the blade skipping across the floor. Then, as one, the two turned to face Jalul, sneering at him. The lead warrior, the one who wasn't injured, jested him. "Are you afraid, little ninja?"
"A Shirai Ryu is never afraid," he answered confidently, brandishing his sword across his chest in defiance. He displayed confidence, but inwardly, he seriously doubted his ability to handle the situation. Kuai Liang and himself struggled against one of the giants. Now, the numbers were swapped, and he feared he wouldn't get any reinforcements. No matter how he tried, he couldn't see the situation going in his favor.
The Shokan rumbled, laughing at him as they advanced on either side. "That's too bad. You humans seem to fight harder when you're afraid." Jalul stood his ground, waiting patiently for one of the monsters to make the first move. Aggression would only be met with retaliation, but if he could bait one into engaging first, he might at least be able to do some damage before he fell.
Suddenly, the Shokan Krendan had stabbed lunged forward, its massive club careening towards his head in a violent overhead strike. He dashed backward, his legs reverberating with the force of the blow as the club left a spiderweb of cracks in the floor. He rushed forward, performing the same move as earlier as he slid on his knees, slicing his blade into the giant's thigh.
He turned just in time to throw himself clear of a retaliatory strike, diving onto the floor. He flipped himself back to his feet and swiped his sword in front of his face, parrying the blade of the other Shokan who had rushed him during the initial altercation. Sparks flew as the weapons collided, his arm tingling up to the elbow with the force of the giant's strike. Before he could lash out in return, the club yet again dotted out his vision, slamming into his abdomen too fast to react.
Jalul was lifted from his feet and flew several meters before crashing into a wall. The blow knocked the wind from his lungs. Still, he forced himself to stand quickly, swaying slightly as he prepared to defend himself again. The club-wielding Shokan charged, determined to make amends for its wound at Krendan's hand.
Jalul spun out of the way of an overhead, then ducked as it turned the weapon midair into a swipe. He lunged forward, entering the monster's personal space as he carved his blade up, separating the skin along its chest. Blood leaked immediately from the wound, the Shokan repaying Jalul by striking out with a closed fist that struck him directly in the stomach.
He grunted, lifted from his feet slightly before being dropped to his knees. He tilted his head, tasting copper on his tongue as he gazed hazily at the towering enemy before him. The giant grinned, slowly raising his club over his head to finish the ninja. But as he did so, something further away caught Jalul's eye.
A lone chandelier swung lightly back and forth, its candles still burning. It hung just above the ceiling, flames dancing among a mural depicting the empire's initial infancy stages. It was held by an iron chain, rusted through with age. It gave Jalul an idea. It was a desperate bargain, but if it could work, it might even the odds.
As the Shokan began to swing his club down, the ninja rolled forward, right between the giant's legs. Once he cleared its massive frame, he leaped in the air, throwing his roped kunai back towards his adversary in the same motion. The kunai dug deeply into its shoulder, and he used the weight of his body, still flying through the air, to pull with all his might. The giant was much bigger and stronger than he was, but the unexpected move, coupled with the fact that every ounce of Jalul's body weight added force to his pull, caused it to stumble backward, off balance. And directly to where he needed it to be.
He landed in a crouch and instantly grabbed another kunai, tossing it towards the chandelier chain. The blade forced its way through the topmost ring, shattering the rusted metal easily. The Shokan turned to face Jalul, his face contorted in anger. Then it was gone, the heavy piece of furniture landing directly on its head and smashing its body to the ground.
The blade-wielding traitor roared, leaping forward. The force of his landing sent vibrations through the ground itself as it began a devastating attack chain, the sword twirling through the air. The Shokan wanted revenge for its brother, and its strikes were fast and ferocious. Jalul dodged and parried but quickly became overwhelmed, still not fully recovered from the hits he had already taken.
The giant lashed out with a kick, sending Jalul sprawling towards the foyer's entrance. He groaned, his vision swimming as he tried to raise his head. He felt the heavy stomps of his death quickly approaching, but his body wouldn't respond to his command. Each blow of the Shokan hit so much harder than the average person, and his body was paying the price for it.
He gazed up groggily as the giant leaned over him, a satisfied smile on its lips. He could barely make out the creature raising its sword, prepared to end his life. Then he heard a scream. His vision wouldn't focus, but he could see and hear something jump onto the Shokan's back. The giant roared, only to cry out in agony. Jalul squinted, trying to make out what he saw before him.
Latched onto its shoulders was none other than the empress, her sais plunged into its flesh. The giant tried to tear her off, but Mileena had already begun the killing blow. Her veil was removed, revealing row after row of gleaming sharp teeth, a long snaking tongue, and a lower jaw split into mandibles as she screeched before shoving her face down towards the back of its skull. The Shokan screamed as its skull caved, and Jalul swore he saw the creature's brain get devoured as its eyes rolled back in its head. Then, everything went black.