DISCLAIMER:I don't own Mortal Kombat or it's characters in any way.
Chapter ?: Further into Deception
EDENIA; THRONE ROOM
The Edenian castle was taken in short-order. Onaga, with his legion of undead minions and Tarkatans, broke down all of Edenia's defenses with their sheer numbers. The attack was bloody and unrelenting. The undead soldiers never stopped, even when they were reduced to torsos or single limbs. Whatever remained of them eventually pulled itself back into a whole being all over again. After the invasion and surrender of Queen Sindel, Onaga stood before the throne with his wings collapsed behind him and a golden chalice of the finest Edenian wine in his clawed hand.
"Bring her before me." Onaga's commanding tone echoed.
Mileena was dragged in by her arm by Baraka. He tossed Mileena at the Dragon King's clawed feet with a snarl. "You are worthless!" Baraka shouted.
"Stop." Onaga calmly commanded. As Onaga crouched before Mileena, Baraka and the surrounding Tarkatans backed off obediently.
Mileena brought herself to a kneel before Onaga. She was powerless to stop him on her own—that much she could tell by his mere presence. There was no opportunity to flee that did not end in Sindel being punished for it either.
"Princess Mileena Kahn." Onaga addressed her. "You are commanded to pose as Princess Kitana. You will lead the Edenian forces into battle as I direct. Keep them busy. I have much energy to regain and I will need time. Do you accept, your highness?" His throat rumbled toward the end of his words. Flames licked the back of his tongue and smoke billowed from between his fangs.
"Mileena accepts." She spoke after a moment of silence. She shut her eyes tight and slipped back into her old persona. She spoke properly and with the same elegant cadence as her elder twin. "I am Princess Kitana. Edenia will not stand for this threat. We will prosper and rise to the occasion." Her voice was spot-on with Kitana's. Though Mileena had a hard time speaking this way naturally, emulation was her best friend. Understanding was a bit tougher.
"Very good." The Dragon King chuckled. "We will stage the 'defeat' of my army in your favor Kitana. From there I trust Edenia to you and your abilities. Keep them away from my growing palace...lead them to victory against those who will not fall under my banner." His sight shifted to Tarkatan leader. "Baraka."
"My lord?"
"You will work with her. Formulate plans to lead the Edenian forces to decisive victories in secret."
"Yes, my lord."
The throne room doors were slowly pushed open as the devious Tanya entered with a grin on her face. "Well, well. If it isn't the actual likeable Kitana!" She clapped her hands unenthusiastically. "Maybe this time you won't get fooled into a cage."
Mileena growled in response, but held her words back.
Tanya continued on. "Baraka, always good to see that handsome smile." Tanya shot a wink to the warrior, who seemed to share the same displeased expression as Mileena. "Tarkatans." Tanya scoffed and rolled her eyes/ "My lord, the portal to Outworld is ready. The prisoners are all locked away, and we have Sindel locked up."
"Very good." Onaga took a long drink from his goblet and finally stood tall. "Baraka. Escort Kitana to her new quarters."
The faithful Tarkatan scooped Mileena up from the floor and held her arm tight. "Come!" He barked at her while dragging her into the halls. "What has come over you, woman? Do you not wish to become a true Tarkatan warrior? This is why the females are not allowed to fight alongside the men! Your emotions will always be your downfall!" Baraka marched hard, going directly to Kitana's former room. Once allowed in, Baraka shoved Mileena inside with all of his might, casting her onto the floor.
He proceeded inside and drew his blade from his right forearm. "Do you not wish to be a true Tarkatan?"
Mileena had to lie, or risk actually killing Baraka. "Yes!" She hissed while slowly getting to her feet.
"Show your face! You do not wear the once beautiful face you possessed!" He roughly grabbed her throat. Despite how she thrashed and tried to keep him away, he cast aside every effort to hide her features away. Her attempt to escape stopped once the sharp tip of Baraka's arm blade touched her face. The razor slid past her lips and settled against the corner of her mouth. She froze with fear and anger gripping her heart.
"Now…to make you beautiful again." He growled as he began slowly carving into her cheek like a pumpkin.
The door flung open.
"Chief! We have been infiltrated!"
"What?" Baraka drew his blade back and dropped Mileena to the floor. "Do not come to me! Handle it!" He started toward the door, now with both blades of his arms drawn forward. "Out of my way!"
Mileena sat upon her knees, holding the side of her slightly torn mouth. Though it bled, the flesh began to connect together again, though it was painfully slow. "Baraka." She hissed to herself.
Side Event: #06: Rescue
Tarkatans fell like zapped flies along the guarded 'secret' halls. Blood pooled along the sides of the floor, as Jade made extremely short work of her foes with bladed boomerangs. She broke through the door using the torso of a Tarkatan at the tip of her staff. As the door crashed to the dusty and bloodied floor, Jade spun her weapon around into a defensive pose. Though she was shocked to see just who was protecting Queen Sindel.
It was the revenant of Kitana.
She was not herself– this was not her friend. Jade had a split second to decide what her actions would be. Her loyalty was with Edenia at all times, so this made the possessed princess an enemy of the realm.
"Release Queen Sindel!" Jade spoke out with authority in her tone, though she knew this would only rouse Kitana to attack. Once the enslaved Princess put her guard up, Jade held her ground. Bladed weapons were out of the question – as well as the fact more Tarkatans were well on their way.
Sindel pleaded from behind bars. "Jade! Please leave us! Do not harm Kitana!"
Jade replied just as her clash with Kitana began. "My queen, I cannot do such!"
Kitana was full of rage. "You were not there." She growled out. She charged her friend wildly. Her fans summoned powerful gusts of wind that took Jade off of her feet. She rushed forward ready to slice Jade in ribbons.
Jade launched a small orb from her palm that exploded on contact with Kitana's face. It created a burning haze that made the possessed princess collapse to the ground screaming in agony. "Why were you not there? Why did you abandon me?!" Kitana screamed while clawing at her own eyes.
Jade landed and rushed Queen Sindel's cage. She broke the lock with several jabs of her empowered staff. "Hurry!" She grabbed Sindel, had she been willing or not.
"But Kitana!" Sindel pleaded, as she wanted to save her child as well.
"Kitana is dead! Edenia cannot afford to lose you with her!" She yanked Sindel along, racing through the bloody halls. As she erupted from the secret passage, the roaring of Tarkatan forces echoed far behind them.
The nearest window was close to the throne room and it was within Jade's sights after exiting the secret passage. "Hold them off!" Jade rushed the window. She jabbed it rapidly with her staff until she broke it and cleared the excess jagged shards from the side and base. The drop was long, but led to the crashing waves below.
As the Tarkata approached, Sindel took in a deep breath. She released a scream that rattled the entire castle's foundation and painted the walls with the horde of warriors blood. Her scream was so mighty that various support pillars crumbled in her wake and roused the Dragon King's full attention.
After covering her ears, Jade motioned to Sindel. "My queen!"
Sindel rushed to Jade's side as Onaga's stomping rumbled the floor.
Tanya emerged from the throne room with Onaga just in time to see Jade and Sindel at the window. Tanya froze in place when she met eyes with Jade,
Though Jade's soul burned with anger, she turned to grasp Sindel as they sprung from the window. Sindel took flight with Jade holding onto her and rapidly vanished toward the horizon.
"We must escape to another realm!" Sindel announced.
"To Outworld! The portal I snuck in should still be open!"
Side Event: #07: Weeks later
It had been three weeks since the escape of Sindel and Jade. 'Kitana' had her orders directly from Onaga to help train and prep the combined Edenian, Outworld, and Earthrealm forces and to keep them busy as he regained his full strength.
Mileena had everyone fooled.
She wasn't even sure herself how she pulled it off in the emotional state she was in. Though she was made aware of Kitana's passing through the grapevine of Onaga's soldiers, she hadn't taken the time to fully process the loss of her twin. In the wilderness of Outworld, Mileena and her forces set up a large camp that was more or less a traveling settlement. With the pale moonlight shining above them, the various guards roamed the area in a very relaxed manner. Nothing had popped up to push them into a state of alert in days. Onaga ordered Mileena through secret messages from the Tarkatans to keep a friendly atmosphere in hopes to bait Jade out of hiding, but she nor Sindel never arrived.
Most people in the camp were sleeping unless they were part of the night watch. The various camp fires crackled and snapped nearby, and the sound of joyous – albeit drunken singing joined the sound of the night. Clearly Master Bo Rai Cho was getting everyone to enjoy the evening. Hopefully he wouldn't burn down another tent with his flatulent humor near camp fires again.
Mileena had several armored guards outside of her tent. She was 'Kitana' after all. However, she eluded her guards by sneaking out from under the back-end of the tent and out into the wilderness. She pulled a hood black hood over her head and snuck off to be among the trees and the mountainside. After a bit of walking, Mileena arrived at a cliff. The purple and black night sky had shooting stars streaking across it for just a matter of moments, much like the brief time period she had with Kitana treating her as family. From the cliff, the jagged valley was visible that dipped into a spiral, almost as if the valley itself was the maw of some sort of twisted creature.
She propped one foot on a stone and cast her eyes over the Outworld horizon. After a deep breath, the impostor princess allowed herself to feel. When Kitana came to mind the deep gut churning feeling of hatred, love, and anger all boiled. For thousands upon thousands of years she felt the judgment and rejection of her twin sister. She loved her all the same and craved to be loved, but the rejection of it burned into anger. Her anger from learning her true origins only pushed her desire to replace Kitana even more – but all of that changed when the people she assumed were her 'family' in Shinnok's brotherhood abandoned her.
She tried to kill Kitana one last time. She could have, but instead she was shown mercy in hopes she could change. Mercy and pity felt the same initially, but Kitana saw something in her that could be redeemed. Something in this savage beast of a woman she was. Mileena grit her teeth together and clenched her fist tight. Her nails dug into her palm as tears burned at the corners of her eyes. The weight of an anvil settled on her chest as she turned her gaze to the moon. She should have been the one who died. She was not worth the redemption her sister thought she deserved. Mileena was right back where she started and was utterly alone in the world under the pitch-black shadows of all who held power over her.
The cold chill of reality despite her ego made it impossible for any fire to warm her heart and show her any light. Or was that the cold presence of something else?
"You gave me quite the start, Kitana." The voice of Kuai Liang pierced the night like a javelin through the heart of Mileena's inner-demon. "I was patrolling this area to give one of the guards time with her husband. I almost mistook you for an enemy."
"I once heard misery enjoys company. I do not think that includes hostile company." Mileena responded, mimicking Kitana's voice perfectly.
Kuai chuckled as he approached her. He stood at her side and watched over the moonlit horizon with his right wrist held tightly in his left hand before him. He was dressed in his full Grandmaster garb, including his armored helm that made him look more like a practitioner of bushido than a Lin Kuei assassin.
"To what do I owe the accusation of being miserable, your highness?" Kuai asked while glancing at Mileena.
"From my experience, men in power do not concern themselves with the tasks of those under their rule."
"Age does not make man, your highness. The measure of a man is in his treatment of others. A king bleeds as his subjects do. Why should he see himself above them if the only thing dividing them is a title and crown?" Kuai faced forward again and ran his thumb along his wrist. "Perhaps this is too deep of a conversation for this hour?"
"No," Mileena shook her head, "it is just fine. I suppose thousands of years with Shao Kahn as a father figure has ruined my perception. It is nice to know there are those, especially with power, that will treat all equally. Most people are afraid to speak to me directly, after all."
"I can tell you have a good heart." Kuai replied. "Even if we have never truly had a conversation, I can see it myself. When you help train the soldiers and lay out battle plans that is a side of you I never expected. Though it is the little things that have clued me in that you are a gentle soul."
"You are quite wrong about that."
"Am I?" Kuai challenged.
"Enlighten me." Mileena turned toward him with her eyes narrowed in a playful manner.
"You assumed a man of power would not concern himself with such tasks as patrol, however I have seen you do the same. Though the families we protect in this combined force of ours are not warriors, you take your time to help them prepare meals and teach the young ones as well. Sitting in on 'story time' with Li Mei was a good touch. You seem fascinated with the joy."
"I hadn't known joy until recently." Mileena confessed with a more somber tone. "Then it was taken from me. I am attempting to regain it."
"My apologies," Sub-Zero bowed, "my condolences for your loss of Liu Kang. He was a great man and an even greater rival."
Mileena stared at Kuai for a moment, then realized she was supposed to feel bad about Liu Kang's loss. "He was. I am not sure how I will navigate the future without him."
"I have lost many, but my brother still is a sore spot." Sub-Zero sighed and allowed his arms to hang at his sides. "I feel as if I am to be eternally in his shadow. Bi Han is the original and greatest Sub-Zero. I was Tundra, but pressure from the clan demanded someone take the title rather than let it rest. I had to become the new Bi Han to honor him in their eyes, yet there are times I feel like an impostor in my own skin. I have become the head of the clan, yet I cannot help but feel as if…"
"As if people see your sibling instead of you?" Mileena spoke up softly.
"Yes, exactly." Kuai seemed puzzled. He narrowed his eyes on Mileena for a moment. "Whatever happened to your sister?"
"She was killed. It pains me that I was not there for her. Despite our differences, she deserved to live."
"Mileena was a fierce warrior, for certain." Kuai said with a smile hidden behind his mask. "Perhaps in the afterlife she will know peace? Perhaps she now knows you cared for her? It is what I hope my brother's soul knows, somewhere in the pitch black of Noob Saibot."
"She knows." Mileena's voice cracked slightly, but she regained her composure. "I got to see the real her before she was taken. We could have been sisters. Real sisters. A real family."
"I must borrow your optimism for when I face my brother again." Kuai turned away from her and faced the wilderness again. "Please do not stay out here alone too long. I will return to camp. This meeting never happened, of course."
"Of course. Goodbye, Kuai Liang."
Sub-Zero took three steps away and paused. "When this is all over, Kitana. Perhaps we can have a meal together at my temple. I assure you I am in need of your cooking expertise and I am a fast learner."
Mileena kept her gaze forward. She was excited by the thought, but a pang of guilt echoed in her gut. He wanted to spend time with Kitana, not her. "Of course, Kuai Liang. It would be my honor."
"Be safe, Kitana." Sub-Zero placed his fist over his heart and bowed toward her. "Be stealthful as the night."
Mileena returned the gesture. "And deadly as the dawn."