Chapter 14: Prepare for War

"Jade? How?" Kitana was completely in shock from seeing her friend present; and not only that…she had done away with a great deal of enemies with what seemed to be minimal effort.

Khameleon assisted Kitana to her feet, and due to the overpowering presence of Jade, the woman's clothing started to filter green from its prior black color.

Jade did not answer Kitana or anyone else. There was a deafening silence that befell most of the audience mixed in with the sounds of grieving lost friends and other loved ones in the Saibot attack. Her head turned sharply toward some of the Lin Kuei members. "Restrain them." Her hand motioned out toward Krad, Kia, Sareena, and Jataaka. Her glowing green eyes began to dim as her command was carried out. Kia and Jataaka struggled initially, but submitted to the Lin Kuei. "Nido." She spoke next now fully turning to face him. Her hand tugged the front of her mask down to reveal her features. "You are not seriously harmed, right?"

Nido clutched his abdomen while standing with the assistance of his weapon. He looked upward as if he'd see some sort of divine entity looking down upon him after bringing Jade back to them. "No," He said between breaths. "I'm fine. You don't look bad yourself."

As Jade scoffed. "I've been better. I know there is much I have missed."

"Sektor's army is invading Earthrealm as we speak!" Krad blurted out, much to the dismay of Kia and Jataaka. "Shao Khan's army follows in kind!"

Deciding to join Krad, Jataaka spilled the beans next. "Quan Chi's resurrecting Sindel to help lead the assault!"

This was…vastly different than what Mileena remembered. She remembered being resurrected for the sole purpose of killing Kitana by Shinnok in the Netherrealm. She remembered Quan Chi helped get the attack set up… but she never knew that Sektor's army assisted in leading it. "The merger of realms..." She whispered to herself.

Smoke arrived at Kuai Liang's side, being sure no other attackers were among them. "Sub-Zero! Are you alright?!"

"I am fine, Smoke. Thanks to Jade." He seemed to see something 'off' about Jade. Her aura felt extremely tense. "Sektor's army has attacked with Shao Kahn's forces? ...Then we have no time for preparation. We are at war."

If the attack was already underway, Kitana feared for the worst. "We must make contact with Earthrealm. Raiden, Liu Kang…" However, her mother was alive again. If only she could reach her, then her patience would truly be rewarded. She held her hand over her heart, trying to pretend she did not see this coming.

"If we are at war?" Xue Fang said holding her now patched shoulder wound. "Then I am prepared to kick some of these buckets down to size. Immediately."

Mileena, still boiling in rage, shouted at Xue. "Shut up!"

"Mileena!" Kitana tried to ease the anger of her sibling by grasping her shoulders. "We are all in this together. No matter what. Do you understand?"

"No!" Mileena snapped back. "Mileena refuses to fight on the same side as her!"

Kitana's eyes locked in on Mileena's own. Her lips were curling into a frown as the look of anger came across her face. "As your elder sister I will not tolerate such words from you." She saw Mileena seem to slip into a deeper rage. Hatred was seeping up into those yellow eyes. Kitana's own willpower would not slip, however. She had to be the leader, she had to control Mileena. "I need you. More than anyone else. I need you to fight with me. Do you understand? Don't worry about her…would you abandon me?"

Mileena's hands were shaking. Even Sub-Zero's attention couldn't get her anger off of Xue. However, Kitana's words started seeping into her head. She didn't want to be lonely again. She didn't want to go back to the way she was. She didn't want to seem too savage for Sub-Zero's attention. "…Mileena-I will fight for you, sister." She corrected herself.

Many of the Edenians and Lin Kuei were carrying out the dead, but many others were waiting on words from Kitana still.

"Kitana," Jade placed a soft hand on her shoulder. "How do we proceed?"

It was Kitana's moment of leadership to her people. She looked up and around to the spectators and royal guards all around. Khameleon, Sub-Zero, Smoke, fighters from all around. She looked to Krad, Kia, Jataaka, and Sareena. "Put them in prison for further questioning." She ordered, "The rest of you return to your homes and be at peace. I will require all but five thousand of our finest soldiers to be prepared to head to Earthrealm. The remaining will guard Edenia as a last line of defense."

"Hey, wait." Nido stepped closer to the gathering warriors around Kitana. "If that thing shows up again, we're going to need her." He pointed to Sareena. "We can trust her…I can feel it."

Kitana's eyes looked upon Nido, then to Jade for confirmation. Seeing her friend shared Nido's confidence, she made the choice. "Allow her to join us after some light questioning. Escort her back to us when it is over, Nido." She still had to be sure herself. When Nido left to follow the others off, he made eye contact with Jade as if to say 'I'll be right back'.

Kitana continued. "I'll need every archer at their post watching every entry point to Edenia just in case. We need to contact Raiden and the Elder Gods immediately."

Khameleon bowed her head before Kitana. "It would be my honor."

Smoke placed his fist over his heart. "A handful of Lin Kuei and I will join her to ensure she is safe. We will protect her with our lives."

Sub-Zero approved of this with a simple motion of his head. "I will prepare my students and soldiers. We will meet when you are prepared to return to Earthrealm." Then he turned to Xue Fang… "My Champion student, we will have to postpone training. We will assign a codename for you shortly, at the moment we are vastly too -."

"Frost." Xue Fang narrowed her eyes. "I want to be called Frost."

Sub-Zero expected her to be this impatient. Little did she know that was a test she just failed. "I see. Well, Frost, come with me and we'll begin assigning teams. Oh, and Mileena?" He faced her. "We will speak soon. I am sorry things had to be this way. Princess, Jade, Nido." He bowed in parting to each of them.

"Wait." Fukushu came forward with a small boy hiding slightly behind her. "Sub-Zero, I wish to assist the Lin Kuei." She spoke very softly. "However, that is only if my child can be held safely here in Edenia until my return." She looked to the leader, Kitana, for her words.

Kitana looked down to the young boy. Instantly her heart jumped. She'd always thought about children of her own…but seeing this warrior woman with her child made her slightly envious, but very understanding of her situation. "He will be safe with us. I will have my guards be sure he has a temporary home and children to play with." She motioned some of her knights over to see to it.

Fukushu went to a knee, kissing her son's head. "Behave. I will return."

"Mother…" Satoshi pleaded. "Please don't leave me…"

Fuku shut her eyes, silently placing her fist against her forehead. "You will be watched over. No complaints. Only courage, my son." She lowered her fist and placed it to his heart. "Go. Be brave, for me."

She stood, watching her son turn to leave with the guards. It was only then her eyes came to meet Sub-Zero's to await his answer.

"You are an impressive warrior." Sub-Zero backtracked. "Come with us, please. The more warriors, the better."

Accepting this offer, despite her former feelings, Fukushu saw this as getting one step closer to this Quan Chi and Scorpion.

Once Khameleon, Smoke, Frost, Sub-Zero, Nido and the others were gone and left Jade, Kitana, and Mileena in the ring…it was now time for some serious talking.

"Sindel is back." Jade said once everyone was out of earshot. She began walking out of the ring and led Kitana and Mileena back toward the palace. "Under complete control as before, though…, much stronger than I can recollect." Jade remembered specifically her assignment in the former time. She and Reptile were to find and drag Kitana back to Shao Kahn's feet to sentence her for her betrayal. Though she chose loyalty to her childhood friend over Shao Kahn, things this time around were much more complex.

"Stronger?" Mileena questioned with her yellow eyes narrowed. "How so?"

Jade glanced back to the two siblings while speaking. "Perhaps it is something Shao Kahn allowed Quan Chi to do that was different than before. I am not sure. However, I do know that our fight goes beyond this timeline. There is much more than what we saw during the great battle."

Kitana knew Jade meant the events of 'Armageddon', but how Jade knew all of this was leaving Kitana worried. "Wait." She grabbed Jade's shoulder gently, only to have her friend violently turn her shoulder away from her and face her directly. As much as Kitana wanted to question her sudden attitude, she swallowed her pride. She didn't want to spark an argument and risk not getting answers. "Jade, what happened to you? How do you know these things?"

There was a long pause, but all three of them stopped walking. Jade faced Kitana down directly, almost burning a hole in her eyes for several seconds. She eased up when she saw no malice was being returned, however.

"I was in a mysterious land. I am not sure how to describe it to you, but … someone showed me the past we left behind. It is too complicated to explain now, but the shimmering woman showed me that Shinnok survived the battle. He is claiming Edenia as we speak, as well as the merged realms Khan was consuming. Once it is done, no Elder God will be able to stop Shinnok. Not from the past, present, future, or the multiverse."

Kitana's mind was racing with the 'hows' and 'whens', but she knew they had to work fast. "We will talk more about this later. Shinnok will be a great threat no matter the time period, but if he arrives while we deal with Kahn, we haven't a hope of survival." Kitana folded her arms behind her back and lifted her chin. "Jade, we are at war beyond anything we've ever experienced. I need you at the head of intelligence." She then turned to Mileena. "Mileena, I need you at the head of our soldiers. You know more about how this all went down than either of us. If the Brotherhood has spies as they did before, you will be able to find them."

Mileena and Jade took their new responsibilities very seriously. Each of them nodded to Kitana respectfully and took small bows.

"I will oversee our entire assault and participate in the battle for Earthrealm. First we assist the Lin Kuei against Sektor's army, then we focus on Shao Kahn and mother. Those are my only guidelines." Kitana said to each of them, placing her hands at their shoulders.

"Consider it done…, Princess." Jade shut her eyes and bowed once more. "Once we contact Raiden and the White Lotus Society, I also recommend Liu Kang's wellbeing is watched after. If he is killed by this change of events…the results…they could prove fatal to us all."

Mileena eagerly nodded to Jade's words, but had some to add. "Yes! But…, Mileena thinks that we are stronger together than Liu Kang is alone! If we can stop Kahn even before Liu Kang can fight, Mileena thinks we should do it!"

Kitana clearly liked Mileena's idea better than waiting around, but she had to consider all things. If they killed Kahn before Liu Kang, would that off-set time into an unpredictable timeline? "Well," Kitana cleared her throat. "First we free mother, then we see to it Kahn is defeated by Liu Kang or otherwise. Be ready…because at dawn, we are at war."

Side Event #22: Triple Cross

In the depths of Shang Tsung's Flesh Pits, the sorcerer himself was preparing the next phase of his master plan. Several spell books were cracked open, floating bodies of men and women in tubes sat all about him, being infused with dark magic to further his plans. He was putting the finishing touches on his masterpiece – a creature which had all of its body covered in cloth. It was laying across one of his operating tables.

The body was broad enough to be considered a male form, but that was yet to be seen.

"At long last," Shang Tsung whispered, "The first step toward complete freedom and power." His hands began to glow a bright green color as the soul flames started to enhance. The light illuminated him in the dark, damp recesses of his lab. His eyes were narrowed and full of a near insatiable lust for more power. It was only when his hand was nearly about to press against the clothed being that he was interrupted by the door swinging open.

"Shang Tsung!" His wife Denise called.

The sorcerer groaned and extinguished his soul flame. His hands instantly went to his head. "Woman, if this is not urgent…!"

Denise' heels clicked rapidly as her bare legs moved with haste down the winding stone steps. The sorceress had a pleased grin on her face, for once. "It is always urgent in these times, husband. I've consulted with my crystal ball, and I have fantastic news for the two of us."

Shang crossed his arms and lifted his chin. He was curious as to what his wife had to say. "Proceed."

Denise began looking around at the various tubes while she spoke. "Noob Saibot has failed, Quan Chi has succeeded, Sindel is alive, and your souls are still needed." She grinned, moving closer to Shang Tsung.

"Perfect." He chuckled, lifting his hand to Denise's shoulder. "In due time we will be free. Sektor's invasion is imminent…once Shao Kahn is dead, we will have enough souls from him alone to be immortal." He leaned his head forward to place gently against her own. "Let everyone else do the work for us, correct?"

Denise shut her eyes and brought her hands to Shang Tsung's chest. "Yes. That fool Quan Chi will be vulnerable sooner or later. Stick it out with him until the amulet can be stolen. Though I do have one problem…, husband."

The double-or-triple-cross that Shang Tsung was planning was very risky, but he was confident he had everything figured out. Denise may have seemed to be a nagging wife, but she was every bit as cunning as he was. Whatever he lacked, she made up for.

"Do tell," He spoke as he stepped away from her to look back toward his work. "I am all ears."

Denise paced alongside him to examine his clothed subject. "Shinnok," She spoke after a few moments of silence. "Quan Chi is with the Brotherhood. They want Shinnok to rule the realms…"

That was a problem indeed. One Shang Tsung forgot to calculate. "If we can get others to kill Khan, surely we can do the same to Shinnok. Perhaps keep him imprisoned in the Netherrealm…perhaps by sending Quan Chi on a foolish quest to find Onaga's lost army?" He chuckled to himself. "You and I both know it no longer exists."

Denise beamed with a grin to her husband. "We know it doesn't exist where we've looked. We should find it. Imagine, a million souls, a million unstoppable soldiers at our beck and call. No responsibility for the two of us." Her eyes shut as she could practically taste the freedom on her lips. "Are you sure you are not lying to me as well, dear husband? Do you actually want realm domination?"

Shang Tsung pressed his hands on the face of the clothed creature before speaking. "I have succeeded in making others think it is what I crave. I simply crave immortality, freedom, and no need to ever serve anyone. Since my soul is still needed for Sindel…,I trust you will do your part in my absence?"

Denise nodded slowly. "I will." She began to walk away from Shang Tsung, brushing her fingers along his shoulder. "The Edenians may be an issue as well. Is that what this new creature is for?" She motioned to one of the floating women in a tube.

Shang Tsung chuckled darkly to himself. "An improvement on my mistake. Something in Kitana, Mileena, and Jade is very different. Their souls are vastly more powerful than they were prior to the tournament ending in Earthrealm. If I can infiltrate them…or destroy them…" He turned around. "Those are three less threats to our success."

Denise began up the stairs slowly. "I knew I married you for a reason. Now come to bed, you need your rest."

"I am well rested, thank you. I have my work to…"

"I said come to bed!" Denise snapped back at Shang Tsung.

The Sorcerer retorted by pointing at her. "I will do as I please! Sleep, but my work here is not complete, woman! Get off of my back!"

Denise rolled her eyes and flicked her hair as she stormed upstairs. "This is why you are going to burn your eyebrows off like your father did!"

Shang Tsung sighed as the door slammed shut and echoed through the chambers. "It was an accident! My father! He…he miscalculated a very complex series of black magic!"

After silently cursing at Denise, Shang Tsung turned to the tube his wife spoke of before her departure. Inside floated a bandaged up, half Tarkatan woman with short black hair and a row of razor-sharp teeth. "I on the other hand…improve on my work."

Side Event #23: Kahn's Plan

"Sindel will be here shortly, sir." Reiko placed his fist over his heart and bowed before Shao Kahn. "The invasion has begun. Sektor and his forces have begun their attack at the old Lin Kuei Temple in Earthrealm. Section B of his armada are attacking various major Earthrealm cities and defense bases. The Black Dragon bombers are also in place."

Shao Kahn sat at his throne in the company of Goro and Motaro. A deep chuckle left his now armored chest as he watched the young man bow before him. "Good. Give the order to show no quarter. Every soul must perish. Every man, woman, child, and animal. Bomb the oceans, bomb the cities, slaughter the weaklings as you see fit. I trust you can do this, Reiko?"

The young man nodded once more. "With Rain's assistance we can help feed the Soulnado until it self sustains. No Earthrealm soul will be spared. Quan Chi has to prepare the spell once Queen Sindel is ready for war."

Kahn rubbed his squared jaw in thought. "Raiden will have opposition for us I am sure. When Sindel gets here, have Shang Tsung sent to me. He has one final purpose as my servant. After that is over, I will send Sindel to where Raiden has his champions gathered."

Reiko perked an eyebrow at Kahn. "You are certain Raiden will do this?"

There was a tense silence before Shao spoke with more bass in his voice. "If you wish to be like me one day, boy, you will learn to respect a worthy foe's thoughts. Raiden knows the war was going to start as soon as Quan Chi crossed over into Earthrealm. It is just a matter of proper selection of warriors. However, Raiden is a fool. He would allow fate to determine his battles rather than strategy. Our entire confrontation has been a well-played game of chess. Granted it has become rather one-sided."

Reiko bowed his head again. "Understood, sir. After Sindel destroys the remnants of Earth's defenders…, then what do we do? Can she kill Raiden?"

Kahn stood. "There are only two people alive who can destroy Raiden. I am one of them." He stepped down from his throne and walked to one of his open windows high on his fortress.

"And the other…?" Reiko inquired silently.

Kahn elevated his chin and gave his answer a bit of time before it was given with a calm, but chilling tone. "Himself."

Side Event #24: Four Arms Full of Trouble

Sheeva opened her eyes to view the bamboo ceiling high above her head. The open window had white cloth curtains blowing gently through it while carrying the gentle scent of fresh water nearby. Her arms were folded neatly over her body, as well as the soft blue quilted blanket over her abdomen.

Initially, Sheeva panicked and began to shift her head from left to right. Was she in prison? Where was that traitorous Quan Chi and the witch Tanya?

"Where am I?" She thought out loud as she tried to sit up. The pain shot through her body and she fell back with a dull thud on the blankets beneath her. She groaned in deep, soul-aching pain.

A voice from within the sunlit room startled her shortly after. "You should relax, miss." The man spoke as he started toward her side. Once he knelt near her, Sheeva saw his features clearly. A red bandana was wrapped about his eyes, and the various bits of white along his short sharp hair let her know he was a human male of age. "You are safe, that is all that matters right now. Does your breathing give you pain?"

Sheeva replied with false courage. "I am fine!" She tried to sit up again, only to fall back down and clutch at her stomach and sides. " Where is Quan Chi?!"

The man pressed his lips tightly together for a moment. "I do not know. I'm sorry. For now, you have us and this village to protect you. We will help you find Quan Chi once Li Mei brings the last of the tonic."

"Who are you?" Sheeva asked, still holding on stubbornly to her tough façade.

"I am Kenshi," The warrior bowed his head. "What might be your name, young lady?"

Young lady?! She was hundreds of years old! How dare Kenshi call her young?! Well, she did take care of her skin and muscles. Perhaps she seemed about one hundred years old.

"I…uh…, I am…Sheeva." She cleared her throat. Surely this man knew she was a Shokan and he was a human. "Flattery of my age will not change the fact we should not attempt breeding, human."

Kenshi's face visibly reddened from the fact a woman would so openly say something like that, no matter what language was used. "I assure you I was not attempting to…breed with you as you put it. I am simply being a friend."

"A friend? What nonsense is that?" It made no sense to her. "When a male speaks to a female in such ways, it is usually for courting and coitus."

Kenshi had a hard time not laughing a little, but he gathered his wits enough to reply. "I was being friendly, Miss Sheeva."

"Friendly?" Again she was struck by confusion. "Males and females are partners, not friends. When there is an attraction friendship is nullified." Realizing she sounded as if she was attracted to the male, Sheeva gripped her forehead with her upper left arm. "Not attraction! Curiosity!"

Kenshi laughed once more and shook his head. "You're really not from my neck of the woods, huh?" Kenshi said as he busied himself with setting out fresh bandages for her injuries.

"She sure is not." The multiple voices of Ermac echoed around the room. Once Sheeva looked at him, the red and black wrapped soul-being bowed his head. He carried a basket full of apples with him, and set it near Sheeva. "Do not be alarmed, Sheeva. None here work for Kahn. This is a free village."

"Where is Quan Chi, Ermac? How did I get here?"

"Reptile." Ermac levitated an apple from the basket to head toward Kenshi's waiting hand. "Reptile brought you here. He found you near death in the forests, I believe. I see you've met my student, Kenshi." Ermac motioned a hand toward the blind man. "As for Quan Chi…I believe he is on Earth right now. Shao Kahn has started an invasion. We are preparing to set out and stop him. We must return to him." Ermac pointed to himself when saying 'we'.

"Return to him?" The Shokan woman looked to Kenshi, then back to Ermac. "Did you not just say you do not work for Kahn?" Confused, Sheeva's brow lifted up above the other.

"We are playing a double agent of sorts. Finding information to prevent the unthinkable from happening." Ermac said while floating near Kenshi.

"Unthinkable?" Sheeva questioned.

"Precisely. It seems there are going to be several traitorous acts happening in the immediate future. Shao Kahn has ignored his better instincts and approved the cybernetics to be part of his military. The cybernetics believe they have the right to all of Earthrealm and have struck a deal with Shang Tsung, but the cybernetic named Cyrax cut a deal with Quan Chi for his mortality to be restored. Quan Chi desires the Netherrealm to be ripped open by the Earthrealm Kamidogu to free Shinnok…"

After taking a loud bite of his apple, Kenshi joined in on getting Sheeva up to speed. "This was all gathered by Ermac in a matter of months after the last tournament. Reptile told us about the secret alliance aimed to take down Shao Kahn. Without Baraka and Kano, however, Rain, Tanya, and Reiko are helplessly outgunned."

"You assist them?" Sheeva turned her attention back to Kenshi to try and figure out the plan of this makeshift alliance. "Tanya is not an ally to any but herself. Had I seen this earlier…"

Ermac eagerly answered in Kenshi's place. "They are still very loyal to Kahn until they have the proper leverage. They will be enemies to us as long as they are near the Emperor."

Kenshi took another bite of his apple and chewed quite joyfully. The taste was just bursting over his highly sensitive taste buds. "Ermac is going to Earthrealm to try and figure out where the Kamidogu is currently held, and attempt to hide it from Kahn and Sektor. Li Mei, Reptile, and I are going to assist Earthrealm's defenses."

"Fools," Sheeva said with a disappointed sigh. "The Kamidogu are missing. It has been discussed among Shokan for years now. Some mortal has been stealing them one by one. Earthrealm and Outworld are without. Our gods warn us."

Ermac tapped the side of his bandaged head. "Ah, but each realm houses more than one Kamidogu. It was a safeguard for such an occasion. It is only known among the ancients, many of which compose us."

"Since the Kamidogu bind the realms it only makes sense one would not exist alone. I see." Sheeva began to look about the small shack in hopes this Li Mei would arrive soon, or Reptile. "Once I am healed, I will aid you. I will inform my kind of Kahn's betrayal first."

"It's too risky." Ermac shook his head. "Many Shokan may be already embarked in battle. You may aid us, but be cautious to who you speak to outside of this village. It could be the undoing of what we are attempting. We must be going now. Li Mei is near. A swift healing, We wish upon you."