Chapter 17: Battle at the Lin Kuei Temple

"We need to hold the line, men!" A Lin Kuei soldier yelled out over the gunfire and sounds of combat. "Hold this altar! Do not give any quarter!" The drab sight of war stretched over the entire snowy land of Artika. Blood splattered across the pure white ground along with the bodies of countless Lin Kuei warriors.

The soldier paced along the firing squad he'd set up, watching as the metal menaces ravaged his forces out in the snow.

"Captain!" A female soldier ran up to him. "We have confirmation that the Tekunin are hitting the shrines systematically! Our forces are scattered! What do we do?"

The soldier's brows lowered down while he looked to the heavens to watch missile fire rain down over the battlefield and temple. The explosions were distant, but were bright enough for force him to cover his eyes. "…We don't abandon hope. They must be after something…and we have to find it before they do." He started to lead the woman away from the squad that was awaiting the perfect opportunity to snipe more of their metal foes. "How many shrines have they hit?"

"Three of twelve so far, sir. They raided the temple first, many of them are still inside." She hurried beside him and picked up a new assault rifle to defend herself.

The captain moved into the altar and proceeded down its steps into the worship room. "We can't fight these machines with just our fists. We have to hit them while they are busy. We need to rig this place to blow. Relay the order to the others." The worship room was a large octagon that was large enough for a Baseball diamond to fit snugly in. There was a set of sealed double doors at the back of it and several statues of warriors between massive pillars.

Several other Lin Kuei warriors began to rush down into worship room once the order was sent out. With what technology they had available to them, they began setting the charges inside of the large room in case their invaders got lucky.

"Alright, we're going to take the tunnels behind this door to flee." The Captain spoke once they were all ready. "By the time they get here, we will be long gone, and so will they."

"Sir," The female warrior spoke. "What of the other warriors? We abandon them? What of Kuai Liang?"

The captain was silent for a moment. The pressure to ensure the Lin Kuei survived was on his call. "We abandon this place or abandon hope. I leave the choice to you. Lady Wei-Yan cannot be saved by us, no whatever it is these machines seek. No more questions. We must…"

The words of the man were interrupted by a sudden metal clank. Then another, and another, and more followed. Dozens of Tekunin appeared in the room after losing their stealth technology. Among the gray and black armored assassins was a tall crimson and black clad suit of armor. However, it was not their leader, Sektor.

The former Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei prior to Sektor's betrayal had been reborn by his son's will as a cyborg. Though he worked under Sektor's command, he was more powerful than their recruits. His name was lost to his once dead mind, and now only answered to GM-L2.

"GM-L2 assassination protocols enabled." The tall droid spoke. "Seek the Kamidogu. Slaughter Lin Kuei. Collect the bones for recreation." His masked face had two glowing yellow eyes and filters that constantly emitted a wheezing breath from either side of his mouth. His hands lifted up with two large glowing holes in them. A loud electric whine was the last thing some of the Lin Kuei heard, as the blast that rushed from his palms broke through their skulls.

In a panic, the Lin Kuei began to scatter. The bladed accessories of the Tekunin made their journey to death quite swift, however. They were flooded rapidly and torn to shreds. Despite the Captain's best efforts, one by one, his Lin Kuei were reduced to bloody messes and ash in seconds. As he ran for the door, he was taken down by the sudden appearance of GM-L2. The tall man gripped his throat and shoved him through one of the Lin Kuei statues lining the wall.

As the stone crumbled down over his body, the captain was barely able to open his eyes to face the powerful assassin. He coughed as the dust filled his lungs and fear gripped his very soul. "What…what do you want…? Why are you attacking us?!"

His words were met by silence. The glowing yellow eyes started to dim down while GM-L2 processed the question. "Kuai Liang must suffer. We, the true Lin Kuei, are exterminating you false warriors. Accessing MK-L2 fatal ending intention level two." His right palm lifted up with a crescent of yellow energy lining it. The energy shot forward and snapped around the man's neck like a collar. It tightened and continued to strain around his throat. He struggled to breathe and coughed violently while stumbling out of the statue's remains. He fell to his knees, only coughing up saliva and reddening in the face.

GM-L2 just watched stoically. He stepped back watching as the man choked to death. Though seconds before he'd take his final wheeze, GM-L2 lifted his other palm and discharged a large amount of energy that ripped his skull a quarter of his torso right off of his body instantly. As the remains flashed from flesh, to bone, to ash, there was no life left of the man.

"Target neutralized. Seek the Kamidogu in this area and its escape path." GM-L2 commanded the other Tekunin after their slaughter. "Upon locating it, report to Sektor. We must use it to access the portal."

Edenia; Wartime

The time for war was upon them all. Kitana sat on her horse before the masses of Edenian and Lin Kuei soldiers set to go into the warzone in Artika. Among the familiar faces, Kitana spotted Mileena, Jade, the former prisoner Sareena, Frost, Fukushu, Sub-Zero, and many of the warriors who participated in the tournament. The portal behind her was being opened up by the Edenian mages, so as time ticked down, Kitana spoke a few words of encouragement.

"Gentlemen!" She called out loudly, holding a sword high above her head to command attention. "Ladies!" She said as the rallying call of the Edenian warriors ended. The Princess had the floor now. "We go to Earthrealm as an army for the first time in history. We fight alongside our brothers and sisters who fight to free all realms from Shao Kahn's grasp. We fight not only for our freedoms, but the lives of those we've lost in this near eternal war!"

Kitana paused, having her horse fidget lightly. "Some of us may die, but with our dying breaths our enemies will know that we fear them not! We will show them the will of Earthrealm and Edenia transcends our mortal souls! There is an old saying…one in which I am reminded of this day…" She paused as the portal widened behind her. She watched all of the eyes of the army she'd amassed. Some eyes confident, others full of fear, but all prepared to put everything at risk.

The princess continued. "It goes…'If I should return with my body on my shield, tell my kin that I chose to die than to ever yield'!" Her words gathered a collective roar from the army. She pursed her lips tightly as her sword was lifted again. "We will draw their blood as we battle with steel! We will die with honor, and never yield!"

The words had the large group cheering out, inspired for war. Even the Lin Kuei had their fists in the air to show their support.

The portal was completed now, and wide enough for the group to ride through.

Jade's horse galloped near Kitana's as she faced the gateway. She gave the princess a glance and spoke softly. "Are you sure you are ready for this?"

Kitana did not hesitate a second. "It is time we end this." She looked forward bravely. "Mother depends on me." Now came her hesitation. She glanced toward her destiny. "…She depends on us."

It was at this time Mileena rode near the two. "This is it. Mileena will follow you, sister."

Kitana gave Mileena a small smile while moving her horse forward. "To Earthrealm!" She shouted while pointing her weapon forward. Kitana, Mileena, and Jade lead the army through the gateway to phase over into the Earth's artic region. The cold air hit them immediately, but the sight of the war-torn and charred remains of the Lin Kuei's new temple was even more chilling. The Tekunin swarmed about the skies like flies, killing off any remaining enemies as viciously as possible.

As soon as they were visible, Kitana and her allies were bombarded with gunfire from the flying creatures. Several of the Lin Kuei and Edenians were shot from their horses or killed, while the rest managed to avoid or shield themselves.

"I will handle them!" Jade shouted out as she hopped up onto her horse's saddle with both feet. Once her Staff was drawn, Jade sprung into the air several dozen yards with a single bound. She drove her staff through the chest plate of a Tekunin and rotated her body to cast it toward its allies. Her feet came down on top of a flying Tekunin and she sprung from it to head into the thick of the gunfire with her staff spinning in front of herself like a windmill. Each bullet spat at her was redirected in the rotating shield she'd created.

As Jade got closer, she was seen from the ground team's perspective as a green and purple light bouncing between the explosion of Tekunin soldiers.

Kitana tightened her grip on her horse as she observed the battle field. The Lin Kuei Temple needed back-up. The various shrines needed protection, and they had to ensure no reinforcements arrived and every escape route was sealed.

The Princess gave her orders. "I need men on the East watching the high ground and holding it! I need a team of Lin Kuei to take back the Temple as you know best how to defend her. Edenians, provide assistance to them as Sub-Zero and his captains direct without question!" She rode onward, and looked to her sister. "Mileena, go with them. I will head to the nearest Shrine they are attacking with a group of soldiers. The rest of you, set up the parameter!"

Mileena accepted her order without question, but when she saw Sub-Zero slow down…she did as well.

Sub-Zero spoke up to Kitana. "Princess, wait." He watched on in horror at the attack…but turned his sights back onto the Edenian Princess. "The shrines must be held. I will take a team to defend them as well. My captains will lead the Temple team. I need Frost and Mileena with them. Fukushu, if you would please accompany me."

Fukushu?! Mileena was furious! Why would Kuai Liang pick her?! She bit her tongue though…orders were orders, and bullets and war were still all around. Tekunin on the ground were on approach with their red glowing swords drawn…

"Accepted." Fukushu redirected her horse to ride closer to Sub-Zero. As she did this, thirty or so soldiers broke off from the main group to follow Sub-Zero to the West where Shrines were being decimated around the circular parameter of the temple.

"Looks like Frost is stuck with Mileena." Frost mocked as she rode beside the half-Tarkatan. "Frost is so excited that Frost gets her widdle fwiend to help owt!"

Mileena's eyes were reddening from the woman's words…but she managed to hold back for the sake of Kuai Liang. At least for…three seconds. "Silence! Mileena will rip out your throat you piece of-!"

"Crap!" Riding past Mileena and Frost was Raizor, who was on the side of his horse. His legs were flailing in the air as he tried to hold onto the saddle with one hand between his legs, and the other flopping wildly.

This sent Mileena's eyes ahead of herself. The Tekunin threw their blazing swords forward…and several of the blades punctured Mileena's horse. With battle sinking into her psyche, she sprung from her horse and hit the ground hard. As she rolled, she heard the cybernetic noises and clashing of weapons all around. Soon, she would join the battle.

A massive Tekunin landed beside her with his swords drawn, but was met with dozens of knives to its cranium and sternum from far behind Mileena. As she sprung onto her feet, she saw that her savior was the Demoness Sareena. With a nod of thanks, Mileena drove her palm through the throat of her attacker and gripped his spinal cord. With a sudden yank, she fully disabled the cyborg.

As the next wave of attackers came in, Mileena dropped herself through her gateway of mystic energy and appeared overhead instantly. She drove herself Sais first into the crowd and drove two Tekunin to the ground with all of her force.

Without fear of being surrounded, Mileena stood up and bashed away the glowing red weapons with her sais. Each parry was followed up by a stab or jab from her weapon to back off the cyborgs. Their level of durability was apparent when she struck their chests, but their throats, eyes, and shoulder joints seemed to be the best points for entry.

Sareena joined Mileena soon after dispatching one of the enemies in the now chaotic fray on route to the temple. She started to run to Mileena's aid…and shifted her dark energy to morph her body into a black Lion-like Hound with a mane as wild as the back of a hedgehog. Her teeth were jagged as rusted daggers, and her body as big as a horse.

The Dartmoor form she assumed bashed and thrashed into the cyborgs and sent them flying all around like bowling pins hit with a bowling ball breaking a hundred miles per hour. Their limbs flailed and their cybernetic shouts mixed in a symphony of pain.

Mileena caught a stray punch across her face, and suffered the impact of an energy blast from a Tekunin's chest component. Staggered, Mileena was helpless to an assault from behind which brought a steel coated forearm across her windpipe.

Panicked and angered, she thrashed against her attacker to no gain. The other closed in with his blazing sabers drawn…but much to his surprise, Mileena sent a kick to his groin that dented the plate so badly, that he staggered back with a shrill shriek of scrambled vocals. As he staggered back, immediately Sareena's mouth enveloped his entire chest and head and bit into him like a piece of fruit.

The enraged Dartmoor thrashed the machine until it broke in two…and it's remains were spat aside, coated in thick saliva.

Mileena had since jabbed her Sai through the eye of the Tekunin behind her and flipped it over her shoulder to land harshly on the snowy ground.

As Sareena reformed, she summoned two knives in her palms and immediately continued to fight.

Mileena followed her lead…but she wondered just where Kitana, Jade, and Sub-Zero were. Then…she began to wonder where Frost was.

Her thoughts did not need to linger long, as she soon spotted the cold combatant single-handedly decimating a squadron of Tekunin with very little assistance from her Lin Kuei brethren.

With a sword composed of pure frozen Kori energy at her disposal, she was able to penetrate many of the cyborgs armor with less effort than most.

Frost knocked over a Tekunin with a forceful side-kick to his stomach…then beheaded him as if she were an executioner at work. "That all you got?!" She called out as she spat on the machine's remains.

A yellow colored Tekunin soared through the sky overhead…and from his chest, a large green net launched out to constrict around several of Frost's allies. Having avoided being incapacitated by the attack, Frost held her sword upside down and drew her arm back. She threw the sword toward the flying Tekunin…but fell an inch short and a moment late. The blade instead pierced through another Tekunin that had just been bisected at the waist by Jade.

As the Yellow Tekunin looked back at the carnage, he soared to the higher reaches of the Lin Kuei temple, where Sektor awaited his report.

The Yellow Cyborg, Cyrax landed harshly on the cold balcony. He had dents and scrapes all over from battle, but he was still functioning at full capacity.

"Sir." Cyrax held his fist over his chest and bowed. "Location of the Kamidogu has not yet been found. Still, we are getting closer to completion."

Sektor was pleased. His glowing red eyes glanced to Cyrax from over his shoulder, then back out at the chaos. "Their reinforcements are assisting their resistance. We must act quickly and retreat. How many shrines are left?"

"Two, sir."

This made Sektor feel eagerness in the pits of his very soul. Once the Kamidogu was his, he could finally obtain what he needed. "Raiden and Kahn cannot be destroyed unless I have that Kamidogu. Do not let it fall into their hands." He spoke with authority. "Your humanity will not be restored if you fail me."

"Understood, sir." Cyrax obeyed, though he hated to do so. He hesitated…clearly feeling the pressure of the situation. "Establishing link to GM-L2. This will speed the process."

"Yes," Sektor's red eyes thinned out. "I see Kuai Liang is among us…" This was good news. He stepped forward and placed his hands on the snow-touched railing. The heat of his hands melted the snow within seconds. "I will deal with him personally. Engage."

The thrusters on the two Tekunin activated as they both soared into the war-filled air once again.

Just moments after the two were gone, a loud screeching whistled through the air as Jade drove one of the bulky Tekunin Dreadnaught soldiers through the balcony window and into the vacant interior of the Temple's Scroll room.

Jade stood quickly and jabbed the bottom of her staff into the face of the android until it ceased movement. She examined her surroundings…and all she saw was the raided and overturned inside of the room. Parchment littered the floors covered in calligraphy, portraits of great Lin Kuei scholars and leaders were torn from the walls, and books were riddled with bullet holes.

It was a despicable sight, but Jade was more concerned with her newly found tactical advantage. She was inside; she could assist the ground team in infiltrating the Tekunin's forces inside. She moved through the Scroll Room and headed into the halls. Immediately she was met by the sight of a woman fleeing Tekunin captivity.

"Wei-Yan!" One of the Lin Kuei soldiers shouted out before he was cut down by the pursuing Cyborgs.

Jade drew her bladed boomerangs and tossed them ahead of herself and just past the head of the running woman. Each blade pierced her foes, and she continued to run toward the pack of armored warriors. That was until everything suddenly went black.

Side Event #26: The Paradox

Jade suddenly found herself standing upside down on a purple-colored cobblestone platform. There were gray clouds floating in the pitch-black rivers that ran like sludge on either side of the platform. The skies raced overhead with a constantly changing green-to-black sky that drew small droplets of water up like slow moving rain drops.

It was an odd world; and even odder that a large swirling portal sat six meters in front of her. The black swirling mass of mystic force was similar to the one Kitana used to enter Earthrealm…but it was vastly different in feel.

As she gazed at it, she could feel the presence of that odd world she felt her mother in.

Before she could even begin stepping toward it, a dark man appeared before her. He was clad similar to the likes of Scorpion and Sub-Zero. His dark flesh complimented his black fitted clothing and loosely fitting trousers. Over the top of the stealthy attire was a crisp white belt about his waist with matching sleeveless Gi. Several red prayer beads sat over his chest, and a large spear that resembled Nido's sat at his back. His eyes were glazed over and purely white. His mouth was covered by white cloth, and his large hands were covered in white armor clearly designed by the Elder Gods.

"Jade" The voice spoke with a voice as deep as the depths of the Neterrealm. "You are called to be tasked. You are the reason I exist, thus the reason I must cease to do so."

She didn't quite understand what was going on, or why they were upside down. "Tasked? What is this? Where is my mother?"

"Answers are not for asking." The entity spoke. "Questions are deception depicted as truths. Your mother is your father, and your father hates your mother, yet they are one and none at once."

The nonsensical words made the Edenian woman grow frustrated. "Whoever you are, I demand to be returned immediately! My allies need my assistance!"

"You help them by means of Sloth." The entity spoke. "You die by survival. You are not tasked with your requirement, you are required to do nothing, but what must be done will not be done if you do nothing."

The constant confusion made Jade's patience thin out more. "Please…" She exhaled while rubbing the sides of her head. "I do not have time for this."

"Time." The entity spoke. "I never had time. Time was taken from me. I do not recall my life prior to my existence but those who created me insist that there is a bond you and I share. I come as a familiar face you have met and yet we have never done so. I come from a plane of death to live again, and to live only to die once my task is complete, as well as yours. I cannot assist you because my soul is dead, and two souls of similar origin from different dimensions cannot coexist in the same plane. They will both die."

It was at this point Jade decided to stop trying to understand what was being said to her. She paced five steps to her left to near the edge of the sludge-like black water. "Why am I here?"

The Watchman folded his arms across his chest and watched her. "You created the impossible and made it revealed as an improbability. You went mind and soul where only fragments of mind should go. You took with you a piece of the binder of reality; The One Being. Because you did not recover all of it in the transfer, it was taken by another. He who destroys the dimensions."

Things were starting to make sense to her now. "Shinnok?" She looked back toward the Watchman. "Yes, I am aware. Are you saying this is my fault? That somehow I am the reason he is able to wonder dimensions?"

The Watchman nodded his head. "No." As he looked forward again, he continued to speak. "Because you bound with the One Being twice from Shao Kahn, you became its secondary host. You are the reason Shao Kahn lived as long as he did. He leeched from you because the One Being had much energy to draw from two individuals. In turn, once you returned through time with conscious and soul, you created a new dimension and with it a new timeline. Your destiny was altered, but the past in the prior dimension remains. The infinite variations of your life were born." He paused and went down to one knee. "You created a loophole for the Dimensional jumper to play. You broke open the Multiverse for him. Now he aims to not kill his variations, but to absorb them. When the One Being, the creator of reality itself, becomes whole again, it will be undefeatable. I called you to this world because I was ordered to."

"That does not make sense to me." She was getting a headache from this. She had to return to battle. "My mother…she…I believe her." Turning around to face the Watchman again, Jade spoke with more force. "Send me back, madman. I have only the present to focus on to find my truth!"

The Watchman was silent. "I am called Phaze. Perhaps because I am a temporary life form that you can choose to accept or deny. That is the alternate universe you must create next. Only when the Dimensional Hopper defeats and absorbs you will the paradoxes end. Should you absorb him, then the same effect will happen. All will be restored. However, despite this accidental direct change of destiny, every soul thanks you for their chance at redemption…"

Before Jade could even speak in response, she awoke…

(End of Side Event)

When Jade came back to reality, she found herself standing with her staff drawn back as if prepared to strike two familiar Tarkatan faces.

"Whoa! We're backing you up!" Kaizar shouted as he cowered with his hands over his head.

"I swear on my girlfriend Tarana's life that we were just helping!" Raizar cowered as well and covered his tooth-filled mouth.

Jade hesitated from attacking and came to her senses. She looked around herself…and all the Tekunin in the hall prior were literately splattered all over the walls, the railings, the floor, and the ceiling. She'd made an awfully oily-bloody mess.

"Your girlfriend?!" Kai shoved his brother in anger. "Tarana is my girlfriend!"

"What?! You didn't inscribe your relationship status on the Edenia Connect!" Rai shoved his brother back. "I took her to dinner!"

Kai flailed his arms overhead in rage. "How could you?! I am the better looking one!"

"But I'm more lovable!"

"I'm smarter!"

Finally, Jade interrupted the arguing siblings. "That's enough!" She held her staff on her left shoulder while looking around. "We proceed down. Clear these abominations."

As Jade gathered her Tarkatan allies, she pushed them down to avoid contact with an incoming missile from a Tekunin Dreadnaught that emerged from the lower portion of the temple.

The missile soared through the broken window in the hall and soared down toward the snow. It exploded on contact with the ground and sent dozens of cyborgs, Lin Kuei, and Edenians flying. The force of the blast threw the nearby Kitana from her horse and promptly ended her decapitation spree on her enemies. As she hit the snow, she rolled several times until she landed flat on her front. When she looked around, she saw the two remaining shrines in plain sight. The other ten were detonated…and left ablaze from events prior. She saw Cyrax soaring from the interior of one of the temples and then toward the other…

When she pushed herself to her feet, she caught sight of the soaring Sektor zipping overhead…going right toward the man she saw next.

"Sub-Zero!" Kitana shouted out to warn the Grand Master since his back was to the approaching suit of armor.

The echoing sound caught Mileena's ears. She perked up and turned her gaze across the battlefield. She saw Sektor…then Sub-Zero. All her rage pumped through her heart and blended with fear. The resulting concoction was a rush of adrenaline like never before.

Mileena began to abandon her fight as soon as Sektor's metal shoulder rammed into the turning Sub-Zero.

The impact knocked all the wind out of Kuai Liang's lungs. He was slumped over Sektor's arm while they soared into the Shrine. His lifetime rival, though enhanced by cybernetics, was surely about to stage their final confrontation.

When Sub-Zero and Sektor vanished into the shrine, Fukushu's attention snapped to the yellow clad suit. She turned just in time to bring her mighty fist forward to meet his own. The collision made her forearm tighten to prevent from breaking. She skid backward while their knuckles grinded.

As Cyrax landed on the ground, she read his movements. She trailed backwards and swatted his precise strikes aside as if he were a mere amateur. She was leading him toward the shrine so she could assist Sub-Zero.

She delivered one powerful strike to his chest and dented the plate enough to make his 'net' contraption malfunction and spark internally. While her knuckles burned and stung from the collision, she drove them toward Cyrax's helmet. She was shocked to find her strike was avoided with technique equal to her own. She felt pain in her jaw when he struck her, then once more in her abdomen as she was knocked from her feet by his fist. She fell against the steps leading further down into the shrine.

Her bones knocked against the hard steps and the immovable wall of stone lining the curved path. When she reached the foot of the steps, the battle weary kunoichi witnessed the opening of a gateway during the hand-to-hand battle of Sub-Zero and Sektor.

The Kamidogu had been found, and the portal leading to the frozen Katakombs was active. Fuku pulled the cloth from her face to spit blood from her mouth onto the cold pavement beneath her. She stood just as Cyrax was arriving…but when her vision shifted to the rivals Sub-Zero and Sektor, she saw the two of them knock one another through the gateway and to the other side.

When Cyrax rushed forward, Fukushu side-stepped him and drove her fist into the back of his head. The sheer force caused him to stumble and trip through the gateway several meters away. She had to follow them…but her injuries from the war outside, and falling down those stairs made her hesitate a moment. She held her lower back as she fell to a knee. She had a moment to breathe…or so she thought.

She wasn't alone. She could not only feel it, but she could hear it. Footsteps were coming down the stairs. Surely, they would overpower her now.

Her soul came at ease when she saw Mileena arriving first, followed by Kitana and Sareena. Frost was last, having surfed a headless Tekunin down the stairs like some sort of child.

"Where is Kuai Liang?!" Mileena was panicked. She saw Fukushu's spat out blood on the floor and instantly assumed it was Sub-Zero's. "Is he harmed?!" She noticed the portal soon after. "Is he in there?!" She started to rush toward it, but was stopped by Kitana grabbing her arm.

"Mileena wait!" Kitana urged her, but she was snatched away from. "We cannot rush in there until we know!"

"Mileena is sick of waiting! Sick of it!" She hissed at Kitana with her yellow eyes burning with hatred.

"Sister," Kitana tried to speak calmly, but maintain her authority. "There will be a time…and a place for anger."

Before Mileena could reply, Sareena was slowly drawing a knife. "…Shh." She held her chin up. "…Something is off."

Frost dusted her hands off while pacing the circular room. "Yeah, nobody to kill. You okay? Can't let a bunch of toasters beat you down." She didn't offer Fukushu a hand to stand up, but she stood near her while turning her back to the portal.

Fukushu stood up and rolled her sore shoulder gently. She had no words to say.

Coming down the stairs next was Jade. She left the Temple once the ground team of Tekunin were wiped out…and rushed in when she saw Kitana and the others doing so. While catching her breath, she paced toward the group of women. She felt…stronger in the presence of the Kamidogu, oddly.

Jade met eyes with Kitana and spoke. "Is all well?"

"Yes." The Princess spoke.

"No!" Mileena shouted a moment after. "We have to go help Kuai Liang! He is in danger! Mileena will not let him die!"

"Miweena will not wet widdle Kwai Wiang die. Boo-hoo." Frost mocked. "Honestly lady, can you stop with that annoying voice? You sound like an idiot."

"Mind your tongue!" Kitana commanded Frost, though it seemed to take no hold on her. "How dare you insult my-…"

"Mileena will Kill y-…" Mileena paused. She picked up on an odd feeling. She noticed Sareena was pulling up a second knife now.

"…We've got company." Frost said as she shut her eyes. "…Lots."

It was at that moment that the stealth function of the Tekunins ended. Their heavy frames landed on the ground with loud clanks as their silent thrusters shut off.

Clank.

Clank.

Clank.

…Clank.

Each sound made the women look around the room as it began to fill up. The circular shrine was full of about fifty suits of armor…including the notorious GM-L2.

The women started to back up. The exit was blocked by the gray cyborgs.

As each woman came back to back, they prepared themselves for what was surely going to be a slaughter in this claustrophobic space.

"Mileena?" Kitana spoke in a whisper. "Remember when I said there will be a time and place for anger?" She swallowed her saliva as her war fans came in front of herself in defense. "Now is that time."

Mileena snarled. She ripped off the veil on her face to show her gnashing fangs. All of her anger toward Frost and others was going to come out in the most hellish way. "They all die!"

Sareena flicked her knives about. "Looks like we've got ourselves a Netherrealm bachelorette party…"

Frost looked over her shoulder to Sareena. "What the hell are you even-." Before her words even got out, the Tekunin rushed with their sabers and firearms drawn.

It was total chaos immediately. Kitana moved with the winds to defend herself. Her warfans cleaved through two separate heads before she was kicked back by a steel foot. That same foot was ripped in half by Fukushu's crashing forearm. As she turned, she jammed her aching knuckles through the guts of another incoming enemy and used him to shield herself from incoming saber strikes.

Mileena was stabbing and biting everything that came at her. She tore the Tekunin apart with feral rage. She enjoyed ripping their throats out through the metal, she basked in their black blood as she tore their heads and internal organs out. Her Sais soared across the room and landed in the chest region of one attacker. As he was staggered, Mileena removed its head with the utmost ease and cast it into the fray beside her.

Frost had created slick ice nearby her, causing the rushing in enemies to slip right into the swipes of her hardened ice daggers. One enemy was unlucky enough to get her Kori energy focused on his legs and even his midsection. As he was rendered vulnerable, Frost grabbed him by each arm and ripped the torso of the enemy away from his lower half. The torso was then used as a weapon; swung overhead to bash into others. However, Frost caught a powerful knee to her chin that knocked her back against Sareena and Jade.

Jade turned to support the woman, while her staff swung expertly to bash away enemies coming near.

Sareena assisted her by throwing mystically generated daggers all around at rates quicker than even Zeus could toss a bolt of lightning. Her rapid motions were making her arms a blur of movement, incapacitating whole groups of Tekunin that she managed to hit.

More Cyborgs were pouring in…but Mileena pounced the newcomers like a wild dog. She bit into the throat of her primary target and ripped all of its contents out with a loud, bloodthirsty giggle.

While Mileena mauled, Jade was batting away foes not to defend herself; but to defend Kitana as she was battling. She was still her friend…and it was still her job to look after her.

The GM-L2 was engaging Kitana in hand-to-hand combat, and the former Grand Master was bested in seconds by the desperate and determined Princess. Her War Fans severed his arms from his body as well as his neck as her arms swooped up in an "X" formation.

Just when it seemed the chaos was going to go on until one, or all of the women suffered a fatal wound…the blood Fukushu left on the ground boiled. It expanded to the point an individual jumped out of it. The red clad Skarlet landed on one knee and drove her palm into the ground. Sharp tendrils of blood burst from the ground and impaled each Tekunin dozens of times over until there was no life left in any of them.

With the lives of the enemies gone…Skarlet stood up, grinning behind her mask. "It seems I am late for the party." She said with her chin turned up. "Ermac sends his regards."

Jade recalled Ermac assisting her in her past life, so this was not entirely odd to her. With the others catching their breaths, Jade nodded toward Skarlet. "We were fine."

Mileena had bloody oil all over his face and fangs. Her blood thirst was unquenched. She dismounted her last victim and gazed to Skarlet.

"Skarlet…" Jade curled her fist up tightly. "Your assistance has helped, but we are not out of the battle yet."

"Kuai Liang!" Mileena scampered on her hands and feet like a dog and rushed the gateway, not caring for any potential threat remaining. She dove into the unknown face first with her only concern being Sub-Zero's well-being. Her love had to be safe, or else she would never be able to forgive herself for letting him pass on without her there to defend him.

As she landed on the other end, she ignored Kitana's calls for her to return.

She gazed left, then right, then as she prepared to look straight ahead she saw the frozen tombs of elder warriors all around. Joining them was the live figure of Kuai Liang…currently putting on a sharp-looking helmet.

Cyrax and Sektor were frozen into large blocks, and were placed among the ancient warriors of what Mileena thought to be of the Lin Kuei's past.

"I am fine, Mileena." Sub-Zero spoke calmly. "You should not see me so weak." He chuckled as he approached the fallen woman with a clear limp from injury. He held his hand out to assist her to her feet. "I assure you I am able to take care of myself."

When she looked up to him, she noticed he had a cut alongside the right of his abdomen. Was he just pretending to be unharmed? How could he be so careless?! Mileena took his hand gently…looking innocently into his eyes with oil all over her face and chest. She took his hand and got to her knees before him, then carefully stood up with her bosom barely grazing his abdomen and chest.

Her grip increased on his hand as she basked in the feeling of his touch. It was chilling for lack of her wisdom of a better word. "You are hurt, Kuai Liang. We must go!"

Kuai was lost in her eyes. Despite her oil-covered bosom smearing traces along his torso, he barely found the need to even gaze further down. "Let us hury…" He started to hold his bleeding wound. "Will you assist me…?"

"Yes-yes! Immediately!" Mileena lifted his left arm up and looped it around her shoulder. A flush of red kissed her high cheeks as it settled there. It put her in a state of calmness only a peaceful sleep could imitate. Her fantasies of being in his arms were being lived, even if under different circumstances. She coiled her fingers against his hand and held it over her shoulder. Her right arm went around his waist as she began to assist him through the gateway.

"I take it you've already eaten. Dinner can wait." Kuai Liang made light of the situation now that he'd finally finished his battle.

"Yes, yes." Mileena said after chuckling at Sub-Zero's joke.

As the two passed through to meet the others, Kitana was the first Mileena saw. Another second, and Kitana would have been on the other side of the portal to find her sister.

"Mileena! Please do not frighten me like that!" Kitana placed her hand on her chest to try and ease her heart. She noticed Sub-Zero's injury soon after and relocated her hand toward her lips to cup her gasp. "Are you alright?"

"I will be fine," Sub-Zero spoke proudly. "The Lin Kuei still need our help. We return to the war."

Sareena stood by quietly…and started to look away from Sub-Zero. "You're kind of like I imagined your brother to be."

"Excuse me?" Sub-Zero's attention shifted toward Sareena.

"Brave and foolish." Sareena said under her breath. "You're not even concerned about what your death might do to her. You just know you want to help her." She kept her head down with her black-and-white colored hair shading her eyes.

Mileena felt a pinch in her heart when Sareena spoke. Normally she would have reacted in anger, but she looked to Kuai Liang for guidance. Should she be angry, or did he wish for her to be silent? She wanted to hear his command, follow his lead.

Sub-Zero eased his arm from around Mileena and limped beyond Kitana. He started to limp toward Sareena while speaking. "To fight and die for what matters is to live for what matters."

The demoness shifted her stance to face him directly. "You're in no condition to fight. If you go back out there, you will die. We need to think smart. Shinnok's been guiding Shao Kahn mentally to capture this…Shujinko person to gain even more power. What use will you be to our battle if you die?"

Jade's ears perked up, but she looked to Kitana and Mileena, who also returned her gaze.

"Excuse me." Skarlet spoke softly, but it went unnoticed.

"I can patch him up." Frost shrugged her shoulder while wiping oil off her gloves. "Wouldn't be a problem. Might get me a promotion."

"Shut up, Frost." Mileena grumbled under her voice.

Frost chuckled. "Or what?" She began to mock Mileena's voice again. "Is Mileena going to smile at Frost? Oh Frost is shivering in her freaking boots."

"Watch your tongue!" Kitana and Mileena shouted at Frost in unison.

Skarlet tried again. "Excuse me…" But it went ignored.

Fukushu faced the exit of the shrine. She had her back to the Kamidogu that kept the gateway open. "We should move. They approach."

"Many more," Jade stood near Fuku. "We won't be able to defeat all of them at once…"

Skarlet tried once more. "Excuse me, but what is this?" She pointed out a box-shaped device wedged against the wall of the shrine.

Sub-Zero recognized it immediately. "Someone must have rigged this shrine to explode to take down the invaders! Run!"

Just what they needed. Mileena picked Sub-Zero up immediately with his torso draped over her shoulder. As the others ran, Mileena trailed slightly behind as the timer was winding down toward zero. Jade stood at the mouth of the exit until Mileena passed her, and she rushed to catch up with the others as the explosion went off…destroying the Kamidogu with it.

Jade collapsed onto the ground knees first, and felt a significant amount of energy leave her. She felt tired…and trembled while she tried to move.

Everyone was grounded, even Skarlet. Their ears were popped from the explosion and they were all left writhing on the ground. The remaining Tekunin were starting to soar their way…and it seemed unlikely they would get to their feet before they arrived.

However, a mighty cloud sent thousands of thunderbolts all across Artika, zapping and frying the suits in its wake. They fell from the sky like berries from a shaken tree. They collided heavily with the snow all around Artika and the Lin Kuei temple.

Following the loud clanks of metal was the soft landing of the Thunder God, Lord Raiden.

The women were going to further question the red assassin, but a sudden bolt of lightning marked the arrival of Lord Raiden.

"Princess Kitana!" Raiden spoke with urgency. "You, all of you are in grave danger. We must leave this place at once!" He motioned his hand toward all of them as he spoke. "Quan Chi is preparing a Soulnado, if we do not leave immediately, I fear I cannot protect your souls!"

"What of my soldiers?!" Kitana spoke in panic. "The surviving Lin Kuei?!"

Raiden placed his hand to his aching forehead. Another negative memory was fleeing to his mind as another Raiden fell in another dimension. "I will do my best to save them. We haven't much time!" Raiden concentrated hard…his mind linked to all of the Edenians that survived the attack, Kaizar, Raizar, as well as the Lin Kuei warriors. In a flash of thunder…they were all transported elsewhere.

A/N

You waited long enough for an update. Happy 3 Year Anniversary, MK Redemption!

This was a very combat-heavy chapter, but I tried to move the plot along with it, even if it's just a little bit.

I hope you enjoy the update until the next one comes. Be sure to Like the Facebook page for more updates and any questions you may have about the series I can answer publically there.

Even so, comment, rate, do your thing! Let me know what you think!