I do not own Mortal Kombat or any of the characters. Enjoy your read!
Chapter 21: Things Get Worse
The group progressed deeper into Shao Kahn's fortress with Lord Raiden at the helm. The encountered the second wave of attackers within minutes of Jade's departure, and were nearly overwhelmed by the might of the Shokan warriors under Kahn's rule. The battle was rich with chaos, but neither side gained any ground until Lord Raiden used his might to push the enemies back with a legion of thunder bolts jolting from his fingertips and various points of his electrified body.
The weakened Shokan hit the ground, but the mightiest of the group emerged from the ashes of their fallen brethren and charged the warriors with murder in their eyes. Prince Goro and Kintaro were not among them, but the large Shokan were only an effective match for the warriors until Liu Kang, Kitana, and Kung Lao took up the front and brought the warriors to swift ends.
It was a complete massacre; blood and remains of Shokan warriors and some of the warriors that came to aid Earthrealm were scattered around the floor and stairs leading up to the next floor. Already many of the fighters, including Sub-Zero and Mileena were slightly weary from war. Scratches and bruises were all over each warrior in attendance, but they continued up the stairs by Raiden's command.
There was a loud commotion coming up the path the warriors had just left. Tarkatans were flooding the floor, bursting out of secret doors lining the halls of the fortress.
"Behind us!" Raiden shouted out to the warriors. He was too late, however. Some of the Lin Kuei who assisted them were beheaded and impaled within seconds.
Enraged at the loss of his brethren, Smoke sent searing hot streams of gas forward to eat away at the eyes of several of the Tarkatans that made up the first wave of assault. Though the attack was handy, a flying sickle jolted from the crowd and threw Smoke off of his feet and onto the winding staircase.
Liu Kang and Kitana moved to the back of the group to aid them while the group tried to hurry up the stairs. Raiden assisted them with powerful bolts of thunder, and Kenshi pushed back any who got close to their line of defense.
"We cannot defeat them all!" Kitana shouted as she clashed her tessens with Tarkatan blades. "We must flee!"
"We will not surrender!" Liu Kang vowed as he burst a wave of flames into the front line of the foes. The tremendous power he held rattled the floor and took several dozen of the Tarkatans off of their feet. "I will hold them off. Move forward!"
"Liu Kang!" Raiden held his hand out to stop the Champion. "You mustn't be foolish! We need you to face Shao Kahn! You must defeat him!"
Kitana paused, but fixated her gaze on Liu Kang rather than the carnage. "Please, we must go!"
Liu Kang rushed to the stairs.
A Tarkatan attacked, but the beast's forearm smashed against Liu's armored forearm. Liu's other hand shot into the creature's stomach and threw him off of his feet. Liu proceeded ahead with vicious focus and destructive precision for any who got in his way.
Liu's forearms burned with his spiritual flames to serve as a warning to any brave enough to challenge him.
Raiden clutched at his head with both hands. He dropped his staff and fell against the wall lining the stairs.
Kitana hurried to his aid as Raiden called out in pain.
"Lord Raiden!" Kitana shook him lightly. "Are you alright?!"
As Kitana spoke, Raiden's pain subsided. He tried to catch his breath from the overpowering sensation "Princess," Raiden spoke weakly as he grasped at his medallion, "Take this. Please. Make sure Shao Kahn is defeated." He pulled it from his garment and began to almost reluctantly hand it over to her.
Kitana was not certain what was going on. She didn't know if Raiden was somehow wounded or dying, but her hands did accept the fractured medallion. "What is to become of you? What is wrong?"
Raiden stood while the sounds of Liu Kang battling below continued. The Thunder God seemed to be at peace now as he examined his bare hands. "Take Liu Kang to Shao Kahn. He must be in perfect health. If I get in his way, I will doom us all. I have seen this." Raiden moved down the stairs. "Go!"
Kitana was inclined to disobey. She followed Raiden as he moved pass Liu Kang.
The Thunder God held his arm out to bar Liu Kang from advancing. "Go to Shao Kahn. I will handle this horde and slow them down."
"Lord Raiden, this battle is mine. I can handle it." The Earthrealm champion responded as he held his combative stance. He'd just knocked a Tarkatan warrior to the ground behind him…and the monster once more found his footing.
"You musn't stay." Raiden tried to warn him as he began to surge with electricity.
Liu sensed the rising Tarkatan and turned to strike it. "I have this handled -…!"
SHINK!
Liu Kang called out in pain as the Tarkatan's blade was driven through his right palm and out of the back of his hand.
"You fool!" Raiden shouted as he drove a powerful jolt of lightning through the head of the beast as it prepared its killing stroke.
Kitana was breathless when Liu suffered his injury. She wanted to run to his aid, but she was vastly too petrified by the memory of his death in her former life. All of those dark memories and deeply heart shattering thoughts overtook her to the point she could not move.
Raiden pulled Liu's hand off of the dead Tarkatan's blade, but the others were nearly on their feet now. Reinforcements were coming as well from the sounds of Tarkatan growling and rapid footsteps heard in the walls of the fortress.
"You…you have doomed us all, Liu Kang." Raiden said with a look of heartbreak on his face and somber disappointment in his voice as he held the Earthrealm Champion up. "There…there is no way this world can be redeemed. You were to defeat Shao Kahn! I do not understand this!"
With his great power still surging through him, Raiden sent Liu Kang to the stairs with Kitana with a simple flash of thunder. Once he was gone, Raiden held his hand out toward the archway in front of the stairs. He could still see Kitana, but he gave her no explanation of his actions as the Tarkatans began to race toward him and the stairway like a pack of wolves chasing down wounded prey.
Thunder left Raiden's hands and they destroyed the archway with its unyielding assault. Kitana was still paralyzed where she stood, even as Liu Kang fell into her arms. The archway collapsed violently, smashing down onto the lower section of the stairs and cutting off the Tarkatans and Raiden from Kitana and Liu Kang. The sounds of battle and tearing flesh continued beyond the rocks, and Kitana felt the weight of the entire world fall over her. She had the responsibility to carry out Raiden's mission to protect the timeline…but with an injured Liu Kang to defend them.
"Liu…!" Kitana called out as she held the wounded champion closely. She was panicked, looking all around for some kind of assistance from anyone. She wasn't prepared for this; she could have never foreseen this responsibility being bestowed upon her. Liu Kang was barely able to speak as he writhed in pain. He was losing lots blood due to the severe damage done to his hand, and it needed to be attended to swiftly.
"Someone, please help!" Kitana called toward the top of the stairs. The sounds of combat above were slowing down, but Scorpion answered Kitana's call. Quickly, he descended the stairs to assist Kitana since the others had the battle handled.
The Princess was still panicking on the inside. She was confused; everything was going mostly to plan thus far, but now the threads of fate were becoming tangled and cut. Liu Kang could not defeat Shao Kahn without being at his full health, and there were no surviving healers among them. What was to happen to them now? Where was Jade? Her mind was racing with doubts and fear…
Side Event #30: ?
Long ago in Outworld…
Kitana's mind flashed back to a simpler era of her life. She was only fourteen years old, and already knew how to end someone's life in more than a thousand ways. Her training made her a focused and disciplined warrior bound to be a leader, a teacher, and a master to be respected for ages long beyond her life. It was a bright early morning in the royal courtyard of Shao Kahn's Outworld palace, Kitana was in fierce combat with her sister Mileena, and her dear friend Jade.
The three girls battled with wooden weapons, but came at each other with such ferocious power that the weapons sent dangerous sharp chips in every direction when they clashed. Kitana used a wooden sword, Mileena used wooden daggers, and Jade used a wooden staff as their weapons of choice. The three young girls battled in a beautiful circular area of the courtyard designed with the famous Mortal Kombat Dragon symbol. They were surrounded by plush greenery around the ring, and four short sets of stairs leading to other areas of the courtyard at each corner of the ring.
The main attraction in the area was a statue. It was a great statue of angels climbing hand over fist over one another to each a sun symbol high above them. At certain times of day, it focused the light of the sun and moon down on a particular part of the courtyard where Shao Kahn's statue stood proudly
Nearby there was a balcony that sat over teen feet above the gardens and overlooked the 'arena' the girls fought in. The balcony was connected to a large corridor that led back inside of the palace.
There was a woman standing there, a woman born from Outworld but with distinctive war paint on her face to symbolize her tribal descent. She was a warrior in Shao Kahn's army, and the instructor left in charge of Shao Kahn's daughters. Though she was a glorified nanny, she was instructed to have them ready for war so that Kahn's enemies could not use them for leverage.
The woman was known simply as Sifu, and was not called by any other name by the girls. Kitana couldn't remember any other names she was called by Kahn himself, but Sifu was there for them ever since Sindel's suicide shortly after Kitana and Mileena were born. She always wore the most elegant tunic and robes. She favored the colors of deep royal blue and gold for her various garments, but she dressed more masculine than Kitana was used to seeing.
Mileena wore a veil to conceal her fang-filled mouth, and she struggled initially to keep up with Kitana and Jade. She was always panting, desperate to get offense in to appease her father. Jade was even with Kitana in skill, but Jade was far more cunning than the technically skilled princess. Sifu saw all of this, and she did her best to make each of them improve every day that they sparred.
Kitana clattered weapons with Mileena, but Jade knocked the half Tarkatan out of the ring and onto the grass with a strong jab from her staff. Kitana reset her footing to meet with Jade, but after just two collisions of their weapons, Kitana found herself knocked to one knee after her friend smacked her on the side of her leg with a powerful kick.
The side of the staff went to Kitana's neck as Jade claimed the victory for the day.
"Enough." Sifu spoke out as she held her hand out over the railing of the balcony she stood on. "Jade wins by way of ring-out and fatality."
"Lucky shot." Mileena hissed beneath her breath while she stuck her wooden weapons into the grass. "What do you say you and Mileena play by ourselves and you try that dirty little trick again, Jade?"
"A Kunoichi is a master of deception, Mileena." Sifu spoke calmly. "You were too focused on Kitana and it got you killed in this simulated environment. You are better than that."
Kitana kept looking up at Jade the entire time Sifu spoke. It wasn't until Jade retracted her weapon and offered her hand to help Kitana up that the princess even looked at the master. When Kitana was up with Jade's assistance, she turned her sights to her sister. "Mileena, it is quite alright. We were both bested this time." Kitana moved to the edge of the ring and offered her hand to assist Mileena up.
Instead of accepting it, the half-Tarkatan girl smacked Kitana's hand aside and climbed into the ring by herself.
"Line up." Sifu spoke as she became suddenly distracted. She felt a presence behind her…and it made her feel a bit breathless in shock.
While the girls lined up, Shao Kahn stepped through the corridor and onto the balcony beside Sifu. The masked tyrant seemed proud of his three precious assassins, but his hand affectionately placed itself on Sifu's lower back as he looked out over the girls.
Sifu turned her head nervously back to the girls, as if she felt pressure to look professional and strict on the trio. "That is all for now, girls." Sifu spoke while her hands placed onto the top of the balcony. "You will return to your regular training regimen now and then you must quickly bathe to prepare for your first meal of the day."
"No." Shao Kahn spoke as he looked over the girls. "You will not eat until I am impressed by your combative skill. Especially you," Kahn pointed down to Mileena, "you disappoint me, Mileena. You shame my name with your constant loss!"
"But father, Mileena is…!" Mileena tried to explain herself earnestly, but she was silenced by a thunderous yell of her father.
"Shut up!" Kahn roared down to her. The bass in his voice made all three of the girls flinch, but Mileena was moved to the point she could not look at Kahn. She was angry and boiling over, but she didn't want him to see it. "You will get no food for this entire week for your disgraceful tongue you hideous beast! I want twenty-five dead Oni by tomorrow, or all of you will see no sustenance for a very long time. Twenty-five each!"
"My lord," Sifu spoke softly, "they are only young girls. The Oni are in the Living Forest and they could die. Do you not think you are being a little hard on them?"
"You are not their mother!" Kahn yelled as he removed his hand from Sifu. "Sindel took her own life to escape her children, and there was no one alive to claim Jade. You are merely here to make sure they can kill when I say kill."
"I could be a mother." Sifu spoke sternly while she looked directly up to Kahn. Her gaze made him quiet down for a few very tense moments. "These girls are not like your other soldiers. They are not ready for the Living Forest, and they need positive reinforcement."
"Perhaps if I had sons, I would not need your bickering." Kahn growled. "For this instance only I will retract my command. If they disrespect me…" He paused, now looking over the group of girls which now excluded Kitana.
Mileena looked down at her feet and trembling in anger and Jade was looking on in worry as Kitana fled from the gardens.
Kitana remembered feeling angry at her 'father' and his words about Sindel. She remembered feeling helpless just as she was in present times, and she felt as if there was only despair in her future.
She felt this way because at the time she thought her hated her and that there was no possible way to gain her father's approval. Granted she did get more approval than Mileena did, all of Kitana's success meant nothing. She passed every test Kahn threw at her and Mileena and Jade suffered the consequences of rougher training regiments, exhausting chores, and bone-cracking defeats.
At this time in her life, Kitana didn't worry about how her success was hurting Mileena and Jade…she just wanted the love of a parent. She wanted to feel the shame of chasing her mother away be melted by the warm and total approval of her 'father'.
She hid away in the gardens for hours.
It started raining as the day went on, and Kitana found solace in a small cavern that overlooked the violet-colored river that ran through the palace. There were few things from Edenia that survived the transition into Outworld, and in this secret cavern of hers, she kept a picture of her real parents very safe.
The picture suffered some burning damage due to one of her recent bursts of hatred toward her mother, but when she realized that there had to be more to her mother's death; she quickly put out the fire. The singed edges reminded her of her moment of rage, and also that the truth would one day surface.
After a few hours of silent contemplation in the rain, Kitana drew her knees close to her chest and watched as the raindrops disturbed the formerly calm and soothing river. No one had ever found her here, and she had the false hope that no one ever would. Something always made her leave the cavern though, and many of the guards, and even Sifu knew she would come out of hiding eventually.
"I brought you an apple." Sifu's voice shocked Kitana so much that she gasped out loud. The woman was carrying a blue umbrella over her head while she approached. Her left hand held a small wooden basket that contained a half-dozen bright red apples inside. "Do not worry, your father is ignorant to your place of solitude. I was able to write off your disappearances as personal to a woman's process of maturity. He never questions that."
Kitana only smiled partially, but she remained silent and looked out over the violet river again.
Sifu continued to approach her, but she did not climb into the cavern. "May I join you, Lady Kitana?"
The princess hesitated, but soon spoke. "Thank you for allowing me to be alone. I seek much council in the sounds of the river and it soothes my mind. It helps me prepare for my next set of tasks in training."
"I take it I am not welcome in your fortress of seclusion?" Sifu tilted her head quizzically.
Kitana's half-smile returned as her head tilted back and her eyes trailed to the gathered storm clouds high above. "Misery does enjoy company, but I doubt you've a need for solitude, Sifu. You are welcome to join me none the less, I am quite famished."
After Sifu was snugly beneath the roof of the cavern, she set her basket down in front of herself and closed her umbrella. She had two large blue bladed war fans holstered at her hip that always caught Kitana's eye, but for now the princess was picking out the largest apple her hands could find in the basket.
"What bothers you?" Sifu spoke with her calm, motherly tone that always seemed to break the barriers of Kitana's worries.
It took some time for Kitana to respond due to thoroughly chewing her apple, but she spoke with complete comfort in Sifu's presence. "I can't impress him. I cannot win his affection and I am to have the throne one day. Maybe I am not meant to be royalty…, maybe the responsibilities I have inherited are not meant for me? I know in my heart my best is not close to half good enough for what a worthy princess needs…"
Sifu contemplated Kitana's words for a few moments while picking out her own apple. "Well…" Sifu began to speak, while her hand plucked a smaller apple from the bunch. "There is a saying in my village that I truly believe will help you. It says 'Let the weak say that they are strong, let the ill say they are healed, and let the doubtful say they will succeed'. It simply means that you should speak well of yourself and only allow those words to matter. The words of others like Shao Kahn and even myself should not ruin your feelings of yourself or your success." The wise woman looped one arm around Kitana and embraced her partially. "When you doubt yourself, you give doubt power. When you speak success, all things can be overcome, even unforeseen events…"
"Speaking well will not revive my mother…" Kitana somberly responded to her mentor. "However, I do understand your message…"
Sifu was quiet for several seconds. She held onto her apple, but her interest in eating suddenly faded. "There is something…I feel I must tell you about your mother's death."
(Side Event Ended)
Present time, Earthrealm Kahn Fortress
The words of Sifu repeated in her head over and over again as Scorpion did his best to seal up Liu Kang's wound with fire and torn pieces of cloth from the fallen Tarkatans at the top of the stairs. Nearly twenty minutes had passed, and Liu Kang was still being tended to by Kitana and Scorpion. The others were watching the parameter, waiting for any possible ambush from their foes. The silence among them was nerve wrecking, and made Kitana feel tenser by the moment.
Mileena stayed close to Kitana as their bond that was enhanced by Shinnok maintained light traces of itself. Mileena could see every thought that passed through Kitana's mind while she gazed upon Raiden's Medallion. She could feel the doubt in her heart trying to survive against her will to succeed. For a while now Kitana had been an active emotional support for Mileena, and now it was time to repay her.
"Kitana," Mileena placed her hand lightly graced her sister's shoulder, "we must move forward. Time wastes and Shao Kahn will have us squashed if we do not move."
"I am strong," Kitana said under her breath. "All will be fine." She spoke up again after taking a deep inhale. Her eyes trailed to her sister and placed a hand on her shoulder while the other showed Raiden's cracked medallion to her. The smooth surface suffered more cracks, and she feared it was going to crumble soon. "Liu Kang is injured…we are all doomed, sister, unless we can somehow change things."
"We will." Mileena spoke optimistically while observing the medallion. "We just need to -…"
The interaction between the sisters was interrupted by a sudden flash of green, smoky mist that filled the spaces between them. The green smoke expanded and opened a thin red ring of energy that bordered large black portals in the heart of the smoke. There were two gateways, and each sister was drawn toward a different portal and spat out elsewhere in the large fortress.
Once Mileena hit the ground in the dark and dusky region of the higher levels in the fortress, she fell back-first and got a good look at the closing portal above her.
"Quan Chi…" Mileena hissed as she recognized the style of his portals from the past. Before she could get to her feet, the gateway was already sealed and Mileena was left in the very sparsely lit dark halls. "Kitana?" She spoke lightly, not wanting to alert any enemies in the area. She sniffed the air, but she could not pick up any distinct scents with all of the dust in the air. She coughed lightly, and made sure her mask stayed over her nose and mouth to filter some of the thick dust.
She traveled through the stone halls and passed many vacant cells. Mileena supposed that the dark and dusty dungeon was only going to get worse as Kahn captured his enemies. Hopefully, Sub-Zero would never see such a place.
Mileena entered a section at the end of the hall that was square-shaped and housed more empty cells. There were also two other potential paths she could take. Since she came from the east, there was one path that went northeast and one path that went north. As soon as she stepped into the room, the scent of Tarkata filled her nostrils. She summoned and gripped her Sais and waited for Baraka's men to ambush her. However, what she discovered was much different than she thought.
Kitana emerged from the northeastern path quickly and was clearly out of breath. "Mileena…!" Kitana called out as she rushed to her sister. Kitana threw her arms around her sister and squeezed her tightly. "Oh, I thought I'd lost you forever!"
"Sister, I-…"
Kitana continued to speak without pause. "I've no idea how we ended up here! The others may be in harm's way!"
"Yes, but we are close to Shao Kahn. Mileena can feel it…" Mileena's golden eyes glanced up at the ceiling, then back down to her sister. "If you have come from that way," She pointed the direction that Kitana emerged from, "Mileena assumes it was a dead end?"
"Yes." Kitana still squeezed her sister. "It was. That leaves only one path, come!" Kitana pulled away and snatched Mileena's arm. She began to run down the northern pathway and practically dragged Mileena the entire way.
"Kitana!" Mileena grunted as she struggled to keep her balance while being rushed away. "Mileena can run herself!"
Still, Kitana did not slow down. The two ran until they reached the end of the vast hall. There, they found another room…but it was much larger. It was a high-up and open room with a long bridge that connected one end of the fortress to the other.
"Hurry! We have no time to spare!" Kitana paused at the end of the bridge. "Go first, I think I hear someone coming!"
Mileena normally would be eager to obey her sister's command…but she stopped before her foot touched the bridge. She could still smell Tarkata in the area, yet the presence was strong. "Sister…" Mileena said as she turned around slowly. "Where is your medallion?"
"It was lost!" Kitana responded quickly. "We will retrieve it, but first we must cross this bridge!"
"Indeed!" Mileena said eagerly with a wide smile behind her veil. "We wouldn't want Liu Kang to have all the glory. Hopefully he becomes injured so that we may destroy Shao Kahn ourselves!"
Kitana nodded and chuckled humorously. "A man like Liu Kang is difficult to defeat. I am certain he will reach Kahn first, but we can try!"
"Yes…, yes we can." Mileena said with her golden eyes narrowed on Kitana. Without warning, Mileena threw both of her Sai at the throat of Kitana, but all she hit was the remnants of pink smoke! The Sai dug into the stone archway they just passed under, and Kitana appeared again behind Mileena with her foot outstretched.
The collision with her heeled boot to the back of Mileena's head sent her rolling forward and away from the bridge. However, Mileena pivoted in mid-roll and kneeled with each hand outstretched with her weapons returned to her hands. She snarled like a wild beast at the obvious imposter who stood with her hands pulling the blue band that held her hair together off of her head.
Once the band was tossed aside, Kitana's long hair dropped to the ground to expose a much shorter shoulder-length cut that matched Mileena's. Her voice changed drastically and was shriller and more feral, similar to Mileena's voice quality. "What's wrong? I thought you liked to play?" The impostor chuckled as her eyes became full and golden as they naturally were.
"What are you?!" Mileena hissed again while she stood up. Her anger was ruining her patience, but she was not going to kill this beast until she was certain there were no more of them.
"Ooh…so mad. Mmn…I'm like you, sister." The impostor cackled again while pulling her veil down her face. She exposed her wide, golden-fang filled mouth to Mileena which was exactly like her's. "I am Terra…and by the sounds of things…I am much smarter than you've ever been…"
"You are nothing but an abomination!"Mileena growled.
"Such a pretty girl shouldn't talk so nasty…" Terra flicked her wrists and summoned her own set of sais to duel with Mileena. "Come…give your little sister a hug! Let's not fight…hahahahaha!" Her crazed cackle filled the pit area as she sashayed with every step she took backwards. "My father Shao Kahn eagerly awaits your death!"
Mileena licked her fangs and started to slowly walk out onto the bridge. "Well then, Terra…" Her golden eyes locked onto her twin's own. "Let's play…"
Meanwhile…
Kitana found herself in a very familiar place. She was inside of Shao Kahn's throne room, but the emperor was nowhere in sight. Ermac was shackled, badly beaten, and barely glowing green due to his severe injuries. He was shackled against the wall near the throne…but the throne was not vacant. Sitting on the throne was Empress Sindel. She glared down at her daughter with nothing but contempt in her white eyes that matched the malevolence of Quan Chi, who stood by.
Kitana also saw a small boy shackled near Ermac, who took some punishment as well. The confusion of the situation at hand caused Kitana to rise to her feet slowly while the gate closed. "Mother…"
After the Princess spoke, Sindel opened her mouth and shot a stream of pressurized force right into the center of Kitana's stomach. The focused Sonic-Shout knocked Kitana off of her feet and onto the velvety red carpeting leading to the throne.
"Mother!" Kitana shouted while she sat up on her elbows. "Mother, please! Hear me! This is not you! Shao Kahn is controlling you against your will!" Kitana spoke desperately. She stood up again, but her body was trembling. She could feel the immense amount of power Sindel had…and she knew she had no chance in beating her alone. Raiden's medallion was pinned to her top, and she was unaware of the aid it was providing her with.
Quan Chi chuckled darkly. "It does not matter what you say. Sindel's hatred fuels her. She never wanted you to be born…"
Kitana's eyebrows sunk deeply as she glared at Quan Chi. "Your ignorant words may have worked if I were uneducated in the events transpiring here. Sorcerer, I will not be slighted by your forked tongue and I will not be manipulated into weakness! Release my mother!"
The sorcerer was a bit shocked that his method of trying to attack Kitana's emotions with her mother failed, but he still had some aces up his sleeve. "No, she likes being where she is. Isn't that correct, my empress?"
Sindel's lips curled into a sinister grin as she glared at her daughter. "Bring Noob Saibot forth. Should she best him, then perhaps I will step down from my throne and hear her out. In the interest of fairness…Quan Chi, you will assist Noob Saibot in this battle." As if two on one was ever fair, Sindel gave her voice a sense of sincerity, despite the fact she was stacking the odds.
As Noob Saibot stepped from the darkness of the room and into Kitana's sight, the Princess summoned forth her bladed war fans to defend herself.
"I am stronger than you both!" Kitana shouted as she prepared herself for the fight. "I am not afraid of this challenge! I will prevail!" She used Sifu's teachings to motivate herself. She did not want to die at Quan Chi's hands twice; this time she was going to fight without any doubt in her mind.
However, Kitana was not alone.
There was a loud crash through the doors of the throne room. Sareena broke through in her large wolf-like form; The Dartmoor. Once she returned to her human form, she quickly moved to Kitana's side. Following shortly after her was Skarlet, who moved beside Sareena with her dagger drawn.
"Bi Han!" Sareena shouted out, as she tried to reach Noob Saibot's inner self. The dark specter shook his head as if he became suddenly dizzy, but he maintained his combat stance. Sareena continued to speak. "Bi Han, please! Stand down!"
Quan Chi frowned as he felt his hold on Noob Saibot weakening thanks to Sareena's presence. "I see the odds have been evened." Quan Chi folded his arms behind his back as he glared at Sareena. "Finish her."
Confused, Kitana looked around as if there was yet another warrior hiding in the room awaiting to strike.
Sareena's eyes stayed on Bi Han. Her eyes softened with the emotion surging through every fiber of her being. She knew he would have saved her in the past, but now it was her time to save him. She knew he felt her emotions, she knew their hearts beat at the same steady rhythm when they were in the presence of one another. "Bi Han…please." She saw Noob Saibot begin lowering his fists as she stepped forward. "Remember me? From the Netherrealm? You were to save me from slavery…you were to risk your mission just for my sake."
"Finish her!" Quan Chi commanded while now glaring at Noob Saibot.
Bi Han's hands were low now, almost at his sides. "…S…Sar…"
"Please…" Sareena placed her hand over her heart. "Come to me. We are meant to be at each other's side. I give you my heart, Bi Han…, please…don't break it…"
"Finish her!" Quan Chi shouted at Saibot.
"Bi Han…-!" Sareena's voice was interrupted when Skarlet clamped her hand over her mouth and held a dagger to Sareena's throat. She whispered a few words that turned Sareena's eyes red and put her to sleep instantly.
"Skarlet?!" Kitana gasped as she moved away from the red clad Kunoichi with her fans drawn. She felt her confidence waver as the odds once again stacked against her.
Skarlet stood unapologetically over the unconcious Sareena and soon turned her sights back onto Kitana. She spun her dagger and prepared to face off against Kitana. "It seems demons are even weaker to Blood Magic." Skarlet boasted.
The Princess looked to Noob Saibot, who began lifting his fists again to fight. She heard Quan Chi's deep laughter fill the room along with her mother's loud cackle. Electricity surged from Kitana's medallion and to the tips of her war fans. She felt the power of Raiden start coursing through her body as her adrenaline kicked in. She knew this was not going to be an easy task.
Quan Chi summoned his green flaming skulls in each of his hands as he gathered around Kitana with Noob Saibot and Skarlet. "Such a shame for such a fantastic body to rot here." Quan Chi's words were just as they were in the past timeline. Kitana remembered them vividly; it was the last thing she heard before he snapped her neck. "Perhaps I will make you my doll in death. I've desired your body for far too long…"