-( I don't own MK! Read & Review, please!)-
Chapter 27: Time's End or Redemption
Darkness only existed.
There was no time, there was no space, there was no warmth, and there was no life. There was only darkness and the cold embrace of death and timelessness.
Jade tumbled eternally down the metaphorical rabbit hole without wisdom of her descent, and stared blankly into the ever-shrinking light of the pit of darkness she fell into.
Her rage for Kitana still burned strong, her hatred for Sindel was ablaze, and her heart felt as cold as Kuai Liang's ice. Despite her negativity…Jade was lonely. Despite her bleak surroundings, there was alas one thing that comforted her in her eternal solitude. The voice of a woman came to her. It was unfamiliar, but it was a voice none the less. A voice that wasn't her mother's in any way.
"Do you remember? Do you remember the day you were born? I do. I was there, long before I was cursed. Long before I was lost." The woman's voice rippled the blackness. "Born Jade Rahimateh Edenia, the last of many children. The true Edenian royalty. I helped birth you."
Jade's world of darkness vanished as she was treated to the sight of a large white room within the Edenian palace. She could hear voices around her, but everything was still quite foggy.
"Can I see her?" A man's voice was muffled in the distance. "Is she going to survive?"
"Yes." The woman's voice from her prior experience was heard. "You can see her, but I'm afraid she's still sick."
"By Argus, I swear we will not lose her to sickness. No child of mine is weak!" The man said as he opened the door.
Jade heard herself crying, at least as a very small infant. She was coughing and screaming, and she felt her lungs being gripped by illness. The blurry image of a man standing over her bassinet came before her eyes. He was a dark-skinned man with a long scar running across his face, but all the details were hard to decipher.
"Has Edenia gone to pray for Jade's health?" The man asked the woman in the background.
For a few seconds, the woman was quiet. Tension built in the air as Jade's father looked away from the baby and to the woman Jade could not see. The woman softly and reluctantly, as if she knew she should not have told the truth. "She said she was going to speak to her God at the temple. That is all I know."
"Damn it all!" King Theopolis growled. "I have told her to stay away from the One Being! All it has done…!" He grit his teeth in frustration and stormed away from the bassinet. "War mongering god! Liar! Deceiver! If another of my children dies in this foolish war she caused…!"
"Perhaps this is a little too far back for you. Thanks to lady Delia and Phaze, I can see beyond this age. Your mother, Queen Edenia, was the founder of the Edenian empire; an empire built by mortals and immortals. A haven for Elder Gods and all species. She had great power, and many servants…including Sindel. However, when she consulted with the Elder Gods and learned of the existence of the One Being and its greater power than any of the Elder Gods…she became curious. Obsessed, even…"
Images flashed before Jade's eyes. The shimmering woman in her visions was back…but with beautiful brown mortal flesh. She wore armor of gold and jade colors, and knelt before the Elder Gods for their yearly blessings of good fortune for the building of Edenia. Soon after, the flashes turned to Queen Edenia and her military claiming land and constructing much of the currently established Edenia…until she discovered the Edenian Kamidogu…a great dagger which radiated a shimmering green color within the depths of a massive tomb.
"The One Being was destroyed by the Elder Gods and split into many pieces. Some of those pieces became the powerful daggers known as the Kamidogu, some became entire realms, and the others were the Elder Gods themselves even before the separation. The One Being was more powerful than anything to ever exist, and that was what your mother craved. Her first-born son, your eldest brother, Addai, was born sick as you were. She feared for his life, and out of love she offered her very soul to the Kamidogu and the One Being. She sacrificed much blood, and in return she was given one simple quest…"
"Reunite all the Kamidogu and set me free." A deep, unrecognizable masculine voice rang out in the darkness. "Every universe must become one. All must return to me. Time and space."
"In return for her submission, the One Being used what little power it had left to free your brother of his ailment, and she kept the Kamidogu safe within her palace. Queen Edenia didn't hold up on her promise, however. Thousands of years passed, but each time she had a child, they were born deathly ill. Each time Queen Edenia consulted the Kamidogu, it told her the same thing…"
"Reunite all the Kamidogu and set me free. Every universe must become one. All must return to me. Time and space."
"And every time…she sacrificed more blood and became infused with more of the One Being's essence. It consumed her slowly. It made her dramatically more powerful than all others in Edenia, but it made her extremely paranoid. She invaded realms and consumed them. She merged them with Edenia to make it larger, and each time collected more power of the One Being. Edenians realized her abuse and corruption…and King Jerrod and Queen Sindel opposed her wrath. As a sacrifice to the One Being, Queen Edenia sent your siblings off to war with or without training…"
Jade received quick visions of each event described by the woman. She saw her elders being shipped off to war, and being killed in the forced clashes that their mother put together. Each time a child fell, queen Edenia seemed to become stronger and lose herself more to the glowing green light.
"It was not until your birth that she lost her soul entirely. Queen Edenia returned to the Kamidogu when you were born sick. She was growing withered and weak herself. She craved power, blood, and Kombat. She defied the Elder Gods who blessed Sindel and her resistance with mighty weapons and other-worldly allies. She asked the One Being in the Kamidogu to heal you so that you may live. However, this time the response was different…"
"Reunite all the Kamidogu . Sacrifice your soul. Give me your husk. All of my enemies shall perish. Your child, healed."
"Edenia performed hara kiri upon herself and gave her body as a shell for the One Being to house. When Queen Edenia returned home that night…all who defied her were cursed. I became a demon, and your father...well…he became a revenant at her every beck and call. After my sister and I were banished to the Netherrealm, that was the last I saw you physically. However, as the years went by, the formerly great Edenian empire became a palace of mud. It was horrible. Lady Delia has shown me visions of you, and all others remaining loyal to Queen Edenia were without clean clothes or even running water. All the One Being cared for was power, not caretaking. However, when it sensed Sindel was close to defeating it…it passed some of its powers down to you, Jade. "
Jade remembered now. She was just a small girl, but she remembered her mother drawing powerful green lights into her body. She remembered merging with the One Being, and how painful it was. The simple partial-power was enough to make Jade a weapon, but Queen Edenia had other plans.
When Sindel burst into the palace to kill Queen Edenia, the Queen was holding a large sword in her hand. She was going to murder herself and allow her essence to merge with Jade's to continue the One Being's reign of terror…but Sindel took it as if the child was to be sacrificed, and attacked with great ferocity. The battle ended in the beheading of the Queen…but Jade remained enhanced by the fragment of the One Being's gathered soul.
"After Sindel's victory, the One Being's soul within Queen Edenia returned to the Edenian Kamidogu. However, in other realms, its soul fused with other beings who came in contact with the Kamidogu or a wielder of it. These were such people as the Dragon King Onaga and Shao Kahn, who both eventually became so possessed by the One Being's might that it consumed their minds. It feeds on insecurities and pain…and turns it into motivation for obedience. You have been fooled, Jade of Edenia. You have been used. It is my wish to help you gain redemption for the deception you've endured. I wish to help you gain forgiveness in yourself."
"Who…" Jade spoke weakly. "Who are you?"
"We will meet one day. Worry not of my name.." The woman's voice responded. "You are strong, Jade. You are stronger than the One Being allows you to believe, but you are not strong enough to defeat it alone. Without you…Kitana and Mileena will die. All of the men and women who have fought for the righteous will die. They will be enslaved…they will become revenant. The One Being will be whole, and reality itself shall cease. All of this rests within your hands, Jade of Edenia. Will you assist?"
There was more hesitation from Jade. She remembered everything. She remembered her rage for Kitana and the others. She felt great satisfaction in wanting to kill them, and even more satisfaction in strategically taking Shinnok's amulet. However, she knew in her heart such bloodlust was wrong.
Her eyes shut tightly as she fell slowly through the darkness like a leaf from a skyscraper. She thought back many, many years through time and space itself. She revisited her time with Nido before he died. She felt the same sting of pain when she heard him being murdered by Tarkatans to save her.
The tears that wanted to fall that day emerged in great quantity as her eyes opened. Each tear floated into the void and away from her so that she could see every salty and reflective bead of emotion fade away into the blackness. His laughter, his presence, his skill, and most of all how he made her feel made her heart heavy. Even if no one understood it or thought it was meant to be, she knew she loved him. There was no amount of logic that could prove to her otherwise.
His acts of selflessness and light humor filled her heart drop by drop until there was alas one that made her heart spill over with emotion; overflowing with concern and compassion for her demon hunting lover. Hearing the nickname 'Brown Sugar' used to make her cringe, but now she would claw at a stone door of a tomb just to hear him say it one more time. She had her second chance with him, and she was still worried that he could not carry out the mission of destroying Onaga's egg like she desired.
Her poor, uncompromising Nido.
Her poor, faithful friend Kitana and old rival Mileena. Despite how things began initially, she did remember the good times outside of training. In particular, she remembered laughing with Mileena and Kitana when the princess put on a brassier over her dress that was large enough to engulf her head, as she pretended to be one of the more popular Edenian songstresses. They were all very young, and awake long past last slumber to enjoy some playtime.
It warmed her soul just remembering the laughter. Remembering the bond between the three women that endured two lifetimes.
"I will." Jade responded firmly in the darkness. At the same time, her burning green eyes opened in the real world to the bleak and rainy realm of Earth.
The pounding of the rain only matched the intensity of the silence between Kitana, Mileena, and the fallen Elder God Shinnok.
With a sinister sneer on his pale face, Shinnok glared straight through the very souls of the sisters. He could see their fear despite the brave façade that they both put on. He could feel their mixed emotions mingling in the air. His mind estimated possible styles of attack they could attempt, and just as quickly he figured out a means of countering it.
"You are going to die." Shinnok said calmly. "Perhaps I'll start with Liu Kang, then Sub-Zero. I'll make sure to kill Sub-Zero slowly for you, Mileena. I want to see how ugly girls cry."
"Mileena will remove your tongue!" Mileena rushed forward with both of her sai drawn and held out at her sides. She screamed at the top of her lungs and blocked out the sound of her sister screaming her name. Lost in her rage, Mileena jabbed her sai toward the left and right sides of Shinnok's head. Each attempt was moved around with minimal effort, despite how quickly and fiercely she moved. Deciding to utilize more martial talents, Mileena's right leg swung toward his side and was met with an open palm. She aimed higher just as quickly, and it was blocked yet again. Everything went black for Mileena when the backs of Shinnok's knuckles crashed into the side of her face.
The back-handed slap made Mileena spin through the air at a horizontal angle and land harshly on her side. As she slowly rolled away from Shinnok in pain, her elder sister joined the fray.
The high-pitched whistle of her war fans ripped through the air in a ribbon of speed that parted the rain for a brief moment. Despite missing her attack, Kitana advanced forward and spun about with her bladed fans arced high in the air. Her speed and precision were enhanced by Raiden's medallion, but her most graceful means of murder did not come close to even hitting the speedy Shinnok.
Kitana spun with every intention to behead Shinnok with at least one of her bladed fans…but before she knew it, everything went black for her as well. The Fallen Elder God poked the back of her neck and sent her flying across the roof where she lay unconscious for several seconds.
"Shinnok!" Jade called out as her energized staff whirred through the air. Her entire body glowed green, and her speed managed to actually make Shinnok move a great distance away from her. With the power of the One Being inside, Jade did not give the man a second to breathe. When she advanced toward him, she found her legs were suddenly taken from under her when her enemy suddenly swept her, and then she felt hundreds of rapid impacts against her stomach until she was skidding across the ground and away from the last man standing – the One True Being.
"My, oh my." Shinnok said in amusement. "Maybe I should dial it back a little bit? If this is going to be the last stand, I should have a little fun."
Jade groaned and brought herself to a knee as she held her stomach in pain. "Kitana…I apologize. I was not myself…, but now I am." She said between panting and spitting out blood. "…But…we could use some ideas…"
"Accepted…but I am afraid I am fresh out of ideas." Kitana slowly got to her feet, but kept on her guard for Shinnok.
"We kill him!" Mileena punched the pavement and pushed herself up on her knuckles.
"Helpful ideas!" Jade shouted toward Mileena in annoyance. "What if we do a number six?"
"A number six won't work on Shinnok…" Kitana sighed. "All three of us attacking at once would just put us in each other's way…"
Mileena screamed at Jade. "MILEENA DOESN'T HAVE ANY IDEAS! YOU SHOULD USE A SWORD AND NOT A STAFF! STUPID!"
"Girls!" Kitana tried to intervene.
"And the 'Deadly Alliance' breaks down." Shinnok said mockingly as he inspected his nails for any flaws—he was entirely disinterested in the Kombat now.
"Do not insult me or question my abilities, Mileena!" Jade grit her teeth and secretly placed her hand on her Bladarang at her hip. "Perhaps you should let me lead the next assault to show you how it's done!"
Mileena squinted at Jade and snarled. Her hands squeezed her sai tightly."Mileena's blades will drink your flesh!"
"I suppose death can wait." Shinnok said as he continued to examine his nails. "Kill each other."
"Girls!" Kitana tried again.
Jade winked at Mileena as she tightened her grip on her bladarang. "Why don't you teleport your way over to me, Mileena, and we settle this properly?"
Mileena licked at her fangs. "Mileena was never a fan of declining challenges…!"
The blood dripping along Shinnok's shoulder and arm suddenly froze in place. It trickled back up his arm and along the healed wound. In a moment's notice, Skarlet appeared behind him and drove her blood enhanced dagger into the injury to catch Shinnok off guard. With a great shout, the Fallen Elder God elbowed Skarlet so hard that she flew out of sight and into debris.
Within the next breath the half-Tarkatan warrior vanished when Jade chucked her bladarang at her. Shinnok was distracted and the back of his skull was met with a harsh car-wreck-like impact from Mileena's foot that toppled him forward. Soon after, Kitana's fans produced a wind that scooped Shinnok from his feet.
Jade's bladarang was redirected to Shinnok, but it was countered as four massive skeletal hands formed around him. One caught the bladarang, and the other three slammed each woman to the ground pavement of the rooftop harshly.
The Fallen Elder God landed gracefully on his feet and looked around himself at each woman in annoyance. "Here I was about to show you all mercy. Now, you have impressive strength. It seems your souls merged between timelines…you are much stronger than I can remember. Then again, all of your past selves start to look alike after a while."
"That…makes…no sense…" Jade grunted once she was free of the skeletal hand. "Of course we look like our other selves…"
"Oh, yes it does." Shinnok responded in glee. "No matter what timeline it is, you all start to look alike…" Shinnok's glowing eyes shut as he basked in his own amusement. He knew what he was going to say, and it brought a sadistic smile to his face and a darker tone into his voice. Once his eyes opened, the confident conqueror spoke. "Dead."
Once all three women were up again, Shinnok turned his back on them and folded his arms behind his back. "I take it the demon hunter is off to kill Onaga." He held his chin up, as he did not sense Nido in Earthrealm. "Shall I summon Tarkatans to his location for fun?"
"Monster!" Jade screamed and charged Shinnok head-on!
Side Event: #32: Escape into Outworld
The palace was shaking apart in many sections due to Shao Kahn's defeat. The military including the Black Dragons and the Shokan escaped back to Outworld, but two remained inside…Quan Chi and Scorpion. The sorcerer ran for his life and constantly looked over his shoulder as the enraged wraith pursuit him no matter what obstacles lay in his path.
Quan Chi crossed a massive room full of charred and electrocuted Tarkatan warrior bodies. It was the site of Raiden's last appearance, but there was alas no body of the mighty thunder god left. Not being concerned with such a minor detail, Quan Chi fled down toward the Fleshpits where he knew he could conjure more dark magic and make his exit from Scorpion's wrath.
He tripped over the innards of an incomplete abomination, and crawled along the floor as he began calling upon his power to create a gateway.
"Quan Chi!" Scorpion's feet landed heavily behind the pale horseman. "You murder my family, my clan, and then you kidnap my son?!" He lowered the bloody chain of his spear as sweet, sweet vengeance began to fill his soul. "I will make you suffer for what you have done!"
"Scorpion!" Quan Chi pleaded.
"My name…is Hanzo Hasashi!" Scorpion shouted back as flames enveloped his imposing figure.
"Hanzo, please! Have mercy!" Quan Chi pleaded on his knees with his hands up. Secretly, his spell was working behind his back. "Lord Shinnok is here! He will destroy this realm –but! But I know everything of him, Scorpion. You are the only one who can stop him, but you cannot do that if I do not use my spells to remove his divine barriers!" He was entirely making this up. "Your son and wife will be killed unless Shinnok dies!"
"And you will die!" Scorpion did not wish to listen to reason it seemed, but his heart was saying otherwise. He felt the Godly powers of Shinnok up above…perhaps Quan Chi's words held some truth. "Speak, sorcerer. How will you remove his barriers and expect me to let you live?!"
"I deserve death, Hanzo…." Quan Chi lowered his head. "I do not deserve your forgiveness for what I have done, but Shinnok cannot be allowed to live. I was his slave, like you were mine! He controlled me!"
Scorpion sensed the story was changing a bit, and decided against listening to the begging of a fool. "The first thing to be burned will be your lying tongue!"
On cue, Quan Chi activated his spell once it was primed. The massive green and black rift showed the Market Place of Outworld, and two figures walking away from it among the hustle and bustle of the market. Quan Chi quickly turned and dove through desperately. He clawd at the dusty floor as Scorpion's spear shot through the gate way and embedded itself in Quan Chi's back.
"GET OVER HERE!" Scorpion screamed.
"Help me!" Quan Chi begged the figures ahead of him. "Twenty million for every bullet fired!"
One of the figures stopped. The man wore a wide brimmed hat and a partial face-mask and seemed to be a man used to the old American West. "…Deal." The marksman said as his revolver was drawn from his hip before Scorpion could tug at the chained spear. Erron Black fired six rapid shots into Scorpion as the female near him pressed a foot down on Quan Chi's shoulder and ripped the spear out.
As the shots tore into Scorpion's body, the female stood and cracked her knuckles.
"This one will send him back where he came!" The Kytinn female, D'Vorah summoned forth a great deal of insects from her stomach and guided the swam through the portal. Hundreds of the insects carried the spear over the threshold and returned to their mother while the others buzzed around Scorpion and were soon killed by his body's flames.
As Quan Chi turned to close the portal, he could not help but to hurl one last burning green skull through and knock Hanzo onto his back. Once the gate was sealed, Quan Chi fell flat on his back and breathed a sigh of relief. He knew Scorpion could not reach him so easily now. However…
"Leave the one hundred twenty million in my office." Erron Black said as he reloaded his revolver. "…And get the lady something pretty and shiny."
D'Vorah looked upon her ally in annoyance. "This one does not require gifts."
"World need more women like that…" Erron chuckled.
(Side Event Ended)
Meanwhile…
The rainfall eventually awoke Kuai Liang from his unconscious state. The brutal war that ensued on the rooftops remained unseen by the gathered Kombatants, but they waited for the outcome and braced themselves for the worst. They saw thunder crackling above as the storm intensified, and Kitana utilized Raiden's power more and more in short bursts.
Once Kuai Liang was upright, he was met with the presence of his friend Smoke.
"Tomas…" Kuai said weakly as he held his head. "What is happening?"
"The final bout of this struggle with Shao Kahn." Smoke said as he glanced toward the dizzying height of the fortress. "At least…I assume."
"Mileena," Kuai Liang looked around himself in worry. "Did she-?"
"She is alive, old friend." Smoke said as he placed his hand at Kuai Liang's shoulder. "She went to assist Kitana and Liu Kang in their struggle. There is no need to worry; this will not be a fair one on one bout with so much at stake."
"And Frost?" Sub-Zero asked with worry that such a talented warrior was already dead.
However, Xue Fang pelted the back of his head with a soft ball of snow from behind.
Left standing and annoyed, Kuai Liang did not bother turning around. "Alive and well, I see."
As the Lin Kuei regrouped near their Grand Master, the Earthrealm warriors were gathered only a few yards away under the shelter of a ruined shop's canopy. Among them were Kenshi, Sonya, Sheeva, Reptile, Khameleon, Nightwolf and Johnny Cage.
"So you're telling me you've never seen Chuck Norris' Forest Warrior?!" Johnny Cage said as he snatched off his sunglasses. "Nightwolf, man, you've got to rent it sometime. All this 'animality' bullshit you're talking about is actually in that film."
"I know not of this Chuck Norris…" Nightwolf tried to get a word in.
"All I'm sayin' is if we all transform into animals, I think we just end up in a zoo." Cage protested.
"Silence!" Sheeva demanded. "There is great Kombat being held that may determine our fates. There is no time to jest!"
To confirm Sheeva's suspicions, Kenshi placed his hand to the side of his head and concentrated deeply. He could feel the brutal struggle high above, and he could tell that the warriors above were not fighting Shao Kahn, but something over a hundred times more powerful. The blind swordsman began to sweat at the intensity of Shinnok's power. Never in his life had he experienced something so great…and he had a feeling that he never would again.
"This is serious." Kenshi spoke. Immediately after words left his lips, Sheeva ended her bickering with Johnny Cage focused on Kenshi's every word.
Kenshi continued to speak. "Shao Kahn is dead, but another remains. He could…destroy each of us with a single blow…"
Concerned, Jax narrowed his eyebrows upon Kenshi as the news was delivered. "Who is it? How is this possible? Kahn is dead, this should be over, shouldn't it?"
"It is Lord Shinnok…" Reptile re-appeared among the Earthrealm warriors, perched on a flipped SUV with Khameleon at his side. "He has been restored…somehow. I know well of his presence, and it is undeniable. The Fallen Elder God is more powerful than I could have imagined…"
Stryker removed his baseball cap and sighed in annoyance. "Elder Gods, Fallen Elder Gods, Demons, other worlds…" The officer checked ammunition, as he was down to just a couple clips. "How the hell did we get tied up in this bullshit, Kabal?"
As the others discussed Shinnok's presence and what they should do to support Mileena, Kitana, Jade, and Liu Kang…Kung Lao stood nearest to the evacuated fortress and stared up at the tower's heights. He felt Liu Kang's presence still. He knew he was still alive, and that kept his faith alive in the Earth's defenses. "We cannot simply stand by and wait for a victor to be decided. This is not Kombat, this is war." Lao turned to the others—and was met with the sight of Harumi and Satoshi.
The mother had her bandaged mask undone and her hood peeled back. She held her son at her side and gazed upon Kung Lao in deep thought. "War." Harumi said quietly. "And you expect me, an able Kombatant to leave my child's side and leave him defenseless? I have faced death once…I do not desire to be alone and powerless again. This is not our fight."
"Then who's fight is it?" Kung Lao spoke up as he approached Harumi. "I would never desire to put your child in harm's way, but the world does not cease for the desire of one above all. We must act, or each of us die. Each of us have families and loved ones whose souls have been lost. My family's souls are in there. Fathers, mothers, children and other loved ones we wish to restore. Our chance to help them, or chance to help ourselves is now. I cannot leave the fate of my life in the hands of one again. This is not Liu Kang's burden. This is our fight. Our chance to redeem ourselves and avenge our world."
"I will not leave my son for this war." Harumi said firmly. "I will not leave Hanzo either."
Soon after the name was uttered, the bleeding and injured Scorpion fell into a kneel nearby the arguing Kung Lao and his family. Despite his bodily wounds, Scorpion was ready.
"Hanzo…!" Harumi gasped.
"Father…?" The young boy had never actually gotten a good look at his father since their return, but now their true meeting was upon them.
Harumi rushed to Scorpion's side to aid him to his feet. Despite his injuries healing she could not help but worry for his safety. "Hanzo, what has happened?!" She asked as her hands touched his every wound as she quickly thought of ways to aid him. She began uncoiling several of her red bandages to do so.
"Quan Chi has eluded me…" Scorpion spoke softly, but his frustration was clear. Despite Harumi's eagerness to help, Hanzo placed his hand upon her own to ease her worry as he gazed at his child. "Yes. It is me, my son. You may not remember me…but I am your father. My boy…my…cherished Satoshi." Scorpion crouched down to his son's level and placed his hands on his shoulders.
"Scorpion." Kung Lao kept his tone polite as to not bother or disrespect the powerful ninja. "I am attempting to rally the others. We must aid in this fight against Shinnok. Will you join me?"
"Allow me a moment with my son first." Hanzo said without looking away from his child. "If I am to fight with all of my soul behind my fists, I must do this first…"
Meanwhile…at the apex of the fortress
Shinnok paced the parameter of the rooftop casually with both hands folded behind his back. He overlooked the realm around him peacefully, while the injured and recovering trio crouched in a huddle in the middle of the roof. Liu Kang and Skarlet were still unconscious, but Shinnok did not see any point to rush their torment.
Jade was panting and leaning on her bo staff as the trio's 14th attempt to assault Shinnok had left her quite winded. "Alright…" Jade said between heavy breaths. "We have been through Shao Kahn before…we have been through cybernetic Lin Kuei together…, but at what point…did we lose control, here?"
"Somewhere between being kicked in the crotch and punched in the heart…" Mileena said as she held her chest and the other high on her inner-thigh. "We must be doing something wrong. There must be a way around this…"
Kitana clenched her jaw as she watched the arrogant God walk around them. "He isn't even trying…how is this possible?" She stood up and wiped blood from her lip as she started to strategize. "Old, decrepit fool!" Kitana called. "If it is a challenge you seek, why don't you fight us at our own level of strength?!"
"At your own strength?" Shinnok laughed to himself. "Well, princess. I've been doing some thinking. Three on one is not exactly fair, now, is it?" He paused as he now faced the women. "How about we make the odds a little more even?"
Mileena spat off to the side as she finally got back to her feet, but just barely. "Three of you against three of us? You call this fair?!"
"Oh no, no, ugly one." Shinnok mused. "That would hardly be fair at all. I'll even the odds, a little better in just a moment." Shinnok tilted his head back and called upon the power of his amulet. Liu Kang, Skarlet, Kitana, Mileena, and Jade all were drawn into different portals. When they emerged again, however…they were among the other Kombatants that sought refuge outside of the fortress. Liu Kang and Skarlet lay on the ground near Sub-Zero, and Kitana, Mileena, and Jade appeared just inches away from Scorpion, Harumi, Satoshi, and Kung Lao. "Now," Shinnok said as he allowed his hands to come out overhead. "This will be a fair fight!"
Skarlet stirred after a while, and pushed herself up to kneel while focusing in on Shinnok. She cut open her palm with her dagger and placed her hand on Liu Kang. Her Blood Magik worked is wonders to jolt the champion awake and heal some of his more pressing injuries from Shao Kahn.
"Wh—what is happening?" Liu Kang said as he sat up. "Who are you?"
"Skarlet." She replied while standing. "I am on your side."
Darkness began to overtake the land. The Elder God's power was too great to even require to directly taint the soul of Earthrealm. The skies were a blend of black and red as a massive rift began to form high overhead. The hole in time and space destroyed the fabric of reality where its borders touched, but it was slowly spreading. As the group of warriors observed the chaos and burning skies beginning, they all set their sights upon Shinnok. Liu Kang stirred awake as the hole formed, and gingerly took a stand among the other warriors who fought for Earthrealm's survival.
"The only way that rift is closing is if I am defeated." Shinnok warned. "It will swallow this realm…and I only estimate it will take a few minutes before all of you die. So…" He lowered his hands as the Kombatants surrounded him with the trio of Edenian women at the helm. "All at once…attack me! Make this a challenge worth this journey! I challenge you all to Mortal Kombat!"
As the battle began, Scorpion and Fukushu moved their child behind them and demanded he hide. Waves of Kombatants rushed Shinnok and were knocked all around like ping pong balls from harsh kicks and bone-crushing punches from the Fallen God. Shinnok's speed and skill was more than a match for them all, as he managed to duck and maneuver around strikes that got too close for comfort. Every punch was blocked and every kick was avoided until he had room to make a proper counter attack from dozens of fists and weapons heading his way.
Despite Shinnok being vastly more than a match for all the Kombatants, even Liu Kang, Skarlet, and Kung Lao combined, something was off. The longer he fought, the more he began to take hits. The first was a bloodied spear through his torso by Skarlet and shot to the groin by Johnny Cage. Despite Shinnok knocking them aside, a few seconds later he was assaulted with rapid fists by Kung Lao until one of the Elder God's skeletal hands was able to knock him away. What was happening to him? Did he overestimate his challengers? Was he actually going to have to try? It did not hit him until he realized what each 'lucky hit' they landed on him had in common. When he wasn't being hit, and was actually faring extremely well…Mileena was not close by. However, when she was, he was hit more the longer she was around. Something was wrong. Was her presence…draining his power?
"Enough!" Frustrated, Shinnok created an explosive wave of energy that knocked every Kombatant several yards away from him. The mere impact of the blast tore flesh and clothing and left many of them battered nearly to the point of critical injury. Shinnok felt his power returning now that he was not close to Mileena. He examined his hand, and slowly saw the moral pigmentation that was starting to form return to its pale state. "Witch! Leech!" He shouted at Mileena. "For this you shall suffer most!"
As Shinnok prepared himself, Ermac stood among the injured, and moved in front of Sindel to protect her. "We cannot allow you to do any more harm, Shinnok."
"Jerrod…!" Sindel called out as she tried to stand, but due to the prior explosion one of her legs was heavily damaged and broken near the knee.
"Jerrod is but one of us." Ermac explained remorsefully. "He fights for you; we fight with him."
"You will not fight." Shinnok held one hand forward. "You all will simply die." Blazing energy consumed Ermac instantly, and caused his many souls to erupt from his body as he was destroyed by Shinnok. His scream of agony echoed through all of Earthrealm until the blazing light died down. "You try to change time, and they all still die!" He shouted, mocking Kitana's quest. He brought his hand forth again and burned a hole straight through Nightwolf's chest when he tried to attack him. Next was Smoke, who was gripped and squeezed by a large skeletal hand. He screamed as it gripped him, but never fully crushed him. It was an instrument of torment, not death. "I will make you watch all of this, princess. I will make all of you watch this!"
Kenshi retrieved Sento, his sword, and staggered to his feet. His senses were scattered, but he knew he could not simply stay down and take further abuse. He heard the steps of Shinnok getting closer, but every time he swung, the Elder God was elsewhere. There was alas a swing that Shinnok caught, and robbed Kenshi of his precious blade. He drew it back to run him through, but Kenshi was roughly shoved aside by Sheeva who moved in the path of Sento.
Sensing Sheeva's wound, Kenshi shouted her name as she was kicked off of the blade and the weapon was tossed aside like trash. Shinnok continued picking through the Kombatants to torment while Kenshi scattered to try and aid the wounded Shokan female.
"Sheeva! Why would you do such a…!" Kenshi tried to speak as he applied pressure to her wound to try and stop the bleeding.
"H-had you not dishonored yourself…and let your guard down…" She smiled, despite how her words sounded. "Live, Kenshi. Find a way to stop him. You have a chance. I have given it to you."
"You will not meet death this day, my friend." Kenshi vowed silently, as the agony of his fellow warriors filled his ears. "I must…regain my senses…"
Shinnok alas arrived near the downed Sub-Zero. "Alas, the fun part." He said as his skeletal hands were summoned to pull Mileena up by her arms to force her to watch. Kitana watched as well, as she all but given up on fighting any further. "Tell Mileena this is her fault and I shall spare your life." Shinnok said as he stomped on Kuai Liang's shin and snapped the bone with ease. While the man screamed in agony and writhed in the dirt, Mileena's yellow eyes were wide open and full of fear.
Mileena thrashed and screamed while trying to escape the skeletal hands. She screamed for Kuai Liang until her voice was hoarse. Still, he never obeyed Shinnok, and every few seconds Shinnok would stomp higher on his leg to further shatter the bones. It was only a matter of time before Mileena's cheeks were soaked in tears and her eyes were as red as the blood leaving Kuai Liang's wounds.
"Oh, I made an ugly woman cry." Shinnok laughed to himself. "As I said I would, Mileena. You filthy little witch…"
Ever the strategist, Jade played dead for quite some time now. She drew the connection of Shinnok's prior comments to Mileena's presence draining him…and she had an idea to keep the two of them close. She was lying near the sobbing and hysterical Mileena who hung her head trying not to watch Kuai Liang suffer.
"Mileena" Jade whispered. "I need you to trust me. If you trust me, nod your head." She waited until Mileena had enough wit about herself to nod. "Okay," Jade continued, "your presence drains his power. If you stay on him long enough…we can win. I am going to put the two of you together…and since you can heal…I need you to trust me."
Mileena nodded again, but she shirked every time Sub-Zero yelled in agony.
Jade timed her motion with Mileena's sound, and sprung to life. She summoned her energized bo and broke through the bones restraining Mileena and instantly turned them to dust. Kitana perked up when her sister became free, and in a blur of pink and red, Mileena pounced onto Shinnok and dug her fangs into the side of his neck. As Shinnok struggled to yank her away, there was a sharp pain that ripped through his body from behind other that Mileena's teeth. The blunt end of the purple staff protruded from his chest as it went through Mileena's body as well as his.
"Foul creature! Get off of me!" Shinnok struggled to yank Mileena off of him, but the two of them were held fast together in the most painful fashion, but still, Mileena tried to rip out his throat.
Kitana did not question Jade's methods, as she noticed parts of Shinnok's flesh were beginning to have pigmentation in them. Something was happening, something she had to capitalize on before Shinnok turned his rage to Liu Kang or their other allies. There was blood in the water, and now Kitana had to be the shark that took Shinnok under. Despite this, she was knocked back by energy once she got too close. Sonya Blade tried the same and was knocked back brutally into the remains of a building. When Shinnok fired at her again, Johnny Cage moved in the way of the blast and redirected it back at Shinnok—much to the Elder God's surprise. Shinnok and Mileena both were staggered backward on the impact, and all of the surviving Kombatants clearly saw Johnny Cage's body covered in a powerful green aura.
Knowing that the odds was starting to stack in the favor of his opposition, Shinnok used his skeletal hands to yank the staff out of his body and the other to pluck Mileena off of his heavily bleeding neck. The ataff was quickly retrieved by Jade, who baited Shinnok to try and blast her. He was instead met with open air as the Edenian woman moved behind him and swung her staff backward to crack between his legs with the force of all of the One-Being enhanced power. There was a loud squishing crunch and a definite howl of uncomfortable pain from Shinnok's voice afterward as the impact launched him from the ground.
"The amulet!" Jade shouted to Kitana to get her in on the assault.
The princess' bladed fans were shut and turned into elongated daggers. She cast both of them up into the wounded neck of Shinnok and sprung after him with all the fury and desperation to protect Liu Kang behind her injured legs. Despite her clothes being torn and bloodied horribly, she was not going to let him hurt Liu any longer. She grabbed the ends of her tessen in mid-air and yanked them back as her knee moved forward into the face of Shinnok. Despite his Godly nature, she heard the bones crumbling against her knee when he fell from her attack. When he landed on his back, Mileena dove onto him and snatched the amulet from his body. Despite the hole in her torso, she tossed the golden object to Jade. Immediately, Mileena dove away from Shinnok, as she expected something very violent to happen.
Once Jade was in possession of the amulet, she wielded it against Shinnok. The energy started to draw him in, but he had a tremendous amount of resistance. The black-hole-like portal Shinnok made earlier was spreading across the entire sky and was rapidly ripping buildings piece by piece, including the fortress. The suction of the portal increased with every moment, and the Kombtants had no time to spare. Shinnok had to move into the amulet faster!
"You will be the one who dies this time, Shinnok!" Kitana called upon Raiden's strength once again, and fired electricity from her hands into him to push him faster toward the amulet that Jade held without any consequence. Still, Shinnok did not go much closer to the golden object. His skin became more and more pale as his strength began to return to him…but not for long. Mileena jumped on Shinnok yet again, and risked the electrocution from Kitana. The sisters had an understanding, and Kitana shut her eyes as it now pained her to see her hurt Mileena in any way.
With Mileena on his back and suffering brutal electrocution, Shinnok stumbled closer and closer to the amulet. Bits of his armor tore off and became drawn into it until Mileena jumped off of his back and sent a kick into his spine that forced him to be sucked into the golden amulet….