-( I don't own MK, but read & review, please! Thanks for reading!)-

Chapter 29: The Calm

When Shinnok's presence was no more, Jade collapsed to a single knee. She, like all of the other Kombatants, was drained, battered, and beaten. The amulet stung her fingertips and brought tears to her eyes. Green energy radiated from her body for several moments and died down into a soft ethereal glow.

"It is over…" Jade said as she expelled a sharp breath from her lungs.

Kitana stood with her hands pointed outward. Her fingertips were charred from the sheer amount of electricity she used to help bring down Shinnok. Once her arms fell, the tired princess surveyed those who were killed and badly wounded during the battle. Her heart felt heavy, but the worst was still averted.

Mileena was burned and wounded down to the bone. Parts of her skull and jaw were exposed from the damage she took from the lightning. Her shoulder was partially exposed as well, and she collapsed to the ground from her blood loss and lack of energy.

"Mileena!" Kitana screamed out as she rushed to her sister's side. "No, no, no!" She cried as she rolled her sister over and supported the back of her head. She touched at her face reluctantly with her trembling hand, trying to find some way to heal her. "Mileena, Mileena you're not healing!" Tears built up in her eyes as tension dropped onto her chest.

Mileena was quiet. Her yellow eye was barely open while the other was fully exposed.

"Mil-…" Kitana nearly collapsed when she heard the trembling breath leave her sister's lungs. "Mileena? Can you hear me? Sister!" She shook her, now having no filter to hold back her tears. "You cannot do this to me. You cannot!" No matter the lifetime, no matter what side of the war they were on, all of Kitana's memories of Mileena came flooding back. From their childhood to now. Two lifetimes with a girl who only wanted to be loved and understood. Two lifetimes she wished in the very moment she could re-live all over again.

"Pray lift me upon chair and let me sit next to you." Mileena said quietly, quoting The Frog Prince which Kitana used to help her learn to read. "Put your plate nearer to me so that I may eat out of it. Now…I am tired; carry me upstairs, and….put me…into your bed."

"You can survive this. You shouldn't have done something so…so foolish!" Kitana's face reddened, and any hand that dare touch her shoulder was violently shrugged away.

"I love you, sister." Mileena said with a trembling breath. "I love..Jade…Kuai Liang…all of you. We ended this together, as it should be ended. Just…let Mileena….let me rest…"

"The greatest thing that ever happened to me was having such a sweet and selfless person like you as my sister." Kitana's tears stained her swollen cheeks. She heard Jade approaching, but she kept her blurry vision on her little sister. "Don't leave me. Please!"

Jade crouched down on the other side of Mileena. She looked between the sisters quietly and shook her head. "Kitana…"

"Not now, Jade!"

"Kitana, she-…"

"No! She can't die!"

"Kitana, she is beyond a regular Edenian and Tarkatan. Her heart and brain are still intact. She will live. She needs rest." Jade said sternly while watching her friend. "She is onlyasking that you let her rest, and you are being anything but helpful."

The princess stared at Jade.

And stared some more.

And after that? She dropped Mileena from her grasp and slapped her across the other side of her face. "Do not scare me like that!"

"OW!" Mileena howled!

Kitana was so angry that even Jade was slapped afterward. "And lead off with that information next time!"

"Augh! That stings!"

"As does my heart!" Kitana folded her arms and looked away from the two, highly embarrassed she became so emotional and overreacted.

With everyone around them recovering and aching in pain, the three women had time to converse amongst themselves about the future.

"Onaga's egg is being destroyed as we speak." Jade said after rubbing her jaw. "Once that is done, all of this is over. I will retreat into the darkness and take the amulet with me. You may return to Edenia…"

"No." Kitana shook her head and reached over to touch Jade's shoulder. "First we return the souls to Earthrealm…and then…I have a very special gift for you, my friend. Is there…any way you can assist in returning the souls?"

Jade gazed down to the golden amulet in her hands, and stood carefully. She peered into the glowing gem inside that seemed to teem with billions of lost souls. She could hear the cries of agony from the world around her; plants, animals, adults, and children. Every single living thing on the Earth except for the Kombatants had lost their very essence, and it made the Earth no more than a husk of its former self. As the One Being, Jade knew all of the secrets the universe held. She could feel life of all sorts, and she could feel the remaining Elder Gods watching over them all.

"I will do my best." Jade vowed to Kitana. She held Shinnok's amulet overhead and leaned her head backward to relax her body and mind. The gem pulsated with a near invisible wave of energy that progressively increased in diameter. It pulsated like a heartbeat and began to radiate green energy. The souls of the Earthrealmers were guided back home, and the lush greenery of the planet began to return. Though the buildings remained in ruin, the humans and animals were restored safely out of the way of the carnage by Jade's will. The warriors who lost their lives like Nightwolf and Ermac were restored to their former bodies, but the injured remained such.

Shao Kahn's fortress faded, and all that remained was the clearing in the city, and soon soldiers and civilians began to fill in the gaps of the wasteland of Earth. The entire world was engulfed in a green light, making it shine like a supernova in the lonely depths of space.

All life that had been lost to Kahn, no matter how large or small, had been returned in a matter of minutes.

Elsewhere, in Outworld

Nido had traveled countless miles across Outworld to find a single Egg chamber. Once he defeated the Outworld born guards defending it, he descended down a set of stairs with his spear held out in front of him and his eyes wide with anticipation of further Kombat. He breathed heavily against his armored breastplate and took careful steps forward as the warmth of the torches inside the upcoming circular room crept across his skin.

When he reached the base of the stairs, the first thing he saw was a giant reptilian statue directly across from the silver tiled platform he stood on. The platform was about thirty feet long and twenty-six feet wide with a hexagonal like design. The borders of the platform were thick, but there was no clear way up or down to the next floor below.

Once he reached the end of the platform he looked down and saw his worst nightmare; the eggs in which one housed the Dragon King. Each egg sat in a pool of green, slimy liquid and each egg was at least ten feet tall.

Nido decided to take the eighteen-foot drop from the platform to the bottom level, and landed in a low crouch. As he slowly began to rise, he noticed scorch marks all along various points of the floor, as if a struggle had recently happened. Fresh blood was dry underneath the platform, so he prepared himself for further confrontation as he approached the first row of eggs. There were twelve eggs total with six on the left and right sides. He began with the left; bashing and cracking each egg and stabbing at whatever remained inside without mercy. One by one, each egg was destroyed, and one by one, the future was pushed further away from Onaga's wrath.

As he rushed to the right side, high on his adrenaline, Nido began to bash the eggs more.

The first was busted, and the screaming reptilian beast inside was stabbed through the heart.

The second egg, the same occurred.

The third egg was nothing more than green goo and formless life, but the protection of the egg was gone—effectively killing any life once he broke the egg entirely.

The fourth was bashed and the barely formed dragon inside was beheaded.

The fifth suffered the same fate, but it did not help Nido to apologize to the creature.

Once he arrived at the sixth egg…

It cracked.

Stunned at the sudden motion he staggered backward.

A large scaly hand burst from the protection of the egg, and then two massive wings spread out that blew out the torch light behind the rising humanoid dragon.

Onaga broke the shell shards from his shoulders and glared at Nido in the darkness around him. Two large glowing reptilian eyes pierced Nido's very soul.

Just as he prepared himself to fight, Nido was met with sudden warmth just over his shoulder. A large enflamed figure hurled a wave of heat directly into the freshly born, weakened Onaga's body. Blaze, the guardian, had taken action rather than allow Onaga to be fully resurrected.

"Destroy him, hunter!" Blaze shouted as Onaga began to fight off the power of the flames and pushed forward through them.

In his panic, Nido dove up and over the flames distracting Onaga with his spear drawn back. Little did he know, he carried the strength of all of his alternate selves who died during the age of Onaga, and with great blind vengeance, he drove his spear directly through the roaring mouth of the Dragon King who was trying to summon flames of his own. As the blade burst out the other side of his throat, Nido twisted the handle so that the blade became vertical. As he jumped down from Onaga's chest, the blade sliced partially through the skull, but when he jumped again to add more force, the spear severed the skull in half from the mouth up.

Onaga sprayed blood in every direction as he collapsed lifelessly onto his side. Armageddon had now been entirely averted.

"You did well, hunter." Blaze said as he lowered himself to the ground from his floating position. "I am Blaze; I sensed a great evil being born…and it seems you beat me to discovering which egg the evil came from."

"Yeah…" Nido sighed. "…At least that thing won't be causing any trouble anytime soon." He slung his spear onto his back and took a deep breath. His mission for Jade was accomplished. He'd done right by Brown Sugar, and now he had to get back to her and Edenia. "I appreciate the assist, but I had it under control." He said jokingly to the torched soul.

"I will dispose of the remains." Blaze insisted. "You may return to your lover."

"What? How do you-…"

"I am a being of great wisdom. I can feel your passion for another." He said as he floated near Onaga's remains. "Go to her. Your journey has been completed, and Shao Kahn has fallen. Peace is upon us, and a new age approaches."

Nido was skeptical, but if Kahn was dead…Jade had no further reason to fight. Her health still worried him in the back of his mind. "I'll do just that. Take it easy candle stick." Since there was no ladder, Nido got a running start toward the wide support of the platform and ran up it until he could leap and grab hold of the ledge. Once he was up and over, he was home free. "I'm comin' home, Brown Sugar…" He said to himself as he moved back up the stairs.

…

…..

Once Nido was gone, Blaze began to smile. His burning red eyes increased in intensity as the wail of millions of souls emitted from the white hot swirling pupil. A light laughter started to leave his lips as he held both of his hands forward. The chuckle became a sinister laugh of sheer and utter victory over the fallen Dragon King. However, the true purpose of this laugh was not known until Blaze spoke four very powerful words in a woman's voice.

"Your soul is mine!"

The blazing façade was gone. Denise Tsung stood over Onaga and drained every ounce of his soul from his body and into her palms. As she drained him, another figure approached her from behind.

Shang Tsung put his hands on his wife's shoulder and squeezed them. He kissed her cheek and marveled at the collective energy she held in both of her hands.

"His soul is ours." Shang corrected her, as the two shared a moment of absolute euphoria in their victory.

Three Months Later; Edenia Palace

Edenia and Earthrealm were in a new era of peace. Many of the injured Kombatants healed, and Earthrealm and Edenia relations were much stronger than they ever were before. With help from Skarlet and Edenian mages, many of the recovered and killed Kombatnts were able to be safely restored to life before their souls were lost forever to the now defunct Soulnado. Outworld was not quiet, but it handled its own affairs and did not lash out to conquer any new lands. All of the realms returned to their destined positions and stuck to their own peaceful affairs for the most part. Queen Sindel and King Jerrod, while still in Ermac's body, returned with the others to Edenia and took their place as Royal advisors and peace keepers among the Edenian people.

Festivals and music filled up the morning air as the true paradise of Edenia shined like never before outside of the palace walls, and inside was barely any different.

Kuai Liang walked, though with a slight limp, through the halls of Edenia with Frost and other Lin Kuei warriors behind him. Once the Grandmaster arrived at a particular door, he nodded his head to the guards. "Is she recovered?" He folded his arms tightly across his chest as he awaited the hopeful good news.

"Yes sir!" Kaizar stood up straight with a bright Tarkatan smile.

Raizor did the same. "Fully healed from the procedure with the mages, sir!"

Sub-Zero nodded. "I told her not to do it…but, if it makes her happy." He understood entirely, and stepped forward to knock on the large door. "Mileena?" He waited until he heard 'come in!' and walked inside of Mileena's chambers.

Inside, Sindel was finishing brushing Mileena's short hair and gazed at her in the mirror.

"Now, remember, Mileena." Sindel said in a motherly tone. "Beauty is only skin deep. You are beautiful no matter what happens. You are you, and I would accept no other as my second daughter. Do not be afraid, alright? You know why you wanted this."

"Yes, mother, I know." Mileena sounded a little annoyed with her mother's constant reminders that she was fine as she was, but she wanted to try something a little different.

"Am I interrupting?" Kuai said from the door after he shut it behind himself.

The former Queen turned with a smile. "Oh, no. Not at all." She parted ways with Mileena, and bowed her head respectfully to Sub-Zero. "Don't be late for the big announcement." She placed a hand at his shoulder as she passed and moved out into the hall.

Mileena kept her face hidden from Sub-Zero once they were left alone. It had been a while since she saw him in person, but she was glad his leg healed under the care of his clan. Mileena pulled her mask over the lower half of her face and stood to face him. Her feline-like eyes scanned him from head to toe in his traditional regal Lin Kuei attire.

"Kuai Liang." She said with a nod.

"Mileena." He returned the gesture as he approached her.

She curled her finger into her mask and pulled it down toward her neck. Her cheeks were lined with fangs that led to the corners of her plump lips and slightly dulled teeth. It wasn't a perfected fix. Not yet.

"And what inspired you to go through with this against my wishes…?" Sub-Zero asked curiously as he reached out to hold her sides. His unmasked face presented her with an impressed smile. He thought she would lose all of herself to cosmetics, but she instead kept a lot more of her beautiful grin than he ever expected.

"This." Mileena wasted no time. Her hands went to the sides of Kuai Liang's face. "Let me warm you." The first thing her lips touched since obtaining her new look were Sub-Zero's lips. A kiss she'd longed for, and ached to have for a very long time. She wasn't sure what she was doing, but her instincts guided her when the cool arms of the Grandmaster circled her waist.

Mileena was aggressive. She gripped Sub-Zero's gi and shoved him to the floor. Her passion would not be contained, it would not be held back for fear of altering the future for the worst. There was no tyrant to stop, no battle to be won, just the two of them locked in heated passion. She breathed deeply between the meetings of their lips. Her nails clawed his shoulders and left small red trails over them.

Thirty Minutes Later; Edenian Throne Room

"I am glad you all could make it here today." Kitana said as she stood from her throne with Jade at her side, and her quickly approaching little sister moving to her other side while straightening her clothes out. Sub-Zero was also a bit late as well, but Kitana paid it no mind. Everyone was present; Scorpion who'd been restored to life by Jade was with his family, Ermac, Sindel, Johnny Cage, Sonya, Jax, Kung Lao, Liu Kang, Nightwolf, Krad and his wife to be, Reptile, Khameleon, Kenshi, Sheeva, Nido, and all of their allies between.

"Today I have gathered you for a very special reason." Kitana went on to place her hands on Mileena and Jade's shoulders. "Edenia is a beautiful land, and it deserves a leader who will lead without fault. I am that leader; I am that woman who will keep peace in this realm." She nodded softly, but gazed down to Raiden's medallion on her chest. "However, that was another life. A life which I had to live without what I truly wanted. An unfulfilled life." She took a gaze upon Liu Kang in the crowd. "So, I have decided to step down and accept my role among the Elder Gods and watch after the Earth and aid Earthrealmers in rebuilding their world."

This came as a shock to many, but Kitana did not allow them to begin speaking among one another or even clap. "I have chosen my successor. She is of royal blood like my sister and I. She is also a woman who will guard this realm fiercely and never falter. She is my best friend, not my body guard, not my servant, but my absolute best friend." She turned toward Jade. "The new Queen of Edenia, Jade."

Kitana and Mileena clapped their hands, as did the others.

This came as a shock to Jade. She did not want to accept the position but…if her friend saw her as truly worthy despite her 'entitlement', she accepted graciously. Kitana stepped down from her throne and knelt before Jade and Mileena did so in kind. Despite the overwhelming joy Jade felt, she quickly asked for Mileena and Kitana to rise so she could embrace them both. However, something still bothered her.

"Are you not upset with this, Mileena?" Jade asked during their embrace.

"No." Mileena shook her head. "Let us just say I am moving into a new kingdom."

"Is that why you were late?" Kitana playfully pinched her sister's shoulder as the three of them shared a laugh.

"Improper!" Mileena laughed with them, though the applause kept their conversation strictly between the three of them.

"Just promise me one thing…" Jade said as they began to part. "Promise me we will never lose touch with each other. Promise me you will be my sisters forever."

"Such promises needn't be spoken." Kitana said with a proud pat on Jade's shoulder. "I'll be a Goddess…you will be a Queen." Then she turned to Mileena "And the baby of the bunch is looking like Grandmistress material."

"Is this happily ever after?" Mileena said as the applause began to die down, and she stood side-by-side with her sisters.

Kitana bowed toward the audience with Jade and Mileena, and spoke softly. "Only time will tell."

One Year Later – Kitana's diary

Since I left Edenia, there has been nothing but peace in the realms. I have stood as a guard to Earthrealm and any threats it may face externally with my champion Liu Kang prepared to defend this world with me. Though, this tale is not ours alone.

My mother and Ermac were wed as my father took shared dominance over the body of Ermac. I believe it is a three-way marriage but…we try not to think about it too hard.

From what I have observed, Johnny Cage and Sonya have been in a relationship and Jax has met someone after the chaos.. Both Johnny and Jax are expecting children now.

Kenshi and Sheeva remained friends, but despite Kenshi's willingness, Sheeva declared their union dishonorable, and insisted he find a human mate. Shokan are stubborn, but I hope they find happiness.

Khameleon and Reptile moved to Earthrealm and discovered the remains of their people. They only want peace, and I have allowed them safe asylum in the Amazon where they can have shelter and nourishment. They too became married, and the last I saw them, I believe they were training their people to fight.

Kung Lao returned to the White Lotus society and became just as iconic to the people as Liu Kang. His baby cousin Kung Jin looks up to him, and I have blessed Kung Lao with the position of head of the White Lotus. Hopefully he can find a date and stop finding time to train with Liu Kang. Wishful thinking.

After being restored to life, Nightwolf went into seclusion. I only meet with him when he has discovered new Kombatants with destructive potential, and redirects them to Kung Lao to learn to tame their power and rage.

Stryker and Kabal returned to the force briefly, but are now full members of Earthrealm's Special Forces. There was an incident with the Red Dragon that left Kabal badly burned. I can only hope he is able to recover and live peacefully.

Scorpion and his family have sworn their lives to me, and are beginning to rebuild the Shirai Ryu. They train tirelessly and reclaim their culture day by day in my name. Scorpion tells me that should ever a day come in which I require his strength, I will not even need to ask for his services, he will be there. I am very happy he has another chance at life. Hanzo has always been a good soul…just in bad situations.

Skarlet is a curious case. She stayed with us for a while. She remained alone for much of it, but there was one night the four of us spent together just being sisters, being friends. There was still a rivalry there between us, but she did not act violently. With Mileena, Jade, and I having new paths, Skarlet said she was going to find her own way. She informed me she was returning to Outworld. We all embraced and wished her well. I can only pray she does not fall back into the ways of Kahn.

Jade and Nido are still together. They were married almost immediately, and I am very happy for them. He now lives full-time in Edenia and acts as General of the Edenian army. Jade kept Shinnok's amulet, and keeps it on her person as she believes it is the only way to keep it out of the wrong hands. While the Shinnok from our original time was captured, the Shinnok of this time remains under tight bonds in the Netherrealm. Thankfully I was able to meet with Sareena recently, and any attempts to free Shinnok have been thwarted by her, and Noob Saibot of all people. It seems love does stretch beyond life and death.

Mileena traveled to Earthrealm and currently lives with Kuai Liang as the Grandmistress of the Lin Kuei. She is a fierce trainer and devoted member of the clan, and has even earned some respect from Frost. The two battle like fierce rivals, but any who threaten the Lin Kuei clan go through the two of them before they even reach the massive army. The spirit of competition keeps them close, I guess. I can see it in Mileena's eyes that she's in love. I hope for the best, and I watch over her as any elder sister should. She has come a very long way from the little girl I once knew.

As for me? Well…

I may not be married like my sister and best friend, yet, but…

Crowds of thousands gathered around a squared bamboo ring, chanting for the fighters in attendance in Hong Kong. Kitana stood with a blue cloak wrapped around her body and a straw hat shading her eyes.

Liu Kang stood near her with pride in his eyes as young Shaolin did battle against Johnny Cage, though it was a losing effort on the Shaolin's part.

Kitana tilted her head up and smiled toward Liu with an electric spark in her eyes. "Well, it looks like you're in the finals, Liu."

"It seems so…" Liu Kang rolled his shoulders and placed his hand at the small of Kitana's back. He tilted her hat up and leaned in to place a loving kiss on her lips. "For good luck?"

Kitana grinned, and kissed him once more. "You'll need it." She saw Liu off as the next round began with Liu and Johnny in the finals. She tipped her hat back down, and placed her hands over her slightly expanding belly. "We'll both need that luck."

I think I have a happy ending myself. I used to have to leave Liu to tend to Edenia, and he had to leave to tend to Earth. I sacrificed Edenia for him, and I am so much happier for it. He sacrificed simply being champion for me, and I love him for that. What could have been has become. We all have been redeemed, and we are all happier for it.

The End

-( A/ N )-

It was very difficult for me to end this story, but as promised, this was the last chapter of Redemption. If I continue it with a new series or anything else is up in the air right now. If you want this to continue, please let me know and it might kick my lazy butt into gear to further this series in new titles and so-forth.

I had a lot to wrap up and I hope it's satisfactory! And please support this story on facebook, and myself as an aspiring professional writer! I have Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook—everything for my writing career. Choose your destiny, as they say!

Inbox me, check my profile, do whatever you gotta do to get hold of me, I love you guys! Now, if someone can do a chapter review and a full story review? That'd be pretty awesome to see. Did I hit every point you wanted, did I miss opportunities? Critiques are a godsend.

While I wanted to do more with the romances after the big war, it'd be just way too long and I really wanted to wrap up the essence of this story which was basically preventing Armageddon and stopping Shinnok.

Either way, thank you for reading, it's been a blast, it's been a pleasure, and it almost brings me to tears to be very very honest. I love these characters and the lore, and I tried to sprinkle in some good Easter Eggs for potential future events.

ALSO. My original characters like Denise, Nido, etc, I'd love to hear reviews on them and how well or poorly they were used.

Okay! Enough ranting! Thank you so so so so so so so SO SO very much!