Chapter 7
Tanya's Assurance
Previously, on Mortal Kombat Redemption
Ten years ago…
Jade jolted awake on the stone floor of an odd-looking room. There were dissected bodies of Tarkatans, humans, and other creatures all around. There was a lab table with a skinless male laying on top of it, there were large tanks and tubes filled with malformed and grotesque looking hybrid creatures between Shokan, Tarkatan, Humanoid, and even Centaurian.
Jade stood slowly and examined her surroundings. Soon, she realized she was in…
"Shang Tsung's Flesh Pits." Tanya spoke out as she walked from one of the darker regions of the labs. "Rest his soul. Jade, I am here to help you." Tanya held a large book against her chest as she maintained about twenty feet before herself and Jade.
"Is Edenia a lie?" Jade asked firmly. "Who ruled Edenia before Queen Sindel and King Jerrod? Who?!" She pulled her facial mask down as she approached Tanya.
"I'll tell you everything you need to know, Jade." Tanya spoke calmly as she lowered the book. "But I need you to promise me something…okay?"
"What is it?" Jade stopped in her tracks.
Tanya shut her eyes and exhaled a trembling breath. "I need you to forgive me for what I did to you before. I need you to promise me that you will allow me to go free. I've learned my lesson, I've seen my error, and I will not repeat those errors in this life."
Jade was astonished. "What are you talking about?"
"I know what happens. I've seen it with my own eyes. I know what I did, what I caused, how I remained in servitude despite my best efforts for survival. I saw my life end during Armageddon…and it is not a fate I wish to possess."
"Who showed you this?" Jade pointed her finger toward Tanya. "Who gives you these visions?" Now she was starting to become suspicious about her 'mother'. Was she playing tricks on other Edenians or warriors? Tanya was long gone before Jade, Kitana, and Mileena were sent back…
"I cannot tell you…" Tanya spoke weakly as she once again held the book to her chest. "It is something I should not say-…"
Before Tanya could squeak those words out of her mouth, Jade was on her. She had the woman by the neck in one hand with her other fist drawn back in a threatening manner. "Who gives you these visions, Tanya?! Speak now, or I will rip this book from your cold, dead hands!"
Tanya dropped the book and drew a dagger immediately to Jade's throat. Despite her regretful nature, she was in no way helpless. "If you strike me, you will die before the blow lands. Now listen to reason, Jade…listen or else both of our chances at redemption will be forever lost!"
Jade wanted to punch straight through Tanya's skull…, but somewhere in her soul she knew she had to let go of her past resentment for this woman. She had Nido back, she just needed to know what her true past was. "Just tell me this." Jade said as she backed away a bit reluctantly. "Was it a shimmering woman that showed you these things?"
"No." Tanya shook her head as she lowered her dagger. "The book is yours upon your promise…"
"… I promise that I will allow you to go free. I forgive you, Tanya. Do not give me reason to regret this."
Then Tanya was gone. While the truth was revealed to Jade below, Tanya was on an endless sprint out of the fortress. She escaped Scorpion's detection and eventually found a dark corner outside the fortress that was swirling with black and purple energy. She approached it and dropped to a knee with her head bowed.
"It has been done." Tanya said. "My mistress."
From the void emerged a much older woman. She was draped in the finest, most regal white garbs with long flowing black hair. It was Denise Tsung, but not the same one that was still within the fortress.
"Very good." Elder Denise said with a smile. "My other self has delivered my plans to perfection, as expected. I will send her my regards when she finally obtains Blaze and Onaga's souls for me."
"Those things I saw," Tanya trembled. "Were they real? Or were they just to convince Jade?"
Elder Denise elevated her hand and spread the portal behind her to show the body-littered pyramid in Edenia with the ghastly image of Shinnok looming in the skies. It was one of many timelines, the others had been totally annihilated.
"This is my universe. As you can see, I am more or less the only survivor. All of those souls had nowhere to go. Liu Kang is the only one I haven't taken yet, but I will savor that for my husband's sake." Elder Denise formed a skull shaped soul in her palm that resembled her Shang Tsung's rotting corpse. "Now on your feet. Kneeling is not the way of a future Kahn. You have to be ruthless. Unpredictable. Certain of yourself. Strike your enemy with intent to destroy. You have it in you, Tanya. More than you can ever know for certain. Now tell me, who does your loyalty belong to?"
"You, my mistress." Tanya stood. "Send me somewhere safe until this is all over, please."
On command, Elder Denise warped Tanya away. She ended up on a tropical island far off in Outworld, far from conflict. She had a boat ready for sail when she was ready to return to the mainland, and plenty of supplies to last her months alone.
Later…
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 shoulders 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.
Then, a third joined them eventually. The Elder Denise Tsung floated down with a look of glee. "A job well done, if I do say so myself. We have Blaze, we have Onaga, Armageddon is prevented. However, there alas remains a threat we must eliminate. She allowed Shinnok to have his fun in the multiverse, but the destruction was by design."
"Kronika." Shang Tsung said while releasing his wife. "I figured she would have allowed such chaos to happen if there was something to gain from it. What is it, I wonder?"
"Power." Elder Denise said. "She is no longer strained by controlling thousands of universes. She will be much stronger now to work with fewer timelines. She has already created an unstoppable weapon due to my universe's utter destruction. Onaga's unbeatable army was converted into a legion of men known as Geras. If you encounter these men, do not think killing them will stop them. They will rise for eternity."
"A challenge we will meet." Younger Denise grinned as she absorbed a portion of Onaga's soul into herself and gave the other half to her husband. "Raiden's death changes nothing. I want the power of the thunder god eliminated for what they did to me. For what I assume they did to you as well."
"He forced me to raise Liu Kang's corpse after everything he did, yes." Elder Denise confirmed. "The Houan will rise again. I will reign over it as its master as my father before me. You two shall be my lieutenants. Faithful husband, loyal self, two I can trust beyond any to see to it my will is spread forth. To die in my name should the honor fall to you! Together, I will become stronger even than Kronika, second only to the One Being!"
"About that." Younger Denise grinned.
SHINK!
A sword drove through Elder Denise's torso. Tanya held firm to the grip of it.
In her shock, Elder Denise looked down to her bleeding torso with her hands failing to grasp the blade in her panic. "Tanya?! How could you?!"
"Your soul." Shang Tsung extended his hand.
"Is ours!" Younger Denise did as well. They split the time traveler's soul into two streams as it drew into them and thinned out her body to a lifeless husk at the end of Tanya's blade. All the power and wisdom of the alternate timelines flooded to them both equally.
Tanya dropped Elder Denise's husk to the ground and smashed the skull beneath her foot to make the end permanent for the woman.
"Dearest Tanya." Denise smiled as the Edenian dropped down to one knee. "There is still work to do. Outworld is ripe for the taking, just as I said. Now rise. You will one day take your rightful place as ruler of the realm. However, it does not start on your knees. That is the way of Sindel, is it not?"
Shang Tsung chuckled and examined his more youthful hands. "I do not think we yet have Kronika's ire. However, Earthrealm needs to be conquered. Mortal Kombat is the only way we can effectively do this."
"There may be a way." Tanya said while standing. "A pact form between realms gives their allies ties to them should they lose. If Earthrealm makes a pact with a realm on the verge of merging due to Kombat loss, they will be absorbed as well."
"It may risk strengthening the One Being…" Shang Tsung pondered and paced away from the two women. "It is an idea we can consider. For the time being we will work on molding a face Outworld can depend on and reap the riches of our stand-ins. Dear wife?" Shang offered his arm to her and shifted his appearance to one of an Edenian knight.
"Come along, Tanya." Denise coiled her arm with her husband's and shifted her look into a cloaked peasant.
Present Day… Reiko's Palace
"I do not understand their blind trust." Tanya said as she frustratedly fetched a spell book for her master. "This Tessen woman seems to have enchanted them. Do you know who she is?"
"Not the slightest clue," Denise said while consulting with her crystal ball. "Everything is a fog, but the girl has good ideas. It turns out Reiko has been consulting with her for over ten Outworld years. He's been taking a small army with him every year to a location I am forbidden to follow."
"Training exercise." Tanya said. "It is nothing to worry about."
"You trust so easy for one to be so efficient at lying." Denise accepted her book finally and plopped it down on her large desk lined with lavender cloth. "He has been engaging in Kombat on a grand scale. I may be forbidden to go but my husband has ways of getting information. The War Realm moves at increased time. Five hundred years for them is one year in Outworld time. He has defeated the War Realm's champions nine times now. The tenth is coming soon, thanks to Tessen's aid."
"And how does warring with this realm benefit us?"
"Earthrealm will assist a realm in need," Denise chuckled. "When the War Realm loses with Earthrealm's aid, Earthrealm and its allies will be defeated as well. Tessen brought this to my attention before clearing it with Reiko and Rain. Brilliant, I must say."
Tanya bit her tongue. That was her idea without the specifics. "Truly." She said bitterly.
"Why don't you go talk to Tessen yourself, advisor? Unless you're eager for her to take your place?"
"She will not take my place. I am assured of my position." Tanya stormed to Denise's door. "I am going to retire to my chambers. Good evening, Mistress Tsung."
Tanya shut the door firmly. She would have retired to her own room, but something was burning inside of her like a volcano bordering on eruption. She tasted ash in her mouth at the thought of Tessen taking away what she worked so hard for. Her survival, her place in the realm, and her pride as a mastermind.
Shortly after Tessen left Mo Chou to rest, she walked the corridors of Reiko's palace. Every few steps she coughed and leaned against the wall for support. She checked her face mask and saw specks of blood inside. Her sickness was getting worse.
Tessen shut her eyes and gathered her strength, but turned sharply to clash her katana with an incoming dagger.
She stepped back several steps and smacked aside incoming thrown knives from a yellow clad attacker. A kick to the sternum backed Tessen into the hall where she struck the attacker like lightning. Her katana pierced the woman's left palm to the hilt of her blade. Tessen's knee crushed her abdomen and backed her off enough to yank her blade free.
The next instant her sword was at the side of Tanya's throat with her left hand. "Traitor." Tessen growled. Her hands tightened on the handle of her weapon. "Explain yourself. Now!"
Tanya held her bleeding hand and dropped to her knees. She cowered until Tessen shouted. "You are manipulating them!" She said in a strained voice. "What is your play, assassin? What have you whispered in their ears?!"
"You attacked me. I am not your enemy here." She sheathed her blade and turned away from her. "My only interest is that Outworld succeeds. Get patched up. A storm awaits us in the coming weeks."
"Why is the War Realm so important to you, Tessen?!"
There was no answer. Tessen left Tanya there to tend to her wounds in solitude.
OUTWORLD – TARKATAN TERRITORIES
"This place smells of war." Mileena stood at the head of the party. She sniffed the air at the peak of a cliff overlooking Tarkata Valley. She could smell the blood and bone for miles. The Tarkatan War Kamp was far off, but the smoke from the kamp was seen on the horizon. There were buggies, carts, and fresh kills being transported in by their merchants. "Baraka is there. No doubt he has picked up on my scent. Are we certain we want to talk to the Tarkatans given our history?"
"Absolutely." D'vorah fluttered up to Mileena's side. "Kotal Kahn is to unify Outworld. This one believes that leaving Tarkatans out is a fool's motivation. Even if Kotal himself hates Tarkatans, it is a needed move for strategy."
"There is no telling how Baraka will react to me." Mileena looked ahead of herself with her jaw clenched. She felt in her gut that things could not work out. Her hatred for their past life together still burned in her like a dying ember. "We should be ready for Kombat."
"Must you always be so tense?" Jade teased while patting Mileena on the back. "Kotal can be difficult, but he is willing to put grudges aside for the betterment of any situation. At least that is what I believe."
"This one agrees. Kotal is a man above many." D'vorah chittered while walking to join the others.
Jade watched her with interest. "Kytinn, what is your station with Kotal?"
"This one serves as Kotal Kahn's most trusted." D'vorah paused and looked over her shoulder at Jade. Her black-lined smile spread wider. "There is no secret he has not told this one. The Hive is driven by such devotion and loyalty. This one is to him as your royal guard is to you."
"I see. I do not believe I caught your name, Lady Kytinn."
"D'vorah, Queen Edenian."
"If you were advising Kotal," Jade stepped away from Mileena to get within arm's reach of D'vorah for a quieter conversational tone. "What would you suggest our approach be in this situation?"
"Find out what Baraka wants, and give it to him." D'vorah said with a slight twitch. "Tarkatans are simple creatures. Baraka has the most sense of them all. The hive believes his requests will be most reasonable."
"Indeed. In our youth, he proved to be such. Inform the others that we are going to take a path directly into the valley. Our rest ends here." Jade dismissed D'vorah and returned to Mileena's side for the time being.
"I have always wondered," Mileena paused. "When we went back in time, was that before or after your oath with Kotal? Why is it different now than it was before?"
Jade looked on quietly over the valley. Her eyes full of sorrow from ages long since passed. Her voice was quiet as if a sob sat on the border of her tongue. "After. Almost a full day after. Before I knew he was gone."
"And you still married another?"
"A promise is not held when you believe another to be dead, Mileena. Nido, for all his childish charm reminded me so much of Kotal." She smiled partially. "Calling me Brown Sugar reminded me much of the silly names Kotal would try to think up for me. His dreams of his people and mine joining forces after seeing our bond kept me hopeful in those days following Liu Kang's victory. Had I known Shang Tsung had him the whole time, things may have been different. Very different."
"Do you still love him?" Mileena asked.
"No." Jade shook her head. "But love is not always a joint thing. He may still be in love with me. He may think to make it a contest and challenge Nido to Mortal Kombat for my hand. He is bound by honor and tradition. Osh-Tekk have done such before. Nido would not even have to accept the challenge. He would attack Nido until one of them was defeated or killed."
"A simple task for Nido, no doubt."
"No." Jade shook her head. "Osh-Tekk can burn their enemies to a crisp from almost anywhere. I do not wish to see Nido hurt, nor Kotal. I would not marry him for defeating my husband, either. It feels to be one big mess."
"I pray his big mess does not keep me from my daughter." Mileena gave Jade a friendly pat on her back. "Let us move."
The journey through the valley was one of littlee trouble outside of dealing with the baking heat of the sun, much to Sub-Zero's dislike. Through the sweat and discomfort, he only thought of his daughter's wellbeing, and forging an alliance in the process of seeking her out in Outworld.
Jade remained close in the middle of the group with Kitana. She muttered to herself, "Do as you are supposed to. Take what is given. Curious words. Perhaps a telling of our coming encounter with Baraka?"
"That woman who stole my child said similar words." Mileena snarled. "This could be a trap, but if it gets Mo Chou back to me faster, I shall endure. Milee—I mean I cannot spare another moment without her. Whatever is given, we take."
"What could possibly be given to us?" Jade asked. "Baraka's aid? How does Baraka's aid get us your daughter back? It must be something else. Perhaps a fated meeting. A moment in which we will know is the moment we have been led to?"
"Then we follow our intuition." Kitana added. "We are in unknown territory for the first time in years. Part of me wishes I could send us back to avoid this. I probably can, but if I accidentally send us back to Shang Tsung's island…"
Mileena groaned at the thought. "It would be a dreadful way to live all over again."
"Let's focus on the dangers that lay ahead." Jade added. "I will keep my eyes open for any 'offers'. Once we gain the aid of the Tarkatans and Shokan, I suggest you send for Hanzo, Kitana. We will need his eyes as we make our next move."
"As planned." Kitana said while looking ahead at Liu Kang talking playfully among Sub-Zero, Kung Lao, Johnny Cage, and Nido. "Liu Kang seems to be enjoying himself. We used to laugh like that often. I feel I may be pushing him away. He is not royalty. I cannot seem to draw myself to think as a commoner. I have only ever known rule. Does that make me more prone to becoming a tyrant?"
"Uncertainty is poison to a leader," Mileena said as she walked slightly ahead of the other two. "Kuai Liang and I have always shared such sentiment. No second-guessing or your students lose faith."
Once they finally reached the war kamp, the patrolling Tarkatans stopped and barked back orders to dozens of patrolling soldiers. Tarkatan children playing on the roads were pulled aside by their parents to steer clear. Many of the soldiers were shouting in their native tongue that intruders were afoot.
A female Tarkatan with white stripes and plated armor over her torso shoved through the gathered crowd. She barked in Tarkatan at the group, and easily shifted into common tongue.
"What is your business here?" The female general spoke out. "I am Nosferah, General of this sect of Tarkata. I speak on behalf of King Baraka."
"We come in peace," Nido spoke. "We'd like a meeting with King Baraka. We're something like old friends, all of us."
"There is a half-blood among you." Nosferah sniffed the air and set her eyes on Mileena. "Ah, it is her. How quickly have you relinquished your embrace on Tarkatan tradition, Mileena."
"She chooses her own path." Sub-Zero spoke in defense of his wife. "She does not come to disrespect your tradition, General Nosferah. Baraka aided us in getting to Shao Kahn in our final confrontation. By Tarkatan tradition, his aid to us must be repaid."
"But also by Tarkatan tradition," Nosferah said while snapping her fingers. "When royals not of Tarkata visit our war kamp, they must be tested by Kombat to get the audience with the king."
"Gotta be shitting me," Johnny said while pinching the bridge of his nose. "Look, just tell him Johnny Cage is out here and I'm sure he'll come running with less hassle. You guys can talk to him while I run in circles away from him, okay?"
"That will not be needed." Liu Kang looked back at Kitana. "If I may take this test for you, Kitana?"
"Yes," She agreed after a moment's consideration. "Liu Kang will meet your opposition, General Nosferah."
Nos stepped toward a clearing in the sandy area. It was clear she was to be the challenger, at least to those onlooking. Liu Kang broke away from the group and readied his stance.
"Liu Kang. Your name is legend." Nos said while extending her blades from her veiny forearms.
"What makes me a legend to Tarkatans?" Liu responded curiously.
"You are the only Earthrealm male worthy of a Tarkatan woman." She collapsed her blades back into her forearms. "But I am not your enemy this day. You will be challenged by our champion. The undefeated slayer of men, of Tarkatans, of Shokan and more! The now obedient champion of King Baraka…"
Heavy stomps filled the area. The Tarkatans cleared out as a nine foot tall albino creature moved through the crowd. His legs were armored with golden guards with spikes. He had two tows with jagged white toenails that almost looked like they were stone. Spikes lined his shoulders and spinal column. Tattoos and an additional set of arms were among his most defining features. Though what stood out most was his entirely Tarkatan mouth.
"He has slain nearly five hundred warriors in Kombat flawlessly. His strength is undeniable. His endurance beyond any Tarkatan before him." Nos continued as the albino Shokan-Tarkatan hybrid stomped toward her. "Rescused from Shang Tsung's flesh pits. He is the only Shokan we tolerate. Prepare yourself, Liu Kang, for the conqueror of conquerors! Kaimera!"
The beast cast a shadow over Liu Kang. His pectoral muscle were constantly flexed with an extremely low amount of body fat. His abdomens stacked like a ladder of bricks at his core, and all four of his blades protruded a meter and a half beyond the base. Slobber trickled down his tight jaw and the bear-trap like maw of his. Every step he took made the sand and ground tremble at his sheer power. Kaimera would no doubt be a worthy foe for Liu Kang.
"It was nice knowing you, Liu Kang." Kung Lao teased. "Do be careful."
Liu Kang stood his ground. He brushed his thumb over his nose and returned to stance. "Finally. A challenge." He stepped back a few more steps to get a good gauge on the beast.
Nos raised her hand and dropped it swiftly to signal the beginning of the bloody bout.
Liu Kang was charged head on with thunderous stomps from Kaimera. Liu Kang swiftly stepped in and drove his foot into the abdomen of the beast with a burst of flame at that point of contact.
Kaimera's eyes widened and a pained cry left his mouth as he jumped back three and a half meters before crashing through one of the nearby service carts.
Kaimera was unconscious.
"...Oh." Liu rechambered his leg but maintained balance on the other.
"Oh." Kitana blinked several times. "Is it over?"
"Liu Kang put his all into that strike out of excitement," Jade said with widened eyes. "Maybe a little too much of his all?"
"Winner…?" Nos was confused. Kaimera didn't return to his feet after a ten count. Reluctantly, she collapsed her arm blades. "Very well. You have earned your audience with King Baraka. I will get him right away!"
Ferra clapped wildly from her perch on Torr's back. "Wowie! Kicky man beat the big baddie! Real fast! You am good fighter! How you do that?"
"I saw an opening," Liu finally put his foot down. "Perhaps I should have seen what he could do first."
"Earthrealmers!" Baraka snarled. He walked with purpose to the edge of his kamp and paused when he locked eyes with Mileena. There was a moment of silence, then immediately a glare to her company. "What business do you have with Tarkata? Our time of allegiance with you died with Shao Kahn. However, we mean no ill will toward all of you should your words be worth my attention."
"Baraka." Mileena took it upon herself to speak up. "Kotal seeks to unite Outworld, from what I am told. There is a war going on, and the allegiance of Tarkata is being sought, I would believe. Despite my personal feelings toward you, I'd rather not lay awake at night knowing my first true home was taken over by Reiko or Saibot."
"If you stayed with us, it would not have gotten this way, Mileena." Baraka said. "Outworld was without a Kahn because of you. Had you returned home to your rightful place, you would be Kahn, and Outworld better for it. Kotal has made his intentions clear with my clan, there is nothing I want to do with him."
"If I may?" Jade stepped between Baraka and Mileena. "Kotal will listen to me. King Baraka, Reiko Kahn will make you a slave if you accept his allegiance. Noob Saibot will likely syphon the souls of your people for his own gain. Kotal will seek to make you his equal. A trusted ally in times of conflict. You would be the first Tarkatan to share at table with a Kahn and your territory forever expanded, protected, and fortified."
"Words are sweeter from the messenger than the man." Baraka growled. "I must hear this from Kotal Kahn himself to be certain. If he offers less, I will flay him from pore to pore. Slowly. I have kept my people neutral for sake of their survival. As I said, I have no ill will for most of you. I offer you safe passage into my kamp and we can discuss potential terms before I meet with your Kahn. Under one condition."
"What would that be?" Jade spoke with an air of hopefulness. "Please, name your condition."
Baraka stared at Mileena. Though he turned his head to Kuai Liang afterward. "I wish to face Sub-Zero in battle. He and I alone."
"NO DEAL!" Mileena screamed. "No! You are not to fight him, fight me!"
Confident, Sub-Zero held his arm out to hold his wife at bay. "I accept this. What are your terms for victory, Baraka?"
"My fight is not with you, woman. It is with Sub-Zero. Win or lose," The Tarkatan king narrowed his eyes on Sub-Zero. "It matters not to me. There is something I must know about myself against your technique."
"And what is that?"
"If I am truly the dominant male between us." Baraka clenched his fists tightly.
Most of the group pulled back to give them room, but Mileena stayed nearby with her body primed to pounce and kill anyone who got involved.
Sub-Zero and Baraka had their space. They established their starting positions a few meters away from one another.
Their battle began with technique meeting instinct; Kuai Liang was able to see through Baraka's initial attacks like a matador to a bull. The strikes that Baraka landed were impactful and well placed as if his animalistic approach was all a rouse.
To Mileena, the battle was not just a contest between rivals. It was a war that spanned two lifetimes. Every strike made her tense up. Anger swelled in her chest as memories of Baraka's blades ripping Kuai Liang asunder in her past life played in her mind over and over again. In the back of her mind, something was telling her it was fate reminding her that she would lose him.
Baraka's blades were not called out for the majority of the fast-paced fight. When they did emerge, Kuai Liang slid back several yards to keep distance from the killer blades as much as possible.
"I did not agree to a deathmatch, Baraka." Kuai stated as he froze over his own forearms to mimic Baraka's blades.
"A cut or two will not kill you, Sub-Zero." The King stomped firmly and lunged at Kuai. The expertly crafted ice challenged Baraka's blade, but eventually the fortified cold was snapped in half under the strength of Baraka's swings.
The snapped blades gave Baraka the opportunity to land a solid thrust kick at the center of Kuai's chest that put him down. When he tried to stand he was met with a blade pointed at the center of his face. Baraka breathed heavily. All the power in the world was in the palm of his hand, but he threw it away. The blade was retracted and Baraka left Kuai there.
"Nosferah will give you private quarters until our extended meeting." Baraka snarled. "Do make yourselves comfortable. Tell Cage to keep his mouth shut."
"No promises, Bear Grills." Johnny waved at Baraka from the back of the group.
Mileena rushed to Kuai Liang's side but kept her glare on Baraka the entire time. Sub-Zero insisted he was alright, and only suffered minor injuries from their clash. Mileena's doting was accepted, but Frost stayed in front of the pair and made sure no Tarkatans saw her master as easy pickings.
"You should have won that." Frost said bitterly.
"He beat me," Sub-Zero confessed. "Had either of us put more effort in, we would have fought to the death. Baraka is a skilled opponent. It takes great fortitude for him to go against his nature to maim in battle."
"I would have maimed him." Frost shook her head and exhaled a cold breath. "Be careful next time, Master. I only speak this way because I do not wish to see your legacy tarnished."
"The mythology of Sub-Zero is endless." Kung Lao said in jest while heading into the kamp. "Honestly, I would have beaten Baraka in one strike. Take notes, Frost."
"I'll take your hat." She quipped.
"I'd love to see you try, Kid Ice."
"Mariachi Monk."
Johnny Cage interjected and pulled his phone out. "Whoa, slow down. I'm gonna send these to my agent when we get back home!"
(A/N)
I used scenes from past chapters; Jade's Paranoia and The Calm. I extended them and explained just what was going on with those story beats that went unanswered. The One Being may have been responsible for some of the more unexplained things, but the wisdom of where to be at the right time came from Denise from the prior lifetime that has been reaping the rewards of having no opposition to stop her from gaining power. However, how she got to the new timeline was not by her own strength. How Kitana, Mileena, and Jade got there wasn't by chance either. Maybe there was more at play at that moment when they got their consciousness sent to a new timeline than they currently realize?
I really liked writing Tanya and I have a vision for her going forward, but I'm also enjoying how you guys react to Tessen!