"Where is Syzoth?!" Came the furious voice of Axoltia, the female Saurian who was nicknamed as Khameleon due to her impressive shape shifting.
She was speaking to her master, Shang Tsung however it was in a tone which Khameleon completely relegated her role that fell beneath Shang, she was too angry to care about showing any respect for him after he essentially abandoned all his allies of his island.
"Syzoth?" Tsung was confused, unfamiliar with the name. He had the nerve to forget the names of his own servants.
"You refer to him as Reptile." She clarified then asked again, "What happened to him?"
"Well, he hasn't returned yet." He responded slowly, uninterested in provoking a reaction as amusing as it'd be for himself.
"Return? What if he's dead!?" She asked, more aggressive than before.
"I'm sure he made it out fine." Tsung uncomfortably assured, turning around and beginning to walk away.
"You don't know that!" Khameleon cried.
"Shang Tsung!" Yelled Baraka who entered through the throne room's needlessly large doors, Karbrac stood next to him.
"See? Baraka made it out safely." He then lowered his voice so only Khameleon could hear him, "And Tarkatans have more teeth than brain cells."
"My men have been mistreated in my absence, sorcerer." Baraka confronted, revealing his awareness of Shang Tsung using the Tarkatans in acts like the Shaolin Temple invasion.
"Your Tarkatans love to fight." Tsung reminded as if he knew more than their leader.
"That thing they love, mindlessly doing it... It puts them in danger!" Baraka yelled as Karbrac drew his blades like it was instinct to do so upon a voice being raised.
"Silence!" Boomed the voice of Shao Kahn from across the room, he was sat on his throne made from gold, the finest velvet and skulls.
"Apologies, my emperor." Shang Tsung complied and moved towards him as if standing beside his master protected him from being attacked by Karbrac and Baraka.
"My emperor, Shang Tsung has been using my forces against my will." Baraka announced, as if he had made a grand revelation.
"That was my decision, not Shang Tsung's." Shao Kahn informed, "Are you defying me by denying me use of your soldiers?"
"They aren't just numbers." Baraka said, his voice taken down a tone, struggling to cover up his rage.
"I could make your entire race extinct within the next hour." Kahn mentioned which received a growl from Karbrac, "So, do I have your blessing to command your army?"
"Yes, my emperor." Baraka reluctantly accepted.
"Also, Karbrac." Shao Kahn turned to Baraka's second in command, "I requested you find Kitana and Jade, where are they?"
"They split up with us once we arrived to the fortress." Baraka answered for his friend.
"My own daughter hasn't come to see me." Kahn sighed before commanding his other daughter, "Mileena, go and see what they're doing."
"Of course, father." She complied, stepping off her own throne which was grand in itself yet looked petty in comparison to his fathers and left the room to search for Jade and Kitana.
It took mere minutes for the secret Tarkatan half bred to locate her sister, her hybrid DNA making Mileena's sense of smell stronger and making allies more recognizable just from their scent. Instead of taking an immediate approach, Mileena chose to eavesdrop behind one of the many decaying trees that surrounded the fortress's courtyard.
"You should really go see your father now." Jade advised, "Now's not the best time for us to make small talk."
"Sorry." Kitana unnecessarily apologized before admitting, "I'm worried about those Earthrealmers, I mean... they didn't seem bad at all."
"They aren't in threat of your father for another half millennia, so that really shouldn't be a concern." Jade reminded.
"I guess you're right." Kitana realized, "I'm just afraid I'm disgracing my father."
"Not at all." Jade reassured but also thinking realistically recommended, "You shouldn't express these feelings to him though."
"Thank you." Kitana said, hugging her friend.
"Anytime." Jade said, surprised by the gesture yet gladly returning it.
"Sister!" Mileena yelled joyfully, making Kitana jump from the surprise appearance of her sister.
"Mileena, I was just returning to father." Kitana informed.
"I know." She said eerily, "He misses you."
"Then I won't keep him waiting any longer." Kitana promised.
"You shouldn't had him waiting to begin with." Mileena remarked, her aggressive nature again getting the better of her.
"Sorry?" Jade disliked Mileena strongly, her friend's sisters random outbursts of aggressiveness and hostility being unwelcome to her, Kitana accepting it as a minor con to her sister.
"Shao Kahn also requests your presence Jade." Mileena informed, changing the topic quickly to defuse further confrontation.
"Sure..." Jade followed the two sisters with curiosity of what the Emperor wanted.
When the three returned to the throne room they saw a line-up of Kombatants kneeling to Shao Kahn, the Emperor gesturing the three, telling them to join him.
"Yes father?" Mileena asked, willing to do any task for his father.
"I am deciding who participates in the upcoming tournament." Kahn informed.
"Already?" Kitana said, not judging his fathers new method but confused by the change, "Isn't it a bit early?"
"Ah." Kahn remembered, "The two of you don't know the new tournament rules."
"N-new?!" Kitana became worried again, Jade too but she was more able in hiding it.
"Shang Tsung, explain your changes." Kahn demanded as he continued picking out his fighters.
"The new tournament begins tomorrow evening." He began, Jade having to put an arm on Kitana's shoulders to try and comfort her, "If Earthrealm wins then we cannot participate in another tournament but if we win we will be able to merge into Earthrealm with just the one victory." Tsung smirked as he spoke, taking pride in his own genius.
"Kitana, Jade." Kahn called out and not waiting for a response he proceeded his order, "The two of you will not compete in the tournament bracket but will be assassinating any Earthrealmers possible between the scheduled fights."
"Y-yes father." Kitana's concerns were becoming noticeable.
"Something the matter?" Kahn asked.
"No, we'll help anyway we can in assuring Outworld's victory."
"Excellent." Shao Kahn said as he stood to his feet before cheering, "May Outworld win!" The cheers were mirrored less enthusiastically by his small audience