Raiden had returned to the Elder Gods to discuss the fate of the tyrant Shao Kahn. Still angered by their refusal to help defend Earthrealm, Raiden tried to keep his cool as he emerged from a lightning bolt that struck the centre of the Elder Gods' open temple in the Heavens.
"Congratulations on your victory, Raiden." Cetrion said as she gave Raiden an applause along with the other Elder Gods.
"Your interference would've made victory much easier." Raiden remarked.
"We hope for balance in the realms, but our actions to maintain this must also remain balanced." Another female Elder God dressed in some clean robes with a shrivelled soot black face that couldn't be seen from the blue hologram tried explaining. Her name was Zeraura.
"What's that supposed to mean?!" Raiden raised his voice, already becoming frustrated.
"We didn't interfere in the past invasions made by Shao Kahn." A long haired, bearded and buff Elder God elaborated. His name was Zeus. "Therefore we cannot be more generous to Earthrealm as that'd be plain unfair."
"You should've been interfering with all of Kahn's invasions in the first place!" Raiden snapped.
"Easy now, Raiden." Said the humanoid beast of sorts who was amongst the Elder Gods. He was surprisingly calming thanks to his mellow voice. His name was Wu. "There's no need to raise our voices here."
"That sounds like you trying to dodge my point, Wu." Raiden replied to the human and beast hybrid.
"We remain on the side of neutrality." Wu clarified. "We try everything in our power to try and prevent a merger, such as the Mortal Kombat Tournament. But Shao Kahn rightfully bypassed this by having the protection ward removed."
"But why?"
"If we abuse our power to rid the world of all evil then things wouldn't be balanced would they?" Wu asked.
"No." Raiden answered.
"Then you understand."
"I understand that you aren't protectors worthy of my prayers." Raiden remarked.
"That wounds us all." Cetrion said as she was upset by Raiden's comment.
"Indeed." Zeraura agreed.
"Did you come here just to argue with us?" Zeus queried.
"You know exactly why I'm here!" Raiden raised his voice again and shouted at the Elder God. "To discuss the fate of Shao Kahn."
"Well what do you suggest?" Zeus asked.
"I came for your suggestion."
"A way that'll guarantee him from never being a threat to anyone or anything again." Zeus described.
"For his sins he will reach the lowest plane in the Netherrealm." Zeraura added. "The very few who have made it to this plane have never escaped."
"Then he shall be executed as soon as possible." Raiden decided. "Thank you, Elder Gods."
Raiden proceeded to teleport back to Earthrealm where his work as the realms Protector God would continue.
"He begins to doubt us." Wu realized.
"And rightfully so." Cetrion added. "Raiden works constantly to protect Earthrealm so it is understandable that he'd be frustrated when we refuse to step in Shao Kahn's affairs."
"He is our most valuable protector." Zeraura added. "It would be a shame if he begins to refuse our commands."
"There's no sign that he'll do that." Wu pointed out. "There is no need to fret."
"Maybe we should reward the main defenders of Earthrealm." Cetrion considered.
"Always seeking to be generous, Cetrion." Zeus complimented. "Give us time to consider it."
"Can we not decide the gifts now?" Cetrion queried
"I was referring to if we shall actually be giving anything out to the Earthrealmers." Zeus clarified.
"Why shouldn't we?"
"Why should we?"
"Tell me, my friend, what else do we have to do?" Cetrion further questioned. "The answer should be clear."
"I will assure that a new protective ward is placed upon Earthrealm." Zeraura promised. "And I personally see no issue with rewarding Raiden's closest defenders."
"Thank you." Cetrion said, very grateful of her fellow Goddesses' agreement.
"I think we should wait for the company of Amteus and Vutix." Wu suggested in his usual calm demeanor.
"And where are they?" Zeus asked, being slightly annoyed by them not being present without informing him why.
"Amteus currently observes Earthrealm and Vutix is enacting the same act on Outworld." Wu explained. "They are examining both realms to make sure they're recovering as desired."
"And I will now go to cast the new protection ward over Earthrealm." Zeraura informed her allies. "Goodbye for now…"
Raiden had returned to Outworld at Shao Kahn's Fortress, he correctly assumed that his Outworld allies would be there. He walked past many Tarkatans and Sun Do villagers who were helping redecorate the previously ominous looking structure. As he journeyed to the throne room, Raiden spotted a group of Tarkatans carrying a huge statue of Shao Kahn down a hallway.
"Care for some help?" Raiden offered.
Amongst the group carrying the statues was Karbrac who recognized the Thunder God.
"You!" He yelled before shouting abuse in Tarkatan tongue.
"Calm yourself. We are allies now." Raiden assured. "Your people attacked the realm that I defend. I did as my role states and defended it from you, but I understand that your kind were only following orders from Shao Kahn."
"Which is why with him gone I hope we can keep the peace." Baraka added as he entered the hallway. "Apologies for their inability to speak your language, many of my men will be receiving language teachings in due time."
"Your reformations to your race are quite commendable." Raiden complimented. "And it is no issue, I can understand them."
"Then I apologize for Karbrac's hostility." Baraka apologized. "My friend will learn in due time."
"May you pass a message on to the others?" Raiden asked.
"Of course." Baraka agreed to do so. "Mileena has been chosen as the new Empress."
"Then tell her I need Shao Kahn executed as soon as possible." Raiden requested.
"Gladly." Baraka complied as a grin stretched on his massive mouth by the mere thought of Shao Kahn as a dead man.
Raiden then performed his usual teleportation ability where a lightning bolt dropped from the ceiling and took Raiden back to Earthrealm and it began it's speedy recovery after Shao Kahn's invasion. Baraka meanwhile, made his way to Mileena's throne room. Shao Kahn's throne was being carried out the room with the two others that were previously for Sindel and Mileena were being replaced with something less ominous. Mileena was helping carry her own new throne that was pink to match her new attire that remained it's primarily pink colour scheme but now sported a golden piece of headwear that she decided to wear in equivalence to a crown. She now wore a much more regal attire as she wore much finer materials that were patterned in both pink and black. The most notable part of her new costume along with the headpiece and mask was her long black sleeves that were decorated with pink patterns on the fine cloth that helped to accent the colours. Mileena and her kind helpers carefully placed her matching throne in her desired spot before she approached her lover.
"Need something?" Mileena asked, having noticed Baraka watching her.
"Raiden has spoken with the Elder Gods and they have decided that Shao Kahn needs to be executed." Baraka informed her.
"Then I shall have him sent to his own Coliseum." Mileena decided.
"I will pass this order to our allies immediately." Baraka said helpfully.
"And I will have the message sent to the people of Outworld to pay a free visit to the Coliseum where the news of the future of this realm will be revealed." Mileena figured.
"Shouldn't we keep Shao Kahn's execution away from the public?" Baraka asked. "What if his remaining followers try interfering."
"Then we will stop them." Mileena assured. "Just like how you stopped Reiko."
"A bold move." Li Mei commented as she walked past while carrying supplies.
"I thought Jade told you not to be active." Mileena recalled.
"I wish she worried less about me." Li Mei stated. "I and I'm sure she's also been through much worse than what Reiko did to me."
"Thanks to Baraka he won't be a threat again." Mileena said confidently. "And I think at least some people from this realm should see the man who held their home hostage for so long, plus I can use this as an opportunity to also announce that I am the new Empress of this realm."
"We should make sure that the Coliseum is heavily guarded if we are to do this." Daahraan suggested as he and Sindel approached them. "We have no clue how many of Kahn's followers still remain."
"I will send my men down there." Baraka once again promised.
"What are you two up to?" Li Mei asked Daahraan and Sindel.
"Just catching up." Sindel informed her. "We need to bring Kahn to the Coliseum undetected."
"Hmm…" Mileena began thinking of a plan. "I have an idea…"
The fall had failed to kill Reiko as Talon was watching over him and thus made sure to rescue Reiko before he hit the floor hard by using a teleportation spell. Talon had sent themself and Reiko to the Shadow Priest's tower in the Highlands where the sorcerers inhabited. Reiko was confused as he was falling to his death at one point and the next he was being transported to a void that enacted as a fastlane that had now brought him to this place.
"Is this your home?" Reiko asked as he immediately noticed how everyone in the room he stood in wore dark coloured robes as all Shadow Priests did.
Talon nodded beneath their ominous hood. "I wasn't sure where else I could bring you."
"So you just watched as those damn traitors as they stormed our Emperor's Fortress?" Reiko asked as he was still fueled with rage.
"You were attempting suicide trying to fight them all." Talon replied. "I would've been no help."
"I'd rather die than be in a world where Emperor Shao Kahn does not rule." Reiko stated, truly saddened by the recent failures of the Kahn Guard. "And I dropped his Wrath Hammer. Oh I am a fool…"
"That Wrath Hammer is bound to you." Talon informed him. "You have carried it for enough time for it to have bound to your will."
"What do you mean?"
"You can use that energy magic of yours to summon the Wrath Hammer just as Shao Kahn did." Talon elaborated. "Just concentrate."
Reiko did as Talon instructed and tried concentrating his energy into summoning Kahn's Wrath Hammer. He closed his eyes to help focus as he pretended that his right hand was holding the Wrath Hammer's handle. Reiko assumed that he just had to think about what it was he was summoning and it would succeed and he was correct as he felt his energy surging in his hand as what resembled the handle of the Wrath Hammer began emerging in the form of a red energy outline which then began expanding into the outline of the hammer itself before taking physical form of the very Wrath Hammer that belongs to Shao Kahn.
"Excellent." Talon commented in reaction to Reiko successfully summoning the weapon.
"Now we must reunite with our remaining allies who are probably still searching for our Emperor." Reiko decided as he took a few careful swings as he was still trying to get used to the heavy hammer. "I'm just unsure as to how we-"
"Talon!" A Shadow Priest yelled as he and a group of those in the cult's inner council began approaching their strongest member of the Priests. Those within the council could be distinguished from the others as they wore pitch black robes whereas the others wore robes of a royal purple that still was just as effective in covering the face in a shadow. Those within the cult could recognize each other by the use of a tattoo on their body that would present the Shadow Priests symbol along with the members name beneath it. With the use of sorcery could the tatoo's glow beneath one's robes and was visible in the eyes of a trained sorcerer.
"Y-yes?" Talon asked.
"Shao Kahn has been sentenced to public execution!" One of them revealed.
"Where?" Reiko asked. "We will go immediately."
"He's being sent to the Coliseum." They informed him. "Talon, gather our relatives and use our portal system to get to the Coliseum with haste."
"As you wish." Talon agreed to do so and began hovering above the ground and flying to their fellow Shadow Priests.
"Our friend is awake!" Daahraan yelled to Mileena as she sat beside Kitana as she steered the same carriage that they had previously taken from some of Kahn's goons. A much more royalty suited carriage was available but Mileena believed that would draw too much attention and they could be ambushed before even reaching the Coliseum.
"Who are you, old man?" Kahn asked as he went to wipe his eyes only to discover that he was cuffed. "What is this?!"
"Not so strong now." Baraka said right in the face of the former Emperor.
"Do you not think that I could break free of these cuffs and throttle you all?" Kahn asked threateningly.
"In your current condition… yes." Daahraan remarked, referring to Shao's countless injuries.
"My allies will save me." Shao said with high faith in his followers. "General Reiko will be fuming."
"He is dead." Baraka informed him. "You're welcome."
"You killed Reiko?!" Kahn questioned as he stood from his seat, weapons from those in the carriage immediately being drawn. "Ah, Li Mei… the scum who merely controls a weak and poor village who thought they could rebel against me."
"My rebellion succeeded, Shao Kahn." Li Mei stated. "And what do you control?"
"Disrespectful wretch!" Kahn insulted. "I am your Emperor!"
"Not anymore." She replied. "Outworld follows her now."
Li Mei pointed to Mileena through the carriage. Mileena peered through the carriage's gap and mockingly waved to the former Emperor.
"Her?!" Kahn yelled in dread. "She's already softening the very ground this pathetic wagon drags itself along."
"He was much better asleep." Jade commented with Li Mei nodding in agreement.
"Shut him up already!" Tanya demanded as she was genuinely annoyed hearing Kahn speak.
"All you treacherous and worthless scum are here." Kahn realized.
"Here victorious." Jade added.
"Where's Goro?" Kahn asked. "That coward deserves at least an earful from me."
"In Kuatan." Reptile told him. "He actually has people who follow him out of respect and not fear."
"And what do you have, lizard?" He queried.
"The love of my life." Reptile said as he turned to Khameleon who was sitting in the carriage by his side. "Can you say the same?"
"That greedy slime that's known as Kollector does not count." Khameleon added jokingly.
"How amusing…" Kahn said sarcastically, accompanied with a sigh. "Were I out these restraints you wouldn't dare say such a thing to me."
"The whole reason you're in this state is because we had overcome our fear of you together." Chameleon argued. "And believe me, you haven't experienced anything just yet."
"Sure." Kahn dismissed the warning. "Where are you taking me?"
"To your own Coliseum," Kitana answered. "Soon to be property of Empress Mileena… along with your head."
"And you…" Shao faced Sindel.
"I have nothing more to say to you." Sindel stated, not even turning to even glance at Kahn.
"Well I have plenty to say to-"
A stabbing pain made Kahn stop talking. He looked down to see one of the points of Tanya's Kobu Jutsu stabbed into his chest. The fallen Emperor laughed, amused by Tanya's anger.
"He needs to go right now." Tanya claimed, becoming stressed by Shao's presence. "What if somebody comes to save him?!"
"The Coliseum is already being heavily guarded by our kind allies." Daahraan stated in an attempt to reassure her. "And the people of Outworld deserve to see Shao Kahn dead."
"They deserve not a damn thing!" Shao argued.
"They didn't deserve you that's for certain." Daahraan remarked.
"How dare an old bag talk to me in such a way!" Shao yelled in anger of being disrespected.
"May I?" Baraka sought permission as he clenched his fists which made it clear that he wanted to attack Shao Kahn.
"I thought you'd never ask." Mileena said, allowing the request.
Baraka pulled Kahn's mask off with ease before clocking him in the face with a punch that broke the nose of Shao Kahn as blood immediately came seeping from his nostrils. Baraka then raised his fist as Kahn groaned in pain and clubbed him on the back of his head which caused Kahn's body to slump to the floor of the wagon as he was now unconscious.
"Silence at last." Kitana said with a sigh of relief. "Now I can focus on getting to the Coliseum, it shouldn't be far now."
About ten minutes passed and the Coliseum was finally in sight. Kitana rode the horses through one of the entrances that was being watched over by some Tarkatans.
"Any updates?" Baraka asked in Tarkatan to one of his fellow kind.
"No threats have been located so far and it's a full crowd." The Tarkatan warrior replied and Baraka translated it to the others.
"Perfect." Mileena commented. "May somebody prepare the guillotine?"
"It'd be my pleasure." Jade answered the request.
"Let me come." Li Mei demanded.
"Fine." Jade allowed it as she scanned the room for the guillotine and began approaching the killing machine once laying eyes on it. "Let's bring it out."
While Jade and Li Mei carried the guillotine out to the enthusiastic crowd, Shao Kahn was being hauled out the wagon by Baraka.
"We should wake him back up for his final moments."
"Hey Tanya?" Daahraan called over the Edenian. "Would you like to join the crowd with me?"
"Yes please." Tanya answered. "Shao's presence alone is…"
"I know, petal." Daahraan informed her with a soothing tone. "I know."
The two walked off as Baraka was handed a flask containing water by one of his warriors and he poured it over Kahn's unmasked face to awake him as if he had just performed a resurrection.
"Agh!" Kahn said in discomfort. "Stop that you Tarkatan dog!"
"Let's hurry this up." Baraka suggested.
"Bring him out!" Mileena ordered.
Baraka and Meat decided to pick up the weakened Shao Kahn by his enormous arms that were still restrained by a pair of handcuffs Stryker had slapped on him yesterday. The crowd erupted with cheers as they saw the wicked former Emperor in a beaten and restrained state as he was forcefully pulled to the guillotine that Jade and Li Mei had placed in the centre of the arena. Despite the Coliseum's stage being broken from the past battle between Kintaro and Liu Kang, there was still enough platform left for Mileena to stand atop of with her closest allies and friends stood by her. Familiar faces such as General Kotal, his father and his closest Osh-Tekk and Kytinn allies were beside him in the audience's front row with the Shokan also filling up many seats in the audience with most notably being Goro and his parents also being up front with Goro having been explaining the events to King Gorback and Queen Mai.
"Ladies and gentlemen! People of Outworld!" Mileena shouted in a successful attempt of getting the crowd's attention. "May I have some brief silence while I go over some announcements?"
The crowd followed her order out of willingness, whereas before they'd have done it out of fear of Shao Kahn.
"Thank you." Mileena said in gratitude and surprise of the compliance of her people. "I will make this message as quick as can be because we have a Tyrant who needs to pay his debts. Before you does indeed lie Shao Kahn in his most pathetic state. Broken and battered from threatening Earthrealm. I am more than pleased to announce that Shao Kahn is no longer your Emperor and is being replaced by me. With your trust I promise to bring peace amongst us all as well as freeing all the realms that have turned Outworld into the wasteland it is today. We have united today to watch Shao Kahn die!"
Applause erupted in the arena as chants of Mileena also began filling the Coliseum.
"Thank you all!" Mileena repeated as she grabbed her pair of Sai. "Now let the festivities commence!"
Mileena launched both of her Sai into Kahn's back as Baraka stomped down on his head, forcing him to eat the sand that coated the Coliseum grounds. Meat, having retrieved a cleaver from the Fortress' kitchen to use as a weapon, stabbed the sharp blade into Kahn's back.
"Pick him up!" Jade ordered. Meat got the message and picked up Kahn's heavy and battered body and faced him to Jade. The Edenian warrior grabbed her Triblade and threw it perfectly as it impaled Kahn right in his eye with the eyeball popping upon impact. Shao cried in agony as he clutched the whole where his eye used to be until the Triblade fell out and pulled the eye out its socket and brought it to the floor. Kahn staggered back before stomping as the guillotine stood in his way. Kitana then approached the man who deceived her for an entire myria-annum and began repeatedly stabbing her steel fans into Kahn's gut before kicking him to her mother who screamed at Shao Kahn which sent him stumbling into the guillotine. Li Mei helped restrain him as Baraka brought down the lunette around the back of Kahn's neck.
"Last words?" Mileena asked the fallen Emperor.
"I-" Kahn went to respond but the sudden implosion of one of the Coliseum walls as a group of members of the Kahn Guard came charging through the hole with clearly no plan which affected them badly when groups of guards immediately began beating them down. The Shadow Priests made it through but were caught in immediate confrontation from Mileena's closest allies. The ongoing action distracting the heroes of Outworld gave Kahn a chance to raise his voice for one last time. "You worms cheer?! Cheer that the pathetic Mileena reigns over you now? I had her created! I created the Coliseum you pathetic and weak scum stand in! I created Outworld period! And now my truly loyal followers will crush you all! I will never die! You hear me?! Never!"
Shao Kahn couldn't watch the fight because the guillotine forced him to stare down at the sand that was being stained by his own blood. Kahn was expecting noises of horror as one of his most trusted allies: Reiko, Kollector or even Shang Teung would come to free him. This did not transpire. Shao Kahn began hearing louder cheers as a shadow came over Kahn with boots of someone who certainly was not one of Shao's allies was in Kahn's limited sight.
"You were saying?" Mileena asked.
"Wh-what's happening?" Kahn stuttered. "Answer me!"
"Let's just say things are under control." Mileena informed him. "What do you have to say now?"
"No... " Kahn muttered as he began worrying for his own life. "You won't get away with this!"
"Not so confident now." Mileena noted. "Say goodbye."
"Somebody save me!" Shao begged as he became desperate. "Reiko?! Kollector?! Shang Tsung?! Anybody?! S-Skarlet? Please!"
Skarlet shook her head in refusal as she quietly backed away from the man she also once considered her father.
"There is nobody here who will or can save you." Mileena told him truthfully. "Enjoy Hell, 'father'."
Mileena pulled down the handle attached to the side of the device and it lowered a blade down onto Shao Kahn's head, separating it from his body with a clean cut. Seeing this from afar, Reiko went berserk and used Kahn's Wrath Hammer to brutally annihilate any oncoming enemies as he approached Kahn's head as it rolled across the sand. Reiko fell to his knees as he stared in horror at the severed head of Shao Kahn.
"You… killed him…" Reiko finally realized.
"And you and your allies will share the same fate if you don't surrender loyalty to Shao Kahn and align with me by next week!" Mileena threatened. "Go now, and here you are."
Mileena tossed Reiko the damaged helmet and skull mask that formerly belonged to Shao Kahn. Reiko took one final glance at what was left of Shao Kahn before ordering his allies to retreat for there was nothing that they could obtain in this state.
"What do we do with his remains?" Baraka asked.
"Burn his corpse." Mileena replied. "Only the Elder Gods could know what the Shadow Priests could be capable of if they had his body."
"Understood." Baraka noted before rounding up some of his Tarkatan brethren to do as Mileena had asked.
"Finally," Mileena said accompanied with a sigh of both relaxation and relief. "Shao Kahn's reign of terror has come to a close…"