Mileena stood on a stage that had been made in the centre of Kahn City, now temporarily renamed Mileena City by its residents in celebration of the new ruler. This was the main city in Outworld that surrounded the area of the large mountain where the empress' fortress stood atop of.
The bottom of the mountain that had been dug out did actually possess a reason other than visual appeal for Shao Kahn. It allowed for part of the city to be within the now mostly hollowed out mountain. While this would be considered excessive effort to achieve such a bizarre yet impressive feat for most people, Shao Kahn was not most people.
The large audience of all kinds of species that were brought together by all being residents of Outworld in one way or the other, by being native or as a result of one of many conquests. In a way this crowd already showed that Mileena had united the realm together in happiness and a willingness to free their realms which could be perceived as splitting apart the residents or Outworld but in truth they would still remain in strong unity once the realms trapped within Outworld are freed.
The entirety of Mileena's Union was present except for her Sun Do allies who were busy upgrading their village thanks to payments made by Mileena herself, her Flesh Pits family who were busy starting their own village and her Saurian friends who were of course busy with the newly restored Zaterra which was also the main reason for her public announcement.
The audience cheered loudly as Mileena and the rest of her Union made their way up the stairs to the neatly polished wooden stage. Mileena took centre stage as her proud allies stood behind her and awaited for her speech.
"Hello all!" Mileena gave a warm greeting to the supporting audience. "I'd like to firstly thank you all for your quick support and immediate approval of my rule. It is good to know that you are all in agreement with what me and my union have been doing to help better Outworld after the state that he has left it in."
Mileena took a second as the audience began cheering loudly again, some even chanting her name which flattered her greatly. She smiled as she began recollecting what she was going to announce.
"So, I promised some announcements to you all," Mileena continued her speech as she moved onto her first announcement. "This first one shall be moreso a personal announcement of mine: I am publicly announcing my denunciation of my current surname of Kahn."
Mileena then gestured for her sister and mother to step forth.
"This is the Edenian side of my family," Mileena revealed to the audience. Her prope origins were unknown to the public, though it mattered not. All that mattered was that Sindel and Kitana accepted her. "And I'm sure my sister will not object to going by our mother's surname."
"Absolutely not," Kitana confirmed. She too had her surname known as Kahn due to the pair being Shao Kahn's princesses. "Go ahead, dear sister."
"Mother?" Mileena still felt the need to seek for her approval. She still deep down had anxiety from her illegitimate origins.
"Of course," Sindel said accompanied by a reassuring hug. "You're my daughter no matter what."
"Thank you." Mileena returned the hug and Kitana felt compelled to join in as the audience was touched by the families display of affection for each other.
"I am Sindel Sabar and as a proud mother I announce my two great daughters as Kitana Sabar and Mileena Sabar." Sindel announced to solidify the name change to the public.
The crowd and fellow union members applauded the announcement as the three embraced in another hug before Mileena returned to the centre of the stage and Kitana and Sindel happily gave her the spotlight once more as she prepared her next announcement.
"Secondly, I am very grateful that you took it upon yourselves to rename this brilliant city after me, but I'd also like to rename this city to Sabar so that it is not only named after me but my sister, my mother and my father… not Shao Kahn… King Jerrod. I've never met him but I've heard such great stories of him over these past few days so he too deserves at least some form of homage."
This change was willingly accepted by those in the audience, though the people of Outworld would've settled for anything so long as it wasn't named after the tyrannical Shao Kahn.
"And finally," Mileena was most excited to announce this next thing for it proved that she was keeping word of her promises. "The realm of Zaterra was restored earlier this morning. We will form an alliance with the great realm as soon as a portal system to interconnect our two realms is made."
The crowd erupted at this revelation with everybody believing Mileena's word despite no actual evidence of this claim. Mileena had gained the people's trust and would soon have her proof once a portal system was made. Unfortunately, this was much more difficult to do due to the destroyed centre portal and the majority of known sorcerer's in Outworld who can create portals being allies to Shao Kahn.
"Thank you again for your support and I shall now let you all return to your day." Mileena finished her speech to more applause from the very supporting audience.
As most of the crowd dispersed, one woman who wore a plain beige gown approached the stage. She looked young with pale skin and black hair styled into a rather short but disheveled shag cut.
"Excuse me," she said quietly to gain Mileena's attention who was busy wrapping up a conversation with a Vampire lady. "Empress Mileena? can we speak?"
"Why of course," Mileena openly granted the woman's request and sat on the side on the stage's edge beside them. "What do you need?"
"It's about my realm," she claimed with a clear nervousness in her voice. "Called… Poresia. You… er... probably never heard of it because… it's history has been erased."
"I'm sure we'll free it eventually," Mileena assured her. "What is your name, ma'am?"
"Emily," she told her. "And how exactly do you free realms?"
"It is a complicated process which is soon to be explained in the papers," Mileena openly informed the civilian. "I would summarise it for you but my writer, Daahraan, can do a much better job in his article."
"I understand."
"Care to join myself and my union to teach us more about your realm?" Mileena offered to the woman. The empress figured that this could be very educational to learn about a whole new realm that they needed to restore. "What was it called again?"
"Parasia," Emily answered though her tone made it oddly sound like a question. "And yes! I accept!"
"Excellent," Mileena responded, admittedly amused by Emily's enthusiasm to accept. "Come along now, we're returning to our fortress."
"Oh okay!" Emily complied. "Just… can you give me a second to tell my family that I'll be home late?"
"Very well then," Mileena allowed her to do so. "We can wait and talk to some of the other great people who're here."
Emily walked down the marketplace that Mileena's announcement happened to take place beside. She made sure to get away from the busy market and to a quiet and empty alley between a bar and a barber's. She then summoned a portal now that she was away from the public's eye and headed through it.
This woman in actuality was not someone named Emily. She was Talon. Her not wearing Shadow Priest robes made for a simple disguise for her identity was a complete mystery to her current and former allies. Her youthful state was also maintained throughs sorcerery which had similar results to Shang Tsung. Reiko had merely ordered for her to listen in on the speech but she had a plan that she saw no harm in executing right now.
She emerged from the portal that had taken her directly to her tent and quickly put her signature robes on before heading outside to see Reiko training with many of his soldiers.
"You're back," Reiko acknowledged as he sparred with the duo of Skull and Raza simultaneously. "What did you learn?"
"Zaterra has been freed," she detailed the only bit of importance from that speech. "And I'm infiltrating her union."
"What?!" Reiko though he misheard. "Keep training, lads. I need to have a chat with Talon."
"Yes, sir!" Skull and Raza complied in unison before turning to each other to engage in another sparring session.
"What are you talking about?" Reiko asked Talon as he now gave her his full attention. "Infiltration? How and why?!"
"Starting with the how," Talon broke down the question. "I disguised myself as a normal civilian and made up a name of Em- I mean… Edward. Then I told Mileena about this made up realm and she has invited me to her fortress to discuss it."
"That was easier than I thought." Reiko reacted.
"Clearly her openness to the people will be her downfall," Talon remarked critically. "They won't find anything out about me. They can't."
"Surely they'll realize the realm you speak of is lies," Reiko assumed which countered Talon's statement. "Why didn't you just say that you were an Edenian?!"
"Why would I be invited to discuss with Mileena's Union about Edenia?"
"Fair point." The general admitted.
"And if they learn that I'm a liar then so what?" Talon didn't see the level of risk in this mission as high in the slightest, she saw it as an opportunity that she could easily seize something from whether that be knowledge or plans.
"They could kill you!" Reiko yelled as if that was not obvious to the Shadow Priest.
"So?"
"You're too valuable of an asset to be taking the risk." Reiko told her in what Talon assumed was meant to be a compliment. "Also what if they keep you prisoner and torture you for info about me?!"
"Too late now," Talon commented, dismissing Reiko's concerns. "Besides, I can easily teleport to safety."
"Fine," Reiko accepted the current situation. "I trust you'll succeed in this expedition."
"Thank you," Talon said with a bow to the general. "I must return to them now."
"Do what you must." Reiko told her.
"I will." Talon promised before summoning a portal at her feet which transported her back to the marketplace alley where she emerged from the portal without her purple cloak. She headed back to the stage where Mileena and the rest of her union were busy talking to each other and members of the public.
"You did great." Kitana praised her sister's speech.
"Thank you," Mileena was so grateful for her sister's kindness. "Good to see clearly now."
"Don't beat yourself up for the past," Kitana instructed her. "Seems to be a theme of people reflecting too much on their time serving Kahn."
"Do you?"
"Sometimes…" Kitana admitted. "Assassinating for him is hard to forget."
"I know," Mileena understood considering a lot of her tasks were the same as Kitana. They were both assassins along with Jade and they usually worked together. "But you are right. We can redeem everything."
"We all hold a dark past," Baraka admitted. "Association with Shao Kahn tends to cause such."
"As I said, there's a theme." Kitana repeated.
"I shouldn't have ever subjected my people to Shao Kahn's control." Baraka regretted.
"What other choice did you have, my love?" Mileena asked him.
"Fight," Baraka believed. "Something that my people are all too familiar with now…"
Your race couldn't have possibly survived war with him," Mileena believed. "As strong as your race is-"
"Our race," Baraka corrected her. "You're Tarkatan too."
"And I am proud now that I understand myself." Mileena assured him.
"That is great to hear," Baraka said positively. "But me and our fellow Tarkatans could've tried to fight against him but I gave the order of surrender."
"You did it to protect and preserve the Tarkatans," Mileena justified it. "While not an ideal scenario… I still think that by making that decision you saved them."
"If you say so." Was all Baraka could think of to respond with, though grateful for his girlfriend's support.
"She's here," Mileena spotted Talon who had reached the stage. "Hello, Emily."
"I am ready to leave for your fortress." She informed her.
"Very well then," Mileena replied. "Is everybody ready to go?"
Meanwhile, an Osh-Tekk messenger had already returned to her race's home city of Z'unkahrah. This city had been carried over to Outworld during its merger with Osh-Tekk. The city had been preserved due to a deal made by the city's ruler and former emperor of Osh-Tekk, Kotal K'etz, and the former emperor of Outworld, Shao Kahn. K'etz had surrendered to Kahn before he invaded the realm with force and in return was left in control of the remains of Osh-Tekk which came in the form of Z'unkahrah.
The messenger was named Cualli and she was highly trusted and respected by K'etz, almost to the extent of his own son. She was trusted so much that K'etz had even lent her their realms' ancient relic and treasure, the Portal Stone. This had of course allowed Cualli to utilize the stone to get to Sabar City and back with ease. This relic was more commonly known for its ability to travel between realms, however, it was still able to allow the wielder to travel from one location to another even if it was a location in the same realm.
Due to her good relations with the city's overlord, Cualli walked into K'etz's palace and throne room without notice and walked in on a discussion between the ruler and his son. The pair ended their conversation before both turning to the messenger who also and primarily served as a personal advisor, her more respectable and powerful role.
"Cualli!" K'etz greeted. "What news do you bring?"
She bowed and handed her leader the Portal Stone before speaking. "Kahn or Mileena City is now officially titled Sabar City, Empress Mileena and Princess Kitana have changed their surnames from Kahn to Sabar in homage to their mother, and the realm of Zaterra has been restored." Cualli listed the events formally, getting straight to the facts.
"Thank you," K'etz said as he absorbed this new information. "How do we know that Zaterra is free?"
"Only Mileena's word," Cualli detailed before sharing her own opinion. "Proof to it's restoration will soon be provided I'm sure as I personally see no reason as to why she would lie about this."
"I couldn't agree more," K'etz recognized that Cualli had probably come to the right conclusion as he too processed this news. "I wonder if she could free Osh-Tekk…"
"Stop it, father."
"What's the matter, Ko'atal?" K'etz addressed his son by his proper forename.
"Do you forget who's the cause for Osh-Tekk being merged into this wasteland in the first place?!" Ko'atal once again began springing up this argument that the two had been in so many times.
"This again," K'etz muttered with a sigh shortly following. "I did what was necessary to save us! How many times must I state this?"
"Sorry," Cualli interjected. "Should I leave?"
"You may." K'etz dismissed her.
"Or stay if you wish to see how much of a fool my father truly is!" Ko'atal offered mockingly to which Cualli only shook her head at his behaviour and headed out the room.
"Ko'atal!" K'etz yelled in anger at his son's actions. "I will not tolerate this disrespect any longer!"
"I respect you, father," Ko'atal assured him. "Respect you enough to look up to you and to even refer to myself by your name as a sign of such respect."
"Then why behave like this?!" Kotal didn't understand why they still argued about this after all these years.
"Because I can already tell what you're thinking!" Ko'atal replied with hostility.
"And what's that?!"
"You want to side with Mileena!" Ko'atal had figured and he didn't even seek confirmation, he just knew.
"And you don't?"
"No!"
"Why not?"
"Freeing the realms is an absurd concept," Ko'atal argued. "She is literally destroying Outworld by releasing its contents."
"You're exaggerating." K'etz told him.
"No I'm not!" he snapped. "Have you seen what the land not carried over from mergers is? almost nothing but one massive wasteland!"
"What else is she supposed to do?"
"Keep Outworld intact by keeping it united," Ko'atal passionately suggested. "Not weaken and possibly destroy it by freeing the realms trapped within."
"You'd rather keep the realms trapped?" K'etz was not expecting this opinion from his son. "I did not know that you approved of Shao Kahn's invasions…"
"I do not!" Ko'atal was offended by his father thinking such things of him. "But Kahn's damage is done and we must use what he has left us with, not try fixing what is already broken."
"It surprises me that you do not approve of someone freeing realms considering how often you like to bring up my surrendering of Osh-Tekk." Kotal remarked which only ended up angering his son further.
"And it surprises me more that you approve of someone freeing realms when you yourself were so willing to throw ours away!"
"You know it wasn't like th-" Kotal was interrupted by his son grabbing him and throwing him to the floor with a great deal of strength.
"I'm tired of your excuses!" Ko'atal screamed at his grounded father.
"You don't realize how badly the mergers have affected certain species because I surrendered to Kahn," K'etz explained as he stood up and dusted himself off. "And allowed the Osh-Tekk to have a decent future as a result."
"What do we even gain from helping Mileena?!"
"Our home," Kotal replied. "The home that you have shamed me for throwing away for all these years now. I too want it back."
"The realms can be demerged but they can't possibly be fixed-" Ko'atal went to still argue back but was interrupted.
"Tell that to our Kytinn friends," K'etz instructed. "See what they think."
"I…" Ko'atal had finally been silenced as he considered what his group of Kytinn would think about this.
"Now please find them and head to Mileena's fortress to establish an alliance with them." K'etz commanded though made sure to have his tone make it come across as a request rather than a forceful order.
"I will, father." Ko'atal complied.
"Take this." K'etz handed his son the Portal Stone to use for fast travel.
Ko'atal took the stone and headed to the housing area that was located down a street to the right of the palace in Z'unkahrah which took the Osh-Tekk general to the centre of the city. He headed down the streets where rows of townhomes would fill up the spaces, the design choice being made to inhabit as many Osh-Tekk as possible considering they now only accommodated one city so spacing was tight.
He reached the end of one street with each street being named after a different former ruler of the Osh-Tekk. At the end of this street was what appeared to be the usual home in the city from the exterior, however, Kotal knew that it would be anything but usual from the interior. Though one sign of this home's unusual nature was the windows that were covered in a thick and yellow spider web.
"The Kytinn's home." Kotal soon realized as he approached and cautiously knocked on the door.
The Osh-Tekk general was understandably rather creeped out by the species' nature though tried not to be rude or disrespectful about it. The door was opened by a warrior familiar to Kotal, K'Berah.
"General Kotal!" K'Berah was surprised by his presence. "How are you?"
"I'm fine, K'Berah," Kotal answered her. "May I come inside? There is something I must tell you all."
"Of course," K'Berah made way and gestured for Kotal to enter. "We weren't expecting visitors so we hadn't had a chance to clean up."
"I can tell." Kotal remarked as he hesitantly stepped inside the home turned hive.
The living room was surrounded entirely by yellow coloured webs that the Kytinn commonly created to create a comfortable environment for their species. Egg sacs of varying sizes came from the floor and ceiling along with a few cocoons. Mushrooms and several types of fungi littered the already web covered floor as Kotal carefully watched his step as he entered the room. Already in the room sat Y'Evna on a webmade hammock as she petted a large beetle gently in her slimy hands.
"Sorry," K'Berah apologized for the mess. "Ladies, This One brings a visitor!"
"Greetings, general." Y'Evna's greeting was accompanied with a wave, slime dripping from her hand as the beetle stuck to her other hand.
"Y'Evna," Kotal gave her a nod of acknowledgement as the other members of the Kytinn Crew came down the stairs into the living room. "K'Fersebe, A'Vital, D'Vorah and… is Re'Enena not here?"
As Kotal asked that question a large cocoon in the corner of the room began shaking with something or someone inhabiting it. Soon Re'Enena burst from the bottom of the cocoon along with a clump of slime that had built up within. Re'Enena fell to the floor though the silky webs made her landing painless.
"This One was resting." Re'Enena admitted, rather embarrassed as she quickly figured that the time of day was in the afternoon considering that the light outside was great enough to still break through the web covered windows.
"Take This One's hand." K'Fersebe offered a hand to help Re'Enena to her feet which she accepted as K'Fersebe pulled her up.
"Thank you," Re'Enena said as the two still locked their hands together with neither letting go for a brief moment. "Oh… sorry."
"Oh, it's fine." K'Fersebe told her as the two finally released their hold. "I really don't mind."
"Hey, lovebugs." Y'Evna joked much to the pair's annoyance and embarrassment.
"We-we're not!" Re'Enena stuttered as K'Fersebe looked to the ground to hide her scales that were beginning to blush.
"It's okay to be open about it." A'Vital assured them as she could clearly tell that they were in love.
"Of course you'd say that…" K'Fersebe muttered.
"Well I'm just passionate." A'Vital explained as she approached and hugged D'Vorah with the embrace being returned.
"Come on now, girls," D'Vorah gathered their attention as a good group leader should. "General Kotal isn't here for our discussions."
"I am not." He confirmed.
"So, what do you want?" Y'Evna asked.
"My father wants us to meet Mileena for an alliance," Kotal unenthusiastically revealed. "I could do with a Kytinn representative to join me in meeting her."
"Well that's great!" K'Berah cheered. "Right?"
"If you want to follow a leader who's tearing Outworld apart then I suppose so." Kotal remarked in clear disapproval of the empress.
"Sorry?" Re'Enena didn't understand his point.
"Demerging the realms weakens Outworld." Kotal explained, he tried to be brief to avoid going on another tangent.
"Then weaken it," Re'Enena suggested. "With Shao Kahn gone there's no reason why it needs to be a strong force anyway."
"And Arnyek…" K'Fersebe added.
"Yeah!" Re'Enena strongly agreed. "What I'd give to have Arnyek back…"
"Outworld is fine enough of a home as is!" Kotal raised his voice. "Getting Arnyek back is just a dream that cannot be reached to the extent that you imagine it as."
"With Mileena's aid then-" Re'Enena went to argue but was quickly interrupted.
"We don't need to split Outworld apart when all that does is divide and leave multiple realms that no longer have the proper resources to ever recover from what Shao Kahn caused!" Kotal elaborated on the meaning of his argument. "For example, if you got your precious Arnyek back then it'd most likely be just the six of you alone on that island surrounded by burnt down and dead hives containing the corpses of your fellow Kytinn! Is that what you want?!"
"Don't talk to her like that!" K'Fersebe ordered as she saw Re'Enena clearly upset with the picture Kotal had just painted in her head. "Are you okay?"
"Lower your tone, general," D'Vorah instructed. "Please."
"I am sorry." Kotal apologised as he realized that he had gone too far as he watched K'Fersebe guide a clearly upset Re'Enena upstairs.
"Considering you're so… passionate… then why are you complying with your father's orders?" K'Berah cautiously asked the general.
"I cannot disobey him," Kotal gave the simple explanation. "As much as I wish to…"
"Then This One will accompany you in meeting Empress Mileena." D'Vorah decided as she returned to Kotal's original point of arriving at their home.
"This One is coming too." A'Vital added as she held onto her lover's arm.
"I only need one." Kotal informed her.
"This One cares not."
"Don't bother trying," D'Vorah instructed the general. "She refuses to leave This One's side."
"Very well then," Kotal allowed it as he did not wish to create another argument. "Let us go now."
Kotal presented the two the Portal Stone which the crew was already fully aware of what this artifact was and D'Vorah gave a nod to the door as A'Vital opened it with K'Berah and Y'Evna saying farewell to the couple as they left the house and Kotal created a portal right outside for himself, D'Vorah and A'Vital to head through to get to Mileena's Fortress.
Nitara flew back to her people's cave located in the Black Pines. As the name suggested, this location was mainly pine forest terrain though this forest was unique. Within the pine forest were unusual tree trunks being coal black bark with the leaves being blood red which was fitting as these leaves actually contained blood. This type of pine tree was exclusive to the realm of Vaeternus, the former home to the Vampire race. It was common for nature to provide blood such as plants and these unique leaf types in Vaeternus and this was just a slither of what had been carried from the realm into Outworld from a merger between the two realms.
Nitara had just returned from attending Mileena's speech and had taken to the skies to get home as fast as possible as well as granting her easy traversal over the sea that separated the Black Pines from the newly titled Sabar City. She landed once she spotted the familiar tree layout that she had learnt over the many years of hiding out in the caves amongst the pines. She trekked down the pathway that she had marked out by using her small dagger that she kept around her golden chain belt as she never knew when she might need such a tool. These markings were made mainly for the Vampires that she along with the help of Jade and Li Mei had freed from the Cobalt Mines of the Shokan as she herself knew exactly where she was heading throughout the entirety of the pines.
It didn't take long at all for Nitara to approach the entrance of the cave that would appear quite unwelcoming to most, but not a Vampire. Nitara embraced the darkness as well as the helpful perk of Vampires being able to see more clearly in the dark whereas the cave would be completely pitch black to those who aren't Vampires. This made the Brood feel much safer knowing this information when being inside a cave. Nitara eagerly stepped inside the gloomy void to see the rest of the Brood who now perceived her as a hero to them all after her brave efforts to rescue them from the mines.
"I have returned," Nitara's voice echoed throughout the spacious cave, making her presence known. "And with good news."
"Hello, sister." Azaco greeted as he jumped to the floor after dangling from the ceiling like a bat. He had been watching and waiting for either an intruder or for his sister and he was certainly glad that it was the latter.
"Brother!" Nitara said with joy in her voice as she hugged her beloved brother.
"The rest of the Brood is asleep so I insist we be quiet." Azaco informed her while quickly pulling himself away from the embrace.
"Ah, of course." Nitara understood as it was more than common for Vampires to be sleeping in the day and come out at night. Nitara was unable to as she insisted she go see this speech with some hopes of seeing the red haired girl called Skarlet though deep down she knew that was just wishful thinking to encounter her again. "Why are you still up?"
"Waiting," he replied. "For you."
"D'aw, how sweet." Nitara said genuinely though it came off as sarcasm to Azaco.
"Just tell me the news." Azaco demanded moodily.
"Fine," Nitara complied with his brother's wish. "Since you're so desperate to know…"
"Get on with it." He interrupted.
Nitara let out a sigh before finally making the revelation from Mileena's speech. "Zaterra has been freed from Outworld."
"How?!" Azaco was in shock which caused him to yell aloud. "How does she know about the orbs?! and how did she find the orb to Zaterra?!"
"So much for being quiet," Nitara remarked with an amused smile. "And I don't know the specifics, I can only confirm that Zaterra has been freed."
"C'mon, tell me!" Azaco making demands was seemingly becoming a common action of his this afternoon.
"Where's your manners, little brother?" Nitara asked teasingly.
Now it was Azaco's turn to let out a sigh. "Tell me please."
"Much better," Nitara commented. "She said she could only give her word at this time so I took matters into my own hands and when I was flying back here I checked on the Great Swamp…"
"And?" Azaco interrupted as he was clearly impatient.
"Let me finish," Nitara instructed with annoyance of the interruption. "So as I was saying, the Great Swamp is not there anymore."
"What do you mean?"
"It's gone," Nitara elaborated all she could. "Literally gone."
"Why?" Azaco continued asking questions. "And what does this have to do with anything?"
"Keep your mouth shut and I'll explain my point," Nitara once again needed to instruct him. "The Great Swamp was a part of Zaterra so because Zaterra has been restored it has taken the swamp with it and has turned the land back to what it used to be before being merged with Zaterra."
"So… she can save Vaeternus?" Azaco concluded.
Nitara nodded. "I talked to her before coming here too," she added. "She's invited us to her fortress to discuss an alliance with us Vampires."
"When?"
"Whenever."
"Well I'll head there now." Azaco decided.
"If you're going now then so am I." Nitara opted to join him.
"No," Azaco refused her. "You need some rest."
"So do you!" Nitara argued. "You've been up all day."
"Fair point," Azaco couldn't argue against her. "Okay then we'll go now. Are you ready?"
"Always," Nitara said with both a smile and a nod. "I'll be right beside you."
The two siblings flew across the sea and headed directly east to return to Sabar City and landed atop the central mountain where Mileena's Fortress stood. Nitara had even shown Azaco the changes made to the land where once a Zaterran swamp was located to prove that the story she had shared with her brother was indeed true.
The land was now a set of plains that would be considered quite regular to those residing in Outworld. The grass covering the vast amount of land was a purple colour as was common for stone and plants (for what little plants there were) in parts of Outworld that weren't environments brought over from merged realms. Rumours claim that the colour of the Outworld environment wasn't originally just a dark and unappealing purple with little to no life in sight but used to be beautiful until Shao Kahn's rule somehow corrupted the land in more ways than one. The two Vampires only looked at the plains briefly as there was little to see and they were both eager to meet the empress.
After about an hour of flying, Nitara and Azaco had finally made it to the fortress. It was impressive how long Vampires could fly for without tiring out, especially when both Nitara and Azaco were already tired as a result of a lack of sleep. They had arrived on the bridge entrance to the fortress where a group of guards dressed in armour matching a colour scheme to Mileena's of pink, gold and black.
The guards escorted the two Vampires inside the fortress and into one of the rooms closest to the entrance which was a large and open room with patterned tiles on the floor and fancy smooth stone which structured the walls and ceiling. In the middle of the room was a table at the back of the room that was so long that it covered both the left and right side of the room by its length. It seemed intended for the union members to enact as a council to those paying visits and being openly accepted inside the fortress walls.
The table had a specific number of seats with a notable number of empty ones and more importantly to Nitara, no Skarlet in sight. Considering that she was clearly an ally to the Saurians, Nitara had been wishfully thinking this whole journey that there could be a chance that she'd be involved in the union's affairs which was a correct assumption she just didn't know it yet. Nitara was beginning to doubt that she'd ever encounter her again.
Nitara and Azaco had entered as Mileena was shaking hands with the Kytinn couple of D'Vorah and A'Vital before offering her hand to Kotal who actually did shake it, however, his reluctance to do so was disrespectfully blatant. Not wanting to stay around for any longer now that the alliance was official, Kotal instructed for D'Vorah and A'Vital to leave with him and return home to Z'unkahrah Mileena's Union had also accepted Talon who they knew as Emily into their union due to her representing the apparent realm of Parasia as well as her special magical abilities which were as a result of her many years of mastering sorcery, though she claimed that such magic came from being a native to this made up realm.
"Hello, Empress Mileena," Nitara greeted as Azaco formally bowed to Outworld's ruler. "You said that I could visit."
"Of course," Mileena vividly recalled the conversation they had just over a couple of hours ago now. "You wish to forge an alliance, yes?"
Nitara nodded.
"If you will restore our realm." Azaco added firmly.
"I assure you that we will try," Mileena promised. "In order to restore your race we need to locate an orb that-"
"We know the process," Azaco interrupted. "We just don't know where the orb is."
"I wish I could provide you with information about the orb's whereabouts but I unfortunately cannot," Mileena remarked sadly. "However, we will certainly help with your search as well as offering any desired protection for your Vampire race."
"That is a deal that I just cannot refuse," Nitara accepted the very generous offer. "I thank you on behalf of our Brood."
"Yes, thank you," Azaco also expressed his gratitude. "We just have some questions if you don't mind."
"Ask away," Mileena permitted. "And you're welcome, friends."
"Firstly," Nitara quickly spoke before his brother could ask first as she considered her first question to be the most important thing to ask currently. "Would you happen to know of a woman named Skarlet?"
"I know of a Skarlet," Mileena answered. "But is it the Skarlet you seek?"
"Well she's really pretty, rather pale, has a lovely pixie cut that's red with a bit of black and her eyes match said red as well as her armour…" Nitara said a list over another sigh let out by Azaco.
"She is in our union," Mileena confirmed much to Nitara's surprise and happiness. "Why do you ask?"
"Oh… no reason in particular." Nitara answered with a slight grin.
"How are you finding the orbs?" Azaco questioned.
"Through miners and not slaves," Mileena firstly remarked as she referred to Shao Kahn's former treatment of miners. "As for the orb to Zaterra, it was being hidden in this very fortress."
"I see." Azaco responded.
"How do you know about the orbs?" Mileena herself was curious and was asking questions of her own.
"Many centuries of research and being enslaved to mine for them," Azaco gave a grim reply. "How do you use them to restore realms once actually retrieved?"
"My expert informed me that merely shattering the orb will work," Mileena informed him. "Anything else?"
"That answers everything," Azaco said as he turned to his sister. "Nitara?"
"Yeah that's all," Nitara confirmed. "Thank you."
"Anytime," Mileena kindly offered. "I look forward to our relationship as allies."
"And as do we…"