Mortal Kombat: Mileena's Recollection

Chapter Eighteen: To Live

Smoke attempts to keep his balance as he cradles Mileena in his arms. Without warning, she lifts from his grip, and violet energies surround her form. Smoke's eyes widen as he watches her levitate in the air. Raiden senses a dark hold over the two, recognizing it as Shinnok's sorcery, and quickly uses his electric abilities to strike the energy sphere.

Smoke attempts to step closer to Mileena.

"Stand back! Shinnok's sorcery has a stronger hold on her!" Raiden warns.

Raiden continues to use his magics in attempts to calm the Jinsei. Mileena's appearance begins retracting back and forth between her Edenian and Tarkatan features very quickly. As if out of random, Smoke feels Shinnok's energy also pressuring him. He lets out a groan as he feels the dark energy begin to leave his body. The whitening of Smoke's eyes ceases, and his eyes become light brown and full of life once more.

The Thunder God's powers then fully sedate the dark energies, causing the room to return to a standstill and the energy engulfing Mileena to cease. A bright light suddenly flashes across the Jinsei. After a moment, Raiden faces Smoke who catches Mileena's fall. She remains unconscious, which is strange to Smoke. However, not as strange as her new appearance. Mileena's teeth are now thicker and sharper. In the center of these teeth are full, luscious lips. It's as if her Tarkatan and Edenian blood have evened themselves completely with the cease of Shinnok's magic and with the aid of the Jinsei chamber. On both sides of her smooth lips, her ivory-like teeth spread across her cheeks. A perimeter of rigid skin marks the area of which her teeth begin and end on both the top and bottom of her lips.

Smoke comes to his knees with her in his grasp as he caresses her face. Even if somewhat, she now appears as the Mileena he once knew.

"What occurred on your journey and where are the others?" Raiden asks Smoke.

Smoke peers upward at him.

"During our journey, we were attacked numerous times by the emperor's forces and the Black Dragon clan. Word spread quickly once we entered the realm. Among the emperor's forces I ran into Mileena, and she did not recall who I was," Smoke pauses.

Raiden raises his left eyebrow as he listens to Smoke's story.

"Nor did she recall any of her Earthrealm allies. Eventually, she captured me and brought me to Shinnok, who resurrected her in order to get to me. To save her life, I had to agree to become his eighth specter...and I am unaware of the others' location, for we were separated in Outworld. To escape imprisonment in the Netherrealm I used the crystal you gave to me," Smoke concludes.

Raiden's facial expression darkens even more.

"So not only is Shinnok attempting to escape his grim fate the Elder Gods have bestowed upon him, but he has allied both the Netherrealm and Outworld. How unfortunate for our forces..." Raiden takes in the information Smoke delivered.

Smoke lowers his head in defeat, but relief that some good came from all of this.

"Remain in the Jinsei, let time pass. It should rid the remainder of control Shinnok has over the two of you as well as heal your injuries. I shall tend to the refugees as well as the incoming invasion," Raiden purposes.

Smoke nods and without hesitation the Thunder God vanishes into lightning. Smoke gently lies Mileena's head on the Jinsei's terrain and takes to his feet. Silence falls over them and the only sounds heard are the light breaths that come from Mileena. As Smoke begins to venture a few steps from Mileena, the Jinsei's healing properties illuminate along her scars. Slowly but surely, they close her wounds. It does the same for Smoke, reversing his injuries as though they were never there. Smoke turns to meet Mileena, watching as the bright azure aura repairs her body. He silently smiles at this as he continues scanning the interior of the Jinsei with his eyes, awaiting his love to awaken once more.