Mileena watches as Ashrah's luminous, dust remains levitate in the sky, maintaining their form. Smoke holds Mileena back out of concern for her safety, but eases his grip. Though hurt, Mileena manages to calm herself with knowing Ashrah may finally be able to find peace. Mileena's eyes meet the blade that lies on the grassy terrain in front of the large portal. She walks forward as Smoke ceases his grip completely. Smoke watches her, feeling sorry for her loss as she takes the blade into her hands. The luminous dust continues to whirl around while Mileena peers down at the crimson stained blade in an unfamiliar sadness.
"I have...I have never felt guilty over death..." Mileena thinks to herself.
Smoke hears this thought and places a hand upon her shoulder. A blinding, bright light then flashes across the blade, causing Mileena to drop it. She and Smoke back away and shield their eyes with their arms as the blade now ascends to the whirling, luminous remains of Ashrah. The remains begin to twirl in the air faster and faster around the blade. The blade begins to glow in the purest white, and then another bright flash comes, taking all of the excess light with it. Mileena and Smoke then unshield their eyes and gaze into the sky.
Mileena gasps at what seems to be an unbelievable sight. Ashrah, who had just commit hara kiri, now descends to their level with the glowing blade in her hand and a pure halo highlighting her form. She lands on the ground where she stood before, directly in front of the portal. However, Ashrah's expression is one of confusion. Mileena approaches her swiftly.
"Purest Ashrah...how..."
"I—I no longer feel Shinnok's hold upon me. The sword's prophecy is...complete. I...I am...free," her soft eyes display great awe.
"The Elder Gods must have granted you such a fate, we were sure you were gone," Smoke comes to Mileena's side.
Mileena nods and places her hands onto the purified Ashrah's shoulders.
"We have no time, now that you are free of his pathetic influence, I must ask if you would accompany me to the emperor's fortress," Mileena tells her. "Aid me in taking vengeance against the likes of Shinnok and Shao Kahn."
Ashrah nods sincerely, as her eyes alone state that she has waited for such an opportunity for millennia. Mileena smiles wickedly at her speedy cooperation. Smoke silently takes in his beloved's strong leadership qualities, feeling much impressed with her development as a person. It's as if she is molding into the warrior she's always wanted to be, as well as the warrior he knew she could be.
"Then we proceed, quickly," she commands, and they all leap through the portal.
Sindel levitates, ascending the Sky Temple, cradling an unconscious Kitana in her arms. She comes to the top of the Sky Temple and lands on the stone floor. She quickly jogs with Kitana in her arms the way she came, through the door that leads to a staircase. She swiftly descends the staircase and paces through the Jinsei chamber's entrance.
Sindel walks deep into the Jinsei. She lays Kitana on what appears to be a stone-like bench. She makes sure to set Kitana down gently, for she and Mileena nearly killed each other. The wounds Kitana has already illuminate and begin to slowly close, stopping her excessive loss of blood. Sindel backs away and examines her daughter with saddened eyes. With the emperor's invasion worsening, she cannot stand by Kitana's side until she regains consciousness. However, it is for the sake of the realm.
Sindel places a hand on Kitana's shoulder and plants a kiss on her forehead. She backs away, silently swearing to herself that she shall return soon. She begins to spin as violet aura shines at her feet. Soon enough, the energy engulfs her body, causing her to vanish from the Jinsei chamber.
An enormous portal opens in the very front of the Wu Shi Academy. Kai, Li Mei, Kung Lao, Sub-Zero, Sareena and Nightwolf lead the defense from within, fending off the emperor's troops who have infiltrated it. Liu Kang and Bo Rai Cho lead in the defense of the Wu Shi Academy's perimeter alongside a small militia of elder Shaolin monks. They manage to push the Tarkatans back, despite those who managed to slip inside the Wu Shi Academy.
Commotion from the battle within the Wu Shi Academy fills the air. The perimeter becomes more calm, as all the enemies are defeated. However, the large portal that remains idle before Liu Kang and Bo Rai Cho causes them to grow uneasy. They ready themselves for more battle.
Raiden appears from sparks of lightning and now stands in front of the two warriors. Sindel also appears from a violet flash of light, standing at Raiden's side as Liu Kang and Bo Rai Cho approach the two.
"What is this?" Liu Kang questions, referring to the large, docile portal.
As of answering Liu Kang, a hand reaches through the portal. The hand inches forward, becoming an arm, and then soon a large skull helmet is seen.
"The emperor," Sindel answers as her gaze hardens onto the portal.
Shao Kahn them completely steps through the portal with a much too large grin spread across his face. He places his hands in the air and then begins to boom with laughter. The warriors adjacent from the emperor now become tense as his eyes scan each of them. The portal remains open as he now steps forward from it.
"Bow, at my feet!" Shao Kahn's voice booms.
"We will never submit to your insolence!" Liu Kang shouts.
"The Elder Gods will never stand for this!" the Thunder God counters.
"Fool! The Elder Gods are weaklings! They masquerade as dragons, but are mere toothless worms!" the emperor balls up his left fist.
Sindel steps forward defiantly.
"Enough! I will not stand idly by as you destroy another realm as you did my Edenia!"
Her words anger the emperor, for he was uncertain of her betrayal until now. Quan Chi stated she would be easy to control, however, she must have broken the sorcerer's spell somehow.
"However you came about regaining your conscience is irrelevant, but you will return to my side or you shall die as a mortal!" he threatens her.
Sindel retaliates with her signature scream, sending harsh waves of sound toward the emperor. The sound waves shake the ground beneath him and cause him to fall into his defensive stance. Sindel then ceases her attack as the emperor recovers and faces the four of them.
"It will take much more than that to quell me!" he chuckles.
They each enter their stances as Liu Kang is the first to charge forward.
IN OUTWORLD
Mileena, Smoke and Ashrah peer through the entrance to the emperor's throne room, discovering the absence of his presence. Mileena spots a gathering of warriors inside, along with a particularly large portal in front of them. She wastes no time and enters the throne room as Smoke and Ashrah follow.
The clicking of her heels causes each of the warriors turn to meet her gaze. She lands eyes on Ermac, Reptile, Sheeva, Goro, Motaro, Skarlet, Ko'atal, D'Vorah, Reiko and others. They all bow before her as Reiko comes forth.
"Princess, the emperor has instructed us to await your return. You shall be leading us in kombat in these final hours of Earthrealm's existence. What are your commands?" he inquires.
Mileena places her hands on her hips and smirks at the general.
"The emperor is no more, you now all serve under I, your empress!" Mileena declares.
All of the warriors peer at her in confusion and a slight commotion starts up. Many of the warriors' questions are the same; what happened to Shao Kahn?
"Preposterous!" a voice shouts over all others. "The emperor could not have fallen to the Earthrealm forces in such a small amount of time!" Mileena identifies the voice as Motaro's, who steps forth.
"It is not that he has fallen, Motaro. I am merely activating his decree this day and claiming the throne as my own. The emperor shall only serve to bring more turmoil to this sickening realm," Mileena explains.
Motaro lets out an angry snarl.
"You utter such words as though you will not do the same! You have proven to be much too distant from sanity to lead a warrior militia in the invasion of Earthrealm, let alone rule an entire realm!"
Smoke's eyes harden on Motaro as Mileena approaches him. Motaro notices Smoke and Ashrah's glare.
"And who are these vermin you have allowed to storm into the emperor's fortress behind you?!" the other warriors clear the way for Mileena, allowing her and Motaro to stand face to face.
Mileena's grin grows.
"My Motaro, are you not fond of your new empress? Have I disrespected you in any way or form?" her seductive voice questions.
Motaro raises an eyebrow in annoyance.
"I refuse to serve a brittle Flesh Pit creation! Edenian and Tarkatan, how absurd of a breed!" he shouts in reply.
The throne room goes quiet as Mileena smiles to herself.
"Alright," she replies.
Almost as quick as lightening, a flash of magenta energy engulfs her hand and a sai appears. Before Motaro recognizes her actions as an attack, she swings her sai horizontally, slitting his throat with a grunt. The crowd of warriors gasp, all except Smoke and Ashrah. Mileena grins and places her tongue onto the sai, licking the crimson substance that stains it as Motaro panics at the sudden loss of blood.
He begins galloping backwards weakly as the blood spills from his neck. He is unable to state he surrenders due to his voicebox failing, therefore Mileena shows no mercy. She vanishes, reappearing on Motaro's shoulders and continues to impale the Centaur over and over, watching the blood spray with a nostalgic sadistic warmth. He groans as she continues on, and the other warriors watch on in shock and horror while her sais pierce his throat. She then vanishes once more, leaving behind magenta trails as she lands in the center of the crowd of warriors. Motaro then slumps sideways to the ground, fighting for air as he is left to slowly bleed out. Each of the warriors are shocked, and grow silent as she shifts her gaze between each of them.
"Now, any other warriors who do not wish to see me reign?" she raises her voice as the others remain silent. "Splendid, now, I know each of you do not truly respect the emperor as you say. You are each merely a part of his forces because it suits your benefit, you have an alliance with him, or he made you offers he never truly kept good upon. I am here because he has done the same to me, his own daughter, the Kahnum of Outworld. I shall change this realm, molding it into the greatness it is destined to have, much like when Onaga reigned. I will reunite each division of Outworld starting now! So I shall offer you this, leave through this portal to his side now and there shall be no harm delivered to you, your decision shall be respected. Or, stand by your empress and fight with me to bring about great change," she finishes her announcement.
Each of the warriors look greatly shocked, not only at her actions against Motaro, but the maturity and sincerity she just displayed to each of them. They each peer around the crowd and no one takes up Mileena's offer to assist the emperor. They all stay put, more confident than ever that there may be a chance to rid Outworld of Shao Kahn, for Mileena was more than correct about his ungratefulness and corruption. Suddenly, Sheeva steps forward.
"We Shokan have allied with the emperor long enough. He limits our lands and opportunities just as much as he brings shame to our name. He makes us appear as weaklings, and I will no longer stand for it. I shall humbly serve under you, empress," her deep voice states and she bows before Mileena.
Reiko then steps forth, following in Sheeva's actions.
"I shall gladly serve you, my empress," he adds just before he bows.
The other warriors glance at each other, knowing they all agree with such a large decision. Perhaps change is exactly what Outworld needs. D'Vorah, the kytinn servant of the emperor then steps forward.
"This one abandons the will of Shao Kahn. This one shall follow your command, empress," her distorted voice says.
Ermac then levitates forward.
"Our loyalty is to the emperor, however you display much more promise. Though your chaotic ways do not cease, they may lead Outworld to benevolence. You are not crazy, but we thought of you too impetuous to lead, until now," his voices echo.
Mileena smiles at his words as the other warriors also step forward. Smoke and Ashrah come to Mileena's side as the Outworld warriors bow in unison before their new empress. She places her hands upon her hips as they all peer upward at her once again, awaiting orders.
"I greatly appreciate your allegiance. Now, I must spread my rule. Each warrior within this fortress, including my army, the Tarkatans and the Black Dragon who have yet to be deployed to Earthrealm shall agree to my terms or be exiled," Mileena commands and then turns to Reiko. "Reiko, Ko'atal, I place you both in charge of spreading word of this within the fortress. Reptile, Baraka, inform the rest of my army to close all portals except this one. This one remains open until we return. We will not merge with Earthrealm. D'Vorah, you alert all of the servants. The rest of you shall accompany me."
With these orders Ko'atal, D'Vorah, Reiko, Baraka and Reptile begin to exit the throne room. The other warriors crowd behind Mileena. Ashrah comes to her left and Smoke to her right. Mileena then turns to Smoke.
"We only have one chance at this," she thinks, and he hears this thought.
"I know, but with Outworld against the emperor, anything is possible," he thinks in reply, allowing Mileena to hear his thoughts.
Mileena turns to the warriors behind her with calm eyes as she takes Smoke's hand into hers.
"We move forward!" she commands, and each of them follow, leaving a dead Motaro at the foot of the throne.