It seemed like all around there was nothing but evil in every direction. Death and destruction was everywhere along with the constant anger of the people there. That was exactly what Kenshi sensed the moment he and Jade emerged out of the portal which had taken them to the realm of Outworld.

“Jade,” Kenshi said as he felt a slight shiver go up his spine. “Does Outworld always feel this way?”

“Yeah,” Jade grimly replied. She looked around the deserted area, the ground and sky nearly matched with the same bright purple color. “Wow…it’s been so long since I’ve last been here.”

The two of them began walking farther into the realm in silence. The farther they walked in, the more Kenshi felt uncomfortable, with his keen senses triggering with so much evil around him. Sometimes, they would hear the occasional sounds of laughing or screaming demons of some sort.

Finally, after some time, Jade spoke. “Now I know where we are. We’re near the city of Lei Chen. Unfortunately, we are far from the palace.”

Frustration began to build up within the swordsman, but he tried to hold the feeling in as best as he could. He couldn’t imagine what Kitana and Sindel were going though, but one thing was for sure, he hoped that both were still alive. Despite his frustration, he was determined to find them and get them out of whatever Hell they were currently going through.

Kenshi sighed a bit. “How far are we from the palace?” he asked the green-clad ninja.

Now it was Jade’s turn to sigh a bit. “We’re quite far from where we are,” she replied. “If we don’t stop walking, we can get there by sunset. From the way the natural light is, it’s just beginning to be noon. Also, be prepared for any attacks. Most of the natives here don’t take kindly to outsiders.”

Kenshi nodded heeding Jade’s words. Because of his keen senses, he didn’t have to worry about someone…or something…sneaking up behind him and not have him notice.

He began to hope, since the journey was going to be another long one, that he and Jade would get to the palace in time before something unimaginable would end up happening to the two royals.

>

It had been hours since Sindel and Kitana were put in a cell of Shao Kahn’s palace. Once the Princess was asleep, it didn’t take long for the Queen to fall asleep herself. Despite the uncomfortable floor, both managed to get some decent rest after what they went through.

The both of them were soon awaken by the sounds of someone unlocking the cell door. At the same time, they stirred from their sleeps, a bit startled by the noise. Once they adjusted from waking up, the door swung open revealing a handful of people wearing nothing but a dark purplish cloak, their heads completely covered by their hoods.

Sindel immediately realized who they were. They were Shang Tsung’s Shadow Priests. They served him for as long as he had been sorcerer. Not much was known about them, but Sindel knew one thing for sure…they were the ones who made her resurrection possible.

Four Shadow Priests entered the cell. All were floating off their feet making it as though they were gliding into the cell and not walking in. The only part of their bodies that were visible to the Queen were their hands, which were clasped together as though they were praying to the Heavens.

Once all of them were inside, another figure entered the cell. Even with the darkness that loomed into the small cell, Sindel was able to recognize the figure.

“Rain,” she growled. “You traitor-”

Suddenly, Sindel was taken by surprise when she felt a hard slap to her face forcing her to be knocked down to the concrete floor. She let out a small yelp from both impacts.

“Enough talk!” Rain demanded. The Shadow Priests forced the two women on their feet, two holding each one by the arm. Sindel slightly shook her head a bit from Rain’s slap. She then looked over at Kitana. He heart sank when she saw her daughter’s expression. It was a blank one and it was as though she had no desire in knowing what was going on around her.

“Kitana…” the Queen said under her breath.

“Now,” Rain continued. He looked at Kitana then, who was looking down on the floor with her blank expression. He walked over to her, placed his hand on her chin, and gently forced her to bring her head up to face him. Kitana’s expression didn’t change even after that.

The traitor smirked at the Princess. “It is time to face your destiny. Soon, you will serve the Emperor willingly.”

Sindel saw the expression on Rain’s face as he spoke and she knew it well. It was of desire and lust. She then remembered the blood on Kitana’s legs.

Now the Queen understood.

“You…” Sindel began to say through gritted teeth.

Rain turned to Sindel and laughed. “Oh don’t start now you old hag, you might pop a blood vessel.” He then turned to the Priests. “Take them away!”

Without another word or any struggle, the mother and daughter were taken out of their cell. The Shadow Priests followed Rain down a long dark hall only lit by small candles. Sindel was aware that her and Kitana’s ‘destiny’ await before them, but how it was going to be pursued, she had no idea.

>

After what seemed like an eternity, Kenshi and Jade finally reached a large palace. The entire place was made of black brick walls and the windows were barricaded with thick iron bars making the place extremely eerie for any passerby forcing them to quickly flee.

Kenshi’s keen senses kicked in much more than when he first entered Outworld. There was so much more evil than ever before making him now believe that this was indeed the place where Kitana and Sindel were being held against their will.

“I just hope it’s not too late,” the swordsman said as he and Jade approached the palace gates.

“I know,” Jade replied. She peeked through the gates. Tarkatans and demons swarmed the entire entryway. Jade sighed to herself trying to figure a course of action. She wasn’t about to give up now and she knew Kenshi would feel the same.

Within moments, a mental light bulb lit up in Jade’s head. She was able to devise a plan much sooner than she thought. She quickly turned to Kenshi. “Once we get over the gates, let them capture us, then follow my lead.”

Kenshi was a bit confused by Jade’s plan, but decided to go with it anyways. He was so close in rescuing the royal family that at this point, he would do anything to complete the mission.

Climbing over the gates surrounding the palace was the easiest part. Within seconds, they made it to the other side. Then, they casually walked ahead and it didn’t take them three steps before a Tarkatan noticed them. He let out a loud battle cry signaling the other mutants and demons around them. They soon noticed the pair and began descending after them.

Just when they were a few feet away, Kenshi and Jade immediately raised both of their hands signaling to the mutants that they had given up and are willing to be captured. The mutants were a bit confused at first by the quick jester, but soon accepted their proposal. Two Tarkatans took Kenshi’s sword and Jade’s staff, and a few others held them to keep them from escaping. Then, the Tarkatans and demons lead them into the palace. Neither Kenshi or Jade said a word or attempted to struggle.

Jade was quite relieved that there weren’t too many of them around. The plan was going as she had hope it would.

Within a few minutes, the Tarkatans brought their prisoners inside the palace. The minute the door closed, Jade made her move. She flipped herself up and did a headstand on the Tarkatan who held her hostage and held on to his neck. She then did a quick twist with her body and managed to break the Tarkatan’s neck killing him instantly. Once the others realized what was going on, Jade was jumping back down and landed a few kicks on the surrounded Tarkatans and demons.

Kenshi reacted right away. He took the Tarkatan holding him from behind and flipped him forward. A few more mutants went after him. Kenshi landed a few blows and punches to get them out of the way. Then, he used his telekinesis to retrieve his sword and Jade’s staff from the demon holding them. Kenshi brought the sword back to him and then brought the staff to the female ninja, who caught it in her hand with ease.

The two spend some time fighting the mutants with all they had. Both of them thought the battle would never end, but soon they were relieved when they found the number of enemies dwindling.

When they got down to the last Tarkatan, Kenshi tackled him down to the ground, then brought his sword up to his neck threatening to kill him.

“Where are the Edenian royal family?” he demanded in anger. Jade watched not too far from behind and kept a look out for any other mutants that could be in hiding nearby.

The Tarkatan under threat of death, did not answer. Kenshi pushed his sword farther into his neck. “Answer me!!”

A trickle of blood began to run down the Tarkatan’s neck. “The cell…” was all he said.

“That’s not good enough!” Kenshi replied.

Suddenly, a shing! was heard as the Tarkatan’s blades emerged from his arms. Jade immediately saw this, took out her razor bladed boomerang, and quickly threw it. It managed to get under Kenshi and chop off the Tarkatan’s arms right off along with the blades. The Tarkatan screamed in agony but it quickly was cut short when Kenshi brought his blade down and decapitated the mutant realizing that he almost killed him.

The boomerang came right back to Jade and she caught it with ease. She didn’t even wince by the sight of the blood that stained her weapon. She put it away in her pouch and quickly went over to Kenshi who already got himself up.

“I know where the dungeon is,” Jade said to him. “But we must hurry…I have a bad feeling about this.”

“Let’s go then,” Kenshi replied. Both began sprinting at the same time and began heading towards the dungeon area.

>

It seemed to have been a long way, but soon Rain and the Shadow Priests reached their destination. The entire room was made of gray concrete. Parts of the ceiling was opened to reveal the dark purple sky, and the only other thing in the room were two large stones which were made to fit a human laying down. The two stones each had four steel chains.

The Shadow Priests placed Sindel and Kitana on the stones and chained them down so that they wouldn’t escape. Then, they surrounded them while Rain watched in delight in the shadows.

Soon enough, the Emperor entered the room along with his other minions. “It is time,” Shao Kahn said. “The ritual will begin shortly.”

Sindel looked over at her daughter once again. Kitana still had the blank face that she had on since just before they were taken from their cell in the dungeon. Tears began to develop in the Queen’s pale eyes.

‘So this is how it’s going to end,’ Sindel thought to herself sadly. She began to think about all of the good memories that she had, knowing that most likely that there will be a big chance that these memories will forever be erased from her mind.

Shao Kahn walked over to a switch that was just by the entrance. A sadistic grin came upon his face. “The time has now come. Soon, the both of you will serve me willingly. You shall be my bride and daughter once again.”

Sindel shut her eyes tightly, getting ready for Shao Kahn to flip the switch.