Serrated Shadows: Mileena's Kombat Elegance by Jade Gretz

Mileena, her crimson veil a stark contrast to the bone-chilling wasteland that stretched before her, knelt beside the fallen Tarkatan warrior. Baraka, his once-proud posture now slumped and broken, rasped like a dying beast. The stench of burnt flesh and ozone filled the air, a grim souvenir of their recent encounter with the Lin Kuei cyborg, Sektor.

Anger flickered through Mileena's reptilian eyes. Sektor, that soulless machine, had not only ambushed them, but had also managed to land a critical blow on Baraka, his cybernetic arm spewing out a torrent of crackling energy that charred the warrior's chest.

Their uneasy alliance, forged in the fires of mutual desperation, had been put to the ultimate test. Mileena, exiled princess of Outworld and half-clone of the venerated Kitana, needed Baraka's strength and knowledge of Outworld's hidden pathways to reach the Soul Chamber, a legendary repository of arcane magic rumored to hold the key to unlocking her true potential. Baraka, chieftain of the Tarkatan clan, ostracized and hunted by Shao Kahn's regime, needed Mileena's strategic mind and ferocity to overthrow the false emperor.

A complicated dance it was, this alliance. Mileena loathed Baraka's savage ferocity. His guttural growls and barbaric customs grated on her sensibilities. But she respected his unwavering loyalty to his clan, a trait she envied and simultaneously despised. Baraka, in turn, saw Mileena as a usurper, a twisted mockery of his idealized Tarkatan queen – Skarlet. Yet, he acknowledged her fighting prowess and cunning, a begrudging respect that fueled their fragile partnership.

"Baraka," Mileena rasped, her voice laced with a rare tinge of concern. "Can you hear me?"

Baraka's one remaining eye fluttered open, a sliver of defiance glinting within. "Weakling cyborg…" he coughed, a splatter of blood staining his chin. "Too…slow…"

A wave of relief washed over Mileena. Not dead. Not yet. But his condition was dire. The Soul Chamber, their only hope, seemed further away than ever.

She tore a strip of cloth from her tattered cloak, using it to bind Baraka's wounded chest with a practiced hand. Her movements, though graceful, belied a hidden brutality honed through years of ruthless combat.

"We need to reach a hidden oasis," Mileena explained, her voice firm. "There's a spring rumored to possess healing properties. It's our only chance."

Baraka grunted, his voice weak. "Oasis…miles…east…"

Mileena hefted him onto her back, a surprising surge of strength coursing through her despite her own fatigue. Baraka, once a towering figure of savage grace, felt alarmingly light in her arms, a testament to the severity of his injury.

The journey was arduous. The desolate Outworld landscape, a parched canvas of scorched sand and jagged rock formations, offered no respite from the relentless sun. Mileena, guided by Baraka's mumbled instructions, navigated the treacherous terrain, her bare feet sinking into the scorching sand with each step.

Memories, both vivid and unwelcome, surfaced from the depths of her troubled past. Images of Kitana, her perfect Edenian counterpart, haunted her. The constant comparisons, the whispers of "failure," the gnawing insecurity that clawed at her soul. Her existence, a cruel mockery of her sister's beauty and grace.

Then there was Shao Kahn, the false emperor, the man who had twisted her very creation, who saw her only as a weapon, a tool to be used and discarded. The memory of his callous disregard fueled a fire in Mileena's belly, a burning need to prove her worth, to carve her own destiny separate from those who sought to control her.

Suddenly, a flicker of movement in the distance caught her eye. A lone Tarkatan warrior, his back to her, stood silhouetted against the blood-red horizon. Hope flared – perhaps a stray from Baraka's clan, someone who could offer aid.

"Tarkatan!" Mileena called out, her voice hoarse from the journey.

The figure turned, revealing a familiar face, its flesh marred by recent scars – Skarlet, the banished blood mage, and the object of Baraka's unspoken devotion. A flicker of surprise, quickly masked by a steely resolve, crossed her features.

"Mileena," Skarlet spat, her crimson eyes gleaming with an unsettling intensity. "You shouldn't be here."

"Neither should you," Mileena countered, her grip tightening on Baraka's inert form. "Baraka is injured. We need help."

Skarlet's gaze shifted to the unconscious Bara
...(more at https://www.deviantart.com/jadegretzai).
For more supergirl, chun li, batgirl, tifa, lara croft, wonder woman, rogue and much more, please visit my page at www.deviantart.com/jadegretzai - Thanks for your support :)
https://www.deviantart.com/jadegretzai/art/Serrated-Shadows-Mileena-s-Kombat-Elegance-1030475162