Answers and becoming intimate with jade.

Chapter 4: The start of something new.

I did not sit on the throne, not yet.
Instead, I sat three steps below it, elbows resting on my knees, the weight of Outworld looming above me in carved obsidian and bone.

Close enough to claim it. Far enough to hesitate it.

The chamber was quiet now. Too quiet. The kind of silence that follows upheaval. Torches flickered against red stone walls, casting long shadows that stretched like watching spectres. Shao Kahn’s banners still hung from the pillars, unmoved, relics of a tyrant who no longer breathed.

And somehow, I was expected to replace him.

I rolled the cylinder of my custom revolver with a metallic click.

Spin. Snap. Eject. Reload.

The rhythm was automatic, muscle memory carved through years of survival. Six hellfire rounds slid neatly into place. I flicked the chamber shut with practiced ease.

Spin. Click.

I exhaled slowly.

Facing generals ready to tear my throat out? Manageable.

Negotiating with warlords and demigods? Calculable.

Balancing pride, power, and politics? Dangerous, but navigable…But this?

Three women I barely knew. Three queens by divine decree. Three lives now permanently tied to mine.

I leaned back slightly and dragged a hand down my face. “I am so unbelievably screwed,” I muttered under my breath.

The words echoed more than they should have.

I could fight demons without blinking. I had stood against creatures birthed from Netherrealm fire and laughed while doing it.

But magically binding me into a political marriage sanctioned by the Elder Gods?

That required a different kind of courage, one that for better of for worst I didn’t have the best track record.

I’m not a fucking virgin alright, I know how to talk to women. Thank you very much. I wasn’t some cloistered monk dragged into royal theatrics.

But this wasn’t flirting in a bar, or a one-night stand.

But this was…destiny. An alliance… one that most likely would last for eternity.

And worse, it wasn’t my choice.

I glanced up at the throne again, letting out a breath through my nose.

“How the hell do I even approach this?” I murmured, raising my head slightly as if speaking to myself. “Diplomatic? Honest? Casual? Do I bow? Do I… compliment them? Gods…Did they even find me attractive?” I winced, that should not be a priority.

And yet it absolutely was.

Because whether this became a political alliance or something deeper, I would be standing beside them, for a long time.

I holstered the revolver at the small of my back beneath my coat, making a powerful final reload before holstering it. The familiar weight settled against my spine, grounding me.

The weapon was one of many I’d collected over the years. It was a gift from a weaponsmith friend, she modified, tuned, infused it with magic. She made magical Hellfire rounds that could burn hotter than Netherrealm brimstone if I willed it. I could detonate them mid-flight, spread the flame outward in a blooming inferno, or strip the fire entirely and fire rapid steel like a mortal gunslinger. Even better, it’s was part of the gun mechanism, any .38 special bullet could work in the cylinder.

But my revolver wasn’t the weapon that made Netherrealm hesitate, that honour belonged to my sword.

I reached behind my shoulder and allowed the mark on my upper back to respond.

Heat bloomed beneath my skin.

The blade materialized in my hand in a ripple of dark crimson light, metal singing softly as if aware of its summoning.

I held it across my lap. The spine was blackened, etched with faint infernal script that pulsed when I touched it. The edge gleamed faintly blue, as though remembering every battle it had tasted. The blade was enchanted steel, one of pure silver bright, one that never rusted.

My mother’s last gift.

The day she died, she pressed her palm to my back and seared the binding sigil into my flesh.

The sword chose me as much as I chose it. Bound to me until ****. Mine to summon, mine to command.

The blade hummed faintly in my grip, reacting to my unrest. I studied the reflection in its edge, not because something was wrong with it, but because I needed something solid to anchor my thoughts.

Quan Chi’s eyes flashed in my memory.

That pause before he stepped through his portal…He had felt something.

The Netherrealm does not “recognize” without reason.

My grip tightened slightly around the hilt. Was it the mark? My blood? ...Or something Kronika had seen that I hadn’t?

The Goddess of Time had declared this outcome inevitable. That an Earthrealmer would rule Outworld. That I would stand here.

But why? What did she see in me that required three queens and a throne carved from conquest?

And if Kronika foresaw it…Then what did the Netherrealm see?

Unease crept beneath my ribs.

Outworld politics were dangerous. But for Quan Chi to potentially recognize me? That was lethal.

I dismissed the blade in a flicker of crimson light and let the silence settle again.

“Focus.” I said trying to calm my nerves, “One crisis at a time.”

I needed them, that was the truth beneath all the bravado.

Kitana I could likely trust, at least according to Raiden. She had defected from Shao Kahn before his fall. She had risked everything to help rescue Sonya from the arena prisons, granting us the information we needed. That was not the act of a blind loyalist.

But trusting Raiden’s faith in her was not the same as earning hers. Did she even want to rule? Or was it simply duty carved into her since birth?

And would she accept ruling beside someone she hadn’t chosen?

I know she could be a good queen someday, but I like said… I don’t know she wants to be one right now.

Then there’s Mileena… I exhaled slowly.

She was a storm contained in flesh, calculated beautiful chaos.

She flirted like a blade testing armor, probing for weakness, for reaction. I couldn’t tell if she liked me, despised me, or simply enjoyed toying with me.

“She’s going to be a problem,” I muttered, shaking my head in disbelief. “Hopefully the interesting kind.” Yet, I couldn’t help but smirk at the final view she gave me.

Then there was Jade.

I leaned back slightly, eyes narrowing in thought, why her?

She wasn’t from royal blood like Kitana or Shao Kahn’s crafted daughter like Mileena.

But Jade? She is a bodyguard, a warrior and loyal to the core. She actually was closer to me in that regard… skipping the demonic side that is.

Not born to a throne…And yet Kronika had tied her destiny to mine.

Why? What future required Jade specifically?

That moment earlier, when our eyes locked, it replayed uninvited in my mind. There had been something there. Like two people standing at the edge of a road neither had planned to walk.

I was mesmerized by her, her beauty, her skills, her mystique…She was… I don’t know how to describe it. But she had nothing to envy Kitana and Mileena. And let me tell you Kitana, and Mileena by default, are sculptured beauty carved by the best artist in the skies.

“She isn’t royal,” I murmured. “She’s real.”

Maybe that was more dangerous.

“God, I didn’t even know them I was already on the edge.” I whispered to myself irritated at my thoughts.

I scrubbed a hand down my face again.

“I wished Quan Chi came back right now and pull me to the underground, it will be better than being this tense.”

As if summoned by the thought, the massive doors of the throne room opened. Not violently, deliberately.

Bootsteps echoed across stone. I straightened instinctively.

Kitana entered first, of course she did. Her posture was regal, controlled, composed, chin slightly lifted, shoulders squared, authority worn like a mantle she never asked for but accepted anyway.

Jade walked at her left, aligned rather than behind. Equal in presence.

Mileena entered at Kitana’s right, with a dangerous sway in her hips with each step, eyes sharp with amusement beneath her veil.

“I’m telling you, Jade, I know as much as you do about—”

Kitana stopped mid-sentence when she saw me still seated on the steps.

Her eyes lingered on the space between me and the throne.

Not sitting on it…Interesting.

“…him,” she finished coolly.

I gave them a small, controlled smile and rose to my feet.

“Hey,” I said evenly. The sword resting across my knee dissolved into crimson light as I stood, leaving my hands empty and visible.
Mileena’s head tilted slightly.

“Hey,” she echoed, tone playful but studying.

Kitana stepped forward first. Every movement was measured, royal, disciplined and controlled. Even in uncertainty, she carried herself like a sovereign.

She stopped a few steps before him.

“Speak,” she commanded evenly. “Now.”

Her arms folded beneath her chest. Not defensive, evaluating.

I tilted my head slightly. “About…?”

“What do you think, Earthrealmer?” Her voice rose, not hysterical, but strained beneath composure. “The Elder Gods do not make whimsical decrees. How did this happen? How did you become Emperor of Outworld?”

Her questions didn’t come from Jealousy nor outrage but from legitimacy.

Mileena leaned back against one of the crimson pillars, lazily spinning her sai around a finger. “And our husband,” she added playfully. “Don’t forget that charming detail, sister.”

Kitana shot her a look sharp enough to cut steel. “Yes, Mileena. I am painfully aware of that fact.”

Jade stepped forward slightly, posture rigid, eyes locked on Fenrir.

“And why am I bound to this?” she demanded. “I hold no claim to the throne. I was never part of this political game.”

I raised both hands slightly. “Alright. One question at a time.”

I met Kitana’s stare evenly now. “First, I had nothing to do with this decision. You think I orchestrated the Elder Gods?”

“You stood before generals and claimed the throne with remarkable confidence,” Kitana countered coolly. “It did not look like confusion.”

“I. Don’t. Know,” I said firmly. “I acted because six people in that room were seconds away from drawing blood. Strategy doesn’t equal conspiracy.”

Her expression tightened.

“So your promises to Outworld were merely performance?”

“No,” I answered immediately, no hesitation. “Outworld deserves better than Shao Kahn’s tyranny. I meant every word.”

The short-born silence felt heavy for a short moment.

“And that future,” Kitana pressed, “requires us as your wives?”

I exhaled sharply. “How is that my fault?”

Mileena’s eyes gleamed. “Oh, I don’t know… perhaps you sweet-talked the gods? You do have a way with words.”

“Or,” Kitana added coolly, “you see political value in binding Edenia and Outworld through marriage.”

“What? No!” Fenrir ran a hand through his hair. “I did not request this!”

Jade’s voice cut in, sharp as her glaive.

“Then how did you know we would assemble in the throne room this morning?”

That one hit. Damn, she was good. “Listen, I’m going to be straight with you three. I have no reason to lie in any way to you girls.” I began.

I sighed. “After Shao Kahn fell, Raiden teleported me below the arena. We were trying to understand the proclamation when Kronika appeared.”

That caught all three of them. Even Mileena stopped spinning her sai.

“Kronika,” Kitana repeated quietly.

“Yes. She said she foresaw an Earthrealmer ruling Outworld. She convinced the Elder Gods that the champion who defeated Shao Kahn must take the throne.”

Kitana’s mind replayed the arena battle. The clouds, the looming voices combined like one.

It aligned.

“And the marriages?” Jade asked.

“To stabilize the realms. To legitimize the crown. Edenian and outworld blood alongside the new Emperor.”

Despite her doubts… his story checked out with what she saw this morning on the arena. Mileena and Jade felt the same. “And like they said, Mileena and I were chosen to marry you in a way stabilize and legitimize the crown for Edenia and Outworld.”

Kitana absorbed that; Mileena tilted her head. “So you just happened to be the lucky one?”

I gave her a crooked half-smile. “It could’ve been Liu Kang. Or Kung Lao. I suppose fate rolled the dice.”

Mileena gave a soft amused hum.

“But why me?” Jade asked quietly.

The question wasn’t political, it was personal.

Fenrir's tone softened. “Kronika said your destiny intersects with mine. I don’t know how. I don’t know why. But she was certain.”

Jade’s composure wavered for a fraction of a second.

A queen.

She had sworn her life to protect one, not become one.

Kitana pressed fingers to her temple, steadying herself. “Very well,” she said. “Assume we accept this explanation. What do you intend to do?”

I straightened myself. “Well… I intent to stay here. And that includes ruling Outworld, I made a promise to your people. I want to prove them right.” My gaze moved across all three of them.

“With you.”

All three went still. “If you would have me.”

Mileena blinked. “You want us?” she asked, almost incredulous. “All three of us? Has my father’s hammer damaged your judgment?”

“Mileena,” Kitana warned.

She turned back to Fenrir. “You are not bound to us beyond decree, Raiden could likely challenge it with the elder gods if you propose it to him.”

“I know,” Fenrir said quietly. “But I don’t want to.”

That shifted something.

“I’m not an Outworlder. I’m not Edenian. I will fail alone. You three understand these people, their history, their scars. I’m asking for your help, not ownership.”
They listened, really listened.

“I won’t treat you as trophies,” he continued. “You won’t sit beside me silently while I rule. If we do this, we rule together. Your voices matter in council. Your opinions shape policy. We debate, we disagree and we decide.”

Mileena studied me carefully now. “What happens when we clash?” she asked. “When Kitana argues mercy and I demand strength?”

“Then we argue,” I replied calmly. “Until we find something better than either ****.”

Jade’s voice softened. “You would truly listen?”

I met her gaze.

“Yes.” Something **** flickered there.

Kitana inhaled slowly. “In Edenia, rule was built upon unity. Not fear,” she said. “To hear an Emperor speak of equality… it is unexpected.”

“Don’t misunderstand,” Mileena added, teeth flashing slightly behind her veil. “If you attempt to silence me, I will remove your tongue.”

I smirked faintly at that. “Fair.”

That earned the faintest amused sound from her. And she hated that she liked his answer.

Silence fell again, but no longer hostile. Thoughtful.

“So, what will it be?” I asked, not pressing. Just curious for their input.

The three girls looked at each other, the offer sounded good. It was the best of both worlds and the best way to make the most out of this situation…yet they still needed to be sure, not in ruling, at least not for Kitana and Mileena on that side, but in the marriage side. To be with someone for the rest of your life as a queen meant also feeling something for the other, it wasn’t necessary, but it was the only way to ensure a healthy and prosperous future.

Finally, Kitana stepped forward. “I believe I speak for us,” she said carefully. “You are… reasonable. But marriage is more than alliance, it is permanence.”

Mileena didn’t joke.

Jade didn’t interrupt.

“We require time,” Kitana finished. “Until tomorrow.”

I nodded without hesitation. “Take it.” No pressure or demand, just sincere honesty.

For a moment, none of them spoke. Something subtle had shifted in the room. Hope it was, for something good to grow here.

As they turned to leave, Mileena paused just long enough to glance over her shoulder.

“You are either very brave… or very foolish, Emperor.”

Fenrir's smile returned, easy but genuine. “Probably both.”

And for the first time since the Elder Gods’ decree;

Kitana did not looked at me as a usurper.

Jade did not look at me as a threat.

And Mileena did not look at me as prey.

They looked at him as something far more dangerous.

A man who might actually mean what he says.

Kitana and Mileena departed for their chambers not long after.

The throne room slowly fell quiet.

Jade remained behind. She stood near the centre of the hall, her gaze fixed on the towering throne. The seat that had once belonged to Shao Kahn now cast a long shadow across the chamber.

For centuries that throne had meant conquest, bloodshed, and fear. Now it meant uncertainty.

Fenrir watched her quietly for a moment.

Under the torchlight she looked almost ethereal, emerald suit reflecting faint glimmers of gold and black from the braziers lining the hall.
Beautiful. A blinding beauty.

Beautiful. But distant…Like someone standing between two worlds.

“Something on your mind?” I asked gently.

Jade blinked, as if pulled from deep thought.

“A great many things, actually,” she replied honestly. Her tone carried composure, but there was tension beneath it.

I rubbed the back of my neck sheepishly.

“Well… I actually have no idea where my room is.” I shrugged. “So, I suppose I have time to listen.”

Jade looked at me in disbelief, but amused. “You don’t?” her emerald and black mask covered her jovial smile.

I gave her helpless smile. “Why are you laughing?” I said with exaggerated offense. “This is a serious situation.”

That did it.

She laughed, soft at first, then a little brighter as she covered her mouth with her hand.

The sound echoed lightly through the massive chamber.

“Poor emperor,” she teased once she composed herself. “Perhaps you can sleep on the throne tonight. I can bring you a pillow.”

“And a blanket?” I asked hopefully, playing along. Allowing the connection to grow with her, one that came natural for both of us.

“Oh no,” Jade said, raising a finger playfully. “You have servants for that now.”

Fenrir's expression shifted immediately. “Servants… not slaves, I hope?”

The humor faded slightly.

Jade frowned, thinking.

“…I don’t believe Shao Kahn used slaves inside the palace,” she said slowly. “But Outworld has many cruel traditions.”

Her gaze lifted toward the throne again.

“That is something we should examine tomorrow.”

I raised an eyebrow. “We?”

Jade realized what she had said and a faint blush coloured her cheeks beneath the mask.

“Well… yes,” she admitted. “If this arrangement becomes reality, I want to help our people as well. Edenians and Outworlders alike.”
She crossed her arms thoughtfully.

“And abolishing slavery in outworld would be a very good beginning.”

I smiled softly. “Then we already agree on our first decree.”

Jade looked surprised. “You would support that?”

“Without hesitation.” My tone was firm. “Good rulers build loyalty through justice, not chains.”

Something in Jade’s eyes warmed at that.

“That,” she said quietly, “is something I could stand behind.”

She hesitated a moment before speaking again.

“… Fenrir.” She said softly, wanting to not sound insulting for not knowing his name. “That’s your name, correct?”

I chuckled. “Yes. Fenrir Blackmore.”

I gestured toward her. “And you are Jade.”

She nodded gracefully. “Pleased to meet you… properly.”

“The pleasure is mine.” I added with a smile.

For a brief moment neither none of us spoke.

Jade seemed to be debating something internally. Her fingers tightened slightly at her side.

Finally, she asked, her voice softer now.

“…Do you believe I could be a good empress?”

The question carried more weight than the words themselves.

I studied her carefully. This wasn’t political… This was doubt.

“I believe you could,” I answered calmly.

I tilted my head barely. “Do you think I could be a good emperor?”

Jade blinked in surprise. She hadn’t expected the question to return.

“That is… difficult to answer.”

She looked at me thoughtfully.

“Ruling was never something I imagined for my future.”

I nodded.

“Same.” That earned a faint smile from her.

“But,” she continued, searching my face carefully, “a ruler must possess more than a kind heart.”

“I agree,” I said. “But it’s a good start.”

Jade studied his eyes carefully. “You don’t know me,” she said quietly.

“No,” I admitted. “But I don’t think someone who cares this much about the people would ask that question if she didn’t truly want to do the right thing.”
Jade’s expression softened.

“You truly believe that?”

I gently reached out and took her hand. “I do.” I lowered my voice slightly “I think you are stronger than you realize.”

Their eyes held for a moment. A small spark passed between us; subtle and fragile, but real.

“Thank you,” Jade said softly.

She exhaled slowly before answering his earlier question.

“As for you…”

She turned her gaze slightly towards the balcony windows overlooking the capital.

“I cannot yet say what kind of emperor you will become.”

Her fingers lightly traced over my hand as she spoke.

“But I saw no deceit in your words earlier.”

She looked back at me.

“And that matters.”

Her posture straightened, returning briefly to the proud warrior she was.

“If you remain true to what you said tonight… then I will stand beside you.”

I listened quietly.

“I want to help you,” she continued.

Her emerald eyes burned with conviction now.

“I want to help build a realm where Edenians and Outworlders alike can live without fear.”

She stepped closer. “And if you prove worthy of the throne…”

Her hand rose and rested gently against his chest.

“I would be proud to call you, my emperor.” Her voice softened. “And my husband.”

I intertwined my fingers with hers. “I hope I can become that man.”

Jade shook her head gently. “Do not become that man for me.”

She pointed toward the massive window overlooking the city below. “Become him for them.”

Torchlights flickered in the distance across the sprawling capital of Outworld, Sun do. Thousands of lives, thousands of futures.

“They deserve better than what they have known.”

I nodded slowly. “They will have it.”

Jade searched his face one last time. “If you prove your words true,” she said quietly, “then one day I will give you, my heart.”

There was sincerity in her voice. Not flirtation, a promise.

“I will become the queen your empire deserves.”

I smiled warmly. “I would rather earn it than take it.”

Jade studied him for another moment.

Then slowly… she removed her mask.

Fenrir forgot how to breathe.

Her beauty was breathtaking, not just physically, but in the calm warmth of her presence.

She stepped closer again, placing her hand over his heart once more.

“If that day comes,” she whispered softly, rising slightly onto her toes to meet his height,

“Then I will gladly give you the heirs we deserve.”

Her voice lowered, intimate but dignified.

“Children who will prove that a dynasty born from virtue can be stronger than one forged through fear.”

I turned bright red instantly.

Jade stepped back with a quiet smile, satisfied with the effect. She turned and began walking toward the exit, giving her walk a small sway on her hips seductively. Halfway there she paused and glanced over her shoulder.

“Oh… and your room.”

I blinked. “Yes?”

“Third floor,” she said with a playful smile. “End of the hall.”

She gestured casually. “It is rather difficult to miss. The emperor’s chambers are… excessive.”

I chuckled. “Noted.”

Jade smiled again, a genuine one this time. “Good night, Emperor.”

I gave her a small respectful bow. “Good night… Queen Jade.”

She laughed softly at that; the title no longer sounded so strange.

And as she disappeared into the corridor, Fenrir remained standing in the throne room with a stunned grin on his face.

I exhaled slowly.“Well…” I looked up at Shao Kahn’s empty throne.

“I guess this might go better than I expected.”