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Kitana's Blade of Destiny by Jade Gretz

The air hung heavy with anticipation within the throne room of Edenia. Kitana, adorned in her regal blue garb, stood poised at the center of the polished obsidian floor. But a disquieting tremor ran through her, a creeping sensation that something wasn't right. It wasn't the gnawing ache from the recent battles, the wounds of war slowly healing. This was different, something deeper, more insidious.

As she lifted her hand to address the assembled court, a flicker of shadow detached itself from beneath her cape. It writhed and pulsed for a fraction of a second before solidifying into a miniature replica of her, clad in the same royal attire. Only, this Kitana wore an expression of pure malice, devoid of the warmth that resided in the true Kitana's eyes.

A stifled gasp rose from the court as the spectral Kitana mirrored her every movement – a mocking shadow puppet enacting a grotesque pantomime. Panic bubbled up within Kitana, a cold sweat breaking out on her brow. These shadows weren't a reflection, weren't some optical illusion. They were sentient, malicious things, born from the darkness that had clung to her since the fall of Edenia.

Memories, ones she had repressed for years, flooded back. The screams of her people, the brutality of Shao Kahn's conquest, the betrayal by her supposed father. All of it, fueling the darkness that now materialized into these spectral tormentors.

With a snarl, Kitana lunged at the shadow, her fans whipping the air. The spectral Kitana simply dissolved into a cloud of darkness before reforming a few feet away, a mocking laughter echoing within her mind. This wasn't a physical battle; it was a fight against her own nightmares given form.

As the court watched in horror, the shadows multiplied. Dozens of spectral Kitanas, their expressions twisting into grotesque caricatures of her emotions – fear, rage, despair. They mimicked her every gesture, each movement dripping with a malicious intent that gnawed at Kitana's sanity.

One shadow lunged, its touch a cold, searing sensation as it ripped through the regal blue fabric of her dress. Fear turned to fury. Kitana, drawing upon years of martial training, unleashed a flurry of attacks, her fans singing as they sliced through the air. But the shadows remained unharmed, their forms dissolving and reforming at will, a mocking dance that drained her energy with each passing moment.

The whispers of the court grew louder, laced with fear and uncertainty. The queen, their symbol of hope, was under attack by unseen forces. Despair threatened to engulf Kitana, the shadows echoing her own thoughts with a chilling accuracy.

"You're weak," they hissed in unison, their voices a chorus of despair. "You couldn't save Edenia. You couldn't save your father. All you are is failure!"

Kitana stumbled back, tears welling in her eyes. The shadows were right. She had failed. She had lost everything that was dear to her. They were feeding on her despair, growing stronger with every tear that fell.

But then, a flicker of defiance sparked within her. This wasn't the end. She, Kitana, princess of Edenia, would not succumb to these phantoms. She closed her eyes, focusing on the memory of her mother, Queen Sindel, her strength and unwavering love. It was a memory tainted by manipulation, by Shao Kahn's lies, but it was also a memory of fierce loyalty and unwavering belief.

With newfound resolve, Kitana took a deep breath. She wouldn't fight the darkness directly. She would face it, embrace the pain, and use it to fuel her own strength.

Opening her eyes, she activated her Soul Power, the technique honed during her time with Jade. A shimmering blue light erupted from her, pushing back the shadows momentarily. The whispers turned into screeches as the light burned them, not physically, but on a deeper level.

"You're not me!" Kitana roared, her voice resonating with power. "You're the embodiment of my failures, my pain. And I will not let you define me!"

She unleashed a burst of Soul Power, this time channeling her pain, her rage, not into despair, but into a cleansing fire. The shadows writhed in agony, their forms flickering and fading. One by one, they dissolved into wisps of darkness, retreating back into the crevices of her being.

The court held its breath as Kitana stood panting, the last vestiges of the shadows dissipating around her. The room, once buzzing with whispers of fear, was now filled with an awed silence.

Kitana straightened her back, the memory of the encounter etched on her face. She knew these shadows weren't gone forever. They were a part of her now, a consequence of her past. But she had faced them, conquered them with the strength of her will

and the memory of her mother's love.

As Kitana addressed the court, her voice firm and unwavering, she spoke of the darkness within, not as a weakness, but as a challenge. She spoke of the importance of acknowledging one's pain, facing one's demons, and emerging stronger. It was a message that resonated deeply within the hearts of her people, who had all known their own share of suffering under Shao Kahn's rule.

The road to rebuilding Edenia wouldn't be easy. Scars, both physical and emotional, would take time to heal. But under Kitana's leadership, they would heal together. They would rebuild their home, not solely on the foundations of the past, but with the lessons learned from the darkness.

However, Kitana knew the shadows still lurked within her, waiting for an opportunity to resurface. They would test her resolve, exploit moments of weakness. But each time they did, Kitana would stand her ground, drawing strength from her loved ones, both lost and living.

One day, Kitana hoped, she would completely purge the darkness from her being. But for now, she would wield it – not as a weapon of destruction, but as a source of power, a constant reminder of the battles she had fought and the strength she possessed.

As days turned into weeks, Kitana's control over her Soul Power grew. She learned to channel the darkness within, not to unleash it, but to bolster her resilience. It was a dance, a constant push and pull between light and shadow. There were setbacks, moments when the shadows threatened to overwhelm her.

But during those moments, Kitana would seek solace in the training courtyard, her fans flashing as she honed her martial skills. Or she would visit Jade's tomb, the pain of her friend's loss fueling her determination. And each time, she would emerge stronger, the shadows retreating further into the recesses of her being.

News of Kitana's victory over her inner demons spread throughout the realms. Whispers turned to admiration, fear to respect. She became a symbol of hope, not just for Edenia, but for all those battling their own inner darkness.

Kitana knew the fight was far from over. Shao Kahn's forces still plotted in the shadows, and other threats loomed on the horizon. But she faced them with a newfound confidence, a warrior queen who had stared into the abyss and emerged unbroken.

The shadows remained, a constant reminder of her past. But they no longer defined her. They were simply a part of who she was, a testament to her strength and resilience. And as long as the fire of her spirit burned bright, Kitana, princess of Edenia, would stand tall, a beacon of hope in a world shrouded in darkness.

...for more supergirl, chun li, batgirl, tifa, lara croft, wonder woman, rogue, power girl, poison ivy and much more, please visit my page at www.deviantart.com/jadegretzai - Thanks for your support

Description
Kitana's Blade of Destiny by Jade Gretz

The air hung heavy with anticipation within the throne room of Edenia. Kitana, adorned in her regal blue garb, stood poised at the center of the polished obsidian floor. But a disquieting tremor ran through her, a creeping sensation that something wasn't right. It wasn't the gnawing ache from the recent battles, the wounds of war slowly healing. This was different, something deeper, more insidious.

As she lifted her hand to address the assembled court, a flicker of shadow detached itself from beneath her cape. It writhed and pulsed for a fraction of a second before solidifying into a miniature replica of her, clad in the same royal attire. Only, this Kitana wore an expression of pure malice, devoid of the warmth that resided in the true Kitana's eyes.

A stifled gasp rose from the court as the spectral Kitana mirrored her every movement – a mocking shadow puppet enacting a grotesque pantomime. Panic bubbled up within Kitana, a cold sweat breaking out on her brow. These shadows weren't a reflection, weren't some optical illusion. They were sentient, malicious things, born from the darkness that had clung to her since the fall of Edenia.

Memories, ones she had repressed for years, flooded back. The screams of her people, the brutality of Shao Kahn's conquest, the betrayal by her supposed father. All of it, fueling the darkness that now materialized into these spectral tormentors.

With a snarl, Kitana lunged at the shadow, her fans whipping the air. The spectral Kitana simply dissolved into a cloud of darkness before reforming a few feet away, a mocking laughter echoing within her mind. This wasn't a physical battle; it was a fight against her own nightmares given form.

As the court watched in horror, the shadows multiplied. Dozens of spectral Kitanas, their expressions twisting into grotesque caricatures of her emotions – fear, rage, despair. They mimicked her every gesture, each movement dripping with a malicious intent that gnawed at Kitana's sanity.

One shadow lunged, its touch a cold, searing sensation as it ripped through the regal blue fabric of her dress. Fear turned to fury. Kitana, drawing upon years of martial training, unleashed a flurry of attacks, her fans singing as they sliced through the air. But the shadows remained unharmed, their forms dissolving and reforming at will, a mocking dance that drained her energy with each passing moment.

The whispers of the court grew louder, laced with fear and uncertainty. The queen, their symbol of hope, was under attack by unseen forces. Despair threatened to engulf Kitana, the shadows echoing her own thoughts with a chilling accuracy.

"You're weak," they hissed in unison, their voices a chorus of despair. "You couldn't save Edenia. You couldn't save your father. All you are is failure!"

Kitana stumbled back, tears welling in her eyes. The shadows were right. She had failed. She had lost everything that was dear to her. They were feeding on her despair, growing stronger with every tear that fell.

But then, a flicker of defiance sparked within her. This wasn't the end. She, Kitana, princess of Edenia, would not succumb to these phantoms. She closed her eyes, focusing on the memory of her mother, Queen Sindel, her strength and unwavering love. It was a memory tainted by manipulation, by Shao Kahn's lies, but it was also a memory of fierce loyalty and unwavering belief.

With newfound resolve, Kitana took a deep breath. She wouldn't fight the darkness directly. She would face it, embrace the pain, and use it to fuel her own strength.

Opening her eyes, she activated her Soul Power, the technique honed during her time with Jade. A shimmering blue light erupted from her, pushing back the shadows momentarily. The whispers turned into screeches as the light burned them, not physically, but on a deeper level.

"You're not me!" Kitana roared, her voice resonating with power. "You're the embodiment of my failures, my pain. And I will not let you define me!"

She unleashed a burst of Soul Power, this time channeling her pain, her rage, not into despair, but into a cleansing fire. The shadows writhed in agony, their forms flickering and fading. One by one, they dissolved into wisps of darkness, retreating back into the crevices of her being.

The court held its breath as Kitana stood panting, the last vestiges of the shadows dissipating around her. The room, once buzzing with whispers of fear, was now filled with an awed silence.

Kitana straightened her back, the memory of the encounter etched on her face. She knew these shadows weren't gone forever. They were a part of her now, a consequence of her past. But she had faced them, conquered them with the strength of her will

and the memory of her mother's love.

As Kitana addressed the court, her voice firm and unwavering, she spoke of the darkness within, not as a weakness, but as a challenge. She spoke of the importance of acknowledging one's pain, facing one's demons, and emerging stronger. It was a message that resonated deeply within the hearts of her people, who had all known their own share of suffering under Shao Kahn's rule.

The road to rebuilding Edenia wouldn't be easy. Scars, both physical and emotional, would take time to heal. But under Kitana's leadership, they would heal together. They would rebuild their home, not solely on the foundations of the past, but with the lessons learned from the darkness.

However, Kitana knew the shadows still lurked within her, waiting for an opportunity to resurface. They would test her resolve, exploit moments of weakness. But each time they did, Kitana would stand her ground, drawing strength from her loved ones, both lost and living.

One day, Kitana hoped, she would completely purge the darkness from her being. But for now, she would wield it – not as a weapon of destruction, but as a source of power, a constant reminder of the battles she had fought and the strength she possessed.

As days turned into weeks, Kitana's control over her Soul Power grew. She learned to channel the darkness within, not to unleash it, but to bolster her resilience. It was a dance, a constant push and pull between light and shadow. There were setbacks, moments when the shadows threatened to overwhelm her.

But during those moments, Kitana would seek solace in the training courtyard, her fans flashing as she honed her martial skills. Or she would visit Jade's tomb, the pain of her friend's loss fueling her determination. And each time, she would emerge stronger, the shadows retreating further into the recesses of her being.

News of Kitana's victory over her inner demons spread throughout the realms. Whispers turned to admiration, fear to respect. She became a symbol of hope, not just for Edenia, but for all those battling their own inner darkness.

Kitana knew the fight was far from over. Shao Kahn's forces still plotted in the shadows, and other threats loomed on the horizon. But she faced them with a newfound confidence, a warrior queen who had stared into the abyss and emerged unbroken.

The shadows remained, a constant reminder of her past. But they no longer defined her. They were simply a part of who she was, a testament to her strength and resilience. And as long as the fire of her spirit burned bright, Kitana, princess of Edenia, would stand tall, a beacon of hope in a world shrouded in darkness.

...for more supergirl, chun li, batgirl, tifa, lara croft, wonder woman, rogue, power girl, poison ivy and much more, please visit my page at www.deviantart.com/jadegretzai - Thanks for your support