Leverage [Chapter XVII]

[Chloe/Kat]

Although the Empress was no stranger to Crystal City and the way Aircano carried itself, this would have marked her first visit to the original site of the holy city. For obvious reasons Chloe did not venture far into her neighbor's territory given their stance on unholy creatures such as herself, and the timing of recruiting them to their side couldn't have been poorer considering not too long ago they were at each other's throats as her forces marched to Kari. But the threat of the Netherrealm could no longer go on deaf ears.

It wasn't long at all until the Empress found herself surrounded by Aircano's soldiers with their swords and spears drawn on the woman. She showed little concerned for the weapons aimed at her as a simple swing of Kasul each man would fall to the ground and their souls would be devoured. Aircano had no advantages over anything anymore now that their god was gone and the Netherrealm made their holy powers weaker, leaving them vulnerable should the army make it to the holy city.

"Miracle! Show yourself before I give you more bodies to bury."

[Miracle]

Miracle was praying inside the temple at the altar, the hardest she's ever prayed to God since the day the Arashi came to this city and destroyed the place. This time it was the Demon World that was marching through Jherra and if they weren't stopped by the Empire of Jherrazad then they would come here and Miracle would not, could not allow Aircano to be lost a third time. Chloe's booming voice reached her ears and the High Priestess tore away from the prayer and fled the temple to see Chloe up ahead surrounded by Aircano's guards.

"Stand down!"

The High Priestess commanded, this time in their sake rather than the sake of the one they were threatening like Maricul and Sparda before her. Coming down the stairs from the temple's entrance, the guards moved behind the High Priestess this time staying nearby in case things turned for the worse as Miracle addressed the Empress.

"Why are you here? Have you come to finish us?"

[Chloe/Kat]

"I've come to bestow the mercy your people have lacked." Chloe said unapologetically, her eyes remaining on Miracle and her men without blinking even once. "At this very moment the Netherrealm makes way for my Empire, they've already conquered Moon Valley and forced the survivors into my care. If they make it pass me Aircano will be the next city to fall and your power weakens while theirs grow stronger. If you wish to survive then you've no choice but to ally with us." Chloe left no room for debate Miracle's options were simple; fight with us or die alone.

[Miracle]

The soldiers around Miracle began to grow angry towards Chloe but Miracle held up her hand as a signal for them to calm themselves. More casualties was exactly the thing she were trying to avoid. Her facial features remained calm and professional despite the child inside struggling with what to do. On the one hand it seemed obvious that she should side with Chloe but on the other what would God think of such an alliance? Would He punish her again for insubordination? If only He would answer her prayers.

"You are my enemy. Why should I trust you?"

[Chloe/Kat]

"Because you have no choice but to trust me." Chloe replied plainly, paying no attention to the anger from the soldiers. "This isn't a negotiation, you have nothing to deal with. You, your people and your home will be destroyed if you insist on your this crusade against my kind."

[Miracle]

"And if I join you I risk the wrath of the Lord God himself a third time."

For once she wasn't just being a jerk because of what she was, though vampire or not Chloe was far from being innocent herself. The High Priestess has heard of the innocent lives she's taken both to appease her blood lust and to invoke her authority as Empress. The kind of leader God was no stranger of destroying for their wicked deeds.

[Chloe/Kat]

"And if you don't you risk feeling my wrath." It was a threat she could easily follow through on considering the Netherrealm field advantage made her army stronger as well. Even with the ability to summon Aper on their own Aircano would be powerless against any kind of invasion force coming upon their soil and her god would not come to their aid. "The choice is yours."

[Miracle]

Miracle was at a crossroads it seems. She could either join with the Empire of Jherrazad now at the risk of feeling God's wrath later on or refuse and face an attack on Aircano this instance with Jherrazad at the helm, which wouldn't be good for either side.

"If you assault me you will have no one left to defend your city."

And then the Netherrealm would speed through both Jherrazad and Aircano before reaching Kari and the Downward Spiral.

"You may want to reevaluate your stance."

[Chloe/Kat]

Chloe said nothing, instead she simply stared at Miracle and her guards before a second Chloe stood to her right, and a third to her left. Behind them several more Chloes came, all with a Kasul in hand and the Waking Nightmare within their grasp. Chloe didn't need an army, she was one.

"You may want to reevaluate yours."

[Miracle]

The guards prepared themselves for battle but again Miracle would tell them to stand down, refusing to allow any more of her men to die today. She knew not what Lord Yahweh would have wanted, though she knew his word by heart his recent motives has grown unclear even to her and he no longer answered her prayers. Closing her eyes, delivering a silent prayer she saw to it if Yahweh did punish them that she would take all the blame and her people would be spared. That was all she asked for.

"Then you leave me no choice. You have our support for when the Netherrealm attacks Jherrazad."

[Chloe/Kat]

Chloe had nothing more to say as she nodded in response to the High Priestess and she, alongside the rest of the Chloes, all turned around and walked together in sync as their defense against the in-coming Netherrealm forces was just made that much stronger.