Liu Kang runs to Raiden’s side.
LIU KANG: Lord Raiden! We should listen. He may be telling the
truth!
Raiden takes something from his belt. The camera pans to his
back, not showing what the object is.
RAIDEN: There is only one way to find out.
A charging sound is heard, and Scorpion is blasted backwards
by a bolt of energy. We now see that Raiden has used Shinnok’s
amulet. The ninja remains on the ground, writhing in agony.
RAIDEN: Now, Scorpion. The truth!
Liu Kang, clearly disturbed at what he’s just seen, steps in
between Raiden and Scorpion.
LIU KANG: Raiden, stop this!
Raiden shoves him aside.
RAIDEN: Step aside, Liu Kang!
LIU KANG: Put down the amulet! Its darkness is taking hold of you!
In response, Raiden blasts Liu Kang with a burst of energy,
knocking him to the ground.
RAIDEN: Our time has run out. I do what I must to save Earthrealm.
As Liu Kang rises, Raiden charges up his hands with lightning
and strikes the ground near the Shaolin’s feet.
RAIDEN: Stay down!
LIU KANG: This is not the way. Scorpion is not the enemy this time.
RAIDEN: Liu Kang, do not interfere!
They fight. Even though both of them are holding back, the battle
is an even match, with Liu Kang’s martial arts skill quite
possibly surpassing even Raiden’s. But the Thunder God’s
immortality means that he will always hold the advantage, and
Raiden eventually manages to knock Liu Kang to the floor.
RAIDEN: Do not force my hand, Liu Kang. The realms hang in the
balance! To defend them, I must command order!
Liu Kang stands back to his feet, disbelief evident in his eyes.
LIU KANG: I thought it impossible, but the revenants were right.
He points a finger at Raiden.
LIU KANG: You cannot be trusted!
RAIDEN: I do not need trust! I demand obedience!
On the word “obedience”, Raiden charges his hands with lightning.
But this time the lightning flashes red, and his eyes also turn
from blue to red.
LIU KANG: Enough of your madness. If you must die… so be it.
On hearing those words, Raiden steps backward, uncertainty
gripping him. His eyes fade from red back to blue.
RAIDEN: This– this has happened… before…
The scene cuts to an abandoned building in Earthrealm, with a
green portal opened – previously seen in Mortal Kombat 9.
Shao Kahn walks through the portal, standing and taking in his
surroundings. Across from him, Liu Kang clenches his fist and
starts forward, but Raiden steps in his path.
RAIDEN: Liu Kang, do not interfere! You cannot fight Shao Kahn!
In response, Liu Kang charges his fist with his signature fire.
RAIDEN: Liu Kang, stop!
LIU KANG: Enough of your madness! If you must die, so be it!
Liu Kang jumps in the air the intent of running through Raiden
with a flaming punch. In self defense, Raiden catches his
hand and channels lightning through it, electrocuting Liu Kang,
who screams from the pain and is blasted backwards…
…through a wall in the Dead Pool in Outworld.
He flips in the air and lands on his feet, sliding to a halt,
and his clothes have changed in the process, as he is now sporting
a blue bandanna and matching attire. As he assumes a fighting
stance, Raiden – now clothed in red attire – jumps into the fight
with a flying kick. Liu Kang catches the kick, twirls around and
throws Raiden back the way he came…
…and straight into another location, this time the broken
randomness of Chaosrealm. A newly attired Raiden crashes into a
broken pillar, and a tattooed Liu Kang with a black bandanna
blasts him with a stream of fire. Raiden counters with a lightning
blast that sends Liu Kang falling backwards. He whirls to his feet
as Raiden charges in. Kang blocks the strikes that Raiden throws,
but the Thunder God powers through his defenses and picks Liu Kang
up, hoisting him over his head. He throws him…
…onto the surface of an underground subway in Earthrealm. Now
wearing a yellow bandanna and matching clothing, Liu Kang rises
to his feet to face a purple attired Raiden, who jumps into the
fight with a flying kick as a subway train thunders by. Liu Kang
catches the kick, twirls around and throws Raiden back the way
he came…
…into a pillar in Shang Tsung’s palace, with a soulnado raging
behind both the revenant Raiden and Liu Kang…
…which immediately changes to the Battle of Armageddon – as
seen in the original Mortal Kombat timeline. Dark Raiden crashes
hard into a pillar supporting one of the torches of the pyramid.
The zombie Liu Kang blasts him with a stream of fire. Raiden
counters with a lightning blast that sends Liu Kang falling
backwards. He whirls to his feet as Raiden charges in. Kang blocks
the strikes that Raiden throws, but the Thunder God powers through
his defenses and picks Liu Kang up, hoisting him over his head.
With the fire of Blaze roaring on the top level above them, Raiden
throws him…
…into the Warrior’s Shrine of Earthrealm…
…and into the subway once again. Liu Kang rises to his feet…
…in Chaosrealm, to face a dark blue attired Raiden, who jumps
into the fight with a flying kick…
…in the Dead Pool. The revenant Liu Kang catches the kick…
…in the Battle of Armageddon, a fully human Liu Kang twirls
around and throws Raiden back the way he came…
…again, and again, and again, the exact same motions occurring
in different locations, different timelines…
…until back in the current timeline, Raiden falls to his knees.
The vision he has witnessed – from the perspective of the dozens
of selves that came before him – has shocked him to his very core.
Cassie Cage runs up to his side, as does Jacqui and Jax. Raiden
holds Shinnok’s amulet in the palm of his hand…
…and then decisively slams it into the ground. He looks up at
Liu Kang, regret clear in his expression, and slowly stands to his
feet.
RAIDEN: I have been a fool, Liu Kang. Kronika’s puppet. We only
battle because she wills it.
He looks over to Scorpion, still writhing in pain.
RAIDEN: I must help him.
He walks to Scorpion’s side and channels his power through his
palm. Unlike his normal lightning blasts, this is a blue pulsing
light, and it heals Scorpion from the dark magic he was suffering
from. He extends his hand, which is taken by Scorpion, and helps
him to his feet.
RAIDEN: I was wrong to doubt you. I too have been a slave to
anger.
LIU KANG: I do not understand, Lord Raiden. Your rage was caused
by Kronika?
RAIDEN: Yes. I succumbed to her influence. But then, our
confrontation… it unlocked memories. Memories not only from this
timeline, but from timelines that have come before.
CASSIE: Wait a sec. Timelines? Plural?
RAIDEN: Kronika has restarted time on countless previous
occasions, using each timeline to learn and to perfect her plan.
The details of each timeline are different. But in each one,
events conspire to bring Liu Kang and I into conflict. In each
one, he dies. Only Kronika has such power to control time and
fate.
CASSIE: I don’t get it. Why do that?
RAIDEN: I do not know. But be assured, Kronika will control us no
longer.
As he finishes saying this, a sandstorm kicks into the area,
gradually freezing everyone in the vicinity of it, except Raiden,
who remains unaffected due to being a god and existing outside of
time. As he looks around at time coming to a standstill, the
tornado gathers in one location in the middle of the air… and
forms into Kronika. He meets her indiffernt gaze with anger.
KRONIKA: At long last, you see the pattern.
RAIDEN: The pattern, but not the purpose. Why set me against Liu
Kang?
KRONIKA: Is it not obvious? Your combined power threatens my
vision for the timeline.
RAIDEN: Liu Kang and I will not be divided further by your
machinations.
Kronika chuckles at this words.
KRONIKA: Oh, Raiden. Do you think this is the first time you made
that vow? We have repeated this exact conversation so often, in so
many timelines, I have lost count.
RAIDEN: This timeline will end differently.
KRONIKA: We have played out all possible scenarios, Raiden. You
cannot win. You are welcome to try, of course… but without Liu
Kang at your side.
She motions with her hands, and the frozen Liu Kang begins
to dissolve, with traces of sand marking his body. Kronika smiles
serenly at Raiden’s outrage.
KRONIKA: Enjoy these final hours, Raiden. They are all you have.
With another swirl of sand, she disappears as well, taking Liu
Kang with her in another time tornado. Raiden is left alone,
contemplating everything that has taken place in front of him. A
moment later, time is restored and everyone else comes out of
the frozen state they were in. They look around in confusion.
CASSIE: Liu Kang! Where is he?
RAIDEN: Kronika has taken him to her Isle. We must leave
immediately. To save the realms… we must save Liu Kang.
The scene cuts to Kronika’s Keep. Liu Kang is chained down in a
chair, facing Geras, who has upgraded his clothing to feature an
armoured chestplate and helmet.
LIU KANG: A new look, just for me? You shouldn’t have.
Geras steps forward, but says nothing.
LIU KANG: What do you want from me?
KRONIKA: You will aid in my protection.
Liu Kang turns around to see Kronika, alongside his revanant self
and the revenants of Kung Lao, Kitana and Jade.
Y. LIU KANG: Not likely.
O. LIU KANG: I have mastered Shinnok’s sorcery. I will add your
soul’s strength to mine, and finally avenge myself upon Raiden.
KRONIKA: My friends, Raiden’s armies are coming. They will fight
us, and they will lose.
The scene cuts to the bow of a ship, sailing across a sea of
blood. The ship is helmed by Kharon, and Raiden stands next to
him. Behind Raiden stand Sub-Zero and Scorpion.
On another ship, Cassie stands alongside Jax and Jacqui, with what
remains of the Special Forces behind them. Cassie looks toward
the horizon, determination etched on her features. Jax checks over
an assault rifle in his hands, and Jacqui hands him an extra clip
of ammunition.
On a different ship, Kung Lao walks to the bow and looks to the
horizon. Behind him are rows of Shaolin warriors, all seated
and meditating in prayer.
Admist one more ship are a loosely formed congregation of Outworld
species – Osh-Tekk loyalists, Tarkatans and Shokan. Kitana walks
among them to the ship bow, receiving a passing nod from Baraka,
a salute from Sheeva, and finally a warm smile from Jade. She too
looks to the horizon before them.
Back on the first ship, Kharon addresses Raiden.
KHARON: Kronika’s Isle lies beyond the fog.
A foghorn is sounded, the echo felt by the inhabitants from all
the ships. Cassie brings her binoculars to her eyes and looks
through them. From her perspective, we see a large armoured
ship approaching through the fog, metallic in design. On the
bow of that ship, Geras and the Cyber Lin Kuei behind him
walk up to the ship’s captain – Frost.
On Kharon’s flagship, he watches with concern.
KHARON: Battleships.
He turns to Raiden.
KHARON: My ferries cannot fight a war.
RAIDEN: This fleet is under my protection.
Kharon nods in agreement as Raiden turns to address the others.
RAIDEN: If Kharon falls, our fleet cannot sail. Protect him at all
costs.
Back on the battleship, Frost looks to her army.
FROST: Ramming speed!
The gigantic battleship begins to gain further momentum, now
coming within sailing distance of Kharon’s flagship. It vears
toward the flagship’s starboard, prompting Kharon to swing the
boat’s wheel hard to port. He does so just in time, as the
battleship grinds against the starboard side of his boat but
fails to shear it. The Special Forces’ ship also grinds against
the battleship on its port side, staggering everyone on board, but
the boat remains intact.
Back on Kharon’s ship, Raiden helps Sub-Zero up to his feet, but
a loud sound from above catches their attention. Dozens of Cyber
Lin Kuei leap from the battleship onto the boat, and battle
is immediately joined. Raiden blocks a flying kick from a cyborg
and parries the strike of another, disabling it with a lightning
enhanced kick. He strikes another and kicks it aside, before
blocking a third cyborg’s strike and disabling it with a flying
knee.
Sub-Zero and Scorpion throw a pair of cyborgs to the floorboards
and Sub-Zero kicks away another while fending off a third,
also disabling it with a roundhouse kick. At the same time,
Scorpion disables the cyborg he threw with a punch to the face
and catches the leg of another, disabling it by stabbing it with
his kunai.
Sub-Zero blocks an attempted strike from another cyborg, dropping
it with a disabling face punch. He turns to block a cyborgs
punch, catching a second strike and taking it out of commission
with a kick to the neck. He follows through with a forearm chop
to the same location for good measure. Yet another cyborg
attempts to kick him, but Sub-Zero blocks the strike, parries
two punches and shoots an ice blast to the cyborg’s thigh.
With the cyborg immobilised, Scorpion rushes it from behind and
plunges his hand into its back, tearing out the cyborgs spine
(along with the head for good measure). He uses the head-and-spine
as a makeshift club, battering another three cyborgs across the
face with it.
Four more cyborgs approach Raiden, but he charges his hands and
disables them all with a barrage of lightning. He then ducks,
narrowly avoiding a fireball that explodes behind him. He faces
down the one who threw it… the elder Jackson Briggs. As from
before, Jax is torn up with sorrow, but that only drives him
onward.
JAX: I don’t want to fight, but I’ve got to! For Jacqui’s sake
and mine!
They fight. Jax’s upgrades prove to be a challenge for even the
Thunder God – albeit because Raiden is holding back his true
strength. As a result, the fight lasts longer than one might
expect, but just like before, Jax’s inner conflict means he
cannot sustain his assault and soon Raiden manages to defeat him.
RAIDEN: Let me help you.
He approaches Jax, who is on his knees.
RAIDEN: Kronika’s promises to you are a cruel deception. She is
the mother of Shinnok, the architect of your revenant enslavement.
This revelation catches Jax by surprise.
JAX: But… no. She’s Cetrion’s mother.
RAIDEN: Cetrion is Shinnok’s sister. In Kronika’s New Era, Shinnok
will be the darkness to balance Cetrion’s light.
JAX: …Which’ll only happen if the realms keep on fighting each
other.
Raiden offers his hand. Jax takes it and stands to his feet. He
looks to Scorpion and Sub-Zero, still fighting off the Cyber Lin
Kuei.
JAX: What have I done? I’m a fool.
RAIDEN: It is not foolish to fight for your family’s betterment.
JAX: I’m sorry, Raiden. I promise to make this right.
With that, he leaps up into the air, coming down fist-first onto
a cyborg and knocking it for a loop with a ferocious clothesline.
He then kicks another cyborg in the side, punches it in the
stomach and hits a forearm hammer to its back, knocking it down.
He stops another cyborg’s punch and punches it in the sternum,
before slamming it to the floor. He punches it in the face to
make sure it’s disabled, then walks over and backhands another
cyborg out of his way.
While Jax rampages through the Cyber Lin Kuei, another figure
leaps from the battleship to face down Raiden – Geras. The Thunder
God immediately flies toward him with his Electric Fly attack, but
Geras grabs him by the throat in mid-flight, punches him in the
face and throws him back the way he came, causing Raiden to smash
hard into the ship mast. He regains his feet as Geras comes
forward.
GERAS: I have died a thousand deaths to prepare for this battle.
My defeat is impossible. Yours, inevitable.
They fight. Try as he might, not even Raiden can stop Geras.
Every time he is blasted or knocked down, the construct rises
again. But in turn, Geras is unable to penetrate Raiden’s
defenses, and after a long battle, the Thunder God manages to
floor Geras for a moment with a concentrated attack.
RAIDEN: I will suffer you no more.
As Geras rises again, Raiden aims a lighting bolt above Geras’
head, striking a nearby link of chains. The chains come down
directly on Geras, pinning and immobilising him. Raiden
then shoots a lightning bolt at the object the chains are
connected to – the ship’s anchor. It falls into the sea, the
chains following rapidly after it. Unable to move, Geras
realises he too will be dragged down, but he remains defiant.
GERAS: Drowning cannot kill me, Raiden.
RAIDEN: That is unfortunate for you. The Sea of Blood is
bottomless. You will fall forever.
Finally, the last of the chains falls from the side of the ship,
dragging Geras with them. He only has time for one last shout
of rage before he plunges into the depths of the sea. We see
his face one more time as he falls into the blood filled abyss…
and the rage has turned into despair.
Raiden pauses with grim satisfaction for a moment, before
a loud cry catches his attention. Frost jumps from the battleship
and lands on the deck, facing him down.
FROST: Now do I have your attention, Raiden? The warriors sinking
your fleet are under my command.
RAIDEN: You have a devil’s bargin with Kronika, Frost.
FROST: You ignored me my entire life. Kronika saw my talent from
the start.
They fight. Even with her cybernetic upgrades giving her power
to even surpass her mentor Sub-Zero, Frost still remains no
match for the God of Thunder. Her reckless assaults are turned
aside by Raiden and countered effortlessly, and soon enough
Frost is on the ground and unconscious at his hands.
RAIDEN: Envy and ambition consume you.
Sub-Zero approaches, looking upset at the sight of his wayward
pupil.
SUB-ZERO: Such wasted potential.
RAIDEN: The good she could have done, in command of these Cyber
Lin Kuei.
SUB-ZERO: She commands them? Not Sektor? If so, she is linked to
them. They follow her thoughts.
At these words, Raiden walks over to her downed form.
RAIDEN: Then let them follow her to defeat.
He charges up his hands, puts them against her head and lets loose
with a burst of electric current. The effects are not visible, but
there is little doubt that the trauma is fatal. Across the ship,
the elder Jax is now being restrained by three cyborgs, who all
immediately stop functioning and fall to the deck, as dead as
their commander. Jax looks around him, taking in the sight of
dozens of dead Cyber Lin Kuei strewn about all over the ship deck.
JAX: Candy ass bitch.
He pumps and shakes his hands, as if finishing a warm up.
Back in Kronika’s Keep, the younger Liu Kang reacts in pain and
horror as his revenant counterpart wields the same soul-sucking
magic that Shang Tsung, Shao Kahn, Quan Chi and Shinnok are all
known for, using it to drain his younger self. The revenant
finishes the spell, drawing the younger’s soul directly into
him, and laughing maniacally as he does so. The living Liu Kang
puts his hands to his face, screams in utter agony… and
finally his hands come down, revealing his face is chalk white
and shriveled.
The last vestiges of his soul leave his body, and the older
Liu Kang lights his hand up with his signature fire, laughing
in pure evil glee as his younger self falls still. With the
spell finished, the other revenants approach him.
KITANA: Raiden’s fleet nears our shores.
LIU KANG: The two of you will command the army defending the
beachhead.
KITANA: Where will you be?
Liu Kang says nothing, but only smiles wickedly.
The scene cuts back to Kharon’s flagship. The shipmaster looks
out to the horizon and spots a rocky outcropping of land. On that
land is a large, elegantly designed tower that twirls into the
sky.
KHARON: LAND HO!
A foghorn sounds on his ship as Raiden walks up to the ship’s bow.
He looks out to the horizon and his eyes narrow in grim concern
as he spots a single lifeboat making its way across the waves of
the blood filled sea, accelerated by the lone occupant of the
boat blasting fire from his hands behind him. Within moments, the
lifeboat reaches Kharon’s ship and with a burst of flame, the
revenant Liu Kang propels himself up into the air. He somersaults
into the ship’s sails, setting them on fire as he comes through
them, and lands on the deck in a crouching stance.
He stands up fully and turns to face Raiden, who remains grimly
composed, but begins to crackle with electricity. He folds his
arms, leaps into the air, twirling around multiple times before
landing on the deck, arms still folded. Scorpion, Sub-Zero and
Jax all enter the deck as well as Raiden faces down Liu Kang.
They all start forward, but Raiden glances back at them for a
moment and they instantly pause, realising that Raiden intends to
fight Liu Kang alone. Raiden turns back to Liu Kang.
RAIDEN: Time after time, Kronika’s schemes have pitted us against
each other. That cycle must end, Liu Kang.
Liu Kang’s eyes light up in flames, anger etched across his
features.
LIU KANG: This time, it will!
He launches forward with his Flying Kick, crossing the distance
between them almost instantly, and blasts Raiden square in the
chest. The force of the kick sends the Thunder God flying
backward, but he grabs the decking and skids to a halt, sparking
with electricity.
RAIDEN: Your power! Is this Kronika’s gift?
LIU KANG: A gift to myself, you could say.
RAIDEN: …You stole your own soul! Perverted your own nature!
LIU KANG: It’s a lesson YOU taught me, Raiden! To fight my
enemies by any means necessary!
They fight. The battle proves to be one of the toughest the
Thunder God has ever endured. With Liu Kang’s newfound power,
Raiden struggles greatly against a man who’s martial arts skill
even surpasses his. But even though he is at the disadvantage,
Raiden fights intelligently, exploiting his foe’s overconfidence
and breaking through his defenses. Even so, it takes all of
his strength to just barely defeat the revenant Liu Kang.
RAIDEN: I have conquered the darkness within me. You must do the
same.
Liu Kang rises to his feet, exhausted but defiant.
LIU KANG: You… will have to kill me.
Raiden walks toward him, arms outstretched and crackling with
electricity.
RAIDEN: I would rather save you.
He blasts Liu Kang square in the chest with his electricity,
but rather than forcing Liu Kang back, it roots him to the spot.
Lightning strikes the deck around them as both Raiden and Liu
Kang glow an electric blue, pulsing with energy. A bubble of
electricity forms around them.
Back in Kronika’s Keep, the younger Liu Kang lies limp in his
chair, while in the background Kronika and Cetrion continue to
work on the hourglass. Unbeknownst to them, Liu Kang suddenly
sits up, his eyes sparking with electricity. He gasps as life
flows back into his body.
LIU KANG: Raiden…
Electricity starts to crackle in his body, and lightning blasts
down from above into his arms. Kronika spots the commotion and
her eyes widen in surprise. The same bubble of energy seen earlier
surrounds Liu Kang as more lightning courses through him and he
teleports away, leaving only his restraints behind.
Back on Kharon’s flagship, the energy bubble continues to suck
in more power and electricity, before finally dispersing. But
where there were once both Liu Kang and Raiden, only one person
stands.