As they approach the end of the passage, they pause to gaze upon
the grisly sight of 5 corpses hanging from the rafters. The
corpses are Shaolin monks, hanged by their necks. Their skin is
horrifically decayed, but has not yet completely rotted away,
leaving their eyes intact but a dull yellow-gray in colour. Shang
Tsung looks on them with an expression of – for a change, genuine
– remorse.
SHANG: They couldn’t go on. I am… touched by their devotion.
One the rotted monks eyes falls from its head and lands on the
floor. Sindel walks on, unimpressed. Shang follows her, still
upset, while Nightwolf looks doubtful. Fujin remains impassive.
NIGHTWOLF: I question their judgment.
SHANG: Have neither of you any compassion?
NIGHTWOLF: Not for fools who follow you.
SINDEL: Are we not following him now? At least we do not follow
that fool Raiden. Then we would surely die.
Shang smiles at the remark. Nightwolf and Fujin exchange glances
of suspicion at her words. As they walk out into the courtyard,
a purple blur of light speeds around them all, moving in a circle
to box them in. After a moment, Fujin shoots out a wind blast
in front of him, catching the blur and shoving it back. The
revenant – now identifiable as Kabal – slides to a kneeling halt.
He picks himself up and approaches them.
FUJIN: You may run like the wind, Kabal, but I command it. You
should have devised a better plan.
KABAL: There’s more to come.
From behind a wall, the revenant Jade emerges. She approaches the
four of them and slams her staff into the ground. She picks it up
and twirls it over her head, generating green energy in a circle
above her. She once again slams the staff into the ground, and
the green energy pulses from it in shockwaves into the
surrounding area.
JADE: Rise in Shinnok’s name!
The energy reaches the hanging corpses from earlier, which
suddenly revive and start freeing themselves from the ropes they
are hanging from. One corpse’s flesh is so rotted that it
decapitates itself before it can free its neck, but this does not
inhibit the rest of the body from standing up along with the
others.
The Shaolin zombies, along with five others from the surrounding
area, approach Fujin, Nightwolf, Shang Tsung and Sindel, growling
at them with vocal cords long rotted away and surround them in a
semi-circle. Jade also walks up to them, pointing her staff in
their direction.
JADE: You will be returned to the void. Not even she can help you.
The Shaolin monks roar and charge. Nightwolf parries one’s strikes
and kicks, while Shang Tsung blocks swipes from Jade’s staff with
the metal braces on his forearm. Fujin shoots a zombie through
the head at point blank range with his miniature crossbow,
killing it, and follows with three more shots at Kabal. The Black
Dragon deftly avoids them with his super speed and gets into
fighting range.
KABAL: Too slow! I expected better, Fujin.
They fight. With a speed enhanced by magic and a troublesome
weapon in the hookswords he wields, Kabal would be a frightening
encounter against an ordinary human. But Fujin is a god, and
is as fast as the wind he commands. His millennia of fighting
experience is bought to the fray and he succeeds in bringing
Kabal down in the end.
FUJIN: Now do I meet your expectations?
Over on the other side of the courtyard, Shang Tsung sends Jade
flying with a jumping spin kick to her chest. Nightwolf and
Sindel have successfully destroyed all of the zombies attacking
them as they all regroup.
SHANG: Cetrion must be on her way.
NIGHTWOLF: Sindel and I will occupy her. You two get the crown.
The scene cuts to an underground cave, lit up by torch lights.
Fujin and Shang Tsung walk through quickly, giving only token
checks for any ambushes.
FUJIN: I must ask, sorcerer; How long before you betray us?
Shang Tsung chuckles at the question.
SHANG: I find your lack of faith amusing.
Fujin stops to look at him directly.
FUJIN: WHEN it happens, we will be ready.
Tsung only replies with his sardonic smirk and half-bow. As Fujin
walks on, he drops the smirk to to glare at him menacingly. The
two of them continue on into Goro’s Lair. Eventually they come
face to face with what appears to be a swirling tornado made up
of soul energy, hovering over a large well. At the center of
this soulnado is Kronika’s crown.
Fujin walks right up to it and starts to pry it out, but a voice
from behind catches their attention.
UNSEEN: Do me a favour, Fujin, and take one giant step back.
The speaker is masked in the shadows, but we can see that he
is smoking a cigar. Another figure of pure darkness stands behind
him. He steps forward, showing it to be the elder Jackson Briggs,
alongside Noob Saibot.
JAX: You too, sorcerer.
He stops to look at Noob for a moment, then continues speaking.
JAX: Makes sense we meet again down here. Where you caged me, beat
me within an inch of my life.
He approaches the smirking Tsung as Noob walks toward Fujin.
JAX: The hell if I ain’t gonna return the favour.
SHANG: Always so generous.
Jax takes a smoke from the cigar and then flicks it at Shang’s
face. In slow motion, Shang dodges it, but as his eyes follow
the projectile Jax rushes forward. Time resumes its normal flow
just in time for Jax to clobber Shang with a powerful haymaker
across his cheek.
Shang manages to block a multitude of blows from Jax and kicks
him backward, but Jax recovers and throws a combination of
punches and a knee strike. Shang blocks them all and counters
with a palm strike to Jax’s face, following it with a roundhouse
kick.
Fujin meanwhile ducks under a roundhouse from Saibot and leaps
over a leg sweep attempt. He blocks two sidekicks, ducks another
roundhouse kick and blocks several more punches and a high kick,
countering with an elbow strike / palm thrust combo that sends
the former Bi-Han sprawling backward.
Fujin leaps into the air with a superman punch, but Noob counters
with a blast of dark magic, sending Fujin flying backwards. Noob
kips up and summons a portal as Fujin lands. The portal is
powerful enough to suck in all the surrounding air – and with it,
Fujin as well. As Fujin desperately tries to keep a hold on the
ground, one of Noob’s shadow clones emerges from the portal and
grabs him, dragging him in.
Satisfied he is gone, Noob closes the portal, but turns his back
before it is fully closed. He completely misses the gust of wind
that emerges from it, and Fujin leaps out shortly thereafter,
performing a corkscrew pirouette through the air that ends with
him landing in a three point stance directly in front of Saibot.
He stands quickly.
FUJIN: A new trick, Bi-Han? Amusing, but insufficient.
NOOB: You lost to me at your temple, Fujin. Now, Kronika has made
me even stronger.
FUJIN: You did not win that fight. You ran away.
They fight. Bi-Han may have gained the powers of shadow following
his death, but these powers prove to have little effect over the
God of Wind. Unable to use the freezing powers he possessed in
life, Bi-Han is eventually overwhelmed by Fujin and defeated.
FUJIN: You should have fled this fight too.
As that fight draws to a close, Jax blocks a chopping strike
from Shang Tsung, ducks under another chop and dodges a roundhouse
kick. He fights back with a superman punch but Shang catches
his wrist, hits a palm strike to his chin and a straight punch to
his chest, following that with a right took that knocks Jax back.
Shang then hits a jump spinning sidekick that catches Jax in the
abdomen and staggers him. With some distance created, Shang
summons his fire powers and creates a fiery portal beneath Jax.
Out of the portal emerges a fiery looking snake tail that wraps
itself around him, constricting him tightly.
From another generated portal, the snake’s head emerges, turning
to face Jax. It flickers its tongue menacingly but Jackson remains
defiant. It roars and opens its maw, shooting out a beam of soul
energy. Jax is powerless as the snake begins to suck his soul dry.
However, Fujin summons the wind and blasts Shang Tsung in the
back, knocking him down and causing the snake to dissipate into
thin air. Fujin walks towards the recovering Jax, who pulls himself
to his feet.
FUJIN: Kronika’s promises cannot be trusted, Jackson. Bi-Han,
Kano, Shao Kahn! Look at the scoundrels she employs!
JAX: That’s a card you can’t play, Fujin. Not when you’re buddied
up with Shang Tsung.
They fight. Thanks to the upgrades provided by Kronika, Jax ends
up being a challenge for even the Wind God – even if Fujin is
reluctant to battle him. The ensuing fight lasts longer than
expected, but Fujin manages to take advantage of the fact Jax
was weakened by Shang Tsung earlier, and soon Fujin is able to
best him.
FUJIN: Kronika will not heal your wounds, Jackson.
He walks over to Jax and offers him a hand up. Jax looks rather
insulted by the offer.
JAX: Dammit, Fujin, you know what I’ve suffered. Kronika’s my one
chance to prevent all that.
He sits down on the ground.
JAX: Not just for me, but for Jacqui. For Vera. Shit…
He looks down, disheartened. Fujin is down on one knee, trying to
look him in the eye.
JAX: You’re a god. Ain’t no way you get how this feels.
At these words, Fujin looks away for a moment, thinking to himself.
He looks back to Jax after a moment.
FUJIN: You know the only time Raiden and I ever fought? When I left
the Sky Temple to live among humans.
He attempts to imitate Raiden’s stoic tone.
FUJIN: “Do not become attached to them, Fujin. Sentiment will
impede the execution of your duty.”
He continues to look at Jax as he reverts to his normal tone of
voice.
FUJIN: But warriors like you and I, we are strengthened by
sentiment. We do not fight to kill enemies. We fight to protect
our loved ones. That is why it cuts so deeply when we fail.
JAX: Well, I’ll be. Maybe you do get it.
Fujin stands up and offers his hand again. This time Jax takes it
and gets back to his feet.
FUJIN: Kronika knows your pain. She manipulates you with it.
Jacqueline is on her way here. Kronika expects you to fight her.
Worse, even… break her heart. Is that someone who cares one whit
about you or your family?
Just then, a loud rumbling occurs from above, and pieces of rock
fall from the ceiling. Fujin, Jax and the recovered Shang Tsung
all try to shield themselves from the falling rocks, and a large
contingent falls directly in front of the camera, obscuring the
view with a metric ton of dust…
…that dispels to show Sindel lying on top of them, having
been blasted through the ceiling. She writhes in pain and tries to
gather her wits, but several tendrils of what appear to be red
coloured vines grab her around her limbs and hoist her back
through the hole in the ceiling. She is brought face to face with
Cetrion, the one who is generating the vines from the clothing
on her body.
CETRION: YOU were to defeat me?
SINDEL: I am not finished yet!
She magically manipulates her hair into two long ponytails and
uses them to grapple Cetrion’s vines, snapping them off. Sindel
then suddenly falls back to the ground, landing hard on the
unforgiving stone.
Cetrion floats down toward her, but Nightwolf charges in and
throws his tomahawks. Cetrion summons a wall of fiery rocks and
the tomahawks bounce harmlessly off them. In response, Nightwolf
slams a fist into his chest to pump himself up and charges,
shoulder barging the rock wall and breaking through, dispersing
it.
Cetrion shoots out a blast of flame from her hand, but Nightwolf
rolls aside and dodges it. Before he can recover, Cetrion flies in
and wraps her tendrils around his neck and waist, lifting him into
the air with her.
CETRION: Abide Kronika’s will!
As Nightwolf tries to pull the tendrils surrounding his neck free,
he begins to speak in Lakotan.
NIGHTWOLF: Tunka Sila, oun sen ce yelo, oh ma ke ya yo!
[Great Spirit, have mercy, help me, please!]
[AUTHORS NOTE: The above sentence and its translation are not
shown in the game subtitles and is guesstimate work on my part
from an hour long Google search. Thus it is not 100% accurate.]
As he says these words, both he and Cetrion are surrounded by
a blue light shining from above them. As Sindel rises, she sees
the light starting to disintegrate the both of them. She then
uses her hair to grab Cetrion and throw her to the floor by her
neck. This has the added side effect of breaking the spell, and
Nightwolf sinks to his knees.
SINDEL: Can you fight?
He struggles to his feet, the effects of the spell seemingly
causing no physical damage but leaving him weakened inside.
NIGHTWOLF: I’ll do what I can.
Before them, Cetrion rises to her feet.
CETRION: Kronika offered the future, but instead you will have
none. Blame only yourselves for this fate.
They fight. Even with Nightwolf providing backup, Cetrion ends
up being the toughest fight of Sindel’s life. The Elder God is
almost unbeatable thanks to her powers over nature and its
elements. Sindel brings her fighting strength and all of her magic
power to bear, and it manages to be just enough to floor Cetrion
for a moment.
SINDEL: It is your fate that should concern you, Cetrion.
As Cetrion tries to rise, Sindel unleashes a banshee scream
that knocks her back down and sends her flying back several feet.
Just then, a blast of wind propells Fujin, Shang Tsung and Jax
through the hole created earlier, with all of them somersaulting
mid-air and landing on their feet.
As Cetrion gets to her feet, Fujin uses the wind to summon
multiple jagged rocks from the nearby ground. He brings them to
him and launches them at Cetrion, impaling her across the chest
and waist. As she screams out in pain, Fujin lifts her into the
air with a tornado and Shang Tsung summons the large fiery cobra
seen earlier from another portal.
The cobra rises to Cetrion’s height, roars out loud, pauses to
hiss a few times and then bites down on the Elder God, leaping
into the air and back down into the portal it came from, dragging
her with it. Tsung closes the portal with a grim look of
satisfaction.
He and Jax look over to Nightwolf, who is on his knees, still
weakened from his earlier attempted sacrifice. Fujin spots this
and walks up to him, placing a hand on his chest. Nightwolf’s
body is soon covered by a blue spell, but this one heals him
instead of harming him. After a moment, he takes Fujin’s hand and
is helped back to his feet. Fujin then looks over to Shang Tsung.
FUJIN: Well, Shang Tsung, your strategy proved sound after all.
SHANG: Of course it did.
He smirks again, but this time he seems particularly pleased with
himself. Just then, several Special Forces soldiers run into
the courtyard, led by Jacqui and the younger Jax. He immediately
points his rifle in their direction while Jacqui readies her
wrist-guns.
Y. JAX: Hands over your head, Shang Tsung!
He does so, and Jacqui looks at Sindel.
JACQUI: You too, Sindel! That hair so much as twitches–
The older Jax pushes his way into their sight.
O. JAX: Ease up, baby girl.
Understandably, both Jacqui and Jax are confused to see him, but
they lower their weapons regardless.
JACQUI: Dad? How did you get here?
O. JAX: We’re all on the same side against Kronika.
FUJIN: Yes, and now we must bring this to Raiden.
He holds up Kronika’s crown for them to see.
JACQUI: Is that a crown?
FUJIN: Kronika’s crown. Without it, she lacks the power to
restart history.
Y. JAX: About time we got some good news.
NIGHTWOLF: (To Fujin) Now that we have this, we’re in uncharted
territory. We’ve changed this timeline for good.
SHANG: Correct. No one can predict what happens next. Not even me.
SINDEL: I must return to Outworld, to aid Kitana Kahn.
FUJIN: Thank you for aiding us. We will rendezvous at the Sea of
Blood in six hours.
SINDEL: Until our next battle.
Shang Tsung summons a portal. Sindel walks toward it, only pausing
to acknowledge him.
SINDEL: Sorcerer.
She shoots a knowing smile at him. Tsung nods back in response,
and she walks into the portal. Behind them, Nightwolf speaks with
Fujin.
NIGHTWOLF: I’ll go with the Briggs family to brief the Special
Forces.
Fujin nods, shaking his hand.
FUJIN: May the Great Spirit protect you.
NIGHTWOLF: May she protect you, Fujin, when Raiden lays eyes on
you with Shang Tsung.
His tone and expression show that he still distrusts the sorcerer.
Fujin accepts his skepticism without comment and they both walk
off.
The scene cuts to Kronika’s Keep. Cetrion is on her knees,
suffering from the wounds inflicted on her. Kronika floats before
her, looking angry.
KRONIKA: Without the crown, there can be no New Era.
CETRION: This failure rests on my shoulders.
KRONIKA: No. I underestimated Shang Tsung’s ingenuity. To escape
the void, to return from the future…
CETRION: I will face him again, Mother. This time I will succeed.
KRONIKA: I must go. With Shang Tsung in possession of the crown,
he’s become far too dangerous.
She gives Cetrion a sly look as she says her next words.
KRONIKA: And I doubt his new allies realize quite how dangerous
he is.
The scene cuts to the Shirai Ryu Fire Gardens. In the gardens,
Liu Kang and Sub-Zero walk together in conversation.
SUB-ZERO: Your Shaolin masters, they’re ready?
LIU KANG: They will fight until the last man.
SUB-ZERO: That is likely what it will take.
LIU KANG: There will not be a fight if Kharon does not help us.
Is there any word from Grandmaster Hasashi?
SUB-ZERO: No. If we do not hear soon, I will return to the
Netherrealm.
Before them, Scorpion emerges in a flash of hellfire. Instantly,
Liu Kang and Sub-Zero shift to fighting stances, but Scorpion
does not follow suit, instead looking around at the scenery.
LIU KANG: (To Sub-Zero) Wrong Scorpion. This cannot be good.
SUB-ZERO: Get Raiden!
As Liu Kang runs off, Sub-Zero faces Scorpion down.
SCORPION: The Fire Gardens, rebuilt? The Shirai Ryu are indeed
restored.
SUB-ZERO: Why are you here, Scorpion? Where is Grandmaster
Hasashi?
SCORPION: …He is dead.
SUB-ZERO: And now you have come to finish us.
SCORPION: I understand your mistrust, but I am here to assist you!
SUB-ZERO: I find that impossible to believe!
Behind Scorpion, a portal opens, causing both of them to stare
at it in confusion. That confusion turns to anger as they spot
Shang Tsung emerging from it.
SUB-ZERO: What is he doing here?
SCORPION: We are not together.
SUB-ZERO: If you are here to help, prove it. Join me against
the sorcerer.
SCORPION: I shall.
Shang Tsung stands with his hands behind his back, patiently
waiting as Fujin walks through the portal behind him. Fujin
takes in the sight of Sub-Zero and Scorpion before him, cautiously
approaching them.
SUB-ZERO: Fujin?! Raiden thought you lost when the timeline was
broken, but you stand with Shang Tsung?!
FUJIN: We have urgent news for Raiden. Please, let us pass.
SUB-ZERO: This may be the sorcerer’s trick.
SCORPION: The Fire Gardens will not be defiled by his presence.
Both of them get into fighting stances, with Sub-Zero readying
his ice powers. Fujin and Shang Tsung reply with fighting stances
of their own. Scorpion shoots out his spear attack, causing
Fujin and Shang Tsung to duck to the side. Sub-Zero shoots out
a beam of ice that Fujin dodges by levitating into the air.
He somersaults through the air and lands on his feet, then looks
behind him to see Shang Tsung has been frozen solid by the ice
beam.
Fujin and Sub-Zero stalk each other, while Scorpion remains just
behind Sub-Zero, also focused on Fujin.
SUB-ZERO: Why you have joined Shang Tsung is beyond me, Fujin.
What has he done to corrupt your mind?
They fight. Taking on both Sub-Zero and Scorpion at once proves
to be one of the toughest challenges Fujin has faced yet. Even as
the Wind God, the Lin Kuei cryomancer and the Shirai Ryu hellspawn
have powers beyond that of mere mortals. But Fujin does not give
up, using his speed and agility to its maximum effect. After a
hard fought battle, he eventually defeats the both of them.
FUJIN: Perhaps listen before you judge.
He takes out his crossbow and shoots at Shang Tsung. The
magically generated wind arrow shatters on contact with the ice
freezing him, and after a moment the ice breaks into pieces,
freeing the sorcerer.
SHANG: Thank you, Fujin.
For a change, Shang Tsung looks genuinely thankful. Being frozen
solid has evidently rattled him.
FUJIN: The storm is not yet passed.
He looks ahead. Raiden approaches them, flanked by Liu Kang. As
is standard by this point, neither of them look too pleased to
see the sorcerer.
RAIDEN: Shang Tsung!
Liu Kang readies himself, but Fujin holds out a hand in caution.
Raiden does nothing, but keeps his fists clenched.
FUJIN: We must speak with you, brother.
RAIDEN: “We”, Fujin? Since when are you friends with this filth?
SHANG: I am here to save you, Raiden.
Raiden does not look convinced.
FUJIN: We hail from your tragic future. In it, Liu Kang defeated
Kronika–
Liu Kang exchanges a glance with Raiden at these words.
FUJIN: –but their battle destroyed her crown. Without this–
He holds up the crown.
FUJIN: –the broken timeline couldn’t be repaired.
Raiden says nothing, but looks at the crown in confusion.
SHANG: Our only hope was to return here, steal the crown, and
make use of its power.
FUJIN: Now, we can change the outcome of the fight against
Kronika. We can defeat her and fix time.
RAIDEN: I had never thought you gullible, brother. Shang Tsung’s
schemes serve only to benefit him! How could you fall for such
lies?!
He pulls out Shinnok’s amulet. Shang Tsung looks appropriately
worried at this.
SHANG: Be rational, Raiden!
RAIDEN: Spread your falsehoods elsewhere, sorcerer! You will not
deceive us!
LIU KANG: Lord Raiden! We should listen. He may be telling the
truth.
RAIDEN: There is only one way to find out.
He blasts Shang Tsung with a burst of magic from the amulet,
leaving him writhing on the ground in pain. Fujin runs to his
side to try and help him.
RAIDEN: Now, Shang Tsung. The truth!
Liu Kang steps in front of Raiden.
LIU KANG: Raiden, stop this!
Raiden shoves him to one side.
RAIDEN: Step aside, Liu Kang.
LIU KANG: Put down the amulet! Its darkness is taking hold of you!
Raiden suddenly blasts Liu Kang with the amulet. It has less of
an effect then it has on Shang Tsung, but it still knocks him off
his feet.
RAIDEN: You also betray me!
Liu Kang rises back to his feet.
LIU KANG: This is not the way. Shang Tsung is not the enemy this
time!
Raiden charges up the amulet for a more damaging blast, but at
the last moment Fujin shoots a burst of wind, deflecting Raiden’s
aim. Raiden looks at Fujin in anger.
RAIDEN: The realms hang in the balance and you form this unholy
alliance?!
As Shang Tsung returns to Fujin’s side, Raiden looks to the
heavens and growls. The amulet activates and his signature blue
lightning shifts to red, as does his eyes.
RAIDEN: Enough of this madness. If you both must die, so be it!
Fujin holds Shang Tsung back.
FUJIN: My brother is my problem. I will signal if I need help.
Shang obliges, and Fujin turns to Raiden.
FUJIN: Shinnok’s amulet inflames your anger and clouds your
judgement. Have faith in me.
They fight. Fujin finds himself in the battle of his life.
Raiden is at full strength in Earthrealm and he not only has the
power of thunder and lightning and thousands of years of fighting
experience, but the powers granted by Shinnok’s amulet as well.
It takes all of Fujin’s speed, agility, martial arts skill and
heavenly powers of his own to even keep in the fight, but he
refuses to concede and – with some help from Shang Tsung acting
in support – Fujin manages to knock the Thunder God to his knees
for a moment.
FUJIN: Now listen, brother. We’re running out of time.
Liu Kang and Shang Tsung rejoin Fujin, but he holds them back.
The fight has seemingly knocked some sense back into Raiden. He
picks up Shinnok’s amulet from the ground when he dropped it
back in the melee.
RAIDEN: I am a fool. I have allowed myself to become a slave to
anger. I will not allow my temper to fracture our resolve further.
Fujin looks to Liu Kang and smiles. Liu Kang looks to Shang Tsung,
who looks at Raiden with a calculated smile.
The scene cuts to the Gardens, some time later. Liu Kang, Kung
Lao, Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Fujin and Shang Tsung stand in a
semi-circle in front of the main temple, where Raiden stands on
its entranceway.
LIU KANG: Surely you jest, Lord Fujin.
FUJIN: Not at all, Liu Kang. Raiden’s power makes you a Fire God.
KUNG LAO: Of course it does.
He sounds rather jealous. Fujin takes his disapproval in stride.
RAIDEN: Unfortunately, I cannot transfer my power to Liu Kang
yet. First I must free his revenant from Quan Chi’s curse.
FUJIN: We will face the revenants soon enough.
RAIDEN: What else can you tell us about the final battle? We must
use every advantage.
As he says this, a sandstorm kicks into the area, gradually
freezing everyone in the vicinity of it, except Raiden, Fujin and
Shang Tsung, who remain unaffected. As they look around at time
coming to a standstill, the tornado gathers in one location in
the middle of the air… and forms into Kronika.
KRONIKA: Lord Fujin, Shang Tsung.
She floats down toward the earth but stops short, continuing to
levitate above the ground.
KRONIKA: I trust you are enjoying your travels?
FUJIN: You have already been defeated once, Kronika.
KRONIKA: Of course, Fujin. How else could you have escaped the
void?
RAIDEN: If you know this, accept the inevitable. Surrender.
KRONIKA: But clearly my loss was not your victory, Raiden. If your
future “saviour” had gained full control of my Hourglass, we would
not be here. This timeline would no longer exist.
SHANG: I see no harm in confirming your suspicion.
KRONIKA: Even if you defeat me, what then? Who claims the
Hourglass? Surely you realise Shang Tsung will break your
alliance.
FUJIN: We are prepared, Kronika.
KRONIKA: Are you?
She smiles at his words.
KRONIKA: Have you wondered why Shang Tsung knows so much about my
crown?
RAIDEN: Because he did your bidding, gathering souls to fuel it.
KRONIKA: Shang Tsung is far too modest. The crowd is his design.
No one, save me, knows more about its power.
Fujin turns to Shang Tsung at these words, clearly angry. Shang
looks back at him, impassive.
SHANG: Had I told you, we would still be marooned at the beginning
of time bickering among ourselves.
KRONIKA: You must decide, Raiden: Who do you want to keep time for
all of creation? Me, or Shang Tsung?
RAIDEN: Neither, Kronika. You will be beaten. And if Shang Tsung
betrays us, we will finish him.
Shang Tsung only reacts to Raiden’s declaration by slightly
raising his eyebrows in amusement.
KRONIKA: You are a fool, Raiden. Do not condemn the realms to
oblivion!
In response, Raiden charges up a lightning strike and blasts
Kronika square in the chest with it. This angers her and she
retaliates by blasting him with her time magic. Raiden is
immediately covered in sand, slowing to a halt. Fujin and Shang
Tsung react by readying their own magic blasts, firing off wind
and soul energy at Kronika, who holds her hands up to ward off
their assault.
She finally pushes back and gains an opening, sending out a blast
of sand that floors them both and starts up a tornado. The crown
falls out of Fujin’s grasp and clatters on the ground.
SHANG: Fujin, the crown!
He tries to crawl to it, but the tornado of sand slows him down
too much. Fujin is less affected, but all he can do is crawl
slowly towards it.
KRONIKA: It is a mistake, challenging a Titan! Now I end your
existence!
As Kronika readies herself for a bigger blast of magic, Fujin
finally gets a grip on the crown. He picks it up, and standing
back to his feet, places the crown on his head. He groans in
pain, but also begins levitating into the air. As Kronika shoots
out a blast of sand, Fujin holds up his hands and deflects it
back at her, pushing her back and dispelling the tornado. Kronika
remains in the air, but stunned, as Fujin brings himself into
focus.
FUJIN: You are vulnerable, Kronika.
Below him, Shang Tsung readies a portal of fire beneath Kronika.
Two monsters from his flesh pits jump out and grab at her dress,
pulling her down. As Kronika flails in the air, trying to keep
balance, Fujin summons a tornado of wind around her, keeping her
trapped. The wind affects the portal as well, summoning more
flesh creatures but also dragging the flames of the portal up
and around her.
Some of the creatures begin to fly around the tornado, screaming
at her. The distractions keep Kronika from focusing a
counterattack, and two more creatures grab her arms and shoulders.
While this is happening, Raiden finally frees himself and dispels
the sand trapping him. He runs forward and shoots lightning
directly into the tornado, all of which travels straight into
Kronika, electrocuting her.
After a few more seconds, there is a massive explosion of sand
right in the middle of the tornado, dispelling it. When the sand
clears, there is no sign of the portal, the flesh creatures, or
Kronika. Fujin falls back to the ground, clearly weakened by using
the crown for too long. The crown falls from his head in slow
motion.
As time resumes, Liu Kang, Kung Lao, Scorpion and Sub-Zero are all
freed from the sand trapping them. Raiden places a hand on Fujin’s
back.
RAIDEN: Brother! Are you alright?
Fujin breathes in heavily for a few moments.
FUJIN: …Yes. But, the crown…
They both look around. Shang Tsung has picked up the crown and
holds it in his hands, staring down in admiration.
SHANG: Truly, my finest work.
Raiden walks up to him, clearly expecting the worst to happen.
Shang looks him dead in the eyes… and offers him the crown.
SHANG: I will instruct you in its ways.
Liu Kang, Kung Lao, Scorpion and Sub-Zero all run up to the three
of them.
LIU KANG: What just happened?
SHANG: Kronika came here to retrieve the crown. We forced her to
retreat.
RAIDEN: We must strike while she is weakened. Let us join the
armies massing at the Sea of Blood. Together, we will storm
Kronika’s Isle and take command of the Hourglass.
The scene cuts to an elaborate looking bedroom somewhere in
Outworld. Sindel is seated on a comfortable looking armchair and
is using some kind of talisman to generate what could be described
as the magical equivalent of a hologram, and that hologram shows
Shang Tsung is who she is speaking to.
SHANG: We will rendezvous at the Isle of Kronika. The fools
believe victory is at hand. Their misplaced confidence will be
their demise.