The camera pans round to the boat’s bow, where Jax walks up to
Jacqui, who is looking out to the horizon.
JAX: How’s the view?
JACQUI: No sign yet of the mystical barrier you mentioned.
JAX: Oh, you’ll know it when it comes.
He places his hands on the side railing of the boat, also looking
to the distance.
JACQUI: How you feeling?
JAX: For the first time in a while, in control. I got tossed into
the deep end of this world of gods and monsters. But now, knowing
my future, I feel like I’ve finally come up for air. Those bad
things that happened to me… I mean, what will happen to me? Like
Raiden said, it’s gonna be different.
He looks to Jacqui.
JAX: Isn’t this gonna be good news?
Jacqui looks almost crushed at his words.
JACQUI: The things that happened to my dad. That trauma he
suffered? It’s why my parents met. They fell in love while he was
in recovery.
She turns away and walks across the ship’s bow.
JACQUI: If they don’t happen, you and Mom may not meet. I may
never be born.
Jax walks up to her.
JAX: Jacqui, I-I can’t pretend I get all this cosmic time
stuff…
He places his hand on her shoulder.
JAX: …but I do know you are here for a reason. You’re not just
some random accident.
She looks back at him, uncertainty still etched on her face.
JACQUI: I hope so.
The camera pans away from them and back out to the ship’s
exterior. On the far horizon, an island surrounded by what appears
to be a green mist is visible.
A cutback to Jax and Jacqui shows the boat approaching the mist.
Derelict ships lay broken against the rocks they smashed upon,
their sails rotted and almost gone. Gigantic stone statues of
samurai warriors are submerged up to their necks in the waters of
the sea.
The navy ship passes by all of this, with Jax and Jacqui
looking overhead as the ship pass under a decaying entrance way.
They both look ahead of them, taking in the sight of the iconic
Mortal Kombat dragon symbol – depicted here as a weathered and
crumbling gigantic metallic statue.
JACQUI: Shang Tsung’s island!
JAX: Here we go again.
The scene cuts to the entrance to the warrior’s shrine. Jax and
Jacqui walk in alone, taking in the decay before them. There
is no roof to speak off, and the concrete pillars that held it
up are broken and decaying. The statues of warriors past and
present show varying signs of disrepair. There are no sounds
or signs of life, save from the howls of the wind.
Jax and Jacqui pass through the shrine into a passage leading
into the courtyard. While there is a roof here, it is worn and
rotting, with only a colony of sleeping bats being the only
living beings present.
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.
Jax and Jacqui walk out into the courtyard itself. Like the rest
of the island, it is barren and devoid of life.
JAX: When I was here for the tournament, there were people
everywhere.
He looks to a line of Shaolin monks, rotted away to skeletons
wearing torn clothing.
JAX: These guys looked a lot younger. Seems like only yesterday…
Jacqui pulls out a PDA on her hip and starts to examine it.
JACQUI: Guess after Shang Tsung died, this place did, too.
Her PDA (acting as some form of mobile radar) shows no signs of
life on its scans.
JACQUI: Nobody’s home. So much for needing stealth. Should’ve
brought the whole squad.
JAX: Kinda hoping Raiden’s wrong about the Well of Souls. I don’t
wanna be here longer than we–
He is interrupted by a warning beep on Jacqui’s PDA. She glances
down at it.
JACQUI: Multiple contacts!
Jax gets himself into a fighting stance.
JAX: How many?
Jacqui checks the PDA. There are two square icons (one yellow, one
red) that flicker constantly at varying points across the
interface.
JACQUI: Two! But one of ’em’s circling us real fast!
As she says this, a purple blur of light speeds around them both,
knocking the PDA from Jacqui’s hands. The blur continues to move
around them in a circle, boxing them in. After a few moments,
Jax hurls his arm out directly into the blur, catching it with
a clothesline and hurling it into the air. The figure – now
clearly visible as the revenant Kabal – rights himself in
mid-air and lands in a kneeling position, sliding to a halt.
As Kabal stands up, the revenant Jade walks in behind Jax
and Jacqui.
KABAL: Kronika knew Raiden would send someone here.
—–
[PLAYER CHOOSES JAX]
Jax walks toward Kabal.
JAX: Give me ten seconds with this guy.
KABAL: Jax Briggs. We were partners under Quan Chi’s command.
You’ll join me again.
JAX: Got the wrong Jax. I haven’t been a revenant. And I never
will.
They fight. With his unnatural speed and skill with hookswords,
Kabal is a tough opponent to take down, but Jax’s metal arms
prove to be a fantastic defense against both. Plowing through
Kabal’s fury, Jax manages to overpower and defeat the revenant.
JAX: Times are changing, Kabal.
Jax turns around at the sound of fighting. As he does, Jade
strikes Jacqui with a sidekick that sends her sprawling. She
rolls over multiple times and back to her feet, just in time
for Jax to catch her.
[PLAYER CHOOSES JACQUI]
JACQUI: I’ll take the speed freak.
She approaches Kabal.
JACQUI: We buried you in the Netherrealm. You a glutton for
punishment?
KABAL: It’s only you and me, this time. There’s no castle to
bury me under.
JACQUI: Think that hurt? You have no idea.
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 Jacqui has the best
tech from the Special Forces at her disposal, which includes the
exoskeleton that she wears as armour. Combined with her fighting
ability, this proves more than enough to take down the revenant
Black Dragon.
JACQUI: I’m guessing that hurt worse.
Jacqui turns around at the sound of fighting. As she does, Jade
strikes Jax with a sidekick that knocks him flying. He rolls once
and forces himself onto one knee, sliding to a halt next to
Jacqui. She helps him to his feet.
—–
Jade approaches the two of them and slams her staff into the
ground. She picks it up and twirls it over her head, roaring out
as green energy cascades 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 others from the surrounding area,
approach Jax and Jacqui, growling at them with vocal cords long
rotted away and surround them in a semi-circle. Jade also walks up
to them.
JADE: You’ll not disturb Kronika’s work.
JACQUI: Disturb? Try “ending”.
JAX: You’re done messing with the Well of Souls!
JADE: You’re not as strong as you think, Jax. As I recall, Sindel
made quick work of you.
—–
[PLAYER CHOOSES JAX]
JAX: I’ll take the lady in green.
As he says these words, a Shaolin zombie charges at Jacqui,
striking her thrice in the face. She catches a fourth strike,
lands two face punches of her own, then a gut strike and finishes
with a leg kick that sweeps the zombie off its feet.
Another zombie charges in, but Jacqui punches it in the chest
before it can land a blow. She elbows it in the throat and puts it
in a reverse headlock, just as a third charges in. Jacqui raises
her foot and kicks the third zombie so hard that her leg goes
straight through its chest, destroying its torso in a shower of
blood.
As the zombie collapses, Jacqui knocks the zombie she’s holding
to the ground with a heart punch. Another Shaolin zombie tries
to kick her, but she parries the blow and punches it across
the face. She tries two more punches, but the zombie blocks
these and counters with a palm strike to her solar plexus,
following through with an uppercut that staggers her.
As the zombie tries to land another punch, Jacqui grabs its arm
and punches it in the chest. She follows through by shooting the
zombie with her arm-mounted gun, blowing a hole through its chest.
Another zombie kicks at her, but Jacqui blocks the blow and
perforates it with several point blank shots from her guns.
Another zombie strikes her across the face, but Jacqui blocks
a series of punches from it and lands one of her own. She turns
to find yet another zombie leaping down at her, but she grabs its
outstretched hand and judo-throws it to the ground. She unleashes
a barrage from her guns, utterly pulping the reanimated corpse.
While this takes place, Jax approaches Jade.
JAX: Was a time when you knew who to fight for. But between Quan
Chi and Kronika, your mind ain’t right.
JADE: I joined Raiden against Shao Kahn. He led me to my doom. Now
Raiden leads you there, too.
They fight. For all of Jade’s speed and skill, Jax has beaten her
before, back when he didn’t have cybernetic arms. Now with his
new upgrades, the battle is tipped even further in his favour.
It’s not long before Jade is down and out by his feet.
JAX: I’ll take my chances with Raiden.
[PLAYER CHOOSES JACQUI]
JACQUI: I’ve got Kitana’s BFF.
As she walks towards Jade, a Shaolin zombie closes on Jax. He
parries two jabs and a sidekick but gets kicked in the chest by
another zombie. A third leaps into the air in slow motion with
a flying strike, but as time kicks back to normal Jax uppercuts
it, smashing its head into bloody pulps.
Jax catches a high kick from another zombie and heaves it over
his head by its leg, slamming it into another zombie charging in.
He parries a chop from a fifth zombie, ducks and weaves two more
chops, then punches it in the kidney and drops it with two hooks
to its face, causing it to spew blood.
Another two zombies try to attack Jax at the same time, but he
blocks their strikes with his metal arms, grabbing one when it
tries to kick him. He kicks out the zombies other leg, causing it
to fall. Another zombie tries to attack him with the other one
still standing, but Jax blocks their strikes and stuns them both
with simultaneous punches to their spines. He then grabs them
by their heads and smashes them together, instantly turning
them into a shower of blood.
Jax drops the now headless corpses to the ground and dusts off
his arms. Meanwhile, Jade and Jacqui approach one another.
JACQUI: I hear past you deserves respect. But this version?
Not so much.
JADE: Spare me your pity, Earthrealmer.
They fight. Despite the revenant Jade possessing great speed and
skill of her younger counterpart, Jacqui has faced her before
and beaten her. The outcome does not differ here, and soon the
revenant is laying unconscious at Jacqui’s feet.
JACQUI: Pity’s all I got for you.
—–
With Jade and the reanimated Shaolin down, Jax and Jacqui regroup
together.
JACQUI: Enough dancing with the dead. Raiden said this Well of
Souls would be underground.
Jax points off to one side.
JAX: This way.
They walk over to a large set of doors leading out of the
courtyard. Jax shoves them aside with little difficulty, thanks
to his metal arms.
The scene cuts to an underground cave, lit up by torch lights.
Jax and Jacqui walk through cautiously, checking around them for
any more surprises. As they walk through the cave, Jax crushes a
human skull underneath his foot, then stops for a moment at one
of the torches, using it to light a cigar. Jacqui looks a bit
nonplussed at his nonchalance, but decides not to comment on it.
JACQUI: This is Goro’s Lair?
JAX: Thankfully minus Goro. Shang Tsung kept me locked up here,
back at my first tournament. Never thought I’d be back…
She places a hand on his shoulder.
JACQUI: Remember where a Well of Souls might be?
JAX: Couldn’t tell you. I was pretty beat up. It’s all a bit hazy.
They proceed through the cave, eventually coming out into a
large underground throne room. Dead oni and skulls of long
deceased monsters litter the ground, and they pass the corpse
of a long dead Shokan seated on his throne. But as Jax and Jacqui
do so, they come face to face with what appears to be a swirling
tornado made up of soul energy, hovering over a large well.
JACQUI: I’m guessing this is it.
Jax takes a puff from his cigar, looking at an object that is in
the center of the soulnado.
JAX: That crown. Five bucks says it’s Kronika’s.
JACQUI: It’s drawing souls from the well.
Jacqui is correct in her observation; the souls from the soulnado
are all being dragged into the crown.
JAX: There’s no way that thing’s unguarded. Let’s grab-and-go
before whoever’s on duty gets back.
NOOB: I never left.
From behind a nearby pillar emerges the Netherrealm wraith known
as Noob Saibot. He enters a fighting stance. Jax and Jacqui
respond by aiming their weapons – a service pistol for Jax,
and an arm-gun for Jacqui – and opening fire. Noob disappears
in a flash of magic and appears to the right of Jacqui
in the form of a shadow. She and Jax fire again but the bullets go
straight through the apparition, ricocheting off the cave walls.
Several more shadow forms of Noob Saibot appear around them,
leaving the two surrounded on all sides. They stand back to back,
waiting for the shadows to make a move. One suddenly roars and
charges them, and they fire immediately. This time their bullets
manage to dissipate the shadow into thin air and they immediately
shoot two more shadows into nothingness.
Doing so, however, leaves them open for two more shadows to
attack. Jax and Jacqui parry their strikes and throw them to the
ground, dissipating them as well. Another two shadows attack, but
Jax fells one with a flurry of body blows and a spinning back kick
to the chest, while Jacqui fends off the other behind him.
Another shadow rushes Jax and lands a punch across his face, but
Jax blocks its next blow, ducks a strike and lands a counter punch
that rocks the shadow. He follows through with a jumping spinkick
that turns it into vapour.
A shadow suddenly appears behind Jacqui and grabs her in a rear
choke hold. Two more shadows appear, and while she elbows one in
the face, the other grabs her arm and restrains her. As Jax tries
to help, three more shadows appear around him and grapple him in
the same way.
With both of them restrained, Noob steps out of the shadows to
face them fully.
JACQUI: Who are you?
NOOB: A deathly shadow. In life, I was called Bi-Han.
JACQUI: And I should know who that is?
JAX: The first Sub-Zero. Scorpion ripped out his spine. Left it in
a heap upstairs, in Shang Tsung’s old throne room.
NOOB: An event the New Era will wipe from history.
—–
[PLAYER CHOOSES JAX]
JAX: Hang on, Jacqui. I got this.
Jax struggles with the shadow clones for a moment, bringing the
one on his left in front of him. He headbutts it so hard that it
instantly dissipates into nothing. With his free hand, he
punches the shadow on his left and then throws it to the ground,
throwing the shadow grappling him from behind at the same time.
He slams his metallic arms onto each of the shadows, destroying
them.
Jacqui struggles to break free from the shadows gripping her,
but she is unable to do so. Knowing that Noob is the one
controlling them, Jax walks over to face him down.
NOOB: Ermac was weak. He took your arms but did not finish you.
JAX: Got that right. I’m just that tough.
They fight. Noob Saibot’s powers over darkness and shadows would
overpower any normal human, but Jax has faced down tougher odds
before. With the help of his cybernetic arms, he manages to
take the fight to the former Bi-Han, eventually leaving him
down and out on the ground.
JAX: Guess Ermac’s not the only one who’s weak.
As Saibot falls unconscious, the shadow clones that Jacqui
continues to fight against all dissolve into thin air. Jax
walks over to her.
JAX: C’mon. Let’s get that thing and get outta here.
[PLAYER CHOOSES JACQUI]
JACQUI: Enough of this New Era crap.
She raises her leg and kicks the shadow on her left in the face,
dissipating it. She turns to the shadow on her right and shoots
it under the chin with her wrist-mounted gun, dissolving it as
well. She then grabs the arm of the shadow gripping her neck and
throws it to the ground, blasting it in the face with both of her
mounted guns.
Jax is still unable to break free from the shadows restraining
him, but Jacqui knows she must take care of Noob Saibot before she
can help her father. She walks over to Noob, facing him down.
JACQUI: You’re not re-writing history.
NOOB: Victors write history, and I do not lose.
They fight. The shadow powers of Noob Saibot are unlike anything
that Jacqui has ever faced before, but in between her fighting
skill and advanced weaponry, she has enough in her to keep in the
fight. After a heroic struggle, she eventually manages to defeat
the Netherrealm wraith.
JACQUI: Who’s writing history now?
With Noob left in an unconscious heap, the shadow figures holding
Jax suddenly dissipate into the air, freeing him. He motions to
Jacqui.
JAX: C’mon. Let’s get that thing and get outta here.
—–
Jax and Jacqui walk over to the Well of Souls. Jacqui nervously
approaches the crown that hovers above its surface. She slowly
brings her hands up, but just before she can grab the crown,
an older male voice calls out across the cavern.
UNSEEN: Jacqui, wait.
The lone figure stays in the shadows of Goro’s lair, but he
brings a lit cigar to his lips, taking a long smoke before
throwing it aside. He then steps into the light… revealing
himself to be Jax – the older Jax, and one who looks radically
different from the one seen earlier in the story.
He no longer wears military gear or farming clothes. Instead
he wears a shirt of blue and trousers of white, held by a belt
of golden, elegant design. His cybernetic arms look radically
different, and would almost pass for human were they not
showing open machinery where the elbow and wrist joints connect.
His face shows utter despair all over it.
The younger Jax stares at his older self, completely nonplussed,
while Jacqui looks at him with mounting horror.
Y. JAX: Mind. Blown.
JACQUI: Dad? How’d you get here?
As she walks over to him, Young Jax’s confusion turns to anger,
as he realises the answer to her question.
Y. JAX: I’ll give you one guess.
JACQUI: Dad, your–
She looks down at his new arms.
JACQUI: –your arms! Those look like Kronika’s design! What are
you doing?
Jax brings his hands up, forming them into fists. He closes his
eyes, trying his hardest not to break down, then opens them
again, looking his daughter straight in the eye.
O. JAX: Giving you the life you deserve.
He brings his fists to his side.
Y. JAX: By destroying the universe?
Old Jax glances at his younger self for a moment.
O. JAX: Restarting it, not destroying it.
He looks back at Jacqui.
O. JAX: Being a revenant. The years I lost, the things I did. Your
Ma held me together. But I was never the father you needed.
Y. JAX: You’re talking nonsense, man! You raised a fine daughter.
She’s one helluva soldier.
O. JAX: She shouldn’t have been a soldier! I never wanted you out
there, taking those risks.
He places his hands on his daughter’s shoulders.
O. JAX: If I hadn’t fallen apart, you wouldn’t have felt the need
to enlist.
Looking heartbroken at his words, Jacqui pushes her father’s arms
away and steps backward.
JACQUI: That’s not why I do this, Dad!
O. JAX: Please! Give that crown to me. I don’t want to hurt
anybody.
JACQUI: This is seriously messed up…
Before she can even contemplate doing anything, Young Jax
places a hand on her shoulder.
Y. JAX: Hang back, kid. I know I wouldn’t want to fight my Dad.
He gently pushes her back and walks over to confront his older
self.
Y. JAX: How bout we keep this between me, myself and I? Never
thought I’d stoop so low.
O. JAX: You don’t know how bad it gets! Losing your arms was
just the beginning.
Y. JAX: I know you suffered. You still do. But you don’t betray
your unit, and you SURE as hell don’t betray your family!
[AUTHOR’S NOTE: Unlike the previous fights of this chapter, there
is no option presented to choose a fighter. Young Jax will always
fight his older self.]
They fight. With his strength and skill enhanced with Kronika’s
magi-tech, one might assume the elder Jax would have the upper
hand against his younger and more inexperienced self. But for all
of his strength, Old Jax’s heart is not in the battle, allowing
his younger self to take advantage of his hesitance and despair.
After a fierce exchange, Young Jax manages to knock out his older
counterpart.
Y. JAX: There’s gotta be a way to make this right.
With the battle over, Jacqui runs over to her dad and checks his
pulse.
JACQUI: He’s out, but he’ll recover.
She looks back to Young Jax.
JACQUI: How’re you?
Y. JAX: Trippin’. You?
JACQUI: Ditto.
She looks down at her father, then back at Young Jax.
JACQUI: We can’t leave him. Let’s get him and the crown out of
here.
The scene cuts to the Kourtyard. Jacqui and Young Jax hold Old Jax
between them, supporting him as he struggles to walk. He doesn’t
even attempt to fight them, his will to do so being completely
sapped.
Y. JAX: If I never come back here, it’ll be too soon.
JACQUI: I heard that.
A rumbling sound and a glow of light from the heavens catches
their attention. Jacqui and Jax cover their eyes as the light
continues to brighten – and in that light is the outline of the
Elder God Cetrion.
CETRION: Mortals!
She glides down from the sky, hands held aloft in almost a
welcoming gesture.
CETRION: Surrender Kronika’s crown and the elder Jackson Briggs.
No harm will come to you.
JACQUI: No deal.
She and Young Jax set down Old Jax as gently as possible.
JACQUI: We know you betrayed the Elder Gods, Cetrion.
Cetrion finishes her descent, hovering a few feet from the
ground before them.
CETRION: Kronika must restore the balance that Raiden destroyed.
Can you not see he is the devil in these matters?
Y. JAX: At least he’s the devil we know.
JACQUI: (To Jax) Can we take an Elder God?
Y. JAX: Cassie beat Shinnok.
JACQUI: Only because the Cages are born with crazy magic powers.
Y. JAX: Maybe we have our own magic.
He glances down at Kronika’s crown, sitting on a sidebelt on
Jacqui’s hip.
CETRION: Stand down, please. Resistance only ensures your
suffering.
—–
[PLAYER CHOOSES JAX]
Jacqui takes the crown in her hands, but Jax suddenly snatches it
away from her.
JACQUI: What’re you doing?!
Y. JAX: Stand back. We don’t know what this thing’ll do.
He places the crown on his head. He groans and shuts his eyes at
the unmatched power of the souls within, but with a sudden shout
of determination, he opens his eyes and faces down Cetrion.
CETRION: That crown is meant for Kronika. Your human physiology
cannot control its power.
Y. JAX: Only got to wear this thing long enough to beat you.
They fight. Even with the power of countless souls coursing
through his veins, the battle ends up being the most difficult of Jackson
Briggs’ life. Cetrion is unlike anything he has ever
fought, with her total control over nature and its elements. But
he does not give up, and after an immense effort, he manages to
knock Cetrion to the floor.
Y. JAX: Mission accomplished.
Jax puts both hands on the crown, and after a moment of
struggling, manages to remove it. He almost falls but Jacqui is
quick to catch him. He stands back to his feet with her help.
[PLAYER CHOOSES JACQUI]
Jacqui takes the crown in her hands.
Y. JAX: I can’t let you d–
JACQUI: I’m not discussing it.
She puts it on her head before Jax can stop her. She closes her
eyes in concentration as the power of untold amounts of souls
focuses itself on her being. However, it only takes a moment for
her to open her eyes again. She walks toward Cetrion.
CETRION: Your mind is too frail to wield Kronika’s weapon. For
your own safety, remove it!
Jacqui visibly strains to walk forward, proving at least some
truth in Cetrion’s words. Nonetheless, she refuses to back down.
JACQUI: It’s not time for safety. It’s time for action.
They fight. Although powered up by the magic of Kronika’s crown,
Jacqui ends up facing her most difficult opponent yet. Cetrion’s
powers are infinite and immense, but the word “quit” is not in
Jacqui’s vocabulary. She takes the fight to the Elder God and
manages to just barely knock her to the ground.
JACQUI: Eat your heart out, Cassie Cage.
She tries to remove the crown, but struggles in doing so. Young
Jax runs over and grabs the crown in both hands. Together, they
yank it off Jacqui’s head.
—–
Cetrion brings herself up one knee, glaring menacingly at Jax
and Jacqui.
CETRION: You were warned! Mere mortals cannot control the crown.
I did not wish to harm you. But now you have forced my hand.
She raises her hand into the air. It glows for a moment as
a blue mist surrounds it, then she slams it down on the ground.
Instantly, the stone tiles beneath Jax and Jacqui begin to crack
and tear, suffering the full effects of an earthquake. They both
struggle to remain upright as the ground around them starts
to shift apart.
Jacqui falls over and then a chasm opens underneath her. She
falls before Jax can catch her, but she grabs onto a ledge
in the ground, narrowly avoiding dropping further to her doom.
She is too far away for Jax to pull her back up though, and
her grip starts to falter.
The elder Jax brings himself back to his feet as the younger
Jax looks down the chasm, panic wrought on his face. Cetrion
looks on dispassionately. Old Jax looks at Cetrion with
uncertainty for a moment, but does not try to stop her. Young
Jax turns back to Cetrion.
Y. JAX: The hell’re you doing?!
CETRION: Give me the crown and I will spare her.
JACQUI: Don’t! Don’t give it to her! GO!!
CETRION: Her life is in your hands.
Behind her, Old Jax begins to panic as much as his younger self
is, though he still refuses to act against Cetrion. He instead
addresses his younger self.
O. JAX: Nobody here wants to hurt anyone. Now, please.
He motions to the chasm that Jacqui is trapped in.
O. JAX: Don’t let this happen to our girl.
Young Jax looks down at the crown in his hands… and then down
to Jacqui, who loses her grip with her right hand and is left
clinging to the crevice with only her other hand.
Y. JAX: Dammit!
He throws the crown to his elder self, who catches it one handed.
Old Jax turns to Cetrion.
O. JAX: Now bring Jacqui back!
Cetrion raises her hand again, blue mist again enveloping it.
The ground is instantly restored to its previous level, bringing
Jacqui back with it. She remains on her knees for a moment,
catching her breath. Old Jax – nearly in tears at this point –
looks to his daughter, who in turn looks utterly betrayed by
his actions
JACQUI: Dad! How could you do this to me?!
O. JAX: I’m not doing this TO you, Jacqui. I’m doing it FOR you!
He looks down, unable to even look his daughter in the eye
anymore.
O JAX: I love you.
He walks over to Cetrion, eyes closed in despair. Even the
Elder Goddess looks somewhat saddened at the scene.
CETRION: Kronika awaits our return.
She raises her hand and a sand tornado envelopes her and the elder
Jax. They teleport away in a swirl that dissipates in an instant.
Jacqui remains on her knees, eyes closed in despair, but the
younger Jax rushes over to her.
Y. JAX: C’mon. This fight isn’t over.
She stands back up, and they both walk back toward the waiting
ship.
The scene cuts to Kronika’s Keep. The crown – now floating just
above Cetrion’s outstretched hands – is offered to Kronika.
The keeper of time walks over to her daughter, while the elder
Jax and revenants Kitana and Liu Kang look on.
KRONIKA: This will bring us our deliverance.
Kronika takes the crown in her hands, turning to look not toward
Cetrion but Jax instead.
KRONIKA: Thank you… both of you.
While Cetrion smiles warmly, Jax seems conflicted at her words.
KRONIKA: I sense apprehension, Jackson Briggs.
He looks behind him, toward the revenants.
JAX: I’m not usually surrounded by so many friendly faces.
KRONIKA: We are unlikely allies, united for a common cause. Worry
not.
Her tone of voice changes in an instant, as she addresses the
revenants, who walk over to her.
KRONIKA: Liu Kang, Kitana. Are the armies assembled?
LIU KANG: They’re en route. Kitana and I will see that they arrive
as planned.
KRONIKA: Excellent.
She places the crown on her head. The souls swirling around it all
light up with an intense glow, but Kronika is not inhibited by
the power she wields in the slightest. She remains serene as
her sand powers gather around her.
KRONIKA: So many souls! So much time!
She levitates into the air and looks to the heavens.
KRONIKA: As my strength gathers, the New Era draws ever closer!
The scene cuts to the Shirai Ryu Fire Garden. Raiden and Cassie
walk across a bridge toward the central area, deep in conversation.
RAIDEN: The report from Jacqueline Briggs… her father’s actions
have compromised our situation gravely.
CASSIE: I know. I can’t–
She sighs, looking dejected.
CASSIE: I can’t believe he did this.
RAIDEN: Even if we locate her Keep, Kronika’s power now likely
exceeds the might of our combined forces.
Cassie stops walking, unnoticed for a moment by Raiden.
CASSIE: Maybe we should rethink using Shinnok’s amulet.
These words stop Raiden in his tracks. He turns back to face her.
RAIDEN: We cannot, Cassandra Cage.
CASSIE: I’ve seen what you can do with it. You held off the entire
Netherrealm army. You weren’t even at full strength.
Raiden places his hands on the edge of the bridge, deep in
contemplation.
RAIDEN: I dare not risk the temptations of its dark power. Even
now it calls to me…
Cassie walks over to him, but says nothing. Raiden closes his
eyes for a moment, lost in thought… and when he reopens them,
they flash red instead of their normal blue. It only lasts
a split-second, and his eyes return to glowing electric-blue
as he gathers himself.
RAIDEN: Despite Kronika’s advantages, we must attack as soon as
we know the Keep’s location.
CASSIE: It’s been hours since we heard from the Grandmasters.
What’s the plan if they don’t come back?
RAIDEN: They must, or else hope is lost.
The scene cuts to a plane of the Netherrealm. In this part of
Hell, a sea of blood crashes upon a rocky shoreline, admist the
carcass of a long dead sea creature. The camera pans across to
show rocky outcroppings of land, along with what appear to be
bulbous pores growing from the rocks themselves.