Welcome back to The Dark Order. Last time, Dracia had just barely managed to escape the Caves of Flesh with a bit of help from Blaze, who has finally entered this realm, leaving only three towers standing. Still no sign of Dragnarok himself though. Anyways, what hellish scenario will the Gilded Resistance go through next? Read on to discover...
(Our story resumes not with Dracia and company, but rather within a setting resembling some kind of factory, wherein Synapse is inspecting the machinery, ensuring everything is operating at peak functionality for it's intended purpose. And that purpose? Cyberizing innocent citizens, a process we see head on as we see one poor soul get their head chopped off for their brain and spinal cord to get placed into a cyborg body akin to a Cyber Lin Kuei redesigned for a dragon. As Synapse watches on at this sadistic sight, someone really out of place shows up. It's Frost, for some reason wearing a very revealing maid outfit)
Frost: Your tea is ready in the Think Tank per your command, Mistress.
Synapse: Excellent, Frost. Any word from Sektor and Sub-Zero?
Frost: LK-52O and LK-9T9 have retrieved the device from the castle and are delivering it here as we speak. They should have it here in 15 minutes via the most efficient route.
Synapse: Excellent, that gives 10 hours to work on it, well within the 12 hour timeframe I gave Lord Darkblood.
Frost: Shall I prepare your bedchambers for his arrival, Mistress?
Synapse: My time for tribute is a little past due, but with all the excitement recently, that's no surprise. Have it readied. And reinforced, I have a feeling the Master is going to be very... forceful this time.
Frost: Yes Mistress.
(As Frost leaves the room with a swaying walk not unlike that of Darkblood's harem, we transition to the outskirts of the Soulless Boneyard, where Dracia and company are surveying the scene as lightning strikes, repeatedly, from skies cloudier than usual.)
General Goldix: (Seeing the weather) Believe it or not, this is a good sign. That means we're in Storm Valley. Artisans Plains should only be a few minutes away at a stiff jog. (Thinking about it) And we'd better make it a stiff sprint actually.
Dracia: Why?
General Goldix: At the heart of this storm is Thunder Factory, Synapse's lair.
Dracia: If the last places are any indication, there may be a tower there! Perhaps we should look into it.
General Goldix: We're this close to base and you want to divert us again off a hunch?! Not a chance!
Goldix: Trust me, Dracia's "hunches" prove more accurate than you'd think.
Blaze: She gets that from me.
General Goldix: Look, I still don't trust it. I suggest we get sprinting to Artisans Plains straightaway.
(With that the group starts moving again, and after a few minutes through the eternal storm of Storm Valley, General Goldix overhears something and forces everyone behind some rocks as Sketor and Cyber Sub-Zero enter the scene, bringing with them the same dimension hopping machine Darkblood had ordered repaired.)
Sektor: I told you we should have taken the main route. It would've been more efficient than this short-cut of yours.
Cyber Sub-Zero: My calculations are never wrong, LK-9T9.
Sektor: They were this time, LK-52O. Get your sensors tuned when we return. Mistress Synapse will likely want to get to work on this machine straight away.
Cyber Sub-Zero: Undoubtedly. With no further distractions we should arrive within 7 seconds.
Sektor: You had better be correct, LK-52O.
(As the duo passes through, General Goldix and the rest peek their heads out to see what's going on)
Dracia: Who were those two?
Cyrax: The red one was Sektor, the former Grandmaster of my clan, the Lin Kuei. But the other was an old friend, Sub-Zero, Kuai Liang to those who knew him well. His Cyberization was the first thing Synapse ordered when she conquered our realm.
Dracia: Cyberization?
Cyrax: I wasn't always a robot, and neither were Sektor or Sub-Zero. Synapse had a hand in ensuring we ended up this way.
(With that, Cyrax flashes back to several years ago, as in about the limits of the timeframe we know, where we Synapse forging an alliance with Quan Chi and Shao Kahn)
Cyrax: It all started in my world, when Synapse first arrived. She put herself in the services of Shao Kahn, ruler of a place called Outworld, claiming her master had sent her to forge an alliance with him. Ever the fool, he accepted. Synapse fought in a Mortal Kombat tournament, as a contender for Outworld in the moment, but in reality, she was playing the long game to conquer our world.
(Now we see Synapse fighting in Mortal Kombat, killing Scorpion and the first Sub-Zero, later known as Noob-Saibot.)
Cyrax: Outworld still lost that tournament thanks to Liu Kang. But having made allies with the Lin Kuei, she proved invaluable in letting the Cyber Initiative proceed, that being the process that turned myself, Sektor, and later Sub-Zero into robots, the last of whom she herself rounded up. Only Shang Tsung and Raiden really saw anything suspicious about her, even Liu Kang and Kitana saw her as just another Outworld fighter. And she knew this, getting rid of Shang Tsung by convincing Shao Kahn to give his power to Sindel after helping him create Mileena, a clone of Kitana that she never knew about.
(Next we see the attempted conquest of Earthrealm, where Synapse fatally stabs Shao Kahn in the back while no one is looking before electrocuting Quan Chi.)
Cyrax: Then when Shao Kahn tried to invade, she turned on him in an attempt to get Raiden to trust her, saving Liu Kang from Raiden's lightning and using it to later kill Quan Chi. From there she secured Kitana's favor and put a stop to the growing civil war in Outworld.
(Now we see of all people, Cetrion and Kronika meeting with Raiden and Liu Kang, before transitioning to the final battle in the Koliseum, an army of Cyber Lin Kuei slaughtering Tarkatans, Shokan, Naknadans, and Osh-Tekk left and right surrounded by dead kombatants ranging from Kabal to Jax to even Geras)
Cyrax: Turns out this was never how the timeline was supposed to play out, as the literal keeper of time herself and her daughter the Elder Goddess Cetrion tried to warn Liu Kang and Raiden about Synapse. Needless to say, the battle did not work in their favor.
(Now we enter the story as we see Synapse use her cybernetic implants to hack the approaching Kano's eye, causing his head to explode before sending a fatal shockwave through Johnny Cage. As she leaves the throne, she puts a foot through the head of Sonya Blade as the last combatants stand: Cetrion, Kronika, Raiden, and Liu Kang.)
Raiden: This meddling has gone on too long, Synapse. Now it is time you return to your Realm.
Synapse: Oh please Raiden, look around you! My armies have destroyed your forces. What can you possibly do to stop me!?
Kronika: Out of necessity comes invention. (To Liu Kang) Are you ready?
Liu Kang: Ready as I'll ever be.
Kronika: Then it is time.
(With that, Kronika uses her abilities to merge Raiden and Liu Kang into Fire God Liu Kang, before she starts fading into sand)
Kronika: (As she fades away) You two are our final hope. Go get her...
(Now the final battle begins. Cetrion is bested within minutes, but Fire God Liu Kang is a much harder target. But it does little good for them, as Cetrion uses one of Scorpion's swords to behead Fire God Liu Kang as we transition back to the present)
Cyrax: Baraka, Smoke, and I were the only survivors who retained our free will. I know for sure Johnny Cage's daughter Cassie and Kitana ended up as sex slaves to Synapse's master, and a few others were drilled into drones.
(As Cyrax tells his story, General Goldix sees the machine Sektor and Cyber Sub-Zero are transporting, and immediately beckons the others to follow him.)
Dracia: (Seeing the urgency on his face) What's going on?
General Goldix: Looks like we did have reason to go here after all. That machine is the one Darkblood used to travel between worlds. Looks like he's bringing it to Synapse for maintenance. If we secure it, we can possibly exchange it for the crystal.
Blaze: (Recognizing the device) That's the same one Batman used to bring our family to defeat High Councilor Superman. Looks like we lost the Injustice Wars here.
General Goldix: Oh did you ever.
(As the group follows Sektor and Cyber Sub-Zero, we see them arrive at the edge of a strange hole in the ground, which we now see is an open-topped elevator, rising to accommodate the two Cyber Lin Kuei descending as soon as the two of them get on it. As soon as the elevator is about a quarter of the way down, General Goldix and company follow after them, staying out of sight as Sektor and Cyber Sub-Zero meet up with their mistress and Frost.)
Synapse: Excellent work you two. Just as expected, despite your lateness. Sektor, maintain Cyberization operations here. Sub-Zero, stand guard outside the Think Tank. I want no disturbances until the Master arrives. Frost, if the Master does come, let Sub-Zero know, then keep him entertained until I am able to attend to him.
Sektor, Cyber Sub-Zero, and Frost: Of course, Mistress.
(As the three proceed to their tasks and Synapse takes the machine into a central room, the members of the Gilded Resistance sneak into the sort of observation room and just as they do, General Goldix spots what looks like the base of an obsidian obelisk poking up from the factory floor below their feet)
General Goldix: Looks like your theory was right.
Goldix: (Having seen the entire scene) And it looks like Synapse is guarding the tower.
General Goldix: Of course it goes right through her Think Tank.
Dracia: So she's got consultation?
General Goldix: Not exactly.
(With that, we transition directly inside the room Synapse just entered, where indeed a portion of the obelisk is hidden, but as well we see the Mobius Chair attached to the structure, with the Thinker's Thinking Cap sitting on it, a tea set nearby , and most disturbingly, The Thinker, Doctor Gero, Lex Luthor, Reed Richards and a few others we can't quite make out suspended in some kind of liquid with strange helmets on, as she puts the Thinking Cap on, causing some sort of electric jolt to be sent through the captives, transferring some sort of power into her as she gets to work)
General Goldix: Synapse has some of the greatest minds in the conquered worlds strapped into a literal tank in this place where she can siphon their intelligence as a form of foodstuff for long projects.
Dracia: Wait, how do you know that?
General Goldix: (Nervously) Our spy was sent here at one point.
Dracia: By any chance was she wearing a purple band of silk last you saw her?
General Goldix: Yes actually, why?
Dracia: Because I'm pretty sure she's been found out. She was in the Caves of Flesh, and looking pretty mentally drained, literally.
General Goldix: Oh. Poor Hope. But as sad as it is, we need to focus on the mission, destroy that tower and get out of here before we're caught.
(Seeing exactly where the three major threats are, the group sneaks around a bit, before General Goldix accidentally triggers some sort of alarm, prompting Sektor and Cyber Sub-Zero to spring into attack mode as Cyber Lin Kuei and Ultron Drones)
Cyber Sub-Zero: Halt, intruders!
Cyrax: Sub-Zero, it's me, Cyrax. You've got to snap out of this!
Cyber Sub-Zero: You are a traitor to the Lin Kuei, LK-4D4. Your word means nothing to me.
Sektor: But regardless, how nice of you all to arrive and turn yourselves in.
Dracia: Like hell we're going down without a fight!
Cyber Sub-Zero: Then you choose to die.
Dracia: (To Cyrax) Hope you've got a plan.
Cyrax: I do. Sub-Zero's conversion was unwilling. If I can get rid of the behavior modifier controlling him, he'll fight alongside us again.
Dracia: Can you make that work?
Cyrax: I can try. Just keep the drones off me.
(With their plan of action decided on, the group start fighting off Synapse's robots, allowing Cyrax to confront Cyber Sub-Zero, and just as Sub-Zero did to him in Mortal Kombat 11, Cyrax rips a panel off of Cyber Sub-Zero's back before taking out one of the chips, causing the Cyber Lin Kuei to stumble for a minute before regaining his senses)
Cyber Sub-Zero: Cyrax?
Cyrax: No time to explain, Kuai Liang. We have business to attend to.
(Just as the two are about to enter the battle, Cyber Sub-Zero is frozen, followed by another blast that destroys the cyberized ninja's arm, revealing Frost was the one who fired upon her)
Frost: All acts of disobedience towards the Mistress are to be treated with extreme prejudice, LK-52O. You of all of us should know that.
Cyrax: You actually have combat capabilities?
Frost: Mistress Synapse never disabled them, for their use in a domestic setting. I may be her personal servant and pleasure doll, but that does not mean I cannot fight back.
(With Frost added, the group is quickly subdued, as Synapse herself exits her Think Tank, still seated upon the Mobius Chair and wearing the Thinking Cap, sipping tea as the prisoners are brought before her.)
Synapse: You really thought it would be that easy.
Dracia: Aunt Blitz, you've got to snap out of this!
Synapse: I know you've told all the others that. So I will tell you again. They are gone, and Blitz is no different.
(With that, as many times before, Blitz thinks back to the final battle between what remains of the Element Guard and the almost completed Dark Order, or more specifically the aftermath, seeing the group of Rokko, Hydrar, Shade, and Blitz chained to a wall, about to be corrupted. Then we see Blitz's corruption, as parts of her body, notably her arms, her wings and her left eye turn to metal integrated into her skin as violet fractal scarring spreads across her yellow and blue scales)
Synapse: We were fools to oppose Lord Darkblood. The odds were against us from the start. And for this hubris, each of us were punished by our awakenings. I was meant as punishment for my brother, Shade. He was to watch as I fell to the darkness and there was nothing he could do about it. You probably know this already, having confronted him first of all of us. But regardless, I'm afraid, for you, there's not much of a story to tell in my awakening. I was simply shown what we as a group were capable of, versus what we couldn't do on our own. Well, let's just say the choice was obvious from a statistical analysis.
(As Synapse finishes her statement, we transition back to the present, where she, Frost, and Sektor are standing victorious over the Gilded Resistance.)
Synapse: Now I offer you all the same choice. Surrender and willingly serve Lord Darkblood, or be destroyed.
Cyber Sub-Zero: I spent 10 years as your slave. (Activating something in his chest as he throws off the Ultron Drones) I will not let that happen again!
Cyrax: Kuai Liang, are you crazy?! You've activated your self-destruct mechanism!
Sub-Zero: (Speaking as himself for the first time in ages) You have to keep fighting, Cyrax. This world needs your resistance. Get everyone out of here, I'll take this place with me.
(Inspired by Sub-Zero, the Gilded Resistance throws off the Ultron Drones and starts fighting back, ultimately winning the battle with Cyrax and Sub-Zero specifically beheading Sektor. As all of this is going on, Synapse shouts an order to Frost, but we don't hear it amidst the hub-bub. But in the end, Sub-Zero is about to go critical, signaling Cyrax to get the Gilded Resistance out of there. And as they do, Sub-Zero runs directly at Synapse and full body tackles her into the obelisk just as he explodes, taking out the factory just as the Gilded Resistance is able to escape.)
Cyrax: (Looking back at the scene) KUAI LIANG!
General Goldix: (Placing a comforting paw on his shoulder) He died a hero's death. May we all be so lucky.
(At this point, Dracia, Sulfur, Goldix, and Blaze are all hit with the same look of "Did he really just say that?" But the look soon fades as the group quickly gets moving, not wanting to take chances as to whether Synapse survived or not. And that's a good call for them, as soon a hand emerges from the rubble, as Synapse pulls herself to the surface, just as Frost arrives, the maid outfit she was wearing destroyed.)
Synapse: I assume you were successful?
Frost: Yes, Mistress. LK-9T9 managed to transport away with the machine and the chemicals from Lady Toxica. He is bringing them to Lord Darkblood as we speak.
Synapse: Excellent. Now we have almost everything in place. I must get a message to the Master right away. Our spy is nearing the Resistance's headquarters. They have already taken out all but two of the towers. The time has come to destroy them from within.
(With that, we transition to Darkblood's castle, where he appears to be in deep meditation as Sektor brings the machine and chemicals into his throne room before collapsing and shutting down)
Darkblood: The time has come, my apprentice. Awaken your true power, and destroy them.
(As Darkblood's voice exits his castle, a mysterious yet familiar voice replies)
?: It shall be done, sire.
(As that ominous note settles, our tale ends for today.)
Okay, yet again, a lot to take in, but worth it. Next time, the identity of the spy will be revealed. Already you may be thinking, is it the narrator from the opening? That's the only other unidentified character, so it must be, right? Well, don't be too sure. But that mystery will be revealed too, as the two are intertwined. So, who is Darkblood's sight on the inside of the Gilded Resistance? Tune in next time to find out! Same time... same channel!