Chapter 10: True Names

"What do you mean the throne is mine?" Muli asked with an annoyed look in which Kotal faced the ground.

"You not only united the Shokans and Tarkatans but also gained the alliance of these...aliens..." Kotal spoke in which Muli glared at the Osh-Tekk.

"Family," Muli corrected with narrowed eyes.

"Alliance of your family. A force that easily outnumbers our own," Kotal continued while looking to Mileena. "Are you against your husband being the ruler of Outworld?"

"I am not against it. It is he who is against it...and I will no force him to become anything he does not wish to be," Mileena spoke narrowing her eyes at Kotal.

"... then answer this question Muli...why are you so against being the ruler of Outworld when it would not only benefit your people but also all who live within this realm?" Kotal asked with his hands behind his back. "I am not asking you to conquer the other realms but rather...help restore this one..."

Muli blinked at this before turning to his wife who shared Kotal's curiosity.

"...the people have high expectations..." Muli spoke narrowing his eyes.

Sheeva and Barako have returned from their respective tasks to see their leader speaking with Kotal. Both made their way to Muli along with their people stopping behind their leader.

"Is there something wrong my love?" Sheeva asked looking at her husband then to Kotal.

"...Kotal is handing the throne of Outworld to our husband..." Mileena answered causing Sheeva's eyes to widen along with Barako.

'We are needed at Shang Tsung's Island,' Necros notified in which Muli gritted his teeth.

"I am needed at Shang Tsung's Island," Muli spoke facing his wife then at Kotal. "We will continue this conversation at a later day."

Kotal only nodded his head as Muli's body was beginning to glow a bright white causing the immortal to blink his eyes in confusion before he faded away in a gust of wind.

-Shang Tsung's Island-

Muli appeared in front of Jacqui and a younger Jax after they defeated Noob Saibot. At first, Jax prepared to fight Muli but was stopped by his future daughter.

"He's with us," Jacqui said looking over at her father then toward Muli confused. "Why are you here anyway Muli?"

"I was told to come here by a God," Muli answered facing Jacqui while sighing heavily. "For what...I do not know. And seeing as I am getting no answer...I can only guess he used the last of his strength to send me here,"

"A summary of our mission is getting Kronika's crown to stop her from being able to reset the timeline," Jacqui answered earning a nod from Muli who walked to the well of souls and placed his left hand into it.

The souls from the well began to flow into Muli's hand nourishing not the immortal but the God who rests within.

"That's weird," Jacqui admitted with a raised brow before Muli took hold of the crown and pulled it out while leaving behind a white sphere in the well that continued to feed on the souls.

"Mission accomplished I guess, "Jax said with a chuckled while Muli turned and handed the crown to Jacqui.

"Jacqui wait," Another voice was heard as the Old Jax walked out of the shadows with a lit cigar before taking it from his lips and discarding the item.

Muli's eyes narrowed while facing the Old Jax completely with Jacqui and Young Jax turning toward the direction of the sound.

"Mind. Blown," Young Jax spoke while looking at his older self.

"Dad? How'd you get here?" Jacqui asked surprised while her younger father looked at his older self's arm.

"I'll give you one guess," Young Jax said before pointing at his older self's arm which caused Jacqui to focus on them.

"Dad, your-your arms! Those look like Kronika's design. What are you doing?" Jacqui asked looking up at her father while backing away from him.

"Giving you the life you deserve," Old Jax answered.

"By destroying the universe?" Young Jax said annoyed.

"Restarting it, not destroying it. Being a Revenant. The years I lost, the things I did. Your Ma held me together. But I was never the father you needed," Old Jax explained.

"You're talking nonsense, man. You raised a fine daughter. She's one helluva soldier," Young Jax said gripping his hands into fists.

"She shouldn't have been a soldier! I never wanted you out there, taking those risks. If I hadn't fallen apart, you wouldn't have felt the need to enlist," Old continued while softly grasping his daughter's shoulders.

"That's not why I do this, Dad!" Jacqui shouted while pushing his arms away.

"Please. Give the crown to me, I don't want to hurt anybody," Old Jax shouted still focusing on his daughter.

"This is seriously messed up..." Jacqui spoke shaking her head before the Young Jax placed his hand upon his future daughter's shoulder to softly pull her back sighing.

"Hang back, kid. I know I wouldn't want to fight my Dad," Young Jax spoke before Muli walked in front of both of them after handing the crown to Jacqui who took hold of it blinking her eyes.

"I may not know much about your past but a parent...should never regret their choices of the future. No matter how painful it is. Everything happens for a reason. To wish for change spits on everything you raised," Muli spoke rolling his shoulders back.

"What would you know about pain?" Old Jax shouted while glaring at Muli who scuffed.

"You humans and your soft nature. I have lost my entire clan and watched them die...while I remained alive. My age and suffering... outweigh your own. But now I have something to fight for. And Kronika threatens that," Muli spoke raising his left hand and aiming it at Jacqui's Prest father.

"Please don't kill him!" Jacqui shouted from behind Muli who nodded his head slightly.

"You are an ally in these times, Jacqui. The last thing I want to do is harm that in any way or form," Muli replied as Old Jax lunged forward with his right arm cocked back.

Muli looked at this before ducking under the haymaker and taking hold of Old Jax's arm with his left hand while punching the veteran's gut as the immortal slammed the veteran soldier into the ground. With his opponent pinned, Muli quickly brought his foot to Old Jax's back and pinned him to the ground glaring at the old veteran.

"Submit Jax. You cannot defeat me," Muli warned while narrowing his eyes.

"...No!" Jax shouted before he gripped his right hand tightly causing it to glow red and fire a heat blast from his knuckles right into Muli's face.

Muli released his grip and staggered backward while Old Jax got to his feet and turned to the immortal only to charge forward successfully delivering a haymaker. This knocked Muli to his back followed by a groan allowing the veteran to start wailing on the immortals head in a means to kill him. Just as Old Jax stopped, all that was left was a mush of flesh on the ground earning a sigh only for Muli to quickly take grab the veteran's shoulder and pull him close to deliver a powerful punch of his own to Old Jax's head knocking him out cold.

"Damn," Young Jax said blinking his eyes as Muli's head began to reform followed by a groan as he got back to his feet.

Jacqui made her way toward her father who laid flat on his back to place her fingers upon his neck to find his pulse.

"He's out but he'll recover," Jacqui said looking at her younger father who nodded his head before facing Muli. "Thank you..."

"He is your father. I had no such love for mine but it shows in your eyes. You respect and love him with all your heart. By the end of this, we hope that it shall all change," Muli said earning a soft smile from Jacqui.

"We can't leave him. Let's get him and the crown out of here," Jacqui said while holding the crown in which Muli walked over to hoist old Jax over his shoulder before following the Briggs family to the surface.

As they arrived at the surface, Muli looked around in thought while the two Briggs spoke a little to one another. Suddenly the sky shined bright like the rising sun causing the Briggs to shield their eyes while Muli merely narrowed them.

"Mortals!" Cetrion presented as she began to descend from the sky. "Surrender Kronka's crown and the elder Jackson Briggs. No harm will come to you,"

"No deal. We know you betrayed the Elders Gods, Cetrion," Jacqui shouted while getting into her fighting stance along with Young Jax.

"Kronika must restore the balance that Raiden destroyed. Can you not see, he is the devil in the matter?" Cetrion spoke.

"At least he is the devil we know," Young Jax replied.

"Can we take an Elder God?" Jacqui asked softly while looking at young Jax and Muli.

"You cannot...but I can," Necros spoke as the ground shook before a figure walked out from behind them causing Cetrion to look up and widen her eyes in shock.

Necros walked in front of the three with his hands behind his back. The God's body had been remade thanks to the well of souls revealing his whole form. Just like the battle against Shinnok, Necro's body was as tall as Cetrions with a built form and pitch-black skin. All that could be seen were his glowing white eyes and flowing black hair.

"Necros? You were said to be dead," Cetrion spoke blinking her eyes as the god of souls brought his arms to his sides.

"And I was...for a time. Thankfully my people have kept me alive. This one in particular," Necros spoke glancing over his shoulder at Muli before turning his attention back to Cetrion. "As for how I have made a new body of my own...I can thank the well of souls for that. Although I am not at full strength but should be strong enough to fight you Cetrion...just like old times,"

Cetrion narrowed her eyes before firing a stream of flames at Necros only for it to slam into the god of souls launching him back into the temple.

"Should we help?" Jacqui asked looking at Muli who only shook his head.

"Show yourself Necros! I have no time for games!" Cetrion demanded while looking around growing annoyed.

"There is always time for games Cetrion...after all...do you not feel the same for me anymore?" Necros asked as his voice echoed throughout the area.

"We are gods Necros. Love is beneath us," Cetrion spoke while narrowing her eyes.

"...you're right. Love is beneath us," Necros agreed while a heavy sigh echoed around their forms once more. "I guess it was admiration that I felt working beside you back then..."

Suddenly a large hand took hold of Cetrion before floating up revealing a three-story tall god staring at the goddess of Virtue.

"Something I no longer feel. All I am filled with now...is disappointment," Necros spoke before Cetrion screamed breaking out of the god's hand allowing her to float to the ground softly with narrowed eyes.

"You are no match for me Necros," Cetrion spoke earning a soft sigh from the god.

"Normally I would agree Elder Goddess of Virtue...but thanks to Shang Tsung I have grown strong enough to fight you on equal terms. Even if it is but momentary," Necros spoke while nudging his head for the Briggs and Muli to get into cover.

As the three Briggs and Muli got to cover, Necros grinned widely while clapping his hands together gathering the souls on the island into his form.

"The time for games is over...now...let me show you what I can do when I take things seriously," Necros spoke rolling his shoulders back.

Cetrion flew forward with four of her tendrils dashing towards Necros' form. Necros swayed his left hand upward causing a wall of souls to form in front of the god watching as Cetrion flew back. As Cetrion was stopped by her opponent's attack, Necros quickly thrust his right hand forward causing the wall to morph into a large hand. The goddess' eyes grew wide as the hand grasped her form and slammed her into the ground.

"All the souls in Shang Tsung's well were mine for the taking," Necros spoke as Cetrion slowly pushed herself off the ground and glared at the god. "And let me tell you...he had a lot of souls to spare,"

"You made them all your own," Cetrion spoke while straightening herself.

"Yes. Can you imagine what I could do if I had the crown?" Necros spoke just as Cetrion fired a concentrated beam of focused fire at the god.

Necros responded by firing a focused beam of souls at Cetrions watching as the two deities battled back and forth. Eventually, the beams canceled one another out pushing each other back. A soft groan escaped Necros' lips before Cetrion flew forward to bring her fist to his head knocking him to the ground. Muli watched as the two deities continued to fight one another until Cetrion was slammed into the ground repeatedly by Necros finally knocking her out as she faded away in a means to escape.

As Cetrion retreated from Shang Tsung's Island Necros' form shifted back into a white sphere and flew into Muli's body making the immortal slide back a few inches. Jacqui made her way to the immortal as well as her preset father to check if they were okay. Muli raised his hand in the means to stop Jacqui while nodding his head in a means to show he was okay.

"I am fine. With the crown in hand let us return to your leader whoever that may be," Muli said still holding old Jax over his shoulder.

"Good enough for me. Let's get out of here," Jacqui said with a nod before a portal opened revealing the Fire Garden.

"This will get us there faster. Tell your transport to return to base. We will be taking a shortcut," Necros notified before a heavy sigh was heard. "This is the last of my strength that I had gained from the Well of Souls. I will have to rest for now until the time is right,"

Muli nodded his head in understanding before Jacqui looked to her younger father and nudged her head for him to follow. Young Jax nodded his head before following his future daughter through the portal with Muli behind them. As they all entered the portal, it instantly closed preventing anyone else to follow.

-Fire Garden-

As the group arrived at the Fire Garden with the crown Raiden has just tossed Shinnok's amulet to the ground. Just as they grouped up a gust of sand surrounded the group causing time to slow down before finally freezing everybody in place excluding Muli and Raiden. Sand began to focus in one spot creating the keeper of time who turned her gaze towards the thunder God only for them to wander to Muli. Kronika's eyes blinked at this in confusion before floating in front of Muli tilting her head slightly.

"Raiden I have seen over countless times but you... I have never seen you nor any of your actions throughout all the timelines... Why is that?" Kronika asked as she floated around the immortal and Raiden. "Who are you, stranger?"

"I am Muli Ali'i..." The Immortal spoke before surrounding the immortal and hardened to create a shell locking him in place.

"Another anomaly to take with me to ensure my victory," Kronika spoke with a confident smile.

Liu Kang faded away in a pile of sand while Muli remained where he was with faint white energy emitting from his form. This surprised Kronika before her eyes narrowed at Muli annoyed.

"What sort of trickery is this?" Kronika demanded while gripping her hands into fists.

"The dead are not bound by time Kronika. You should know as well as others that souls are not affected by the flow of time no matter how long it's been," Necros answered as Muli's body was engulfed in blinding white energy.

As the light faded away Necros took the place of Muli with his hands by his sides while looking at Kronika.

"Necros," Kronika said glaring at the god of souls.

"But I thought you were killed eons go," Raiden spoke looking at the god of souls who laughed softly.

"You and many others Raiden... even though I am not an elder god I have my ways to survive. As I am the god of souls," Necro said with a shrug.

"God of souls? Do you still use that lie...brother?" Kronika asked with a raised brow.

"What is she talking about Necros?" Braden asked looking at his companion with confusion.

"Necros the devourer of souls. Just like myself, a Titan. One thought to be locked away like the others," Kronika answered causing Necros smile to slowly fade away into a scowl.

"I am not a Titan!" Necros shouted causing white energy to explode from his form pushing Raiden and Kronika back while launching the allies of the thunder god ten meters away.

"So you say yet your actions say otherwise," chronicle argued with a soft scuff.

"My actions are my own," Necros said while calming himself down.

"One such action is teaching my son the ways to control the Dead," Kronika spoke with a smile.

"I trained him in a means to carry out a deal, one that would work in my favor. Even when your son did not hold his end of the deal another was more than eager to do so. That one being Shang Tsung. To my surprise, he took our deal very well, after all, he's the one that made your crown," Necros said with a long grin.

"Even if you still live Necros you are far too weak to fight me. Even if you defeated my daughter in one-on-one combat, seeing the energy around your form I can tell that you used most of it to not only fight my daughter but also to make a portal to the Fire Garden," Kronika spoke preparing to fight while glaring at Necros.

"Normally I would agree with you. After all, it does take a lot of my power to make a portal without a marker. Under normal circumstances, if we fought right here and right now I would surely lose even with the help of Raiden..." Necros said nodding his head in agreement before turning around to Jacqui while surrounding himself with souls while having the crown begin to float toward his direction along with the amulet.

"What are you doing?!" Kronika demanded while firing a ray of sand at the wall of souls to try and break through.

Necros on the other hand took hold of the Kronika's crown with his right while grabbing Shinnok's Amulet with his left.

Necros was silent as he placed the amulet within the crown watching as the two items merged into one. The lone item was a heart one which Necros plunged through his chest releasing a pulse of white energy. This pulse of energy launched everyone back with Kronika continuing to levitate preventing her from crashing into the ground, unlike Raiden and Muli. Raiden got back to his feet along with Muli to find Kronika scanning her surroundings in a means to find Necros who was missing until souls began to come together behind the lone Titan.

Kronika quickly fires a stream of energy from both of her hands at her target expecting it to be Necros but instead of hitting another Titan, she hit an elderly woman. As Kronika's stream of energy connected with the elderly lady her body exploded causing the keeper of time to shield her eyes before Necros' hand reached out to take hold of the keeper of times head. Necros chuckled at this before firing a point-blank beam of energy from both of his hands launching Kronika through a tree and into a wall. The female Titan pushed herself off the wall only for four sets of hands to take hold of her limbs and pull her back to the structure revealing them to be elderly women.

Kronika teleported out of the grasps of the souls only to reappear two meters away with her eyes focus on Necros as he walked forward revealing his true form. Necros' height was slightly taller than Kronika while his build was average, his skin was bronze and his eyes and long hair were as black as the deepest abyss. The Titan of souls wore a long grin on his face while he rolled his shoulders back and gripped his hands into fists.

"Are you still confident in fighting me Kronika? Oh, how the tables have turned. I was weaker than you a few seconds ago but now...I am stronger than I once was. I am not sure if I am stronger than you but at your current state of exhaustion...maybe," Necros spoke with a soft chuckle.

"This is not over," Kronika whispered before teleporting away in a gust of sand.

As soon as Kronika left, Raiden's comrades were able to move as Jacqui looked around noticing that old Jax was nowhere to be seen. Not only that but Liu Kang was also missing causing the group to scan the surroundings in confusion before their eyes finally came across Necros. Raiden immediately walked in front of Necros as a means to keep his comrades calm and not try to attack their new ally.

"Do not be alarmed. This is Necros. A Titan much like Kronika, one who fights against her. Although I know not why," Raiden said facing the Titan whose side while nodding his head in understanding.

"You do not need to know why I fight against her. All that you need to know is that I am not fighting against you. Especially with Onaga in play and his armies. You will be fighting the Dragon Emperor and nether realms armies together. From what I can see you're going to need all the help you can get and making me your enemy is the last thing you want to do," Necros warned with a soft smile.

"We do not want you as an enemy Necros. As you said we require allies, especially at this time, " Raiden agreed to earn a nod from the Titan.

"I will deal with Kronika myself. I will be depending on your comrades to deal with her minions," Necros spoke is returning to Muli. "As for you...you must return to Outworld and prepare your people."

Muli nodded in agreement before Necros swayed his hand teleporting the immortal back to Outworld with ease.

-Outworld: Kahn's Palace-

Muli appeared in front of Kahn's palace catching the attention of Mileena and Sheeva who were discussing why Muli should be Kahn. It did not take long before his wives turned to their husband and made their way toward his direction. Mileena was the first one to wrap her arms around her husband while Sheeva stood on the side smiling.

"Husband!" Mileena shouted.

"What business did you have on Shang Tsung's Island?" Sheeva spoke tilting her head.

I was sent to retrieve Kronika's crown to help Raiden and Necros," Muli answered while embracing Mileena with a soft smile while his eyes looked at Sheeva.

Kotal soon walked out of the palace with Jade and Kitana beside him before the Osh-Tekk bowed his head to Muli with his right fist placed on his chest.

"What are your orders, Kahn?" Kotal asked closed eyes surprising not just Jade but Kitana as well.

"...prepare our people. We will assist Earth Realm against Kronika. We are not doing this for the sake of Earth Realm but rather our own," Muli spoke facing Kotal with narrowed eyes while surprising his wives.

"Husband?" Mileena asked blinking her eyes looking at her husband. "Does this mean you will accept the throne?"

"Yes. It is not something I wanted but...it is what the people need. Now prepare our people for battle," Muli said as Mileena got to her feet smirking along with Sheeva as they placed their hands over their hearts and bowed their heads.

"We shall do as you command," Mileena and Sheeva said in unison before they turned to leave.

"Skarlet. Tanya. Tell mother to bring the entire family. This battle will either be the end of us all or the rise of a new generation of Outworld," Muli said glancing over his shoulder as both blood ninjas rose from the shadow to bow their heads and make their way to the Tarkatan Village.

"How will we get there Muli Kahn?" Kotal asked raising his head while bringing his hand down to his side.

"...Kala Kahn. A name I thought to never pick up again. As for getting to meet our allies...I am sure we have a titan to help us with that," Kala said with a nod in which Kotal bowed his head and turned to walk off to gather his warriors.

-Sea of Blood-

With the help of Necros, Kala arrived at the shores of the sea of blood with his wives by his sides and mother behind him. Tanya and Skarlet were beside Kamea along with the other officers with Kotal and his warriors beside him. Kala walked up to Sonya and Johnny looking between the two.

"Muli. Thank you for joining us in this battle. Raiden has told us about you and your warriors fighting alongside us," Sonya thanked before she looked at the immortal's army.

"Kala Kahn," The immortal corrected softly.

"You're Kahn now? Uhh sorry for the disrespect," Sonya said which Kala merely waved it off.

"It was a last-minute change...now how will we get across the Sea of Blood?" Kala asked looking at the boat in front of them.

"Kharon has brought his boats to ferry us across the sea of blood...but...I am not sure if his ships can hold so many in one boat," Sonya pointed out while looking at all the warriors behind Kala.

"There is no need to," Necros spoke appearing beside Kala with his hands behind his back. "The Xenomorphs will remain on the shores. Using markers, I will open a portal for them to the set area,"

"And who are you?" Sonya asked blinking her eyes looking at the titan.

"An ally to fight against Kronika," Raiden answered as he walked up behind Sonya smiling. "Necros,"

"Only the Vanguards will go. The rearguards of Outworld will remain here...aside from the three markers," Necros said looking at Kala now who faced the titan.

"What are the markers?" Mileena asked with a raised brow. "And how many markers are there?"

"The markers are living beings. As for how many of them there are...that depends on how many boats there will be?" Necros asked looking at Raiden now.

"Four in total," Raiden answered earning a nod from Necros who turned his attention to Kala now.

"Than four markers it is and as such four people," Necros answered looking to Mileena for a second then back at Kala. "You...will be the main marker Muli. Tanya and Skarlet will be the other markers leaving Kamea will be the last marker. Each one riding on a separate ship to improve efficiency in the coming battle,"

"Who will be on each ship?" Sheeva asked looking over at Raiden as well.

"Sub-Zero and Scorpion and I will be on the main ship with Kharon as his protectors. Most of Earth Realms warriors will be on another ship with Kung Lao bringing with him an army of Shaolin masters on another. Then there is outworld," Raiden explained looking at Kala who nodded his head.

"I will also be on the main ship with Mileena, Sheeva, Siris, Barako, Shiv, Raka, and Rava. Mother will be with Kung Lao and his Shaolin Masters with her two sons, Kekoa and Ikaika. Tanya and Rain will be with the Outworlders to command them just in case along with my remaining officers. Both Skarlets will be with the Earth Realm warriors," Kala explained while glancing over his shoulders seeing his officers nod their heads in agreement allowing the immortal to look back at Raiden. "Will this do?"

"I see no issue with this plan. So let us make haste to stop Kronika," Raiden spoke teleporting away from the group while the Outworlders all began to split up while the Xenomorphs remained where they were waiting patiently just as Tanya and Skarlet made their way to Kala.

"After this my Kahn...I would expect...a big reward after this," Skarlet said with a chuckle while bringing her left hand onto Kala's chest as she walked past with her younger self.

"As will, I, Kahn," Tanya whispered walking off with Rain beside her.

"After we win this war...I will reward everyone fairly," Kala spoke while looking over his shoulder at his concubines who chuckled while making their way to their boats. "That includes you my loves,"

"Enough flirting my son. There is much to do still and a lot of unexpected fights to come," Kamea spoke walking toward Kung Lao's ship with her other two sons behind her snarling.

As everyone got on top of the boats, they went out with Necros waiting with the Xenomorphs with his hands still behind his back.

"This battle will be costly," Kala said signing heavily.

"But it is also necessary to continue our way of life," Mileena said holding her husband's right arm.

"And no matter what...we will fight by your side no matter how dangerous it is," Sheeva said taking hold of Kala's other arm.

"...then I will fight...with everything I have for our futures," Kala said smiling softly. "If only my people of old can join us now,"

"They watch us now my love. No matter what grudge they have against you, I am sure you bring them honor like no other," Sheeva said leaning forward to kiss her husband's left cheek while Mileena licked his opposite side.

"Even if they are not happy or proud. We are happy to be by your side beloved. None can stop our deadly alliance," Mileena said with a soft chuckle while releasing her hold of her husband.

"And all will die that stand against us," Sheeva added.

/To be continued...