Mortal Kombat 11: Dawn of an Era
Description: We all know how the events of Aftermath play out, going off of the good ending. But how will things be different if Aftermath was built of the best ending, with Liu Kang having Kitana by his side?
Author's Note: So then. This was something that has been stewing inside my brain for quite a while. While MK 11 is an amazing game (warts and all), and the Aftermath story expansion was a welcome surprise, I was also surprised that they went with the regular good ending instead of the best one. So I decided to write down an interpretation of how Aftermath would go down should it go off that ending.
This means that this story is assuming you have played the story modes of the last three MK games, or at least watched the story through alternate means such as YouTube. Also, I'll just say this the one time:
Disclaimer: The following is a fan-made story. Mortal Kombat and its characters are owned by NetherRealm Studios and Warner Bros Interactive. Please support the official releases, for they are very enjoyable games.
Chapter 1: The Beginning
Floating among the infinity of space, rests a single flattened plain of meteor rock with crystals jutting out of it. On that rock, a massive hourglass filled with sand sits right in the middle.
Looking right at it is a shirtless man of Asian descent, whose white hair is tied in a bun on top, and divine power flowing right out of him. He looked on at the hourglass with apprehension in his eyes.
To his right, a woman in blue and grey clothing grabbed hold of his hand while he was distracted. He turned around to see her, a gentle smile on his face.
"Are you ready, Kitana?" He asked her.
"Yes, Liu Kang." The woman known as Kitana answered. "But no matter how we sculpt the Sands, we cannot plan for every possibility. Mortals will make their own choices. And new evils will arise."
"That is true." The divine being known as Liu Kang said, while gripping Kitana's other hand. "But in the end, each realm must choose its own destiny. And whatever those choices are, we will face them together."
Kitana smiled back at Liu Kang, all doubt erased in both their minds. "Then together… let's begin."
Liu Kang let go of Kitana's hands and walked towards the Hourglass. He then raised his hands towards the Hourglass and channeled his power towards it. The sand inside starts to move, beginning to alter time and resetting the universe to the beginning.
But during this sculpting, the glass on the Hourglass started to crack, and Liu Kang was starting to meet resistance from within it.
Kitana looked on with worry. "What is wrong? The Hourglass is starting to look damaged!"
"Do not worry; I shall get control back quickly." Liu Kang grunted out in reassurance. But within him, he also felt concern. He knew instinctively that something was wrong, but felt like he could regain control.
Suddenly, a fiery portal opened up along the edge of the meteor platform!
"Cease, Liu Kang, before you doom us all!" A voice shouted out from within the portal!
Kitana instinctively went in front of Liu Kang, her battle fans unfolded and readied. She glared intensely at the portal, and the three shadows inside it.
"Reveal yourselves at once!" Kitana yelled out.
The three shadows walked towards both Liu Kang and Kitana. And as they approached, their appearances and identities became more apparent.
The figure on the left hummed with a similar divine power as Liu Kang. He wore his white hair in a braid down his back, wore a blue embroidered vest over a white shirt, and had a short sword sheathed on his right.
The one on the right wore a black headband around his dark hair and an open grey vest over his bare chest. On his back was a stylized club and two small tomahawk axes.
The figure in the center was what drew the most shock from the two Keepers of Time. He was an elderly man of Asian descent, with grey aged hair paired with a long mustache and beard on his equally aged face. He wore a robe primarily yellow in colour with red and blue.
"Fujin? Nightwolf? SHANG TSUNG?! What are you-" Liu Kang asked aloud in total surprise.
"Stop your magic at once!" Shang Tsung commanded. "Otherwise, the Hourglass will shatter!"
Kitana brought one of her fan blades up to Shang Tsung's throat, anger emanating off her. "Why should we take ANYTHING we say as truth, after all the lies and deceptions?"
"Because the existence of all things will end if the Hourglass is destroyed, my own included." Shang Tsung replied, his tone calm despite the danger he is in. "If nothing else, trust in my own desire for self-preservation."
"As unlikely as it sounds, he is correct." Fujin intercedes. "Please, Liu Kang. You must stop working your magic on the hourglass." He begged.
Liu Kang looked at Fujin to see if there was any deception, then looked at Nightwolf, who nodded in agreement. He glared at the Hourglass for a bit longer, then stopped channeling his divine power onto the Hourglass, which halted the cracks forming on the glass.
"Talk, sorcerer." Liu Kang commanded Shang Tsung.
"My thanks." Shang Tsung curtly replied, while backing himself away from Kitana's fan on his throat. He then turned his attention towards Liu Kang. "In destroying Kronika, you also destroyed her crown. Without the extra power it provides, you cannot restart history safely. And if you try to do so without it, the strain will destroy the Hourglass. All realms will be erased."
"... is this true, Fujin?" Kitana asked the wind god.
"Unfortunately, yes." Fujin answered. "Kronika's entire plan was reliant upon that crown, and her every action was to ensure its preparation. Even a being as powerful as her would not dare restart history without it. And as you can see," he continued, pointing at the cracked Hourglass, "this is what happens otherwise."
Liu Kang looked at the three with confusion. "How do you know all this?" he asked.
Nightwolf stepped forward. "Kronika came to each of us, as well as others, with an offer. Aid her, and we will be offered a place in her New Era. Those of us who refused were banished to a Void beyond time." he explained.
"From there," Fujin added, "we could witness the events leading up to your siege of her Keep, but could not intervene. It was, in a word, maddening that we could not help."
"But then, you killed Kronika." Shang Tsung said. "It weakened the dimensional walls of the Void, allowing us the opportunity to escape to the Hourglass."
"Very well, then. Since you know so much about the Hourglass, HOW do you propose we use it to fix history?" Liu Kang asked the sorcerer.
Shang Tsung smirked. "With the Crown, of course." He answered, as if it was the most obvious thing.
Liu Kang looked incredulous. "But we just finished talking about how the Crown is destroyed!"
"In our present." Shang Tsung rebutted. "But NOT in our past. While history cannot without the Crown, you CAN send travelers back into the current timeline."
"I see where you are going with this." Kitana said, hope in her voice. "All Liu Kang has to do is rewind time to just before his fight with Kronika, and defeat her in such a way that leaves her crown intact! Then we can use it to fix history properly!"
"That will not work, my princess." Shang Tsung said. "That would leave far too much to chance; he was barely able to defeat her while she had the Crown under her control. No, to ensure your victory, the Crown must be claimed BEFORE Kronika ever gets her hands on it."
Liu Kang walked up to Shang Tsung. "And how do you propose we go about that?" he asked.
"Send me back to the past. I will infiltrate my island, and lie in wait for the Crown to reach its full power. Once it does, I will steal it away before Cetrion can claim it, and deliver it to you once you join us in the past. That shall leave the rest of us free to join up with the rest of the Forces of Light and lay siege to Kronika's keep. You were able to defeat her without the Crown before; WITH it, a Flawless Victory is assured. With both the Crown and the Hourglass under your control, you can mend history to your whim."
Kitana glared daggers at the sorcerer. "... Why should we believe a single word you say, you duplicitous snake? For all we know, you could simply steal away the Crown for yourself and use it to claim the Hourglass for yourself!"
"Because, my princess, this "Snake" has toiled beside Kronika, learning many of her secrets. I know them well. And besides…"
Shang Tsung squeezed his hands so hard that blood was starting to come out of them.
"She has sculpted and manipulated my entire existence to serve her; made me desire to steal and hoard souls so that she can forge her Crown." His voice took on a combination of pure venomous malice, and even a bit of despair. "And once I served that purpose, she threw me away as if I was garbage. I, the greatest sorcerer in all the realms, was a mere pawn in her game!" Suddenly, magic started forming within his hands on pure instinct! "All I desire now is for that wretch of a Titan to pay for her crimes against me, and for me to finally gain control of my destiny for the first time in my benighted life!"
Kitana looked absolutely shocked. "... that is true?"
Liu Kang laid his hand on Kitana's shoulder. "It is. Kronika admitted as much to my revenant self. The memory is clear as day to me."
Liu Kang then turned his attention to the others. "Kitana and I will need to talk about this plan. It should not take too long."
The two of them went over to the other side of the platform to have their talk, leaving the other three alone.
Nightwolf turned his attention to Shang Tsung once the others began their secret talk. "You may have won over both Kitana and Liu Kang with your sob story, sorcerer, but I remain unconvinced."
Shang Tsung glared at Nightwolf, while using his magic to heal his hands. "Believe what you wish. If nothing else, trust that I DO wish to reclaim my control over my destiny. No price is too great for that."
"And once you do, you'll go right back into your malevolent ways. Claim that Kronika is the reason for your evil all you want; I know you'll fall right back into that the second it's convenient."
"Our alliance is only temporary, Shaman. Have no illusions otherwise." Shang Tsung finished, turning away from Nightwolf and retreating into his thoughts.
"Of that, you can be certain." Fujin said. "And the second it has concluded, we will be ready.
Some minutes later
Liu Kang and Kitana walked back towards the others, still talking to each other.
"You are certain this will work, Liu Kang?" Kitana asked.
"I understand your misgivings, but it is certainly the best chance we got to set things right." Liu Kang answered.
"It is still extremely risky."
"But the risk will be worth it in the end. I promise."
Kitana sighed deeply, but smiled in the end. "I believe you. Let us now save our worlds."
"Thank you. Just, say nothing to Nightwolf or Fujin until the time is right."
The two of them finally reached the others.
"Shang Tsung, we have decided to proceed with your plan." Liu Kang decided.
Shang Tsung bowed to Liu Kang mockingly. "I am glad you decided to see wisdom."
Liu Kang detected the mockery, but chose to ignore it. "But you will not go alone. Kitana, Fujin and Nightwolf shall accompany you to the timeline, to ensure that nothing goes wrong."
Kitana, Fujin and Nightwolf nodded in agreement, while Shang Tsung smiled a knowing smile. "As I figured they would. I shall gladly welcome their assistance. As for yourself?"
"I will have to remain behind to operate the Hourglass, and to make sure it is not further damaged when I transport you all to the past. Once you have acquired the Crown, I shall join you."
Liu Kang then turned towards the Hourglass, and started channeling his power towards it. "I shall endeavour to send you all to after the time merger. It should give you all ample time to reach the Island and claim the Crown before Cetrion takes it."
Nightwolf let a small smile form on his face. "Your confidence is inspiring."
"As the Keeper of Time, I am still a novice. Still, my thanks."
"You are welcome, my friend. May the Great Spirit protect us."
"May she protect us all. I have faith you all will succeed in this daunting task."
Liu Kang then started tapping into the Hourglass's power, and calling forth the sands within it.
The four kombatants were slowly engulfed by the Sands of Time, and were sent off to the past.
To be Continued.