Welcome one and all to the finale of Mortal Kombat Ryujin. Last time, Kronika was bested just as she'd entered prehistory in terms of rewinding the timeline. And as we left, Spyro and Cynder were returning to the beginning of time to create a truly just timeline. So today, I reveal the timeline they've created, and how everyone figures into it. So read on to discover how this Mortal Kombat world's history changes, forever...
(Our tale resumes in a bright white void, as one by one familiar faces start to fade into existence. Cyrax, Sub-Zero, Scorpion, Jax, Commander Briggs, Cassie Cage, Jacqui Briggs, Sonya, Johnny Cage, Young Johnny Cage, Nightwolf, Liu Kang, Kung Lao, Kitana, Jade, Kotal Kahn, Skarlet, Erron Black, Baraka, Sheeva, Revenant Sindel, and Revenant Kabal have all arrived. And just as they do, everyone is looking around confused, trying to figure out where they are, and what the heck is going on)
Johnny Cage: Okay, forget what I said when Spyro showed up, this is probably the most messed up shit we've ever seen.
Nightwolf: Did we... lose?
Scorpion: If Kronika succeeded, we would all cease to exist.
Kotal Kahn: Yet, here we stand. But were we successful?
Revenant Sindel: Or has time been damaged beyond repair?
(And just as Revenant Sindel ponders this question, two voices start to echo across the expanse, two familiar voices)
Spyro: Time... has yet to restart actually.
Cynder: We wanted to speak with everyone before history begins again.
Kung Lao: This is really starting to freak me out.
(As Kung Lao remarks at this, Spyro and Cynder materialize from the void.)
Liu Kang: (Seeing the two dragons) What is going on here?
Spryo: Like Cynder said, we didn't want to drop everyone blindly into a new timeline.
Cassie Cage: So you bring all of us to limbo?
Cynder: Purely to catch everyone up to speed on how history is going to flow from the point Kronika started a loop at.
Erron Black: Alright then, start catching.
Spyro: Gladly. For the most part, the timeline proceeds as it originally did, up until Shao Kahn's invasion of Earthrealm, with a few spots changed along the way.
Cynder: Notably: Cyrax, you and Sub-Zero were never cyberized.
(At the mere word from Cynder, Cyrax's cyber exterior fades away, revealing him as he was before being cyberized)
Sub-Zero: Wait, if I recall what Raiden had said in the past, either I was cyberized or Smoke was. What about him?
Spyro: Both of you were able to escape Sektor's attempt at your capture. And with a little help from Cyrax, you were able to take the Lin Kuei back from Sektor. But he still exists, and with a few Cyber Initiative loyalists, created his own clan, the Tekunin.
Spyro: But sadly otherwise history still progressed in many places. (To Kung Lao) Kung Lao, I'm sad to say Shao Kahn still snapped your neck.
Kung Lao: Why did that have to be something unchanged?
Cynder: We're getting to it.
Spyro: Just as before, Shao Kahn had Quan Chi revive Sindel to allow him to invade Earthrealm. And just as before, she fought a collection of Earthrealm's warriors. But now, the battle was not as severe, and Sindel's mind was freed from Quan Chi's spell. So in other words, Sindel, Kabal, Sub-Zero, Smoke, Nightwolf, Jax, you never died, and thus were not made into Revenants. Though Kabal, none of us could change the mask requirements.
(As Spyro speaks the new history, Revenant Sindel and Revenant Kabal begin to change, no longer appearing dead, but rather are restored to life.)
Revenant Kabal: Wait a second, if we didn't die... does that mean...?
Cynder: Yes, Stryker is still alive as well.
Spyro: And in the wake of everything, you and he were both promoted for your bravery. Lieutenants, both of you.
Jade: So Kitana and I still die?
Cynder: Sadly it was a death of necessity.
Spyro: Kitana's death is the only thing capable of snapping Sindel out of Quan Chi's spell. Don't worry, your story isn't over yet, we'll get back to it.
(While everyone else who now survived that battle is elated at the prospect that they made it out, both Jax and Commander Briggs are rather nervous, and Jacqui Briggs even more so)
Cynder: I know what you're thinking, but the history of the Briggs family is unchanged. Jax still met Vera, and Jacqui was still born. And she did still go into the Special Forces, following in the footsteps of her father, Lieutenant General Jackson Briggs.
Spyro: As for Johnny and Sonya, let's just say we had a hard time finding a way to put you two together, to keep Cassie in existence. Ultimately though, we saw history needed no alteration. You two both end up fighting together the Special Forces, and learn to tolerate each other. In other words, your history really doesn't change.
Cassie Cage: This may sound crazy, but that is probably the best thing I could hear.
Cynder: Oh and we're not done. There's one more person who really wants to see you again.
(At Cynder's beckoning, out of the void steps a very familiar face, General Blade, alive again.)
Sonya: (Seeing who she becomes) Whoa.
General Blade: Just as surprised as you are.
Johnny Cage: But... how...?
Spyro: Well, it was easy. The Netherrealm invasion never happens, so General Blade isn't killed.
Jacqui Briggs: Wait, how'd you make that happen?
Cynder: Dark Raiden never rises. Because in the final battle against Shao Kahn, Raiden still defeats the invader. Sadly though, Liu Kang is still killed first. But now, it's unclear who kills him. Raiden fights like it was his fault though. And with the Elder Gods backing him, Raiden kills Shao Kahn. But the exertion is too much. And in one last stroke, he sacrifices the last of his power to undo his mistake, reviving Liu Kang, as well as Kitana.
Kitana: But Quan Chi still revives Jade and Kung Lao as Revenants?
Spyro: With the sole intention of using them to keep Liu Kang and Kitana out of the battle, until of course Scorpion learns the truth about the Shirai Ryu massacre and forces the sorcerer to restore all three of them before killing him.
Liu Kang: Wait, if Lord Raiden used the last of his power to revive Kitana and I, what happened to him?
(Just as Liu Kang asks his question, Raiden himself steps out of the void, now clad in Kronika's colors, alongside Cetrion)
Liu Kang: (Seeing Raiden's new garb) Now I see. The Elder Gods honored and elevated you to Kronika's position, as Keeper of Time.
Raiden: Not a Keeper anymore. Now I observe time as it flows, the guiding hand being the decisions of the players, not a god on the other side of the Sea of Blood.
Cetrion: A position opened because I saw through her deception early on and dethroned her, banishing her and Geras to a void beyond existence
Cynder: After Raiden's death, Cetrion was appointed as Earthrealm's temporary protector until a worthy successor to Raiden could be found.
Spyro: In that time though, Shinnok still rose, and was still defeated as he was previously, but without his army, Quan Chi took longer to revive Shinnok the second time, making tenuous alliances in Outworld.
Skarlet: So Outworld is still in chaos?
Cynder: Kind of. After Shao Kahn's death, many factions rose attempting to claim his throne. Kotal lead one of them, and Mileena and Ermac another one. But there were others. Rain and Tanya tried to claim power for Edenia, Reiko started wearing Shao Kahn's helm to attempt to take command, and Kollector and Skarlet rallied Shao Kahn's loyalists to their cause. But when Kitana returned, Kotal joined with her immediately, convincing the neutral Shokan, led by Goro and Sheeva to join their side, as well as eventually bringing Baraka into their fold after he killed Kollector. Erron Black, now a firm member of Kitana's side, managed to convince Skarlet to side with them as well.
Erron Black: Huh. Didn't see that coming.
Spyro: Quan Chi pleaded for aid from all sides but Kitana's, knowing he'd get nowhere fast on that one. Kollector agreed to aid him, as did Reiko and D'Vorah. Mileena was already in possession of Shinnok's amulet, with which she killed Tanya and later Reiko. But eventually, it ended up in Earthrealm, where Shinnok was eventually revived. Quan Chi and D'Vorah were both killed after Scorpion revived himself, Jade, and Kung Lao. Before long, Kitana had defeated Mileena, ending the Outworld Civil War with herself on the throne.
Cynder: Once the civil war concluded, the forces of Outworld joined forces with those of Earthrealm, under the command of Liu Kang, and just as before, Cassie Cage was the one to finish Shinnok off.
Cetrion: And in that moment, I realized there was only one person able to fully succeed Raiden as Earthrealm's Protector.
Spyro and Cynder: Liu Kang.
(And as the two dragons speak his name, Liu Kang is surrounded by divine fire, and much to his own surprise, transforming into Fire God Liu Kang, just as he was in the end of Mortal Kombat 11)
Kung Lao: (To himself) Now he's out of Kitana's league...
Liu Kang: I... am honored to have been chosen.
Spyro: The honor is ours, Lord Liu Kang.
Cynder: And from there, history is in the present day. Lord Liu Kang and Kitana Kahn maintain a steady relationship. Outworld and Earthrealm are in a relatively stable alliance. But Rain is still out there, plotting to overthrow Kitana Kahn, the Tekunin continue to menace the Lin Kuei and Shirai Ryu, and as per usual the Black Dragon, still under Kano's command, are making deals with both sides. But overall, what happens next, is all on you.
Spyro: History should be starting in a few moments, at which point, all the changes we described will take effect
Liu Kang: So, we're all just going to forget everything we went through?
Cynder: No. Not even remotely. Everyone who fought alongside us will recall that battle, though no one can speak of it. It's a wink and nod thing really.
Spyro: With that, there's only one thing to do before everything truly begins anew.
Cynder: Get home.
Raiden: Please. Allow me.
(With that, Raiden, using the new powers he possesses, opens a blue rimmed portal back to the Dragon Realms)
Raiden: You should be brought back to a point no greater than a minute after Kronika forced you from your realm.
Liu Kang: Thank you, Spyro, Cynder, for everything you've done.
Spyro: Given the circumstances, this was the least we could do.
Cynder: Farewell, everyone. May the sands of time ever be in your favor.
(With one final goodbye from everyone, Spyro and Cynder step through Raiden's portal back to their world, just as he closes it)
Raiden: Now then, it is time for history to start.
Liu Kang: To our new history!
(As Liu Kang's declaration garners a rousing cheer from everyone, the entire group is shrouded in a bright light as we transition back to the Dragon Realms, where Spyro and Cynder are restored to the exact positions they were in when they were forcefully transported by Kronika)
Ignitus: (Seeing they've returned) I take it whatever caused you to vanish has no need of you?
Spyro: It's a really long story, Ignitus.
Cynder: One that's going to have to wait for another day.
Ignitus: I have a feeling you won't need to tell it yourself...
(At this point, Ignitus picks up a book, bound in blood-red leather, with the classic Mortal Kombat dragon-head logo on the front of it.)
Spyro: You knew?
Cynder: But how?!
Ignitus: Truth be told, I don't entirely. After you were taken, I saw this book begin materalizing. Only once you returned did it solidify. (Opening the book) And there is a rather interesting dedication in the front.
(Ignitus hands the book to Spyro and Cynder, and upon it's first page we see the dedication Ignitus spoke of. It reads in this fashion: "This is the story of Spyro and Cynder, warriors lost to the history of the Realms, but the greatest heroes to never be known. Their names passed down in legend in all Realms, known simply as the Ryujin. This tale is dedicated to their memory, by those who still remember." And upon the next pages, notes from every ally they held in the Mortal Kombat reality, thanking them for everything they've done.)
Ignitus: I must admit, it sounds like a very interesting story.
Spyro: (As a tear wells up in his eye) That's an understatement.
(And as Spyro closes the book, revealing that dragon head logo again, our tale ends)
And that wraps up Mortal Kombat Ryujin. Now I will admit, this timeline summary is a little confusing. If there are any questions, please message me and I should be able to clear them up. Hopefully. Anyways, next week, something a little more calm by comparison. I'm going to need a break from Mortal Kombat after this. So with that, as the Sands of Time continue to flow relentlessly, this is Dragon of Mystery, signing out.