One.
In the beginning, there was one.
You have been chosen to restore that singularity.
This relates to a truth that I am yet to share, but as instability arises throughout the realms, I must now bring the truth to light.
You are meant to unlock something even greater than the fabrication I told you, a fabricated explanation that was inspired by the ongoing deception of another of my former… servants.
I told you that the voice you hear is that of an emissary of the Elder Gods, but I am much more.
No. I am not an Elder God.
I am the singularity.
My lonesome was cut short once I discovered that I shared all of existence with those… inferior beings known as the Elder Gods. For disturbing the peace, I feasted on their very essence. Those who remained grouped together… I cannot recall how they were able to stop me.
My memory has gaps because I am communicating to you with only a fraction of my being.
My consciousness has been divided, the Elder Gods' doing I have no doubt. Each piece of it was scattered throughout the Void, the space between the realms. But even as mere fragments, my sheer mind alone was powerful enough to generate… life.
I am the father, the mother… the creator of the realms that the Heavens look down upon.
When the tyrant known as Shao Kahn ruled Outworld, he would merge numerous realms. As a result, my consciousness began to reconnect, and I'm now far more aware in the realm of Outworld. I'm alert enough to properly communicate to you, even if it is by telepathy.
I made the hypothesis that Shao Kahn would succeed in merging all realms, a gateway to my return. I was foolishly mistaken, I overestimated the capabilities of the mad tyrant.
When his replacement began to separate realms, divide me once more, I had to use my influence once more. So I found you… an Outworlder. The perfect breed of 'human' in my eyes. The swift growth of an Earthrealmer, paired with the longevity of an Edenian. I knew if I found the right one then I'd have a powerful ally but, unlike the emperors I once influenced, you'd also be loyal and dutiful.
This time, my prediction proved true.
I found you.
I found you stranded in the Golden Desert, alone and confused, with minimal resources remaining. Had I not guided you to a place of refuge, you'd have surely died.
As I have little else to do in my forced slumber but watch the manifestation of my dreams unfold, I was most disturbed at the incident at your quaint town in the desert… a true nightmare.
I watched your whole group of Humpar riders as you scavenged for provisions, you being the most determined and hardworking of them all. I could see the common disappointment on your face everytime your group returned home with little to nothing. Fortunately, you had soldiers of the Kahn Guard who had occupied your town, they pulled through with resources when the villagers could not.
When the new regime came, these soldiers were forced out of the Golden Desert by forces serving the new empress. Any Kahn Guard who refused to denounce allegiance to the dying faction became enemies of the realm within a week. Empress Mileena believed that it was liberation to rid them of any towns and villages they still occupied, but her new alliance didn't understand the hard times your people faced.
Some abandoned your home, looking for better land to reside in, but you were amongst the ones who stayed and as a result you stayed hungry, thirsty and uncomfortable. With the unstable weather of the Golden Desert, your village began to take damage during recurring sandstorms. With no resources to rebuild, your peoples homes weren't safe from the impending tornado…
You were the only survivor.
I never told you that I knew this, nor did I tell you my true identity or desires. I apologise for this, but I felt it was necessary to withhold such details until we could fully trust one another. You're the first person I've ever shared so much knowledge with… and I've existed since the beginning of time.
You have trained under my guidance for the past couple of decades now, you are more than ready to accomplish the tasks I request of you.
You have also mastered the ability I gifted to you. Metal manipulation. Chromium to be exact. The realms share many materials, but most have slightly altered properties. Chromium however, like my very being, is truly universal. Not only can you manifest chromium, but you can manipulate it in any realm. This is also crucial for what I ask of you.
Before I make my request, however, I have not yet asked for your permission. My current prediction is that even with the truth unveiled, you will continue down this path…
Am I correct?
Surrounded in a room of liquidised metal located in an unknown location, a man stood up from his meditation. Matching the room, he also appeared metallic, wearing a chrome mask that gleamed in the warm reflective light, whilst his cold blue eyes glowed eerily from behind its metallic surface. His head was crowned with jagged chrome spikes that coated his hair, matching the rest of his body. He was draped in dark, layered robes that fluttered as a fierce breeze whipped around him, reminiscent of the wind caused by the tornadoes in the Golden Desert, upon walking out of his cave of chrome. The edges of his attire were tattered as a result of rigorous training. Clenching his fists, the chrome around his arms disintegrated, exposing his pasty skin. Gazing out into a valley of chrome, he reached out to the cloudy sky, feeling the wind wisp past his arms.
"Oh, great one," he chanted out into the empty space. "I embrace the truth and accept you!"
A wicked laugh echoed throughout his mind, the man deducing it to be joyous laughter. He began laughing maniacally with the voice, sharing the happiness until the laughter suddenly stopped.
"I can foresee it now… my return is imminent," the voice whispered. "Thank you, Kuromu."
"You honour me with such a name," Kuromu replied. "But what should I call you now that I know you're not an agent of the Elder Gods?"
"Excellent question," the voice echoed before laughing again, louder than before. "You can call me…"
"The One Being."