Mortal Kombat: Timelines

Chapter 18

Aric stood to the side as Liu Kang started to operate the Hourglass with his power, then a fiery portal opened a few feet away to their right.

"Cease, Liu Kang, before you doom us all." a voice said from the portal.

Cetrion glared when she saw who it was that approached, it was Nightwolf, Fujin and Shang Tsung.

"Shang Tsung." the Elder God said with venom.

"Nightwolf? Fujin? What are you-" Liu Kang started.

"Cease your magic, before the Hourglass shatters." Shang Tsung interrupted.

"By shattering you mean..." Aric asked as he got closer.

"In defeating Kronika, you destroyed her Crown." Shang Tsung explained. "Without it, you can't restart history. The Hourglass will shatter. All realms will be lost."

"You didn't care to mention this?" Aric asked Cetrion with suspicious eyes.

"I was getting to that before they showed up." Cetrion said before looking up at the Hourglass.

"Kronika's every action was taken to ensure the preparation of her Crown." Fujin explained further. "She would not dare restart history without it."

Liu Kang stopped his magic and ceased operating the Hourglass, then he turned to everyone.

"How do you know this?"

"Kronika came to each of us. For our help, she offered places in the New Era." Nightwolf said. "For refusing her, we were banished to a Void beyond Time."

"Yeah, I did time in there too. Not a fun experience." Aric said remembering his time in the Void.

"We could observe the events leading up to your seige of the Keep, but we were powerless to intervene." Fujin added.

"But then you killed Kronika." Shang Tsung chimed in. "The Void's seal was broken open, permitting our escape via the Hourglass."

"If you know so much about the Hourglass how do you propose I reset the timeline?" Liu Kang asked curiously.

"With the Crown." Shang Tsung said with a smirk.

"You just said it was destroyed." Aric said, as he came closer to the group.

"Only in our present. Not in our past." Shang Tsung elaborated.

"And while I cannot restart history without the Crown..." Liu Kang pondered.

"....You can send travelers back into the current timeline." Shang Tsung said.

"I see." Liu Kang said. "I must return to the moment before Kronika's defeat, end that battle differently, so that her Crown remains intact."

"That leaves too much to chance." Shang Tsung said turning away from them. "Kronika must never possess the Crown. Otherwise you cannot guarantee victory."

"What do you propose, sorcerer?" Liu Kang asked.

"That you send me into the past to steal the Crown from my island before Kronika sends Cetrion to claim it." Shang Tsung explained his plan. "I'll then deliver it to Lord Raiden and together we'll defeat Kronika. With the Crown and Hourglass under our control, we can restart history safely."

"There's a high possibility that you will double cross us." Aric said rolling a flame over his hand.

"I toiled beside Kronika, Your Majesty. Learnt her secrets." Shang Tsung smirked. "I know them. Do you?"

"He has a point, Prince Aric." Liu Kang said before looking at Fujin. "Fujin, a word?"

Aric watched as Fujin and Liu Kang walked off a distance away, he watched them suspiciously for a bit before he saw them come back. He definitely knew Liu Kang was up to something, based on Fujin's reaction.

"We will proceed with your plan, Shang Tsung." Liu Kang said. "I must stay behind, to operate the Hourglass. But Nightwolf and Fujin will go with you, to supervise."

"I welcome the assistance." Shang Tsung said.

"I'm going as well." Aric said.

"No, Prince Aric." Liu Kang said. "I need your counsel, along with Cetrion's."

"Okay...." Aric said eyeing him suspiciously. What was he up to?

"I will try to send you back to the time merger." Liu Kang said as he stated up at the Hourglass. "You should have enough time to claim it before Cetrion delivers it to Kronika."

"Your confidence is inspiring." Nightwolf spoke up.

"As the Keeper of Time. I'm still a Novice, Nightwolf." Liu Kang said before he turned to operate the Hourglass.

"May the Great Spirit protect us." Nightwolf said.

Aric and Cetrion watched as Fujin, Nightwolf and Shang Tsung disappeared in a sand storm from the Hourglass' power.

So you gonna explain what the hell that was?" Aric asked as he approached Liu Kang.

"The Hourglass has shown me something before they showed up here, it has to do with Sindel." Liu Kang turning to look at him.

"What about her?" Aric asked getting serious.

"You need to fix something. But do not interfere with any of the events, since you were part of the major events." Liu Kang said.

"I see. You didn't want Shang Tsung to know you were sending one more person." Aric said realizing what he was saying. "Smart move."

"Remember: do not interfere with any of the major events, only the quest that I sent Shang Tsung on." Liu Kang said.

"I won't." Aric said before turning around. "You sure you're gonna be fine with Cetrion around."

"I will." Liu Kang nodded.

Then he operated the Hourglass again, Aric stood back and then felt the sands of time sail and blow around him. He felt the dust storm become more powerful, before he felt himself get transported somewhere.

             ...........................................

The sandstorm died down and Aric found himself back in Outworld, he heard commotion from below the mountain ridge that he stood on. He looked down toward the Koliseum, based on the cheering and commotion he could tell Kitana was Kahn now after defeating Shao Kahn.

"Guess I came at a much later time." Aric said realizing the time difference. "Let's just hope those three find luck in finding the Crown, before this version of Cetrion finds them."

He turned and walked away from the ridge and grabbed a random hanging cloth from a tree and wrapped it around himself like a hooded cloak, his entire head was concealed and he made his way down the mountain. He knew he couldn't change the events that took place already, that also meant that his past version was around and he didnt want to meet himself while here.

As he walked, Sindel came to mind. The last time he saw her she was still a Revenant, there had been no way to help her since Quan Chi got killed by Hanzo. He hasn't thought of Sindel in years and it made sense because she was dead and all, but mostly because finding Kitana was far more important back then because she was the daughter of his sister in law.

"Ah.....Sindel." Aric said as he remembered how simple life used to be in Edenia before chaos ensued. "Death becomes you it seems."