The Spider of Earthrealm (Male Spider-Man Reader x Mortal Kombat)

Chapter 33: Timequakes

In Outworld Koliseum, a soldier bangs on a drum, and the camera focuses on a blue skinned, bald headed, red-eyed male humanoid bound by an enlarged circular neck brace. Six more soldiers hold large poles leading into the neck brace in place, trying to keep the captive imprisoned. The creature is a member of the Naknada species, and has a total of six spindly arms on his body - four at his sides and two smaller ones on his back. Despite his wiry stature, the soldiers visibly struggle to keep him pinned down. At one point, the Naknada manages to pivot and lift two soldiers into the air, but they lean down hard on their poles and manage to return to the ground. The crowd in the Koliseum cheer on the display. The Naknada - known only by his alias of "Kollector" - is brought down on his knees before the throne of Outworld's Emperor and Empresses, Y/N, Kitana and Mileena Kahn. Standing to the sides of the three is the Erron Black, Kotal and Jade.

Y/N: For years you escaped our justice. Sucked dry the bounty of Outworld's people. Today, your debt is paid. 

Kollector: Kill me, Y/N, and you lose profit. 

Y/N: You mistake me for Shao Kahn. 

He rises from his throne and walks toward the captive. 

Y/N: We do not inflict bandits upon the poor. 

Kollector: Shao Kahn approved! His word was law! 

Y/N looks to his two wives and they nod. Y/N looks to Kotal and nods. Kotal brings out his blade and holds it in both hands, preparing a killing strike.

Kotal: Your master is dead, and so is his "law". Never again will Outworld suffer from his corruption. 

Kotal lifts his blade above his head as the crowd grow more wild. Before he can deliver the fatal blow, an earthquake begins to erupt around the Koliseum. The stone statues bearing Y/N, Kitana and Mileena's likeness break apart and fall to the ground. Rips in time begin to tear into the structure itself. Back in Earthrealm, Cassie is sleeping on a makeshift bed in the medical room of the Special Forces base. She suddenly awakens as the room's walls begin to distort with the time rips. She, Johnny, Franklin, Valeria, Jacqui and Raiden all look around in horror, and a sandstorm begins to form inside the room. In Kronika's keep, Liu Kang can barely keep on his feet as Kronika manipulates the sands in her hourglass through the magic generated from her hands. The sand in the glass begins to flow upward in reverse. The sandstorm has now almost completely engulfed the medical room, and even Raiden is having trouble standing straight. The storm eventually turns into three tornados, and Johnny squints as he tries to look into them. His eyes widen in shock as he sees three figures begin to emerge from the tornadoes. One of those figures is himself, looking 25 years younger. Another is Jax, also younger. The third is Sonya, and she looks just as youthful as the other two. The tornadoes die down once the figures are fully formed, and the sandstorm subsides as well. Young Johnny and Old Johnny walk up to each other, as Cassie walks up to Sonya and Jax to Jacqui. Everyone is in such disbelief that they can't find the words to speak. 

Raiden: By the Elder Gods! 

As everyone turns in Raiden's direction, a tornado of sand gathers around the Thunder God, but unlike the others, this one is reducing him to dust. The process is over in seconds, and Raiden fades out of existence before he can say anything else. Only Shinnok's amulet remains, and it clatters to the floor. Back in Outworld, a sandstorm has erupted in the Koliseum, sending the crowd and even some soldiers into a panic. Everyone is distracted by the spectacle, but Kollector keeps calm. He notices that one of the soldiers pinning him in place has taken his grip off the pole he was holding. Without hesitation, Kollector seizes the chance given to him. He ducks low and swipes to his left, both unbalancing the other soldiers and striking them with their own poles. They are all sent sprawling to the ground. Kollector focuses on one of them and impales the poor man straight through the chest with one of the sharpened poles. As the soldier screams in agony, Kollector pivots the pole upwards, dragging the soldier down it and right into Kollector's hands. Grinning sadistically, Kollector takes the keys to the neck brace from the soldier's belt and undoes the lock keeping the brace together. He shakes it off as the now-dead soldier crumples to the ground, still impaled on the pole. Several tornadoes have sprouted up in the Koliseum, and much like they did on Earthrealm, they dispel people from them: the blood mage Skarlet, a younger Erron Black, the savage Tarkatan known as Baraka, a young and bald-shaven Kano and most tellingly, Outworld's previous Emperor - Shao Kahn. But the remaining tornadoes in the Koliseum bring forth other people instead - Liu Kang, a younng Y/N, Kitana, Kung Lao and Jade all alive. Out of another tornado steps Raiden - not his dark counterpart, but the Raiden of yesteryear, who summons his signature blue lightning. The last few tornadoes brongs forth the heroes of universe-616 as the tornado dies down. The tornadoes have also brought in numerous Outworld soldiers - loyal minions of Shao Kahn, who stand close by their Emperor. For long moments, the crowd remains silent, taking in the spectacle before them. Y/N looks around as well, pausing to note that the statues that once bore his likeness have now been replaced by those of Shao Kahn. He approaches the new arrivals.