Mortal Kombat 12

Chapter 17: The Hourglass

(Fujin)

"Ow! That hurt..."

I opened my eyes and found tons of eyes all around me, making me shoot up as I look around in terror. I'd move but there's nowhere to move to.

"Fujin?" this man asked in a deep Asian voice, who was wearing familiar blue colors.

Recognizing the colors as I looked up and saw the short black hair, and next to him was a younger Hanzo Hasashi, or Scorpion, and behind them was Johnny and Cassandra Cage, Sonya Blade, Jackson and Jacqueline Briggs, and many others.

"Kuai Liang? Hanzo?" I asked, accepting the help they offered.

The two then hoisted me up and when I got to my feet, I saw many others. Kenshi and Takeda Takahashi, Erron Black, Skarlett, Liu Kang, Kung Lao, Kitana, Jade, and many others still.

"How... No!" I said, eyes widening with the realization. "I'm in the Hourglass?!"

"Welcome to the club." Cassandra Cage commented in her sarcastic voice.

"We've been in here since Shang Tsung overtook the timeline. We all have been looking for a way out, but without the crown, we were basically powerless." Sonya Blade added, standing next to her family. "I don't suppose you can get us out of here?"

I shook my head with disappointment as I began looking around for my brother and friends. They were nowhere to be found, and I began growing very worried for their safety, but that was short lived when Raiden and Teegan appeared from behind a group of Shaokan.

"Brother! Teegan!" I said, hurrying to them both as I hugged them both with a tight embrace. I then noticed that Rose was missing. "Where's Rose?" I inquired as Raiden and Teegan gave heartbroken looks.

"We don't know." Teegan answered as Raiden kept looking around, hope in his eyes that he'll find her but no such luck came.

I put my hand on his shoulder and said in a calm voice, "We'll find her, Raiden. We'll find her."

"It isn't finding her that I'm worried about... It's when we do..." Raiden admitted, fear in his eyes as I remember the darker version of Rose. I sighed as he lowered his head, his coolie covering his face as he asked, "There's something she's not telling me. I need to figure it out so I can understand what's going on inside her head."

"We can help with that." Jacqueline Briggs cuts in, leading the three of us to this huge glass window that shows into the room we disappeared from. "Being stuck in here had its perks. Wonder why we haven't attacked you yet? That's because we've been watching everything unfold." Jacqueline claimed as Kenshi came from behind and touched the window.

"With my telepathy, we could see what was happening around the world. We know Shang Tsung possessed you two to do his bidding." Kenshi said, touching the window as it swirls to life.

The room we were in disappears and a memory played out of me in Orderrealm being cured by Rose who talked me into remembering my love for mortals. After it played out, Kenshi looked up and called Raiden's name, his blindfold staring straight at me as Raiden approached him.

"However, it comes with a cost. We can see everything but only until my power runs low. Then, I must recharge and wait until I'm at full strength." Kenshi said, touching Raiden's shoulder as he touched the window with his free hand. "If I may borrow some of your power?"

"I'm at your disposal." Raiden agreed as he began powering Kenshi up.

Soon, the screen swirled to life as we saw Rose be thrown into this dark place with...

"Kronika?!" I asked, shocked at Rose talking to her. "How does she know Kronika?"

"Shh!" Teegan requested as she put a finger to her lips.

"Sorry."

As we watched one of Rose's memories play out, Raiden's eyes were locked on the screen as he studied every inch of the memory. We then got to part where Kronika cupped Rose's face with a creepy smile and dropped a bombshell that made everyone in the room either gasp or cover their mouth in surprise.

"Dearest, Rose, I'm your Grandmother; by Shinnok's will." Kronika told her as my eyes widened as Raiden stood stunned at the news.

"She's the spawn of Shinnok?" Teegan asked, dropping to her knees as she began crying her eyes out.

"You were born to raise your father, to conquer the Realms, but your mother put a stop to that." Kronika said next as Raiden released Kenshi and punched the image of Kronika who quickly disappeared from view.

Lowering myself to Teegan's level, I wrap her in my arms and hold her close as Raiden breathed heavy, his fists clenched together as the others backed away from him out of fear.

"The SPAWN of SHINNOK?!" Raiden yelled in anger as I continued comforting Teegan.

"Raiden, calm down. I'm sure Rose didn't know herself." I told my brother as he began taking deep breathes.

"Shinnok or Kronika will not get their hands on her. I won't allow it!" Raiden ordered through gritted teeth. He shook his head and looked at Teegan and I with these troublesome eyes, looking ready to light up the entire room. "We need help finding Rose, but we can't do it in here. Someone needs to find her so I can teleport myself to her and bring her back to the light."

"But who?" Teegan asked as I smiled.

"Our backup..." I said, removing a secret walkie-talkie from under my belt that Briana slipped me back on the ship. "While everyone's eyes were on Rose, I used my friend-making skills and scored this off the Grandmistress."

"Grand... mistress?" Kuai Liang asked as he grew confused.

"After your disappearance, a certain someone found her way to the Lin Kuei Temple and restored the Lin Kuei," I said before looking over at Hanzo, "and the Shirai Ryu."

"Briana?!" Kuai Liang asked as I began talking into the walkie-talkie.

"This is Fujin to Briana, over. Come in, Briana." I signaled as I got a couple of static sounds.

Kuai Liang eyes were glued to the walkie-talkie as he prayed to hear Briana's voice. He then smiled with relief as Briana's voice finally came through. And he looked like he was about to cry literal tears of joy.

(Briana)

"This is Briana, over. Fujin, where are you guys? We just arrived at the port and are waiting on your signal." I asked as everyone aboard the ship was ready and waiting.

"Change of plans. We kinda got stuck inside the Hourglass and we need your help to find Rose so we can all get out of here." Fujin told me as Natalia listened in with me.

"All?" I asked as Fujin went quiet.

"All of us." Kuai Liang said as my eyes went big.

"Liang? Is that you?" I started crying as I covered my mouth.

"Yes. We're stuck inside the Hourglass and we haven't much time left. Find us before we disappear." he told me as Natalia began smiling proudly. "And Briana... I know you can do this. You will do this. I have strong faith in you. I love you..." he added as I beam with pride.

"I love you, too. I'll see you soon. Over and out." I say, putting the walkie-talkie away as I rise up from my seat and instruct the Resistance on the new game plan. "Every warrior fights to their last breath! We have ONE SHOT at this. If we fail, we fail together. Work as one and we will succeed." I said as everyone aboard the ship cheered and hollered. "Now lets go save our friends and allies!" I ordered as we all stepped off the ship and made our way through Shang Tsung's Island.