At the Wu Shi Academy, Liu Kang and Kung Lao have walked through the massive gateway and are heading down a path to the Academy itself.

"I die in the Koliseum? You on a rooftop, fighting Lord Raiden? Our future, Liu Kang... it is insane!" Kung Lao says.

"Obsessing over it will not change it." Liu Kang says.

"Neither will accepting our destiny as evil undead warlords." Kung Lao points out.

"I'm not. But we can't change a future we don't fully understand. Lord Raiden will guide us." Liu Kang explains.

"Can we trust him? It appears he got us both killed." Kung Lao asks.

Both men stop walking at these words. Kung Lao almost says more, but glances behind Liu Kang instead, towards the staircase leading to the Academy that they have reached. Halfway up the stairs, the bloody remains of a slain monk can be seen. Liu Kang and Kung Lao both ascend the staircase to the corpse. As they take the grisly sight in, they look forward and proceed through the broken open doors of the Academy itself.

The courtyard of the Academy presents an even more disturbing visual; dozens of monks lie dead on the ground.

"So many Shaolin... They died defending our sacred ground. The Netherrealm will pay!" Liu Kang says with anger.

inside the Academy itself, The Shaolin monks have reached an underground corridor with only minor debris being any indication of intruders. Before them is a circular shaped entrance, with three large swinging axes, wide enough to cover the whole entrance - slicing back and forth. Liu Kang and Kung Lao pause in their tracks to examine the deadly obstacle.

"Whoever came here knew how to disarm these traps." Liu Kang points out.

"Do you know how? The monks never taught me." Kung Lao asks.

"More likely you did not attend class. Watch for the pattern... and pick your moment." Liu Kang says

He then breaks into a run and dives straight into a gap left between the swinging axes. He clears them in the nick of time and rolls to his feet on the other side, glancing back with a smile to Kung Lao.

Kung Lao smiles back and slowly removes his bladed hat, before suddenly throwing it into the side of the corridor. The hat jams between the corridor side and one of the swinging axes, pinning it in place. This in turn causes cogs turning the entire mechanism to clog up, preventing the other axes from swinging. Kung Lao nonchalantly walks through the corridor, pausing only to remove his hat from the ruined trap and put it back on his head.

"Easy enough. What's next?" Kung Lao asks.

They then walk into what appears to be a giant arena. The entire!ground is littered with more dead monks, but also with spear traps and a giant spiked wrecking ball that is attached to the ceiling. There are several pathways exiting from this area.

"Everything. Poison gas, shooting spears, flame jets..." Liu Kang says.

"How about we avoid those?" Kung Lao asks.

As he speaks, all off the pathways are blocked off by metal bars that slam into place.

"I did not do that." Kung Lao insists.

A metal kunai on a chain suddenly slams into a pole right next to Kung Lao. He looks at it in shock, and then at the person who threw it.

"I did." The unseen person says.

With a quick tug, the kunai is pulled back into the hand of its owner, the ninja spectre known as Scorpion. It is clear that this Scorpion is not the Hanzo Hasashi of the modern era, but the vengeance driven hellspawn of the past. His clothing matches his look from over 25 years past almost exactly.

"Scorpion. Of course YOU survived the time merger." Liu Kang says.

"You will not stop Kronika from restoring my family and clan." Scorpion says.

"If Scorpion doesn't kill us, these traps will. Find a way to shut them down!" Liu Kang orders.

Kung Lao then runs off as Liu Kang faces Scorpion down.

"Let's see who's fire burns hotter." Liu Kang says.

They then fight. Scorpion's fighting style is as every bit as powerful and deadly as he was when Liu Kang fought him in the Mortal Kombat tournament, but even with Quan Chi fighting alongside him then Liu Kang prevailed, and without the sorcerer in play the battle ends much quicker, and in the Shaolin Monk's favour.

"Your fire is out, Scorpion." Liu Kang says.

Kung Lao then runs back to Liu Kang.

"I can't stop them!" Kung Lao calls out.

Scorpion then rises up to a knee and attempts to hit the monks with a fireball but they dodge out of the way and assume their fighting stances. Scorpion then fully stands and starts walking towards them.

"Can you stop the traps?" Kung Lao asks.

Liu Kang then runs off as Kung Lao faces Scorpion down.

"I learned my lesson, fighting you at Shang Tsung's tournament. This time I am prepared." Kung Lao informs.

They then fight. Scorpion's speed and control over hellfire have not waned in the time that has passed since the tournament, but Kung Lao proves the truth in his words as he takes the fight to the ninja spectre. After a brief but fierce melee, it is Kung Lao who emerges the victor. With Scorpion down, Liu Kang runs back to Kung Lao.

"I can't stop the traps! The locks have been changed!" Liu Kang informs.

Scorpion struggles back to his feet, clutching his side. He looks around and sees a cloud of poison gas swelling at his feet. Before it affects him, he teleports away in a tornado of hellfire. The gas spreads quickly to the Shaolin monks, but before they can act a steel cage slams down from the ceiling, imprisoning them.

It doesn't take long for the gas to reach their lungs. Liu Kang and Kung Lao begin coughing and fall to their knees. But before they fall unconscious from the deadly fumes, the traps around the room start to reset and the gas is blown out of the arena through the other entrances.

"It's stopped..." Kung Lao says.

He then coughs for a few moments, but regains his composure. He and Liu Kang manage to stand up again.

"Why?" Kung Lao asks.

The cage holding them in rises back up to the ceiling. One of the pathways also opens up as well, and Scorpion walks back into the arena, but this time he has company, the revenant Jade.

"Our plans require that you live." Revenant Jade informs.

"Jade? What happened to you?" Liu Kang asks.

"An untimely death. Like yours, due to Raiden's incompetence." Revenant Jade explains.

"You cannot turn us against him. We know about our deaths. They were caused by our mistakes." Liu Kang says.

"You have been deceived, Liu Kang. The truth is... Raiden murdered you." Revenant Jade says.

As Scorpion and Kung Lao walk aside to do battle, Liu Kang faces off against the revenant Jade.

"Raiden killed you because you stood in his way." Jade informs.

"You lie, Jade!" Liu Kang snaps.

They then fight. In death, Jade still proves to be a fast and formidable opponent, but Liu Kang was always faster and his skill in battle outshines the revenant assassin. After a quick melee, Liu Kang leaves Jade down and out.

"You will not test my faith." Liu Kang says.

With Jade down, Liu Kang joins Kung Lao in fighting Scorpion. Scorpion manages to kick Kung Lao away following an exchange of fists, but Liu Kang lands a solid left hook then throws a barrage of punches that Scorpion is forced to block. One punch eventually breaks through his defenses and Liu Kang follows through with another left hook that sends the spectre to the floor. Scorpion and Jade then manage to return to their feet to confront them again.

As Scorpion and Liu Kang walk aside to do battle, Kung Lao faces off against the revenant Jade.

"Lord Raiden may make mistakes, but he doesn't murder his followers." Kung Lao says.

"Is it not murder to send an ill-prepared warrior to his death? Raiden's mistake cost your life, Kung Lao." Revenant Jade says.

They then fight. Jade's speed and weapons would easily kill when striking from the shadows, but in a straight up battle Kung Lao is able to anticipate her attacks and take the fight to her. Not long afterwards, the Shaolin monk stands victorious over her.

"I like the "real" you better." Kung Lao says.

With Jade down, Kung Lao joins Liu Kang in fighting Scorpion. The spectre manages to stun Liu Kang with a chop to the neck and a left cross, but Kung Lao charges in with a barrage of strikes that force Scorpion to block. Kung Lao finally breaks through the defense with a roundhouse kick to Scorpion's sternum that sends the hellspawn to the floor.

Realising he has lost, Scorpion teleports away in a flash of hellfire. The Shaolin Monks regroup and head toward a partially opened door. Ahead of them, the blue light of the Jinsei reflects off the rocky ceiling of the pathway.

"The Dragon Grotto is through there." Liu Kang says.

"What if the next revenants we have to fight are... us?" Kung Lao asks.

"Then we fight them, Kung Lao." Liu Kang replies.

Together, the monks lift the barred door upwards, allowing them passage to the Grotto.

Meanwhile in the chamber of the Elder Gods, which is based in an unknown dimension between the realms, Raiden teleports onto a circular podium situated below several thrones. Above him are the forms of the Elder Gods, their forms a hundred feet tall and currently shrouded in shadow.

"Elder Gods. I have come to seek counsel. The realms are in crisis." Raiden informs.

As one, the forms of the Elder Gods light up with a turquoise hue. They all speak to Raiden at the same time, saying exactly the same sentence.

"The crisis is grave indeed, Raiden. Every being will be erased in a temporal Armageddon, even we Elder Gods. Already our power weakens." The Elder Gods inform.

Though the Elder Gods speak as one, Raiden looks to one of them in particular; a woman who's hair appears to be plant roots and who has floating rocks hovering at the back of her head.

"I will fight, Cetrion. But how?" Raiden asks.

"You must find Kronika's Keep and gain control of her hourglass. Only then will time's momentum be restored." Cetrion explains.

"It will be done." Raiden assures.

Raiden then turns to leave, but pauses for a moment and hangs his head in contemplation.

Cetrion quickly picks up on this.

"Speak your mind, Raiden." Cetrion says.

"Since this time merger, I have learned about my future. That my champions fall. That I become a tyrant. If Kronika is defeated, will I be consigned to this grim fate?" Raiden asks.

"The restoration of time will not predetermine your destiny." Cetrion explains as she points directly at Raiden. "That is for you to shape." Cetrion finishes.

Raiden takes in these words and bows his head, lost in thought.

Meanwhile, Liu Kang and Kung Lao are still walking down the pathway to the Dragon Grotto. They come across another barred door, but this one has a human shaped hole in the middle of it. There is no other damage to the door, indicating that whatever forced its way through erased what was in its way. The Shaolin monks proceed past the door, and Liu Kang quickly holds up a hand to Kung Lao, getting him to pause.

Inside the Dragon Grotto, the human-like construct seen at Kronika's side earlier is standing over a pool of Jinsei. He is taking samples of the Earthrealm life force, which are stored in a strange device hovering above the pool.

"Is there any point to us asking you to put those back?" Liu Kang asks.

"They said you'd come." The construct says.

"Who said?" Kung Lao asks.

A voice from the side then attracts the monk's attention.

"Who do you think, Kung Lao?" The voice asks.

They then turn to spot what they had been fearing, the revenants of Liu Kang and Kung Lao, walking down another passageway towards them.

"Welcome to your future. Courtesy of Raiden." Revenant Liu Kang says.

"Our future may be tragic, but it's not Lord Raiden's fault. You've both been warped by Shinnok's evil." Liu Kang explains.

"Shao Kahn snapped my neck in the arena." Revenant Kung Lao says before the young Kung Lao puts a hand to his throat in shock. "Raiden saw it coming... and did nothing!" Revenant Kung Lao informs.

"I would have defeated Shao Kahn, but Raiden wanted the glory. His lightning cut me down." Revenant Liu Kang explains.

"No! I don't believe that!" Liu Kang snaps.

The revenants have now reached their younger counterparts.

"One day Raiden will betray you. Then you will believe." Revenant Liu Kang says.

Kung Lao throws punches at his revenant, causing him to back up. Liu Kang faces his older counterpart in a fighting stance but doesn't attack immediately.

"You spew Shinnok's lies. You attacked Lord Raiden and he defended himself. He did what he thought right to protect Earthrealm." Liu Kang explains.

He then feints a lunge at the revenant, who backs up a step.

"Protect?! Raiden enslaves Earthrealm!" Revenant Liu Kang says.

He then quick steps back towards his younger self.

"How was I ever so blind as you?" Revenant Liu Kang asks.

They then fight. Both versions of Liu Kang prove to be just as fast, as skilled and as strong as each other. However, the revenant Liu Kang deliberately holds back in battle for some unclear reason. The younger Liu Kang quickly takes advantage, and not long afterwards he defeats his revenant.

"How did I get so deluded?" Liu Kang asks himself.

To his side, Kung Lao still fights his revenant self. The undead Kung Lao gets the advantage with a kick to the gut, but the young Lao blocks a follow up strike and hits a barrage of chest and face punches. He finishes with a sidekick to the heart that leaves the revenant down and out. The revenants then rise to their feet again and ready themselves to attack their younger selves again.

As Liu Kang attacks his revenant, Kung Lao smiles and throws a punch at his doppleganger, causing him to backpedal.

"The thought of becoming you sickens me, but I won't blame Raiden." Kung Lao says.

"You owe Kronika. She saved your life by stopping time." Revenant Kung Lao says.

They then fight. The old and young Kung Lao's skill and finesse are equal to each other, but the revenant Lao does not press the attack as hard as he might, for reasons unclear. The younger Lao holds no such qualms and takes the fight to his revenant, leaving him down and defeated.

"You shame our family name." Kung Lao says.

To his side, Liu Kang still fights his revenant self. The undead Liu Kang scores with a punch to the gut and a follow through punch to the face, but the younger Liu Kang fights back with a high kick, forcing the revenant to defend. The young Liu Kang hits a right jab to his revenant and follows through with a left hook to the face that knocks him unconscious. With their revenants defeated, the Shaolin monks regroup.

"Is it me, or could they be telling the truth?" Kung Lao asks.

"Worry about it later. We have bigger problems." Liu Kang says before they then walk toward the Jinsei pool.

The human construct is still gathering vials. He then stops the Shaolin monks approaching and walks to face them.

"You should've listened to your revenant counterparts." The construct says as he holds up a belt with several vials attached to it.

"With this power, Kronika will remake history." The construct says.

Kung Lao throws his razor bladed hat directly at the construct, who makes no effort to dodge. The hat slices directly through his neck, decapitating him in an instant. The hat rotates in mid-air and returns to Kung Lao, who catches it just as the construct's body and head fall to the ground. Kung Lao runs his fingers across his hat and smirks at Liu Kang.

"That was easy." Kung Lao says.

As soon has he says those words, the construct's head dissolves into sand, which, along with some swirling magic, attaches itself to the neck of the construct's body. Both monks watch in confusion as the sand reforms into the head of the construct, turning it back to its original form. The construct stands to his feet, with no visible sign of any damage.

"I, Geras, am a fixed point in time." Geras says before he then cracks his neck on both sides.

"With every death and rebirth, I grow stronger." Geras informs.

Liu Kang and Kung Lao both attack. Liu Kang strikes first with a punch to Geras' face, but his follow through punch is blocked and Geras headbutts him. Kung Lao throws a kick to his side that Geras doesn't even register, then Geras blocks a chop from Kung Lao and smacks him aside with a haymaker punch.

Liu Kang then pulls out his nunchukau, and after twirling them around for a moment, he catches Geras with a strike to the face, stunning the construct and making him drop the belt containing the Jinsei vials.

Liu Kang looks towards Kung Lao.

"The vials." Liu Kang says.

Kung Lao frowns, but nonetheless walks off to grab the vials, leaving Liu Kang to face Geras down. For a moment, Geras does nothing but pace around, looking at the Mortal Kombat champion.

"Sizing me up?" Liu Kang asks.

"Kronika has a keen interest in you. It's why she recruited your revenant self. Serve her, she will bless you." Geras says.

They then fight. The battle is an intense one, and to Liu Kang's dismay, he realises that nothing he does is able to stop Geras from coming forward. Every killing blow is shrugged off by the construct. But Liu Kang does not give up, and manages to floor Geras with a final assault.

Geras manages to regenerate and stand up again, receiving the vials again after sending a strike to Kung Lao's face with a punch. Kung Lao then throws his hat at Geras, making him dodge it. This gives Liu Kang the opportunity to deliver a strong kick to Geras' face, making him drop the vials again.

Kung Lao then puts a hand on Liu Kang's shoulder.

"Fetch the Jinsei, Liu Kang." Kung Lao asks.

As Liu Kang fetches the Jinsei, Kung Lao turns and walks toward Geras, facing him down.

"You're good, but you're no Great Kung Lao." Geras informs.

"You've met my ancestor?" Kung Lao asks.

"He stood a chance against me. You have none." Geras says.

They then fight. Try as he might, Kung Lao finds out there is no stopping Geras. It doesn't matter whether he is knocked down or killed; he just keeps coming back for more. But nonetheless, Kung Lao keeps fighting and manages to beat Geras to the floor.

Undeterred by the assault, Geras rises to his feet once more.

"You Shaolin monks exceed your reputation. I respect your spirit, but Kronika's will must be done." Geras says.

Liu Kang and Kung Lao once again get into a fighting stance and lunge at Geras together. This time, Geras holds his hand out, which glows with magic energy. The monks are suddenly frozen in mid-air as Geras stops time entirely. He retrieves the Jinsei vials from them without further issue.

As Geras turns around, Kronika teleports into the Dragon Grotto with a swirling of sand magic. Geras hands the Jinsei vials to her, then looks back at the monks.

"It's dangerous to let them live." Geras points out.

"If they die, their revenant selves will cease to exist. We need them to defend the Keep." Kronika explains.

She then floats over to Liu Kang and looks him in the eyes.

"Yet again, Liu Kang, you've chosen the wrong destiny." Kronika says before time suddenly restarts, and the Shaolin monks fall flat on their faces.

As they pick themselves up, they realise that Geras and Kronika have escaped.

In the interior of Kronika's Keep, the Keeper of Time floats over to three of her minions, the revenants Kitana and Manado, Shao Kahn... and a familiar looking red-coloured cyborg, Sektor.

"I now have the energy to resculpt the Sands of Time. The Netherrealm's undead army will protect the Keep as I work." Kronika explains.

She then looks towards the former emperor of outworld.

"Shao Kahn, when will you deliver the Outworld army?" Kronika asks.

"Soon. It will be mine once Kotal is killed." Shao Kahn says.

"And what is your progress, Sektor?" Kronika asks.

"The Cyber Lin Kuei factory is modified to your specifications. Production exceeds projections." Sektor informs.

At these words, Kronika smirks. She then turns towards Manado.

"Has our 'guest' finally come to his senses, Manado?" Kronika asks.

"It took longer than we anticipated, but yes, he has." Revenant Manado says.

"Excellent. Take him and finish your task." Kronika orders.

"It will be done." Revenant Manado says.

He then turns and walks away from the four.

"I am going to enjoy this." Revenant Manado says.

In the desert outside of the Special Forces base, Raiden teleports in, finding Liu Kang and Kung Lao sparring with each other. They stop as soon as they see Raiden and walk toward him.

"Lord Raiden, what did the Elder Gods say?" Liu Kang asks.

"We must find Kronika. Wrest the control of history from her. If we succeed, our destiny can change." Raiden explains.

They then walk toward the base.

"So what we were told is true? You were... involved... in our deaths?" Kung Lao asks.

"Yes. Had the timeline continued, my decisions would have led to your deaths. But the Elder Gods assure me that such a future is not inevitable. This is but one of many possible timelines." Raiden explains.

"That is a lot to take on faith." Kung Lao says.

Liu Kang slaps him lightly in the stomach at these words.

"Rest assured, Kung Lao. I am aware now of what may come. I will not bring harm to either of you. You have my vow." Raiden assures.

They all then come to a halt.

"Thank you, Lord Raiden." Liu Kang says.

Liu Kang and Kung Lao then clasp their hands and bow to him, though Kung Lao still remains suspicious.

"We must find Kronika's Keep and strike it, as hard and as fast as we can muster, before all is lost." Raiden says.

Later inside the Special Forces command centre, Raiden is speaking with Cassie over the holographic command table.

"What have you learned about Kronika's effect on Earthrealm?" Raiden asks.

"We're tracking sites around the globe with major temporal anomalies. Picture's still fuzzy..." Cassie explains.

While she's talking, the older Johnny Cage (sitting with the younger Sonya) looks over at her.

"Our kid's something, isn't she?" Johnny asks.

"Umm... Cage, I'm not "your" Sonya." Younger Sonya says.

Johnny immediately looks abashed at this reminder.

"Sorry. Too easy to forget." Johnny says.

As he steps away, Cassie continues talking.

"We've prioritized info that correlates attacks from the Netherrealm with time anomalies." Cassie explains.

"Helpful. But we have more to worry about than the Netherrealm." Raiden points out.

"Yeah, we do. Grandmaster Sub Zero reports heavy losses to his Lin Kuei clan. The Time Merger has resurrected his old enemy, Sektor." Cassie informs.

"Sektor? Was he not the Grandmaster who years ago enslaved the Lin Kuei?" Raiden asks.

"That's him." Cassie says as she generates a holographic image of Sektor in his robotic form. "He's reactivating and upgrading the same factory he built to convert the Lin Kuei into cyber killing machines." Cassie explains.

"Undoubtedly to construct new and more powerful Cyber Lin Kuei. Kronika may seek to co-opt them. What of Sub Zero?" Raiden asks.

"Already on his way to shut down the factory. Grandmaster Hasashi is going with him." Cassie informs.

"Grandmaster Hasashi? Hanzo Hasashi?" Raiden asks.