In Outworld, inside a beautiful temple garden, Luscious plants surround the walls, while patches of mildew adorn the marble steps. A waterfall flows into a nearby fountain, and standing on the steps are Raiden, Mileena, Jade, and General Kotal.

"Tarkatans, not loyal to Empress Mileena, have also returned." General Kotal informs.

"Shao Kahn will seek them out. He relies on their power." Raiden says.

"Kotal's scouts tracked a Tarkatan war party to the Kytinn's Lost Hive, D'Vorah's ancestral home. Her hand in Shao Kahn's escape makes that our starting point." Mileena explains.

"Please advise me of what you learn. I must consult with the Elder Gods." Raiden says before he lifts his hand into the air and teleports away with a flash of lightning.

As Raiden exits, Kitana and Manado walk down the steps of the temple.

"When do we leave?" Kitana asks.

"Your duty lies elsewhere, Princess. We need you to enlist Queen Sheeva. Her support is critical, against both Kronika and Shao Kahn." General Kotal explains.

Kitana seems none too happy at being ordered around.

"Surely you can–" Kitana says before being cut off.

"--Queen Sheeva does not trust us. No Shokan has since Kotal's bloody battle with Goro." Mileena informs.

"Sheeva's always respected your opinion more than anyone's. When she hears you support Kotal and Mileena, she'll join us." Jade says.

Kitana narrows her eyes at her friend's words, but seemingly takes the advice in. She then turns to Mileena.

"If that is my duty, so be it." Kitana says.

"Thank you, Sister." Mileena says.

"And what of me?" Manado asks.

"You are required to complete an important task." General Kotal says.

Mileena then goes wide-eyed.

"General, we are not sending him to do that." Mileena says.

"Our circumstances leaves us with no choice." General Kotal points out.

"You'll be sending him to his death! We cannot allow that!" Mileena says.

"I'm sorry but what are you talking about?" Manado asks.

"Don't worry about it, Manado." Mileena says.

"This is something he has to do, Mileena." General Kotal says.

Mileena growls in annoyance.

"Give us a moment. (Turns to Kotal) Follow me." Mileena says.

Mileena and Kotal then walk off to a separate section of the temple, out of earshot from the Kitana, Jade, and Manado, much to their confusion.

"What was that about?" Manado asks.

"I don't know. Whatever it is, Mileena seemed to be very agitated about it." Kitana says.

"What I don't get is how she and a lot of the others have been acting towards me." Manado points out.

"What do you mean by that?" Jade asks.

"Even since we arrived here, Mileena and my supposed son have been acting strangely, almost like their being overprotective of me." Manado points out.

"Now that you mention it, others have been acting the same way as well." Jade says.

"Tanya, Li Mei, Nitara, even the demons. All have been acting the exact same way." Kitana says.

"Which just brings me more questions than answers. I just don't get it. Why are they so overprotective of me?" Manado wonders.

Footsteps than gain their attention. The three turn to find Zaveer, Ashrah, and Sareena walking towards them.

"I think I can answer that." Zaveer says.

"Zaveer. What brings you here?" Asks.

"The empress requested us to be here. For what... we don't know." Ashrah explains.

Suddenly, the voices of Kotal and Mileena catches their attention.

"If he doesn't come back from this, it'll be your head!" Mileena snaps.

"I understand, empress." General Kotal says.

Mileena and Kotal return shortly afterwards.

"I apologize for the inconvenience, but we had to speak about an important matter." Mileena says

"Does this relate to that important mission you mentioned?" Manado asks.

"Yes. Which brings us to why you're here." General Kotal says as he looks towards Ashrah and Sareena.

"What do you need us to do?" Sareena asks.

"You two will accompany Manado on this mission." General Kotal says.

"Alright, before we continue. I feel that I should ask this. What mission are you even referring to and why does this make you and everyone else so overprotective of me?" Manado asks.

"Manado..." Kitana says before being cut off.

"No princess, it's time that I finally have an answer about this. What is going on? Did something happen to me in the future?" Manado presses.

Mileena stays silent for a moment before turning towards General Kotal.

"General. Please explain to him." Mileena says.

"Very well, Empress." General Kotal says.

Kotal then turns towards Manado.

"Years ago, You ruled Outworld alongside Mileena as her emperor." General Kotal says.

This news gives Manado a shock.

"What? Wait, does that mean that..." Manado asks before being cut off.

"Yes, Dad. In the future, she's your wife, and she's also my mother." Zaveer informs.

Manado is lost for words as is Kitana and Jade.

"I understand the sudden news of your future, but we must continue." Mileena says.

Manado then takes a deep breath before looking towards Kotal once more.

"Continue." Manado says.

"Two years ago, your future self went off to complete and important task, but you never came back." General Kotal explains.

"Did... Did I..." General asks before being cut off.

"We don't know if you died. We spent months searching every corner of Outworld, but after that night, you were never seen again. It got to a point when most of Outworld began to presume you were dead. All of Outworld was devastated at the loss of its protector." General Kotal explains.

"No clues as to where I could have been?" Manado asks.

"All that was found... was this." Zaveer says as he pulls out a golden talisman.

"My mother's talisman?" Manado asks.

"It's all that was found, covered in blood. Since then, I've kept it with me. It's the only thing I have left of you." Zaveer says, a tear falls out of his eye.

"I don't quite understand what exactly transpired, but I apologize for making you all worry." Manado says.

"It's not your fault, Manado. You couldn't have known." Ashrah says.

"Which now brings us to the mission at hand." Mileena says.

"What is it?" Manado asks.

"You will venture to the Temple of Argus and locate and destroy the being known as Blaze." General Kotal says.

"The fire elemental?" Manado asks.

"Yes. In defeat, his power will transfer to you. And with that power, it will give us the edge we need to turn the tide against Kronika." General Kotal explains.

"You can't be serious, General. We can't send him to go and fight Blaze. He will be killed." Zaveer says.

"Zaveer. I get that you worried about me, but the decision has been made final. I have to do this." Manado says.

"Then I'm going with you." Zaveer says.

"No, Zaveer. You are to return to Earthrealm to aid the special forces." General Kotal.

"But I can't leave Outworld with the thought that my dad may never come back. (Looks towards Manado) I already lost you once, I can't lose you again!" Zaveer says.

Manado then embraces Zaveer in a hug.

"I understand Zaveer. But I assure you, I will achieve what my future self could not. Okay?" Manado asks.

Zaveer looks at him before taking a deep break.

"Okay dad." Zaveer says.

With a nod, Manado turns to leave the temple. Zaveer then looks towards Ashrah and Sareena.

"Please bring him home alive." Zaveer asks.

"You have our vow, Zaveer." Ashrah says before she and Sareena quickly join Manado in exiting the temple.

Later in the wastelands of Outworld, at a barren desert filled with nothing but rocks, sand and dead trees, a scouting party mounted on some striped horses (all with exotic colours) walk through the desert led by Mileena. Behind her, Kotal and Jade travel on horseback as well, Kotal on a steed with the same colour as his blue war paint, while Jade travels on a brown horse the same colour as her clothing.

"I remember when we could ride like this alone." Jade says.

"My life has changed since my time as Shao Kahn's General. Thankfully, you have not." Kotal Kahn says.

"You haven't changed much either, despite the years. You're still the same noble warrior I met in Shao Kahn's court. I'm surprised that when you were Kahn, no woman has claimed your bed and become your queen." Jade says.

A rare smile adorns Kotal's lips as he snorts in amusement.

"Many have tried." Kotal Kahn informs.

"Yet they failed. Why?" Jade asks.

"They just weren't the right one for me." General Kotal says.

"Well, I hope that one day, you will find the one for you." Jade says.

"Thank you, Jade." General Kotal says.

The scouting party continues on their trek through the desert. They have now reached an area where unnatural looking stalagmites reaching dozens of feet high are littered across the landscape. The party draws to a halt and all the scouts dismount, Mileena, Kotal and Jade included. Jade looks to one side and points her finger toward the ground.

"There are fresh tracks leading into the Hive. If Shao Kahn's in there, he'll be difficult to find. The tunnels are endless." Jade explains.

"Set fire to them. If he's hidden, he will be smoked out." General Kotal orders his scouts.

"We cannot be reckless with our decisions, Kotal." Mileena points out.

Jade then places a hand on Kotal's shoulder.

"She Right. We don't know who else is in th–" Jade says before a sudden thundering in the ground below interrupts her.

The horses are immediately spooked by the noise and vibrations and take off running in every direction away from them. Insect creatures that somewhat resemble an Earthrealm spider (but with their size increased to almost that of a human) emerge from the ground. Kotal draws out his macuahitl blade as Mileena and Jade get into a fighting stance.

One of the creatures lunges at Jade, grabbing her legs in its mouth. Another tries for Kotal, but he slices his blade across its face. The first creature begins to pull Jade away.

"No!" General Kotal calls out.

Kotal turns to Jade and reaches his hand out, but the second creature comes at him again. Mileena quickly jumps onto the insect's back and begins to slice the insect's back with her Sai as Kotal hastily swipes his blade again in self-defense, this time cleaving the creature's head in half. Jade, however, is pulled away screaming underground as another creature comes at Kotal and Mileena.

The creature now holds Jade fully in it's maw, scuttering across the underground tunnel with breakneck speed. It emerges in the same part of the Hive that Shao Kahn spoke with Kronika in, although no one else appears to be present now.

As Jade struggles in the grasp of the insect, a more terrifying presence jumps into the room with them, her revenant self. She walks toward her younger self, who steels herself.

"Hold her!" Revenant Jade orders.

The insect tightens its grip. Revenant Jade lifts her polearm into the air and brings it down hard. At the last moment, Jade moves to the side and the staff crashes down on the insect's head, killing it instantly. Jade flips to her feet and faces down her undead self.

"By the Gods, it's true? This is what I become?!" Jade asks in shock.

"Blame your loyalty to Kitana. It led directly to our death." Revenant Jade says.

"Then so be it. I would not trade Kitana's friendship for anything." Jade says.

"It is pitiful you choose servitude." Revenant Jade says.

"She and I fight side by side, against Shao Kahn. His oppression cannot stand!" Jade says.

They then fight. Both the old and young Jade are equals in speed, agility and skill, but the revenant Jade holds back her assault, not wishing to accidentally kill her younger self. This allows the younger Jade to press her advantage, eventually defeating her revenant after a fierce battle.

"When called for a higher purpose, we must ser–" Jade says before a cry from above in the Osh-Tekk language interrupts Jade's speech.

"Ack-Na! Kot-tek-hah!" General Kotal yells.

Jade backs up as Kotal falls into the Hive from an above entrance. D'Vorah lands on her feet next to him. Kotal recovers quickly and tries to stab D'Vorah with his sickles, but she dodges to one side. Kotal rises to his feet and faces her down.

"You will bleed for your betrayal, D'Vorah." General Kotal says.

"This One acts only for the Hive's survival." D'Vorah says.

With a motion, her four stingers emerge from her back. She charges and swings them at Kotal, who repeatedly fends them off with his sickles. After several parries though, one of the stingers gets through his defenses and impales him through his right shoulder. Kotal sinks to his knees in pain as D'Vorah yanks the stinger back out.

With Kotal weakened from the poison in her stingers, D'Vorah walks up to him and caresses his face in her hands. Kotal struggles as tiny maggots begin to emerge from D'Vorah's mouth in the hundreds, covering his face. Kotal tries to scream, but is unable to do more than gurgle as the maggots crawl over and into his mouth.

Just as it looks to be the end for Kotal, D'Vorah ducks her head backwards just in time to avoid Jade's razor-rang, which circles around back into its owner's hand.

"You'd best flee, D'Vorah. Kotal is mine." Jade warns.

They then fight. There is no fighter in Outworld like D'Vorah, who's speed, poison and control over insects is unmatched. But seeing Kotal injured drives Jade into an aggressive fury that takes the Kytinn by surprise. The Edenian warrior takes the fight to D'Vorah and beats her to the ground. With D'Vorah down, Jade points her staff downward and sticks it in her throat.

"Wish to survive? Tell us where to find Shao Kahn." Jade demands.

D'Vorah growls in anger, but her eyes show she has no fight left.

Later, three almost completely charred bodies can be seen being hung from tree stumps. Next to the bodies, Mileena, General Kotal, Jade and the Outworld scouts are on a cliff side, looking into the valley below.

"Ghosts of the past. D'Vorah spoke the truth." General Kotal says.

Below them are a multitude of large tents, all kept erect by several large poles crammed upright. The tents are considerably larger than the Tarkatans walking between them and encompass the entire valley.

"We are outnumbered." Kotal Kahn realizes.

"Give me a few of your best soldiers. We'll infiltrate the camp and search for Shao Kahn unseen." Jade suggests.

"What you propose is dangerous." Kotal Kahn points out.

She then smiles.

"Of course it is." Jade says.

Inside the Tarkatan war camp, a male Tarkatan bites into the severed hand of a flayed body next to him, then throws the hand away in disgust. As he picks up and tears into a severed and flayed head next, Jade and five of the scouts sneak past behind him. They pick up their pace into a run, and soon hear voices before them speaking in the untranslated Tarkatan language.

"Okot nara toka nit Ratash, oko nar?" Tarkatan 1 asks.

They get into cover behind a tent. A group of five Tarkatans walk into the main campsite area, deep in discussion.

"Nar hartak latah ratk." Tarkatan 2 says.

The Tarkatans then break into laughter. Jade peaks out from her cover and notices they are walking away from their position.

"Alk Tarkata aka ha, Tetakh." Tarkatan 3 says.

Jade and the scouts then break cover and start running in the opposite direction to the Tarkatans.

"No nakhut nay." Tartakan 1 says.

"Trakka tor no rakata." Tarkatan 3 says.

As they run through the camp, a group of six Tarkatans walk out, prompting Jade and the scouts to duck behind another tent.

"Kabak takar wak kakta kaht? Tak pakar rah batahat." Tarkatan 1 says.

This group walks right next to the tent Jade and the scouts are using for cover.

"Tor parkaht. Wak kaht nak Shao Kahn kolkat ha trabakar." Tarkatan 2 says.

"Wakt hakka turk. Wak rakata raynar Kotal khanak." Tarkatan 1 says.

They walk on, none looking in Jade's direction.

"Nar oko papkhat." Tarkatan 3 replies.

As the group walks off, Jade motions to her scouts and breaks cover. She turns, starts to run... and steps right into the path of a female Tarkatan, who backs up in surprise and fear.

"Toh ha na? Taka ha na aki Tarkata? Nay... nay... Trakka ti!" The female Tarkatan says in a panic.

The female is terrified, and though her speech is untranslated she has realised that Jade and her scouts are not allied with the Tarkatans. The scouts reach for their swords to silence her, but Jade holds her hand out.

"No." Jade says.

The female holds her hand out in surrender.

"Parkha..." The female Tarkatan says.

Jade holds her hands up as well, trying to calm the female as she approaches her.

"It's all right. We won't harm you." Jade assures.

"Parkha nah... nay ti oto nokorta." The female Tarkatan says as she continues to edge backwards.

"We're looking for Shao Kahn." Jade informs.

"Shao Kahn? Pakta ray Shao Kahn?" The female Tarkatan asks.

"Please... we only need to–" Jade says as the female Tarkatan backs up into two posts behind her.

Suddenly, a nearby male Tarkatan blows a war horn, sounding the alarm. Dozens more Tarkatans begin running toward Jade and the scouts.

"RUN!" Jade yells.

She takes off, as do the scouts. On the cliff side, Kotal and Mileena hear the war horns sounding across the camp and realises Jade's cover is blown. Mileena looks to the remaining soldiers.

"With me!" Mileena yells.

She then jumps onto her horse, which rears up onto its hind legs. Mileena remains in the saddle and tugs on its reins, making the horse gallop off down the valley. Kotal and the soldiers follow soon after on their own mounts.

Back in the camp, Jade flees from three Tarkatans in hot pursuit. The other scouts are nowhere to be seen. As she runs, two more Tarkatans join the chase. Jade reaches a flight of steps and turns about, swinging her staff and catching the nearest Tarkatan in the side of his head, knocking him down. She follows with a swipe in the other direction, knocking down the next Tarkatan after him, then she swings her staff downwards and cracks a third Tarkatan on the top of his skull, following through with a kick to his face that sends him sprawling.

The fourth Tarkatan does not run blindly into her staff like the others before him, instead leading with his arm-blades. Jade dodges back and up the stairs, avoiding his swipes. She counters with staff strikes to both of his knees, then an upward swing right into his groin. She finishes with a strike to his head that knocks him aside. The fifth Tarkatan charges immediately afterward, but Jade sweeps his legs out from under him with her staff and slams her staff into his midsection, incapacitating him.

As a sixth Tarkatan charges next, Jade retreats further up the steps. She parries an arm-blade attack with her staff and bashes the Tarkatan upside his head, knocking him off the steps, then repeats the motion for a seventh immediately afterwards. An eighth Tarkatan tries his luck next, but Jade stabs her staff straight into his open maw and knocks him down.

Jade has now reached the top of the stairs she was climbing, and it now becomes obvious that she has ascended into a meat carriage. Dozens of human bodies with the skin flayed off their forms are hanging from the low ceiling above her. Realising the Tarkatans are going to keep coming for her, she turns around and makes her way through the carriage. Another Tarkatan charges behind her, swiping madly with his arm blades and carving through some bodies.

One of his swipes ends with him accidentally getting his blade stuck in a body, and Jade takes advantage with a roundhouse kick to his face, knocking him senseless. Jade looks in front of her to see more bodies, these ones hanging from chains over a pit of hot coals. She shoves a body into the face of another Tarkatan to knock him down and runs toward the chains, leaping into the air and grabbing the nearest to her.

With effortless grace, she swings to the next chain and catches it, repeating the process for every next chain. As another Tarkatan swings behind her, Jade grabs one of the hooks that ends the chain and stabs the Tarkatan through the side of the head. Immediately his body loses its grip and tears itself free of his head, falling to the coals below and catching fire.

Another Tarkatan swings toward Jade, using the head of his fallen comrade as a grip. Jade swings back in his direction and kicks him in the face, sending him down to a fiery end. One more Tarkatan swings toward Jade and leaps, managing to grab her left leg. She kicks him off and he falls as well. Jade keeps swinging across the chains, dragging one carrying a particularly large corpse into the face of another pursuing Tarkatan, causing him to fall into the coals as well.

Finally, Jade reaches the other side, pushing her way through more flayed bodies. She jumps off the meat carriage and into an open area of the war camp. Dozens of Tarkatans swarm in around her, and she finally comes to a halt as she sees her exit is barred by none other than the Naknada known as Kollector and even more Tarkatans. Kollector smiles as Jade finds herself surrounded on all sides, but she remains unfazed and addresses him directly.

"All these years and still you exploit others to rise above your station." Jade says.

"I have risen TO my station, Jade." Kollector informs.

Behind them, the Tarkatans roar and turn to another battle taking place, Mileena, General Kotal and his soldiers have reached them. Mileena grabs an approaching Tarkatan by the neck and devours his neck with her teeth. Satisfied, Mileena then turns and blocks a strike from another Tarkatan's blades with her Sai. She then swings the Sai down, bringing the Tarkatans blades down. This gives her an opening and she slits the Tarkatan's throat. As the Tarkatan falls dead to the floor, a larger group of Tarkatans charge towards her, causing her to backpedal away from the rest of the soldiers.

Elsewhere, Kotal stabs through a nearby Tarkatan with his gigantic sword, swipes with a backhanded strike to send another flying, then cleaves upward to catch another Tarktan, following through with a downward swing that splits him in half from head to groin.

Kotal grabs another Tarkatan by the throat and lifts him off his feet, using his sword to stab through a Tarkatan charging him while doing so, and then killing another with a backward swipe. He turns his attention back to the Tarkatan in his grasp and crushes his windpipe, throwing him aside and stabbing through two Tarkatans at once with his sword. One falls aside, but the other is still alive on his blade. Kotal breaks into a run, charging toward more foes with the still alive Tarkatan screaming in terror next to him.

Kotal's charge takes him past Jade, who faces down Kollector.

"Before Shao Kahn raised me up, Outworlders despised the Naknada. Now they fear us. Tell me that is not progress!" Kollector says.

They then fight. Kollector's unique physiology, his surprising strength and his multitude of hidden weapons present a challenge that no ordinary human could hope to prevail against. But Jade knows him well, and her own speed, skill and experience allow her to slip past his defenses and take the fight to him. After a fierce melee, Jade leaves Kollector defeated on the ground.

"Fear and respect are not equals." Jade points out.

Jade looks to Kotal, who is parading in front of the surviving Tarkatans. He stops before the female Tarkatan who had the misfortune of running into Jade earlier. Though she looks down in fear and despair, Kotal has no pity for her. He then looks towards his soldiers.

"Line them up. Execute them." Kotal Kahn orders.

He then grabs the female by her upper arms and pulls her away from her brethren. She cries out and tries to reach for a male Tarkatan next to her (presumably her mate), who tries to reach her back. Their arms fall short though, and Kotal's forces pull apart other Tarkatans in a similar fashion. Jade observes all of this with a growing horror.

With the Tarkatans lined up, Kotal walks behind a male Tarkatan who is still standing and kicks him to his knees. A nearby Outworld soldier wields a small macuahuitl and he brings it to bear, ready to slice the Tarkatan's head off. Kotal stands once more in front of the doomed Tarkatans and brings his hand up. The female Tarkatan closes her eyes in terror as Kotal's soldiers raise their blades... but Jade puts a hand on Kotal's shoulder before he can bring his other hand down.

"Kotal! This is cruel! Many didn't fight us. There are children!" Jade points out.

"You forget; In my time, they joined in rebellion against me!" Kotal Kahn says.

"These aren't the same Tarkatans, Kotal. A better person would offer them a warm hand, not cold steel." Jade says.

"Kotal!" A voice yells.

Kotal towards the voice and sees Mileena, battered and covered in Tarkatan Blood. Her face makes it clear that she is furious.

"This was not part of our agreement. You only execute when permitted to, not before." Mileena points out.

"These Tarkatans are a threat that must be exterminated." General Kotal says.

"If Manado was here, he would be disappointed." Mileena says.

"But he not, is he? So his word means nothing." General Kotal says.

Mileena grows livid and looks to prepare to strike down Kotal but Jade stops her.

"Don't bother. He's my problem. I'll deal with it." Jade says.

Mileena hesitates, but backs off as Jade approaches Kotal.

"If what Mileena has said is true, then you have broken a vow that shouldn't be broken. Therefore, you now leave me with no choice." Jade says.

They then fight. With his sheer strength, magical powers and deadly weapons, Kotal is a match for even Shao Kahn and would have had little trouble taking on Jade... were it not for the fact that he is her friend. As such, he is taken aback when she challenges him and does not bring his full strength to bear, allowing Jade the chance she needs. Kotal's friend holds nothing back and leaves him a beaten and unconscious mess on the floor.

"Your heart has hardened, Kotal." Jade says.

As Mileena stands beside Jade, both the Outworlders and Tarkatans seemingly stopped everything to watch the fight, but the crowd begins to part for a newcomer to the scene, Shao Kahn and his warguard. A couple of Outworlders make a run for it, but most stand down, realising there is no point in running. Upon spotting the former Emperor, Jade and Mileena also don't bother running nor fighting, merely looking at him impassively. Shao Kahn looks down to the unconscious Kotal, and though his face is obscured by the skull-mask he wears, there is clear glee in his eyes at seeing his foe defeated.

At the chambers of the Elder Gods. Raiden teleports in with a flash of lightning... but the chambers themselves are abandoned and in ruin. The thrones that once housed the Elder Gods are either empty, or in some cases outright destroyed. He looks around with a clear expression of sorrow on his face.

"It is... too late." Raiden realizes.

"Blame yourself for the Elder Gods' deaths, Raiden." Cetrion says.

Raiden then looks around. Cetrion hovers toward the platform he is standing on. She is no longer dozens of metres in height, nor does she shine with a spectral hue. Instead, she is slightly smaller than Raiden, having adopted the form of a woman as he does a mortal man. Unlike Raiden though, Cetrion's skin shines with a purple hue and her outfit appears to be a combination of turquoise crystalline armour with an undergarment made out of leaves.

"Your actions have irrevocably altered Kronika's balance of light and dark. Shinnok's decapitation was the cap stone." Cetrion explains.

"You are a paragon of virtue. You should wish evil vanquished!" Raiden points out.

"I abide my mother's will." Cetrion says.

"You were begotten by Kronika." Raiden realizes.

"As was my brother, Shinnok. The darkness to my light." Cetrion informs.

She then approaches Raiden and places her hand on his shoulder.

"Nature demands equilibrium. Balance is perfection. You have stepped out of your role, made that balance impossible. That's why the New Era holds no place for you." Cetrion explains.

"You will not succeed." Raiden says.

"Kotal and Mileena are captured, Raiden." Cetrion informs.

She then drops her hand to her side.

"The combined might of Outworld and the Netherrealm will keep your forces at bay, while my mother finishes her work." Cetrion says before she turns to leave.

"Do not underestimate Earthrealm's warriors!" Raiden warns.

Without turning to look back at him, Cetrion levitates into the sky.

"You are right to have been fond of these mortals. They were good souls." Cetrion says as she floats away, leaving Raiden alone on the platform.

Meanwhile in the interior of the Special Forces base, A training dummy's torso is on display. A large klaxon sounds in the background, and a moment later a fireball shoots into the dummy, exploding outward and completely destroying it.

From across the firing range, the younger Jax shoots two more fireballs from his heated up arms, destroying another dummy. As his arms cool down, he smiles at the effects of the cybernetics. Jacqui stands a few feet behind him, holding a rifle of her own.

"Man, these arms are an upgrade. It'll be payback time, next time I see Ermac." Younger Jax says.

"Oh, I made sure he got his." Jacqui assures.

She then turns away from the firing range and puts the rifle down while Jax flexes his new arms.

"Hmm, I imagine "future me" is out kicking ass with these right now." Younger Jax says.

Jacqui pauses at the mention of her father, and speaks without looking back at Jax, taking off her ear protectors as Jax does the same.

"Cassie told you that "future you" spent time as a revenant, yeah?" Jacqui asks.

"Sounded horrible. Can't imagine becoming Shinnok's puppet. But she says I come back from it." Younger Jax says.

Jacqui now faces Jax with her arms crossed, clearly not at ease.

"The experience haunted Dad. But then he, you, met Mom. She brought you back to life." Jacqui explains.

"The love of a good woman? Like the sound of that." Younger Jax says.

"She was Dad's everything. She died last year. Ever since, dad's stayed on the farm. He feels safer there." Jacqui informs.

At these words, Jax looks just as troubled as Jacqui. He contemplates them for a few moments.