Time's arrow: Night Wolf

20:09, 26 February 2023

(Echo, Shang Tsung, Specter, Night Wolf, and Fujin walk down some stairs)

Shang Tsung: We escaped the battle undetected

Collector: Shang Tsung?!

Fujin: Or not

Specter/Echo: (Facepalm)

Collector: Where have you been hiding? You consort with earth realmers now?

Night Wolf: His business is none of yours, Collector

Collector: My business is collecting what Shao Khan wants. He will pay handsomely for the heads of Shang Tsung and Echo

Echo: We're kinda in a hurry here. I'd recommend you crawl back under your rock before I cut off all of your arms

Collector: Ooh! Am I supposed to be scared? You couldn't kill a bug

Echo: I just want to crush the spider in front of me under my boot

Night Wolf: You are outnumbered, Collector

Collector: Am I?

(Collector snaps his fingers, opening some cages)

(Echo, Shang Tsung, Specter, and Fujin fight the beasts in the cages)

(Night Wolf dodges Collector's chain)

Collector: These are indeed strange days. How do earth realmers profit by protecting Shang Tsung?

Specter: Not everything is about profit, you know!

Night Wolf: He shares our goal. Kronika's defeat

Collector: You will be partners in death

(Night Wolf fights Collector. Collector is so focused on capturing Night Wolf for a bounty and imagining the possibilities to increase his wealth, that he gets distracted, and Night Wolf easily wins the fight)

Night Wolf: Thank you, great spirit

(Fujin uses his wind powers to unravel a beast)

(Fujin uses his wind powers to slam a beast on the ground, and Shang Tsung burns it with fire magic)

(Echo decapitates a beast with his sword)

(Specter uses his arm blade to slash a beast's throat)

(A roar of cheering is heard above)

Night Wolf: Kitana has defeated Shao Khan

Echo: Then he's dead

Shang Tsung: He always had more ego than skill

Fujin: Come, let us leave while the crowd is distracted

(Later)

Night Wolf: No. We're already here later than we wanted to be. Lets go to your island now, and take the crown. No detours!

Shang Tsung: Our rather public arrival at the coliseum has made that impossible

Echo: So what if one person saw us? There were thousands of others there

Shang Tsung: Collector is a snitch. He will inform Kronika and her outworld allies of our presence. If we go to my island now, we could be ambushed by Cetrion herself

Fujin: And even our combined power won't stop her. We need help

Echo/Specter: I disagree

Night Wolf: But who's help? We can't recruit any of our allies without altering this timeline's events

Echo: How about the older Erron Black? No one saw him around

Shang Tsung: No. Erron Black has his hands full trying to kill Jarek and Hsu Hao

Specter: I suspect Taven and Shujinko are unreachable?

Shang Tsung: We need someone else. Sindel

Echo: No fucking way!

Shang Tsung: Echo, don't let emotion overpower you

Echo: She's evil! She killed Jade, Night Wolf, Skarlet, Kabal, Jax, Smoke, Sub Zero, Stryker, and even Kitana. Her own daughter. She almost killed me too. Along with Sonya Blade, Rain, and Johnny Cage

Shang Tsung: While she was bewitched

Night Wolf: Even if we did, Sindel's a revenant

Shang Tsung: A revenant who can be restored to life. And who plays no major part in the battles that lie ahead. We can safely recruit her without disrupting events. It's a tactic Kronika is unlikely to anticipate

Specter: Say sike right now

Echo: If we're talking about people that play no major part in future battles, then lets get someone else. Like Stryker, or Smoke

Shang Tsung: Neither of those nimrods have the power to rival an elder god

Fujin: She was Shao Khan's empress. His equal in evil

Shang Tsung: Because he had her bewitched. Returning Sindel to life will restore her original, more heroic self

Fujin: And if we fail? The Sindel I knew wiped out most of earthrealm's champions in a single battle

Echo: Ugh. Don't remind me

Fujin: If Night Wolf hadn't sacrificed himself, she would have killed them all

Shang Tsung: THAT is the kind of power we need to assure victory against Cetrion. Sindel is the key

Night Wolf: And I suppose restoring her would be easy?

Shang Tsung: Anything but. We can use earth realm's jinsei to heal Sindel's body. But to break Quan Chi's spell and revive her soul, we will need access to out world's soul chamber

Deadpool: Remind me again why NRS haven't done that with the other revenants?

(Night Wolf and Specter grumble under their breath)

Fujin: You have a different plan? A better one?

Night Wolf: One hint of betrayal, sorcerer. And we will finish you

Shang Tsung: (Smug smile)

Echo: Fine. Lets do this. I know I'm gonna regret it later

Night Wolf: Where do we start?

Shang Tsung: Earth realm. To acquire the jinsei

(Shang Tsung opens a portal, and everyone walks through)

(Meanwhile, at the hourglass)

Geras: Shang Tsung, Fujin, Night Wolf, a third Echo, and a second Specter. All were seen in the coliseum. How is that possible?

Dark Raiden: It should not be. Those cast into the void do not return

Geras: Kronika. If Shang Tsung were to-

Kronika: I am aware, Geras. Take Frost and Sektor and find them. We must discern from when and whence they came

(At the dragon grotto, the shaolin temple)

(Fujin fills a vial full of liquid jinesi energy)

Fujin: You four may leave. I'll stay behind to secure the dragon grotto

(Fujin turns to Shang Tsung)

Fujin: Your aid is not required

(Fujin stays at the dragon grotto while Echo, Specter, Night Wolf, and Shang Tsung press on)

(Shang Tsung stops the group and touches a pressure plate with a stick)

(Some spikes come out with a body on it)

Shang Tsung: These traps are excellent. Who knew the shaolin were so diabolical?

Night Wolf: From you, that's high praise

Shang Tsung: Indeed

Specter: Tread carefully. There could be traps everywhere

(The group steps carefully to avoid the pressure plate)

(A whirlwind of sand brings Geras, Frost, Sektor, and a wave of cyber Lin Kuei into the shaolin temple)

Geras: Echo, Specter, Night Wolf, Fujin, Shang Tsung. Come. Kronika is keen to question you

Night Wolf: Attack!

(Night Wolf fights the cyber Lin Kuei with his axes. Specter uses his staff. Shang Tsung uses hand to hand and magic)

Sektor: We meet again, Echo

Echo: Unfortunately

(Echo starts fighting Sektor in the background)

Night Wolf: Kronika isn't the future, Frost. We've seen it! Join us on the right side of history

Frost: The only side is Kronika's. My place in her new era is assured

(Night Wolf fights Frost. Frost fights with her rage, so she isn't thinking clearly. This is how Night Wolf gains the upper hand and defeats Frost)

Night Wolf: Nothing is assured, Frost

(Echo kicks the inside of Sektor's leg, making him kneel, then Echo kicks him in the face, knocking him down)

(Shang Tsung is fighting Geras hand to hand in the background)

(Geras punches Shang Tsung with his golden fist)

(Shang Tsung hits Geras with a fireball, staggering him)

(Echo flip kicks Geras and dodges a few punches)

(Specter throws a flash-bang and throws a cyber Lin Kuei against a wall)

(Shang Tsung hits Geras with a fire skull, knocking him through a pillar)

Fujin: Is he finished?

(Geras gets up)

Geras: I am eternal, Fujin. My will and strength? Infinite

(Fujin tries to blow Geras away with his wind powers, but to no avail)

(Shang Tsung tries to use his soul magic on Geras, but he just blocks it)

(Echo slashes Geras with his sword a few times, but Geras side kicks him away)

(Night Wolf throws an axe, which hits Geras's head)

(Geras rips out the axe and throws it to the side)

(Everyone gets into a fighting pose as Geras squares up with them)

(Geras tries to fight all five men hand to hand)

(Geras punches the ground, making Echo, Shang Tsung, and Fujin go flying)

(Specter teleport punches Geras, but gets backhanded, sending him rolling)

(Night Wolf tries to hit Geras with his axes, but Geras grabs him by the throat and throws him into a portal)

(Night Wolf hits the floor on the other side of the room)

(Shang Tsung springs back up and tries to fight Geras)

(Geras grabs Fujin and throws him right into Shang Tsung)

(Echo fights Geras, but uses his vision pulse to predict his moves)

(Geras knows he is using his pulse, and uses different moves to knock Echo into a wall)

Geras: Of all the Night Wolves I have fought, you are the fiercest

Night Wolf: It must be why the great spirit chose me to wear the mantle

Geras: You are also anomalous. No one has ever escaped the void

(Night Wolf fights Geras and wins with a spirit punch)

(Night Wolf throws his axes, cutting off Geras's arms)

Fujin: Was that necessary?

Echo: I think so

Night Wolf: To buy us time. We must be rid of him before he recovers

(Geras starts to regenerate)

Specter: He's healing!

Echo: Already?

Shang Tsung: Fujin, summon the wind!

(Shang Tsung opens a portal while Fujin uses his wind powers to blow Geras into the portal)

Fujin: Where did you send him?

Shang Tsung: Chaosrealm. Havik will keep him entertained

Echo: We're getting off track. We need to find Sindel before it's too late

Night Wolf: Echo is right. We're running out of time to find Sindel

(Shang Tsung opens a portal to the nether realm)

(The revenants of Kung Lao, Kabal, Smoke, Stryker, and Jade are leading an army of the undead)

Night Wolf: No sign of Sindel

Shang Tsung: Not entirely unexpected, given that she did not aid much in the keep's defense

Fujin: What was her role then? If she is such a formidable weapon

Specter: I remember I fought her when the main assault begun along with the other revenants

Night Wolf: Is it possible that- Ah!

(Night Wolf feels a pain in his chest)

Night Wolf: Great spirit

Fujin: What is it?

Night Wolf: My revenant. He is close

Echo: Uh oh

R Night Wolf: The great spirit cannot save you!

(The revenants of Liu Kang, Night Wolf, and Kitana walk towards the group)

(Revenant Liu Kang uses dark magic to wrap some fiery vines around the time travelers)

R Liu Kang: Take them to the bone temple

(Later, in the bone temple)

(Echo, Shang Tsung, Night Wolf, Specter, and Fujin are chained up)

Fujin: Night Wolf! Shang Tsung! Specter! Echo!

Night Wolf: Where are we?

Echo: I don't know. But I don't like it

Shang Tsung: Shinnok's bone temple

Specter: Deja vu

(Revenant Sindel walks into the room)

R Sindel: Raiden's violence against our lord will not go unavenged, Fujin. Prepare to pay for your brother's sins

Shang Tsung: Sindel. You look well. Death becomes you

(Revenant Sindel ignores Shang Tsung and walks over to Echo)

Echo: Keep undressing me with those eyes and I'll feel naked

R Sindel: Always the charmers, aren't you? I will enjoy feeding Lord Shinnok your souls

(Revenant Sindel walks over to Night Wolf)

R Sindel: But you, Night Wolf. You get the privilege of suffering most. Only the best will do for the man who killed me

Night Wolf: I should have saved you. Hopefully we will today

(Night Wolf summons a spectral knife and cuts himself free from his chains)

(Night Wolf tries to slash Revenant Sindel, who dodges the blade)

(Night Wolf throws his axes, cutting Fujin loose from his chains)

(Specter phases through his chains)

(Night Wolf then frees Echo and Shang Tsung)

(A horde of undead come rushing towards the four)

(Night Wolf spins around with his axes and Fujin's wind magic, cutting through the undead)

Night Wolf: You can't kill me, Sindel. Not without killing my revenant

R Sindel: I'm not going to kill you. As Raiden said to Lord Shinnok, there are fates worse than death

(Echo, Fujin, Specter, and Shang Tsung fight the undead reinforcements)

(Night Wolf fights Revenant Sindel. Night Wolf remembers his past encounter with Sindel, so he remembers her fighting style. Since a revenant only contains a fraction of the power of their living self, Night Wolf knocks Sindel out cold)

Night Wolf: I can imagine few fates worse than yours

(Night Wolf takes down a few undead with his axes)

(Revenant Night Wolf kicks Shang Tsung in the stomach, making him stagger back)

(Echo draws his sword and fights Revenant Night Wolf, who uses his axes)

(Revenant Night Wolf kicks Echo into a pillar and zaps Shang Tsung with spirit lightning)

(Revenant Night Wolf hits Night Wolf with his axes)

R Night Wolf: You will die by your own hands

Night Wolf: Harming me only hurts you

R Night Wolf: My sacrifice will save the Matoka

Night Wolf: Kronika has no love for our people. The great spirit-

R Night Wolf: Is a fraud! Who allowed us to suffer! Kronika is our future!

(Night Wolf fights Revenant Night Wolf. Both Night Wolves collide, but the living Night Wolf has the strength of a soul, so he emerges victorious)