A/N: This is the first part to the prologue of the actual reaction, though this should help be a good starting point for it.

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"Once more from the top..."

A calm voice said as he floated in front of a large device made of clear glass and sands within it.

The man himself was of average height with a build that combines lean and jacked without seeming like much. Baggy black pants, black shoes, medium grey hair tied in a small bun in the back, and a silver crown in his head. He was bare chested, revealing his build as well as the glowing white tattoos that covered his sides and his forearms.

What stood out was his glowing eyes and his arms glowing with hot red flame and sparks of lightning.

This was Fire/Lightning God Liu Kang and he was about to do something no mortal or most Gods have attempted before.

"Hopefully I can make this outcome better for all of us..." He said to himself with a focused look.

Holding his hands up towards the structure, the crown on his head glowed along with the energy on his hands. Carefully, he aimed a focused blast of energy towards the glass device, hoping to perfect something. The previous user had failed time and again to perfect a timeline where all mortals and Gods can live peacefully. But even if he fails this time, he shall try and again to make sure things go well for his world and all others.

'I will make all my allies lives better along with the lives of the innocent and punishment of those who do evil.' He thought firmly as he made the sands in the device rise up to the higher level.

GLEAM~!!!

His eyes glowed with power as the power was affecting the device, glowing in the same energy.

"Don't worry everyone, I'll-"

"STOP."

THUD!!

"OOOF!!"

Liu Kang grunted as he fell from the air, too slow to catch his footing as he landed on his stomach. Pushing himself up, he looked up at the device, seeing it disappear from his sight.

"What?!" He said in surprise as he stood up, looking all around for an answer to where it may have gone too.

'And the origin of that voice.' He thought while looking around with his arms up for a fight.

But within the unknown area at the dawn of time, he saw nothing but darkness. No other being, no unknown structure, not even an explanation for the disappearance for the most important object in the universe.

He was left without an explanation, until...

Beautiful Chinese Music - Bamboo Flute - YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com › watch

"What...?" He asked out loud with confusion as the random, but soothing music hit his ears.

FWOOM~!!!!

Covering his eyes of surprise and instinct, he was blindsided by an unknown source of power. Backing away from it, he kept his eyes covered till he was certain that what the energy was is safe. Un-shielding his eyes, he finally saw it, only for him to gasp in surprise at the sight.

"Amazing..." He said while he bared witness to a pillar of flame that danced in place as it extended to the sky. While a fire user himself, he should be very used to seeing this or other forms of fire.

But this... this white flame was something else entirely...

'It's beautiful...' He thought with his form relaxed completely.

As he did this, the song continued playing with the fire spreading apart to reveal someone else within. Liu Kang shook his head as he saw this, quickly going back to a fighting stance. Even if the music made him calm, he still needed to be ready for whoever this was. Having met his fair share of immortal deities, there was a clear understanding of the good and bad.

Or poorly misguided.

Stepping through the flame was a being only a foot taller than the fire/lightning God. Dressed in all black clothing, it reminded the warrior of Noob Saibot, or Bi Han as he once was. His face covered in shadows, the only noticeable description is his pale grey arms that glowed energy. Within his hands was a short bamboo flute, pressed firmly against his lips as his fingers danced over it.

'Who is this being?' Liu Kang thought with uncertainty of this being as they stopped playing.

"Did you like my song?" The figure asked in an echoed whisper while raising his face towards the God. Liu Kang recoiled slightly at the sight with their face entirely dark minus a pair of glowing white eyes.

'Who is this person and why is he here?' Liu Kang thought in confusion.

"Because I decided to interfere." The being said back, making Liu Kang jump back.

"Y-you can hear my thoughts!?" He asked in surprise as the being nodded while putting away his flute.

"I hear many things Liu Kang." He said, Liu Kang's eyes widened further. "Yes, I know if your name, as well what you had plan to do with the Hourglass." He spoke softly as he began circling him.

!!!!!

"You took the Hourglass!? Please return it to me!!" Liu Kang pleaded as the figure shook his head.

"I cannot." He said as Liu Kang frowned.

"Please, whoever you are-"

"You may call me Tang Seng." He said, turning to him for a moment to bow respectfully. Not being one to show disrespect, Liu Kang bowed back before they stood straight once again.

"Tang Seng, please, you must return the Hourglass, I must restart the timeline." Liu Kang begged once again as Tang shook his head and turned his back to him.

"You mortals believe everything to be so easy even with powers you've never tangled with. That if with the right amount of time and plan in mind, everything will just go out right in the end." He said as he continued walking with Liu Kang watching in confusion.

"What? You speak in riddles, just who are you?" He asked as Tang held his hands behind him with his back turned.

"Me? Why for so long I've been within the shadows as a neutral party to all that's happened."

Shimmer~!

"Watching..."

Liu Kang jumped in surprise as Tang suddenly disappeared and reappeared beside him.

"Learning..."

He showed up again as he appeared from above and facing Liu Kang while upside down.

"Waiting for a proper time to intervene..."

He said, floating down to stand before Liu Kang, who was left confused by his reasoning. Many Gods and immortals have watched and waited before and acted soon enough. Raiden acted to save EarthRealm, Shang Tsung acted in order to try and reshape history to his liking.

What made him so different?

"Why act now? Why take the Hourglass and stop me from resetting the timeline?" He asked as Tang Seng hummed with his arms still behind his back.

"Because for a time, everything ran so smoothly; Time rolls and the realms do as they please with the Gods and Titans controlling it. But then something happened."

Shine~!!

Liu Kang stared in wonder as, above Tang's outstretched hand, was a small projection of Earth, the Neatherrealm, all the realms corresponding with them.

"Time was reset." Tang Seng explained as Liu Kang saw a white light shine over the realms again and again, like the time flux that lead to this point.

"And was reset again with many changes." He said as the white light shined with a few differences that Liu Kang could see.

"And again and again..." Tang Seng said as multiple lights flashed over the world, Liu Kang barely able to keep up.

The new God was overwhelmed by the many changes and times that time had been reset. He had heard that time was reset once too many times, but never to the exact number.

"B-By the Gods..." he spoke softly as the figure nodded, ending the images.

"Now this alone would have alerted me, but it was one of the newer changes that caught my attention. Specifically, one actions caused by a sorcerer named Shang Tsung I believe." Tang Seng said while rubbing his chin, Liu Kang frowning.

"Yes, that mad man believed to temper with time and fate itself to do as he pleased." Liu Kang said with a sneer as Tang Seng nodded while letting go of his chin.

"Indeed, but from what I saw, you were an equal part of the destruction." The immortal being said, Liu Kang's eyes widening in shock.

"W-what!? Are you a-accusing me tampering with it as well!?" He asked in surprise with a hand on his chest.

"Yes." Tang Seng said without hesitation, Liu Kang about to retort until he continued.

"Because, from what I saw, you were entirely capable to take care of him when he first arrived. But instead, you chose to sit back and let the events occurred, causing many to eventually die and suffer." He said with a squinted look as Liu Kang huffed hearing that, not wishing to be reminded.

"I had only followed the plan of his because he claimed to be able to fix the Hourglass, having cracked when I tried using it." The fire/lightning God argued back as Tang Seng kept his face the same.

Which wasn't hard as half of it was concealed by his mask.

"Yes, using Kronika's crown to better control the Hourglass, with it's power to use it. But that was just a ploy to help him steal it's power and then use it against everyone else. Though, from what I had seen, you were able to defeat him while he was enhanced by the crown." Tang Seng said with Liu Kang nodding.

"Yes, so again I ask, why is this important?" He asked as Tang Seng sighed while shaking his head.

"Ugh, you mortals never listen closely. The cracks on the Hourglass wasn't you break it, it was adjusting to your power." Tang Seng explained as Liu Kang's cloudy eyes widened.

"What?" He asked as Tang Seng continued.

"With how you were strong enough to defeat Kronika, and even the sorcerer, you were shown to be worthy enough of it's power. The cracks was its way of altering itself so that you may use it better when creating a timeline." The being explained Liu Kang thought it over.

"B-but her crown, she needed it to-"

"To power herself up as she knew she wasn't strong enough to do it on her own. She needed help to make it run, hence why she needed the souls power and keep you all distracted." Tang Seng told the man as he thought it over.

With how powerful Kronika was, being above the Elder Gods themselves, Liu Kang should've struggled more. Even with Raiden's power, he couldn't be anywhere near the power of the one who was above them. Yet, while struggling, he did defeat her in the end, shattering the crazed woman like glass. The fact she didn't interfere directly with the group despite all her power to control time and space.

But... it strangely made sense...

It wasn't like it hadn't happen before, like what he heard happened with Shinnok. He was extremely powerful, though he needed Earth's Jinsei to be considered a major threat. Having minions and a plan to keep them all busy while he took the power.

"You understand now?" Tang Seng asked while crossing his arms as Liu Kang slowly nodded.

"I... suppose so... but Shang Tsung...?" He asked, Tang Seng humming as he figured that he'd ask that.

"He planned the same, knowing he wasn't near the power Kronika or you currently possessed. If he had the powers she did, he could've overpowered you to make his own timeline. The difference was that he had too much over confidence for his skills and magic, as I'm sure you already knew." Tang Seng said as Liu Kang nodded.

"Yes, though I must ask again, what do you plan to do with the Hourglass if I can't use it?" He asked as Tang Seng shrugged while turning around, hands behind his back.

"I am uncertain, as the previous user causes so much havoc when she used it and the only one who can use it is inexperienced to do so. As such, I must make my decision wisely." He said while closing his eyes to think it over.

"If I may make a suggestion." Liu Kang spoke up, the immortal being turning slightly.

"I had intention to make life better for, not myself, but for all those in my realm as well as those who are good and deserve it. To where they can live lives without fear, pain, or suffering and be who they want to be. When you make your decision, all I ask is that you make sure they are ones with the best intentions at heart." The warrior monk, now God, pleaded with the immortal being.

In his eyes, Tang Seng saw his plead and how much he wished for this to work, and he saw how serious he was about it. His fight with the keeper of time and Shang Tsung was clear that he had much to fight for. Another factor was how he could tell Liu had a plan for the Hourglass to help the realms.

When deep down, he wanted something else, but had his duties to the world and those he cared for.

It made Tang Seng consider it more and more, however, not for Liu Kang as the next user for the Hourglass. Even if he says he has the best goals in mind, there was certainly more to the world than the black and white. From what he's seen, there's easily more to it than just that, there being many sides left out.

"I understand Liu Kang." Tang Seng said, the man smiling at him.

"That is good." He said, glad his words got through.

"I should expand my view outside from myself and you to know what to do with the Hourglass." Tang Seng continued, Liu Kang raising a brow.

"I'm sorry?" Liu Kang asked as the immortal continue going.

"Yes... I should see for myself, as should everyone else, who will penultimately control time and fate. Decide who exemplifies the best aspects to make a better, stable timeline." Tang Seng went on, Liu Kang left lost.

"Sir, what are you going on about!?" He asked loudly as the immortal turned to him.

Even with his face hidden and his body that of an unknown energy, Liu Kang can tell that the being was smiling. He wasn't sure if that smile is good or bad, but from the sounds of it a moment ago, he knew what he was doing. The man turned fully to him while raising his arms up with a wide arc, confusing the fighter more and more.

"This."

With that said, he slammed his hands together.

BOOOM!!!!!

Creating a loud boom, making Liu Kang cover his eyes at the force sending him back as his entire world went white.

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A/N: And that's the first part of my new story!