Kronika’s keep. Hidden away from mortal and immortal eyes alike. Inside this massive structure is the Titan of Time, Kronika was using her powers overtime to do what some would say is impossible. Gain an ultimate balance in the universe. Light and Dark split right in the middle. So far she hasn’t succeeded in her goal, but she knows she’s close.
The Hourglass the focal point of the room and the main tool in her manipulations. Standing alone in the keep with her servant Geras she has all the time in the world and beyond.
“Yoohoo!” Kronika’s work was interrupted however by the sound of a woman. The Titan turned around in amazement to see a woman holding an umbrella standing by the door into the hourglass chamber.
For once Kronika was utterly lost for words. “Who dares to-? How did you find this place?! Speak, mortal!”
The unknown woman smirked as she stepped further into the room. “Oh the door was open so I let myself i- oh you mean in general like ‘how did you find my secret lair’ sort of thing right? Well to be honest I had a really good Uber.”
“Shall I dispose of her?” Geras looked up to his creator ready to do her bidding.
“Proceed,” By her command, Geras moved in for the kill as Kronika continued speaking. “I do not know how you managed to find this place but you will take its location to the grave with you, mortal. I will not have someone like you to disrupt my-”
Kronika was cut short as a big red ball of energy slammed through the door right into Geras sending him flying into the ceiling and beyond before a massive explosion rocked the entire structure. “Who-?”
“That would’ve been me, ma’am.” Another person stepped through the debris. Dressed in yellow with, long white hair and a trucker hat. He didn’t seem like much at all.
“This gal really a god?” The man asked the woman with the umbrella. “Doesn’t look like much.”
“Oh, 13. Don’t be so rude. We are guests of Kronika! At least try and show some hospitality!”
The woman’s nonchalance seemed to only anger Kronika further. “ENOUGH!” She floated down from the Hourglass and glared at the two uninvited guests. “I demand you answer me! Who are you! Did the Thunder God send you?!”
The woman scoffed. “Please. Like I would be caught dead interacting with that disaster, but where are my manners. The lovely man over there is Android 13,” She cupped her hand and leaned in a bit. “Three guesses what he is. And me? Well, my friends call me Missy…
So I suppose you can call me Mistress.”
Kronika couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “A toy and…a mortal barge into my keep to what? Why are you here?”
Missy smiled. “I thought that was clear. To kill you.”
Now it was Kronika’s turn to laugh. “Just because you removed Geras from our presence you believe you have what it takes to kill me? I am a Titan! All-powerful. Time at my beck and call! What do yo-”
Again Missy interrupted her. “No, silly! I’m not personally going to kill you.” She nodded towards Android 13. “He is.”
“And what do you expect a machine can d-”
The punch that connected to Kronika’s jaw packed such force that a crater formed where she landed.
“Wait! Wait!” Missy pulled out some Bluetooth speakers from inside the umbrella. “Fight music 13. Fight music!”
“Sorry ma’am,” 13 smirked and centered his trucker hat as he looked down at Kronika. “The way she was talkin’ just grind my gears somethin' fierce.”
Missy was flipping through the playlist all the while as Kronika was getting back to her feet. “There we go!” Missy finally exclaimed before pressing play for music started to come through the speakers.
“Proceed.”
Kronika barely managed to get her arms up to block as 13 came with another vicious punch sending her flying into the air. The Titan was always ready to be the one going on the offensive but whatever this mechanical being was it was powerful. Sending a cascade of time energy at it she managed to stop 13 before another blow hit her and rewind him painfully back to where he had stood a few seconds ago.
A haymaker sent the android flying back into the wall but he quickly recovered and Kronika soon realized. This had never been a fight. The bastard machine had been toying with her. Let her get a shot in so she would believe she had a chance.
Everything she tried 13 countered. A cascade of energy was shot down with an energy barrage of his own. A fist was blocked and counter.
“Ah thought you were a bucking bronco,” 13 finally replied as he was avoiding Kronika’s attacks. “But you ain’t nothing but a fat sow ready for the slaughter.”
Kronika screamed in futile anger. How dare a machine speak to her like this?! As she tried to kick him her leg was caught in midair.
“Squeal for me piggy.” A vicious punch into her abdomen made the Titan gasp for air before the brutality continued.
crack
Her leg shattered at the knee. A ki blast right to her face sent Kronika crashing back to the ground bellow a few inches away from Missy who was leaning on her umbrella looking at the fight as Android 13 descended back on top of her.
When he was done most of her bones had been broken in several places. It hurt to breathe and panic set in. She had been bested utterly and completely. “H-How…” She gasped out. “How?”
“Did we find you? We had a little help.” Missy pointed with her umbrella behind Kronika before a figure loomed over her.
Kronika’s eyes opened wide in surprise before narrowing in fury. “You!”
“Yes…” Green energy started to swirl around her. “Me.”
That was the final thing that escaped from the Titan of Time's lips before she had her very being sucked out of her. Her corpse turning into sand and vanishing as if she had never even existed. The only thing left of her was her crown. The key to controlling the hourglass.
Missy looked mighty pleased with herself. “You know as far as dramatic reveals go. That was a solid 8 out of 10, don’t you think, Shang Tsung?”
The green light emitting from the man called Shang Tsung ceased as he turned his attention towards Missy.
“As far as dramatic flair is concerned. I suppose I can’t complain.”
“I suppose I have to thank you,” Missy seemed to remark begrudgingly. “You did lead us here after all.”
“Spare me your false platitudes,” He remarked back. “I am as much a tool in this as your mechanical attack dog.” He looked at 13 who didn’t act as he had heard him.
A sweet smile aimed at the immortal wizard. “At least you understand your position.”
A courteous nod from Shang Tsung. He knew that he wasn’t equal and it was best to just smile and nod. However, his attention now went to the giant hourglass in the middle of the chamber before he picked up the crown from the ground. “With Kronika’s death, we have opened up the opportunity for us to bend the realms to our whims. It will be of great help in the plans ahead of u-”
A beam of ki hit the crown in Shang Tsung’s grasp shattering it before continuing on into the hourglass that started to crack before exploding in a torrent of violent energy. As the blast settled there was nothing left but a chasm into the void. Shang Tsung was usually calm and collected but the destruction of the hourglass and the crown. He turned towards Android 13 who had a cocky grin on his face before his attention turned towards Missy who was laughing up a storm.
“Hahaha! Oh if you could see the look on your face! Priceless.” She cut the laughter abruptly and seemed to be only business as she continued. “Let me make something very clear to you, magician. The only reason you are standing here was to find for me a safe house in the farthest boondocks of the multiverse. Your world or status? Meaningless. Less than worthless even. Your world is so beneath the bottom of the barrel it’s six feet under. Kronika’s dead because I do not need a tiger mom hovering over us. Now it’s anyone’s game and we can quietly start building a, and I can’t stress this hard enough, minuscule presence in this sector. So. If you don't have anything else to say I believe you have other businesses to deal with. Get to it.” She smiled at him before turning to leave with 13 talking about redecorating and some change of colors in this place.
Shang Tsung bit his tongue and held his head down. There was no point to share in Kronika’s fate after all. The woman calling herself Missy was right on one thing though. The stakes had changed. Just looking at this world. This universe was of no conquest and Shang Tsung could only smirk as he opened up a portal to his next destination. Before this was over he was going to be the one with the multiverse in his hands.
Epilogue
On the shores of the sea of blood small particles of sand started to slowly reform themselves. They had only removed him from the board to kill his master, but Geras had died thousands of times and would no doubt die a thousand times more before he would get his final rest.
He could feel it though. Kronika was gone yet for some reason he didn’t feel anything. Standing with her over the millennia and all of the timelines. He had known her quest for a perfectly balanced world was impossible and had driven her to insanity a long time ago. Even so, the ones that had attacked them, what were their goal? Even if he would launch an assault and return he’d no doubt be bested again and again. He had no interest to inform Kronika’s children on what had happened to their mother. Let them find out for themselves. For the first time in his existence Geras was free to do whatever he wanted, and for the indignity that had been done to him. Only to be seen as a speck of dust and for that, there was only one thing he wanted.
Revenge.
And it was only a matter of time.