Disclaimer: I do not own Xiaolin Showdown, but I do own the Wu I made up, and some of the attacks. If it is similar to other people's, it is a coincidence. I did not intentionally use anyone's stuff, I'm sorry if it appears that way.

Rise of the Immortal

Prologue

"Desperate times call for desperate measures," he said, placing the Dagger of Dashi in my hands.

I swallowed and closed my hand around the hilt. "Am I, are we, as desperate as this? Has it come to this?" I whispered, hands trembling as I sheathed the Dagger.

"If you do not stop her, if you do not kill her, she will kill you, kill all of us. She will conquer the world, bringing destruction everywhere."

I turned and walked out of the meditation hall, through the gardens, and quietly stepped through the main hall, and into the sleeping quarters. My friends were sleeping on their mats, bruised and beaten from the battle we had nearly lost our lives in.

"I'll do it." I whispered, and turned around to face Master Fung, who had followed me.

"Not alone." He said, "The others will help you."

"Why endanger us all, why risk all instead of just one?" I thought of the narrow escape we made, and what might have happened if Master Fung hadn't come in time… and how it was all my fault in the first place.

"You will surely fail without them."

I sighed. Master Fung was always straightforward, and always right. He placed his hand on my shoulder.

"You did you're best today. I know you are still angry at yourself, but if you dwell on the Showdown you lost, you will not be able to move forward."

I nodded. I knew he was right, but I still couldn't help feeling angry at myself.

"You must forgive yourself." Master Fung said.

I knew he was right. If I wanted to make this right, I had to let go of the mistake, of all the mistakes I made, and move forward.

"Work together, stand together, fight together, and you will succeed."

"But what if something happens to one of us?" I asked, staring at the floor, "What if someone is hurt, worse next time, or…" I trailed off, unable to say my fear out loud.

Master Fung sighed, and I looked up and our eyes met. For the first time, I saw uncertainty in his eyes, and that scared me even more than the fear I saw in him when he saved us all from the battle.

"The fate of the world is your hands. You are the chosen ones." He turned and walked out of the room. I followed, my question still unanswered.

"Master—" I began but stopped when he suddenly turned around to face me.

The main temple hall was dark, and I couldn't see the expression on his face, but I heard the tremble in his voice.

"I can't promise that everyone will make it through this war, Raimundo."

War. We were in a war. He turned and walked out of the temple, back to the meditation hall. I sank to my knees, and pulled out the Dagger, turning it over in my hands. The reality of the situation hit me full force, and for what felt like the hundredth time that day, an intense fear gripped my whole body.

A gentle hand touched my shoulder. "We can do this, Rai." Kimiko whispered, and I turned to see Clay and Omi nod in agreement.

"I know." I said, and we all exchanged weak, uncertain smiles.

None of us were really sure if that was true.