Omi couldn't help the wide grin that began to spread across his face. He was so close, just a few more steps... he reached out, hands grasping and snatching. Vlad was panting and struggling only a mere couple of feet behind him. The sounds of Raimundo, Kimiko, and Clay cheering reached his ears even from their far away distance. His hands closed around the glowing Shen Gong Wu.

Then an unbearable pain exploded from the back his head, sending the world into a dizzying spin of light and color. The Fist of Tebigong, colliding heavily with his skull. Black spots swam before his eyes and Omi felt himself fall from the teetering wooden bridge he had been standing on. Voices cried out, shrill with worry, and laughter echoed. The ground flew towards him at him at an alarming speed, but the Dragon of Water was powerless as the blackness swallowed him.


" Shh, don't move."

Omi groaned, clenching and unclenching his hands in an attempt to ride them of their numbness. Another pair of decidedly softer hands gently stroked his forehead and cheeks, alternating between warm and cool. There was a ringing in his ears, and he had to swallow repeatedly to rid himself of the metallic tang in the back of his throat. His entire body felt like lead.

Soon, other voices began to break through his foggy awareness.

" How's the lil' fella doing?"

" The next time I see that dumb Russian, I'm gonna-"

" Rai!"

" Oh, what, Kimiko? You can't say you're not furious-"

" No, Rai, Omi's waking up!"

A frown began to form on Omi's face, which quickly morphed into panicked gasps. He was one hundred percent certain that he was awake; he could feel the roughness of his sleeping pallet, smell the musky scent of old wood and jasmine that was the Temple's own unique odor, and hear the voices of his friends to a near painful point of clarity.

But he couldn't see anything.


Oh, this is gonna be a two parter. :P