Note: I don't own Jackie Chan Adventures. Also, thanks for the reviews. I am honestly surprised some people like this, but quite pleased to see some people are enjoying this. I think for future (and hopefully better detailed) JCA stories I will keep this as canon in my head.
The Dragon's Path
Chapter Three
A Noble Conquest
The Dragon City was a grim place after the war, and the dragons mourned their dead. Human servants had not been able to withstand the attacks either and thanks to the drop in population the city seemed almost as a ghost town except for the occasional dragon flying by. The Dragon King had not left his throne room since his return to the palace, but as he heard a loud roar from the town he finally opened his doors and stepped outside. He looked up to see dragons coming from the sky, but their eyes glowed as Shendu's and they seemed almost mindless as they began to attack the city.
"Admiring the future, my king?" came a calm voice, filled with demonic malice as the king felt wicked eyes boring into his back.
"What is this, Shendu?" the King turned, his eyes furious as he looked at his grandson.
"My dragon minions are claiming the city, grandfather," said Shendu simply, before clawed hands came to the Dragon King's face. As the king fell to the ground, surprised by the attack. "After all, I am about to inherit it from you." Shendu saw the noble power coming before his grandfather shot off the blast of destructive energy, and jumped to the side. "I will be inheriting that as well."
"There is nothing noble about you, Shendu!" the Dragon King bellowed, rising to his feet. "I knew I should have destroyed you the moment you were born."
"Your fatal mistake, Noble King," hissed Shendu, mocking the dragon. "But I need only wipe out all other dragons to be the noblest one remaining." Shendu raised his arms and from the shadows rose... Shadowkhan? The Dragon King flinched for but a moment, but it was enough to find himself surrounded by the shinobi, and it seemed Shendu's dragon minions were also beginning to move from the city towards the Palace. "And thank you so much for keeping one of the Masks, Grandfather. The Shadowkhan will make a fine addition to my army." The Dragon King roared and sent blasts of combustion into the hordes that surrounded him, but all Shendu had to do was summon more Shadowkhan and let his minions continue to come.
Even the Dragon King would be unable to hold out against them forever, and as he roared his last roar, Shendu could not help but feel the slightest satisfaction as his inheritance began to flow into his body. Now the Noblest of All Dragons had only to deal with the other noble animals.
-
The world had survived the shadows only to witness an age of demon conquest. It seemed that the war had served only to strengthen the demons, who had now created grand empires, whose only foes were the dwindling forces of the immortals and the near extinct noble animal kingdoms. The siblings had on occasion helped their brother Shendu with his battles against the animal kingdoms, recognizing them as one of their only threats, but over time it had become quite obvious that Shendu was becoming more a danger then any one kingdom. Shendu had claimed small enough prizes when he first conquered the Tiger, the Sheep and the Rat. Balance, Astral Projection, life to the lifeless. These did not seem like particularly strong powers to his siblings, but Shendu had been studying for this. The Tiger was important to the powers, keeping them in balance so Shendu did not lose control of his own powers.
But it was once he started claiming greater powers that his siblings support of his efforts began to wane. By the time he had lost all support from his fellow demons, however, he was already a power to be reckoned with, and what few animal kingdoms that remained were lost. Once he had finally achieved all the power he desired, he began his conquest. His siblings were right to feel threatened, as Shendu claimed far more lands then any of them and his Shadowkhan allowed him the ability to hold his territory with an iron grip.
The Freedoms of Mankind began to dwindle into nothing as the Eight Immortals lost their armies to the demons. The Demon Sorcerers made mankind worship them like gods, and indulged themselves of their every desire. Humanity was treated as servants at best, but more often as truly slaves, and in the worst case as food for hungry demons. Even Shendu occasionally indulged his hunger in such a way, though he seemed to prefer them for servitude and entertainment.
It seemed a hopeless age as the Immortals watched the world around them transformed into a wasteland of decadence and evil. Without forces of their own they were often on the run, the last warriors standing in the way of the Demon Sorcerers. Of course, the Demon Sorcerers saw their battles with the Immortals as little more then amusing games nowadays, and they only began to fear eachother as real competition. But no demon had yet turned against their siblings, seeming to way their options to who they would attack first.
If only they knew they should have kept a closer eye on the activities of the Immortals.
-
"We must banish them from the world," said He Xiangu. "Without the Demon Sorcerers, the lesser demons will fall."
"Even if we were to banish them they are powerful enough to return," said Tieguai Li. "No simple banishing spell will keep them from releasing themselves."
Lu Dongbin sat deep in thought, and sadly sober. He could have used a few drinks to wipe away the memory that he had not killed that bastard dragon when he was but a young lizard of a boy. But he had to concentrate on the matter at hand. They could not seem to kill the demons, so banishment seemed to be necassary. After all, their mentor had done the same to the father of the Demon Sorcerers, but the demon sorcerers were certainly powerful enough to escape. What to do? "Then we make something that will hold them in," he said as the idea came to him. "Lock the doorways with a key so they cannot escape their eternal prison." The Immortal looked at him for a moment, considering his words, and then each of them seemed to nod. "Then we shall craft it together."
-
Tso Lan floated above his foe. He had a level of respect for the Immortal Woman, but he still thought this either insane or desperate as she barged into his palace and began to chant a spell. He was knowledgable enough to recognize a chi spell of banishment, but he had long learned how to escape the confines of any dimension she would send him to. "Banishing spells only work as long as the demon cannot free himself," he said matter of factly, as even the wisest of the Demon Sorcerers was not above a prideful taunt. As the banishing spell went for him he did not even panic. Sure, it would be a moment's hassle to come back, but he would take the time to show her just how pitiful her plan had been.
The spell seemed to fling him far from world, towards the moon until a gateway appeared and sucked him inside. He found himself in a strange void of red and floating rocks, and floated through the place, raising his hands and chanting a spell to break the barrier once more and return. But then the strangest thing happened. He did not seem to be able to open the portal to return. "What?" he gasped in surprise. How could that be? He had not lost his power, but his spell did not seem to work.
A bat-winged creature came flying towards him. "They got you too, then," said Hsi Wu, who for once seemed to not have that gremlin-like grin on his face. "Shendu's the last one then."
Tso Lan flinched as he realized he had made a mistake in underestimating his foes, and it seemed that might be his last mistake for a long, long time.
-
Shendu had heard word that his brothers and sisters were disapearing one by one, and it was being said that each of the eight immortals had defeated them in one on one combat. All except one, so Shendu prepared himself as he sat on his throne. He dismissed his slaves and even his dragon minions, for he was powerful enough to handle even the legendary Lu Dongbin on his own. In fact, Shendu had been looking forward to defeating Lu Dongbin ever since he was a child. Now at last was his chance, and he was going to savor every little bit of it.
As Lu Dongbin kicked in the doors, Shendu stood with his eyes flaring. Lu Dongbin had his sword at his side, and as the Immortal chanted it was beginning to glow with power. Perhaps this was what Shendu's siblings had been fighting, a spell... Was that a banishing spell? His siblings had only been banished? Surely they could have escaped simple prisons, so there must have been more to it then that.
But Lu Dongbin was not truly prepared for Shendu as he began to point his sword at the dragon and unleashed the spell. Shendu used the speed of the Rabbit to weave himself around the spell. The Immortal flinched for a moment, as though he knew that Shendu had conquered the kingdoms of the Noble Animals, he had not realized that Shendu had also claimed their power. "Welcome to my home, Lu Dongbin," said Shendu, a gloating smile on his dragon's face. "And this time, it shall be your final visit." Shendu's eyes glowed and beams shot out from them. Lu Dongbin raised his sword to block the blasts, but the sword shot out of his hands upon the hit. The Immortal found himself being lifted off of his feet.
"I always wondered, are the Immortals true Immortals or are can you be killed?" asked Shendu, who could not hide his need to really gloat over his foe. "I suppose I shall be the first to find out."
-
While the rest of the world was beginning to recover from the age of demons, the continent of Asia did not seem to have as much luck. The other immortals never knew what happened to Lu Dongbin, but they did know that he had failed to trap Shendu. But though the dragon would reign for several more years, hope was not lost. They did not have the armies to take him on, nor the power themselves, but they had knowledge. Under them came many Chi Wizards who would carry on the rebellion against Shendu's tyranny. And perhaps, one day, someone else might find the way to end the Dragon's Path to conquest.
The Pan'ku Box that kept the gates sealed, and was the only thing that could free the demons, was hidden away. The Demon Sorcerers found ways to contact their brother, but Shendu never intended to end their imprisonment. After all, without them the world was all his to claim. And as far as he knew, there was no one left to stop him.
The End
Final Note: Well, that's it. That is the end of this tale, though we all know what happens after that. Always thought it was kind of odd that the show never explained how Shendu was defeated by the Immortal but somehow was freed to be imprisoned later, so I thought it made more sense that his powers allowed him to defeat his Immortal instead. Just makes sense to me. Hope you all enjoyed this, and hope my next story is even better.