………
Once again, many thanks to Luna Goldsun for your limitless help that you've given me. I know it's kinda redundant to keep saying this but I really owe you one. Corset-rebellion-follower, thanks for your review. I truly appreciate it. Things are going to pick up from now on.
Chapter 4
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"He's finally in."
"Hmm? Really?" Leo was boiling something under a fire. Most probably their meal for the day.
Both of them where like nomads, wandering here and there without a care in the world. This time, they've taken up a lovely spot near a water fall in the mid of the day and at the outskirts of the valley. A big tree was providing shade for both of them. An aromatic smell emits from the pot that Leo was cooking and Vikki sniffed in the delicious smell.
"This is new. What's this called?"
"Err…. I don't name food. I just cook them and as long as they are edible and taste okay, it's fine."
"You, the emperor Arcana, don't do food. Most of the time its Moon, Star or Sun but I'll make an exception."
"What's the Arcana got to do with food?" Leo took a bowl and fills it up.
Vikki shrugged and put her book down." Well, Arcana are the star that governs each individual in their lives. You are the Emperor Arcana and I'm the Lover Arcana. Our beloved Tai Lung has moved on from the Devil to Temperance. It's most fascinating actually. Not many individual are able to move on from one Arcana to the next. Arcana reflect our own personality and how we live in peace with these Arcana. Each of the 21 major Arcana reflects our lives that we live in."
Leo handed the bowl of food to Vikki and they both ate silently. The temperature was hot in the middle of the day and the sun was shining brightly, scorching the earth beneath it. There was total peace and harmony.
Finally finished eating, Leo spoke. "Are you sure about the scroll?"
"You doubt me?"
Leo nodded, "Yes, I do."
Vikki let out a small laugh.
Why does she always have to be like this? If she was the Empress, it would make things a lot easier for me.
"Well, I don't blame you, but yes. I'm very sure about the scroll."
"Then may I ask one silly question that I've been meaning to ask a long time ago ever since we met in the snow mountain near Chor-Gom prison."
"Ask away."
"How did you know that the dragon scroll is not empty?"
Vikki hesitated a while, got up and walked slowly while admiring the beautiful scenery of the waterfall. The sun was shining brightly that you can actually see a small rainbow image in the waterfall. She did a twirl dance and her light blue sash swing gracefully around her. Then she stopped.
"Permission granted, Isis."
"Well?"
"Leo, before the dragon scroll was even made, Master Oogway has already thought of a scroll for a chosen warrior. Not just any warrior, but the dragon warrior. How does he know who is eligible? He can just offer up an ordinary scroll and write some old hag crap wisdom in it and every single fool will believe it but no, he didn't."
Vikki sat next to Leo and continued, "The scroll needs to be special and only true wisdom can obtain its full power. How does Oogway do it? That's where I come in. Oogway found me when I was still living in the valley of peace, sitting by the corner, giving out fortune telling to villagers. Somehow, Oogway was different. He knew that I was special. I can wield the power of magic of the ancient Chinese. It was descended by my ancestors but I kept it to myself. That's why I can do lots of unimaginable things, like stopping time back then. Until Master Oogway asked for my help."
"So….what did Oogway wanted? Some hocus pocus on the scroll or something?" Leo asked.
"Don't be silly. That's some stupid Harry Potter rubbish that an idiot will do. Oogway wanted the scroll paper to be different. Not from any ordinary papyrus but from the dragon itself."
"From the dragon itself!?"
"Yes, the dragon itself. From Korhyu, or also known as Huang Long, the yellow dragon. Korhyu is the 5th guardian beast of the Ssu Ling and the guardian of the center, which represents earth. Its power is so powerful that the dragon's wake, sleep and breath can determine the day and night, season and the weather. His scales were the perfect dragon scroll for a dragon warrior. Oogway couldn't do it himself, he needed me. I helped find the dragon, fought it and finally made the scroll."
She stopped talking, gracefully lifted herself to her feet and merrily circles around the tree they were resting under.
"That was the most amazing thing." She sang but stopped abruptly.
"However, Oogway was stupid. He didn't know the true power if the scale. The scale can grant you whatever you want. Wealth, power, strength, status, fame, anything! Anything. At. All. but why put on a scroll?"
"To make the scroll special I guess but you had other plans for it, don't you? You got greedy. Temptation." Leo answered her.
"You got one thing right. Yes, temptation. You can put it that way. When Oogway had finished the dragon scroll, he had it locked in the hall of warriors and only he alone can remove it." She sighed and dropped on the ground.
"I waited. Waited for the scroll to be removed. I even tried my powers to remove it by force but to no avail. I waited for 20 years, till now. I too yearn for the scroll. You do too, are you not?"
"Yes. Yes I do."
"Why do you need it?"
"Because…because…ungh." Leo looked away trying to avoid the question.
"I answered you. Now you answer me back. What are your intentions? Mine is power."
"Me….mine is….is……"
"Is what? Is?" she tried to pry open Leo's intentions.
He wanted to avoid such questions for the longest time but it seems that he can't avoid it any longer.
Vikki started to get impatient, "IS what!"
Leo still didn't answer.
"Tell me you cowardly lion!"
"Is to bring my love from the dead and memories!" he roared.
Birds flew away as they felt a turmoil shaking the earth. Everything was silent once again.
Leo said in a hushed tone, "To bring my love. She died in a horrible accident. I was so useless that time. We got robbed on our journey home and I was trying to defend both of us but I made one simple mistake. That mistake cost her life."
Vikki was silent. "Whatever. As the Arcana of love, I can tell you this. Keep in mind that love is a flame that must not be left unattended, it must be fueled and allowed to burn for as long it can and as brightly as possible. A simple mistake, is unforgivable."
"So be it." He softly spoke.
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R & R. Next will be more on Tai Lung and Tigress.
