Chapter 9

Without warning, I broke off Biyu's cast. She pulled off the remains and readied her daggers once again.

"Sky, are you sure we're gonna be able to do this?" Biyu asked

"We are two Xing Masters now…no phantom is gonna beat us" I replied

"Now let's go. We've got to protect the villagers" I added, then ran out the door, Biyu in close pursuit

We ran outside and saw that the dark clouds had completely blocked out the sun, leaving only a dim grey light and the occasional flash of lightning. Where the sun used to be the clouds were swirling and a steady flow of phantoms were pouring out. An entire army of phantom warriors, a few generals like the one we fought in Gongmen City, and overseeing the transport was the same dark figure I saw in my vision. He had sprouted wings like a bat, and was flying near the portal.

"My guess is if we take down Hēi'àn, the portal will go down. We need to get to him, fast!" I said, then started sprinting through the streets

Biyu jumped up onto the roof of one building and began jumping from building to building in the direction of Hēi'àn. As we advanced, we were beginning to see the phantom beasts heading toward us. I pulled my staff off my back and charged it with Xing Energy, ready for the fight. I set my sights on the one nearest to me, and shot a bolt at it with my gauntlets. It vaporized instantly, so I set my sights on another. But before I could kill it, a flash of red went by and it was dead. I looked around and saw all the furious five fighting them off, including Po. I looked up to check on Biyu and saw her killing one after another, but something wasn't right. Suddenly, I saw a flash of darkness out of the corner of my eye, and when I looked I saw a dark bolt coming towards me. I used my staff to knock it aside, and saw two generals running at me.

"Tiger Spirit, fight beside me!" I yelled, summoning the white tiger spirit to my side

We both charged, and using my staff I slammed one to the ground. I then shot a Xing bolt into his skull, killing him. I turned to look at the other one, but my spirit had already killed it. I continued the run toward Hēi'àn, seeing how close I was. My confidence growing, I felt victory was within our grasp. I had my eyes locked on him, and he looked worried. But my perception was soar. A glint in his eyes sent my mind spiraling, and he raised a hand and sent what seemed like a wave of dark energy over the entire village. I was sent to the ground and tumbling backwards. I only caught glimpses of the buildings collapsing, my allies being thrown back same as me, and the Phantoms standing over us. When I regained my bearings, I saw Tigress barely standing, clenching her upper arm as it hung dead at her side. Biyu was on the ground next to me, barely awake, while the others lay unconscious. I saw Collin and Serena tied up by a general, gagged and bound at the hands and feet. The general held two swords, each tip pointed at the two captives. I watched as a phantom warrior kicked Tigress to the ground, and felt Hēi'àn's eyes on Biyu and I.

"Now you see, Xing. Your kind has no place in MY new world. But I'm not without mercy, you lover won't suffer" He said

I let my gaze fall on Biyu, total fear in her eyes. She won't suffer? What kind of consolation was that?! Maybe that means he won't kill her. As if on cue to those thoughts, I saw a dark bolt strike Biyu and wrap around her neck.

"Liar! You treacherous little slime!" I yelled

"I said she wouldn't suffer, I didn't say how. She'll die first, so she doesn't have to bear seeing all her friends killed" He replied, and evil grin on his demonic face

My gaze fell back on Biyu, and what I saw stopped my heart. The collar from Shifus vision was around her neck, and I could see it slowly getting tighter and tighter. Soon she won't be able to breath, and after that her throat will be crushed, then eventually severed from her body…an ugly way to die.

"Biyu, I'm so sorry…I promised you I wouldn't let this happen, but that collar is around your neck-"

"Sky, it isn't your fault. It's the prophecy…two breaths turned one…you're the grand Xing. In the final breath of one, and the grief of another, their souls combine and they become one grand Xing warrior" Biyu interrupted

"NO! I can't live without you, Biyu!" I yelled

"Does this collar go any faster? Speed it up a little!" Hēi'àn yelled, snapping his fingers

The rate of the closing collar increased, and Biyu began choking. She grasped at her throat, trying to open her airway.

"No! BIYU NO!" I yelled, tears falling from my eyes

"Kill them, General" I heard

I turned around just in time to see Collin and Serena run through by the swords that were at their backs, and then the general walked over to Tigress and grappled her throat, picking her up off the ground and watching her struggle for air. I felt Biyus hand on my cheek, as she turned my head around and pulled me into a kiss. It lasted three seconds until he body went limp.

"No, Biyu, you can't die. Not now!" I screamed, shaking her body and crying hard

"Biyu, NOOOOOOOOO!" I screamed until my lungs ran out of air

Then, her body began to glow orange…and mine began to glow blue. Biyu began to deteriorate into a glowing orange dust, and it floated toward me. Beyond my own willpower, I gasped, and the dust that came from Biyu went into my lungs. I felt her presence inside me, and her energy flowing through my body. My fur began turning orange, the stripes staying black. I began to look like a normal tiger. My Kung Fu robes turned into the same ones my mentor used to wear, and my Gauntlets fell off my wrists and onto the ground. They then started to float back into the air, along with Biyus daggers and my staff. They started swirling above me, and changed shape. Each one morphing into the others, creating a different weapon. But, it wasn't the trident. They were becoming a dual ended spear, something I never heard of happening. Unless…of course! The gauntlets changed it! With three weapons instead of two, the weapon changed! I stood up off the ground and took it in my hand, quickly turning my attention to the phantom currently strangling Tigress.

"Let…her…go" I said, my voice a mixture of mine and Biyus

In fear, he dropped Tigress to the ground, who began gasping and coughing.

"What are you doing, you idiots! Kill him! Kill them all!" Hēi'àn yelled

Suddenly, I had many many MANY phantoms charging at me from all ends. But, I wasn't fazed. I didn't know why, but they just didn't scare me. I began twirling my dual spear in the air, and just when they were close I slammed it to the ground, creating an ever expanding dome of Xing energy all around me. It grew bigger and bigger, vaporizing any phantom it touched. I watched as it rebuilt buildings, healed Po and the five and Collin and Serena. All the phantoms except Hēi'àn were killed, leaving him startled. I took to flight slowly heading towards him. In my eyes was only anger. As I got closer to him, I began to speak.

"You bring my world to ruin and kill my family" I said, striking him in the chest, sending him backwards

"You destroy my new home and try to kill my new family" I continued, then kicked him to the ground

"NOW YOU DIE!" I yelled, using every ability I had to launch myself at Hēi'àn

I ran my spear through his back as I landed, and then charged it with the power of the Xing ancestors.

"Power of the ancestors, HAH!" I yelled, twisting the spear and causing the evil phantom to disintegrate and burst into black dust

As the smoke cleared, I was amazed. The blast I'd created had reversed everything the phantoms had done. My friends were healed, the buildings rebuilt, and the sun shining. The only thing missing was seeing Biyu here with us. I could still feel her presence within myself, but it wasn't the same.

"Sky?" I heard Tigress ask, "Are you…still you?"

I pondered the question for a moment, wondering if I was in fact still myself.

"I…I don't know" I said, my voice still a mix between Biyus and mine, "No, I guess"

"So…who are you?" Collin asked

Another question that stumped me. I'm no longer Sky…but I'm not Biyu either. I'm just the grand Xing now, nothing more and nothing less.

"I am Xing"

End of Part 1

There is the first leg of the story. I read through it and, good god was I bad! Holy hell, I was bad. Anywho, it's still a really meaningful story to me, the next leg is better and longer. Keep reading, my fans!