Temptation

Chapter 9

Meditation wasn't working.

Omi tried to breath deeply but his breath turned into a whimper which soon added up into an ugly sobbing noise. Nothing he did seem to slow down his tears.

The others stopped crying and sat on silence meditating.

Omi couldn't keep his eyes closed or his posture straight, his head gravitates downwards and he stares at his hands; jack's blood was warm and redder than his hair.

"Little partner?" Clay whispered.

"We must not speak. Only grive." Omi shuted any further attend of a conversations.

Then he heard the murmurs.

Raimundo stands without a word and the monks followed him. They walked out to find Chase Young.

He had something to said.

And through the whole exchange Omi only understood two pieces of information.

"Jack is alive?"

"Yes."

Relief washed over the youngest monk and he can suddenly breath and then his whole world was shatter.

Jack was alive by change. By a lucky complex chain of events, and one day everyone will have an unlucky day. Everyone Omi knows will die.

Omi felt his legs trembled and hoped no one would notice. Death was scary and unknown and one day everyone will get to see it. Omi thought to himself; I'm going to die, and everything I am will ceased.

Death comes fast and it takes you without asking permission. Omi felt fear like he had never before and then he heard about the Wu.

Once Chase left their teacher ordered them to stay still.

"What do you mean?" Raimundo was the first one to ask.

"Should we let them keep the wu?" Clay followed.

"I just don't think that if someone were to get immortality should be Jack, I'm just saying." Kimiko complain and Omi remained uncharacteristically quiet.

"You guys just don't get it!" Dojo complained and crossed his arms.

"It is too much of a temptation." Master Fung explained and Omi looked at his dear teacher. He felt like he was looking at him for the first time, and at the same time looking at a mirror.

Master Fung was so talented, even more on his youth Omi would guess but now his great talented had reached the limitations of time.

Omi would someday also be stop by time, and then death.

"There are certain things we should never ask ourselves. Because is human to want what you shouldn't." Master Fung said and his students shaked their heads on disagreement, but they stay quiet.

Omi told himself he wouldn't go for the Wu, but that didn't stop his brain form formulating plans to break into the infamous Chase Young's lair for a change to kill a rat.

That day passed slowly and heavily, like every minute they stay on silence was a minute they must carry to bed.

No one joked, and no one asked questions.

It was bedtime and Omi was wondering how long should he wait for his friends to had fall asleep deep enough to not feel him leave the room. But then Ckay spoke.

"We should get that Wu back." He whispered it, sure that only his friends could hear him.

"Why?" Kimiko asked unsure if she wanted an answered, but sure Clay wouldn't be tempted like the rest of them.

"Because Jack ain't evil." Clay stated and Omi looked down and tried to suppress all those talks he had with the older boy. Jack wanted so much, he was so very ambitious. But ambition alone doesn't make you evil, it doesn't make you good either.

Omi remembers too well Jack's arguments.

"He is heylin, or did I miss something?" Raimundo asked.

"Jack is the least heylin there is." Kimiko commented.

"He wants power and attention that doesn't necessary means he is evil. He is our opponent but he rarely behaves like a heylin; he deserts saving." Omi said a little too motivated.

"Really?" Raimundo crossed his arms incredulous.

"Actually little guy, I want to save others from future Jack." Clay explained. "Jack is not Bad now, he has too much of a conscious and he can't - he can't do things -he hasn't cross a line yet. But with time, and Chase as his mentor, Jack could be a big bad guy for future generations of Xiaolin apprentices." Clay explained and his teammates congratulated his vision.

"To think so ahead! Are gonna be leader next?" Raimundo half joked.

Omi stayed quiet. He felt momentarily envy at Clay's ability to not only looked ahead but to accept that he would stop being a dragon apprentices.

"We should hurry." Was all that Omi could add.

The monks had move on the dark of the night and left the temple.

Clay formed a path for them to run until they reached the shore.

Raimundo found an old tree which he cutted down.

Kimiko illuminated the surroundings with her element.

The four of them placed the cut-down tree on the shore.

Omi pulled the tide of the ocean like the full moon does on early mornings and then he modified every current near them and forced the water to delivered them across the sea to shore of Nowhere.

"Good one." Raimundo said and patted Omi's head.

It was like they didn't understand that Omi couldn't simply allow his talent to grow old and die.

"How are we doing this?" Kimiko asked and Raimundo shushed her.

"We don't know if there are guards nearby. Omi, you used to ...live here for a little. Do you remember the shifts and stuff?" Raimundo asked.

"I do, but I know they constantly change their strategies and I doubt they had kept the same-" Omi was explaining when Kimiko grew impatient.

"You all be quiet while I figure it out." She said and sat down on the sand, her friends look between each other confused.

Kimiko called upon her element and she felt heat pouring from every living being. It was hard to separate the trees from the animals and the little animals from the large animals, and large animals sleeping from those who were awake and watching.

"The path on the left is clear, but only for a few miles. There is a cliff around there. We should go down and make our way to the cave entrance." Kimiko explained and everyone followed.

They moved in complete silence.

Clay flatten the ground like the hills and pits were wrinkles on fabric, the dirt moved as smoothly as silk. And their path was secured by tall dirt walls that collapsed as soon the monks had cross safely.

Once they reach the wall they must climb the cowboy was patting.

"You did great. Now is my turn." Raimundo said and he called upon the wind.

A current of wind came down and circulated each monk until everyone had been engulfed by their own personal mini tornado. Once each monk had found their balance on the eye of the tornado Raimundo lifted them up.

They reached the top barely disturbing the surroundings.

"I should go." Offered Kimiko. "I can tell where the guards are; I won't be caught." She offered and her leader seem to considered it only to shaked his head.

"If you do get caught, then you would have to make a run for it." Raimundo counterpoints, he doesn't said the Kimiko is the second slowest of the group. But they all know it.

"I should go." Raimundo offered. "I'm the fastest, and I can fly over their heads." Raimundo said.

"That won't work; 'fly over their heads,' this guys are well trained." Clay said but he doesn't offered his aid. He knows he is the slowest.

Omi remembered a specific conversation he had with Jack about ambition. The genius had at the time a black eye, Omi had given it to him and it made the small monk uncomfortable, even more so than drinking tea from a western tea set -it looked so very delicate. The porcelain was pretty and white but so painstaking fragile, it reminded him of Jack.

"Are you really good?"

"Omi do you think you can do it?" Raimundo asked more worry with the missing guards than his oddly quiet companion.

"What exactly?" Omi tilted his head and then he remembered their situation. "I mean; yes, of course I can do it. I'm the best option, second fast, arguably the best fighter, and I know the internal structure of the lair." Omi rushed to covered his previous slip.

"Yes. That's why I asked." Raimundo stated tired. They were all tired and emotionally drain, maybe a little on shock to had learnt that Jack was alive even after seeming him died.

"If things get hairy bust out the closest exit and we will be ready to back you up." Raimundo reminded Omi.

"You can always go back. Is more important that you don't get caught than to get the Wu. Okay?" Kimiko offered him.

"Be careful." Clay said.

And those were the last words each said to Omi for months to days to come.

Omi knew how to entered the lair seemingly undetected it.

The rock cave had a small opening a mile up and east from the entrance, the space worked as a window allowing air in and out, there were a few throughout the cave but this one was the biggest and the only one without a long narrow tunnel. There was a tunnel but it was barely wide enough for Omi to fit in it as a child, now Kimiko might have better luck trying to squeeze herself down. But Kimiko didn't know the interior of the palace.

Omi finds the opening and as silently as he can he pushes himself through the small opening. The sharp edges hurted his ribs and the smell of moist made him nauseous.

Once Omi found Jack stuck on that same spot; it had been hillarious.

The young monk kept finding himself thinking of his odd friend, maybe to distract himself from his time sensitive task.

The entrance Omi was climbing from was the only one someone could slip in, so it was gaurd by a cat or two, left unattended only for a couple moments for shift change. That is the moment Omi hoped to reach; his best bet was a lucky chance that he might reach the end at the exact moment the entrance was unattended.

Omi was surprised to see he had been lucky, but he did not stay to question the probabilities that it was luck and not a trap; he was running on an schedule and he was also distracted.

Omi remembered a conversation he had with Jack.

He had so many conversations with the villain.

First out of duty of course. Omi hoped beyond reason that he could convince Jack to become good. Jack had laugh every time, and every time Omi had return home with nothing to show for when he was question by his friends; why do you continue to go?

Omi had given up on helping Jack. He explained the day he thought to be his last social visit to the Spicer mansion that he didn't think Jack wanted to be good -he could but he won't.

Whatever. Jack had said dramatically, his posture and his face revealed how much pain it caused him to lose Omi's visits; Jack was truly lonely and Omi knew this. But Omi couldn't spend anymore time or energy on trying to change Jack. But before you go tell me; why do you want me to be good? What does it prove to you?

Omi moved through the entrance with his light steps, he found the halls surprisingly empty.

No guards, no charms, no monsters or warnings.

Omi knew that moment he had stepped into a trap.

Why else would Chase Young had bother to warned them if not to lead them into a trap?

Chase was drinking coffee and Omi was questioning his life.

The young monk knew he should turn back now, but he didn't.

Alike when Jack asked him a rather odd question. Omi should had just go home but he turned and asked. What do you mean? I want you to be good because I can see goodness in your heart.

"You don't have to answer if you are gonna lie." Jack rolled his eyes back them, and Omi turned back and sat to talk and he stay. Then he came back.

Omi walked upstairs and he turns towards the halls that would lead him to the vault. He knew no one would get on the way because Chase wanted them to get the Wu. Omi didn't even had to ask himself 'why?' He knew the answer.

The water monk stopped to looked at the impressive throne room. The large throne was destroyed and the pieces laid on the scatter over the steps and the floor.

Omi tried to think what would he do next; he was walking into a trap. Correction, he was knowingly walking into a trap.

Omi wondered if Jack felt often like this.

After years of knowing the man he had learnt that Jack was frighteningly smart. Omi enjoy playing chess and checkers with him, or talking for a long periods of time. Jack spoke lightly and randomly, but he was constantly too ahead of a conversation. Jack told him that sometimes he knew he was playing into someone's plan but what can you do when is your only move.

"You Turn around." Omi had answered to that question, happy to quickly answering Jack's predicament.

"You can't just turn around Omi, you kinda give into temptation. Like...honey and bees." Jack tried to explained. "Do you know what temptation is Omi?" Jack asked him and Omi remembers that question all too well.

They were drinking tea, something light and fruity, Jack ignored his duties of a host and didn't prepared Omi's tea. But Jack had an awful black eye and it was Omi's fault, so Omi prepared his own tea on silent feeling guilty. Omi also remembered Jack's smile. Jack was so pretty when he smiles, but Omi always pushed that type of thought away. He is a monk.

"Nah, you don't know about temptation or honey." Jack had laugh. Omi had been so aggrieved. He had been urged by the Heylin side so many times he stopped counting. They had offered so many things; power, magic, power. But Omi had always said 'no.'

"That doesn't count." Jack had said bitterly drinking from his cup.

"What do you mean?!" Omi was furious at the time.

Omi was brought to reality by Wuya, her screams loud and desperate like broken woman. The young man rushes to find the witch. Since wherever Wuya is, the Wu can't be far.

"You didn't wanted it. Yeah, you want power, but I don't think you want hand-over power; it wouldn't really be your power." Jack had explained. "Real temptation is when you want that shit -thing. You really want it and suddenly you are doing things you shouldn't."

It was torture; Wuya was crying staring at the rat.

Omi stared at the rat too.

"You are so ambitious Omi."

"Ambition alone doesn't make you evil!" Omi fought.

"it doesn't make you good either." Jack shrugged his shoulders.

"Are you calling me evil?" Omi frowned.

"I'm saying you don't really know. You were raised as a monk, being good is all you know! I'm just curious if you can be ...push on the wrong direction." Jack smiled at him.

Omi was tired of thinking about Jack. He wished he could stop thinking, and not look at the rat running in front of him. But Omi couldn't stop thinking about Jack because jack die on his hands two days ago. The young monk wiped his sweaty palms on his pants; the blood had been so warm and more red than jack's hair. jack die and his hands, a perfect copy of the Jack he knew and had grown to called his dear friend, and.

And he didn't even looked at him once.

Omi stayed quiet for too long.

"You don't want the rat. You want so much more than that." Wuya spoked and it shocked Omi to his core. They were the only people on the palace and Omi for first time could admitted to himself that he wanted it more.

Outside the lair the other three monks started to worry.

"Has it been too long?" Raimundo asked and Kimiko answered with a worried looked. It was hard to tell, they didn't sneak into Chase Young's lair often -it is something they try to avoid.

"Give him time." Clay answered but it wasn't very calming.

"Maybe we should-" Kimiko never finished her sentence and she was forcefully shoved into the darkness, she didn't complain and follow the direction her leader pushed her. Sure that she would receive an answer soon enough.

"Fudge! Fudging fucking fudge!" Raimundo cursed under his breath and he pointed with his chin up on the sky. The other two monks followed the direction with their eyes to see Hannibal.

"We need to get Omi out now!" Kimiko hissed.

"He had not been found out yet. Maybe we can-" Clay was also interrupted, this time by a loud blast accompanied with the sound of water splashing over the mountain side. "Well, now he has been found out!" Clay said and readied himself to fight. He was stop by Raimundo who observed Omi's movements.

"He is making a run for the shore; let's retrieve! Clay, Kim go with Omi. I'll distract the old bean." Raimundo ordered but Kimiko shaked her head.

"You go with Omi, you are the fastest and this would be useless if they get the Wu. I'm the best fighter and I can take him!" Kimiko stated as confident as she can lie.

There was not time to discuss it.

"Be careful Kim." Rai said almost softly with all the destruction surrounding them. That moment lasted but a second.

Clay threw himself of the mountain and his landing unlevel the island so strongly an earthquake ripped through the ground. Raimundo letted himself be carried by the wind.

Kimiko breathed in taking in the changes on her environment; Clay used a lot of energy trying to give her an advance, and she can use every advantage she can get.

Hannibal noticed the monks heading to the shore, he also noticed Wuya floating over Omi's shoulders. His rotten smile pulled on his flesh higher to the point you could almost see the black of his gums.

Kimiko propelled herself up leaving a trail of fire after her. Hannibal's bird easily passed her but she never tried to outrun the bird; a cowardly hit from the back would have to do. She shoot without regard for the creature, and the fire burnt the feathers sending the bird spiraling downwards. Hannibal rushed to leave the animal and instead reached for a tree. But thanks to the earthquake all the trees near them have been digged up from the dirt. The tree Roy had tried to reach couldn't sustained his weight and it came down.

He had similar luck with every tree and Kimiko used that to her advantage, she never stop attacking. But every fireball was well calculated to created the highest damage possible. She was trying to closed Hannibal's exits, soon she would regret that but now her only objective was to keep that monster away from her friends. She had to, she is the best fighter if she can't stopped him now, then her teammates won't had an easy time.

A tentacle hurled a large rock on her direction and she flies upwards only to find a second boulder, this one right over her. She had to quickly heat up the rock until it dissolve like lava around her, but she was still knocked down the floor.

"They really should have sent someone else. You can't defeat me little girl." Hannibal laughed like it had been fun. Kimiko breathed in and out, her fire burning around them. Her friends were still on the shore, she could feel them; something wasn't right.

She knew she can't win.

Hannibal shoots one of his roots around her, a clear popping sound on her shoulder, he gave her credited for not screaming. Then he felt the heat of her skin.

The inside of his appendage boiled under her touch, he pulled back but Kimiko hold him still. She pushed the tentacle down on the ground against the lava she had just made and covered it. New attacks came in the form of multiple size roots, but that was fine. Every little fire around them grew and turned into tornado of fire. Kimiko attacked Hannibal from every possible angle forcing him to go the only direction left; down. The dirt around him swallow him whole, his screams pierced the dying night.

Kimiko jumped back and saw the hot molten lava over what she guessed was Hannibal, she didn't stay to verified.

The bean is not defeated only hurt, she on the other hand is done. She can't fight again, her breath is hot and dried and her every muscle begged her to stop moving. The arm is dislocated and possibly broken.

Kimiko runs for her life and she can still sensed her friends. It made no sense. She stay to fight so they could escape, but if they stay the would have come help her.

Once she reached the beach she was too dizzy to stand.

Raimundo and Clay rushed to her.

"We-" Kimiko tried to tell them that they have to go, instead she was stop by a bottle of water on her lips, she drank greedily.

"Omi just left." Raimundo said. Kimiko nodded. "He left us Kimi." Raimundo explained and Kimiko stopped drinking.

She wanted to asked what was happening but the sun was coming up and they needed to go.

Omi would regretted each his decisions that night.

On the next week the monks would train, Wuya would regain her form, and Jack would get shot.

In two weeks Omi would succumb to temptation.