Author's Note: Well here is a new chapter, sorry about the delay but my studies started again so I've been stuck trying to find a rhythm again. It will come back to me, just be patient (which you already have been and for that I give you my most gracious thanks).
The dark sea seeped forward, beating against the barrier Rai had created. He could not risk it entering sanctuary for he knew what dwelled in those waters. Rai's defence wasn't unbreakable but it gave him time and, more importantly, it gave him hope.
Scott stared on bravely as he finished assembling his staff. Just then Diane landed, dropping Omi on to the ground.
"Took you long enough," Scott said, "Did youget lost on the way down?"
Scott then let out a high pitched whine when Diane gave a power wedgie.
"Scott, what did we say about you being curt?" Diane scolded as she pulled the waist band to the back of his head.
After several girly voice apologies from Scott, Diane let go.
"Now that you've got that out of your system," Scott said in his normal voice, "Is the United Rescue Alliance ready."
"Who is that?" Omi asked.
"Don't tell me that's what we're calling ourselves," Diane said, clearly agitated.
"Give me a break, I had to call us something," Scott replied, "I'd like to see you write up a Declaration of War is freefall."
"Enough chat chit," Omi scolded, "more butt kick."
"I agree," said Scott, "Let's rip, hit and bust."
Scott turned to see both Diane and Omi given him strange looks.
"What? It's common slang."
"Well yeah," Diane replied, "but you're the smart guy."
"Oh right," Scott said "let's engage our foe in a berserk and unyielding manner."
Diane and Omi gave a mutual "ooooh" as they pulled out their weapons. Diane had a pair of fans while Omi had his Shimo staff.
Just then the doors to the temple open, revealing a squadron of guards coming through. Scott suppressed a cry for mommy.
"Stay strong my not yet friend," Omi said, "a true warrior does not fear death."
"It's not death I fear," Scott answered, "it's the unspeakable pain and agony before that that scares me."
"What is it?" Kimiko asked.
"I think it's a map of the temple," Veata explained, "It must be to stop people from getting lost."
"Well that's convenient for invaders," Kimiko said, "why don't they just have a help desk as well."
"They do," Veata answered, "right above the pit of pain and despair, let's give that a miss."
Kimiko scanned the map, trying to find some clue as to where Rai could be.
Let's see…training grounds… mediation halls… dinning hall…gift shop…armory…Wait! GIFT SHOP?!
Kimiko scanned back.
Closed in 1907 due to lack of business.
Right then.
"Hey how about this?" Veata asked.
Kimiko looked at what she was pointing at.
"What kind of girl do you think I am?!" Kimiko demanded.
"Below that one," Veata said, rolling her eyes.
Kimiko looked again.
"VIP Cells?" Kimiko said, "You think that's where they're keeping Rai?"
"It's as good a place as any," Veata answered, "Unless of course you prefer the first opt…argk!!...You hit me!"
"I'm a girl, its fair game."
The trio charged at the on coming guards. Scott led the charge, with Omi behind and Diane taking the rear.
"CYCLONE BLADE!"
Scott made horizontal arc with his staff, sending a blade shaped gust of wind at the guards. This knocked them back right into the walls of the temple. Archers on the wall then decided to open fire.
"CYCLONE SHIELD" Scott shouted, twirling his staff in front of him.
This created a shield that protected the three from the on coming fire. Omi waited for an opening before jumping out from behind Scott's shield.
"WUDAI NEPTUNE, ICE!"
Omi sent out a barrage of ice spikes, forcing the archers to take cover. Diane took the opportunity to run a head of the two and right up to the wall.
"WIND"
Diane jumped up onto the wall. She landed on one foot, arms outstretched and the other knee raised.
"CRANE STRIKE!"
She then twirled on the spot, sending out a gust that caused knocked the Archers clear off the wall. Omi then used Shimo Staff to pole vault up the wall. They then jumped down to the ground into a butt-kick pose. Just then there was a large blast. Omi and Diane turned to see what was left of the gate and Scott walking in.
"Honestly, just like woman and an Asian not to use the door."
Diane punched Scott in the arm.
"That was for being racist."
Diane then kicked a field goal between his legs, causing him to crumple into a heap.
"And that was for being sexiest."
She then kicked the crumpled heap.
"And that was for being Scott."
"Uh," Omi began, "Shouldn't we be fighting them instead of ourselves?"
"Don't start with me," Diane warned, "I'll fight who ever I want. Got it?"
"My mistake," Omi replied meekly before running off.
Diane turned back to hurt Scott some more.
"Nah, the mood is gone," she said before running off to join Omi.
"Owwww" Scott moaned.
Clay and Gus kept walking through the corridors.
"Anything?" Clay asked.
"Not yet, except the frontal assault has started," Gus said before slapping his forehead, "Blast!"
"What?" Clay asked.
"I've just realised that even when we find Rai, there's no way to contact the others."
"Don't worries, Partner," Clay answered, pulling out his cell phone, "Kimiko's got us all wired. We'll just give them a toot if we find something."
Gus nodded approvingly.
"That Kimiko has a good head on her shoulders," Gus said, "So what's the deal with her and Rai?"
"What do ya mean?"
"She obviously seemed threatened by Veata for some reason, I just assumed…"
"Nah there's nothing officially going on between those two," Clay replied, "She may just not want Rai to be hurt by Veata again. I reackon part of the problem is that all of this is just happening kinda fast, though I have to wonder about Rai and Veata myself."
"Why?"
"Well one minute she's beating him up, the next minute she's who he calls for help. Reason just says…"
"Word of advice," Gus said, "reason and wind elementals don't go hand in hand."
"Oh right."
"I will admit that the attraction is there."
"Attraction? You mean those two are..."
"No no, I'm saying that they obviously find each other attractive," Gus explained, "and they both are people who like attractive things."
"Got that right about Rai. So what you're saying is that there friendship was first formed on a mutual attraction but has grown more into a platonic bond due to them getting to know each other better."
"Precisely, and might I say that despite you saying that there's nothing between Rai and Kimiko, I do sense a closeness from what I've seen."
"Well, we're very close," Clay explained, "we have been through a lot together. Sorta hard not to after saving the world as many times as we've have to. I don't see life with out any of them. I think Rai feels the same about us, or I hope he does. I think as far as him and Kimiko are concerned, they share a bond through the friendship that has been formed but whether they are willing go further is anyone's guess. besides even if Rai wanted to, which I would put it past him, he might fear ruining the friendship and the team. "
"Yeah that sucks," Gus agreed, "but do you know what sucks more?"
"What?"
"The 'big guys' from our respective team finally have a chance at an insightful and uninterrupted conversation and all we have to talk about is Rai's love life."
An awkward silence passed between them.
"Get back to looking for Rai."
Veata and Kimiko opened the door. Instead of Rai they found the last two people that Kimiko wanted to see right now.
"Kimiko," Wuya said, "thank goodness. You've got to let us out. We're being held prisoner."
"You know these two?" Veata asked.
"Yeah unfortunately," Kimiko replied, "that is Hannibal Bean and Wuya."
"Wuya? I thought she was turned back into a ghost."
"She was but she got turned back human ages ago," Kimiko explained, "didn't you know that?"
"No, what do you think that the Order has nothing better to do than watch what the temple is doing?"
"You tell me," Kimiko replied.
"Would you two stop bickering and release us," Hannibal snapped.
"Wait," Kimiko said thoughtfully, "you two didn't have anything to do with Lady Shiaw finding out about Rai did you?"
"Uh…no," Hannibal said, trying to sound innocent.
"Then how did Lady Shiaw know about the ritual?" Veata asked suspicously.
"Ok," Wuya said, sounding very panicky, "Hannibal found out about the ritual from when he was in Rai's mind and he convinced me to bring him to Lady Shiaw. Now Lady Shiaw double crossed us and you've got to help us."
Hannibal slapped himself in the forehead.
"I knew siding with a red head was a bad idea," he muttered.
"Why should we let you out?" Kimiko asked.
"I know where they are keeping Raimundo," Wuya explained, "if you let us out I can take you to him and then we can all get out of here."
Kimko and Veata stared at them for a moment.
"What do you think?" Veata asked Kimiko.
"She's lying," Kimiko answered.
"How can you tell?"
"Easy, her lips are moving."
"Listen missy, I know this temple like the back of my hand," Wuya said, "and without my help, you'll never see your friend."
Kimiko pondered this for half a moment before turning back to Veata.
"How certain are you that your guy can find Rai?"
"Would stake my life on it," Veata affirmed.
"Well in that case, Bub-bye"
Kimiko turned to leave.
"You're just going to leave us here?" Hannibal asked.
"Yep."
"You're the good guys," Hannibal reasoned, "you're supposed to help those who are in trouble."
"Well, even good guys draw the line somewhere," Kimiko answered.
Wuya turned to Veata.
"Surely you're not going to just leave us here?"
"Hey the only reason I was still standing here was because I wanted to see the look on your face," Veata said before she started to walk off as well.
"What would your friends say if they found out you didn't help those who needed it."
Both Kimiko and Veata stopped, Veata turned her head to Kimiko.
"I won't tell the temple if you don't tell the Order," Veata offered.
"Deal."
They tapped their knuckles together as they closed the door.
What neither of them had noticed was the alarm device that was installed on the door.
Chyr sat in the tea room, seething so much that her tea cup was glowing green and steaming profusely
Why would Lady Shiaw want that double back stabbing Xiaolin reject as a pupil. I have always been loyal & faithful to her and the Heylin way. What does Rai have that I don't?
Chyr lifted her cup to her lips and found that the contents had evaporated again. She cursed and was about to refill it when she heard the bell go off that indicated an unauthorised visit of the dungeon. A malicious smirk grew on her face. This was just what she needed; someone to hurt.
Lady Shiaw soaked in the tub, letting her whole body relax. Slowly the warm water loosened her muscles, helping to cure the tenseness that a certain wind dragon had caused her.
She huffed, through the years she had seen some truly stubborn people on the Xiaolin side, it almost came with the territory, but never in her life had one been as infuriating as Raimundo.
No matter how many times she played it through her mind, she could not understand; why did Rai still say no? She had promised to share with him the shen energy, to not harm his friends and to not conquer the world, what was left for him be reluctant about?
Here's what will happen, you get a taste of its power, a taste is all it will take, then will come the urge to use it. You will direct that urge towards achieving your desires and when that happens, you won't care about your 'word' or 'honour' or even about those close to you. The power will drive you mad.
Lady Shiaw pondered Raimundo's words. Was he perhaps right? Could the Shen energy have driven her mad? She had dismissed his warning the first time simply based on the fact that he had not been driven mad but from what she had seen, she was beginning to wonder if Raimundo hadn't in fact been an exception rather than an example. She saw in Raimundo something that made him different. It was unexplainable but it was still there.
Lady shiaw let out a forlorn sigh. It was really a shame that he refused her offered; she had had a role for him that he would have just been perfect for.
"LADY SHIAW!"
A guard burst into the bath room.
"Lady Shiaw, there's…"
The Guard then realised what he had run into. He turned red and quickly turned his back to her.
"My apologies, there has been a breach with in the temple."
"A breach?" Lady Shiaw repeated, "How big?"
"Three."
"Three hundred?" Lady Shiaw asked, trying to clarify.
"Three fighters, two boys and one girl," the guard explained before quickly adding, "They have already broken through the main wall, I would not have troubled else wise."
Lady Shiaw rubbed her temple, she knew that the temple was more built to stand against a large scale invasion rather than a small elite strike but this was ridiculous.
"Return to your post," Lady Shiaw ordered, "Reinforcements will be there shortly."
"As you command."
The guard started to leave.
"Wait."
The guard stopped.
"How much did you see when you burst in here?"
"Nothing I wouldn't want to see again," the guard replied.
"Good answer, now get going!"
The guard ran off. Lady Shiaw then touched a glowing green hand against a wall, activating the temples dormant defences. She then raised the same hand, summoning wind golems.
"Attack the intruders," Lady Shiaw ordered, "stop them with any means necessary but leave at least one alive for questioning."
The wind creatures nodded before vanishing through the ventilation system. With that done, Lady Shiaw lay back down in the bath. In 2000 years, Lady Shiaw had not once rushed a bath, and now would be no exception.
Author's note: I hope you enjoyed that. Let me know what you think.
