Cielo, given his collapse, was taken to the nurse's office rather rapidly. Uncle, however, took his warning to heart. "We must return to Section 13 to protect the animals! I will research a way to combat Shendu!"
"But how could Shendu return?" Jackie demanded, starting up the car.
"Duh!" Jade interrupted. "Daolon Wong wants the power of the dragon Talismans, and dark magic includes ressurection spells! He probably made a deal with Shendu to trade a ressurection for the power...and knowing Shendu, he double crossed Daolon Wong as soon as he had what he wanted!"
Uncle nodded. "Exactly! We must hurry!"
Unfortunately, they weren't fast enough. Daolon Wong had given Shendu the exact location of Section 13, and he had torn through its unprepared defenses like tissue paper with his combustion power. He stood in the center of Section 13, roaring his triumph as he absorbed Sasha's power.
"And Tiger makes 12!" he called out, roaring his triumph. "I am complete! Brother! Where are you?"
Jade gasped. Turning, she made to run, grabbing her Yang charm. *Hsi! Shendu's after you! Hide!*
Cielo, under the watchful eyes of the school nurse, couldn't get away. He knew he would have to change form to fight his brother, and he couldn't do that where people could see...so he set his priorities. "Gratch..." he whispered, "...protect her."
From his perch atop the Golden Gate, Gratch spread his wings. "Master!" Gratch took flight and dove.
Shendu turned around, sniffing. "Chan! It seems I can destroy all my enemies in one fell swoop!" He hurled a blast of fire magic towards where Jackie was hiding with Uncle and Tohru. They didn't have a chance to run...but the magic was dispelled by a strong twister that appeared in the air in front of them.
Gratch landed lightly, grinning. He'd always wanted to see how a Battle Master would stand up against a Demon Sorcerer, but his loyalty meant he would never face one. But now he had orders to do just that. So he spoke to Shendu in the old tongue. "I bet your REAL father was a gecko who sold car insurance!"
"YOU DARE!" Shendu lunged forward, intent on tearing Gratch to pieces with his bare hands.
Grinning, Gratch lunged in to meet his charge.
Cielo had managed to get a moment alone without the nurse around. He immediately leapt out the window, changed form mid fall and took wing. He sought out some way of defeating Shendu in his memory, but there was only one spell he knew of that could work, and he didn't know it. However, he did know that Daolon Wong probably knew it, and he knew how to deal with Dark Wizards.
Daolon Wong turned to lead his armored Warriors out of his loft...and was confronted with a Demon. "Hsi Wu! How are you outside the Netherworld?"
"That's not your problem," Hsi Wu said, snapping his fingers. A focused blast of magic struck Daolon Wong's staff crystal, shattering it. The Dark Warriors were transformed back into their human selves. Before they could react, nearby ropes came to life and bound them up.
Daolon Wong tried to battle Hsi Wu, but Hsi Wu had lost patience. It would only be a matter of time before Shendu went after Jade to draw him out, so he had to hurry. Seizing Daolon Wong by his throat, he pulled him eye to eye. "Do you know how many times you can die in your own mind?" he asked, his voice a dangerous whisper. Daolon Wong shook his head. "Would you care to find out?" Daolon Wong shook his head so vigorously it looked like it would fall off. "Then you will do as I say, or you will face the worst my wrath can bring. Before too much longer, the good chi wizard will be here, seeking a spell. It is a spell I know you know. You will give it to him. Do whatever you wish to preserve image or anything else, but if the wizard does not leave with the spell, I will find you...and nothing will protect you from my vengeance." Hsi Wu's eyes glowed, and Daolon Wong's mind filled with images of what Hsi Wu would do to him if he did not do as he wished. Daolon Wong screamed in terror. "I'm so glad we understand each other." Hsi Wu bound Daolon Wong to the wall and took flight.
Shendu casually tossed Gratch aside, and Gratch groaned. He'd lasted longer than expected against a fully powered Demon Sorcerer: a full 30 minutes, and he'd actually managed to land some serious blows. If not for the power of the Horse healing every injury so quickly, Gratch might have actually won! It was only when Shendu managed a lucky grab and caught Gratch by his tail that the battle ended. Gratch pulled himself up, though. He may be beaten and have broken wings, but he had his orders.
Shendu blasted him backwards, and Gratch lost conciousness. Shendu roared into the sky. "Brother! Is this how you face me? Sending your servant to do battle? I know you are here, and I will find and destroy you for your betrayal!" He turned, sniffing the air. "Hmm...it seems the Chans have escaped." Shendu flew off into the air, questing.
Down below him, in the zoo, he saw something that made him smile. "The child! Know this brother mine! If you do not come and face me soon, the child will feel my wrath!" Shendu dove, claws outstretched.
Jade turned in fear. She knew Shendu would be after her as well, and had thought the zoo would be a good place to hide. After all, she couldn't face a full fledged demon unaided. However, she hadn't managed to make it into one of the cages yet. As Shendu descended, she screamed.
Shendu was knocked out of the Sky by a flying kick. Hsi Wu landed between Jade and Shendu. "You will not touch her, brother!"
"Hsi Wu! You will now pay DEARLY for your betrayal!" Shendu and Hsi Wu lunged for each other, and battle was joined.
Jade, backing away from the titanic struggle, watched in awe and fear. The two seemed evenly matched. Although Hsi Wu was smaller, he was far more manuverable and knew Shendu's fighting style. He was landing several blows, while Shendu was unable to land a single strike. However, the blows Hsi Wu landed didn't do serious damage. Then Jade realized they weren't supposed to. Hsi Wu knew he couldn't damage or exhaust Shendu: the Talisman powers meant he couldn't be defeated in direct combat. However, every strike delivered was designed to cause intense pain and make Shendu angry. The angrier he got, the more wild his fighting became, giving Hsi Wu more time to evade each strike. Hsi Wu was buying time! But time for what?
Whatever it was, Jade hoped it came soon. Hsi Wu was tiring. A lucky backhand sent Hsi Wu tumbling through the air.
"You cannot win, brother!" Shendu proclaimed. "Empowered as I am, I will eventually crush you and all you hold dear! You are only delaying the inevitable!"
Hsi Wu shook himself off...and then his ears twitched. He grinned. "But that was my strategy. Delay. And I've delayed long enough!"
Jade and Shendu turned in confusion. Then they heard the drums. Shendu turned and saw Uncle approaching at the head of a group of Section 13 agents, preparing the spell. "No! Not that spell!" He blasted them with fire, but the shield surrounding them deflected it.
"It's over Shendu!" Hsi Wu proclaimed, grinning. "You lose!"
"Maybe," Shendu said, turning. "But your victory will not be without price!" He threw a searing blast of fire...right at Jade!
Jade screamed, unable to dodge in time...and was surprised when she felt no pain. Then she heard another scream, and wished it were otherwise. "Hsi!"
Hsi Wu hadn't had time to pull Jade out of the way...but he'd had time to position himself between her and the fire. Spreading his wings wide and focusing his magic, he took the brunt of the blast. He was able to avoid being fully consumed before Shendu was returned to his stone prison...but as he fell, he knew: he would not survive the night. "Jade..." he whispered, wanting to be sure she had survived.
Suddenly, he felt something stone pressed into his palm, and a flare of magic. The pain receded, and he opened his eyes. Jade stood over him, looking worried. Glancing down, he saw Jade had pressed the horse talisman into his hand. He smiled at her, then noticed everyone staring. Giving her back the Talisman, he did what he had to once more protect her. He took wing.
Jade watched as Hsi Wu flew off, knowing he was well now. Then she heard her name being called.
"Jade!" Jackie stalked towards her. "What were you thinking, healing a demon? Now he has escaped, he is somewhere on Earth...somehow! Who knows what he is planning next!"
Normally, Jade would take these lectures without arguement. However, in this case, she had to speak up. "In case you hadn't noticed, Jackie, he saved my life! If he hadn't thrown himself in the path of the fire, I'd have been consumed! As is, it took all his magic to stay corporeal long enough to keep me safe! Of course I'm going to save the one who saved me! He may be a demon, but I'M not a monster!"
"Who knows why he did what he did!" Jackie shouted. "But he is a demon, and demons are evil! You know this!"
"No! What I know is that someone just nearly threw their own life away to save mine, with no expectation of survival, and you would have had me let them die when I could save them! Who's sounding evil here? Cause from where I'm standing, it's not the demon!" Jade wasn't aware of the tears streaming from her eyes. "What is wrong with you Uncle Jackie?" Turning, she ran. She didn't know where she was going, but just now she couldn't face Jackie, not after what he had said.
She heard him calling after her, but just now she didn't care. Making several quick turns getting lost to his sight, she reached into her jacket. *Hsi, come get me, please!* Within a few moments she felt strong arms scoop her up and carry her into the air.
Hsi Wu held Jade tenderly, carrying her away from the pain she had fled from.