Chapter 9

Killing Shin

Sky ran through the Necropolis trying to get back to the Lotus Assassins Fortress to Keep Silk Fox from getting to close to Wu.

He had just dropped off Jinlin off at her mothers and he explained what had taken place in the Crazy Emperor's tomb, leaving out the part about him smashing his hand and crying like a child of course.

The mother was obviously flirting with him, and for the first time since he was married it felt odd. He was still single… technically.

There were screams and shouts and cheers in the Hall as Lotus Assassins Acolytes moved back away from the fight. Then there was a distinct sound of a skull cracking.

Sky pushed through the ground to see a woman in Lotus Assassins robes standing over a Lotus Assassin who had just had their skull crunched.

Sky gasped, it was Wu.

Wu ran around the circle holding up her hand as she ran around the circle as everyone high five'd her.

'WHAT ARE YOU MORONS DOING?'

Master Gang stormed in towards the crowed, everyone but Wu got on one knee and bowed, she just nodded to him.

'You idiot's think that fighting is just for entertainment?' Master Gang shouted to the crowd. 'You have lost your hour out side your cell! Go now! And Blossom! Get back to work!'

Sky growled, so Gang stopped calling her Wu the Lotus Blossom. He thought she was just some humble obedient servant that will do anything for him.

But then again, they just thought he was her slave carrying her weapons for her. , Except for her Fortunes Favourite of course.

Wu smiled at Gang, it was a creepy smile. One he didn't like, as if they were on the same page.

He wanted that smile to go away.

That night in her cell Wu lay on her small bed looking at the ceiling. Sky was laying on the floor, because he was her slave here.

He sat up and rubbed his back. This was the second night he slept on the floor. And the uneven stones where going to mess up his back completely.

'I'm sorry.' Wu said randomly, her eyes were on Sky rubbing his back.

Sky smiled. 'All for the good of the cover.'

She took a deep breath and her voice shook as he whispered. 'This is exactly how I thought this was going to be. Hard to keep me from forgetting the Open Palm. On me. Danm that Princess.'

She rolled over and fell silent. Sky's lips pouted out and got up and sat on the edge of the bed. 'Wu?'

He eyes were closed and her mouth was peacefully as if she was asleep, but her eyebrows sunk in towards each other. If it had been another tip, he would have laughed.

He kissed her cheek and whispered in her ear. 'Don't worry honey, your strong. Don't let them get to you.'

He lay down on the ground again and right before he shut his eyes he saw Wu's fingers trace around where he kissed her cheek.

When Sky woke up he sighed. Another day with the Lotus Assassins would drive him crazy. He felt bad for Wu though, she was wearing their robes now.

He rolled over and it took him a second that that should have landed him in the weapons pile that they joke about at night.

He should be dead the way those weapons are kept into shape.

He opened his eyes and found himself in Wu's bed. All he was wearing was a pair of the men size black pants the Lotus Assassin's wear.

Aww. Sky got it. Wu had woken up early and cleaned his robes and forced him into her bed while she went with her Lotus jobs.

Sky pulled realizing who had switched his clothing.

Once dressed Sky walked out in the main hall where every Lotus Assassin had his or her head to the floor and chanted the morning devotion.

'Emperor guides us. Emperor teaches us. Emperor protects us. In your light we thrive. In your mercy we are sheltered. In your wisdom we are humbled. We only live to serve. Our lives are yours.'

They chanted this over and over. It was easy to find Wu though; she was the only one without a bald head. Every time they finished Wu rolled her eyes. She found his gaze and a look came over her that he had never seen before as he leaned against a wall watching her, it was joy as a smile pulled at her lips.

She placed her head down again her hair falling to hide her face; Sky could still see her lips. So he could see she was switching a couple words in her devotion.

A gong signified that devotion was over and to return to your duties.

When Wu got up she walked over to him. 'Good Morning.'

'You seem in a good mood today.'

Wu winked. 'Did you eat breakfast?'

Sky shook his head and she gave him her breakfast voucher.

'Oh, no Wu I couldn't-'

'-oh yes you can, I'm fine, besides I need to thank you for being my slave and you didn't eat dinner last night. Just say it's for me.'

He ate plain rice in the dark stairways savagely. He had not eaten in 24 hours, because slaves were deemed here as an unnecessary use of resources.

How disgusting, pretending to be what his daughter was supposed to be.

There was a giant bang coming from the golem room.

'LOTUS BLOSSOM!'

Sky busted.

His howls of laughter ricochet off the wall, what did that girl do now?

He ran into the Golem Creation Room and saw the two engineers for the Golem Press examine the damage Wu had inflicted on the poor machine.

Wu was being dragged by the arm by Master Gang. Sky followed him out, taking on the "silent slave" role.

'I think you could have done that with a little more subtly. Blossom.' Gang said coldly.

Wu shrugged. 'My apologies Master.'

Gang shook his head and smiled a dangerous smile. 'My Room, Tonight Blossom.'

Sky's heart stopped.

Wu looked like she was debating staying in character or punching him, after a moment she gritted her teeth. 'Yes… Master.'

Master Gang smiled and stalked away, she glared as he left. 'I'll be finished by tonight and bring hell down on you.' she vowed.

'So what do we do now?' Slightly to get off of Topic.

'We go out and kill the Lotus Assassin Slavers.' And she strutted off towards the entrance.

Sky followed her quickly and silently as the shadows. 'Wu are you okay?' He gripped one of her shoulders.

'Zu was right,' she hissed darkness in her face. 'It is better to be feared then loved.'

Sky released her eyes going blank.

The Slavers were easy enough to find, and once the Slavers were dead a dilemma rose up in the voice of an old man.

'Uhhh… Mistress are you taking us to the Lotus Assassin Fortress?'

He saw the conflict in her eyes. Did she want to raise suspicion of herself in Master Gang's eyes?

'No,' her voice ringing out her blue crown glowing. 'Go, your free get out of here.'

The women ran with the children the quickest the men falling behind. When they were out of sight Sky whispered, 'A charitable act. I'm impressed.'

Wu looked at him in the eyes. She had that look again, like this had given her enough experience in her life that she had raised her skills.

'Yes well. Let's go.'

They waited at the entrance of the hall for Shin where he came out looking at Wu with confusion and anger. 'Blossom, what are you doing? Where are my slaves?'

Wu smiled angel like, but it was fake. 'I'm afraid there won't be any shipment today Shin.'

Shin laughed. 'I see what your doing here Wu. You're trying to stand up to me to lift your master. It won't work Wu; you see you're too good to be Gang's. So now I have to destroy you.'

Wu's face reddened. 'You'll NEVER call me Wu again!'

She bolted forward and kicked him in his face, they battled, shin putting up a good fight.

There were creaks of clay, Sky looked over his shoulder, and two Clay Golems charged at him.

Sky said a word that he'd never use in a woman's presence.

Their axes swung down at him and he pulled out his sabers. He took a swipe at the Golems head but it didn't connect. His blade whistled through the air between the blades and the neck.

Their was a grunt and a smack as Shin hit the floor dead.

'Wu!' Sky screamed, just then the Golem took him by the throat, much like Zu did in the Forest. Only this time it lifted him off the ground by his neck.

A blast of flame disconnected the elbow by and Sky fell to the ground the arm having a deadly grasp on his throat as he turned blue.

Wu formed the Dragon Harmony Combo as she jumped into her own flame and shattered the clay, grumbling the golems.

Wu looked at Sky. He was almost loosing consciousness as he gargled for Wu.

She rushed to his side and patted his face in a panic voice. '

'It's okay!' She said to the violet Sky. Her hand burst into flame and she gripped the hand. It shattered into pieces.

Sky still choked, his neck had been contracted by the grip.

Sky saw Wu panic through fuzzy eyes and his heart beat drummed in his ears. Her hand glowed blue and she curved it around his neck, kissing his lips.

Well not kissing. It was opened mouth and she was blowing air down his throat. But it was close enough for Sky to forget he was dying.

His neck healed and he gasped for air as rolled on his side. Wu got down onto his level, her eyes blotched with red.

'I thought I was going to loose you for a second.'

Sky just nodded and pulled her into a steel gripped embrace of thanks.

When his breathing returned to normal after a couple minutes of the embrace she whispered. 'We have to move Shin.'

Wu grabbed him under the arm pits while Sky grabbed his feet. They got into the Golem Room without anybody seeing them. They place Shin on the platform.

Wu took Sky's hand and dragged him to the platform, first picking up the clay Golem that was there first, and then crushed shin's body.

They waited about five minutes before Gang walked in, face horribly ruined. 'A tragedy reached my ears. Our beloved Shin has taken a fall into the press. I will examine him. But not to closely. I do not want share the same fool's fate.'

He walked up to the platform and a small smile curved up on Wu's face.

'Yes. Quite dead. I wonder who will replace him. I think I know. He looked at Wu at the Controls. 'I want you in my room to… celebrate in Five minutes.'

Wu's smirk turned into a real smile. 'Yes… Master Gang.'

He smiled wickedly and said. 'I'm glad your so willing Blossom.'

That's when she pushed the button.

The Golem smashed down on Gang killing him in an instant.

Wu laughed not her usual laugh but a high crazy cackle, as she glowed red.

She did something of the Closed Fist.

Sky wrestled her to the wall. 'What do you think your doing? That was totally unnecessary!'

She slapped him in the face with the back of her hand as if for obedience. 'You will not judge me slave!'

Sky's jaw locked together and he grabbed her shoulders and pushed her deeper into the wall glaring at her pressing his forehead into hers. 'I. Am. NOT. Your. Slave.'

Her eyes widened and she looked at the hand print on his face then looked at her hands that had slightly darkened by blood.

She tried pushing him off of her as she sobbed. He fought back trying to bring her to him. 'No stop Sky! STOP!'

He finally got to pull her close, his arms wrapping around to the back patting it. His other hand cradled to the back of her head as she sobbed into his chest.'

'I'm a monster. I'm a real monster. I've turned into exactly into what I'm fighting. Oh Mistress what have I done!' She sobbed into his chest her blue crown glowing stronger then ever.

She seemed to notice her glow.

'You're not a monster Wu. He broke you. Went beyond your boundaries he's the Monster.' He assured her with many "Shh… You'll be okay."

'No. you don't understand,' she moaned into his chest. 'When you pulled me away from glorifying myself I almost killed you. I fantasised about it while we wrestled. Mistress what have I become!' She sobbed harder as she admitted this.

Sky clutched her to him closer. As if to send his Open Palm ways to her. He leaned his head down breathing into her hair. 'Think of the one you love Wu. They'll make this right.'

She sobbed harder shaking everywhere. He just stood there reassuring her over and over again until she regained control.

'I'm so sorry Sky I didn't mean to- Zu?'

Sky spun and out of the shadows swept Sagacious Zu.