Chapter Ten
Wuya's eyes narrowed as she watched the Xiaolin warrior exit the chamber, while Chase stood calmly besides her, his expression impassive. As the two disappeared behind a stone column, she whirled around on him with her eyes ablaze.
"What do you think you're doing?" she hissed, rearing up angrily as she floated near his face. "You are letting your affection for the girl go too far!"
"I don't know what you mean, Wuya," Chase replied calmly. He snapped his fingers, and within a few seconds one of his servants emerged with a bowl of soup balanced on a tray. He picked it up lightly and drank, all while Wuya stared at him in disgust.
"Don't play me for a fool Chase," she snarled back. "I've watched the way you look at her, even before all of this nonsense! And now you want me to believe that silly little girl won't-"
"Wuya, that 'silly little girl' is the only one with the power I need. I trust you haven't forgotten that, or are you content with living the rest of your immortal life as a transparent wisp? No wonder your enemies don't take you seriously; even with your magic, you're hardly a threat in that form." Chase smugly looked over at her disgruntled expression, and took another slow sip of his soup.
"Don't mock me! You're running out of time," she replied, her voice cold. "I can see it in your eyes. If she doesn't do something soon…everything will be lost. I won't be able to get my body back, and you...you-"
"I'm well aware of the consequences, Wuya," he interrupted. "However, you of all people know the conditions I must follow. There is nothing I can do to hurry her, and if it senses I am working to destroy it…"
There was silence for a moment, and Wuya sighed angrily. "Then stay away from her," she said warningly, her voice cold. "I won't have any of your…human emotions ruining our plans."
Chase choked back a laugh as he took a final sip of his soup and tossed the bowl behind him. As it bounced and clattered along the stone floor, he turned to face Wuya with a smug expression. His eyes shifted into slits, and as his lips curved into a smile, the tips of fangs were visible behind his sneer. "Believe me," he said. "I haven't felt human emotions for over fifteen hundred years."
"So let me get this straight," Jack said, his voice muffled by a mouthful of chips. "Chase kidnapped you twice, almost killed you several times, and won't even tell you what you're doing here?"
"And all he does is give me cryptic answers and beat me up!" I huffed back. We were both lying on our stomachs on my bed, surrounded by a pile of snacks Jack had brought with him from college. Before us, a Jackbot with a TV screen for its stomach displayed the newest Goo Zombies, straight from Japan. With a controller in hand and surrounded by junk food, I felt almost…normal again. I was actually enjoying myself without the presence of a certain schizophrenic, even if Jack wasn't exactly the most desirable company.
Of course it was weird to be lying next to him, discussing things my best friends didn't even know about, but what else could I do? I was cut off from the Xiaolin Temple and desperate for any news that would get me out of here. So far, Jack had drawn up nothing on what Chase wanted with me, nor of what was happening to him.
"I've only seen her a few times in the past month, but Wuya hasn't said anything about Chase. She's her usual doom and gloom self." Both of our eyes were rapt on the screen as we entered a new level, and within a few seconds, the sounds of furious clicking filled the air.
"She has to know something! Why else would she keep trying to talk to him? Plus, if I had a dollar for every dirty look she's given me in the past few days…Wuya knows, I'm certain. You have to find out for me!"
"Hey, it's not like I'm her favorite or anything! Wuya barely has any use for me anymore. She's always up to something with Ashley now. I'm the backup."
I sighed in exasperation as we duked it out in the game and tried to focus. I didn't want to think about Chase in the little time off that I had, but it was impossible. Every time my mind went blank, I found that my thoughts crept back to him, particularly the moment before Wuya interrupted us. At this memory, I felt my cheeks grow hot, and I quickly put all my energy into cutting off the heads of zombies in the game.
"Have you heard anything from…the Temple?" I asked hesitantly, shifting my gaze over to Jack. He was in the middle of a particularly vicious fight, and his red eyes were narrowed in concentration. Once he had defeated his opponent, he turned back to me and shrugged.
"Not really," he said honestly. "A Shen Gong Wu revealed itself a week ago, and when we both went to get it, they looked pretty beat up. Actually, I wondered where you were- they didn't say anything about you. I didn't even know you were here until Wuya showed up at my door a few hours ago. Why?"
I sighed again and looked away. "No reason."
"Do you want me to get a message to them somehow?"
"Wow Jack, helping out your enemy? College has done wonders for your personality; I thought I'd be spending the day hearing you gloat the entire time."
He immediately scowled and punched me in the shoulder. "Don't test your luck, Kimiko. Chase may be my evil hero, but I hate being left out of the loop just as much as you do. I thought I'd offer to tell them, just in case you need a rescue mission or something."
"Oh, so you're not here to save me?"
"I'm better at kidnapping. Believe me."
In spite of myself, I laughed and punched him back, though he scowled and rubbed his shoulder afterwards. "They already know I'm here," I said quietly. "It's okay. I told them not to come after me…the guys need to be kept out of this."
Jack absentmindedly nodded, his eyes fixated on the game. With a sigh, I turned my attention back to the screen and had just begun to take down my own round of zombies when the door to my room burst open.
We both jumped and scrambled to our feet as the bang echoed throughout the stone chamber, sending wrappers skittering to the floor. Wuya floated in the doorway, her lips set in a straight line. Behind her, I could see several jungle cats growling impatiently, though their eyes were fixed on Jack. He gave a soft whimper besides me, and I rolled my eyes.
"Come, Jack," Wuya said sternly, motioning him forward. He gave me an apologetic look and hurried for the door. I quickly pressed my remote into his hand and looked up pleadingly towards him.
"I'll try," Jack mouthed silently, slightly jerking his head towards Wuya. I nodded, and watched as the two disappeared from the doorframe.
When no jungle cats came to claim me next, I remained in my room for the rest of the day, idly cleaning and trying to develop a new strategy for dealing with Chase. Jack had left all of his wrappers lying around, and I spent the better part of the afternoon picking them and chip crumbs from the folds of my sheets. The cats had delivered a meal for me, but I only idly picked at it before it grew cold.
At last, when the sun dipped down below the horizon and my room began to darken with the approaching night, I threw myself down on the bed. As much as I wanted to avoid thinking about Chase, he was never far from my mind and I was exhausted from thinking through all the possibilities.
"He had a witch cast a spell on him- no, too Disney. He….sold his soul to the devil for immortality? No…he didn't have a soul to begin with. Some scorned lover got her revenge?" I stopped dead in my tracks at this thought, and my face paled. "…Definitely not helping him break that curse."
With a groan, I buried my face in the pillows and lay there, wishing I at least had Jack's video games to keep me distracted. Instead, I had to be content with my guessing game, and wait for the answers to come.
When I lifted my head from the pillow again, my room was pitch black. The lamps had been extinguished, and no light shone through the stained glass windows. I blinked and sat up among the blankets, feeling a curious calm. I was wide-awake, even though it was the middle of the night.
Slowly, I slipped down from the bed and walked towards the door. An unfamiliar energy was pulling me outwards, and I hesitantly tugged on the handle, since it was usually locked. The door swung open with a low creak, and I was met again with darkness.
I began to walk anyways down the corridor, feeling cool stones beneath my feet. After a few moments I found myself in the grand entrance, and made my way towards an adjacent hallway. At the end of the dark path, a soft glow of light met my eyes. I took a few more steps and realized I was heading towards Chase's sanctuary.
The stained glass doors had been left slightly ajar, and I slipped through into the garden. It was unusually silent, though as I looked around, I realized that the light was coming from a full moon and a bright, star-filled sky. The moonlight seemed to point me farther in and I quickly trekked through a row of bushes.
However, as soon as I crossed to the other side, I stopped in my tracks. My breath caught in my throat as I realized Chase was here too, lying down beneath the cherry tree with his arms crossed behind his head. His eyes were closed, and he wore the same simple black robes that I had seen him wear before. He looked unusually peaceful, and unsure of what I was even doing here, I quietly tried to leave.
"I was wondering when you would come," Chase drawled from his spot on the grass. I flinched and slowly turned back around to see him staring at me, one eyebrow raised. Immediately, I felt my face grow hot as his golden eyes swept over me.
"Sorry," I blurted out. "I don't even know what I'm doing here, I just woke up and-"
"No matter. Come, sit." Chase gestured to the empty plot of grass next to him, and I hesitated for only a moment before walking over. I dropped down next to him and pulled my knees against my chest, while he relaxed back into laying down.
We sat in silence for a moment, both staring at the stars above us. I couldn't tell if they were an illusion or real, but either way, their light was enough to illuminate the garden around us. With a sigh, I lay my head against my knees, and stole a glance at Chase.
"What are you?" I asked quietly. He turned his head and looked straight into my eyes, his own gaze pensive.
"A warrior," he replied, after a moment of hesitation. "Above all else, I am a warrior and have been so for hundreds of years."
"But you weren't always Heylin, were you? Why…why did you change?"
He let out a breath of air, and I couldn't tell if he sounded annoyed or not. "I wanted more power," he said emotionlessly, his gaze fixated again on the stars. "I was young, talented, and knew I could be great. Being good had too many rules. I chose this life, and never looked back."
We passed a few more minutes in silence, and I slowly allowed my body to relax next to him. For some reason, I didn't feel strange talking to him like this. Without the evil in his eyes, I had a feeling this was the Chase I only caught glimpses of behind his tough façade. This was the Chase who chose to heal me, not strangle me to death.
"I wasn't much older than you when I made my decision," Chase said suddenly, startling me. His eyes bore into mine, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of unease pass through them. "I was restless. Those at the Temple overlooked me for Dashi, although he is long gone now. You reminded me of myself so very long ago, when I first found you. I think, perhaps, that is what drew me to take you as my apprentice."
"I'm not your apprentice," I said firmly, attempting to scoot farther away. He easily caught my wrist and drew me back to him, then deftly placed his fingers upon the dragon mark.
"If you insist, Dragon of Fire." A wave of warmth flooded my body right before he released me, and I drew my arm back around my knees. Chase gave me a smug look, and I readily scowled back.
"Where were you, for all that time?" I asked. "I mean, our scrolls say you disappeared fifteen hundred years ago-"
"Your history is wrong," he interrupted firmly. "I did not disappear. I spent years training myself in the Heylin arts, cultivating my magic, and spreading fear at the mention of my name. Everything around you was not built in a single night. I challenged the best warriors of every nation and took them as my servants when they fell. I had no use for Shen Gong Wu, and Dashi hid them soon before his demise."
By now, his gaze was rapt on mine and I found that I couldn't look away. "And now?" I whispered, holding my knees more tightly. "Why did you come back?"
"I felt the power of the Shen Gong Wu for the first time in centuries," he said slowly, "and I knew it was finally time to rise. Yet, imagine my disbelief when I discovered a new generation of Xiaolin Dragons stood in my way. I watched them from afar and had just decided to destroy them…when I realized I alone did not hold the power to conquer the world. After fifteen hundred years of preparation, I needed fire-"
"And you found me," I said quietly. Chase's lips curved into a half smile, and he nodded.
"I sensed the power you contained. It was inaccessible by Xiaolin means, but with the help of a witch's spell, I knew I could release it as Heylin energy instead. I watched you for months, calculating your every move, until the time was right to claim you."
I tried not to look unnerved as Chase finished speaking, though I couldn't help but allow goose bumps to claim my arms. He spoke so nonchalantly, as if he was telling me about picking up dry cleaning, rather than kidnapping a Xiaolin Dragon.
"And now," I said finally, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "Why did you come back now? Why am I-"
"A story for another night, I think," he interrupted smoothly. I knew Chase couldn't tell me, but I had been hoping he would let something slip. With a sigh, I lowered myself onto the cool grass and tucked my arms behind my head.
The stars looked exactly the same as they did at the Temple, and I couldn't help but let a troubled look pass over my face. What were the guys doing right now? Although it was the middle of the night, I knew Clay had an affinity for late night snacks, and Rai was often playing video games until the sun rose. Omi could usually be found in his bed, on Master Fung's orders, but every once in a while the four of us would sneak out of the Temple together. We were teenagers, after all, and the world's nightlife had much to offer.
"You miss your comrades, don't you?" Chase said suddenly, his voice cold. With a frown, I turned my head to see him staring at me intently, with hints of shadows covering his face.
"What?"
"You may be a powerful Xiaolin Dragon, but you are terrible at hiding your emotions, Kimiko. I can see the sorrow in your eyes."
"I do miss them," I said back quietly, "but I'm more worried if they're okay. You nearly killed Master Fung and Raimundo, and the rest were badly hurt. You barely even gave me a chance to say goodbye, and if something bad happens while I'm here…"
"Collateral damage," he muttered under his breath. Chase suddenly looked annoyed, and I felt tenseness in the air as he stared, irritated, back at the ceiling.
"How can you even say that?" I said, propping myself up on my hands. "Those are my friends, I've grown up with them, I've-"
"You mistake me for a human, Kimiko," he interrupted, "and I have not been one for fifteen hundred years."
"Then what are you, Chase? Believe me, I've been trying to figure it out! If you'll just tell me-"
The next thing I knew, Chase had grabbed the collar of my shirt and yanked me towards him. I let out a yelp of surprise as I flipped over him and landed flat on my back, with the wind knocked out of me. Seconds later, my view of the night sky was blocked as Chase loomed over me, still holding onto my collar.
"I cannot," he hissed, his voice low. Dazed, I looked up to see that his eyes were contorted into slits again, and the air was filled with a harsh energy.
"I know," I dejectedly whispered back. Without even thinking, I reached my hand up to touch his face. He looked at me with a choked expression, and for a moment, we wordlessly stared at each other. His eyes stilled and transformed back into their usual state, and he released my rumpled shirt from his grasp.
Just as my fingertips brushed his face, Chase jerked away as quickly as he had pinned me. I struggled to get up, only to see him sitting a few feet away with his back against the cherry tree. He was staring placidly at the darkened gardens, with one hand against where I had touched him.
"It's getting harder to control, isn't it?" I asked slowly. Chase didn't respond, though I watched as his shoulders tensed. His frown deepened for a moment and then he gracefully rose to his feet.
"Come," he said, extending a hand. "It's late, you should be resting. I still intend to resume your training at dawn."
I accepted his hand and allowed him to pull me to my feet, although I was reluctant to leave the sanctuary. Tomorrow, I knew we would both act as if this never happened. After all, he was my captor, and based on the mark on my arm, I was nothing to him but a vessel of power.
We didn't speak as we made our way through the garden, and with his emotionless expression, I couldn't tell what Chase was thinking. The towering plants and the pale sheen of the moon cast strange shadows across his face and made his eyes seem darker than usual. I tried not to look at him and kept my own face steady.
The hallway outside was still pitch black, but with a snap of his fingers, oil lamps lit in brackets along the wall.
"Do you do this often?" I asked at last, my voice echoing in the empty hallway, "sitting in your garden in the dark?"
Chase smirked and clasped his hands behind his back. "Is it that hard to believe that I too have sleepless nights, Dragon of Fire?"
"I figured you would be pillaging small villages and terrorizing the locals instead."
"No, simply planning to take over the world."
By now we had reached the main hall, and I paused for a moment as a faint banging noise reached my ears.
"What is that?" I asked, slightly confused. Chase looked towards the source of the noise, and I watched as his expression darkened.
"Nothing of importance," he said at last. "I do not leave my home unguarded while I sleep. My servants are merely patrolling the grounds. I will ensure that they will not disturb you."
Before I had a chance to reply, he swooped a hand behind my back and guided me into the hallway that led to my room. He was still frowning, and I had the feeling he was trying to get me back as quickly as possible. As we approached the familiar doorway, I looked back at him and immediately stumbled over an uneven stone.
Instead falling flat on my face, Chase somehow dodged in front of me and caught me in his arms. I let out an oof as I smacked straight into his chest, and he grabbed my arms to steady me.
For a moment, we remained immobile, still holding onto each other. I was close enough to feel heat radiating from his skin, and I'm sure he heard the irregular beating of my heart. My mind was curiously blank as he tightened his embrace, and I felt the warmth of his breath against my neck.
"Careful," he murmured against my hair, and my heart skipped a beat. Immediately I came to my senses and jerked away from him, trying to keep my burning face hidden.
"Goodnight," I said hurriedly. I didn't dare look at Chase again as I stepped around him and into my room. He remained standing there, staring at the spot I had just been, and I quickly closed the door.
It was only when his footsteps had receded that I allowed myself to breathe.
They were back.
As Chase made his way back into the main entrance of the hall, he allowed his control to fade away. With every step he took, he could feel power infusing his body as Heylin energy rushed through his veins. A glance into one of the fountain pools revealed that darkness had engulfed his eyes, and he grimly smiled.
Out of the darkened hall, cats began to prowl forward, their eyes glowing in the little lighting. Soft growls accompanied their footsteps as they followed Chase to the door. Here, the banging was at its strongest as someone attempted to enter from the outside. Chase paused for a moment, listening to the yells and the attacks on his wards. His eyes narrowed, and in a rush of air, he disappeared from the hall.
"It's not workin' Rai!" Clay shouted, brushing sweat off beneath his hat. "Give it a rest, you're gonna hurt yourself."
"There has to be a way to get in there," Raimundo panted, bending over and clutching his side. He had been slamming tornadoes and heavy gusts of wind against the door for almost an hour, and it hadn't even budged.
"Raimundo, do not exert yourself too heavily!" Omi chimed in. "You'll break your sewing-"
"-Tear his stitches, Omi."
"Guys, Kim's been stuck in there for weeks! Who knows what he's done to her by now? We have to get her out."
"Rai, Omi and I have tried. Chase's got some powerful magic 'round here. Even with Shen Gong Wu, there ain't no way to get in."
"Maybe there's another entrance, or a secret lever or something." Raimundo began forming another tornado in his palms, even as he wavered on his feet. Quickly, Clay stepped in front of him and grabbed his arms.
"Rai, stop. You just got out of the infirmary, I don't want you endin' back up in there, especially when Master Fung has no idea we're out here. We need to head back, it's getting' close to dawn-"
"One more time, Clay…please. Kim would be doing the same for us."
Clay sighed heavily and tipped his hat. "Got that, Omi? You ready?"
He was met with silence, and Clay stiffened. Raimundo immediately felt a chill run down his spine, and the two whirled around on their feet as a horrible gasping noise filled the air.
From out of the shadows, Chase Young stepped forward maliciously, holding the youngest of the monks by his throat. His golden eyes were glinting in the moonlight, and his lips were curved into a snarl.
"Omi!" Raimundo shouted, just as the Heylin warrior threw him to their feet. Omi crashed into the rock and lay still, gasping for breath.
"Chase," Clay growled, moving into a fighting stance. "Why, you no-good, down-low, evil varmint-"
"I have allowed you to live thus far," Chase interrupted angrily, advancing on the three boys, "only because the Dragon of Fire bargained for your lives. Do not tempt me to slit your throats."
"Then let her go!" Raimundo snarled back, his hair whipping wildly in the wind. "She's not your slave! If you even laid one finger against her-"
With a hiss, Chase lunged at him, moving so quickly that Raimundo never had a chance to react. In seconds, he had Raimundo pinned against the rough cavern wall, with his nails dug into his throat.
"Kimiko belongs to me," he growled. "I will do whatever I please with her, and there is nothing you can do to stop me."
His grip grew stronger against Raimundo's throat, and as Clay and Omi watched helplessly, Chase's arm began to tremble. His black robe split along the seam and scales began to pattern his skin, turning his flesh into a hard emerald mass. Raimundo's eyes grew frantic with fear and he tried to get away, but Chase was merciless. As he lowered his deadly gaze down to the level of Raimundo's eyes, his arm had completely transformed into a claw.
"Leave, and never return," Chase growled. "I will allow you to leave here unscathed for Kimiko's sake, but if you so much as knock at this door again, I will rip your organs from your body, one by one."
With another snarl, he threw the boy towards his comrades and stalked off towards the darkness. Clay quickly ran forward and caught Raimundo, and the three stared in horror at Chase's retreating figure.
"You're a monster," Clay said breathlessly. Chase paused and slowly turned around, a sadistic smile on his face. In the moonlight, the boys could see fangs dripping from his teeth, and scales had begun to pattern the exposed skin of his chest.
"I know," Chase hissed, and disappeared into the darkness.
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