I don't own The Forbidden Kingdom.

Chapter Fourteen: Ni Chang's Fury

(Jason Tripitikas Point of View)

Ni Chang walked around Jason Tripitikas, eyeing him through narrowed eyes. "So interesting a culture you are from," she murmured, more to herself. "So... refined. So arrogant. Tell me, how much has been invented in such a short period of time while those of us from the days you call ancient were left to ourselves to work hard, not quite having the accommodations you do?"

Jason said nothing. He merely looked away. He wanted nothing more than to have his life in his control, but that was not necessarily the case.

Suddenly, someone came in and whispered something in Ni Chang's ear. Her expressions changed to fury, ire, and she stormed out without further question, snapping at her guards to keep an eye on them.

Jason glanced at Lu Yan. After a brief shrug he closed his eyes, trying to see what his new immortal powers would do. Would they allow him to see where Ni Chang had gone? Would they allow him to see the future, the past? What would they allow him to do?
Thinking hard, the boy found nothing and sighed. As he opened his eyes he noticed the guard staring at him curiously, a young man in a strange helmet. From the look in his eyes he looked as if he were blind which puzzled Jason seeing as the man could see him clearly. There was that unusual look in the eyes that only a blind person had. 'Odd,' he thought to himself.

'Why did she leave all of a sudden?' Jason thought to himself. 'Why can't my immortal powers see where she's going, the future, the past? Why do my powers seem blocked?'

As the man tried to communicate with his friends he found that he couldn't, at least not with his powers. It was an odd thing. It was almost as if it were nullified, cancelled by something else. He couldn't explain it. The only way he could communicate was with shakes and nods.

As he did so, though, the man in the strange helmet looked at him curiously, as if he hadn't ever seen anything like this before. Jason began to wonder if the man knew he was communicating with his friends.

Then Jason began to question him. "Why are we here?" he asked dryly, trying to pretend like he wasn't interested.

The man tilted his head strangely. "You will find out when our mistress chooses to reveal that to you."

"So, she's like you commander or something?" Emily put in.

"Not your concern," was the answer.

"Well," muttered Lu. "It looks like you've wasted your time then."

But then the man gave a nasty smile. "That's where you're wrong. Everything has gone according to plan. Has it not? We have you here after all."
Jason looked up. "So if everything has gone according to plan, then why did Ni Chang look angry?"

The man merely smiled again. "It's not for you to know."

Jason didn't know what to think. He was puzzled. First the strange incident with the sun, then their capture, then Ni Chang's sudden departure, then these strange people. It all had to fit into place somehow, like puzzle pieces! There must be some connection to them all. 'I wouldn't be surprised to find out Ni Chang was behind the sun,' he thought to himself.

"Indirectly," the man replied, and just then Jason realized with a shock that the man could read his thoughts. The guard confirmed it with a nasty smile.

Jason tilted his head. "What do you mean 'indirectly'?"

The man remained expressionless as he replied, "Amaterasu weeps."

"What do you mean by 'Amaterasu weeps?'" Lu Yan asked.

But at that moment Jason and Emily looked at each other. Amaterasu weeps? Amaterasu? There's no way! That's impossible.

'That can't be!" Jason thought. 'It's impossible!'

Amaterasu was a Japanese goddess! And this was a Chinese myth!

This was a Chinese story!

I am so sorry that I haven't updated in some time!

Please review! I'd really like reviews!

And yes, I am going to finish this story, don't you worry!