Chapter 21

Kimiko was worried. It was getting late, and Raimundo and her dad still weren't back. She decided to wait for them at the gate and for a while she just sat on the front steps, staring at nothing.

"Kimiko?" she turned to see Clay leaning against the wall staring at her with concern. "Oh… Hey." Omi walked up to them and sat beside Kim with Dojo on his shoulders. "Is something the matter Kimiko?"

She gave a small smile to them then turned to the fields. "It's getting late. Shouldn't they be back by now?" the boys exchanged a look, and then Clay spoke. "I don't know Kimi, but listen you got nothing to worry about. I'm sure they'll be back soon…"

Kimiko nodded to him with an appreciative look, and then returned her gaze to the horizon. Not a few moments later the four heard a wounded moan and the sound of shuffling footsteps before a figure appeared on the pathway limping toward the temple.

"Dad..?" Kimiko stood and looked closer at the approaching figure, it was in fact Chase young. He held his bloody shoulder with his good arm and seemed to be struggling to move forward and keep his balance. "Dad!" Kimiko ran to his side, Clay right behind her. "Dojo, go get help!"

The dragon finally snapped out of his shocked state. "Huh… Oh! Help! Right! Going!" he jumped off Omi's shoulder and slithered off into the temple.

Kimiko ran to her dad's side and tried to help him so he wouldn't fall. Omi was shocked, he didn't think anyone could ever get the best of Chase, but someone clearly had. Omi's eyes darted between Chase and Clay, and a silent question was asked. Where's Raimundo?

Clay helped Kimiko support Chase and they managed to get him to the front of the temple before Chase stumbled forward on his own and leaned against the wall. Omi was the first to find his voice. "Master Chase, what has happened to you?"

Chase tried to move into the temple while leaning against the wall, but turned to the three monks staring at him with complete fear and concern. "W…Wuya..! ...Raimundo...Ambush…" with that short utterance Chase coughed up a string of blood and fell forward.

Clay managed to catch him before he hit the ground, "Don't worry partner, we got ya." Clay draped one of Chases arms over his shoulders so he could lean on him, Omi tried to do the same but his height made it a moot point and he ended up just holding his arm up. The two then walked the now unconscious Chase to the infirmary.

Kimiko stayed frozen by the front wall, it wasn't with fear for her father's life, or what the heylin could be planning, there was only one thing on her mind now…

Rai...

The destroyed pile up of logs that had once been the dame was now a tomb. All who were there were stricken with grief and morning for their fallen...warrior.

Wuya wouldn't admit it, never, but she was truly crushed over the loss of the boy genius. He had been somewhat of a son to her, not the one she had always wanted mind you, but he was still important to her same as Raimundo had been…

Raimundo!

Wuya suddenly remembered the traitor. Her grief turned to furry. She clenched her fist and turned to the boy standing silently among the jungle cats. "YOU!" Rai looked up just as a blast of green fire hit him and sent him flying backwards into a mountain.

Rai slowly struggled to his feet, breathing deeply and glaring at the heylin witch. "What-have-you- DONE?" Wuya hissed, glaring down at her former apprentice.

Raimundo's eyes went between Wuya and the destroyed dame, his chest aced and throat swelled with guilt. "I … It was an accident. I was trying to help… I didn't mean to, I just…" he stopped mid-sentence as something dawned on him. Yes he had loosened the logs, but it hadn't been on purpose. He was trying to help, he hadn't meant for this to happen.

Rai clenched his fist and screamed right in Wuya's face. "This wasn't my fault!" Wuya stepped back but continued to scream down at the boy. "This is all your fault! You had plenty of opportunities to complete your mission. You did nothing. And because of that Jack is dead. You've betrayed the heylin! Betrayed Hannibal!" Rai refused to be fazed by the words. But the mention of the evil bean sent a new wave of anger through him. "I don't want anything to do with him!"

Wuya clenched her teeth and stepped forward so she towered over Raimundo, "No matter where you go they'll never accept you. You're a doomed outcast with blood on your hands."

Raimundo stepped back away from her but was backed right against a wall. "No..."

Wuya's eyes were bloodshot. Either from furry, or being on the verge of tears. "You are responsible for Jack's death! You've killed your fellow heylin! You've killed your brother!"

He tried to block out her words but he couldn't. Guilt seeped into him and brought a tear from his eye. "NO!" Rai through his arms down and a tornado formed around him. Wuya was thrown back by the sudden blast and looked back at Raimundo just as he shot into the air and flew off.

"Wow… you guys would miss me that much?"

Everyone in the clearing turned in shock and dropped their jaws. Floating down from the other side of the dame was a Jack Bot, and it was carrying none other than Jack Spicer. Black eyed and with a broken arm, but very much alive.

As soon as the robot placed him on the ground he was wrapped in a tight hug by Katnappe. She pulled away smiling but then punched his broken arm. "You idiot, don't ever scare me like that again!" Wuya walked up to the two and stared at Jack as if he were a ghost. "How did you survive?"

Jack cradled his wounded arm and gestured to the Jack Bot behind him. "I programed this robot to keep me out of imminent danger, when the logs started falling it kept them from crushing me till it dug us out on the other side."

Wuya looked between the dame and Jack, seeming mildly impressed. "... Very clever Jack. Welcome back." with that she started to walk away, the jungle cats behind her.

Katnappe seemed to blush a little. "Hey, you, um, dropped this." She held up the Monkey Staff and Jack beamed with delight. Happily taking it from her he activated the Wu and ran after Wuya, Katnappe right behind him.

When he finally caught up to her he stopped running and started using the staff as a crutch. "So, what now Wuya?" She didn't look at him; instead she glared at the distance. "Chase has knocked me down one time to many! Now he's taken Raimundo from the heylin." Katnappe stopped running on the other side of Wuya to Jack. "So what do we do?"

The witch though a long time before speaking, "If today accomplished anything, Chase is weakened. Now is a perfect time to launch an attack on the temple."

"You sure?" Jack motioned to himself with his good arm. "I'm not exactly in prize fighting condition here." Katnappe raised an eyebrow at him. "When are you ever?" Wuya continued before Jack could protest. "Believe me. Now is the time! It will be our victory over the temple at last! And revenge on all who allies themselves with it."

Authors Note: Ha! i couldnt kill off Jack. i dont have the heart too.

im sorry this took a while to upload. the internet went out again...

the story only has so many chapters left :) so be expecting epicness!

also there will be music next chap. so it could take a little while.

thanks for reading :)