Chapter 25: Safe...for now

Special thanks to SunDragon27, meme12345bunny, SS. Mahana, darkshadowblazeable and Sunshine5643 for reviewing.

Disclaimer: I do not own Xiaolin Showdown.

Liang stood atop a hill near the border to China. He watched as his army tried their best to break the portal that had recently appeared there. The Heylin Elite Guards appeared behind him and bowed. "This spell."

"It is Feng's spell, master." 1 spoke. "We tried to break through their defenses, but it seems that they were prepared." The rest of the guards waited for a response. "We have failed you, master." 1 said, breaking the silence.

"Not me." 6 smirked.

"Liar! You got beat up." 7 yelled. "By that Tim guy." The other guards looked at her, shocked by what they had heard.

"That guardian is still alive?" 3 quietly asked 1.

"You did too!" 6 yelled back. The two began to argue while the rest tried to stop them, but Liang let out a sudden burst of power to shut the team up.

"So the Guardian of Darkness is alive." He held his arm up and called the shadows to him, but it barely worked. "His powers are slowly fading away from my body. It seems that 'They' have finally decided to act upon this war." He walked away. Just as 9 opened his mouth to speak, Liang told them, "Yes, you may begin the preparations." The Heylin Elite Guards bowed down as their master walked away.

"How long will it take?" 2 asked as he found a tree to sit under.

"Hmmm...it depends on the strength of the spell." 9 answered. Just then, 1 walked over to the large barrier and used a powerful attack on it.

"It's strong enough to block my Dragon Flash attack."

"Damn. How long then?" 5 asked. They all looked to 9 who was still in thought.

Tim stood in the doorway to the medical room that Mai was currently in. He had arrived at the temple shortly after the Heylin Guards' attack and was able to get Mai to the infirmary. Many of the monks were shocked to see him, but were too busy healing the Guardian of Light to ask how he was still alive. Now Mai was okay and resting while Shang, Jack and Tim waited for the others. "I'm sorry I let you get hurt. I promise it will not happen again." He turned away from the room and left, but just as he was leaving, a strange feeling brought him to his knees, clutching his chest. 'Not again.' The shadows began to cover his entire body. "I mustn't...let this...overcome me." He struggled to get off the ground, but was still able to. He leaned against the wall and calmed his mind. The darkness slowly began to fade away as he regained control of his body. "I must inform Dashi of this soon."

Shang and Jack were waiting outside the medical wing when Feng found them. "Ah, so I take it that the battle was won?" He asked. Shang nodded. "Where is Mai?"

"She's in there." Jack pointed to the infirmary. "Those old guys in there said she'll be okay. Good thing Tim saved her or she would've been-"

"Tim? The Guardian of Darkness?" Feng interrupted. "But I thought he was killed by Liang."

"I was." Feng turned around and saw Tim walking towards them from the medical room. "I shall explain my presence here when the others have arrived." He said, knowing he would be asked how he was still alive. Shang got up and started to walk away.

"I'll tell you if they return." He told the three before leaving. Jack, not wanting to be with two warriors on the Xiaolin side quickly followed while Feng returned to his patrol duties. After everyone was gone, Tim decided to check on Mai again, but stopped when he heard yelling coming from nearby.

"But I have to go back and make sure he's okay!" Kimiko pleaded to her father. When Kimiko and her father stepped out of the portal, they found Feng still working on the spell. When Feng discovered that she returned, he asked her where Raimundo was. After Kimiko explained the situation, the Xiaolin General told her that the spell would be completed and that Raimundo would be okay, but when the spell was done, Raimundo never came back, worrying Kimiko. "Please, I have to!"

"No, Kimiko. He said he would come back. You mustn't worry yourself so much." Kimiko's father said as he tried his best to keep his daughter from going. As Kimiko was about to speak, Tim appeared nearby.

"Tim?" Kimiko stared in shock. "How are you-"

"I will explain when the others arrive. Where's Raimundo?" The Dragon of Fire was quiet for a moment, but quickly replied as she was asked again.

"He's still in Japan. He used the Golden Tiger Claws to get us out while he held 9 and 8 back. It's been almost as hour and he still hasn't returned." Tim nodded and picked up the wu.

"Wait here." He adjusted the claws and called out its name, creating a portal in the air in front of him. "I feel his life force slowly fading." He said in a whisper and jumped through.

"Please be okay Rai." Kimiko said.

Tim stepped out of the portal and landed near the rubble of a warehouse. He searched the area, but found nothing. He continued searching until he finally got an idea. "Hopefully this will work." He concentrated his chi and began to search for Raimundo's life force. "Found him." He jumped over to another warehouse and saw a trail of fresh blood going inside. He slowly opened the door and walked into the dark building. "Raimundo." He called out his name and waited for a response. There was no answer so he began to search the room, but he stopped when he heard a cough from upstairs.

He jumped to the top and walked a lit office. As he walked in, he found what who he was looking for, laying against the desk, bleeding from a large wound. Tim walked over and knelt down. "You need to get back to the temple immediately." He said, still calm. Raimundo slowly raised his head and chuckled.

"I guess I'm dead. That sucks." Tim shook his head and patched up a few of his fellow warrior's wounds. As the bleeding was stopped, Tim proceeded to getting the

"You are not dead yet. The reason for my being here is that I was revived." He told his rival. Realization struck the wind warrior as he was picked up.

"You mean...I'm not dead?" Tim nodded. "Well that's just peachy." He said before losing consciousness.

"Golden Tiger Claws." He opened a portal to the temple and walked into it, carrying Raimundo.

At the temple, the others have just returned with more survivors. Dashi glanced at the others and motioned for them to follow him to the front of the medical building. Shang saw Dashi leading the group to the courtyard and spotted Chase going as well. "Come, Spicer. They have returned." He started for his master, but stopped when he heard mumbling and turned around to find a sleeping goth. Shang muttered under his breath and kicked Jack in the side, waking him up.

"Ow. Why'd you have to go and do that for?" He whined.

"Master Chase is back. Hurry up." He told him and the two ran to catch up with the others.

"Will he be all right Master Fung?" Kimiko asked. Master Fung nodded as he put the blankets over Raimundo.

"He will be fine. All he needs now is to rest so that his wounds may heal." He said to Kimiko, who was sitting next to the wind dragon's bed. "Do not fret young dragon. There is a reason why he was chosen by Dashi." He said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "For now, you must return to the others. They are currently waiting in the courtyard for you." Kimiko smiled and got up from her chair.

"Thank you, Master Fung." She bowed as she left.

"You should go as well, young guardian." He said, facing Tim. Tim took one look at Mai and to Master Fung before bowing and leaving. "I still do not understand your decision, but I am sure it is just." The old monk said, looking outside the window and into the sky. "I believe you see something special in the Guardian of Darkness and the Dragon of Wind that we all do not." He smiled. "Let us hope that you are right."

"Grand Master Dashi, why are we standing out here?" Omi asked. Dashi glanced at the doorway where Kimiko had just walked out from and watched as another person stepped out. Everyone looked to where Dashi was watching and stared in shock at who had arrived.

"Glad you're back." Dashi said, smirking at Tim.

"I am happy to be back, Master Dashi." Tim bowed. He looked up and saw the others rushing to him. He sighed before he fell to the ground as his friends embraced him, excluding Clay,Kimiko, Shang, Jack, Chase, Wuya, Dashi, and Shu. Dashi laughed as Tim struggled to get out. When everything was back to normal, Dashi proceeded with his question.

"We need to know." Tim nodded.

"How long then?" 5 asked. The Heylin Elite Guards turned to 9, waiting for an answer. Everything was quiet until he finally found an answer and spoke.

"Two months." The others groaned.

"So it's going to take two months for the barrier to break?" 7 asked.

"More or less." 9 said.

"That's fine." 2 said as he found a tree to lay down under. "That just means the monks are safe...for now." He smiled, tipping his hat to cover his face before taking a nap. The guards shook their heads and left 9 to begin preparations, for it would be two months before the barrier would break and the world would be Liang's hands.

Man, I can't believe it took me this long to get a new chapter up, but I was busy with my 16th birthday, school and the family vacation to San Francisco.(By the way, loved it there. Good food.) Anywhoo, go ahead and review.

XSrules95