A/N: Well, I see that a lot of you pitched in your thoughts about what would happen. Well, only I know. ^-^ And did anyone notice that Zero/Raiden did not accompany the group when Po ran after Shang? Well, here's why.
The name Darvel does not belong to me. That name solely belongs to Monkeycyborgninja. Check out his story, Dragon Warrior 2099. I hope to hear from him that you guys did, I'd appreciate it. Yes, Zero is also from 2099, but an alternate dimension of that time period.
Disclaimer: I do not own Kung Fu Panda or anything else mentioned. Although, if I did, I wouldn't change a thing. Except for having Po and Tigress getting together in the second movie. ^-^
Zero glanced around the room, taking in his surroundings of the main lower dungeons. The torches gave a blazing light that illuminated every corner of the room, and there was no darkness for anything to hide. This room was particularly strange, much more so than any room he had encountered thus far. Well, for one… this room was filled with sand. Calling the circular chamber huge or big was a serious understatement. You could practically fit Death Adder's whole castle down here. The sand was about ankle deep, to be exact. And not only that, but a huge skeletal corpse was resting in the middle of the circular room. As he glanced at the walls of the circular room, he stopped in his tracks, right in front of the skeleton, and looked back at the wall.
Along the curved surface, was plasma tracks. Most commonly used for the 'Spinner Trekker' that was created in 2087 and then discontinued in 2088 due to not being efficient enough for travel. However, it was a hit for the kids, so they continued to manufacture the devices, but they were geared toward children. The plasma pulsed a cyan-like blue, and that only made him glare even more. This wasn't supposed to be in this time, he growled, looking back at the skeleton and into the smug expression his brother wore.
"Revan…" he mouthed, growling.
"Ah, Raiden. Have you been well?" Revan asked in mock concern as Zero growled even more when he used his real name. "Do you not consider Raiden your real name now?"
Zero snarled, deciding to break his rule, activating a device on his gauntlet. He typed into his holo-image that read: "My name is Zero!"
"Ha! Seriously, what kind of a name is that, Brother?" Revan snorted. "Why have you chosen that name over the one Mother gave you? Perhaps, because your precious 'Mei' has called you that ever since you met her?"
"Leave Mei out of this!" Zero snarled deeper.
"Too late," Revan replied, holding up a hand. A Holo-image flashed from the gauntlet that protected his hand and shown Mei bound in chains, hanging from the ceiling of another part of the dungeons. He clenched his hand, ending the video feed. "She's in my hands now."
"You bastard!" Zero drew his sword, and his own holo-screen disappeared after he typed the curse. Zero took a step forward until Revan held up a hand.
"Enough, we do not fight here." his brother said. "But rather, I would like you to take my pet for a walk. It's been a while since he has been able to stretch, so what better way to give him exercise than to give him a little chew toy?"
Revan drew a blade hidden in his cloaked sleeve, and Zero tightened his grip on his own. The blade that the Panther held was a completely different variation of what his usual blade was. The sword was bulkier than his original, and crimson markings resembling circuitry ran over the blade. An eye in the sword blinked once, focusing it's vision on Zero. Revan drove the sword into the forehead of the skeleton, causing the room to shake. With a satisfied smirk, the panther disappeared in a wisp of dark smoke.
"Have some fun, my little pet." Revan's voice echoed throughout the room.
The room shook even more, threatening to knock Zero off his feet. He tensed up, both to keep him from falling, and at the sight that was unfolding before him. The skeleton was beginning to reanimate again. The eyes began to glow with a crimson fire, as if he were going to shoot a beam of energy at Zero that very second. Large horns decorated his head, and Zero guessed that the creature used to be a dragon before it's death, which were long extinct, well after the Dragon King Hsien's time. However, there were no wings to confirm this thought.
But, despite himself on thinking of this as ironic, he had bigger problems to worry about. A large gaunt hand clutched at the ground as the creature tried to lift itself up, and Zero had just noticed that each individual bone was connected by… red Phazon? It started to drip off of the anatomy of the skeleton like blood, but soon hardened into an armor like structure. Zero tightened his grip on his sword until it stung, did his brother really just infuse a blade with red Phazon?
"Revan, you know how dangerous that is?" Zero thought incredulously. But a more disturbing thought occurred to him as he readied himself in stance. "How the hell did you get your grimy hands on that? That type of Phazon isn't around in 2099 anymore… is it? I thought Darvel had completely gotten rid of it…"
"Darvel had only gotten rid of what he thought was the last…" Revan's voice echoed in his mind, making Zero growl. "Although, tell you I will not where I acquired such a rare substance. What Darvel doesn't know, will not hurt him."
"You-" Zero began.
He broke that thought off as he rolled sideways, dodging a fist that slammed into the spot where he stood only seconds ago, causing sand to spray upwards in a shockwave like fashion. Zero spat out a bit of grit, and growled at the sand that clung to his fur. He wiped a hand over his face, ridding himself of as much of it as he could.
"The reason I call myself Zero, Revan," he thought, knowing full well that his brother could read his thoughts. "Is because that is the name I used when Mei fell in love with me. It is the nickname given to me by our sister Tigria, when we sparred, she always came out on top."
He glared as he was getting ready to face off against Revan's so-called 'pet'. Revan's consciousness receded a little at the mention of Tigria, but then returned adding a little pressure in Zero's consciousness.
"I don't care whether Mei calls me by my real name or not, whatever she calls me that is what I will be. I am whatever she wants me to be. Mei, I will free you and stop Revan, that I swear to you." Zero thought, glaring at the beast as he took a step forward and raised his blade to strike.
And with that declaration, Revan snorted and left Zero's mind.
Shang glared at Shen even as the rain began a heavy downpour. His fur was matted down, but he didn't care at all. The only thing that was on his mind, was how it was going to feel when he would dismember the peacock one limb by one. He would slice open his abdomen and strangle him with his own intestines before throwing him off the side of the tower. He tried to keep these thoughts low, to stop him from going Feral, but it was hard to do. Easier said than done, as the saying goes.
"You're feelings of anger betray you, my old pupil." Shen gave a sadistic smirk.
"Stop calling me that." Shang snarled. "You were once my Master, but no more. My Master died a long time ago when he was driven insane by a blasted prophecy."
"Insane?" Shen gave a lighthearted chuckle. "No, I was in my right mind. Those who saw my acts of stopping what would halt my succession to the throne merely interpreted it as a mark of insanity."
"You butchered innocent pandas!" Shang spat, taking a step forward. Shen however, was unperturbed in the animosity contained in Shang's snarl.
"If my memory serves me correct, as it always does, you helped in the slaughter as well." Shen replied calmly.
Shang began to retort, then snapped his mouth shut in shame. As much as he hated to admit it, despite his reasons, what he did was wrong. And that bastard of a peacock had a point. He had done what he did to protect his family, while destroying others.
"Don't listen to him, Shang!" he heard Po yell. "You did what you had to do to protect your family!"
Shang looked at the ground, then regained his composure. He pointed his sword at the Peacock, and his fingers slowly uncurled around the hilt, letting it fall from his hand. It clattered to the ground, each time it struck the surface, Shang felt like one of the bells on the statues were tolling. Each statue that surrounded he and Shen, Shang noticed that the seven sculptures represented the seven deadly sins. Sloth, Gluttony, Greed, Pride, Lust, Wrath, Envy… Each statue had a bell for the 'reaper' to ring for those to be sent to hell for the sins that they have committed.
"You are a fool, Shang." Shen said, a small smile spread over his beak.
The wolf was silent. He closed his single useable eye, and stood up straight. He knew what was coming next, he needn't have his eye open to know what Shen was about to do. Time he paid for his sins.
"Hàn, know that I've always loved you." He said aloud.
"SHANG!" Hàn screamed, ineffectively punching the barrier the wolf created as Shen dashed toward the wolf, picking up the discarded sword.
Zero swore as he dodged another fist that slammed into the ground, this one missing him by inches. The red Phazon had hardened so much so that it was impossible for him to get his sword to pierce through. The only thing that confused him was the armor only covered up to the neck of the beast, and not the head. If there was only a way to…
That's it! he thought, glancing back at the plasma tracks. But he'd save that as a last resort if his plan didn't work, right now…
The red Phazon beast had it's claws extended when it thrust it's hand down to catch Zero, to which he easily dodged. The second it's claws smashed into the ground, instead of breaking to pieces, the claws pierced the ground below the sand and became stuck. He seized his chance, as the beast continued to try to retrieve it's hand, Zero jumped on said hand, and ran up the length of the arm. He ducked under the slow reaction the beast had, the other hand almost brushing him an inch away, but he ran even faster, grabbing the horn on it's head and using it, was able to jump on the beasts' head. As he raised his blade, the one Revan had embedded into the forehead glared at him, causing him to flinch.
He regained his composure, sheathing his blade and attempted to wrench the one Revan had given the beast. However, it remained firmly in place and it burned slightly when he touched it. What's more, the sword itself seemed to be laughing. And he heard it as well, but it definitely wasn't Revan's. This blade had a mind of it's own, which now inhabited the skeletal corpse. Growling as it seemed the only option, Zero drew his blade and drove it into the eye.
That did it. The beast clutched at the blade and, in the process, knocking Zero off it's head. The Panther smirked as he lightly touched back to the ground, but his victory was short-lived as the beast focused it's single remaining eye on him.
The left eye socket was empty of the fire, however the right eye seemed to glow even brighter. A snarl erupted from the invisible throat the creature apparently had.
I think I pissed him off… Zero thought with amusement. Okay, I still have to take care of it's right eye, and then will the sword come free?
He knew well enough that the creature wouldn't fall for the same trick twice, so he had to rethink upon how exactly how he would pierce the other eye. Also, Zero noted, that the beast was faster than earlier. Before, it seemed as if time slowed down to a crawl, and then some. But after he rid it of it's left eye, it didn't seem to want to waste any more time. As the fist came crashing down again, Zero ran to it, dodging the other fist and spray of sand. Ignoring the sand that clung to his fur, he dove toward the fist, wrapping his arms tightly around the index finger.
Zero laughed, but the beast was clearly not amused, as it lifted him up for it to be able to stare at him with one large crimson eye. Zero smirked, hanging off the finger with one arm, and thrust out with his blade at the giant eye socket. Curving his blade upward, it embedded it's side into the rim of the socket and Zero quickly jumped from the finger to the socket, and retrieved his sword as he pierced it into it's head again as he climbed up the skull. The beast however, did not like this one bit. As it tried to grab him frantically and, once or twice, it nearly succeeded. With a mighty silent yell, Zero raised his blade, and attempted to thwart the second eye on the other side of the hilt, but was halted as a hand grabbed him.
Zero growled, making the beast think he had been foiled in his attempt to bring it down.
"Hey, Revan." Zero thought. "You forgot I had one thing that could take out this beast in range…"
"Oh? And what is that, Raiden?" Revan's thoughts answered his own.
Zero raised his gauntlet which held a plasma arrow, and with a satisfied smirk he aimed at the single remaining eye on the red Phazon blade, and fired. He'd decided to 'cheat' at least one more time.
Shang staggered a bit, but held his ground. Shen allowed a sadistic smile to cross his features, holding the blade.
"Foolishness, Shang." Shen said, twisting the blade a little in his stomach. He pressed it in deeper, twisting it more as he did his smile. "Foolishness."
His face suddenly turned serious. "Might controls everything. And without strength, you cannot protect anything."
He thrust the blade in to the hilt, and Shang refused to groan aloud. The Peacock twisted it until the blade had completely turned upside down. Shen leaned up and whispered in his ear.
"Just like the night you failed to protect your son." Shen laughed, pulling the blade out.
Shang fell to his knees, panting and clutched his stomach.
"If you ever speak about my son like that again, I'll…!" Shang snarled, threatening.
"You will do what, my old apprentice?" Shen asked. "That wound you have received is bleeding profusely, more than is healthy. How can you expect to fight with a wound such as that?"
"Heh, it's easy." Shang said, wearily getting to his feet. "It's called stand up and fight."
"Shang, please don't-" Hàn began.
"Hàn, I told you. Let me fight this my own way." Shang said, in a tone that made the feline clamp her mouth shut.
"Pray tell, why have you allowed yourself this wound?" Shen asked.
"I have paid my sins. Let this be a mark that I have forgiven myself and those I have wrongly killed for selfish reasons have forgiven me." Shang replied.
"I'd hate to see you suffer." Shen said in mock concern. "Would you be so kind, as to trigger your Feral? I want to see how much you have grown, little wolf."
"As if!" Shang spat. "There's no way that I would go Feral for anything."
Shang winced as he felt a miniature blade, one of Shen's originals, pierce his left shoulder. And in the process, severing a nerve and rendering his left arm useless. Shang looked at his arm, feeling no pain other than the regret he had for the panda's he had killed under Shen's command. He pulled the blade out, looking at the crimson that stained the flawless steel. The crimson was washed away by the heavy downpour of rain that was birthed from the dark rain clouds. In the flash of lightening, his reflection shown. It was the reflection of a man who had nearly lost everything, save for his wife. At first, he thought that the pain was his penance. That pain would make up for what he had done. He had allowed himself to gain the bodily harm that Shen had thrown at him, thinking that the innocents he had wrongly killed would be satisfied with his maltreatment. However, he had repented his sins when he had met Chen and through him, became best friends with the man whose life he had nearly destroyed. The Dragon Warrior… Po… he had helped him stay the path of light, and also Hàn…
His beautiful wife, she was torn to pieces just witnessing this. That he was sure, the same went for him if she were in his place. He realized then, that bodily harm would not be a suffice retribution for those that had fallen. He realized that the ultimate retribution, the absolute way for the fallen to rest in peace in the afterlife, would be the death of the man responsible.
The death of Shen, even at the cost of his own life if it meant. And this was his chance to earn true redemption in the eyes of the fallen.
"Hey, Shen." Shang said, his vigor returning.
The peacock tilted his head to the side, confused at the sight before him. Shang picked up his blade that Shen had tossed aside and got into a familiar stance, with his arm hanging limp at his side. There was a faint aura emanating from him, but not of the Feral. But of the sheer determination that was reflected in his eyes.
"Defend yourself." Shang barked.
This was his redemption…
The beast howled in agony as the arrow pierced the remaining eye on the sword, the projectile embedding itself firmly in the eye before disappearing into nothing. Due to the arrow impaling through both of the eyes, the sword began to issue forth red Phazon as it writhed in pain and tried to slash at Zero, who clung to the beasts' right horn. With one final roar in pain, the beast collapsed, shaking the entire castle.
The red Phazon armor slowly dissipated, leaving no traces if it were even there in the first place. Zero sighed, slowly releasing himself from the horn and dropped to the sandy ground. He rid himself of the sand in his fur on his head and arms, then stood up to survey the beast.
He shook as silent laughs came from him. Take that, Revan!
His musings were cut short as the skeleton suddenly began to shake. And without warning, everything, save for the head, disappeared in black smoke. Zero flinched slightly, grasping his sword and got in his stance.
"You didn't think it was that easy was it…?"
"Revan, get out of my head!" Zero snarled.
"You really are a fool, are you not, Raiden?" The voice allowed a deep chuckle, amused. "Of all the people I had to have for my descendent, you are the one that humors me the most, child."
Zero eased out of his stance, temporarily forgetting about the skeleton head. "…Who are you?"
The voice chuckled again. "It is a shame you have not figured it out as soon as you heard me…"
And then the Skeleton began to growl once again. The room shook, and a pillar shot up to the ceiling, spraying sand and knocking the Skeleton head sideways into the wall. This pillar, which stopped at the ceiling after clicking loudly in place, was covered in 'Spinner Trekker' tracks as well which spiraled up the tower. Zero gulped, if he had been on that pillar when it shot up, he wouldn't be alive to tell the tale.
"There will be time for explanations later, Raiden." The voice told the panther. "If you want to save your precious one, then look behind you. You are not done in this room yet."
Zero did as he was told and gripped his sword tighter at the sight. The Skeleton head had somehow reanimated, and was now floating in the air. As if it were a marionette on strings…
"Now fight, Raiden." The voice said. "Use your weapon against him."
Zero glanced at the disc that was embedded in his gauntlet, his specialized 'Spinner Trekker' that Bentley had designed specifically for him. Sighing, he took it off his armor, and tossed it on the ground, the Spinner appearing instantly.
"You want to play, Revan?" he snarled. "Fine, I'll play."
And with that, he leapt onto the Spinner and latched onto the spiral track, leading upwards and began to chase after the Skeletal cranium that began to float away with what seemed to be a cocky smirk.
The fighting ceased, if only for a moment, as the wolf and peacock leapt back, glaring at the other.
"You're fighting prowess has improved, my old pupil." Shen said, panting. "Work harder, and you might be able to best me."
"Heh, I already do." Shang replied, panting as the fighting was taking a toll on him.
His vision was slightly blurry, he'd have to end this fight soon if he wanted to recover for the next fight. Even though he had covered up his wound with a cloth tied tightly around his waist, it refused to stop bleeding. He had rid himself of his torso armor, since it weighed him down in the rain, and just fought with his gauntlets and greaves equipped. Since he couldn't use his left arm, he discarded that gauntlet for his arm as well. His cotton shirt that was underneath the chain mail he had discarded was stained, both with his blood and the spray that he had obtained from Shen when he slashed at the avian's side.
"Oh?" Shen breathed, out of breath. He hadn't fought this hard in… when did he face the panda?
"The strength of my heart, something of which you lack." Shang replied, looking back at Hàn. "You guys go, I got this."
Hàn shook her heads, followed by Po and the rest of the group. "We're not leaving you."
"Heh, stubborn as ever." Shang chuckled weakly. As much as he hated to admit it, he was tiring. "Let's finish this, Shen. No more games, one of us dies here right now. And I'd prefer it'd be you."
"You have sustained more injury than I." Shen replied. "How can you possibly expect to defeat me?"
"Easy, determination." Shang shot back. "I believe that I can kill you right here and now."
"No, the most easiest way, is to trigger your Feral inside of you, Shang." The Peacock replied.
"What is your obsession with this Feral Virus?" Shang asked, contemplating at the same time on how to attack and win this fight.
"Don't you see?" Shen asked, his serious exterior gone as he fawned over the subject. "Death Adder created this virus for the sole fact that it cures madness."
Shang growled, running at the avian. He raised his blade, slashing downward and was met, as expected, with Shen's blades.
"Now now, why not let me finish my sentence?" Shen asked mockingly.
"Because I want you dead!" Shang spat, blood beginning to pour from his mouth. His vision blurred a bit more, and black dots swirled in his vision.
Damn! Shang thought. This fight has to end now!
"This virus causes madness," Shang decided to take a cheap shot and aim for the fork in Shen's legs. The avian didn't see that coming, he dropped to his knees as Shang rose his blade to rest against Shen's neck.
"You cheated." Shen said, panting.
"As if you have a need for those anyway." Shang replied, a cocky smile played on his face.
"You ignored the rules of a fair-"
"Fair fight, huh? Yeah, as if I can take you to your word and believe you." Shang shook his head, raising his blade. "Good riddance, Shen."
"You're son's alive!" Shen said in desperation, making Shang's sword stop an inch before it pierced his neck.
"ENOUGH ABOUT MY SON!" Shang snarled, letting his anger loose.
You are not as well contained as you make yourself to be, Shang… Shen thought, a small smile on his beak, he knew he was going to die. But it was worth it, if Shang would lose himself to the Feral inside of him.
Shen groaned as Shang took each wing in his hands, the Feral virus healing the wolves' arm and the wound in his stomach, and broke them with ease. The peacock knew the reason behind this, but compared to what the Feral Virus was capable of making Shang doing, he thought that this was the easiest way to go. He grabbed the avian by the neck, and dragged him, painfully against the floor toward the edge of the tower. Shen looked up, and saw the crimson eye, and smirked. He had entered Feral state, and he knew that there would be nothing to stop him from wreaking havoc on those he loved.
The wolf dropped Shen toward the edge, and the peacock knelt as if readying to be beheaded in execution.
"Any last words…?" Shang asked, his voice taken over by animosity.
"Death Adder created this Virus." Shen said, even though that was common knowledge. "Don't you see? By causing people to live life by just their primal instincts, and the few feelings they are allowed while in this state, the world is a better place. This world is full of blasphemy, addictions, madness. That is the main one, this world is full of madness!"
"This!" He gestured around him weakly with his broken wings. "This is madness!"
Shang snarled. "One problem with that, Shen."
"Oh? And what is that, my old friend?" Shen asked.
"One, you are not my friend, you never were." Shang said. "Second, this is not madness…"
"THIS IS CHINA!" Shang roared, aiming a kick at the peacock, knocking him over the edge. After all these years, he had finally obtained his revenge. But… was it really the way he had intended it? He had broken his own rule, entering Feral state. And by doing so, he felt as if he had gone back on everything he had tried his hardest to live by. Granted, it was easy to stay the path of light, but darkness grips at everyone, even him.
Even Master Tigress…
That thought in mind, he slowly calmed himself. He swore an oath to Po, his brother in all but blood, and he planned to see it through to the end. Being in Feral state, there was no way he could help. He walked back to the middle of the tower, surrounded by the seven hells. He looked back at his group, still behind the barrier. Worry was etched into their faces, and Shang knew that they worried about both his well being and his mental state. He knelt…
He began to meditate. His breathing slowed, his heart rate was beginning to return to normal. Finally, the bloodlust he had felt when Feral, began to recede back to the very space he contained it in, in the recesses of his mind. When he was sure that he was fully in control of himself, he opened his eye and glanced at Hàn. Releasing the barrier, he was knocked over in a hug by his wife. He expected that.
He was knocked over the head by her fist. He expected that. "Don't you ever do that to me again, you understand?"
"Yes, ma'am." Shang smirked, holding her close before he gently kissed her.
Tai Lung walked over to the edge of the tower and peered over, keeping hold on one of the statues. "Do you think he's finally dead?"
"I don't see how he could have survived a fall like that, since I broke his wings." Shang replied.
It was silent, except for the rain dropping down on each individual, and the rock of the thunder.
"Do you think he was telling the truth?" Hàn asked.
Shang shook his head. "I'm not sure. When facing Death, people will do anything to avoid it. No, I don't think he was."
"Wait a minute…" Po said, looking around at each of them.
"Hey guys?" Po asked the group. "Anyone know where Zero went?"
Everyone looked at the other, just as puzzled as the panda was.
Shang blinked, shaking his head. "I swear the guy's a ghost. He's just one of those people you don't notice is gone…"
Damn, I'm out of practice on this thing. Zero thought, being knocked off the track for the second time.
He leapt on his Spinner again, and latched onto the track again.
Let's hope that three is a charm… he thought bitterly. The gear on his Spinner allowed him to travel on the track, without making the entire Spinner turn like the gear, that would have made him dizzy. To put it in simple terms, only the gear turned, the rest stayed put, to allow Zero accuracy and it made it easier to jump from on track to the next.
"Focus, be patient, Raiden." The voice chided him. "You cannot win a battle when you fight like a berserker. Strategy and careful timing is key, remember that."
"Just tell me who you are." Zero thought, jumping from the track to an adjacent one to avoid a fireball spat at him from the Skull.
"There are more important tasks at hand than my simple identity." The voice replied. "Stay focused"
Zero sighed, the voice was right. "As you wish, Voice."
With each jump to the opposite track, Zero seemed to be getting closer to the Skull. That and the energy in tracks seemed to feed his Spinner velocity when he jumped from track to track. He had an idea, but first he would have to get close to the beast head first. As he jumped from track to track, instead of trying to ram into the Panther, the beast opened it's maw widely and attempted to fire a stream of flames at him. Zero seized his chance, leaping off the track and activating the spikes on his Spinner as he knocked into the beast, knocking it out of the air. Keeping his spinner activated, to absorb the shock of the fall, Zero fell the remaining distance of the height and drew his sword, striking at the blade that Revan implanted in it's forehead as he attempted to wrench it from the fissure in the Skull.
As he wrapped his hands around it, to pull the blade out, the beast suddenly recovered and shook him off. Zero growled, he had felt it loosen up, but now he would have to repeat the process again.
But as he boarded his Spinner again, he noticed some obstacles on the tracks that were not there before. He returned to the track, keeping his eye out for the obstacles. They were made out of pure red Phazon and metal, contrasting to the blue in the track. They were unique that, while they had about five inch long blades, the sharp metal retracted into the machine to create gears so it could follow and stay on the track without falling off. He quickly jumped to another track, narrowly avoiding the 'Gear Slicer' that he had now dubbed the contraption. He glared at the Skull, which was barely visible, as it was around the curve of the pillar. He jumped to the adjacent track again, dodging another 'Gear Slicer'.
This jump allowed him to get closer to the Skull, which chuckled, as if amused by Zero traveling back and forth between each track. But as Zero neared enough to leap at the Skull, the beast suddenly turned and sped forward, disappearing from view. Zero swore, looking around, and then behind him as the beast appeared behind him. If not for the height the Panther was at, he would have jumped, but there was no way he would be able to survive the fall if he missed. So he glared back at the beast, wondering what it was thinking. But the sound of metal scrapping against metal caught his attention, he looked forward and, just barely dodged another 'Gear Slicer'.
The Skull laughed again, this time hovering closer to Zero. It was busy laughing at the futility of the moment that it didn't see Zero leap off of the track and his Spinner's spikes streaked across it's skeletal face. Dropping the distance again, he leapt toward the Skull as it had hit the ground before him and grabbed the red Phazon blade with both hands and pulled with all his might. He felt the blade loosen, slowly edging it's way out of the beasts' forehead. It was halfway out of the skull, when it suddenly reanimated again, this time Zero was ready. He held onto the sword with all his strength, this time avoiding being thrown off and held on for the ride.
The beast did a barrel roll once, twice, thrice, and then settled on flying straight, as it had become dizzy. Zero didn't waste time, and he began to pull again. With a loud screech from the beast, the blade had finally come out. Since it had emptied of the red Phazon, it was a mystery as to how it had reanimated the Skull.
"Wait a minute…" Zero mouthed. He was high up in the air, and just pulled out the thing that had animated the Skull. It began to drop the height, and it felt like zero gravity as Zero himself had left the Skull. Thinking quickly, he leaned over in the air, heading toward the wall and thrust out with his blade, piercing the wall and stopping his momentum instantaneously after a few seconds.
He sighed. That was too close…
The Skull had fallen back to the floor with a heavy THUD! Zero looked down and saw the dust settle, the Skull was motionless once again.
"So what do you do now? Remain here until your strength depletes and you let go?" the Voice asked.
"I was making it up as I went, alright?" Zero snapped. "Hey, I did a good job, didn't I?"
"That you did, however-" The Voice was cut off at the screech of a Hawk.
"Grab on!" a voice yelled, holding out a hand.
Zero dropped the red Phazon blade and held out his own, pulling his sword free as he was picked up. As he was returned safely to the ground, Zero sheathed his blade, retrieving his Spinner and only then did he recognize the Hawk and the Lynx. They both held confused looks at the Spinner, but made no comment.
"Masi insisted that we come back and assist you." Kyrie answered Zero's own look of surprise. "He said that running from the fight was a poor way to repay you, and he is right."
Zero's scroll and 'medieval pen' were lost in the sand due to his fight. And he didn't want to scare them with his Holo-Screen. So he simply bowed in thanks.
"You told us to run and get as far away as possible." Masi spoke up, standing tall and Zero noticed that he was an inch taller than himself. "Well, we decided to return and fight. As long as I am with Kyrie, well, that's all that matters."
"Besides, we still have to get revenge on Death Adder for forcing us into his command." the Lynx smacked a fist into his palm. "You will help us, won't you?"
Zero looked at the ground, and Masi recognized the gesture. "I apologize, you cannot speak. And your materials were lost in the sand, lucky for you, I picked something up on the way back."
He produced a scroll of parchment, and another 'pen' that looked almost like his original one.
"Thank you." Zero wrote.
"No, it is you, we should thank." Masi bowed, as did Kyrie. "If not for you, we would have been stuck back at our posts. We are able to fully love each other, which was against Death Adder's creed."
"I see. I am glad that I have been able to free you." Zero wrote. "And I thank you for saving my life."
"May we be of assistance to you?" Kyrie asked hopefully.
"Well, I'm trying to track my brother down. He has the woman that I-" Zero began to write.
"Say no more… Er… write? Well, either way, we will assist you in your tracking. After all, we know these dungeons pretty well." Masi said.
Zero had to admit, they had a good point. That fact acknowledged, he nodded. "Alright, thank you for your help."
"We have a debt to repay you." Kyrie stated, smiling. It was the first true smile she had given anyone, besides Masi, in years. "What better way to repay you, than in this manner?"
Zero, again, nodded. He then motioned for the pair to lead him to the other parts of the dungeon.
"So what exactly are these things?" Masi asked, gesturing toward the tracks as he and Kyrie led Zero toward the exit.
"Something that doesn't belong here. That is all I will say." Zero wrote. And Masi just left it at that.
"So this is the next stage, huh?" Shang asked, surveying the large chamber.
"Shang, are you really sure you want to face the second Guardian? This is not only your burden you know." Hàn offered.
"No, me and Po said that I would take care of the first two if I wanted." Shang replied, to which Po nodded in agreement. "As long as he faces Tigress. He really doesn't want to fight her, but he has no choice but to. He want's to see if he can persuade her to leave, is that right?"
"Yeah, where there's a will, right?" Po said.
Shang nodded, walking around and observing the circular chamber which was, according to Hàn's map, was two chambers away from Death Adder's throne room. The next chamber being for the third Guardian.
"Well, it's about time you showed up!" An impatient voice caught the groups attention. Shang looked back at the group, who as one nodded, and they stepped back. The floor was stylized in Yin/Yang, and Shang stepped up into the Yang. From the darkness of the open corridor adjacent from the way the group had come, came a gray furred tiger. He seemed oddly familiar to Shang, but he couldn't place his finger on it.
"Shen give you a bit of trouble, eh?" The tiger asked, giving Shang a very familiar smile. Even though Shang knew him, there was no way that he could have been this old even if he somehow did survive. But here he was, seventeen years old, and alive. What's worse, he was the second Guardian.
"No…" Shang whispered. "No… You can't be alive!"
"Heh, well here I am." The tiger smirked. "Otherwise you're speaking to a ghost."
"Shang…" He spoke his own name, but knew it was directed at the tiger.
Hàn gave a gasp, realization suddenly dawning on her. The group seemed to realize as well, but had restrained the feline back.
"How is it you survived?" Shang asked.
"Ask Death Adder…" The Tiger responded. "That is, if you have it in your being to kill me to get to him."
Shang clenched his sword tightly in his hand. Why did fate have a twisted sense of humor for him? Why? Why? Why? Why? WHY?
"Well, kill yourself, or I kill you." The tiger said. "Either way, Death Adder has given me the pleasure of mounting your head on a pike when I'm done with you."
"Heh." Shang chuckled halfheartedly. "That's a hell of a way to treat your father…"
"…Father…?" the tiger said. He then gave a harsh laugh. "I don't have a Father! The man who was supposed to be my 'Father' let me die. He did nothing to save me from Death."
"I didn't let you die!" Shang yelled. "I did everything I could. Nothing could save you because of Shen! He had poisoned the blade he murdered you with and there was no antidote! We couldn't devise one at the time!"
"Whatever." the Tiger snarled, clearly had enough conversation. He lowered himself into a stance. "Now about that head of yours, it's going to look nice on that pike I had picked out specifically for you."
Shang got into his own stance, his confidence returning. "So you want a piece of me, literally…"
"Okay Erzi*," Shang said, flourishing his blade. "Come and get it."
"If you can." the Wolf taunted at his son, pointing his blade at the Tiger.
A/N: *Erzi - Means 'Son' in Chinese.
Man, Death Adder is truly evil isn't he? Shang having to fight his own son back from the dead? Man, that's some heavy stuff…
Hope you have enjoyed this so far, there's still more to come. Can anyone guess who it was speaking to Zero in his mind? I'll give you a cookie if anyone can figure it out. And can anyone guess the 'Pet' that Zero faced? If you played Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, you would have known right away.
Well, thanks for all who have reviewed/read/followed my story. I really appreciate it. And please check out Monkeycyborgninja's story Dragon Warrior 2099, because it and the author have helped this story move along.
Next Chapter: Guardian # 2 - Father and Son.