Author's Note:

Search some shouting words from one of the TV shows I also interest down to this chapter! Make sure you have a tissue on Xing's PoV and embrace a startle towards the end! Read and Review! ;)

GZ


Chapter XXIX

The Sand and Vessel

Xing's PoV

The fourteen and I headed through the dark forest near three hundred miles northwest of the village where we must confront Master Bear's army. We've parked the riverboat at few yards away as we luckily searched the farthest wooden pool to park on a right side of the river. The sunset shivered into dark orange, the woods filled with shadows across the green leaves touching my furs warm, and relax.

I sit behind the rock as covered with bits of grass, glaring in front of the small campfire that breezes my whole face as I remember the cooking grains of rice inside my grandmother's restaurant. Around ahead of me, the pandas Mei Mei, Dim, and Sum lay their position to the ground with their covers, dozing themselves peacefully they enjoyed the fire camp to talk about many people of theirs, even the Hero of China for years.

My eyebrows weigh down in a sudden dry. Preparing myself to sleep after the night grows darker and darker than the light of the fire. A soft tap beside my shoulder awakens me. "Xing, you must come with me," Tigress says.

I quietly yawn, crunching my knuckles on my paws, and rub my eyes. "Is everything okay, auntie?" I demand with a weaker voice.

"It's not the wolves problem. That wolf who I dislike him, he wants to have a word with most of us, including your brother." Tigress answers.

We both arrive the enormous piled up stone with craving grasses lined with soft bamboo trees behind it. The fire on the bottom glazed and thin as the air toned with such sleep. Three wolves Lee, Lin, and Zhong, sit in front of the fire as Lotus's father let the blaze breathe in-and-out; Crane and Viper unite aside to Peng and Mei Ling together beside to the left side of the scorch, sitting on a grass and seeking the peaceful light ahead of them. The hawk Fei lurches forward beside my peacock brother Lao, as both birds including my Lotus feast their eyes towards the view before me.

"Does the pandas need to hear this, Tigress?" I ask her, staring at my aunt's orange eyes.

"No," she shakes her head with a serene. "It is best not to disturb their sleep. The wolf's tale seems to let us experience the disturbance, and wise enough to not summon the pandas."

"The panda purge?" I ask with a guess.

"There's more into that before the panda catastrophe," says Tigress.

Next, Lotus leaps her feet next to her father. She approaches me with her tongue catapulted, then clenches my spine with a kiss as I sense cookies in her mouth. I lick her back once Lao preened his feathers near his neck and tugs both feathers into his long sleeve.

"Still glancing your feather blade, brother?" I inquire him, while both Lotus and I glimpse at our peacock brother gently smirk at us.

"Not at all," says Lao, smiling his beak, then tosses the feather blade to the bamboo tree beside me. Way to go, brother. I consider, contemplating his blade. "Still got it."

"Your strategy to your blade seems admirable," says Zhong, using his bamboo branch he carefully moves those small logs around the sides to let the fire breathe more. "You have much to learn to toss lightly without stiff in your feathers, my Prince." Commander Zhong comprehends what Lao has an issue to throw his blade. I think. His knowledge of weapons is representable. I take a seat to the ground beside Lotus and Tigress. Crane next to my aunt remains still despite his long legs. He can sit, however, Crane's preference is his balance to rest in a stance.

"What do you remember about the time you spent your time together with Lord Shen, and his parents?" Tigress asks. "Before the purge?"

Many warriors around me take a glimpse into Zhong's right eye after they all sat together in a full circle near to the fire, facing three wolves with a red and orange scorch lightened to prevail their navy blue fur coats.

"When I was six," Zhong begins, gazing into the scorch ahead of him. "I ventured with my mother to some most beautiful golden sky where a city became wealthy and famous by feathers of the Peafowl Noble family. My home was destroyed by boar bandits who marched my father's farmland, that my mother and I journeyed across to the east and occupied Gongmen City.

"On school days, there was nothing to such capable to see my scarlet eyes in front of someone, who is likely odd with a result of friendship. The clothing from my friend comes from the Peafowl Nobles as I only noticed a white peacock. Yes, supposedly lousy luck I do not mention to hear that but corresponds brightness, purity, fulfillment, and death in Shen's thought.

"While we've been going insane as we sprinted across Gongmen Bay, it was such praised with luck to have Shen as my closest friend. For two weeks exactly, while the rain cried down beneath my fur when I went home, my mother wasn't there. Scrapped metals, piled up with woods shredded through many walls around me inside my apartment. I went to Sacred Flame, sauntered all the way there as the rain quivered and soaked my fur with a hottest tea of cry on my eyes nearly burned, and my tears almost swallowed Shen's home.

"For each weekend, Shen and I headed to the courtyard to confront the goat at Lady Muqin's garden, who is a caretaker of Gongmen children. She talked to many children with stories about the Street Fighters who they captured the Wu Sisters at horrendous volcano mountain. Then many as the Soothsayer offered herself to speak other stories about peacocks, then only once about Li Han, the Clever Lord who stood aside with Supreme Warlords of Oogway and large bull.

"For years went by, everything changes as Soothsayer I realized she became so sagacious, and much to notice her philosophy that time does not end with eternal life and death. My brother in his twenty-first year, he became the next lord to the Peafowl Noble of Gongmen City after Lord Feng's retire. And Shen offered me to volunteer my life as the commander of wolves to serve, and protect Sacred Flame and the city from possible threats in all of China.

"While all that went as planned in all the charity of brilliance —" Zhong seeks my brother beside me, balancing his voice and shining his eyes into crimson and gray fur near commander's cheek. "— your father wasn't come over to your grandfather's throne while I went there for three times in each weekend. When I noticed why after I searched him in a laboratory, Shen showed me something greedy with power-hunger to test that kind of a weapon to shatter every enemy's barricade, enemy's terrain, enemy's battle stations. What I concerned more, is that his glare of crimson brightened across the laboratory, with birth of hatred.

"Few days went by becoming bizarre," the one-eyed wolf looks on all warriors' eyes, embracing and understanding his tale once more. "Every feeling I encountered my brother's affection, then whatever Shen became jealous and sometimes, he hated someone who my brother sought his peacock father confronted a panda colleague from the Thriving Village. On that day went hazy, both Shen and I went to Lord Feng's throne room above Tower of the Sacred Flame.

"As we hid on a red column behind it without getting ourselves caught, Shen's father spoke to some panda farmer at the front circular window, who was truly associated Lord Feng from their old times while we were young. On that villager who he spoke to Lord Feng, his voice was a total bond from his throat. Something that Shen's father reached his colleague's eyes, we revealed a name in which that panda farmer was so loyal to Lord Feng. Powerful. Highly encouraged. Strong."

I take a deep breath quietly. Glimpsing a firelight that touches my fur and eyes directly to recall the panda in jade eyes with a smirk who cleaned the floor with a broom at Mr. Ping's Noodle Restaurant. Li. I remember.

"On that night when Shen and I accomplished our success we've built a lethal weapon to terrorize," Zhong adds, gazing the fire that calms him in absolute. "Something that I have not expected to sight people's eyes go shattered into a terrified scream. I stepped into those front gate entrance of Sacred Flame above, visualizing all people and all the lights within their houses and apartments glowed with scarlet windows. In my experience when some lieutenant guard beside me who shook my shoulder, and we both sought the red lights inside the Tower, went in black.

"Shortly after that, Shen on Lord Feng's throne I saw him leaped downward towards me. With wonder why his orbs go tensed and tightly as his feathers clenched, he ambitiously ordered me to send my wolves to go where we faced severe consequences into shrouded darkness. Was I questioned myself after what Shen's anger changed himself into hatred? An only answer: the catastrophe.

"As we raided the panda village, I could not stomach to Shen's wrath. What I sought his crimson eyes go blindingly glared as the fire, his rage impacted me towards my temper, made myself uncontrolled emotion. Shen's sharp cry echoed elsewhere in front of raging fires, he ordered my clan, 'Move, you dogs, slay the pandas! Kill them all!'. I sensed his outbursts toward everyone before I started to go after innocent, infant panda nearby.

"I wasn't looking directly at the child's eyes, however. I was a deadly monster. When my left eye went scarred after Lord Feng's colleague hammered me, I went in completely shocked to see the scorch raging every bamboo house, and realized to contemplate that kind of consequences.

"The panda yelled, and said, 'Take our son, and run away!'. Then my brother ordered me including wolves to hurry our paws to reach many pandas to capture. I chased the woman panda who carried her infant son, as my wolves including Lord Shen were after them both. Into the darkness of howling forest, the snow shredded in me to see painful flesh wounds in front of my eyes on the innocent panda.

"Three wolves attacked the infant's mother, and I stood next to the dying tree, unhelpful. Shen arrived in time and wanted to slay her to end somewhat prophecy that his defeat would kill him and his entire family. He was wrong. I stood behind the innocent woman, protecting her from Shen's rage, even when his slice blade can cut me through. I should've lingered still, and let my brother decided to himself while the infant's mother suffered from the snow behind me…."

Every warrior's eyes embark to weigh below towards the land. My brother's orbs undoubtedly understand to bear Commander Zhong's shredded voice to clarify as the Five need to listen to him for compassion. Glancing the fire, I see commander quivering his mouth. Crane, Viper, and Tigress look at themselves into a substantial growth of numbing eyes.

Two wolves behind Zhong draw their visions away from the scorch, I see in their minds breakable into thirst of flesh. Palming in their mouths, and both Lee and Lin shook their faces into a frown. My eyes gaze on Zhong's quivering eyes. "Did Lord Shen… killed her?" I ask the commander, raising my voice not to be stern. He shuts his right eye, inhaling coldly from the reflection of flames Zhong attempts to gap his mouth with a shook.

"Her death…. was not the hands of Shen," Zhong replies, peering to three of the Five on his right side to the left across my surroundings and hawk as the last one to seek all of us. "He knew something what he had done. We were oath by Shen to return Gongmen City. I could not support the panda mother severely suffering. The shadows upon the flames above —" the commander's eyes revolve into the red-orange scorch in front of him, "— we had to escort ourselves out, and my last turn was the panda screaming in pain. There was nothing to end the panda woman's misery when her scream had shut. What I convinced was someone must have found her, or the snow buried her to keep her blood stay inside for a reason.

"A loathsomeness within Shen is not my brother. What he did, is himself being —" the commander peers on one of the Five, "— a monster. The only for Shen to change is himself. I cannot be the one to let him choose to decide, whether you tried to convince him at any time, he will not. His parents were like my family to me. The way I adored them even more. More than my brother, but a lot of my daughter's heart. What Shen's mother Lady Muqin told me something that I must do an oath: Take care of Shen.

"I have failed her. In life. As for Prince Dongji —" the one-eyed wolf peers in my brother's eyes, "— the way I must swear his mother's oath, is to lead him into the light, and guide a leadership instead not to follow his father's footsteps." Zhong's speech to his memory balances his voice as I see within his heart between pain and suffering. His heart now grows to heal into pure health, and understandable within his tale to speak in front of me, and whole company (except pandas).

If the pandas hear the voice of the wolf's tale about Shen's panda purge, all three can slightly aggress their strength against the wolves and even Shen (if he's here).

The fire shutters into a candle, the two lieutenants shut the fire with a shovel of dirt on top of the small pit. The commander utters my brother beside me, once reaching along three of the Furious Five with my Lotus, then others besides Crane and hawk Fei follows behind me. "After this quest, my Prince," Zhong says, palming to Lao's right feather, "I will tell you more about your mother and father. I promise."

Zhong's mouth softly quivers, pouring small bits of tea from his right eye. His voice only shatters as he sought the past of how desperately this commander went through. His judgment? Shen within the peacock is not his brother? The conclusion to Zhong's purpose about Shen mainly the cause of brother lived through the potential of fierce as the shadow.

Three wolves saunter next to an enormous stone rock to sleep; perching on a soft flat grass to comfort. My Lotus's touchy, and soft paw caresses my left shoulder, embracing my waist she nearly tickles me (my weakness to Lotus's strength only). "He sounds sincere," Lotus conveys lightly, "What do you perceive, Xing?"

Zhong snatches his red cover, concealing his entire body. "Part of honesty, and courage," I reply. "He traveled into the darkness for too long." I revolve my head to her cheek and smirk. An awkward to notice the three of Furious Five stare in our orbs combining and targeting together. Crane's beak drops, Viper's teeth grin, and Tigress gently smiles with her amber eyes narrow. "What do you think, you three?" I ask them.

Crane's beak quietly closes. He realizes both Tigress and Viper peer their brother unexpected. "Honestly," the bird considers. Crane shakes his beak twice and rubs his eyes with a left feather. "I still don't trust that guy."

"His tale by telling us the truth is unmistaken, Crane," Tigress says, convincing the bird precious enough to face him legitimately instead. "That wolf's sympathy is where we have to fit his forgiveness."

"He looks broken in him," Viper says, glancing on both Tigress and Crane in front of her. "I convince the wolf."

"I believe Zhong," my brother says. Searching Lao to the right, he discerns the commander when tugging his feathers in sleeves. Beside him, the hawk Fei gently nods with bright cinnamon orbs with satisfying, converting his dark gold beak into a genuine smile.

"Alright," I say, searching a pile of gray rock nearby. Perching myself shortly to see many warriors' eyes, I glimpse their mind to release my statement. "We'll set sail in the morning to reach Master Bear's army about two days, and likewise —" I revolve my eyes from left side of Fei to right side of Tigress. "— I can teach you all to enable basic punches and blocks to counter. Since the Dragon Warrior is like my very first student to do one through ten blocks, I desire every one of you to learn Wing Chun," I crave, smirking all in their smile upon their faces including my auntie beside me. "Similarity to kung fu, and —" I admire the hawk who bends his left eye to me, "— tai chi of course."

"It would be my honor to crave my interest to train with you, Xing," says Peng, bending his mouth widely.

"I volunteer," Crane speaks, raising his right feather towards the snow leopard's chest. "Xing said that I am perfect to fit in Wing Chun."

"And me!" Viper beams.

"By then, we shall all embark our training with three of the Nine tomorrow," Tigress states in front of warriors.

A half-hour, I glare the sky that cloaks into shadow blue with white dots everywhere, including the moon, rising from the top east beside the unforgiving shades of stars joining through the horizon. Much love to image those lights ahead of me while perching beside Lotus her entire left arm suits my belly, the stars are what my grandmother symbolizes many as souls of heaven from the realms.

Goodnight, mom. I whisper, then moving and spooning my body to the left with Lotus to close my eyes entirely. Goodnight, dad. I think lightly.


Third Person POV

Two Days Later

The five warriors sprint through the waves of orange, and yellow sands purified and glowered as the darkness of sun. They ran most of the time depending on hours of walking and hours of running. The winds blew tips of sand waves as the heat of the sun impacted their furs (including reptile skins from both Zhao and Master Croc). With their packages on their backs, their supplies of sustenance and clothing have not been fallen off to the sides.

As the sun slightly falls to the west by the cliffs of sand hills, five warriors held, heavily panting as you could notice how long have you been running on a one-mile track. Burning lungs, cold inhale and burn exhale, Niu inhales stiffly with longing neck he rose his face towards the sky that colored yellow-orange. Sniffing through his nose, and release as the young Ox serene his mobility of sprinting beside his father Ox and uncle Master Croc.

Both Shou and Zhao glimmered their eyes on the waving sparkles of sand everywhere. The bull youth examines the map of Eastside China with markings of city and terrain names. Shou checked the sun as if he investigates where the sun rose from, the bull including four shall lead east to head towards any city.

"Which city are we heading again, Master Ox?" Shou demands the elder Ox. "We're on the right track to the east."

"Vu City, young warrior," Ox answered, panting his breath, craning his eyes and gently grasp the map on Shou's right hand. "I have a pardon letter from Huangdi to deliver it to ship caretaker at the harbor."

"Can we find a place for rest?" Niu inquired, collapsing his knee to the sand as it warms both legs and a long tail. "We've been running for hours."

"Niu's right. We must search some shelter in this dessert somewhere around here," said Zhao, rotating his face repeatedly to both sides.

"This dessert is completely deserted, this terrain was once a massive lake here," pointed Croc to the hills and waves of sand ahead of them. "More than five hundred years earlier, there was the clan fought against the Emperor's army along Oogway and his allies."

"Be careful what you're stepping on," warned Master Ox, darting his hand to the air beside Croc's feet on the sand. "Some of the terrains here have sinkholes as only ten to fifteen people who traveled on west or east have drowned every year. If you feel your feet lighter from the sands, you will know quicksand is near."

Shou narrowed his orbs from the sunlight and multiple swarm areas of sand soaring across him and warriors' surroundings. He placed his horizontal hand to his forehead to prevent the eyes blind from the sunlight's beam. The sun as you have been either inside the cave for many hours if you head towards outside, the brightness impacts the darkness within your eyes to grimace.

Shou searched a blackness movement dead ahead from the sun's mirage, watery beneath the sand, images hesitated as a shattering billow through some dark, and torn icons that breeze along the sands. What has the pirate found? Something to keep themselves prevented from the horror of light around them?

He spotted an isolated or desolated wreckage ship that perched itself beside light gray rocks. Around it became rusted as tearful woods, three red sails connected with masts tearfully shredded apart beside tangled ropes laying across on multiple sides including front of the deck. "Look! There's an abandoned ship there!" Shou says, pointing in the direction of an isolated ship joining with the western sun.

"Unbelievable," Niu surprised, palming Shou's mane behind while breathing. "I need to stop there."

"We can rest there for today," Zhao said, crawling over the warm sand beside them two.

"For a little while," Master Ox said. He rotated his head to all three warriors of the Nine as Master Croc, on the other hand, approaches to Zhao in front. "Master Bear once spoke to me about that ship where Kai used to sail during the Great War long ago, and hid inside the crew's quarter ten years ago." The Ox indicated to some parts of a tale of the Supreme Warlords who fought beside the Emperor. "This ship is a curse. Without any voices to talk shortly or resting in there, you will hear calls over the ship: Yelled ones, and command voices, even Kai's chi smothering through the shadows."

"So that ship is… possessed?" Zhao asked when dusting plenty of sands off from beneath his shoulders.

"Not possessed. It is unknown what was the ship caused for a reason," Ox perceived. Hard to consider the fact of Supreme Warlord's ship had an unknown cause from the battle. Could be that ship sunk. Niu believed. "If we can rest there, then we'll walk out at night. For our path to safety through the desert land, might as well to saunter without disturbing ghosts inside the ship."

The sun submerged to the West horizon. The skies beneath the warriors painted in midnight cobalt with silk of pale stars glimpsing togetherly with a large moon. The night turns out to go cold for the desert area by the warrior make themselves comfort than the sun's heat hitting them harder.

Both Shou and Master Croc trained their swords; Master Ox settled the fire with branch pole he gently tapped small logs, Niu and Zhao beside the Ox seek their companion sparring against the crocodile. The bull's stance by being a pirate to him is his preference of training, Shou took multiple steps toward both sides while Croc swings his spiked stick forwardly.

The bull only uses one hand during the training, however. To Shou, he once united with pirates during the skirmish before his exile made themselves all part of a weapon, and perhaps stealing (Shou's lesson from Master Ming is not to snatch anyone's belongings). Croc swung his tail, Shou rolled to the left side and impacted the reptile's neck behind with his cutlass.

"Good," Croc said. "Have you ever noticed about the crocodile who has impenetrable back, Shou?"

"Perhaps," Shou noticed. "Who is he—?"

Croc's tail swept onto the bull's legs. Shou couldn't see his surprise attack with the result of distraction. Impacted on the sand, Master Croc intercepted his spike sword and nearly pierce Shou's upper neck. "It is I who is the warrior have impenetrable back with the purple cape. And for this lesson when fighting: Never consider in your thought on the front of the enemy." He lurched his hand forward to Shou while the bull nods and grasped him. "I can teach you many weapon battles like your pirate stance."

Both warriors remain their training, as the reptile master advised the pirate to go for opponent's swing attack and combine your sword through many targets to cut through. Zhao rose from the sand to join with Shou and Master Croc after he told Niu inside the cursed ship. In Niu's intellect, he interested in sword battles on what has the young Ox's lifeblood is connected to wield any blade, even Wing Chun's dragon pole, and butterfly knives.

Niu sought to his father glaring on the fire ahead of them. Something to consider for the moment young Ox wanted to speak to Master Ox. "Dad?" he called him. The voice where Master Ox's both ears flickered and shook his face. His son's voice brought up to Niu's voice remembering through infant to young adult years.

Master Ox revolved his head on his son's cobalt eyes, and then smirks."Yes. What is it, son?"

Niu reflected his mind, with such desired to inquire him a purpose to notice his father's voice. The young Ox occupied with the Nine for more than eight years, as he perceived the fact that friends are trustworthy with the symbolism of confidence. Next, however, comes to another thought of his father. "How come you and Mom don't occupy each other anymore?"

Ox's face impacted into a shiver, drowning his own heart by his son's inquiry and facing his eyes down to the sand beside him. Niu sensed with a little mouth open instead wider from the shock. His father's face inclined back to young Ox with a gentle embrace mouth. "I wish for myself to answer you, Niu," he said, inhaling slowly and grasping both hands. "It's not like both your Mother and I are in divorce. Things were complicated than the circumstances we took.

"The problem was unsociable with rage. To your mother, on the other hand, begged me a promise to not grimace in front of her. Niu," Master Ox shook his face to the fire, shutting both crimson eyes, "I was a fool, wasn't exactly what myself made anger management in which gotten us hesitated, and had to suppress feelings."

"You both are separated?" Niu asked in vibrated voice.

Ox revolved to his son. "Yes, Niu," he replied, sniffing at once. "Before your mother's pregnant, I had to sign a treaty of marriage from the court to let your Mother and I must split each other, to give us seek our better life. As for the separation, I head over to your Mother's house in every two months when I must occupy along your godfather Thundering Rhino and uncle Master Croc at Kung Fu Council. For that purpose, was to let your mother see me, then, of course, you as well since you were born, and even when my days are off.

"Niu, our complications impacted us as I desirably wanted to see you more when working with Thundering Rhino and Croc. Your mother's job was to inspire you to occupy with me since I read a letter from her about the bullies you had a problem. My priority was to defend the city and utter with the politics within appointments.

"Your mother's a fine she-ox I've ever seen within her soul. More intelligent than my experience of kindness that fitted our hearts. I sought her ocean eyes, burned my both cheeks since I first met her near the country of Japan. Hana (flower) wielded her red katana sword from the disciples of the samurai clan, where I craved my heart to her so meltingly."

"She is a samurai," Niu said with mind blown.

"That is right, son," Ox nodded, smiling at him. "I ponder that your mother could have told you about her story of Hana and Samurai Clan in Japan."

"No, she never told me about her stories, dad," said Niu, then reflecting on the fire. "Mom kept some secrets, and I supported her at our old house as always before moving on to you when she had to journey to Japan with her friends."

Master Ox palmed to his son's furry arm. "I will take care of you after the war, son," he said, "if you like to occupy with me including Master Croc to Kung Fu Council. Since you have seen me how my anger filled inside of me, it was all my price of guilt because of my struggle for your godfather's death. Whatever Wing Chun master including your colleague Xing treated and trained you about tranquility and harmony of inner peace, you discipline the anger to cleanse."

Niu faced down to the enlighten of sand and fire, an image of his mother's grin softly quivered young ox's jaw. Deep within his own eyes similar to his mother, Niu considered the fact of his mother including Master Ox kept challenging to understand what was the reason for their separation. His thought as without separation could keep his warming heart.

Multiple clinging sounds made Niu's both ears flinched; Zhao and Master Croc spars their blades into such practical advantage, especially advises to balance your blade and not to fill your mind. Niu approached the shredded, abandoned ship's hole to leave and contemplate voices of his uncle advising two young warriors of crocodile and pirate bull who they both stood side by side, drawing their swords in front of Master Croc.

"Son," the elder Ox said. Niu's mind went shut as he sensed to his father's strengthen voice crawled off into the air, then Ox patted and caressed his son's right shoulder near tattoo of the defender. "Your mother loved you, Niu." Master Ox implied; Niu revolved to his father. "She kept an eye on you as more crucial than Hana's friends. No matter what happens to you, I can risk my life for you to live longer. No enemy will touch you."

"Unless Oogway's riches come first," Master Croc said beside them, and Niu suppressed his snicker. The reptile positioned his downward sword in front, narrowing his lime green eyes in front of his nephew and colleague with a genuine smile of sharp teeth.

"We've been through that discussion before, Croc," Ox groaned softly, springing his legs off the sand behind his son. "Besides, I have occupied with Huangdi as he gave me riches."

"And my riches too, billowing my purple cape since five years ago," Croc said, raising both arms and flicker his palms with a natural gape.

Burn them all! The shouting voice echoed behind Niu loudly. The warriors stopped their breathing, shivering their hearts of wide open eyes into stones. Shou peered on the torn flagship it screamed, the bull sensed the mold's voice somewhere through dark, shredded boat. Its mast creaked like a wood cracking and screeching apart over the deck, dark ropes dangled with a slap at beyond the edges of the captain's main floor.

Multiple dead voices came closer to warriors' ears. Enemy flagships are approaching! Hard to starboard! A familiar shout screams in front of both Ox warriors near the ship's hole. OOGWAY, GET DOWN! Both reptiles took their steps back as if snarling and screaming voices draw near in front of the noses. Is that the bug speaking? Croc surprised.

Antenna power! The bug's voice roared inside the ship; a small jade light swims through the sands over rum barriers. Beside the waving yell has vanished, Master Ox recognize the bird's tone over his neck. MANTIS! The voice swirled the dust, infiltrating the ship's hole and the jade light outrages into a blinding glare of the bull's snake eyes, and the whole form of the light vanishes.

"WHAT WAS THAT?!" Zhao screamed with his eyes wide open, pulling his knees away from the ship.

"Don't tell me that bull's returning!," Niu said, he shook his face and positioning his Wing Chun stance in front beside his father.

"Don't be blind, you two," calmed Master Ox ordinarily. "Kai is not returning to Mortal Realm ever again. I told all of you to rest here until night time. As of now, we must be going."

"He has a point," Croc agrees, turning to young warriors of the Nine. "We better venture to the east, before that jade light I've seen it before will summon again. Let's move."

All five saunter off the sands in all fours; the moon gleamed into gray as the Nine suppressed their heavy hearts thumping loudly. Once they marched onto the hills that are harder enough to stand and sprint without worrying about the sinking field of quicksand, a tiny, bits of jade light again summons behind the rum barrier, with a snicker evilly.

Wings of — REGRET!


Side Note: I added Supreme Warriors' flagship go haunted, making ghost voices exist for centuries after the Great War. You thought Kai's going to return from that jade orb? You never know! Next time!