Chapter Thirty-Eight
It was another perfect day, as the whole eastern side of China was wrapped in sunshine. It was a day that begged to be enjoyed, to be used.
However, in the depths of the cave, where the bats worked within walls of stone, sunlight had never reached. The beautiful day went unnoticed, as Shen slowly made his way to the throne room, mixed emotions flowing through his head. Aang would be happy to hear his weapon was ready, and all that was left was to mass-produce it. But of course, Shen would be no longer needed. But, even if he died, it was comforting to know that his weapon would be used to take China. Take China it would, as Shen seriously doubted that an army carrying this new weapon would be defeatable.
When it happened, the world would see the light, and the fire-weapons would become the weapon of the world.
Shen sighed. The soothsayer had said that his weapon would become great, but that his name might be forgotten. Was this what she meant? That he would do all this work, only for the bats to grab the glory?
Who cares. If Shen died, he couldn't care less about who gets the glory. He could see his parents again, and perhaps finally tell them how he felt about them... Would they be proud? Would they smile, and tell him they loved him, and were only exiling him to protect him from the small-minded morons that wouldn't understand... Or would they look on him with those same disappointed stares?
A tear fell from Shen's eye, running along his beak, before dropping to the ground. Shen stared at the small wet spot on the ground for a few seconds,
before looking up. The door to the throne room stood in front of him, more imposing than ever.
The two guards acknowledged him, opening the door for him to enter.
Shen walked stately into the throne room, eyeing everything. That bragging pompous imbecile, Aang, had the audacity to exactly mimic the emperors throne room, only in miniature.
Aang sat in his throne, that same smug expression on his face.
Aang found the peacock's bedraggled appearance amusing, but more than that, he basked in the expression on Shen's face. This once mighty adversary, this proud royal bird, was bowing in respect to a bat, an animal considered lower than dung. It filled him with wicked exhilaration.
He addressed the peacock. "Greetings, Shen. The two weeks I gave you are up, I trust you have come to tell me my weapon is ready?"
Shen smiled slightly, before answering. "As a matter of fact, Lord Aang..." Shen spat out the title, humiliating as it was to him, "Your weapon is ready. I am here to ask if you would like to see it in action?"
Aang raised his eyebrows. They were finished already? He was surprised. But yes, he did want to see his weapon in action.
"I believe I will, peacock..." Aang muttered, standing up, "Tell them to prepare for me."
"As you wish," Shen replied, turning to leave.
What a complete imbecile... Shen's thoughts as he left were not exactly peaceful.
He made his way to the testing area, and hailed a bat in the hallways. The bat turned, and regarded him.
"Go and tell the bats in the testing arena to prepare for Lord Aang," Shen instructed.
The bat frowned. "Do it yourself, bird," he flew off.
Shen glared after the diminishing brown speck. Stupid elites...
He continued his walk himself. Aang would be surprised at his new weapon's destructive potential... Shen considered using the bat-lord as a target, but thought better of it. He rushed down the hallways, leaving the throne room behind him.
A small brown bat had watched the exchange, and flew towards the testing rooms also, taking a shortcut.
He flew into the testing rooms, searching for a familiar face...there! He flew to a bat leaning over some design, and tapped him on the shoulder.
Bianfu turned around. "What is it?"
"Aang is coming, he wants to check on the progress of his weapon," the little bat replied.
Bianfu looked worried.
"Do you think they'll be any trouble?"
"No, I don't think he'll try anything yet..."
"Good!" Bianfu sighed, "Keep on alert..."
Suddenly, Shen burst into the room, looking somewhat angry.
"Well everyone, it looks like Aang has FINALLY decided to come to a demonstration!" he said, clapping his wings, "So let's get everything ready, shall we?"
Everyone in the room scrambled to set everything up for a test fire, moving tables, and setting up fences.
Shen busied himself by rushing here and there, shouting instructions. The bats hurried to obey; Shen was always grumpy after his visits with Aang.
"Move that over there! No, over there!" Shen whirled, then proceeded to instruct another bat in the setting up of the explosive launch caps.
Shen muttered to himself. Just one more short day, and he wouldn't have to put up with this anymore...
After a few minutes of mad rushing, the room was ready. The bats were lined up in neat rows, with a large clear area for shooting. Although testing was complete, several bats still had scrolls handy, ready to record the data for the launching.
Now, all they had to do was wait for Aang.
Shen tapped his foot impatiently. Aang certainly was taking his time... Where was he? Was he playing the fool with him?
Aang WAS taking his time. He loved to make people wait, it showed his importance, in wasting other's time. Eventually, he decided that he had waited long enough, and stood up to leave.
Making his way down the tunnels, he smiled to himself. This was all so simple, that peacock's plan was run into the ground with so little effort... He held all the cards, controlled all the circumstances... What could possibly go wrong? He had his armies, the loyalty of his bats, and most of all, he had his elites. Soon, he thought with a grin, soon the elites will get a new weapon to play around with...
The testing rooms were just ahead. He commanded a bat to open the door for him, and entered.
"I'm here! Now let's see what this little peashooter can do..." he looked around, impressed, almost against his will. He had never seen this room so organized, the bats lined up so neatly...not even his elites lined up like that. How had Shen managed that?
"Well? Let's get this test on with!?"
"Of course..." Shen muttered, stepping forward. "You will soon see..." he turned to the bat holding the launcher, "Take aim!" the words were so familiar...
The bat steadied the launcher against his shoulder, aiming for a circle on the far wall.
When Shen was convinced that he was finished aiming, he gave the order.
"FIRE!"
The bat pulled a trigger, causing a hammer to smack against the launching cap. The rocket shrieked outwards, flying towards the target...suddenly, the projectile ignited, as a long blue trail erupted from its rear. The projectile picked up speed, and began spinning uncontrollably.
Aang squinted. The fiery missile, streaking towards it's target, surely looked impressive...
The rocket slammed into the wall, about a foot away from the circle target.
Aang was about to smirk, when a deafening explosion tore through the room, the shockwave blasting against his face.
The other bats had braced themselves, Aang had not. As a result, he was blown off his feet, landing sprawling on his back.
He climbed back to his feet, and goggled, looking at the target. Where it used to be, a crater now scarred the wall of the cave. The target was completely gone, despite the rocket missing it by a foot.
Aang realized that his mouth was open, and closed it abruptly.
"So..." Shen smirked, noticing the bat's astonishment, "Did the 'peashooter' live up to your expectations?"
Aang stuttered, then answered. "It was more... destructive than I had anticipated, but that was to be expected..." He stopped, and looked up. "I am willing to admit that I misjudged you, peacock..." He squinted, and looked down. "You have done a fine job, and I...and I would like you to stay with us."
Shen's eyebrows raised, and he cocked his head slightly.
"I would love to..." he muttered, then said louder "Thank you. I accept your offer!"
"Good, good!" Aang smiled, pumping Shen's wings.
"Er...Welcome?" Shen said hesitatingly, surprised by the bat's sudden display of friendliness.
"That was an eye-opening experience," Aang continued, "But I must be going now. You understand, don't you?"
"Of...course..." Shen stuttered, still somewhat suspicious.
Aang grinned, then turned away, flying up the tunnel. As Shen watched him go, he looked at his wing.
"Fool..." he muttered to himself.
Aang landed in the throne room, and sat down in his throne. He looked at the bowl of water at the feet of his throne. Stooping down, he dipped his wing in it, washing where he had shook wings with the peacock.
"Fool..." he muttered to himself.
He sat a while, thinking. After a while, he apparently made up his mind, as he clapped his hands, summoning a bat to him.
"Bring me about five elites...tell them to come to me, and be quick about it..." he said, waving his wings dismissively. The bat was about to leave, but Aang called him back. "Oh, and bring me some rice. I am getting hungry."
Several minutes later, Aang regarded the elites lined up in front of him, as he ate his rice. He ate it slowly, making sure that not a single grain was wasted. This was a power thing, it showed that he was the ruler here, and there was no doubt about it. Swallowing the last mouthful of rice, he finally spoke.
"Elites?"
The elites straightened up, and saluted.
"Good," Aang muttered, straightening himself in his throne.
"Now, I have something I want you to do for me tonight..." he paused, stroking his chin, while eyeing the elites, "You are, of course, aware that the peacock finished his weapon late yesterday?"
"Yes sir..." an elite affirmed.
"You are also aware," Aang continued, "That this peacock is an extremely dangerous individual?"
The elites were aware of this, but they shook their heads. "He is no threat to you, Lord Aang."
Aang half frowned, half smiled. "Of course not..." he muttered, before turning his attention back to his elites, "Nevertheless, any discontent within the cave can be fatal. Therefore, I want you to kill the peacock tonight."
The way Aang said it made even the elite's blood run cold. He said it so...offhand, as if there was nothing unusual about it.
"K-kill him, sir?" an elite asked.
"Yes," Aang answered, "You may take as many bats as you like, you remember what he did when we met?"
The elites nodded.
"Good. Now go, and do not fail me."
The elites saluted, and left the room.
A small brown bat fluttered away from the throne room, heading towards the testing rooms. Bianfu and the others would want to hear about this!
Shen sighed, sitting in his observing position, as the bats began the process of mass-producing the weapons. He was not quite sure how many had already been made, he guessed around five. It still amazed him how simple those things were to make, compared to his old cannons. The production would last for weeks, but the bats worked without ceasing, as they neared their goal.
A fluttering sound reached Shen's ears, and he turned his head towards it. Bianfu stood there, standing silently, also watching the construction.
Inside, however, the bat was in a mortal battle against himself. Should he tell the peacock what he had just heard? Of course he should...but what he doesn't know won't hurt him. The bats had already thought up a little 'surprise' for the elite assassins themselves...
But the peacock, as Bianfu had said so many times before, was very wise. Telling him surely couldn't hurt.
"Lord Shen?" The bat asked nervously.
Shen half-smiled. Lately, the bats had replaced his title of 'bird' with 'sir'. A distinct improvement, if he did say so himself... Bianfu, however, was the only one to call him 'Lord' Shen.
The peacock did not answer, but nodded to show that he heard.
"We overheard a conversation Aang had with his elites..."
"And?" Shen questioned.
"And he's going to kill you. Tonight."
Shen raised his eyebrows. "Personally? I must be dangerous..."
"No..." Bianfu corrected, folding his wings, "He just sent his elites."
"Aaahhh... Shen breathed, tucking his wings behind his back, "I have been expecting this for quite some time."
Bianfu squinted. This peacock's reactions were strange. He didn't seem worried at all.
"There's always someone who wants to kill you," Shen continued, "I'm sure that Aang himself has a few, haters, himself?" he looked sideways at Bianfu.
Bianfu sighed. "You are right. I hold no love for the bat-lord Aang." he looked up at Shen. "A while ago, you asked me who I would side with if you and Aang collided," he closed his eyes, "Well, I have made my choice, and am going to live it."
Shen smiled fully. The little bat had come out of his shell, he was so different from the stuttering, whiny bat that he had been those short weeks ago. With the right circumstance, he could turn out just as Shen himself had, a cold-blooded killer, with no thought towards the sacred fire of life. Shen's eyes lowered to their usual half-lidded expression. That was not who he was, really. He was like that because he had no other choice.
"I thought you might," he said, giving his attention back to the bat that stood beside him.
"And I am not alone in my beliefs, either. There are many who would like to see Aang writhing beneath their feet."
"I find that easy to beleive..." Shen muttered placidly, "I too, would like nothing more than his death."
Bianfu started. Did nothing phase the peacock? That was reassuring, but also a little worrying...
"Well..." Bianfu continued, "Me and my brethren have come up with a plan..."
Shen smirked. "I had a feeling you would..."
The day slowly darkened, and night began it's conquest over China. The two forces of night and day clashed briefly, leaving the sky a brilliant red, before day relinquished it's hold on earth, for now.
The beauty of the world around was lost on the bats, however. A dark mood seemed to have settled itself over the whole cave system, and very few knew the reason why.
Shen bade farewell to the bats under him, as the tumult of the construction began to die down. It was time to retire for the night, yet Shen stayed in his loft, just a few minutes later than normal. He, for all his efforts to hide it, was nervous. Who would not be? Knowing that an assassination attempt was to be
made tonight made him edgy.
The familiarly soothing sound of violin music echoed throughout the cavern, but no one else but him heard it.
Shen smiled, as a mist of light and darkness gathered around him. Wings slid around his body, and he heard her voice in his ear.
"Ohhhh... Shen, I've missed you..."
Shen made a small pleased noise. No one but Nehsa was allowed to touch him like this, and he enjoyed it. He would never admit it, but he had missed her as well.
"You certainly took your time getting here..." he muttered instead.
"I was held up." Nehsa replied, frowning. "You have been thinking too hard, been too busy for me to get in."
Shen ignored her statement. "It doesn't matter. I need you for this, Nehsa... I need all the crazy I can get."
Nehsa laughed. "I certainly am crazy..."
"You certainly are..." Shen said. He used a different tone on her than he did with anyone else, his tone was not condescending, but friendly, even affectionate. This what Shen would sound like if he had a female partner.
"Shen..." Nehsa groaned, "You never know when to stop with the sarcasm, do you?"
"I don't know what you are talking about," Shen said loftily.
"Well, I will help any way I can," Nehsa reassured.
"Thank you," Shen breathed, "That means a lot to me..."
"Shen!" Nehsa hissed, "Did you think I wouldn't help you?"
"No one else would..." Shen muttered, "Except for that little bat. I have no one, except you, Nehsa. Don't ever leave me..."
"I will never leave you for as long as you want me," Nehsa answered.
"Come on then, it's getting late..." Nehsa simpered, making a motherly expression, "We had better be going now, or else your bat friend will get suspicious..."
As they started to walk, Shen retorted. "My friend? My friend who wants to kill me?"
Nehsa looked genuinely shocked. "Kill you?"
"Yes, he has ordered an assassination attempt on me for tonight. He will have to fail."
Nehsa's face showed pure rage. "I will KILL that bat!" she snarled.
"You will get your chance, Nehsa," Shen stated grimly, "You will get your chance..."
Shen looked up, and opened the door to his chamber. The two peafowl stepped inside, and waited.
Ghan muttered to himself, as he crept down the hallways, taking the pathway that led to the peacock's chamber. This was pure madness...late at night, on an assassination mission! Sure, that was all fine and dandy, if you sent one bat, silently, that was fine! They were even good at it! But to send TEN of Aang's strongest elites, not to mention his second in command, all at once? Yeah, that was going to be REAL silent. Who were they going up against, anyway? An old peacock, who was probably asleep anyway, not to even mention the fact that he was completely unarmed...
Sometimes, he doubted Aang's skill as an attack planner. Sure, he was able to steal the sacred scrolls, but he had his entire ARMY with him, and the Jade palace was empty at the time. The Furious five had managed to steal them back, from right under their noses too! They didn't have to distract the army, they just barged through.
He was leading this 'campaign' as Aang insisted on calling it, no matter how many times he was told to the contrary. What a joke. He, Ghan, the commander of the armies, was assigned an assassination mission... Aang had really put his foot in it this time. By allowing the peacock to stay in public, he had practically given his word. To kill him in any other way than a silent assassination would severly dampen his reputation with the troops, and the results would be catastrophic.
Ghan caught himself, and reprimanded himself harshly.
Any distracting thoughts right now could be disastrous.
Signaling the 'all clear' to the bats behind him, the group of ten silently flew down the hallways, being careful to avoid being seen. The group split up, five going around to cover Shen's back door, and Ghan and the others continuing to the main door.
In just a few short minutes, far too short for comfort, Ghan and his bats were pressed against either side of Shen's front door. They all waited tensely, for Ghan to signal the attack.
Ghan took a deep breath, steeling himself. This should be easy, right? Then why did he have than annoying feeling that something was going to go wrong?
He looked sideways, and noticed a bat eyeing him curiously, probably wondering what was taking so long.
"Something the matter?" the bat asked.
"No, and shut your trap, Jai!" Ghan whispered harshly. He took another deep breath, then spoke again. "Let's go!"
An elite flew up, and gripped the door handle. Ghan made a sliding motion with his wing. The signal. The elite pulled open the door, and all four bats rushed in, pressing themselves against the walls of the room. The elite holding the door slipped inside, and closed the door behind him.
Immediately, Ghan knew something was wrong. The lights were still lit in here...and the back door was open, but everything was silent.
"Good evening, gentlemen!" the voice caused all the bats to whirl, facing the peacock, who stood with his cloak wrapped around him, and a sadistic smile on his face, "What brings you here so late at night? I have no more plans for you to take..." suddenly, Shen swirled sideways, thrusting his beak in Ghan's face, "Although... perhaps you're here to take...something else?"
Ghan gasped. He knew! The peacock knew!
Shen whirled away, so that there was about five feet between him and the bats. "Aren't you Aang's number two?" he asked Ghan, still smiling hideously.
Ghan snapped out of his trance. "Get him!" he yelled, flinging himself at Shen.
The peacock sidestepped easily, and Ghan watched in astonishment as he dodged repeated strikes from all four of the other elites. He flapped into the air, and lunged at the back of Shen's neck. Shen swirled his cloak in the way, sending Ghan sprawling into the ground.
"Tell me, how does it feel to be the shadow of a shadow?" Shen questioned, a smirk on his face.
Ghan swished his blade upwards, but Shen stood on his wing, grabbing and throwing the bat into the far wall.
"It must be infuriating, to know that no matter what you do, you will never be anything more than a shadow," Shen continued, as he showily dodged a strike from a wing blade that would have severed his neck.
"That is nothing. At least I'm not his puppy, having to fawn over his feet to get a peek at some scrolls!" Ghan retorted, getting into his stance.
"Are you wiling to follow Aang to the grave, until you are finally given your reward?" Shen smiled, jumping over an elite, and landing in front of Ghan, "I think not."
Ghan attacked without warning, his blade searing the air. Shen leaned backwards, the blade passing inches away from his chest. Ghan attempted to follow his strike up with the other wing, but Shen whipped his cloak in the bat's face, causing him to lose balance. Shen pinned him down with his feet.
"Seems I was wrong. Very well, die you will..." Shen spat in the bat's face. Suddenly, an elite struck at Shen's legs, forcing him to leap upwards to avoid it. Ghan, released, flew sideways, and barreled towards the peacock. Suddenly, a flash of silver in the avian's wings caught his eye, and he flung himself sideways to avoid the wing-blade that whizzed past him, burning itself in the wall.
Shen landed, feet apart. A long curved katana was held ready in his wings, seemingly appearing from nowhere. Ghan, from the ceiling, watched as he effortlessly overwhelmed the other four elites with his katana.
Where had he got the katana from? He had not been allowed weapons, and every bat knew that... A chilling thought occurred to him. Was it possible that...
Shen pivoted on the katana, swinging his legs against a bat's face, before spinning himself upwards, doing a handstand on the top of the sword. He brought his feet down on the back of a bat's neck, then brought the katana swinging in a wide arc upwards, spinning, and bringing it back downwards towards another elite. The elite dodged, parrying the blow with a wing, while leaping towards the peacock's legs, only to have a cloak whipped across his face.
Ghan dived at the avian, his bat-call breaking the air. Shen blocked with his katana, simultaneously swinging his leg upwards against the bat's face.
Ghan absorbed the blow, and slid down the sword on his wing-blades, reaching the bird's neck. He sliced... And was slammed into a wall, still feeling the sting of the peacock's wing against his cheek.
Shen laughed, and spat at the bat. "You must see now, that you have failed...failed!"
"I cannot fail," Ghan answered, "Ya' can only fight for so long, and when you tire..."
Shen whirled at the bat, bringing the katana slicing towards the top of his head. Ghan ducked, and backflipped into the air, swinging his wings in a whirlwind of fast-paced blows.
Shen flawlessly blocked each and every one of them, before launching into a furious attack of his own, his blade seeming to be a silver arc, so fast was it's movement.
Ghan did not waste time blocking or dodging, the peacock was too fast. Instead, he leapt into the air, gaining altitude, then reversing into a whirring dive at the peacock, his two blades making swift butterfly patterns in the air.
Shen attempted to swipe sideways, but the katana was caught by Ghan's wing, and flung away out of reach.
Ghan smiled, slowing his attack, and dropped to the floor. The other four bats dropped down behind him.
"Well," he smirked, "Who's failed now?"
Shen raised his eyebrows. "Where's the rest of you?"
"The rest of us?" Ghan questioned, "What does that-..." he stopped. Where were the other five bats? They were supposed to come around the back door... His eyes darted to the back door, hanging open. What had happened?
"And as an answer to your question..." Shen cackled dementedly, "The answer is still you," a wicked glint came into his eyes, as a rushing sound traveled from the back door, "Perhaps those are your reinforcements now..."
Suddenly, the cavern was filled with rushing wings, as about thirty bats flew in, and lined up in front of Shen.
Laughing echoed around the cavern.
"A worker revolution? Seriously?" Jai continued to laugh, "I'm sorry, but you're going to need a LOT more of them if you hope to take on the elites!"
Shen's smirk never dropped a millimeter. "That's what the others said..." he hissed cooly.
Ghan examined the situation. What were those bats around the back holding? Some kind of shaft... His eyes widened.
"Jai..."
"Just the five of us can take on that entire mess of you sorry scrap!" Jai continued, still laughing.
"Jai!" Ghan shouted.
"If that's your plan, you're just about done!" Jai smirked.
Jai wasn't listening. Ghan backed away, before turning in an all-out rush towards the door. "JAI!" he bellowed, "SHUT UP, AND GET DOWN!"
"What?" Jai questioned, confused, "What are you talk-"
"FIRE!" Shen interrupted.
Ghan pulled open the door, and dived out, as streaks of blue light burst toward Jai and the other elites...
Jai watched the pointed, twisting cone heading straight towards him... and then everything went completely white, then completely black...
Ghan heard the explosions, and raced back down the tunnels, not quite sure where he was heading. He made an abrupt turn, deciding his destination: the throne room.
Aang slurped his tea leisurely, enjoying the evening. His victory was near, his army was even now mass-producing the most dangerous weapon in China's history, and that peacock, that white thorn in his side, was either going to die tonight, or dead already.
Suddenly, his relaxing evening was burst into by Ghan, panting and frantic, throwing himself into the room.
"Workers revolt..." the commander gasped, "Shen has rallied some workers...they are revolting..."
"Finally, something we agree on..." Aang muttered.
"This is no joke, my lord!" Ghan screeched, "They killed all nine of the other elites, and they have the new weapons!"
Aang bolted from his chair as if he had been stung. "Well? Get the other elites! Put down the revolt!"
The screech echoed throughout the cave. A call to arms... Every bat gathered their weapons, searching around frantically.
Ghan rushed to the hallway, with fifty elites on his tail...and was thrown back, flattening himself against the walls of the cave, as five more blue trails screeched by, slamming into the wall and exploding. Several workers, taking courage at the bravery of their comrades, flung themselves at lone elites, hunting them down like animals. They had punched a lasting hole in the myth of elite immortality...
The whole thing was coming down into chaos. It was impossible to tell which workers were revolting, and which were not.
"Kill them all!" Aang commanded, "I want them all dead! Every last one!"
As the elites started to hew down the workers, more and more workers started banding together to protect themselves. An elite struck down a worker, slashing downwards, only to be felled as a dozen more workers piled onto him.
Ghan cursed to himself, calling the elites behind him into a circle. "Do not split up!" he instructed. The elites nodded.
Ghan swept his wing upwards, dealing a fatal blow to a worker's chest, as an elite next to him engaged two at once. He turned to assist, kicking one in the chest and slicing the other's belly.
He grimly surveyed the situation. The only way he could think to stop this whole thing...was to kill that white demon, the peacock... But was that the way? If Aang was gone, that would stop the whole thing as well...
A blue bolt slammed into the ground next to them, and they all cowered as the shockwave tore through the room.
The sounds of clashing steel had filled the cavern, and now they stopped. The sudden silence was eerie...
Ghan looked up, trying to see why everyone had stopped fighting. Then he saw it. Standing above him, at the entrance to the throne room, with all thirty of his bats around him, stood Shen. And Ghan could see where he got the title of "Lord". His whole air was superior, as if he owned this whole thing. Ghan and Shen locked eyes, and the peacock smiled, then turned to Aang, who was standing next to Ghan.
Shen laughed, as Aang started to retreat back into the throne room.
"Fire!" Shen bellowed, pointing towards Aang. Five blue bolts streaked towards the bat-lord, and Aang turned and flew for his life.
Ghan took advantage of the fact that the rocket-launchers were no longer loaded, and called his elites together. "AATTAACCK!" He called out, as he and the remaining elites flung themselves at Shen and the rebels, the cause of this whole thing...
Aang was in blind terror. Throwing himself behind the throne, he hid, and listened. His brain made pictures out of the sound, and he was able to watch the battle, and gave himself a smile when he saw that his elites were winning... But then, another sound pervaded his thoughts... The sound of footsteps.
"AANG!" a voice called out, shattering Aang's sound-vision.
Aang slowly turned his head, peeking around the throne... And saw Bianfu, carrying a rocket-launcher, with an absolutely murderous look in his eyes.
"Let's finish this!" The little bat hissed, bracing himself.
Aang almost laughed in relief. "You? You alone? For a moment there, I was worried..."
Bianfu aimed the launcher. "You should be."
Aang's eyes widened, and he threw himself sideways, as the blue streak of the missile streaked past him. While Bianfu was reloading, he drew his katana, and lunged at the much smaller bat.
Bianfu saw this coming, and used the launcher as a club, swinging it with astonishing force.
Aang, expecting an easy kill, was not ready, and the launcher struck him in the side of the head, sending him flying sideways, his katana clattering to the floor. He staggered to his feet, and touched his fingers to his head. They became wet with blood. He turned his head back to Bianfu, in time to see the little bat click a rocket into the launcher, and point it at him. Aang swept up his sword, and took to the air, making figure-eights in the air to throw off Bianfu's aim.
Ghan, in the midst of the heavy fighting, saw this, and broke away, searing through the air to Aang's assistance.
Aang was growing tired, and frantic...where was he to go? There! He headed towards a shaft, which led to the outsides of the cave system. Perfect! He made a dash towards it.
In the seconds he was not looping around, Bianfu drew a bead on him, lining him up in the sights...
Aang streaked towards the shaft. To his dismay, there was an elite standing in front of it, guarding it. He turned his head, to see Bianfu bringing the weapon to bear. No time to push the other bat out the way... Aang flashed his sword in a wide arc, cutting the other bat down, in a last-ditch attempt to escape...
It was in vain. The rocket slammed into the wall next to him, and the explosion blew him backwards, out of the shaft, into a dazed heap on the throne room floor.
Ghan saw a bat fall, and flew up to him. To his surprise, it was not Aang.
"Shuai?"
Shuai's eyes fluttered open. "Y-you were right, Ghan..." he mumbled, "Aang was not to be...trusted..."
"What happened?" Ghan asked furiously. "Tell me what happened!"
"Aang...cut me down..." Shuai muttered, "You were right...you were right..."
Shuai's eyes closed, and he did not respond again. He was dead.
"That monster!" Ghan hissed angrily.
Aang had killed the single most loyal bat in the cave, to save his own sorry skin. Ghan was no longer Aang's friend. He would not fight for a a backstabbing coward...
"STOP!" he yelled, "DISENGAGE!"
The elites turned to him in confusion, but they obeyed.
"Lord Shen?" Ghan asked, searching for the peacock, "We surrender!"
Shen strode forward, his eyes locked on the commander. "Should I trust you, bat?"
Ghan ignored this, and bowed. "We are your troops to command. We will no longer serve Aang."
The elites, seeing their commander bowing, followed suit. Shen laughed, and the creepy sound echoed around.
"That is a wise choice, commander," Shen said, putting emphasis on the word 'commander', "It would seem I was not wrong. No one can remain a shadow."
"It would seem so," Ghan replied.
"Now, for Aang..." Shen muttered to himself, "This should be fun..."
He strode towards the dazed bat, as two other bats dragged the former lord to his feet. Shen drew a blade. "Do you know how long I've been waiting for this, bat?"
Aang did not answer.
"Good answer." Shen smirked, "I had lost count as well."
That night, the cave commemorated the gaining of it's new leader with the funeral of the old one. Shen sat down on the throne, almost reverently.
He looked around over his new people, the bats. Some were cheering, some applauding, and some looked rather glum. But they were all HIS. His to use. His to control.
Now, his dream of taking China was once more no longer a dream.
"Finally," he said to himself, "Finally."
Author's note: did you catch the irony there? Ghan stopped working for Aang, because he showed, in killing one of his own men, that he was a monster. But, in Shen's battle with Po and the Masters at the harbor, he does the very same thing. Obviously, the bats do not know their new leader as well as they think they do.
And thank you, Reluctant Warrior, for that glowing comment you made yesterday. Welcome to the story.
And, what will Shen do next? Will he continue his aspirations of ruling China, or will he make a... Side-stop, for revenge on a certain panda?
Keep reading! Review, review!