Chapter 14: Innocents lost
Hovering in the heavens above the sun beamed once more down on the green covered country. The warm air subtly rose in temperature as hours slowly passed in the late morning. Rushing on all fours, Erdan ran as fast as he could down the dirt paved road, followed by Galena and their mysterious, armored companion. Realizing that the Valley of Peace was just ahead, all that Erdan's mind focused on was gaining help to save his family. His determination pushed him forward, even after a night of hardly any sleep, worried almost to death for his parents and relatives. Within the time the group of four traveled, they remained safe, not encountering any bandits or vile characters on the main road. Of course having a trained, experienced warrior escorting them proved reassuring. Galena dashed behind Erdan, her limbs aching from all the sudden physical stress, but she was just a determined to help her parents. Next to her, the samurai ran as the various clinks and clanking sounds of his armor plates and swords accompanied his almost every motion. Fang remained in Erdan's backpack, experiencing a very uncomfortable ride.
Ahead of him, Erdan saw a hill that just beyond it, was the Valley. Erdan sprinted and ran up the hill with almost eye blinking fast speed. Galena and the samurai followed as they too climbed upwards. As breathes huffed out of her mouth, the young she-wolf took a small break halfway up the hill. She bent forwards and placed his paws on her knees while catching her breath. The samurai stopped next to her and asked if her condition wasn't worthy of concern, and she silently shook her head, answering that she was fine at the moment. After gaining her second wind, Galena looked up and saw Erdan, whom was simply standing in place, not moving, and remained as still as a statue.
"Erdan, are you alright?" Galena asked loudly.
He didn't reply. Stricken with worry, the girl and the masked warrior climbed to the top of the hill, where Erdan and Fang stood and stared at the Valley before them. Before they could ask their question again, the two now caught view at what captured their friends' attention. Over the small fields and pass a river, a village stood in the middle of the Valley. Smoke slowly rose into the sky, the sounds of townsfolk and children were absent as an ominous, dreadful atmosphere filled the air. Galena looked with worry before turning to Erdan.
"Is… is that your?" She muttered.
Without thinking Erdan rushed on all fours towards his home with Fang riding in his pack. His two companions followed as they made their way to the village. As Erdan made quick way to his home, thoughts of worry and dreadful fears formed in his mind. After passing the small field and the bridge over the river, the young wolf stopped at the edge of town. Galena and the samurai caught up, and did the same as Erdan, examined their surroundings.
(Fire Emblem Echoes ost – "Disquiet")
Erie silence settled in the air. Little noise was heard, apart from the breeze of the wind and clanging wooden chimes on front porches. All the houses stood in their lonesome, without any families to live or take shelter inside them. Erdan looked down the main stone road in shock. It didn't make any sense: why did the Valley suddenly become a ghost town?
"W-what… happened?" Erdan muttered.
Galena, standing next to her fellow lupine now asked "Where are all the people?"
"I don't know. Po and the Five should have been here." Erdan answered.
The samurai took a closer look at a nearby house, inspecting the leftover condition of whatever events transpired recently. The four did a search of the entire village. They called out for anybody within ear range, but heard no response. The state of nearly all of the homes and stores showed signs of violent struggles. Front doors left wide open, windows broken and fences torn through by large individuals. At first they suspected a mass raiding, but closer investigation into the homes revealed most valuables of various types; food, jewelry, antiques, décor, were all left intact and inside the homes of their owners. Footprints of ranging sizes could be made out in the dirt portions of the ground, accompanied by tracks of what seemed to be rickshaws or wagons. As Erdan examined the fear inducing state of the village, his mind was racing with theories of what happened while he was gone. Fang sat on Erdan's shoulder, looking around at emptied houses around him. Buildings he's seen and passed by nearly every day of his normal life. Then, a grim thought manifested in his mind, an expression of worry painted over his face and in a second the teenage rabbit hopped off of Erdan's shoulder and ran as fast as he could down a nearby road.
"Fang, where are you going?" Erdan shouted before the group followed.
Running down the path and turning a corner, Fang approached his family homestead. He stopped and paused a moment to look at the condition it was in; the same as the other homes, broken and silent, with the front door left wide open and the windows smashed apart. Rushing inside, Fang found the interior of his house to be in no better shape then it's exterior. Furniture topped over, wall hangings broken off, décor smashed via struggles. With a sense of dreading, fear quickly settled into Fang's thoughts.
"MOM, DAD!" Fang yelled.
But no one answered. Walking throughout the ruined home, Fang checked his parent's room, his own bedroom, the storage closet and even the basement. But the house was empty. Walking along the sleeping room of his parents, Fang's foot stumbled onto a fallen painting on the floor, a family portrait of his father, mother and himself. Picking up and looking at the painting, Fang felt fear give way to sorrow as stray tears escaped his eyes and soft whimpers were muttered. His large ears heard the sounds of feet padding on the floor behind him, and upon looking back, saw Erdan bearing witness to the devastation himself. Looking up with a face of sudden sorrow, the rabbit boy rushed to Erdan, whom knelt down and wrapped his small friend in his arms. Fang cried, no longer able to contain his rapid emotions.
"I-I… I didn't want them to… when I once said I… now they're..." Fang muttered.
His lupine companion rubbed his paw over Fang's back, calming and comforting the boy.
"I'm here Fang… I'm here." Erdan replied softly.
A few minutes later the two exited the house to meet up with Galena and the samurai, who were waiting outside of the home. Fang held onto the painting of his parents and stored it in his pants' pocket before sitting in Erdan's pack again.
"I don't understand, what happened here?" Galena asked.
"Nothing like this has ever happened before in the Valley." Erdan replied.
The samurai, in his deep, large voice spoke up. "Erdan, you mentioned this providence was protected by warriors, whom you're affiliated with, could they have evacuated the village?"
"Well that's possible, I remember Tigress once telling me that her and the rest of the Five took all the people away from the Valley before Tai Lung, a rogue Kung Fu master, returned." The young wolf answered while his paw was to his chin in thought.
Fang looked at the state of nearly all of the houses before saying "Erdan, I don't think Po and the Five did this."
"As much as I loath to say it, I agree." Erdan admitted. "This place was attacked."
The samurai, who was taking mental note of the wrecked surroundings, asked "But for what purpose? There are no blood stains anywhere, yet this was a violent struggle."
The armored warrior looked around, as if his very being was in another state of existence.
Galena, noticing this, asked "Um, are you ok, Sir?"
"I-I'm fine." He replied, though his tone and posture said otherwise.
Erdan, knowing that standing around wouldn't result in any progress, suggested "Let's head up to the Jade Palace, and hope anybody is still there."
With the other three in agreement, the group quickly made their way through the village, passing the wrecked town. Upon turning a corner and walking for a few minutes, Erdan found himself unable to resist directing his gaze at yet another store that was ravaged, his foster mother's pottery shop. Stopping to look, the teen wolf stood and kept himself in front of the ruined building he called home. The front door was broken off, probably due to a crash break-in. The window was in pieces, likely suffered shattering by an on-coming projectile. The wind slowly brushed his fur as Erdan finally took a few steps towards his house.
Galena, noticing her friend stopped walking with her, said "Hey, Erdan, you ok?"
A silent moment passed before he replied "Yeah, you guys go ahead, I-I'll catch up."
"Are you sure?" The samurai asked.
"Just go up those stairs and you'll reach the palace, I'll be with you two soon."
Fang looked at the state of his best friend's home, broken and terrible. Realizing what Erdan intended to do (at least for the moment) Fang chose to stick by his best friend's side, jumping out of his pack to walk on his own feet some more. While their two companions went on their way, Erdan stood in the empty front doorway. As his canine eyes adjusted to the decrease in lighting, he examined his home with sorrow. Shu's shop was ravaged, its various wares were either toppled, laying on the floor or shattered into pieces. Each one of the vases, pots and décor items his mother worked on was now treated like common junk, worthless and ruined. Any money that his mother saved in a locked box was taken, with the container's lid ripped off. As he moved throughout the house/store, Erdan and Fang found nothing but more devastation to await them. The living room was torn apart, and both of his parent's rooms were raided of valuable items. But Erdan's heart sank when realizing that the painting of Zhong's past wife and pups was stolen away.
Fang, noticing his wolf companion place his paw on the now empty wall where the painting once was, asked "Erdan, what was on the wall that was so important?"
Doing his best to control himself, Erdan answered "It-it's not important now."
"You sure?" Fang asked.
"Yeah… yeah" Erdan answered quietly.
Moving on to his own room, Erdan hesitated for a moment as he stood at his own room's door. Remembering his promise to Galena, that he wouldn't take too long, Erdan took a deep breath and entered. He opened the now broken door and found a sight that pierced his heart: his bedroom almost entirely empty. Apart from the bed he slept on almost every night, all of his worldly possessions, his silk royal sheets, the action figure Po made for him and his spare arrows were stolen. The posters on his walls were torn apart, the desk he wrote on was broken in half and even the letters from Yingyu were scattered or ripped apart. For more than a year, this room was all his own, one of the first he had in a long time. Unable to bare the pain anymore, Erdan fell to his knees before his paw felt something on the floor, a piece of paper. Upon holding it, examination revealed it to be one of the boy's most prized treasures: the painting of him and his new family. It was created by Cree, the village painter when Po and rest of the Jade Palace masters threw Erdan a party, to welcome him to the Valley of Peace. The art was torn from the wall and ripped into pieces. He held a small portion, which displayed him, and his foster parents, Zhong and Shu. Tears began to pour out of his eyes, and Erdan could contain his sorrow no longer before crying out on the wooden floor. But as he vented his woes, he felt a small body grasp itself next to him. Looking down, he saw that Fang gave him a hug before Erdan wrapped his arms around his best friend. A few minutes passed before Erdan settled his emotions.
"You… uh, ok now?" Fang asked.
With a sniffle of his nose, Erdan replied "I… yes… I am."
"You sure?' Fang asked.
Now standing up, Erdan placed the piece of painting in his pocket to keep.
"Yeah… c'mon, let's catch up with the others."
Letting Fang ride on his shoulder again, the two boys made their way through the house/shop and exited. As he quickly ran down the street, Erdan mentally forced himself to not look back, to not break down again.
("Disquiet" ends)
((()-()))
Galena walked up the one thousand stone stairs to the Jade Palace. Not many were really sure at all if the staircase that lead up the mountain truly did consist of a thousand steps. But then again nobody in their right mind would waste a whole entire day to count every individual stone. So many the grand title was scoffed as an exaggeration concocted by locals, or traveling merchants who's stories were told out of context with each passing speaker. Regardless, the path upwards was strenuous all the same.
Galena continuously moved her hind feet one after the other, step after step. To other simple living animals the climb would seem too exhausting or demanding of physical activity. But, being no stranger to hiking or long distance travel, the teen she-wolf found no trouble in pursuing the mountain top. What did baffle her though was the idea of building a place of clear importance on top of a mountain. It boggled her mind that to attain help one would be required to make a strain inducing hike. And inevitably walk all the way back down once business was concluded. She had certainly seen better planned construction time and time again.
The young she-wolf took a glance at the samurai just in front of her. His armor gleaming from the sun's reflection and his swords tapping against his protective attire while tied to his waist. Since he first saved her and her new friends, she's tried her best to get a read on this mysterious hero. But any attempt resulted in nothing gained. His mask and helmet concealed his face so it was unknown as to his appearance. He was definitely of a large and strong species. His frame, including the armor, was big. His deep-like voice also contributed to that theory. If there was any chance of learning more about this mystery man, it wasn't going to be through continued silence.
"So… do you have a name?" Galena asked, trying her best to sound casual.
"Yes" The samurai answered in a voice devoid of emotion.
"Well, what is it?" She asked curiously.
The samurai looked back at her in silence. She didn't feel endangered, yet her curiosity only grew. He turned his head back and continued climbing.
"Ok… well, you're not much of a talker. I understand that." She informed.
Her words didn't amount to much as he just continued to climb upwards. Suddenly, the sounds of feet quickly moving and climbing came into the range of both of their ears. Stopping to look back, the two saw Erdan and Fang, who was sitting in the wolf's pack, quickly catch up to them. Running on all fours, the sight of the young wolf moving up the stairs with ease was baffling in Galena's eyes. Surprised at how he was making his way up the mountain with barely a sweat.
"Did you find anyone?" The samurai asked.
Stopping for a quick break, Erdan answered "No… still nobody."
"That house you went into, it was your home, right?" Galena asked.
"Y-yeah, it is… or was." Erdan said before brushing off the topic quickly. "Alright, we're almost there, let's go."
Erdan took the lead and the group moved upwards.
"Erdan, how are climbing these steps so easily?" Galena asked.
"I climb them nearly every day." He answered.
"Part of your, warrior training, huh?" She replied.
"Yeah… you get used to it after awhile."
"I don't think I want to get used to it at all." She humorously said, resulting in a small giggle between her and Erdan.
After a few minutes they finally reached the top, at the Jade Palace, still standing after hundreds of years with pride as the watchful guardian of the Valley. Pillars decorated with extravagant carvings of gold, a huge jade green roof of the highest of workmanship and large doors that were the conduit to a treasure trove of the greatest relics in the history of Kung Fu. Galena couldn't help but drop her jaw at the sight of such a wonderful palace.
"Wow, Erdan, you really learn here?" Galena asked curiously.
"Yeah I do. Been training here for the past couple years." He answered.
The group approached the door, gigantic and grand as the samurai asked a question. "Erdan, are you sure we'll be able to obtain assistance here?"
"Right now, it's our only option. We-"
"Shh, wait!" Galena interrupted.
"What's wrong?" Erdan asked.
"Don't you hear that?" She asked as her ears perked upwards.
All speech was ceased as Erdan and Fang listened with full focus. In a few short seconds, the sounds of a quick, childish whine faintly floated into their eardrums. The sound came from west of the main temple.
"You guys hear that too, right?" Galena asked again.
"It sounds like… crying... like some little kid." Fang replied, his large ears detected the noise from afar.
Pointing his finger out towards the origin of the strange sound, Erdan said "It's coming from the Barracks!"
Puzzled, the masked warrior asked "Are children normally around here?"
"No, not really, but let's check it out. Master Shifu and the other masters are likely to be there." Erdan decided.
Wasting no time, Erdan lead the group through the mountain built sanctuary that consisted of the Jade Palace grounds. Passing by the training hall, meditation gardens and the statues of great, honored masters of past, the Barracks were now within sight. As the distance between them and the lounge quarters of the warriors became shorter, the childish sounds became louder and louder. As they approached the building, the samurai stopped and stood in place, gaining the attention of his younger companions.
"What's wrong?" Galena asked.
"We're being watched." He answered, his head pointed up to the trees.
Rustling in the leaves and branches were heard, and it was clear that the warrior was correct in his suspicion. However, having partially lived on these grounds for the past year, Erdan immediately guessed the identity of the shadowy onlooker.
Looking up at the trees, Erdan shouted "Monkey, is that you? Don't worry, these two are ok, trust me."
A moment after a blur of yellow zoomed out of the tall floral and quickly landed on the road in front of the two lupines and the armored man.
"Are you sure they're alright?" Monkey asked, remaining alert and careful.
"Yes, they are." Erdan answered as he introduced his two new friends. "This is Galena, and he's… well… we don't really know his name, but-"
"You may call me, Mushi Muyoku." The samurai stated.
A brief moment of pause came and went, as the three teens were baffled by the sudden name drop of their mysterious hero before Erdan continued "Um, right, well… Mushi saved our lives."
"I give you my word; I do not intend any harm on these young people, or anybody here." Mushi reassured.
Taking Erdan's word, though still deciding to keep an eye on the strange samurai, Monkey expressed his puzzled queries about the sudden re-appearance of his honorary little brother in martial arts. "Well, anyway, Erdan what are you doing here? Where is your family? Shouldn't you be on vacation with them?"
"We got into a lot of trouble, life threatening trouble. But what happened here? Where is everybody? Where are the other masters?" Erdan asked.
Realizing clarity would require some dedicated time to sort out matters, Monkey decided to take the conversation in a more appropriate setting. "If you want to find out, we should talk with Shifu, he's inside with all the kids."
"Kids?" Erdan muttered.
(Fire Emblem Fates ost – "Warmth is Gone")
The simian master guided the new arrivals into the Barracks, which were now filled with children young and older from the village below. Sounds of varying kinds, be it crying or small talking echoed through the halls. The rooms where the heroes of the Kung Fu would relax was now, by the looks of it, made into a makeshift orphanage. Children walked and ran down the halls and passed Erdan's group. Many young eyes found themselves glued to the large, armored warrior before them. Making their way to the kitchen, Monkey brought them to Shifu, who was helping make lunch for all of the starving children. Various servants of the Jade Palace tended and cared for any and all of the children's needs, many of whom showed little more than fear or sorrow on their young faces. Shifu turned around, surprised to see his youngest pupil had returned so soon, along with Fang and a pair of unfamiliar faces.
"Erdan, why are back here?" Shifu asked as Monkey led the four new animals into the kitchen. "And where is your family?"
"That's going to need a little explaining, but we don't have much time." Erdan replied, a serious tone accompanied his words.
"Very well" Shifu replied before turned to Zeng, the palace messenger, who was helping with the cooking. "Zeng, please take care of this for me."
"Yes Master Shifu." The black feathered duck answered, finishing his task before beginning a new one.
Making his way to the table, Shifu sat on a wooden chair, as did Erdan and Galena. Mushi preferred to stand upwards, most likely to prevent damaging the furniture with his armor. Not wasting precious time, Erdan immediately explained the events of the last couple of days for him and his family.
"We were traveling across the country to my Mom's home village. Once we reached the town, we found it was abandoned. But not long after, Zhong, Shu and her relatives were taken captive by a band of raiders, who I think killed the entire village. Fang and I watched them from the bushes as they took my family into a small ship by the river. We barely escaped and made it back here with our lives."
Shifu felt a dire sense of urgency within Erdan's voice, which spoke volumes to the emergency at hand.
"And who are these two new associates?" Shifu asked, referring to the lupine girl and the large samurai.
"This is Galena… Harlay, was it?" Erdan asked.
The white she-wolf cleared her throat before correcting her fellow wolf. "Hurley, Galena Hurley."
"And how did you become involved in this, Galena?" Shifu asked.
"My parents and I were staying in that village when it was attacked. I was camping in the woods nearby, so I managed to stay away from sight. My parents though were taken hostage on their ship."
"How do you know this?" Shifu asked.
"I watched them from the bushes, instead of killing them like all the other they're now holding them prisoners on their ship." Galena answered.
Erdan, for clarity sake, budded in. "When me and Fang were running to get help, we bumped into her. She's been with us ever since."
"Hmm" Shifu muttered as he stroked the fur on his chin. Looking to the second newcomer in the room, the old master asked "And, who are you?"
"You may call me Mushi Muyoku, great sensei." The large armored warrior answered.
Erdan, explained how he first met this mysterious samurai. "On our way to the Valley, me, Galena and Fang were ambushed by two of those raiders. We would have lost our lives, had it not for Mushi saving us in time."
Shifu looked at Mushi and examined the large warrior. Clearly a samurai, one of high regard, hinted by his decorated armor. His helmet and mask obscured his face, concealing his identity, possibly on purpose.
"You're a warrior from Japan, correct?" Shifu asked.
"You are right." Mushi answered plainly.
"So why are you here in China?"
Taking a moment to pause and think, Muchi decdied that allowing knowledge of his mission, at least in a small briefing, would be necessary at the moment.
"I am under orders from my master; to hunt down a clan of criminals who we believe have been conducting vile plans in your country."
Monkey, having been seated at the table since bringing Erdan and his friends in, finally spoke up. "Who is this clan?"
"We don't exactly know WHO they are. They've eluded justice for years. It wasn't until recently we've learned of their presence here, in China. We've called them the Shadow Claw, as a stand-in to refer them as." Mushi explained.
As he listened to the samurai's explanations, a dark, grim thought crept into Erdan's mind. Suddenly, all of his thinking was centered on one dreadful idea. From the way they were described, Erdan began to piece together elements from both his present and past. And suddenly, the scenarios he survived through seem almost chillingly similar to events that transpired almost three years ago. A village of wolves massacred, a mysterious band of raiders who went through great efforts to conceal their horrible actions and at the center of it all… was him. Erdan held his paw on his forehead, his breathing started to become slightly rapid as he suddenly remembered the types of men who murderously pursued him and Fang; mountain lions, the same kind of wild cats who ripped him away from his birth parents, and the only home he knew when he was just a puppy. Three years ago, they savagely destroyed everything he knew. And now he began to fear if history would repeat itself. Now, after three years, it was all happening again.
"Erdan? Erdan!" A voice shouted out.
Erdan was quickly brought out of his dark stream of conscious thoughts to find Fang had brought him back to reality. The little rabbit stood on the table, worried about his best friend's current mental state.
"Are you ok?" Fang asked.
"Y-yeah… yeah I'm alright." Erdan answered, trying his best to pass off as calm and collected.
Feeling a paw on his shoulder, Erdan looked left for Galena to ask "You sure? Is everything that's happened too much for you?"
"No, I'm alright, been through lots of dangerous situations." Erdan took a minute to take a deep breath and ease him-self, at least for now.
Shifu took mental note of Erdan's demeanor, sensing something in conflict within the young man's mind. Right as the red panda could continue, steps were heard coming from the hall. Entering in the kitchen, the two other members of the Furious Five, Viper and Mantis, walked in with a familiar young noble.
"Master Shifu, we found the extra rice in storage." The young royal said, carrying the extra food in her arms before settling it down on the wooden, kitchen floor. Upon looking back upwards, she found surprise to see a good friend again so soon.
"E-Erdan?!" Yingyu gasped in shock.
"Yingyu!" Erdan exclaimed.
Standing up from his chair, Erdan could show nothing but shock on his face, but even more-so when immediately Yingyu rushed to hug her friend. The teenage deer wrapped her arms around Erdan's torso, expressing relief to see him. While not entirely sure of what was going on, Erdan hugged Yingyu back. Galena raised an eyebrow, curious about the relationship Erdan had with a deer of all people. While most would pass it off as a friendship, Galena noticed the way Yingyu suddenly came to him, suggesting something deeper between the two. After a moment, their hug was finished.
"What are you doing here, Erdan? Shouldn't you be with your family?" Yingyu questioned.
"My family got into serious trouble, and now they need rescuing." Erdan answered.
"Recuing from whom?" The young noble asked.
Fang spoke up from his chair at the table. "From a gang of raiders that we need to bust up!"
Galena rolled her eyes at the simplicity of Fang's words before turning to Shifu. "Um, master... Shifu, was it?"
"Yes my child?" Shifu replied politely.
"What happened here?"
Erdan, Yingyu, Mantis and Viper joined in as they all explained the terrible events that transpired at the Valley of Peace. Shifu spoke up, his voice expressing an aura of disciplined seriousness. "It all began the night Erdan and his family left the Valley. The following night, a group of thieves broke into the Jade Palace and attempted to steal many of the artifacts. One of the Palace servants discovered their efforts and alerted the masters. Po, the Five and myself quickly rushed to stop them. At first they appeared inexperienced, like common criminals who were in-over their heads. But we quickly learned that was just an act. In truth, they were organized, skillful and incredibly deadly. Although we succeeded in protecting many of the relics, the ninjas escaped with a handful of powerful weapons forged dynasties ago."
Curious, Mushi asked "These ninjas, could you tell what species they were?"
"The night was dark and they all wore clothing to blend in… but I'm positive that they were all felines. Their speed, reflexes and agility proved such. The entire group escaped. However, we quickly realized that they managed to steal some of the treasures. So I sent Po, Tigress and Crane to track them and bring the relics back, leaving Monkey, Viper and Mantis to stay behind and protect the Valley."
Monkey, adding himself into the briefing said "We haven't seen or heard from them since."
Still curious, Erdan asked "But what happened to the village?"
Galena, sharing his burning thirst for answers, queried "And why are all of the children here, of all places?"
Giving a regretful sigh, Shifu continued. "The next day, after Po, Tigress and Crane departed, Shirong and his famiy arrived at the Valley, hence why Yingyu is here with us now."
"I know" Erdan inserted. "Me and my family actually met them while on the road."
Shifu resumed. "Hmm, I see. The following night, it was the dark of night again, and we were preparing for any more attempts at the palace's treasures and relics. But down at the village was where we should have been."
Viper decided to narrate the rest of the briefing, since she and her fellow masters experienced the village's fate in person. "That night we heard screams coming from down at the village. So me, Monkey and Mantis hurried over to help. But we weren't prepared for what happened."
Just now, Erdan noticed the state at which the remaining masters of the palace were in. They all had bandages around their limbs, and would every now and then wince in pain. "What happened?" Erdan asked, almost afraid to know.
Monkey explained the next portion. "When we arrived at the town, we saw a large band of bandits and criminals, breaking into homes and rounding up all the adults. They threw them in caged wagons pulled by large oxen. We fought back and tried our best to free them, but with four of our team away, the odds were against us." Monkey said before groaning in agony.
Mantis then took his turn. "Before we realized it, we were quickly outmatched by some ninjas working with the bandits, probably part of the same group as the thieves from the previous night. Soon we were overwhelmed, and they kept attacking until all we saw was darkness. By the time we came too, we were bloody, bruised and all the adults of the village were gone."
"Wait" Erdan asked. "Yingyu, what about your dad and his men, wouldn't they have helped?"
Looking at Erdan straight, Yiingyu told of what happened to her family. "My parents were enjoying a night to themselves when the mass-kidnapping happened. I was with my baby sister at this nice old lady's house, her name was Mrs. Yung. Suddenly these masked men burst into the house and I was dragged out. I lost my sister, and I tried to fight back, but there was so much confusion. I ran to find my parents, but I rushed down an alley to avoid a bison bandit. There I tripped over a bad stone step and fell. The next thing I knew, I had a bruise on my head and almost everybody was gone. My mother and baby sister were gone. I found my father on the ground and around all of our bodyguards, all of them dead. My father was barely alive, so after finding Monkey, we had him rushed back here."
"Is he going to live?" Erdan asked with extreme worry for the kindhearted nobleman.
Mantis acknowledged "I did the best I could, but he's in a coma now. Can't really do much but wait."
"What about that guard captain who was with you all?" Erdan reminded.
"Captain Duizhang? I don't know. Last I saw him he accompanied my parents to protect them from a distance while they were having a date night. But after all the chaos, we couldn't find him or his body." Yingyu explained.
"And because all of the adults were taken away, you guys brought all the children to the palace." Erdan added up.
"Yes" Shifu replied. "I believe it's best for them to stay on the palace grounds for the time being. There are many servants who can help care for them, there's plenty of food to last some time and it's safer for them to be here and protected rather than stay down in the village."
Once all the information was presented and laid out, Erdan laid his elbows on the table and held his paws together as he deeply thought and considered any and all possible courses of action. Mentally he examined all the facts and details from both the attack on his relatives' village and the kidnapping of the adults in the Valley. The gears in his sly, clever mind turned and concocted a theory to provide potential clarity on the situation. In the few quiet moments that passed, a pair of familiar faces made their way into the kitchen. Realizing the arrival of these two boys, the occupants of the dining table diverted their gazes onto two local goat brothers.
"Kenny? James?" Erdan said, his voice shown with relief and surprise.
"Erdan!?" James replied in shock.
"What are you doing here? Didn't you're family take you on a trip a couple days ago?" Kenny asked.
After explaining the sudden events that resulted in Erdan and Fang quickly returning to the Valley, now accompanied by Galena and Mushi, brief retellings concluded as the two boys were shocked by what Zhong, Shu and her relatives were in now.
"Where is your father, Jimbo?" Erdan asked.
Sorrowful faces were made as the brothers regretfully answered. "He's gone. When all the chaos was happening, we tried to escape and get to somewhere safe. We were assaulted by some bandits and in a moment, they knocked us unconscious. By the time we woke up, our dad was… gone." Kenny explained.
"He's probably taken by those bandits, along with all the other adults." Mantis commented.
After letting his brother take his turn, James proceeded to talk to Erdan. "After it was all over, we helped bring all the kids up to the Palace, and we've been helping out as much as we can."
("Warmth is Gone" ends)
After learning all of the terrible injustices happening seemingly around him, Erdan sighed, wondering if there was anything at all he could do. "If only we knew where they were taking them." Erdan muttered loudly.
A moment of silent thought passed before a cognitive bell rang in Kenny's head. One little detail his sub-conscience almost forgot until remembering that horrible night. "Actually… I think I heard some of the bandits say something… a place, I think."
Suddenly all eyes and ears directed themselves towards the teenage goat as he tried desperately to reignite his memory.
"What did they say?" Yingyu asked.
Kenny placed his hooved paws on his head, doing his best to concentrate and think back to the small detail lurking in his head.
"I… I think it… it was…" He muttered as his eyes were shut and his focus concentrated.
"C'mon brother, think hard!" James encouraged.
"Uh… Umm… F… Fa… Faha…?" Kenny muttered.
"Fu Zha?" Shifu suggested.
Kenny's eyes widened and yelled "YES, Fu Zha, I heard the bandits talking about something about Fu Zha!"
Shifu's mind started to run rampant with theories and called for a servant to bring a large map of the surrounding providences. Once brought, the map was laid out across the table, showing well drawn descriptions of nearby regions of China, and looking over the nearby settlements and cities, one name came to match the one in Kenny's memory.
Shifu pointed at the drawn image of a city by the ocean as he explained "The city of Fu Zha: a harbor settlement that grew into a providence of its own."
Fang, looking over the map, asked "Is that where… all the adults are being taken?"
"They would be unwise to do that." Mushi commented. "Dragging along wagons of people would greatly slow them down. Bringing them to a city that distance would take a week, at best."
Looking over the map, Erdan's eyes followed a blue line that flowed from Fu Zha and throughout the countryside, including an area that sparked the teenage hero's mind. "I don't think they're taking the adults to Fu Zha by road, not for the whole trip."
"What makes think that?" Shifu questioned.
Erdan pointed his furry finger along the map as he answered "Look at this river."
"That's the Anjing River." Yingyu commented.
"But look, it runs right by the forest where-"
"Where the wolf village we were at is!" Galena interrupted, suddenly realizing Erdan's point of view.
"Right" Erdan continued. "And I'm willing to bet that what my relatives stumbled upon, and the mass-kidnapping in the Valley are connected."
"How?" Viper asked.
Erdan proceeded to explain his hypothesis. "Think about it: Mushi said that taking all those captives by road would take a long time. But you could get them to Fu Zha much quicker on a ship and with the wind and waves."
"OH!" Fang shouted in realization. "Remember what we heard from those raiders? They were planning on waiting for others to meet up with them!"
"Mushi, how far do you think they'd be by now?" Erdan asked the samurai, who was standing amongst the group.
"If they're goal is the river, they'd probably be only half way at the moment, though they're most likely avoiding the main roads, in order to prevent being discovered."
"That explains why we didn't encounter them while on our way to the Valley." Galena added in.
Shifu examined the plans before him. Piecing together a strategy was good, but the way he saw it, they were Ill staffed to undergo such a mission.
"Master Shifu" Erdan said. "If we hurry, we could rescue all the adults and bring them back home!"
A moment of silence came and went as the red panda wisely stopped and processed all this new information. At the same moment, Monkey stood up from his chair, coming to his young friend's side.
"Kid, you have- AAHHHGGG!" Monkey groaned loudly in pain.
Viper and Mantis brought their simian comrade back to his seat as he rubbed his limbs covered in bandages. With a face of regret and disappointment, Viper looked at Erdan with despair in her voice.
"Erdan, I'm sorry… but, I'm afraid the three of us are in no condition to fight, or even just to travel too far."
Understanding the odds they now faced, Erdan stood from his seat, looking at Shifu who returned the teen's determination with uncertainty. The wise old master took a good long look at his youngest student. It didn't take any form or method of mental sensing or spiritual reading to fully understand Erdan's intentions.
"I know what you intend to do." Shifu said collectively.
Erdan replied with respect yet determination in his voice. "I'm going. I'm going to free my family. Going to rescue the people of the Valley, and I'm going to bring the Shadow Claw and those raiders to justice."
"But we're severely understaffed. All of the masters are either away or too wounded to fight." Shifu protested before staring Erdan straight into the eyes. "Are you sure, you want to do this, Erdan?"
After taking a moment to compose his words, Erdan answered. "It's not about me. And it's not just about my new family. It's about upholding justice. Ever since I lost my birth parents, all I've ever wanted to do with my life, was to prevent atrocities like I survived through. I want to stand and fight for those who can't protect themselves, to not be a predator… but a protector."
Shifu sighed to himself. Deep down, he regretted allowing this disaster to befall the Valley and her citizens. But now, desperate times called for consideration of every option, even if it went against the instincts of a master.
"If you're going to rescue them, you're best chance is to reunite with Po, Tigress and Crane. If they're tracking those Shadow Claw members, it's very likely they'll end up finding the same group you'll be tailing." Shifu explained.
"Why would those creeps even steal people in the frist place? I don't get it?" Fang pondered out loud.
"Slavery" Yingyu answered regrettably.
Everybody turned towards the young noble as she further explained. "I've heard of the city of Fu Zha, from my father a few weeks ago. It's a terrible place, home to criminals and organized gangs. And, in his mission to end those slave traders, my father recently learned that a slavers guild is now in-"
"Let me guess… Fu Zha?" Erdan commented.
Yingyu nodded, as the group now fully understood the methods behind the kidnapping.
The samurai, Mushi, stepped towards Erdan, looking at the teen in the eyes. "Erdan, it's would seem that we have a common goal. You seek to free your people from the Shadow Claw. And my mission is to bring justice for their atrocities. So from hence forth, until our goals are met, you may consider me an alley. My skills… my knowledge… and my swords… are at your aid."
Erdan smiled, seeing that he's already gained a powerful alley. He then felt a tap on his shoulder, and saw Galena stand behind him. "I'm in too. My parents are now captives to those raiders, and I'll do everything I can to save them."
Sharing smiles, the two young lupines were in agreement. Yingyu stood up from her chair, and made her declaration of alliance. "Erdan, you can count on me too. My mother and baby sister are now prisoners too those monsters. And with my father bedridden…" The deer girl said with a hint of fear for her father. "I need to do what I can, in my father's stead, and protect the people whom we're honored to serve."
"Are you sure YIngyu? It will be deadly?" Erdan asked.
Suddenly, the teenage deer assaulted Erdan, engaging in close combat and managed to fight him for a moment before he faced back and she stopped. "Ever since we foiled that assassination attempt on my father, I've been learning a good deal of self-defense. Plus, I'm still just as skilled with bows and arrows."
Erdan smiled and nodded in acknowledgment. Fang, not wanting to be left out, took his turn to officially join up. "I'm going too. No way I'm missing out on a fight like this."
Taking a sigh and shake of his head, Shifu protested "Fang, its best you remain here."
"What!?" The young rabbit shouted.
"Fang this-"
"But I want to go! I want to save my parents!" Fang interrupted.
Erdan then placed his paw on his best friend's shoulder, and said "I know Fang, I know. But this is more dangerous than anything we've faced together. And you've already gotten too close to getting killed."
"Erdan… I want to help!" Fang protested again.
"I know. But these aren't dumb-headed croc bandits or simple minded criminals. These people will KILL YOU if they can. What would your parents do if you ended up dead?"
Changing his face from hyped up to bitter and angry, Fang stormed off of the table and stomped off through the barracks. Though Erdan could understand his friend's desire to fight, he knew the very real risks for someone so inexperienced.
Shifu, realizing the time they've spent planning, said "You better depart very soon, if you aim to catch them in time."
After that, the group began quick preparations for the journey. Shifu ordered some servants to pack backpacks with food and supplies, while Yingyu gathered her archery gear and Mushi packed the maps. But as Erdan was about to leave the kitchen, the voice of his teacher beckoned him to stay for a moment. "Erdan, there's something I need to show you, now." Erdan followed his master, accompanied by some palace servants to one of the storage rooms in the barracks.
"Master, what was it you need to show me?" Erdan asked, urging to depart as soon as possible.
Shifu looked up at his youngest student, now growing into a young man. The solid expression, accompanied by a serious tone in his voice, spoke volumes of legitimacy. "Erdan, you understand the great danger of what awaits you, if you go."
"Yes, I do." Erdan answered with an equal amount of seriousness.
"Well then, this is something I wish to give you." Shifu said as two palace servants carried a trunk from a storage closet. "Open it." Shifu ordered.
Erdan placed his paws on the trunk, undid the lock and pushed open the large wooden lid. Inside, was a set of attire suited to be a warrior's attire. Taking a moment to examine the outfit, the young wolf felt a building sense of joy and anticipation growing inside him.
(Fire Emblem Fates ost – "Guest of Light")
"Master… is this?" Erdan questioned.
"It was going to be a gift from all of us: Zhong, Shu, Po, the Five and even myself contributed to the making of this battle garb. It was intended to be a gift for your sixteenth birthday, but it seems that now is the time for its owner to wear it. Change into it quickly." Shifu explained.
Doing as his master told, Erdan went into a private room to change clothes. As Shifu waited, a black feathered goose rushed to the red panda's side.
"Master Shifu, I'm ready to leave." Zeng, the Jade Palace messenger said.
Before Shifu could reply, Erdan exited the room, now dressed in his new garbs. The outfit consisted of a pair of pants made of soft, yet durable material that ended with ankle wraps by the feet. In front of his legs, a decorative sash hanged, similar to the one featured on Tigress' golden robe. Erdan's sash though was a deep blue color that matched the pants, and was decorated with silver trim and the pattern of a silver dragon. An armored belt held the lower half of the uniform together, studded and fit perfectly with the teenage wolf's waist. As for the torso, not much was worn. Erdan removed any upper clothing, showing his fur and bare torso. It also showed his developing body, making his pectorals, tight stomach and strong arms visible. While unsure at first, Erdan saw this as an opportunity: if he was honest, he'd prefer to not wear any shirts or vests, being half bare as much as possible. To better fit hot weather, like the men in his birth tribe who dressed half bare too, so in a way, he could still hold on to his cultural heritage. Besides, many warriors who've built strong bodies forgo a wearing a shirt or robe, their muscles being proof of dedication and strength to others. A light, leather bound armor was worn on his torso and right shoulder, with a large strap piece that wrapped around his chest that covered his heart. And a quiver of arrows was attached to the strap on Erdan's back diagonally for his right paw to reach, accompanied with a bow of mastership craftsmanship. The weapon and its string wrapped around the leather and armored strap that covered his chest. Leather fingerless gloves were worn on Erdan's paws, to protect his palms and provide aid when aiming with a bow.
Seeing his master and Zeng after finishing changing, Erdan asked "So… how do I look?"
"Hmm…" Zeng muttered while Shifu looked and smiled. "I think the bandana doesn't go well right there." Zeng suggested.
Erdan drew his attention to his bandana, the last worldly memento of his birth mother. Taking the cloth off from his neck, the young wolf thought about how to incorporate it into the new look for himself? Remembering his past adventures, he realized there was another way to wear his decorative cloth. The same method worn by another wolf boy he knew, who was also a bandana lover. Placing it on the sandlewood floor, Erdan folded his dark red bandana into a long, rectangular shape, then wrapped it around his forehead and tied securely into a headband that wrapped around his forehead.
"How about now?" Erdan asked.
Shifu and Zeng smiled before the old master answered "Have a look yourself."
Erdan then stared at himself in a mirror the servants brought and found himself struck with amazement. In his own reflection, he was no longer a scarred young boy, but now a Kung fu warrior. His attire fitted one who fights for justice, and his almost bare torso showed strong muscles to prove his own might. With his mother's bandana on his head, it continued to serve as a reminder of his reason for choosing this life. A sense of pride and accomplishment beamed on both the student and the teacher. It seemed like just yesterday that Shifu was debating on whether to train this boy. And now, he's made him a fine young warrior, one even the most respectable of masters would want to call their apprentice.
Returning to the urgency of the mission, Shifu instructed "You have your strength and your skills, your weapons and your wits. All I ask now; is that you honor all that I've given you, Erdan."
Turning back with a smile, Erdan replied "I will, I promise."
"And a wolf always keeps his promises." Shifu quoted his young warrior.
Erdan smiled, and placed his fist against an open paw and bowed. "Thank you, my master."
Shifu did the same, expressing great respect and replied. "You're welcome… my pupil."
("Guest of Light" ends)
While Erdan was finishing his personal preparations for the coming mission, the halls of the Jade Place barracks were filled with children of varying ages, missing and wishing for the tender comfort of their mothers and the easing reassurance given by a father. Though the palace servants did their best to care and comfort, only so much could be done to distract the very young from the grim, harsh reality they live in now.
Fang walked down the hall, seeing all the other kids he's known all his life up to this day. At first upon leaving the kitchen, nothing but anger resided in his mind, grumbling and bitterly muttering to himself. But as he walked by the many kids crying and wishing for nothing more than their families to be together again, all the rabbit teen could feel was pity for them. Whether it was the goose girl who lived down the street or the goat boy who loved to play ball nearly all day, the thought dawned on Fang of the very real possibility that those carefree, joy filled days for the young ones of the Valley may in fact be gone forever now. Even children who expressed resentment for their parents shed tears, wondering if they listened and obeyed their moms and dads wouldn't be gone.
Fang walked down the hall, overhearing three boys that shared one room, cry and attempt to comfort each other. "Are… are we… gonna be… alright?" One of the pig boys asked his older brother as tears fell from his eyes.
"We're here, and the masters will take care of us." The older sibling answered.
The second little brother cried and asked "Do… you think… we'll see mom and dad… again?"
The older brother paused a moment, then replied "Y-yeah… yeah, we'll be together again soon."
"Really?" The little pig asked.
"R-really." The older brother replied, though deep down his heart spoke differently.
Fang observed the three brothers from their room's open doorway. The rabbit watched as this three huddled together, alone. Something within Fang possessed him to not speak a word, only watch and listen. Walking out into the hall again, the teen rabbit stopped, and allowed his independent mind to debate amongst itself. One course of action over another, back and forth he mentally zig-zagged through his sudden emotion driven struggle. Finally, Fang reached into his robe and pulled out the nunchucks he stole. Looking at them for a moment, he sighed before placing his weapon back into its pocket and proceeded to the barrack's exit, but right as he turned the curve, he bumped into Shifu.
"Fang, there you are, I've been looking for you." Shifu said.
But to his surprise, the rabbit stayed quiet, and stared at the old master with a face that spoke of settled conflict, and a determined resolution. Curious, Shifu raised an eyebrow as he continued. "What's the matter Fang?"
After taking a moment to think, Fang replied "Master Shifu… there's something I want to tell you, actually… I need to tell you… right now."
((()-()))
The door to one of the numerous rooms of the barracks slide open, allowing Yingyu to enter like she's done before. Around her torso was a bow and hanging from her back waist was a quiver full of arrows. By a window at the end of the personal quarters, in a bed, laid her father, Shirong. His body was still and, apart from some light breathing, almost motionless. Bandages covered his torso and arms. Walking over to his side, Yingyu stared at her father's face, eyes closed ever since that horrible night. Slowly approaching the man who helped give her life, raised her and taught all he knew, Yingyu looked at him as a few small tears escaped her eyes. Brushing her water works, she took her hooved hands and held his own hand. Silently, she reassured him that she'd do everything in her power to bring back her mother, baby sister and the innocent citizens her family swore to serve. Once finished, Yingyu took one last long look at her father's face before proceeding to leave. As much as she desired to be with him when he wakes up, even IF he awakens, Yingyu knew it wouldn't be a happy reunion unless their whole family was together again. With farewells finished, the teenage noble joined Mushi and Galena at the entrance/exit to the barracks.
At the same moment, Erdan arrived at the exit, now wearing his fresh, new warrior attire. Mushi, Galena and Yingyu all awaited with backpacks filled with food and supplies. Once within good view, everybody noticed Erdan new uniform.
"What is that you're wearing?" Galena asked.
"Master Shifu gave it to me. He figured it was time that I looked like a warrior." Erdan answered.
Mushi, examining the fine craftsmanship complimented with "Hmm… I wouldn't wear armor like that… but, it does suit you, young warrior."
Galena said "Well… it does make you look tough, which I guess is the point. But it is nice of that Shifu to give it to you."
Erdan turned towards Yingyu, who barely said anything, and simply stared at his new look. Now that his bare torso was mostly visible, the young noble had a good view of the strong, developing form Erdan had. It became to gravitating to her eyes she never heard Erdan speak to her at first.
"Yingyu, you hear me?" Erdan asked as he snapped his fingers.
The deer girl was brought out of her trance and was brought back to reality.
"I said, what do you think?" Erdan asked.
Realizing his question, Yingyu replied. "It makes you look amazing!"
"Really, you think so?" Erdan replied.
"Yeah, I mean… it's awesome!"
"Well, thanks." Erdan said back.
Galena raised an eyebrow, once again curious of the relationship those two of shared. Master Shifu arrived to see the group off, accompanied by Fang. Taking a knee, Erdan said his goodbyes to his best friend. "Well, take care of yourself Fang, and stay out of trouble, ok?"
With a roll of his eyes, Fang replied "Actually… I'm coming along."
"What!?" Erdan said in surprise.
"Shifu is letting me join the fight!" Fang proclaimed.
The red panda master then beckoned Erdan to come and hear from him. Fang told the news to the rest of the new team as Shifu explained his reasons. "I'm allowing him to accompany you."
"But why?" Erdan questioned. "You know it'll be dangerous."
"I know" Shifu whispered. "But… there's something about that young rabbit. Some kind of… fighting spirit he has. It's actually similar to what I sensed about you, when I chose to train you, Erdan."
"Are you sure about this?" Erdan asked.
"Are you?" Shifu asked himself.
A moment of thinking came and went before Erdan answered "Fang has been through tough scrapes alongside me. I'll make sure he's safe. And he's no stranger to getting in a fight."
"Yes… but, there's something else." Shifu continued.
"What master?"
The red panda scratched his chin while answering from the deepest part of his mind. "I feel that… perhaps helping to save his parents, may help Fang, in more ways than one. I don't know if it was now or earlier but… something has changed in him. And I feel that maybe this could be a risk worth taking, for his sake. He'll also have his own means of protection."
"You're positive about this?" Erdan questioned one last time.
"No… but, I'm starting to think: maybe that boy is more grown up then we think." Shifu finished.
Deciding not to argue with his master's wisdom, Erdan allowed the rabbit to join them. Fang climbed into Erdan pack, which had a small pouch fit for the rabbit to ride in next to the quiver. With their weapons and supplies ready, Shifu gave the strategy for their mission.
"Now, we've already wasted valuable time, so I'll keep this brief: The raiders are bringing our people to the city of Fu Zha, to be sold into slavery. If that happens, the Valley of Peace will indeed be lost. Your mission is to find the convoy and follow it to Fu Zha. DO NOT engage the enemy unless absolutely necessary! I'm sending Zeng out to find Po, Tigress and Crane, along with instructions to meet up with you four-"
Fang gave a fake cough, wanting to not be left out.
"FIVE of you" Shifu corrected himself. "To meet with you all in Fu Zha. Together, you'll be able to stand against the Shadow Claw and their allies. DO NOT attempt to rescue the hostages until you rendezvous with the other masters. Take care of each other, fight with honor, and aim to live, so you can see you're families when this is over. Now, save our people. Save the Valley of Peace."
With the briefing concluded, Erdan, Fang, Yingyu, Galena and Mushi set out on their mission. As they raced down the mountain and through the now empty village, Zeng, the palace messenger flew above in the high heavens, carrying a message for the other half of the heroes of the Jade Palace. Shifu watched as his youngest pupil left, embarking on his most dangerous venture yet. Kenny and James waved their goodbyes, in hopes for their father and all of the village adults. Though an ounce of fear held master Shifu, a pound of pride radiated the red panda. He took a lonely orphan boy and trained him into a fine young warrior hero. After Erdan's team, the last hope for the Valley, left visual sight, Shifu, Kenny and James returned inside the barracks to help and care for the children, as they waited for their families to return home.