[Author's Notes]
The Mountain of Misery is no more thanks to me folding on the plot… But this story will be taking its place.
Hello and welcome to the teaser chapter for my latest story, "The Mandate of Heaven" which will be sprouting its wings and flying for the very first time today! I've been planning this on and off for the past few months and I think I'm ready to finally begin writing chapters to fit the awesomeness of the plot!
To ensure a smoother reading experience for those who come later down the line, I will be leaving author's notes at the beginning of fresh chapters, then deleting them after I release the chapter afterwards… I'll also be keeping author's notes to the start of chapters to avoid filling up both sides of the document with unnecessary text.
To add some context. This is merely a teaser and will not follow traditionally consistent pacing, it's almost like a trailer for a movie in a sense… It's my first time writing something like this and it's mainly to build up hype for the first *real* chapter I plan on releasing in a few days time. - This is also my vision for a potential Kung Fu Panda 4 and I definitely look forward to hopping on the bandwagon when it comes to that department!
Seriously, though… With all of this speculation surrounding Kung Fu Panda 4, I'd rather just write my own and with several months of consideration, I've decided to do exactly that!
Alright, alright… I can see your eyes already scraping across the page. I'll stop rambling and let you dive into the teaser for this story I plan on developing! - Without further ado, Dashishen proudly presents to you…
The Mandate of Heaven - Teaser - The Throne's Claimant…
The Valley of Peace… Oh, what a deceptive name.
Throughout history, the Valley of Peace has endured an immeasurable amount of hardship. The mere name itself is nothing more than a shameless hyperbole thrown around by its founder, Master Oogway, to represent his newfound peaceful ambitions… But as the fight with Kai would dictate, he was never someone who strictly adhered to the practises and promises offered by peace.
Peace was an illusion, which was one of the untold secrets Master Oogway had been sitting on ever since he ascended to the Spirit Realm. If peace wasn't a mere mirage, then why would Master Oogway suddenly feel the need to fulfil the prophecy and declare a Dragon Warrior to thwart an incoming wave of destruction and anarchy? Why would a place such as the Valley of Peace require a fighting team as mighty and as fierce as the Furious Five whilst the Dragon Warrior sat at the helm of all conflict?
It was meagre marketing at best. The Jade Palace may have birthed plenty of wisdom, but it was not the hub of every single epiphany experienced throughout the world, let alone China. The Jade Palace may grip onto a seemingly impossible amount of regional power, let alone the dominance it held over parts of the fracturing Song dynasty, but it was not invincible… And these cracks inside of the armour were subtly beginning to show.
Po, the Dragon Warrior beloved by all, may have shown people the true potential of unity through Chi and belief in positivity... But minds were destined to differ with his views and his opinion. It was soon discovered that Chi was not the marvel that it was claimed to be if it was used for strictly peaceful purposes and it could in fact be used as a deadly weapon, a weapon that soon enlightened the minds of those who had ever doubted Kai.
Sure, one could apply the philosophy of taking more and having less… Yet in this case, you would gain more if you chose to steal instead of defending the resources that were at threat. A rift of rampage had been forming between the masters of the Jade Palace and the general populace of the Jade Palace, unfortunately, the Jade Palace wasn't the only victim of this scrutiny… All kung-fu temples were at the mercy of the criticism that came from the very people they protected.
Many people were throwing the same questions in the air, questions that couldn't be answered as easily as many of the masters of these temples wish they could or else it would damage the power they hold over their land as well as their people. It may have been a greedy act to take hold of their people and hold them hostage, but without people believing in them… They were just some glorified soldiers who could swing their fists instead of their axes, spears, bows and arrows.
One of these massive questions being thrown into the air was in regards to the incoming horde of the north. China had been thrown into disarray ever since the tyrannical warlord of the Asian Steppe waged war against both of the Song's client states and this is where most of the resources of the Emperor were going towards. Western Xia and Liao, two states that had submitted to the lordship of the Song emperor shortly before they were attacked by a force only known as the "Great Northern Horde".
The people wished to have answers, and on this evening filled with a sunset that turned the sky pink and a wind that sent a chill up everyone's spines, they marched up to the Jade Palace to demand answers. Whilst their demands were being beamed into the gates as their voices filled with disappointment, impatience and rage bounced back at them, the Furious Five and Po were contemplating what would come next.
Po had been handling the stress of being the Grandmaster of the Jade Palace very well, he had stepped into his noble shoes and he wished to serve the people for as long as possible... Although the demands of the people were beginning to become harder and harder to answer to. As the banging of hooves rang across the courtyard of the Jade Palace, Po and Tigress broke away from their private kissing session inside of the Grandmaster's quarters and breathed an audible groan.
"Again? This is the third time this week!" Tigress's ears twitched with every single slam of the hooves that seeped into the Jade Palace. "Seriously, what do these people want from us? We can't do anything about China slowly collapsing unless we wish to leave them unprotected!" Tigress cracked her neck and performed a few stretches as Po lifted himself to his feet, armed himself with his jade yin-yang staff, his robe and his straw hat and marched out into the Hall of Heroes.
"I don't think they're here to ask about China. I think they're here to ask about us… I can already hear the word 'useless' being thrown around!" Po's jade orbs somehow managed to create a warming environment for Tigress to confide within almost every single time her worries boiled over. "I just hope the Furious Five aren't too disturbed by it all… You know, the rest of the Furious Five, considering you were up there kissing me- I still can't believe we're dating, Tigress!"
"And I still can't believe you're fanboying over me… I guess some things do refuse to change and that happens to include how innocent, precious and childish you are," Tigress quipped back, shooting a wink into Po's unexpecting eyes as they opened up the gates and began to climb down the stairs that would lead into the Jade Palace courtyard. "I guess I did fall for your childish side, after all," Tigress persisted with her flirting as their paws parted way in preparation for an earful from the Furious Five.
Unfortunately, the Furious Five had taken a turn for the worse ever since the defeat of Kai. With the power of Chi, the majority of the Furious Five were deceived into believing they were invincible and untouchable… They were quite literally the cause of friction that plagued the majority of the complaints the people had for Po and Tigress. The only warrior who had a change of heart that affected them positively was Viper, who started recently sewing together outfits for masters across China with nothing but the knowledge of her tail and the patience Po had taught her ever since he became the Grandmaster of the Jade Palace and taught her the true meaning behind Inner Peace.
Speaking of Inner Peace, Po saw it as a blessing and a curse. Part of him was blessed that Tigress hadn't experienced Inner Peace as he knew it could change people but he also cursed the fact that despite all of the training sessions with her, training sessions that resulted in her confessing to him no less, she was unable to attain Inner Peace. As Master Tigress put it herself, it felt like something was blocking her ability to attain it.
After noticing nobody outside but Viper, Tigress called her over as her hanfu flapped with the wind to ask about the ongoing chaos.
"Viper! Where are the rest of the Furious Five?" Tigress broke away from Po as he marched over to the gate to open it up and tend to the needs of the people. "They should be here by now! What's happened to this palace?"
"Part of me convinces me it's because Master Shifu left to go on his much-needed retirement but part of me also convinces me it's the whole 'invincible' attitude the boys have developed… They all think they're-"
"Untouchable and have been for several months now because Po guided them towards Inner Peace. How can one be content with oneself whilst also turning to the opioid that is arrogance?" Tigress sighed whilst Viper was practically pleading with her own teal eyes for her to show some optimism. "Can you at least tell me where they are?"
"Monkey's on his fourth date of the week, Mantis is too incapacitated thanks to alcohol poisoning and Crane has been away for a week to tend to 'Mei Ling's wants and needs' - Whatever that means…"
"So, you're telling me Monkey's too busy trying to get with the ladies of the valley, Mantis is too irresponsible to do anything but drink and Crane is off presumably showing off another form of his beak to a mountain cat somewhere in a dance academy? Great. We're hopeless, absolutely hopeless!" Tigress's panic was truly beginning to set in as Viper slithered forward to discuss things with Po.
"How are you holding up, Dragon Warrior, is everything okay?" Viper's sweet voice was enough to alleviate any tension from Po's mind, albeit briefly.
"I'm holding up pretty well, Vip… But I feel really bad for Tigress. She hasn't attained Inner Peace yet and she's been dealing with this alongside me for three or so months. I'm okay with dealing with all of this because I like to listen to those who I care about and protect but Tigress's ears are probably on the verge of melting from all of the stress… And the presence of the Dragon Warrior can only do so much to calm her," Po's ears fell as he slid open the gates to greet the panicked horde of villagers. "Hello, can I help you?" Po's own mind was beginning to race as he swore these villagers were screaming insults at him a minute prior.
"Son!" Mr Ping marched through the crowd. "Get… Out of my way!" He honked at the villagers, who were preparing to trample his small form.
"And get out of mine, too!" Li Shan started blasting through the crowd as he lifted up Ping and slid through the courtyard gates with style. "Hey, son! We've got a bit of a situation!"
"What's the situation, dad- dads? Are you okay with spilling the beans?" Po gazed into the ageing eyes of his father as he panted thanks to the hike he took up the stairs.
"Phew! Panda asthma… How do you walk up those stairs on a regular basis?" Li Shan wheezed as he finally got to his feet. "Right. Master Storming Ox is here from Gongmen City and he does not look happy at all, that's why the villagers are in a bit of a panic. They've heard the rumours that Lord Shen's body was never recovered despite the fact they previously thought it had been found and buried where the Tower of the Sacred Flame once stood!" Li Shan confessed as one of the honks from another goose rattled Po's ears.
"Why can't we use Lord Shen's cannons to protect ourselves against the Northern Horde?" The words from that very same goose seared the heart of the Dragon Warrior as Master Storming Ox could be seen approaching the horizon of the steps with a deep scowl on his face as the villagers ceased their shouting and allowed the great master to pass by.
"You!" Master Storming Ox pointed his hoof forward whilst his personal bodyguards made sure the villagers gave him enough space to do anything. "How did the secret escape the gates of Gongmen City? China is at the whim of fate itself, Master Shifu has entered retirement and the Emperor is too busy dying on the battlefield with the Northern Horde alongside the finest army in China… All to defend Western Xia, too!" Storming Ox barged through the gates of the palace and demanded they be shut with a single gesture with his hands. "How are we supposed to defend ourselves if our people are beginning to turn against kung-fu and wish to take up arms in the form of the very thing that endangered the whole of China?" Storming Ox's rage-fueled rambling was quelled when his rhetorics turned into a question that yielded no answer.
"Woah- woah- woah! Back up a moment! Who is the leader behind his Northern Horde and why is he waging war against China? Why is the Emperor himself fighting against his forces and why are you accusing the Jade Palace of letting a secret slip when we didn't know about that ourselves?" Po threw his paws into the air to defend his innocence as Master Storming Ox raised an eyebrow.
"You're telling me… You're not the source of the leak?" Storming Ox huffed before clearing his throat. "THEN WHO IS?" His brittle temper favoured no one as he almost blew the Dragon Warrior off his feet.
"Master Storming Ox. We are a palace built upon the foundation of peace, honesty and humility. The last thing we would do is mishandle such crucial information. Someone or something is surely behind this and I wouldn't be surprised considering the rampant pace of all of the raids we've had to deal with alongside the protests! Since when did people think arrogantly handling issues without thinking about them first was the best solution to the problems we're experiencing?" Tigress growled underneath her breath, it was clear she was becoming irritated regarding the fact she hadn't attained Inner Peace unlike the rest of the Furious Five and she was even more agitated by the fact these protestors were interrupting her unwinding time with the Dragon Warrior.
"The reason I'm coming to you is because after a year of indecision, nobody can place the crown Lord Shen bore on someone else's head… This is without brushing over the fact he left no official successor behind other than Wolf Boss, and he was declared dead at the scene!" Storming Ox's bodyguards opened up the gates and began to shoo away the people by issuing incoherent demands and raising their axes. It wasn't the most pleasing peacekeeping method but it would suffice. "You don't realise this, you bumbling idiot..." Storming Ox sliced through Po's soul with his firework-inspired glare. "But you're the only figure of authority the people of China are willing to listen to. The government has been declared incompetent, the army is too busy fighting and many other temples have already crumbled to the will of the people and their students of kung-fu have been left to fight for themselves… Either confiding within their other talents or by joining the Imperial Army to wage one last war before their names are inevitably etched into gravestones!" Storming Ox's expression went from confidently filled with the rage of a thousand suns to being as crestfallen as the impending doom China was about to experience.
"Hold on… So you're telling me kung-fu academy's and temples are being closed all across China, the Emperor is waging a war with his imperial guard against a foe we know very little about… The people doubt the legitimacy of the Chinese government and are wishing to rebel in the hopes of creating something functional before we're invaded and that the body of Lord Shen wasn't recovered?" Tigress stepped forward and drilled a hole into Storming Ox's confidence with her burning orange orbs. "And this is without mentioning the fact half of the Furious Five is crippled because they've fallen to their own selfish interests whilst myself and the Dragon Warrior struggle to hold our sanity together as our relationship faces an unrelenting amount of hatred because we're 'defying' the 'sacred laws' of kung-fu by having relations with one another..." Tigress's calm anger managed to intimidate the wartorn master alongside Viper's precious soul and wrestled with Po's own acceptance of his joyous existence.
"Surely it isn't that bad, right?" Po nervously clung onto his staff whilst Storming Ox glared down at him and sighed. "If it wasn't that bad you… Wouldn't be here, would you?"
"I am gravely concerned as to the whereabouts of Lord Shen's body. The only thing left behind was a piece of his robe that was found to be ripped off after your final confrontation on the warship. No other trace of his existence was found. His feathered blades had gone missing, his guandao never resurfaced and all of the feathers he had dropped seemingly disappeared alongside the explosion," Storming Ox's patience suddenly mustered the strength to continue its existence without him lighting the fuse that was destined to make him blow… Until Po tried to calm everyone down using a joke.
"Perhaps there's a chance the explosion cooked him, kind of like how the Emperor sometimes sacrifices the life of a Turkey and that's why we couldn't find him?" Po's comment was met with a slight snicker from Tigress, who had become adjusted to his humour but Storming Ox shot a look that questioned his intelligence alongside his right to be the Dragon Warrior which even made Po himself shudder.
"If he was 'cooked' like you dictate in your great theory, we still would've found his body, even if it were reduced to ashes. We found absolutely nothing… It also gets worse," Storming Ox reached into the back pocket of his combat shorts and pulled out a blue-sealed scroll.
"How can it get worse than this?" Viper sputtered as her own anxiousness was beginning to eat away at her usually tame and open mind. Storming Ox merely grunted as he threw open the elaborately sealed scroll and began reading it out to Po and his family alongside Tigress and Viper.
"The azure sky is already dead, the blissful blue sky of eternity will soon rise. When the year marks its final last moon, there will be prosperity under heaven. The Mandate of Heaven shall soon be mine, for a foreign ruler to crush China will bring peace, responsibility and divinity in due time. Know your history or be subjected to the cruel will of fate, for if you fall into the clutches of repetition, you will drown within your sorrow and never find the strength to escape."
Nightfall - China - Manchu Mountains - Liao Province…
Amongst the densely packed fog of the highest mountains of Manchuria, with Chinese influence absent like a vortex created from a tremendous tornado, sat a lair lit by blue-flamed torches that lit up the mouth of a dragon alongside its soulless eyes. Snowflakes served as a sneaky disguise for this ancient lair for the burning flames contained within the eyes of the dragon refused to bend to the will of the wind.
The gem-covered mouth of the lair roared like the defiant dragon it was carved under, the nose of the dragon combined with the elaborately etched mouth created a merciless howl that would persist regardless of whether or not it was bathed in sunlight or moonlight. The moss contained around the teeth that dripped thanks to the condensation of the air rumbled like the thunder above as a singular lightning bolt struck the head of the dragon, alerting those inhabiting the mountain-concealed cave.
"I see the storm is ripe… Alongside the time and success of my most recent campaigns against China, I'm blissfully hoping my messengers don't ruin the purity of this moment," A figure bearing deathly electric-blue eyes sipped from his goblet as he passed off his drink to his assistant, who wandered by one of his burning blue torches to reveal herself to be a slender deer dressed in a red, gold and blue robe as she wandered off to the well to fetch this figure his drink. "I would prefer it if I received my beverage once I am still of youth!" He called out, leaning forward as he slammed his paw into his throne. His paw was as white as the falling snowflakes below as a stray gust of wind provoked one of the flames from his torch, briefly causing it to flicker thanks to the generous amount of air it was receiving as it lit up his entire body.
Sitting within the comfort of his throne, bearing nothing but a white robe and a crown crafted out of the finest cyan sapphire that could be traded around the world, was an arctic fox wearing an arrogant expression. His body was lit up with a few more flickers, which revealed that his eyes could contend with the brightness of the blue flames his torches generated. His fur was silky smooth and seemed as if it had never gone a day without being washed as he thrust his right paw into the throne, causing part of his room to rattle as his assistant ran back in with a fresh goblet filled with water.
"And where is my messenger? He should be here by now," And like the snap of his fingers, a black raven bearing turquoise eyes shot into the room and bowed before this mysterious fox.
"I have arrived with your message, Lord Xiuru"
"You still need to get with the program, it's Emperor Xiuru now that I am confident we shall win this war against the fracturing government of China," Xiuru lifted himself from his seat and slowly stepped down the four steps that elevated his throne above everything else in his room. He had taken inspiration from Lord Shen by having his throne centralised as perfectly crafted pillars supported the vast room he spent most of his days inside. The eager fox snatched the scroll from the raven's hands, skimmed the pages and then smiled as he used a flame from one of his nearby torches to light the scroll on fire.
He guided the smoke generated by the fire around the room as he created his own vortex, when the scroll had almost burnt up, he released it into the air as a scene appeared before him, his assistant and his messenger. Instinctively, his messenger called for the generals as they rushed into the room to witness Xiuru's masterpiece unfold. His paws glowed the same electric blue as his eyes as the smoke went from disorganised to suddenly morphing into a scene before his eyes. It bore great resemblance to the magic used by the soothsayer, except it was controlled with pure Chi and force of will instead of some fireworks and creative air tricks.
"So, the whispers released into the ears belonging to the Song dynasty of China have finally spread to the Jade Palace after all of this time… Civil unrest is growing and people are starting to turn against their faithful protectors in the search of something renewed and mechanical as opposed to something they must appease. They believe Lord Shen's body was never recovered and they are convinced the cannon invented by the tyrannical peacock himself happens to be the answer for their problems," Xiuru used his mental energy to develop a scene that was similar to Storming Ox rushing up to the Jade Palace bearing the blue-sealed scroll as his shouting and his pacing echoed throughout the room like a ghostly melody. "Ah, the Chinese populace has always been so ignorant against authority if they see something that seemingly places a dent in the armour of that authority… I never knew whispers would take this long to travel through their realm, although I will give them credit for hosting a massive amount of the human population whilst having all of it be in control of it in Shanghai," Xiuru cackled as he watched Storming Ox's smokey shadow reveal the scroll with the calligraphy Xiuru had inscribed into the paper flashing against the ceiling of the room. "I believe I have made my intentions as clear as the sunset that fell over us on this night. I see no reason to delay the inevitable. We shall evacuate the lair tonight and I shall enter frontline action for the first time in half a year… That foolish Emperor is challenging me with his own men, it's about time I slay him and claim the true Mandate of Heaven," Xiuru concluded his speech by blowing into the smoke that had previously been controlled by him as it regained its autonomy and lost its teal colour, being reduced to its grey form as it flowed into the air and disappeared.
"Are you absolutely sure you wish to campaign against the Song so early? We've only just gained a foothold on Liao and Western Xia is holding out strong. Are you sure we can confront someone as mighty as the Dragon Warrior?" An emerald-eyed yak questioned Xiuru's judgement as they made their way to the exit of the lair, approaching the moonlight lip of the entrance as snowflakes rushed against their fur.
"Why are we still frightened of the Dragon Warrior again? It's not like he's currently succeeding in calming his people," A female panther with amethyst eyes challenged the point of the emerald-eyed yak as they stared up through the wind and towards the swiftly fading moonlight, a distant flash of lightning being sighted as its distant rumbles resonated against the entrance of the moss-coated dragon.
"He is failing half of the people he has under his command. One of them is a drunkard, the other two are too consumed with their ambitions to fulfil their own wishes of glory with the women of China… That tiger, she is completely unaware as to the true nature of why she is unable to attain Inner Peace. Usually, people learn about their history and thus they are able to attain peace of mind within accepting their existence, yet I believe it is almost impossible for that feline to know about the attacks I orchestrated against her homeland. If she is too consumed by her ambition to attain Inner Peace, she will only find solstice once she reaches the Spirit Realm," Xiuru grabbed his staff, which was coloured the same blue as his eyes as the tip of the staff contained nothing but a crystal horse-head etched into the sapphire stone. "I have trekked into the deserts of Arabia on horseback, I have personally visited the pyramids of Egypt whilst riding a rickshaw. I have penetrated through the Urals whilst using nothing but a bow and arrow and I have caught sight of Moscow whilst I drink my Airag and consume Buuz. I have pushed as far as my homeland up north in the Siberian snow armed with nothing but my staff, my willpower and my supplies. I have invaded Korea and subjugated parts of Japan whilst introducing them to the Gereg… I have plundered India of its riches and I have burned down trees bearing fruit as well as families whilst bearing nothing but my combat experience whilst campaigning through Siam..." Xiuru looked up towards both of his generals and stood high atop a jagged rock whilst pointing his staff forward into the night.
"Metal has been bent using my bare paws, I have crafted the finest of wooden cylinders with nothing but my confidence whilst leaving no splinters behind. I have created a cannon that doesn't require three men to haul them, to add onto this… Even a woman can take up arms of this new weapon like they can a broadsword or a spear," Xiuru manifested more blue-coated smoke as the flickering of lightning raced through the sky and crept towards his location. His manifestation showed a live view of the Chinese forces being pinned up against archers on horseback as they tested out their new weapons.
"RETREAT, RETREAT! THEY HAVE CANNONS THEY CAN CARRY ON HORSEBACK, RETREAT!" A chant of ghostly Chinese generals waved up their hands as an army was portrayed using the smoke as they retreated against the incoming hordes of archers bearing a weapon similar to a primal form of a musket. Xiuru soon clamped down his paws and the vision disappeared from sight.
"The Chinese… Ah, they assume they are so innovative because they manifested the idea first. Unfortunately, you cannot have innovation if you stagnate as a culture or as a country. Lord Shen may have invented the cannon, but I am the inventor of the Eyun Wuqi," Xiuru's generals stepped up onto his rock to share some of his glory as he shot his staff into the air, backflipped and caught it whilst landing on the edge of the rock. "All of that controversy surrounding one peacock, all of that selfish ignorance as they refused to draw their attention to their northern neighbours until time had eclipsed their preparation window. The whispers I released into the general populace regarding Lord Shen, they were all true… It's been confirmed by myself personally that Lord Shen never perished on that night. Yet, these people will hear about the whereabouts of his body yet will never ponder the possibility of him being alive… If he weren't alive to this day, my inventions would not be possible, but my advancements into their homeland was a simple firework fired by destiny. Weaponry coaxes the foolish into battle whilst I use weaponry as a guide, not a crutch… Unlike Lord Shen, my cup has a bottom, and I will reach the bottom of mine once I claim the Mandate of Heaven..." A gigantic rip of thunder pushed aside clouds as a rift to the heavens themself opened up above Xiuru. Lightning surrounded the mountain before it struck his place, slightly shocking his generals as they were thrown to the side. However, after Xiuru's speech in front of them, amethyst eyes in the form of the female panda met the emerald eyes of the male yak as they made a joint realisation…
Xiuru was gone.
Your adventure awaits…