The Next Day, Mid-Morning, 5 Miles Outside of The Forbidden City
In the early morning hours of the following day, the rescue party, now accompanied by a small contingent of ten soldiers led by Long Chi under orders from Xiao to provide extra security, departed from the capital, looking to reach the city of Jinzhou by late afternoon. Once their, the group would meet up with Master Shifu and the Furious Five, which had Po jumping in excitement. Casting a sideways glance to his giddy friend, Chang couldn't help but crack a small smile at the Panda's childish antics.
"Calm down, Po," he teased with a laugh, "it can't have been that long since you last saw your friends?" Po stopped momentarily looking to his friend who continued his pace ahead of the others alongside Han and the Wu Sisters.
"Buddy," Po began in a exasperated tone, "I haven't seen them since I kicked Kai's butt back to the Spirit Realm, and that was almost a year ago." Chang's eyebrows raised upon hearing this, but he still maintained his smile before wrapping his arm around Po's shoulder.
"Well then," he began to respond, "I am sure they will be just as happy to see you again after all of this time. I know I was when you arrived at the Palace." Po returned the embrace Chang had given, pulling Chang tight against his side as the two shared a brotherly laugh. However, this camaraderie seemed to confuse Long Chi, who was leading the two-by-two formation of 6 water deer and four wolves, as he had only just met the panda a few days prior.
"Excuse me Captain," Long called forward, catching his superiors attention, "but how is it you became acquainted with Dragon Master Po?" Upon hearing the question, Chang quickly remembered that Long was only eighteen, and had only been in the army for a year.
"That's right Long," Chang answered, looking back at the young tiger after pulling away from Po, "you were not part of the army at that time." Turning his attention forward as they continued to walk, Chang began to explain. "I have known Po since the Battle of Gongmen City. After Lord Shen's defeat, the Eighth was called in to help restore order and route out any stragglers from Shen's Army, where Han and I became acquainted with the 'ever charismatic Dragon Warrior.'" Po cast Chang a less-than-amused frown, earning a round of chuckles from the others, save for Ox who continued to focus all of his attention on the Wu Sister's, his distrust apparent as ever. The others, however didn't seem to notice.
"And by charismatic," Hu added in, "Chang means Po is quite the whiner." Apart from Han and Chang, a few of the more experienced soldiers in formation chuckled at what the medic was getting at, all while Po maintained his displeased expression. "I swear, I have had amputees who did not cry as much as Po when all I did was clean his wounds." Wan, upon hearing this, pressed her hand tight to her mouth to suppress her laughter, all while Wan and Su rolled their eyes, but couldn't help but smile at Po's misery. But, eventually, Su decided to relieve Po of his suffering.
"Well just so you know, Hu," she began, bringing everyone's attention to her, "some girls actually like a guy who has a sensitive side...and vice-versa." To add emphasis to her point, Su intertwined her arm with Han's leaning her head on his shoulder as they walked, resulting in Han nuzzling his cheek atop her head. The tender scene actually succeeded in lifting Po's spirits, but also reminded him of his own feelings for a certain tiger master. Ox, on the other hand, just scowled at the display, unaware that his colleague Master Croc gave a small smile along with the others in the group.
"I wouldn't actually call Po 'sensitive' in that regard, Su," Hu responded, "more like 'cry-baby.'" Save for Ox, this actually resulted in a chorus of laughter from everyone around. Even Po couldn't help but join in as he learned long ago to laugh at himself.
Huibei Volcano, Earlier That Morning
"Wakey, Wakey, Shi Long," Mu Lang cooed in a sickeningly sweet voice, causing said reptile to inwardly cringe as she was hauled to her feet by the demented wolf, who upon doing so wasted no time in pushing her captive out of her cell, flanked by two terra cotta warriors.
"Where are you taking me?" Shi Long asked worriedly, her fear growing with every second she was in this God-forsaken volcano. Mu Lang, catching on to said fear, smirked wickedly as she stepped close to Shi Log's face.
"We are going to a party," Mu Lang whispered, sending chills down Shi Long's spine, "where you will help us welcome a very special guest." Shi Long dreaded to think who this guest was. But from what she had heard from Mu Lang and Baigujing's rather loud conversations, it had something to do with a so-called "Spirit Urn."
After a few minutes of walking, Shi Long found herself once again being escorted into the main hall of the fortress, which was lined all around with what appeared to be a battalion's worth of terra cotta warriors. Unfortunately, Shi long had little time to take it in before she was roughly forced to her knees, the bare scales making contact with the hot floor thanks to the bottom half of her robe being torn away from her captors rough treatment of her.
"I am so glad you could join us child," the chillingly familiar voice mocked as Shi Long's fearful gaze fell on the bat that was a mere shadow of her true self. "You are about to witness the start of my greatest triumph. But off course, we must wait for our other guests. Mu Lang?" Turning her attention to said wolf, the bat was met with a sinister smile.
"They are on their way, master," she confirmed, baring her fangs as she grinned, "our loyal informant sent word once they departed." Baigujing chuckled evilly at this news.
"The fools," she laughed, "they should know by now to be weary of the company they keep."
City of Jinzhou, Mid-Afternoon
To the rescue parties surprise, they reached Jinzhou ahead of schedule, which meant that the sooner they met up with the Five, the sooner they could make their way to the Huibei volcano. Sending the small contingent , minus Long, to the other side of the city to establish a rendezvous point, the remainder of the party walked into a crowded market square, with many paying the newcomers no mind.
"So where are they?" Chang inquired, scanning the densely populated area before turning to Han. "You did say you sent Xinshi ahead to inform the Five of our departure?" Han merely rolled his eyes as stepped toward his captain, leaving behind Su and her sisters, who at this point where sporting their hoods in order to draw less attention to themselves, as they were still considered criminals in the eyes of the public.
"I did Chang," he said, placing a hand on the younger buck's shoulder, "and I happened to see her circling over head before we arrived, so just relax."
"Yeah ya big baby, relax," a familiar female voice sounded from above. Looking up, Han smiled while Chang rolled his eyes at their messenger hawk who was perched at the edge of a roof of a fruit cart, a smug grin on her face. Holding out his arm, Han waited for Xin to swoop down and land gracefully on the offered limb before speaking.
"Are they hear?" he inquired, eyebrows raised in curiosity.
"You would know if you turned around," a much older, gruff voice interrupted, a hint of amusement laced in it. A smile slowly crept onto Han's face as he and the group turned to meet smug smile of an elderly red panda in red robes, flanked by a crane clad in a pair of blue short and head adorned with a straw hat, a green tree viper, a golden monkey clad in brown pants, a green praying mantis, and a tiger clad in a golden hanfu with red leaf patterns and black trousers.
"Hello Shifu," Han greeted warmly, "my old friend." Shifu returned the smile, but, before anyone else the group could react, Po ran forward to envelope the group in a tight embrace, save for Shifu who stepped away just in time.
"IT'S SO GREAT TO SEE YOU GUYS!" Po exclaimed as he used his surprising strength to lift the Furious Five up and twirl them around.
"It's nice to see you too Po," Tigress responded after the excited Panda had put them down. But, as soon as she turned with the others to the rest of Po's group, Tigress froze when her eyes, now as wide as hen's eggs, laid upon a remarkable sight; a young male tiger in military garb, his blue eyes just as wide as hers when he first noticed her.
Noticing his adopted daughter's reaction, Shifu knew immediately how strange it was for Tigress to meet another tiger, especially since she had not encountered one since her parents abandoned her as an infant. Clearing his throat, Shifu succeeded in gaining the young tiger's attention.
"And what might your name be, young tiger?" he inquired with a smile, prompting the young feline to snap to attention, offering a crisp salute on response.
"Lieutenant Long Chi," Long responded before Shifu gestured for him to relax, which he did. "It is an honor, Master Shifu," Long finished before offering a small bow, which Shifu gladly returned. Unfortunately, the resident bovine of the group was getting rather antsy.
"Yes, well," Ox began impatiently, "if we have gotten all the pleasantries out of the way, we must get under way." Narrowing his eyes at the rather rude bovine, Chang found himself clenching his fists in an attempt to keep himself from delivering a right-hook to Ox's face. Han also found himself frowning at Ox, which did not go unnoticed by his lover, who at this point decided to defuse the tension.
"While I hate to admit it," she began between clenched teeth, causing everyone's attention to turn to her, "Ox is right." This certainly caught the other's by surprise. Su Wu, agreeing with Master Ox? Before anyone could even voice their amazement, Wing stepped forward, realizing what her sister was getting at.
"Every second we waste here gives Baigujing the advantage," she reasoned. After taking a moment to think it over, Chang realized the sisters were right; time was a luxury that they could not afford at the moment. Letting out a sigh, Han addressed the group.
"Alright then," he mumbled out, "let's get moving." But as the group began to move to rejoin the contingent of soldiers, Mu Lang, standing in a nearby alley, watched them depart with great interest. And just as the group was nearly out of sight, her "loyal informant" turned to briefly make eye contact with her, giving a small nod, which the wolf returned, a demented smile forming on her face as she left to inform her master.
After regrouping with the contingent at the outskirts of the city, the group began their long trek toward the Huibei Volcano, with Han sending Xinshi back to the Forbidden City with news of their progress. Even though the sinister mountain was still a good few miles away, Wan couldn't help but shudder at all the memories that came flooding back to her. But luckily, she relaxed as she felt Han place a comforting hand on her shoulder before moving on, her worries placated for the time being.
At around early evening, Han and Chang decided it was best to stop to rest for a while, against the protests of a very irritated Master Ox. Master Croc on the other hand, couldn't agree more that a rest was much needed, especially since they were barely halfway to their destination.
As Chang and Hu gathered wood and kindling to make a fire, Long stepped away with a few others to create a perimeter around the temporary camp. Eventually, Long came across the truck of tree that appeared to have been recently cut down by some log men. Take a seat, Long breathed in the crisp evening air as his gaze traveled to their destination, which filled him with unexplained dread. Hearing footsteps approaching him, Long turned in time to see Tigress offer him an apple, which he accepted with a smile.
"Thank you, Master Tigress," he said before taking a large bite out of the fruit.
"Just Tigress is fine," the female responded with a smile, taking a seat beside the younger male. They sat together in silence for about five minutes, before Tigress turned to Long with a question that had be burning in her mind since she first saw him. Unfortunately, just as she opened her mouth to speak, Long, as if he knew what she was about say, cut her off.
"No," he said abruptly, "it's just been me. I've never seen another tiger since I was a kid, when my folks died. That is until you." Upon hearing this, Tigress's ears flattened against her head as she saw Long lower his, a sorrowful expression on his face.
"I am so sorry," Tigress said, placing a hand on his shoulder. Without looking, Long reached across his chest to rest his hand on Tigress's, a small smile forming on his lips as he finally turned to meet her gaze.
"You didn't know," he said after a few moments. "Besides, I understand...to want to belong. I wanted that for so long after mom and dad died. I was ten when it happened. And I had no family or close kin in that part of the country, so I just lit on out of there. Took odd jobs in that time. But, because I was different, in other words a TIGER, I tended to outstay my welcome pretty quickly." Taking this into account, Tigress lowered her head in thought.
"I DO understand what that's like," she finally said, causing Long's ears to perk in interest. "I was abandoned as a cub at an orphanage. For years I tried to make friends, but they were all so afraid of me because of who I was. That is until..." a smile began to form on Tigress's face as she recounted the happiest moment of her childhood, "... until Shifu found me and too me to the Jade Palace...the one place I knew I could call home."
Looking behind her, Tigress smiled warmly at her friends, master and father, and the panda who had burrowed a special place in her heart. But soon, her gaze passed over Han, then Chang, then the other soldiers before it found it's way back to Long.
"And I think you have found the place you can call home." Looking back to his compatriots, Long allowed the small smile on his face to grow before he felt Tigress take her hand off of his shoulder before gently grasping his. At first taken back by the gesture, Long eventually relaxed as he returned the smile that Tigress gave him.
Meanwhile, back at the now blazing fire, Wan was distributing rations to the others as they settled around the fire. Crane flew ahead to scout the territory. Viper had draped her body over her old friend Hu's shoulders, the buck actually enjoying the weight. Monkey sat nearby with Mantis sitting on one of his shoulders, while Shifu and Croc sat on either side of Po. Wing and Su had also found a spot on either side of Han. Meanwhile, Ox leaned against nearby tree, his hateful eyes staring down the leopard siblings who didn't seem to notice or care, all while Chang stood beside Han and the two eldest sisters.
In that time, many of the soldiers in the group, after an inquiry from Wing, recounted what they did before, or what they planned to do after the army.
"Well," Hu started, "I was a doctor in my village. But when there was massive demand for medics in the army, I decided to enlist." Han, with a proud smile, spoke next.
"I'm forty-five, I'm an old man," he said with a chuckle, earning some chuckles from the group as well, "but I've been in the army since I was seventeen, known no other way of life. Leave it at that." Soon, all eyes turned to Chang, who actually seemed to shrink under the many stares.
"Come on Chang, spill it," Wing egged on, earning a round of chuckles from the others, save for Ox. Letting out a defeated sigh, Chang finally spoke.
"I've been in the army since I was thirteen," he began, causing everyone's eyes to go wide in surprise. "I started as a dispatch runner, much to my parents' displeasure. I was finally able to enlist in regular infantry when I turned seventeen. After that, I found myself traveling to many places...and can I tell something!" Even though it was rhetorical, the group simply nodded for him to continue.
"In all my life," Chang continued, "I never thought I would find such enjoyment in something as mundane as architecture. More specifically facades. Han will tell you as I told him, that when I was sent to fetch Huifang from the Plum Blossom temple, I was absolutely enamored with the design. Simple, but elegant."
"He wouldn't stop raving about it for a week," Hu chipped in, causing the other soldiers to chuckle. Rolling his eyes at Hu, Chang brushed off the interruption as he continue to speak.
"I don't intend to make the army a full-blown career," he admitted, "but when the time comes that I leave, that's what I want to do."
"If that is your destiny," Shifu added in, "then that is the path you will take." Upon hearing this, Chang smiled at Shifu, who returned the smile. At that point, Wan had finished distributing the rations, and as she went to sit with her sisters and Han, she decided to inquire tot eh older buck a question that had come to her mind.
"So Han," Wan said, "how is it you and the guys know the Furious Five? I mean, I know how you met Po, but something tells me you've known the Five for some time." Upon hearing this, Han couldn't help the teasing smile that formed on his lips.
"I should have remembered that there is no fooling you Wan," he chuckled, causing the youngest Wu Sister to blush, which was easily noticeable since she did not have her mask over her face. Chuckling a bit at the feline's reaction, Han leaned forward as he continued to speak. "Chang, Hu, and I have known the Five for quite some time. In fact, we first met them just around the time that had first come together." Po obviously liked the sound of that.
"Really?" he inquired in a high pitched voice, causing Shifu to roll his eyes at the panda's response. Han, on the other hand, found it quite humorous as he chuckled warmly at Po's reaction. Catching on to his little faux-pa, Po smiled sheepishly as he leaned in closer. "So how DID you meet?" he inquired earnestly. Upon being asked, Han's smile slowly fell into one of sorrow as he answered.
"The Battle of Weeping River." In an instant, almost every master and soldier demeanor changed to one of sorrow. All except for Long, who had rejoined the group along with Tigress, who also appeared saddened at the mention of a battle she had hoped to forget.
"I've heard of that battle before," Long said, a clear look of recollection on his face, "but I'm afraid I know very little about it." Looking to Long, Chang, who had been standing just behind Han, let out a long sigh as he closed his eyes in remembrance.
"The Battle of Weeping River was one of the army's most devastating loses," he began, crossing his arms over his chest as he spoke. "The Eighth was called in to push back hoards of invading Dzunagar forces. We underestimated the enemy's skill and were quickly overwhelmed one-thousand to one. Luckily the Five arrived and pushed the Dzungars back to some degree, allowing us ample time to retreat with our wounded and dead."
"Why bother with the wounded and dead at that point?" Ox abruptly interrupted, earning him a shocked expression from Croc and the others, and one of clear rage from Hu. But luckily, just as Hu was about to stand against the insensitive bovine, Han pressed down on his shoulder to keep him seated as he addressed Ox.
"No man left behind," he said defiantly. "While my duty is to protect China, my duty is also to protect my men." At this point, every member of the small contingent began to circle around the camp as they listened to their general.
"At every engagement I am the first person to step onto that field of battle, and I am the last one to step off. And dead or alive, we all come home together." With that said, every soldier present smiled, their chests swelling with pride at the knowledge that their general held them in such high regards. Hu himself stood to stand beside Han along with Chang and Su, sending Ox a defiant smirk as he did so. Ox's eyes seemed to soften a bit, only to harden within a second.
"You may not have that choice in the coming hours...General." And while Han hated to admit it, Ox was right.
Late into the evening, the group finally arrived at the base of the Huibei Volcano. And of course, Ox and Croc did not like the idea of scaling the mountainside again for the first time in twenty years.
"Ugh," Croc groaned, "hear we go again." Upon hearing this, the Wu Sisters sent each other knowing smirks as Wing stepped toward a nearby alcove hidden in the shadows. Watching with intrigue, the remainder of the group followed close behind. Taking a lantern from one of the soldiers, Wing continued to walk into the alcove, the light from the lantern slowly revealing the entrance to a narrow passageway. Looking back toward a wide-eyed Croc, Wing flashed a teasing smile before taking a step forward, only to be stopped by Ox.
"What makes you think we will follow you?" he asked in a low growl.
"Unless you want to fall victim to one of our old traps," Su butted in before shoving her way past the fuming Ox, "you have no choice, MASTER." Ox snorted indignantly at the disrespectful use of is title, a clear form of retaliation for his same use of Han's title as general. Before following the three sisters into the tunnel, Han ordered three of his men to stay behind with Viper, Mantis, Crane, Monkey and Shifu as a means of security. With everything in place, the remainder of the party trailed the Wu Sisters, unaware of the deadly endeavor, and utter betrayal to come.
"Master," Mu Lang called as she approached the throne in the main chamber of the fortress, bowing as soon as she reached it, "our guests have arrived." With a sickening chuckle, the demented bat turned to face her subordinate.
"Wonderful," she cackled, "give them a warm welcome and show them in."
Slowly but surely, the group made their way deeper into the dark and foreboding tunnels that lead into the fortress. Every so often, they would come to a fork in their path, which Su was able to successfully navigate. Along the way, the group would come across many of the Fortress's many aforementioned traps. Wan was actually just in time to save Hu from being sliced in half by a large blade that fell from the tunnel ceiling. So far, everything had been going according to plan, and Chang's faith and trust in the Wu Sisters was growing by the second. But, he still could not shake the feeling that something was off about a certain member of their party. But, before he could dwell too much on that aspect, he was pulled from is thoughts by Hu, only just barely being able to comprehend that the medic was speaking to him.
"What was that Hu?" the Captain inquired of the medic. Clearing his throat to speak once again, Han inclined his chin toward the youngest Wu Sister.
"I said that Wan," he began hesitantly, "she's...not so bad, I suppose." Catching onto to what Hu was implying, Chang flashed a teasing smile toward his friend.
"I think she might be a little too old for you, Hu," Chang silently teased, earning an elbow from Hu who offered a rebuttal.
"Only by three years, smart-ass." This statement actually caught Chang off guard, as he had thought Hu to be, by outward appearance, in his mid-twenties.
"You're thirty-five years old?" Chang asked incredulously, looking the buck up and down as the latter flashed a cocky smile toward his younger colleague, who merely shook his head as he focused he wide eyes forward. "You look great."
"STOP!" Su harshly whispered as she held up her hand, her wide eyes and twitching ears a clear indication that her senses had caught on to something. At this point, Tigress had caught onto it, too, with Po joining her in a defensive stance. Looking between the two felines, who were now joined in their alertness by the other two Wu Sisters, Han cautiously stepped closer to his lover as his own eyes strained to see what they were seeing.
"What is it, Su," he whispered as he looked to said leopard, who's attention suddenly focused on something ahead, or rather, someone. Following Su's gaze, Han froze when he saw the light of a wall-mounted torch dimly illuminate the form a dark-furred wolf, her orange eyes made even more terrifying by the glow of the flame. Eyes widening in realization, Long leaned toward Chang as the seven soldiers that accompanied them into the cave leveled there muskets at the wolf.
"Is that her, Captain?" Long inquired, only receiving a nod in confirmation, said Captain never once taking his narrowing eyes off of Mu Lang, whose own eyes took on a mischievous twinkle as she flashed a sultry smile.
"My, My Chang," she cooed in a sickening purr, "you certainly have grown into quite the stud, haven't you?" Chang quickly took on a look of disgust as he glared daggers at the demented wolf.
"Surrender Mu Lang!" Chang called as he stepped forward so that he was now beside Han, "You have nowhere left to run!" After a moment, Chang's skin crawled as he watched the obviously lustful wolf lick her lips.
"We shall see, Chang," Mu Lang quipped back before turning tail and running down the tunnel, her form quickly disappearing into the shadows as she did so. At that moment, Chang had to stop Long and a few of the other soldiers from charging after the retreating wolf.
"No," he said, placing a hand on Long's chest in order to keep the young tiger in place, "that's just what she wants."
"Chang's right," Po added in, "Tigress can tell you that I myself have leaped before I looked, as impossible as it may sound." Tigress merely rolled her eyes at Po's statement, the panda's ego once again coming to the forefront, as evident by his proud smile. However, there was no time for levity at the moment, as Chang very well knew. Looking to Han, the two shared a knowing look, silently agreeing on the next course of action.
"Jiang, Shibing," Chang addressed two bucks in the contingent who quickly snapped to attention, "run back to the others. We may need them for what's coming."
"Yes Sir!" both responded quickly as they turned back the way they came, leaving the remainder of the group to contemplate their next course of action.
"I don't like this place," Jiang murmured to Shibing, his deep bass voice resonating off the dimly lit walls of the tunnel as they entered a spacious anti-chamber, "Gives me the creeps." The other buck could not agree more.
"Well," the other buck began to respond, "the quicker we get moving, the quicker we can get out of hear." Suddenly, the sound of footsteps could be heard from behind them, making the two bucks do a double-take to see if they were being followed. After a few moments, the two looked nervously at each other.
"P-probably the wind just playing tricks on us," Jiang suggested, earning a nervous nod from his fellow soldier. But, just as they turned to continue on their way, the duo were suddenly met by the nightmarish sight of a terra cotta warrior, who swiftly picked Jiang up by the neck, prompting a terrified Shibing to attempt to pry his friend from the demon warriors grip.
"DROP HIM!" he shouted, only to be suddenly pulled by back by two pairs of arms. Pulling himself free, Shibing soon found himself being forced back into one of the chamber's corners, his eyes widening in horror as the stone warriors bore down on him, his screams joining Jiang's as the sound traveled to the others, who quickly rushed to their colleagues aid. Unfortunately, when they arrived in the chamber, they were met with a grisly site; Jiang and Shibing's bodies splayed out on the floor. Running to the prone bodies, Hu quickly knelt down as he checked there pulses. Letting out a sad sigh, Hu turned to the others.
"They're dead." At that moment, a sickening laugh filled the chamber as Mu Lang stepped out of the shadows, flanked on either side by a terra cotta warrior, both raising their arms as they shot a beam of dark energy from their palms, hitting a section of wall. the wall blasted apart, large fragments killing two other soldiers, one having his skull busted open and the other with a large piece of rock sticking out of his back, as Mu Lang and the two terra cotta warriors began to retreat. At that moment, a deep rage burned within Long as he and the remaining soldiers charged after Mu Lang.
"LONG WAIT!" Tigress called as the remainder of the group followed the advancing soldiers. As they rounded a corner, the group witnessed a soldier taking down by a blast of energy, his body falling like a marionette cut from it's strings. Soon, two more screams sounded from further ahead.
"WATCH OUT!" Long's voice called, followed by the sound of the last soldier being hit, a load yelp echoing through the tunnel. Then came the sound that made the group's hearts sink; the scream of a young tiger. Coming upon the area the sound came from, The Wu Sister's eyes widened as they entered the main chamber of the fortress. Sadly, the only difference to the chamber, were the two soldiers lying in a pool of their own blood. Chang's eyes widened as he, Han, Hu, and Tigress rushed toward Long, a scorched hole in his chest from where he had been blasted.
"Long," Tigress whispered as she cradled the young tiger's head in her lap as Hu rushed to tend to his injuries. Turning his head weakly to look at Chang, shakily raise his arm as he did so. Taking the hint of what the young soldier wanted, Chang took the quivering hand in both of his.
"For-forgive me," Long gasped out as his eyes began to flutter shut, "Captain." The last part was said in a whisper as Chang felt Long's hand go limp, his eyes closing for the last time.
Long Chi was dead.
Behind the group, Su was rejoined by Han, a stray tear falling down his cheek as she buried her face into his chest. Wan, at this point, was crying into Wing's shoulder, the latter struggling to keep her own tears in check. Croc was even mourning, bowing his head in respect to the young soldier who had died doing his duty. Ox, on the other hand, merely stepped past the group.
"Stupid boy," he sneered as he stepped past Chang and the others toward the alter at the head of the chamber. Looking on in shock, the group were left utterly confused as Ox bowed to one knee.
"I have brought them as you have instructed," Ox said humbly, causing everyone's eyes to widen in horror as a blue-eyed bat descended from the ceiling, "Lady Baigujing." At that moment, Mu Lang emerged from behind the stone throne, a captive Shi Long close beside her, followed closely by volumes of terra cotta warriors, who slowly encircled the remained of the rescue party. Once they were surrounded, the group turned toward the demonic bat as she chuckled evilly.
"Welcome my friends, to your doom, " the demonic bat chuckled evilly as she cast her eyes down at Ox, whose own gaze continued to remain on the hard rock floor. Spreading her wings, the demonic bat gliding toward Ox, landing on a step that left her just a head taller than him. Extending one of her wings, Baigujing gently brought Ox's face up to meet hers, a face that seemed to express satisfaction.
"You have done well, my loyal informant," she chuckled, her demented smile rivaling that of Mu Lang as the latter shoved Shi long forward, earning a grunt of discomfort from the captive lizard. Meanwhile, Ox's lips turned upward in a humble smile as he once again bowed his head toward Baigujing.
"Thank you, Lady Baigujing," he said softy, the gentle inflection a great juxtaposition to the outburst that followed from Chang, who at this point was being held back by Han and Su as he had drawn his pistol, having prepared to fire it at Ox.
"YOU TRAITOROUS BASTARD!" Chang screamed at the top of his lungs, tears of sorrow over the loss of Long now combined with fresh tears of rage streaming down his cheeks. At this point Po had pried Chang's pistol from his grip, the young buck calming down upon seeing the pleading look in his friend's eyes. Ox, upon hearing the outburst, calmly turned toward Chang, an indifferent expression on his face as he let out a snort, his nostrils flaring as he did so.
"Traitor, Captain?" Ox inquired, calmly walking back toward the group. Tigress, having gently placed Long's head on the stone floor after Hu decided nothing could be done to save the young tiger, rose to her feet with the medic, glaring daggers at Ox along with the others as the latter continued to speak. "The way I see it, you and your compatriots are the traitors. Waging war, spreading violence and destruction. And for what?" As Ox spoke, he found himself just ten feet from Chang, the young buck unable to do anything but seethe in anger.
"We fight for freedom," Han quietly growled, only to be met with a strong round of laughter from Ox, growing in volume with the sinister cackles of Baigujing and Mu Lang. The obviously mocking laughter did little to quell the groups anger as Ox calmed down enough to continue to speak.
"So freedom and peace require fear and death?" he questioned, his large smile transforming quickly into a disapproving scowl. "I hope you realize, Han, how hypocritical you sound. In your pursuit of freedom for the people of China, you subjugate your enemies in order to do so. And IN doing so, you fail to win the hearts and minds of our enemies, the true means by which peace can be attained."
"If you truly believe that Ox," Su interjected, her eyes casting a disapproving glare at Ox, "then you would know that Han is nothing like that."
"And how is that?" Ox sneered at the leopard and her sisters, who at this point where backing her.
"Because he won OUR hearts and minds," Wing answered, her head held high in confidence as she and Wan joined Su in by Han's side, the older buck giving them each a gentle smile of gratitude. Their smiles quickly fell when Ox let out a huff of amusement.
"What makes you think I give a damn about you and your sisters?" Ox replied in a harsh whisper. "Your past crimes are beyond measure. You can fight a thousand wars for China, and it will never be enough to expunge all that YOU have done."
"And what about what you have done?" Chang inquired in an equally harsh whisper. Standing to his full height, Ox let out a sad sigh as he turned toward Chang.
"What I have done," Ox began, turning his back tot the group as he went to rejoin Baigujing, "has been for the betterment of not only China, but the world." This seemed to greatly unnerve the group, as they did not like what Ox was insinuating.
"What do you mean?" Po inquired, taking a cautious step forward, only to take a step back as a terra cotta warrior leveled a spear at his neck, making the panda gulp nervously. Looking back to Po, Ox let out a sigh as he answered.
"You have heard of 'the lesser of two evils?'" Ox inquired. "Well Lady Baigujing is just that, only she is the lesser of many evils that may come." This statement did not sit well with Po and the others, who became very uneasy at what Ox was saying. However, Tigress managed to catch onto something that piqued her interest.
"That MAY come?"
"Yes," Mu Lang quickly interjected, a cruel smile still plastered on her face, "Master Ox had explained to my master that he had been having dreams...visions of many rulers seizing absolute power."
"So we made an arrangement," Baigujing interrupted, her smile ever widening. "He helps me take control of China, and I help him stop the current course of history."
"The course of history?" Chang inquired, clear confusion on his face.
"Yes," Ox began to clarify. "Many of these rulers will not exist until after our lifetime. But in theirs, the amount of blood on their hands combined will amount to millions of lost souls. That is why Lady Baigujing has agreed to help me."
"Evil serves nobody but itself." All eyes quickly turned to Shi Long, the komodo dragon now standing to almost as full of her height as her injuries, and Mu Lang will let her. "I should know." That last part was said with a venomous tone as the lizard glared daggers at her former ally who merely smirked in response. Looking to Ox, Shi Long's eyes quickly softened as she attempted to plead with the bovine master. "She is playing you for a fool, Ox," Shi Long whispered, "once she gets whats he wants, she will crush you...just as she nearly did me."
For a moment, it seemed as though Ox was contemplating what Shi Long was saying. In fact, it almost appeared as if he were really being swayed by her words. Unfortunately, it turned out to be to good to be true. Letting out a dejected sigh, Ox turned to Shi Long, a stray tear falling down his cheek as he spoke.
"I'm afraid I have already done what I must."
"Yes," Baigujing hissed out in satisfaction as she looked upon Ox, "and in doing so you shall gain what you seek. And with my renewed power, it shall come easy." This did not sit well with the others who began to shuffle their feet uncomfortably.
"I don't like the sound of that," Po mumbled to Tigress, who, at this point, had dropped her usually hardcore demeanor, her usually stoic expression changing into one of worry just as Baigujing raised her wings above her head.
"My loyal followers!" she bellowed causing several of the terra cotta warriors to turn and bow to her, "The time has come! Bring forth the Spirit Urn!" Upon hearing this, Po's eyes went wide as he saw two warriors come forward, presenting the gold decorated teal urn to their master.
"HOW?!" he practically scream, which only amused the demonic bat as she stepped toward the seemingly trivial piece of pottery.
"After the destruction of the Wellspring," Baigujing began, "the chi that flowed through it was spread to every corner of the world. But, I had learned that the power unleashed allowed the Spirit Urn to be released from it's confines within. And now..." Baigujing paused briefly to let out a cruel chuckle, "...with the Chi of the original Dragon Master, I shall achieve ultimate power!"
"I think she's going to get what she wants," Po whispered to the others, "but not in the way she wants it." With that in mind, Han and the others returned their attention on Baigujing as she reached for the Spirit Urn, slowly removing the top. As she did so, great amounts of energy slowly began to seep from the now open urn, a great, resonating thrum echoing around the chamber, joining in with the bubbling magma.
"Tell me General," Baigujing said to Han, her wings spread wide as she prepared for her return to power, "do you believe in absolute power?"
"Oh," Han began, wearily nodding his head, "I believe sister...that's why I'm staying down hear." Just moments after Han gave his answer, a great a noise filled the chamber as a great surge of energy exploding from the urn, followed by a deep, booming laugh that Po recognized all too well.
"Here he comes," Po whispered, his eyes wide in abstract horror at what he beheld next. Within seconds, the Spirit Urn was reduced to shards, resulting in a blinding light caused by the amount of chi released. Quickly regaining their sight, the infiltration team retrained their eyes on where the urn should be, only to find to their respective horror, the image of a large, red, serpentine dragon;
Former Dragon Master Jindiao.
"At last," Baigujing whispered as she began to approach Jindiao, who at this point had turned upon hearing her voice, "with your Chi I shall finally return to my rightful place in the universe." Looking hard at the small bat for a moment, Jindiao's scowl slowly began to form into a cruel smile, one that actually started to make the demonic bat feel uneasy. Soon, the chamber was filled with his booming laughter as he reached down, piking the bat up by the collar of her robes. Bringing the bat up to his face, Jindiao squinted his yellow eyes at her, eyes that soon began to glow an unearthly jade green. After another moment, Jindiao began to laugh evilly at the now terrified bat.
"You?" he inquired mockingly. "Why, you barely have the power to take my chi." At that moment, Han and the other's could see that the terra cotta warriors were distracted by the exchange going on. Even Mu Lang was distracted, her orange eyes wide in concern as she saw her master dangling from the claws of the being that was meant to restore her power. Taking advantage of this distraction, Shi Long managed to run toward the others, letting out a sigh of relief as she found herself in Han's embrace. Looking down at the tear filled eyes of the lizard in his arms, Han offered as comforting a smile as he could.
"We're going to get you out hear and back to Huifang...alright?" Even though her body was shuttering from the emotional strain she was under, Shi long returned the smile as Han began to undo the ropes that bound her wrists behind her back.
"NO!" The groups attention was suddenly brought back toward the exchange that was happening at the altar as Baigujing's eyes widened in terror, which gave Shi Long a strong feeling of deja-vu. "YOU WERE TO GIVE ME YOUR CHI! YOU WERE TO RESTORE MY POWER!" Once again, Jindiao's booming laugh filled the chamber as he brought Baigujing closer to his face.
"Well then you thought wrong, didn't you?" He mockingly inquired, squinting his eyes once again. "besides, I have see the chi in you, and I must say it looks..." Jindiao paused as he hungrily licked his lips, "...delectable." What happened next made every living thing the chamber shudder; Jindiao, with a deep inhale, began to extract the chi from within Baigujing. But not just the chi, but also her life force as well. Within seconds, Baigujing's small body began to shrivel up as she appeared to age centuries in an instant. Before long, she was a husk of what she initially was, her pale eyes rolled back into her head as Jindiao relished the feeling her chi gave him.
"Yessss," he hissed in satisfaction, "Truly delectable." Staring at the body that hanged from his claws, Jindiao merely snorted in boredom as he discarded the remains into the magma beside him, the shriveled body vanishing instantly in a puff of smoke and ash. Turning back to the altar, Jindiao looked down to see the trembling form of Mu-Lang. "And what might your name be, my dear?" he inquired in a sickeningly sweet voice. Quickly falling to her knees, Mu Lang answered.
"I am Mu Lang," she said in a trembling voice, "y-your humble servant." Upon hearing this, Jindiao smiled a broad smile as he used one of his large claws to bring Mu Lang's head up to meet his gaze. After taking a moment to look over the wolf, the dragon let out a hum of content.
"You will do," he said, only for his attention to suddenly be brought to the bovine standing nearby, a look of abstract horror on his face. "Ah," he breathed out in recollection, "Master Ox. How the mighty have fallen. But I suppose your intentions were honorable, even if they amounted to nothing in the end." At that moment, Ox found he couldn't breath, as if an invisible force was wrapped around his neck, cutting off his air supply.
"We need to do something," Croc whispered to the others, unwilling to let his old friend die, even if he had betrayed them.
"There's nothing we can do," Han responded with a sad sigh.
"That's what you think," Po added with a wicked smile. Before anyone could stop him, Po launched a massive blast of chi toward Jindiao, effectively knocking the massive dragon back against the altar wall. Stunned at first, Jindiao quickly regained his bearings as he quickly began to search for the source of the blast. And when he found it, a wicked smile formed on his lips.
"Dragon Master Po," the dragon growled, never once losing his sinister smile, even as Po stared him down, "it has been along time, old friend."
"It certainly has, gerbil breath," Po growled back, a small smile of his own forming at the teasing reference to when Jindiao took over the body of a lowly vulture. Upon hearing this, Jindiao's smirk turned into a deep frown as he looked to the terra cotta warriors now under his command.
"KILL THEM!" All at once, the terra cotta warriors advanced on the group, spears at the ready. Soon it was an all out brawl as the rescue party began to fight their way past several of the clay warriors. But luckily, they quickly learned an easy trick that gave them an advantage;
If you can't get them in the magma, aim for the head.
Tigress, leaping into the air, managed a dual split kick, effectively shattering two heads, rendering the demons within unable to properly use their earthly "bodies." Po, upon seeing this, smiled like a love struck idiot at Tigress, whose eyes widened upon seeing another warrior approach Po from behind.
"PO!" However, even after all these years, Tigress still underestimated her friend who, without breaking his attention on her, quickly dispatched the warrior by bringing his fist up in a powerful punch, the warrior quickly falling to it's knees before fully toppling over. At this point, Tigress found herself smiling at her friend, if not significantly less idiotically.
Meanwhile, while Shi Long was being covered with their bodies, Han, Chang and Hu, their pistols drawn, each fired at a several warriors, their musket balls managing to shatter the heads of not just one, but several warriors who were unwise to find themselves behind the first. After firing their single shots, each buck drew the swords or daggers they kept on their hips, driving them into any terra cotta warrior that came near them. Unfortunately, with each warrior they took down, more seemed to take their place. Looking toward the surprisingly calm Wu sisters, Hu and Chang could not believe they were just standing there, either yawning or flicking dirt from under their claws.
"YOU'RE FREE TO HELP ANY TIME!" Hu bellowed as he once again drove his dagger into the head of another warrior. Looking to the three leopards, Han allowed a sly smile to form on his lips as he made eye contact with Su, who returned the smile.
"What do you say Su?" he inquired as Su and her sisters stepped forward, the eldest sister, upon reaching Han's side pulled him into a quick, but passionate kiss before answering.
"I'd say what took you so long to ask?" Squaring her sights on the warriors now surrounding them, Su flexed her fingers, her sharps claws popping, her sisters quickly following suit, followed by the three wrapping their tails together. Upon seeing this, Po, Croc, and a recovering Ox's eyes widened at what was about to happen, one in glee, and the other two in horrific deja-vu, respectively.
"You might want to get down," Han told the others who, although confused, quickly complied, for after just one word from Su, all hell broke loose.
"Sisters." In an instant, the Wu Sisters became an unstoppable whirlwind of power as they pulled off their signature move; The Wu-Vortex. Within minutes, a majority of the terra cotta warriors in the chamber were reduced to nothing but shards. But the sisters were far from done. Redirecting their attack, they used all their power to charge toward a stunned Jindiao, who, while being unable to stop the sudden attack, found himself once again flung against the stone altar, effectively disorienting him. Taking advantage of this moment, Han called to the others.
"RETREAT!" And retreat they did, but not before the three sisters stepped toward a stunned Ox.
"You're coming with us," snarled Wing before delivering a savage kick to the bovine's head, effectively knocking him out cold. Grabbing hold of the unconscious master, the sisters quickly followed behind the others, leaving behind a cowering Mu Lang as she hid behind the stone altar during the Wu's attack. Once she was certain the danger had past, the trembling wolf, slowly emerged from her hiding spot. Looking around, the she-wolf marveled at the destruction accomplished by just three former criminals. However, she could not marvel for too long, for she was pulled from her thoughts by a groaning Jindiao. Rushing quickly to her new master's side, Mu Lang began to check to make sure he wasn't too hurt.
"Master Jindiao," she whispered tentatively, only to fall back on her tail as the dragon suddenly lunged at her.
"READY THE REMAINDER OF OUR FORCES!" He bellowed, "WE MARCH FOR THE FORBIDDEN CITY AT DAYBREAK!" Looking toward the direction in which his enemies escaped, Jindiao seethed as he continued to speak in a low voice. "Let the fall of their capital show the people what real power is."
Shifu and the others were quite surprised when they saw only Han, Chang, Hu, Po, Tigress, and the Wu Sisters carrying an unconscious Ox. Slithering forward, Viper approached Han, a sad look in her eyes as she could see the defeated look in his, as he knew what she was going to ask;
Long Chi and the others.
Clenching his eyes shut, Han silently shook his head as a stray tear fell from his eye at the realization that, dead or alive, not all of his men would be coming home. Upon seeing this, Chang placed a comforting hand on his general's shoulder, a gesture gladly received while the remaining three soldiers bowed their heads in remembrance of their fallen comrades. However, the attention quickly shifted to the elephant, or rather, Ox in the room.
"What's happened to master Ox?" Crane inquired, stepping toward the unconscious master, only to be halted by Su who held her hand up.
"Wing knocked him out," Han seethed in a pained whisper, causing every one's eyes to turn toward said leopard.
"Why would you do that?" Shifu asked incredulously, an irked expression his face. Maybe they couldn't trust the Wu Sister's after all.
"Because Ox sided with Baigujing." All eyes were now on a seemingly calm Chang, with those of the remaining soldiers, Shifu and the rest of the Five wide as dinner plates as Chang sat Han down on a nearby rock. "She promised him that he could change the course of history, to stop future tyrants he had seen in visions from killing millions if he agreed to help her." Letting out a sigh, Chang realized he had to tell the others the new threat they now faced.
"Unfortunately, she is the least of our worries now."
"Why do you say that?" Mantis inquired from his perch on Monkey's shoulder. Taking a seat beside Han, Chang reluctantly answered as he looked to the others.
"Because Baigujing is dead...Murdered...by Jindiao." Upon hearing this, Shifu's eyes looked like they were about to pop out of his skull.
"Po," he said in a shocked whisper, "I thought you said you and your students defeated Jindiao with the Spirit Urn."
"We did," Po replied with a sad sigh, "but after the Empress destroyed the Red Jade attained by Baigujing, the Spirit Urn somehow managed to find it's way from the Wellspring back to the mortal realm...that's when SHE found it."
"She thought she could use it to steal Jindiao's chi and regain her power," Shi Long interrupted, "but she didn't account for the fact that Jindiao would be too powerful for her to achieve this."
"Now Jindiao is back," Tigress added in, "and now that he has Baigujing's army under his command, he will stop at nothing to exact his revenge." At that moment, Han had recomposed himself to the point that he felt he could join in with this conversation.
"Jindiao will want an audience for his revenge," he said calmly, Su quickly rushing to his side as he spoke, "He will no doubt target the Forbidden City. Which means everyone their is at risk. CRANE!" Looking to the spindly avian who promptly stood to attention, Han began to relay instructions. "Find Xinshi. The two of you will fly ahead and warn Xiao of what is coming. Along the way, pass word to every settlement from hear to the Capital; ALL-CITIZENS-ARE TO BE-EVACUATED. Understood!"
"Yes General!" Crane promptly responded as he quickly took flight back toward Jinzhou. However, a thought quickly crossed Hu's mind at what Han had just said.
"Sir," he said as he stepped toward Han.
"Yes Hu, what is it?" Han inquired, taking in the uneasy look on his medic's face.
"My village will be right in the path of Jindiao's forces. Please, may I run ahead to personally oversee the evacuation?" Seeing the overall determination in Hu's eyes, Han found he couldn't deny him this request.
"Very well old friend," Han responded with a smile as he placed on hand on Hu's shoulder. "But, Wan will be going with you for...protection." Upon hearing this, Chang, along with Wing, began to snicker as Hu began to blush, the same could be said for Wan, whose mask had be lost in the scuffle in the fortress. Sending Chang a menacing glare, Hu became even more flustered when he saw Han send a wink toward him and Wan as they went ahead of the others. Once they were well out of earshot, Su whispered to Han,
"You're terrible."
"And you love that about me," he responded with a sly smile, a smile that soon feel when he laid eyes of Ox. "Right," he growled, "let's get this TRAITOR back to the capital. And with that, Ox was hoisted up on a makeshift stretcher as the remainder of the soldiers and Croc began to carry him back in the direction of the Forbidden City, followed closely behind by Chang, the Five, Shifu and Po. Looking back to see Su helping a struggling Shi Long to her feet, Han couldn't help but smile warmly at the lizard who had stolen his nieces heart.
"Here," he said as he stepped toward Shi Long, who at this point was crying tears of pain. Much to the reptiles surprise, Han proceeded to pick her up bridal style before he and Su began to catch up with the others. At this point, the physically and emotionally exhausted Shi Long began to nod off, smiling softly at what Han whispered to her before she succumbed to sleep.
"Let's get you home."
