Chapter 12-Fight and Escape
Disclaimer: Okay, I admit. I do, oh so badly, want to own Mulan but I don't. Reality bites...
A/N: I apologize again for the goof I did in the last chapter. And thank you to everyone who reviewed my story. I really appreciate it!
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As Shang and Mulan were escaping, Loong Fai hadn't escaped from Lady Mai Lin. Refusing to get on the horse she was given, she'd insisted on riding with Loong Fai. He had grown weary of the older woman's incessant chatter. Right now, she was asleep with her head on his back and arms around his waist.
Yao and Ling snickered while Chien Po couldn't help but smile. "She is fond of you, Captain Loong." "Yeah! What a ladies man!" Fai scowled as they roared with laughter. He was worried enough about Mulan and his best friend. While he didn't love Mulan the way Shang did, he admired her as a friend, a comrade.
They reached the abandoned campsite. Loong Fai dismounted, easing Mai Lin off his back. Shang wasn't around much to Fai's discomfort. Noticing the black stallion, he walked towards Khan. "Khan followed Shang when we left. Why's he back...?" Spying a piece of paper tied to Khan's neck, he untied it. The Gang of Three gathered around to look. It was a crudely drawn map showing a trail. Fai turned the paper over and read the message.
Fai,
The trail led to a large mansion. I'll find my way in. The map will lead you to it.
Shang.
Narrowing his eyes, Loong Fai barked out his orders. "Five of you stay behind with Lady Mai Lin. The rest follow us." A soldier carried Lady Mai Lin off Fai's horse. He mounted quickly and galloped off. "Don't worry. Mulan and Shang can take care of themselves." Reminded Ling. Fai dug his heels into the horse's side, making it go faster. Ming Kei, he knew, wasn't that easy to deal with.
**********
Moving silently, Mulan and Shang tried to make their way out without being seen. It was difficult as Ming Kei had posted guards throughout the entire mansion. Several times they were nearly caught. Thanks to Mushu, they hid quickly enough.
They reached a side door. This is it; we're out of here, thought Mulan as they ran out the door. However, their luck had run out. Approximately 15 men awaited them outside. Ming Kei grinned evilly as he watched from the side. After Shang wounded a guard, he tossed Mulan a sword. The two fought bravely. As swords clanged and flashed, Mushu did his part by breathing fire into the guards' faces. "Barbecue time!"
They'd underestimated Ming Kei's knowledge of what had happened in the dungeons. Knowing the 'demon' was a trick, he'd waited with his guards outside a side exit he knew they would come out from. What Ming Kei hadn't counted on was that together, Shang and Mulan had a pretty big chance of staying alive. Not to mention the mysterious first-degree burns that kept appearing on his men's faces.
The fighting raged on. Both Mulan and Shang grew tired. Mulan especially, after such a long time in the cold cell. She was exhausted. Ming Kei seeing his chance, took a sword from one of his fallen men. He grabbed Mulan from behind and held the sword to her neck. "Li Shang! Stop or your precious Mulan will never breathe again!" Taken by surprised, she dropped her sword.
Shang froze. Ming Kei told the remaining guards to back off. Tense and frightened for Mulan, Shang turned to face Ming Kei and spoke in a low tone. "Ming Kei, this is between you and me. Mulan had nothing to do with anything. Let her go." Ming Kei gave him a crazed grin. He twirled the cold point of his sword slowly at her neck, almost puncturing her skin. Mulan knew if she made a single move, she would die.
"Do you know why I hate you, Li Shang?" Shang stayed silent, trying not to look intimidated. "It was because of my father, your godfather. Every time, it was Li Shang this, Li Shang that! It drove me insane! He often told me I was a born failure compared to you and my brothers! Every night he prayed I wasn't his son!" Ming Kei gritted his teeth at the painful memories.
"I tried everything to please him. But he was NEVER satisfied. So, I decided I wouldn't take this humiliation any longer. I crept into his study and you know what I did?"
"I KILLED HIM! I strangled him with my own bare hands!" He laughed out loud. Mulan felt like cold water had been thrown down her back. She looked desperately at Shang. His own eyes reflected her fear.
"Then I planned all this. The empress couldn't resist me! She helped me plunder the treasury." His face turned angry. "Now, I will get rid of the last thing in my way. YOU!" He grazed Mulan's neck with the point. She cried out in pain as blood flowed from her neck. "MULAN!" Shang rushed forward to help her but Ming Kei had already gone at him with the sword.
From the ground and through half closed eyes, Mulan watched them fight, both of them mad enough to kill each other. She tried to call out, to make them stop but her voice wouldn't come out. She was losing too much blood and felt too weak. Her last view of Shang before she fell into darkness was him defending himself with his sword. Mushu who was by her side, sent a silent prayer to the Fa ancestors, begging them to keep her alive.
Shang fought like he had never fought before. He was angry. Angry that Ming Kei had dared to hurt Mulan, that he had dared to murder Shang's godfather. Shang was as good as Ming Kei, if not better but his wounded leg and diminished strength failed him as Ming Kei cut his hand. Shang's sword clattered to the ground with him. Ming Kei stepped over him, smiling evilly.
"You see, father! All you said were lies!" he yelled to the sky. "I AM the best! I always will be!" Turning to Shang, he rose the sword aiming at Shang's chest. "Goodbye, Li Shang." Bracing himself for the pain, Shang saw instead another sword dive above his chest, stopping Ming Kei. Help had arrived. "What took you so long?!" yelled Shang. "YOUR MAP!" replied Fai as he and the Gang of Three brought Ming Kei to his knees in defeat. The other soldiers made short work of the remaining guards.
They had finally won. But when Shang looked to his right, he saw an unconscious Mulan. A cry of despair escaped his lips.
Disclaimer: Okay, I admit. I do, oh so badly, want to own Mulan but I don't. Reality bites...
A/N: I apologize again for the goof I did in the last chapter. And thank you to everyone who reviewed my story. I really appreciate it!
************************************************************************
As Shang and Mulan were escaping, Loong Fai hadn't escaped from Lady Mai Lin. Refusing to get on the horse she was given, she'd insisted on riding with Loong Fai. He had grown weary of the older woman's incessant chatter. Right now, she was asleep with her head on his back and arms around his waist.
Yao and Ling snickered while Chien Po couldn't help but smile. "She is fond of you, Captain Loong." "Yeah! What a ladies man!" Fai scowled as they roared with laughter. He was worried enough about Mulan and his best friend. While he didn't love Mulan the way Shang did, he admired her as a friend, a comrade.
They reached the abandoned campsite. Loong Fai dismounted, easing Mai Lin off his back. Shang wasn't around much to Fai's discomfort. Noticing the black stallion, he walked towards Khan. "Khan followed Shang when we left. Why's he back...?" Spying a piece of paper tied to Khan's neck, he untied it. The Gang of Three gathered around to look. It was a crudely drawn map showing a trail. Fai turned the paper over and read the message.
Fai,
The trail led to a large mansion. I'll find my way in. The map will lead you to it.
Shang.
Narrowing his eyes, Loong Fai barked out his orders. "Five of you stay behind with Lady Mai Lin. The rest follow us." A soldier carried Lady Mai Lin off Fai's horse. He mounted quickly and galloped off. "Don't worry. Mulan and Shang can take care of themselves." Reminded Ling. Fai dug his heels into the horse's side, making it go faster. Ming Kei, he knew, wasn't that easy to deal with.
**********
Moving silently, Mulan and Shang tried to make their way out without being seen. It was difficult as Ming Kei had posted guards throughout the entire mansion. Several times they were nearly caught. Thanks to Mushu, they hid quickly enough.
They reached a side door. This is it; we're out of here, thought Mulan as they ran out the door. However, their luck had run out. Approximately 15 men awaited them outside. Ming Kei grinned evilly as he watched from the side. After Shang wounded a guard, he tossed Mulan a sword. The two fought bravely. As swords clanged and flashed, Mushu did his part by breathing fire into the guards' faces. "Barbecue time!"
They'd underestimated Ming Kei's knowledge of what had happened in the dungeons. Knowing the 'demon' was a trick, he'd waited with his guards outside a side exit he knew they would come out from. What Ming Kei hadn't counted on was that together, Shang and Mulan had a pretty big chance of staying alive. Not to mention the mysterious first-degree burns that kept appearing on his men's faces.
The fighting raged on. Both Mulan and Shang grew tired. Mulan especially, after such a long time in the cold cell. She was exhausted. Ming Kei seeing his chance, took a sword from one of his fallen men. He grabbed Mulan from behind and held the sword to her neck. "Li Shang! Stop or your precious Mulan will never breathe again!" Taken by surprised, she dropped her sword.
Shang froze. Ming Kei told the remaining guards to back off. Tense and frightened for Mulan, Shang turned to face Ming Kei and spoke in a low tone. "Ming Kei, this is between you and me. Mulan had nothing to do with anything. Let her go." Ming Kei gave him a crazed grin. He twirled the cold point of his sword slowly at her neck, almost puncturing her skin. Mulan knew if she made a single move, she would die.
"Do you know why I hate you, Li Shang?" Shang stayed silent, trying not to look intimidated. "It was because of my father, your godfather. Every time, it was Li Shang this, Li Shang that! It drove me insane! He often told me I was a born failure compared to you and my brothers! Every night he prayed I wasn't his son!" Ming Kei gritted his teeth at the painful memories.
"I tried everything to please him. But he was NEVER satisfied. So, I decided I wouldn't take this humiliation any longer. I crept into his study and you know what I did?"
"I KILLED HIM! I strangled him with my own bare hands!" He laughed out loud. Mulan felt like cold water had been thrown down her back. She looked desperately at Shang. His own eyes reflected her fear.
"Then I planned all this. The empress couldn't resist me! She helped me plunder the treasury." His face turned angry. "Now, I will get rid of the last thing in my way. YOU!" He grazed Mulan's neck with the point. She cried out in pain as blood flowed from her neck. "MULAN!" Shang rushed forward to help her but Ming Kei had already gone at him with the sword.
From the ground and through half closed eyes, Mulan watched them fight, both of them mad enough to kill each other. She tried to call out, to make them stop but her voice wouldn't come out. She was losing too much blood and felt too weak. Her last view of Shang before she fell into darkness was him defending himself with his sword. Mushu who was by her side, sent a silent prayer to the Fa ancestors, begging them to keep her alive.
Shang fought like he had never fought before. He was angry. Angry that Ming Kei had dared to hurt Mulan, that he had dared to murder Shang's godfather. Shang was as good as Ming Kei, if not better but his wounded leg and diminished strength failed him as Ming Kei cut his hand. Shang's sword clattered to the ground with him. Ming Kei stepped over him, smiling evilly.
"You see, father! All you said were lies!" he yelled to the sky. "I AM the best! I always will be!" Turning to Shang, he rose the sword aiming at Shang's chest. "Goodbye, Li Shang." Bracing himself for the pain, Shang saw instead another sword dive above his chest, stopping Ming Kei. Help had arrived. "What took you so long?!" yelled Shang. "YOUR MAP!" replied Fai as he and the Gang of Three brought Ming Kei to his knees in defeat. The other soldiers made short work of the remaining guards.
They had finally won. But when Shang looked to his right, he saw an unconscious Mulan. A cry of despair escaped his lips.