A/N: The agony of battle scenes over, I can finally prioritize on the aftermath of the duel. Characterizing the rest of Team CRDL is gonna be tricky, so expect them to be a bit OOC. Oh, by the way, Astray-Tech, my fellow Shadow Fight junkie, if you're reading this, then see if the name of this chapter rings a bell. Good luck buddy.
Chapter 6: Perfect Fusion
P.O.V: Xhang
He went back up the stage to salvage what remained of his torn armor. His pulling it off midway during his duel had bent them to the point that they were ultimately unusable. Going back down the steps, he made his way towards his teammates, doing his best to ignore the stares.
Ever since his fight with Pyrhha, the entire school had eyes for Xhang as he came and went. Everywhere he looked, students left and right would stare back at him. Not like the death glares from earlier this morning, and more like wary, tense stares. Like they were waiting for something to happen. It was unnerving. And quite uncomfortable. Xhang isn't against attention (although he prefers to be not noticed), but having an entire school stare at him like that is starting to make him a bit antsy.
He finally reached his team. Russel, Dove and Sky too were staring. But not with the apprehensive energy the others radiated. Dove and Russel's eyes were as large as saucers, and they were slack jawed to the point that they might as well have fallen through the floor beneath them. Sky was a little more composed. He studied Xhang with a fixed gaze. The Executioner leaned against a wall, the handle covered in dents, and the flanges bent and torn. The red crystal in the mace's core was shattered, its brilliant glow reduced to a dim luminous glow. A knot of guilt formed within the pit of Xhang's stomach. Shadow fighters valued their weapons, treating them as extensions of their own being (funny, because the natives of Remnant do likewise), so to see the Executioner in such a state was saddening. He will find a way to repair it, no doubt. Perhaps even improve it a bit. Xhang already had an idea in mind…
Anyway, back to more prosaic matters.
Before he could say anything, Sky speaks up. "You alright, boss? You took a hell of a beatdown there."
Huh. I literally defeat Pyrhha in a duel everyone thought I had no chance of winning, and this is my second's first sentence? Okay…
"I'll be alright, I guess. Pyrhha was… something alright," Xhang replies calmly. And yes, that was true. This was Xhang's first fight with a Remnantian, and a pretty experienced one at that. Pyrhha's fighting style was unique, beyond anything he's ever seen before. And Xhang had thought he'd seen it all. Here comes Pyrhha, proving him wrong.
"Yeah, right, that. About that…" Sky's voice trails off, suspicion settling into his body language as he narrows his eyes at him. He internally gulped.
"DUUUUDE!", Russel suddenly butts into the conversation with "What the actual hell was that?! You were like –" and begins to perform somewhat half-assed versions of the moves Xhang had executed during the final half of the duel, with some added sound effects to go along with it, Xhang stifling a laugh when he lands on his face when he tried to do Ape Rampage's 4th hit. Shooting back up to his feet, he continues with, "-and all that shit! You were so fast we could barely even see you!"
"Yeah Cardin, like, jeez. Cartwheels, backflips, and don't get me started on those kicks!" Dove says, sidling next to Russel. "You were, like, all over the place! What the hell man, you never told us you could do that! And another thing! You. Beat. Pyrhha. Pyrhha freaking Nikos! The Invincible Girl! Who the hell even does that?!"
"He's right, you know," Sky says, frowning. "You never once mentioned that you were that good at hand-to-hand combat. True, we only ever see you using your mace, but you never made it clear you were good at fighting barebones, let alone fighting in general. No offense, by the way."
Xhang shrugged. "None taken."
"Still, my point still stands. And to top it off, what was that white glow you kept doing when you still had your armor on? Don't give me that look, you know the one. If I were anyone else, I'd have dismissed it for a Semblance… If it weren't for the fact that at the very beginning of the school year, you told us you NEVER discovered your Semblance. Care to explain, Cardin?" Sky's stare was so deep, Xhang swore he could be boring holes into his soul. It didn't help at all that Dove and Russel were doing the same thing.
Xhang was becoming conflicted. On one hand, he knew that he couldn't tell them what was really going on. He had only just woken up to this new world about all of a few hours or so, inside the body of probably the most unpopular student of Beacon Academy. To start attracting even more attention to himself was not something the shadow fighter had in mind when he first realized his predicament. He had planned on going through his new life as quietly and as unassumingly as possible. And most of all, would his teammates even believe him? He was more afraid of them admitting him to a mental asylum than them realizing that a soul from a desolated world is now inhabiting the body of their not-so-beloved leader. He just couldn't have that.
But on the other hand, he had promised to them before that he'd tell them about what's wrong with him. Besides, he didn't like lying to friends. True true, he only knew them for a few hours, and although he couldn't access those specific memories, he knew they were also part of Cardin's terror regime, but during those few hours with them, he found them to be actually likable, nice people. He didn't need to be a genius to know Cardin had pressured them to do what he did. Additionally, they were onto him anyway, and sooner or later, they'll realize that this is not the Cardin they know. And… there's something else too… nagging at the back of his mind ever since he woke up inside Cardin's body. A tiny little voice that seems to speak to him in a subtle yet obvious manner. It was there, but it was so dim, it felt like it wasn't. But he felt it all the same. It was compelling him. To do what? Well, that was anyone's guess.
Sighing, he quietly accepted the fact that even if he were to be reincarnated into another world in another person's body and carrying that person's name, attention, intrigue, and sheer dumb luck will follow like a lost gosling. At the very least, at least he can trust these people not to blow his cover to smithereens.
After a very dramatic 2 minutes of tense silence, he finally broke the silence between him and his crew. "Not here. Somewhere isolated, where no one can hear us. Preferably our dorms, after class."
They collectively narrowed their eyes.
"Guys," he exasperatedly breaths out. "Please. Not here. If I'm going to talk about it, it has to be you guys, and you guys only. You are the only ones I can trust myself to talk to about… well, you know. And besides, we got ears listening in as I speak. Look around."
They do. And yes, he was right. There were people everywhere, and that's not even an exaggeration. This is a very big school, and a very large school means a very large amount of students. And they were listening in. They tried to make it subtle, but Xhang spent his entire life looking out for things that were out of the ordinary. He knew eavesdroppers when he saw them. And by the Elders, there were so many of them.
Then, the three musketeers (he snorted inwardly) reluctantly nod their heads, muttering under their breath but nothing beyond that. Dove then speaks up, "Alright, alright. We'll take your word for it, Cardin. But when we get down to it, we want you to tell us honestly. No dilly dally, no nothing. Straight to the point. Got it?"
Xhang managed a wry smile. "Straight to the point. I can do that."
The rest of combat class went by quickly for Team CRDL. They didn't have much to say, as they had decided to resolve their little issue later tonight, when things are quiet and when no one's gonna try to listen in. If Xhang was going to reveal his secret to them, he had to make sure the only ones who knew him for who he truly is are the people standing by him. No one else. It's gonna be one hell of a night already when he has to convince them that he isn't Cardin anymore, so if anyone else knew of it or had listened in, then it's going to be one hell of a disaster.
Anyway, the last duel- Jaune against Blake- came to a close with Blake patting Jaune on the back as they both leave the arena. Up above, the screens blared:
Jaune Arc: 19%
Blake Belladonna: 67%
A close one, but no dice. Not to take anything away from the poor blonde, he did a stellar job going on the defensive. Xhang made a note of his weapon, Crocea Mors, an arming sword and mechashift sheath-shield duo that he wielded with particularly impressive finesse. Plus, the weapon itself was quite impressive. A mix between a One Handed Sword and a Flail and Shield. He made a mental note to list down any and all mechashift weapons he encounters.
His eyes were on Blake the most though. Her fighting style leaned more on evasive maneuvers and swift, speedy strikes. The moment she stepped lankily onto the arena, he knew immediately she definitely fit the Herald aesthetic. She just practically screams Herald! From her dark clothing, to the way she carries herself, to the way she fights. Evasive? Check. Attacking when the chance shows itself? Check. A Semblance that can confuse an opponent to give her an opening to attack? Very, very Herald.
Her weapon, however, caught his attention the most. Gambol Shroud, a triple changing mechashift weapon that can turn into a pistol, a katana, and a kusarigama. A curious combination, but it certainly fits her, and the Herald aesthetic she's got going.
That aside, he had noticed something about her. Every so often, the little black bow that adorned the top of her head would twitch slightly. Sometimes it would droop a tad, and other times it would shoot upwards. It was not very easy to see, really. A blink and you'll miss it moment. Was she a Faunus? Probably. Why she's concealing whatever's under that bow, he wasn't quite sure. Probably to evade discrimination. Or was it something else..?
He was too busy pondering about stuff that he didn't notice that classes have officially ended for the day, until Sky nudged him in the shoulder.
"Boss, classes are over."
"Wh-wha- oh. So they are." Xhang quickly tucked away his mental notes for now. He'll attend to them later. He turned to his second in command. "Sorry, I kinda spaced out there for a second."
"Not hard to see why. You were probably thinking about a lot of things to be deep enough in thought that you weren't able to notice Team JNPR and RWBY giving you the evil eye."
"Okay then- wait what?"
Sky subtly pointed his chin to the right. Following that direction, he immediately regretted asking.
They were all glaring at him, anger coming down in waves around them as they stared daggers at him. An orange haired girl whispered something to a guy wearing green clothing that had a striking resemblance to Dynast clothes. The guy shook his head at her, causing her shoulders to droop in disappointment. Xhang remembered her as Nora Valkryie, Team JNPR's hyper active demolitions expert, and loved talking about breaking legs in combat. Xhang's had his fair share of broken thighs and femurs, but he imagined the carrot-haired bomber had a little something more… brutal in mind. He shuddered at the thought.
Most curious was Pyrhha. She wasn't glaring like the rest. Instead, she was looking at him with a curious gaze. She was still reeling from her defeat, but her mind was more preoccupied with Cardin's peculiar demeanor shift. Most especially his last words to her before he left. He acknowledged her with a nod, and turned to his team.
"Let's get going. I really don't like getting stared at, you know?"
Dove looked over at the two teams, then said, "Good idea. If they're pissy at you, then they're also pissy at us too. Let's book it. Come on, Russ." He reached over and yanked Russel by the mohawk, with the poor guy yelping in protest as they made their way out of the auditorium, with Xhang and Sky following after.
"You know guys, tell you what? Before we head to our dorm, let's make a break for the cafeteria and get a quick dinner in. I. Am. Starving."
They squinted at him. But before they could open their mouths, a loud rumble resonated from within Xhang's stomach. They all go quiet for a moment, staring at him with a blank expression, with Xhang returning the favor. After an awkward silence that seemed to stretch on for ages…
"Sweet mercy, Cardin, you really are hungry. You sounded like an Ursa that hadn't had red meat in two weeks and just discovered a fresh stash of it only to realize it had been poisoned and it just took a bite out of it and fucking died," Russel quips. At that, Xhang bursts into raucous laughter, with Dove, Sky and Russel following suit. They were laughing so hard tears were streaming down their cheeks, trying their best to stop, but only further worsening it. Multiple students give them weird glances beside their glares as the team laugh on. Finally, the mirthful gaggle's laughs dissipate as they wipe away tears from their eyes. As they do so, Xhang realizes something. He turns to Russel.
"Russel, that was oddly specific, man. Where'd that come from?" He asks his mohawk haired comrade.
Sky and Dove turned their heads at him as well.
A bead of sweat pooled on the edge of Russel's chin as he nervously scratched the back of his head. "Uh…"
They arrive at the cafeteria, looking at Russel like had just murdered someone and was calmly narrating the experience.
"Damn Russ, that was stone cold," Xhang finally spoke after listening to Russel's account.
"What? The damn thing had already destroyed two houses, one silo, half a bar, and eaten two people in a full week! The son of a bitch had it coming, lemme tell you that," Russel retorts, grabbing plates from the counter and frisbee throwing them at his teammates, who barely had time to catch them (Except Xhang, who was looking for an empty table and had his back turned, but had raised his hand above his head to catch the incoming projectile).
"But still, that was just… brutal," Sky mutters.
"I will digress though. That was gutsy. Stupid, risky, but gutsy," Xhang admitted, patting Russel on the shoulder, adding, "You gotta show us some of your tricks, Russ. With a game hunter of your calibre, I can rest assure that whenever I get stuck in a forest for any reason whatsoever, I won't ever go hungry."
At that, Russel grinned like a madman. "Sure! I can show you the ropes when we got time." He leaned in to whisper. "Won't be my fault if y'all get poisoned 'cause you ate the wrong mushroom."
Sky and Dove turned and spoke simultaneously. "We heard that."
Xhang handed his plate over to Sky. "Get that stuffed for me, will you? I'll find us a spot."
He turned and began to search for an empty, isolated spot for his team to eat. He tried his best to keep a safe distance though. Too close, and anyone already sitting down would start glaring. And they were glaring. He tried his best to avoid the occasional glances, but that was easier said than done. He spent 5 minutes trying to look for a viable spot, and was starting to become uncomfortable.
"Boy," he muttered to himself. "How hard is it for someone to look for a spot in the middle of a-"
Someone who was apparently walking way too fast than what safety required collided against his shoulder. The resulting impact caused the other person to yelp(it sounded like a girl's voice) and throw their dinner into the air as they fell. Xhang barely budged, but the moment he saw the airborne plate, and its contents, his reflexes went into overdrive. Spinning, he thrust his left arm out to grab the person by the hand before she could hit the ground. His other arm acted on its own and caught the platter on the bottom, before proceeding to catch the rest. A plate, its contents, a glass of water (he moved his arm around to stop the water from hitting the ground, pouring back into the glass) and some silverware land back in their respective places, and with that, Xhang shifts his weight forward, bringing the person he just saved back to their feet.
"Jeez, buddy," Xhang remarked, chuckling. "You'd think a little caution would seriously hurt-"
His mouth immediately clams up when he turns to face the same rabbit girl from this morning, still rubbing her head, her ears pointing downward. Upon hearing his voice, she turns to look at him, and in an instant, her expression changes from a grimace of pain to an expression of pure horror. She steps back, arms waving frantically as if it could do her any good.
"No, please! Don't hurt me!" She yelps, terror lacing her voice as she tries to take a step back, but slips and hits the ground in the process. She curls up, covering her face, still begging for dear life.
Xhang watched the poor girl continue to do what she did, terrified beyond belief as she braced for the seemingly inevitable. As he did, he felt himself shatter into a million pieces.
By the Elders… Cardin, what have you done..?
He looked around himself. Students were watching, waiting, anticipating. They were awaiting the one thing they all expected would normally happen. After all, a heartless fucker like Cardin wouldn't hesitate either. Nearby, he spotted the sunglasses wearing girl vaulting over tables, heading over to their general direction, with her teammates following suit. Nearby, he saw Dove, Sky and Russel stare back at him, wide eyed, Dove mouthing "get out of there!" frantically. He then looked back down at the rabbit girl, still crouched over, peeking through her fingers, her eyes wide with fear.
Time seemed to slow around them. She waited, anticipating the harsh grip of Cardin's hand wrapping around her ears, pulling them so hard they might as well have ripped away…
…No.
His left hand wrapped around her shoulder as gently as possible. Carefully, he began to lift her up to her feet, exercising caution as he did. After a tense twelve seconds, she was fully back up, her hands slowly retracting from her face as she watched on, fear still evident, but a hint of surprise mixed with it. Then, he hands her her plate, the contents relatively intact despite the fall.
Not like this. I can't.
Out of the corner of his eye, sunglasses and her teammates stop dead in their tracks, shock taking over them as they watch the spectacle unfold.
I don't want her to suffer like I did.
His attention back on rabbit girl, her body language was still tense, waiting. But her eyes and expression betrayed her surprise.
I don't want to project my anguish onto someone else.
Taking a step back, he shakes his head, pain engulfing him. He was getting dangerously close to tearing up on the spot. "You should go be with your team," he speaks up, his voice nearly breaking. He turns on his heel and dashes away, towards his team.
As he did, he could faintly hear a voice in his head. A motherly one. One that haunted him no matter how much he willed not to hear it. One that tore slivers out of him whenever he would hear it.
Don't listen to them, sweetie.
Sky closes the door to their room behind them as he watches his leader collapse on his bed wordlessly, his face a blank slate. Ever since the drama at tue cafeteria, he had eaten his food in complete silence. Not a word. His eyes were distant and unseeing, staring into the distance as his mind drifted away from his head. Dove and Russel settle down on their beds, watching him with a healthy amount of concern.
They all knew this was the part where Xhang spilled the beans, but after what happened back there, they were unsure if they should remind him of it given his state.
But then, Xhang speaks out of the blue. "I suppose this is the part where I explain myself, yeah?" Even his voice sounded empty. Broken.
Sky frowned. "You don't have to, you know. I mean, just saying, but you look like shit at the moment."
"Nah, it's fine, no worries."
"Well I am, man," Dove piped up. "We all know you owe us an explanation, but I don't think now's the time."
Xhang looks up, his face still devoid of emotion. "Dove, look. I understand your concern, really, I do. But there's no point hiding it anymore. Not from you guys."
Sky looked at the others, Xhang's teammates exchanging some worried looks. Looking towards Xhang, Russel asks, "This doesn't leave the room, right?"
Xhang nods weakly. They needn't hear more. Sky walks over to the windows and slams them shut, locking them tight and setting the curtains down. Russel and Dove search the room for any bugs that might have been planted inside their room (Xhang was about to question it when he remembered that Dove was very paranoid), found none, and then walk over to Xhang's bed, sitting down on the floor next to him, with Sky following by and leaning against the wall closest to their leader's bed.
After settling in, they nod at Xhang to begin.
Xhang inhaled sharply, then letting it out in a deep exhale. "Alright then."
Sitting up on his bed, he begins. "What if I told you I'm not who you think I am?"
The full version would take ages, so he decided to give them the abridged version. Shorter, but at least the important details were included. Titan's defeat, Shadow's beloved wife dying at the hands of Shadow Energy, the formation of the Legion, the formation of the Dynasty, and the sudden introduction of the Heralds. The tense peace that would follow, only to collapse at the hands of the Legion declaring war against Dynasty. He spoke of the long, all out war that would last for months, and how Shadow usurped control over the Legion and led them on a full blown one sided massacre, wiping both the Dynasty and Heralds out of existence, leaving only a vast swath of ruins known as the Wasteland. He spoke of those ten long, bleak years under the oppression of the Legion, whose influence stretched as far as the eye could see.
His teammates listened quietly, watching as their leader talk on. As expected, they were skeptical, their eyes reflecting their disbelief. He didn't blame them. It isn't everyday that you hear someone talk about being from another plane of existence. Still, they didn't interrupt, allowing Xhang to speak his piece. They owed him that much anyway.
But it didn't come as a surprise that when he stopped to get a glass of water, Russel finally said, "Damn Cardin, d'ya hit your head really hard? 'Cause I think you need some serious help." Dove nodded in agreement.
"I kinda expected that," Xhang said as he quickly downed his glass. "I didn't think you'd believe it the first time anyway."
"As unbelievable as it may seem, it does hold some merit," Sky commented, catching the other three off guard. "Wait, what?! Sky, you don't actually believe this bullshit, do you?!" Dove sputtered.
"Wait, you actually believe me?" Xhang asked in surprise. Okay, this was not what he was expecting. But if he learned anything about his comrades, its that Sky is the most analytical person in this room, taking everything he hears with a grain of salt, but has a broader mind that allows him to put two and two together.
"I mean, it makes sense, really. For starters, have any of you noticed that Cardin of all people woke up much earlier than all of us?" He asked.
"… well, yeah, but it's not that unusual. He's done it before."
"Once, Dove. Once. Now, besides that, how about the way he acted today. Russel, how would you describe Cardin?"
Russel pondered the question for a moment. "A heartless, selfish, cold hearted sonofabitch. Sorry by the way, boss, just being honest."
Xhang waved his hand dismissively. "None taken, Russ."
"Now, was he like that today?," Sky asked Dove.
"…Well, not that, I'll admit," Dove conceded.
Sky wasn't done, though. "And one last thing. The duel with Pyrhha? Cardin said his world was filled with fighters of skill and speed that not even Beacon's finest can boast. And to top it off, Cardin was a shitty fighter to begin with. Care to refute? Anyone? No? I didn't think so."
And at that, all vestiges of argument were dissolved.
Russel sighed. "Alright, alright, okay then. But even then, that still leaves the question."
He turned to Xhang. "Why are you inside our leader's body?"
"Good question, Russel. I don't quite fully remember how I got here," Xhang says as he tried to recall what happened.
He pried through his memories (his own memories, not Cardin's) trying to remember what had happened the day it all went to hell.
"Hey Sky, remember I said that too much Shadow Energy was dangerous to a person?"
Sky nodded. "Yes, I do recall you saying that. Why do you ask?"
Xhang shrugged. "Call it a hunch, but I think… I think I died."
Now they really turned to him this time, their eyes going wide.
"Just when I finally start believing you, you drop this on us. You sure you haven't gone loony, Cardin?" Russel looked like he was on the brink of calling the nearest asylum.
"Shadow Energy is powerful. Way too powerful for my comfort. The last thing I remember is a whole wave of the stuff wash across the village I was staying at, and lemme tell you, I've seen a guy literally dissolve into literal shadows when he got exposed to an amount FAR LESS. Now, imma tell you this. Because of Shadow Energy's extreme volatility, it can literally break the laws of physics, tearing holes into space-time, open gateways to other realities, that shit. Now, I'm no expert, but if I'm right, then the Shadow Wave that killed me, must have also teleported my consciousness, or a copy of it anyway, through a rip in the fabric of reality, causing me to… well, be here to begin with."
"And another thing. When I woke up inside Cardin's body, not only do I still retain my own memories, but I can also access Cardin's memories as well. Well, not fully, but still. I think when my consciousness came to this world, it seeker out a suitable host for it to take control of, and the nearest one it could find? Cardin's, apparently. Whatever happens to Cardin's consciousness, I haven't the faintest idea."
They just stared at him like he was crazy, sans Sky, as he continued to listen in. Analytical much?
Xhang sighed. "Look, I don't quite get it either, I ain't no expert. Bottom line is, there was just so much Shadow Energy, my conscious got copy-pasted into Cardin's body. Capichè?"
The others exchanged some looks, but said little else. Russel threw his arms up and said, "Aight, that's it, imma head to bed. I ain't smart enough for this shit."
Dove scowled at him, but returned his gaze to Xhang. "Well, before we all decide to call it a night, I got a question, if that's fine."
"Fire away."
"If you really aren't Cardin, then what's your real name? Who are you?"
That got the other's attention, Russel promptly sitting up to face him and Sky doing the same.
The shadow fighter though long and hard for a moment. He had received a mass of monikers back home. Alexander the Spiteful, The Wastelander, among other things. But there was one name that always stuck with him. One that was nothing but a hollow husk of the past. Of a time long gone, a time lost to him. And yet…
"My name is Xhang. Xhang Li," he replied, his voice nearly quivering at the sound of his name. His real name.
Sky's expression turned pensive. He managed a smile. "Nice to meet you, Xhang."
"Well then howdy, Xhang. Russel Thrush at your service," Russel says while accompanying it with a bow.
"Welcome to Remnant, Xhang. Hopefully it ain't as crazy as your world, though I have a feeling I might eat my own words sooner or later," Dove says as he shakes his hand.
"Nah, don't worry. I've seen crazier. I think. I dunno, I haven't seen much of Remnant, so I can't judge just yet," Xhang responded with a half-hearted chuckle.
A few minutes later, their pieces spoken, the truth told, and the members of Team C(X)RDL lay on their beds, their eyes closing shut as they slowly drifted into sleep.
(Cue BGM: Shadow Fight 3 OST: Shadow Mind's Theme)
"Xhang…"
"Xhang…"
"Xhang!"
At that last call, he jolted upward and immediately entered a combat stance, searching for the source of the voice. He took in his surroundings, and then, well… that was the weird part.
He was standing on top of some sort of platform. A stone bridge, actually. Only, it seemed to stretch on for… as far as the eye could see. It went on forever, seemingly without an end. Then he looked out into the air around him. The sky was a pitch black void of nothingness, a strange luminous glow occasionally breaking the sea of black. In the distance, two moons shined, one bigger, one smaller, both shrouded by black clouds.
"The Void?" Xhang muttered to himself, recalling the strange black nothingness that he had traveled to once. Once.
"Not quite."
The voice again. He turned around to face it…
"Cardin?" He gasped.
It was him. Manifesting himself in his real body, he sat quietly on the edge of the bridge wall, watching him in amusement. He was wearing the same battle armor he had donned during the fight against Pyrhha before he had to divest himself of it. He stood up and began to walk towards Xhang.
"This isn't the Void, actually. Just an echo from your past. I figured This would be a good spot to meet you," he calmly spoke as he approached the shadow fighter.
Xhang felt a bolt of rage pass through him, remembering that he was the one who ruined the lives of more than two people in the school, but barely managed to suppress it.
"Just let me explain, Xhang. I promise, I'll be brief and straight to the point," the brute assured. "Besides, by the time you wake up, our consciousness would have already merged by that point."
That last part made Xhang pause. "What do you mean by that?"
Cardin shrugged. "I was thinking you'd have gotten it by now, but eh." Then, Cardin's expression turned serious. "Alright, listen up, we're on borrowed time right now, so I'll make this quick."
He placed his hands on Xhang's shoulders. Only then did he realize that he was back in his old body. Weird.
"When the Shadow Wave killed you, your body was flung across the multiverse through a hole torn open in the space-time continuum. It drifted around for a while before suddenly arriving here, in our plane. Of course, the Heralds were right when they said that this plane would reject you like a foreign object, so your body immediately destabilized and just… well, stopped existing. Your soul would have followed your body to oblivion as well, but… something was different, Xhang. Your soul is unique. And you know why?"
Cardin poked a finger at Xhang's chest. "Your will. It was strong. So strong. It just refused to die. It wouldn't let this plane erase it. There was just too much bottled up rage, anger and misery in your soul for it to fade that easily. Believe me, I saw into your past, and good Oum, I feel pathetic next to you."
Xhang glared sharply at him. "You saw into my memories?"
"Well, you saw into mine."
Xhang bulged his eyes. He did not expect that. "Ah… Touchè I guess."
"Anyway, true, your soul refused to die, but that alone wouldn't be enough. It only served to prolong the inevitable. You were fading, slowly but surely. You were going to be erased completely."
"Then why am I here?" Xhang queried, although a slight idea was forming in his head.
"Funny story, actually. When I was sleeping, I dreamt of your spirit, floating within the confines of your mind. I sensed a kind of strength, a powerful will emanating from you. But I also sensed decay. Bit by bit, piece by piece, you slowly began to fade away. Then, well… I did probably the most stupid thing I've ever done in my entire miserable life."
Xhang knew where this was going.
"Yes Xhang. I absorbed your soul. I'll admit, I did it out of pure curiosity, not really aware of what the extent of my actions be. And you know what, buddy? I regretted not a single thing about my decision."
Xhang's face turned thoughtful, letting Cardin continue.
"I know your childhood makes mine pale in comparison, but I will say this from personal experience: We both had shitty environments growing up in. You and I, we went through an unimaginable amount of pain that few could withstand while maintaining their sanity at the same time. We were among the lucky ones. Well, you really. I just… repressed into a cold hearted asshole. Know what I mean?"
Xhang nodded. That kind of trauma can change a person drastically, that he knew from experience.
"Inwardly, I wanted to do the right thing. I wanted to set things right, be the person my mom wanted me to be. But my anger… it blinds me irrepressibly. I have no control over my actions. I just watch as my body does things my mind doesn't even condone. At this point… I don't think I ever can redeem myself anymore. The damage done to me is virtually irreversible. It may be too late for me…"
"But it isn't too late for you."
Cardin gripped his shoulders tightly. "All my life, all I ever wanted was to do something that could help someone. I could never achieve that. Until you. Listen to me, Xhang. You went through a pain far worse than mine, and yet here you stand, tall and proud, yet kind and compassionate. Your life was abruptly and unjustly taken from you, and so many things were planned out for you back in your home plane. But with all that taken away, you had nothing. Now here. Here is your second chance. Your only chance, may I add. A chance for you to figure out what you're going to do with your new life, a chance to turn a new leaf for yourself. Get what I mean?"
"Yeah, I guess…" Xhang's voice trailed off as he listened to Cardin's words. His second chance. He sacrificed his own free will to give Xhang a new lease on life. He couldn't quite believe it himself, if it weren't for the fact that he and Cardin are connected in mind and spirit. His thoughts are like an open book, and he could sense no lie from the aching brute.
"I do want to ask of you to do me a favor, if that's okay?" At that, Xhang gave him a curious look. "Yeah?" Xhang asks.
"… I want you to fix my mistakes. Do what I couldn't do. Help patch up the festering wounds I have inflicted on them all. Jaune, Velvet, especially Velvet. She did not deserve what I've done to her."
"Velvet? The rabbit girl?"
"Yes, that's the one. I know this is much of me to ask, but-"
"Say no more, Cardin. I'll do it."
Cardin looked at him with hope. "Would you?"
Xhang shrugged. "Least I can do for you for doing this for me. After all, I can sympathize with your situation."
Cardin suddenly wrapped him in a bear hug. "Dude, oh my gosh, thank you! You have no idea how much I needed to hear that."
"As a matter of fact, I do."
"Oh yeah right." The brute chuckled. "We're merging consciousnesses anyway."
"Speaking of, how long we got?"
As if on cue, the bridge began to shake.
"About that long, apparently," Cardin quipped.
He pulled away from him, and gave him a look of support. "One last thing."
"By the time we merge, your Semblance and my memories will be fully accessible to you. You can figure out the rest from there. As for your Semblance, well, think of it as a souvenir from home. Take care of my teammates as well. They may not seem like much, but they mean a lot to me, got it?"
"Got it."
Cardin place a hand on his shoulder one last time. "Xhang. The path you have ahead of you will not be an easy one to tread. You will suffer, you will be hurt, and you will be forced to make hard calls. But like all rough-hewn paths, they all lead to salvation. I wish you the best of luck, buddy. Do me proud. Show those folks how you Shadow Fighters throw down for me, will ya?"
Xhang nodded in finality. They embraced one last time, before the entire dream Void was engulfed in a brilliant, white light…
A/N: OH YEAH! Whoo! Anyway, that's chapter 6 for ya, and a bit of Xhang's past is revealed. What awaits our intrepid hero in this new world? Only one way to find out.
Anyway, with that out of the way, I need your help. I haven't really found a way to properly expand on Xhang's character. Any advice regarding how to properly flesh out Xhang is highly appreciated. Thank you.
I am very proud of coming this far into a story. Not many I've wrote make it this far, really. So thank you. For the continued support of my dumb concept.
Read and review, Laugh signing off!