~I don't own any of Mulan characters, or Lord of the rings, some things will relate to both stories, heheh! Well tell me what you think about this one when you're done!

Chapter 7: Meeting Once Again

Mulan woke up at the knock at the door. She opened her eyes and yawed, she stretched out and began to get up. As she opened the door she saw Lu Tang with a tray of food in her hands. They exchanged smiles and hellos. Mulan moved out of the way and let Tang in with the tray. "So...how did you sleep?" She asked.

"Well... Thank you....." Mulan replied as she back down in bed and let Tang place the tray in front of her.

"The Emperor has requested that you eat here then get cleaned up so later you will meet up with him and Gundal in the garden." Explained Tang.

"Ok"

Tang ran to the closet and rushed through the many dresses to find the perfect one. Mulan watched her as she ate, wondering what she was getting out. "Ah...Ha....here we are....." Tang pulled out a white, silky dress; the sleeves came to a flow near the end, where they would then flare out. The bottom of the dress showed the curves but near the knees and feet it too flared out. It was embroidered with flowers that were white as well but had a shine and glitter to them so it would stand out. Mulan's jaw dropped the beauty and detail in it amazed her. She moved the tray aside and began to walk over to Tang who was still holding the dress.

"Is that for me?" She asked.

"Yes.....The emperor wanted you to wear this one...he requested you keep it even on your journey. Well finish your meal then we will get you cleaned up and ready for the day."

The solders and men were all escorted into the dinning room where red carpets and gold walls and the long royal table that made the room speechless. They all had their shiny armor and red capes on. Finding their seats they sat down while talking to the friends and comrades around them. Gundal was in a dark corner of the room behind the dark red curtain, watching, as the fine and honorable men would walk in talking and gossiping to on another. He sat there in a small chair all cloaked up and pointy hat on, smoking his pipe. He puffed as he thought and studied each and every one of their faces. He could tell be the looks of them and how they interacted how strong, courageous, and strong willed they were.

As the Emperor came into the room all stood up straight as he passed by to get to his royal chair. As he sat down, he then moved his hand down gesturing that it was ok to sit down. As he looked around the room at his men he smiled. "Before we eat I have decided that I go ahead and tell you why you are all here. You have all been through rough training and your skills are remarkable. You have done well and your title holds you to that. You have been sent here on a quest, a quest that will change China and life here forever. I need you to protect this one person from harm and death....till the task is over with." The Emperor paused letting the words sink into them a bit before he went any further. The servants all then came in with trays of food, The Emperor sighed, this was going to be hard, he thought. "Well we don't want to keep my servants holding off your food so please eat now and when we are finished I will tell you more." The Emperor was nervous he knew he was. He feared that his men would back down and not believe him. But he remembered that many of them were told of the story of the four diamonds while they were in battles or simply in the army.

Maids and servants bent down at once and reveled the food that was in front of the solders.

They all began to eat and talk to each other. Ling looked over and all around still amazed by the beauty of the palace. But what caught his eye and stopped it was the old man in the corner. Though he could not see who it was or really any of his features, he still had that feeling as if they were being tested and watched. That sense gave Ling the Goosebumps. He continued to watch carefully as smoke from the man's pipe raised from the air, like a single cloud raising to meet others. Ling turned back around to his friends Yao and Chien Po. "You guys, that man...he keeps looking over here, who is he?" Whispered Ling to Yao, and Chien Po.

"I don't know...." Said Yao with a mouth full of food.

"Maybe he's just one of the servants here?" Said Chien Po, as he continued to eat.

"He can't be, he's in a cloak and a pointy hat. He doesn't seem like the type that would serve people." Continued Ling, who was still trying to figure out who the strange man was. Yao and Chien Po gave each other a weird look as if to say, "He's wearing what?" As if he was describing a man from older and fairytale times. They both turned around and saw the man. They studied him, as he was them.

"Who is he?" asked Yao.

"I've never seen him here before?" Answered Chien Po. "Well let's just continue eating maybe he'll be out of here soon?"

Shang sat there tall and proud as he ate his meal, the man next to him went by the name as Wei. He nudged Shang's shoulder making Shang turn to face him. Wei just looked at him then with his head shifted it to the corner where Gundal sat, then looked back at Shang. Shang shrugged his shoulders and continued to eat. "He looks like something from a fairytale...." Said Wei, commenting on the clothing that Gundal wore.

"Wei....He's probably just old....just don't worry about it." Said Shang.

"So....do you think you'll be venturing with this one person that we have to protect?" Asked Wei as he began to laugh just thinking about protecting someone almost like babysitting the fellow.

"I don't even know what it is yet, but if the Emperor needs us then yes, I will join, unless it's for something stupid....." Joked Shang. Wei laughed quietly with his friend at his silly remark.

The Emperor coughed getting everyone's attention. "Continuing with what I was saying earlier, I need you guys to accompany this person till the task is over with. The stories of the 'Four Diamonds', are true....Some of you have heard of it, some have not. What it was at first was just a story to most. But what I'm about to tell you is true and it happened and will again." The Emperor paused. He got some weird looks and unsure ones at that. But they kept it to themselves and listen to what he had to say.

"Um.... Excuse me sir, but are you sure that your not just telling us this from one of the many fairytale and spooky stories?" Interrupted one of the Generals. The men began to laugh and chuckle, even though it was rude and disrespectful.

"Well like I said what I have to tell you are true, So if you keep your mouth shut I could explain and maybe then you will get it!" He snapped but then continued with what he was saying. "Like I was saying....long ago there was a demon, his name I will not say or utterly hear. He lived on mount Zu Lack, our people years and centuries ago sent men after him to kill and destroy him. His anger grew, and with this he made four rare diamonds the size of a palm. He put his cruelty and madness into them. Without them he would be nothing. He was later defeated, or so it seemed. His spirit has always lived and will unless the diamonds get destroyed. The diamonds on the other hand were all taken to different places.... Separated by their master, their homeland. If brought back together it will bring back the dark lord and his armies will raise and destroy all that lives here. Three have been taken to him and he is gaining most of his strength back....they will come for it, they will come and kill the one who is holding onto it." He announced eyes open wide with the feeling that he felt which was fear, he was also now shaking, having small Goosebumps raise out of his skin.

"Wow...um...ok" said Loong, trying not to laugh but he already was. "What? How?"

"I had found one of them on mountain top years ago...I had taken it back to the palace thinking that it was a jewel nothing more.....But I began to hear things from it, almost as if it was speaking to me....telling me to take it somewhere....I did not know....till a wise man came to my steps and explained everything.....His name is Gundal and he still is with us today....helping me once again." Half the men looked over into the corner where Gundal now stood. "He is a wizard...." Everyone looked at each other and began to laugh.

"I'm sorry sir but this....this is too much....You can't be serious?" Asked Loong.

"And why not?" Asked Gundal who now stood in the light, making his features glow and become visible. Everyone stopped and turned to Gundal. "I am Gundal, And yes I am a wizard.....I have been here for many years now and I know many things about this world then you do. I'm am here to help you and the person who now hold the diamond." No one laughed, it was if all their stories that they have been told were coming to life, it was just something about him that made them believe and respect him for who he said he was. They could see that he was not a man to joke around with. And what he said, was not to be questioned. They all turned serious even though many did not want to believe a thing that was being told to them. "I came to the Emperor knowing that he held hell in his hands...He had given it to a General...A very honorable general. Who had it for so many years...It stayed quiet, no one knew about it not even his family. It had been a week since now, the diamond had woken up and was talking to him, poisoning his mind....telling him to do what it willed him to do." Said Gundal with force and much expression. He looked into each and every one of their eyes as he walked by telling them what needed to be heard. "You think that your king is joking, well think again, your king does not lie, and never will!"

They all lowered their heads in shame and confusion. "The stories can't be true....the demon? The creatures that we all have heard about?" Asked Shang as he turned and looked at his fellow men then at Gundal.

"You think for all my long years that I am here now just to tell you a simple story that you think is just a bed time story to you? Well you are wrong my young General...." He began to walk over to Shang staring him down in the eyes looking deep into his thoughts and feelings. "Yet now I see what you have gone through, the loss of your father....." He whispered to him, Shang breathed in hard still staring at the old man....listening to what he was trying to get to. "You do not believe in many things anymore....but I believe if you found out who was carrying the burden you would start to believe?"

Shang smiled nonchalantly, "Yea? And who would that be?" Giving Gundal attitude.

Gundal smiled and said, "Fa Mulan......." And with that he turned around, heading towards the Emperor. Shang could feel his heart almost stop, for what and why he did not know? He couldn't believe it yet it was all now making sense to him, he was now remembering what he was saying all along, 'a great and famous general' it ringed through his ears, the father of the heroin, the one that now was supposedly carrying the diamond.

Everyone heard him say Mulan's name and they too now felt for her, they believed in the young women, some even fought by her side. It had been long since they had seen her though....some of the men there haven't seen her yet they all heard about her. "That can't be? Why her?" Demanded Shang, while the other men looked on as if agreeing with him.

Gundal turned to face all them now, "She is the chosen one....I don't know why? But I do believe in her and if I were you, I would join us and protect her like she did for you....." Gundal smiled, and turned to leave the room. Leaving all the men in disbelief about the whole thing. They all had to think about it, yet there was so much to believe and take in all at once. Shang sat back down; he was now feeling guilty for what he had said to the old man. Thought trailed through his mind, ones about Mulan, the whole "four diamond" tale all were coming true...But the thought of having his father being brought in the picture was now starting to scare him. Was there something that he didn't know about his father that maybe he knew?

As he continued to think while everyone else was questioning and talking to one another and the Emperor, he could almost see through his mind now through the past, he remembered he was about 13, him and his father talking but he didn't know why or what it was about. The Emperor slowly walked from behind Shang and put his hand on his broad shoulder. Shang turned around and then turned back to try to think of what it was that was now coming back to him. "Do you know why he referred to your father, Shang?" He asked. Shang looked at the Emperor, as if hurt and wanted to know for he did not know why. The Emperor nodded and patted his shoulder. "It will come to you my boy....it will come." Shang watched as he left to continue talking to the young men. Shang just sat there confused as to why Gundal brought up his father in all of this. Did he have something to do with it all? And if he did what was it?

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Sooooooooooo.............the suspense starts! What do you think? Do you like? Should I change anything? The action will be coming shortly! I promise! And I found out that Lord of the Rings music goes really well when your readying hehee, I don't know I'm weird, but it's all good. But seriously I think you should try it. Well tell me what you thought and what you think will happen or what you want? Whatever it doesn't matter to me! hehehe, please leave a review! Thanks!