Me: (run in while panting harder) Sorry about that! I, well, got delayed because of something came up unexpectedly. Oh! On Dec 3rd, it's my birthday and I'm now nineteen! (dances)

Yamato: GET ON IT, WOMAN!

Me: (sigh) Okay, then Disclaimer!

Shinyu: Disclaimer: Lady Lizgon does not own Xiaolin Showdown and its characters but her sheng-gong-wu and her ideas.

Zalo: Onto the story, enjoy! (laughing as he pats on Yamato's back)

Chapter 20: Black Heart

Darkness…

He opened his eyes, taking in the view of his surround as the background of black with swirling of thick fog and the two tombstones stood before him. He took few steps forward and kneed on the dying grass before the dull, darker tombstones as he looked at the stone written.

He gasped in surprise as he threw himself backward on the ground, crawling backward like a frightened crab as he get himself away from the cursed written of the tombstones.

As he crawled backward until he bumped onto something solid and warm against his back, turning his head to see what's behind his back.

He realized he was looking at the cold, lifeless dull purple eyes of the black wolf as he yelped in surprise to see the black wolf. The black wolf was haunting his dream, scaring his heart, taunting his sane, laughing at his weakness.

It knew his fear. It knew his weakness. It knew he knew he couldn't leave this place unless he had to face his fear. Faced his true weakness is something he never had done it before.

The black wolf looked at him, locking its cold dead amethyst eyes to his bright, alive amethyst eyes. For a second, it turned around and walked to the distance of the swirling mist. And then it paused, looking over its shoulder to looking at him.

He looked at the black wolf with confused expression until something hits him in realization. The black wolf wants him to following him.

So he followed him then…

----

Kobo panicked when he saw Khu collapsed on the ground with a dead thud. Biting his lip in anxious, he watched his brother shook his leader and yelling at him as he slapped Khu's cheeks lightly.

"Why wasn't he waking up?" Kobo asked, looking up at Yamato.

Yamato shook his head. "He wasn't but… he looks like he was in pain." As he watched the idiot Lobo shook him ever harder than before. Lobo had followed Kobo in a five minute after and saw their leader in situation for the first time.

Kobo looked down at Khu, grimace at the sight of Khu winced lightly in his sleep. "But we have to snap him out of it before it's too late!" He yelled, his pale silver eyes widened in full of fear.

He doesn't want Khu to sunk into the darkness and be mercy at the hands of the darkness.

----

Lizzy grounded her teeth, glaring at the demon in the body of his old friend's brother. How dare he… How dare he stole Xuan's body! She thought angrily, clenching her fists while she watched the silent warrior and loathing the smirk on his face when he saw her.

She remembered seeing him leaving with the bloody sword and found her step-brother lying dead on the ground outside of the temple.

Young mistress with power of immortal ran through the gate door, saw Xuan walked away in the hall. She called after him and then she gasped in horror when Xuan turned around as she saw the blood stain on the blade Xuan held.

"You don't…"

Xuan flashed her a smirk, lit his cold amethyst eyes at her. "I don't what, Mistress Liz Gon?" He asked dryly, being amused at her behavior.

She turned and ran toward the temple where she knew her step-brother was in until something caught her eyes and froze her track while her face were expressed in horror when she saw him.

Xiao Lin were lying in the pool of his own blood, faced upward with his eyes closed and his peaceful expression could fool anyone but not her. She fell on her knees and stared at him in horror, her silver tears steamed silently down her cheeks onto the ground mixing with her stepbrother's blood.

"Xiao Lin…"

Ariko smirked as the reunion of the Xiaolin Dragons gained together and remained into the battle position. It's been a while since the final battle against the first dragons. He thought, grinning widely as the dragons call out their elemental powers.

"Wudai Mars Fire!"

"Wudai Crater Earth!"

"Wudai Neptune Water!"

"Wudai Star Wind!"

"Wudai Nature Wood!"

Lizzy gritted her teeth, knowing she was powerless and can't fight along with the dragons and Ciara. Something sparkles caught her light hazel eyes, she turned and saw the familiar orb lay in the chest along with other orbs.

Orbs? She wondered and something clicked in her mind. That was when she went to her "coffin" to sleep, she gave up her power and placed into the orb. As she seized the orb, she feels the familiar flowing of energy returned to her.

Meanwhile, Ariko watched the five attacks toward him all in union as he smirked darkly, sensing the faint flowing of power in his vein. Suddenly, the undead demon leaped into the sky and clutched the ball of water in his right hand. As he watched the fire flew downward at him, he hurled the ball of water at it. "Wudai Neptune Water!" He yelled as the water clashed into the fire and doused the dragon of fire away onto the side of a cliff.

Omi's dark gray eyes widened in surprise and horror at the stolen energy of his element. He now knew what the true purpose of the four element demons' defeated. Trying to bring his charging element back but too late as the undead demon turned around and took a deep breath.

"Wudai Mars Fire!"

The giant wave of fire clashed through the flowing of the graceful water and burned the dragon of water's body as the small boy tried to heal himself with his element. When the fire vanished, he fell on his knees with a sharp gasp in pain. "OMI!" He heard his friend screamed his name and heard the running footsteps that belong to his friends.

At same time when the earth rock hurled toward the dark lord, Ariko's right hand transformed into the steel blade and sliced through the rock to split it past him. "Wudai Meteor Metal!"

And he reflected the wind away with his earth attack, shielding his body against the strongest wind attack.

Raimundo growled in fury, narrowing his dark green eyes as he leaped off the ground and balled his right fist. "Wudai STAR WIND!" He roared, flying at the dark lord as the dark lord smirked at him.

When Rai got close to him and then suddenly, Lord Ariko seized his wrists and holding him still while the dragon of wind struggled in his deadly grasp as the dark lord lowered his head to the boy's ear and whispered to him.

"I challenge you to Heylin Showdown Death, Hybrid."

---

He stared.

He doesn't want to see what he see. He refused to believe what he was seeing. He knew what he was seeing but he even wanted to look away and walked away until the sight will disappeared before him.

But…

He can't turns his head away from the sight or shut his own eyes. It was a picture of his cousin's parents… even on the beach.

His Uncle Miguel… He had long dark brown hair like his cousin had and dark forest green eyes with hint of happiness and playfulness. He had a familiar cocky grin and titled his head to side, crossing his muscle arms across his lean chest.

His Aunt Kara… She had long bright black with hint of brown hair that past her wrists and had even bright green eyes with full of innocent and knowledge. She had a beautiful smile that rivaled with sun's light, hugging the wide grinning of his son… his own cousin…

His cousin… he wore a school-like clothes that he dislike it very much, especially a red bow below his chin. His eyes were so big and so wide… with full of innocent…

He winced at the thought of his cousin as an innocent child, even after that happen and he finally turned his back to the frame picture and he met the same wolf again.

The wolf stared at him with cold, dead amethyst eyes and unmoving but only stand still on the ground.

He stepped backward, his eyes widened at the sight of the black wolf. He doesn't want to go with it and don't want to be forced to face his fear.

He don't want to faced his past… He wanted to get over it… but he just can't.

---

The white mountain shattered as the white dot flying backward and clashed onto the side of the white mountain. The Dragon of Wind groaned and then without warning he leaped out of the path as the attack smashed onto the spot where the Dragon of Wind was lying.

"So, hybrid…" Lord Ariko hissed, walking graceful on the black ground as his shadow spread over the white land when he approached the Dragon of Wind. "No matter how many times you've faced your fear and defeated it, not once but twice."

Raimundo huffed, looking up at him and glaring coldly at him. "…" He didn't say it to the undead demon and he doesn't even need to.

"Not only afraid of becoming the best dragon of wind, but also afraid of knowing your friends' death will be the ones to be your fault." Lord Ariko grinned, his golden eyes sparkled with happiness. "No matter how many times you get them out of their trouble and saved their life, yet you can't save them from my clutches."

"B-B-Bastard…"

Lord Ariko laughed, shaking his head. "Not again with bad name-calling, won't we? I swear, you're just getting more like Shinyu rather than being a brat like the small pest."

"D-D-Don't call Omi t-that!"

Lord Ariko smirked.

"If you refused me. Suffering shall be your teacher."

Suddenly, he lashed out his hand and clutched the boy's throat as he lifted the dragon of wind in the air, barely touch the ground by a few inches.

Raimundo choked, clutching the cold hands that was strangling his neck and staring at the cold, emotionless golden eyes.

"Well, Hybrid, it was quite challenging while it lasts. Say Shinyu hello."

---

Lobo sighed, "Well, I guess I have to go back to check on the others." He turned his head back to Yamato and his young brother, Kobo.

Yamato nodded in agreement, looking back at the young boy with pale silver eyes and smiled at him. "Hey kiddo… Don't worry, I'm sure Khu's tough."

Suddenly, the amethyst eyes snapped opened, staring blankly at Yamato and Kobo.

"You're awaken!"

Suddenly, a frightful yelp from Kobo as the blood stained on the ground. The pale silver eyes widened in fear as the silent warrior arose, his black claws dripped with blood.

"LOBO!" Kobo shrieked as his eyes widened when his older brother choked, forward a bit and fell down on the ground with faced down. The long wound bleeding on his back as the silent warrior stared emotionless at the Heylin Tigers.

Yamato noted Khu had no longer have amethyst, just blackness and void in his eyes. Just like an void, emptiness, and lifeless… He thought stepped backward, staring in surprise at his ex-rival.

"Khu…" Kobo muttered, his eyes watered with sadness and knowing his vision was, indeed, did came true. Khu had lost his way in the darkness…

The silent warrior stared at them and pounced.

---

He ran.

He ran away from the black wolf as fast as possible. He want to get away from his fear, he don't want to see his own past he had avoiding. Sure, he does remember but he don't want to it came back and haunting him…

If only he hadn't overslept, his aunt and uncle would be still alive and all in one piece.

If only he hadn't joined his team, he wouldn't attack his cousin without knowing he was right under his nose.

If only…

He stepped on the black spot and then suddenly, his foot began to sink into and he struggled to get away from the quicksand. As the black pool came to life, snaked around his legs and wrapping all over his body like a vine wrapping a tree.

"No… No… No!" He screamed and something caught his eyes.

The same wolf stands on the hill watching at him. It had wait for him to face his fear.

He wasn't completed ready to face his fear. If his cousin can do, but how? He can't challenge something he can't see but knowing it was there.

He just can't. He wants to get out without having trouble to face the truth…

And the lie…

The darkness swallowed him completely as second after he went lumped, knowing he had been defeated by his own fear.

The black wolf lowered its head sadly, disappearing slowly. 'Without the light of hope, you are powerless against your fear…' It replied to the black ground and vanished.

---

Raimundo struggled even harder than before while Lord Ariko above him, holding his hand up in the air and the black ball sparkled in his palm as the undead demon smirked even widened and arrogantly.

"No one will here to save you…."

End of Chapter 20

Me: (yawning and rubbing her eyes tiredly) man… I had sending lot of time to studying the practice exam before the real ones coming soon. (faints)

Time for Sneak Peek…

Sneak Peek

The shattered pieces of the crystal glass falls on the black ground, the horror-stuck expression on the dragon of shadow and metal.

The body fall on the ground after the shattered mirror with a soft thud as the dark lord stepped over the small body and glaring down at the young boy. "Such a small fragile body, he can't protect himself from my power."

"KOBO!"

The wielder of wind clutched on the black ground gritted his teeth angrily. "You won't get away in this time…"

Dark Lord Ariko just threw his head back and laughed.

End of Sneak Peek.

Yamato: Hey reviewers and readers! Don't forget to review it or I will beat you for it! (growling)

Shinyu: Shut up. (roll his eyes) You just get annoying as much as ever.

Yamato: (grumbles)