25. My Dark Side

Xia had retired with her mother to the kitchen of the guest residence, where the old goat handed her a calming tea. When King Wang also appeared in the kitchen, Yin-Yu asked her daughter to leave her alone. She knew that the King of the Huns wanted to discuss something that was not intended for a young girl's ears. And Wang didn't mince his words, but he found it difficult to ask the question, which he needed an answer right away.

"Well?" He started. "What should happen to him?"

Yin-Yu looked up at the Hun King, then she shook her head violently and stared into her teacup. "This time the decision is not just mine."

As if on cue, Shen appeared in the doorway suddenly.

The King of the Huns looked at both of them in turn, then he nodded. "Fine. But make your decision as soon as possible."

With a polite nod, he said goodbye and left the kitchen. Soothsayer also preferred to leave the room and left the couple alone.

At first, Yin-Yu did not look up and stared into the colored tea water. Finally, Shen approached her. Again her gaze remained lowered. From the corner of her eye, she watched the white lord come to a halt beside her. He put a wing on her shoulder. Yin-Yu closed her eyes as his finger feathers tightened on her. He didn't want to say it, but she completely understood him.

She let out a deep sigh. The peahen was unable to plead for the soul of her ex-husband. Shen seemed to know that very well and leaned down a little. Then his wing moved to her face and stroked her cheek. And without a word he left her. Yin-Yu sat on the chair in silence. Her eyes stayed closed for a while. When she opened them again, her tears dripped into the tea water.

Po had retired to a quiet corner in the courtyard and was chewing a few cookies with relish. After Xia had gone into the kitchen with Yin-Yu, he hastily got something from the pantry for a snack. And above all to forget all the horror as quickly as possible.

Thoughtfully, he looked up at the sky. It was late afternoon. Tired, he stretched and swallowed the last crumb. Then he leaned his back against the wall and sank lazily on the floor.

He dozed for a little while, until he noticed a movement, he rose his head. A white figure crossed the square in the shadow of the courtyard. Po paid him no further attention. It was clear it was Shen. Who else was so white? Po smiled at this thought. But when he saw something flash in the evening sun, he lifted his head a little higher. Shen carried his lance sword over his shoulder.

The panda stood up in confusion. Why was the peacock armed? The battle was won. Or did he have to take it for a walk to demonstrate his power to the townspeople?

Po continued to watch uncertainly as Shen went down the steps of the guest residence and disappeared into the next city street. Po got an uncomfortable feeling. On the spur of the moment, he ran down the stairs and looked around the corner. Shen wasn't far. He went very slowly. So slowly that it could scare you.

After the panda had given himself a jolt inside, he ran after the white peacock.

"Uh, Shen, where are you going?" He asked.

But Shen didn't say anything, he just continued walking down the street, undeterred.

"Uh, Shen? Did the explosion damage your hearing, or didn't you understand me?"

Again there was no answer, just a continuation of steps.

Slowly, this silence became creepy for Po. Determined, he grabbed the lord by the sleeve. "Shen, what's wrong?!"

"Don't get in my way, panda!" The lord snapped and pushed him away.

Po contracted the eyebrows. "What are you up to?"

Again the peacock continued his way. This time, however, at a faster pace.

Now Po was really annoyed. Angrily, he jumped at the peacock's feet. "Where are you up to?!"

"Something I should have done one year ago!"

Po looked wide-eyed at the sword in Shen's wing. "You are not going to..."

He didn't finish the sentence, he just looked at Shen. But the lord raised his head and the panda found confirmation of his fears.

"No, Shen! You're not planning to... are you?"

"What am I planning to do, panda?"

Po swallowed hard. "You don't mean to kill him, are you?"

Shen's eyes narrowed to evil slits that met Po's pleading face.

Suddenly, the white peacock dashed him against the wall and scurried away. The bear rotated dizzy on its own axis. Then when he finally found his balance again, he sped down the street as well.

Shen looked behind with panting. The streets were still empty. The townspeople were still outside the buildings. At least until the gunpowder has been completely removed from the city. And that could be fine for the ex-ruler of Gongmen City. Because that way nobody would hear the death scream.

He quickly turned the next corner. Only a few streets separated him from his destination. But no sooner had he passed the penultimate street, a shadow fell at his feet.

"Ouch! Those stupid roof tiles. You just can't run around on them smartly."

"Panda! I told you to get out of my way!"

Po struggled to get up. "No, Shen. You can't do that! You can't strike down someone who is helpless."

"It is my right!"

"Oh, really?!"

This time it was Po who countered angrily, but immediately he called back his composure. He couldn't make Shen angrier than he already was.

"Couldn't you have second thoughts about it?" The panda tried in a composed voice.

Shen's wings tightened on the hilt of the sword. "It's too late for that."

Po narrowed his eyes. "And I thought you had changed."

"I'm not like you, panda! Finally let me through!"

Shen jumped over the panda. But Po got hold of the peacock by the long feather tail. Shen fell forward and landed hard on the floor.

"You damn fool!"

Angrily, the peacock swung his sword at the panda. But this time Po didn't let himself upset one. He skillfully avoided the sharp metal, pulled in his stomach properly, swung down and got hold of the sword by the handle. Shen paused, rooted to the spot, while the panda steadfastly held his weapon.

"Don't make me hurt you, panda!"

"Shen, you are not authorized to do this...!"

"Oh yes, Dragon Warrior. He has it."

Po looked up in surprise. Wang had appeared and was looking down at the two brawlers with a neutral, but steadfast gaze.

"I already gave him my consent," the Kind of the Huns continued.

"You too, Wang?" in surprise, Po let go Shen's sword.

The big, furry ox crossed his arms.

"It is not up to me to execute a sentence," the king of the Huns said icily, and his eyes fell on Shen. "Xiang had already received his pardon. That was mild enough. Had he been in my court, he would have received the death penalty one year ago."

Po stood there with gaping mouth. Did he think the blast confused the brains of everyone but himself?

"But... but..." Desperately, the panda searched for words and rubbed his head nervously.

"King Wang!"

All three looked up in surprise when two ox soldiers came running towards them.

"He is gone!"

Now it was Wang who looked completely in confusion. "Gone? How gone?"

The first soldier stood at attention and shrugged. "Just gone away. We were just about to inform our army doctor of your verdict on your instructions when we discovered that the convict had left the hospital bed unnoticed without warning."

Wang didn't even know what to say. Po had a similar experience and had to sort out his own thoughts first. Only Shen looked like a thunderstorm.

Finally, Wang managed to formulate a clear sentence again. "He can't be a long way from us. As hurt as he was. He wasn't failing to do that at all."

"AAHHH!"

Everyone was startled. Shen had rammed his lance sword into the ground with a loud scream, splitting the stone slabs beneath him.

"Find him!" He yelled. "Find him! FIND HIM! RIGHT NOW!"

Although the soldiers were not under his command at all, they immediately set about searching the area. Even Wang thought it best to join in the search. Because Shen was so filled with rage that everyone quickly cut it short. Except Po. He just looked down at the lord with an almost sad look, who supported himself on his weapon.

The lord realized the reproach in Po's eyes and cut the panda's eye contact with his thundering face. It was like when a conflagration hit a dormant spring of water. Po tried with all possible effort to keep calm. But Shen couldn't put Shen in a peaceful mood.

Finally, the lord drew in a sharp breath. "I can't forgive him."

Po drew his eyebrows together. "Oh, but me, right? Like I did with you?"

The warlord had expected this argument. With full tilt, he hit the broken asphalt with the hilt of his sword.

"Do you think that's so easy?! Just to forget everything?"

Po took a deep breath. "Do you think, it was super easy for me?"

Startled, he dodged Shen's sword, which narrowly missed the panda by the hair on his head.

"He had that coming!" the white lord snapped.

"That's what all the others had said about you, too," Po tried again. "Do you remember back then in the dungeon?"

The lord turned away from him with a gloomy look. He pressed his lance sword firmly into his wings. "He has to pay for it."

Po shook his head. "Shen, your pain is making you blind. Do you think, it will get better after that?"

"He's not allowed to live anymore!"

"Haven't you learned anything?"

"I AM NOT LIKE YOU!"

Suddenly, it became eerily quiet between the two of them. Po remained stunned while Shen's had turned his back on him and his forehead was pressed against the metal blade.

Finally, the lord forced himself to say something. Even if in a low, shaky voice. "In all these weeks, I felt the dark side in me again."

Po's anger turned into deep dismay. He had guessed it, but he had always hoped for the best. But he didn't want to interrupt him, he just let Shen keep talking.

"A dark side that I can never get away from myself."

Finally, Shen turned to face him. Actually, Po had expected tears. But Shen was amazingly good at keeping out of emotion. Instead, he stood there with hardened features, without a trace of sadness or any other emotion.

"We are different," he continued. "That will never change."

There was another silence, accompanied by a constant stare at each other, which Shen was slowly becoming uncomfortable with.

"Oh, panda," Shen whispered. "It may be that your desire for retribution is not so strong because it was so long ago. And has moved so far away."

Po squinted his eyes. A silent gesture that he did not agree to this.

Shen sighed wistfully. He turned away, but then he turned back to the panda and waved him over. "Come on, Panda. It's time to show you something."