Chapter 27 : Vow

That dragon was seen flying, circling, rounding and writhing among the clouds in the blue sky. The light from the sun was irradiating the dragon, which made him look shine in a beautiful golden colour. Occasionally, the dragon was whirliging as if he was dancing with the clouds.

Po watched the dragon with his jade eyes. It was the third time he met this same dragon since a couple of days ago. It seemed that Long was visiting him in his dream.

"Hey…!" Po exclaimed, calling the dragon out loud. He waved his hands up as he jumped up slightly. "Over here!"

Actually Po didn't need to call out like that because assuredly Long had known where Po's location was. It was him who brought Po here anyway.

The dragon stopped dancing. Speedly, he swope down as fast as lightning and within seconds, he had been reaching Po, flying around the panda slowly.

Po watched Long circle around him. "Okay, okay. Will you stop that?" he asked. "I'm worried you will be dizzy."

Long circled around Po for another few seconds before stopping. He was about one meter off the ground. His head bowed towards Po in respect.

"Dragon Warrior," he greeted Po.

Po laughed dryly. He had already guessed the reason to why Long came and visited him in the dream. "Okay, Long the dragon. How are you today? Feeling awesome, right? I wonder why you didn't come yesterday. I thought you were sick or—" but knowing that Long was being serious, Po decided to stop his small talk. He cleared his throat. "So, there's something you're gonna to talk about?"

The dragon stuck out his tongue and hissed just like a snake before answering. "I come and bring you a warning, Dragon Warrior."

Po pretended to be surprised since he had known what the warning would be about. "Oh! A warning?"

The dragon nodded.

"Okay. Well," Po scratched his head which was actually not itchy. "It's… it's… still about the same thing… right?"

"Yes, Dragon Warrior." Long leant his head closer to Po. "This is about your duty as the dragon warrior."

"Oh, yeah. About that duty," Po said as he emphasized on the that word with a gloomy face. "Well, I'm not saying that I won't fulfill my destiny as the dragon warrior, but I got another plan that may be more awesome than defeating or killing someone." He stared at Long uncertainly. "Can I just changed my fate, a little?"

"Fate can be changed, dragon warrior," Long replied. "As long as you intend and try to."

Po's face turned brighter. "So you won't ask me to kill Tigress, right? I mean, come on. She even doesn't do something evil as far as I know. Okay, she once kicked me in the butt and threw me into the river while training but it wasn't hurt. Maybe just a little and… and…"

Po realized that Long was not interested to hear his unimportant chatter.

The panda rubbed his arm, making a fake cough before grinning. "So?" He asked again. "No fighting. No battling. And no killing someone?"

"There's always a way for it," Long explaibed, "but unfortunately, the reincarnation of Khan has just chosen another way."

Po's eyes widened. "You mean Tigress… she's… she's…"

"She's falling down into the dark path, Dragon Warrior. And soon, China will fall. History is repeating itself."

Po shuddered. "Ew… that's… that's…. is that true?"

"Everything will be true if you let it happen."

"So what am I gonna do?" Po asked, somewhat despair. "You know I cannot just kill her. She's my awesome friend ever."

"To bring and keep China at peace," Long answered. "That's what you are going to do."

"I know. But how?"

Quickly Long flew around the panda before ascending into the sky and hovering up there. "You've already found the answer."

Po wanted to ask more but Long had already left. The dragon flew up and disappeared among the clouds.

"Hmm…" the panda thought for a moment. "I've already found the answer?" he asked to himself.

As he was hardly trying to interpret the words Long gave him, suddenly he remembered the conversation he had with Liu back when he and his comrades were in The Great Valley.

Everyone has a choice. His path may have been chosen for him by destiny, but that doesn't mean that he has to follow it...

Our hearts and minds are stronger...

Destiny may dictate the path to follow, but if we chose to do otherwise, who's to stop us?

Po cackled as he found the answer.

"Alright," he chuckled excitedly as he rubbed his arms, talking to himself. "Oh, I really should thank to Liu for his wise words."

Po would really fulfill his destiny as the dragon warrior to keep China safe from any danger he might face. Including by stopping Tigress. But he intended to do it by his own way. No. He definitely would not kill her. He just needs to find her as soon as possible before that tiger fell deeper into the dark path, taking or dragging her home to The Valley of Peace, and continuing their normal life as comrades and warriors. Sounds simple, doesn't it?

Only, Po hadn't known yet that Tigress had been determined to not change her destiny.

TLoTDaTT

The sun hadn't risen but Yuan Sheng had been up. He could not sleep well after the ceremony ended though he had been trying. He just sat on his bed, doing nothing.

Within hours, the sun would rise. His father, General Luo, Tigress and the army would leave Darknest Land for their first invasion. As a defective person, he could not be able to join the army and he already knew it. But as a prince, he surely felt useless. He could be the only prince in the whole China who was not able being trusted to face the wrath of a war. Sometimes he wonder if he capable to carry on his duty as the future emperor.

Knowing that the morning would soon come, Yuan Sheng decided to see Tigress. He jumped out from his bed and exited leaving his room. As he reached Tigress' room, he noticed that the door was slightly opened. Through its crack he saw that the room was empty, indicating that Tigress was not there.

The prince turned his track. He knew where probably that girl could be.

Yuan Sheng firmly stepped his feet towards Palace's backyard. Today, he must revealed something he was hiding to Tigress before she left.

A smile spreaded on his lisp as he arrived. He found Tigress sitting there, leaning her back on a peach tree.

"I should have known that you were here," he said, approaching her.

"I just cannot sleep," Tigress responded tonelessly. She had already known who she was talking with even without looking at him. "And you? Isn't it too early to wake up?"

"I couldn't sleep well," he told her, sitting next to Tigress.

"I'm not expecting to be accompanied, Yuan Sheng," Tigress quickly said as she noticed Yuan Sheng sitting beside her. "Leave me alone."

"I am not purposing accompanying you," the prince reply. "I just want to get something straight. You're leaving today so I think it is the right time for me to tell you about my secret."

Tigress looked at Yuan Sheng. "You've been hiding something… from me… all these time?" she asked, surprised.

Yuan Sheng nodded. "But from now on I promise you no more secret between us."

"And your secret is?"

Yuan Sheng looked back at Tigress. "About the true identities of my mother's murderers."

Tigress frowned. "I've already known them."

"You only know two."

"You mean… there's more? Who?"

"You know them."

Tigress was getting confused, but she quickly could figure out the words Yuan Sheng said.

"They escaped from prison yesterday," Yuan Sheng said. "And have been plotting with the escaped prisoners you were seeking to kill my mother."

"Why didn't you just tell me about this earlier?"

"Because it was a secret."

There was a pause moment.

"But whomever they are, they won't live at peace." Tigress said in a flat voice. "A debt of life must be paid with one's life. Now, tell me about these murderers."

Yuan Sheng smiled bitterly. "You'll be shocked if you know them."

"Still you got to tell me."

"When I tell you their identities, would you promise me to kill them all for my mother?"

Tigress raised her arm, taking an oath. "I vowed to myself to avenge your mother. Whomever the murderers are, they'll die. Now," she lowered her arm. "About these murderers ; who exactly are they?"

"Your former comrades."

"Pardon me?"

Yuan Sheng repeated himself slowly so that Tigress could hear word by word. "These murderers are your former comrades of The Valley of Peace."

For five seconds, no one talked.

"Are you trying to make me laugh?" Tigress asked. "Because your joke isn't funny at all.

"Did you think I am kidding?" Yuan Sheng asked back.

Silence moment again.

"The dragon warrior was here," the prince told her. "The soldiers arrested them when they were infiltrating into the palace and roughing up the guards."

Tigress was completely taken by surprise, asking him with a series of questions. "They… they… they were here? Really?" A nod. "And you never told me until now?! What kind of friend are you?!"

"I and my father were just worried you would return to them once you see them again," He replied, seeking an excuse. "Anyway, you said that you didn't care about them anymore, didn't you?" Yuan Sheng reminded her. "You told me that."

"Why did they come for?"

"You have no idea?"

Tigress was silent. Are they looking for me?

"If you think they came here to see you, you're wrong."

"How did you know?" Tigress aaked, still shocked

"Think about this." The prince was starting to explain. "If they really attempted to take you home to The Valley of Peace, then why would they team up with another prisoners and kill my mother? Besides, where are they now? They have escaped and could've come to you. But instead of coming to you, they just ran away and attacked the guards with a fireworks."

Tigress was still feeling taken aback.

Po was here. Her comrades were here. They were here.

"Your friends have changed," Yuan Sheng added. "And it even hasn't a week since you left your hometown. I won't be surprised if that ridiculous fat panda attack you someday. Your master might have ordered him to carry out his destiny."

Tigress gritted her teeth furiously. The resentment started possessing her mind again.

"Po!" Tigress let that word escape from her lip. She was indignant and could not control her anger.

"They are the murderers. And just like what the legend has told, someday, the warrior of black and white will come and kill you. Very clearly now that he's your archenemy."

Tigress clenched her fist, but still listening.

"They have left this land after killing my mother," Yuan Sheng mumbled, though he was not too sure if Po and the four had out of Darknest Land. But it was likely the warriors were not in his land anymore.

Tigress banged her fist into the ground, much to Yuan Sheng's fear. He was a bit afraid seeing Tigress, who was being angry, being around him, worried that he would be the target for releasing her anger, especially since that tiger girl sometimes could not control both her anger and strenght.

"You already took an oath to avenge my mother." Yuan Sheng demanded her. "And now, Tigress. Please, do something for my mother."

Tigress titled her head. "Your wish?" she asked.

"For my mother," he answered. "for our people and for Darknest Land ; I want you to kill The Dragon Warrior."

Tigress made an eye contact with the prince, staring at him for a few seconds before answering. An image of smiley face of the empress crossed her mind. She could hear her talk. She could still feel her love and kindness wrapping her heart. As she gripped her jade necklace, she declared firmly. "It's not about his and my destiny being enemy. I've promised to protect my new family and avenge her death."

If Po would really come to attack her, like what Yuan Sheng said, all she would have to was to stand up for herself. If Po was the one responsible for the empress' death, he would get a compirable penalty.