"What happened to you?"
"Oh, thanks-"
"Kimiko, I'm serious."
She gave him a look, a mixture of glare and discomfort. Her body tensed as a cry of pain left her lips.
"Kimiko-"
"I'm fine. We can't waste time"
"Untie me and we'll talk"
"Rai please-" She grabbed her arms, clutching them against her chest as another sharp wave of pain ran through her. The Heylin magic starting to travel across her arms.
"Kimi what's happening to you?"
"I'm dying. Slowly and painfully." She gasped for air as a tear rolled down her face. "Chase said, if the magic consumes me I'll die"
"How do we stop this?"
"I don't know!" She cried, "We can't find a way!"
Forcing herself forward she burned the ropes, disarming the spell set by the monks. Without hesitation, Raimundo threw himself to the floor, pulling Kimiko to him.
"We'll figure this out okay, if I go back he'll stop hurting you"
"I don't see how we can win this one..." Her body shook against his. Raimundo held her tight, he'd never seen her so fragile before. "I'm okay- I'm okay with dying"
"Don't you dare say shit like that, Kimiko" Raimundo snapped, tightening his hold on her.
"No-" She pulled back so she could look him in the eyes, "If we can't find a way, I'm okay with this. He'll have no leverage on you-"
"You haven't checked enough. There must be something"
"I don't kn-"
"He did this to you" He interrupted, "On the mountain. I know because he told me not long after."
"That's why you went..."
"If I didn't you'd still be unconscious, hell, maybe even dead right now."
"I'm fine with going-"
"Stop saying that!" He begged, his eyes tearing up at the thought, "You may be fine with it, but I'm not! So find a way."
"Okay," She whispered.
Without waiting Raimundo pulled her in for a quick kiss before scooping her up into his arms.
"Let's go find the others"
"I'm here aren't I?"
"Raimundo! What the hell are you doin' here?" Clay bellowed.
"I'm trying to return to where I need to be"
Chase smirked, evidently happy with the situation in hand.
"You gonna stop with the pain before we go?"
"Very well"
Kimiko gasped as the pain throughout her died down. Although her body still felt slightly shaky, she was finally able to breathe a pain-free breath again.
"You good?" Raimundo quietly asked, upon receiving a nod he helped her onto her feet. Holding her waist until she was steady.
"Raimundo..." Omi whispered, unsure of who to look at more. Him, or Kimiko with the far greater growth of magic.
"See you around, guys"
With that, Raimundo and Chase disappeared into black smoke.
"Kimiko..." Clay called as he ran to her side, holding her as she fell into him.
"We need to fix this" she pleaded.
"We will, Lil lady. We will" Clay pulled her into a hug, turning his head to face Omi, "You okay, Partner? You did go through a window"
"Currently I feel fine, but we should all go and ensure we are not hurt"
"Good idea"
"So he knew this whole time?"
"Yeah," Kimiko gave a nod. She and Clay were looking at the magic's growth while Omi had his back tended to.
"I don't get when he-"
A pause.
"Clay?"
"It had to be when he was outside. He wasn't gone long, but it must've been long enough for Chase to get to him"
"When I was unconscious?"
"Yeah. I grabbed him, we went to you, and bam, you were as right as rain, or so we thought"
"We need to figure out everything that happened that day. If anything we'll get answers on how he did this to me, even if we don't know what it is"
"Kimiko," Omi asked, walking over to the duo, "Do you still have no memory from then?"
Thinking for a second, she tried hard to remember the day.
"We were hiking, and then I'm waking up in here"
"It had to be Chase on the mountain, it's the only logical explanation," Clay commented, "The only thing which would make you think otherwise is that the Wu was missing"
"Wait it was gone?!" Kimiko asked.
"Yes. It seems Chase wanted the Shen Gong Wu too. If you'll excuse me, I can go find the scroll and relearn the Wu and see why it is so important to Chase"
Omi gave a small bow before quick walking out of the room, leaving Clay and Kimiko alone.
"Does it hurt?"
"The magic? No. Only when Chase activates it"
"How much do we really know about Heylin magic?"
"There's bound to be information in the scrolls room. But surely the monks are looking?"
"Won't hurt to do our own research, could learn a thing or two"
"You knew this was going to happen. Didn't you?"
"Whatever do you mean?"
"You just happen to let me out of that cell when Clay and Omi are here?"
Chase smirked. "Do you monks think I cannot sense your presence? I know you're here before you step foot on my land"
"So it was a game to you"
"Perhaps," Chase turned to leave the cell, pulling the door behind him.
"Wait" ... "Just what did you do to Kimiko?"
"Let's just say it's my own special blend"
He slammed the door behind him, leaving a confused Raimundo alone again.
"The... Chain of Command?"
"Yes friend Clay, that is the Shen Gong Wu Chase took when he attacked Kimiko."
Omi was perched reading through a scroll as Clay and Kimiko entered the room. He continued his reading before joining the two.
"When activated it becomes a weapon. A long chain in which the user has full control over. While it's a lesser-known Wu, it is known that if a being with magical abilities uses it, they can use their powers with it"
"So Clay could use it on someone like he would a lasso, turn it to solid rock and leave them tied up?"
"I have not seen it with my own eyes, but I believe so, yes"
"So why would Chase wat that?"
"Well..." Kimiko started, "Chase would be able to use Heylin magic with it."
"So he could use it as a weapon?"
"No, he doesn't rely on Shen Gong Wu. Maybe he just didn't want us attempting to use it?"
"His reasons do not matter. Gaining the Shen Gong Wu is what's important. Although it is a second to Kimiko's cure."
The tri stood, going over the new information in their own minds.
"What brought you to the scroll room?"
"We thought we could learn some more about Heylin magic. See if it could help at all"
"There you all are!" Dojo shouted from the doorway. "I've been looking for you lot! Master Fung might have a way to cure Kimiko!"