Thanks for R&R! Here we go with the first chapter of the war! On with the story…

Disclaimer: I do not own Xiaolin Showdown

Xiaolin Showdown: Legend of the Thunder Child III: Apocalypse Clone

38: The Silence before the Battle

Temple Courtyard, 12 minutes left…

Ryan and the others spent their last few moments preparing for war; Master Fung gave them special armour that was made for war. The warriors who made up Team A were lining up at the front gate, Ryan ran beside Bonetail, who had Kronego waiting on top of his head. He took a deep breath as he looked out across the battle field where Chase's army was amassing.

"It's time…" said Ryan as Master Fung stood beside him; he turned towards the old man who was clad in battle armour.

"Are you afraid?" said Master Fung as he laid a hand on his shoulder. Ryan sighed as he lowered his head.

"Kimiko is safe…" said Ryan "I have no regrets…"

"Good luck" said Master Fung "May fortune guide you…"

"Thanks" said Ryan as he put on the Sejoer Lzaas Blades and watched the metal morph into two large blades. He took a brief moment to warm himself up by swinging the swords about.

"Ryan" said Master Monk Guan as he and the girls walked towards him, "I have something for you"

He held out a staff that was bound in cloth, Ryan retracted his swords into his hands and took the staff from him. His eyes widened with surprise as he removed the cloth and saw he was holding one of the famous Spear of Guans.

"Whoa…" said Ryan as he looked up at Guan, "Seriously?"

"You will need it in the battle" said Guan "Also, I think you are worthy to wield one"

Ryan grinned to himself as he twirled the staff around.

"Thanks Guan" said Ryan. He looked over to the left as he felt someone's arms go around him, hugging him tight.

"Be careful out there Ryan" said Hannah "Kimiko depends on you, you know"

"Thanks Hannah" said Ryan, he managed to wiggle out of her hug and placed his hands on both her shoulders, holding her at arms width.

"Remember guys" said Ryan "We may not be able to hold back the whole army, so when everything gets too rough, get out of here and find somewhere safe"

"Don't worry about us" said Kelko as she hugged Ryan, "Just concentrate on kicking butt out there"

Ryan smiled as he looked at Lizz, she didn't hug him, and she just stood there looking at him.

"What? No hug?" said Ryan. Lizz smiled as she held her arms in front of her and hugged him.

"Kimiko's not here, so I'm going to say this for her" whispered Lizz in his ear, "No matter what happens out there…Live Ryan…Live…"

"I will" said Ryan as he nodded; he smiled as he held up his new weapon.

"What number is that?" said Lizz. Ryan spun it around, trying to find the number.

"Number 820" said Ryan "The one after yours"

Temple Courtyard, 7 minutes left…

"Oh yeah!" said Ryan as he spun the Spear of Guan around him in one hand and one of his Sejoer Lzaas Blades in the other, "Ready for action!"

"This is what we have been training for" said Master Monk Guan as he did the same with his weapon. Kronego said nothing as he pulled out his weapon.

"Behold" said Kronego "The ultimate dragon weapon!"

Ryan raised an eyebrow as he looked at it.

"Err…It's a yo-yo…" said Ryan.

"Not just any yo-yo" said Kronego "A battle yo-yo!"

"Yes…That makes all the difference…" sighed Ryan "What is with dragons and yo-yos?"

"This trick is called "Walking the dog"" said Kronego as the yo-yo whirred across the temple grounds, "And this one's called "Walking the "Chainsaw Maniac""

As soon as he said that, the yo-yo opened up and a huge razor sharp blade came out of it. It chewed up the concrete floor as it shot through the ground, buzzing like a circular saw. The blade suddenly disappeared back into the yo-yo as it went back into Kronego's hand.

"Dude!" gasped Ryan "I want a battle yo-yo!"

Kronego chucked as he walked towards Bonetail, bouncing the yo-yo in his hands.

Temple Courtyard, 4 minutes left…

"Okay everyone!" called Ryan as he and Guan climbed up onto Bonetail, "Let's show them what Xiaolin warriors are made of!"

Team A cheered as Bonetail stomped out onto the battlefield. Ryan looked out across the battlefield where Chase's forces had gathered on the field. He looked up at the dark sky; it began to glow as the sunrise was only a few seconds away. He looked back at the enemy, Guardian Angle was right; there were loads more soldiers than us. His pulse began to rise, one of the most horrible, most torturing parts of war…the silence before the battle. He began breathing harder, his anxiety was easily heard by Guan and Kronego, and his arm shook as he raised his walkie-talkie watch that Hannah gave him as part of her communications job.

"Hannah…" said Ryan "How are things…"

"Ryan? Are you okay?" said Hannah "You seem…uncomfortable…"

"Don't worry…I'm fine…" said Ryan "How are things…"

"Temple defence is ready…" said Lizz.

"Temple parameter is locked up tight…" said Master Fung.

"Second wave is A-okay" said Jermaine "We're ready to launch arrows when you say so…"

"Final preparations are complete…" said Ryan "Everyone…listen up…"

Everything went quite around him, as if the world was listening to him.

"No matter what happens today…" said Ryan "It's not the end…I wish you all god speed…"

There was a buzzing noise as his radio went off; Ryan looked up as the enemy had finished their preparations. His frowned with resentment as he saw Chase standing at the front of his army. Even in the dimness of the morning light, he could see his smug grin on his face. Slowly but surely, Chase slowly began to raise his arm, as he did that, each and every Ryan clone looked up at him as his arm got higher.

"What's he doing?" said Kronego as everyone looked at Chase.

"Signalling the charge…" said Ryan. They all looked to the left as a blinding light filled the sky; the sun was rising on a new day. Day one of the second Great Heylin War. The atmosphere changed suddenly as Chase swung his arm down quickly, the whole army lurched forward like a wave of water surging up a beach. Ryan looked around him as he saw his fellow warriors becoming apprehensive.

"Steady!" called Ryan.

"What are you doing?" said Kronego.

"Waiting…" said Ryan "We can't just charge at them, we got to use strategy…"

The Ryan clones were getting closer; all off them were grunting and forcing themselves through each other to get to them first.

"Ryan" said Guan "It's now or never!"

"Steady!" called Ryan "Just a little closer…"

"Ryan?" said Kronego.

"A little closer…" said Ryan as sweat began to fall from his brow.

"Ryan!" said Guan as he nudged Ryan to check if he was still alive.

"A little closer!" said Ryan.

"What the hell are you doing?" yelled Lizz "Attack!"

Ryan had his eyes on a specific point on the battle that he was waiting the clones to cross, he grinned as the frontline crossed that point.

"Jermaine!" yelled Ryan into his radio "Fire!"

They all looked up as the sky became darker, a torrent of arrows came raining from the sky, straight on top of the Ryan clones, turning most of them into pincushions which exploded into purple dust, and flanking their formation.

"Steady!" yelled Ryan as he activated his Sejoer Lzaas Blades, turning his hands into swords, he looked beside him and saw his fellow warriors draw their weapons too. The Ryan clones were getting even closer now, it seemed with each Ryan clone that was killed by arrows, two replaced it.

"Okay guys…" said Ryan as he looked at Guan and Kronego, "It's been nice knowing you…"

They both nodded in agreement as they knelt down, grabbing hold of Bonetail's body. Ryan cleared he throat before yelling at the top of his voice.

"GONG YI TAMPI!"

Suddenly, Bonetail lurched forward as all the warriors roared with the battle charge. Ryan gripped on for dear life as Bonetail charged at the enemy. The two armies hit each other with a clash of metal blades and the cries of inflicted wounds. Bonetail leapt into the air as he stomped on top of the Ryan clone army, crushing the unlucky Ryan clones under his giant feet into purple puree. But before he could even react to his second move, a hundred Ryan clones leapt onto him. He roared in pain as they swarmed over him like insects. In an attempt to shake them off, he shook his body vigorously, but that resulted in Guan, Kronego and Ryan falling from his head, but they were prepared for it.

"For the Xiaolin Temple!" roared Guan as he shot downwards with the Spear of Guan in his hands.

"For all that is good!" roared Kronego as he shot down with his battle yo-yo spinning around, building up power.

"For Kimiko…" whispered Ryan to himself as he landed right on top of a Ryan clone, his twin blades made short work of the clones metal mask and split his skull in two. Ryan first kill…

R&R!