(A/N) WARNING: this chapter is long. and I mean lllooooooooooooooooooonnggg. I like it though. anyway, sorry it took so long, yadda yadda yadda, etc. enjoy.

Chapter 9: The Present: Blood and Fire

"That's it, boys! The Key of Anubis is around here somewhere!" Lilith called from her perch atop the highest tower of Guan's temple. "Reduce this place to rubble! Find it! Find it for your mistress!" Down below, her minions were doing just that, knocking down walls and ripping rooms apart to find their prize. Suddenly the spire upon which Lilith sat began to topple, Hannibal having destroyed its support. The demoness remained in place, suspended in the air as the tower hit the ground with a thundering boom. "This is going to be a fun night." She chuckled.

Omi leapt at Chase's reptilian body only to be swatted away, slamming against the wall. The beast was not interested in combat, only in finding what his mistress desired. Wuya had disappeared when the commotion started. Whether she was being cowardly or going to face Lilith directly, Omi didn't care. He was only interested in protecting the temple and the Key of Anubis. Omi dashed after Chase again, only to be smacked away by his tail. He snarled at the short boy and growled two words, "Later… morsel," before disappearing into the dark corridor.

Elsewhere, Dark Rai moved along a hallway, his raven black wings spread menacingly and the edge of his onyx blade dragging across the stone floor. Like his companions, he searched for Lilith's prize, but he sensed his secondary target nearby. The Shoku Warrior. Oh what the dark angel wouldn't give to have his own prize then and there, to be whole and in control. But he needed what waits beyond to gate to claim what was rightfully his, and for that he needed to help Lilith collect the keys. "I know you're there, Raimundo. And your mate as well. I can taste your fear… and it tastes sweet. It was this same fear for her life that led you to take the Seal of Thanatos, and use it to defeat the Sin Dragon… it was that same fear that spawned me, that very same day. I want you to know, boy, that whether we come to blows this night or not… When our final encounter comes, I will be victorious and I shall take what is rightfully mine. We shall be one again… but only I will live to enjoy it."

"This guy is weird." Rai whispered from behind the wall, Dark Rai standing only feet away on the other side.

"Well, what did you expect? He's you, apparently." Kim quipped.

"Yeah, I still don't get that."

"Let's just chalk it up to comic-book level bullshit." Kim suggested

"Deal. Now how—" he yelped mid sentence as an onyx blade with glowing, neon green etchings stabbed through the wall only inches in front of his face. He and Kim fell back onto the floor as the blade slid up along the wall, cutting a long, thick gash. When the blade withdrew, Dark Rai peered at them through the gap and laughed. "Here's Johnny!" The whole wall collapsed as Dark Rai thrust his foot through it. Rai and Kim charging in for the attack before the dust had even cleared. Dark Rai snorted in amusement before grabbing Kim by the ankle and swinging around, using her like a bat to smack Rai into the opposite wall. As Rai fell to the floor, his evil counterpart held Kim up by her ankle and looked her over lustfully. "Mm… the things I will do with you once I'm whole again."

"In your dreams, scumbag!" Kim snarled, unleashing a torrent of flames from her throat and into his face. His grip on her ankle never loosened, and as the flames cleared he only laughed.

"Oh, you are just delightful." Dark Rai cackled.

In another part of the temple, Clay stomped his foot onto the stone floor, causing a massive chunk of rock and earth to come flying up. He thrust both hands forward, sending the boulder rocketing forward towards his enemy, Hannibal Roy Bean. The suit of armor raised its arm and smacked the boulder into the wall beside him, laughing darkly. "Boy, you might as well get up out of my way. Mistress Lilith has made me more powerful than ever!"

Clay stood his ground, breathing heavily. "That may be so, Bean-Boy… But you keep forgetting one thing… Inside that suit of armor, you're still just a pint sized legume."

Saya came flying out of nowhere, maneuvering around Clay at lightning speed, leaping forward, and kicking the helmet right off of Hannibal's armor body. She then aimed her left arm, wearing the Emerald Gauntlet, directly where the helmet, where the bean now visibly sat. She called out the Shen Gong Wu's name, unleashing a powerful beam of emerald colored energy directly at Hannibal. When the beam dissipated, she lowered her arm and waited for something to happen. After a short time, Hannibal started to laugh again.

He was untouched.

"Just a pint sized legume, am I?" he chuckled. "Hows about I show you just what this pint sized legume can do!"

Before she even realized that Hannibal's fist had collided with her chest, Saya was sent flying backward. Without a second thought, Clay caught her in his arms, but when he looked back up to Hannibal he found the suit of armor's foot slamming against his chin. Saya fell from his arms as they were both thrust back further. As they landed, Clay immediately got to his knees and slammed his fists against the floor, a wall of rock shooting up from the ground, blocking the path between him and Hannibal. "You're all right, Saya?" he asked.

Saya choked as she pushed herself to her knees. "Just… winded." She gasped. "I'll be okay."

"I highly doubt that." Came Hannibal's voice from the other side of the barrier. Clay and Saya shielded their eyes as rock and dust was strewn through the air, the wall collapsing as Hannibal thrust his open palms through it. "Boy, you are some kind of stupid if you think a wall is going to keep me from getting to you." The bean laughed, cracking his suits knuckles. "Now then… ready for round two?"

Jack, Nina, and Ino found themselves surrounded by the Darklings, the shadowy doppelgangers of themselves and their friends, and Chase. Knowing she still wasn't too adept at fighting, Jack and Nina stood in front of Ino to guard the girl, Jack having configured his robotic arm into an energy blasting cannon. Chase grinned at them through his fang lined muzzle before roaring, sending the Darklings in for the attack. Jack began to blast away at their attackers, mowing down the Darklings one by one only for them to respawn further back and come at them again. Anything that managed to get passed Jack was swiftly taken care of by Nina, striking at them with swift and precise kicks and punches. Ino helped as best as she could, using what martial arts she had learned to lighten Nina's load while also having the Thorn of Thunderbolts on hand in case she needed it. All the while Chase just stood at the rear and watched, seeming to be waiting for the right moment to join in the conflict.

Eventually the Darlings managed to split up the trio, one group driving Jack off to one side of the room while another kept Nina to the other side, and two or three continued to go after Ino in the center. Ino used the Thorn of Thunderbolts to take out her own darkling, but as it vanished before her she was tackled to the ground, a pair of fang lined jaws filling her field of vision. Chase had finally chosen his time to strike, pinning her to the ground. He gazed at her with the eyes of a hungry beast, droplets of drool dripping onto her face. She struggled against the vice-like grips he had on her arms, feeling his claws dig into her flesh, but to no avail. She panicked as Chase reared his head, getting ready to lash out at her exposed neck.

Useless girl! Do I have to do everything myself?

Ino felt her control over herself slip away. Just as Chase was about to strike, her head was thrust at him, smashing her forehead against his muzzle. Chase yelped and clutched at his nose with one hand. This allowed to Ino to strike him in the temple before grabbing the Thorn of Thunderbolts from the floor and blasting him with it, sending him flying through the wall. Chase pushed himself back to his feet as she came at him again, spinning around to swat her away with his tail, but she grabbed onto his tail and used the momentum to swing around to his other side and slam her feet into his jaw. Chase stumbled away, clutching at his cheek as Ino landed on her feet and waited for him to attack again. He waited for a few seconds before roaring again and running away on all fours. Once he was gone Ino felt herself regain control and she fell to her knees

You are trying my patience, Ino. If you don't start taking control, I won't be giving it back next time.

"Who are you?" Ino growled

"You're destiny."

"Ino? Are you all right?"

The girl looked up to find Nina kneeling next to her, Jack standing by making sure they weren't attacked. The Darklings had decided to retreat with Chase apparently. "Yeah, I… I'm fine." She replied.

"You really showed Chase whose boss." Jack stated. "Didn't know you could fight like that."

"That makes two of us." Ino replied under her breath.

Mimi, Julia, and Elena waited in the Hall of the Shen Gong Wu with Guan and several of the other monks that resided in the temple. The heard footsteps coming closer as a single one of Lilith's warriors came near. The lone warrior soon rounded the corner, a man dressed in Ninja garbs. He had no weapons drawn and paused only for a second as he saw the small force guarding the vault, but just as quickly as he stopped, he began advancing again, casually walking forward.

Julia made the move. Clasping the Emerald Gauntlet onto her arm, she called out its name and fired a massive beam of green energy directly at Lilith's minion. With astounding ease, Rush leapt up and flipped through the air over the beam, landing a forceful kick on Julia's jaw, knocking her into the wall. While Mimi, Guan, and the other monks went after him, Elena ran to Julia's side. "Are you okay, baby?"

"Don't touch me!" Julia snarled, sending a death glare at the other girl before running to join the fight. Elena just sat there, dumbfounded. Was Julia really that mad over what she'd heard? She wasn't even sure if she understood it herself. She didn't have time to think over it too much, as a monk was flung into the wall next to her. She helped him to his feet before rejoining the battle.

Rush grabbed an attacking monk from midair and threw him off to the side just as Guan came at him with his spear. Rush outstretch his open hand at the spear, allowing the blade to stab into his palm and emerge out the back of his hand. Guan was shocked that the warrior showed no pain, and that there was no blood on the blade. "What are you?" Guan asked in astonishment.

"The same thing you're about to be… dead!"

The blade still piercing his hand, Rush tore the spear from Guan's hands and hit his stomach with the blunt end. He slashed the blade across Guan's chest a few times, cutting deeply, before sweeping his leg under the monk's legs and then smashing the blunt end of the spear into Guans face. Guan hit the ground hard and, while he was still conscious, he was out of the fight for now. Mimi, wielding the Silk Spitter, and five of the temples resident monks came at him next. Using Guan's spear, Rush managed to capture and redirect each shot from the Silk Spitter, sending them at each of his attackers and sticking them firmly to the wall with the webs.

Only the three girls remained to stand against Rush, Julia wielding the Emerald Gauntlet, Elena with the Ruby of Ramses, and Mimi having swapped out the Silk Spitter for the Eye of Dashi. Rush moved to make an attack, but Elena caught him with the Ruby of Ramses, lifting him up and pinning him against the wall. While he was immobile, Julia and Mimi used their two Wu in a combined attack, blasting him with a powerful burst of green and yellow energy, causing the wall to crumble and a cloud of dust to rise. When the dust cleared, the found that him lying on the ground motionless.

"Looks like we're done here." Mimi said. "I'll help Guan. You guys start helping the other monks down from the walls.

The two girls did as instructed, and began to rip the Silk Spitter's webbing away from the monks underneath. Before even one was freed, however, Julia suddenly found the blade of Guan's spear stuck into the wall next to her head. She swung around to find that Rush was on his feet again with the Silk Spitter in hand, Mimi was laying on the ground unconscious, and Elena was webbed to the wall. She hesitated only for a second before going to aim the Emerald Gauntlet at him, but that split second gave him enough time to aim and fire the Silk Spitter at her, pinning her against the wall as well.

Rush sighed. All distractions were now out of the way, so he could finally do what he had come there to do in the first place. He descended the stairs into the vault to claim his prize. But only a few steps down, he leapt back up into the main hall as a massive green serpent came flying up out of the vault. Fire pouring from his jaws, Dojo rose up and encircled Lilith's minion, clamping down onto him like a python. Rush did not panic as his body was constricted and Dojo glared down to him, appearing menacing with dripping fangs and smoke billowing from his nostrils.

Rush was unimpressed

"Really? You're the last line of defense, Dojo?" Rush questioned, almost laughing. "This is… underwhelming."

The Dragon didn't respond. Instead he inhaled, preparing to unleash a torrent of flames upon the spirit in ninja garbs. Rush had to give Dojo points for putting on a good show, but he knew all too well how this was going to end.

Lilith was perched atop a different tower of the temple, watching as her minions tore everything apart in search of the Key of Anubis. The Darklings were running amok all over the temple While Hannibal, Chase, Dark Rai, and Rush took on the monks and made their way to the Shen Gong Wu vault. "Beautiful, isn't it? All the chaos and destruction. I would think you of all people would appreciate this, Wuya."

Wuya appeared in a burst of green flames atop another nearby tower. She stood there in silence, glaring intently at the demonic woman. "Why do I hate you so much?" she finally asked.

"Oh, you don't remember?"

"I remember plenty… I know what you did… but that's not it. There's something more. Something I've forgotten."

Lilith grinned. "Give me the Key of Anubis and maybe I'll tell you."

"Or I could beat it out of you." Wuya suggested.

Lilith shrugged. "Whatever suits you."

Her fists engulfed in flames, Wuya mad the first move, leaping from her tower to Lilith's. the demoness vanished as the witch came in close, Wuya's knuckles striking stone, causing it to crumble away down to the courtyard below. Lilith reappeared behind her, her foot impacting against Wuya's back as she spun through the air. Caught off guard, Wuya collapsed and began to fall, plummeting down the side of the tower. When she saw that Lilith had moved again, now waiting for her at the bottom of the tower, she summoned her green flames again and curled up into a ball, beginning to spin rapidly until she formed a fireball. Lilith easily moved out of the way before her opponent hit the ground, creating a massive crater in the cobblestone, but she didn't expect Wuya to come rushing out of the flames almost instantly. Roaring, the witch slashed her fiery claws across Lilith's face, her knife-like nails leaving four deep, bloody gashes across her nose and cheeks.

The Demoness shrieked and stumbled back, clutching at her face with both hands. "You bitch… You're going to pay for that." She snarled as she lowered her hands, showing that her wounds had healed completely almost instantly.

Lilith flipped through the air, sending a barrage of punches at Wuya when she landed. The witch managed to dodge and sidestep each attack before finding an opening and attempting to deliver a kick to the demoness's side. Lilith blocked the attack with her forearm before grabbing onto Wuya's leg with both hands and swinging around, throwing the red headed woman into a nearby wall. Wuya fell from the wall and collapsed onto her hands and knees, taking a few seconds to catch her breath, but Lilith didn't give her much time. Wuya barely noticed as Lilith began her attack again, unleashing an onslaught of punches and kicks at the other woman. Taking her time, Wuya dodged each attack before rolling out of the line of fire and jumping back to her feet. She began to blast balls of green fire a Lilith, one after another without much falter. Lilith did not bother dodging the attacks, choosing to block them instead steadily walking forward as she swatted each fireball away. Finally fed up, Wuya summoned one massive fireball and launched it at the demonic woman. With a sinister grin, Lilith caught the ball of flames and threw it back at her. Wuya took the full force of the blow, sending her flying not into, but through several walls. By the time Wuya had stopped after skidding along the cobblestone, Lilith was already waiting for her there to continue her assault. She grabbed Wuya by the throat and tossed her into the air, striking her with a kick as she came back down and sending her flying. She teleported into Wuya's path and hit her with a powerful punch, sending her flying back in the other direction. She teleported once more, reappearing just above Wuya as she flew through the air and kicked her again, this time straight into the ground. Lilith landed gracefully on the ground, smirking as she admired her work. Wuya wasn't moving.

Lilith stood over the Heylin Witch in triumph. She grabbed the other woman by her hair and dragged her across the cobblestone to the courtyard fountain. She threw Wuya onto the edge, stepping one foot onto her back and holding her face just above the water. "Look at yourself." Lilith whispered. "Broken… beaten… I can see the hatred, the rage in your eyes. It's delicious, all of those negative emotions. But I can't help but sense some good left in you. Fifteen hundred years I've been trying to break you, but you just won't do it. I admire your conviction, Wuya, but it won't last much longer. Chase buckled to me, and so did Hannibal, and soon you will too. Just accept it."

"Mph… never." Wuya spat, droplets of blood splattering into the water.

"Oh, come now, dear. Just remember. Dashi betrayed you. Pride corrupted you. And me? I took the one thing from you that could have saved you from it all."

"And what might that be?" Wuya growled.

Lilith snickered as she lifted Wuya's head slightly, leaning down to whisper in her ear. "We'll save that for later." She said softly before slamming Wuya's forehead down against the side of the fountain. Lilith tossed the witch aside, letting her bruised, bloodied, barely conscious body crumble to the ground. "But don't worry. Later isn't too far away."

With Wuya taken care of, Rush appeared before Lilith and kneeled to her, offering the Key of Anubis to her. "Victory is ours, Mistress." He informed her. The Demoness was more than pleased and praised her minion as she went to take the key from him, but as she grabbed onto it two other hands did as well. Omi dropped down from nowhere and grabbed onto the key just as Lilith did, and at the same time, Wuya managed to push herself up from the ground and grab it as well. With four firm grips pulling it in different directions, the Key of Anubis began to shine with a golden aura.

"Not this again!" Lilith growled.

Omi and Wuya quickly nodded at each other before Omi began to speak. "Lilith, Wuya and I challenge you and your minion to a Xiaolin Showdown."

"Very well." Lilith growled. "Our Flask of Phantoms and Sword of the Storm against your Lotus Twister and Cannon Blaster. Name the challenge." Omi thought it over for a moment, but Wuya spoke before he could come up with an idea.

"A race." The witch gasped, still getting her bearings after Lilith's brutal beating. "First team to exit the fog wins."

Lilith grinned. "Very well."

"Let's go! Xiaolin Showdown!" The Key of Anubis erupted in a blinding light as the stage was set for the showdown. The arena was simple enough: the two teams found themselves sitting in fan boats like one would find in a swamp (a white one for Omi and Wuya and a black on for Lilith and Rush). The boats rested in the middle of a lake that was covered in a fog so thick that the occupants of the boar couldn't see the front of the boat if they sat at the rear.

"You had to say fog, didn't you?" Omi growled.

"Let's just get this over with." Wuya replied.

"Gong Yi Tanpei!"

Immediately as the showdown started, Lilith and Rush went on the offensive. Lilith called upon the Flask of Phantoms to unleash its ghoulish inhabitant. The ghost shot out over the water to the other boat, grabbing onto Wuya and pulling her back with it. As soon as she was out of the way, Rush slashed the sword of the storm through the air, sending a wave of air rocketing at Omi's boat, crushing it into two halves. The monk barely had time to think as his boat began to sink and his opponents sped off. Thinking quickly, he grabbed the two Shen Gong Wu he had and used the Lotus Twister to tie his arm tightly around the Cannon Blaster. He then aimed the other Wu at the direction the sounds of the other boat and used it to launch himself through the air at high speed, bringing the Cannon Blaster along with him due to his arm.

Lilith and Rush were confident that they'd won as they raced off in a random direction, but as they sped along, they felt a jostling at the rear of the boat. Rush, at the controls, turned around to see what it was and his masked face was met with Omi's foot, who had stretched his leg from his perch atop the fan with the Lotus Twister. The monk leapt down from his perch and swung around, stretching out his other leg to strike Lilith in the ribs and knock the Flask of Phantoms from her hands. He quickly grabbed the crystal vile and unleashed his partner.

Wuya took a few seconds to get her bearings while Omi held off Lilith and Rush. Once she was able to stand, she grabbed the Flask of Phantoms from where Omi had dropped it and tossed into the water. Rush came at her with the Sword of the Storm, but she halted the attack by grabbing the blade in mid swing. It cut into her hand deeply, but she barely winced at the pain. She ripped the blade from the ninja's hand before unleashing an onslaught of kicks and green fireballs at him.

Omi wasn't having much luck in his battle against Lilith. He used the Lotus Twister creatively to try to gain the advantage, but she always seemed one step ahead of him. "Come on, boy! You'll have to do better than that." She taunted. "It seems as though your master did a poor job of training you." As she spoke, the Demoness sensed a sudden surge of darkness within the boy as he attacked again, this time in an angrier, direct way then his previously focused and strategic style.

"You will never speak of my master with your vile tongue again, Succubus!" Omi snarled as he came at her again. Lilith paid close attention to the boy each time he came at her, noticing the feint outlines of tentacle like tattoos slowly appearing on his skin. Curious, she decided to take things further.

"Ah, what's wrong?" she asked, grinning darkly as she caught Omi's outstretched fist before it could strike her face. "Did the old man leave you all alone in this world? Did he pass before he could teach you everything he knew? Figures he would abandon you… you weren't even good enough for him to name you Shoku Warrior."

Omi had had enough by this point. He yelled in rage and let the Lotus Twister drop to the floor of the boat. A dark aura engulfed the boy as the tattoos manifested fully on his flesh. Wuya and Rushed paused their fight to observe the spectacle, a shiver running up both of their spines (even if Rush didn't have one). Even Lilith felt a twinge of something as Omi revealed his power. Not fear, something else entirely. His power seemed… familiar. Could it be? She asked herself mentally. Before she could find the answer, Omi screamed again, unleashing a pulse of dark energy from his body, knocking everyone else from the boat and into the water. Only Wuya resurfaced, and as she climbed back into the boat she found the boy lying there, unconscious, the dark aura and tattoos gone.

She kneeled next to Omi and looked him over quickly. What was that power? Where did it come from? Why did it manifest when Omi became enraged? She would have to find out later. For now there was still a showdown to win. She quickly aimed the Cannon Blaster in the direction the boat had been moving and then picked up Omi, resting the boy's chin against her shoulder as she held onto his back and under his legs. She used the Cannon Blaster to launch them both off the boat and, just before hitting the water, they burst through the wall of fog, finding a clear sky and bright sun hanging over them. Wuya closed her eyes as the light from the sun engulfed them, and when she could see again, she found herself, Omi, their opponents, and everyone else back in Guans temple. Lying at her feet were the five Shen Gong Wu that had been wagered.

"All right. The challenge is over." The witch said. "Now get lost."

"You would like that, wouldn't you?" Lilith said as her four minions and the Darklings came to her side. "But while you and some other two-bit villains might walk away after losing a child's game, I have no intention of leaving here without the Key of Anubis. Now you are going to hand over that Shen Gong Wu, and we are going to set this place ablaze and leave you all to die. Sound fun?"

"Not particularly." Rai said as he and the others joined Wuya. Guan had regained consciousness at some point and was carrying Mimi and Julia, both still unconscious, over his shoulders. Clay carried Elena in his arms, and the unconscious Dojo rested on his hat. They set the girls and the dragon down on the sidelines with Omi before joining Wuya, Rai, Kim, Saya, Jack, Nina, and Ino in their standoff against Lilith and her minions. "There's no way we are handing over this key. Just walk away and you won't get your butts handed to you."

Lilith chuckled, admiring his naïve confidence. "Keep them busy for me." She said to Dark Rai, patting him on the shoulder before vanishing in a purple haze.

"You heard the lady, boys and girls!" Dark Rai laughed, spreading his wings as fireballs appeared in both of his hands. He rose into the air as Rush, Hannibal, Chase, and the Darklings engaged the monks in combat. He threw the fireballs every which way, setting every structure of the temple left standing ablaze. He sat in the air admiring his work for a moment before dropping back down to join the fight.

~OMI'S MIND~

"Omi… wake up, Omi…"

The monk's eyes snapped open as the voice called out to him. He found himself in a dark void, floating in the seemingly endless abyss. "What is this place?" he asked himself. "Am I… dead?"

"No, Omi. You are very much alive."

Omi looked over his shoulder to find the one who was speaking. "Lilith!" he shouted, turning around and getting into a battle stance. "Prepare for a shameful defeat at the hands a Xiaolin Warrior."

"Calm yourself, boy." Lilith said calmly. "I am not here to fight you; I am here to show you."

Omi lowered his arms, curious. "Show me what?"

"The truth."

Omi suddenly found himself and Lilith standing atop the roof of a small cabin, just outside the outskirts of a small village in ancient China. He could see people going about their lives; merchants and workers doing business in the village, farmers working in the rice patty not far off. It seemed like a peaceful day… except for the sound of a woman howling like a banshee. "What is that?"

"Why I brought you here." Lilith said.

They jumped down from the roof and moved over to a nearby window. Omi jumped up onto a barrel to look inside and was amazed by what he saw. Inside was the woman he had heard screaming. She was facing away from him, so he couldn't see much, but her hair was blonde and her belly was greatly swollen. She was lying on her back, a few pillows propping her up and her legs spread wide, three other women tending to her as she switched between breathing heavily and screaming loudly. A man, whose face Omi couldn't see, kneeled next to her, holding her hand tightly. It didn't take long for Omi to figure out what was going on.

"She is giving birth." Omi said.

"I am giving birth." Lilith corrected him.

"That is you?" Omi questioned. "But…"

"There is so much of the story you do not know, young monk. So much you don't know, but deserve to."

Omi gave her a long, hard look, glancing back through the window briefly. "Why are you showing me this?" he asked her.

Before she could answer, they heard the pregnant woman inside give one last scream before a new sound took its place; a crying infant. "It's a boy." One of the nurses said. She wrapped the babe in a cloth after the cord was cut and handed him to the mother.

"This involves you just as much as it involves me, young monk." Lilith stated. "That newborn is you."

Omi gasped and stumbled back, falling off of the barrel and landing on his back. He propped himself up, looking at Lilith in horror. "But… but that would mean…"

"Yes… my son…"

~REALITY~

Guan and Wuya stood back to back, their teenage companions laying unconscious on the ground around them as Lilith's minions and the Darklings surrounded them. The temple had been all but completely engulfed in flames and was crumbling away bit by bit. The only thing keeping the battle going was the Key of Anubis, currently in Wuya's possession. Dark Rai was about to order another attack when Lilith suddenly reappeared, cradling Omi in her arms. "Omi!" Guan shouted.

"It's your choice." Lilith said. "Either we leave here with the Key or the boy."

"You'll get nothing!" Wuya snarled, her hands bursting into flames. She moved in for the attack, intending on ripping off Lilith's blindfold and clawing out her eyes, but Hannibal stepped in her way. He grabbed the witch by the throat, pulling the Key of Anubis before tossing her aside.

"I believe this is what we came for." Hannibal chuckled.

"Good. Now let's get out of here…" Lilith said. "But leave the Darklings to clean up." With that, Lilith disappeared in a purple haze, taking Hannibal, Chase, Rush, Dark Rai, and Omi with her but leaving the shadowy doppelgangers of the monks behind.

By the time Wuya had pushed herself back to her feet, they were already gone and Guan was already battling the Darklings. She cursed herself and them. "Guan, let's end this!"

"No, Wuya." Guan replied. "This battle has ended already. The only remaining questions are how long can we hold them off, and how many of us will survive."

"Guan, what are you saying?" Wuya questioned.

"Take the children… I'll hold them off."

"Guan, no! You won't make it out alive!"

"I've lived a long, full life. Much longer than most people would care to live. If I am to die today, then so be it. But these children… the world is depending on them. And with Dojo out of commission you are the only one who can get them all out of here quick enough."

"Guan I am not leaving you! Not after—"

"Your past is irrelevant Wuya!" Guan snapped. "Now do as I ask and get these children out of here!"

As much as she wanted to protest, Wuya knew he was right. "Keep them busy. This will take a few seconds." She crossed her legs, floating in the air as she began to gather her power; Guan moving like made to keep the Darklings away from her and the children. "I'm sorry, Guan." She whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks. Green flames engulfed her, spreading out over the courtyard and taking Rai and the others with her.

Guan was alone, surrounded by beings of pure darkness who were all ready to rip him apart. He knew he could fight them, at least for a while… but he was tired. Not just from the fight, but from fifteen hundred long years of life. He was an old man, even if he didn't look it. "Decisions, decisions." He mumbled to himself.

Then he was approached by one of the Darklings, a new one… a doppelganger of himself. Guan smirked. "This I will not stand for." He chuckled. So he gripped his spear, and raised it at his shadowy double.

And all the Darklings descended upon him.

(A/N) lots of action this chapter. perhaps too much. but whatever. Im going to leave Guans fate ambiguous for now, mostly because I havent decided whether he'll live or not. so stick around for more. my next update will definitely be the next episode of Total Drama Heroes. see you guys later.