Here comes the next Chapter. This one is pretty tense, but yet, Ironic. Keep reading and you'll know. Enjoy! X)

Chapter 4

Death Is Only the Beginning

As Shen and I waited for the gang to come up, we heard stomps from the stairs. We begin to wonder who it was until I heard the voice of Po. It turns out, Po was being carried by a gorilla.

"Thanks for carrying me those last few flights." Po, "I threw up a little bit on the third floor. Some might want to clean that up. Is there some sort of evil janitor or something?"

Just then Shen comes up to me and then whisper.

"You'll never defeat me." He said.

I snarl. But then someone approach behind me and knocks me out cold. When I came too, I notice that I was being carried by a gorilla.

"We'll stop here." A wolf said behind me.

"Why?" the gorilla asked.

"Because of this!" he said.

Then I heard a slit throat and the gorilla's grip were loosened and he then fell. I turn around and look at the wolf. He held a sword that was covered in blood. I look back at the gorilla dead with his eyes opened.

"You slit his throat." I exclaimed.

"Yes, I did." He said coming behind me.

Then my hands were getting easier to move. My hands were then free.

"Why would you help me?" I asked.

"Because when you said all of those words, it made me think about my family." He said, "And you made a point."

"Well, thanks." I said.

"Don't mention it. Really, don't." he said, "My name is Cao Kan."

"Cao, do you know Shen's goal?" I asked while we were going back up.

"Not really much. But we're going to soon leave Gongmen City." He said.

"Why?" I asked.

"Please stop asking so many questions." He said.

"Sorry." I said.

Just as we got to the top, the five were out of their cuffs and Po was dealing with Shen.

"Po!" I called out.

"Get the weapon!" Po said.

We all got to our defense formation.

"Tigress!" Po called out.

Tigress jumps on Po and lifts herself to the weapon and then smashes the head. But with Po going for Shen, I follow Tigress behind and then smash it down to the surface. The five and I cheers. But when I turn around, Po just stands there, staring at Shen again like the wolf when hammered.

"Po!" I shouted.

But it was too late. Shen got away and flew out.

"Po! You just let Shen get away!" I snapped.

"At least we destroyed the weapon." Mantis said.

But then fire cannons were starting to come right at us.

"Oh no, he's got way more." Mantis said.

"Look out!" I said.

We duck down for cover until some of the parts of the Palace hit Crane.

"My wing!" Crane said.

"Po, Kenji, help!" Tigress said.

"Coming." Po and I said.

"We need to get out of here before the Palace collapses!" Cao said.

"I'm aware of that!" I said.

But then for some reason, Po lost balance and was about to fall in the hole that I kicked down.

"Po!" I called out.

I grabbed his leg, but I fell out. Viper then grabbed my leg.

"Help me up!" Viper said.

"No, get us down." Tigress said, "Po, use the ropes."

"What?" I exclaimed.

"Trust me." She said

I let go of Po and then start to fall with him. Po uses the ropes while I continue to fall until we reach to the surface and use my power to slow myself down from falling. But then Po lands on Monkey and rolls.

"Po, come on. We need you to focus!" I said as Tigress and I help Po up.

"I got it, I got it!" Po said.

"Cao, come on." I said helping him up.

Just as we were about to exit out, they smash the entrance.

"We're trapped!" Po said.

"This way!" Tigress said.

We ran back up to the 4th floor and at outside. But then we saw wolves at a wall with fire arrows. They fire at us, but Tigress and I defends the four and Po.

"Everybody, get back." I said.

Tigress hits the arrows while I used my dagger to cut the arrows in half. But then she and I look at the town.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" I asked.

"Yea. Let's go there." She said.

As she went on, an arrow was about to hit me, but I catch it and throw it back and then went inside.

"The only way out is up." Tigress said.

Tigress grabs Po while I grab Crane.

"What?" they all exclaimed.

Just as we got to the roof, we kept going and going until I got shot by an arrow.

"Agh!" I screamed almost letting go of Crane, but I pull him back up.

"Kenji!" Tigress exclaimed.

"Keep going!" I said still going, "To the top!"

When we got to the top, we jump off the building and start to fall. Then by the time we got to the town roof, Tigress and I caught Po and gave him a boost to go to the other roofs. When we went back to Gongmen Jail, we got in and start to pant. I look at my right shoulder and groan. I broke the end of the arrow and begin to pull it back. Now there was a hole in my shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Tigress asked.

"Yea, I'm fine." I said.

But then I walk up to Po holding my shoulder.

"What did you do?" Ox asked, "It's chaos up there. What happened to stopping Shen?"

"Yea. What did happen, Po?" I asked.

"Guys, come on. Give me a little credit." Po said slightly walking away from us, "I meant for him to get away. Because uh… it was a trick; it was a plot. I was thinking… I'll figure out his plot more."

"That makes… no sense." Mantis said.

"What do you mean? Sure it does." Po said.

"Po, the truth. You had him, but what happen?" I asked walking up to him.

"What are you talking about? I don't know what you're talking about." Po said when he fell, "I… okay, fine. He caught me off guard."

"The truth, Po." I said knelling at his height looking at him in the eyes.

He said nothing but just mouth his words 'um'.

"Po, you had Shen. But you just stood there like a statue. Just like when that wolf hammered your face." I said, "Why can't you fight?"

"I'm sorry but—" Po said.

"Sorry doesn't fix anything, Po." I snapped, "You let Shen get away. Why?"

He mouths his words again.

"Fine. Since you had let Shen get away and won't tell us why, Ox and Croc will keep you far from danger." I said.

"Really far." Croc said.

"What?" Po replied.

"You're staying here." I said.

"Wait! I have to go ba—" Po said

Then I turn quickly with blue static around me.

"You're staying here!" I shouted.

"I'm going and you can't stop me." Po said walking past me.

But I grab his hand and made him go back while holding my wound.

"Okay, I wasn't ready that time." He said.

"Guys, don't." Viper said.

"Ready." I said letting go of my wound.

"Look!" Po said.

He tried to run past by me, but I grab his fur and flip him. He came back again, but I trip and kick him in the stomach and he went back again.

"Stay down." Viper said.

"I have to get to him." Po said.

"Then tell me why!" I snapped.

"He was there! Okay? The peacock was there the last time I saw my parents." He said, "He knows what happened. Where I came from; who I am."

I then got a feeling that I begin to understand of his depression.

"Look, I'm going. I have to know." Po said getting up, "The hard-core can't understand."

I was going to say something, but then Tigress races up and hugs him.

"The hard-core do understand." Tigress said, "But I can't watch my friend be killed, just as Kenji almost died in front of my eyes."

I sigh and went toward the entrance.

"Maybe you can't watch me be killed?" Crane asked.

"Stop being a wimp." I said.

As we got out, I look at Cao.

"So, do you know what the call was for?" I asked.

"We're going to set sail." He said.

"Where?" I asked.

"To the dock." He said, "We have to hurry."

"Kenji, who's this?" Viper asked.

"Don't worry. He's one of us." I said.

"But he's a wolf." Crane said.

"I know but…" I said.

"I changed sides." He said, "I didn't like Shen anyway."

We got to the metal factory and hid behind of the crates.

"If all of those weapons leave the building, China will fall." Cao said.

"We bring down the building." Viper suggested.

"Hey guys, how about this?" Mantis asked.

We look at Mantis and he began to rub his claws to make friction and then made fire. But he burns his antenna.

"This will work." Mantis said.

"All right, let's go." Cao said, "Carry these crates. They're filled with firework powder."

"I can't feel my face." Mantis said.

As we were filling a box, I begin to get a tingle behind my spine.

"Kenji, are you okay?" Viper asked.

"It's nothing. Probably my imagination." I said continuing to help.

"Master." Shadow said appearing, "There's bad news."

"What?" I whispered.

"Po has left the Jail." He said.

"What?!" I exclaimed quietly, "Where did you find him?"

"I don't know now, but he has entered the building already." He explained.

"Ugh, Buddha, please tell me this isn't happening." I prayed.

I stop helping and start to look for Po.

"Kenji, where are you going?" Tigress asked.

"Don't worry, I'll be right back." I said running.

As I used an ability to send out a radius circle and if another circle comes back from a direction that means that's the person I'm looking for, which is Po. But then I heard a thud and beating up. I look up and saw two wolves walking.

But their feet are not moving. I thought.

When I look at their feet, I saw two extra feet.

That must be Po. I thought.

I jump and glide up to reach Po. Just as he went over a window to get in, I cursed. But then I saw Tigress and the others ready. I jump by them and they begin to run with a wagon filled with powder and went on fire when Monkey ignites it.

"Where have you been?" Tigress asked running.

"Po is here." I said.

"What?!" Tigress exclaimed.

Then we barge in and Tigress lets go of the wagon. The wagon then went towards pots and puts the powder in the pots which it'll explode soon.

"Here's your New Year's gift." Monkey taunted.

"Hope you like it, because you can't return it." Mantis added.

"What do you mean 'Po's here'?" Tigress asked.

"Just as I felt a feeling, I thought it was Po. But then Shadow told me that Po left Gongmen Jail." I said.

"How do you know this?" she asked.

"Because… he's right there." I said looking at Po hanging from a big bowl filled with lava.

"Po?! What's he doing here?" she exclaimed.

I look up and down and back up.

"He's going to fall in the lava!" I said.

"Return it! Return it!" Monkey panicked.

We went up to the pots and begin to put them out with our paws (Tails, claws, wings, whatever). But then wolves starts to come back and surround us.

"Cao, do something." I said.

"What can I do?" he asked.

"Tell them we're trying to save China." I said.

"Uh, like they will accept that." He said sarcastically.

We had to fight from then while putting the fire out and racing up to get Po. When we got to a bunch of wolves coming at us…

"We got them, go!" Mantis said.

I went for the 5 on the left and start to fight with them. One swing a sword at me and I deflect and use the hilt of my dagger to knock them out or aside. Then I grab and kick a wolf which made the whole pack fall. But one takes a hold of me at the back and until I flip backwards, took a hold of his both wrist and then kick him in the pile.

"Tigress!" I yelled.

A gorilla held she and I push the gorilla with my lightning power and the gorilla went flying.

"You all right?" I asked.

"Po!" she pointed.

I look behind and Po was about to get shot by the weapon. I race up to him as fast I could by climbing wood pole to another.

"Kenji, what are you doing?" she asked.

But I didn't listen to her. By the time I got up, the weapon fires. Time slow down as I got in front of Po and raise up a lightning shield. But it wasn't enough when ball of fire hits my shield, I went flying and hit Po behind me as it exploded. He and I went flying out of the building. I glance at the building while falling and then begin to get puddled on the ground. Then I start to roll and then hit a tree and stopped. I slowly try to get back up panting. I look down at my chest and I had a hole through my chest! I cough out blood wildly and bleed out wildly. I activate my lightning to keep me alive for a short time. I begin to slide down on a tree and panting. My vision begins to fail on me and my heart. I was expecting for the Voice inside me to come out and ruin the forest, but I just remembered what he said.

"if you die again, I will not save you again." it said.

"I can't… I can't die yet. Not now." I said quietly.

Slowly, I limp to the river and kneel next to it. I slowly raised my hand and tried to reach Gongmen City. Then I close my eyes slowly as I slowly begin to die.

I can't die yet… I thought.

I begin to see a speck of light after I feel death coming to me. As it got closer, death came closer.

"You will not die." It said.

I then feel something grabbing a hold of my hand and touch my paw. My paw begins to hurt all of a sudden, and then all of the pain begin to fade away, even death. The speck of light disappear when I open my eyes enough to see my surroundings. I look at my chest and yet still, blood spilling out and a hole in me. But I feel no pain.

"Master!" Shadow called out.

I look to my right and I saw Shadow coming. He comes in panting for a while until he catches his breath.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"Yea, I think so." I said scratching my back head.

"It doesn't to me. You got a hole in your chest!" he said.

"But it doesn't make any sense to me. I should be dead." I said looking at my right hand.

It seem to me that the skull on my paw is glowing red.

"Why is it glowing red, Shadow?" I asked showing it to him.

"I don't know, but you got a girlfriend to save since you're alive." He said pointing.

"…Po!" I exclaimed, "Where's Po?"

"I don't know." He said.

I growl and then went to look for him with my powers. But then I stop at an abandoned village that was burnt and decayed.

"What is this place? What happened?" I asked myself.

I look to my left and to my right. I then found Po at my right and see him with a goat back from Gongmen City. I walk up to him and call out his name.

"Kenji!" Po exclaimed, "Kenji! You have a hole through your chest!"

"I know." I said looking at it, "I'll be fine, I hope. Come on, we still have a chance to stop Shen."

"Here's a hat for you." He said giving me a hat that was like for farmers.

"This might come in handy." I said putting it on my head.

Kenji was about to die until someone saved him. Could it be his father? More secrets has come. Will he save China like he did before? Stay tune for the next chapter.