"You're crazy, Liuxang. You'll be killed!" Shi Long said as Liuxang finished his plan.
Liuxang curled his lips without humour. "Those two are dangerous; they fight like animals, so yes a distraction is needed to split them apart. They're still dangerous but we remove the advantage of them fighting together."
"I'll face her," Ralos volunteered.
"We'll face her," Luna corrected Ralos as she held his hand.
"This is a killed or be killed situation, one of us may die if it goes wrong," Liuxang stated with a blank face.
Shi Long grasped Liuxang's face and looked at his eyes.
Liuxang hissed and recoiled. "What were you doing?" he demanded.
"You always had dead eyes, but you don't fight as if you have a death wish, so you shouldn't have those kind of eyes. You're wearing contacts, aren't you?"
Liuxang made a small smile. "For now. We'll talk about this later."
Then Liuxang faced Kay. "Kay, stay here. Likui and Huang Gan will stay with you and protect you."
He gestured the animals. In response, Likui planted himself near Kay and Huang Gan perched on the nearest branch near Kay and looked around, checking for enemies.
"No, Whitey, let me go with you!"
"No Kay, I made a promise to your father, and that was to keep you from harm's way."
Kay grudgingly nodded.
Liuxang motioned to Shi Long and the twins. "Let's get going."
And they ran.
Thump. Thump. Mundo played with his knife by thrusting the sharp edge into a pillar then pulling it out. Miles glanced at Fiona and saw her devastation ravaged her face. She seemed to be in a state of catatonia, she looked hollow and empty, like a seashell. Franziska was trembling and pale, she hugged her knees tightly, rocking back and forth, keeping quiet as a mouse. How could they escape from this hellhole of carnage? Liuxang was probably still alive since he isn't human, so Liuxang would probably rescue them since this was his fault. Or was it? Maybe the circle already started since Qilin's death, she has already lost it, unless this was all a facade. Miles cringed at the stench in the air, the body was starting to rot.
Ralos noted that Liuxang couldn't make another of his flash steps anymore. He was probably too exhausted to do it. He knew the only thing that kept Liuxang going was adrenaline and sheer will. Liuxang's raspy panting was uneven and shallow. Then he stopped and collapsed, clutching his chest.
"Shifu!"
"I'm ... all... right," Liuxang rasped as he stood up again. The throbbing intensified inside his chest. The monster, it seemed, was trying to claw out of the fleshy cage surrounding him. He used his pain as fuel for anger.
"What are you waiting for?" Liuxang snapped at Ralos. "Let's go!"
Past the corridors, through winding passages, up the stairs, Liuxang didn't stop anymore. Essence of Fiona's magic hung around the air, that was his shaman's blood telling him. He outran Ralos as panic started seizing him.
Please, please let me not be too late, he pleaded mutely.
The thumping Miles heard became louder, he braced himself in case they were reinforcements. The thumping stopped, but the door began to rattle frantically. Mundo and Qilin smiled smugly.
The door burst open and there was Liuxang panting, his eyes searching for anyone who was alive. He simply froze when his worst nightmare became realized.
Huoniao, in front of him. Huoniao with a hundred knives sticking out of his chest like a pin cushion. Huoniao unmistakably dead.
Liuxang couldn't move. He couldn't take it, he like Fiona as if his mind was torn away from him. He couldn't even register the faint glint in the dark. He didn't even move when he saw the knife slicing the air, thrown at him. His face was still blank as the knife stuck into his chest but he backed away from the door in recoil. The force was so powerful, it knocked off the contact lens from his eyes.
Franziska gazed with horror at Liuxang's state. Liuxang's eyes and face became blank as soon as he saw Huoniao dead in a gruesome manner. She fliched when she saw the knife dig deep into his chest. She saw Liuxang return to his senses. Liuxang touched the knife in his chest then looked at the two murderers in anger. Franziska stifled a gasp, the demonic white cat who saved her when she was young was Liuxang. His green eyes flashed deadly with intent.
Liuxang's green cat-like eyes blazed and he lunged at the nearest person he could get his hands on which was Qilin. He tackled her to the ground and sat up on her. Without remorse, he started pummelling her face with his right hand as he held her collar with his left. Mundo readied another throwing dagger when Liuxang faced him and knocked him to the ground. Was it out of cruelty? Anger? Pain? But a sickening crack was heard of bone snapping. Mundo's calculating eyes showed pain and panic now, proving that Liuxang had done something to his arm that was swelling. It was the sight of blood on Mundo's hands that worked Liuxang into a frenzy, he knew it was Huoniao's and after pummelling his face like Qilin, Liuxang, with ease, broke his left leg. Suddenly a rope wrapped around Liuxang's neck and tightened, Liuxang gripped the rope and pulled for air to breathe.
"Should have killed me, you bastard," Qilin said with a smile, her face was starting to form bruises. Liuxang didn't answer but kept pulling at the rope. Mundo smiled and got up even though it caused him pain.
"Hurts doesn't it, bitch?" Mundo asked mockingly. He held the knife embedded in Liuxang's chest.
"Well, this will hurt more." With a soft grunt, Mundo pulled out the bloody knife.
Liuxang jerked as blood erupter from his chest. Franziska and Miles closed their eyes, fighting back the tears forming. Liuxang convulsed for a few moments then sagged to the floor. Dead.