Chapter Ten- Love
"Are you quite ready?" Dai asked in a bored tone. He sat in a lazy position on his throne.
"Patience." Shifu said as he wrote on a scroll.
"How can I be patient when I'm so close to being victorious?" Dai said.
"Pride goeth before a fall." Shinjitsu muttered. Dai came close to waltzing over and slapping the nymph when Shifu announced he was done.
"Finally." Dai said. Shifu sneered and handed Mei the scroll.
"Give it Lin and Lin only." Shifu ordered quietly. "It's for her eyes only."
"How do I get to her and the others?" Mei asked.
"Kivu and Shinjitsu will lead you to them." Dai said. "Now, let's get on with this." Shifu nodded to Mei grimly and the lioness stepped back to Kivu and Shinjitsu. They led her away, but she stopped at the door.
"Why aren't you leaving?" Shinjitsu asked in a hushed voice.
"I want to see what Dai does and describe it to Tai Lung." Mei said. When asked why, she said, "Then Tai Lung will know just how gruesome Dai's death should be." The lioness clutched the scroll tightly in her paw as she, Kivu, and Shinjitsu watched Dai chant in a strange language unknown to Mei.
"It's a spell." Kivu whispered in Mei's ear. "A spell called Soul Stealer. It will take Shifu's soul and encase it in an orb that fits into your palm."
"And his body?" Mei asked.
"Not much." Kivu said. "As long as the heart is still beating, he will live. But Shifu will remain soulless for the rest of his life." It came out darker than he or Mei expected.
As Dai continued to chant, large strings of lights swirled around Shifu like snakes. Shifu didn't pay much attention to them, but he did pay attention when a voice boomed inside his head.
You are too noble. The voice said. The voice sounded like it was trying to speak normally, but to Shifu, it was like banging a large gong in his sensitive ears. But your nobility was all part of the plan, I guess. I never really understood Destiny and her sister. But, what can you do?
Who are you? Shifu thought.
You know who I am. The voice said, obviously male. We've been one body and one soul for decades. I am Lang Ren Jingshén. The Werewolf Spirit. Do not fear for your students. I will make sure they are safe and fulfill the ancient prophecy.
Before Shifu could ask what he meant, he suddenly felt like someone had punched him in the gut. He looked ahead of him and noticed that the lights were completely circling him, and then he felt like he was shrinking.
When the sensation was over, he found himself in a glass orb.
Dai picked up the orb and stared at it as though it were the most precious jewel in the world. He saw inside of it a bunch of white fog.
Shifu's soul.
Now, Shifu was exactly where he had been standing. But now, he was standing as still as a statue, staring blankly ahead. His eyes were dark and almost lifeless. Then, his palm started to glow. Dai noticed this and frowned.
"What the-"
He never finished his sentence.
For just then, Shifu's entire hand burst into a bright light. Shifu's eyes glowed and he was encased in blinding light. As Dai, Mei, Kivu, and Shinjitsu watched, Shifu's body started shifting and turning and growing. When the light died, there was a wolf in front of Dai.
A wolf that was pitch black with a white starred-chest, the size of a polar bear, blood red eyes, and glowed with a snow-white aura.
It was Lang Ren Jingshén, the Werewolf Spirit.
Dai's eyes grew huge. "Who are you?" he trembled with fear.
Lang Ren Jingshén glared at Dai, growling.
"I am the Werewolf Spirit." He thundered. "You dare to lay a hand on the carrier of my soul?!"
"It was required!" Dai said, trying to sound brave, which he wasn't. "I intend to free myself and all who are enslaved to this household."
"And then take over the Valley of Peace!" Lang Ren Jingshén roared. "Don't you dare try and lie to me! I intend to stop you. And when you are back where you belong, I'll make sure you receive the worst punishments in Hell!" With that, the Werewolf Spirit turned and galloped out of the room, picking up Mei as he went. The lioness gripped onto the werewolf's fur as he ran.
"Leave them." Dai said. "I promised a safe passage, and therefore their path will be lit, and they'll find a way out."
*****
The Werewolf Spirit didn't stop running for quite a while. When he did stop, he sighed.
"I wish I didn't lost my temper so easily." He said. "Maybe I could've done something for Shifu."
Mei slid off of the wolf's back. "Sir…..Mister Lang Ren-"
"Call me Lang." the Werewolf Spirit ordered. "It is too much of a hassle to say my full name."
"Lang." Mei said. "How are we supposed to help Shifu?"
"That scroll will probably have the answers. But remember it's for Lin." Lang said. "Let's go." Mei noticed a lighted trail and the two of them followed it.
*****
"I don't know about this." Tigress said. "How do we know this trail doesn't lead into a trap?"
"We just know." Lin said, keeping her eyes on the lights that led them thru the house. "At least, I have a good feeling about it."
They just kept walking, not really paying attention to their surroundings until Viper screamed. That's when they all looked up. Po, who was walking next to Lin, found a set of sharp canine teeth in his face. Everyone stepped back and saw Lang and Mei. Tai Lung embraced his wife tightly.
"I thought you were hurt." He said.
"I'm fine." Mei said.
"Who's your friend?" Crane asked, still staring at Lang in shock.
"This is Lang." Mei said. "The Werewolf Spirit."
"What?" Po asked. "Shifu's the Werewolf Spirit."
"Not anymore." Lang muttered.
"What are you talking about?" Tigress asked. Mei bit her bottom lip and handed Lin the scroll.
"He said it was for your eyes only." Mei said. Lin unrolled the scroll quickly and read it to herself. When she was done, she snarled and threw it into the wall.
"Why do I keep losing him?!" she screamed. Lin ran off, and the others tried to follow before Lang stopped them.
"You all keep going and get out of here." Lang said. "I'll talk to her. Meanwhile, I want all of you to go back to the palace."
"But shouldn't we-" Po started.
"No!" Lang shouted. Everyone, even Tigress and Tai Lung, cringed. "Nothing can be done for your master now." The eight warriors knew he was right and they sulked off, following the lighted path out of the house. Once outside, they immediately started for home.
"How can we just sit back and let Dai take over the valley?" Po asked.
"We'll be ready to fight." Tigress said.
*****
Lang found Lin huddled in a corner next to some stairs. The dragon was curled in a tight ball, sniffling. Lang sighed and sat down next to the young dragon.
"Don't think anything you say can help me." Lin said. "My life is meaningless."
"And why do you say that?" Lang asked calmly.
"Because of love!" Lin yelled. She stood up and faced Lang, her talons digging into the floorboards. "My entire life has been screwed up because of love! My mother loved me and I lost her; Shifu loved me and now I've lost him! What's the point of love? It's meaningless! Love should never have existed!"
Lin breathed deeply and stared at the floor. Lang had stood still and silent thru the entire episode. He smiled.
"So you think that if love had never existed, you'd be happy?" Lang asked.
"Yes." Lin said.
"Try and imagine that." Lang said. "Imagine a world made up of every emotion except love." Lin tried, but she soon realized she couldn't. Love was tied to a lot of emotions that were positive, like happiness, joy, glee, surprise, and so many others. Yet love was attached to negative emotions, too, like sadness, grief, and a couple others.
"Love is what holds people together." Lang said. "It is the very force that makes sure the world isn't going to come crashing down."
"But Shifu's love for me is what caused him to sacrifice himself for my safety." Lin said. "I know Shifu isn't my dad by blood, but I still love him as if he was."
"And he loves you as a daughter." Lang said. "Just like Tigress."
Lin smiled and wiped away the tears from her eyes.
"So what now?" Lang asked.
"Huh?" Lin said.
"You are my leader." Lang said, bowing. "What you say goes."
"Well…." Lin thought for a moment. Then, she heard a noise. "Duck!" The two of them took cover as a large black object came hurdling into the house via fireplace. It was the first time that Lang and Lin noticed it. The Werewolf Spirit and the dragon peeked out from their hiding spot behind a couch.
The thing that had crashed into the house was a full-grown black dragon similar to Lin. On its back was a young cheetah cub with a quiver of arrows on her back and a bow clutched tightly in her hand. She looked like she was about to puke.
"Daiyu, that is not what I meant by a 'quick entrance'." The cub said.
"Sorry, Kiki." The dragon said. "Sometimes I take things too seriously."
"No duh, Captain Obvious."
A/N: A couple more chapters. Lang Ren Jingshén literally means Werewolf Spirit. Hope you all enjoyed this!