"There's not'in better than the smell of Texas!" Clay breathed in deeply. Omi looked up at him, smiling in confusion.

"I do not smell anything, Clay… What does Texas smell like?" Clay looked up at the clouds.

"Hmmmmm, like a warm barn on a cool fall night, is the best I cin think of." Clay walked, more relaxed than normal.

"I still do not understand your reference." Omi said, rushing to catch up with Clay. Kimiko and Raimundo walked slowly, two meters behind the cowboy, and the child. Their hands were clasped lazily around each others.

Kimiko was taking in the horizon, and Rai was searching for anything that glowed. He released her hand when he caught sight of the Wu.

It was standing among rows and rows of grain. The sun setting behind the long stocks made it hard to spot, but he saw it anyways.

It was called Qing de yuángong, or the Staff of Light. It looked like bamboo, but was harder than any wood on Earth. It could release a ray of light only comparable to the sun's at close range. It momentarily blinded the enemy, making it easier to attack them.

The Staff of Light was supporting a scarecrow, the straw man's mouth twisted in a hideous scowl.

"Clay, how 'bout a hand over here!" Rai called over his shoulder. He was to short to remove the scarecrow.

Clay jogged over to him, "No problem, par'ner!" He lifted the scarecrow up off of the bow staff. Kimiko walked over holding a replacement stick for the scarecrow to stand on. Rai was attempting to pull the staff out of the ground, but it had been pounded in.

"Crap!" Rai grunted, struggling against the stuck Wu, "I can't get it!"

He squeaked in surprise as a black gloved hand reached around him, and pulled it easily out of the ground.

"Are you getting weaker, Shoku?" Chase stared at Raimundo, deciphering every emotion that flashed through his eyes as soon as they did so.

"No!" Rai blushed, embarrassed about Chase upstaging him. He tried to think of something to say that would prove his physical strength.

"Are you going to name a challenge?" Chase asked, raising an eyebrow at Raimundo.

Rai realized they both had their hand on the staff, and it continued to glow, waiting to change reality for the sake of the battle.

"Oh, ugh, Chase, I challenge you to a maze obstacle course. Ya' have to find the Wu in the center, while avoiding random test of flexibility, brute strength, and wit." Chase chuckled lowly.

"Do you feel the need to lose today?" He smirked. Shaded by misplaced hair, his golden eyes appeared to be the colour of congealed blood. Almost everything about this thing freaked Rai out. He'd been fighting him for how long? A year and a half?

"Let's go, Xiaolin Showdown!" Raimundo called.

The world changed, the Wu's magic flowing into the ground, and into the grain. The small field became expansive, consuming the earth as far as the eye could see. Thin, fragile stocks grew, shooting up high enough to momentarily block out the sun. Chase and Rai were lifted upwards, into a three dimensional maze. From where the two stood, they could see obstacles bursting out of the enormous grains, before they disappeared again.

The whole thing seemed to move around them. "Gong Yi Tempai!" Rai and Chase both moved forward. Suddenly, Raimundo fell down, through the maze. He caught himself before he fell out, finding himself on the lowest level.

Chase jumped to avoid the collapsing ground, and found himself being drawn up through the grains. He fought against it, breaking loose before he reached the top level.

Far below both of them, Rai could hear his friends cheering him on. Clay's thickly accented appraisals, Omi's half-support, half-bragging words, and Kimiko's unconditional shouts.

Than another voice interrupted the Xiaolin Warriors.

"So, 're ya' fools still blindly following yer leader to the slaughter?" Hannibal Roy Bean's thick, disgusting accent. Chase sneered where he was, revolted just by Hannibal's presence. He fully intended to ignore the ridiculous demon, but his next words stopped Chase.

"No Jack today? Hmm, I wonder if the lil' fool finally decided tha' Chase weren't worth the effort," Hannibal snorted, "He was the slowest ta realize just how weak Chase really is."

Chase growled lowly. He grabbed a stock of grain, and jumped. He spun around it vertically to avoid traps as the appeared before him. Within a few seconds, he was on the center level.

The ancient draconic creature wound his way through the golden maze, when a shot of light flew past his face. Chase froze, bright white dots dancing in his vision. Raimundo went streaking after the light, chasing it towards the center.

Chase grabbed his ankle, and yanked him back. As Rai fell towards him, Chase got ready to punch him. Rai flipped to get to his feet, and landed on the ground before Chase could attack. Kicking at his feet, Raimundo wind milled against the ground. Chase fell, quickly rising again.

As he stood, Chase blocked a punch from Raimundo. He grabbed the Shoku's fist, and forced it against his body. After knocking off Raimundo's balance, he grabbed his shoulder, and threw him onto the ground.

A trap opened under Raimundo when he fell, letting him fall all the way out of the maze. Chase ran after the Wu, and grabbed it.

After the world had returned to normal, Raimundo was still laying on the ground. He was coughing, trying to breath. The premature landing had knocked the wind out of him.

Chase stood over Raimundo, and smirked again.

"I was right. You are getting weaker." Chase teleported away than, leaving a small gust of wind in his place.

When he arrived at his citadel, Chase threw the staff to a nearby tigress.

"Put that with the others." He ordered in a bored tone. He walked to his throne room, and plopped down with a sigh, "What a disappointing battle." He mused quietly.

'He was the slowest to realize just how weak Chase really is.' The echo had Chase sitting upright. His pupils were dilated, and his breath had caught in his throat.

"I am not weak." Chase muttered to himself. A wandering lion looked at him, making a low noise. Chase's eyes found the lion, and narrowed angrily.

Standing, Chase snapped his fingers, and as he did so, the lion turned into a man. He brought to staves to him, and threw one to the surprised servant.

"Spare with me."