Chapter 8

The Evil Emperor

Dawn Star was fluttering around Wu. Again.

She was nervous about Zu's sudden disappearance. Though she would not admit bad about Zu she still flustered constantly that night.

Sky would be going with her, even after the princess had a hissy fit over staying at the camp. But Wu did not budge, she wanted Sky there.

Sky was terrified, but he had to admit a tiny part was satisfied with that little argument piece, even if he didn't know why.

Pulling Sky back to earth was the screams of the dead, the Necropolis was a malicious place and it took no mercy on the living or dead.

'Kill…' The lost sprit whispered.

Wu who was stumbling around, still upset about Zu growled at him. 'Oh give it a rest!'

She lost all stumble and rocket towards the Ghost, it attacked first but Wu took the hit without notice and like the most graceful dancer she flew into the air and hit the agonized spirit without hesitation.

They had just left Shin the Gravediggers house. Finishing all the work for him and murdering Fading Moon.

'Wu…' Sky tried again. She had not been able to hear him, this time she stopped and turned to him smiling, it was fake. And that scared him.

Sky felt something on his arm, a rain drop fell and the Necropolis began to darken in colour, a roar of thunder screamed out in the sky of the Imperial city and Sky suddenly couldn't see a thing, only Wu's soft warm hand guided him through this instantaneous monstrous storm.

Thrown into a dark tomb by Wu, Sky fell on his butt on the ground.

The black night pierced Sky with fright. Not the Darkness himself. But there was just nothing to distracting him from the already gut retching terror of Wu walking into the Lotus Assassins dark semi-welcoming arms.

A blue light brightened the tomb as Wu forced her Spirit Monk Crescent to glow so they wouldn't be in the darkness for long. 'Good job Wu!' Sky clapped and Wu closed her eyes and smiled. \

His clapping slowed as Wu crouched leaning up against her knees huffing. 'get…. Light your lantern…' She whispered her light flickering.

Sky raced through his backpack as he scavenged for his gas lantern. Once found he started fumbling with a match, 'Come on! Catch!' He growled as Wu started to sag.

There was a burst of flame as Wu moaned and hit the floor face first. She used Dire flame to light the stupid candle.

He laid that candle on the floor and crawled over to Wu, and thunder roared. 'Wu…' Sky whispered and Wu smiled her special smile at him. ' Are you okay?'

Wu pulled Sky's front gently to her. She pulled him on top for her as she whispered to him ever so gently. 'I'm okay… but I'm scared. Shining used to be easy…. Well. Easier.' She sat up and her hair fell in such a beautiful way that in made him want to kiss her,. But it also made him want to cry. She was in pain ad the thunder roared on…

'I'm afraid.' She put her forehead against his and closed her eyes her lips inches his… they were truly perfect. And distracting… ' That my shine will go away completely and when I get out of the assassin fortress I won't be me any more…I'll be someone else.'

He stared at her face all shifted in a beautiful way, she opened her eyes to see why he hadn't responded, her looking up at him through though dark thick lashes…

'Can you love someone? In anyway?'

Wu closed her eyes again, shifting her chin left and giving him a brand new angle to study. She smirked and whispered. 'Yes.'

Sky closed his eyes now, and smiled picturing the thought of her saying. 'Yes. You.' She did not, but Yes was enough. Whether it was Zu, the princess, or him. It didn't matter at the moment, she was scared.

Sky shrugged quickly looking at her pained face. 'Then you won't loose yourself. Fight for the people you love to stay safe, never forget them. Fight for a world they can live happily with you. Your strong Wu, as strong as Thunder.'

It rippled another peal of thunder to heighten his words.

'And Zu?' She whispered a broken whisper.

He could see the hurt in Wu's eyes as she said this. She still believed in Zu, but that belief was wavering.

Sky shrugged. 'If your lucky and you can get him back. Once this is over you two can have a life together and love each other till the day you both die.' His heart broke at the thought of Zu in his place, though he'd love her till his own death.

Wu's face went from pain to shocked. 'You think I love Zu?'

Sky nodded, his heart breaking even more. He knew that he'd hear the truth of rejection soon. To be shut down by the women he loved since his wife.

Wu reached around to the back of his neck and traced up his skull to the very top of his head. For a moment, he thought she was going to kill him, another moment he thought she was going to pull him in to kiss him.

Her hand paused at the top of his head, and suddenly their was a fire in her eyes as her hand disappeared from touch.

Smack!

'Ow!' Sky rubbed the op of his head, the place where Wu hit him. ' What was that for?'

Wu placed her hand back on the ground to support her while Sky hovered over her legs. ' You think I love Zu?' she demanded. Breaking the sweet and innocent scene.

'Well… I… Aren't you?' He was very confused. Maybe it was because she had just smacked him in the head or because this was the last thing he thought he'd ever hear.

'No!' She exclaimed. She pushed him down onto his back as she hovered over him. She gave him a frustrated look, but then her expression softened, and giggled.

' No! He's a companion. And he's got some serious issues. He's my friend. But I'm not in love with him.' she tapped on Sky's widows peak and flipped off him to lay beside him. The storm still raged on…

'So…' Sky asked a little while later, the storm still raged. But it was liveable. 'Are you going to go to the Lotus Assassins Fortress anytime soon?' Re rolled over to face the lantern and a debating Wu, he face scrunched up in thought. Her eyes flashed to him and then away again and she sat up. 'No.' Her face smoothed out. 'Something this big shouldn't be attempted on enemy grounds. We'll wait till morning.'

The lantern flickered more brightly highlighting Wu in the strangest way. Her body threw her curves and shape into the lime light and her face glowed like the Gods protecting Angels on Victory Day.

She caught him expression of dumbfound and her brows pulled together. 'What's on your mind Sky?'

His eyes grew big in surprise, what was he going to say… He smiled dashingly and mysteriously. Time to flirt. ' If I'm going to be honest.' He stopped for a minute and looked up at the ceiling throw his lashes, because women before her had complimented him on being "Adorable" when doing this. 'And I think honesty is the best policy here… then I can't tell you.'

One eye brow raised on her angel face she leaned closer to him. 'That again! Hahahaha!' She laughed loudly in echoing across the walls. 'You need to learn what to think Sky. Your dirty mind might get you in trouble.'

Sky shrugged remembering he had used that line already, stupid.

Wu looked around, and said 'I think this is that crazy emperor's tomb.'

Sky looked around. Indeed it was. It was huge and fantastic. ' I suppose a Emperor deserves something like this if anyone does.' Sky sighed at the grandness of it, he really didn't want any of this when he went. ' But I'd prefer a simple memorial.'

Wu looked around thoughtfully as if taking it all in. ' I wonder what life will be like after we succeed.'

Sky laughed, his heart shooting with pain at the picture of if they didn't. 'You think it will earn something like this?'

Wu smiled and flicked a piece of stray hair out of her face. 'I hope not. I don't want to be worshipped. I never did, ask Dawn Star.'

'I did.'

Sky looked at Wu, He knew she was humble. Since the moment they met. His heart stopped, he was alone with Wu, no Zu or Dawn Star of Lily to stop him.

'Wu, I know you wanted to go in there without distraction but I wanted to say something.' He was going to tell her he loved her.

He opened his mouth to say the three words that screamed in his heart when Wu covered his mouth cocking an ear up.

'Hear that?' She whispered in her musical whisper.

Another voice screamed, but this one was of terror. It was a little girls voice screaming for help.

Wu's eyes flashed to Sky and they froze for about half a second. The scream for help made memories of Pinmei rage as wildly as the storm outside.

Then the broke.

The scream of the dead filled the air like the sound of the thunderstorm , But Sky and Wu hurried passed them not looking at their enemies, Sky's sabers sliced through the mummies and spirits alike trying to get the giant door.

Wu was not far behind him as her Dire flame blasted enemies back into the void.

Wu and Sky busted through the door. And to their horror stood the old Emperor. A spirit, but you could see the royal robes and the rotten flesh of him, for he had been laid to rest a year after death.

A little girl lay across the floor at the Crazy Emperor's feet, with a ancient bowl wrapped in her hands. She looked maybe eight, and in her unconscious face, she looked completely and utterly terrified.

Wu slowly walked up to the spirit squatting down touching the girls face. 'My Lord. You don't have to do this.'

The Emperor swayed towards her with terrified eyes. Wu stood up unthreatened looking him directly to in his face. ' Another thief come to steal from me. I will feast on your soul!'

His hand shot into Wu chest leaving no mark. She let out a scream and her head flew back, blank.

Sky was there before he even knew what he was doing. He attacked the Emperor and forced him to let go of the Lotus Blossoms heart.

Wu was up in a instant looking pissed. 'You Son of a-!'

The rest of her foul name for the Emperor was lost in the scream of five lost souls gliding towards them.

Sky took the left with three of the lost souls, while Wu took the Emperor and the two other lost souls. Her screams of rage sung out effortlessly with her raged dance in the flames of her hands.

She went for the lost souls first and about a minute into the fight he hear the scream of both souls fade into the distance. The Emperor sounded like he was putting up a fight.

Sky's last lost soul wrapped in agony as it returned to the void as Wu's foot flew into the Emperor's face. But he did not hit the ground, he disappeared before he could.

There was a moan of mummies and the scream of the dead outside.

Wu's panicked face caught Sky's attention. 'Do you think we can run for it?'

Sky looked down at the girl. 'We don't have a choice.'

'I'll carry the girl, you cover us.' Wu nodded to herself and threw her blade at Sky. 'Use this, it'll be lighter and faster then the heavier one of your sabers.'

Sky twirled the blade in his hand, it felt good. 'Got it.'

Wu lifted the girl tenderly in her arms smoothing the girls hair. And though the screams of the dead filled most of his body in terror his heart warmed at the sight of Wu's almost motherly instinct.

Wu looked at Sky and took a deep breath, 'On three… One.'

Sky looked at the door. 'Two..'

They both took off running screaming. 'THREE!'

Sky kicked the door open and ghosts and mummies were instantly around them, but they fell quickly to his saber and Wu's sword.

The ran forward Sky covering all of Wu's and his own sides.

A scream that came from the inner chamber of the Emperor's ghost rang out and shattered the windows. He heard Wu scream along with the shattering and hunched her back to protect the unknown girl.

The storm peeled thunder and the raging storm sent more glass and rain pouring into the chamber and soon Wu and Sky were cut, bleeding, in the pitch dark and soaked to the bone as Spirits and mummies attacked them while Sky fought for three lives.

'Sky! The door!' Wu shrieked and full out sprinted towards their only exit. The doors rattled by the wind and began to close.

And if they did, Sky, Wu and the Girl were all dead.

Wu launched herself through the doors and Sky followed suit, only his hand caught in the door, crushing it.

Sky's howl filled the night with agony as he pulled out his ruined hand from the door.

Wu laid the girl on the ground and jumped up. She bolted back to the door slamming it on the ghosts and locked it.

Her blue crown shined again as she sealed the door, Sky on his knee's whimpered clutching his hand to his chest in pain.

Wu's warm hand guided him away blindly his eyes danmed with tears. She dragged him to a hallway with the girl in one arm, the back of Sky's shirt in the other.

Sky leaned up against the wall of what he recognized as the outdoor hallway to the yard of the unfinished tomb and opened his mouth in a silent scream, all masculinity gone. Wu pulled out three blankets and placed one under the girls head and one over the girls body, you were still able to see the lump where her hands still clutched the bowl.

'Sky… Sit.' Wu ordered taking his shoulders and pushing him down. She wrapped her last blanket around his shoulders and whispered. 'Hang on for one minute then I'll take care of your hand.'

Sky nodded eyes squeezed tight as tears poured down his face from the pain of his shattered hand.

Wu ran to the entrance of the unfinished tomb and returned with some dry wood and brush. She laid down the brush and wood in the middle between the unknown girl and Sky and snapped her fingers setting the small pile on fire. It would burn for the rest of the night.

Sky watched Wu as she sat down in front of him, she was soaked. Her violet armour a deep royal purple. Drips of water falling to the floor from her hair.

She sat cross legged and held out both her hands. 'Can I see your hand please?' She looked at him with concern. 'I won't hurt you.'

Sky's brow pushed together and he laid his broken hand on the palm of hers.

'Have you ever heard of Spirit Thief?' She asked lowering her head towards his hand.

'No' he whispered a broken whisper, his tears rolling to a stop.

'Well, I won't explain now… but this… is the main reason for learning it.'

Her soft lips kissed his broken hand.

A tingling sensation spread through his hand little by little, and about a minute after Wu took her lips off his hands and beamed.

Sky flecked his fingers and looked up at Wu. 'That's very useful.'

Wu laughed and nodded. 'Maybe now we can get some sleep.'

Sky took off the blanket on his shoulders and wrapped it around Wu.

'You sacrificed your blanket to the girl. I'll repay you for fixing my hand with mine.'

Wu unwrapped the blanket around her, she was still wet but the fire made her clothing look warm. 'Tell you what-'

She scooted herself in between Sky's legs leaning her back against his stomach and pulling the blanket to her chin, and to his chest, his face invented a new blush. She sighed happily and snuggled into him.

'-We'll share.'

That night Wu and Sky slept in each others arms, in bliss. Waiting for the terror tomorrow would bring.