Chapter 8

Showdown at the Garnet Palace

Distant, cold and austere, the monolithic Garnet Palace stood amidst a perpetual no man's land, crimson walls bordered by jagged green cliffs. A leathered gloved paw gently knocked at the ornate palace gates.

"Humph, and here I was expecting a grand welcoming committee. Xaili sarcastically mimed a carpet being rolled out for their arrival.

"Shut up! If you mess this up so help me I'll put you on a rotisserie!" The Eurasian Lynx sneered as she checked to see if the door would give.

"Will you two quit your foolish bickering? Master entrusted us with this crucial task. If you two screw this up they'll be two new open positions in our organization!" Xing Lee, a grotesquely disfigured Gobi Big Brown bat adorned in rusted armor admonished the pair.

"He started this foolish argument!" Chen Mei could feel her frustration reaching its breaking point.

"If my memory serves me correctly, I wasn't the one who started ransacking the hostel we were supposed to stay at, announcing our whereabouts to the whole of China! Oh, let's go burn down some buildings. Nobody will notice that. Very discreet Mei! "

"You have no place to talk feather head. Trying to hit on that peasant leopard!" Dai Feng rebutted perched atop Chen Mei's shoulder.

"Oh don't you get me started bug boy, you're the weakest link on this team, why Master chose you of all the possible candidates I'll never understand!"

"I'm not a bug, I'm an arachnid you idiot!" The Singapore Blue Tarantula waved his front pair of leg's to emphasize his point.

"You're a burden on this team is what you are! What happens if our enemies wear some nice-big-spider-stomping-boots?"

"Leave Dei Feng out of this turkey!" Chen Mei turned toward the white tailed eagle rearing to attack. The event was quickly escalating into a full-fledged brawl between the terrorists. Cccccrrrrraaaacccckkk! The eagle and lynx stopped dead in their tracks turning toward the noise. Both watched in horror as their massive leader Dat Sao crushed a large rock with his armored paw. Each thundering step led the masked leviathan closer to the three squabbling masters.

"Please forgive me sir!" Xaili hastily bowed before Dat Sao.

"Sincerest apologies." Dai Feng looked down holding out a single furry leg in obedience.

"It will not happen again sir!" Chen Mei followed suit as the brute brushed past the cowering trio approaching the ruby hued gates.

The entry way opened with a weary creak as an old goat looked out toward the motely quintet. "C-Can I help you?" His voice barely a whisper as he eyed the intimidating Dat Sao. On queue the masked marauder reached into his side satchel. Xaili, Chen Mei, and Dai Feng winced, expecting him to cull the poor old goat there on the spot. Instead the armor clad giant handed the old man a note. Several seconds of awkward silence passed as the old goat fumbled to put on a pair of reading glasses. "Hmm let's see, what do we have here?" His horizontal pupils lit up with joy as he read over the letter. "Fantastic! You're finally here to bring that old witch to Chorh-Gom!" The old goat looked back toward the five villains suspiciously. "Though, I was expecting the usual Anvil of Heaven guard to transport her out of here."

Xian Lee stepped past the other three reprobates. "Oh, sorry about that. We're part of the emperors own royal guard." The bat gestured toward his battered armor. "I'm Lieutenant Lee with Peking high command and this Major Chao, and the others are-"

Xaili skillfully stepped in. "Commander Hongqi at your service. And these are our trusty servants Ruǎn ní and Xiǎo zhǐ. Don't get too close they do bite." Chen Mei balled her paw's mouthing "I-WILL-KILL-YOU!"

The old goat looked astonished. "The emperor's own royal guard? What an honor!"

"Excellent now that we have our introductions aside shall we see the prisoner?" Xian Lee excitedly pushed the old goat back into the palace courtyard with the other four in tow.

Inside the Palace

"Ooze!? How dare you call me ooze! I have the good sense to throw you off cliff!" Chen Mei hissed at the smug eagle.

"I'd like to see you try wittle bitty kitty." Xaili taunted the enraged feline as the group made their way toward the innermost confines of the palace.

"THAT'S IT!" Chen Mei reached for one of her Bados.

"Is everything alright Commander Hongqi?" The old goat looked back toward the eagle and Lynx.

"Oh no worries good sir, these servants tend to get rowdy sometimes. You know simple forest dwellers and the like." Xaili reassured the old goat as Chen Mei twitched with anger.

"Easy Mei…we don't want to blow our cover. He'll get his just rewards in time." Dai Feng whispered from atop her shoulder.

"You've got some visitors Mistress Mugan!" The old goat ushered the five visitors into a large corridor, a minuscule glass tank situated in its center.

"Terrific, more tribunals from Peking I suppose?! You could at least do me the favor of brining me some reading material once in a while." A colorful orange, black, and white fish appeared from within the tank, her graceful fins cutting through the crystalline water.

"How do you plan on transporting her Lieutenant Lee?" Xian Lee examined the fine craftsmanship of the tank as the old goat watched.

"Simple my friend, man power." The bat turned toward the trio of Xaili, Chen Mei, and Dei Feng smirking. All responded with a simultaneous look of displeasure.

"Wait don't I know you from somewhere?" Mistress Mugan questioned the bat as he uncomfortably ran his wing across the glass. "Yes I'm sure of it, you were with-"

"I'd prefer the prisoner to remain silent during our journey to Chor-Gom prison. It be a shame if we were to have an accident on the way. Xian Lee looked over toward Dat Sao who approached the tank extending a single claw from his gloved hand. Mugan watched in horror as the masked creature ran his claw against the glass with a sickening screech.

"But first, we need to take an inventory!" The bat patted the tank causing it to wobble slightly. Dat Sao stepped away as the fish breathed a sigh of relief.

"A-An inventory?" The goat looked on puzzled. First their somewhat sadistic method of threating to break Mugan's tank and now this? Something was off putting about these five.

"Yes my good sir an inventory!" Xian Lee smiled as he walked over to the goat. "It's specifically stated in statue 9B, clause C that the royal guard of his majesty Emperor Wen must upon arrival at a palace take inventory on said palaces valuable artifacts."

"I-ah see…well then follow me please Lieutenant Lee." The old goat motioned toward a door way.

"Thank you kind sir! This won't take long we promise." Xian Lee glanced back toward the other miscreants as he and Dat Sao made their way out. "Fearless commander Hongqi see to it that you and servants transport the prisoner outside.

"Yes sir." Xaili grumbled as he looked back at the tank.

"You'll find we have quite the impressive collection of artifacts here Commander Lee. Even the fabled moon stone which is thought to have come from the heavens." The Goat gloated as they made their way down a dark dank stairwell beneath the palace. "Our collection is right through these doors gentlemen." Dat Sao and Xian Lee stepped into the darkened cellar, the stench of mold and soil permeating the air. "Click, clank, clank, clank!" Xian Lee turned around in time to see the large reinforced door close behind them.

"What is the meaning of this?! How dare you capture members of the imperial guard!" The brown bat rushed toward the door with all his strength slamming against its cold metallic surface.

"You can quit your ruse bat." The old goat answered from behind the dungeon entry way. "I know full well who you and you're friends are. Thankfully the other masters appeared in time."

"Other masters?" Xian Lee tried to devise who'd be cunning enough to see through their plan. Chancellor Zhun! That old piece of trash new exactly what we were after! We played right into his trap. The Gobi brown bat struggled to swallow his pride and except their predicament. "You forget there are 5 of us old man!"

"Oh, the others? They'll make quick work of them."

"We must escape, Dat Sao you can easily destroy this door. Help me!"

The bat's silent comrade approached placing a firm paw to his shoulder.

"Wait?! But what of the others?"

Remaining ever silent the masked miscreant simply sat down on the dungeon floor in a lotus position.

"I suppose you're right Dat Sao, Xaili, Mei, and Feng are quite capable of rescuing us. We shall wait."

Garnet Palace Courtyard

"Graaah, how much does this blasted thing weigh!" Xaili complained as he pulled at front of Mistress Mugan's tank.

"Quit you're whining Xaili. We were tasked with moving this fish and move it we shall." Chen Mei quipped as she and Dai Feng studiously pushed against the heavy tank.

"Easy for you to say, you've got that little spider helping you, without him I bet you couldn't move this an inch!"

A devilish grin broke across the lynx's black lips. "Oh really?" Centering all her strength the cat gave the tank a strong push, much to Mugan's and Xaili's dismay.

"Hey wait what are you-Ah!" The eagle yelped in fear as the tank fell on top of him, his body keeping the glass from shattering. Meanwhile the fish summersaulted around the tank disoriented.

"Mei what are you thinking?!" Dai Feng looked up at his satisfied friend.

"Ha, so much for not being able to move it!" The lynx proudly placed her paws to her hips reviling in crushing her obnoxious comrade.

"Just who are you idiots?! You nearly killed me!" Mugan scowled toward the gloating lynx.

"Now, why is that a problem?" The lynx looked into the tank with her Cheshire smile.

"You're careless attack could've easily ruined your chances of freedom servan-wait you're no servant. Those swords…you're a martial artist!"

"Bingo!" The lynx winked as she unleashed her wicked claws. "You're just lucky I had some weasel the other day, roasted fish can be so yummy!"

"How dare you-you putrid creature!" Mugan readied herself to attack the callous lynx.

"Hello! Being crushed over here!" Xaili's beak comically protruded from beneath the tank.

"Serves you right for calling me Ooze!" Chen Mei sneered.

"Sigh." Dai Feng, always the mediator between his two self-absorbed comrades came to the eagle's aid lifting up the massive tank, at least 200 times his own size.

The white tailed eagle brushed the dust from his feathers as he caught the lynx in his icy gaze. "You'll pay for that whiskers!"

"I'd like to see you try bird brain!" The lynx stuck out her tongue at the enraged raptor.

"Guys! Get a grip we've got a job to do here!" The blue tarantula stood between his bickering compatriots.

"And just what job is that spider?" Mugan looked accusingly at small evildoer.

"Mind your business gold fish!" Xaili snapped at their inquisitive captive. "Or I might let Mei over there have her wish!"

"Ha, you don't scare me bird, I've seen masters with more fight in their pinky finger than you have in that entire mess of feathers." Mugan chided the infuriated Xaili.

"Forget dinner, I'll just slice you up into tiny bits for fun." The white tailed eagle unfurled his metal talons preparing to break the tank.

A voice thundered in the trio's ears from above. "My how you've fallen Kai!"

Xaili looked up toward one of the towering red pagodas. "You!"

Chen Mei and Dai Feng reared to attack as they looked up toward the Eurasian Eagle owl perched on the roof. "Friends of yours Xaili?" The lynx unsheathed her two Bados.

"Killing your former comrades, stealing mystical artifacts, you've truly sunk to pits of despair my former friend." Master Hui-ying locked up the trio in her massive amber eyes, grey brown feathers rustling in the mountain air.

"Why don't you come down here and we'll settle this once and for all Hui-ying!" Xaili spread out his 6ft foot wings at the ready.

"One against three I like those odds." Chen Mei smiled as she postured into a Sha No Kamae stance.

"Your fights right here pretty kitty." Master Nianzu stepped out from the shadows wrapping his paws in cloth. Xaili looked over at his other former colleague.

"You'll pay for what you did to Yuey, scum." Master Weizhe spit as he approached the trio from behind, towering over them like a giant stone pillar.

"How nice, it's like a little family reunion. It's a real shame Yuey couldn't be hear." The eagle sneered as he looked over their opponents.

"Don't you say her name trash!" The Eurasian brown bears voice resonated through the palace like a thunder clap.

"Mei, Feng do not underestimate them they're of the same skill level as Master Yue was!"

"Right!"

"Enough with the idle chit chat, time to put you scum down permanently!" The owl rocketed straight toward Xaili.

Grab a pair of nice-big-spider-stomping boots and get ready for Chapter 9: No Escape!