"OW! OW! OWIEOWIEOWOW!"

Su danced around on the spot, clutching her sore fist. The lingering pain in her head had nothing on this

"Ow! Owie! So much harder than a training dummy!"

She sucked on her paw, just as another wave of pain struck her head. She bit down, and she cried out in pain.

"Yow!" When she looked down at her paw, she found that it was bleeding.

"Great." She muttered.

With her good paw she pressed her fingers into the spot above her eye. She looked down at Colonel Sao. The fox was lying motionless against the stone block that had levers on top. For a moment, Su was worried. Just as Shifu had taught her when she completed her training to cure her clumsiness and then moved on to combat training, the moment she realized that Sao wouldn't hesitate to harm her she decided to use a sneak attack. She hadn't expected it to actually work. She thought of the move she had used to take him out, the straight fist punch she had been working on weeks earlier. She had put all her strength into the punch. She hadn't killed him… had she?
She saw that Sao was still breathing, and relaxed. She winced as her head was once more racked with pain, this pain weaker than the last, and looked up at the levers.

There had to be more than a dozen levers, and she had no idea which one would turn off the traps. There were some that were leaning in her direction, and others weren't. How could she choose?

She was small enough that she couldn't see the top of the stone block. Maybe there were labels so she could know which was which? Yet when Su reached up, she found that she couldn't reach. Even when she jumped, her fingers came a couple of inches short of the edge.

"Now what?" She muttered. She looked around for something to step on. She saw some messed up sleeping bags, but nothing that would be of much use.

Then Sao groaned. Su gasped and backed away. She saw Sao's sword, lying on the ground from when he dropped it, and picked it up. It was so heavy she decided against trying to use it, quickly dragged it to the rail, and pushed over it the edge. If she couldn't use it, then she would make sure Sao couldn't either. It was something Tigress had told her once during breakfast.

Sao stirred. Su rushed to the door, staggering along the way as her head continued to hurt. She pushed against the door. It was even heavier than the sword.

Sao groaned a little louder. Su bit her lip and pushed harder. The door slowly but surely began to open.

"Come on…" She whispered. "Open!"

She turned her head briefly to see Sao rubbing his head. He had almost completely come round, and the door was not yet open enough for her to get out.

"Uhhh… that stupid little brat…" Sao spoke slowly.

Su bit down a whimper. She kept pushing and pushing, and then the gap was just wide enough. Wasting no time, she squeezed through and out the room.

"Where are you?!" She heard Sao yell as she ran blindly into the darkness.

"HIYAH!"

Mantis smashed through the last swinging blade and pieces scattered all over the floor.

"That's all of them!" He yelled. "Come on, Master!"

He and Shifu made their way to the last staircase that lead up to the mechanical room.

"Be careful!" Shifu ordered. "Be prepared for anything!"

Sure enough, the moment they stepped on the first step a set of lethal sword like blades clamped down mere inches from their faces.

"Gah!" Mantis was startled as the blades clamped down again, like several sets of sharp teeth chomping down all at once. "What do we do, Master Shifu?!"

We jump at the count of three!" Shifu said. He crouched low, ready to spring, and Mantis quickly did the same. "One, two, three!"

As the blades clamped down and retracted again, Shifu and Mantis sprung forwards, clearing the blades as they swung down again.

"Phew!" Mantis said.

"Let's keep moving!" Shifu and Mantis reached the top of the stairs, and a tremendous noise assaulted their ears. The large gears, once still and silent, were now spinning slowly, an ancient mechanism once more in motion.

"Where did you say the trapdoor was?" Shifu asked.

"Over here!" Mantis led Shifu over to the trapdoor that he, Crane and Su had fallen through several days ago. Together they pulled open the door and stared down into the darkness.

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Master?" Manti asked nervously. Last time he had been down there he had almost been squished like the bug he was.

"No, but Su is counting on us!" Shifu snapped. "Su said that there are gears down there, and chances are they will be moving this time."

"We'll need a light, otherwise we're going down there blind." Mantis said.

Shifu grabbed a torch off the wall.

"That'll do it." Mantis said. A second later Shifu dropped it into the hole. They watched the torch fall down into the darkness, briefly illuminating moving gears and mechanical pieces as it fell, and eventually bounced on the floor far below.

"Okay, now we know where to go." Shifu said.

"But Master-"

"Just think of this as the seven swinging clubs, but with gears and darkness to boot."

"That's not helping."

"Just get in there!" Shifu snapped.

Mantis gulped, and then leapt into the hole.

Every single shred of light vanished, and it was like Mantis had fallen into an abyss. His four tiny legs landed on a flat metal surface. He felt a tiny pull on his body as the gear he had landed on slowly turned filling the darkness with a deafening clanking sound.

There was a soft thud as Shifu joined him.

"Should we just head straight for the bottom, or do we go for the next gear?" Mantis asked.

Shifu felt for the edge of the gear, then looked down at the torch below. It was lying prone on the ground. It looked like a long drop, but nothing they couldn't handle.

Drop straight down." He said. "Land next to the torch and don't move until I join you."

"Okay."

Mantis jumped. He fell towards the light below, and landed effortlessly. Shifu landed next to him a second later and picked up the torch.

"Now what?" Mantis asked. "When I was down here, we ended up going up another slope and found ourselves in the other tower."

"Look at the architecture." Shifu shone the torch's light on the wall so Mantis could see.

"Master, I'm not an architect."

Shifu sighed.

"It's like talking to Po." He muttered to himself. "The architecture is the same as the passage that leads to the tomb. There's a chance that they are connected."

"Ah! I get it!" Mantis said. "You think that there is a whole network of passages in this place, and this place is part of it!"

"Sao is keeping Su somewhere in this network." Shifu said. "And with luck, we'll find another passage leading us right to him."

"Right." Mantis said. "Hey, Master… Su's the only one aside from Po who doesn't tell me to shut up when I try to tell a joke. When we find Sao, is it okay if I paralyze his bean buns?"

"Paralyze his bean buns? What are you-" Shifu blinked as he realized. "Yes, you may, though they may be too small even for your pincers."

Mantis chuckled.

"Okay, shutting up now." He quickly stopped as he remembered the situation. "Let's find Su."

"Feel the walls. There could be a hidden door." Shifu said, and began doing so himself. Barely two seconds passed before he felt the stone shift, and a small door opened up.

"I knew it." He spoke softly. "Hang on, Su. We're coming." He turned round. "Mantis, come on!"

There was a scraping sound. Mantis had found a door on the opposite wall.

"Hey, here's another one!" Mantis said. "Uh… this poses a little problem."

"Let's just split up. Here." Shifu snapped off the bottom end of the torch so it would a better size for Mantis and handed it to him. "Whoever finds Su first makes sure she's safe and then comes find the other one. Watch out for traps."

"Wait, what about you?" Mantis said. "You can't see a thing in here!"

"Mantis." Shifu said with a wiry smile. "Anything is possible when you have inner peace."

With that, he disappeared into the passage. Mantis sighed.

"You're beginning to sound like Master Oogway." He said to himself, then quickly made his way to the other passage.

Crane, Viper and Di Tan stared in horror at the massive pile of rubble blocking the entrance doors. There was a big hole in the ceiling above, and there were powder marks everywhere.

"Tujiu did this." Viper said. "He has access to powder kegs. It must have been him."

"Now what are we going to do?" Di Tan asked. After Viper had disabled the trap, Di Tan had taken to helping Crane keep Xian moving. However, his size meant that said help was limited to holding the part of Xian's torso that wasn't covered in blood and trying to keep him upright.

Speaking of Xian, the tiger had been temporarily set down next to a pillar while Crane surveyed the blockage.

"There's no way we can clear this." Crane said. He turned to the others. "How's he doing, Viper?"

Viper's eyes were narrowed with worry.

"Not good." She said. "I don't think he's going to make it."

"I… can hear you…. you know…" Xian's were shut, and his voice was faint. "And… it's not helping."

"Sorry, Xian." Viper said quickly. "Just hang on."

"Hey! I asked what are we going to do now?" Di Tan snapped furiously.

"We'll have to take him to a safe place and keep him stable until help comes." Crane said. "Somewhere where no-one can ambush us and the Yeti wouldn't be likely to go."

"The throne room." Di Tan said. "It's right at the top of the building, and there's nothing really there."

"Do you think he can make it?" Viper asked worriedly, gesturing to Xian.

"He'll have to." Crane said. He went to Xian's side and began helping him up. Xian was feeling more and more like a dead weight.

"Come on." They made their way over to the passage leading to the many corridors and stairways that led up to the throne room.

The moment they entered, large spinning blades blocked their path.

"Great." Crane said. "Viper, could you-"

"Already on it, Crane." Viper said.

"Be careful!" Crane called, but Viper was already leaping towards the vertical slits in the walls that the blades had come from.

Viper slithered inside, quickly found the wooden pole that was fitted to a spinning gear, causing the blade it was attached to to spin, and smashed it with one lash of her tail. Once the blade had slowed to a complete stop, she poked her head out.

"How's that?" She asked.

The blade on the opposite wall was still in motion, but there was enough space for Crane and Di Tan to get Xian to the stairs. Viper slithered out and quickly stopped Xian's bleeding again.

"Crane…" Xian muttered. "The floor's moving."

"They're stairs, Xian." Crane said. "Just keep moving, you'll be fine."

A moment later he realized what Xian was talking about. The stone stairs were shaking very gently beneath them.

"What now?" He said. They reached the top of the first set of stairs. Xian's breathing was by now harsh and ragged, and his bloodied arm was dangling limply by his side.

Suddenly the tiger's legs gave out, and Crane was dragged with him as he fell to his knees.

"Gah!" Crane winced at his injured wing.

"Your highness!" Di Tan honked. He rushed to Xian's side and tried to pull him back up by the arm. "Xian! Hold on! Please hold on!"

Crane and Viper locked eyes. Neither of them had any idea what to do.

That was when a third blade shot out right at them.

"Get back here, you little brat!" Sao yelled in the distance.

Su kept running, one paw feeling along the wall of the passage, the other on her head. She had absolutely no idea where she was going.

She heard Sao curse once more. He sounded a little closer.

She had to find a way out of here. If she could just find a door that led to somewhere she recognized, she could find Shifu and the others and tell them about the levers. Then they could make sure Sao couldn't get her again and then turn off the traps themselves.

She didn't fool herself. She didn't have the overconfidence and bravado that other kids had. She had gotten lucky with that punch, and she knew it. Unless she suddenly got a kung fu upgrade in the next few minutes, she was screwed if Sao caught her.

So she kept running.

Suddenly the floor felt different beneath her foot. It was tilted at an angle, like a ramp. Su was about to go downwards.

Was this the right way? Su couldn't see a thing, so she didn't know where else to go.

Then she heard Sao speak again from mere meters away.

"I know you're around here somewhere!" He snarled. He sounded furious. Ready to hurt her.

Knowing that he was so close made Su panic. She was barely able to stay silent as she ran along the sloped floor, going deeper and deeper. She knew Sao couldn't possibly have seen her, but she didn't dare slow down.

Then her outstretched paws met solid rock, bringing her to a painful halt.

Su pressed her body to the cold wall. She wanted to cry so much. But if she did, then Sao would find her and she would end up just causing Shifu and the others even more trouble. She still felt very cruddy for stowing away.

Another sharp pain struck her and she shoved the wall as she flinched.

The wall shifted very slightly.

Su's heart leapt and she began pushing at the wall with all her might. Then the wall opened up completely, and a quick feel with her paws showed her that she had opened a small doorway.

"Please let this lead somewhere good." She whispered. She ran through the door, pushed it closed with an unintentionally loud sound, and continued onward. Something about the new place felt different. Bigger.

Su knew she was in the treasure room when she tripped over something and her paws found cold little objects that felt like coins.

"How the flippin' heck did I get here?"

Su winced as her head hurt again.

Whatever had cracked in her head was still leaking, and the warm stuff was pooling in her brain like thick air. She could feel it overflowing and leaking from her eyes. She rubbed them, and found that her paws felt wet as she did so.

"What's happening to me?" She whispered. Then she looked around at the darkness. She didn't like the dark. She hadn't liked it the last time. She wanted to get out.

"Okay… you can do this." She said. "It's just like last time. Just keep moving forward and you'll get out. I swear, if there's a monster I'm gonna have a tantrum. Never had one before."

She kept talking to herself as she started walking again, trying desperately not to cry. It felt very cold down here, far colder than it was outside. She hugged herself.

Her body collided with a small pile of objects, and there was a clatter that echoed in the big room.

Su winced.

"Please… please let it be a good guy who heard that."

A loud clatter startled the Yeti just as he was reaching for a stone lever. He turned his head. The sound had come from close by, either the sarcophagus room above of the treasure room next door. It hadn't sounded like a trap.

Damn. He hadn't expected someone to get here so quickly, and opening the final doorway to Ember's resting place would take time. If it was the army, he was going to have to fight, and he couldn't stray too far from the stairway now that it had been revealed. There was also the matter of the dozens of men outside. They surely would have found a way in by now.

"If they want to fight, then they will have to do without." The Yeti drew his blade and turned back towards the stairway. "I will deal with whoever's upstairs."

He experienced a brief flash of the eagle and the men outside striking at the entrance doors with a makeshift stone battering ram, and he knew he was seeing it from her perspective.

"Take care of them, Ember." He spoke.

Through her eyes, he saw her reach out with invisible hands, striking three of the men holding up the battering ram in their abdomens. A crimson ripple flashed through their bodies as they froze up and collapsed.

The battering ram, made out from a large piece of the ruined wall, slammed to the ground. The men backed away from their frozen comrades in horror. The vision was silent. The Yeti could see the eagle shouting out orders but couldn't hear what he was saying.

Ember was quickly enjoying herself. She reached out once more, and ten more men fell, one by one. Those still standing drew their weapons but still had no idea what was attacking them. They stood frozen in place, waiting for Eagle Jr. to give the next order.

Then Ember took out two more men, paralyzing them without laying a finger on either of their bodies. Then she took down three. Six. Twelve. The men panicked, swinging the weapons at nothing and firing crossbows everywhere.

Ember paralyzed the remaining eight men and turned to Eagle Jr. The bird crouched and screeched loudly in a display of intimidation. The vision shifted slightly as Ember tilted her head.

The eagle spoke what the Yeti assumed was a threat. Ember crouched down on all fours as primal instincts kicked in. She hissed. Eagle Jr. screeched again in return, flapping his good wing.

Then Ember sprung, pinning Eagle Jr. down even though she didn't truly have a physical body. She gazed down at Eagle Jr., who glared back at her despite his predicament. The Yeti wondered why she was acting like this. Was she playing with Eagle Jr., curious, or both?

Then Ember struck him with her powers and he froze up like the rest. Ember stood up and looked up at the top at the fortress where the throne room was located.

The vision faded, and the Yeti found himself standing at the top of the stairs, back in the sarcophagus room.

Crane and Di Tan carefully set Xian down on the large throne. The back of the throne was still open from when the passage connecting it to the tomb had been discovered.

"Oh my goodness." Di Tan breathed. "I can't believe we made it!"

They had to go through five more traps before they finally reached the throne room, and Viper had several cuts. She was still wrapped tight around Xian's arm, and she was looking at Xian's pained expression with fear.

"Keep a good hold of that arm, Viper." Crane said. "Now to just wait for someone to come find us. We took out most of the traps to get here, so they should make it through okay as long as they come here straight from the entrance hall. Xian, how are you doing?"

When he looked at Xian, his stomach dropped. The emperor was lying slumped on the seat of the throne, his eyes shut. The only sign that he was conscious was his clenched teeth and his harsh breathing.

"We're running out of time." Viper's eyes looked misty. "Shouldn't they have found a way in by now?"

"We'll just have to hope they'll get here in time." Crane said. "Di Tan, keep an eye on Xian and I'll shut the passage."

When Crane moved up to the back of the passage and started to pull at the large stone slab.

He stopped when he heard a metallic tap coming from the dark stairway.

Tak.

Tak.

Tak.

Crane quickly stepped away from the passage and motioned for Viper and Di Tan to get Xian off the throne. Di Tan pulled at Xian's arm and Viper used the powerful muscles of her body to lift Xian off without aggravating his wounds. They moved Xian a few feet and propped him up against the leg of one of the massive dragon statues.

Tak.

Tak.

Tak.

Tak.

Tak.

Crane kept his eyes on the passage. The metallic taps, which he soon realized were footsteps, grew louder and louder, until a familiar figure slowly stepped into the light.

"You!" Crane stepped into a combat stance, ready for anything. Viper hissed but kept her grip on Xian's arm. Di Tan stood at Xian's side, fearful.

"Found you." Tujiu muttered.

Something had changed in Tujiu. There was no smug, malicious grin. His eyes were not narrowed in contempt. His face looked, more than anything… serene. There was barely a hint of a frown.

"You're under arrest!" Crane snapped. He didn't attack just yet. There was something very, very off about the general.

"I knew you hadn't died." Tujiu spoke quietly. "I knew it in my gut. The explosion wasn't enough."

Crane went stiff. Tujiu was talking to Xian. In fact, his eyes were completely fixed on the semi-conscious tiger sitting slumped against the statue.

"I never liked you, Xian. I despise you. You never approved of me, even when you were just a prince. You've taken away my honor. You've taken away my power. And I can't forgive that."

Crane kept a careful eye on Tujiu's movements, but the avian was standing stock still. There was only one reason for this behavior.

He's gone over. Whatever happened between his disappearance and now has sent him over the edge.

"I'm going to die, soon. Just like you." Tujiu said. "No matter what I do, the order is going to kill me. I messed up the mission."

Crane frowned.

"What?" He asked, but Tujiu ignored him.

"I've known this for a while. She's not going to let me live after this. But if I have to go…"

Crane saw a metallic glint from the lethal golden claws covering Tujiu's talons.

"I'M TAKING YOU WITH ME!"

And he lunged.