"What is the "Dragon Gate Stone?" Chat Noir asked, as Ladybug quickly summoned Kalaki.
"You shall see," their Phoenix guide said mysteriously, and rose up in a flare through the portal Ladybug had opened with the horse miraculous. "Come along quickly!" Ember added.
"But Ember! What is the rush, it will take Merlin more time than us to get to the Qingpu District of Shanghai without a miraculous!" Ladybug puzzled.
"We have the horse miraculous, it is true, but Merlin clearly has a plan...and knows we're going to be there waiting for him. If he is desperate enough..." Lady Justice interjected.
"You really have so little faith in us?!" Chat Noir crossed his arms offended.
"You wouldn't be with me now if I didn't think we could stop him together," Lady Justice sighed. "But the last time we faced each other I made a choice...one that has been painfully difficult to live with all of these drawn out years," Lady Justice closed her eyes, as if the pain once more weighed down on her.
"To in prison him...you...you loved him didn't you?" Ladybug said quietly.
"You might think, how could it have been love, when I sentenced him to such a fate...but yes. There was a time when I loved him," the ancient weilder stood tall, and strode ahead of them, and used her staff to pick her way through the narrow streets of the Chinese river village.
The willows swayed in the breeze and reached their slender arms down into the glistening canals. The 1,700 year old town fanned out, existing two hundred years before Europe's Venice...but seeming reminiscent of its western cousin, built on the Po River.
The weilders were an odd sight, and caught the eye of locals as they raced across the series of wooden, stone, and marble ancient bridges. A couple of elderly fishermen glanced up in surprised as they raced by. They were so startled that the fish they had just caught leapt right put of their hands, back into the welcoming freedom of the water.
Chat Noir's called back an apology on behalf of the group, but Lady Justice never slowed, intent on making it to their destination.
The next bridge they came to Lady Justice stepped onto, and suddenly froze. Her hand felt for ancient stone. Her fingers slid to the grooves of the carving of one of four life-like carved lion statutes sanding guard.
"We are here!" she confirmed, and traced her index finger along the numbers etched into the side. The year 4267, with well worn grooves, was scratched into the side. The Fangsheng Bridge was the longest, largest and tallest stone bridge in the area. At the centre of the bridge was stone tablet, engraved with 8 coiling dragons encircling a shining pearl; The dragon's gate.
"This bridge was constructed in 1571, or by the Chinease calendar 4267, the year of the Metal Horse." When Ladybug and Chat Noir both took in a sharp breath she nodded, "yes, Kaalki was involved. "In the same year Manila was established as the new capital of the Philippines this bridge you see before you now was built. Let's call it a 'failsafe'"
Ladybug and Chat Noir lunged forward toward the tablet, but Lady Justice held out her staff, barring their way.
"You were in such a hurry before!" Chat Noir complained, but gives?!"
"This is no souvenir meant for nostalgia," Lady Juistice's ears perked at the water hitting against the base spanning the river. "One wrong move and we could summon more trouble than we've already got!"
"So the pearl is like a beacon?" Ladybug asked, eyeing the jewel cautiously. "But what might it summon?"
"Dragons always are connected to the elements," Lady Justice explained, carefully picking her steps across the stones toward the centre. "That right there is the gate that they can be called through...each dragon of power from around the world and combine their powers...but first you need to find the key..."
"A key to unlock possibility!" a voice challenged from the other side of the bridge, and the sun caught a gleam of gold from the metal ring he held up. Sure enough Merlin had shown up, much earlier than expected.
"Don't take another step!" Lady Justice warned lowly.
"You know, I'm a little tired to listening to you scold me like a child! You forget, I was your teacher first!" Merlin stepped forward defiantly, shooting her a glare. "If we hadn't all listened to you last time, the accuser would have been silenced for good. It we had used the power of all the dragons things would have been different!"
"Maybe different...but better? Likely not!" Lady Justice took her place in front of the prize. "Who are you to decide the fate of the world?!"
Merlin started chuckling, and Ladybug found that it grated on her nerves, making her feel exceedingly on edge.
"I'm not about to the use the dragon gate myself!" He shook his head, wiping his eyes. "The only one powerful enough to channel that kind of power is the Ren Ren. Once the gate is unlocked the chosen of the prodigious will call on the elementals!"
"Ladydragon would never betray us!" Ladybug fumed, spinning her yoyo.
"Betray you! My dear girl you still do not get it! I'm trying to save you!" Merlin shook his beard in frustration. Then Merlin suddenly sprang toward LadyJustice, sliding skillfully under her staff. Then he popped up beside the dragon gate. Lady Justice reacted instantly and struck his hand away from the jewel. Chat Noir's and Ladybug did not waste any time either, and jumped forward to restrain him, and prevent him from plucking the pearl from its resting place. They fought expertly, each leading with attacks and defending with blocks and dodges. Merlin narrowed his eyes, and grabbed Chat Noir by the hand, and letting himself fall backward. The grip he had on Chat Noir, and the force of gravity pulled Chat Noir's ring free, and as Merlin's back hit the stone, his feet came up kicking Chat Noir in mid-detrasformation over the side of the bridge. It all happened so fast Adrien barely had enough time to Yelp as he fell over with a splash. Ladybug plunged over the side after Adrien without a second thought, and quickly pulled him up, coughing up water to the surface. Lady Justice struck the black cat ring out of Merlin's hand, and it made a clang as it hit the stone.
Merlin jumped up towards the pearl, pressing a curved gold band (the key)against the dragons. Magically they uncoiled, releasing their long guarding treasure onto the band. He smiled at Lady Justice. "I never wanted the cat's ring. The curse on that thing is yet to be fulfilled. This however, will change the tide of the war. You will see my sweet Lady. You will thank me in the end!"
"As always, you are too quick to manipulate fate!" Lady Justice grasped her staff tightly ready to strike.
"And you are too hesitant to do what must be done," he shot back. Then he turned, and said over his shoulder. "My next student, Ladydragon, won't hold back! I'll make sure of that!"
"You've got to find her first old man!" Lady Justice yelled at his back.
Merlin paused misstep, and smiled over his shoulder. Casually he flipped a gold coin in pulled from his pocket. "Hmm...there has been talk of a new training school that just Miraculously popped up in front to the sacred caves. The young master running it...what was her name?...ah yes...Fei Wu...well, maybe I'll just go have a talk with her...you never know what she might have to offer!"
"You snake!" Lady Justice spat, and hurled her staff at him (which he easily dodged).
"If only I had the snake! Maybe then you'd give me a second chance!" Merlin winked at her, and then ducked around a corner and was gone.
Ladybug's arm was wound around Adrien, and she laboriously lugged him over the side. Dripping from head to toe, he clutched his arms around himself. Ladybug quickly rubbed her hands against his arms, and grabbed him into a relieved hug.
"Thank you, I'm fine! Really I am!" Adrien assured her. "We've just got to find..."
Lady Justice knelt down, and picked up the miraculous ring. She stalked by the couple without a word, and dropped the ring into Adrien's hand. Then she kept walking toward the road.
Adrien enthusiastically greeted Plagg, and dug out some sopping wet cheese from his jacket. Plagg was relieved enough himself to be back with Adrien, that he only muttered small complaints about the waterlogged cheese. Adrien lost no extra time ringing out his clothes, and quickly transformed back into Chat Noir.
"Aren't we going to chase him down again?" Ladybug called after Lady Justice.
"Get Kaalki," Lady Justice called back. "Your friend Fei needs our help!"