Featuring these chapters soon to release this October, I announce this author's note that I will be working my sequel book without publishing after Gray releases the seventh chapter.

Let's begin!

-GrayZeppelin

Volume One: A Visitor

Chapter V

Surrounding Shadows

The crescent moon peeked behind the faded, glowing clouds; the crocodile slammed his ax into the log. Chopped the woods in half, Fung positioned the pole he breathed and sighed in exhaustion. In his new life's work, Fung desired to build a new home for himself and his former gangs as part of the family they wished. And their wish progressed what lay ahead of Fung — the reconstruction bamboo house he and his family built. Half nearly done on sides, roof covered in branches, additionally combined with leaves.

After a terrible battle dealing with the Prince of Darkness in Gongmen City, Fung and his people left the tragedy without reminding their kung fu companions. They never needed to tell them of their absence as their giant cousin of Fung, Lidong, was the alpha's closest brotherhood, sacrificed. They grieved as they retreated from Gongmen City while crocodiles carried Lidong across the endless west of the scorching desert to the steep mountains of Qinling.

Their leader planned this winter survival by having Fung and every crocodile gather bamboo branches for building structures, leaves for the roof, and wet clay to spread the construction, making the exact structures from the valleys, Fung reminisced.

Light steps next to Fing's right side approached. "You are not going to the Dragon Warrior's party, right?"

Fung repeatedly carried his ax and slammed the one-hundredth log; the log shredded its wooden flesh that stopped the crocodiles' alpha. "I wanted to, Gahri," Fung confessed, looking into his old friend's eyes. "I suck at talking to people. You know, a word socialize that you can speak with people out there?"

Gahri rolled his head. "Same here, mate," he agreed before gesturing at the reconstruction of the bamboo house, which was stacked and placed on a few large poles by a small pack of Fung's crocodiles. "Look at our home. Look at us. We nearly build a bamboo house. After everything we did since we lost our cousin and left Gongmen City."

Fung's nostrils made a thick sigh. "Lidong didn't deserve to die, Gahri," he shook in miserably. "He guarded me in front of that bear who helped the Ox guy before going after the tiger."

The crocodile's alpha tossed his ax beside the chopped tree, snatching and hurling the small wooden block toward the branches. He sat on the cut tree, his lips curling upward. "My cousin… he was my family," Fung mumbled.

"Our family, Fung," Gahri corrected him, not to be annoying in front of Fung's presence as both were still grieving. His left knee bent to the sloppy grass ahead of Fung. "Lidong did it because he had to help our friends. We never asked to join the guys fighting against bandits, but we accepted a volunteer to help out the panda and his friends. Fung, I see you sitting on that porch, near the cliff, and that stone at the bamboo forest all alone."

Fung sniffed his nose harder. His eyes shattered, both hands pressed against Fung's closing eyes, bending his back forward. "I can't do it anymore!" he depressed, his voice going stiff to a whimpering cry.

"Listen to me, Fung. Lidong is with us in our hearts," Gahri palmed Fung's back, gesturing his center, which any loved ones you know from the pictures and memories within your head, you touched your only heart. "You and I both know that."

Depression was too much to witness this family member's loss if one who was killed and before murdered did not say goodbye. No one was ready to die, especially Lidong; he would have prevented the bear she nearly murdered Fung, and the crocodile gangs. For over a hundred times, Fung watched his cousin's dead eyes, the ax plunged behind him, and his voice sobbed. Fung breathed and exhaled. "The kid was there, Gahri. The boy who saved us all."

"Who, the tiger?"

"Yes. Xing almost found me." Fung roughly sniffed, his fingers rubbing the clogged mucus. "I couldn't get close to meet him, Gahri —" his hands blocked both eyes, bending his whole body forward. "— I need help."

"You might try meditation."

"It won't work." Fung flared his eyes at Gahri.

"It helps." Gahri calmed him with such advice. His claw patted Fung's back. "You can meet the boy later unless you wanna see the Dragon Warrior."

Fung's narrow eyes met his companion. "You know the Five won't invite us in." He shook. Many crocodile gangs knew the rule that if they could enter any villages, the Masters could ruin their party by stopping them from robbing yens, robbing the people's belongings, and intimidating the innocents.

The moonlight seemed gloomy enough to let your hand cover the lamp's light bulb. Most of the trees began meeting the thick darkness, soft winds ghostly murmuring. "We better get inside. There's a storm coming."

Nodding at Gahri, Fung rose and joined him. "Hey. Why are the torches blown off?"

Fung's query puzzled Gahri, who let one of his eyes lift and turn to his shoulder. As Gahri did follow Fung's observation, half of the torches behind the bamboo house and the inner windows shut their embers. The surroundings seemed to join the dark webs, the top of bamboo trees hollowed to a ghostly quietness. The whispering winds behind them hollered.

"Guys?" Fung called out the gangs, and the moonlight behind the clouds tinged. He and Gahri spotted more than four reptiles swimming their heads into confusion. They calmly sprinted over the construction; Fung and Gahri on the stairs inclined as they both held their torches. Most of these bamboo logs' gaps hardly thickened their surroundings as if the shadows clawed the whole body.

Many crocodiles' eyes darted at the near-impossible sight of the thickening shadows. A mid-size crocodile Irwin in light green baggy pants and kilt of armor waist stood ahead of the house. As Irwin stepped in between four and seven steps toward the dissipated log that ripped in half and lay there, his torch had flagged to a halt, the tips of the fire hushing.

"Who goes there?" Irwin demanded at the surrounding shadow.

The whispering winds behind Irwin and the house ghostly howled. There was no answer.

There was no one skulking behind trees, behind branches, or any of the lanterns to light within the dark. For a moment, Fung's feet stumbled with a short reaction, springing his heels. The wind that whispered deafened its low pitch of shattering sticks. Torches cracked while enlightening the sea of shadows. Breaths went rough under every reptile's throat.

"It's quiet," Gahri whispered with a warning.

No shit. Fung could have spoken as the sea of blackness sensed the presence of his stumbling breath. Irwin's torch dimmed and glowed with a dying star. Within his chest, the heart quietly raced through his veins, and one hand grasped the light. From a further distance, howling leaves echoed.

Irwin's torch shortened its fire, painting his frightening face black; the embers were singeing its red and white dots. The fade scorch followed theirs.

Gahri and Fung from the window watched Irwin quietly crouch and wield the spear. Their follower bent his fighting stance and moved. The bamboo forest which was engulfed with blackness swallowed him.

"Irwin?!" Gahri roared.

No answer from Irwin came.

Fung's heart began thundering louder. Between the bamboo's small logs, a fast arrow soundlessly bolted amid Fung and Gahri's side. The gray fletchings made a rough cut on Fung's right cheek. The cheek cut stung him like the edge of the paper and sliced the skin of his index finger. A short gasp within the webs vibrated. Skulking behind the bamboo structure while grunting, Fung caught a loud thud in which wooden sticks shattered, and leaves waved.

Irwin's body became stiff. The arrow struck one crocodile's left eye, and the other bolted the reptile's throat. "Get down!" Fung screamed, swiveling in the corner.

The fletchings whispered like butterfly wings. Uneasy to catch the arrow zipped could get a deadly problem. Perhaps the arrow improvement to quiet down the quiver while shooting?

Both Gahri and Fung steadied their ax weapons. From outside of the bamboo construction, three crocodile bandits screeched, their hatchets fetching into the shadow. Three blades returned, and only two of them ducked behind the bamboo trees. The middle one pelted the reptile's head with a nasty sound of flesh bones shredding apart.

Gahri yelped.

The bolt whirred as he peeked and ducked. His head burnt with a small slice above him. "Can't you see who's firing?!" Gahri roared, skulking, and covered his wound.

"Damn if I know!" Fung peeked. One black arrow with silent fletchings seared his cheek with an accurate shot. He luckily covered his back. "OW! It's too dark out there!"

"RUN! GET OUT OF HERE!" Gahri ordered, and they ran down the stairs.

They, including both crocodiles behind them, dashed. "Get to the Valley of Peace! Warn the Five!" Fung dodged black arrows which quietly bolted next to bamboo trees.

Sliding down to the gap where the giant bridge log perched underneath, Fung snatched the roots and jerked forward. Whirring sounds combined with chains and ball twisted one crocodile's legs where Wong, on top of the log bridge, grunted and fell, grunting. "WONG!" Gahri cried.

Many whirring chains smashed against the branches and bamboo logs elsewhere and behind the running crocodiles. Walleye, one frightening reptile, slid his feet and returned to Wong, who crawled both claws he sharply screamed. Three black arrows punctured Wong's back — one in each hit, splashed his spine, the neck, and the end of his neck, the tip of the arrow spitting with gore to his whole mouth.

"NO!"

"WALLEYE, RUN!"

As Walleye withdrew, five arrows nearly hit his eyes; two left above Wong's head, and the other three pierced the roots of the bamboo log. Burning his lungs, Fung raced down to the steep path and swiveled away from thick bamboos, which these gaps seemed tiny and impossible to fit. He and Gahri observed Walleye retreat to the east. And as Walleye made a sprint, he was unseen as if the shadows thickened the surroundings over him.

Gahri and Fung skulked farther, and behind the trees, their companion sharpened his scream, while amid his throbbing cry, the trees engulfed and shut his agony.

"Split up, Fung! You go to Jade Palace, and I will lead them away!" Gahri dared in a whispering tone.

Fung trembled his frightening head. "No!"

"Just go," he murmured. Cooling his fast, panting breath, Gahri swiveled to the side and waved both claws toward the sky. "HEY! I'M RIGHT HERE, BASTARDS!"

Quiet arrows whizzed and missed, where Gahri maneuvered and sprinted toward the downside to the left. The distraction was far bravery that you could survive when outnumbered by stealth or chasers; one of your allies had to get their attention and chase him/her. Painful to watch your partner run into the dangerous path and enemies follow, you only have to be free from being captured/getting killed alive.

Stealthy figures like shadow cloaks or dark garments armor followed behind Gahri, who faintly shouted far, and far as he went. Both his scream and the rest of rushing, breaking leaves and sticks went silent. There were too many who slaughtered Fung's people — his men he had known them. Everywhere else seemed gloomy and rustled breeze in the Bamboo Forest. His eyes caught a high ridge; it held the temple beside the steep mountain. The crocodile knew precisely where to go without an option: save yourself and warn the Jade Palace masters. His small feet slowed him down; Fung ducked in all fours and began sprinting. Running as quiet as he could into the bamboo trees, it whispered deathly. Breaths panted, leaves crushed, and branches tore from his hands and feet running.

Small sparkles banged behind him. The other was the ball and chain; it spun around the tree. The sparks and chains went fast. Fung stayed his head forward while running. Another swift sound on his right flapped its red fire and pierced the tree. A fire arrow. Darn! These guys are gonna kill me! Over the hills, as he went on without stopping, his right leg slid on the dirt and rolled behind the thick bamboo trees it bonded close.

The crocodile's panting breath burnt his lungs, rising and falling his whole chest before trembling from his head. He crawled backward, sidling his back against the bamboo logs. His eyes peeked to the left side; snapping sticks and leaves approached closer. Fung wondered who the bandits were trying to kill him and his buddies. His eyes swiftly swam onto sides as if the gloomy lands and trees were hard to glimpse at anyone in the dark; only the soft midnight horizon beamed down.

"Gahri!" he murmured, his voice was trembling, fingers fiddling with racing veins without his tremble. Fung wondered the bamboo forest to search Gahri and the rest of his crocodile families. Sounds were you could hear: his panting breath, snapping branches, leaves brushing against the grass and dirt, fast heartbeat.

He murmured in loud, anxious to Gahri. And the red torch enlightened.

The light peeked out of the thick bamboo trees to Fung's left side. He quietly crouched and pulled back behind the bamboo sticks that bounded a more impenetrable wall. Fung loomed his head to the side. The torch lid closer toward him.

Fung covered his nostrils and throat, whimpering. The water deer in a red sleeveless vest browsed the torch across the bamboo sticks, squinting both of glittering eyes - this stranger only had one fang. The bandit ghostly growled as the deer walked forward.

Fung's head pulled back and crawled against the bamboo sticks slowly. He knew Fung could get the bandits' attention if he loudly whispered to Gary again. His eyes zoomed ahead of the bank that reflected from the horizon, soft and saturated dirt nearby. The river. Yes! Fung peeked his head from the bamboo sticks. His eyes observed the dark gray yaks and two brown deer; each wore chest armor with a fire emblem. They wielded crossbows and edgy ax blades.

The Fire Clan?!

The black arrow shot and struck on Fung's hat. He avoided. His legs tripped to the bank and splashed into the depths. A loud splash brought the locals' attention, shouting and dashing at the river.

The brown deer scurried on the edgy bank as if the surface went quiet. Ripples broke from the splash, and the deer triggered the crossbow liver. Not only one arrow fired, but two— five bolts launched.

Under the soft ripples, Fung swam, the black arrows whooshed with black rain. His air within his whole mouth almost billowed a small, terrifying bubble. He dove and swam. Many foams shaped like a vicious claw from arrows almost clenched — the tip of the arrow fingers mauled his back about an inch and missed.

Breaking the flow while swimming side to rumble his body as the crocodile zigzag, Fung soared below the mirage surface of breaking calm water. Behind him, the bolts were raining, and the splashes angrily slammed. To his right, after breathing out of the water, a grimace-looking head with specks of crimson eyes shook its feet as it strolled.

Run! RUN!

Fung mounted the bank and entered the thick bamboo branches. He turned in random ways wherever the gaps could fit him instead of trapping. The shouts grew behind him, drawing closer to expect more bandits. The crocodile spawned out of the thronging bamboo logs and arrived as the opened-hilly grassland with a giant stone rock perching on the tip of the other hillside. The steep mountain which the top of it stood alone, was the Jade Palace. Fung wanted to sprint within the boundary, despite —

The violent shock soared behind, spat its red arrow toward the bandit's left knee; Fung shrieked and crashed on the stony surface. Paining in horror, Fung brushed his right torso. The bolt sliced a small and deep cut. His head peeked and shook from the female's giant chuckle. Fung's legs gathered from the black sashes, wrapping over and shattered his right ankle.

The ankle joint snapped. "NOO!" Fung bellowed his cry, clenching his teeth. "MY ANKLE! PLEASE, DON'T KILL ME!"

The shadows swam out of the forest. The figure spawned its enormous silky tinge fur and short legs, strolling forward. The blackness shredded its face figure of the bear, glaring its red eyes.

It wore scathing armor with a purple belt on the waist. Nostrils bent, and the lips curl into wickedness. The bear in black chuckled wickedly.

"FUNG!" Gahri cried from nowhere. Fung glimpsed at his left, and his old friend dashed in frightening. Arriving at Fung, Gahri brought his iron hatchet from the right side of his brown belt, guarding next to the helpless and painful crocodile against the black bear in defiance. "Get away from him, you wupo!"

"Oh, yes. Everybody says about me." The bear in black surprised; her tone monotonously chimed. Behind her, a pack of the Fire Clan bandits, three deer, and two brown and black yaks. "I am Mingling. Huoju's Commander, his secondary leader, and your cousin's murderer."

Each of her forbidding words announcing ahead of the poor crocodiles, Fung could feel his cuts, and his breaking ankle flared too close to the camping fire, to him begging to be away from this menacing wupo.

"I discern losses you mourn. Even in your cousin's stupidity action, he boldly defended you and Huoju's opponent. His death was unforgiving," Mingling shared her sympathy tone, half threatening as her fingers fiddled, her pointy nails sparkling like a candle. "You see, I could give you Lidong's resurrection, for you and your family to find the list of warriors I hunt."

Gahri's nostril-bridge bent. "My mum always said not to deal with the mon—!"

"A monster? Little children — " the bear rolled her head, including her smirking lips stretched to the side. "— Taking the advice from his and her parents. I respect that." Her chin leveled toward the average height as her eyes fancied Fung. "Indeed, you are mother's boy —" and she met Gahri, who guarded his ax, aiming toward any sudden movements from her, "— and you are the father's boy who is unworthy of deciding his family's legacy."

Mingling cheered with a wicked laugh; her pack joined this sinister chuckle. The black bear hungrily glared at Fung. "Too bad she would not like to see you suffer here, and that was the proper thing your mother is in the Spirit Realm, sobbing your pain she hears."

Mingling's claw clenched and dragged her ribbon shadows, which wrapped over Fung's ankle and whole leg. The stripe tightened and sensed a soft crack within the joint. "OW, PLEASE DON'T!" Fung sharpened his agonizing bawl.

"LET HIM GO!" Gahri dared and raised his shaft.

One bandit, a grim-looking bunny with silky lips and a nasty scar in between his muzzle, aimed and triggered the bow leverage; the black arrow cut Gahri's wrist, letting the shaft fall near his foot. "Guide me towards the closest village, this sanctuary palace where these motherless keepers reside orphans - The creature who had escaped the past from savage. And this time, when finding a child and son of a mortal bastard, there can be only salvation from this treacherous country that has been blessed for centuries. You have three seconds." Mingling threatened as her ribbons attached her gripping claw.

"Children are living in that place, you witch! Think about the Furious Five who will avenge those innocents!" Gahri angered.

"One."

"The resistance will catch you all! Perhaps we should get hurt instead of the Masters!"

"Two."

"We have a family! Fung's all I got! PLEASE! NO-NO-N-N— !"

A wild wind whirred along with dangling chains somewhere to Phantom's right. The sash ripped in half as if a green blade stirred and plunged the grass, the knife slicing the soil; it drew many bandits away. The links yet snapping with smaragdine snaps stumbled the bear's leg, and she fell; the blade returned to its mighty owner who walked out of the bamboo forest, with power-hungry green eyes glowering at her.

Author's Note:

— We have the Jade Slayer (in Tony Stark's defensive voice).

— Since I am into the Horror genre, even though I am a massive fan of Stephen King, I might be using my strategy to maintain light and dark.

— Yes. My female villain Phantom will be the main issue of the series from now on. Her arc shall reveal the inception before becoming Huoju's Commander. Ultimately, Phantom is one mean Lady I remind her elemental personality of Cersei Lannister.

— An easy easter egg you spotted a water deer with a jade tooth? She's now one of my favorites! And unfortunately, she'll only be part of a cameo in the series for now.

— Don't go anywhere! This fight has already begun in the next chapter!