A little late as I am fighting against writer's block, and took longer to script this chapter! Man the guns, my KFP followers! Do not fall into the water if you cannot swim! Make yourself entertained and happy writing from KFP hardcore fan!

GZ

4/13/2018


Episode Nine: Haidao (41 - 46)


Chapter XLIII

Sea Battle

I. Ripples

Master Storming Ox

The bang had him sparked from his sleep, waking Ox with sea water rushing behind his back from the hole on the port bow side. Oh, no! Sensing the cold stream from his council robe, Ox rose and dashed out of the Crew's Deck. The rapid surface reached his belly; Ox moved the stairway, hearing his son's hail outside. He sensed echoes of thunderous cannons booming across the sea, filling fifty red and black sail ships encountering each other. Arriving near the starboard side as if sapphire horizon went dark by smokes —

"Dad, get out of there!" Niu yelled from behind at Captain's Main Deck.

A violent, wind with pale red and white sparks sped behind Niu's father. Storming Ox ducked, and the fireball wrecked the foremast, collapsing the red sail forward. The front of the Ketch bent and submerged; Ox embraced the stairs' poles as if he climbed to the sides and held on the ship's wheel. "What happened?!" he demanded the young bull he swung from the ropes and craned at him.

"Pirates knew we were coming! My messenger was not him caused this battle! Somebody watched us sleeping and informed the Quartermaster or Huoju's friends!"

Shou was not entirely sure how anyone could sneak every ship at night. Spies or scouts across the sea would have been smart enough not to disturb the water, nor enlightened lanterns to detect. All five held the ropes they climbed on and scanned the whole battle of two foes Pirates and Huoju's Army. Black sails carried catapults and hurled the flame balls. Red sails ignited Shen's dragon artilleries.

There were splashes nearby the submerging Ketch. Something approached from the bluish void under the ruptured ripples: four times the size of a giant being, two fins, fluke tail and long rostrum mouth. It burst the air and foams from its blowhole, and behind the thing many ocean creatures bounded and dove into the depths, shouting in each jump.

"Master Hǎitún!" Croc gestured.

"Gongmen Masters!" the gray dolphin who wore his golden armor around his body reckoned all two masters with three young warriors. "I greet you all five! I see you all are sinking! What is your motivation for your arrival?!"

"Emperor Huangdi sent five of us to stop Huoju's invitation and war boats conquering the island!" Ox notified him. "Yours?"

"Haidao invited me and fish army here, waiting for his son's arrival to help!" the fish pointed the island and the sea.

"Where is my father?" the young Bull next to Ox and Niu demanded on the climbing ropes.

Without a mistaken view of same face and mane, Hǎitún swam and craned his neck forward. Alright, that is Haidao's son I presume. "These Fire Clan boats are challenging to swim closer! I have lost thirty dolphin warriors for the last six days!"

"And pirates?" Croc demanded.

"Their defeat is imminent, Master Croc, losing in greater numbers after enemy warships disembarked at the front beach and nearly reached Haidao's conference!" Hǎitún added.

"We climb behind each ship, boot bandits off to the water and salvage every ship!" Ox darted his hoof toward red sail ships. "We will use their lethal firepower cannons!"

His son looked at Ox's crimson-raged eyes. "Are you crazy, dad?!" Niu brightened his ocean eyes.

"No! Ridiculously fun to destroy enemy ships!" Ox calmed him.

The ship sunk and near to Helman and Captain's main deck; gray dolphins with silver and gold armors advanced behind Master Hǎitún he hailed best and loyal fishes. "Grab onto my crew's fins! You will swim faster than front crawl and elemental stroke!"

"Time to get wet!" Croc and Zhao dove and splashed.

"Come on!" Niu bounded with Shou and followed.

Master Ox watched all four grabbed every dolphin's dorsal fin and shifted across large waves and brilliant ripples sounding rough and violent. He would not like to see his son watching Storming Ox stayed behind as if how deep under the surface is, Ox preferred standing instead of crawling like an invisible ladder. I hope you are right, Rhino. He thought and shut his eyes without clenching. He jerked back and catapulted, diving and all that Ox sensed: angry foams, muffled songs of ocean breeze and light trigger echoes.

Foams absorbed in Ox's body and floating garb. He, at still shut his eyes from burbling around him, imagining himself soaring from the horizon like a flying bird with long feathers Ox loved to fly (in his next life or previous soul he wished to become crane, eagle, or a giant dragon with bat-like wings). His right hoof had snatched and floated Ox among the depths of pale blue. "I got you, Master Ox! There are strong ripples that can spin and push you out of control! Hang on my dorsal fin!" Hǎitún commanded.

As Juren did and nodded at once, both swam below the horrors of the ripples after holding their breaths, tailing near all four dolphin soldiers supporting four warriors. Sails shredded and crashed; red ships triggered with flustered, booming echoes from Ox's floppy ears he sensed it quietly. Drifting across by, both him and Hǎitún caught a glimpse of black spheres, sparkling with red and white approaching nearby them. Many splashed and swung in multiple directions from roaring surface.

Maneuvering side by side, all five dove under the red sail junk ship that went snatched by a red octopus, grasping and crushing wooden buoyancy. By almost inclining to the angry ripples, Ox peered both silvery ax blades floating down and caught with his single left arm; both breathed out and as all four climbed on the starboard ship, daggering and stabbing they hoisted and plunged their attack. "We'll bound these war vessels after damaging their courses!"

"Make sure you do, Master Ox! Dolphins and I will distract other red vessels to veer their cannons at the sea!" Hǎitún swam backward with his head craning, then told before splashing back. "Sink them all! Call me if you cannot reach the other ships!"

Ox swung the blade on each arm and ascended to the starboard side. He leaped and slammed both axes onto the edge, and again bounding into the platform, crowded with bandits and four warriors dashing and deflecting weapons off course. "HEADS UP!" young gray bull Shou hailed from the Helman, then Ox guarded ahead of the grim-looking black gorilla hammered his curved sword.

Both flailed, and Ox encountered ape's palm kick, thrusting his right foot and whipped his long tail to the head and skidded gorilla's legs. Croc flipped from the balcony above the Helman, then hammered his iron ball tail directly to ape's forehead, leading the bandit into a knockout as both Ox and Croc advanced their cry and dashed through both port and front of the vessel.

Zhao stood his fighting stance on the bowsprit, curving and averted his spike stick at the dark emerald crocodile with yellow eyes. Spiraling the large-scale tail from the aggressive reptile, the Nine's Ferocious ducked his head, glimpsed rapidly and swooshing crocodile's feet, hearing grim bandit's scream and flailed along the giant ripples swallowed him in underwater.

A horror from the gale among the red sails raced down the middle mast. Many went flabbergasted; Zhao jumped off the bowsprit he spun and booted the brown yak's head. Ahead of the bandit, young Ox launched his fist toward the yak's chest, blowing the giant beast off the port bow with ripples snatching and garbled. Another rush struck the foresail, splashing with flame ashes. Three warriors Ox, Shou, and Croc, witnessed five black sails from the port side with strange banner flags billowing beside the main canvas. Something detailed with pale hoof bones with a bull skull patched its left eye.

"Father," Shou flabbergasted.

The junk ship with bull banner cut its rope trigger behind the giant black spoon, hurling with nature red and yellow fire.

"JUMP!" Croc snapped and grasped his old companion's wrist. Him, Ox, and Shou dashed across the middle platform to the starboard, leaping, and dove in the sea's angry waves. Zhao and Niu followed and swallowed under the depths; red junk ship hammered apart with a mushroom blaze.

Five climbed and reached the surface rapidly. Ripples that were surrounding two Gongmen Masters and Three of the Nine motioned their bodies and separating; many swam their heads as if no black ships or red vessels could approach. Ox beside Croc craned his giant neck, the surface pulled him, and the reptile master caught Juren's shoulder. "Hang on, Ox!" he screamed when small waves splashed him including Ox. "Hǎitún is coming!"

"Haidao attacked us!" Niu yelled. He water-treaded his feet and arms circulating. "Did he know we are on enemy's ship?!"

"Oogway's damnation if I know!" Shou shook, stretching his neck above and sensed his long mane floating over shoulders and behind his back. "Looks like my dad hates red sails!"

Keeping their heads above the ocean's angriest ripples, five warriors spotted five gray fins underneath beside and as the other five warriors grasped every dolphin's back preventing their isolation from drowning, or waves pushing and dragging you away toward either the beach or sea. Next, five dolphins they carried five new mates mounted through sides behind every red junk boat. Left. Right. And dive.

Black sail vessels launched many fireballs from wooden catapults on each port, starboard, and in front. One flame vortex slammed ahead of the ten warriors; five went left and five gone right. "Argh! These pirates are not fooling around!" Ox spat with his eyes painted red.

"Will warn Haidao and his friends that you all five are here stopping this incursion, Master Ox!" Master Hǎitún oathed. "Here's one enemy ship you can mount, steal, and blast every Huoju's vessel if you can!"

Nearing one junk black ship with red sails across the perilous sea waves, many dived under, and dolphins boosted their backs on five warriors leaping over to the starboard. Without both ax blades, Ox could do hardly grasp on the edges with his hooves either himself, or hoist with Croc's tail swinging back and forth to climb. After bounding and holding on the edgy starboard, the dolphin leader urged. "Make sure you stay with my dolphins after you compromised enemy ship! I will do the talking with Haidao, and good luck!" he flipped and dove his body to the surface.

Ascending and jeering over the starboard, the gray bull encountered and dodged one red deer's black sword, hammering the front and as Shou sled to the right and tripped him with his right foot, grabbing the deer's antler into the center mast. "Enemies on our ship! GET THEM OFF!" one captain gorilla with a missing right eye clenched his yellow teeth, jeering the main deck's to the center and both oxen Juren and Niu split apart, rolling behind the ape as if the junk captain swept his golden grip with a sharp sword.

Both ducked; Niu closed him in with his Wing Chun guard he blocked the ape's fast arm swing with his blade, fisting forward onto the junk captain's jaw and rapidly circulating his clench hooves. Niu hit the ape's nose with his elbow, grasping back of the captain's head and knee kicked toward his forehead, knocking the gorilla off. His father behind Niu stretched his neck down and charged forward with his iron horns at both yak bandits.

Shou at the front bow disarmed gray deer's wavy sword, yanking and knuckling the bandit between his yellow eyes. Pounding the buck to the floor, Shou jerked his right floppy ear upward as if the giant scream from the middle sail sunk. A giant gray rhino in long black coat swung on the rope and summoned the red dagger from his right waist. Shou looked and found the buck's throwing blade inside of his green belt; he quickly aimed rhino who grasped on the strong brown rope, hurling and snapped the string in half, leading rhino pirate to Shou's right side.

The rhino fell and flipped forward toward the captain's deck. His yellow eyes went glaring directly at the young bull's ocean eyes. A rhino pirate Shou froze his whole body him, and this pirate looked to themselves in awe. "Shou?!" the rhino pirate widened his mouth and eyes.

"Hǎitān?" the bull revealed.

"What in Davy Jones's locker are ye doin' here, mate?" Hǎitān surrendered his dagger beside his right waist.

"Stopping these red sails with my lads!" Shou pointed his hoof tip all over red sails conflicting black ships.

"You almost killed me!" the rhino spat.

"That's for target practicing, thanks for your compliment!" he jeered but lied.

Juren and Niu motioned their bodies on the platform; Niu rose, hunkering his head forward and launched his speed toward Huoju's gangs most held four Lord Shen's cannons pointing and adjusting marks wherever any ship could lie and move across the ocean. Ox blocked the gray ape's fist he (sensed the strong clench blow from his elbows) shattered the bandit's knuckles.

Backing the gorilla off, Ox trapped him in between the line of a barrel and the edge of the junk red ship. The gorilla could not escape as this bandit, captain or quartermaster on his red sail with pale red eyes of the skull, lurched his right foot palm. Once missed, Ox encountered his arm onto the ape's ankle, jabbing and circulating clench hooves on the chest, then palm strikes Juren repeatedly impacted the gorilla's right jaw and cheek.

Feeling his upper hand much scratchy and metallic from nowhere, the gorilla found the torch perched on the match and behind the artillery. A small, grayish rat matched with his tiniest claw he sparked on the flame; the ape snatched as if the Ox master reacted in front, noticing the ignition had danced with pale stars—

"FIRE IN THE HOLE!" squeaked the rat bandit.

Ox pulled the ape he disarmed the torch that nearly touched Juren's left eye, luckily avoided the burn. His son leaped from the central mast, hammering his heel behind the cannon it craned. KABOOM! The crimson vortex misfired, leading the course directly to bandits' ally junk ship that crashed onto the black pirate vessel with two maul hammers flag.

Juren jerked the gorilla's arm, headbutting him once with a nasty knockout and a fall. "Use their cannons! Rip their tides and masts!" Ox yelled, pointing many cannons on both port and starboard side. "That will worse their luck!"

"But pirates and Huoju's gangs will shoot us, dad!" his son warned.

"Then let them try!" reasoned Master Ox. "If they shot their ships, we will hijack theirs and continue to sink Huoju's ships!"

Mopping every bandit as if five warriors and now the pirate rhino Hǎitān jarred bandits onto sides, all five grasped Shen's dragon cannons; Shou handled the wheel he could expertly drift anywhere, and carefully surveyed three giant crimson sails. "Hard to starboard!" Shou exclaimed, turning the wheel right across the wreckage junk vessels. Approaching near the enemy lines as not to interfere more than two enemy ships on the right side, Ox, Croc, and Niu ignited their cannons; all three red and white sparkles penetrated one junk's ship's front hull, and the other toward the bottom of the port and stern.

Most of the echoes went suppressed, coming from elsewhere while the reptile master hunkered his right arm he carried the torch and reached out the matches. "This idea is insane!" Croc felt his fingers popped with rage sparkles, experiencing the test of shooting this perilous cannon for the first time (though experienced staggering and fear after watched Lord Shen shot the artillery at Rhino, and later the harbor). He turned to his Ox companion."After all Huoju's ships sink, can we submerge Shen's cannons, Ox?"

"Precisely!" Ox answered, bursting his cannon's breath. "Keep aiming red sails!"

Insane, Ox admitted the cannons were the only powerful to him as twice the damage impact than catapults. Proceeding around other enemy ships all six encountered the red sail with red deer skull banner, bucks and hyenas pulled their bowstrings. "Niu, watch out!" Ox forewarned, just before arrows flicked forward ahead of them.

Many ducked, resulting hooks slammed on the mast bows above the center from the enemy vessel, deer and hyenas swung; Croc, Niu, and Juren bashed their fists (both oxen headbutted) on seven bandits, jarring all into the depths. From the port, rhino pirate and the Nine's ferocious triggered the spark, and their booming cannons left with spherical balls of crimson blaze blew red ketch's front mast, collapsing directly at the center and main deck; crushed and spread flames all over.

"Way to go, mate!" the rhino pirate cheered Zhao, then as the Nine's Ferocious nodded Shou's companion. A mild, shock Zhao glimpsed the rhino's wide eyes. He was not exactly staring the alligator in awe at this moment as if the Ferocious student's head swiveled to the front. Ten red and black sails of skulls, black anchors, and bull ahead banners catapulted fireballs, and crimson cannon vortexes triggered at each other. "Huoju's ships dead ahead, Shou!"

"MASTER CROC, THE ANCHOR!" Shou pointed the giant, black iron anchor hanging on the front starboard side of the junk ship. Croc dashed through after leaving his weapon next to Ox. Surveilling where the anchor's enormous rope galloped onto the wooden rail, and toward the right side of the bow, Croc pulled the liver stick, diving the anchor into the strong ripples. Insanely that not as the anchor is for parking or emergency purposes when a pirate ship or civilian vessel got lost, but necessarily avoiding full ocean ships or facing enemies.

"Hang on!" Shou burned his throat, releasing the wheel as if embracing the wooden rail on the upper right side after Croc scrabbled on the center mast. The junk stomped something under the depths, dragging its weight forward to the starboard, turning right sharply with a jerk weight and pushed the waves down. The hull wood within the junk ahead nearly ripped from the strong rope that grasped the anchor.

Many eyes surveyed more than ten fire vortexes catapulting through the canvas and struck on every part of Huoju's war vessels: main deck, under the buoyancy, and in front, blowing many bandits while red sails triggered Shen's dragons back at the pirates. "Somebody, take out that war machine cannons!" one of the dolphin warriors from the starboard quarter of the angry surface yelled sharply.

The young gray bull squinted. A strange, two sails in each one pole of the junk grew its canvas alive, rising with ropes pulling from bandits where many embraced and stood on bows. The banner on the front cloth gave its grim look of vital Ox grimacing with brilliant natural fire eyes. On the mysterious Huoju's advance war machine ship, carried more than ten golden Lord Shen's artilleries spitting scarlet and pale sparkles without reloading about three hacks. Splashes and black billow smokes went off through shores, then five pirate ships on all sides of the advance junk tore apart.

Every cannon's blast hurled, prevented and slammed balls of blaze nearly catapulting the war machine vessel. Impossible! Juren stunned, he and his longtime friend especially Shou had never glimpsed this anti-catapult artilleries preventing many pirate ships pitching their weapons and the army of fishes swimming away, or went off by the blast of splashes. Shou turned the ship to the north-east; the front of the "advance" war machine directly pointed its bow toward at the red sail. A single, golden binocular, widening its pale blue eye squinted the gray bull driving the junk, determining what this young warrior hijacked the boat with other five warriors this captain could not recognize.

Below the first vessel, three black blinds opened. One black hole in each summoned the dragon of gold and metallic grey iron fangs and skins. "ABANDON SHIP!" Shou screamed thunderously from his fluff throat burning within his mouth. No pirate ship, nor bandit vessels (except the war machine) have this modded windows in front of the battleship, as all the junks only have catapults, including cannons below the port and starboard sides. One booming hack released its breath, bolting across the enormous ripples Shou went up and over the wooden rail from the main deck. He hailed out his companions at the starboard, witnessing one Ox reached out his right hoof toward the angry sparks.

Juren snatched and tossed the fire sparks away into the depths of dying blue ocean, mirrored by the horizon and reflected black smokes. Master Ox just made a bold, inner peace move?! He could have blown away like Master Rhino, but salvaged his companions and Niu for Dragon Warrior's sake!

"Way to go, dad!" cheered Niu.

Better than standing still and panic! Juren thought happily. The next blow approached Master Ox's right ear. He diverted the spark ball of ruby red and pale white to the left. To the left, and now right; then flung forward into the water, drawing close to the war machine vessel's front buoyancy. The enemy ship went trembling and brightened its eyes of bandits, where you could listen to the song of yells and light sparks behind the cannon's barrel on each deadly weapon.

"They are not very pleased!" Shou determined, rushing in Juren's right side at once Croc fired his artillery. "I think we gave them a focus on us!"

"Can you do inner peace trick, Shou?" Ox questioned him to his left solemnly.

"Improving it a little, Master! Not yet expert what you did about ten seconds ago!"

"Get on another ship, and ride toward the beach if you can!" Ox advised. "Get my son to the shore with your friends! Croc, and I will be right behind you and hold these insolent fools!"

"DUCK!" Zhao shrieked, all six dived their heads from two spark balls almost struck the center mast. The dark green reptile spotted a red sail vessel with black bull skull banner rammed on the port side. "There's one right on us closer at the left! These bandits are coming and have no cannons!"

"Get them off their ride, and cover Masters Ox and Croc!" Shou commanded before ropes swung with snarl bandits they wielded daggers and curved swords.

Four warriors diverted every bandit's attack and sword jump when many from the red ship landed on the center dais. Croc repeatedly matched his torch at will, spitting the sparks as if the cannon spat. The war machine ship kept aggressively and drifted forward, manifesting three artilleries from the front bow fire at once, missing twice as one went captured by Ox, spiraling and tossing it back. Clearing out the central dais and kicked twelve gangs off their red vessel, Shou, Zhao, Niu, and the rhino pirate swung over to the ship with the black bull banner.

The war machine closed in a couple of yards away, spitting its field dragons on elsewhere to those who hurled and on aboard. Those sails and a banner billowed angrily, advancing without stopping. Both legendary warriors surveyed the black vessel with pale hooves, and the bull with patch left eye swam behind and onto the war machine starboard. Dolphins within the surfaces rushed and approached the advance ship, as Croc eased the spark with his fingered he licked to prevent dancing fires, and Ox held the fire twinkles it spun, hurling directly to one of the black windows. They heard frightening bandits echoed with a pale flash combusted.

The front swelled its black shrouds.

"That ship's getting closer!"

"GET OFF THE SHIP!" snapped Croc. Both crocodile and ox masters sprinted to the port; the second cannon triggered behind them.

The gentle giant Ox and reptile crocodile leaped onto the wooden rail as if the red and white sparkles raged behind him. The tide of blue ocean swallowed both with an enormous white foams splashing above the surface, muting their garbled yell. The war machine with raging fires in front rammed the junk ship, collapsing the center mast above the sky reflection. A ruby hull woods plunged Croc he reached out his claws and screamed out the foams; one of heaviest chain metals above the collateral vessel dragged Ox's neck and immersed Juren so rapidly. CROC! He hummed frighteningly without letting out the air underneath his lungs and mouth.

Dragging him hard until the surroundings went faded with soft black, Juren pulled the chains off his iron horns. The junk ship's crack-mast collapsed above the sky reflection above him, and the gentle giant master rose his billow cheek and head at the red sail, crashing under the surface. Hooves, kick! Hooves, kick! He swam, quivering his head around the garble echoes of scream and rough blasts; two dolphins were impacted and slammed by enemy vessels and fire foams.

His air shortened out quicker when the pressure became stronger if you ever dive in underwater. Juren waved his arms and kicked his hooves he had to swim through depths; the red sails trapped the surface, left with air bubbles beneath Master Ox soared with his council robe billowing back and forth behind him.

Reaching near to the giant crimson bubble, Ox craned his head and gasped, filling under his deep throat and lungs. The surface under his neck rushed to his mouth and whole head. His horns and head trapped him from the red sail, panicking with some foams bursting out of his lips. He grasped and shredded the red sail near to his fluffy neck. The ocean's light and green crepuscular shone him; Ox had his chance, knowing his escape of ocean's dark hole under him could free him! Swim, Ox! Swim like my son! He reached his hooves and swam toward the light.

Hooves, kick! Hooves—!

The ocean's foams popped out; Ox shrieked his inhale and water waves collapsed above him. His tongue touched the salt and spat, not to drink or let the ocean drown his throat. Waves pushed him and his floatable gray garment; Ox searched something long and crossed with a black wood from the wreckage. Juren floated, and caught the piece of timber hull with his right hoof, struggling himself up and breathed in from out of the waving surface.

"Croc!" Ox thundered. "Shou! NIU!"

Ahead of his chest, the light wood cracked apart in half, waves pulling his body ragingly and swept him in underwater. Spinning in a terrifying moment to glimpse a vast underwater, Ox reached his neck above the tide. He crawled his arms back as if kicking could thrust his balance and float when the ocean snarled its waves all around him; ships sunk with holes breathed much water in and screamed with final giant foams of red and white sparks into black smokes.

There was nowhere to seek any wood drifting on the surface when Ox swam his whole head around; his neck pulled down, saturated garment billowed from his sleeves, only backstroke with angry waves thrusting him away from harbor and wreckage ships. "HELP!" Juren screamed terrifying. He reached out his arms while angry surroundings merely echoed with frightened yells and cries, swallowing their throats and fires. "Hǎitún!"

Ox rumbled his loud shout that muffled from his ears. His right eye caught a vast of the green island, and he rolled his whole body; breaststroke his arms forward and feet kick behind as of his head submerged, stretching his neck above repeatedly. His hooves drifted at a slow pace, noticing his strength went a purpose way he revealed. Calm. Ox reflected.

He sustained and water-treaded both arms and two feet. Storming Ox felt the ocean's cold stream over his whole body he circulated his hooves downward and upward indefinitely, even his feet strolling. Hooves, kick. Hooves, kick. His neck and back of the head sunk underneath blue water with distinct sky foams, and Ox inhaled his nose in and out of his mouth without rushing nor squinting his muscles.

His ears flicked upward, a scream of wood and sail approached from nowhere as of flames behind including a port side of junk ship poured with white and red lava, spitting with harrowed sparks and —

Boom!

Ox declined, and waves thrust among him. The main mast smacked the reflection like your hand slapping the water with a hundred times louder. His neck dragged downward, sensing a tremendous fear Ox burst his foams. A right horn had attached with ropes curving with tears of red sail, jerking him down. His body heaved down, and way down where surroundings again faded into dark blue and shade black, reflecting from the dying ripple depths it touched Juren's forehead and crimson eyes.

Juren could not feel his neck strangling, neither tightened on his gray-blue fur. Something snapped the rope in half. All this legend master from Gongmen City lifted his hoof along with his robe floating upwards above him. His time was up. He could not drown and die! Juren slowly shut his marvelous eyes, went unconscious before a soft clench grasped his wrist gauntlet.


II. One-Legged Pirate

The Quarter Deck was the Pirate meeting whereas you sat on the courtroom, and contemplate the judge's voice including lawyers. Inside the deck, bamboo walls and floors forged with light ropes tightened on each stick in two, and multiple lines tangled where edges have adequately constructed. Decorated with grim layers of torches, trophies of every being's skeleton, and ancient artifacts of compasses, wooden chests sunk from the underworld water, as pirates craved the color it struck onto their dirty faces: gold, rubies, yens!

One substantial legged bull, aged with pale gray fur with a wooden pole next to his left leg in same height, he sauntered into the Conference Deck; a mysterious crew's deck of an abandoned ship it stood onto the edgy, grayish cliff. The pirate lord glimpsed the beautiful view of the twilight horizon, painted with peaceful cobalt to a purple bliss on all over the globe, yet scanning eternal darkness trees whispering from the north, south, and east; bitten left ear craned from the echo of thunder. He visioned thousands of fire camps perching over jungles, giant trees, steep hills, and rivers with rough-breath from his sinus. "Bring them in," ordered one-legged bull to whoever stood inside the Quarter.

Moments flew, and this meeting became worse and more immoral than seeking wrong reports. This one-legged pirate heard his dolphin ally during the perilous, and aftermath ocean battle he surprised not just the warriors from China he disliked with his stomach growling but stunned only one special, who (in his dark and greedy times) banished one of his as this pirate leader he cared.

He caught the sense of grunting, struggling, and nearly broke loose from head suppression lock. Knees bent as if the python with light brown reptile skin and golden eyes, snapped his tongue and fangs out to a lethal warning, silencing every prisoner — no, these two warriors from the land of China, and the third went inaudible. The young Ox, ferocious crocodile and pirate bull kneeled and tied their wrists behind their backs with ropes. As all three paired their eyes onto this bad, and old one-legged beast turned his head slowly, manifesting a look of a pale left eye, light brown teeth, dark eye bags underneath his eyes, and long black coat he wore.

The rhino pirate stood in silence as if every pirate perspective shared their leader they obeyed and reported to him and these warriors arrived. One-legged bull interrogated young Ox's ocean eyes, black nose, and the same look of Master Ox this pirate once rumored about before. Beside the Ox, he peered the agile, ferocious, and dark green reptile skin of crocodile, almost as green and near cobalt eyes; scrutinizing long tail with black spike ball, the pirate lord contemplated this reptile brawler with purple cape billowed on the platform, waving every pair of villagers' eyes.

Last, the old bull hesitated his body and eyes wide opened. "Shou," one-legged bull named him, approaching forward he brushed Shou's jaw and rose him. "You have returned."

Niu resisted his wrists wrangling softly. "You must be Captain Haidao. Let me have a word with you with your son, and untie these ropes. We are not here to claim your land," he negotiated solemnly.

"Quiet, you!" the snake snapped with his poisonous fangs spitting out of yellow drips.

Haidao's son looked over his father's right wooden leg. "What happened to your leg?" Shou questioned worriedly, determining how Haidao lost his fur leg as if this young bull pirate never glimpsed it before during his young days.

"My leg?" he asked with his lumpy voice reaching to his teeth. The pirate lord brushed his wooden thigh. "The black mast squashed my whole right leg after you went exiled in ten days passed." Haidao turned and bent his head to the rhino pirate, who earlier helped five masters. The rhino pirate gripped Shou's wrists behind his back and placed him next to the open view.

"I'm sorry, lad," the rhino regretted. "Pirate's order."

"Where are my father and uncle Croc?" the young Ox demanded, wrenching the tighter ropes you tried to resist pulling and wrangling with your fists apart.

Uncle Croc and your father? Haidao concerned. His golden dagger cut near to his hoof finger as if his whole crown revolved and peered both heads of the two students of the Nine. His son's eyes went rising from the bliss of sunlight's horizon, letting Haidao craned his neck toward both of Shou's colleagues. "These two friends of yours have their same look and their eyes of the Masters of Gongmen," he scanned, possibly experiencing the unmistakable faces. One-legged bull added during his watch on all three."Pirates heard a rumor about this albino peacock who returned to his parents' home, opposed all three masters, and brought his army of wolves to Gongmen City. What happened to the third? The rhino master who rules the Kung Fu Council."

Four eyes of blue and soft green targeted themselves, sensing a ghost-breeze of red roses Niu listened to his father's words and Zhao contemplating Croc's echoes within their heads. Does he not read the news daily? Not all the bandits including villagers receive terrible news. The crocodile reflected. "Master Thundering Rhino died after defended the Council," Zhao answered; the snake of yellow eyes with sunset droplets dripping below his fangs slithered near him, giving a grim intimidation look Zhao immuned not to be afraid. Looking directly to the bull's blind eye instead of the snake's stern eyes, he continued. "I ascertain you do not receive latest and historical news."

Haidao tapped his wooden leg after humming his stretched-neck. "What of the cause?" he demanded.

"Shen's cannon," Niu answered. Continuing to wrench and pull behind the bond ropes, the young Ox objected. "Captain Haidao. We do not come here to end this treachery madness against you and your pirates. Your son, my father, Zhao, Croc, and I are not dominators to claim your island."

The elder bull chuckled. "Dominators?" confused Haidao interestingly.

"One of your yak lads near the brig I overheard," said Niu truthfully.

"This island is my ambition," one-legged bull gestured the island of soft campfires, a near-pitch black trees as if the river glimmered with a pale moon that kissed the quiet ripples. "Fulfilling to this lonely island about thrice the size of peacock's homeland, where every gold is a fortune. Hunting treasures across the sea, pirating riches, clothes, food, and thousands of casks for a living."

He nodded to the python pirate, who held the gray article scroll that carved thick black waves and a title "Pirate Codex." The reptile flung his tail; Haidao snatched the gray index he wrenched the cap, then opening this Pirate Codex paper, aged as if the scroll went brown on all sides and light tan in a center. "For this term from my ancestors, they wrote their article about becoming a pirate, and to oppose for those who harm pirates. Number 17: Master or a student is an enemy from the land of China."

You cannot be serious. Zhao shook his head cooly. "We are not enemies, Captain," the crocodile rejected. "That has nothing to do to offer Emperor Huangdi send us to your land, sink Huoju's ships, and to your false understatement is all five of us tearing down the hulls of your ships."

Haidao swiftly turned to the crocodile. "And why did you come?" he questioned ruthlessly.

"Because I received your letter about the invitation you concerned about it, pops," Shou interfered. His father gave a pale glare toward him, sensing Shou's trembling head. "Have you not remember what you wrote your letter to me?"

His throat turned upward, noticing Haidao bent his nostrils and clenched lips. "Only too well, Shou," Haidao lowered his bold voice.

Shou flashed his body forward, but his rhino friend jerked the rope on the young bull's wrists behind him. The one-legged beast stood without strolling his foot and wooden pole back. "You banished me, dad!" Shou spat, flashing his grimace look into his father's eyes. "Gold absorbed and poisoned your fur and head! You marooned me at sea!"

"Marooning you to the sea was a terrible idea," his father uttered arguably.

"Then who in Oogway's blessings compelled you to banish your son?" Niu baffled. "I do not understand."

Once Shou serened and yielded his temper after stepping back with the rhino pirate, the pirate lord sauntered back and forth he clasped his hooves, seeking the son of Master Ox's eyes. "One of the pirate lords made me a puppet," he confessed in a firm voice. "To his nonsense excuse, he confessed about my loving son kept questioning about me enjoying treasures of gold, rather than venturing on one of my ships across the Yellow Sea.

"Yet, this imprudent lord was unfortunate to vision my son's future to seek the next reign after I am long gone. Before marooning, someone dropped a fang's fluid on a small cask as my rhino guard here witnessed and knocked himself off to the river before I drank my sake and went completely nuts."

"Wha' will ye do to my friends?" Shou hovered forward, but again, his rhino companion pulled the rope on Shou's wrists. "You cannot maroon me twice, or toss them at the ocean after we cleaned out some red sails and bandits off to the shore!"

"Take them into the brigs, and rot," he sneered wickedly, giving black lips bent to the right of his floppy ear. "This Emperor can send other men of his and try to rescue you. Neither he and the rest of China can seek every defensive boundary with over a five hundred eyes watch the lumpy ocean."

"Parlay!" one stormed into a room by a rough voice.

Two heads of the pirates swam their foresight all over the bamboos, ceilings — the only shout was Haidao's right ear pointed at the young Ox who brilliantly diminished his cobalt horizon around eclipse pupils. This code of parlay whoever a pirate, bandit, rarely a warrior, or a villager hailed, pirates must honor the law to deliver anyone who said parlay to confront the captain and discuss the negotiation; before ending the discussion, a pirate lord could decide the fate of whoever spoke with him.

"Parlay?! Shiver me timbers!" the python screeched.

Parlay? This boy once taught by my son. Haidao thought as if peering his son first and now Niu who yelled, one-legged bull tapped his wooden leg against the solid, flat rock. Bang! "Send the crocodile to the brig," Haidao commanded, then squinting his left eye at the youth Ox, grimacing and clenching yellow teeth behind his black lips. "He stays here."

Python pinned his tail behind the crocodile's back, plunging Zhao across the brig corridor both Niu and Shou heard their companion's grunt loudly. "ZHAO!" both wailed before the python shut the iron bamboo door.

Haidao threw his golden dagger on the table, stowed with crumpled thin maps, small black statue blocks randomly placed in each location of the island and black sail ships where drifted across the sea. Wherever these blocks moved, Haidao received words and letters from his lads and vulture messengers they reported their status. One-legged bull sharpened his left intimidation white eye. "You are not a pirate, but you do know code from my son to discuss with the pirate lord you are speaking to in front of me, son of Master Ox," he determined cooly, dragging his gray, wooden chair from Captain's Desk. Haidao stowed and sat on his chair, facing the young Ox as the old bull gave a wicked grin. "What do you like to negotiate this issue?"

Niu could not compromise this code he had to admit this intense negotiation, as if you tried to speak a big boss who you met and expecting your voice to term out a deal, truce, business, etc. For this parlay discussion, Niu looked above Haidao, without an inch of turning, nor rising his burnable voice he obliterated his anxious thought. "My friends and I handled those red sails," Niu discussed pointedly, trembling his mouth. "Huoju's ships were left, and yet, many will come and strike at your island with more reinforcements. Possibly twice the size of your ships."

One-legged bull shook, rejected and scoffed. "I have Shen's cannons," Haidao chuckled. "Their weapons feed my power, thanks to this Lord of Gongmen who has returned from the dead. I can let you all go when you including all four destroy many red sails with us."

Something triggered Niu's left eye. Behind the Desk, the sizeable black sail, aged with near-gray silk on random sides including edges hanged on the bamboo walls with ancient artifacts behind the one-legged bull. A gray banner with peafowl train feathers assembled with an iron water shield. Niu almost screamed as if his mouth fell, leading Haidao bent his head to the right side perplexingly.

"Correct me if I understand this original tale mistakenly," Niu ascertained the pirate lord, who craned his neck and jaw upward. "Before venturing into the sea at Vu City, my father once contemplated this pirate story about the southeast island that became cursed. Before cursed, these sailors drifted their black junk ships from Gongmen City after they, at somehow, won the battle with two Supreme Warlords of the peacock and snow leopard they defended the Tower, and whole districts, but lost the Great War in five hundred years ago.

"Lord Li Han's sister, the Queen of the Vale, exiled many Sea Defenders who all the sailors oathed to defend the east sea from bandits coming over the harbors, and check trafficking."

"Sea Defenders. Myth legends," Haidao smirked after standing from his chair, browsing behind his Desk and caressed the soft sail of peafowl train and water shield banner. "These defenders are a long gone, young one. Blame this Queen of the Vale peahen who was responsible, that she would have kept the ships and sailors protecting the harbor for just in case of another ambush."

If Sea Defenders were a myth, then why is Haidao keeping that old banner and black sail? He must have found it, stole it, or gave by someone before him. Niu concerned. In a second thought, he interrogated sharply on the one-legged bull. "How exactly did you find your son, Captain Haidao?" the youth Ox bent his left eye, pondering surprisingly. "You sent your vulture messenger at Jade Palace, and warned him about this invitation you were in trouble."

"I heard that too, Niu," Shou admitted. "The Nine, Five, Shifu, and two Gongmen Masters were there at the front gate of the Jade Palace hearing my shocking news."

"Since my son's banishment, my vulture has been watching Shou across the sea, the wealthy city, and that beautiful palace with odd dummies. He did not catch himself trouble. For six years after banishment, ships like the Fire Clan disembarked, and trespassed here in this conference cabin." Haidao explained, glimpsing the old banner and black sail.

Hǎitān next to Shou sneaked without a rush with his giant feet, while Haidao continued. "Dreadful ideas from Prince's servants disgusted me stomach. No bastards ever spotted what they did not expect. I lied to them. For over nine days, the Clan strolled over the island and searched many of me lads," he nodded, grasping his waists behind him as if strolling around artifacts beside the old banner and black sail. "Bandits held their ships and waited at the Front Beach for me to agree their terms. On the tenth day, oceans sang and warned. Cannons tossed their fireballs at many lands and Front Beach filled with my lads and nasty bandits slashing as we could not stop tired and regain our strength."

Haidao rotated and saw the rhino pirate returning a slight inch next to his son; Hǎitān inhaled and grasped Shou's right shoulder. "Kneel," rhino pirate grimaced grimly, allowing the young gray bull bent his knees to the floor.

"Your son, Zhao, my father, Croc, and I saved you all with Dolphin army," Niu manifested. "Do you like to return a favor?"

"Captain!" a loud, lumpy tone echoed near the Captain's Conference.

"Wha'?" Haidao demanded toward the Conference's hole, featured with eternal trees and light yellow cabin fires in ghost-darkness.

A pink-headed black and gray vulture with brown weave pants entered the Conference with booming wind from his black wings. Niu dropped his mouth opened. "Oh, no," he rose his ocean eyes.

The pink-headed vulture hurled the midnight goose messenger with a gold robe to the ground from black, sharp talon. "Goose from China arrives 'n 'ave a message fer these warriors!" the vulture spat.

The midnight goose crawled tremblingly, stuttering in fear he held his head up and jerked his body. Covering his face, he spawned an egg below his tail. "AHH! General Kai! Please don't kill me!"

Both Niu and Shou's faced leaned to each other as if this goose must have seen a bad dream or an illusion of the Beast in front of the Captain. "I'm not a warlord or that beast, you silly!" Haidao defended, snatching the script under the goose's right sleeve. "There is no General Kai who you thought about him from five centuries ago."

"Kai has returned! Huoju summoned him back!" the goose said solemnly, his eyelids went rising and beak shaking.

Niu dazzled his eyes. "Impossible!?" he unconvinced the messenger. "That guy's dead since ten years ago!"

"It's all true from Emperor Huangdi!" he cried, quivering his legs as the messenger's wings grasped together, swallowing harder to begin sharing this stunning news without bluffing, nor a myth-history. "He received General Bear's bad news after the Company rescued the Dragon Warrior and vacated the mountain! Another serious news report: Kai has spotted at the Northeast of China, growing jade recruits he claimed Fire Clan souls, and grew numbers about less than a hundred, and more will come!"

All lips except the one-legged bull shrunk and dragged down to the floor. How can the Collector grasp less than a hundred jade zombies if their chi were less pure and plenty became valuable with many masters? Kai could (ironically) carry more than ten smaragdine amulets around his waist attached with iron chains—if more, then the Collector would survey his minions across China, probably incursion.

Haidao's eyes went left and right toward the open-scroll he scrutinized. "Th' Emperor requests yer presence," he read, toning his throat with vibrant honey and announced normally. "Wit' Ocean Temple Tribe 'n—" the bull squinted and pushed his head forward, "— Haidao's Pirates?"

Many eye pupils went small as if they glimpsed the pirate lord's mouth opened. Priceless, Haidao's head repeatedly went right and left as if this severe message impacted the old bull's mind, leading his mouth stammered, tongue stumbling. "Why be th' Prince headin' t' th' city?" Haidao asked, palming the manuscript on his table thunderously.

"What city?" Shou demanded as the rhino pirate beside him revolved to Shou and Haidao.

"A prosperous city wit' a burnin' buildin' that kissed th' ocean sky," Haidao described.

Niu's cheeks burnt red. "Huoju is heading Gongmen City?!" he roared.

A loud, thud went muffled across the brig corridor that once shut with the iron door. Soft yells rang below the entry; Haidao grabbed the golden dagger from his Desk. Many faces drew back in a startled breath as if the bars clanged in closer. Echo of shouts and barks thundered over the trees and vibrant water river. Fraction fires over the steep hills, trees, and near rivers went black from bottom to top as if ears caught hisses of water.

"What is the meaning of this?" Haidao startled, breathing the warm air into his black lips. He stormed, grasped, and dragged his son and rhino pirate away from the Conference view. Thunders clapped thrice over the southeast sea of blue, and broken glass moon shone with pale and gray ripples.

"HAA!" a yell from the iron door slammed, breaching a thunderous blow it struck with python pirate. Heads ducked from the breach with closed eyes. The iron door slammed to the ground, revealing grayish mists soared around the whole conference room. The ceiling above the Conference tore apart by a shriek stumble, crushing the light gray yak pirate with a right-eye patch who released the thin sword with sapphire grip. Above the collapsed bamboo ceiling, a silhouette of two large horns with a long robe and triangular shoulders attached.

Haidao pulled his arm he wielded his dagger, but a giant gray-blue hoof disarmed the knife right through the wrist and plunged underneath the bull's jaw from the other hand, heaving him and slammed at the table. "I would stay still if I were you!" a bold, loud voice shook the whole room, revealing snake eyes of ruby, fluffy neck and gray-blue fur of a giant Ox. He clenched Haidao's throat, smothering the bull's larynx. "WHERE IS MY SON?!"

"Dad!" Niu screamed cheerfully.

His grimace eyes and cheeks loosened, contemplating his son as if Ox's heart slowed, revealing a noble and fortunate he inside of his mind and heart loved his son more than China and his wife he used to encourage. From the door, Master Croc stormed and cut the bond ropes behind Niu, then Zhao clenching below python's neck to prevent the pirate reptile quivering and snarling back with venomous yellow drips.

Hǎitān sliced the ropes behind Shou, giving him a slow nod as if this pirate's order from Haidao could not suppress his stomach and head growling like a headache and stomachache. Croc rushed behind Juren. "Ox, let him go, brother." he palmed Ox's right wrist calmly. "Let him speak."

Withdrawing his clenched hoof back, Ox stood back, and Haidao inhaled like a gust of lumpy storm, hacking and clearing his throat, then rubbed at the center of his fluff apple throat. "Dad!" Juren heard his son's joy from behind, turning and embraced his son, grasping harder than a bear's strength he could not let go in a matter of seconds.

"Niu, are you okay, son?" Master Ox asked hurriedly and worriedly.

"Better than having a real blast, dad," he jested while clutching his father behind Ox's back, smirking his lips. "Where were you? What happened?"

"I was at sea and almost drowned," he clarified ordinarily. "Croc and I bounded into the ocean, hulls crashed on Croc and waves spun me out of control. Many ships were sinking, sails roaring, then ripples nearly ripped, and a canvas's rope dragged me into the sea. Besides, I have had help from the Dolphins."

"Xing knew it," Niu muttered brokenly. "My colleague sensed your consternation when he asked me about you that you have ever swim before in the sea."

"Your tiger friend knew my fear, but I vanished agitation now," his dad calmed him, brushing Niu's left shoulder. "Like I said, Niu: Your dad here loves to bathe and can survive in perilous nature."

"You must be Shou's father," Croc stepped behind Ox after wielded one of the bamboo sticks as the reptile master pointed the pole near to Haidao's neck about half of an inch. "We should have a discussion."


Moments Later

"Gongmen City?" Master Croc repeated in his priceless reaction, billowing his green eyes widely as if the reptile sharply towered his legs and nearly clenched his fangs. "Why in Oogway's blessing is Huoju heading there?"

"Kai's return is another retaliation game," Ox perceived, brushing under his chin. "I am sure the Dragon Warrior will handle the Collector. Making another army of jade minions, we can prevent them all."

"As long as we have chi in our souls, we'll free them and some spirit warriors," Croc pointed. "If Huoju interests sitting on Lord Feng's Throne chair, his abusive power will compromise China and plenty of temples across the terrains. If not, then that Prince shall wreck the city and even for those who stand in Huoju's way. Just like Lord Shen."

"The Emperor desires to build more allies, Captain Haidao," Ox said. Juren clasped his hooves behind his back, sauntering near Haidao in a gentle movement. "You called Master Dolphin to support your trouble and brought your son over as Shou cannot be alone. We stand his side to eradicate those bandits across the sea and the Front Beach. Emperor Huangdi does not know you are with Ocean Tribe and Dolphin, neither Huoju as he is presumably expecting your invitation."

As Juren turned to the Conference's wide gap, Haidao's son next to the rhino pirate, Zhao, and Niu, nodded respectfully as if two masters including two of his companions desired to interfere and to back on Shou for his assistance. Shou's father buzzed under his throat. "How many men are there?" Haidao demanded.

"Over ninety thousand bandits," the messenger in front of Shou calculated carefully.

"We don't 'ave big numbers," Haidao snapped his head left and right.

"And neither the Masters of Gongmen," Master Ox pointed out. Indeed! "Yours?"

"Four times a hundred living pirates," Haidao numbered.

"Four hundred including you," Ox determined, strolling back and forth. His mind was piling with deep concentration and circumstances. "Plus, the dolphin army of two hundred, featuring other fish armies -" Juren drew his right foot back and faced forward onto Haidao, glimpsing crimson eyes and pale blue right eye about a foot away from their muzzles. "- It seems that the Fire Clan ships leave their presence, and will grow their numbers. They will not return to your island with a vengeance. Neither demanding your invitation."

The one-legged beast rose his chin he (at somehow) carefully contemplated Master Ox's sagacious consideration. "You help us sail and support the Resistance, and Emperor Huangdi will vanish your criminal records and pardon your name with your family of pirates." Ox dealt him.

Haidao crossed his arms. "Why should I help you?" he inquired with his left blind eye squinted.

"Because upon your stealing and claiming treasures you desire," Ox you will discover the path to a marvelous harbor with full of riches." Ox

"Oh?" Haidao rose his stunning voice. Juren sensed the breath of yellow teeth from a one-legged pirate.

"Captain, he is giving us a great deal! I've been waiting to occupy harbors and seek monuments of kung fu masters! That is a better settlement," the rhino pirate convinced, the Nine and the reptile python next to the rhino nodded.

"Sea Defenders who vowed peafowl nobles to protect their boundary lands were long gone after the Great War," Haidao stated. "Li Han's sister freed my great-great-great grandfather and his loyal ones. For many years before me, my ancestors' interested money that abused their minds across the seas, and clashed Shanghai ships at the Yellow Sea for hundreds of years."

"For you to redeem your ancestors' legacies," Ox started, then reaching out his right hand, "you will submit stealing, raiding against banners and boundary borders of the Yellow Sea, murdering, conspiring, and searching treasures across the ocean."

Haidao retreated his crown. He blinked once, looking his son, then backed on Juren's ruby eyes. "That is what many families including me have for our lives, Master Ox," Haidao admitted. The pirate lord asked in rising and crackling voice. "No more?"

"No more." Juren shook his head once.

Haidao slowly reached out his right limb near an inch of Master Ox's right hoof. His eyes dragged down, lifting his lungs he breathed in cooly as if Haidao kept concerning the new deal from Juren. His whole island and Conference was his excellent home in the old pirate's thought—if shaking Master Ox's hand, then there would be no returning to stay on the island, and become "curse" with the ordeal and seek treasures of gold, rubies, diamonds, emeralds and rare relics.

Juren hummed his honey throat, resulting in a slight interruption of Haidao's second thought that Master Ox could not trust him, but having riches deal is the next venture of one-legged bull's pardon. Haidao reflected of himself sitting on thousands of coins towering around him and a yellow chair, crafted with ruby, smaragdine, and sapphire throne chair he perched, apprehending rivers of yarns and a circle of frothing gold river.

His hoof steadily quivered. "What say you?" Haidao heard Ox's demanding voice.

Niu surveyed both of the hooves nearly clasped together about an inch. A pale gray hand lightly withdrew away from Juren.


You feel expecting to watch both Ox and Haidao shake their hands for the riches deal? I desire to leave that here for a mystery!

Now for a moment after handling Haidao's trouble and the pirate lord being antagonist a little prevented by Masters of Gongmen, we venture our favorite warriors the Company including Dragon Warrior, General Bear and Master Chicken, and the Resistance heading straight to Gongmen City in a next chapter!