Cold Desert Fire
A Kim Possible Fanfiction
immo
author's note: It's been a while guys... I'm sorry. Got stuck in other fandoms. But you've reviewed, emailed, found me on livejournal and messaged me there. It's about time, right? Thanks for waiting so long! I can't believe people are still reading!
"Took a while to find you." The gargantuan tiger growled as a tiny white thing squirmed underneath her paw. It's hind legs were broken and there was no way for this small thing to survive this eternal winter in the state it was in; a quick death would've been a blessing. But it still struggled to get away.
"I do this not because I enjoy it." The Third dug at the hard snow, her claws easily breaking through the frozen water and dirt, digging deep into the earth until she hit a large stone. On the stone, marred by the deep gouges her claws had made, was the image of a hare. It was an image made by the people of this barren wasteland, made by those most sensitive to things like this. It had been the site of many a powerful ritual but as centuries passed, the young forgot what this place meant and it was buring in snow for what seemed like forever. Now, in this cold northern place where three large countries warred over the sovereignity of this dead landscape for the supposed riches beneath, the true wealth this land kept hidden had been forgotten. If only those who dug beneath the earth's surface knew just WHAT lay underneath all of this snow...
"If the children fight over each other for this place, then none shall have it." The Tiger looked at the hare underneath her paws, smelling it's fear but also feeling it's fighting spirit as it struggled to escape. This animal had been hard to track down in this place... the Third had wanted to track down the animal normally, her pride as a hunter demanding her to do so. It had been a challenging hunt, but she had her prey. Pressing down with more of her weight, she heard a sudden squeal and the snap of a spine. Without any other ceremony, the Third tossed the still twitching animal into the hole it had made. "It is time for the true master of these plains to look over this place again."
The dead arctic hare landed on the stone with a soft thump and went still, it's eyes already slowly getting a glassy look to them. Suddenly, the dead animal gave a suddenly violent twitch, it's foot hitting the ground with a resounding boom, echoing for miles.
"Welcome back to the world, Four." The Tiger backed away from the hole waiting as the land quivered in anticipation and snow started to fall in large clumps from the sky. As the snow fell, the air seemed to get colder and colder until even the moisture that came out of the Third's mouth became ice on contact with the freezing air.
"Honestly. Your wake up calls are always so rough, sister." Two paws came out of that hole and an antlered head followed after. The Hare now had changed quite a bit from the hare that had gone into the hole. Instead of the thin, bony thing that had been tossed in, now a plump animal, growing steadily larger as the seconds passed, shook itself of the snow that fell on it's body. The antlers, strange on a hare, looked particularly noble on this one. Raising on his hind legs, the Hare was now tall enough to reach up and place a paw on the Third's nose.
"But it is a joy to see you." The Hare said warmly.
"We have much to do." The Tiger growled, but allowed the contact, feeling calmed by her small compatriot.
"And we will do these things that we have to do. But I will have to join you later. Right now, I feel like indulging myself." The Hare looked into the distance. "It is time for the snow to come."
In the time they had talked, the snow had continued to fall, steadily and quietly, already amounting to several inches of snowfall. Some might say that wouldn't be a problem, but this northern wasteland was a desert in every sense of the word-precipitation in these parts was far and few in between. With the way the snow was falling now, it looked like the area would get more snow than it ever had in years.
"The intruders in my land will have to be convinced to leave." The Fourth looked up into the sky. "I shall deal with my affairs here, then I will join you when the Twelve meet again. Good hunting, my lady."
"I expected you to leave the hunting to the hunters." The Third chuckled. "You are far too timid for the methods the Sixth and I will use."
"But even I have limits." The Hare looked into the distance, seeing far, far away. Could smell the oily, disgusting aroma of refineries. "They have taken enough from me and those that live under my protection. I have been lax in my responsibilities."
"We will have justice." The Tiger snarled, reminded of her own Avatar. Hunted and pursued through the trees. Disgraced and humiliated. Her children killed...
"Calm, your majesty. Calm. You shall gather the brethren." The Fourth placed both paws on either side of the the Third's nose, leaning his antlered head in so they were nose-to-nose. "We will get what we want. The First is just."
"The First is just." The large cat echoed and nodded slowly, then backed away from the Hare. "Make them feel the cold, Four. Make them feel it all the way to their bones."
The Hare tilted it's head to one side, looking almost as if it was smiling. Then it turned and lopped off, quickly disappearing from sight in the blizzard.
Kim had brought back a mountain sheep, hardy and strong. It hadn't been easy to catch the thing since it scaled the craggy cliffs of it's mountainous home with the nimbleness of a monkey and tried again and again to attack Kim with it's horns. Kim had hog-tied the animal and was now traveling back with it, bleating in the back of Dr. Drakken's UFO.
"Kim Possible, you're sure this will help us get Shego back?" Dr. Drakken asked, eyeing the animal in the back who bleated at him angrily.
"I'm sure." Kim sat beside the mad scientist, looking the best she ever had since Shego died. The redhead had taken the time to clean herself up a bit after getting the sheep, making use of the showers in one of the hideouts that Dr. Drakken had in the area. She had even managed to sleep through the trip to this wintery place. "Hey, how come you never use the hideout here? That was a pretty nice one."
"Well," Dr. Drakken shrugged awkwardly. "Shego doesn't like the cold so we always try to use the tropical ones."
"Oh." Kim looked at the blue man in a slightly different light now. Usually, she just thought he was an egotistical, self-serving, annoying idiot. But getting insight on how most of his plans were shaped around Shego's wants... it was pretty cute.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Dr. Drakken eyed Kim suspiciously. "Do I have something on my face?"
"No, no, I was just thinking," Kim smiled at him. "You're a pretty nice guy."
Dr. Drakken gasped, scandalized. "You take that back!"
"Nuh-uh." Kim shook her head. "No take-backs."
"Take it back!" Dr. Drakken screeched. "I don't need some goody-two-shoes hero to tell me I'm a nice guy! That'll ruin my reputation!"
"Well, I'm not that good of a hero." Kim replied, trying to keep her tone light and carefree. But the weight of what the Sixth said weighed heavily on her shoulders. She would put the world in jepoardy if she helped the Twelve. They had seen it on the news already on their way to get the Eighth's Avatar, how powerful these beings were. Everybody was going crazy for the bull-headed god that made the Ganges his home now. The Indian government had, with the widespread popularity of the gentle being in the river, signed several bills that had problems putting through before to protect the holy river. But the flip-side of that now was there were roving mobs 'protecting' the river, dealing out their own brand of justice when they came across anyone throwing trash into the river. Even people who wanted to pour the ashes of their loved ones into the river was barred from doing so. Several of these establishments that provided this kind of funeral had been burned to the ground.
Kim was also she that what was happening now in the northern hemisphere had to do with the Twelve, too. It seemed that up north near the arctic circle, there was a weather crisis as temperatures dropped to never-before seen lows. People that worked up there for the Chukchi drilling project had already been evacuated from the area, but the indigenous people native to the cold countries were loathe to move and had instead turned to age-old traditions to battle the cold weather and stay.
Already, they said the ice would make it impossible for drilling to take place, the Trans-Alaska pipeline had actually FROZEN and the price for petroleum had risen prohibitively in response to this. Ice that had receded on the shore now stretched out, thick and cold, kilometres from the shore. Scientists who had also evacuated from the area when the cold set in wanted to go up north again to study the glaciers, since satelite pictures have shown that, miraculously, these sleeping giants that had pulled back up north after the last glacial age were stretching south again in an alarmingly short amount of time. And throughout all this, there were rumours, stories from the Yupik, Inupiat and Inuit people... sometimes in the distance, obscured by the snow that fell in baffling large amounts from the sky... they could see an animal in the distance that looked like an antlered arctic hare. It seemed to watch them and after it's appearance they were usually blessed with a large abundance of prey in the form of hares... or the snow would get heavier and these stories were told by frost-bitten, hypothermic survivors.
In the parts where there were tigers, it seemed that these hunters were getting braver and attacked poachers specfically, with an eerie intelligence. Surprisingly also, the few survivors from these attacks reported that their weapons hadn't worked when they faced these beasts. Any and all efforts to catch these dangerous animals had failed completely.
"You are a hero." Dr. Drakken said seriously, interrupting Kim's thoughts. "Don't forget that, Kim Possible. No matter what, you've proven yourself over and over again. If it means anything to you, the villainous community is really impressed by you."
"Seriously?" Kim was weirdly touched by that.
"Yes." Dr. Drakken nodded. "You've always done was was right by all of us. No matter what happens, I'm sure you'll do the right thing. We all believe in you!"
Kim nodded, her feelings on THAT murky. Would she really do the right thing? What WAS the right thing, anyways?
Drakken seemed to read her thoughts, taking one hand off the steering wheel and patting Kim on the shoulder. "That includes believing that you'll know what the right thing is when the time comes. You're Kim Possible, aren't you?"
Kim smiled weakly, feeling the pressure of everyone's expectations on her. It had never been a burden before, but now she felt eyes all on her. She looked back at the mountain sheep tied up in the back, still bleating it's head off.
"I'll go get it some water." Kim unbuckled herself from the seat and left Dr. Drakken's side. Getting a bottle of water, she had to settle for pouring the water slowly out over the sheep's mouth and watching it try it's best to lick up most of it. Almost half of the contents of the water bottle went on the floor of the aircraft which the sheep promptly tried to lap up too.
"Sorry 'bout that." Kim murmurred and tried to pat the sheep on the head. Only through quick reflexes was the redhead able to pull her hand away when the animal tried to bite her for touching it. "I guess I deserve that."
The wiry animal huffed angrily as if in agreement.
"Well, I hope you're comfortable. We'll be there soon and then..." Kim trailed off, suddenly feeling extremely guilty. She knew what would happen to the animal. And the sheep, sensing Kim's unease, wiggled in it's bonds again, grunting quietly to itself.
"For what it's worth," Kim looked at the wriggling animal. "I'm sorry."
It seemed like they got back faster to that place deep in the desert then it took to get to the animal they had but Drakken assured her they had made about the same time, both ways. The gaping entrance of the cavern felt really ominous... and the snakes writhing about near the entrance scared the hell out of everybody on Drakken's UFO.
"Why are there so many of them?" Drakken whispered, horrified. As he landed his aircraft, the snakes moved to give him space. The way was obstructed by what seemed like thousands of snakes, but a path cleared for them down to the cool caverns of the Eighth's prison below.
"Come on." Kim had to tie the sheep's mouth closed before loosening the bonds a bit. But she didn't loosen them that much and kept the sheep hobbled. However, the sheep was in no hurry to run out the door of UFO as it had sensed the snakes outside and refused to move towards the door.
"I'm sorry." Kim said again and pulled the sheep, dragging it unwillingly and slowly towards the entrance to the caves. It pulled against her lead, bleating all the way down the stairs to the chamber that housed the large ornate throne.
"You're back." Shego smiled at the redhead, the Snakes and the fox at her side. It was Shego. All the stress Kim was feeling melted away. Shego. "And you've brought a guest."
The sheep let out an indignant baa.
"Don't worry." Shego looked at the mountain sheep kindly. "It'll all be over soon."
Unknown to Kim and the animal, a small snake had been making it's way towards them. Rearing up, it struck quickly, biting into the sheep's back leg. The shaggy animal let out a bleating scream, then stomped the tiny reptile into the dirt, huffing angrily.
"That wasn't nice." Shego admonished lightly. "And here we were, thinking we'd take you painlessly."
Yinchun came forward, taking the lead from Kim's fingers. The sheep was already beginning to feel sluggish, following Yinchun unsteadily towards the throne.
"Your majesty's chair." Yinchun lifted the sheep up tenderly, placing him on the throne. The strong-willed creature glared at her balefully, before resting it's head on the armrest and closing his eyes. Shego watched the sheep for a moment then went to Kim's side, taking her hands.
"Thanks."
"It's fine." Kim watched the sheep let out a laboured breath. Then he didn't move any more. She felt... dirty.
"He'll be fine." Shego reassured. "Look."
The sheep was slowly changing, its horns growing, limbs elongating. There was a muted boom, sending small avalanches of coins down the mountains of riches in the room. The mountain sheep's face looked like it was being pulled in, until his face resembled a cross between a goat and a person. His long white silky hair seemed to grow thicker and fuller. Finally, the once-sheep opened his eyes and sat up, filling the throne with his size as he gazed down imperiously at the guests. In soft, long white hair that covered all of his body, he seemed gentle and kind, though the hardness in his eyes spoke of cruelty. Shego left Kim's side, approaching the throne with a slight smile.
"Good morning, brother."
The goat-sheep-person tilted his head to the side, studying Shego.
"Six. I owe you and... your human, a debt of gratitude." The Eighth growled, seeming not at all happy about owing anybody anything, especially to a HUMAN.
"You owe me nothing." The Sixth said cheerfully. This brother would be on their side, she knew it. "But I do need help finding the rest of us. The Third is actively searching, but the Second has decided to not participat."
"The Second is too kind some times." The Eighth's reply was not a compliment for the Second. "He is too soft to do what must be done."
"We still have our other brothers and sisters."
"Yes, we do. I felt the Fourth awaken in our mountains." The Eighth mused, remembering things from his Avatar's memory. "It was very cold. I guess that is why you sent someone else to find my Avatar."
"The Fourth having awakened is excellent news." They were getting closer. With so much of them awake, finding and freeing the rest of the Twelve would be easy. Once things were set in motion, it was like a snowball rolling down a mountain. An avalanche was inevitable and unstoppable. "What will you do, brother? As I am sure you must have plans."
"I will look for my brothers and sisters." The Eighth said, not hesitating in the least bit. "Then we shall talk to the First. The First will listen to us."
"The First is just." The Sixth agreed.
"But before I join your hunt," The Eighth sat back as the lights flickered in the room. Like the Snake and the Tiger, the Ram was angry. He had been shut away in one of his own temples by Hunters, stewing underneath the dessert, raging against any who would dare enter his sanctum. No living thing could survive so far out in the dessert, so his Avatars never even chanced about his tomb. It seemed all he got were thieves and vandals. And while the Third and the Sixth controlled their rage, the Eighth was not so inclined. "I will let the people on my land feel my displeasure; their God has been silenced for too long. I will let them know I hear their selfish prayers and I want nothing to do with them. I will send out my angels of death like I did long ago. They will die in the streets and no-one will mourn them as they burn in the dust."
"Do you think they will worship you as they once did?" The Sixth laughed, caught up in the darkness of this brother. The Eighth's long ears flickered in amusement. "Call for you, hoping that you will deliver them from their suffering, not knowing you are the cause?"
"We shall see." The Eighth laughing, almost baying out his laughter. Freedom! Finally he could leave this place! And he would wreck HAVOC on the world for his imprisonment. He would kill until the rivers ran red with blood!
He got up off his throne and walked towards the exit, Shego, Drakken and Tigger withdrawing from him instinctively. He stunk of death and destruction. He paused when he was close to Kim though and gave her a sickly smile.
"Thank you, human." His eyes twinkled merrily, his cruel lips pulling apart to show white, blunt teeth. The Eighth's eyes were large and oval on his hairy face, making him look even more alien. "I want you to know who I am and what you have done."
"You're the Eighth." Kim tried to not feel small and fearful while being scrutinized by the Ram.
"I am." The Ram nodded. "I am also death. I am pestilence, I am disease. I am war and I am famine. I am the God from long ago, that desert people worshipped. I am the devil that they also feared. I am all those things. And you, small human, have loosed me on the world again."
The Ram let out an unpleasant bleating laugh that smelled slightly of sulfur.
"I owe you." Still laughing hysterically, he climbed the stairs, his laughter echoing down into the chambers. "I owe you!"
"Come on," Shego was there again, the Sixth having retreated back into the recesses of her mind. She took Kim's hand and the redhead barely felt it, numb all over from what the Ram had said. "We can't stay here."
"Why not?" Drakken and Tigger were quick on Shego's heels as Bai Su Zhen, Xaio Qing and Yinchun followed after them.
"Because he will bring the whole place down." Bai Su Zhen said quietly as the place started to rumble. As they ran up the stairs, Kim finally noticed the engravements on the wall of tales that she knew... a flood that was said to drown the evil people of the world and a lone ship floating in the storm... a bunch of men in robes carrying a golden box through a dessert... the plagues on the Egyptians, the destruction of cities... fire and brimstone... wars... the pictures of children slaughtered, women being raped...
"What have I done?" Kim whispered to herself as they broke out back above ground, getting as far away from the Eighth's prison as the earth groaned, sinking in on itself. Shego made them stay as far away as possible as the sand sunk in to fill the spaces underground. When the dust settled, in the distance, they could see the Eighth on the opposite side of the hole-in-the-ground that had once been his prison with his arms raised up to the sky.
"Do you understand now?" Shego asked quietly. The horror, the severity of it all weighed on everyone's shoulders. Even Tigger seemed unnecessarily grave.
The Eighth stood there for a while and even from far away, they could see the smile on his face, peaceful and happy. He seemed to glow as the sun's light reflected off his white coat of hair. The peace of the moment was broken however, when he lifted up his head and opened his mouth impossibly wide, giving a huge yawning groan. His jaw seeming to unhinge and stretch, a horrible noise buzzing from deep within. Looking like he was dry-heaving, Kim watched in horror as a huge swarm of insects burst from the Ram's maw, giving birth to a black cloud that seemed to darken the skies.
"We have to leave." Yinchun pushed Drakken. "Go to your flying vehicle. We have to leave NOW."
"What's going on?" Monique's team had been dropped off near the top of the small green-covered volcano. It was difficult because it was pandemonium when they got there, with people running around in orange and red outfits, like flames down the slope. Ron grabbed one of the guys running past in mindless terror, shaking him a bit to make him pay attention to them. "Hey! What's going on!"
"A big silver monster's got our leader!" The man screamed before struggling out of Ron's grip and running for it.
"Lets go get him, then." Lang motioned to his people. Their weapons of choice all had sharp edges on them and they pulled them out, all of them serious about using them.
"Wait-" Monique got a grip on Lang's sleeve and he pulled away violently.
"We shouldn't have trusted him." Lang snapped.
"We have a duty to protect people, whether or not we're still accepted in our village." Gee growled at Monique, brandishing his double scythes. "If you're not with us, stay out of our way."
Lang started up the mountain, grimly determined to fight it out but Monique was in his way again, along with Ron.
"Think about it: if he didn't want us up there, he wouldn't've called Wade." Monique's reasoning was sound as Lang lost some of the air in his sails. He was still suspicious, though.
"What do you suggest?" Lang finally said, in English.
"We don't go in there, guns blazing. We assess the situation before we continue on." Monique held her hands in front of her, making calming gestures. "That's how mistakes are made."
"Don't listen to her-"
"Gee." Lang's tone of voice shut Gee up. "She's right. We'll be prepared but keep weapons lowered."
"Lang-"
"Gee." Lang gave the other man a look. "Fall in line."
Gee immediately dipped his head, but Monique didn't miss the anger on Gee's face. "Understood."
The small group gathered together again, this time with Monique and Lang at the head of the line as they made their way to a tiny village built right on the side of the active volcano that looked more tropical resort than village.
"Hey Wade," Ron took the walking time to pull out his kimmunicator and contact the boy genius. "What's the sitch?" and immediately winced at what he said. It was a bitter reminder of Kim.
"You're at the site of the very active cult of Pele, a goddess from Hawaiian mythology." Wade explained. "The place is built on the side of a VERY active volcano and headed by an eternally youthful priestess. She's said to be a representative of Pele herself, so she's treated sort of like the Lama in Tibet. It's on the down-low but a lot of politicians and important people in Hawaii actually come visit her to bring gifts and solicit her blessings. There's also rumours about child sacrifices every couple of decades but there's never been any sufficient proof... Apparently from what I gather, Haoxian's gotten a hold of this priestess there and is fighting off her followers who are trying to rescue her. They're in the main building, the huge glass thing in the middle of this village."
"Thanks, Wade." Ron signed off and informed everybody where they should be going, though from the stream of people going from and to a certain building, they already knew where the action was.
"This living goddess sure lives well, doesn't she?" Monique muttered as they passed a row of luxury cars on their way into the building.
"I wish I was a goddess." Ron said wistfully. At the strange looks everyone gave him, he tripped all over himself trying to explain. "I mean, god! Not goddess! God!"
"Come on." There were people around that were trying to put out little fires all over the place with either sand or curtains ripped from the ceiling to floor windows. The fire control was going okay so Team Possible and the hunters continued on, quickening their steps towards an area that sounded like a fight was going on. They weren't disappointed when they got there and saw Haoxian holding up a young Polynesian woman by the neck, while sweeping away her followers with a wave of his arm. A strong wind would blow these followers off their feet but they would just get up and run at him again, like a never-ending wave on a beach. Haoxian, however, didn't look like he was tiring out any time soon while the people who were trying to rescue their priestess were tiring out quite visibly.
"Get these fools to BACK DOWN." Haoxian hissed, upon noticing Monique. The African-American woman immediately jumped to action when, in midst of the crush of people, she saw injured people on the ground being trodden underfoot. Putting her fingers to her lips, she let out a piercing whistle that got everyone's attention.
"People, we're here to handle this!" Monique's voice echoed in the suddenly quiet hall. "Grab your wounded, back away and let us do our job!"
The priestess, the only person in the room still screaming got a look at the hunters and immediately called to them.
"You idiots! Attack him!" She hissed. "He's not human! Look, he's going to hurt them again-"
No sooner had she spoken then a few of her followers nearest Haoxian burst into flames and fell to the ground, screaming. The people around them either backed up or took off their shirts to try to desperately put out the fires.
The hunters raised their weapons, prepared to charge through the crowd but Lang held up a hand, looking around at the large rabble who had make-shift weapons in their hands. "I need everybody in here to leave! This monster is dangerous!"
Haoxian narrowed his eyes at them, his hand tightening around the priestess' throat and she gasped for air. The crowd was more than happy to back away as Lang's group gave them confidence that things would be handled. Taking Monique's advice, they carried out their wounded and filed out until only Team Possible, Lang's hunters, Haoxian and the priestess were left.
"Haoxian, Haoxian, calm down." Monique held up her hands, trying to sooth the young man.
"A MONSTER?" Haoxian snarled. "Compared to her-"
"Weapons down." Lang told his hunters before turning to Haoxian. "Sorry, Haoxian. Just wanted to reassure those people we were on their side. Now that they're gone, we can deal with this."
"Save me you fools!" The priestess' eyes almost bulged out of her head, screaming at them. Her attractiveness had decreased quite a bit since she was almost foaming at the mouth, yelling at them.
Lang was distrustful of Haoxian but he would try to be reasonable, seeing that the powerful being's sword was still in it's sheath. Lang was sure if this son of the Fifth wanted to kill this woman, he would have already. And he hadn't really hurt the people that were rushing him... except for the fire... "Haoxian, let her go."
"No." Haoxian was back to the eerie emotionless mask he usually wore. "This miserable woman is mine."
"Haoxian, you don't want to do that-" Ron tried to walk forward but Rufus pulling hard at his hair stopping him in his tracks. "OW! Rufus!"
"Fire!" Rufus chittered as the air in front of Ron shimmered with heat. The blonde man stumbled backwards as the hem of his sleeve caught on fire. Beating down the flames, Ron was loathe to try getting closer to Haoxian.
"What was that?" Ron was on guard now.
"What do you think?" Haoxian shook the woman in is grasp and her feet kicked out helplessly. "This traitor-"
"Don't listen to him!" The beautiful woman shouted out hoarsely.
"Do not get too close." Haoxian warned the hunters who were trying to shuffle forward. "You will be hurt."
"Do what he says." Lang shouted. The hunters backed up, even Gee who looked dissatisfied with that decision.
"Haoxian," Monique stayed still. "What's going on?"
The young Asian man motioned with his head towards the priestess. "Her name was Shin Ai. My brother, Suanmi, gave her that name a long time ago. Now, she goes by the grotesque title of 'Living goddess' or 'Pele'. Honourable hunters," now a grim smile pulled at the corners of Haoxian's lips. "Meet one of the founding members of your clan, one of the compatriots of your 'Master Heen' who took down my brother and I. She is also a key to one of my brothers."
"I don't know what he's talking about-"
"YOU LIE!" Haoxian roared.
"He's hurting her!" Gee tried to step forward but Lang held him back.
"Let me prove it to you. Stop anybody from distracting me. Buy me an hour and I will be able to take away what was given to her long ago." Haoxian eyed the captive priestess with venomous intent.
"Attack him!" The captive Pele or Shin Ai or whoever screamed again, but this time, the desperation in her voice was apparent. Lang looked around at his men, all of them antsy at this situation. Lang didn't trust the woman in Haoxian's grasp... but he also couldn't get over his whole life's prejudice against the otherfolk. What should they do?
"Well, guys?" Monique was also undecided in this situation. What should they do?
"Well, I think-" The sudden attention Ron got startled him a bit, but he continued speaking. "-I think this 'Pay-Lay' woman is kind of shady. Me and Rufus think we should give Haoxian a chance."
"That's the stupidest-"
"You got a better idea?" Ron shot back. "I'm willing to give Haoxian a chance. He saved your asses from your clan when you guys were trying to rescue Jim and Tim, you owe him a little bit of trust at least!"
That shut everybody up, all of them silently agreeing-albeit relunctantly-to what Ron had said.
"No!" Shin Ai roared, a flash of fire shooting out at them, which would've roasted them if Haoxian hadn't acted quickly and summoned a wind to divert the flames from the group. It seemed that Lang's initial distrust of the woman was right as she screamed at them angrily, the source of the fire apparent now. It was not Haoxian.
"Back away." Haoxian warned the small group and then turned his full attention on the desperately struggling 'goddess' that he held captive. With Haoxian free of distractions, they felt the wind pick up and rush towards the Fifth's son and Shin Ai, making a visible ball of air around the duo.
"Secure the entrances. We don't want people coming in." Monique ordered and all of them fell into line. She felt unnerved by all of this but if they were going to do this, they'd commit to their decision. Ron's hand on her shoulder startled her a bit and she looked up into the blonde's warm eyes.
"Don't worry." Ron grinned at Monique. "We think you're doing the right thing."
The little pink molerat on Ron's shoulder gave the woman a thumbs-up and chittered supportively as the roaring noise of the wind filled the room. The winds picked up dust and any other loose objects not big enough to resist the pull from the winds creating a vortex of debris around Haoxian and Shin Ai. Through the carnage, Monique could see Shin Ai was still screaming but she couldn't move anymore as a fiery light started pouring from her nose and mouth like molten lava.
The group spread out, watching entrances and deterring people from coming near. They would look back at Haoxian and Shin Ai from time to time, seeing that her struggles had died and she just hung there limply in Haoxian's grasp, light pouring from the orifices of her face and streaming into Haoxian's chest. It took only about an hour, but it felt like forever as the last of the light left Shin Ai's body and Haoxian threw her to the ground.
"It is done." Haoxian's voice echoed in the suddenly quiet room. "Put her in chains. We bring her with us."
Nobody moved at first, but at Rufus' insistence, Ron and Monique moved forward. Monique produced some quick ties and bound an unresisting Shin Ai and Ron managed to get her up to a sitting position.
"Is she okay?" Monique asked, unsure. The Polynesian woman was on the floor, shaking like a leaf.
"She is going through, what you humans call 'withdrawal'." Even with his smooth, emotionless mask on, Haoxian still managed to convey his disgust for the woman on the ground. "She has had my brother's blessing rolling through her veins for years. I've taken away all that he has given her."
"It's MINE! Give... it... back..." Shin Ai huffed. She was still shaking on the floor, but she pinned Haoxian with a murderous look. "I'll... kill you..."
"Mortal, you can try." Haoxian watched her impassively as the word 'mortal' set her off.
"I am a goddess!" Shin Ai screamed. "How dare you! You should be... licking the dirt off my... boots! I'll kill you! I'll kill... all of you!"
"Well." Ron made a face at the crazed woman. "I'm glad we trusted Haoxian."
"Yup yup." Rufus made a face at the woman on the floor. He knew something was up with her as soon as he saw this 'Pele' woman! Lang came forward with his men, all of them curiously looking down at the woman ranting on the floor.
"She was a founding member of our clan?" Gee didn't look too pleased.
"She was one of the original hunters. They started everything." Haoxian studied the woman on the ground, then suddenly addressed her in ancient Chinese, the translators unable to translate such an old language. "Tell me, Shin Ai. Was my beloved like you? Were they deceitful? Did I lose my freedom for someone dishonourable?"
Shin Ai looked at Haoxian for a second, then laughed out loud, replying in the same ancient tongue Haoxian spoke to her in. "You poor bastard. You've forgotten, haven't you? I'm glad that I get to remind you, then."
"Our translators aren't working..." Ron muttered, tapping at the device in his ear.
"It's very old Chinese." Lang was doing his best to understand, but he could only make out a few words. "I'll be really impressed if your translator can translate this, because even we cannot."
"Your beloved was a small, ugly girl who loved playing at being a man." Shin Ai spat out hatefully, each word meaning to hurt Haoxian. "She loved swords, horses and books. And she loved you."
Haoxian could... barely make out the image of his beloved now. A wisp of a memory. A tiny, tomboy-ish girl. She wasn't pretty, but her existence lit up his world. He remembered just a bit, that feeling he got when he looked at her in her topknot, in her men's clothes that she preferred over women's clothing. How he had delighted in her strong-willed ways, loved her company as they travelled together and spoke of things that he no longer remembered.
"Do you remember now?" Shin Ai's eyes sparkled with malicious delight. "Now... do you remember how she died?"
Haoxian grew cold. How had he forgotten his beloved's face? She had died as they locked him and his brothers up in their prison, all of them howling their grief. Shin Ai had taken his beloved's sword...
"Don't look, Haoxian. Don't look!" She had pleaded with him to look away as Shin Ai raised his beloved's sword above her head. But he had kept his eyes glued on her, screaming for her. Needing her, wanting her... out of his mind with fear and rage as her death hung above her head, gleaming. His bonds held tight though and there was nothing he could do. When her blood spilled and her head rolled in the dirt, he felt himself being sucked into his jail, the spell for his imprisonment completed with the death of the one he loved the most.
He face. Haoxian tried his best to remember. It was just peeking around a dark corner of his mind, lost. When he thought he finally had a clear image, her face was gone from his mind again and all he could feel was the sharp sting of loss, of losing her.
"You do remember." Shin Ai crowed in delight. She saw Haoxian touch his sword briefly, the same sword that had beheaded the woman he loved more than anything in the world. "But you don't anymore. How could you? Forgetting your most precious-"
"Tell me her name."
Shin Ai shook her head, a mad grin on her face. "You'll never remember it. And I'll take it with me to the grave."
Haoxian looked at the woman on the ground, shaking still, but now she was laughing. Laughing and laughing like it was the funniest thing in the world. The Fifth's son knew that questioning Shin Ai further would be useless, she would die with her secret if pressed just to be spiteful.
"Haoxian-" Monique got basically the gist of what they were talking about, knew that it was probably about Haoxian's most precious. Haoxian ignored Monique, turning from them to walk away, towards the exit. He needed air. He didn't know if he could control himself and not rip Shin Ai to pieces.
Ron watched Haoxian's retreating back. "What just happened?"
Slowly, outside, the rain started coming down in a depressing drizzle, the clouds weeping for Haoxian.
endnote: Wooooo... that took a while. Sorry guys and thanks for waiting so patiently! Lets hope my next update won't be ridiculously far away. And if this chapter is short and kinda not good... sorry, I've gotten rusty.