Author's Note: Whoo boy! Back again already, and guys. Trust me... I don't think you're ready for this chapter. Not only is it the longest chapter yet, but it is probably the most densely packed. A LOT of questions are answered, some aspects are set up, and there is a neat little surprise that I think a lot of you will enjoy. Don't worry, there's still a few things left for later. Plus, we have a major insight into our main villain, one that some of you may not be expecting. Anyways, I hope you have fun reading this chapter.

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN KFP!

Enjoy.

Demons of the Past

It takes the group several minutes to reach the tower nearing the end of the village, lit up by the fiery glow of the many, amber-encrusted phoenixes imprinted on its surface. This light is only further exemplified by the large red crystals wedged into the cavern's ceiling just above it, as if this very tower is an extension of the legendary phoenix. Despite its magnificent appearance, it doesn't stand that tall, three stories. Whilst this isn't anything to scoff at, in comparison to the emperor's, it is nowhere near as imposing.

Whilst most of the warriors gaze at the structure in awe of its elegance, Tigress is far too preoccupied with what had happened earlier in the tavern, with Po still holding her paw in the hopes that it may help her. She lost control again. In spite of gaining inner peace, there is still something eating away at her. Regardless of everything she has learned, regardless of her panda helping her open up, something deep inside still takes her mind hostage. It beckons her to let go of her restraints. That damned voice. She knows it's not that voice of doubt that had accompanied her for so long, no, this one is different. More primal. More dangerous. As if it were a completely different person living inside her flesh. It was a miracle that Zhonglei had come through to her before she truly lost it. Before she hurt anyone. Her ears collapse onto her skull, feeling a fear that has been all too familiar.

Fear of the monster living within her.

For years, she hadn't had any outbursts like that. She had finally learned to control her strength and temper her anger. Why has she lost it again? Because of Nuba? Or is it something else? Something deep down that she has been ignoring. She can feel her love's jade eyes giving her messages of comfort and empathy, pulling her heart out of that hopeless trench. Amber irises gaze back, melting at the care embedding the panda's expression. Not a single sign of fear. Only a silent message. 'I will never abandon you.' A sentiment that she knows the rest of her family shares. Whatever this… thing is, her family will help her to finally be rid of it. She just hopes that they can figure out how to before it can get any worse.

Fine wooden doors greet them at the entrance of the impressive tower, the dragon's gigantic form swirling around the left whilst the flames of the phoenix burn on the right, meeting in the middle. Meeting at the Zhanshi clan's symbol, embedded in steel and decorated with an amber flame. The group follows Zhonglei as he pushes open these doors with a grand creak! As they are about to enter in however, Tigress, Shifu and Po notice something far off in the distance, right at the very end of the village.

Pillars of rocks strengthened by the trials of time, a ceiling that completely merges with the cavern and its many jagged crystals, a monolithic rock wall where an entrance should be with the Zhanshi clan's symbol engraved into its surface. Whilst Po's eyes twinkle in impressed awe at the ancient site, Shifu and Tigress can't help but be sceptical about this structure and its purpose. Perhaps… Shifu saves a question for later, though he isn't entirely sure how this archaic monument fits into everything just yet.

Just as they enter Zhonglei's 'humble' abode, a young, excitable voice immediately rings out from another room. "Dad!?" Before the kung fu masters can even process the voice, a teenage orange tiger adorned in green training gi sprints out from the kitchen with a gigantic smile on his face and leaps into Zhonglei's arms.

He catches him with a slight groan before he gives an endeared chuckle, "How's my sweet little warrior, huh?" They rub their heads together as he embraces his youngest son, the warriors smiling at the adorable sight.

As his father puts him down, the young tiger gasps once he notices their guests, "Oh my God! It's the dragon warrior and furious…" He trails off, his emerald eyes growing into sprawling forests as they land on Tigress, realising exactly who she is.

With a soft smile, Zhonglei introduces her, "Yongqi*, this is your cousin, master Tigress." The teenage tiger still finds himself in complete awe at seeing someone his father had spoken so highly of for so long. A moment of silence passes between the two of them before Tigress offers her young cousin a tiny, heartfelt smile.

"It's good to finally meet you, Yongqi." She gives him a fist in palm salute only for him to stay completely still. For a moment she wonders if he even heard her, until he pulls her in for a tight hug.

"I can't believe it; my awesome cousin is here!" Yongqi squeals in joy, only making her smile grow wider as his father chuckles at the boy's sweet demeanour.

"What's going on in here?" They hear a slightly older male voice coming down the stairs, only for the voice to reveal itself as another gold tiger with ruby eyes and green training gi, almost a spitting image of his father. These adolescent ruby irises find themselves entranced by the sight of his long-lost cousin until he gives a fist in palm salute to the seven masters standing right before them, "Dragon warrior, Master Shifu, furious five. It's an honour to meet you all."

A spark of pride fills the Zhanshi chief's heart at his eldest son's respectful display, "Spare them the formalities, Rongyu*. They're just as much family as you and I." This statement makes Tigress' heart flutter for a split-second as Rongyu hops down the last flight of stairs and stands beside his younger brother, giving a grateful glance to his new family member.

"We've heard so much about you. About all of you."

Yongqi interrupts his brother with an exhilarated voice, "Yeah, we heard about Tai-Lung and Shen. Ooh! And how you guys managed to beat Fenghuang, and that there was a bounty on the dragon warrior's head and-

"Bro, I don't think they need to be reminded about everything." Rongyu cuts off his little brother, aware that they must be here on important business if they're speaking to his dad.

Monkey chuckles to himself before whispering to Po, "I never thought I'd meet someone more enthusiastic than you. But I guess I was wrong." The only response he gets from his panda friend is a humorous roll of the eyes.

"I see you've brought guests, dear." A soft timbre catches the attention of the masters and brings a tender look to Zhonglei's face. Stood over by the entrance to the kitchen is a female orange tiger with bright, emerald eyes, adorned in a red battle suit with metallic armour plates, the amber encrusted hilt of a sword sheathed on her side.

The tiger chief heads over to her, wrapping his right paw around her waist, "Masters, you've already met my sons. This is my Tianshi*, my lovely wife." Her somewhat sly look melts into a loving smile as she places her paw on top of his.

"A pleasure." She greets the seven warriors, bowing as she does so.

They all bow back, with Viper commenting, "You have a lovely family, Zhonglei." This brings a sheepish expression to their faces, though the tiger chief can only look back towards Tigress in pride.

"I couldn't agree more." He replies, his niece's amber eyes smiling back at him. After sharing this glance for a moment, Zhonglei turns back to his wife before informing her, "Honey, I need to speak with our guests about something very important."

Tianshi nods in understanding before calling out to her youngest son, "Yongqi, we can train a little more before dinner." She begins to head towards the kitchen as a gigantic grin fills the boy's face.

"Sweet!" He runs off to his mother on all-fours as the rest of the masters chuckle once more at his endearing glee.

As for Rongyu, he begins heading upstairs, waving at the legendary warriors waiting with his father, "I'll be upstairs, dad. Hope things go well for you guys."

Zhonglei smiles back at his eldest son as he heads up to the first floor, his face wilting slightly once he is out of sight. "I hope so too." He whispers to himself before addressing the jade palace masters, "Alright, follow me." As they climb the stairs up to the third floor, Tigress shares a knowing look with her panda, who already looks exhausted at the sight of the spiralling staircase. An old enemy that never fails to rear its ugly head.

Though it barely takes any time at all, Po's panda asthma threatens to act up again, making Zhonglei somewhat anxious about his squeaky-clean floor. Luckily, the dragon warrior is able to steel himself as they follow the golden tiger into his room. They are greeted with a massive window at the back of the room, overlooking the back end of the village, more specifically the ancient structure embedded into the cavern walls. The rest of the walls are crafted with polished stone, smooth and elegant. Lanterns punctuate the room with a cosy auburn glow, lighting up the magnificent tapestry displayed on the ceiling, one that strikes a sense of familiarity with Tigress. Just in front of the room's giant window is an antique desk made of mahogany, its splendour juxtaposed by the scrolls, brushes and pictures littering its surface. A comfy double bed lies by the right side of the room whilst on the left stands a suit of golden armour on display, proudly presenting the imperial crest in all of its fiery glory.

As they enter inside, the tiger chief shuffles through the shambled mess that is his desk to find the precise picture he is looking for, with the kung fu masters gathering around him in intrigue. "Woah, your place is so cool!" Po marvels at the decorated room, his jade irises glued to the shining golden armour at the opposite end of the room.

Whilst Monkey and Mantis share an impressed expression, the rest keep their eyes on Zhonglei, patiently waiting for whatever it is he is trying to find. "Who do you suspect our mystery culprit is, Zhonglei?" Shifu inquires, anxious on the amount of time they have.

Luckily, Zhonglei finds the picture just as he says this. A deep sigh escapes his lips as his ruby irises settle on it. A painting of a proud commander, a grinning general, and a celebrating craftsman. A white wolf, golden tiger and brown bison, arms around each other's shoulder and mugs of baijiu in their paws and hoof. Three brothers-in-arms. Though he misses those days, he can never forget what that horrid wolf did and how blindly his brother followed. "An old friend." He croaks, a solemn sadness clutching his timbre with merciless strength.

The furious five and dragon warrior look to Shifu, whose brows are raised in confusion. That is, until his mind looks to an old memory and connects the dots. Steely blue eyes widen in disbelief, "You don't mean…" He trails off as his feline comrade meets his gaze, a wordless confirmation layered within. "But… that's impossible."

"As far as you know." Zhonglei mutters just loud enough for them all to hear, only inciting more quizzical expressions from them. Acting on this cue, he walks around his desk, prompting them to approach him as he makes space in the centre of the desk. He places the picture down face-up, "What do you know of commander Zhongcheng?"

This question slaps a look of shock on all of the warriors' faces, "Wait, wait, wait. Hold up. You mean the imperial commander? That Zhongcheng?"

"Yes." Zhonglei responds, intrigued as to how much the kung fu encyclopaedia himself knows of his once comrade.

"The same guy who won nearly 200 battles?"

"Yes."

"The same guy who took out several bandit clans in a single year!?" An exhilarated smile begins to fill the panda's face as the golden tiger's expression turns mournful.

"Yes."

Tigress butts in before her panda can say anymore, "The very same wolf commander who was executed for treason against the emperor." Her stone-cold timbre brings a hard silence to the room, with the grandmaster himself darting his eyes to each of the students, a cold chill welling up within him.

Ruby irises make eye-contact with blue steel, a tiny grin on the tiger's lips. "I see you've kept your promise, Shifu." With widened eyes, his students dart their heads over to the red panda. "The emperor would be proud." None of the six warriors notice his lack of a mocking tone.

Instead, this only flares up their eyes further, each warrior collectively asking a silent question. 'What does he mean by that?' An apology creases onto Shifu's weathered face as he looks between each of his students, "That story isn't entirely true. He was executed, but not for treason. He had instead followed his orders…" He stops for a moment, his eyes meeting the golden tiger's in a quick glance, the two remembering the incident perfectly. "In a way the emperor had never intended." Heaving a deep sigh, the elder master looks each of his students in the eye. Yet another secret he had kept from his family. "I'm sorry I never told any of you the truth, but it was at the emperor's behest." Another wish he had honoured at their expense. Though their faces convey a sense of understanding, he can see the betrayal hidden in their eyes.

Feeling the growing tension in the air, Zhonglei tries his best to dispel it. "If it's any consolation, I haven't told my family this either. We can't dishonour a promise made to the emperor himself, regardless of what it is or who it involves." Thankfully, he notices their once rigid bodies loosen up a bit, their flared expressions calm to a neutral one. Good… now for the complicated part. Yet another deep sigh is let out, making the room more filled with uneasy breaths rather than oxygen. "Now, if only that was the whole truth." Shifu's eyes dart to him with a speculative glare, his students mirroring this expression in kind. "Zhongcheng was meant to be executed." A vicious scowl crosses his features as he remembers the sight of two dead guards and an empty prison cell. Another fowl monument that the white wolf had left behind, "In actuality, he managed to escape." He pauses for a moment to gauge their reaction.

Gobsmacked. Every single one of them. For many years they've been led to believe a lie about one of China's most notorious traitors, and now have just been told that even the person that lied to them didn't even know the truth. Safe to say, the golden tiger wouldn't blame any of them for being beyond confused. "Okay, time out. Just, back up a second pal." Mantis hops off his perch on Monkey's shoulder and onto the mahogany table, pointing at the younger Zhongcheng with his right 'claw thingy'. "So, you're telling me that this guy is neither a traitor nor dead. So, what the hell is he!?" Hazel eyes soon narrow as he notices the bison in the portrait, "And who is this guy? Is he important too?"

"Mantis!" Viper chastises her insect brother whilst Crane merely rolls his eyes at his antics. With that, the insect hops back onto his best friend's shoulder. Zhonglei peers around the room, noticing the intense focus in Shifu and Tigress' stare, the multitude questions written on Monkey and Mantis' faces, and the smiles Crane and Viper give towards the dragon warrior's features, frozen in child-like wonder. Almost as if he knows that a story is about to be told. If only this one was about an epic adventure and not… The former general shudders at the memories that will soon float up to the sea of his mind, threatening to start a tsunami. Unfortunately, he will simply have to brave the storm.

"I suppose its best I start from the beginning." Po's face lightens up at this, only for it to be shut down by a grave look from his tiger. This is a serious matter, not some silly 'story-time'. If only the commander's history wasn't so impressive. Well, it won't be any longer. Placing his paws behind his back, Zhonglei turns around and takes a few steps over to the large window overlooking the ancient structure far off in the distance. What comes to his mind first aren't memories, mere conjecture. Visions of a life that he would never wish upon anyone.

"Long ago, a white wolf was born into a family of bandits." A pair of wolves shuffled along the dirty alleyways in a city struck by the unforgiving curse of poverty, a white wolf pup held in their arms. No warmth was held in the stare of his mother, nor any pride in his father. All they had seen was another body to feed, another reason why their yuan was running dry. A burden. A mistake. "Times were tough, money was scarce." A group of horses and elephants had entered into the village square, hauling a cage bolted to a carriage. The vain screams and cries of children could be heard for miles wherever they went, whether they were stolen, or bought."And his parents had little use for another mouth to feed." The pair had approached the carriage with caution, handing the pup to a dark grey elephant in exchange for a large brown bag. Without a shred of care, the elephant chucked the wolf pup into the cage where his cries fell on the sensitive yet deaf ears of his 'loving' parents. "With little hesitation, he was sold to slavers before he had even learned to speak."

He can feel the mortified expressions pressing on his back, the first of many to come, unfortunately.

Years later, this same wolf pup stood by a cave wall, hunched over and a pickaxe in his paws. He picked away at it alongside another group of children, going over the motions in a well-known, dreaded dance. "For five years he had served those slavers with no way to escape their clutches. He was lucky enough to find a kindred spirit in a young bison, named Gongjiang." Beside the white wolf stood a brown bison, just about managing to mine out some crystals faster thanks to his natural strength. Hungry and tired, the wolf pup fell to his knees, with the bison immediately coming to his aid before any of the slavedrivers could get to them. "They stood by each-other, always having the other's back if things had become tough." Several years they had experienced this torment, several years they had been trapped in a god-forsaken mine. Until… "Eventually, their captors were found by the imperial army, and they had come to their rescue." Rhinos and ox adorned in red and green armour stormed the caves, taking down or killing any slaver they could find. Cages and chains were broken, resulting in either cheers or tearful, broken thanks. "Many of the children had quickly run off in fear of them, but several others had stayed. Including Zhongcheng, and Gongjiang."

After a long way home, all of the children had been put up for foster care. All but two of them. "On their way back, one of the soldiers had taken a liking to the two boys, admiring their resilience and strength." A single black rhino pushed the doors open into his house, allowing the two brothers to sprint inside and frolic around in their new home. "He took them in as his own, raised them," Those two boys soon blossomed into teenagers, copying their father's punches and kicks as they practiced their forms. "And trained them," Even sooner, they had grown into young adults, practicing for their first time with a sword and shield. "Until they were finally ready to become part of the imperial army."

Now his memories come flooding back, good, bad, awful, and bittersweet. Zhonglei can't decide whether this should count as reminiscing or reliving a nightmare. Regardless, he continues, certain that the dragon warrior's horrified look has transformed into an awe-stricken one at hearing the commander's rough beginning.

"It was around this time that I had finally met them in training camp." Gongjiang watched on as Zhongcheng sparred against an unknown golden tiger, their natural combat skill leaving his jaw agape. After several minutes of a stalemate the two had finally agreed to a tie. Zhonglei respected the wolf's tactics whilst Zhongcheng respected his opponent's skills. A good friend to have, an even better ally. "Our success had soon turned to full-fledged victories." Years later, the three soldiers stood by each-other, spears held high in the air as their enemies were slain around them. "And with us, victories were almost guaranteed." Zhonglei burst through the door with his brothers close behind, but they wouldn't need a battle. Three leaders simply stood in the centre of the room; their hands high in the air. For once, a victory without bloodshed. "It didn't take long for us to rise in the ranks. Zhongcheng had become the commander of the imperial army within five years whilst I had become general at the same time. Gongjiang however, had decided to stay out of the limelight." After slamming down his hammer on the blade a few more times, the bison eyed up the glowing dagger before handing it to his wolf brother who gave him a heartfelt bow in response. "He was a natural craftsman with an affinity for weapons, a valuable asset to the army nonetheless."

"Due to our success, the emperor had decided that it would be best for us to extend our knowledge. To learn true kung fu, at the hands of the great master flying rhino." The six masters' eyes widen for what feels like the millionth time whilst Shifu remains unfazed. This madman who has singlehandedly put the entire forbidden city into a state of panic and had made the dragon warrior himself experience a living nightmare, was trained by one of the greatest masters in kung fu history. Though Po wants to fanboy at this, that very fact also shakes his core. It was bad enough that this guy is capable in… some kind of magic or mental ability, but it turns out that he won't even need this weapon to hold his ground. Calling him dangerous would be the understatement of the century. "With this, our victories had become even more frequent than before. It wouldn't be inaccurate to say that we were close to unstoppable."

A regretful breath escapes the golden tiger's mouth, "But few knew of how we had attained our victories. Even fewer understood the cost." Those last few memories of training with such a revered master are soon replaced by a tide of nightmarish battles and the horrific aftermaths that would follow.

"Zhongcheng had started to use underhanded tactics." The commander and general both stood in the centre of their lined-up soldiers, lighting up an effigy for their fallen brothers. Deaths, that the white wolf had considered necessary when the tiger knew that they never should've been there in the first place. "Whether it be sending our men on suicide missions," Zhonglei creased at the crack and crunch of broken bones as his wolf superior battered his fists at a bloodied bull lieutenant. Though the commander had lost track of time, his tiger general had felt the hour crawl by as if it were days. "Torturing enemies for information," After another hour of attempts, Zhongcheng had failed to break the bull, leaving him with no other options. To Zhonglei's surprise, one of their men brought in two others and shoved them onto their knees in front of the bull and his captor, their heads concealed by bags. With venom corroding the commander's features, he had taken off their bags to reveal a cow and a maturing calf. Without a moment's hesitation, he had held a knife towards the child's throat, making the lieutenant spill out his guts. "Or putting innocent people in harms way, he would do whatever it takes to assure victory." Disgust plain in his ruby eyes, Zhonglei had waited for the civilians to be taken out by a soldier before confronting his commander. Their argument soon became a brutal fight. It had taken several of their soldiers to pull the two away from each-other. Despite their disagreement, they still had to work together, for one last mission. "He had no qualms with bringing dishonour to himself. He didn't even care about having power. No matter how depraved or heartless his actions, he had always claimed that it was to protect his home. To make sure China is strong and hardened for any challenge."

He turns to face the kung fu masters, sharing dread, revulsion, and disbelief at the extent of their foe's merciless tactics. Dread that engulfs Zhonglei's ruby irises as he knows exactly what comes next, "He had believed that fear was the best way to achieve victory. That to be feared, was to be obeyed. All of this had come to an ahead," Shifu shares a morbid, knowing look with the tiger as he continues, "When we had chased down the Yinying* assassins."

Both commander and general stood before a large war table with their soldiers around them, a map of a small village sprawled out over its surface and mini wooden figurines meant to represent their forces mapped out in countless positions. "We had managed to find them holed out in a small village near the edge of China, but we were faced with multiple problems." Whilst their men had been standing around, impatiently fiddling with their armour and weapons, both Zhongcheng and Zhonglei had stayed in relative silence, planning out whatever strategy they could to combat this dire threat. "None of the villagers had seen them in person, no-one had seen any suspicious activity, and worst of all, these assassins were known for disguising as civilians. We tried for hours to formulate some kind of plan to make sure we could accurately identify these assassins, but each plan led to a new dead end." Their silent strategizing was soon cut short as a leopard soldier barged into the main tent, frantically yelling out something. "That was, until one of our soldiers had found a lead. He found out the assassins were on the move in the desert bordering the village." No-one in the room noted Zhongcheng's lack of surprise. Instead, they had all listened to him plan out their course of action for the coming night.

"Zhongcheng had suggested that half of our force go to pursue this lead, whilst the other half stay in the village in case this was a trap." Over fifty soldiers were led through the desert by their golden tiger general, trudging through sand for hours to no avail. Not a single track, not a single piece of evidence to the assassin's ever being there. Perhaps it was a false lead, maybe the citizen had seen something else. "It had seemed to be a good idea at the time." But then, that didn't explain why there were absolutely no footprints in the sand. That didn't explain why a whole clan could move out of one place without any evidence whatsoever… That's when it all fell into place. "It had taken me far too long to realise that there was no lead. It was all a lie." Roaring orders to his men, Zhonglei had sprinted back towards the village with his cavalry in tow, volcanic magma shooting through his blood and eyes reduced to searing coal. "He had wanted us out of the picture for long enough to enact his plan." Hours of walking were sliced in half; their adrenaline having silenced their aching bodies. But no matter how fast they ran, it was already too late.

They had returned to a village bathed in fire, waiting to be buried in ash. Innocent civilians ran out in the open, trying to swat out the fire on their backs in vain. Others were already dead, with arrows jutting out of their corpses or their carcasses closer to charcoal than an actual creature. Pushing away his anger for a mere moment, the golden tiger had commanded his men to search every building, hoping that there were still people left to save. "He razed the village to the ground. Burnt down every building in case there was an assassin hiding in it. Murdered every living person there in case they were disguised… By the time we arrived… There were no survivors." Zhonglei dropped to his knees as his face contorted in horror. He never thought he would do something so vile. But that careless had cost them so much. This despair however, had soon returned to the wrath that had boiled within him with such vehemence. "None but us. And I knew that Zhongcheng couldn't allow that."

They weren't alone.

"Shields up! To me!" Zhonglei roared out to his men, who immediately obeyed. Shink!Tak! Bam! Several arrows impaled themselves onto their shields, the assailants hiding in the shadows. A moment later and they all would've been filled with arrows. They all huddle together to form a circle, blocking anymore projectiles. An ambush, the weapon of choice for a coward. After a few more attempts, Zhongcheng had realised his foes wouldn't be moving out of position any time soon.

"After a failed ambush, our forces clashed."

"Charge them! Break their formation!" The commander's voice pierced through the roaring fire and the suffocating smoke. They could hear the rushing of feet, the clang of shields clashing against each other, and sure enough, their formation broke. Rhinos, leopards, ox and bears were fighting all over the place, brothers-in-arms all pitted against each-other thanks to a single psychopath. Zhongcheng and Zhonglei stared each other down, their golden armour shining from the fires crackling around them and the phoenix emblem finding its home amongst the flames. Ruby eyes glared in shame, revolted of what his brother had become whilst dark blue stared back with bile, hating that his equal couldn't see past his moral compass.

With his red bow staff in paw, Zhonglei ran forward with a mighty roar whilst the white wolf adopted a defensive stance, countering with a caustic growl. They traded blows, the tiger's superior range proving to be difficult for Zhongcheng to handle. But not impossible. As the general attempted a jab at his chest, he managed to grab it and pull his opponent forward, forcing him to follow through with the momentum and try to boot him in the chest. Expecting this, the wolf caught his foot in his free paw before aiming a knee straight for his tender parts and then twisting his leg in the process. Zhonglei grit his teeth and hissed in pain, but then countered by kicking Zhongcheng in the face with his free foot, separating the two.

"We fought ferociously, neither side wanted to take prisoners."

Zhongcheng was the first one to recover and charged at his still downed enemy. Before he could pick himself up off the ground, the tiger was kicked multiple times in the head. In response, the tiger kicked out the wolf's shin, making him fall to one knee before punching him in the chin and tackling him to the ground. Zhonglei pinned the commander to the ground and landed a punch combo to his face, only for him to retort with a nasty remark. Chomp! He bit deep into the tiger's wrist, causing him to roar out in agony. Not letting up, the wolf then proceeded to grab him by the neck with one paw whilst unveiling his dagger with his other paw. Shank! Once again, Zhonglei screamed out as his opponent stabbed him in the side, his chest plate's one weak point. Without hesitation, Zhongcheng stabbed him two more times before kicking him off. The tiger general couldn't get up. With him bleeding from both his wrist and his side, he found himself wobbling the second he even got up on one knee. Wiping the blood off his lips, the commander walked over to his downed prey, ready for the final strike. "But Zhongcheng played dirty. He had me dead to rights, until…"

Boom!

"Help arrived." Before Zhonglei's very eyes, the wolf commander was hit by a flying kick to the face, sending him careening into the wall of a burning building. Crack! Tiny fragments of the brick wall fell into pebbles on the ashy ground as the winded wolf picked himself back up, infuriated by this interruption, only for his eyes to widen at the source of it. Two golden eyes stared at him with the intensity of a thousand suns, shrouded by clouded grey fur that blended in with the smoke. A flash of purple popped in every now and again, but the figure was still unrecognisable. Until he stepped out of the smoke, sending shivers into Zhongcheng's blood. Tai Lung.

"Shifu and his son had neutralised him." Six pairs of eyes widen at this before darting over to their grandmaster, who merely gives a slight nod in response.

He didn't even bother to get in a stance, he knew just by looking at the wolf that this fight would be over quickly. A sickening growl left Zhongcheng's maw as he ran forwards whilst Tai Lung approached in a slow walk, his resting scowl never leaving his face. With each attack that the wolf threw, the snow leopard would simply block and throw one back at twice the speed. Each and every single one of his attacks hit, causing Zhongcheng to stumble in his footing. Getting desperate, he attempted to stab the master only to be disarmed in a single strike. Zhonglei simply couldn't believe his eyes, he had heard stories of Tai lung's skill, but he never knew a kung fu master could even be that fast. A single 'hmph' left the snow leopard's lips as he connected several rapid punches to the commander's head, dazing him. Then, within one swift movement of his arm, Tai Lung managed to reach under the wolf's gold chest plate and ripped it off, exposing it to the air. Before the wolf could recover, Tai Lung threw out his signature double fist punch, sending him back several feet to the ground. As Zhongcheng tried with difficulty to get up, Tai Lung merely watched on with his arms folded. The wolf grit his teeth, he wouldn't give up ye-

Tak!

A soft blue light rippled off his chest and across his whole body, freezing him in place. Soon after, his frozen form lost balance, tipping over to reveal Shifu stood behind him. With their main target neutralised, Tai Lung set off to find any stragglers and assists any more of Zhonglei's men whilst his father had rushed over to the golden tiger, making sure he received immediate medical attention.

"Once he was captured, the emperor at the time, the current one's father, had made us swear to keep the true events of that night a secret." Zhonglei notes the steely blue eyes of his old comrade piercing into the floor, shame encapsulating them in its corrosive embrace. A feeling that the tiger understands far too well, after all, their reason for keeping that promise was far from noble. "He didn't want the people of China to know that he had not only promoted but also aided in training a heartless psychopath. In spite of our protests, this was non-negotiable." Not a single word is uttered by any of the members of the five, even Po is shocked into silence without a single trace of his excitable fanboying in sight.

To think that the emperor's father had kept something like this a secret was no laughing matter, in fact, it only brought more concerns about his rule. There is still on detail that the golden tiger has yet to mention, one that Tigress points out with a grave timbre, "And his execution? What happened then?"

Two dead guards flash in Zhonglei's mind once more, the empty prison cell behind them taunting him with his monumental failure. "Despite him being held prisoner in the emperor's dungeon, and despite me leading the soldiers meant to stand guard…" A putrid scowl is engraved on his face as his bison brother's face fade into his eyes, "There was one person we hadn't accounted for…" Though he trails off, the other kung fu masters can instantly tell who he's talking about.

"Gongjiang." Po vocalises their thoughts, receiving a regrettable nod from the former general.

"We hadn't anticipated his blind loyalty. In fact, we had hoped that they had completely lost contact. We were foolish enough to take his word for it, and by the time we realised Zhongcheng had escaped his cell, the two of them were already heading out of the forbidden city." They can all see the guilt embedded in his features, knowing full well that he places all the blame on himself rather than bison who had carelessly saved a reprehensible monster.

However, something is hanging in the air, a certain fact that is left dangling on the golden tiger's tongue. Monkey sense this, a cynical frown puppeteering his face, "Let me guess, the emperor told you to keep that a secret too?"

Another regrettable nod, another selfish and cowardly justification, "He knew that if word had got out, it would make both the imperial army and him look weak in the face of the people." Part of him is tempted to laugh at this, considering the situation they are now in. "Only I and the guards stationed there at the time know the truth, not even his son is aware of this."

This prompts more raised eyebrows from the masters, "Wait, what?" Viper questions, finding it peculiar that the previous emperor wouldn't even tell his own family member, no, his successor about something this dangerous.

"He knows as much about Zhongcheng as the rest of China. No guard would dishonour their emperor, even in death." Disbelief coats the entire room, planting a thought in their minds that has them all spooked. What if the current emperor has secrets? What if he is hiding something they need to know?

Crane pushes this concerning thought aside for a moment to make way for another, "But, you guys did try and look for him, right?"

"Yes." Zhonglei spits out as if he is looking at the wolf in person, "I spent several years hunting him down, but it was useless. It was as if he had vanished off the face of the Earth." A puff of depressed air shoots out his nostrils, "It wasn't long after that hunt that I had retired from the army," He looks over his shoulder towards the window, to his wife and child now training outside, "And came back home." Smiling softly at the heart-warming sight, he then turns back to the masters in front of him, noticing Tigress, Shifu and Crane already formulating a plan of action in their minds.

However, is he more than aware that this isn't the only thing they want to know. After all, until today, they were all under the impression that the Zhanshi clan were eradicated. He doesn't doubt that his niece will have the most questions, and he will happily oblige. "I know you still have questions. About me, my clan, and our history. Feel free to ask away." He opens his arms out with a large smile, snapping the three strategic masters out of their funk and thinking back to the many wonders that they have had about this mysterious plan.

Tigress remains silent, not for any lack of information she wants to know, but rather of what to inquire first. Personally, she would prefer to experience what her clan has to offer in her own time. Assuming she'll have spare time following this. She notices her comrades fishing around in their head for potential questions whilst her panda already has one in mind, weighing if he should go through with it or not. Amber irises idly glance up at the ceiling until they glow at the tapestry plain to see.

A gargantuan black dragon envelopes the ceiling with his monstrous form, slitted eyes a horrific white and scales darker than the very shadows themselves. They glare at a single figure standing tall, a turtle with a grand staff in claw and a golden glow surrounding his being. Behind this grand being is a group of seven tigers, orange and white, their paws clasped in the centre. Seven horizontal and vertical lines, a flame in the middle. The Zhanshi clan insignia is painted with care in front of these tigers, its fire lit up by the amber gemstone in its core.

How did she not notice this before? Perhaps the urgency of their enemy drew away her attention. She looks over to her master, who shifts his gaze from the ceiling to her, sharing her awed expression. "Um, well, I was just wondering… well, the village looks really big. Like, y'know, a lot of people." Their attention is soon drawn to Po's awkward phrasing, which in turn makes the Zhanshi chief let out a light chuckle. That is, until the panda finally asks the question, "So, I was wondering… How many of them, well, came back from Xiwang valley?"

Zhonglei's face falls, a grave chiselled in his features. Ruby irises dart from amber to jade, grief and sorrow eating away at him just as it had so many years ago. "No-one came back from Xiwang valley…" Their hearts all drop at this, the slim hope of even one person surviving Nuba's onslaught drowning in a sea of misery. Tigress most of all feels this panging pain suffocating her heart, whilst Po's ears fall upon his skull, heart-broken at this miserable fact. The golden tiger clears his throat before changing subject, "Any… more questions?" A moment of silence is left around the room in respect for the fallen and out of sympathy for both the tigers present. Amber orbs gaze directly into ruby, pushing aside that aching pain to obtain an answer they have all been desperate for.

"The tapestry on the ceiling looks much like a few we found in Xiwang valley," Her uncle's face soon rises back into a knowing smile as her other comrades look up to the ceiling in shock, "What does it mean?"

Walking back in front of his desk, he gazes at the tapestry with sparkling eyes, proud of his clan's noble history. "That, is the formation of the Zhanshi clan." His smile grows as he anticipates the masters' reaction to what he will say next, "And the defeat of the demon king, Ke-Pa." As expected, all of them stare at him with eyes ablaze with questions, even Viper lets out a quiet gasp. He takes his Zhanshi clan amulet out of his pocket and admires it as he elaborates.

"As you know, 500 years ago, the despicable demon king, Ke-Pa, had sought to cover the world in darkness and plague it with his vile minions. But one steadfast warrior stood in his way. Master Oogway. They had fought for days and nights, making the earth quake in their intense battle. In reality, he was not the only force that stood against him. Seven tigers had aided him in this battle once they had obtained a single, powerful weapon." He looks up for a brief moment to see two jade bombs of exhilaration waiting to burst at this ancient story whilst the others find their eyes caught up in the tapestry above, their ears hanging on Zhonglei's every word. "The phoenix's flame."

Yet again, the masters are completely gob-smacked at this revelation, with most of them tempted to question their reality. In a single day they had been told that the Zhanshi clan is still alive, Zhongcheng isn't dead, and the legend of Ke-Pa isn't even accurate. If Mantis had to be honest, he was finding all of this pretty tough to follow.

Zhonglei gazes at his amulet once again, "What they hadn't realised, was that the weapon they had put all of their stock in, wasn't what it seemed." Intrigue glances flair around the room, the supposed myth of the phoenix's flame being one of kung fu's most polarising mysteries. "It did not grant ultimate power, nor was it even a weapon in the traditional sense. It was forged with the sole purpose of killing the unkillable phoenix by separating its soul from its body. Once this became clear, they had used it to trap Ke-pa's monstrous body inside the flame itself. His shadowy spirit was then sealed away inside a nearby mountain whilst Oogway had gathered up his followers and locked them away in an inescapable prison. Oogway and those seven tigers had joined together and vowed that this evil will never be free to reign over China." He holds up the amulet, hovering it over the same insignia on the tapestry as he feels looks of shock and wonder fall upon him, "On that day, the Zhanshi clan was born, bound to a single mission. To prevent the resurrection of China's greatest evil." Whilst Po has the widest grin that any of them have ever seen, the rest of the warriors are simply shell-shocked. All this time they had thought that Ke-Pa was destroyed, when in reality he has been sealed away. Tigress finds herself speechless, unable to fathom the depth of this duty her clan has on their shoulders. Not only was she always meant to be a warrior, but to be part of a legendary clan of warriors, standing in the way of a world-ending threat.

"Where was Ke-Pa sealed? What became of the phoenix's flame?" Shifu asks, his gravelly voice marred in a grave tone. A question that's imprinted on everyone's mind, yet they are all too shocked to vocalise.

To that inquiry, Zhonglei simply turns to face the window and motions to the structure off in the distance. "The phoenix's flame is kept in that ancient temple, guarded by the one remaining founder of the Zhanshi clan."

"You mean you didn't destroy it!?"

"Not from lack of trying." The Zhanshi chief answers Shifu's outraged question smoothly, "Much like the phoenix itself, the flame is incapable of being destroyed. With each time we came close, it had simply rebuilt itself from its ashes." Blue eyes have their steel siphoned out and replaced with surprise, allowing the golden tiger to continue his answer, "As for Ke-Pa himself, he was sealed away in a single mountain, one that we had made sure to keep well-guarded." An epiphany crosses Tigress' eyes, "A mountain located in-

"Xiwang valley." She finishes, earning a proud smile from her uncle whilst Monkey can be seen visually trying to put the pieces together in his head.

The bubbling excitement welling up inside Po reaches its peak as they realise this, making him burst with an excited yell, "Oh, that is so cool! We've got ancient missions and sealed demons and-

"Wait a minute." Though the rest of his comrades smile at the lovable panda's fanboyism, Monkey remembers something particular about Zhonglei's story. "You said he could be resurrected, right?" Once he nods in response, the langur asks with a slight tremble in his voice, "How?"

Despite the seriousness of this, the Zhanshi chief's expression maintains confidence "Whilst the phoenix's flame had drained him of his strength, Ke-Pa is a creature that feeds on anger, fear, and despair. These emotions fuel him." A small grin rises on his lips, "But as long as the seal isn't broken, he cannot gather this energy back."

"That's why you've kept this a secret from everyone." Viper reasons, "So, that no-one would try to break the seal." This earns an affirmative nod from Zhonglei, which only hypes up the dragon warrior even more.

"Holy crap, this is the most awesomest thing I've ever…" He suddenly pauses, earning Tigress' immediate attention. "Heard…" This word barely even comes out as he places a paw on his head, an unexpected soreness beginning to form.

"Po?" Tigress stands beside him, placing her paw on his back as she tries to steady him. "Is it your head?"

His left eye twitches as this soreness grows into an ache, "I… I-I…" Then, a sudden jolt of pain punches into his head. "Ahhhhh!"

"Po!" She keeps her paws on Po, gently lowering him to the ground as he clutches his head in agony. The rest of the masters huddle around him, concerned and confused at this sudden pain. "Po, what's going-

He lets out another scream, even more intense than before, making fear clutch at her heart and churn her stomach. "What do we do, what do we do!?" Panicked questions leave Monkey's mouth as Mantis hops over to Po's head, his pincers glowing golden.

"Lemme try this!" He reaches outwards to place his healing chi onto his panda friend's agonising head, only to gain an even more painful shriek in return. Pulling away immediately, anxiousness and terror fill the jade palace masters as uncontrollable tears roll out of Po's eyes.

Tigress holds her panda tightly, constantly whispering in his ear, "It's okay, Po. It's okay. Stay with me, just stay with me."

Shifu can only stare in bewildered worry. Why does he keep having these headaches? And why are they only becoming worse? Does this have something to do with what Zhongcheng had done earlier?

To make matters worse, a muscular tiger guard bursts into the room, anxiety filled in his eyes too. "Sir, something terrible has happened!"

Zhonglei approaches the guard, eyes focused on the suffering panda near the centre of the room. "That will have to wait, get him some medical attention!"

"But it's the emperor, sir! One of his elite guards have been murdered!"

1* Yongqi = Valour in Chinese

2* Rongyu = Honour in Chinese

3* Tianshi = Angel in Chinese

4* Yinying = Shadow in Chinese

Holy moly, what a way to end all that huh? I have to say, this chapter pretty much flowed from my brain to the paper almost immediately cuz I've been planning this out for SO LONG. Genuinely, binge writing it for the past few days. I've had so much fun doing it. Plus, the amount of stuff going on. Zhongcheng's origin, Tai Lung wiping the floor with him, the real legend of Ke-Pa, the phoenix's flame is real.

Oh sweet jesus, I think I need to give my brain a break. Oh, and one more thing: Yeah, the Zhanshi clan is seperated into 2 villages, one in Xiwang valley, one in the forbidden city. As Zhonglei mentioned, no one in Xiwang valley escaped aside from Tigress. Yeah... pretty rough, but if I'm going to establish a literal massacre, then I'm gonna stick to it.

Anyways, all the text aside, I hope you've enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I did writing it. Let me know what you think about it, and just let me know in general what you think of the story, it helps quite a bit. Even if it is harsh. Anyways, things are TRULY, and I mean truly, going to kick off in the next few chapters, so be ready for when it comes out! Until next time :)