The Dragon Soldier Returns
Everyone applauded for Lu Kang, who has mastered his skills of manhood, thanks to the training of the Dragon Warrior. Shifu, The Furious Five and the Dragon Warrior was surprised that Leo and Lu Kang met on Leo's mission from the emperor. As Po and Shifu got the banners off of their heads, Leo watches Lu Kang gets up after the water buffalo got burned from a small hot cup. Lu Kang is still a clutch after Leo first met him. He was happy that Lu Kang has earned his birthright.
Leo left the hall and stood guard with his arms folded across his chest. It was a early afternoon. With the emperor's grandson here, he'll be high value target to bandits... or worse. Leo will have to stand guard if someone or something will steal Lu Kang. He figured it would be a good idea in case he'll face someone from his world.
As he stood guard, Leo heard something behind him and quickly looks over his right shoulder. But when he turns his head back, a mysterious masked warrior was standing in front of him. The mysterious warrior was wearing a black leather jacket and white leather pants with black leather shoes. There was a black dragon mask covering the person's head. The masked warrior drew a silver broadsword from the black hilt.
"The Dragon Soldier." Leo growls softly. "Damn. How the hell did you end up here?"
The Dragon Soldier said nothing and pointed over the shoulder.
Leo looks past the soldier's shoulder and followed the direction where the finger pointed; the Palace Arena. "Are you here to challenge me to a duel?" Leo asked.
The Dragon Soldier nodded in response and turns around. Leo followed the soldier down to the Palace Arena. Both of them stood across from one another. Leo drew his diamond sword and pointed it at the Dragon Soldier. "You're not going to take another life away." Leo said. "You're going to pay for everything you've done."
The Dragon Soldier quickly charges at him. Leo saw it coming and blocks the attack with the sword. He attempted to stab the soldier as a counterattack, but the soldier saw it coming before ducking and did a spinning kick to the head.
"Gah!" Leo grunted. His opponent didn't waste as he threw in several punches to the chest and a powerful kick to the stomach that sent Leo flying several feet across the arena. "Not bad." Leo said as he stood up. "Ha!" He quickly lunges at the soldier. Leo quickly wraps his around and did five headbutts, a kick to the stomach with a low leg sweep and then he did a axe kick to his opponent's stomach.
The Dragon Soldier quickly kicks back up, forcing Leo to jump back.
Meanwhile back in the Hall Of Heroes, The Dragon Warrior notice Leo wasn't in the Hall. He walks up to Tigress and Monkey. "Have you two seen Leo by any chance?"
"No, Monkey and I haven't seen him for a while." Tigress answered.
Mantis hops onto Po's shoulder. "I think I saw him step outside of the hall." Mantis said.
"Thanks Mantis." Po thanked him. "Want to come with me?"
"Sure."
"Tigress?" Po asked her.
The feline nodded her head and follows the Dragon Warrior outside.
Leo and the Dragon Soldier collided their fists against one another. They attacked in close range combat with their swords. Both swords became locked with one another. Neither one was giving up. They both withdrew and Leo quickly delivered a punch to the face to stun the soldier and tackles his opponent to the ground before kicking the sword of the soldier's hand. He brought the tip of his diamond sword to the Dragon Soldier's throat.
"Leo, what's going on?!" Po called out to him.
He looks over his shoulder to see Po, Mantis and Tigress running down the stairs to them.
The Dragon Soldier pulls out a tactical knife and cuts Leo's knee before cutting his wrist. The soldier quickly got up and cuts Leo's wrist again before punching the sword out of his hand. Leo receives a punch across the face. He quickly blocks with his arms from the attack. Leo caught both the soldier's wrists before spinning around and throwing the soldier into the wall.
The three masters watched as they made it to the sidelines. Leo dodges several times from the knife. He saw an opening and cuts the soldier's arm.
"Gr!" The Dragon Soldier grunted.
"Ha!" he yelled as Leo sent a spinning uppercut to the jaw, removing the Dragon Soldier's dragon mask revealing the face of man with short spikey black hair and delivered a palm strike to the chest. The mask landed on the ground. When Leo watches his opponent stands up and turns around to look at him, Leo widen his eyes in shocked. Staring back at Leo with his blue eyes was James. He slowly walks up to him. "James?" Leo lowered his voice.
"Who the hell is James?" James asked coldly, ripping the sleeve off of him to stop the bleeding. He takes out a smoke pellet and threw it to the ground. James and his sword was nowhere to be found.
"Leo, are you okay?" Tigress rushes up to him with Po and Mantis. "I heard you said that man's name. Was that James?"
Leo didn't say a word and nodded his head in response.
"Mantis and I will get Shifu." Po said to Tigress as he turns around and runs back to the Jade Palace.
Tigress places her arm around his shoulders. She could see the surprised and concerned expression on his face as he didn't look away where James stood.
After returning back to the Hall Of Heroes, Leo stood before Shifu, Po, The Furious Five and Lu Kang.
"Leo, what happened?" Shifu asked.
"I went outside of the hall and stand guard in case bandits try to kidnap Lu Kang." Leo explains. "When I turned my head to see what made noise behind me, I turned my head forward and came face-to-face with James, The Dragon Soldier. He challenge me to a duel in the arena and we both fought. Before I could do anything else, Po called my name, giving James a chance to strike back. When the mask was removed, I saw James's face for the first time in nine years. I didn't get a chance to stop him and he escaped."
"Why was he here?" Monkey asked.
"To assassinate the Emperor's grandson, I believe." Leo answered. "And he's well damned trained too."
"I thought he died nine years ago." Viper said.
"That's what everyone thought too." Leo replied. "Until the Dragon Soldier showed up four years later. Master Lee sent Panther, Ava, several others and me were sent to bring down the Dragon Soldier down. The Dragon Soldier never took the mask off."
"Until now." Crane said.
"Exactly." Leo nodded. "But there was something strange about him. He acted like he never heard his name when I said James."
"What do you think it is?" Po asks him.
"I don't know." Leo answered. "Maybe mind control but I can't be too sure about it. We don't even know who's he working for and how the hell did he end up here."
"What can we do to help?" Mantis asked.
"We train while James prepares to make another move." Leo answered. "And I don't think he'll strike yet now that I know he's alive."
"So what is your plan when you confront him again?" Shifu asked. "He may not be the same person you once knew."
"I know." Leo nodded. "I'm going to have to try and reach out to him. But if doesn't work..."
"We should tell my grandfather about this." Lu Kang suggested.
"That should work, but I don't think the Imperial army can stop the Dragon Soldier." Leo said. "You should leave this one to me."
"We should talk about this tomorrow." Shifu said to his students.
Evening came while Leo was in his and Tigress's room. He was sitting down on the bed meditating with his eyes close.
"Hello, Leo." Tigress said, entering the room. "Are you doing okay from what happened this early afternoon?"
"Yeah." Leo replied as she sits down next to her. "I still can't believe he's alive after all this time and what he did."
"You really think you can try to reach out to him?" Tigress asked.
"I have to." Leo answered, looking at her. "I don't how much there is left of him inside, but it has to be enough to break free."
"We'll see what happens, Leo." Tigress said to him. "You have our support."
"Thanks, Tigress." Leo thanked her.
"You're welcome." Tigress kisses him on the cheek.
"Come on, let's get some sleep." Leo said.
Leo and Tigress laid down on their bed to get some sleep. He knew that he'll have to fight his friend James to help him remember who he is. And after that, who knows what will happen.
I bet you guys weren't expecting James to show up out of nowhere! Now that James is alive after all these years, what's going to happen? You guys will just have to wait and guess, and I know that this chapter is short. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and don't forget to leave a review!