Hi, everyone, I hope you have had a wonderful week. Thank you for joining in another exciting chapter of The Third Arc. From now on, depending on the chapters' length, I will split them into parts and then post them. I figured this would be easier on myself and you all wouldn't have as much scrolling to do as before. But please let me know what your thoughts are on the matter.
Before we begin, I would like to point out that HeavenedWolf has posted a cover page for the First Arc of The Xiaolin Dragon King, as well as three other pages for the first chapter, on Deviantart. Please go and check them out, they are all amazingly good. Also, make sure to check out her other art, she's so talented and nice.
Now, without further ado, let us join our heroes on their adventure. Disclaimer: I own nothing except my OCs.
The Xiaolin Dragon King: Third Arc
Chapter Seven: Celebration (Part Three)
"Well, this is a surprise."
After hours of watching nothing but the Xiaolin Warriors partake in boring, mundane merry-making, Shadow was about to pack her bags and take off. However, through the Eagle Scope, she saw their little dragon pet transform. After witnessing what appeared to be some sort of family drama, Juno and her monks climbed on the reptile, flying away from the city. Whatever caused them to leave suddenly, must be important.
"Maybe this little trip won't be a total loss, after all." Shadow smirked, putting away the Eagle Scope. Then she took out another Shen Gong Wu she brought along, putting it on her back. "Longi Kite!"
The wings of the Kite spread out and she immediately took to the sky. The villainess flew in the direction she saw the dragon go, careful not to get too close for the risk of being spotted.
"Raimundo, are you sure you didn't want to stay behind with your family?" Kimiko asked her boyfriend, turning her head to look back at him.
"Honestly… I probably should have." the Brazilian sighed. "I'll have to worry about that later. Anyway, what is this Wu we had to hurry and leave for?"
Juno took out the ancient scroll and unfurled it, laying it against Dojo's back as the others gathered around to look. "It's called the Amber Wolf. According to this, it's one of the handful of sentient Shen Gong Wu Dashi created. Please tell me we're not going to have another Sapphire Dragon situation on our hands."
"Compared to that one, these Wu are easier to handle." the dragon told them. "And they're less likely to turn people into statues. The Amber Wolf belongs to a set consisting of five sentient Wu with their own unique abilities. Apparently, when the five are brought together, they unleash an incredible power and can even tip the scales of good and evil."
"Leave it to Dashi to create Wu with world-ending results." the Xiaolin Dragon King remarked. "There's not much information on what exactly the Amber Wolf can do. Looks like we're going to be in for a few surprises, kids."
"Considering how most of our experiences with sentient Wu have gone in the past, I'm not really all that excited to find out what those surprises are." Clay said.
"Either way, if what Dojo says is true, we must keep the Amber Wolf out of the hands of evil." Ping-Pong spoke up.
"Most true." Omi agreed with a nod of the head. "Who knows what sort of catastrophes await us if that were to happen."
"Well, lucky for us, your resident dragon planted it right here in Brazil." Dojo grinned. "So we've got a head start on tracking it down."
"Maybe so, but we might be in for a bit of a trek." Juno said. "With it being sentient, I doubt it's just going to sit around and wait in one place for us. Clay, we're gonna need your tracking expertise on this."
"Just leave it to me." he tilted his hat.
"Wuya's no doubt already sensed the Amber Wolf and is on her way here with Jack. If what Dojo says is true about the balance of Xiaolin and Heylin, we can't afford to make a mistake."
"Yes, ma'am!" the monks replied in unison.
"Dojo, take us to where you last felt the Amber Wolf."
"Roger that!" the dragon took off with an extra burst of speed.
"Let's finish this as quickly as possible." Juno said before looking at Raimundo. "You've got something important to take care of back home."
He just nodded silently, letting out a small exhale. Kimiko leaned her back against his chest and took his hand between hers, rubbing small circles on his palm with her thumbs. She turned her head to look at him and smiled reassuringly. Raimundo returned the gesture, pressing his face against the top of her head. The combined smell of wisteria and burning embers helped to soothe him a bit.
His mind was still filled with how he was going to make things right with Isabella when he got back. He had no idea what he could do but hoped he would have that figured out by the time their mission was over.
(Later)
Dojo flew to the riparian forest, landing on the bank next to the flowing river. As the group thought, there were no traces of what looked like a wolf-like Shen Gong Wu. Thankfully, their expert cowboy tracker was quick to find a lead.
"Here we go." Clay was kneeling close to the ground, looking at the large paw indentations in the mud. "These sure look like canine tracks. And, judging by the pile of fish over there, our critter had themselves some lunch before taking off."
"That's not all it did." Juno remarked, standing and observing the area around them. "Whatever this Amber Wolf does, I can feel the leftover residues of its power. It may not be malevolent like our dear Sapphy, but I doubt it's going to let us take it without a fight. Clay, where do the tracks head?"
"Over yonder." he pointed in the direction opposite of the running water.
"You lead, we follow. Everyone, make sure to keep a sharp eye out."
The team followed the Texan down the riverbank, eventually walking into the vast trees of the forest. They saw the monkeys and birds in the branches, a few snakes, and the occasional deer, but no wolf.
"Dojo, what else can you tell us about the other sentient Shen Gong Wu?" Ping-Pong asked.
"Well, there's the Diamond Stallion, Ruby Fox, Emerald Deer, and the Lazuli Dolphin." the dragon explained from Juno's shoulder, counting off his fingers. "The Sapphire Dragon was supposed to be part of the set, but he wasn't big on teamwork."
"Yeah, that sounds like him." the redhead scoffed.
"Anyway, I never got to see them in action before they became dormant and hidden away. I do know they're all really strong on their own. Imagine what they could do if you combined their powers."
"If that's the case, I really hope we're the testers instead of some bad guy trying to kill us." Kimiko said, moving a group of large leaves out of her way.
"You and me both." Juno agreed, looking thoughtful.
She couldn't shake this nagging feeling digging at her brain. It was one thing if these sentient Shen Gong Wu could unleash some devastating power together, but the look she saw on Dashi's face earlier refused to leave her mind. There was more to them than just their strength, and, whatever it was, it could hardly be good if it made the normally chill Grand Master break out into a sweat. Whatever it could be, she and the monks would definitely have to prevent the Wu from being taken to the Heylin side.
"I think we're almost on it." Clay spoke up from where he was crouching in the dirt. "These tracks are fresher. And so are these droppings."
"Please tell me you didn't touch them to check." Kimiko said.
"Uh, no comment."
Ew!" everyone else cringed at him.
"What? When you work on a farm, you're gonna get covered in more than just mud and cactus bristles." the cowboy defended, standing upright and dusting his pants off.
"Just try not to touch anyone before you wash your hands, Clay." Juno told him as they carried on.
"Wait, mes amis (my friends)." Ping-Pong held up his hand. "Do you hear that?"
"Huh, that you mention it…" Raimundo strained his ears, picking up the sound of something coming from the trees.
"Whatever it is, it's coming our way." the Xiaolin Dragon King said, summoning her guandao. "Get ready, kids."
The team prepared themselves, facing the vast green foliage that blocked their view of the source of the noise. As it got closer, they soon realized it was the all too familiar sound of an engine. And that it was right on them at the very moment.
"Move!" Kimiko yelled over the echoing, mechanical roar.
Everyone jumped in separate directions, just in time to avoid getting hit by a large, off-road side-by-side. Looking at its design, they instantly knew who the driver was before seeing him.
"Jack Spicer!" Omi shouted.
The boy genius spun his ride into a few donuts, slinging mud everywhere. When he stopped, he pushed up his goggles and looked at the group. "Oh, hey, guys! Fancy seeing you here! Well, not really since we're all no doubt here for the same thing, but you get what I mean."
"Ugh, seriously, Jack!" Kimiko groaned, seeing the mess he made of her clothes.
"Sorry, my bad." he apologized. "If it makes you feel better, I'm sure it looked nice."
"Sweet-looking ride, dude." Raimundo spoke up.
"Yeah, built her myself, of course." Jack grinned proudly. "She's a beauty made for all terrains, the jungle, marshlands, mountains, you name it. Oh, before I forget…" he reached into his inner coat pocket and pulled out a thick, folded card. "Happy birthday, man. Put it together kinda last minute, but thought I should at least do something."
"Hey, it's cool." the Brazilian said, taking it. "Thanks a lot." he lifted the flap of the card and a small stream of confetti shot out, fanfare music playing. Inside it was a handmade coupon with a picture of the redheaded boy winking with a thumbs up, bolded letters written out in gold. "I owe you one evil-free favor." he read.
"Use that, and you have my word to fulfill anything you want." the boy genius told him. "So long as it agrees with the terms and conditions on the back."
"Huh, how about that?" Raimundo turned it around and saw the smaller, typed-out print on the back of the coupon.
"Jack!" Wuya shot out from under the side-by-side's hood. "Need I remind you that you're not here to make friends?! We have a powerful Shen Gong Wu to get our hands on!"
"Right, right, almost forgot!" Jack pulled his goggles back over his eyes. "Sorry, guys, but evil calls! No hard feelings when I snatch that Wu first, right?" he sped off before anyone could retort, the vehicle quickly disappearing into the forest.
"Oh, Jackie Boy, I hate to make you cry, but…" Juno looked at the monks. "Let's show him how we ride, kids."
"Yes, ma'am!" they replied in unison.
The redhead turned towards the sky and slashed her weapon horizontally, a large slash of white energy shooting into the air. It soon changed shape and Aura appeared in its place, scales glistening in the bright afternoon sun. The dragon flew down close enough for the team to jump onto his back, clutching tightly to his mass of fur as he flew swiftly in the direction Jack drove towards. It wasn't long before they saw the side-by-side through the tops of the trees below.
"They're catching up!" Wuya warned, seeing the giant beast getting closer.
"This should slow them down a bit." Jack pressed some of the buttons on the small panel next to the steering wheel. "Jack-Bots, time to deploy!"
Back in the air, just as the Xiaolin Warriors were about to take the lead, a barrage of red laser beams rained down on them. Juno summoned an energy shield to cover them from above, blocking the attack of over four dozen Jack-Bots. Undeterred, half of them flew down to her dragon's underbelly and aimed.
Ping-Pong reacted first and leaped, landing on one of the robots and immediately pummeling its head with rapid, blurry fists. It wasn't long before dents appeared in the metal and it started to descend. He jumped from the Jack-Bot, kicking it towards another and making them explode upon collision.
As he landed on his second mechanical enemy, repeating the process, Omi joined his relative in the fray. He rode onto a stream of water through the air, which froze into ice as it headed straight for the small group of Jack-Bots pointing their small laser beam canons at his relative.
"Shimo Staff!" he pulled out his weapon, holding it above his head as it elongated. The ends shifted into the form of sharp axe blades. Omi twirled it expertly, slicing through the Jack-Bots before they could fire.
Kimiko saw more robots coming in from the side and reached into the satchel resting across her shoulder. She leaped forward, landing on a Jack-Bot's head and using it for momentum to get higher into the air. Flames burst from the heels of her feet, keeping her airborne.
"Arrow Sparrow!" she spun in a fast circle, flinging out her bird-shaped projectiles toward the robots below her.
Some of the Jack-Bots fired their lasers while others tried to fly out of the line of fire. Both were futile attempts as the attack hit its targets, great balls of fire exploding in the sky. The Japanese girl smiled satisfactorily, crossing her arms over her chest. She almost failed to notice the robot about to shoot her from behind. However, before it could, a blade sliced easily into its chest.
Juno pulled her weapon out just as the Jack-Bot became covered in sparks of electricity, flying back in time to avoid getting caught in the small explosion. More of the mechanical enemies opened fire on her. As she flew across the sky, dodging the laser beams, the redhead sliced and cut her way through the horde with the blade and spike of her weapon.
Raimundo also took the air, flying right in front of Aura and facing the Jack-Bots ahead. He pulled out his Wudai Weapon, brandishing it confidently. "Blade of the Nebula!"
The Brazilian sliced the sword across the sky, the blade a bright glint. At first, nothing happened and the robots aimed their laser cannons at him. Then three medium-sized twisters appeared between them and the monk. They headed for the Jack-Bots, sucking them into their swirling winds. Explosions appeared in the vortexes as they were crushed by the pressure or crashed into one another.
"Clear the way, folks!" Clay called to the others as he pulled his arm back, the Big Bang Metorang clutched in his head. "Big Bang Metorang!"
Juno, Raimundo, and Kimiko flew back toward Aura. Omi grabbed Ping-Pong just as he kicked the head off a Jack-Bot, riding his ice slide to the dragon. The cowboy let his weapon fly and it split into seven, smaller boomerangs.
The remaining Jack-Bots stood no chance as they were taken out one after another. Their explosions combined with the golden light streaming from the ends of the weapons, almost giving the appearance of an extravagant fireworks show.
"Ooooh! Aaaaah!" the Xiaolin Warriors and Dojo watched in fixation. They clapped as it subsided, Clay holding up his hand and easily catching his boomerang when it reformed into one again.
"Well, so much for that little delay." Wuya rolled her eyes as the group hadn't even flattered for a second during the attack.
"No worries!" Jack told her, looking at the GPS screen on the dashboard. It showed a blinking dot closing in on a red exclamation point that wasn't too far away. "We should be right on it soon!"
"Unless you hit that tree."
"Huh?" the redheaded boy looked back up at the path. He screamed, swerving the side-by-side to avoid crashing into one of the many forest trees. Turning the steering wheel, he straightened out the vehicle. "Whew! Thanks, Wuya, what would I do without you?"
"I don't even want to image it." the floating head sighed and crossed her limbs.
The maned wolf heard them before seeing them. Ears twitching, he raised his head, stood up, and walked out of the cave he had settled down for a bit of sleep. His muzzle rose to the sky, sniffing the unfamiliar scents quickly making their way in this direction. There were many of them, about two females and five males.
Shaking himself once, the canine turned to the tall hill where the cave was formed at the bottom. He climbed up the side, moving around a stretch of trees, until finding a flat layer of rock sticking out. Standing at the edge, he looked down in time to see a black vehicle burst through the trees and brake hard in the small clearing below. Following close behind, a huge, long-bodied reptile covered in pure white scales flew in from the air.
The people on its back jumped to the ground as the driver of the side-by-side got out. The dragon went towards the redheaded woman and vanished inside her weapon. The maned wolf did not know who these people were but could tell they were no ordinary humans.
"I was here first, so that means the Wu is automatically mine!" Jack declared to the Xiaolin Warriors.
"Uh, so not true!" Kimiko retorted.
"It's gonna be ours, lady fingers!" Clay stated.
"Hey, my mom says they're great for playing instruments! That's why she signed me up for piano when I was a kid." the boy genius told them.
"Jack, focus!" Wuya yelled. "The Amber Wolf is very close, I can feel it!"
The maned wolf stared at the group for a moment longer before raising his head towards the sky. His jaws opened and a long, loud howl escaped him, echoing nearly throughout the entire forest. Everyone looked up at the side of the hill.
"There it is!" Ping-Pong exclaimed, pointing a finger at the tall canine.
"Yup, that's the Amber Wolf alright." Dojo confirmed from Juno's shoulder.
"Sweet!" Jack activated the propellers of his Heli-Bot. "Awesome power, here I come!" he took off into the air.
"Not on our watch, partner!" Clay was about to charge forward, but stopped when someone placed a hand on his shoulder. "Raimundo?"
"The wind's changing." the Brazilian told him, eyes on the still howling maned wolf. "Something's about to happen."
Once he said that grey clouds gathered together and darkened the sky above them. The gentle breeze from earlier sped up into roaring winds. Birds squawked and flew from bending trees, crashing thunder reaching their ears. Bright yellow lights flashed in the clouds.
"Jack!" Wuya called to her partner. "Come back!"
He didn't hear her, heading right for the sentient Shen Gong Wu. "Come to Jackie, doggie." he stretched his arms out.
The Amber Wolf finally stopped howling, lowering its head and looking at the redheaded boy with eyes now glowing golden orange. A lightning bolt came from the clouds, hitting Jack just before he could touch the canine. It disappeared as quickly as it appeared, leaving the young man crispy all over. The propellers of his Heli-Bot crumbled to pieces and he found himself pummeling to the ground.
Raimundo waved his arm and the wind under Jack swirled to help slow down his descent. He soon landed gently on the grassy surface. Everyone went over, the Brazilian and Texan pulling him to his feet.
"Thanks for the save." Jack coughed once as he dusted himself off. His body gave off a few twitches, small bouts of electricity sparking around him for a moment. "Ugh, I'm gonna be feeling that tomorrow for sure."
"It always amazes me how resilient you are, Jackie Boy." Juno remarked.
"Why didn't you tell me it could control the weather?!" the redheaded boy yelled at Wuya, moving his goggles from his eyes.
"There are plenty of Shen Gong Wu Dashi made after I was sealed away!" she defended. "I can't know every single one right off the bat!"
Another bolt of lightning struck the ground, dangerously close to the group. More and more followed, their rate of speed increasing every second.
"Take cover!" Juno shouted, racing for the cave on the side of the hill.
The others followed, doing their best to avoid the deadly electrostatic discharges. They had a few close calls, the bolts just inches from touching their skin. Eventually, everyone made it into the cave, a particularly large piece of lightning nearly hitting them.
"Man, that wolf Wu is insane." Raimundo looked at the lighting bolts still raining down outside, showing no sign of stopping. "Are all the sentient ones like this?"
"It is indeed puissant (powerful)." Ping-Pong remarked. "Grand Master Dashi has certainly made a most incredible Shen Gong Wu."
"Which is why we must get it before these do-gooders can snatch it." Wuya told Jack.
"Hey, I may be tough, but I've got limits." he replied. "I'm not going back out there and get extra crispy. You do it, the lightning will pass right through you."
"Oh, I would love to. Except for the little fact I can't touch it in this form!" the floating head phased through her partner's head, making him scream in discomfort.
"What should we do, Juno?" Dojo asked the redhead. "If we try to wait it out, the Umber Wolf could get away before we can get it."
"Hmm." Juno thought over their next move. "We're going to need some cover from the lightning. I can survive a hit, but I prefer to avoid the pain if I can help it."
"I've got an idea I like to try." Clay spoke up. "It might be risky, but I think it's worth a shot."
"Are you sure, Clay?"
"Yup." the cowboy turned to the cave entrance, watching the lightning storm closely. "Just gotta wait for the right moment…"
The seconds ticked by slowly, the brightness of the lightning illuminating everything in the area. Then a large bolt struck right outside the cave, the sound of the crash resonating in the group's ears. The very moment it disappeared, Clay leaped to the outside, landing in a roll and stopping flat on his back. He looked up towards the dark, thundering sky and raised his arms.
"Shoko Jupiter Earth!" he clapped his hands together and a giant slab of the earth rose and hovered above him, blocking the bolt of lightning that struck it. Cracks spread across its surface, but it held together. "How this for cover?" the Texan got to his feet and looked to the others. "It won't last long, but it should do just fine."
"You brilliant cowboy, you!" Raimundo exclaimed as they all ran to get under the stone shield.
Clay stomped his foot once and raised his hands, palms facing up. Several more slabs separated from the ground and floated into the air. With a line of protection, the group moved from their current shield, which shattered to pieces as another piece of lightning struck it. As the Master of Earth provided more, they found themselves in front of the rock the Amber Wolf watched them from.
"Silk Spitter!" Jack pointed the Shen Gong Wu at the other.
A thick string of silk shot out, sailing towards the sentient Wu. However, the canine jumped to the side and the attack hit the hillside. The redheaded boy was pulled up, making it through the lightning barrage and landing on the flat rock.
"Crystal Glasses!" Ping-Pong put on the eyewear and darted from under the stone shields. He zigged-zagged across the clearing, avoiding the lightning bolts before they even struck, and made it to the hill. Scaling up the side in the blink of an eye, he made it to block the Amber Wolf's path. "This Wu shall be ours, Jack Spicer!"
"We'll see about, mini-cheeseball!" the boy genius retorted, pointing his Silk Spitter at the canine.
Before he could fire, the Amber Wolf raised his head towards the sky and howled again. At once, the lightning storm vanished. However, it was soon replaced by an all-new problem.
"Ow!" Jack cried as a baseball-sized ice pellet nailed him in the head. "What the heck?!"
"Hailstorm!" Ping-Pong exclaimed, hopping left and right to avoid getting hit.
"Man, I would hate to be a weatherman on this day." Juno remarked.
"It's getting away!" Wuya yelled, pointing as the Amber Wolf climbed further up the hillside.
The female warrior charged from under the stone slabs, twirling her guandao above her head to deflect the raining hail. Once she was at the base of the hill, she gave one great jump into the air. She flew until she spotted the sentient Wu through the trees, landing in front of him and causing him to skid to a stop. He bared sharp fangs, positioned to attack.
"It's alright." Juno spot gently. She released her weapon, putting up her hands when it disappeared. "I understand wanting to get away, I would, too, if a bunch of strangers suddenly came after me. We're not here to hurt you, but we know what you are and what you're capable of. Unfortunately, so do other people who wouldn't blink at the thought of abusing you and your power." she took a step forward, but stopped when the canine growled warningly, haunches raised. "I know we haven't given you reason to trust us. But, if you do, I promise you we'll take you to where you don't have to worry about that." slowly, she got down on one knee and stretched her palm out to him. "What do you say?" she gave a warm smile.
The Amber Wolf stared at her with amber eyes, the hailstorm just an afterthought as the trees protected them from most of it. He didn't drop his at the ready-to-attack stance but did step towards the redhead. One paw in front of the other until his muzzle was inches from her fingers. Giving a cautious sniff, the scent of plum blossoms filled his nostrils. But others overlaid with it.
Purity, warmth, and goodness. They were similar to the one that created him.
The Amber Wolf did not know this woman who held a dragon and great strength. But his instincts reassured him she meant him no harm. If that was true…
Juno breathed a sigh of relief as she saw the tall canine's body relax ever so slightly. She reached her hand out further, watching him stay frozen in place as her fingers just barely touched the top of his muzzle.
Suddenly, the Amber Wolf's ears twitched and his head snapped to the side. In an instant, large, dark strands of hair wrapped around his neck, soon capturing his front and back legs. He struggled to escape, but the restraints only tightened. Juno jumped out of the way to dodge more locks, but these were a familiar blue.
"You just have to ruin everything, don't you?" her golden eyes narrowed on the interrupter.
"Well, this party is so much more fun than the little soiree you were at before." Shadow said, leaning one hand against a tree. She held firm to the Tangled Web Comb in her other, keeping the sentient Shen Gong Wu trapped.
"Figures spying would be one of your creepy habits." Juno summoned her Xiaolin Dragon Blade. "You have one chance to let him go."
"You're making me shake, love. But the idea of obtaining awesome power is too good to pass up." the other woman pushed herself off the tree, Blue Moon Blade forming in her hand.
"Your wake."
They pointed their weapons at one another, unbothered by the ongoing hailstorm around them. As they were about to launch a strike, bodies shifting, the Amber Wolf suddenly tossed his head back and released his loudest howl yet.
The hail came down harder and faster, their size increasing by the second The wind blew at impossible strength, uprooting a few trees and even blowing the rock slabs Clay made. Lighting crashed in the sky once more, the clouds almost pitch black as buckets of rain fell from them now.
"Bloody hell!" Shadow exclaimed, using her arms in an attempt to protect herself from the onslaught of precipitation.
"Now look what you've done!" Juno yelled, dodging a stray lightning bolt. "Look him go, Shadow!"
"It's going to take more than a little shower to do that!"
"This isn't a shower! It's an unnatural disaster that's just going to get worse!"
"Mon Dieuuuuuuu!" Ping-Pong wailed as the severe wind knocked him off his feet. He tumbled down the hillside and into the clearing, rolling by the others as they tried to stay upright.
"Hold on, mini-buddy!" Clay tossed his lasso with one hand, using the other to keep his hat in place.
He got it around the youngest monk, Raimundo helping him pull with their all might against the opposing air. Kimiko was holding onto Omi to keep him from blowing away. The cowboy stomped his foot, bringing up three tall, thick stone walls to surround them on three sides while a fourth was planted on top to cover their heads. They blocked off most of the wind.
"Tarnation! This is almost like the Big Bertha storm that came through Texas when I was knee-high to a chicken." the cowboy said as they finally got Ping-Pong back to them.
"This must be her cousin, Little Louise!" Raimundo ducked his head to avoid a bowling-ball-sized hail.
The sound of screaming reached their ears and Jack was pushed into one of the rock walls by the furious wind. "Can I take cover with you guys?" he asked, voice muffled by the hard surface.
"There's no way we can wait this out!" Kimiko yelled as Clay pulled the redheaded boy into their makeshift shelter.
"Maybe I can speed things up." Raimundo remarked. He shot out from under the rock slab and took off into the air, taking control of the harsh wind to deflect the hail raining down around him. The others on the ground watched as he disappeared among the dark clouds, worried spread across their faces.
The Brazilian gathered the wind around him into a swirling sphere. He clapped his hands together, rubbing them against one another before shooting his arms out. The wind burst out in all directions, dispersing the clouds and revealing the blue sky and bright sun again. Everyone sighed in relief at the sight.
"Nice one, Raimundo!" Juno called from below as the rain, lightning, and hail finally stopped coming down. "Now to deal with this one." she turned and raised her guandao, slashing the air and sending out spinning wheels of fire.
They burned through the hair of the Tangled Web Comb, freeing the Amber Wolf. Shadow cursed as the sentient Wu shook away the remaining bits of its restraints. Before she could launch another attack, it was already running up the hillside.
"It's mine!"
"Forget it!"
Juno and Shadow chased after the wolf, the former clashing her Blue Moon Blade against the former's Xiaolin Dragon Blade. As they were halfway up, the ground below them started to shake. Coming to a stop, they looked at the top of the large hill and saw a shift in the dirt. Rocks and uprooted trees were tumbling downward, combined with mounds of mud and dirt growing in mass as they slid down the hillside.
"Landslide!" Juno and Shadow exclaimed.
The Amber Wolf, undeterred, jumped on top of one of the falling rocks. It made quick work of leaping across the landslide and making it safely to the other side. Unable to hold back the slight curiosity, he turned around and waited to see what would become of the people. Either they would survive or be buried underneath the mud and dirt.
"You just had to mess up everything again, didn't you!" Juno shoved Shadow in the shoulder.
"Me?!"
"Your little sneak attack caused the Amber Wolf to unleash a hell storm which created that!" the redhead pointed at the landslide getting closer to them by the second.
"Maybe if you actually tried to capture it instead of treating it like a bloody stray puppy, I wouldn't have had the chance to!" the villainess shot back, stepping closer.
"Oh, sure, place the blame on someone else. So typical of wanna-be bad guys who don't know what they're doing." Juno retorted as the space between them shortened, their foreheads practically touching as they glared at one another.
"Uh, excuse me, ladies." Raimundo flew down towards them. "Maybe you can pick this conversation back up when there isn't a natural disaster about to kill everyone!"
"You little monks, maybe." Shadow said, stepping away from the female warrior. "But I've got better plans." she moved into the shadow of a nearby tree and slipped through it like water, a ripple in the black surface.
"Ugh, I hate her." Juno looked at the Brazilian. "Raimundo, you go after the Amber Wolf. I'll take care of things here."
"Roger that!"
As he flew over the landslide, the Xiaolin Dragon King faced it with her guandao held out vertically. She spun it around a few times before slamming the spike end into the ground below her. Just as the mass of mud, dirt, rocks, and trees reached her, she lifted her weapon and slashed it over her head.
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me." Shadow said to herself after emerging from a boulder's shadow higher on the hill. She watched in disbelief as the redhead lifted the entire landslide into the air, solidifying it into a wall as high as the hill's peak. "Is there anything she can't do, for crying out loud?"
Slash marks appeared in the middle of the landslide wall, forming a crude circle. The loosened part was kicked away and Juno jumped through the makeshift hole. She saw the Amber Wolf continuing its trek up the hillside, Raimundo catching up in the air and Shadow not too far behind.
The redhead took a great leap and landed in a crouch. The ground beneath her rose in a straight line and headed for the villainess. When it reached her, a large piece of stone shot out of the ground and sent her flying into the air.
Juno waved one arm in her direction, and a long vine broke through the dirt. It wrapped around Shadow's ankle, pulling and sending her crashing into the hillside. The vine snaked around her entire leg, ensnaring her tightly. The blue-haired woman was about to slice it with her sword, but a leftover ball of hail hit her hand, knocking it out of her grasp.
"You try your little shadow escape again, and I'll pull you back like a fish." the female warrior told her.
A bright glint suddenly appeared in the corner of her eye. Juno turned her head ever so slightly, immediately leaning her upper body back as far as it could go. From her upside perspective, she saw the trail of smoke coming from the small hole that appeared in the ground. Righting herself up, she looked in the direction it came from and saw another glint in the far distance.
The redhead jumped back, the bullet going into the spot where she was just standing. More came in rapid session and she moved every which way to doge, using the blade of her guandao to deflect most of them. During this, the vine went slack around Shadow's leg.
The villainess couldn't help but look in surprise as the female warrior avoided being hit by bullets that came right after another. She didn't know who was attacking, or why, but she wasn't going to question the chance given to her. Getting back on her feet, she leaped into the shadow of a nearby boulder.
Up ahead, the Amber Wolf made it to the top of the hill, gaining a perfect view of the vast forest around them. Looking back, he saw the Brazilian and villainess quickly making their way towards him. His eyes glowed again, releasing a fierce howl into the air.
The wind gathered in front of and formed into a large cyclone. The swirling vortex pulled nearby debris as it headed for the two.
"Sorry, wolfie, but when it comes to wind, there's no one better than me." Raimundo took control of the cyclone and it quickly blew apart. He soon landed on the flat surface of the hill.
As he faced the Amber Wolf, he crouched into a defensive position, ears pinned to his head as his fur stood on ends. His fangs showed themselves in a warning snarl.
"Easy, easy." Raimundo held up his hand, taking a step forward but stopping when the sentient Wu growled loudly. "No one's gonna hurt, ya, buddy. Well, the blue-haired lady will, but not us. We're the good guys."
The Amber Wolf didn't drop his stance and backed away, paws touching the hill's edge. There was nothing but a steep drop, and one more step would have him pummeling towards the treetops below. His eyes glowed golden orange, preparing for another attack.
Suddenly, the Brazilian's shadow rippled and Shadow jumped out in front of him. Before he could move, she had the blade of her retrieved sword pointed at his throat.
"What is it with you and you Xiaolin goodie-goodies trying the boring, soft approach? When you can do it the fun way."
"You stay away from him, Shadow." Raimundo warned, eyes narrowed.
"Or what? You'll sic your master on me?" she mocked.
"Trust me, she's not the one to worry about."
With just a twitch of his finger, a strong breeze kicked up and blew Shadow's hair into her face. Distracted by her lack of vision, Raimundo crouched low and swept his leg across hers. Once she hit the ground, he straightened up and slammed his heel down on her stomach. She gave a breathless gasp, coughing harshly. As he repeated the move, she slipped into the shadows beneath her and he only hit the dirt.
The villainess reappeared behind him just as he turned around, blocking her kick with his crossed arms. The blade of her sword slashed at his stomach and he jumped back. One strand of her hair ensnared his ankle and pulled, knocking him to the ground. Before the tip of her weapon could lodge itself into his throat, he summoned a strong wind to blow her back a few feet. Once he got back up, he launched himself at her.
As they distracted one another, the Amber Wolf attempted to retreat down the way he came. However, during their tussle, Raimundo and Shadow slammed themselves into the sentient Shen Gong Wu. The three of them now found themselves falling down the side of the hill.
Before they could go splat against the ground below, the Brazilian used the wind to slow down their descent. They only ended up landing unceremoniously in a heap. The Amber Wolf was the first to recover, quickly darting into the forest and disappearing among the trees.
Shadow tried to go after him, but something grabbed her foot and held her in place. She looked back at the monk. "Get off, you bloody idiot!" her free leg kicked at him a few times. "It's getting away!"
"I know." Raimundo grabbed her ankle before she could hit him in the face. "But we've got a Shen Gong Wu sensing dragon, and you don't."
The villainess growled at the smirk he gave her. He was definitely going to be the first one to die by her hands.
"Raimundo!"
"Kimiko!" the Brazilian turned to see the female monk just arriving from around the hill.
"Are you alright?
"Oh, yeah, everything is under-Ack!" a heel slammed into his back, causing him to release his hold on the blue-haired woman.
Just as Shadow got to her feet, Kimiko launched fireballs at her. She jumped and flipped out of the way, the attacks hitting the ground instead. However, a stray piece of flame landed on a nearby branch. Upon seeing it, the villainess smirked at the idea forming in her head. Grabbing it, she turned to the monks and locked eyes with Raimundo.
"I almost forgot to tell you something. Happy birthday." she disappeared into the shadow of a tree.
Raimundo and Kimiko looked at one another, already getting a bad feeling. It quickly proved correct as they soon saw black smoke not that far off rise into the sky.
(Meanwhile)
"This is getting ridiculous." Juno said to herself from behind the stone wall she created.
The mystery shooter had not let up for a moment, barely giving her room to breathe as shot after shot was fired. As much as she hated being on the defensive, the redhead didn't want to waste precious time recovering from a bullet through the skull. A quick glance showed her that the monks and Jack were safe, Kimiko had gone around the hill earlier to help Raimundo when she saw him fall along with Shadow and the Amber Wolf.
Not one shot was made at her kids, meaning she was their primary target. Whoever this person was, she didn't intend to continue acting like a trapped animal for them.
During an interval between shoots, Juno peaked from behind the stone wall. There was another tall hill a few miles from where they stood, the same glint as before blinking from its top. There was quite a distance between them, but it shouldn't be too hard to execute the plan she had.
The redhead looked towards the remaining monks and Jack and stuck two fingers in her mouth, letting out a shrill whistle. When she got their attention, she nodded towards Clay and made gestures with her hand. Once she was done, he gave a nod of understanding and prepared himself.
Clutching the pole of her guandao tightly, Juno stepped out from behind the stone wall. She saw the glint for a moment before it was replaced by a bullet aimed right at her heart. The Xiaolin Dragon Blade deflected it, but a second one was already closing in.
Then, from below, Clay slammed his fists down on the hillside. When the deadly projectile was halfway to the female warrior, a large stone shot up between them.
"Damn." Xiang cursed from his set up on the hill, lying down on his stomach. Through the scope of his rifle, he saw his bullet shatter the stone that made him miss his target, a cloud of dust leaving him blind.
His finger barely squeezed the trigger, preparing to fire once he had a clear shot. Eventually, the dust dispersed and he saw the Xiaolin Dragon King had not moved from where she stood. Her guandao was held up, causing his eyes to widen when he realized it was pointed at his exact position.
Before he could fire, the scope was filled with bright, white light.
Juno planted her feet firmly on the ground as the blast of energy shot from her weapon. The end formed into the giant head of a roaring dragon and, in the blink of an eye, collided at where she aimed it at the other hill. She soon called off the attack, staring at what now had an enormous chuck of it missing. After a few moments, she lowered her weapon when no more bullets were being fired.
"Master Juno!" Omi and the others came over. "That was most incredible!"
"You sure showed that assassin." Dojo remarked.
"I have Clay to thank for the cover." the redhead smiled at the cowboy.
"Ah, it was nothin'." Clay tipped his hat. "But you think that hombre was workin' with Shadow?"
"I'm not sure." she answered honestly. "It's clear they were singling me out, though."
"Since you are the strongest Xiaolin Warrior, it is understandable you are the one to worry about the most." Ping-Pong stated.
"Well, obviously." Juno gave an expression of smug satisfaction. When she looked back at the destroyed hill, though, she couldn't help but wonder about the mystery sniper. If Shadow had found a new partner, she didn't take time to gloat about it when they were shooting at her. If they weren't helping the villainess, then what were they after? After her retaliation, she hoped this would be their last encounter.
"It doesn't surprise me you have a list of people who want to kill you." Wuya remarked. "Myself being at the top of the list."
"You obviously weren't trying hard enough if Hannibal Bean beat you to it centuries ago." the redhead retorted.
"Hey, uh, guys." Jack cut in before the floating head could snap back. "I think we got another situation." he pointed at the sky, which was now filled with dark clouds.
Upon further inspection, though, everyone realized they were actually a mass of pitch-black smoke, which was growing larger by the second.
To be continued...
Things are getting heated up, aren't there? There will be one more chapter to do with this part and then we will move on to another adventure. Please share your thoughts in the comments. I would like to give my thanks Hina714 for helping me come up with the idea for this section of the Third Arc. I will be seeing you all for the next chapter. Until then, take care!