Shang sank further into the deep lake waters, breath escaping his lungs as water surrounded him. You looked out at the lake, eyes focused on the soft ripples as the ground shook from the doors in the mountain opening to release a soul eating monster. More creatures flew towards you through the cracks in the wall, all of you standing together to fight until the end.
"Aim at the sky, to win or die!" Guang Bo announced his orders. The archers took the front lines, pulling back their bows and preparing to shoot.
"Come on, Katy" you whispered to yourself, having faith that your friend could do this.
"Deep breath." Guang Bo tells her. Katy took in the fresh air of Ta Lo, focusing on her target.
"Shang-Chi, you have nothing to fear. You have the heart of our dragon. I will always be a part of you. And your dad will too. Take everything we've given you and make it your own." Shang had a memory of his mother, her last words to him before he watched her die from his fathers past mistakes. "I'm so proud of you. Our family needs you. Go." Her voice echoed through his head.
Shang's eyes shot wide open, looking down to see the dark cave under the lake that he was sinking towards. Bubbles surrounded him in a whirl, a dragon swimming up to meet him in the clear lakes.
You watched intensely as the water ahead started to shake more violently. You looked to Nan with worry that Wenwu was succeeding in breaking the wall when suddenly a large dragon burst through the surface of the water, eating the small creatures that were out for your souls. Everyone watched in awe at the sight before them, that's when you noticed who was with the dragon.
"Shang?" You whispered, heart full knowing he was still alive.
"Draw." Guang Bo ordered again loudly. The archers followed his orders, ready to fight as they pulled back their weapons. "Fire!"
The arrows shot at the creatures, killing them midair. Those with shields pushed to the front, guarding everyone behind them. You felt a presence behind you, turning to face a soul eater with wide eyes. A dagger shot through it, coming close to your face as the creature disappeared and gave you a view of Xialing, pulling her dagger back to herself with a nod to you. You nodded back before turning with your staff at the ready, fighting side by side with Katy and Xialing to stab and kill the soul eaters before they could do any harm to you or your friends.
"You have to stop your father!" Nan shouted to her nephew when the dragon he was on and gotten close enough to the land you had been battling on. He turned to the real fight where his father was still trying to open the gate.
Shang stood to his feet, running as the dragon got closer to the mountain ledge and jumping to slide down the wall. Landing to the ground between the wall and his father Shang kicked Wenwu back before he had the chance to deliver another punch to the wall.
"She's not back there, Dad." Shang walked forward, putting more space between his father and the wall as he tried to talk him down and reason with him.
"Get out of my way, boy." His father spoke sternly.
"No." Shang used his new training to stand against his father, moving to take a fighting stance. His father threw the rings at him, Shang dodging the first ring then taking a punch to the gut from his father right after. He ducked under Wenwu's arm and pulled his dads arms until he had turned the other way, punching his son with ease.
You watched in fear as a soul eater flew towards Katy. Rushing towards her, you tackled her to the ground harshly, hearing her groan from beneath you as she pushed you off of her.
"Ow!" Katy slapped your arm.
"You're welcome!" You snapped back. She gave you a grateful smile as you both stood to your feet, helping each other up and getting back to work.
Xialing had been busy, shooting her dagger towards the dragons head, killing the soul eaters that attacked its eyes and irritated it.
Wenwu moved forward darkly, shooting the rings at his son. Shang blocked each close hit and used the ability's his mother and Aunt had taught him to push back his father. Wenwu used the rings to land safely on the cliff, looking up to his son with hatred and anger.
He sent fives of the ten rings hurdling towards his own son, Shang moving around them with ease and precision. He started to use the movements he remembered his mother walking him through, using these motions to move the rings around himself and change the blue glow into a soft orange glow.
Wenwu watched in confusion as his son spun the rings around himself, moving them at his own will now. He swung the rings he had kept at his son, Shang using his rings to block every attack. The rings eventually tangled together, both men pulling on their end strongly. The pair moved in sync, Shang pushing his father back before they both started to throw the rings at each other. Shang flipped over, kicking down at his dad who managed to block the blow of the rings with his own rings, sending both of them flying backwards at the clash.
A punch was delivered to the ground, rings pulling up from underneath Shang and knocking him into the air to meet his father who had jumped up, taking the rings back and punching Shang back down into the wall. Both men stood to their feet, Shang collecting all of the rings to spin around him as he stood against his father. Shang dropped them all to the ground with a clatter, refusing to fight his father on uneven terms.
"I have to save her. She's calling to me." Wenwu tells Shang once again, trying to get him to help free the Dweller of Darkness.
"I wish that were true. Dad, please. Your family needs you." Shang tried one last time to talk him down.
"Let me out!" Wenwu heard his wife call out to him once again, looking to the wall where he though she was being kept. The wall behind them growing dark as voices echoed through the door. A large dragon crashed through the wall, breaking out of where it had been locked away.
"Katy, you're seeing that too? Or is my head still broken?" You asked your friend as you stood side by side in fear at the sight of what was coming towards you.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm seeing that too" she replied with her mouth open in shock, nodding slightly.
"Shit." Shang spoke out as the beast flew down towards him and his father rapidly. His father got the rings back, using them to launch himself at Shang and tackle him out of the way. Wenwu had been grabbed by the Dwellers tentacle, Shang watching with sadness as the life was drained from his father right in front of him.
Wenwu used the last of his energy to transfer the rings from his arms onto his sons, knowing and trusting him to do the right thing like his mother. He dropped to the ground, having lost all life inside of him while Shang raced to his side, hoping it weren't true. He looked up at the monster who had taken his father from him, pulling back the rings to attack when his sister flew in on the back of the dragon that was helping you all.
"It's headed for the village!" Shang warned his sister urgently. He thought quickly, punching the rings into the rocks above the cave to close in the hole and prevent anything else from escaping. Running side by side with his sister and the dragon, jumping off and landing beside her. Xialing looked back, noticing their dad was nowhere to be seen and seeing his limp body on the mountain. Shang gave her a sad look, but she put on a strong face and nodded in understanding, determined to fix their fathers mistakes.
The dragon swam along the top of the water, making a beeline towards the battle in the village where you and Katy fought back relentlessly. A bright glow came from the water as it started to lift under the dragon. The Dweller of Darkness was closing in quickly, you and Katy turning your backs in fear of what was coming. When nothing happened the pair of you turned back to see water splash up, pushing the Dweller away from the village with the dragon circling it.
"Woo hoo! Go Shang! Go Xialing!" Katy called out proudly, pumping her fist in the air. "Wait what's happening?" She turned to you with worry and confusion as you watched the soul eaters deliver souls to the Dweller of Darkness.
"Nothing good" you replied, watching as the Dweller became more powerful and fought back against Xialing and Shang. "No!" You panicked, Shang and Xialing falling off the dragon. You held your breath when you saw Shang grab onto the dragon with the rings his father once wore to kill and destroy and Xialing held on with her rope and dagger.
"If it gets our dragon's soul, it will be unstoppable!" Guang Bo warned Katy. She nodded in understanding at his order. "Aim for the throat!" All of the archers prepared to shoot, but before they had been given the order Guang Bo was swooped up by a souls eater, soul being taken to feed the Dweller. Your best friend gasped in horror at what she had just witnessed. The Dweller of Darkness had started to attack and kill the good dragon, it's tentacle grabbing Xialing and pulling her away. Shang reached out, grabbing his sisters hand in his own and holding on for the both of them.
"You have to let me go." Xialing nods to him, speaking their native language as she promised that she would not be mad at him for choosing the right thing to do to save everyone. "Let go!" She shouted when he made no movement to release her.
"I'm not leaving you again." He promised her, looking into her eyes with sincerity.
"Come on, Katy" you urged with stress pressing at your voice within your throat. She pulled back her arrow, the Dweller about to steal the dragons soul when she took the shot.
"Holy shit." Katy gasped with a cheerful laugh.
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Question of the day: did you like Katy?