Chapter 2:

Confusion and Dissension

"What?!" Raimundo choked out. Temple monks from all around the temple glared at Raimundo, each of their gazes laced with venom directed at the confused dragon of the wind.

"What in tarnation?!" Clay said, hearing the injured temple monks words, yet unsure if he could believe them. Beside him, Kimiko looked at Raimundo, disbelieving and confused.

"Rai?" She said.

Still confused by the accusation, Raimundo looked at his shocked friends, taking a step back once he noticed all of the glaring temple monks surrounding him.

"No – that's not what happened-

An angered temple monk interrupted him. "Apprehend him!"

Other temple monks flooded the courtyard, scooping Raimundo in their rough grasps and ignoring the boy's frustrated grunts and struggles.

"Let me go! I'm telling you; It wasn't me! Chase Young attacked the temple!" Seeing Raimundo being hauled away, Kimiko was about to rush after him, but stopped when a thick hand clasped her shoulder. Turning around, she caught sight of Clay, who nodded in the direction of the courtyard.

There, she saw Master Fung gently holding one of the severely injured temple monks. The monks rushed to help check on the other temple monks, but stopped when Master Fung held up a hand, his aged blue orbs half way hidden under drooping eyelids as a somber look weighed on his features.

"There is no need, Young monks." He said. "The others have fallen."

Master Fung squeezed his eyes shut before standing and helping the monk onto a gurney, and watching as his injured brother in order was whisked off into the night towards the temple infirmary. His eyes caught a momentary glimpse of Raimundo, who was being dragged to the temple cells by a group of temple monks.

Dojo's ears wilted as he observed the destruction in the area.

"I haven't seen this much carnage on the temple grounds since Wuya attacked 1500 years ago." Master Fung turned to look at the young monks, who were looking at the destruction that lay bare before them on the temple grounds. Kimko and Clay were disbelieving, their eyes weighed with doubt and confliction, but little Omi was standing far beside them, his small yellow fists balled as a small tear fell from cloudy black eyes that were widened at the damage before him. The damage that was caused by someone who was his friend.

Omi looked at the temple monks that lay still, unmoving, in the crumbling rubble of destroyed Pagodas, the ripped up chunks of desecrated ground, the utter chaotic scene that confronted him in a stark contrast to the once serene and peaceful scenery that he was usually accustomed to seeing in the area. His fists clenched and unclenched as he bowed his head to allow a few more tears to flow.

Seeing Omi's bowed head, slumped shoulders, and glazed eyes, Master Fung knelt down in front of the monk and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I hasten to warn you, as I have before, young monk, that things are not always as they seem." He said. Then, he stood, about to go inside when he noticed Omi looking at something. Following Omi's line of sight, a gleam of blue greeted Master Fung's eyes, and he caught sight of a stained Blade of The Nebula that lay beside one of the unmoving temple monks.

"That's Rai's Blade Of The Nebula." Kimiko said. Then she blanched.

"But there's no way..." She trailed. Master Fung frowned, his gaze lingering on the weapon before he began to head for the temple, hoping that the monks would heed his advice.

Later, over the desolate grounds of the temple courtyard, chunks of ripped up soil and torn apart pagodas speckled the ground. Pieces of what were once the proud gleaming pagodas of the Xiaolin temple were strewn across the grass, lying lifelessly on the ground like the temple monks whose bodies were removed just moments prior.

Sullenly attempting to repair the damage done and return the temple pagodas to their once proud and composed stature, Clay, Kimiko, and Omi had taken to fixing up a destroyed pagoda with the lotus twister, mikado arm, and silk spitter.

Squeezing his eyes shut and trying his best not to let his mind wander back to what had happened hours prior, Omi turned his back to his friends and slowly worked on finishing repairing his area of the pagoda wall. All of the monks were having trouble processing what happened; what they'd seen and what they'd heard, but Omi had made sure to appear as composed as he could. Even with his best efforts though, his confusion and sadness were made clear through his slumped shoulders, averted gaze, and occasional glances at the expanse of the mangled courtyard. Clay and Kimiko had maintained a silence of confusion and unease, until Clay lowered his hat above his eyes and threw a look over the damage.

There was no way that Raimundo could have done all of this – this destruction.

"I can't believe this." The cowboy said. "I mean," he sighed. "This is crazier than my aunt Shelly's goat."

Lowering herself from the roof, where she'd been repairing a few tiles with the lotus twister, Kimiko pointedly kept her gaze away from the others.

"Rai didn't do this." She said. "He said something about Chase Young. Maybe he was the one who did this."

Frowning, Clay shot a part of the crumbling wall with gluey silk spitter web.

"It certainly would fit a low down snake like him."

"What do you think, Omi?" Kimiko said, hoping to get a response from the unusually silent Xiaolin monk. Right now she was seething with anger at a certain Heylin warrior, but Omi was being unusually quiet. Given the circumstances, she could understand that, but it still didn't stop her from worrying.

Omi didn't respond though, as he was lost in thought.

Inhaling sharply, images from what happened earlier flooded his mind with the ferocity of rushing waves, with each flash growing more vivid than the next; the mentors and guides that had raised him and brought him up through the Xiaolin temple life, lifelessly strewn across the ground; the destroyed parts of his home that flecked the courtyard; a blue blade, stained with the blood of his teachers –

"Omi? Are you alright?"

With his thoughts interrupted, Omi blinked back the images and looked up at Kimiko.

"Oh..." looking clearly at unease, Omi lowered his eyes.

"I suppose I am...alright, Kimiko." Now Clay was eying him with worry too.

Noticing the worry in his friends demeanors, Omi exhaled.

"I...I wish to speak with Raimundo."

Clay scratched his head.

"I dunno 'bout that, partner." Clay said. "The temple monks are mighty riled up about this, and they might not take too kindly to us talkin' to Rai so soon after..." Clay looked uncomfortably at the destroyed courtyard. "...this."

"But I think the temple monks are meeting with Master Fung right now." Kimiko said. "If any time's a good time to talk to Rai, it's now." Then, Kimiko's eyes grew determined.

"I'm with Omi on this one."

"Well then," Clay said. "I reckon now's as good a time as any to figure exactly what went on up here."

As they trudged through the dark hallways of an underground tunnel, Clay, Kimiko, and Omi slowly took in their surroundings as Dojo shivered on Clay's neck. Eying the damp floors, the cracked stone walls, and the leaky pipes as he ambled beside Clay and Kimiko, Omi frowned. Though he was trudging through an uncharted area of the temple, he felt more like he was in a cave. The sound of water dripping echoed in his ears as a cold yet stuffy feeling made its way through the thick atmosphere.

"I did not realize that the temple had...dungeons." Omi spoke quietly. Kimiko looked at the young Dragon of the water worriedly.

"I've been living here for 1500 years, and even I barely remember this place." Clay and Kimiko shot him matching glares, and he sweated before hastily adding, "-but I'm pretty sure this is where Raimundo is."

"Guys? Is that you?" Raimundo's voice echoed out. Clay, Kimiko, and Omi exchanged a look before they rushed for where the voice echoed from.

Skidding to a stop in front of a cell, Clay, Kimiko, and Omi each saw Raimundo looking at them through rusty metal bars with wide, worried yet hopeful eyes; his
hands donning shackles that resembled the sphere of Yun.

"You guys know I didn't do this." He said, his voice sounding a little hoarse as he gripped the bars between him and his friends. "I wouldn't attack the temple – I didn't!"

"Woah there partner," Clay said. "We're on your side on this." Kimiko stepped forwards.

"We know you'd never do something like this." She said. Omi remained silent beside Clay. Raimundo aimed his gaze at the ground.

"At least you guys trust me." He said.

"Of course we do, Raimundo." Omi said, finally breaking his silence and looking up at the older monk. "You are our friend, and we know you are not capable of this."

"Still," Dojo spoke up from his position on Clay's shoulder, still shivering slightly. " It'd be nice to know what exactly happened out there. Half the temple is destroyed and every temple monk out there except for Master Fung wants your head on a shiny stake."

"Not to mention half the temple looks like my uncle Buford's barnyard after a twister, and the temple monks-

"Are they okay?" Raimundo interrupted, eyes wide. "I thought Chase..."

Stepping forwards, Omi looked up at Raimundo with somber eyes.

"Master Tai was the only survivor."

Raimundo's eyes squeezed shut, his head lowering and hands clenching his cell bars more tightly before he sobered and plopped down on a concrete slab in his cell.

"I sensed something with my tiger instincts, and then I saw something in the hallway, so I got up to check it out..." Raimundo looked at Clay Kimiko, and Omi.

"Then Chase Young showed up out of nowhere and started to attack the temple monks." Omi's eyes lowered at this, and Clay and Kimiko each frowned.

"I tried to stop him," Raimundo said before sighing heavily. "But I got my butt handed to me. He took my blade of the nebula and... "

Clay and Kimiko shared a sympathetic look, and Omi's eyes lowered to the ground.

"He shot a weird blast at me, and next thing I know, I'm in my Shoku robes and you guys show up."

"That's when one of the temple monks Chase attacked accused me, and..." shooting a glance at his cell, Raimundo frowned. "You guys know the rest."

Omi nodded. "Indeed we do, Raimundo."

"We must tell the temple monks what really happened so that we can muck this down."

Clay scratched his chin.

"Reckon you mean, 'clear this up', Omi." He corrected.

Looking at Clay and Omi, Kimiko frowned.

"Why would Chase Young attack the temple this time? He's never been that interested in Wu," Kimiko said, rubbing her chin as Dojo slithered under Clay's hat for warmth. "Come to think of it, the last time he showed up and caused this much trouble was to bring Omi to the dark side."

Raimundo frowned at the memory, and Omi's seriousness faltered.

"And why would one of the temple monks say that Rai was the one who attacked 'em?" Clay wondered aloud.

"Your guesses are as good as mine." Raimundo said.

"But the sooner you guys tell Master Fung and the temple monks what happened, the sooner we can figure this out and kick Chase Young's slimy hide."

"Agreed." Omi said, nodding.

"You guys have to be careful though." Raimundo said. "While I'm in here, Chase Young could be planning something big, so you guys better stay on your toes."

"I believe I technically already am 'on my toes', Raimundo." Omi said, rubbing his chin and sparing a glance at his feet.

"I'll have Dojo check the vault for missing Wu just in case." Kimiko said. "And we'll make sure the temple monks know what really happened so we can get you out of here ASAP."

"And wrangle us on up a dirty snake." Clay added. Raimundo nodded, and Clay, Kimiko, and Omi began to exit the temple dungeons.

As Omi trudged beside Clay and Kimiko, he spared a glance back at Raimundo's cell before looking up at Clay and Kimiko.

"I am not sure how comfortable I am with leaving Raimundo alone here. He is innocent and should be freed immediately."

"I know how you feel, Omi." Kimiko said, sparing a look back at Raimundo's cell herself. Clay tipped his hat.

"That makes the three of us." The cowboy said. Dojo slithered from under Clay's hat.

"Hey, I don't like this either. But we have to make sure we go through the right channels on this one. The temple monks probably think Rai's guilty, and if we bust him out now, it'll only make things worse."

As the three monks trudged back through the dark tunnels of the newly discovered temple dungeons and ascended the staircase to the surface of the temple training grounds, far away, in a dark and deserted jungle, a viny tendril lowered the mind reader conch from beside the bloodshot eyes of Hannibal Roy Bean, and slowly, a smirk formed on the Heylin's face.

In the grand hall of the Xiaolin temple, a mass of figures dressed in plain black and white robes were assembled in rows, their eyes stern and downcast, and their posture upright and disciplined. Each face was unique, but as Master Fung's hardened blue eyes assessed them, he could see that they all shared the same expressions: Heartbreak, betrayal, and anger.

Anger was the most prevalent look on their features as they all looked to Master Fung, and waited for him to speak.

"My fellow monks of the Xiaolin temple," Master Fung began, breaking the tense silence and eying his brothers in order. "Today, we have experienced one of the most harrowing attacks that ever occurred on temple soil."

"I fear that this attack is only the beginning of a greater evil that threatens to destroy all that is good." Master Fung's face took on a more serious look, brows creasing and eyes hardening.

"Chase Young must be stopped–

"Chase Young?" One of the temple monks interrupted, an angry frown plastered on his face. "Master Tai suggested that it was the wind warrior who attacked the temple."

Master Fung frowned at the objecting Temple monk.

"I am confident that it was not Raimundo who attacked our brethren."

"I understand that he is one of your valued students, but his Wudai weapon was found at the scene." The same temple monk said. Then, the monks eyes took on a more serious note, his lips curving into a frown as his stern eyes hardened.

"And this would not be the first time that Raimundo has betrayed the way of the Xiaolin."

Master Fung frowned again, this time more deeply.

"The greed and foolishness that Raimundo had when he joined Wuya no longer defines him." Master Fung said. "That is what motivated him to the side of Wuya. True evil never has and never will exist in his heart."

"It does exist in Chase Young's." As Master Fung looked at the monks to see the effects his words had, he was met with the same demeanors that the temple monks had before he'd spoken. Their usually calm and collected demeanors were still radiating anger and feelings of betrayal. Their lips were curved in tight frowns, their brows knit, and their eyes narrowed as their minds recalled the images of what they'd observed that were forever etched in their memories. Recognizing their unwavering distrust, Master Fung decided to visit Raimundo as immediately as possible.

"Chase Young will stop at nothing to achieve his goal of plunging the world into darkness." Master Fung continued.

"Whatever his plan is to do so this time," He said,

"We must be ready."

A/N: Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed! Meant to get this out sooner, but I went on summer break with the folks and ended up watching a lot of this anime called Attack on Titan (which is amazing - I mean awesome amazing - but a little gory), and the latest Legend Of Korra episodes (which were also awesome amazing). Updates will probably be more frequent from here on out though, so please stay tuned and of course, review! This story's just getting started :)