The votes are in! This is now a Tigress/Po Story! But the actual romance part will have to wait a while... Got a really good idea for that as a one-shot, but first on with the story.

Now things get interesting... Oh, before you go on, this chapter is going to be violent... As in plenty of blood. Also, Tai may seem a little AU, but I promise to get him back into his usual, self-assured cocky self quite soon. But first, some questions will be answered.

Like; how did Po get his powers?

And also, what are these strange weapons the Fox Empire are using? Where did they get them from?

For some extra back story to Po's history, I suggest you read Twilightgirl's "That Moonlit Night". She's a great writer, great friend, and has captured Ghost's persona better than I could! Little Loki is pretty cute as well!

XD

Eternal thanks go to Luna Goldsun, for beta-reading this chapter and for guiding me down a better path for this fic!

Read on... More answers next chapter...

STAR STAR STAR STAR

Po watched as Tai Lung's chest rose and fell with the simple effort of breathing. The restraints were nearly killing him as they stretched his body, leaving him no slack to relax with. It was a wonder how he had survived the Wuxi Finger Hold in the first place. By all rights, he should be dead. But Po had to admit he was relieved when he learned the snow leopard's fate. He had killed in the past, and enjoyed it far too much. Since he had been "rescued", he swore never to kill again. Perhaps he was lucky enough not to have preformed it properly, or maybe Tai Lung had more stamina than he had originally thought.

He took out a small bundle of wood shavings and a pair of logs, setting up a small cooking circle. Using the torch to light the fire, he embedded the burning wood in the ground behind him, sitting down to poke at the kindling and coals.

----

The first thing Tai Lung noticed was the light. Harsh and bright, it stabbed at his eyes like little needles, making him squint and recoil after being chained to the darkness for the past several weeks.

The second was the faint scent of wood smoke, as if someone were cooking. A heady yet nostalgic aroma, bringing to mind images of earlier times, untroubled by the prospect of being the Dragon Warrior, or simply being any warrior at all, drifted through his mind like incense smoke. For a moment, he forgot the third thing...

Which was the heavy rock attached to his throat. If his feet were free, he would have dropped to his knees in an effort to remove some of the pressure on the back of his neck. He only had to be thankful for the fact that it wasn't attached to the back of his neck or he'd have a lot more to worry about.

Po lifted the lid off the small pot he retrieved from the Jade Palace's kitchen, wafting some of the steam towards his face, making an appreciative noise in the back of his throat. A few stray wisps danced around Tai Lung's nostrils, making his stomach twist and groan. Unable to control himself, he let out a small whimper, almost a kitten-like mewl, as he relished the highly palatable scent. Po glanced up, a small smile on his face before taking out a ladle and a bowl from his bag.

"Here. I don't suppose they feed you too well down here." He poured out a generous helping of his famous Noodle Soup, adding in a few choice vegetables after eyeing Tai Lung's partially malnourished form.

The snow leopard had definitely seen better days. His normally bright eyes were dulled, his whiskers were drooped and his fur lost the lustre he had somehow managed to maintain even when in Chor-Gom. His ribs were slightly noticeable, almost alarmingly so, and his tail looked more like a matted, wet hemp rope than anything else. Although, that last one was possibly down to the leopard's bite than lack of food and sunlight. Swallowing hard, Tai Lung struggled to place voice to face, the figure only illuminated from behind by one of the Guard's torches. Finally, it clicked and he reared back as much as he could in his bonds, attempting to act respectful.

"Dragon Warrior." Po stood up, Tai's eyes getting used to the light and were now making out the dual colours on the warrior's fur. However, he instead focused on the bowl held out in front of him, steam curling in the air and a smell straight from heaven assaulted his nose. Was this a new tactic to keep him under control? Torture him with such delicious food while... He glanced down at his bonds, flexing his fist a little, causing the metal chains to clink against one another.

Po followed the leopard's gaze, staring at the restraints placed on the leopard's body and cocked an eyebrow. Closing his eyes, his brow furrowed in thought, a guilty expression on his face as he knew he was partly responsible for the feline's fate.

"Honestly, how do they expect you to eat with all this on?" He placed his palm out in front of him and inhaled deeply. With a sudden exhale, the stone on his bonds slid back, the steel retreated and the boulder down below lifted up to embed itself in the cell's floor. The screws loosened and dropped to the ground, tinkling in the darkness as Tai Lung pulled out his arms, legs and tail, sinking gratefully to his knees. Po hunched down, waving the bowl under his nose, chuckling as it was snatched out of his hands. Before the famished feline could scald himself on the piping hot food, Po handed him some chopsticks and a spoon, settling down to wait.

Once he was satisfied, inhaling three more helpings, Tai managed to focus on his apparent freedom. Swaying slightly, he picked up one of the accursed shackles from where it dangled against the wall, noticing that the stone had been removed and the steel twisted. However the Dragon Warrior hadn't even touched him. He didn't even have the key. Licking the last few dribbles of soup from his whiskers, he stepped towards the Panda...

Po tensed slightly; already ready for the swing he was certain to come. He felt as if he deserved it after using the accursed Wuxi Finger Hold... However he nearly dropped to the floor in shock when the leopard placed one clenched fist against an open palm in the usual greeting to a Master. Clearing his throat, he now realised why Ghost hated his titles so much. It was slightly embarrassing.

"That’s enough, Tai Lung... I'm nobody's master." Tai Lung only bowed deeper before settling down, kneeling on the ground. Po rolled his eyes in the darkness, before placing his paws on his hips.

"Okay, you treat me as a Master, now act like it. I order you to be comfortable..."

Tai stayed in his position for a few seconds before sighing in relief, preferring to sit cross-legged instead. For the first time he met the panda's eyes, his own golden eyes dulled to an unpolished bronze. Even the fire from the torch seemed eerily subdued in his pale yellow eyes. Clearing his throat, he winced as his neck complained of such hot food being poured down it after so long.

"Master... Panda." Po shook his head. First he was trying to kill him, now he was acting like he was his mentor... Could his life get any weirder?

Grunting to himself, he realised that it probably could.

"It’s Po, Tai Lung. Just Po. Now, let’s talk..." Tai stared up at him, an anxious look in his eyes. Po smiled gently, trying to reassure the feline.

"Nothing drastic. Just..." he paused, wondering what to say.

"Just about... Stuff. Like... Stuff," he said weakly. Shaking his head, he leaned against a wall, brow knitted in thought, trying to think of a comforting topic to ease the Leopard's mind.

"So, what was Master Shifu like way back then?" He watched Tai Lung, a wide smile on his face. As Tai Lung cocked an eyebrow, his smile slowly drooped until he cringed a little, wondering why he had to pick such a delicate subject. Of course that would hit a nerve...

"Okay, enough small talk then. Do you like it here, Tai?" Despite the Panda's new Master status, Tai Lung almost roared in laughter, settling for a chuckle.

"Like it? Oh yes, it’s heavenly..." Po nodded his head, scratching the back of his neck uncomfortably. All right, he probably deserved that one.

"What would you say if I could get you out? No strings attached, no catch. Just you, me and the lift." He jerked a thumb over his shoulder at the door for emphasis. Tai blinked slowly before answering in a hushed tone.

"No." Po almost choked, wondering if the gods were playing some sort of game with him. So far, this conversation just wasn't going the way he had envisioned on the way here.

"What? Why?" Tai allowed himself a belly laugh, tears in his eyes. His laughter slowed, turned to a chuckle that eventually descended into sobs. Po stooped down to him and gently placed a paw on his shoulder. Tai almost pulled himself away, for an instant thinking he had an image or honour left to ruin.

"I've been abandoned by my Father. My honour was shredded the moment I turned against Master Oogway. My- My only friends turned their backs on me... I... I'm nothing more than...than some criminal... Some low life scum! I deserve to be here!" He spat on the ground as Po sat down next to him, realisation dawning. He'd been in a similar state once before. Now he knew why Ghost sent him here. If anyone could understand how the leopard felt, then he could. He reached out and pulled Tai Lung close to him, rubbing the back of his head soothingly. Slowly, with much coaxing from Po, the warrior bent in and sobbed into the panda's fur, deep underground in a place that was as close to Hell as it was possible while still being alive. Placing his arms around his chest, Po held him tight, fully understanding.

Guilt made you feel as if you were damned.

But forgiveness was a blessing.

----

Once composed, wiping the tear tracks from his eyes and silently pleading with the panda never to speak of this again, Tai Lung looked from the bonds to Po and back again. Before he could phrase the question, Po himself gripped the manacle he had earlier examined. He stared at the cold stone and metal, turning it over and over in his hands, eyes unusually focused. After what seemed like an age, he spoke up.

"Funny thing, life. It always has a way of holding on, even when it seems most hopeless." Tai Lung said nothing, sensing that there was more to this discussion than a simple talk about philosophy. He sat rubbing his wrists and ankles, feeling the circulation return proper, his tail curled up behind him. As Po dropped the manacle he turned around, meeting Tai Lung's gaze with a sorrow-filled stare.

"How well did you study your mythology Tai?" The leopard thought for a moment.

"Martial Arts, or the normal kind?"

"The Ancient kind."

Tai Lung shrugged, shaking his head. Po nodded, apparently expecting this. "Okay. It would have made things easier, but it was kinda what I was expecting." He settled down opposite him, fingers tapping a tattoo onto the stone work before him, lost in thought.

"Let me tell you a story Tai Lung... And you tell me the ending."

----

There is much more in this earth than Mortals like you realise. Plants sprout from tiny seeds into mighty trees... A Child can grow to become a powerful warrior... Worlds within Worlds curl up on each other, hidden from sight, but still there, as a faint pressure in the wind, or a shimmer in a pond... The ground beneath your feet can warp and shift to unrecognisable forms in a matter of hours...

And that’s only what can you see, or sense. What is hidden from you would be enough to turn those black spots of yours white... Trust me on this.

There is a war. A war, with Mortals as the prize. One side fights for salvation. The other destruction. As they do.

The Guardians... Master of the Elements of Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Thunder and Light. Protectors of all life, in all of creation. Sworn to uphold the Oath promised to the Gods to preserve the delicate balance that allows all things to exist. Although, I have to say, sometimes even they fall off the wagon from time to time. They were all once mortal, and so, they tend to tip the balance in their favor slightly.

Then, you have the Defilers. Just as the name suggests, they taint and corrupt all things sacred... They twist and distort the very laws that govern Life itself; stealing souls, torturing children, condemning entire Worlds to death as they drain the precious Pulse from beneath their crusts... The Defilers are numerous; Control the Element of Darkness and every year, more and more Guardians switch sides, tired of the fight that would never end... Basically, Creation was more or less over.

It was a dark time for Guardians and their immortal allies. The Warriors were more of less driven to extinction. No Mortal had been born with the Potential to transform for millennia. The Guardians couldn't just give birth like Mortals, and every day there were reports of another fatality, or missing person. The war was more or less over, with the black hand of the Defilers tightening their grip over Creation. The Guardians were extinct... The remaining Immortals had given up the fight, ready to curl up and wait for the Days of Dark Sun...

Then... Everything changed.

----

Six shadows stood at the cliff face, overlooking the burning city before them. At the front of the group, a brown furred wolf stepped forward into the light, twirling a staff in his hand before tapping the ground once. The five remaining shades leapt forward, each brandishing a glowing weapon.

A large Grizzly swung a war hammer over his head before striking the ground before him. The crowd of black scaled creatures trembled as the ground crumbled beneath their feet, turning into chest sized blocks before erupting with the strength of a landslide. Blocks of stone crushed the rag-doll like bodies, organs and blood gushing out of deep wounds caused by flying rock splinters. The Grizzly smirked and leaned the War Hammer on his shoulders, gripping both sides lightly. His entire body glowed a faint violet...

An Eagle leapt from building to building, arrows lodging themselves into an army of snarling monsters, quite a few popping their eyeballs like over-ripe grapes as they buried themselves in their brains. The avian landed amongst the carnage, shivering as she lowered her bow, inching away from the pool of black blood creeping its way to her feet. She glanced up as the Grizzly leaned down behind her, resting a hand on her shoulder comfortingly. Her feathers were tinged with a glowing green.

A dull red furred lion spun his double-ended scimitar in hand, slicing through the torsos of several Defiler foot soldiers and trailing a snake of flame through their disintegrating bodies. However, behind him one raised a long blade over head, ready to slash down...

He jerked, black ichor seeping through his lips as he looked down at the spear head protruding through this chest. The figure behind it placed her foot on his back and tugged her weapon free, spinning it in both hands as more creatures rose out of pools of darkness on the ground. Lion and Arctic Vixen shared a glance, nodding once. Tapping blades, the two closed their eyes...

The pair began to glow red and blue, smirking as their victims began to try and retreat. The Vixen blew a kiss at the feline before her whole body turned to water, the Lion bursting into flame. With a single leap, the two headed straight for the front line, trails of their elements snaking around and over their foes as Water and Fire met in the centre, trailing hands against one another.

A white tiger danced between enemies, dual blades lightly brushing the chests of the warriors around her, angry black lines opening up on grey armour that was neatly sliced in two. As bodies started to fall, more and more took their places. Before long, she was overwhelmed, blades knocked out of her hands and arms held tightly behind her back as they forced her to kneel. The largest one grinned, cleaning his claws with a small knife.

"Aw... Is the little kitty too much of a kitten to play with the big boys?" He guffawed and leaned in, trailing his foot long tongue over her cheek, chuckling as she tried to pull away.

"Don't..." She lifted her head, fur crackling...

"Call me, fucking kitten!" She twisted her body, gripping the wrists of her captors and tossing them to the ground as she landed on their backs. Lifting her head, lightning earthed in the ground as she stepped forward, bringing her hands together, arcs of energy sparked from finger to finger, an orb of raw power building up in her hands. She locked eyes on the boss Defiler and smiled sweetly.

"What’s the matter? Too much of a hatchling to play with the Big Girls?" She pulled one hand away, orb floating above her fingers and in that moment, time seemed to stop. Defilers were clamouring over each other in attempt to escape, Energy linked the tiger to the ground in an unbroken link and in her shingin yellow eyes, a wicked gleam that spelled destruction...

She slammed the orb into the ground, a wave of thunder and lightning sweeping out over the crowd, frying everything it came into contact with. As she stooped down to pick up her blades, she looked over the bodies, shivering at the sheer power she was able to summon and control. Such Raw Power in her hands... And if she wasn't careful... She shivered once more. No. No need to think about that...

----

A new generation of Guardians, chosen by the Life Goddess herself. No one besides them know each other's real names, and for millennia now, they have simply been going by code names, chosen for their elements and species.

But they would have been nothing without their leader. The one who took a bunch of kids who normally had nothing to do with each other, despised each other, loathed each other... And turned them into warriors, Warriors who turned the tide against the Defilers.

----

The wolf placed his staff in front of him, catching a blade aimed at his neck and guiding it up and over his head, before ramming it into the ground, locked in place with his own staff. Clutching the warrior's arm, he spun around it, using his claws to deadly effect. When he kicked off the dropping body, a couple of loops of intestine fell out, the creature trying in vain to hold them inside. Flicking his tail, he dropped to all fours before leaping, teeth flashing as they headed towards the monster's throat...

----

Ghost Wolf. The Light Guardian.

He is hailed by many to be the best. Many tales are told of him. He held off an entire army single headedly. He brought an entire planet back from the dead. He commanded an army of fierce dragons into battle... He was unstoppable.

I'll let you in on a little secret that he told me. In war, fear, and intimidation work even better than brute force. What? You really think he could have done all that by himself? Sure, he's good. But not that good.

----

The monster looked up and pulled back a fist. The rage in the canine's eyes quickly turned to fear and an instant before impact, he whimpered...

Ghost pulled himself to his feet, spitting out a few teeth. He swayed gently, holding up one finger.

"... That was a cheap shot..." He bared his claws and settled into a combat stance, smirking. Once more he dropped to the ground, only this time he started to duck and weave, never staying in one place for more than a second or two. His feet became a blur as he began striking the beast with claws and teeth, tearing out whole chunks of flesh before coming to rest behind him. Shifting a paw slightly, the creature behind him gasped, blood pouring out his mouth as he dropped to his knees and fell to the side...

----

But as long as the Defilers think that, they won't be so sure of themselves. As long as the Guardians think that, they won't give up hope... And as long as the Eternals think that... Well, I won't bore you with the Politics.

But maybe Ghost did his job too well. Because the Defilers were searching for a weapon. A weapon to use against him, and the others.

----

Six Defilers, black scales gleaming oily in the semi-darkness, sat around a brazier filled with coals and dark gemstones. Hanging above was a bone dish, filled with crimson liquid. As the six chanted, drawing raw energy out of the living Earth beneath them, a pair hidden in the shadows observed.

"Will it work?" The other scoffed, long nails clicking on the ancient stone work he was leaning on.

"Please. When have any of my creations failed? Yes, it will work." Black mist rose up from the bodies of the Defilers, who were now calling for their master, bodies writhing in pain. The second speaker stepped into the light of the fire, a disinterested look on his face.

"Quite a nice haul. I must thank you somehow. Plenty of energy in them..."

The unwilling sacrifices reached up for their betrayers even as the Immortal energies that gave them eternal life were drawn out of them, aging as each year of life they lived was forcibly inflicted on their forms as the mist continued to seep out. Finally, the ex-Defilers crumbled to dust, still screaming as their souls were tied to the brazier, to act as a further fuel for the master's plan. The mist was sucked into the pool above, making the liquid froth as it infused with it. The crimson substance turned black as pitch, matching the gems below. Slowly, they rose out of the fire and lowered themselves into the liquid...

The only sound over the hissing was the maniacal laughter of the Defilers as their greatest creation to date rose out of the shallow bowl, arms folded over its chest...

----

I sometimes wonder... If they ever felt regret for what they did to their own kind. But they held no respect for anything, except their own worthless hides... They would willingly hand over their own comrades than fall victim to a Guardian's wrath. I shouldn't be surprised really.

In the first few moments of my life, I felt... Such power rush through me. Such raw, uncontrollable energy that filled my entire being. The six souls, giving me their life. It was this type of... Rush I guess, which drives a Defiler to taint anything in their path.

I'm... Ashamed to say... I was hooked. Addicted. I needed to have more; more power, more energy, more life flowing through my veins... And I'd do anything to get it.

You have to understand... For all intents and purposes, I was a newborn, despite my age. I didn't know any better.... I couldn't understand things like Good, or Evil, right or wrong...

----

The Cub stood atop the hill, looking down at the scurrying people down below as they tried to beat each other to the "safety" of the valley. Children were crying, pets snarled and whined, horses that were dragging heavier loads than they were used to covered their bits in foam. This was no disciplined march. It was a stampede, without order and without a leader. This once mighty Empire reduced to scrambling in the dirt.

The Moonlit Death, as he had come to be called, his monochromatic fur seemingly glowing in the sunset, reached down to the ground and picked up a pinch of soil, rubbing it between his fingers before sniffing it. It was quite fertile, filled with life and energy. Lifting it up to his face, he let the dust fall into his mouth, relishing as his Defiler Essence sucked the life-force out of it and into him. He glanced down at the refugees, smirking. They'd give him a far greater buzz than a pinch of dirt...

A chance accident down below caused one of the travellers to look up. When his brain registered what his eyes were seeing, a pool of steaming yellow liquid spread out around his feet. He pointed up to the hillside and shouted in a loud clear voice...

"He comes! The destroyer!" The others followed his gaze, each of them quivering with fear. A few ran, either scooping up their children or leaving them in preference of saving their own skin. Some collapsed to their knees, praying to a god that had forsaken this land. Some called to the others, telling them to run while they pulled out their weapons, knowing it was futile. A flicker of admiration bloomed within his breast before being snuffed out. It didn't matter now. All were going to die. All were going to feed his hunger.

He felt his armour slide out from beneath his skin, a gift from his Defiler heritage, covering his body in a faint white bone-like material. From his wrists grew a pair of blades, serrated and sharp, with smaller blades jutting out the sides. They resembled a chainsaw more than anything else, with longer teeth. Leaping down the hillside, he landed firmly on both feet, skewering a woman in front of him and lifted her above his head, feeling the blood splash down onto his face as she screamed. Wrenching his arms apart, the woman was torn in two and tossed in different directions. As he turned his attention to the others, he slowly licked his blades clean, not taking his eyes off the terrified TriCenturians. His entire body shuddered as the soul of the woman rose up behind him, unseen by Mortals, only to be snared by his Essence, and drawn into his body...

----

Only one person stood up to me. Only one person was able to stand up to me at that point...

The Light Master. My Master.

----

The white furred wolf stood calmly in front of the "Moonlit Death", fingers loose and posture relaxed. This was the reason the child was born... To eliminate the Guardian's source of hope and wisdom. However, he would be no pushover. He had earned his title long ago, in battles against fiends the child could not even imagine. As such, as the Cub ran towards him, he twisted to the side, dodging him effortlessly and watching as the living weapon stumbled past him. Falling to the ground through sheer momentum, he looked back up at the wolf, snarling. He was little older than himself, only around eighteen, yet he had an air of complete and perfect control around him. Like he already knew his this battle would end.

Using his blades to lift him up, the Cub swung wildly, trying to sever his head from his shoulders. The canine just leaned back; both blades cutting though thin air. He continued this dance for several more minutes, his hands clasped behind his back, not even trying to fight back. Then, when the cub reached up with both arms, he struck, delivering a palm to the chest. Even through his armour, capable of withstanding a cannon shell, he felt the wind knocked out of him. As he looked down, he saw a chip fall to the ground.

The warrior simply stood and stared as the child stood back up, scraping his blades over each other. Letting out a primal roar of pain and misery, he leapt to the air, hoping to cleave his body in two as he landed. However, he reached up and grabbed the blades in hand, not a flicker of pain passing over his face as they dug into the palm of his hands, blood trickling down. As he stared at the kid, his nostrils flared. Now he reacted, eyes widening in shock.

"No..." He mumbled to himself. "They couldn't have..." The child tore the blades from his hands, more blood splashing on the ground. A flicker of pain passed before being swallowed once more in that serene expression. The Defiler roared a challenge, waving his blades in the air.

Scowling, the warrior moved his hands delicately through the air, coming to rest in a combat position. As he ran towards him, he dropped to the ground, sticking out one leg and cutting his legs out from beneath him as he passed, quickly followed up by a kick that sent him skywards. Leaping up after him, he swung his foot in a wide arc, crashing his heel into the kid's chest, and standing on him as the pair descended back to the ground. They made a huge crater when they landed, the wolf leaping away before his opponent could use those blades to good effect. He wasn't even out of breath.

The child crawled out of the hole, murder in his black and white eyes. Now that he knew what he was looking for, it was pretty obvious...

"I don't want to hurt you, kid..." Unfortunately, the child didn't share his sentiments. Instead it charged, kicking and screaming like a beast in a trap. Gritting his teeth, the warrior leapt out of the way as the blades shattered the ground just where his feet made been mere seconds before, knocking up shards of stone that stung both fighters. The cub ignored them as they simply bounced off his bone armour; however the Wolf caught one in his eye. Whimpering, he placed his hand over the wound as blood began to flow freely. Sensing victory, the cub snarled and drove both blades forward.

Both hit their target, running through the older warrior's chest.

His eyes opened wide, a trickle of blood seeping through his lips. Wrenching them back out, the cub kicked him in the chest, making him topple to the ground. Flicking his arms, shaking the blood off his blades, the weapon felt a small amount of pity. He was a fine warrior. Turning round, he continued on his way to the remnants... The Guardian's soul would only make him "sick".

"Hold... On... Kid..." Spinning round, the Moonlit Death saw the wolf climb to his feet. The wound in his chest was slowly closing over even as he watched. For the first time since being released from the attention of his magical makers, he felt a pang of fear. Why wasn't he dead? Seeing his stunned expression, the wolf rubbed the wound as it closed over, wiping the blood away from his lips. The eye swelled and with a dull pop filled the eye socket, perfectly formed with no hint of damage.

"My kind... Our kind... Don't go down so easily..." He let his hands fall to his sides, balls of light appearing around them as he dropped his head.

"My name is Ghost Solaris Wolf. Light Guardian. A Defiler like you..." He raised his head sharply, light flaring behind his eyes. "... Doesn't stand a chance." He lightly tossed one of the orbs at the weapon's feet, a flare of light making him shield his eyes. In the moment of blindness, he was struck a vicious blow, knocking him back several metres. Coughing up a small amount of blood, crawling on the ground, the panda cub stared at his hands. That was his blood... His own blood...

He didn't get a oppertunity to move as Ghost ran up and delivered a brutal kick to his gut, sending him sprawling a further couple of metres. He landed next to a cliff face, several towering mountains like the ridges on a dragon's back rising through the mists down below. At some point, someone tried to make a bridge to the nearest mountain, but it was only half completed, and very weak. Struggling to his feet, the young immortal felt fear grip his heart as the Guardian walked up to him, seemingly unfazed by anything he had thrown at him.

"Your kind has been charged with disrupting the Balance. I have to set things right..." He closed his eyes. When they opened they were shining from some inner light source.

"I feel sorry for you kid. Really. You never asked for this..." As Ghost advanced, he took a step back, onto the bridge which creaked dangerously. A flicker of concern flew over Ghost's features before returning to neutrality.

"None of my kind had either, but that’s life for you. At least we didn't turn into monsters..." He stood at the edge of the bridge, holding up his arms which were bathed in Light.

The weapon knelt, coughing deeply, blood splattering the wood beneath him. Ghost winced, guilt rising up in him. Whatever atrocities he had committed, whatever the Defilers had turned him into... He was still only a child... And hurting a kid went against everything Ghost stood for.

And yet the Moonlit Death wasn't through. He waited, staring at his own blood as the wolf approached cautiously. When he was little more than a foot away, he lunged with both arms, creating deep gashes over his white furred chest. Ghost gasped and stepped back, onto solid ground, whimpering at the blossom of pain sprouting on his body. Grinning madly, the panda stepped forward. He had heard of Ghost. Who hadn't? If he managed to kill him... To feel his life energy infuse with his own...

The bridge cracked.

He paused mid-step looking down at the wood under his feet. The sudden movement made some of the weak, temporary ropes snap and without their support, the bridge wouldn't hold. He stared as the wood began to fall, looking like slow motion to his eyes. Before he could do anything, the wood beneath him collapsed...

Ghost stared as the child fell out of his sight, chest wound forgotten.

"No!" Leaping forward, he dived to his stomach, gritting his teeth as dirt moved into the wounds, his fingers scrabbling over the edge.

The cub flailed against the cliff face, his blades scraping over bare rock uselessly. He felt himself begin to fall down...

His arm jerked, almost being wrenched out of his socket. Looking up, he saw the warrior grip one of his blades, one of the top-most barbs poking completely through his palm and out the other side. His face was screwed up in pain as his blood poured down the bone-blade, pooling over his hands before dripping down to the mist filled depths.

The Defiler looked up, almost raising his blade to strike before numbly realising that it would spell his demise as well. He scowled, swinging as he tried to grab the cliff face with his free hand...

Ghost nearly howled as he felt the blade tear through his palm, at least dropping the kid by a centimetre. Despite their differences, both Guardians and Defilers had the ability to heal, although they still felt plenty pain. Tightening his grip, he reached down with his other paw.

"Here! Grab on!"

The child stared. Why was he helping? Wasn't his "Holy Crusade" all about killing Defilers like him? He fell another centimetre. This time the wolf really did howl.

"Gods-damnit kid! Grab my hand!" He rammed his feet into the soft earth in an effort to anchor himself, feeling slightly woozy with the blood loss. He felt the bone-blade slip again...

"Kid!"

The bone-blade tore through his palm, blood spraying the cliff face.

Just as a hand grabbed his free paw.

Gasping, Ghost heaved the panda up, his short legs scrabbling on the cliff face as he nearly walked up the side. Digging into emergency reserves, he swung the child up and over the edge, collapsing in a heap next to him. He panted for a while, watching as his hand (now split nearly in half) closed over, healing far slower than it normally would.

"I'm getting too old for this crap..." He froze as a shadow loomed up over him.

"Definitely too old for this..." he muttered to himself, one eye heading upwards. The panda was holding a rock the size of his head over Ghost, ready to drop. With his depleted energy levels, he would be a sitting duck. Scowling, he turned round and lay down on his back.

"Okay, kid. You do what you have to. Gods know I can't stop you right now..." His eyes narrowed as he watched the weapon lift up the rock higher...

"Just think though. What next? You think the Defilers would let you become stronger than them?"

And stopped.

----

I don't really know... What stopped me. Maybe his attacks had done more damage than I had thought... Maybe I had grown to respect him as a warrior. Perhaps his idea made sense to me, even through the fog of war that clouded my mind. Hell, maybe I even admired him.

Like I do you, despite your own past.

It was only later I managed to grasp what I had done. Mercy. Not a Defiler trait by a long shot. At that point, the alarm bells should have been ringing, but I was too confused, too conflicted to really pay attention to what they meant. All I knew was that I didn't have the urge to kill him. Or anyone.

Chuckle

Or, maybe, knowing Ghost, he did something to me. Burned away the darkness or something. It wasn't unheard of. But I doubt it. From Darkness I was made, and no matter how reformed I become, it would be to Darkness that I would return... After all, I still bear the Mark of the Defiler over my heart.

----

The panda lowered his arms, tossing the rock to the side before turning around. Away from the remnants. Ghost sat up, mouth hanging open before winching and doubling over. He glanced down at his chest and groaned as the grit within the wounds stopped them from closing over. Rolling his eyes, he reached up and extended his claws, scraping out the muck before struggling to his feet.

"Hey! Hey, hold on!" He limped slightly, grunting as the slashes closed over with agonizing slowness, cursing the time spent in the Council Halls debating instead of training. He caught up with him, his longer strides allowing him to keep pace despite his wounds. He watched as his face remained impassive, even as his eyes flicked from him to the road again.

"Look, not that I don't appreciate the moment of mercy, but..." The child ignored him, leaping up the hillside despite his heavy armour. Ghost whined. He couldn't follow, not in his condition...

----

The Defilers tried to reclaim me, naturally. They invested quite a lot of manpower into me, literally, and they didn't want to waste it. If I refused to return, they could quite easily reuse that same energy they used to create me... Drain me of all life energies I absorbed and create a better, less moral version.

So I kept out of sight. I couldn't kill them after all. Whatever happened to me with Ghost didn't just apply to Him and Mortals, but everything. I couldn't even hunt for food, or kill in self defence.

I was, in a word, Helpless.

It became a macabre race. Whichever side found me first would be able to use me how they saw fit. Despite my own views on it.

Both sides wanted me dead.

Unfortunately, the Defilers had their own way of searching that made the job a hellava lot easier... I wasn't the only thing they created after all...

----

The child cowered in the small cave he found beneath a rock outcropping, closing his eyes tight against the all-consuming blackness. Once or twice he had tried to make a fire, but every attempt was met with failure. He just wasn't taught nor designed to survive in the wild.

Phantom sounds echoed around outside, making the usually stoic warrior whimper, shuffling back towards the rear of the cave, pressing his back against it. The sounds outside intensified, like some wild beast was snuffling around his hiding place. Normally even the wild animals of his homeland, the Dark Domain, wouldn't bother him, but without his ability to fight back, they had a horrific new dimension to them. The noises faded out until silence reigned once more. The cub opened one small eye, white iris shining in the dark. Hesitantly, he moved forward a little, scraping on the loose dirt.

Immediately several pairs of eyes, glowing a sickly green, filled the entrance to the cave. Yelping, he scurried back, covering his head with his arms, mewing like some pathetic creature crawling through the mud. Like so many of the ones he himself had dealt with. He forgot about his armour, about his blades, about his Defiler status. All he was in that moment was a cub, lost, alone and terrified for its life.

Claws scraped at the small opening, dirt being shovelled away, enlarging the hole. A head reached in and snapped, teeth glistening in the light from their eyes. The Defiled-Beast almost had a sadistic grin on its corrupted features as it pushed its body further into the hole...

A bright light, harsh and piercing erupted into life outside. He heard a flurry of movements, and the creatures whimpered, yelped and screamed into the night as something drove them off. Finally the one trying its damnedest to reach the cub was dragged out by the tail, before being thrown a good distance. It scrabbled to its feet even as the child began crawling back out, eyes squinting against the light. In the harsh luminescence was a figure, silhouetted against the whiteness. As the mutant beast leapt up, teeth and claws ready to rip and shred, the figure made a complicated motion with his hands before reaching his hand out behind him to the light. Some of the glows separated from the source and streamed into his open palm, before he swung his arm around, like lobbing an underhanded ball throw. The light struck the beast in the chest, and it stopped dead, whimpering and squirming as the Pure Light burned away the defiler darkness the creature was shaped from, eventually turning it into some sort of mould on the ground. It would turn to dust and blow away come sunrise.

The weapon crawled out as the figure turned round, lifting what appeared to be a staff out of the ground. At the tip lay a clear crystal wrapped in root like branches, holding it in place. As he watched, the glow from within dulled. Immediately he shivered and tried to retreat back into his burrow. The figure paused, the light on his staff holding onto the dull glimmer that was left. With a small, understanding sigh, he lifted it up a little, the light increasing. Now the cub could see who his rescuer was.

"Hey there. Thought you lost me, didn't you?" The wolf pushed his staff into the ground, tip still shining like a star plucked from the heavens above. Sitting down, he patted the earth next to him, letting a bag hanging over his shoulder drop into the dust. The panda glanced at him, and then to his staff before slowly lowering himself onto the ground. Smiling, the wolf dug into his pack, rummaging through assorted items.

"Flame crystal... Huh, we'll need that...” He sniffed at a semi-sealed jar, making a face. “Well, I think that's off... Hmm... What’s in here?" Eventually he pulled out a small crystal, a holder of some sort and a tripod, placing a pot filled with a thick sludge-like stew in it on top. He carefully placed the crystal in the holder, making sure the tip was touching the pot bottom. He reached under the crystal, placing two fingers against it. He focused slightly, a flare of light jumping from him to the gemstone. Immediately it began to glow a deep red, a vivid heat coming from it. The warrior pulled back his fingers sharply, waving his hand and sucking on the burnt digits.

"Damn...still burns." He pulled out his fingers, rubbing them as the skin healed over and fur grew back on it. Stirring the stew-like food he leaned back against his staff, watching his would be killer in front of him.

----

He was completely and utterly unafraid of me. Just sitting there, with someone who wasn't trying to hurt me, or trying to run away... It was nice. Even though we both hurt each other a lot, and I mean a lot, he still smiled at me, going out of his way to be nice. Nice? To a Defiler? To me?

I guess, that was when I felt as if I could... I dunno. Change or something. After all, if the famed Slayer of Darkness didn't believe I deserved to die... Then perhaps there was a chance for me yet.

Though I must say, his cooking skills left a lot to be desired. He even managed to turn perfectly good pre-cooked stew into some sort of... Mush...

----

The child just stared, with one eyebrow rising above the other as the warrior lifted out the spoon, letting the gruel fall back into the pot with a wet slap that was most unappealing. Nevertheless, it was real food, from real gardens. Defilers never really eat anything, unless you call Souls food. Even the terrible smell coming from it was appetising, having never tasted actual food before. While the warrior was apologising for his cooking skills the kid was inhaling the mush, rice and vegetables scattered around his mouth, sticking to his fur and armour. Much to his surprise, it was enjoyable. Far more enjoyable than absorbing souls in fact. Far more... Natural.

"Geeze, you could use this stuff to cement two dragons together... Wonder what it does to your insides..." He stirred his spoon in it, looking up at the cub already looking into the pot with an empty bowl in front of him. He chuckled, passing his own over and turning the crystal to a low heat with a wave of his hand.

"Though I guess it’s good enough. Here, I've got some water in my bag somewhere..." He looked sadly at the child as he dug into the second helping with enjoyment, desperate for the light and starved to near death. The longer he stayed around him, the more he felt sorry for him. The more he felt sorry for him, the harder it would be to kill him... Not to mention...

He sniffed the air delicately, noticing it almost immediately and wondering how he could have missed it in the first place.

No. He couldn't kill him. But what else could he do? He had no where to go... And he had a warrant for his death... He continued to rummage in his bag, handing over a skin of water, thinking hard.

----

It was a doozy of a question. What to do with me? The Defilers would make a more powerful creature with me... The Guardians wanted me to be destroyed... None of the other races would have me...

Ghost couldn't bring himself to kill a child, even by inaction. So he did the only thing available to him.

He hid me. From both his kind, and mine. Hid me until I was in control of all my aspects, all my hungers... Until I could pass for a Guardian.

He used all sorts of forgotten rituals to bury the darkness deep within me. Unseen to even Immortal eyes. And yet... It's still there...

----

Ghost rubbed his temples, wondering whether he could really get away with this. The Council listened to him, but hiding a wanted War criminal was a little outside his jurisdiction. He would suffer the same fate as the Panda if they were caught.

But then again, didn't the oath he swore state that he was to protect all life, no matter what? And he could feel something within him. Something new. Something bright...

----

So, we talked. Well, I say talked. He spoke, I listened. You've gotta remember, I still didn't know how to talk.

Communication wasn't exactly high on the Defiler's plans for me after all. He calmly explained things to me. Took a while, I’ll admit. It was... Like a game. Yeah, that’s how they described it. A game. Ghost had to carefully peel back the layers of their “Parenting” in order to get me to even remotely feel sorry for what I had done...

When he was finished... Well, I don’t think I have to explain. A part of me retreated back into my mind, the part that was utterly horrified at what I had done. All that was left was... A mallable child, one which he could shape into a better person.

He named me then. Not a number, nor description. He said I had Potential. Potential to become somethign great. So... Po.

He isn’t the most imaginative creature around, but his heart’s in the right place. After that, he had to hide me somewhere... But do to that, he needed to hide not only my body, but my very soul...

----

Ghost reached out and slowly touched the cub's shoulder. Instead of panicking like he thought he would, the cub looked up at him, with an almost caring look.

It chilled him, seeing that look on a child covered in someone else's blood.

"Hey kid, can you get rid of that armour?" The child nodded, the bone being absorbed back into his body, revealing clean(ish) fur beneath. Some of the blood had dried onto his fur, creating hard clumps that would take some time to untangle. Without warning, hating himself, Ghost gripped both shoulders and forced him to look deep into his own amber eyes. The child tried to struggle, to escape, but Ghost's eyes were now glowing, holding him in place. He felt himself become disjointed, disorientated, like falling backwards into a deep, unending hole...

Ghost laid the child on the ground softly, muttering apologies under his breath. Gently, he reached out and stroked his head with the tips of his fingers, sighing deep. He carefully cleared away the camp, using a pair of chopsticks to move the flame crystal into a small container, trapping its heat within. Finally, he shouldered the pack, gently shaking the newly named Po awake.

"Po? Come on Po, it’s time to go..." The panda woke slowly, eyes unfocused. He got to his feet, staring out at the ruined world around him. Not exactly the first sight he would have wanted the ki—Po, to see, but it couldn't be helped. Reaching down, he held the child's hand, leading him away from the ruins of the Moonlit Death.

----

He took me away from that place. To his own domain, a world between worlds. The Light Forest, a place where no darkness may enter without an escort. There, I met the person who would be like a Mother to me. Loki.

----

The brown furred rabbit dabbed at the blood stains on the Panda's neck, nose twitching. It was not her place to ask, but she couldn't help but wonder where the Master had found this one. He was always picking up random strays on his travels. During the cleaning, it was pretty obvious that the blood didn't belong to him. But the Master knew best, and he had placed the child under her care. She won't let him out of her sight until he returned...

----

She was the first one who treated me like any other child. When she learned of my previous fate from Master Ghost, she did not bat an eyelash, saying that I was still a child all the same, and a child under her care to boot. Not even the mighty Council would object to her, not when she got into that mood... Defilers would turn and flee if they heard that she was "Disappointed" with them for their actions!

----

Po shifted his weight, the torch behind him now burning low next to the ground. Tai Lung watched him wearily, disbelief in his eyes. The panda sighed inwardly, not blaming him for being sceptical. If the roles were reversed, he didn't think he would believe it either.

"Eventually, Ghost saw even more potential in me, and accompanied me to the Temple of Six in the Hidden City. There, I was revealed to have an Earth Spirit, and began my training. After that, well, the rest is history." He placed his hand on the ground and lifted up, palm first. The rock beneath him swelled up, creating a short pillar that he sat on, crossing his legs.

"I haven't 'worn' the armour in years...centuries even. I wonder if I've still got what it takes..." He held up his fist and stared at it, wondering whether or not he really could call on that armour again. Taking a deep breath, he felt around in his mind, looking for that dusty, un-used switch...

Bony slabs slid out of the back of his hand and grew outwards, covering the entire top. More growths slipped out, layering over his fingers and wrist. He stopped the change before it went too far and held it up, observing the reaction on Tai's face.

"Huh. Guess I do. What d'ya know?" He smiled, reaching out and lifting Tai's jaw back into place. The feline couldn't drag his eyes away from that hand. He sat down next to him, simply waiting for the leopard to accept it. Pushing it too far would only make him fear him, and that wasn't the result he was looking for. Settling in to wait, he idly wondered how Ghost reacted when he found out about the whole Guardian thing...

----

Tai opened his eyes, locking on to the Panda before him. The Dragon warrior was rummaging in his bag, not really paying attention to the feline he was sharing a cell with. Getting to his feet, he towered over the panda, wondering how this...carefree and usually optimistic creature could have been...created by someone trying to make a better weapon. While he didn't understand most of the things Po talked about, namely the spells and rituals that were unlike anything in the Thousand scrolls he had mastered, or the delicate diplomacy between immortal beings, he could get the gist of it readily enough. Po didn't apparently see him, so he gently cleared his throat.

"Yes Tai?" He stooped down on his haunches, crossing his arms and placing them on his bent knees, looking at him from the corner of his eye. A small, half-smile graced his face as he felt an uncommon kinship to the bear. A kinship forged in battle, strengthened in understanding and tempered in acceptance...

"Is that offer still available?"

Finally! Tis done!

Alright, I know its been late... Sorry. And as per my Beta’s recomendations, I’ve moved away from the Technological aspects of his creation and went along the mystical route... And damn it, if she wasn’t right!

Lpease, read and review! More questions will be answered in the upcoming chapters!