Work Text:
Shaun was mortified.
The adrenaline pumping through his body right now was enough to keep him awake from all the shock he was currently experiencing, having just gone through an experience like no other - seriously, a dragon fight where he got to ride the victorious dragon? No fantasy or kaiju movie could ever even hope to compare anymore.
But that wasn’t what was currently on his mind, as he and Xialing flew back towards the village.
Priority number one - Katy.
Was she okay?
Was she still alive?
He knew he wouldn’t have any sort of peace until he saw her standing. The same could be said about his aunt (and to an extent, that Trevor guy, and his weird faceless dog friend, Morris.).
But he knew one person who definitely didn’t make it…
His father.
He knew that his dad wasn’t a good guy - he had literally been fighting him for control of the Ten Rings like, seven minutes ago. But it wasn’t his fault that he had been deceived by the Soul Eater; he didn’t know how he’d react differently if he was in his shoes, if at all.
Shaun’s heart was burdened.
But his father died a noble death, protecting his son.
That soothed the pain just a little bit.
Shaun, Xialing, and the Great Protector touched down on the shore leading up to the village - the slain warriors were all over the beach, what looked to be almost two thirds of their men and women gone… the situation looked so grim.
But Shaun was able to see a glimmer of light.
Katy was alive.
“Katy,” he said, almost breathlessly, running to her and hugging her tightly. Katy gasped when his arms wrapped around her waist and neck, tears threatening to spill from both of their eyes…
They had made it.
“Oh, oh thank God,” she whispered, hugging back as tightly as she could. “You’re here… you’re still here…”
“I promise, I’m not going anywhere,” he choked out. “I… I’ll never scare you like that again.”
“Me either, I promise,” Katy assured him.
Xialing stepped off of the Great Protector, spotting her aunt Nan and Razor Fist among the survivors… the Death Dealer wasn’t so fortunate.
But then… something began to happen.
She looked over to where Death Dealer’s dead body lay, clearly drained of life… and it glowed. It glowed like the Great Protector’s body did when the Soul Eater tried to consume it’s, well, it’s soul.
But it was almost like a reversal; the soul… the soul was going back into the body.
And sure enough, the Death Dealer slowly rose to his feet, standing up in surprise. He felt himself across his waist and arms, as if he was surprised to be standing alive once more.
Nan and Razor Fist were also surprised at the Death Dealer’s case…
But he wasn’t the only one.
More and more of the bodies began to have a bright flash of color enter them through their faces, down to their chests and then their hearts, where the colors would cease, and life would return. Shaun and Katy noticed once their hug slowly separated, but they still clung to each other from their sides, almost in shock over it all.
“The souls that were consumed on this day have returned,” Nan said in surprise, and also awe. “This… this is the first time it has happened.”
“Woah,” was all Razor Fist could say.
And then, Shaun and Xialing shared a look with each other. Like it had only just dawned on them.
Could… could this mean…
“Katy, I’ll be right back,” Shaun said. “Don’t go anywhere, okay?”
“Okay!” Katy said. “...Where would I go, though?”
“I don’t know! It’s an expression!” Shaun called out, as he and Xialing raced together towards the shoreline - the Great Protector was already waiting there for him, as if she knew what was going to happen.
She set out for where the Dark Gate once was, now nothing more than a mountain crumbled to rubble.
“Do you think…” Xialing started.
“I-It has to have happened to him too, right?” Shaun asked.
He wasn’t really talking to Xialing - he was talking to himself. He was preparing himself mentally for the likely case where his dad, for some reason, would be the only soul not to be returned from the Soul Eater’s grasp. Something about an age-old tale about the wearer of the Ten Rings’ death being absolute would be fulfilled, and everyone else would get to go home while their family would remain fractured…
But, lo and behold…
That wasn’t the case at all.
For Wenwu was alive and sitting upright in the rubble, looking up at his children as they soared in closer.
“Dad,” they both whispered.
Shaun and Xialing used the rings to descend, letting the Great Protector go at her own pace to get down to the mountainside.
Even when his children were right in front of him, Wenwu just sat still, almost breathless.
“Dad? Dad, are you… are you here?” Shaun asked.
Wenwu didn’t respond for a moment - Shaun felt the panic beginning to rise once more. What if he didn’t remember, what if-
“My… My children,” he said, almost like the wind had been knocked out of him.
“Father,” Xialing said softly - the words almost hurt to say, even with the relief washing over her. Him being alive now didn’t change all of the years of hurt that had come before…
But there was some hope that now, there would be time for reconciliation.
Wenwu slowly rose to his feet, Shaun and Xialing supporting him on their shoulders as he stood. He then nodded as he took another deep breath in, breathing a hefty sigh as his children slowly let him stand on his own.
He turned back to the Dark Gate… the black void was something he felt all too similar to now.
“I… I was…” he began.
“You don’t have to say it, dad,” Shaun tried to tell him.
“No, son,” said Wenwu. “I do. I… I was wrong. Both of you were right to try and stop me, and… I was too blind to see what was so blatantly obvious, looking back…”
Xialing then spoke up. “Father, you were blinded by love - love for our mom. I… I don’t know what I would have done if the darkness called out to me with her voice.”
“And me? I would’ve probably been even faster in doing something ridiculous,” said Shaun, letting out a dry chuckle.
Wenwu managed to smile just a little bit at that.
Then, his face fell.
“My children,” Wenwu said, “leave me here. Among the rubble - I will not try to follow you back. I must pay what is required of me for the sins that I have committed… not the least of which, neglecting both of you for so long. I will stay here and live out my days, never to interfere with your lives again.”
He then put his hand on his father’s shoulder. “Dad… you’re not blameless. But you are remorseful. And I truly do believe that you are not an evil man deep down. You’ve just… you’ve been blinded for so long. First by power, but you could give that up. Love… that’s an entirely different thing.”
Shaun then looked to Xialing to see if she had anything to say, opposing or agreeing with what he had stated - she didn’t seem to.
He nodded, and then continued to speak. “Dad… would you like to do better?”
Wenwu sighed deeply.
“I would give anything to have your love, my children,” he told both of them.
Shaun opened his mouth to speak, but then was cut off - by Xialing.
“Then come home,” she said, her lip quivering. “Be better, if not for yourself, then for us. I want to love you, father, but I cannot unless you show me you can earn my love. Would you be willing to try?”
Wenwu looked at his daughter with eyes that were impossibly hard to read.
Then, he put his right hand on her shoulder, and his left on Shaun’s.
“For you, my children?” he said, and they could swear those were tears in his eyes. “I would do anything.”
Shaun and Xialing both were able to smile at that.
“If I were to be given a second chance… I would do my best to earn it,” he said. “This, my children, is a promise that I would never wish to break… I’m just sorry that I could not have done so sooner.”
“We have time,” said Shaun. “When we get home… we’ve got time.”
Now, a full smile came to Wenwu’s lips.
He bowed his head, and Shaun and Xialing were both able to connect their foreheads with his, in a moment of peace that had not come to this tortured and fractured family for years.
The pieces had always been there, but they were too rough to be placed back together.
Now, however, they were slowly smoothing themselves out.
And as the three flew back towards the village on the back of the Great Protector, they were ready to start mending it all.
Gěi jiārén.