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He was free.
So much had happened in such little time. They had gotten trapped in the memory scroll, Azure betrayed them. Mei was about to go off on Azure, insisting he explained his actions.
It was all so bright, so loud and yet so quiet.
The Monkie Kid’s friends were no help.
“Explain yourself, Azure!”
“Azure’s been lying to us!”
“Um… Maybe we should give Mr. Lion a chance to explain?”
“No! I saw it myself!” Tang, the mortal reincarnation of the Great Monk, said as he began to account his own time in the scroll, how he was teleporting from place to place, and winded up overhearing about the brotherhood's plans to take down Sun Wukong.
Azure didn’t speak, merely looking away, with an almost guilty look.
“See! He’s practically admitting it!” Mei yelled. Her sword shook in her hands. “And to think I modeled my new sword after yours! Gross !”
Azure went on to try and reason with them, a poor attempt at explaining his actions.
Those words never reached the Monkie Kid’s ears.
Mk had been quiet the entire time. All the sound and feeling was almost… overwhelming?
He was still on the ground, on his hands and knees. He felt the ground, the real ground . His breathing slowed to a calm pace. He could breathe. He could feel.
He looked at the palms of his hands. A body to be controlled by those who control it. A body that hosts powers beyond that of mortal or celestial comprehension.
He had everything back in his control.
And it felt amazing.
He was so entranced by everything that he failed to notice the fighting around him. It seems the Azure Lion was finally able to complete his goal of releasing his brothers, Yellow Tusk the wise, and the Golden-Winged Peng.
Mk would complete his goals as well. His destiny.
As the Harbinger.
The Harbinger of Chaos.
He laughed, almost hysterically. He used to cradle his face in his own hands. They thought they had gotten rid of him? Fools, idiots! They could never hide him away, destiny always has a way of succeeding.
Everything grew eerily quiet around him.
“Mk?”
The girl, Mei? Was that her name? He sees her in many of his mortal counterparts' memories. She was of dragon lineage. How interesting.
“Mk…?” A different voice chimed in. The voice of the Azure Lion.
The one who made the terrible mistake of releasing him.
“Are- are you alright?”
“I thought he was a mortal child?” It was the Golden-Winged Peng that spoke next.
Mortal child?
Oh!
They still believed he was Mk.
They just realized how different Mk looked. The brothers stepped back, the shocked looks on their faces were priceless as they took in how much he looked like Sun Wukong.
From the ears to the tail, all the way to the piercing red eyes and their yellow irises, he was practically an off colored version of the Great Sage.
Sun Wukong.
“He’s in the scroll.” A voice inside his head whispered. He needs to get that scroll. He still had control over the realm, having mastered its powers.
As Mk stood up, it was like the weight of the earth was weighing down on him. Perhaps he shouldn’t have beaten his counterpart to a pulp before taking host over his body.
He’d get used to it. It was just a minor setback, it wouldn’t take long for him to gain back his strength and control over his new body.
“Mk, I know this is hard to believe, but… I just want to thank you-“ Azure Lion’s voice faded in. Finally their voices sounded somewhat lifelike, and not like they were so far away.
He could hear them clearly.
Thank you?
For causing the age of destruction? Hm, no one usually thanks someone for that. Last time he attempted to bring upon such darkness, he was trapped inside of a scroll, forever cursed.
Mei was the first to realize something was wrong with Mk. This wasn’t the guy she grew up with. Sure it sounded like Mk, and it looked like Mk, but it wasn’t Mk. Whatever that thing was- wasn’t Mk.
Something was very wrong.
“No, thank you, Azure Lion.” Mk had finally regained strength over his lower limbs, and was able to easily stand and face the demon brotherhood.
“For freeing me.”
Azure’s gracious smile fell. “What? But I didn’t-“
“Without you, none of this would be possible.” Now it was obvious something was wrong. Mk spread out his arms and a sickening smile settled on his face.
“I can finally set out to complete what I was created to do!”
Mk’s smile faltered as he held out his hand. “Now, hand over the scroll.” His eyes narrowed as he observed the Azure Lion’s bewildered face.
“Mk, wants gotten into you, Sun Wukong would not-“
“The Great Sage will pay for what he’s done, now hand over the scroll.” His tone quickly became one of annoyance. He wasn’t asking. His tail twitched in anticipation. Once he got his fingers around the damn piece of wood, he swears-
He regained his composure, the empty smile returning.
“Kid?” Pigsy whispered softly. Ah yes, his counterparts friends. This one was very important to the real Mk.
Mk glanced in his direction. His smile became a small and soft one.
It’s gonna be a shame to kill off this one.
He turned back to Azure.
“Wait, what.” Azure Lion took a cautious step back. His claws tightened around the memory scroll as protection. Peng and YellowTusk held up their weapons. They looked at Azure in confusion. When they saw the look of fear in Azure’s eyes, they suddenly became alarmed.
“Azure, what’s going on?” YellowTusk said in a hushed voice. Azure didn’t answer, only looking at Mk with a dawning realization.
“Ah, you know what I am! Or- Oh, you have an idea!” Mk chimed in, his voice almost sounding sincerely surprised. “Well, Azure Lion, when you open things, you really should be more careful… about what gets out.”
“This isn’t- Mk, this isn’t what I wanted!”
“What you wanted?” At the click of Mk’s fingers, ink circled around the scroll. Azure Lion stumbled back as the ink engulfed the scroll. The ink disappeared and the scroll gently landed in Mk’s hands.
“When will you learn, Azure Lion, that you can’t get what you want.”
Out of nowhere, the scrolls cursed ink surrounded them.
“Mk, wait are you doing!? Stop-“ Mei tried to reach Mk, but she was grabbed by Sandy. She fought against his hold, but it was no use. She reached out for Mk. “No- no, Mk!”
Mk didn’t even bother to look at her.
The brotherhood tried to fight off the ink, while Azure stood there. What had he done? This isn’t what he wanted! This wasn’t the plan!
“Azure, we must leave!” YellowTusk yelled. “We can’t hold this off!”
“I’m not going back into the scroll, Azure!” Peng shouted. “YellowTusk, get the monk's staff, that’ll get us out of here!”
YellowTusk nodded, his hand glowing white. Tang’s staff glew, but he refused to release it. He held on tight, his desperation too great, too powerful, to even give up such an item.
His efforts worked, the staff never left his hands. YellowTusk was shocked at the mortal's ability to defy his power.
“Tang, get us out of here!” Pigsy yelled, protectively standing between Tang and the brotherhood.
“I- I don’t know how!” Tears lined his eyes. He didn’t know how to do this, he wasn’t the “Great Monk” he heard stories about. He could never be as good as him.
“You can do it, Tang!” Pigsy looked at Tang, a reassuring smile on his face. Tang looked up at him like he was the only thing in the world. “I know you can.”
In that moment, it was just them, nothing else.
Tang looked back at his hands. His fearful expression was replaced by one of determination.
He straightened out the staff, focusing his mind on one single place.
Flower Fruit Mountain.
The last thing they all heard before Tang slammed the staff onto the ground, surrounding them in gold, was the sound of Mk’s laughter, growing louder, and louder, until everything was quiet, and they were greeted by the sound of chirping baby monkeys and a rushing waterfall.
-
Mk watches as his counterpart's family, and the brotherhood disappear, with nothing more than a smile on his face.
They can run, but they can never hide.
He would deal with them later. Right now, he has other matters to attend to.
He closed his eyes as the ink surrounded him, sweeping him away from the mortal plane. He was greeted by the warm sunlight of the Celestial Realm. He had been cold for so long, the scroll never gifting the pleasure of such comfort.
The Celestial realm looked just how he imagined it, luxurious and a safe haven for those who ruled there.
Now that he was here, he knew they would start coming for him, attempting to strike him down.
His presence did unbalance the way of things, given he was destined to become the “Harbinger of Chaos”. So, he doubted he would be liked much, not that it would matter, very soon these people won’t be sentient enough to care about anything.
It was surprising. At first he planned to kill every single living creature he could find, but now, a seed of uncertainty was planted into his mind.
Perhaps it was the boys doing, his “goodness” runs deep.
Mk let out a breath. Having a body was still so new to him. He had spent so long in the scroll, just another figure of ink, being tortured along with its prisoners.
Well, torture may be pushing it. No one ever touched him, or bothered him. He was just locked away. He was alone, the only thing he knew since he was created was the darkness and coldness of the scroll's contents.
Mk almost laughed as he strolled through the Celestial realm. He knew what he was. He was chaos, the living embodiment of it. They were morally right to throw him away, keeping him in chains. He would wreak havoc.
He would destroy them, all of them. Every demon, monster, celestial, and mortal. He’d decimate everyone, mothers, fathers, their children, their children’s children. He would rid this universe of any and every being.
They would know the void and its unforgiving masses.
When he made it to the entrance of the Jade Palaces, he was finally spotted by the Celestial Guards. Mk was almost surprised it took them this long to discover him.
Their general stood in front of his loyal soldiers. Mk recognized him from his counterparts' memories. “Halt, introducer-“
The celestial faltered, lowering his spear.
“Mk?”
The Lotus Prince, Nezha, looked bewildered at Mk’s presence. Nezha barely recognized him, with his whole monkey physique.
“I see Sun Wukong’s training has its effects.”
Was that an attempt at a joke?
Nezha’s voice went soft. He remained stoic in front of his men, but Mk could see the weakness in his eyes.
“What has brought you to the Celestial Realm?”
Nezha approached him, like they were long time friends.
The prince cared about him.
Or, what he sees. The person who Nezha thinks he is.
Mk didn’t speak, the small smile greeted the celestials by surprise. His hand lifted, revealing the scroll. Nezha’s face went white, his body tensed at the sight of the object.
“Where did you get that?”
He was confused, filled with disbelief, and Mk could sense the fear in him. “I have no doubt this was Sun Wukong’s doing. Please, Mk, give me the scroll, and I shall return it to its rightful place.” Nezha held out his hand. It wasn’t a demand, it was a simple request.
So, Nezha thinks fondly of the real Mk.
Without warning, Mk pulled out the staff, its gold shining in the light of day. Nezha ducked, the staff almost going straight through his skull.
Mk used the staff to knock out the majority of Nezha’s men.
Nezha was back up in a second, his spear held defensively in both hands. “Mk, what are you doing-“
Ink spilled out of the scroll, spreading throughout the land, taking the Celestial Guard with it. Their pleas were silenced by the ink swallowing them up.
It finally dawned on Nezha, the realization crushing him. This wasn’t Mk.
This was… Something else.
“Who are you…?” The words felt so wrong to say. It looked so much like Mk. Despite the new monkey demon features, it still had Mk’s sweet and innocent face. Mk’s once kind smile was replaced with a vengeful one. A smile that never faltered because its owner knew that it had gotten what it wanted.
“The Harbinger of Chaos.”
It all went by so quickly, and yet everything felt like it was in slow motion. Nezha didn’t move an inch as he watched “Mk”’s hand land on his chest. Everything in him told him to fight, to strike him, but Nezha couldn’t.
How could he? Harming Mk felt like a sin, the biggest crime one could commit. There was no chance of victory.
The ink spread throughout his body. Nezha finally came to his senses, and tried to fight it, but it was useless.
Nezha had failed . He had failed to protect the Jade Emperor, he had failed his duty to guard the Celestial Realm. He failed.
The last thing he saw was sweet Mk, the once thought to be mortal child, who saved so many lives, including his, out of nothing but the purebreds of his heart.
That Mk was gone, and it was too late to get him back.
-
Mk didn’t even have to fight. Kinda disappointing. He has been waiting to do that since his chains loosened.
He knew he shouldn’t. He had to save his energy for the Jade Emperor, though it wouldn’t take too long to destroy the old man.
Mk could feel the Jade Emperor’s decaying presence as he entered the throne room, practically skipping across the green carpet.
“Your arrival is-“ The Jade Emperor was at a loss for words. He was expecting the Azure Lion, he had known about the demon's plan to dethrone him for hundreds of years, but this…
“How are you free-”
For this first time, the Jade Emperor feared death, and what the worlds would be subjected to when he passed.
“Qi Xiaotian…?”
Ah, so the great Emperor did remember his name.
His and the monkey boys' true name.
“You didn’t think you could keep me away forever, guy?” Mk- Qi Xiaotian tilted his head, his hands politely golden behind his back.
“Who freed you!? Tell me!” The Jade Emperor stood from his throne. Qi Xiaotian could tell it hurt to stand by how the Emperor trembled. His days were numbered, this day being his last.
“Oh, it all started with the boy, but Azure Lion was the one to put him in the scroll, but someone relaxes Azure Lion from the scroll, and you were the one to imprison Azure Lion in the scroll- I could go on forever, who knows who’s truly responsible!” Qi Xiaotian sounded way too friendly. But it was true, he was ecstatic.
“If you think destroying the world will be easy-“
Qi Xiaotian cut him off. “Oh, I have no doubt about it, I’ve gotten rid of any emotional distractions and have destroyed half of your guards, and I’ve only been free for around thirty minutes!”
“I will not give up my throne to the likes of you, demon .” The Jade Emperor spat, pulling out his sword from his hip. He pointed the huge weapon at Qi Xiaotian.
“I would hope so.” Qi Xiaotian stared up at him and laughed.
They both know how this fight will end, but the Jade Emperor could not allow Qi Xiaotian to go forward with his plans.
Qi Xiaotian twirled the Monkey King’s staff around him. This was gonna be fun.
-
Flower Fruit Mountain.
The last thing they all heard before Tang slammed the staff onto the ground, surrounding them in gold, was the sound of Mk’s laughter, growing louder, and louder, until everything was quiet, and they were greeted by the sound of chirping baby monkeys and a rushing waterfall.
Tang let out a sigh of relief. “I didn’t think that would work.” His hands trembled around the staff. They were safe, they were safe- Mk wasn’t-
He felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Pigsy.
“You did good, Tang.” Tang tenderly smiled, and placed his hand atop Pigsy's.
Their attention was grabbed by the muffled sounds of Mei and the hushed words of Sandy.
Sandy was trying to comfort her, to no avail. She pushed his hands away from her.
Her arm covered her face. Her breath hitched, and she trembled. She choked back a sob.
She was crying.
They had never seen Mei cry. They had seen her cry happy tears, and pout, but not this time. Mei was breaking, and her hands were desperately wiping away her tears as she tried to stop crying.
Tang and Pigsy were immediately at her side. Their first instinct was to ask “what’s wrong?”.
That’s when it finally hit them. Everything that had happened came back to them.
Where was Mk? What happened to Mk? Why did Mk do that? To them?
They had so many questions.
The brotherhood was intact. Peng and YellowTusk were slightly disoriented from getting freed from the scroll.
But they weren’t gravely injured, a few bumps and bruises, but nothing serious.
Azure Lion stood quietly to the side. His friends asked him questions that he couldn’t bring himself to answer.
He couldn’t speak, words never making it past his dry throat.
He needed to sit down, he needed to think, he needed- what did he need?
He didn’t want this to happen.
The kid wasn’t supposed to- what even happened to Mk?
The Six-Eared Macaque rushed out of the house, more of a pathetic excuse of a cabin, but he and Wukong had made some alterations since Macaque had moved it.
Imagine his surprise when he sees Mk’s gang of friends, and- were those his ex-brothers!?
Macaque jumped over the railing of the porch, running up to them so fast, his legs almost gave out.
“What in the world is going on!?”
All eyes turned to him. His brothers seemed surprised to see him. Macaque was just as shocked. What would he say to them?
What was there to say?
He gritted his teeth. If they were here, they were probably looking for Wukong, of course. Wukong had managed to make enemies with almost anyone, and said enemies always come back to haunt him, so why not their broken brotherhood.
Macaque paid them no mind, turning his attention to the gang. They were all terribly roughed up- Macaque could think of a few people who would cause this much damage- He quickly glared at Peng and YellowTusk.
He would deal with them later. Macaque looked them over. They were all wearing suspiciously old and traditional clothing.
They way they looked at him, a speck of fear in their eyes, he knew something was up.
The dragon girl choked, catching Macaque's attention.
Her eyes were red, her face was wet. She stumbled into him, her head resting on his shoulder. She sobbed, choking on her own breath.
Macaque froze. They had never come to him for comfort- No one has- except for a select few.
He placed a singular hand on her shoulder. She just sunk into him more. Why hadn’t she gone to one of her friends for this, why him? Wasn’t all this sentimental stuff Mk’s job?
Macaque looked over the group again, abit awkwardly this time, looking for help.
Someone was missing.
“Where is Mk?”
His words were the only thing ringing in their ears at that moment. They avoided his gaze. Tang rubbed his staff- where did he get that? - Pigsy looked at the ground, his expression unreadable, and Sandy looked away, scratching the back of his neck.
Macaque looked at his brothers. He could tell by the looks on their faces.
What did they do?
“Where is Mk!?” Macaque's voice got louder, startling everyone around him. He was specifically looking at Azure. The look of Azure’s face told Macaque everything he needed to know.
“What did you do to him, Azure!?” He bared his teeth. Mei was shoved away. Sandy had to hold Macaque back from tearing the brotherhood a new one.
Macaque kicked and screamed. He knew Azure did something. The brotherhood had a track record of doing something stupid. “Where is he!? What did you do-“
“Mr. Macaque? What’s going on?”
Macaque went silent, almost limp in Sandy’s hold.
Bai He.
The young girl leaned over the porch railing. She looked scared- she was scared. Her hair softly blew in the wind, her white strands were tucked behind her ear, but some escaped her. Like scars, they were.
“Bai, get inside, now.” Macaque didn’t look at her. He didn’t want her to see this. This is the last thing she needed to see after the incident.
“But-“
“No buts.” Macaque looked at her. Her fearful and hurt expression made him regret snapping at her. “Rumble, Ravage!” He called out. Two black and red monkeys appeared at the steps of the house. “Take her inside.”
The two little monkeys chirped, and began pushing her inside, their little hands gently shoving her legs. She wouldn’t budge.
Bai He looked at Macaque, then at everyone else. She noticed the gang. She gasped and ran up to them.
“Where have you guys been? I tried calling, but no one picked up!”
She waited for an answer, but when she looked around at the scene before her, her face fell.
“Guys?”
She paused.
“Where’s Mk?”
“Yeah, guys, we would love to know.” Macaque growled, glaring at his “brothers” again.
Azure, Peng, and YellowTusk glanced around. They were there, but they didn’t know. This was just as strange to them as it was to him.
“Mk is gone.” Mei spoke up, catching everyone off guard. Her fists clenched at her sides. She was facing away from everyone.
“No- no, he isn’t, he’s just…” Pigsy stammered angrily. Mk wasn’t gone, he couldn’t be! But that look Mk gave him back at Camel Bridge…
“He…”
“What…?” Macaque began to fear the worst. Was the kid dead was unfortunately his first thought.
“He attacked us! He barely even recognized us! He tried to trap us in that weird scroll thing-y!” Mei screamed, now facing everyone again. Angry tears fell out of her eyes.
Mk what.
Mei looked at Azure. “You! This is all your fault!” She wanted to take her sword and shove it down his throat. But when she looked at him, the guilt on his face. The way he looked he was about to cry as well…
He didn’t know it would happen either.
Peng huffed. They had recorded from his shock moments ago. They collected themselves and became the logical thinker they were. “It’s simple, the child is a traitor, just like his master before him-“
Macaque struck them.
Macaque had struck them.
Peng stumbled back. Across Peng’s cheek, a dark mark formed where Macaque had punched them. Macaque was fuming. His breathing slowed and he realized what he had done. He looked down at his hand.
He didn’t regret it.
“You hit me!?” Peng squawked. YellowTusk put a hand on their shoulder, but he was secretly holding them back to keep a fight from ensuing.
“It was deserved.” Macaque’s voice sounded robotic, devoid of emotion.
“How dare you! Have you no sense of decency!?” Peng shouted, their hand still on their burning cheek.
“That’s a lot coming from you, Peng .” Macaque snapped. “Because all you’ve ever done is make people feel so much better about themselves!”
He rolled his eyes. He was obviously being sarcastic, but it seemed the brotherhood didn’t get it.
“Like you’re any better, Macaque.” Peng said. “Do you think bringing in orphaned mortals will put you in the good books, then you are mistaken.”
Bai He hid behind Sandy. “I’m not an orphan.” She whispered.
“You leave her out of this!”
“What do you possibly hope to accomplish with her, Macaque? Redemption?”
Peng spat.
“What are you doing here, Macaque? I thought you were done with Sun Wukong?” YellowTusk spoke.
Macaque went quiet.
Azure squinted at Macaque’s unsure face, and his eyebrows shot up. “Macaque, I had no idea you and Wukong were-“
“I… we’re working on it.” YellowTusk didn’t push any further.
There was silence.
Macaque turned to walk away. “You should leave.”
Azure stepped forward. “Brother, wait-“
“You’ve done enough, Azure.” Macaque turned his head to glare at him. It hurt to talk. There were so many thoughts going on in Macaque’s head.
Mk was gone, Sun Wukong was… gone. All gone.
Macaque had truly changed since the last time they saw each other. Azure, Peng, and YellowTusk didn’t recognize him anymore.
“Macaque, please…” Azure’s voice softened, and he approached him cautiously. Macaque looked up at him with a stoic face.
Macaque sighed. “Fine.” Azure smiled at him.
“What!?” Pigsy screamed. “You can’t just let them stay, after everything they’ve done!?”
“Pigsy, calm down-“ Tang stepped in front of him. The rings on their fingers shined in the sunset light.
“Calm down? Calm down!?” Pigsy yelled. “Because of him, Mk is out there alone, who knows why he’s acting like that- but that doesn’t matter- because of Azure, and that stupid scroll, Mk is gone !”
“Yeah, I get it ok!?” Tang screamed. It rang out, scaring a few birds. Tang’s outburst silenced them. “Mk’s gone, Sun Wukong is gone, the scroll is gone! Everything is gone, and all we have left is this mountain, a bunch of demons-“
Tang would have tried to break the staff had it not been made out of solid gold. Tears threatened to break from Tang’s eyes.
“-and this stupid staff!”
Tang choked back a sob. Dropping his dangly stick, he hid his face in his hands.
“College did not prepare me for this.”
There was more silence. Pigsy pulled Tang into a hug, and they stood there.
“Hey, Bai He?” Sandy said quietly. His voice was hoarse, and no longer had the happy tune to it.
“Y-yeah?”
“Does Wukong have tea?” He asked. “I need to make us some tea.”
Bai He paused, then nodded. “Let me show you where the kitchen is.” She took his hand and led him to the house. Everyone watched silently as they went.
Before they reached the steps, something happened. It was like an earthquake, but short and sudden, with more impact on the mind than the body.
It had struck them all.
Around them, it was like the fabrics of time were being ripped open. Golden cracks lined the skies. The baby monkeys hid in their trees. As soon as it came, it stopped. The cracks healed themselves.
They all turned to each other, looking for an answer. No one had to speak, because they all knew what had just happened. They didn’t know how, but they all knew.
The Jade Emperor has been dethroned.