Chapter Text
Episode Four: Tournament (30 - ?)
Chapter XXXVII
Tournament, Act Eight
"DRAW, INDEED! Both contenders are eliminated!" Emperor Huangdi announced to the audience.
Before the audience heightened their cries and applauses, Chen Xing twitched his ache muscles when wincing; slowly, the Nine's Leader began to stand, and Tigress angled her body to knee herself up. Both fighters surveying billowing green, yellow, and blue banners could not imagine citizens watching the contenders spilling bloodshed. Still, they assumed to take for granted what expectations occurred after the semi-final match. There were no horrors; the felines approved their defeat, but unmistakenly brought many to admire the Nine' Leader and the Furious Five leader. Citizens boomed their cheers; the Nine of Prosper Valley and the Furious Five of the Valley of Peace shouted for their brother and sister. Without enduring their bruises, Chen Xing and Tigress formed their tai chi stances, their claws bursting their light cloud waves of silver and yellow qi. Her body was blanketed with cool sheets saturating her flesh, dissipating bruises; his own body was drenched with warm rain, showering the remains of his wounds until his bruises were washed away.
Chen Xing's lungs were now healthy, fractures of bones snapping back to where the rest adjusted. And Tigress's scrapes were no more, relieving her. The Nine's Leader and Furious Five alpha paced their steps back and began to present their bow respectfully.
"Master Chen Xing," Tigress grinned.
And the Nine's Leader nodded. "Master Tigress."
CHEN XING! CHEN XING!
TIGRESS! TIGRESS!
Cheers dominated applauses as far as the felines could see the hypes, charmingly approved. Upon the throne chair, the buffalo stood and waved his hooves at citizens, who now numbed their cries. "WONDERFUL PERFORMANCE!" the Emperor of Song Dynasty praised two felines. "I must say that Masters Chen Xing and Tigress pleased every soul for witnessing their lethality combat! Not only did these two achieve glory and respect, but I would also like to give credit to Masters Shifu and Chen Ming, who educated their students after many years of training and harmony! Give them a compliment, everyone!"
SHIFU! SHIFU!
MING! MING!
Both masters overheard people and presented their courtesy, bowing many before their students. Not long after remnants of yellow, green, and blue confetti showered all over the arena, the striped felines — contented as being respected by admirers — shared their glances.
"Well fought," Tigress nodded, complimenting her opponent. She could see Xing's fists, which were barely trembling. With stupefaction to see Xing's reflex skills, the feline master asked him. "How long have you been training Wing Chun with your grandmother, Xing?"
"Quite a long time," Xing answered, massaging his knuckles, digits, and wrists while ignoring the pain.
"I assume you have been well-trained for your whole life," she surveyed and pointed to Xing's paws.
"Same as yours," he discerned. "Ironwood Trees?" Tigress nodded as Xing approached and spoke to her. "I have been striking the Ironwood Trees with my claws several times for seventeen years, and I am still progressing to get there."
"That's good for you," she rubbed Xing's trembling digits. "Your claws should not feel pain from grates and cuts during that progression."
"Well, sort of. Perhaps my claws will be immune in three years or more," Chen Xing said. "If my hands were chopped off, that would be a different story."
Tigress continued to inspect her nephew's digits; knowing too well, she found the bridges of his pinky fingers slightly bent. "By the spirits," Xing surprised. "I can't believe we are eliminated by a draw."
"You are telling me," Tigress grinned, her amber eyes meeting his. "The battle's not over yet."
"Wait. There isn't?" Xing widened his silver eyes.
"Your brother Lao is up to the challenge. And he will be facing the Dragon Warrior."
That is — my brother is going to get his ass kicked.
When Tigress finished examining his fingers, she popped two bridges, and Xing let out a quiet wince. "There," she said as the Nine's Leader returned his claws. "Now your fingers appear to be fine. Too bad you will not be fighting with your brother, Xing."
"Figures. That makes my brother fighting against the panda much fair and square," the Nine's Leader said. The audience, full of pride and prosperous villagers and classes of martial arts, cheered their support of joyous and surprising moments for two striped felines. "Looks like we have entertained many people here, Master Tigress."
"Yes," she nodded. "We have achieved the most—"
Tigress launched a fast punch to her nephew's right ribcage.
OW!
"—pretty hardcore."
Panting with harsh wheezes of laughter, Xing asked her. "Is that for real?"
"That. . . is for owing me a cookie," she jested. Chuckling, the Nine's Leader saw Tigress prevail her smile and stroll down the platform's stairs, thinking the two deserved this triumph for sparring at the Jade Palace and fighting against the Furious Five leader for the first time.
"Did you just tease Tigress?" Lao queried whenever he strolled beside the tiger. "What did you do to her, brother?"
"I like her," he snickered.
Indeed, a previous fight between the two warriors was unpredictable in determining which fighters could win. Chen Xing and Master Tigress were greatly admired for their lethality adaptions of Kung Fu and Wing Chun; their strengths were equally matched, but Tigress's experience was undeniably more knowledgeable than Xing's. Several people were on the edge of their seats while witnessing the intense match, and both masters were aware of their students facing harm while fighting. On the chair, sitting next to Masters Storming Ox and Croc near the retired wrestler Kwan the Unkillable, Grandmaster Shifu caressed his white beard. His feline sister crossed her leg on the other.
"Unexpected, wasn't it?" Chen Ming grinned.
"Hmm?" Shifu vibrated his silvery throat, turning to her. "I am surprised to witness your grandson matching my daughter's moves. How. . . odd."
"Odd, yes. But Xing is not like Tigress, nor the one who we adored," Chen Ming said, returning her foot next to her other. "Surely, our students have temperaments, staying true to their characters while not being greedy to chase their dreams."
"Speaking of temperaments," Shifu regarded. "How does Xing adapt his behavior?"
"Xing's leadership was flawless, but remains to be tempered at only difficult situations such as. . . bitterness. Like father, like son," she explained. "Unlike pursuing his skills to earn what he wants, he only seeks what is right for him — his oath to protect with his courage act."
"Hmm," Shifu nodded. "And what is his commitment to protect?"
"Family, Shifu," she answered, simpering. "He looks after brothers and sisters, and both mother figures like his own."
"That same goes to Tigress, who defends Po and the Five from unfriendly surroundings," Shifu commented. "Does Xing have a father figure?"
Her eyes lowered. "No," Ming said. "I would pray to the dragons that anyone like my late son could do something to treat my grandson with fatherly manners. Someone like my yak friend from Tanhuang, but he remains on duty to educate his sons and adoptive daughter. Xing wishes to have someone like him to be on his side. I only have one yak friend - no other bovine giants would like to, but maybe a wolf will do so."
"A wolf, Ming?" the red panda was curious.
"I may have found a wolf who could do a favor after my grandson watched my adoptive granddaughter since she was a cub. The Soothsayer from Gongmen City mentions that Lotus's father is alive and would like to see her after the Tournament."
"That is great news," Shifu was pleased. "Her father is here?"
"And close," Ming smiled.
Without knowing who was behind the two masters, Wolf Boss folded his midnight blue ears and stretched his grin, walking away before other wolves across the supporting gallery stand.
"You sure you are up to this, Lao?" Chen Xing asked the peacock, applying bandage wraps around his limbs after the Nine's Doctor spread her healing remedies on his arms.
"Absolutely not," Lao wavered his wings, glaring at his feline brother. "For spirit's sake, you had Tigress! We should have gained our advantages to fight Po."
"I really wish it could have happened, Lao. As disappointed as I am eliminated, you will have to beat him one way or another," Xing said. "It is time for you to face your worthy opponent, and that battle will be—"
"Oh, shut up," Lao teased Xing. "I see what you did here."
Chen Xing snickered. A referee approaching from the platform called the last student. "Master Lao. You are up."
This is it, then. I am the last one standing.
The Nine's Brilliance unveiled his head to a nod, unmaking nervousness before the Nine watched his expression. The Nine's Leader encouraged him after Hong wrapped bandages on his wrists. "Win or lose — make us proud with honor and praise everyone, Lao. You got this."
"You defeat him, birdie, and I will be resting with you," Hong smiled.
"Not if I get to my birdie first, Hong," Lotus grunted, smirking at the peacock. "Kick his ass for us, Lao."
"I love you all," Lao smiled. "Thank you for everything."
Final
The Nine's Brilliance vs. Dragon Warrior
Silence conquered the arena.
Just before the young peacock entered the platform from the stairs, Lao swam his head around as if only the wind spoke from nature — mutters on the galleries began to crawl. The Nine's Brilliance could not see the panda at the Jade Palace group side nor from the Righteous Seven and the Nine; noticed how this finale soon to be glorious, Lao thought the Dragon Warrior could depict everyone what this panda mentioned his friends back at the Jade Palace — The Dramatic Entrance. Something big for appearance, as Lao considered, knowing his opponent was the final boss. Deep down in his gut, the Nine's Brilliance knew his time came to face his opponent; his mind only predicted the Nine would be eliminated, not to mention himself facing Tigress after defeating Crane. His wolf sister did not win, nor did the felines after their fatal draw.
The avian's back was drenched with warm rays from behind, and his shadow stretched toward the front while pointing at the Furious Five; around him was bathed with a yellow light — blinded from his sight, Lao held his wing near his face before the glow pulsations began to dim. There, on the stadium gallery's roof above the Emperor's platform, was Lao's worthy opponent. His challenger was in a black and white outfit with a gold wave of silk cape - fluttered like dawn ripples. Under the opponent's conical bamboo hat, the Dragon Warrior emerged.
Dragons help us all.
Lao gulped, and all the galleries of the arena roared for the People's Hero. The Nine's Brilliance understood how this hero dressed his outfit, which defined symbols of justice, tranquility, and peace just as many witnessed when they first encountered him. Unexpectedly, Lao approached onward when Po crouched and launched his whole body in the air, his hidden avatar serpent with the panda's chi soaring down the platform. After the panda landed before his opponent, Lao stood his ground and watched the mighty qi dragon slithering through column gaps as if the creature showered its waves of dust light on citizens — as magically blessed to see many people with high spirits, the dragon plunged behind Po's back, and the panda motioned his digits on the edge of his hat.
"The Nine believe in you, Lao! Kick his butt!" Hong heartened him.
Po removed his gold silk cape from his neck while the Nine's Brilliance was in the middle of the platform; the young peacock regarded what to expect from the awesomeness he had endured through the most challenges against the Righteous Seven and the Furious Five — and Lao was next to face the Dragon Warrior. Expecting to greet one another, Po quoted his verse introduction, which Lao was familiar with.
"Legends tell of a legendary warrior who arrives at the arena and confronts his worthy opponent," the panda articulated, causing Lao to chuckle with the Nine. "He faces the Wing Chun master named Lao, the Nine's Brilliance!"
Oh, for Oogway's sake!
Lessening his laughs while smiling, the peacock teased the panda. "I see you like to fight. Maybe you should fight — WITH MY TALONS!"
The Nine's Brilliance hammered his foot.
Good heavens, you are embarrassing me and the Nine here, brother.
Chen Xing snickered, noticing this playful act was necessary to entertain youngsters, but understood the panda had to brighten everyone. The warrior says nothing when his lips pull to one side. While crossing his arms in delight, the tiger thought, seeing Po gesture his own digit. The panda removes his hat. And then he speaks!
"Enough talk. Let's fight!" Po spat, throwing his conical hat in the air as it cast spirals of qi ripples from behind. Grunting, the peacock performed a chi sao stance with his dragon staff, and the panda showed his style of kung fu — the hat still hovering in the air returned to his head.
"Wing Chun; Lao."
"Kung Fu; Dragon Warrior."
And an antelope referee waved his red flag. "Douzheng!"
"GET READY TO FEEL A THUNDAH!"
The panda sprang his movement forward with a double kick - side lunge and backspin, and Lao gyrated to one side, blocking the bear's second kick. TAP!
For a moment, percussionists outside the bounds performed their drums, which led the Nine's Brilliance and the Dragon Warrior to concentrate their movements; waiting for a strike, the peacock made a spiral to his side, and the panda gestured his digits to draw him in. Instead of grasping a pole, Po launched his straight punches forward, and Lao whirled his staff, pummeling the bear's attacks while with parries. Attempts to thrash toward their openings lasted for seconds, but with a slight chance to ward the avian's blocks, Po swept his feet; the Nine's Brilliance countered him as his talon sprang, and the other bashed toward the panda's torso.
Po skidded back before he resumed his position — Lao unfurled his blue train and whirled it under his opponent, backing the panda off as the Dragon Warrior reacted. Rolling down the floor to the side, Po managed to storm closer to the peacock from behind, but Lao spread his train again before the bear's eyes; a dragon pole plunged through feather strands and clobbered the panda's shoulder. Wincing, the panda hurled his straight punches, forcing toward the avian's head; as flawless as the Nine's Brilliance whiffed his pole to block fast jabs, Lao saw the panda's leg bending before a front kick could occur. He thrust his talon of fook sao, stomping the bear's foot from darting. Both warriors simultaneously trapping their surroundings led the panda and peacock to struggle their strength within moments face to face:
Po's paws clutched and withstood Lao's weapon — the peacock shoving forward with an equal resilience. The Dragon Warrior thumped his opponent's chest with his fist, and the Nine's Brilliance walloped him back with his foot. Both warriors slid back and almost staggered, rapidly flowing their stances.
"Phew! This is AWESOME!" Po grinned.
Don't bother exhilarating.
Lao only droned with a slight smirk but immediately sprinted onward.
Po repeatedly flowed the combination of his straight punches, attempting to uppercut Lao as if the dragon pole barricaded the bear's limb from happening. Sending more vicious attacks, the panda leaped with his double kick before his third—a heel kick diving toward the peafowl. Sidestepping backward, Lao thrust his pole before creating a vortex above him; the Dragon Warrior, launching his fists when bending his body to the side, whammed his opponent's ribcage and chest.
Skidding backward to a halt, Lao spun his pole and widened his train, storming back to his contestant. The Nine's Brilliance went for the panda's feet when concentrating on Po's kung fu stance; without catching the peacock's surprise attack, the Dragon Warrior launched his main foot. Lao, propelling his talon to the bear's belly, recoiled his body and drove his weapon—whipping Po's back.
The panda skidded and darted his way to his opponent, whose train began to unfurl with an immediate reaction, blinding the bear's sight; the peacock's staff plunged through, rapidly pounding Po's shoulder to a brief stun. Each hit from Lao's weapon was flawlessly blocked as if the Dragon Warrior motioned his arms into quickness. Unlike the same as the panda who blocked Shifu's wooden pole for the dumpling challenge, Po drove through Lao's parries and launched straight fists, delivering an uppercut blow.
In the air, cawing to a growl, Lao broadened his wings and train from tumbling when in the air; the Dragon Warrior pinched the tip of his hat while smirking. "Disk of Destruction!" Po threw his hat toward Lao, whirling with trails of qi ripples from behind. The hat, resonating metal blade blares, nearly paced with an incredible speed; Lao was fast enough to parry it, which nearly sliced his crest before the Nine's Brilliance landed, bowling himself to one side. The hat glided across the air with haste, returning to Po's head.
PO! PO! PO!
LAO! LAO! LAO!
Crowds thundered their applauses as marshmallow clouds crossed over the sky, with silky rays of the sun caressing the arena. With their unimaginable experiences of being shown from the eyes of citizens who cried for their heroes, the Nine's Brilliance and the Dragon Warrior remained face-to-face, circling the platform. Po was ready to push forward before his opponent, willing to make this final fight more challenging against Lao. Unaware of the peafowl's feet that strands of dotted spots crawled before the body, Po could see a yin and yang symbol from the silky sands — an apparition. Neither one could see what Po saw, but the illusion overwhelmed the panda's sight, forcing him to glance at the ghastly fabrics of sand blanketing Lao's head.
Bubbly hisses emerged, speaking with a familiar voice; Po remembered dreams and his last moment of watching his old foe. Lao's face was—
GRRREEEETINGS, PANDA!
No. . . Po drowned his expression into a shock. Becoming petrified while seeing the dead peacock's hollowed eyes were onyx in blackness, Po was disoriented by Lao's dragon pole that whipped him.
Snapping away from an unexpected trance, Po fastened his palms and blocked Lao's staff quick enough, fast parries catching every attack where his flabby arms could lead before the weapon. With rapid parries that failed lunges toward shoulders and swept below the panda's feet, Lao recoiled and aimed where the bear's stance—one hit on the leg and the other directly on his lower arm. Deadening his war cry, Po blazed his arms with qi, his defensive blocks deflecting Lao's pole. Lao kept the pressure on his opponent while dodging his tiny head from Po's fists; right before the bear's round punch transpired, the Nine's Brilliance rapidly rolled from behind and thrust his talon thrice toward the Dragon Warrior's round belly. Sliding his feet toward the edge, Po nearly fell to the side of the arena, arms swinging forward as he safely returned to his stance. Wicked laughs from the ripples of ghastly sand emanated, Shen in his specter form on Lao's body sneering at the panda.
Oh, look at him! A lifetime to plot his revenge, and this panda comes to me on his knees!
He's not real. He's not real! Shen's not real!
Anxious, Po trembled in fright, and Lao tilted his dragon pole, whacking near the panda's head. Upon impeccable timing to snap out of fear, Po's claws ceased the weapon above near his muzzle, heaving the specter peacock in his fluttering rented robes away from the bear's proximity. Both fighters, in reality, resumed combat.
"Tigress, what's going on?" Viper's eyes broadened beside the striped feline master. "Why is Po acting odd in front of Lao like that?"
"I don't know. . ." Tigress mumbled after Xing beside her shimmered his silver eyes with a slight stun. What's wrong with Po? The Nine's Leader swam his head back to the battle before Tigress spoke. "Something is wrong."
Lao's dragon pole swept below Po's feet as the panda flipped backward, gyrating before firmly standing his ground. He flickered his limb and shouted, "SPIRIT STAFF!"
Quite stunned and confused, Monkey tossed the yin-yang pole to Po; the Dragon Warrior finally swung his weapon and nearly sliced Lao's throat, but the Nine's Brilliance prevented it with his own staff at mere inches. Two sticks of gloss and wood screamed in a rustling air; Lao banked his pole left to Po's neck, and the panda safely guarded his green staff near his throat. Contenders impacted their weapons against their strengths face-to-face; the silk of sands rippled into rogue waves, shaping Lao's head into a grayish sinister creature with red-orange eyes.
Oh, you want to know so badly.
Swoosh! Lao struck his weapon to Po's left arm and right leg. Emitting with profound grunts, the Dragon Warrior clutched his Spirit Staff and countered Lao's pole that aggressively darted his body around him. Drawing the other away and near the peacock, Lao forced his kick and whirled with his train; Po flipped backward in the air, and Lao landed his back kick on Po's belly, emitting his piercing caw.
Ceased from skidding his squealed feet, Po lunged his opponent with rapid parries, a hard tap to the left sending Lao off balance; the Dragon Warrior sprang his body to a ball, slamming the Nine's Brilliance with full force. With each hit, while Lao was bounced in the air, Po whirled and clobbered the avian's body with unimaginable attack combinations. Hammering once before recoiling his weapon left and right, the Dragon Warrior cast a hard uppercut with his Spirit Staff's qi, its golden light with a dragon's face slithering into impact.
WHOA!
Many but fighters deafened their gasps; Lao nearly fell and embarked on spreading his train and softened a rough landing himself, splitting his stance. The Nine's Brilliance stiffened his harsh puffs when panting, his wing flattening under his long neck. Glaring, Po could see the display of the evil peacock teasing him.
Do you think knowing will heal you? Huh? Fill some crater in your soul?
Chen Xing inspected the gargantuan column close to the arena. Within a slight crack twitched its tiny fractures—
"That pillar will not last standing there much longer!" Xing warned all the fighters.
This kid is right. It'll fall anytime now. Monkey gazed.
Po saw Lao's eyes glare with orange, drown with waves of crimson — the same eyes the Dragon Warrior confronted his nemesis inside the Fireworks Factory, wanting answers about the night Shen set incursion to Po's old home. The panda softly glided his arms, his right foot crossing to a half circle; his green eyes fastened shut.
Lao's just the kid. I don't wanna hurt him!
Lao forced his talons and resumed combating with his pole. Po sensed the peacock's movement from the rustle. With precise, Po palmed onto Lao's tip of the dragon's pole, also heel kick to the right of the tip's side as Lao drew back with it and continued attacking the panda at different angles of a sweep and thrust. Po yelled as he palms onto Lao's tip of a pole using his hands near his expression. He skidded at Lao's feet after the panda forced the pole away from the peacock.
Lao immediately rose from the fall before Po's fists, nearly darting a hammer kick to the peacock's neck. As the Dragon Warrior hammered the peacock's limbs, Lao's talon jo phan blocked the knee where the panda virtually kicked him. Lao controlled the bridges with feather palms and obstructed them with swift wings, booting Po's feet. Lao grappled the panda's left arm, his cobalt train sweeping his contender.
Po tumbled his back to the ring hard, rolling away as Lao sprang to the other side of the arena, snatching the dragon staff. Motioning his arms with a tai chi flow, Po surveyed Lao, who spun his weapon before bowling down toward his opponent. At an instant leap into the air, seeing the Nine's Leader point his pole while screeching, Po launched his foot to the peacock's chest twice, darting him off course. Weighing his body to the left, the panda propelled his fists with incredible strength.
"FISTS OF FURY!" Po thundered.
Lao's aching caw shook the whole wind, his body propelling and crashing on the wood pillar. The column's base shattered into fissures, and Lao, slightly unconscious from the impact, fell to the platform. The Nine held their breaths in shock.
"Come on, brother—on your feet!" Hong shouted.
"Don't give up, Lao!" Lotus whined.
Po wobbled his stance, nearly reaching for his own staff beside him from the left, gazing at the peacock struggle on the floor. As he did, attempting to regain his balance from falling, the Dragon Warrior glimpsed at strands of sand swimming past to his feet; the dust current displayed what appeared to be fragments of wood platform before the white figure, lying flat ahead of the avian's fate. A silky voice, so haunting and memorable, breathed out into shatters. The eyes of his old enemy fastened Po's heart.
How did you find peace? I took away your parents. Everything! I—I scarred you for life.
You see, that's the thing, Shen. Scars heal. Po muttered at his opponent.
Lao, snapping with his gasp, trembled and coughed in an attempt to regain his consciousness. Po surrendered and tossed his green staff to the side, and Xing and Tigress exchanged wild glances in confusion with each other before the Five, Nine, and Seven fighters. When the panda could hear the shattered metals and tangled ropes, Po numbed his clenched fist. With sharp ice that washed and crumpled in the panda's spine, the Dragon Warrior drooped his arms, quivering his lips.
"I am sorry, Shen," Po lamented without letting the Nine's Brilliance catch Po's voice.
Lao groaned before the peacock softly curved one wing to the other; his train lay extended behind the wood column — its base cracking fissures slowly. Po stared at this vision of a ton of silks rustling around him into a familiar scene of the last battle: black water, dawn heaven bathing and washing soot clouds in Gongmen City, the warship that tangled with ropes tightening the dark, and a ruptured metal cannon with the face of the dragon above the grayish form.
The panda held his mouth in, closing his own emerald eyes. I failed you when I ran away from your peace — I will not fail you in your death.
The column behind Lao was fragmented, snapping fissures apart into grunts and whines. Instant reactions transpired from Tigress and Chen Xing, whose claws reached, screaming for their companions.
"PO!"
"LAO, LOOK OUT!"
The panda glared at the peacock's father's eyes. For you, Shen.
Imagining what would have changed the day the panda lost his old foe, Po sprinted to Lao, whose body mirrored Shen's spirit with silk strands of sand. The pillar, gritting its wooden teeth with the shape of a ruptured cannon when ropes snapped apart, tumbled toward them. Woods crackled into screeching metals. The warrior of black and white clutched the avian's robe and threw Lao to the corner; the column, collapsing fast on the panda, slammed down on Po.
Everyone wailed.
Po held the collapsed pillar with his paws above him, panting heavily with greater strength over his arms. Screeching with might, he heaved the column away from Lao to the backside of the arena. Po relaxed his tensing fingers thoroughly. A shrill gasp was deafening, along with cries around the stadium galleries; allieviating his breaths from tension, Lao rose from the floor when Po caught him snatching a yin-yang staff next to the peacock. The panda searched for his opponent's dragon pole from behind and grasped it. Puffing off remnants before dusting off, the Dragon Warrior tossed the peacock's staff—Lao's other wing immediately catching his own.
"You are not ready to meet your end, buddy," Po said. "You have many years to enjoy good fortune everywhere else here. The only thing that matters is you to live longer."
Lao bent his head slightly, knowing his soul was too innocent to meet the next life. The Nine's Brilliance tossed the green staff to the panda, pointing his dragon pole toward his opponent.
"So, you want to win the awesomeness battle, Lao?" Po asked amusingly after gliding his staff at precise. "You ready?"
Lao beamed at him. "Ready."
Both fighters resumed their fighting, their sticks of glass and wood blaring in screeches. Oogway's staff and Lao's dragon pole clashed, rumbling the ring. Po leaned forward with his yin-yang staff, leaping as Lao forced back when grasping the dragon pole. The peacock stretched his train, both weapons clinging when Po hammered down to Lao at a distant length vertically. Both weapons of wood and glass clung and propelled reflectively by the sides. Once Lao and Po thrust their sticks simultaneously, they both leaped away.
Dragon Warrior and the Nine's Brilliance swayed their weapons with a simultaneous clash; Oogway's staff and Lao's dragon pole screeched in the breeze near their owners' fates.
Draw.
The Dragon Warrior and the Nine's Brilliance had finally defeated themselves; the two warriors almost led their fate against themselves with their staffs. Galleries rumbled from thunderous applauses and cheers, and every citizen fluttering their banners outright approved for witnessing the final round. Surrendering their weapons, the Dragon Warrior and the Nine's Brilliance surveyed the stadium—thousands of souls complimented.
Lao respectfully bowed to Po. The young prince knew his life that he would be defeated by a warrior of black and white by his vision earlier before the Tournament, and the People's Hero regarded his contestant from the Nine would attempt to defeat him. Yet, that accomplishment expressed Po into a studdering reaction. The Dragon Warrior eventually nodded to Lao, thanking him for an epic awesomeness battle. The Emperor of China, standing from his gallery throne, gestured his hoof at two fighters, commanding them to approach forward and stand together amidst the arena. Waited for the Gentle Dragon's presence, many attended and surveyed Emperor Huangdi, who emerged toward the arena platform, spreading his arms wide. His guards in their armor and gold cloaks were positioned nearby.
"Well done, contestants!" the Emperor gleamed his yellow eyes in glee, clapping his hooves. "People of China! As the final fight is a draw, I proclaim them—VICTORS!"
The crowd cheered; the Dragon Warrior and the Nine's Brilliance raised their eyes, breaking their smiles.
"Yes!" the Panda leaped wildly. "We won! I can't believe we had a great fight, kid! They are so proud of us!"
"So it seems, Dragon Warrior," Lao grinned, swimming his sight elsewhere.
"You looked so better in the battle!" Po patted him over Lao's upper sleeve. "We are equally matched in our fighting experience! I am adapting into Wing Chun, Lao!"
"And I am genuinely learning your Kung Fu skills, Master Panda," Lao smirks while Emperor Huangdi is about to approach the area. "By the way," the peacock added, "I strongly wish to thank you for saving me back there; that wood pillar could have taken me elsewhere. I owe you one Po."
"I'll remember that," Po smirked. "You're welcome, buddy. I save you, and you will return me a favor someday."
You will expect nothing less from me. Lao chuckled.
"Two finest warriors," the water buffalo grasped his hooves together, approaching the Dragon Warrior and the Nine's Brilliance. He gestured at the panda. "One who saved China from the yak warlord who was an evil creature known to himself as 'The Collector.' The panda fulfilled his destiny from the Great Master Oogway's prophecy," the Emperor directed the peacock. "And the one next to him nearly defeated the Dragon Warrior in this Tournament — the Nine's Brilliance.
"You are one of Master Ming's brilliant students. The honor is mine to please, my child." Huangdi lay the palm on his chest, beaming. With utmost dedication, the Gentle Dragon questioned the competitor. "What is your name, son? And where do you come from?"
"I am Lao, my Emperor," the Nine's Brilliance bowed to the majestic creature. "I came from the Summit Village where I was born — a peaceful place where avians inhabited."
"Hmm," the Emperor hummed and gleamed his yellow eyes, reflecting. "Summit Village was such peaceful. I remember horrific news about the village being raided by assailants more than two decades ago. Some survivors said the peacock and his defenders battled against assassins, defending his family at all costs. Other survivors mentioned the peacock was related to some of his kind - like him and the peafowls - but could not determine if their minds were accurate. I am certain that only one among other survivors recognized this. . . fugitive who was responsible for committing his actions; his crimes were horrendous, and I am forbidden to share this personal tragedy with your panda companion. However. . . as if there was no other proof about Shen's existence since he was banished and did not appear before he arrived in Gongmen, I have remained in disbelief with this survivor's answers."
Twitched by distant sobs of the ghastly fragments, the Dragon Warrior weighed his mind. In Thriving Village, his people resided far from the lands outside Gongmen. The place was filled with prosperity and happiness but swarmed into rogue waves of fire; Po had one time to master his meditation, overwhelming his anxiety to face this dark past he confronted. Remaining unperturbed, the panda calmly breathed in and out.
"I wish I could have remembered the tragedy at my home, my Emperor," Lao wished the Gentle Dragon when Po and Huangdi met their eyes at the young peacock. "I kept glancing into my memory. . . my mother was there. There was someone I had forgotten—my father's face— unrelated to the other one who looked like me. My mother does not speak of her husband."
"Come closer to my hoof, son," Huangdi opened his large hoof, nearly approaching Lao. "Let me see your memory."
Near the Nine and Righteous Seven, the Furious Five could see the Nine's Brilliance stepping forward once and laying his wing on the Emperor's hoof. Chen Xing gave a quick peek at the Temple as Ming and Shifu witnessed the Emperor and Lao. Swimming deeply into Lao's consciousness ripples of the peacock's memories, the Gentle Dragon detected a sparkling flame, which manifested the melancholy of distant avian cries in horrors. Rapid triggers of the scorching tree altered into a burning house, displaying Lao's peahen mother clutching her son with her wings. Crackling woods whined; fire rained elsewhere, and sword fights screeched from outside.
Ahead of the eyes of the son and the mother, the father, who only had orange-red eyes, was featured in a blurry entity.
XIA! We must leave our house and run into the forest!
Get away with us! I know who you are!
These assassins are coming to kill us nearby! WE MUST DEPART NOW!
NO!
"Poor child," the Emperor frowned, his eyes gleaming at the Nine's Brilliance. "You and your mother survived the tragedy of Summit Village. I see your memories. . . drenched in calamity. Aside from this unfortunate event you once were there, you have the Peafowl Nobles bloodline; your grandfather was the peacock lord of Gongmen City. The other rarest bloodline, your ancestor of the noble family of peafowls, united with the three companions who were warlord brothers in the Great War and fought their own lives by fighting many battles to defeat evils, slaying corruption, and tyrannies. Among the four, chosen by the Emperor of China before his daughter reigned the realm, they were called 'The Mightiest Warriors.'"
"WHOA!" Po gaped briskly. "Those guys are legends!"
I have confidence in what you said, panda, Lao reflected.
"I see potential in your heart, my child; instead of lingering in the past, Lao, you endure the present where life matters. Deciphering your bloodlines, I proclaim you a new name for the sake of your late grandfather — my old friend and a father figure," Huangdi said before clapping his hooves once. "As your grandfather's grandson, henceforth shall be known as. . . Son of Divinity."
"WOW!" Po slapped his own cheeks with surprise. "That recognition is awesome! Lao, Son of Divinity! I love it!"
"You have your heart's blessing in you, my dear child," the Emperor beamed in peacock's heart decently. "There is something. . . promising. I had a vision where you fight with one with his metal against the darkness. A vision of — a new hope, the white dragon. As that mystic answer may lead into uncertainty, there is one where you could meet an outstanding master who will guide you into the light."
"Grandmaster Oogway?" Lao asked Emperor.
"Him," the Emperor answered, grinning. "The old tortoise envisioned this prophecy where he met your ancestor in the Great War. His ally—your ancestor—was named Lord Lǐ Han. Along with the peacock's army, he fought those who stood with rebels and against the Empress—my foremother. Lǐ Han was Oogway's great colleague, along with the other three Mightiest Warriors, for honor, courage, and blessing for brotherhood. Your grandmaster saw the peacock's future on all the children of peafowls, and only one of his peafowl descendants will reunite the three chosen warriors who passed their purest bloodline of Mightiest Warriors by their ancestors."
Po leaned in his reflection as soon as the Emperor spoke to Lao entirely. In his thoughts, Po was in the Jade Palace Library, where hundreds of scrolls were stacked. Surveying one of fifty parchments in each structure of alphabetical order, Po could see the red panda sitting on the chair behind the table near the structure before the Dragon Warrior filled his mind with curiosity.
I gotta one of those scrolls inside Jade Palace that talks about the Mightiest Warriors! When I once saw Shifu holding a blue scroll shell made of crystals like Oogway's, I tried to see what that scroll Shifu was going to read. But he said it is very secretive!
That's not fair!
"I hope you are willing to meditate and recover your long-lost memories soon, my child." Huangdi expected the young avian. "Remember this memorable quote I shall say to you: A word of 'awesomeness' to Dragon Warrior's logic will help you remain in the inner peace trance. Let the water go to the light — it will flow your heart to seek what was lost. Be water, my child."
The Gentle Dragon emitted his final announcement to the audience, proclaiming two champions of Kong Bai warriors. Confetti on the outer walls of the stadium ground showered in the air, colors of the rainbow shooting fireworks toward the sky. How awesome was it for Po to remember his first time being in the Jade Palace after being chosen as Oogway's successor, seeing showers of confetti flowing elsewhere like yesterday?
Sensing the matter of uncertainty for Po's odd behavior during the fight, Tigress stared at Po who began to smirk when the audience burst out their applauses. Next to Tigress on her right, the Nine's Dancer Lotus drummed her feet in glee, fangirling her avian brother for success. Upon cloaking his concern, smiling at his brother and the Dragon Warrior, Chen Xing fiddled his chin beard with his digits.
The Nine's Leader nudged Tigress's shoulder. "While Po was focused on my brother," Xing examined, muttering close to her. "I heard what he spoke. he said, "I am sorry, Shen.'"
A haunting memory of herself sprinting on the wood platform for the panda in the Fireworks Factory flushed in Tigress's eyes. The feeling of hopelessness clutched her mind and heart, knowing she and the Masters of Jade Palace had this past trauma of almost losing her friend and the city for a decade.
"Master Tigress?" Chen Xing called her, glancing at her amber eyes that shimmered.
"You and the Nine will have to discuss this with Shifu and us at some other time," Tigress raised her brows upward. "We would have to express our words about Po and us. Gongmen City impacted many; we were recuperated from the incident."
"Was it terrible over there?" the Nine's Leader asked her.
Nevertheless, the feline's only answer depicted her thousand-yard stare before him. The rainbow of confetti continued sprinkling with sunlight glares, showering on the arena ground elsewhere. Finding one that seemed to be the miniature shape of one confetti far from the distance outside the stadium, Monkey began to stand and survey more. Crane lifted the tip of his conical hat, with Mantis perching above the avian. Unlike the flowing showers, an object appeared to grow when soaring closer, nearer as if a flying figure unbalanced the flight, flapping the wings.
The audience numbed their cries, and an avian figure, sobbing in the distance, let out a screech. "MY EMPEROR!" a goose soared out of the confetti sprinkles after he shouted with a sob as soon as he landed in front of Huangdi between Dragon Warrior and Son of Divinity. "EMPEROR HUANGDI!"
"Yao!" Huangdi snapped with his eyes wide open. Yao, Master Wolf's messenger, made a hard landing to wobble before the Gentle Dragon, attempting his bow when his tired breaths shattered. Po and Lao exchanged their glances before the Emperor approached with intense worriedness. "What on Earth has happened to you?"
"MY EMPEROR! I NEED TO TELL YOU THE TRU—"
A shrieking air whiffed past Lao before the silence screamed, and a silver feather arrow penetrated Yao's neck. Another shriek heightened from Lao's side, and the Nine's Brilliance instantly caught the arrow with his left talon.
"YAO!"
"What the—?!" Po gasped and glared at the sight of where the arrow flew from. Above the gallery near the stadium's gate on the right side, a dark figure in a hooded cape readied to nock the third arrow. Next to the Emperor of China, who ran for the injured messenger, a wolf guard in his gray cape emitted his harsh growl.
"ASSASSIN!" a wolf guard alarmed, and he immediately sent his snarling gold arrow across the air. An assassin plunged into the gallery, and citizens gasped in terror.
"THERE'S ANOTHER ONE!" a buffalo in his gold lamellar armor screeched across the stadium floor on the Nine's side, spotting another assailant (a dark grey bovine) in his battle robe with ash splotches. A giant bandit, endeavoring to hurl his black halberd, was taken down by the Emperor's bodyguard, who threw his hatchet to the head.
Bystanders began to cry out in horror, swimming their heads elsewhere. The Nine, Righteous Seven, and Jade Palace warriors watched another attacker (a badger) wielding his double blade, slaughtering one citizen before a snow wolf officer in his gold cloak stabbed him in the throat with his wavy sword. Warriors witnessed more than airships hovering close to the behemoth gate from outside.
"What is this abomination?!" the lion Shujaa roared in solemn query.
Po's eyes reflected on what appeared to be the most frightening experience he could ever see this nostalgic nightmare again. On the reflection of his pool of emerald eyes, three airships with fire emblems launched four balls of high-pitch crimson fireworks, and citizens nearing the gate fled from the incoming rain. Violent blasts blew into shockwaves before the gate blazed into bits and collapsed; citizens in pure terror near the side where the blast had struck plenty, a few in the waves of fire silencing their cries. Fumes and soot clouds billowed, and airships nearing the collapsed wall of the Kong Bai stadium emitted their distant battle cries. Sprinting out from the ablaze soot emerged a horde of bandits.
"We're under attack," the Nine's Brilliance glared.