Near to the start of their time together, old Eflas had told him that, despite what most in the Imperium believed, there were such things as gods. But he'd added that they were only people whose journey had brought them nearer to the Source than others, and should be respected but not revered, for however closer they might have already come, there was still always further to go. Despite that, Logan had never truly imagined that his own journey might bring him face to face with such a being.
And yet here he was, standing across an octagon from the Monkey King, complete with Compliant Gold-hooped Rod.
This, he said to himself, as he often did,
was not a good idea.
Yet when the time came, he walked steadily towards his opponent, who matched his course. The Monkey was smiling at him in what Logan
thought was a friendly manner, though he couldn't read the other well enough to judge if that was genuine or not. "I am prepared," he said.
"As am I," said Sun Wukong, in American-sounding English. His smile grew wider when Logan blinked in surprise at that, but he offered nothing further. No banter, no attempt at intimidation. Logan could tell that none of that was needed.
As the last seconds counted down, Logan lifted the hilt of his blade to a guard position, and ignited her with a flick of her switch. Greenish-blue light streaked forth, shining brighter than the lights of the arena. He drew in a breath as the count reached zero -- then struck forward with a fleche maneuver. To his amazement, he managed to sneak past the Monkey King's own guard, with the coruscating blade streaking across his opponent's unarmored left shoulder.
"Hah!" cried Wukong, jerking away from the blow. The reflexive retreat, if that was what it was, turned into a spin, slow enough to add no real force to the strike from the rod, yet making its course that much harder to avoid. Yet Logan's stance allowed him to back-step out of its path, though he could almost feel the air being driven before its blow.
Thus, when his opponent further shifted his spinning motion into a series of what looked like cartwheels, Logan found himself enough off balance to step into the path of that air, pushing him further onto his backfoot and wincing at the pain. He retained enough awareness to assume the ultimate defensive form that he'd been taught at the start of his journey, while still launching a half-hearted cut at the Monkey's leading leg.
It hit, and yet, just as with the shoulder, there was no sign of any damage at all. A vague memory that the Monkey King was made of stone came to him.
But I can cut through stone, he thought.
So then --
Again, Wukong swung his staff like a flag-waver in a parade might swing their banner. Again, Logan avoided it, and drove his blade full force towards his opponents' side.
"Ah!" cried Wukong, dancing away again.
He'd struck. He knew that he'd struck. And he knew more than that.
As he watched the Monkey begin to wind up for yet another blow, Logan sighed ... then flipped her switch to its closed position. With what he hoped was a face of serene acceptance and not a pout, he dropped to a seated position on the arena floor. "I surrender," he said clearly.
Wukong was moving into what would have been a wondrous acrobatic display, and so the declaration caught him quite off-guard. "You what?" he said, golden eyes wide, his voice almost but not quite drowned out by the cat-calls and similar complaints from the audience.
"Who can fight the storm? Who can fight the mountain?" Logan asked, quoting his master. "To continue to battle when there is no reasonable chance of success is not the act of the sage, but of the madman. I've done all I can, and nothing I've done has affected you in any way. So this fight was over before it began."
"But surely you will not give up your wish so readily!" said Wukong. "Surely --"
"It cannot be helped," he said quietly. "I cannot beat you --
even though you were going easy on me." That was almost added in a whisper.
The Monkey seemed to slump. "It may be as you say."
"What will you ask as your --" Thunder Dragon began to say, high above them both.
"Become my student," said Wukong.
Logan jolted. "What?"
"That is what I ask of you. Become my student, and grow stronger. So that when you
next face an opponent who seems unbeatable, you find the strength to carry on and conquer. Can you do this?" The Monkey raised a bushy eyebrow.
"Yes," Logan said after a moment. "But --"
Now Wukong spoke quietly. "Your enemy, up there, is not the only one who has seen all that is Logan Stormstrider," he said. "You are much better than you fear yourself to be, young man."
A long silence ensued, before Logan nodded once. He rose, and bowed to his new master. "Thank you, xiānshēng."
"Thank me
after I've made you work off this humiliation," said Wukong, now frowning. "But of that, more later."
They walked out of the arena together. Logan could not bring himself to look up where Shaitan Topaz was doubtless watching all this. And yet as the doors closed behind them, he wished that he had ...
Round 1, Match 3: Logan Stormstrider vs. Sun Wukong
Logan Stormstrider: Initiative +9, Unarmed +8 (Close Damage DC 18), Laser Sword +12 (Close Damage DC 21), Dodge 12 (22), Parry 12 (22), Fortitude 5, Toughness 5/3, Will 11 (Impervious 6), Acrobatics +13, Athletics +11, Insight +12
Hero Points: 3
Defensive Attack, Power Attack, Precise Attack (Close/Concealment)
Sun Wukong: Initiative +10, Unarmed +10 (Close Damage DC 23), Staff +12 (Close Damage DC 25, Crit 19-20), Dodge 8 (18), Parry 9 (19), Fortitude 11, Toughness 13 (Impervious 13), Will 11, Acrobatics +9, Athletics +11, Insight +10, Intimidation +8.
Hero Points: 1
Agile Feint, All-out Attack, Fearless, Power Attack.
Turn 1:
Logan 23,
Wukong 21
Logan makes a +2/-2 Defensive Attack with his Laser Sword. Its Penetrating extra reduces Wukong's Impervious to 7 ranks, allowing it to harm him.
Attack Roll 1d20+12-2=27 vs. Parry DC 19; Hit.
Wukong 1d20+13=24 vs. Damage DC 21; No effect.
Wukong makes a +5/-5 All-out Attack with his Rod.
Attack Roll 1d20+12+5=15 vs. Parry DC 24; Miss.
Turn 2:
Wukong 29,
Logan 20
Wukong Feints with Acrobatics as a Move Action, then makes a +2/-2 Power Attack with his Rod.
Acrobatics 1d20+9-5=24 vs. Acrobatics DC 23; Vulnerable.
Attack Roll 1d20+12-2=23 vs. Parry DC 17; Hit
Toughness 1d20+3=21 vs. Damage DC 27; Dazed, Bruised.
Logan makes a +5/-5 Defensive attack with his Laser Sword.
Attack Roll1d20+12-5=25 vs. Parry DC 19; Hit
Toughness 1d20+13=23 vs. Damage DC 21; No effect.
Turn 3:
Wukong 14,
Logan 11
Wukong makes a +2/-2 All-out Attack with his Rod.
Attack Roll 1d20+12+2=4 vs. Parry DC 27; Miss.
Logan makes a +5/-5 Power Attack with his Laser Sword.
Attack Roll 1d20+12-5=23 vs. Parry DC 14; Hit
Toughness 1d20+13=30 vs. Damage DC 26; No effect.
Logan surrenders.
Victor: Sun Wukong.