4.16

“Who do you think will win?” Freja asked.

“Go!” the announcer screamed with feverish excitement. The crowd roared in unison.

The two fighter both stood still, quickly assessing each other. Both were nervous to make the first move, and both were eager to make the counterattack.

“I dunno,” said Silas.

“They both look pretty formidable,” said Hunter.

“My bets’ on the monk,” said a random voice. The group turned to see it was the elderly man from Loose Change.

“Huh?” asked Freja.

“The elephants of the Glass Mountains. Warrior monks who have lived there for thousands of years. They are wise and powerful fighters and practitioners of the mystic arts. They send out their youngest to tournaments around the world so they can practice and witness as many styles and powers as possible. This way they can continue to learn.” The elderly man stood with the group and looked down at the fighting ring.

“I’m Hunter,” Hunter held out his hand to the elderly man.

“Tatsuta Kenji.” The elderly man took Hunter’s hand and shook it with a strength Hunter hadn’t prepared for.

“Have you ever seen the monks before?” Jimena asked. She didn’t take her eyes off of the contestants below.

“I’ve fought against one before, in a tournament, many years ago. I was a young hothead and underestimated my opponent. I was quickly defeated. A mistake I have never repeated.” Tatsuta laughed a wholesome, belly laugh.

The two fighters below finally moved into action. The man below stepped with a grace that belied his bulky size. He pulled his arm back, ready to strike. The elephant took a small step and squatted. The elephant struck with both palms, cracking into the chest of his opponent.

The man paused momentarily, as if paralysed and then was launched back through the air. He hit the slate and rolled and bounced like a sausage for a few feet. He got himself back up and looked angry and embarrassed at what had just happened.

“What?” asked Silas.

“They are one with their bodies,” commented Tatsuta.

The rotund man prepared himself for another attack. His body vibrated and a copy of the man appeared next to him.

“There are two of them now,” said Silas.

“A technique created by the elephants. This man has surely studied for years. But he best be careful, the elephants are the masters of their techniques. Nobody else can quite harness them with the same expertise.”

The two men each rushed the elephant. Just before they reached their target, they split. One to the left and one to the right. They hoped to pincer their target.

“You think I’ve never seen this kind of attack before?” the elephant asked. Its voice was deep and rumbled with an ancient wisdom that was both calming and intimidating.

The elephant stood and blocked the incoming flurry of blows from both sides with one arm each. The man failed to land a decent attack with the entire exchange.

The elephant grabbed the ankle of one and the wrist of the other. With all it’s might, it slammed the two together. The two men fell to the slate and the copy disappeared.

“One, two, three, four,” the announcer counted.

“Do you think he’ll get up?” Silas asked.

“No way, did you see the power behind that attack?” said Freja.

The man stirred. His arms twitched and he made ready to pull himself up.

“Stay down. I don’t want to hurt you anymore than I should,” growled the elephant.

“Eight, nine. Te…and he’s up. I didn’t think he would get up after an attack like that. This is turning into real excitement.”

The man kicked off the ground and launched a headbutt on the elephant, colliding with its chin. The elephant stumbled back, rubbing its chin. The man laughed.

“Very well then.”

“Its nothing against you. You need to understand, it’s a matter of pride,” said the man.

“Whoa,” said Hunter. He could feel the energy coming from the two fighters down below. He had never seen a fight quite like this. It was different to anything he’d seen back home between heroes and villains.

“I can understand that. But pride is a dangerous thing. It clouds the mind, effecting judgement,” said the elephant.

“Spare me the philosophy lesson,” snarled the man.

“I’m just trying to teach you.” The elephant spoke with calm patience. Unperturbed by the rudeness of his opponent.

“I don’t need to be taught.”

“Very well. Are you going to use one of your own attacks this time, or will you use one of ours again?” The elephant raised its arms, ready for another assault.

“Wait and see.” The man grabbed his wrist and a glowing yellow and blue sphere formed in his hand. The man crouched and launched himself at the elephant.

The elephant stayed still and waited for its opponent to come. The man rushed the hand forward the contained the sphere of energy.

“Explosive fist!” He brought his fist forward and the energy exploded in a blinding light. Everyone in the crowd had to look away or cover their eyes.

As the intense light died down, everybody looked on in awe as the scene below was revealed.

The elephant stood there; one palm raised. It had caught the attack. The man looked surprised.

“No way!” screamed the man from the fighting ring.

“That’s some exciting stuff right there folks,” cheered the announcer.

“You seem to lack any original techniques, dear fighter,” said the elephant. “I know this one also, for its creator showed it to me last year. He defeated me with it, for it is a powerful technique. But it won’t work on me a second time.”

The elephant crushed the hand it had blocked, the man screamed in immense pain. A bloodcurdling snap bounced through the arena as the man’s arm was bent into an unnatural angle.

“Your pride was your downfall.” The elephant brought its mighty head down and cracked it into the skull of the man. The man’s body fell limp on the ground. The elephant walked away without waiting for the countdown.

“It seems the victory would go to the Circle of Shepherds as the fighter from the Iron Fangs is down. Can the next two fighters please prepare themselves for the next match?” The excitement in the announcer’s voice reached a fever pitch and the crowd went wild.

“Hunter, I don’t want to fight them,” said Silas.

“Neither do I. Hopefully there are fighters here powerful enough to eliminate them. But then, they would be even scarier than the elephants.” Tatsuta chuckled and walked away.