It's been a long road together. Erik thought, dodging Feng's punches with fluid precision.
The ten rings members made me better. But now? I am the best.
Suddenly, he ducked low and shot forward hooking Feng's leg in a flawless takedown.
In a blink, he shifted to his back securing him in a tight rear-naked choke, his legs locked firmly around his waist.
Hr! Er..ik..
Feng's head reddened as he gasped, struggling to speak through the choke. But the words faded and he finally slumped in the boy hold, unconscious.
Erik let go, watching Feng's limp form on the ground, his resolve sharper than ever.
"You are the one." Chancellor Hui announced, stepping forward with solemn precision.
He extended an ancient, ornately carved dagger. Placing it in Erik's hands.
"Champion of the House of the Deadly Hand." Hui's said before shifting his gaze to Feng's unconscious body, cold and unfeeling.
"The trial is complete. His time is over. All that remains is death." He said, advancing on Feng.
But Before Erik could respond. Xu Wenwu's calm, resonant voice broke the silence.
"Chancellor.." He called with a faint smile. "You have always served me well. But there's no need for death." He continued to say, moving towards them. "Take him out of here. He is no longer welcome in my presence."
Turning his full attention to Erik, Xu Wenwu placed a hand on his shoulder. A rare warmth in his eyes. "And this young man…" He mused "Does not strike me as a 'champion'. No, you're more than that, aren't you Killmonger?" His gaze was piercing, his words laced with conviction. "From this day forth, the world will know you as Killmonger—The Dragon Heir."
Chancellor Hui and Advisor Ling exchanged stunned glances, the word "heir" echoing heavily in their minds.
Erik lowered his gaze, his thoughts a mystery as he grasped the weight of his new title.
- Later That Day -
Two men rode side by side through the wild, untouched terrain. Silence stretching between them like the vast horizon ahead.
Advisor Ling pulled his horse to a stop and looked out over the landscape, his voice steady. "This is as far as we travel together, Feng. From here on, you'll survive alone—for the next years. I suggest you spend some of your time 'reflecting'.."
Feng's grip tightened on his reins, his jaw set defiantly. "Reflecting is for losers." He replied with cold disdain. "People focused on the past. I'm definitely better than that. I don't accept this loss. It's an insult."
Ling's expression remained calm. "There is honor in defeat." He responded instantly. "But you have to work harder to find it. Trust me. Sit with it. If you let your mind and soul digest this loss...Then this will make you stronger."
"Goodbye, and good luck." Ling tapped his horse's side and began to ride away, leaving Feng alone with his thoughts.
Feng sat still, staring out at the vast emptiness before him, his mind churning as he absorbed Ling's words, anger and pride swirling within him like an unstoppable storm.
- Two Weeks Later -
Strength, endurance or strategy.. Erik excelled in all and surpassed every so-called genius around him.
And after four years passed in the organisation. He finally earned the title of Champion of the House of the Deadly Hand. A position designated by Xu Wenwu himself.
With this title, Erik was officially recognized as one of the Five personal disciples of Xu Wenwu.
More than that, he became 'The Dragon Heir'.
This new rank meant more rigorous training under Xu Wenwu's direct supervision.
It also granted him significant time in the presence of the thousand-year-old warlord. Listening to his countless stories, absorbing centuries of tactics and learning the intricate philosophies that shaped Wenwu's mastery over both men and empires.
Xu held knowledge Erik had never even heard of.. Ancient potions, ancients techniques for healing the body.
Techniques to reinforce endurance far beyond what he'd encountered. While others taught ways to control the mind and numb pain, Xu offered something different. Something more spiritual.
He taught Erik how to tap into reservoirs of strength he didn't know existed.
"Hrr!" Erik grunted, gripping Xu Wenwu's hands as they locked into a relentless struggle.
Both men were stripped to the waist, sparring with an intensity that had kept them engaged for some time.
"NH!" Erik exhaled surprised as Xu suddenly twisted his arm in a powerful 180-degree clockwise motion, trying to bring him crashing to the ground.
But with his spider-like reflexes. Erik quickly regained his balance, his feet catching the ground just in time.
Xu still held one of the boy wrists and with his free hand he aimed a precise strike. Palm open, fingers ready to pierce his throat.
Sensing the danger, Erik swiftly tilted his body dodging the blow by mere inches.
Seizing the opening, he grasped Xu's arm and drove a solid kick into his gut, forcing him back a few steps.
"Excellent." Xu Wenwu remarked calmly, a note of acknowledgment in his tone. "Always landing on your feet like a cat."
Erik smirked in response. "More like a spider." He shot back crouched in a spider-man pose.
"You're getting better." Xu Wenwu observed, a hint of satisfaction in his tone as he slid his coat back over his shoulders. He adjusted it with smooth precision.
"Just not the best." Erik replied with a bitter smile, tugging his shirt back on.
Beating him without using my super-human strenght or speed and also holding back on my spider-sense... It's a challenge. He thought, reflecting on their sparring match.
Xu Wenwu watched him with that same measured look, nodding slightly. "I have no doubts that in time, you'll outshine the sun." He said. His tone low but steady, almost reverent.
"You're my Heir, Erik. You've pledged your life to me... But with that comes sacrifice." He spoke as if he could see through the boy true intentions.
I understand!" Erik replied firmly.
Xu's eyes narrowed, his response quick almost sharp. "Do you?" He asked. His voice cold. "If I needed you to kill someone innocent, would you do it?"
"No!" Erik shot back, unflinching. The word escaping him without the slightest hesitation.
Xu Wenwu turned, gesturing for Erik to follow him toward another chamber. The air shifting around them, heavy with purpose.
- Moments Later -
"We have similar goals, Erik." Xu Wenwu said calmly, filling a cup of tea. "Similar, but not the same. You wish to stop injustice to punish people. Whereas I... wish to save the world."
Erik stood silent, listening to his master. He knew Xu Wenwu's past and his vision for the future, but he had no intention of indulging in his "saving the world" sob story.
"You've seen some of the world. You've traveled through some of it. You know it's broken." Xu Wenwu said seriously, his gaze steady.
Is he sincere about this whole 'saving the world' mission, or is he just trying to pull me in? Erik wondered, his mind ticking. It was hard to tell.
"You want to stop crime? Then you need to stop hunger, greed and desperation." Xu Wenwu said calmly, sipping his tea. "You need to think bigger." His eyes were on the boy, piercing past Erik's unreadable expression. "Ambition at that scale has countless enemies. They'll fight you at every step."
Xu continued, his voice carrying a tone of wisdom tainted by experience. "You wonder why the Ten Rings? They're my protection. When your goal is to change the world, the people who control it will do everything to stop you." Xu Wenwu paused, lost briefly in memories.
"You question why I train killers, why I harden myself in the name of peace.." He said, taking another sip. "Because this world can't be coaxed into peace. It must be forced into it. That's the paradox of this planet." His voice grew firmer, his words edged with conviction. "There is no miracle without the sacrifices that precedes it… Do you understand what I'm saying?"
Erik held his gaze, his face a mask hiding his thoughts. "I do." He replied coolly, his true feelings tucked away behind his steady composure.
Stop greed? Erik mused, an edge of skepticism tightening his thoughts.
Is that even an achievable goal? Greed's just another human emotion—and it's not always a curse.
Greed could drive someone to create, to innovate, to reach beyond limits. It was how they used it that mattered.
For some, it led to progress to technological leaps.. For others, it fueled their thirst to take and destroy. The problem isn't greed itself, it's how people choose to act on it. Erik thought sipping his tea. His gaze distant.
Universal peace? A world without crime? He questioned the idea, feeling an instinctual resistance to it.
Something like that would mean stripping people of free will, of choice. And doesn't that defeat the purpose of it all? Erik's mind ran over these questions like a relentless drumbeat, the irritation simmering beneath his calm exterior.
I'm not the One Above All, K.E.V.I.N. or… whatever other cosmic force that handles the big picture. The realization dawned on him with a sense of quiet finality. I just want to live my life, punish does who deserved it, and keep it moving.
I'm no hero, no god. I don't have to save the whole world or the universe. He let out a quiet breath as the thoughts settled.
Erik took the last sip of his tea, savoring the warmth that grounded him and set the empty cup back on the table.
A surprising feeling of relief washed over him, like some unseen weight had lifted off his shoulders.
For so long, he'd wrestled with impossible questions, the pressure to be more. To fight battles bigger than himself. But now, having somewhat come to his own answer—even if it didn't satisfy Wenwu or anyone else.. He felt steady, almost free.
The path ahead might still be treacherous, filled with all the promised battles. But for now, Erik had clarity about what he stood for. Who he was, and what he wasn't obligated to carry. The quiet in his mind was rare, almost foreign. But he held onto it.
The two continued their conversation, their footsteps echoing down the stone hallway as they made their way toward the open courtyard.
The air was crisp and calm. A contrast to the intensity of their training moments ago.
Erik's gaze shifted across the landscape, taking in the training grounds, the disciples and the ancient architecture that had become so familiar over the years.
Four years... He thought again. A strange calm settling over him as he walked beside Xu Wenwu.
Four years since He first arrived here. In that time, He learned a lot of what they had to teach.
Erik's mastery in Martial Arts, endurance and strategy set him apart from the others. Each skill honed to a level that left even the brightest talents in his shadow.
His relentless pursuit of perfection caught the eye of Xu Wenwu, who crowned him the Champion of the House of the Deadly Hand. 'The dragon heir'
In theory, anyone could challenge him for the title but in reality.. No one had the courage.
Erik's reputation for brutality made the mere thought of facing him in combat a death sentence and everyone in the Ten Rings understood that well.
But while he thrived in this ruthless environment, sharpening himself into a living weapon. He had begun to notice a shift in Xu Wenwu.
Despite his apparent ambitions. Xu Wenwu's face held a calm, almost bored expression. It was as if he were detached from the very goals he claimed to hold so dear.
A contradiction that Erik had noticed many times.
It made him wonder if the old man drive was real or merely a reflex.. A way to pass the centuries.
Does he even believe in what he's saying? Or is the mission itself just another way to keep his mind occupied?
The warlord seemed increasingly disinterested as if the weight of his conquests had dulled his desire for more.
There was nothing left in this world that challenged him.. No empires, no enemies worthy of his time. Erik could see it in Wenwu's eyes during their training sessions or private conversations.. A quiet, gnawing emptiness.
He looked at Wenwu out of the corner of his eye. The man had been his teacher. His secret ennemy even his reluctant guide into an entirely different way of life.
As they reached the center of the courtyard, Erik let his thoughts fade and joined Midnight and Death Dealer.
"The time for his departure to Ta Lo is drawing near." Erik murmured to himself, his gaze distant as he reflected on what was to come.
Suddenly, a voice echoed through the courtyard. Clear and composed. "The four personal disciples have arrived, Master." Ling announced with his usual measured tone.
The words carried an air of formality, cutting through the soft rustling of leaves.
At that moment, the deep resonant creak of the massive wooden doors opening reverberated across the space.
The sound rolled like a low drumbeat. Commanding attention as the grand entrance to the courtyard was unveiled.
All eyes instinctively turned toward the doorway, anticipation thick in the air.
Xu Wenwu strode toward the grand entrance of the courtyard. His robes flowing with each step, until he stopped before his four disciples.
He studied each one in turn with a piercing gaze. Letting the weight of his silence fill the air around them.
His expression was as unyielding as the stone pillars that surrounded them, but his eyes held a flicker of something.. intense calculation, expectation or perhaps even pride.
"The Four Houses greet the Supreme Commander." Said the woman as she and the three others bowed low before their master, Xu Wenwu.
With a dismissive gesture, Xu Wenwu indicated Ling beside him. "Ling here" he began "Will show you to your lodgings. We begin at dawn."
As the new disciples made their way through the courtyard, one of them caught Erik's attention. His gaze was cold—dead, even devoid of any emotion as it swept over his group. Something about it felt off.
"What... was that?" Midnight asked, shifting uneasily.
Erik, eyes still on the retreating figure, responded without missing a beat. "Our future."
Li's curiosity piqued, and he asked.. "What do you mean?"
"Nothin'." Erik replied, his tone flat, turning his back and walking away.
"Hey, you can't just leave us hangin' like that!" The boy called after him, sounding playfully exasperated.
But Erik didn't stop and Li let out a sigh, turning back toward the distant silhouette of the disciples. Though his mask hid his expression, the tension in the air was unmistakable.