Finding the Path
Chapter 6 Facing Your Fear
By: Major144
Disclaimer: I do not own anything. This is just a story for fun.
Peng made his way into the Cave of Courage as he went deeper everything became darker and darker. Then the snow leopard began to hear a voice coming from the darkness. It was Tai Lung's voice!
"Ah Peng you finally arrived. That's good, soon you will meet your destiny and begin your journey down your true path."
"I refuse to walk down an path you have set up for me!" Shouted Peng.
"You talk big, but I can sense the fear and uncertainty in your voice. One way or another you shall walk my path." Said Tai Lung.
Peng continued you on walking through the cave, until he saw a light up ahead, he made his way towards the light and found himself in a large cavern, with some lanterns. Peng heard a moan and turned startled to see a injured Po chained to a large rock. A sword stuck out of the ground near Po.
"Po!" Cried Peng in shock.
The air was filled with a cold chuckle as Tai Lung stepped from the shadows.
"It is time you embrace your destiny. Take up that sword and kill the Dragon Warrior! He disgraced our family and took what what was rightfully mine! The panda must pay for his crimes and our family needs to regain it's honor!" Declared Tai Lung.
Peng glared at his uncle.
"No I refuse to help you! Your the one who brought dishonor to our family not Po. I will not kill a friend and I will protect him from you!"
"Bold words for a boy. Your words have steal, but are they a match for the steal of a blade?" Said Tai Lung as he pulled the sword out of the ground and charged at Peng swinging.
Peng managed to dodge out of the way, the blade missing him by mere inches. Tai Lung snarled and swung the sword again, but again Peng managed to dodge it and he shot out a kick knocking it from Tai Lung's hands. The blade spun through the air knocking one of the lanterns to the ground spreading some fire on the ground. Tai Lung roared and started to throw punches and kicks at Peng. The nephew managed to block the attacks with his arms, but they all felt like steal hammers when ever they hit and the blows were wearing Peng down. Finally Tai Lung kicked Peng in the chest knocking him to the other side of the cavern with a loud crash.
"Face it boy, your a thousand years to early to fight me! Quit resisting and fulfill your destiny!" Shouted Tai Lung.
Peng got to his feet glanced at Po, before turning to face his uncle.
"I won't walk down that path!" Shouted Peng.
"Still defiant to the bitter end, how very foolish of you. I'll beat every ounce of your rebellion and crush, your spirit, once that's done I'll build you back up and will give the world the Dragon Warrior it deserves!" Shouted Tai Lung as he leaped to the lantern fire nearby and lit his hands on fire.
Peng's eyes widen in shock as Tai Lung leaped at him with a roar. Tai Lung began hammering Peng with his flaming fist shouting.
"You are pathetic Peng! When I was your age I was considered a prodigy, I trained every day of my life training, until my limbs were numb and bleeding and every bone in my body felt broken! I devoted my life to becoming the strongest, so that one day I would be the Dragon Warrior. But I was denied my rightful place! Everybody I knew betrayed me, including my so called father figure Shifu. I was thrown into a prison and left to rot! And when I was finally free I was killed, by your so called friend who stole what was rightfully mine!" Roared Tai Lung as he hit Peng several times with his fist before knocking him to the ground.
Peng hit the ground hard, his body hurting and he was having a hard time breathing. Tai Lung extinguish the flames on his hands and looked down at Peng.
"I will have my revenge Peng, even from beyond the grave. You will be my tool and avenge me. The same darkness that was in me is in you. You can't run from your destiny."
Peng felt his anger rising as he let out a shout and slammed his feet into Tai Lung's chest driving the breath out of him. Peng then leaped up roaring as he delivered several punches to Tai Lung's face followed up by a kick to the chest that sent Tai Lung flying to the other side of the cavern with a crash. Tai Lung stood up wiping some blood from his lips as he grinned at Peng.
"Good your angry. Let that angry burn and consume you! It's the very same emotion that fueled me, when I was denied the title of Dragon Warrior. Let that anger flow and shape you. It will lead you on the right path nephew."
Peng starred at Tai Lung with anger before shouting and leaping at him with a punch. Tai Lung blocked the attack and Peng threw several more attacks at him, but Tai Lung blocked them all and knocked Peng back with a palm strike to the chest. Tai Lung just grinned and laughed at Peng's frustration.
Peng looked at Tai Lung as he tried to think up a new strategy. Then he remembered what Ooogway had told him about remembering who he was and then asking him who he was and what did he want to do? The snow leopard was the nephew of Tai Lung, but that didn't defy who he was. Peng was a pot maker and a skilled kung fu warrior, who wanted to help people. Before he learned about Tai Lung's demise at Po's hands, Peng had only used his kung fu for defense and to protect others, he never used it out of anger or hate at that point. Peng looked at his uncle's eyes and despite the evil smile on his face, there was anger in those eyes. That's when everything came together. It was anger and the want for vengeance that brought the worse in Peng not kung fu itself. Tai Lung was prideful, but when he was denied the title if Dragon Warrior he became anergy and desired revenge. That was what lead the older snow leopard down the dark path his chose.
Peng took a deep breath and calmed down.
"I finally understand."
"Are you seeing things my way?" Asked Tai Lung.
"No I understand why your the way you are and why I thought I was turning bad when I did kung fu. I remember what kung fu is really for and its not something meant to be used in anger or for vengeance. Kung fu is meant to protect not to harm and I will never turn into something like you uncle." Said Peng.
A startled look appeared on Tai Lung's face. For a brief second there was a look of disbelief and fear in the snow leopard's eyes, but it quickly vanished and was replaced by anger.
"It is you whose going to understand how kung fu works!" Snarled Tai Lung as he sprang at Peng throwing punches and kicks at him.
This time Peng was able to see all the blows coming and he was able to block them and delivered several blows to Tai Lung. Peng blocked a punch and delivered a double fisted punch to Tai Lung's chest sending him flying into a cavern fall with a thunderous crash. The older snow leopard staggered to his feet and saw the sword laying nearby and picked it up.
"I will make you walk my path! You fear me and you will become just like me!" Roared Tai Lung as he leaped into the air and swung his sword down at Peng.
Peng just calmly stood as the sword was swung down at him, but instead of cutting him to bits the blade and Tai Lung harmlessly went through him. Tai Lung landed behind Peng looking utterly confused.
"What...? How...?" Said Tai Lung.
"I'm not afraid of you anymore Tai Lung. I'm not your or anybody else, I'm me and I'm ok with that and as long as I live I will never turn into something like you." Said Peng.
"NOOOOOO! I will not stand for this!" Screamed Tai Lung as he slashed crazily at Peng, but all the blows harmlessly went through him.
Then Tai Lung started to become transparent and a look of absolute fear appeared on his face.
"Stay in my memories where you belong uncle. You have no power over me or anyone else." Said Peng.
Tai Lung opened his mouth and screamed as he vanished from sight. Peng turned to see that Po was no longer chained to the Rock and that he was smiling at him.
"You did good Peng. You did good." Said Po before he vanished before Peng.
Peng smiled as he felt a great burden lifted from his shoulders. He left the cavern and made his way to the cave entrance.
To be continued.