You know, I considered getting a beta reader, but between the time he/she might take to read it plus the time it takes me to write a single chapter.

Meh, too much time. Anyway, review&review

Chapter 6

A fight of men

Wukong and Ahri walked to their house in awkward silence for a few minutes. The reason was none other than the unconscious man that the monkey king was carrying on his back, his weasel friend on his back as well, looking at the man worriedly.

Ahri was looking nervously to say man trying to figure out anything with a look even though she knew it was impossible.

But she also shifted from time to time to the face of her partner; his confident smirk that she loved so much was replaced by a serious frown, the one that anyone would use when they were feeling powerless. She hadn't seen him using that face since… certain day.

And she didn't like it at all.

After a few more minutes she decided it would be better to break the silence "ehm, Wu?" she called him.

"Yes?" he replied not looking at her or dropping his frown.

"You… you don't really believe that someone from Demacia did that to him do you?" he sighed.

"I don't know. And I don't want to make rush conclusions so I'm trying not to think too much about it"

"Judging from your expression I'd say you aren't doing well with that" she tried to joke a little.

"You know me to well" he smile a little but without his usual spark, making the fox worry even more.

A while later they arrived to their house. They placed him gently on the couch while Ahri ran to the hospital to get Soraka since there was no way Wukong would leave her alone with their unconscious guest.

So he just spent ten minutes which felt like an hour watching him and barely blinking, trying his best not to think much about him since he was sure he'll tell them the whole story, but didn't have any luck.

Then suddenly, reality hit him.

He made a copy of himself and sent him to bring his journal, and in less than a minute he delivered the book, the pen and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Now let's see…" he said before writing.

Really, just when I thought nothing could surprise me anymore the world throws me this… 'Xerath event' yeah, I think I'm going to call it that way. But still, not content with that, I arrive at my house and not even ten minutes later a living scarf guides us to a dying man on the river, which alone isn't much, but the fact that he has the nastiest scar that I've ever seen and a… demacian crest burned right above his heart…

Part of me wants to believe that he just took his patriotic pride a little too far. Hell, I even want to believe that both wounds were caused by Noxus or anyone else but… most of me believe that they would be naïve assumptions.

He sighed and looked at said man again.

I don't feel comfortable telling anyone else about it, but just before I woke up I had the weirdest dream ever (now that I think about it, that's a lot coming from me). There were no images, no sounds; just my own thoughts and the thoughts of someone else.

The 'voice' told me that I had to teach how to live (or that's what I got) to one of their children. And the same day this guy appears.

If there is one thing people can't deny about me is my instincts. I always let them guide me and not even once they failed me, and right now they are telling me that the man in front of me needs help. My help, and that he deserves that help.

He looked once again and the man and gasped at the sight of him trembling and sweating. He was having a nightmare.

Wu looked at him for a while more before writing a few last words.

I still need to hear his story to confirm, but after that I'll help him to the best of my ability.

He sensed Ahri returning with Soraka and two other people. So he made another copy to take the journal to his desk and it completed the task right when the doors opened.

"He's right here" Ahri told Soraka.

The starchild looked at the man "how is he?" she asked

"Well I managed to take out a good amount of water from him but now I think he's having a nightmare and…" he turned to the two extra people "what are you doing here?"

"I was there when Ahri came looking for Soraka, and after all what happened we can't be too cautious" Karma said impassively.

"Karma informed me about this man… situation so I came to hear his version" Yi added.

"Anyway, do you think you can do something for him?" the monkey king asked the healer.

"Well, his cheek scar is too old and severe to do anything I'm afraid but maybe I could heal his chest burn. Aside from that he seems fine. Actually he could wake up any moment but…" she trailed off

"What?" Wu asked.

"What in the name of the Watcher is that?" she signaled the metal embedded in his arms, fingers, legs and spine.

"…good question"

"Maybe it's dangerous for him" Ahri said.

"I don't know. I should make a few tests but…"

"Ugh" the man groaned and slowly opened his eyes, calling everyone's attention "where am I?" he asked trying to get up.

"Easy there, you just woke up from almost drowning, just stay there for a while" Soraka said gently.

"Wha-? Yes, that's right. Thank you miss" he laid down again, unaware of the blush that appeared on the healer's face.

Everyone pretended not to notice as well.

Except for certain monkey who chuckled at Soraka's tendency of blushing for anything.

"So ekhm, how are you feeling?" she recomposed herself.

"Better than before, thanks" he replied while trying to shove away the dizziness.

"So, are you well enough to tell us what happened to you?" Yi asked.

"Of course but…" he put a hand over his eyes like in pain

"What?"

"Is just… a bit embarrassing" he replied.

"Come on, it can't be that bad!" the monkey king encouraged him.

"I… haven't slept for two months" he confessed, startling everyone.

"Why is that?" Karma asked.

"Is a long story" the pain in his eyes increased

"And err, what about your scars?" Ahri asked; they put the mask on his face again.

"That's right, we still haven't seen them" Yi said.

"… I…" he started trembling.

"It's ok; you don't have to tell us if you don't want"

"No… it's not that… I…" he was clearly in pain; the rest of the occupants in the room started worrying about him.

"Hey vixen, think you can help him whit that?" Wu asked his friend.

"Gladly!" she said a bit too eager.

"You are only going to relieve his pain, right?" he asked threateningly.

"Please, you offend me my king" she gathered a good amount of her special magic on her hand and touched his face.

The reaction wasn't the expected.

He suddenly gasped and fell of the couch, screaming in pain.

"DAMNIT VIXEN! WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?!" Wukong yelled.

"HOW SHOULD I KNOW?! THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENS!" Ahri yelled back, clearly offended.

Meanwhile, Karma and Yi were too shocked to move, while Soraka, being the medic, moved next to the man, attempting to calm him down.

"Please control yourself sir, where does it hurt? We can help…"

His head turned to her abruptly, making her gasp.

The sight of his eyes made her start sweating cold.

Black stains covered almost all his eyes, and were growing fast.

"R-run" he whispered whit desperation.

"Hey come on! Hang in there we only want…" Ahri started, but then…

'Stop' she gasped.

'Please stop… you are killing me'

'I-I can't! I can't go back, I WON'T!'

'B-but… I'm going to… die'

'I'm sorry'

'Please, I have two children, I'm begging you'

But you didn't stop; you kept draining his life force for your selfish reasons, until you dried him.

'No'

They are right about you; you are nothing but a demon in a whore's disguise.

'That isn't right! I-I changed!'

If the situation changed you wouldn't hesitate in killing more innocent people.

'I won't do that anymore!'

And when that day comes, your so called best friend would be the first one you'll betray.

'NO!'

The dread felling clenched her throat.

The man got up slowly with his eyes closed. When he stood straight he opened them.

Both of them were entirely covered in black, his gaze became colder than the Howling abyss.

The vixen tried to scream, move, breathe, anything, but she couldn't.

The fear paralyzed her.

The man in front of her paralyzed her.

And like you can't prevent the darkness take over the light at night, she knew as she saw her life passing before her eyes that she couldn't escape what would come next.

She was going to die there, without admitting herself her own feelings.

The man reached for inside the jacket he was wearing and started pulling something out, and defying logic, a nearly two meters long metal rod emerged. And when he pulled it out completely, she noticed it wasn't just a rod.

It was a scythe.

The blade was about a meter and a half long, it bended slightly down and was decorated with a flowered bindweed patterns. On the other side there was another blade that looked like a flower shaped fan and was like a third size of the scythe blade.

The handle itself was jet black except for metal silver bindweed the enveloped it and that connected perfectly with the main blade decorations.

Still, Ahri almost didn't notice it because she was more concerned for the fact that the man had lifted the scythe ready to slice her in two.

She couldn't do anything; the fear had paralyzed her. She could only think in one thing, and that wasn't why this man wanted to kill her or why did she had to die like this.

No, she was thinking in one person, and that she will give anything to him smile again.

She closed her eyes, as the scythe shot down.

This was enough to pull Wu out of his daze.

He suddenly appeared in front of the man and blocked his attack with his staff.

"Someone needs to chill" he said with a smirk.

The man widened his eyes in shock for a moment but then turned cold again. He slashed the monkey king again, connecting this time but after that he exploded in a puff of smoke.

"Decoy" the man heard from behind and tried to move but then Wu's staff bended around him and threw him through the wall till the garden.

"I'll take care" he said to his friends. Once the man left the house they 'woke up' in a manner of speaking.

"W-what was that?" Soraka said still bit affected by the man's aura.

"I don't know; I never felt any magic like that" Karma spoke while trying to shove the feeling of her head.

"(Clank, clank!) Hahaha!" they heard the fight from outside.

"Right! Wu is fighting him, we have to help him!" she, as well as Karma and Soraka were about to run to his aid but then Yi noticed something.

"Wait!" he stopped them.

"What's wrong?" the enlightened one asked.

"I want to see something" at this Ahri gritted her teeth.

"What's to see? Wu is fighting a maniac that could kill him without thinking!"

"If you pay attention I'm sure you'll notice too, also, if he said he said he'll take care of it, then he will"

"But…" she felt something rub her leg. She looked down and saw the scarf weasel, giving her a pleading look.

"Have some faith in him, you more than anyone" after he said this the women remain in their places, although Ahri reluctantly.

Meanwhile, the monkey king and the mysterious man clashed their weapons at blinding speed, oddly enough, none of them managed to land a hit.

This impressed Wukong, and he could feel something that pulled his staff towards his opponent. A feeling that grew each time they clashed.

The man, from the outside, didn't seem to react to the situation in any way; his eyes remaining cold and murderous. Although, on the inside it was different.

'What's happening?' he parried a thrust of his opponent and countered with a bottom up slash but he blocked it.

'What's this feeling? I don't deserve to feel anything' he jumped backwards and threw his scythe at Wukong, who blocked again. But then he spun rapidly and the scythe followed him like connected to him by an invisible string.

The monkey king dodged and blocked as fast as he could until a swipe to his feet almost got him and jumped in the air.

The man, despite being spinning, noticed this and changed his attacks from horizontal to vertical, trying to hit him.

But how he countered it, actually surprised him.

He caught the scythe with his right hand and almost in the same movement he pulled the man towards him, standing on his cloud to get a better grip.

The man refused or couldn't let go of the scythe and ascended fast towards his opponent, who awaited ready to strike him.

This managed to pull him out his daze. He started to retract the string, increasing his ascension speed while turning his body to meet Wukong with a frontal kick.

This happened in 0.08 seconds, but Wu still managed to change his grip from offensive to defensive and blocked the kick. Still, the force of the attack sent him flying to deeper into the forest. The man landed and then jumped towards him, while Wu's friends plus weasel followed them.

The speed he was thrown surprised Wukong and almost landed on the ground but he managed to summon his cloud to cushion his fall.

He got in stance and almost immediately after the mysterious man appeared ten meters away.

The eyed one another, analyzing their opponents.

Wu could already tell this man was waaay strong; his ability with that scythe was almost… nah who I'm kidding, it WAS faultless; even if he managed to find an opening, which wasn't easy at all, his high reflexes allowed him to change his grip and block in the last second, also, he seemed to be connected to his weapon somehow allowing him to attack mid and long range not to mention the force behind that kick spoke volumes of his physical strength.

In short, this was going to be a badass fight.

Meanwhile, on the confines of the mysterious man fight, an internal debate was taking place.

'I… don't understand… did someone… touch Seed? I thought I was the only one… what's happening?'

Wukong stared at the man for a few more seconds and noticed that his gaze was lost.

As soon as he concluded that, the man shook his head and got into stance again, and so did he.

They remained like that for a single second and then shot towards each other, leaving a crater where they stood

The man swung his scythe low trying to hit the monkey's feet but he jumped and in the air, he tried to hit his head but the man tilted his head to the side avoiding the hit.

Wu landed back to back with his opponentand without bothering to look he thrust backwards and just like he predicted, he blocked it without looking as well.

The monkey smirked and ordered his staff to grow, pushing the man and catching him off guard.

He saw his position and anticipating his movements once more, he decided to try something new.

He broke his staff in two pieces, holding the large one towards the man; still pushing him; with his right hand and with the left hand he held the shorter one which began extending as well but as fast as he it could.

He spun and aimed the left piece to his opponent's right side. As he predicted, he parried the first piece of the staff to the left side, leaving his right side exposed.

Wu expected him to take the hit or dodge it since it was the logical thing to expect but once again the man surprised him, and the surprise came with two words.

"La vide" he said, and suddenly, hundreds of translucent strings appeared from his right arm, interweaving and formed a shield. The shield bended but didn't broke, but the attack still managed to push the man slightly to the side.

The monkey was shocked at first, but then a huge grin appeared on his face.

"Not bad!" he pulled out all his strength and kept pushing the man in a circle.

The man tried to parry the staff aside but then the first staff started entangling him, preventing him to move.

Wukong spun more and more, faster each time, and when he was happy with the speed, he lifted the man in an arc.

"Sledgehammer!" he yelled before slamming him on the ground, creating a dust cloud.

He panted slightly, waiting for the cloud to disperse. And when he saw the results… well… most would have grunted in frustration, but he only grinned more.

The man had absorbed the impact with the same shield technique, and was now giving him a deadly glare.

"Ehm, sorry?" the monkey said and then noticed something off "where's your scy-?"

SLASH! The weapon in question shot from the ground beneath him and left a gash across his body.

He managed to land a hit

From a safe distance the monkey's friends acted as spectators.

"Wu!" Ahri was about to help his friend but a hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"Don't" Karma said.

"Why?! He can get really hurt or even die!"

"You should know him better by know" Master Yi answered.

"It's ok; as long as I'm here no one will die" Soraka assured her

"But…"

"Just watch" he ended the conversation. The fox had no other choice but to trust her friend, although she had to admit, something indeed seemed off about the fight

"Guh!" Wukong said and looked back at the man; he dug his index finger in the ground and then he saw a string like the ones from his shield connected to the pommel of his staff.

That gave him an idea.

"Hey, let me try that!" he broke once more his staff and this time he pointed the tip of the smaller piece to the ground and then extended it nearly half the speed of a bullet, burying it in the ground.

His opponent's instincts screamed to get away of where he was laying but the other pieces of the staff kept him restrained.

All he could do was preparing his shield for the single staff that he knew was coming from the ground.

Except for two details.

1 He didn't have enough time to prepare the shield.

2 There wasn't just one staff that came out.

Nearly a dozen of rods emerged from the ground, thrusting the man on the chest, breaking two of his ribs.

Wukong managed to land a hit as well.

"Now that's more like it" he morphed the three pieces of the staff into three full ones and grabbed them, one on each hand and one on his tail and charged at his opponent who charged as well.

"Hey… is it just me or…" Ahri started.

"No you're right" Karma continued "Wu has become stronger" the fox widened her eyes.

"But how? When? We've been out for three months"

"I think I know the answer" Yi called everyone's attention "I knew since our first training session that Wu never showed me his true strength"

"You mean the monkey king, battle lover and future top warrior was holding back all this time?" Soraka asked "that's impossible"

"That's what I thought, so I confronted him about it but he had no idea what I was talking about" Ahri widened her eyes.

"Wu had been lying to himself? Why?"

"I guess is because of his goal"

"How so?" Karma asked.

"Do you remember how he was born? The runic stone?" the women nodded "he was born when the stone broke in a ritual made by monkeys, from there his species, but before the stone was broken it imbued energy the every living being around it, but when it broke, it became a creature who could absorb the surrounding energy to make his skin harder"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't you see? The stone powers had the opposite effect on Wu; from giving energy to absorb it, this is just my theory, but I think his thirst for greatness is also due to this effect; breaking the stone didn't only affected his powers but his mind as well" the girls gasped.

"But… but what does that means then? How that makes him hide his strength?"

"Again, this is just my assumption, but I think somewhere inside him Wu knew the reason behind his goal, so he held back his strength because of denial, because he had something to prove"

"What? What is it?" Ahri asked almost desperately.

"That he's more than just the influence of a rock" everyone remained silent for a while after that, pondering his words.

The fox watched his friend fighting again; after the mysterious man recovered from Wu's hit they shot towards each other, clashing weapons again, except that this time, they did managed to land a few hits here and there.

Then something clicked in her head "but if that is true why is he showing his true strength now?" Yi sighed.

"I don't know why, I don't know how, but I think exchanging blows with that man he is finding the answer he's looking for; his true self"

"'Only in combat you learn who you truly are' sounds familiar?" Soraka asked aloud.

Ahri couldn't believe it; all this time Wu had felt like this? And she never noticed?

Maybe she wasn't a good friend after all.

The stranger and the monkey king had been clashing for a while now. The man tried to slash his chest again, this time with full force but the monkey managed to block with his three staves.

They remained like that, each one trying to overpower the other. Until both of them pushed the other back once more.

Wukong saw the state they were both in and couldn't hold it anymore.

He burst out laughing.

His sudden action startled everyone on the battlefield, but no one more than the stranger.

For the first time since they met him, his eyes were filled with nothing but pure shock.

"HAHAHAHAHA! YESS! I thought that fighting was good for the soul before but THIS?! I haven't felt like this since… since… ever! HAHAHAH!"

As soon as the man heard his declaration something happened to him.

He started to wobble back and forth, clenching his eyes shut and holding his forehead like in pain again.

'I've been fighting? This… this… man? He managed to survived until now, and his laugh… is too loud… is echoing in my head. He should have succumbed already but instead… instead…'

'HIS EXCITEMENT IS RUBBING ON ME!' he yelled inside his head, the black on his eyes receding fast.

He dashed once more towards Wu but this time he waited for him.

The man made an upside down slash and just when it looked like the hit landed, Wu's body exploded in smoke.

The real him was just behind the decoy and in the perfect position to block his attack with his right staff, lock it with the left one, and counterattack with the tail one.

But before he could connect, the man let go of his scythe and punched him in the gut.

The monkey was pushed backwards and started panting, as well as his opponent.

As they looked each other, the thrill in their eyes was evident. They were both actually trembling in excitement; they've never had this sensation before.

The urge of clashing weapons, not for achieving victory but because that act alone filled them with joy.

And that's when the man began to remember.

Flashback, Noxus 53 years ago

In one of the most secluded (meaning also fanciest) caves of Noxus there was a gothic mansion, only second to the Du'couteau mansion and maybe the war council.

On the outside grille, there was sign that said simply "De'rose". Unlike most of the buildings in the city, that irradiated an aura of power and authority, this one gave more a familiar vibe.

Well, at least most of the time.

Right now in one of the rarely used hallways, behind a secret door, there were ladders leading to a panic room that few of the mansion occupants knew about.

Inside said panic room there was a little boy of around 5 years lying on the ground in fetal position. He had short black hair and sky blue eyes and looked like the definition of misery.

Yet, he wasn't crying.

Why would he cry? He ended here by his own will and for helping a friend; he wouldn't change a thing.

He wasn't crying because he knew there was no reason to, but if it were for him, he would have already flood the room with tears.

Suddenly, the sound of the room's door being opened called his attention.

Without bothering on using the ladders, a man landed a few feet away from the child. He was almost a carbon copy of the child, except his eyes were gold.

He walked towards the child until he had him right at his feet, but the child gave no sign of acknowledging the man's presence.

Until he finally started to cry.

"What am I going to do with you?" the man sighed.

"(sob) I'm s-(sob) sorry father (sob)" the boy cried.

"Hoo? And why would you have to apologize for?" he asked genuinely curious.

"I-(sob) r-really tried to (sob) be strong b-but (sob) I ended (sob) h-her… (sob) (sob)"

"Okay first of all calm down" the man told him after which the boy sat up and he sat as well; it took a few minutes but he finally calmed down "now tell me exactly what happened"

The boy took a deep breath "the sons of the commander that came from visit were bothering Sabrina, because she has white hair and…" he stopped for a moment.

"They were calling her names and… and… they said that they were going to throw her here so they wouldn't have to see her" he started to sob again.

"I (sob) told them to leave her alone but (sob) they said I couldn't do (sob) anything because they heard I'm a coward and they said that if wanted (sob) I could take her place and…" he almost couldn't continue.

"And?" his father pressed.

"(sob) And I… I… couldn't (sob) fight them! I knew I could save us both but the idea of having to fight for it (sob) (sob) I was…"

"You were afraid they would hurt you?" his father guessed.

"No" this called the man's attention.

"I was afraid I would hurt them" his father widened his eyes; how many times something like this happened but the boy still surprised him.

'He really isn't made for Noxus' he sighed.

"Ok listen" the boy looked at him "why do you think fighting is for?"

The boy thought for a moment "isn't it for proving being the strongest?"

"That's what I used to thought, but turns out, it isn't that simple" the boy listened with attention.

"True; no matter if you fight to win a war or to protect someone, in the end you must aim for victory, for being the strongest"

He searched in his pocket, pulled out a rune and placed it between them. The boy recognized it as a sound suppressing spell.

"But listen to me now, even if in most of cases fighting is just the line that separates defeat from victory, that doesn't mean always" the boy widened his eyes.

"What?"

"There are two kinds of people in the world: those who seek victory and those who only seek fight"

"Huh? Why would someone fight if it's not for winning?" this father chuckled.

"The answer to that question can differ from man to man to even woman, but people, even you who despise the idea of hurting others, can find a reason to drop their inhibitions and become warriors"

"Really? Even me?" the boy asked.

"Not only you could but I'm sure you will, and when you do, you'll see that fighting will become a lot easier, and also…" he got up.

"You will learn the difference between a fight for victory, and a fight of men"

The boy looked at his father with wonder filled eyes. Then he remembered something and began chuckling.

"What's so funny?"

"Is just that when you said 'fight of men' it sounded like something mother would nag you about" at this his father fell on his back anime style.

"Why do you bring her into this?!" the boy laughed harder and then saw that someone else came to the room.

It was a girl of nearly the same age as the boy, wearing a white shirt and a black skirt. She had long white hair and orange eyes.

"Sabrina? What are you doing here?" the boy asked while the father picked the rune.

"Are you kidding? She was the one that came looking for me"

"I know you told me not to but I just couldn't leave you there!" the girl said a bit ashamed.

"It's ok; I knew you wouldn't listen" the boy grinned and soon the girl followed suit.

"Well children, I still have much work to do and since you've through so much already feel free to have the rest of the day for yourselves"

"Yes! Thanks master/father"

Flashback ends

The stranger smiled warmly under his mask at the memory.

'Father… thanks. I think I get it now; this is a real' he raised his scythe 'FIGHT OF MEN!' the dug it in the ground.

Wukong raised an eyebrow at his action, but grinned again when his opponent got into stance, without hi weapon.

"I like the way you think!" he followed suit with his staves.

They ran towards each other for the umpteenth time in war cry, continuing just with their bare fists.

The 'spectators' watched in awe at the rest of the fight; this wasn't a man trying to stop a beast in rampage to protect his friends.

No, now it was two brothers separated at birth that had been finally reunited, and were currently expressing their happiness in their mother language.

The fox felt her heart lighten at the sight; it was the first time she had seen him so happy, so free.

She wanted nothing more than hug him forever but she knew she would probably ruin his fun.

So she just kept watching the man she admired the most, who had an expression like having found that thing he was looking his whole life with the biggest smile ever on his face.

She could feel tears swelling on her eyes.

The fighters continued exchanging fists and kicks for more than an hour now and were finally reaching the exhaustion.

Their attacks had become slow and sloppy. They didn't care, but no matter how much they wanted to deny it, they were reaching their limits.

They were now a foot away from each other; each one covered in numerous bruises and bumps and panting heavily.

They looked at each other straight in the eyes.

They prepared one last punch.

They threw it, both hitting on each other's cheek.

Then they both fell to the ground.

"Hehe" Wukong stuttered "HAHAHA! Yeah! (pant) That was badass! Wasn't that badass?! (pant)" he asked.

The man thought for a moment.

"It (pant) was the first time (pant) I enjoyed a fight" the monkey was shocked for a moment but then smiled.

"Really? I feel like I'm from family now" the both chuckled "and it seems you returned to your senses?"

"Yeah… I apologize"

"No problem, no one got hurt"

"But…"

"Like I said, no problem; you made feel like I recover all that time I was out… although that probably doesn't make sense to you"

"Actually, I understand perfectly how you feel" he surprised the monkey again.

"Really? How so?"

"Well, like I said, it's a long story" something clicked on Wu's mind.

"Oh that's right! We never introduced!" he lifted his left fist.

"The name's Wukong, but my friends call me Wu"

The man watched Wu's fist for a few moments, unsure of what to do. Until it hit him.

"Aaron, Aaron De'rose" he touched the monkey's fist with his right one.

"Right double A! I'm sure we'll be friends!"

'Friend' the word resonated in his head.

"I hope so" he said.