Chapter 12: Chapter 11: The Confrontation
The courtyard of the palace was packed with the people of the Sacred Land, gathered like a flock of sheep but keeping their distance from the grand stage where the confrontation was about to unfold. Whispers filled the air as villagers, servants, and warriors alike watched from the shadows of dilapidated buildings, their faces a mixture of fear, hope, and curiosity.
At the heart of this crowd, the False Buddha emerged, his enormous form adorned in golden robes that glinted in the sun like the hide of some bloated, mythical beast. The False Buddha's steps were slow and deliberate, each one sending tremors of authority rippling through his followers. He gazed at the gathered crowd, his eyes narrowing with disdain as if their mere presence offended him.
"You gather like rats, desperate and pathetic," the False Buddha sneered, his voice loud and grating, laced with contempt. "You, the peasants, the lowly, who scavenge for scraps in my land. Have you come to witness a fool meet his end?"
The crowd recoiled at his words, and murmurs of discontent rippled through the people. Surya, standing tall and unshaken at the other end of the courtyard, met the False Buddha's gaze with a serene smile. The False Buddha's words were venomous, but Surya's composure remained unbroken, his presence like the sun breaking through the darkest storm clouds.
"So, you are the young man who dares disrupt my rule," the False Buddha spat, his eyes gleaming with malice. "Tell me, do you fancy yourself a savior of these pitiful wretches?"
Surya stepped forward, his movements fluid and graceful, as if he were floating rather than walking. His expression was calm, almost playful, but there was a depth to his eyes that spoke of a power far beyond the falsehoods that filled the palace grounds. He tilted his head slightly, studying the False Buddha with a mix of pity and amusement.
"I am not here to save anyone," Surya said, his voice carrying a quiet authority that resonated through the courtyard. "I am here to restore what was lost, to reveal the truth that has been buried under arrogance, ignorance, and a thirst for power."
The False Buddha's smile twisted into a snarl, his pride stung by Surya's words. "You dare call me a liar in front of my people?" he bellowed, his voice reverberating through the crowd. "You, a mere boy, dare question my divinity? I am their god! I am their Buddha!"
Surya's smile remained, unshaken and unbothered by the False Buddha's outburst. "A god, you say?" Surya replied, his tone light but piercing. "No, you are no god. You are but a man, swollen with pride and blinded by your own lies. A false Buddha sitting on a throne of deceit."
The False Buddha's face reddened, his anger boiling over at Surya's words. "You speak as if you know the world better than any man!" he shouted. "But what are you, really? Just another hungry wolf dressed in sheep's clothing, thirsty for the power you so despise!"
Surya's eyes glimmered, and his voice took on a sharpness that cut through the False Buddha's bluster. "You speak of power as if it is the highest aim of life, as if to seek it is the very nature of man," Surya said, his tone calm but edged with conviction. "But what is power without purpose? What is strength without wisdom? Do not mistake my actions for a thirst for power. I seek no crown, no throne. I seek only to fulfill my duty, to heal where there is suffering, to restore balance where there is chaos."
Zhi Wei and Mei Lin watched from the crowd, their faces tense with anticipation. They had seen Surya's kindness and cleverness, his compassion and cunning, but this was a side of him they had not yet witnessed—a righteous fire tempered by wisdom and humility.
The False Buddha, seething at being bested by words, clenched his fists and sneered. "You speak with a sharp tongue, boy, but words are hollow. Zhi Long, my greatest mage, fell to your trickery, convinced by your silver tongue. But what are you if not another player in the same game? You think yourself above this world, but you are as thirsty for power as any of us."
Surya's smile faded, replaced by a quiet seriousness. "I do not deny the power I possess," he said plainly, his gaze never wavering. "But I do not seek power for its own sake. I wield it because it is necessary, because it is a tool to right the wrongs inflicted upon these lands. I am not here to rule. I am here to set things right."
The False Buddha's eyes gleamed with a mix of fury and twisted delight. "You speak of righteousness, of truth, but you are no different than any man who craves power. If you truly are what you claim to be—this healer, this restorer—then prove it. Show me this power of yours in combat. Prove you are more than just a boy with a glib tongue."
Surya closed his eyes for a brief moment, as if in meditation, before opening them with renewed resolve. "Violence is not the path I choose," Surya said softly, "but if it is the only way to reveal the truth to those blinded by falsehoods, then so be it."
The False Buddha's grin widened, filled with malice and arrogance. "Then let it be known to all!" he declared, raising his arms theatrically. "This young man challenges me, your god, your leader, your savior! And when he falls, let it be a lesson to all who dare question the power of the Buddha!"
The crowd looked on, torn between fear and a flicker of hope. They had seen Surya's kindness, his ability to heal, but they had never witnessed him in battle. And yet, in his calm demeanor and unwavering conviction, there was something unshakable, something that gave them the courage to believe.
Surya nodded slowly, accepting the challenge not out of pride, but as a necessary step to expose the fraud before him. He turned to the crowd, his voice ringing clear and true. "Do not fear," he said gently. "For today, the truth shall be revealed. The world will know the difference between a man who craves power and one who uses it for the greater good."
The False Buddha sneered, preparing for a confrontation that would decide more than just the outcome of a battle—it would decide the fate of the Sacred Land itself. As the people watched with bated breath, Surya stood resolute, ready to face the falsehood that had corrupted his homeland.
The duel was set, not just between two men but between two ideals—one driven by greed and delusion, the other by purpose and truth. And in the silence that followed, the air thickened with anticipation, the fate of the Sacred Land hanging in the balance.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone