Another test

Your Grandmaster's attempt to reassure and comfort you did little in that regard. The lack of regard and shame caused a knot in your stomach. The desire was there, certainly, but a voice of clarity spoke out.

"I shouldn't, and I can't." You replied with a slight bow "You taught me to address my weaknesses, not to bend to them. Succumbing would not just be a poor reflection on me, but on you and your instruction." You looked briefly at Ling, her face and body flush in her desire, and commented "I would also want my first experience to be something more meaningful. I am sure I would enjoy it, but it can only be your first time once, and I would want it to be with someone who mattered."

"Your loss" The grandmaster responded, with little regard and seemingly no comment. That they had both continued as if you had said nothing or weren't even there caused a fire to rise inside you. You turned about suddenly and quickly, eager to put the visual and the sounds behind you, literally and figuratively. Your respect for him had diminished in that moment, as his rules seemed not to apply to himself. You couldn't challenge him here though. Even if he wasn't physically compromised, doing so in front of others would be entirely unacceptable, especially in front of the other schools or temples and their masters. That time would come, and it would need to come with you as the tournament champion, if there was to be any point to it.

The time before your next match seemed to drag on forever, causing you to ache in frustration. Your mind was no longer on the here and now, you realized. You had already moved past the tournament in your mind, thinking of being back at the temple and having words with the man who effectively raised you. If you couldn't be in the moment, you would surely lose, you realized. Seemingly as soon as you had refocused, your next bout was ready to begin. The fight, this time with a lanky Tiefling fellow, one who was so adept with his tail that he used it as a third arm or weapon, was over so quickly, you could scarcely remember any details from it. As the tournament progressed, the time between matches shrank with fewer and fewer competitors between them. Though you didn't wish to publicly boast, it was becoming more clear that you were the unexpected favorite. All the more surprising given this had been your first appearance. As you continued to look about and find that your teacher was nowhere to be seen, your desire for victory grew ever stronger.

As the final bout arose, with you competing for the title of champion, you felt anger pour into you. The audacity of a man who had spent all of this time and energy to train you, to bring you here, and than ignore you in your moment of triumph. That you couldn't speak your mind to anyone made it all the worse. The poor soul who faced against you, a young human man, quickly became the target and victim of your anger and animosity. What was evident now, to you and the rest, was how much you had been holding back. Even a trained fighter such as him would wince and recoil at every strike that would land. Any attack he made invariably opened him up to the overpowering **** of your counters. He was scared, and in so doing, had relented control and pace of the fight to you. It was only when the unmistakable sounds of his bones breaking could be heard, coupled with his loud scream, that the match was ended prematurely. The applause to herald your victory was mixed as a result. The sight of his injury and pain colored and muted the pride you would have otherwise felt.

You were quickly surprised with a hand on your shoulder, that of Grandmaster Khura. "I never doubted you my boy, that was spectacular."

"I'd believe that if you were around to see it."

Khura's wrinkled grin showed he knew more than he'd let on. "Do you really think so little of me? You not only won the tournament, but passed the test. I couldn't be more proud of you."

"A test?" You asked confused. "What test?"

"Every moment is a test Karmal. I would have hoped you'd learned that by now. You were given a test as to whether you could stay true to what you knew was right or wrong, whether you could keep yourself to your goals, or whether the glamour of...certain desires, may cause you to wander. Even when you saw me debasing myself, you didn't see it as an excuse to do so as well."

"What would have happened had I said yes?" You asked, morbidly curious.

"Let's not worry about that. All that you need to know is that I wouldn't have let you fail. Enjoy your victory" As Grandmaster Khura backed away, the wide group of those surrounding you closed in, eager to congratulate and praise you. It was far more attention than you were used to, or even ready to handle. You put on a strong face, reacting as best as you could, but inwardly longed to push everyone away, to at least have the enough space and quiet to think again. As you managed things, you were able to see someone in the distance.

Near the gate, was Ling, who you had made the deal with earlier and who you had seen with your Grandmaster not long after. With noone else paying attention to her, she blew you a kiss before leaving.