CHAPTER ONE

The Child of Destiny

It was raining very hard. The night sky was so dark, not even the moon could be seen. The sound of footsteps were covered

by the sound of the pouring rain. A loud panting came from the figure trekking through the rain, and the wind began to blow

as if it was full of hatred. A loud crash could be heard from the sky as if the heavens themselves were angry with this

mysterious figure. The thunder continued to boom as the figure stopped at a house in the middle of nowhere. The figure

dropped to its knees to reveal a long head of hair that had been covered by a dark cloak. "I'm sorry Ryu." With the last of her

strength she knocked on the door, falling completely over and dropping the object she had been carrying the entire time. The

couple answered the door, looking out for whoever would disturb them so late at night. "Oh my God, John -- look!!" The

woman pointed at the fallen figure. "What happened to her? Is she dead, John?!" He bent down and checked for a pulse,

then shook his head in a "no" motion. As a streak of lightning hit the ground, a sound came from the bundle she was carrying.

The noise was the cry of what sounded like a child. John pulled the cloth back and saw a blue-haired baby - crying his eyes

out. "Look Mary, it's a little boy." He picked up the child and looked back down at the woman. "That must have been his

mother. Poor thing." John handed the boy to Mary as he knelt down and picked up the woman. He took her behind his house

and buried the woman, placing a rock down as a headstone and said a small prayer. While John was preoccupied, Mary went

inside and took the baby with her. "Poor little guy . . . He's all alone now." She sat down with him in a rocking chair, he still

crying his eyes out. Mary smiled as she started to sing softly to Ryu. After a few minutes Ryu grew quiet and finally fell asleep.

John came back inside as Mary looked at him, motioning for him to be quiet. "Wow - so the little guy is finally asleep, huh? I

feel pretty bad for him." Mary nodded her head in agreeance as she rocked back and forth with Ryu in her arms. "Darling,

what do you think about keeping the baby? He has no family now - it seems and he will never survive on his own." She

looked at him with big brown eyes. "Ah honey, you know I can't refuse you when you look at with those pitiful eyes!" He

agreed to keep Ryu and raise him as the child they never had. As time went on and Ryu was growing up, he was taught by

both of his parents how to become a wonderful human being. They taught him kindness, sincerity, honesty, strength, hope,

justice, and courage to face anything that came his way. When Ryu turned nine John started teaching Ryu the basics of

hand-to-hand combat and swordsmanship. A year went by and another day rolled around in the peaceful life of Ryu and his

new family. "So son, ready to defend yourself?" Ryu smiled as he looked up at his father and took a stance. " Sure am dad!"

John grabbed a hold of his wooden axe that he used in sparring sessions with Ryu. " Here I come!" He lunged at Ryu,

swinging in an attempt to put him down quickly, but to no avail. After may unsuccessful attempts he backed Ryu into a tree

and hit him with the axe, knocking the wind out of him and ending the match. " I am proud of you Ryu. You have grown so

much in this past year." He picked up Ryu and put him on his shoulder. " Lets go home son." They made it home and walked

inside, seeing Mary getting out cooking ingredients. " So, are you boys hungry?" Their stomachs growled in unison. " I will

take that as a yes." She chuckled as they laughed to each other. " Well while I start dinner, you two go get a bath. I won't let

sweaty, dirty men at my dinner table!" She smiled and rushed them to go on and bathe. They made their way to the bathing

area and tossed their sweaty, dirty clothes into a basket and got in the bath that had been prepared earlier by Mary. " Now

this is the life eh son?" He smiled. " Sure is dad!" they splashed water at each other and finished bathing shortly after. They

dried off and got dressed, stepping out of the bathing area. " Man dad I can't wait to eat!" His father laughed in agreeance.

As they started walking down the hallway they Heard screaming voices, a loud crash, and a thud to the floor. They rushed to

the kitchen to see Mary hurt, and two strange cloaked figures standing over her. "Mary!" He rushed to his wife. " Mary are

you alright?!" She did not answer as he looked at the two men. " What do you want?" They looked at Ryu. " Him, dead!" John

was shocked and Ryu was abit scared and ran to stand by his father. For a young boy he was quite brave. "John looked at his

son and moved him away. " Stay back son I will deal with them." He pulled out his battle axe that he kept downstairs for

protection and ran towards the figures. As he got close they both let their tails slither out and tripped John up, making him fall

face first into the ground. "Dad get up! Please get up!" He ran over to his father, only to be knocked back into the opposite

wall by the demon creatures. They stared at him with red eyes "You are going to die and burn in hell with your family!" Ryu

seemed like he was petrified by fear, but that was not the case. They taunted him " Whats wrong little boy? Not going to beg

for your worthless little life? Well too bad, you and your new family are going to DIE!" Just as he finished his taunt the air in

the room got very warm and the temperature all around them started to rise. Ryu looked up at them and let out a

blood-curdling scream as a wall of fire surrounded him. It lasted but a moment as it faded away, leaving only smoke and a

shadow behind. " Grr die you little monster!" The two demon-like creatures rushed towards Ryu without hesitation. As they

got closer the smoke started to clear and they stopped dead in their tracks. "No it can't be!" The form of Ryu they saw before

was gone, only to be replaced by a crimson colored whelp. The two demons started to sweat as they yelled in a mix of fear

and panic " I don't care what you are die you little whe.." Before he could even finish his remark Ryu's eyes burned a crimson

fire color and unleashed a fire breath that melted the two demons, bones and all. There was nothing left of the two evil

creatures. Just as he finished disintegrating them, John and Mary woke up and saw that their son had become something

other-worldly. Mary was so shocked she feinted again but John did not. He stood up semi-frightened " Ryu….What have you

become…..?!"