Prologue: Starting a Fire
Eric seemed like most people his age: he was a young man that lived in Central Ohio, worked at a part-time job just to get by and hopefully to pay for more college classes, secretly wishing for more for his life but didn't know how to proceed. But what he didn't know that events would transpire that would change his life.
Eric worked at an Adult Day Rehabilitation center located just downtown, about an hour's drive from home where he simply did minor things around the center such as tending to some of the clients' needs, cleaning and filling out minor reports for the consumers. It was difficult for Eric to talk with people, even the clients, as he was a very shy person with a unique sense of taste, preferring what he called "geeky stuff": art (more specifically drawing), watching science fiction/fantasy/action films and shows and playing related video games. Because of his unique personality it was hard for him to fit in with everyone else and so a great deal of disappointments have lead him down life's road and so Eric felt a great emptiness inside that he wished he could fill, but he just did not know how to move forward.
One day he sat down with a stack of files he was to fill out for that day. His brown eyes scanned the words and numbers as he lazily scratched his dark brown hair, trying to figure out which one to start. He was glad it was almost the end of the day so he could head home and relax. That day however was a little different, his boss, Brian, called the staff into the office area for a brief meeting. Eric sighed quietly; it was probably something to do with the staff's work proficiency. Brian announced that they had obtained resources for a new method of mental therapy. This method uses sensory simulation to analyze the brain's stimuli. Eric was interested, he always had in interest in psychology, and maybe this could help the clients and others. Then Brian said that they were looking for volunteers to experiment with this new technique. Eric's interest had piqued, maybe if this method could be perfected, it could help with his own inner depression, and he asked to volunteer.
"Are you good to go, Eric?" Brian asked his newest employee in his distinctive middle-eastern accent. Eric nodded nervously; he was always skittish around his superiors, especially his boss. "Okay, we're ready whenever you're ready." Brian lead Eric into the backroom of the center's office, a place Eric saw so little of. He had been in the office every once in a while in order to speak directly with Brian or Michelle, the center's human resource manager. It had the usual stuff one would expect to see in an office, desks, computers and a conference table, and it even featured two beds for clients to rest in if they weren't feeling well.
Today however there was something new, a machine was set up in the middle of the floor, it resembled a normal reclining chair with electrodes and other cords hooked up to it and several computers in the room. "Okay, Eric, this is how our experiment will work, we'll have you sit in this chair and watch some simulations we've set up, while you're watching these simulations we'll use these electrodes to scan your brainwaves," Brian explained the procedure.
Eric suddenly became alert, "Simulations? What do you mean by that?"
Brian replied, "It's kind of like virtual reality, but it's a little different," Eric grew apprehensive of his boss' response. "Don't worry, it's not really intense or anything, but you know this is real bold of you to volunteer, you don't have to go through with this if you don't want to."
"No, it's…it's all right." Eric answered solemnly.
"Well okay then, we'll get started then." Brian helped Eric attach the electrodes to Eric's head, an awkward moment, then Eric reclined back in his chair, it almost felt like a visit to the dentist. Next a panel revolved in front of Eric's face, soon the visit to the dentist turned into a visit to an MRI machine at the hospital. Eric then realized that the panel was a sort of monitor, probably where the simulations would be viewed.
A voice came over the intercom inside the machine. "Eric, this is Michelle, we're preparing for the procedure, and we're almost ready so just hang in there okay?" Eric sighed and nodded, he wondered why things like this were never ready to go right when you get ready? Well at least Brian had scheduled the experiment on a day after work when Eric did not have anything to tend to at home. He even thought maybe he could get lucky and enter the extra time on his time card and get a little more money for it. "Okay, get ready, Eric, we're starting right now."
The monitor hummed to life in front of Eric's eyes. What happened then blew Eric away. The images he saw were right up his ally, on the screen he saw scenes that one might find out of medieval or renaissance fair, or perhaps a science fiction and fantasy film, some of his favorite things in the world. He saw knights and warriors wielding swords and other weapons. One scene he saw a knight clad in green and wielding a sword going into battle against armies of foes, ranging from squat goblins and lizard people to enormous beasts. Another scene featured a robed figure patrolling the streets and rooftops and other scenes featured a young warrior climbing the back of a giant with a sword in hand. But what was most incredible about the experience was that it almost felt like he was there, like he was the warriors he saw in the simulations, he could see, hear, smell and feel the same sensations as the people in the simulations.
After about an hour the simulations ended and the monitor moved back into position, the experiment was so engrossing that Eric almost forgot where he was. Brian and Michelle stepped towards Eric. "So, what did you think?" Brian asked almost casually. Eric was still so mesmerized by the experiment he could not immediately find the words he needed to say, Brian almost chuckled at his employee's response.
When Eric finally gathered himself up enough to speak, he asked what had happened. Michelle explained that the machine Eric was in was called an ANIMUS, a device that could analyze, decode and store people's memories like data files on a computer. Eric was amazed to learn that those seemingly surreal simulations were the true memories of real people. Over the next few weeks Brian and Michelle asked Eric to come back for more sessions. The experience was so intoxicating that Eric couldn't refuse. Brian and Michelle also allowed Eric to use their computer systems. From them he learned that certain supernatural phenomenon were actual events and seemingly mythological ideas such as creatures and items were real and that secret government agencies had been formed to cover up such incidents to prevent them from leaking into the populace to prevent panic. Not only that, but because of his sessions, Eric developed unusual abilities, mainly skills similar to those that the warriors in the simulations expressed. Michelle explained that this was a "bleeding affect," somehow because of his experiences with the simulations Eric's mind had adopted these skills as well. These would prove useful in protecting his life.
One day the whole town was in an uproar, strange creatures had invaded, destroying buildings, vehicles and anything that got in their way. These creatures were none other than Drago and his posse. Drago, the infamous teenage son of the Fire Demon, Shendu, was a green, anthropomorphic dragon with a fiery temper. He believed himself to be the true ruler of the world and made it his goal to conquer it, enslaving humanity and filling the world with dragons and demons. His henchmen: Strike Master Ice, MC Cobra and DJ Fist, were a trio of thugs who Drago recruited and infused them with his own dragon chi, turning them into human/dragon hybrids like him. And the posse was on a mission.
"Yo, D-Man, are you sure this itty bitty talisman thing is here?" Ice asked his leader.
"Yes, I am absolutely sure the Dragon Talisman is here somewhere, I can sense it. It's one of my father's talismans, so I know we're on the right track." Drago growled in reply, "Why, do you dare doubt my senses?"
"Whoa whoa, boss, no way we doubt you, you da boss, boss!" Ice replied.
"Well if you slackers don't have any more questions, let's get moving!"
"But boss," Cobra spoke up, "why do you want to swipe your pops' bling bling?"
Drago sighed, "Those Chans have been getting to become a real thorn in my tail; with this talisman I can boost my firepower. I don't know how it was passed off from Section 13 but we'll find it."
The posse's search led them straight to the very center where Eric worked at. When Brian learned that Drago was approaching, he had his staff begin evacuating the clients immediately. The four dragons shattered the front door in a blaze. "All right, listen up y'all! I'm here for the Dragon Talisman! Give it to me right now and no one will be harmed!"
Eric was helping Brian evacuate the clients when Ice stepped into the room. "Yo, you all heard the D-man!" Eric stood protectively in front of the clients to protect them from the delinquent's ill intent. "Hey, tubby, didn't you hear us? Don't get in our way or you'll feel the burn!" Ice sneered, but Eric, albeit nervously, stood firm. "Fine by me, I enjoy beating an idiot or two, now, which one will be my first pick?" Ice extended one of his evil claws, reaching for one of the clients, a young woman, when suddenly a hand grabbed the thug's wrist, "Huh?"
"Hands off!" Eric proclaimed before hurling Ice over his shoulder. When Ice hit the floor realization hit Eric. He had just thrown his opponent over his shoulder and he was surprised. Eric was normally a shy, almost submissive person, hardly capable of any bold actions, with such thoughts being suppressed, now he underhanded a formidably dangerous criminal.
Ice groaned, rubbing the back of his head from the fall. "Grrr…why you little punk!" Ice lunged at Eric, but Eric, in an almost clumsy fashion, managed to dodge the dragon thug's blows. Fear and adrenaline were just the motivators Eric needed to focus and keep himself from getting clobbered. Eric glanced around the room, looking for something to protect himself from Ice, when he spotted a plastic, yellow baseball bat the center used to entertain the clients. Eric waited for his chance, then lunged out of the way of one of Ice's punches, and snatched up the bat. Ice delivered some more punches and kicks, this time Eric used the bat to block the blows until finally Eric drew back and took a mighty swing with the bat, hitting Ice in the side of the face, stunning him. With his opponent stunned Eric continued to beat Ice with the bat, although the baseball bat was made of plastic, it still packed a punch and therefore made an efficient weapon. Eric delivered a coup de grace, knocking Ice off his clawed feet.
Just as Eric was about to continue beating the crap out of his enemy Ice opened his mouth and blew a small ember on the bat, causing the plastic toy to melt and become useless, Eric feverishly tossed it away before it burned his hands. Ice growled, "Gah, you weren't supposed to be this tough! Hey, Cobra, a little helps over here?"
Eric then felt and heard a breeze behind, "Comin' right up, Ice-man!" Eric turned just in time to see Cobra roundhouse kick him in the face, sending him hurtling into a table. Nearby an amused Drago watched the whole event unfold and grinned, almost enjoying watching his henchmen being humbled by a simple human.
Now Ice and Cobra had the upper hand, pinning Eric under a chair and were about to have their way with him. "Stop! That's enough!" All heads turned in the direction of the voice. Brian stepped forward, holding something small in his hand. "This is what you're after isn't it? Just take it and leave." In his hand he held a small, octagon-shaped stone object with the clear image of a dragon painted on its front and Chinese-writing on the back.
An evil and triumphant smile came over Drago's smug face as he claimed the Dragon Talisman. "A pleasure doing business with you I assure you," Drago sarcastically proclaimed, "Ice, Fist, Cobra, let's go!"
Cobra and Ice, still standing over their pinned prey, glanced back at their leader with shock, "What? But boss, this punk was getting up all in our grills here; shouldn't we teach him a lesson?" Ice whined.
"Save it, we don't have time for your petty squabbles; the sooner we get my plans done the better."
Both Ice and Cobra groaned, Cobra quickly joined Drago and Fist's sides. Ice glared down at Eric, "You got lucky this time, punk, if we weren't in a hurry my boys and I would beat the living tar out of you!" After his verbal threat Ice joined his companions. All four leapt out of the entrance they created. Drago was the last to exit and just as he was about to step out the door he glanced back at Eric and grinned, then continued on his way.
Michelle attended to the clients and made sure no one was hurt. Brian quickly rushed to Eric's aid, lifting the chair pinning him down off him. "Are you all right, Eric?" a concerned Brian asked. Eric nodded his solemnly. "I'm impressed, I guess those sessions have been paying off, eh?"
Eric smiled meekly before asking, "What was that thing you gave those guys? And why did they want it so badly?"
"Oh, that thing, it was just an artifact that we borrowed from some friends. It's called one of the Twelve Talismans of Shendu, it was the Dragon Talisman." Brian explained in detail. Eric nodded in understanding, he had read about the ancient dragon that had conquered China long ago but was ultimately defeated and reduced to being a stone statue while his supernatural powers were divided and transformed into twelve talismans, each represented by an animal from the Chinese zodiac.
But then another thought came to mind, "Why did WE have it?"
"Well the Dragon Talisman has the power of combustion, the power to create and control fire and we had been using the power to energize the ANIMUS as it requires a vast amount of energy to operate. Sadly this means we won't be continuing our sessions until we can find a substitute energy source to fuel it." Brian answered in a slightly somber tone.
"Aren't you mad it's gone?" Eric asked.
Brian smiled and shrugged his shoulders calmly, "Not much, the most important thing is the safety of our clients, if losing the talisman would guarantee that then I'm fine, by the way thank you so much for bravely protecting them from those delinquents."
The center's staff eventually was able to calm down the clients and get them home quickly. Brian called the police and filed a report on the incident while Michelle called some construction companies to help repair the damage. Because of what happened at the center Eric and the other staff were dismissed for the day earlier than usual. On his way home four pairs of snake-like eyes watched as his car pull away. "So, what are we still doing here, boss? I thought we got what we came for?"
"Boys, I think it's time for some fresh blood…"
Eric was glad he didn't have to pick up his mother from work; she was always in a foul mood after work and would always pick fights with him. As he drove along the main roads leading home, he listened to the songs on the radio and his thoughts and feelings flowed freely like a river. After a hard day's work Eric was granted a few moments of solace where he could contemplate his life and himself. Like most people he wasn't satisfied with his life. Besides befriending some of the clients at work, Eric did not have any true friends. It was hard for him to talk to people as not very many people could truly understand his feelings, especially since he was often overlooked by his family.
Things seemed to change however when Eric fell in love with a girl he met over the internet, and for a time she loved him back. The two of them talked about their deepest thoughts and feelings without fear of being judged. To Eric his love was the perfect example of a true, pure Christian person. Eric was an unorthodox Catholic, while he believed in Christianity there were some generally assumed beliefs in the religion that he did not agree with, to compensate this he developed his own sense of what Christianity truly was supposed to be, his beliefs were more flexible and tolerant than most people who claim to be Christian. Sadly, good things never seem to last, the two of them finally did meet in person and when things seemed to move on to the next step in their relationship, for some unknown reason she abandoned Eric, she claimed it was because of the physical distance between them, that she felt their relationship was going nowhere and that she felt uncomfortable towards him. Eric was devastated, he had lost the one true friend and love he had and his whole reason for living. After that his grades declined and everything else seemed to fall apart, he tried talking to others about his feelings but most people failed to realize how he felt. Unfortunate sequences of disappointments have leaded his life. The smiles he showed the world were simply a mask that he forcibly hewn on his face, in reality on the inside he was crying.
After about a half hour Eric's car started to slow down to a stop. He groaned in frustration, was the car breaking down again? Fortunately he had stopped in the parking lot of a restaurant and off the main road just before the car died. He climbed out of the car just to take a few breaths of fresh air as there wasn't anything he knew he could do to help the situation.
While this was happening three green, scaly shapes surrounded him, Drago and his posse had followed Eric, his brown eyes darted back and forth between the four dragons; Ice, Cobra and Fist especially had evil gleams in their eyes. "All right, fool, it's time for a rematch!" Ice announced.
"Ice! That's not why we're here." Drago chastised his underling.
"What? What do you mean that's not why we're here? I thought we were going to get back at this punk for messin' us up!" Ice countered.
"Just shut it! I have my own plans." Drago calmly approached Eric. "Listen, I think we came off on the wrong foot here. I was watching you while you were handing a beating to Ice over there," Drago pointed a thumb towards Ice.
"Hey!"
"Anyway, I must say I was impressed with your combat skills, I could use someone like you in my organization."
Cobra was hysterical. "What? You mean you're going to ask this guy to join us?"
Drago growled and turned towards him, "You're lucky I don't give him your jobs!"
Eric finally spoke up, "But why would I join you? You tried to hurt innocent people!"
Drago chuckled and smiled calmly, "I never intended to hurt anyone, only my enemies need fear my wrath, while we may cause some property damage, I intend to preserve as much human life as I can, after all we will need as many servants when dragons return to the world."
"WE dragons?" Eric asked.
"Oh yes, I can tell just by looking at you. You are constantly tormented by many things in your life, people don't respect you or your feelings and you are constantly faced with disappointments, but you have the spirit of the dragon sleeping deep within, you just haven't awakened that side of you yet! Come with me, Eric, I will help you realize your full potential as a true dragon, and with that power you will be able to gain whatever you desire and regain anything you've lost and dragons will rule the world!"
Eric turned away, being a religious person he knew this was a deal with the devil. But what Drago said did make sense; he always felt a void, emptiness, deep inside, a desire and companionship that could not be fulfilled. The only time the emptiness had been filled was when Eric was in love and he finally had someone in his life, but that void had only grown a thousand fold when she left him. And inside he felt like he was truly a dragon. Although he was a Christian, he felt that God had condemned his life to being unfulfilled and unhappy. A voice was telling him "Do it, accept the deal." All he wanted now was to get back at everyone and everything in his life that had held him back from his desires. And so Eric accepted.
Somewhere within the deepest recesses of the cosmos, where the light never shown, someone's haughty eyes shone and an evil, triumphant smile graced his face. "Well done, Drago, because of you I now have one more soul!" Laughter broke out in the abyss, over the crying and screaming...
"Very well, you shall now become one of us, the dragons!" Drago stepped forward and held up his hand. In his palm he held the Dragon Talisman. Eric suddenly became fearful, he knew the talisman's true power and he feared Drago wished to use it to kill him. From the talisman emerged a stream of fire that moved fluidly as if it were alive. The flame took on the form of a dragon's head and wrapped itself around Eric's body. Rather than the searing heat of fire Eric felt a more gentle sense of warmth. With the fire embracing him Eric's physical features began to change: his skin toughened, transforming into a mix of greenish dragon scales and human flesh, the nails on his fingers and toes extended and became talons, the hair on his head congealed into a mass of spikes, his ears lengthened slightly and became pointy, and a tail and a pair of wings emerged from his back side. He was now an anthropomorphic dragon, just like Drago and his posse.
Drago was intrigued by this new transformation while Ice, Cobra and Fist were bewildered. "Hey, D-man, how come the new guy gets all these new perks?" Strike Master Ice exclaimed unhappily.
"Yeah, I mean I like having Dragon Speed and Fire, but he's got wings! How come we don't get wings?" Cobra moaned.
"You're transformations into dragons was caused when I gave you a taste of my Fire Chi. Eric's transformation stems from me unlocking his true dragon self with just the smallest influence of my chi, but I must say I am impressed." Drago explained.
Eric examined his new form, bringing his clawed hands to his face and extending his wings and tail into view. Then he glanced at his reflection in the restaurant's window, admiring his new draconic bust. At first Eric was surprised and frightened, almost in disbelief that what Drago had done was real, but these feelings were soon replaced with admiration and pride, he was now a true dragon, one of his greatest dreams had been fulfilled.
Of course a human-sized dragon gazing at himself through the reflection of a restaurant window did not bode well for all the customers inside, everyone could clearly see all five of the dragons standing in the parking lot and panicked, fleeing the building entirely.
"All right! No people in line, let's grab some grub!" Ice, Cobra and Fist all leapt over the counter and began raiding the place for food.
Drago and Eric followed soon after. "Well, I'd say this was a momentous day, how about we celebrate?" Drago turned and exhaled fire over the grills, cooking any food still left after everyone left. Drago's three henchmen soon came out with buns and condiments and helped themselves to hamburgers, fries, chicken and anything else just lying around. Drago himself couldn't help but treat himself to a bite to eat. The only one who didn't join in was Eric, he felt a little guilty for stealing the restaurant's food. Drago noticed Eric's reluctance and smiled, "Come on, you've earned a treat," and tossed Eric a hamburger. He finally gave in and took a big bite out of the sandwich.
Chapter 1: The Pen is Mightier Than the Sword?
Over the past few days Eric learned dragon powers and combat skills from Drago and he slowly adjusted becoming part of the group. While Ice, Cobra and Fist did not take their roles as dragon warriors seriously, Eric acted as their foil and was a little more loyal to Drago's cause. The son of Shendu and his new apprentice formed an odd sort of friendship. Unlike Drago, however, Eric was able to help keep casualties to a minimum. Soon Drago had a new mission for his group, but this would test the team's integrity.
"So, D-man, where is this Sword of Louis Doghouse or something rather at anyway?" Ice asked.
Drago rolled his red eyes before replying. "It's called the Sword of Lü Dongbin, and it just so happens that the sword is going to be on display in a museum in San Fran."
"So, why do you want this old sword for, man?" asked Cobra.
"This was the same sword that was used to defeat my old man, so his chi was rubbed off a little on it."
"But you already have fire chi, why do you want to collect your father's chi?" Eric asked.
"It's so very true that my fire power is great, but once I get my claws on my dad's chi my fire power will be increased. It's about time the old gecko was some use," Drago grinned in amusement, a feeling of triumph over his father, they finally arrived "We're here, get ready."
The five of them casually strolled through the front door of the museum. Museum visitors and curators who caught sight of the dragons immediately panicked and fled in fear. Drago gave a hearty chuckle, "Yes, run away you chickens! We have no use for you!" Soon several security guards showed up and aimed their handguns at them. Eric draped himself in his wings, hoping to shield himself from the bullets but before the bullets could come close enough Drago summoned a wave of fire in front of the group with a wave of his hand, disintegrating them. The guards were shocked and frightened by this display of power. "Stupid humans!" Drago snarled as he, Ice, Cobra and Fist mopped the floor with the guards. Eric, however, did nothing but watch. Once that was finished the five of them proceeded. Eric paused for a moment to glance at the fallen security guards to make sure they were still alive, he saw them groaning in pain and covered in bruises but nothing else seemed wrong with them so he followed Drago.
The dragons explored the museum grounds with no resistance as everyone had either fled or were beaten. It wasn't long till they found a section displaying artifacts from ancient China. "The sword is near; I can smell my father's foul stench on it! This way!" The sword was contained in a glass case (like all stereotypical items on display in a museum) and carelessly smashed the glass, revealing the sword in all its glory.
The Sword of Lü Dongbin was a one-handed, double-edged long sword with a gold-plated hilt with a red gem embedded in it. The blade had runic Chinese writing along the blade; it was a majestic, almost mythical weapon. Eric couldn't help but take up the sword in his hands and admire the craftsmanship of the sword. Even the Ice gang seemed impressed by the ancient weapon.
"Whoa! That thing looks like its worth some serious dough!" Cobra exclaimed.
"Yeah, we outta' sell it once we're done here." Ice suggested.
"First things first, I must have the demon chi," Drago proclaimed, holding out his hands over the blade.
"AI YAH! Young dragon punk has gotten the sword! Jackie, I told you we should have gotten here faster!" Behind the posse a loud voice yelled. Drago, Ice, Cobra and Fist all turned around in frustration while Eric turned around in surprise. Behind them stood an elderly Chinese man, a much younger man, a young Chinese girl with black hair and a tall, obese Japanese man who resembled a sumo wrestler.
"Uncle! You forced us to stop and get you some more garlic!" the younger of the two men wailed. The older man smacked his nephew with his index and middle fingers and judging from the young man's reaction and the sound the smack caused it must have been quite painful.
"Excuses, excuses. Tohru, do you have the Chi-O-Matic ready?" The older man, apparently named "Uncle", asked the tall, Japanese man.
"It's here, Sensei, we just need to prepare the Chi Spell." The Japanese man, Tohru, replied.
Drago growled angrily, but Eric was confused by his leader's reaction. "Who are they?" the new dragon asked.
"It's those meddling Chans again, Eric! Every time we try to accomplish our goals they get in the way!" Drago replied angrily.
The girl then spoke up, "Hey look, Drago's got some new flunky with him, but he looks different from pizza face and his friends."
Eric frowned at the girl's remark, "I'm no mere henchman!" he replied confidently, flexing his wings and striking a battle pose.
"Jade, it's too dangerous! Stay back!" the younger of the two Chinese men said to the girl.
"Aww, Uncle Jackie, haven't I proved yet that I can take care of myself?" Jade asked. The posse of dragons did not wait and charged forward. The younger man, Jackie, and Tohru also charged forward. The combined strength of Strike Master Ice, MC Cobra and DJ Fist was enough to smash the five of them through the wall, the battle eventually led to the docks nearby. Jade, Uncle, Drago and Eric weren't far behind.
Jackie was a skilled martial artist and used martial arts to battle the dragons while Tohru used his massive size and strength to combat them. Uncle was familiar with spells, prayers and chants and used a combination of these to summon energy blasts to defend him. Drago and Eric found higher ground, away from the battle, so that Drago could absorb the demon chi from the sword. Uncle noticed that Drago and Eric had deviated themselves from the battle. "Jackie! Drago is preparing to absorb Shendu's chi! You must stop him while I prepare the proper Chi Spell!"
Jackie grabbed and threw DJ Fist. "I'm on it, Uncle!" Jackie then turned around and headed towards Drago, leaving Tohru to fight the Ice Gang.
Drago noticed Jackie approaching and motioned to Eric, "Stop him while I complete the ritual!" Eric nodded, handing the sword to Drago before gliding towards Jackie.
Jackie stopped in his tracks in front of Eric. Jackie was in awe of Drago's apprentice, never encountering a creature quite the same as him. Eric erect, confident, and said to Jackie, "I have no quarrel with you, but I cannot let you pass until our goal is complete."
"Well I can't let that happen either," Jackie said before sprinting head first towards Drago, but Eric blocked his advance. Jackie again tried to get past Eric, but the young dragon continued to hinder his advance. Soon the two of them began fighting using martial arts, Eric parried most of Jackie's moves and those that were not stopped did not seem to faze Eric too much. Jackie shook off the pain in his fist from punching Eric. "Who are you? WHAT are you?" Jackie asked.
"My name is Eric, and I am a true dragon!" Eric roared before hitting Jackie with his tail, sending him skidding backwards.
"AI YAH! Tohru! Jackie needs your help!" Uncle cried. Tohru, who had just finished beating up the Ice Gang, turned towards the battle. Eric was a little intimidated by the large man approaching him. Tohru, like a true sumo, pushed Eric back, and seemed to have the upper hand, but the smaller dragon did not give up, he held his ground and was able to halt Tohru's advance. Eric then sidestepped, using Tohru's own strength against him and causing him to trip.
"Tohru! Uncle Jackie!" Jade cried out, worried. She sprinted to where the battle against Eric was going on. That's when Ice recovered just enough of his strength and glanced up from where he lay.
"It's time to roast me some Chans!" Ice summoned the largest fireball he could muster and hurled it at Tohru and Jackie, of course being exhausted from the fight did not help his aim and he missed. Instead the fireball struck the ground near where Jade stood, causing a small explosion that was just enough to knock Jade off her feet and knock her into the water nearby.
"JADE!" Jackie cried out in fear. Eric turned just in time to see Jade fall. He glanced anxiously at Drago, who was busy absorbing the chi, and then at the Chan clan, who were too distracted by Jade. Eric then did something unexpected, he leapt into the water after her.
Eric dove into the water like a torpedo; his brown eyes scanned the murky gloom and soon spotted Jade. He grappled against the water's current and swam towards Jade, snatching her up with a single arm before heading back to the surface. Eric's spiky head broke the water's surface and he spotted a buoy nearby, which he grabbed onto to help him float while he carried Jade. Looking back at the dock, Eric noticed Jackie, Uncle and Tohru all waiting by the dock's edge, uncaring (or maybe even oblivious) of Drago's activity behind them. Eric swam up to the dock's edge and lifted Jade to her family. Fortunately, as it turned out, Jade was not injured, merely shocked from Ice's explosion and a little dazed from being knocked underwater. Jade coughed up some water that she had accidentally swallowed. They all gave Eric questioning looks. "Why did you help us?" Jackie asked.
Eric gave them a somber look before replying, "It just didn't seem right…"
"Hey! Eric!" Eric snapped back to attention and turned towards his leader, Drago, "We're done here, let's get moving!" He noticed that Drago had completed his task and has absorbed the entire amount of chi from the sword. The Ice Gang had regrouped with Drago and the four dragons leapt out of sight. Eric turned one last time at the Chan clan, who all still had puzzled expressions, before joining Drago.
The dragons regrouped in their hideout, the dump somewhere in San Francisco. The Ice Gang turned towards Eric with scornful glares while Drago had an equally disappointed expression. "Eric, I would just like to know, WHY did you save that little girl?"
"You traitor! You helped the enemy!" Ice shoved Eric's shoulder.
"Hey, it just didn't feel right to just let her die like that! She didn't need to die to complete our mission!" Eric retorted.
Drago scratched his scaly chin, "Well I suppose I can overlook this incident, we did succeed for once after all," the Ice Gang glanced at each other apprehensively, "and hey, it seemed that little distraction was just what I needed to complete the ritual without interruption," Drago smiled evilly, he formed an enormous fireball in the palm of his hand, much larger than the fireballs he usually summoned, and hurled it at a pile of garbage nearby, reducing them further into rubble.
"All right, now we're in business, y'all!" Cobra exclaimed in excitement after witnessing Drago's new destructive power. The Ice Gang gave each other high-fives in glee.
Drago spread out his arms, an expression of both serenity and victory plastered on his face. "Today is a momentous day; we have taken a huge step in our quest! Tomorrow I will unleash my wrath and take another stride forward!" The Ice Gang whooped and hollered in agreement, only Eric remained silent.
Eric motioned towards the now seemingly useless sword that Drago still clutched, "So, Drago, now that you no longer need that sword, may I keep it?"
Drago gave Eric a surprised and glanced at the hand holding the sword, "I had almost forgotten that I was still carrying this old thing, why do you want it?"
"Before I joined you I learned some swordsmanship skills, and with that I could do some serious damage," Eric replied.
Drago shrugged and tossed the sword to Eric, "Suit yourself."
Later that night Drago's posse camped out in a park, just to get away from the stink of the dump. Eric was just settling down he saw something out of the corner of his eye, it looked like an animal darting around in the bushes. Normally Eric would be fearful of what was in hiding but for some reason he felt compelled to follow. The animal led him to a more clear area of the woods before stopping, and that was when Eric finally got a good look at the animal. It was a gray wolf with shining blue eyes that seemed to pierce the soul. The wolf simply stood there watching the young dragon's movements and vice versa. Suddenly the wolf tensed up and leapt at Eric and for him everything turned white.
When Eric regained his senses he realized he was now in a foggy field, the place had an ethereal feeling to it, and in the background he could see a bright white castle. He heard panting behind him and he turned to see the wolf sitting there panting, this time it looked non-aggressive. The wolf then lifted its head and howled, and in the blink of an eye transformed into a new form. The wolf had transformed into what appeared to be a young man, perhaps only several years older than Eric, with pointed ears and dirty blonde hair. He wore a green tunic and chain mail, he wore brown, metal-tipped shoes. He wore a leather belt with various different items strapped to it and wore orange gauntlets, one of them bearing a contraption on his wrist. In his left hand he wielded a gleaming white and blue long sword and in his right was a silver shield with a red frame and a polished surface.
The man had a determined look on his face and held himself in a fighter's stance, "A sword wields no strength, unless the hand that holds it has courage!" The warrior cried in a young, but strong and confident voice.
Eric backed away two steps in awe of the new being that stood before him. "Who are you? You look very familiar to me."
The man let his stance become at ease and nodded in agreement, "I think I should be familiar to you, I know that you have gleaned the memories of some of my past lives."
"'Past lives?'"
"Indeed, I am, in a sense, the manifestation of the spirit of many heroes that have lived in the golden kingdom. It all started with the one called the 'Hero of Time,' who first defeated a great evil, he and his descendents dedicated their lives to righteousness and fighting evil. All of these warriors shared the same name and many other qualities, most of all swordsmanship," he stabbed the tip of his sword into the ground, suspending the sword erect in the soil and placed an armored hand on his chest, " I am the collective, concentrated will and spirit of all of their reincarnations, you can call me the 'Omni Link'."
Eric was dumbfounded, he was aware of the Warrior Hero(es) named Link, one of his sessions back at the center involved experiencing the memories of one of these them, though which reincarnation he experienced he could not recall. "Well what it is that you want with me?" Eric asked anxiously.
"While I usually only appear to my reincarnations, I have been called upon to find you. You have an important destiny ahead of you and I have been summoned to assist you, but you have strayed from the right path."
"What do you mean?" Eric stuttered.
"You have allied yourself with evil forces, but now is not the time for that. I cannot fully explain the events that are to transpire and our respective roles at this time, all I can say is that I am here to help you."
"So how do you plan on helping me?"
"Right now I must teach you the first step in the ways of the sword. There was a move that my teacher, or at least, one of my past lives' teacher, had taught me, it is the 'Ending Blow', I believe you are familiar with it." Eric nodded, in his session the Link he viewed did use the Ending Blow from time to time. "Now, we must practice; strike me down with your sword!" The spirit suddenly snatched up his sword and took on an aggressive posture. Eric was slightly shaken up by this display, but then realized he was holding the Sword of Lü Dongbin in his right hand. The dragon quickly found the courage to charge at the green-clad knight and attack, striking him several times with his sword, the attack was enough to catch Omni Link off balance and knocked him down. Eric gripped the sword tightly, a little nervous on how to proceed, "Fear not for my safety, for I am a spirit, attack!" the knight prompted, with this Eric steeled his nerves and leapt into the air, the point of the sword aimed straight at his chest and plunged the blade deep inside his chest.
As the adrenaline worked its way out of his system, Eric cautiously stepped backward, afraid of what he just did, but Omni Link chuckled in delight, "Impressive, you are indeed capable of learning the lost art." Omni Link pulled the sacred sword from his chest as he collected himself and handed it back to Eric. "Do not lag in your swordsmanship; otherwise your life may be forfeit." Both the knight and dragon bowed to each other in respect before sheathing their respective weapons.
"Before you go, there is something I must give you, think of it as a gift to help you take the first step," Omni Link said reaching behind him, under his should which was now strapped to his back. He pulled out what appeared to be a purple satchel with a silly monster's face etched into it and holding it in front of Eric.
"What's this?" he asked.
"This is the 'Spoil's Bag', it was an item another one of my incarnations wore, he used it to store the treasures he collected from defeating monsters, now I pass it on to you," Eric took the bag in his hand, as he touched it the bag transformed into a new shape, now no longer resembling the purple satchel it once was, it now looked more like a dark blue backpack, not unlike those used by hikers and students. "You quest will require you to collect 'Precious', items and relics of strange and great power, this bag possesses a magical property to store just about anything that is placed into it without getting full so in a sense it too is a Precious, use it to collect other Precious as you come across them." The Spoils Bag had recognized Eric's unique traits and had transformed itself to better suit his needs, he could comfortably wear it on his back without it interfering with his dorsal spikes or wings.
"Remember that an important destiny awaits you, Eric; beware of traveling down the wrong path, until we meet again…" With that said Eric's world turned white. Once again he came back to his senses and found himself back in the clearing he had found himself in earlier, this time their was no sign of Omni Link or his lupine counterpart. What had transpired amazed Eric, so many questions filled his mind, especially when the spirit told him of his allegedly important destiny. He returned to the campsite, he decided he would tell no one of what had happened and tried to go to sleep and ease his troubled mind.
All right, so this is a rather shoddy attempt at writing a fan fic. This fan fic was partially inspired by a dream I had where I became one of Drago's half human/half dragon henchmen but at the same time I was a nice guy who didn't want to hurt Jackie Chan or any of the good guys, I only fought defensively to act as a distraction while Drago accomplished his goals.