Let the new story begin... Now!
Episode 1: Roar! The Beast of Lightning!
Deep within the mountains of Japan, a lone temple remained hidden from the world, obscured from prying eyes. Despite its great age, it remained intact and had been kept in nigh pristine condition thanks to the work of the priests who made the area there home. Few people had ever seen the temple and for that, the priests were grateful, for hidden within the temple was a tunnel that led down into the ground. A large door, covered with seals and bound with a golden chain and lock, stood in the center of a large cavern. It was the sacred duty of the priests to maintain and protect the temple in the hopes that the door would never be found or worse…
That it would be opened.
Jin, one of the head priests of the temple, watched as dark clouds began to form over the horizon. He turned his head to look behind him, where the other priests had gathered, various weapons in their hands. He felt a twinge of sadness in his heart. They were peaceful. To hold weapons like they did now, like his own naginata, felt wrong and unsettling. However, with that sadness, he felt his own sense of responsibility to the previous shrine-keepers who would have defended this temple with their lives should the time ever come. As he turned and looked back to the horizon, he knew the time had come.
The dark clouds, once gathered far on the horizon, now hung above the temple. Streaks of red lightning arced across the clouds and a thick fog began to settle on the ground, completely obscuring the priests' vision. From within the fog, terrifying shrieks and howls could be heard, made by creatures that one could hardly fathom. Slowly, the outline of a figure came into being, approaching them. As it drew near and finer details could be made out, Jin could not help but recoil slightly in fear.
The monster, for no human could look like this, held a massive spiked club in its right hand. Dark red scales covered its body and it wore a black chestplate. The monster had a tail, which snaked along the ground in what seemed like anticipation, bony spikes jutting from the tip. As the monster saw Jin and the other priests, it narrowed its yellow eyes and the corners of its mouth curled up into what seemed like a smile, or a crude facsimile considering its snout.
"So…" it rasped. "So this is the Guardian Temple. Which would make you the Guardian Priests." It planted its weapon into the ground and leaned forwards onto it. A seemingly unsatisfied look crossed its face. "I expected more from the people who are protecting it."
Jin gritted his teeth and stepped forward, pointing his naginata at the creature. "Demon, away with you! We shall not allow you to defile the sanctity of this place!" No sooner did the words leave his mouth than the screams of his fellow priests reach his ears. He turned to see a shocking sight. Bolts of red lightning struck the temple grounds, blasting the stone floor of the temple to pieces. His fellow priests tried to dive away and avoid it, but to no avail.
A cold laugh made him look up. Standing on top of the gate to the temple was a robed man, his face obscured by his hood. A long, violet ribbon was stitched to the right shoulder of his black and dark red robes and had been swung over so that it hung from his left shoulder, various symbols woven into the fabric in gold. In his left hand he held a large black tome with a glowing violet eye on the front. "Did you expect to be able to protect this temple from us with such a meager force? My magic alone would have been enough to destroy all of you." He moved slightly to the side to avoid an arrow that had been fired by one of the priests, letting out a sigh of annoyance that was barely audible over the din of the thunder. "What a nuisance…" he said as he snapped his fingers. A bolt of red lightning dropped from the sky and struck the priest. There was a bright flash and then he was gone.
Jin turned around and rushed the scaled beast, his naginata aimed at its heart. "Damn you, you monsters!" he screamed as he thrust it forward. The creature simply grabbed the shaft of the weapon and flicked its wrist, snapping off the head of the spear.
"Pathetic, even for a human…" it murmured as it swung its fist, connecting painfully with the side of Jin's head. Jin crumpled in a heap and lay still, a faint trickle of blood running down his face. "Now then, where's the shrine?" It hefted its club onto its shoulder as it looked up at its ally. "Show me where it is, Malrok! I'm ready to raise Hell!"
Malrok pointed to the large doors of the temple behind them. "In there, Zabon." As Zabon began to walk towards the doors of the temple, Malrok jumped down from his perch, landing in front of him. "Do not bother. Lord Mithras has already made his way into the sanctuary. Soon, we shall have what we have desired for so long." A sudden roar made him spin around. The doors of the temple shot open from some invisible force. Beneath his hood, Malrok smiled.
It had begun.
Two warriors stood across from each other in a clearing. Fire surrounded the area they stood in, engulfing and destroying everything around it. There seemed to be a malevolence to the flames, as if they would greedily devour whatever was caught up in them. One of the warriors let out a dark laugh as they raised the massive sword they carried. "Surrender to fate, Guardian, as it has already chosen me as the ruler of this world."
The Guardian, who had been kneeling over the body of a fallen comrade dressed in blazing red, straightened as the light of the flames flickered off of his golden armor. The helmet he wore no longer had a faceplate and tears freely streamed down his face. "Damn you Mithras! All of this suffering, all of this death and destruction – why?! So you could live out some dark dream that you claim is FATE?" Drawing himself to his full height, the golden warrior picked his sword up from where he'd stabbed it into the ground. He took a look at the clearing and grimaced. Two more bodies, one clad in blue and the other in deep green, lay on the ground, blood pooling around their still forms. The laughter of the other warrior, Mithras, drew his attention.
"Dream?" he questioned. "No, dear Guardian, this is no dream that I have chosen to make reality. This," he motioned with his free hand to the area around them, "is fate choosing the one who shall lead this world to a new age! This is destiny taking its course, destroying all that would interfere in its greater design! What you do, and what your allies have failed to do, is nothing but a dream, Guardian Beast." He shook his head. "I was chosen by destiny, my rule preordained by powers greater than you or your kind could ever fathom. And destiny shall always be fulfilled."
The Guardian growled savagely as he lowered himself into a fighting stance. "Then this is one destiny that I promise will never be fulfilled!" With a roar, the Guardian and Mithras charged at each other, their blades flashing in the light of the dancing flames.
There was the clashing of metal and a loud howl of agony pierced the air.
Again, I dream of that night. The Guardian, though it had been long since he had been called such, smiled ruefully as he cracked open his eyes. He'd discarded much of the armor that he wore in his final battle with his oldest foe and now wore a black and gold tunic with matching, loose-fitting pants. His deep blue eyes drifted over to a small area on his right, where three small memorials had been raised. "Another day we spend apart, my friends…" There was nothing but sadness in his voice as he spoke, and the act of speaking the words almost seemed to pain him.
A sudden surge of pain did occur, however, forcing him to double over as he clutched his side. Lifting up the side of his tunic, he saw the scar he'd sustained during the final moments of his battle with Mithras: running from his hip to just next to his spine, it had nearly been a death blow. Sometimes, he wished it had been.
Maybe I'm not so far from joining you after all, old friends. Lying back on the soft grass, he let out a slow sigh. There's nothing for me in this world. Mithras is dead, and so are my fellow Guardian Beasts. Those that were not killed remain dormant in their Cores, scattered to the furthest reaches of the known world. But, without a Host, my power has been slowly wasting away. A grim smile creased his face at the thought. "A few more days, maybe only a few more hours if I'm fortunate … I'll be there soon, my-"
A wave of pure malice suddenly swept over him, making his eyes go wide as a terrifying screech resounded through his ears. Jolting up from his resting place, the air around him began to crackle with electricity. What in the name of the Guardians was that!? He searched around wildly with his eyes, trying to pinpoint the location of the dark energy he'd just felt, when a scent he'd long thought gone entered his nose for the first time in centuries. Rage instantly filled his body at the thought of one man, one monster, filled his entire mind.
"MITHRAS!" he screamed. The air around him crackled violently, bolts of electricity arcing off of him and striking the ground, tossing up the dirt from the force of impact, as his eyes narrowed and turned deep gold and catlike. "How?! How is that bastard alive when they died to end him?" He was seething with total, uncontrolled rage. He felt like running towards where the scent came from and tearing apart the ancient warrior with his bare hands, when the wound the warrior dealt him flared up again, forcing him to his knees.
"I… I can't believe it… I've failed them…" he muttered, angry tears falling to the ground. "They died, I lived and fought, and for what? For him to return while I have no power to call upon?" He pounded the ground angrily with his fist as he willed himself to his feet. "No, I will not let it end like this! No matter what it takes, I will find a way to stop him!" With a roar that could barely be described as human and more of a furious beast, his entire body turned into a sphere of crackling light that shot into the sky.
After so many years, the Guardian Beast of Lightning was going back on the hunt.
"MOM! DAD!"
A sudden boom broke the young man out of his thoughts, his heart pounding furiously as sweat poured down his face, which he quickly wiped away with the sleeve of his hoodie. That dream, that damned dream… Clutching his fists tightly, to the point where he nearly drew blood from his palms, he looked out the window of the plane and sighed. "Just the thunder, Lee, just the thunder." The thought of this soothed him as another blast resounded from within the dark clouds the plane flew through.
"Oh, did the storm wake you?" He turned around to see a flight attendant looking at him, a concerned look on her face. "There's really no need to worry; though the storm was unexpected, the pilots have flown through worse and have made it through just fine. We should be touching down in Yakubo in an hour or so, so please try and relax."
Realizing she must have seen his reaction to the thunder, he smiled bashfully. "Oh, the storm's not really bothering me. It more surprised me than anything. Um, would you mind if…" He gestured to the cart the attendant was pushing, looking at one of the bottles of water. Nodding, she quickly took one off and handed it to him. Gratefully accepting it, he opened it and guzzled a few deep gulps before bringing it away. "Thanks… I had a bit of a bad dream, and the thunder just added to it. I'm fine, really." After a moment, the attendant bowed and resumed pushing her cart down the aisle.
Turning back to face the window, Lee smiled as he watched the graceful chaos of the storm unfold. The sudden flashes of lightning followed by the deep rumbles of thunder made him shake with excitement as the soft pattering of rain soothed him and the mysterious whisperings of the wind only drew him further into the beauty of the event. Most teenagers went to rock concerts in order to have this much excitement; Lee waited for the concert to come to him, and he always had a front row seat.
Leonard Steven Collins-Hirayama, or Lee Collins to his friends and family, was definitely not what you'd call a normal teenager. For as long as he could remember, he'd been entranced by storms; the raw power that could destroy you within seconds coupled with the awe inspiring sights and sound had made him fall into a deep love with the atmospheric event. For years in high school, and even for some time in middle school, he'd studied nearly every textbook on meteorology, absorbing the information with a passion that some would call obsession. Perhaps it was, but it was an obsession that had fueled him throughout his high school life. He'd taken every honors course he could get his hands on, taken every course he could think would bring him closer to becoming a weather researcher, and as a result had nearly gotten a perfect score on the science and math portions of the ACT the first time he took it because of it.
And yet, at nineteen, he hadn't set foot inside of a single college or university. No one but he knew why, and even he would question why he didn't follow through with his bright future from time-to-time, and though he felt sure of his decision, he couldn't find an answer. Living in a rented room from his aunt and uncle - at his urging, not theirs, as he refused to live his life as a free-loader - he'd supported himself through various small jobs he picked up from the city he lived near. While his life wasn't perfect, it was his and he was happy with it.
Then, when he turned nineteen, a letter had changed all of it. It was from his uncle, his mother's only brother, who lived in Japan, asking him to come and live with him for an extended period of time. Daisuke Hirayama: it was a name he'd only remembered in the back of his mind, and yet it filled him with excitement. Finally, after so many years, he'd be able to go to his mother's home country, live in her land, and finally learn about his heritage.
Being half-American and half-Japanese, he seemed to favor his father more than his mother; light brown hair that fell over dark brown eyes, with sharp, 'handsome'-as his aunt had insisted on calling them- features and a mouth that always seemed to have a smile on it. Many of his friends had been surprised to find out he was half-Japanese, as he apparently had a face that completely betrayed that half of his DNA. Regardless, once the letter had come and he'd gotten permission from his uncle and aunt to leave the States, he'd packed his bags and had been ready to leave the moment the ticket arrived to take him to his mother's home.
Mom… The thought of his mother flashed into his mind, making all the excitement of the trip wane away. No, got to keep positive! Stay energetic, like a storm cloud! Scolding himself for trying to feel sad on such a momentous day, he resumed looking out the window of the plane as the concert in the skies continued to play on.
The Guardian Beast landed from his flight in the forests near the entrance to the temple that Mithras' scent had come from. Narrowing his eyes, he watched with a mixture of curiosity and fury as he saw black creatures scrambling across the ruins of the building, carrying the bodies of the temple priests to a large pile and dumping them into it. He already has a horde of Imps? The bastard works fast… Steeling himself, he slowly began to inch forwards, his inner curiosity demanding to know just what was going on.
"Well, what do we have here?" a voice from behind questioned in a mocking tone. Before the Guardian could turn around, a heavy weight hit him from behind and sent him flying forwards. Landing on the ground with a hard thud, he turned around to see a reptilian monster wielding a spiked club slowly stalking towards him, its eyes lighting up in surprise at what it saw. "A Guardian Beast, eh? Well, this is just my lucky day! Not only do I get to start my plans for reviving my race, but I get to crush one of the people responsible for our extinction!" With a roar, the reptile ran forwards and slammed his club into the ground where the Guardian had lay just moments before. "Stay still, you mongrel! If you do, I promise that I, Zabon of the Steel Scales, will grant you a peaceful demise." The corners of its mouth twisted up in a sick representation of a smile. "Of course, I wouldn't mind giving you a slow, painful, bloody death either."
"How is a Draconian still alive?" the Guardian questioned, ignoring Zabon's taunts. "I thought the Guardian Beasts extinguished your race after you attempted to create a living hell for this world by burying it in molten earth!" He had to roll to avoid another crushing blow from the Draconian, who sneered at him as the dust settled.
"A living hell for those not fortunate enough to be amongst our number, maybe. But hey, that's the way the world works, isn't it?" Zabon growled as he began an assault of sweeping swipes at the Guardian Beast, who narrowly avoided each of them. "We asked nicely to be given land to expand into but we were denied? By who?" A sudden powerful kick sent the Beast of Lightning sprawling into the dirt. "By the damned Guardian Beasts! You are responsible for my race's extinction, so allow me to do the same to your race." With a growl that was half amusement and half savage desire, he raised his club directly over the Guardian's head, ready to crush it. "Nighty-night, you- GAH!"
As the Guardian Beast let loose a pulse of lightning from his hand, striking the Draconian squarely in his exposed shoulder and sending him reeling backwards, he quickly scrambled to his feet and ran, light enveloping his form as he disappeared again into a ball of electric energy. I can't fight them, not like this! I need to find a suitable Host, and fast!
Despite the protection his scales provided him, the blast of electricity was still enough to stun Zabon, who let out a furious roar as he saw his quarry escape him. "Cowardly animal! What happened to the ferocity that your kind is known for? Get back here and show me what it means to be a-"
"Zabon!" The sharp tone of Malrok snapped the Draconian out of his ranting. Turning around, he saw the sorcerer approaching him from across the field, shaking his head. "Lord Mithras could hear your shouts from where he rests, you great brute! Just what is the meaning of this?"
"A Guardian Beast." Zabon growled menacingly, making Malrok stop dead in his tracks. "How?" he hissed. "How is one of the damned Guardian Beasts moving around?! I thought we had collected all of their Cores, or has the past four years been nothing but a scavenger hunt?" He stormed over to the sorcerer and grabbed him by his robes, looking deeply into the void of his hood. "Answer me, you bookworm!"
Though it was hidden by the shadows of his cowl, Malrok was giving his ally the most murderous glare he could muster. With a forceful movement, he shoved Zabon off of him and, as the reptile began to advance towards him, he formed a ball of black and purple energy in the palm of his hand. "You may lead our lord's armies, but remember that I am his right-hand, his aide-de-camp, and chief magician. If I wished it, you would be reduced to a smoldering pile of ash right now." In demonstration, he threw the sphere at a nearby tree. The energy spread across it, hissing and crackling, before bursting into a ball of fire. The Draconian looked towards the charred skeleton of the tree as Malrok looked back towards him. "If you wish to remain as you are, you will stand down right now and return to the temple." Seeing the snarl appear on Zabon's face, he let out a frustrated growl of his own. "If what you say is true, that a Guardian Beast is still alive, then I must make the appropriate adjustments to our plan. Now, I'll ask you again to return to the temple and await further orders."
Gripping his club tightly, Zabon slunk off to the temple, giving Malrok a hateful glare before shoving one of the black figures that was scurrying about the grounds to the ground and stomping down on its chest, crushing it into black smoke. "The things one must put up with in order to achieve their goals… Unbelievable." Malrok sighed and opened his tome. "Now, to ensure we cannot be found again by the Guardian." A ball of dark energy formed in his hand and rapidly expanded, eventually engulfing the entirety of the temple. There was a brief flash and then, nothing. The temple had vanished as though it never existed; the only signs of people ever having been there being the pile of bodies that had been left behind.
As Lee continued to watch the storm brew, thoughts flew through his head about the new land he was going to visit. Still hard to believe that I'm actually going to Japan. I'm half-expecting my aunt to come into my room and wake me up from this dream. Lightly pinching himself on the arm, he shook his head. Nope, no dream. This really is my reality. Settling back in his seat, he began to make the necessary preparations for landing, when something flashed by his window. Curious, he turned his head again as a bright light blinded him and nearly made him fall from his seat.
Images that he'd never seen before were burned into his mind, playing out before his very eyes. A warrior charging towards him as they were fighting amidst a sea of fire, their blades clashing furiously; two men and a woman lying dead on the ground, their metal armor broken and shattered; a terrible monster, similar to a dragon, slowly stalking towards him, a sinister grin on its face. As suddenly as the images had appeared, they vanished, leaving Lee panting as he found himself surprisingly exhausted. What the hell was that? As something flashed passed his window again, he fought against his better judgement and looked out towards the storm.
Amidst the black clouds, he could make out a figure. Its body was black and a mane of golden lightning was flashing around its head. A pair of deep blue eyes stared at him, scrutinizing every part of him. With a roar like thunder, the being vanished, though not before Lee's heart began to try and tear itself out of his chest. Sitting back into his seat, he tried to process everything that he'd just seen, only for more questions to come from his mind. As the plane began to come in for a landing, the only thing that Lee could think was something that should have been impossible had he not just seen it.
That was a lion in the storm clouds.
As he came to rest on one of the tall structures that the humans had built in their city, the Guardian Beast looked towards the flying machine he'd seen the young man on with interest. He's the spitting image of him… For a moment, I actually believed that my old Host had returned from the grave. Walking over to the edge of the building, he looked down at the busy streets and frowned. If I plan on making him my Host, I will need to find a time when he will need my help and accept me. But when? Sighing, he sat on the ground and laid back, trying to conserve his energy.
Grabbing what he'd brought with him, a duffel bag and a piece of luggage that pretty much contained the majority of his wardrobe, Lee set out from the airport and took his first few steps out onto Japanese soil. Even though it was somewhat warm, he was glad for the warmth his hoodie provided him as a chill ran down his spine at the sight before him. The city of Yakubo stretched out before him, a beautiful, shining city that had grown strong through years of being used as a port. Surrounding the city were lush forests and far off, one could see the peaks of mountains in the distance. "I suppose Uncle Daisuke really knew how to pick a place to live," he muttered, taking in the view.
"Oi, Lee! Over here!" Turning his head from the amazing sight of the city, Lee saw a man with shoulder length black hair and a goatee coming towards him. He wore a bright orange collared shirt with brown denims. "Good to finally see you!" the man, his Uncle Daisuke if he had to guess, said as he advanced towards him, a smile plastered on his face. Coming to stop in front of him, he looked Lee up and down before letting out a happy sigh. "God, you look so much like your mother… and a bit like your father, I suppose. Don't let that get you down though." He laughed a bit at his own joke before snapping his fingers, as if something had just occurred to him. "Oh right, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm your mother's brother, Daisuke Hirayama." He extended his hand for Lee.
"Nice to finally meet you, Uncle Daisuke," Lee said, reaching forwards with his own hand to shake his uncle's. "You already know, but I'm Lee-" As Daisuke suddenly pulled the young man into a firm hug, choking the life out of him, Lee couldn't help but feel a bit uncomfortable. I-Is he trying to kill me? Is that why he brought me here? "U-Uncle D-Daisuke, while I'm glad to see you too, I can't-"
"Hmm? Oh sorry!" his uncle said, immediately letting go of his red-faced nephew. "Probably shouldn't have reacted like that, but… Well, this is really our first time to meet, aside from one of the few times Kazumi brought you here when you were still a tiny one." A somewhat sad look glazed over his eyes, though he quickly fought it back. "Anyway, we can catch up later. I had to take a cab to get here." He motioned over his shoulder with his thumb towards a yellow car that was idling next to the curb. "We'd better be going. The meter's still running on this guy." With that, he grabbed Lee's suitcase and marched over to the taxi, motioning for Lee to follow him. Smiling to himself, he did just that.
After taking the cab to the Tengoku Train Station, it had been a short ride to get to Daisuke's apartment, which was located in the Shinai District, Yakubo's business and financial center. The apartment itself was incredibly spacious, offering a view of most of the city through the glass windows of the living room. From what he'd been told, Lee would have his own bedroom and upon seeing it, he was floored; it had to have been at least twice the size of his old room.
"Now, chances are you won't see me there often, but my room's right down the hall," Daisuke told his nephew. "If you ever need me and I'm here- What am I saying? You're a pretty capable young man if what I've heard is true. You probably won't need my help that often." Letting a soft chuckle escape his lips, the elder Hirayama stuck his hands in the pockets of his pants and looked towards his nephew. "So, anything you need to know?"
One thing did come to Lee's mind. Well, two things did, but he didn't dare ask about a lion in the storm clouds. He'd just met his uncle and didn't want him to think he was mental. "Why do you say you won't be around that often? Is it work or…?"
Walking over to the windows, Daisuke smiled. "You see that big building there in the distance?" Lee looked and saw what his uncle was talking about. A decent distance from the apartment, situated in the middle of the city, was a monumental skyscraper. "That is where I work. Most of the time, at least. I'm a pharmaceutical chemist for Everlast. You heard of them?" When Lee shook his head, Daisuke laughed lightly. "Figures you wouldn't have. Everlast is a pharmaceutical giant here in Japan, but we haven't quite made a name for ourselves on the global market. We deal in all sorts of medicines, from antibiotics, to cold medicines, vaccines, prescription medications; pretty much anything that has to do with helping keep people healthy. That reminds me, I need to take you to meet my boss sometime soon."
"Why's that?"
"Masaya Saigo, the president and founder of Everlast, was close friends with your father and mother. When I told him that you were coming to live with me for a while, he practically demanded that I bring you to meet him." Again, a sad look came over the older man's face. "He and Adam practically fought with each other over your mother, and I thought they'd be the worst of enemies when Adam won Kazumi's heart, but he was actually Adam's best man. He… He really loved the two of them." Walking over to sit on the white couch in the living room, he plopped down on it and folded his hands together, leaning forwards in thought. "When he heard about what happened to them… God, I thought I'd taken it hard. He shut down the company for two weeks in mourning, but when he came back, there was a new fire to him. Chances are he realized that they wouldn't want him moping if it meant people were suffering."
"He sounds like a very good man," Lee admitted. It was odd though: Adam Collins, Lee's father, had not once mentioned this Saigo person. If the two of them really were so close, why didn't Dad talk about him more often? A memory suddenly flashed through Lee's mind: a man of Asian descent, dressed in mourning attire, standing by the coffins of his parents. I did see someone at the funeral… Maybe that had been him? "Is there any time in particular that he'd like to meet me? I mean, I can't really do it today, but…"
Daisuke raised an eyebrow and stared at his nephew. "Why not? It's your first day here, so what can you have planned?"
Lee blushed lightly and scratched the back of his neck. "Well, I sorta entered into a pen pal program not too long ago and made a friend who lived here. Aya Mizuki, a third-year at the local high school. When she found out I was coming to live here, she pretty much demanded I come meet her the very moment I got here." Pretending to check his phone, he mock-frowned. "And it seems that I might be running a bit late. I hope you don't mind, but-"
Daisuke smiled and held up a hand. "Go. You're still young and you deserve to have a bit of fun. Just don't stay out too late and try to avoid the Seishin District; a lot of bad stuff happens around there." Nodding, Lee rushed past his uncle. "Oh, and one more thing." Stopping as he reached the door, Lee turned around to see his uncle looking at him, a smirk on his face. "Try and remember that this is just the first date. Don't do anything too crazy."
Lee was dumbstruck by what his uncle had just insinuated. Rather than reply, he quickly turned around, trying to hide the spreading blush on his face, and stumbled through the door. Even as he left through the front doors of the complex, he could still hear his uncle's booming laughter in his ears.
Standing on a roughly constructed platform, Malrok thrust his hand forwards as he addressed the creatures before him. Imps, as they were known, were creatures of pure darkness, with simple minds capable of only following instructions. Thin red veins red across their pitch black bodies and their faces featured only a single crimson eye, planted directly in the center of their heads. "We have captured this temple but it is not enough. If Lord Mithras is truly to rule as the master of this world, he must have a fitting place to rule from. Go now and build this place anew!" The creatures all 'spoke' to one another in their high-pitched, chattering 'language' before going off to do as commanded. As they left to go and do their masters' bidding, Zabon strode up to the sorcerer, his tail twitching angrily.
"We managed to take the temple and the Sealed Door is now unsealed. That's wonderful and all, but what do I do now?" Angrily striking the ground with his club and shattering the floor, he stared up at Malrok with bloodlust in his eyes. "I need some action soon, or I swear I'm going to go berserk!"
Chuckling softly, Malrok jumped from the platform and landed beside his ally. "Calm yourself, my friend. The game has barely begun and yet you already wish for it to go to the end? Please, realize that our plans take time and patience." Realizing that the lizard-man's patience was wearing thin, the sorcerer formed a quick plan. "I have a job for you: spread fear throughout the hearts of the human race. Kill them, maim them, destroy their cities – it matters not how you create the fear. Simply create it so that the process for the Awakening can begin." He paused for a moment, in thought. "There was a decently sized city near the mountains this temple once stood in. It will be the perfect target starting out.
A deep, rumbling laugh erupted from Zabon's maw. "I really, really like the sound of that! I'll take a horde of Imps with me and create carnage the likes of which the humans have never seen! Those lumps of meat won't know what hit them!" Still laughing, he slung his weapon over his shoulder and walked towards a group of Imps. "All of you, fall in! It's high time we taught those humans what fear really is!"
"He should do well enough on his own…" Malrok thought as he watched Zabon smash his club into the ground at his feet, causing a pillar of fire to well up from the ground and consume him and his troops. "Of course, why leave things to chance? Besides, what better opportunity to test my newest spell?" Opening his tome, he looked for the one spell he'd been saving for just this occasion. Beckoning an Imp to come to him, he reached into the folds of his robe and pulled out a small, round crystal. It was greenish-yellow and color and a strange glitter-like substance was inside of it. Placing it in the palm of the Imp's hand, he quickly recited the incantation.
The effects were instantaneous: the jewel melted through the creature's skin, eliciting a cry of pain as it thrashed around in agony. Within moments, changes began to occur as a pair of sickly green wings exploded out of its back. Its red eye became lost within the coarse, light brown hair that covered its body, only to be replaced with a pair of angry, red, segmented eyes. As it walked towards its creator, a faint cloud of yellow dust fell from its wings and onto the ground. Regarding the new creature, Malrok smiled beneath his hood. "Go with Zabon to the human city! Spread fear throughout the hearts and minds of the humans! For the glory of our lord!" He thrust his hand out, creating a swirling dark portal in front of the two of them.
With a piercing shriek, the monster gave a power flap of its wings before taking off and vanishing into the portal, leaving for the unsuspecting people of Yakubo.
Lee sighed as he read the text he'd gotten from Aya. The very moment that the train had pulled to his stop his phone had gone off. Apparently tired of waiting for him, Aya had gone off to a nearby café to get a quick bite to eat. At least she included some directions. Of course, I have no idea how to get anywhere in this city, so she might as well have not sent any at all. As he tried to make heads or tails of the directions she'd sent him, he didn't notice the tall young man who had been standing in front of him until it was too late.
"Watch it!" the young man snapped as they turned around. It was a teenager of about his age, with a scar on his right cheek and short black hair that had silver streaks died into it. He wore a leather jacket over a shirt featuring a purple grinning demon's face and everything about him, from the way he carried himself to his clothing, screamed either 'dangerous thug' or 'overly-stereotypical thug pretender.' "Who the hell do you think you are, running into me like you've got no sense? Do you even know who I am, you little punk?" The people that had been walking around the station all stopped to watch the events unfold.
Please tell me this isn't going to go the way I think it is… Straightening out his shirt, Lee shook his head. "Sorry, but I really don't. Just got off the plane from the States today." Lee, wanting to avoid any possible confrontation, tried to move past him, only for the punk to bar his way with his arm. "Is there a problem?"
The young man snorted. "Yeah, just a bit. You think you can just run around my city not knowing where to go? The next person you just bump into might not be as forgiving as I am." He pushed Lee back a bit and stared him in the eye. "Where exactly is it that you need to go?"
In the back of his mind, Lee had severe doubts about letting this person know where Aya was. For all he knew, the guy could go and attack her. No chance in Hell someone's going to get hurt because I let it happen. "No thanks, I can find it for myself," he insisted. Trying to push past again, the punk again stepped into his past. "Okay, back off now before I make you regret getting in my way."
A fire seemed to light up in the young man's eyes at Lee's words. "You think you're tough stuff just because you're from the States? Let me show you what that kind of attitude will get you around here!" With that, he reared back and sent a hard right directly at Lee. Before he could even blink, the young man found himself lying on the ground, staring up at his opponent, who had his right arm twisted in a painful hold. "W-what just happened?" he asked, his eyes wide.
"You went up against someone who's had a lot of classes," Lee casually replied. Letting go of the kid's arm, he helped him to his feet. "Look, just leave me alone, alright? I can find this place without- Hey!" The young man quickly grabbed Lee's phone and, using his free hand to keep him at bay, read the message. "Give that back!"
"Quiet down for a sec!" he snapped, his eyes not leaving the message. "Man, these directions really suck…" After a few moments, he nodded and handed the phone back to Lee. "From here, go down the road on your right, then take a left at the intersection. You'll find a real big plaza not too far from there," he explained as he straightened out his jacket. "Now, if you'll excuse me." He started to walk past Lee, only to stop. "By the way, the name's Eiji Toriyama. You've got some impressive moves, though I swear you just caught me off guard today. No one beats me that easily." Lee simply rolled his eyes. "Just don't think about causing any trouble in my city, got it?" Without waiting for an answer, Eiji brushed past Lee and vanished into the crowd of people.
Shaking his head, Lee left the station, unaware that a pair of eyes had been watching the entirety of the confrontation and they had been very impressed with what they saw.
When he finally did reach the plaza that Eiji had directed him to, Lee was surprised and a bit upset when he saw no hints of a café anywhere nearby. These were the directions she sent me, so where is Aya? After wandering around aimlessly for a few minutes, and getting no shortage of strange stares from the locals, he gave up and slumped down onto a bench. "I really hope she has a good reason for tricking me like this…" he muttered.
"Oh, I did," a voice from behind said, startling him and making him fall off the bench. "It was hilarious to watch you wander around this place like that." Looking up, he saw a girl a couple of years younger than him wearing a mischievous smile on her face. Her hair was done up in a ponytail and there were various streaks of red running through it. She wore a dark red shirt and plain jeans and held a red cell phone in her hands. "What, you don't know who I am? I'm hurt, Leonard Steven Collins-Hirayama," she said with a mock pout.
"Aya!" Lee cried, getting to his feet hastily. "It's great to finally meet you, though…" He frowned and scrutinized her, folding his arms against his chest. "Hmmm…."
"What is it?" Aya asked, stepping around the bench to get closer to him.
Lee shrugged. "Somehow I thought you'd be cuter in person." Aya looked at him, her expression changing from shock to anger and then burst out laughing as she saw the playful look on his face. Lightly shoving him back, she sat down on the bench in front of him.
"So, what should we do? I mean, what do you want to do, since this is your first day here and all."
Lee shrugged and shoved his hands in the pockets of his pants. "I really don't know. Maybe we could-" Any further thoughts were stopped by the sudden terrified screams that came from the people in the plaza. Looking past Aya, Lee's eyes widened. That's the monster I saw! From that… that vision! The reptilian monster joyfully shoved people to the ground, laughing as they screamed in pain in fear. Surrounding it were black figures with red veins running all across their bodies. These creatures all carried red swords that had viciously curved blades that they wove around, terrorizing the people around them as they began to corral them. The moment a group of people had been gathered, another monster, resembling a giant moth/human hybrid, fell from the sky and let some form of dust fall from its wings. When the dust touched them, the people stopped screaming in fear and began to scream in anger, tearing past the monsters and running towards other humans and attacking them.
"Oh my God, what are those things?!" Aya screamed as she saw what Lee had been staring at. As the words left her mouth, a group of the black beasts broke off from the main horde and charged the pair. "Get away!" Aya stumbled back as the monsters began to advance on them, falling down onto the hard pavement. As one of the creatures raised its sword to attack her, it was suddenly knocked to the ground by a brutal kick to the chest. "Lee?"
"Get the hell away from her!" Lee shouted as he stood between his friend and the monsters. One of them charged at him, its weapon raised. Ducking under its arm, Lee delivered a hard punch to the small of its back before grabbing it by its arm and flipping it over his shoulder. He cringed slightly as pain set in from the punch; the monsters had strong skin. Another pair of them charged, letting out high-pitched squeals. In response, he bent down to deliver a strike to one's stomach with his elbow, knocking it back, before jumping up and delivering an uppercut with his left hand. Hearing Aya scream again, he saw that one of the monsters had gotten past him and was trying to grab her. With an angry roar, he jumped at it and threw it off of her, delivering a sharp kick to its chest for good measure.
"Not bad, for a human." A sudden, fiery explosion knocked Lee off of his feet and sent him through the air. He landed hard on his shoulder, causing something to pop. A reptilian hand suddenly clutched around his shirt collar before he was lifted into the air. "But you're still just a human!" The monster let out a growl as he threw the young man to the ground and proceeded to stomp on his chest. "Aren't you afraid? Why don't I smell any fear coming from you?!" Angrily, the creature kicked Lee's side with its clawed foot, making him roll against the ground.
"Stop it!" Aya cried, scrambling to her feet. She ran up to the monster and attempted to hit it, only for her hand to bounce off its armored hide. She cradled her injured hand as its tail suddenly snaked around her legs and constricted. She let out a yelp of surprise as she was suddenly lifted into the air. "Let me go!" she demanded.
"Shut it, human!" the monster snarled. "This world belongs to Lord Mithras!"
"Let go of her!" Scrambling to his feet, despite his injuries, Lee charged the monster and reared back his fist. Digging into every ounce of strength he had, he let loose the best punch he could throw, directly into the monster's stomach.
It had no effect other than making the monster laugh. Dropping Aya to the ground, it grabbed Lee again by his throat. "You may not be producing any fear, but you've been entertaining at the very least. But I'm afraid that all good things must come to an end!" With a roar, it threw Lee across the plaza, where he landed against the fountain with a loud crack. "Goodbye, human!"
As Lee struggled to keep his eyes open from the pain, he saw a ball of flame hurtling right towards him. I'm sorry… Mom… Dad… I wasn't strong enough… Closing his eyes to await the inevitable, he didn't see the crackling gold ball that flew into the path of the fireball and absorbed it.
"Awake, child."
His eyes snapped open as his heart began to beat furiously. How am I not dead? I should be nothing but a small pile of ash! Slowly getting to his feet, Lee quickly took in his surroundings. He was in a large cavern, the walls ringed with golden stalactites. Bolts of electricity arced between them, spasmodically lighting up the area with blinding flashes of light, though they didn't cause Lee's eyes any pain. In the middle of the cavern, standing proudly on a raised patch of ground, was a creature Lee had thought he had imagined.
It was the lion that he'd seen in the storm. Its fur was a deep gold with streaks of black running through it. The mane was black as the clouds of the storm he'd first seen it in, though sparks of golden electricity jumped from its hairs and danced around it. Its eyes were an electric blue and there were patches of black fur beneath them that resembled bolts of lightning. There seemed to be a proud and powerful aura about the creature, one that Lee felt the full force of as it stared at him.
"You require strength, do you?" The young man's mouth opened in surprise as the lion's mouth opened and words came from it. "Those were your thoughts before I intervened. You said that you were not strong enough, correct?" The lion tilted its head in curiosity. "Tell me: why do you require such strength? For personal gain and benefit? To defend yourself against those that would do you harm? For what reason does one such as yourself require strength?"
Lee lowered his eyes and clenched his fists. "I can't protect anyone if I'm not strong enough…" he muttered. The lion raised an eyebrow at the young man's words. "For most of my life, I've done nothing but train to get stronger, smarter, and better in everything I can be, so that I could protect anyone that I needed to." His fists unclenched as a sad sigh escaped his lips. "But in the end, it didn't matter: I failed." A soft chuckle came from in front of him, making him look up and glare angrily at the beast before him. "And just what part of that is so funny to you? The part where I failed because I wasn't strong enough or the part where innocent people are going to be hurt because I wasn't strong enough?"
"It has been so long since I've met one such as you," the lion said simply. "A person who believes it is their sole duty to this world to protect any and all who need it – you are a dying breed, Lee Collins." A sudden cry of pain escaped the creature as it stumbled forwards. "As am I, I fear…" Looking up at him with its eyes, which had turned from blue to gold, it spoke. "Listen to my words and listen well: a dark threat has come upon your land, one that I battled long ago. I had thought it defeated but I realize that I failed, somehow. If I could, I would go now and destroy it with my bare hands. Sadly, my power has faded over the centuries and now I stand before you near death's doors. As you are as well." Standing back up to its full height, the lion let out a deep growl. "However, if you agree to be my Host, I can prevent both of our deaths and grant you the strength you so desire. In return, I only ask that you aid me in battling the darkness I fought so long ago."
"How am I supposed to do that?" Lee asked. Suddenly, the form of the lion changed: it was now a warrior clad in golden armor, a helmet shaped like a lion's head staring down at him with azure eyes set into a mask. "What are you?" he asked in awe of the sheer power he could feel coming from the creature.
"I am a Guardian Beast, one of many protectors of this world. I am the Spirit of Lightning, uncontrollable and ferocious. I strike down all who would harm this world with my swift power. If you will accept my offer, all of that power shall be yours." The warrior's body began to glow with a blinding light as it extended its hand towards the young man. "Do you accept? Or will you allow the world to be coated in darkness?"
Lee looked at the hand, unsure. "I want to be able to keep those close to me safe…" Closing his eyes, he saw the faces of his uncle and Aya in front of him. They slowly faded away and were replaced by his mother and father. I won't allow myself to be weak! Never again! Opening his eyes, he grasped the warriors hand with his. "I accept! Spirit of Lighting, grant me your power!" he shouted as the golden light of the warrior enveloped both of them and the world faded away.
Aya stared in shock at the billowing flames that took up the place where her friend had been moments before. He's gone… Lee's… dead… Tears began to run down her face as she struggled to her feet. "How could you do that?! Why?!" she screamed at the monster, who chuckled at his handiwork.
"It was fun," it answered simply. Looking towards the horde of savage humans and the moth monster, bellowing laughter came from his throat. "This is a testament to the power of Lord Mithras! This is what will happen to all who oppose his rule!" Turning on her, the monster snarled. "And you shall soon learn that humans no longer have a place in this world. Now, give me the fear I so desire." It began advancing on her, its club raised and ready to attack, when a loud roar split the air and silenced all around. I-It can't b-be… Slowly, the Draconian turned his head, his eyes widening in shock and anger at what he saw. "What?! I killed you! How are you…?"
"Silence, Zabon!" a voice commanded. The fire vanished as Lee and a large, golden lion stepped from them, which shocked Aya, though she was even more surprised when the lion spoke. "Mithras' foolish plans end now, as does your savagery." The lion turned its head to Lee. "Now, I grant you the strength you so desired. Use it and defeat our enemies!" With a roar, the lion turned into a ball of golden light that shot into Lee's chest. At the same time, a black belt materialized around his waist, golden lines running through it. On the front was the golden head of a lion, its jaw and eyes closed.
Raising his right hand to the sky and bringing his left hand across his chest, Lee closed his eyes and took in a deep breath and slowly let it out. His entire expression changed as his eyes snapped open, now a burning gold. A fierce, almost feral look was on his face as he quickly moved his left arm away and held it out to his side as his right hand fell down and struck the jaw of the lion.
"HENSHIN!"
With a roar, the lion's mouth and eyes opened. Azure light seemed to pour from its eyes as a wall of golden energy materialized in front of Lee. Slowly, the wall came over his body, changing it as it touched him. Soon, he wore an all-gold suit of armor. His torso was covered by armor modeled after a roaring lion, its blue eyes piercing through all who it saw, and pauldrons shaped like a lion's claws covered his shoulders. His forearms and shins had bracers and guards covering them, though his left arm was covered by a thick gauntlet that had three claws jutting from it. Beneath all of it was a solid black bodysuit that seemed to be just as strong as the armor. His helmet faintly resembled the head of a lion and had two piercing blue eyes that appeared to be segmented like a bugs and a silver faceguard rested beneath them, shaped to look like a lion's open maw with black filling the void between the teeth.
Clenching his left hand into a fist, Lee thrust it forwards as an unbelievable energy began to flow through his body. "I am the Golden Warrior of Lightning, RaiLeon! Hear my roar!"
"I don't care what you call yourself, because I'm about to burn you to ash!" Zabon declared as fire began to spew from his mouth. Rearing his head back, he unleashed a flurry of fireballs. Lee ran forwards, his left arm reared back and readied to strike, and managed to avoid the onslaught. When he was finally within striking distance, he struck out with his fist, the air around it crackling with electricity. There was an audible crack as the punch made contact with Zabon's chestplate and knocked him back. A large chunk of the metal had been cracked and parts of it were falling off as he watched in shock. "You… cracked my armor?" Looking up at the Warrior, he snarled. "Don't think this is the end! Imps, destroy him now!" the General commanded as he slammed his club into the ground, causing a pillar of flame to devour him.
Lee ran forwards to stop him, only for the moth monster and the small creatures known as Imps to jump in his path. He got away!
"It is still a victory, and one that any Guardian Beast would be proud to have achieved," the lion's voice echoed from inside Lee's head. "Now, time to finish what Mithras started."
"Got it." Lee looked down at his hands and grinned beneath his helmet. "I can feel this power coursing through me. It's about time we tested it out!" Running forwards, he delivered a sharp blow to one of the Imps, knocking it back before leaping at another and dropping it with a kick to the chest. As the black creatures began to swarm him, he lashed out with his gauntlet and noted with satisfaction that it cut straight through their hides. A sudden feeling came over him, causing him to raise his right hand into the air. A bolt of lightning shot down and struck it, forming an orb of energy. Pulling his hand from it, he stared at the weapon that had been formed with some surprise.
It was a scimitar-like weapon, with a long, black blade with gold at the edges. The hand guard was modeled after the head of a lion with its mouth open. Giving it a test swing, he found that it was surprisingly light and felt comfortable in his hands. Another of your powers?
The lion chuckled. "Consider it a gift as well."
"I like it!" Brandishing his new sword, Lee charged into the Imps in front of him, the blade of his weapon flashing with each swing. The creatures fell in droves, black smoke being all that remained of them as he destroyed them one by one. Suddenly, he was gripped from behind and, turning his head, he was annoyed to see the moth monster had grabbed him and was attempting to drag him into the air. "Hey, back it off pal!" he shouted, elbowing it in the face before turning around and kicking it squarely in the chest. It stumbled back into the remaining Imps, who all squealed in anger at him. "Too many to deal with at once…" he muttered. Again, a sudden instinct came over him, telling him exactly what to do. "So, I'll take them all out with one blow!" Bringing the hilt of the sword to the front of the belt, a pulse of energy shot through the blade as the belt roared. He ran the tip of the scimitar in a circular pattern through the air, creating a ring of electricity that quickly solidified into a sphere. Jumping up, he spun forwards and kicked the attack directly at them.
"Lightning Shoot!" he called.
The moth monster, realizing the danger it was in, spread its wings and took to the skies as the sphere crashed into the Imps, destroying all of them in a massive explosion of lightning. "That leaves the annoying one." Lee said, watching as the moth creature circled him from above. It dove towards him, only to be knocked to the ground as he punched it with his gauntlet, the claws tearing through its skin. Rising quickly to its feet, it shrieked before slashing at him with its sharp claws wildly. He dodged the strikes and countered with one of his own, charging past it as his weapon cut through its left wing and severed it. Plunging his sword into the ground, he looked at the moth creature as it struggled to stand, the pain of losing one of its wings too much to bear.
"End this fight now!"
"Not a problem." he replied casually as yet another 'instinct' ran through his mind. Bringing his hand down to the mouth of the lion, he flicked its mouth closed before reopening it. A roar came from it as energy began to surge through his body.
"Lightning Charge!"
Crouching low to the ground, Lee let the energy engulf him as a golden, lion-shaped aura covered his body. With a powerful jump, he leapt high into the air as the energy trailed behind him. At the height of his jump, he turned and aimed his right leg downwards in a kick, directly at the monster. As he came closer to making contact, the aura focused around his leg until it changed into a roaring lion's head. The construct bit down on the monster as his leg made contact, causing it to shriek with pain as it flew back and onto the ground. As Lee slowly stood back up from the finisher, the monster let out a single defeated cry before exploding, leaving a cloud of black dust and a small jewel behind.
"Lee, grab that jewel!" the Guardian Beast commanded. Nodding, Lee ran over to it and picked it up, noting the odd warmth of the crystal. "So, that really was her Core I sensed… Lee, what you hold in your hand at this very moment is a Core of a Guardian Beast. I have no idea how Mithras got his hands on them, but it seems he has begun to use them to create a new legion of monsters."
"A new legion that we'll stop." Closing the mouth of the lion, Lee watched as the armor fell from his body, changing into tiny, golden sparks. Taking a quick look around the plaza, he noted with no small degree of satisfaction that all of the people had calmed down and no longer seemed to be acting crazy. "Did stopping that monster do that?"
"Most likely." Lee turned his head and started as he saw that the Guardian Beast was sitting down next to him in its animal form. "Do not be alarmed by this form; no one will be able to see me if I choose for them not to-"
"That was incredible!" Aya said as she ran up to the two of them. "The two of you- you just beat that monster so easily!"
The lion recoiled. "Wha- You can see me?!" Aya nodded, leading to it lowering its head and narrowing its eyes. "How…? No one else can, so how…?" it muttered under its breath.
"I don't see what you're so down about. Aya's a pretty trustworthy person and she's a friend of mine." Lee said. Looking towards Aya, he frowned. "Are you alright? Zabon didn't hurt you did he?"
She raised an eyebrow. "The lizard thing? Other than a few scrapes and bruises, nothing that won't be healed up within a day or so," she answered casually. "Anyways, Lee, you and Leo did fantastically! I don't think I've- no, I've never seen anything like that before."
The lion coughed before looking up at her. "Did you just call me 'Leo'?" When she nodded, it bared its fangs. "Child, I am not a house cat! I am the proud and powerful untamed Spirit of Lightning! My very appearance is enough to make anyone cower before me! Do not give me such an insulting name simply because I am a lion!" it growled.
"Whatever Leo…" she said, rolling her eyes. Ignoring the glare it gave her, she looked at Lee. "So… what do we do now?" The sudden rumbling of Lee's stomach answered the question for him. Laughing, she grasped her embarrassed friend's arm in her hand and began pulling him along. "Come on! There's a great place to eat around here! It's my treat." Turning her head, she looked back at 'Leo.' "You too, Leo! I'll see if we can't get a doggy-bag for you."
Ignoring 'Leo's' indignant roars as to how he was not a house pet, Lee smiled as he followed his friend. My first day here, and I get to become a super hero. I can already tell this is going to be interesting. Looking at the sky, his smile broadened.
Mom, Dad, I'll make you proud.
And so, the first Chapter of the new - and hopefully improved in the eyes of you, the readers - RaiLeon is here! I won't deny the fact that it's very similar to the original Chapter 1, but honestly I felt that the original version did work well, it just needed a bit of polishing. And additional scenes, if that large word count is anything to go by.
So, what can you expect from the new RaiLeon? Well, from the little preview of a future Chapter I gave you all on Tuesday, we can be certain that there's... something that's going to end up fighting both Hell Beasts and Riders. You can also expect more Chapters focused towards the development of the characters, and possibly some that won't even have any Rider action. Don't worry though,those will be few and far between, so if it's not your cup of tea you won't have to worry about too many of them.
Hopefully you've all enjoyed the new Chapter 1, and I hope you'll be sticking around to see the new, original Chapter 2 that I'm working on and all future Chapters. I apologize to everyone who may have been upset that I deleted the old story, but I hope you can come to enjoy this story just as much as you did the original.
Well, with all that being said, I'd like to thank everyone who read this for taking the time to give this story a read. If you'd be so kind as to leave a review, it would be greatly appreciated. Regardless of whether you do or don't, I hope you all have a wonderful day.