Chapter 1

Deep in the Huno Mountains in Central China, hollowed out, was a cave. Inside this cave was a honeycomb network of caverns. In the centre of the entire labyrinth system, was a boy, hanging from chains, attached to the ceiling, by his wrists. He twisted them gently, but the chains were so tight they were close to slitting his wrists. Blood was pouring down his face from a wound to his head, making him unrecognizable. His topless chest was scarred with countless slashes and with every gasp of air, he grew weaker.

He took a deep, rasping breath and jumped. Hanging upside down, he pushed against the ceiling with his feet and tugged at the chains. The loop they were attached to in the ceiling shifted slightly. He continued to tug as blood fell from his hands and wrists, splattering into his green eyes. He gave one final tug with all his strength and the loop came loose. He fell onto the floor and curled up in pain for a second before relaxing and getting up, pulling the chains from his wrists.

He had to get out of the caves quickly. He couldn't tell when she would be back next. It could be days, it could be seconds. Of course, he knew his way around the caves, from the time he had tried to escape before. He had been caught, and the strength to run away was beaten out of him. He had only just regained it, and with it, the will to try again.

There was light at the end of the tunnel in front of him. He staggered towards it, covering his eyes with his arm. He hadn't seen sunlight in what seemed like decades. Suddenly, he was out of the caves, and clean air swamped his lungs. He took deep breaths as though he had been drowned, and was finally reaching fresh air. He then started coughing uncontrollably; he wasn't used to clean oxygen.

One name kept going through his head. He didn't know what it meant, but it seemed somewhat familiar. He opened his mouth and spoke quietly for the first time in weeks.

"Ki-mi-ko…"

Kimiko Asukura ran along the mountain path, looking around. She sighed and placed her hands on her hips. This was a habit she had gotten into since she turned seventeen. Everyone else was so childish!

"Omi? Clay?" she called, "This isn't funny!"

She gave her head a quick flick to get her hair out of her face. Her blue eyes contracted to slits, as she looked up at the sky. The sun was high, meaning it was near midday. She was supposed to have been back at the temple over an hour ago, but Omi and Clay had run off in the mountains for a joke, and now she couldn't find them.

"I bet they went back the temple without me," she muttered, "Typical boys."

A few rocks fell down from a ridge above her. She looked up, but couldn't see anyone. She shivered and carried on walking. She had the strange feeling that she was being watched.

"Omi?" she called, "Come on! We were supposed to have gone back ages ago! Clay? Where are you?"

She groaned and sat down, pulling of her boots. She expected this sort of behavior from Omi Wong, he was only sixteen after all, but Clay Ranger was eighteen. He was supposed to be a mature semi-adult!

Something caught the corner of her eye. She looked up at the side of the mountain. She thought that she had seen someone duck behind a rock jutting out, but maybe it was just her imagination…there they were again! She quickly put her boots back on.

"Clay?" she called, "Is that you? Omi? Come on, show yourselves!"

She took a step forward, not wanting to get too close, in case it wasn't them after all. She pulled a hair band from her wrist and tied back her long, black hair.

"Guys?" she called.

For some reason, she didn't want to get any closer. She didn't think it was them.

"It's okay," she told herself quietly, "It's probably just a mountain goat, nothing dangerous…"

Yet for some reason, she still kept her guard up as she walked forward. She took a breath, leaped, and looked around the rock…

There was nothing there.

She released her breath gently and turned away, walking in the direction of a river. She had been there many times with her friends. Maybe if she went there, they would find her.

As she walked away, a figure with a face covered in blood, looked around the rock at her and moved cat-like, along the mountain face…

Kimiko got to the river and knelt down, cupping the water in her hands and splashing it on her face. The day was extremely hot; not a good day to wear jeans. She had been smart enough to put on a sun top, but still the heat was getting to her. She shook her head to get rid of excess water before running her hand across it.

Once again she heard something move behind her. She turned around and yet still, there was nothing there. She bit her lip and scratched her head, wondering if she was going insane. She still had the distinct feeling that she was being watched.

She hesitated as she turned back around…and found herself looking into a face coated in blood…

The woman bent down and picked up the chains on the floor before straightening up. She was a tall woman, slender and petite. Her long flaming red hair settling on her shoulders, her graceful black silk dress curving in all the right places. She would have been most beautiful—if not for the cruel smile placed upon her crimson lips, the keen fangs glistening in that smile, or the iciness of cold brutality in her emerald kohl-lined eyes, which accented the smile.

She gave a small growl. The creature had escaped. It would pay for this; she would make sure of it. She turned and began walking through the caves. She had no idea when it had left; she hadn't been back to the cave for two days, not that the creature would know that. There was no way of telling day or night in the dimly lit caverns.

She took in a deep breath, sniffing the air. She spat on the ground; the taste was bitter. She could taste the blood. She continued walking toward the tunnel that would lead her straight to the exit. She wasn't going to let the creature escape her. Its spirit and body obviously weren't broken enough, but she would fix that…

Kimiko fell back on the ground and the boy took a step forward. With all her strength, Kimiko pulled her legs back and kicked him straight in the chest. He flew back into the water. This made the dried blood on his face become wet again.

He stood up and attacked her expertly. He slashed out with his hand and Kimiko blocked, kicking him in the shin. He then pulled his fist up, hitting her in the chin, making her fly back. She landed hard on the mountain path.

Kimiko shook her head and stood up, moving just in time to dodge a punch. She took this opportunity and grabbed his arm and lifting him up, slamming him onto the floor. He kicked out, knocking her legs out. As he went to attack again while she was on the ground, Kimiko grabbed both his arms, put her foot in his stomach and swung him into the air. He landed head first in the water.

The blood began to wash from his face. As he sat up, he immediately had to roll over as Kimiko landed in the water where his chest had just been. An attack like that probably would've cracked at least two of his ribs! This girl was being serious! He would have to use everything he had. Suddenly a strange energy filled him, and around his body he felt the caress of a gust of wind. Channeling it, he swung out at the girl, knocking her back as if she was hit by a hurricane's blast! Kimiko picked herself up and was shocked by the strange boy's power! It felt familiar…

She was on the attack again. He dodged a kick that would've broken his nose, before grabbing her leg and swinging her into the water. He went to punch her in the face, but she rolled away, and his fist shattered a stone where her head had just been. More water splashed onto his face, washing away more blood. As he turned around, he saw her face fill with shock. He stood up, the sun shining on his, now mostly clean, features.

Kimiko stared wide-eyed as the boy turned away. Now that most of the blood had washed away, she recognized him, even though he was older (probably seventeen-going-on-eighteen), paler, and thinner and had a haunted look about his emerald eyes. She opened her mouth, as he prepared to attack once again.

"Raimundo…?"