Chapter4: The Inevitable?

Fire and Ashes were everywhere. At each side lie mounds

of crippled fighter. Blood dripped from his fists as they shone with great power. Another fighter had fallen to his hands. He stalked through the area, as if searching for someone or something. As he walked fire erupted from the ground all around him. Screams of anguish could be heard in every direction as smoke clouded the already black and red sky. This was a truly a place of chaos and death.

He continued to walk with malice in his eyes. As someone got in his way, he would quickly kill them, and toss them aside. As he did so he could feel his power growing inside of him. The more he destroyed, the more powerful he became. Nothing could stop him. He would obtain absolute victory, by summoning the strength of his Dark Energy...of his murderous intent.

Finally he came to a hault. A trail of blood followed him as the carnage grew more and more. He lifted his head and saw another challenger before him. It was a gigantic beast, overshadowing him, him who had brought so much death. The beast sneared at him, laughed at him, taunted him. He could feel the hatred and evil rising inside of him. He let out a massive scream and launched a Metsu Gou Hadou and the beast, utterly destroying him, bringing him to nothing but ashes. As people ran to him to thank him, he killed them too. He spared no one as he went on a destructive rampage throughout the now near desolate city. Suddenly, right in front of him stood his best friend.

His friend extended his hand, pleading for him to stop the massacre. It appeared for a moment he would listen, but the thought soon passed. The cry had fallen on def ears and a stoned heart.

The last body, the body of his greatest allie and best friend, slammed to the ground with a deafing thud. He smiled as his friends bones shattered along with his body. He climbed to the top of a high summit and looked over all that he had done. He grinned and sent a final massive blast outward that leveled all that was standing. This was his handywork, the handywork of the dark hadou....

Ryu sat up clutching his heart. Sweat poured down his face. It was a dream, only a dream...or was it? Ryu was shaken to the core by the dream. Was that his becoming? Was that what he was destined to become? Would he be the one that caused all that bloodshed and carnage. Thought after thought circulated through his mind as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. Ryu knew now that he must never give in to the hatred, that he couldnt allow the seeds of death and hate to spring forth living. He knew, that if he did...that would be his absolute future....death.

Ryu went outside and looked at the moon. He could swear that he caught a glimpse of Shin Akuma's emblem burning in the silver sky, as if reminding him of his seemingly unescapable future. He walked into the forest behind the dojo and climbed one of the tall hills. He looked over the area, still recalling in vivid detail the images burned into his mind by the disturbing dream. It would be only a matter of time before he would be faced with the fight of his life, with himself. He knew as soon as he confronted Shin Akuma again that it would take all he had to not be consumed. He could defeat Akuma, but would losing his very humanity be worth it? Gouken had always taught him that revenge was the quickest way to defeat. It seemed that Gouken would understand, being Akuma's very brother. But the more he thought of Gouken, the more he thought about how much he hated Akuma, the man that took his life. Shotokan....the Dark Hadou...he posessed both, and he had the greatest power of any being on earth. Ryu was puzzled by this. He too had mastered Shotokan, and the dark hadou no doubt was trying to control him. Truly, was it the evil energy of Akuma that empowered him?

Ryu turned to walk away from the cliff when he saw a figure stalking down by his dojo. "What is that..." Ryu thought to himself. He descended the hill a slight bit and leaped into a tree for a better view. As he peered from the tree, the shadowy creature disappeared into the dojo. "What could...wait..SEAN!"

Ryu had forgotten that Sean had fallen alseep in the training room after the sparring match. Ryu jumped from the tree and sped down torwards the dojo as fast as he could. Suddenly a giant green light exploded from inside the dojo, followed by Sean's voice screaming in agony.

The roof exploded as the creature lept from the inside and landed atop the dojo. He peered down at Ryu and smiled. Ryu's blood began boiling. He couldnt make out the face but felt an evil similar to Akuma's. The voice let out a menacing laugh and pointed down at Ryu. "You, Ryu, will be my next victem!"

"SHINKU!!! HADOKEN!!!" Ryu discharged a massive ki blast at the tall figure. It lept the blast and landed behind Ryu. Ryu tried to bring his foot around and plant it in his face, but it was caught and his body was thrown into a tree.

"HAHAHAH!!! FOOL! I AM POWER INCARNATED!!! AND NOW I WILL HAVE YOUR ENERGY!! EVEN YOUR LIFE!!" He reached down and put his hand around Ryu's throat and lifted him into the air, his one red eye flashing with power. However, as he looked into Ryu's eyes he was stunned yet pleased. Ryu was getting angrier, releasing more energy that he normally would. Yet, this would not work to his own benefit. Ryu exploded with red energy and sent the shadowy figure sailing back into the dojo.

Ryu stalked forward torwards the dojo, red energy flowing around him. He stood at the hole the beast made and extended both his hands, palm forward. His eyes were dark and violent, his power was that of evil intent, the Dark Hadou.

"METSU HADOKEN!!!" Ryu screamed unleashing a red energy wave at the shadowy figure who was now staggering to his feat. The blast ripped right through the beast, sending sailing out of the dojo and into the back.

Ryu dashed around to the other side and looked down on his handiwork.

His eyes flashed a darker red as he staired down on the now hunted predator.

"This is..the end..SHI-NE!!" But as he prepared to hammer him with anothe Metsu Hadoken, he started coming to grips with himself. He fell down and clutched his head in pain as he screamed in pain.

The beast, seeing his opened, stood up and looked down on the now defensless Ryu. "Hmph, you cant control your own power...poor excuse for a being.." He picked Ryu up once again, by the throat, and then proceeded to hurl him into the river behind the dojo. "I dont want your weakness polluting my perfection." He said as Ryu's body plummeted to its end.

Ryu had given in to the Dark Hadou, and most likely for the last time. His hatred and anger may have cost him his life. Indeed, the Dark Hadou has great power, but it also costs more than it gives....the soul.