Author's Notes: Standard disclaimers regarding the Breath of Fire series apply. I don't own it, never have, never will.


Breath of Fire: Circle of Destiny
by Esor

Chapter 1:

"...Know this, my children, when the shadow of darkness threatens to overcome the land, that is when the Dragon of Light, forged within the burning flames of tragedy, tempered by the icy storm of pain and loss, shall come to thee. Fear him not, for though he be graced with might beyond reckoning, he shalt be born amongst thee, my chosen people, as a man of noble spirit, humble manner, and courageous heart..."

- Excerpt from "The Book of Ladon"

The dove sat, perching upon the edge of a branch, bathed in the bright noon sunlight. With a mighty thrust of its wings, the tiny bird took to the air. Gracefully catching the wind with it's snow white feathers, the bird sleekly sliced through the air like an arrow. The dove's reflection streaked out across the calm, still surface of the water as it soared above the lake, free of concerns and responsibility.

"Ryu!" Someone called. "Hey Ryu!!"

The young man sitting by the shore of the lake brushed a few locks of short, but unruly blue hair away from his deep green eyes as he turned his attention from the airborne dove. Glancing back over his shoulder, Ryu smiled as he watched a lovely raven haired girl his own age cross the field between them, her modest brown dress and shoulder length locks swaying in the gentle breeze. Sunlight reflected off one of the polished steel bracers on Ryu's wrist as he reached up and waved to the approaching girl, while resting his free hand on the knee of his dark red pants.

"Hi Anna." Ryu said, cheerily. "What's up?"

"Your Grandma sent me to find you." Anna said, eliciting a frown from Ryu. "Apparently, you didn't finish all your chores this morning."

Ryu's shoulders slumped slightly as he groaned in disappointment. "Aww man. I was hoping she wouldn't notice." Casting a final forlorn look out over the quiet lake, he sighed and began pulling a pair of thick brown boots onto his feet. "I was right about to try and catch some fish, too..."

Anna chuckled, shaking her head ruefully. "I swear, Ryu, what is it with you and fishing?"

"What's the problem? I just like to fish..." Ryu shrugged, after settling a black leather vest over his short sleeved, woolen gray shirt.

"I believe the word you're looking for is 'obsessed'..." She countered as he stood, picking up his unused fishing pole. "As your best friend, I see it as my responsibility to help you with this little problem of yours."

Ryu simply rolled his eyes and began walking away. "Yeah, yeah, yeah." He muttered. "C'mon, let's go..." As the pair casually strolled back to the village, Ryu turned his gaze skyward, falling into a contemplative silence.

"What're you thinking about, Ryu?" Anna asked after a few moments, hoping to draw her friend out of his quiet thoughts.

"Birds." He replied softly. "It must be incredible, being able to fly through the air like that. Having the power to go wherever you want, whenever you want. Kanya's been my home for the last eighteen years...but sometimes I feel like I just don't belong there..."

Anna interjected suddenly, a look of annoyance crossing her features. "If you're still upset about what Allen said, forget it. He's just a big jerk. So what if you're an orphan? That doesn't mean..."

"No, that's not it..." Ryu said, shaking his head. He paused, as if he hadn't quite figured out how to put his thoughts into words. "There are times when I feel like I'm supposed to be out there...out in the world. Like there's something I'm supposed to do...something important...but I don't know what it is..." Ryu sighed, his shoulders sagging slightly. "I dunno...I'm probably just being stupid..."

"So you're getting the urge to leave home and do something important with your life?" Anna asked. "This sounds serious, Ryu. If you're not careful, you might actually start growing up..." She joked, flashing Ryu a friendly grin.

In spite of his reflective mood, Ryu couldn't help but laugh. "Whatever would I do without your sagely advice, Anna?" He chuckled.

"You probably wouldn't even be able to get you boots on the right feet." She patted him on the shoulder in mock pity, then smirked. "But don't worry, I don't plan on going anywhere for quite a while..."

*****

The barkeeper's eyes widened as the cold, hard steel of the dagger pressed firmly against his throat. The blonde Woren leaning over the counter leered at the frightened man, his lips curling back in a snarl.

"What the hell do you mean, I can't have any more ale?" He asked dangerously, despite the slight slur to his speech.

"Look...I d-don't want any t-trouble here..." The barkeeper stuttered. "I j-just think you m-might have had enough...that's all..."

The Woren bristled with rage. "Nobody tells Fang when he's had enough!" He growled, quickly gripping the barkeeper by his collar and throwing him over his shoulder, through the doors of the small village inn.

Fang stalked out into the street, ignoring the startled gasps of villagers as he watched the barkeeper roll onto his side, groaning in pain. "You need to learn how to show your customers proper respect..." He said, grinning sadistically. Fang stood over the man, daggers poised and ready to strike, when something suddenly hit him in the back of the head.

"Leave him alone!" Someone shouted.

Fang turned around, rubbing the place where he had been struck, to see a blue haired young man standing in the middle of the street. In one hand he held a plain wooden fishing pole, in the other, a small rock. Fang's lips curled back into an angry sneer.

"You have no idea what you've just done." He snarled. "You see this, kid?" He said, pointing to a tattoo of a cryptic black symbol on his shoulder. "This marks me as one of the Kal Toraz. The 'Death Riders'."

"So?" Ryu remarked, taunting the enraged Woren with his calm indifference. "I should care because?"

Fang growled angrily, lunging at Ryu with his daggers slashing outward in a wide arc. Ryu simply dropped low, ducking under Fang's cocky attack. He gripped his fishing pole with both hands, and thrust forward, striking Fang in the stomach. Despite the fact that he had never received any training, formal or informal, Ryu moved with the grace and skill of a professional swordsman. When Fang doubled over, clutching his abdomen instinctively, Ryu immediately swung upwards, catching the Woren in the chin with the makeshift weapon. Not wasting any momentum, Ryu spun on his heel, bringing the pole around to collide with the back of Fang's neck. Fang fell forward, hitting to the ground face first.

Some of the other villagers quickly closed ranks around Ryu, all carrying some type of improvised weapon. Fang struggled back to his feet, looking at the small group of people warily. "You can bet this ain't over, punk." He spat before swiftly fleeing the scene.

"Where the heck did you learn how to fight like that?" Anna asked while several of the villagers patted Ryu on the back, complimenting him on his bravery.

Ryu could do nothing but stare helplessly at his best friend. He'd been acting purely on instinct, giving no thought to how he was doing what he was doing. "I...I don't know..."

*****

"I'm back, Grandma!" Ryu called as he strolled through the front door of his house, Anna close behind.

"Where have you been, Ryu?" A stout woman crowned with long snow white hair said as she walked up to the young man who stood nearly a foot taller than her. Annoyance plainly written across her older, dignified features, she deftly reached up and snagged Ryu's ear, bringing him down to her eye level with a wince of pain. "I sent Anna to find you ages ago!"

"It's not his fault, Mrs. Mystwing." Anna piped up in Ryu's defense. "There was this Woren guy making trouble at the inn and Ryu stopped him!" Her face lifted into a bright smile as she recounted a slightly embellished version of the story.

"I'm still proud of you for standing up for poor Mr. Wallace, but you shouldn't go around putting yourself in danger like that!" Lynn scolded, wrapping her arms around Ryu in a tight embrace. "And here I was worrying that you and Anna had sneaked off some place to be alone..." She said with a knowing smile.

Ryu's face immediately burned bright crimson. "What!? We...no...we didn't!" He stammered, embarrassed.

"Well you're both getting older..." She said blandly. "...and while I'm in no hurry to become a great-grandmother anytime soon, I have to admit that you two do make a nice couple..."

If at all possible, Ryu blushed even harder, suddenly overcome with the urge to disappear from sight. He glanced at Anna, who was also blushing just as bad as he was, and couldn't help but stare at her for just a few moments. A tiny, shy smile spread across her lips as she also looked up and her dark hazel eyes met with his verdant green.

"I...uh...have to get home...my mom's probably waiting for me..." Anna said quickly, tearing her gaze away from Ryu. She swiftly walked over to the door, casting one final sidelong glance in her best friend's direction before leaving.

"I can't believe you said that!" Ryu cried, covering his face with his hands.

"It's true enough, dear. You and Anna have always been quite close...don't tell me you've never thought about her as anything more than a friend?" Lynn said, raising a single eyebrow.

"Um...well...maybe..." Ryu said, a faint blush returning to his face. "...but that's not the point! She'll probably never talk to me again!"

"Oh hush, now you're just being silly." Lynn said, rolling her eyes as she brushed the matter aside. "Anyway, I think it's about time you finished all those chores you skipped out on this morning, don't you?"

"Wha? But..." He started.

"No buts." She said with a note of finality. "Work."

*****

The setting sun painted the evening horizon a dark shade of amber by the time Ryu finished all of his chores. Flopping his tired, aching body on a nice, comfy chair in the living room, Ryu wanted nothing more than to sleep for the next two or three days.

"Done already?" Lynn said as she walked into the room, carrying a small wooden box. "Now that wasn't so hard, was it?"

Ryu merely groaned in reply, sinking deeper into the chair.

"Yes, yes. I know that you would have rather been fishing, but cheer up a little. I have something for you." Standing near where Ryu sat, Lynn carefully opened the box, lifting the silver half pendant inside.

"Where'd you...get this?" Ryu asked, entranced by the hauntingly familiar medallion.

"You were wearing this when I found you on my doorstep." Lynn smiled fondly at the treasured memory. She then leaned forward and gently draped the pendant around Ryu's neck. "But I should have given it to you a long time ago, dear."

Hundreds of questions raced through Ryu's mind. Where had he seen this pendant before? Why was there only half of it left? But perhaps most importantly, how was this connected to his family? Those thoughts died before ever reaching Ryu's lips, however, as a nearby explosion echoed through the air. Ryu dashed through the door, gazing down the street to where Mr. Wallace's inn, as well as several other buildings, stood enveloped in flames.

Illuminated by the ruddy orange glow of the firelight, Fang casually strolled through the center of the town, twirling his daggers impatiently. "Come on out, ya blue haired punk, or else this whole pathetic little village of yours burns to the ground!"

"What's going on?" Lynn asked as Ryu walked over to the mantle and grimly took down her late husband's broadsword. "What are you doing?"

"I can't let this happen, Grandma." Ryu said. "Don't worry, I beat him once. I can do it again. Stay here, okay?" Before she could mount a protest, Ryu was already sprinting out into the village.

Fang grinned maliciously as he caught sight of Ryu running out into the street. "Ah, there you are! I think it's about time for us to settle the score, kid..."

Ryu glared at Fang, holding his sword at his side in a ready position. He tensed his muscles, preparing to attack, when something massive unexpectedly struck him in the back. The force of the blow drove the air from Ryu's lungs and sent him flying through the air like a ragdoll. Landing hard on the ground, he rolled to the side just in time to avoid being kicked in the ribs by an large hoof. Ryu now found himself staring up into the face of an enormous ox-like member of the Smith Clan.

"This is the guy that beat you, Fang?" The Smith Clansman said. "Geez. I don't blame Saber for not wanting to waste his time on this."

"Shut up, Brute. Let's just teach this kid a lesson." Fang snarled. Glancing down at Ryu's shocked expression, the Woren laughed. "What, you actually expected me to come back here alone? Sorry, punk. The Kal Toraz take care of their own."

Struggling against the sharp pain spreading through his back, Ryu stood up again, ready to fight both men, if need be. By now, many of the other villagers were anxiously watching the confrontation from their homes. Glancing to his left, Ryu saw Anna standing in the doorway of her house, fear and worry plainly written across her face.

"That's your house back there, isn't it?" Fang asked, drawing Ryu's attention as he pointed to the building that the youth had exited only moments before. Ryu ignored him, not wanting to put his grandmother in danger. "Hey Scourge..." Fang said to seemingly no one in particular. "...torch it."

A faint movement flicker of movement from above caught Ryu's eye as a tall, winged Wyndian descended from his hiding place among the rooftops. Calmly, quietly, Scourge pointed his hand toward Ryu's house. In a cold, uncaring voice, he muttered a single word. "Sirocco."

In a flash of fire, wind, and light, Ryu's home ignited. The mystically guided flames devoured the first floor far swifter than a normal fire would, releasing thick plumes of heavy black smoke into the sky. Then, with the sickening crunch of splintering wood ringing in his ears, Ryu watched as the second floor collapsed.

"Grandma!!" Ryu screamed, running toward the still burning wreckage, heedless of the danger. But before he could cover even half the distance, Brute was there, driving a powerful fist into Ryu's side. The young man felt several bones splinter beneath the crushing weight of the punch as he was sent sprawling. Holding his broken ribs protectively with one arm, Ryu coughed violently as lay there. Before having the time to collect his thoughts, however, he found himself being hauled up by the hair, dropping his sword as he cried out in pain.

"Nothing personal, kid." Brute said with a shrug. "It's just business. Like Fang said, we gotta take care of our own." Still gripping Ryu by the hair with one hand, Brute proceeded to punch his face and body with the other. At first, Ryu tried to fight back, but he soon grew limp as each savage impact sent fresh waves of pain crashing through his awareness. Bones cracked, muscles strained, and skin tore under the brutal assault. Ugly black bruises spread across Ryu's face while thick rivulets of blood flowed freely from his shattered nose. The sight in his right eye, the one which had not yet swelled shut, grew blurry and indistinct as the dark, warm embrace of unconsciousness threatened to drag him under.

"Stop it!!" A familiar voice sliced through the red haze of agony surrounding Ryu. The beating stopped for a moment and Ryu fought against the encroaching darkness at the edges of his vision, focusing in on Anna, who was running toward them with a club of firewood raised above her head.

"Anna..." Ryu whispered. "...no...don't..." It was too late, however as Fang spun around and, in one smooth motion, sent one of his daggers hurtling through the air in Anna's direction. Ryu watched in horror as the glinting metal blade found it's mark, sinking neatly into the girl's chest. With a startled gasp of surprise, Anna faltered, dropping her improvised weapon before collapsing to the ground in a still, unmoving heap.

"No..." Ryu whispered again. His grandmother and best friend, the two people he loved the most, were dead. That single thought overwhelmed his mind, driving away all of the fear, fatigue, and pain. "No." The blood surged within Ryu's veins, filling his ears with a deep, echoing roar. Fang said something mockingly, a snide grin still plastered across his lips. "NO!" Ryu's entire body throbbed in time with his heartbeat, his muscles pulsing with newfound strength and vigor while his injuries gradually healed themselves. The three men looming over the youth looked down at him in confusion as he closed his eyes tightly while bolts of golden energy coursed through his skin.

"What the hell!?" Brute said, quickly releasing Ryu's hair as the energy dancing across his flesh unexpectedly erupted into a bright, flaring aura of power.

Ryu's eyes opened once more, and where clear green orbs once lay, there now existed twin serpentine slits glowing with bright amber fury. Ryu threw his head back, revealing a fierce set of sharp, fanged canine teeth as he released a howl of pure, unadulterated, primal rage.

"NOOOOOOOOO!!!!"

*****

Thousands of small candles lined the walls of the spacious chamber, shedding a muted light on the room's sole inhabitant, a man of late middle age sitting cross legged on the floor. Dark grey hair cascaded over the hiss shoulders, which were clad in a rich dark blue robe. The man sat silently, with his eyes closed and a look of earnest concentration marking his dignified features, until the sound of frantic footsteps from the hall just outside the chamber reached him.

The door flew open as a girl dressed in a similarly colored robe burst into the room, speaking excitedly. "My lord! Did you..."

"Yes." He replied calmly. "I felt it as well." The man slowly stood, gently smoothing the fabric of his robe as he did so. "The Dragon of Light has finally awakened. We must complete our preparations soon, the time of the ascension is nearly at hand. Come..." The girl bowed respectfully as the man passed by her, walking out into the hallway. "...we have much work to do..."