Chapter 1: Breaking the Pride of a Prince

Seven Luck Mountain was the largest of the gigantic string of mountains that enclosed the small kingdom of Nekonron. It towered over the sleeping land like a silent guardian, cutting it off from many forms of outside life and communication that the modern world enjoyed. Overhead, like a crown around the top of the mountain, a storm brewed and wind racing through the barren land like a pack of howling banshees. The mountain withstood the conditions as it had for countless years, every bit as strong as the people who dwelled upon it.

For centuries Nekonron had existed chiefly as a source of folk tales and spiritual ideas in the minds of creative people in the surrounding nations. Few knew the land actually existed outside of legend. Ancient Nekonronian's had believed that the Gods themselves had come down from the heavens and made their home on Seven Luck Mountain. In honor of this ideal, the later generations of leaders that would come to rule the kingdom did so from the stable and secure mountain top. It offered a grand view and a strategically safe location in which to live. Everything about the mountain rang with security and stability.

Enveloped in the dark shadows of the mountain, the valley region below the silent behemoth lay quiet except for the erratic storm breeze that blew through the rocky land, scattering pebbles and small stones as it passed like a wraith in the night. Heavy steam from underground hot springs swirled around the mountain base, hugging it gently within a misty shroud.

It was a strangely ominous night filled with a foreboding that blended in perfectly with the desolate landscape and scattered lightning. A sinister edge crept through the normally calm and barren land, whispering through the wilderness with an edge of promised malice.

In the six giant shrines of the Six Lucky Gods Martial Artists that lay along the road leading up to Kirin's palace, the warrior's slept, oblivious to the sounds and cries of hunting animals around them. As the humans rested, nature continued on, forcing the night animals to press on yet again in a desperate attempt to survive in their bleak hunting territory. Packs of wolves hunted small rodent and rabbits throughout the rocks as the prey used their intense night vision to tear through the darkness and hide, trembling with fear as the larger carnivores passed.

On top of the large, shadow-casting mountain, Prince Kirin's rebuilt palace stood lonely and formidable, giving it a truly awe inspiring appearance. In actuality it was more like a giant tower than a castle. It was almost identical to the one destroyed a year ago during the great fight against Ranma Saotome. Solid stone held this new one together, replacing the traditional wood that had been used before. It was the ruler's hope that the new material would give the palace a greater lifespan against the sometimes harsh climate.

The palace was just as silent as the land below it. In her stable at the side of the palace, Queen Lychee's pet elephant Jasmine slept uneasily. Her slow steady breathing echoed loudly around the large stone room. Suddenly coming awake, her large banana-shaped eyes shot open and she growled softly, sniffing the cool night air. Something wasn't right. The air had a thick evil feel to it. She'd felt something quite similar before, back in Japan. It was like the aura given off by a powerful martial artist, only stronger and darker.

Jasmine stiffened deeply. Someone was coming to Nekonron, someone very powerful. She could feel it clearly with her heightened senses. Unnerved, the elephant growled nervously and stirred on her bed of hay, never daring to close her eyes. She knew that she should have warned her master with a trumpeting call of warning. However fear stayed her feet and she did nothing but accept the fear that was even now paralyzing her into non-action.

Inside the castle, Kirin and Lychee's many servants also slept, each in their own small, cozy rooms that dotted the palace's grand main corridor. Random snores echoed out, traveling down barren hallways that were decorated with fine red carpet and numerous wall decorations that represented the kingdom's historical existence. A clock ticked off the seconds somewhere within the cacophony of stillness.

The castle had never had any need for internal guards and as such, the nobility did not employ them. For an intruder or invading force to get to the castle, they would first have to pass through the shrines of the guardian Lucky Gods that blocked the winding road leading up the mountain's side. In the nation's history thus far, only one group had ever succeeded in this remarkable feat: Ranma Saotome and his meddling cohorts.

Despite the somewhat lax security life was peaceful enough. The autonomous nation went unnoticed by the greater part of China. Ironically, the same peaceful existence that had allowed the various rules of Nekonron to go about their lives free from danger was soon to be the instrument of a most brutal attack. But even as the shadow of darkness crept ever closer none of the human occupants were any the wiser.

In their giant bedchamber at the back half of the castle, Lychee slept peacefully in a large soft bed the color of pearl, snuggling against her husband's form. Her mind rested far away in the peaceful land of dreams. Her husband lay beside her, restless and wide awake.

Prince Kirin was an unfortunate victim of reoccurring insomnia that threatened to drive him mad. The white of his eyes pierced the dark hue of the room, staring at the ceiling in silent irritation. He growled under his breath, clenching the bed sheet in frustration.

He rolled over for the hundredth time that evening in an attempt to force sleep to come to him with no success. It never worked. As he tried to find a new way to become comfortable enough to grow sleepy, the stricken prince wondered why he stubbornly tried so hard when the results would be the same time after time, night after night. Perhaps it was just in his warrior's nature that made him want to struggle onward against the odds. While his stubbornness served him well in battle, it did little against his own body and true blissful sleep continued to elude him, as it had for weeks on end.

The affliction had come without warning. He had never had a problem sleeping before and then one day it had struck and clung to him. One random day, as he had gazed out at his small kingdom, his mind had returned to the memory. Old feelings had assaulted his emotions, feelings of anger, regret, and humiliation rocked him to the core of his soul. It was then that the insomnia had begun. He believed that it was a cultivation of his guilt and humiliation at being bested in battle that had brought it on.

To make matters worse his mind betrayed him every night from then on, recalling his defeat against Ranma night after night and amplifying the memories of the experience until the minor incident had risen to the level of a calamity within his mind. He was unaware of this on a conscious level but the effects were devastating all the same.

Originally the gravity of the matter hadn't bothered him. After his defeat, the two rivals had parted on friendly terms and he had quickly fallen in love with Lychee. His marriage had taken his mind off the tragic battle completely and had given him a greater sense of joy than he had ever before known. But now these pleasant memories were no longer enough to contain his exasperation.

Kirin's eyes hardened and then he sighed, shaking his head and giving up the struggle to sleep for the evening. The frustrated young man sighed again, softly muttering an all too familiar curse as he sat up in the giant bed, gazing down at the sheets that draped lifelessly across his form. Running a hand across his haggard face, he groaned in exasperation, massaging his temples in a vain attempt to stave off a headache.

The image of Ranma's final attack, the Hiryu Shoten Ha, bringing him to his knees in defeat was vivid in his mind and caused his teeth to grit in silent rage. What a humiliation that battle had been. He wondered again if he really was so weak as to be beaten by an arrogant Japanese boy. In the long line of Nekonronian princes, none had ever been beaten in combat, much less by an outsider. The fact that he had disgraced the royal line helped to increase his torment a hundred times over.

Why, he asked himself, as he looked down at his hand, why can't I just let go of the past? What's wrong with me?

He hadn't slept well for weeks now and despite his stubbornness, he was beginning to learn that when the visions of the past appeared within the confines of his mind, sleep was all but impossible. The lack of sleep was starting to take its toll on him, keeping him in an unshakable state of drowsiness during the waking hours. What was worse was the fact that the kingdom was starting to pay for the effects of the ruler's nasty problem, bringing its productivity to a near standstill on some levels. Even his personal warriors and attendants seemed restless.

In concern for his welfare, his wife had offered him sleeping pills but he had stubbornly refused. "Real warriors don't need the help of drugs to get their bodies under control," He had told her, ordering all of the drugs of that nature purged from the castle grounds. Now he wished he hadn't turned the increasing attractive offer down.

The burning image of Ranma's victorious smile remained in his mind, mercilessly tormenting him despite his best efforts to block it. He needed a way to clear his thoughts. If sleep had abandoned him, he would need something to help pass the lonely night's time.

Rising silently from his bed, Kirin pulled the covers up around his sleeping wife and kissed her gently on her soft cheek. She murmured something unintelligible and hugged her pillow closer to her body to compensate for the loss of his body heat. He smiled down at her, brushing a hanging curl of hair from her face. It was during such moments, as he gazed upon her, that he truly realized how lucky he was. She was a dutiful and wonderful wife and far more tolerant than people twice her age.

Lychee and Kirin had been married for almost a year and she seemed most content with her life. This had surprised the kingdom to no end. His previous love interest, Akane Tendo, had complained bitterly about his eating choices and lifestyle. Lychee did not have such qualms and seemed to have no trouble adjusting to his nation's interesting eating habits. She was a dutiful queen and looked after all her husband's needs without comment or complaint. She even seemed to have that special womanly second sense, often times helping her to correctly guess her mate's thoughts and feelings before he spoke of them.

With his ever-present chopsticks in hand, carried more out of habit than anything else, Kirin silently strode out of the room and into the dining hall. He stopped and gazed thoughtfully out at Nekonron from one of the many large windows. On a clear day this palace window offered a breathtaking view of not only Nekonron, but of the surrounding lands as well. He recalled that Lychee loved to sit out on the balcony and just stare dreamily off into the lazy blue sky for hours on end. It would be spring soon, and then the barren fields would erupt with beautiful wild flowers. It was the couple's favorite time of the year.

Far off in the distance a beam of lightning detached itself from the sky and struck the ground with devastating power as if to remind him that the coming of such beauty was still a long way away. The storm, though clearly very large, seemed to be moving east, therefore bypassing Nekonron completely. It was a good thing too. The last thing Kirin needed was a possible flood problem to deal with on top of everything else. The attendants had already shut off the geysers for fear of flooding the palace grounds.

Important as these thoughts were, they were not his chief concern at the moment. Instead he thought of more personal matters, and allowed a flicker of jealousy to overtake him. Before his eyes the distant storm lumbered on. Lightning crisscrossed across its length with elegant destruction.

My warriors are no doubt asleep, as is everyone else in my palace...lost in their world of dreams. A world I rarely see anymore.

Shaking his head sadly, Kirin turned away from the window and silently made his way up the stone steps to his private meditation chamber which lay at the very top of the palace. A special room built only for him, no one else was allowed to set foot inside its confines without his permission.

Kirin clutched his forehead as he walked up the stairs. The headache intensified and threatened to split his head apart. Ranma! Why is my memory of you causing this miserable condition?!

Ranma, Ranma, Ranma.

The boy's name played endlessly in his mind like a broken record, taunting him. He shook his head violently from side to side, gritting his teeth as he took the stairs at a faster pace.

How could I have lost? I don't understand how such a common Japanese boy managed to defeated me, the greatest martial artist in all of China!?

As usual, no answer presented itself save the night's deathly silence. Outside, the wind's cold current brought on by the storm brushed up against the palace's walls, creating a low humming sound that racked the prince's already shot nerves. Hatred filled him and he angrily flung open the wooden doors to the meditation chamber, straining the metal supports nearly to the breaking point.

Entering the room caused him to feel a slight twinge of relief. Perhaps he could find peace here in his place of solitude. The room was completely barren save for a long red rug that was placed in the center of the room on the hard stone floor. The rug had a large picture of China on it with Nekonron's borders outlined in white. Underneath the picture, the word "NEKONRON" was written in large golden letters. The rug had been a gift from the Communist leaders of China when Kirin and his mother, the former queen, had gone to Beijing ten years earlier on a business trip.

Nekonron was a modest ally to the Communist government both financially and politically and ignored by the larger nation as a whole. There had never been a moment of illusion as to the true relationship between the two nations. His mother had known the Communists felt her kingdom existed on an expendable level given its small size and lack of power in the eyes of the other nations of the world. At only twice the size of the country of San Marino, the diminutive status of the ancient kingdom could not be helped.

With this fact in mind, the queen had thought it necessary to keep peaceful relations with the government to ensure Nekonron's continuing prosperity. This was carried out much to Kirin's dismay. She argued that to oppose the Communists would invite the death of the kingdom and all its inhabitants. Though wise advice and clearly irrefutable, it still irked Kirin. He never liked to be dependent on anything or anyone. Never-the-less, he saw the logic in her plan and had kept peace and trade going with the government long after her passing. It had been a painful thing to do, but it had been her will and he respected that.

The rug had originally been just a picture of China but Kirin's mother had later stitched on the rest of the rug's features at a later date, presenting it as a surprise gift to her happy son on his fifteenth birthday. At that time, he had just started practicing some of the lesser duties he would need when he became king one day. It all seemed so very long ago, almost as if he'd dreamt it all up in his mind.

"Someday, dearest Kirin, this land will be yours," she had told him. "Rule wisely and fairly and you will live a life of joy and prosperity."

That piece of advice was what he had tried to live by his whole life. She had died soon after during a peace conference gone wrong with a small neighboring kingdom. A rebel faction had gained control of the government and its insane leader had captured, and later slaughtered the conference members, his mother included. He had claimed that it had been a necessary measure to show that he would do what he promised to get what he wanted.

This rash action angered the whole of China. The country had been invaded by the various different governments of the land and the rebel faction in charge of the government found themselves locked in a hopeless battle. When Kirin had taken power he had quickly sent his small forces to join in the waning attack. Present at the little war's end, he had stood by as Communist troops stormed the main government compound, taking no prisoners in their wake. The ground had run red with blood as the slaughter of the rebels had commenced with extreme prejudice.

The bloody victory had brought Kirin no pleasure. His beloved mother was gone and no amount of bloodshed or hatred could ever bring her back. The rug was one of the few physical things he had left to remember her by. Because of this, he allowed no one but himself and his wife to handle it when it came time to give it its monthly washing.

The front half of the meditation chamber was almost pitch black, like the vast void of a black hole. Only slow and well placed steps kept the prince from taking an embarrassing fall on the cold stone floor. The room's only source of light came from a small window at the top of the ceiling. Scant rays of moonlight fell from the sky and formed a small square around the sacred rug, giving it the illusion that it was glowing with ethereal powers.

Kirin sat on the rug cross-legged and saw the pale moonlight flow around his body, bathing him in radiant white. He gazed around at the castle's stone walls, allowing his troubled mind to relax, taking several deep breaths. Once again, his thoughts traveled to the recent past and images came to mind as vivid and as clear as a picture on a TV screen.

The palace had been rebuilt after Kirin's decisive battle against Ranma from plans designed by Lychee and himself to suit their needs and wishes. He fondly remembered walking into the rebuilt palace for the first time, holding her hand and gazing around in pleasure at the excellent job his workmen had done! Their tired, smiling faces reflected the joy he had felt, and their bank accounts had reflected his pleasure.

Kirin smiled to himself. That had been one of the happiest days of their lives, second only to their wedding where the two were joined in marriage. They were as one now, destined to be together forever, in life, and beyond. Nekonronian weddings were by tradition, extravagant by design. Even the poorer people celebrated lavishly, often saving up for years just for such an occasion. Dancing with her amongst the beautiful spring flowers after the wedding ceremony as Monron played her stringed lute along with the Royal Nekonron Military Band, he had found completion.

"Hiryu Shoten Ha!"

The fond memory left him in a flash, completely against his will. It was replaced by a humiliating picture of Ranma grinning in triumph as his destructive and horrifying hurricane fist final attack brought him to his knees in defeat. Fire flared up again within his senses and it almost felt as if his mind was deliberately trying to attack the rest of his body. Kirin tightened his hand into a fist as a mask of rage returned to his normally handsome face. Clenching his teeth, he wanted nothing more than to find the boy and tear him apart. Maybe then the visions would fade and he could once again sleep in peace.

His confident promise to Akane Tendo drifted back. "When Ranma is defeated a second time, you will give yourself to Kirin and become his bride."

The memory came rushing back like a great river, totally unable to be stopped, even by the dam in his mind. Akane Tendo. That sweet, charming Japanese girl was a person he would never forget. Deep down, Kirin knew he still held some small amount of feelings for the spunky girl. Even though he was happily married to Lychee, the small, blue-haired martial artist had managed to touch something inside him that even he didn't quite understand. He had hoped to have Akane as his bride, but that dream had also been wiped away by Ranma's consistent meddling.

The anger consumed him, flowing endlessly through his veins. Signs of indecision showed visibly on his face as he struggled against his own darker feelings. No! I do not hate Ranma! He defeated me honorable and fairly. We parted as friends and I do not think bad thoughts about my friends!

He forced his body to calm as he mentally brushed the thoughts of Akane aside for the time being. He cursed himself for letting his heart be controlled by anger. If he were a true martial artist, he would run his emotions, not let them run him. This was just one of the signs that he had a long way to go until he was ready to become a king, and rule as a martial arts master.

-Anger towards the past will do me no good, what is done is done, the past has been written. I must now look to the future, - he whispered out loud in his native tongue.

His lack of sleep was getting to him more so each night. Holding onto feelings for a girl when he was already married? Staying angry over a duel with an honorable warrior and losing fairly? This wasn't like him at all. The prince berated himself for a moment before taking a series of cleansing breaths. Relaxing even further, his breathing slowed to a rhythmic tempo, and he found his center, and clung to it. Closing his eyes, he cleared his mind of all thoughts and entered a meditation trance, the only cure for the quick anger that plagued him night after night.

In this state he was open to the flow of chi. His soul joined with this flow as easily as a man slips into water and he instantly felt the warm energy sooth his mind. It brought out in him a state of much needed tranquility. The energy surrounded his being, engulfing him entirely within its brilliance. His soul shined with temporary rejuvenation and he sighed with relief.

In this state he felt life, felt with joy the peacefulness of nature. He didn't just feel the current of chi; he became it, and reached out to everything around him. Like an exploding chorus of angels, he felt moved by the miracle of life as it flourished in even the most desolate of places. It was a miracle how such gentle steady power could bring life to black darkness. He felt the wind, cold and silent, his mountain home, wrapped in the shroud of midnight, the palace and all who lived in it, asleep and silent, the...

Power!

A smothering darkness filled his consciousness, leaving only the sensation of ravenous hatred where there had once been gentle tranquility. Like a deadly gatecrasher, the heavy presence filled the room and pressed down on his shoulders. It was unlike anything Kirin had ever felt before. He hunched over as if something had hit him directly in the solar plexus.

Kirin's eyes snapped open in the wake of the harsh sensations, instantly bringing him out of the trance. Unnerved, Kirin realized he was no longer alone. Something had just entered the room. Its energy level was of the likes he had never felt before, not even from Ranma. The air was practically radiating with power. The density of the air grew noticeably heavier. The hair on the back of his neck prickled and stood on end as his senses heightened to evaluate a potential threat.

"Who's there?" Kirin called out, jumping up into a defense stance, looking around the room. His voice echoed loudly off the stone walls and produced no answer. He shifted his position slightly, planting his weight onto his right foot in case he needed to move quickly. Why hadn't he sensed this power before now? Did this person somehow know how to hide his true presence until he was right on top of his target?

Even now the energy of whoever had intruded into the room served as a shield, giving the prince no advantage. All he could tell was that the energy signature was definitely that of a male, but beyond that, none of the questions popping up in his mind had answers.

Kirin narrowed his eyes and scanned the nearly black room, hoping to spot the hiding intruder. This was no figment of his imagination, he was sure of that much. This person was watching him from inside the room. They couldn't hide forever though. It would be morning soon after all. The sun would show all, if it came to that.

"Answer me!" Kirin's voice rose with intensity. Still there was no reply. He hissed under his breath. This person had an advantage over him and could attack at any time from any direction with little or no warning. Kirin hated it when the odds were stacked so firmly against him. This person was toying with him, probably analyzing his reactions to find a suitable weakness. That was the only explainable reason for the continued inaction.

The prince kept his body rigid, trying to gather more information from the dark energy that surrounded him. The energy he sensed felt utterly corrupted, but that wasn't all he sensed. Strangely, in the back of his mind he felt a slight sense of tragedy echo from the flow of energy as if a skilled and determined person had given himself to evil due to a great pain or perhaps a past wrong committed against him. The power covered the soul of the hiding intruder within a cocoon of anger and a thirst for vengeance.

This was all Kirin could sense with his honed abilities and the sheer volume and intensity of the hatred he felt scared him. -Answer me, coward!-

Then he saw it in the corner of his eye, an outline of what Kirin guessed was a man. He turned his head to get a better view. The man's body was masked by a dark shadow, making it impossible to clearly see his features. The energy pulsed and swirled over his form, constantly moving like clouds during a thunderstorm. The man stood unmoving in the far corner of the room in an almost casual fashion, leaning against the wall.

"I see you," Kirin said, growing impatient. "There is no point in hiding! Tell me how you gained entrance to my chamber and avoided detection! Not even an insect could move in here without me sensing it. How did you accomplish the impossible?"

The man shifted and said nothing.

"You are obviously brave to enter my sanctuary without permission. Well, either that or very stupid. Voice your intentions or leave me be."

A deep, distorted voice replied a moment later. It was neither a loud shouting voice nor a whisper and contained a depth to it that promised violence. The voice was deliberately muffled but that did not subtract from its strength. The tone Kirin felt as much heard had an edge to it, cold like death. Unexpectedly, the voice startled him, though he tried not to show it. He didn't want to give the enemy any further satisfaction or a clear mental advantage in this situation.

"So," its powerful voice said, speaking flawless Chinese, "You are the great and powerful Prince Kirin that I've heard so much about. I would say that it's an honor to finally meet you, but that would be a lie."

The man's deep voice echoed throughout the chamber, chilling Kirin to the bone. The voice seemed to move through Kirin, passing through his soul like a strong winter chill. "What the…"

This was serious. Kirin was positive this person hadn't been in the room before his arrival. Somehow the man had silently gained access to the room while he was meditating. That wasn't even humanly possible because the chamber's only door was right in front of the prince's eyes. If it had opened even a crack, he would have instantly been alerted. He glanced up towards the window above. That was impossible too. Not even a small man could squeeze through its tight confines. How had the intruder done it? People did not just materialize inside of stone walls, not even the greatest of martial artists could pull that off.

A cold sweat trickled down the sides of his face. In either case, he knew he would have to play this out carefully. He decided needed to keep the man talking and buy some time to plan out a strategy. "How did you get in here, and how do you know of me?"

"Stone walls do not hinder me. I can pass through any object with a mere thought. To answer your second question, I've made it my… hobby if you will, to study martial artists from around the world. You are just one of the many that I have observed."

"I am flattered," he spat sarcastically. "Who are you and what do you want?"

"Who I am is really not that important. I am your opponent for this evening. That is all the information that you need to know."

Kirin brought his chopsticks to attack position. "You wish for a fight? I do not fight an enemy just because he enters my chambers and announces himself. I am a prince and I do not fight needlessly or without just cause! If you wish to challenge me, submit a formal letter of challenge!"

Pride radiated from his words and filled him with a sense of courage and dignity. He wasn't a street fighter or brawler. If anything this man should have the decency to follow the commonly practiced code for martial arts duels.

If the villain held a look of surprise on his face due to the prince's strong retort, the dark shadow did a fine job in covering it. For a moment the room was utterly silent, as if the invader had been taken aback by his words. It was a small victory for Kirin and showed him that this person could be thrown off guard, if by words then certainly by physical blows as well.

The cloaked man took a few steps forward, gazing at the prince with veiled eyes that shone crimson. "If I recall, you didn't need a 'just cause' to try and destroy Ranma after you took his woman. Did you, prince? Admit it! A part of you desired to destroy him just for the sake of your own foolish pride! Even after you found out that Akane was not the rightful owner of that scroll you still continued on with your stubborn plan. You denied the truth to yourself because your desire to defeat an arrogant opponent like Ranma was far too intoxicating to ignore! I understand your type of weakness all too well!"

Kirin was taken aback. "How did you know about that?"

"You question and yet do not think about my words!" There was a slight trace of a snarl in his voice. He took a couple more steps forward. -That is what makes you weak!-

Kirin snorted. "You think you know so much."

"Of course. These 'princely' virtues you take such pride in are the very faults that cost you that battle to begin with. The desire to crush Ranma still lurks in your mind. You cannot hide that fact from me. The truth is right there and yet you seem to run from it. If you weren't so pathetic you wouldn't have lost that battle to begin with."

Kirin snorted. "Ridiculous." He wondered if his words lacked the uncertainty that he felt within the confines of his mind.

"Is it?" the Warrior challenged. "He took what you wanted, destroyed your palace, and defeated you utterly. Your little ego must have taken a sound beating from all that. I bet that memory was hard to overcome, wasn't it?"

"You will not goad me into a fight," Kirin said firmly.

"Then consider this instead. If I let you live or not will depend on how well you fight. If you refuse me, then you will leave me no choice but to tear apart your body in front of your wife. One can only imagine how that would affect her mentally."

Kirin couldn't believe the maliciousness of the intruder's words. His eyes widened in undiluted anger at his foe's threat. "What?!"

The Warrior knew he had the prince right where he wanted him. "How delicious that would be. The naïve little tart sleeping so soundly downstairs would never be the same again! But don't worry, from what I'm told, our country has several outstanding mental asylums. She could go there and enjoy sleepless nights, screaming as she replayed the visions of your death over and over within her shattered little mind."

Kirin was filled with such rage upon hearing these words that it left no room at all for rational thought. This was certainly the intruder's intent. In seconds the young prince was too far gone to understand the nature of the trap he'd so accurately predicted mere minutes before as his hot blooded youth got the better of his senses. His judgment clouded over like a black storm and anger seized his mind with a powerful fist. The sheer audacity of the shadow's spoken statement chilled him to the core as he visualized such actions being performed on his innocent, loving wife.

"How dare you say such things! In all of my nineteen years of life I have never been as enraged as I am now! I will not tolerate hearing you spouting trash and nonsense about my wife! See what your lack of respect has brought upon you!"

His angry words foretold the coming of his attack. To his utter astonishment he thought he heard his enemy sigh with contentment. No matter, this warrior would soon come to regret his actions. Concentrating, Kirin took up his all too familiar stance and summoned his great reserve of power. It readily moved at his command, swirling over his body and into his chopsticks like liquid fire. With a deafening scream of rage, he hurled one hundred glowing yellow chopstick like-projectile beams at the still unmoving figure. His final attack had always been strong, enough to even fell Ranma once. It would do its ghastly work with great efficiency.

The beams connected spectacularly and multiple explosions occurred as the energy cut into the stone floor and walls of the chamber, causing the palace's very structure to tremble. The resulting explosions shattered the wall where the figure was standing, opening the room to the star filled sky. Kirin's rug was sucked out into the dark night but he made no move to grab it. He could not let himself get distracted just yet, not until he was sure his target had been defeated.

Smoke filled the room, forcing him to shield his eyes. Particles of dust lodged themselves in his lungs and he coughed uncontrollably, beating his hand on his chest. Thankfully, the smoke vented quickly thanks to the large hole he had just created, dispersing it out into the chilly mountain air. Squinting into the settling dust, Kirin dared not to lower his defensive position. The moonlight would illuminate the room and his target, if he was still alive.

Screams of fear and confusion could be heard below as the palace servants awoke and scampered around in panic, fearing an attack. The whole kingdom seemed to be moving at once as fear seized their drowsy minds. In the distance he could hear Bishomoten, one of his Lucky God warriors, bark out orders to the palace workers. His voice grew louder as he ran up towards the castle.

The room was soon completely clear, visibility restored by the wind's snatching grasp. What he saw drained the blood from his face. The man stood exactly as he had before, completely untouched. Even though the light of the moon shone on his body, nothing could be seen but the shimmering gray blur that continued to cloud his body like a pestilence. His right arm was stretched outward, palm facing out as if warding something off. His hand seemed to be smoking, yet no sound of pain came from his covered lips. Somehow, he had managed to block the attack with a mere raise of his hand.

So that's it! Kirin thought. He's masked his appearance with his energy! It's a relatively easy trick to master, but why would he want to hide his identity? I can't make out his features, which means I'm no better off than I was before! More importantly, how did he manage to block my strongest attack without having his arm torn off at the elbow!? It's impossible!

The shadow covered man laughed in amusement. "Good! Very good indeed! Your energy projection is even stronger than I first thought! I'm not ashamed to admit that it even stung a bit! However, I am a trifle disappointed in your actions. Only a fool wastes all his energy on an all or nothing attack so early in a battle. I understand completely now how Ranma defeated you so easily."

He took a step forward and Kirin found himself moving back, pressing against the far wall behind him as his nerves of steel finally broke. His enemy raised his hand again, waving casually. "Now, allow me to give you a demonstration on what a true final attack should look like!"

Kirin stared in dumbfound shock. "Wha-?"

The Warrior cocked his head back slightly, his voice almost purring. "Blood Lance!"

Before Kirin could even rise up to a blocking position, a beam of red energy struck out from the warrior's raised hand and slammed into his chest with the force of a battering ram. He felt ribs shattering like glass. The blast crushed the startled boy into the wall with such great force that he nearly went through it. He cried out in pain as he rebounded off the stone and crumbled in a heap on the floor. The fight had truly ended before it could even truly begin.

I've never been hit by something so strong before. He tried to make his lifeless limbs work as he shuddered, withering on the ground. A wave of panic rose up inside him. That attack has left me drained!

He struggled without success to clear the spots from his vision. Using all his concentration, he mashed his teeth together and brought himself up to a kneeling position, trembling with exertion. This simple movement was almost impossible and it felt as if a thousand pounds was stacked upon his shoulders. He groaned and struggled to stand. He couldn't allow himself to give up. His honor would not be sullied a second time.

I can't lose! Not again…

A cold metallic hand on his forehead stopped his movements. His opponent cared nothing about his personal pride or courage as his laughter clearly depicted. Kirin struggled for a moment like a wounded dog but in the end it was all he could do to clutch at the ground, grunting in frustration.

"I will spare your life, pathetic as you are. Don't worry, I won't finish you off. I think you should be allowed to wallow in self-hatred at being defeated twice in a row. A fate worse than death, that. What I will do is take the knowledge on how to perform your final attack as a memento of this clearly one-sided and rather unimportant battle."

Kirin made a sound in the back of his throat and grabbed at his opponent's wrist, lacking the strength to pry him free but trying regardless. The Warrior shook his head. - "You are a petty fool who isn't even worthy of killing. How shameful. Stop your struggling or I'll take your arm off at the shoulder and beat you with it."

The metallic hand against Kirin's forehead glowed blood red as he searched through the fallen Prince's mind like an open book. Kirin screamed as his vision also turned red, momentarily blinding him and leaving him helpless even to see his own fate. A new set of screams left his lungs as he felt the knowledge the man was searching for tear from his brain in the most excruciating manner. This caused a stronger wave of pain to course through his nervous system, torturing his body to the core.

"I've lost… again…" The unfortunate boy felt the last of his pride flicker and die away. Finally, he fell into the merciful arms of unconsciousness. His body fell to the ground at the Warrior's feet and went still.

The man removed his hand and stepped away. "Farewell, prince."

He looked down at the stricken man and chuckled. It had been far too easy an exercise but that was good sign in itself. It showed that his training hadn't been a waste. He reminded himself that he'd need even greater strength in the weeks to come. Oh there was so much yet to do, so much left to accomplish! He turned his back and headed for the large hole in the tower, already forgetting about his vanquished foe.

Behind his mask, the warrior grinned, allowing himself a moment to enjoy his victory.

"You're next, Prince Toma. I hope for your sake that you prove to be more entertaining." With that, the man vanished into the night as silently as he had come, tendrils of black energy dragging his body away into teleport.

Following the explosions, the palace occupants had worked themselves up into a state of frenzy. Lychee awoke quickly and sounded the palace alarm, rousing Kirin's guards and the Six Lucky Gods. One by one, they ran up to the palace steps, prepared for battle. She tried her best to remain calm and organized a search for her missing husband. Under her guidance the frantic citizens combed every inch of the impressive castle, calling out their lord's name. Special trackers looked high and low for clues or traces of Kirin's whereabouts both within the castle grounds and the surrounding area with no more luck than anyone else.

After the rest of the castle had been checked, a final party was organized to check the meditation chamber itself. Flying up the stairs with the Lucky Gods in tow, Lychee threw open the door and saw her husband lying on the floor on the outskirts of the destroyed room in a broken, unmoving heap. She felt her heart freeze as Monron let out a strangled gasp from behind her.

"Kirin! No!" She screamed out in terror, running to him and cradling his body to her chest. "Open your eyes, darling! Please, open your eyes!" She sobbed loudly, momentarily bringing Kirin back into consciousness as her tears fell upon his cheeks. He slowly opened his eyes, gazing up at her as if she were the angel of mercy herself.

"Someone bring the doctors, Master Kirin needs medical attention!" Bishomoten cried the order out, waving his hand toward the nearest soldier. Moments later, a team of medical personnel flew up the stairs and quickly put the young man in a makeshift stretcher. Kirin passed out once more as they carefully went back down the stairs, trying unsuccessfully to keep his wounded body still.

The next thing Kirin noticed was that he was lying on his bed, surrounded by a team of frantically working doctors. He cursed fate, wishing desperately for blackness to take him again, at least until their work was over. Seconds past like hundreds of years and he gave a half choked scream as his ribs were bound tightly. He vaguely heard one of the other doctors tell his coworker the extent of his damage. One simple attack had left him with six broken ribs and a dislocated arm. If he wasn't in so much pain, he might have found that to be astounding.

"Darling, I'm here!" Lichee called loudly, grabbing his attention, taking his hand in her own.

He looked up at his wife as his teeth clenched hard enough to draw blood. "Pain... hurts too much..."

Tears streamed down Lychee's face as she whispered reassurance to her husband, never leaving his side throughout the entire ordeal. Lost in a sea of agony, Kirin once again succumbed to the bliss of nothingness, thanking every god his darkening mind could come up with.

One day later:

Kirin groaned and slowly opened his eyes, blinking back spots that the intrusive light of the room created. The fire that had been blazing in his mind had been replaced by a gaping hole that had once held important knowledge and he felt a complete sense of violation. He was lying in his bed while his ever faithful wife knelt on the floor beside him. The Six Lucky Gods stood beside her with guilt and sadness evident on their faces. Even Muu, the fattest and least intelligent of his warrior's, seemed down-heartened.

"Kirin!" Lychee cried tears of joy and took his hand in her own. -Thank the Gods your alive! We had begun to think we'd lose you!- She embraced him in a gentle hug and he cried out as her hand crossed over several of his broken ribs that had been recently bound. Guilt took possession of her features and she removed her hands, offering a look of apology.

"How long was I out?" He asked groggily, slowly rising to a sitting position, wincing as he remembered his damaged ribs.

"Three days," Monron replied. "You were in terrible shape, Master! Who on earth did this to you?"

Kirin looked down at his wrapped torso. "I'm not really sure who did this. The man masked himself in an energy cloud so his features were unreadable. He was very, very strong, inhumanly so! He defeated me then stole all my memories on our school's secret techniques and then vanished into the night. I don't remember anything after that."

Lychee gasped. "You lost to Ranma and came away in fair condition! We thought he was the strongest martial artist! What monster could possibly have the strength to..."

She dropped off in mid-sentence as a look of anger and personal hatred crossed his face. "Oh! I...I didn't know that memory still caused you pain," she stammered.

Kirin looked deep into her eyes and reached for her hand once more. He gave it a gentle squeeze, shaking his head. "Do not be troubled. It is high past time for me to put such memories behind me. I have a bad habit of brooding over the past."

He knew he was right. The intense emotions that had been causing his insomnia had diminished significantly. Weather it was a sudden decision brought on by his subconscious or a side effect of the Warrior's mind probe, there was no way to be certain. He felt much better given the circumstances, and chided himself for the cross look he had just given his wife.

Ebiten bowed his head in shame. "We should have been there master," he said.

"We should have protected you. We failed to be there when you needed us the most, just as we failed to protect you when you fought Ranma."

Kirin placed his hand on the short man's shoulder. "Do not say such things! There was no way you could have known I was in danger and even if you had overheard the battle, you wouldn't have arrived in time to help. This man is far stronger than anyone I have ever seen or fought before. I fear he will cause havoc elsewhere. He mentioned studying fighters from all around the world. If this is true, Ranma must be somewhere on his list. I'm sure of it! Somehow, this will involve him."

Kirin looked down at his midget warrior. "I have a mission for you, my friend. Go to Japan. Report back here to me at once if you should find any news about this Shadow Warrior. We'll figure out our next course of action following that."

Ebiten bowed. "As you wish, sire." He turned to leave then suddenly snapped his fingers and walked back over to the bed.

"I almost forgot!" He pulled Kirin's rug out from under his shirt. "I found this on my way up the palace."

The Prince accepted it gratefully. Gazing over it, he smiled in thanks as his mood lifted considerably. His personal treasure had suffered no damage, praise be to the Gods. One good washing and it would be good as new. This and the relief that a good day of rest had brought him, only made him smile all the more.

As Ebiten left, the remaining warriors bowed and departed as well. They had volunteered to lead the repair detail to fix the damage done to the castle and the sooner the work was started, the better. Only Muu remained behind for his task was of a different sort. He had been selected as a guard to see to it that his master wasn't disturbed during his crucial period of recovery. He used his considerable girth to effectively block the entrance to the room. His stupidity was rivaled only by his love and devotion to his master, and Kirin smiled at the warrior's back, radiating affection for the big oaf.

Lychee gently climbed into bed beside her beloved husband and took him gently into her arms. Whispering words of love, she held him, soothing his body and soul with her words and her kisses until sleep carried him away from reality and its searing pain.

For the second time in so very long, he slept blissfully, unaware of the true disasters that were to come. While he rested, the sinister force he'd fallen victim to moved swiftly towards his next target. The nightmare was coming, and nothing, human or otherwise, could stop it.

A cold truth had yet to be discovered and yet it came on silently all the same. Lives would be forever changed due to one man's blazing desire for revenge.