4.

From the Dawn of Time

Matthias didn't take his eyes off the Cobra Kai until they had left the parking lot. Then he turned and started back to his room.

"Excuse me," said another voice.

Matthias turned to see three people coming toward him, Two men and a teenage girl. The girl he recognized as being the one who was sitting in the corner booth at the pizzeria earlier. She had been sitting across from a dark-haired boy in a striped shirt. 3300 years of watching his back had made him a man who was always aware of his surroundings even if it didn't look like it.

"Yes?" he asked curiously

"Forgive us for disturbing you," said Chozen, "We saw you fight from outside and realized that you know Miyagi-do karate from Okinawa."

Matthias nodded.

"Yes, I do," said Matthias intrigued, "how is it that you're familiar with it?"

"We're trained in Miyagi-do as well." Said Sam, "I'm Samantha LaRusso and this is my father Daniel and our friend Chozen."

Matthias smiled for the first time.

"My name is Matt Carter I'm glad to know Miyagi-do is alive and well," he said, "I was beginning to think I was the only Miyagi-do student still around."

"We have whole Dojo here in town," said Daniel, "We would be honored if you visited us."

"The honor would be mine." Said Matthias bowing respectfully

"Actually, you, need to be careful," Sam blurted out jumping into the conversation again, "This is the second time you've whipped the Cobra-Kai they'll be screaming for revenge! It might actually be safer if you left town as soon as possible."

Matthias laughed Ironically

"I would be a lot safer if I was someone else all -together," he said, "As it stands, I think I just go and get some sleep." He gave a polite nod of his head

"It was nice meeting all of you, good night." he smiled before turning and heading back to his room.

The next day as the sun was peaking over the horizon Matthias was checking out of the hotel. He walked out the front door trying to decide where to go for breakfast.

When he got to the corner. he decided on the first restaurant that came into his view. When he walked inside, he had to wait for the hostess to come and seat him.

As he was standing there, he absent-mindedly began to look around. all at once his eyes came to rest on a flyer for the Miyagi-do Eagle Fang dojo when he saw the bonsai tree symbol for Miyagi-do karate, memories came to him.

Okinawa 1920:

Matthias sat up in the middle of the middle of the mangled and smoldering wreckage of the biplane he had been riding in. Shoving a piece of the fuselage off his legs, he sat up and looked around at the shattered remains of what used to be his plane.

He had missed his boat in Hong Kong. A British officer stationed there had suggested he charter a plane and catch up with it in Manila. But neither one of them could have anticipated the terrible storm Matthias would run into that would blow him completely off course and had now passed.

His plane was struck by lightning and had gone into a nose-dive smashing into the side of a forested hill. He pulled himself to his feet and watched as his wounds closed and disappeared leaving no trace of a scar to tell anyone they had ever been there in the first place. He began to dig through the wreckage until he found the body of the pilot. Shaking his head sadly, he buried the pilot there with a cross made from pieces of the propeller and a quick prayer. Then, he dug his sword out of the wreckage and started out to find out where he was.

He cut through the woods until he found a road. He started down it and wasn't sure how far he had walked when he came to the edge of a village. He could see that the village had also been damaged in the storm. The people were beginning the process of cleaning up. As he got closer, he suddenly noticed a partially collapsed building. that no one else had seemed to notice yet. when he approached the building, heard a groan from inside the collapsed part. He hurriedly began to clear away rubble until he saw a man's hand.

Then he began to work even faster until he managed to dig the smaller man out of the rubble. He took one of the steps, from what was left of the wooden staircase, that had led into the building, and with a couple of big rocks fashioned a makeshift bench for the man to sit on.

He checked the man over and found that thankfully he wasn't seriously injured, but he could have been in serious trouble if Matt hadn't gotten all that weight off his chest.

He had barely finished checking on the man when his wife, who had gone after help, returned. she was first surprised, then very grateful, to see her husband free of the collapsed building.

Matt and the Man began to talk. The man introduced himself as Miyagi.

"I have no money to show my gratitude for what you have done for me." He said

"You gratitude is more than enough," said Matt with a reassuring smile and a wave of his hand.

"You must let me show my gratitude by sharing my knowledge with you." insisted the man.

Matt, who loved to learn, was intrigued. He stayed to help the Village rebuild as Mr. Miyagi began to teach him Miyagi-do Karate and all its secrets.

It was evening several months later; Matt was Helping Mr. Miyagi with his bonsai trees, when suddenly flashes of lightning in the sky caught their attention.

"Matt-San," said Mr. Miyagi, "It seems there's a storm on the horizon."

Matthias knew different, that wasn't a thunderstorm, it was a quickening! Some immortal had lost his head.

"The rumors may be true." He thought to himself, "There may be a headhunter in the area!"

TO BE CONTINUED…Please Review