NOTE: This chapter contains a very graphic, gore-filled scene, if you have problems reading things like that, I suggest you stop reading when "The fiend chuckled and brought a knife up to the boy's cheek" and continue reading at "Rako, you kill him."

Chapter nine, Bloody Tears

9:07 am, August 3rd

A/N: Camping was fun, thanks for asking…I got A LOT of inspiration for new Fan Fictions. I already started to write a Lord of the Rings fic, Fruits Basket, and Teen Titans… I decided not to do Comic Relief (TreCoolIsMyBitch will take that over for me whether it is on quizilla or here I don't know…) A special thanks to my reviewers,(LadySaphiera, TreCoolIsMyBitch, Wind15, Thomas Drovin, Nekosume, and krillball6) you do not know how much your reviews mean to me. Especially krillball6 who gave a very detailed one. I am glad you took the time to review my story. As for guessing who the three mystery people were in Storm's dream, Wind15 came the closest. !#$&()+Wind15!#$&()+ Congratulations… You guys can guess further the exact identity is of the blue haired baby but please, DON'T PUT YOUR GUESS IN THE REVIEWS keep it to yourself but if you want to e-mail me whatever… And one last thing, this is the second-to-last chapter, LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT A SEQUAL BY E-MAILING ME OR AIM'ING ME (squirellgurl)! Thanks and let me know what you think!

Storm awoke from her fitful sleep, finding herself intertwined in Trunks' arms. Snuggling deeper into his embrace, she sighed deeply, peering at his slumbering face. She began to slowly trace the outline of his facial features, drawing him from his sleep. He cupped her cheek in his hand.

Today I must go into the forest, the day that I must defeat Rako… She thought to him

I want to go with you. He drew her closer to him.

I am afraid but this is my fight. I don't want you to interfere or be killed… A tear ran down her cheek, His power runs deep in his veins, I know you are strong, but he could take advantage of the fact you can't counter his hexes, and use it against me-

I'm going with you. He insisted, I promise you, I will not get in the way! I just want to be with you.

…Fine. Storm rubbed her face against his shoulder. Pushing gently away, she rose up, only to be brought down again by Trunks grasping her ankle. She collapsed into his laugh, both of them laughing as if it was just a normal day. Swinging one leg over the side of his waist, Storm put her elbows on his chest and rested her head in her hands. She sighed and looked at him, mildly annoyed.

"I need to get ready; I can't really battle in my pajamas, now can I?"

"I guess not…" Storm got up and changed into her black sparring clothes (kind of looks like a kimono with a belt) When she was ready Trunks walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her and placing his head on top of hers.

"I'm positive you'll beat him," He said confidently "I don't understand why you're so worried." They both walked to the kitchen to break their fast.

The food was eaten in silence, everyone blanketed by their own thoughts. It was as if they all could sense a form of impending doom hovering over Storm. After the extremely uncomfortable meal, Bulma gave storm an awkward hug, as if to say goodbye. Vegeta merely nodded acknowledging her before retreating to the G-room.

As soon as she set foot outside, it was as if anxiety increased ten fold. Trunks placed his hand comfortingly on her shoulder and she put on a stern face. Storm felt the air drag down upon her as she walked slowly into the forest. The trees swallowed the two as in trying to communicate the fact that they might never return home. Clouds of a sickly green hue gathered steadily in one concentrated spot in the sky before them, deep in the woods.

Master?

Yes, my child.

Who exactly is Rako?

… I cannot tell you directly but I can send you blurred images of his past. The only face you will be able to recognize is Rako's.

Alright. Storm stopped suddenly, Trunks turned to face her, his eyes asked her what the matter was.

"I just need to think," She reassured him. He nodded, sitting on a nearby rock just as she had done.

Storm closed her eyes and began to open her mind. Almost immediately, a hazy fog blackness of her vision and her ears were filled with muttering voices speaking in the ancient sacred tongue. The melodic spell nullified her senses, leaving only sight. As the fog swirled, she began to suddenly feel a burning feeling starting at her toes, slowly coursing throughout her body until it reigned dominate, a pain like no other pain.

When the sensation subsided, she could see the figure of the boy version of Rako, about the age of seven, blue hair blowing in the gentle breeze. Standing adjacent to him was a blurry-faced boy about the same age.

"Want to Race?" Rako excitedly asked his friend.

"OK!" replied the boy, just as excited.

"One…Two…Three…GO!" Their footsteps echoed in the hall along with the laughter of the two boys. A large blurry-faced man emerged from down the hall as the boys continued running, unaware. Rako's friend came to a screeching halt but still managed to run into the brute, almost knocking him down.

"I'm so sorry, you're Highness! Please forgive me, I did not see you!" the child pleaded, tears in his eyes, on hand and knee.

"Come here, Rako!" Bellowed the king, his voice shaking the bowels of the building.

"Yes, father?" Rako tentatively stepped a foot away from his father.

"What did this boy just do?" his voice was still shouting

"H-he ran into you sir."

"And what is the punishment for this heinous act?"

Rako began to cry softly.

"Well?" the King, his father, screamed impatiently.

"T-torture," He choked. His friend bawled loudly and began to tear his hair.

"No, no! You're Highness, please! Spare me! It was an accident-"

The King grunted and kicked the child square in the nose, causing it to spout blood on to the marble floor. Snarling, the King picked the boy off of the ground by his leg and briskly walked over to a chained door.

"Rako, as punishment for befriending this peasant," He spat "You can watch."

Rako trembled and shuffled his feet into the room; its dark gloom hung like a wet sheet, torches being the only thing to cut through the pitch blackness. The King gleefully strapped the boy on to a chair, not bothering to discard the skeleton beneath him. When the boy squirmed, the sound of the dusty, dry bones cracking filled the air. The King took a small knife from the table next to him and walked over to the door. It closed with a deafening clank which caused the boys to flinch.

'I'm so sorry!' Rako mouthed to his friend as the King stalked up to the boy, humming with delight. With a flash of his knife, the boy's clothes were in loose shreds resting on his lap. The boy uttered a surprised cry, clearly the King liked to play games. The fiend chuckled and brought the knife up to the boy's cheek. Ever so slowly, he pulled the knife down, pealing the child's skin. The boy screamed, only making the king more enthusiastic. Rako stared on in horror as the flickering light of the torch unveiled his father's deed. Time ticked painfully on as the King pealed every inch of skin off of the boy's face. Hand's covered in blood, the king cut along the boy's chest 'I am King' in scarlet lines. The boy wailed and cried, pleading with the King to kill him. Rako pleaded too, pleaded to every god he knew of and some he didn't, that his father would do away with his friend quickly, to stop his pain.

"Rako, you kill him." The King smiled and handed his son the bloodied knife. Rako vomited on the floor, much to the King's disgust.

"DO IT!" The king ordered. Rako, looking away, thrust the knife into the chest of the boy, ending his life and pain.

The vision rippled and altered completely. Rako was now about ten; his father was standing above him delivering rash beatings.

"You worthless, bastard child! You are no son of mine!"

A blurry-faced woman sat in the distance, watching with no emotion. (Storm assumed this was Rako's mother)

"Just throw him in the river; I'm sick of looking at him." His mother said. The King picked him up by the arm. Rako muttered something and a spark shot up the King's arm. With a yelp that was more of surprise than pain, his father dropped him. Gathering his bearings, Rako took off into the woods, weeping tears mingled with his own blood. He ran until his legs gave way, he fell in front of an altar. Mustering all of his strength, Rako crawled on to the sacrificial structure, his blood catching the attention of the gods.

"Please kill me!" he cried

Storm's vision swam again and she opened her eyes.

From that point Ulmadae, the Alfa-goddess raised him as her own until he was old enough too skillfully fight. She then sent him to kill his parents whom she was displeased with… Someone approaches…

Storm looked up at the snap of a twig.

A/N: Yay for cliffhangers! Rako's past life horrid? I feel for him…: ( Please review!