Ash the Manslayer

Chapter 4

The Dragon Slayer

The next morning Ash and May were packing up to head out of town and back on the road. Cynthia and her father Kai walked in with some breakfast. "Care to have a warm breakfast before you leave." Kai asked happily. "With a drink to." Cynthia added. Ash and May practically cheered at this. "Yes please." They all had a eaten their fill and were moaning from the taste alone of it. "That was so good!" May squealed. "The best I've ever tasted." Put in Ash. Kai and Cynthia smiled at the comments. "We're glad you liked it." After their meal Ash had finished packing and were about to head out of the town and back on the road. They were about to leave when May asked Ash a very angering question. "Ash do you know the Black Dragons?" Ash shot up straight at this. "Yes, to well." He replied. "Ash I've been wondering this as well why did that guy call you Silver Dragon?" She asked again. Ash paused for a second not wanting to answer that question. "It was a name that people called me when I was a murderer back then May." Ash explained. May was getting worried about what she was about to hear. "Oh." May sighed sadly. 'I thought it was something bigger.' She thought to herself. Ash sighed a sigh of relief. 'May you can never know the real meaning of that name.' Ash thought sadly and started to pack again.

Later Ash and May had finished packing and about to leave town for the next town. They we're standing outside the tavern with Kai and Cynthia looking at them happily. "I thought you would stay longer here. You're quite welcome to stay any time you visit us." Said Kai. "Yeah don't you ever forget us, or you have to answer to me." Cynthia threatened. Ash and May just smiled. "Don't worry we'll never forget you." Ash replied. "We thank you for your hospitality." Thanked May. Ash and May started to walk away down the road out of town. "Bye, Bye, Bye." Kai and Cynthia screamed in unison at the two. Ash and May waved back happily and walked on. They we're soon out of the town and back on the road.

It had been an hour since they left the last town when May broke the silence. "So Ash do you think that there are more of those Black Dragons in the next town." May asked curiously. "I believe so since they have operations all over the country." Ash replied. May then sparked an idea. "Hey Ash I have an idea." May exclaimed striking Ash's attention. "What if we helped people by driving out the Black Dragons? Think about it, we could help the people and have a more action filled adventure." May explained, dreaming happily at the thought. "May I hate it to you but no I have my own mission besides killing an army by myself." Ash explained back to her. May had to admit Ash couldn't take all of them on by himself.

It was nearly noon when they reached the next town. "Hey May we're in luck I seriously doubt the black Dragons will be here." Ash exclaimed. May turned at this. "Why Ash?" She asked. "Well this town has a military base in it. So I highly doubt they'll be here." Ash answered and they walked on. They were walking through the town casually when they came to a restaurant along the way. "Let's get something to eat." May suggested. Ash had to agree that he was hungry so he walked with her into the restaurant. It was a little while later when Ash and May were done eating and were waiting to pay when a tall man with long blonde hair in a black kimono and lots of flashy rings on his fingers on him came barging in with over 5 military soldiers, all with swords and guns. "Hello people I thought I'd visit this place once more before the captain tears it down." He screamed taking a seat. A girl about May's age looked at him from another table. "You just wait for another week and you'll get your money's worth Jin." She yelled at him. "You're talking about that Dragon Slayer. We're going to execute that full tomorrow. What makes you think we would let him go around all free to kill us?" He explained mockingly at the girl making her angry.

Flashback

Jin and some military soldiers barged into the restaurant smirking evilly at the people. "Hello people I was in the neighborhood and I thought I stop by for a free meal." He mocked. A boy, about Ash's age in a green kimono with brown hair and yes, was eating some pie at the counter ignoring Jin and the soldiers. "I just have the best news for you. Your taxes have been tripled and if you can't pay you shall be executed." Jin explained. The people were getting tense, mad, and even scared at this. Just then a pie flew into Jin's face. A girl about 11 stood there from throwing the pie at Jin. The pie slipped of his face and landed on the ground in a splat revealing a angry scowl on his face. "How dare you, you brat!" Jin yelled. "Men kill her." The soldiers walked towards the girl and drew their swords. The girl was watching in horror, as she was about to die. At the counter, the man saw this and grabbed his swords blocking their attacks just in time. "Who are you to interfere?" Jin screeched at him. "Your personal executer." He replied angrily. Jin was surprised at this, and was about ready for combat. "I know you your that Dragon Slayer Richie. Well if you'll step aside we'll let you off the hook and take the girl away." Jin said. The man just stood his ground in front of the girl protecting her. "No, then how about this you do her time of two months tied up with no food or water and we'll let her be." Jin negotiated. The man just put down his swords and walked towards Jin. "I accept." He answered. The soldiers took his swords and escorted him out of the restaurant. (Just like Zolo in One piece)

End Flashback

The people that heard and remembered this we're furious at this. "So this dragon slayer he's talking about. Do you think he's a threat to the Shadow Dragons?" May asked Ash quietly so as not to be heard. "If so then he could be a vital piece since if the Shadow Dragons fear him." Ash replied seriously. They went back to listening to Jin still smiling there. "Oh well and his time was almost up. I'll hate myself for a minute when I tell him." He mocked violently. Ash and May's blood were boiling at this. They couldn't just sit around and listen to this. Ash could see in his eyes that the soldiers we're angry at this as well, but no one else seemed to notice this. "Oh well and by the way at the end of the week this restaurant will be torn down, so until then goodbye." Jin mocked on. The owner was shocked at this and grabbed Jin by the front of his kimono. "What gives you the right to do that?" He screamed in Jin's face. Jin just smiled evilly. "This does." He replied snapping hi fingers. The five soldiers walked forward and drew their swords. Ash could see the fear and pain in their eyes as they raised their swords. "Ho please don't." The owner pleaded. They dropped their swords as the owner shut his eyes but nothing hit him. He opened his eyes to see all five on the ground unconscious. Jin stared at Ash in fear for his life. "Why you little brat!" Jin yelled. Ash gave a death stare at Jin making him flinch. Jin then saw that the people in the restaurant we're starting to get up and walk towards him. "I'll be back punk." Jin finished and ran off out of the restaurant and towards the army base.

Ash walked back towards May with a serious look on his face. "Way to go Ash you scared that guy so bad he wet his pants." May cheered. Ash didn't seem too cheered though. "Come along May we're going to see that dragon slayer." Ash replied back at May. He started to walk off leaving May confused but she soon caught up to him. They we're about to walk out when Ash turned to the owner. "Hey do you know where that slayer is being kept." Ash asked the owner. The owner was still stunned at Ash saving him and spoke. "At the military h.q." He answered plainly. "Come on May." Ash ordered as he walked out towards the base with May following along.

When Ash and May reached the base it was a huge building about three stories high with a huge gate in front of it. "I knew the base was big but not this big." Ash said amazed "Well let's walk around the base maybe we'll see that slayer guy then." May suggested. Ash nodded and they started to walk around the base's walls to find the Dragon Slayer. They had reached a side of the base where the sun was blazing over them. May turned away from the sun and saw a boy tied to a post in the burning hot sun. "Ash look there he is." May called. Ash turned to look and saw him to. "Well there's no wall here so May stay here and warn me if the guards come." Ash explained. May nodded and stood there looking for any sign of the military.

Ash walked up to Richie and looked at straight at him. Richie felt a shadow move in front of him blocking the sun and looked up to see a person his age in a black and red kimono. "What do you want?" Richie asked angrily. Ash just smiled and replied. "I want to help you. If you're wanted by the Shadow Dragons then you must be a vital piece to killing them." Ash explained. Richie looked at him and smiled evilly back. "What makes you think I would help a Shadow Dragon?" He answered. Ash was shocked at this. 'How did he know I'm a Shadow Dragon?' Ash thought. "If you want to know it's your eyes." He explained. Ash looked at him shocked from what he last said. "Your eyes have a mark in them of a killer, and that gives it away that you're a Shadow Dragon." Richie finished. Ash looked down and the back up. "I'm not a Shadow Dragon any longer. They we're the cruelest people I've ever been with in my life. I couldn't take anymore blood on my hands from evil so I locked it away." Ash explained angrily. Richie saw this and spoke up. "Well if you're going to help then get my swords." He said. Ash looked at him surprised. "What?" Replied Ash. "Well if I'm going to help get rid of the Shadow Dragons then I'll need my swords. They're the black and white ones." He finished smiling. Ash smiled and ran of to get the swords.

Ash had gotten to a shed with all the confiscated weapons in it and saw three swords. "There they are." He said as he grabbed them. Ash ran back to Richie and began to cut the ropes with his sword. "I see your style is santoryu, the art of the three swords, rarely used but very powerful." Ash commented as he finished. "ASH!" May screamed. "MAY!" Ash called back. He saw May being held in the air by a man that was practically a giant. He was bald with brown eyes and had on a green sleeveless shirt and brown pants. He had to blades attached to his arms sides. Jin was beside him with over twenty military men behind them. "I'd like you to meet Captain Daihib." Jin introduced. Ash and Richie looked at the two and stayed calm. "Well so these two are trying to free the prisoner." Daihib spoke calmly. "I suggest you give up before this girl ends up in a red puddle." He began to squeeze May's arm making her cry in pain. "May! STOP THIS AT ONCE!" Ash yelled angrily. The two just smiled at them and laughed. "Then I suggest you two hold still then. Guards execute them." Daihib ordered. The guards drew their swords and ran towards them. "Ready." Asked a confident Ash. "Oh yeah." Replied Richie. The guards' swung down only to see their attack blocked by Richie's swords stopping them. Ash ran fast up to Daihib and slashed his arm deep enough so he'd dropped May. Ash caught May in his arms and set her down. Daihib was cringing to his arm that Ash attacked. "You little punk!" He cried running towards Ash and May full force. "DEMON CHOP!" Cried Richie, as he sliced Daihib in three spots at once. Ash and May looked to Richie standing there with two swords in his hands and one in his mouth. "Well who does that leave?" Ash asked looking at Jin. Jin was scared and started to bow down. "Please don't hurt me I surrender." He cried out. "Well anybody else." May called towards the military. The guards looked at Daihib and Jin and cheered. "What are they cheering for?" May asked curiously. "Looks like Jin and Daihib were ruling by fear." Richie replied. May turned to notice Richie was with them. "So I guess that this means you'll join us then." She asked. Richie just looked at her and smiled. "It already has." He replied. May cheered in joy of their new companion. "Come on you guys we'd better get going if we want to get a room to stay in for the night." May said and ran back towards the town. Richie was about to follow when Ash stopped him for a sec. "Listen Richie. I need you to do me a favor." Ash explained. "Okay then." Richie answered. "I need you to never tell May I was a Shadow Dragon. I never want to find out since it would hurt her so much to find out I was a cold blooded murderer." Richie just nodded. "Come on you guys I'll race you both down." May called. Richie just smiled and agreed and the two ran off to catch May. 'Now it begins' Ash thought as he ran on with May and Richie back to town.