"Reincarnation…is the belief that… our actions in this life will lend to the next. That we live on…over and over again…until we finally get it right."

-Krishna Suresh, 1905

(Texas-1907)

"YEHAW!"

Women scattered, men dove for cover, and the lone dog that say on deck of the barber's shop scampered away as the bandits rode down the main road. Guns firing in the air, hooting and hollering, the thieves were having the best time of their life.

"Man oh man Sonny!" Michael Petrelli shouted, breaking a shop window. "When Stormrider paid us to do this, I didn't think it would be so easy!"

"You got that right, brother!" Sonny Petrelli laughed, firing at a man who was trying to hide. "and to think Mario wanted to stay in New York!"

"Look at what I found, boys!" another bandit shouted, yanking a young girl from her hiding spot. "Party favors!"

"Well, who wants to play with 'er first?" Michael called out, the other bandits cheering.

BANG

Michael's face grew slack, eyes hazy as the blood poured from the bullet hole in his forehead. Falling to the ground, Michael's friends pulled their weapons, looking for the shooter.

In the distance, a horse galloped towards them.

"What in the…"

BANG BANG

Two more fell dead.

One bandit raised his weapon. "Shoot that rider!"

"Don't be stupid!" Sonny shouted. "No man can hit a target that far out…"

BANG BANG BANG

The rider grew closer, now more then just a speck on the horizon, and the men could see he had both his revolvers pinned on them.

"What in the world…" Sonny whispered.

"Dios mios!" Miguel Mendez, another bandit, screamed as they finally saw the figure clearly "A ghost rider!" His face grew pale as he remembered his padre's stories of the damned cowboys, forced to herd the devil's herd across the sky. His padre had warned him that the head rider was a dark figure, dressed in black with blood red eyes, hellfire spewing from his hands.

The rider rode a white horse, the beast snorting as in galloped towards them. The man's long coat, black as pitch, billowed behind him. His hat was fit snuggly on his head, and his mouth was hidden under a black bandana. But what truly brought fear into the bandits' hearts were his eyes.

His crimson, glowing eyes.

"And then I saw a pale horse…" Miguel whispered, "…and his rider was Death…and his brought Hell with him…" He fell to his knees, crying. "Revelations, Revelations…the Seven Horns are blown! The Dragon will devour us all!"

Sonny frowned, drawing his gun and firing it at Miguel, silencing him forever. He had been raised hearing the Bible, and knew his verses well. "Only the 4th seal…this ain't the time for talk of the Seven Horns." He drew his weapon, staring down the grim specter as he moved towards them. "I ain't afraid of ya, boy! The devil don't scare me, and neither will you…"

BANG BANG BANG BANG

Sonny fell to the ground screaming. Hands twitching, he stared in horror at the perfect holes that had been shot through his wrists, knowing the same holes were in his feet, leaving him crippled. He stared up as the rider aimed his gun.

"You should be." The man said coldly, firing off one last blast. Glancing around the town, the rider blinked, red eyes returning to their natural brown. Pulling down his bandana revealed his face, framed with his full beard, as he pulled out a cigar. "Attention, good people of Odessa!" He called out through his mouth full of stogie, the townfolk slowly emerging from their hiding spots. "My name is Isaiah Sylvester Ellis…" He blow smoke out through his nostrils. "And I hear you have a crime problem."

&&&

"Another shot?"

Isaiah shook his head, head lulled back as he took another hit off his cigar. "No thanks, Mr. Frey." The salon owner nodded, placing the bottles back on the shelve. They were alone, save for a few important members of the town that wished to settle up their contract with the gun-for-hire. "But thank ya, darlin'."

"I trust the terms of the contract are agreeable?" A round, baby-faced man asked nervously.

Isaiah shrugged, kicking his feet up onto the bar. "Ride out into the desert. Save some guy, kill the head boss, get my reward…seems simple enough, fella."

"That's Mayor Parkman!" Another man shouted. "Show some respect…" He froze as Isaiah pointed his gun at him.

"Boy…might I make a suggestion?" Isaiah asked. "Don't insult a man that can kill a gang of bandits with just two guns. Ain't smart business."

Mayor Parkman nodded. "He's right." He glared at the other man. "Inviting a curse on your family, Hickey, pissing off men like him." He turned back to Isaiah. "I must warn you, Mr. Ellis…this boss isn't your typical criminal. We've never seen his face…and everyone that goes after him…we end up finding…"

"Charred." Miss Frey said. "I had to talk my brother out of going the last time…thank God I did."

"Don't send men to do my job." Isaiah replied, loading his weapon. "You mentioned a guide?"

Mayor Parkman nodded, motioning for a young boy, roughly 12 years old, to step out from the shadows. "Daniel Lawrence…followed the last rescue party…managed to see where the bandits are hiding."

The young boy nodded. "I can ride sir…I won't be a burden."

Isaiah simply nodded, putting on his hand. "See that ya don't be." He motioned for the child to follow him. "We leave now…sooner this is done, the sooner I get to my next job." He walked over to his horse, patting him on the head. "Ain't that right, Jesse?"

"Jesse?" The boy asked.

"Problem with my horse's name?" Isaiah asked. "What would you name him?"

"I doubt know…Nick?"

Isaiah rolled his eyes. "Boy like you would like Nick over Jess, wouldn't ya D.L."

"D.L.?"

"Daniel Lawrence…" Isaiah began to explain. "Nevermind…" He leapt onto his horse. "Lead the way, kid."

&&&

Through a red tint, Isaiah stared at the tents that sat around the old well. It was many miles away from town, probably forgotten by the townfolk. A perfect spot for a camp. He zeroed in on several guards that stood watch at a large tent. 'Indians' He thought, shaking his head. 'And here I thought I could have some fun.'

"I can find it from here." Isaiah said simply, motioning for Daniel to stay put.

The boy frowned, confused. "But…we're not even close." He shook his head. "We still have to go 5 miles." He said, point left.

Isaiah felt the world pulling back, the camp zooming away as if it were on a runaway stagecoach, the land stretching out as the red faded away. Finally, Isaiah's vision returned to normal.

'Who needs a telescope.' He thought, glancing at Daniel. "I got it." He said, turning right.

"That's the wrong way!" Daniel shouted.

"No kid…it ain't."

&&&

Isaiah frowned as he leapt of Jesse, patting the horse's flank. "We've got company, boy…" He nodded towards the young woman that had emerged from one of the tents. She was dressed in a pair of men's pants and a workshirt, unusual for a female…though, Isaiah had seen stranger.

Leaving his horse behind, Isaiah quickly used his telescopic vision to scan the area, searching for any hidden gunman. Not seeing a single one (and know that meant there couldn't be one), he kept his guns in hand but no aimed.

"Hello darlin'." He said smoothly, stepping towards the Indian girl.

"You have come about the doctor." The woman said.

Isaiah smiled. "Yea."

"He is still needed…the town may have him back when we are finished with him."

"That's good to hear." Isaiah said. "But I also need to see your boss…the Stormrider? I hear he is payin' bandits off to attack the town…not right."

The woman sighed. "You are wrong, sir. First, the bandits were merely to pay back the town for the crimes they committed against us." She licked her lips. "As for the Stormrider…there is no he to talk to."

"No he?" Isaiah asked.

"No…" The woman's eyes flashed, a bolt of lightning striking several feet from Isaiah. "I'm Stormrider." Isaiah merely raised his guns. "I will kill you before you can shoot me."

"Wasn't shooting at you." Isaiah said, eyes glowing as he took aim at a guard a half mile away. Stormrider's eyes grew wide as he fired, dropping the guard that had been running towards them. She regained her focus after that, sending down another lightning bolt. "Gonna have to do better then that!" He snapped, rolling away and firing at another guard. "This is between us, darlin'…call off the boys."

"Call off your own!" She snapped, summoning several bolts, the gunslinger just diving out of the way.

Isaiah turned, cursing as he focused on Daniel, who was riding full gallop at them. "Damn boy!" He snarled. "Forgive me, horsie." He muttered, firing off a shot, killing Daniel's horse instantly and sending the boy tumbling to the ground, over a mile away.

"You are like me." Stormrider said, pausing to observe him. "Gifted."

"Damn straight." Isaiah shouted, firing off several shots at some more Indians that were just leaving the camp, before tackling Stormrider, pinning her to the ground. "But unlike you, I use my powers to help people!"

"Liar…you use yours for greed! I protect my people! You are a killer for hire!"

"What of the men from the town?" Isaiah questioned. "The ones you cooked like bad steak?"

Stormrider glared at him. "I did that to protect my people…to keep the doctor here! People like them force me to kill."

"And people like you force me!" Isaiah shouted, holding her still. "Give up, darlin'…I got ya trapped."

Thunder cracked.

"You fight for the wrong side!"

"Explain to me why kidnapping a doctor is justified?" Isaiah challenged.

"You'd never understand!" She shouted.

"No one ever understands another's view if that person is too pigheaded to talk!" Isaiah shouted. "Now…give up. I got ya pinned…no escape."

Stormrider closed her eyes. "No, gunman…you can't escape."

And with that, summoned her strongest lightning strike.

Isaiah screamed in agony as the bolt hit him, searing his flesh and causing his hair to stand on end. His eyes spun back as he screamed in pain, twitching as his muscles were cooked from the inside. His body quivered several times, mostly from reflex, Stormrider watching him in pity as he let out a final gasp…then collapsed on her.

After a moment, Stormrider shoved him off, catching her breath. Isaiah was out cold, his back badly burned, nerves shot. But he was alive…and would be for several hours…dying a slow, painful death.

She removed his gun, which had survived the bolt, and aimed it at his head. "I grant you mercy."

A hand reached out and stopped her.

"Don't." Daniel said sternly.

Stormrider sighed. "Go back to town, child…don't watch this."

"You do this, and you doom yourself and your family." He said sternly, voice grave.

"Your hero is dead." She moved to shove him away…

…only to watch as the boy rapidly grew into a man.

Daniel punched her, hard in gut, taking the gun and aiming it at her. He torn the ruined shirt from his body, his pants barely holding on. "You are not the only one with gifts." He snapped.

"What do you want?" She asked, shocked.

Daniel nodded towards the tents. "If you kill him, the town will hire more gunslingers…ones without honor. Isaiah could have killed you dead the moment he saw you…he only attacked your men because they came with guns…he wanted a fair fight. The town will form a posse…and they will burn your camp, rape your women and beat your children to death."

"And for that…I should let this man live?"

"More then that." Daniel said. "Look at his back." Stormrider did so, gasping as what she saw. Burning into his duster was a strange white symbol, an S with extra arms. "It has been burnt into his skin too. It is the mark of heroes…in Japan it means Great Talent…Godsend. But it also will be the symbol of a new house…the House of Ellis." He looked back as the Indian woman. "In your tribe…you have women that claim to read signs of the future? Well…I have a friend that can do just that." Daniel locked eyes with her. "In a vision…he saw you and Isaiah together…he saw the two of you helping your people leave this place and return to where they belong. He saw the team you would be…and…"

"And?" Stormrider whispered. "And what? Tell me what he saw."

"Your child." Daniel whispered. "He saw the babe that would be born to you…the daughter of the Stormrider and the Gunslinger…the first Heir of Isaiah." He glanced down at Isaiah's dying form. "But that child now is less then dust in the wind."

When he looked up, Stormrider was already hurrying to the camp to get help.

&&&

"I think he's coming around."

Isaiah groaned, his breathing labored due to the tight cloth wrapped around his torso. Shifting, he nearly screamed as his burns rubbed up against the scratchy tarp that made his bed.

"Stay still." Stormrider whispered, stroking his hair. For 5 days she had sat by his bed, praying to the gods he would pull through. She had watched his face, guessing what features their daughter would have.

Isaiah gulped. "Water…"

"Of course." The doctor said, handing him a glass. "You scared us for a while."

Isaiah groaned. "Doc?"

The doctor smiled. "The town must have sent for you…we really need a name for you."

"Return the favor first, Doc. Town only told me to save the medical man."

The doctor adjusted his horn-rimmed glasses. "Of course…where are my manners. I am Dr. Jonah Bennet."

"Isaiah Ellis." The gunslinger said, glancing at Stormrider. "Hello buttercup."

Stormrider smiled shyly. "I am sorry…about before…"

"Like to see what you do for payin' me back." Isaiah muttered, Doc Bennet helping him up. He glanced around the tent, nearly losing his voice.

All around him were injured Indians. Some with deep gashes, others missing limbs, still more merely bedbound, sick and weak. Isaiah felt dizzy, Stormrider helping him lay back down.

"The doc…this is why…"

"There was an accident." Jonah said. "They were working for the railroad…train blew up. Some of their men went to the town, seeking aid. I wanted to help them, but the mayor refused. Said they needed me there…like that would do any good. The only thing I've been doing is courting Miss Crow, the school teacher. There hasn't been a sick person in months."

"I came to Dr. Bennet's home 3 months ago, begging for help. He agreed to do what he could…for free."

"I left a note…they must have thought I was forced." Bennet muttered.

Isaiah looked over at Stormrider. "I told ya…I'd understand if ya told me." He coughed. "My horse?"

"We have him. He has been taken care of."

Isaiah nodded. "I'll send him with a note…tell the Mayor I was injured killing you." He raised his hand to stop her from speaking. "I'll tell him I'll send the Doc back once I'm healed…but till then, they need to put my money on my horse."

Jonah shook his head. "I am still needed. These men will need years to recover…"

"And with the money the town owes me, I can buy them another doctor…one from a town that doesn't send gunmen off to save him." He managed a smile as Stormrider. "I figure…I might try the "protectin' others" thing for a while."

Stormrider beamed.

&&&

"Was it truly necessary?" Daniel asked, watching the camp from the distance.

His father nodded. "The explosion got them together…"

Daniel frowned. "All this for revenge."

The other men glared at him. "I have waited years, plotting revenge on the man that took everything from me. Now…now we know of this vision…of the children to come."

"Indeed." Daniel said. "The descendents of Isaiah and Stormrider will be the most powerful of any of us."

His father grinned, remembering the seer's words. "One of their house will kill the girl my enemy will love. The Hunter…he will be a perfect weapon." He rubbed his hands together. "I have waited years…now all falls into place. Soon…Hiro will pay." And with that, the man known once as Takezo Kensei strolled away, confident in his belief that Isaiah and Stormrider would be little more then pawns to create the first piece in his revenge.

But as he walked away, his son Daniel frowned. 'If only you knew what the seer told me, father.' Daniel held no love for his father. While he had grown up, knowledgeable of the world, and seen the good man could do, his father saw only darkness and hate. He glanced back at the tent. 'Yes…a hunter will be born. But by my hand, I will bring about his opposite…' He thought back to the seer's words.

"Isaiah and Stormrider will have several children…but one matters only to you. Their first born, a daughter, is the one you will seek. The child you produce with her will father Isaiah's Heir…the one destined to unite us all.'

'Father…you think only of destruction and revenge. It is for this reason you know not of The Alliance. Fool…you do not realize that I gather the greatest heroes to my side, preparing to destroy you. And with my grandson leading us, we will start the new age…and you and your dark path will finally be ended.' Daniel spurred his horse. "Take care of yourself, Isaiah." Daniel said softly.

"Reincarnation exists…but not how we think…for we live on…through our children."

-Krishna Suresh

"Your family…has a world of work ahead of them."

&&&

Author's Note: Yes, Daniel is the old man that is currently talking with Carter.

For those not understanding Daniel's power, he can age himself at will. Thus, he is immortal, as he never ages himself to the point of death. He also must adopt a new identity every 40 years, to hide the truth. He can be shot though, so his immortality isn't ensured.

Cast for this chapter (using character names instead of actor names):

Michael Petrelli-Nathan Petrelli

Sonny Petrelli-Peter Petrelii

Miguel Mendez-Isaac Mendez

Mayor Parkman- Matt Parkmen

Jonah Bennet- Noah Bennet

Isaiah Ellis-Carter Daniels

I chose to use the name Krishna for Mohinder's ancestor because it is the name of the god that guides the hero Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita, much as Mohinder's comments have guided the show. And yes…once again…another religious hint is revealed.

Isaiah's arrival has a double meaning as Miguel states: Isaiah is first seen as the head rider of the damned cowboys spoken of in the song "Ghost Riders in the Sky". But he is also seen as the fourth horsemen…Death. The quote Miguel uses is not the real quote from the bible, but is the most famous version, a poetic version of Death's arrival.

Jonah was chosen due to another biblical wink, but this one isn't my fault! They named Mr. Bennet Noah, the gatherer. So I made his ancestor Jonah…the one swallowed into the belly of the beast, in this case, Stormrider's camp. Had they named Noah something like Lesley…none of that would have happened.