Prologue

ENDMA

Written By: Johnny Lee Westbrook

Prologue: Hostility

"Halt!! Who goes there!!" The elder from the Shino leaf village yelled into the forest and demanded an answer. Watching closely, the ninja watched as a man slowly came from out of the forest with cuts, bruises, and and covered in blood. "Elder Taku?" A young ninja questioned and wondered what the decision would be as he landed next to the elder. "...Sigh, take another ninja and help him in. "But Elder Taku!?" The ninja was surprised by the elder's decision and continued. "Can't you see that he's from enemy territory!? Just look at his eyes, it's not hard to tell that he's from the Valley of fire...The Dragon village!" "I can see that Amaru! But you know as I do that it can't be helped at the moment. If he tries to attack, we'll be ready." Elder Taku said as he continued. "But what I wonder is...how did he make it all the way out here with those injuries."

Not questioning the elder anymore, Amaru waved his hand and jumped down from the gate as another ally ninja landed next to him. "Sir Amaru... are you kidding me?" The other ninja was also shocked by the decision that was made. "No questions, please...because I don't understand any of this bullshit either. Ryu, search the area...see if this is a set up." "And if so sir?" "Then we attack." "Right." "Now go." "Sir!" As Amaru's fellow ninja disappeared into the forest, Amaru looked on at the injured man with anger and frustration. But also trusted the village elder's decision, even though he didn't. Placing his left hand on the hilt of his sword and taking a quick surveillance of the area with his eyes, Amaru closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Opening his eyes, he then slowly began walking to the injured man with silky white hair.

"He looks strong, so I wonder how he got injured." Amaru thought to himself as he continued walking and thinking. "I can't put my figure on it, but he don't look like a normal Dragon villager...just who is he?" Amaru stopped thinking as he finally reached the man who was now down on his hands and knees. "..." Looking down at the man, Amaru took a few slow deep breaths as he tried to swallow his pride and his hatred for the Dragon villagers. "State your name Dragon!" Amaru demanded. "Si...*cough cough" "I said state your name, dragon!" "My name...my name is Sin" The man said as he raised his head and looked at Amaru. "Sin?" "Yeah, Sin Chrono." "Why are you injured...Sin? You look as if you could of handled yourself."

"Thanks for the compliment Mr..." "My name is Amaru." Amaru quickly said, stopping Sin with his words. "Amaru, from the tone of your voice I can sense that you want to kill me." "Even if I wanted to, it's not my decision to make." Amaru said as he slowly took his hand off of the hilt of his sword and continued as he talking as he went down to one knee to Sin's level. "So...how did it happen?" "You mean my injuries?" Sin asked a question to an question. Looking at Amaru as he sat upright with his back to a tree Sin knew it was in his best interest to answer. "I was attacked by some men." "Some men? From where?" "..." "I asked you a question." "Well if you must know...from the dragon village." "What!?"

Amaru stayed still as he became shocked to hear that a dragon attacked a dragon. "Well, I guess it shouldn't be a surprise that dragons attack their own since your village is so..." "Spare me the insults...Amaru." Sin cut Amaru off as he was ready to defend himself from Amaru's discrimination. "Sir!" Ryu said as he landed next to Amaru and gave him the nod. Looking back at Sin, Amaru stood back up and reached out right hand. "Huh?" "Get up and come on for we can get you inside." Looking at Amaru's hand, Sin brushed it away and did his best to stand up on his own from pure pride. "I don't want your help Amaru!" Sin said as he took a breath, stood up, and leaned his back against the tree and continued talking. "Why should I take help from you?" "Good point." Amaru replied as he and Sin stared each other down with hatred for one another. Placing his hand back on the hilt of his sword, Amaru turned around and waved his hand for the entry gate to be opened.

"Get your a*s in here if you can...Sin." Speaking to Sin without turning around and looking at him, instead Amaru walked inside the village as the gates opened without having the thought of trying to help Sin inside again cross his mind. Standing back watching Sin push off of the tree and nearly fell. Quickly reacting, Ryu placed one hand on Sin's chess and one on his back, helping him regain his balance. Looking at Ryu, Sin said nothing and accepted his help inside the village's gates. "Who is this man!?" A female voice demanded an answer as Sin herd her footsteps drawing near. Standing straight forward and looking at the beautiful long silky dark purple haired blue eyed young woman.

"My name is..." Speaking with a smile on his face, Sin's eyes slowly closed as his body became heavy. Slipping from Ryu's hands and falling to the ground, Amaru turned his head and smiled to see that Sin's face was where he believed it should be. "...Looking at his wounds the woman then grabs Sin's wrist and checks for his pulse. "His pulse is still good, but we should get him to the infirmary." "Yes maim!" Ryu replied and waived for two more men to help carry the beaten down and injured Sin. As she watched as Ryu and two other pick Sin up and take him away, the elder made his appearance as he walked to the woman's side. "Is his wounds treatable?" "Yes, and I take it that he's one of the dragons?" "...Yes." "Don't worry, I will give him proper care." "Thank you. You know, you show no hatred towards him. Why is that?"

The elder ask the young woman as he looked at her for an answer. "Don't get me wrong elder, I have no hatred for him...but I don't trust him either. If I feel that he's a threat, I will kill him." "As I would expect from you...Miss Ayanami" Turning her head and looking at the elder because of his words, the woman turned her head to her left and watched as Ryu and the other men take Sin in. "I guess I should be going now." "Oh and by the way..." Stopping her before she took her second step with his words. "I think it would be best if we keep that man and Amaru away from each other. I believe Amaru would kill him on the spot." Letting her eyes roam to her right she looked at Amaru as he still had his hand on the hilt of his sword and a frown on his face. "I guess that means that Amaru will be guarding that man tonight." "Miss Ayanami...do you think that's a wise decision?" "Yes."

Then who will watch the village to night from oncoming attackers. There's a good chance that this was just a trick to get their best attacker on the inside. And if it's not that, then they probably chased him out this way and will invade to finish him off." "No worries elder Taku, I'm taking on that duty tonight." "But..." "I am the guardian of this village...right Taku?" "...." "Then have trust in me." With nothing else for the elder to say, the young woman left his side and headed inside the infirmary where Sin laid unconscious. "Lady Ayanami..." Ryu spoke as she entered the room. "Yes Ryu, what is it?" "...." "Speak your mind Ryu." "Do..do you think it was an good idea for us to help this man?" "Well it's better than just sitting back doing nothing and letting him die next to our village. Beside, I don't think he wish harm on us." She said as she grabbed her silver dagger from the satchel on her left leg.

Placing the sharp dagger next to his throat she then gently grabbed his shirt and sliced it down the middle for she could have a better look at his wounds without moving him. "Thin cuts from green thorns which contains a mild poison, cuts on the arms that would appear being from a sword, and burn marks from..." "His own people did this to him?" Ryu interrupted Lady Ayanami's thinking. "It would appear so. My guess is that they wanted to give him a slow painful death, and have fun doing so." "I wonder what he did to get this kind of punishment from them." Turning his head and looking at Lady Ayanami, he somehow knew what was on her mind. "Lady Ayanami..." "Huh?" She said as she continued observing Sin's body. "His face, and that scar on his left jawline... he reminds you of..." Quickly turning her head giving Ryu a cold cautious stare, he couldn't bare to look her in her eyes and turned his head away.

"I'm sorry Lady Ayanami." Taking her eyes off of Ryu, she turned her attention back on Sin and spotted the places where the poison was in his body. "Ryu.." "Yes maim!?" "I need a blood needle and a hot lava rock." "Right!" Turning and quickly exiting the room, Ryu was stopped at the doorway by Ayanami's voice. "His face does resemble Kazuma's...doesn't he...Ryu?" Letting out a slight chuckle, Ryu smiled as he walked back over to Ayanami and placed his left arm on her right shoulder. "Lady Ayanami...I miss him too." Gently removing his hand, Ryu turned around and exited the room and building.

Stepping outside and feeling the quick warm spring breeze pass by, Ryu turned his head right and saw his older brother leaning against the infirmary outside wall. "What is it Amaru?" Ryu asked as his brother refused to look at him. "I don't trust that man." "You don't like him because he looks just like Kazuma huh?" "Huh?" Turning his head and looking at his younger brother with a smirk on his face, Amaru then turned his head back forward and looked at the little kids playing as if they were ninjas. "I haven't really thought about that..." Amaru spoke and continued. "It's just that something feels weired about that guy." Both standing in silence for a moment, Amaru continued to talk. "So you found nothing out there in the forest on your search?" "Naw, just some trees with cuts from a sword." "Footprints?" "None." "Blood?" "Nope." Looking back at his little brother, he continued to interrogated him. "And that doesn't seem strange to you? He's from the dragon village. They don't hesitate to kill, it seems like he would of at least killed one of the people who was after him."

"Well figure it out big bro, I have other things to do." Taking a step down one of the five stairs, he stopped in his tracks as Amaru quickly grabbed his right shoulder and gave it a tight squeeze. "You damn idiot!! Do you want the same thing to happen here as it did back at our old village in Titsu!?" Snatching away from his older brother, Ryu turned around and took a step up and stood face to face with Amaru. "That's not going to happen again. Not while I'm around." "Did you forget what village killed mother and father!?" "..." "It was the dragon vill..." "Damn it I know that!" Ryu shouted as he cut off his brothers words and repeated them as he turned around and walked down the stairs. "I know that."

 

 

Reviews

[Kena Dawn Augustine]

How did you do that? Write in different font and colors? When I try to paste from Microsoft word it doesn't work. Anyway......as to the review.......

Placing the sharp dagger next to his throat she then gently grabbed his shirt and sliced it down the middle for she could have a better look at his wounds without moving him. "Thin cuts from green thorns which contains a mild poison, cuts on the arms that would appear being from a sword, and burn marks from..." "His own people did this to him?" Ryu interrupted Lady

I like that part. the imagrey is great, and interesting. chat later on messenger??

[Lauren Xena Campbell]

Well that was a wonderful beginning; full of questions and slight sneaky peeks of history that I can tell is going to make for an interesting back-story. Can't help but wonder about Lady Ayanami, I was drawn to her character straight away.

One or two small errors such as the word 'and' being used twice in succession in the first paragraph but nothing much. A little revision and this will make for a brilliant piece of literature.

So far I really like it and am looking forward to reading the next part. So far a bright and fascinating read :-)