The hidden monastery to the Order of the Phoenix ninja clan.
Two teenage boys run through the public areas of the market where select vendors are allowed to come sell their wares to the ninjas. The boys are sword fighting with wooden swords and though it seems that they are the fiercest of friends, you can tell that they are putting their all into this fight.
The one with a long ponytail to his waist that has a weighted end is Komar Idasu, son of the Grandmaster Ninja of the Order. The other is Sako Denbe, son to the second in command of the Order. They normally sparred in the proper sparring grounds in the temple, but as each had grown fond of a girl named Kamoto Tani, their rivalry grew heated until they began a fight outside of the sparring grounds.
A fight that had serious implications to the entire Order’s future.
Denbe parries Idasu’s slash of the sword and holds Idasu back into a holding pattern, their faces inches from another.
Sako Denbe: You get everything you desire, Idasu. Let me have the girl!
Idasu growls and shoves, sending Dende backpedaling five feet.
Komar Idasu: She loves me! There’s no way around it, Dende. You lose!
The two come at one another again, a blinding display of attacks and blocks that impress the vendors that were brought in to sell their wares.
Komar Idasu: I am the son of the Grandmaster, I should get what I desire!
Sako Dende: Didn’t you hear them speaking the other day? I am the one destined to become the next Grandmaster, you are to become the sacrifice needed to bring slain ninja back from the dead when the Order needs revived! Don’t make Tani a widow!
Komar Idasu: They were lying since they knew that we were eavesdropping. The sacrificial ninja is a legend they used to tell us when we were kids to scare us into being good! Tani loves me!
Komoto Tani’s voice can be heard from the distance as she runs to stop the fighting.
Komoto Tani: Stop fighting! Please!
Some of this fight was her fault as she did allow both boys to court her, uncertain of which one that she liked the best. As she realizes that she really does love Idasu, she runs to stop them from destroying their friendship forever.
Sako Dende: Accept it! It is the great chore of the Grandmaster’s son to become the sacrifice in case of need. You will die and leave Tani a widow. Surely, you don’t want that? Besides, you know she really loves me. Your position blinds you to this.
Idasu Komar shouts in rage and slashes at Dende’s head. The move is parried, but both swords snap. Dende’s sword breaks off at the hilt to leave him defenseless while Idasu’s sword breaks off at the tip to leave a jagged edge.
Komar Idasu: NOW WHO’S DEAD?
Idasu spins around with his now deadly weapon and runs Dende through, but not without cost. Komoto Tani gets between the two in a vain attempt to stop the fighting. She is also run through, the wooden blade connecting Tani to Dende, pierced heart to heart.
Komar Idasu’s eyes go wide as he realizes that he’s slain both his best friend and the love of his life.
Komar Idasu: Tani? Why?
Komoto Tani: Idasu…I…love…you…
Idasu releases the wooden training sword and runs away as people begin to crowd in to see if Dende and Tani can be helped. He runs into a bread shop and ducks behind the counter where shopkeeper, Xian Tsar, looks down at him with a bemused expression.
Xian Tsar: Sounded like quite the battle out there, Idasu. Did you lose the battle for your love?
It sounds like an extremely personal question, but Xian Tsar the Bread Vendor has been counseling Komar Idasu for weeks on how Sako Dende was really just jealous that Idasu has both the girl and the position.
Xian Tsar: Oh, Idasu. Are you hurt? Did he cut you for real?
Idasu looks down at the floor, the tears starting to fall freely.
Komar Idasu: In my rage, I’ve murdered them both.
Xian Tsar’s eyes go wide in shock.
Xian Tsar: What will you do? Where will you go? How will you live?
Komar Idasu: I will…run away. I won’t be allowed to become a full fledged Phoenix Ninja anymore anyway with my crimes.
Xian Tsar places a hand on Idasu’s shoulder in a motion that’s meant to be comforting, but somehow is not.
Xian Tsar: Come with me then.
Komar Idasu: And make bread?
Xian Tsar laughs, it’s not a kind sound.
Xian Tsar: I am the leader of the Black Guard, no mere bread maker. I came here on behalf of the Warhammer Corporation to recruit you, the pride of the phoenix. We can train you to become stronger than any Phoenix Ninja AND you won’t have to become a sacrifice. You know that they will kill you if they find you in order to bring your friends back to life amongst others. Do you want to die for them?
Idasu shakes his head, angry now.
Komar Idasu: They deserved to die. Dende for trying to steal my girl and Tani for her foolishly jumping into the way of Dende’s execution. But the Warhammer Corporation…aren’t they evil?
Xian Tsar: Ahh the lies that your father tells you. We only seek to dominate this world in order to bring about lasting peace. We dream of a world with no more war. We leave tonight, but there’s one thing I want you to do for me.
Komar Idasu: Anything.
Xian Tsar: In the middle of the temple is the sword, Talon of the Phoenix. Steal it, but not for me. It is your right as the Grandmaster’s child to have this relic. Take it and use it in your training to become more powerful than your father.
Idasu clenches his hands into fists. It would be a final betrayal to this father, but it would bring him his birthright that they would deny him anyway by sacrificing him to bring back those useless ninja.
Though guards look for Idasu in the market and beyond, Xian Tsar keeps Idasu well hidden with black magic. Idasu uses his ninja skills to break into the temple (that isn’t really built to defend against intruders) and steals the Talon of the Phoenix.
Far away from the Order of the Phoenix, Komar Idasu looks back at the monastery with sadness in his heart. He looks to Xian Tsar.
Komar Idasu: Everything is different now. I am no longer Idasu. Call me Cyan.
Xian Tsar grins, his corruption of young Idasu complete.
Xian Tsar: Of course, Cyan Komar.
Cyan Komar opens his eyes to see that he is trapped in a web of demonic hands. The landscape around him is a blasted plain of bloodsoaked muck. He hears a neck crackle as a demon adjusts his head, looking across the dire plains known as Hades. It is the perpetual battlefield between the devils of Hell and the demons of the Abyss. The demon looks at Cyan as a chasm forever up high seems to slowly close. That’s the window to the real world slowly closing from where Zolothach had banished him from.
Demon: Call me Tralgar. I see that is how you have become Cyan Komar, but do you know of the pact made with your father?
Cyan Komar: Pact?
Trafalgar: Oh yes, it’s too juicy to not show you.
In the personal meditation chambers of the Grandmaster Komar Shoko, he wipes away tears of grief as news had come to him that Idasu had murdered two of his friends and gone into hiding. He would have to exile his own son from the clan as punishment..once they found him.
The shadows in the room seem to darken and Xian Tsar steps from them. Shoko grabs a dagger and readies to fight, but Xian holds up a restraining hand.
Xian Tsar: I have not come to fight. I have your son, Idasu. He is coming to join the Warhammer Corporation.
Komar Shoko: No. You can’t have him.
Xian Tsar: I already have him and unless you want him dead…you’ll agree to a pact.
Shoko sighs. He really should have seen this coming. That people would be able to hide ill intent behind their selling wares to the ninja. No more. Outsiders will no longer be welcome at their home.
Komar Shoko: What is this pact?
Xian Tsar: You allow us to keep Komar Idasu and train him to become a killer or we simply kill him. You promise to keep out of Warhammer Corporate affairs or we kill him. Oh I’m sorry, his name is now Cyan Komar. We keep Cyan and transform him or you can have his corpse.
Komar Shoko: Maybe his dying will help the cause. You need to burn.
Xian Tsar: Is that what you really want? Him to die outside of the sacrificial death that you had planned for him? Once that would see him resurrected as the new Grandmaster of the Phoenix?
Shoko swallows hard and wipes a tear away from his cheek. Where he once seemed to be a powerful Grandmaster, now he seems to be a tired, old man who grieves the loss of his son.
Komar Shoko: No. We will allow you to keep our son. We will stay out of Warhammer affairs. Though…Warhammer must stay out of Japan.
Xian Tsar: So long as Cyan does not die, we will remain out of Japan.
Komar Shoko: Ah…agreed.
Back to Hades, the demon named Trafalgar rubs his chin as he watches Cyan squirm in the web to try to break free.
Trafalgar: So your father sold out the ideals of the phoenix ninja to keep you alive and Japan safe from Warhammer influence. Pity it didn’t last. You…died.
Cyan Komar: I have never died in my life!
Trafalgar: Oh, didn’t you? Let’s see that memory and see what the truth unveils…
In Hong Kong at the Warhammer Corporate Headquarters “Deathstryke” Cyan Komar stands in a small chapel. Across from him in a wedding gown is Tehuai Zetian, granddaughter to Tehuai Anxiu, who is Director of Warhammer Asia. The priest looks between the two of them and at the gathered audience.
Priest: Komar Idasu, do you-
Cyan Komar: I’m sorry, but Idasu died when I left the Order of the Phoenix. It’s Cyan Komar now.
Priest: Then, Cyan Komar do you-
The demon, Trafalgar, laughs as he watches Cyan squirm.
Trafalgar: Did you think that agents of Anxiu were not watching her granddaughter’s wedding. You think they did not catch that and record it? You are the reason that the pact was broken. You were the reason that the Order of the Phoenix was slaughtered.
Cyan Komar: No! It was a metaphor! I didn’t really die!
Trafalgar: You are speaking to the wrong person. Your grandmother-in-law got word of “Idasu’s death”, I mean she was in attendance, and sent Xian Tsar to destroy the Phoenix as they were the first and foremost obstacle to gaining influence in Japan
Cyan glances up where the chasm is slowly closing. He sees the visage of “Zolothach” Tabitha Osborne standing over the chasm with his sword in hand. She drops the sword into the chasm just before it seals itself.
Tabitha Osborne: Where you’re going, you’ll need that.
The sword falls, landing hilt first into Cyan’s hand. A few of the demonic hands loosen upon the sword being grabbed, the blade gleaming against the darkness of the realm. He wrenches his arm free and slashes at the other hands, taking off more than a few fingers before all of the hands retreat into the darkness. Cyan points the gleaming blade, a blade forged to slay evil, at the demon.
Cyan Komar: Direct me out of this place back to the real world or I will end your miserable existence. The Talon of the Phoenix thirsts for demonic blood.
Trafalgar seems to consider his options before he slumps in defeat.
Trafalgar: Fine. You will regret this, Idasu.
Cyan Komar: I already do. Go!
Through the fields watered by thousands of years of warring demons and devils, Cyan Komar follows Trafalgar to a portal in the distance.
Cyan Komar: Blaze Freya, you are my opponent when I get back to the real world. You think you can make it in a true hardcore environment that doesn’t involve softcore porn? I just don’t think so. SWAT was a playground for kiddies when compared to the battles of Hardkore World. You are out of your league, Blaze. Just go home. Just go hide in REIGN where they might take it easier on you.
Cyan steps up to the portal, but stops at the threshold.
Trafalgar: What is the matter now? Wanting to shoot more of a wrestling promo in Hades?
Cyan Komar: You know why I will not regret my actions today?
Trafalgar: No?
Cyan Komar: No loose ends.
Cyan draws his sword and in a single motion, takes off the demon’s head to leave it spraying dark blood into the grey mush that is the ground. He sheathes his blade and walks through the portal.
Cyan Komar: I am coming for you next, Blaze Freya. Run while you still can.
