Ryuranger
10-19-2003, 12:13 AM
Read in this thread, or view as a webpage: www.angelfire.com/falcon/ryuranger59/ADep01.html
-----------------------------------------------------------
---Avatars of the Dragon
---Book One
---Chapter One
---Thief in the Dark
2001AD, New York City:
Dark clouds covered the night sky as red lightning danced through the air. Two men stood facing each other among the towering rooftops of the city’s skyscrapers as the storm grew in intensity.
A man in a dark black trench coat with pale skin and white hair stood on a taller building, staring down at the other man with eyes that burned with a golden fire.
The other man looked nearly identical, only his features were sharper and his hair was jet-black. His eyes were icy silver.
The dark-haired stranger looked up at the golden-eyed man and flashed a crooked smile. “Ready for round two, Mar’duk?”
Mar’duk rolled his right hand into a fist as golden energy crackled around it. “Whenever you are, Tia’man,” he said with a smirk. “Last time I robbed you of your wife. This time I will take so much more.”
Tia’man laughed, a hideous sound that echoed across the rooftops.
“Do try, my old friend,” he said as he narrowed his eyes. “Do try…”
Tia’man disappeared in a flash of silver flame.
***
The present, New York City
17-year-old Ty ran through a dark alley, pumping his legs as fast as he could as his heart pounded in his chest and his lungs burnt for oxygen.
Being caught was the worst part of being a thief, he had learned quickly. If you were caught, you had to run.
While most young teenage criminals typically focused on car stereos and such, Ty had always thought big. His latest target was the INVOCON corporation building. INVOCON was a computer company specializing in the latest of high-tech gadgets and gizmos. Although Ty hated such things, his friend Ryan would probably appreciate a gift or two from the place. He of course made a few stops on the way back at some of his favorite jewelry stores.
Ty ran towards a fence nearly four times his height as he heard the footsteps of his pursuer draw closer.
“Stop, kid!” the cop in a dark black jacket shouted as he ran faster. The officer appeared no older than his late 20s with clean-cut black hair, green eyes and sharp features. “I said, stop!”
Ty rolled his eyes, wondering if cops were dumb enough to think yelling ‘stop’ ever actually worked.
He leapt forward with an amazing demonstration of agility and grabbed on to the fence as he quickly scurried up its rungs made it to the top. He jumped to the other side, nearly breaking his legs as he landed and stumbled.
Ty quickly recovered and ran forward, but not before looking over his shoulder towards the young officer, who apparently wasn’t feeling daring enough to climb the fence.
“I win again,” he shouted. “Better luck next time, sucker!”
***
The detective’s name was Drake Mathers.
He stopped at the fence, catching his breath as he watched the teen disappear into the shadows. Drake shook his head as he leaned against the alley’s wall, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it with a silver zippo.
A golden eyed man in a dark trench coat phased into existence besides Drake as the air seemed to warp. It was Mar’duk. Drake barely seemed to notice his presence.
“It seems your interest in the boy has finally paid off,” Mar’duk said.
Drake nodded while inhaling his cigarette. “He stole the medallion. Told you he would…So now what?”
Mar’duk smiled as his golden eyes flashed. “Now we wait. If all goes according to plan, we’ll be meeting him again soon.”
***
Ryan leaned back in his chair as Nine Inch Nails blasted from the computer in front of him. The 17-year-old had hair died jet black, and his finger nails were painted the same color. A picture of The Crow served as his desktop image.
Only a small desk lamp illuminated the dimly-lit room.
He stared at his computer monitor intensely while chatting with three people online, arranging to have a visit each weekend for the next month.
Not that there’s much point, he thought to himself. Always turns out the same way. God, I hate people…
He heard a knock on his window but didn’t bother turning to look, even though his room was on the second floor of the house.
“Come in,” he said, eyes glued to the screen.
The window slowly opened as Ty crawled inside with a book bag slung over his shoulder.
“Got today’s catch,” Ty said as he tossed the bag onto Ryan’s bed and unzipped it.
Ryan nodded, barely paying attention. “This guy I’m talking to is so stereotypically vain it wounds me…”
Ty chuckled, pulling a few items from his bag. “Glad to hear. Now come on, some of this stuff is for you.”
Ryan slapped an away message onto his screen and rolled his chair over to the foot of his bed. “Anything green and leafy?”
Ty smiled and shook his head. “Not today, man.”
Ryan looked through an assortment of the technology Ty had stolen, and his eyes caught sight of a golden medallion.
“Damn, Ty,” he said as he picked up the object. It had a claw-leaf symbol with several lines engraved in it. “Big earring?”
“Not sure what it is,” Ty said as he plucked the medallion from Ryan’s hand. “Only sure it’s worth a lot. It was in the owner’s private stash.”
Ty placed the medallion into his pocket as Ryan rolled back to his computer.
“Well, I suppose I’ll see you in school tomorrow,” Ryan said. “In the meantime…back to trying to find a worthy male suitor.”
Ty packed up his things. “Good luck with the hunt.”
***
Ty walked along the streets of the suburbs as the faint pale glow of street lights provided the only source of illumination.
Ty heard footsteps coming from behind him, but instead of turning around to peek over his shoulder, he looked to the shadows. He saw three silhouettes moving closer to him from behind. One of them was holding a bat.
The teen kept his pace, not wanting his tails to know he was on to them. He made a turn at a corner up ahead before making a break for it.
His pursuers turned the corner and saw that Ty had already gained considerable distance away from them. The pursuers dashed forward to catch their prey.
Ty pumped his legs faster as he heard his pursuers pick up speed. A lop sided grin spread across his face. They were fast, but Ty knew that he was faster.
Something caught his attention through the corner of his eye as a stick was shoved between his legs, causing Ty to trip and skid across the ground face down. He rolled over onto his back just as a muscular man dressed in biker leather placed a boot down on his chest. The man glared down at Ty through a pair of dark sunglasses
“Hey, big guy,” Ty said. “Be a pal and move your foot off my chest, will ya?”
The man increased the pressure of his heel on Ty’s chest.
“Gee, thanks…” Ty said as he struggled to breath.
The men who were chasing Ty caught up and gathered around the teen while holding bats and chains. Ty recognized the man in the center. He was in his mid 20s with hair dyed dark red and pale skin. His glasses hid a pair of bright green eyes. He was dressed in a slick leather jacket. His name was Macus.
“I’m so, so sorry it had to come to this,” Macus said as he patted his bat in the palm of his right hand.
Ty struggled against the foot on his chest. “Somehow I doubt your sincerity…”
One of Macus’s men picked up Ty’s bag and began rummaging through it as Macus crouched down next to Ty’s head.
“I thought I told you to stay away from my part of the city,” Macus said in a soft cold voice. “Was I mistaken?”
Ty shook his head. “You know…kind of hard to talk with tiny’s foot on my chest.”
“Do you know how often people wind up missing in this city? Only to never be found?” Macus said.
“Cut me some slack, Macus,” Ty said. “Those places I knocked tonight weren’t yours…by at least a block or two.”
One of Macus’s men pulled the medallion from Ty’s bag and whistled. “Hey Macus. Check this out.”
He tossed the medallion and Macus caught it. “Nice find, kid…”
“Practice makes perfect,” Ty said.
Macus and his men suddenly felt chills creep down their spikes as they looked up to see a man in a dark trench coat, sunglasses, and white hair. It was Mar’duk.
“I suggest you let the boy go,” Mar’duk said.
Macus narrowed his eyes at the stranger. “I suggest you mind your own damn business…”
Mar’duk smiled as he held his right hand downwards in a loose fighting stance. “By all means, please come try and make me. It’s been far too long since I’ve had a fight.”
“Get this freak,” Macus said as five of his men moved forward to attack.
One of the men lunged forward while swinging his bat horizontally, but Mar’duk leaned backwards and let the weapon pass over him.
Mar’duk straightened his back as the thug swung back towards his head. The white-haired man brought his left hand across his body and caught the end of the bat before it could connect. He then brought his right hand up and struck the thug’s wrist, causing the assailant to loose his grip on the bat as it spun free and into Mar’duk’s hand.
Mar’duk swung low, knocking the legs out from under the thug and bringing the bat around to smash across his chest as the bat splintered and the assailant fell to the ground.
A second thug came at Mar’duk from the left with a flurry of punches that the man managed to block and parry with little difficulty using only his right hand. A third thug came at Mar’duk from his left, so he blocked a blow from the attacking thug and twisted the assailant’s arm behind his chest before swinging him around and tossing him against the third thug.
The fourth attacker tried to sneak in from behind Mar’duk while swinging his bat horizontally, but Mar’duk back flipped over the thug and landed behind him. He reached his left hand around from behind and grabbed the attacker’s chin while slamming an uppercut blow against his back strong enough to lift the attacker off his feet as Mar’duk swung his right arm around for an elbow strike against the man’s chest. The thug crashed to the ground.
Mar’duk immediately spun to his right while snapping a reverse sidekick that smashed against the last thug’s face. He followed by jump sidekicking the thug with his left leg, using the man’s chest as a foot hold while swinging his right leg around in a reverse crescent kick around the man’s head, then snapping out his left leg against the attacker’s collar bone, sending him crashing to the ground.
A feral grin spread across Mar’duk’s face as he turned to face Macus and the heavy-set thug who had his foot on Ty’s chest.
Macus glared at the man as he reached into his jacket. “Screw this…”
He pulled out a handgun and fired several rounds. Mar’duk extended his hand and each bullet vaporized in a streak of golden flame before they could strike him.
The last thug opened his eyes wide with fear, removed his foot from Ty’s chest, and started running down the street as fast as he could.
Macus glared at the man as he slowly backed away. “No one does this to me and gets away with it freak…no one…”
Macus turned and ran in the same direction as the thug, while Mar’duk walked over to Ty and extended his hand.
Ty hesitated as he looked up at the tall stranger.
“No offense, man,” Ty said, “but who the hell are you?”
“Someone who just saved your life,” Mar’duk said as he removed his glasses, revealing his golden eyes. “Now I suggest you listen, so you can do the same for the whole world.”
--to be continued in chapter two...
-----------------------------------------------------------
---Avatars of the Dragon
---Book One
---Chapter One
---Thief in the Dark
2001AD, New York City:
Dark clouds covered the night sky as red lightning danced through the air. Two men stood facing each other among the towering rooftops of the city’s skyscrapers as the storm grew in intensity.
A man in a dark black trench coat with pale skin and white hair stood on a taller building, staring down at the other man with eyes that burned with a golden fire.
The other man looked nearly identical, only his features were sharper and his hair was jet-black. His eyes were icy silver.
The dark-haired stranger looked up at the golden-eyed man and flashed a crooked smile. “Ready for round two, Mar’duk?”
Mar’duk rolled his right hand into a fist as golden energy crackled around it. “Whenever you are, Tia’man,” he said with a smirk. “Last time I robbed you of your wife. This time I will take so much more.”
Tia’man laughed, a hideous sound that echoed across the rooftops.
“Do try, my old friend,” he said as he narrowed his eyes. “Do try…”
Tia’man disappeared in a flash of silver flame.
***
The present, New York City
17-year-old Ty ran through a dark alley, pumping his legs as fast as he could as his heart pounded in his chest and his lungs burnt for oxygen.
Being caught was the worst part of being a thief, he had learned quickly. If you were caught, you had to run.
While most young teenage criminals typically focused on car stereos and such, Ty had always thought big. His latest target was the INVOCON corporation building. INVOCON was a computer company specializing in the latest of high-tech gadgets and gizmos. Although Ty hated such things, his friend Ryan would probably appreciate a gift or two from the place. He of course made a few stops on the way back at some of his favorite jewelry stores.
Ty ran towards a fence nearly four times his height as he heard the footsteps of his pursuer draw closer.
“Stop, kid!” the cop in a dark black jacket shouted as he ran faster. The officer appeared no older than his late 20s with clean-cut black hair, green eyes and sharp features. “I said, stop!”
Ty rolled his eyes, wondering if cops were dumb enough to think yelling ‘stop’ ever actually worked.
He leapt forward with an amazing demonstration of agility and grabbed on to the fence as he quickly scurried up its rungs made it to the top. He jumped to the other side, nearly breaking his legs as he landed and stumbled.
Ty quickly recovered and ran forward, but not before looking over his shoulder towards the young officer, who apparently wasn’t feeling daring enough to climb the fence.
“I win again,” he shouted. “Better luck next time, sucker!”
***
The detective’s name was Drake Mathers.
He stopped at the fence, catching his breath as he watched the teen disappear into the shadows. Drake shook his head as he leaned against the alley’s wall, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it with a silver zippo.
A golden eyed man in a dark trench coat phased into existence besides Drake as the air seemed to warp. It was Mar’duk. Drake barely seemed to notice his presence.
“It seems your interest in the boy has finally paid off,” Mar’duk said.
Drake nodded while inhaling his cigarette. “He stole the medallion. Told you he would…So now what?”
Mar’duk smiled as his golden eyes flashed. “Now we wait. If all goes according to plan, we’ll be meeting him again soon.”
***
Ryan leaned back in his chair as Nine Inch Nails blasted from the computer in front of him. The 17-year-old had hair died jet black, and his finger nails were painted the same color. A picture of The Crow served as his desktop image.
Only a small desk lamp illuminated the dimly-lit room.
He stared at his computer monitor intensely while chatting with three people online, arranging to have a visit each weekend for the next month.
Not that there’s much point, he thought to himself. Always turns out the same way. God, I hate people…
He heard a knock on his window but didn’t bother turning to look, even though his room was on the second floor of the house.
“Come in,” he said, eyes glued to the screen.
The window slowly opened as Ty crawled inside with a book bag slung over his shoulder.
“Got today’s catch,” Ty said as he tossed the bag onto Ryan’s bed and unzipped it.
Ryan nodded, barely paying attention. “This guy I’m talking to is so stereotypically vain it wounds me…”
Ty chuckled, pulling a few items from his bag. “Glad to hear. Now come on, some of this stuff is for you.”
Ryan slapped an away message onto his screen and rolled his chair over to the foot of his bed. “Anything green and leafy?”
Ty smiled and shook his head. “Not today, man.”
Ryan looked through an assortment of the technology Ty had stolen, and his eyes caught sight of a golden medallion.
“Damn, Ty,” he said as he picked up the object. It had a claw-leaf symbol with several lines engraved in it. “Big earring?”
“Not sure what it is,” Ty said as he plucked the medallion from Ryan’s hand. “Only sure it’s worth a lot. It was in the owner’s private stash.”
Ty placed the medallion into his pocket as Ryan rolled back to his computer.
“Well, I suppose I’ll see you in school tomorrow,” Ryan said. “In the meantime…back to trying to find a worthy male suitor.”
Ty packed up his things. “Good luck with the hunt.”
***
Ty walked along the streets of the suburbs as the faint pale glow of street lights provided the only source of illumination.
Ty heard footsteps coming from behind him, but instead of turning around to peek over his shoulder, he looked to the shadows. He saw three silhouettes moving closer to him from behind. One of them was holding a bat.
The teen kept his pace, not wanting his tails to know he was on to them. He made a turn at a corner up ahead before making a break for it.
His pursuers turned the corner and saw that Ty had already gained considerable distance away from them. The pursuers dashed forward to catch their prey.
Ty pumped his legs faster as he heard his pursuers pick up speed. A lop sided grin spread across his face. They were fast, but Ty knew that he was faster.
Something caught his attention through the corner of his eye as a stick was shoved between his legs, causing Ty to trip and skid across the ground face down. He rolled over onto his back just as a muscular man dressed in biker leather placed a boot down on his chest. The man glared down at Ty through a pair of dark sunglasses
“Hey, big guy,” Ty said. “Be a pal and move your foot off my chest, will ya?”
The man increased the pressure of his heel on Ty’s chest.
“Gee, thanks…” Ty said as he struggled to breath.
The men who were chasing Ty caught up and gathered around the teen while holding bats and chains. Ty recognized the man in the center. He was in his mid 20s with hair dyed dark red and pale skin. His glasses hid a pair of bright green eyes. He was dressed in a slick leather jacket. His name was Macus.
“I’m so, so sorry it had to come to this,” Macus said as he patted his bat in the palm of his right hand.
Ty struggled against the foot on his chest. “Somehow I doubt your sincerity…”
One of Macus’s men picked up Ty’s bag and began rummaging through it as Macus crouched down next to Ty’s head.
“I thought I told you to stay away from my part of the city,” Macus said in a soft cold voice. “Was I mistaken?”
Ty shook his head. “You know…kind of hard to talk with tiny’s foot on my chest.”
“Do you know how often people wind up missing in this city? Only to never be found?” Macus said.
“Cut me some slack, Macus,” Ty said. “Those places I knocked tonight weren’t yours…by at least a block or two.”
One of Macus’s men pulled the medallion from Ty’s bag and whistled. “Hey Macus. Check this out.”
He tossed the medallion and Macus caught it. “Nice find, kid…”
“Practice makes perfect,” Ty said.
Macus and his men suddenly felt chills creep down their spikes as they looked up to see a man in a dark trench coat, sunglasses, and white hair. It was Mar’duk.
“I suggest you let the boy go,” Mar’duk said.
Macus narrowed his eyes at the stranger. “I suggest you mind your own damn business…”
Mar’duk smiled as he held his right hand downwards in a loose fighting stance. “By all means, please come try and make me. It’s been far too long since I’ve had a fight.”
“Get this freak,” Macus said as five of his men moved forward to attack.
One of the men lunged forward while swinging his bat horizontally, but Mar’duk leaned backwards and let the weapon pass over him.
Mar’duk straightened his back as the thug swung back towards his head. The white-haired man brought his left hand across his body and caught the end of the bat before it could connect. He then brought his right hand up and struck the thug’s wrist, causing the assailant to loose his grip on the bat as it spun free and into Mar’duk’s hand.
Mar’duk swung low, knocking the legs out from under the thug and bringing the bat around to smash across his chest as the bat splintered and the assailant fell to the ground.
A second thug came at Mar’duk from the left with a flurry of punches that the man managed to block and parry with little difficulty using only his right hand. A third thug came at Mar’duk from his left, so he blocked a blow from the attacking thug and twisted the assailant’s arm behind his chest before swinging him around and tossing him against the third thug.
The fourth attacker tried to sneak in from behind Mar’duk while swinging his bat horizontally, but Mar’duk back flipped over the thug and landed behind him. He reached his left hand around from behind and grabbed the attacker’s chin while slamming an uppercut blow against his back strong enough to lift the attacker off his feet as Mar’duk swung his right arm around for an elbow strike against the man’s chest. The thug crashed to the ground.
Mar’duk immediately spun to his right while snapping a reverse sidekick that smashed against the last thug’s face. He followed by jump sidekicking the thug with his left leg, using the man’s chest as a foot hold while swinging his right leg around in a reverse crescent kick around the man’s head, then snapping out his left leg against the attacker’s collar bone, sending him crashing to the ground.
A feral grin spread across Mar’duk’s face as he turned to face Macus and the heavy-set thug who had his foot on Ty’s chest.
Macus glared at the man as he reached into his jacket. “Screw this…”
He pulled out a handgun and fired several rounds. Mar’duk extended his hand and each bullet vaporized in a streak of golden flame before they could strike him.
The last thug opened his eyes wide with fear, removed his foot from Ty’s chest, and started running down the street as fast as he could.
Macus glared at the man as he slowly backed away. “No one does this to me and gets away with it freak…no one…”
Macus turned and ran in the same direction as the thug, while Mar’duk walked over to Ty and extended his hand.
Ty hesitated as he looked up at the tall stranger.
“No offense, man,” Ty said, “but who the hell are you?”
“Someone who just saved your life,” Mar’duk said as he removed his glasses, revealing his golden eyes. “Now I suggest you listen, so you can do the same for the whole world.”
--to be continued in chapter two...