Ghen-Lee: The Blaze Warrior (Part One: Lodestar... Beginning Of It All) (Chapter 1: Even Scum's Make Warriors
Eric Johnson

 

The swift gentle breeze infiltrated the paths of a small city known as Targoi. The day as crisp and serene, as the roads were filled with locals. The homes presented themselves as large or small, each revealing the extent of personality within its owner. The people carried on with their objectives, their eyes focusing on their main goals and targets. It appeared to be another ordinary day in an ordinary place; or so it seemed. Without warning, a teeneage boy rushed through the traffic of citizens. He squeezed and squirmed through the blitzing path; however he maintained his will to extract out of the ruckus.
�����Escaping out of the crowd, he bolts through the dusty path frantically. His hair was spiky, mahogany color along with his brown eyes sparkling in the sun. He wore a red sleeveless shirt with light, metallic armor tied to his shoulders. He possessed black and red gloves with black wristbands revealing his biceps. His shins also contained metal armor as well as his black boots snug tight to his calves. His black belt maintained support to his red pants while a black headband dangled across his forhead.
He continues his race until eventually he decelerated to a large dojo. The structure was superior beyond the average dojo; in fact it was one of the best training arenas on Earth! It was known as the Dante Nikai. The best place to perfect the skills of a fighter. The rooftop contained a large fireball on top of it's anterior. The teen smiled as he reaches the wooden steps leading to the door. Unfortunately, the door burst open with more teens exiting out of the Dante Nikai. Each ranging from bulky to scrawny; however all showing the same fierce look once spotting the mahogany haired teen.
�����"Aw, man," sighed the teen. "I'm late!" One teenager approached him with an unpleasant grin on his face. He twitched his nose in anticipation almost waiting for the mahogany haired teen to strike. The child recoiled not in fear, however the rest of the posse assumed it. He was an immense teenager with a black close crop head. His eyes were dark brown with thin black straps wrapped around his waist. Attached to the straps were two scrolled freshly written and designed. His upper body was naked revealing his muscular physique. His black pants waved by the distant breeze with a green dragon logo near the thighs.
"Well, if it isn't Ghen-Lee the Reject," sniffed the bulky teen. The other students, apparently with the muscular fighter, chuckled at the joke as the bully sucked his teeth. It seemed as if the group responded to his strength; despite his age he was a large specimen.
�����"Ukiku," growled the mahogany haired teen known as Ghen-Lee. "What do you want?" Ghen-Lee watches as the giant Ukiku stares him down wilking around him in circles. Ghen-Lee stood his ground luckily, eyeballing his exact movements.
"I didn't see you in the dojo, too bad. We were teaming up to test our strength. Fortunately, for you--you were my opponent, but your spineless carcass never showed up!
�����"I was busy," replied Ghen-Lee. "I was mending to my Great-Grandfather Wenshei's chores. We can finish this fight tomorrow if you please." Ukiku's muscles bulged as Ghen-Lee's awareness increased. He chuckles at Ghen-Lee's comment as he moves close to him. The tension was mounting while the group of fighters who were supposed to go home merely stared on to see Ghen-Lee's annihilation.
"A write-off assisting a write-off, how adorable. You Mokovaru's are a disease to any Blaze Warrior. Just looking at you gives me an upsetting twist in my stomach!" Ghen-Lee flinched at his remarks as he clinched his fists firmly. His anger begins to boil, steaming effortlessly while Ukiku continued his insults. "Say riff-raff, why don't you do all of us a favor and use your pathetic Blaze skills to cremate that relic known as Wenshei!"
�����Abruptly, Ghen-Lee erupted a ball of flames through his fist as it impacts Ukiku without warning! Ukiku lands on his back with a thud, looking at the smoldering marks on his chest. He grins with fury rising to his feet; the crowd increased as the teens ranted Ukiku's name. Ghen-Lee places himself in a unique Martial Arts stance while he advances toward his opponent. "It's one thing to talk about me and my predecessors--but it's another to mock my Wenshei!"
"Bring it on you lowlife of a Blaze Warrior."
�����"That's enough!" shouted a voice. The cloud of teens divorced to let room for another male teen. His hair was spiky, jet black with pure black eyes. His uniform was addressed in a dark red Gi with tight black boots which reveal the calve muscles. Under the Gi was a rigid black shirt with red wristbands and leather gloves. He approached the middle of the conflict staring down both fighters. Ukiku immdiately drops to his kness groveling quietely at the polished shoes of the mysterious teen. Ghen-Lee directed attention at the newcomer but did not mimicked Ukiku's actions.
"Forgive me for my act of aggressiveness, Sensei Skorr," he pleaded. "the Mokovaru child disgraced me with his pitiful appearance and coming to the Dante Nikai at late times. Surely, you must understand me?"
�����"Get on your feet Ukiku," said the teen named Skorr. "Kissing the hand of your trainer is an act of weakness. Isn't that right Ghen-Lee?" Ghen-Lee's anger shifted to Skorr, the sensei approached Ghen-Lee similar to that of Ukiku. It seemed as if everyone was against him. "The fact that you were appalled by his cursed pedigree and act of reaching the doors of the Dante Nikai late is justified. However, conflcit of the matter shall not be issued outside the premises."
"But he started it my..."
�����"Enought excuses, Ukiku!" roared Skorr. "A true Warrior does not let anger blind his judgment, sympathy, nor repent. Now you be gone, before I reconsider taking that scroll that I gave to you earlier." Ukiku scrambles to his feet scampering away from the scene. The menacing look from Skorr was a clear sign for the onlookers to proceed with their daily tasks. Skorr turns back around to the doors of the dojo with Ghen-Lee looking back at him. The teen presented himself in such a majestic yet arrogant way of method. It was a sight for Ghen-Lee himself to be impressed by, nevertheless is admiration was silenced once Skorr aimed his finger at him.
"What are you waiting for scum!" he spat. "Get in my dojo, right now!" Ghen-Lee slowly follows the sensei of the dojo. The interior was jsut as marvelous as the exterior; the walls were smoothly polished along with the floors. Thousands of scrolls and plaques perched on the walls presenting a great honor within the Dante Nikai. Ghen-Lee always shown great respect inside; his difficultied sadly were with the other fighters. Skorr stopped as Ghen-Lee parrotted his actions.
�����"So," said Skorr. "Why did you attack him?" Ghen-Lee was shocked that he believed Ukiku's worthless confession. His anger rebuilds yet again as he stared down Skorr from behind. Skorr could sense his rage yet continues walking again.
"Figures you'd take that brute's side!" snapped Ghen-Lee, with resent. "Let me guess why--because my elders led to the destruction and collapse of the Blaze Realm? And because of that, I'm treated like an outcast since I carried their blood!" Skorr smiles evilly at Ghen-Lee as they reached the upper levels of the dojo.
�����"I see you're catching on," he smirked. Ghen-Lee sighed; he knew it was pointless to befriend or even converse with anybody in Targoi. As long as he held the Mokovaru name, all fighters would shun him. Skorr approaches a smoothly carved table with several scrolls on top. He scans them while Ghen-Lee waits for another reply. Realizing that he wasn't going to get a response, he decides to talk again.
"What's the purpose of bringing me here, Skorr?"
�����"Regardless if you were working, busy, or just didn't decide to come you do not have the authority to miss the entire training period. Especially not the graduation of Blaze Warriors-in-training." Ghen-Lee speculates if he would even get his diploma from Skorr. Despite never missing any days from the year-bound Dante Nikai, all it takes was one mistake for the sensei to send him on his way. His surname clearly banned second chances and renaissances.
Abruptly, Skorr hands him a tied scroll placing it on his hands. "Ghen-Lee looked flabbergasted; Skorr has done some bizarre things, but never to this extent!
�����"Congratulations, scum! You've graduated from the Dante Nikai."
Ghen-Lee takes a bow showing a sense of deference to Skorr. Despite the entire town hating him, with the exception of his great-grandfather, Skorr is the only person who shos just a fraction of respect to Ghen-Lee. Unfortunately, he's positively Ghen-Lee's most feared rival. "I'm honored."
�����"You should be more than honored, you should be blessed! Here take this as well." Skorr offered Ghen-Lee another scroll as the fighter accepted it. "This is the invitation to the great tournament approaching."
"Great tournament?" questioned Ghen-Lee.
�����"Wepjin Jopanin also referred to as the Master Warrior has issued a great invitation to all powerful fighters across the world. It shall be a conquest to see who has the greatest strength of all warriors universally." Ghen-Lee's eyes widened; he had heard many rumors of this tournament but never thought he would be accepted to it. Ghen-Lee knew that only Skorr performed this act, but for what purpose? "This is your instructions of what to do once the tournament finally approaches. In one year, all the warriors will be in a preliminary round trail. You shall face and battle warriors across the world to build a status worthy of Wepjin. If acceptable you will participate in the Master Warrior's tournament!"
Ghen-Lee couldn't process his thoughts. Ideas swept through his mind rapidly as he blinks several times. "Thank you Skorr. You don't know what this means to me."
�����"Don't take this personal for I am participating in the tourney as well. And nothing would be more satisfying than extracting revenge from you!" Ghen-Lee gulped as he recalled the previous dual he had with the sensei of the dojo. "Now beat it scum, don't come to me until the Lodestar is set."
"Lodestar," queried Ghen-Lee.
�����It's on the scroll now be gone!" Ghen-Lee takes off out of the dojo with new visions being portrayed in his mind. Skorr watches the sunset slowly as he begins to move forward to the table. He reaches on the top of the counter to grab hold of several candles. He places them on the table placing his thumb and pointing finger at the tip of the first candle. Without warning, flames erupted at the tip due to the intense heat emitted off his finers. Skorr swayed to the next one to perform the same motive.
"How dare you mocked my authority, Skorr Jua-Kang?" Skorr turned to see an elder man enter the premises. He had long black spiky hair with sharp piercing eyes and thin lips. He was addressed in a black Changbao with red slippers. He flared fiercly at Skorr while he lights the candles calmy. "I did not want that Mokovaru entering he tournament, you heard me! I clearly stated that three scroll to be given to our top-elite students!"
�����"And why do yuo think I gave it to him, Uncle Daunli?" asked Skorr. He increased the flames with a tip of his finger. "I gave three scrolls to those who I think will prove their worth in this journey. Those names were Ukiku Yamiko, Qu'y Dintito, and Ghen-Lee Mokovaru."
"I will not have that cursed boy in the tournament!" thundered Daunli.
�����"If he's such an reject, then you have nothing to fear, am I correct?" Veins appeared on Daunli's forehead as the candle's flames reacted to his anger. The flames completely devoured the waxed candles and surfaced on the table feeding on the wood sluggishly. Skorr frowned turning to his enraged uncle.
"What is this?" queried Daunli. "A act of resentment to your own uncle? A method of getting the Mokovaru back for the only defeat you ever succumb, or maybe you want to befriend with the bloodline of murderers? WHAT IS IT MY NEPHEW?"
�����"I do not resent you in any form," answered Skorr smoothly. "Unfortunately, I did not lose to Ghen-Lee for the battle ended in a draw. Yet neither did I win either, so we shall leave my dual as a loss. However, it is not completely the cause of enlisting him despite the fact that I am still incensed from that fight." The table suddenly became engulfed by blaze, collapsing while the flames shifted to a reddish color to a blackish red pigment. Due to Skorr's unleashed abilities, an aura emitted around Skorr as he stepped to his uncle with confidence. "And I ensure you it's not an act of friendship. His kind led to our departure, led to the demise of the realm that we build with our bare hands. Led to the death of my father who taught me the Dark Blaze Art. Your brother, which you also mourn for." Daunli sighed placing his hands on Skorr's shoulders. His infuriated expression shifted to a depressed look, trying to penetrate reasoning to Skorr's decision.
"Then what is it then?"
�����"I believe you're underestimating the strength of this boy," said Skorr. His eyes flashed as the black flames deceased with the table lfet in smolders. "Even scum's have potential, even scum's have purpose, and even scum's can become warriors. Despite his heritage belonging to the genocidal name, he is worthy of my recommendation! He has proved his strength throughtout the years of training and you know it. He is our top student here with the exception of me. There is nothing you can do to change my decision, Uncle Daunli. He will participate, and that is final!"
Skorr brushed past Daunli with a bit of arrogance entwisted with conviction. Before he leaves to the lower floors, he turns back to his uncle with a cocky grin on his face. "And if it happens that he and my paths cross and we were to battle yet again, I shall do it the honorable way as I was taught. I will restore Skarr Jua-Kang's name by killing Ghen-Lee Mokovaru in combat fair and square. And I will return his blood back to Targoi Village to all the Blaze Warrior's to prove his departure! That is why he's in the tournament, which is why I'm in the tournament. That is what my father would want from us, from his beloved son!"

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Copyright © 2007 Eric Johnson
Published on the World Wide Web by "www.storymania.com"