Fan Fiction / Dead Or Alive Fan Fiction ❯ Dead or Alive Gaiden: Rise of the Fiends ❯ Chapter One: Hell on Earth ( Chapter 1 )

The next two days were a blur for Ryu Hayabusa; stranded amongst the ghosts of his past and present in the Hayabusa village. He didn't even bother to look to the outside world; he sought no contact with old friends and acquaintances. Ryu Hayabusa had in fact fallen into depression. His inability to protect even a few people had pushed him over the edge, and without anything left to fight there was no way to dull the pain. But it seemed that fate had other plans for the so-called “Super Ninja”.

 

Ryu awoke during the night to the sounds of screams. At first he thought he was still asleep and still within his nightmares, but as the haze of sleep lifted, Ryu realized that there were indeed screams coming from outside his little hut. Ryu strode outside and searched for the source of the screams. A volley of automatic gunfire cracked not one hundred feet from Ryu. He snapped around to face the source of the noise and leaped onto the roof of a nearby building.

 

Six Imp Fiends -purple, humanoid creatures with three talons- raced beneath him. Ryu recognized their movements, their formation: they were hunting. Another few shots rang out and the unmistakable cry of a Fiend wailing in pain drew Ryu's attention. He raced over to the origin of the noise and found even more of the Imp Fiends circling around a group of four soldiers. Ryu instantly recognized their uniforms. They were DOATEC-employed soldiers and mercenaries. Suddenly there was a flash of blue and white and one of the Fiends fell dead to the ground; skewered through with a small blade while in mid-leap. A single, feminine form stood between the Fiends and the DOATEC soldiers, her auburn hair tied back in a loose ponytail.

 

Kasumi glared death upon the remaining Fiends, but still they advanced towards her. A single kunoichi didn't warrant much concern amongst the Fiends. Nevertheless, Kasumi held her ground. One Imp Fiend seemed to grow tired of waiting and took the initiative. It sprung forward with talons outstretched, but Kasumi met its charge with her blade at the ready. It was only then that she realized her error. From the corner of her eye, Kasumi spotted a second Fiend leaping towards her.

 

A trap, she realized too late. She had left herself totally exposed.

 

But the piercing and deadly sharp claws of the Fiend never touched her skin. Instead, hot Fiend blood splashed across her as a massive, four-bladed weapon streaked through the air and decapitated both Fiends. The weapon returned to its owner, who was now little more than a hurricane of motion. Ryu was a blur, weaving between the Fiends and tearing them apart before they even had a chance to react. The Fiends were slain in a matter of seconds.

 

Kasumi gasped as Ryu straightened and sheathed the Dragon Sword. “Hayabusa,” she whispered, almost in reverence. The look on her face told Ryu that she half expected him to vanish into thin air. But Ryu didn't move. His piercing green eyes held her own and he spoke a single question.

 

“What the hell is going on here?”

 

But the sound of rapid footsteps drew Ryu's attention away from Kasumi. His eyes snapped to the left as Christie burst through the underbrush and skidded to a stop in front of Kasumi. The cold woman gaped at Ryu in awe. It was a very rare thing to catch her by surprise, but she quickly turned back to Kasumi.

 

“Did you find it?” she asked quickly. Kasumi could only shake her head in response. Christie cursed to herself. “Fan out and keep looking,” she ordered. “It's got to be around here somewhere.”

 

Ryu regarded Christie in silence. Since when did Christie and Kasumi start working together? He wondered to himself. Ryu was even more perturbed by the fact that both women had DOATEC soldiers under their command. The last he had heard or seen of DOATEC was when he and the Mugen Tenshin clan attacked them and destroyed their headquarters. In fact, he was sure that Helena Douglas had destroyed the buildings herself.

 

“What are you looking for?” Ryu demanded. “This is my village and you are not welcome here,” he spoke this more towards Christie; they had crossed paths on previous occasions and it had never ended amicably. Thankfully Kasumi chose this moment to intervene.

 

“My brother sent us here,” she answered quietly and respectfully. “He believed that you possessed a detailed archive on the Fiends. He reasoned that you had compiled it during your travels through the Vigoor Empire. He thought it would give us an edge against them.” Ryu's mind quickly analyzed Kasumi's words, and he came to realize two disturbing things.

 

The first was that for some reason or another, Hayate and Kasumi had allied themselves with the very people they once held a vendetta against. Namely DOATEC and Christie. Secondly, the Fiends had returned. In some way, shape, or form, the Fiends had brought themselves back from the brink of extinction.

 

“I have such an archive,” Ryu said, much to both Kasumi and Christie's elation. “But it is all in here,” he stated, pointing to his head. Both women's faces fell, but Ryu ignored them. “Now tell me, what is going on here?” he demanded. “I thought the Fiends were taken care of.”

 

Kasumi began to speak but Christie cut her off. “It's a long story,” the older woman said carefully. She suddenly seemed very jumpy, a side of her Ryu had never seen before. She constantly checked their surroundings, her eyes sweeping left and right. “And right now we don't exactly have the time to go into detail. I just received word that we've got more than ten Bast Fiends headed this way and I don't want to be anywhere near here when they arrive.”

 

Ryu nodded, understanding the woman's concern. Bast Fiends were dangerous creatures; human-sized and catlike in appearance, the Bast Fiends possessed agility and speed equal to -or surpassing- that of most well-trained ninja. While Ryu had confronted worse odds during his attack on the Vigoor Empire and during his recent imprisonment, he was not eager to take on ten of the deadly Fiends.

 

“Take me to Hayate,” he said. “I must know what has happened during my time away.” Kasumi was quick to comply and Christie nodded her agreement -surprisingly- without much more coaxing.

 

“We've got a chopper E-VAC on its way,” Christie stated just as the helicopter roared into view overhead. A ladder dropped down and Christie, Kasumi, and the DOATEC soldiers were quick to climb it. Ryu, however, remained on the ground. “Hurry up,” Christie called out. From her vantage point up the ladder, she could already see the Fiends closing in.

 

“Gain some altitude,” Ryu said calmly. “I will join you shortly.” At Christie's incredulous look he explained, “I shall never allow these Fiends to gain footing on this land; the land of my people. Never!” Kasumi was taken aback and the harshness of Ryu's voice. The anger and bitterness present weren't something she was used to when hearing Ryu speak. The once-calm voice that had given her support throughout the years was now filled with a deep and boiling rage. Nevertheless, the helicopter began to ascend and lift away from the ground, leaving Ryu alone with the Fiends.

 

Ryu began to gather his power. The seals present for all his Ninpo magics began to take shape and float around his form. Lightning sparked between the seals and ground beneath Ryu was set ablaze. Even so, the temperature of the air around Ryu dropped to freezing levels. Suddenly, with a roar, Ryu exploded his power outward. The cold came first, covering the entire Hayabusa village in a thick layer of ice. Then came the lightning, it sought out everything: whether plant, rock, house, dirt, or Fiend, nothing was safe. The bolts of electricity lanced out from Ryu's form and speared through everything. Finally the fire came. It exploded from Ryu's body with tremendous force. White-hot, it melted down everything within the bounds of the Hayabusa village.

 

Ryu stood at the center of the blast, drained both physically and emotionally. The place that had once been his home was now little more than a smoldering crater. Sighing and drawing in what little strength he had left, Ryu teleported away, reappearing beside Kasumi and Christie in the helicopter. He knew that his answers lay with them…

 

 

Ryu found himself flying high over the city of Tokyo, which now resembled a war zone. Most buildings were smoldering heaps of metal and concrete and a colossal wall surrounded the inner portion of the city. Within the wall, Ryu could already see the signs of human life. While buildings were decrepit on the inside, they at least had some structural stability. There was also some form of electricity, made evident to Ryu by the various streetlights that lined the roads.

 

The helicopter lurched as it lowered and landed on the roof of the centermost building. “Headquarters,” Kasumi had quickly explained. It was large and had most likely been an office building or a hotel before being converted into “headquarters”. But Ryu was still anxious to learn what had befallen his world.

 

Kasumi and Christie led him through the halls of the building to what Ryu hoped would be Hayate. Along the way Ryu spotted individuals whom he recognized from years before. Leifang, Hitomi, and even Jann Lee gazed at him with wide eyes as he strode through the halls. He heard the whispers behind him and soon word of his return had spread throughout the corridors of the great building. Ryu was finally led to a door guarded by two shinobi warriors of the Mugen Tenshin clan. As soon as they saw Ryu, the two ninja bowed their heads in respect. Kasumi opened the door and Ryu followed her and Christie through. It was indeed an office of sorts, but it seemed that Hayate lived here as well. The bed and cabinets along the far side of the room were evidence of that.

 

“We're back,” Kasumi reported quietly. Hayate didn't even look up at her, he was typing away furiously at his computer. Ryu caught a glimpse of what was on the screen and tried to wrap his head around it. It all seemed to be information dealing with living conditions and the defenses of their city.

 

“Did you find anything?” Hayate asked, still not looking up. “Any archive at all?”

 

“Not exactly,” Christie answered on Kasumi's behalf. “Nothing written anyway.”

 

Hayate was about to ask her to elaborate as he turned to face them, but he was struck speechless by the sight of Ryu. Hayate's jaw dropped and his eyes widened. He slowly rose from his seat and moved towards his old friend. “Ryu?” he asked, seemingly afraid that Ryu would disappear.

 

“Hello, my old friend,” Ryu replied sadly. “It has been a very long time.”

 

“By the gods,” Hayate gasped as the realization hit him. The ninja leader was at a loss for words. He attempted to ask but he didn't trust his voice.”

 

“I have many questions,” Ryu said. “As I am sure you do as well.” He turned to the other two in the room -Kasumi and Christie. “I'm sure everyone has questions, but-,” He was cut off as Hitomi barged into the room, breathing hard.

 

“Sir,” she said, addressing Hayate. “It's Muramasa.” Ryu's attention perked at the mention of the old sword smith's name. “He's dying.” Ryu's gaze swung around to the girl. He knew that Muramasa was old, but he never assumed exactly how old the man was. “He requested to speak with Lord Hayabusa before his time came.”

 

Ryu glanced at Hayate, and the other man nodded his approval. Ryu then followed Hitomi. The two sprinted through the halls to Muramasa, now on his deathbed. Ryu was struck by the sight of the man. He looked terrible; little more than skin and bones. He was already a skeleton.

 

“Ah, young Hayabusa,” the old man wheezed out. Ryu stepped forward and knelt by his side. “I have waited for this moment for many years.” A young man stepped forward. Muramasa's apprentice, Ryu reasoned. The young man held out a small wooden box and presented it to Ryu with a bow. Ryu opened the box and gasped at what was held within. “The Dragon's Eye,” Muramasa rasped. “I took it from your village when the Fiends first appeared and have kept it in my possession ever since, waiting for the day that you would return to claim it once again.” Ryu took the jewel in his hand and felt the warmth emanating from it spread through his body. Muramasa smiled silently. “Now that I have seen this done, I can go in peace,” he whispered. The old man's eyes closed for the final time and his body went limp. His breathing stopped; the great Muramasa was no more.

 

Ryu said a silent prayer for the man before turning and walking away; it was another life that he couldn't save. Ryu returned to Hayate; he and his old friend had much to discuss. They were left alone for the remainder of the night and it was then that Ryu was informed on the happenings of the past three years.

 

It was shortly after he disappeared that the Fiends took over Japan. Helena Douglas had been hosting the fifth Dead or Alive tournament in Tokyo at the time. She wanted to hold a tournament that would be devoid of the corruption and ulterior motives of the previous tournaments and she had held true to her word. However during the tournament, the Fiends began their takeover. They had appeared from seemingly nowhere and in a matter of hours they swarmed across all of Japan. To make matters worse, Japan had been completely cut off from the outside world. Helena had immediately ordered her DOATEC soldiers to protect the populous while the wall was built in Tokyo and other cities throughout Japan. In this time of crisis, Hayate was quick to offer the aid of the entire Mugen Tenshin clan and together with DOATEC and the Japanese armed forces; they were successful in holding the Fiends at bay.

 

But times were hard now. Resources were scarce and there was little change in the number of Fiends present. Hayate informed Ryu that their leader was well versed in slaying Fiends, but even their leader was unable to defeat the tremendous multitude of Fiends present throughout Japan.

 

Ryu in turn, explained his own situation. He told Hayate about his imprisonment and his desperate attempt to escape. He spoke of the friends he had made within the frozen hell and how he was unable to save them from their cruel fates. Ryu also had his own questions. Who were the leaders of the Fiends? Were they connected to the Dark Dragon Blade? Had the Vigoor Emperor returned? Was it Murai? But Hayate was unable to answer; he didn't know.

 

Ryu decided that he would get some rest and search for this information later. Hayate made his living arrangements quickly and Ryu was told where to go. He left quietly, surprised to find that it was already dawn. The guard shifts were changing; those that had watched over the city at night were retiring to get some form of fitful sleep. Ryu found his room rather quickly. It was sparse and empty save for a desk with a computer, empty cabinets, and a small bed.

 

Ryu passed by the bed and dropped down to lean against the wall on the far side of the room. He placed the Dragon's Eye in its true place -within the hilt of the Dragon Sword- before placing the sheathed weapon against his shoulder and leaning into it. Hayabusa slept deeply that night, and his dreams were no longer filled with the screams of nameless men and women. Instead, his nightmares were filled with the horrible screams of old friends…

 

 

Ryu woke the next morning to find a light breakfast waiting for him on his desk. He ate quickly and decided to familiarize himself with his surroundings. He discovered an extensive library, a kitchen, conference rooms, and a dining hall. All throughout his exploration he received looks of admiration, reverence, and even contempt. Ryu was about to return to the library to do some research when he passed by a private training room. Normally he wouldn't have paid attention but the sounds coming from within compelled him to enter. They were the sounds of a massive object being swung with tremendous force. It was a familiar sound and Ryu knew what he would find before he entered the room.

 

She was magnificent, a valkyrie in the truest sense of the word. She swung her mighty war hammer -that easily weighed as much as she- with earth-shaking power. Her attacks often left her open, but Ryu doubted that there were many creatures out there that would be able to withstand more than one direct hit from the huge weapon, and those that did would find out firsthand that Rachael was more than just a pretty face. Ryu watched this woman for a few more seconds before she stopped in mid-swing and lowered her hammer. She turned to Ryu and a myriad of emotions flew across her face; elation, hope, and sadness.

 

“When I heard that you had returned,” she began, her voice businesslike and impersonal. “I was skeptical. I thought it too good to be true. You had been missing for so many years and we didn't know what had become of you. The last anyone had seen of you, you were running through Vigoor tracking down your doppelgangers and then all of a sudden both you and the doppelgangers were gone.”

 

“It wasn't my choice, of that I can assure you,” Ryu insisted.

 

“So I was told,” Rachael said in reply. “But so much has happened here. I don't know if even you can save us now.”

 

Images of Benjamin and the others dying flashed across Ryu's vision and sent a shiver down his spine. He shook his head. “I can't save anyone,” he said softly. “But I can kill the Fiends.” He regarded Rachael silently -long blonde hair and deep blue eyes- she was a beauty both on and off the battlefield. “How did you get dragged into this mess all the way here in Japan? I thought you had decided to remain in the Vigoor Empire.”

 

Rachael moved towards the nearest wall and leaned against it, slowly allowing herself to drop to the ground. Ryu sat beside her. “After you disappeared, there wasn't much left for me to do in Tairon or any other part of the Vigoor Empire,” she said. “Fiends were scarce -almost non-existent- and money was tight. When I received the invitation to compete in the DOA tournament…well I couldn't exactly refuse.” She paused and a look of pain and sorrow crossed her face. “I don't know if they were there for me or the other ninja at the tournament, but when the Fiends came, they targeted the tournament at the outset. They attacked Kokoro -the geisha girl- first. During one of the rounds, one just dropped for the sky and ripped her to shreds.” Rachael spoke softly. “I can still hear her screams.”

 

Ryu wished nothing more than to comfort Rachael, to tell her that things would change, that he would change them. But the Dragon Ninja had little faith in his own ability to protect anything at all.

 

“The Fiends swarmed the place in a matter of minutes,” Rachael continued. “And the rest of us just barely managed to make it to safety with all our limbs intact. We holed up in the tournament main complex, but we knew we wouldn't last there for long. Helena gathered all the remaining DOATEC troops and then we handed out weapons to all the fighters and civilians there, and we made a break for this building here. The ninjas and myself were able to hold off the Fiends with little difficulty, but we were quickly surrounded and outnumbered.

 

“I didn't really have a high opinion of Tina's father before and during the tournament,” Rachael said. “But he sacrificed himself to give us a chance. He charged through the mass of Fiends and allowed us to make it to this compound.” She stopped, remembering a terrible memory. “I've never heard anyone else scream the way Tina did when he charged. It was soul shattering. Hayate had to physically sedate her just to keep her from running back to Bass.”

 

Ryu closed his eyes as the scene played itself before his mind. He internalized Bass's charging roar and Tina's screams of distress. They were added to the many more that haunted him in his sleep. “And what of the others?” he asked, fearing the answer.

 

“Brad Wong had a breakdown nearly a year-and-a-half ago,” Rachael answered. “He went on a drinking binge and no one saw him till the next afternoon when we checked his room. He had died in his sleep -in bed. I don't think I'd ever seen him look more at peace. Muramasa passed away last night,” she told him. He nodded his head, having been by the man's side. “And it's horrible to say, but Gen Fu won't last too much longer either; he's ninety-one years old and very sick as it is. His pupil Elliot tries to take care of him, but we all know it's just a matter of time. To make things worse, Leon is in a coma.” Ryu was surprised; he had never pictured Leon even lying down, never mind incapacitated and in a coma. “He's been that way for the past six months. We don't know when -or if- he'll recover.”

 

“And the others?” Ryu asked gently once again, trying not to upset Rachael any further.

 

Rachael sighed, drawing her knees to her chest. “Hayate and Helena are dealing with this the best they can. There was animosity between the ninjas and the DOATEC soldiers at first, but it's been put behind them for the greater good. There are the `Specials' -as they've come to be called- Hayate, Kasumi, Ayane, Christie, Bayman, and Jann Lee. They're the ones sent out on the most missions and assignments. They've become quite adept at fighting the Fiends the way you and I have been doing. Everyone has, but those six are especially good..”

 

Ryu frowned, remembering Kasumi's mistake in fighting the Fiends from the night before. They obviously weren't as good as Rachael would like to believe, but he didn't voice this aloud.

 

“Zack and his wife Nikki have been working hard at trying to reestablish communications with the outside world,” Rachael said. “The two of them can usually be found in the basement labs trying to piece together some old piece of equipment. Tina works directly under me, usually traveling to the other sanctuaries set up throughout Japan, and serving as my ambassador.”

 

Ryu took this information in silently. Zack had seemingly changed much during the past three years, but Ryu reasoned that one would have to mature in order to survive this harsh world. “I can't exactly picture Tina as a calm and collected ambassador,” he said lightly. Rachael smiled in return.

 

“She isn't,” Rachael said with a smirk. “But I didn't want someone calm and easy to push around. I needed someone who thought and spoke like I did. I needed someone forceful who would get my point across when the time came.” Ryu nodded, Tina could definitely do that. “Lisa really helped Tina through Bass's death and she's now working under Helena and with Leifang towards the development of a new superhuman program.”

 

“What?” Ryu growled, shooting up to stand above Rachael. “Who authorized this?” he demanded.

 

“I did,” Rachael answered calmly, standing to meet his gaze. It was then that Ryu realized how much taller than her he was. It wasn't much, but without her high-heeled boots, Rachael stood a good few inches shorter than him. “We need this. I'm well aware of what has happened in the past between DOATEC and the ninja clans, but I can assure you it isn't happening again.”

 

Ryu's glare left him and he leaned back against the wall with a nod. “Forgive me,” he muttered. “I have been away far too long to question your decisions.”

 

But Rachael waved it off. “I would have reacted the same way.” Ryu understood. Rachael, too, had lost much. Her sister Alma's death had been especially difficult on the young woman.

 

“And what of Hitomi?” Ryu asked, remembering the spunky girl from previous tournaments.

 

Rachael shook her head and for a moment Ryu feared the worst. “She doesn't really have much to do with our little band here. She works in the city with the public works programs we've set up. She keeps a small glimmer of hope and optimism for those trying to live their lives within the walls.”

 

Ryu nodded, understanding Hitomi's decision; if he had a choice, he would have chosen the same. He would have wanted to get as far away from the fighting as he could. But as it stood, such a thing was impossible.

 

“And how are you handling all this?” Ryu asked curiously.

 

Rachael chuckled to herself, almost condescendingly. “I do what I can,” she answered. “When they all decided to make me their leader I was shocked -to say the least. But then I saw their faces. They wanted me to lead because I had the most experience in fighting the Fiends so I accepted. And here I am,” she said this last sentence with a sad chuckle.

 

Ryu and Rachael stared at each other for a few moments longer before Ryu forced himself to look away with a frown. He heard Rachael sigh quietly and step away. When Ryu looked up again she had already left. Ryu's gaze lifted to the window and he stared out past the city walls and to the desolate landscape beyond.

 

Something suddenly crossed his mind and Ryu set out with a new purpose. His research would have to wait; he had something to investigate. Little did he know, that what he found would change the entire war and reveal a far greater darkness than anyone had ever even fathomed…