Fan Fiction ❯ The Sprit Chronicles ❯ Episode 1-The Lone Warrior Cloud Seraph ( Chapter 1 )

We all wonder what makes a hero. Is it a big sword or dashing good looks? Now no one said a hero couldn't have all these traits as well but a true hero is one who fights despite the odds for someone other than themselves. It is the quest to become a hero that leads many from their homes, families, and friends. But our story is about a member of the those select few who do not seek fame and glory nor do they believe that they are anything remotely similar to a hero. This is the story of a young man named Cloud and his own path as he learns first hand what truly makes a hero....

Episode I: The Lone Warrior Cloud Seraph

A young man probably in his late teens trained in the lush countryside. His movements are fluid as he works tirelessly to increase his strength and speed. His long black hair moved in the wind ever so slightly due to the tight band holding it in place.

A large stomping called his attention as several ogres stomped toward him. Each one looked uglier and stupider than the next.

"Me smash you crash." The leader rhymed in the typical way of his species. He was one of the largest ogres.

The fighter just smirked and charged at the ogres. Now a human charging three full grown bull ogres is considered suicide. But this young man was different somehow. Several strange occurances then happened simultaneously. One, a sword composed of pure spirit energy appeared in the man's hand. Two, he used it to give the ogres minor injuries. Finally, the ogres turned and ran.

With a simple flick of his wrist the spirit sword dispersed and he returned to his training. After several hours he finally ceased his katas and journeyed into the small cottage that was his home. "Hn, time to find some food." With that he began the trek into town.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY!!!" A gruff voice demanded the store owner. People were dropping whatever they were doing to watch with anticipation of a fight.

A young girl with fiery red hair and emerald green eyes, probably no older than 16 began to beat her fists against the giant of a man's chest. "Leave my grandfather alone! " She was immediately backhanded a good ten feet away.

"Maybe I'll just take your granddaughter instead. I'm sure she'd make a nice concubine for me."

"Leave her out of this Hietan. I beg of you."

Hietan's only response was to kick the man solidly in the stomach before turning to look at the teenage girl with a sick hunger lingering in his eyes.

"I would step away from her if I were you," Cloud voice rang out through the silence of the crowd like the bells atop a cathedral. Several brawny men stood up to him before they began to jeer and taunt him.

"So what if we don't kid?"

"Go home to your mother."

That was the final straw as Cloud's eyes glowed bright blue as did the rest of his body before the two men who had verbally attacked him were flung across the square.

Five others were quick to step in as they all took out weapons and jumped hoping to beat him to death. With a smirk, Cloud pulled his right hand back as it glowed dark red with his spirit power. "Onada Shotgun!" With that he let lose a mass of fireballs which all connected with the inteded targets.

Stepping over the smoking bodies, Cloud faced Hietan with a cold stare. "I suggest you give up now before you lose this fight and your life."

"NEVER!!!" Hietan charged the younger fighter only to find a palm in his face that had a large ball of spirit energy harnessd into it. "Renkai Gan!" A blue beam was issued from his hand and engulfed Hietan in unbelievable light.

Then the whispers began like a wildfire, each person putting in their two cents before the square buzzed with conversation. Cloud just ignored them all before turning to the poor store owner and his granddaughter. The redhead then stood up and looked up at him, even though she was trying to act brave he could tell she was afraid of him.

He touched the bruise on her cheek gingerly before adding "You should get that looked at because it's already starting to swell." Her eyes blazed before she smacked his hand away. "Who the hell do you think you are?! I had everything under control before you had to come and show off!"

"I was not trying to show off miss, I just wanted to help."

"You mean you wanted to prove how macho you are, you sexist pig!"

Cloud sweatdropped as the schoolgirl continued to rant on him. Only about half a dozen knights approaching on armored horses calmed her. Judging by the crests on their breastplates they were the King's guards.

"Excuse me but are you Cloud Seraph?" The captain asked him through the visor.

"Yes I am, why do you ask?"

This stopped the scholgirl cold, she had heard stories of Cloud Seraph. People said he was a horrible monster and was always killing humans for pleasure. Several of the amazons who came by said he had injured them then left them to die slowly but they survived.

"We need your help. If you would follow us to Castle Roogna, all will be explained." The captain said before he and his men rode away.

"You're the legendary Cloud Seraph?" The redhead asked in a strangely small and timid voice.

"Yes that I am," Cloud said before smiling. "And you are?"

"Yukimara Kasumi."

"Nice to meet you Yukimara-san. Now I must get going."

He's nothing like the stories, Kasumi though as Cloud walked away, he is incredibly strong and yet seems so gentle he wouldn't hurt a fly. Then there is his aura. It's demonic and yet it seems holy at the same time. You are an enigma Cloud Seraph, one that I intend to solve. Looking around her, she noticed the rest of the villagers had went about their business with the exception of herself.

"Come now Kasumi, you need to finish your schoolwork and your chores." Her grandfather beckoned from the store. With a sigh, Kasumi followed him in and went into her room to finish her work.

Gah, why can't I concentrate. I keep thinking about Cloud and wondering about who he really is. Kasumi, calm yourself, he's just some guy you met. Nothing to lose sleep over. "Stop kidding yourself." a snide voice replied before Kasumi was tackled from behind.

"Mari..stop that tickles..." Kasumi gasped as she squirmed under her best friend. She was then released a looked at Mari with an evil glare. The girl was slightly shorter than herself, coming up to being 5'5", With ice blue hair and similarly colored eyes she was what one would call a knockout in the looks department.

"So I want all the details on what happened with you and that guy? You know with long black hair and blue eyes."

"I figured you would ask me about it eventually," Kasumi sweatdropped before dulging out all the details she knew about the mysterious fighter named Cloud Seraph. Mari listened to her story intently before finally asking a question.

"So he's better than you are?" She asked hesitantly. Kasumi's fighting skills as well as her pride and temper were infamous at Ryu High School where they both attended. Kasumi was one of the best female martial artists in the country of Nanka and had participated in several tournaments.

"Yeah, he could beat me in less than a millisecond. I mean I could feel this aura of power emitting from him. When he released that move on Hietan I could feel a small extent of his power in that brief second it took for the blast to connect. It almost overwhelmed me. His spirit power must be in the high hundred-thousands or low millions."

"But that would make him stronger than any human who ever lived."

"Not quite, there are eight humans called the Sages who have unbelievable powers. I'm not sure how he would fare in a fight against one of them, but I can almost guarantee that it would be close."

"Isn't Master Jin a sage himself?"

"Hai, Master Jin is the Sage of Courage."

"Hn, so was Cloud cute?" Mari asked slyly, giving the other girl a knowing wink.

Kasumi fell to the ground upon hearing this, when she got up there was a vein throbbing in her temple and a blush across her nose and cheeks before she smacked Mari with a pillow.