PROLOGUE
Master

He could not hear the crashing of the waterfall directly behind him. He could not feel the droplets of water pelt his body. He could not feel the rough stone ground under his feet. He could not hear the birds chirp in the sky, nor could he feel the warm air around him.

He was aware of nothing, and he was aware of everything. Everything that mattered.

It was as if he were in his own world, surrounded by pure nothingness. His training required utmost concentration. He clenched his fists, covered in padded, fingerless red gloves. He tensed his arm and leg muscles. His red headband, keeping his short, brown hair out of his eyes, fluttered in the afternoon wind, along with the ends of his white karate gi. Ryu was aware of none of this.

He could only hear his master's voice echoing in his mind. The voice of his master, Gouken.

Ryu.

Since adopting you those many years ago, within the walls of my dojo I have watched you grow from a boy to a man...from an awkward novice to my greatest pupil.

Ryu whiffed his punches through the air, silently going through his practice routine in his mind, under his master's words.

I have witnessed you master every form and technique. I have taught you as if you were the one who created them.

Ryu gently swayed from side to side, never staying in one spot too long.

I have seen you find what so many have seen but fail to acheive...the delicate balance between grace...

He took a small leap up and lashed out with a lightning kick in the air.

...speed...

As he landed, he readied himself for the ultimate test. He kneeled down for just a moment, and made a mighty jump, almost completely vertical, fist outstretched to the sky, cutting through the raging waterfall as though it were nothing.

...and power.

Satisfied with his progress, Ryu deemed his training for the day complete. He walked away from the waterfall and headed his way into the woods just off of the mountain on which his master had erected his dojo, reflecting all the way.

You stand at the brink of becoming everything I had hoped you would become...or possibly everyhing I had feared.

Ryu walked slower, giving his words the contemplation they deserved.

You have come far since you began your journey, driven by the same desire for perfection that I once saw in another, many years ago...

Stopping at the first tree he saw, he reached out and ran his hand across the thick, rough bark of the tree before taking the time to sit crosslegged on the cool, soft grass, arms akimbo.

He, too, completely dedicated himself to mastering our Ansatsuken arts, but his journey took him down a vicious and brutal path, His quest to fufill his fighting potential awoke in him a reckless brutality. His training had taken him to a crossroads...to pursue greatness with honor and purity of heart...or to allow his desire for victory to become a murderous need.

Ryu closed his eyes.

When faced with his choice, he chose to sacrifice his humanity for the sake of power.

The wind picked up slightly, rustling the leaves and growing colder.

These are the same crossroads that you will soon reach...and this is the same desicion that is still yours to make.

Ryu opened his eyes to see the sky dimming from a pale blue to the deep orange that signified sundown.

There is a side of you that you must confront, as must all of us who choose to devote our lives to the pursuit of our arts. You must face the part of you that ruthlessly craves to win, even when the price is too high...when the price of victory is taking human life.

Ryu heard someone behind him.

All of us who chose the way of the warrior must eventually do one thing.

He turned his head, and stood up in surprise. Before him stood a familiar man. The clothes he wore were dark and tattered, but otherwise identical to Ryu's. Indeed, everything about the man mirrored Ryu perfectly, except for his eyes. His eyes glowed with a deep red, burning inside with desire...a desire to kill, and a desire to win. As Ryu stared at this new arrival, he could sense a whispering noise inside his own mind, but it was much quieter than the voice of his master.

We must face ourselves.

Ryu took his stance, and, with a yell, pulled back his arm.

And fight.

When he struck out to deliver his punch, his dark side leapt upward to avoid it. Ryu ducked to avoid the spinning kick attack from the air that almost knocked him down.

And...

Ryu lashed out with a side kick, but his dark side was too quick and leapt backward.

Decide...

Ryu pulled back his hands and summoned up his ki to form a bright blue ball in his hands. His dark side mimiced his actions perfectly, bringing up a ball of dark energy.

Who...

Ryu let loose with a massive burst of power from his hands.

You...

His dark side struck out at the exact same time.

Truly...

The dark energy punched through Ryu's as though it didn't even exist and continued on to knock Ryu to the ground. He screamed out and attempted to get his bearings, but failed and crumbled to the ground.

Are.

Ryu grunted and moaned in pain on the ground. His clothes were singed from the blast of near-lethal energy, smoking as though set aflame. He could feel the prescence of his dark side staring at him with those bright red eyes. The whispers in his mind slowly picked up in volume, but not enough to make them out.

The battle may be difficult. Negativity, wrath, and cruelty often seem to overcome goodness, peace, and honor...

Ryu finally found the energy to pick himself up. In one swift motion, je sent himself forward at his foe, and lashed out with a direct kick to his chest...

But his dark side was no longer there.

Ryu turned quickly, but it was too late. His doppelganger grinned at him with a horrible smile, one of hatred and murderous intent. His knee found its way into Ryu's back as he was suspended into the air, long enough for his foe to speed around him and lodge his fist in Ryu's gut. Then he grabbed Ryu by the shoulder, his fist crackling with dark purple energy, and knocked Ryu back onto the ground with a mighty uppercut from his chest to his chin. Ryu found himself facedown on the ground and with no ability to fight back.

But in the taunting face of your dark half, you cannot give up.

Ryu shook his head clear and tried to support himself. He was too busy getting his sense back to notice his dark half having leapt into the air with superhuman strength and now falling towards his back at great speeds.

Ryu...my pupil...

Ryu's face was pummeled into the ground as his dark enemy landed on him, sending shocks of pain up Ryu's back,

I hope you will fufill your limitless potential, not by succumbing to your power, but by mastering it.

The dark side held Ryu's head down with one powerful hand. Ryu attempted to look through his fingers at what was going on.

Every light must have its darkness.

Ryu's dark half pulled back his fist for a fatal punch. Ryu could tell from his position that it could easily crush his head. Ryu began to sweat in fear.

But do not let yours defeat you...



"RYU!!!"

His eyes shot open. It was the afternoon again, and the birds were cawing in the air. He took a moment to catch his breath and consider his situation. Then he remembered what woke him from his dream-like state.

That cry...it was Master Gouken's!

Ryu charged up the mountain with astonishing speed. He passed through the archway that led to the wooden dojo. He looked up to see the sign above the door smashed into pieces.

But no...

Ryu stepped across the threshold, to the door.

It couldn't be...

He slid the door open and looked inside. The windows, streaming the sunlight in, were broken, as were the walls. A great struggle had obviously taken place. And in the very back of the room, sitting against the wall, was Ryu's master, Gouken, sitting in his own dried blood. Above him was a symbol, and from the bloodstains leading downward, it was clear it was drawn in Gouken's blood after he was killed.

Ten. The symbol for heaven.

Ryu could only scream.