There are many fighters in the world; great fighters, skilled fighters, ones that gain their abilities from training, from clans, from bloodlines. There are those known throughout the world as fierce, as formidable, those whose mere names strike fear into their enemies. But none such fighters have had this affect more than Tsuno the Leviathan, ruler of the greatest clan in all of Earth. And none has caused as much destruction…

His story began with the Behemoth, ruler of the Quake Lands in the Desolate Deserts, who wanted to rule the Earth. But while his clan, the Desert Demons, was one of the greatest in the world, he shared his rule with two other great powers.

The first opponent was the Dragon, ruler of the Blaze Mountains – giant lands of rock, fire and lava that levitated above the clouds. He too wished to rule, though his plan was not as evolved as the Behemoth’s and when his kingdom was struck, he had no choice but to immediately jump into the fray.

The second opponent that stood in the way of his tyranny was Tsuno the Leviathan, ruler of the great Aegean Sea and the Kingdom of Atlantis – the greatest kingdom in the world. He and his people were peaceful and prosperous, but when the Behemoth and Dragon threatened to wage war, the Leviathan had no choice but to raise his army and stand against the annihilation of his people.

And with this began the War of the Three Great Masters.

A war that ravished the world for over twenty years.

The first to fall was the Leviathan. Fuelled by greed and power, the Dragon was easily swayed to join the Behemoth. They struck at the heart of Atlantis and the battle was fierce. But Tsuno, with all his might, stood against the two opposing grandmasters. Even so, even on his territory, with the might of the entire ocean behind him, the Behemoth and the Dragon managed to defeat him and sink most of the Kingdom of Atlantis to the bottom of the ocean. And with that horrific blow, they turned a three way war into one kingdom against another.

Or so they thought.

The Leviathan, as well as a good portion of his men had survived the final assault on his kingdom, and as such, prepared for their next battle. But the Leviathan was not a foolish man. He knew he had been hurt, wounded by his enemies. So, while his men waited, and watched in the shadows as the other two kingdoms warred with each other, he planned to gain more power, the only way he could think of.

Following the legends, he found the Void Pond, a body of water that led to another realm, the realm of demons and evil, the realm known as Abyss. Tsuno, making a sacrifice that he knew he might live to regret entered this realm and through means that have gone unrecorded for years, gained power over the forces of darkness. When he emerged from the pond, he emerged as something different, something stronger.

Something evil.

The days of a peaceful, fair Leviathan were gone. No, these were the days of a tyrant, a ruthless killer. One that was revealed when he struck the Behemoth at the heart of his kingdom and slaughtered his men with his new found power. The Behemoth armies, tired and wounded from battle, after battle, after battle with the Dragon, fell quickly. Using powers not seen before, the Leviathan killed the Behemoth and the war raged on, the sand warriors falling to the blades of the water ninja. And when the Behemoth’s army surrendered, the Leviathan gave one command.

Slaughter them all.

And they did. His army killed every last Behemoth warrior they could find, until finally, the last sand ninja was murdered. With the fall of the Clan of the Behemoth, it was now a war between the Dragon and the Leviathan. The former was stronger but the latter had no home, had no consciences, and had nothing to lose.

However, there was one problem that the Leviathan needed to overcome; his armies could not get above the clouds to the Dragon’s kingdom. But the Leviathan’s new-found powers ensured that he was not as helpless as his men. He rose to the Blaze Mountains and assaulted the Dragon’s armies by himself. Everyone thought it was a fool’s errand, a suicide mission, but none knew that the Leviathan had a plan. And he succeeded, managing to do what no one thought was possible: he released the ancient magic holding up the Blaze Mountains, sending them crashing into the earth, destroying everything beneath them. Destroying everything on them.

It was a move that shocked the world, and filled every soul with immense fear. In one swift attack, Tsuno had single-handedly destroyed most of the Dragon Clan. But even so, he was not done. With the Dragon dead at his feet, the Leviathan aimed to massacre the rest of the fire ninja. And there was no one left to oppose him, to oppose his rule, a rule that would surely turn into a hundred years of tyranny. There was no other clan left to fight.

So his son, Kozu, fought him instead.

Believing that with his new-found power, with his new ruthlessness and thirst for blood controlling him, Tsuno would bring about more destruction. Destruction that Earth would not survive. There were many who agreed, following Kozu in his stand against his father. And so, the greatest clan in the world, the only remaining ruling clan, split into two: one side with Tsuno, believing that power and destruction were key to ruling Earth, and other with Kozu, who believed that a new leader was necessary. And what began as a world war became a civil one, a war vying for the title of Leviathan.

The war was violent, but quick, both sides exhausting each other in mere weeks. And at the end of those weeks, the war came down to the two leaders: Kozu, son of the Leviathan, and Tsuno, the Leviathan himself. The battle took place in the ruins of Atlantis and caused more destruction to the once majestic kingdom. Skills that Kozu had never thought of using were forced to reveal themselves against this enemy. Finally, Tsuno managed to knock his son down and it seemed that the warrior had failed. But as he lay there, beaten and bruised, with a broken arm and blurry vision, Kozu realised that if he did not defeat his father here, countless others would be massacred.

The Leviathan’s son pulled himself to his feet. He raised his blade and with only one arm, he vowed to destroy Tsuno. The epic clash continued and strike, after counterstrike, the battle neared its end. Finally, after hours of battle, after using the forces of darkness, wind and water to try cripple one another, Tsuno used his final ability, opening a vortex to Abyss, one that threated to swallow Atlantis.

Men and women were sucked into the void, the force of the vortex ripping the kingdom apart, stone by stone. Kozu, having no other choice, revealed his final power: his control of ice. With his new-found power, he froze the waters surrounding Atlantis, catching his warriors and holding the city in place. Saving all ninja of the Leviathan Clan, he made one final blow against his father, sending Tsuno into his own vortex, closing it for good. And after the battle, he stood there, on the highest part of what remained of the torn-down, sunken Atlantis, and at the mere age of seventeen, he vowed to return his clan to their former glory.

And the remaining warriors of the clan bowed.

The new Leviathan had risen.

Thirty years would pass without incident. The Behemoth and sand ninja would fade into history. The remaining members of the Dragon Clan would rebuild. And the Leviathan Clan would grow, restoring Atlantis and taking their rank as strongest clan in all of Earth. There would be battles, and there would be villains, but the Leviathan ensured that peace reigned. But, like all times in history, peace must eventually come to an end.

And, like many times in history, this peace would end in just one moment…

2: Chapter 1: The Demon and the Cyborg

Pytho felt strange being back at this clan's hideout.

The Clan of the Leviathan… a clan of honourable warriors and ninja.

It made him sick! Under the rule of Tsuno, they could have been different, so much more. The most powerful clan on Earth, they could have been known for their ruthlessness; assassins trained to kill with no mercy, no regard for life. But instead, they were known as something else. Instead they were soldiers hired to protect instead of kill, defend instead of assault and rescue instead of torture.

Ever since Kozu – otherwise known as the Leviathan – had taken over the clan as Grandmaster, he had turned them into a laughing stock. A clan with no teeth, a clan of peace.  Pytho grunted to himself. As much as he wanted to go in and rip Kozu’s head clean off, he could not. His mission was to infiltrate and retrieve a document, that was all.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, Pytho's partner in crime, the lethal cyborg, Hades, was sneaking into another clan. His mission was the same, but the clan was clearly different and he had no hatred towards their leader. In fact, he was trying his best not to run into this clan's leader. Because the leader of the Clan of the Dragon, the actual Dragon, was a man named Kalor. He was famous for attacking first and asking questions later, and while there were many warriors in the world that Hades was sure he could handle without too much effort, Kalor wasn’t one of them. No, this Dragon was stronger, strong enough to rebuild his clan from the bottom. He wasn’t to be trifled with.

Both warriors infiltrate the temples from the roof – one covered in shadows of the storm clouds and the other hot from running lava surrounding it. They descended the temples quickly, dodging enemies, hiding themselves. It was far harder for Hades. He had attacked at night, not taking into account that every corridor would be lit up. Pytho had hit the temple in the day time, but the clouds provided many shadows and there were many more dark places within the temple. His abilities over darkness certainly came in handy.

He put his back to a wall that had a shadow and concentrated his chi. Like every living creature capable of manipulating their chi, his travelled through his body, making its way into his blood, his organs, his bones, his skin. And, like Kozu’s ability to manipulate wind and water, and Kalor’s control over lightning and fire, Pytho had a little element of his own: darkness. By concentrating, Pytho had developed the perfect way around the temple. Using his chi, infusing it with his entire body, Pytho merged with the shadow of the wall and moved at lightning speed passed anyone and anything that would have possibly stood in his way. He was just a passing shadow, only seen by the most skilful of warriors. And in Pytho's eyes, there was not a lot of skill in this clan.

He searched through each room, trying to find what he was looking for until, finally, after seeing training exercises, battle scenarios and new recruits breaking under the pressure of being a ninja, the assassin had found his target. The document that was lying on one of Kozu's general's desks. Pytho watched as the general was sifting through his papers, searching for something.

I guess we both have something in common, Pytho thought as he circled the room, coming up behind the general.

The demon had a wicked look in his eyes as his head and arms slowly emerged from the dark of the wall, like something out of a nightmare stretching from a void, a monster ready to strike at any moment. He brought his hands closer to the man's neck and practically smelled death as he thought of murdering the general. And the smell excited him. The assassin was going on a natural high. However, he was knocked back to reality when he remembered what his client had said: "You cannot kill anyone. If they so much as catch a whiff of you there, this mission would have been for nothing." Damn her and her pathetic schemes! Pytho was an assassin, a born killer.

And yet…

He retreated back into the wall and waited for the general to leave. He emerged completely this time and searched for the document he was sent to retrieve. He found it and scanned it, reading it all, all that he could, memorising every important detail. Then he was done, ready to turn around and merge with the wall again, until he noticed something else on the desk. He hadn't noticed it before for some odd reason which was strange, because a knife plunged into the desk tends to catch people’s attention.

He turned and looked at it, but the knife wasn't the interesting thing. It was what it was stabbing. It was plunged into a picture of a woman in her early thirties. Clearly the general was angry at her for some reason. She was gifted with electrifying blue eyes that seemed to see straight into the soul. Her smile, while happy, seemed to have a disturbing undertone. She had long black hair that was swaying in one direction – the wind must have been blowing that day – and a suspicious look on her face. He turned to the file next to her picture. It was an investigative report from one of the water ninja, a spy, who was following Adura. That seemed very strange to Pytho. Why was the Leviathan Clan spying on Kozu's wife – one of their leaders?

She was a powerful sorceress and Kozu had met, and married, her fifteen years after he had taken control of the clan. Pytho didn't know much about her, but why would he care? However, curiosity is a powerful thing and Pytho wanted to see what this spy had dug up. He opened the file and read it to himself. His eyes went wide, but then they changed and Pytho smirked, his blood-tinted razor teeth showing themselves.

"Interesting…" He whispered to himself. "I think she will want to know about this."

With that, Pytho memorised the file as well and merged with the wall again, moving at lightning speed out of the temple. No one would have known he was even there until it was too late…

Meanwhile, back at the Dragon Clan compound, Hades moved stealthily through the corridors, trying not to be caught. Normally he enjoyed fire, and in an assault he would have welcomed an inferno. But this was a covert mission and he need to hide himself. However, there were too many flames burning, not leaving a hint of darkness that he could use. He couldn't put them out either – not without raising suspicion – but he needed to think of a plan quickly. He managed to get to the room he needed to get to, but there were at least four ninja in there and he couldn't kill them. It wasn't beyond his ability, it was just against orders. However, he remembered passing a room where a lone ninja was meditating in. He was young ninja, no more than eighteen years of age and Hades suddenly had an idea.

The ninja only had baggy pants on, nothing else. No socks or shoes, no mask or helmet and definitely no shirt. He clearly trained his body daily. His mind, however, must not have been as well trained because it took him a full minute to notice he was no longer alone. And in a ninja's world, sixty seconds was more than enough for death to claim them.

In a flash, he was on his feet, ready to battle. The intruder who stood in front of him made him stare in shock. The assailant, who had glowing red eyes, was completely covered into metal, from bottom to top. The metal looked like giant rings welded around his body, one after other, some big – for the torso – others tiny – for the hands – and every size in between. There was a fiery glow beneath them, into the tiny spaces between each ring. What was stranger was that the rings did not look solid, not completely. In fact, the youth could swear the man’s body was vibrating, even rippling at points, like the metal was water.

Even though no one could see it, Hades grinned at the youth's frightened expression.

"You can go ahead and call for back-up,” Hades taunted. “I won't think any less of you."

His voice sounded mechanical, almost like he was some kind of robot. But even so, the boy could definitely hear the taunting tone within Hades' voice. He readied himself, prepared to kill this intruder.

"Well, well," Hades began. "Someone is feeling brave. Do me a favour: keel over and pretend to be dead and maybe I won't kill you."

Hades knew he'd never agree to that. Not with the pride the fire clan had. In fact, Hades counted on this pride. He needed the boy to attack him if his plans were going to get anywhere. Hades was a skilled fighter and could read this youngster like a children's book. He was going to be easy to take down. Hades could almost smell the boy's fear – he could definitely see it in his eyes. He must not have been in too many battles in the past. Too bad, he might have been a great ninja… if he wasn't going to die today.

"Tell you what," Hades said. "Come at me. If you land one hit on me, I will give myself in. While that doesn't seem like much, I assure you it is. Kalor, your leader, the Dragon, will be very interested in someone like me."

"Why is that?" the ninja asked.

"I am one of the legendary cyborgs," Hades replied, much to the youngster's surprise. "And I can tell by your expression that you know exactly what that means.”

"So you’re here to fulfil your mission?"

"Please, I couldn't care less. I'm being paid to retrieve something and you're going to help me."

"Never!"

Hades chuckled under his breath. "We'll see… Now come at me."

The youngster didn't wait another second and dashed for Hades, pulling fist back. He swung, but Hades tilted his head to the side, dodging the attack. He attacked again, but Hades just blocked the attacked. He dropped to the floor, trying to trip the cyborg who just jumped. He then came up and jumped, spinning in the air, trying to give a round-house kick. But Hades saw it coming and ducked as his feet hit the floor. He moved for Hades again, who just deflected the next attack and landed a bunch straight onto the boy's cheek, knocking him back.

"You want to try that again?" Hades taunted.

It worked.

The boy held his fist up in the air and concentrated. Hades watched in silence as he waited for something to happen. Suddenly, the boy's hand ignited in a ball of flame. Hades knew the attack; the fire fist was one of the first abilities taught to any clan members who could wield fire. It was also quite devastating if it hit its target.

Too bad this kid would never strike Hades.

The ninja looked the cyborg dead in the eyes, his red eyes, and charged. He pulled his fist back as far as possible and pushed it forward as he reached Hades. The cyborg easily dodged the attack, ready to taunt his opponent once more, until he saw that the youngster was smiling. Hades soon saw the shocking truth as the boy moved his other fist, also on fire, towards him.

Hades had jumped out of the way of the first attack but wasn't fast enough to dodge this one. The boy smashed his flaming fist directing into Hades' stomach, but instead of burning the enemy, his fist went straight through the cyborg’s body. The boy stood in shock, his jaw dropped as he looked at his arm, which had travelled through the hole in Hades' body. But, the more shocking thing was that inside his body, passed the metal rings, was a blaze of fire surrounding his arm, wisps of it spilling out.

The boy pulled his arm back, or at least attempted to. But at an unimaginable speed, the metal enclosed around his arm, gripping it, holding it in place, stuck in the body of the enemy. But that was impossible; how did he just move his body so quickly? Why couldn't he rip his arm out? If there was truly fire coursing through this man, why wasn’t it burning? And why did it feel like it was crushing his arm.

Hades laughed loudly; he couldn't help it. The look on this kid's face was worth being caught and losing his money. The boy was so shocked. He couldn't fathom what had just happened.

"That was very impressive," Hades said as the boy struggled. "Seriously, if you had hit me, it would have hurt."

"But… But…" The boy had no words.

Hades laughed his mechanical laugh again. "My body isn't made up of just metal, boy. Not entirely, anyway. I was human, like you, but I was turned into this machine, this cyborg using tiny little machines. The body you see is merely created by the billions of tiny nano-bots that course through my veins. When you attacked my torso, they simply moved out the way and then came back, trapping you. The same goes for the flame. They are just machines. They are always in that state, quick to heat, but only on my command. They are machines, physical objects, which is why your wrist feels as though the fire is crushing it. It is not some illusion, or some trick. You must have noticed my body vibrating, rippling. That’s the nano-bots, constantly working, constantly moving. They might be tiny, but they are there."

The anger in the boy's eyes could be seen with little effort. He was caught, fooled into thinking he had won. He swung his other arm at Hades, but the cyborg caught the boy's fist in his hand. Now he had no arms and Hades had one left.

Perfect.

"Help…"

But the ninja never got the word out as Hades' palm slammed into his mouth, his hand clutching the boy's face.

"I don't think so," Hades said, tightening his grip. "I offered you help before this fight began and you refused. Now, you will face me alone. Consider it punishment for your arrogance."

Tears began to form in the boy's eyes, and Hades felt nothing but contempt. "Oh, relax. I'm not going to kill you. But, your own clan is." The boy's eyes went wide with fright once more. "You see, as we speak, the nano-bots that I mentioned before have already escaped my hand and entered your body through your mouth. Don't try to tighten your lips now, it's too late. You see, the bots search through your body until they find your mind. There, they tamper with your brain, basically infecting it, uploading a command given by me. In a way, it is a form of mind control and anyone I infect must follow orders like the obedient puppets they are. However, there is a downside. I can only issue one command, not control you completely. Therefore, the command I issue you is to kill everyone that is in this temple, excluding me, of course. Can you do that for me?" Hades chuckled at the rhetorical question. "Of course you can. After all, you don't have much of a choice."

Just as he finished his last line, Hades saw it in the boy's eyes. He had stopped paying attention to Hades, as though he was no longer there mentally. He wasn't. The bots had completed their task. It was time he completed his mission. He released the boy and led him to the strategy room with the four ninja. The boy entered the room slowly, weapons in hand. But the four ninja – as cocky as ever – saw no threat.

"Hey, what are you doing here?"

"Leave kid, before we take you to the grandmaster."

"Or better yet, we could just kill you ourselves."

"Maybe cut him to pieces with his own blade."

The four laughed hysterically, as though they had told the funniest jokes in the world. Until the teen's blade came down, slicing into one of them. The ninja didn't even have time to scream in pain before he died. Hades then made his appearance, throwing lean blades into one of the opponent's necks. The ninja dropped dead. The third one was gutted by the youngster and the fourth didn't know what to do – go after Hades or the kid? Hades never knew if he had decided, because the cyborg through another blade at the man, who easily dodged it. Too bad he couldn't dodge the boy’s blade, the blade that killed him. The boy looked around, all four ninja dead. He turned and moved passed Hades, out of the room. He had to kill more intruders.

Hades was satisfied with himself. He searched for the document he wanted and found it in no time. He picked it up and, using his advanced technology, he memorised the file in seconds. The he moved out, thinking of the kid. It was a shame, really. He could have turned out to be such a great ninja…

If he didn't have to die today.

3: Chapter 2: Fire and Ice

"Did you get the information?"

Pytho and Hades walked in at the same time, side by side, preparing for the heat to hit them. They hated this place. It was in the side of a mountain deep within Tartarus, a cave that seemed to share itself with a dormant volcano. It was hot and dirty and smoky and it just aggravated both the cyborg and the demon. Every inch of this place was a distraction. Had they been attacked by dwellers of Tartarus who were used to this type of environment, they would be finished. However, their boss, who ironically enjoyed the heat, didn't worry about anything. Well, there was one concern.

"Did you get them?" she asked again. Her pale blue eyes penetrated their bodies.

They felt as though they were under attack when all she was doing was just looking at them.

She knew how they felt.

She enjoyed it that way.

"Yes," Hades replied. "Do you have our money?"

"Your job is not done yet." Her voice was cold, threatening. It almost made the heat of the room die down. "This was only the first part. Now, may I have the information?"

“Here,” Hades said, holding up a folder. “We compiled our own file so we wouldn’t have to sit through speeches.”

“Why is there only one?” she asked.

“We combined our information,” Pytho said. “You’ll understand why when you see it.”

Hades handed over the file, which she ripped from his hand. They looked at her finger tips, which were pure white. Her lips were the same, a snow white and her skin, pale, much like snow too. She took the files and looked through them carefully. She was silent for a while, studying the details, taking everything in. The mission briefings were thorough, stating times, places, strategies, possible risks and even unexpected obstacles. Her henchmen were apparently perfectionists. She continued reading to find something very interesting. This was more than just a simple mission. She could definitely work with this. She looked up at the two and then back down, before looking back at Pytho's hand. Was he holding another file?

"And what is that?"

"I figured you'd want to see this." She held out her hand, but he stepped back. "No. I want extra money for this. Now."

She gave him an unpleasantly cold stare that could freeze the very volcano they were standing next to. Who the hell did this ninja think he was? She was hiring him to follow her orders, not to be extorted by him. She contemplated killing him, but she’d bet her left arm that Hades was on his side in this matter. While she was confident she’d survive a battle with Pytho, she was not sure if she’d beat them both. Still, they didn’t have to know that.

"How about I just kill you and take it?" she threatened, holding her hand out.

"We thought you might say that."

"We?"

"Yes. I told Hades about this before we came in and he had an incredible idea."

So she was right. Hades was on his side. She prepared to make an argument, but stopped when Pytho did something that she never expected. Hades had opened a hole in his torso and Pytho had placed the file into his body, the fire seemingly swallowing it whole.

"The nano-bots will burn this file to ashes before you can do anything,” Pytho said. “Now, the money."

She stared at them, contemplating what to do, but then turned around and began walking away. "Then forget it. It's probably not important anyway."

"It's about Adura," Hades said quickly, stopping her in her tracks. "If I'm not mistaken, she is one of the main obstacles in your plan, is she not?"

She turned around, now more interested in this file. Adura was a major problem. Her sorcery was extremely powerful and Pytho could see that his employer was not sure if her partner – who they had not met yet – could take on Kozu's wife. Pytho watched her considering whether she should make a plan to get the file or to just pay the two. She could always just attack, take a chance, try to get the file by force. But it wouldn't work. Highly unlikely.

"Fine," she said, giving in. "I'll bring the money in twenty-four hours."

"Thank you," Pytho replied. "That's all we wanted from you, Suno."

-------------------------------------------------

No one quite knew how the fight began or what the reason behind it was. But everyone was there to see it. The rumour around The Phoenix Academy was that the fight was brewing between both boys for a few months now. Some words were said, a shove here and there and before anyone knew what was going on, they were fighting on the great bridge which connected all four corners of The Academy. On all sides, every other student stopped to watch the fight between not only the two boys but the clans they represented. The Leviathan Clan versus the Dragon Clan.

Kashiko was the younger of the two boys, only ten-years-old, the son of Kozu and Adura. He was born a few years after their marriage and, like his father, the boy took a liking to manipulating wind and water. His hair was jet black and messy. The sides went just passed his ears, the back just up to his neck and a few piece fell in front of his forehead, almost in front of his eyes. He even had to blow up a few times to keep his hair from blocking his view. His eyes were a deep, electrifying blue which were said could freeze people in their tracks. Not literally. That was just how amazing they seemed. They lit up in the sunlight and seemed to radiate a special glow in the light of the moon. His skin was fair and it seemed to compliment the boy. He had an innocent face and was a small, lean boy.

No one would have thought him to be a ninja. No one would have thought him to be anything aggressive. But he had to become a ninja. It was his goal. He needed to prove to the world that he could be great, as great as his father. Maybe even greater. Everyone looked at him as a weakling and he was tired of it. He wanted to prove, he needed to prove, that he was the best. And, in his eyes, if he defeated this opponent, he would be.

Daitan, son of Kalor the Dragon. If anything, he was the opposite of Kashiko. The thirteen-year-old stood tall and was tanned. He had slightly dark blonde hair which was cut short and was always spiked up. No one was quite sure if it was real, and no one wanted to ask, but his hair seemed to have a fiery-red shine to it. His eyes were the same. It was said that they used to be green, but now they were a striking swirl of light orange, yellow and red, and the blend of these colours made it seem as though a flame had been set inside his eyes. Most people who saw them stared in awe, describing them as gems with a perfect mix of colours. Others described them as the eyes of a demon. His expression was even different from his opponent. Daitan had sharp features, always looking tense, always looking hostile. He hardly ever smiled. No one knew why, but many could take an educated guess.

It was said that he had watched his little brother die in an attack against his clan. This attack changed him, cut him to the core, and at the mere age of eight, he ran from his home, in search of the man who killed his brother. It is said that he was almost killed, left to die in the wilderness. When he returned, he was close to death. They managed to bring him back though, be he had changed. Emotionally, mentally. But specifically, physically. That was the rumour anyway. Majority of people who heard it believed it to be untrue, a myth made up for fun. What eight-year-old had the strength to survive by himself? But, when they met Daitan, they began to wonder. Especially those few who had seen him as a young boy.

His eyes were a hellfire. As a child, he had curly, light blonde locks. Now they had gone darker, been perfectly straighten, cut short and styled up – that was fine, he liked it that way. His body, as he grew, began to gain muscle, even with months of slacking off. He was not big and under clothes no one could know how physically fit he was. But every muscle in his body was alive, always maintaining its strength, never giving it. His bones had even become somewhat harder to break.

At The Phoenix Academy, he was the kid to beat in his class, the one who never lost a battle. If you stood up to Daitan, you were either strong or stupid. As far as anyone knew, it was rumoured that he only had two weaknesses. And that is why he was sent to The Academy – to rid himself of the weaknesses.

The Academy rose up ten years after Kozu took the title of Leviathan. It was there to train special fighters on Earth, fighters that could not and should not be controlled by clans. It was also erected to teach them discipline and educate them as well. They needed to ensure that while Earth was safe from all enemies, their fighters would not attempt to plunge the world into another war. In a way, it was erected to teach fighters, but also somewhat control them. Many also went there voluntarily, to become stronger. That was the reason Kashiko was sent. That was the reason he wanted to fight Daitan.

There had always been a rivalry between the pair. Whether it was because of their clans, their differences or just because they didn't like each other, the rivalry was there. Now it had escalated and here they were, battling it out.

Daitan stared at Kashiko who was on the opposite side of the bridge. He smirked, almost chuckling. This kid had guts to attack him. He would never admit it, but he was impressed so far. Kashiko attacked first, trying to get a hit, which Daitan blocked easily. In fact, it wasn't even a challenge in the beginning until Kashiko finally landed a hit. It didn’t hurt. The boy was ten, and small. Still, after that, Daitan blocked every attack, before kicking Kashiko away. Daitan then jumped into the air as his opponent got up and threw shuriken down. Kashiko moved, barely dodging the attack before he tripped and tumbled back. Now they were standing at two ends of the bridge, waiting for each other.

"Well," Daitan began in his typically arrogant tone. "Are you going to come for me this year? Or has the sorry excuse for a ninja given up?"

"Shut up!"

Kashiko tried to control his temper, but he couldn't. Daitan just got under his skin. His superior attitude, his egotistical smirk, how his eyes never betrayed any negative emotion, be it fear or anger. The only thing was his hostility, but that was constantly present.

"Well, aren't we in a bad mood?" he replied, sarcasm in his voice. "Why are you doing this? You know that you're just going to embarrass yourself."

"Not when I beat you."

Daitan laughed. "Over my dead body. I bet you can't even land another hit on me."

"You're on!"

Kashiko dashed forward, going as fast as he could. He reached Daitan and jumped, twisting his body, flinging his leg out. Daitan dodged the kick and moved forward to hit Kashiko as hit touched the ground. The younger of the two dodged the attack and tried to karate-chop the side of Daitan's neck. He blocked the attack and countered with one of his own. Kashiko jumped back, barely dodging the attack. He drew his shuriken and threw them. At such close range, Daitan was sure he couldn't dodge it completely. And he was right. He moved out of the way, but three of them scraped his side, leaving drops of blood rolling down his body. Daitan grunted, leaving Kashiko smirking, very satisfied with himself.

"I think I landed another hit on you," Kashiko taunted.

Daitan shot a lethal look at his opponent. "Now you're dead."

Daitan moved fast, swinging his fist. Kashiko ducked, dodging the attack, but he didn't see Daitan's knee until it slammed into his stomach, taking the air out of him. The attack launched the youngster into the air and he came down with a thud. Kashiko coughed, trying to get up. Daitan was abnormally strong for his age and Kashiko felt as though a truck had hit him, not a boy. Strength wasn't his forte. He couldn't take this enemy with brute force.

He rolled away, putting distance between him and Daitan. Kashiko then got on all fours and kicked against the ground, allowing him to stand on just his hands. He then bent them and pushed out, flipping away from Daitan. The fire clan apprentice moved for his enemy, but Kashiko spun around and threw both his hands out. Violent water blasts erupted from Kashiko’s hands, heading straight for Daitan.

Water blast, Daitan thought as he dodged the attack. How did he do that so easily?

Kashiko shot another blast which Daitan dodged. He stopped moving, staring at his opponent. He then slammed his palms together, in front of his chest. His hands slowly separated, a ball of red energy forming between them. Before anyone knew it, the energy had become a ball of fire, like a tiny son burning in his palms. Kashiko put his hands behind his back, making a ball of wind in one hand and a ball of water in the other. Then he waited, watching his enemy.

Daitan ran for the younger boy, ready to attack head on. He fired the blast and continued to run. He was planning to hit Kashiko after the kid dodged the blast. But Kashiko had other plans. He threw his first hand out, shooting off a powerful stream of water. It collided with the fire ball, slowly shrinking it to nothing as steam formed. The steam of the attacks blinded Daitan, and Kashiko let off his second ball, which turned it a powerful, twisting blast of wind flying straight for Daitan, who tried to dodge it. But the blast hit him directly and he flew back, hitting the ground.

"Damn it," he whispered. It seemed Kashiko wasn't as bad as Daitan had thought. This kid… he uses his blast so easily. And he's smiling on top of it. I guess what he lacks physically, he makes up for with his chi.

"Well," Kashiko began, with extreme sarcasm. "Are you going to come for me this year? Or has the sorry excuse for a ninja given up?"

Daitan was surprised to hear his own words repeated to him. It was not enough that this kid hit him, but now he was taunting him too. Mocking him! That was enough. It was time to end this.

Daitan smirked, much to Kashiko's surprise. He raised his normal hand into the air and, surprising most, it burst into flames. He made a fist and brought his hand down, preparing for his attack. Kashiko raised his hands and another ball of wind formed in it. But then something happened; water began entering the ball of wind, mixing with it, creating a tiny swirling ball of water and wind which seemed to merge, not mix, but become one thing. Then the boy crushed it in his own hand, the energy surrounding his fist.

Daitan moved, running for Kashiko, who in turn, dashed for his enemy too. Daitan was confused. Usually people would try their utmost to avoid this attack, not run straight for it. Kashiko couldn't possibly reach with his own fist; Daitan's arms were longer. Maybe he was just acting brave. Or stupid. If hit by the flaming fist, it not only hurt, but burnt into the very flesh, leaving a scar of the battle. If they survived. Sometimes the fire was so intense it would burn a hole into the body, down to the organs themselves. Daitan couldn't do that yet. His attack wasn't even close to that powerful, but it was good enough for now.

They approached quickly, both jumping off the ground, ready to hit each other. Daitan pulled his fist back, knowing that between both of them, he would hit first. But then he saw it. Kashiko’s hand had seemed to freeze over, ice stretching out into a spike. A spike that was getting longer. Where did it come from? Was it really ice? Was it long enough to reach Daitan's body before his fist reached Kashiko's chest? If it was, no one would ever know.

As the Academy's students held their breath to see what would happen, no one even noticed something appear between both boys until they saw the lightning. The something was actually a ninja. He was wearing a black and red scaled mask that covered his head, leaving only the top half of his face visible. The piece covering his mouth was a dark red and his eyes were full white. He was wearing baggy black pants that were tucked into the shin guards. He was wearing a black vest which was tucked into the pants. He had metal shin guards, shoulders guards and even guards on his thighs, all tinted the same dark red. Two thick strips of dark red fabric – also looking like reptile scales – made their way down from the shoulder pads to the waist and then meeting. He was wearing a belt with a metal buckle that had a dragon’s head on it.

The ninja just appeared out of thin air and grabbed the arms of both boys, twisting around and flinging them away from one another. They hit the rock-hard ground just as his feet touched it. He stood up straight, waiting for the boys to rise, staring at the audience who was staring back in awe. This man was from the Dragon Clan, but he was not just any ninja. He was the man who had pulled over fifty ninja out of the rubble while injured after Tsuno destroyed their home. He was the man who rebuilt his clan from the bottom up. He was their Grandmaster.

He was Kalor the Dragon.

"Father?" Daitan said as he got to his feet.

Kalor looked at his son, his white eyes changing back to the green ones Daitan was used to. They stared at each other for a moment, and Daitan wasn’t quite sure what he was thinking. Funny enough, he was having the same thought about his son.

"What were you thinking?" he asked, his voice harsh and loud.

"He attacked me first!” Daitan shouted.

Kalor stepped closer to lower his voice. "Did you provoke him?"

"Yes!" Kashiko shouted as he stood up, staring at Kalor. The word just slipped out and he knew it was a mistake. Kalor was one of the most powerful people on Earth. To fight him would be a suicide mission. "I…"

"Relax," Kalor replied, noticing the boy's fear. "I'm not going to fight you. You're Kozu's son, correct?"

"Ye… Yes, Grandmaster Kalor," Kashiko replied, not knowing what to call the man. He was nervous, shifting from foot to foot, trying to pretend to be comfortable.

"Why do you call me Grandmaster when you are not a fire ninja? Do you have no loyalty to your own clan?"

"No, no, no," Kashiko mumbled. This man truly struck fear into his heart. He stood there, arms pressed against his side, not sure if he should bow or run. "I am a Leviathan warrior. I fight for my clan. But… you are a Grandmaster. What should I call you?"

Kalor stared at the boy, thinking of a reply, but he never answered his question. "Go to the west entrance of The Academy. The Leviathan entrance.”

"Me?" Kashiko said, looking around to see if anyone else was near.

"Yes. A Leviathan escort is waiting to take you home."

"Why?"

"Part of being a good ninja – a good warrior – is to know how to find your own information. Now go. The Headmaster knows you will be leaving." He turned to Daitan. "We should be going to."

"We're leaving as well?" Daitan asked.

"Yes," Kalor replied, looking at Kashiko again. "Why are you still here?"

"Um…" Kashiko bowed slightly and took off, running as fast as he could. No one could blame him. Even when he was being nice, Kalor had an uncomfortable feel about him.

When Kashiko was finally out of sight, Kalor turned and began walking the other way. The crowd separated, making a path for the ninja to walk through. Daitan was right behind him.

---------------------------------------------

The sun was cooking them – or it was cooking Daitan at least. The day was hot and long and very, very tiring. Daitan and Kalor had been walking for over four hours. Thank the gods that the sun was beginning to set. He couldn’t take the heat anymore. Not for the two extra hours it would take to get home.

The Dragon compound had been close to The Phoenix Academy which was one of the reasons why Kalor, Grandmaster of the Dragon Clan, could personally fetch Daitan. The second reason was that Daitan was his son and his wife was never happy when Kalor didn't retrieve the boy himself. She was worried and Daitan understood why.

Eight years ago, a powerful necromancer attacked the compound, killing many, including Daitan’s younger brother. Daitan was five at the time, but he remembered being pushed into a hiding spot by his mother. From there, he assumed he imagined the battle between the necromancer and his own mother. He saw shadows of dragon- and wolf-like creatures fighting the attacker. But that was impossible. Some of the creatures he had seen were distorted and looked like mutated monsters. It was a figment of his imagination but he knew one thing… his mother had somehow beaten back the man who had killed her son. Even so, the death weighed heavily upon them all. Especially Daitan and his mother. Since then, she threatened Kalor every time he refused to escort Daitan home.

"Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn," Daitan remembered his father saying to him countless times. "And I have been to Tartarus, my son. You would be surprised how true that saying is."

Daitan smirked, letting out a little chuckle as they walked. He always thought that was funny. Kind of funny. He looked at his father. Kalor use to be feared and he used to be ruthless. He would strike at his enemies hard and strike fear into their very souls. But something bugged Daitan. Lately, Kalor had lost his violence and rage. He had lost his fire. He dealt with things diplomatically instead of using his fists. He spoke first and only fought if needed. He was never like this before – Daitan knew from stories he had heard. But Kalor had changed. He had become nice.

"Father," Daitan asked, Kalor walking a few feet in front of him. "Can I ask you a question?"

Kalor didn't stop or turn, but said, "What is it, Daitan?"

"Well…" The boy was getting nervous and Kalor could hear it, but he waited patiently. "You seemed angry at my fight. Why is that?"

"Do you know who you were fighting, Daitan?"

Daitan frowned. "Kashiko, son of the Leviathan, an apprentice water ninja.

"Exactly. The Dragon Clan cannot afford to have the Leviathan as an enemy at the moment."

"Since when have we feared the water ninja?"

"We don't fear them, Daitan. Being cautious of them is not fear, it is good politics."

"It’s cowardice!"

The words slipped out of his mouth before he could stop them. Part of him prayed Kalor never heard the words, but when his father stopped walking Daitan knew he was in trouble. He flinched, as though someone had hit him. He was waiting for it. A punch that would send him flying. Kalor turned around and his eyes landed on Daitan. He then did something unexpected. He went to his knees and relaxed.

"We having been walking for a while," Kalor stated. "Let us relax quickly."

"O…Okay, " Daitan said, copying his father's pose.

There was silence for a while as they stared at each other. Daitan shifted uncomfortably, waiting for words to come from his father's mouth. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of silence, Kalor spoke.

"Your grandfather is probably stirring in his grave at the moment."

Daitan gave Kalor a look of utter confusion. "Excuse me?

Kalor chuckled, an odd thing to hear from him. Maybe it was his voice or just his character – Kalor was not someone many would describe as friendly – but it sounded strange to the boy.

"When I was younger, I wanted to become a ninja,” he explained. “Your grandfather forbad it. Ninja are murderers and do nothing for the world but spill blood and cause hate. He loved saying that. So I followed his wishes… until he was killed. I hunted down the man who had done it when I was your age. That is when I got my first kill. From there, I trained and joined the Clan of the Dragon, making my way up the ranks until I had achieved the title of the deadliest assassin in the clan. I was feared."

"Because you feared nothing," Daitan interrupted. "Mother says that even when I was born, you still feared nothing. You didn't care who you angered or who came after us. But now… now you fear everything I do."

"Daitan, there is a difference between fear and caution. When you were born, I didn't worry for your safety because you had your mother. Had anyone dared attack my family, she would have killed him."

"Mother?"

Daitan wanted to laugh. He knew she had gotten rid of the necromancer, but that was because of luck. Daitan had never even seen his mother pick up a needle much less fight someone. Kalor knew exactly what his son was thinking – he could see it in his eyes.

"Do not count your mother out so fast,” he said. “She is an incredible warrior. Her methods are… strange, but they are unique. To be honest, Daitan, she could easily take me on in a battle. Maybe even win."

This time, Daitan smiled. "I doubt that. I love mother, but she's not a ninja."

"No, but she is a fighter. One day, ask her to fight with you. You'd be surprised how capable she is.” He could tell Daitan still didn’t believe him, but he dismissed it, moving on to say, “My point is, you were safe before because, despite what the world believes, I was not the only person who rebuilt our clan.”

That came as a shock to Daitan. He was made to believe that Kalor rebuilt the clan from scratch by himself.

“There was one before me,” Kalor continued. “But he was… unstable. He was the reason we were attacked that night by the necromancer and I was the reason the clan survived. That feat changed my status. I was no longer Kalor, the deadliest assassin on Earth. I was Kalor the Dragon. Grandmaster of the Dragon Clan. Everything I do now, everything my family does, is seen as the action of not us alone, but of the entire clan. Had you injured Kashiko badly, it would not be considered a mistake by the hands of a child. It would be considered an act of war."

"But aren't we already at war with the Leviathan?" Daitan asked.                     

"While it is true that we are rival clans, I have made peace with Kozu. The Dragon Clan has only been back for just over ten years, while the Leviathan Clan has never stopped growing. We cannot take them in a full scale war and I have made sure that cannot happen. Despite what many believe, Kozu and I were once allies, on the field of battle. Many times we fought for the same cause. I helped him fight against his father.”

“I didn’t know that.”

Kalor smiled through his mask. “Not many people do. I have rebuilt that friendship in the last ten years, but it is still under strain because of our people. The water ninja and the fire ninja have fought for decades, ever since the War of the Three Great Masters. It is not an easy alliance to maintain. But it is better to have them as friends instead of enemies, at least for the time being. Until our forces grow stronger. To answer your question, Daitan, about why I am so cautious. It is because before, I only needed to care for the safety of you and your mother. Now, I must protect an entire clan." Kalor stood up. "Now, that is enough rest. Let us go. Kashiko should be arriving home in three days, which gives you some time to train."

"Train for what?” Daitan asked, getting to his feet. “And what has that weakling got to do with it?"

"All in due time, Daitan. All in due time."

4: Chapter 3: A Place Called Home

The Dragon compound was massive. And 'compound' didn't do it justice. It was more like a small city, with courtyards and smaller dwellings around. There were training grounds and obstacle courses. Open spaces for sparring matches and other activities. They had managed to rebuild, on the remnants of the Blaze Mountains. Surrounded by heat and lava, the clan erected their city. They may not have been in the skies anymore, but they were still a proud people. It could be seen in how far they had come in a decade.

In the middle of the grounds, a massive temple, with no apparent shape, stood tall. It looked like gold in the sunlight, but as the sun set, people could easily tell it was just the colour of the stone and sunlight that gave the effect. A colossal wall surrounded the entire compound with guards all over – even in places people couldn't see. The wall was smooth as ever, meaning it was impossible to scale it without some form of climbing equipment. The gates were amazing; giant, actual gold metal and in the middle lay a giant metallic Dragon with its wings spread wide.

As father and son approached, someone shouted out. There was silence for a second and then, suddenly, the gates began to move, splitting the dragon as they opened. The two stepped passed the gates and continued walking, not talking to anyone. They approached the temple, entering it with no interruptions. They walked the corridors, which were all lit brightly as they made their way to a square room.

The room was quite big. At the opposite end of the door, a dragon had been painted onto the wall. Daitan thought it was beautiful. Why wouldn't he? His mother had made it. Along the other walls were weapons lined up – all types – for ninja to practice with. Bags full of sand hung from the ceiling. Many people found them random, but they were for enhancing ones reflexes and senses, as Daitan would now see.

Standing in the middle of the room was a blonde boy with dark green eyes. He had that same smug expression plastered on his face, the one that never disappeared. The boy – who was fifteen if Daitan remembered correctly – stared at the two who had just entered his training space and smirked. It wasn't friendly by any means. Daitan knew that much. The boy was dressed exactly like Kalor, down to the same belt. In his hands, he held long, thin pieces of metal that Daitan knew too well.

Poison needles, the boy thought. This idiot specializes in them.

"Venom," Kalor said.

"Yes, master?" Venom replied, looking at Daitan as he said the last word.

Daitan wanted to puke. This moron, who named himself Venom, was Kalor's protégé. He was smug and arrogant and just a simple thorn in Daitan's side. Not many people knew his real name and not many people cared. But he was apparently one of the most talented members of the clan and, as such, got to personally train with Kalor. Daitan didn't mind that part. It was the part where Venom would rub it in Daitan's face that he was better than the son of the Dragon.

"What are you doing?" Kalor asked sternly.

"I'm just going to practice," Venom answered simply as he placed a piece of fabric around his eyes, blinding himself. "Watch and learn, Daitan."

Daitan almost attacked the boy, but with a wave of Kalor's hand, someone released the bags of sand. Venom threw a needle to his left, piercing a bag before it touched the ground. He did the same for the bag on his right, the two at the back and another one that was in front of him. Daitan had to move so that the needle wouldn't hit him. He growled. He knew that shot was on purpose. Venom might have covered his eyes, but he was by no means blind. He knew exactly what was going on around him. After the last bag had touched the ground, he removed his blind fold, smirking proudly.

“Thirteen out of fifteen,” Venom gloated.

"Too slow," Kalor said and then turned to leave.

Daitan almost burst out into laughter when he saw Venom's expression, but controlled himself. Even so, when Kalor had left, he couldn't mask his satisfaction.

"What are you smirking at?" Venom asked, not charmed with Daitan's presence.

"Nice to see you to," Daitan replied.

"The pleasure's not mine." There was silence for a moment while Venom gathered his needles. "Pass the one behind you."

"The one that almost hit me?"

A wicked smirk crossed Venom's face. "My bad. But I hear I'm not the only person who's almost killed someone this week."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Kashiko? Seriously? Can't you pick on someone your own age? Or at the very least, your own size?"

"He attacked me first,” Daitan defended. “And how do you even know about that? I just got home."

Venom chuckled. "You don't think that the son of Kalor hasn't got eyes on him every second of every day?"

"You're lying. And even if you weren't, you're not a high enough rank to know that."

Venom laughed. “I'm a higher rank than most. And in case you're wondering, I will always be higher in rank than you. And you want to know why?"

"No, not really."

"Glad you asked. Because I'm not weak in my mind. I go for what I want with no fear of injury or even death. Unlike you… filled with fear and uncertainty. Never knowing if daddy will truly accept him for his skill and not just because he is blood. Do you want to know why I don't fear death?"

"Because the gods wouldn't give me the satisfaction of watching you die?"

Venom huffed. "You know, you talk tough, but I know the truth."

"What is the truth, Venom?"

"We both know your mommy doesn't want you to get hurt. We both know that she has twenty-four hour protection on you. Poor Daitan… can't even fight his own battles."

Daitan clenched his fists. "I fight all my battles alone. I can beat you in a fight."

"I doubt that!" Venom laughed louder as he tried to get the words out. He walked up to Daitan, standing so close that Venom could put his head right next Daitan's ear. "If it were true, you'd be your father's protégé. But you’re not. I am. All you are is a disappointment. Not worthy of Kalor's time or respect. In fact, you’re probably the brother who should have died."

Rage swallowed Daitan and he struck at Venom's stomach with lightning speed, causing the warrior to move back slightly. But Daitan wasn't satisfied. He could feel it; Venom's hand was covering his fist. Daitan's attack had been blocked.

"Daitan, you don't have to act all brave for me." Venom said, a look of superiority on his face. "If we're ever under attack, I promise, I'll save your pathetic life." He released Daitan's fist and stepped towards the entrance. "It's the least I could do for you as the next Grandmaster."

The comment made Daitan want to punch the wall, but he knew that it was easily going that way. Many of the head ninja of the Dragon Clan had been discussing Venom and his future. Most of the talk started because he was Kalor's personal student. That made Daitan angry and, if he was being honest with himself, a little miserable. And jealous.

"Now come on," Venom said.

"I'm not going anywhere with you." Daitan looked at Venom, trying to conceal his anger.

"Actually you are,” Venom replied. “Your mission briefing is only in three days."

"Mission briefing?"

What mission? Three days? That was when Kashiko was supposed to arrive home. But why? What was happening and why did it involve Daitan and his rival?

Venom raised his eyebrow. "You haven't heard? They pulled you out of the Academy because you, Daitan, are going to be going on your first ninja mission. Congratulations. It seems someone higher up finally thinks his baby should sprout wings. I doubt it was your father, but hey, we all have to start somewhere."

"If I hear one more comment like that, I'm going to…"

"Hit me?"

"I was going to say kill, but okay.” Then he had a thought. “What mission is this?"

"Why would I care?” Venom snapped. “I've been ordered to train with you for the next three days. As sickening as it is, I have to sink to your level now."

Daitan clenched his fists again. He counted to ten in his head, trying to remain calm. He could attack Venom – it clearly wouldn't be the first time – but his mind was too busy thinking about this mission and Kashiko. Were they connected and, more importantly, if they were connected, why?

Venom snapped his fingers, catching Daitan's attention. "All jokes aside, I need to tell you something. Your father will be training us, so listen up. Protégé is my title. Try to steal it in the next three days and I will kill you."

Venom left without saying another word. Daitan followed, staying a few steps behind. Though, it was not out of fear. Daitan was smiling actually. Between his anger, Kashiko, The Academy, this mission and his mother smothering him, the thought of stealing the Protégé title hadn't even crossed his mind.

But it had now…

Kashiko walked through the gates of his home. The Leviathan city always brought a smile to his face. Maybe it was the buildings, made of sleek silver metal, formed thousands of years ago but ninja who could control the metal element. Maybe it was the bright blue sky, not one cloud, the sun illuminating the buildings, making them glow. Or maybe it was the water, the entire city, the size of a country, surround by the ocean on all four sides.

Kashiko walked through Atlantis, his home, passed countless lookouts and gates guarding the passage to the Leviathan's castle. Small towns surrounded the temple, citizens who were not ninja, but lived there nonetheless, selling and buying goods, getting jobs as builders, traders, carpenters, and many other things. Giant buildings which were used for shops, housing and dojos were stationed in key points around the area. Yes, this place was not a compound. It was a small nation.

The Leviathan Nation.

Children ran the clean streets, while elders sat in their homes and thought about days passed. The ninja of the village patrolled and trained, some getting ready for missions which frequently came to the clan. Unlike the Dragon Clan, the Leviathan Clan had the time to build a name for itself to the point where it did not need to find high profile missions to fund their clan. The missions simply came to them.

Kashiko walked the streets with a giant grin, excited to be home, where not everyone looked at him as though he were a weakling. People here greeted him, spoke with him, asked him how training was going. Some even encouraged him, telling the boy that he had the potential to one day be the next Leviathan. He never got this type of support at The Academy. It wasn't an academy for fighters. It was a zest-pool for gossip and arrogance and the who's who in the world of battle. Basically, it was what other nations called high-school with better subjects.

He smirked at the thought as he turned the corner, his home coming into view. The temple was massive. Kashiko always compared it to an enormous trident because of its shape. A giant base, the first twenty floor, and then three spires that travel high. It was confusing in the halls of the temple and many, many members of the clan had gotten lost at one time or another. Also, some of the temple was covered in ice still said to be there from the battle between Kozu and Tsuno. The ice which never melted, which seeped into the building, causing the temperature to drop substantially. But Kozu always kept it that way. He said he liked the cold. Adura said it was because it reminded him of his battle against Tsuno. Whatever the case, the ice stayed.

Kashiko moved into the temple and just began walking. He navigated his way around until he entered a giant room. There was a long white and blue carpet leading from the door all the way to three small steps which ascended to two giant thrones. Behind the thrones there was a giant statue of a woman who was wearing a cape. The hood of the cape was covering only her head, but her eyes as well. The woman was Kreatrix the Mother of Beast, a powerful sorceress. Made obvious by her title, it was said that she was the mother of the three great beasts: the behemoth, the leviathan and the dragon. It was also said that she was insane, that she killed her own children for power. However, no one was sure if that was true, so many temples, including this one, were built in her honour and even now, the statues of her still stand.

Eight giant pillars stood equal distances apart, holding up the ceiling. On the one side, openings – for the purpose of windows – were letting the light into the room. On the other wall, there were perfectly carved pictures depicting the history of the Leviathan Clan; from their beginnings, to the War of the Three Great Masters, to the rise of Tsuno, to the clan using technology on one of their own warriors who would be known as Hades and to Tsuno’s defeat at the hands of Kozu. From Kozu becoming the Leviathan, to Hades trying to take over, to Suna and all her misdeeds, and finally to Kashiko's parents meeting and marrying, apparently a momentous occasion as no Leviathan had ever married, but instead, had many mistresses. The carvings were glowing a mystifying blue – probably magic caused by Kashiko's mother.

Kashiko smiled. He felt so warm here. This was his home, he felt safe here. Well most of the time. But sometimes, like at the moment, he felt a chill crawl up his spine. And he knew what was causing it. It was the same every time. It took him a moment, but he soon realized that someone had entered the room. He was not alone. Sitting on the throne was someone who was staring into Kashiko's very soul. It wasn't surprising. This person had the same effect on everyone.

"Welcome back, Kashiko." The voice was cold and grim, almost threatening.

"Arion," Kashiko replied as someone slipped off the throne, out of the shadows. "I thought you were on a mission."

"I finished it early," Arion replied, manipulating miniature serpents made of water and fire around hand, having them flow around his fingers, dodging each other. "As always. Good to have you home, little brother."

Kashiko stared at Arion. He hadn't really changed. His jet black hair had grown a bit and he was clean shaven as always. His blue eyes were dark and mysterious. They would become light randomly for a split second and then return to their darker state, as though a quick flash came on and then died. He said it was because of the magic within his body, that his chi was too powerful to keep invisible. Part of Kashiko thought that this excuse was rubbish. But when reviewing Arion's missions and how excellent the reports were on him, a big part of boy believed the man who called him brother.

Arion was nineteen-years-old and even though Kozu and Adura only had one child, the boys were related. They were half-brothers. Adura had had a son – Arion – four years before she had met Kozu. Many thought they were full brothers because of their features, but they were far from being the same. They may have looked very similar, but one thing separated them.

Their personalities.

Kashiko was kind-hearted and warm. But Arion… Arion came off calm, cool and maybe a little compassionate. But, in truth, he was one thing: a complete sociopath who enjoyed nothing but watching the pain in others. Angered quickly, ruthless in a fight, no remorse for his victims. Yes, when he wished it, Arion could turn himself into a monster, a creature seen in the nightmares of children. Which is why Kashiko always forced himself to be calm around his sibling.

"Good to be home, big brother. Why am I home?"

Arion moved towards the window. "You, my little brother, have your first mission."

Kashiko's face lit up. "Seriously? That's great!"

"Yes…" Arion replied less than enthusiastic. "It is an easy mission, a good starter."

"I thought I wasn't going to get a mission until another year at The Academy."

"We all thought that. However, this order comes from your father himself. He's been meeting someone in secret, however no one knows who. It started about two weeks ago, around the exact time he told our mother about his plans to send you off on your first mission. We… well I assume the two are connected."

"But who has he been meeting?"

"No one knows. No doubt it was a connection he made during these pathetic peace talks."

Kashiko felt a jolt of anger shoot through his body when he heard Arion's words. Kozu had been organizing peace talks with many groups in order to gain allies and create cease-fires so that they may live in peace. While no one touched the Leviathan Clan, many battled with each other. So the peace talks began. However, some did not agree with this diplomatic approach. One such person was Arion and Kashiko couldn't keep quiet.

"Those peace talks are important to my father, to our mother and to the people of this clan."

Arion leaned against the wall. "They are all fools. Peace does not come through talking. It comes through crushing any and every opponent that can jeopardize our existence. Once every threat is eliminated, then we have peace."

"You see everyone as a threat, Arion. You can't just kill off the world."

"And why not?"

"Because there will be no one for you to kill after that.”

Arion's expression went dark, but then he smirked. "Good point, little brother. That is the reason why you are one of the few people in this world that I actually like.” Before Kashiko could reply, Arion spoke again. "Anyway… the point of this conversation was to just waste time until Zeus arrives.”

"Zeus? One of the three legendary cyborgs? The one created by the Behemoth Clan?”

"The one in the same,” Arion answered. “He is next on Kozu's peace list. I am the liaison who has been keeping them in contact for the past week. I am to escort him to the negotiation room so that they may discuss alliances between the Leviathan and Zeus’ band of cyborgs. But first, it is time to escort you."

"To where?" Kashiko asked.

"The briefing room. Come, little brother. I think it's time you get you first mission."

Kashiko followed Arion as he walked out of the room. He had butterflies in his stomach. His first mission! It was going to be amazing! Across the world, Daitan was thinking the exact same thing. They both approached the briefing rooms in their own compounds, each led by someone – Venom for Daitan and Arion for Kashiko. They entered their rooms and in front of them stood their parents, waiting. The doors shut behind them and, even though they were far from each other, they were both about to get their mission briefings.

They were going on their first mission.