Life of Pain

The sun set slowly as a young boy leaped effortlessly from building to building, his bright red hair trailing behind him like a flag. His expression was a mix of stern determination and worry, his destination unclear but his urgency palpable. If he didn't get there soon, he knew he would be in a world of trouble. As he jumped from one roof to another, a massive crunch echoed through the air. The boy's face turned as red as his hair as he cursed in pain, clutching his wrist.

"I gotta go or that monster's gonna kill me," he muttered through gritted teeth. Despite the agony, he forced himself up and continued on.

He soon arrived at his destination, a rundown bar with a lively atmosphere. The moment he stepped inside, the entire bar's attention was on him. The place was filled with dangerous-looking men who towered over him, but the scariest of them all stood at the center.

"Raiden, tell me why the hell you're late or you're dead, boy," the venomous man growled.

This intimidating figure was Creed, known as "the Red Bull of the Slums." A bald, shirtless man with a muscular body covered in tattoos, Creed was someone to be feared. Raiden, the boy, looked up at him.

"I... I got hurt and broke my wrist," Raiden stammered, bowing his head. The next thing he felt was a fist the size of his torso slamming into him.

"I know when you're lying. You were feeding those worthless punks again, weren't you?" Creed sneered, a menacing smile spreading across his face. Raiden only coughed in response. "That's okay. Looks like I'll have to teach you a lesson as your father," Creed said, before ruthlessly beating him. The others watched and laughed.

"Puny, weak bastard," a particularly chubby man yelled. Finally, Creed sat down. "Get the f*ck out of my sight," he spat, throwing a bottle at Raiden. Raiden scurried upstairs to his room, his body covered in bruises and scars.

"I thought he was gonna kill me that time," Raiden breathed heavily. "How the heck did my life end up like this?"

A crying baby was left at the front doorstep of an orphanage by a hooded figure. An old lady, presumably the head of the orphanage, stepped out at the sound of the crying. She saw a baby in a basket with the name "Raiden" encrusted on it. Years passed as Raiden grew.

"Catch me if you can!" he yelled as the maids gave chase. An eight-year-old Raiden had taken a pastry from the kitchen. He ran around laughing, displaying astounding speed for his age.

"Ren, stop this instant!" Ren, in fear, stopped. The head of the orphanage grabbed the pastry. "No more dessert for a month!" she declared. The maids bowed and thanked her.

Raiden was a rambunctious and naive child, always getting into trouble. He had many friends at the orphanage due to his nature but never got along with bullies. In fact, he hated them, always getting into fights to protect his friends. He had one favorite maid, Raina, who always treated him well no matter how he acted. She would read him stories about heroes. One such hero was Ren, a ki beast slayer of the north. Raiden earned his nickname from this brave slayer.

The orphanage, being poor, was located in the slums of the city of Dragons Pass, a city where humans and demi-humans lived together. It got its name due to being founded by the "First Samurai," Shai Dragonhearth. The first samurai was Raiden's hero, his inspiration. He could see the statue from the slums and loved to admire it. Like the famed Dragonhearth, Ren wanted to be a hero.

Two years later, Ren had grown into a respectable young lad. He still had a lot of energy, but it was more manageable. His life was heading in the right direction when the worst happened. The worst gang leader of the Dragons Pass slums visited the orphanage, looking to take someone with the potential to be a good addition to the gang.

He barged in, "I'm looking for a kid." Raina looked in horror, becoming weak in the knees. She couldn't even utter a word. The other maids watched in fear. Creed stumbled upon a girl who looked more mature than the rest.

"Hello, would you like to join our gang?" he laughed. "I say that like you have a choice." Raiden ran in front of her with his arms out.

"If you lay a finger on her, I'll... k-kill you," he stammered.

Creed laughed heartily, as if Raiden was a comedian. "I like you, boy. Come with me," Creed said, grabbing his wrist. In a last-ditch effort, Raina stood in his path. Creed slapped her away effortlessly. Another three years passed as Ren was raised in the gang. He learned how to fend for himself and was constantly sent out on missions to earn money for the gang, from which he gained minimal, if any, personal benefit. He had no qualms with this because he saw it as dirty money.

He was seen walking through the slums. The homeless, prostitutes, and small shop owners looked at him with smiles. He had gained a great reputation for helping the unfortunate. This was until the rest of the gang showed up on a steampunk courier boat the size of three buses, making a loud screeching combustion sound. The looks of citizens quickly turned to fear. The gang exuded an immense aura of filth and malevolence. Creed stood at the center, smoking a cigar.

"Raiden, my boy, come up here," he called. Uncomfortable, Ren slowly walked up to him. "Bow to my feet, boy." With his pride at an all-time low, Raiden bowed to Creed's feet. Creed, exuding a red aura of power, spat on Ren's head. The whole gang erupted in laughter. A few months passed after that incident.

"Hey kiddos, I'm back! You seem fired up!" they yelled. "Yeah!!" A young, beautiful lady walked through the door frame.

"Now now, children, you must get ready for dinner. Mother is waiting." A smile graced Ren's cheeks.

"Raina!" he exclaimed.

"Hello, Ren," she said politely. Ren bowed slightly.

"How have you been?" he asked.

Raina sighed. "Good. The kids are rowdy, but nothing compared to how you were."

Ren scratched the back of his head, an embarrassed blush on his face. "I was a lot back then."

Raina chuckled, then a sad look appeared on her face. "I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you."

Ren stood shocked by the sudden change of emotion. "I-it's not your fault. It was because of my brash personality that I got taken. I will do everything in my power to end the reign of that filthy Bull gang."

Ren lay in his bed, contemplating his life. The way that bastard had taken away his life. The way he hurt the ones Ren loved. Laying in his bed, he vowed that justice would be served.