Ryu and the First Vision

Chapter: The Crack in the Dream

Night fell on the new Earth. The winds blew softly, the city was quiet. Ryu lay in his bed at the Flame Academy, but his sleep was not peaceful. For the first time in a long time – he dreamed.

But this was no ordinary dream.

He stood in the middle of a frozen wasteland, a chilly wind surrounded him, and everything around him seemed to have burned down in the past... and only ashes remained.

In front of him stood a boy his age, black eyes with blood-red dots, his hair white as snow and his skin black as pitch.

"You don't know who I am... but I know everything about you," the boy said in an echoing voice. "My name is X. And I am your shadow."

Ryu didn't understand. He tried to speak, but his voice was inaudible.

From behind appeared a girl – her hair was silver and her eyes were blue, but there was an emotionless coldness about her.

"And I am Z," she said quietly. "When the time comes, we will unite. And then you... will be forgotten."

Rio fell to his knees. A dark light began to surround him, and when he raised his eyes – he saw a single being. She breathed like fire, her body half man and half woman, with a huge sword in her hand and merciless eyes.

Zix.

"Liron chose you," Zix whispered, "but I – I was born to erase that choice."

Rio woke up in a panic, his body covered in sweat. His heart was beating fast.

And at that moment – ​​a ball of red light appeared in front of him in his room. From the light came Liron's voice:

"Rio, it begins. The dream you saw – is not a dream. It is a warning. They are coming back, and they are getting stronger. I will give you the truth – and the strength to fight them. But you must be ready. Because what comes... will break you."

Rio got out of bed, breathing heavily.

"I am ready," he whispered.

Chapter: Journey to Hell – The Reunion of the Lost Family

The sun rose over the Empire of Flames, but Rio knew that the upcoming journey would be unlike anything he had seen before.

Liron, the Lord of Flames, appeared next to him with a calm but powerful voice: "Rio, it is time to take you to Hell, the place where you will learn to truly control your powers."

Rio was excited and afraid at the same time. What awaited him there? How could he control the flame his grandfather had bequeathed to him?

Once they landed in Hell – a dark world, full of blue flames and scorching rocks. "Here the fire burns souls, but also nourishes true warriors," said Liron.

Suddenly, a female figure wrapped in a glowing cloak approached them. "This is your grandmother, Lyra," Liron explained. "His wife and soulmate."

Rio smiled gratefully.

A cold wind passed as a large shadow appeared. "This is Lavi, my brother and king of the Darkness Dimension," Liron said. Lavie was an imposing figure, clad in black armor and his eyes flashing red.

Rio felt his power.

"Beside him stands your father, Kael," Liron continued. "The minister of the Darkness Dimension's army and Lavie's loyal assistant."

Kael approached Rio, gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder, and said, "Your powers need to be sharpened, my grandson."

Finally, Liron's parents appeared: his father David, a legendary warrior and brother of the ancient Stan, and his mother Polina, a beautiful and strong woman who had gained the power of fire.

Liron called everyone to gather. "Ryu, today you are truly beginning to know your family. The powers you possess are a gift from an ancient and powerful family. My brother and I are here to teach you."

Ryu looked at his family and felt pride and strength rising within him. "I am ready."

Thus began the Hell Training – tough training, at the end of which Ryu would learn to control the flame and become the strongest warrior.

Chapter: Hell Flame Training – The Beginning of Ryu's Journey

After happily and proudly meeting his family in Hell, Liron took Ryu to the training center – a vast open field surrounded by scorching rocks, filled with blue flames and strong winds.

"Here you will learn to control fire and your powers in the purest and deadliest way," Liron said in his deep voice. "But first of all, you must control your mind – without that, no fire will help you."

Liron ordered Rio to stand in front of him and relax his body. "First, breathe. Concentrate on your breath, feel how the fire in you awakens."

Rio took a deep breath, feeling the inner heat burning and strengthening.

"Now, try to light a small flame with your finger," Liron said.

Rio felt a small pricking sensation, suddenly a tiny flame flickered at the tip of his finger.

"Great!" Liron smiled. "This is just the beginning."

Lavi, Liron's brother and the king of the Darkness dimension, walked up to them and added: "Now try to feel the flames not only in your hands, but throughout your body. Let them flow through you like a river of fire."

Rio tried to expand the flames, to feel them flowing like a warm river in his body.

The flames grew, lightly burning the air around him.

"Good, but don't forget to control your mind too,"Lavi warned. "Uncontrolled fire will kill you too."

Suddenly, Kael, Rio's father, approached with baskets full of blue crystal stones. "Here, this is the demon crystal," he said in a calm but strong voice. "Only after you touch it will you truly be able to unlock all your powers."

Rio looked at the glowing blue crystal, feeling that it was calling to him, inviting him to touch.

⸻

Liron smiled: "But first, we will continue to train the basics. Once you are ready – the crystal will be waiting for you."

The training became more difficult – Liron and Lavi demanded that Rio use the flames quickly, accurately, and with varying intensity.

The flames had to be controlled like weapons – not only to strike, but also to defend, deceive, and evade.

Ryu exhaled, a small burst of fire came out of his mouth and hit the target perfectly.

"It takes you time, but you're making progress quickly," Liron said proudly.

The day passed, and as the training continued, Ryu felt himself becoming stronger, more in control, and connecting with his family in a way he had never known.

But Liron knew that this was only the beginning of the difficult journey that lay ahead of him, with the real enemies still waiting beyond the horizon.

Chapter: Forbidden Flame Techniques – Ryu's Path

Night descended on hell, but the fire did not go out. Ryu woke up in a room made of black stone, the flames on the walls flickering like the slow breaths of a huge monster. Outside the door, Liron was waiting for him.

"That's it. From today on, you don't just learn to burn. You learn what true flame is – what the soul of a warrior is."

Lavie appeared at his side, followed by Kael. Even Lyra, Rio's grandmother, emerged from the darkness of the hall, her cloak billowing in the air as if the wind were afraid of her.

"The three of us will guide you. You will learn techniques that are forbidden to be taught to mortals," Lyra said, her eyes shining with golden light.

Training 1: Soul Flame

Liron waved his hand—and a clear but dangerous flame rose from it.

Blood.

"This is the flame of the soul. It does not burn in the body – but in the personality, in the soul. Only those who truly understand themselves can control it."

Ryu moved closer, and touched it. A scream erupted from him. He saw images of his past, the pain, the fear, the loneliness... but also the strength that emerged from them.

The flame changed color – and became a deep red.

"You have passed the test," Liron said. "Now you can use the flame of the soul – to read the hearts of your enemies... or burn them from the inside."

Training 2: Blood Flame (Lavi)

Lavi led Ryu to a dark cave full of red crystals.

"Here you will learn the blood flame technique. It is a flame that connects to your blood – once you activate it, it will burn away anything that harms you... but remember – every use of it takes a toll on your body."

Rio bit his lip, a small wound opened on his hand – and suddenly the flame burst from him with dark-red power, surrounding his body in the form of a fiery armor.

"Good," Lavi smiled. "But use it only when there is no way back."

Training 3: A true conversation with Kael

After training, Kael approached Rio, placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You know, when I lost you... I almost lost myself too. I am proud of you, Rio. Even if I wasn't always there – I always believed that you would reach this moment."

Rio didn't answer right away. Then – he hugged his father. Silently. Without words.

Last training: Touching the Demon Crystal

Another night passed, and Liron led Rio to the heart of the Flame Cave – the place where the Demon Crystal was kept.

"Before you touch it," Liron said, "know that it will change you forever. You will see your past memories, the wars you have been a part of... and your most dangerous ability."

Ryu touched the crystal – and the world disappeared.

He saw himself fighting in the distant past, alongside Liron. He saw enemies he had killed – and then... he saw those enemies rise again. His soldiers.

"The ability of the 'Flame-People': Any enemy you kill – if you are stronger than him, you can bring him back to life as a warrior in your army, and receive his powers."

Liron smiled, and his eyes sparkled.