He rubbed his eyes, weary and tired from lack of sleep and the events that had happened to him in the night. He looked at her again and realized that deep down, he still loved her. What happened four years ago had been a mistake. He wished that he had never left her…wished that he hadn’t said the things he said…wished that he hadn’t been sidetracked and blinded by his purpose for fighting. He had made it seem like Akuma’s challenge was the only reason that kept him going in life…to continue fighting. And when he defeated Akuma, what else could he possibly do?

He had to give her credit. She was a strong woman. She continued on in her life, blocking out the pain that he had caused her. And he admired her spirit and generosity. He could imagine her discovery of a curious baby who had crawled too far from the other children, and see how her heart opened up to the child. He suspected that Chun Li didn’t bother to tell Lien that she was adopted. It didn’t matter, anyway. Chun Li loved her like she was her own.

“How could this have happened?” Ryu wondered softly. “Why did I leave? What was I thinking at the time?”

He wasn’t thinking at all, actually. He realized that now. And how come Chun Li didn’t find another mate? She was too beautiful and full of integrity…how could she not find someone else? He knew that men could line up at her door, forming a line down the street if she publicly declared that she’d go out with a man who caught her fancy. Ryu refused to believe that she had loved him all these years…he wasn’t worthy of her affections. He could understand how she possibly may have never gotten over him and the pain he had caused…that could happen. But he would think that by now…she would have married or been involved in a relationship.

He closed his eyes, burying his face in his hands. The pain he felt now was so intense he felt as if he was being torn up inside. His heart ached for her. And his soul was crying inside…with regret and sadness.

Ryu still didn’t understand why the spirits had visited him. Were they just there to point out the mistakes he had done? Ryu realized those already. But there was nothing that he could do about them. So why were they here? There was nothing he could do to make up for what he had done. He just had to continue on with his life…just like Chun Li had.

Ryu got up and walked over to her side. He studied her features, knowing that they would be permanently etched into his memory. He wanted to remember her like this…beautiful, peaceful…without a care in the world…He bent down and tenderly brushed her forehead with his lips.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered.

Yun and Yang appeared in the doorway of the bedroom. Ryu straightened to his full height.

“Please…” the warrior pleaded. “Just several more minutes.”

Yang nodded and the two looked on with curiosity as Ryu strode to Lien’s room. Ryu stopped by the bedside of the little girl. Gently, he smoothed back some tendrils that hovered over her cheeks.

“Take care of your mother, little one…”

He looked at Yun and Yang. “Is there anything else that you two need to show me?”

Yang shook his head. Yun looked away for several seconds, shifting. Yang kept his eyes downcast.

“Is something wrong?” Ryu asked quietly. He studied them for several moments. “You seem to be hesitating about something…”

Yun took a deep breath, his voice shaking slightly. “We showed you Ken and Chun Li’s family for a reason…because…in fourteen years…Lien’s world will fall apart…”

Ryu shivered as a cold wind flew over him. “What…happens to her?”

He suddenly looked up, noticing that Yun and Yang were gone. He now stood in a field of blackness.

“Yun? Yang?” Ryu called. “Tell me what happens to the Lien.”

Suddenly, a form materialized in front of him. The figure was dressed in a hooded black cloak that hid his features. Ryu’s mouth dropped in surprise.

“Are you…the spirit of the future?” Ryu asked. At the figure’s single nod, Ryu pressed, “What happens to Lien?”

The figure stuck his arm out, pointing to Ryu’s left. Ryu’s eyes shot in that direction…and he noticed four figures standing about ten feet away. One, he recognized as Gen. Two of them had gold hair. These two were a young man and woman. The other figure was a young lady with dark hair. She knelt, holding three bouquets, her face streaked with tears.

The blackness cleared, revealing a graveyard. Ryu looked around, noting the type of memorial stones. If he wasn’t mistaken, they were in a graveyard in China.

The dark-haired lady put one bouquet each on three gravestones. Gen knelt beside her, and they clasped their hands together in prayer. Ryu froze in shock. Without an explanation from the spirit, he just knew that he was seeing Mel, Bethany, and Lien as they had grown up. Lien stood up, turning as Mel and Bethany embraced her. The four began walking away from the stones.

“I…don’t understand…” Ryu said quietly.

The spirit gestured him to the stones so he could read the writing. Ryu walked closer, but he could barely make out what the stones spelled. The first, he believed spelled ‘Yun’…the second, ‘Yang’…the third…

Ryu fell to his knees before the last gravestone. “Chun Li…” He closed his eyes in pain. “No!!!!!” He clutched his elbows, his body trembling with the shock. He bleakly looked up at the spirit, his eyes shining with unshed tears. “Why…Why did this happen…?”

The spirit regarded him in silence for several minutes as Ryu dealt with his grief. Sadness, pain, and blinding loss churned through Ryu that he felt like his heart had been ripped in two. He closed his eyes tightly, his body racking with powerful waves of emotion that he couldn’t release.

“Answer me!” Ryu choked out.

Instead, the spirit stomped his left foot forward, left palm out…a gesture that looked all too familiar to Ryu…

The spirit stood poised for battle. This night was getting worse by the minute...

Ryu slowly rose to his feet, almost as if he were in a trance. From beneath the hood of the spirit, glowing red eyes followed Ryu’s every move.

“Akuma…” Ryu whispered.