By Vicky

The young man ran desperately through the forest. Panting, he looked behind his back occasionally. Upon seeing a shadow following him he gasped and tried running faster.

Thunder roared in the distance and the rain fell hard on his forehead. He had been running for what seemed like hours, but were in fact a few minutes. Never had his heart been filled with such fear. He was afraid, though his pride did not let him admit it.

His thoughts were running wild. How and why was this figure after him? How did he get here? What was happening to him?

He came to a sudden stop, resting his back against a large tree. He panted wildly; his limbs were sore and throbbing with exhaustion. He wiped the sweat off his forehead. The running footsteps, which made his heart melt in fear, had finally ceased and he allowed himself to sigh in relief.

That's when he heard it, that infernal laughter. His hands were trembling and the strange forest seemed like an endless maze, which was spiraling all around him, the voice echoing in it. Deep, dark and sinister the voice boomed loudly:

"HAHAHAHA!!!"

"DID YOU ACTUALLY THINK YOU COULD ESCAPE ME, YOUNG WARRIOR?"

The boy was still supporting himself against the tree. He turned out of instinct to search for the source. That's when he finally saw him. At seeing him he went wide-eyed. It was not a man, rather a towering demon, the Devil's Incarnate.

The demon was wearing a simple black karate Gi. His hair was flaming red with white streaks. His eyes were completely red as well, seemingly glowing in the unholy fire of hell. The boy could also see two lines of sharp teeth gleaming out of the monster's mouth as the latter sneered at him.

"YOU HAVE REFUSED TO LEARN YOUR TRUE POTENTIAL. NOW YOU WILL PERISH LIKE THESE WORTHLESS MORTALS."

The demon hurled two figures at the boy's feet.

"MOM, DAD!! NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"

Uncontrollable rage entered the young man's heart, as he made a feeble attempt to attack the demon. Mustering the techniques his father taught him, no matter how hard he tried, the demon dodged and blocked.

"YOU ARE WEAK, PATHETIC. FOR THAT YOU MUST DIE."

The monster seemingly tired of blocking easily counterattacked the boy as he tried to kick him. He grabbed his foot and took a step forward, grabbing him and throwing him over his shoulder. The young warrior cried and groaned as he crashed against a nearby tree. He burst into furious flames, which make the forest illuminate in demonic fire.

The demon then performed his mortal attack, the Shun Goku Satsu, a move, which nobody could survive. After 14 blows of pure pain and agony the demon allowed himself to laugh as he a delivers the final and fatal blow"

"BE HONORED, YOUNG ONE, FOR YOU HAVE BEEN THE LAST VICTIM OF THE RAGING DEMON."

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH..."

The boy's cries of agony were heard only by the wildlife in the forest...


"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH..."

*****

Mel Masters awoke with a jerk. His blonde bangs covered his sweaty forehead. Every night for the past month he has been having the same nightmare.

"5:00 AM", Mel said to himself as he got out of bed and walked into the bathroom. He splashed some water on his face. He then opened a window and let the evening's breeze dry the sprinkles, just to feel the coolness on his skin. Soon it would be morning and he hadn't gotten any sleep. His parents did say he was acting strange lately. They had all the right to be worried. Mel wasn't getting any sleep, and his once great appetite had changed.

"Son? Was it the same again?" His father asks him, now standing in only a pair of long loose pants, glancing at Mel's back from the entrance of the bathroom.

Mel doesn't answer and sighs silently. "It's no biggie Dad...It'll pass. It's only a phase," he says, hoping his dad will cut him some slack.

"Dreaming Akuma is killing you every night for one whole month is not a phase. Let me contact Ryu or even Oro. For Christ's sake let me help you!" Ken says, his eyes pleading and full of worry.

"Forget it! I'll handle this myself. Now will ya calm down and go to sleep? You need your beauty sleep" Mel says smirking.

"You just wait for tomorrow's training, I'll show you beauty sleep" Ken jokes.

"Try to rest, ok son?" Ken says softly and sighs, before leaving.

Mel sighs, "I know what you're after Akuma! And I ain't delivering so leave me alone" With this last thought Mel sits on his bed. After a few minutes he dozed off and got the only sleep he will be getting tonight...