Prologue
The old man gazed longingly into the fire. A great disturbance troubled
his mind, therefore he could not sleep. He sat with his hands on his kneecaps
and his back erect, like an Indian bonding with fire. When he couldn’t sleep,
neither could his student. She peeked through the crack of the curtains that
offered the room its privacy. Concerned eyes studied the aged man, her mind
contemplating her master's graveness. When she grew tired, the apprentice
thought she would leave unnoticed, but the elder sensed her presence. He called
out to her.
“Xiaoyu.”
The girl jerked. “Here,” she
said, once over the surprise.
“Sit where I can see you.”
She obeyed, placing herself
before him, copying his posture and waiting permission to speak.
It seemed nearly an eternity
before the master spoke. Xiaoyu’s eyelids were nearly closed by the time he
talked to her. “The winds have changed and they carry angry spirits.
Constantly, they speak to me and forbid me to rest.”
“Do you know what has angered
them,” she politely asked.
“They will not tell me,” he
replied simply, “but they repeat a name.”
Xiaoyu remained silent. She
awaited further explanation.
“Naya…Naya.” Wang
mimicked.
“Who?”
“A girl born of the Unknown.
She has the power to determine everyone’s fate. Naïve and innocent, it will
be easy for her to fall into the hands of evil. If the wicked control her, there
is no hope, but if good saves her in time, then all will be well. However, at
all costs, she must remain alive. There are those who wish her dead, but they
are blind to the outcome. If she perishes, then all of earth’s defenses die
with her.”
Xiaoyu sat silent. She had no
reply to match her master’s chilling message. However, she was not oblivious
to Wang’s cry for help.
“What is it you wish me to
do?”
A pause and then, “Find her.
Find her before they do.”
Xiaoyu stood and respectfully bowed to her master. He was giving her the final test. After thirteen years of learning to master Hika-Shen, Xiaoyu was ready to prove herself. She was proud that Wang felt she was ready. Xiaoyu wanted to cry out in excitement, but contained herself. You haven’t done anything so don’t get excited. She told herself. The best time to get worked up would be at the end. Yet, like everyone else’s trials, she didn’t know where to start.
©2001 by Ariadne. Tekken and all its characters property of NAMCO.