Hero of Heroes Ch. 15 - Nightmares
By Night

The sounds of thunder clapped in the air... and Ryu stood alone in the middle of a forest. The cold drops of rain lightly splashed against his face and the cold winds strided across the lands blowing Ryu's red bandanna along with it. Almost too peaceful... Ryu walked suspiciously, sensing evil amidst the tranquility.

"I believe you are looking for me, young Ryu..." a voice called out.

Ryu turned his head, and looked towards where he heard the voice. Up on the edge of a cliff he stood... the man he's searched for all his life... the demon... Ryu clenched his teeth and growed under his breath. "Akuma... at last you have revealed yourself to me."

"Heh heh heh..." Akuma leaped from the edge of the cliff and headed downward, punching the ground on impact creating a huge crater underneath him. "You think I have revealed myself to fight you? You are greatly mistaken. I have not come to fight you. No. But to help you reach your goal. Yesss."

Ryu sneered. "I would never accept help from you, demon!" He stomped his foot down and put his arms in fighting position.

The demon's red eyes glowed, and he smiled a sharp-toothed grin. "You want to destroy me don't you...?"

"Destroy you? No... I want to obliterate you! Eradicate you! ANNIHILATE YOU!!!" Blue energy began to swirl around Ryu, and the lighting above crackled with intensity.

"Ahhhh. Excellent... I can feel the energy growing inside you. But sadly, you cannot destroy me... for I know your weakness."

The Shotokan warrior growled and his eyebrows formed a "V" shape.

"You've grown weak Ryu..." Akuma continued, "and a fighter with weakness will never become a true warrior!"

"And what makes me so weak? The loss of Sensei? That only strengthens me to defeat his murderer!"

"You think I am referring to your pitiful master? No... I know you have overcome his loss... but another weakness has presented itself! Yesss!"

"Let us fight now and you tell me how weak I am!" Ryu closed his two fists together, and was combat ready.

"Very well!" Akuma followed, stomping into his horse stance, glowing in a fiery red aura.

Ryu looked straight into the demons burning, fire-lit eyes and gritted his teeth. Akuma grinned, showing Ryu his sharp fangs... and he raised his knee up and hovered backwards.

Hesitant, Ryu gave chase... I WILL avenge you Sensei! He ran quickly towards his hovering form and planted his foot on the ground when he was close enough. Akuma planted his feet to the ground as well and stood straight up with his arms crossed, awaiting Ryu's attack. Ryu yelled out his battle cry, cocked his arm backwards and launched himself forwards with full force.

"Hmph!" Akuma suddenly began to fade, and he was gone just before Ryu's punch landed. Ryu turned around, feeling Akuma's evil aura gliding behind him...

"Tatsumakisenpuukyaku!" Ryu try to cover all sides with his powerful spinning kick, but Akuma was fast... the demon swatted Ryu's stretched out leg, and stomped into his horse stance, delivering a body punch to his midsection. Ryu landed on his back with a thud, raising the dirt beneath him into the air. Must not lose... Ryu flipped back up into position and dusted himself off.

"Too slow Ryu... something is clouding your mind! Once again... you are not fighting at your optimal power!"

"Grrrr..." Ryu didn't appreciate the demon's opinions. He snarled, and lunged out with a punch to Akuma's face... which was lazily swatted. Not wanting to stop his offense, Ryu continued punching countless times... each one getting swatted until finally it ended with Akuma catching Ryu's fist in his hand. His free hand made a last effort to deal a blow, but it too was caught by Akuma's other hand...

Ryu struggled to free his hands, but Akuma's grip was incredibly strong. "I know why you are weak Ryu!" Akuma stated, "You feelings are not concentrated purely on the fight are they?"

"Rrrrrrg... my life has ALWAYS been on the fight!!!" Ryu growled.

"I think not! There's been something new that has entered your thoughts! It's HER isn't it? SHE is why you are weak!" Akuma laughed. "Perhaps, if she was to be dispatched... then your thoughts wouldn't be so weighted anymore! Yessss!"

Ryu groaned loudly trying to escape Akuma's grip... he channeled more and more energy throughout his body... calling all the power he could in his surroundings... a blue aura engulfed him, causing his bandanna and hair to rise. "You... don't... touch her...!!!"

"Heh heh heh heh... why not? Do you fear I will do to her as I did your master?"

Energy levels began to rise drastically... "Will... not... let you!!!" Ryu snapped his arms back, breaking Akuma's hold on him and howled... calling forth so much energy that he was surrounded in a blue cylinder if light...

"Yes, that's it! Release your anger! Let your evil intent control your power!" Akuma stood a short distance away from a powering up Ryu, observing the amount of energy he was channeling...

When Ryu's power was at a nearly incalculable level, he charged towards Akuma head on... "Must... destroy you!!!"

"Yes!!! Show me your true power!" Akuma waited eagerly for the next move...

Charging at full speed, Ryu brought his fist to his waist and leaped up at an angle with an extreme velocity... "SHORYUKEN!!!"

Akuma took the full blow of the legendary dragon punch squarely in the gut, and felt the tremendous impact of pure energy explode against him. He felt himself launch skyward and waited till he reached the peak of his ascension... then flipping himself into position to land back on his feet. A few seconds after, Ryu landed right next to him, still bursting in a blue aura of pure energy. "Impressive my young warrior... but still not good enough to destroy me!"

Ryu grinded his teeth, and his fists closed with a tightness strong enough to shatter steel.

"In order to destroy me... you must unleash your full anger! Let the hate flow through you as you pummel me to oblivion!"

"No...! Never!!!"

"If you do not... then as long as I exist... your lover... Chun-Li... will be my primary target! And I will make sure you witness each moment of her painful death, as you did your master!!! Either way... your true evil intent WILL be unleashed!!!"

"Nooooooooooo!!!!!" Ryu closed his eyes roaring with fury... and summoned each bit of energy he could muster... so much that he could feel each cell in his body almost ready to explode... but he was able to control it... and focused it in one direction...

Ryu opened his eyes, raising his knee and lifting his other foot slowly lifted off the ground... and he hovered straight for Akuma...

But just before he reached his target... it was gone... and standing where it once was... was a beautiful, long-haired Chinese female... "R-Ryu...?"

N-n-n-n... NO! Chun-Li...!!!

It was too late. Once started... the instant hell murder... the Shun Goku Satsu... cannot be stopped. Chun-Li tried to block him... but his body made contact with hers... and his fists acted as if they had a mind of their own... They struck the woman he cared so deeply for in fourteen of her most vital places on her body instantly... and the fifteenth and most fatal blow... straight at her heart...

A scream... a big flash of light...

***

Ryu's eyes flashed open. Looking up he saw the ceiling and sighed a huge breath of relief... Nightmare...

And he also felt something against his body... warmth... he sniffed the air... the scent of freshly washed hair... looking down, he saw the peaceful, sleeping form of the woman he was passionately kissing just the night before... She had given him unforgettable pleasure last night... something he's never felt in all his life... but just a few moments ago... he saw himself murder her.

Wh-what have I done...? I... I've become a... monster...! He looked back up to the ceiling, trying to get his thoughts together... I became just as evil as Akuma himself... how can I let myself... lose control...? Ryu back down at Chun-Li... she was sleeping so quietly... so peacefully... and her arm held onto him as if she never wanted to let go...

I must... learn how to control my power... before I hurt myself... and you Chun-Li... Ryu closed his eyes... not wanting to think about his nightmare any longer. He lightly kissed Chun-Li on her forehead... and felt her arm gently hold him closer... He finally released his hand from hers... and lightly brushed her bangs...

Slowly, Ryu rolled out from underneath Chun-Li trying his best not to wake her as she struggled to hold onto him... He gently pulled the sheets back over her to keep her warm, and reached over to lightly kiss her forehead again. He slowly walked away from the bed... he felt so dangerous from the nightmare he had... He didn't want to put any harm upon her at all... and he realized that in order for her safety... he knew he must destroy Akuma and end his evil influence on him... for good.

I am so sorry Chun-Li... so sorry for what I am about to do... but I must... Ryu walked over to the corner of the room and grabbed his duffel bag...

Chun-Li... for your sake... I am going to finally learn to harness and control my energy... I am going avenge Sensei... and I am going to finally expel Satsui No Hado within me... forever.

Ryu opened his duffel bag, and began to grab some of his things and put them in. He looked back at the bed and still saw Chun-Li sleeping in complete peace. And... I must do this so that I know that you can be completely safe with me until the end of time... I love you Chun-Li.