The Shadow

Backstory: The Shadow

The orphanage basement was cold and drafty. A small group of young boys stood amongst wooden shelves of canned preserves. One child spoke up. He seemed to be the leader of the group.

"Here is the chance we've been waiting for!" He exclaimed enthusiastically. "The bread truck comes for delivery tomorrow. I figure four of us will fit."

"Yeah, but which four?" Another boy piped up.

"How will we get passed Sister Martha?" Yet another one asked.

The head boy stepped onto an old blue stool. "You all have to trust me if you want to get out of this place!" He shouted.

The boys nodded their heads - promising to hear him out.

Their leader continued from his step stool. "I know a way out. We can... Ah!"

The leader screamed as the stool was pulled from under his feet. The rest of the boys ran over to him. Just as they were about to help up, the glass jars began to shake. The boy looked up in horror as the shelves came crashing down on them.

"Help" They hollered in unison, over the breaking of glass.

Two boys appeared from the wreckage of broken glass and aged wood. One of them was the leader. He was covered in blood. The other boy was not from the original group. He was wearing a dark red ski mask. The boy with the mask grabbed the leader's shirt collar and began to shake him.

"How stupid can you be!" The masked boy barked. "They give us shelter and food - they never beat us. Why would you want to leave this place?"

The leader looked at the boys masked face. "Adventure, I guess?" He cried out in pain - pulling a glass shard from his forehead.

"I've been out there - in the city. It's not a nice place!"

"Mister Beauregard!" a voice echoed from the creaky stairwell that led to the main floor of the orphanage.

The masked boy looked up at the light coming from upstairs - dropping the leader.

"You are you? How do you know my name?" The masked boy asked.

He dashed up the stairs, towards the light. A tall black man stood at the top of the steps. The boy had never seen him before. He was wearing dark sunglass and a faded headband.

"My name is Sensei Akatora." The man said - speaking softly. "I'm from the Dargon Ryu."

"What do you want with me?" The boy asked removing the red mask.

"I want to teach you how to deal with your anger."

"What anger?" The boy snapped back.

Akatora began to laugh. "Like what just happen down there - you have a lot of anger. Your father gave you up. He didn't even have the guts to give you a first name!"

"Yeah - but no name would fit me!" The boy snarled.

"I don't know about that." Akatora exclaimed. "I've been watching your escapades for a while now. You always hide in the dark and wait for some unseen chance to express your anger."

"Yes - that is my specialty." The boy said with a hint of pride."

"How about I call you Kage? It's Japanese for shadow."

The boy thought for a moment. "I can go with that." He mumbled.

"Good!" Sensei Akatora said with a smile. "We'll leave in the morning - bound for the woodlands of Falcon's Thorn. There I will train in the discipline of the ninja."

"But I like it here!" The boy spoke up.

Akatora put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Deep down you know you attacked those boys out of jealousy. You too have a flair for adventure."...