"Why couldn't I save them? Why couldn't I be stronger.. Why couldn't I be better." Grim'Lok says, clutching the bodies of his lifeless parents, His eyes sparking with rage as he turns around looking at his destroyed village, his home, Worshire. His eyes scan the area settling to look at one of the people who did this, a man wearing a long dark coat with the faded number 82 on the back. "Imorfal won't be happy." The man turns around slowly to look at him before starting to walk away leaving Grim'Lok alone. Grim'Loks tears flow one by one down his face. "You and those people.. I swear I'll kill all of you, even If it's the last thing I do!" he said while charging at him throwing hard punches mixed in with harder kicks. The man dodges and deflects every attack while saying the words "I'm one of the many False Pillars. You are an untrained little boy. Next time learn some manners. MOUNTAIN STAFF!" As he finishes his sentence the pillar on his back starts glowing an ethereal yellow as the Chikara in its body starts flowing into the rock on his back, quickly it formed into a bow staff and he wasted no time swinging the staff 3 times towards Grim'loks side, he blocked the first 2 but the last one the Pillar threw with intent to kill. Grim'Lok put his arms down to block the last swing but it broke his arms and shattered his ribs. He clutches at his ribs as he spits out blood and slowly stands up straight, the adrenaline keeping him going. Grim'Lok threw a kick at the man which resulted in no reaction, he then threw a punch as hard as he could, which was dodged smoothly. "I'LL KILL YOU!" Grim'Lok screamed as he kept throwing punches, "Your Chikara reserves are plentiful but you just don't know how to use them. You're worthless." The False Pillar said mockingly as he grabbed Grim'Lok's hands, upper cutting him with a sickening crunch that sends him flying into the air, he dashed through the air at breakneck speeds appearing in front of Grim'Lok, "Woa-" Grim'Lok couldn't even finish his words before being hammerfisted into the floor bouncing from the ground to the air as he gets hammerfished three more times each one causing him to scream as he gets lifted from the ground, the pillar grabs Grim'Lok's ankle slamming him then immediately tossing him into the air. Grim'Lok sours through the air as he tries to regain himself, he blinks and the man disappears, "Show yourself!" As he says this the man reappears behind Grim'Lok grabbing his head, "SHUT UP!" He demands as he slams Grim'Loks all the way from the sky into the ground face first forming a large crater on the ground. "GAH!" Grim'Lok screams out as he spits out blood, His life force slowly fading. He looked up at the man that stood over him. "You better hope reincarnation isn't real," Grim'Lok spits out blood and smirks grimly "Cause if so, Im gonna kill you!" The False Pillar looked into his eyes, as he lowered himself to grims face letting him get a good look. "Three seconds. You lasted three more seconds than I anticipated." He slammed the bow staff into Grim'Loks head, killing him and cracking his head.
2 Weeks…
A deity came down from the heavens looking at Grim'Lok's lifeless body. "They did it. I'm so sorry I put your family in Danger.." She said as her hand caressed his face, just over the cracks in his skull instantly healing the major damage on his head, but leaving a very distinctive scar that covers his right eye all the way up to his scalp. "Here I'll give a gift, of course you won't know you have this. Nobody will. Not even the highest priest on earth." She leaned down, giving me a kiss on the scar and as she did, a celestial white Chikara gathered around his body entering him in waves, causing him to levitate off the ground. "Just as Payne had hoped if a situation such as this ever arose. You now bear the gift of Uken… Grim'Lok." Suddenly she jolts up. "Yes. Coming now." She mutters urgently, disappearing as slowly the wounds on Grim'Loks body fade into scars. "Fulfill your destiny with this second chance at life.."
Dream Sequence
Worshire Village is alive and thriving and Grim'Lok is with his entire family, his mother Lilith, his father Alexander, and little brother, Bret. "I love you mom, I thought I lost you forever" he says hugging her "I love you too, we all do. There hasn't been a time where we've not loved you. From the hugs, the fights, the times where your father was teaching you how to fight. Our love for you has never waivered!" Lilith says with a warm smile. "And never forget that your vow to be the strongest fighter throughout all the lands. Remember? You promised me, and our family never forgets their promises." Alexander said, wearing a huge smile on his face. Grim'Lok hugged his parents but as they made contact he felt an ominous aura and turned to see his little brother Bret now floating with darkness substituting for what was once his eyes. "None of that matters. Wake up Grim'Lok, we're all dead and you're the only person who can avenge us. Did you forget how they stuck a blade through my chest," he says and suddenly a sword appears in his chest, He continues, "Did you forget how they beheaded mom? how they cut dads arms off leaving him to bleed out?" He looked up at his mom and dad, mother holding her own head and Father armless, both their eyes soulless. "I mean look at your face." As Bret says this a giant mirror appears in front of Grim'Lok, showcasing the gigantic scar on his face, he looks at Bret coming to realize that he's not finished until he can kill the False Pillars and whoever ordered them. "I can't find peace until I've killed those people who've killed my family." He looks directly at Bret ``I'm going to rip them apart.. They won't get away from me. I'll rip the mask off their faces!" Grim'Lok screams out letting out all the negative emotions he's feeling, and experiencing a surge of power, Bret's demonic face breaks into a wide grin and he holds his hand out to me with his palm pointed at Grim'Lok. ``Then wake up." As he the words registered in Grim'Loks mind he jolted awake.
Reality
Grim'Lok looked around, his eyes filled with a newfound hatred. looking down at his body, arms and then his legs realizing he's no longer injured but only scarred. Standing up took some time but when he finally arose he looked for his family's bodies but they were gone, fortunately he had a pretty good idea on where they went as he looked into the sky, he couldn't forget that vision. He walks through the destroyed town analyzing the destruction that seemed to plague his life, he looks at the bodies on the ground, covered in blood now dried. He continued walking till he reached the town gate. His mind was set on revenge, his eyes sparked with a fury unseen before. "I need to be stronger, I need to kill them, I need their blood on my hands." He looks up towards the sky again. "I'll be better." Taking the path away from the village Grim'Lok thought of the words his father told him, "If something ever happens go to my mentor and your uncle, Risaki Payne. He'll take good care of you." He starts running on the path with no regard for the people in his way. "This is the beginning of a new era for me." as he was making way to the first place his father brought me for swordsmanship. The sacred forest of Gomen… Grim'Lok continued traveling, Maneuvering past people on the path, looking around and taking note of everything as he approached the forest, Grim'Lok noticed the energy around the area was still as pure as the first time he arrived. He slowly walked through the forest, Yet he felt eyes on him at all times. taking note of it he stays cautious whilst walking deeper into the forest. When he reached the tree stump he saw it. Alexander's Sword, he called it the "Oathbreaker.'' Grim'Lok said as he reached for it a voice boomed behind him, "Grim'Lok, You're all alone?" He heard the voice but didn't turn around.
He grabs Grim'Lok's shoulder, turning him around. "Where's your father, Grim?" Risaki Payne asks and Grim'Lok looks up at him. Immediately he notices the Scar on Grim'Loks face. "What the hell happened to you, Where's your parents?" he looks at him with a sorry expression. "They've been murdered, By these people calling themselves False Pillars.." Grim replied, Paynes' shocked expression dropped to that of a knowing expression. "Grim'Lok, you tried to fight them didn't you?" Payne says and Grim'Lok quickly answers "I did and I'm going to keep fighting them until they're all dead!" Payne touches Grim'Loks scar and feels the new energy radiating from it, "Not if you keep on losing. Thankfully you're blessed." Risaki Payne pulls away with a look of disdain, "I didn't think there would be a day where Uken would finally fulfill my promise." Payne sighs looking up into the sky, one he looks back down he sees Grim'Lok staring at the Oathbreaker. "From today until I think you're ready, you will be training under me in the Dipea-Kicho Dojo." He takes a leap back to the stump and he pulls out the Oathbreaker "Prepare yourself." Grim'Lok looks at him confused but Payne doesn't allow him to say a word, Tossing him the sword saying "Show me you have what it takes to wield the Oathbreaker." he dashes towards Grim'Lok as he catches it, watching as Grim'Lok changes to a reverse grip on the sword while dashing towards him, their blades meeting causing them to fling off each other moving past one another, they continue exchange slashes but both of them block each other, Payne looks Grim'Lok in the eyes as as he continues attacks, "You still have a lot to learn, a real fight will always be a fight to the death!" He grabs Grim'Loks arm throwing him over his shoulder to the ground following him immediately, Grim'Lok tries to recover by rolling but as he does he grabs his shirt and throws him into a tree putting his sword to his neck. "Firstly, your technique needs work, and you need to understand how to use Chikara to your advantage. You have 15 minutes to rest before I put you to work." He says walking away from Grim'Lok to the hut in the middle of the grove. "Don't try to avoid it, I'll always find you." He says warning Grim'Lok.
Training with Payne!
Day 1: "Alright Grim'Lok first I'll be teaching you basic skills. So pay attention!" He says as he throws Grim'Lok a training blade. "Get into this stance" He says as he swiftly moves his body to the Dipea-Kicho Technique, a stance well regarded for its difficulty to master, Putting his Right foot in front of his left and holding his blade at a low yet powerful level. "The hell kinda stance is that?" Grim'Lok asks as he tries to get into the stance, as he does, Payne blitzes Grim'Lok and pushes him. "Focus."
Day 38: Grim'Lok sits meditating, channeling all of his Chikara, sending it flowing throughout his open channels. "Good Job getting your Chikara flowing. I can feel it radiating off of you." Payne says as he analyzes the over abundance of Chikara Grim'Lok is generating. "At this rate you could very well pass the Omen Exam. Hell, he already has more Chikara than the average human. Keep training Grim'Lok" he demands.
Day 67: "HIYAH!" Grim'Lok screams out as he clashes blades with Payne. "Good, More of that ferocity Grim'Lok." They clash blades 4 more times before Grim'Lok Channeled a Chikara ball and threw it at him, Payne deflected the ball and perfectly sending it off to the side, he then creates his own sending it at Grim'Lok, Grim'Lok smirks as he runs at the ball and slices it in half sending the two halves, into a tree, Grim'Lok runs at Payne and attempts to grab him, Payne swiftly ducks under his hand and sweeps him to the floor putting his blade to his neck. "Stay focused.
Day 97: "Diligent Hornet, Adapting Bullet!" Grim'Loks blade is covered in a yellow Chikara, He looks down at Payne and screams out as he comes barrelling in at Payne like a Torpedo "Diamond Guard." As Payne says that a barrier coated in thick blue diamond pattern Chikara deflects Grim'Lok's attack with ease."Good! you've perfected it. Now summon a Chikara Blade." As he says that Grim'Lok throws the Oathbreaker towards Payne and it sticks into the tree. Payne watches the sword as it flies past him and as he takes his eyes off Grim for a split second "CHIKARA BLADE!" Grim'Lok yells out summoning a Chikara blade almost identical to the oathbreaker. "Don't underestimate me master!" He smirks as he dashes at him jumping into the air "Today is the day I win!"
After Training!
Time flew during that three month period. It was extensive training but Grim'Lok gained battle experience, Learned how to use Chikara effectively and developed his own techniques. On the final day of training Grim'Lok and Payne had a Mock battle, in which Grim'Lok won narrowly by dodging Payne's initial slash and counting it with a perfected Chikara Ball, Which exploded in Payne's face sending him flying back into a tree ending with Grim'Loks blade at his neck mocking Payne "Your technique needs work old man." After the battle Grim'Lok and Payne talked about it, "The longer we battled the harder it was to overpower you. It's either I'm getting old or you're gonna be a hell of an OMEN Captain one day," He smiles at Grim'Lok "But don't think you'd get the same results if it were a fight to the death." He smiles at Grim'Lok, "You definitely have an imagination." Grim'Lok laughs as Payne sips on his tea "Look Grim'Lok remember the girl with orange hair that I used to train when you were a child? A girl named Nay, You probably don't remember." Grim'Lok at him "No i definitely remember her, What about her?" Payne puts his hand on Grim'Loks shoulder "I wish for you and her to attend the Omen Exam. It was your fathers last wish to me that if a time like this fell upon us. Plus you have a guaranteed pass considering your strength." Grim'Lok looks away from him, "Why didn't he tell me himself?" Payne sighs "There's a lot about your father I don't know. But enough of that, let's get you prepared." He hands him a new set of clothes, he also hands him a Passing Card and 500 White Dollars. "There is a town named Seiji close by here. Nay lives there working at an Inn If i'm not mistaken. And don't forget to take the Exams, They're all the way in Archfield and from what you've shown me you're leagues above the competition." Grim'Lok smiles, He and Payne share a hug before Grim'Lok ventures off "Goodbye Uncle Payne." He says before leaving. Payne looks down at his tea cup. "May the god who blessed him guide him through his journey." He mutters watching Grim'Lok leave the forest.