Akari, Makise, and Maki are in the kitchen, preparing dinner.

MAKISE: Mom, you made me the wrong lunch. You know that I hate eggplants.

AKARI: You took Ryuken's lunchbox.

MAKISE: I did?

AKARI: You snatched it just when I was handing it to him.

MAKISE: Is that why he called me a thief?

RYUKEN: (enters kitchen) Hey, Mom. Here's the key.

AKARI: Oh, hey. What took you so long?

RYUKEN: I went upstairs to put my schoolbag after I locked the door. I forgot to give it to you first.

AKARI: That's okay. Hand it over.

RYUKEN: (hands key to her)

MAKISE: (runs to the key) THE SWORD IS MINE!!!

AKARI: (quickly snatches the key)

MAKISE: (drops on the floor) Arghh... Mom, I swear I won't break it.

AKARI: (cold stare) I'll break you if you even lay eyes on it, you hear?

MAKISE: ... yes, ma'am.

AKARI: (puts the key in pocket) Alright... who's hungry?

...

Ryuken's room.

Ryuken is sitting on his desk, wearing headphones, doing his homework. The entire room is lit up by his table lamp. His school bag is on the floor, next to his bed. There is a knock on his door.

AKARI: Ryuken?

RYUKEN: (takes off headphones) Come in.

AKARI: (opens the door) Homework?

RYUKEN: Yeah. It's just a few math exercises. Not really much of a problem.

AKARI: I know. You don't have to overwork yourself, okay? I don't want you to catch any math nightmares.

RYUKEN: (laughs) Okay, Mom. What will you do with that katana?

AKARI: (sigh) I don't know. It's best that we wait for your father to come home first. We'll think of how to handle that thing later.

RYUKEN: We can't just keep it?

AKARI: No... it doesn't belong to us. We have to give it back to its owner somehow.

RYUKEN: (disappointed) How do you not... hate... them?

AKARI: ... you mean... your brother and sister?

RYUKEN: (slowly nods)

AKARI: (smiles) I know you don't like them, but you don't see them the same way as I do.

RYUKEN: ...

AKARI: There are days I wanna poke my eyes out, believe me. But... I'm always amazed every time I see all of you grow.

RYUKEN: ... it's just... 

AKARI: Hmm?

RYUKEN: I feel like I... 

AKARI: ...

RYUKEN: It's... it's nothing.

AKARI: (smiles, brushes his hair and kisses his forehead) Don't stay up too late, okay?

RYUKEN: (smiles faintly) ... okay.

AKARI: Goodnight. And turn off the lights when you're done.

RYUKEN: Goodnight.

Akari closes the door behind her. She turns off the lights in the hall and goes back to her room.

Ryuken puts on his headphones and goes back to his homework.

...

Ryuken clicks his pen, closes his exercise book, puts down his headphones, leans back on his chair, and lets out a big yawn.

He sits quietly on his chair and looks around the room. He glances at his school bag, staring at it. Tapping his pen on the chair, he ponders for a moment.

He ponders a little more.

He ponders a little more.

He ponders a little-

He stood up, walks to his schoolbag, kneels down, moves it away, and pulls the katana bag underneath the bed. He unzips and opens it.

The sheathed katana is safe and secure. He looks deeply into it, captured by its beauty. Eager to hold the bladed weapon, he reaches his hand closer, inside the bag. His fingers, inches away from his grasp. Finally, he grabs it.

...

Grey sand fills an entire desert. Dead trees surround the empty wasteland. Dark clouds froze in place. A white moon, forever illuminating.

Nothing lives in such a depressing place, except for one creature.

A silhouette of a giant, reptilian beast, with its long tail and neck, breathing calmly, sleeping peacefully. Nothing can disturb its slumber, as there is nothing there to disturb it at all.

RUMBLE...

Thunder from a distance. It opens its eyes. Bright blood-red

The beast's slumber has been broken. But not from the sound...

BEAST: ... something feels... familiar...

...

Ryuken sits on his bed, carefully inspecting every detail on the katana. The sheath. The handle. The guard. He knows nothing of its craftsmanship, but it doesn't stop him from being curious.

...

More and more sounds of thunder can be heard.

BEAST: ... what is happening out there?

...

He sets his eyes on the ribbon wrapping. He looks closer and sees similar symbols, embedded on the ribbon. He sees the stone carving. As his hand slowly closes into the stone, tiny sparks emerge from his fingers, exploding the stone carving into ash. Perplexed, he had no idea what he did.

...

Lightning strikes from the sky, shaking the ground.

BEAST: (eyes widen) No. It can't be...

...

He slowly unwraps the ribbon from the katana.

...

A barrage of lightning overwhelms the desert.

BEAST: It couldn't be. (looks up to the sky) IT SHOULDN'T BE!

...

Halfway unwrapping the katana, a small dragon symbol hides behind the wrapping.

...

BEAST: NO! STOP!

...

The katana is free of the wrapping. He grips the handle.

...

BEAST: HEAR ME! YOU MUST STOP! NOW!

...

He attempts to pull the blade.

...

BEAST: NO!

...

He pulls it with all his might.

...

BEAST: ... no.

...

He manages to open it, only slightly. He sees inches of the blade, shined by the moonlight. He smiles.

KRAKOOM!!!

End of Chapter 3