RED DRAGON

[jamat]

Another character.

Jamat

Red Dragon

Matthewís parents lived in a boring house , Cardiff South Wales. They had boring jobs, and Matthew knew from an early age that he didnít want to end up as boring as them

As Matthew grew up he started to get into trouble, first shop lifting then as he got older things got more serious steeling cars and breaking into houses. Finally he was expelled from school.

Not having to attend school gave Matthew even more time on his hands he carried on his criminal activities. It wasnít long before he came to the attention of a local thug named Morgan. Morgan ran a small operation out of a warehouse in an area of the Cardiff docklands called Tiger Bay. Morgan controlled the local prostitutes, casinos, smuggling (both goods and people) and protection. Matthew was invited to meet Morgan and nobody refused Morgan so Matthew nervously went along.

At the warehouse Morgan asked the 16 year old what he wanted out of live.

ìThatís easy. Money and respected. But most of all I donít want to end up working my life away like my parents, I want excitement and adventure.î

ìGood then we may be of help to each other. I want to offered you a place with my team. It would be small work to begin with but once you find your feet you could become a respected member of this community.î

Matthew couldnít believe his luck.

ìYes I want the job and no way am I going to let you down Mr. Morgan.î

ìGood lad now go with Tony over there and heíll give you your first assignment.î

Tony was a big bruiser, he used to be a boxer before it was found out he was taking dives for Morgan, although nothing could be proven against the boss. Tony ran Morganís protection arm of the business and this was where they saw Matthew starting.

Over the following months Tony accompanied Matthew to the retail area of the housing estate he lived on and instructed him in the finer art of extracting money from the shop owners.

After about a year Tony let the boy run the south side of Cardiffís protection racked. Now Matthew had what he always wanted Money, excitement and respect (or fear depending on which side of a well placed fist you were on).
His parents by this time disowned him and the community started to shun them for allowing their boy to go bad. So one morning on the way to work Matthewís dad approached his son to try and talk sense into him.

As this was going on Tony came round the corner. Seeing Tony the boy turned to leave, it was then that Matthewís father grabbed his arm.

ìDonít you dare turn your back on me I havenít finished with you yet.î

The boy spun round and looked directly into his fatherís eyes.

ìTake your hands of me old man. I will have respect even from you.î

ìRespect, you donít deserve respect you are the shit people scrape off their shoes..î

By now Tony was level with the two men. Matthew wanting to loss face with both Tony and the boss swung his fist hard into the older manís face. There was a sound of cartilage breaking and his father staggers and drops to his knees. Turning Matthew walks over to Tony and they leave.

ì Who was that then boy.î
ì No one, just a mark that didnít show me some respect, forget him. So what have you got in store today.î

ì The boss wants you, me and a couple of the lads to go and give some old shit a message from him. It looks like heís muscled in on the bosses import export business but wonít pay the protection.î

They arrived at Wolf Import and Export twenty minutes later.
Things didnít go quite to plan. The old boy resisted to the point that he actually struck Tony a good left hook that staggered the big thug. Like Matthew earlier Tony couldnít let his boys see this go without punishment so he laid into the old boy with both fists. What was left was not recognisable. Matthew and two others pulled him of the dead body and left as quickly as they could but not before Tony ordered the warehouse torched.
When the boss heard what had happened he was not happy but he understood Tonyís temper and suggested that all involved should go away for awhile until it all blew over. Matthew was sent to north Wales to hide and to only come back when the boss sent a message it was all clear.

Unknown to anyone, the dead old man had a son, this man was Eric Wolf and Eric was a retired special forces operative, and he had installed a surveillance system in his old manís warehouse for protection. Upon viewing the tapes Eric put out some calls to some friends and that evening a group of six men left Ericís house to go hunting, Ericís old unit The Wolf Pack had reformed for one last mission.

The first Matthew knew something was wrong was when one of the Bosses messengers arrived at the guest house he was staying at.

ìThe boss says you have to go run hard and fast and find a hole where no one can find you. Tony and the others are all dead.î

Just then the door to his guest room crashes open and two men open fire shooting the messenger dead. Being quick witted Matthew had been on the move as soon as the door opened and was close enough to the window to jump but not before one of the bullets struck him in the side. Hitting the ground hard Matthew was quickly up on his feet and running. Steeling a car he made to escape only to notice two cars coming up fast behind him. Soon they were in the open country side heading ever higher into the Welsh mountains. Turning a bend in the road Matthew noticed one of his pursuers lean out and fire at his tires. One burst and Matthew had to fight to keep control. Thinking fast Matthew realised there was now only one thing to do.
Speeding up he turned into another bend and for a moment his pursuers were out of site and in that split second he swung the car out and over the valley edge The Wolf Pack turned the corner just in time to see the car sail out over the valley and crash down the hill side. Matthew in the mean time had jumped before the car had left the road and was now climbing up further into the mountains. Luck though was not with Matthew as when the car hit the valley bottom it did not explode as he had hoped. This meant the men how heading down would quickly find the car empty.

Matthew bleeding heavily made it to a ledge near the top of the mountain and edging round found the ledge leading to a cave. Crawling in exhausted and half dead with loss of blood Matthew collapsed.

Opening his eyes Matthew expected to be looking down the barrel of a gun but instead of a gunman there stood a small old man in cords and a cardigan.

ìwho are you? Where am I?î

ìWho I am is of no importance at present as to where we are well that easy your lying and bleeding in my cave.î

ìWhat about the men chasing me the ones who are trying to kill me.î

ìtheir outside looking for you as we speak. Oh and please donít make it sound like youíre the innocent party in all this I know what youíve done Matthew, I know all about you and Iím very disappointed.î

ìanyway We donít have time for idol chit chat. I find it tiresome talking to no good little shits like you anyway. But then I still see a glimmer of hope for you.î

ìBelieve it or not you belong to a line of kings. I know I can feel them turning in their graves as we speak. How could their noble line be marred with a worm like you. Well you are all I have to work with so I suppose youíll have to do.
Now I have a proposition for you, shall we say a chance to redeem yourself. A chance to safe your skin and do some good. I can grant you the power to do good in the world all you have to do is accept it.î

While the old man was talking Matthew readied himself to escape. With the last of his strength he launched himself at the old man only to fall flat on his face having passed right through him.

ìthat was stupid Boy. Do you know how I am. Let me give you a clue. This hill you climbed is called Merlinís Mount. Now do you see who you are messing with. Do you realise you are descended from King Arthur himself that you have a spark in you that could save this land and the world around as he once did. Your father had that spark but turned down my offer. He turned it down because you had just been born and he wanted to protect you and your mother. And how did you repay him you humiliated him in the street in front of his friends.
So you listen up and you listen good you have two choices you take what Iím offering and I ignite that spark that hides in you cold heart or I feed you to the Wolves.î

Now Matthew was scared and if what he said was true then it would be better to have the power than to die and with the power he could teach this old boy some respect.

ìGood you have decided.î With that the old man places Matthew firmly on the ground and steps back. Raising his hands fire erupts around Matthew and slowly the circle decreases until the young man is enveloped in the flames. The pain is unbearable Matthew prays to die but the pain goes on for what feels like an eternity.
Then suddenly it stops.

ìIt is done boy. You now hold in your soul the power of kings a flame that could be a beacon of hope for many in the coming years.î

Yes thought Matthew I do feel different. With that he points towards the old man with a smile on his face and watches as flames burst forth from his finger tips and to envelope his target. When the flames had died the old man was still there.

ìOh Matthew did you think I wouldnít know you were thinking of doing that when I gave you the power. I told you, you were to be redeemed and shown a nobler path to walk. So here is lesson one.î

With that Matthew bursts into flames and the pain returns.

ìyou see Matthew having taken on the mantel of your ancestors you took on their noble cause, The power wonít allow you to do evil thing it will punish you it will push you in the right direction. It will teach you to do good, whether you like it or not it is now part of you.
But also know this the power will kill you if it has to, to stop you doing evil. Then it will wait for the next in line to find me and be granted this privilege.î

With that Matthew comes awake back in the guest room he has been staying at, with no bullet holes and no broken doors.

It was a dream only a dream I need to get out of here thinks Matthew, and heads for the street. While walking he convinces himself he had dreamed the whole thing, but he still had men after him and he needed to get away fast passing a car he tries the door and finds it open as he is about to steel it he is overcome by an intense burning in his left hand looking down he sees flames burning his flesh to the bone. Staggering back he raps his coat round his hand and runs.
When he stopped running and had gathered his thoughts he gingerly unraps his hand to find it whole and healthy. Looking across the street he was in he notices a small old man sitting on a bench looking at him. He is wearing cords and a cardigan, he smiles to Matthew gets up slowly and walks away.

Over the months Matthew has learned the hard way what this new power will and wonít let him get away with.
The power of Kings grants him the ability to shoot flames from his hands, fly, generate a force wall for fire that can protect him from harm, create fire out of thin air and call forth fire spirits to help him in a fight. He is also immune to fire even his own until he steps off his noble path and can absorb fire into his body to boost his other powers.
Matthew soon returned to Cardiff to confront Morgan and take down his little empire and to ask for forgiveness from his father.
Matthew realised he would need an alter ego. He created a scarlet suit with a stylised mask in the shape of a dragons head and named himself RED DRAGON after the national emblem of Wales.

Now Matthew fights on the side of good. Though sometimes he steps off the path and is punished for it. He is a reluctant hero that has a love hate relationship with his powers.

Unknown to him The old man that died was in fact Merlin in disguise and the Wolf Pack are his retainers and modern day knights. They are also around keeping an eye an their liege lord to make sure he doesnít stray to far off course