It was a cold, dark night in the unknown land. Stars littered the sky, and the moon was shining down brightly. Suddenly, a flash bolted down from the sky; a dark thrusting rock started glowing brightly. A young man covered in holly lay on the ground, with a confused expression on his face.

"Where am I?" The young man questioned. "And, who am I?"

All of a sudden a chilling, booming voice rang down in the young man's ears.

"You are Johnimaru. Welcome to Cardea."

Johnimaru stood up, while looking around in amazement of the texture of the land, and from what he had just experienced. Another bright flash appeared in front of him, causing him to fall back onto the floor. There, floating in the sky was a small sprite.

"Hello young Johnimaru, I'm here to help you learn the way of the land," declared the sprite.

Johnimaru stood back up slowly.

"I'd like that," he replied.

"Good, that should make my job a bit easier," the sprite replied while smiling warmly at him.

After that moment, Johnimaru followed the sprite around. He learned many skills and the layout of the land. He was clothed and fed. After a while, the sprite departed from Johnimaru, as it was his time to start his life inside the world of Cardea. Johnimaru quickly began his adventure throughout the land. He chose an ethos neither directly of Light or of Darkness. He learned the people well and made friends, as well as his enemies.

One day as he was staring up into the sky, he felt a rage that burned inside of him.

"What's this feeling?", he said in confusion.

The sensation subsided and he drifted into a deep sleep. In his dreams he saw horrific images--sights of bloodshed, Darkness--a battle field littered with hundreds of lifeless bodies. He then saw himself, clad in a cloak and pulling the hood tightly around his head. He was walking down an endless road, with rain pouring over his path, while powerful booms of thunder resounded. He saw old friends, old enemies, things he had seen and battles he had survived, all beside him as he walked slowly down his path. Then, suddenly there was nothing.

"What are these images that haunt my mind!" Johnimaru demanded.

There was no responce. Silence surrounded him.

Suddenly, he heard a faint sound that quickly grew louder, and louder. The source of the sound moved closer, and closer to him until he saw what it was. A legion of Darkness were storming towards him. Goblins, demons, and dragons were all charging at him at once. They reached him, and Johnimaru stood with his legs trembling from the horrible sight. As they beckoned to him, he woke. He looked at the skies, and realized he had only been asleep for a few seconds.

"There's something behind this...this may be my future, and I must be prepared for it when it comes," he mused.

Johnimaru trained each day in total concentration, improving his battle techniques, and how to stalk prey in complete silence. He did this for countless hours and unending nights for years. He committed himself to be ever prepared for realisation of his premonition.

One day, after spending some good time with his friends at the Docker's Fist, he was walking down a path, which began to look strangely familiar. Suddenly, an ominous feeling struck deep inside his heart. Bright flashes of memory haunted his mind, and he was quickly overcome by shadows. He awoke, but could not see a thing. He searched in the Darkness for some way out, but he could not escape. A faint voice spoke inside his mind,

"Seek the Shadows Johnimaru, and become what you were meant to be."

Johnimaru was then enveloped in dark flames and started falling into the Abyss. He screamed in terror as he plunged towards his death--and just before losing consciousness, a light appeared from above. A hand reached down and pulled him out from his nightmarish dream. Johnimaru awoke, with a cold sweat upon his brow. He felt a new sensation inside his heart, the Light had saved him from the Dark, but the Shadows still lived inside of him. He resumed his search of the lands once again, but from a different perspective. Johnimaru is in the Shadows, but he beholds the Light.

(Written by Johnimaru's player)

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