D-WAR

As a young boy, Ethan Kendrick encounters in a shop owned and operated by antiques dealer Jack a mysterious reptilian scale that shines with a blue light. This light projects itself upon Ethan. Seeing this, Jack pretends to suffer a heart attack and sends Ethan's father, who is selling him an antique dagAger, to get help. He then reveals to Ethan that the scale belonged to an Imoogi. Ethan listens as Jack narrates a story (largely shown in flashback) explaining the scale.

Jack's Story
According to the story, every 500 years a girl is born who has the power to change one of the Imoogi into a Celestial Dragon. She is be identified by the stylized image of a dragon on her left shoulder. In order to maintain humanity's place in the balance of nature, this cycle must be completed each time she is born. When the evil Imoogi Buraki sought to become a dragon through contact with this woman, who is called the Yuh-Yi-Joo, the authority identified only as "Heaven" sent two warriors, Bochun and his ward Haram, to protect the Yuh-Yi-Joo from him.

When Buraki's ruthless Atrox Army (legions of armored warriors able to create their weapons on demand) advanced on the village where the Yuh-Yi-Joo's father was headman, a village mother revealed the location of the Yuh-Yi-Joo to them in exchange for her own daughter's modesty, which would otherwise have been violated by Buraki's soldiers. The Artox Army murdered the headman and captured his daughter, whereupon Bochun intervened to rescue her. She was sent to join Haram, who, to avoid sacrificing her to the Good Imoogi, led her to the edge of a cliff, where Buraki attempted to kill them. Haram and the Yuh-Yi-Joo then committed suicide to save themselves from Buraki.

Ethan's Quest
Jack, having told this story, reveals that he is himself Bochun, and that Ethan is Haram, reborn to protect the Yuh-Yi-Joo from Buraki, who is soon to return. Jack gives Ethan a medallion formerly belonging to Haram and reveals that the Yuh-Yi-Joo is a girl named Sarah whom Ethan will find in Los Angeles. Ethan accepts the medallion and the responsibility of caring for the Yuh-Yi-Joo.

Nineteen years later, Ethan has become a television news reporter. In this role, he discovers while investigating a disaster site that Buraki has returned. He then inquires into the news office's database for the location of a Los Angeles-based girl named Sarah, who is either nineteen or twenty years old and bears a dragon-shaped mark on her shoulder. His friend Bruce, despite disbelief, helps Ethan search.

Meanwhile, the Sarah Ethan wants, one Sarah Daniels, is with a friend of hers when she sees Ethan's news report and is terrified by the tracks Buraki has left. She hurries home and surrounds herself with protective symbols, which she does not understand but which she feels are the only tools she has by which to protect herself. Her friend Brandy, concerned but not quite understanding Sarah's problem, takes her to a tavern for a drink, hoping to take her mind off of her fears. Sarah, still afraid, leaves the tavern, but is attacked outside by three thugs. Jack, the antique dealer, appears at once, fights the thugs, and leaves Sarah safe. The police later interrogate Sarah, but do not believe the tale of her rescuer. Word of her escape eventually reaches Ethan through another reporter, who thinks that Sarah fought off the thugs herself.

Ethan eventually finds Sarah at a hospital. Although the hospital's receptionist refuses him entry, a doctor leads him to Sarah's room. This doctor is later revealed to be Jack in disguise. Buraki and his army continue to search for Sarah, attracting the attention the United States' Secretary of Defence, and a federal investigation agency.

Ethan is about to explain the truth of their situation to Sarah when Buraki attacks the hospital, intent on capturing her. Ethan and Sarah flee in a car driven by Bruce, with Buraki in pursuit. They are stopped and fight with a commander of the Atrox Army, but eventually escape him as well. Again, their escape is attributed to a disguised Jack.

Ethan subsequently explains the story to Sarah, who accepts it as true and Ethan as her protector. He then takes her to a practitioner of hypnotherapy, who helps her revive the memories of her previous life as the former, unsuccessful Yuh-Yi-Joo. The energy released by her body during the hypnotherapy session attracts Buraki, who destroys the hypnotherapist's house and follows Sarah and Ethan.

In a car, Ethan and Sarah flee to the more densely-populated areas of the city, where they meet with Bruce in a restaurant. Bruce makes Ethan's excuse for his absence from the news office by planning to describe Sarah as a novice reporter, whom Ethan must train. Bruce later takes Ethan aside and gives him a pistol for self-defense. When Bruce has left Ethan alone, Jack warns Ethan that the Yuh-Yi-Joo must fulfill her destiny. Ethan, defiant because of his new attachment to Sarah, demands to be left alone.

Moments later, Buraki finds Ethan and Sarah again. They attempt to escape him, resulting in a chase scene that culminates atop the U.S. Bank Tower. There, Buraki is distracted by a military helicopter, whose pilot fires on him. Buraki then summons the Atrox Army to help him. This legion enters the city and advances through the streets, engaging by the U.S. Army as it goes. Here the Atrox Army is shown to consist of black-armored, humanoid warriors; therapod-like cavalry called "Shaconnes"; small, winged western dragons called "Bulcos"; and huge, slow-moving reptiles identified in the dialogue as "Dawdlers", who carry powerful rocket launchers on their backs. The Atrox Army proceeds, crushing the American soldiers and their weapons while suffering moderate casualties. Meanwhile Ethan and Sarah are taken to an empty garage by two federal officers. The senior officer reveals that he has researched the legend of the Imoogi, and attempts to kill Sarah so that Buraki and his army would depart for another five centuries. The junior officer, horrified, kills his partner and gives the fugitives his car whereby to escape.

Ethan and Sarah enter the rural countryside in a car. Sarah, having given up hope of escape, remarks that wherever she goes, the Imoogi will find her. Ethan, who seems bent on saving her both from Buraki and from the Good Imoogi for whom she is destined, refuses to admit this. Sarah pauses, then tells him that she is now twenty years old, revealing herself to have come into her full power as Yuh-Yi-Joo. Immediately, the Bulcos knock the car over and capture Sarah.

Climax and Epilogue
When Ethan regains conciousness, he is tied to a pillar which stands before a menacing fortress in the midst of a darkened desert landscape. In front of it lies an altar from which Sarah is to be sacrificed to Buraki. Just as Buraki is about to consume Sarah, Ethan's pendant unleashes a light that destroys all of Buraki's legions, though not the Artox Leader or Buraki himself.

Ethan runs up to save Sarah, but is halter by the The Atrox Leader and they engage in combat. The Atrox Leader is killed when he strikes at Ethan with his sword and Ethan's pendant protects him. However, a revived Buraki knocks Ethan down and attempts to eat Sarah, but the Good Imoogi appears and fights him. Ethan and Sarah watch as Buraki and the Good Imoogi battle furiously. Ultimately, Buraki wins. He approaches Sarah, who offers herself to him. Just as Buraki is about to absorb Sarah's power, she redirects it into the open mouth of the Good Imoogi, who is instantly revived. Buraki attacks him again,but the Good Imoogi becomes a gigantic Korean dragon during the struggle. They fight for a few minutes, after which the Good Imoogi, now the Celestial Dragon, flies to the top of Buraki's fortress and breathes fire on Buraki, burning the evil Imoogi to ashes.

Having slain Buraki, the Celestial Dragon approaches Ethan, allowing Sarah's spirit to speak with him. Sarah, now a fully fledged Yuh-Yi-Joo, requests Ethan not to be sad, adding that she will love him for all eternity. The Celestial Dragon then takes Sarah back into his body and ascends to the heavens. Immediately, Jack appears behind Ethan, reminding him that the two of them have been given a great honor. Jack then dissolves into dust. Ethan, recognizing that he will never see Jack again, whispers "Good-bye, old man".