!
Dear Journal,
It's been nearly been a week since Ranma had brought the girls to stay at the castle. Nothing much has happened around here since then. The only thing exciting thing that happened is that a boy who by the name is Thomas too from Iksay village. Got lost on Mt. Hei-Tou and was saved by Ranma from a boar. I don't know how he did it, but Ranma went from standing in one spot thirty paces from the boar, then he disappeared then reappeared right behind it re-sheathing his broken katana. We wer wondering what happened when the boar just fell dead to the ground. The boy's young mother was really happy that Ranma save her son. She even gave him a kiss as a thank you. Ranma just blushed and the other girls seemed mad at her for some odd reason. As for the boar Ranma gave it to the boy's mother and carried it for her back to their village.
After that event we've been having lots of visitors coming here, mostly young girls and some guys from Iksay wanting to know how to fight like Ranma. The women have been bringing Ranma homemade food for him too, and when I ask Martha why all she told me is that I would learn why someday. She said that when Cecile starts giving me food I'll figure it out. Cecile just ran away blushing. Since then she's been by giving me cookies and stuff, but I still don't know why.
Each of the girls has been doing something around the castle to earn their keep here. Ernie and Belle along with Gadget Z have been building stuff around the castle. Using the books that Ranma had brought with him they managed to make a water pump and pipes so that the castle has 'indoor plumbing' as Ranma calls it. Which Sunset helped using her magic to help in making the pipes and pump, she’s use to having indoor plumbing and would like having a flushing toilet again and a sink to wash her hands.
I've got to say it really does beat going to the woods every time I need to go to the bathroom or going to the outhouse, but how does that 'toilet' work? Where does... the stuff go?
I learn where the toilet empties out, into a cess pit that Sunset made under the castle which empties out into the lake. Underneath the forest north of the castle, so that the waste water that seeps into the ground is absorbed by the tree roots.
The girls are almost done making a water generator using a water wheel they made to power the elevator as well. Sunset using her magic quickly set it up and made adjustments as they got the whole thing to work right.
Kathy traded in four of her horses for some other farm animals. She got a cow, two sheep's, two pigs and half a dozen chickens for them and the field and stable are back to working order now.
Emily, Sanae Y, and Sharon have been helping Ranma, Cecile, Muto, and Juan repairing the castle. Even if Juan doesn't do much he's good for when we need something heavy to lift. We only wake him up when Ranma's busy though. That stopped yesterday when the girls got tried of him sleeping around while they work picked him up and threw him into the lake. He's REALLY motivated now.
They filled up the holes around the castle with that cement stuff that one of Ranma's books showed how to make. It was cheap to make, but the stuff is really strong. They've made some windmills to power the water pumps that Belle and Ernie had made. Helped by Sunset who has some idea of how they work thanks to her education.
The main gate has also been rebuilt thanks to all the wood and stone Ranma got for us. He said that carrying all that weight is good training. To help pay for the repairs Ranma has been fighting all the strongest monsters he could find for large amount of potch they carry with them. Sunset has also been hunting monsters to practice using her magic and strengthen her body to be better at withstanding using her magic. She also did the real heavy lifting as she moved all the stones and building materials where they’re needed. Leaving the light work to the others.
Now the main gate walls are now repaired to the height of seven feet and four feet thick. They've also built two thick wooden doors that can be closed when there's any danger outside. That Sunset built herself, by cutting down trees and shaping them with her magic. Making the doors very solid as the wood are basically just solid tree logs bonded together with magic. Sunset says that the gate should be open in the daytime and close at night so that the monsters around here can't go in or out. Sebastian said that sometimes monsters do come into the castle now and then, but Juan or Cecile takes care of them. Not anymore.
Sunset has been selling the loot she and Ranma have been collecting from the monsters they have been hunting. Loading them onto a cart she gotten from one of the villages close to the castle and using Kathy’s horses to pull it. Trading the loot for supplies for the castle and for magic items. (1)
She also introduced the sandwich to the villages and it has spread around the villages. A simple and easy to make meal that can Ben made out of just about anything as long as it’s between two pieces of bread. I ask if it’s like a pork bun but Sunset made it clear that pork buns takes time to make while a sandwich just needs some cheese, mayonnaise, honey, and anything else you want in it to make. (2)
Sunset also made a bee hive and collected a wild swarm to have some honey. And created magic items to sell to the people around the castle. She created a lamp post that is powered by a fire rune to provide light in the market square after she worked on it for a couple of days. She’s planning on making more so that the castle doesn’t have to use torches and candles for light.
Belle and Sanae Y told her about a unicorn that joined the Zero army before they were born that their parents knew. Sigfried who after the Dunan Unification War return to the forest where he lives. Sunset is planning on going East to meet up with the unicorn and learn about the unicorns of this world.
Mamie has been busy in the kitchen and got Ranma and the others to build a small cafe at the lake shore to feed the people coming and going from here and make some money for the castle. Most of the meat she has been cooking came from the animals Ranma brought in from his 'training'.
Piccolo has been reading those mangas as Ranma calls them for new ideas for spells. He has been mostly been reading the ones titled 'Slayers' and came up with a blinding light attack that he called 'Light Flare'. It can blind anyone for quite a while.
Martha has been talking to the girls about something, but I have no idea what. However, Ranma told me that the girls all start giggling whenever he's around and it's creeping him out. Sebastian has been disappearing now and then as well and wouldn't tell us where he goes, but he did say that the castle is in better shape than before. Ranma has been training some of us in his art form, but I'm not really a hand to hand fighter so he made a heavy stone sword that I should train with. He says it builds up my strength and when I use my real sword it will become easier. Eike has been...
!
Closing his journal Thomas just realizes that he hasn't seen Eike since he Cecile and Ranma went out to Brass Castle. Running out of his room down to the lakeside where everyone except Belle and Gadget Z was at eating lunch that Mamie made.
After getting everyone's attention he shouted. "Guys, I just remembered that I haven't seen Eike since me, Cecile and Ranma left for Brass Castle!"
The older residents of the castle eyes widen as they remember that they haven't seen him either.
"Who's Eike?" Sanae Y ask.
"Isn't he the castle librarian you told me about?" Ernie ask.
"Come to think about it I haven't seen him since that day,” Sunset said eating a cheese and egg sandwich. She has no problems eating eggs as bread is made with eggs.
Martha motioned for everyone to be quiet. “Ranma, didn't you say that you can feel the energy of the people around you?"
He nodded and closed his eyes for a few seconds. "Still nothing, there's just something about the guy that won't let me pick him up."
"So? We'll just do it the old fashion way. We'll split up and look around the castle!" Kathy shouted as she stood up.
They all nodded and took off looking in different parts of the castle. For some odd reason all the girls seem to go in the same general direction as Ranma.
!
Two Hours Later -
"We've turned this castle upside down and we still can't find him," Juan said. He and the others are in front of the main house seeing if anyone found anything. All but Sunset, Belle, and Gadget Z who were still working on the elevator and Cecile who left to guard the new gate said they haven't found him.
"I sniffed around, but I can't find him at all." Muto muttered. "But, his scent is still here so that means he hasn't left the castle. It's just too faint for me to track."
"He does from this time to time, but Eike always reappears when he's done with what ever he does,” Martha said.
"Well we search everywhere, but came up with nothing," Sharon sighed.
"Well Eike must show up at sometime," Piccolo said.
"Yes, he always does," Sebastian said.
"Hey who's that with Cecile?" Emily asks. They all look down into the main courtyard. A young woman was walking along with Cecile heading towards them. She's dressed as a maid. He outfit consists of a red dress with a white apron over it and a maid's hat. She has a gentle face and had a mole- like tear on her left cheek. She had purplish short cut hair and light purple eyes. (3)
Walking up to them she introduces herself. "Hello, I'm Shizu and I came here to see the elevator that was built here. I'm the elevator attendant and I was called to repair the elevator here."
"Oh yes, I remember sending out a letter asking for someone to repair it before Master Thomas came," Sebastian said wiping his forehead.
"Sorry for troubling you, but me, Sunset, Belle and Gadget Z are fixing the elevator," Ernie said.
Shizu looked shocked. "What! You know how an elevator works?"
"Yes, the books Ranma brought with him from his land explained a lot on how they work and how to repair one too. Belle should be done soon,” Ernie said.
Shizu looked around at the assembled group before her. Her eyes lingered over the pigtailed one for a moment before moving on. "Who's Ranma?"
Said pigtailed one raises his hand. "I am."
Looking at the young man standing in front of her Shizu felt her heart skip a beat.
'I've never seen someone so handsome before.' She felt her cheeks blush.
Martha seeing this slowly shook her head.
'How does that boy do that? Every young girl falls for him the first time they see him?' She takes a closer look hoping to figure out the mystery. 'Well, maybe it's not strange why they fall for him.'
Taking a hold of herself Shizu asked, "If I may can I see the elevator?"
"Sure," Thomas said as he led her into the main house. Cecile, Ranma, Ernie, and Piccolo followed them. The others went elsewhere.
!
Inside -
Inside the main house by the elevator on the main floor Belle and Gadget Z were doing the finishing touches on the elevator. Sunset has been using her telekinesis to keep the elevator up while Belle and Gadget setup the cables and weights.
“Is it in place?” Sunset ask.
"There! That should do it!" Belle said.
"Really?" Thomas asks behind her making her jump.
"Yup! I'm such a genius! Hahahaha!" She laughs a little maniacally while everyone sweatdrops. She abruptly stops when she spots the girl standing WAY TOO CLOSE to 'her Ranma'. "Who's that girl?"
Belle glared at the new girl, but she either didn't notice or ignored it. While Sunset saw that somehow Ranma once again got another girl crushing on him, again.
"My name is Shizu. I was sent here to fix the elevator, but it seems that you done it already." She then turned to Ranma. "Mr. Ranma, I would like to see the books that contain the information on elevators that you have if you don't mind. I would also like it if you would tell me about your land. Elevators are not very common and for your people to know about them is fascinating."
Ranma smiles at her. "Sure, come by my room later. And all my friends call me Ranma ok."
Shizu blushed a little at already being considered his friend while Belle and Ernie growled at her, while Sunset just let out a sigh.
"Well? You guys coming?" Ranma said as he pushed the elevator button opening the doors.
"You know how to operate this?" Shizu ask.
"Yeah, you find these things a lot where I come from. I'll tell you about it later when you come by Shizu,” Ranma said.
By now Shizu's entire body is red as she considers that she'll be soon be in this cutie's room all by themselves. Belle and Ernie are NOT pleased and swear that they are going to be there. There's no WAY they are leaving Ranma alone with a cute girl in his room unless it was themselves that were going to be alone with him.
"So this can take you from one floor to the next without having to climb the stairs. This will make it easier for me to get around now," Piccolo said as he got into the elevator.
Ranma's about to press the button for the second floor when something catches his attention. "Hey, according to this there's a third basement to this castle."
"HUH? What third basement?" Cecile said shocked.
"So that means there's an unknown underground level to this place then?” Sunset ask.
"Let's see what's there!" Belle said
"Is that a good idea?" Thomas ask.
"Well there's only one way to find out,” Ernie said.
"Let me do that for you," Shizu said taking the controls and pressing the last button. Sending her, Thomas, Cecile, Belle, Ernie and Sunset down below.
!
Deep underground-
When the elevator doors open they found themselves in a long dark tunnel. It appeared that there was a whole network of tunnels running beneath the castle. The walls were rough and uneven, chucks of limestone sticking out at odd angles, but the sheer amount of work that had gone into creating the underground path is mind boggling. Whoever made this was keeping something down here for a long time. The tunnel is much older than the castle that's for sure.
Making a glowing ball of energy to light up the tunnel Sunset stepped into the cave followed by Ranma.
“I'll cheek this out you guys. Wait here,” Ranma said.
"No, I feel a huge magical source coming somewhere in this cave," Piccolo said and he made his staff orb to glow adding to the light from Sunset.
“I know, I feel it too,” Sunset said.
"I’ll will go and tell the others what's happening down here," Belle said as she stepped back into the elevator.
"I go with!" Ernie said as she rushed back into the elevator too.
Cecile started to drag Thomas into the tunnels. "Master Thomas, lets go with Piccolo, Sunset and Ranma!"
"Ok, ok, just hold on a second,” Thomas protested.
"After I drop these two off on the ground floor I'll come back down." Shizu went up to Ranma and whispered in his ear, "Please wait for me, I would like to see what is down here as well."
Ranma raised an eyebrow at her whispering to him but nodded anyway. She stepped into the elevator and started the journey up.
Belle had seen the entire thing and frowned suspiciously at the maid. "What did you whisper to him?"
“Yes what is it?” ask Ernie as she looked up to hear her answer.
Shizu just looked innocently at the two. “Oh, I just wished him good luck at looking around in the tunnels and told him that I would come back and wait for them."
"Oh, never mind then." Belle said to her, 'You've better not try anything funny or else my hammer's going to meet your face.'
"Well, here's your floor. I'll be going down to wait for them now,” Shizu said as she push the two smaller girls out.
The door closed on the two teens. If they had stayed in the elevator they would have seen the sly smile on the elevator attendant.
‘Shizu one, bookworm and trickster, zero,' she thought to herself. Hey, she's an elevator attendant. You think she's going to spend all her time in there doing nothing? She's a healthy young woman too.
Down below Piccolo, Cecile, Sunset, and Thomas were about to go down the tunnels when they notice Ranma hasn't moved.
“What are you waiting for?" Sunset ask.
"Shizu said she wanted to come with us so I'm waiting for her," Ranma said to them.
"Oh, okay," Thomas said.
Soon enough the elevator returns and Shizu joins their group. Walking along the tunnel they came to a fork. They decided to split up with Thomas, Ranma and Shizu taking the right while Piccolo and Cecile took the left. Going down deeper and taking many wrong turns and sidetracks they found along the way old barrels and boxes and other stuff sitting on the cave walls. Then after they walk past a deep pit they came to the end of the tunnel.
Ranma, Thomas and Shizu could see a glowing light from a fire on the side of the walls. When they walked into the light they found Eike sitting down on an old chair reading a book by firelight. There were glass jars of food and water and a bookshelf on the side wall. A roaring fire is set in a circle of stones in the middle of the cavern. But what got their attention was the glowing rune behind him.
It was a yin-yang shaped rune. Half of it is blood red while the other side is a sky blue. Ranma and Sunset could feel the power coming off of it in powerful waves.
"Ah so you found my reading place," Eike said closing the book he was reading. “And who is this young lady?"
Ranma hasn't really snapped out of his trance yet.
“Eike, this is Shizu and she's staying here for a while, right?" Shizu nodded. "Shizu, this is Eike the librarian. Um, Eike what's that?
"That is the Rune of Chaos," said Piccolo as he and Cecile stepped into the light. "When I was the Great Mage Crowley's student he told me about the True Rune and this is one of them.”
Thomas looked shocked at the old man. "Huh! One of the true runes? Down here?”
“I found it here when I discovered this place where I could read in peace," Eike said and turned towards Ranma and Sunset. "And looks like it has choose. You two as it’s bearers.”
“Us?” both Ranma and Sunset said as the rune began glowing with power.
The rune fired two beams of light from its two halves, one red the other blue. The red struck Sunset’s forehead and the the blue struck Ranma’s forehead. The blue part of the ying-yang symbol appeared on his forehead the part of the water drop that has the pointed end pointing up. On Sunset’s forehead the red half with the pointy top is pointing down.
Ranma became the holder of the blue half of creation.
Sunset became the holder of the red half of destruction.
“Such power,” Sunset said as her mind raced as she remembered the image the mirror had showed her when Celestria had showed it to her.
“I know,” Ranma said feeling the power flowing through him.
Shizu put a hand up to get his attention. "I believe it is best if we go back to the elevator now. Everyone must be worried."
Piccolo nodded. "We better go back before people start charging in here thinking something bad has happened."
“Yes, I have much to do,” Sunset said her mind racing with so many possibilities.
As they walked back to the elevator Shizu moved next to Ranma. "If you want Ranma I can try to help you control what has happened to you. I don't know what to do, but I'll help in any way I can."
Ranma smiled at her again. "Thanks Shizu, that means a lot to me."
!
Up above-
Once they made it back up to the ground floor everyone in the castle was there waiting for them. They had to explain how Sunset and Ranma got the new rune to them and how they found Eike.
"So you knew there was a True Rune all this time?" Martha asks Eike.
"Yes I have, the rune just ask me not to tell anyone, Now if you don't mind I'm going back to the library now. I would like to see if all the books are where I left them while I was down in the basement,” Eike looked as if he's irritated at Ranma, but Eike never shows emotions so everyone just put it off as a trick of the light.
"So Ranma, this rune of your gives you more power than before?" Juan asks feeling the fighting power from Ranma shoot up higher than he ever thought possible. Everyone turned to Gadget Z when it started to make a lot of beeping noises.
"Power level is now over 10,000! I repeat, Power level is now over 10,000!" Gadget said.
"What!" everyone asks.
Emily looked towards Ranma who's trying to inch his way out of the room. "Your power level is now double than it was before!"
"Yes, I think I need some training to help me control my new powers," Ranma said looking at his hands.
“Power level is now over 15,000,” Gadget said looking at Sunset. Surprising everyone at the power level which Sunset is.
“What you’re more powerful?” Ranma ask.
“You’re a fighter, I’m a magic user. Of course I’m more powerful, I been studying and mentored under the best. Plus you just learn to use magic. Like that sword you use, you only started using it and only because of your fighting skills and speed you’re able to fight well with it. Against a true sword master you would be unskilled but strong against someone who is both strong and skilled. I trained my body so that I could withstand the strain of using my magic and cast high level spells. You were just trained to be a fighter,” Sunset explains.
“Yeah, I was,” Ranma said seeing her point as being a good fighter had really limited his future back in his world.
"By the way since the elevator is fixed what will you do Shizu?" Sebastian asks her.
"I'm not sure. You don't need me here and the new power source that you have made isn't the same as the other elevators use," Shizu said sighing. As it means the men she brought with her aren’t needed to pull the ropes anymore. (4)
"Wait, since I have books that can teach you how the elevators in my land works you can stay and learn how,” Ranma suggested. The other girls inwardly growled at the thought. "Besides, I still have to tell you about where I'm from right?"
If it was possible steam would come out of the girl's ears right now.
"If no one minds I would like to stay here,” She turned towards Thomas. "Um, you are the master of this castle are you not. If you don't mind I would like to stay here. I'm not sure what I can do but I will try my best not to be a burden."
"Sure, I see no problem with this,” Thomas said.
'GREAT! MORE COMPETITION!' the girls thought to themselves.
Ranma remembered that there's an empty room next to his. "Hey Thomas, there's a room right next to mine that's empty. If you and she don't mind she can use it. Besides she's going to be hanging out a lot around my room since that's where the book for the elevators is."
"Err, sure. I've got no problem with that,” Thomas gulped when he noticed the glares sent his way by the other girls.
"I too have no problem with this,” Shizu said.
"Come on Shizu, I'll show you to your room before I go and see what this rune can do," Ranma said as he grabbed Shizu's hand and dragged her to where his and her rooms where located leaving behind a room full of fuming female teenagers.
"Ranma does mean wild horse where he comes from right?" Martha asks and saw the girls nod. "Well the name does suit him, he acts like an untamed horse. Any girl that's after him will have to tame him hard to get him under control. It looks like he's taking a liking to this Shizu. If you don't work harder you'll never find out just how much of a wild horse Ranma is."
Martha smiled as she saw the young girls that are after Ranma blush a deep red at what she just said. (5)
!
Out in the grassland-
Ranma never felt so alive before as he ran with all his might. Jumping higher than he ever could and landing farther away with each bound he felt like he's at the top of the world. The monsters he met were too easy now. With his new speed he cut them down before they knew what hit them. He did get a cape from the wolf he had just killed which he put on. The Chaos Rune seemed to give the Gale Rune a major power charge. In other words when he used the Gale Rune everything slows down like a time freeze. He sees things as if someone has pressed the slow button for this world. The Chaos and Gale Runes must be letting his brain go much faster or else everything would just be a blur. But using it wears him out and he needs to take a break to recover.
Then Ranma came across a monster he hadn't met yet, a Troll Dragon. It's a blue scaled dragon and has blue flame burning on its back. Its forearms are massive wings and its hind legs were like those of a bird of prey. It saw him and flew down spitting out blue fireballs at him.
"So you're hungry huh? Well I'm ready to see what this Chaos Rune can do!" Ranma shouted at the dragon as it tried to hit him with its fire breath.
A fast sweep from Ranma gave the Troll Dragon a deep slash on its side making the dragon even madder then before. It flew up and lets out a huge breath of flames trying to burn him with spay fire.
"Getting way too hot down here! Time to ground this dragon," Ranma said before jumping high and slicing the dragon's left wing off. The dragon gave a roar in pain and fell down hard to the ground below. Ranma still hasn't landed yet so he thought it was time to use his true rune.
Dark purple energy surrounded him as he gathered energy to attack. The Rune of Chaos glowed bright as it gathered power for its first spell.
"Chaos Blast!" Ranma shouted casting the spell sending a ball of chaos magic at the dragon.
The dragon looked up just in time to see a ball of energy hit it. The blast sent the dragon falling and hitting the ground head first killing it.
"Now that's a spell!" Ranma said looking at where the dragon lay dead.
Ranma went to work cutting the dragon’s belly for the items it held within, a pile of potch and a belt of strength are what he found inside.
‘Wait, Cecile told me that Troll Dragons are usually found on the Plain of Amur. That means I ran all the way here. Boy, time flies by when you're having fun. The sun is already setting,’ Ranma thought as he put on the belt of strength feeling it giving him a little power boast.
In the distance Ranma spied a large dust cloud of a large number of horse riders. Taking a closer look he saw a glint of silver-white hair. 'So Chris and her knights are out and about. I better go and see where they're going."
He wrapped the cape he got earlier and used the Umi-Sen-Ken so that the knights don't see him.
!
Elsewhere -
Borus, Roland, Salome and Louis were the only knights with her. Leo and Percival were back at Vinay-Del-Zexay. The peace treaty got turned into a blood bath as the Lizard and the Karaya clans sneak-attacked them. They had the knights surrounded on all sides and were slaughtering them. Only a small number of knights were with them, the rest were still trap by the grasslanders.
"The plan is to set the Karaya Village on fire and then flee. The Karayas that are attacking the other knights will retreat when they see their village being burn," Salome shouted as they rode.
"I'll lead the attack you guys follow me afterwards!" Borus shouted as he and half the knights with them raced off.
"Borus! Remember, don't turn it into a blood bath! Just destroy the village only!" Chris shouted out to him.
Roland moved his horse to be right next to hers. "My lady, there was something running along us before taking off. I could sense it, but it disappeared before I could find it."
"Huh? I don't see anything," Louis shouted riding with Chris.
"I'm an elf. I have much better senses than you,” Roland said.
"It doesn't matter. We need to catch up with Borus' group!" Chris shouted as she got her horse to ride faster.
!
At the Karaya Village-
Borus's men are already attacking the village when Ranma got to there. The warriors that were left behind were falling to the enraged knights. The smell of burning wood and flesh hit Ranma hard. All around him villagers and knights fought and died, with the knights winning, thanks to most of the warriors out of the village. The battlefield resounded with the shrieks of the wounded and the trampled under the ever moving mass. The clash of weapons and armor could be heard everywhere. The knights were lighting the houses on fire and killing everyone they met.
"I have to save them," Ranma said to himself as he saw eight knights riding after fleeing villager's, mostly unarmed women and children.
Ranma rushed across the distance between himself and the knights in a heartbeat and cut the straps holding the saddles on the horses, making the knights fall off of their mounts. Taking off the cape Ranma reappeared in front of the fallen knights. He slowly took out his broken katana.
“If you want to fight someone, fight me. You are cowards for attacking unarmed women and children,” Ranma said to them.
The first knight let out a yell as he rushed at Ranma hoping to slice him in two. Ranma sidestepped away from the downward blow and struck the knight with his sword between his armor plating of his torso. Even if it's broken the point is still sharp.
He pulled out his sword to block an incoming blow from another knight as the other one fell heavily wounded. Ranma hit the knight with the chestnut fist with his left hand while his right held off his sword. The armor he wore became covered with huge dents, just hinting to what the insides now looks like.
The knight fell backwards showing three of the remaining 6 knights running towards him. Grabbing the fallen knight by his foot Ranma swung him around knocking the incoming knights into one of the burning houses. They screamed as they were burn in the inferno within. To finish things off Ranma threw the knight he was still holding into the incoming knight knocking him back several feet away. One knight ran to him and Ranma spun around kick him in the head.
Looking at the last remaining knights he pointed his sword at them. "Run or die!"
The knights took one look at their fallen comrades and hesitated before deciding that his life is too important to him and ran.
Looking around Ranma saw a larger group of knights riding after some more villagers. Knowing that he couldn't waste any more time he had to handle them fast. Channeling energy from the chaos rune for his energy attack his "Moko Takabisha!" it was much larger than usual. The blast threw the knights in all directions.
Borus looks up at the explosion and spots the familiar figure. "Ranma! What are you doing here?"
Ranma pointed his bloody sword at the blond knight. "Attacking unarmed villagers isn't very noble for a knight. Chris told you to just burn the village, not turn it into a massacre."
"I must agree. This isn't a way for a knight to act," said a man walking up to them. The dark haired man is older than he looks from what Ranma could feel. He's missing his right eye and covered it with a black eye patch. He wore a black long coat with metal plates on it for armor. He had on a grey belt with a sheath hanging on it. He wore grey boots and his tan gauntlets held a double blade sword.
"More like a coward and bully don't you think?" said a woman accompanied him. She looks to be in her late twenties and has black hair and yellow eyes. She's wearing a white shirt and a blue jacket, but shortened by her tying the bottom up. She also wore a white skirt and black leggings. In her gloved hand is a single blade straight sword.
Ranma felt Chris entering the village and knew he had to see her.
“Hey you two, can you handle Borus. He's not even worth my time," Ranma said to the two newcomers. "I have to find his leader."
"Sure, he's no trouble cutie," the woman said giving him a wink.
"You go and do what you need to do young one. We'll handle this," the man said to him
Borus is livid at being dismissed like that. "What! How DARE you just leave like this! Fight me like a man!"
"I'll fight you when you act like a man!" Ranma jumped over the burning houses towards Chris.
"Come back here!" Borus shouted and moved to follow him when the man and woman blocked his path.
"Hold it! Don't forget us!” the woman said.
"You have us to deal with first,” the man said.
The words Ranma said to him stayed in Borus' mind as he faces off with the two fighters. 'I'll fight you when you act like a man!'
!
At the other end of the village-
A terrible feeling that something monumental was going to happen soon had settled over Chris. The very moment she had entered the Karaya Village and started making her way slowly along the burning houses the feeling made its presence known. Salome, Roland and the knights with them had departed, assaulting the village from separate sides to minimize the chances of direct confrontation with the fleeing villagers. Only Louis stood by her now.
"Lady Chris, are you okay?"
"Yes Louis, I..." Chris stopped as she spotted something next to a burning house.
"My lady?" he inquired softly, catching the odd expression on her face. She looks like she just saw a ghost.
"That armor. That coat of arm is" she murmured under her breath. To Louis she was speaking more to herself than to him. "Can it be my fathers?"
Startled, Louis followed her stare to where a beaten, battered, rusty chest plate rested in the scorched grass and dirt. Although he was sadly unfamiliar with the meaning of the symbols etched into the aged metal the young squire knew that all high-ranking knights beyond a certain rank were issued special, custom-made suits of armor. So if Lady Chris really believed this could belong to Sir Wyatt, then...
"I'd know this battle gear anywhere," Chris murmured, confirming his suspicions. "It is my fathers!"
"That's your fathers..." Louis was cut off as Chris continued to speak to herself.
"Does that mean that he was killed by a Karayan... here on this land?" Chris asked to no one. "How can that be, if someone here dishonored him."
She closed her eyes, shaking her head slowly, while Louis looked on awkwardly at her. The young boy wished for some gift with words so that he might think of something to say to her. Then her eyes reopened, and Louis felt his breath caught in his throat. Those cold lavender eyes somehow they didn't resemble the ones he recalled her having at all. They were far too frigid, too uncaring, too murderous.
"This village... we'll be better off with it gone," she muttered in an icy tone that matched her new demeanor.
Before Louis could fully understand this new change in Chris behavior he heard the familiar wail of something slicing through the air. His eyes widened as he spotted the cause and cried out. "My Lady watch out!"
Chris turned to see a young Karayan boy with red hair leaping at her, his hunting knife drawn for a killing blow. She raised her sword ready to strike him down. Before she could kill the pest a red blur knocked the boy away and stopped her sword. When she saw what it is that is holding her sword at bay, her breath stopped. A broken katana is blocking the strike meant to kill one of these pests.
'RANMA? WHAT IS HE DOING HERE?' So many thoughts race through her mind.
A duck, a griffon and another Karayan youth raced to them.
"Lulu!" the young boy shouted.
"He's just out cold! He'll be okay, just get out of here now before more knights come," Ranma shouted to them as he continued to hold Chris's sword off. "I hold her off while you make a run for it!"
The duck man nodded as he placed the redhead on the griffon's back. "Hugo, we need to go!"
"But!" the boy named Hugo said wanting to stay and fight.
"No! That guy is risking his life for ours and saved Lulu from a deathblow! We can't throw it away now," the duck man shouted as he and the griffon took off with the boy in tow.
"I'll remember this knight!" Hugo shouted as he followed his friends.
"Ranma why?" Chris began not knowing what else to ask.
"Your knights are killing unarmed villagers and you have the nerve to ask why!" Ranma said twisting his sword so that both swords would be released from the deadlock. He jumped back and leveled his sword at a ready position towards the knight.
"But I... they... my duty to avenge..." Chris began not knowing what to say to him.
"Don't bother. I've seen so many of your kind using honor to hide behind your actions so don't bother trying to make an excuse,” Ranma said coldly.
He saw a young Karayan woman moaning behind Chris. She's dressed in a low cut brown shirt and a white jacket that only covered her back and white pants. She has shoulder length very light brown hair and a beautiful face. She's lying down on her back with a gash was above her left eye. He looked around and saw that all the villagers who weren't dead have fled the area. He knew he had to get her out of here quick.
"We met as friends, but when we meet again we will be mortal enemies. I'm no friends with a hypocrite saying their honorable while doing something like this at the same time," Ranma said before running past her and grabbing the young girl and leaping away from the village.
But Chris didn't even notice his departure or him grabbing the young girl. She's too lost in thought to notice much.
'I'm a hypocrite? Someone who just use honor as something to hide behind?' Chris thought before breaking down crying on her horse. The first man she has fallen for is now her enemy because she lost control of herself in a crucial moment.
!