Noname Chapter 1:
There was a clattering of footsteps as the villagers rushed back and forth. Desperation was evident in every face as they tried to prepare for the incoming army. Everywhere there was chaos and confusion and fear coursed through the veins of all but one boy. Faded blue eyes watched the hubbub around him with a sleepy expression. With a sigh he brushed a lock of black hair away from his face and shot a look at the owner of the small inn.
"Hey boss!" He called, wiping his hands on his apron absently. "Doesn't look like there's gonna be much business for a while. Mind if I take a break?" The owner in question turned startled eyes at his short order cook and stared incredulously.
"Don't you understand? The Relik army is advancing!" He slammed a hand down on the worn bar top. "Everything here will be torched and if we don't leave soon we will all be killed. Why are you worrying about work?!" Anger, shame and fear fought for dominance on the big mans face as he contemplated the impending destruction of his home. "There are at least three companies of ten knights and thirty foot soldiers each headed this way! Why are you still here?"
"Well, it's my job right?" The young man pointed out. "But I don't think anybody wants anything to eat." He shrugged. "Kind of a shame, really, what with all this running around they could probably use the energy." He drummed his fingers against a cutting board and suddenly leaned out a window and pointed a finger at a man running past. "Hey you! How 'bout some sukiyaki! Snack for the road?" The man in question stared at the young boy as if he had grown another head and hurried on down the street. "See! I don't think anybody wants anything so I figured I'd go take a nap or something." He turned back to the inn-keep and yawned. "I'm going outside to my tree, call me if we get a customer okay?"
"Ah...sure." Gerom shook his head and muttered a warding against sickness under his breath. "Hope his crazy ain't catching." Putting the strange youth out of his head he resumed stuffing his collection of clocks into a rough burlap sack.
"Ja!" The cook untied his apron and lifted it over his head. He hung it up on a wooden peg and folded his rag neatly in quarters and left it next to the carving block. With a casual wave of his hand he sauntered into the bustling riot outside and meandered over to his favorite tree. Stretching his arms up as high as they would go he un-kinked his back and settled down to lean up against the old trunk.
"Horse!" He looked up as his name was called.
"Yeah?" Idly he plucked a long blade of grass and placed it in his mouth. "Wassup?"
"Are you daft boy?" Shop-keep Suane demanded. "Pack your things and leave while you still can!" The visibly agitated man ran off without waiting for a response.
"Geeze. What's with everyone today?" Horse paused, "What's with today today? Hmm..." Munching contentedly on his blade of grass he sank lower down and closed his eyes, oblivious to the screaming and yelling going on all around him.
He had just about drifted off when something kicked his foot. Looking up he saw the retreating form of one of the wanderfolk. Frustrated at the interruption he looked around and noticed that there were fewer people on the street. The place looked almost deserted except for a few men and boys standing in the middle of Teeke road holding an assortment of sticks and farming instruments. Many of them where shaking, and as he watched a teenage boy dropped his ax and ran away choking back tears of shame and fear.
"What's going on?" Horse murmured. He wedged himself up and looked around. A kind of expectant silence had fallen over the small village. Dread was evident in every face. No one paid him any attention and in the distance he could make out the sound of horses and many men. Billowing dust began to be visible at the north edge of town. Nightmarish shapes writhed in the obscuring cloud hinting at horses and swords and death.
"So many.." One old man whispered in horror. "We'll all be slaughtered." He spoke with an air of hopeless acceptance. Two more boys slipped away.
"This is our land." Bradon the blacksmith growled. "Damned if I'm forced to leave it." He held his great axe, the only real weapon of the group, aloft. "For once in our miserable lives it's time to make a stand!" Despite his bold words and huge stature, even he trembled before the coming forces. All they could do, and every man there knew it, was to try to make time for their loved ones to flee. Closer the dark army came and greater did it seem in its nearness. The knights road at the head. Nine pillars of shinning silver framed a man in dark black armour. With a gesture from the dark knight the coulomb ground to a halt. The dust moved on in a gentle summer breeze. No one spoke.
Finally Bradon took a step forward only to draw back in shock. Horse stood alone between the army and the rag-tag band of villagers. Where had he come from?
"Who are you?" One of the silver knights asked forcefully. For another moment there was silence. And then the boy cook gave his answer.
"My friends call me Horse." The wind picked up suddenly and the road dust began to spread away in all directions from the black haired youth. The air had a heavy feeling and some of the knights steeds began to shy away nervously. "But you – you can call me Ranma."
Forty men. Ten knights and thirty foot soldiers all armed and armoured. Horse blew through them like a hurricane. Most of them never had time to draw their weapons. The leader, faster than the others, managed to bring his sword up to guard position before it was shattered. Dropping the handle he brought his greaves up to protect his face only to be knocked from his horse by a back kick to his head as the cook passed him. Using the added momentum from the kick Ranma launched himself at a hapless foot soldier. Before the startled man could react the boy was up in his face both of his hands full of chain mail. With a twist Horse launched the screaming man at one of the knights and spun to deliver a stone fist to the chest of the next fighter. The blow sent the unfortunate soldier flying back to slam into three of his fellows. Unclenching his hand Ranma dropped his upper body and moved into a devastating spin kick. Another soldier took to the air impacting downing two more. Shouts filled the air as the men in back tried desperately to figure out what was going on. More dust began to drift into the air and three more fell to a series of lightning rabbit punches. Bending back almost horizontal Ranma avoided a wild punch. Lazily placing both hands on the ground he brought his foot up into the panicked mans chin launching him into the air and down onto the man behind him. Completing the handspring he sprang high into air and twisted to land on the shoulders of one of the riders.
"Hello there." Horse grinned, "Mind if I borrow this?" With a wrench he yanked off the knight's helmet and pitched it into the face of another. Abandoning his perch he kicked off absently rapping the man on his bare skull sending him to the ground like a meteor. Barreling into another armored fighter Ranma yanked him off his horse and flung him into the crowd of foot soldiers downing another five. Finding himself standing next to a horse the cook put a gentle hand on its neck to sooth it while liberating an iron shield with his other. Throwing it like a disk he turned to launch himself into the fray again without even watching as it struck first one knight then bounced into another.
"Monster..." The black knight gasped. He shook his head to clear the ringing and brought his hands to the sides of his shoulders to try and force himself back to his knees. Dazedly he looked around as he gathered his strength to get back up. A screaming man landed next to him with a crash. Out of the corner of his helm he saw a halberd streak past to slam into the pauldron of one of his companions denting the steel and sending the knight flying into a tree.
Ranma's blood sang with the excitement of battle. Swaying away from a sword strike he kicked the blade from the man's hand hilt first into the chest of another. The man who had swung at him had some skill it seemed. No one else had really managed a coherent strike. Horse admired his potential before sending him careening into his fellows with a side kick. Two knights remained. Both had managed to draw their swords. Normally they would be the most dangerous but they didn't have enough mobility in the mob of ground soldiers while on horseback and it would take them too long to dismount and join the fight on foot. Ranma ignored them instead focusing on the seven remaining pike men. Snatching one of their halberds he swung it in a wide circle slamming four of them off to the side. No sense leaving them on the ground if the knights did decide to ride into the thick of things. Completing the spin the young cook slammed the butt of his weapon into the ground and vaulted straight at one of the riders. The knight started at the sudden advancement and held his blade straight out in panic hoping, perhaps, that Ranma would run straight into it. It was a futile hope and before he could process what had happened his adversary had twisted around his blade and smashed the pole weapon into his neck knocking him down and out.
Lightly stepping off of the recently vacated saddle Horse landed on the back of the black knight forcing him back to the ground just as he was about to try getting up from his hands and knees. For a brief moment silence once again took the field. One knight and three foot soldiers remained. One of the villagers standing in their ragged defensive line dropped his hoe in shock. That noise seemed to break the silence and groans of pain rose up all around. Ranma stood firm on the back of the unconscious form of the company's leader. The gentle wind played with his black hair and he looked up with a savage grin.
"Well? Who's next?" The remaining infantry took one look around then dropped their weapons and bolted back the way they came. The knight twisted in his seat to glare at his retreating comrades.
"Come back you cowards!" He yelled. Taking a firmer grip on his sword he turned back to face the enemy mentally trying to prepare himself for this impossible situation. His eyes widened as he watched the boy in front of him pick up one of the long swords and casually snap in between his hands. Sweat briefly obscured his vision and something inside him broke. Wheeling his horse he desperately took flight following the disappearing forms of the soldiers in front of him.
Horse laughed and dropped the ruined parts of the blade. Stretching his shoulders he yawned. "Somebody wake me up when the next company gets here." Idly scratching his arm he wandered over to his favorite tree and settle down. Frowning in irritation he reached behind his back and removed a gauntlet. Looking at it curiously he waved the fingers back and forth before tossing it over his shoulder and scooting down into a more comfortable position. Closing his eyes he added, "Oh yeah, you might want to tie those guys up or something too."