Author's Notes: Hey, I'm here with the second chapter! Waahh! Fanfiction.net wasn't working, so I couldn't get this up sooner!! :( Sorry it's so short, I wanted to leave it at a good cliffhanger! Hehehe

Disclaimer: Ranma1/2 belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and whoever else. I'm just borrowing the characters.


Soul Devourer
Chapter Two: Legends
Previously: "Akane is gone, and I found this." He held up the black armlet.

Cologne gasped.
"Well? Where is she?"
"Ranma, let me see that armlet."
"Why?"
Cologne didn't answer, but continued to stare at it. Ranma handed it over. Cologne turned it over and over in her hands.
"What did you do to her?"
"Ranma, I think you should forget about Akane and choose someone else."
Ranma narrowed his eyes. "Why. I want to know what you did, and where you put her."
"Ranma, it's not me who did anything, but you'll never see Akane again."
"Why?"
Cologne put the armlet down, and sighed.
"Let me tell you a story Ranma."
"Umm...I wanted Akane."
"After the story, you'll understand."
Shampoo and Mousse sat down, and Cologne began the story.
"There is a very old legend, about a monster."
"Whats the monster's name?"
"Ranma, please be quiet."
"Ok."
"This monster, is immortal. He wakes up every one thousand years, for a week. In order for him to be immortal for the next one thousand years, he must make a potion. Now there is one key ingrediant of the potion. There is a chosen maiden, that only he knows who it is. He kidnaps the Maiden, and on the last day of the week, he will put her in the potion. Once she has touched the potion, the maiden will become unconcsious, and her spirit, or soul fill float out. Confused, the soul will float up, but will never make it into Heaven."
"Why?"
"The monster, will swallow this maiden's soul, then his palace will sink back into the ground, and he will sleep for another thousand years."
"And Akane...is that chosen maiden you were talking about, right?"
Cologne nodded.
"What monster name?"
"His name is the Soul Devourer."
"Is there anyway I can get Akane back?"
"No. Many people have tried, and none have come back. They've all failed."
"All, but me."
"Ranma, I don't think you should go."
"I have to...to get Akane back."
"Well Ranma, if you are set upon going, I will give you some items." Cologne went to the back of the store.
"Here."
"What are these?"
"These two maps, will guide you. This one, tells you the path to the palace. Th other one will show you which rooms the monsters minions are in, and which room Akane is being held in."
"Thanks."
"Not so fast. This is a special potion, that will restore some of your strength. And this is the dagger you must kill the monster with."
"Ok, thanks."
"One more thing..."
"Yeah?"
"You must kill him on Friday, because then he will be completely mortal."
"Alright, I'll remember thhat. Thanks and bye."
"Ranma, wait."
"Now what?"
"I'll go with you."
"Why?"
"Well, it's to show that I'm sorry for attacking you, because I thought you liked Shampoo."
"Me go too Ranma. I is sorry for acting way I do, so I come too."
"Thanks guys, let's go."
"Good luck!!"
And with that, the three of them left the resteraunt, and walked down the road.
"Hey Ranma, where are you guys going?"
It was Ryoga. He and Ukyou were outside her resteraunt.
"We're going to save Akane. Some monster kidnapped her, and is going to kill her, so I'm going after her."
"We'll come with you."
"Are you sure? You might get killed."
"We'll feel guilty if we don't. Right Ryoga honey?"
"Yeah."
"Well then, let's go."
About an hour later, they had reached the first major stop on the map.
They were in a huge forest, with trees with blue leaves.
"Now where Ranma?"
"It says we have to go straight south, until we reach a huge lake."
"Like the one that is right there?"
"Huh?"
Ukyou pointed to a gigantic lake that was only about five feet away.
"Huh, how come I didn't notice it?"
"I don't know."
"Now what?"
"There is supposed to be a really long bridge, that should appear, over a really tall waterfall, at precisly one to one fifteen."
The bridge and waterfall appeared fie minutes later.
"We better hurry and run, because it's very long."
The whole group ran as fast as possible, and barely made it.
"I don't think I would have made it, if I hadn't thought Kodachi was chasing me."
"You thought that too Ranma? So did I!"
Everyone else said the same thing.
They looked behind them, and the bridge was fading away.
That night, Ranma had a strange dream. It was Akane, and this time, he felt something different. Fear.
"Akane!! It's me, Ranma, we're coming!!"
"Ranma? Is it really you?"
"Akane, what is he doing to you?"
"I don't know, I think I have passed out or something! Where am I?"
"Akane? Akane!!"
He woke up, just as their connection broke.
"Hey Ranma, you ok?"
"Akane...she's unconscious or something, because she didn't know anything."
"How do you know?"
"It's weird. Akane and I have this power, we can communicate when we're asleep, like a living dream."
"That's really weird."
"Ranma, you go back sleep now, we leave early in morning."
"Yeah, you're right Shampoo." Eventually, they all fell asleep.

Meanwhile...
Akane woke up, her head was ringing with pain.
"Where am I?"
She notived that her hands were tied behind her, and she was in some sort of dungeon or something.
"Awake are we?" an evil sounding voice could be heard near her.
"Who are you? And where ami I?"
"So you are the chosen Maiden. What is your name little one?"
"I asked you first."
"Oh all right, I am the immortal monster, called the Soul Devourer. You are in my huge evil palace, that rises up every one thousand years, for a week, when I awaken from my slumber!"
"Immortal monster?"
"Yes, have you not heard of me?"
"No."
"What do they teach you in your villages? Maths?"
"We don't have villages, and they do teach us math. What are you going to do to me?"
"See that big cauldron?"
"The one that looks bigger that me?"
"Yes, that's it."
"Yeah, what about it?"
"I'm making a potion in it. At the end of this week, which is in just three more days, I will lower you in, and devour your soul!! Mwahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!"
"Why?"
"So that I am able to stay immortal fo the next thousand years."
"Well, you won't be able to eat my soul."
"And why not?"
"Because Ranma's on his way. He'll save me, count on it."'
"Many have tried to kill me, but none have. Why should this Ranma be any different?"
"Ranma is the best martial artist I know, if anyone can beat you, it's him."
"Does he possess the Enchanted Blade?"
"The what?"
"It's a golden sword, with Emaralds, Rubys, Sapphires, and many more precious gems in it."
"So?"
"It is the only thing that can kill me. Without it, your Ranma can't kill me. Mwahahahahahahahahahaha!!"
"Stop doing that."
"Well little one, I'll leave now, but I'll be back. By the way, what is your name chosen one?"
"My names Akane. Akane Tendo, and Ranma will kill you, count on that!!"
"Sure Akane, sure. Mwahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!" and he left, leaving behind, an icy feeling in the air.
Akane shuddered.
'Ranma, where are you? Can you win?' Akane decided that sleeping might help her, so she fell asleep.

That very moment...
"Let's take a break."
The group was sitting next to a pond, eating sandwiches and stuff.
"So how much further Ranchan?"
"Well Ucchan, the good news is that we are over halfway there."
"The bad?"
"We have two days left, and we may not make it in time."
The group looked at Ranma, then at each other, and nodded.
"Hey Ranma, what are we doing here resting?"
"Huh?"
"Yeah, we have a mission!!"
Ranma smiled.
"Thanks Ryoga, Mousse."
"Anything for our friend."
"Yeah."
They stood up, and again started on their journey towards the palace.
'Akane, I'm coming.'
"Ranma?"
'Akane? Your in my mind!'
"I'm asleep in this place."
'Did you see him?'
"Not really, it's kind of dark here."
'Hang on a minute Akane.' Ranma opened the map, and lokked at it.
'Akane, you should be in a dark dungeon, in the middle of the palace.'
"Well, it's dark here."
'We're traveling fast, we'll be there tomorrow I think.'
"Ranma, I'm scared."
'Don't worry, I promise that I'll bring you back.'
"Ranma,"
'Yeah?'
"I love you."
'Love ya too Akane.'
"I think he's back, so I'll have to go now."
'Bye.'

Author's Notes: Oh!! How much longer? Wait until the next chapter to find out!
~Sakura Angel