Ranma/Lone Wolf Crossover Fanfiction
Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma 1/2 or the Lone Wolf Series or any other characters. The rights to Ranma 1/2 belong to Rumiko Takahashi and for the Lone Wolf Series, Joe Dever. This story is created solely for entertainment purposes and no profits are gained from this.
Wild Horse of Kai
By Montymouse
' ' - Thought
" " - Speech
Chapter Three - The Journey to Sommerlund Part 1
***
One Month Later
At the Village in Durenor
Ranma, Banedon and Braxus made a promise between themselves that they would always be there for each other in times of great need. Banedon decided to stay in the village for a couple of weeks before he had to leave in order to start his apprenticeship with the Guildmasters in Toran. During his stay Banedon was starting to like Ranma for his carefree and inquisitive nature, especially in the fields of martial arts and magic. Banedon was eventually persuaded to teach Ranma a few magic tricks that could help him and Braxus out of a couple of sticky situations. Before Banedon left the village, Ranma and Braxus wished him the best of luck and promised that if they were ever in the city of Toran they would visit him.
One Year Later
During the time that Ranma stayed with the Stormgard family, Oriah decided to adopt Ranma as her own son, mainly because Ranma didn't have any friends or family here in this world, and also because Ranma was fitting in quite nicely as part of the family. Besides, Oriah treated him as her own, so why not make if official with the village council, which she did with Ranma's permission. The other reason why she adopted Ranma was because after hearing Ranma's story, she wanted to give Ranma a stable and loving family that he hadn't been given the chance to experience when he was with his biological father, Genma Saotome. Ranma was of course overjoyed at the proposal of being with a loving family. He finally had a mother to look up to; he had only a few memories of his own mother. Braxus was understandably happy as he now had a brother to talk to and train with.
Time went by, and Ranma had grown a bit taller and become physically stronger due to a proper diet and the medical attention from his adoptive mother. Eventually everyone in the village accepted Ranma as a member of the Stormgard family despite his foreign appearance. Besides, Ranma's friendly nature made the villagers like him rather than dislike him. A few months later, Braxus' father came back from his duties patrolling the borders and soon accepted Ranma as his own after Oriah managed to persuade him, something she was very good at. From his experience he could see that Ranma had very good combat talent and skill and would be better if he was trained right, so he made up his mind to teach Ranma along with his son in the ways of the sword and archery.
Friends and family were surprised - especially Jerek - at how well Ranma adapted to the Stormgard family style of swordsmanship in those few short months. Also, Oriah had decided to teach Ranma a couple of useful healing techniques and spells as training sometimes could be rough and hard - accidents could happen. Another reason she taught Ranma was because both her sons often came back to her healing hut with all sorts of bruises and minor bone fractures due to them often going all-out in their daily sparring matches.
Three Years Later
Ranma Stormgard, formerly known as Ranma Saotome, was fitting in quite well in his new life, and he wished that sometimes his previous life had been like this, having friends, family and a normal life. As Ranma grew up in this New World he soon learnt the cultures and traditions that Magnamund had to offer. Soon Ranma was on a par with Braxus in their usual sparring matches; and vice versa as Ranma taught Braxus what he knew about Martial Arts on the village training field, which always drew a crowd from the village. It was becoming quite entertaining for the local villagers to watch the mixture of both styles - the sword and martial arts - and to see Braxus, who was the best in the village, sparring with his adopted brother with his own special style of combat. It was fun to watch while travellers and journeymen sat there and watched in awe at the things the villagers had seen before. So even travellers commented that those two could potentially become the best fighters in the Lastlands.
Watching Ranma and Braxus' every step with keen interest from afar were the Goddess Ishir and her red-haired female companion.
***
Late Afternoon at the Stormgard Residence
In the main living room Ranma and Braxus were sat at a table, talking about general things. Watching those two having their discussion was an older man who was Braxus' father, Jerek Stormgard; the family resemblance between them great, Braxus having inherited his facial features and his eyes. Oriah was currently in the kitchen preparing supper.
Looking beneath Jerek's face and appearance, it was apparent that he held great experience and strength due to his occupation as a Border Ranger. On his face he had twin scars to the side of his left eye, attesting to his long battle experience. Anyone who didn't know him would sense something calculating and emotionless about him, while to people close to him he was the complete opposite, highly protective of his family. He was currently listening carefully to the conversation between his two sons about going to Sommerlund.
"Ranma, why don't you join the order of the Kai with me when I go to the monastery in Sommerlund? Besides, it will be a great experience for both of us," Braxus said as he tried again to persuade Ranma to go with him.
Ranma was still unconvinced about his brother's proposal.
"Hmm... I'm still unsure if this is a good idea. Why do you want to join them anyway? I heard that it's quite uncommon for people from Durenor to join the élite order. Mainly it's only Sommlending that usually join," Ranma asked, having found this out from the local villagers and travellers who visited the village.
"Well... I'm half Sommlending anyway as my mother is from Sommerlund, but there are other reasons why I want to join the warriors of Kai. The main reason is..." Braxus explained what had happened when he was four years old.
*Flashback*
Braxus was four years old and was with his father Jerek. They were coming back from an outdoor trip in Sommerlund. He wanted his son Braxus to experience what the outside world was like and to teach him some very basic survival skills while not putting his son in any danger (unlike Genma). Braxus loved to spend time with his father as he saw new things in a different perspective that he wouldn't have seen if he had stayed in town. They were currently travelling back from the woodlands and were heading towards Hitchford, near Toran, where Oriah was waiting for her husband and son to return. Braxus was currently on Jerek's shoulders, generally observing his surroundings as his father was walking along the path.
Suddenly Jerek stopped walking, quickly took Braxus off his shoulders and gently put him down on the ground. Braxus was about the say something but Jerek quickly motioned for him not to say a word. Jerek quickly whispered to Braxus to find somewhere to hide as he had sensed an ambush party ahead. Braxus understood what his father had told him and quickly hid in a nearby tree, watching as his father drew his sword and crept ahead. Moments later he heard the sound of men shouting and fighting his father. As Braxus' curiosity got the better of him he wanted to see his father in action, so he moved from his hiding place to the last place he had seen his father. Once he was there, he quickly hid in a bush nearby and watched his father take out two of thugs that would have ambushed them.
Suddenly an arm came round Braxus' neck and lifted him up as a knife pressed against his small neck.
"Father, HELP!!!" was all Braxus had to say as he struggled to escape, but it was no use as he was held tight.
This caused Jerek to stop beating the heck out of his opponents, turn to face the person that held his only son and approach him.
"Release my son now and I'll let you live," shouted Jerek, wanting his son to be safe.
"No, first you drop your weapon and give me all the money you have and I might release him alive," replied the thug as pressed his knife against Braxus' neck to emphasise the point.
Jerek was in trouble; he could have easily defeated them all, but his son was in danger and four other guys surrounded him. He also knew that if he gave in to their demands, his son would still die no matter what he did. He was in serious trouble until...
Suddenly an arrow came for nowhere and...
Struck the thug who was holding the young child by his neck right between the eyes. Jerek quickly rushed to the thug before he could do anything to his son. The four other guys quickly looked around to see who had fired the arrow that had killed their leader. Soon a cloaked person came out of the forest with a bow in his hand. He didn't have anything recognizable about him except for one thing: a medal that contained a symbol, a symbol that represented a KAI LORD.
As the Kai Lord approached the thugs, he slung his bow over his shoulder and drew his broadsword from its scabbard in order to engage the thugs. Two of them immediately bolted but were blocked by Jerek after he had placed his son in a safe and secure place. The remaining two engaged the Kai Lord but were easily cut down - they had no chance against a Kai Lord. Jerek managed to take out one of them and he was about to fire his bow after the fleeing bandit, but the Kai Lord stopped him.
"Leave him be, he's not worth it," spoke the Kai Lord as the bandit disappeared out of sight. Jerek nodded and put away his bow.
"Praise Ishir, I am in your debt for saving my son," replied Jerek gratefully as he went to his son.
"It is my duty to protect the people of Sommerlund," replied the Kai Lord as he noticed that the child in his father's arms was watching him with awe and respect.
"May I know the name of my son's saviour?" asked Jerek, wanting to know who this Kai Lord was.
"My chosen Kai name is Storm Hawk. It is time for me to go now; have a safe journey back and may Ishir protect you," replied the Kai Lord as he walked back to his home.
"Thank you once again," shouted Jerek, but the Kai Lord simply melted back into the forest. Braxus wondered if he could become one of them because he was impressed and awed by the skills of that Kai Lord. Braxus silently promised himself that one day he would be a Kai Lord when he grew up.
"Come on, son, we'd better go to see your mother now," said Jerek as he carried his son on his shoulders, and they continued on their journey.
*End of Flashback*
"So that's the real reason why you wanted to joined the Kai order in Sommerlund?" asked Ranma.
'Maybe I should join Braxus; anyway these Kai warriors protect the people which a Martial Artist is supposed to do; and maybe I could learn something new from these people. Otherwise I think I might be bored if I chose an ordinary job around here,' thought Ranma. He thought about it for a couple of minutes then decided to give his decision about his brother's proposal.
"Alright Braxus, I'll join you when we go to Sommerlund," Ranma said, watching his brother's reaction to his decision.
"Great! I'd probably be a bit nervous if I went by myself to Sommerlund, and you won't regret this Ranma, it will just be a big adventure!" Braxus said happily, now knowing that he would have someone to talk to when he left to train at the Kai Monastery.
"So when do we leave?" asked Ranma.
"We leave next month, and father knows how to get to Sommerlund, right father?" answered Braxus.
"Sure son. If this is what you want to be, your mother and myself will support you all the way. But first I have to tell you how to get there the best way," replied his father.
'Just imagine: both of my sons becoming the best Kai warriors from Durenor will bring great honour to our name,' thought Jerek proudly as he remembered how talented and skilled both his sons were. He then got up and went to his study room to get a map of the Lastlands to show both regions of Durenor and Sommerlund.
Once he found the map he was looking for, he then unrolled the map on the table and started to explain to his sons how to get to Sommerlund.
"Now listen carefully, both of you, and memorise what I have to say. The location of the Kai Monastery is near a forested area to the west, outside the capital city of Sommerlund, Holmgard. The quickest route I know is by sea rather than going through the wasteland of the Wildlands by horse. So once you are ready to leave our village, you will have to make your way to the nearest town of Blave and then make your way Northwest to Port Bax; this will probably take a day or so by horse. Once there, I know a merchant captain who owes me a few favours, he will take you across the Gulf of Durenor, past the Kirlundin Isles, to the port of Anskavern in Sommerlund. This will take you take a least a week, give or take a few days. Do you understand what I'm saying?" Jerek checked on Ranma and Braxus to see if they understood, and both of them nodded. Then he proceeded with the rest of instructions on how to get there.
"Once you have reached the port at Anskavern, you should rest for a few days before continuing the rest of your journey. Try to find Saria Ryder; she's your mother's sister and she currently owns an inn. She will gladly accommodate you and will show you the right way to your next destination. Also, she would love to see you, Braxus, especially since she hasn't seen you for ages, or even Ranma here," Jerek said.
"Yes... I think it would be a good idea to stop and visit your aunt. She hasn't seen you, Braxus, since you will only four years old," added Oriah as she came in with a pot of stew that she placed on the table.
"Also, she would like to see our newest family member; that's you, Ranma!" Oriah pointed to Ranma. 'She will be surprised when Braxus and Ranma turn up at her inn... maybe I should send a letter to her to let her know that those two are coming,' thought Oriah as she set the table.
"After both of you have rested for a few days, you should then proceed along the road following the northern coastline westwards till you reach the Mage City of Toran. Hey, isn't that the town where your friend Banedon is studying?" asked Jerek.
"Yes, it is. Hey, Ranma, remember the promise we made? Why not visit Banedon and see how he's doing as we're going to pass by that city anyway?" replied Braxus. Both he and Ranma had promised Banedon that if they were ever in Toran they would visit him.
"Sure, why not," nodded Ranma as he had wanted to see his friend Banedon. 'Maybe he's improved while learning under the Guildmasters,' thought Ranma as he had seen what he could do when he was practicing his magic.
"Once you have reached the Mage City of Toran, you should head southwest through the woods and you should easily spot the Kai Monastery above the tree lines as it is along the River Unoram," finished Jerek as he rolled up the map and handed it to Braxus.
"Any questions?" asked Jerek to make sure they hadn't misunderstood and wouldn't get lost.
"Nope," answered both at the same time.
"Fine, then both of you should get your equipment and supplies ready; both of you will leave next month. But first..." Jerek went to his room, and when he came back he was carrying a large wooden chest. He then placed the chest down and unlocked it, pulling two items from the chest. The first item was a beautifully crafted shortsword, which he gave to Braxus.
"Now, Braxus, this weapon has been in our family for many generations; it is our family heirloom that my father gave to me to pass it on to the next generation of the Stormgards. This is my gift to you to pass it on to your son." Jerek handed the shortsword to Braxus.
"I... I don't know what to say," replied a speechless Braxus as he examined the sword for any flaws and weaknesses in its design; he found none.
'Wow... this sword must be worth quite a lot and it's flawless,' thought Braxus.
"Don't say anything, just make the Stormgard family name proud when you and Ranma become Kai Lords," answered Jerek. He turned to face Ranma and handled to him the second item - a magnificent silver bow. The reaction he got from Ranma was quite similar to Braxus'.
"Ranma, as you are my adopted son and I do consider you as part family Stormgard, I give you this, the second heirloom of our family. This bow is made of oak of a silver tree and crafted by the best craftsmen. I won it in a contest in the town of Duadon in my youth. You can't miss with this bow because of its quality. This I give to you." Jerek handed the bow to Ranma who was looking at its craftsmanship and beauty.
After they concluded their discussion and put away their father's gifts, they started to tuck into the supper that Oriah had prepared for them.
***
Somewhere in Magnamund
Two individuals were talking to each other about something. One of them was quite obviously the Goddess Ishir, while the second person was wearing a cloak with only a red-haired ponytail visible.
"Now then, I want you to keep a eye on those two. When they begin their journey to Sommerlund, please try not cause too much trouble for them," explained Ishir as she asked the red-haired person to behave herself.
"Why... Ishir, are you actually accusing me of causing trouble?" replied the red-haired, pony-tailed female, trying to act all cute and innocent.
"You know what I mean," replied Ishir. 'I knew it was too much to ask, just to keep her out of mischief,' thought Ishir as she groaned inwardly.
"Alright, alright, I promise I will TRY to behave myself," smirked the red-haired pony-tailed female. 'Besides, I think that Ranma is kinda cute,' she thought as she disappeared.
'Somehow I really doubt that,' thought Ishir.
***
One Month Later
It was a warm, sunny day in Durenor, and today was the day that Ranma and Braxus started their journey to Sommerlund. There, outside the village, was a crowd of villagers who were waiting to say their farewells and wish luck to the two departing riders, who were ready to leave. Also in the crowd were Jerek and Oriah Stormgard who were saying their goodbyes to their sons.
Both Ranma and Braxus were dressed in the normal outfits of journeymen and carried rucksacks over their shoulders; also they held the reins of their horses in their hands. Ranma had the bow that had been given him by his adopted father along with his sword, placed securely in the saddle of his horse; while Braxus had the short sword by his waist, sheathed in its scabbard. Both were listening to what their mother and father had to say.
"Now Ranma, Braxus, follow my friend here; he will lead you out of the village and to your next destination. When you reach Port Bax, you should find the tavern called 'The Dragon's Fang'. In there you should find a merchant who goes by the name Grimbold and give him this," Braxus father said as he gave Braxus a simple ring with some sort of symbol.
"Okay father," replied Braxus as he pocketed the ring in the pocket of his tunic.
"Also, when you reach the port of Anskavern, could you please visit your aunt Saria and give her this; she will know who this is from," Oriah said as she gave a simple necklace to Ranma.
"Fine, Mother," replied Ranma as he placed the necklace in his pouch.
It took a while for them to actually start going on their journey because they had to stay goodbye to all the people whom Braxus had known since childhood, having lived there all his life. For Ranma, the time he had spent here made him call it home for the first time, and he would never forget how welcome he was made when he had first come to the village. Now it was time for Ranma and his brother to go on their journey. With one last glance at the villagers and their family, it was time to go. As they journeyed their way toward their next destination, both Ranma and Braxus thought about what would lie in store for them once they reached Sommerlund.
It actually took day and a half to reach the town of Blave, and they took this opportunity to check on supplies and equipment. Once they had got all they needed, they were ready to continue on toward their second destination. Ranma still got some odd stares and glances from the local population because of the way he looked, but he usually ignored them and carried on with what he was doing. Some of them recognised the two from when they had visited their village. When it was time to go and both of them were ready, they then proceeded to follow the map toward the next town, which Port Bax.
Ranma noticed that the province of Durenor was quite beautiful with wide-open forests and grassland; also the air was cleaner than his own homeworld, mainly because they didn't have any aeroplanes or cars. It reminded him of the training trip as he and his father had traveled through vast areas of China until he the actual training had started. As they were following the regularly used path on horseback toward, Port Bax, Ranma noticed a signpost pointing northwest along the path. The sign simply read: 'Port Bax 30 MILES'.
"Well... Braxus, it seems like we're going the right way. So when we reach Port Bax, do you know what this Grimbold looks like?" asked Ranma.
"Nope, haven't the faintest clue who this Grimbold is," Braxus replied. This almost caused Ranma to facefault off his horse, but he held it together and remained in his saddle.
"So tell me Braxus, if we don't know what this Grimbold looks like, how the heck are we going to find him in Port Bax?" questioned Ranma. He wanted to know how they were going to find their contact when they got there.
'It will probably take ages to find him, and if he is not there, well we're really screwed for transport,' thought Ranma.
"Father told us to find a bald, overweight, old merchant sea captain, who should be one of the taverns in Port Bax, probably drunk," he replied, stating what his father had said about him.
"Well that REALLY helps, doesn't it?" replied Ranma sarcastically. "It's like finding a needle in a haystack. There are probably more taverns than ships in port Bax; it's going to take us ages to find him. So how the heck we going to find him?" asked Ranma.
"We're supposed to find a tavern call the 'The Dragon's Fang', that's where the merchant we're supposed to meet usually drinks," replied Braxus as he read out a note he given to him.
"That really narrows down the list; all we have to do is to the find the tavern," Ranma said.
"Don't worry, Ranma; we will find him," assured Braxus, noticing Ranma was looking a bit unsure about this.
"Okay," Ranma said as he cheered up a bit.
As the two made their way to Port Bax, Ranma felt that someone was watching them from a distance (someone was watching them), but his senses told him that it wasn't yet a threat. Still, Ranma remained cautious and made a mental note to keep on guard for anything that they could encounter on their journey.
***
Somewhere in China
Genma was worried; not for his son but for himself. After having been chased across China by those stupid Amazon and Musk warriors he was tired and hungry. Without his naïve son Ranma as his bargaining tool, it meant that Genma had to put some EFFORT in rather than use his son to get what he wanted.
"Ungrateful Child, why do I have to have such a pathetic child?" muttered Genma, who had been searching for his naïve son for two years. Not that he was putting much effort into the search. Another factor why he was worried was that if he couldn't find his son he was in serious trouble with his wife Nodoka, and over a certain Tendo agreement (conveniently forgetting all the other agreement he had made with his son).
At that same time, a lightning bolt coming from nowhere struck Genma, charring his clothes and himself without too much damage.
'Damn!' was the last thoughts that Genma had before he passed out.
Behind a nearby tree, stood the red-haired female.
'Serves him right for treating Ranma like that. Maybe I should do something more permanent to Genma,' thought the stranger before she disappeared.
***
Port Bax, Durenor
Port Bax was one of the main ports that Durenor used to trade with her neighbors, mainly Sommerlund. It was a fairly large port with ships coming in and out its harbours every day. The people who came to Port Bax ranged from travellers to rich merchants wanting to off-load their goods and do business in Durenor. During the day the docks of Port Bax were a hive of activity, with ships arriving from all corners of Magnamund bearing goods and passengers; while during the night, most of the population of Port Bax disappeared to their hammocks and bunks, or into their local taverns or, usually for the seriously drunk, curled up in a corner in an alleyway.
Two journeymen were on the docks searching for something. Of course they were Ranma and Braxus.
"So, Braxus, we're here now, so where is this tavern we're supposed to find?" Ranma said as he saw at least seven taverns along the dock.
"Well... the tavern we're supposed to find is along this wharf. Ah... over there." Braxus pointed to one of the taverns; earlier he had asked a few sailors where the 'Dragon's Fang' was.
The tavern that Braxus was pointing to was quite similar to all the other taverns along the wharf, but the sign - a dragon's head with its large teeth - showed that it was indeed the tavern that they were looking for. The atmosphere of the tavern was quite lively, and it seemed that everyone inside was having good time.
As Braxus and Ranma went into the tavern, they could see all sorts of people drinking and generally getting drunk. As with any place that Ranma went to, he was the centre of attention for a couple of minutes, though this didn't really bother Ranma because he was confident that he could beat the c**p out of anyone who made fun of him.
The people in the tavern assumed that Ranma was a traveller from somewhere in southern Magnamund due to his looks. Some of the barmaids and waitress were giving Ranma seductive looks as they found his exotic looks quite attractive, while the guys who were with the barmaids were giving him jealous death stares. This caused Ranma to feel a bit nervous as he had little experience with the female gender. As the two moved through the crowded tavern toward the bar, it was Braxus who spoke.
"Err... Do you know a merchant named Grimbold?" Braxus asked the Bartender.
"You're not like my usual customers. A rough lot comes in here, most days. Besides, I won't tell you anything until both of you buy a drink first," replied the Bartender.
"Alright... Me and friend will have a pint of ale each," answered Braxus. He looked towards Ranma who nodded back. Then he reached into his pouch and pulled out two Gold Crowns. The bartender took the two Gold Crowns and bit into them to see if they were real or not. Satisfied that they were real, he poured out two pints of ale and handed them to Ranma and Braxus.
" Your man is over there." The barman pointed to a corner of the tavern. Sitting there was a merchant who matched the description that Braxus' father had given to him.
"Thanks," replied Braxus to the Barman who nodded and turned to his other customers.
"Come on, Ranma. The man we're looking for is over there," he said as he tugged on Ranma's sleeve. Ranma was still holding onto his pint of ale and was about to have a sip of it.
As the two went to the corner the barman had pointed to, they asked if he was the person that they were looking for, and it was indeed Grimbold. It actually took them quite a while to make him sober enough to confirm it because he was obliviously drunk. Once he recognised the ring that their father had given to Braxus, he gladly agreed to take them to Anskavern due to Jerek saving him and his ship when pirates had attacked him one time. Grimbold had promised Jerek that if he needed anything to just ask; but first he politely asked Ranma and Braxus to carry him. It took the combined effort of Ranma and Braxus to carry the fat merchant back to his ship. They also remembered to fetch their horses from the stable where they had left them in order to find him.
Grimbold's ship was called The Lady Luck and was quite similar to all the other merchant ships that were in the harbour. Once they were onboard, Grimbold told them that they would set sail at first light and told them to get some rest below decks. The merchant pointed to some cabins below deck, which Ranma and Braxus accepted; having been on the road for quite a while, some rest would be appreciated.
Once the sun had risen, it was time for the merchant ship The Lady Luck to set sail for Anskavern with Ranma and Braxus watching on deck as they left Port Bax.
'So this is it, we're finally heading toward Sommerlund. I do hope we return to Durenor soon,' thought Ranma, while Braxus just stood on the deck, watching the town get smaller and smaller as the ship sailed out into the ocean.
***
Somewhere in the Gulf of Durenor, the merchant ship The Lady Luck was making her voyage towards the port of Anskavern in Sommerlund. Above deck were the crew and captain making sure that they were heading the right way looking out for any danger. Along with the crew were Ranma and Braxus who were bored just watching the empty sea and the occasional ship that passed by. They were told that they were making good progress and, if the weather held, they would reach Anskavern in two or three days.
Currently the two were practicing their skills just to pass the time.
"Hey, Braxus, when we reach Anskavern, do remember where the inn that Saria owns is?" questioned Ranma, who was continuing to spar with his brother.
"Yeah, I do remember. It's been awhile since I've been to Sommerlund, but I still remember the location of the inn," replied Braxus as he threw his punch towards Ranma's head, narrowly missing as Ranma dodged it and counterattacked with his own.
"Good. I don't want to spend half the day searching for the inn like we did in Port Bax," he said as he did a roundhouse kick to the head followed by a leg sweep. Braxus blocked the roundhouse kick but was tripped up by the leg sweep.
"Ouch!" replied Braxus as he landed on his butt. Looking up, he saw Ranma's hand extended out, which he accepted to pick himself up.
"You're getting better bro."
"Yeah, I know, but you're still better at Martial Arts; but I'm still good with the sword," replied Braxus as he saw Ranma nodding to his statement.
"True... but give me a few more months and I'll probably kick your butt at your own game," answered Ranma.
"We'll see. It's getting late now, we'd better get below deck." The two went below deck to get some rest.
Four days passed. It had been an uneventful trip, apart from the sea storms and the attempted pirate attack. From a distance they could see the coastline of Sommerlund, and most importantly, the port of Anskavern.
TBC...
***
Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma 1/2 or the Lone Wolf Series or any other characters. The rights to Ranma 1/2 belong to Rumiko Takahashi and for the Lone Wolf Series, Joe Dever. This story is created solely for entertainment purposes and no profits are gained from this.
Wild Horse of Kai
By Montymouse
' ' - Thought
" " - Speech
Chapter Three - The Journey to Sommerlund Part 1
***
One Month Later
At the Village in Durenor
Ranma, Banedon and Braxus made a promise between themselves that they would always be there for each other in times of great need. Banedon decided to stay in the village for a couple of weeks before he had to leave in order to start his apprenticeship with the Guildmasters in Toran. During his stay Banedon was starting to like Ranma for his carefree and inquisitive nature, especially in the fields of martial arts and magic. Banedon was eventually persuaded to teach Ranma a few magic tricks that could help him and Braxus out of a couple of sticky situations. Before Banedon left the village, Ranma and Braxus wished him the best of luck and promised that if they were ever in the city of Toran they would visit him.
One Year Later
During the time that Ranma stayed with the Stormgard family, Oriah decided to adopt Ranma as her own son, mainly because Ranma didn't have any friends or family here in this world, and also because Ranma was fitting in quite nicely as part of the family. Besides, Oriah treated him as her own, so why not make if official with the village council, which she did with Ranma's permission. The other reason why she adopted Ranma was because after hearing Ranma's story, she wanted to give Ranma a stable and loving family that he hadn't been given the chance to experience when he was with his biological father, Genma Saotome. Ranma was of course overjoyed at the proposal of being with a loving family. He finally had a mother to look up to; he had only a few memories of his own mother. Braxus was understandably happy as he now had a brother to talk to and train with.
Time went by, and Ranma had grown a bit taller and become physically stronger due to a proper diet and the medical attention from his adoptive mother. Eventually everyone in the village accepted Ranma as a member of the Stormgard family despite his foreign appearance. Besides, Ranma's friendly nature made the villagers like him rather than dislike him. A few months later, Braxus' father came back from his duties patrolling the borders and soon accepted Ranma as his own after Oriah managed to persuade him, something she was very good at. From his experience he could see that Ranma had very good combat talent and skill and would be better if he was trained right, so he made up his mind to teach Ranma along with his son in the ways of the sword and archery.
Friends and family were surprised - especially Jerek - at how well Ranma adapted to the Stormgard family style of swordsmanship in those few short months. Also, Oriah had decided to teach Ranma a couple of useful healing techniques and spells as training sometimes could be rough and hard - accidents could happen. Another reason she taught Ranma was because both her sons often came back to her healing hut with all sorts of bruises and minor bone fractures due to them often going all-out in their daily sparring matches.
Three Years Later
Ranma Stormgard, formerly known as Ranma Saotome, was fitting in quite well in his new life, and he wished that sometimes his previous life had been like this, having friends, family and a normal life. As Ranma grew up in this New World he soon learnt the cultures and traditions that Magnamund had to offer. Soon Ranma was on a par with Braxus in their usual sparring matches; and vice versa as Ranma taught Braxus what he knew about Martial Arts on the village training field, which always drew a crowd from the village. It was becoming quite entertaining for the local villagers to watch the mixture of both styles - the sword and martial arts - and to see Braxus, who was the best in the village, sparring with his adopted brother with his own special style of combat. It was fun to watch while travellers and journeymen sat there and watched in awe at the things the villagers had seen before. So even travellers commented that those two could potentially become the best fighters in the Lastlands.
Watching Ranma and Braxus' every step with keen interest from afar were the Goddess Ishir and her red-haired female companion.
***
Late Afternoon at the Stormgard Residence
In the main living room Ranma and Braxus were sat at a table, talking about general things. Watching those two having their discussion was an older man who was Braxus' father, Jerek Stormgard; the family resemblance between them great, Braxus having inherited his facial features and his eyes. Oriah was currently in the kitchen preparing supper.
Looking beneath Jerek's face and appearance, it was apparent that he held great experience and strength due to his occupation as a Border Ranger. On his face he had twin scars to the side of his left eye, attesting to his long battle experience. Anyone who didn't know him would sense something calculating and emotionless about him, while to people close to him he was the complete opposite, highly protective of his family. He was currently listening carefully to the conversation between his two sons about going to Sommerlund.
"Ranma, why don't you join the order of the Kai with me when I go to the monastery in Sommerlund? Besides, it will be a great experience for both of us," Braxus said as he tried again to persuade Ranma to go with him.
Ranma was still unconvinced about his brother's proposal.
"Hmm... I'm still unsure if this is a good idea. Why do you want to join them anyway? I heard that it's quite uncommon for people from Durenor to join the élite order. Mainly it's only Sommlending that usually join," Ranma asked, having found this out from the local villagers and travellers who visited the village.
"Well... I'm half Sommlending anyway as my mother is from Sommerlund, but there are other reasons why I want to join the warriors of Kai. The main reason is..." Braxus explained what had happened when he was four years old.
*Flashback*
Braxus was four years old and was with his father Jerek. They were coming back from an outdoor trip in Sommerlund. He wanted his son Braxus to experience what the outside world was like and to teach him some very basic survival skills while not putting his son in any danger (unlike Genma). Braxus loved to spend time with his father as he saw new things in a different perspective that he wouldn't have seen if he had stayed in town. They were currently travelling back from the woodlands and were heading towards Hitchford, near Toran, where Oriah was waiting for her husband and son to return. Braxus was currently on Jerek's shoulders, generally observing his surroundings as his father was walking along the path.
Suddenly Jerek stopped walking, quickly took Braxus off his shoulders and gently put him down on the ground. Braxus was about the say something but Jerek quickly motioned for him not to say a word. Jerek quickly whispered to Braxus to find somewhere to hide as he had sensed an ambush party ahead. Braxus understood what his father had told him and quickly hid in a nearby tree, watching as his father drew his sword and crept ahead. Moments later he heard the sound of men shouting and fighting his father. As Braxus' curiosity got the better of him he wanted to see his father in action, so he moved from his hiding place to the last place he had seen his father. Once he was there, he quickly hid in a bush nearby and watched his father take out two of thugs that would have ambushed them.
Suddenly an arm came round Braxus' neck and lifted him up as a knife pressed against his small neck.
"Father, HELP!!!" was all Braxus had to say as he struggled to escape, but it was no use as he was held tight.
This caused Jerek to stop beating the heck out of his opponents, turn to face the person that held his only son and approach him.
"Release my son now and I'll let you live," shouted Jerek, wanting his son to be safe.
"No, first you drop your weapon and give me all the money you have and I might release him alive," replied the thug as pressed his knife against Braxus' neck to emphasise the point.
Jerek was in trouble; he could have easily defeated them all, but his son was in danger and four other guys surrounded him. He also knew that if he gave in to their demands, his son would still die no matter what he did. He was in serious trouble until...
Suddenly an arrow came for nowhere and...
Struck the thug who was holding the young child by his neck right between the eyes. Jerek quickly rushed to the thug before he could do anything to his son. The four other guys quickly looked around to see who had fired the arrow that had killed their leader. Soon a cloaked person came out of the forest with a bow in his hand. He didn't have anything recognizable about him except for one thing: a medal that contained a symbol, a symbol that represented a KAI LORD.
As the Kai Lord approached the thugs, he slung his bow over his shoulder and drew his broadsword from its scabbard in order to engage the thugs. Two of them immediately bolted but were blocked by Jerek after he had placed his son in a safe and secure place. The remaining two engaged the Kai Lord but were easily cut down - they had no chance against a Kai Lord. Jerek managed to take out one of them and he was about to fire his bow after the fleeing bandit, but the Kai Lord stopped him.
"Leave him be, he's not worth it," spoke the Kai Lord as the bandit disappeared out of sight. Jerek nodded and put away his bow.
"Praise Ishir, I am in your debt for saving my son," replied Jerek gratefully as he went to his son.
"It is my duty to protect the people of Sommerlund," replied the Kai Lord as he noticed that the child in his father's arms was watching him with awe and respect.
"May I know the name of my son's saviour?" asked Jerek, wanting to know who this Kai Lord was.
"My chosen Kai name is Storm Hawk. It is time for me to go now; have a safe journey back and may Ishir protect you," replied the Kai Lord as he walked back to his home.
"Thank you once again," shouted Jerek, but the Kai Lord simply melted back into the forest. Braxus wondered if he could become one of them because he was impressed and awed by the skills of that Kai Lord. Braxus silently promised himself that one day he would be a Kai Lord when he grew up.
"Come on, son, we'd better go to see your mother now," said Jerek as he carried his son on his shoulders, and they continued on their journey.
*End of Flashback*
"So that's the real reason why you wanted to joined the Kai order in Sommerlund?" asked Ranma.
'Maybe I should join Braxus; anyway these Kai warriors protect the people which a Martial Artist is supposed to do; and maybe I could learn something new from these people. Otherwise I think I might be bored if I chose an ordinary job around here,' thought Ranma. He thought about it for a couple of minutes then decided to give his decision about his brother's proposal.
"Alright Braxus, I'll join you when we go to Sommerlund," Ranma said, watching his brother's reaction to his decision.
"Great! I'd probably be a bit nervous if I went by myself to Sommerlund, and you won't regret this Ranma, it will just be a big adventure!" Braxus said happily, now knowing that he would have someone to talk to when he left to train at the Kai Monastery.
"So when do we leave?" asked Ranma.
"We leave next month, and father knows how to get to Sommerlund, right father?" answered Braxus.
"Sure son. If this is what you want to be, your mother and myself will support you all the way. But first I have to tell you how to get there the best way," replied his father.
'Just imagine: both of my sons becoming the best Kai warriors from Durenor will bring great honour to our name,' thought Jerek proudly as he remembered how talented and skilled both his sons were. He then got up and went to his study room to get a map of the Lastlands to show both regions of Durenor and Sommerlund.
Once he found the map he was looking for, he then unrolled the map on the table and started to explain to his sons how to get to Sommerlund.
"Now listen carefully, both of you, and memorise what I have to say. The location of the Kai Monastery is near a forested area to the west, outside the capital city of Sommerlund, Holmgard. The quickest route I know is by sea rather than going through the wasteland of the Wildlands by horse. So once you are ready to leave our village, you will have to make your way to the nearest town of Blave and then make your way Northwest to Port Bax; this will probably take a day or so by horse. Once there, I know a merchant captain who owes me a few favours, he will take you across the Gulf of Durenor, past the Kirlundin Isles, to the port of Anskavern in Sommerlund. This will take you take a least a week, give or take a few days. Do you understand what I'm saying?" Jerek checked on Ranma and Braxus to see if they understood, and both of them nodded. Then he proceeded with the rest of instructions on how to get there.
"Once you have reached the port at Anskavern, you should rest for a few days before continuing the rest of your journey. Try to find Saria Ryder; she's your mother's sister and she currently owns an inn. She will gladly accommodate you and will show you the right way to your next destination. Also, she would love to see you, Braxus, especially since she hasn't seen you for ages, or even Ranma here," Jerek said.
"Yes... I think it would be a good idea to stop and visit your aunt. She hasn't seen you, Braxus, since you will only four years old," added Oriah as she came in with a pot of stew that she placed on the table.
"Also, she would like to see our newest family member; that's you, Ranma!" Oriah pointed to Ranma. 'She will be surprised when Braxus and Ranma turn up at her inn... maybe I should send a letter to her to let her know that those two are coming,' thought Oriah as she set the table.
"After both of you have rested for a few days, you should then proceed along the road following the northern coastline westwards till you reach the Mage City of Toran. Hey, isn't that the town where your friend Banedon is studying?" asked Jerek.
"Yes, it is. Hey, Ranma, remember the promise we made? Why not visit Banedon and see how he's doing as we're going to pass by that city anyway?" replied Braxus. Both he and Ranma had promised Banedon that if they were ever in Toran they would visit him.
"Sure, why not," nodded Ranma as he had wanted to see his friend Banedon. 'Maybe he's improved while learning under the Guildmasters,' thought Ranma as he had seen what he could do when he was practicing his magic.
"Once you have reached the Mage City of Toran, you should head southwest through the woods and you should easily spot the Kai Monastery above the tree lines as it is along the River Unoram," finished Jerek as he rolled up the map and handed it to Braxus.
"Any questions?" asked Jerek to make sure they hadn't misunderstood and wouldn't get lost.
"Nope," answered both at the same time.
"Fine, then both of you should get your equipment and supplies ready; both of you will leave next month. But first..." Jerek went to his room, and when he came back he was carrying a large wooden chest. He then placed the chest down and unlocked it, pulling two items from the chest. The first item was a beautifully crafted shortsword, which he gave to Braxus.
"Now, Braxus, this weapon has been in our family for many generations; it is our family heirloom that my father gave to me to pass it on to the next generation of the Stormgards. This is my gift to you to pass it on to your son." Jerek handed the shortsword to Braxus.
"I... I don't know what to say," replied a speechless Braxus as he examined the sword for any flaws and weaknesses in its design; he found none.
'Wow... this sword must be worth quite a lot and it's flawless,' thought Braxus.
"Don't say anything, just make the Stormgard family name proud when you and Ranma become Kai Lords," answered Jerek. He turned to face Ranma and handled to him the second item - a magnificent silver bow. The reaction he got from Ranma was quite similar to Braxus'.
"Ranma, as you are my adopted son and I do consider you as part family Stormgard, I give you this, the second heirloom of our family. This bow is made of oak of a silver tree and crafted by the best craftsmen. I won it in a contest in the town of Duadon in my youth. You can't miss with this bow because of its quality. This I give to you." Jerek handed the bow to Ranma who was looking at its craftsmanship and beauty.
After they concluded their discussion and put away their father's gifts, they started to tuck into the supper that Oriah had prepared for them.
***
Somewhere in Magnamund
Two individuals were talking to each other about something. One of them was quite obviously the Goddess Ishir, while the second person was wearing a cloak with only a red-haired ponytail visible.
"Now then, I want you to keep a eye on those two. When they begin their journey to Sommerlund, please try not cause too much trouble for them," explained Ishir as she asked the red-haired person to behave herself.
"Why... Ishir, are you actually accusing me of causing trouble?" replied the red-haired, pony-tailed female, trying to act all cute and innocent.
"You know what I mean," replied Ishir. 'I knew it was too much to ask, just to keep her out of mischief,' thought Ishir as she groaned inwardly.
"Alright, alright, I promise I will TRY to behave myself," smirked the red-haired pony-tailed female. 'Besides, I think that Ranma is kinda cute,' she thought as she disappeared.
'Somehow I really doubt that,' thought Ishir.
***
One Month Later
It was a warm, sunny day in Durenor, and today was the day that Ranma and Braxus started their journey to Sommerlund. There, outside the village, was a crowd of villagers who were waiting to say their farewells and wish luck to the two departing riders, who were ready to leave. Also in the crowd were Jerek and Oriah Stormgard who were saying their goodbyes to their sons.
Both Ranma and Braxus were dressed in the normal outfits of journeymen and carried rucksacks over their shoulders; also they held the reins of their horses in their hands. Ranma had the bow that had been given him by his adopted father along with his sword, placed securely in the saddle of his horse; while Braxus had the short sword by his waist, sheathed in its scabbard. Both were listening to what their mother and father had to say.
"Now Ranma, Braxus, follow my friend here; he will lead you out of the village and to your next destination. When you reach Port Bax, you should find the tavern called 'The Dragon's Fang'. In there you should find a merchant who goes by the name Grimbold and give him this," Braxus father said as he gave Braxus a simple ring with some sort of symbol.
"Okay father," replied Braxus as he pocketed the ring in the pocket of his tunic.
"Also, when you reach the port of Anskavern, could you please visit your aunt Saria and give her this; she will know who this is from," Oriah said as she gave a simple necklace to Ranma.
"Fine, Mother," replied Ranma as he placed the necklace in his pouch.
It took a while for them to actually start going on their journey because they had to stay goodbye to all the people whom Braxus had known since childhood, having lived there all his life. For Ranma, the time he had spent here made him call it home for the first time, and he would never forget how welcome he was made when he had first come to the village. Now it was time for Ranma and his brother to go on their journey. With one last glance at the villagers and their family, it was time to go. As they journeyed their way toward their next destination, both Ranma and Braxus thought about what would lie in store for them once they reached Sommerlund.
It actually took day and a half to reach the town of Blave, and they took this opportunity to check on supplies and equipment. Once they had got all they needed, they were ready to continue on toward their second destination. Ranma still got some odd stares and glances from the local population because of the way he looked, but he usually ignored them and carried on with what he was doing. Some of them recognised the two from when they had visited their village. When it was time to go and both of them were ready, they then proceeded to follow the map toward the next town, which Port Bax.
Ranma noticed that the province of Durenor was quite beautiful with wide-open forests and grassland; also the air was cleaner than his own homeworld, mainly because they didn't have any aeroplanes or cars. It reminded him of the training trip as he and his father had traveled through vast areas of China until he the actual training had started. As they were following the regularly used path on horseback toward, Port Bax, Ranma noticed a signpost pointing northwest along the path. The sign simply read: 'Port Bax 30 MILES'.
"Well... Braxus, it seems like we're going the right way. So when we reach Port Bax, do you know what this Grimbold looks like?" asked Ranma.
"Nope, haven't the faintest clue who this Grimbold is," Braxus replied. This almost caused Ranma to facefault off his horse, but he held it together and remained in his saddle.
"So tell me Braxus, if we don't know what this Grimbold looks like, how the heck are we going to find him in Port Bax?" questioned Ranma. He wanted to know how they were going to find their contact when they got there.
'It will probably take ages to find him, and if he is not there, well we're really screwed for transport,' thought Ranma.
"Father told us to find a bald, overweight, old merchant sea captain, who should be one of the taverns in Port Bax, probably drunk," he replied, stating what his father had said about him.
"Well that REALLY helps, doesn't it?" replied Ranma sarcastically. "It's like finding a needle in a haystack. There are probably more taverns than ships in port Bax; it's going to take us ages to find him. So how the heck we going to find him?" asked Ranma.
"We're supposed to find a tavern call the 'The Dragon's Fang', that's where the merchant we're supposed to meet usually drinks," replied Braxus as he read out a note he given to him.
"That really narrows down the list; all we have to do is to the find the tavern," Ranma said.
"Don't worry, Ranma; we will find him," assured Braxus, noticing Ranma was looking a bit unsure about this.
"Okay," Ranma said as he cheered up a bit.
As the two made their way to Port Bax, Ranma felt that someone was watching them from a distance (someone was watching them), but his senses told him that it wasn't yet a threat. Still, Ranma remained cautious and made a mental note to keep on guard for anything that they could encounter on their journey.
***
Somewhere in China
Genma was worried; not for his son but for himself. After having been chased across China by those stupid Amazon and Musk warriors he was tired and hungry. Without his naïve son Ranma as his bargaining tool, it meant that Genma had to put some EFFORT in rather than use his son to get what he wanted.
"Ungrateful Child, why do I have to have such a pathetic child?" muttered Genma, who had been searching for his naïve son for two years. Not that he was putting much effort into the search. Another factor why he was worried was that if he couldn't find his son he was in serious trouble with his wife Nodoka, and over a certain Tendo agreement (conveniently forgetting all the other agreement he had made with his son).
At that same time, a lightning bolt coming from nowhere struck Genma, charring his clothes and himself without too much damage.
'Damn!' was the last thoughts that Genma had before he passed out.
Behind a nearby tree, stood the red-haired female.
'Serves him right for treating Ranma like that. Maybe I should do something more permanent to Genma,' thought the stranger before she disappeared.
***
Port Bax, Durenor
Port Bax was one of the main ports that Durenor used to trade with her neighbors, mainly Sommerlund. It was a fairly large port with ships coming in and out its harbours every day. The people who came to Port Bax ranged from travellers to rich merchants wanting to off-load their goods and do business in Durenor. During the day the docks of Port Bax were a hive of activity, with ships arriving from all corners of Magnamund bearing goods and passengers; while during the night, most of the population of Port Bax disappeared to their hammocks and bunks, or into their local taverns or, usually for the seriously drunk, curled up in a corner in an alleyway.
Two journeymen were on the docks searching for something. Of course they were Ranma and Braxus.
"So, Braxus, we're here now, so where is this tavern we're supposed to find?" Ranma said as he saw at least seven taverns along the dock.
"Well... the tavern we're supposed to find is along this wharf. Ah... over there." Braxus pointed to one of the taverns; earlier he had asked a few sailors where the 'Dragon's Fang' was.
The tavern that Braxus was pointing to was quite similar to all the other taverns along the wharf, but the sign - a dragon's head with its large teeth - showed that it was indeed the tavern that they were looking for. The atmosphere of the tavern was quite lively, and it seemed that everyone inside was having good time.
As Braxus and Ranma went into the tavern, they could see all sorts of people drinking and generally getting drunk. As with any place that Ranma went to, he was the centre of attention for a couple of minutes, though this didn't really bother Ranma because he was confident that he could beat the c**p out of anyone who made fun of him.
The people in the tavern assumed that Ranma was a traveller from somewhere in southern Magnamund due to his looks. Some of the barmaids and waitress were giving Ranma seductive looks as they found his exotic looks quite attractive, while the guys who were with the barmaids were giving him jealous death stares. This caused Ranma to feel a bit nervous as he had little experience with the female gender. As the two moved through the crowded tavern toward the bar, it was Braxus who spoke.
"Err... Do you know a merchant named Grimbold?" Braxus asked the Bartender.
"You're not like my usual customers. A rough lot comes in here, most days. Besides, I won't tell you anything until both of you buy a drink first," replied the Bartender.
"Alright... Me and friend will have a pint of ale each," answered Braxus. He looked towards Ranma who nodded back. Then he reached into his pouch and pulled out two Gold Crowns. The bartender took the two Gold Crowns and bit into them to see if they were real or not. Satisfied that they were real, he poured out two pints of ale and handed them to Ranma and Braxus.
" Your man is over there." The barman pointed to a corner of the tavern. Sitting there was a merchant who matched the description that Braxus' father had given to him.
"Thanks," replied Braxus to the Barman who nodded and turned to his other customers.
"Come on, Ranma. The man we're looking for is over there," he said as he tugged on Ranma's sleeve. Ranma was still holding onto his pint of ale and was about to have a sip of it.
As the two went to the corner the barman had pointed to, they asked if he was the person that they were looking for, and it was indeed Grimbold. It actually took them quite a while to make him sober enough to confirm it because he was obliviously drunk. Once he recognised the ring that their father had given to Braxus, he gladly agreed to take them to Anskavern due to Jerek saving him and his ship when pirates had attacked him one time. Grimbold had promised Jerek that if he needed anything to just ask; but first he politely asked Ranma and Braxus to carry him. It took the combined effort of Ranma and Braxus to carry the fat merchant back to his ship. They also remembered to fetch their horses from the stable where they had left them in order to find him.
Grimbold's ship was called The Lady Luck and was quite similar to all the other merchant ships that were in the harbour. Once they were onboard, Grimbold told them that they would set sail at first light and told them to get some rest below decks. The merchant pointed to some cabins below deck, which Ranma and Braxus accepted; having been on the road for quite a while, some rest would be appreciated.
Once the sun had risen, it was time for the merchant ship The Lady Luck to set sail for Anskavern with Ranma and Braxus watching on deck as they left Port Bax.
'So this is it, we're finally heading toward Sommerlund. I do hope we return to Durenor soon,' thought Ranma, while Braxus just stood on the deck, watching the town get smaller and smaller as the ship sailed out into the ocean.
***
Somewhere in the Gulf of Durenor, the merchant ship The Lady Luck was making her voyage towards the port of Anskavern in Sommerlund. Above deck were the crew and captain making sure that they were heading the right way looking out for any danger. Along with the crew were Ranma and Braxus who were bored just watching the empty sea and the occasional ship that passed by. They were told that they were making good progress and, if the weather held, they would reach Anskavern in two or three days.
Currently the two were practicing their skills just to pass the time.
"Hey, Braxus, when we reach Anskavern, do remember where the inn that Saria owns is?" questioned Ranma, who was continuing to spar with his brother.
"Yeah, I do remember. It's been awhile since I've been to Sommerlund, but I still remember the location of the inn," replied Braxus as he threw his punch towards Ranma's head, narrowly missing as Ranma dodged it and counterattacked with his own.
"Good. I don't want to spend half the day searching for the inn like we did in Port Bax," he said as he did a roundhouse kick to the head followed by a leg sweep. Braxus blocked the roundhouse kick but was tripped up by the leg sweep.
"Ouch!" replied Braxus as he landed on his butt. Looking up, he saw Ranma's hand extended out, which he accepted to pick himself up.
"You're getting better bro."
"Yeah, I know, but you're still better at Martial Arts; but I'm still good with the sword," replied Braxus as he saw Ranma nodding to his statement.
"True... but give me a few more months and I'll probably kick your butt at your own game," answered Ranma.
"We'll see. It's getting late now, we'd better get below deck." The two went below deck to get some rest.
Four days passed. It had been an uneventful trip, apart from the sea storms and the attempted pirate attack. From a distance they could see the coastline of Sommerlund, and most importantly, the port of Anskavern.
TBC...
***