Raido Isa
Draft the First
Chapter 1
Ranma walked down a dusty track stained a rich red with the sandy rock of the cliff rising to his left. He kicked a stone and watched it go skittering off in a wake of dust.
"I should of found out who owned that farm and asked for directions." He humphed. He had been walking now for about two hours with no clue to hint at human existence other then the beaten path beneath his feet. Sighing in deep melancholy he tried to think of something to distract him from the boring hike. Maybe a less fatal variation of his father's vacuum attacks? Maybe what was in store for him considering how long he had now been away from Nerima. He shivered despite the warm evening air. Absently Ranma rubbed his shoulder, still feeling the hoarfrost covering his arms. It was almost like the chill of the Fimbulvetr was following him.
"The what?" Ranma stopped. "What the heck is a Fimubu whatever?" He looked around nervously. "Man am I loosing it?" First wandering off into who knows where then dreaming about freezing solid in a river of ice only to be licked free by a giant cow and now he was suddenly using weird words that he didn't even know! "Geeze I knew that tomboy's cooking was toxic but this takes the cake!"
Starting on the path again the heir to the Saotome school of indiscriminate grappling tried to push these disturbing thoughts behind him. After all he had other things to worry about. For example: where the heck was he? Ranma was beginning to notice with growing worry that the plants and land just didn't seem familiar. He had traveled extensively in his life and he knew the lay of Japan. Maybe he was in some back water part of China? If so it would take him a lot longer to get home than just a few hours hike. This also brought up worries about being kidnapped by Cologne and forced with drugs to be some breeding stallion for half a dozen nubile young amazons. He picked up his pace a little. Or maybe Saffron had reached maturity early, killed his family and friends and frozen him with the Gekkaja. Ranma broke into a run. Or maybe… he was sprinting now. The trees blurred by in a line of green. He was running so fast that he almost missed it.
Smoke.
Not the house burning or forest fire smoke. Smoke from a chimney or camp fire. Relief washed over him. It wasn't that he was scared or anything – just, worried. Not slowing he veered off the track and jumped into the woods. Branches whipped his face and arms as he plowed through the dense bracket. Finally he pulled himself up short at the edge of a clearing.
It was the weirdest house he had ever seen. It looked like someone had piled a bunch of stone and then just kept planting trees in it until they figured it was done. Windows and balconies jutted out at improbable angles. The only two things that looked even remotely normal where the large oak door standing solid in the middle of the heap of a house. That, and an arrow straight chimney coughing white smoke into the night clouds overhead. A little unnerved he moved up to the door and gave it a cautious knock. A cricked chirrupt in the distance. He waited a minute more then gave the door a more forceful blow. Immediately a great clanging and bustle sprung up from somewhere inside the cabin. The door swung open. Ranma had a brief impression of eyes that glowed like hot coals under an unkempt white mop glaring at him before a voice shot out at him.
"Go 'way. We don't want none!" The door slammed shut. Ranma gaped. Was knocking again a good idea? He had just raised his fist to pound on the door when it swung open again.
"Well. If it isn't one of you. Shoulda said something earlier. What do you want?" The demon resolved itself into the figure of an old woman. Ranma bowed.
"I am Saotome Ranma. I'm kind of lost and was hoping for directions." His stomach growled loudly as the smell of baking bread wafted out from the open door.
"Eh?" She peered at him. "Saotome you say?" She looked thoughtful. "That's funny I thought I knew all of your kind." Ranma wondered what she meant by 'kind'. "Well you'd better come in." She took a long look at him then cackled to herself in obvious glee. "He's lost! Imagine Aesir getting lost. Next thing you know the sun won't remember to get up in the morning and it'll be time to hack each other to bits. Come on in."
He stepped through the door into a world filled with the largest collection of junk he had ever seen. It felt like the home of a curator with a museum full of antiquity and three hundred square meters to try and store it all. Piles of bones and pottery mixed with ancient swords and armor. The only constant was books. Books were everywhere. Stacks of them reached up to the dusty ceiling and piles of them threatened to overwhelm a small couch resting in front of a low coffee table. Well worn paths twisted off through the collection and the woman headed of the one towards the table.
"I'm Embla." She called over her shoulder. "You can call me whatever you like." He barely heard her mutter grouchily. "I'm sure you will anyway." She suddenly perked up.
"Ask!" She yelled.
Ranma started. "Uhm…ask what?"
"Dammit get out here! You'll never guess who bowed to me at the door!" She cackled gleefully again. "He's off around here somewhere. Easy to get lost you know." As they reached the table the strange old bat cleared some wooden boxes from across the table revealing another couch. She patted it vigorously sending up billows of dust. "You sit here."
Ranma sat dutifully watching as Embla made her way to the other couch. She seemed to fold into it the way mountains slid into the ocean.
"Back in my day," she started, "There was none of this getting lost business. The world just wasn't big enough." She lapsed back into contemplative silence. Ranma fidgeted quietly. "Oh yes. Those were the days. Lots of lovely smiting back then. Why back when I was just a girl sometimes the fighting would last all day long. Blood and guts everywhere!" She paused suddenly. "Would you like some tea?"
"Ya also didn't have no crapper!" An ancient sounding man's voice shouted from somewhere in the heaps of junk. "Had to go in the snow!"
"Oh don't mind him." Embla poured some steaming brown liquid into a cracked cup. "He's always going on about how today's better than yesterday."
Ranma accepted the tea uncomfortably. This was not his element. He felt he was quickly loosing grasp of the situation. Embla poured herself another cup.
The old man shouted again. "Heaters!" Embla snorted. "You got heaters nowadays. Bloody cold back then. Always tromping through sleet and snow and ice." The voice trailed off cantankerously.
"I had forgotten about that. He's got a point you know." Embla said thoughtfully. She nodded sagely. "Lots of frozen bodies everywhere you look. We used to stack 'em up into forts and through snowballs at each other. You remember that dear?" She called over her shoulder. "Those were the days."
A hand clasped Ranma on the shoulder. The young man started violently. "You Japanese got the right idea boy. Hot springs! That's the ticket. And that…what do you call it? Kotetsu or something. Warms your legs right up on a cold day." He smiled crookedly. "Ask." He jerked a thumb at himself. "That's my name." He creaked over to sit next to his wife. Embla looked at the weathered old man and sighed, "Why I can't remember the last time I've seen a frozen body. It must have been at least ten years now!" She shook her head. "Not like today. Nowadays it's things like cancer. People rotting from the inside out. Dying of sickness. And worse!" The old woman whispered, "Old age." Even Ask shivered at this.
"Er." Ranma tried vainly.
"Oh yes. You're here wanting something. Your kind always do. Although I must say what a nice young god you are. Most of the others just bust in here yelling 'Thou shalt this' and 'Thou shalt that'. It's nice to meet a nice Aesir with some manners."
"Dammit woman!" Ask grumped. "Can't you let him get a word in?" He leaned forward conspiratorially, "she never lets a body say anything." He patted the confused martial artist on the knee. "Why I remember once she…"
"Um." Ranma held up a hand.
"Oh now look who's going on about not letting 'im talk!" Embal waved a finger at her husband. "And here you were trying to lecture me!"
"WHICH WAY TO TOKYO?" Ranma hollered.
There was a moment of silence. "Tokyo eh?" Ask rubbed his chin. "That'll be in the garden then."
"Well that's a long way off from here!" Embla added.
"Excuse me." Ranma said, "But I really should be getting back. Can you help?"
"Well." Ask scratched his chin again thoughtfully. "Well now…" He squinted at the black haired boy across from him. "What's in it for us?"
"Now Ask!" His wife lightly slapped him on the shoulder. "Don't be rude. I'm sure the young Aesir wouldn't mind returning a favor." Her voice was soothing but the pigtailed fighter caught a glint in her eye to match her husbands.
"Ah. Sure? I guess." Ranma scratched the back of his head.
"Done!" Ask slapped a hand on his knee while Embla clapped her hands together happily. "Well dear I think I remember old Ullr was going to the garden for an archery contest. He owes us a favor or two and I'm sure he won't mind a companion." He nodded at Ranma, "Don't you worry he'll get you back to Japan sure enough. Embla, you just keep our guest entertained while I go and fetch him."
"I'm not in Japan?" Ranma asked.
Ask stood and made his way through the piles of antiques to the door. He grabbed a heavy wool coat from a hook near the entranceway and called over his shoulder. "Won't be a minute now."
Ranma and Embla watched the door close behind him. She leaned in close. "You're lucky it's Ullr. Some of those others can be quit the little bastards. But you know that already didn't you?" She reached for his cup. "Let me pour you another cuppa and we'll have a nice chat while we wait."
Ranma felt his eyes grow heavy as the old woman droned on and on. His last thought before he slipped into dreams was how it was strange that Ask had grabbed such a thick coat. It was summer outside.
Ranma woke with a start. He could hear conversation somewhere behind him.
"Still alive eh Embla?" A gravely voice asked, "You're holding up pretty well for a piece of driftwood." It sounded male. Ranma opened his eyes.
"Still sturdy as ever!" Embla thumped herself in the chest for emphasis and grinned at their visitor. He was tall and narrow with a hawkish nose and deep black hair. Over his shoulder was a long bundle wrapped in red cloth. A bow. To Ranma's trained eye it was difficult to distinguish where the man ended and the bow began. "This old tree'll last a few years yet." Embla bragged. "It's good to see you again Ullr you old stick!"
"So. That him?" Ullr aimed his piercing gaze at the drowsy young martial artist. In the background Ask shook a thin coating of snow from his coat and hung it back up. "I don't know you." Ullr stated. Embla looked surprised. "But then again I've been out of the loop lately. It doesn't matter." He readjusted the bow on his shoulder and Ranma noticed for the first time a quiver filled with white feathered arrows slung lower over his back. "Well?" Ullr tapped a hand against his thigh impatiently. "I'm leaving whether you're coming or not."
Ranma leapt from his seat. "Excuse me." He bowed. The dark archer raised an eyebrow and Embla started cackling in the background.
"Ask!" Look he's doing it again!" She looked ready to burst apart at the seems with mirth.
"All right. After I drag this idiot back to Japan my debt is cleared." Ullr looked to Ask.
"You were heading to the garden anyway." Ask objected. "It's not such a big thing to ask from someone as powerful as yourself." The weathered old man looked back slyly.
Ullr sighed. "Fine. You may call on me once more, but after that there is nothing more between us – understand?" Ask nodded. There were things going on that Ranma didn't understand and a heavy feeling filled the air. The words Ullr and Ask spoke seemed filled with an intangible weight and power.
"Agreed. Well Ranma my boy! It was a pleasure meeting you. Don't forget what you promised us." He led the confused fighter to the door by his elbow.
"Have a safe journey!" Embla called from the interior of the cabin.
"Come back soon." Ask pushed Ranma out and slammed the door. Ranma gaped at the great oaken door in shock. When he looked around Ullr was already on the trail and heading off into the distance.
"Hey! Wait up!" Ranma called, chasing the receding figure of the archer. When he caught up he set himself to match the dark man's long strides. After a minute of silence Ullr suddenly spoke.
"What did you promise them?" He asked. It sounded forced.
"Huh?" Ranma look up at his back as they moved through the forest.
"Ask said you promised him something." Ullr stated evenly.
"Oh. A favor I guess." Ranma nearly ran into the taller man when he suddenly stopped in his tracks.
"I haven't heard of you so you're obviously new. It might might just be ignorance and not plain stupidity. Promises have power here. You just traded a ride for an unlimited favor. At best that was a very foolish thing." Ullr spoke over his shoulder without turning around.
"Oh." The archer started off again. Ranma mulled over this information for a while. Instinctively he knew its validity. Some deep part of him resonated with Ullr's words in a way he had never felt before. It also meshed with his Budo – to uphold one's word was a basic tenant of his fighter's code. This brought up another thought. Ullr had been under no obligation to tell him that. In fact the tall archer could easily have used it against him. "Thanks."
"Forget it," Ullr grunted in reply.
Ranma was silent a little more. "Embla was right. You're basically a good person aren't you?"
"You'll shut up if you know what's good for you!" Ullr growled.
Ranma almost laughed aloud. This strange archer was all gruff and bluff but underneath beat a heart that wouldn't let him do the wrong thing. In a way Ranma was reminded of himself. Ullr came to a sudden halt once more, this time at the edge of a steep bluff. Foamy green water stretched out in front of them far into the horizon. Ranma felt a mist on his face, heard crashing waves below, and tasted salt in the air.
"Why are you going to Japan?" Ranma asked.
Ullr dropped his gaze from the ocean below them and felt inside his dark grey coat. "Archery contest."
"You any good?" Ranma questioned. Ullr stopped in shock and looked at him incredulously.
"I'm the best." Finally he removed a long white object from his breast pocket. It was bleach white and covered in black and red markings. Ranma instantly felt the hair on the back of his neck and arms stand straight up. There was an electric charge that took over the air. With a start Ranma realized it was a human leg bone. Ullr glanced at it critically. "Alright. Lets go." He stepped over next to Ranma and tossed the bone at his feet. Holding the first and third fingers of his left hand out in front on him he began to chant in an eerie language that grated against Ranma's ears. He didn't know what Ullr was doing, but the results were dramatic. Waves began to crash higher and higher up the cliff face until a wall of spray blurred the line between ocean and sky.
Ranma tried to take a step back but was prevented by a strong arm blocking his path. With his other hand Ullr made a vertical slash cutting a pathway into the wall of boiling sea. Setting off again he walked up to the edge of the cliff and into a tunnel of water. Ranma cautiously stepped forward toeing the line between earth and liquid cautiously. Taking a deep breath he stepped in. Finding it safe, for the moment, he hurried to catch up with the strange man who had such power over the seas. As he jogged along he shivered uncontrollably for a moment very much aware that a single splash of the seething ocean around him would trigger his curse. Hours passed this way with Ullr briskly walking into a wall of water only to have the tunnel open before him. Ranma trailed along not daring to see if the way out behind him still existed or not. In truth, he figured, it didn't really matter. He had committed himself to following the archer and now he had no choice but to see where he was led. Absorbed by these thoughts he was not prepared when sunlight burst in from up ahead. Ullr had already exited the tunnel and was waiting impatiently for him. Joining him Ranma turned to look back at the tunnel of water they had been traversing. To his shock he found that instead of a roiling ocean panorama, instead he was presented with a busy street corner. Jaw hanging open he suddenly realized that he knew where he was. Tokyo.
"But…but" He stammered. Then with a shrug he just gave up. Too many weird things in his life and this trip in particular to be worried about it.
Ullr held reached out and from the street at his feet the magic femur leapt up into his waiting hand. "I assume you can make it from here."
Ranma resisted the urge to bow in gratitude. "Yeah. Thank you very much." He said. Turning, the strange man walked off and into the crowd. Ranma watched him go for a minute then started off at a sprint towards home very much looking forward to a nice meal and a long rest.
Authors notes:
Raido is the rune for Journey. I expect I'll be giving little hints about some of the mythological connections at the end of each chapter. It might be more fun that way who knows? Lets see…what else to reveal? Hm.. Fimbulvetr is also known as the Fimblewinter or the Terrible Winter which precedes Ragnarok. A private little ice age signaling the time when the gods and giants and everything else will start slaughtering each other until there is almost none left. Two of the humans survive. On a side note, the norn with the most actual power and weight in the legends? Urd. As you might have guessed Ull or Ullr is the god of archery. He is also the god of snowshoeing and skiers, traits he shares with a goddess named Skadi. The bone is actually part of his legend. Funnily enough he was also the god you called on to help in a duel. It seemed kind of fitting to pair him up with Ranma. Ask (ash) and Embla (ember) are the names of the first two humans. Kind of like Adam and Eve I guess. Odin was walking with some companions one day when he espied a couple of logs of wood (or trees or driftwood depending) he blessed them with spirit and mobility, strength and intelligence and crafted them in his own image. Because they were once trees they share the arbor like trait of very long lives. As for Embla's blood thirstiness…well I'll keep that till a little later. Once again thanks for reading!