Author's Note: So here it is. The final chapter. There's going to be an epilogue, cause I want to tie up some loose ends. I hope you enjoy it. I know I enjoyed writing it!
Chapter Eighteen: The Dragon Tap
Urd held on to the remains of her spell through the chaos around her, inwardly flinching each time one of the apparitions of the pools of Jusenkyo came too close for comfort. The goddess could feel the power of the barrier weakening, and smirked inwardly when it crumbled to near nothingness.
All around them, spirits and youma were locked in mortal combat, stampeding around Joketsuzoku, ravaging what was left of the once impressive village. Buildings were falling all around them, crashing to the ground as youma slammed into them, walls were incinerated as they were hit by stray energy blasts, and the ground was torn up, the fading corpses of youma littering the battlefield.
Ranma continued to pour more energy into his aura, letting it continue to flare brightly in the darkness surrounding him. Then, all of a sudden, the blackness was gone, replaced by blinding sunlight as the reddish barrier that had held him captive winked out of existence. His aura continued to burn brightly, and he drew on the chi and wild magic that permeated the air around him.
His senses came back to life, and his eyes snapped open as soon as the sound of combat reached his ears.
V--------------------V
Urd allowed herself a satisfied smirk as the barrier went down, and sank to the floor, wiping the sweat off her forehead. Ranma blinked once and looked around him, assessing the situation. "What the hell...?" The goddess grinned at the boy's incredulous tone. "Long story," she told him. "We're outnumbered, but it looks like Firkraag pissed off the spirits, too." She snorted. "Just sit this one out."
Ranma nodded in acknowledgement as he glanced around the small circle the few remaining Musk and Phoenix were holding. Urd knew what it meant. The seal on Jusenkyo was broken, two of the three focal points destroyed. Much of the raw energy of the valley would now be free to be used, much like the spirits were using it now to sustain themselves. Even as the warriors around them tightened the circle, giving the spirits more room as they warred with he demonic creatures around them, she could feel the energy in the air, as it took a direction and flowed to its new focus.
"Can you feel that?" She glanced up at the pig-tailed martial artist, the unspoken question in her eyes. "Can you feel that?" he repeated. "It's like...the air's thick, somehow. Charged. And it's going somewhere." She nodded at his crude explanation. "Yes. Jusenkyo has lost the seal that contained its energy, and now it's dissipating into the air. Everyone with a bit of aptitude for energy manipulation can use it now." She left unspoken the fact that both of them knew one person who was drawing all that energy towards himself at this very moment.
Then, as quickly as the nightmare had begun, it was over. The shimmering apparitions stilled, and the only thing moving was the dust that settled from the battle, and the fumes left behind by the disintegrating remains of the youma. What was left of the village went deathly quiet in a hearbeat, and the remaining warriors glanced around them nervously, as if expecting the spirits to turn upon them, as well.
But the surprise attack never came. One by one the spirits were engulfed in silver flames, burning up and leaving no trace behind as the souls that had been bound by the magic of Jusenkyo exhausted their energy and burned out, passing on to their eternal rest. A silvery cloud collected above their heads, and as the spirits faded from the Earth, their souls floated up into it, joining their companions.
Those who were left watched the spectacle in awe, unmoving until the last of the souls had passed on. It was then that Ranma checked the battlefield for his friends. He could see Ryoga, Mousse, and Shampoo sitting with Cologne and Soap, as the elders tended to their wounds. Ukyo was sitting a little off, bandaging a wounded Mint, while Lime watched on, shifting on his feet. Herb and Saffron were coming his way, Kiima and a depressive Akane in tow.
The Senshi were clustered around someone, and Urd stood up and joined them. Ranma had a gut feeling as to who it was, but didn't really want to deal with that now, and, hoping he was wrong, turned his attention to the two rulers. "Saotome," Herb began, before shuffling uncomfortably. The Musk prince hated being the bearer of bad news. Uncharacteristically, he glanced over at Saffron to see if the Phoenix had words to express what they had come to say, shoving his pride aside and admitting they were more alike than he had believed possible.
The Phoenix god shook his head and, in turn, glanced at Kiima and Akane. The girl had her eyes downcast, staring at the ground with dull, lifeless eyes, dead to the world. "A-Akane?" Ranma was by her side in an instant, praying she wasn't hurt. "What happened?" he looked up, only now taking note Kiima was standing next to the Tendo girl, a disgusted look on her face. "Kiima? What's going on?"
"R-Ranma..." Akane's voice was a mere whisper, and the pig-tailed martial artist could hear the raw pain and regret in her voice, as well as something that almost bordered on...self-loathing? She kept glancing over at where the Senshi had formed a protective circle around something, and Ranma caught flashes of Urd's silver and Setsuna's emerald hair between them. Their despair lingered in their auras, and he could feel the ki radiating off of the two women.
Ranma swallowed hard. "Did...he's...Ryoko?" He hoped his instincts would be proven false, but Kiima nodded. "This...bitch backstabbed him." She didn't say more, silenced by a stern glare from her lord. Ranma's gaze wandered from the group of girls to Akane and back. He knew this wasn't what the girl had wanted, knew that it had most likely been a geas, much like Ryoga, that had controlled her actions. And he couldn't find it in himself to hate her. He had gone through it before, he knew she would be tormenting herself more than anyone else ever could.
A small part of him felt sympathy for the girl. That feeling of loss of control, and self-loathing was not something anyone should ever have to encounter. He himself still suffered nightmares about the day he had first taken a life, and he knew they would come to haunt her, as well. He also knew she would grow stronger because of it; he knew she would take her training seriously from now on, working to prevent something like this from ever happening again.
He slowly pulled Akane into a comforting hug. They remained like this for a moment, before a strong gust of wind kicked up dust once more, and he looked up to see a figure hovering in the air. "So you survived, mortal. It seems I have to finish you myself." Ranma stared at the fallen goddess, before letting go of Akane and placing her in Kiima's hands. "Take her over to Ryoga and the others," he told the Phoenix woman. She nodded curtly in reply, and spread her wings.
"So it is you again. Where's Firkraag?" Ranma's eyes narrowed. "He is off to finish what we started here. He's at the Dragon Tap," Lenneth told him, amusement evident in her smirk. "Looks like that foolish mortal wasn't so lucky this time," she added, with a glance towards the group of Senshi. Ranma's breath caught. If the demon was headed for Jusendo...
A hand on his shoulder made the pig-tailed martial artist look up into Herb's eyes. "Go, Saotome. Run like the wind, and pray our families are safe." The Musk prince could see the anxiety in the boy's eyes, and knew his reflected that very same fear. "But you two are in no condition to take her on. I have to-" Saffron cut off Ranma and pointed over his shoulder. "We won't have to. They will."
Ranma turned around and stared as Urd and Setsuna marched across the field, murder in their eyes. He shuddered inwardly, the two pairs of crimson and emeral eyes were reflecting the very same torrent of emotion. Loss, anger, grief, and a determination to make whoever was responsible pay. The aura of the two women was nearly visible, and Ranma could feel the heat of their broiling emotions radiate off them.
They spared a glance at him, and nodded in unison, telling him without words that they would take care of this.
And Ranma turned and ran.
V--------------------V
Urd slowly walked over to the Senshi, knowing what she would find. The girls parted before her, even as the goddess showed no trace of emotion. And she shouldn't, right? After all, she had seen much death in her long life as the eldest of the Norns. But when she saw Setsuna cradling her brother's body in her lap, her facade crumbled, and tears began streaking down her face.
Kneeling next to the time Senshi, Urd gently laid a hand on her shoulder, and Setsuna looked up. Her dark red eyes were swollen from the crying she had been doing, and she was still clutching Ryoko's fan. Urd stared into her eyes for a moment, holding her gaze, before looking down. The goddess felt a slight tug on her robes, and looked down to see Setsuna hanging on to her in a death grip. "Why?" The Senshi managed to choke out between sobs.
"I don't know...I don't know." And she didn't. And for the first time in millennia, Urd cursed herself. For all the power I have, for whatever it's worth being a goddess...for all my skill, all my magic, all my knowledge...I cannot save a single life. Damn it! Why? Why didn't I see this coming? Urd blinked back the tears that were spilling out of her eyes, focusing on comforting the crying woman in her arms. She would have time to grieve herself later. Chikuso! What good is it being a goddess if I can't save a single, goddamn life!
She fought to keep calm, to keep her own feelings under control, but found she couldn't. It hurt too much to keep bottled up, and when Setsuna raised her head again to look into her green eyes, she knew the time Senshi had seen right through her act. "You know...it's okay to let go once in a while," she whispered, before breaking out into tears again. Urd smiled despite herself, and let go of the hold she had over her tears.
She reached out even as they spilled from her eyes, and cast a minor spell on the lifeless body they held between them. The blood faded, the clothes mended, and the muscles relaxed. She smiled slightly as his face assumed a content expression, far different from the shock and surprise he had died with.
A gust of wind caught both women's attention, making them open their eyes and look up into the sky. Urd stood abrupty, leaving a confused Setsuna behind as they stared at the levitating woman. The goddess pushed her way through the remaining Senshi, followed by Setsuna, as she recognized Lenneth. "Looks like the foolish mortal wasn't so lucky this time," they heard her say, and Urd felt her anger resurface, knowing the Senshi next to her felt exactly the same.
The fallen goddess turned and smirked at them, and Urd felt a burning hatred towards the woman who could smile at the carnage surrounding them. She glanced at Ranma, catching the urgency in his eyes, and nodded, knowing that whereever he would be off to, was important enough to agitate him, Herb, and Saffron. She nodded, and he acknowledged it with a nod of his own, before sprinting off in the direction of Jusendo, running faster than she'd ever seen him run.
Setsuna cracked her knuckles as she glared at the fallen goddess, a dangerous glint in her eyes. Next to her, Urd took a deep breath and began levitating, charging up her spells. Lenneth smirked and removed her earring, transforming it into her battle staff. There would be no limiters in this fight, no backup, and no mercy. All three fighters were encased in their own aura as they began to draw upon the raw energy permeating the air around them.
V--------------------V
Saotome Nodoka finished bandaging the gash on one of the wounded Musk's arms, receiving a grateful nod, and turned to the next patient. Jusendo was nearly cavernously empty now, the majority of the people having left to attack the village. The only ones that were left now, were the wounded and the healers. The Saotome matriarch smiled as she glanced at the two elder Tendo sisters as they, too tended to the wounded, moving among the bleeding and unconscious warriors with ease. And while she herself could have fought, she had never really felt at ease with combat.
A tremendous crash made them look up, and a Phoenix guard came rushing into the room. "Someone's broken through the gates!" The guard didn't get much further than that, before the ceiling shook and debris started raining upon them. "Nabiki! Kasumi! Let's move the wounded outside! We've got to get them out of here before the ceiling collapses!" She issued commands smoothly as they evacuated the cavern. She shot one last glance into the room, making sure no one had been left behind, before turning around and heading outside. Moments later, the mountain shook again and she could hear the falling rubble behind the massive doors.
They had moved to the top of Jusendo, to the open area at the mountaintop, and Nodoka took a moment to look at the craters that were still left behind from when her son had fought Saffron seemingly so long ago. She was about to head over to join the Tendo sisters and help them with the wounded, when her danger sense went off, and she turned around, leaping backwards.
A small crater had formed in the spot she had been in a moment ago, caused by an energy blast. The origin of the blast stepped through the cloud of dust. "Heh. Not bad, woman, not bad." Nodoka glanced back at the injured behind her, then looked at the figure before her. The man was tall, slender, with raven hair, smirked, his aristocratic features exuding arrogance. She shifted her stance, and her hands went to the katana at her side.
V--------------------V
Lenneth charged with a yell, swinging her staff sideways. Setsuna ducked under the swing, retaliating with a leg sweep her opponent jumped over, and snapped off a side kick that caught the fallen goddess square in he chest, tossing her back. Urd let loose with a hailstorm of force bolts, but Lenneth brought up her staff and conjured up a barrier, the lighting projectiles dispelling against it harmlessly. The fallen goddess chuckled and charged, her staff whistling around her as she swung it in a vicious arc aimed at Setsuna's throat.
The time Senshi leaned back her head, the razor-sharp tip of the the staff flashing past her trachea by a mere half inch, before she lunged forward leading with an elbow strike that forced Lenneth to bring the lower end of her staff around in a parry. Setsuna smirked at the opening that presented and slammed a palmstrike into the goddess's chin, following it up with a backfist that spun her around, and finished with a snap-kick that sent Lenneth reeling back.
She whirled her staff around, whipping it into the air and deflecting a forcebolt back at Urd, and, taking a runnin start, leapt high into the air to levitate outside the Senshi's range. Narrowing her eyes, Urd summoned World of Elegance, only to be dodge to the side, narrowly missing a flame blast of her ex-colleague. The pair dodged around Lenneth who hovered in mid-air, throwing their energy blasts at her, only to have their target dodge them. With a yell, Lenneth spun around, aiming her staff at Setsuna, and took off, dashing downwards in a flash.
The emerald-haired woman's eyes widened in surprise, and turned to the side. The blade of the staff pierced through her left arm and shoulder blade, and she let out a scream of pain as Lenneth ripped it out forcefully. The goddess smirked, casually reaching back with her staff and deflecting a forcebolt, before turning her attention on her downed opponent again. "So, as weak as your brother, I see," she smirked. "Don't worry, I'll put you out of your misery." Raising her staff high above her head, she flipped it in her grasp and let the bladed tip rest against Setsuna's throat.
Urd held her breath, mentally cursing herself for letting themselves be caught in a trick like this. She hovered, unsure of what to do, World of Elegance next to her. Then Lenneth moved, retracting the staff and bringing it sideways in a slashing arc that would severe the Senshi's head from her body.
V--------------------V
Nodoka held the man's gaze as they stood facing off, waiting for the other to make the first move. The silence was broken when he grinned an stepped forward. "Always so serious. Now, why don't you make it easy for the both of us and step aside? I'll make your death quick then." The woman smirked, her eyes never leaving the demon's.
"Chikayori te Kiru Nari," she whispered as she dashed forward, blurring with the motion. She stood in the same stance she had started in, her back turned towards the demon, who had barely had time to react to the slash few had been able to see. He smirked and ran his hand acros he small red line that ran across his cheek. "Interesting." It was his turn to charge, forcing Nodoka to duck and leap back as one of his punches hit the ground, exploding it in a small crater upon impact. She began to circle him even as his amusement grew. When he choose to attack, leading with a straight punch, the auburn-haired woman reared back with her sheathed blade, waiting for the moment to strike. Jabbing it forward, she turned around as Firkraag staggered back, drawing the blade in one smooth motion.
The demon's eyes flashed, and he held out a hand, blocking the blade with it. The swordswoman gasped in shock, pulling back her sword and resheathing it. Firkraag looked smug as he chuckled. "I'm not some mortal to be cut with a dull blade like yours, woman." His eyes flashed blood red for a moment, before returning to their piercing blue hue. "Now, let's end this." He approached her almost casually, but the speed at which he launched his strikes amazed the woman, even as she barely blocked them, feeling and hearing her blade's sheath crack with the repeated impacts.
Making her choice, she snatched the sheathed sword away from its blocking position, spinning with the blow as the air exploded out of her lungs and the pain shot through her leg where his kick haad struck her. "I o Awasu Nari," she grabbed his arm with a yell and flung him over her shoulder, before spinning around and lashing out with her blade. "Nukaba Kiru Nari!" The blade embedded itself deep into the demon's skin, and she could see traces of dark blood flowing across the blade, before completing her turn and striking out with her sheath. "Nukazuba Kiranu Nari."
Halfway through his flight, Firkraag opened his eyes, and Nodoka could feel the power surrounding them, as he drew it towards himself. A harsh crack filled the air, and Nodoka stood in silent shock for a moment as the broken splinters of her family blade's sheath sailed through the air. That sheath...was cut from the branches of a sacred tree... Nodoka snapped back to reality as a hard punch tossed her across the ground. The Saotome matriarch winced in pain as it became difficult to breathe. Supporting herself on her family blade, she stood shakily, moving into a guard position.
V--------------------V
The sound of a blade scraping across dirt seemed impossibly loud to Urd's ears as the goddess lunged forward, reaching for her own earring, hoping to block the strike. The sound of metal striking metal stopped her in her tracks, as Setuna slowly forced Lenneth's staff back with her brother's fan in her right hand. The Senshi slowly dragged the fan across the ground from where she had jammed it into the dirt to block the strike, pushing back the staff's blade.
"I...don't die...that easily," she snarled as she raised to her knees, flicking the staff to the side and lunging forward, bringing the fan back around in a backhand strike. Letting it drop open, Setsuna slashed at her opponent's throat. Lenneth brought her staff up to block the strike, but the resulting windblade parted around it, taking a visible red tinge as it kicked up dirt where it hit the ground. "Still got some fight in you, eh?" Lenneth smirked and charged forward, ducking under Setsuna's sluggish punch, before slamming her staff into the Senshi's left arm.
Crying out in pain, Setsuna fell back, mounting a sluggish defense with her fan as she tried to recover her breath. Lenneth stabbed forward, causing her to intercept the strike with a ringing parry. The Senshi realized her mistake quickly, her eyes flashing wide open in shock as Lenneth spun the staff around her arm, forcing her to release her hold on it. Before the fallen goddess could bring her staff around for another strike, a second staff intercepted it with a metallic ring.
Glancing over her shoulder, Lenneth took note of a frowning Urd as the goddess took a defensive stance before the downed Senshi. Setsuna took deep, shuddering breath as she fought to think past the mind-numbing pain that emitted from her injured arm, and caught the worried glance of the remaining Senshi. She shook her head. This was her fight.
V--------------------V
Once again, Nodoka backed off as she parried one of her opponent's swings with her blade. Fear was beginning to invade her thoughts as she noticed the blade of her sword chipping and hissing as it burned away a little bit a time each time she touched the demon, his aura growing more powerful as the battle raged on, already intense enough to melt even a blessed blade.
She gave a sharp glance as her back hit something solid hard, and she emitted a low growl as she realized she was backed against a support pillar. Glacing up she took in the repaired Dragon Tap rising above her head. Blinking back in the sunlight, she raised her sword, preparing to intercept the next attack. It never came. Instead, she found herself staring mesmerizd at a swirling, dancing wave of blood red energy as it sped towards her.
Firkraag chuckled. Two birds with one stone. The Dragon Tap won't survive this blast.
V--------------------V
Urd leaned to the side, letting Lenneth's strike bypass her, before slamming the butt of her staff on top of her opponent's, jamming it into the ground. "You know, I've been wanting to do this ever since you took over Bell's temple," Urd hissed as she reared back and struck the fallen goddess with a mighty right cross. The woman fell back, the staff falling from her numbed hands, and Urd pulled back.
Lenneth grinned. "So you do have some backbone. And here I thought all that office work had made you soft." Lunging forward, she rolled under a horizontal strike and retrieved her staff, launching it forward. Urd recovered from her miss, only to cry out as Lenneth's bladed staff slashed into her side. The silver-haired woman clutched her bleeding side as Lenneth withdrew the staff. "Enjoy the last few moments on this plane, Urd." With those words, she turned an almost playful smile at Setsuna, who had managed to raise to her feet, albeit shakily.
"I'll just send you to your brother first," the goddess chuckled as she strolled over. When she was just out of arm's reach, she took up her staff, taking aim. "Nobility is overrated," she snorted before stabbing forward.
V--------------------V
Nodoka continued to stare into the wave of red that threatened to engulf her, hefting her sword defiantly in a last desperate act of defense. It wasn't necessary. A red blur flashed into view before her, and the blast parted easily around his crossed arms, flowing around the shimmering golden barrier that had appeared out of thin air. When it had subsided, Nodoka allowed herself a tired sigh and sank to the ground, the katana falling from her slack grasp.
"You okay, Mom?" Ranma asked, glancing over his shoulder. She managed to give him a reassuring smile, before bending over in a wracking cough. Blood dripped to the ground from her lips, and her son was at her side in an instant. Hearing her jagged breathing, he knew she had a punctured lung. Mom...you got hurt again. I'm sorry I'm so late...I'm sorry. Picking her up, he leapt over to Kasumi and gently deposited her in the eldest Tendo daughter's care, before turning his attention on Firkraag.
"You hurt my mother. You're the cause for all this. All the death around us. You tried to kill my family. Tell me one goddamn reason why I shouldn't tear you apart where you stand!" Anger sprang up in the pig-tailed martial artist's mind, along with regret and fear for his family and friends. This has gone so far already. It's time to stop this nightmare. He followed the demon's glance to the top of the Dragon Tap. He's going down. If it's the last thing I do.
"You couldn't defeat me the last time," Firkraag chuckled. "Now Hild's busy trying to figure out a way to keep Nifleheim from falling apart from power backlash, and all your friends in Joketsuzoku should be dead by now. I'll enjoy killing you, since you caused me so much trouble already." His gaze wandered to Kasumi and Nodoka. "I'll leave you barely alive so you can watch as I kill the ones you love, and then finish you off. Won't that be nice? You'll have a front row seat at the apocalypse!"
Ranma snorted. "And why are you telling me all this?" "Just because I can. You alone are not powerful enough to stop me," the demon replied, a predatory gleam in his eyes. "Now...prepare yourself!"
V--------------------V
Blood sprayed through the air as the staff's razor tip pierced through the skin, tearing the flesh with a sickening sound. Bones could be heard cracking from the strike, and the air was thick with the smell of death. Lenneth broke the silence with a ragged gasp as she stared down at the fan protruding from her chest, where her heart was. "Only...second class, after all..." she whispered as her eyes glazed over and she collapsed to the ground.
Urd slowly made her way over to Setsuna, who was still standing in the very same spot, both her hands still extended, her right, with which she had stabbed her brother's fan through her opponent's chest, and her left, which she had used to block the staff, the tip still embedded in her palm and exiting at the back of hand where the staff had impaled her hand.
The Senshi barely noticed when Urd pulled out the blade, tossing the staff on the ground, only looking up when the goddess called her name. "Setsuna. C'mon, we gotta get your wounds looked after," Urd noted, a tired tone lacing her voice as she glanced meaningfully at Setsuna's bleeding hand and arm.
And they let themselves be led away from the field of battle by their friends.
V--------------------V
Ranma ducked under a straight punch, dropping on his back and extending a leg, catapulting Firkraag off into the sky. Still on his back on the ground, the pig-tailed boy cupped his hands and gathered his ki. "Môkô Takabishâ!" The blue ki-blast roared into the sky, impacting with the demon, who crashed down to the ground in a crater. Before the dust could settle, Ranma felt a fist impact with his stomach and reflexively brought his wrist down in a parry to lessen the blow.
The two combatants separated, eyeing each other warily. Ranma could feel the residual energy from the blast saturating the air, and smirked. Closing in, he lead his opponent into a familiar dance as he dodged Firkraag's attacks, tightening his spiral steps. The demon realized what he was doing and smirked, backing off and launching himself forward in a flying kick that crushed the ground where Ranma had been. "Hiryuu Shôten Ha!" The demon's eyes widened as the tornado exploded to life around them, carrying Ranma high into the air.
"So, taken by your own attack. Desperate fool," he chuckled, aiming an energy blast at the receding figure in the sky. Before he could fire it off, however, a second cry pierced the air. "Revised! Hiryuu Kourindan!" A massive gust of hot air swept over him, followed by a whirling blast of energy as Ranma descended. Landing lightly on his feet, the pig-tailed martial artist eyed the crater his blast had created, only to find the demon unharmed.
Firkraag stood, extending his arms at his sides, his aura blasting into life, a writhing, glowing cocoon of red that grew in size and intensity as Ranma felt the energy in the air flowing towards the demon. When Firkraag reopened his eyes, the Saotome boy nearly flinched at the blood-red gaze that met his own. The demon raised his hand, and Ranma leapt away as the blast smashed into the ground. As he continued to dodge the blasts, the pig-tailed martial artist could feel the power radiating off his opponent.
This ain't good. I gotta stop him from throwing ki-blasts everywhere. They're gonna hit- his thought was interrupted when multiple screams of pain tore through the air, and he glanced over to see one of the stray attacks hit a cluster of wounded amazons. The momentary distraction proved enough to make him a target, and Ranma slammed into the support pillar of the Dragon Tap hard. The muscles in his back protested as he rose to his feet again.
Firkraag was watching him dispassionately, as his burning red aura condensed into a solid sphere in this hands. Heh. An eye for an eye, Ranma mused as he braced his back against the stone pillar. Cupping his hands in front of him, he took a deep breath, and reached within him for the reservoir of ki he knew was there. Drawing up every last ounce of it, he let his own aura flare into existence, the golden flame burning sky-high around him. When he had drawn as much as he could, he began to take in the energy surrounding him, the wild magic released by Jusenkyo, the residual chi from his Hiryuu Shôten Ha, the energy of the Dragon Tap itself.
The human and the demon released their attacks at the same instant, as if on some unspoken command. "Fire Strike!" "Ten Môkô Takabishâ!" The two beams of light, one a deep crimson, the other one pure gold, streaked towards each other, ripping through the air as shockwaves followed in their wake. The ground tore up under the force of the blasts, disintegrating under the intense heat.
Then they met in a brilliant flash of light, detonating with a thunderous roar that shook the Jusendo to its very foundation.
When the light faded, Ranma heaved in exhaustion, sweat running down his face in rivulets that splashed onto the ground. The demon opposite him smirked, retracting his extended arms, and closed in with the pig-tailed martial artist. "You look tired, want me to put you to sleep?" Ranma ducked under a punch, dropping to the ground and kicking out sideways, knocking Firkraag off balance. The demon twisted as he fell, aiming a palm-strike that could crush concrete at the martial artist's throat.
Ranma's hands found purchase on the hilt of his sword, and he drew the reversed blade, forcing the flat side of the sword against his opponent's fist. Energy crackled through the air as the demon's aura extended, flashing around the sword as it withstood the onslaught of spiritual power. Ranma kicked his opponent off him, sending Firkraag crashing to the ground a good five meters away.
The sakabato hissed in his hands as blue lightning danced across the blade, making the silver metal glow in an eerie light. Firkraag stood once more, charging wordlessly. The pig-tailed boy dodged sideways, deflecting a crushing blow with his sword, letting the momentum carry it around him as he twisted around the demon, slamming the blunt end of the blade into his side. "Ryu Kan Sen!" The force of the blow was enough to force Firkraag back for a moment, and Ranma smirked at him.
"That sword of yours, boy...what is it? I cannot destroy it as easily as your mother's." The pig-tailed boy glanced over at where the discarded Saotome family katana lay, the blade chipped and worn, twisted and half-melted. "It's not a normal sword, not even a blessed one could withstand my attacks."
Ranma's reply was a savage yell as he rushed forward, the sword held low at his side. As he came withing striking distance, the blade flashed forward, aimed at the demon's throat; Firkraag twisted away from the strike, avoiding the cut. Jamming his leading foot into the ground hard enough to shatter the stone they were standing on, Ranma reversed the direction of his swing, wrenching the sakabato around at the demon, feeling the sharp tip of the blade dragging across the demon's skin.
His right hand still on the hilt of his sword, Ranma reached for his belt, slipping the sheath out into a reverse-grip, slamming it full force into Firkraag's chin. Coming to rest from the strike in a crouch, he muttered, "Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu Battojutsu – So Ryu Sen, revised."
Wiping at the thin trickle of blood the strike had caused, Firkraag snorted. "Don't get your hopes up." Leaping into the sky, the demon came down in a stomping kick that buried his leg ankle-deep into the rock, and, using that foot as a pivot, lashed out in a snap-kick at Ranma. The martial artist brought the blade up in a block, and Firkraag's aura sprang to life once again, warring with the sword's own blue glow.
"This isn't just a blessed blade," Ranma informed his opponent as they pulled apart. "This is a holy sword, forged as a sacrifice to Amaterasu. It's the principal forge, sakabato shinuchi."
Grunting with exertion, the martial artist leapt back from another strike, mentally assessing the situation. Despite having the sacred blade in his hands, things were going badly for him, and Ranma knew it. I used up most of my ki reserves in that blast, and I can't just draw on Jusenkyo's magic like he can. Damnit, what's it take to kill him, anyway! He choked a small cry of pain as one of Firkraag's strikes connected, sending him to the ground. "Well, that was fun," the demon remarked, "but I've got things to do, places to be. You know the drill."
With that, Firkraag turned towards the Dragon Tap, and began releasing his aura. The blood red glow flared up, burning high into the sky in a flickering flame. Once the aura had solidified in a hemisphere around the demon, he turned back to Ranma, as the aura coalesced into a glow around his hand. "Say goodbye to Jusendo," he smirked, before releasing two successive blasts towards the Dragon Tap and the injured that lay under it.
Ranma's eyes flashed open as his mind registered the imminent threat to his mother and Kasumi. He ran forward, hoping he could reach them in time to shield them from the blast, knowing at the same time he wouldn't. The crimson beam blast of energy rolled forward, racing across the ground. No! I refuse to accept defeat! I'm not going to fail, not now! Damnit, I refuse to let it end like that! Mom! Kasumi! He saw their eyes widen in disbelief as the rolling energy wave crept closer, realizing they would be dead in a mere moment.
The two women's eyes met his, and he saw pride and wonder in his mother's eyes, and sadness and something akin to affection in Kasumi's. Could it be... He ran faster, drawing on his last remaining strength, drawing on everything he had left, sucking the air into his lungs like a drowning man. I refuse to let it end like this, not without telling Kasumi that I...that I love her.
The world snapped back into focus, and Ranma could see every detail with crystal clarity, could hear the heartbeat of his mother, could feel the energy flowing around them. He could see the strands of energy flowing from Jusenkyo towards the demon, saw them weaving around him in his aura, channelling into the blast. And everything slowed to a near halt.
He seemed to run at normal speeds, easily catching up to the now almost motionless wave of red, positioning himself between it and his family. Mom, Kasumi...Ucchan, Shampoo...I love you all too much to let it end like this. I'm not gonna let this happen! Not now, not ever! I'll protect you, I swear!
Energy coursed through him, the power washing through his mind and body as he felt something in his mind unlock, something that held a fierce sense of pride and protectiveness, something usually gentle that was now a raging beast inside his mind. He released a low hiss as chi and ki whirled around him in a tornado of energy.
Nearly invisible ki blades on his fingernails solidified, taking on a soft golden glow, his eyes narrowed into slits, and his pupils flashed a rich amber color for a moment. He could smell the fear of the people behind him, awaiting their inevitable death, could feel the wind rushing around him, could see the energy swirling around his body and his sword. He could see his aura collide with the leading edge of the blast, eyes widening as a distortion formed, the flashing tear between the two aureal signatures blatantly obvious to him.
On instinct, he brought his sword forward, towards the distortion, slashing it with all his might and releasing the energy he had build up. He whispered the first words that came to his mind as the energy in him released in a beam of energy that hurled into the oncoming wave, dissipating it easily. "Arashi no Ken."
Time sped up again, as the second beam the demon had fired struck the Dragon Tap, collapsing the massive structure, shattering the rock supports that held the giant likening of a dragon. Tossing the blade aside, Ranma leapt into the air, letting his instincts take over, and met the falling debris head-on. It would have to go before it hit the people underneath him – and he would be damned before he allowed that.
Slashing his arms apart, his fingers forming claws, his mind screamed the words his mouth did not know. "Hijin-Ken!" The flying ki claws extended from his nails, shooting off into the air by the dozens as they met the falling rocks, shattering and incinerating them upon impact.
Twisting around he easily landed on his feet, and eyed the demon, a dangerous glint in his now cat-like eyes. The pig-tailed martial artist could feel the simple, subtle power coursing through him, hidden away, dormant, but there when unlocked. He growled at his opponent, lashing out again.
The ki blades tore into the demon's robes, and Firkraag staggered in surprise as he felt pain from the cuts that had been inflicted upon him. With a snarl, he began gathering energy once more, building up his energy for one last blast that Ranma neither could nor would dodge, and released the seals on his body, letting the raw energy pass through him. Bucking in pain as he tasted ashes on his tongue, Firkraag continued to channel Jusenkyo's magic into an energy blast that would level the entire mountain.
Ranma smirked as the red orb grew, then took off and flew towards him. Can't go around it...so I'll have to go through it. The Saotome heir charged forward, meeting the blast head-on as his own golden aura whirled around him, an unseen wind whipping his pigtail through the air. When he collided with the energy wave, he felt the force pushing him back, his aura shielding him from the searing heat of the blast melted the ground. He soared into it like a comet into the atmosphere, trailing a streak of gold behind him.
There... I can see it. I can see where his attack meets mine. I can feel it. Cocking his fist back, Ranma took aim at the forming distortion before him, the lightning that flashed as gold met crimson, and struck. "Kami-Kaze Bofuû!" His yell echoed through the entire mountain, the entire valley, it seemed, as a thread of gold wrapped itself around the blast, rocketing through it, writhing like a live snake as it wound itself along the length of the blast. Wihtout warning the blast reversed direction, spiralling towards its origin as the power backlashed.
The winds were howling around them as the combined blasts headed back towards the demon who stood before the Dragon Tap, slamming into him, his eyes wide with disbelief. The energy flashed around his body, crackling around his mortal shell as it sought purchase – and found it on his souls. Firkraag screamed in agony as the energy release swept through him, incinerating his body and severing his soul, overtaking and overloading it in an instant.
And then, as quickly as it had began, the winds died down, an the light faded.
V--------------------V
"Ranma! Ranma, wake up!" The female voice shouting his name slowly roused him from his peaceful slumber. "Just five more minutes...Mom..." The same female voice giggled, before replying, "Not likely, son. You've slept enough as it is!" With that, Ranma woke to a sudden, cold sensation.
"Aaaaah! Cold!" The now wet martial artist screamed as he leapt out of bed. "Whadd'ya do that for!" His sleepy eyes finally opened, and focused on the blurry form of his mother, bucket still in hand. "Thought that might wake you up," she grinned. Her eyes widened as she looked at her son, and he glanced around in confusion. "Something wrong, Mom?"
"You-you're male," Nodoka stammered out. "Huh?" Ranma looked down at himself, confirming that he, indeed, was still a he. "Huh?" He repeated intelligently. The implications of this fact took a moment to penetrate his sleep-fogged mind, but as it caught up, he leapt up, sweeping his mother into a hug and began dancing, shouting out in joy. "No more Ranko! No more girl! No more Kuno!" Especially the last thought caused him to laugh out long and loud.
When he'd calmed down somewhat, Ranma inspected his surroundings, realizing he was still on the top of Jusendo, under the Dragon Tap. Night was falling and shelters had been erected. Campfires were lighting the lenghtening shadows, and from the number of people present, he assumed the group that had attacked Joketsuzoku had returned. "What happened?"
Nodoka smiled as Ukyo and Shampoo, Kasumi and Kiima, Herb and Saffron, joined them. "You gave us quite a scare, Saotome," Herb chuckled as he sat down, leaning against a stone pillar, "Your mother was pretty worried about you." The pig-tailed martial artist blushed and glanced at his mother, who ruffled his hair affectionately. "Yeah. Although that was a pretty impressive fight you showed us. I don't think I've ever seen such power displayed before." Ranma blinked and did a double-take. Did Saffon just wink at him? And was that a hint of a grin on Kiima's face?
Before he could say anything, though, a bonbori and spatula impacted his head. Not especially hard, but he noticed. "Ouch – what the hell was that for!" Ukyo and Shampoo grinned in unison. "That's for letting us do all the fighting," they chorused, before glomping on to him. "And that's for making it out alive!"
Ranma turned a deep purple, half from blushing so hard, half from lack of oxygen. "Oh my, don't you think you should let go of Ranma-kun now?" Kasumi asked, and something akin to a frown adorned her face. Ukyo and Shampoo gulped audibly, a single thought racing through their minds. Scary! They let go of him, and Kasumi smiled blissfully again, glomping onto the pig-tailed martial artist herself. It was all the two ex-suitors could do not to fall over in shock.
"So...uh...anyone got an idea why I'm suddenly cured?" Ranma asked. Surprisingly, it was Herb who answered. "Urd said something about Jusenkyo's energy having been released, and the system rebooting. There doesn't seem to be any curse on the pools of sorrow anymore," the Musk prince shrugged. "Something like that." Ranma pondered that for a moment. "Makes sense. The pools probably burned out or something."
His gaze wandered over to where two figures shared a campfire, far enough away from the main group for some privacy, but within earshot if needed. A sudden dreadful memory emerged from the depths of his mind, and he stood, shaking off all the helping hands that wanted to push him back or help him up. "I'll be right back," he said, walking over to where Setsuna and Urd sat.
Both were nursing bottles of sake, although where they had found the alcohol in the middle of China eluded the pig-tailed martial artist. He slowly sank onto a rock next to them, staring into the fire. "Want to talk about it?" he asked softly. Both women shook their heads, and Ranma caught a glimpse of their eyes. Red and swollen as they were from crying, they held a peace that he wouldn't have expected. Not now, anyway, not so close after the battle that had cost them so much.
"We've just been telling each other eulogies for Ryo-chan," Urd chuckled. "It's weird. I'm pretty darn sure he'd be pretty pissed if he could hear us talking about him like some saint, or something." Setsuna shuddered. "Oh, don't remind me. The last time I didn't do a kata right, he spanked me."
The silver-haired goddess's face lit up in a lecherous grin. "Kinky," she leered, and both of them broke out into giggles. Ranma heard them, smiling as they did, but said nothing as he continued to stare into the fire. "How can you do it?" He asked, "how can you cope with something so easily?"
The two women sobered instantly. "It's never easy. Never. Don't assume it's like that just because we can laugh again," Setsuna reprimanded him. "It still hurts, but time heals all wounds. Heck," she chuckled, "out of all of 'em lot, the two of us should know, eh, Urd?" The goddess nodded with a slight smile as she took a sip from her bottle. "You know, kid, we could cry and mourn and damn the fates. But ultimately, it won't do us any good. Those who are left have to move on...for the sake of the others. We can't hold on to the past forever. If we do, we loose ourselves. It doesn't matter who we curse for what fate deals us, because, ultimately..."
"We make our own destiny," Setsuna finished. The emerald-haired woman shook her head in mirth. "I think I understand what he meant. To run away, to give up at each seemingly impossible challenge...is weak. If we surrender without having fought..." "Life's not worth living." Ranma smiled as he completed the sentence.
"Yeah. Living on after something like this is what requires true courage. To live strong and meet life head-on. To never back down. I think that's what he was teaching us, ne, Urd?" The goddess smirked, before raising her bottle. "Amen to that." Taking a sip, she put the empty flask down. "It won't bring him back to cry. And, by the kami, we cried enough the past few hours. If he were still alive he'd give us a good whack for not moving on by now. So, that's what we're doing." She reached into the folds of her robe and withdrew a small roll of parchment. "By the way, he told me to give you this. Said something about personal precognition or some bull. Heh."
Ranma accepted the item carefull, and stashed it away. Watching the dancing flames, he suddenly looked up, a smile on his face, as well. "You know, there was this one time when Ryoga visited us during dinnertime. Of course, we hadn't worked things out by then, so there he was, standing in Ryoko's yard, screaming for me to die." He chuckled at the memory. "Mom had the funniest look on her face as she heard him, and we'd gotten out to deal with Ryoga and oyaji. So there I am, trading punches with my good-for-nothing father, and all of a sudden I hear someone yell, 'homerun!'" His smile widened. "And there Ryoga was, flying through the air. And Ryoko had that smug look on his face. I tell ya, I was on his side, and it was making even me mad. And then there was the time..."