Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½™ or Sacrifice™ or any related characters, terms or concepts.
Author's Notes: Okay, I didn't mean for the last few chapters to be so dark; they just turned out that way. Hopefully I won't get any worse, but none of you really seemed to mind anyway. I apologise that Filia's so Out of Character, but I haven't actually seen any episodes of Slayers TRY- I've actually seen only the first 7 episodes of Slayers and episodes 1-4 and maybe 1-2 others of Slayers NEXT.
Part 19: Final Facedown, Part 1
"I'm hungry, I'm tired and I'm sick of walking- can't we stop?"
Ranma gritted his teeth to keep himself from responding to Lina's infantile whining with harsh word or even violence. They were all tired and hungry; what gave her the right to moan about it? It was several hours after they'd fought Geist in the cave. Once Ranma had ascertained that the Mazoku was truly dead, deducing that he'd been so easy to kill because he was distracted preparing the spell that had activated upon his destruction, they'd exited the cave, only to be greeted by Xellos, who'd told them that their next goal lay in a town several days journey to the northwest. Xellos had disappeared after telling them that- a good idea, seeing as how most of them were ready to kill the ever-grinning "priest".
Ranma looked back at the exhausted group from his position at the head of the party and sighed before stopping and walking up to Lina.
"Look, if you're all really that tired, then maybe I can help you. If you'll give me some time, I can whip up a spell to transport a minion of mine from the Hidden Lands, and he can give us a ride to our next stop. Once we're there, then we can get some food, alright?"
Lina didn't say anything; she simply nodded in agreement and then slumped to the ground, Gourry and Amelia following her as Ranma walked off into a thicker part of the forest. Even Ryoga and Zelgadis with their super-human constitutions were glad to take advantage of the opportunity to rest. A faint whisper of Ranma's invocations could be heard from where he was casting his spell, and it was a true measure of Lina's exhaustion that she didn't even try to pay attention to the words. Ranma continued casting for several minutes, eventually ending the spell with a massive flash of a lightning and an unearthly roar that shook the Slayers from their stupor.
They scrambled up and for their weapons as a massive head, a bizarre mixture of cat and serpent, forced its way through the trees. Following the head came two great wings, and powerful forearms tipped with claws that looked like they could shred steel. They retreated as the massive beast kept on coming; from snout to tail it was probably twice of the size of Filia in her true form of a Gold Dragon, and covered in thick "cloud"-coloured fur. It sniffed loudly before throwing its head back in a bestial screaming roar, at which the Slayers gripped their weapons tightly and/or began whispering the incantations to their favoured spells.
"Sit down you great lump! I've told you before about bullying! Nobody's impressed with that 'ferocious monster' act, so just behave yourself!"
Ranma's voice suddenly echoed from behind the monster, which immediately slunk to the ground like a scolded dog, whimpering slightly, a sight that greatly confused the Slayers. Ranma strode into view, tapping a branch against his thigh in a menacing manner as he looked into the creature's eyes. It lowered its gaze after a few seconds, at which Ranma threw the branch away and gently rubbed it behind one of its cat-like ears, prompting a deep throaty purr. Cautiously the others approached, Amelia the first to do so as she replaced Ranma in rubbing the creature's ears. Ranma launched himself upwards, seating himself on the creature's neck near the base of its skull.
"This is Stormclaw, the first of my Silverbacks. He may be a runt, but his courage and stubbornness are exhaustless. Just climb aboard and I'll get you where we got to go."
Rather than ask about that "runt" comment, Lina and the others cautiously clambered aboard. In this the creature's thick fur turned out to be an asset; long and tough they could use it for gripping, and then entwine themselves within it to keep themselves anchored to its body. As the creature unfurled its wings and leapt into the air, they discovered that the fur was also extremely soft, warm and comfortable; being wrapped in it was kind of like being covered in warm, dry snow. Before long, they found their exhaustion and the comfort too much for them to beat; they fell asleep. When they awoke they found themselves hovering in midair, Ranma staring down with an inscrutable expression on his face.
"What's wrong? Why are we still up here?"
"Well, this is the place according to Xellos, but I don't think we should land."
"And why not?"
Ranma pointed downwards, Lina following his gesture. Within the town below she could see familiar flashes and smoke-clouds; someone was obviously hurling spells around. She blinked as she thought she saw something within the chaos.
"Can you take us lower? I think I might know what's going on."
Ranma's eyes hardened, then he nodded slightly, muttering something to their mount and applying pressure with his legs and hands to key spots. It voiced a shriek and then spiralled lower, until it was maybe a half-dozen feet above the rooftops. It shrieked again and hurled itself sideways as first a purple blur and then a crackling bolt of white energy shot through the space where it had been.
"You filthy wretched Namagomi! Just you wait until I catch you! I'll, I'll, I'll!"
"I know that voice- and that anger too. Filia!"
Ranma and Ryoga blinked as the source of all this destruction suddenly emerged from the smoke, revealing itself to be a fairly attractive blond woman- with a long golden-scaled tail tipped with a pink bow. She looked both stunned to see Lina and somewhat sheepish. The Slayers descended first from Stormclaw and then from the roof, until they were on the ground with the woman. Ryoga hesitantly followed, but Ranma stayed put; he had no intention of leaving his position of safety behind around a dozen tons of fang, claw and muscle until he knew what was going on. He blinked as the roof below caught fire, sending smoke into his eyes. A command from him and Stormclaw spewed a torrent of ice, smothering the flames.
"Boy Filia, you still know how to make a real mess of things. So what happened? What brought this about?"
Filia's tail curved behind her head as she stared at the ground and scuffed her foot, for all the worlds like a little girl who knows she's going to get in trouble.
"Well… it's been a long and stressful week, I've been so frustrated lately and then, well, he shows up with his taunts and that smug attitude of his and… it was more than I could stand! I kind of got carried away…"
"I'll say you did."
Filia blinked at that unfamiliar voice, then turned to find herself staring up the eyes of some sort of giant cat-snake thing. It hissed, plumes of silvery-white vapour trickling from its jaws as she instinctively backed away for several steps. A voice speaking what sounded like a reprimand in some alien tongue drew her attention from the beast to the youth riding its back, a boy of about seventeen. She blinked as she noticed first him, and then a similar boy standing besides Zelgadis and Amelia. Finally she found her voice.
"Who are they?"
"I am Ranma, and this is my associate Ryoga. And who might you be?"
"I am Filia Ul Copt. I run the Weaponry and Pottery shop in this village. Speaking of which, what brings you all here?"
"It's a long story, and one we'll tell you after we get something to eat. So which way is it to your place?"
Filia blanched, imperceptibly to anyone bar Ranma, who sympathised with her; he wouldn't relish the idea of having to feed Lina AND Gourry AND Amelia either. After a few seconds, she nodded and led the way, Ranma casually dropping from Stormclaw's back to the street below, but not before giving him orders to fly around the town, extinguish all the burning buildings, and then hide himself in the woods nearby to wait for further orders. Within a matter of minutes they had reached Filia's house/store, where she somewhat reluctantly laid out a meal, which the Slayers fell upon with their customary enthusiasm, Ranma resorting to his skills of "Dining Fu" to ensure he and Ryoga got a decent portion.
When they had eaten everything on the table, which nominally meant they were full, they began detailing their recent exploits to Filia, who, in turn, answered their questions about why the past week had been so stressful.
"It started about eight, maybe nine days ago. People started reporting that their livestock or pets were disappearing, that they had heard things creeping around their homes at night, or even seen glimpses of furtive figures skulking through the shadows. Then, people started to disappear. The first to go was a small farming family, near the forest. People who went to investigate reported that the door had been smashed in and the interior had been torn apart, of the family there was no sign but a torn, blood-soaked child's dress. Then a store was raided, the shopkeeper brutally murdered, and a guardsman who was posted there to keep watch disappeared into the night."
She paused to pull out her tea set and drink a cup of tea before continuing.
"Maybe three-four other families have disappeared since then, the village is in a panic. No one knows who or what's responsible. Some started saying that it was Beastmen raiders, which makes no sense; we've gotten along pretty well with the local tribes, and the few who've dared to come to town recently say that their members have been disappearing too, most of them have left now. I've been keeping Gravos and Jilias inside, and turns out it was a good idea. We were attacked last night."
"What! Are you alright?"
"Yes, fortunately they didn't seem to know what they were getting into; between the three of us, we quickly sent them packing and with little damage to the store. Unfortunately we didn't get too good a look at them, but Jilias says they stunk to high heaven of diseased flesh and rotten meat."
"Plague-Spawn and Cannibal Zombies, perhaps?"
Muttered Ranma, drawing a curious look from Filia. He shook his head and motioned for her to continue.
"However, one of them dropped something; a sort of necklace, with a weird sigil inscribed upon its surface."
"May I take a look at that please? I might be able to decipher its meaning."
Filia dug into her pocket and pulled out a crudely carved amulet, which she then handed over to Ranma, who sat back as he scrutinized it. After a few seconds, his eyes widened and his jaw dropped in disbelief.
"Impossible! It can't be! But it's not… I mean… how?"
"What? What is it already?"
"This… this is an Icorn!"
"An Icorn? You mean one of those things that grow on oak trees?"
"Stupid! That's an Acorn yoghurt-brains!"
Shouted Lina, grabbing a well-gnawed mutton bone and smashing Gourry over the head with it. A bead of sweat trickled down the back of Ranma's head as he continued.
"An Icorn is a sort of magical seal or mystical fingerprint, an arcane symbol that every wizard from the Hidden Lands possesses, and each one is both unique and impossible to duplicate. I recognize this one from my history lessons. This is the Icorn of one of the most infamous Necromancers of our land, a monster who was known and feared as the Lord of Terror; the Ragman. But it can't belong to him."
"And why not?"
"Because the Ragman met True Death at the border-stronghold of Karn several thousand years ago. If I didn't know that it's impossible to forge Icorns, I'd swear this was a fake. But if it is real, then the Ragman is still alive. And that is not good news for us at all."
"Why?"
"Because the Ragman was a psychotic maniac! He was considered a deranged monster even by his fellow Necromancers, who responded to the news of his defeat at the hands of Acheron the Heartless, an escapee from some primal hell for creatures without souls, by throwing a month-long party."
"Wow, they really must have hated him."
"A month is nothing, they partied for almost a whole year after he was proclaimed destroyed."
"Huh? Explain that."
"When Acheron beat the Ragman, he didn't kill him; he simply chained the Ragman to a rock in a cave deep within the Dragon Graveyard of Solis. After several centuries there he managed to escape, and was slain at Karn as he attempted to gather forces to seek revenge on the entire Hidden Lands. At least, that's what I learned in history classes. But if this Icorn is the genuine article, then I can only wonder what his plans must be."
"Hey, don't sweat it; we'll find out when we hunt this guy down and beat them out of him. So let's go!"
"Are you serious? Have you lost your mind? If this is the real Ragman, then we're talking about a wizard with several thousand years of experience behind him; do you have any idea how powerful he must be? We seriously need to think up a strategy before we go charging in."
"So what would you suggest?"
"First, I suggest you all get some sleep. None of us have had a decent rest since we were first attacked in that inn, so you go and find yourselves a place to rent for the night- don't look at me like that, do you really think that Filia would be able to house us all? Before I turn in I'm going to take a look through the supplies I brought with me, see if there's anything useful. Unless any of you have any better suggestions?"
Several seconds of silence, followed by a mass shaking of heads announced that they didn't. Saying their goodbyes to Filia, the Slayers left for an inn. Ryoga pulled his sleeping roll out of his backpack and laid it down on the floor in the living room- after Ranma gave him strict orders not to move from that spot. After explaining Ryoga's rotten sense of direction to Filia, and being introduced to Gravos and Jilias, Ranma made his way down to the kiln where, once he was assured of his privacy, he began the spell to breach the interdimensional wall.
The next morning, he and Ryoga breakfasted with Filia, Gravos and Jilias, the Slayers arriving afterwards, evidentially having breakfasted at the inn where they had spent the night. Ranma stood up and began to pull the items he had obtained last night from subspace, handing each to an appropriate ally.
"For you, Gourry, an enchanted sword. I know you've been seeking a replacement for the Sword of Light and, while probably not that powerful, I think you'll find this much more useful to you than an ordinary blade. Its name is Stormbreaker."
Gourry took the blade from Ranma's hand with an expression like a little kid on his birthday. He admired the weapon, his attention particularly drawn to the ever-shifting lightning strike pattern on its blade. He hefted it experimentally and then made several practise swings before smiling his satisfaction.
"Amelia. I know you dislike weapons, but we can't risk any of our numbers in this mission; you need to be able to defend yourself. This is the Blood of the Gloomfrost, an enchanted hammer of my own design."
The Blood of the Gloomfrost turned out to have been completely sculpted from some sort of black ice, though to Amelia's surprise it was only slightly cold to the touch. As she hefted it experimentally she suddenly stopped and focused on it.
"I… I can hear something, coming from within it. A deep, rhythmic pounding, like the beat of some massive, ancient heart."
"You can hear the heart of the mountains? That's a good sign; it seems to have bonded with you. You'll find it much easier to wield in that case. Finally, I have these Masks of Wind; some Necromancy spells manifest as clouds of taint that need to be inhaled to affect their victim, these Masks will keep us safe from them, as well as cutting down the stench that clings to seemingly all of the minions of Necromancy."
He handed the strange, alien masks around, demonstrating how to put them on, Zelgadis doing so with particular eagerness- with his keen senses, the stench from Plague-Spawn and the like was particularly noxious. Finally, Ranma turned to Filia.
"I know you've retired from the adventuring life, but will you consider coming with us? We could use someone with your physical and magical strength; this is going to be a tough battle."
Filia thought it over for a few seconds, and then nodded, 'discretely' pulling out her "mace-sama" and brandishing it menacingly.
"I'll come with you. It's bad enough having that Mazoku namagomi stirring up trouble around here, but this is an enemy I can actually put a stop to!"
"So, it seems the ex-priestess has finally come to her senses about the ways of fate. How amusing."
Filia shrieked and whipped around in a devastating swing of her mace, narrowly missing the aforementioned piece of trash by inches. Xellos rematerialized on the opposite side of the table, very close to Ranma, wearing his trademark grin. Though that grin wavered just a fraction of an inch when Ranma suddenly exploded into motion, latching onto Xellos with all of his inhuman strength. Ranma developed a pleasant, happy smile of his own as the Slayers, Ryoga and Filia blinked in confusion.
"Ah, Xellos! Just the Mazoku I wanted to speak to. How fortunate you chose this moment to show up."
"Oh? And what do you want to talk about?"
"Well, it seems we're finally ready to wipe out the breeding grounds for those 'rogue Mazoku' your master has you chasing. And, as it's your mission too, I was of the conviction that you should accompany us to lend us the assistance of your own dark magics. With both you and Filia with us, the battle should be much easier."
"And precisely what makes you think I would accompany you?"
"Well like I said, this is really your mission, not ours. If we hadn't stumbled onto them while they were after that Nullstone, or if we hadn't decided to pursue them, then we would probably be have been left alone. And for another thing…"
Here Ranma's expression turned malevolent, his grip on Xellos tightening until, had Xellos been human, he would have started to choke. Ranma's emotions disappeared from his aura, leaving him as cold and heartless as an ice sculpture.
"I am sick and tired of the way you get us tangled up in your messes and then let us do your dirty work! I have a lot of stored-up stress to vent, and I am just itching to take it out on someone. Now, you can either come with us, or I swear by They Who Must Not Be Named that I will take a blunt object roughly the size of Gourry –and his sword- and stuff it lengthwise into a crevice of your being so seldom seen that even the denizens of the infinite hells themselves wouldn't touch it with a twenty-foot rusty halberd! Have I MADE myself perfectly CLEAR!"
Ranma's eyes were so firmly fixated on Xellos' that he couldn't see the expressions of the others behind him, which was probably a good thing for all concerned. Filia's expression was a mixture of shock, awe and admiration, while even Xellos looked mildly discomfited. Ranma and Xellos were both silent as a deserted tomb for about a minute, then finally Xellos nodded once and spoke a single word.
"Crystal."
"Good."
Ranma released Xellos, who didn't teleport away but remained where he was, absentmindedly rubbing his neck, whilst Ranma grinned as though he hadn't been about to explode in a savage fury just seconds ago. He walked over to the table and grabbed the Mask of Wind he had used to demonstrate how to attach them, applying it to himself before turning towards the door.
"Well then, let's go."
"Wait a sec, how are you going to find this guy?"
"With this."
Ranma brandished the Icorn, which they noticed was beginning to glow.
"A beginners mistake, and one he must have presumed he needn't worry about making here. A simple spell known to all wizards of the Hidden Lands, and this Icorn of his will lead us straight to him. Well, what are you waiting for? Let's go."
"Suppose he left it here deliberately?"
"Wow Ryoga, that's a very good point. Unfortunately we have no way of knowing for sure, so all we can really do is prepare ourselves for the worst."
Pausing only to wait for Filia to persuade Gravos and Jilias to remain behind and continue to look after Val's egg, the group headed into the forest under Ranma's guide.
Now I know this chapter reeks. Originally I meant for this chapter to have Ranma and the others facing off against the other two rogue Mazoku, then fight the big boss in the next but, well, things didn't go that way. On the bright side, this means that the next chapter should be a lot more action-orientated.