Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction, I do not claim any rights to any of the characters or

concepts created or owned by Viz Video or Rumiko Takahashi. This is just the work of one fan to the others. The only characters or concepts that i claim are the ones I created or introduced. That said, I bring you:

The Annals of the Heroine Akane, and the Dreaded Demon King. A Tale of the Mirrorverse.

Chapter 5: Tremble, all ye mortals. Here there be dragons.

The wind rushed past the three demons, as the great dark wings beat powerfully as the leagues vanished rapidly beneath them. Xian Pu clung tightly to the ridged spine of her Master's draconic form. As exciting it was to fly, she vastly preferred when it wasn't quite this fast. At least she wasn't dangling below their Master like Ryouga was. That said, the idiot was probably enjoying the ride.

Xian Pu sighed as she peered down, glad that she had at least had the chance to revert to her true form. Six limbs made this at least a bit less precarious to attempt. "Master, why are we rushing? Surely you don't think that this Heroine will be able to turn the tide by herself, do you? Especially one so brash to rush off to the frontlines without appeasing that fool of a king, do you?" Xian Pu said in infernal, knowing that their Master would be able to hear her over the rushing of the wind.

"It is because she is so brash. She seems to be confident in herself and the abilities that her God gave her. I don't want to be chasing after her forever. We know where she is, right now. Now is the chance to strike, while she is away from the capital and the King's army. If I can end the threat she poses, then maybe the humans will stop for a while." The dragon said in tones that were almost more felt than heard.

Xian Pu could hardly argue with her Master's logic on that, as she settled a bit lower along his spine, her ears flattened back to protect them from the wind that seemed to be picking up. She could feel her Master pushing himself harder, flying just a bit faster. In such a rush to confront the heroine now. She just hoped it went as well as when they faced the last hero, a loudmouthed womanizer who she could not understand why the God of Light had chosen. Not that their own dark Goddess seemed to be any more reasonable. She shook her head, as she thought about it. Best not to try to understand the whims of the Gods, it was better to just try to handle the sometimes mercurial nature of her Master.

Perhaps that idiot Ryouga had the best idea, just letting the gods push him around wherever they willed it. She shivered, trying to imagine existing under a divine curse and a dark blessing like he and his line did. Perhaps it was best not to draw the attention of the Gods, after all.

They had been flying for an hour, and she knew from past experience that the Master in dragon form could travel two or even three days worth of travel on foot in a single hour by wing. Thus, why he had chosen to travel in this form. She knew that the Heroine had been almost a week's travel in front of them, by their best guesses. So, in another hour, two at the most, they would be where the Heroine was reported to be last.

All the better, they could finish this before it even started, then. Maybe then the Humans would see some reason, and just let things lie for a while. At least until the next Hero rose up to try to take the head of their Master. Xian Pu sighed as she settled in tight. Why couldn't the stupid humans just let them be? Was the fact that they were different from the humans so abhorrent, after all?

Ryouga, for his part, was happy. He enjoyed the sensation of flying, and the fact that while the Master carried him, he would end up someplace that he wanted to be, instead of wherever the Gods whims carried him. Even now, carried as he was in the Master's talons in his massive boar form, he could feel the little twitches of impulse that often governed his movements, and bit back the questions of where they were going, why they were not heading in this direction, or that.

It was never easy being the plaything of the Gods.

Ranma was furious. How could they have been going the wrong way all along? And now, he had made a brash decision and risked a lot, and for what? A chance to go in half cocked against a heroine. But it was the best chance to hit her now, before she could get away. Before she could go and cause more havoc in this stupid war that they humans started. No, the demons were not innocent, far from it. But it was the humans who started this latest engagement, and it would take convincing them it was time to stop, as well.

He ground his teeth together as he pushed himself just a bit harder, trying to get just a bit more speed as he flew like a dark cloud into the maw of the war, knowing that he could very well be the one that lay bleeding at the end of the day, but knowing at the same time there was no other way. The humans would never see any other way, just like the masses of the demons would never let go of their hatred of the humans.

It was pointless to imagine any other end, after all. There was no way that the humans and demons could co-exist, his idiotic father and crazy mother aside, they could not ever get along.

The differences were just too deep, and there was far too much blood on both sides to ever see a lasting peace between them. A temporary end to hostilities was always going to be the best they could achieve, as long as they could keep the xenophobic humans from deciding that they needed to wipe out the demons again.

Seeing his parents had made him think it was possible, even with all of the blood on everyone's hands. Then, he had met his first humans besides his mother. After that, he had decided that it was best to split his natures, to hide away his human blood so that his own kind wouldn't hate and distrust him. Yes, it had allowed him to spend more time in human society, to see that they were not just the bloodthirsty monsters that his own people thought them to be, but at the same time it made it seem even more impossible for them to get along. What he had seen as Ranko, as the traveling bard Robin, had only served to make it more clear that the humans would never accept the demons as anything else but an enemy.

If that was what they wanted, then so be it. An enemy he would be to them.

Both of Ranma's retainers could feel the shift in their Master. A clenching of muscles, a slight flexing of talons as he pushed that little bit harder, dark clouds gathering in his wake.

The Demon King was heading to war, and may the Goddesses have mercy on those that stood in his way.

In the town of Bridgefort, the sisters had been dealing with their own troubles and tribulations. Nabiki had returned late at night with a map of the area detailing where the bandits were hiding, and more than a little drunk. Kasumi, for her part, had returned late as well and fallen into a deep sleep to replenish her divine gifts. Sadly, they all knew that soon enough she would be called on to perform her duties because it was only a matter of time til the Demon King's army made another attempt on Bridgefort.

Akane was the most troubled by this last prospect. So far, they had only been hit by raiding bands of goblins and other lesser demons, but it was inevitable that the main forces would come for this town, sitting as it did fording a wide river. That was where the name of the town came from, after all. The ancient stone bridge that was the heart of the town was the best way across the river in almost a full day's march to the north, and three to the south. If the Demon King intended to invade the human's kingdom, it would be here.

By that same token, if they were to push into the lands of the demons, this would be the best place to sortie from. It was a tactical and strategic asset that had to be held. The state of the defenders made even less sense, unless the King was foolish enough to be keeping the bulk of his army closer to the capital? But surely, that would not be the case, would it?

Akane groaned as she poured over the maps and reports once more, her head hanging tiredly. She jerked at the soft touch of Kasumi, who had roused herself enough to notice the state of her sister.

"Sleep, Akane. You will do no one any good in your current state. Get some rest, and we will sort all of this out tomorrow, okay?" The gentle priestess said, giving her youngest sister her best motherly smile.

"You know that is not fair, right?" Akane groused, then rolled her eyes at the benevolent little smile she got from her placid and gentle sister. "Fine, fine…. You win, sis."

As the three sisters settled in to sleep, they were unaware of what the morning would bring, as fate rushed towards them on great, dark wings.

The next morning came earlier and much more abruptly than any of the three wished. The clamor of the warning bell tolling like an epitaph tore them from their restless sleep as the watch called out. "To arms! To arms! The enemy is upon us!"

The sisters jerked awake, their bodies moved before their minds fully awoke. They shared a look as they started to get ready, exchanged looks speaking volumes between the sisters. The three rushed to the wall as they finished getting ready for what was sure to come.

"Report!" Akane shouted as the trio surged up the inner ramp towards the battlements.

The captain of the watch started to snap a reply before he saw who it was that had shouted at him. "Ma'am! Leading elements of the Demon King's army have been sighted! We thought it was just a raiding party of goblins at first… But then the orcs and trolls started to come out, as well. Ma'am, please… Tell us that the King's army is behind you?" He asked in an almost panicked voice, as his hand tightened its grip on the spear he held.

Akane shook her head as she walked to the battlement, and looked down at the horde that had arrayed itself already before them. Orcs and goblins were some of the weaker of the demons, the two trolls were a more serious matter, though. Stronger and larger than their orcish cousins, trolls were true abominations, able to regenerate from all but the most lethal of blows, there were few other ways to deal with the lumbering monsters. Luckily, they were as stupid as they were tough, and that was the best bet they had of defeating them.

Still, between the three of them the trolls wouldn't prove insurmountable. If they could hold the gate and the battlements, they could win the day. That was all they had to do, hold out until they could get the rest of the garrison back on its feet, and hope that the King's army was doing more than cowering in the capital polishing their boots and armor.

Akane surveyed their assets quickly by eye, and by memory. There were two hundred soldiers active in the fort, with another hundred that could be raised as militia from the populace in a day's notice. Of the wounded, with Kasumi's aid another twenty soldiers could be brought back to fighting shape from those that crowded the church's wards. Nabiki might be able to get Konatsu and the Guild to fight, and that would be a boon for sure. Three ballista and a catapult served as the siege weaponry for this side of the walled town, with a good supply of ammunition available. Food and other supplies was a more pressing concern, in the long run.

Still, as long as nothing else happened, it didn't seem insurmountable.

A cry of foreboding from behind her made her turn, and her eyes widened as she saw what appeared at first to be a dark cloudbank racing towards them, blotting out the sunlight as it flowed over the land. It was several moments before she could see movement in the cloud, a rippling surge of motion. As it swept over the town, she felt a well of dread open in the pit of her stomach.

Great black wings beat against the sky as the dark dragon swept overhead, a monstrous boar clutched tightly in it's massive talons. It circled once, and the dragon's impossibly blue eyes met with Akane's for a long moment, one that seemed to last forever before it looked away and dropped into the midst of the enemies ranks.

The reaction of the enemy stilled all those who watched in horror as the army, to the last one, bowed down to the massive beast that settled into the midst of their ranks. The boar stood ready, huffing as it's four glowing eyes swept the battlements, it's six massive tusks gleaming in the half light. One of the six-limbed cat demons of the far eastern domains dropped lightly to the ground besides the dark dragon and regarded the town with an almost disinterested look.

The dragon threw back it's massive head and let out a bellow of rage and challenge before it locked eyes once more with the heroine in her gleaming armor.

The throb in her heart, and the pulsing of the sword in her hands told her the impossible truth of the matter. Here, now, before her was the Demon King himself.

The Demon King Ranma had come for her.

She grinned as her hands tightened on the hilt of her holy sword.

At last.