Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Destiny of the Magi ❯ The Hero born from Sorrow... ( Chapter 13 )

"RELEASE!" Ranma screamed as he rolled away from another blast of flame coming from Kalda.

"You HAVE to try harder to hit me pup." Kalda taunted as he roared again earning him a hit on Ranma and pushing him against the wall, "Do you need some incentive?"

Ranma growled as a red aura bursts out from his body, "Seeing YOU is incentive enough. I call forth the sword of wind!"

Kalda snorted as the pigtailed mage once again charged at him head first, "I'd thought you'd learn that lesson the first time pup." The three-headed wolf/lizard opened all of his mouths and sprayed fire at the charging mage.

"I call forth the barrier of souls!" Ranma thrusts both his hands forward, pointing his magically summoned sword forward and created a cone shaped shield which deflected all the flame away from Ranma, "I DO learn ya stupid dog!"

Kalda cursed himself and tried to jump away but not before taking a hit from the sword. Blood trickled down the side of his body where Ranma landed a hit, "Well it seems like you DID improve. This means I just have to stop holding back on you."

Ranma's aura only grew larger at the taunt.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~

Act 1: Chapter 13

The Hero born from Sorrow...

"Hmm... a lot of dark energies are moving towards Sapporo." Landal muttered as he watched the reflection pool of his elder, "What do you think that means elder?"

"I do not know." The old man replied in a worried tone, "But it does not bode well for Ranma's group."

Landal frowned, "Would they be able to handle this?"

The elder of spirits chuckled, "Of course, I am more worried about Ranma finding out... THAT."

The younger mage winced, "I forgot about Kalda."

"You shouldn't, he plays a vital role in Ranma's life." The elder said softly, "He CAN and WILL influence Ranma's path. For the tower or against the tower... that would be my question."

Landal looked at the old man with a questioning gaze.

"I said the tower because I am beginning to lose faith in the prophecy." The elder said, "It is causing too much pain. Even IF it would prolong the towers existence, I don't think Ranma's pain can be justified."

"But your not stopping it."

"I can't, if I did, the other members of the council would kill me in a heartbeat. Not to mention I couldn't stop it even if I tried." The elder said, "Landal, the time would come when I die, and you would be the new elder of the spirit mages. When that time comes, I want you to follow your heart, not the tower."

Landal blinked and turned his attention back to the pool.

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"Hikari! PLEASE hurry!" Kikori whispered as sweat trickled down her face in attempt to keep her shield up against the stream of dark energies that crashes towards it.

"Spirits of fire I deplore thee to grant me thy power and blessings! Show me thy might through magic..."

Kikori felt her consciousness slipping as her body is strained too much from the pure power coursing through her. < I must hold on! Can't let Hikari down! Shampoo and Mousse are holding a whole hoard of Sakado's minions! I WON'T FAINT! >

Kikori's shield strengthens, "You'd have to try better to get through my goddess's shield!"

Sakado, who is floating in midair in the center of the room stopped his spell, "I'm impressed, you are the first priestess to hold of that spell for as long as you have. My congratulations."

Kikori used the sleeve of her robes to wipe away the sweat that accumulated on her face and brushed aside her green hair, "I ask once again that you surrender!"

The corrupted mage sighed, "A priest is a priest, always asking stupid questions like that to uphold their believe." Sakado shakes his head, "I am curious what that spirit mage can conjure up, so I think I'll wait till she finishes the spell."

Kikori frowned and held her pendent ready, "What are you trying to do?"

Sakado laughed, "I am just the beginning of the fall of the tower. It WILL fall, I can almost guarantee it. A priestess of your skill and endurance can help our cause a lot. Why don't you switch to our side?"

"And be used like a tool until I am of no use anymore?" Kikori replied coolly, "I think not."

"Ahh, such a sha-"

"UNCOVER THY POWER!" Hikari shouted and throws her hand towards the floating Sakado. Out of her hands came a bird of fire that rushed towards the floating mage.

"Quite an amusing spell. Extinguish flames of eternity, forward." Sakado pointed a figure at the on coming flame and jerked it up as if to shoot something at the magic fire. A distortion of air rippled on a collusion course towards its target. When the two crashed, both disappeared leaving only a puff of smoke.

"What..." Hikari gapped at the corrupted mage, "But how?"

"Hmph, didn't you learn from your tower? Wind can enhance fire magic, but it can also hamper the effects of the spell if done correctly. I myself, am a spirit mage of wind." Sakado explained in a friendly manner, "But it doesn't matter, both of you shall perish."

Hikari frowned, "Perish my ass!"

Kikori swallowed as she prepare herself for another spell, "Sakado, please stop what you are doing, it is foolish!"

The corrupted mage smirked and stood with his hands stretched forwards and his palm facing the sky, "I gather powers of darkness. Swirling winds of dying stench. Plague all that stands in the light!" The air around Sakado darkened and tightened into a small ball on top of his hands. "Good luck priestess."

Kikori closed her eyes "Oh goddess of healing, protect us from the darkness that stands in front of us!"

"Fire! Gather! Fly!" Hikari yelled and threw a fireball at the on coming spell, the fireball was snuffed out like it was a candle and the dark ball of magic crashed into the shield Kikori has erected. "This is turning bad..."

Kikori took in steady breaths, < Ok Kikori, just like Ranma shows you all the time. Calm down and concentrate on the spell, not the pain. >

The robes on Kikori flutters about and her hair whips around her face as the two spells continue to disrupt each other.

"EAT THIS!"

Kikori opened her eyes to see the dark sphere has dissipated, "Hikari?"

The fire mage smiled, "Looks like we just got reinforcements. Daishi over here!"

The channeler grinned, "So how are you girls holding up?"

"Ahem." Sakado coughed, "That was most rude! Your lucky I was able to dodge fast enough or else you might have ruined my shirt."

Daishi snarled, "Just buy a new one you cheap ass. `Cause your going to need to buy one after I'M done with you!"

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"Fury of the earth, I call upon thy power! Lend me your strength and protect me from that which I cannot stop!"

Ranma snarls as the tornado he created tossed Kalda into the air, "Air that pierce, wind that destroy. This is mine call, come at mine beck!"

Ranma's arms starts to glow a brilliant gold color and wind runs around them making two small cyclones. He punches both his fists towards Kalda as he is still in the air making the cyclone to extend towards the three wolf-headed creature.

RANMA

Kalda frowned and twists away from the two magical blasts and landed on his feet. With a roar, he made the ground beneath Ranma crumble and blast outwards throwing sharp pieces of rocks at him. "Come now young pup, you need to try harder."

Ranma, who is lying on the floor because of the last hit, jumps up and stands in a ready stance. "Ya the one who should be tryin' harder! Who's the one bleedin' on the side!"

Kalda growled, "I wouldn't say young pup, you're the one with all those scratches."

Ranma... don't f-

"Wind give me thy blessings! I call upon the breath of a demon!" Ranma yelled one spell after another. Wind picks up around Ranma making him move faster as he fires thousands of needles made of air towards Kalda.

Kalda growls and leaps over the stream of needles straight towards Ranma for a physical attack, which Ranma dodges by doing a handspring on Kalda's head.

"I call upon the weapon of NATURE!" Ranma shot a blast of compressed air right at Kalda hitting him on the back of his head, "Wings of an angel, carry me!" and flies into the air.

"YOU WILL PAY FOR THAT PUP!" Kalda roared in outrage as he once again release a stream of flames towards the mage.

Don't follow him...

"Spirits of wind, gather!" Ranma held both his hands in front of him, over lapping each other, a large green ball of magic begins to build up power as he dodged the river of flame.

"You can't dodge forever like that mage!" Kalda yelled confidently, "And you can't gather enough energy to make sure I can't dodge even if you gather for as long as your flight spell works!"

Ranma smirked, "Don't... need... that much... magic."

The three-headed creature frowned, "Your own funeral." Kalda leaps into the air towards Ranma opening all three of his jaws.

Silver robe...

"RELEASE AND SCATTER!" The green ball breaks into many small green balls and shoots out forward, aimlessly towards the direction of Ranma's opponent. "I don't need that much magic, I just need to pin you down for me to cast my last spell on you!"

Kalda winced as the wave of small magic balls pinned him on the ground, "You really think those can keep me from standing?"

Knife wounds...

"No, but THIS CAN! SPIRITS OF WIND, STREAM FROM MY HANDS!" Ranma screamed as magic poured out of his body slamming right into Kalda pushing him towards the wall. When it hit the wall, the magic beam turns into a tornado tossing the creature into the air slamming him into the ceiling before letting Kalda fall towards the ground again.

Help her...

"I've done it..." Ranma whispered with a dazed expression and walked towards his fallen foe, "Kalda, why did you do it?"

Kalda chuckled, "So after all this time, you still don't realize that I didn't even touch her."

"Just tell me!"

Don't die...

"I'm NOT the one that killed your sister." Kalda's left head replied, "Either did my other two heads."

Ranma slumped down on to the ground, "No..."

"You remember." Kalda gave Ranma a wolfish smile.

The pigtailed mage shook his head slowly, "You... you didn't kill her."

"Of course I didn't." The three headed creature chuckled slightly and coughed, "So you remember..."

"Who... killed... her." Ranma growled, "Who was that man! That man with the silver robe!"

"I don't know," Kalda replied weakly.

"Then why did you fight me?"

"You accused me of something I didn't do, of course I'm going to fight you `cause you slighted my honor!" Kalda coughed, "Nevertheless, care to tell a dying creature a story? The story of your sister?"

Ranma blinked, "Don't you know it already?"

"I just saw the last part actually," Kalda chuckled, "I still have time."

Ranma smiled sadly, "It was just after the first snow fell. Saiko, Zandia and me were meeting one of the Tibet channeler group."

"Tibet, I miss that place..." Kalda said softly to himself.

"She loved the snow. She told me once that if only her hair was silver like snow and not reddish brown, she'd be the prettiest girl on earth." Ranma took in a staggering breath, "It happened the morning after we arrived. Saiko was playing in the snow and I was practicing with a new spell Zandia taught me so I can protect my lil' sister. She wandered away somehow and I didn't notice. Then I heard her scream. Her voice was pleading, yet, no fear was in her voice. I still ran towards her."

Kalda smiled sadly, "I did the same thing..."

"I saw those cowards ran from where my sis is," Ranma snarled in outrage, "They all ran! Except for one man who wore a silver robe. I remember ignoring him and ran straight towards my sister hoping she was ok..." Ranma shook his head, "No, I guess they were running to get help... I might have been wrong..."

"..."

"She died in my arms. Zandia tried to help her but whoever killed her stabbed her twice, once in the heart, another right on the back of the neck. I swore vengeance that night. I swore that I would kill her killer with my own hands."

"..."

"We went back to Tokyo right after and that was when I meet Kikori." Ranma said with a smile, "She tried to cheer me up, but ended up sitting beside me and stared at nothing with me `cause I didn't responded."

"..."

Ranma stopped as he realize he has talked too much and turned to face Kalda...

... only to see empty space.

"Rest in peace Kalda." Ranma whispered and picked himself up, "I'm sorry sis, I failed, but I won't give up yet."

The pig-tailed mage puts on a cocky grin, "I'm gonna punch that CSM's face in just for the heck of it now. PRINCESS OF ICE! GODDESS OF COLD! COMETH!"

A blue spell circle appears beside Ranma. Magic gathered around it, making the ground the circle is on ripple like water. Ranma grinned as he watched Artricia shoot out of the circle, making the ground freeze in it's rippling state.

"Wow, the first time I've been summoned and haven't have my head crash into something."

Ranma smirked, "Com'on, you'll have plenty of chances of head buttin' people later. We have a CSM to hunt down."

The princess of ice gave an identical smirk as Ranma, "Well what are we standing around for? Lets go kick butt!"

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"WHAT!" Landal yelled, "Kalda didn't kill Saiko?"

The spirit elder shook his head sadly, "No... a man killed her."

"Who?"

"I cannot say."

Landal growled, "You can't, or you won't?"

"I won't."

Landal stared at his elder in bewilderment, "What have the tower done."

"They have created a warrior that fights because of sorrow. A warrior born from sorrow."

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"Ah, shit." Daishi swore after another blast of magic hits him, "This isn't good. He dodges all my spells and then hits me with his. He just cancels out Hikari's spells and Kikori is at her limit already!"

"Daishi," Kikori said calmly, "Go get Mousse, he would have a better chance at beating him than us."

Daishi frowned, "Ryu, go get Mousse. I need to stay and help the two ladies."

The wolf reappeared beside the channeler and grunted in reply before disappearing again, "I'm staying here to help, you two can't hold him off."

Hikari smirked as she throws another spell at their opponent, "The more the merrier."

Sakado sighed, "Why do you three keep trying to bring me down? Is what I am doing really that bad?"

"You are doing bad at disrupting peace!" Kikori answered, "Please, we don't need this!"

The corrupted mage nodded, "You're right, we don't need this. We don't need the mage tower to have so much power in this world. Governments of countries do well enough on their own."

Footsteps echoed through the room signaling the arrival of Mousse, "So, you're the Corrupt Spirit mage that every one's been talking about."

Sakado smiled, "Ah, the imbuer. Adding another person into your party isn't going to change the result, I am still going to win this fight."

Mousse growled, "I seriously doubt that." He drew out a hand full of knifes from his sleeves and throws it towards the floating mage.

"Heh, your not the only one with magical items on you." Sakado smirked and deflected the magical knifes aside with a swipe of...

"The Dragon fan blade." Kikori gasped, "With that, he can nullify all magical attacks that we make!"

"That's right, with this blade, the mage tower will fall for sure!" The corrupted mage boasted, "You cannot beat me."

Mousse snorted, "You REALLY think that just by wielding that sword you would be unbeatable by us? All imbuers know of that sword, and one of its drawbacks is that the wielder cannot use magic either!" Mousse drew out another dozen of daggers from his robe, "And you have just signed a death warrant by trying to face me in non magical weapons battle."

The three other mages from the tower smiled slightly at the event.

"I hate to disappoint you imbuer, but I didn't spend my time in hiding just playing with magic." Sakado replied smugly, "I practiced with the sword art. You might say I am rather formidable with this sword."

Mousse didn't reply and throws his daggers at his opponent while the others charged up their spells hoping to get Sakado from the back. The corrupted mage drops to the ground, dodging all the daggers, and charged at Mousse with a low swipe to the legs.

< This is going to take a while. > Kikori mused as she slowly heals Daishi with her spells as he casts his spells to distract the corrupted mage.

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< Man, this tower is taller than I first thought. > Ranma grimaced as he reached another set of stairs, "This is getting REALLY annoying."

"I know whatcha mean." Artricia said as she glided beside Ranma, "Even if I'm NOT walking, my legs feel tired just by looking at these stairs."

Ranma laughed, "Wings of angels, carry me! Well looks like I won't be able to save up magic if I want to actually make it up the tower in time."

The Ice princess stopped suddenly, "Actually, I don't think you can save up your magic even IF you didn't use your flight spell. `Cause here comes company."

The pigtailed mage sighed, "Now what."

"AIYA!"

CRASH!

Ranma blinked as Shampoo crashed through the wall and fall down right beside him, "So... what have you been doing all this time?"

The mind mage shook her head and looks up, "Ranma! Hoards of skeletons and some zombies are charging right into this tower! How they got here I have no idea, but they are here!"

Artricia sighed, "I'll get rid of them."

"Thanks `Tricia." Ranma gave her a thumbs up, "What would I do without you."

"Probably go find Kikori and tell HER to do what I'm going to do." Artricia smirked, "But of course, why get a priestess when you can get the Goddess herself?"

Shampoo sweatdropped, "I see why you two get along so well. Both of you are egotistical maniacs."

Ranma glared at the Amazon, "We only state the truth."

"All done." Artricia smiled cheerfully, "Not much of an army anyways."

"That was fast." Shampoo scratched her head, "So what did you do?"

"She probably just cast some freezing spell and let them crumble to bits and pieces all by themselves." Ranma said with a shrug, "But lets get going, I don't think the others would appreciate it if we just stand around and chat."

"Oh yeah... forgot about the CSM." Shampoo stuck out her tongue.

"Now I feel so save with your group." Artricia sighed, "At least when it was only Ranma and Kikori, I at least know that Kikori would get us out of trouble without violence."

"HEY!"

**************************************************************** *******

Ranma held up his hand signaling for the others behind him to stop, "Lets see what is happening before we charge in."

Shampoo nodded and peeked inside with Ranma while Artricia stood behind the two waiting for them.

"Is that what I think it is?" Shampoo said pointing towards the sword Sakado wields.

"Yep, that's the Fan Blade." Ranma replied, "and looks like Mousse is down for the count, and those cuts looks bad."

"Hikari is down too, I think she strained herself too much... I can't seem to see Kikori and Daishi." Shampoo said after peeking through for another minute.

"Well, what do you think? We charge in?" Ranma asked the other two.

"Charge."

"Charge."

Ranma grinned, "Lets make a flashy entrance why don't we?"

Shampoo rolled her eyes, "Are all Japanese males so irrational? Why don't we just walk in and see if we can ambush our target?"

The called goddess sighed, "Why don't Ranma here make a flashy entrance why you sneak in behind our target and ambush him?"

The two mages blinked, "That would work."

"Mortals..." Artricia rolled her eyes, "Can't hate them, can't love them, and can't live without them."

**************************************************************** *******

"YO UGLY!" Ranma yelled from the doorway, "Dontcha know that you shouldn't pick on girls!"

Sakado paused in mid cast and turned towards the source of the voice, "Ahh, so the famed Ranma Saotome finally came."

The pigtailed mage smirked confidently, "Yeah, and you need to hire some better bodyguards, those guys are all so skinny if you know what I mean."

"So you've meet up with my army of skeletons?"

Ranma snorted, "Even my grandma could beat those things if she was still alive! I mean fish bones?"

Everyone that isn't in hiding or knocked out sweatdropped, "You try and find human bones nowadays."

Ranma blinked, "Good point."

More sweatdrops from everyone.

"Anyway, surrender to the tower or be taken in by force!" Ranma said heroically and pointed his figure towards the sword wielding mage.

"Do you all have to say that before we fight?" Sakado said with a sigh.

"No we don't!"

The corrupted mage frowned and turned around to see Shampoo charging him with two bon bori. Instinctively, he brought the Long Sen Dao to parry the two large maces, "Ah the other Chinese Amazon," Sakado smirked, "I hope you are more of a challenge than your friend."

Ranma, who had rushed over to Daishi and Kikori while Shampoo was keeping Sakado busy, smiled, "Daishi, thanks."

The channeler grinned painfully, "The pleasure was all mine."

Kikori gave her partner a quizzical look.

"Don't worry `bout it Kikori." Ranma said, "You two take a break, I'll go help Shampoo. Tricia should be able to protect you two if anything happens."

The area next to Ranma shimmered, "HEY! I thought I'd get a piece of that CSM too!"

Daishi jumped slightly, "What the hell!"

The priestess shook her head, "Daishi, meet Artricia. Goddess of cold and ice."

"I hate that title, but yeah! Nice ta meetcha." Artricia said cheerfully.

Ranma nodded, "Ok I'll go help Shampoo now. Wind, give me thy blessings!"

Artricia nodded and waved her hand towards Ranma, "The air surround your body that your spell gave you has my power imbued in it. It would protect you better."

"Thanks, owe ya one." Ranma grinned and dashed towards the battle to join the fray.

**************************************************************** *******

Shampoo thrust one of her maces towards her target, which was dodged, and follows up with a wide swing with her other mace. Sakado leaps backwards and makes a downward swing with his sword. Shampoo blocks with the metal ball at the end of her mace and counterattacks with a sidekick, which pushes Sakado back.

"Not bad girl." Sakado said rubbing where Shampoo kicked him, "But you need to kick harder to bring me down."

"And you should practice with your sword more before challenging a REAL Amazon warrior." Shampoo sneered and charged the corrupted mage.

Sakado drops the sword on the ground, "Dark winds! RELEASE!" The CSM thrusts his hands out towards Shampoo, throwing a dark ball of magic almost at point blank range, knocking the attacking Amazon back before picking up the sword and charges himself, "This fight ENDS!"

Shampoo rolls sideways to avoid the blade from hacking her in half and does a sweep kick trying to knock Sakado down, but the corrupted mage jumps up to avoid it.

"I CALL UPON THE BREATH OF A DEMON!" Rains of needles showered the corrupted mage in mid air. Or would have if he didn't raised his sword in defense.

Sakado was about to smirk but was caught off guard by a flying kick.

"You talk too much." Ranma smirked before launching a ball of magic towards the fallen mage.

Shampoo growled and launched herself right behind the ball of magic. Sakado used the sword and dispelled the magic ball and ducked under Shampoo's assault, but the Amazon wasn't finished. Shampoo knees the corrupted mage in the stomach and disarms him with a well-placed hit, crushing his hands with the bon bori.

Sakado growled and leaped for the sword.

"I call upon the weapon of nature." Ranma shot a high pressure of wind at the corrupted mage, draining the dark spirits from around him, leaving him breathless, and defenseless against Shampoos attack.

"Give up now?" Shampoo sneered.

"Not yet amazon." Sakado smirked. Dust swirled violently around the corrupted mage blowing Shampoo away from him and pointed his palm towards Ranma, "Remove mine foe's helping hands. Doom mine enemy oh dark winds!"

"I call forth the ba-urk." Ranma froze in mid cast.

< SHIT! >

Shampoo gasped when she saw Ranma wither in pain on the floor, "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HIM!"

Sakado blinked in confusion, "I don't know, but I'm not one to pass up a good blessing. Dark winds of death, I call upon thee!"

Shampoo crossed her maces in front of her to block the black crescent of magic speeding towards her, but lost her grip as the spell hits.

"Looks like this fight is to my favor again." Sakado grinned.

**************************************************************** *******

Kikori gasped as Artricia suddenly vanished, "Oh no, Ranma!"

Daishi blinked in confusion, "What about Ranma? Where did Artricia go?"

The priestess ignored the questions and looked up to see Ranma's pained expression, "The curse! Sakado casted a dispel... This isn't good."

"Sorry I can't help." Daishi said shaking his head, "Ryu is low on energy and needs to rest and I'm all beaten up."

"It's alright." The priestess said before running towards her partner.

< What can I do about this. If I'm not mistaken, that's a high level spirit dispel. It can carry itself out until the spell is gone. That means, it won't stop until it rips Ranma's soul out... >

"Ki-Kikori..." Ranma gasped, "Pain..."

"Hold on..." The priestess bit her lip, "Oh Goddess... I don't know what to do."

"I... won't... give up... yet." Ranma bit his tongue to prevent himself from screaming as another wave of pain shot through his body.

"I... I'll think of something." Kikori said holding Ranma's hand in both of hers.

< Please... Goddess of healing... help your child this once. Please help me prevent the spell from ripping Ranma's soul away from his body... >

**************************************************************** *******

Shampoo's expression turns blank and her eyes glow a deep violet, "Time for you to feel the true power of Amazons."

Sakado sneered, "If it's anything like your friend's hidden weapons, I think I don't have anything to worry about."

The lavender haired girl narrowed her eyes and bursts into action attacking the corrupted mage with her fists before Sakado had time to erect a shield.

Sakado leaps sideways in a desperate attempt to dodge Shampoo's relentless attack, "Dark winds! RELEASE"

Shampoo suddenly vanished when the ball of magic hits her.

"What is this?"

"Wrong person." Shampoo said in the same emotionless voice and kicked Sakado on the head sending him to the ground, "You are really less of a challenge than Ranma. Even Ranma can take more hits than you."

"Like Ranma says," Sakado suddenly jumps up and places his palm on Shampoo's head, "Winds throws you to darkness. You talk too much."

Sakado's hands glowed a dark blue. Shampoo's eyes lost its glow, eyelids slowly lowered itself, and suddenly, she dropped on the ground unconscious.

"And so begins the fall of the tower." Sakado whispered and picks up the Long Sen Dao.

**************************************************************** *******

Kikori felt herself shaking as she saw Shampoo fall unconscious, "Ranma?"

"..."

The priestess felt her chest tightened, "RANMA! Wake up!"

"..."

"No..."

"The fall of the tower begins here."

Kikori looks up to see Sakado holding the blade to his side, standing beside Ranma.

"What do you want!" Kikori said angrily, "He's dead..."

Sakado chuckled, "You seem so sure priestess. Have you no faith on your partner or your Goddess?"

Kikori glared at the Corrupted mage.

"He will live."

"Why do you care?"

Sakado looks at Kikori with a grim smile, "Have you heard of the prophecy of the reborned ancient?" Not waiting for an answer, Sakado continued on, "It says: `And so, a warrior born from sorrow shall rise and fight. And the one of light shall give the child of the ancient. The warrior will give hope to child, the one of light shall give life. The child would carry the power of the ancient as they rise once again into the world.' Quite interesting wouldn't you say?"

"The... Prophecy..." Kikori murmured, "Ranma is the warrior born from sorrow?"

"Yes... and he will take part in making the child with the ancient's power. After I have him in my possession, I will need to find this `One of light' then I can topple the tower's rule!"

"And whoever has this child would be the new power of the world." Kikori whispered to herself.

< But what about Ranma's OWN prophecy? Would he be find happiness if he follows this destiny? But this destiny needs him to be sorrowful. How can he be happy? >

"Yes." Sakado grinned, "I will be taking him now."

Kikori gasped and blocks Sakado's way, "You're not taking him anywhere!"

"You can't stop me priestess."

"Goddess, let the healing heal, protect the helpless so that we may heal!"

A white sphere spread from Kikori's body and surrounds herself and Ranma.

"A neat trick priestess," Sakado said with a sigh, "But how long can you hold it?"

"Forever if that is what I need to do." Kikori muttered.

**************************************************************** *******

"Hello Ranma."

Ranma blinked and rubbed his eyes to clear his vision. Immediately, he sees a girl's face staring at him.

"Who are you?"

"It doesn't matter who I am," The girl said with a tranquil smile, "You will meet me later."

"Where am I?"

The girl giggled, "Your half dead Ranma. Find yourself, then help your partner."

"Kikori!" Ranma jumped up and looked around, "How do I get back!"

Silence answered him. The pigtailed mage searched frantically for the girl that woke him up, "BRING ME BACK!"

**************************************************************** *******

"Ranma... please... if Sakado is right, please wake up." Kikori pleaded.

"Ugh?"

Kikori gasped in surprised and dropped her shield, "RANMA!"

"Hey Ki-chan." Ranma muttered and stood up, staggering a bit, "What did I miss?"

"Damn, I was hoping you'd stay unconscious."

Ranma frowned, "Well ya don't always get whatcha wanna get."

"True."

Ranma nodded to Kikori, "Shall we dance?"

Kikori smiled and walked up behind Ranma, holding her pendent to her chest.

Sakado raised an eyebrow, "Two on one? Hardly fair."

Right after he said his few words, Sakado starts throwing spells at random at the two mages, "Feel the might of the darkened wind!"

Dust raised from all the wind that the spells created covering Sakado's view of the two mages from the tower.

"Goddess, restrain him!"

Sakado cursed himself and jumped into the air, barely dodging the thin line of light that was about to tie him up.

"Air that pierce, wind that destroy. This is mine call, come at mine beck!" a stake like cyclone charged towards the airborne corrupted mage.

"Protect thy wielder oh dark winds!" Sakado said quickly shot his left hand towards the on coming spell creating a barrier to stop it, "Dark winds, RELEASE!"

Ranma cursed in mid casting as the spell hit him in the leg, leaving a burn mark, "I call upon the breath of a demon!"

Sakado jumps aside to dodge the stream of needles.

"Goddess of healing, aid Ranma in healing." Kikori's pendent glows light blue and shot a beam of light towards Ranma's burnt leg, healing it.

"POWERS OF WIND, I WIELD THEE! SHOW ME THY STRENGHT! LEND ME THY WEAPON!" Ranma summoned a magically made sword and charged at Sakado.

"I gather powers of darkness. Swirling winds of dying stench. Plague all that stands in the light!" Sakado wasted no time and shot a beam of black magical energy towards Ranma who deflects it with his `sword'. Ranma leaps into the air, points himself downwards, with his magic blade pointing to the ground.

"Dark winds, I wield thee!" Sakado muttered summoning his own magic sword, unlike Ranma's, it is gray in color.

The two swords clashed and exploded right after it touched each other, throwing the two spirit mages away in different directions. Kikori saw this and immediately starts casting, "Goddess, prevent those to harm from harming more! Trap evil within your power!"

The pendent glows bright and released a small orb of light towards Sakado. It starts to grow in size as it got closer and when it finally reached the corrupted mage, it `swallowed' him, trapping him within the with orb.

"There... done." Kikori smiled faintly and collapsed on the ground.

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Ranma winced and dusted himself off and looked around to see an his opponent trapped in a white orb which is keeping him asleep, "Looks like Kikori got him. That means she must have fainted."

Ranma walked over to his partner and picked her up with his arms beneath her, "PRINCESS OF ICE! GODDESS OF COLD! COMETH."

"You called? Again..." Artricia said laughing, "Wow two times in the same day!"

Ranma chuckled, "Yeah, can you wake the others up and tell them to get out of the castle before it decides to fall on top of us?"

"Ok."

The pigtailed mage smirked, "Ah nuts, didn't get the chance to punch that CSM in the face!"

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"Mr.Ibuki, thanks again for the ride." Ranma said tiredly.

"What happen to you bunch," The ship captain said in bewilderment, "All of you have burn marks or cuts on you."

Ranma chuckled, "Well, we just fought someone, I mean it comes with the territory."

"Well, tell me about it, we have time before we reach shore."

Ranma grinned, "Not much to tell really, caught that guy over there." Ranma jerked his thumb towards the sleeping CSM, "But MAN can that guy throw a magic spell."

The captain laughed, "Well, why don't you sleep, I'll wake you up when we get to shore."

Ranma shook his head and looked down at his sleeping partner, "No... someone has to stay awake."

"Your call." Mr.Ibuki said turning his head back towards the sea, "We'll be there in about 3 hours."

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"Kikori knows of the prophecy." A man in a dark cloak said.

"Yes, but she is loyal to the tower, it will not sway her." Another man wearing a red robe answer with confidence. He looked around to find three others, "I see those two have abandoned us. They must be taken cared of soon."

A third man wearing a green robe nodded, "Yes I agree."

"I'm not too worried about those two, they are not a threat to us when all four of us are together." The last man said before stepping out of the darkness revealing a silver robe, "The prophecy WILL happen to our favor."

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WHEW... done! I'm kinda not so happy with this one... I don't know why. I think I should be happy with it, but for some reason, I think I could've done better... I dunno Shrug

The fight with Kalda is kinda short, I know, but I don't think it's the fight part that is important with Kalda. With him, I think it is revealing Ranma's past that is more important. The fight was only one of many that Ranma will have to participate. So I figured it wouldn't matter that much... at least I hope so.

Sorry... no Omake this time... I'm kinda drained from all the writing even though I spent so much time on this chapter already... If you have to blame someone, blame my teachers =p

Neways, next chapter... just a random day in Ranma and Kikori's life... or is it...