It was the middle of the night when Firo had to stop, with time not on their side Ranma (now male) had let her run as long as she felt she could. They came to a stop and Firo, her entire body trembling with effort and exhaustion.
Touching her feathery head he whispered "Turn human"
With a last effort she transformed into her human form, nodding he unharnessed her and placed her in the wagon where she promptly passed out and Suu engulfed her.
With that done Ranma harnessed himself to the carriage and and after a moment to get used to took off at a pace that almost equaled Firo.
With his soul of ice training he could almost turn off his body's way of registering fatigue. So through the night he ran, at one point he noted several people who might have been bandits take one look at the man dragging a cart at forty miles of hours and decided that they had better shit to do.
It was sometime around mid morning when Ranma's body abruptly informed him that it need to stop and now. Raphtalia got out of the cart as Ranma went to his knees, the soul of ice no longer able to let him ignore his fatuage.
She set up camp along with Suu why Ranma and Firo were put down on the bed rolls where they simply slept. At some point Firo woke up and with her awakening Ranma was able to shake himself out of his slumber.
Of course his body did not want to follow his instructions to get, it still thought of the idea of sleep as heaven itself. "Master you should really rest" Raphtalia said.
That sounded really, really tempting ...but "Firo?" he asked
The girl smiled and shifted into her bird form "Ready Master"
Suu and Raphtalia packed up the camp themselves and told him to sit down on the wagon, he obeyed that order and waited. Once everything was packed and Raphtalia was blissfully engulfed by Suu as to ignore the motion sickness. Firo took off once again, with only a quick stop for food she once again ran herself to exhaustion. After which Ranma switched places and pulled the cart, with this pattern down pat they each lasted long enough to give the other a chance to rest.
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They arrived at the border to Silt Welt at sundown; it was an unassuming place a small post with several guards watching the road. They were not what one would call the cream of the crop, most could only sit up sputtering as Ranma dashed passed them wagon in toe. And none of them were in any position to stop them.
Three more miles of running and they arrived at Aresth, it was quite a comfortable city stone walls about fifteen feet high. The gate itself was well made from oak and steel, normally he had an eye for detail but right now he just wanted to find a bed.
As he approached the gate two guards came into sight, they were beastmen like Raphtalia with ears and a tail but both looked like they belonged to different animals groups. One had white features while the other had golden-ish ears and tail. The two were naturally gawking as they watched him, a human slow down to a stop as he reached the gate.
Ranma was grateful for the stop even if there were probably going to be annoying questions from these too.
"What do you want human" the golden one asked
"*huff*huff*wheeze* A bed"
"Well what's in the cart?"
"A demon bird, a Beastgirl, camping supplies and the last of our food."
*Blink* Blink* "Are you mocking me?"
Ranma just looked at him "Well if that's the case you don't mind if I search the cart"
Ranma had to shake his head to not fall asleep right there "Sure, I guess, Just dont scratch anything, Firo is protective over her cart."
"Are you drunk human?"
"...you would be able to smell it if I was."
"...point taken" the golden one said walking around back and taking a look. He was met by a wall of feathers "What the hell?" he said and poked it.
Firo let out an annoyed sound and turned sticking her long neck out and glaring at him.
"W-waht the fuck?" the guy shouted leaping back leveling his spear.
Two more guards showed up at that yell looking for a fight, Ranma turned his eyes to the golden guard "You point that thing somewhere else now!"
He meant it to sound threatening and it was but apparently he had transcended threatening and reached a level of near terror inducing. As the guard reacted as if Ranma had stabbed him, within seconds it looked like there was going to be fight. As the two new guards readied their weapons, "Enough!" A voice sounded.
A tall women appeared in sight, her armor was better than the others and a sword that bristled with magic at her side. Her hair was the color of flame with fox like ears and a tail brisling. Her armor had the symbol of a crown and lion emblazoned on her chest plate.
Ranma dropped his sudden readiness to fight, it was hard to keep his legs from trembling with fatigue. "What do you idiots think you are doing?"
There were no answers to that "You Radulf what was that about."
"There's a monster in the wagon captain" he stuttered out.
"I told you that" Ranma said "I told you I had a demon bird there."
The women looked from him to the wagon "Did you pull that here?"
"Ya its normally Firo's job but we were in a rush."
"And you pulled the wagon?"
"Yes"
There was a rustling in the wagon and Raphtalia climbed out of the wagon "Master what's going on."
The weapons were leveled instantly "You have a slave?!" the woman snarled
"Empty Fucking Night" Ranma sighed
"No!" she yelled stepping out in front of him "I am not a slave."
"She would say that" the golden one said "It could be a slave crest."
He moved forward the spear coming a bit too close for comfort there was a flash of black and the spear head shattered Raphtalia held her katana in a defensive stance "Touch him and I will kill you" She said in a low deadly voice.
The fox woman tilted her head looking at Raphtalia meeting her eyes an expression of understanding crossed her face. "I see, lower your weapons"
"But Sherufanir"
"Put you spear down" she said calmly.
The guards moved back and the women called Sherufanir approached hands palm up "You must understand this road leads to Melromarc." Her eyes went angry for a moment "They still practice slavery and you did call him master."
Raphtalia rolled her eyes as she put away her weapon "I call him that because it amuses me, and it is a mark of respect." She made sure her eyes were on Sherufanir "He saved me from slavery."
"Ok, ok i believe you but, we do have to make sure."
Raphtalia started growling "Master is exusted, we have covered over three hundred miles in a day and a half after fighting a giant monster please let us through."
Sherufanir pursed her lips "Barran!" she called out, a small boy who must have been thirteen at best scuttled out of the gate house "Yes miss?" He was cute in his own away with black hair that had raven like feathers mixed in it.
"Please scan her and see if there are any seals" the boy looked at Raphtalia and blushed as he muttered the spell. "No Mrs Sherufanir there is nothing, though that blade is brimming with magic."
The women frowned "Why did you come here so fast?"
That made Raphtalia hesitate and Ranma spoke up "Could be nothing but we got a tip that there might be a monster headed this way thought you could use a heads up if it actually is headed this way."
"What?" the silver haired dog like beastman asked.
Ranma nearly fell over "Master" Firo said as she got out of the cart, the guards were shocked that something as big as Firo could fit in the wagon. "Firo can pull the cart now"
"Its ok" he said tiredly "Were here, ahhh" and that was that as he fell forward and passed out.
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His growling stomach woke him up, and oh it felt so good to not feel tired. He said up blinking awake, he was in a stone room with about ten beds in it though no one else was in it. He blinked again and glanced at his skin, except Suu who was armoring him right now.
His clothing had been cleaned and neatly folded on a small chair beside the bed…. he pulled up the covers and glanced down "Really Suu?"
He heard her giggles in her head as she slipped off him and gave him a wink. "Not everything needs to be covered" he chastised her.
She just gave him another wink as he pulled on his clothing "Do they know about you?"
"No master Suu has stayed hidden; if master gets attacked I want to surprise them."
Ranma paused "You were protecting me while I slept?"
"Yes master."
He leaned over and kissed her "thank you"
The slime flickered scarlet in her cute way and suddenly engulfed him vanishing into her nearly invisible armored from. The door opened and the white haired guard entered "Ahh good your awake, Captain wants to speak with you, and she is offering breakfast."
"Breakfast? How long have I been asleep?"
"About a day"
"...show me the way please."
The guard led him to what looked to be the mess hall for the for the garrison, what he noticed right off the bat was the lack of people. It was a place built for hundreds but only about twenty were in sight.
It definitely looked like they might be understaffed but that could be because they might eat at different times. Perhaps he would have an army at his back if the Cerberus showed up? Nahh not a chance.
The table at the center was where Raphtalia and Firo(Human form) were sitting, next to them was Sherufanir with an array of food laid out before them. "Master" they both said.
Firo stood jumped and flew/glided over several surprised guards and wrapping her arms around him. "Firo's is sorry" she said.
"For what?" Ranma asked walking towards the head of the table.
"That Firo was not strong enough."
He gently flicked her on the forehead "None of that, I won't have it you did fine and I was glad to make sure you did not hurt yourself."
"Ara Ara Boy' Sherufanir said as he sat down still holding Firo "You must be strong as an ox to drag that wagon."
Ranma shrugged "Where am I?"
"After you collapsed I decided to bring you to the garrison, we have space right now and I was quite interested in that big monster you mentioned."
She glanced over at Raphtalia "You friend is very good at not telling me anything"
Raphtalia smiled "Master will tell you what you want to know."
Sherufanir sighed "You really should not call him that here, it makes a bad impression." She glanced at him "By the way is that shield cursed, it would not come off."
Said shield was currently in the glow shield from but it was not glowing right now as Ranma had turned it off. "You could say that" Ranma said after all from a certain point of view some people might believe it a curse.
She shook her head "Are any of you going to give me straight answers?"
"Sure, the reason I came here is because I received information that monster called the Cerberus of the Wave might be headed here." He moved his head towards Raphtalia "Her parents were killed by it and we want it gone."
"Where did this information come from?"
"A man who lost a friend to it and was tracking the thing until he fell ill"
The women stared at him as he grabbed several prices of bread and meat and ate them "You came here at a rate that looked like it was killing you for a chance that a monster might come this way?"
"Ya pretty much."
Sherufanir sighed "For our Sake I hope either you're wrong or this monster is small."
"You do look understaffed"
She pursued her lips as Ranma continued "With the waves going on I'll be willing to bet every country is understaffed."
The captain's eyes went from him to Raphtalia and seemed to come to a decision "Indeed our people are spread in such a way as we can react to waves as fast as possible."
"Makes sense"
"By the way your bird can turn into a girl."
Ranma nodded "I noticed" he said dryly.
"Do you have any Idea how?"
"About as much as an Idea as you do."
Sherufanir gave him a winning smile "You really don't have any Idea."
"I have long since stopped questioning weird thing that generally only makes it worse."
"You are quite a calm person I would think a human in a city of beastman would at least be somewhat on guard."
"I don't care about that a person's a person I judge them based on their actions." He smiled "And besides if someone tries to mess with me I can generally ignore it or if they endanger me I can deal with it."
"Considering how heavy that wagon was, I am inclined to believe you."
"Master is powerful" Firo put in.
"I get along fine" Ranma said.
"Your people are strange, are all humans from Melromarc as weird as you."
Raphtalia snorted at that "No I'm kind of unique" he clarified chuckling himself.
"Are you planning on staying here?"
"For a few days, one way or another the monster will show up or we will hear of it somewhere else and take off."
"...I see"
"Will that be a problem?"
Sherufanir was quiet for several moments "Officially there is nothing to stop you from doing what you want as long as it is within our laws. But with the current actions of your country and the fact that we have a fairly large community of freed slaves here who have real grievances against human's."
"*Sigh* the King has really fucked it up, He certainly does not help but the Queen has done nothing about our kind being enslaved either." She sighed "Of course we have some human slave trade so our moral high ground is really nonexistent."
Anger flared but faded in an instant as they both shared a tired look "So if you decide to stay just be careful and know you will be overcharged and watch out for thieves."
"Thank you"
"I not chasing you out yet please enjoy breakfast."
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Several hours later Ranma had rented a room in an inn near the walls "He had no doubt the had been viciously over charged but it was not that big of a deal. A day or two of rest sounded like a wonderful thing. Raphtalia and Firo were free to go exploring as they wished and Suu would have been too but she refused to leave him alone and was currently acting as his pillow.
The room had several beds so they could all stay in one room and had an area large enough that he could exercise enough to keep the edge off his pent up energy. Naps were also great, and so long as he kept to himself the people who owned the Inn were happy to leave him alone.
Raphtalia and Firo returned around noon, Firo looked happy and perky while Raphtalia looked somewhat annoyed.
"Have fun?" he asked.
Raphtalia eyes flickered from him to Suu who was giving him her version of a lap pillow "A lot of men hit on me" she said after a beat she added "It was annoying"
She walked over to his bed and gave Suu a look "My turn" she said.
The slime laughed and gently lifted Ranma's head off her and let Raphtalia take her place giving Ranma a lap pillow. He could actually feel her tension and annoyance fade away as she did this.
"Firo got lots of food" she informed him "Firo played a game a tag with five men," she paused "They could not catch Firo"
Ranma took a deep breath "I see…" No reason to suspect the worst, perhaps they really were playing a game of tag. "Then after the game one of them grabbed Firo's butt.. So I kicked him through a wall"
"...thats my girl" Ranma said after a moment.
He glanced around Its only the afternoon are ya'll planning on staying here all day?"
Raphtalia's answer was a soft kiss on his forehead "I can't think of a better place to be Master"
His heart seemed to skip a beat as a warm feeling spread through him "Thank you"
"Firo is staying too" the girl informed him.
"Then thank you too Firo" *Hmff* she sniffed "Firo will give you a lap pillow to."
He looked at her with her child like body "Great" he whispered "Just Great Ranma the Cradle Robber"
Raphtalia laughed at that and after a moment he decided to laugh too better that than going insane.
He looked around "Where's Suu?"
To make a long story short Ranma would later hear of a tentacle monster in the sewers but that was a story Suu would never share with him. The night passed and he found himself waking before dawn.
Something was in the air he could feel it, gently he got out of bed as not to wake the others and stepped out onto a small balcony. Apparently he was not the only one as Raphtalia was standing her eyes facing the city walls.
"Do you feel that master" she said as he stood next to her.
"Ya, nothing anyone can explain just a sense that something is coming." Ranma looked towards the south "What does it feel like to you?"
"Pardon Master?"
"For me the feeling is like there is a tightness in the world like creation is holding its breath."
Raphtalia gave him a thoughtful look "It's like a smell that I just can't make out."
"...How are you?"
She shivered "Terrified"
Ranma opened his mouth to speak but shut it as she continued "That...that thing I'm scared, scared I'll freeze up that when I see it ill just be a small little girl again."
"I don't believe that for a second" Ranma said in an equally quiet tone "I told you once that I had my own fear, so far I have been lucky that it has never been an issue but it one day could be. That fear makes a coward before it then monster if it goes far enough. I still have not overcome it, but I have seen you do so. Back at that cave, you fought through your fear you are strong."
"Do I think you will be afraid when it comes yes, do I think you will freeze up." he smiled "Not a change."
Her look became positively vulnerable "Master" she whispered.
He gently pulled her into a hug "We will fight, and we will win there is nothing more to it."
There was a pause for a beat before she said "Yes master"
The let go and he touched her cheek gently "That my girl."
Her face flushed a little and she cupped the hand touching her cheek gently, "Master, you mentioned this fear before will you tell me what it is."
Did he trust her enough for that...hell yes.
"My teacher as a child the one who taught me martial arts was not what you could call a good man. No as a point of fact he was a lazy, lying, shortcut taking, marriage arranging asshole. And he was also my dad, before I tell you this story I want you to know I don't think of him as maliciously evil. I like to think of it as a lazy sort of evil that does not plan ahead or think through consequences."
"So he was a complete idiot?"
"No idiot implies that he would not have understood what he was doing. No my dad could have understood it he was just too lazy."
"But to make a long story short when I was six my dad came across a book that promised a ritual that would grant the one it was used upon great power. Naturally he read how to do and threw the book away rather than look on the last page that said anyone who uses this ritual is and either an idiot or an evil bastard."
Ranma frowned "Which makes one wonder why the person who made that book made it in the first place, but anyway moving on the ritual involves getting a pit and filling it with cats, starving them until they are ravenous. Then wrapping the child in fish sausage tying them up and lowering them into the pit."
The expression of horror on Raphtalia appeared told him that she realized that that meant, "I don't remember much from the pit, just darkness, pain and glowing eyes." It was an effort of will not shiver in old terror.
"Now what most people think happens with the NekoKen as this ritual is called, is that it imposes a psychosis on the person based on fear. This they think creates a state of mind where the user becomes stronger, faster, more powerful at the cost of intelligence."
"As I found out coming here and reading the full status on it, what actually happens is that the Ritual is designed to call upon bestial cat sprits who have strong motherly instincts. They come to the child in pain and enter them in order to protect them. At this point the child is mindless in terror and pain so there is very fetal ground for possession. Thankfully that spirit only takes over when the fear of cats the ritual imposes completely impairs my functioning."
If anyone in his old world save Kasumi had given him the look of pity that Raphtalia had in her eyes it would have angered him. But from this girl it was fine, it felt...warm."
"Now ya know" he told her.
"Thank you Ranma."
"I like it when you use my name."
She smiled "That is why I save it for special occasions, it means more."
The turned back to the walls "When do you think it will come?" Ranma asked.
"Noon" she said with certainly her hand touching her black katana, her voice changed resembling the sword "In defiance of the light of day which drives back the darkness it will come."
The girl blinked shaking her head hard " I hate when you do that Resita"
Her head tilted "It not funny"
"Your sword is talking to you now?"
"Yes all the time after I learned her name, it gets boring being inside Suu for hours on end."
"Cool" after a second he said "it can control you?"
"It can speak through me but that is it. It costs her energy to speak to everyone but as her wielder it does not take any to talk to me."
"Do you know what she is?"
"All she has told me is that she is the sword of the void, nothing more."
Ranma nodded "That's a start even if information on Katana is non existence outside of the east."
Raphtalia tilted her head "She says we should sleep while we can."
"That sounds like a good idea."
"Master?"
"Yes?"
Raphtalia leaned over and kissed him on the lips "Thank you"
She turned and quickly walked away to her bed leaving him there with a stupid smile on his face.
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Noon found them leaning against the gate house, no matter what direction the Cerberus could come from there was a good chance that someone would see it and come to bring news. Ranma and Raphtalia were sitting in lotus positions beside nervous guards. Firo was prancing around with Suu hidden in her feathers her pent up energy about to explode.
The guard captain was there too, apperly someone had told her they were hanging around the gate and she wanted to find out why. "You people really are making us nervous" she was saying.
Ranma held up a hand pointing forward, a beast man with the look of a farmer was riding bareback on a horse. Said horse was going full speed towards the city as he got closer it his pale face drawn in terror was easy to see.
As he pulled up and nearly fell off his horse Ranma, Raphtalia, and Firo readied themselves "Is coming" the man said in terror.
Sherufanir was the picture of serenity "Boy" she said calmly "What's coming"
The man's breathing quickened "A...A huge demon, you have to get everyone out."
A howl like that of a wolf rang through the air "No" the beastman cried "No no no."
Ranma walked up to him "How big is it."
"B-bigger than house"
"Raphtalia?"
She shook her head "It was not that big when I saw it but monsters grow stronger over time too."
"And It's a demon of the wave" Ranma said
"It's from the wave!" Sherufanir shouted "Why the hell didn't you say that earlier."
*Blink*Blink*"Shit" Ranma berated himself.
"If I would have known you were talking about a wave threat"
Shadows covered them and Ranma looked up to see crows wheeling in the sky as if in expectation of a battle they could feast one. There were thousands of them circling in a vast wheel of motion.
"No, no,no" the farmer whimpered.
"Oh Void" the captain snarled "Everyone in the gates"
The guards hastened to follow orders half dragging the petrified farmer, Ranma, Raphtalia, Firo and Suu stayed put. "The hell are you people doing, get in the gate!"
Ranma straightened and began to walk forward, the shield on his arm changing to the stone hide "I will not let it reach the City, Mrs Sherufanir you have my word on that."
The woman stared at his shield then at him her eyes wide with shock "You, that shield, what?"
"I am Ranma Saotome Hero of the Shield"
Her reaction would not have been stronger if he had slapped her "The Shield Hero" she whispered.
The Cerberus appeared dust being kicked up by its massive body, Ranma had once seen a picture of what Disney had called a Cerberus about the only thing they got right was the size and three heads.
The dog demon's chest was thick with fur and muscle each head having rows of razor sharp teeth and beady red eyes. Its fur was urine yellow and streaked by dirt, blood, and filth. Its legs were thick as tree trunks to support its massive frame and its claws flashed in the mix of shadow and sunlight.
Dark bone like plates lined its spine, its neck, and underbelly. Atop each of the three heads similar bone plates lined the skulls and muzzle. Red liquid that bore a resemblance to napalm dripped from the mouth of one, black flame seethed in between the teeth of the other. The middle heads breath came out in clouds of black steam. The thing radiated an internal heat that caused the air around it to shimmer.
Raphtaliadrew in a breath and steadied herself "Wild guess" he said to all of them including the captain who was still gawking in shock. "Each of those mouths fires something best to avoid it, "Suu I want to separate from me this fight work with the others to attack its weak spots."
"Yes Master" the slime said poking her head out from Firo's feathers causing Sherufanir to do another double take.
"You all know what to do so let's get started, no one attack until I have its undivided attention if it focuses you, you run until I can get it focused on me again."
He took a final cleansing breath opened his eyes and charged the demon of wave, ground shattered under the strength of his legs pushing against dirt, Firo, and Raphtalia split running in a curved line, tilting so that when they reached the monster its sides would be open to them.
The Cerberus saw him coming, and all three heads let out a roar of challenge, each head able to make a unique and horrible sound that added up to the audio equivalent to stench of rotting meat only for the ears. It must have been some sort of ability to strike fear or terror, but against the hero of the shield that mattered very little.
The distance closed with every heartbeat, closer and closer until the rightmost head unleashed a torrent of black flame. With the Stone hide in front of him Ranma dove through it ignoring the heat as the power of the shield reduced the damage to inconsequential. His flying straight jab backed by the full force of his supernatural strength shattered a bone plate across the Cerberus chest. There was a shock wave as Ranma's strike stopped the demon dead in its tracks one had let out a choked whimper.
The leftmost opened its mouth and spewed a red liquid that ranma barely avoided, he noted that it was some sort of acid as it ate away the ground on which it fell.
The middle mouth looked ready to unleash its attack the moment in which he was in flight, but that was when the rest of Ranma's party showed. Firo reached it first naturally and merely dashed under it focusing on dodge the legs of the creature. Suu riding astride its back raised a mass of Slime that had been shaped like a giant butcher knife blade and honed to razor sharpness by water pressure. While Firo dashed under it Suu opened a long gash across its underside. The bone plating there protected anything vialt but it must have stung like a mother because all three head hissed and snarled as it whirled to face the new attacker.
"Hey dumbass!" Ranma called hurling a ball of ki that exposed in the the Right most's eye destroying it with the force. "Over here"
The head he had hit howled in agony while the other to head snapped at him as the enraged create attacked. Avoiding one and bating the other aside with the Stone Hide Ranma had its full attention. Fists blurred as he launched hundreds of strikes, now whenever this creature was he noted that in some ways it felt similar to the diamond dog. Its body took the his blows and did not break though it did get pushed back. Even without its bone plate the things skin was dispersing the power of his punches better than it should have.
He felt it then, something he probably would have noted instinctually as a girl this thing was boiling with magic. It was drawing it from something, a ley line perhaps? No that did not make sense.
He refocused his mind as a burst for mist from the third mouth engulfed him, he held up his shield in time and blocked it but a status symbol popped up "The Stone Hide now has the Brittle status"
According to the help menu that meant another good hit on it and the thing would shatter, which was not a good thing. He switched to the Crystal Shield which had a higher magic resistance, to his relief it did not have the brittle status.
The heated mist billowed towards him but he was ready this time jumping over the head and landing on it. Bending he shoved his fingers in both eyes and ripped. The howl that erupted should have shattered his eardrums asunder. The thing bucked so hard it flung him eighty feet into the air. The leftmost head twisted up and unleashed a torrent of acid "Air Shield" he snarled hardening the air ten feet under him.
The acid broke it on contact but it blunted the force causing the liquid to fall back on the Cerberus, a horrid stench of burning flesh reached him as apparently whatever allowed the demon to keep the acid inside of it did not protect the rest of its body.
Firo appeared at its side running full speed the wind bending around her giving her strength, speed, and power. Suu astride her back had her arm shaped and lengthened into a lance like shape.
The Cerberus did not seem them coming and when they hit the thing its body bowed outward as the force threw it from its feet a hole the size of a man hole punched in its side. It rolled like a dog but Raphtalia was there to meet it dashing forward running over it as if she would a tumbling log, her Katana trailing down as she allowed the Cerberus, centrifugal force to open a wound larger than she could have made on her own.
Power, pure, raw, dark power suddenly shrouded the creature, at that moment Ranma returned from his impromptu flight. His fist crashed against the dark barrier. There was the sound similar to a broken horn as the dark power blocked his attack.
A howl of triumph erupted from the Cerberus as Firo, Suu, and Raphtalia attacked and were blown back by the dark barrier. A scorching blast of heated mist was shot at Firo but she dodged it if only just.
Ranma who had been sent tumbling end over end managed to get back to his feet, the shield morphed into Diamond Shard shield. Raphtalia was on it again her slash also blunted by the dark shield. But where she struck a mark of blackness darker than the barrier remained.
The Cerberus turned to focus its attention upon them just as Ranma focused Ki through his shield "RailGun" he snarled as and explosive beam of white light with a diamond shard at its head blasted out. There was a sound like screaming from the barrier as the attack managed to pierce it but only enough to bury itself a foot into its flesh. Given how much skin and muscle normal dogs had and given its relive size it was a safe bet that he in inflicted something akin to a harsh bee sting.
It did however get the dogs attention, its rightmost head whirled and even as it did so Ranma was already chanting "I am the hero of the shield who command the origin of power, I have read and deciphered the laws of nature, I who take on the spirit of the fire defy the heat of flame. Flame Guard"
Before the torrent of flame hit the shield he had called up he was chanting again "I am the hero of the Shield who commands the origin of power, I have read and deciphered the laws of nature." About this time the flames splashed into the shield he had called up and whatever got through was not enough to deal damage. "Now flail in the embrace of wind, Zephyr, Wind squall" Air shot out from his outstretched arm "Air shield" he called out hardening the air before him. Acid that had been on the heels of the fire was first blunted by the gust of wind then stopped completely by air shield Skill.
Firo and Suu stuck the Cerberus again but the barrier deflected the attack, Raphtalia attacked again having circled around the monster and slashing across the place she had slashed before forming and X of darkness. Since it did not damage the Cerberus did not notice, she took off after Firo who slowed frantically talking to the creature.
Ranma weaved among snapping heads and swiping paws, it had tried to mist him again but since he now knew the danger of it he had taken extra pains to avoid it. The cost of that had been it had gotten a good bite on his shield arm. His defense meant that it only broke skin and not crushed bone but this creature could hurt him that was abundantly clear. The dark barrier proved quite resilient to his attacks.
The Shard attack recharged and he leapt back, the moment he was airborne the right head opened his mouth to unleash more flame. Ranma had been waiting for that aiming the shield he fired his "RailGun" again. Just like he had hoped the barrier did not cover the open mouth, the white beam of light pierced the roof of said mouth driving right through that one's brain. The head abruptly slumped lifelessly and the other two head howled in pain. Twin torrents of mist and acid forced him in close, the monster was getting better. Its two remaining heads were getting closer and closer to scoring hits and several times he was forced to block its paw swipes directly. They did not hurt in terms of damage but the sheer force of the blow made it annoying.
However he was keeping its attention, Firo, Raphtalia and Suu had been preparing at attack during these moments both Suu and the Tanuki where astrid Firo who had streamers of wind flowing around her as she gained speed. Suu had her lance arm ready but she has set herself differently only her torso and arms were humanoid they rest of her had engulfed Firo letting the slime brace herself for a stronger attack. Raphtalia was standing up straight sword ready, Suu was also cementing the girl's feet and legs to Firo which allowed her to perform this physics defying stunt
They aimed for the X Raphtalia had created with her previous attacks, shadows danced along the katana lengthening until she was holding a five foot length of shadow. Their aim was true both Suu and Raphtalia struck in the same spot. They did not need to add power to the strike Firo's speed was doing that for them.
Both attacks pierced the barrier with the sound of tearing metal, the two head of the Cerberus howled its body thrashing wildly. Firo dashed under it again and the demon abruptly dropped in an attempt to crush them. Ranma reacted instantly "Crystal Wall" he shouted as green crystals shot up from the earth. He channeled his ki into them and for the briefest moment they held against the demons weight. Firo was out from under it a second ahead of the body, its acid head made as if to spit acid after them but Ranma unleashed his shield prison around its head effectively muzzling it just long enough that Firo got out of range.
They had done well but even as he watched the barrier healed itself where they had broken it, and the flame head was beginning to twitch again on its own. The diamond shard fell out of its listless mouth and the twitching intensified.
He needed to change this fight now, he needed to get rid of the barrier, he set himself while the dog was distracted and leapt flipping over the snapping middle head.
He found himself standing on this things back and it was not paying attention to him as his companions were beginning their turn to attack again. And after all the barrier had blocked him before, he raised his fist taking a moment to focus his ki and every ounce of his strength into a single attack so far nothing had been able to stand up to his full strength yet so time to see it that still held true.. "Haaa!" he screamed and slammed his fist down.
There was a horrendous crack, the very earth below them splintered and shattered as a wave of pure force like the shockwave of a bomb sent Ranma's competitions tumbling. The dark shield vaporized along with a good portion of the Cerberus's side.
This time there was no howl of defiance or snarl of pain, balls of light chained to threads of darkness erupted from the hole in the creature. Pain assaulted Ranma's head as the sense of hundreds of ki's slammed into him. And it hurt, oh it hurt to feel the enchained lives of women children, men crying out for help.
With hands around his head he could not focus long enough to keep his balance, he tumbled off hitting the ground desperately pulling his senses into himself. A force hit him as the Cerberus stomped on him several times.
He felt it then, the magic tearing at his mind drawing power from the terror of hundreds of victims and forcing that pain on him. Desperately he chanted "I am the hero the shield who commands the origin of power, let the the flames of emotion erase the darkness of Illusion."
His entire body heated and there was a sense shadow inside his head being destroyed, His eyes opened in time to see three things. Nearly half of the motes of life were destroyed and the pieces of them were turned into healing magic.
Five hundred Ki's vanished as the creature devoured them to heal itself, all the damage they had caused vanished. The second thing he noted was the thing shrink by a quarter, the final thing he noted as its jaws closing around him, they tossed him up in the air and then crunched down on him. Had this happened before it shrank it might have pierced his flesh but as it stood this thing could do little damage him.
Rage, Anger, he understood now. He understood how this thing got so strong, every life it had killed, it had absorbed. Trapping the souls of its victims to draw power from them.
This thing, this monster, it had to die. The middle head which was chewing on him simply exploded pieces flying everywhere. Ranma landed before it and anyone could see the change in him, the area around him began to freeze. Frost poured from the Shield hero's breath, as wave's of cold flared out in waves.
He stared down the monster before him with the gaze lacking all emotion as the soul of ice shrouded his mind and spirit. His shield changed to the Sword Horn as the Cerberus spewed acid at him. His movements were precise and necessary a leap with just enough force to take him over the acid. So far this thing had not fired more than one of its blasts at a time so his risk was minimal. He ignored the acid mouth and struck the Mist head his shield piercing armor, skin and brain alike.
Firo and Suu came back into the fray now, Suu leaping off of Firo spinning as her tentacle became razor edged with water pressure. She tore into its side with lazy ease the lower half of her body sticking to the monsters as she wreaked havoc upon it. Firo aimed her kick naturally well as she did a perfect nut shot kick with the power to break stone. The Cerberus, one remaining head howled in agony only at a much higher pitch than before.
The wisps of light shot out again the blazing life energy of those it had murdered forced to heal the thing that had eaten them.
Ranma made a simple pulling motion with his hand, the souls of the monster's victims were blazing hot in their ki. Soul of Ice, the power to freeze one emotions, ones ki in order to turn the blazing battle lust of your enemy into its greatest weaklings.
Like a black hole a vortex of wind began to from, the souls froze for a second and began to pull away with the vortex. The chains of dark magic began to turn blue and brittle, then there was a cacophony of squealing metal as the chains shattered. The souls flew free and were sucked into a spinning motion around the Shield Hero.
The cerberus shrank again, Firo and Suu leaping back to reassess, now the creature was the size of the demon dogs he and Raphtalia had fought in the cave. Speaking of Raphtalia.
The girl walked slowly up to the weakened creature, its only working head saw this and its body tried to turn. Raphtalia threw her katana, it spun end over end and landed on the ground. To be specific it landed right in the dogs shadow, the Katana sank halfway into it and the dog froze as if being held in place.
If he had been feeling emotion right now he would have been shocked and elated at the same time, as it was right now within the soul of ice he felt only calm surprise. He dare not release the soul of ice lest the hundreds of souls swirling around him somehow be yanked back to the monster.
With a calm almost deliberate slowness she approached it, the thing strained in fear trying to move, to run but without its victims to draw upon it was too weak to do so. Raphtalia stopped inches away from its remaining head staring at it her eyes blazing. She gripped Restia drawing the Katana out of the shadow. Before the monster could move she cut off its two front legs in a blinding fast slash. Its remaining head spit acid at her as her hilt smashed into the side of its jaw breaking it knocking the head away from her and causing the Cerberus to cover its own face in acid.
It lay there rolling and howling as she watched it, her blade rose "I am the sword of the void, who commands the origin of power. I am the one who strikes with the cleansing darkness of justice, show the world thy name, Restia!"
Darkness flared along the blade like fire dimming the land around them, with a two handed overhead swing she brought it down. Unlike before against the dragon the attack was sharp, controlled, concentrated. It looked like a razor thin wall of shadow divided the dog for the briefest moment.
Both monster and girl held their place for a moment, then in a single motion she sheathed the katana. At the clack of hilt hitting scabbard the two halves of the Cerberus of the Wave fell to either side, it was over.
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The monster was dead, the battle was over. Ranma released the soul of ice in burst of cold wind, the souls of the dead glowed brightly.
Requirements for Shield of Requiem have been unsealed:
Shield of Requiem
Magic Defense: High
True Power Unsealed: Requiem of Souls (Weakened Undead, Suppresses Necromancy) Active Aura Effect, use of other abilities cancels the effect.
Special Ability: Second Sight (A wrath or ghost ability that allows the user to see magic and spirits. This sight gives the user information on said phenomenon, second sight limits the users vision to thirty feet. However when that range even illusion has no power over vision.)
After he noted that the souls shot skyward vanishing in bursts of light, all save for two which hovered around Raphtalia. Second sight activated and Ranma saw what must have been her parents standing to either side of her. Raphtalia could not see them but they were speaking in her ear and he guessed she might be able to hear them faintly. The two turned to him then, the dad looked him up and down as if assessing him. The man gave him a simple nod while the women a warm smile, then like the others they were gone in flashes of light.
Firo and Suu joined him though they seemed to sense the solemn mood, there were tears streaming down Raphtalia's face. "I" she said "I.. i need to be alone" She turned and dashed off before she could completely break down. Firo moved as if to follow her but Ranma held up a hand as he shook off Second Sight "Let her grieve" he said.
Firo danced around nervously her wings fluttering in distress, but in the end she listened to him.
He gathered the remains of the demon and absorbed them into the shield it took nearly everything before the shield was unsealed.
Requirements for the Shield of Cerberus unsealed.
Form 1: Shield of Black Fire
Special effect: Flame Immunity
Form 2: Dark Venom Shield
Special Effect: Dark Venom (A highly poisonous acidic liquid that confers the brittle status on items.)
It seemed with this one that if someone attacked the shield it would get the dark venom on it, that was kind of cool.
Form 3: Dark Over Boost Shield
Special Effect: Grants the user increased physical abilities at the cost of awaking their predatory nature. Warning can cause mental trauma and loss of control if overused."
This was interesting a shield with multiple forms but no slot for true power or any equipment bonus nor did it have any skill point bar. Hmm?
"Master" Suu said.
He turned to see the gates swing open as a mob of beast men and women burst out of the city coming straight for them. "Uh" was all he could say before a thousand throats from pale skinned white ears to dark furred black eyes erupted in a joyous howl that set the puddles of black Ichor around them to vibrating.
Normally when a crowd of screaming people rushed him it meant something bad but he got no sense of that now. That was when the crowd engulfed him a hundred hands hoisting him up as they roared "Shield! Shield! Shield!"
Decide him Firo lay looking confused and very agitated as the crowd picked her up too, he could not say that he was calm himself as the mob of beastmen turned and carried him back to the city.
It took an hour for them to let him down, the people must have carried him everywhere, people hung out of windows climbed onto roofs to see him. His questions were only met with joyous cries of "Shield! Shield!".
At some point people began tossing food at him while at other times he found a drink shoved into his hands. Firo was following them from a distance having transformed into her human guise and used to wings to fly after them.
At last they set him down in front of a large building, a suspiciously church looking building with steeples and stained glass windows and everything. He turned around "Ok will someone tell me"
They drowned out his statement with more noise "Shield!, Shield!"
"Yes yes I know" he yelled but no one heard.
Behind him there was the sound of doors opening and the blaring of horns, silence abruptly filled the courtyard. Ranma turned the first thing he noticed was something he should have been rather ashamed to focus on first. But the question don't those hurt your back? Came to mind.
If you needed to guess she was rather stacked, much more so than Ranma's own girl form who was fairly gifted herself. He forced his gaze away and took in the rest of her, she was wearing what he could only describe as an authentic Miko outfit a white haori, red hakama and everything. Her hair was dark black that hung down her back all the way to her waist. Her features had were almost regal with violet intense eyes with ruby lips. He could sense magic around this girl, powerful magic the air around her vibrated with her aura. Her left hand had a ridge of calluses long her thumb palm and forefinger the tips of her right middle and forefinger had the same sort of marks.
Archer he decided it was the only thing that fit with how her hand were, the girl noted his intense gaze and a low smile curled its way along her face. She walked forward and he noted that she was several inches taller than him, her tabi clicked along the stone ground with metric inevitably.
She was a foot away from him when she stopped, looking him up and down eyes focused on the shield for a moment. "Are you the shield hero?" she asked.
He debated the merit of saying no but he had already revealed himself so "Yes I am"
"I see" she said.
Then in a single motion she leapt fifteen feet back, two children who had the look of attendants ran up to her with a bow of yellow wood and a single black feathered arrow.
"Um did I miss something?" Ranma asked.
"It is merely the test the last shield hero put forth for all who came after."
"Wait, wait, wait what test?"
She drew the bow back and fired, Ranma caught it an inch before it hit him right between the eyes. "What the fu" he started to say as electricity exploded from the arrow, engulfing him but doing no harm.
With a smooth motion she gave the bow back to the attendants "It is as you Shield hero" She knelt in a smooth motion "All Hail" she said.
"Hail Shield Hero" the crowd behind him roared as the all dropped to on knee.
Firo appeared in Ranma's Vision landing in front of him arms spread face angry, Suu writhed around her but did not take form yet. "How Dare you" she roared.
The Miko did not move "If it is your wish you may take vengeance on me, all that I am is yours to take and do with as you please."
Ranma hand came down on Firo "It's alright, no one need to get hurt or take anything from you."
He looked around "What the hell is going on, no one will tell me."
She blinked in surprise "I...see you had no idea then."
"Please stop kneeling its really making me uncomfortable."
Another blink "As you wish"
She stood "Anything you want to know you have only to ask," She motioned "Please come"
Ranma looked at the roaring crowd behind him and the relatively quite temple "Let's go where I can hear first." he said.
"As you wish" she said and motioned him "Follow me"
He took Firo's hand and did so, Firo did not look happy at all glaring at the Miko with suspicion. Behind them the doors closed by themselves, she made a shooing motion to the children attendants, they gave Ranma shy smiles before disappearing through a side door in the temple.
One one side of the temple was a statue of an imposing man, tall buff and armored. On his right arm was a Kite Shield it was placed in front of a small beastman child curled up behind it. In the front of the temple was an altar inlaid with silver runes. The Miko lead him to the left where they entered another door. A short walk down a hallway and they came to a room, it as a comfortably large place, a table and chairs on one side, a fireplace in the middle, and a bed on the other.
"This is where I live" she clarified before Ranma could ask "Please make yourself at home Shield Hero."
"Its Ranma" he said "Call me Ranma"
Another one of those sensual grins appeared on her face "Only if you call me by my name, most people call me priestess and it gets old."
"Well, what is your name?"
"Akeno, Akeno Datenshi"
"Ok Akeno, you said you would answer my questions so here they are." he pointed outside "What the fuck?" he pointed to her "What the Fuck" he pointed to between his eyes "What the Fuck?"
"I assume that in your world that last word had special meaning?"
"Several now talk."
She laughed and he noted that her expression was softer now, her body less rigid, there was not showmanship that he had seen when they were standing in front of that crowd. "Men are so impatient" she crossed her arms under her chest and that did interesting things to her...assets.
Firo saw him looking and kicked him in the shin "Master" she scolded him.
He did not hop on one leg but he did want to, even in human from that kick hurt "Since you seem confused should I assume you know nothing?"
"That would be a very wise assumption"
"I see," she made a sweeping gesture "This is a temple to God and his saint the Shield Hero protector of the Beast men."
"That..Explains alot actually" he paused looking at her again "Are you human?"
She shook her head "No I am not."
"You don't look like a beastmen."
She hesitated "I am not one of them either," Before he could ask the next question she said "I is well within your right to ask me what I am. I would answer truthfully for I would have no choice but I would prefer not to discuss it."
Ranma nodded "Ok I won't ask then, so what about the arrow?"
"It was an old relic given to the first priestess of the temple many ages ok. It holds within it a spell that will burn all save a hero of the sacred weapons. It was left to that imposters could not use that position in the hearts of the people."
"I can see that making sense"
Firo still standing between them stomped her foot "Firo does not care, if you ever attack master again Firo will make you pay."
Akeno's eyes sparkled "I have no doubt little one, rest assured now that I know this is the true hero I will not and cannot raise a hand against."
"Cannot?"
"Yes, if you were to say take me right here, right now I could not resist." her eyes flickered up and down his body "Not that I would mind" she said in a sultry voice.
Ranma shivered "That does not explain why not" he looked away from her embarrassed. Seeing a woman who he had no compunction based on age looking this good was causing his hormones to suggest things. With Raphtalia there was always that nagging sense that she had only been on this world ten years. It was starting to go away and he did not know if he should worried about that or pleased.
Firo looked ready to attack her at that moment her growl was more like her demon from that that of a human. Akeno however did not seem to care "When I took up this position there were several vow's made, one of which was the vow to never go against you whether it be combat or otherwise."
"That's utterly terrifying"
"Why do you think so, it was what the last shield hero demanded for this position"
"He sounds like an asshole."
"Pardon?!"
"Um...he sounded like a...a...um...not the kind of person I would like to know."
She tilted her head "Legend says he was betrayed at one point in his life and it affected his actions afterwards."
Ranma rolled his eyes "I've been betrayed before and I never felt the desire to take people's freedom away."
The girl looked uncertain for the first time, he had no doubt that if anyone else had been saying this she would be all over them with words and stories. "From what I understand it was not so much the taking freedom away as it was the making sure they could never act against him."
"...that's the same damn thing, if I am in the wrong I hope that the people I know will stand against me."
"Oh" she said looking even more confused.
"My next question is" he pointed out back at where the crowd was "What they were doing seemed a little much even for a hero."
The Miko looked relieved that they had strayed back into a more comfortable topic "Not just a hero, The Hero, our saint and protector. You must understand, a monster of dark and terrible power, a creature of the wave shows up when we are at our weakest, then out of a no where our hero appears to save us. We knew the shield hero had been summoned but I would guess our messages to you never reached. From what I understand you were always on the move to fast to keep up with. But here, now you appear and wipe out a creature of darkness. You are not so much a hero right now as a god made flesh."
Those words sent icy pricks up his spine, oh hell, oh no, the chaos in his life was no small joke, what would happen to him if he was treated as a god? With anything good in his life there was always a balance of chaos. And what was more he had no desire to be treated as such in the first place, he knew himself well enough that eventually the power would go to his head. He was not a perfect person by any means; he could be crude, violet, prone to impulse decisions. He was not a god, he was not even close. Well the best thing he could do was ignore it for now and get out of this city as fast as possible. Granted he still had to figure out how to get the wagon out of the barracks but he would find some way to manage.
He stared at this girl before him, perhaps she could help "Ok, so I need a different set of answers."
"Of course"
"Where is the Dragon Hourglass of this country?"
"It is in the capital city of Cita a week and a half's journey from here on wagon."
Ranma opened his status screen, holy hell his stats were high now even compared to what he had when he got here. "Twenty days tell the wave" he muttered "and with Firo's speed it will take four days at most to get there."
"I have two companions who need a class up do you think they would let them use it?"
"...you are the incarnation of the saint protector of this nation what do you think?"
He pointed at her "That is more like it; I am much more comfortable with dry sarcasm."
He ran some numbers in his head "That sounds good, ok next question can you sneak me to the guard barracks?"
"...If that is your wish but may I ask why?"
He debated several answers and decided that the truth would be the best, he was a terrible liar in most situations "Hero worship makes me very uncomfortable and I need to be moving as fast as possible. With the wave coming I need my companions as strong as they possibly can be."
"...I see...have we... disappointed you in any way?"
He blinked "What? no of course not this is just me being me."
Akeno turned away from him and paced as if in thought "Since you are all about freedom may I set a condition?"
"As long as it's not a marriage arrangement I'm flexible."
Her giggle was like the rest of her sexy, sultry and real "Take me with you, as a companion."
That he had not been expecting "Uh...why?"
"You needn't worry about my power I am a lv Sixty Seven Magick Archer and I have experience fighting the wave."
"Not what I was talking about."
"Oh" she gestured around her "You mean this?" She shook her head "I serve the shield hero not the people. In times where there is no hero I do take up the role of a normal priestess. However this position requires combat training for this very instance. Even If you do not take me on as a normal companion I will follow you from afar and support you as best I can."
"Well when you put it that way I'd be an asshole to say no."
"There's that word again what does it mean?"
"Never mind, so if you can get us to the barracks unseen then yes you may come, we needed a ranged support anyway." he paused "What does a Magick Archer do?"
"Its class feature allows me enchant spells into my arrows allowing the destructive force of say lightning bolt to be forced to the tip of an arrow."
"Ouch" Ranma said
"Yes higher single target damage but in return it loses its Area of effect. Of course I don't have to fire a spell through my arrow I can just cast it normally."
"What are your elements?"
"Lighting, holy, light, water."
"Holy? Do you know any of those spells."
"Of course"
"You would not happen to have and spell tomes lying around around for that?"
"Holy and void spell tomes are a myth, those elements are too powerful for it to be taught by anything but word of mouth."
"Good then you can teach me."
"You have the Sacred affinity?"
"And every other one except water."
The Miko started at him with the oddest expression on her face "What did you say?"
"I have the affinity for every element except water."
"How is that possible I have four affinities and that is considered rare."
"How should I know, I'm from another world entirely."
She just stared at him seeming to be at a loss for words "So can you get me to the barracks after you grab what you need?"
She shook out of her stupor "Yes of course" her winning smile appeared again "Thank you for taking me."
Firo looked from Akeno's face to her chest lingering on it for a second then made a humphing sound of annoyance.
"This is Firo" Ranma said petting her head "Suu?"
from out of the feathers in Firo's wings slime dropped out and the Miko yelped in surprise jumping back. Suu formed into her humanoid guise though Ranma noted she had formed herself to have a bigger burst size then the women before her. "This Suu another only of my companions say hi."
The slime girl nodded her head slightly "Hello"
"And I have one more but she is outside of town right now and we need to pick her up."
"All of your companions are women?" she asked in amusement
"To be fair" Ranma said "These to started off as monsters that transformed into what they are now, and that is not my fault."
"Yes it is master" Suu said easily.
"Quite you" he answered back in a joking tone.
Akeno looked around at them and nodded to herself "I think I could get to enjoy this."
Firo made another annoyed sound and turned her back on the Miko. She just giggled at that and nodded "Let me get my things and get changed into something more practical we will be going shortly."
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The more practical clothing which she spoke of was green shirt which was still strained by her chest. some dark pants and shoes that looked made for trips to the woods and a dark clock stained from use that when she put it on made her body look something like a human and not a freaking goddess.
She had a pack made and carried her bow in a sheath along her right leg and a quiver of arrows on her left. She moved the cloak so that it hid even those, she left her hood down and nodded "Follow me"
As it turned out there was a tunnel system that doubles as a sewer, without being asked Suu put slime over each of their mouths and noses filtering out the smell. Akeno sighed looking at Suu "Where have you been all my life?"
Suu just smiled back before Armoring up Ranma save for her head which was formed on his shoulder. The place was a maze in and of itself but Akeno moved through them with the assurance of years in exploration. It took half an hour but they came to a simple door where Akeno muttered a few words and it opened. They followed it up a spiral staircase where they came to a brick wall. The girl held up her hand signaling them to wait and simply stepped through the wall. About thirty seconds later her hand appeared through it and motioned them to follow, they entered a rather Spartan room with a cot, a well made but practical desk and a small chest for clothing.
Sherufanir stood there looking as if she had just hastily dressed "Shield hero" she said with a slight bow. "Akeno"
The girl smiled "As I told you I'm going off with him as is my duty, he wishes to get out unseen if at all possible."
The captain grinned "I thought he was the kind of person you would be uncomfortable with all the attention"
"Your right, that's why I want to leave."
"Not even going to stick around for a reward?"
He shook his head "I now have a teacher in Sacred magic, that is reward enough for me."
"True, that is quite a reward but you could ask for more."
"I could but why risk letting that power go to my head, its big enough as it is."
Both women giggled at that "Ok so I think I know a way to get you out of her Sherufanir said "If your bird goes and gets the wagon herself no one will look twice."
Ranma nodded "And with Suu to help her get the harness on she can walk it right out of town where I will be waiting."
"You catch on quick"
Akeno nodded "Its kind hot,"
"Firo" Ranma said.
"Yes Master" she answered primly giveing him and Akeno a suspicious look "No mating while Firo is not here" she said in an authoritative tone.
Ranma felt heat touch his cheeks "Firo" he said in a shocked tone.
"Humff" the girl said and stalked off.
Akeno did not seem to share his embarrassment, rather she seemed quite interested in the idea. "No" Ranma snapped.
"For now" she agreed "The stench of sewer is hardly romantic thought if you were in the mood I would not mind."
Ranma stared at her "Don't take this the wrong way but are you a Succubus?"
She tilted her head back and laughed, long and loud "No, no, close but wrong."
*sigh* "Nevermind."
Sherufanir sighed "If you ever do figure out what she is tell me, because even we don't know." She paused and corrected herself "Well those outside of the upper echelons of the church." shaking her head "Nevermind, thank you for killing that thing, you saved a lot of lives and we are in your debt."
The traded grips " Its what I do" he told her.
Together he and Akeno turned back into the Illusion wall and re entered the sewer, without Suu in close proximity the slime covering fell off leaving them open to the stench. They hastened to get out as fast as possible. There path led them to a set of bar's where the sewer drained out of, Akeno muttered a few more words and the metal bent to allow them a narrow passage. He followed her out of the city along a narrow and worn path set into the stone of the basion the sewer drained into.
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About ten minutes later they met up with Firo and Suu and headed off to find Raphtalia, Ranma sensed her presence as they approached a small face and stopped them. He held up a hand meaning that he was going by himself and climbed the cliff face. Like he thought Raphtalia was sitting there staring out into the sky eyes distant.
They flickered over him as he moved to stand beside her "They told me they could pass on now, that they knew I was safe." She said without being prompted. "They said they loved me and were so proud of what I had become."
"They should be" Ranma said in agreement.
"Restia says the same thing" Raphtalia stood up wrinkling her nose "You smell...interesting."
"Sewer escapes, gotta love them."
"Ah….what are we going to do now?"
"Well we're gonna get you a class change then grind until the wave comes."
She nodded and stepped forward hand behind her back 'We stopped that monster, I thought you were trying to get revenge for me but that was not it was it?"
"It was part of it, I wanted to avenge the people it had killed but yes most of me wanted to stop it from killing anyone else."
"I, I think I get it now, fear, anger, rage, all those emotions have their place don't they?"
"If you're asking as to whether or not you should feel good about killing that monster I would say yes."
She shook her head "I don't feel good or bad, just" she pursed her lips. "Like I completed an era, its over and behind me now."
She turned her head, the sun catching it perfectly her smile, more pure, more beautiful than he had ever seen it before. "I now have nothing to hold me back Master, I you will, I want to stay with you until my dying day."
His head thumped hard as he took in the simply pure beauty of this girl, no this women. He could see her as that now, "I think Raphtalia, that I want to stay here too. My old world," he shook his head "It can't compare to what I have found here."
Ranma walked forward wrapping her in his arms "If you want, you can stay with me as long as you like."
"Ok Ranma" she pursed her lips for a moment "My reward, you promised to give me anything I would like?"
He nodded "I don't care how many women enter your life or how many wives you end up with, and don't give me that look I have two eyes. My reward is that you will marry me first ok."
He gulped "I am not going to tempt fate by saying that will never happen because that is the easiest way to guarantee that it will but if it does. If in the future you still feel this way and you still want to stay. Then yes I will marry you first." They stood there for a moment before
Mentally he glared up at the universe "Don't you dare make me a Harem King."
A shiver went up his spine as he got the sense of the universe at large sticking its metaphorical tongue out at him. Shit he should not have even thought that.
They landed next to the wagon and Ranma gently put her down "Thank you master, for everything."
"Your welcome, I am glad to have known you, you changed my life."
"Aww so cute" Akeno said from the wagon leaning on the back railing where and giving them a smile.
Raphtalia's smile froze on her face as she took in the girl leering at him, her eyes flickered down and stared for several seconded. Her head turned to him a dangerous fake smile plastered on it
"M..a..s..t..e..r... who is this?"
*Gulp*