Here we go...


Of Gods and Men
A Ranma/Lost Swords crossover.

Ranma 1/2 belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.
The Lost Swords series belongs to Fred Saberhagen and the people at
Doubleday

This is it as thus far... to be posted on my webpage in the next couple
of days.
Be forewarned... this is NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT finished. It's
nowhere near even partially complete.  If you've read the swords series
you'll know about how long this will take to take place.

*-*-*-*

	Mars and Hermes stood on the peak of a snow-capped mountain, high above
where mortals dwell.  Here, they spoke in a language all their own,
which no human could ever hope to understand.
	"So, the great game begins."  Hermes said as he examined the sword in
his overly large hand.  Upon the ebony hilt was a symbol of purest
white, a human eye.  He stared at his companion, the god of war, Mars,
he too had been given a sword.  However, upon the ebony hilt in the god
of wars hands, there was no symbol to identify that sword, nothing to
make itself known.  For it was Soulcutter, the Tyrant's Blade, the Sword
of Despair.  It would grow to be among the most feared of the swords,
second only to Shieldbreaker in it's power, and perhaps the Mindsword.
	Mars turned to his companion, smiling a smile that would look more at
home on the face of a jester.  "Would you care to add a bit of sport to
this game, my friend?"
	"And how would you add sport to something such as this?"  Hermes asked.
	"As a god, I can see into the future, as can you.  That we choose not
to do so to make it more fun is a mere technicality.  For thirteen
years, nothing will happen within this game.  Oh yes, the swords will
change hands, kings will rise and fall.  But that is of no concern to
us."  Mars' words struck true in the messenger's mind.  As a god, he
could see into the future, but only so far, for some reason.  It was
true, the young boy Mark would be born, and then the true game would
begin.  "What would we do?"
	"We shall summon warriors, from planes beyond this one, warriors of
great power and skill.  Martial artists, it is wondorous how humanity
honors me is it not?  Artists of war, with great skill and power, and
perhaps a few of those who are merely part of their circle.  To add to
the enjoyment of the game.  In thirteen years it would be best, when the
event in Treefall village begins the sequence of events that will lead
to great wars and battles.  That is when we shall summon them, perhaps
even give one of them a sword."
	"I see one who is fit to recieve a blade of power.  He is perfectly
suited to use mine."  Hermes spoke.  And the deal was made.

*-*-*-*

	Nerima, present time...

	Ranma ran from a horde of pursuers, chief amongst them Akane.  She was
mad, which was not as commonplace as it once had been, but all the same
it remained a frightening experience.  When an image of a man, almost
ten feet tall appeared before him.  The mob stopped dead in it's
tracks.  Cologne stared at the apparition, fully aware of it's
signifigance, as was Happosai.  Kodachi knew not what the creature was,
but it was trying to keep her from that vile pig-tailed girl, who had
enslaved her beloved Ranma-sama.  Akane had been shocked out of her
angry state at the sight of the large being, Ryoga stood beside her
suffering from something similar.  Pantsuto Tarou had been chasing
Happosai, in his human form this time.  Demanding that his name be
changed, when he too stopped to stare.
	Then the being spoke, it's japanese rivaling even Nodoka for it's sheer
impeccableness.  "You, the greatest warriors of this time, have been
chosen.  Come to battle, come to blood, and come to glory."  Then a
light shot out from him and enveloped all of Nerima.  Several people
were left wondering what had happened.  While overjoyed criminals danced
in the street that the martial artists were finally gone.

*-*-*-*

	Hermes and Mars stood once again atop the snow-capped mountain.  "Where
shall we place them?"  was Hermes' only question.  "There are so many
places in this world that will see great war in the future, where should
these mortals go?"
	"We shall place the helpless in the care of the good King Andrew.  The
peacekeeper.  I believe Kasumi is her name."
	"Done, and the others?"
	"The one with the sword should also be placed in the care of good King
Andrew.  As well as the blind one."
	"Done, Nodoka and Mu Tsu are with Kasumi, they will awaken soon.  Where
do you wish the rest of your pawns?  Then I shall place mine."
	"I still feel that the more interesting ones have been taken by you,
messenger."  Mars said with a scowl that spoke of endless jealousy.
	"You made your choices, and I made mine.  Do not concern yourself with
such petty things.  Now, where do you wish the rest of yours?"
	"Place the violent one and the fat one in the woods... near Tasavalta,
I think.  They will be interesting to watch."
	"Genma and Akane... done.  You have four remaining in stasis."
	"I have already decided.  Place the perveted one and the wanderer side
by side in the marsh.  The ancient crone and the weakling shall be not
far away.  On the giant dog's island."
	"That will be a most interesting spectacle.  Happosai and Ryoga, and
Cologne and Soun.  Are you satisfied with your choices, brother Mars?"
	"I regret nothing.  Where will you place yours, messenger?"
	"I have already decided.  If you will excuse me, I have a delivery to
make at this time."  Smirking at the God of war, Herme's wing-tipped
sandals carried him off into the distance.
	Mars contented himself with watch the activities of his chosen pawns
from a distance.  Luckily, they had made certain that each of them would
be able to speak and write in the mortals language.

*-*-*-*

	Gosunkugi awoke in a grassy plain, he felt an odd jarring sensation,
almost like he was being kicked by someone.  He opened his eyes to find
himself staring up at a visage of loveliness that had only before now
graced his wildest dreams.  "A-Akane-san!  What are you doing here? 
Alone... with me?"  Internally, he was rejoicing like a gospel choir. 
<Akane-san, alone with me.>
	Hearing a metallic thud Gosunkugi opened his eyes again, and found
himself looking at the ten foot tall visage of Hermes, messenger of the
gods.  "Hikaru Gosunkugi, I give to you this sword of the gods.  Use it
well, and it will not be taken from you." 

*-*-*-*

	Dame Yoldi removed her hands from where they had moments ago been
resting on Mousse's forehead.  The magic that had bound these strange
travelers here was beyond her comprehension, it could only have the work
of the gods.  And such spells as this would bind these three to the
world they were in for all time.
	"So you mean that we are stuck here, Ms. Yoldi?"  The woman with the
bladed weapon asked.  Dame Yoldi could only nod in defeat.  "The spell
which binds you three here can only be the work of the gods, you will
not be able to return to your world until they deign that you should. 
There is only one other way to send you to your home."
	"And that would be?"
	The youth with the stranges lenses over his eyes amused Dame, he had
ranted for several minutes about shampoo before they had managed to calm
him enough to perform an analysis of the spell that held them.  "I am
sorry, Mousse, but the only other way for you to return would be if you
could manage to kill the gods.  Such a thing is impossible."
	Mouse hung his head in defeat and turned to the two sobbing women on
the floor.  He would do his best to comfort Mrs. Saotome and Kasumi, but
he knew that he would forever long for Shampoo.  Perhaps someday, they
would find a way to return to their world.

*-*-*-*

	Ukyo continued her trek up the mountain, Shampoo was gradually building
a lead.  <Stupid Shampoo.>  The two girls were less than thrilled to
find themselves in each other's company when they woke up, and Ukyo had
been less than ecstatic after discovering that they were no longer in
Japan.  <Stupid, bitchy, Shampoo.>  Neither had been happy when they
couldn't find Ranma.
	They had decided to stay together, if only so that there would be a
familiar face around, until they found out where the hell they were. 
<Damn you Shampoo!>  Then Ukyo would pound the amazon into a fine jelly
on the ground.
	Coming over the crest, Ukyo found herself standing next to Shampoo who
was wearing a smirk.  A tall woman, mature yet surprisingly beautiful
sat astride a horse and confronted them.
	"I am the Silver Queen, Identify yourselves."

*-*-*-*

	Ryoga wandered around, lost in waist deep mud.  He'd lost track of
Happosai a short while ago, the pervert saying something about find an
easier way to travel.  Of course, Ryoga didn't realize that the old
martial arts master was taking a nice long snooze at the bottom of his
backpack.
	Hearing a gurgling sound to his right, or was it left, he could never
remember, Ryoga turned to find himself face to face with an odd black
thing that seemed to be made out of the mud.
	Punching it once straight throuh the head, Ryoga then took his belt,
cut off both of it's arms, and chopped it in half at the waist.  Just
like he'd done to the last one.

*-*-*-*

	Cologne and Soun sat on an island in the middle of the marsh in which
Ryoga was currently lost.  Both of them were indifferent to the others
company and had spent the last hour in silence.  Another vibration
rattled the ground, and in order to make certain of safety Cologne
dragged a whimpering Soun into a nearby ruin that seemed to be at least
mostly intact.

*-*-*-*

	Akane and Genma stared at the city looming in front of them.  Waking up
in each other's company had been a bad enough experience.  Now they had
to find out htat they were in the past.  Akane silently swore to herself
that when they got back she'd beat the crap out of whoever's fault this
was.  Images of pounding Ranma unconsciously made their way into her
head.
	Genma was busy making a similar oath.  Except that if the master had
done this, he would probably wind up groveling again.  Of course, he
didn't tell himself that.

*-*-*-*

	A soldier rode his horse back into the tent at full gallop. 
Dismounting, he sprinted towards the tent where his king was resting. 
Bursting in uninvited was a good way to get yourself killed, but that
hardly mattered now.
	"My Lord!"
	The dark king Vilkata turned his blind eyes to confront the intruder to
his solitude.  "What do you want?"
	"Sir, the strangers.  The girl with the short hair, and the boy in the
dragonscale armor..."
	"I said they were to be dealt with."
	"We tried my Lord, twenty of your best men, he defeated them all.  Not
one of them survived."
	"That's what crossbows are for."
	"He caught the bolts sir... there was nothing we could do.  The
sergeant requested one of the sorcerer's to aid us.  But the boy, he...
I don't know how to describe it sir... he turned into something... 
Aswold is dead."
	Vilkata's eyebrows raised specutavly.  "Surely not... no human is
capable of such deeds."  <But just in case.>
	Vilkata fired a bolt of flame at the intruding officer.  "Never disturb
my privacy again."  Of course, the soldier would never get the chance,
as the fire ball had gone through him, leaving a cauterized and sealed
wound in the center of his chest.
	Sending a command to one of his lesser demons, Vilkata got his first
look at these strangers.  There was only one human present, a young
girl, the demon's sight was rather selective and could not effectivley
imitate human vision so Vilkata could only gather that it was a young
girl.  The other being was a giant monstrosity with wings and an odd
tail that seemed to be partially alive.  It looked like some odd
half-cow with arms.  The fact that it was twenty feet tall was slightly
distracting.
	Issuing a second command, the demon solidified into a semi-humanoid
form and attacked the newcomers.

*-*-*-*

	Konatsu would have been growling and cursing under his breath, but that
wouldn't have been ladylike.  Finding himself ten feet from Kuno upon
waking, and then traveling with the kendoist for a couple of hours
tended to have that reaction.
	As luck would have it they had encountered a small band of people,
there were only three actually present, who were in fact, Dragonslayers,
lead by a man named Nestor.  The three people had been gracious enough
to allow Konatsu and Kuno to travel with them for a short time.  This
had given the male kunoichi a little bit of time to calm himself down,
because Kuno had begun bothering the other people.  The giant man known
as Benjamin was nearly steaming already.

*-*-*-*

	Ranma-chan felt a warm body close to him as he lay on the ground. 
Unconsciously, he snuggled closer to Kodachi as she did the same to him.
	Opening his eyes, Ranma-chan found himself staring into Kodachi's. 
Both screamed and struggled backwards.  Both looked around for a while
before realizing that they were not in Nerima any more.
	Ranma-chan stood up and started running off towards the woods, when he
was stopped by Kodachi's shout.  "Pig-tailed one!  Wait!"
	Ranma-chan turned around to face the raven-haired gymnast.  "What do
you want, psycho?"
	Kodachi sauntered over to Ranma-chan.  "I have a proposition for you."
	Ranma-chan looked down and confirmed the fact that she was female
before responded.  "What?"
	"I believe that we should stay together while we wander this land."
	"Yeah, right, why the hell would I wanna do that?"  Ranma-chan said as
he turned to leave.
	"Pig-tailed one... wait... please."
	Ranma-chan, shocked at the words Kodachi had used, turned around to
face her.
	"Don't leave... please."
	Against the sad tone in Kodachi's voice, Ranma-chan's mental defenses
had no chance.  "Okay, fine.  I'll stay, but no funny stuff, ya hear
me?"
	"I swear that I will not attempt to kill you as long as we are in this
land... good enough?"
	Ranma-chan stared in shock at Kodachi for a little while longer, before
the two of them headed off into the underbrush.  As they passed by a
small stream, they came across the slightly decayed body of what looked
to be some kind of bobcat wearing armor.  It's body had been hacked and
slashed to the point where it was almost beyond recogniztion as feline.
	Ranma-chan shuddered slightly as they passed, Kodachi followed soon
after, and even she was upset slightly at the way in which the creature
had died.

*-*-*-*


End Prologue.  (I think)

C&C not only appreciated... but sometimes rewarded.  (Flames don't
count)
Any suggestions for a better incantation for Hermes at the beginning are
encouraged.

?_?
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Shrine/6648
Brian, singing off...