For the sake of peoples attention spans, and their mail
servers, I'm going to try and keep the chapters a little
shorter from now on (as in around 20K as opposed to 30). I
appologize if this chapter seams rushed. I wanted to finish
setting up for the brawl in chapter 5 before the semester
starts (the life of a college student).
I'd like to thank Mark for helping me seal plot-holes (and
poking holes in the weak points).
Disclaimer: Okay, okay. All characters portrayed in this
fic belong to their respective creator, and for the most
part used without permission. There, I said it. Can you
please put me down? Please, Ranma?
The Warriors Path
By Andrew Wilson (templar@softcom.net)
Chapter 4: Evil Awakens or "Here Comes Trouble."
Deedlit woke to a slight rush of air. A cold feeling in her
stomach told her that there was an intruder in the room.
She could hear a faint creak of the floorboards (though with
her hearing, "faint" can't be heard by human ears) between
her hammock and the door. She began reaching for her sword
when a second creak sounded further back in the room. *Two
intruders!* she thought to herself. *How did they sneak
past my wards? What do they want with us? Deedlit dreaded
the answer to the second question.
Another creak, this one closer than the first one. Deedlit
was on the verge of casting a flash spell when the room was
bathed in a red glow. The source of the glow was
Cattie-brie's sword, held against the throat of the
intruder. The intruder was a psi-stalker, human except for
the hairless, chalk-white skin. A small knife in his hand
told of his intentions.(1) The rooms door was opened just
enough for the intruder to slip through, and likely the
source of the air gust Deedlit had felt.
"Now then," Cattie-brie whispered, "ye have a choice here.
Ye can walk out that door, and not bother me friends. Or ye
can find out why me sword is named 'Cutter.'"
Deedlit translated, seeing that the psi-stalker didn't
understand what Cattie-brie had said. Deedlit resolved to
start teaching the girl Elven, since it was the universal
language in the megaverse. And English, since it was the
language of the continent they were on.
The intruder wisely chose the first option, and silently
backed out the door.
"Should we report him to the militia?" Cattie-brie asked.
"No need. From the look on his face, he'll go back to
monster hunting." Deedlit paused. "I was barely able to
hear him, and there's no light in here. How were you able
to do it?"
Cattie-brie pointed to the center of her forehead, and
Deedlit noticed a small green gem hanging from a chain
circlet.
"Cat's eye." Cattie-brie explained. "A gift, which helped
me survive for a while in the Underdark, while I was
searching for Drizzt."
Several worlds had subterranean regions called the
Underdark. All were lightless places where only the
strongest survived. Deedlit's respect for the girl rose to
new heights.
Cattie-brie sheathed the sword, plunging the room into
darkness. "By me guess, 'tis about two hours before dawn.
Go back to sleep. Ye'll need be rested tomorrow."
"Why?"
"Ye told us about the machines of this place. But ye forgot
to tell us about thing's that live here."
"Oh," Deedlit was silent for a moment. All she heard was a
soft creak from the floor, followed by a muted rustle as
Cattie-brie returned her bed.
A thought struck Deedlit just as she drifted off to sleep.
With all the Drizzt was capable of, they had underestimated
Cattie-brie. That was a mistake Deedlit was sure many had
lived to regret. Well, those that survived anyway.(2)
*******
Hours after the incident, the six were riding into the
morning sun. Deedlit and Pirotess led, with Ranma and Ryoga
in the middle (their horses secured together by a harness
that also carried their provisions), with Drizzt and
Cattie-brie bringing up the rear.
"So?" Pirotess asked after Testament had dropped off the
horizon.
"So, what?" Deedlit knew where this would go, and wanted to
stall as long as possible.
"So what did you and Ranma talk about last night? Or did
you do more than just talk?"
Deedlit blushed. "His memories as Parn had a few holes in
them, he wanted my help filling them."
"That not all." It was a statement, not a question.
"No, we also did some experiments. (3) The bond is still
there, as I knew it would be, but he hasn't found it yet.
He want's to follow his heart, but doesn't know how to
listen yet. His mind is so cluttered that his emotions are
confused. What about Ryoga? I'm sure you would be doing
more than just 'talking' by now."
Pirotess laughed. "For such a powerful warrior, that boy
has an abundance of shyness. I can barely get him to say
more than three words at a time."
Deedlit giggled. "That may have something to do with your
preferred style of dress."
Pirotess shot her friend a glare. "Don't start that again.
As I was about to say, I think that the bond is buried."
Deedlit immediately sobered. "Maybe it has to do with the
Ashram personality."
"That's what I'm thinking. The problem is what can we do
about it?"
"Exorcism is out, since it's a separate personality, not a
separate soul. Most other forms of spirit removal are the
same. The only other options I can think of are a bunch of
mental manipulations which would cause more harm than good."
"Agreed. I guess all we can do is wait."
Deedlit sobered. "Did you notice anything funny about the
wards last night?"
"Besides the psi-stalker that was able to get in?" Pirotess
shook her head. "Was awakened last night by a slight
disruption, but it was gone before I could trace it. That's
the point where the intruder decided to enter. Just dumb
luck."
*******
"So?" Cattie-brie was asking further back in the line.
Drizzt merely shot her a questioning glance.
"Did ye enjoy yer talk?"
"Quite. We discovered that we had absolutely nothing in
common. Even our respective cultures had little
similarity."
"Ye were able to talk?" Cattie-brie was on the verge of
laughter.
"Yes, no thanks to Deedlits little joke." The brief flare in
Drizzt's eyes reminded Cattie-brie of the recklessness she
used to see there.
"Ye be careful, Drizzt Do'Urden. It wouldn't do me any good
to have to tell me father ye got yer fool ass killed over a
prank."
"Asanque."(4)
*******
They rode on, driven by a sense of urgency that none could
explain. Conversation was minimal, and the few stops were
only long enough take care of the horses. By sunset, they
were in the region once called Kansas.
*******
"Don't wander away," Pirotess said, "we're near Coalition
territory."
"You think they will attack again?" Drizzt asked.
"Maybe, but I'd rather not take that chance. That scouting
party would have reported back by now. They may decide that
we're somewhere between an annoyance and a threat, and
decide to eliminate us."
"They can try," was the answer as Drizzt disappeared in the
fading light.
*******
"Hey Drizzt," Ranma called out as he approached the dark elf
later in the evening, "let's go again."
Drizzt looked up. "You wish to spar."
"Yeah," Ranma suddenly felt like the lavender eyes were
probing his very soul.
Drizzt stared for a long time, then turned away. "I think
not."
"What?" Ranma was shocked. "Why not?"
"Ask yourself something, young one. Are you making this
request because you wish to improve your skills? Or is it
because you lost?"
"Uh..."
Not letting the boy answer, Drizzt continued. "If it is the
first, I recommend that you face off with Ryoga, since your
punches have a very good chance of killing me. If it wasn't
for my armor, I would have called off the match last time.
As it is, my armor may not protect me this time, due to the
damage in received in battle. I have no wish to die during
an unnecessary training match."
"Well, in that case..."
"But," Drizzt didn't let Ranma finish his excuse, "I suspect
that the problem is the latter. You see your loss as a
weakness. You have to prove that what you sacrificed for
training made you the best ever. The thought of someone
better insults your way of life. In short, your ego
prevents you from accepting a loss."
"Hey! It ain't like that."
"Yes it is, you just cannot admit it to yourself." Drizzt
spead out his sleeping roll. "Goodnight to you, young one.
May you find in dreams what eludes you while waking."
*******
"That's odd," Jade said, "I didn't think that Drizzt would
back down."
"One word," Zaranth replied, "Entreri."
"Oh, that makes sense."
"Care to explain it to the people who have no clue what
you're talking about?"
"It's simple, Amanda. Drizzt doesn't want another person
obsessed with being the best trying to fight him all the
time. Entreri was enough trouble, he doesn't want the same
to happen with Ranma."
*******
<Toril>
Alustriel placed the silver and gemstone construct in the
center of the magic circle. Beside it, she placed a small
scroll tube. Along the circles perimeter, four figures
stood, displaying varying degree's of impatience. Bruenor
Battlehammer, the only one of the group who was not a mage,
was the most eager to get the ceremony done with. Two
others, easily the most powerful mage's on the planet, (5)
were viewing the ceremony with curiosity. Elminster saw
this as a chance to see another world, something he didn't
get to do very often. The Simbul seemed to be hoping that
something would come back through the portal they were
creating, something hostile. Last, but not least, Quile was
indifferent. The drow always didn't mind helping her
sister, but she had other duties that were interrupted for
this ritual.(6)
The ritual was surprisingly short, at least to Bruenor's
eyes. A glow sorrounded the magic users, and the items in
the center of the circle. Alustriel began a chant, and as
she spoke, the circle drawn on the floor began to glow.
There was a flash, and Bruenor suddenly found himself
suspended in a field of stars. The people, items, even the
circle were all there, but the room was not. The stars
began to streak by, faster and faster until there was only a
multi-colored blur. Another flash occurred, and the stars
began to slow. One star began to grow larger, as if they
were approaching. Soon a blue planet became visible. They
flew toward it, and soon they had passed beneath the clouds
into the worlds night.
Bruenor was amazed at the vista before him. He had once
flow over the surface of toril on a flaming chariot, but
even that experience could not prepare him for the thousands
of lights shining like little stars across the landscape.
The ground was fast approaching, and the landing point was a
small camp in the middle of nowhere. Even before they
landed, Bruenor could see the forms of Cattie-brie and
Drizzt, sleeping soundly. The circle, it's contents, and
the figures surrounding it touched the ground. The circle
flared once more, then the world faded away.
When Bruenor's vision returned, the room had returned,
though the circle, and it's contents were gone.
"What in the Nine Hells was that?" He asked.
"Simple," Alustriel replied weakly, "we created a connection
to that dimension, and for an instant this room existed in
both realities. We then left the package there."
"Simple she says," the Simbul groaned. "It'll take days for
us to recover, and she calls it simple."
"Simple in theory, my dear," commented Elminster, looking
just as drained. "But rather uncomfortable in practice."
*******
"Do they know that their spell set off alarms from the Abyss
to Atlantis?"
"No, neither do the ones who have to deal with the alarms."
*******
<Earth>
When a loud screech sounded in the campsite, destroying
blissful slumber like a whelk in a supernova. The cause of
the screeching was identified when a patch of ground started
glowing.
"Must have tripped that wards," Deedlit yelled over the
sound.
Pirotess banished the sound, leaving only a humming sound
coming from the glowing patch. "Whatever it is, it's
powerful. I doubt that the two of us together could have
half energy."
Drizzt began studying the faint images that appeared around
the circle. "It's alright," he said.
"How can you be sure?" Pirotess seamed more than a little
nervous.
"These are two of my friends," Drizzt said, indicating the
shortest of the figures, and another right next to it.
Deedlit studied the figures, and swore. "I've heard of
them. Three of the Seven sisters! And Elminster! I never
though I'd meet them."
There was a pop, and the figures quickly faded, leaving
behind a small pouch and a short tube. "It seems you still
will not."
"The pouch contains something magical," Pirotess said, "but
the tube does not."
Cattie-brie walked over and carefully opened the tube,
extracting the small piece of parchment. She scanned the
contents, and gave a short laugh. "Me fathers says not to
get yer fool ass killed. And Alustriel sends her
greetings." A note of jealousy colored her last statement.
She opened the pouch, revealing a small amulet on a silver
chain. The amulet was a single diamond, and set in silver.
In the center of the gem, two images were visible. The
first, white in color, was the head of a unicorn. The
other, colored silver, was a mountain with a gem in the
middle.
"Melikki, Lady of the Forests, and Dumathion, Keeper of
Secrets Under the Mountain," Drizzt mumbled. "A gift from
home."
"Aye, and a way to call home," a slight smile graced her
face. "It can't be used more than once every two weeks."
If she was going to say more, it was interrupted by a sudden
lightning storm. The odd thing about the storm was that the
night was clear.
*******
<Nerima>
"Hey, Kuno-baby," Nabiki's voice was able to cause cavities
at fifty yards, "wanna know where your pig-tailed girl is?"
"Nabiki Tendo, I beseach you, do not deny me the knowledge
of where my beloved is." Kuno's rant went on for several
minutes.
"Okay, I'll tell you," Nabiki held up her hand, "for eighty
thousand yen."
"Surly the gods weep this day," he ranted some more, but
still paid.
Nabiki counted the money quickly. "She and Ranma were taken
to another dimension, Cologne's at the dojo now, preparing
some sort of spell to go there herself."
That was all Kuno needed to hear. "That foul sorcerer has
taken the fair pig-tailed girl back to his hellish home. I,
the Blue Thunder, shall not allow this."
Nabiki regretted loosing such a profitable source of
income. *Oh, well,* she thought, *there's always more
idiots in the world.*
*******
Cologne sat in the center of the dojo, meditating. She was
using every process available to gather and store mystic
energy in preparation for the dimensional portal spell. She
could perform the spell without the preparations, but the
results would be unpleasant. The last time she had
attempted an incantation of this power, she had not taken
the appropriate steps, and the lack of energy in the
environment caused a drain to happen in her core
life-force. Transforming from a athletic woman in her prime
(a form she would have kept for at least a few more
centuries before a slow decline) into a withered crone had
been an important lesson. But it had been worth it, since
the ancient dragon attacking the village had been destroyed.
Everything was ready. She used a portion of the stored
power to once again find Ranma, and began the spell. Words
flowed from her lips, but the real spell was forming in her
mind. Like almost all magic users, Cologne only used words
as a focus aid. It was a tad inconvenient, but not so much
as mis-casting the spell would be. Soon, the air in front
of her began to crackle with energy. The air took on a blue
hue, and began to swirl. The spell was done, and the vortex
had formed perfectly. Gathering her supplies, Cologne was
about to step through the gateway when a cry sounded from
the dojo entrance.
"I shall save you, pigtailed goddess!" Takewaki Kuno cried,
diving for the portal.
Before he hit, carrying both through, Cologne had just
enough time to express her opinion of the situation.
"Oh, shit."
*******
<Rifts Earth>
The lightning storm intensified, forming what looked like a
hole in the sky. The hole was several stories up, but that
didn't stop a screaming form from falling out of it, hitting
the ground a few yards away form the campsite.
Ryoga turned to Ranma. "Did that scream sound familiar?"
Ranma groaned. "No, it couldn't be."
"Ah but it is."
Ranma jumped away from the voice that had appeared at his
side. Turning, he saw a withered form perched atop a thin
cane.
"What the hell are you doing here you old ghoul? And why did
you bring him?"
Cologne shook her head. "Calm down Ranma, I came here to
check on you. I was somewhat startled by your
disappearance. The idiot on the ground over there
interrupted the spell and got swept along."
"Ranma," Deedlit asked, "who is this?"
Cologne turned to the elf, and her eyes widened.
"Greetings, ancient one, I am Cologne of Joketsuzoku. I
have heard tales of your people, but never expected to meet
one of you."
"Charmed," Deedlit said, remembering Ranma's stories about
the old woman.
Kuno decided to wake up a that point. Cattie-brie was
standing over him, making sure the young man wasn't badly
hurt. The first image Kuno saw when he regained
consciousness was that of an auburn haired beauty, who's
attitude screamed 'warrior.'
"I understand," he said. "A valkyrie has come down from the
heavens to be my companion. Fair one, I accept your love!"
At which point Kuno grabbed Cattie-brie in a tight embrace.
*******
"Huwahahahahahahahahaha!"
"Shutup Amanda."
"But... hehehe... Zaranth, it get's... haha... better."
*******
Kuno didn't know how lucky he was. If Ranma hadn't knocked
him out, the kendoist would have been skewered by no less
than three swords. As it is, Cattie-brie was angry, and
Drizzt was angry, as well as being protective. Not a
combination conductive to long life.
With Kuno out cold, the story of the last week was told to
Cologne.
"Why," she asked when they were finished, "am I not
surprised? Well, if that is the true story, and I sense
that it is, I must be going."
"That's it?" Ranma couldn't believe it. "You're not gonna
try and drag me back there?"
"Now, child, why would I do that?"
"..."
"Oh, I see. You're afraid that I'm going to drag you back
and force you to marry Shampoo." Cologne bopped Ranma on the
head. "I know you would never marry my great-granddaughter,
and I never intended you to."
"Then why...?"
"Simple. I am training Shampoo to be a leader of the
villiage."
"You mean to teach her when not to fight?" Drizzt asked,
joining the conversation.
"Precisely. I call it the impossible goal training.
Shampoo needs to learn when to cut her losses and leave.
Why else, Ranma, do you think I continually taught you those
techniques?"
"She has a point Ranma," Ryoga couldn't help but laugh.
"That's stupid. You don't train people to loose. You train
them to win no matter what." Both a wooden cane and the flat
of a scimitar promptly hit Ranma's head, simultaneously.
*******
"When is he going to learn?"
"That depends, how long until the sun there goes nova?"
*******
Come morning, Kuno was still out cold (lucky him). Cologne
had to remain on the world in order for her powers to
recharge, so she had decided to travel with the group, much
to the Nerima natives discomfort.
When the overcast sky brightened into some form of dawn, two
very large shocks awaited the group.
Ranma froze when he looked at Cologne, as did Ryoga.
Deedlit and Pirotess shot the old woman curious glances.
Drizzt and Cattie-brie didn't notice what was going on,
since they had been up for hours practicing.
Colognes hair had gone from pure white to gray. She was
also taller, almost as tall as her cane. Most shocking was
her face, which was free of most of it's wrinkles. All in
all, she looked to be in her sixties, rather than like
something out of an ancient tomb.
"It must be the heightened energy of this world," the elder
commented when she had noticed the change. "It is restoring
the life-force that was taken from me a century ago in a
spell."
"Wait a minute," Pirotess said, "how can you be that old,
you're human?"
"Simple my dear. In my village, there are several powerful
mages. They perform age slowing spells so that the wisdom
of the elders is not lost before the next generations can
learn."
"Age slowing magic?"
"Yes, it increases a persons lifespan by about a factor of
ten. With my mystic power, that factor was pushed to almost
fifteen. I shall live for close to another millenium,
though now I may not have to do it as an old crone."
Deedlit and Pirotess acquired thoughtful expressions at
this.
*******
"They wouldn't."
"They would, and now could."
"Those two... That long..."
"They could take down the splugorth."
"You act like that's a bad thing."
*******
Drizzt and Cattie-brie returned as Kuno woke up. They had
no sooner expressed their surprise at Colognes change when
Kuno latched onto Cattie-brie, proclaiming his love.
"I don't know what ye been thinkin," Cattie-brie said as she
extracted herself from Kuno's grasp, "or even if ye been
thinkin. But ye be mad-"
"Of course, mad with your love!"
"-If ye think I was in love with ye."
"But of course you are, fierce warrior of my heart. You
would readily admit your love, if that demon Saotome had not
clouded your thoughts."
Cattie-brie whipped out her sword, ready to dice Kuno if he
tried to hug her again. "Listen here ye foolish little boy,
because I'll only say it one. Leave. Me. Alone." She
punctuated each word with a short jab, forcing the idiot
kendoist back.
"What has that sorcerer done to you. Please, my love, you
must tell me-"
Kuno cut off as a scimitar appeared at his throat. "The
lady asked you to leave her alone. Are you denying her that
request?" Drizzt's voice was flat, emotionless, like an
executioner.
"If you three are through playing," Ryoga's voice sounded
strange, "we need to talk."
They collectively turned, and saw Ryoga's eyes were solid
black.
"Now that I have your attention, I have a message for you."
"Ryoga, what are you babbling about this time?" Ranma came
up beside his friend, only to be knocked back by punch.
"Ryoga's not in at the moment, Parn." Ashram smiled. "It
took a bit of work to regain control, but with a fiends
help, I succeeded."
"A friend?" Deedlit was looking a little worried.
"Yes, an associate of mine. He has a message for Drizzt
Do'Urden." Ashram turned to regard the elf. "A dear friend
from your first home, given to Lloth, has been given to your
greatest foe. He will be tortured everyday until the two of
you meet on the field of battle. And there, you shall die."
Drizzt let the meaning of those words sink in. "The drow
from Menzoberranzan are hunting for me again? And they have
the spirit of my father captive?"
Ashram had to regain control of his jaw. "I told him," he
mumbled, "don't use riddles. Just tell them right out I
said. But no, he wanted the riddles." He looked back at
Drizzt. "No, you fool. The demon lord Errtu has your
friend Wulfgar. And this friend of yours will be tortured
everyday until you agree to fight Errtu."(7)
Notes:
1: Psi-stalkers drain the energy from their victims in two
ways. The first is making a small cut and then draining
(hence the term "energy vampire"). The other is to kill the
victim, doubling the energy given off. A small knife would
indicate the former.
2: Current count is around a dozen dead, 3 learning (one
when she was just a child), and 1 really pissed off drow
family (dropping a stalactite like a spear into the family
chapel would do that). Oh, and with Drizzt, there wouldn't
have been any sound at all.
3: Not that kind of experiments! Get you mind out of the
gutter. You're blocking my view.
4: Drow word, can mean either "as you wish" or "likewise."
5: It's debatable, but those two (or at least the Simbul)
may be among the more powerful humans in the megaverse.
6: Okay, a little info on the people here:
Alustriel, the Simbul, Quile: three of the seven
sisters, seven demi-gods (goddesses, whatever) attached to
the goddess of magic, Mystra.
Elminster: a great sage, I believe he is also a demi-god
(called "the chosen of Mystra"), rather powerful (though not
as powerful as the Simbul)
7: For those who have read Passage to Dawn, this might seem
familiar. I I didn't feel like having Drizzt act on the
wrong information, that's what Ranma and company are for
<rimshot>.