I forgot to attach the file... let's try it again.
A while back I sent a teaser "Blood of Heroes" to the list and I received a
lot of positive responses as well as a lot of responses telling me to drop
the "script" talk. Also a lot of people commented on certain "heroes" I had.
So I simplified it and changed it a little. I tried to make the
personalities of the spirits and who they would become a little easier to
figure out. Also, I'm not using Gawain in the opening, I replaced him with
the "Son of the Lake" and anyone with any background should figure out who
that was. Also you'll notice some Celtic words in there that you will more
than likely not know. Here is a translation:
bri = chi
Emania = Land of the Dead
bua = all the energy one could get through chanting, prayer, great deeds,
etc. One has access to an unlimited amount of bua.
Now for the fic...
-- Attached file included as plaintext by Listar --
-- File: HEROS1.TXT
King of Ducks Publishers Proudly Present,
In association with Seven Drunken Albino Dwarves Ltd.,
Funding Provided by Nabiki Tendo Investment Firm (NTIF),
Blood Of Heroes
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction
Written By: The King of Ducks.
Chapter 1:
<Insert standard disclaimer here. For more information check out "Disclaimer" by the Offspring
on Ixnay on the Hombre.>
Time does not flow like a river like some would have you to believe, no, instead it is a
maelstrom moving only to the whims of Chance and Fortune. Some say the past is unchangeable
and even if you write history differently than it happened that what really happened is unchanged
and the truth will come out once more. This is true if you only rewrite history in the literal sense,
but what if you were to go back and change it?
Time sweeps backwards and forth according the will of the dice of fate and thus can
someone from age find him self or herself thrown into another age, either in the past or more
strangely the future. Sometimes something other than fate changes things; spirits have great
power over the mortal world though can rarely or will rarely use it. Sages differ greatly on this
subject, but it assumed that the more important the spirit was the greater power the spirit has over
the world of the living. Some can even be reborn in it. Assuming that they wanted to, of course.
But sometimes what even a spirit wants doesn't matter...
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The old man whirled and danced around a burning fire within a forest clearing. As he
spun his chants seemed to stretch into the heavens themselves and into the eternal blackness of the
night sky. With each step the forest around him grew darker and darker as the power stretched
into Emania. With each passing moment the echo of the spirits grew more and more powerful
until the old man stopped. Now the land beyond his fire was indescribably dark and the icy
presence of the spirits beyond set the wind colder than it should have been on a summer night.
The old man slowly sat down and started chanting words of power to ward off evil spirits and to
bind the summoned spirits until he was finished or until dawn, whichever came first. After a few
moments he stopped and looked into the darkness.
"Hound of Culan step forth from the darkness that blinds you," the old man cried into the
night wind.
Within the passing of a few minutes a groaning could be heard as a translucent figure
stepped into the light. The figure stood, clad resplendently in age-worn battle armor, and slowly
he solidified. He stood taller than the old man and his long black hair hung down past his
shoulders. Looking down he stared at the old man with eyes of ice that were filled with anger.
"Shaman, why in the name of all the gods did you bring me here? Is it time for my
rebirth," the Hound of Culan asked the shaman.
"That is up to you great warrior."
"What do you mean it is up too me?"
"That star which fell and slept when ere the earth was full formed is soon to awaken and
rise. Then shall it's light battle a darkness which is soon freed from it's sleep. With the light may
ride a host of the past and with the darkness a similar host. Then shall the blood begin and the
star and the shadow truly fight. Three outcomes are possible and as in all things three is the
number of Fate, Fortune, and Chance. The first is that the light rises and shines through the
darkness and from him springs forth a new generation of man whose bri and bua shall achieve
great wonders. The second is if the shadow smothers the star then all shall perish in it's night.
The final outcome should either one not come to pass, is that both star and shadow being
weakened shall sleep once more and gather their strength for another battle on another day," the
old man's eyes had the look of one speaking to the fey as he related the message.
"The truth shaman and speak not in riddles."
"In no other way shall we speak Hound of Culan. In other way shall we speak and in no
other way shall we live."
"Which outcome will happen?"
"Chance, Fate, and Fortune have decided to leave this destiny in the hands of man and the
spirits of man. We are required to summon the spirits of both sides; light and dark, to rebirth and
arraign them in rebirth. Now stand to the side as we summon the second upon this blackest night,
Great Bear appear."
A huge bear of a man loped forward from the tree-line, solidifying instantly he stepped up
to the fire. He stood in every way a contrast to the other; the first was tall and the second not.
The first's eyes were as cold as ice and the second's burned with a fire. The first's bearing was
that of a soldier and the second's was that of a king. The Bear sat in front of the shaman and
stared lazily at him.
"Why have ye called my soul from Avalon? The fey mists were comfort enough for me,"
the Great Bear plainly stated.
The faeries related the same tale to the Bear as they did to the Hound. The Bear sat for a
minute thinking before he asked the faeries, "And you wish for me and my cousin to return to the
world of life before our true time of rebirth and fight this shadow?"
"Yes Great Bear, that is our wish. Chance, Fate, and Fortune require that we ask."
"I don't like it," the Hound snorted with derision.
"Yes cousin, but you didn't like much of anything," the Bear replied without looking from
the shaman. "If we return, which outcome will happen?"
"That is blocked by mists even we cannot penetrate. Not even the three know that
destiny. Son of the Lake, come forth from your watery sleep."
A third figure emerged and solidified upon the ground as soon as one ghostly foot touched
it. He strode forward without care and the fire danced upon his fair features. He stood proud and
confidant behind the Bear and looked down upon the shaman with disgust.
"Thou foul and dirty peasant! Why have you awakened the Son of the Lake from his
deserved rest? Speak now or I shall smite thee," the Son of the Lake's voice sounded as thunder.
Once again the message was told and the Son of the Lake beamed. His smile grew as he
pulled the sword which hung at his side from it's scabbard. Holding it above his head he Son of
the Lake shouted out in a thunderous voice, "A quest in which I, the Son of the Lake, greatest
warrior of the Bear's court can truly shine. Surely I, the Son of the Lake, am this star of which
thou hast spoke."
The shaman lifted his head and stared into the Son of the Lake's eyes, "No you are not the
StarSworn who will rise and shine above the earth."
"Then I shall fight with him to ensure victory once more. The shadow shall rightly fear my
prowess as I..." the Son of the Lake was cut off by the Hound's fist punching into the Son of the
Lake's solar plexus. The Son of the Lake fell over in a gasping heap.
"Fool," was the Hound's only reply. "I agree shaman, faeries, or whatever you are. But I
have one question before I return to my slumber."
"Which is, oh Hound of Culan," the faeries-speaking-through-the-shaman asked.
"What of my descendants? Have the kept the way that Merlyn, the druids, and I taught
them?"
"Yes Hound of Culan, the next to be born will be the greatest master of your way that this
world has seen for over a thousand years."
"Then he must be the StarSworn of whom you spoke."
"We do not know that. Now Great Bear, the Hound and the Son of the Lake have
agreed, do you?"
The Great Bear sighed, he didn't like to have to make decisions of this magnitude without
ample time to think. But then again, thinking wasn't his strong point. "Alright shaman. you have
a deal."
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