Demon Lords & Fianc�es Part 1 by Evil Stratagemini

I do not own Ranma 1/2 That distinction Belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. I also 
do not own the Diablo Series. That belongs to the wonderful people at 
Blizzard Entertainment and Blizzard North. I've been told that Toltiir 
belongs to Gregg "Metroanime" Sharp, I have my doubts personally, but if the 
character doesn't belong to me either way.
End Obligatory Disclaimer.

*****

    Ranma was not asleep as he fell through the air. It was a familiar 
sensation for him to wake up to, seeing as his father's favored method of 
waking him up was to throw him out the window. So as soon as the feeling of 
weightlessness seized his stomach Ranma snapped awake. He was falling. This 
was not unusual by it's self, what made it interesting was that instead of 
flying out a window, he was falling off of a tree limb twenty feet in the 
air. Landing in a ready stance Ranma got up, and looked around for his 
father. Upon observing that not only was Genma nowhere to be seen but he was 
not at the Tendo dojo either, Ranma became confused. It was then that he 
began to notice his surroundings.
    Ranma was in a village made of stone, the houses were covered in ivy, and 
there were schools and shops in the center of the grove. There was a large 
clearing in the center of the village, which housed a large tree, around 
which a large group of students dressed in cloth and furs meditated. The tree 
was over two hundred feet tall, and fifty feet wide, it's limbs were ten feet 
thick and covered in broad green leaves. A large muscular red headed man of 
about thirty years approached Ranma with a large black wolf at his side. His 
large yellow eyes had slit black pupils, and he walked in the manner of a 
predator stalking his prey. His words sounded like a growl as they flew from 
his lips.

"Hey there son, my name is Hiemdall Skyrider, and I'm the watchman of T�r 
D�lra. What brings you to Scosglen?"

Ranma had never heard of Scosglen before, probably because it didn't exist in 
his reality, and so reacted predictably.

"What? Scosglen? Where is that?" shouted a surprised Ranma. "I've never been 
to any Scosglen. Am I still in Japan?"

"Where is this Japan that you speak of? I know of most of the lands of 
Sanctuary, from the sea of light to the frozen sea but I have never heard of 
any Japan."

"Well it's an island in between China and North America." Ranma responded.

"Hmmm, well I can't say that I've heard of any of those places, are you sure 
that they exist?"

    At that moment, a short withered old woman bent over her walking stick by 
age, came hobbling excitedly towards them. As she approached, one could 
notice a large black raven perched on her shoulder.

"Hiemdall! Be kind to this one, Gl�r-an-Fh�idha has spoken to me of his 
arrival. He is one of the chosen warriors, one of the seven that will 
vanquish the three prime evils and turn the tide of the sin war."

"What! What is this sin war? Who are you? What do you mean seven chosen 
warriors?"

"Patience my son, all will be revealed in time. Let us retire to my house, 
and we shall discuss what Sonja has said."

With that Hiemdall turned towards a large stone house and entered it. Ranma 
and Sonja closely followed him.

*****

"All is going according to plan, that Ranma boy is getting settled in, and 
there have been no ill effects on his original universe. However, I thought 
that your universe had no predestination Zakarum. What gives?"

"Ah but Athena there is no predestination, that does not mean that I can't 
make Ranma think that there is. Do you honestly think that he would be happy 
tending a shop in T�r D�lra? I thought not. Either way, I have a small demon 
problem, all that I'm asking him to do is rid me of it."

"A small demon problem! You have three first class unlimited demons, four 
second-class limited demons, and hundreds of third and fourth class limited 
demons! And you call it a small demon problem! Luckily the doublet system 
doesn't apply in that reality, or you would have him vanquishing gods at the 
same time."

"So you acknowledge that Ranma can do it?" Asked Zakarum.

"Yes, he can do it. But will he survive?"

At that, Toltiir spoke up. "That I can help with. Zakarum, Athena, I have 
enhanced Ranma's contact with nature, and Nabiki's abilities in the martial 
arts. I believe that will be enough."

*****

    Ranma was sitting in a large living room. Both Hiemdall and Sonja were 
facing him as they told him of the legend of the chosen warriors.
    "I am Sonja, the healer of T�r D�lra. We are druids, and our mission in 
life is to destroy the three prime evils when they awaken from their forced 
slumber. Let me explain it to you this way."

    "There is a war that rages on even now, between the utopian kingdoms of 
the high heavens, and the chaotic pits of the burning hells. This war is 
known as the great conflict. And it has raged since the creation of the 
universe. Not too long ago, there was a great revolution within the burning 
hells known as the dark exile. The four lesser evils overthrew the three 
prime evils, and banished their spirits to the mortal realm. The Demons: 
Belial, the lord of lies, and Azmodan, the lord of sin fought to claim 
leadership of the demonic hordes. All of hell polarized between the forces of 
Belial, and Azmodan as the armies of the high heavens laid siege upon the 
gates of hell. Many demons set out to the mortal realm in search of the three 
brothers. They were followed by angels who hunted them throughout the cities 
of the Kehjistan. The angels enlisted the help of a secretive sect of mortal 
magi, known as the Horadrim. These mages soon became adept at slaying demons, 
and the tide turned further in the favor of the heavens. The three brothers: 
Diablo, Mephisto, and Baal were eventually captured by the Horadrim and 
sealed in the soul stones. It has been foretold that one of the three 
brothers would corrupt his soul stone, raining terror upon the countryside. 
It is said that a warrior from the lands of Khanduras would sly him only to 
become the vessel of his return. Then the brother will set out to free his 
imprisoned brethren, and band of seven warriors will set out and slay all 
three prime evils once and for all. I believe that you are one of the seven 
and that the time of reckoning draws near."(1)

    Ranma was shocked, this woman was either insane or they were in deep 
trouble, and judging by how Hiemdall accepted her story, the second was more 
likely.

"What can I do? I've defeated a phoenix once, but I don't think I could slay 
three demon lords. I have no real skills outside of the martial arts, at 
least not as far as exorcisms and stuff."

"You say you slew a phoenix? That is quite a feat. You must be one of the 
chosen warriors. You will stay at my son's house, I'm sure that he will not 
mind."

"We shall speak of this later mother. But first son, you can tell us your 
name. Then we will see if we can instruct you in the druidic ways."

"My name is Ranma Saotome of the Musabetsu Kakuto Ryuu. Pleased to meetcha."

******

Nabiki awoke in a stone room, she was on a comfortable bed, and a shapely 
woman with raven black hair sat at the side of her bed. At first Nabiki did 
not realize that she was not at her home, but as soon as she noticed the 
strange ceiling she her thoughts turned to her surroundings. As she shifted 
her head to look around, the woman noticed her and spoke.
    "Welcome to the monastery of the Viz-Jaq'taar. You gave us quite a scare, 
appearing like that."
    "Where am I? Who are you?"
    "I am known as Erika, and as to where you are. I believe that was already 
answered. Now if you don't mind me asking, how did you get here? This 
monastery is virtually unknown to the outside world, and the way you 
materialized was no teleportation spell."
    "Huh? Spell? I don't know any magic, I thought that you brought me here."
    At that point a third presence was felt in the room, as a glowing figure, 
shrouded in white light appeared. "I am afraid that her appearance here was 
my doing. You see, for months now I have felt the stirrings of one of the 
three brothers. When I noticed her potential in the martial arts, and the 
fact that she was fated to soon die, I moved her and a companion of hers to 
the realm of Sanctuary. Her friend is the chosen warrior of the druids now, 
and I was hoping that you would train her in your arts in preparation for her 
duty as a chosen warrior."
    "Zakarum," she spat the name out like a curse. "I see you are once again 
meddling in human affairs. I should by all rights ignore your request and 
have this one killed! However, I too have felt the stirrings from Khanduras, 
and I am greatly troubled by them. If they are what you say, then perhaps we 
should not only dispatch a contingent to inspect them, but also train this 
young warrior in our ways. After all who am I to turn down another ally in 
The Sin War?"
    "Ah, my dear Erika, you haven't changed a bit since I saw you last. Be at 
ease, the Lord of Terror is sealed away, and no one can destroy him until a 
stable gateway to the Pandemonium Fortress, and thus the Hellforge is 
established. Train her, Instruct her upon what she will have to face, and who 
she will have to face it with."
    "If all is as you say, and she is the chosen one, then I have very little 
choice in the matter, we will instruct her in our ways. Not only in order for 
her to be free of demonic influence, but also in order to break any bonds 
that tie her to you. She will be ready, even if it kills her."
    "Hey! Don't I have any say in this? It is my life you're talking about!"
    "No child, in this you have no say. We rescued you from death and gave 
both you and him new lives; all we ask in return is that you do this little 
job for us. Or if you prefer, we could bring you back to your home, leaving 
you to face certain death. He may overcome it, he's done it before, but you, 
assuredly will not."

*****

    "Well Zakarum. I can't fault you on how you handled that. I seems that 
all we need to do for now is it back, relax, and enjoy the show."
    "Not quite yet Toltiir, I must gather the other five: A Paladin from 
Westmarch, An Amazon from Philios, A Barbarian from Harrogath, A Sorceress 
from Scosglen, and a Necromancer from Kehjistan. Then we must gather them 
together and have them work as a team. My task shall be difficult, but 
hardest among the priests of Rathma who resent those who seek to manipulate 
them. No my friend, my task is far from over."

*****


In the jungles of Kurast, along the banks of the river Argentek, there lies 
the great city of Anthara. Anthara is unlike most cities, although it too has 
its markets and libraries, its shops and courts, there is something about 
Anthara that distinguishes it from all others. In Anthara the sun never 
shines. Despite what you might link this is not some strange function of the 
weather, it isn't some grave disaster brought on by the three prime evils. 
The simple fact is; Anthara is underground. You may ask how this strange city 
began, and the answer to that is also simple. Anthara is home to the Priests 
of Rathma, the necromancers. These simple mages are some of the most maligned 
students of the arcane, and consequently have had ample reason to hide 
throughout the years. Their study of what they have come to call "The Great 
Cycle of Being" is unmatched by any in the world of Sanctuary, and through 
this intimate understanding of life and death they seek to gain control over 
death itself. In one of the largest libraries in Anthara seated among the 
oldest archives there sits one such priest. He goes by the Name of Alath Mak, 
and as he reads through the pages of a musty tome he comes upon something so 
bone-chilling that it is all he can do to keep reading. What can scare one to 
whom death itself holds no fear? As a shiver runs down his spine Alath chants 
an ancient prophesy.

And Terror shall be set loose throughout the land,
Holding the body of the one who sought to slay him,
Seeking his brother across the desert sands,
Seven shall follow only to delay him.

Beware young warriors of light!
Your journeys have only just begun.
Past the very gates of hell shall you fight!
Doomed to fail unless you work as one.

Destruction shall reign across the land,
Seeking the orb that holds hell at bay.
To the mountains from the dessert sands,
Nothing but ashes trail in his wake.

Hatred shall threaten the jungle homes,
Corrupting those who once walked in the light.
Three shall fall and one alone,
Shall see them through their horrid plight.

The Three shall fall but at great cost!
As the realm is torn asunder,
Order must triumph or all is lost!
And Sanctuary, hell shall plunder.

*****

Authors Notes:

    I'm experimenting with this series, adding new characters and exploring 
roles blizzard has given its classes. You can fully expect to see the 
dynamics of how the skills are used, different views of certain groups, and 
at least a few of the classes from Diablo I besides the rogues. I'm still 
debating whether to but in mercenaries, but I might if I need to. Don't 
expect to see one party, I'm trying to give a feeling of what playing the 
game would be like for the characters, and rarely is the whole party 
together, and not all the characters are always in the same party. Also I 
plan on doing some interesting stuff with the Druids, Sorceresses and the 
Necromancers, at least in terms of how their skills work. Finally in order to 
make the Skill system work, I've decided that the characters start equivalent 
to what they would be at on Nightmare, that way they already know most if not 
all of their skills.
    Also suggestions though not always heeded are greatly appreciated. On the 
same train of thought, C&C is much desired.

(1) - This is taken from the game Diablo I; it's the text of the various 
books you find in the dungeon.


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