Crystal wings Part 0

This is a Ranma 1/2 alternaverse. None of the Ranma gang are mine they r 
copyright of their author Rumiko Takahashi. The other characters r mine from 
a game a few friends invented. It gets a while to get started but I wanted to 
lay the scene before the story. I know I am not a good writer but I hope you
like it. Do not take this and drive heavy machinery. Do not try any actions 
hazardous to yourself without external advice.

Thanks to: Elisteran/B.P. & Gary Kleppe for reading this, and surviving the
experience sane, and then giving C&C.


A beach. An endless infinite beach.
As the image comes closer, the picture slowly changes. There is movement, a 
slow, languid wind blowing and shifting the sand. But this is no ordinary sand.
As perception focuses, the picture becomes clear. It is not sand but something
else. Inside each grain there is a universe. A sphere ruled by its own laws and
powers. Upon this eternal dance the destination is chosen, faster and faster 
to a particular one. This one does not yet shine as the flow of life does not
yet pulse within.

There is something in there. Something so large it defines its own laws of 
physics. It is pondering how will infinity be in this particular dimension. 
Probably a shade of blue. Slowly it looks upon the entire universe looking 
for a molecule. This molecule if given the right push and spin will create
everything. (Universe creation is like billiards only you can always fall 
back into quantics to explain all) In an instant a huge explosion sets all
into motion. It sees that all is well and decides to leave. Before leaving,
It creates two guardians. Twin angels of raging fire and absolute cold.

The moment It left the Ice guardian turned to face his partner. 
"Why don't we pillage this universe and hit another sphere."

The fire angel shook her head. "That is not what we were created for."

"Come on you already know what will happen. Races develop, most eradicate 
themselves before they know there is more life in the universe, and then 
wham, interplanetary war until everyone is dead. What makes you think this 
time will be different."

"Hope."

"Hope, hope, hope. I will give you hope." He spread his wings and threw them
at her. So cold was the edge that light could not escape its embrace.

But she was ready and a shield of pure plasma blocked the attack. Then her 
sword slashed at the wings as they retreated.

With his face contracted by agony he started to banish. "Arrggg! what have 
you done? You have wounded me. They will suffer for what you have done. Try 
to catch me in the time lines."

"I shall." With that she disappeared after him.

***************************************************************************

Through several millions of years they battled each other. Several planets 
were destroyed in this war. But that first hit had done too much damage and 
it was a losing battle. At last he was cornered.

He came in an icestorm to a world devastated by war. A siren's call drove him
here. It was a world almost devoid of life but very rich in magic. Maybe he 
could find something here to change the tides. But she was close on his heels.
A huge meteor came down crashing on the planet. And she emerged upon searing 
waves of heat. The people of the city watched stunned as the titans engaged 
in a mighty clash.

"This shall be our final encounter, cold one."

"Why? I only wanted more. I wanted power for myself. Is it not better to 
live free for a single moment than to be a slave for eternity."

"I do not judge nor care. There is no place were you can hide in this 
universe." With this words she drew her sword in a deadly arc.

But he was not paying attention. An incredible possibility had occurred in 
his mind. To leave. To escape to another universe. But it would not be easy. 
Gathering his essence he projected it into one of the creatures nearby while 
using what power he had left to open a portal to the exterior of the sphere.

The fire guardian was confused. Her duty was complete. But in his last 
moments he had opened a portal even when he did not have time to use it. 
While she was pondering his actions, she did not notice a small figure 
running towards the portal. A small winged figure.


************************************************************************


Space. An endless canvas in which time paints. And it paints a lot, it 
redraws the whole universe every second of eternity. If someone could take a 
look at the results they would think "This is the work of the greatest genius
or the greatest idiot". But in this great picture there is something of 
interest to us. It is a small sphere.

It was a great crystal cocoon floating trough the vast expanses of space. 
Inside was a creature. Once a being of great power it was a shadow of his 
former self. It had had to posses a human body to survive and escape its 
enemy. Now it was busy adapting the body to better suit his needs. It had been
the body of a male human, a mage specialist in curses and teleportation. The 
body was very frail, as all humans, but it would offer an extra layer of 
protection. And better yet some creatures he had seen at the higher planar 
levels of this universe may pause at killing an innocent. O this body so crude
and simple. As it senses were so limited simple things could become 
pleasurable. He had to concentrate to feel all the skin but it came with a 
tingling feeling. The eyes could barely see the middle spectrum of light. But
that same light could play tricks on them. He could not judge distance with 
only one. Even the strangest one smell. All it is a very simple chemical 
analyzer. But it could bring feelings and memories. Hearing and taste were 
fascinating mysteries it had not yet explored.

But even now it was weak. It needed a place to rest to regain power. It 
extended his senses and found a suitable place. A small star system. The 
third planet had very low magic readings, but incredible life ones. "It may 
take me awhile but I will absorb all life and magic in the planet and start 
to regain power. Whatever those abilities turn out to be."

He had not yet approached that additional problem. In his escape it had 
entered a different universe and his powers had been affected. He did not yet
know his new abilities in this sphere. He had crossed the magical planes of 
this sphere a fast as possible. The had been very different than those he came
from. In his home sphere there had been only two great beings. Himself and the
enemy. Here on the other hand, infinite beings existed. "Let the power be 
divided. It will be easier to kill them in small quantities and steal their 
power."
"Well I can always fall back upon your puny magic." The soul of the mage 
bristled with fury. -How had this spirit possessed his body? What had happened?-
"Do not tire yourself human. When I regain power I will eradicate your presence 
from this body." He was examining the knife the human had been carrying. It had
a great power but it was just a battery and he had no way of recharging it. 
It was full of magic specifically attuned to curses. As he could not yet 
absorbs the mages soul with certainty, he could not yet access his powers but
all will come in time. The knife would make a powerful one shot weapon.

As the crystal sphere came closer to the planet he started to study the planet 
with his higher senses. It was almost covered with water. The dominant life 
form was turning out to be. Humans! -So this planet was the counterpart of the
one I come from. Interesting. I will try to make some of them my followers and 
kill the rest to gain power.-

As he came near he willed the cocoon to stop....

Nothing.

He discovered something new. Fear. His body was trying to tie its bowels in 
knots. The hands began to tremble. It began to feel cold. And the crazy thing
was losing water through the skin.!
"I have no time for this." He tried again. No result. "This can not be happening.
Have my powers changed so much? I may not survive the impact." He began to think
in a way to escape to survive. But as he did not know his new limitations he 
began to lose hope. 

-This is what you get for stealing my body-

"Silence, human. Enjoy your last moments as you will die with me."

-Shit. Please tell me that reincarnation works. Damn.-

"It did in our sphere. But I do not know here."

-Make a plan. Aren't you a spirit or something?. Do those wings work?-

"Fool, don't you think I have already seen every possibility. We are making 
atmospheric reentry. At my actual strength, I would be fried the moment I broke
the cocoon. And about the wings I do not know if they work." 

"Why do you bother, pest, you will erased the moment I gather enough power."

-I'll take future erasure over certain death. So you are going to sit here and
die?-

"No I will wait here and see if I survive the landing"

Moments latter the friction with the atmosphere started to raise the temperature 
and a deep rumble was heard. The creature was busy controlling the body as fear 
had led to panic and hysterics was asking for its turn.

The cocoon reached terminal velocity. It was now glowing pure white from 
friction. The light could be seen for kilometers. It was going to land in what
would later be known as China. Some of the locals saw it and thought it was a 
sing from the gods.

As the ground came nearer the creature thought how ironic the situation was. 
To die after so much fighting. "So close. So..."

The train of thought never ended as it flew of its tracks with the impact. The 
crystal cocoon shattered into a thousand pieces. The beauty of the sight was 
breathless. So was the danger. Incandescent shrapnel scoured the mountain side
in a glittering rain of death. And a deep wound was made, a small valley later 
to be named Jusendo. The creature was thrown aside like a broken toy in the fury 
of the crash. And landed with a wet sound.

Minutes passed without a sound. The animals had fled the site afraid of the 
terrible fury raining from the heavens.

Then suddenly figures broke from the cover of a nearby forest. They were humans.
Holding what could be called tools only if one knew what they would eventually 
be. Slowly and fearfully they approached the crash. A sound made them turn. A 
creature was rising a few meters away.

The creature had survived the crash. But it could not take comfort on the fact. 
"Arrrggg the pain" The same senses that had fascinated it so were now hammering 
it mercilessly. The eardrums had burst. The mouth was sour with vile and vomit. 
The smell of burning flesh and blood was overpowering. The body was coursed by 
shivers as shock, injury, blood loss and internal chemistry warred for dominance. 
Even sight did not work as one of the eyes had been pierced by a crystal shard.
It noticed the group of creatures surrounding it and panicked. "You will not 
kill me." It tried to summon its powers and kill them where they stood, but 
nothing happened. "No, no, this can not be happening." It shouted its 
disbelief as it fell to the ground. Something cut into its leg. As the creature
saw what it was, a wave of relief washed over it. The knife, the curse knife 
of the blasted mage.
Holding it in its right hand it shouted. "I curse you. I curse you for all 
eternity. To be as corrupted and deformed as I see you. You shall live hiding 
away in dark places. Feeding, breeding and living shall be the same to you, 
just a mean with which to spread the curse I now give you. You and your 
descendants shall suffer like the filthy monsters you are."

Then suddenly everything stood still. As the curse worked to rewrite reality 
a sound started. It was the deep sound of a cataclysm. A sound so great you do 
not hear it. You feel it as it goes through you and resonates with everything 
around you. It was a scream. The countless souls that were being condemned were
shouting. A primal scream beyond words or languages. A scream of outrage 
against the crime that was committed.

The humans started to run as their bodies started to change. Screaming and 
screeching mixed in sounds of fear. Foot, claw, talon and wing looked for a 
way to escape. They escaped, deformed and scarred they ran to the ends of the 
Earth were they prospered and grew, some good some bad, they became creatures 
of legend and myth. Living dreams and nightmares.

The creature started to limp towards a cave in the mountainside. It was smiling.
-That will teach them fear- it thought- And when I wake up they will be more 
compliant. And about this body I am going to take away all this useless parts 
that itch, pain or otherwise.-. It did not notice the knife falling from its 
limp hand.


***********************************************************************


Several hours later a group of 5 women came out of the forest. They had come 
from their village to explore. A few hours ago some monsters had attacked them.
The men had been away hunting and there were only women and children. Fearing 
for their children the women of the village had rallied after the wife of the 
chieftain. The monsters had been driven back. The women had been preoccupied 
for their men. They were out and did not know of the danger. A scouting party 
had been formed and they set out to find the hunters. They took Whasa-by with 
them, the village witch. The trail had led them here. Where the star had fallen.

Wary, the women advanced. The place was destroyed. In the middle there were 
items on the ground. Clothing and weapons were scattered about.
<The monsters have attacked our men and killed them> said the youngest.
<Silence little one> said Whasa-by <I do not see blood. They would have gone 
down fighting. This stuff is abandoned. Why, why would they abandon their 
weapons and clothing and not return home?>
Further up the valley she spotted something. It was a knife. But it was a 
strange design. It was all made of metal. The blade was serrated backwards. 
The guard looked like the mouth of a mythological beast. The handle ended in 
a horned skull. It looked evil.
Whasa-by came closer. She picked up the knife and then it hit her. If any other 
on the women had done so their mind would had been destroyed like sand before 
a storm. But she was the village witch and had been trained in this matters. 
What she saw was a crime. A monstrosity so vile it was almost beyond comprehension. 
This strange creature had cursed their men. But not only them but also all the 
pitiful creatures that would be their descendants.
She was horrified. She ran towards the cave in which the creature had taken 
refuge with murderous intent. But as she came closer she saw that the cave was
sealed with a crystal wall. Revenge denied, she walked towards the other women 
to tell them the grave news. The knife would be taken into custody, and a 
permanent sentry would be posted to this spot. A plan began to form in her mind.
To gather the strongest left and to train them to become living weapons. An elite
of warriors prepared to defeat this gruesome foe.
Later on this group of strong women became the Chinese amazons. And they stayed
living near the valley that the magic of the dagger had contaminated. The place
was avoided, as anyone who visited the place always lost something in the 
exchange.

And life did what it usually does. To get on with things as best as possible
in the given circumstances. Until today. Until someone foolish or innocent
thinks they can change things for better.

*****************************

SALVADOR: I wrote: "Why? I only wanted more. I wanted power for my shelf."

ELISTERAN: self.

KASUMI: Oh, I don't know. I might go conquer the world on behalf of my pantry
shelves, someday. Nobody but me ever thinks of the pantry.

HAPPOSAI: Nonsense. I do! Why, a day doesn't go by when I'm not thinking 
about....

RANMA: She said panTRIES. With an "r".

HAPPOSAI: Oh.

NABIKI: Pennies? Did someone say....

RANMA: NO!

SALVADOR: That actually makes sense... Well maybe I read too much manga.

*************************

SALVADOR: ... shearing waves of heat.

KLEPPE: I think you mean "searing" rather than "shearing." Unless she turns 
out to be Principal Kuno. :)

SALVADOR: A being with limitless power, with a tree on the head. HOLY JESUS. 
Let us abandon this topic. It is too scary for me.

*************************


Salvador Escriv� Gil
(Voroeg@yahoo.es)



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