[FFML] [Ranma][Rewrite] Gladius Sanctus: Prologue

Okay, folks, after like... three years in hiatus, I'm back with some readily
available stuff. Refer to the Author's Notes at the bottom for some updates.

Gladius Sanctus

by Kyle Emmerson

Ranma 1/2 and all of its characters and situations are the creation and
property of Rumiko Takahashi. I use these characters and situations without
permission.

Prologue: The Sword & the Scroll

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The courier had ridden for months. Possibly even years, surviving on the
smallest amount of food possible. Stopping only to sleep in daylight, drink
some water, and in some cases, buy a new horse. He had ridden by moonlight,
by starlight, through rain, through shine, over mountain and river, through
village and city, to get to his destination.
Haste was of great importance to his charge. But also of great importance
was the stealth involved. He avoided people at all costs, stopping only at
seedy establishments for a bite to eat. A place where people wouldn't think
to look twice at him, or the strange, outworldy sword he was carried. A
place where he could cover his face and his arms, and nobody would ask to
see him closely.
Finally, the man had reached his destination. A small city at the western
edge of the Roman Empire. Travelling across entire continents was not
something any sane man would do for most reasons. But Aitaka wasn't exactly
sane. At least, not anymore.
"You are the courier?" the man with the dark complexion asked as he stepped
out of the small hut in the fringes of the city.
Aitaka stopped, and spoke as clearly as he could in the foreigner's
language. "I am," he said. "Your name is Adam?"
"Yes," Adam replied. "You have been on the road for many months, may I
invite you in for some food?"
"Caeser?"
Adam shook his head. "No," he said. "Caeser is unaware. The entire Roman
Empire stands in awe of the events last year. They are working hard at
trying to contain the flow of knowledge of the event."
"It is impossible to stem the flow of such news. It is not every day a man
raises from the dead."
Adam smiled, and shook his head. "No. No it is not. I might ask you in for
food, but there is still a greater distance you must travel before your
charge is over. Shall we speak over a meal?"
Aitaka dismounted, and nodded. Before dismounting, he took a small bag and
a long, thin object wrapped in clothe from his horse. He kept it clutched
tightly within his hands, and followed Adam inside of his hut.
"They are but meager dwellings," Adam explained. "But I am a man of God. I
have no such need for many of these... Pagan frivilties."
Aitaka looked over at Adam and frowned. "Keep your tongue in check,
Priest," he said. "My people are some of these Pagans you speak of."
Adam bowed and smiled. "Of course-- but it is inaccurate of you to refer to
me as Priest. I hold no such title, nor will I ever." He looked Aitaka
closely in the eye. "Men of God need not always be kind, gentle souls."
"In my experience, few are," Aitaka said, then winced. "I... apologize," he
said. "I did not mean to insult my host in such a fashion."
"Nonsense," Adam said. "God gave unto man freedom of choice. I can no more
stop you from your opinions as you can from mine." He brought out bread and
mutton for the visitor, and set it on the table. "Besides, what we have in
common is most important."
Aitaka nodded. "Yes," he brandished the thin, cloth-covered object, and
placed it on the table.
"That is it, then?" Adam asked, motioning towards it.
Aitaka nodded again. "It calls to me still," he said. "I have been close to
it for a very long time. Many, many nights. Even still I have not laid eyes
upon it, but it still calls to me."
Adam sighed. "Forged by the fires of Masamune," he said. "Cursed forever by
the wretched, but sought after by the greediest of men."
Aitaka tore a chunk of meat from a piece of mutton and began to eat. "Yes.
I do not quite understand why we cannot just melt it down."
Adam nodded. "I understand your worry. But my Lord Yahweh has need of it.
It has other functions, unseen as of yet. I do not fully understand it
myself."
"Other functions?" Aitaka seemed to wrestle with the concept. "The sword
breeds evil and contempt to all who lay eyes upon it. It corrupts innocence
and empowers the evil. How could it be useful to the good of heart?"
"I do not know, Aitaka. But I am not one to question the grace of Yahweh."
Aitaka looked up. "Has He been in contact with you?"
Adam smirked. "Of a sort."
"You mentioned I would have to travel further. How much?"
Adam paused. "There is a Pagan Tribe located in the Britons," he said.
"They will protect the sword and the parchment."
Aitaka frowned. "Parchment?"
"I'm sorry," Adam said. "I thought you had known about it." He got up and
reached into a cupboard, and pulled out a rolled-up parchment, sealed with a
ribbon.
"What is it?"
"The Sword of the Winds was cursed by a powerful magician," he said. "The
same magician that created the cursed earth."
"The cursed earth?"
"Far east of here," he said. "In the mountains of the Orient, lies a valley
once touched by God." He took a disdainful breath. "It is said that the
valley was once Eden. Many of our scholars never believed the rumours, they
always thought that Eden would be closer to the Holy Land, but they fail to
realize. On Gods Earth, all land is holy. Even land now occupied by..."
"Pagans," Aitaka completed.
"Well, yes. This parchment contains the secrets of the magician. The
secrets to all of his power, and the secrets to crack Eden wide open."
"Eden was your... your paradise, was it not? The place where the first men
and women of your belief came from?"
Adam smirked. "You could say that," he said.
"Would it be so bad to be able to return to such a place?"
"God has forbidden us," Adam explained. "The magician was never able to
break that rule, though he wished it. With the power of the savior against
him, he was never able to-- so, out of jealousy and rage, he struck the land
where Eden stands, pocking it with his power." He looked Aitaka in the eye.
"He cursed it."
"Where is he now?"
Adam smiled. "Dead. The Lord God reached down and smote him from the
earth."
"Obviously acting through many of his followers, correct?"
Adam shrugged. "The ways of God are subtle and cryptic. Mysterious, even.
As men, it is not our place to question them."
Aitaka shook his head. "And the parchment?"
"It contains knowledge of how to remove the curse of the land," he said.
"If it is used, it could reopen Eden."
"Which God forbade."
"Exactly," he leaned back in his stool. "And thus unmaking the earth."
Aitaka nodded. "Why not destroy this?"
"As with the sword-- it should not be."
"But, if returning to Eden would unmake the world-- isn't this much too
dangerous to keep intact?"
Adam furrowed his brow. "I have often thought so as well," he said. "But it
is not my place to question the decisions of the Divine Mind." He levelled a
stare at Aitaka. "Nor is it yours."
Aitaka sighed. "Then... I must go to Briton. And take this parchment with
me." He held it in his hand. "Then find these--"
"Druids," Adam said. "As Pagan as they come, but they are cooperative. The
heathens they are, they understand the importance of this. They will watch
them until the end of time, or until they all die out."
Aitaka got up and placed the parchment gently into his pack. "Then I should
leave," he said. "I draw much attention as it is with a covered face, and
the night is still very young."
Adam stood and agreed. "Yes. I wish there was more time for pleasantries,"
he said. "but both the sword and the parchment need haste in reaching their
destinations."
Aitaka bowed deeply. "Perhaps we shall meet again, Adam."
Adam smirked. "Perhaps, friend. Perhaps in the kingdom of heaven, or
perhaps in this same life."
And without another word, Aitaka left, and Adam sat alone in his hut.
"I hope you know what you're doing, Lord," he said. "These Pagans confuse
me, but I will trust in your choices, just as I had trusted your son." He
looked down at the table in front of him and sighed. "Amen, my Lord Yahweh."

-----

Author's Notes:

Okay, it's been a while. I'll admit that. But, there's good news and bad
news.

The good news:

I'm back into the swing of fic writing. I'm starting off by revising old
fics, especially the ones I think had great potential, but poor writing
behind it. (I've gotten better.) :) Starting with this one. The original can
be found on my web page, and states nothing of what you've seen above.

http://www.nabiki.com/tydi-oh-ki

I'll be updating the web page as soon as I get a chance to, but it may not
be for a little while yet.

Additionally, I also have another post coming directly after this, and this
piece of news:

I'm here to stay. I'll be writing regularly again, revising old fics and
updating them, and writing all-new ones, including new chapters of old fics.
What I need from you people, are shows of support on WHICH fics I wrote that
were good enough to warrant rewrites/revisions and new chapters.

Also, for any fan of my 'A Day And Night...' series (Which merely include
two one-shots), there is a third fic coming out, based in the same universe,
which will be a multi-part fic entitled 'Bid My Blood To Run', at least
until I can think of a better title. ;)

Now, for the bad news:

Due to a recent windfall of money, money, money, my time is extremely
limited. Basically, when I'm not at work, or preparing for my upcoming
business venture, or doing just plain R&R, I'll be writing. I won't be doing
much writing, but at least I'll be writing, nonetheless. Anyway, I hope you
enjoyed it, I sure did, and comments and criticism are encouraged and asked
for, even if it's just a little something saying, "Hey, I like!" Fic authors
keep writing due to encouragement, I find. ;)

Seeya!

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