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Tangled Fate [Ranma 1/2 / Exalted]

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Changes made to fix the issue with the 'saltpetre mine' in Chapter 11. (SB kinda went mental over it *sheepish kitsune*)

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Chapter Twelve The Hunt of Broken Fate
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    • Bengtsson gasped as they emerged from the shadows. Recoiling from the thing in the shape of a man he stumbled free and fell onto the ground coughing. A cold wet slimy substance with the colour of shadow splattered the dirt floor.


    "This is him?" A soft melodious voice asked.


    He looked up. Skin of grey purple, perfectly smooth and alluring, met his eyes. He looked up further, his eyes tracing over androgynously feminine curves and transparent silks, until his eyes met eyes as black as obsidian set into a feminine face. They eyes lacked any whites, being entirely back orb.


    "It is." The thing that had brought him said.


    The woman, no demon, leaned down towards him. His eyes dipped low towards the cleavage that such an action made eminently prominent. It was a matter of will to drag them back to the being's face.


    "A strange thing, handsome for one of his type I suppose." Its voice was beautiful, but the tone was bland like a merchant examining a particularly unimpressive piece of merchandise. "He is the one?"


    The being chuckled. "Despite his appearance, yes he is." It said.


    Bengtsson scowled and found his feet. As he stood the thing before him stood straight. It was, disconcertingly, still taller than him. "I am Bengtsson Gehard." He said to its face.


    "So it is said, and so you say." It replied with a tip of its head. "You have been offered a deal by my masters. Do you accept?" There was a flicker of green within those black orbs. It was disconcerting and for a moment he hesitated. Despite having said the words before he now found himself wondering for but a moment if this was quite the smartest thing he could do.


    That feeling disappeared as the being behind him cleared its throat. "I do." He said,


    The thing before him smiled, her teeth were a perfect white that stood out like the sun at midnight. "Hold still." It said and that spark of green flame within the black orbs of her eyes flared into an inferno that poured forth from the sockets of the creature.


    His world became pain, green fire, and flickering shadow. All of it overshadows by a dark chuckling.


    -0-0-0-0-0-

    Tangled Fate

    Chapter Twelve

    The Hunt of Broken Fate

    By: Grounders10

    -0-0-0-0-0-​


    "Well?" Ranma asked from the corner of the co-opted temple storage room that had suddenly been repurposed as a morgue.


    Dr. Zutter looked up from where she was examining the body of Private Tanaka. "Do I look like I can make the dead talk?" She asked. She set the knife, the sharpest dagger they could find, on the tray being held by a nauseous looking servant. She pulled the leather gloves off and cast them onto the same tray, splashing viscous nearly black blood on the young man's sleeves. He whimpered.


    The doctor looked around the room her eyes raking over the two magistrates, Ryu, Akiyama, and Setarial who were there with Ranma and Ryouga. All of them were standing a fair distance back from the body lying on what had been a stack of heavy food crates and a stone bench. The crates had been long emptied before they were commandeered.


    "Examining dead bodies is not exactly my specialty." Dr. Zutter said as she washed her hands in a bowl of warm soapy water another servant was holding. "That said I don't have to be a coroner to tell you that what killed him wasn't natural."


    Ranma sighed and nodded. The body of Private Tanaka was shrivelled like those that had been pulled out of the House Cynis estates. Dried wax-like skin pulled over shrivelled muscles and fragile bones. His hair was thin and greyed almost to the point of resembling fine strands of ash. The only thing that could rightly identify him was the dog tags pulled from around his neck.


    "So whatever entity rampaged through the Cynis estate got him as well then?" Ryu asked.


    "Having seen a few of the other bodies I can say yes." Dr. Zutter said. The old woman sighed. "If I hadn't seen the boy running around myself I would have said he'd been dead for at least a month in the desert. Perhaps longer."


    Ryu nodded. "Can we be sure it's the same one?" He added, "I mean if there's more than one of these things."


    "I have no experience with magic." Dr. Zutter replied, "And I'd rather not entertain the possibility of two things capable of turning a man into a raisin running around this city, let alone more. Now I have more patients, actually living ones, to see. So unless you need me?" She trailed off.


    "Go, Doctor. Thank you for taking a look." Ranma waved her off and the old woman left, a small cloud of assistants following her out of the room. "This is a problem." She said once the door closed behind them. It was more than just a problem, it was a potential disaster.


    "I've instructed everyone involved to stay quiet for now." Lily said, "It should keep the news from spreading too far for the moment."


    "I've sent Colonel Roberts and a team of men to speak with Sergeant Ito. See if there is anything he can remember from last night." Ryu said. Her new General was scowling down at the Private's body. He was probably blaming himself for this, after all the only reason the guy had been outside of the fortress was because of the dispute over leadership.


    "News will still spread," Zeriah said. The older dragonblood had taken a seat on a crate nearby. "We won't be able to keep a lid on this. Too many eyes, too many ears. Far too many lips to silence."


    "Then we need to get ahead of the news," Ranma said. The news of a demon or hostile spirit of some kind would cause chaos inside the city. She'd seen it before in Nerima, and those had been non-lethal encounters for the most part and none of them had been poised to trap fifty thousand people inside an enclosure with the monster. "Setarial," She turned to the Goddess.


    "Lady Castellan, how may I assist?" The Goddess asked, bowing slightly.


    "I need Leitleen to assist Lily with this." She said.


    Setarial nodded. "Of course. I believe she can spare some time between her messenger duties. I'll send her over immediately."


    "Good. Ryu, Akiyama." She turned to the two military men in the room. "Divert men from anywhere you can spare them. As of this moment, the only thing more important than finding this demon is prepping the docks." The rest of the city had decent defensive fortifications, but if those failed to be completed in time they'd be in real trouble.


    "I'll double the patrols. Do you want to involve the new city watch?" Ryu asked.


    She considered that for a quiet moment. The watch would bring in more manpower, but none of them were trained for fighting soldiers, let alone demons. "Tell them to keep an eye out, but that this is dangerous enough I'm ordering them to do nothing more. They see something, they tell us. I'll deal with this thing myself when we find it."


    She turned to Whitemane Lily. "Lily, you have free reign to hunt this thing. Ask for anything, you'll get it." She said.


    The dragonblooded woman smiled and bowed at the waist. "As you command Milady." She said. "I'll find it."


    "Good." Ranma paused and turned back to the body on the bench. Behind her Ryouga, who had been remarkably silent since her rather embarrassing actions in the chocolate shop, stepped up and placed a hand on her shoulder. She glanced back and he just nodded. He would help if she asked. "Thank you." She said quietly before looking to Ryu.


    "See that his body is given a proper burial Ryu." She said.


    "Right away." He replied.


    "Good. Everyone-"


    She was interrupted as the door banged open, Sergeant Ito striding through with Colonel Roberts on his heels. "Where is he?" The man shouted, before spotting the body. A myriad of emotions flashed across his face before settling on anger. "How?" He demanded.


    "Ito." Akiyama said, stepping forward as the Sergeant stepped up to the body.


    "Akiyama." The sergeant growled as he stared down at the shrivelled body of one of his men. "This is not natural." He said.


    "No, it's not." Ranma said, drawing the man's attention. She glanced to Colonel Roberts.


    "He's clear ma'am. Far as I can tell." The Colonel said.


    The Sergeant's hands gripped the edge of the bench on which the body sat. The stone around his fingers cracked under the pressure. "What's being done?" He asked.


    "Hunting the demon just became priority one. We can't stop our preparations, but Magistrate Whitemane now has a carte blanche on anything she needs for her hunt." Ranma replied.


    "I want in." He said.


    Ranma looked to Lily. "Can you use him?" She asked.


    "A few extra hands are always helpful." The magistrate replied, "However, I am in charge of this hunt. Fighting demons is something I've done before. You have no experience in it."


    The Sergeant looked at her with an intense distaste before nodding once. "Alright." He said, "But you screw this up…" He trailed off.


    She simply hummed and looked to Ranma.


    Ranma sighed and nodded. "Alright," She said, "Everyone, dismissed." Lily promptly strode from the room nearly at a jog, the sergeant at her heels. Zeriah sighed, stood, and followed. Setarial simply faded from sight while Ryu and Akiyama descended into a quiet conversation with Colonel Roberts.


    As for Ranma, she stared at the body for a few more minutes. Private Tanaka had been the first to die. It was an impossible dream to think he'd be the last, but Ranma would be damned if she didn't want to try and believe it.


    -0-0-0-0-0-​


    Ryouga leaned against the stone parapet of the outer walls as he watched Ranma lead just over a hundred new recruits through the basics of wielding a spear. She had been going for several hours, almost since the moment she had left the Temple. When she'd swept out of the temple she'd had started going from training group to training group, watching for a few minutes before either grabbing a few people from the group or moving on. By the time she had made a full circuit of the yard around a hundred rather confused recruits were following in her wake.


    To nearly anyone else it must have looked entirely random. A labourer here, a blacksmith's apprentice there. That girl who was arguing with the sergeant, the man with tattoos running down both arms. It was an eclectic selection of people to nearly anyone.


    Ryouga, however, could see why she picked them. They had talent, in varying quantities, but all of them showed some natural skill with a weapon. The girl who was arguing with the sergeant was correct about how she should hold the spear. The blacksmith's apprentice was correcting his own mistakes before any of the teachers could notice, and doing so without compounding his issues. The man with tattoos showed signs of being self-taught with experience to back it up. They all showed signs, small and large, of some talent.


    A hundred people was a lot to train by yourself, and he could have probably helped but… Eyes that glimmered with Golden li-


    "Is something wrong Lord Hibiki?" He started and jumped as Setarial manifested beside him. The Goddess smiled at the annoyed glare he sent her way.


    "Nothing." He said shortly, looking away from her. Unerringly his eyes found their way back to Ranma as she demonstrated a simple technique for use with the spear. His eyes followed the sway of her braid.


    "Your eyes haven't left Her Grace's self since you returned from your excursion into the city Lord Hibiki." He closed his eyes and stifled a groan as the Goddess commented knowingly. He looked back to her and she smiled gently at him. "Is there an issue?" She asked.


    "No, yes, I-" He sighed, sparing a lingering glance towards Ranma. "I don't know." He finished. "I just don't know." What he was feeling watching her was just… It was Ranma, it couldn't be that. He leaned back against the stonework and looked at the floor with a frown.


    The goddess hummed softly. "I thought it might be something like this. Allow me to guess. You have found yourself having strange dreams, perhaps you can remember them, perhaps not." His gaze snapped up to look at Setarial as she continued. "Something in those dreams lingers however and now whenever you look at Her Grace, you can see that thing and it calls to you, entrancing your attention and conjuring emotions that you can't quite name." She paused, "How close am I?"


    His mouth opened and closed silently for a few moments before the Goddess chuckled. "This is not the first time I have dealt with a young Lunar before Lord Hibiki. Walk with me. Perhaps your mind will work better away from the Lady Castellan." She said, placing a hand on his shoulder and guiding him down the wall away from the training group.


    A few feet down the wall he found his words. "How?" He asked.


    "Like I said, I have dealt with many young Lunars over the years. Tell me, what do you dream of?" She asked.


    He took a deep breath and sighed, watching the goddess warily. Should he tell her? She had managed to figure out quite a bit just by watching him and if he was being honest, he didn't trust her at all.


    "I seek only to ensure my City survives Lord Hibiki." She said politely. There it was again, since when was he a Lord? "You are hardly in fighting shape if you spend all day staring longingly at our Castellan."


    He blushed. "I'm not staring longingly at Ranma." He said heatedly. The blush grew in strength as she just raised an eyebrow at him. "It's Ranma." He insisted. Really, it was Ranma. Just…


    Red hair caught the sunlight, shining with the dawn as she smiled-


    A hand on his shoulder brought him out of it as she frowned at him. "I see. Well this is interesting. You have it a fair bit stronger than I usually see. How long has this been going on?" She asked.


    "Has what?" He replied.


    She groaned. "I am trying to help you you silly boy." She said, "You were no longer in the present. How long has this been happening?"


    Ryouga frowned, then sighed. Fine. "I've been dreaming since the first nap when we got here. I've been having these moments since yesterday." He admitted after glancing about to make sure no one was around. The wall was empty for at least fifty feet.


    "What do you see when you dream?" She asked, leading him over to a stack of crates by the parapet. She guided him to one and forced him to sit.


    "I see Red hair. It gleams in the sun. Sometimes it is dawn, other times dusk. Her eyes shine with a golden light. I-" He gasped and leaned back against the stones shaking his head. He blinked, Setarial was staring at him with an odd expression. "What?" He asked.


    She said something. It couldn't have been Japanese, or even Realm. It sounded formal whatever it was.


    "I have no idea what you're saying." He said.


    She frowned more. "Interesting. That was Old Realm, from the first age. You just spoke to me in it. Fluently." She said,


    "I did?" He had felt a bit strange right then, but had he been that out of it?


    She nodded. "Well I can at least tell you what is going on." She said, "I believe I mentioned in passing the Lunar-Solar bond before, yes?"


    Lunar-Solar Bond? "Um, possibly?" He said, hesitantly. It wasn't ringing any bells to him.


    "Perhap pay a bit more attention next time, then." She said. "Let us start from the beginning. There is a bond between the Solar and Lunar Exalted, much as the sun and moon chase each other forevermore so are the Solar and Lunar exaltations inextricably bound together. While not every Lunar has bonded with a Solar, most of the first lunars found comfort or comradery with a solar. Bonds so strong that they have carried on through the ages from incarnation to incarnation. What you feel Ryouga Hibiki, is a shadow of what your predecessor felt for the Solar with whom you share a bond."


    "A Shadow." He could barely take his eyes off Ranma when in the same room, what had the last bearer of this exaltation felt? "These, this isn't me? This is someone else?" He asked.


    Setarial pursed her lips. "When you look at Ranma what is it you feel? What do you think?" She asked.


    Ryouga looked at the ground, his thoughts churning. "I-" He swallowed, "I see her and then, I see her hair in the sunlight and the light in her eyes." He blinked. That was not Japanese that had come from his mouth. Trying to recall he wasn't even sure what it was he had said. Whatever it was, however, seemed to be enough for Setarial to nod.


    "What you are feeling isn't an emotion directly involving Lady Ranma." Setarial said, patting him on the shoulder. "Ranma's appearance, and the feel of her Exaltation, are bringing forth the memories of your predecessor. All celestial exalted go through something similar when in the presence of the correct stimulus. I am not surprised that Ranma brings forth these memories so easily. If she is your bonded, then she will most easily bring forth the memories of her past incarnations within you."


    "So this, this isn't towards Ranma then? This is about someone long dead?" Ryouga asked. For a moment his mind flickered back to the dreams. They were hazy, indistinct. He couldn't remember where they were, what they were doing, just… her.


    Setarial leaned forward and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder again. "All Lunars have to deal with these memories, though I'll admit that not all of them have it quite as bad as you do." Her lips quirked up into a smile.


    He scowled at her. This was not the sort of thing that he wanted to deal with. "Can I get it to stop?" He asked.


    "The intensity will fade with time. At least a bit. As all emotions do. All Lunars develop their own means of dealing with the passions of their past lives." The Goddess continued, "Some deny them, running off into the forests, or finding distant civilizations to act as protectors for. Some deal with them, reconciling the differences between those they remember and the person they see in the now. And others embrace it. Why can they not have what those before had? Perhaps you'd like to try that last one, hm?" The Goddess snickered as he blushed.


    "With Ranma?" He choked out, "Ranma?"


    "Mhmm. Though I suppose her history as a man might get in the way on her side." The Goddess continued, "And the two of you have a history that goes back a ways in this life, yes?"


    "You can say that." He said. Between the murder attempts; chasing her, then him, to china; and the thousand other small insults and… and the times they'd worked together, either to help each other with some big threat, or help Akane, or even…


    Akane, Akari. He buried his face in his hands and massaged his forehead. How were they doing without them? Just feeling these things felt like a betrayal of Akari. If there was any justice Akari was probably still back on earth, safe and sound, but being on a different world didn't mean he could just…


    "I see." Setarial said before tipping his head back up to look at her with a finger. "Reconciling the present with the ancient past can be difficult, but you are not the first Lunar to struggle with it nor will you be the last. If you are not ready to face this, then perhaps it would be best to find something to do other than stare longingly at a person you don't actually want to kiss."


    His blush, nearly subsided, returned again. He narrowed his eyes at her. "You are enjoying this too much." He said.


    The Goddess shrugged. "I lived through the height of the Solar Deliberative. Watching young Lunars and Solars dance around each other was a sport back then. However, as much as I would love to watch it play out once again, I'm afraid we do have more pressing issues to deal with." She patted him once on the cheek then faded out of sight with a simple "Enjoy the rest of your day Lord Hibiki."


    He stared through the spot she had been sitting for quite a while, his thoughts churning in circles. Finally, he stood up again and stretched, a frown on his face. "You know you can be a real bitch." He muttered, directing the words to the absent Goddess. A breeze ruffled his hair, seemingly laughing as it carried snowflakes into the courtyard below.


    She was right about one thing. He really needed to do something other than stare at Ranma. Perhaps he could drag Ryu away long enough for a spar? Ranma had said he was quite good. Or maybe he could help out with the training as well. Not with Ranma's group, but another one? Ruminating on the possibilities he made his way towards the stairs. Whatever it was, it would be something not involving Ranma… Hopefully.


    -0-0-0-0-0-​


    Being able to relax in her own heated pool after a luxurious bath was something Ranma decided she could get used to as she lounged in the large open air pool that evening. The soothing warmth of the pool was wonderful after the mess that the day had been.


    "Milady, the snack you asked for." Ranma opened her eyes and lazily leaned back to look up at one of her maids, Jasmine, who was kneeling beside her with a platter smoked meat, cheese, and a few pastries.


    "Leave it here." She said, snagging a strawberry-filled pastry from the platter and popping it in her mouth. "Oh that's good." She moaned softly as Jasmine placed the platter on the tiles beside her head.


    "As you say, Your Grace." Her maid replied, standing back up. "Is there anything else you desire?"


    Ranma settled back into the water after snagging another pastry and some smoked meat. "Not at the moment." She said, her eyes closing as she luxuriated in the warm water. She listened to Jasmine's footsteps fade away and sighed happily. This was nice and relaxing. All it needed was maybe some music perhaps? Did anyone bring an MP3 player or something else along? If they did she was tempted to try and get it off them.


    Pushing the thought away, she fell into a doze until a few minutes later when the sound of shoes on stone informed her of the entrance of someone into the pool area. She opened her eyes at a sharp tapping noise on the stone pillars. A familiar woman with long black hair was standing politely by the pillars that blocked sight from the hallway.


    "Good evening Your Grace." She said with a small bow.


    "Hello Miyu." She greeted the older woman who was wearing a rather nice dress and had a small stack of papers under one arm. Judging by the styling, and stitching, the dress was local.


    "Enjoying your evening?" She asked.


    "Better than the afternoon." Ranma said, scowling before sighing. "No one has died yet at least. And this morning went so well."


    "Other than an incident in a certain chocolate shop?" Miyu said with a smile.


    Ranma blushed at the reminder. "He was asking for it." She said as though it explained everything.


    "Oh, I'm sure he would have asked for a beautiful young woman to hang herself off him." Her spymaster teased, finding a seat by the poolside on a small bench.


    "It wasn't like that." Ranma protested, "How do you even know about that?"


    "Would I be doing my job if I didn't?" Miyu asked with a wider smile.


    "I assume you have something for me today?" Ranma asked in an effort to divert the conversation.


    "Some minor, some major. Let's start with the small stuff first. Get that out of the way." Miyu said, glancing up from organizing her papers. "Save the major things for when you've gotten tired of the water."


    "Well that's going to be a while off then." Ranma said, sinking deeper into the water, "I'm not planning on leaving this for a while."


    "You'll have to get out eventually." Miyu said, tapping the papers into a proper order. "Now, I'm afraid that most of what I've managed to do is collect reports from your officers and start to get an idea of the layout of the city."


    "So no lists of available materials?" That had been a very long list to go through, though Colonels Roberts and Akiyama had been very happy to receive it.


    "Most of that was already written down. The Realm's record keeping is quite thorough and finding someone to help was simple. The rest were easily found by anyone who knew they were needed and bothered to look." Miyu said, "If i wish to do more I'll need time to build a network and work on recruiting and training agents. That will be a long process."


    Ranma sighed. "I guessed as much." She said, nibbling on a pastry.


    "Now, starting with the most minor I have arranged for Lady Kodachi to have access to a laboratory in the former House Nellens property." Miyu said, "She has agreed to try and address our lack of proper medicine as best she can."


    "So that's why she wasn't at this evening's meeting?" Ranma asked. She had wondered about that.


    "Yes, she was still sorting through the equipment and making lists with the help of a few servants we borrowed from the Palace." The spymistress paused. "I suspect Lady Bretegani will be less than pleased that we borrowed some of her staff without asking."


    Ranma snorted. The stewardess of the Palace was a formidable woman. "That is a problem you brought on yourselves." She said with a chuckle.


    "That it is." Miyu shuffled the papers and continued on. "You remember the stores of materials that were found earlier today?"


    "I helped with both of them." Ranma pointed out.


    "There were more than just the two Milady." Miyu replied, "Several more cars were found. More ammunition for the troops, and some miscellaneous electronic equipment. There was also a small truck full of hygiene supplies. I took the liberty of diverting some for your use."


    "Thanks for that." Ranma said, stretching before settling back into the water. "Anything else?"


    "There are a few other minor issues before we get into the major things Your Grace." Miyu said. The next half hour was spent covering everything from some minor disputes that Staedtler had settled to several merchants who had apparently not been entirely honest with previous Realm inspectors. The added weapons would be useful.


    "On the matter of weapons for your army. There is a shortage of both manpower and material it would seem. I've been in contact with the young woman who has taken charge of our smithing efforts. A Miss Emily Winegate. A smart young woman about your age. Earth Aspect with a talent for working metal." Miyu said, "She says that most of the smiths in the city are being tapped for projects relating to the fortifications already. Amongst those who haven't only a handful have experience with weapons."


    Ranma nibbled on a slice of smoked fish held between two pieces of cheese as she considered it. "Not much that can be done about that in only a couple days. We need the defenses up before the army arrives." She sighed.


    "Exactly so, Milady. However, perhaps it might be worthwhile to meet her? She is a very intelligent young lady. Eighteen and already in her third year at MIT in the states."


    "Isn't that one of their big universities?" Ranma asked.


    "It is." Miyu confirmed, "She has quite a few ideas, but her current position is entirely circumstantial and unlike the good doctor she hasn't yet received any form of favour to grant her the authority needed to implement many that might help in the mid and long term of the siege."


    "I can meet her tomorrow." Ranma said.


    Miyu shuffled more papers. "I should almost mention something." She said, hesitantly.


    "Oh?" Ranma tipped her head back to look at the spymaster. Her view was upside down, but she was more than capable of spotting the worry on Miyu's face. "What's wrong?"


    "Nothing is wrong, Your Grace." Miyu shook her head. "My daughter has been working with Miss Winegate. Helping out in the forge. It is, oddly enough, perhaps one of the safer places for her to be right now. I should warn you, however, she is a bit of a fan."


    "A fan? Of?" Ranma asked.


    "You Milady." Miyu sighed, "She has kept an eye on the 'red haired girl who jumps really high' for a while now."


    Ranma paused, tilting her head to the side. "Really?" She asked incredulously. Someone looked up to her that much?


    "She would get quite excited any time she saw you pass by." Miyu smiled with amusement, "She is a bit of a handful. She was rather disappointed when she realized most martial arts classes don't teach how to jump like you do."


    Ranma hummed quietly. She looked up at the sound of feet on stone and a moment later Jasmine poked her head around the divider.


    "Your Grace, do you require- Oh." Jasmine paused as she spotted Miyu. "I- Excuse me but, who are you?" She asked warily.


    "Hinagawa Miyu." Miyu said, "a pleasure to meet you."


    "Jasmine, one of Her Grace's maids. How did you get in here?" Ranma blinked. Had no one seen Miyu walk in?


    "Through there." Miyu pointed to the door Jasmine had come through, the one that led straight back to Ranma's room.


    "She's my Secretary Jasmine." Ranma said, interrupting the girl before she could continue her inquisition. "Let her be."


    "I-yes Your Grace." Jasmine bowed as a Miyu raised a discrete eyebrow at Ranma. "Do you require anything?"


    "Nothing at the moment, though." She stretched and yawned. "It might be time to get out." She said.


    "Of course, your towels milady." Jasmine ducked out and reappeared with several fluffy towels as Ranma climbed out of the pool. Ranma wrapped a towel about herself before accepting another and wrapping it around her hair. Then she turned and headed for the door following Jasmine as she did.


    "So, what else?" She asked Miyu, who had stood up to follow them.


    "Next, there was a small fire in an abandoned home earlier today. It was found and extinguished quickly, but Staedtler is worried that more could occur unless the abandoned homes are put to use. He's ordered all empty homes to be identified for now and suggests possibly making use of them as storehouses for the time being." The spy mistress continued as they walked back into Ranma's rooms.


    "If he thinks we can make use of them then let him know he should." Ranma paused for a moment as a thought occurred. "And make sure he knows to distribute the grain from the main storehouse across the city. It might be easier to keep track of in one place, but one fire and we'll be in trouble."


    "And we will be under siege. Fire is expected." Miyu agreed, making a note.


    "Next, we have reports from the gate guards show quite a few rich merchants and other notables leaving the city, heading east and south. Most people can't afford to travel in the winter, otherwise I expect we would have more leaving. Interestingly, most of those who have left are apparently associates of Bengtsson." Miyu continued.


    "Really? Should we worry?" Ranma asked.


    "I don't believe so, at least not at the moment." Miyu said, "They are leaving a city under the control of a force they have reason to believe will not trust them and which is about to come under siege. Leaving the City is entirely natural for them. However, in the future they may prove an issue if their influence is not checked as soon as it can be."


    Ranma nodded. "Well, they aren't wrong about us not trusting them." She said sardonically as she was guided to her vanity by Jasmine who promptly ducked out of the room to retrieve Meru's Wind.


    "No they are not." Miyu agreed, "But running off so quickly is one of the reasons why."


    "Hmm…" Ranma shrugged. "I'd ask Leitleen to track them, but between helping with the hunt and keeping up with Kawashima's team I'm not sure she'd have the time."


    "I'll add it to the list of things to be investigated once we break the upcoming siege." Miyu said, making another note before switching pages. She sighed. "And now we're onto some things of a darker nature I'm afraid."


    Ranma's heart dropped for a moment and she closed her eyes for a second. She took a deep breath before opening them and nodding to Miyu. "Go ahead."


    "There have been several more bodies found since the evening meeting. Shrivelled like the young private. Evidently victims of the demon. All of them from the upper levels of the city near the fortress."


    "Alone or together?" Ranma asked, thinking back to the map of the city.


    "Both. A young couple were found. They were close friends from what we have gathered. They were shopkeepers, as well as vocal supporters of policies that Governor Sung was campaigning for before the incident." Miyu said, "Another young man, a labourer was also found dead. Also a supporter of Governor Sung."


    Ranma cocked her head to the side. "Really?" She asked.


    "Yes." Miyu slipped out a few pages and passed them to Ranma. "This is what I've gathered so far on them."


    As Ranma looked them over Jasmine slipped back into the room and laid out the ancient artifact on the bed. Ranma did have to wonder about Miyu's standards. Each page was a full rundown on the people who had died. Age, race, height, profession and next of kin. Ranma shook her head. There was more information than she'd have expected from what couldn't have been more than a couple hours of work.


    "Is it targeting people who might support us?" She asked.


    "I can't say. I don't see how it could be, it has been in the city for as long as we have and with far less to go on." Miyu said frowning.


    "Hmm…" Ranma sighed and set the papers down. "Miyu, keep an eye on the victims. If there is a pattern, maybe we can get ahead of it."


    "Oh course milady. Would you like to-"


    A knock on the door of Ranma's room interrupted her.


    "Who is it?" Ranma called.


    "Me." Ryouga called through the door. "You might want to get downstairs. Bengtsson has disappeared from the jail."


    "What?" Ranma shouted, standing up and knocking over the stool.


    "Like I said. Get downstairs." Ryouga continued through the door. "See you there."


    Ranma growled before dropping the towel and striding across to her bed where Meru's wind lay, currently in the form of a white and gold version of her favourite shirt and pants. Her hair was combed at least, she could braid it later. This… She needed answers now not later.


    A couple minutes later dressed, and with her hair out of the towel, she wasn't going into public with a towel around her head hair damage bedamned, and combed but hanging loose, she strode out through the door. "I'll take a look at this myself, Miyu please wait here for now. Jasmine, I'll be back later, you're dismissed for now."


    The spymistress bowed. "If you insist." She said, moving into the lounge area while her maid bowed and followed her out of the room. As Ranma took the stairs down she hoped that someone had a very good explanation as to how Bengtsson of all people managed to vanish into thin air, or so help her she was going to be furious.


    -0-0-0-0-0-​


    The prisons cells of Garrison Heights were buried beneath the central keep. Two stories down, they were cold and dry and lit with only the occasional flickering torch. No crystals here, not like the palace. No comforts, just stone, straw, and a bucket for those who had to stay. At the time of Ranma's arrival the cells had been empty. They had stayed empty until the night of the gathering at Setarial's temple. That night two people had been brought to stay in these conditions, Bengtsson and his eldest son.


    As Ranma descended the stairs into the poorly lit cells she wrinkled her nose. There may not have been many people down here, but there had been many over the decades and the stench of their ordeals had sunk into the stone and lingered in the air. It was a rancid scent that burned the nostrils without inflicting real pain. Privately Ranma added overhauling the prison to the increasingly lengthy list of things she wished to do.


    Waiting for her in the entryway of the prison were Ryu and Lily. The two were deep in a discussion while Ryouga was leaning against the wall beside them. "Oi." Ryouga said, tapping Ryu on the shoulder before gesturing to Ranma.


    "Ranma." Ryu nodded, "Sorry for pulling you away from your bed."


    "I hadn't gotten that far." Ranma grumbled, running a hand through her still damp hair. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Ryouga staring at her for a long moment before shutting his eyes and rubbing his forehead.


    "Well this shouldn't take too long. This way." Ryu turned and led the way down the hall. Lily nodded to her as she passed.


    "Your Grace." The ex-magistrate acknowledged before slipping in behind her as they went deeper into the cells. The walk to the appropriate cells took quite a bit longer than Ranma would have expected with the underground facility taking up more room than she had thought.


    "Why is it so far in?" Ranma asked as they turned a corner, passing a guard post occupied by a half-dozen legionnaires and a pair of ex-JSDF officers.


    "It's just up this way, but uh… Lily?" Ryu directed the question.


    The dragon-blooded woman was looking at the cells as they passed when Ranma glanced back at her. "Standard Legion procedure is to place political prisoners in the deepest part of the dungeon so as to reduce the likelihood of their escape in the event of a breakout. While I wasn't in charge of this, we did hand the prisoners off to former legion staff to take care of at the time. Bengtsson and his son were separated into their own section of the cells from the rest of their followers."


    As she finished they reached another corner and another guard post where Captain Taylor and several soldiers were looking over a map lit by an oil lantern.


    "For their own safety as much as anything else." The ex-sergeant said, looking up from his map. "Thank you for coming Your Grace." He saluted.


    Ranma nodded to him then looked down the corridor they had just arrived at. Whereas the rest of the prison was merely dim the hallway beyond seemed to shrink in on itself, the shadows clawing at the few sources of light she could see. A shiver ran down her spine. She got halfway through crossing her arms before she caught herself and pushed her left arm down, rubbing her upper arm with her right. Something just felt wrong about the shadows


    "What happened?" She asked, looking around at the assembled group with a frown.


    "It's definitely the demon again." Lily said with a sigh, looking into the shadows of the cell block with a frown.


    Captain Taylor nodded. "Our first sign something was wrong was when the shift change hit. The previous shift was found blankly staring at the wall completely unresponsive. We haven't managed to get anything out of them so far. We've quarantined them in a storage room upstairs and have asked Doctor Zutter to take a look when she can." He said, "The men from the shift change are also getting looked over. A couple of them walked into that." He gestured down the hallway.


    "How are they?" Ranma asked.


    "Drinking. Heavily." Taylor said with a sigh, "Not that I blame them. Just standing near it makes my skin crawl. I can't imagine what they experienced walking into it."


    Ranma nodded, sparing a glance down the hall. Something about the shadows irritated her, a stirring of her ki that slowly but surely rose in strength, like an itch she couldn't scratch.


    "They pulled out Bengtsson's son." Taylor continued. "Boy's alright, shaken but not catatonic like the guards. We put him in quarantine in the basement above. Same thing as our men. Emptied out a storage room and posted guards."


    "Has anyone been down since?" Ranma aksed.


    "No." Ryu said, shaking his head. "I gave the order to create a perimeter. No offence to the men, but I felt this required someone with a little bit more supernatural weight."


    "You won't find anyone complaining about that General." The Captain said. The two men with him both nodded. "Question is, what now?"


    "Now we need to go examine the sight of this." Lily said, frowning at the shadows. Ranma frowned as well as she stared into the shadows as well. It felt like something was trying to stare back at her, a prickling dread that tried to worm its way into her mind.


    The Dawn growled and her ki surged briefly, filling her with warmth and confidence as the fear was pushed aside. A soft glow abruptly surged to life about her, startling those around her. "Let's take a look." She said, walking towards the shadow filled hallway. The darkness seemed to skitter back as she approached, crawling back across the walls and into every nook and cranny that could be found.


    "No damned fear." She heard the Captain mutter as she walked into the cell block. Ryu followed along with Ryouga and Lily. They stuck close since the shadows seemed to shy away from her light, but even it seemed to have a limit as behind her the shadows crawled back out of the cracks and crevices it had retreated to. It was an eerie feeling seeing shadows move without a source to cast them.


    "This one here." Ryu said as they passed the sixth cell on the left. The shadows clung to the bars of the cell even as Ranma approached it. The interior was impossible to see despite the light she gave off.


    "What happened here?" She mumbled, examining the strangely moving shadows she reached out towards the closed door of the cell.


    "Wait!" Lily said too late. Ranma's hand touched the shadows that hung from the door like vines and with a tainted hiss that was felt rather than heard they evaporated leaving untouched bars of steel.


    Ranma spared a glance back over her shoulder. "What?" She asked the surprised dragon-blood.


    "I- What?" Lily said before shaking her head. "Did you know it would do that?" She asked.


    "Nope." Ranma admitted before tugging on the door. It refused to budge since it was, after all, locked. For a moment the shadows in the cell seemed to laugh at her, then she pulled the steel door out of its track and tossed it into the shadows of the hallway before stepping inside. There was another hiss and the shadows recoiled.


    Behind her she heard Lily mutter, "Why did it do that?"


    Ryouga followed her, a soft silver glow beginning to shine from him that drove the shadows further back. "Looks normal enough." He said.


    "Other than the shadows you mean?" Ranma asked dryly. He shrugged.


    "Kinda boring once you realize they don't do anything." He said, kneeling down to examine the floor. The shadows quivered and Ranma had the odd feeling whatever mind was behind them felt insulted.


    As Ryouga examined the floor for clues she walked further into the cell, pushing the shadows back with each step until they were forced back onto the far wall of the cell. A strange inky-black pools that undulated impossibly. She reached out towards them, this time gathering ki around her hand as she did so. Her hand shone brighter and the shadows began to smoke. The shadows quivered before shrinking away, rearranging themselves from an amorphous blob to something defined. Ranma had enough time to recognize the writing of the Realm, a language she hadn't even had a chance to start studying, then the shadows burst into green flame. Everyone flinched back at the surge of heat, then the shadows were gone leaving nothing behind.


    "What the hell was that?" Ryu asked, stepping forward.


    Ranma shook her head and looked around. The shadows that had been creeping along the edge of their light had vanished leaving only an empty cell block behind. "I have no idea." She said, turning to Lily. "Any ideas?"


    Lily took a deep breath and let it out in a heavy sigh. "I- I recognized the words, word, on the wall." She said.


    "What was it?" Ranma asked.


    "It said 'Mine.'" Lily said.


    Ranma pursed her lips. "It's taunting us." She said.


    Ryouga stood up. "Yeah. It is." He glanced her way then looked away again.


    "What does it mean by 'Mine' though?" Ryu asked thoughtfully. He crossed his arms and frowned. "Does it mean 'he's mine' or 'this is mine' or… what?"


    "Or does it mean 'everything is mine'?" Lily continued thoughtfully before shaking her head. "I have no idea."


    Ranma scowled. This thing was playing games with them. "There's one person who might." She said, "We need to talk to Bengtsson."


    "He's missing." Ryouga pointed out.


    "Not the elder. The younger. Ryu, he's upstairs right?" She asked.


    Her General nodded. "He is."


    "Take me to him." She ordered. They had only one witness to this mess and she would get some answers from him.


    -0-0-0-0-0-​


    Interrogating Bengtsson Karl was quite simple. The young man was more rattled than anyone short of the guards and spilled his story easily, a fact that had led Ranma to ordering him moved to somewhat better accommodations as a thank you. The issue was that he didn't know much of anything.


    "I think I recognize it for a moment then…" The young man had shook his head, "Then it said something and I just couldn't care until after I got dragged out of there I- I have no idea what happened between then and now. But… When I try and remember it… It's like a shadow that shoulda been a man." His expression was one of worry and confusion as he shuddered.


    So it was that Ranma was sitting in the lounge portion of her rooms with a glass of wine that had already been refilled twice. She frowned at the wall as she leaned against the armrest of her seat. "This…" She sighed, "I don't think I need to say why this is a problem right?"


    Her spymistress shook her head. Miyu was sitting with one leg crossed over the other in an armchair. "No Your Grace. I can think of several reasons for the demon to have done this, none are exactly a boon for us." She said.


    "I can think of a couple." Ranma said taking a sip of her wine. Normally she didn't drink, but right now the alcohol was the only thing preventing her from punching a hole in the wall as she considered all the ways this was bad. If he turned up dead it could be spun that she murdered her opposition, which was not a reputation she wanted to have. If he got out of the city they could be looking at civil war after they dealt with the Vanehan army. She was sure there were a few other ways it could go wrong, but it was her desire to not punch a hole in the wall that kept her from contemplating them. That she'd leave to her spymistress.


    Miyu made a few notes. "One last thing before I go, Your Grace." She said.


    "Oh?" Ranma asked, idly winding a lock of her still damp and loosely hanging hair around a finger.


    "Earlier you introduced me as your secretary. If we could make that the title I am ostensibly referred to in non-privileged circles it would make it easier for me to report to you and carry out actions in your name without giving away my true tasks." She said.


    Ranma considered it. At the time she had done it simply because as nice as the two maids were, she didn't exactly trust the staff around here quite yet. Not enough for something like that anyway. "I'll make sure everyone who needs to know does." She said before draining her glass and pouring another one. "Right now though, I'm going to finish this and get to sleep." She tapped the bottle of wine. It was nice being able to just ask for something and have someone promptly bring it to you.


    She paused and looked at the glass of wine carefully. Was this what the Kunos dealt with all the time? Just ask and receive? On one hand she could get used to it, but it seemed so easy to just… forget how hard something could be. She sipped the expensive wine and pushed that thought away. It was something for another time, like the next day, when she wasn't starting to get tipsy.


    "Then I had best leave you to it, Your Grace." Miyu said, retrieving her files that had been scattered across the table before standing up. "A good night to you, Your Grace." She bowed.


    Ranma waved her off. "G'nite." She said raising her glass to the older woman as she made her way out. Sighing as the door shut Meru's Wind shimmered and shifted from her usual clothes to a more comfortable loose robe. She took a long drink of her wine and relaxed into the lounge chair.


    A few minutes later there was a knock on the door. "What?" She called, annoyed with the interruption. She was just starting to feel mellow.


    The door cracked open and Captain Kita stuck her head inside. "Whitemane to see you, Your Grace." She said.


    Ranma sighed. "Let her in." Just want she needed, more bad news.


    Lily entered the room, closing the door behind her with a soft click. "Your Grace." She bowed.


    "Lily. Sit." Ranma gestured to the seat Miyu had only recently vacated. "So, what's gone wrong now?" She asked with a sigh, as the ex-magistrate made her way to the comfy armchair.


    "You assume something has gone wrong right away?" Lily asked as she sat down.


    "Why else would you be visiting me at two in the morning after that?" She waved her hand in the general direction of the central keep. "Today started so nice as well…" She muttered taking another sip.


    "You don't normally drink do you?" Lily asked.


    "Not usually. Want some?" Ranma offered, drawing a spare wineglass out of her pocket via her sleeve.


    "Neat trick." Lily said, "Yes, if you don't mind." Ranma poured out a generous glass and handed it over to her. "Thank you."


    "So," Ranma started as Lily took a sip from her glass. "What are here for?"


    "Straight to business then." Lily sighed, taking another sip of wine. She spared a glance for the bottle. "That, that is quite expensive wine. Even by my standards."


    Ranma spared a glance at the red petal decorated bottle and shrugged. "I've had better honestly." It was during her stay at the Chardin's. Wine was about the only thing they bothered savouring. Not that she drank much of it. The last thing she had needed back then was to get drunk around that perverted frenchman. She raised an eyebrow over her glass at the older woman. "So?" She prodded.


    Lily sighed. "I spoke with Zeriah after the interrogation." She said, "Told him about what we found. With all honesty, Your Grace, neither of us is exactly an expert on demons. We were magistrates, but our time was mostly spent fighting the corruption that resulted from the Great Houses infighting. Other than a handful of incidents I've barely dealt with demons. All of them were simpleminded things, first circle demons that got away from the sorcerer's who summoned them. Dangerous to a mortal, less so to one of the Dragon-Blooded. Except for the blood ape." She grimaced and sipped her wine.


    "Zeriah though, he's been a magistrate longer than my grandmother was alive." Lily continued, "He's seen a lot of demons, even if he didn't go looking for them. Rogue sorcerer's tend to summon them prolifically."


    Ranma snorted. That didn't surprise her one bit. "Sounds about right." She muttered, taking a sip of her drink.


    "When I told him about what the Bengtsson boy had seen…" Lily sighed, "He looked worried for once."


    "Why isn't he up here with you?" Ranma asked curiously.


    "He's still having trouble with the stairs." Lily replied deadpan. Ranma felt her cheeks heat up a bit at that.


    "Right… Demon?" She said, getting the conversation back on track.


    "What do you know of demons?" Lily asked, leaning forward.


    "They tend to try and eat me?" Ranma shrugged. "I'm not even sure if I've ever encountered an out and out demon before. Spirits, yeah sure, but I can't say I've encountered a demon before." The Oni probably didn't count.


    Lily nodded and sipped her wine. "There are many demons in Malfeas, thousands of different types. The vast majority have no name, or at least don't have a name that matters. These are the first circle of demons, the least of Malfeas's denizens. They are what most Dragon-Blooded can summon and bind safely."


    "Most?" Ranma asked.


    Lily nodded. "There are rumours about Lady Mnemon of House Mnemon. That she has bound demons of the second circle to her will, but those are rumours as far as I'm aware. Still, until proven false…"


    Ranma nodded. Best to assume the worst. "How many of these circles are there?" She asked.


    "I'm not sure to be honest." Lily frowned. "I never had a formal education in the matter, neither has Zeriah. We are familiar with the first, and Zeriah has encountered one demon of the second before. He says he has heard rumours of a third, but that could just as easily be like the rumours of lost cities made of gold. Fiction." She sipped her wine.


    "Something to ask Setarial later then." Ranma mused. If anyone would know it would be the ancient goddess.


    "Not a bad idea." Lily agreed, "The second circle, all of them have names and titles and demonstrate vast powers in comparison to the first circle. I'm sorry to say, but Zeriah is fairly sure we are dealing with a demon of the second at present."


    Ranma closed her eyes and sighed. "How sure?" She asked.


    "Very. Near certainty." Lily said seriously, "I have dealt with first circle demons before. Even the cunning ones don't display such a variety of abilities as this one seems to possess."


    "I see." Ranma frowned. She finished her glass and poured out another before holding it out towards Lily in offer.


    "Thank you." Lily held her glass out as Ranma filled it again. The last of the bottle drained into the glass and she set the bottle down on the coffee table. Was it still called a coffee table? Did anyone here even drink coffee?


    She pushed the random thoughts aside as she sipped her wine. "Do we have an idea of who we're dealing with then?" She asked.


    Lily shook her head. "No. Neither of use have the breadth of lore required to deduce that. I have only heard rumours of a few, and Zeriah knows only a few more himself. The first circle is millions strong, Your Grace, the second is still composed of thousands. Each is unique, each has powers shared by no other demon. I'm sorry, but I'm afraid identifying this beast is next to impossible at present. There is a chance I may be able to identify it from the books recovered from the Cynis House, but I have yet to even begin to go through them. It could take several days to do so."


    "By which point who knows what this thing will have done…" Ranma muttered, sipping her wine.


    "Yes.." Lily sighed. She drained her glass. "I should get back to the hunt."


    Ranma studied her glass of wine for a moment as Lily stood up. "Before you go." She said, glancing up and the older woman.


    "Yes?" Lily asked.


    "Go to Setarial. She's been around for millennia. If there's anyone here who can figure out who we're dealing with, it will be her." Ranma ordered. They had access to a Goddess who had been around during the earliest days of mankind, not asking for her help would be foolish.


    Lily hesitated before nodding. "As you command, Your Grace." She bowed at the waist, "A good evening to you."


    "Good night." Ranma waved her off. The older exalt swept from the room, the door closing softly behind her. Ranma swirled the wine in her glass and sighed. "This just keeps getting worse." She said to the room before taking a long drink from the glass. Setting down the empty glass she stood up and stretched. It was getting way too late, and who the hell knew what sort of disaster would drop into her lap if she stayed up any longer. Maybe the snowmen the children in the city were making would come alive and start eating people or something. She really wouldn't have been surprised if they did at this point.


    Stifling a yawn she made her way to her bed and climbed in. She was out cold in minutes.


    -0-0-0-0-0-​


    As Lily walked down the hallway towards the central staircase of palace she reflected on the casual conversation she had just finished with the young woman who she had sworn herself to. Seeking the aid of the Goddess of Greyfalls was not Lily's first instinct. The ancient Goddess worried her. A lot of this situation worried her.


    Walking down the flights of stairs to the ground floor gave her plenty of time to ruminate, enough at least that when she saw Zeriah waiting for her at the bottom she had gathered her thoughts in order.


    "Well?" He asked from where he leaned against the bannister.


    "You were right." She said.


    He nodded. "Speaking with Setarial is our only real option." He said, walking with her towards the door. "She has been around for longer than the modern Realm. If anyone in the city knows what we are dealing with..."


    "It will be her." Lily frowned. She paused by the door. "I still say she has an agenda."


    "And we can be certain that it does not involve demons preying on her people." Zeriah replied, turning to face her. "I know she makes you uneasy, and truthfully she makes me as well. That is only sensible when dealing with beings as old as she is. Yet, as of now we cannot afford to alienate our allies. Our position is fragile. The Castellan trusts the Goddess implicitly, she does not trust us."


    Lily sighed and nodded. It was true the new Castellan did not trust the two of them. Well, she had some trust in them, otherwise she wouldn't keep listening to Zeriah's advice or charge her with hunting this demon. Yet it was clear from how she held them apart from the rest of her circle of advisors that they were a secondary influence on her.


    "That does not make me feel any better." She replied.


    "Nor should it. She won't do anything to harm us while we stay loyal, that much I am certain." Her mentor counselled.


    "Setarial?"


    "Ranma." He corrected, "She values loyalty highly." He patted her on the shoulder, "I hope you aren't having any regrets about signing on, are you? You were all for this a few days ago."


    Lily brushed her mentor's hand off and sighed. "Saotome hasn't exactly been acting like a monster, but the legends all say it starts this way. Kindness and magnanimity, followed by cruelty and violence. Setarial can claim what she wants, but…" She glanced up towards the Castellan's room. She shook her head. "Ranma… I want to believe that she won't become like the legends, that we haven't just made a deal with one demon to spare us from another."


    "Then we'll simply have to be vigilant. For now, do as we're asked. I've arranged for a carriage down to Setarial's temple they're waiting by the front gate." He chuckled at her frown. "The Castellan has shown good judgement thus far, I guessed she would tell or suggest you speak with Setarial. Or perhaps even do it herself."


    Lily groaned. "Thank you, Zeriah." She said tiredly. She hated it when he was right.


    "Well, good luck. I'm off to get some sleep. Long day of classes tomorrow… again." He said, patting her on the shoulder as he walked stiffly towards the stairs.


    "Good night Zeriah." She called.


    He waved back over his shoulder. "And a good night to you." He called back.


    Lily turned and headed out the door. The cool winter air nipped at her exposed skin, but unlike a mortal it did little more to her. Still, it was a bit cool for her preference and she made a point to hurry, not quite running, as she crossed the yard to the main gates. The mustering yard was nearly empty, except for a few guards and a handful of men moving crates from the keep into the temple.


    The promised carriage was waiting for her by the main entrance, a driver and three legionnaires were waiting for here beside it, all of them looking fairly cold. The driver in spite of a heavy coat and the scarf he was wearing.


    The legionnaires saluted as she approached. "Lady Whitemane," One of them said, "We've been expecting you."


    "Are you ready to leave?" She asked.


    The same legionnaire nodded. "Ready and eager ma'am." He said. The driver beside him nodded furiously while rubbing his hands together. Honestly, it wasn't that cold.


    "Then let's get moving." Lily said. One of the legionnaires opened the carriage door for her and she climbed in. A moment later two of them joined her, taking up the seats across the way.


    "Apologies ma'am, but there isn't room on the outside." One of them said.


    She waved him off. "The less time we spend outside the better." She said, earning nods of agreement from both soldiers. A minute later the carriage jerked into motion and she settled into the gloom of the carriage to wait out the trip.


    The two soldiers, meanwhile, had struck up a conversation about the situation. For the most part she tuned them out, mostly. Eventually, however, something came up that caught her attention. "Could you repeat that?" She asked the one on the right.


    The soldier looked surprised at the question. "Sure. I saw one of the new dragon-blooded head down into the prison this afternoon." He said.


    "Which one?" She asked.


    He shrugged. "No idea. Tall guy, broad shoulders, black hair I think. Was wearing that uniform of theirs."


    "JSDF then?" She asked.


    "I guess. I mean, they're the ones who wear uniforms right?" The soldier said.


    She nodded. "When was this exactly?" She asked.


    "Uuuh, sun was just about down at the time. I was on guard duty. Didn't see him come back out before the next shift came up." He said.


    That would have been about the time they thought the demon had struck, interesting… "Thank you." She said, turning back to the door. Had one of the new dragon-blooded been compromised already?


    The man went to ask a question only for the other soldier to tap him on the shoulder and shake his head at him, silencing him before he could ask. She was grateful, people tended to take 'I can't tell you' rather poorly.


    Eventually they reached the bridge and a couple minutes later reached the entrance to the temple. Lily was out the door the moment the vehicle came to a stop by the steps. "Get the carriage and horses dealt with, then get somewhere warm. I could be a while." She ordered before hurrying up the steps. One of Setarial's servants, a grey-skinned woman with feathers for hair, greeted her at the door.


    "Greetings, Lady Whitemane. Lady Setarial has been expecting you." The spirit greeted with a bowed.


    Of course she was expected. You couldn't sneeze in the city without Setarial somehow becoming aware of it. "That's quite convenient since I am here to ask a few questions of her." Lily said.


    "Then shall I lead you to her?" The spirit asked.


    "Please." The spirit turned and headed along the familiar path through the temple towards the shrine room and the garden behind it. The temple was much warmer than the cold night air outside, probably due to the braziers that were burning throughout the hallways.


    She was led through the shrine and out the back to the garden. The tree of glittering crystal bathed the gardens in light despite the late hour. Sitting on a bench at the base of it, a bottle of wine and glasses next to her, playing an oddly elongated lute was Setarial.


    The Goddess glanced up and smiled mischievously as she spotted them. "I wondered if you would return. Meereeth, you can go now." The raven-feathered spirit bowed and left quietly, leaving Lily alone with the Goddess.


    "Here to ask for my advice finally?" Setarial asked her as she set aside her instrument.


    "You could have come and offered it." Lily replied.


    "Hmm, would you have trusted it?" The Goddess replied, pouring herself a glass of wine. "Wine Magistrate?" She offered.


    "Well, I already had several glasses with the Castellan so I'm afraid I'll have to decline." She said. The Goddess raised an amused eyebrow.


    "You sure?" She asked, taking a sip "It's quite nice."


    "As was what the Castellan had. Hundred year old Crimson Petal." She replied.


    "Oh really? Quite rare. I'm almost jealous." Setarial said with a smile.


    "She didn't seem to think so. Apparently she's had better." Lily said, finding a seat on one of the garden decorations nearby.


    The goddess chuckled. "An interesting study in contradictions our new Castellan is, isn't she? Claims to have spent most of her life on the road, yet knows the taste of the finest wines? The life she has lived, oh yes I do wonder what she has been through." She said thoughtfully, sipping her wine.


    Ranma Saotome was indeed a study in strangeness, however she was not why Lily was sitting on a stone lantern in a temple at four in the morning. "Yes well, she ordered me to come speak with you about the latest events involving the demon." She said.


    "Hrm, I had heard there was something involving the prison earlier. I'm afraid I was a bit occupied at the time." Setarial said without a hint of apology. "So, what has transpired that brings you to my door?"


    "Bengtsson has been taken. Or rescued, or… Who knows the mind of a demon." Lily sighed.


    Setarial frowned. "Bengtsson, taken? Interesting. Not what I would have expected." She said.


    "Well, he's gone. His son got a look, but.." Lily frowned, "Zeriah is certain that we're dealing with a demon of the second circle."


    Setarial paused, her wine glass half-raised to her lips. "Truly? Why?" She asked, setting her glass down.


    "Its powers are too varied, too disconnected to be the work of a single first circle." Lily replied, "It left a message for us in Bengtsson's cell. The entire cell block was consumed with shadows and we had to follow the Castellan in to get to the cell. The shadows formed the word 'mine' before leaving."


    "Mine?" Setarial repeated, frowning. "Anything else?"


    "The man's son, Bengtsson Karl, bore witness to the event, but the demon did something and all he can remember is that it was 'like a shadow that should have been a man'." The ex-magistrate said. To her surprise the Goddess grew very still.


    "Were those his exact words?" The Goddess asked, leaning forward with a frown that sent shivers down the ex-magistrate's spin.


    "Yes." She replied.


    Setarial scowled and picked glass of wine up, draining it in a single swig like it was ale or beer and not one of the most expensive wines in Creation. "Fuck." She said simply, cursing for the first time in Lily's memory.


    "What?" She asked, a feeling of worry stealing over her.


    "It leaves it victims drained. Can leave areas consumed in shadows, leave messages in them, and the only witness names it a shadow that should have been." Setarial said, standing up, "Come with me, I believe I know the beast we are dealing with." She strode purposefully from the garden and Lily rushed to keep up.


    "What is it?" She asked.


    "Assuming it is what I am thinking of, a demon at least as old as I." Setarial said as they swept back into the temple proper. They strode passed hallways of statues, through an immaculate library full of scrolls and books, and down a staircase hidden behind a statue of an arrogant looking man with sharp features holding a disk of orihalcum and a brush. The staircase led to a glittering door of jade guarded by a couple of heavily armoured bears. They bowed as Setarial approached.


    "The Heavens Open." She pronounced as they approached.


    "And the gates unbarred." Replied the one on the left. The two of them gripped the door handles and pushed it open. Inside was an opulent room, the floors tiled in Jade with a vaulted ceiling held up by spindly supports of wrought moonsilver and statues of Orihalcum lining the sides. Racks of books, jewels, and a thousand minor artifacts whose combined value was more than Lily could calculate at that moment. At the far end of the hall was a stand with incredibly ornate armour of orihalcum and an equally ornate spear of red jade beside it.


    "They will only open for me magistrate, so do not get any ideas." Setarial said as she led the way through the treasury to a shelf of books.


    "Theft was the furthest thing from my mind." Lily snapped in reply at the insinuation.


    "Hmm…" Setarial ignored her as she pulled three books down, put two back, and pulled another one from the shelf before flipping through it. "Here we go." She shut the book and held it out to Lily as she placed the remaining book back.


    Taking it carefully Lily raised an eyebrow as she looked at the book. "'An Accounting of the Second Circle, Circa the Primordial War, Vol.32'." She read out.


    "A translation of a translation I'm afraid, but I lost the original some millennia ago. Not that I expect you could have understood it." Setarial told her, "Page two-thirty-one, The Shadow That Should Have Been. Fairly infamous for the era actually. If you require anything, assistance, further information, ask it Magistrate. I know that thing far better than I'd like."


    "How?" Lily asked.


    Setarial was silent for a moment. "We've crossed blades a time or two." She admitted, "Back during the war. It always seemed to slip away whenever things went wrong." She shook her head. "The book has as good accounting of it. Should you have further questions after reading it, come and speak with me then."


    "Then I'd best get back to the men I brought with me." Lily said.


    "This way." The path back to the front entrance was just as winding going up as it was coming down, but soon she parted ways from the Goddess and found the four she had brought with her waiting for her in a room near the entrance where several spirits had apparently decided to entertain them. It was, she supposed, a small miracle that alcohol hadn't been involved.


    By the time the carriage was ready to go again, and they were trundling back over the bridge, the eastern horizon had just begun to lighten. Another day was dawning.


    -0-0-0-0-0-​


    The wind blew through Ranma's hair, stirring her crimson locks as she watched the sunrise from the bough of a large tree. It peaked over the edge of the tree covered hills in the distance, casting the world in brilliant colours after the dreary night.



    "You know," A familiar voice called from below, "If you're here to get a look at our enemy, they're in the other direction."



    She knew him?



    "But the Sun is this way." She called back, sparing a glance down at the Lunar below. The young looking man clad in leathers looked up at her through thick bangs of black hair. He was squinting in the morning light.



    Why couldn't she remember his name?



    "Well if you aren't here to look at the walking pile of rocks, then get down here. It's happened again." He said.



    What?



    Impotent rage flared in her heart at that. Ranma closed her eyes and counted to ten, then did it again. "How bad?" She asked, sliding out of the bough of the tree and hopping down, bouncing off other branches as she did to help slow her fall.



    "Five Captains dead along with their closest retinues." He replied as she landed in front of him. "Four throngs have been left completely without leadership. I've already started moving officers and men around. I'm fairly sure we can fold them into the reserves without too much issue."



    Was this?



    "From one wing, or multiple?" Ranma asked, as she studied the man in front of her. He looked tired, like he had spent too long awake. Not surprising, he never went to sleep when she told him to.



    "Two wings, though most are from…'s force." He said. She nodded, recognizing the name. A good man, very capable for a Terrestrial.



    Who? Why couldn't she hear his name?



    "Did he survive?" She asked.



    "Without injury. Though not for lack of effort on the demon's part." Her Lunar replied, "It retreated when a group of gods responded to the commotion."



    Good.



    "As usual then." Ranma growled, turning away and walking to the cliff edge that the tree clung to. "Everynight. Dead men, good men." She looked out to the west, across the plains into the far distance where a vast shadow slowly moved. Even so far away they could feel the tremors it left with every shifted boulder and displaced cliffside.



    She still wondered how she was supposed to kill a mountain.



    Why was she fighting a mountain? This… why was this familiar?



    "The numbers have decreased since we instituted our new procedures." He said, stepping up beside her and laying a hand on her shoulder. "We are making progress."



    "And every additional day costs us more. At this rate we'll be bled dry long before we clash with our foe openly." She hissed, turning away from the distantly shuffling mountain. "If only I could find that thing. I'd- I'd…" She growled and mimed squeezing something with her hands.



    …. Snorted. "Oh really?" He said with a chuckle, throwing an arm over her shoulder. "And how do you plan to strangle a shadow to death?"



    "With my hands of course." She muttered, leaning against …. with a sigh. "Why is it always shadows and mountains? Why can't it be a snake, or something that actually needs to breathe?"



    Snakes weren't much fun to fight either. The Orochi had been a real pain. And why, WHY couldn't she remember his name?



    He chuckled and pulled her into a hug, she let him since they were alone. She only let him. Looking her in the eyes he smiled. "I'm sure if anyone can figure out how to strangle a mountain it'd be you …. It wouldn't be the first time you've managed something impossible. Remember the Tyrant Lizard?"



    Was that her name? It- It felt like it was, but… why couldn't she hear it properly? … and why was she letting him hug her?



    Unable to keep a smile off her face she chuckled. "I had chains that time." She reminded him, wrapping her arms around his neck and looking down at him with a grin. "It was easy with a little leverage."



    "Then maybe," He said teasingly, "That's what we need this time."



    "Chains big enough to restrain a mountain?" She pondered, "Maybe. Or perhaps… hrmm…" She tilted her head to the side and pondered the issue.



    "Oh? Have I sparked an idea in your mind? Ignited the fires once more?" He poked her in the side.



    Oi!



    She snorted and pushed him back. "No poking, and maybe." She said with a smirk, stepping back to lean against the tree. She ignored the groan of disappointment from … it was what he got for poking her there. Again.



    "I was thinking," She continued, ignoring the puppy-dog eyes he was sending her way, "You're right in a way. We've cornered the thing before, but it just…" She squeezed the air with a hand and mimed it disappearing with a puff. "We can corner it again, I know that, but you're right even if I can get my hands on it what's to say it can't just slip away from even me. Everything else has failed."



    He nodded, before humming and turning to look at the mountain that was shambling in the distance. "You know … do you think it could work on something bigger?" He asked.



    "It's a mountain." She deadpanned.



    But even mountains can fall. She had proven that with Herb.



    "So? We're Exalts, this is what we're supposed to do." He replied glibly.



    She assessed the shadow in the distance. "Chains large enough to hold down a mountain? How would you even go about making or transporting them? Let alone using them? But…" She could see it in her mind and it wasn't like they'd have to make it themselves. They had the gods and him as well. If anything could create something like it…



    She blinked, at some point while she was thinking … had crossed the distance and was smiling at her from a foot away now, one hand bracing him against the tree behind her as he leaned in. "So?" He asked with a smile, "can we do it?"



    What is he? Why was she letting him so close?



    "Chain a mountain?" She asked with amusement.



    "Chain a Primordial." He corrected, leaning closer. Some of his hair fell forward tickling her nose.



    She brushed it back behind one of his ears. "Maybe." She said, her hand lingering as she toyed with his hair. She wrapped her other arm around his shoulder and gave him a brilliant smile. "I'm guessing you're looking for a thank you."



    Why was she?



    "Well, it was my idea." He said.



    She snorted and giggled. "We haven't even tested it yet." She said, her lips twitching upwards into a smile despite herself. "You are a very greedy wolf you know that."



    He leaned in close enough their noses were almost touching as one hand toyed with her hair. "But you like that about me." He said.



    Why was she feeling like this?



    "So you claim." She said as their lips drew close-



    BANG


    Ranma's eyes flew open and she sat straight up, her heart pounding from something other than being startled by the sound of a small explosion going off outside. Brushing her hair back behind one ear she tried to hold onto the strange dream, but most of it slipped through her fingers, disappearing back into the ether from which it came. What lingered most was a strange sense of disappointment.


    "Who was that…?" She mumbled to herself, shaking her head to clear it as she rolled out of bed and walked over to the window. Through the light snowfall she could see over the mostly decorative wall that separated the palace from the mustering yard. She could just make out a group of soldiers by a small crater in the yard who were being yelled at by one of her officers. She frowned, unless she missed her guess, that was Lockler.


    What were those idiots doing out there?


    Sighing and shaking her head she gave Meru's Wind a gentle push and it flowed back into her normal clothes. Well, the only way she was going to find out was by going down and finding out.


    She stopped at her vanity on the way to the door and quickly braided her hair into its ponytail, locking it in place with the dragon clasp before slipping the Collar of Dawn's Cleansing Light around her throat.


    Still, as she left the room, she had to wonder where that dream came from. It had felt so… real, so very real...


    -0-0-0-0-0-​


    So another chapter finished~ *Cheering kitsune* Thankie to @Gekkou_Yoko for her help once again~ *Snuggles fluffy assistant* My quality has improved quite a bit since she started helping~

    Now, a bit of news. I've not really made a secret that I'm planning on being a full time author, but I'm quite a ways from publishing an actual novel of my own. Not that I'm planning on abandoning writing fanfiction ever, I enjoy writing these stories too much it wouldn't be fair to all of you. Nothing is worse than an author abandoning a story part way… which I am a bit guilty for with my early stories. *embarrassed kitsune* In my defense if I were to continue those now I'd have to rewrite them entirely because they just don't match my standard anymore.


    The point to this rambling paragraph is to ask for a bit of help. I've set up a Patreon, if anyone wants to help me do this please donate~ I'm planning on having some artwork made up for these stories if I get enough coming in, but right now I'm hoping to have some assistance covering some of my expenses. *car insurance is expensive* So if you have some spare money you feel like sending my way please use the link below, I'll be adding it to my signature today as well. Thank you for your time, and any donations are appreciated~ *Humble Kitsune Bow*


    Patreon


    I've also set up a discord for anyone who wants to join.
     
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  • Threadmarks
    • Grounders10 said:
    Dr. Zutter looked up from where she was examining the body of Private Tanaka. "Do I look like I can make the dead talk?" She asked.
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    That depends on your bonus point selection and starting charms.
    Grounders10 said:
    The Sergeant looked at her with an intense distaste before nodding once. "Alright." He said, "But you screw this up…" He trailed off.
    She simply hummed and looked to Ranma.
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    Somehow I don't think she's very intimidated by the sergeant.
    Grounders10 said:
    Perhaps your mind will work better away from the Lady Castellan."
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    I don't know. This is Ryouga we're talking about here.:p
    Grounders10 said:
    Whatever it was, it would be something not involving Ranma… Hopefully.
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    Insight check!
    -clattering dice-
    .......Yeah you are not that lucky buddy.
    Grounders10 said:
    "As usual then." Ranma growled, turning away and walking to the cliff edge that the tree clung to. "Everynight. Dead men, good men." She looked out to the west, across the plains into the far distance where a vast shadow slowly moved. Even so far away they could feel the tremors it left with every shifted boulder and displaced cliffside.
    Click to expand...
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    Apparently Mark Twain's phrase "history never repeats itself but it rhymes" is quite apt when the universe is running on narrative physics.
    Grounders10 said:
    …. Snorted. "Oh really?" He said with a chuckle, throwing an arm over her shoulder. "And how do you plan to strangle a shadow to death?"

    "With my hands of course."
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    It would appear that certain personality traits were shared among the bearers of Ranma's Exaltation.
    Grounders10 said:
    Still, as she left the room, she had to wonder where that dream came from. It had felt so… real, so very real...
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    And I can't wait to see Ranma's reaction to getting the 411 of what she's experiencing. Things are going to get all kinds of awkward....well until she beats up Ryouga which clears her head. Feels just like old times.

    Then (considering her luck) she gets a dream sequence of what one previous Exaltation holder tended to do with her Lunar partner after/during said 'full-contact sparing sessions'.;)
     
    Grounders10 said:
    "The exceptional news is that we're not going to risk running out of saltpetre anytime this decade."
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    "They've already been paid for last years harvest, if we want to continue the deal we'll need to find out for next year. I imagine it won't be cheap, however." Roberts said, getting nods of agreement from everyone.
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    Rereading this chapter, I have no idea why anyone would find the Saltpeter mines objectionable, while the most common source was organic there were several mineral deposits that were mined historically. Regardless now that you've changed it these bits don't fit.
    A mine would be in continuous operation building up the stockpile for shipping, and if they need more expanding production isn't impossible. However if it's a matter of collecting a set amount per year in exchange for something then:
    1)What they have stockpiled is all they are going to have for the next year.
    2)It's rather important, although not as urgent as a dozen other stuff to find out what the agreement was and if they can still supply their side of it. Also if it's possible to increase the amount of Saltpeter they get.

    Basically "We're not going to run out of saltpeter, we have a stockpile and a mine to provide all we need" makes sense. "We're not going to run out of saltpeter, we have a stockpile which we traded for and while we have no idea what it cost or how much the supplier can provide I'm sure it will be fine" does not. Currently what you have is the later.

    Just forming the blade requires months of training on top of an already years-long training regiment regimen.
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    Typo

    Now to read the new chapter.
     
    I eagerly await salt over the Ranma/Ryouga shipping
    Oh and good update too kitsukonkon
     
    Grounders10 said:
    Patreon
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    Nice chapter, I really like the way you're developing Ranma and Ryouga's relationship and I'm looking forward to see how things develop with the demon.

    About Patreon, while I'd love to pay you for your original work, paying you for fanfiction has some major moral issues (at least IMO) as well as potential legal problem and is generally a bad idea because it gives the people who believe stories like the nonsense about MZB getting sued by a fanfiction author some actual facts to back up their stories of how horrible fanfiction is, while undermining one of the big arguments in favor of it, i.e that it's free publicity.
     
    bejammin2000 said:
    I believe the demon is no longer an issue, because I think it was a co-adjucator or what ever Carrie's an Infernal shard...
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    No, coadjutors are always first circles. The second circle is still out there. Not sure how he got here in the first place, though. Terrestrials can't summon second circles normally, and although they can summon unbound second circles with a sorcerous working (If they're stupid), that takes months.

    It's also really weird that he was able to do so much damage to Merela's army in that flashback. Even a third circle shouldn't be much more than a speed bump to an army on its way to tackle a Primordial.
     
    Please drop the invisitext, it's a pain having to go and select the text every single time it appears while making it having the contrast opposite to the game. And what's worse, it creates a precedent: now we have to check every single written paragraph to check if there is invisitext from now and prior chapters. Just write the text left-aligned right-aligned if you want to separate the dream to Ranma's reactions or whatever.

    It basically burned the whole enjoyment of the chapter.

    EDIT: wrong direction, normally text is left-aligned already
     
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    Grounders10 said:
    need to go examine the sight of this.
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    site
    -?-
    Grounders10 said:
    away from the sorcerer's who
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    sorcerers
    Grounders10 said:
    Rogue sorcerer's tend to
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    sorcerers
    Grounders10 said:
    Wine Magistrate?"
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    Wine,
    Grounders10 said:
    It leaves it victims drained.
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    it's
    Grounders10 said:
    Everynight. Dead men,
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    Every night
     
    Filraen said:
    Please drop the invisitext, it's a pain having to go and select the text every single time it appears while making it having the contrast opposite to the game. And what's worse, it creates a precedent: now we have to check every single written paragraph to check if there is invisitext from now and prior chapters. Just write the text left-aligned if you want to separate the dream to Ranma's reactions or whatever.

    It basically burned the whole enjoyment of the chapter.
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    Seconded. It also makes either impossible or simply very irritating to read on many cell phones. Changing the text alignment, font size, font color or making it italics all serve the same purpose of separating it from normal text.
     
    Grounders10 said:
    "You know," A familiar voice called from below, "If you're here to get a look at our enemy, they're in the other direction."

    She knew him?

    "But the Sun is this way." She called back, sparing a glance down at the Lunar below. The young looking man clad in leathers looked up at her through thick bangs of black hair. He was squinting in the morning light.

    Why couldn't she remember his name?

    "Well if you aren't here to look at the walking pile of rocks, then get down here. It's happened again." He said.

    What?

    Impotent rage flared in her heart at that. Ranma closed her eyes and counted to ten, then did it again. "How bad?" She asked, sliding out of the bough of the tree and hopping down, bouncing off other branches as she did to help slow her fall.

    "Five Captains dead along with their closest retinues." He replied as she landed in front of him. "Four throngs have been left completely without leadership. I've already started moving officers and men around. I'm fairly sure we can fold them into the reserves without too much issue."

    Was this?

    "From one wing, or multiple?" Ranma asked, as she studied the man in front of her. He looked tired, like he had spent too long awake. Not surprising, he never went to sleep when she told him to.

    "Two wings, though most are from…'s force." He said. She nodded, recognizing the name. A good man, very capable for a Terrestrial.

    Who? Why couldn't she hear his name?

    "Did he survive?" She asked.

    "Without injury. Though not for lack of effort on the demon's part." Her Lunar replied, "It retreated when a group of gods responded to the commotion."

    Good.

    "As usual then." Ranma growled, turning away and walking to the cliff edge that the tree clung to. "Everynight. Dead men, good men." She looked out to the west, across the plains into the far distance where a vast shadow slowly moved. Even so far away they could feel the tremors it left with every shifted boulder and displaced cliffside.

    She still wondered how she was supposed to kill a mountain.

    Why was she fighting a mountain? This… why was this familiar?

    "The numbers have decreased since we instituted our new procedures." He said, stepping up beside her and laying a hand on her shoulder. "We are making progress."

    "And every additional day costs us more. At this rate we'll be bled dry long before we clash with our foe openly." She hissed, turning away from the distantly shuffling mountain. "If only I could find that thing. I'd- I'd…" She growled and mimed squeezing something with her hands.

    …. Snorted. "Oh really?" He said with a chuckle, throwing an arm over her shoulder. "And how do you plan to strangle a shadow to death?"

    "With my hands of course." She muttered, leaning against …. with a sigh. "Why is it always shadows and mountains? Why can't it be a snake, or something that actually needs to breathe?"

    Snakes weren't much fun to fight either. The Orochi had been a real pain. And why, WHY couldn't she remember his name?

    He chuckled and pulled her into a hug, she let him since they were alone. She only let him. Looking her in the eyes he smiled. "I'm sure if anyone can figure out how to strangle a mountain it'd be you …. It wouldn't be the first time you've managed something impossible. Remember the Tyrant Lizard?"

    Was that her name? It- It felt like it was, but… why couldn't she hear it properly? … and why was she letting him hug her?

    Unable to keep a smile off her face she chuckled. "I had chains that time." She reminded him, wrapping her arms around his neck and looking down at him with a grin. "It was easy with a little leverage."

    "Then maybe," He said teasingly, "That's what we need this time."

    "Chains big enough to restrain a mountain?" She pondered, "Maybe. Or perhaps… hrmm…" She tilted her head to the side and pondered the issue.

    "Oh? Have I sparked an idea in your mind? Ignited the fires once more?" He poked her in the side.

    Oi!

    She snorted and pushed him back. "No poking, and maybe." She said with a smirk, stepping back to lean against the tree. She ignored the groan of disappointment from … it was what he got for poking her there. Again.

    "I was thinking," She continued, ignoring the puppy-dog eyes he was sending her way, "You're right in a way. We've cornered the thing before, but it just…" She squeezed the air with a hand and mimed it disappearing with a puff. "We can corner it again, I know that, but you're right even if I can get my hands on it what's to say it can't just slip away from even me. Everything else has failed."

    He nodded, before humming and turning to look at the mountain that was shambling in the distance. "You know … do you think it could work on something bigger?" He asked.

    "It's a mountain." She deadpanned.

    But even mountains can fall. She had proven that with Herb.

    "So? We're Exalts, this is what we're supposed to do." He replied glibly.

    She assessed the shadow in the distance. "Chains large enough to hold down a mountain? How would you even go about making or transporting them? Let alone using them? But…" She could see it in her mind and it wasn't like they'd have to make it themselves. They had the gods and him as well. If anything could create something like it…

    She blinked, at some point while she was thinking … had crossed the distance and was smiling at her from a foot away now, one hand bracing him against the tree behind her as he leaned in. "So?" He asked with a smile, "can we do it?"

    What is he? Why was she letting him so close?

    "Chain a mountain?" She asked with amusement.

    "Chain a Primordial." He corrected, leaning closer. Some of his hair fell forward tickling her nose.

    She brushed it back behind one of his ears. "Maybe." She said, her hand lingering as she toyed with his hair. She wrapped her other arm around his shoulder and gave him a brilliant smile. "I'm guessing you're looking for a thank you."

    Why was she?

    "Well, it was my idea." He said.

    She snorted and giggled. "We haven't even tested it yet." She said, her lips twitching upwards into a smile despite herself. "You are a very greedy wolf you know that."

    He leaned in close enough their noses were almost touching as one hand toyed with her hair. "But you like that about me." He said.

    Why was she feeling like this?

    "So you claim." She said as their lips drew close-

    BANG
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    I went through and highlighted the invisitext for everyone who didn't realize it was there.
     
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    Filraen said:
    Please drop the invisitext, it's a pain having to go and select the text every single time it appears while making it having the contrast opposite to the game. And what's worse, it creates a precedent: now we have to check every single written paragraph to check if there is invisitext from now and prior chapters. Just write the text left-aligned if you want to separate the dream to Ranma's reactions or whatever.

    It basically burned the whole enjoyment of the chapter.
    Click to expand...
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    I put the invisitext in places where I felt it would be very obvious there had to be something. Usually by having an unusually large gap in the text.

    ltmauve said:
    I went through and highlighted the invisitext for everyone who didn't realize it was there.
    Click to expand...
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    you missed one.

    "He chuckled and pulled her into a hug, she let him since they were alone. She only let him. Looking her in the eyes he smiled. "I'm sure if anyone can figure out how to strangle a mountain it'd be you …. It wouldn't be the first time you've managed something impossible. Remember the Tyrant Lizard?"

    Was that her name? It- It felt like it was, but… why couldn't she hear it properly? … and why was she letting him hug her?

    Unable to keep a smile off her face she chuckled. "I had chains that time." She reminded him, wrapping her arms around his neck and looking down at him with a grin. "It was easy with a little leverage." "


    Well... I thought they were fairly obvious >.<; *sighing kitsune*
     
    For those of you like me who hate invisatext there is an add-on you can use to make all of it show up in nice black boxes that you can click on to reveal them.
     
    Grounders10 said:
    Now, a bit of news. I've not really made a secret that I'm planning on being a full time author, but I'm quite a ways from publishing an actual novel of my own. Not that I'm planning on abandoning writing fanfiction ever, I enjoy writing these stories too much it wouldn't be fair to all of you. Nothing is worse than an author abandoning a story part way… which I am a bit guilty for with my early stories. *embarrassed kitsune* In my defense if I were to continue those now I'd have to rewrite them entirely because they just don't match my standard anymore.
    Click to expand...
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    Well, you're good enough that you managed to pull me in and made me enjoy the chapter, even if I felt that I didn't want to do any fiction reading yesterday.

    I also strongly dislike invisitext.
     
    Vanigo said:
    No, coadjutors are always first circles. The second circle is still out there. Not sure how he got here in the first place, though. Terrestrials can't summon second circles normally, and although they can summon unbound second circles with a sorcerous working (If they're stupid), that takes months.

    It's also really weird that he was able to do so much damage to Merela's army in that flashback. Even a third circle shouldn't be much more than a speed bump to an army on its way to tackle a Primordial.
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    Actually, the demon left. It wasn't the coadjutor, but it did bring Bengtssun to the coadjutor. And it was very clearly shown delivering him in person. That doesn't mean it didn't go back to the city afterwards to continue terrorizing Ranma's holdings for shits and giggles, so we might see it again anyways, but it does give the impression that it may be done with what it came for and not coming back. For now. Or it may not be.
     
    Vanigo said:
    It's also really weird that he was able to do so much damage to Merela's army in that flashback. Even a third circle shouldn't be much more than a speed bump to an army on its way to tackle a Primordial.
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    Every race has its heroes, the exemplars who specialize in doing the impossible. And if the flashback is any clue, the creature was less interested in fighting than picking off the weak and vulnerable; they might not have even been soldiers. Take out enough support staff, and not even the exalted can keep an army running.
    Add in that it is apparently slippery enough that Not-Ranma damn near got her hands on it, and it still slipped away...
     
    Grounders10 said:
    I put the invisitext in places where I felt it would be very obvious there had to be something. Usually by having an unusually large gap in the text.


    you missed one.

    "He chuckled and pulled her into a hug, she let him since they were alone. She only let him. Looking her in the eyes he smiled. "I'm sure if anyone can figure out how to strangle a mountain it'd be you …. It wouldn't be the first time you've managed something impossible. Remember the Tyrant Lizard?"

    Was that her name? It- It felt like it was, but… why couldn't she hear it properly? … and why was she letting him hug her?

    Unable to keep a smile off her face she chuckled. "I had chains that time." She reminded him, wrapping her arms around his neck and looking down at him with a grin. "It was easy with a little leverage." "


    Well... I thought they were fairly obvious >.<; *sighing kitsune*
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    Personally I thought that it was indeed fairly obvious and added to the passage. It's not really necessary to guess what's going on (or Ranma's thoughts on the matter) but reading it does establish that she is, at least in the moment, aware that something is going on.
     
    Waruiko said:
    For those of you like me who hate invisatext there is an add-on you can use to make all of it show up in nice black boxes that you can click on to reveal them.
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    Such addons are not available for mobile browsers. Invisitext is an utter abomination that should be abhorred. It is impossible to see or make visible on my preferred reading device.
     
    Ferretshock said:
    Personally I thought that it was indeed fairly obvious and added to the passage. It's not really necessary to guess what's going on (or Ranma's thoughts on the matter) but reading it does establish that she is, at least in the moment, aware that something is going on.
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    The text is great, it's a vital part of the scene. It's just not available to 50+% of the people reading this.
     
    Please avoid double posting, simply edit the second quote into the first one, and no mods get upset.
     
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