Disclaimers are a pain to write so I'll let the readers fill in the
blanks this time.
{" "} Telepathic communication
[]: Thoughts
Chapter 33
Second Trial
The Swordsman of Eternal Sorrow
After their victory against the vampire Barada, the twins were
given one day to rest and recover before they were to face their next
opponent. Their wives had given them an enthusiastic welcome
when they appeared in the Amazon village. Ukyo Masaki was
especially glad to see that her husband Ranma Blue had survived his
encounter with the bloodsucker.
"Are you all right honey?" The okonomiyaki chef glomped onto
the elemental twin.
"I'm fine Ucchan. But let me tell you. The only person that I want
to give me a hickey is you."
The Masaki family gathered there couldn't help but laugh at the
joke. When they finally calmed down, the twins separated
themselves from their spouses and approached the immortal twins.
"Here." Ranma Red held out the medallion that Sharoka had given
them.
Taron and Soren nodded as the magic-using immortal took it.
"You have done well Chosen Twins."
"Indeed." Taron agreed. "I must admit, we were a little worried but
we knew that you'd come out on top."
"So what's next?" Ranma Blue inquired.
"Tomorrow, you two shall have to defeat Gaizera, the Blade
Master."
"Blade master?" Ranma Red repeated.
Both immortals nodded as Taron continued. "Gaizera happens to
be the Dark World's most skilled swordsman and possesses great
mystical powers as well. Barada was just a preliminary."
"Anything more that you can tell us?" Ranma Blue asked.
"I'm afraid not. The Contract clearly states that you two must do
this on your own. We can only observe the trials and make certain
that the rules are followed."
The Chosen Twins looked at each other, then nodded.
In the main lodge of the village, another scene was taking place.
Mousse stood in front of the Council of Elders with some
nervousness. His mother Aloe stood on the sidelines and was also
on edge as Cologne finished with her testimony concerning
Mousse's acts of misconduct and violation of the terms of his
Honor Duel with Ranma Red.
The Eldest of the Matriarches, Powder, gazed at the myopic
martial artist with a penetrating stare that made the son of Aloe
flinch. She studied the Hidden Weapons master for a long moment
of silence that seemed to go on forever. Finally, she decided to
speak.
["Mousse. Son of Aloe and disciple of Hace, the grandmaster of
the Hidden Weapons styles. You have brought disgrace upon your
family and caused much trouble for our village. In the past, we had
tolerated your disregard for our tribal laws in your relentless
pursuit of Shampoo. However, your most heinous crime of all was
to go back upon the terms set by your Honor Duel with Cologne's
son-in-law. Ranma Red was well within his rights and had reminded
Cologne that you never got Shampoo's consent nor defeated her in
fair combat. For this transgression, the penalty would have been
your immediate execution!"]
Aloe gasped as her face turned white. She had just gotten her son
back and the thought of losing him again so soon was too
unbearable. She was about to protest when Powder held up her hand
to silence her and continued.
["However, Ranma Red had spoken to me when he returned with
you and his party. He and Cologne had petitioned for the Council to
grant you leniency since your past actions had been influenced by
the evil forces of the Dark World. We have discussed the matter
and have come to a decision. Since you have repeatedly disregarded
the laws of the our village, the Council has seen fit to remove you
from it. You shall no longer have to be concerned about the laws of
the Amazons, as you are to be stripped of your heritage. It is the will
of the Council that you are to be permanently exiled from the
village and the lands of the Joketsuzoku. Never again shall you be
allowed to step foot inside the boundaries of your native soil.
Should you ever disobey this judgment, then you will be killed on
sight!"]
Mousse blanched a bit when he heard these words, but he
expected no less. Aloe was both feeling relief and sorrow. Her son
would live, but she would never be able to see him within the lands
of the Amazons. He was now considered an outcast.
["Furthermore,"] Powder continued. ["It is also the will of the
Council that you give up all pursuit of Shampoo. She is now married
in accordance to our laws and we will not tolerate your pestering of
her. Disobeying this edict shall also result in your immediate
execution! Am I making myself absolutely clear?"]
Mousse could only nod as he tried to hold back the tears.
["Then the judgment is passed! You have a week to get your
affairs in order and leave here forever! If you are not gone from our
lands before that time, then we shall make certain that you will have
a second opportunity to experience death!"]
The Council of Elders nodded to the near-blind boy before
leaving to retire for the day. Aloe went over to embrace her son,
tears flowing from her eyes like a river after the spring thaw.
In the Dark World, Sharoka was sitting in his throne room and
was in deep contemplation. A moment later, Makana and Katoka
were admitted to the chamber.
The black-robed Makana spoke first. "My Lord. We have
informed Gaizera that he shall be the next to confront Soren and
Taron's champions."
"You have done well." Sharoka replied in an even tone.
"My Lord? A question if I may ask?" Katoka said.
"What is it?"
"We can understand why you had Barada challenge the twins. The
fool had his own agenda and we see that it was your plan to rid
yourself of that would-be usurper. However, we cannot fathom why
you wish Gaizera to face off against the Masaki twins. We would
think that Gaizera would do all that he could to intentionally lose to
the Chosen Twins, given his… situation. We also would think that
you were already aware of that possibility."
Sharoka grinned a bit as he responded. "I am aware of it, and I am
counting on it."
"Then why…?"
"You need not concern yourself about such trivial matters.
Gaizera will do battle with the Chosen Twins, whether he wants to
or not. If he is victorious, then the Dark World shall win the
Contract. If he is defeated, then our plans are still unchanged. I love
win-win situations!"
The very next day on Earth…
"Be careful Ranma honey!" Ukyo gave her husband a long and
passionate kiss as they embraced. She had almost died of fright
when she had witnessed her spouse nearly perish at the hands of
Barada. It had taken Ranma Blue some considerable effort to calm
her down and reassure her that everything would be all right.
"Come back soon Airen!" Shampoo followed suit as she touched
lips with Ranma Red.
The rest of the Masaki family and Soun Tendo were gathered
again at the viewing portal as Soren and Taron prepared to send their
champions once more into the Dark World. Many other Amazons
and even the Council of Elders were also present to witness the next
battle within that evil realm. With great reluctance, the twin
champions of Earth released their wives and nodded to their
benefactors. Before transporting them, the immortals warned the
twins that staying too long in the Dark World would begin to
corrupt them, as the evil energies would attempt to consume their
souls. After nodding their understanding, the Ranma twins were
transported into Sharoka's domain.
In the Dark World…
Ranma Red and his brother appeared near the foot of a mountain
range in the realm of eternal night. With a nod to each other, the
two powered up their flight abilities and began heading toward the
place where they would meet with their opponent. A few minutes
later, Ranma Blue pointed down to a plateau that was surrounded by
towering peaks. The magic-wielding Masaki brother nodded as he
spotted a figure that was near the far edge of the flat surface. The
two quickly descended and landed lightly on the rocky platform.
Opposite to where they had come down, stood a large man who
was wearing crimson armor and was more than six and a half feet in
height. He was human looking in appearance and seemed to be of
Japanese descent. He had long black hair that was tied in an
elaborate braid. His armor and clothes resembled that of a
samurai's, but they had demon figureheads carved into the shoulder
guards. The twins could feel the immense power that he was
radiating. Right now, his back was turned to them, and it seemed as
if he was taking no notice of them. He had a faraway look about him
and it appeared as if he was contemplating the dark, swirling clouds
in the distance.
Ranma Red ignited the Light Star Blade while his brother held
Storm Striker at the ready. The scene was one of great tension as
the twins sized up their opponent. The man was heavily muscled but
he seemed to also covey grace and absolute control. The discipline
he was maintaining would have made any sensei proud and he
betrayed no emotion. What caught the eyes of the Ranma brothers
was his weapon. The katana was currently unsheathed and reflected
the light of a nearby volcano. The sword had a three-foot, slightly
curved blade and seemed to be made of a pure, black metal. The
handguard was not the usual round design of the traditional samurai
sword, but it was instead made up of curved talons of some beasts
arranged in a circular pattern. The hilt was also black and was
wrapped in a cloth that was made of some kind of reptilian skin.
The warrior gave no indication of noticing the twins' presence as
he held his sword at his side. The tension began to mount as the
silence continued. Finally, Ranma Red decided to break the
monotony.
"Are you Gaizera the Blade Master?"
The twins waited for his response. When they did not get one,
Ranma Blue repeated the question.
"Are you Gaizera the Blade Master?"
Again there was no answer. The twins began wondering if the
figure had even heard them. They decided to get closer and took a
tentative step forward. The warrior made no movement. They took
another step and nothing happened. They took a few more paces and
the swordsman still would not budge. When they got to within a
dozen feet of him, they stopped and Ranma Red decided to ask
again.
"Are you…?"
"I am he who is Gaizera." The figure answered in a cold and
emotionless voice as he slowly turned to face the twins. The two
Ranmas took a few steps back and held up their weapons to prepare
for battle. It was then that they got a good look at the face of their
opponent.
Gaizera for all intents and purposes looked like a normal human
being. It was his eyes however, that set him apart. His eyes were
pure crimson and had no pupils or irises. Their gaze seemed to
penetrate into the souls of the twins and they couldn't help but feel
a small shiver run up their spines.
Gaizera began gauging the power levels of the two before him
and nodded as he took up a ready stance and held his sword up. He
made no other movement as he began speaking in a low and cold
voice.
"Hear me well, Chosen Twins. Though we are fated to fight this
day, know that I bear no malice against you or your world. In fact, it
is my greatest wish that you succeed in defeating me."
"Forgive us if we find that hard to believe!" Ranma Red retorted
as the glow of the Light Star Blade reflecting his emotions.
"I would have expected no less. But perhaps if I were to tell you
why I so wish for my defeat, then you may understand me better."
Ranma Blue gave his brother a puzzled look in which Ranma Red
returned. Both then turned their gazes back toward the strange
swordsman before giving him an almost imperceptible nod for him
to continue.
Gaizera caught it and began telling his story. "I was born on Earth
centuries ago." Gaizera caught the looks of surprise on the twins'
faces. "Yes, that's right. I came from your world. As to how I
became a servant of the Dark World, it is due to a pact I made to
this realm, in which I have regretted for the last fifteen centuries. I
was once a very young and brash warrior, much like the two of you
were before Soren and Taron came to you. I was a ronin samurai and
I traveled up and down Japan in search of challengers in which to
test my skills. I fought many duels and even against fabled
swordsmen, the end was always the same. Then one day, I met a
great warrior who went by the name of Myamoto Musashi."
"Myamoto Musashi? THE Myamoto Musashi?" Ranma Blue said
in disbelief.
"The very same." Gaizera nodded. "At the time, he had yet to
acquire the legendary skills that would make his name known
throughout history, but he was still good enough to battle me. The
grueling duel lasted for hours and the finally, the match ended in a
draw, unresolved. My burning pride was tarnished and the possibility
that others may be able to match my skills was too unbearable for
me to think about."
Ranma Red and Ranma Blue felt a slight pang of sympathy for
Gaizera as they too remembered when they had been full of pride
and strove to be the best.
"My pride drove me to resort to any means in which to become
the ultimate master of the blade." Gaizera continued. "And so, I
approached the dark lords of this realm and traded my soul for the
blade known as the Demon Fang." Gaizera held up the sword in front
of him. "Like you Ranma Red, as soon as I held it, the knowledge of
the greatest sword masters and the most powerful secrets of the
blade were made known to me. I felt power surging through me and I
knew that nothing could stop me. I went in search of Myamoto
Musashi for a rematch. It was over in an instant. Musashi could not
compete with my skill or power and I had him on his knees and at
my mercy. I could have ended his life right then but he had admitted
to me that I was his better, and so I spared him. The years would
pass and my fame grew, but I soon became aware of the downside of
my wish."
"And that was…?" Ranma Blue asked.
"There were no more challenges. There was no one who could
match my skills or my sword!" Gaizera said with sadness. "It was
like I had eaten and drank my fill. There was nothing more to strive
for! It wasn't long before I cursed myself for agreeing to take the
Demon Fang! However, to my greatest regret, I cannot undo the pact
that I had made with the Dark World!"
"What happened?" Ranma Red inquired.
"In exchange for the Demon Fang and its power, I had become an
eternal lackey for the dark lord Sharoka. Throughout the centuries, I
had done his bidding and caused much suffering and pain to the
innocents of this world and on Earth as well. I had also found that
the Demon Fang had permanently bonded to my soul and causes me
to feel the anguish and pain that I cause to others, but at a hundred
times the intensity! I have been constantly pleading to Sharoka to
end my wretched existence but he will not! My only salvation lies
within the Contract itself!"
"What do you mean?" Ranma Red asked.
"I have tried many times to end my existence by turning the
powers of the Dark World upon myself but it did not work! I have
tried to kill myself with the Demon Fang. I have angered Sharoka
many times in hopes that his power would destroy me. I have
attempted time and time again to stop the torment that is what I have
become! None of that has worked! Sharoka had made certain that I
would stay in his power by casting a spell upon me that has made me
immune to all magic within the Dark Realm! The Demon Fang and
all those within this realm draw their power from here! Trying to
destroy myself with the same power that gives one's strength was
redundant! I need a power great enough to destroy me, yet does not
come from the Dark World! The power of the Chosen Twins!"
"You want us to… kill you?" Ranma Blue said in an uncertain
voice.
"You are my only hope! Even now, the Demon Fang is demanding
that I spill your blood! I am trying to hold… it back so that… you
can strike!" The samurai began to quiver and twitch as he gripped the
hilt of the evil weapon. The blade began to glow with a dark red light
as it began enveloping the warrior in its thrall. "H-Hurry! I-I-I
c-can't hold it back much longer! The…power… the… power is
tearing me up inside!" Gaizera's body trembled even more violently
as the sword became brighter. "P-Please! This will be your easiest
victory! I-I-If you will not do this for me… then think about your
loved ones! My destruction will bring you one step closer to
winning the Contract and save… your world from… Sharoka's
madness! Now… KILL ME!"
The twins looked at each other, uncertain of what to do. They had
never killed anyone in their lives but Taron and Soren had taught
them that the possibility might come up in the trials. There was also
the Contract to think about. Gaizera's death would assure them of
another victory and free the tortured soul from his eternal servitude
of the Dark World. They gripped their weapons and gave each other
a final look before tuning to their foe.
"H-H-Hurry! Kill me now before it's too late!"
Both twins began powering up their auras and the entire mountain
range began to light up. When their power reached a high enough
level, Ranma Blue quietly said to the poor man, "May Kami-sama
grant you final peace Gaizera."
The twins began charging Gaizera to deliver the deathblows.
However, their hesitation had proven to be a moment too long as
Gaizera suddenly flared with blinding energies and a huge
windstorm appeared around him. The gale force winds caught the
twins off guard and threw them back. Large rocks were picked up
and tossed about like toys. A large boulder came hurtling toward the
twins and Ranma Red countered with a chi blast.
"POWER BLASTER!"
The beam of chi energy vaporized the boulder into pebbles but
the resulting debris blinded the two for a few seconds. Then, as
suddenly as the storm started, it then stopped. The Chosen Twins
scrambled to their feet and took a stance to face off against Gaizera.
What they saw made their blood run cold.
Gaizera was standing with his sword held at the ready and slightly
bent over. His eyes had turned to a solid black and his mouth was
pulled back into a snarl. Drool was dripping from his mouth and he
was emitting several grunts and snarls. It was very obvious that
Gaizera had just lost all traces of humanity and had now become
nothing more than a beast. A very angry beast with a bloodlust that
could only be sated with pure, unadulterated violence and
bloodshed. The Demon Fang was radiating so much evil energy that
the twins knew that they had missed their window of opportunity.
In the throne room of Sharoka's castle, the dark ruler chuckled as
he watched the scene unfold in his crystal ball.
"I thought as much. Gaizera thought he could get free of my
control so easily but I knew that the Demon Fang wouldn't allow
him to be destroyed by the Chosen Twins."
"So the Demon Fang has turned Gaizera into a berserker?" Katoka
asked.
"Of a sort. His formidable skills and power has been fully
activated and he will fight to the best of his abilities, despite his
desire to end his existence. His mind is now focused on only one
thing. Kill his opponents. With the Chosen Twins' reluctance to kill
an unwilling pawn, this should prove… interesting. Gaizera's power
level is far greater than Barada's and so I expect a huge amount of
energy will be used in his battle against the champions of Earth."
On the battlefield, both twins were getting an intense workout as
Gaizera attacked them relentlessly. The sword techniques he used
against them were more powerful than any others they had ever
encountered. With the Demon Fang augmenting each of Gaizera's
movements, the Masaki brothers were pushed to their limits to
evade the whirling flashes of deadly light.
Ranma Red's energy blade clashed with the Demon Fang dozens
of times within the space of a few seconds. The sounds of crackling
energy echoed throughout the mountains. Ranma Red used his
teleport technique to evade a series of slashes that made Kuno's
multiple strike technique look like child's play. The magic-using
twin reappeared behind Gaizera, aiming his swordpoint at his
exposed neck.
The Dark World swordsman however, reacted with inhuman
speed and parried the thrust. When the blades clashed, Gaizera let
off a monstrous roar and used a feint to make Ranma Red drop his
guard. The tactic worked and Ranma Red saw the dark blade come
slicing down toward him.
Luckily for him, the head of Storm Striker stopped the unholy
sword. Ranma Blue had leapt to the defense of his brother and was
now charging up some of his energies in his free right hand.
"THUNDERSHOCK FIST!"
The electrified punch nailed Gaizera in the kisser, but much to
the twins' shock; the Blade Master didn't show any indication of
even feeling the blow. With a casual swipe, he made the twins back
off. The identical Ranmas faced off against the Gaizera with more
than twenty yards between them. It was then that they noticed
something bad about to happen.
Gaizera took a stance and began charging up his energies. The
Demon Fang was surrounded by a red-black aura and then suddenly,
the Dark World warrior whipped his sword up in a graceful, vertical
arc.
"DARK WIND CUTTER!"
The twins could not see the attack coming, but they felt its dark
presence nonetheless. Leaping to either side, the two barely dodged
the attack as it sliced up the ground in front of it, digging a huge
trench. They felt the wind of its passing as it sped out and impacted
a mountain some miles behind them. The eyes of the two Masaki
brothers widened in surprised as the entire mountain was sliced in
half! The two halves of the huge mass of rock fell to either side and
then crumbled to pieces.
{"Look out Red!"} Ranma Blue warned.
Ranma Red was just getting over the surprise of nearly being cut
in two when Gaizera used the momentary distraction to close the
gap between them. He sent a series of thrusts at Ranma Red's head,
which the brother of the elemental twin found almost impossible to
evade. Several times the blade just nicked his face as he weaved in
and out to dodge the evil weapon.
Ranma Blue thought that with Gaizera occupied with trying to
skewer his sibling, he had an opportunity to catch him off guard.
Raising one hand to the heavens, he called forth his power over the
elements. A bolt of lightning came down and he absorbed its power
into the outstretched hand. He then threw the blast at Gaizera's
exposed back.
"THUNDERBOLT STRIKE!"
To his surprise however, Gaizera pivoted and deflected the bolt
upward with his blade, then turned back around to continue his
assault on Ranma Red. Ranma Blue never expected anyone who
could move that fast to stop a lightning bolt at so short a range.
Gaizera's parry was barely a flicker of movement and he had lost no
rhythm in his attack against his brother.
[Okay. Let's see him stop these!]
The blue-shirted Masaki focused his ki, then launched a dozen
chi blasts at his foe.
"MOKO TAKABISHA! SCATTER!"
Just as Ranma Blue shouted out his attack, Ranma Red finally
managed to use his blade to parry one of Gaizera's strikes. With the
momentary respite, he hopped up and delivered a sidekick to
Gaizera's face at full strength. The blow connected with his jaw,
causing him to step back slightly. Ranma Red then used Gaizera's
chest to springboard himself away from him.
Gaizera recovered from the blow in an instant and then turned to
intercept Ranma Blue's projectiles. With casual swipes from his
blade, he easily deflected each of the chi blasts as if he were
fending off a horde of mosquitoes. He then turned back toward
Ranma Red and suddenly disappeared.
Ranma Red went into a defensive stance with the Light Star
Blade held at the ready. Ranma Blue moved forward a bit with Storm
Striker. Both waited for the next attack.
"PHANTOM BLADE STRIKE!"
Ranma Blue sensed Gaizera's presence but he couldn't tell where
he was. Then, purely by instinct, he suddenly swerved to one side.
The move proved to be a good one as a bright streak of light
appeared before him. The elemental twin winced as the light cut into
the front of his shirt and left a small gash in his chest. If he hadn't
moved at that instant, the light would have sliced him in half. Blood
began stain his shirt.
Ranma Red used his own senses to try and locate their unseen
foe. It was then that he had the premonition that something was
behind him. He moved forward quickly and barely evaded death as a
light appeared and sliced at his back. He also felt a stinging pain as
the cut drew blood.
On Earth…
"What's happening?" Shampoo asked as she saw her husband
almost get sliced in half.
Taron looked at the image that was being displayed in the viewing
portal. "Gaizera has teleported himself to the astral plane and is
using it to strike at them through the dimensional barrier. The
Demon Fang is obscuring his aura, making it difficult for the twins
to sense him."
"The twins are in trouble now." Soren added as he pointed to the
portal. "The injuries that the Demon Fang has caused to them is now
growing worse. With each cut, the Dark World energies are starting
to seep into their wounds, draining their strength. If they don't finish
off Gaizera and soon, they'll become consumed by the evil power of
that realm."
"My husband and his brother will win!" Shampoo maintained,
though she did not sound as confident.
"Let's hope so."
In the Dark World…
Ranma Blue wasn't feeling so good. So far he and his brother had
been swinging their weapons at random, hoping to hit their still
unseen opponent. This tactic was not giving them any results as
more and more cuts and slashes began to show on their bodies. The
Masaki twins began to feel nauseated and dizziness soon followed,
making their response times and coordination become more
sluggish.
{"Damn! Where the hell is he?"} Ranma Blue swung the
elemental hammer in another direction. He did not connect and was
rewarded by a slash to the right thigh.
{"I think I know where he is. I think he's in the astral plane!"}
Ranma Red responded as he barely evaded another slash. {"I'm going
to take the fight to him!"} Ranma Red's battle aura flared as he
vanished from sight.
Ranma Blue waited for a moment as soon as he saw his brother
teleport himself to where Gaizera was. He then heard the sounds of
blades clashing together. Looking up, he saw two different sets of
lights as they flashed about the area like maddened hornets.
[I guess Red must have found him!] Ranma Blue stood and
watched as the lights danced about, signaling that the two sword
masters were having a tremendous, high-speed duel in the other
dimension. Ranma Blue watched in fascination as the flashed
streaked and often merged as the swords parried and thrust at each
other. Sparks were thrown in every direction and the surrounding
area was torn up.
[Damn! I wish I could help him, but since I can't sense him…
hey! Wait a minute! I may not be able to sense Gaizera, but my
telepathic link let's me know where Red is! Let's see now…]
Ranma Blue studied the pattern of lights that flashed about and
noted that one pattern had a blue tint, while the other was colored
reddish black. [Okay… If I'm right, those blue lights are coming
from the Light Star Blade, so if I can use my link with Red…]
The brother of the mystic Masaki began focusing his inner
energies, searching for his sibling. A moment later, he smiled as he
located Ranma Red. He then reared back and began twirling Storm
Striker by its thong. [Kami-sama, guide my hand!] Ranma Blue
waited, as the flashes of lights became more furious in intensity.
When the lights appeared before him ten meters away, he threw the
hammer toward the reddish black sparks. The elemental weapon
glowed with a white light as it streaked toward the sparks.
There was a huge explosion as the hammer smashed into the
space that corresponded with Gaizera's position in the astral plane.
The Dark Warrior screamed in surprise and pain as the sudden
impact and release of energies from Storm Striker caused him to be
knocked out of the other dimension. The hammer flew back to its
wielder as the swordsman was sent flying into a nearby mountain.
His body smashed into the rock and plowed into it, causing the
entire mountainside to collapse in on itself.
Ranma Red appeared beside his brother as he caught the
returning weapon. The blue-shirted Ranma looked over his brother
with concern. The magical Masaki was sporting several more cuts as
well as a few bruises. He was standing a bit unsteadily and was
breathing hard.
"Nice shot Blue." Ranma Red gave his brother a smile. It was then
that they heard a blood-curdling roar that came from the collapsed
mountain. They both looked in shock as the side that had collapsed
on top of Gaizera suddenly erupt and then a human-shaped figure
flew out from the rubble to land directly in front of them.
Gaizera was a mess. His armor had been cut in several places and
he also had a few bloody gashes on his chest and legs. The Demon
Fang was radiating more power than ever before as he suddenly
charged at his foes. His eyes were glowing with purest crimson as
he began launching an all-out attack. The sword slashes became even
faster and more deadly and the Masaki twins were feeling even
more pain as more Dark World energies seeped into their wounds.
The twins found themselves once more on the defensive as they
swerved, ducked and used every evasion tactic they knew to keep
from being sliced to ribbons. They could feel their energies begin
to wane and any countermove they made against him would either be
shrugged off or blocked. Ranma Blue had been firing off lightning,
fire and cold attacks against him, while his brother was letting loose
with various mystic attacks. Both twins were pouring out massive
amounts of ki energy.
"MOKO TAKABISHA!"
"ARCTIC SPEAR!"
"SPIRIT FIST!"
"EARTH ERUPTIONS!"
"SKYFIRE SWORD!"
None of this mattered to Gaizera though. He had been
completely taken over by the Demon Fang and had been reduced to
a berserker state. The attacks caused massive damage to his body,
but the evil sword kept him fighting at a relentless pace. The Masaki
brothers knew that the inevitable was coming. They had been
holding back, hoping to wear down Gaizera, since they were still
reluctant to taking the life of a pawn of Sharoka. However, it was
starting to become apparent that the only way to win this fight was
to kill him.
At the castle of Sharoka, the dark ruler watched the scene with a
satisfied smile. The two demon sisters were at his side and were
also observing the battle.
"The Demon Fang has now totally taken control of Gaizera,
Master Sharoka." Makana said.
"Yes. He has now become nothing more than a mindless beast.
He will continue to fight until either he or the twins are destroyed.
It would be even better if all three were to perish." Katoka added.
"Yes. I can see that the twins are still reluctant to bring out their
more powerful techniques. However, as they are gradually growing
weaker from their injuries and the fact that the Dark World's
energies are almost about to consume them, they will have no
choice but to play right into my hands!" Sharoka chuckled as he
watched the twins lose even more ground to the viscous onslaught.
{"Red! We've got no choice! He has to… die!"} Ranma Blue was
feeling much of his strength draining away as the evil energies of
the realm began to fill his body. The injuries caused by the Demon
Fang weren't helping either as its energies kept his wounds open. It
was also spreading its influence through his cells. He couldn't do
anything about it as he was constantly fending off Gaizera's attacks.
{"I… know!"} Ranma Red responded. {"But it's going to take
something big to take him out! The Demon Fang is powering his
body up so much that he's not even feeling our normal attacks!"}
{"Think you can give him a Dragon Slave?"}
Ranma Red shook his head. {"I'm too hurt to… try. I…"}
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"
On Earth, Shampoo shrieked as she saw Gaizera run his sword
through her husband's right shoulder. Taron and Soren had to hold
her back as she tried to duplicate Ukyo's earlier stunt of attempting
to jump through the portal.
Ranma Red's reflexes had been reduced to the point in which he
was now unable to dodge effectively. He felt a sickening sensation
as the blade imbedded itself deep within his shoulder. He began to
see images of his past life flash before his eyes, but was stopped in
the middle of the flashbacks as Ranma Blue struck with all his might
at Gaizera's head. Storm Striker smashed his head clean off while
the body lurched backward, releasing its grip on the Demon Fang.
The top of the decapitated corpse erupted in a fountain of blood and
gore as its limbs flailed about. It began stumbling backward toward a
massive boulder.
{"Sorry Bro, but there's no time to be gentle!"} Ranma Blue held
onto his sibling with one arm around Ranma Red's shoulders, while
dropping Storm Striker to the ground. He then grasped the hilt of
the Demon Fang and gave a mighty pull, knowing that the longer it
stayed inside his brother's body, the faster its energies would
corrupt him.
Ranma Red screamed out again as the weapon was pulled out of
his shoulder. As the entire blade was extracted, Ranma Blue began
infusing some of his own ki energies into his sibling to ease the
pain and prevent him from going into shock. He looked over his
own shoulder and saw that Gaizera's headless body was still coming
after them.
"Have a dose of your own medicine!" Ranma Blue threw the blade
point first at the walking corpse. The Demon Fang plowed into its
gut and drove it back, pinning it against the boulder behind it. Then
suddenly, the body stopped flailing about as its arms slowly reached
for the hilt.
Ranma Blue couldn't believe what he was seeing. The head of
Gaizera was more than a dozen feet away, and yet his body was still
intent on killing the both of them! Looking down to where the head
was Ranma Blue's eyes widened as he saw the Gaizera's eyes turn to
look at him. He saw that they were no longer the solid red as before,
but were normal and had pupils. The mouth then began moving and a
faint whisper, Gaizera pleaded with him.
"Please… end it now… please."
Ranma considered the decapitated head and then looked back at
the body. The headless corpse had just gripped the hilt of the evil
sword and was in the process of pulling it out. He then looked down
at his brother who was just barely conscious. He knew that he was in
no condition to help him now and that body would keep on
attacking, despite the fact that it was now without a head. Ranma
Blue knew that he would have to totally obliterate the body and the
Demon Fang in order for them to survive. Placing Ranma Red
gently down on the ground, the elemental Masaki brother took a
stance and began focusing his remaining ki. He was far too weak to
hold Storm Striker as he felt the Dark World energies beginning to
overwhelm him. This would be his one and only chance.
On Earth…
"What's Ran-chan doing?"
The portal displayed the image of Ranma Blue standing with his
feet slightly spread apart and his arms raised above his head. His
hands were open and their palms were facing upward.
"Oh my!"
Soren nodded to his brother. They knew what was going on.
In Sharoka's castle.
"Ah yes. That will do quite nicely!"
Ranma Blue closed his eyes in concentration as he slowly
controlled his rate of breath.
[The sky, the seas, and all the living things who believe in the
light. Lend me a little of your strength. Please!]
Ranma Blue's technique began seeking out life energies from all
the living things in the Dark World. The elemental twin was soon
surrounded by tiny pinpricks of light. The withered plants and trees.
The thousands of humans who had been freed from Barada's tyranny.
The animals and strange creatures of the realm. All of which that
still wanted to see the end of the darkness lent a bit of their
energies. It wasn't long before a column of light surrounded him.
[Good. The energy is being gathered. It won't be long now.]
The power that Ranma Blue gathered became a white aura that
enveloped his battered and cut body. Soon, it became even more
focused as he concentrated it into his right arm. He brought down
both arms and held up the one that had the power condensed within
it. His brow furrowed as he began shaping the power into a sphere.
The light crackled and suddenly, a blue-white orb formed and
floated above his open palm. Ranma Blue turned toward the
headless corpse, which had just pulled the Demon Fang free and was
now charging at him.
Rearing his arm back, Ranma Blue took one final look at his
brother and released his attack.
"SPIRIT BOMB!"
The huge ball of energy flew straight toward Gaizera's body. The
corpse held up the Demon Fang to block it, but that move proved to
be its last. The Spirit Bomb's main purpose was to destroy evil
energies. The Demon Fang resisted for a moment, then exploded
into fragments as the overwhelming power within the attack was
absorbed into the body. Gaizera's body began to glow with an eerie
blue-white light as it tried to contain the raw power of the Spirit
Bomb, but it couldn't. It twitched and went through a fit of spasms as
the energies within it began building.
Finding a strength that he didn't know that he had, Ranma Blue
swept up his brother and their weapons and began flying off from
the immediate area. It was then that Gaizera's body went up like an
atom bomb. The energies that had been bottled up erupted outward,
causing the body to erupt like a blood-filled balloon. A gigantic
geyser of energy was released which lit up the skies and sent
massive shockwaves in all directions, causing avalanches and
earthquakes. Energy went pouring out and the resulting backlash
knocked Ranma Blue and his brother out of the air and sent them
crashing down into a nearby plateau. It was only by sheer luck that
the elemental Masaki managed to twist his body to cushion his
brother's impact.
When all the energy released from Gaizera's demise began to
subside, Ranma Blue moaned in pain. He painfully raised himself to
a sitting position while cradling his sibling in his arms. He quickly
checked for a pulse and smiled in relief as he found a faint heart
beat. As the light of the explosion died down, Ranma Blue sighed as
he gave a tired expression to the sky. It was then that he saw
something suddenly appear above them and fall toward them. The
object was shaped like a small disk and seemed to be made of silver.
When it landed on the ground, it made a dull thud and that was when
Ranma Blue got a good look at it.
It was another medallion, this time with the picture of the Demon
Fang engraved on it. The appearance of the medallion signified that
the twins had won the second trial. As Ranma reached over to take
the medallion, thereby transporting him and his brother to the Earth
realm, his thoughts went back to the poor soul that they had fought.
[Gaizera, I hope that you have found that peace that you wanted.]
The Kami Plane near the Realm of Oblivion…
Gaizera was happy as his spirit began to drift away toward the
infinite reaches of the Kami plane.
[I'm free! I'm finally free! Thank you Chosen Twins! Thank
you!]
However, this feeling of joy was not to last as something
emerged from the vortex that led to the Realm of Oblivion. The
wraith turned and its expression became one of horror as it
recognized the figure.
Sharoka gave the ghost of Gaizera an evil grin as he gestured to
the glowing orb that floated beside him. "Did you really think that
you could escape from my control that easily Gaizera?"
"I am no longer your slave Sharoka!" The ghost hissed. "The
Demon Fang has been destroyed! My defeat has earned the Chosen
Twins another victory and soon, they will be the ones who will
cause your downfall!"
"While the Demon Fang has been destroyed, that does not mean
that I no longer have any use for you Gaizera. In fact, your very soul
is what I truly wanted."
"What?!"
"I wanted you to die. You see, I was getting rather annoyed at
your constant whining to end your life, so I arranged it for you to
have your wish. That does not mean that your service to me would
also end. Far from it. Your very essence represents a key element in
my plans. Now, I shall have your soul!"
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!" The wraith shrieked as it tried
to escape, but Sharoka merely waved a hand and the orb began
glowing brighter. An unseen force began sucking the ghost's form
like an air vent taking in smoke. The spirit of Gaizera was taken into
the orb and vanished beneath the surface.
Sharoka gave off a quiet chuckle as he and the orb disappeared.
To be continued…
Author's Notes
So ends the tragic story of Gaizera. I guess that when it came
right down to it, the Ranma twins had to do what they didn't want to
do. They had to kill in order to win. This is probably one of the
hardest decision that they had to make so far and things are only
going to get worse from here on. This series has been my most
dramatic and emotionally challenging project that I have ever
undertaken and it's almost done. I am very glad that it has sparked a
lot of responses and I intend to do my best as I finish it up. Two
trials down, three to go. Stay tuned.