Hello everyone! This last two weeks I've been writing
like crazy and soting various finished stories for
analyzing before putting them up in my webpage or
ff.net or whatever... So, please, C&C on this piece is
very welcome indeed! If you want to read the previous
parts you can find them in:
http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=725832 I
would have posted them here, but I have comments from
you guys on them already. ^_^'

BTW, Latin D, if you're reading this, it's good to see
ya alive, man!

Later!

-D



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-- Attached file included as plaintext by Ecartis --
-- File: RP03.txt
-- Desc: RP03.txt

Ranma the Patryn 

Disclaimer: Read the previous chapters. It's there.

Author's rant: Well... it's been a while but I actually got to continue
it... I'm sorry for the delay, but projects pop up and go, and as I
searched for answers to some personal questions I left most projects
unattended. Hopefully, this is the start of a brand new come back, and
also hopefully, I've improved. Anyway, I hope you guys like what's
coming next...

-WD


Chapter 3 - Kara'thrar
by Wanderer D (wandererd@hotmail.com)
----------------------------------------------------------------------

The way to the Blood Dragon's lair was easy to find. Ranma and his
group just had to follow the trail of golden-green scales left by
the Pryan Dragon, and up to the cliffs where the barren land provided
a great view of the Dragon's lair.

Blood Dragons were one of the two most fearsome creatures that
inhabited the Labyrinth, now sharing the title with the dreaded
Dragon-snakes.

They would capture their victims alive, and torture them one by one
for days, healing their wounds and keeping the victim conscious until
it grew bored and ate them.

No one, Patryn, Sartan, Dragon-snake or any other creature would
willingly walk into a Blood Dragon's lair, unless they had a very
good reason for it, had a messy, horrible, long death wish, or was
extremely stupid.

Ranma's group had a very good reason to go in, although their parents
would say they were stupid, and as they sneaked closer to the cave,
and could hear the anguished wails of the first victim, they also
started believing so.

"Hugh the Hand came out alive from a fight with a Blood Dragon..."
Hugh said, trying to cheer up everyone a little.

"Hugh the Hand was immortal back then..." Rue reminded him sharply.
"We have to plan this very carefully if we are going to walk out
again."

Hugh gulped and nodded, crouching next to his sister.

"We cannot rush in like we do with Wolfen and Tiger-men." Aghathar
stated. "We need all our power and perfect timing."

Ranma nodded. "Okay, we'll have to trap it... I just hope his
lair is not protected against magic..."

"The place where he keeps the victims probably is, though."
Rena added.

They thought for a moment. "We could drop the ceiling on him..."
Rue suggested.

They all looked at each other, unsure. Ranma was sweating cold.
This was the most dangerous mission they had undertaken, and
Rescue groups with far more experience would hesitate to even
attempt such a feat.

But he had given his word to the dying dragon.

"Okay, here's what we'll do, Rena and Aghathar, you both will create
a spike-trap for the dragon, remember to make it as strong as possible,
Hugh, you will use your power to open the cracks enough for the earth
to come down on him, Rue and I will break open the prison and help
everyone escape, then between all of us, we bring the entrance down so
he'll take some time to escape. Understood?"

Everyone nodded and they started out.

***
Rena, Aghathar and Hugh climbed into the cave through one of the many
shafts it had. Ranma and Rue took the dangerous path through the
entrance.

The dragon's cave smelled of blood and humidity. As Ranma and Rue walked
deeper into it, they could hear an echo of a cold, slithering voice
they recognized as the dragon's, and the soft whimpering of his victim,
followed by a hideous scream.

Ranma felt a sudden cold in his stomach, and Rue's knees buckled. They
were unable to move for the duration of the scream. The scream subsided
and there were only moans echoing in the cavern.

Shaking all over, Ranma motioned to Rue to follow him. They rounded the
corner to the large cavern where the dragon was just as it muttered
something and the poor woman it was torturing let out a shrill cry that
suddenly died. The body slumped and the dragon approached it.

It's scales were such a dark shade of red it could almost be mistaken
for black, it's white, sharp claws and fangs made a horrible contrast
with it... and it's yellow eyes glinted as gems in a dark pool of
blood.

It stared at the body nailed to the wall for a few seconds, as if amused
by the forms the blood made in the naked body, then, with a feral swipe
of his claws it tore the body from the wall.

He turned and leered at something behind him, and Ranma, risking a look
was able to see the group of Patryn and Sartan that were prisoners in
a cage surrounded by symbols of the dragon's power.

Ranma searched the ceiling with his eyes and finally saw a little
movement from one of the shafts that slid into the cavern. He frowned.
The ceiling was almost in perfect shape! It would be too hard to
manipulate the possibilities without the dragon noticing.

He signalled Rue to turn around ahead and walk back. She didn't like it,
but followed orders. She slowly made her way back to the entrance, and
turned around. "What now, Ix... ar?"

He wasn't there.

***

It was time to decide the next victim. The female had been amusing. She
had resisted more pain than the other two males. But now, he was going
to try with one of the Sartan he had captured.

"Whom should I pick now?" he said in a playful tone. He smiled and had
the pleasure of seeing them tremble before him. What could they do
without their magic? Nothing...

He was about to open the gate when he felt magic energies being used.
He turned and found a young Patryn boy seemingly looking lost and
bewildered.

***

"What is he doing?!" Hugh asked as he, Rena and Aghathar watched Ranma
walk into the dragon's cavern.

As they watched, Ranma gave them the 'thumbs up' and concentrated.

Hugh watched in surprise as a couple of cracks appeared on the
ceiling.

The dragon immediately turned around, sensing Patryn magic.

***

The Blood Dragon glared at the Patryn, who shuddered under his scrutiny.
"Are you eager enough to die, Patryn, that you would come into my
domain?"

"Eh... no?" Ranma answered, smiling sheepishly. "I came here to get
them." he said, pointing at the surprised prisoners.

The dragon lowered his head until it was mere inches from Ranma's.
"Really... and how do you plan to achieve that?"

Ranma almost took a step back... something that would have gotten him
killed in an instant. "No, I came here to challenge you, if I win,
they go. If you win..."

The dragon smiled. "Yes?"

"Well, uh..." Ranma began.

"How about I nail you to the wall and make you drink the blood of all
the others as I slowly torture and kill them one by one, until your
soul is as dark as my scales and you crave for more?" the Dragon
offered.

Ranma gulped and the dragon smiled. "I take that as a yes. What is
this challenge you want to make?"

"I... we will hit the wall with our fists, three tries each, no magic.
Whoever makes the larger hole in the wall wins." Ranma said after a
slight hesitation.

The Dragon's eyes glinted. "No magic."

Ranma nodded. "I give you my word if you give me yours. A fair trade."
He just wished he felt as sure as he sounded.

The dragon extracted a small -to his size- plate and put it in front of
Ranma. "The word of a Blood Dragon is not given alone." He intoned, then
with his claw made a small cut in his wrist, letting a drop of blood
drip into the plate. "Give some of your blood as well." He ordered.

With a glance at the prisoners, and at the dragon Ranma dared not risk
the chance of disobeying. The dragon could kill him at any moment. He
took his knife and cut his left forearm, letting some of his blood
drip in as well.

"You can heal yourself." The dragon said as he dipped the tip of one
claw into the plate and muttered something.

Ranma didn't say a word as he healed his arm and watched carefully as
the blood in the plate bubbled and shone slightly.

When the dragon removed his claw the blood returned to normal.

"Now, we will both take a sip of this." The dragon said, then, looking
at Ranma's wary expression he added; "This is no poison... a Dragon's
name is sacred and if we are to give our word... it will be with our
true names. AS part of this ritual, I will never reveal your name while
you live, without your permission, and the same goes for you. You
will never reveal mine."

Ranma didn't miss the 'while you live' clause, but it was all surreal.
Why hadn't the dragon killed him? He was as sadistic as the next Blood
Dragon... "Why are you doing all of this?" Ranma asked, picking up
the plate.

The dragon smiled and motioned for Ranma to drink. "Only drink half,
the other is mine." He waited until the Patryn had followed orders,
then lifting the plate he answered before drinking. "You have more
guts than all those idiots put together." he motioned at the cowering
prisoners with the tip of his tail and drank.

Kara'thrar. That was the name of the Blood Dragon. Ranma knew it at
the moment the dragon drank the mixture. And he knew just as well that
the Dragon knew his real name. The dragon had another name too...

"On my word, Ambereye. No magic." Ranma intoned.

The dragon smiled. "On my word, Ixar. No magic." he answered.

"Just... let me stretch before we begin." Ranma muttered as they faced
the wall.

He stretched, cracked his knuckles and nodded at the dragon.

***

"I can't believe it..." Rena whispered. "He's either braver than even
Haplo, or incredibly stupid."

They could see Ranma below them, negotiating a challenge with the
dragon.

Hugh watched warily as the dragon and Ranma drank their blood and
muttered some words in a language he didn't recognize.

"Stupid. Definitely." he said as the two below turned to face the wall.
"Maybe we should-"

"Hush!" Aghathar said suddenly. "Pay attention to Ixar."

"He's stretching!" Hugh said, annoyed.

"No..." Rena said as her eyes opened wider. "It's the hand signals..."

"Be ready." Aghathar said, translating the signals. "It seems Ixar did
have a plan, after all."

***

"Anyway," Ranma said, feeling oddly calm. "Your wall, you start."

Kara'thrar tapped the wall with his fist, creating a hole the size of
Ranma's head with one of his knuckles.

Ranma nodded and pulled his fist back. He concentrated and pummelled the
wall.

The dragon watched amazed as Ranma made a hole roughly the size of a
human body. Taking the boy more seriously, he punched the wall with
more force, shaking the cave slightly.

Above him one of the cracks Ranma had made with his magic cracked open,
letting down a little dirt, and calling Aghathar's attention.

Ranma breathed deeply, stepping a little away from the wall, then,
with a jump he twisted in the air adding the force of the momentum to
his punch, creating a hole the same size of Kara'thrar's.

More cracks appeared as the cavern shook.

The Dragon's eyes glinted and Ranma almost ran away. He knew he shouldn't
feel calm. The dragon might kill him in any second.

With a roar that made Ranma jump, the Dragon slammed his fist to the
wall. This time, the cavern did shake in earnest, and some pieces of
the ceiling crashed next to the two adversaries.

The result was a crumbling wall and an indent Ranma had no possibility
to try to match. Or so the dragon thought.

"Your turn, Ixar." The dragon said with a sneer.

Ranma started concentrating yet again.

Usha had taught him to read, while he grew up, and Ranma had slowly
taken an interest in books about adventures, so he had visited the
large library the Sartan had built ages ago for the Patryn.

Among the books he had found, interestingly enough, a few ancient
looking training manuals, describing how to harness the power of the
soul into a fighting technique.

Ranma had had to use various spells of translation through the years
to understand and study those books, but he had been able to do it.
And now was the time to use one of the oldest techniques... it had
time to master, but he could do it.

Letting out his breath slowly, Ranma opened his eyes, searching. Then
he launched forward with a shout, his index slamming against the solid
stone.

The wall exploded, bathing him in pieces of stone as most of the wall
crumbled into one of the tunnels behind. The cavern shook with more
violence than ever before, and pieces of ceiling smashed next to the
dragon.

The dragon stared as Ranma stumbled back to stare back at him.

Without a word the Dragon broke the lock to the cell. "OUT!" he roared.

The Patryn and Sartan ran, stumbling out of the cell and into the cave,
running as fast as they could.

Kara'thrar glared at Ranma. "You will stay." he growled.

Ranma blinked, feeling a little faint. "But... I won."

"Yes." The dragon said icily. "You did. And they got out. Now you are
my guest." He took a step forward when he felt the power of Patryn
and Sartan magic.

The ceiling above him collapsed down, the debris and earth covering the
dragon, and the pieces of solid rock fell like lances around him,
trapping him.

Rue grabbed Ranma and half dragged him, half helped him walk out of the
cave, where she gave all the prisoners and their rescue team the order
to bring the entrance down.

***

Ranma felt a soft wet cloth being pressed against his forehead. He
slowly opened his eyes to meet the worried eyes of his mother, Usha,
as she left the cloth there.

"Ixar." She said, stroking his face. "I was so afraid..." she didn't
cry. Even now, years after escaping the Labyrinth she still had the
hard grip on her feelings she had used to survive.

"I'm alright." Ranma answered, smiling faintly. "What happened to
the others?"

"Everyone's fine. Just a few moments after the cavern collapsed,
another group that had been sent to search for you and the others
picked you up." she said.

"There's something else, isn't there?" Ranma said, sensing her distress.
"Where's dad?" he asked.

"He... he went to the council. Ixar, you took some very risky decisions
today... and risked the life of many others. And not just anyone...
Ixar... your group includes the children of three leaders... Haplo,
Alfred and..."

"Ramu." Ranma finished. It was no surprise that the activist leader of
the Sartan puritans would find this as prime material to cause trouble.
Ranma didn't envy Aghathar one bit. "Then I think I should go..."

Usha nodded. "If you feel okay, Ixar. The leaders of the groups you
saved are backing you up, obviously, but... Ramu can be very persuasive
especially when it's his son the one involved."

Ranma nodded and stood up slowly, getting his bearings before walking
out of his house.

***
End Chapter 3
***

Next: Lost Worlds



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