Ranma, emboldened by his success at casting the light spell, took off to a secluded place where he could read more without interruption and witnesses. He felt that something was finally going right in his life. Perhaps that book had a cure for his curse !
In a shadowy corner of the street where Ranma found the book, the spirit of Aeris Gainsborough watched sadly the pig-tailed martial artist jump from roof to roof. She hoped he would rise up to her expectations and become the new champion of the Planet. Soon, a great Evil will come and Earth would be reduced to a sterile wasteland except for Tokyo. Only someone with the power of Magic could save the world.
She had searched a proper Chosen One for years and Ranma Saotome was the Planet's last chance.
*****
Hours later, Ranma wanted to scream at the unfairness of it all. He had tried other minor spells and it had worked each time. However, the real magic spells were only described (names and effects). How to cast them wasn't explained at all. Except for the first chapter, this book was a damn useless catalog !
At least he had learned that this magic style was divided into three schools, each with their specialties :
White Magic was for healing and protection.
Black Magic was for attacking and enhancement.
Summon Magic was to call on great powers for various effects.
There was mention of a fourth school, blue magic, which consisted in duplicating the natural abilities of beasts and monsters. But like the rest, Ranma found no teachings to learn it from the book.
Ranma was about to dump the spellbook and forget it when he stumbled on something that looked like a real spell at the end of the chapter on Summoning. Reading the text accompanying it, he smiled. Apparently, you had to do this ritual to be able to cast big spells at all.
He wanted that Esuna spell, damn it ! The book said it could cure curses. Ranma thought about this and the price to pay, 'being one with the guardians', didn't look that bad. He decided to go forward with it.
He sat cross-legged on the ground and began to read the incantation. After a minute of chanting, it began...
Motes of green light appeared and surrounded Ranma. A supernatural breeze was blowing, making his hair flow. He could feel that something approached and tried to reach him. The presence got closer and closer at each word he pronounced.
Suddenly he could see it. His mind's eye was taken to a majestic looking beach and he heard an unearthly music resonate everywhere. On a rock in the middle of the sea, a beautiful woman was playing the harp. The fact that she was nude and that her hair was made of feathered wings clearly marked her as not human.
Ranma gawked. He had seen her description in the book. She was Siren, one of the great powers a mage could summon.
Hello, young one. It has been a long time since a human reached out to us.
"You... You can talk ?" From what he'd read, the summons appeared, did their job and disappeared without a word.
Of course. What did you think ?
Ranma had the decency to feel embarrassed "Er... right, hehe. Are you Siren ?"
Yes. It is the name your kind has given me through the ages. Are we needed again ?
"Needed ? Er... yes. I need you to learn magic, I think. And fight monsters too..." With his luck, Ranma knew he would have to face weird beings sooner or later. The Bakeneko, Saffron, that huge plant Pink and Link used... the list was impressive.
We are the guardian forces of the Planet. Our power must not be used for petty reasons. Do you understand ?
"Yes" He had already decided to use magic only if martial arts couldn't do the job.
So be it. Ranma Saotome. I will join you and lend my power to your cause. Let my soul be linked with yours.
*****
When Ranma woke up, the night was falling. He looked at his spellbook and realized the ritual to call Siren had disappeared.
I am with you now.
He blinked. The guardian force was now in his head ! And he could cast magic now ! The words of power were clear in his mind "Cure" The few scratches he had gotten today were healed instantly by a soft white light who embraced him.
"Cool !" No more trips to the doctor when he was injured. Okay, it was the only spell he knew for now but it was incredibly useful.
Ranma picked up the book and wondered aloud "What now ?"
See other episodes by Jamil Nate
(Posted Thu, 26 Dec 2002 11:30)
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