Sword and Sorcery Chapter 1 by D.Fire phongb9@idt.net Present time. "Raeni ... Raeni, please come here," called the old man from the doorway of the house. The old man was the same one from before. Sporting a long, white beard, he had not changed his appearance even by a hair. Wearing a blue robe, something akin to what Friar Tuck might wear, he stood in the doorway calling to his adoptive daughter. An answering call came from the forest clearing just beyond the bend in the road leading to the house. "Yes, Poppa. I'll be right there," a sweet voice cheerily replied to his. The owner of the voice soon bounded into view. The girl, previously seen only as a six-year-old child, had grown into a somewhat buxom and very beautiful, young girl of sixteen years of age. Her garments would have scandalized the old man, had this been the first time she had worn them. But Raeni, with fire-red hair and personality, had worn this outfit many times before. Skintight black pants accompanied by a red bikini top greeted the old man as Raeni threw herself into the old man's arms. Laughing, she whirled around with the old man in tow. "Poppa, dance with me," she demandingly giggled. Laughing a little himself, the old man known as the sorcerer Hariule replied, "Come on Raeni, I'm not that young anymore." "Oh, Poppa, you'll never be old," Raeni laughingly denied. "Why did you call me in? I was just practicing outside." Indeed, sweat glistened from her arms and back as witness to her claim. "I hope you didn't damage anything with your 'practice'," Hariule said as he led Raeni through the rest of the house, into the kitchen, and towards the back door. "Now go bathe that sweat off and meet me in the basement when you are done." With that said, he disappeared to give her privacy. After walking to the edge of lake behind the house, Raeni glanced around. After making sure that she had no company, she uttered, "Uir Regalis", and her clothes seemingly disappeared as she snapped her fingers. Now totally nude, she quickly dove into the lake. After swimming around for a while, enough to rid her of sweat and dirt, she swam over the bank and climbed onto solid ground. Concentrating, she whispered, "Oris Lairus". A warm wind swirled around her body as she held her arms open and straight. The warm caress of the wind eventually dried her off as well as completely drying her hair. Again, she uttered, "Uir Regalis". A different outfit now clothed her. Raeni now wore a simply embroidered dress, as befitting a young lady of the times. Leaving her dried hair unbound, she briskly walked into the house. "Hey, Azure," she said, bending down low as she petted the blue-haired cat sitting beside the door. "Got any clue what Poppa wants now?" the familiar replied. "Oh, you're not still sore about that, are you? Tell you what, how about I sneak you a snack later?" sniffed the cat haughtily. replied Azure with a twinkle in his eyes, Leaping onto Raeni's shoulders and curling around her neck, Azure said, Excitedly, Raeni queried, "Really?! This is going to be great!" Almost jostling Azure out of his position, Raeni rushed into the library. Pulling on a tome of history, Raeni skipped aside as a section of the library wall slid open to reveal a dark stairway. Holding out her hand, Raeni spoke, "Oru". Soon after, torches began lighting themselves in succession as she rushed down the stairway. Behind her, the wall shifted back into place. Pausing before the immense door at the bottom of the stairway, the young girl composed herself and then knocked on the door. "Come," commanded Hariule's voice from within. Pushing the oaken door as though it were nothing, Raeni entered the room, casually sweeping the door closed behind her with her foot. Noticing Raeni's casual strength, Hariule stared at the door and at her in shock. Forcing himself to focus, he turned his attention to Raeni. Hariule declared, "Today marks the tenth year since you came into our world." By the this time, Azure had separated himself from Raeni, having leapt off her shoulders when she entered the chamber. He now sat on a convenient stool placed next to a chalk circle drawn on the ground. Continuing, Hariule said, "And although you have been the best student I have ever had in magic, I would like to say that you have been both the daughter -- and son -- that I never had. It has been written that I give you your memory back today." Seeing no apparent reaction on Raeni's face, Hariule scowled at Azure and continued, "I see someone already spilled the beans, as you would put it, but I digress. I hope that no matter what happens after today, you remember me kindly." "Oh Poppa, you sound like you're going to die or something," said Raeni as she hugged the old sorcerer again, not seeing his wince when she spoke the word 'die'. "You'll always be my Poppa, no matter what." After returning the hug, Hariule released her, and casually wiping the tear in his eye so that she would not see it, Hariule turned to the business at hand. Steadying his voice, he commanded, "Okay, into the circle with you." After she was ensconced firmly within the circle, the old sorcerer walked around it placing six candles on the edge of the circle, evenly spacing them. With a casual flick of his wrist, and a lowly spoken, "Oru", the candles danced to life, sparking to birth a flame atop each. Once again, he commanded Raeni. "Go into a beginner's trance." The old man raised his arms and began intricate gestures. Raeni did as he bid, sitting cross-legged she fell into a meditative trance. She could barely make out his words as his voice gained a choral quality. "Child of prophecy, Reft from a land of strife." A wind swirled around Raeni's frame, ruffling her hair softly. "Child of light and power, Born into a dance of darkness." Raeni, still in her trance, began slowly levitating from the ground. "Memory long lost, Hidden within shadows and light." Light swirled around Raeni, following the path of the wind before. "Grant unto this one, The power memory incarnate." The light glowed intensely, increasing to an almost blinding level. "Return what was taken, NIGARU PALESUMO JORA GENSUMO!" With a crack of thunder, the light waxed insanely, staying that way for a full minute, and then died away, revealing the girl lying sprawled within the chalk circle. Upon seeing Raeni lying there unmoving the old sorcerer rushed to her side. Shaking her delicately and cradling her head in his lap, he lightly patted her cheek, willing her to wake. "Raeni ... Raeni ... Raeni," he gently prodded her. "Please wake up." Slowly, her eyes opened, and she spoke. "My name is Ranma."