{Part 11- Sweet Revenge is best served Freezing}

The hunt is all. The sweet smell of souls and the bitter taste of defeat.

Kuriimu was not used to defeat.

There.... the trail is getting warmer, hotter, more exciting.

Kuriimu can feel the hairs on his back rise in anticipation.

What's this?

The other bright spark of soul-substance? A prize worth catching then.

Kuriimu smiles.

-=-=-=-=-

Running along the dark cavern, Ranma manages to huff a question out to Akane.

Ranma: "Akane? Why'sit I'm not afraida cats anymore?"

Akane, gliding alongside Ranma, looks at him for a moment before looking back in front of her.

Akane: "That..... is...."

As Akane wonders what to say, Ranma interjects.

Ranma: "It's something about that Mark, isn't it?"

Akane looks shocked for a moment, then nods.

Akane: "Yes."

Ranma: "Well?"

Akane: "It's a.... possesion mark. Sekki now owns you.... in a way. She can see and know where you are, what you're doing, what you're thinking...  and she can control you."

Ranma: "WHAT!?"

Akane: "No! It's not like that! She can control your emotions, your feelings, even your fears, yes! Physical control is..... well..... forced upon. Never Marked. And anyway, it's not harmful. A Mark's just a possession marker...."

Ranma: "And how did you know so much about these anyway?" <What possession marker?>

Akane: "Sekki told me.... while I slept."

-=-=-=-=-

Ah, good. The rats run closer to the cat. Good. All the easier to catch them. And one of them.... so delectable! It would be a waste to let it just snuff out like that.....

Ah.... another soul-spark. Lovely. Just as lovely. A little.... tainted. A familiar taint though. Nothing to spoil the flavor, Good.

Ah, they come closer.

They come.

-=-=-=-=-

Bursting into the prison area, Ranma and Akane stop as a feeling of absolute.... evil and perverseness permeates the very air. Ranma shivers slightly as he looks around, the chill in the air freezing. Akane looks around, concentration etched finely into her face.

Voice: "Welcome back, kittens."

Ranma and Akane start at the disembodied voice, seemingly coming from the air.

Voice: "Glad you could make it. I was getting bored of waiting."

Ranma shakes his fist in the air.

Ranma: "Ya lousy, no good, downright dirty, scumbag jerk! Give back Ucchan and Nabiki their souls!"

Voice: "Ah.... so sad. I'm afraid I've already consumed them. Quite energizing, actually."

Akane: "Liar! They're somewhere in there! Let them go now, or we tear down the mountainside with you in it!"

Voice: "My.... what a cliche. I've heard that one before, my sweet kitten. Oh, no... and oh my, you HAVE matured  quite a lot since I last saw you, my dear Akane."

Akane's face can't register the shock she feels at having the demon know her name. Her eyes stare blankly into space for a moment.

Akane: "......"

Voice: "You should be glad Sekki was such a reject. I wonder how your stomach feels?"

Akane begins to look more serious and angry as the voice laughs tauntingly at them. Ranma can see her wings spread out and quiver in anger. More disturbing than the fact that not only is Akane a reborn succubus, she's pratically used to it already by all the control she shows over her 'new' body.

Voice: "Well now, I won't ruin your revenge, no? I have my own to settle with you all as well.... and as such...."

A flash of warning chi. Ranma's eyes widen. He turns to Akane. Everything is moving in slow motion as he calls out and makes a flying tackle for Akane.

Ranma: "Akane......!"

Ranma can feel claws raking his back as he feels the warm and comforting presence of Akane's body in his arms, the reassuring feel of pushing her away. With deja vu all over again, this time with Ranma, Akane watches as Ranma collapses.

-=-=-=-=-

Sekki: "Uuungh!"

Sekki nearly collapses as a mental shockwave hits her like a storm. Staggering a little, she manages to hold on to a tree just as the world begins to go a little dim on her. Ryouga looks at her with concern before coming to her aid, while Shampoo sees to the ministrations of Ukyo and Nabiki.

Ryouga: "Sekki! Daijobu?"

Sekki gasps for a few minutes before nodding, the tree splintering under her grip.

The group are in a sheltered glade on the island, with a clean river and a good, grassy clearing for everyone to rest in.

It is also a safe haven created by the much-talked about priest so far in the story.

Ryouga trots off to get a bandanna soaked in cold stream water as Sekki leans against the tree, fighting off the gripping pain in her back. Her wings spasm uncontrollably from the feedback, and when Ryouga returns to dab her forehead with a cool cloth, they have already caused sizeable gouges in the ground and the surrounding foliage.

Ryouga: "You don't look well."

Sekki: "I'll be fine! Really.... just let me rest."

Ryouga: "Whatever you say.... here, keep the cloth."

Ryouga trots off to help the rest tend to the afflicted, and Sekki goes into trance. Thinking through the lines of the bond the Mark she left on Ranma, she follows a quickly fading violet line, her thought-self desperately enforcing the line holding them together. What she finds on the other end is not pretty.

-=-=-=-=-

About an hour later, Akane emerges from the labyrinth, covered from head to toe in coloured blood of all kinds, carrying Ranma in her arms. The blood from his wounds are staining her arms red, but she doesn't care. Looking down at the unconscious but still breathing figure in her arms, Akane sighs sadly.

Akane: <Ranma.....you baka. I would've survived that attack. You....>

Tears rolling down her cheeks, Akane keeps walking towards the direction of the camp when a thought forms in her head. Then it becomes a mind-speech.

Sekki: <Akane?>

Akane: <Sekki?>

Sekki: <Akane, I know Ranma's in bad shape. I'm the only one keeping him alive now. Get him here, now.>

Akane: <But how...?>

In a flash, Akane sees in her mind's eye a path to where the rest are waiting. She follows it unerringly.

***

Lina enters the cavern just as Akane makes a quick exit, and before her is carnage as never before seen. The cavern is painted red with Kuriimu's blood, and decorated with Kuriimu's body parts. She sucks in her next breath, and chokes a little as she hovers, blank-faced, in the cavern. Pain as tangible as solid rock emanates from every wall in the cavern. Kuriimu's pain. Especially from that mallet in the far corner. Lina's eyes flare as thoughts of painful revenge enters her mind.

Lina: <Revenge..... revenge I shall have for making Lord Kuriimu suffer! Yes.... cold.... sweet.... lovely revenge.>