Hikari and the Soul Edge
Chapter 1: Next Generation
Many years ago, after the great battle between darkness and light, a great sword was forged by the race of men. While the sword was forged to protect from darkness, the sword was soon engulfed in bloodshed and the evils men's souls. The sword was soon possessed by an evil spirit that took over the mind of anyone who held it.
The spirit of the sword took the lives of many men, until it eventually disappeared without a trace. Soon, the world forgot about the sword and the destruction it caused. But nothing disappears forever…
After his many adventures across the world, Kai married Hazel and settled down in a place called Wyvern Hill. Despitethe Hill's many deadly dragons, the two of them lived quite peacefully.
Kai had grown quite a lot since he was a teenager. He was quite muscular from his daily training. He wore a red shirt, a large yellow jacket, blue pants, and brown boots. Tied around his large, right arm was his old bandana.
Kai had finished fishing for that day. He then carried his large catch; which consisted of several large fish, many regular-sized fish, and one gigantic fish that was just as big as Kai himself; back to his house.
Kai's house was a good-sized house that was perfect for a family. It was surrounded by a large garden. The whole place was protected by a fence.
"I'm home!" Kai announced as he walked through the front gate of the fence.
Hazel looked through the kitchen window when she heard him. She then stopped what she was doing, walked over to the front door, and opened it. Hazel wore a beautiful white dress and brown shoes. On her left ring finger was her golden wedding ring. Her long hair flowed gracefully down her back.
"Welcome home," Hazel cheerfully said. "It looks like the big ones came out today."
Hazel was looking at the large fish that hung over Kai's shoulder.
"I seriously didn't expect to catch this thing," Kai said. "It just means we'll be having fish for dinner for the next couple of days."
"More like couple of weeks," Hazel said. "I guess I'll harvest some vegetables to go with the fish."
Hazel then helped Kai carry his catch to the large freezer out back.
"By the way, have you seen Hikari?" Kai asked. "It's time for our sword training."
"She and Takeshi disappeared after breakfast," Hazel answered. "I'm not sure where…they…are."
The two of them then realized what Hazel had said.
"I'll go find her," Kai said as he ran away from the house.
Meanwhile, in a field further down the hill, Kai's two children were hiding behind some bushes. The younger of the two was the ten-year-old Takeshi. He wore a blue magician's robe with the hood off of his head.
The other was a 16-year-old girl with long, brunette hair. She wore a red bandana on top of her head. She wore a red shirt, blue pants, and brown boots. Tied around her waist was a brown, leather belt. On her hands was a pair of brown gloves. On her back was a large, silver sword that was much like Kai's original sword.
The two of them were spying on a gigantic Garchomp as it walked into the field.
"What are we doing here, Hikari?" Takeshi asked.
"I'm doing some training," Hikari answered.
Takeshi looked surprised.
"Don't tell me that you're going to fight that thing!" Takeshi exclaimed.
"Yep," Hikari answered, with her attention still focused on the Garchomp. "I think that my swordsmanship training would go better if I fight some real opponents."
"Then why did you bring me along?" Takeshi asked.
"If he proves to be too tough, then you can try to get back to the house before any more arrive," Hikari answered.
Takeshi now looked scared. Hikari knew that her brother was a little bit of a coward. He had always been one. In order to toughen him up, she would always bring him along on her escapades.
"I'm going in," Hikari said to the shivering Takeshi.
Takeshi tried to stop Hikari, but she had already jumped out of the bushes. Garchomp turned its attention towards Hikari.
"Alright, ugly!" Hikari shouted. "Let's dance!"
The Garchomp hungrily looked towards Hikari and charged straight for her. Hikari gracefully jumped out of the way. Garchomp turned around and saw Hikari charging towards it. Garchomp then used the blades that protruded from its elbows to block Hikari's attack.
Hikari and Garchomp continued to exchange blows. Garchomp tried to slice Hikari horizontally, but Hikari slid underneath it and got behind it. She then jumped up and sliced down on top of Garchomp. Garchomp passed out from the blow. Hikari then looked triumphant.
"Not even a vicious dragon can defeat me!" Hikari exclaimed. "That proves that I'm the greatest swordswoman in the world! Right, Takeshi?"
She turned towards Takeshi and immediately had a surprised/guilty look on her face. Her father was standing there, lifted Takeshi with one hand by the hood of his robe.
"Hello, dad," Hikari said sheepishly.
"How many times have I told you not to aggravate the dragons?" Kai asked in a low, angry voice.
Though Kai wasn't yelling (which was something he never tended to do), Hikari could tell just how much trouble she was in.
"Please don't tell mom," Hikari begged.
"I won't, even though she does deserve to know," Kai said. "But you will meet me in the dojo in one hour. Bring your sword."
Hikari was surprised that she wouldn't be dragged to her mom, but she was afraid of what her dad had in store for her.
One hour later, Hikari stepped towards the family dojo, which was hidden in the woods behind the house. Hikari stepped into the building and looked for her father.
"Dad?" Hikari asked.
"Outside arena," Kai answered from outside.
Hikari walked out back and saw her father standing in the middle of the outside arena. The outside arena sat just behind the dojo. It was completely made of carved stone from around the area.
Kai had his legendary Excalibur on his side.
"We'll be battling to decide your punishment," Kai said. "Draw your sword."
Hikari stepped into the arena and drew her sword.
"If you win, you're free to go," Kai said. "But if I win, you must clean every inch of the dojo."
"No problem," Hikari said. "I've been training for this moment!"
"Charge at me," Kai said.
Hikari charged forward and swung her sword. Kai swiftly dodged her attack. Hikari continued to slice towards her father with her full strength. Kai merely moved from side to side to dodge. Hikari swung one more time, and Kai disappeared.
"Where did he…" Hikari began.
"Swinging your sword wildly is no way to fight," Kai said.
Before Hikari could turn around, Kai merely hit her neck with a swift chop and knocked her out. When she woke up, she found herself inside the dojo. Kai had prepared some tea.
"Here you go," Kai said. "It's Raspberry."
Hikari began to drink the tea.
"You'll need the energy to clean up the entire dojo," Kai laughed.
Hikari looked downhearted. Kai then sat down next to her.
"You put too much anger into your swings," Kai said. "You have the determination, but you don't have the right mind-set."
"What do you mean?" Hikari asked.
Kai took a sip of his tea.
"The sword-style I'm teaching you is one I developed myself," Kai said. "I taught myself swordsmanship in order to protect those around me. The swords that you and I wield must never be used for personal gain. We wield the sword that protects. Our strength comes from our will to save the lives of what we care about."
Hikari looked surprised by what her father had just told her. Kai finished his tea and stood up.
"I'll start cleaning the dojo," Kai said. "You join me when you finish your tea."
Hikari smiled at her father as he left the room. After cleaning the dojo, Hikari and Kai enjoyed their dinner with the rest of the family. Hikari then went out for a walk through the woods.
Hikari thought about the lesson her father had taught her.
"My strength comes from the need to protect?" Hikari thought. "I don't completely understand what he meant by that, but I'll try."
Once Hikari's head was clear of all thought, she began to head home. As she walked home, she was surprised to see her younger brother running to her in a panic.
"Hikari!!" Takeshi cried.
"What's wrong?" Hikari asked.
"It's…Dad!" Takeshi cried, his eyes filled with tears. "He and Mom are in danger!"
"What?!" Hikari exclaimed.
Hikari immediately rushed home with her brother right behind her. When she could finally see her home, she couldn't believe what she was seeing. Half of the house had been completely demolished, all of the crops had been smashed, and her mom was passed out on the ground. Hikari then saw that her father was battling against a strange woman.
The woman had short, bluish-green hair. She wore a skimpy green and purple outfit. She wore green lipstick and had a purple stripe on her left cheek. She wielded a large, ring-shaped blade. On her face was a playful and malicious smile.
"You are quite a fun toy to play with," the girl said in a light, giddy voice.
"You think that this is fun?!" Kai asked. "How dare you attack my family?!"
Kai began to fight against the girl. She gracefully parried every attack that Kai performed. Kai also blocked all of her attacks. She eventually got a hit in. Kai's right shoulder began to bleed profusely.
"It looks like I broke my new toy," the girl said.
"Damn," Kai growled as he began to cast a Curaga spell on his shoulder.
The girl took this chance to slide behind Kai and strike him on the back.
"You're too old for fighting," the girl laughed. "You can't move to quickly."
"I'll admit that I'm not as quick as I once was, but I still have a trick up my sleeve," Kai said.
Kai began to focus all of his energy into his body. His whole body began to glow brightly.
"What is this?" the girl asked.
Kai's eyes began to glow golden.
"Giga Impact!!" Kai shouted.
He then released the energy in a large explosion. The girl brought her ring blade up to give her some protection. When the explosion faded, Kai had passed out from the force of the attack. Because she had brought up her ring in time, the girl was still awake after the blast.
"You burnt me!" she growled in a deeper voice. "You're going to die!"
Hikari felt a powerful energy well up inside of her. Before she knew it, Hikari was charging forward. She swung her sword down to strike down at the girl. She rose up her blade to block the attack just in time.
"You dare stand in my way?!" the girl shouted. "You will die first!"
The girl swung her blade down, but Hikari blocked it. She and the other girl were having a power-struggle at this point.
"Takeshi!" Hikari managed to shout out. "Use your power to get Mom and Dad out of here! I don't care where you go, just move! No matter what Mom and Dad say, don't come back!"
"What about you?!" Takeshi cried.
"Don't worry about me!" Hikari shouted. "MOVE!!"
Hikari knocked the other girl away. Takeshi then made a run for his parents. He grabbed Hazel first and then pulled her towards Kai as Hikari led the other girl away from them. Takeshi then began to focus his magic.
The murderous woman then noticed Takeshi and pushed Hikari away. She ran towards Takeshi.
"You won't get away!" the woman shouted.
She then saw that Hikari's sword was right next to her.
"Don't get the wrong idea," Hikari said. "Your opponent is me!"
The other girl then tried to fight Hikari off as she ran towards Takeshi. Takeshi used his powers as a Geomancer to summon the wind around him.
"Be careful," Takeshi said as the three of them disappeared.
When they were completely gone, the other girl growled.
"How dare you?!" the woman scowled.
She sliced Hikari with enough force to blow her back. Hikari slammed into a tree and fell to the ground.
"You are dead!" the woman shouted as she lifted her blade up.
As she slammed her blade down, Hikari's blade began to glow with a blue light. For an instant, it became a completely different sword. It was a completely blue sword from the tip of the blade down to the base of the handle. It glowed with a light that brightened the night sky. The girl screamed as the light filled her eyes. She then stumbled away. Before Hikari knew it, the girl was gone and her sword had returned to normal.
"What just happened?" Hikari asked herself.
She then stood up. Her home was gone. Her family had disappeared. It finally hit Hikari that she was alone.
"Nothing will be gained by staying here," Hikari said as she stood up. "There's only one thing to do: find my family."
With a newfound strength and purpose, Hikari dug through the remains of her house and gathered the supplies she needed. She then placed it all in a magic bag that her father's friend had given them. She tied the bag to her waist and placed the sword on her back.
She rested that night. The following morning, she left home.
"I don't know if I'll ever be back," Hikari thought, "but I can't think about that right now. I have to find my family at any cost."
Hikari took one last look at the remains of her home and left without a word. She didn't know where she was going or what awaited her in the world beyond the mountains, but she knew one thing for sure: nothing would stop her from finding her family.