Raging Souls
A Soul Calibur Fanfic
Kilik had come this far. He would not allow himself to back down. That sword that had caused him so much grief and sorrow, he would destroy it. Then, perhaps, there would be a little less evil in the world. Perhaps it would be a little better a place to live. He knew that Xianghua wanted to find the blade herself and destroy it but he couldn't let her risk her life. He had known he would have to face her for a long time but here and now? This was far too poetic. Right on the brink of destiny their sword and staff would clash. The winner would face evil itself and stare it in the face. Destiny had decided that whoever won the battle would destroy this evil being but how was Kilik to know that Xianghua would succeed? He feared for her because he loved her. As he sat and waited he reflected back on another friend he had had to defeat on his perilous journey. He remembered striking down Maxi. The Nunchaku wielding warrior had fallen under Kilik's staff but not before putting up a good fight.
" I will destroy the sword, you will be free of its influence." Kilik remembered saying with tears in his eyes. His friend had become so filled with revenge that all else had fled from his mind. So many people had been hurt by Soul Edge and now, he would destroy it. He drifted back to thoughts of that strange boy in green clothes. Link was his name and he said he had come from a distant land to destroy the sword. Kilik knew its power was great but he had never suspected that its evil influence had begun to cause destruction and death in worlds other than this. It was with a heavy heart he struck down this warrior as well. He didn't know why but he waited to move on until Link had woken up. He fed him and looked after him for the night. He knew what he had done to this boy. Link knew he had been defeated and he had no more of a part in this quest. He could now only stand by and watch as Kilik either fell under another's sword or defeated the evil that stood at the end of all their paths. Kilik, now knowing just how many lives this sword had affected swore to destroy it. It had been a quest for redemption earlier. Before it was simply a matter of freeing his conscience. Now, it was much more, Kilik put aside his own feelings and began doing what he must: save his world and others.
"I've come so far. I want to destroy it and now I stand on the precipice of destiny." He suddenly became aware of Xianghua's presence and turned around.
"Now the question is, who will rise and who will fall. Xianghua, it isn't that I don't believe that you could defeat the incarnation of evil, I fear for your life. There is no question as to your strength but simply your well-being. You must understand. I love you far more than I have loved before. I can't let you risk your life. You can't fight this with strength alone. Please understand Xianghua." Kilik tried to reason with her.
"Kilik, I know your past, I know the ghosts that haunt you. If you face this evil it could destroy you. Kilik, I love you that is why I can't let you risk your life." Xianghua had admitted what had been kept silent for years. She loved Kilik and for that reason, she would not let him put his life or his sanity in danger.
"Xianghua, I will lay my soul on the line! I must atone for my past sins. Don't you care? How can you not hate me? I killed your sister!" Kilik was trembling now. The sins of his past were scars that would never fade. He knew that he would never be able to bring back those lives he destroyed while both conscious and unconscious but, he would be able to make sure that it never happened again. But, for his conscience to be cleared, he must be the one to destroy the sword. He would ensure that its evil would disappear. He would either eradicate its vile presence from the world or, it would consume him either way, his journey would be done. Xianghua looked more hurt than Kilik. As Kilik's head dropped, Xianghua approached with a tear in her eye. She caressed Kilik's face with a gentle finger with her hand coming to rest under his chin. She slowly lifted his head until his eyes were level with hers.
"Kilik, I have not, nor will I ever hold you responsible for the death of my sister. I love you because of who you are now. Why should that change because of the deeds from your past? You are a good person. And nothing that you or anyone has done can change that in this moment." She paused. Kilik gently took her hand and turned his head away. "That is why I will protect you from that sword, from past errs. By force if I must." Xianghua knew that there was no stopping Kilik with her words. But she loved this man far too much to allow him to do what she knew would be too difficult for his soul and his staff to bear.
"Xianghua, I love you too. But, for me to be at peace, for the world to be restored to its natural order, I must move you aside and, because I love you, I will do so as gently as you will allow me. However, if you insist on stopping me, I will not hold back." Kilik was pained that the one person he had ever loved was now his final and strongest opponent. "Ah!" Kilik just barely dodged the first strike. Xianghua's blade grazed his coat.
"If you intend to gently move a fiery dragon, it will burn you and you cannot afford to face this demon injured. If you intend on going through with this, you must give it your all. I must see with my own eyes that you are strong and worthy enough to fight this opponent." Xianghua's eyes were filled with fire and water. The tears spilled freely but there was no evidence of sadness in her voice; only determination."
"Is there no other way?" Kilik gripped his staff. Even though he knew the answer, he still wanted to hear it for himself.
"No Kilik, the storm of fate will not rest until one of us lies defeated." Xianghua answered firmly knowing that there was one path that was prepared by fate and it now lay before both of them. But she had one question left to answer: who would be victorious and walk that path?
"Fine then, I respect and love you but that in and of itself requires me to fight you with the ferocity and determination all my other opponents have faced before. No, it requires even more than that. Xianghua, you will taste the fury of my staff. Destiny cannot be inhibited!" With those words springing from his mouth, Kilik rushed forward striking at his beloved multiple times. She successfully blocked each attempt at a blow with skilled parries from her sacred sword. Xianghua's skills had improved over countless battles. Her goal from the beginning was to save her love. Never had a different purpose crossed her mind. Soul Calibur was a powerful weapon but, the sword would mean nothing if she failed to save the man she loved. And, despite all his strength, she knew that if he fought the infernal demon, he would lose everything. It would consume him and through his body, the will of the blade would wield unlimited strength. This purpose remained strong in Xianghua's mind as she fought through tears, sparks, and blood to destroy the one she sought to protect. She lunged and Kilik dodged, she struck a near miss but a spatter of blood stained the chapel floor. Kilik fought with a purpose that he knew was far too important to cast aside. He had experienced it in his battles. And, after defeating Astaroth he knew that his purpose was just. Keeping the sword from causing any more pain whether in his life or in others, that is what he sought. Soul Edge now, with its malicious presence affected entire worlds. His pains were diminished in comparison and with that purpose burning through his heart and radiating through his soul, he knew he would not let his will be shattered even if he was forced to face down the very fires of hell. A scream echoed through the ruined church as Kilik struck. But, his staff fell short if his love's delicate body.
"Kilik…" Xianghua said calmly, "it's over." In his moment of hesitation, she batted his weapon from his hands. Kilik fell to the ground bitter tears overflowing the forbidden boundaries of his clear blue eyes. His soul welled up inside him once more he made for his staff.
"I CANNOT LOSE!" his cry echoed throughout the building. The spirits which inhabited it stopped to hear the scream of a soul akin to their own. He rose quickly and ran for his weapon but was knocked to the ground once more by Xianghua. The tip of her sword now lay aimed at his chest.
"Kilik, if you try to move, I will be forced to hurt you." Xianghua replied with all the calmness and composure she could muster. The defeated warrior however, would not concede his loss. As long as he could hold his staff, he would fight. A flash of red. Blood spattered messily across the stained glass windows. Xianghua, true to her word had cut deep into Kilik's arm.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" His pain-filled scream echoed off the walls stained with his blood. He rose once more only to have his leg pierced by the stinging blade. More blood, the murals of holy figures that watched over the sacred sanctuary were now covered with his blood. "Why Xianghua? Why do you keep me from finishing my destiny?!" Kilik asked with despair and sadness in his voice. Seeing no other way to stop him, the triumphant swordswoman smote her lover across the head with the hilt of her blade leaving his unconscious form lying limp on the floor.
"Because I wish to bear this burden for you." Her tears now flowed freely it was evident how extremely painful it had been for her to hurt him. But, there was no time for tears. Xianghua closed her eyes for a moment and opened them to find herself in a fiery wasteland. She saw a glint of silver and before her appeared the incarnation of the evil will of SoulEdge itself: Inferno. This monster was responsible for the death of her sister, for the pain that she had inflicted upon Kilik, for the anguish which tore at her very soul.
"I will send you to the abyss foul beast! You will be destroyed for eternity by this sword!" Xianghua screamed. The fiery demon seemed to laugh. In its hand materialized the blade which it served. Its eye looked straight at her and she felt rage that never before had awakened in her soul. She ran forward and, abandoning her elegant style, fought with the fury of a descending waterfall; intent with the purpose of quenching the ever-burning hellfire. She struck the monstrous beast in the head. Fire scattered from its horrific form. Xianghua had triumphed. All that she and others had fought for was now accomplished. But, from every corner of the land, a deep sound echoed. It sounded like coughing but it made her soul sick. She realized almost too late that it was laughter. Inferno gathered the flames to its body again and struck. A superficial cut left Xianghua with blood leaking down the length of her arm. She fought with the strength of her soul but, that would not make up for her physical fatigue. Blow after blow, her sword was knocked away. It was only a matter of time before she fell under the blade of infernal villainy. A spark in her mind brought an idea. Xianghua struck for the eye of the blade. A sound like that of steel and rock scraping pierced through. The fire fled once again from Inferno's body and redirected itself at Xianghua. Pain filled her every thought. The heat was too incredible. And then suddenly everything was gone.
"Be gone foul beast! Can you hear my soul scream? Be engulfed by its power and disappear!" A red cloak flittered through her mind. She could hear the unearthly howls of the sword. As she regained her sight she saw Kilik fighting back the blade. It seemed as though she was wrong. He was powerful enough to fight the ultimate evil on his own. The monster fell down to one knee. Kilik jumped in for the final blow and then stopped. Blood ran down the blade of SoulEdge and spilled over Kilik's lips. In his leap of fury, the infernal beast had brought its sword up and implaed the noble warrior. Xianghua's eyes filled with as silent scream. He was dying. The one she swore to protect, his life was draining out of his defeated body.
"Noooooo! You will not take him from me!" She screamed with tears in her eyes. She rammed her sword through SoulEdge's eye. This time, her blade went completely through the sword. Inferno writhed before her, howling like a wild animal. She quickly withdrew her sword and in a swift movement cut off the creature's head. It's now lifeless body fell and as soon as it hit the ground, it turned to dust. The wasteland faded but Xianghua didn't notice she held the lifeless body of the bravest man she had ever known and the only one she had ever loved to her chest and mourned his death. A hand reached up and brushed her hair away from her eyes.
"Don't cry, all that we wanted has been achieved. It is done. The evil has left I can no longer sense its presence." Kilik struggled to speak these words. His head rested in the lap of his beloved her hands now sweeping across his face. Xianghua allowed all the tears of her lost love to fall on her beloved's face. And as the two lovers shared tears, it began to rain. The cool water ran down their faces and bodies. It seemed as if the sky was weeping though there were no clouds. SoulCalibur silently began glowing. Kilik first noticed it.
"Xianghua, what is that?" the blade lay where Inferno's body had been. Slowly it moved toward Kilik. As the blade continued to glow brighter and brighter. They both became intent upon it. A voice spoke to both of their souls, "You two have just brought about the end of a great evil an evil which I have been battling for generations. For that I am eternally grateful. But, since that evil is gone, I have no further purpose. If I am not mistaken, Inferno dealt a fatal blow to you did he not?" Kilik nodded, "Well then, for your services, I shall repay you with the gift of life. I lay down my own in the exchange for your promise that you will continue to protect the world from evil for the rest of your days." Xianghua then said, "He will oh great sword and I will fight all the evil in the world alongside of him."
"Well then, with your vows, I give you life. And, young woman, though my soul will dissipate from this blade, its power will remain. You may use it to strike down evil and protect those you love." Xianghua kissed Kilik on the forehead. With that, the light of the sword grew to the peak of its brilliance and engulfed Kilik. His wounds were instantly healed. And then, its task completed, SoulCalibur dropped to the ground its hilt awaiting the grasp of its new owner. However, Xianghua's arms turned from the blade to embrace her love first. Kilik returned the loving gesture and gave Xianghua a loving, warm kiss.
"We did it. It's over now." Kilik told her.
"Kilik, we can live in peace now. And, if any evil arises, we will strike it down together." Xianghua now saw that she had underestimated Kilik by far. Her love for him only increased. The thought and terror of losing him was now replace by admiration for his strength and courage. Xianghua gripped her new sword and headed with Kilik for the exit. On their way out, the two saw a figure clad in green. He smiled and then played a peaceful tune on a small instrument. In a flash he was gone. In the distance, a figure ran towards them, Maxi too was back to normal. All was at peace in the world. This one and many others. As it should be. Two hands belonged to two heroes. One gripped a weapon and the other held the hand of the one they loved. Together, they would break the tides of evil and slaughter all that is malicious in this world. Their souls have withstood the test of villainy and have been tempered by the fires of love. And though they hold strong weapons, the strongest weapon they have are the souls that reside within them that no fire nor evil can defeat no matter what storm will rage against them, they will triumph with the power of their souls. Combined, they will never fail and, the world will be forever safe.