First of all, THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH ThalieXVII for reviewing! Much love 3. And I'm so glad you like this story. I'm such a big Maxi fan, but all I hear on websites is about how much people hate him .. But your reading this story so that must mean you like him too!:D Once again, thank you for taking your time and telling me what you think.
You guys, reviews mean so much to me, they're like chocolate, and I looooove chocolate. I want to know what you guys think about my work. And so sorry I haven't updated in like 2 weeks… I'm just gonna be honest, I got lazy, and didn't get any inspiration, I thought sense I had no reviews people thought this story was a piece of trash, or they really hate Maxi, like most people. Anyway, here's the second chapter. Find out who the Tiger is, and get ready for a little cheesy, romantic scene. xD
DISCLAIMER! I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING FROM ANY OF THE SOUL CALIBUR GAMES! Even though I really wish I did…
While I was roasting in front of a hearth, and wrapped in a cocoon full of bandages. A beautiful bronze-skinned girl with emerald green eyes haunted my dreams. Through her I found my center.
After I had been healed enough to walk and move around, and the bandages had finally been removed. My first priority was to thank my rescuers, leave the village and get back to my olD life. But… I soon found out that wasn't going to happen.
''Damn it!''
I lunged my left knee to the ground and attempted to do a Snake Bite attack while rising with my nunchaku but my footing slipped, so did my gripped on my nunchaku, and the weapon went skidding across the wooden floor. I thought this was a result of being injured and not training in a while, but it had happened so many times today and the days before, that I had lost count.
I didn't understand. I had been training until I couldn't feel the heels of my feet or the tips of my fingers for the last few days. I felt that I was healed completely in my body. But that attack that cursed war god commanded upon me, inflicted damage upon me that didn't heal, something that rendered my arms and legs useless in combat.
My agility had decreased, my balance was terribly off, my attacks weren't coming out straight and every time I kicked or lunged a fist, I felt my muscles compress, but then they'd give out and discharge on their own. And that's when my footing would slip and my weapon would fly out of my hand.
I told Mendel, the old farmer who rescued me, that once I was back on my feet I'd be gone. That way, I wouldn't have to accept his offer to become a sharecropper to keep living here. But at this rate it didn't look like I had a choice. Another thing was, if my limbs couldn't perform the way I commanded them to in a real battle (like just now), I would have been dead in a heartbeat. There was no way I'd be able to win a battle against anyone, or protect myself while I ventured on the seas.
I walked over to the wall where my old, tattered white and brown, leather traveling jacket hung. I had been through a lot wearing that jacket. I sighed as I placed my nunchaku inside my old pirate boots on the floor for the last and final time.
My traveling days were over. I felt no wear near that I lived enough years as an adventurer, traveling from place to place. But I had done everything I set out to do in those years. A part of me wanted to continue my life the way it had been in the past 6 years, and was going to miss the thrill of battle, the satisfaction of victory, traveling and seeing everything the world had to offer, stealing from the rich. But most of all, I'd miss doing all those things with my crew, on my ship.
Another part of me believed that maybe this is how it was meant for me to live the rest of my life, finally settled in one place. It would be peaceful, and I'd be doing nothing but just living a normal life as a sharecropper… for the time being.
Even If I really wanted to leave in the condition I was in, the only comrades I had to depend on and travel with were Kilik and Xianghua, and it wouldn't be easy to track them down. So I wouldn't drag them into my mess, it would be my thanks to them for showing me true companionship.
I took one last look at my old clothes before slipping on my new ones given to me by Mendel, and walked out of the tool shed, into the hayfield bathed in orange by the setting sun.
Three days past and I realized being a sharecropper wasn't so bad. (If I wanted to keep living with Mendel I had to ''help'' him keep up with the fields) He also offered me some of the crops on the farm, when it was time pick them, that's what being a sharecropper meant, but I refused.
The old man taught me the basics about farming, reaping, tending to the livestock and rolling hay. He said my help would be needed greatly since he was the only farmer in the village and he was ''gettin' too old for the back breaking work'' . It wasn't something I enjoyed, but apparently he wasn't the only one who appreciated my work.
The villagers had taken a liking to me, especially the women. When they found out I was working for Mendel, they said ''It was good to have a strong, handsome man growing the crops.'' On my second day of work, which was pushing some sort of metal crate with teeth across the entire hayfield in the beaming hot sun, a couple of the women even brought me a basket of sweet breads and a glass container of cooled tea, and stayed to have small talk, which is what everyone seemed to enjoy doing when I was done working in the fields for the day, people came to me and asked me to help them with their tasks. (Which had nothing to do with farming.) But I was happy to help.
All the woodchoppers, blacksmiths and builders in the village even invited me to come to the tavern and drink a tartly, bubbly type of alcohol with them that they called ''beer.'' When they found out I was a captain of a crew and sailed half the world, they never ran out of questions for me. Some men even asked for my advice and opinions when it came to making big decisions for their comrades or whatever job they had. I made jokes with them, listened to strange stories and discussed regular male mundane things. They told me I was good company, and said I was welcome to drink with them anytime I'd like.
Of course there was always a hand full of old geezers in the village who hadn't warmed up to me yet. They even called me a ''heathen'' and ''dirty young man'' when they found out I was a ''pirate'' even though I referred to myself as an adventurous, noble thief. But besides that…
No one really minded that I was a foreigner, (and looked nothing like them) not like I'd expect most German people. The people on the outside of the village, especially in the north weren't too fond of strangers. So, since Mendel had the biggest farm, and owned the only hayfield, most the villagers depended on his crops and livestock for food. And from what I saw, I don't know if it was just the weather or what but most of the crops were already rotten before they left the soil.
It was in the middle of just like any other day, but it was a day that will always be etched in my memory.
The sun was beginning to set, and I was strolling through the village with a cart of haystacks, about to issue them out to whoever needed them, and I noticed an absence of the regular villagers out in the front of their small wooden houses, doing minor tasks.
No one was really out at all. The people I did see were the elders of the village, and they were either sitting down on their porch with worried looks on their face or looking straight ahead with their palms pressed together praying.
What in the hell? Even the women who usually brought me bread and tea didn't stop by while I was reaping. Something was happening.
I looked up ahead, where the market circle was and saw a crowd of people gathered in front of the entrance of the church with their heads bowed in prayer. I abandoned the cart, and walked over through the crowd. I heard people chanting in their prayers and caught words like: ''Please let her survive…'' ''…let it be a success…'' ''…let her still walk as one of the living…''
And all the while the doors to the church were halfway open… no one entered. I looked around and saw everyone's heads bowed in prayer, all except one. Heiden, Mendel's son. He stood there with his arms folded, looking straight ahead.
At the moment, I would have rather asked someone else, but sense I didn't want to disturb anyone in prayer, I walked over to him and whispered, ''Heiden, what's going on?'' He simply shrugged and pointed towards the church doors. ''A ritual for the reverend's daughter.''
A ritual? Before I could question him further, my attention along with everyone else's was pulled back to the heavy church doors creaking open for someone exiting. For a moment it seemed as though time stopped. The only sound I heard was that of a faint shingle and slow, light footsteps followed.
And then, I swear in all my travels I had seen many beauties, but I instantly knew there was something different about her. She stepped from under the shadows of the building, and into the setting sun's orange glow. Long, chocolate brown hair framed her delicate heart shaped face and fell in long, thick waves past her shoulders, reaching her waist.
Her body was engulfed by some sort of shimmering, green aura. But even under the strange green tint I could see her peachy, bronze skin was a little damp from perspiration, and glistened in the sunlight. She wore a sleeves white china robe, with red and green blossoms embroiled across it, tied with a green and gold obi. There was a strange, golden, bejeweled staff she held in her right hand. Her small, plump, rose colored lips uttered words in mysterious language, as she staggered slowly forward with her eyes closed, like she was in some sort of trance.
She seemed so familiar. I knew I had seen her somewhere before, but I couldn't remember where. She took small steps away from the church doors and towards the church stairs. It appeared as though she was floating, or sleepwalking. Every spot on the pavements that her foot touched, a patch of blossoms sprouted there, and then began to wither and die just as it fully blossomed.
She took a wobbly step down the stairs. It occurred to me that I should do something to help her, so she wouldn't fall and hurt herself, but I was transfixed by the sight in front of me just as everyone else. She took another wobbly step down, and almost tripped. The crowd heaved a fearful gasp, but still stood and watched. Why was no one helping her? I took a step forward, prepared to leap up the stairs, but I felt an arm smack against my chest, and I stopped. Heiden.
What was his problem? I swear sometimes the only thing that stopped me from cuffing that guy in the face was the fact that he the son of my boss. ''What's the problem?'' I retorted.
He removed his arm. ''It's dangerous to touch her while that aura is still evoked on her.'' He said this still facing forward, not bothering to look at me.
''Dangerous how?'' I asked irritated.
Then he looked at me, with a serious expression on his face. '' They call it Iza-nami-Mokta. It's the aura of life and death, anything it touches could bless it, or curse and destroy it.''
'' Heh, as far as curses go I could care less. But I'm not going to stand here and watch this go down when I know I can help.'' I replied briskly.
The girl clearly needed help. I wasn't going to stand by and watch her hurt herself just because everyone else was afraid to get ''cursed'' by touching her. It was ridiculous. And as far as curses and sickness went, in my condition I practically had nothing lose.
Heiden glared at me, I narrowed my eyes becoming annoyed, and whatever I was about to do next was forgotten when I heard something fall to the ground with a loud clatter. It knocked me out of my thoughts and I looked back up to the church steps. She dropped the staff that she was clutching in her right and as she took the next step down, her body went limp and she began to fall forward. I immediately ran up the steps and she fell into my arms, aura still engulfing her and all. I heard the villagers gasp.
If what Heiden had said was true, I thought that I would feel the aura causing some kind of reaction, but I felt nothing. I kneeled to the ground as I held her against my chest. After a few seconds, the aura dissipated.
I remember everything in that small moment, how she smelled like almonds, wild blossoms that bloomed in the summer and everything warm. It was a scent that beckoned me and tempted me to hold her closer and just breath breathe it all in. I remember how she felt so warm and delicate in my arms. I felt her breathing slow. She groaned softly and began to stir. I reluctantly loosened my hold on her.
As she raised her head I tried to get a closer look at her but her hair shadowed most of her face. Then her eyes fluttered open, and she looked at me. I didn't need to guess who she was anymore. Her slightly almond shaped, emerald green eyes, encircled by dark thick lashes gazed at me. She was the girl from my dreams. I had a small urge to brush the stray strands away from her face, and caress her cheek.
In that moment she must have sensed what was going through my mind, because her eyes went wide with surprise, and I saw a tint of dark pink rise to her cheeks before she pulled away from me. She scooted back a few spaces before she began to adjust her robe with shaky hands.
''Are you alright?'' I asked. Even though I knew she wasn't. ''That was quite a fall you were about to take.'' I teased. She paused with her robe, and then turned to look at me with uneasy eyes, her face still flushed in embarrassment. I knew it was probably rude, but I couldn't help but smirk. I usually had that affect on shy women.
Her face darkened a shade when she saw this, and she opened her mouth to answer but then… ''Lady Mina!''
A blonde woman, dressed in dark, oddly looking garments ran up the steps and kneeled by the girl named Mina. ''Lady Mina, are you alright?'' She helped Mina to her feet. ''Yes, I'm fine.'' She nodded as she replied with a weak smile. I got to my feet. The blonde woman smiled, then turned to look at me and gave me a dirty look. ''You! Do you know what you've done? If you've been tainted by her aura and fall ill soon it'll be your fault, but Lady Mina will get blamed for it!'' She yelled.
I merely quirked an eyebrow at her, ''Pardon me lady, but I think I can help whoever the hell I like. Besides, I don't think my situation could get any worse…'' My gaze softened as I turned to the nervous Priestess, and ignored the blonde woman's angry glare. ''Um, sorry about that. I didn't mean to get you into trouble,'' I smiled. ''After all, a pretty girl like you doesn't deserve to be blamed for anything when it really isn't your fault.''
Well, there I was again. I could never really help but flirt or joke with all the pretty women I met. It had become a bad habit of mine but I was amused to see the expected reaction; her eyes briefly widened in surprise, she bashfully averted her gaze and to ground as a fiery blush rose to her cheeks. ''T-thank you.'' She muttered softly.
The blonde woman glanced at Mina, and then narrowed her angry amber eyes on me even more. ''How dare you-!'' She began furiously, but then Heiden ran up the stairs and broke everyone's attention. He put a hand on Mina's shoulder. ''Mina, are you alright? Was the ritual a success?''
Didn't he try to stop me from helping her a few moments ago? She nodded. ''Yes, and….'' She turned away from them and knelt down to pick up her staff. All the while the crowd watched and waited for an answer. She held her staff by her side, and flung her long, dark curls away from her face and over her shoulders, then gave a beaming smile to all the anxious villagers. ''The ritual was a success, the reverend's daughter has been healed,''
The crowd erupted in praise, and began bowing and thanking Mina. She bowed back in appreciation. ''This calls for a celebration!'' someone called. The villagers roared excitedly, and began to scatter in all directions and leave the market circle to prepare.
''Mina come. We must prepare.'' The blonde girl put a hand on her shoulder and then glared at me before leading her down the steps. I saw Mina glance back at me with an expression on her face I couldn't quite read and for a split second I could have sworn I saw longing in her eyes. Then she turned back and continued down the steps.
Heiden looked back and gave me a look. I simply starred at him until He shook his head and shortly followed after Mina and the blonde woman.
These truly were strange people. I was immune to the detesting behavior projected at me from strangers almost everywhere I went. But I found their abhorred attitudes towards me a little annoying and this whole scenario was a little confusing. Just what the hell was going on? It appeared they cared for her, but they didn't want anyone to help her? They'd rather watch her fall face forward on stone steps and severely hurt herself than let a brave soul help her? They should have been thanking me.
But I let it go, and pushed my growing frustration aside; there was nothing I could do about the matter now. Something else began to tug at my thoughts. I left the church steps and headed back to the farmhouse.
When the dragon awoke, its injuries were healed. His wings however, would probably never be strong enough to support him in flight again.
Hope you enjoyed. If you did or you didn't; REVIEW! Please… ^_^ And don't worry, this story isn't going to be all about romance. It based off of SOUL CALIBUR! So there will be fighting soon, once Maxi gets healed…! Did I just give a spoiler? O….O- Oh well. But if you want to find out how he gets healed, stay tuned! (It's pretty obvious how.) Also, tell if you think I have Maxi in character or not. I tried my best… but I'm just not a guy.
Oh, and another thing; maybe I misunderstood what Wiki meant by loss of dexterity in arms and legs. Some of the synonyms for dexterity are; agility, nimbleness, deftness, and an antonym is clumsiness, which is the opposite. So correct me if I'm wrong, but whatever it was, I'm positive it was something serious where Maxi was useless in combat. :/ And I tried to muster what some difficulties with dexterity might be. Hope I came close.
3 Much love to all the readers!