It might be awhile before I update again it's my first year in college so things have been a bit hectic lately.

"Sophitia I..." Her sentence trails off for she is at loss of what to say. She expected her sister to find out at sometime but not now, not before she even saw the hills of Romania.

"Please Cassandra come now or I will have no choice but to make you." She raised her sword making it clear that she fully intended to carry out her promise.

Cassandra hand still held her weapon but her grip had begun to loosen. Could she truly battle her beloved sister? The thought was agonizing; hadn't this happened enough it was only three months before that they had gone head to head. Sophitia battling for Soul Edge and she to protect her sister now it seemed the roles had switched. Her heart couldn't handle such pain again she didn't want to go through that... but return was not an option.

"Sophitia I can't go back Athens with you because my heart lies elsewhere."

"Where with that lunatic? Open your eyes Soul Edge has tainted him and it will do the same to you if you return there. Come with me Cassandra we can go back home and have our old normal lives again before all this madness started."

"Home is no longer home for me. For you it's different because you have your husband and children there all I have is the bakery. I love him Sophitia and with him is where I belong" She pauses noticing the ivory tear slowly making its way down Sophitia's cheek and something inside her chest starts to ache. "I'm sorry."

"I see. But do you know what this means?"

"Yes." Tears stung at Cassandra's eyes somehow she knew it would come to this.

Not another word needed to be exchanged the sisters raised their swords; a battle of epic proportion was about to ensue. Who struck the first blow was impossible to tell it didn't matter because soon after two silver blades were dancing in the moonlight; the sound of their meeting echoing through the forest. In between blows one could faintly hear words being passed. "Why are you doing this?" and "I can't change the path my heart has chosen." were among the whispers barely audible over clashing of metal.

For awhile it was merely slash and stab a round of friendly play one could call it; until the point of Sophitia's blade found its way across Cassandra's cheek just below her eye. The wound made her yelp and withdraw backwards though it was not the pain that made her stop; rather it was the realization it gave her. This wasn't like all the times before Sophitia was fighting to win... at any cost. This was alarming but not unexpected they both witnessed the evil Soul could manifest in a person. Sophitia had seen Pyrrha her only daughter taken by its madness she would not watch the same fate be fall Cassandra not matter what.

Before she had time to recover Sophitia struck her to the ground and in the next moment her sword was at the base of Cassandra's throat. Could this be it? The place where her love of Raphael had finally brought her, about to be murdered by her own sister. The irony was almost comical but then again fate seemed to like playing with her. Time edged on painfully seconds felt like hours as she waited for the moment the blade would claim her now wretched life; but the end never came Sophitia had dropped her weapon. Eyes she had not known were closed opened and she stared at her bewildered only to find twin streams of tears flowing from her eyes. She couldn't do it though she'd seen what the darkness could do; she could not will herself to kill her sister. Shakily at first Cassandra stood to her feet her eyes never leaving her Sophitia she knew and understood what was happening. Once again denying her oath made to the gods but this time it was for Cassandra's sake and that thought almost made her vomit in disgust of herself.

"Sophitia" She called her voice barely a whisper as her arms opened wide. It was at this moment when pain, sorrow and desperation overcame proper sanity and Sophitia's mind began to melt, fantasy and reality now blending together.

Somehow they were both back in Athens outside on a warm day and there were no tears. All Sophitia could see were the children playing in the grass Rothion not far behind and Cassandra reaching out welcoming her. How could she say no to such a lovely invitation? Before thought could process her feet were already moving and in seconds she and Cassandra were embracing each other. Sophitia held to her tightly but she wasn't sure why, for some reason a bad feeling came over her every time she thought of letting go. It shouldn't have though things were so wonderful how could anyone wish to leave?

She didn't notice the arm slowly rising behind her back with a shield that had yet to be removed. "Sophitia" Cassandra said once more and she nodded in reply suddenly something hard struck the back of her head and everything began to spin. Athens was fading and darkness was quickly replacing it. Her legs began to fail her as her consciousness left so did just a little bit more of her sanity as the world grew darker and darker she uttered one final plea.

"Won't you stay Cassandra stay with me Rothion and the children?" She thought her request fell on death ears till a voice growing less and less familiar answered.

"I can't." She wanted to protest but by then the darkness had taken over.

To Be Continued...