I own nothing…except for Raphael…in my dreams…

Day 3

Lilith's POV

The last thing I remember is passing out in the arms of a stranger. He was trying to get me to a clinic because I received deep wounds in my fated battle with the Azure Knight. My Naomi is dead…

I wake when the first rays of sunlight pour in through the window, dancing upon my eyelids. My eyes flutter open and slowly blurred shapes come into focus. I am in a room in a clinic. My clothing is removed and bandages cover my back, my shoulder and my thigh. I have a thin white gown on, provided by the clinic I assume. My clothes are lying neat and folded on the floor next to my bed.

"You're awake," says a voice to the other side of me.

I turn to see the man who must have carried me to the clinic. I say nothing. My heart is still filled with too much grief for me to speak right now, Naomi's death being unbearably hard to cope with. I look out the window from my bed, soothed by the beauty of the morning sky.

"How are your wounds?" He asks.

"Sore…" I answer, keeping my focus on the window, straining to speak.

"Don't worry. You will recover soon," he says, voice soft.

"Did you…bring me here?" I ask, my voice almost a whisper.

"Yes. I didn't think you were going to make it," he confesses.

"You didn't have to save me," I tell him, "but I thank you for your kindness."

"It was nothing…I will stay with you until your wounds heal."

"Thank you…" I say then whisper to myself, "Although I wish I would have just bled to death…"

The stranger hears what I meant to keep to myself, "Don't say that. You're alive. Your friend's not. Don't take for granted what she does not have anymore."

"You don't understand…I loved her…" I say, keeping my face to the window as a few stray tears fall down my cheeks.

"Then live for her," he says, then he changes the subject, "What's your name?"

"Lilith…" I reply, sorrow etched in each syllable, "yours?"

"Raphael."

A nurse enters the room.

"How are you feeling, miss?" She asks me, typical nurse-concern in her voice.

"My wounds still ache but other than that, ok," I tell her.

"Good, just take some of this pain medication when you need it and you will be fine. You are free to check out anytime you'd like."

I nod and thank her as she leaves.

"I need to dress," I say, looking at Raphael.

"Oh…go ahead…" Raphael says, turning around.

I quickly put on my outfit and realize that the rest of my clothes are back in the countryside. I don't have any money with me so I can't buy any new clothing either. At least I have my Katana.

"You can turn around now," I tell Raphael.

I head for the door but then stop, doubling over in pain. I guess my wounds need more time to heal. He rushes to my side, putting his arm around me.

"Not too fast! Take it easy. Does it hurt to walk?" He asks.

"Yes," I say quietly, not wanting to admit it.

"Let me help you," he offers.

"I'm fine," I say, leaving the hospital room.

Searing pain shoots through me and I find myself doubling over again. Raphael links his arm around my waist, being careful not to put pressure on the wound in my back where the fragment of Soul Edge was taken out. I don't even know how it got there and that bothers me but there is too much on my mind to think about this now.

Raphael's POV

I gently help Lilith out of the clinic and to the hotel. She doesn't say much. She reminds me of Amy in a way, silent and sorrowful. But I understand Lilith's pain. She has just lost someone dear to her. We enter the hotel and approach the inn keeper.

"Are there any rooms left?" I ask him.

"Yes there is one left with two beds," he tells me.

I'm sure Lilith will not be happy about sharing a room with me but it will have to do. At least this way I can keep an eye on her and make sure she takes it easy. Judging by her stubborn personality, it seems that she won't. We go up to our room and I help Lilith to a bed. I sit down on the bed next to hers. She doesn't say anything, only looking out the window, blank expression on her face. Finally, after what seems like hours of awkward silence, she speaks.

"Are you going to pursue the Azure Knight?" She asks me.

"Yes." I know where this is going and I don't like it.

"Take me with you," she turns to look at me.

I can see the fire in her eyes…her hazel eyes. I have just noticed their color, quite a lovely shade but what I am I thinking!

I can't let her come with me. It would be too dangerous for her and I have already saved her once. I have to let her down gently although gently isn't my normal approach.

"I'm sorry Lilith but I can't take you with me. This journey is far too dangerous."

"You don't have a choice. You will take me with you. I want to make sure that bastard gets what's coming to him," she says. Quite a stubborn girl!

I let out a sigh. It's not that she'd be a burden to me but she could get hurt. I do not want to be at fault for her death. Then again it is her decision and I don't want to argue with her. Defeated, I comply.

"Alright you may come with me but this is a dangerous journey. Do you understand?"

"Perfectly," is her answer. "I live in danger…"

I do not intend to inquire what she means by that. I'll let her rest up. I excuse myself and head towards the pub part of the inn, wondering if anyone else has seen the Azure Knight.

Lilith's POV

I watch Raphael leave, remaining seated on my bed. I'm too sore to move right now and it's rather frustrating. Naomi's dead and there is nothing I can do at the moment to avenge her.

I feel overwhelming grief in my heart. I loved Naomi…but the feelings of attraction I was experiencing earlier seem to have dissipated and I feel nothing but guilt. Had I only thought I loved her in that way? I don't understand my emotions at all. All I know is anguish and a lust for revenge. I am going to make the Azure Knight pay. That's why I nagged that Frenchman who saved me to take me with him. He'll be pursuing the Azure Knight with an unwanted companion but that's too bad for him.

Rain begins to beat down outside and I can see flashes of lightning. It's storming, typical. I slowly rise from my bed and walk, with lots of pain, over to the window. I've always loved watching thunderstorms even when mother used to tell me I'd get struck by lightning. I haven't yet and I intend on watching every second of this thunderstorm. At least it will take my mind off of things.

I watch people below, scurrying to seek shelter like insects do from birds. I can't help but smirk. Getting caught in the rain has never been a problem for me. I love this kind of weather! The only downside is that it could hamper travel. Still, such a lovely sight! I must get closer.

I put my hand on the doorknob leading out to the balcony. Turning the knob gently and shutting the door behind me, I step outside, feeling the rain pelting down on me. Suddenly the wounds don't hurt as much as I am caught up in my own actions. My sorrows don't seem as great as I stare up at the black clouds above me and listen to the booms and crashes of thunder. Everything just seems so trivial at this point in time. So I spin around. Sure my wounds are aching quite a bit but I don't care. I spin again and again. Soon I am twirling about on the balcony as if performing a ballet routine. I open my mouth and begin to sing a song mother taught me.

The notes dance from my mouth to fill the air around me. I finish the song and stand on the edge of the balcony watching the rain come down. Father always said I had the best singing voice in the world next to mother's. I use to sing for entertainment at my parents' many parties. Back then I was cherished, before blood spilled on my sword for the first time, before I knew the meaning of war and felt the loss of a loved one.

I am torn from my thoughts by a rap coming from the other side of the balcony through the window. I turn to see the Frenchman yelling something inaudible from the other side. I can probably guess what he is shouting but I choose to play dumb, cupping a hand to my ear. He opens the door a crack.

"What are you doing?!"

I laugh to myself and answer his question, "I'm enjoying myself!"

"It's storming out there! You could get struck by lightning!" He warns, just like mother.

At this point I am laughing hysterically, doubled over. My wounds are aching but I don't care! Raphael just stares at me in disgust mingled with frustration. Swinging the door open, he walks over to me.

"You are injured and should be inside resting! This is a bad storm! You could get hurt or catch a cold," he scolds me.

I am a bit out of it from the blood loss still and laugh hysterically at his warnings which remind me of mother, "Ohhhh I'm so frightened!"

He sighs irritably and picks me up gently, with much protesting from me and hefts me over his shoulder to take me back into our room. I begin pounding on his back. How dare he do this to me! He has no right to force me back inside!

"WHO SAID YOU COULD TOUCH ME?! PUT ME DOWN!"

We are now in our room and he sets me down on the bed gently. I can tell he is biting his tongue, restraining himself from losing his temper for I had gotten him slightly soaked.

Feeling violated, all I can manage to do is glare at him before storming off into the bathroom and slamming the door shut behind me. I am soaking wet and cold and I have no spare clothes to change into. I strip off my clothes, my undergarments dry enough to wear and wrap a towel around myself. I hold my soaked clothes in my hand and exit the bathroom and place the clothes near the fireplace to dry. I notice out of the corner of my eye, Raphael staring at me like I'm some freako exhibitionist or something. If I'm not mistaken, and to my horror, there is a faint shade of pink blooming on his cheeks. I place my hands on my hips, sighing irritably.

"Well what do you expect? I have no spare clothes with me and I have no money to buy new."

Raphael heaves a sigh, "Well then I suppose I can loan you the money to purchase what you need. Anything's better than you walking around in a towel."

Now I feel a bit insulted. My body's not that bad looking in a towel. I mean of course I have some scars but they're not that ugly. I look at him, not knowing whether to respond gratefully or indignantly.

"Well thank you, wouldn't want to be an eye sore? Right?" I spit out, lying back on my bed.

He says nothing and picks up a book, beginning to leaf through it, feigning interest to avoid the awkwardness. I am too tired to hassle the poor man any longer so I quickly feel myself falling asleep.

Raphael's POV

I went down to the bar part of the inn to see if anyone else had seen the Azure Knight, Nightmare. Unfortunately when I arrived everyone was crazed with drinking. I did not hear anything at all in relation to the Azure Knight, Nightmare, Soul Edge or Soul Calibur. After staying there for a little while I finally realized that it was storming. I decided to head back to the room, knowing I would find nothing at the bar.

When I got there, I saw no sign of Lilith. I immediately thought the worst, she tried committing suicide. I would have wasted my time helping this young girl for nothing! I checked the bathroom for her and did not see her. Then I noticed that the balcony door was not shut all the way. I sighed and looked out the window.

To my surprise Lilith was just standing there, soaked, the rain falling down on her. At first I thought she was going to jump but then I realized she was enjoying herself. The thunder and lightning seemed to be escalating. I began fearing for her life.

With much protest I managed to get her back inside. I am beginning to think she is slightly unstable due to her actions. Then the next thing I know she comes out in nothing but a towel! This was a very awkward moment for me as I have never seen a woman in nothing but a towel. I couldn't help but blush even though it isn't my fault. She told me she had nothing else to wear. Well I'd rather not see her walking around in just a towel so I loaned her the money to buy some new ones, I have plenty.

She gets offended by what I say and suddenly it becomes awkward again. I forgot how annoying women can be. Hoping to avoid her wrath, I picked up a book and pretended to read it.

Now I lay in my bed, trying to get some sleep. Lilith has remained silent for the rest of the night, probably still mad at me. I think she is still awake but it is hard to tell. I silently hope that she does not try to do anything foolish tonight as sleep takes over my mind.

Sleepy time for me now! I will release a few more chapters soon though but I have to get up and sing, choir concert! Vale!