Shikkoku: Namco owns Soul Calibur and it's corresponding game modes and characters. I don't own anything but the Spadas.
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Tsurugi no Kirokusuru
By Shikkoku Kiyoshi
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After a moments rest, Sarieth and Riese ran to the next post, where Aeneas was waiting, a fallen solider at his feet.
"You don't waste time, do you?" He asked. "We got another base right up ahead, so we should get going."
A half hour later, they were at the second strong hold. Using Aeneas' lance as a battering ram, they easily stormed in. The sole occupant was a man with a sword and shield. Sarieth used his long iron sword as a barrier as he was assaulted with the man's attacks. Obviously he wasn't going to go down without a fight. And that damn shield isn't helping him counter his barrage either. So Sarieth had to get rough.
Knocking his opponent's shield off his hand with the hilt of his weapon, Sarieth grabbed it off the ground. He tossed it back to its owner, who brought it up to his face to see if it had been damaged.
"You let your guard down!" CRACK!
Sarieth kicked the shield into the man's face, knocking him out instantly. Riese fell to the floor laughing, and Aeneas shook his head. The cadets stripped the unconscious man of his weapons and climbed up the lookout to check their progress and take a quick break.
"Sarieth, something is bugging me." Riese said after drinking from her flask of water...
"What's up?" Sarieth asked.
"Even if we do win this battle, what do you think will the last exam be?"
"I have no idea." He shrugged. "But we should focus on the current one for now, I think Abelia has been toying with us for a while, but now that we're getting closer to her stronghold, we might be greeted with tougher forces. Keep your guard up, as they probably expect us to be relaxed due to the pretty lousy fighters she sent originally."
Aeneas and Riese proceeded to fortify their stronghold and leave, starting the long path to Abelia's main station.
After thirty minutes, the teams were confronted by some forces blocking their path. As Sarieth predicted, they were way tougher than past opponents. Riese was blocking an attack when a sword hit her just below her ribs. Wincing in pain but not fazed, she immediately cut up said attacker savagely. Sarieth noticed it and asked her to retreat, but the blue-haired girl kept going. Aeneas had no troublemaking a clearing with his lance, but the Spada had quite a time with the constant shields he faced up against. Feeling cornered, he decided to throw his sword in the air. Most of the soldiers stopped in confusion and looked up, and Sarieth unsheathed his katana and proceeded to render an entire group of high level soldiers unconscious in a second. Grabbing his sword out of the ground, he finished a few more before they were all comatose on the ground.
Sarieth went to Riese, who was clutching her wound, and took out his medical kit he kept in his armor. Taking out a bandage patch, he covered her wound. Riese laughed weakly.
"I guess I let myself get too relaxed." She said softly, slowly rising to her feet.
"Nonsense." Sarieth replied, "You were great. But I need you to get to your stronghold and rest now. We'll be back as soon as we win this thing."
Riese wanted to object, but instead she saluted her friends and went on her way back to the stronghold they left forty minutes ago. Sarieth and Aeneas continued on their way, hoping for no more obstructions in their path.
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Kalent left the confides of his room and decided to take a self guided tour through this extremely large house. Unbeknownst to him, The leader of the Klessirpemdo had a surprise waiting at the other end of the hall…
Luna had placed a bucket full of water on top of the door leading into the main room, and hid behind one of the couches, laughing evilly to herself.
"I think it's time for a little initiation test." Luna thought. "We'll see if he's good enough to stay here."
"That's the oldest trick in the book and you know it, Luna."
Kalent was right behind her. Luna jumped from the couch and stared at him in amazement.
"How did you know?" She said, trying to sound like she didn't care.
"The other girls told me you did the old bucket trick to all of them when they joined you." Kalent walked past her. "Good try, though."
Luna grumbled for a moment, but decided to follow the young boy. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised. You are a top official in the Dalkia army, after all."
"I wouldn't call myself a top official. I'm more of a high ranking cadet." Kalent corrected. "It only seems that way because I have a good relations with Roin and Queen Aurelia. You're more fitting of that rank."
"Why, thank you." Luna smiled. "But I do commend your skill."
Luna was about to leave when she remembered something.
"I just want you to know one thing when we go into battle again."
"Yes?"
"Don't get in my way."
Luna gave him a look that made Kalent slightly edgy. "If you can do that one thing, we can get along great." She patted him on the shoulder and walked away.
Kalent stood there for a moment, grasping what Luna asked of him, before shrugging. He picked up the bucket from the door and placed it where Luna had left at before running away.
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After another forty-seven minutes, they finally reached the stronghold of Abelia Schillfelt. It was too bad they were exhausted from the long battle, but they were too close to just drop their weapons and surrender. So they started their attack on the doors. Slowly but surely, they managed to batter their way in.
"STOP!!!" Sarieth and Aeneas heard Rhiona scream. She was running towards them through them, intent on stopping whatever they were about.
Just when she got within striking distance, however, she managed to trip on her feet and fall face first right in front of them.
Sarieth had the sinking feeling that he was putting more effort into this exam than what the other team was giving. He helped his cousin up.
Riona looked embarrassed, but got back up and readied herself for battle.
"I guess this just isn't your day, is it?" Aeneas laughed. Riona charged at him and attacked.
Sarieth laughed to himself and used the distraction to sneak into the stronghold. He resisted the urge to run to Abelia and start fighting her, instead opting to remember the day they met as he slowly walked towards the final battle…
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Giradot watched as Abelia sparred against another cadet in the training fields.
"She's exactly like her father." He said to himself. "She's going to be strong one day. I can just feel it."
"She's something all right." A voice grunted from above. Giradot looked up to see a brown haired teen wearing black armor sitting on top one of the trees. Next to him was a younger boy with white hair.
"That girl is pretty cute for someone who is studying to be a soldier." The older boy said. "But I doubt that she could handle it."
"And just who are you?" Giradot asked.
"Sarieth Spada." He jumped from the tree, and landing perfectly next to the general. "I'm here to enroll in the army. That boy up there is my brother, Kalent." The white haired boy just smiled from his spot at the tree.
"So you're the heir to the Spada's fortune that everybody is talking about. Well, if you intend on joining the academy, you have to be willing to go above and beyond our expectations."
"You don't have to worry about that. I'm in this to the end." Sarieth grinned. "Kalent, lets make our presence known to the girl over there."
Kalent jumped out of the tree and they made their way to Abelia.
"Are you Abelia Schillfelt?" Sarieth asked.
"Yes I am." She bowed a bit. "Who might you be?"
"Sarieth Spada. And this is my brother, Kalent."
"I see. So you're the rich punk whose parents forced to join the military." Abelia smirked.
Sarieth frowned. "I was the one who CHOSE to be in the military. And just because I'm rich doesn't make me a punk."
Abelia took out her sword. "If your so willing to fight then, how about sparring with me?"
"I wasn't really expecting a fight…" Sarieth took out a sword that was hidden in his clothes. "But I guess I could humor you a bit."
"Sarieth, don't do anything that will get you kicked out of here already." Kalent said as he walked back next to Giradot and watched as the two students clashed swords.
"So, Kalent." Giradot said. "Are you planning to join the military too?"
"I'm too young to join the army." Kalent responded. "Besides, I don't really enjoy the idea of fighting in a war. I'm just here to support my brother."
Sarieth ducked a blow to the head. "Your pretty good, that is, for someone who uses a blade like that."
"What's wrong with my sword?" Abelia frowned.
"It's so fragile, it's like your hitting me with a sword made of glass."
"Is that so? Well, I have never lost a match with this 'glass sword', so that shows you how much you..."
"Look at your blade."
Abelia stopped fighting and looked at the edge of her sword, Eternal Rest. It had a several long cracks from when it hit Sarieth's sword. Abelia looked at it in shock.
"How could it crack? It's way more thicker than your thin katana."
"The crack in the sword proves that the metal is impure, and not strong enough to last for more than a few major battles." Sarieth stated. "If you plan on fighting a battle, that sword is worthless trash. You might as well fight our attackers off with a fork."
Sarieth was about to call off the match when Abelia tackled him to the ground and proceeded to beat him senseless. After what seemed to be an eternity, Kalent rushed to aid his brother.
"Stop it." Kalent ordered. "You're acting like a child."
"Leave me alone!" Abelia pushed him out of the way, picked up her sword and shield and ran off.
Sarieth got back up, and he was three notches above pissed. "YEAH YOU BETTER RUN YOU PRISSY LITTLE BITCH!" He wiped his mouth. "Did you see that, Kalent? She got mad and tried to ruin my handsome face!"
"Sarieth, you need to calm down." His brother said. "I suppose you don't understand it, but I happen to know that sword you were talking about was given to her by her father."
"So?"
"Her dead father."
Sarieth paused for a moment. "Shit. I guess I know now why she went berserk." Sighing he went to find her.
Looking high and low, he searched throughout the academy, but it was a big place, and he was starting to get tired, so he decided to rest at the library, and that's when he saw her, sobbing in her arms on one of the tables. Sarieth slowly sat next to her and she looked up at him, tears still running down her face.
"I'm sorry, Abelia." The Spada heir apologized. "Kalent told me about the deal with the sword. I had no idea it belonged to your father."
Abelia just sniffled.
"You know," Sarieth continued. "When I was fourteen and Kalent was only ten, my uncle died during a small skirmish in another country. My aunt gave this breastplate to me for my eleventh birthday, and said that it was only natural that the heir gets ownership of it. As I looked at it, and remembered what my uncle did, it occurred to me that my uncle could have just sat on his ass and used his status to stay out of combat, but instead chose to fight for this country. So I decided that I would prove to everybody that the Spadas are not above the country of Grandall, but apart of it."
Abelia wiped the tears out of her eyes. "I'm so sorry." She said quietly. "I was just so frustrated at your attitude, and then what you said about my father's sword being worthless trash…"
"Yeah, that was a little much. But I have an idea that will make everything better."
"What is that?"
"Give me your sword."
"What?!" Abelia held her sword possessively. "I'm not giving it to you to throw in the trash!"
"I'm not going to throw it in the trash. Just trust me. I'll have it back to you by tomorrow."
"Promise?"
"Promise." Sarieth smiled before leaving the library. He met Kalent, who was sleeping, outside the building, so he kicked him.
"OW! What is it?!"
"Wake up, we're going back to the compound. There's something we need to do."
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The next day, Sarieth rushed to find Abelia in the practice yard, feeling a little uneasy without her sword.
"Hey Abelia!" he said, getting the girl's attention. "I got your sword here."
"Thanks. I wonder what you did with it." She unwrapped the sword from the cloth and nearly dropped it in surprise. The cracks were gone, and while the sword looked the same, something felt different.
"I had the sword strengthened with our high quality metal. It can cut through traditional armor, it won't crack easily, and it has a secret Spada formula that makes blood run off it like rainwater." Sarieth grinned. "So, how do you like it?"
Abelia just looked at him, before running up to Sarieth and hugging him.
"It's perfect! Thank you!" She said.
"I'm glad you like it. So now that all's forgiven, do you think we could be friends?"
Abelia beamed. "Of course we can."
"That's good. Now let's get going, there's some people I want you to meet."
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"I can't believe that was three years ago…" Sarieth said as he quickened his pace. "And here we are, about to graduate, and getting ready to go to battle against each other again." He started to run, knowing full well what was waiting for him.
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Lupi, Heal-Do, Aege and Elua were eating dinner when Luna stomped in. She was soaking wet, and was incredibly ticked off.
"Where is Kalent?" She said slowly and maliciously.
"He said he'll be down here in a moment." Lupi looked at her. "What happened to you?"
Before Luna could start throwing a fit, Kalent entered the room. Upon noticing his superior officer wet and angry, he let out a chuckle.
Five seconds later, he had a bucket thrown at his face.
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Sarieth finally reached the center of the stronghold, but now he had to go up a bunch of steps to the top where Abelia was. When he got to the top, the female cadet was looking over the battlefield. Grinning, Sarieth quietly walked behind her, getting his mouth as close to her ear as he could without disturbing her.
"BOOM!"
Abelia nearly fell off the roof. "Sarieth! You scared me, Dammit!"
Sarieth laughed a bit before stepping back and grabbing his sword. "So, I guess this is the clincher."
"Yes, It's been a while since you and I fought." Abelia took out her sword and shield and gave a evil smile. "I want you to fight me with all you might, as I will."
"I promise you I will."
They stood there for a moment, getting their bodies ready for battle.
"Let's settle this." Abelia shifted into her fighting stance.
"I'll show you my true strength." Sarieth did the same thing before swinging his sword at her. Abelia ducked quickly and brought the hilt of Eternal Rest into the stomach of the Spada, who quickly backed off.
"Heh. You gotten strong." Sarieth panted. Adjusting the grip of his sword, he attempted to sidestep her but she swung her shield under his feet. He regained his composure and swung his sword downwards, hitting Abelia in the shoulder. Sarieth spun around while holding his sword low, tripping her to the ground.
"I could say the same thing to you." Abelia rolled into a crouch before kicking Sarieth in the face. As he stumbled back, she proceeded to let loose a series of stabs towards him, causing him to fall back even more. He finally parried one of the strikes, causing Abelia to lose her focus and, using the flat end of the blade, Sarieth knocked her onto the wall. After she turned around to face him, he shoved the hilt of the sword into her gut. Thankfully, the armor lessened the impact, but it still hurt quite a bit.
Looking up at Sarieth's face, Abelia noticed something. He had a smile on his face. And not the usual arrogant 'I'm better than everybody' grin he had on a normal basis, but an excited, gleeful smile that she never saw before. It was like he was having fun with this. Abelia knew that he liked fighting, but this look…he was focused more than he ever was in his life, and with what was at stake, both militarily and personally, she could not blame him a bit.
Sarieth slammed his sword into her side, and kicked her in the stomach. Abelia nearly dropped her sword from the pain, but she put it in the back of her mind. She did a quick spinning kick that hit Sarieth in the shoulder, but he didn't seem to feel it that much, as he jumped in the air and crashed both feet into her chest, sending her to the wall. She fell to the ground, conscious but in pain. She barely gotten to her feet when Sarieth swung his sword directly at her, the force of the impact left a huge gash in her chestplate, chipped her shield, and sent her own sword flying to the ground. Not to mention that it really hurt. She had no other choice.
"I…surrender." Abelia choked out, tears starting to form in her eyes. She had failed.
Sarieth helped her up, and recovered her sword for her. Taking out a folded piece of cloth, he took down Abelia's flag and raised his own, giving the signal to Aeneas that they have passed the test.
"Yeah!" Aeneas shouted, raising his lance in victory. Riona, who was close to beating him, sighed and fell down to the ground in relief. Sarieth walked to the edge of the roof and gave Aeneas a thumbs up. Noticing Abelia still demoralized from her loss, he walked towards her.
Abelia didn't want to look at him. Sarieth, the boy who seemed to carefree for his own good, who skipped classes, broke rules and disrespected commanders, passed the test before she did. That boy lifted her chin so that her eyes meet his.
"Abelia." He said softly. "How could you be upset when you was the one who wanted me to pass this test?"
"I didn't know…I didn't know I had to go against you." She wiped her eyes.
"I understand. Listen, even if you kicked my ass from here to Parousia, I've would have been happy because I got to fight you. You'll graduate no matter what happens here, okay? I believe in you as you believed in me. We'll end this war together."
Sarieth helped Abelia up before she gave him a massive hug. Looking up at the darkening sky, he could only think about what was waiting for him the next day.
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Kalent walked into his room, face still somewhat tingling from having a metal object hit it at high speeds. He fell on his bed, barely able to take his shoes, shirt and vest off. As he watched the sun go down, he thought about his brother. Knowing him, he probably was taking his final test tomorrow. Grinning, he remembered the scarf that he had brought him. Sarieth nearly strangled himself to death trying to put it on, but when he did, it looked like it was made just for him.
He quickly rid himself of such thoughts, however, not wanting to get homesick. Kalent decided that if anything, this new unit wouldn't be as bad as he initially believed. Using his remaining strength to pull the covers over him, he fell asleep, dreaming about the normal life he wanted.
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Shikkoku: I'm usually skeptical when I submit a chapter, but I really liked the way this turned out. Everything looks great, and I'm happy.
Notes:
Thanks to Mark Ol' Henry for giving me my first (and only) review EVER.
I'll post Sarieth's formula next chapter, Riona in chapter 6 and Kalent's in chapter 7.
Sarieth's main weapon is a iron sword, but it's a little narrower than what they have in the game. His secondary weapon is a Katana. He has techniques that involve both of them at the same time.
Next Chapter: Now that Sarieth's team have defeated Abelia, they're on easy street. Or they will be once they beat Giradot. And Kalent gets some unsettling news about Dalkia's next move.
Until Next Time.
