The next chapter is up! Reminder that SoulCalibur is not mine but NAMCO's but Jan is my creation.

Chapter 17 - Reunion

Jan and his rebel unit were on their way to the next area, the outer walls of Grandall. Meanwhile at the outer walls, Aeolos' unit was standing at their posts. The unit consisted of the same members of Jan's former unit. Meiga was lookout on the walls, looking through his binoculars. He then spotted something.

"Rebels up ahead!" yelled Meiga.

"So it is true." said Leraje, "The rebellion is still going."

"I thought Jan stopped the rebellion." said Eurydice.

"I guess some rebels must have escaped the path." said Ailian.

"Girardot, maybe."

"Hey Meiga, what's the flag color?" asked Aeneas.

"It's blue with a gold horse."

"Can you see who is holding the flag?"

"No, they are under the hill. I can only see the flag. By the time they get to the top of the hill, we can see them."

"Well, it doesn't matter who they are!" said Riese, "We can beat them easy!"

"If only Jan was here." said Kanon.

"We don't need him." said Aeolos, "We can take of them ourselves."

Everyone then waited for the rebels to show up. As they did show up, everyone was filled with shock and disbelief.

"What?!" said Meiga, "But that's-!?"

"Jan?!" said Eurydice.

"HE JOINED THE REBELLION?!" said Riese.

"But why?" asked Aeneas.

"It doesn't matter." said Aeolos, "We must destroy all rebels."

"No freakin' way!" said Aeneas.

"Indeed." said Leraje, "He is our comrade."

"And our best friend!" yelled Riese.

"There is no way we are going to fight him!" said Ailian.

"Well then, if that is how you feel..." said Aeolos, "I have something for you."

Aeolos then gave everyone dark sword fragments.

"A gift from the emperor." he said.

"What is this?" asked Riese, looking at the piece, "A sword fragment?"

The fragment then sparked, glowed darkness and possessed the unit's minds.

"Death to those who threatens the emperor." said Aeolos.

"Death...to...those...threats...to...emperor..." everyone said.

Meanwhile at the top of the hills, Jan and his unit made it to the outer walls.

"It's kind of odd facing the walls we used to fight for." said Yuilin.

"Hey." said Tina, looking at the soldiers, "Aren't those your old comrades?"

"Well, what do you know?" said Jan, "I actually may regret going here."

"Regret? You?" said Rudiger.

"They are my friends and wish not to harm them."

"My father said you were pretty soft."

"I guess he's right."

"Jan! Jan!" said The SoulCalibur.

"Hmm?"

"I sense the same aura of the Soul Edge in this area."

"What?! Where?!"

"I don't know. It's all scattered."

"Looks like we will have to find it. Even if it means going through my friends."

"What did you say?" asked Feofan.

"Um, nothing."

"So you're finally here." said a voice.

"Huh?"

"It has been a while, Jan." said Jinkai.

"J-Jinkai! What are you doing here?"

"I heard that Girardot was killed."

"Yes, he was.."

"Judging by the sound of your voice, you weren't the one who killed him, right?"

"It was Strife."

"I knew it!" said another voice.

It was Xiaoxin.

"That no good dirty son of a-"

"Hold it, Xiaoxin." Jinkai interuppted, "I think we can get even with Strife."

"How?"

"By joining the rebels."

"What?"

"By the way, what is your army name?"

"Arthias." said Jan.

"Hmph, well then. We are now part of the Arthias Army."

"And we are doing this because?"

"For the name of Girardot."

"Heh. Then let's do this!"

"Looks like I have two more allies." said Jan, "Let's move out!"

"Right!"

Jan and his unit moved down the hills and onto the battlefield. Jan, Rudiger and Jinkai moved to the left. Tina, Feofan and Xiaoxin moved right and Luca and Yuilin moved north. Jan then encountered one of his former comrades, Meiga.

"I'm sorry, Meiga." said Jan, "But I'm gonna have to defeat you in order to fight Strife."

"Destroy..." said Meiga.

"Hmm?!"

"Kill...!"

"Jan!" said The SoulCalibur, "I sense a Soul Edge aura on him."

"What?"

"Look at his eyes."

Jan then saw Meiga's dark eyes.

"They are lifeless. It means they are controlled by the Soul Edge."

"Does that mean I have to kill them?"

"No, you just have to take out the Soul Edge piece out."

"All right then, where is it?"

"The piece had stuck itself on Meiga's back. If we can hit that piece and destroy it, he will be free."

"Okay then, let's do this! Rudiger! Jinkai! Surround him!"

Jan, Rudiger and Jinkai surrounded the controlled Meiga. Jinkai threw a shuriken at him but was deflected. Rudiger then charged his lance but missed and got kicked in the face. Jan then sliced but also missed and dodged a swift cut from Meiga's sword.

"Dang, this is going to be harder than I thought." said Jan.

Jan then jumped into the air with Meiga following him. Jinkai then came from behind and attacked. Meiga dodged the attack but left himself open to Jan. Jan then attack with ten fast strkies from the SoulCalibur and all making a direct hit on Meiga. Jan then saw the Soul Edge fragment on Meiga's back.

"There it is!" said Jan.

He then made a huge swing down on Meiga's back and both crashed into the ground. Meiga was on the ground and Jan was still standing with the SoulCalibur stabbing the Soul Edge fragment, which then broke into pieces.

"Whew! One down." said Jinkai.

"But what about him?" asked Rudiger.

"He'll be fine." said Jan, "I can tell."

Jan and the others then headed to the next area. Meanwhile, Tina, Feofan and Xiaoxin were at the next area where they met another of Jan's former comrades, Kanon and Ailian.

"Hey, tht girl is young as me." said Tina.

"Something is not right." said Feofan.

"You're right. Their eyes are lifeless. As if they were controlled." said Xiaoxin.

"Either way we cannot lose to them."

Kanon then made a fast jump kick towards Tina but she disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Ailian then whipped her sickle at Xioaxin but missed from Xiaoxin's high jump. Feofan then tackled Kanon from behind but she got back up. Tina then came from the sky and tried for an areial dagger dive but Kanon dodged it. Kanon then kicked and Tina sliced, the two attacks collided and lead to a near stalemate. Ailian whipped her sickle again at Xiaoxin but missed by the jump again but then whipped again at the airborne pirate. Xiaoxin then dodged the sickle but grabbed it's edge as it was reeling back. He then made a giant kick on Ailian's stomach and she then slid across the ground. As she got up, Xiaoxin came under and sliced. Ailian blocked the attack with her hand but got hurt and fragment of the Soul Edge came out of her hand and shattered. Ailian then became dizzy and knocked out. Kanon and Tina were still clashing and striking back and forth. Tina then threw a kunai and Kanon kicked it off then got hit by a tackle by Feofan. Tina then grabbed Kanon from behind and back suplexed her to the ground. A sword fragment then came out of Kanon's hair and shattered. Kanon then knocked out.

"Wow, that was tough even for someone my age." said Tina.

"At least you won, right?" said Feofan.

"Right!"

"No time for celebrating, let's keep moving." said Xiaoxin.

As Tina, Feofan and Xiaoxin were moving further, Luca and Yuilin were facing against Eurydice and Leraje.

"Two swordsman versus a thief and a fan weilder." said Luca, "Not good odds."

"Don't say that, we still might have a chance." said Yuilin.

Eurydice then charged in and attacked. Luca and Yuilin then dodged then attack but got hit by a surprise attack by Leraje. Yuilin grabbed Eurydice's sword with her fan but Eurydice carried her with the sword with such strength. Leraje was continously attacking Luca who was about to be cornered. Luca then threw a smoke bomb which confused Leraje for a moment. Luca then attacked from the side and tackled Leraje. He then fell on the floor but got back up. Yuilin managed to get back on the ground while Eurydice tried to get her sword out of the fan. It was an endless tug of war until Luca and Eurydice hit back to back. Leraje then did a sharp stab towards Luca but missed and hit Eurydice at the back of the neck where there was a sword fragment stuck on there. The stab shattered the fragment and caused Eurydice to lose grip off her sword and lose consiousness. Luca then took the oppotunity and threw a bomb at the side. The explosion damaged Leraje's left arm where there was a sword fragment on the shoulder. The explosion eradicated the shard completely but still hurt Leraje at the process. After the shard was gone, Leraje was weary and then lost consiousness.

"Dang, that was hard.." said Luca.

"No time to rest, let's keep going." said Yuilin.

"Right!"

Near the walls of Grandall, Jan met two of his former comrades and his closest friends, Aeneas and Riese.

"Aeneas...Riese..." Jan said with some sadness, "I'm sorry that I have to do this."

Jan and his brainwashed friends prepared themselves for battle. Riese then charged in fast speed and made a few fast strikes but were blocked by Jan's sword. She then made a kick to the side but Jan blocked it with his hand. Riese then tried to hit from below but Jan scooped her up and flung her to the other side and landed on both feet. Riese then stood her ground.

"Wow, Riese has gotten good." said Jan, "I'm impressed."

Jan heard rapid footsteps coming behind him. Jan then jumped, dodged the footsteps and found Aeneas charging his lance at a fast speed. Then both Aeneas and Riese then charged in and attack swiftly as Jan did the same thing. The three clashed their weapons back and forth with such amazing speed. Jan then found an opening on Riese and kicked one of her Mantis Wave Blade out of her hand. Riese then looked up at the flinging blade which left her open for a tackle by Jan. He then sliced Aeneas' lance out of his hands and punched the sword fragment, that was on Aeneas' forehead, to pieces. After the shattering blow, Aeneas then fell to the ground. Jan then saw Riese coming from behind. Jan evaded the ambush and whacked her head. A sword fragment then came out of Riese's hair and shattered.

"All the Soul Edge fragments are gone." said The SoulCalibur.

"Whew, that's good." said Jan.

"Curse you, Jan." said Aeolos.

"Hmm?"

"Even against your comrades you couldn't lose."

"I guess I'm that awesome."

"Then let's see how awesome you are with this!"

Aeolos' weapon, The Fujin Fan, blazed in fire.

"Try and beat this!" he yelled.

"Yes he can!" yelled Rudiger.

"What?!"

"Arthias Combo!"

Rudiger then smashed his lance right into Aeolos, Jinkai then came out of nowhere and slashed Aeolos' torso armor off. Luca then threw two bombs which exploded at the sides and Tina then back suplexed Aeolos from the sky and then got kicked in the head by Xiaoxin and Yuilin. Aeolos was trying to then retreat but got pushed by a tackle from Feofan. He then was pushed in front of Jan's SoulCalibur that was aiming at his head. The SoulCalibur then blazed ahuge fire.

"How's this for firepower?" asked Jan.

"SOUL OF FIREWIND!"

The fire then blazed through Aeolos' head and torso, burning his entire body. Aeolos' then screamed in pain as he was blazing in the fire. As the fire stopped, Aeolos fell dead on the ground.

"I guess we win." said Jan.

"Jan?"

Everyone then saw the comrades they fought were behind them. The unit the prepare themsleves for another fight.

"Ready to beaten again?" said Rudiger.

"Hold it!" said Jan stopping the unit, "Everyone is okay. They are not fighting us."

"Sorry about that, Jan." said Aeneas, "I guess we were under some spell."

"A curse more likely." said Leraje.

"So you guys are all okay?"

"Yep!" said Eurydice.

"But my head kinda hurts." saud Riese.

"Uh, sorry."

"So, our leader has caused some trouble to the Grandall Empire, huh?" said Aeneas, "How about we join you guys and cause up some more trouble?"

"Why should we?" asked Feofan.

"It's alright." said Jan, "I would have let them joined anyway."

"Always the calm one, huh Jan?" said Ailian.

"Ehehe."

"Ever since the war ended, Strife made everything much worse and we're sick of it."

"Yeah, things are starting make less snese around here." said Eurydice.

"Then let's hurry to Parousia and take down Strife!" said Jan, with a big smile.

"Yeah!"

Jan and his newly assorted unit of new friends and old headed into the lands of Grandall. Meanwhile, Strife was given the news that Jan has entered the Grandall lands.

"Arrggh!! Damn that, Jan!!" said Strife.

"Excuse me you called?" asked a female voice.

"Ah, Abelia. Yes, come in."

"What is it?"

"It appears that the rebel army has infiltrated our lands."

"What?! But how?! Jan took then all down!"

"All except Jan himself."

"What do you mean?"

"Jan has become the new leader of the rebellion."

Abelia was then shocked by the news.

"And it is your duty to eliminate those who betray the Grandall Empire."

"You mean I must-?"

"Kill him."

Abelia felt as her heart stopped and stood silent.

"I already sent your unit to the fields, go and elimate the traitors!"

"Y-Yes, sir!"

Abelia then left the room and as she was walkikng out of the castle, tears started to come out of her eyes.

"W-why Jan?" mumbled a teary Abelia, "Why are you doing this?"

"Abelia is always hornoring the Grandall Empire and takes down those who oppose it, even if it is the one she cares for the most." said Strife.

"I say you have outdone yourself." said Chester.

"Have I ever not?"

"No, sir."

Strife then laughed manically. Meanwhile, Jan and his friends were heading in to the fields and catching up on what has happened. Jan then felt something in his heart.

"What is Jan?" asked The SoulCalibur.

"Nothing." said Jan, "I just have a bad feeling of what is up ahead."

That's it for now. What will happen in the next chapter? You'll just have to look out next time for the next chapter: Heart of Duty.

I also like to thank my readers and those who left reviews: Highwayman Myth, Jamester211, Watera Fairy2 and Horror Clause.

- R2J