A/N: Hello everyone! I finally got this update but sadly I failed my goal to finish it before 2008 ended. I'm really sorry. Writer's Block got the best of me during the school term. But good news! This chapter features a few new faces! However, that sole reason was also the cause of my writing blockade. Ah, let's forget about all that, now that I managed to update.
A few of you had made some very good guesses as to who the three Destroys and the lone Seeker were! Raphael as the Seeker was obvious, congrats to those who voted for him. As for the Destroyers? Read and find out!
Chapter 25: Chosen Heroes
Be calm. Breathe slow.
It was a silent mantra spoken only within her mind. With her brown eyes closed tight, she focused on her own words for assurance, hoping to calm her pounding heart and to relinquish the growing fear that consumed her.
It was difficult however, for the world she stood upon was tainted with an utmost evil. A terrifying aura haunted the land, capable of diminishing the valor of the strongest warriors who dared to enter. She was unfortunately one of those warriors.
With every step she took, she had felt her spirit drained as if the evil fed upon her living energy. The deeper she went, the more exhausted she became. Crossing the vast, twisted world filled with deep endless chasms and steep cliffs as high as small mountains had left her feeling worn and tired. Sleep was constantly tortured by nightmares resulting in her gaining very little rest over the past two days.
It was not the place alone that broke her will to keep fighting – oh, no – it was that combined with the unholy creatures that stood in her way.
She had been warned, given by the last breath of the wind – the evil sword called Soul Edge was guarded by a creature unknown to man; a creature of unspeakable proportions and power. With only that warning to go by, she was more than surprised to find not one creature but many.
Large lizards that walked like men, bearing weapons and armour – 'Lizardmen' were what they were called. Two towering behemoths stood amongst a group of smaller ones. Lined together side by side, the creatures marched across the expanse of dead earth in her direction.
She had never encountered creatures such as them before but her two companions were more familiar with the reptilian beasts. The instant they laid their eyes on the monsters, they knew they were different than normal.
Even though she had never seen one, she herself knew that something was wrong as well.
From the raised ledge she and her two companions stood upon, she could see the monster's clearly under the dark, cloudy sky. The creatures advanced in a slow, hobbling gait over a wide expanse of clear land that was unlike the area behind her. Lumbering along in a mindless stupor, they dragged their weapons, their tails, and their legs – practically dragged themselves – towards the three warriors that waited. Gaping wounds adorned each of the reptiles' bodies revealing bones and dark insides. A sickly black substance oozed from their open wounds and mouths, dripping all over their bodies and leaving a dark trail in their wake. Flesh still attached to their very bones was at the point of decay with pieces hanging from their ugly gashes and rotten scales.
Their eyes… Their hollowed eyes glowed a cursed red deep within their sockets, the only indication of life to their existence.
Those Lizardmen were dead. Or had been.
They were brought back to life by an unnatural power. They were being controlled by the one creature she was told to be aware of…
It had appeared just mere moments ago above the line of undead beasts – a large, yellow eye surrounded by red, pulsing flesh with many dark pieces of bone orbiting around it. By powers most unimaginable, it was capable of holding itself in the air, keeping its horribly intimidating gaze on the three humans that dared to enter its territory.
That creature; that monster emitted a powerful, evil aura and could easily be assumed to be Soul Edge itself.
But it was not – the wind had spoken of it to be a guardian long before she had entered the cursed land.
The wind… it did not exist in the land of the dead. Her guidance; her strength; the wind could not cross the boundary. The air was so still and heavy with apprehension.
She was afraid, there was no denying it. The wind was her power. It was her faith and its presence always filled her with confidence. Without the wind to aid her with its silent words and gentle touch, she felt completely alone and helpless under the chilling stare of the demon eye.
The mantra in her head did very little to stop her body from trembling. She could feel the eye's intense glare upon her, petrifying her to that spot. Deep, flowing hatred, the overwhelming lust for blood and a rising need for chaos… she could sense it all from the demon's aura.
She had been anticipating the outcome of her journey ever since she left her home so why was she suddenly afraid to face the true evil she had sought out to destroy? Why? How could she have lost her hope?
A strong hand gripped her left shoulder, pulling her momentarily away from her disheartening thoughts. Her eyes remained closed in fear of being drawn into the demon-eye's fierce gaze. There was no need to see who it was for she heard his voice, filled with concern, speaking her name: "Talim, are you all right?"
The priestess raised her hand and gently rested her fingers over the young man's grip. Soundly she nodded but she could not lie. "I am… afraid," she answered, barely able to contain the tremor in her voice.
The hand tightened. "We're here, Talim. Xianghua and I are here beside you. Don't be afraid," he assured her, his tone strong with valiance. "The wind may not be here but we are. You are not alone in this place."
Silk fabric brushed against the priestess's forearm as she felt another hand, whose skin was warm and soft, grasp her left hand firmly. "Yeah! Come on, Talim! Don't let a bunch of ugly dead lizards stop you!" the owner of the new hand encouraged in her usual upbeat manner. "We've already come so far. So let's keep going. It'll be useless to just give up."
Talim breathed a sigh as a small smile played on her lips. She opened her eyes and saw only her companions' bold grins. Both of them glowed with the ever-present sense of determination. Never had the priestess ever seen their confidence shatter. Their support was enough to drive away her fear.
Of course, how could she believe that she was alone? It was truly an insult to her friends to forget about them.
"Yes… I am not alone," she softly replied, feeling her heart steady with renewed hope as she gave each of their hands a gentle squeeze. "Thank you, Kilik." She nodded to the young man then addressed the other with the same notion. "Xianghua."
A joyous smile graced the Chinese girl's pink lips, portraying her childish features. However, when she turned towards the advancing danger, her childish complexion was quickly replaced by a more mature woman. Xianghua's expression hardened at the ghastly fiends but her demeanor remained the same. "We're almost there," she said, giving Talim a firm clench of her hand. "Once we defeat that eye, we'll be able to finish what we came for."
The young priestess was amazed that Xianghua could face the demon's gaze which such a strong will. The fateful battle she and Kilik had spoken of really gave them the power to oppose the greatest evil. She deeply admired their strength and hoped to gain the same power as them. The wind had once given her that strength to move on but it was no longer with her. She had to find her own strength. She had to fight not only for herself but for her two friends as well.
Kilik released his hold on the girl and began to move forward. He stopped just before the two girls and abruptly turned to face them. His long red button-less coat, embroidered with gold, Chinese designs, swayed behind him while the glowing blue crystal fragment he wore around his neck swung with his body's motion. The beautiful shard cast a soft light against the man's well-toned chest. With Kali-Yuga resting over his shoulder, Kilik nodded at the two.
"They come. Be ready," he told them in a stern, definite manner.
Xianghua slid her hand free from the priestess. A sound smirk from the Chinese woman proved that she was prepared when she unsheathed her elegant sword and held it up high. She swung the blade down to cut the air in one quick motion before moving to Kilik's side. Her colourful cloth shoes, soiled by the endless journey, quietly tapped against the cold, rock-solid ground with each hasty step. Swiveling on her toes, she turned completely around right beside her male companion, making her pale traveling cloak billow behind her. Her hazel eyes, slightly covered by her dark brown bangs, rested on the youngest of the group.
With her friends standing courageously before her, Talim could not but feel their bravery flow through her. Her hands found the hilts of her sheathed weapons, Syi Salika and Loka Luha, clasped to both sides of her hips. The leather hilts were held tight within her grip as she drew both. She then loosened her hold to twirl the bladed tonfas in circles, a custom she had always done when drawing her weapons, prepping her body and spirit for battle.
No longer hesitant, Talim boldly stepped forward and raised her eyes to confront the demon's evil stare. Beyond it, in the far distance, was a rounded hill that she knew was their destination. She breathed a calm breath and stood between her friends.
Together they nodded. They were ready to fight.
Three human Destroyers. They were truly imposing pests.
They had opposed the undead beasts and defied the poison that lingered in the air. Quick they were to fell the creatures under the Guardian's control. With unforeseen power – possessed by those three humans – the group of unholy monsters had been reduced to nothing but useless corpses.
These humans were strong indeed. Intelligent as well to figure out the weakness of the lifeless beasts so easily.
The Guardian had watched them from above; observed their movements and took heed of their capabilities. Every little detail was recorded, etched into the Guardian's consciousness. It had peered deep into each of their souls when they laid their puny eyes on it, reading their thoughts, gazing into their memories.
It knew of their reason and their unwavering will to go beyond their limits. In a land tormented by despair, it was quite a spectacle to see three zealous souls that burned with such ferocity.
Such mysterious creatures they were to have their pure intentions untouched by the curse that covered the twisted terrain.
The Guardian, having mimicked the form of the strongest of the Destroyers, had dropped before the humans after witnessing the fall of its last minion.
They stopped in their advance, their eyes set upon the Guardian that stood in their way. Their anxiety was visible and their slightest fear was detectable.
Hesitation dawned upon the three as they studied the Guardian from afar.
The Guardian clenched the weapon it held within its hand – composed of fragments of bloodied bone and held together by living plasma – firmly and fell into the Destroyer's stance. There was no time to waste – the Seeker, the one the Guardian did not choose to kill, had already reached Soul Edge. (Originally there had been two humans who sought after the sword but the Guardian could only slay one.)
The Destroyers had to be eliminated first before the Seeker could be properly disposed of. With Master already nearing Soul Edge, there was very little time left.
Running at the speed that matched the Destroyer it mirrored, the Guardian held its copy of Kali-Yuga by its side as it lunged at the three human pests.
None were taken by surprise. In fact, the three of them had braced themselves for the onslaught. Two long identical metal staffs soundly clashed together as the Guardian and the male human engaged in battle. Both pulled away only to bring their Kali-Yugas around as they spun on their heels to sideswipe the other.
Neither struck the other but instead their weapons met once more evenly in the centre between them. The Destroyer's pair of hazel eyes were wide with shock having realized what he was up against. Every action the human made, the Guardian mimicked it exactly. Even before the Destroyer would perform the action, the Guardian could predict it.
With its penetrating gaze, the Guardian could hold onto the human's thoughts and memories as if they were its own.
Strike after strike, kick after kick, the Guardian and the Destroyer evenly cancelled each other out.
Frustrated, the human slid back. The Guardian did the same. The human's mouth began to move – he was communicating with the smaller, weaker Destroyers, the females. Commands were being said – telling the two females to go on ahead.
Ignorant pests… none were to pass!
The male was to provide a distraction. When he rushed forward, the Guardian did as well, both thrusting their staffs forward. Instead of meeting the other's end of the rod, the Guardian had lowered its replicated Kali-Yuga slightly to brush under the Destroyer's weapon. Without warning, the Guardian pulled upwards to bring its opponent's original Kali-Yuga with it, throwing the human completely off-guard.
The Destroyer had least expected a non-mirrored action, pitting the Guardian with an advantage. Not wasting the opening, the Guardian took two short strides forward as it slid the staff in its grip down to grasp the weapon's centre for a quick close-ranged thrust. The metal end pelted the human squarely in the chest and sent him flying backwards.
Now that the distraction was down for the moment, the two other Destroyers had to be properly dealt with next.
The two females had not gone very far for they showed quite a concern for their fallen comrade. A pleasing situation for the Guardian; it did not need to chase them down.
It targeted the smallest one, only a child – the weakest of the Destroyers. It charged at the female child, forcing the human to fall into an immediate defensive stance.
It brought Kali-Yuga down with all its power upon her head but the human shielded against the impact with her two crossed tonfa blades. She faltered backwards as the Guardian easily broke through her defense, leaving her open.
However, before the Guardian could follow through with another deadly blow, something sharp and painful slashed the flesh of its eye.
It reeled away, momentarily blind from the pain pulsing from the wound.
A cut had been inflicted upon it… by that other wretched female. The Guardian's attention immediately fell on the sword-wielder.
A terrible anger was directed at the female who stood protectively between the Guardian and the weaker female. The expression upon her face wavered with doubt but her stance told otherwise.
The smaller Destroyer sidled beside the other with her two short blades held against her arms. Unsteady was her heart for fear had gripped her soul. She remained defiant however, alongside the other one. Both dared to stand against the Guardian despite their given order.
How very amusing…
Nevertheless, they were willing to throw their lives away which would lessen the Guardian's ordeal. Master had just reached Soul Edge and the cursed Seeker – there was no time to waste!
The Guardian twirled its Kali-Yuga in fluid circles to demonstrate its technique similar to how the human male would perform. Then, with barely an indication, it quickly moved forward after the final circle, holding the bo staff vertically against its back as it ran.
The two females separated to either side, forcing the Guardian to choose only one to attack. Again, the weaker Destroyer was its main target. As it neared the small female, it leapt high into the air and brought Kali-Yuga downward for a wide, vertical arc in hopes of crushing her skull from the impact.
It missed for the child had hastily avoided to the side, leaving the Guardian to slam its metal staff into the dusty earth. Dust flew all around and clouded the Guardian's vision but it was still capable of sensing each of the Destroyer's presences. The child appeared in front of the Guardian, thrusting her right blade forward for a piercing blow.
A bony arm stopped the blade from reaching the Guardian's eye. The human's weapon was harmlessly immersed within the glowing limb allowing the Guardian to wrench the tonfa out of the child's hand with a simple twist of its arm.
She fell back after the loss of one of her blades, disappearing into the cloud of dust.
The Guardian rose just as it sensed another from behind. Dust was forcefully blown aside by the wielder of the original Kali-Yuga. A horizontal sweep dispersed the debris, allowing both the Guardian's and the Destroyer's gazes to meet with each ablaze with unspoken fury. Seemingly bursting through the air, the human flew straight for the Guardian with a powerful vengeance.
The Guardian twisted around and attempted to deflect the human's attack. It succeeded in diverting the Destroyer's staff to the side once but after the wretched pest landed deftly on his feet he was quick to follow with a flurry of short, fast strikes.
Blinded, the Guardian was pummeled by multiple blows to its fleshy eye before feeling something slam hard into it, further injuring its core.
Forced to fall into the ground, the Guardian had no choice but to release its form when it sensed the Destroyers advancing in hopes of delivering a final blow.
Pieces of its limbs shielded its eye from their weapons as it took into the air. It hovered high above their heads, far out of their reach, and laid its fierce, angry gaze upon them. The weapon that had lodged into its arm-limb had fallen to the ground. Soon, all fragments of its body orbited around its core, never to obscure its vision of the nefarious pests down below.
The Guardian was infuriated by the pain it received by three annoying human creatures.
The Guardian desired their death evermore so.
Its venomous rage was silenced when an icy chill penetrated its being. A sharp sensation came from deep within itself as if something had pierced its soul…
Instantly, the Guardian knew what it was. Its focus fell on the distant hill of Soul Edge.
Master was there with a loathsome Seeker…
"Guardian!" the cry of the Messenger from somewhere in the sky. A desperate plea…
Something dreadful had occurred… it could not be!
Forgotten were the Destroyers as the Guardian headed straight for Master.
Steel, cold and sharp, grazed the very skin of his neck as the wielder of the rapier slid the blade up beneath his chin. Unflinching, his smile had yet to fade as the human forced his head high as if to gain a better insight on him. Held an arm's length away, the rapier was the only thing that stopped him.
The man possessed fragments of Soul Edge; Nightmare could sense their pulsing energies and feel their blood-thirsting power! Through sheer will, he contained the powerful urge to lunge at the wretched human and take the shards away, knowing that if he foolishly did so, a blade would end up lodged in his throat. There was no mistake to the man's skill with the rapier or his mental judgment. After all, the human had reached the peak of the hill on his own and seemed far less than surprised to meet the former wielder of Soul Edge.
"An ill-fated child…" drawled the man with each word laced with disdain. "Out of all the things this dreadful place has to offer, only a mere child is sent to oppose me? What misfortune falls upon one so young?" A deep, vibrant voice, his manner of speech was of noble stature. Rich-coloured garbs made of fine leather and cloth – the man held a high degree of power in both stance and skill. His well-toned complexion defined a strong man. The air of superiority coming from his posture was also a subtle hint to his greater class.
A pitiful question spoken with no hint of change upon the man's icy demeanor… The luster of his blue eyes however, betrayed the glowing discrepancy of his true state of mind.
Disgust, frustration, hate and fear – Nightmare could sense the twinge of fear coming from the human before him.
Despite the danger poised at his throat, he slightly lowered his head but the man held his blade stiff. Grazed deeper was his neck, feeling blood trickle down his skin, but he did not waver under the wretched human's mercy. He ignored the question directed at his being and said instead, "You are the Seeker…" From the exhaustion his body still suffered from, his voice was no more but a dry hiss.
The nobleman turned his head ever so slightly, never leaving his hardened gaze away from Nightmare's. The man's brow creased and his lips lightly furled as he tried to grasp the other's intention. Studying; comprehending; the man was aware that the child was more than what he saw.
"So you speak; coherently, I might add," replied the man, rather nonchalantly. "You say I am a seeker? Then assume that I am for I seek many answers," he continued, misinterpreting what Nightmare had claimed him to be. Clueless to that fact, he moved his rapier's end harmlessly down the demon's neck, stopping just at the centre of his chest. It hovered before the loose folds of the tunic that was a few sizes too big for its wearer. Hidden beneath, unknown to the sight of the human, was the ugly wound that marked the demon's body. "One such answer I wish to hear is what you have come to be – there lacks a certain madness behind your wicked eyes that I've seen from grown men tainted with this power. How is it that you, a child, differ from the rest?"
A despicable human. Kill him.
A command that sounded through his mind. With the shards already tempting him, the thirst for blood was beginning to overwhelm him. His right hand, hidden in the long sleeve of his garment, clenched into a fist, sinking his pointed claws painfully into the flesh of his palm to resist the powerful temptation to obey. Common-sense drove his will. The man would surely kill him swiftly if he acted; an opening must be made.
The temptation lightened after his show of defiance, weakening the rage he held against the human. He withdrew his claws, feeling his own blood seep from the self-inflicted injury and probably staining the sleeve of his tunic. Caring very little of that, Nightmare slowly bared his fangs in a cruel sneer, making the man tighten his grip around his rapier's decorated red and silver handle. "What am I?" the demon returned, thrilled to be asked that question once again. He breathed deep and raised his voice for he wanted the human to tremble at his answer; "I am your greatest fear – your greatest nightmare!"
It was brief but he saw it in the human's complexion – the shock of hearing his spoken words.
The man regained his composure with his mouth twitched into a snarl. "Those are the infamous words of the Azure Knight." So the nobleman knew of the demon's reputation. Nightmare's smile widened for he was pleased to know the mark he had left on humanity.
The man's eyes had narrowed as he spoke but there was doubt evident in his steely glare. "Am I to believe that you are him?" he inquired in a stern, demanding tone.
"Believe what you wish to believe," Nightmare simply answered, not wanting to pointlessly argue. What others saw him as, whether he was a demon or a monster, it was all the same. It did not matter how they perceived him because to him they were nothing but worthless fools destined to die.
He was rather perplexed by the look given by the human; it was one that was most unexpected especially when the situation hardly called for it. Pity fell upon the man's cold stare, a reflection of his inner mind. "The legends speak of a demon clad in armour and you are not of that character. You are nothing but a poor child touched by the evil that exists in this tainted world…"
Kill him!
Excitement flared within him.
The man had lowered his guard the moment he began to speak, slightly withdrawing his blade subconsciously away from the demon's chest. Before the last word left the human's mouth, Nightmare swung his bloody right hand. Soundly, his fingers struck the flat side of the metal blade and knocked the rapier away. Then stepping forward in haste as he pulled back his hand, he raked his right claws at the man's upper chest only to strike nothing but air.
He had missed. The man was quick to react and had leapt back soon after the demon's initial attack. To perform such an instinctive maneuver so swiftly clearly defined the human's capabilities. Underestimating the man's abilities would surly be a folly.
"Jerez-vous!" the man snarled angrily in his native tongue. Teeth bared in anger, the human fell defensively in his stance between the demon and Soul Edge.
The sword… that wretched human had been blocking it from Nightmare's sight. The blade was unlike what he had seen. Flesh a dull grey-brown with the eye completely closed, it was still and lifeless. Not even a glimmer under the grey sky – the sword was absolutely dead. It was nothing but a shadow of its former self.
Half of the blade was embedded deep in the ground while the other half remained erected above. The ground around it had been recently disturbed by footprints and raised soil caused by failed attempts of removing the sword by force.
Curse that insolent creature…
The human had touched it…
Nightmare formed a scowl at the despicable being. Soul Edge was just beyond his reach. He yearned to grasp the sword's hilt; to regain the weapon that was solely his; his power; his true form! However, that wretched human stood in his way!
Wounds ached but his body defied the pain every movement caused. He contained his rage; held back on the need to continue his onslaught in a blind fury despite the echo of the voice's demand still lingering in his mind. With his left arm stiff and useless, he only had one arm capable of killing. He had to be accurate and swift to end the wretched human's life.
His blazing glare met the hateful eyes of the blond fool, making him erupt in a breathless laugh at the look of deceit upon the man's face. "A mistake to judge upon my appearance," he taunted the man, revealing his bleeding hand. The bloodied sleeve slid back as he raised his right arm. Palm facing downward, he weakly flexed each finger before his chest, ignoring the sting of his open wounds. The injury may have hindered him but he was still willing to shed the human's blood. "To show sympathy is your weakness." He peered deep into the human's stare, reading the thoughts that passed through the human mind. The eyes were the gateway; always conveying the pathetic feelings of the being.
Deep within, he gazed within the man's burning soul, seeing; feeling the man's glowing hatred but most importantly, his greatest desires. Indeed the man was a Seeker. The lust for power was evident in those blue eyes but it was not entirely of greed. No… there was something else that was important to the man – something that had driven him thus far for Soul Edge."The reason you desire Soul Edge is because of someone important to you, isn't it?" A flicker of surprise was noticeable. "A child, perhaps? One whom you wish to save? To endow with hope? A promise of life?"
The man straightened, swinging his rapier to point it straight towards the other. "You – How dare you know of this!" he angrily hissed.
Nightmare gave him a malignant smile. "I only assumed so much," he stated in truth, bringing forth a seething glare upon the other. "You pitied me, thought me no more but a cursed child – a fate you do not wish upon that one you love. I can see it quite clearly…"
The man visibly tensed and quickly broke away from Nightmare's gaze. Another mistake on the nobleman's part…
The demon was already in front of the man before a curse was even spoken. Claws tore through elegant cloth and leather, only to scratch the skin of the human's mid-torso.
Light-footed and fast, the nobleman had swerved on his heels, pivoting in a full circle to avoid the brunt of the attack. A swift horizontal stroke to the neck was his counter which Nightmare avoided with ease with a simple duck of his head. A few blond-red hairs were severed but that did not slow the demon one bit.
Nightmare moved in before the man could recover from his miss. Again, he was right before the nobleman, driving his claws forward for another attempt at drawing blood. The human tried to turn his body to avoid the hit but his reaction was far too slow and Nightmare struck his right side. Clothes ripped as the demon's claws punctured deep into warm human flesh.
A pleasureful smile adorned the demon's face but it was soon wiped away: Just as the man fell from the hit the human was capable of retaliating by twisting around in midair to perform a powerful kick.
A leather boot slammed into Nightmare's left side and sent him sprawling into the dust with a pained cry. Clouds of debris billowed around, shrouding the fallen demon from sight. Nightmare was furious as he climbed to his feet but his anger did not last long. He failed to rise and collapsed onto his knees, clutching his side in agony. The new pain hurt. Weak bones had been re-broken from the hit, causing intense pain to surge.
He could not overcome the pain like he had done before… The stabbing sensations seized his very body.
Gasping for air, he struggled to breathe, coughing at the dust, tasting both earth and blood in his mouth. His vision blurred while the dust began to settle. He saw the hazy image of the rising human and heard the man spew heated words distorted by a loud, rapidly pounding heartbeat.
Weak… Inferior.
Weak?
He could laugh at how true that was. His body was completely useless… He lacked power… He lacked strength… He lacked the hatred needed to kill…
How could this be? How could he have fallen into such a pathetic state?
A wretched human had already bested him and it would not be long until his end would come. Blinking through the fog, he raised his head and peered through the stands of long crimson-streaked hair at the despicable man approaching him. Sword held taut within his right hand, the nobleman, grasping tightly to his bleeding injury, was warily making his way over. His intention was obvious in his indignant eyes.
Tell me, child… What do you desire?
Did the question need to be asked? There was only one thing that his heart deeply desired…
Power… I want more power!
The man's lips were moving with speech but he could not hear, not that he cared. He turned away and averted his eyes to the waiting sword off to the side. It was so close – just a sprint away – and all his thoughts were driven to its attention as the voice whispered to him:
If you desire power then go there… A little further… Stand.
The words were clear against the heavy drums of a beating heart. All sounds were drowned away except for the voice.
He listened to the command and rose unsteadily to his feet as sharp pain shot through his entire body. Breathless, he struggled to stand but he never fell; something held him up.
Move.
His right foot jerked forward and he staggered ahead. Onto his left foot then onto his right. One painful step after another. With hardly a thought, his body obeyed.
Swaying dangerously on his feet, it seemed impossible for him to stay up yet he continued on. Bit by bit, he crept closer.
Down.
Something rumbled behind him and within an instant he dropped into a crouch. Wind swept overhead, stirring the hairs upon his head. A blade had just passed over him, its sweeping horizontal motion indicating the man's attempt to kill him. Sudden anger flooded his mind as all thoughts became distorted by an uncontrollable rage.
His right leg shot back. His heel connected with the wretched human's shin with great force, crippling the human to the ground. Down on his side, smothered in a cloud of rising dust, the annoying creature was susceptible for an attack.
He pounced at the fallen man, aiming for the human's vulnerable neck.
His claws swung forward when he was right above the other but… they never reached the man's neck.
A glimmer of silver within the dust appeared beneath him and before he knew it, he felt something sharp enter his stomach and out his back, stopping him completely and holding him up.
A pained gasp escaped his throat while his body stiffened from the sudden pain. His eyes lowered away from the human's startled blue eyes to the decorated hilt of the rapier in the man's outstretched grasp.
Blood freely ran down the thin blade, staining the red and silver hilt a deep crimson and the man's leather gloves as well.
It was his blood flowing down the sword. The rapier had pierced him through…
Quivering in the human's hold, every minor movement of the sword was agony. Nightmare slowly raised his right hand to grip the blood-covered blade but his action had alarmed the human. It was thrust deeper, making him choke out a pitiful whimper as he slightly faltered on his feet. Through the excruciating pain, he succeeded in placing his right hand against the bloody hilt to steady it.
The man's tense hold on his blade lessened when he realized what the other was doing.
Nightmare staggered backwards, pulling himself free from the rapier's edge while the human remained motionless on the ground, watching him with an unreadable expression.
Breathless and highly disoriented, Nightmare remained standing, placing his hand against his wound. He bled profusely, feeling warm blood seep through his trembling fingers. It did not hurt – there was no pain that he could feel. His body had fallen numb while his mind had long diminished the uncontrollable rage.
He continued to move backwards, stumbling but not yet falling. The pounding heartbeat he heard through his ears was beginning to slow. Each beat became more distant from the last…
What is this?
Was he truly dying?
That man lying on the ground, that cursed human before him, was the one …
There was nothing Nightmare could do however. It was futile. His body no longer functioned; the voice that commanded him had disappeared; all his remaining strength was gone. His hate, his anger, his rage and lust had vanished to nothing.
He could not feel anything anymore. Everything before him held no thought or meaning.
Even when it all began to blur, with darkness taking over his sight and shrouding his mind, did he still feel nothing. The heart's final beat resounded loudly before fading into silence.
The world… It was quiet and empty. A placid realm of eternal oblivion…
But then an echo sounded throughout. It was faint, ghostly and incomprehensible.
Nonetheless, it was there, reverberating all over.
"Siegfried…"
Something stirred from within the darkness. A strange tingling sensation could be felt all around as the sound grew louder.
What was that? It had seemed oddly familiar.
A voice… That was what it was.
The echoing voice was making the darkness recede.
At first it was heavily distorted by fog before something began to take shape. It was blurry but what could be seen was a figure. Green upon its head, yellow for the hair, blue for the eyes…
He knew who it was.
His mouth moved to form the name but he could not say it; there was no breath left to speak.
For only an instant, everything was clear. He saw the boy hovering close above him, lips moving with muted words and eyes shimmering with unshed tears.
Somewhere in the distance he could hear the faint beating of a heart: very slow, very weak. It was his own… resonating quietly, struggling to continue on.
But it was no use…
The saddened face was the last he saw of the boy as darkness embraced him once again…
Pitiful child… this darkness is eternal.
Forever will you be lost… Never to awaken.
Caught in an endless sleep where dreams do not exist.
Death would never come… and you can never die.
Listen, my child, listen… Heed the Calling and follow.
Leave this eternal realm.
Draw upon my power.
And be reborn once more.
Cold and senseless were Link's hands as he tightly held onto Siegfried's limp shoulders in a white-knuckled grip – practically digging his nails into the other's skin in desperation. No matter how much the boy begged and no matter how angrily he shouted, his friend would not wake up.
The hero, numb and cold, could only stare at the unmoving form of his friend.
Intently, he stared at Siegfried's thin, pale face in hope of seeing those emerald eyes – devoid of the curse that bound him – reopen like a moment before. Lips stained with fresh crimson blood had moved then, forming only a silent word that Link could not grasp.
So much time had passed since then and Siegfried had remained motionless as if…
Painfully, Link bit his lower lip to hold back the scream that threatened to escape his throat. It hurt to contain it – all his anger and frustration was waiting to burst right out. Unable to withstand it any longer, he breathed a stuttering breath to let it all out but instead of a scream a choked sob was all he made.
He clenched his eyes tight to stop himself from crying but the tears that had yet to fall from before were suddenly shed. Warm, wet and full of sorrow, those tears had broken through.
Uncontrollable sobs racked through his body and hot tears constantly blurred his vision. Stricken with grief, he could not silence his anguished cries. The boy bowed his head and placed his forehead upon the other.
Link had arrived too late – far too late.
The moment Siegfried was in the midst of falling was when the young Hylian arrive. A long, thin sword, stained red with blood was all Link had seen before realizing what had happened.
Briefly did his eyes meet the owner of the bloodied weapon: a frazzled man lying on his side on the dusty ground, injured and bleeding. Remorse was evident in the blond man's startled gaze and that alone was enough for Link to rush to Siegfried's side without fearing the swordsman.
It was all in self-defense, was it not? The man did what he had to do… He could not truly be blamed…
Whether the man was a Seeker or Destroyer, Link did not care. The boy completely ignored him, keeping his mind on his bleeding friend…
Tears flowed freely, falling on the pale brow of the older boy beneath him. Each painful sob made Link shudder while each passing second burdened him with heart-wrenching guilt. He had made a promise to Siegfried – to free him of his curse…
But, he had failed…
With his eyes tightly closed and his teeth clenched tight to cease his crying, Link prayed to the gods of the new world to help him – to forgive his friend and save him.
Please… hear my plea once more, he begged of them, do not let him die…
Deeply immersed in his prayer, he paid little heed to his surroundings. Even when someone began to yell – even when the air began to grow cold – Link did not stray away from his silent plead to the gods above.
Only when a strong hand latching onto the back of his collar and forcefully tearing him away from Siegfried did Link take notice to the threat that suddenly appeared.
Landing roughly on his side, the boy sputtered at the dust entering his mouth then hastily wiped the remains of his tears to gain a hazy view of the ugly abomination that had attacked. There was no doubt that it was the one-eyed monster – the Guardian of Soul Edge. Bony segments, burning with living fire within the core, forming a claw-like hand, were deeply embedded into the ground where Link had just been a mere second ago.
Link was saved… by that man kneeling behind him.
"Forgive me, child, for what I have done," said the man in a quick, heavy tone. His crystalline blue eyes were narrowed, peering over the young swordsman below, at the inhuman fiend. "I had no choice. My sword was the only answer…" The man rose with his teeth bared and his expression that of pain. He stepped over the fallen Hylian to move between the boy and the one-eyed demon. His bloodied weapon was held within his right hand, its sharp pointed end poised towards the fiend.
Siegfried was harmlessly untouched by the glowing demonic creature crouching beside him. The demon pried its claws free from the ground and lifted itself to tower above the unmoving knight.
Its fierce, wicked eye, shrouded in pulsing flesh and held within the core of its human-like body by some magnetic force, sharply turned towards the grounded Hylian.
A piercing cold entered Link's body the instant he met the monster's gaze. He froze from the sheer evil emanating from the creature – it was far sinister than the last encounter with the demon. It was more powerful; completely overwhelming. Link could not contain the fear taking hold of him.
"Get out of here, child. Leave this place at once!" the man demanded of him. However, the young Hylian could not move.
He was paralyzed by the demon's prying eye for it was the eye he had seen in his dream. Cold gripped every part of his body, numbing his senses. Bright red flashed within his mind – the colour of the blood he had drowned in within his nightmare. His breath caught in his throat when he remembered the terrible sensation of suffocating.
No!
Link gritted his teeth and violently shook his head to chase the image away. He couldn't allow just the mere presence of the Guardian faze him so easily!
Barely a second had passed when he sensed the demon moving.
"It comes! Run!"
The man's cry drew the young hero's immediate attention. A grunt followed by a loud thud of metal striking something hard sounded throughout the still air soon after. Freed from the demon's petrifying stare, Link watched as the injured swordsman pierced his long blade into the open palm of the attacking one-eyed demon. Right through the flaming openings of the creature's bony hand, the man's sharp blade protruded from the limb.
That however, did very little to harm the monster.
Its large brownish fingers clasped around the blade, preventing the wielder from freeing it. The Soul Edge creature then pulled the swordsman towards itself, making the man stumble forward as the ugly fiend performed a powerful swipe with its other arm. It happened quickly: Link saw the man release his hold on his sword in time to bring his arm up in an attempt to defend against the heavy swipe.
With a stifled cry, the blond swordsman was knocked hard to the side. He was sent flying over the young Hylian, landing and rolling along the dusty hill far from where the boy remained.
The young Hylian gasped in horror and clambered to his feet. His fear had yet to diminish but seeing the man fight against the demon gave him the little courage he needed to face the fiend he deeply loathed. The hideous monster – the vile Soul Edge Guardian – had to be stopped! He drew his Kokiri Sword first to prepare himself from any sudden attacks.
Through sheer effort, he avoided the demon's eye and glowered instead at the head-like region. A metal, curved rim, as if it once belonged on a helm of an evil knight, adorned the creature's abnormally-shaped head. A single horn protruded from the centre of the dark metal piece while two bat-like wings were spread open on both sides of the head on the circular frame. Closely, it resembled the winged helm Nightmare had worn…
The Guradian of Soul Edge was momentarily occupied with the blade stuck within its hand, giving Link enough time to unstrap his Master Sword. He sheathed the Kokiri Sword and unbuckled the belt holding his larger blade.
Quickly, he grasped the warm hilt of the sacred Master Sword but failed to draw it from the scabbard when the demon lunged at him. He performed a backflip to avoid the creature's burning hand. In the midst of his reversed somersault, he soundly drew his sword from its scabbard. The scabbard was allowed to drop to the ground after the boy gracefully landed on his bare feet.
With a grunt, he easily swung the large sword with both hands to bring it forward before him. The Master Sword, with its holy radiance shining brightly under the gloomy sky, granted the young hero its undeniable power.
Gone was his fear as Link held the Master Sword tightly. Power flowed through him, steadying his beating heart and calming his anxious mind. He no longer felt the cold of the Guardian's evil but the gentle warmth of his sword. However, the pain of losing his friend still lingered deep inside him. Nothing could extinguish that…
Just knowing why the Guardian had appeared made Link scowl hatefully at the hideous monstrosity.
The Guardian did not advance as expected. It instead hesitated; watching the hero wield the holy sword. Link did not falter under its stare – he stood defiantly within his stance, prepared for any oncoming attack.
Surprisingly however, the Soul Edge demon suddenly retreated. With a single bound, it leapt away from Link, returning to where Siegfried laid. It knelt beside the unmoving knight, its eye resting upon him. It then reached a bony hand towards the pale boy's face.
"Get away from him!" Link growled at the vile monster in a furious rage. Consumed by anger, he charged at the demon but suddenly stopped in shock at what the demon had done.
The moment the Guardian touched the older boy's forehead, Siegfried began to move. Drawing a deep breath as if it was his first, the boy weakly stirred upon the ground.
Alive… Siegfried was still alive…
Eyes slowly opened, revealing crimson orbs that faintly glowed – they were not the eyes that Link had last seen of his dying friend…
Appalled, the Hylian clenched his jaw but did not make a move. He could only stare at the feeble form of his wounded friend, awake but possessed by the evil trapped within his soul. Those red eyes – always were they consumed with hate and anger but now seemed rather empty and distant as if in a trance. Slowly, they turned, meeting the widened gaze of the blue-eyed hero.
The Master Sword felt heavy the moment those indifferent crimson orbs fell upon him. Soundly, Link lowered the sacred blade before him, allowing the tip to drop into the dusty ground.
Link bowed his head to avoid the other's lifeless stare.
There was a sudden gasp from behind him. "That sword…" breathed the injured man. "You wield a sword of light? How…? Y-You – Child!" The man addressed the boy sharply, "Why do you hesitate?! You hold the divine power to stop that demon!"
The man was on one knee, caressing the wound at his side. Intently, the man focused on both the Master Sword and the wielder. Link furrowed his brow heavily at the man before shifting his hardened gaze back on the Guardian.
"I can't…" Link whispered as he watched with utter dread at the Guardian's next action. It seemed awkward for the ugly creature as it spread its large hands open to carefully grasp the boy beneath it. Siegfried had yet to move, remaining only conscious by the Guardian's cursed power. Unresponsive like a doll, the red-eyed child was lifted with ease into the glowing arms of the one-eyed monster.
Link looked away with an unsteady sigh, turning his saddened gaze to the man behind him. "In order for us to return to normal, Siegfried must regain the power of Soul Edge…"
He saw a hint of confusion upon the man's frustrated brow. Link averted his attention onto his sacred sword, with its tip immersed beneath a layer of dust before him. He had no intention of using it against the Guardian.
Link had no choice… the Guardian was the one to bring Siegfried back from the brink of death. Its wicked power; with it, Soul Edge could return to its form and Siegfried… he could continue to live but…
The Hylian gripped his hands tightly around the hilt of his blade. It was inevitable that Siegfried would become Nightmare after the reunification. There was no doubt that Soul Edge would take over Siegfried's body and heart…
The young hero had to prepare himself for that outcome. He had to be ready to face the demon wielder of the cursed sword he was destined to destroy.
He had to believe in his own power to fight against his dear friend – to vanquish the evil and save not only the new world, but Siegfried as well. Link was determined to use all his power to accomplish it all.
Without facing the man, Link breathed deeply before saying, "Leave before it becomes too dangerous!"
"You speak nonsense, child," was the man's abrupt reply. "What is the meaning of all of this? Who are –"
"There is no time!" Link sharply interrupted in frustration. Glancing over his shoulder, he gave the man a pleading look. "Please! Go!"
In return, the blond-haired man fervently scowled. "You dare demand that I leave? You… So your intentions are not as pure as I had thought. That light is but a ruse. There is no fooling me: despite your deceiving features you are a being such as them." His last word was sharp with malice, heavily implying to the demon-fiend and Siegfried. "I should have known… You plan to take the sword!"
Link quickly turned around and shook his head vigorously in desperation as the man began to limp forward. "No! It's not how it is! You see –"
"It's quite clear how it stands." The man sharply cut the boy off. "Lesser-demon," he addressed Link harshly, "do you think I would allow you fiends to take Soul Edge so easily?"
The Seeker…
The boy heavily frowned for he was troubled by the man's sudden change in behavior. The wanting need – the lust for ultimate power – it was obvious in the Seeker's visage. Influenced by the demon's frightful power – he who sought after such power would no less be consumed with uncontrollable desires. Especially if he was in possession of the cursed fragments.
Did the man possess any fragments of the cursed sword? Link was unable to sense anything with the demon's powerful aura shrouding the area.
Siegfried had warned Link of potential dangers when facing a Seeker – they would stop at nothing to gain Soul Edge's power.
If the man was so intent on taking Soul Edge then Link had to stop him. The boy bared his teeth in aggravation as the man drew near. Gripping the Master Sword's hilt tight within his hands, he ran forward and swung his blade at the Seeker, purposely making his attack obvious so the injured man could easily avoid it.
"Stay back!" the Hylian shouted, falling into his stance before the man.
"Get out of my way," snarled the Seeker, gloved hands stained with blood curled into fists after regaining his posture.
"I don't want to hurt you," said Link in a firm tone. "Relinquish your desire for Soul Edge! It's an evil sword!"
The older swordsman roughly snorted to the side. "Evil?" he muttered as if it was a joke. He broke into a short, dry laugh before saying, "I already know."
Growling, Link shook his head in disbelief. "Then why?!" the boy demanded angrily.
"Why?" The ice blue of the Seeker's hardened gaze darkened to dangerous slits. "This world is corrupt, demon-child. The hearts of men that rule the lands are all tainted with greed. They are but pathetic, selfish beings vying for the cursed power known as Soul Edge! They deserve to be punished – punished by the very power they seek! You," he held an accusing finger at the boy before him however his expression had become strangely indifferent, "pitiful children… How could such dreadful fates fall upon the lives of the young?"
Sharply, he heaved a sigh and shook his head. "You are tainted with that wicked power as well."
Link heavily frowned, letting out a short disgruntled snarl. The man… he was foolish to not realize the dark influence he was under. He was blind by his ignorant belief…
When the Seeker took one step closer, the Hylian forced him back once more, drawing a furious curse to spew forth from the man's parted lips. Link ignored the Seeker's outcries and continued to swing the Master Sword in large arcs to drive the man further away from Soul Edge.
It seemed like a sound strategy until the man performed a maneuver that was highly unexpected in his injured condition: Link's purposeful misses had left him open. Swiftly, the Seeker leapt forward after the last swing, landing on one foot and catching the boy by surprise. On that same foot, the man quickly spun on his heel, swinging his other leg around for a powerful kick.
Right into his upper left shoulder, the man's leather boot slammed hard into Link. The numbing shock sent the Hylian painfully into the ground. Down on his right side, Link cringed at the throbbing agony coursing through his shoulder and arm while coughing at the dust that filled the air from the fall. The gross sooty taste of earth filled his mouth as he tried to breathe.
He blinked through pained tears only to see nothing but grey-brown haze. Lost was his Master Sword, dropped somewhere on the ground.
He moved his left hand and fingers, grateful that his shoulder was still intact. With effort, he tried to push himself off the ground but froze on his hands and knees when an extreme cold enveloped his entire body.
What he felt was unbelievable – it was the overwhelming dark energy emanating from the reawakening Soul Edge. The air became heavy with the evil aura, nearly choking the young hero under the unleashed power.
A flash of red penetrated the unsettled debris first before a blinding red-white light broke through the cloud of dust. The light, it formed a glowing pillar where Soul Edge once stood – where both Siegfried and the Guardian were now at – a pillar that reached the blackened sky. To the ends of the horizon, the clouds turned a dreadful black only to flash with crimson lightning that pulsed up along the single pillar of light. Throughout the heavens, the crackling, scarlet streaks spread across like bloody veins; an ominous sign to those that dared to trek beneath the cursed land.
The crackling electricity was loud to Link's ears but the sound that hurt him most was the hollow anguished wail that was barely audible over the sparks. That cry… it was coming from within the light.
A dreadful, chilling wind started to blow, stirring up the dust on the ground in powerful gusts. Link had to shield his mouth and nose with his good arm from the flying debris. Visible to the naked eye, the wind spiraled around the pillar in a clock-wise motion, making the clouds move in the same way.
Such elements formed a hostile sky that seemed ready to unleash a devastating storm down below. Soul Edge's power did not only affect the sky, unfortunately…
As Link stood gaping at the unfolding events in horror, the ground began to shake beneath his feet. He stumbled over, bracing himself on the hard, eroded ground as violent tremors shook the land. The hill noisily cracked, making Link frantic as he searched for his fallen sword. He caught a glimpse of the Master Sword in the corner of his eye just as he felt the ground below him move.
On unsteady hands and feet, he clambered towards the holy blade, being careful of the widening fissures scarring the hillside.
He tightly grasped the warm hilt and immediately the freezing cold that once touched him was forgotten. Without hesitation, the boy thrust the end of the blade into the dirt to steady himself as he watched the surroundings change with great apprehension.
The hill was rising – growing from a simple mound to mountainous proportions. From within the cracks, enormous rocks emerged in the form of pointed, jagged spires. Link had to free his sword when one began to rise just below him. He rolled between two of them and cautiously waited for everything to stop there.
All around the spires seemed to randomly appear with most of it clustered near the top. The black sky flashed with crackling red energy, the wind howled all around and the earth noisily rumbled. Throughout the chaos Link could not see the Seeker anywhere. Was he all right?
The boy had hoped so even though the man was against him. The Seeker had saved his life after all…
The light of the pillar began to disperse as the tremors subsided. Red lightning had ceased in the skies and the wind became nothing more but an unnerving breeze. The pillar had descended – shrinking and fading towards the ground where a dark black mist rose.
Within the darkness, Link could vaguely make out a figure.
Siegfried…
It was time!
Without even catching his breath, Link deftly rose to charge at the lone figure within the black mist. His bare feet pounded on the hard rocky ground as he closed the distance between him and his target. Bounding over open cracks, he charged straight into the darkness.
He was blinded in the thick dark fog. The bleak coldness that he had felt before instantly returned as the icy black mist touched every part of his skin despite the power he held. It chilled him to the core, shaking his nerves. He held his breath as he willingly urged himself to fight against the dark aura that wanted to crush his determination.
Within the darkness, Link caught sight of something gleaming from the Master Sword's light. A sneer adorned his face. He had found what he was aiming for!
Using all his strength, Link ignored the pain of his arm and swung the Master Sword at the eye of Soul Edge.
Cutting through the black mist, the holy blade swept away the fog towards the ugly eye.
Link's smile soon disappeared when the eye vanished within the remaining darkness just mere moments before hitting the evil blade. His sacred sword did not even strike the ground when Link saw a glimmer of red flesh come from the side. It struck the Master Sword – heavy and fast. A brilliant shower of sparks flew as the divine weapon was forced right out of his hands with a deafening metallic clang.
The Hylian was taken by utter surprise. Before the boy could react, he felt something clamp tightly around his neck.
He gasped and instinctively tried to pry open the iron hold that hindered his breathing. He could not see it but he could easily feel it; it was a hand that was strong and protected by hard, rough plating.
"Sieg–" he tried to speak but was painfully cut off when the grip around his neck tightened immensely.
Link couldn't breathe. He couldn't get free no matter how hard he struggled. The Master Sword was gone – thrown far out of his reach and leaving him defenseless. The hero could no longer fight.
The darkness was swallowing him up in its cold embrace. Within the shifting shadows, two fierce, glowing red orbs appeared before him. They were so close, nearly right in front of his face.
Those eyes… they were not the eyes of his friend but the eyes of Nightmare – the demon Link had first met.
Soon followed was a low, harsh whisper overshadowed with a demonic entity, "Oh, little hero, how I've always wanted to crush your puny neck." Laughter both short and cruel came right after. "You were wrong all along: it did not work."
Sudden dread fell on Link's wavering mind as his heart sank deeply from those words.
It did not work…?
The Master Sword – it was Soul Edge that had struck it out of Link's hands. Clashing the Master Sword with Soul Edge had resulted in nothing… But why?
Why did it not work?
Link was unable to think clearly due to the lack of air reaching his burning lungs. He could not fight against the weakness that overtook his entire body. Limbs had gone limp and senses had dulled. As the red eyes of the darkness blurred into nothingness, he heard the demon's last words; "Don't be sad in the end, because now, you are mine…"
Growing ominous dark clouds flashed with red lightning high above the desolate wasteland below. The sky was not the only indication that something awful was happening. Off in the distance, a single stream of red-white light shone like a beacon as if both a guide and a warning. A harsh wind blew across the bare land, sending chills down the spines of each warrior brave enough to wander the cursed ground.
Cassandra held her breath and shielded her face with both her shield and arm as strong gusts of cold wind blew past, carrying with it grey-brown dust and debris that obscured her sight momentarily.
She cautiously moved through the wind storm blindly, scraping the soles of her boots along the ground to feel for any cracks or fissures that could make her stumble. The sound of billowing cloaks around her assured her that the others where still with her.
A startled yelp from somewhere behind her made her thought otherwise. "Hey!" she called out just as the wind began to weaken. "Is everyone all right?"
"Y-Yeah," Seung Mina's reply sounded shortly after. "I tripped over something, that's all."
With the wind and dust blown past, Cassandra could see that Seung Mina and the others were not hurt. They were all frazzled by the sudden gust, with hair and clothes left in disarray. Sophitia and Taki were the only ones that did not seem bothered by their conditions for their eyes were situated on the light in the distance. Seung Mina and Cassandra on the other hand briefly patted their clothes to rid of the dust that covered them.
To the Athenian's left, Yunsung noisily sputtered. "Ugh. I hate this place," he groaned, roughly brushing his hand through his hair to dust away the accumulated dirt.
Cassandra couldn't have agreed more with the young man. The land they walked upon was cursed – life had been drained, leaving the world dead all around. It was a miserable wasteland that held the evil sword, Soul Edge.
That beacon of light up ahead; that was likely the evil blade itself… and that was where Siegfried and Link were.
How many days had it been since she had last seen them? She had lost count ever since reuniting with her sister and the others back in Mesogaea.
For days, the group had traveled on horseback through the mountains, forests and fields in search of the children. Guided by Taki's sense of direction, they journeyed deep into unknown territory. The three horses they brought had to be abandoned prior to entering the land touched by evil. The animals had refused to enter, frightened by the dark presence they could easily sense.
From then on, the five warriors had continued on foot, endlessly moving without a moment's rest towards their destination.
They were close – the wicked light was not too far away.
Cassandra did not want to waste any more time dawdling. She was not the only one thinking the same thing. Taki nodded towards the shining pillar with a look of urgency upon her normally calm face. Quickly, she said, "Let us hurry," just as she continued to run ahead. Sophitia was right behind the huntress.
Cassandra took only one step when the ground began to shake, throwing her off balance and making her fall onto her knees. "An earthquake?!" she exclaimed in shock, staying low to brace against the increasingly violent tremors beneath her. Fissures widened and large cracks formed on what was once solid ground. From under the surface, jagged rocks began to emerge, protruding from the eroded soil like towering spikes.
"Move! Move!" she heard someone bellow over the rumbling noise.
Trying her best to steady her footing, Cassandra scrambled to the side to avoid falling into the growing crevasse spreading her way. She was abruptly pulled back and practically dragged away by a strong hand when one of those rock spires erupted from the ground where she once was.
She was dropped onto her back beside the person who saved her. Yunsung, kneeling on the shaking ground, gave her a quick glance before returning his attention to the changing surroundings.
The tremors lasted for a period of time and eventually stopped, finally giving Cassandra a moment to breathe. Shaken, Cassandra slowly climbed onto her feet, mumbling a word of thanks to the young redhead.
Yunsung, after letting out a loud sigh of relief, only grunted at her in response.
Seung Mina approached them, looking both of them over. "You guys all right?" she asked, nearly breathless.
Cassandra nodded while the other Korean angrily snorted. "You know, I wouldn't be surprised if it'll start hailing next," Yunsung grumbled.
Seung Mina gave him a sound smirk. "The next thing you'll know, it'll be the apocalypse," she added, surprisingly in a humourous mood despite the situation at hand. Her smile faded when she saw the fading pillar of light. There on the horizon where the source of light had come from was a visible mound that was not there before. She propped her glaive over her shoulder, a grim look upon her face. "Come on, let's go."
With only a nod from each, Seung Mina led the way while Cassandra and Yunsung followed. They caught up with Sophitia and Taki who appeared unharmed.
Together, they all ran forward.
All around, the land had completely changed. Rocky spires as tall as full grown trees had spread throughout the quake-damaged land. Deep cracks, sunken holes and bottomless fissures now defined the landscape.
The group traversed the dangers cautiously, leaping over ugly gaping holes and maneuvering around the maze of rocky protrusions.
Cassandra was most careful not to trip or fall. Having no rest after such a long while was exhausting her greatly. Not only was her body strained physically but mentally as well. She couldn't deny the fear running through every part of her. Ever since she had stepped foot into the land of despair, her heart had been unsteady with doubt and hopelessness. The air was chilling to the very soul, making her feel weak. It had gotten more unnerving after the quake: "Soul Edge has awakened," Taki had informed them with bitter discontent clear in her tone.
The sword's evil power was the cause of everything? It was unbelievable…
As Cassandra followed, she was overcome with many troubling thoughts. She had never fought against such a formidable evil before – she had never expected such power to exist; one capable of twisting the landscape into a complete nightmare.
That power… Was it Siegfried who controlled it?
It hurt to think that the boy – the man turned into a child – was the one in possession of such evil. Ahead, will it be Siegfried that they will find? Or will it be Nightmare?
And Link… what of their plan to open the time portal? Would they be able to succeed?
By the Gods, she was desperate to know all the answers.
Cassandra snapped out of her thoughts when she heard Seung Mina cry out, "Look! What's that?"
Up in the air, the Korean was pointing to a strange glowing object they were approaching that was floating above their heads. It was unnoticed before because of the rock spires obscuring their view.
Silent and shimmering, it was a mysterious orb of green light.
Stopping alongside Sophitia, Cassandra heavily panted as she craned her head high up for a better look at it.
"That… It must be magic," Taki surmised, shortly after gaining her composure. She crossed her arms as she examined the orb with her dark eyes.
"Magic?" Cassandra questioned, knowing full-well what it meant. "Could it be Link's?"
The demon huntress gave a slight nod. "The energy is pure. I believe that it was the boy who created it," she answered, bringing a hopeful smile to form on the youngest Greek's lips.
Knowing that was an assuring sign that Link and Siegfried were indeed up ahead.
There was a sound of curiosity from Seung Mina. "I wonder what it's supposed to do…" she pondered out loud, raising an eyebrow at the floating light.
"Better to ask him ourselves," Taki informed them as she turned around. "We must not waste any more time."
The huntress was stopped by Sophitia before making a move. "Taki, wait. Look over here." The older sibling did not bother to point out what she was referring to but instead headed straight for it.
With no choice but to follow, Cassandra left the orb of light to where her sister had gone. Behind a few jagged intrusions of rock, the Athenian caught sight of something blue and shiny on the ground. "What's…" was all Cassandra could say before stopping abruptly when reaching her sister's side.
Her eyes widened at what lay amidst the pile of shattered blue crystals: A Lizardman.
It was no ordinary Lizardman from what she could tell. Partially buried on its front, it was visible that the lizard bore a mane of feathers unlike the monsters she had fought. The armour it wore that was not hidden beneath the crystal fragments was distinctly different and its scales… the color of it almost seemed to blend with the crystal it lay motionless within.
"It's a lizard-freak," Yunsung snarled, drawing his blade in caution.
Sophitia kneeled close to the buried body, a frown on her face. "It's ice…" she quietly murmured when she touched one of the broken, shimmering blue shards. "Is this Lizard, Cassandra?" she asked, peering up at her younger sister. "The one you spoke of?"
Cassandra shrugged her shoulders. "I never got a good look at him that night…" she replied in truth. However, she did not doubt that the beast lying under the frozen fragments was the one Link had called a friend. "But I think it is. What other reason is there a Lizardman all the way out here?"
"If it is," Taki began, furrowing her brow, "then why was it frozen? It was surely Link's doing."
Cassandra saw the quill of the arrow that was used in the spell, protruding from one of the larger pieces of ice lying on top of the beast's back.
She did not quite understand why Link would do such a thing. Back in the mountain forest, during that brief reunion with Link, the boy seemed so trusting of the Lizardman. She had believed his every word – that Astaroth's defeat was done by the lizard-warrior's hands. A savior to Link and a respected friend as well. So what reason was there for him to freeze the beast with his magic?
There was a short pause before Seung Mina came up with a suggestion, "Maybe it went berserk? After all, this place is prone to make anyone mad…"
Hearing that made Cassandra pity the Lizardman. Had that been the case? It must have been painful for Link to turn against his friend…
There was a quiet noise coming from the buried beast.
"It moved!" Yunsung exclaimed, pointing his sword at the lizard. Seung Mina was just as startled, having her glaive ready in her hands. Cassandra merely flinched away while Sophitia and Taki were the least surprised.
"Be calm," Taki gave them all a stern command as she kept her eyes on the reptile that remained as motionless as before. "It is still alive but has yet to regain consciousness."
"There must be another reason as to why Link would do this," said Sophitia. "This Lizardman had saved him and it had protected Iason and the survivors. Its heart could not have easily been corrupted – especially when it wields a sword of holy might." From under the ice, she pulled out a blue-silver sword by its dark metal hilt.
Cassandra gaped at the beautifully crafted blade for its design appeared to be similar to the Omega Sword she once had. Its smooth reflective surface seemed to shine with holy power. Emblazoned on the flat side of the short blade was the golden Greek letter "Xi".
To possess such a weapon meant that the Lizardman was once a human Greek warrior. Perhaps it had been one of the chosen… much like Sophitia – sent on a destined journey but only to fall under a cursed fate.
Sophitia undoubtedly recognized the holy weapon far sooner than Cassandra. Her green eyes were of pity as she gazed upon the lying figure. "This Lizardman…" she began, placing a gentle hand on the reptile's exposed scaly arm. "He is –"
She was abruptly cut off when the supposedly unconscious Lizardman began to rise out of the broken pieces of ice. Sophitia jerked her hand away while Cassandra and the others stepped back. A single-horned snout broke through the surface and the creature gasped deeply for air, exhaling frosty breaths. Pieces of ice slid off its body noisily like tinkling glass. Rising only to its hands and knees, it wasn't long until it collapsed onto its side atop the mound of scattered ice. It was heavily breathing and managed to produce a weak growl as it opened its red eyes slightly.
Cassandra held her breath anxiously, keeping her guard up as she stared at the reptile.
The beast did not notice the humans at first but when it did, its reptilian eyes widened and its feathered head was raised to glance at them all.
Acting instinctively, everyone, with the exception of Sophitia, had their weapons ready before them. The Lizardman bared its pointed teeth and thrashed its tail, sending shards of magical ice flying about. It released a throaty roar as it attempted to rise onto its weakened legs.
"L-Lizard!" Cassandra found herself calling the beast's name.
The reptile froze from hearing her voice then turned its head towards the youngest Athenian. Red eyes stared at her in what she assumed was surprise. (It was hard to read a Lizardman's expression.)
Cassandra licked her lips, keeping her gaze steady on the Lizardman. "You're Lizard, right?" she asked, her voice quavering as she spoke each word slowly for it to understand her. She was more wary of the beast than frightened of it.
For a moment, the lizard-beast did not move. It only blinked at the girl, appearing to study her. A strange gleam shone in the creature's eyes when it finally nodded with a short grunt, crouching low to steady itself.
A grateful sigh left her.
Seung Mina's assumption was wrong; Lizard was far from being a berserk monster. It was clear that it – no – he was different from the other Lizardmen both physically and mentally.
"We are Link's companions," Sophitia explained to the listening beast as she remained kneeling.
Lizard immediately straightened from hearing the boy's name. He became frantic, turning his head side to side in search of something, stopping short when he saw the spires of rock all around. Then he took heed to the cold, blue ice fragments on the ground beneath him and softly growled.
"Sophitia," Taki addressed the elder sibling in a stern tone, interrupting the moment at hand. "We have no time."
Sophitia nodded. "Yes, I know…" she replied in a hesitant manner.
To the Lizardman, the ninja said, "If you are looking for him, you will find him there." She turned her head towards the mountain in the distance and the beast followed her gaze.
Lizard let out a short growl and rose unsteadily to his feet. He fell to one knee after a few moments.
"Wait," Sophitia commanded in concern, "You must rest and recover." She gave Taki a slight nod and everyone else a definite look. "You all go ahead. I will stay here with Lizard."
Cassandra frowned while Yunsung clearly voiced his relief. "Good," the redhead muttered. "I didn't want the risk of being eat –" Seung Mina's hand covered the young man's mouth as she draped an arm roughly around his neck. Being shorter than her male companion, she was on tip-toes, trying to drag him back with her.
"Well, we'll be going then," said Seung Mina with a little laugh as she struggled to keep Yunsung under her hold.
The redhead twisted around and pushed her away. He growled at her in their native tongue and she made a reply in an amusing tone of voice. Whatever she said made Yunsung snort to the side. After giving a final glance at the others, he left the group. Giving the remaining warriors a determinate smile, Seung Mina said, "We'll go on ahead." She gave a final wave and disappeared around a spire to catch up with Yunsung.
The demon huntress exchanged a silent but meaningful nod with Sophitia before disappearing as well.
Hesitant to leave Cassandra lowered her gaze towards her sister. "Sophie…" she murmured.
"Cassandra, please be careful," Sophitia's tone was firm but caring. Her soft green eyes met Cassandra's, reflecting a glimmer of hope. An assuring smile accompanied her bold expression. "I pray to the Gods that you and everyone will be safe." As she spoke she unsheathed her sword, the sword Cassandra had returned to her in Mesogaea. She offered the hilt to her younger sister. "Take it, sister. Use it to save him – to save them both."
The sword Rothion had forged for his beloved wife glinted under the faint light that reached it. Sophitia's Omega Sword resonated with holy power. Cassandra reached out and exchanged the Omega Sword with the substituted iron sword she had bought back the valley. The moment her fingers laced around the metal hilt, she felt the blades divine power flow through her. Within an instant her previous fears had vanished from the sword's protection. The weapon granted her the courage to stand and fight against the evil of Soul Edge.
It was what Cassandra had wanted from the very beginning: to fight in her sister's place. To protect her – to free her from the curse that haunted her.
"Sophitia, I'll make sure to end it all," she told her dear sister as she strode away from her and the Lizardman. "I will save Link and Siegfried. And I will save you as well." With that, she left, determined to catch up with the others to face the darkness looming ahead.
A/N:I hope I didn't disappoint! Did you enjoy this chapter?
I would like to thank the 19 individuals who had participated in the poll I had for some time. It was you guys who had chosen Kilik, Talim, and for a short while Xianghua, along with Raphael to appear. Since the update of Chapter 24, Tira became more popular than Xianghua but unfortunately I had completed the first section way before that happened. Also, Tira doesn't really fit into the story so I had to leave her out. However, I have a really good role for her in a sequel! (That is, if I ever get to accomplish reaching that goal.)
The cause of my delay was Raphael. For me, he was difficult to write. I tried my best to capture his character - I hope I succeeded. If not, do mention the flaws... (It seems like I gave him the affinity of kicking children around...) Kilik, Xianghua and Talim too - I pray that I captured their personalities.
Well, thanks for reading everyone! I'd like to hear your feedback! I'm hoping the next update won't be the next school term! Aha... (That would be a painful wait... I'm sure...)