Time, Love and Armageddon
Part One
July 3, 1999
It's his birthday, but Dick Grayson can find no reason to celebrate now that the earth is on the brink of extinction. Having transformed into his Nightwing identity and wondering why he still bothered to do so, the crimefighter watched from his modified S-117 interceptor jet (loaned to him by Wayne Enterprises in a clandestine transaction) the sad sight of the ruined eco-system of the United States eastern seaboard, as he approached the secret sanctuary of his ally, the mysterious Dark Knight Detective, the Batman. He was met by a deep, resonating voice as he dismounts from his aircraft.
"Funny you still find it worthwhile to wear your costume."
Nightwing didn't answer, and instead flung his right hand to enable the door pad just beyond the concealed landing strip to read his palm prints. Recognizing his identification, the Batcave's security system triggered a computer pulse that opened the portal leading to the main chamber. There he saw the sullen figure of multi-millionaire philanthropist Bruce Wayne, sitting quietly in front of the huge monitor screen which shows evidence that it had recently been turned off.
"I was in the neighborhood, just thought I'd drop by." Quipped the man who was once the first Boy Wonder, not so much as intending to start a conversation, but merely to break the irritating silence permeating the dark chamber.
"Of course, there's not much of a neighborhood left, is there?" Bruce answered coldly.
Nightwing lowered his head in defeat, recognizing the chilly truth in the words of the man that he always looked up to. He elected to go the way of his host, preferring to remain silent amidst the feeling of despair and helplessness.
But the lack of audible sound is just too much for the usually sweet-talking fighter of crime.
"So, this is it. Ready to throw in the towel?"
"Under the circumstances, I have all the reason to give up. Superman did." The Batman sluggishly remarked.
"Why? What happened to the big guy anyway?" inquired Dick, suddenly finding a topic interesting enough, in a morbid sense of speaking.
"You know Lois, his wife, right? She was fatally injured when a car-sized meteorite crashed near her apartment building. For some reason she didn't die immediately, so poor Clark had to watch her suffer. He wasn't able to do a blessed thing about it since the meteors turned out to have traces of kryptonite in them... took away most of his powers."
Dick Grayson sensed a crack in Batman's voice, something that he never expected from his iron-willed comrade, former mentor, and friend. It all the more made the costumed crimefighter dread to hear what happened next. But he felt he had to know.
"And?"
"Euthanasia." The sullen figure answered softly. "Then he exposed himself to the meteor. It didn't take much for the radiation to kill him."
Nightwing felt his knees turn to jelly upon hearing the greatest of them all pushed to committing murder before taking his own life in utter despair. He knows the situation is bleak, but only then did he realize how desperate things have become after hearing what happened to Superman. He was near to tears when the Batman spoke once more.
"Wish he had waited a little while longer."
Perplexed by this strange remark, Nightwing turned a questioning look at his former partner. Then a blinding flash of light shot out from behind them, a light that dimmed down as quickly as it appeared, to reveal the figure of Waverider together with three others. Dick recognized the three as allies: Batman's current partner Robin a.k.a. Tim Drake, the former programmed killer now turned crimefighter Azrael, and the avenging angel known as the Huntress, who is Helena Bertinelli in her civilian life.
Dick threw a meaningful glance at the Huntress, who promptly returned the gesture by curtly turning away from him. It was not long ago that these two found it convenient to join forces in pursuit of a mob triggerman suspected of murdering an undercover police officer. They actually found it too convenient a partnership, something that fueled the deep-seated need of the two lonely crimefighters to belong to someone in a special way. It would have been a nice relationship, Nightwing thought. But their differing principles eventually squashed the budding romance before it even got the chance to take off. Besides, Batman would never approve of it.
Another thing felt wrong with Dick Grayson. He knows that Azrael and Robin are privy to the fact that Bruce Wayne is Batman, and is used to his mentor removing his cowl in front of these two. But revealing his true identity to the Huntress? Batman has always thought that the vindictive vigilante's methods leave much to be desired. That's why he never really considered her as part of the team, her vigilante activities more tolerated than welcomed, and very much closely surveilled lest Helena makes a mistake and screws things up for the rest of them. It seems a crisis this huge can push even the Batman to such desperate measures.
But the protector of Bludhaven had absolutely no idea who the time guardian is.
At that point Bruce Wayne stood up and faced the newcomers. "Dick, I don't believe you've met Waverider."
"Haven't had the pleasure" retorted the confused Nightwing, who hesitantly offered his hand to the stranger in front of him.
After some brief pleasantries, Waverider explained to Nightwing how, according to his knowledge, he accidentally messed up the flow of history, leading to the catastrophe that destroyed the earth. He further stressed that he cannot allow other superpowered metahumans to undo his mistake since he doesn't want to damage history further by introducing superpowers to an era when it is practically unknown. That's why he chose to aid in his mission agents like the five of them, who have no metahuman powers to speak of except for their exceptional abilities in martial arts.
The time-keeper then deferred to the Batman to lay out a plan to correct the situation.
"The plan is simplicity in itself. All we need to do is keep the battling Waverider and Era away from the woman, so that she can go ahead and commit suicide" Bruce Wayne explained with slight traces of apprehension in his voice. Everyone knows the reason for his strong discomfort towards his own plan, a scheme that meant having to watch a human being die and not being allowed to save her. All his life, the Batman dedicated everything he has to saving and preserving life as much as his abilities would permit. They all understand how excruciating it would be for him to watch someone die without doing anything about it.
"Remember, we have no margin of error." Waverider warned his allies. "I can only afford one round trip for all of you. If we miss, there will be no second chances."
The five stalwart heroes agreed. And after some final preparations, Waverider used his chronal powers to transport them to the 16th century.
However, at the final second of his transport procedure, the mightiest Linear Man was taken aback by an energy backlash that spoiled his aim. He was horrified upon realizing that he missed his target by a factor of plus ten years, flinging the five heroes to the year 1598 instead of his intended year of 1588. Scurrying to find the cause of his error, the time guardian found himself facing a foe whom he thought long gone: Extant. In one swift move, the villain used his powers to imprison Waverider in a chronal energy cube, from which the time guardian is unable to break free.
"You fool! I'm surprised you didn't even realize that all these are my handiwork." The nefarious time vandal derided Waverider. "But don't worry, I'll let you watch your bumbling human friends as they get forever lost in a time when they can do NOTHING to prevent the disaster which I instigated."
Then it all came to the helpless time-keeper. Only he knows that Era, the one with whom he fought the battle that started it all, is really the daughter of Extant. Somehow, he must be responsible for breaking her free from her other-dimensional prison. And somehow, he manipulated the events to make his daughter fire that energy blast towards the woman he rescued. By saving her life, Waverider fell into a most elaborate trap set by Extant to make him an unwitting accomplice to his arch-enemy's plans of ultimately destroying the world.
Mar 20, 1598
Sophitia Alexandra, the youthful daughter of a local Greek baker, awoke with a start when she felt an uncanny tingle causing great disturbance to her soul. She threw a quick yet loving glance at the man sleeping soundly beside her. It has been only a few months since she came back from her second quest of the evil sword Soul Edge, an endeavor that postponed her heartfelt desire of being united in spirit with her lover, Rothion. But it's all in the past now, and finally the young Greek warrior can enjoy the bliss of sharing her life with the man whom she had just recently married.
But at this moment, with this mysteriously dark cognition enveloping her being, Sophitia feared that her blithe life might be threatened anew by another impending task that will certainly take her away from her husband, albeit temporarily. Quietly getting up from the bed, she tip-toed her way towards the end of the room, where a heavy wooden chest lay adorned with trinkets and memorabilia she collected from her past voyages. Deftly lifting the top open, the warrior's fears were confirmed when she saw her Omega sword glowing with mystic energy that can only come from a supernatural source nearby. Danger is lurking terribly close.
The cool air is further chilled by frigid winds blown from the northern coasts of the Mediterranean. But Sophitia seems oblivious to the debilitating coldness, as she watched with eagle eyes the approach of a yet unrecognizable shadow stalking the perimeters of the small village where she resides. Turning from observer to predator, she traverses a circular path to bring herself behind the incognito stalker, utilizing stealth skills that could shame even the most accomplished ninja assassins of the eastern world. Finally, Sophitia stands only a few feet from her quarry, close enough for her to recognize the intruder.
"You are definitely slipping. Don't tell me you're unaware that I've been lurking behind you for the past two minutes."
The intruder suddenly turned around and in the blink of an eye, flung razor-sharp shurikens towards the Greek warrior. Sophitia had only a fraction of a second to react, as she quickly swung her Elk shield in front of her to parry the lightning fast attack of her opponent. But the throw blades never even came close to hitting their target, striking a defenseless tree instead. Sophitia smiled, not even remotely surprised that such an accomplished warrior as the one she faces would actually miss a target.
"Nice aim. Poor tree." The Greek girl mockingly remarked at her assailant, who finally spoke out to her with a firm but generally gentle female voice that is only all too familiar to her.
"If I really wanted to, you wouldn't even see me coming. Drop your weapon."
"You have no idea what you're getting into." Sophitia quipped as she gently lowered her sword and shield.
"On the contrary, I do. Did I just disturb your precious slumber, little lady? Frankly, I suggest that you stay away from your bed. You've been sleeping too much you're actually starting to put on some weight, girl." Remarked the shadowy female, exercising her turn to mock the Greek girl.
"Oh yeah, thanks a lot!" reacted Sophitia to the condescending remark as she crossed her arms, accompanied by a smirk in her face. "It's good to see you too, Taki."
"Same here, my friend." The Japanese warrior maiden cheerfully replied as she greeted her friend with a warm embrace, to which Sophitia responded with fervor.
The two female combatants spent the next hour reminiscing about their past adventures. It would have been a joyous reunion for the two who were most instrumental in defeating the demonic knight known as Inferno, the second evil soul who wielded the sinister Soul Edge after the Spanish pirate Captain Cervantes De Leon. But then, Taki had to let her friend know about the reason why she came back.
"I know this is going to be quite hard to grasp, but I do have reason to believe that Cervantes has come back from the grave."
"No, it can't be!" retorted the horrified Sophitia. "I was there, I saw how you killed him. Not even he can possibly survive your Mekki-maru."
"I know. But legend has it that the evil twin blade Soul Edge can resurrect the body of anyone of its wielders. Even if Soul Edge is destroyed, the spawn blades have enough power to accomplish the task." Explained the female ninja, to which Sophitia promptly rebutted.
"But isn't it true that the Mekki-maru is the only spawn blade? Don't tell me someone stole it from you."
"Of course not. I would rather die than see someone else take hold of Mekki-maru. But the thing is, she's not the only blade that is known to be a child of the Soul Edge." Taki continued. "There is another one, the one that is called the Ivy Blade."
At that point it became clear to Sophitia. The Ivy blade is the weapon of choice by another female warrior who participated in the second quest for the evil sword: the English noblewoman Isabella Valentine. She was devastated upon learning that she's only an adopted child of the Valentine family. After her foster parents died, she set off to find the demonic blade in hopes of discovering her true roots, in the process calling herself Ivy. She then allied herself with the azure knight known as Nightmare, who was really a doppleganger of the German gladiator Siegfried (himself a participant of the two quests). Ivy, not knowing that it was really the Soul Edge which Nightmare uses as his weapon, requested the blue knight to bolster the power of her snake sword with his own. Thus, the Ivy Blade was born, a weapon bearing unusual powers because of its origin of being derived from the evil sword.
"Alright, I understand" concurs Sophitia. "But if what you say is correct, why in the world would Ivy do something as crazy as resurrecting Cervantes?"
"Because Ivy suspects that Cervantes is her real father. And for that matter, so do I." Taki retorted.
"Wait, wait slow down." The Athenian girl tried to decelerate her friend's train of thought. "First, Cervantes is back from the grave, or will soon be back from the grave. And Ivy is the one who did it or who's going to do it. That's fine, I can deal with it." Sophitia slowly recapped. "But the really mind-blowing part that I just can't comprehend is your claim that Cervantes is Ivy's real father. How in heavens did you come up with a conclusion like that???"
"Didn't you feel it?" Taki shot back at Sophitia. "Ivy has the very same spiritual aura as Cervantes'. I detected it during the second quest, and again when I stumbled on to her some time ago while I was spying in Nightmare's fortress during the night of that foolhardy raid staged by Kilik, Xianghua and Maxi." Further explained the lady ninja.
(Author's note: For the source of all this information, please refer to the Soul Blade sequel Soul Calibur web site at www.soulcalibur.com.)
"N no." replied the confused Athenian dame. "I did feel something familiar about Ivy when we all fought Inferno. But I just dismissed it as some kind of deja vu." Sophitia added.
"Well, it really doesn't matter, now that we're all back to square one." Taki retorted.
"All..?" Sophitia quizzically remarked.
"Don't be naïve, Sophie. You know that when word of this gets out, all of our usual rowdy friends will try their luck again to seize control of the evil sword. And gosh, that means I may have to lay my eyes on that annoying girl again" Taki's voice gradually softened to a mutter.
"Who, Seung Mina?" Inquired the Hellenic warrior girl.
"Who else?" the female ninja snapped back with her eyes rolling in agitation. "I get so irritated by her penchant for always, always challenging everyone to a fight with that ludicrous long blade of hers. I mean, how egocentric can someone get?"
"I don't know." answered Sophitia. "Maybe you should ask your pompous mercenary friend."
"Who, that pig Mitsurugi? Excuse me, Sophie. Just because we're both Japanese doesn't make him my friend. Besides, I heard he's in hiding right now, so I don't think we'll be seeing his hide for a very long time."
"Yeah, must have finally realized he made too many enemies than he can handle." Sophitia laughed. Then the Greek damsel lowered her head as if a great sadness had befallen her.
"What's wrong?" inquired her Japanese confidant.
"I understand why you're here, and I also understand that it is our duty to make sure that this time the evil sword and anyone who wields it are destroyed once and for all." Sophitia paused for a couple of seconds before continuing. "But I just got married. And the thought of being away from my husband, even for a short time, just it just breaks my heart. I realize you may never understand how I feel but forgive me, I just can't help it. Things are not how they were before anymore."
Taki didn't answer. She knows what her Hellenic friend meant about never understanding how she feels. The last time these two warriors saw each other, they had a heated debate about Sophitia's plans of marrying her lover Rothion. And Sophitia knows only too well what brought Taki to this kind of attitude towards men and love, as she is aware of the ninja's painful experience of losing her beloved aunt ten years ago, because of this so called love.'
She can't exactly say that she understands Taki, but Sophitia has grown to love her friend after Taki rescued her from certain death in the hands of Captain Cervantes during the first quest. Since then, the two developed an immeasurable degree of respect and regard towards each other. Sophitia was pondering on these very things when Taki broke the silence.
"It's alright if you don't wish to come. I'm really more effective working alone, anyway. Just thought you might want to make sure that the task gets done right this time."
"You're kidding, right? You know I'd never allow you to face that menace alone. And besides, I do owe you my life." Sophitia said as she pledged Taki her assistance.
The lady ninja gave her friend a few hours to prepare and say goodbye to her husband, after which the two went on their way, again to further add on to the already rich pages of history.
"Taki"
"Yes, Sophie?"
"I hope you don't take this the wrong way. But I'm pretty sure the day will come when you'd feel the same happiness I'm feeling right now with Rothion."
"In your dreams, sister." Taki shot back in rebuttal. "If that happens, I'll eat Rekki-maru's sheath."
"You're on, sister!" Sophitia snarled back at Taki in acceptance of her challenge.
Mar 25, 1598
The sub-zero winds have so far been unusually mild, but the cold temperatures are still an ordeal to bear for the lone figure trekking across the vast and frigid Tibetan plateaus. The only sound that can be heard in these barren wastelands is the crisp crunching noise made by the voyager's heavy boots crushing the thin layer of snow on the icy ground, intermingling with the faint growl from his stomach that bids him to find something to eat, fast.
Happening on a nearly frozen lake, the Oriental warrior known to his peers in the Korean Coastal Defense Force as Commander Hwang Sung-Kyung fashioned a makeshift spear from a nearby tree. Crouching quietly along the shoreline, a slight movement in the still water caught the cunning gladiator's attention. And in the blink of an eye, he plunged the sharp end of his spear into the frigid waters once. When he pulled it out, a huge fish flailed on its end. With the damp woods rendering him unable to create a wood fire, the poor Korean had to do with eating the fish raw.
Annoyed by this inconvenient situation, Hwang recalled in his mind the last time he ever spoke to anyone, which was two months ago at the Seung family residence back in Korea. He had just come back from his second quest of the evil sword Soul Edge, and was looking forward to a good night's sleep after a grueling voyage across the north China Sea. But before he even got the chance to rest his bruised back against a soft bed, a messenger came sending a summons for him to appear before his mentor and friend, the much honored Seung Han Myong.
The revered teacher recounted to his former student how his daughter, the impulsive teen-ager Seung Mina, ran away from home again after hearing about a rumor of another evil blade from an Italian merchant. Hwang didn't even flinch upon hearing this despite the fact that he witnessed how the female ninja Taki delivered the telling blow that laid waste the last of the two evil blades; he was just too tired to entertain the idea of hunting for a third one. But knowing that the youthful Mina is again out in the world, in danger from other unscrupulous scavengers as well as from herself, kept him up for the most part of the night.
Hwang's recollection was interrupted by a rabbit dashing right in front of him. Getting up on his feet, the adroit warrior decided to continue on his trek.
"Oh Mina, if I didn't love you so much I wouldn't be caught dead in this place" Hwang muttered to himself.
April 20, 1598
Dick Grayson slowly lifted his throbbing head after what seemed to have been a million year slumber. Still disoriented, he moved by instinct and first checked to see if he's injured in any way. Finding nothing worthy of alarm except for a shallow gash in his left forearm, the man who calls himself Nightwing slowly started to come out of his daze to see the unconscious form of the youthful Tim Drake. Nightwing was relieved to feel his pulse beating normally.
Deciding to forego waking Tim up, he checked the surrounding terrain. It was almost nighttime, and the darkness is falling down like an ominous curtain as swiftly as the temperature drops. His attention is again pulled towards the boy crimefighter known as Robin, who at that time has just begun to regain consciousness. Just then, Nightwing felt something wrong, as he quickly pulled his confused companion towards a thick, bushy plant growth to hide themselves from an approaching convoy. He clutched his forehead in dismay when he heard the conversation of the traveling party.
"Just our luck" he muttered. "that Waverider guy missed. This is France, not Japan!"
The gradually recovering Robin overheard what he said. "What? Does this mean we're lost?"
"Yeah, I'm afraid so." Answered Nightwing with a weary tone in his voice. At that point he realized that their other companions, Batman, Azrael and Huntress were not with them. "I wonder what happened to those three"
"Geez, what a mess. We're lost in time and separated from the boss." Tim Drake answered back, obviously referring to the Dark Knight. "So what do we do now?"
Nightwing turned to his juvenile companion whom he considers as a little brother figure. "First of all we have got to get rid of these costumes and all our gadgets. We can't be seen walking around dressed like this, we have to blend in."
"Yeah, sure. Like we don't know what's going to happen to us here. Can't we at least use the comm-link to contact the others?" complained the now worried youngster.
"No. It's too risky. Even the slightest hint of 20th century technology being used in this era might set off a chain of events that could only make things worse. We have to depend on ourselves using this current time's means."
Robin paused in deep thought for a few seconds before giving his nod. "Alrighty then. Guess for now we have to relegate ourselves to being clothesline thieves, huh." He replied, then muffled a chuckle, obviously amused at the thought.
Meanwhile, at almost the same moment, a drunken harbor worker is starting to lose it after downing at least a dozen whiskey jiggers in a small tavern in Paris. His Japanese drinking partner tried to keep him from stirring up a frenzy, but to no avail. The henchman had already flung the bartender towards the liquor shelves lining the back of the oak-paneled bar, and is now threatening all the other bar patrons with his oversized dagger.
"I wouldn't draw a blade out if I were you." A voice speaking in strained English suddenly rang out from behind him.
The intoxicated thug turned around to see a medium yet solidly built man wearing a loose, ashen colored sack cloth coat and hung down trousers made of the same material. There doesn't seem to be anything extraordinary about this stranger, except for his features being clearly Asian. The man's face is almost emotionless, yet his left hand is balled tight while his right one hovers closely over a black leather sheath which measure at least a yard and a half long.
The troublemaker's Oriental friend felt his blood curdle, and his face turned pale white after recognizing the bold intruder who appears to be challenging his drunken companion. Pulling the wide-shouldered man beside, his beleaguered cohort tried to dissuade him from engaging the newcomer to a sword fight.
"Porthos, don't do it! I know this man. He's Heishiro Mitsurugi, the most feared swordsman of the east."
"He will fear me after I'm through with him!" the recreant barked back before pushing aside the frightened Japanese.
"That's right." Mitsurugi quipped in Japanese. "Do me a favor and don't try to stop your friend. It's been ages since my katana tasted raw flesh."
Without warning, the drunk suddenly lunged at the mercenary and swung his knife, only to be surprised after realizing that he hit nothing but air. And before he could react, a thundering kick sent him crashing through the row of tables, bowling on them like so much tenpin. Mitsurugi then hovered on top of the now terrified thug, ready to deliver the death blow with his razor sharp sword.
But then, the samurai bounty hunter felt a powerful grip around his neck, which pulled him off his prey with such force that it sent him careening across the other end of the tavern.
"There will be no bloodshed while I'm around." Declared yet another stranger garbed with a heavy woolen cape with a complementing hood.
Raging with a fury that he never felt before, Mitsurugi growled like an animal as he rushed blade-first at the hooded stranger who dared humiliate him. The man's hands moved with lightning speed, slapping Mitsurugi's sword at the broad side to knock it off it's deadly course. A quick elbow to the Japanese warrior's chin sent him reeling back, more surprised at his opponent's quickness than hurt by his counter-attack. Mitsurugi held back, realizing that he now faces not an ordinary adversary.
"Ah, a worthy opponent at last. May I have the pleasure of your name, sir, before I run you down?" Mitsurugi spoke at the stranger with all the respect of one warrior to another, while smiling savagely as he wiped the blood off his mouth.
The hooded stranger, who is in fact the time-lost voyager Bruce Wayne a.k.a. the Batman, replied with a curt but firm remark. "My name is of no use to you."
"A stranger ashamed of his own name, I see. Have it your way, then. I am Heishiro Mitsurugi, the mightiest swordsman in the world, and I am honored to make your acquaintance. Now, shall we continue our little tussle?"
"No, we shall not. I simply don't have time for this." With that, the Batman turned his back on his flabbergasted opponent, and quietly made his way towards the door.
"Don't turn your back on me!" Mitsurugi shouted at him. Batman then made a dash outside the tavern with the warrior in pursuit. He knows at this point a fight with this blood-thirsty mercenary is inevitable. But at least he would draw the battle away from innocent bystanders.
Nearby, Nightwing and Robin were cautiously strutting by when they heard the sound of clashing metal and grunting combatants.
"Sounds like trouble. Let's go check it out." Whispered the Boy Wonder as he ran ahead of his companion.
April 21, 1598
"That street looks too crowded, let's go this way." Helena Bertinelli instructed her comrade. To her annoyance, he continued on his path towards the cluster of peasant people crowding around a market place. The woman who is also the vigilante called Huntress opted to keep her cool, reminding herself that her companion, Jean Paul Valley, a fellow crimefighter who hides under the alter ego Azrael, is most of the time lost in his thoughts, an after effect of the exercise to overcome the programming instilled to his subconscious by the evil Order of St. Dumas, that initially turned him into the most efficient assassin in the world.
Deep inside her, Helena was trying to control a resentment that she's feeling towards her companion. Robin clued her in with some background about Azrael: a lost soul who from the start was brainwashed by the dark, medieval order to become a merciless killer; and later was chosen by the Batman, amidst strong protestations by Nightwing and Robin himself, as his temporary replacement to carry on the mantle of the bat after he was seriously injured by the revenge-driven Bane. The way she looks at it, Azrael is much more a loose cannon than she ever was at any time in both of crimefighting careers. And Batman trusts him more than he does her?
Huntress gently taps him on the shoulder and made a sign to follow her towards a modest inn located in the heart of this small Italian town. The duo had just come from a night long trek by foot after finding themselves in a forest. They had likewise hid their 20th century paraphernalia and changed to make themselves appear inconspicuous in a time and place where they realized that their primary mission objective of correcting the mishap in time has met with severe failure.
A couple of hours before the break of dawn, Jean Paul restlessly lay on a tattered feather bed in one of the inn rooms. The disheveled soul was about to fall asleep when he felt a presence lurking behind the door leading to the seedy hallway. He had just enough time to prepare himself before the door came down with a loud crash to reveal a huge man wielding an even bigger battle ax. Azrael braced himself for combat.
"I never thought our paths will cross again, Siegfried," the man's voice thundered. "But it seems providence has given me a means to cure my ward. Now you will help me find Ivy or I'll make sure that you will never be fit enough to get in my way again like you did before."
Unknown to the two crimefighters, the American beast warrior Rock had been following them the whole night long after happening on the two while he was passing by Italy on his way back to Spain.
The hulking gladiator had just come back from his second campaign to destroy the Soul Edge, and he was just too happy to be reunited with his friend and adopted son, the native American boy Bangoo. But Rock got home only to find his ward inflicted with a strange disease, which his village's medicine men were unable to treat. Upon the advice of the village elder, Rock decided to journey again, this time to search for the Englishwoman Isabella Valentine and ask her to use her Ivy blade to heal Bangoo. Actually, Rock had originally intended to find Taki, since her Mekki-maru sword wields the same power as that of the Ivy blade. But he wasn't able to find her in her usual sanctuary in Kyoto.
Upon setting eyes on Jean Paul Valley, Rock mistook him for the German knight Siegfried because of the uncanny resemblance between the two. Deciding that he would greatly save time if Siegfried helps him (on account of his mistaken notion that Siegfried and Ivy have developed a deep affinity), Rock deemed it necessary to coerce his sometimes adversary into giving his assistance, knowing how disdainful and uncooperative the German warrior can be when dealing with his rival blade wielders. Up until now, he has not realized yet that he got the wrong man.
The heavily-built combatant's attention was so fixed at whom he thought was his prey that he didn't notice Azrael's partner, the Huntress, using her unparalleled stealth skills to sneak up on the usually alert Rock. Before he knew it, Huntress had already slapped a rigid sleeper hold around his neck. Rock tried desperately to shake her off his back by slamming their fused bodies against the four mildew-infested walls of the seedy chamber, but the former mob daughter's grip was just too strong. Eventually, the struggling behemoth was knocked unconscious due to oxygen deprivation.
After a half hour, Rock was already profusely apologizing to Jean Paul after realizing his mistake. Still dizzy from what Huntress did to him, the American brave watched intently as the fierce woman who had previously rendered him helpless now acts as a kind-hearted caretaker as she labored to nurse him back to normal strength.
"A ferocious warrior woman in combat, and yet an immensely gentle soul." Rock spoke out. "You know, you do remind me of someone."
"Yeah?" answered Helena with a smile, mainly intended to hide her disgust at the seeming attempt of the huge man to come on to her. "Men you are all the same no matter what time period you're in." Helena thought to herself.
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The sun was just about peeking over the horizon as two figures continued to struggle to get the better of each other in a duel that had stretched for hours now. Both of them nearing the point of exhaustion, the Batman and Mitsurugi stubbornly refused to give an opening, since they both know that one moment of carelessness could spell defeat for them. Especially for the Japanese samurai warrior, who doesn't mind dying as much as he does being bettered by an unarmed opponent.
Mitsurugi thought he would have already flattened Batman a couple of hours back if he hadn't underestimated the stranger. For someone who battles without the benefit of a weapon, he is surprised at the toughness of his adversary, mainly stemming from the fact that the Batman is an undisputed master of all forms of martial arts known to man in the 20th century.
On the other hand, the crimefighter was also thinking that he would already have sacked his obstinate adversary. He knows of at least a hundred ways of doing so, but he has never fought someone who is so attached to his weapon like Mitsurugi is. Many times Batman executed crushing blows that in normal situations would have already disarmed the other combatant. But to his dismay, Mitsurugi's katana seems to be literally fused to his hands. Nothing he has done so far had been successful in knocking the blade out of his opponent's grip.
Just a few feet away, Nightwing and Robin sat under a tree while watching the two gladiators exchange blows. Previously, they were worried that Mitsurugi might be able to slip in a lucky attack and seriously injure Batman. But now, after waiting for hours for this battle to conclude, Dick and Tim have grown extremely bored.
"'Don't try to help me' he says. This won't take long' he says. Geez, Bruce should know better than to mix it up with this primitive ego-tripper." Dick Grayson ranted to no one in particular.
"I'm hungry. Can't we tell those two to stop for breakfast?" complained the already annoyed Tim Drake, while slowly moving his left hand in circles over his abdominal area.
Unknown to the four, two watchful pairs of eyes have been observing them for the last five minutes. One of them, the Greek warrior girl Sophitia, is trying to muffle a giggle while her companion-friend Taki is intently watching the stranger who at that moment had just executed a butterfly maneuver to fend off an overhead slash attack from his opponent.
"Golly, I'd give up my Omega sword just to see Mitsurugi's face after this man beats his gargantuan ego out of his thick head." Sophitia chuckled.
"Quiet, Sophie." Taki whispered back. "This stranger is good very good. I've never seen anyone stand up against Mitsurugi using only his bare hands."
"So, you trying to tell me that we should help your compatriot?"
"Let's wait for a few more minutes." Taki does not in any way have any particular liking to the arrogant samurai mercenary. But having once fought alongside Mitsurugi, the female ninja would still choose to side with him any time rather than to pledge favor over a stranger whom she knows nothing about. The two lady warriors silently bore witness as the Batman and Mitsurugi started to buckle in exhaustion but still refused to give in as they both tried to push each other to the brink of defeat.
Then Taki decided she has waited for as long as she must. Drawing a razor sharp throw blade, she deftly takes careful aim at Batman's deltoid muscles.
Nightwing himself felt it's time to stop this lengthy and senseless tussle. But as he was about to get up, a shimmer of sunlight was momentarily reflected from a nearby metallic object and glanced the side of his eyes. The crimefighter had only a fraction of a second to react as he quickly flung his body to catch a speeding shuriken hurling toward the Batman's back.
"Aaahhhh!" Nightwing groaned as the sharp blades of the shuriken penetrated his unprotected palm. His action caught the attention of the two combatants, who for the first time in hours, paused to turn their attention towards the cause of the interruption in their melee. That's when the two female warriors decided to reveal themselves to the four. Mitsurugi's jaw dropped in astonishment upon seeing Taki and Sophitia.
"You'll owe us one after this, Heishiro." Taki said to the bewildered samurai while flashing a smile peppered with pure condescension.
"Kiena, you witch! I don't need your help!" Mitsurugi yelled at the lady ninja. Taki's smile just turned even more scornful.
"I'm glad you appreciate our aid, Mitsurugi." Sophitia shot back at the samurai with an even more audible streak of sarcasm. "Taki, maybe we should go. We're obviously not needed here."
But Taki wasn't listening to Sophitia, as her attention was fixed on the man clutching his bleeding hand while trying to pull out a bloodied throw blade from it. Her amazement towards these strangers grew even more intense. First, the hooded one proved more than capable of engaging Mitsurugi in battle, unarmed. Now his companion turned out an incredible display of skill and quickness in catching her shuriken in mid-air. Her assessment of their skills sent a slight chill through her lithe body, something that she has never felt before in her life. Taki tried to fight the urge to ask Nightwing how he was able to do what he did, as she watched the young Robin attend to his wounded comrade.
Sophitia, the Greek girl gladiator, realized what captivated Taki's attention. Her reaction to the situation, however, was more tangible, as her kind heart prevailed over her penchant for battle. She slowly approached Nightwing and took his hand, bandaging it with a strip of white cloth that she pulled out from her travel pouch. That's when she noticed his features which are clearly not Caucasian.
"You're not from around here, are you?" the Athenian warrior asked Dick. "You look different, almost like my friend here." Sophitia further commented, referring to Nightwing's somewhat Asian features which slightly resemble Taki's.
Seeing Sophitia's display of kindness, Batman realized that the two newcomers are not hostile, which prompted him to relax a little bit. Opting to continue on their way though not being sure of their destination, the Dark Knight began to gather his things, only to be interrupted by the sword-wielding mercenary.
"Wait! We're not finished yet!" Mitsurugi yelled at his enigmatic opponent.
Batman realized that he has to find some way to get Mitsurugi off his back, since fighting him for the last nine hours turned out to be the most unproductive hours of his life. As Mitsurugi stood in front of him, the Caped Crusader spoke out with a low tone of voice.
"A million apologies for having to cut our engagement short. But I'm afraid my luck might run out soon if I continue to fight against a superior adversary like yourself."
"Don't patronize me." Mitsurugi snarled back at the Dark Knight. "A true warrior does not accept defeat that easily. Stay and fight."
"For the first time, I may have to agree with you, Mitsurugi, " Sophitia suddenly butted in. "But not about this silly macho thing."
She then turned to Batman and spoke with a calm and gentle voice. "Contrary to what you may be trying to make your adversary believe, I know your skills and that of your companions are great and mighty. My friend, Taki, and I are on a journey to save the souls of those we love dearly, and we could certainly use your help in accomplishing our mission."
Taki threw a wide-eyed dagger look at her friend. She was totally surprised by Sophitia asking the outlanders for help. But the Hellenic warrior just ignored her Japanese confidant and waited for Batman's reply.
"What makes you think you could trust us?" retorted the unmoving Dark Knight.
"I'm not sure. But judging by how you fought Mitsurugi, you have enough skills to end the battle quickly by killing him. But you did not. You're apparent aversion to taking another human being's life is enough reason for me to trust you."
Batman eyed Sophitia intently. He didn't want to admit it, but he was effectively disarmed by the Greek girl's purity of spirit and intention; traits that are not very common for people with double-bladed swords and combat shields in their possession.
Sophitia went on to explain to Batman and his companions the danger posed by another incarnation of the dreaded evil sword. Though the three of them are not accustomed to dealing with supernatural threats, it didn't take much for the 20th century crimefighters to offer their aid after recognizing the immensity of the menace to innocent people's lives. Who knows, they might even find a way to remedy the predicament that they found themselves in.
"Hmph, so that's why you two wrecking crews are together again. Well, you can count me out this time. I'm not interested anymore in chasing after that one-eyed bastard and his silly-looking blade." Mitsurugi quipped while packing up his stuff, obviously referring to the frightful pirate Captain Cervantes.
Sophitia stared at her sometimes comrade-in-arms with a disappointed look in her eyes. "We could really use your help here, Mitsurugi. I've felt the threat of Soul Edge twice over, but this time is different. I fear that this time around, all our skills may not be enough to destroy the enemy."
The samurai mercenary remained silent as he continued to prepare for his departure. All his life as a swordsman, Heishiro Mitsurugi has never encountered an enemy powerful enough to introduce him to the experience called defeat. As the mightiest samurai ever to come out of any Japanese warrior clan, he rarely faced a threat that called for everything he knows about fighting and survival. One of the very rare exceptions was the Chinese assassin Li Long, the nunchaku fighter who battled him to a stalemate, and then later fought alongside him to vanquish Captain Cervantes. That was all before he witnessed with his own eyes how his equal as a combatant was handily defeated and murdered by the immortal plunderer.
The mercenary didn't want to admit it, but deep inside he knows that he has finally come face-to-face with fear. He is afraid to face in battle the one foe that he knows has the power to defeat him easily. It's not so much a fear of dying, but more of the fear to experience being beaten by an opponent who wields fighting prowess far superior to his own.
"You cannot force a person if he does not wish to help." Taki spoke out while throwing a contemptuous look at Mitsurugi. For some reason, the samurai felt the ninja's eyes burning right through his being. But he tried to ignore it as he turned his back on them and went on his way.
Meanwhile, Sophitia set her gear down to the soft grass under the refreshing shade of a tall tree. "I could really use something to eat. Anyone care for some bread?"
"Ahh, finally, someone who understands my needs!" Robin sighed as he eagerly accepted Sophitia's offering.
"Looks like there's not enough there for all of us." Commented Taki as she examined her friend's travel pouch. "Sophie, let's go hunt for something to cook."
"Taki, you know how I feel about killing animals. Why don't you just pick some berries or something." Pleaded the Greek damsel, her lips pouting like a child in a futile attempt to reason to her friend.
"Oh you bleeding heart pet lover if you don't want to come, then fine. I'll go hunt alone." The ninja shot back as she made sure her psi blade is in place.
Nightwing then stood up to go after Taki. "Wait, miss uh whatever, I believe this belongs to you."
Taki turned around to see a smiling Nightwing handing her the shuriken that previously left a nasty cut in his palm. She felt strange as she took back her throw blade; this is the first time that Taki has ever met a man who doesn't feel intimidated around her presence.
Even when she was still under the tutelage of her mentor and foster father, Master Toki, the young Taki tried very hard to repulse the advances of her male colleagues by assuming a fearsome man-hater personality. There was even a time when she almost killed a persistent suitor while scrimmaging with him in one of their training sessions. Her teacher has always thought that Taki is perhaps one of the prettiest girls he has ever had the pleasure of training in the deadly art of ninjitsu. But he felt that her beauty had only come to waste after being hidden behind her custom-made red ninja fighting gear and all her weapons.
These, coupled with her frightful demeanor towards those of the opposite sex, brought Taki to her desired reputation of being feared and avoided by men, and she has since been used to that kind of treatment. However, this man who is currently in front of her has just broken the trend with his winsome smile and non-shaking hands while he stands dangerously close to the notorious man-hater. Taki is not accustomed to being treated this way. And right now, she just can't understand the feeling that has taken over her.
"Let me come and help you." The future-bound crimefighter offered Taki while he continued to flash his amiable smile.
It took some time before the lady ninja managed to push out some words of response. "N no. No, thank you. I'll be fine." She stammered before hurriedly turning her back to the man who has given her a much troubling feeling that somewhat resembles fear, but not exactly. Whatever it is, the lady ninja's reaction was that of utter alarm; her heart is pounding like crazy.
Dick Grayson was still training his thoughts on Taki while walking back to the makeshift camp. As he sat beside Sophitia, he blurted something out that made the Hellenic damsel chuckle with obvious delight.
"You know, your friend would look a lot prettier if she'd only remove her face mask." Nightwing confided to Sophitia, referring to the silken cloth covering Taki's face from the bridge of her nose downwards.
"I think it will be better if you tell her that yourself." Sophitia answered back.
"I tried but " Nightwing's words were cut short when he saw Batman gesturing him to approach. He quickly got up to move beside his former crimefighting partner, and was met by a very serious man with a very heavy word of caution.
"I saw that, Dick." Bruce Wayne softly but sternly whispered to the perplexed Nightwing. "And I'm sorry to say this, but you absolutely cannot do it here."
"Yeah, I know, sorry about that" concurred the younger of the two, acknowledging the danger his attempt for a personal involvement with the 16th century warrior posed. "You know, I think it would be better if we just cut our ties from these people."
"We have no choice. We need a way to get back to our time as well as find our missing friends. I think it's tolerable to join them. But I cannot allow any kind of involvement on a personal level. Is that clear?" Declared the Dark Knight, who once again assumed the role of team commander and superior over his former ward.
"Got it." Nightwing replied in full compliance. Being the first Robin and original sidekick of the Batman, he knows only too well that when this man starts to talk in this tone of voice, he expects nothing less than total obedience from everyone under his charge.
Nearby, Tim Drake caught a glance of his two companions whispering to each other. But he just ignored them to continue munching on the soft piece of bread that Sophitia gave him.
May 02, 1598
An inn-keeper's attention was drawn to a heavily-cloaked figure coming through the doorway of the small traveler's lodge situated in the northern sector of the bustling city of Lisbon, Portugal, that he has maintained for the last 23 years. Not exactly the benevolent type, this inn-keeper is notorious for his open dealings with suspected thieves, bounty hunters and smugglers, undesirable elements of society who have made a haven out of his roadside inn.
He caught a slight whiff of jasmine as the newcomer, who turned out to be a lady, beckoned him for a room. After the guest quietly entered another door leading into the row of shabby and squalid chambers, two dingy-looking men approached the inn-keeper and began talking to him.
"Gaston, that's a mighty bountiful customer you just had walking into your cesspool." Garbled one of the two men while chewing on a tattered cigar.
"Yeahhhh!" Agreed the other one. "And did you see that thing juttin' out from her booty? Them look like gold if I ever saw one."
"You filthy rats!" Snarled the inn-keeper. "If only I wasn't doin' good business with your boss, I'd have already thrown you out into the streets!"
"Hah! You're welcome to try, old man." The bigger man replied arrogantly before continuing. "So what now, grandpa. Shall we do our thing?"
"You vermin are the reason why decent people don't come here." Complained the inn-keeper while turning away to retrieve a duplicate key from the wall closet.
"Hey, that's the joy of dealin' with the boss. Besides, decent people shouldn't live in this part of town." answered one of the two before they both walked through the same door the woman entered earlier.
Upstairs, the exquisite woman smiled as she heard footsteps coming from the hallway just outside her room. She then got up from the bed and assumed an inviting, almost seductive pose just before the door swung open to reveal the two hoodlums, who almost drooled at the delectable sight in front of them.
"Hello, boys. Wanna join me in paradise?" the woman spoke beguilingly at her two intruders.
Her voice resonated like it came from the bottom of a deep well, but the pair of thugs, overcome by sheer fleshly desire, didn't even notice it as they began to approach her slowly.
"Lady, we'll even join you in hell if that's what you want!"
"Really?" the lady answered in evident delight. "Funny, that's just what I have in mind."
With that, the strange woman pulled a menacingly sharp, double-bladed sword from the golden sheath that initially attracted the attention of the two miscreants. It took only one swift and skillful swing to separate the heads of the two intruders from their bodies.
But the woman who calls herself Ivy is not yet finished. In her mind's eye, she watched as two incorporeal souls started to detach from the headless, twitching bodies.
"Boys, my sword is hungry. Feed her." The woman whispered as the screaming souls of her two victims were sucked into the double-edged weapon, after which she watched with wicked joy as her sword began to glow with devilish power.
"Hmm, you look pretty satisfied, my sweet." Ivy spoke to her sword. "It is quite delightful to occasionally feast on dark meat, isn't it?"
Her supernatural senses began to be stimulated more intensely as she felt her Ivy Blade giving off even more malevolent energy. Somewhere in her head, she heard a deep and sinister voice that seemed to originate from beyond the grave.
"Ivy, come quickly and free me. I so long to be united with my one and only daughter."
"Yes father, I'm coming. It won't be long now."
May 03, 1598
The thunderous roar of the crowd grew even louder as Hwang Sung-Kyung approached a majestic coliseum in the outskirts of the Italian territory. Reading a sign just outside of the establishment's main gate, the Korean patriot shrugged his shoulder upon confirming that the cause of the commotion is another fighting tournament not unlike the one he joined a few years back, where he was narrowly beaten by a tough Japanese lady ninja. Acting on a hunch, Hwang quietly sneaked past the gate-keeper, since he doesn't have enough money to pay for the entrance. Once inside, he watched intently as two struggling figures slugged it off in a furious yet dilettante match.
"Amateurs. If Mina were here, she'd easily bulldoze over these clumsy oafs." Hwang thought to himself.
He waited patiently for the battle to conclude; the only spectator among the audience who got bored at the way the fight progressed. Finally, Hwang stood in anticipation as the barker announced the participants of the next match. He didn't seem even half-surprised when he saw Seung Mina emerge from the fighter's chamber to face a hulking behemoth wielding a jagged-edged ax.
The Korean warrior-soldier was momentarily alarmed upon setting eyes on Mina's opponent. "Astaroth? No, it's not him."
Hwang's concern didn't come without good reason. During the second quest for the evil twin sword, Astaroth was one of the diabolical gladiators he had to go through to endure the task. He barely survived his encounter with the huge warrior, whose participation in the quest was rumored to be part of a plan initiated by an evil sorcerer to claim the power of the Soul Edge for himself. And by the way he fought, it seemed that there is substance to the rumor that Astaroth's abilities originated from the same dark forces used by black magic wielders. Hwang has never faced anyone as nigh-invincible as him.
Hwang fixed his attention to the center ring just as soon as the fight started. Mina's opponent is undoubtedly strong, yet the immense weight of his weapon hindered him from executing moves fast enough to match the Korean lass' speed, as exhibited by the way she easily somersaulted away from his first swing, which created a loud thud when it hit the ground.
The commander of Korea's Coastal Defense Force can't help but smile in admiration when Mina displayed her exceptional skills in the fighting art of the Zanbatoh. Her quick acrobatic move instantly brought her behind her adversary. And before the giant could react, Seung Mina twirled her long spear in one hand, attacking her opponent with multiple blows in the head and body by the square end of her weapon. In the blink of an eye, the fight concluded with Mina's opponent falling unconscious on the ground, and the young lass was awarded with a standing ovation from the appreciative crowd.
Hwang only took a moment to join the applause of the fight fans, then proceeded to collect his quarry. "Show's over, Mina. Let's go home."
The girl warrior was surprised to see her suitor approaching. "Hwang? What are you doing here???"
"What do you think? Master Han-Myong is worried sick about you and has commissioned me to bring you back home." Answered the weary Hwang.
"Hmph, it's just like father not to trust me with anything." Mina whimpered as she faced Hwang. "And besides, what made you think I'd let you drag me back just like that?"
"Well, we could do it the same way as before, but we both know what the outcome is going to be so let's not waste our time anymore, okay?" Hwang shot back, referring to how the two of them wagered during the first quest, fighting to see who among them would go back to Korea and who would continue the journey. Back then, Mina lost to Hwang, but she didn't honor their agreement.
"Hah! Right. And you still think I'm the same impulsive and impatient fighter you know. Why don't we find out?" Mina challenged Hwang.
Hwang Sung-Kyung didn't answer, and instead grabbed Mina by her wrist and forcibly led her out of the arena. As they made their exit, a squad of sword-wielding henchmen blocked their way just outside the coliseum gate. Leading the thugs is an important-looking but diminutive man holding a scroll in one hand and a dagger in another.
"Hey you! Let her go. She has another fight lined up after sundown." Yelled the man, who happened to be the owner of the coliseum.
Mina childishly smirked at Hwang and crossed her arms smugly. She seems delighted that the fight owner appeared hell bent in not allowing him to take her away from the arena.
Hwang, remaining true to his character, respectfully yet firmly answered the fight owner. "I apologize for this inconvenience, sir. But this young lady is wanted by her father, and I intend to make sure that my master's word gets carried out no matter what."
"Are you a fighter too, young man?" the owner insolently asked Hwang. "Because if you are, then you can stay for as long as you want and participate in the contest. It's either that or you leave the kid behind and get the hell out of my property."
Ever since her early teens, Seung Mina has longed for freedom that her overprotective father, the master martial artist and teacher Seung Han-Myong, adamantly refused to grant her. Impulsive and arrogant, Mina once attempted to join the Korean Coastal Defense Force. But her ambition turned to anger when she was turned down due to the simple reason that she's a female; back during that time, the honor of defending Korea's territorial bounds are reserved only to male candidates. In her rage, the impetuous youth fought and seriously injured two of the Defense Force's best lieutenants. This prompted her father's friend, Defense Force over-all commander Admiral Lee Sun Shin, to exhort Seung Han-Myong to keep his daughter indoors at all times.
But this only made Mina's desire for freedom grow even more intense. At the age of 16, she heard about the legendary sword Soul Edge and Hwang being tasked to locate the said item. Wanting to prove herself and her skills to her father and her detractors, Seung Mina decided to run away from home and find the evil twin sword herself.
There had been two quests for the sword that Mina participated in. And in both events, she was frustrated by another warrior with whom she had the hardest time among all she had faced in combat: the lady ninja Taki. Her animosity towards her Japanese tormentor has ebbed a little since after they joined forces together with the other Blade hunters to thwart the evil Spanish pirate Captain Cervantes de Leon and the demonic spirit known only as Inferno. But in spite of fighting on the same side in the supernatural war, Seung Mina has never really forgiven the lady ninja for consistently calling her a baby'. If there's one thing that Mina hates, it's when people around her treat her like a child. Her father still does so. Taki might do so should they run into each other again.
Now this dwarfish fight promoter did the same thing when he called her kid.' And that just made Mina see red.
"Who are you calling a kid?!?" Screamed the enraged lass as she pulled her spear out of its harness and pointed the sharp end towards the men blocking their path.
Hwang, seeing an opportunity to win Mina's favor over to himself, unsheathed his long blade. "I think you better let us pass. You wouldn't like it when my friend here is angry."
"Haw! There are only two of you against all of us. You insolent easterners are really getting on my nerves." Sneered the short man. Turning to his men, "I need a new batch of fish food, boys. Get to it."
Hwang and Mina braced themselves for battle. But to the duo's surprise, the thugs suddenly froze in place, as if in fear. And before Hwang and Mina could do anything, their opponents scampered away like silly scared rats whose hiding place was suddenly exposed, leaving two puzzled Koreans wondering why.
"Hmm, they must have been more scared of me than I thought." Mina remarked while flashing a huge grin.
"Yeah " Hwang replied, more in patronizing his young lady love than agreeing with her.
They were about to depart when they noticed an ominous shadow coming from behind them. Slowly turning around, the two were startled to see a huge man with the head of a strange beast, with narrow, squinting eyes and two sharp, hook-shaped appendages protruding from it which appear to be horns.
"EEEEEEEKKK!!! A monster!" screamed Mina in utter shock. Hwang braced himself again and prepared to use his long blade. He would have delivered a deadly blow to the fearsome figure in front of him had he not recognized the big battle ax that the man is holding.
"Rock? Is that you?"
"Fancy meeting you here, my friend." Boomed the deep voice of the American journeyman.
During the first two quests, there had been a number of perilous situations wherein Rock and Hwang saved each other's life. The two share a common trait of innate benevolence that not only gave them a high degree of mutual respect, but also led to a friendship which grew in the midst of battle. Their bond, though handicapped by distance, is still almost comparable to that of Taki and Sophitia's. And Hwang couldn't be more glad to see his oversized friend once more.
"Saved my hide once more, Rock. It's good to see you again." Beamed the Korean warrior. "And you got yourself a new animal head." referring to the head gear Rock is wearing that covered his head and made him appear like a man-beast. "But what manner of beast is this?"
"Oh, this? I took from a creature that my family regularly hunts down for food and clothing. We don't have a name for this creature yet, so I just call it bison." answered the smiling behemoth.
The giant reciprocated his shorter friend's delight while Mina mused at them from a short distance. Even though he still views Rock as a rival (as she does all the other Blade hunters), Seung Mina can't help but admit to herself the admiration she feels toward him. The Korean girl is not especially adept in the social graces, and she doesn't meet too many people who possess the kind of patience required to tolerate her infantile tantrums. Rock is one of the few who does. And every time she meets him, she is always reminded of the father who time and again she's compelled to disobey due to her rebellious nature. Mina would never show it, but she's nearly as glad to see Rock as Hwang is.
The Korean girl was so lost in thought that she didn't notice the two other people who came with Rock, until one of them, Azrael, spoke to her.
"That's a pretty interesting piece you have there. May I see it?" requested the Angel of Vengeance, wishing to inspect Mina's long spear.
"Who are you?" Mina reacted with a sense of hesitation.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot to introduce you to my companions." Rock butted in apology.
After a brief introduction, Azrael renewed his interest in examining Mina's long spear. The young lass was still reluctant to hand her weapon to a stranger, but a simple gesture from the American brave made her acquiesce.
"Hmm, impressive. I don't get to meet too many people who know the art of the Zanbatoh." Azrael commented, which gave Mina quite a surprise at his knowledge of the fighting art. "Are you as good as your weapon makes you appear to be?" added the crimefighter, which Mina took with a sense of condescension.
"You're welcome to find out, Az whatever." The young Korean quipped, as if accepting a challenge to a duel.
Rock, sensing a looming shadow of animosity between the two warriors, wisely made a quick subject change to nip the sprouting enmity in the bud. "My friends, though intruding into your little chat is the last thing I wish to do, may I suggest that we postpone this getting-to-know-each-other-more session? I really am in a hurry."
The giant's remark aroused Hwang's interest. In the limited time he had spent with Rock, the eastern warrior has witnessed enough to know that his westerner friend is not one who would waste time when faced with a pressing task.
"What's wrong, big guy? Is there anything we can do to help?"
Rock recounted Hwang his urgent mission to find Ivy and ask her to use her powerful Ivy Blade to cure the boy Bangoo of the strange illness that has inflicted him. Hearing his friend's great need, the Korean war general decided to forego his own task of bringing Mina back home and instead help Rock find Ivy and get her weapon.
"You know Ivy is not the type who'd give in to your request just like that, no matter how important your need may be." Hwang warned Rock.
"Tell me about it." The white westerner replied in agreement. "Actually, I intended to look for Taki first, since I heard her blade is somewhat similar in power to Ivy's. But I can't find her in her sanctuary, and I'm running our of options."
"Yeah, Taki would have been a lot easier to talk to." The Korean fighter agreed.
Upon hearing the name of the lady ninja who had been her constant tormentor, the young Mina suddenly burst out in resounding disgust. "Oh please! I'd rather go home than see that woman again."
"Why? Who is this Taki?" Huntress inquired with growing curiosity.
Seung Mina was about to blurt out a batch of expletives to express her repugnance for the Japanese warrior dame, but Hwang quickly interrupted her.
"Don't ask. Suffice it to say that she's the kind of combatant you wouldn't want to face in battle. And as you can see, my young friend here is quite fearful of her."
"I am not!!!" reacted the impulsive Mina. "You might be surprised, but I've learned a lot since the last time I faced her. I can flatten her anytime I want to."
"Good. Then you wouldn't mind in case we run into her again, right?" Hwang added as he humored the youthful lass.
"Hah! Lead the way. I'll show you all who's boss." Mina declared with such arrogance that made Hwang smile with amusement.
In most situations, the Korean general is usually abhorrent to the kind of immaturity consistently displayed by the girl he loves. Though this trait is certainly not one to entice him into marriage, sometimes he can use it to his advantage in manipulating Mina to get her to unwittingly let him have his way. Mina's father is aware of this particular power Hwang has over her, which is the reason why he is the elder Seung's first choice to be Mina's husband.
Azrael stood by, deciding to assume the role of observer once more. His attention was drawn to the Huntress, and he didn't like what he saw in her face when Hwang described Taki. Jean Paul Valley, despite his slight deficiency of mental balance, is compensated by his uncanny empathic capabilities. And right now, knowing the Huntress' penchant for proving her worth, he can feel her eagerness to meet Taki as easily as he can feel the rays of the sun drumming on his skin.