Destiny, Chapter 6 : Strange feelings
Author's note : Okay, okay, it's been a while I didn't write anything, but ! This chapter is a bit longer. I'm not that lazy, I like writing, but I don't *think* about it all the time. I know I don't have the better writing style, but I suppose you know where it comes from. I'll try to not make people wait that long until I upload the next one. Until then, enjoy ! - - Andraia
***
"YEEAAAHHH ! WE'RE GONNA FIND SOUL EDGE !" Xianghua screamed as they saw the village from a distance.
"Phew, we've come a long way," Kilik commented. They were standing on a small hill from which they saw the village but also the forest all around.
"Well," Hwang said, "This forest really seems dark. That explains why all these people were afraid."
"Soul Edge is supposed to be in this forest, hidden in a cave. But it's only a legend," Kilik answered.
"I'm sure it's not a legend, Kil'," Xianghua maintained.
"-I think we should meet the people in this village first," Hwang said while he checked his sword was on his belt.
"-But," Mina said, "It means coming across the forest ?"
"-So what, we've been though so many things... I'm not afraid of these so-called ghosts or demons," Hwang said with pride.
Seung Mina, her Zamba-toh in hand, was ready to fight these "demons". "I'm not gonna be afraid," she thought in the cool wind, which was making her locks move in a graceful movement, and her clothes as well. Hwang was staring at her and almost involuntarly confessed to Kilik who was near him : "How beautiful... She's the daughter of Seung Han Myong after all."
"You're falling in love, boy ! Beware," Kilik answered laughing, gently patting his back. Hwang felt a little embarassed, but tried not to show it too much, something he was really good to.
They came down the hill, which was about 1 kilometer far from the forest. Mina came close to Hwang who looked at her, and she smiled at him. The warrior took Mina's right hand in his left one, "Come, Mina," he whispered.
"Oh... Hwang," Mina whispered blushing, touched by this affectionnate gesture. And she felt her heart beat faster. An indisputable sign that proved that she truly loved him. Because now, she had someone to rely on, really.
***
Now they were at the edge of the forest. Xianghua approached. "There *is* something wrong with this forest !" Indeed, excepted the first trees, and despite the sun was shining, the forest was completely, fully dark, as if the night was inside.
Xianghua came closer and closer. "There must be a secret..." she wanted to cross that dark barrier that hid the rest of the forest... but Kilik took her arm. "No, Xiang ! It's too dangerous, we must go there all together."
"-Oh," Xianghua realised he was right. "Hey..." she said seeing Hwang and Mina holding hands, and winked to Mina who smiled.
-"We must go in now. Ready ?" Kilik asked. Then they approched the forest but when they entered that kind of black curtain, all were litterally snatched in.
***
Hwang awoke in the forest. "Ow, my head hurts..." he said to himself. "Are you alright Mina ?" he asked.
No answer. He stood up. "Mina ! Are you alright ?"
Still no answer.
He looked around him. Trees, trees and more trees. "Xianghua ! Kilik ! Mina ! Where are you !!" He was alone, and the forest was so dark... there was only a tiny blue light, he could see from a distance. He tried to run to this light but suddenly, a flash dazzled him with a strange noise, as if someone was tearing a sheet of paper. When he opened his eyes back, he saw a woman dressed in black, but whose feet didn't touch the soil.
"Who are you !" he said angrily. "And where's Mina !"
The woman laughed. "I am... the Judge. You must repent of your crimes and of all the evil you've done. Now"
"Me... Evil !" he screamed. "I don't want to waste my time with you. Now go away or else you'll regret it !", threatening her with his sword.
"Exactly what I expected." Then she disappeared. Hwang thought his mind was playing tricks on him, until exactly where the woman once was standing, he saw a man he knew so well...
"... Han .. Myong ! But... that's not possible !!" He approached him. But Han Myong gestured him to stay where he was.
"-You betrayed me, Hwang !"
Hwang did not understand why his master was telling him that. And what he was doing here.
"-No," Hwang said trying to convince himself. "You're not Han Myong. You're only a vision. And all this world is a vision. I must find the exit of that confounded forest !"
But Han Myong continued talking. "How could you do that to me, Hwang ? After all I did for you since you were a kid..."
"-No... no that's not true !" Hwang didn't want to hear those words. But it seemed so real...
"You were supposed to bring my daughter back and you went away with her. You disobeyed me ! Do you forget what I've been learning you for so many years..."
"NO ! Shut up, shut up !" Hwang fell to his knees.
The Judge had touched his weak point. "I admit I've not exactly done what you said, Master... But didn't you tell me only my heart would guide me to the right way..." He lifted his head and saw Han Myong had disappeared, but it was replaced by a vision of Mina.
"Hwang, Hwang," she was saying, smiling and holding out her hand to him.
"Go away. I know you're only a vision."
Mina's vision stopped smiling. Her face became sad. "I'm a burden for you, am I not . You're just selfish and pretencious. I hate you, Hwang, I hate you !"
Hwang stood up and listened.
"What do you want me to do exactly, you Judge."
"- I'm not the Judge. I represent what Mina reproaches you."
"- I don't believe you," Hwang said with contempt. "You're just an evil witch playing with my mind."
"- Oh really," she opened her hand and the Zamba-toh appeared in it. "Then, fight me."
Seeing he didn't immediately react, she charged at him screaming. Surprised, he avoided it but a little late and was hurt on his right arm. Looking at the wound, and seeing it bleeding, he concluded it wasn't a simple vision, but maybe a demon, who knows ? Holding his arm, he said, "Okay, okay, I believe you," because he couldn't win a fight with the arm he held his sword with wounded.
The "Mina" suddenly disappeared. Then the "Judge" came back. Hwang was beginning to be fed up of all this.
"Damn, when will all this end," he thought. He saw the woman gesturing towards him. Then...
*****
Hwang opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was the sky. Then he grabbed his arm in pain. The wound was still bleeding, deeper than he thought. He realised he was sitting against the wall of a small house. Around him, a few other houses and shops. "Where have I ended up ?"
"Hwang ! You're awake ?" Mina ran towards him. The real Mina. "I was just searching for some water, sorry."
"- Where are we ?" he said, feeling he had missed something.
"- Well that a quite long story," she said smiling. "The four of us ended up in the village, but we don't know how. All I remember is that strange dream... that seemed so real... But tell me, how did you hurt you so badly ?" she asked curiously.
"- Well I don't think all that was a dream. I fought against someone who wounded me," he said without saying who was this fighter, knowing if he did he would have to give long explanations.
Mina kneeled near him. "And where are the others ?" he asked.
"- Well as you can see, there seems to be anyone in here," gesturing towards the desert streets. "Kilik and Xianghua are checking if there *is* someone left. I stayed here with you who were unconscious." Saying that she was cleaning Hwang's wound.
"-Does that hurt much ?" she asked when she was done.
"-I've known worse." Now they just had to wait for Xianghua and Kilik to come back. They looked at each other and realised how close they were.
Slowly, their faces came closer to each other, slowly, until their lips touched...
Seung Mina and Hwang finally kissed, a rather short, but passionate kiss proving the love they had hidden to each other for so much time...
They slowly broke the kiss. Mina was about to retrieve her previous position, but suddenly Hwang took her wrist.
"Mina... I..."
He was interrupted by a scream coming from one of the houses.
*****
"Xianghua, why did you scream like that ?!" Kilik asked her.
"Look at that !" she answered, showing him the floor. He looked at it and saw three skeletons, and much blood.
"Again...I wonder... what has happened here..." he whispered.
"We found skeletons in almost all the houses... It's horrible !" Xianghua added.
"- What's happening in here ??" Hwang said, arriving with Mina.
Both Xianghua and Kilik turned around.
"Something strange had happened here. There are skeletons everywhere !!!" Kilik said.
-----End of Chapter 6------
Until next time... ^_^ - oro !