All right... just letting you know that the beginning on this chapter will be WAY more clear if you've read Magicka's story ((Soul Calibur 2: Souls of the Neverending Fate)), considering it's directly linked to the ending of his last chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Soul Calibur II characters, weapons or plots.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Fate & Destiny

*~* Chapter 6More Than You Realize*~*

                Takharu stared blankly at the middle-aged man before her, "What do you want with me?" she asked in reply to his greeting.

                "Does it matter?" he smirked, "Either way we will end up duelling, so it's best we don't waste any time, ma chère."

                She frowned at his insolent comment, "You'd think someone your age would learn the concept of respect," she drew the blade of Ra, "But not everyone understands these things... so let's go!"

                "Very well. It's about time you agree," he closed his eyes, with a calm grin on his face. He drew Flambert and held it out in front of him, "En guarde!" their swords clashed in what was more like fencing, than an ideal sword fight. Takharu was at a disadvantage due to the fact that her sword was much heavier than the lean Flambert used by her opponent. The man was able to more much quicker than her, and land more attacks. Takharu hardly got a chance to return the damage... she was too busy trying to avoid getting injured, with little success. Her opponent pulled back for a moment, then stepped forward and slashed Takharu's shoulder. Shock and pain filled Takharu's eyes, as she realized what had happened. Blood was surging from the wound... she could barely feel her lower arm... it was like all of her feeling was being turned into the pain of her shoulder. She clutched the wound, and fell to her knees. She didn't scream... she closed her eyes and kept her pain to herself.

                "You're weak..." the man held his sword over Takharu, "Now hand over your shard of Soul Edge, or else I will kill you."

                Takharu looked up, "So that's what you wanted? Soul Edge?" a weak smile crossed her face, "Well... maybe you had the right not to tell me in the first place... since I wouldn't have surrendered it... and I still won't," she thrust her blade into the ground and pushed onto it to help get to her feet. She kept her balance, and pulled the sword from the ground, "Now leave me alone!" she slashed horizontally at the man, cutting slightly into his side.

                He glared at Takharu with a very pissed-off tone, "Why you..." he coughed, causing blood to gush from his mouth, "Hand me Soul Edge..." he breathed heavily.

                "Maybe I'll consider it if you tell me your name," Takharu pushed the man to explain himself.

                "Fine," he agreed, "I am Raphael. Now consider it... and give it to me."

                Takharu appeared to ponder for a moment, "No," she raised her healthy arm, and let her elbow fall onto Raphael's head, knocking him unconscious. Takharu knelt by Raphael, and searched him for his fragment of Soul Edge. When she found it, she put it with her other piece and took a deep breath. She then looked at the gash in her shoulder, back at the direction she came from, and then forward. "Great... I'm bleeding like crazy and there are no towns in sight..." she sighed, "I'd better start walking..."

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                "Do you think that Cervantes guy will be come back soon?" Yun Sung asked Mina, as they continued along the same path.

                Mina shrugged, "Who cares? We'll be ready for him next time."

                "Right..." Yun Sung twirled White Storm out of boredom, "How far 'til the next village?"

                "I told you... I don't know where we are," Mina replied.

                Yun Sung rolled his eyes, "Great..."

                "Actually..." Mina began, "I'm thinking we'll be at the next town by sunset."

                "Why do you say that?" Yun Sung looked confused.

                Mina shielded her eyes from the sun, as she looked ahead, "Because I can see a town."

                "Oh... That makes sense," Yun Sung felt a little stupid. Mina just laughed and they continued walking.

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                Takharu trudged along the path... it felt like she had been walking for days, when it had only been a few hours, "I feel faint..." Takharu wiped the sweat off of her forehead, "I can't... continue... so dizzy..." her eyes closed, and with a groan of pain she collapsed to the ground.

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                Yun Sung and Mina had finally arrived at the town. It was around a half hour before the sun was to set... just as Mina had predicted, "Do you think we can stay in an inn tonight?" Yun Sung complained to Mina. He wasn't well adapted to the warrior lifestyle.

                "You're so high-maintenance," Mina teased, "Get used to this life, or go home."

                "No!" Yun Sung refused, once again, to go home.

                Mina sighed, "Well... it was worth a try. Come on. Let's find a motel."

                Yun Sung smiled triumphantly, "Good," they both began a search for an inn worthy of their tastes.

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                Takharu's unconsciousness has become a natural slumber as she lay on the bed in an unknown location, "Yun Sung..." she turned in her sleep, while muttering words that linked to her dreams.

                "Wake up," a frail voice urged Takharu to awake, "If you're well enough to dream, you're well enough to walk."

                Takharu's eyes fluttered open to see an old woman standing beside her. She sat up in the bed and looked around blankly, "Where am I?"

                "Come now... speak!" the woman said with vigour in her voice, "I know you can! I heard that chitchat in your sleep!"

                "Chitchat?" Takharu's face turned red, "What did I say?" she looked down, avoiding eye contact.

                The elder woman chuckled, "You were just muttering some name... but it wasn't yours. So who are you?"

                "Takharu," she replied, still looking down, "Was I saying Yun Sung?"

                "Look at me when you talk! It's impolite not to look me in the eye. Makes me think you're lying..."

                Takharu looked up at the woman, "I'm not," she assured, "I'm just thinking. My apologies."

                "Quite all right," the woman smiled, "I was young once, too. I know what it's like to experience love."

                "Love?!" Takharu was taken aback by this comment, "Oh, no... I'm not in..."

                "Of course you're not," the woman winked, "Don't worry over it, Takharu."

                Takharu had never felt more humiliated, "Why? Why did I have to talk in my sleep? Wait... why am I here? She still hasn't told me..." she looked at her injured shoulder to discover that it had been wrapped in bandages. She reached for it with her opposite hand, but felt a sharp sting as she touched it, "Ugh..." Takharu retracted her hand.

                "You shouldn't touch that!" the woman snapped, "It'll just make it worse!"

                "I'm sorry..." Takharu said meekly.

                The woman sighed, "It's all right. Perhaps I just care too much about all you kids who go getting yourselves into trouble..."

                "What do you mean?" Takharu asked.

                "My name is Estrilda. As you can tell, I live alone in this house. I am a woman healer with no one to heal... so I wander the paths of the outskirts of town, looking for injured warriors," she replied.

                "So that's why you helped me... you have no one to care for anymore..."

                Estrilda nodded in agreement with the statement, "It's true. I'm quite alone nowadays... so I took the courtesy of aiding you when I found you unconscious."

                "Did you see a middle aged man out there?" Takharu wondered what had happened to Raphael.

                "No, I didn't... why?"

                "I believe I may have gravely injured the opponent that did this to me... and I can't help but feel a little bad..." Takharu had shame in her voice.

                Estrilda frowned, "Perhaps I should go back and find him... I can't leave someone out there to die... Will you be all right alone?"

                Takharu got up off of the bed, "I'll be fine... in fact, I'm going to continue now."

                "There's no point in it. The sun's already set, so you may as well stay the night," Estrilda convinced her to rest more.

                "All right," Takharu agreed, "But I will be leaving first thing in the morning."

                Estrilda nodded, "Very well. Now you get some shuteye. I'm going to try and find that man. Good night, Takharu," she walked towards the door.

                Takharu yawned, "Good night, Estrilda," she lay back down in the bed, and went to sleep.

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                Meanwhile, Yun Sung and Mina had just gotten a room in a motel, and were settling in the room, "You're going to be gone in the morning, aren't you?" Yun Sung asked in a surprisingly serious tone.

                Mina was silent for a moment, "I'm sorry, Yun Sung."

                "I understand," he said, "But don't think I don't try to catch up as soon as I get up."

                Mina smiled slightly,  "Good luck. You'll need it!"

                "Yeah, right!" Yun Sung leaned against the wall, "You're the one who'll need luck."

                Mina's smiled turned into a huge grin, "I'll show you!"

                "You'd like it if you could beat me to Soul Edge, eh?" Yun Sung joked. He pushed against the wall with his foot to move forward.

                Mina laughed, "Be quiet!" she shoved him lightly, "If you think you can beat me, then you'd better get to sleep so you can get up early!"

                "Early?" Yun Sung acted confused, "Dammit! And here I thought sleeping in would help me get ahead..."

                "Well, I'm going to bed. Good night, Yun Sung!" Mina walked over to the other side of the room and plopped herself on a bed.

                Yun Sung sat on the bed nearest to him, "'Night, Mina."

                That would be the last night they spent travelling together on the journey for Soul Edge...

*~* End of Chapter 6 *~*

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I kind of like that chapter... I'd say I did OK! But what do you think? I'm tired now, so I'm going to sleep! Hm... It seems whenever it's night here, I write a chapter where the characters go to sleep. *ponders for a moment* Well, please review to let me know what you think! ^_^ .….. Z_Z