All right... time to write more of this story to keep BISM happy.

BISM: ROMANCE!!!!!!! Always more ROMANCE!!!!!!

Namika: *sigh* That is the secondary genre for a reason.

BISM: Aw...

Namika: Well, here's the next chapter of Fate & Destiny!

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

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Fate & Destiny

*~* Chapter 10Contemplation *~*

                Takharu awoke early the next morning. Despite everything that had happened... she had to continue forward. She needed to obtain Soul Edge. Takharu stepped outside and closed her eyes; a gentle morning breeze blew by, "Time to put this behind me and keep going."

                "Don't forget to let Estrilda know you're leaving," Yun Sung's voice reminded Takharu from the doorway of the house.

                Takharu turned around, "Oh... you're awake..." she had been hoping that she wouldn't have had to say 'good bye' to Yun Sung.

                He walked up to Takharu, "You know... I'll be back on the search for Soul Edge as soon as I'm strong enough to go out again."

                "Yes," Takharu forced a smile, "I know... I guess I'd better a head start while I can."

                "I guess so," Yun Sung agreed.

                She looked up at him, "Good bye..."

                Yun Sung kissed her lips, "We'll see each other again... let's just hope that it's after our quests are over."

Takharu took a moment to speak, "Until then... Farewell..." she said at last, and continued on her way.

                "I'll soon catch up," Yun Sung thought to himself, "I can't let anything get in my way. I promised myself... I will get the Sword of Salvation. I will protect my country. I will prove myself..."

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

                "Estrilda!" Takharu called as she stepped into the blacksmith's working area, "Are you in here?"

                The elder woman came out of a separate room, holding a sword whose form looked much similar to that of the blade of Ra... but its material was different, "Ah! You're awake! Good, good!" she handed Takharu the weapon, "Give it a test-slash!"

                "Um... on what?" Takharu stared down at the blade.

                "Me!"

                "What!?" she exclaimed, "I'm not going to attack you, Estrilda!"

                "Why not?" Estrilda asked with a serious tone.

                "Because I don't want to hurt you!" Takharu instantly replied.

                "Hah!" Estrilda scoffed, "I may be old, but I'm not weak!"

                Takharu hesitated, "I'm too strong for you, Estrilda..."

                "Nonsense! You kids are so full of yourself!" she snapped back, purposely trying to agitate Takharu.

                "Oh, yeah?" Takharu finally got up the courage to attack Estrilda. She slashed at the woman with her new sword, but something seemed to be draining her energy away. Takharu stopped. She dropped her blade to her side and fell to her knees, "What's going on? Why am I... so... weak? So... tired..."

                "Well observed," Estrilda laughed, "You'll need to get used to it! True that Soul Edge has power, but it takes energy to wield. You're going to need more practice."

                Takharu gave an annoyed sigh, "That's just terrific..."

                "Don't worry about it! It'll be fine after you practice some more," Estrilda guaranteed. She reached out her hand and helped Takharu up, "Or... you can just not use it."

                "That won't be happening," Takharu said, "I will be needing all the strength that I can get."

                "I'm not going to argue with you there," the woman chuckled, "I don't know what's going on with you... but it's big.  That man that you injured... back when I first met you..."

                "Raphael?" Takharu cut in.

                "Yes..." Estrilda said, a little irritated, "Now let me finish! Raphael – I did find him, by the way – he spilled some information about this sword... it's the most powerful weapon... that what he said. Is it true?"

                Takharu contemplated the question, "I suppose..." she remembered the words she had read at the Sun God's temple, "'The metal at its tip can bring either eternal happiness... or endless suffering,'" she looked at Estrilda, "But there's more to it. I still don't quite understand... but there's more. I know it."

                Estrilda remained silent for a moment, "I see..." that was about the only comment she had on the situation. Obviously... she did not understand it either.

                They stood in silence until Takharu spoke again, "I should really be going," she said, "Please, thank your friend for forging this sword for me..."

                "I'll be sure to!" Estrilda promised with her usual, cheerful tone.

                "Perhaps we'll meet again someday."

                "Indeed. Good bye and good luck."

                Takharu then left the small dwelling of the blacksmith.

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

                Meanwhile, Yun Sung had been waiting restlessly at the blacksmith's home, "I'd leave now if I didn't think that old woman would hunt me down..." he suddenly shouted, "I need to find Ostrheinsburg!!"

                "Ostrheinsburg, you say?" a somewhat familiar voice questioned.

                "Huh?" Yun Sung turned to the entrance of the house to see the blacksmith, "Oh... it's you."

                The man looked at Yun Sung questioningly, "What happened to you?" he stared at the bandages.

                "A fight," he replied, "Isn't it obvious?"

                "I guess..." the blacksmith said uncertainly, "Where'd the girl go?"

                Yun Sung glared up at the man, "She has a name."

                "But where is she?"

                "Gone."

                "Where?"

                "Not sure."

                The man sighed, "Thanks so much for your detailed answers..."

                "Any time," Yun Sung smirked.

                After a minute of dead silence, the blacksmith spoke again, "Why haven't you left yet?"

                "I've heard that Estrilda hates when people leave while they're still injured," Yun Sung replied.

                "That's true," the man agreed, "But you could escape this place before she even found out."

                Yun Sung stared at the man with a bemused tone, "Why are you trying to help me?"

                "I'm not sure... I guess I just feel bad for you. Wandering the world in search of something just out of your reach..."

                "Nothing is out of my reach," Yun Sung broke in.

                "So far..." the blacksmith said, "But maybe you'll soon realize that there's more to all of this than you know."

                "What do you mean?" Yun Sung asked.

                The man promptly changed the subject, "You're looking for Ostrheinsburg?"

                "Yeah..." Yun Sung was still pondering what he meant by 'there's more to all of this than you know'.

                "I can help you," the blacksmith offered his assistance, "I've been there many times... actually... not lately at all... I suppose that it's been... oh... four years since my forging skills were needed in that particular area."

                "Four years," Yun Sung recalled the information he had collected from Talim and Xianghua, "Four years ago... was when the original battle for Soul Edge took place... four years ago... Xianghua defeated Soul Edge's wielder..."

                "Yun Sung?" the blacksmith's voice interrupted his thoughts.

                "Yeah?"

                "Do you want my guidance or not?" he asked.

                "Just tell me which direction to go in," Yun Sung demanded calmly.

                "West. It's not too far from here. About a week walking distance," the man responded.

                "Thanks. If it takes a week, I'd better leave now. 'Bye."

                The blacksmith waved good-bye, "He'll learn..." he thought to himself.

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

                It seemed that the moment Takharu passed the borderline of the town, civilization itself ended. The eerie silence was enhanced by the darkness of storm clouds stretching across the sun; but this was nothing new to Takharu. In her mind, nothing could surpass the terror she'd already faced from the day she left Egypt. A violent wind was picking up – Takharu thought that she heard the whispers of spirits calling to her...

                'Soul Edge... bring Soul Edge to me...'

                Takharu's eyes wandered – searching for any signs of anything that could have been speaking these words. "There's nothing here," she thought, "I'm just imagining it..."

                'I know that you are there...'

                "There's nothing here," she repeated aloud to herself, "I'm just imagining it..."

                'Don't deny me...'

                Now she knew that she was fooling herself. It wasn't her mind... something was out there, "Who's there?" she called, "Why don't you come out and get Soul Edge?"

                "Not a bad idea," a ghostly figure stepped out of the shadows, "Now all that's left is to claim Soul Edge as my own."

                Takharu gripped the blade that had been forged of the shards of Soul Edge in her hand, "That won't be happening."

                "On the contrary... I think that it will," he raised Soul Edge and Nirvana.

                "He has a weapon made of Soul Edge, too..." Takharu observed, "Who are you?"

                A deep, inhuman laughter echoed from the man's mouth, "You don't know? I am Cervantes, the one who brought Soul Edge back to this world – So I think it best if you hand it over."

                "I've fought opponents much stronger than you!" she pierced Cervantes' abdomen with her sword.

                Cervantes looked down, "I'm immortal, you fool," he swung his great arm and knocked Takharu to the ground, "You pitiful humans lack knowledge. Every person I meet doesn't realize that you cannot slay the undead!"

                "That's can't be... it's impossible!" Takharu shouted in disbelief.

                "Oh... but it's true," Cervantes said. He slashed at Takharu, she blocked his attack with her sword, but could feel it draining her energy by the second.

                She breath heavily, putting all of her effort into holding back Cervantes, "I... have to... beat... him..." she could feel Nirvana overpowering her, "No..." Takharu's energy was practically all gone. She began to feel faint. The last thing she saw before falling unconscious was the pirate reaching to obtain Soul Edge.

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                Takharu's eyes opened. She saw yet another unfamiliar face before her; however this woman looked much friendlier than Cervantes. "Oh, good. You're finally awake. Do you feel alright?"        

"Yes," Takharu replied, "I'm fine... What is this place?"

"Cervantes' lair. As if it isn't enough for him to steal fragments of Soul Edge from a person, he captures them as well," the woman commented disgustedly.

"No kidding..." Takharu sighed.

"What is your name?"

                "Takharu."

                The woman smiled thoughtfully, "I am Sophitia. You really shouldn't be getting involved with Soul Edge, Takharu. It's dangerous and..."

                "I know," Takharu interrupted, "I know about its effects on people."

                "So why are you still searching for it?" Sophitia asked.

                "I think that I could ask you the same question," Takharu replied quickly.

                Sophitia laughed softly to herself, "That's quite a good point," she stated.

                Takharu looked at her questioningly, "It's odd... how can one person in search of Soul Edge be so kind, yet another – like Cervantes – be so ruthless?"

                "Why exactly are you searching for Soul Edge?"

                It took Takharu a moment to answer. It seemed that every person she had met lately didn't care why she wanted Soul Edge – they just cared about getting Soul Edge, "To help... a friend..." she answered at last, "Another in search of Soul Edge... to use it, not destroy it."

                "Use it?" Sophitia frowned, "That would be a bad decision on their part..."

                Takharu nodded slowly, "He knows it, too... but he doesn't seem to care."

                "That certainly is a shame... it's awful when Soul Edge takes control of someone you care about," Sophitia seemed to be recollecting her own memories.

                "It's effected someone close to you, too... hasn't it?" Takharu seemed to understand what was going through Sophitia's mind.

                "My children... my entire family, actually. My sister has gone missing... my shard of Soul Edge gone. There's no denying that she, too, has gone out in search of it. It's too risky for someone as inexperienced as her to try something this huge."

                "If she has your shard then why would Cervantes even bother to..."

                Just then, their conversation was disrupted by heavy footsteps approaching, "This is not a time to socialize," Cervantes' unmistakable voice echoed through their underground prison. As he came into view, he was holding Takharu's sword of Soul Edge, and several other fragments; he dropped them onto the ground before him, along with his own sword of Soul Edge, "It's nearly complete... the majority of Soul Edge is in my possession..."

                "No..." Takharu said softly, "It can't be this way..."

                Sophitia put her hand on Takharu's shoulder for reassurance, "Don't worry. We'll escape somehow..."

                But how could they escape? They were in an underground cavern in who-knows-where... Cervantes was watching their every movement and hearing their every word. Things seemed hopeless...

*~* End of Chapter 10 *~*

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Mwahahahahahahahahaha!!! Cliffhanger! Erm... sorry... it was too tempting to pass up a cliffhanger ending for this chapter! ^_^U I'll do my best to update soon... but my other fics must be updated, as well. So... yeah... Please review with any comments/suggestions that you may have. No flames!! Sayonara until chapter 11!