Woohoo! Magicka is back and updating his story! ^_^ Now 'Souls of the Neverending Fate' and 'Fate & Destiny' shall be linked together once again! Right... so... yeah...

Disclaimer: Everything from Soul Calibur is property of the good people at Namco.

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Fate & Destiny

*~* Chapter 11The Escape *~*

                Yun Sung had not been travelling too long after leaving the home of blacksmith, when he heard two voices deep in conversation...

                "Are you sure that Cervantes has retreated somewhere around here?" a man's gentle voice asked.

                "Positive," a familiar high-pitched voice replied, "Even if I wasn't sure, we need to take the chance if we want to save Sophitia."

                Yun Sung immediately recognized the girl's distinctive tone, "Xianghua."

                "And remember, Kilik," Xianghua continued as she came into Yun Sung's view, "There's more to this than just saving Sophitia. We also want Soul Edge..."

                The man called Kilik stopped walking, "And we have to find Maxi... This won't be easy, Xianghua, but we'll pull through. Cervantes can be defeated."

                "Exactly," Xianghua said surely, "We have no worries," she stated while striding forward. Kilik jogged to keep up with her, his red cloak flowing behind him.

                Yun Sung watched as they continued toward a cavern across the field, "Cervantes..." Yun Sung recalled the immortal being that had nearly killed he and Mina, "I have a score to settle," he announced out loud before following Xianghua and Kilik from an inconspicuous distance.

{-----|~-~|-----}

                Droplets of water fell from the ceiling of the dank cavern that was Cervantes' hideout. Sophitia was still sleeping from the night before. "She must be used to being in this cell... I wonder how long she's been here," Takharu thought to herself. Unlike Sophitia, she could not sleep a wink. Thoughts of her family and friends crowded her mind, and how she had let them all down.

                A crash sounded in the distance, followed by Cervantes' voice, which bellowed, "Damn them! How could they have found me!?" he stormed into the room that Takharu and Sophitia were in – Sophitia had been awakened by Cervantes' shouts. "Your foolish companions have found this place," he said to Sophitia, "Obviously trying to rescue you."

                Sophitia's face filled with hope... but it was cut short by Cervantes' confident laughter, "Perhaps this will provide me with a little fun... You'll be able to watch as I end their existence on this earth," he turned and left the room.

                "Oh no..." Sophitia said softly, "Cervantes will kill them..."

                "No he won't," Takharu assured, "I'm positive that they'll be fine..."

                "They are both extremely skilled fighters... but Cervantes cannot be defeated," Sophitia stated gloomily. She buried her face in her hands and choked back the tears.

                Sophitia's sadness would normally rub off on Takharu, putting her in a depressed mood; but she could not afford it. They had to stay strong...

{-----|~-~|-----}

                "Great... how are we going to get inside now?" Xianghua crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently while staring at the huge, rock-solid wall that blocked the entrance to the cavern.

                "Break it down?" Kilik suggested in a questionable tone.

                Xianghua sighed, "I suppose it's worth a try," she raised her sword and prepared to slash at the wall, but it broke into a thousand pieces before she got a chance. As the dust cleared from the air, Cervantes' unmistakable shadow was seen lurking in the pathway.

                "So you thought that you could just sneak in and rescue Sophitia, didn't you?" he demanded in a harsh voice.

                "Actually, I was thinking more... break in, destroy you and then rescue Sophitia," Xianghua sneered. She discreetly motioned Kilik to go in while she took care of Cervantes. He did as told, and slowly stowed away from the feud, into the cavern.

                 Yun Sung, who had been watching and listening to everything that had been done or said, made the decision to follow Kilik into the cave. He did not want to get involved with Cervantes... not yet.

{-----|~-~|-----}

                "Sophitia!" Kilik called as he went deeper into the cavern, "Where are you?" he received no reply. The silence of the cave was then interrupted by a rolling pebble from behind. Kilik turned to see Yun Sung, who was desperately trying to remain concealed among the rock walls, "Who are you?" Kilik held Kali-Yuga in a battle stance.

                "What? Xianghua never told you about me? I'm insulted..." Yun Sung answered, trying to avoid giving away any information.

                "I was looking for a name," Kilik persisted.

                "Yun Sung," he gave in to that much.

                "Why are you here?"

                "To settle something with Cervantes."

                "Then go back and do that," Kilik obviously wanted to be left alone.

                Yun Sung walked ahead of Kilik, "That won't be happening. Now I'm curious as to what you're doing."

                Kilik groaned in frustration, "I would rather you left me to do this alone... but I clearly don't have that much of an option," he lowered Kali-Yuga.

                "That's right. You don't," Yun Sung smirked.

                Kilik chose to ignore Yun Sung's comment, and continued searching, "Sophitia!" he shouted louder than before.

                "Kilik..." a faint cry echoed through the cave.

                "Sophitia!" Kilik exclaimed. He ran toward the voice – closely followed by Yun Sung.

{-----|~-~|-----}

                "Kilik?" Takharu looked at Sophitia with a confused expression.

                "Yes, Kilik. He is one of the people that I have been travelling with," Sophitia sounded overjoyed having heard her friend's voice, "Kilik!" she yelled to guide Kilik in the correct direction.

                Takharu was still rather perplexed by the situation, "Will he be able to get us out of here?"

                "I hope," Sophitia responded, "But who knows what has happened while he tried to get here... and Xianghua..."

                "Xianghua... is your other companion?" Takharu asked.

                "Yes. I hope that she is safe..."

                "Sophitia," an out-of-breath Kilik ran into the room, "Are you all right?"

                A huge smile crossed Sophitia's face, "I'm fine... where is Xianghua?"

                "Fighting Cervantes," Kilik replied in a worried tone.

                "Hurry and get us out so we can go back and fight," Sophitia ordered.

                Kilik nodded, "Hey, kid! Make yourself useful!" he called back.

                Yun Sung entered the room at his own pace, "Yeah, yeah..."

                "Yun Sung? What are you doing here?" Takharu stared in disbelief.

                Yun Sung hadn't even noticed Takharu until she spoke, "Takharu..." he began, but was cut off by Xianghua's distant screams...

                "Run!! Cervantes is coming! Get out of there!!" she shrieked.

                "We have to get them out of this prison fast," Kilik said, "Yun Sung, use your blade. Kali-Yuga would not be able to break through metal."

                Yun Sung drew White Storm and slashed at the metal bars holding Takharu and Sophitia. Not even a scratch... "What the hell?" Yun Sung could not believe that he had failed at destroying the bars.

                "Yun Sung, get my sword!" Takharu ordered.

                "And mine," Sophitia added, "Cervantes is keeping them over there – along with our shards of Soul Edge."

                Yun Sung turned around and spotted their weapons. He quickly gathered them – as well as a few individual shards of Soul Edge for himself – and returned them to their owners.

                Together, Takharu and Sophitia sliced one of the metal bars in two. They swiftly escaped, and all four warriors headed toward the exit. To their dismay, Cervantes was waiting for them, "Did you honestly think that I would let you escape that easily?"

                "Here's hoping!" Xianghua kicked Cervantes from behind, "He's blocked off the entrance! We need to find another escape route!" she jumped over Cervantes temporarily fallen body and ran deeper into the tunnels of the cavern, followed by the others.

                They soon arrived in a large room full of water. The only source of dry land was the platform they stood on... but there was no place left to run. Cervantes was behind them, and water surrounding... except for a colossal ship that floated in the water, "That's our only chance," Sophitia observed, "Everyone... board the ship!" obeying Sophitia's commands, they piled onto the ship... but Cervantes joined them.

                "I know this cavern inside-out," Cervantes said, "You cannot escape me..."

                Xianghua searched frantically for a way to get out of there. She abruptly decided to cut the rope keeping the ship still in two.

                "Bad choice," Cervantes stated, "Now you have no escape."

                "On the contrary... if we can hold you off long enough, we'll escape just fine," Xianghua began to engage in battle with the undead pirate. Kilik and Sophitia joined her in holding him off for as long as they could.

                "Takharu... we have to get out of here," Yun Sung said.

                "How?" she asked.

                He pointed up to a ledge that seemed to lead to another area of the cavern, "That's worth a try."

                "But we can't just leave them to fight Cervantes..."

                "Yes we can! I want to get back at him, too... but it's no use," he grabbed Takharu's arm and dragged her to one of the higher levels of the ship, "Hurry... jump!" Takharu reluctantly obeyed, and Yun Sung followed her. They made their way through the cavern's maze and eventually found an exit...

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                Once they had arrived outside, and ran a safe distance from the cave, Yun Sung and Takharu finally got a chance to catch their breath, "Man... this kills..." Yun Sung held his wounded side.

                "Why did you leave Estrilda's care?" Takharu asked, "You're far too injured to be out here..."

                "I'm fine," Yun Sung insisted, "Just a little weak."

                "Yeah... right... little," Takharu commented.

They stood in silence for a moment, "I'd better go now... Ostrheinsburg awaits," Yun Sung turned and began walking.

                "Wait!" Takharu called after him. He turned back to her, "Just... be careful..."

                Yun Sung smiled, "Don't worry. Nothing will happen to me," he then continued on his way.

                "You say that... but I still worry; something will happen to you... if we meet again... we'll battle... and I won't be able to let you win. We are rivals... and yet... I love you."

*~* End of Chapter 11 *~*

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Ooo... that turned out pretty cool! ^.~ In my opinion, anyway. What did you think of it? Please review and let me know what you think of this fic! Now... I am off to study!