I'm so sorry that it took me so long to update! One: Writer's block. Two: Suspension from posting. *rolls eyes* Oh! And I wrote the last chapter for this story! No... this isn't it. But this fic is nearly over. Well, nonetheless, here's an update for ye!
Disclaimer: Nothing from Soul Calibur belongs to me.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Fate & Destiny*~* Chapter 12 – Paths Intertwine*~*
"Man, what's going on? I almost feel like... Soul Edge... doesn't matter. No. No way. I'm not going soft," Yun Sung argued with himself within his mind as he walked along, staring at the ground. It had been a silent road since he left Cervantes' hideout. It seemed that the only one he had to talk to was himself, which caused him to ponder many things that had happened since his journey began, "Hwang. The only reason I'm on this quest is to make Hwang acknowledge me. That's it. I am not in this to help my country. I am not in this for anything else... I don't care what they say – Mina and Takharu..."
His thoughts were interrupted by a voice that was new to him, "You are Yun Sung, are you not?"
"Huh?" Yun Sung looked up and saw a knight standing before him, "...How do you know my name?"
"I have my ways..." the man replied calmly.
Yun Sung raised an eyebrow, "And those ways would be...?"
"You're a persistent one," he laughed to himself, "Well... I've been following the woman that you were with not too long ago."
"Takharu..." Yun Sung realized immediately, "Why were you following her!?"
"I am Nightmare," the knight began.
"Yeah, that's nice; however it doesn't answer my question."
"Give me a moment..." Nightmare said agitatedly, "For the same reasons that warriors from across the world have been searching for you... for her... for me... for anyone possessing a shard..."
"Of Soul Edge," Yun Sung completed Nightmare's sentence, "So why are you after me now?"
Nightmare shrugged, "I suppose that I simply got bored. After chasing one person around for Soul Edge for so long... you don't turn now a new challenge."
Yun Sung smirked, "Well, I guess I'm as much of a challenge as anyone... scratch that – more of a challenge," he drew White Storm.
"Very well," Nightmare held Soul Edge in fighting stance, "Meet the true Soul Edge!"
"Whoa..." sight of Soul Edge caused Yun Sung to flinch, "So that's... what Soul Edge really is..."
"Indeed. Now, it's time for me to introduce you to its power!" Nightmare held Soul Edge above his head, and let it fall – aiming to hit Yun Sung.
Yun Sung quickly recovered from the shock of seeing the blade, and dodged the attack. Nightmare lifted his blade again and prepared for the next assault. Yun Sung, being misled by use of the sword, took Nightmare's rest from attacking as an opportunity for him to go on the offensive. He slashed at Nightmare, but to his surprise – Nightmare was prepared for this attempt. He grabbed Yun Sung by the arm and threw him to the ground. Nightmare stepped forward, towering over Yun Sung, "Your time of death has come... and my rebirth has only just begun," he rose Soul Edge once again and prepared to finish Yun Sung once and for all. Yun Sung frantically tried to think of a way to escape, but there was no time – he had to act immediately. Yun Sung clutched White Storm and pierced the sword itself with all of his strength – Soul Edge... At first, nothing happened. All was silent for a moment, but faintly... a cracking sound was heard by the ears of Nightmare and Yun Sung. They watched in awe as Soul Edge's blade slowly shattered into several large fragments. Yun Sung quickly snatched up the shards, leaving Nightmare vulnerable; he had no weapon... and was not truly existent anymore... for without the shards, he was nothing. Nightmare was Soul Edge, and now that Yun Sung had claimed the only pieces he possessed, he was hardly anything but the feeble man who could not control Soul Edge in the first place... for the time being.
"You put in a good effort," Yun Sung admitted, "But it wasn't enough," and with that, he continued – closer to his goal of Soul Edge than ever.
~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~
Takharu was passing through a large town on the way to... well, she was not truly sure where she was going, "'Ostrheinsburg'... that's where Yun Sung said he was going. I suppose that I need to go there, too... to summon Soul Edge or... what exactly will happen? How is this going to work?" Takharu sighed and leaned against the wall of a building, "I don't know what I'm doing..." she buried her face in her hands.
"Does anyone really?"
"What?" Takharu uncovered her eyes. She smiled at the sight of the person in front of her, "Mina!"
Mina smiled back, "It's good to see you again! How have things been going?"
Takharu thought for a moment, "If I were to describe this entire journey in one word, it would be... 'hectic.'"
"That's Soul Edge for you," Mina laughed.
"Mina... I may be mistaken, but this isn't you first time searching for Soul Edge, is it?" Takharu asked.
Mina shook her head, "I set out to find it four years ago, as well. Hwang – another student from my father's dojo – was also looking for it at the time."
"And you didn't find it the first time?" Takharu questioned.
"No... Hwang and I both failed. But that's all right; things will be different this time," Mina said confidently.
"Oh, yeah? You seem to be forgetting the competition," Takharu remarked.
Mina scoffed, "What? You, Yun Sung and a group of nobodies? I can handle it!"
"Well then... shall you prove it in a friendly match?" Takharu held her blade in fighting stance.
Mina gripped her zanbatou, "Fine by me... you may have won last time we battled, but things are going to be different now. And what do you say that we raise the stakes?"
"How so?"
"Winner gets loser's shards of Soul Edge... loser leaves this adventure behind. You up for it?" Mina smirked.
Takharu hesitated, "If I lose this match I lose everything... do I want to risk it?"
"I'm waiting," Mina said impatiently.
"Fine," Takharu agreed finally, "Even if I have to give my fragments to Mina... I can trust her. I hope..."
Mina commenced the battle off strong. She charged up her weapon and swung it at Takharu. Takharu barely dodged it, receiving a wound on her left arm. She turned back to Mina and slashed at her. Mina blocked the attack with her zanbatou, leaving the two weapons were in a deadlock – each relying on the other for balance. Mina was the first to realize this, so she moved her zanbatou out of Ra's Blade's way, causing Takharu to fall forward. Takharu began to get back up, but Mina did not waste an opportunity to attack; she aimed to stab her adversary, but Takharu rolled out of the way and got to her feet. She hit Mina's back full force with the flat side of her sword. Mina fell to the ground, vulnerable to Takharu's next attack – lucky for her, Takharu chose not to attack, "I'm not going to kill you, or injure you any more... unless you deny that I won," Takharu stated.
Mina staggered to her feet and looked at Takharu, "I'm not about it deny it," she smiled, "You won fairly... so here's your prize," Mina handed Takharu the several fragments of Soul Edge that she possessed.
"Thank you, Mina," Takharu said.
"Don't mention it... just take good care of those shards, or else..." she commented as an empty-threat.
Takharu laughed, "I assure that they'll be just fine. Um... Mina..."
"Yes?"
"Do you by chance know where I have to go now?" Takharu asked, embarrassed that she did not already know.
"Ostrheinsburg. The castle was the location where the battle took place four years ago... or so I've heard. Once news reaches Korea, the facts sometimes become fiction," Mina replied unsurely.
"Well, it makes sense to me. Yun Sung had mentioned Ostrheinsburg when I last saw him," Takharu said.
Mina grinned, "So you have seen him again."
"Yes..." Takharu answered shyly, "A couple of times."
"You and Yun Sung... you remind me of..." Mina stopped mid-sentence, "Never mind."
"Who?" Takharu was growing curious.
"It doesn't matter... you'd better start heading towards Ostrheinsburg. It shouldn't take you much more than a day from here. Just continue in that direction," Mina pointed west, "I suppose I should be heading back home. My father will be enraged that I got involved with Soul Edge again... but that's all right. Good luck, Takharu."
"Farewell, Mina," Takharu and Mina then went their separate ways, perhaps never to meet again.
~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~
"Ostrheinsburg," Yun Sung read a sign on the side of the pathway aloud, "It can't be far now."
"So you never listened to me," a voice said from behind.
Yun Sung turned around, "Talim, I thought that I told you to leave me alone."
"You did... several times... but I figured that since what others say doesn't have an effect on you, it shouldn't have one on me, either," Talim stated.
Yun Sung smirked, "You seem tougher than before."
"I do? But I thought that I defeated you last time."
"Indeed..." Yun Sung agreed with an aggravated tone, "But that would change now."
"I may generally be kind, but I am not weak," Talim said.
"Then prove it. Let's finish this rivalry now," Yun Sung challenged.
Talim held her blades in fighting position, "You leave me no other choice..."
*~* End of Chapter 12 *~*
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
That chapter was shorter than I would have liked... *sigh* Oh well. It'll do. ^_^ What do you think of it? Please review and give me your opinion! There will probably only be two more chapters now – the next one, and the final chapter. Sayonara 'til then!
