Chapter 2
About an hour after the wedding, Talim had decided to go home while and dress while Tokago stayed to collect the various wedding gifts. Shortly thereafter, Hong Yunsung and Sueng Mina, good friends of Talim, decided to pay a visit. Yunsung had not been accustomed to the Wind Deity rituals and was so surprised when he saw her walking out the isle that Mina almost had to force an early exit. They were at her door now, and Yunsung was reluctant to knock on the door.
"Stop being such a wimp," Mina said. "Knock on the door."
"Me? Are you kidding?" Yunsung asked, as if in was some heinous crime. "After today? After I saw her…" he lowered his voice as if he were uttering a fowl curse, "nude?"
"Oh, please," said Mina. "It's nothing you haven't seen before."
"That's different," he said. "You're my fiancé."
"If you were ever going to see me nude, I would have much preferred today at the ceremony than tomorrow during, say, a shower where you might be executed for doing so."
Yunsung jumped at the sound of Talim's voice. The door was open, and Talim stood inside wearing a light blue sleeveless turtleneck and a pair of comfortable white pants with matching blue trim. Her hair was now tied into one long braid down her back.
"People of the tribe guilty of such a crime are banished, but the penalty is far worse for outsiders," she said.
"Hello, Talim," Mina said. "How have you been?"
"Wonderful," Talim said. "Please, please, come in."
It was a nice place. Wonderful woven wooden furniture, colorful dream-catchers, mosaics, and painted pictured of various events and people in Talim's family history. Through the open window, the gigantic windmills turned in the wind, the river whispered words of advice and encouragement, and the birds in the trees sang their endless song.
"Thank you for coming to my ceremony," Talim said. "You have no idea what it meant to me."
"Oh, you're very welcome," Mina said. "We wouldn't have missed for the world," she elbowed Yunsung in the chest, "or a fighting tournament."
"Come on," Yunsung said. "Do you know how much the prize money was? It was tempting for anyone."
"I'm sure if you knew what consisted of a Wind Deity Coming of Age ceremony, your priorities would have changed," Talim said. She and Mina both laughed aloud, making him blush as red as his hair.
"So what have you been doing over the past year?" Mina asked, taking a seat in one of the comfortable woven chairs.
"I've been training upcoming fighters to join the Holy Guard. In fact," Talim said, rubbing her forehead, "I was testing one of them before the ceremony this morning."
"How did she do?" Yunsung asked, sitting in another chair.
"Fantastic," Talim said grimly. "I'm probably going to promote her to Silver Fighter next week when all the tests are done."
"Are you having fun?" Mina asked.
"Oh, yes," Talim said. "Ever since I got back from the Ostrheinsburg Chapel, people have been asking me how I did it, and if I could teach them anything... I've pretty much started my own fighting school. Aki should be my next teacher in a couple months."
"That's wonderful," Mina said.
"Oh, and by the way," Talim said, looking to Yunsung, "Thank you for those two barrels of whiskey. Tokago can't wait to break them open. He'll be drunk as hell when we begin moving into our new home next week."
Yunsung laughed, while Mina shook her head.
"Thanks," Yunsung said. "I'm glad he enjoys it. I knew he would."
"After the wedding," Talim said, "Grandmother came up to me and gave me-"
A strong wind came through the window. It lasted only a second before it died down again. Talim suddenly ran to the window and stuck her head out as another gust of wind came, this one wailing a mournful dirge.
Talim gave Mina a look that said everything.
Something was wrong.
Talim ran to her room and when she emerged, she was wearing a belt that had her two elbow blades safely tucked inside. She grabbed her brown hiking boots from under one of the wicker chairs and put them on. She didn't even tie the laces. Instead, she hastily tucked them inside.
"We have to get to my father," Talim said. "Come on."
--------------------
When Talim, Sueng Mina, and Hong Yunsung burst into her father's house, she found that Sanput was already there, along with four or five of the village's elders, and the tribe leader himself. Instead of the usual cheerfulness in the atmosphere, today it was almost entirely nonexistent.
"Talim," Sanput said, "I knew you would come. Few people in this village can translate the winds, but you're the best as they come."
"The wind didn't tell me very much," said Talim. "All I heard about was an invasion army."
"The wind was in a hurry," Sanput said gravely. "The invasion force is big; Ten thousand strong, at least. It's about three days from here."
"Who?" Yunsung asked.
"The flag bears the unique skull and crossbones of Cervantes. I have had a long conversation with the wind, and it does not think anything like this could be possible unless part or all of Soul Edge was recovered."
Silence.
"What do we do?" Yunsung asked.
There was a long pause.
"We cannot fight this army by ourselves," one of the Elders said.
"But we can't just abandon this village," said Mina. "Didn't the Wind Deity give it to you?"
"With ten thousand men," said another Elder, "and the village's lack of faith over the years, not even the Wind Deity can save us now."
Another long pause. After a minute, Sanput whispered something into Chief Tonki's ear. The talked quietly for a moment before the Chief nodded, and they both looked up to Talim.
"Talim, I need you to do something for me," he said. "For us."
"Anything," Talim said.
"I need you to leave the village. Go to Hyrule. Talk to Princess Zelda and try and get any help possible. Take anyone you need. We are a protectorate of the Hyrule Kingdom. They should bring aid."
"But what about you?" Talim asked. "What about the village? What will happen here?"
"I will try my best to hold them off with my powers," Sanput said. "But it is very possible we may have to flee through the hidden tunnels in the city. I promise you everyone will be safe."
There was another, longer pause in which no one said nothing. Talim looked as if she was on the verge of crying.
"Please," said Sanput.
Talim looked over to Mina and Yunsung.
"We can't let this happen," Mina said. "We go where you go."
Talim turned slowly back to her father and nodded. Sanput came over and gave his daughter a long hug.
"Don't worry," Sanput said. "If you stay one with the wind, you will be fine."
Talim nodded.
"Hurry," he said, ending their embracement. "There is not much time."
--------------------
Talim didn't take the time to change into new clothes. The trip wouldn't take that long. A day or two at the most. She pulled Soul Calibur blades off the wall. She'd probably be needing them on this trip. She was in the process of finding her cloak when there came a knock on her door.
"Come in," she said, now checking under her bed.
The door opened, and Tokago, looking sad and worried, walked in. He was still wearing his suit, but it was dirty, as if he had been running and had fallen several times.
"Hi, Talim," he said.
"Oh, Hi Tokago," Talim said, trying to smile. "How are you?"
"I was doing well until I went to go visit Chief Tonki to thank him for the wedding gift," he said grimly. Talim, who had just found her cloak, set it on the bed and stared into his eyes. "When were you going to tell me you were leaving?"
"Tokago, I just found out before I came here. I stopped by your house and you weren't there. I'm sorry."
"When are you leaving?" he asked.
"Soon," she said. "Probably as soon as I'm done packing."
"Can I come with you?" he asked, hopefully. It was sweet of him, really. Talim knew he didn't want to go any more than she did.
"I'm sorry, Tokago," she said, and she really was. "We need you here. You're the best fighter we have. You are very gifted with the wind. We can't afford to lose you."
"That's what Tonki said," said Tokago, rather harshly.
Talim watched him for a moment. Then, she took her orange medallion from the ceremony off her neck, and held it out for him.
"Take it," she said.
"No, I can't do that," he said.
"Take it," she said again. "I insist." Tokago took the medallion, and Talim gave him a hug, and a kiss that lasted a lifetime.
"This is my promise," she said. "When I come for this, when everyone is safe, and when I can be sure that you, and I, and our future will be okay, then you can give this back, and we can have a child or two. I promise."
They were both crying when they hugged this time. What if, when Talim came back, she found out that Tokago was killed? What if she was killed? What if she never made it to Hyrule? The thoughts ran through both lover's minds, with each scenario becoming worse then the next one. But if Talim didn't try, then her village was doomed, and Tokago knew that.
"I love you," he said.
"I love you, too," she answered.
About an hour after the wedding, Talim had decided to go home while and dress while Tokago stayed to collect the various wedding gifts. Shortly thereafter, Hong Yunsung and Sueng Mina, good friends of Talim, decided to pay a visit. Yunsung had not been accustomed to the Wind Deity rituals and was so surprised when he saw her walking out the isle that Mina almost had to force an early exit. They were at her door now, and Yunsung was reluctant to knock on the door.
"Stop being such a wimp," Mina said. "Knock on the door."
"Me? Are you kidding?" Yunsung asked, as if in was some heinous crime. "After today? After I saw her…" he lowered his voice as if he were uttering a fowl curse, "nude?"
"Oh, please," said Mina. "It's nothing you haven't seen before."
"That's different," he said. "You're my fiancé."
"If you were ever going to see me nude, I would have much preferred today at the ceremony than tomorrow during, say, a shower where you might be executed for doing so."
Yunsung jumped at the sound of Talim's voice. The door was open, and Talim stood inside wearing a light blue sleeveless turtleneck and a pair of comfortable white pants with matching blue trim. Her hair was now tied into one long braid down her back.
"People of the tribe guilty of such a crime are banished, but the penalty is far worse for outsiders," she said.
"Hello, Talim," Mina said. "How have you been?"
"Wonderful," Talim said. "Please, please, come in."
It was a nice place. Wonderful woven wooden furniture, colorful dream-catchers, mosaics, and painted pictured of various events and people in Talim's family history. Through the open window, the gigantic windmills turned in the wind, the river whispered words of advice and encouragement, and the birds in the trees sang their endless song.
"Thank you for coming to my ceremony," Talim said. "You have no idea what it meant to me."
"Oh, you're very welcome," Mina said. "We wouldn't have missed for the world," she elbowed Yunsung in the chest, "or a fighting tournament."
"Come on," Yunsung said. "Do you know how much the prize money was? It was tempting for anyone."
"I'm sure if you knew what consisted of a Wind Deity Coming of Age ceremony, your priorities would have changed," Talim said. She and Mina both laughed aloud, making him blush as red as his hair.
"So what have you been doing over the past year?" Mina asked, taking a seat in one of the comfortable woven chairs.
"I've been training upcoming fighters to join the Holy Guard. In fact," Talim said, rubbing her forehead, "I was testing one of them before the ceremony this morning."
"How did she do?" Yunsung asked, sitting in another chair.
"Fantastic," Talim said grimly. "I'm probably going to promote her to Silver Fighter next week when all the tests are done."
"Are you having fun?" Mina asked.
"Oh, yes," Talim said. "Ever since I got back from the Ostrheinsburg Chapel, people have been asking me how I did it, and if I could teach them anything... I've pretty much started my own fighting school. Aki should be my next teacher in a couple months."
"That's wonderful," Mina said.
"Oh, and by the way," Talim said, looking to Yunsung, "Thank you for those two barrels of whiskey. Tokago can't wait to break them open. He'll be drunk as hell when we begin moving into our new home next week."
Yunsung laughed, while Mina shook her head.
"Thanks," Yunsung said. "I'm glad he enjoys it. I knew he would."
"After the wedding," Talim said, "Grandmother came up to me and gave me-"
A strong wind came through the window. It lasted only a second before it died down again. Talim suddenly ran to the window and stuck her head out as another gust of wind came, this one wailing a mournful dirge.
Talim gave Mina a look that said everything.
Something was wrong.
Talim ran to her room and when she emerged, she was wearing a belt that had her two elbow blades safely tucked inside. She grabbed her brown hiking boots from under one of the wicker chairs and put them on. She didn't even tie the laces. Instead, she hastily tucked them inside.
"We have to get to my father," Talim said. "Come on."
--------------------
When Talim, Sueng Mina, and Hong Yunsung burst into her father's house, she found that Sanput was already there, along with four or five of the village's elders, and the tribe leader himself. Instead of the usual cheerfulness in the atmosphere, today it was almost entirely nonexistent.
"Talim," Sanput said, "I knew you would come. Few people in this village can translate the winds, but you're the best as they come."
"The wind didn't tell me very much," said Talim. "All I heard about was an invasion army."
"The wind was in a hurry," Sanput said gravely. "The invasion force is big; Ten thousand strong, at least. It's about three days from here."
"Who?" Yunsung asked.
"The flag bears the unique skull and crossbones of Cervantes. I have had a long conversation with the wind, and it does not think anything like this could be possible unless part or all of Soul Edge was recovered."
Silence.
"What do we do?" Yunsung asked.
There was a long pause.
"We cannot fight this army by ourselves," one of the Elders said.
"But we can't just abandon this village," said Mina. "Didn't the Wind Deity give it to you?"
"With ten thousand men," said another Elder, "and the village's lack of faith over the years, not even the Wind Deity can save us now."
Another long pause. After a minute, Sanput whispered something into Chief Tonki's ear. The talked quietly for a moment before the Chief nodded, and they both looked up to Talim.
"Talim, I need you to do something for me," he said. "For us."
"Anything," Talim said.
"I need you to leave the village. Go to Hyrule. Talk to Princess Zelda and try and get any help possible. Take anyone you need. We are a protectorate of the Hyrule Kingdom. They should bring aid."
"But what about you?" Talim asked. "What about the village? What will happen here?"
"I will try my best to hold them off with my powers," Sanput said. "But it is very possible we may have to flee through the hidden tunnels in the city. I promise you everyone will be safe."
There was another, longer pause in which no one said nothing. Talim looked as if she was on the verge of crying.
"Please," said Sanput.
Talim looked over to Mina and Yunsung.
"We can't let this happen," Mina said. "We go where you go."
Talim turned slowly back to her father and nodded. Sanput came over and gave his daughter a long hug.
"Don't worry," Sanput said. "If you stay one with the wind, you will be fine."
Talim nodded.
"Hurry," he said, ending their embracement. "There is not much time."
--------------------
Talim didn't take the time to change into new clothes. The trip wouldn't take that long. A day or two at the most. She pulled Soul Calibur blades off the wall. She'd probably be needing them on this trip. She was in the process of finding her cloak when there came a knock on her door.
"Come in," she said, now checking under her bed.
The door opened, and Tokago, looking sad and worried, walked in. He was still wearing his suit, but it was dirty, as if he had been running and had fallen several times.
"Hi, Talim," he said.
"Oh, Hi Tokago," Talim said, trying to smile. "How are you?"
"I was doing well until I went to go visit Chief Tonki to thank him for the wedding gift," he said grimly. Talim, who had just found her cloak, set it on the bed and stared into his eyes. "When were you going to tell me you were leaving?"
"Tokago, I just found out before I came here. I stopped by your house and you weren't there. I'm sorry."
"When are you leaving?" he asked.
"Soon," she said. "Probably as soon as I'm done packing."
"Can I come with you?" he asked, hopefully. It was sweet of him, really. Talim knew he didn't want to go any more than she did.
"I'm sorry, Tokago," she said, and she really was. "We need you here. You're the best fighter we have. You are very gifted with the wind. We can't afford to lose you."
"That's what Tonki said," said Tokago, rather harshly.
Talim watched him for a moment. Then, she took her orange medallion from the ceremony off her neck, and held it out for him.
"Take it," she said.
"No, I can't do that," he said.
"Take it," she said again. "I insist." Tokago took the medallion, and Talim gave him a hug, and a kiss that lasted a lifetime.
"This is my promise," she said. "When I come for this, when everyone is safe, and when I can be sure that you, and I, and our future will be okay, then you can give this back, and we can have a child or two. I promise."
They were both crying when they hugged this time. What if, when Talim came back, she found out that Tokago was killed? What if she was killed? What if she never made it to Hyrule? The thoughts ran through both lover's minds, with each scenario becoming worse then the next one. But if Talim didn't try, then her village was doomed, and Tokago knew that.
"I love you," he said.
"I love you, too," she answered.