I'll make this one good and long.
Chapter 4
"Captain! Another ship is approaching us!" the sailor lofted in the crow's nest shouted below. "They've been following us for a few hundred feet already!"
"What kind of ship?" the captain asked in a quaking voice.
"Well blimey, it looks like a...a Chinese junk!" came the reply. "Could be pirates! I see a glint of a sword there!"
The captain acted immediately, summoning all the trained deckhands to grab their cutlasses and prepare for an assault. As theirs was a small passenger ship, no cannons or any other defence was available. Suddenly, the Chinese junk drew closer till it nudged the German ship from Ostrheinsburg, but only one woman leapt off, clutching a blue blade with a split down the middle. The deckhands shouted out questions, but she only said in relatively fluent English to let her see Raphael Sorel. She told them it was important. The captain was at first relieved that there were no pirates, and after a moment, he allowed her to go see Raphael Sorel (One of his deckhands had a basic grasp of English).
Raphael held Soul Edge in his gauntleted hand, enjoying the power which flowed freely through his veins. He imagined the nobles fighting over the sword, until every single one of them was dead, just like the Evil Seed. And he would be the cause. Plus, Amy would have a meaningful future. He laughed cruelly, already contemplating the next move. Suddenly, he heard a key turn in his keyhole, and the clinging of the key falling. Soul Edge was in his hand, poised perfectly in a battle-ready stance, as Xianghua entered. Raphael could have sworn the blade he held quavered in fear upon the Eye seeing the blue blade. Soul Calibur, Soul Edge told him.
Raphael could not fathom why Soul Calibur was here again, as in Soul Edge's accumulated memories the sword had perished in the void. Just then, Xianghua tried to beseech him to cast aside Soul Edge, and let her destroy it. Raphael, adequately versed in English as well, adamantly refused.
"I need Soul Edge. To give a better future to Amy!" he shouted like a man possessed, then rushed forward, Soul Edge out in a fluid thrusting motion. Xianghua drew the gleaming blue blade and parried his stab, before sliding a foot under his leg, in hopes of knocking him over. Raphael hopped over the outstretched leg and swung his sword, but Xianghua ducked and lifted her legs over her shoulder, striking Raphael in the face. He stumbled backwards, blood spotting the ground, as Xianghua said, "Please, let me destroy it! I don't want to hurt you!"
Raphael snarled and wiped his face, before Xianghua pirouetted gracefully in mid-air to land a crushing strike on his shoulder. Raphael growled in rage before sweeping his rapier in a wide arc, knocking Xianghua backwards. The Chinese woman immediately lunged forward again, his sword whirling. Raphael was almost relaxed, his feet subconsciously moving into his attacking stance, and they almost seemed to dance. He thrust forward suddenly, and the blade nicked Xianghua's cheek. She kicked out, but Raphael had lapsed into a retreat step and had already linked it up with a tarantellal tap kick. Xianghua got hit in the stomach, and she tumbled over, the wind knocked out of her. As she recovered, Raphael had already somersaulted into the air, his weapon swinging in gargantuan arcs as his blade landed heavily on Soul Calibur. Xianghua felt the sting of the blow, and just managed to clutch Soul Calibur. With a sudden upwards swing, she knocked Raphael, flailing wildly, into the air as he collapsed with a thump. Xianghua moved closer to press her advantage but with a yell, Raphael tore forwards, his feet eating up the space between them as the blade connected again.
The sailors above were oblivious to the intermittent connections of swords, and were only concerned with the sight of Rouen's harbour.
"Land ahoy!" screeched the sailor, holding a telescope. Everyone clapped and cheered.
Below, Raphael also heard it. With an ominous grin on his face, he stepped back and out of the room, before rushing to the deck. Xianghua was surprised and tried to follow, but when she reached the upper deck she saw a harbour not far away, bustling with people and worse, Raphael was standing on the ship's railing. With a deft flick of his rapier, he cut the ropes holding one lifeboat except one, and leapt down. With another quick slice, he disengaged the boat before throwing up a few coins and shouting, "Au revoir!" to the stunned Xianghua. She had failed, while Raphael paddled furiously to his homeland.
Stay tuned for the next chapter!
Chapter 4
"Captain! Another ship is approaching us!" the sailor lofted in the crow's nest shouted below. "They've been following us for a few hundred feet already!"
"What kind of ship?" the captain asked in a quaking voice.
"Well blimey, it looks like a...a Chinese junk!" came the reply. "Could be pirates! I see a glint of a sword there!"
The captain acted immediately, summoning all the trained deckhands to grab their cutlasses and prepare for an assault. As theirs was a small passenger ship, no cannons or any other defence was available. Suddenly, the Chinese junk drew closer till it nudged the German ship from Ostrheinsburg, but only one woman leapt off, clutching a blue blade with a split down the middle. The deckhands shouted out questions, but she only said in relatively fluent English to let her see Raphael Sorel. She told them it was important. The captain was at first relieved that there were no pirates, and after a moment, he allowed her to go see Raphael Sorel (One of his deckhands had a basic grasp of English).
Raphael held Soul Edge in his gauntleted hand, enjoying the power which flowed freely through his veins. He imagined the nobles fighting over the sword, until every single one of them was dead, just like the Evil Seed. And he would be the cause. Plus, Amy would have a meaningful future. He laughed cruelly, already contemplating the next move. Suddenly, he heard a key turn in his keyhole, and the clinging of the key falling. Soul Edge was in his hand, poised perfectly in a battle-ready stance, as Xianghua entered. Raphael could have sworn the blade he held quavered in fear upon the Eye seeing the blue blade. Soul Calibur, Soul Edge told him.
Raphael could not fathom why Soul Calibur was here again, as in Soul Edge's accumulated memories the sword had perished in the void. Just then, Xianghua tried to beseech him to cast aside Soul Edge, and let her destroy it. Raphael, adequately versed in English as well, adamantly refused.
"I need Soul Edge. To give a better future to Amy!" he shouted like a man possessed, then rushed forward, Soul Edge out in a fluid thrusting motion. Xianghua drew the gleaming blue blade and parried his stab, before sliding a foot under his leg, in hopes of knocking him over. Raphael hopped over the outstretched leg and swung his sword, but Xianghua ducked and lifted her legs over her shoulder, striking Raphael in the face. He stumbled backwards, blood spotting the ground, as Xianghua said, "Please, let me destroy it! I don't want to hurt you!"
Raphael snarled and wiped his face, before Xianghua pirouetted gracefully in mid-air to land a crushing strike on his shoulder. Raphael growled in rage before sweeping his rapier in a wide arc, knocking Xianghua backwards. The Chinese woman immediately lunged forward again, his sword whirling. Raphael was almost relaxed, his feet subconsciously moving into his attacking stance, and they almost seemed to dance. He thrust forward suddenly, and the blade nicked Xianghua's cheek. She kicked out, but Raphael had lapsed into a retreat step and had already linked it up with a tarantellal tap kick. Xianghua got hit in the stomach, and she tumbled over, the wind knocked out of her. As she recovered, Raphael had already somersaulted into the air, his weapon swinging in gargantuan arcs as his blade landed heavily on Soul Calibur. Xianghua felt the sting of the blow, and just managed to clutch Soul Calibur. With a sudden upwards swing, she knocked Raphael, flailing wildly, into the air as he collapsed with a thump. Xianghua moved closer to press her advantage but with a yell, Raphael tore forwards, his feet eating up the space between them as the blade connected again.
The sailors above were oblivious to the intermittent connections of swords, and were only concerned with the sight of Rouen's harbour.
"Land ahoy!" screeched the sailor, holding a telescope. Everyone clapped and cheered.
Below, Raphael also heard it. With an ominous grin on his face, he stepped back and out of the room, before rushing to the deck. Xianghua was surprised and tried to follow, but when she reached the upper deck she saw a harbour not far away, bustling with people and worse, Raphael was standing on the ship's railing. With a deft flick of his rapier, he cut the ropes holding one lifeboat except one, and leapt down. With another quick slice, he disengaged the boat before throwing up a few coins and shouting, "Au revoir!" to the stunned Xianghua. She had failed, while Raphael paddled furiously to his homeland.
Stay tuned for the next chapter!