The Wounded Chapter 4

When Bangoo had first reached the Eastern coast of his home continent, he expected booking passage to Europe would be very difficult. However, it turned out that his father had made many friends and earned the favor of John Matthews for saving his life in the past. In fact, it was the same captain that escorted Bangoo and his father back home some time earlier.

Though grateful, Bangoo had no intention of being only a passenger. He began to learn the ways of the seafaring men that traveled the world over. Seasickness never affected him and because of the food that he took, his health wasn't affected during the month and a half long trip

The boat Bangoo traveled on, a Small Nao named the Warhorse, held up well despite encountering a storm a few weeks ago. The Captain told him in passing that the Portuguese had taken special care of the ship before he had acquired it as a form of payment for faithful service.

From the crow's nest, Bangoo could only make out a few of the landmarks on the coastline. Already the mists were beginning to gather and it was only dusk.

"Captain," Bangoo asked as he climbed down the mast to the deck, "you said you knew my father before he came to my home."

"Aye. That I did, boy." Captain Matthews said scratching the scruff on his chin. He was not a large man, but his strength compensated for that. His sunburned skin and calloused hands spoke of many years on the ocean.

"My father doesn't speak too much of his past, especially before he came to my home. Do you remember him?"

The experienced captain blinked at Bangoo's question. "Is it that important to ye?"

The young Indian paused momentarily before nodding his head. "I know much of who my father is, but I don't know who he was."

The captain scrutinized his passenger for a moment before sighing. "He was a lot different than you are." Glancing from his map and compass, he stared into the distance in remembrance "He was a quiet boy. Ne'er 'eard so much as a peep from 'im in the five years I served his father. And I saw him often."

A frightening thought came to Bangoo's mind. "Did his father ever..."

"No," the captain said, catching onto the boy's fear, "his father was never the abusive type. Even if 'e were, his mother would ne're stand for it. A strong woman, she was. Not enough of them, says I. Anyway, I'm guessing the reason why Nathaniel, your father, was so quiet is that everything seemed so alien to him and 'e ne're got a chance to adjust to one setting."

"When did my father reach the New World?"

"Well... it was about... oh, say twenty years ago, if I be remembering right. His father had recently acquired an artifact of great worth. Evidently, it was something that many warriors and weapon collectors would sell their very souls for. Even outdid the Merchant of Death, Pualo Vercci in acquiring the item first."

The captain's mood then turned morose. "He seemed to change when he got his hands on it. I remember what that thing looked like. It held a nauseous stench. It looked like the devil himself had crafted the thing."

The Soul Edge, no doubt, Bangoo thought.

"'e was bookin passage to the New World colonies, takin his riches an family with him to make sure his prize stayed his. I told 'im he was mad. I heard Vercci flew into a rage and nearly broke his most prized possessions when the thing slipped from his grasp. The Merchant of Death always got wat 'e wanted, and 'e wouldn hesitate ta murder an Englishman ta get it.

"I tried to warn 'im. I even 'eard that Vercci hired the Immortal Pirate Cervantes De Leon, to retrieve the thing for 'im. It was because of Cervantes, I quit being Williams' captain. I know the importance of money, boy. But it's no good to ye, if yer dead. So, he tried to flee from Vercci, but failed. Cervantes killed him and your father was stranded in the New World, with nottin but the ax that yer bringing with ye."

Bangoo turned to the darkening horizon, brushing his hair out of his eyes. It was disconcerting to know that through those horrible events, his father was able to become the great warrior that he was. And that Bangoo had been saved from a tribal war that would have killed him as well.

Noticing his passenger's melancholy, he spoke up. "Don't let it worry you too much. Otherwise you'll never get anywhere. Whatever reason you have for going to the Old World should be foremost on your mind right now. Besides, your father has turned out to be a good man. I would trust me life to him if he were part of me crew."

Bangoo smiled back to the old man that seemed unconcerned by the current state of the world he lived in. The young Indian figured that the other sailors were having trouble keeping the sails in check, even if the winds were blowing heavily in their favor. Running down the deck, he leapt onto a brow of the masts and helped three other sailors pull a rope to make sure the sail would stay straight.

"Alright, men! We're going to be hitting Brest by tomorrow and ye best prepare to make best use of yer shore leave!"

The crew all shouted their enthusiasm and scrambled to keep the ship on the favorable wind they had caught the week before. The sooner they docked, the sooner they could enjoy a much-needed break. Bangoo could feel their excitement, yet could not be as enthusiastic as the other crewmates.

His goal was to ensure that his tribe would never be threatened by the likes of the Kunpaektu ever again.However, the fact that he was by himself in a world he hardly know would make that quite difficult. Questions of "how?" continued to hound him as he made his way back to his cabin.

Kneeling by his bedside, he rummaged through his pack to find the dagger that had saved his life in the past. It was no longer than the length of his forearm to his wrist, even with the hilt. The blade itself appeared to glow a soft green and blue hue of its own. It could have been made from emerald. Taking a closer look, he remembered that those kinds of materials were either very scarce in his homeland or nonexistent. Upon the blunt side of the blade, there were tiny letters carved, but they were written in an unknown language and were too small to read.

Feeling something stir, he placed his hand upon the satchel that hung on the side of his belt. The bones within rattled at his touch and the slight, yet audible cling of metal could be heard. He could almost feel the shard's heat coming through the enchantments of the bones and the cloth of the bag. It almost felt like the shard was calling to someone or something.

Sitting cross-legged on his bed, he held the edge of the dagger and the satchel close to each other. Immediately, he could tell the shard was reacting to the proximity of his dagger. It was like the shard recoiled in fear.

"Interesting..." he whispered. The closer the blade was, the further in the shard acted like a worthless piece of metal.

"Hey! Boy! Dinner's ready." The captain's second mate cried from behind the door.

"Coming!" he replied as sheathed the dagger and placed it back in his pack. In his haste, he nearly dropped the satchel in it as well, but remembered that there'd be people that would kill him for this. He quickly pocketed the sack and headed out.

*

From the small window in Bangoo's cabin, the sound of seagulls and fog bells snuck into his range of hearing. By the looks of things, dawn was just breaking and they were about to reach the port. Crawling out of bed, the young Indian stretched and with a yawn, the fatigue slowly began to leave him.

He was still used to the blankets and rough ground of the prairie. To sleep in a hammock like this was quite an interesting experience. Yet, somehow, the skins he used for his sleeping bag still felt more relaxing than this.

Though he felt well rested, something... seemed wrong. He realized he wasn't alone when he heard the slight sound of someone else breathing.

On instinct, he dove backward just as two small darts flew where he was only a second earlier. Yanking his dagger out of his pack, he used his free hand and tossed his pillow to where the darts originated.

Something sharp then cut the pillow, sending the feathers and wool everywhere as Bangoo ran towards the door.

"Very resourceful," a feminine voice whispered as its owner hopped from the shadows and in front of the window.

The bodysuit the woman wore was as red as blood. The metal shoulder plates she wore were in the shape of hideous demons, but those were not what worried Bangoo. It was her eyes. These were the kind that killed people without so much as an afterthought.

Holding his dagger at the ready, he asked quickly, "Who are you? What do you want?"

The woman snorted in contempt as she folded her arms. She didn't appear European, but somehow she spoke English skillfully. "My name's none of your business, boy. All I want is the shard you have with you. Give it to me now and I'll leave you be."

Bangoo frowned and prepared to strike, "I don't heed the demands of a thief!"

The woman shrugged, unfolded her arms, and grabbed the sword handle on her shoulder. "Suit yourself."

To Bangoo's surprise, his attacker didn't advance, instead she stood with her side to him and her free arm tucked near her torso. She was waiting for him to strike and would kill him with a counter, most likely.

He relaxed and stood tall, hoping to give himself a little time to form a plan. "Why do you want the shard? If you know of what it is, you'd turn around and flee as soon as you could."

The woman remained poised and ready. "I don't fear the Soul Edge, boy. I just need the shards to make my own swords stronger. What I do is something beyond a primitive savage like you can understand."

Bangoo didn't flinch at the insult and relaxed his stature before whispering. "Do as you must."

With a satisfied smirk, the attacker dropped her offensive posture and advanced casually. "Glad to know you see reason."

In a sudden flurry of movement, the young Indian pushed his foot against the wall and his body into his stalker, forcing her into the window. The glass cracked as her shoulders hit the windowpane and would have broken had she not supported herself against the frame.

Seeing his chance, he drew his arm back and threw his dagger straight at her. As he hoped, the woman deflected his weapon with a quick flick of her blade. While she remained distracted, he charged and leapt at her. The last thing she saw was him in mid air with his feet planted on her stomach. With an even harder shove, he forced his attacker through the window

With a self-satisfied smile, Bangoo pushed himself to his feet, despite the pain in his back and bottom. It was a desperate gamble to use his precious dagger in such a manner, but it paid off. Truth be told, this person was far more dangerous than any lizardman. And though he had stalled for a little while, he knew his assailant would return and would not be as merciful.

Gathering his effects and sheathing his father's weapon, he dashed out from his room and to the deck.To his relief, the ship was already docked and the captain was speaking with the harbor master. Trying to catch his breath, Bangoo struggled with words as the captain noticed his somewhat panicked expression.

"What's wrong boy? Ye look kinda tense."

"I don't have time to explain. Someone attacked me in my room. I have to leave. I thank you for everything, captain," Bangoo said before running into the crowd and to the town. He didn't have time to hear the captain's exclamation upon hearing his ship was broken into by an assassin.

*

After nearly a half hour of running through the dense city streets, Bangoo found a bazaar that he hoped would hide him efficiently. Between deep and ragged breaths, he was amazed at the wide variety of goods and people going through the promenade.

Beautiful and exotic fabrics were being haggled at a table to his left, while a storekeeper was rearranging his fruit stand for more business to come. He heard a baker telling people around that his wares were ready for buying and eating as a trader was speaking with what looked like a metal worker about a proposition.

It was beyond anything the young Indian had ever hoped to see in his life. There was so much activity, so much life moving at a deafening pace around him. It was almost overwhelming. From his previous trip home, they had traveled in secret and didn't get a chance to see what marvels Europe had.

"'Ey there! Whatya think yer doin, gawkin at everawun like yer some sorta git?" A burly and vicious voice growled from behind him.

Bangoo twirled around and was nearly knocked over by the largest belly he had ever seen on a man. Yet, all that mass didn't seem like the useless fat, but dangerous muscle.

"Well... I've never seen anything like this before. It's a lot different than my home."

The human landmass mass guffawed quite audibly, "'course it is! You savages don't kno nottin when it comes to towns." He gestured to himself, "But Joey 'ere, does! And what Joey knowsis, yer trasspassin."

When Bangoo noticed several other men beginning to close in on him, he took a deep breath and hoped that the Great Spirit was hearing his silent plea for help.

*

With a parasol over her head, Isabella Valentine grunted angrily, fighting to keep her lungs full of air. It was far too hot to be in a place like this, worse, she had chosen to be inconspicuous, which meant she had to wear a rib-crushing corset along with a dark shaded dress. Evidently, the latest fashion didn't require women to be able to breathe.

She didn't mind wearing dresses, especially this one since it belonged to her mother. It was plain enough so she could pass as a middle class woman. It was either this or a bunch of dirty rags, dug up from who knows where. Besides, she was planning to use those rags as a last contingency.

Her contact had informed her that a shard of the cursed sword would be coming into this port and so it'd be wiser to slip in unnoticed. That old fool, Kunpaektu, had spies everywhere. Naturally, the less attention she brought to herself, the better.

Had any other person searching for the Soul Edge been told what Ivy knew, they would have laughed in their ignorance. After all, a single shard by itself could do nothing. However, Isabella knew better. Her contact, a rather cryptic and vague woman by the name of Harker, had informed her of its whereabouts. What made Harker so indispensable was the fact she was never wrong when it came to the Soul Edge. And that made Ivy all the more suspicious.

"Tell me Harker... or do you prefer Diao Chan?" she whispered to no one, "what is your real game?" The woman in question had remarkable talents. Henceforth, she sometimes referred to herself as the infamous Chinese seductress of the long dead Three Kingdoms. It seemed she could seduce any man or woman into doing anything.

Ivy snorted at the mental emphasis on the 'anything'. She had seen Harker convince men to do battle over the luxury of sharing her bed. But in the end, she had fooled them all and had never known the delightful debauchery of promiscuity and fornication.

The flow of people brought her out of her musings as they gathered around an open place in the nearby bazaar. Catching the blacksmith by the arm, she said, "What's going on?"

The blacksmith shrugged. "All I've heard is that a savage from overseas is coming through the town. And I guess the local roughnecks are ganging up on him."

A savage? In Brest? She did recall seeing people from Africa and New World around this area. Yet, the people she had seen from Africa often came in through the south. That left the possibility of the savage being from the New World.

"It's not impossible, but why would he return here?" she whispered to no one as she hurried as much as she could to the gathering. To her surprise, she found at least five men ganging up on what appeared to be an Indian from the New World. More than that, she recognized this boy. In addition, something within a bag the boy carried with him resonated with her sword. The Soul Edge shard!

Slowly, the corners of her lips stretched into a grin. If this was whom she thought it was, then her job could possibly be made quite a bit easier.

Closing the parasol, she turned to the blacksmith that stood beside her and ordered, "Hold this. If it is damaged, I shall take the cost of its repairs out of your hide!" The blacksmith, though surprised and shocked at first, relented upon seeing the less than sane gleam in her eyes.

Reaching between the folds of her dress, she pulled out the Ivy blade, ripped off that wretched corset, and pushed aside the crowd and stomped into the fray.

*

Bangoo ducked and dove as two of his assailants tried to knock him unconscious with their cudgels. The ax on his back was beginning to grow heavier and more cumbersome as his strength waned.

He didn't wish to fight these people, but to draw his weapon would only make things worse for him. Trying to escape their presence had failed more than once as the ring that gathered around him pushed him back into the clutches of the gang.

He was ready to pull the ax off his back and try to clear the ring around him when several cracks filled the air to his side. He turned to see one of the gang members landing in a heap on the ground after being tossed several meters into the air.

Bangoo and Joey took notice of this and turned to see a woman with platinum shaded hair and wearing a velvet dress advancing slowly towards their fight. What caught both of their attention was not the shapely dress she wore, but the chain link sword that seemed to move with a will of its own.

"Wat ye think yer doin, wench?"

Bangoo figured the woman to be of Noble birth by the way she took offense at Joey's words. From what his father had told him, they held a strong influence over most of the people. Evidently, Joey was either ignorant or unaware of the situation she was in.

The chain links reassembled themselves into a broadsword as the woman's frown deepened. "Didn't your mother ever teach you not to mistreat guests?"

Bangoo was about to interject, when Joey cut him off. "This ain no guest! He'sa savage! 'e's got no place 'ere!"

She cocked an eyebrow. "Oh? Well, if that be the case, neither do you."

The Indian saw Joey about to protest her statement when he saw the thug hurled into the air by his ankle. His gaze was locked on the flying man when the chain links grabbed him by the waist and threw him into a fruit stand.

Bangoo stood in awe of his rescuer's prowess as she single-handedly began dispatch the rest of his attackers. The sword seemed to sing as it changed from whip to sword and back again. The energy gliding through each piece of metal glowed with an unholy light, visible to the Indian's eyes. A movement in his sheath caused him to pull out his dagger. It was resonating with a small, but audible, whine every time the Ivy blade passed nearby. The weapon she wielded was certainly not ordinary.

The crowd began to run as several of the men were tossed over Bangoo and into the audience. With all the chaos about, he didn't notice one of the remaining roughnecks creeping up behind him.

Noticing the attack from behind, the woman screamed between cracks of her whip, "Boy, behind you!"

A shadow from behind caused Bangoo's survival instinct to whirl around and slash at his attacker. The last of the gangsters let go of his cudgel at the fine cut where Bangoo's swing had left and ranaway. Breathing heavily, he collapsed to his knees and watched the crowd begin to clear.

He turned to his rescuer to see her retrieving her effects from a metal worker before returning to him. With a calm and dignified smile, she offered her hand to help him up. Accepting with uncertainty, he was surprised to see her grip was much firmer and her strength much greater than her slender frame suggested. Not only that, her face and hair seemed familiar.

The woman asked in a familiar accent and elegant speech, "You have grown since I last saw you, friend. And it looks like you understand the English language much more as well."

Bangoo blinked, "Oh! That was you? When you helped me escape from that dungeon?"

*

In the back of his cell, he heard what sounded like a struggle outside the door. He was about to stand up when the door burst open. In strode a woman with platinum hair, a multi-segmented sword, and an intense stare.

She extended her hand to him, "If you still want to live, boy, come with me."

*

She nodded and held a gloved finder to her lips, hushing him. "Come, we have to leave. There are those around here that work for the ones that imprisoned you and wish me dead."

Though apprehensive, Bangoo complied and followed her through the mess and unconscious forms of the gangsters. He looked down at the ground as several other people gave him glances ranging from curiosity, suspicion, to anger. He kept in step with Ivy, hoping over the odd piece of debris and fruit.

She inclined her head towards a back alley. Following her pace, he walked behind a large stack of crates while his benefactor looked all around for any possible spies from afar. Truth be told, he should have been doing that as well. Maybe his presence was expected and he didn't realize it.

"We are safe for now. So, then, I regret that we have not been formally introduced." She removed her right glove and offered her bare hand to him. "Isabella Valentine. Or Ivy, if you wish."

Nodding, he took her hand and shook it. "I'm Bangoo, son of Rock, of the Four Winds Tribe."

Ivy cocked an eyebrow at the title. "My goodness. And to think that dear Nathaniel was likely to be a simple heir to a trader's fortune. Silly me."

Bangoo gaped. "You knew my father?"

Ivy nodded. ""Yes, but we can save that for later conversation."

He nodded and asked earnestly, "I never got a chance to ask; why did you help me then and now?"

A grin grew on Ivy's face, "I have my reasons."

Bangoo frowned, but knew he had little choice in the matter. Already he was beginning to feel suspicious of his rescuer.

Taking another look around, Ivy gestured for him to follow, "If you wish to leave this place alive, boy, it would be best if you came with me. After our little spectacle, Kunpaektu is most likely going to be sending his soldiers as soon as he can."

Reluctantly, the young Indian followed her through more alleyways, out of sight from the townspeople.

Within minutes, the two had reached the edge of the business district and to a carriage waiting for them. Isabella handed the ruined corset to the female and male drivers as another male servant came to open the door for her. Upon noticing Bangoo, Isabella held up a hand as an order to halt.

"Stop, Angelo. This is a friend."

The larger man cocked an eyebrow and looked at the Indian again. However, both Isabella and Bangoo could already tell what the man was implying with his glare towards the Indian.

"I know what you're thinking Angelo and I agree. But somehow, I'm feeling unusually generous today," Lady Valentine said with a false smile.

"It must have been that corset you insisted I wear to keep my identity secret. It nearly made me delirious from near suffocation. Consider yourself fortunate that I found the boy, or else I would have been in this town all day and possibly dead from suffocation. Then you would be out of a job or worse. I would come back to haunt you from the deepest reaches of Hell itself!"

Immediately, Angelo's anger deflated and stood aside for both to enter the carriage. Though Angelo was nearly six and a half feet tall, the carriage driver and Bangoo could only guess how much shorter he seemed. With a satisfied groan, Isabella leaned against the back of the carriage and gestured for her guest to sit.

Noticing his anxiety, she said casually, "You have nothing to worry about, young man. I admit to not being the most amicable of people, but I am nothing if not gracious to my guests."

Nodding, he let Angelo take his axe and place it on the top of the carriage with his pack. Just to be safe, he made sure the satchel stayed on his belt and his dagger in its sheath. He never took his eyes off his host as the carriage began to move out of town.

*

Despite Ivy's best attempt at stealth, a telescope revealed her presence to a young woman perched on the top floor of an inn. Retreating to her room, Chai Xianghua collapsed the looking glass and turned to the bound and gagged Taki in the corner of her room.

The ninja glared at her captor and struggled to break her bonds, but without her hidden instruments, she was trapped.

"Sorry, Taki. But I couldn't let you get in the boy's way."

Taki tried to scream through the cloth in her mouth and the gag on her face but all that got out was a muffled noise. She tried to move from her position, but the point of Xianghua's sword appeared only inches from her nose.

An angered frown crossed Xianghua's face. "Don't tempt me, Taki. Your Nobunaga's making a nuisance of himself back home, so that doesn't make me feel very amicable towards your kind."

Taki growled from the back of her throat, but complied and sat still.

To the ninja's relief, Xianghua sheathed her sword and took a seat on a chair by the window. "Still wondering how I knew you were here?"

In all honesty, the thought had crossed Taki's mind.

Xianghua smirked, "I'll make it simple. You're not as stealthy as you think you are. In fact, it was impossible to miss your presence."

Taki snorted in defiance.

Xianghua continued, "It's true though. You're about as predictable as a seasonal change. A shard of the Soul Edge appears and you move." Confusion then appeared on her face, "But then again, so do many others, but that's beside the point. You try so hard to keep yourself hidden, you leave yourself open."

Looking away from the dancer, Taki was considering what her captor was saying was true. Maybe she was getting careless.

The sound of a bird entering the room broke the ensuing silence. Circling once, it landed on Xianghua's shoulder. The dancer evidently knew what it meant when she looked from the bird and back to Taki.

The ninja started to feel apprehensive of the look the dancer had. Taki tensed and prepared herself for whatever her captor had in mind. Her fears were proven true when Xianghua charged, pinned Taki to the wall with her foot and whispered, "Sorry, but this message doesn't concern you."

*

The dancer reached forward and grabbed the skin between Taki's neck and shoulder. "Don't worry, it won't hurt... much." With a fierce squeeze, the ninja screamed silently as intense pain overloaded her nervous system. Within seconds, Taki slumped over to the side and fell unconscious.

After a few checks to make sure Taki could not listen, Xianghua returned to the window and whispered to the bird, "What news do you bring?"

Craning to her ear, the bird whispered the message given by another some time ago. It took a specially trained ear to understand what the bird said and Xianghua's, though not as proficient as others, still understood the message.

"So, the Soul Edge has been shattered again? That explains that shard the boy has. And what about the Azure Nightmare?"

The bird completed its message and Xianghua blinked in surprise. "They followed him?" She snorted, "Idiots. They're only playing into Inferno's plans."

Holding up her index finger, the bird obediently hopped on and listened to Xianghua as she spoke another message for it to carry. The dancer couldn't help but marvel at how well trained this messenger bird was.

"Inform Lady Harker that the shard came into Brest, just like she said it would. Not only that, Ivy has taken the boy into her care. So things are going right on schedule. However, Taki tried to interfere. I'm going to keep her here for a while and cover their tracks so she can't follow them. Also, I'm worried that the Fygul Cestemus may know of the boy's presence here. Tell the others to keep an eye out."

She sent a glare towards the unconscious Taki before returning to the bird. "If Lady Harker will allow me, I will kill Taki if she persists." She reached out of the window, "Now go. Quickly!"

The bird flew off into the distance, leaving Xianghua and her unconscious captive.

*

As the carriage passed through the open countryside, Bangoo was feeling more apprehensive by the minute. Though he was grateful for her help all those years in the past, the weapon she carried in secret and the gleam in her eye made him nervous.

Noticing his caution, she smiled wickedly as the carriage started to move, "You don't trust me completely. Good. You should watch your back in a place as unscrupulous as this. People would do anything to earn your trust, only to break it the second your back is turned."

Completely serious, Bangoo replied, "I know. My father and I did not have the easiest time getting home after I escaped."

"It does not surprise me to hear that. Kunpaektu is a very persistent man."

Looking out at the lush scenery, Bangoo replied in agreement. White-hot anger flared up in him as he remembered the cult leader. "He's the reason why I'm here. He attacked my village and tried to kidnap my father again."

"Your tribe was attacked again?"

"We were fortunate this time, but what about next time? Or the time after that? I don't think Kunpaektu will stop until my father's dead." He gripped the hilt of his dagger harder than was necessary. "I won't allow that!"

*

Ivy took a minute to analyze her guest. She could tell the odds were against him if he wanted to protect his people. However, were it not for her, he would most likely be beaten to a pulp or dead by now. She knew he needed help, and more importantly, a guide. She took into consideration what he had: a strong, if unrefined, technique, a powerful ax, a shard of the Soul Edge, and a resourceful mind by the looks of it. Those could turn out to be very valuable assets.

Ivy's grin resembled that of a wolf closing in on its prey when she said, "Well, my boy. I have a proposition for you. One that can benefit both of us."

She noticed his growing suspicion, "I'm listening."

"You want the Fygul Cestemus gone so your tribe will be safe. I want to put all this Soul Edge business to rest permanently. You see where I am going with this?"

The Indian nodded. "Yes. But I still don't know if I can trust you."

Ivy's smile broadened. "You have no choice. Without me, you'd be lost on this continent."

Bangoo matched her gaze as he asked, "So, what do you get out of this?"

The Englishwoman remained silent for a minute before whispering and turning away, "Peace of mind."

Bangoo wanted to say he didn't trust her, but there was something in her voice which dispersed the cynicism. Regardless, he had to be careful.

"Very well," he said at last. He didn't want to admit it, but Ivy was right. He had no choice.

End of chapter 4.

Notes:

Ok, I will be the first to admit it, provided you folks at home haven't already figured it out. Some of this chapter was inspired by the Pirates of the Caribbean movie. You know, the bad corset jokes, the pirate lingo, etc. And since I not sure how to describe Ivy's dress accurately, just imagine her wearing the same dress Captain Barbossa gave to Elizabeth.

Regarding Taki, well, you can pretty much guess how I feel about her.

As for Xianghua (Man, I love saying her name), I always wanted to see her as capable of being cruel. Consider it... branching out for her character. :p

Oh yeah, I nearly forgot about Ivy. Part of her character is inspired by the portrayal of her in 'The Sins of the Daughter, Sins of the Son", a very good story. You should read it in this section. I can only hope that my attempts at showing that Ivy can be both sane and mad will not make it seem too similar to any one else's interpretation.

Next, don't worry, I haven't forgotten about Siegfried and the sisters.

Finally; all things Soul Calibur belongs to Namco. Always have been, always will be.