Disclaimer: Soul series belongs to Namco...ok so don't sue me...
Jay Goose: Thanks for your support, I'm trying to make longer chapters now. Mousey13: Er...yeah I'm focusing on mastering Cassandra now.
Chapter 2
Cassandra dabbed his forehead gently with a wet towel, and examined his face again. She was gripped by a longing to touch his long, blonde hair, but somehow she restrained herself. His hair was spread over his face, but she thought that an alluring touch. She was getting slightly worried; the Frenchman hadn't woken up in two months. As she looked at Raphael again, and stood up to leave, she thought she saw him stir.
She whirled around, and saw him muttering incoherently. She got nervous again as she stood there, staring at Raphael blankly, holding the wet towel.
Flashback
He tossed the lamp violently down the staircase before dashing up, taking the stairs five at a time. "Amy! Amy! AMY!" he shouted out all the way, each time the knot of fear tightening in his stomach. "Please oh please..."he murmured as his hand rested, hesitantly on Amy's room's doorknob. Fear swelling up in his throat, he pushed the door open, and a man turned to meet him. Raphael stiffened as he saw Amy flailing, thrashing to get free from the two men holding her, one with a dagger in hand.
"Emmanuel de Provins!" Raphael seemed to grind the name into his teeth. The most feared assassin in the French underworld.
"Ah yes...Monsieur Sorel...well you should know that the nobles have...shall we say...enlisted my services to deal with you, and your clan. A piteous clan, isn't it? A servant, a child, and a pathetic weakling of a man." Emmanuel bared his yellow teeth, and said, "Kill her. I've always wanted to take on a worthy opponent."
One of the men brought up the dagger, and slit Amy's throat, just as the word "DADDY!" escaped her lips. Blood splattered the polished wooden floors, as the man dropped Amy on the floor, where the dead body crumpled in a heap.
End
"No...please...not Amy..." Raphael mumbled, sweat breaking out in torrents on his forehead. "Amy...Amy...AMY!"
Raphael woke up shouting the last word. His head seemed to be tearing apart, only seams of brain tissue holding it together. He clutched his head, slamming his head back on the pillow, horrific memories flashing intermittently in his mind. Amy...why did you have to leave me!? he thought. I...I loved her...and now...she's...gone forever... Tears rolled down Raphael's cheeks. Grogginess overpowered his head, as his vision swam, wavering and flickering. He thought he saw a Greek lady standing in front of him, looking concerned, but he couldn't be sure. The fencer laid his head on the pillow, trying to piece together some of his composure, but the tears wouldn't stop.
"Er...are...are you all right?" Cassandra ventured uncertainly, blushing again. She hoped his vision was blurry. She must have looked a mess!
"I...where...where am I? May I enquire as to what your name is?" Raphael asked, a headache hitting his temples again. Being the noble who handled most of the affairs of the Sorel House, Raphael was multi-lingual. He understood most European languages. He always entertained foreign guests. He felt awkward. He hadn't shed tears for a long time. With an effort, he struggled to sit up. Cassandra almost made a movement to help him, but decided against it.
Cassandra answered, doing better this time, "You're in Athens, Greece. I am Cassandra."
The information hit Raphael's brain, and he processed it slowly, before uttering a disbelieving "Sorry?" His manners caught up with him, and the word "What?" was stopped at the tip of his tongue. Instead, he replaced it with "sorry?"
Cassandra flushed a deep red again, impressed by his manners. She repeated it, this time adding, "In the Alexandra house."
Raphael had done his research. "Alexandra? Wasn't Sophitia Alexandra the one who shattered Soul Edge the first time?"
"You know of it?" Cassandra inquired, genuinely surprised.
Raphael passed a hand through his hair, deciding how much to tell her. "I...I found Soul Edge before, and...it..." he broke off his sentence, the pain growing in his heart again. "I'm sorry...but...the subject is...ah...a difficult one."
Cassandra wondered why he had not told her what had happened. Cassandra told him how she had come to find him, and asked how he had gotten there.
"I...the void...did you find two rapiers?" Raphael suddenly shot the question at her.
Cassandra said, "Only one," before bringing out Flambert.
"Oh no...this was what I was afraid of, Soul Edge...is loose in the world again. I didn't shatter it after all," Raphael's last sentence was nothing more than a whisper. Raphael tried to stand, but a wound opened up again. Cassandra rushed forward, alarmed, and told him to sit.
"Your wound might get infected if you go out now!"
Raphael meekly sat and asked Cassandra, "Is there a Mitiphor plant nearby? It's green, but the leaves had a tint of red. The leaves have healing properties."
Cassandra nodded. She knew where she could find one. Immediately, she darted out to the field where she picked a few leaves. Raphael received them and placed them over his opened wound. There was a paroxysm of pain which swept up his arm, but the stinging was replaced by a cool, soothing sensation on his wound.
"I never knew that before," Cassandra voiced.
"I studied fencing and medicines when I was young. It was all I did...no one really attended to me."
"It must have been bad. I always had a loving family."
Raphael's lids were getting heavy. Cassandra took the cue and turned to leave. Her hand was at the door when Raphael said, "Thank you, Cassandra. You saved my life. Call me Raphael."
He didn't know why he trusted her with his real name. He just felt...something very much like affinity. They both hid a secret smile.
Cervantes laughed cruelly as he extended Soul Edge into some poor soul's stomach, ripping the flesh and caused blood to spurt out at irregular intervals. It was a horrific scene. Cervantes pulled the Nirvana gunsword up and rifled a shot into the man's exposed head. "Another soul for you, Edgy." he said, grinning.
People were already scattering, screaming. It could have been described very easily as mayhem or havoc. It was total pandemonium, as women wringed their hands wildly in trepidation as they ran. Everyone's pulse had skyrocketed, adrenaline and fear permeating throughout their system. Cervantes shot a few more in the legs, before strolling casually over to pierce Soul Edge through their bodies, ignoring the pleading looks in their eyes.
Soul Edge was palpitating like a satisfied person. The eye seemed to glow with pure, evil delight. Cervantes ran a long, slender finger across the blade, admiring his weapon. He hadn't forgotten how brilliant the power surges felt when Soul Edge was happy. He felt above everyone.
Cervantes stabbed the sword into another person's body, feeling his soul being sucked into Soul Edge. Cervantes watched happily as the body shriveled up into a mangled mess. Pure...bliss.