The Eternal Light

Ah can you smell it… It's the smell of a new chapter. That's right Inuken's kept her promise! Here it is the final chapter of the Korea saga! (Athor's Note: oops I messed up I upped this document on the 7th but didn't put it on the story... I'm such an idiot --)

Chapter 26- Breaking the lock

"If you continue to call my name
I can continue to breath
But your silence is killing me
And I'm choking on my loneliness
If I cried for you would you respond
Do you enjoy my pain, is it that bad
All I want is to be free of all your constraints
Free like the birds and as long as you keep my name on you're lips
I'll come flying back, so I'm stuck waiting till I can breath again
Why must you leave me breathless"

- Excerpt from "Breathless", by Inuken

Mina was sitting up in her bed going over the recent events that have taking place in her life. ' Does it have to lead up to this she thought… do I have to end up in a cage' thoughts raced her mind and she was overwhelmed by it all. All night she thought about the upcoming wedding… there was nothing she could do about, she finally going to marry Hwang. In her heart of hearts she truly loved Hwang but the thought of being trapped in the dojo and being someone's wife left a rotten taste in her mouth. ' Why can't he understand I need to be free, why does he want to call me his wife so much' Then as if he had sensed Mina thinking about him. Hwang entered the room.

"How are you doing Mina?" he said walking up to where she was sitting on her bed.

"Why are you in here, shouldn't you be getting ready" Mina said coldly

"Yes but I wanted to make sure your alright… I know your not happy about the wedding but…"

"Then why do you want to make me so unhappy why can't you leave me alone…"

"Because Mina even though I know all you want to do is be free… you doing something crazy and dangerous, and just don't want anything to happen to you … you shouldn't be out there looking for soul edge… leave it me and the other soldiers we can do it… why do you feel as though you have to fight… you should be protected…"

"How can you say that? My soul is connected to this journey… this my destiny you have no right to stop it!"

"Mina please it's for your own good… You know I love you… why can't you see that it hurts to know that your out there doing such dangerous things and any moment you could be gone forever… did it every occur to you how I or your father feel… maybe you don't value your life but I do!"

"Yes but what about my feelings! It's my life Hwang and how can I be happy when you or my father is controlling it… then it's no longer mine and then what value does it hold then Hwang!"

"If we get married Mina, I'll let you be free just as long as you don't continue with this foolish quest… you mean to much to me for me to let you just be put in the face of danger I won't allow it!"

"Hwang you know I Love you but if you do this I will hate you for the rest of my life."

"Then you can hate me Mina but I won't lose you and that is what matters, that I know you are safe… whatever anger or hate you have can be worked out with time but if you die out on the battle field nothing can change that…" he said looking down at the ground " I'm going to go get ready now… Mina please don't make this hard" he said and then left the room

Mina now held her head in her hands and was crying she was cornered and trapped and there was nothing she could do about it.

"Well did everyone sleep well last night? I mean the nice cold floor and chains were really comfortable" complained Raphael

"Yeah I know what you mean really straightens out the back" replied Maxi sarcasm dripping from his words

"Look you two stop complaining, it won't change anything!" Xianghua snapped at them and they were quiet. The warriors were stuck in the dark, cold prison cells in the Dojo's basement level. They were separated in two cells across each other. Xianghua, Maxi, and Kilik were in one cell and Link, Talim, and Raphael were in the other. The cells were completely empty of any accommodations… it was just a cold damp floor and chains.

"God I've got to use the bathroom!" Maxi said

"You better not… this place smells bad enough as it is…" Xianghua warned him

"But… when a guy has to go he has to go… Xianghua I can't hold it"

"Please can we stop talking about taking a piss and focus on getting the hell out of here please!" Kilik yelled at his bickering friends

"He's right we can't stay here too long, let's think of something quick." Raphael said

"Don't worry about it" Link spoke up

"What? Don't worry… do you see where we are… why shouldn't we try to get out?"

"Hmmm… because then we'll mess up whatever they're planning on doing to save us…"

"Who… who the hell's gonna save us?"

"Lyric, Yunsung… Mina… Mitsurugi, Taki and Siegfried… these are the people that are on the outside, our friends, if they know we've fallen then they'll help us… we have to trust them…"

"Are you kidding me? Lyric betrayed us and didn't even show, we basically disowned Yunsung, Mina's getting married probably as we speak and Mitsurugi and Taki are on a freaking boat… oh and Siegfried probably doesn't give a shit!"

"Raphael that's enough" Talim said, "I agree that we have to trust them …however I don't want to be here forever either Link maybe we should go ahead and act."

"No you're all wrong…I saw them when Myong captured us Raphael… Lyric, Yunsung and shin were on the roof watching… Lyric had called my name and was about to attack when Yunsung stopped her…Instead she assured me it'll be alright."

"Really how'd I miss that conversation? And somehow all the guards missed it too?"

"Because she was just a look a know her… she looked angry… besides she wouldn't leave us like that no matter what… I'm sure there's a reason she wasn't with us."

"Yeah, she was to busy with her boyfriend… Listen kid if they were going to save us they should have done it last night."

"But they didn't have the shard… If they had rescued us without the shard then we would've had to escape to the ship quickly shard less… Then how would we complete the journey?"

"Oh please they could easily just take the shard and leave us here now."

"Okay Raphael, let's say that they were greedy like that, how exactly would that help them if we have the other shards, huh… this is getting ridiculous… we're all over the place… we can't even trust each other anymore! You would think as time went on we the bonds between all of us would of grown stronger but instead they've become so brittle."

"Yeah well you started it! You and your friend Lyric… you guys were going to leave us anyway… so what do you care?"

"Because I'm not leaving!"

"What your staying… you and Lyric are staying" Xianghua said everyone was in shock

"I want to stay but I haven't talked about it with Lyric… she might still want to leave if that happens I don't know what will happen."

Suddenly the Door to the dungeon opened and in walked Lyric… Shin behind her.

"Well then, lets get this thing started"

"Okay I got the Bombs… lets get out of here." Yunsung told Lyric and she took her sword and sliced through the door. The two guards that were guarding the doors were on the floor out cold but not because of what she had done. Outside their door stood Shin hold a pole very much like Kilik's Krita- Yuga.

"Was wondering when you guy's would come out of there… anyway the weddings starting so we should be going."

"Maybe you're not as bad as I pegged you for." Lyric said

"No I just don't like being double crossed… its revenge time…"

"Three cheers for that" Yunsung said (- fun fact: three cheers for sweet revenge the album by My Chemical Romance that I'm listening to non- stop now)

"Okay we'll stick to the plan Lyric and Shin go to the Dungeon and rescue the others… I'll get the shard."

"Okay c'mon Shin, " she said and they took off

Yunsung watched them go down the hallway until they disappeared then he quickly went down to Mina's room… It was empty and the usual cloth's she wore were on the bed along with her zambatou. He took them up so that he could give it to her later. Then he waited five minutes to give Lyric and Shin some time before the distraction went off. When time was up he put down a small bomb and lit it then he ran back and it blew out the wall he quickly went through the debris and glass until he found it glowing, the fifth shard of soul edge. He heard there was a lot of commotion going on outside but soon realized that it wasn't because of the explosion something was going on outside. Yunsung ran quickly and headed down to the dungeon. There was a whole lot of commotion and people running past him into the dojo… fear spread along their faces as he finally reached the dungeon stairs something caught his eyes slowly entering the dojo was Nightmare. He quickly went down the stairs everyone had to get out quickly

"Lyric I knew you guy's wouldn't let us down." Link said happily

"Of course not, but I have to hurry" she said and then a loud noise went off

"What was that" Maxi said

"Hurry Lyric… Yunsung must've set off the bomb," Shin said working the lock one of the cell doors

"No time for that Shin" she said and took her sword and brought it down hard on the lock and it broke right off… she did the same too the other lock and all their chain's "Okay we have to hurry and get out" she said "Taki and Mitsurugi have the ship ready, and I have to get Mina from the wedding"

"What's going on outside" Raphael said

"Probably just the reaction to the bomb" Shin said

"No people are screaming" Talim said and it was true blood curdling screams could be heard

"What's going on" Lyric said

Then Yunsung came bursting through the door. "I got it but we need to change the plan… we have a problem Lyric… Taki was wrong Siegfried is still alive…"

"Well of course" Raphael said

"No… when I talked to Taki she said he had reverted back to nightmare. They thought they had killed him." She said

"Yeah, well, they were wrong his right upstairs it's pandemonium up there. He must have attacked at the wedding because everyone was running outside and I saw him when I was coming downstairs he was coming in his eyes were glowing red and he was covered in blood. We have to find Mina she doesn't have anything to fight with she left her zambatou in the room so I bought it with me" he said out of breath

"Okay, find her we can take care of Nightmare"

"No, we'll need all the help we can get" Kilik said, "Let Shin find Mina."

"Okay Shin, you have to get her… after you get her please go to the ship and tell Taki and Mitsurugi what's happened, please"

"I thought I was done after this, I'm getting the hell out of here" he said turning his back on them

"Please Shin, just this please…" she pleaded

"Okay I'll do it, if you give me a kiss, since we didn't get to get go on that date"

Yunsung glared at him but Lyric quickly went and gave him a quick kiss

"Now stop playing and go, we don't have the time"

"Okay" he said as he took the zambatou and left

Yunsung looked angry but she gave him a look that said not now.

"Can we trust him?" Xianghua said

"We don't have a choice do we"

As Mina stood in the quiet room, looking at herself in her dress, a traditional Korean Garment featuring the colors of the dojo and the seal on the left sleeve. Her hair was pinned up and her face was had elaborate makeup on it. She felt ridiculous… this wasn't her… she was a free bird like a hawk not a peacock showing off. She tried to suppress the tears that were fighting their way down her cheeks. She was trying to convince herself that it wasn't so bad, at least she loved Hwang and it wasn't somebody else but did she have to sacrifice herself as well.

"Miss Sueng, the wedding is about to start" an old servant lady came in and told her. Mina nodded her head slowly and walked up to the door. She turned around one more time and looked at her zambatou and clothes on the bed then she turned around and walked down the hallway with the old woman.

"Dear you shouldn't look so sad… this should be the happiest day of your life… you should be smiling" the old lady said

"How can I smile, when I can feel apart of me dying?" she said

"It can only die if you let it Dear… if you let someone do it or if you kill it yourself it's up to you."

"I thought the same thing to but it's not true."

"Let me ask you something Miss Sueng… right now you are willingly walking down this hallway right into the most dangerous place for your soul to thrive… and the only thing in the way of freedom is an old woman… then how am I wrong?"

"What?"

"If you want to be free I cannot stop you… from here on out it's up to you to protect that soul of yours…"

"But Why?"

"Because Miss Sueng us ladies are meant to be free as birds not caged, so I'm going to break the lock on your cage."

"Thank you so much"

"Go on now they'll be looking for you soon"

Mina nodded and ran back in the opposite direction towards her room when she heard an explosion coming from that direction. She was going to investigate it when she heard the screams of the old lady and other people running her way. In all the confusion she thought she saw the red hair of Yunsung dart past her from the direction of her room but she dismissed it and went back towards the entrance where she had just left the old lady. When she got there bodies were laid out all over the place and the hall way was bloody and there in the middle of it all was Siegfried … no… Nightmare. His Blood red eyes focused on her and took her in. In his monstrous claw was the lifeless body of the old woman. Mina's jaw dropped and tears spilled across her face as she put her hand over her mouth. What could she do she couldn't fight… Nightmare would get her quickly if she ran. Then as if her prayers were answered Shin entered behind Nightmare.

"Mina catch" he yelled and he throw the zambatou over nightmare's should and Mina caught it " I have to go get Taki and Mitsurugi, the others are coming" he said and ran for his life

"Hello mina" said nightmare his voice was low and scratchy his eye's turned into slits and he threw down the woman's body and charged her. Mina was ready but he slammed her against the wall before she could attack. Then without warning he let out a cry of pain he turned around and there was Yunsung who had stabbed in the back. Behind him was the rest of the gang filing out of the dungeon. Then before Yunsung could make another move Nightmare's claw came closing around his face and he was crushing him as he lifted him into the air. Lyric ran and sliced into Nightmare's unprotected belly. He bellowed and threw Yunsung down on the floor. Talim jumped over them both and cut into his face… living to scars on his face.

"You'll pay for that in blood." he bellowed

"I'd rather metal" Yunsung said and sliced his arm leaving a gash Nightmare tried to hit him with the claw but then Mina struck from behind

"Wench" He yelled and Kilik ran and jumped in the air bringing Krita-Yuga down Hard on nightmare's back causing him to collapse. Then without warning Nightmare got up screaming and knocked the surrounding warriors off there feet. Then he took his claw and wrapped it around Lyric's neck.

"Funny little girl… you're the one who took this Siegfried in… How does it feel to be responsible for the death of all your friends and all these people?"

"I wouldn't know" she chocked out… trying to breath and tears coming out her eyes

"How pathetic" he said laughing and tightened his grip but then Yunsung sword ran right through his belly and he dropped Lyric, Yunsung caught her but she was unconscious so he lied her down somewhere safe and as he turned back around nightmares claw was once again ready to smash him to pieces but then as he almost got Yunsung, the ninja Taki stopped the attack with her two weapons.

"Oh you again" he said "I should have finished you off…" but before he finished Mitsurugi came in and sliced him with the half moon cut.

The other warriors, including Lyric, had recovered and were now surrounding him

"Give up Nightmare, it's only you against all of us… you have enough blood on your hands." Kilik said

"No not enough, I need it all, I won't stop till the world is bleeding and every ocean and street is painted red!" He Bellowed

"Well then let's start with you, Nightmare" Said Raphael who stepped in and quickly sliced again and again through his back. Nightmare just picked him up and through him into the group of warriors.

Then Yunsung had and Idea "Everyone get back, Get back far" He took out one of the explosives lit it and through it right onto nightmare and the explosion went off almost immediately. When the smoke cleared the wall was blown out and there under the rubble laying unconscious but still alive was Nightmare.

"Lets get Nightmare up and chain him up good" Maxi said and Raphael and Kilik cam around to help

"Wait where's Yunsung?" Lyric said looking around when she didn't see him she began to pull up debris "Somebody help me" she yelled and Talim and Link came to help her

Then all they heard was Nightmares eerie laughter " Don't bother he's probably in so many pieces right now" he said not able to move on the floor

"Shut up! He's not dead!" she said tears flowing down her cheeks but she could tell that everyone else thought the same way as nightmare.

"Your in denial, sweetheart he was close enough to the blast to be shred to bits." Nightmare said Laughing " Maybe now you know how it feels, after all his death would be the direct result of your foolishness letting a monster like Siegfried in and calling him human. How Pathetic"

This time she ignored him and continued to pull up pieces of wall… while his eerie laughter hit her at her core. Talim and Link were still helping her and then Mina joined in along with Taki and Xianghua. Now she could barely see, tears were flooding her eyes and blurred her vision.

"Lyric over here" Link called her and she ran up to where he was moving things… and lying there was Yunsung's sword… she picked it up and turned to Link.

"He has to be over here… please I know it's hard to believe but I know he's alive… he knew what he was doing… I'm sure he got out of the way of the blast… he wouldn't have done it if he knew he couldn't get out."

"But he doesn't exactly think before he does a lot of things… besides maybe he knew he wouldn't make it"

"Even if that's the case what if he is under there if we leave him then…" she couldn't continue to talk so instead she started to move the debris some more

"Lyric we don't have the time we have to get on the ship before they take the shards back… he was going to stay anyway" Raphael said

And she never looked so upset but she continued to pull back the debris.

"How could you even say that, it's not the same" Link said and turned back to Lyric " Okay let's do this" he said and quickly began to move the shattered wall

Talim and the other girls were still working the other side when suddenly Lyric let out an "oh my god" and everyone turned around. She and link were frantically removing debris now and the saw why there was a hand sticking out of the debris. They ran over and started pulling away more and fast and there he was barely hanging on, blood on him and bones broken everywhere it was a mess but he was alive and that's what mattered.

"Okay, Okay c'mon lets go… lets go now," yelled Maxi then Lyric and Link carried Yunsung on their shoulders as they ran to the entrance, dragging Nightmare behind them still laughing. When they got there however waiting there was Myong and his many guards.

"Where do you think your going? You've all committed crimes here today… You all are to be arrested!" Myong yelled

"Are you kidding me we just saved you people?" Xianghua yelled

"We have an Army we don't need the help of prisoners

"So then where was your army when your dojo was looking like a battle field! Were you too scared hiding behind your so-called soldiers!" Talim yelled

"We did the best we could, but that doesn't change the fact that every single one of you have committed a crime and Mina this isn't it your getting married as soon as this is all cleaned up and I want the shards all of them including the one you stole, it's the least you owe these people!"

"How dare you father? How can you even say that when we just rescued these people… if it wasn't for us the death toll would've sky rocketed… we almost our own and you want us to go back to your prison… are you kidding?" Mina shouted

"No I want them to go back to prison you will be married"

"What's the fucking difference and I'm not getting married, we're leaving now and if you don't like it we'll let nightmare back loose" this was followed by the murmuring of the crowd.

"You wouldn't do that…" He started but then the something happened that shocked everyone. Hwang who was standing next to Myong had brought his sword to his master's neck.

"Mina…" He yelled smiling, " Hurry up and get out of here… just promise me you'll be back"

"I promise Hwang… c'mon guys" and the warriors walked down the entrance and down the path on the way to the ship

"Hwang what do you think you doing." Myong said

"Setting her free…" He said watching them walk away into the distance… he thought he saw Mina look back but quickly dismissed it.

As soon as they entered the ship the cast off tired from the events that took place. Maxi and Raphael brought Nightmare to the room in the ship meant for prisoners and locked him up in chains and put him in a cage, he was still laughing that eerie laugh. Then they locked the door on him.

"Better him here, than rampaging against the country side" maxi said and Raphael nodded they both went into the room where Yunsung was being held "How's he holding up" Maxi asked Kilik

"We'll he's pretty lucky, two broken arms and a broken leg, ribs are broken and he's scarred up pretty bad along the torso up pretty bad... but it could've been worst...I'm just hoping there's no internal bleeding..."

"Since when did you become a doctor" Raphael said

"You don't need to be a doctor to see that… anyway Link, Xianghua and I are going to put the bones back in place and bandage him up so they can heal back together and put some ointment along the cut's… we want to hurry before he's conscious again because he's gonna be in extreme pain during all of this, not to mention I'm sure he'd be in pain now."

"Where's everyone?"

"I'm guessing they're getting some sleep"

"That sounds good, I think I'll get some sleep too." He said and left the room

Lyric was out on the deck looking out at the sunset the wind was relentless and spraying up salt water everywhere but she seemed not to notice as she was lost in thought.

"You must be upset." She turned around to see Link walking up towards her

"No I'm hopeful… I'm hoping he'll be alright."

"So I'm guessing something happened between you guys…"

She nodded " But not like sex or anything… just that I love him… and I want him to be okay…"

"He'll be okay, you know that"

"Yeah but probably not before we leave, you know he wanted to leave with us, since he was kicked out anyway… and I eventually gave in and told him yes… but now…" she couldn't continue and tears just filled her eye's " I've been crying to much lately" she chocked out

"It's okay Lyric this will work it self out… I'm sure he's fighting to stay alive… especially if he wants to see you" She nodded and mouthed a thank you and he put his arms around her. "Maybe Lyric we should stay here, you know, we only have two more shards and it would help to have all these people helping us"

"I know but the prophecy said nothing about having help…so we could be just wasting our time here…"

"Yeah but are you willing to give it all up… it took awhile for me to see it but Lyric we're more than warriors we're people too…and are you ready to leave him behind already… will it really be any better if your miserable fighting alone in Hyrule or if you wait and can fight with him by your side…"

"I guess, your right Link but I just don't know what's the right thing to do right now."

"Follow your heart Lyric, that's all you can trust"

She nodded "So Talim really doesn't want you to go, huh?"

"What?"

"I know she's why your telling me this… you don't want to leave her either…"

"Well no… but…"

"It's okay you've made me feel better anyway. Man, It's windy and it's getting cold let's go in, I have to see him any way." She said wiping her eyes and they both walked into the room where Yunsung lye unconscious. Eventually Kilik, Link and Xianghua did what they said they would do to treat him and that night Lyric slept by his side.

Two days later they stopped at a small town to stock up and doctor fixed Yunsung up properly. The next day he gained consciousness, early in the morning and was in extreme pain but he turned around and noticed that Lyric had fallen asleep next to him and he accidentally woke her up.

"Your up…" she said sleepily still not realizing the situation

"Yeah… how long was I out" he said slowly because his chest hurt every time he said something

"Wha" she said closing her eyes he started to say forget it but she was asleep again. He wanted to laugh at her but it took too much to even think about it but he was happy to know she was right there and she hadn't left.

"You answer my question with another question

And I'm almost in tears and then you give in

You never wanted to hurt me just make me understand

You loosen up your grip with one stole kiss

My name riding off your lips until I can breath again"

- More from "breathless" by Inuken

End of chapter 26

Okay so I hope you all are happy campers… I kept my promise but still no reviews… Please I need Reviews cuz my life is hectic and as much as I want to continue the story I don't want to do it and nobodies reading it… all I need to know is that one persons still reading and I'll continue… I really enjoy writing and this story means a lot to me being the only fanfic or story I've been able to continue and have so much inspiration for… so it really means a lot when I see some one's reading it… even if it's not the best review I've gotten it … it's always good to get better and learn from my mistakes. Anyway Thanks for reading this and I hope you enjoyed the latest installment.

Inukenイヌケン