Soul Calibur: Of Souls and Swords
Chapter Eight: The Swordman's Melody
Back onboard the Eternal Wind...everything was very quiet and tranquil the Mediterranean had been forgiving and allowed them to have clear and calm waters while anchored. All of the lower decks was also silent, all of the fighters rested peacefully in their sleep. Including the openly romantic couple that was Kilik and Xianghua, whom often held one another at night. The others pretty much knew this and thought nothing of it as long as they didn't lose control of themselves. The only one that wasn't sleeping soundly was Cassandra, she had given up trying to act so calm and collected like her older sister. She couldn't help that she was unlike her and often her sarcasm got her into fixes that could often spell trouble.
Dreams had turned into nightmares as she dreamed of what she might face if she allowed herself to be found and captured by the enemy during their search for the shards. She had heard of what happened to caravans that were captured or pillaged by the destructive Black Wind. Often it was to either turn over all treasures to them. Should they be wise and surrender at first sight they would only take the horses or any other goods they could find. If they dared to fight back all the men involved would be killed off, all the women that could serve well and were of average beauty were taken and all children till the age of eighteen would be released.
The remainer that were not considered men would be come slaves of different sorts. Cassandra found it horrible that there was rumors that the female commander actually had a young boy in the middle of his second decade that was manipulated to be a servant to her. And there were many other rumors surrounding that. Now that the Azure Nightmare had appearently returned she expected that the spirit of Soul Edge would simply order them to make a massacre and allow the blade to feed off their souls.
As she dreamed she saw several things. A high castle in the mountains where dark clouds gathered. A temple in Japan where only the skilled may step. The coliseum in Rome. Another tower that existed in the city of water. A grand city in France that burned in the fires of civil war. A nomadic village in the Asian fields. She saw Link standing up against what appeared to be a wall, however it seemed on the other side was his shadow. Nothing surprising, that is until it turned it's head slightly to reveal the crimson eyes that rivaled those on the Nightmare her sister spoke of. There were other visions including a young man in black that carried two swords of opposing elements. There was then a darkening blast of flame.
The Soul Edge appeared there, bathed in fire and darkness. Though she had never rested eyes on the sword, it couldn't have been anything else. Another flash was of bright blue light and showed what had to have been Xianghua's Soul Calibur stabbed between them. The soul sword glowed before shifting into a much larger blade that appeared to be a mouth of jagged closed teeth and one very angry eye. The spirit sword became longer and broader like a great sword with a large crystal orb suspended in the very center of the hilt. Another shift of the light showed a fissure between light and darkness, inside the fissure was a silhouette that could only be described as monstrous. A demon that she could never begin to describe looked up and unleashed a piercing roar before everything vanished.
Cassandra bolted upward from her bed breathing heavily to herself, her hand on her chest feeling her heart racing. All thoughts of her dream vanished in her head all she could remember was that darkness bathed silhouette and a low pitched laugh that filled her with terror. She slowly stood up and stepped out of her bed which was one of two bunks, she looked up at her sister who slept on the top bunk a smile on her lips. She turned over slowly in her sleep whispering her husband's name. Cassandra sighed as she looked at her sister, it must have been nice to have somebody to call her own.
Cassandra then heard it as she sat on the edge of her bed the sound of a wind instrument, but it didn't sound like any she had ever heard. It sounded much like a flute, but somehow the notes in the air carried and aura of sorts. Cassandra walked toward the door, she didn't have any need to do anything as she had gone to sleep above the covers and still wore her boots. She of course didn't take her weapons as she saw no point to be ready to fight, it was just music after all. But the question of who it could have been chewed at the back of her mind as she wondered.
The only person with any knowledge of a flute was Sophitia, and she was sound asleep dreaming away about her beloved husband and the children that might come to them one day. Musical talent passed both Kilik and Maxi as they had always been so obsessed with their training and journeys. Xianghua had displayed some skill for the harp, but that was about it. Maybe it was Talim, considering how big of a deal wind was to her and her people it would make sense wind instruments would be popular. It was unconfirmed as she passed by Talim's room, the door still opened slightly the dim candle light cast over her body under the covers. Cassandra wondered as she headed up to the deck.
The cool sea breeze swept over the deck softly as a thousand stars shown in the sky giving the ship light along with the quarter moon just in the horizon. The notes of the song continued to flow forth from somewhere, there was a sort of echo all around her and she couldn't pin point it. After resorting to scanning the area over, she spied the source of the music coming from across the deck. He sat there on the railing with his back against the area that rose up to the forward platform, one leg held out straight while the other went over the side where his foot touched down on the deck. The swordsman that had come to them sat there playing the music off of a sort of instrument that was raised to his face.
As both hands held the mysterious source of the beautiful
music, his fingers played over the holes of the brilliant sapphire
piece with professional accuracy. His eyes remained closed as he played
out the soothing melody that seemed to whip Cassandra's soul clean of
all doubt and anger. The song seemed to consist of three main notes two
short, one long played three times over each time separated by two very
short notes. After the third playing of the three notes it went into
long soothing notes that bound together into the soothing melody.
Cassandra leaned against the mast of the ship as she listened not
wanting to disturb him from his practice.
(OoT's title theme)
Cassandra closed her eyes at the song that seemed to be of peace yet at the same time it was to a small degree depressing. As she leaned in further her foot touched a board resulting in a disturbing creek which caused the music to fade into echoes as Link looked up to see her standing there watching him. Cassandra sighed as she expected to be asked to leave as in Athens the practice of such talent was not to be disturbed, her homeland took great pride in their arts. Link however looked at the musical piece and then to her "Did I disturb your sleep Cassandra? Do you wish me to stop?" Cassandra looked up a little surprised by this, he wasn't upset that she had disturbed him.
The young maiden stepped forward shaking her head as she did so "No. Just annoying dreams that aren't exactly pleasant." she said as she walked up to lean against the railings next to him. Link nodded his head recalling that so many of his travels had been started out by some sort of dream or premonition. At first he was prepared to ask, however he decided against it feeling that it probably was nothing, she was going out into obvious conflict and her underlying nerves had obviously gotten to her mind. He didn't need to pry.
"I don't have the best luck with dreams either." he said with a light smile. Cassandra smiled back for some reason happy to see that he was in good spirits, she had figured that he would be depressed by now. She had never heard such perfect music in her life, his skill was something to be recognized, she had never seen an instrument like the one he used but it seemed to carry on the wind with every note he played. She concluded that it was not normal flute.
Link turned placing both of his feet on the deck and leaning back still holding his instrument, Cassandra looked at it "I've seen many instruments in my time, but I've yet to ever hear anything like that or see anything like that. What is it exactly?" Link looked at the item that he considered one of his personal treasures.
Link smiled to her as he ran his hand over the finely glazed surface "Music is considered one of our greatest achievements in my country and entertainment centers much around it. The Ocarina has a reputation for being easy to learn and difficult to master." he said, an interest was deep in her eyes.
Cassandra nodded as he held it out to her, she took it looking it over admiring it "Where did you get it? Seems much care was used in making it." she stated as she looked at him as if to want to eye the information out of him.
Link shrugged as he decided that telling a little of his past wouldn't hurt "It was given to me the day I left to come here. A good number of people contributed to making it and I plan to take good care of it for as long as I can." he said shaking his head lightly at the fact he'd never see any of them again. Cassandra looked at him able to see his depression of the matter as she spied something engraved on the underside of it. A number of messages to him, though she lacked the knowledge to read them. Link looked at what she looked at and inwardly sighed as he read them in his mind.
May the winds of fortune further your journey and strengthen your soul. -Malon Your both my best friend and rival. Guess we're forever even now. Good luck. -Garen Destiny exists for everybody. Yours will find you soon enough. Please be careful. -Zelda
After Cassandra returned it Link carefully placed it back in a silkish case and replaced it in his tunic before he leaned back on the railing using his hands to support himself as he looked at the stars. Cassandra looked with him "So many of them. Makes you wonder doesn't it?" Link nodded incoherently "There might be other worlds out there, far greater than just the void of the sea or the endless plains. There is no way of telling what is beyond the clouds." she said.
Link found himself looking away "By all means, I've essentially lost my world." he confessed before turning away not wanting her to see his depression. She really couldn't blame him for how he was feeling, even if he might have been unconsciously venting on the group. Having to leave his friends and homeland all in the same day because of a problem that could almost be connected to them, if she were in his position she would be untrusting of everyone around her. She probably would have assaulted Sophitia the moment it became known that she had played a hand in the shattering of the first Soul Edge.
Cassandra looked down and placed her hand over his, he looked back at her questioningly as she did this. Cassandra spoke "I cannot understand exactly how you must feel, but know that your friends are with you. Both here and in your homeland. We don't forget about our own. We won't let you be left with nowhere to go." Link nodded as she said this and breathed. Cassandra brought up her hand to place it on his shoulder "You should get some sleep Link. You look terrible." Link smiled at this, you would think that seven years of it would be enough for a while.
Cassandra started to walk away when Link looked up "Cassandra. Thanks." he said with a nod of his head. Cassandra smiled back at him "No thanks needed Link. Your an ally and we trust you. See you in the morning." she said walking back through the door. Link turned back toward the railing to look at the stars wondering if he was seeing Hyrule without knowing it and they might be looking back at him. He tightened his fist as he thought of this knight in azure armor, an enemy that he had never known but somehow managed to loath "I will make you pay." he swore under his breath.
Next Chapter: Chase in the Night
(The Voice of Ivy) Half of my purpose with the Black Wind is finding perspective fighters to lead our forces as well as recovering shards of the Soul Edge. Most of the time great fighters are unable to resist the temptations of the sword and those that can are usually holy men or priests, those we cannot use. Arriving in Istanbul however I have come across one that has managed to both prove himself a high ranking fighter and resistance to the shards. Recruiting him might be possible if he is willing to name a price we can offer, though his company might not make that easy.