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Soul Calibur: Of Souls And Swords
Chapter Eleven: The Battle of Istanbul
Talim backed slowly into Link while the angered Raphael and the energetic Yunsung joined them feeling the tension as the bodyguards approached them. Talim's hands slowly dropped behind her back and under her cloak to grip the twin elbow blades which had drawn blood more than once before. Raphael kept a clear eye on his sword that one of the bodyguards dared to threaten him with, his left foot nudged Yunsung who nudged him back to confirm it.
Link noticed this out the corner of his eyes and knew they were plotting, and couldn't predict what they planned to do. He just hoped that in the confusion he would be able to get his sword back, then take the fragment before it drove this man to insanity. Of course, all things considered there wasn't much more damage that the shard could possibly do beyond its initial possession.
The Don rasped as he held the shard in one hand and his Rapier in the other "You should have known better than to come here Sorel." Raphael narrowed his eyes at the Don popping the ligaments in his hands upon tightening his fist. The Don laughed almost insanely "Yes I know who you are. Though your bounty may only exist in France we only wish for your death. You're a failure to both your country and your class." Link looked toward Raphael as he gave a look that showed he couldn't care less.
Yunsung spoke up suddenly "There is one thing that you don't understand, dumbass."
DeVal crossed his arms "Oh and what is that?" he asked. The bodyguards chuckled as their master taunted.
Raphael then made his moved dashing to the guard holding his sword, his right hand clamped over the man's wrist and he spun his side lightly grazing the flat edge of the sword before sending his left elbow into the man's face. Yunsung took advantage of one guard's distraction and rushed him jumping into the air smashing his foot into the man's shoulder a snapping sound could be heard. Yunsung moved downward as the man fell and retrieved his gold hilted blade, the White Storm "Quality always prevails over quanity." Yunsung then rushed him "Now give me that stupid fragment!"
Talim moved her elbow blades swinging hard in a crossover style before snapping one of the normal fencing blades in half sending it to the floor. Talim then jumped forward sending the blunt end of the elbow blade into the man's face breaking his nose. Link moved forward, rolling hard on the ground as the last bodyguard made a stab at him just missing by a few inches as Link then moved to the side. Link came up grabbing the man by the arm and then twisting hard to slam him into the floor. There was the sliding of metal against metal before the blade of Rothion's sword cut into the rapier bending it to the side. Link then swung his foot into the man's head knocking him out in one clean movement.
Yunsung rushed toward the Don furiously swinging the much more broad blade at him only to have it blocked by the reinforced rapier he carried. The Don laughed as he moved and tried to stab Yunsung who quickly moved and swung at his head. The Don dodged and moved hard kicking the Korean youth in the side hard sending him off balance. Yunsung landed on his feet as the blow was more of a push than a kick. DeVal then took off running "Kill them!" he shouted.
Yunsung jumped up "Eh. Cowardly bastard." he growled.
Link looked toward Yunsung "He's possessed by a shard of Soul Edge. It maxes out any fighting techniques he knows and might have given him others, the longer he holds it the more dangerous he becomes." Yunsung paid no attention to Link as he rushed out. They left the bodyguards on the floor in pain.
Link and Talim dashed out of the room looking around right after Yunsung who stood on the balcony "Where did that fool get off to?" he asked to himself as he scanned the hall. DeVal stood on the other side holding up the fragment in his clinched hand the red glow coming between his fingers.
Several more men came into the room carrying either swords of make shift weapons, Yunsung growled "Don't you dare tell me every last employee of this guy is willing to die for him." he flipped his blade in his hand.
The insane Frenchman pointed at them "Dead! I want them dead!" he shouted. Yunsung was about to run when somebody stepped past him.
The young master of the Sorel family, Raphael looked back at the others holding his precious rapier Flambert pointed toward the ground "This fool is mine. I don't know who you two are but I suggest you try to keep yourselves alive. Perhaps we can make some sort of agreement later over that silly hunk of tin." Link nodded.
He and Talim had no knowledge of the fencing style and Yunsung was unfamiliar as well, it was best they allow this man to take care of it. The bodyguards rushed toward them with their weapons as Raphael moved away, Link drew his sword and looked toward Talim and Yunsung "Stay close." he said. They both nodded. Link reached back under his hood tucking his ears into the cap he normally wore as he prepared himself.
Meanwhile, back at the docks the trio of Kilik, Xianghua and Maxi returned to the Eternal Wind having found absolutely nothing. The once cursed young man stepped back up onto the deck of the ship and sighed as he realized nobody else had returned. Stephan was at the back of the ship looking at the other ships coming into and leaving the dock through his telescope, his weapon of choice, a standard Indian long sword, hanging in it's sheath. Michael was checking over the ropes that secured the ship in place, his weapon of choice an eight foot pole spear was held in his hand as well for safety's sake. Xianghua followed Kilik resting against the railing next to him, Maxi meanwhile stepped up to Stephan who seemed to be looking at something.
Maxi stepped up casually not wanting to spook him "What do you see?" Stephan looked back at their apparent captain as he continued to try to get focus on something coming from around the bay, suddenly there was a look of shock on his face.
He looked to Maxi "Whatever it is it isn't good." he whispered Maxi took the telescope away with a swift hand and focused in on a ship that had been painted black to match the stormy gray sails. It was one of the more simple military ships, outfitted with only a few cannons on the starboard and port side and one would expect it to be a private ship that was outfitted against pirates. He then spotted it standing on the deck, one of the grotesquely ugly Uruk-hai that had once been created by Nightmare and the temptress called Ivy, as well as the lower class Lizardmen he had encountered while hunting Astaroth.
Maxi closed the telescope as he noticed them heading toward the harbor "Damn it all." he cursed as he jumped down tossing the telescope back to Stephan "Michael! Kilik! Cut the damn rope! We're pulling out!"
Kilik looked up "Whats going on!" he shouted. Maxi pointed toward the cove as another ship came into view.
"Remember those lizardmen that were in league with Nightmare a few years back? Well there is a whole ship of them and they are heading this way!" he shouted. Michael moved down the side of the ship, swiping his razor tipped spear which cut through the thick rope dropping it, Xianghua moved doing the same to the other side. Maxi already had his plan, the Eternal Wind was armed with a ramming spike under the water line, they would ram one of them and take the other head on. They had to give the others more time to find the shard.
It didn't take too long for both of the ships to get ready, then Maxi noticed it as they drew closer as he checked through the telescope once again "More of them!" he snarled as he noticed one seemed to be entering the harbor while the other one hung back behind it. That one was strictly for transporting soldiers and the one taking point was armed with a number of cannons.
Maxi looked onward as he took hold of the wheel hoping they would be able to slip past easily enough, the wind was hitting them from the direction they were traveling so they had to count on the brothers and Juan to get them out far enough. "Everybody get ready!" he shouted as the Eternal Wind left dock Kilik and Xianghua stood ready on deck to fight.
Back in the streets of Istanbul the two Athenian sisters and Jack walked still not sensing the fragment. Cassandra eventually stopped resting against a nearby wall "I really think that Talim must have made a mistake." she said. Sophitia however seemed to be looking onward feeling that something wasn't right.
Suddenly she heard it just down the road, the explosion of gunpowder from a good distance away right before a cannonball smashed into a nearby home erupting with an explosion. "WHOA!" Jack shouted in shock as he jumped back. Sophitia narrowed her eyes as she drew her sword and shield hoping that it was just some very foolish pirates or a mistake by the Navy.
Cassandra looked up doing the same as her sister "It cannot be." she said.
Sophitia shook her head as she gripped her weapons "Now is when we confirm everything we think we might know. Back to the ship at once!" she ordered and the three of them ran down the road.
Getting back to the harbor it was pure pandemonium as the two ships from the Black Wind came swiftly toward the middle of the harbor. One came to a halt dropping its sails before its several cannons went off sending the explosive filled cannonballs into the streets, each one going off with great destructive force. The other one proceeded toward the harbor as if to dock it was an invasion Sophitia could already see the monsters on board.
Sophitia looked to Cassandra as it was clear that their ship had left already, Sophitia however had faith in whatever Maxi planned. Jack checked his rifle and looked toward the women "This isn't good. Hopefully the Defenders will arrive in time." Sophitia looked toward Jack as he said this, obviously he was well informed.
The group called the Defenders were essentially created of several different brigades of knights and warriors that protected their towns and had been active in the search for the Soul Edge. This alliance was founded by the Defenders of Venice and had gained many groups that would cooperate in maintaining peace in these warring times. Turkey possessed a unit that she knew was rather formidable and they were stationed near Istanbul. However, now that the Black Wind was making their official comeback statement, it concerned her as to if the Defenders would be seeking to claim it once again. Their intentions had never been known.
Sophitia watched as the ship didn't even bother to slow and came to a forced stop at the docks with their ramps dropping. The monsters began to step off each one wielding either a sword, spear or ax, but none of them very efficiently made weapons. She quickly realized that there was no other choice but the fight until the local militia arrived "Cassandra. Jack. They are going to do as much killing as they must to find what they are looking for. We have to stall them." she insisted.
Jack looked at her as the cannonballs flew over their heads a few of them smashing into the large mansion that could be seen from the harbor "It wouldn't take much effort to take us out if they saw us. With all due respect going out there is suicide." Sophitia growled as she watched this as they seemed to be marching down the empty street toward the mansion not even seeing them.
Suddenly it happened as they heard the sound of the cannons being mixed with splintering wood, they all looked out and saw that the Eternal Wind had rammed itself into the ship that had been firing upon the city. As the ramming spike under the waterline made contact with the ship it must have struck their hold as the ship seemed to be rocked with explosions. The raw force of the explosions forced the spike back out and set the Eternal Wind drifting slightly, one could almost picture Maxi's cook wondering what was going on.
Kilik and Xianghua both breathed in relief as they saw the other ship had started to rapidly sink into the bay pulling all of the creatures onboard with it. Save for the remaining lizardmen who started swimming for shore. Maxi pulled tight on the wheel as the wind caught their sails again "Hold on! We're not out of the woods yet!" he shouted as they headed past their sunken enemy, the remaining cannons were only able to shoot skyward. Kilik and Xianghua of course had to work to keep a few of their swimming foes from boarding the Eternal Wind while Maxi kept a straight course with the dock across from the ship, he suspected the spike might have been blown off and didn't want to get swarmed.
Sophitia looked from their place in the alleyway as the twenty to thirty monsters looked back at this, the small minded and expendable abominations squeaked and whispered to one another. The ever serious and dangerous Uruk-hai grunted as they continued toward their target without question. The highly trained Lizardmen roared for their swimming comrades to join them. Jack looked toward Sophitia who motioned toward the two story level of the roof, Maxi had bragged about his shooting ability and it pleased her enough to trust him. A certain someone meanwhile watched with amusement from her place on a building adjacent to the mansion.
They started moving again when Sophitia and Cassandra stepped out of the alley way each of them holding their weapons. The creatures all came to a stop as they saw them each of them threatening them with their blades, Ivy looked up and took her spy glass the lens focusing on Sophitia. Counting off her appearances and attributes Ivy couldn't help but smile "So this is the one who wished to save dear Siegfried so long ago." Ivy really didn't care what happened to the troops, with armies willing to throw themselves at them in the attempt to gain the Soul Edge. She was more interested in seeing exactly what their leader once saw in this woman.
One of the Lizardmen stepped up, this one wore a golden chest plate and carried a double bladed spear, it swung it going into stance with one end under its shoulder "Stand side! No hurt!" the monster demanded in it's deep throaty voice its tongue lightly passing between it's jaws. The two Athenian maiden's however responded by bringing up their weapons into stance and bracing themselves. The monster narrowed its slit eyes and pointed forward and three of the gray skinned orcs rushed Sophitia and Cassandra whom both held their grounds. Two split up taking targets while the third jumped toward Sophitia.
Suddenly there was action as the sound of a rifle went off from an unseen point and the metal ball passed right through the leaping monster's head. Sophitia and Cassandra knew whom was responsible and took their chances darting forward at their opponents. Sophitia swung first her left arm wielding her shield up slapping the orcs cheaply made sword up away from her before she followed up twisting her body and swinging the blade held in her right hand. It passed up stabbing into the monster's chest before splitting it's collar bone coming through the shoulder.
Cassandra let out an aggressive yelp as she moved forward going low in a swift motion before slamming the blade of the Alpha Sword into the orc's stomach. She then drew it out and came up with her left foot giving a powerful roundhouse kick sending it away. She bit her lip at the sight of the strange black oily blood.
The Lizardman that lead the strike roared in anger as it watched three of the lower class troops get taken out and pointed his spear forward "Through!" he grunted before he rushed. This was right before they heard the alarm bell off their ship, they all turned to see the Eternal Wind there with the cannons it possessed ready. They all went off at once in a furry of erupting gunpowder and smoke at the unprotected enemy ship punching several holes in the hull of it.
Ivy growled at the sight. This ship, meant strictly for carrying troops, wasn't outfitted for head on fighting. Suddenly two figures jumped from the ship, one of them carried a seven foot rod over his shoulder the other carried a slender bladed sword. Ivy cursed her luck. The woman truly was the one that shattered the first broken Soul Edge and those two that jumped ship were undoubtably the two that battled and injured the remaining blade just four years prior.
They both ran toward the edge of the boat and then leapt off as two more shots were fired from the Eternal Wind smashing in to the group of monsters killing a decent number. On deck Michael laughed with victory as Juan and Stephan continued to prepare the cannons. Maxi pulled away from the wheel as he stood on deck ready with both of his weapons awaiting the enemy, he looked outward "Kilik! Xianghua! We have the boat! Get the damned shard!" he shouted. Cassandra looked toward the mansion as they finally had time to feel it out obviously whoever had it was clutching it now. The monsters roared before rushing towards the mansion.
It was pure chaos up and down the street as the monsters at least thirty of them rushed toward the mansion a decent number of them avoiding the maidens as well as Kilik and Xianghua who made their way over. All of the others that had still been on the boat were preparing to board the Eternal Wind and left the said crew with quite a problem. However none of them really lasted long as none of the superior fighters had stayed on board, only the weak minded, home grown orcs. Maxi's shouts of adrenaline as well as Michael's grunts from the weight of his spear could be heard from the streets as the monsters rushed the mansion. While a faction of the abominations stayed to hold off Kilik and the others.
Yunsung grunted as he smashed his fist, which was still gripping his sword, into the last bodyguard's face. He and Talim had taken over the main hall, the bodies of the unconscious, defeated bodyguards and their discarded weapons littered the balconies and the ground floor. Yunsung breathed as he brought up the White Storm ready as he stepped up the balcony looking back as Talim speedily walked toward him "You alright?"
Yunsung brushed off his arms keeping up his attitude "Sure. Why wouldn't I be?" Talim sighed at the pride and arrogance that Yunsung flaunted so often. Link was nowhere to be found he obviously wanted to fight without the threat of showing the two new fighters his true identity.
Yunsung and Talim stood on a small balcony right above the main entrance and they could see all of the main hall. Yunsung looked at his handy work and lightly smiled "Too easy I say." he pointed out.
Talim looked at him "Only when its made that way." she said spinning one of her elbow blades. Yunsung turned and looked out the large stained glass window and his eyes widened as he saw through the blurry glass "Huh?" he quickly brought up his sword and forced a hole in the glass. His eyes widened as he saw the strike force of Uruk-hai and Lizardmen rushing the mansion "Okay, that for sure is not a good thing." he breathed as he heard the front doors being forced open.
Ivy smiled with amusement as she watched her target climb the ladder to the roof from the third floor balcony obviously being driven crazy by the shard. He carried a standard Rapier with him, but it wouldn't do him any good. It was all a matter of just waiting for him to hold still then sending Valentine through his back and heart. Suddenly another person caught her eye as he moved through the balcony door and rushed up the ladder toward where the Don was on the flat roof. Ivy looked at the man unable to tell who it was at such a distance taking out her spy glass once again she looked toward him focusing.
Isabella Valentine let a smile cross her violet lips as she realized who he was, perhaps her time living elsewhere in her childhood and teen years wasn't in vain after all. "What a pitiful small word we live in." she murmured to herself as one frenchman looked at the other. The new arrival drew out his sword, the red and silver designs reflecting in the pre-noon sun as the familiar man prepared to put his skills to the test. DeVal completely lost in his lust of the shard hissed at the man as he jerked out his own rapier going into an inexperienced stance that showed he had no clue of what he was doing. Insanity had its weaknesses.
Raphael looked at the Don threatened him at his own style of fighting as an amused and somehow serious expression came over his face. DeVal breathed gaspingly "I'll kill you. I'll watch you die!" he shot out. Raphael narrowed his eyes knowing exactly what DeVal's history was, he was a smuggler, underground crime lord and his only form of self defense were the talents of other people. Though by the way he was taking hold of that shard he could be drawing knowledge off it, because it was quite obvious he had no technique.
Raphael took a bow forward as he raised Flambert "Well then. Let us dance." he said his voice dripping with ego. While he was in no way a very arrogant person when he found himself in a serious battle, it was his way of infuriating his opponent. It worked often as well.
Three different battles at the same point in time. All for the same piece of demonic steel.
Next Chapter: The Battle of Istanbul pt.2
(Voice of Xianghua) This is a nightmare! It is exactly as it was all those years ago! There is no doubt that the Black Wind has returned with not only Nightmare, but a great deal more power behind them! I don't know how we are going to fight this battle, but we cannot allow this city to fall under the fires of those that serve the Soul Edge. Good thing the Defenders are on our side, we need all the help we can get.