Disclaimer: I don't own Soul Caliber, Tekken or any of it's characters. They all belong to NAMCO. I don't own anybody from the Zelda Series they belong to Nintendo. I do not own Spawn or Necrid either, Todd McFarlane does. And if you want the copyright info on the Original Characters it is in my profile.
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Soul Calibur II: Of Souls And Swords
Chapter Twenty-Two: Emotions Conflict
Cassandra looked up over Link's shoulder as he lead the horse to follow the tracks that Sophitia's had left behind in the dirt and sand. The warm desert wind blew at them as they rode fast across the seemingly endless plains of the rocky desert, but Link didn't seem to halt the horse as he pushed on. Cassandra reinforced her hold around Link's abdomen as the horse soon reached the edge of a hill in the distance they could see the light of what appeared to be a small fire in the distance. Link gripped the reigns in his hands as he looked back to Cassandra "Be on your guard." he said in a tone that made Cassandra tense up.
Link gave the horse a soft kick to the side and it moved first down the hill and then began to go into full gallop once it reached the straight flat terrain of the desert. Cassandra's short hair blew in the wind as she held onto Link, the sword on his back didn't clatter within it's sheath as they moved. It might have just been the moonlight but Cassandra could swear that there was some sort of a light from the blade's hilt. It wasn't long before they began to come up upon the fire which seemed to have been built in the middle of some ruins, several pillars surrounded the fire and it seemed to have been abandoned.
Link jumped off the horse kicking up sand as he landed, he then helped Cassandra off the horse but as she stepped off her foot got tangled in the stirrups and she fell, right on top of Link. The Hylian's back hit the sand as well as he broke Cassandra's fall, this was right before he noticed the proximity of their lips. Cassandra looked down at him softly not moving at all, Link was the same way as he looked up at her, it was as if both of them were entranced by one another's eyes in this rather unusual position. Cassandra didn't really know why but she didn't feel so out of place where she was, her hands almost didn't want to push up off of his chest.
Link in all trueness didn't know what to think at this point. He had to admit that he did like Cassandra a lot but he didn't know what actions would upset or please her. But now probably wasn't the time to think of getting close, and the feel of his shield's end poking into his back wasn't exactly comfortable. Cassandra eventually broke off the stare and slowly stood up pushing off of him before offering her hand "Sorry, not used to these things." she said referring to the saddle. Link took her hand and she pulled him to his feet "No problem." he said hoping that the night was concealing any blush upon his face.
The two of them looked back toward the ruins as Cassandra looked at the horse which seemed to relax itself probably wanting to catch some sleep like its partners. Cassandra also knew that it wasn't going anywhere considering that it was the desert and it was night the animal had the instinct to not run off blindly into the darkness. Link stepped one foot onto the old steps of these ruins that probably belonged to a merchant long ago that would offer service to travelers in the desert, at least that was his guess. Cassandra followed as well holding her sword in her right hand while Link walked toward the shadows of the ruins.
The fire had been made fairly recently and it seemed to have started burning off of a piece of fabric and some stray wood. A lantern sat next to the entrance of the ruins, they were small ruins it was probably no more than a single room shelter for travelers. Cassandra moved forward picking it up and stepped into the room in front of Link who removed his sword from its sheath. There was a suddenly swooping sound as something cut the air, it was immediately followed by a sound of metal scrapping stone and sparks were seen from a corner of the room.
Cassandra looked over holding the lamp up to place more light on the room, somebody stood there holding a sword in one hand and gripped its sheath in the other. "Sophitia?" Cassandra said out as Link lowered his weapon. The figure looked back revealing Sophitia's form to the light while she seemed to still be herself she was clearly very upset about something. Proof was the fact that the wall had been struck constantly with the extra sword she carried, the Omega Sword was still at her side but her spare weapon was now beyond use.
Sophitia looked back toward them as the took the ruined sword and tossed it to the side the blade broke in half as it hit the floor, she dropped the sheath as well "What are you doing here Cassandra?" she asked. Cassandra blinked at her sister as she said this, her voice was both harsh and cold she was not acting at all like herself. Was this why she ran off? Sophitia then turned her eyes toward Link as he sheathed the sword she had commissioned her husband to forge for him, she huffed lightly at his presence obviously feeling that whatever was going on was none of his business.
Cassandra eventually spoke after a few tense moments "We...and the others were worried about you because you didn't return before dark. They suggested we find you." Sophitia huffed at this before lightly turning away "The desert is a dangerous place Sophitia." Link stated to back up the group's concern. Sophitia looked back to both of them as if triggered by Link's words "Well you can tell all of them that I can take care of myself. If I run into any trouble I'll deal with it." Sophitia then walked away from the wall toward them, Cassandra lightly stepped back as she saw the amount of anger in Sophitia's eyes as she took the lantern from her sister "You should both return at once. I'll be back in the morning." she said before she started to walk away.
Cassandra at first felt a little afraid but then found her hands clinching into fists as she dared to dismiss both of them. Senior or not she was still her younger sister for Athena's sake! She took a step forward stamping her foot onto the stone to grab Sophitia's attention "What the hell is wrong with you Sophitia?! What are you hiding?!" she shouted. Sophitia turned back lightly toward her sister and gave a light sigh before looking up with the same leer of anger in her eyes "Your too young to understand Cassandra. Just go away and leave me alone!" she shouted suddenly before turning her back to them rather swiftly.
Cassandra trembled with both anger and sorrow as she still couldn't believe she had just been denied by her own sister. Cassandra looked up as she heard a few soft footprints from her right, Link walked by and started toward Sophitia not exactly looking pleased himself as his left hand gripped the hilt of the sword rather tightly. Sophitia looked back from where she was to see Link walking up "Stay away from me!" she shouted at the foreign warrior, Link didn't flinch at all not out of surprise, fear or respect. He just kept walking toward Sophitia.
Sophitia continued to look over her shoulder as Link approached holding her husband's sword pointed toward the ground. She narrowed her eyes as she toward him swiping one hand through the air threatening him as he crossed the fifteen feet line "I said go away!" she shouted. Link spoke suddenly his voice deep with seriousness forged over time through battles "I hear clearly what you say Sophitia. But I'm not leaving this place until you tell your sister what is going on. I believe she has a right to know." Sophitia took in a few quick breaths as Link stopped five feet from her, his eyes locked with hers.
Cassandra watched from her place across the room as this happened, Link might as well have been comparing himself to Hercules doing such a thing. Link watched Sophitia's eyes clearly as she took a step back, her eyes calmed themselves of their piercing glare and he could then see something past the anger. It was a look of depression and anxiety. Link slowly parted his lips before speaking "I see now Sophitia. Your not angry, if so its only at yourself." he said. Cassandra took a step forward as he said this "What?" both her and Sophitia murmured under their breath.
The elven swordsman continued to speak only causing Sophitia to feel more and more closed in "Your eyes betray you Sophitia. Your filled with distress and confusion. You haven't a clue of what is going on. Your afraid, its okay to be afraid." Sophitia clinched her fist before taking a swing at Link's head "I am not afraid!" she shouted. Link stepped back just getting out of the way before moving forward to shove Sophitia hard against the wall, she fell down into a sitting position obviously having the breath sent from her lungs. Cassandra started running over as she saw this wondering now what the hell Link was thinking.
Link spoke a final time before Cassandra could interrupt him "Snap out of it Sophitia. I don't know about the others but you don't have to prove yourself to me or your sister." Sophitia lowered her head to look at the floor just as Cassandra came up pulling Link away "What the hell are you doing?" she shouted at Link. "How..." Sophitia suddenly said in what was almost a whimper, she then looked clearly at Link "How can you possibly read me like that?!" she cried out fighting off tears of defeat.
Link took a breath before he closed his eyes, he was going to start speaking of his past. Cassandra had noticed that he did this prior to doing so "I've seen this look in a persons eyes before Sophitia. It is a very rare clash of the human conscience, when one's strong personal feelings clash with and oath or their own responsibility." Cassandra looked at Sophitia, what could she possibly feel urged to do but also feel unable "In my homeland they call this the conflict of emotions, and it can cause the kind of anxiety that can ruin anybody." Sophitia breathed as this was said to her.
Cassandra looked to Link as she kneeled to her sister asking her what was happening "Come on sis. What is going on? If your scared please tell me what of. Please!" she begged holding her sister's shoulders. Sophitia looked down toward the ground clinching her fists hard "Nightmare." she said simply and rather swiftly. Cassandra looked at her sister as this was said this "Nightmare? Why?" she was confused. Sophitia had been ready to slay Nightmare two years ago but never seemed to speak of it and up until now had seemed ready to face him once again. Sophitia trembled as she looked at the ground "I do not fear the man I just...I cannot fight him Cassandra!" she shouted as she looked up tears streaking her cheeks.
Link closed his eyes as he stood against the wall. All of this was beginning to take its toll on his limited amount of patience, it was all falling together as it did during the time Soul Edge's fragments were in Hyrule. Cassandra spoke "I don't understand." she said as she comforted her sister. Sophitia sniffed lightly "You know how Kilik and Xianghua confronted Nightmare. Before they did I was there and I met with him, but when I saw his face I couldn't bring myself to end his existence." Cassandra looked at her sister "You mean to tell us you know who Nightmare was before he because what Soul Edge has made him?!"
Sophitia nodded and she continued "He also hesitated greatly when he saw me, we both had were basically left fireless by this. And judging by how long Nightmare has been around he was probably only Talim's age when he obtained the sword. Considering that he stopped and didn't just cut me down he didn't give himself to the sword, he would never!" there was silence before she continued. She whipped her tears and spoke "I thought I would try again and give him a clean death by as the days have passed I've been replaying it in my mind and I now know that I will not be able to look into that face and fight." Cassandra breathed as she held her sister.
Link spoke up suddenly "I can understand how you must feel Sophitia. You and the one that was another before Nightmare, you were close weren't you?" he asked wanting to know just how deep this went. Sophitia breathed before speaking "We met each other during my first journey and we both hunted the Soul Edge. We grew very...close." she said stressing the last word. Needless to say Cassandra was more than a little shocked by this revelation, it was like asking Sophitia to kill one of the team. Somebody she knew and trusted.
There was a long tense silence from the three of them as Sophitia fought off her tears enough to look at them muttering once again that she would be useless against him. Link heard this and looked up with a deep resolve in his eyes "Fine then. If you cannot fight him then I will." he says flat out leaving no room for interruption. Sophitia looked up at Link as he said this and was about to cut in but he continued "I will do what I was sent here to do. I will pry Soul Edge from his hands and take it out of existence. Sophitia, you have my word that if it is at all possible I will do all I can to only destroy the sword and not the one it manipulates." he said before starting out.
Sophitia got up her courage and spoke up "Link!" she called out. He turned his head back to look at her, Sophitia looked at him and spoke "I appreciate your concern but you have no idea what your getting into." Cassandra placed a hand on her tired sister's shoulder "I don't think any of us do. We can make up some sort of a plan when we get back. Tell him everything you can of his style, anything that can be useful." Sophitia let this wash over her and then looked to Link nodding her head "You have any support I can give." she said gratefully. Link looked at both of them "Your brave Sophitia but one shouldn't let their own devotion make them heartless." he said before he started to walk over.
He knelt down taking the lantern and looking at them "We should probably head back. We can talk this over in the morning." Sophitia nodded and allowed Link to help her to her feet, she then left the shrine to her own horse that was around the back. Link breathed before he started out "Link please wait." he looked back to Cassandra as she walked up looking as if she was at a loss for words. "Your going to risk your life for my sister? Are you seriously going to go up against Nightmare?!" she asked almost as if she was in partial distress.
Link breathed as he looked back at Sophitia as she rode away from the shrine "More than half of my life has been spent fighting in some way or form. There is no likely way for me to get back to my home. As for Sophitia, Talim and I spent the night at her house before leaving Athens. She has a husband to return to not to mention the rest of her family, they plan on having children when this is all over. I am not about to let her risk her life when she fells it is futile." Cassandra looked at him and looked at him "Thank you, I don't know what to say." Link however didn't seem as positive as before.
He sighed before he spoke "It's just better if I fight Nightmare and die than if she does. She would be defeated before she even drew her sword going in with such emotions while the Soul Edge makes Nightmare heartless. I've seen enough tears in my life and I'm sick of them. Besides if I died who in this world would care?" he then started to walk out. Cassandra lightly looked at the floor as she once again saw his longing for his home "I'd care..." she said to herself before following. It wasn't long before they were both on their way back to camp but Link was silent the whole way. Though she was thankful for taking the responsibility off Sophitia's shoulders Cassandra still felt and aching in her heart for him.
Meanwhile back at the camp the remaining five members of the group had finally gotten on another subject outside their encounters with Soul Edge: Their personal lives. Mitsurugi lightly rolled his eyes as Maxi asked him once again if there was anybody special in his life "Look at our current scenario, what do you think?" he said as he leaned back inhaling the tobacco he had brought with him. Kilik and Xianghua sat back not knowing how this had gotten started but both of them wanted to know more about these two who had thus far given no information about their pasts or personal lives.
Maxi shrugged before he continued "Well ever before?" he asked. Mitsurugi in response looked toward Taki drawing out his sword a few inches, he gave a light grin "Are you sure we need him?" Maxi grumbled at this as he sat back knowing he wasn't getting anything from Mitsurugi "Hard ass." he said simply. Taki smirked in a chuckle as she continued looking over some of her equipment, it was entertaining to see Mitsurugi show what little sense of humor he possessed but the man was a complete lock down on his past. He possessed a life time military career and he was one of the finest, it wasn't like he gave much concentration to relationships.
Xianghua suddenly spoke up to the somewhat more social Taki Moyika "Well what about you?" Taki looked up at Xianghua placing down one of the throwing stars she had been cleaning "Has there ever been anybody special in your life?" Taki looked at Xianghua as she was asked this "Your joking right?" Taki asked dryly. Xianghua rolled her eyes at the much older warrior before speaking "Oh come on. Look at yourself there is no way you can say that you've never had it with somebody. Or are you truly that desperate to be alone." Taki huffed as she crossed her arms "Why are you three so desperate to know such intimate pieces of our lives? It isn't like you have a right to pry." she said sternly toward the Chinese girl.
Mitsurugi sighed before speaking up "If it will shut you up it isn't like I'm completely uncaring. But most people around my area wait till later in their lives to start a family. So your not going to get much from me." this seemed to silence the three of them. Taki slowly stood up before walking away "Love has already crossed me, and I'm not going to let it distract me again." she said as she retired to her tent. Kilik spoke up as Taki forcefully closed one of the flaps "Lets change the subject before one of us gets angry." he said. They all agreed.
Taki huffed as she placed all of her equipment back in her bag, everything that they had just asked her only served to irritate her. Mainly because in her training such feelings as desire were made to be seen as illusions, being asked such things got to her because she felt that it was her only failing. Not being able to see it as an illusion. Her anger seemed to melt away as she found something in her luggage, she removed what appeared to be a small silver chain that was very finely crafted. There was a disc shapped charm on it as well which bore a few runes which appeared to be a family seal of sorts.
She closed her eyes as she softly closed her hand around it and placed it around her neck with care looking at it and giving a gentle sigh. A single tear ran down her cheek which she swiftly whipped away, she then laid back closing her eyes. She didn't need to be recollecting so much before heading into this confrontation. But still she couldn't help but wonder just what had become of him after she left the clan to protect her sword.
Next Chapter: Another Shattered Sword
The Black Wind finally locates the shard of Soul Edge that was buried beneath the sands of the desert however as the storm rolls in so does the White Wind. However it becomes apparent that there is nothing that resembles light remaining in the Azure Nightmare. But how does a shard of an infamous spirit sword fit into all of this?
NOTE: I need reviews for inspiration. Please don't forget to. Also please tell me should more be revealed on Taki's love life or should it remain a mystery?
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Soul Calibur II: Of Souls And Swords
Chapter Twenty-Two: Emotions Conflict
Cassandra looked up over Link's shoulder as he lead the horse to follow the tracks that Sophitia's had left behind in the dirt and sand. The warm desert wind blew at them as they rode fast across the seemingly endless plains of the rocky desert, but Link didn't seem to halt the horse as he pushed on. Cassandra reinforced her hold around Link's abdomen as the horse soon reached the edge of a hill in the distance they could see the light of what appeared to be a small fire in the distance. Link gripped the reigns in his hands as he looked back to Cassandra "Be on your guard." he said in a tone that made Cassandra tense up.
Link gave the horse a soft kick to the side and it moved first down the hill and then began to go into full gallop once it reached the straight flat terrain of the desert. Cassandra's short hair blew in the wind as she held onto Link, the sword on his back didn't clatter within it's sheath as they moved. It might have just been the moonlight but Cassandra could swear that there was some sort of a light from the blade's hilt. It wasn't long before they began to come up upon the fire which seemed to have been built in the middle of some ruins, several pillars surrounded the fire and it seemed to have been abandoned.
Link jumped off the horse kicking up sand as he landed, he then helped Cassandra off the horse but as she stepped off her foot got tangled in the stirrups and she fell, right on top of Link. The Hylian's back hit the sand as well as he broke Cassandra's fall, this was right before he noticed the proximity of their lips. Cassandra looked down at him softly not moving at all, Link was the same way as he looked up at her, it was as if both of them were entranced by one another's eyes in this rather unusual position. Cassandra didn't really know why but she didn't feel so out of place where she was, her hands almost didn't want to push up off of his chest.
Link in all trueness didn't know what to think at this point. He had to admit that he did like Cassandra a lot but he didn't know what actions would upset or please her. But now probably wasn't the time to think of getting close, and the feel of his shield's end poking into his back wasn't exactly comfortable. Cassandra eventually broke off the stare and slowly stood up pushing off of him before offering her hand "Sorry, not used to these things." she said referring to the saddle. Link took her hand and she pulled him to his feet "No problem." he said hoping that the night was concealing any blush upon his face.
The two of them looked back toward the ruins as Cassandra looked at the horse which seemed to relax itself probably wanting to catch some sleep like its partners. Cassandra also knew that it wasn't going anywhere considering that it was the desert and it was night the animal had the instinct to not run off blindly into the darkness. Link stepped one foot onto the old steps of these ruins that probably belonged to a merchant long ago that would offer service to travelers in the desert, at least that was his guess. Cassandra followed as well holding her sword in her right hand while Link walked toward the shadows of the ruins.
The fire had been made fairly recently and it seemed to have started burning off of a piece of fabric and some stray wood. A lantern sat next to the entrance of the ruins, they were small ruins it was probably no more than a single room shelter for travelers. Cassandra moved forward picking it up and stepped into the room in front of Link who removed his sword from its sheath. There was a suddenly swooping sound as something cut the air, it was immediately followed by a sound of metal scrapping stone and sparks were seen from a corner of the room.
Cassandra looked over holding the lamp up to place more light on the room, somebody stood there holding a sword in one hand and gripped its sheath in the other. "Sophitia?" Cassandra said out as Link lowered his weapon. The figure looked back revealing Sophitia's form to the light while she seemed to still be herself she was clearly very upset about something. Proof was the fact that the wall had been struck constantly with the extra sword she carried, the Omega Sword was still at her side but her spare weapon was now beyond use.
Sophitia looked back toward them as the took the ruined sword and tossed it to the side the blade broke in half as it hit the floor, she dropped the sheath as well "What are you doing here Cassandra?" she asked. Cassandra blinked at her sister as she said this, her voice was both harsh and cold she was not acting at all like herself. Was this why she ran off? Sophitia then turned her eyes toward Link as he sheathed the sword she had commissioned her husband to forge for him, she huffed lightly at his presence obviously feeling that whatever was going on was none of his business.
Cassandra eventually spoke after a few tense moments "We...and the others were worried about you because you didn't return before dark. They suggested we find you." Sophitia huffed at this before lightly turning away "The desert is a dangerous place Sophitia." Link stated to back up the group's concern. Sophitia looked back to both of them as if triggered by Link's words "Well you can tell all of them that I can take care of myself. If I run into any trouble I'll deal with it." Sophitia then walked away from the wall toward them, Cassandra lightly stepped back as she saw the amount of anger in Sophitia's eyes as she took the lantern from her sister "You should both return at once. I'll be back in the morning." she said before she started to walk away.
Cassandra at first felt a little afraid but then found her hands clinching into fists as she dared to dismiss both of them. Senior or not she was still her younger sister for Athena's sake! She took a step forward stamping her foot onto the stone to grab Sophitia's attention "What the hell is wrong with you Sophitia?! What are you hiding?!" she shouted. Sophitia turned back lightly toward her sister and gave a light sigh before looking up with the same leer of anger in her eyes "Your too young to understand Cassandra. Just go away and leave me alone!" she shouted suddenly before turning her back to them rather swiftly.
Cassandra trembled with both anger and sorrow as she still couldn't believe she had just been denied by her own sister. Cassandra looked up as she heard a few soft footprints from her right, Link walked by and started toward Sophitia not exactly looking pleased himself as his left hand gripped the hilt of the sword rather tightly. Sophitia looked back from where she was to see Link walking up "Stay away from me!" she shouted at the foreign warrior, Link didn't flinch at all not out of surprise, fear or respect. He just kept walking toward Sophitia.
Sophitia continued to look over her shoulder as Link approached holding her husband's sword pointed toward the ground. She narrowed her eyes as she toward him swiping one hand through the air threatening him as he crossed the fifteen feet line "I said go away!" she shouted. Link spoke suddenly his voice deep with seriousness forged over time through battles "I hear clearly what you say Sophitia. But I'm not leaving this place until you tell your sister what is going on. I believe she has a right to know." Sophitia took in a few quick breaths as Link stopped five feet from her, his eyes locked with hers.
Cassandra watched from her place across the room as this happened, Link might as well have been comparing himself to Hercules doing such a thing. Link watched Sophitia's eyes clearly as she took a step back, her eyes calmed themselves of their piercing glare and he could then see something past the anger. It was a look of depression and anxiety. Link slowly parted his lips before speaking "I see now Sophitia. Your not angry, if so its only at yourself." he said. Cassandra took a step forward as he said this "What?" both her and Sophitia murmured under their breath.
The elven swordsman continued to speak only causing Sophitia to feel more and more closed in "Your eyes betray you Sophitia. Your filled with distress and confusion. You haven't a clue of what is going on. Your afraid, its okay to be afraid." Sophitia clinched her fist before taking a swing at Link's head "I am not afraid!" she shouted. Link stepped back just getting out of the way before moving forward to shove Sophitia hard against the wall, she fell down into a sitting position obviously having the breath sent from her lungs. Cassandra started running over as she saw this wondering now what the hell Link was thinking.
Link spoke a final time before Cassandra could interrupt him "Snap out of it Sophitia. I don't know about the others but you don't have to prove yourself to me or your sister." Sophitia lowered her head to look at the floor just as Cassandra came up pulling Link away "What the hell are you doing?" she shouted at Link. "How..." Sophitia suddenly said in what was almost a whimper, she then looked clearly at Link "How can you possibly read me like that?!" she cried out fighting off tears of defeat.
Link took a breath before he closed his eyes, he was going to start speaking of his past. Cassandra had noticed that he did this prior to doing so "I've seen this look in a persons eyes before Sophitia. It is a very rare clash of the human conscience, when one's strong personal feelings clash with and oath or their own responsibility." Cassandra looked at Sophitia, what could she possibly feel urged to do but also feel unable "In my homeland they call this the conflict of emotions, and it can cause the kind of anxiety that can ruin anybody." Sophitia breathed as this was said to her.
Cassandra looked to Link as she kneeled to her sister asking her what was happening "Come on sis. What is going on? If your scared please tell me what of. Please!" she begged holding her sister's shoulders. Sophitia looked down toward the ground clinching her fists hard "Nightmare." she said simply and rather swiftly. Cassandra looked at her sister as this was said this "Nightmare? Why?" she was confused. Sophitia had been ready to slay Nightmare two years ago but never seemed to speak of it and up until now had seemed ready to face him once again. Sophitia trembled as she looked at the ground "I do not fear the man I just...I cannot fight him Cassandra!" she shouted as she looked up tears streaking her cheeks.
Link closed his eyes as he stood against the wall. All of this was beginning to take its toll on his limited amount of patience, it was all falling together as it did during the time Soul Edge's fragments were in Hyrule. Cassandra spoke "I don't understand." she said as she comforted her sister. Sophitia sniffed lightly "You know how Kilik and Xianghua confronted Nightmare. Before they did I was there and I met with him, but when I saw his face I couldn't bring myself to end his existence." Cassandra looked at her sister "You mean to tell us you know who Nightmare was before he because what Soul Edge has made him?!"
Sophitia nodded and she continued "He also hesitated greatly when he saw me, we both had were basically left fireless by this. And judging by how long Nightmare has been around he was probably only Talim's age when he obtained the sword. Considering that he stopped and didn't just cut me down he didn't give himself to the sword, he would never!" there was silence before she continued. She whipped her tears and spoke "I thought I would try again and give him a clean death by as the days have passed I've been replaying it in my mind and I now know that I will not be able to look into that face and fight." Cassandra breathed as she held her sister.
Link spoke up suddenly "I can understand how you must feel Sophitia. You and the one that was another before Nightmare, you were close weren't you?" he asked wanting to know just how deep this went. Sophitia breathed before speaking "We met each other during my first journey and we both hunted the Soul Edge. We grew very...close." she said stressing the last word. Needless to say Cassandra was more than a little shocked by this revelation, it was like asking Sophitia to kill one of the team. Somebody she knew and trusted.
There was a long tense silence from the three of them as Sophitia fought off her tears enough to look at them muttering once again that she would be useless against him. Link heard this and looked up with a deep resolve in his eyes "Fine then. If you cannot fight him then I will." he says flat out leaving no room for interruption. Sophitia looked up at Link as he said this and was about to cut in but he continued "I will do what I was sent here to do. I will pry Soul Edge from his hands and take it out of existence. Sophitia, you have my word that if it is at all possible I will do all I can to only destroy the sword and not the one it manipulates." he said before starting out.
Sophitia got up her courage and spoke up "Link!" she called out. He turned his head back to look at her, Sophitia looked at him and spoke "I appreciate your concern but you have no idea what your getting into." Cassandra placed a hand on her tired sister's shoulder "I don't think any of us do. We can make up some sort of a plan when we get back. Tell him everything you can of his style, anything that can be useful." Sophitia let this wash over her and then looked to Link nodding her head "You have any support I can give." she said gratefully. Link looked at both of them "Your brave Sophitia but one shouldn't let their own devotion make them heartless." he said before he started to walk over.
He knelt down taking the lantern and looking at them "We should probably head back. We can talk this over in the morning." Sophitia nodded and allowed Link to help her to her feet, she then left the shrine to her own horse that was around the back. Link breathed before he started out "Link please wait." he looked back to Cassandra as she walked up looking as if she was at a loss for words. "Your going to risk your life for my sister? Are you seriously going to go up against Nightmare?!" she asked almost as if she was in partial distress.
Link breathed as he looked back at Sophitia as she rode away from the shrine "More than half of my life has been spent fighting in some way or form. There is no likely way for me to get back to my home. As for Sophitia, Talim and I spent the night at her house before leaving Athens. She has a husband to return to not to mention the rest of her family, they plan on having children when this is all over. I am not about to let her risk her life when she fells it is futile." Cassandra looked at him and looked at him "Thank you, I don't know what to say." Link however didn't seem as positive as before.
He sighed before he spoke "It's just better if I fight Nightmare and die than if she does. She would be defeated before she even drew her sword going in with such emotions while the Soul Edge makes Nightmare heartless. I've seen enough tears in my life and I'm sick of them. Besides if I died who in this world would care?" he then started to walk out. Cassandra lightly looked at the floor as she once again saw his longing for his home "I'd care..." she said to herself before following. It wasn't long before they were both on their way back to camp but Link was silent the whole way. Though she was thankful for taking the responsibility off Sophitia's shoulders Cassandra still felt and aching in her heart for him.
Meanwhile back at the camp the remaining five members of the group had finally gotten on another subject outside their encounters with Soul Edge: Their personal lives. Mitsurugi lightly rolled his eyes as Maxi asked him once again if there was anybody special in his life "Look at our current scenario, what do you think?" he said as he leaned back inhaling the tobacco he had brought with him. Kilik and Xianghua sat back not knowing how this had gotten started but both of them wanted to know more about these two who had thus far given no information about their pasts or personal lives.
Maxi shrugged before he continued "Well ever before?" he asked. Mitsurugi in response looked toward Taki drawing out his sword a few inches, he gave a light grin "Are you sure we need him?" Maxi grumbled at this as he sat back knowing he wasn't getting anything from Mitsurugi "Hard ass." he said simply. Taki smirked in a chuckle as she continued looking over some of her equipment, it was entertaining to see Mitsurugi show what little sense of humor he possessed but the man was a complete lock down on his past. He possessed a life time military career and he was one of the finest, it wasn't like he gave much concentration to relationships.
Xianghua suddenly spoke up to the somewhat more social Taki Moyika "Well what about you?" Taki looked up at Xianghua placing down one of the throwing stars she had been cleaning "Has there ever been anybody special in your life?" Taki looked at Xianghua as she was asked this "Your joking right?" Taki asked dryly. Xianghua rolled her eyes at the much older warrior before speaking "Oh come on. Look at yourself there is no way you can say that you've never had it with somebody. Or are you truly that desperate to be alone." Taki huffed as she crossed her arms "Why are you three so desperate to know such intimate pieces of our lives? It isn't like you have a right to pry." she said sternly toward the Chinese girl.
Mitsurugi sighed before speaking up "If it will shut you up it isn't like I'm completely uncaring. But most people around my area wait till later in their lives to start a family. So your not going to get much from me." this seemed to silence the three of them. Taki slowly stood up before walking away "Love has already crossed me, and I'm not going to let it distract me again." she said as she retired to her tent. Kilik spoke up as Taki forcefully closed one of the flaps "Lets change the subject before one of us gets angry." he said. They all agreed.
Taki huffed as she placed all of her equipment back in her bag, everything that they had just asked her only served to irritate her. Mainly because in her training such feelings as desire were made to be seen as illusions, being asked such things got to her because she felt that it was her only failing. Not being able to see it as an illusion. Her anger seemed to melt away as she found something in her luggage, she removed what appeared to be a small silver chain that was very finely crafted. There was a disc shapped charm on it as well which bore a few runes which appeared to be a family seal of sorts.
She closed her eyes as she softly closed her hand around it and placed it around her neck with care looking at it and giving a gentle sigh. A single tear ran down her cheek which she swiftly whipped away, she then laid back closing her eyes. She didn't need to be recollecting so much before heading into this confrontation. But still she couldn't help but wonder just what had become of him after she left the clan to protect her sword.
Next Chapter: Another Shattered Sword
The Black Wind finally locates the shard of Soul Edge that was buried beneath the sands of the desert however as the storm rolls in so does the White Wind. However it becomes apparent that there is nothing that resembles light remaining in the Azure Nightmare. But how does a shard of an infamous spirit sword fit into all of this?
NOTE: I need reviews for inspiration. Please don't forget to. Also please tell me should more be revealed on Taki's love life or should it remain a mystery?