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.
Authors Note: Okay I know the last chapter was a little slow and hard to understand so I'll break it down. This is another part of the story that builds to the action, where the characters can develop without having blades swung in their face. This chapter will be a lot like the second part of the last which delves into the pasts of a few of our more mysterious characters.
Soul Calibur II: Of Souls And Swords
Chapter Thirty-Five: Heart to Heart (Part Two)
While neither of them had any clue they were being watched Cassandra managed to lower her laughter toward Link who had just brought up one way he got back at another child called Mido during his younger years, before he discovered his path in life. Link rolled his eyes lightly "Alright so I was an immature punk in my childhood, he had it coming to him." he said as he remembered just how busted up both of them were when it was over. Cassandra however wasn't laughing at his immature actions, she was laughing at another trait they shared.
Cassandra managed to stop laughing enough to speak "I wasn't laughing at you. I just can't believe I actually found another person who has enough self respect to not just people get away with that kind of stuff." she said remembering just how many fights she got into since before she could remember, due to the fact that so many knew how to hit a good number of nerves. Ironically however whenever there was a fight she always seemed to win, being more of a natural fighter than most the younger men of Athens.
But in the end it was all for one reason. From the fights to the rebellious nature, it was all her way of telling people that she was not her sister, growing up in a home where Sophitia was so highly respected had really put a strain on her own life. She was constantly being compared to her no matter what. After it became painfully obvious that her parents were unable to understand her she had distanced herself and began following the temple's instructions on the Athenian style much like Sophitia had years before her.
Link chuckled lightly as he explained that his problems with Mido were mostly due to a status thing, he then got back to the topic at hand "You mentioned somebody named Lucius earlier? I was wondering exactly who is he? A friend?" he asked as he leaned back against the stone wall.
Cassandra giggled at this "He's my younger brother. He was born about four years after myself. He'd be with us but he is currently working with Rothion as an apprentice, and to be honest isn't much of a fighter. What about you, do you have any sisters or...?" Cassandra then noticed Link chuckling before he outright began laughing.
Cassandra blinked before she crossed her arms "Now what did I say wrong?!" she shouted at Link who managed to get ahold of himself before he began asking her forgiveness.
"This one terrible rumor that was created from mixed stories had me convinced for the longest time that me and Zelda might have been cousins. Being that during the war the Knight's Captain had sent his wife to get away from Hyrule and take their only son with them. They were eventually found along with the Captain (who was presumed dead) living a peaceful life on one of the southern islands. But after such confusion things were never the same again between us." he explained.
It was much clearer now to her now, when Link first explained his story she had wondered why Link didn't try to interfere with Zelda's marriage to Prince Marth. Link however didn't seem at all irritated or annoyed by this memory so she decided to continue "Going back to my original question. Assuming that you don't have any sisters you know about do you have any brothers?" when Cassandra asked this both of Link's fists tightened.
Link closed his eyes before taking a deep breath as if to calm a fire burning inside him, Cassandra took a step back as he leaned forward balancing his head on his hands. He began speaking "There was one man who once claimed to be my brother. It was hard to dismiss it as he looked almost exactly like me. He was a very powerful warrior and a genius in many ways..." he explained.
His voice became angry as he put one fist to the floor "He was also a sadistic lunatic that was hellbent on destroying everything that the sages and I fought to protect. He isn't any kind of brother I would ever want to have." Cassandra's shock was evident as he explained this and she could see why the question made Link's blood boil.
He breathed as he calmed down and looked up at her as she was standing and he still sat against the wall "Sorry Cass." he said apologizing for his outburst. She knelt down again "Its alright. I'm sorry to ask but did you ever find out if he was really your brother?" Link shook his head at this before he stood up leaning against the wall to look out over the city.
"That was only what he claimed. Some think he might have ment something else by it but I don't think I'm ever going to find out. Those in an eternal sleep don't tell much." Link explained. Cassandra breathed somehow managing to feel even worse for Link, having to kill what could be his own brother. She could now see his main problem in life, he always was able to say the right thing or take on a challenge to help another. But no matter how many answers he had for others he never had any for himself.
Link rolled his eyes before he began walking back toward the fortress "Don't worry about it. I gave up caring about stuff I couldn't help a long time ago. You want to see exactly what they serve around this place?" he asked her. Cassandra reached down to her abdomen remembering that they had not eaten since noon the day before leaving both of them pretty hungry.
She nodded and came up next to him reached down to take her hand, he looked at her "Some things are best left unknown. It seems to be a phrase I live by." Link smiled as they both left the wall. As they walked however Cassandra looked at Link before speaking "Link you have to promise that you won't fall on us." this took the elven rather by surprise.
Cassandra saw the surprise and stiffened a laugh "I know it isn't much but it is the only thing I can think of to tell you. I can't just hang around after this is over so no matter how long it takes I'm going to help you find your home. So you can't die on us." Link had been told this several times in his life and he never felt like going against it, he nodded with a smile before they continued walking.
He could just barely remember exactly what happened to him after he had been struck by that monster's blast. He remembered the wind moving all around him before he struck the water bouncing off its surface, then he struck again and again and then the final time that sent him slamming into a hard surface of sorts which he remembered was the Four Blade's ship the Nightwraith. It didn't take long for him to realize that he was still alive and that he was obviously being taken care of, evidence was the soft mattress he felt supporting his back.
He let out a light groan as he brought his hand up to his sweat dropped forehead which had a bandage wrapped around it, he also felt the remnants of burns on his chest obviously from the fireball. Suddenly he felt another hand snatch his gripping hard, he felt just how soft the hand was but at the same time felt the strength in the grip. "Talim?" he questioned. He felt a second hand close on the first before that familure voice that only fueled his guilt spoke out "I was beginning to think you weren't going to wake up." she said clearly relieved.
Drake's eyes ached from the torchlight in the room but he slowly opened them to see the blurry image of Talim sitting right next to the bed. There were three others in the room so he assumed that whomever they had been searching for had taken them in for the night. He looked up at Talim as she gave thanks to the wind under her breath, Drake suddenly chuckled a little painfully as a memory buzzed through his mind "Remember when we used to always be in this situation?" he asked her.
Talim looked up at him "You mean me always having to look after you after you did something stupid?" she recalled a sparing session that the priests had them perform on one of the mills. She missed a step and fell over the space that lead to the floor below, Drake had tried to pull her up but ended up using his back to break her fall, that was only one of many times.
Drake spoke up wanting to counter this embarrassing fact "If I recall I often looked after you when you convinced me to continue sparring late into the winter nights. Ironically it was always you who got sick." Talim blushed lightly at this fact as she remembered how Drake would stay with her whenever it kept her bed ridden. Drake looked up lightly toward the torch smiling "Those were better days..." he said flashing back on how he was exiled from the village and ordered never to return.
Talim looked at him as she knew what he was thinking, she squeezed his hand tighter "It wasn't your fault Drake. Just because those people came believing a target was in the village and you were exploring the same style as them doesn't mean anything!" Drake huffed as he looked away remembering what he knew about the Fu-Ma and their style, but that was not why they came to the village.
While normally looking into outside styles wasn't appriciated, Drake had been looking into a great deal before he started to practice the basic Fu-Ma tactics. But not long after that he had come into contact with another scroll of arts that were considered extremely dangerous by the syndicate, and mixed with the power of the wind dance style it was a deadly combination. When they discovered that somebody in the Village of the Wind had been experimenting with this they sent out three agents to eliminate whoever it had been.
The warriors of the village managed to defeat them but not before six of their own had been killed by the assassins. Drake was then dismissed from the village. What he hated the most is that despite what had happened he continued to practice this technique until he had mastered it. This came only after the Evil Seed had manifested and Talim had cured him without the villages knowledge three years ago. So now along with the Wind Dance, Fu-Ma Technique and his own self-taught ways of fighting he had this weapon hidden away.
He breathed as he clinched his fist under Talim's hands "Talim listen to me. There is no way they will ever allow me to return to the village. I have broken too many of their rules for them to even consider taking me back. I attempted to break the balance they had established and other payed for it, your people were trying to keep a few of those scrolls from the world. It was a fault of mine that killed those men." he said. This earned him a sharp slap across the face.
Talim looked at him clearly angry "Drake! Just listen to yourself! Your giving up without fighting back again, your running out on yourself! You wanted to be able to protect and defend the village..."
Drake glared at her "Stop making up lies for me Talim! I looked into those arts because I didn't want to be second to anybody and I hated all of my little flaws being pointed out by our teachers. I became greedy and others payed for it, why can't you accept that?" he breathed heavily before he realized he had been yelling.
"Because I believe in you..." Talim's voice came out hurt and weak "I believe that there is still hope for you, and I don't want you to leave me again. I'm a priestess of the wind and I believe you've suffered enough to deserve a second chance." she said before she looked down at her legs.
Drake's heart now ached a great deal more than before. Not only was he forced to lie to her and hide his deception from her, but she was completely blinding herself to any possibility he was no longer that innocent little boy she used to know.
Drake sat up in the bed ignoring the pain in his ribs. She looked like she was on the brink of tears but held them back, he reached out placing a hand on her shoulder "I'm sorry Talim...when this is over...we'll see how the village feels." he said with a sigh.
Talim didn't look up but brought her hands up to take hold of his wrist "Drake. If your not willing to forgive yourself you have to promise me this then..." Drake listened as she looked up her eyes full and pleading "Don't die on me. Until you are ready to forgive yourself you cannot join with the wind. Do you understand me?" she asked squeezing his wrist.
Drake closed his eyes and nodded his head feeling as if she was asking him to live forever "Alright Talim..." he said with a deep breath. With this said her arms reached out and hugged him tightly, he weakly hugged her back feeling even more guilt to rival Talim's great relief.
Little did they know they were being watched, but it wasn't just the peering eyes of a soldier or a curious passerby. No it was the gaze of a young man that had come to resent the warm friendship between the two younger warriors. Yunsung was beginning to truly resent Drake as he displayed a closeness to Talim that he could never achieve, he turned hitting his fist on the wall before he walked away angrily. Little did he know however, Drake was fully aware of his jealousy and planned to use it to his advantage when the time came.
While Talim and Drake debated over weather or not he should feel responcible for what happened all those years ago, there was another debate going on elsewhere in the fortress. The only difference was that both sides of the argument were in the mind of the ever serious Kyle Strife. Normally he had every last thought laid out before him but now he was faced with a huge question on his mind. Who should he be angry at for the death of his parents and then later his brother. The Soul Edge, Cervantes de Leon or the one that caused the Evil Seed, Seigfried Schtauffen.
He remembered his words to his brother right before his life ended, he swore on his brother's last breath that he would destroy the one responsible for everything that had happened. The one responsible...the one responsible...these three words seemed to echo in his mind and it was beginning to drive him mad. He was at a loss for who was responsible at the core of it all. Cervantes might have come on his rampage through his village but it was Siegfried who took the Soul Edge, became Nightmare and ignited the Evil Seed.
He slammed his fist down on the table as he came up without answers once again, the sound of his fist against the wooden table echoed through out the dining hall and he took notice that several of the other people there were looking at him. This included the likes of Raphael, Kilik, Xianghua and Mitsurugi as well as Cassandra and Link who had just arrived. Seeing that his frustration would only spawn more frustration in this place he stood up and excused himself from the room heading for the courtyard.
His boots came down hard on the ground as he walked the Oblivion clicking against its sheath every step, his arms crossed firmly over his chest as he moved into the courtyard which was decorated with a number of fruit trees ironically. Kyle came to a stop and leaned against one of the pillars bringing a hand to his forehead groaning out "When did everything become so chaotic." he complained out loud.
"You seem to be constantly making it that way, Kyle Strife." a tough yet feminine voice suddenly asked from behind him. He didn't move his body but simply turned his head to see Seung Mina standing there with her arms crossed over her chest, clearly she was not happy with the way he had just stormed out of the fortress. He remembered her constant warnings to him, Yunsung and Raphael to try to avoid making a scene while traveling. That it would only cause trouble and slow them down, he couldn't really relate to it her explosive attitude is what got her caught by Hwang back then.
Kyle rolled his eyes before he stepped away from the wall and looked at Mina who stood there holding her beloved Scarlet Thunder as always "I thought you had already gone to bed, what can I do for you Mina?" he asked revealing that he was clearly busy with something else. Mina crossed her arms before she looked right at him which caused his body to stiffen, it was rare for Mina to ever look at somebody like that but whenever she did, she ment business.
"How about dropping the tough guy act and telling me what your problem is?" she half-shouted at him swipping one arm through the air to express how upset she was "You've been acting distracted ever since we got here and it is really beginning to get under my skin, Raphael is concerned too. It isn't like you to be so distant." she pointed out as if interrogating him.
Kyle breathed as he looked at the woman that stood before him. Though many people often though that they were a lot closer than they actually were he did admire her courage and determination greatly, and the way she was confronting him proved the existence of both.
After a good thirty seconds of her leering right into his eyes he finally spoke up "I'm just a little unsure of a few things right now Mina. When we got here I expected to discover that our host was dead, but he is truly alive and still burning from the power of the Soul Edge. Who or what do you think is responcible for the curse that has tainted myself, Kilik, Drake and Talim?" he said in clear reference to the Evil Seed.
Seung Mina now completely understood what Kyle's problem was and shook her head knowing just how much he thirsted for vengeance. He wasn't much for self redemption like Kilik had been doing the past seven years of his life, Kyle wanted to personally destroy whoever caused so much misery but was unsure of who to blame. Cervantes might have come on his rampage through Kyle's home but it was Siegfried who took the Soul Edge, became Nightmare and ignited the Evil Seed.
"I blame the Soul Edge and the Soul Blade." she said flat out without any hesitation. She stepped past him and toward one of the stone benches in the courtyard, he followed her movements confused at how she could say this so easily. She leaned over closing her eyes "I've been questioning the same thing for years. It was Cervantes who killed several of my father's students and my friends who went after the sword. I blame him because he still draws breath and wishes no forgiveness. Somebody has to take him down Kyle." she said looking deeply into his eyes
She then narrowed her eyes at him "I'd concentrate on Cervantes. He was the fool who took the swords from their resting place, Cervantes was the one who attacked your troupe, and it was Cervantes who allowed the swords to create the Evil Seed. Siegfried may have unknowingly set off the Evil Seed but as you saw he hates himself for it." she said. She then smirked before speaking "And if your no longer willing to take him out, I'll do it for you."
Kyle crossed his arms before he smiled at Mina "Considering the last two times you went after Cervantes and the sword you were dragged home by Hwang, you'd better leave Cervantes to me." he said. Mina found herself somehow fascinated by the fact she could make Kyle smile like that but she still had to counter such an infamous insult "You just make sure I don't have to end up dragging you home in more than one piece." Kyle nodded his head at this.
Mina smiled as she began walking and Kyle followed her, he looked up toward the sky which was dotted with an uncountable amount of stars "I used to look at them often, don't have the much time to do it anymore. It was a lot like this when I first met you and Yunsung." he said referring to a small tournament that was being held after midnight where he and Mina ended up in the finals after he defeated Yunsung.
Mina laced one arm around his and smiled as she leaned her head on his shoulder, on the outside he remained his ever stoic self but on the inside he was a little surprised "Have you ever heard the fable of how wandering souls and stars are connected?" Kyle shook his head slowly.
Mina continued "The tale goes that lost souls are warriors who are defeated and wish to be avenged, the fable goes that the stars are places where these souls can wait and watch over those that wish to avenge them. So whenever I feel as if I should just drag my own self home again, I look up and feel that I am being pushed on by everybody." the way she said this seemed to only demonstrate why people of their village called her the Heart and Soul Girl.
Kyle smiled at this before he looked down at the younger woman "I like that story." he said as they walked. Unbeknownst to them they were being watched by a figure up on a balcony of the eastern tower, and they were not being watched like Sophitia had been watching Cassandra and Link. No they were being watched with a great deal of contempt.
Taki breathed as she turned her eyes away from the courtyard and waited for the doors that would lead back inside to close, sitting on the third floor balcony it was hard to miss anything going on but that was her problem. She had been feeling an unbelievable amount of jealousy ever since they first arrived at the fortress. It didn't matter to her that Siegfried had considered joining them, the way that Sophitia and Siegfried had reunited (even as friends) made her feel robbed.
It was how she had always hoped to meet him again, that she would eventually find him and they would share the same stunned moments that Siegfried and Sophitia did. But just like ever other hope in her life, the scenario of a happy ending belonged to somebody else. She kept questioning herself, even while they were still searching for the shards of the Soul Edge, would she ever have just one happy ending to any part of her life?
She wanted to curse everything she had seen since she had joined up with the White Wind in India. She wanted to curse the close friendship between Sophitia and Siegfried that had been untouched by his time as Nightmare. She wanted to curse the growing but unrealized relationship between Cassandra and Link. She wanted to curse the obvious raw love between Kilik and Xianghua. She even wanted to curse the simple sweet moment between Seung Mina and Kyle Strife. She felt terrible, like everybody was trying to throw their happiness in her face.
But she knew that she would have no right to ever wish misfortune upon any of them, because she could only blame herself for how she felt now. She had never looked back at the relationship that she had with her lovely Yugo, she tried not to. And now, ever since Xianghua had asked a question out of simple curiosity of her teammate 'have you ever loved' she could think about nothing else. Questions bombarded Taki's normally sound mind without remorse...
Why do I constantly avoid it?
Why do I constantly avoid thoughts of him?
Am I ashamed of the love we shared?
Why couldn't I have at least let him know I was leaving?
The normally ever serious, well collected Taki now found herself sitting on the railing of a balcony questioning a part of her life that ended over seven years ago. She reached down into one of the pockets that was in the small green kimono she had donned for the day and removed something she had been looking at ever since Xianghua had asked. The looked at the small silver disk on the silver chain which was supposed to be a necklace, the runes which were cut into the disk read out the last name of her lover: Hitkiri
Taki squeezed the small disk in her hand as she brought it to her lowered forehead "Yugo...where are you? How long must I wait to know?" she questioned aloud unknowingly.
"Fate has a strange way of working, always seeming to be against you while it plans." Taki's instincts snapped into action as she rolled back off the railing and twisted to face the doorway. She expected to see another one of those Fu-Ma assassins who constantly stalked her after she went renegade but she was greeted with the sight of somebody she didn't exactly expect.
She swallowed lightly as she took her hand from her blade and looked back over the city "Leave me alone Link." she breath out at the misplaced elven swordsman "It is nothing that needs your attention or your concern." she said desperate to not let another aside from Mitsurugi, Sophitia or Drake know of her past.
Link stepped up and leaned against the railings next to her but never looked at her, he did however reach up along side his head flicking one of his unnaturally long ears. Probably the first thing that had convinced her for the shortest time that he might have been a demon in a shoddy human guise.
"These long ears are not just here to frame my face, Miss Taki. Forgive my rudeness but I heard just about everything that went on between you and Talim's friend, then later what went on between you and Sophitia. About your former master, the partner you are looking for and I'm willing to bet that the Soul Edge had a hand in ruining it all for you." it was at this point that Taki didn't know weather to lash out and hurl Link off the balcony or explain it to him as well. She decided the later option not wanting to harm him further than she did in Istanbul.
She began speaking and telling her story. She told Link just about everything she could of how only a fragment of the Soul Blade had completely destroyed everything that she had worked for while in the Fu-Ma. After taking Sophitia back to Athens she used one of the Soul Blade fragments to bond it with her blade Rekki-Maru which had always been a mysterious blade. When the master of the Fu-Ma, Toki discovered this he attempted to steal the blade from her, fearing that Toki would only be poisoned by his own desire she fled from the Fu-Ma. But apparently she never told Yugo, not because she didn't want to. She just didn't want him to get involved. She didn't want any help.
As Taki finished her story Link could now see exactly what made the seperation so hard, she never managed to let him know she was leaving. Link closed his eyes "You never got to tell him how much you wanted to be with him. You never got to say 'Good-bye' 'Farewell' 'Take care' or anything. You left without saying a word in an attempt to protect him, you didn't want him to get hurt over something that wasn't his concern." Link said knowing that these were her thoughts at the moment.
Taki looked up at Link as he said this without ever having to even look at her, she couldn't believe how this creature from another world had managed to read her like a book. It was like she was a book in his language that she at times couldn't understand and he had read her perfectly.
"I was a fool back then. It was more his concern than anyone else's, he had a right to know and against my heart I left him alone in bed before I set out. Prepared to never see him again." Taki looked up as Link rested one hand on her shoulder, her hand moved to be placed over his appriciating his wish to help her "Your too kind for your own good, that why you remind me so much of him." she breathed out with a smile.
Link gave a similar smile "You're a strong woman Taki and you now seek to destroy this curse on the world before it can harm you or anybody else. Fate has a strange way of working, but something tells me that in time it will be very much in your favor." he said before he started to walk away before he turned back to look at her "Trust me on that." he said before he opened and closed the door behind him.
Taki turned around and looked back over the courtyard toward the city of Venice able to look back to the days when she was still a middle rank of the Fu-Ma, when she was still with him. She breathed as she thought about Link "Perhaps he truly has come from a place untouched by this worlds vile nature..." she said knowing she'd have to thank Link in some way. She turned stepping back towards the door but looked at the sky "Yugo, where ever you are you'd better be waiting for me too." she said before vanishing through the door.
Next Chapters: (Undecided)
Raphael gets a rough flashback from a questioning Yunsung before everybody retires for the night. The next morning they receive a disturbing theory on why the Soul Calibur lacks the ability to heal, but Siegfried seems to have gone missing in the meantime. Does he plan on joining them or will he go on his own? Also what will happen when Isabella Valentine regroups with the mysterious Arus'Nei.
OOC: I'm going to go ahead and give a spoiler that somebody is going to die within the next three chapters and if you read through this one you can probably tell who the possibilities are. I have three ideas of where this story can turn. Exciting, isn't it? But unless you review you won't see where it goes!
Authors Note: Okay I know the last chapter was a little slow and hard to understand so I'll break it down. This is another part of the story that builds to the action, where the characters can develop without having blades swung in their face. This chapter will be a lot like the second part of the last which delves into the pasts of a few of our more mysterious characters.
Soul Calibur II: Of Souls And Swords
Chapter Thirty-Five: Heart to Heart (Part Two)
While neither of them had any clue they were being watched Cassandra managed to lower her laughter toward Link who had just brought up one way he got back at another child called Mido during his younger years, before he discovered his path in life. Link rolled his eyes lightly "Alright so I was an immature punk in my childhood, he had it coming to him." he said as he remembered just how busted up both of them were when it was over. Cassandra however wasn't laughing at his immature actions, she was laughing at another trait they shared.
Cassandra managed to stop laughing enough to speak "I wasn't laughing at you. I just can't believe I actually found another person who has enough self respect to not just people get away with that kind of stuff." she said remembering just how many fights she got into since before she could remember, due to the fact that so many knew how to hit a good number of nerves. Ironically however whenever there was a fight she always seemed to win, being more of a natural fighter than most the younger men of Athens.
But in the end it was all for one reason. From the fights to the rebellious nature, it was all her way of telling people that she was not her sister, growing up in a home where Sophitia was so highly respected had really put a strain on her own life. She was constantly being compared to her no matter what. After it became painfully obvious that her parents were unable to understand her she had distanced herself and began following the temple's instructions on the Athenian style much like Sophitia had years before her.
Link chuckled lightly as he explained that his problems with Mido were mostly due to a status thing, he then got back to the topic at hand "You mentioned somebody named Lucius earlier? I was wondering exactly who is he? A friend?" he asked as he leaned back against the stone wall.
Cassandra giggled at this "He's my younger brother. He was born about four years after myself. He'd be with us but he is currently working with Rothion as an apprentice, and to be honest isn't much of a fighter. What about you, do you have any sisters or...?" Cassandra then noticed Link chuckling before he outright began laughing.
Cassandra blinked before she crossed her arms "Now what did I say wrong?!" she shouted at Link who managed to get ahold of himself before he began asking her forgiveness.
"This one terrible rumor that was created from mixed stories had me convinced for the longest time that me and Zelda might have been cousins. Being that during the war the Knight's Captain had sent his wife to get away from Hyrule and take their only son with them. They were eventually found along with the Captain (who was presumed dead) living a peaceful life on one of the southern islands. But after such confusion things were never the same again between us." he explained.
It was much clearer now to her now, when Link first explained his story she had wondered why Link didn't try to interfere with Zelda's marriage to Prince Marth. Link however didn't seem at all irritated or annoyed by this memory so she decided to continue "Going back to my original question. Assuming that you don't have any sisters you know about do you have any brothers?" when Cassandra asked this both of Link's fists tightened.
Link closed his eyes before taking a deep breath as if to calm a fire burning inside him, Cassandra took a step back as he leaned forward balancing his head on his hands. He began speaking "There was one man who once claimed to be my brother. It was hard to dismiss it as he looked almost exactly like me. He was a very powerful warrior and a genius in many ways..." he explained.
His voice became angry as he put one fist to the floor "He was also a sadistic lunatic that was hellbent on destroying everything that the sages and I fought to protect. He isn't any kind of brother I would ever want to have." Cassandra's shock was evident as he explained this and she could see why the question made Link's blood boil.
He breathed as he calmed down and looked up at her as she was standing and he still sat against the wall "Sorry Cass." he said apologizing for his outburst. She knelt down again "Its alright. I'm sorry to ask but did you ever find out if he was really your brother?" Link shook his head at this before he stood up leaning against the wall to look out over the city.
"That was only what he claimed. Some think he might have ment something else by it but I don't think I'm ever going to find out. Those in an eternal sleep don't tell much." Link explained. Cassandra breathed somehow managing to feel even worse for Link, having to kill what could be his own brother. She could now see his main problem in life, he always was able to say the right thing or take on a challenge to help another. But no matter how many answers he had for others he never had any for himself.
Link rolled his eyes before he began walking back toward the fortress "Don't worry about it. I gave up caring about stuff I couldn't help a long time ago. You want to see exactly what they serve around this place?" he asked her. Cassandra reached down to her abdomen remembering that they had not eaten since noon the day before leaving both of them pretty hungry.
She nodded and came up next to him reached down to take her hand, he looked at her "Some things are best left unknown. It seems to be a phrase I live by." Link smiled as they both left the wall. As they walked however Cassandra looked at Link before speaking "Link you have to promise that you won't fall on us." this took the elven rather by surprise.
Cassandra saw the surprise and stiffened a laugh "I know it isn't much but it is the only thing I can think of to tell you. I can't just hang around after this is over so no matter how long it takes I'm going to help you find your home. So you can't die on us." Link had been told this several times in his life and he never felt like going against it, he nodded with a smile before they continued walking.
He could just barely remember exactly what happened to him after he had been struck by that monster's blast. He remembered the wind moving all around him before he struck the water bouncing off its surface, then he struck again and again and then the final time that sent him slamming into a hard surface of sorts which he remembered was the Four Blade's ship the Nightwraith. It didn't take long for him to realize that he was still alive and that he was obviously being taken care of, evidence was the soft mattress he felt supporting his back.
He let out a light groan as he brought his hand up to his sweat dropped forehead which had a bandage wrapped around it, he also felt the remnants of burns on his chest obviously from the fireball. Suddenly he felt another hand snatch his gripping hard, he felt just how soft the hand was but at the same time felt the strength in the grip. "Talim?" he questioned. He felt a second hand close on the first before that familure voice that only fueled his guilt spoke out "I was beginning to think you weren't going to wake up." she said clearly relieved.
Drake's eyes ached from the torchlight in the room but he slowly opened them to see the blurry image of Talim sitting right next to the bed. There were three others in the room so he assumed that whomever they had been searching for had taken them in for the night. He looked up at Talim as she gave thanks to the wind under her breath, Drake suddenly chuckled a little painfully as a memory buzzed through his mind "Remember when we used to always be in this situation?" he asked her.
Talim looked up at him "You mean me always having to look after you after you did something stupid?" she recalled a sparing session that the priests had them perform on one of the mills. She missed a step and fell over the space that lead to the floor below, Drake had tried to pull her up but ended up using his back to break her fall, that was only one of many times.
Drake spoke up wanting to counter this embarrassing fact "If I recall I often looked after you when you convinced me to continue sparring late into the winter nights. Ironically it was always you who got sick." Talim blushed lightly at this fact as she remembered how Drake would stay with her whenever it kept her bed ridden. Drake looked up lightly toward the torch smiling "Those were better days..." he said flashing back on how he was exiled from the village and ordered never to return.
Talim looked at him as she knew what he was thinking, she squeezed his hand tighter "It wasn't your fault Drake. Just because those people came believing a target was in the village and you were exploring the same style as them doesn't mean anything!" Drake huffed as he looked away remembering what he knew about the Fu-Ma and their style, but that was not why they came to the village.
While normally looking into outside styles wasn't appriciated, Drake had been looking into a great deal before he started to practice the basic Fu-Ma tactics. But not long after that he had come into contact with another scroll of arts that were considered extremely dangerous by the syndicate, and mixed with the power of the wind dance style it was a deadly combination. When they discovered that somebody in the Village of the Wind had been experimenting with this they sent out three agents to eliminate whoever it had been.
The warriors of the village managed to defeat them but not before six of their own had been killed by the assassins. Drake was then dismissed from the village. What he hated the most is that despite what had happened he continued to practice this technique until he had mastered it. This came only after the Evil Seed had manifested and Talim had cured him without the villages knowledge three years ago. So now along with the Wind Dance, Fu-Ma Technique and his own self-taught ways of fighting he had this weapon hidden away.
He breathed as he clinched his fist under Talim's hands "Talim listen to me. There is no way they will ever allow me to return to the village. I have broken too many of their rules for them to even consider taking me back. I attempted to break the balance they had established and other payed for it, your people were trying to keep a few of those scrolls from the world. It was a fault of mine that killed those men." he said. This earned him a sharp slap across the face.
Talim looked at him clearly angry "Drake! Just listen to yourself! Your giving up without fighting back again, your running out on yourself! You wanted to be able to protect and defend the village..."
Drake glared at her "Stop making up lies for me Talim! I looked into those arts because I didn't want to be second to anybody and I hated all of my little flaws being pointed out by our teachers. I became greedy and others payed for it, why can't you accept that?" he breathed heavily before he realized he had been yelling.
"Because I believe in you..." Talim's voice came out hurt and weak "I believe that there is still hope for you, and I don't want you to leave me again. I'm a priestess of the wind and I believe you've suffered enough to deserve a second chance." she said before she looked down at her legs.
Drake's heart now ached a great deal more than before. Not only was he forced to lie to her and hide his deception from her, but she was completely blinding herself to any possibility he was no longer that innocent little boy she used to know.
Drake sat up in the bed ignoring the pain in his ribs. She looked like she was on the brink of tears but held them back, he reached out placing a hand on her shoulder "I'm sorry Talim...when this is over...we'll see how the village feels." he said with a sigh.
Talim didn't look up but brought her hands up to take hold of his wrist "Drake. If your not willing to forgive yourself you have to promise me this then..." Drake listened as she looked up her eyes full and pleading "Don't die on me. Until you are ready to forgive yourself you cannot join with the wind. Do you understand me?" she asked squeezing his wrist.
Drake closed his eyes and nodded his head feeling as if she was asking him to live forever "Alright Talim..." he said with a deep breath. With this said her arms reached out and hugged him tightly, he weakly hugged her back feeling even more guilt to rival Talim's great relief.
Little did they know they were being watched, but it wasn't just the peering eyes of a soldier or a curious passerby. No it was the gaze of a young man that had come to resent the warm friendship between the two younger warriors. Yunsung was beginning to truly resent Drake as he displayed a closeness to Talim that he could never achieve, he turned hitting his fist on the wall before he walked away angrily. Little did he know however, Drake was fully aware of his jealousy and planned to use it to his advantage when the time came.
While Talim and Drake debated over weather or not he should feel responcible for what happened all those years ago, there was another debate going on elsewhere in the fortress. The only difference was that both sides of the argument were in the mind of the ever serious Kyle Strife. Normally he had every last thought laid out before him but now he was faced with a huge question on his mind. Who should he be angry at for the death of his parents and then later his brother. The Soul Edge, Cervantes de Leon or the one that caused the Evil Seed, Seigfried Schtauffen.
He remembered his words to his brother right before his life ended, he swore on his brother's last breath that he would destroy the one responsible for everything that had happened. The one responsible...the one responsible...these three words seemed to echo in his mind and it was beginning to drive him mad. He was at a loss for who was responsible at the core of it all. Cervantes might have come on his rampage through his village but it was Siegfried who took the Soul Edge, became Nightmare and ignited the Evil Seed.
He slammed his fist down on the table as he came up without answers once again, the sound of his fist against the wooden table echoed through out the dining hall and he took notice that several of the other people there were looking at him. This included the likes of Raphael, Kilik, Xianghua and Mitsurugi as well as Cassandra and Link who had just arrived. Seeing that his frustration would only spawn more frustration in this place he stood up and excused himself from the room heading for the courtyard.
His boots came down hard on the ground as he walked the Oblivion clicking against its sheath every step, his arms crossed firmly over his chest as he moved into the courtyard which was decorated with a number of fruit trees ironically. Kyle came to a stop and leaned against one of the pillars bringing a hand to his forehead groaning out "When did everything become so chaotic." he complained out loud.
"You seem to be constantly making it that way, Kyle Strife." a tough yet feminine voice suddenly asked from behind him. He didn't move his body but simply turned his head to see Seung Mina standing there with her arms crossed over her chest, clearly she was not happy with the way he had just stormed out of the fortress. He remembered her constant warnings to him, Yunsung and Raphael to try to avoid making a scene while traveling. That it would only cause trouble and slow them down, he couldn't really relate to it her explosive attitude is what got her caught by Hwang back then.
Kyle rolled his eyes before he stepped away from the wall and looked at Mina who stood there holding her beloved Scarlet Thunder as always "I thought you had already gone to bed, what can I do for you Mina?" he asked revealing that he was clearly busy with something else. Mina crossed her arms before she looked right at him which caused his body to stiffen, it was rare for Mina to ever look at somebody like that but whenever she did, she ment business.
"How about dropping the tough guy act and telling me what your problem is?" she half-shouted at him swipping one arm through the air to express how upset she was "You've been acting distracted ever since we got here and it is really beginning to get under my skin, Raphael is concerned too. It isn't like you to be so distant." she pointed out as if interrogating him.
Kyle breathed as he looked at the woman that stood before him. Though many people often though that they were a lot closer than they actually were he did admire her courage and determination greatly, and the way she was confronting him proved the existence of both.
After a good thirty seconds of her leering right into his eyes he finally spoke up "I'm just a little unsure of a few things right now Mina. When we got here I expected to discover that our host was dead, but he is truly alive and still burning from the power of the Soul Edge. Who or what do you think is responcible for the curse that has tainted myself, Kilik, Drake and Talim?" he said in clear reference to the Evil Seed.
Seung Mina now completely understood what Kyle's problem was and shook her head knowing just how much he thirsted for vengeance. He wasn't much for self redemption like Kilik had been doing the past seven years of his life, Kyle wanted to personally destroy whoever caused so much misery but was unsure of who to blame. Cervantes might have come on his rampage through Kyle's home but it was Siegfried who took the Soul Edge, became Nightmare and ignited the Evil Seed.
"I blame the Soul Edge and the Soul Blade." she said flat out without any hesitation. She stepped past him and toward one of the stone benches in the courtyard, he followed her movements confused at how she could say this so easily. She leaned over closing her eyes "I've been questioning the same thing for years. It was Cervantes who killed several of my father's students and my friends who went after the sword. I blame him because he still draws breath and wishes no forgiveness. Somebody has to take him down Kyle." she said looking deeply into his eyes
She then narrowed her eyes at him "I'd concentrate on Cervantes. He was the fool who took the swords from their resting place, Cervantes was the one who attacked your troupe, and it was Cervantes who allowed the swords to create the Evil Seed. Siegfried may have unknowingly set off the Evil Seed but as you saw he hates himself for it." she said. She then smirked before speaking "And if your no longer willing to take him out, I'll do it for you."
Kyle crossed his arms before he smiled at Mina "Considering the last two times you went after Cervantes and the sword you were dragged home by Hwang, you'd better leave Cervantes to me." he said. Mina found herself somehow fascinated by the fact she could make Kyle smile like that but she still had to counter such an infamous insult "You just make sure I don't have to end up dragging you home in more than one piece." Kyle nodded his head at this.
Mina smiled as she began walking and Kyle followed her, he looked up toward the sky which was dotted with an uncountable amount of stars "I used to look at them often, don't have the much time to do it anymore. It was a lot like this when I first met you and Yunsung." he said referring to a small tournament that was being held after midnight where he and Mina ended up in the finals after he defeated Yunsung.
Mina laced one arm around his and smiled as she leaned her head on his shoulder, on the outside he remained his ever stoic self but on the inside he was a little surprised "Have you ever heard the fable of how wandering souls and stars are connected?" Kyle shook his head slowly.
Mina continued "The tale goes that lost souls are warriors who are defeated and wish to be avenged, the fable goes that the stars are places where these souls can wait and watch over those that wish to avenge them. So whenever I feel as if I should just drag my own self home again, I look up and feel that I am being pushed on by everybody." the way she said this seemed to only demonstrate why people of their village called her the Heart and Soul Girl.
Kyle smiled at this before he looked down at the younger woman "I like that story." he said as they walked. Unbeknownst to them they were being watched by a figure up on a balcony of the eastern tower, and they were not being watched like Sophitia had been watching Cassandra and Link. No they were being watched with a great deal of contempt.
Taki breathed as she turned her eyes away from the courtyard and waited for the doors that would lead back inside to close, sitting on the third floor balcony it was hard to miss anything going on but that was her problem. She had been feeling an unbelievable amount of jealousy ever since they first arrived at the fortress. It didn't matter to her that Siegfried had considered joining them, the way that Sophitia and Siegfried had reunited (even as friends) made her feel robbed.
It was how she had always hoped to meet him again, that she would eventually find him and they would share the same stunned moments that Siegfried and Sophitia did. But just like ever other hope in her life, the scenario of a happy ending belonged to somebody else. She kept questioning herself, even while they were still searching for the shards of the Soul Edge, would she ever have just one happy ending to any part of her life?
She wanted to curse everything she had seen since she had joined up with the White Wind in India. She wanted to curse the close friendship between Sophitia and Siegfried that had been untouched by his time as Nightmare. She wanted to curse the growing but unrealized relationship between Cassandra and Link. She wanted to curse the obvious raw love between Kilik and Xianghua. She even wanted to curse the simple sweet moment between Seung Mina and Kyle Strife. She felt terrible, like everybody was trying to throw their happiness in her face.
But she knew that she would have no right to ever wish misfortune upon any of them, because she could only blame herself for how she felt now. She had never looked back at the relationship that she had with her lovely Yugo, she tried not to. And now, ever since Xianghua had asked a question out of simple curiosity of her teammate 'have you ever loved' she could think about nothing else. Questions bombarded Taki's normally sound mind without remorse...
Why do I constantly avoid it?
Why do I constantly avoid thoughts of him?
Am I ashamed of the love we shared?
Why couldn't I have at least let him know I was leaving?
The normally ever serious, well collected Taki now found herself sitting on the railing of a balcony questioning a part of her life that ended over seven years ago. She reached down into one of the pockets that was in the small green kimono she had donned for the day and removed something she had been looking at ever since Xianghua had asked. The looked at the small silver disk on the silver chain which was supposed to be a necklace, the runes which were cut into the disk read out the last name of her lover: Hitkiri
Taki squeezed the small disk in her hand as she brought it to her lowered forehead "Yugo...where are you? How long must I wait to know?" she questioned aloud unknowingly.
"Fate has a strange way of working, always seeming to be against you while it plans." Taki's instincts snapped into action as she rolled back off the railing and twisted to face the doorway. She expected to see another one of those Fu-Ma assassins who constantly stalked her after she went renegade but she was greeted with the sight of somebody she didn't exactly expect.
She swallowed lightly as she took her hand from her blade and looked back over the city "Leave me alone Link." she breath out at the misplaced elven swordsman "It is nothing that needs your attention or your concern." she said desperate to not let another aside from Mitsurugi, Sophitia or Drake know of her past.
Link stepped up and leaned against the railings next to her but never looked at her, he did however reach up along side his head flicking one of his unnaturally long ears. Probably the first thing that had convinced her for the shortest time that he might have been a demon in a shoddy human guise.
"These long ears are not just here to frame my face, Miss Taki. Forgive my rudeness but I heard just about everything that went on between you and Talim's friend, then later what went on between you and Sophitia. About your former master, the partner you are looking for and I'm willing to bet that the Soul Edge had a hand in ruining it all for you." it was at this point that Taki didn't know weather to lash out and hurl Link off the balcony or explain it to him as well. She decided the later option not wanting to harm him further than she did in Istanbul.
She began speaking and telling her story. She told Link just about everything she could of how only a fragment of the Soul Blade had completely destroyed everything that she had worked for while in the Fu-Ma. After taking Sophitia back to Athens she used one of the Soul Blade fragments to bond it with her blade Rekki-Maru which had always been a mysterious blade. When the master of the Fu-Ma, Toki discovered this he attempted to steal the blade from her, fearing that Toki would only be poisoned by his own desire she fled from the Fu-Ma. But apparently she never told Yugo, not because she didn't want to. She just didn't want him to get involved. She didn't want any help.
As Taki finished her story Link could now see exactly what made the seperation so hard, she never managed to let him know she was leaving. Link closed his eyes "You never got to tell him how much you wanted to be with him. You never got to say 'Good-bye' 'Farewell' 'Take care' or anything. You left without saying a word in an attempt to protect him, you didn't want him to get hurt over something that wasn't his concern." Link said knowing that these were her thoughts at the moment.
Taki looked up at Link as he said this without ever having to even look at her, she couldn't believe how this creature from another world had managed to read her like a book. It was like she was a book in his language that she at times couldn't understand and he had read her perfectly.
"I was a fool back then. It was more his concern than anyone else's, he had a right to know and against my heart I left him alone in bed before I set out. Prepared to never see him again." Taki looked up as Link rested one hand on her shoulder, her hand moved to be placed over his appriciating his wish to help her "Your too kind for your own good, that why you remind me so much of him." she breathed out with a smile.
Link gave a similar smile "You're a strong woman Taki and you now seek to destroy this curse on the world before it can harm you or anybody else. Fate has a strange way of working, but something tells me that in time it will be very much in your favor." he said before he started to walk away before he turned back to look at her "Trust me on that." he said before he opened and closed the door behind him.
Taki turned around and looked back over the courtyard toward the city of Venice able to look back to the days when she was still a middle rank of the Fu-Ma, when she was still with him. She breathed as she thought about Link "Perhaps he truly has come from a place untouched by this worlds vile nature..." she said knowing she'd have to thank Link in some way. She turned stepping back towards the door but looked at the sky "Yugo, where ever you are you'd better be waiting for me too." she said before vanishing through the door.
Next Chapters: (Undecided)
Raphael gets a rough flashback from a questioning Yunsung before everybody retires for the night. The next morning they receive a disturbing theory on why the Soul Calibur lacks the ability to heal, but Siegfried seems to have gone missing in the meantime. Does he plan on joining them or will he go on his own? Also what will happen when Isabella Valentine regroups with the mysterious Arus'Nei.
OOC: I'm going to go ahead and give a spoiler that somebody is going to die within the next three chapters and if you read through this one you can probably tell who the possibilities are. I have three ideas of where this story can turn. Exciting, isn't it? But unless you review you won't see where it goes!