It had been a long voyage all the way to the Gwadar, a port city in the south of Pakistan, and Xianghua was very eager to get off the ship and stretch her legs. As the ship slowly sailed into port, Talim stood at the railing of the ship looking off into the distance. The city was something to behold, and reminded her of images she had seen of Arab cities at the wind shrine. Talim couldn't help but notice that many of the buildings along the coast lay in ruins, as if some great battle had recently taken place. Rajit appeared from the depths of the ship flanked by Xianghua and joined Talim in her survey of the city.

"The Portuguese have been here little one. I heard there was a lot of fighting. Luckily we missed all that or we might have been mixed up in it," said Rajit looking kindly on the two women.

Talim bowed her head, her eyes downcast. She knew that the teachings of the Litany of the Wind told her to hate no one on earth, but she couldn't stand the word "Portuguese" or "Spanish". Those foreigners ruined the tranquility of her village ever since they set foot upon the Philippines. Noble farmers were reduced to drunkenness, forgetting their responsibilities to their families and instead whiling away their time in a bar. There was also the religion that the Westerners brought with them, some foreign sounding name, and pulled many away from the ancient religion of the Wind. Life shattered once they stepped foot on her sacred islands.

"Chin up, Talim. We've got nothing to worry about. Besides the sooner we get off the ship the faster we can get what we want accomplished," said Xianghua smiling, gently nudging Talim back into the real world.

"Oh, yes. I've got everything ready so I'm set when you are Xianghua."

The ship finally docked into port, and the sailors began unloading their cargo. The docks had been damaged in the fight against the Portuguese, but business seemed to carry on as it usually did. Rajit stood at near the ship and clasped Xianghua's hands lovingly.

"Ladies, it has been a pleasure to be your guide thus far, and I hope you are successful in your endeavors. I am a little sad I have nothing to really give you except my best wishes," warmly said Rajit.

"Oh Rajit don't worry about us. Talim and I can take care of ourselves just fine," replied Xianghua, bending down to hug the middle aged monk.

The two women left Rajit and headed into the city, waving back at him. Gwadar was dizzying to one who was not used to the hustle and bustle of a port city.

"I've never seen anything quite like it…" marveled Xianghua as she surveyed the city.

"Quite different from the cities in China, huh?"

"Indeed. Living in China you sometimes forget that there is a world beyond the borders."

"Don't your people call your country the 'Middle Kingdom'?"

"Yes that's what the characters mean written out. I'm certainly not the one that named it, but whoever did certainly put us at the center of the world."

"Well it's good to expand your horizons," sweetly replied Talim, looking up at her companion.

Xianghua couldn't get over just how mature and composed Talim was. She seemed far older than her years, almost as if she had a world of experience in only fifteen years.

"Where should we start looking Xianghua? My shard hasn't reacted to anything since we got off the ship. That means there can't be another one around here. I feel like we're searching for needles in a haystack as big as the world."

"I don't think I have the answer for you, but I'm sure we'll find some on our way to Europe. I was heading to Germany."

"Germany? That's vaguely familiar somehow. I know so very little about Europe, aside what I learn from the spirits of the wind shrine."

"Well I traveled there a long time ago with two friends and we fought the wielder of Soul Edge in an ancient castle. I really don't have any other leads so I decided to go back there and investigate. It's the best I could think of and…"

"Xianghua," interjected Talim.

"What?"

"Have you been getting the feeling someone is watching us?"

"No not really…do you have any idea who it might be?"

"No clue really, just a hunch I have. The flow of the wind has been off since we got off the boat. We'll just have to be careful. Let's try to figure out how we're going to get to Europe. We should also find an inn so we can rest up."

"Sure thing Talim."

As the two women were making their way through the streets of Gwadar, a strange beggar man collided into Talim. The little priestess was knocked into Xianghua and almost fell over.

"Oh, a thousand pardons ladies, a thousand pardons. I am so clumsy you know, and a little guy like me gets knocked around in crowds as big as this. You two ladies want to see a little magic trick?" questioned the hunchback little Indian man, one of his eyes covered by a tussled mass of black hair. Xianghua had never seen anyone with such dark skin, nor had ever smelled anyone with such a foul odor.

"Perhaps…some other time," said Xianghua, plugging her nose.

"I know you'll enjoy it! All you have to do is watch! I, Salaar, can make any object mystically disappear. I have been given this power by the gods, for what purpose I do not know, but just pay close attention to this flower."

Salaar procured a white carnation, and with a wave of his hand, made it disappear in a flash of multicolored confetti.

"A nice little trick…" replied Xianghua, eager to get the smelly little dwarf as far away from her as possible.

"If it was so nice then why don't you give me a few gold coins, as a sign of your awe and amazement at my powers…" said Salaar, reaching out his grubby little hand for money. Xianghua quickly pulled out some money and dropped it in his hand.

"May the gods bless you! May they bless you for all eternity! Thank you, thank you!" said Salaar, bowing up and down frantically as he slowly backed away from the women and seemed to melt back into the crowd from whence he came.

"Ech, I don't think I've ever been so grossed out before in my life…"

"Or…so tricked! He stole one of the shards Xianghua! I don't feel it in my pocket! We have to go after him before it's too late!" exclaimed Talim who immediately jetted into the crowd, moving anyone out the way.

"Wait up Talim I'm coming with you!"

Pushing through the throng of people and looking in every direction she could, Xianghua couldn't catch a glimpse of Salaar. It wasn't surprising though; the man was at least a foot and a half shorter than she was. Talim definitely did not want the shard to get into the wrong hands, but try as she might the little midget seemed to have practically disappeared.

"Alun!" cried out Talim, calling out for her bird. The wind picked up, and out of nowhere her trusty pet bird Alun swooped down and landed on her shoulder.

"Please Alun, find Salaar, he's stolen my shard of the evil Soul Edge. Fly now!"

The bird flapped its wings and lifted into the air, guided by the mystical power of the wind. The bird flew through several alleyways and eventually found a perch overlooking a dark alley. Talim knelt and prayed, the images of what Alun saw floating into her mind. Xianghua simply stood next to her, trying to see if she could catch a glimpse of Salaar. Alun cocked its head downwards to hear Salaar. The little man was soon flanked by a very imposing figure in a white cloak and some sort of weapon covered in cloth hanging on his back.

"I've done what you asked, I've got the shard from them. Now for that payment we talked about…"

The cloaked figure said nothing as he took the glowing black shard and reached behind him for his weapon.

"Wait…what are you…wait!" shrieked Salaar trying to get away.

The cloaked man took out a wicked looking silver scythe that glittered when the rays of the sun hit it. In one fell swoop the man bisected Salaar, the blood somehow being absorbed into the blade of the scythe. The man sheathed his scythe and looked up, straight into Alun's eyes.

Talim felt a chill come over her body, her stomach growing sick. She fell over shivering, Xianghua rushing to her side.

"What's wrong Talim!"

"I've never felt anything so malicious before in my life. That man…the aura from him was overpowering…"

"We have to get the shard back from him…" exclaimed Xianghua, helping her friend up.

The two women immediately looked at each other and nodded, Talim leading the way to where Alun was. The cloaked man stood there, as if he was patiently waiting for them. The scythe was even bigger in person, a menacing looking weapon even while covered. Talim couldn't make out the cloaked man's face, as it was shrouded in darkness. There was something not natural about him. Talim could experience a dark life force practically exploding out of the man's being.

"Give us back the shard!" exclaimed Talim, procuring her tonfa.

"We won't ask you again!" shouted Xianghua, reaching for her blade.

"Don't trifle in matters you know nothing about. Your ignorance is as deep as the ocean and as dangerous as a scorpion's sting. Give me the shard. If not, allow me to show you the error of your ways…" the figure said in a deep and deadly voice, drawing his scythe once more.

The two women gave each other a quick look and then rushed at the man, their weapons drawn and ready for battle. As they quickly got into striking distance, the cloaked figure swung his scythe with preternatural speed, knocking both women backwards from the force of the strike. Talim was quick to get back up, performed a cartwheel, and almost hit the man with one of her tonfas had he not fluidly dodged her. He quickly delivered a kick to Talim's midsection, sending her flying away into a pile of trash. Quick to act, Xianghua let loose with a flurry of quick attacks, her blade being expertly parried by the man's scythe. Their weapons locked, but the man's strength was beyond anything Xianghua could handle, and she was knocked backwards onto her back, with the scythe soon to follow. The cloaked man however, did not deal the finishing blow, but instead the blade hovered precious millimeters from Xianghua's face.

"No, you cannot die, not just yet. You are an important actor in this play. However your friend here is not…" said the man, as he made his way over to Talim who had just righted herself from getting kicked in the midsection.

"Talim, no!" exclaimed Xianghua as the cloaked man was about to slice the hapless girl. At that moment a blinding streak of blue light knocked the cloak man back into the brick wall behind him, leaving his imprint in the wall.

"I'll have no more of you hitting these women. Now begone you agent of evil!" exclaimed a voice that Xianghua knew all too well. The cloak man simply cackled, and like a phantom, flew upwards into the sky. Xianghua quickly turned around, and she was overjoyed at what she saw. It was Kilik, clad in his crimson red training gear and wielding the famed Kali-Yuga. He had neck length brownish black hair, and his eyes betrayed his eastern heritage.

"Kilik…I don't…how…how are you here!" happily exclaimed Xianghua as she rushed to her long time friend and gave him a hug.

"I've missed you Xianghua," said Kilik embracing her. Talim walked over and quizzically looked over Kilik.

Pushing Xianghua away a little, Kilik stooped down a little and covered his right fist with his left hand as a sign of greeting.

"I am Kilik."

"I am Talim of the wind shrine of Nayong Anito ng Hangin."

"Wow that's a mouthful, where is that?"

"I come from the Phillipines."

"Talim has been accompanying me on my journey so far Kilik. We had just gotten here from India and we're on our way to figuring out how to get to Europe when one of our shards of Soul Edge was stolen."

"I noticed. I've been keeping an eye on you since you got here. I've been able to track some of your progress with one of the temple treasures, the Dvapara Yuga mirror. However I didn't expect him to be here."

"Who was that guy anyways?" asked Talim, looking back towards the alley.

"I have no idea but I could feel his evil qi ever since I got to this city. He'll be back, I'm sure."

"Most definitely, but what I don't understand…"

"Is what Xianghua?"

"He could've killed me back there easily. He said that I was an important actor in his play. What could that mean?"

"Well let's just be glad you're still with us in one piece. We're going to have to be careful from here on out, especially once we get to Europe," said Kilik putting his staff on his back.

"You're going to join us?" asked Talim, putting her hands on her hips. "You don't look so tough," she said, walking over to Kilik and punching him playfully in the stomach.

"Cut that out!" laughed Kilik.

Xianghua looked at his smiling face, and memories of the battle with Nightmare came flooding back to her mind. His face as he sank into the black abyss before her battle with Inferno haunted Xianghua in her sleep.

"I thought I'd never see you again," replied Xianghua rather gravely.

"I'll have plenty of time to explain everything on our journey. As it stands we need to get out of here," replied Kilik, resting a supporting hand on Xianghua's shoulder.

"Right, lets get moving!" said Talim nodding towards her traveling companions.

Xianghua couldn't hold back the mix of joy and sadness that had been in her for so long, and felt content to just cry on Kilik's shoulder. He held her there, knowing all to well of all the tribulations of their last journey.