Setting Sail.

(Sephiroth vs. Assassins.)

After finding the shards of Soul Edge in the labyrinth, Spirit started to travel north through a desert region in pursuit of other shards. He moves at a fast pace which no other being on earth could match. It would be hundreds of miles of non-stop running, but then Sephiroth would see a town appear over the horizon. Sephiroth would also catch the scent of salt water in the air. Apparently, it was a sea port. Sephiroth quickly slowed down to a calm natural walk, and casually walked into the port. The streets were filled with merchants, thieves, and shoppers. Sephiroth walked the streets trying to keep a low profile, but his long white hair, peculiar clothing, and Masamune, he turned quite a few heads. He wandered the city for a while until he heard someone shouting in the distance.

"Final boarding call for voyage to India! Final boarding call for voyage from Egypt to Italy." A large ship was ready to set sail from the port to land in Europe. Sephiroth studied the scene for a few seconds noticing nothing out of the ordinary. Then, he looked over at the landing leading onto the ship and saw a group of a few dozen men and with masks, hoods, and face scarves. All carrying light swords. He saw the group was huddled around one person. He looked of high class with short yellow hair and a rapier blade in the left hand. He was holding the hand of a little red head girl with pony tails. When Sephiroth saw him, he instantly felt his power. He looked over him and noticed a sac tied to his sash that gave off some evil energy. Sephiroth knew what it held. He watched for a few seconds, and then the man was approached by a sailor.

"Master Raphael, we are ready to set sail." Raphael gave a nod, then he and the sailors got on the ship. Sephiroth looked at the ship. Dozens were getting on, but they had to go through security and they had to buy a ticket. Paying his way in wouldn't be a problem, but he had to hide Masamune for now. He noticed some crates that were being loaded onto the ship and put in cargo. He casually walked over and started to look for a box to hide Masamune. He tried a long box, but it didn't fit. He tried another box, but his sword didn't fit that one either. So Sephiroth continued to search for a crate big enough in frustration.

"Hurry up! Pay up, and get on board!" The captain shouted while trying to hurry everyone on board. All the passengers threw what ever gold they had to get on the ship. Some had enough and got on; some didn't and got tossed aside. In the confusion, Sephiroth extended his hand and dropped a bag full of rubies, emeralds and diamonds he took from the labyrinth. The captain and the guards all fell silent in awe, but Sephiroth let out a sigh.

"Not enough? Very well." Sephiroth dropped even more gold and jewels before him and the captain almost falls over.

"Welcome aboard! Please make yourself at home on my boat." Sephiroth casually made his way onto the ship and disappeared into the crowd. "We are ready for lunch. Set Sail!" On his command, the sailors pulled anchor, released the sails, and untied all the ropes. The ship instantly caught wind and started disappearing over the horizon, but no one knew that that would be the ship's last voyage.

It's been two days since the ship left the port. The sky was clear and the air was cool. Every passenger came out of their quarters and got outside on deck. Many merchants tried to sell their goods, bandits and thieves tried to do parlor tricks for some extra cash, and their was not a single women that didn't have at least five men trying to hit on her. In the mist of everything, Raphael, followed by Amy and his group of hired assassins, came up from below deck and made his way across the deck. Everyone got out of his way and, fell silent as they passed. They made their way up to the captain quarters. When they entered the room and shut the door behind them, everyone else on the deck went about their ways. However, Sephiroth watched them enter the captain quarters from the other side of the deck. He analyzed the situation for a few seconds, and then he slowly made his way to the cargo bay. Making sure he wasn't seen, he went below deck to the hull. When he got there, he found the guard tied up and trying to climb the stairs inch by inch like a worm, but ignored him and stepped around him. He finally got to the cargo bay, and heard voices.

"Hurry! Find the gold and any other valuables we can carry." It seemed some bandits decided to make their move. Sephiroth decided to get out of sight.

"Wow! I can retire early and buy me a mansion." Another bandit said.

"Hey, I found all the weapons." Said a bandit who was going through all the crates to find weapons. There were a total of five bandits plundering the cargo bay.

"Ale, where's the ale? Where is the pirate's holy water?" Sephiroth turned to find that a bandit heading his way and started to clench his fist.

The four other men searched the other end of the cargo bay when one came to a very long crate and opened it to find Masamune. "What the…?" He said as he tried to lift the sword, but lacked the skill to use it. "This thing sucks, but I bet I could sell it for a bundle."

"Meh, I have seen bigger." Boasted a bandit as he watched his comrade tried to wield the sword. They all laugh for a moment, but then they stopped when they saw the bandit who was after the Ale stumble to them as if drunk. "Well look who found the mother load. Hey drunken face, did you save any for us?" The man stumbled around while bent over. He made eye contact with them and struggled to stand up right. When he did, the other bandits faces went to jolly, to absolute horror as they saw a gapping hole in his torso that went all the way through his body. His face was lit with pain and fear, and then he dropped to the floor dead. They just looked at the body in shock.

"LOOK OUT!" A bandit yelled as he saw Sephiroth charge the men. They all pull out their daggers. "Come on!" He yelled as he trusted at Sephiroth, but his knife was deflected one way and Sephiroth grabbed and twisted his head the other way snapping his neck. Another bandit tried to slash him, but Sephiroth grabbed his neck and used thunder, instantly stopping his heart. One more bandit tried his luck, but Sephiroth used ice on and complete froze him. He walk passed the body and back fist it causing it to shatter into hundreds of pieces. The bandit holding Masamune fell over in fear as Sephiroth walked up to him. He let out a scream just as Sephiroths hand was reaching for him.

Meanwhile, in the conference quarters, Raphael was having a meeting with his men. "That's the plan. We shall venture to Athens, I heard of a family owning some shards. Retrieve them all, and you shall be rewarded. I don't care what tactics you use, just get me those shards understand?" The assassins nodded their heads. There was a slight knock at the door. An assassin got up and opened the door, and in crawled the cargo guard who was still tied up.

"Help, some men are looting in the Cargo bay!" He said on the floor. Just as he did, there was a scream of a woman from outside. All of the assassins got up and ran out the door to see the commotion. They formed along the rail and looked down in the floor to see everybody focusing their attention to the rear hatch which had one of the bandits standing out side with a sword in his hand. Raphael came out last and saw the bandit holding the sword. However, he saw that the sword wasn't in his hand, but the sword was coming through his chest. That was when he saw over the shoulder of the bandit the face of Sephiroth. They both made eye contact, and both of them felt the shards they held and the fighting spirit each other had. Then all of a sudden, Sephiroth rip the sword out of the bandit's chest. He writhes' in pain for a few seconds, then falls dead from the loss of blood. At first, all were silent and still, but all at once, everyone aboard scrambled for their live. Some found life boats to ride out in. Some just dove over the side and swam away. In a matter of seconds, Raphael, Sephiroth, Amy, and the band of assassins were all that was left on the ship. The assassins were ready to draw their swords, but Raphael just let out a maniacal laugh.

"Muah ha ha ha! How foolish of you to anger me, but luckily for you, and the shards of Soul Edge in your possession, you won't be a complete waste of my time." His red poisoned eyes grew wide with rage. "Now, let's celebrate your demise." He raised his hand and snapped his fingers. Then an assassin jumped over the rail and landed on the deck. He charged Sephiroth, but Sephiroth made a knife hand and stuck it in the assailant's chest and crushed his heart. After he tossed his first victum aside, he saw four assassins ready to slash him. However, Sephiroth drew his sword and slashed all four of them in half with one slash. "Humph, you fail to impress me." Raphael continued to taunt as two more assassins advanced to Sephiroth, but Sephiroth snapped his finger and the two assassins were surrounded by a cloud of smoke. When the smog settled, it appeared that all that was left of them was their clothes, but there was some movement in them and soon, out jumped a frog from the clothing. Sephiroth stood before Raphael once again. "O.K. Turning them into frogs was something new." The rest of the assassins were about to advance, but Raphael stopped them. "Hold it! I shall deal with this loathsome creature myself." The assassins put away their swords and Raphael heads down the stairs to meet his foe. "What is your name, worthy adversary?"

"……Sephiroth."

"Now there's an odd name, from what land are you from?" Sephiroth didn't answer. "Doesn't matter, why do you want Soul Edge?"

"So I can kill the bastards that halted my life and create the ultimate utopia for me and my mother."

"Interesting. It appears that you and I are a lot alike. I shall fight you as my strongest rival instead of a peon." Raphael draws his Rapier in his left hand. "En-guard you loathsome creature." Raphael said as Sephiroth readied himself for the fight.