Inside my studio, I pointed Talim to the closet upon which I had put that fragment. It was really put out of sight, so that when somebody enters, they wouldn't see it. I always wondered what it is that drew my mother to it. Now I have a pretty good guess what it was.

"There it is." I said, as I pointed. After that I marched to the closet, picked it up, and gave it to her.

"Another piece to return to that from which it came." was all she could say.

Something else just crossed my mind. There was something about what just happened that I couldn't quite put a finger on. And that very thought somehow bothered me.

Talim noticed it: "Something wrong?"

"Cervantes is very powerful, right?" I asked.

"... Yes?" she answered questioningly.

"From what I read, he should be able to make his blade float around in mid-air."

"I've seen him do worse." she said calmly. Which was good! It made me realize that I wasn't going crazy. I mean, I was beginning to think about people literally doing the impossible.

"Why didn't he do that?" I asked.

Talim didn't seem to need a moment to think about that, as she answered: "I could summon the wind as well, but I was afraid of how people would react if I did. Maybe that pirate thought the same thing!"

Of course, I thought. A pirate has to keep a low profile. In a way, it made sense. But then something else bothered me.

"Something else you want to speak of?" she asked.

At this moment, I thought of what I've got to lose. So I just came out and say it: "You're still alive! Cervantes is still alive! Makes me wonder who else is! Nightmare... Zasalamel... Tira... Astaroth... Ivy... Lizardman..."

"You seem to know quite a lot of people who sought the sword." she interrupted.

"That's not the point!" I reasoned, "I mean... what if they somehow find out about this and come to visit me, believing I still have it! Or given these modern times, it might not be them who look for me! Or maybe not them as I know them from the stories!"

"What do you mean?"

"For one thing," I began explaining, "our technologies have evolved in such ways, that if the world has to be destroyed it won't need Soul Edge! Whatever weapons we have, they are alot more powerful than the weapons of your time! I notice you have adapted yourself to this age in a fashionable way, but others may have modified their weaponry! Then there's of course the media! Or what they talk about!"

"What's so bad about them?"

"In case of the newspapers," I continued, "there would be reporters looking for the ultimate story, so they look for the sword! Then there's the whole thing about terrorists, and secret governmental operations! Perhaps even alien life-forms..."

"You don't feel safe anymore. Do you?"

Suddenly I realized that saying 'alien life-forms' was a bit overreacted. But given my currant situation, I lost the border between reality and fantasy. In any event, Talim was right. How could I possibly be safe now? I didn't get a chance to answer her question. Perhaps, she already knew what I was going to say. So she began talking.

"You said you know so much about mysteries and old legends and all. Is that true?"

"... Yes?" I answered, even though i didn't really understanding why she asked

"Maybe you could help me find other fragments!" she said.

I jumped up at this proposal: "You... you mean... you want me to join you on this...?"

"You're not much safer here then you are there!"

An excellent point. However, I had never been on such an adventure before in my life. I had no idea how I should prepare myself to this. Plus I'm sure there will be moments I'll have to play a real life Street Fighter game, but I had no such experience on that! Then again, I don't exactly recall Talim having any experience with fighting either.

Reluctantly, I answered: "... That's... that's indeed so."

"It is really for the best, for you as well as the whole world, if you'd join me on this."

"Suddenly the fate of the world rests on my shoulders." I remarked cynically.

I still took a moment to think about it. Eventually, I decided: "... Fine! I guess it's the only thing I can do right now."