Hikari and the Soul Edge
Chapter 4: Nightmare and the Soul Edge
Hikari and Kenji arrived in the town of Ivalion, where they slept for the night and got up bright and early. After a whole day of asking questions, the two were disappointed with their results.
"Nobody in this whole town has even heard of Tira!" Hikari groaned as they walked down the street.
"You can't expect to find her in one day," Kenji replied. "Finding one person out of everyone in the entire world will take time."
"But this is so frustrating!" Hikari exclaimed.
"Let's get some dinner and calm down," Kenji said.
The two of them went to the town restaurant and sat down at the table.
"Ten orders of steak, please," Kenji said to the waitress.
The two of them began to chow down on their exceedingly enormous dinner. Hikari took a gulp of water and set her cup down.
"Alright," Hikari said. "We'll just hit the next town and pump it for info."
"You sound more cheerful," Kenji said.
"A full stomach always makes me feel good!" Hikari cheerfully exclaimed.
"So the whole clan was wiped out?" someone at another table asked.
Hikari and Kenji listened in to the conversation of the five adventurers at the table nearby. Sitting at the table was a group of five adventurers, each a different race. One was a human guy, another was a Viera woman, the third was a Zora woman, the fourth was a Bangaa guy, and the fifth was a Goron man (For those of you who do not know these species, look them up on Wikipedia if you have to. Two are from Final Fantasy and the other two are from Legend of Zelda).
"That sounds terrible!" the Viera exclaimed.
"That's not the worst part," the Goron said. "According to what I've heard, they were wiped out by one person."
"How were they wiped out sso eassily?" the Bangaa asked.
"Nobody knows," the Goron said.
Hikari turned to face Kenji.
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Hikari asked.
"We might've found the hint we needed," Kenji replied. "Let's keep listening."
They turned their attention back to the adventurers.
"What else have you heard?" the human asked.
"I heard that this all happened at Half-Moon Peak," the Goron answered. "Anyone who walks underneath the cliff there is instantly wiped out."
"I'm not afraid of a mere rumor," the human said. "Let's take him out!"
"Don't you think it would be smarter if we gather some allies for this little venture?" the Zora asked.
"Who would be foolhardy enough to join us on a suicide mission?" the Goron asked.
"We'll do it," Hikari said as she and Kenji walked up to them.
They all looked up at the two of them.
"Are you ssure you're tough enough to keep up with uss?" the Bangaa asked.
"I've grown up on Wyvern Hill all of my life, and this guy took out a Lizardman in a single blast," Hikari said. "Trust me. We're tough."
"I guess you two can help us out," the human said. "Alright. Meet us outside of this restaurant tomorrow morning at 8:00."
Hikari and the leader of this clan shook hands. The following morning, Hikari, Kenji, and the clan they joined up with left the village and headed for Half-Moon Peak.
"Do you know who's been killing people at Half-Moon Peak?" Hikari asked.
"Not really," the Goron answered. "All I've really heard is that it's a single person that does it. Wait a minute…I think I do remember something!"
Everyone was interested in what the Goron had to say.
"Every person that has died was an expert of some form of martial art," the Goron said. "They're the only ones that the killer doesn't let escape."
"That confirms it," Hikari thought. "It's definitely her."
The visions of Tira fighting and nearly killing her father, and of the house burning shot through Hikari's mind. They soon reached Half-Moon Peak.
"This is it," the Goron said.
They all looked up at the peak. The mountain looked like any other until it reached the top. At the top of the mountain was a large patch of rock that was shaped like a crescent moon.
"So anyone who travels in the shadow of the moon is attacked?" Hikari asked.
"Exactly," the Goron said.
"Then let's prepare for combat," the leader of the clan said.
They all slowly walked towards the shadow of the moon-shaped rock. As soon as they stepped under it, they stopped in their tracks. After a minute of stressful waiting, they all calmed down.
"What a load of bull!" the Bangaa shouted. "Where iss this 'blood-thirssty killer?!"
Hikari suddenly felt something coming towards them.
"GET DOWN!!" Hikari shouted.
They all ducked down as something swiftly shot over their heads. Hikari took a look at what passed them and recognized it immediately: it was the ring blade that Tira wielded. Tira then fell from the sky and landed right next to her blade. She immediately picked it up.
"So which one of you will I play with this time?" Tira asked innocently.
Tira then noticed Hikari and a smile grew on her face.
"So you survived that day," Tira said. "You might just prove to be a potential host for Nightmare…if you live today, that is."
"Host for what?" Hikari thought.
"You don't need to worry about her!" the leader of the clan shouted to Tira.
"You sstill have to deal with uss," the Bangaa said.
The clan drew all of their weapons.
"So
you want to play, huh?" Tira commented. "Fine then. I'll have
some fun with you first."
Every member of the clan charged
forward.
"You idiots!" Kenji shouted. "She'll get you if you charge forward like that!"
Tira slipped past all five of the clan members and struck them all in the back with her blade. They all crashed into the ground and began to writhe with pain.
"Did I break you already?" Tira asked innocently. "Oh well. I might as well finish what I've started."
"Did you forget about me?!" Hikari shouted.
Tira turned around in time to block Hikari's downward slice. Kenji snuck past them to rescue the clan.
"This is the second time you've interrupted me!" Tira shouted in her deep voice. "You have become annoying!"
Tira knocked Hikari back and charged forward. Hikari rose up her sword to block Tira's next attack. Hikari spun around for another attack, which was promptly blocked. This continuous cycle of attack and counter continued for quite some time. Hikari attacked once more, but Tira knocked Hikari backwards with her next block. Hikari crashed into a rock-wall and fell to her knees from the pain.
"Now you will die," Tira said.
Before Tira could step forward, a gust of cold wind froze the ground in front of her. Tira slipped as soon as she stepped onto the ice and fell onto the ground. She turned around and saw that Kenji had cast a spell.
"She's not alone this time around," Kenji said as his magic power built up in his right hand again.
Kenji cast a Fire spell towards Tira. Tira, having seen the spell this time, slipped out of the way. Before she knew it, Hikari had risen up again. Hikari sliced Tira on the back. Tira fell to the ground.
"Not so easy when I have a friend, is it?" Hikari asked.
"Don't think that this is over!" Tira shouted.
She got up and began to run away. Hikari and Kenji attempted to chase her, but a flock of ravens flew in their path and blocked their sight. By the times the ravens disappeared, Tira was long gone.
"She escaped again!" Hikari shouted.
"Let's not worry about that for now," Kenji said. "Let's get these guys back to town and get them healed up."
Hikari and Kenji began to carry the five fighters to town. They found it nearly impossible to carry them all (especially the Goron), so the two of them hitched a ride on a passing caravan. After the five clan members were safely in the hospital, Hikari and Kenji went to their hotel. They both sat in Hikari's room in order to chat.
"Kenji, do you know what Tira was talking about earlier?" Hikari asked.
"About what?" Kenji asked.
"About this 'Nightmare'," Hikari said. "She said I'd make a good host for this thing. What was she talking about?"
Kenji looked as if he was trying hard to think of something.
"I'm not sure about the 'host' bit," Kenji said. "But I do remember something about a guy named Nightmare."
"Who is he?" Hikari asked.
"He was some swordsman that appeared out of nowhere one day," Kenji said. "It was about a year ago. I'm surprised you have never heard about it."
"I lived in the mountains, devoid of all forms of communication with civilization," Hikari said.
"Right," Kenji replied. "Anyway, Nightmare was this murderous swordsman that suddenly appeared a year ago. He always wore this strange armor. It was completely azure, except for his right arm, which looked like it belonged to a demon. Countless armies were sent after him, but he slayed him all with single swipes of his sword. Despite how invincible he was, however, he disappeared out of nowhere one day. Nobody knows what happened to the guy."
"Maybe that's what this whole 'host' thing is about," Hikari said.
"Did you know that there was another story associated with Nightmare?" Kenji asked.
"Tell me," Hikari said, full of interest.
"I think that this is merely a rumor, but he supposedly wielded a mythological sword called the Soul Edge," Kenji said. "It was said to be able to steal the soul of anyone it cut, but nothing like that really exists in this day and age."
"Maybe not, but the story does have its significance," Hikari said. "The Soul Edge is connected to Nightmare, and Nightmare is connected to Tira. That means that we have two more sources of info to go by. From now on, we have to search for any info on this Nightmare guy and the 'Soul Edge', as well as on Tira. We'll get her no matter what."
After their conversation was over, Kenji went back to his room, and Hikari went to sleep.