Chapter 15 - True Strength
Jan and his unit was in the rebel headquarters where Girardot was waiting for him. Jan looked
around and realized something about the surrounding area. It was the same place where Jan, Riese and Aeneas passed Girardot's final test. The memory flashed into Jan's mind. How it began, and how it ended with Jan defeating Girardot. But Jan knew the Girardot he is going to face will be different from the one he knew. This battle was about Jan showing his true strength to Girardot.
"This is it." said Jan, "The rebel headquarters."
"Girardot is waiting on that rocky hill." said Abelia, pointing at the tent on the hill.
"Looks like we have to get through these guys first." said Luca.
"Not much people for as a last line of defense." said Tina.
"We can handle them." said Yuilin.
"Let's move out!" said Jan.
"Right!"
Meanwhile, Girardot was talking to Feofan, one of the rebel's best soldiers, and Rudiger, another great rebel soldier and Girardot's elder son.
"Alright, the anti-rebellion force has arrived. Don't think just because they are from Grandall means they are weak." said Girardot, "Look at the blue knight over there."
"Isn't that Jan?" said Feofan, "The one who took down Maletta and Dalkia?"
"It is." said Rudiger, "To think someone like him would be the leader but why him?"
"I think it's because they were my best students and the ones who showed me the belived end of the dreaded Mantis War."
"So they sent your best students to make a disadvantage?"
"Well, it didn't work."
"Move out and don't let them come near here."
"Yes, sir."
Jan and his unit moved onto the battlefield. In front of them was Feofan and a bunch of other rebel soldiers.
"I'm sorry." said Feofan, "But I can't let you pass. If you want to pass you're going to have to face-"
"Me." Rudiger interuppted.
"Rudiger."
"Rudiger? Is that you?" said Abelia, "So, you have joined your father, I see."
"Huh? Girardot had a son?" said a confused Jan.
Abelia then whacked Jan on the head.
"You're such an idiot! Of course Girardot had a son! He had two children!"
"Really? I had no idea."
"This is the Great Jan? I thought he would be more strong-willed than what I just saw."
"Looks and attitude doesn't decide a match. It's how you fight."
"How about we give a test then?"
"Huh?"
"You get through the remaining rebel army and you get to face me and Feofan."
"We'll take it!" yelled Tina.
"Don't yell it out. We need to think about it." said Luca.
"Don't bother." said Abelia, "Jan would accept anyway, right?"
"Uh-huh!"
"Well then." said Rudiger, "I'll see you near the hills."
Rudiger and Feofan left, leaving Jan and the rest facing the rebel army.
"Heh, we can take them." said Luca.
"All right. Abelia and Tina, head to the east. Luca and Yuilin, head to the west. I'm heading north."
"Don't die on us, okay?" said Abelia.
"I won't." said Jan.
Everyone went their ordered directions. Yuilin and Luca met with two rebel soldiers, both masked. One had a dark mask and the other had a fox mask.
"Yuilin, take the dark mask." said Luca, "He has a strange bladed fan."
"Okay. Careful." said Yuilin.
"Got it."
The dark mask jumped and tried to hit Luca but was carried by the wind created by Yuilin. She then tried to strike but was kicked in the head. Dark Mask then made a barrage of fan slices but were blocked by Yuilin's own strikes. Meanwhile, Luca was facing the fox masked rebel. Luca threw his bomb but was kicked back at him. Luca managed to didge the explosion but left him open for attack to the Fox Mask, who revealed it's weapon, kunai daggers.
"Kunai?" thought Luca.
The fox mask then struck but one strike was blocked by Luca's dagger while the other strike hit his left arm. Luca could barely move it.
"This guy is good." said Luca, "Maybe it's time I tried my new trick."
Luca then stood his ground as the fox masked rebel charged towards him. He then disappeared and was right behind Luca. Luca saw the movement and smacked the fox mask with an uppercut using Luca's lion head bomb. The fox mask was high in the air with the bomb stuck on the mask. The bomb then exploded and inflicted huge damage on the rebel. The fox mask broke and the rebel fell on the sand dune. Luca then saw the face with had cuts on the cheeck and forehead only.
"This guy survived." said Luca, "That mask must be good material."
Meanwhile, Yuilin and the dark mask were still fighting. They both then created huge gusts of wind which then clashed to devlop a sand tornado. The dark mask couldn't find Yuilin because of the wind and sand gusting everywhere. The dark mask was then kicked right into the tornado by Yuilin who then charged up her steel fan and bursted to flames.
"WIND OF FIRE!"
Yuilin released a huge flash of fire into the tornado. The sand tornado becamr a fire tornado and was burning the dark mask who was inside it. The tornado then died down and the dark mask was on the ground with huge burns all over his body.
"I'm sorry." said Yuilin.
"Yuilin!" yelled Luca.
"Oh, Luca!"
"Hey you beat the dark mask?"
Luca then saw the burned dark mask on the ground. Luca was full of shock and fear.
"Looks like I have to avoid her bad side." he thought.
"Hey, let's catch up with Jan and the others."
"Right!"
As Yuilin and Luca were running to Jan, Abelia and Tina were having problems of their own. They were cornered by rebel soldiers. Abelia then tackled the soldiers and Tina then jumped on high and smacked their heads. Tina then threw her daggers at two rebels and hit them. Abelia then charged her sword into fire.
"FIRE STREAM OF JUSTICE!"
The fire then flashed through the remainging rebel soldiers and knocked them all out.
"That was pretty easy." said Tina.
"Makes it a shame that these people are the last line of defense." said Abelia, "Let's hurry and meet with Jan!"
"Right!"
As Abelia and Tina were heading towards the area Jan is, Jan is fighting some rebels that are jumping out of the ground. Jan sliced them all around and knocked them out. He started to get irritated.
"This is starting to get annoying!" said Jan, "If this was some game, I would hate it!"
"Good thing it isn't." said the SoulCalibur.
After seemingly endless slashing, Jan defeated all the soldiers that attacked him. Abelia and the others eventually met up with Jan.
"Jan, you okay?" asked Abelia.
"I'm fine." he replied
"Very impressive." said Rudiger, "You may have beaten the soldiers but you haven't beaten us."
"I'm ready to face you!"
"You can't take on both of us." said Feofan, "You need a partner for this battle."
"Really now?"
Jan then thought about it and decided.
"I choose Abelia." he said.
"What?" said Abelia.
"You're my best candidate for a partner, so prepare yourself."
"Right!"
Jan and Abelia prepared their stance and was ready to face Rudiger and Feofan.
"Abelia, take on Feofan." said Jan.
"Why?" said Abelia.
"I want to see how strong Girardot's elder son is."
"Hmph, fine by me."
The battle then started, Abelia and Feofan clashed as Jan clashed with Rudiger. Abelia and Feofan with back and forth with their swords. Their sheilds then struck each other with such force. Jan and Rudiger sliced each other repeatedly but giving only minimum damage.
"Dang, he's fast." said Jan, "Just like Girardot."
"Don't think because you my father's best student doesn't mean you'll win so easily." yelled Rudiger.
"I don't expect any less."
Jan and Rudiger clashed again and Jan pushed Rudiger to the rocky walls. Jan then striked but missed and hit the wall causing it to start crumbling. Rudiger was about to strike again but Jan made a swift lower slice and hit Rudiger's legs and then smashed his chestplate. Rudiger was then struggling to move.
"You haven't won yet." said a weak Rudiger.
"I have." said Jan
But then a boulder then came down and smacked Rudiger on the head causing him to lose conciousness.
"Well, that had to hurt." said Jan.
"Rudiger!" said Feofan.
"Don't take your eyes off me!" said Abelia.
Abelia then made a thunderous strike on Feofan's torso which caused him to fall down on the ground.
"Never take your eyes away from you opponent." Abelia said, "It could cost you."
"Good job, Abelia." said Jan.
"We're not done. There is still one more."
"Girardot."
Jan and Abelia then headed up to the rocky hill with the others following them. On the top, Girardot was sitting on a chair with his eyes closed. He opened them and saw Jan and the others.
"So you've come." said Girardot, "Jan and Abelia, it has been a while."
"Don't talk to us!" yelled Abelia, "I have no words for a traitor!"
"Stren like always Abelia. Still you have yet to understand."
"Why are you doing this?" asked Jan.
"I will answer that if you beat me in battle."
"All right then."
"Follow me."
Jan followed Girardot to the other side of the hill where there was a fighting circle surrounded by a seemingly endless pit.
"Defeat me, and you will know why." said Girardot.
Jan and Girardot then stood in the circle wwith Abelia and the rest watching. Both warriors prepared themselves for battle. Girardot then took out his weapon, the Absoulution Lance.
"Are you ready Jan?"
"Yes, I am."
"Good!"
Girardot then charged in and Jan then jumped to slice but was blocked by a sky attack Girardot made for himself. The two then clashed weapons strike after strike. Jan then hit Girardot in the torso but was unaffected.
"What?!"
"The Absolution Lance has a special ability." said Girardot, "It protects the weilder but takes the life out of it also."
"Then why use that one?"
"Because I want to!"
Girardot then attacked again but was blocked by Jan's sword. Jan then struck Girardot's legs but was also unaffected. Girardot then struck Jan on the sides and made him skid across the circle.
"Is that all?" asked Girardot, "I thought I trained you better than that."
"You did. You just caught me off guard." said Jan.
Jan then summoned the SoulCalibur's power and bursted it into flames.
"What?!" said Girardot
"Forgive me, Girardot. Sir." said Jan.
"SOUL OF FIREWIND!"
Girardot tried to dodge it but the fire was to wide to be dodged. It then hit Girardot and caused him to drop his weapon and fall on the ground. Jan ran to him.
"Jan!" yelled Abelia.
But then a rock slide happened causing the others to slide of the hill. The group managed to survive.
"Jan! Hold up!" yelled Tina.
The group was running back up the hill. Jan was looking at the dying Girardot.
"I'm sorry, General Girardot." said Jan.
"No, it's alright." said Girardot.
"So why did you rebel?"
"Why didn't you?"
"Huh?"
"You are strong but you don't know where to dircet that power. Right now, your power is controlled by others."
"What are you talking about?"
"Think about it. For who do you weild your sword for? for what and against whom? You must learn to control your power. Otherwise..."
Girardot then reached for Jan.
"You will never become a true warrior..."
All of a sudden, Girardot got stabbed. Jan then stood up and saw the sword. The sword that stabbed Girardot was dark and had an eye.
"Soul Edge!" yelled the SoulCalibur.
"That's the Soul Edge?"
"Yes, it is! But is weilding it?"
Jan then saw the weilder of the sword and was shocked.
"Strife!"
"You pathetic little worm." said Strife.
Strife then disappeared. The unit then met up with Jan and saw Girardot dead. The rest said nothing. Abelia then hugged Jan from behind.
"I'm sorry, Jan." he said.
Jan stood silent.
"I'll be heading back to Grandall. I'll see you there later."
Abelia then left. Tina, Luca and Yuilin couldn't find anything to say as Jan looked up at the moon wondering what to do now.
"I think it's time." said Jan.
"Time for what?" asked Yuilin.
"We shall carry on the legacy of General Girardot by joining the rebellion!"
All three were surprised but eventually agreed.
"All right then, let's move out!" Jan yelled.
"Yes sir!"
Now begins the march of Arthias. What is going to happen? You'll have to wait till the next chapter is up! But right now I need some rest. Till then!
- R2J