Talim's had a new plan to save Ashur, one that was even more radical than her previous idea.
Her error, she reasoned, was that she was attempting to draw evil energy out of the boy's body using her own power. She now realized that she would have to call upon a higher power for assistance. By calling down the wind currents flowing through the sky into Ashur's body, she could force the evil energy out of him much faster. However, she would still be required to pass the evil energy through her own body – without a receptacle to 'aim' the evil energy away, that energy would simply corrupt the land and water and air and people all around. It was an even more drastic and dangerous technique than the last one, but Talim could think of no other alternative. She stated that she would run the risk of not being able to expel the evil energy from her body, and lose her powers or die. However, she was willing to accept the risk. The others flatly refused to allow such a ritual to take place...until Ashur gave his approval.
When the others attempted to inform Ashur that they were going to end his suffering, he forbid them to do so, and asked Talim to continue treating him. His sudden vigor and the complete reversal of his opinion were shocking. It was obvious that he was not demanding Talim's help out of selfishness – he simply had faith in the girl. Although the others disapproved, the boy had the final say on the matter of his own life, and Talim had already accepted all risks involved. The others could have stopped Talim and Ashur if they wanted to, but they were so moved by the conviction of the two children that they decided to allow them to do as they wished.
After resting and recovering as much energy as she could, and moving the bedridden Ashur outside of the watermill and onto the grass outside, Talim began the ritual.
She gently embraced the frail body of the boy, and called upon the wind. She opened the boundaries of her heart, overlapping her soul with the soul of Ashur, as well as the serene winds that crossed the heavens. The physical boundaries of flesh no longer mattered; Talim, Ashur, and the wind were as one.
In this moment, the wind rushed down, flowed through Ashur's body and into Talim's body with all the force of a hurricane. The evil energy was exorcised from Ashur almost instantaneously. The entirety of the energy flowed directly into Talim's body, but it did not spend more than a single moment occupying her. It was rushed out as soon as it had come, and the energy of Soul Edge flowed away, rising up into the sky, into the atmosphere. The wind swirled and churned around the energy, purifying it, until the energy was as holy as all the rest occupying the watermill valley.
And, in that instant, in that moment when she was one with the pure spiritual energy of the world...Talim beheld a vision. A radiant light appeared to her. She saw flowing water, a pure blue sky, and a shimmering, crystalline sword...It was beautiful vision, and although it was fleeting, she felt comfort, because she knew for some reason that the source of this vision lay somewhere nearby.
When the ritual ended, not a single remnant of evil energy was left in either of their bodies.
Talim collapsed, not from fatigue or exhaustion, but from relief. Ashur's strength returned to him almost immediately. The others rushed to the side of the two children to verify that they were both okay. Neither of them bore a single sign of injury, and both were in perfect health – they both felt even better than ever before.
It was a miracle. Talim was a miracle-worker. The others came to feel the same reverence for her that they had felt when beholding Hephaestus. Not only did Talim possess supernatural abilities, but her bravery, compassion, and determination were superhuman as well. She was the stuff of legends, the sort of remarkable, rare human being that can have an effect on the entire world. Everyone around her was honored to be in her presence.
There was a celebration, a sudden surge of joy that most people present had all but forgotten. After months upon months of disappointment and failure, finally there was a grand success. After days and days of futile effort, finally there was victory. After countless hours of saying that it couldn't be done, the impossible had been accomplished.
For the first time in many long months, the weary and tired travelers in the village that day had something to cheer about.
While the children celebrated and danced with a healthy, sprightly Ashur, the adults praised Talim and applauded her actions. Those who doubted her apologized for discouraging her – except for Ivy, who only spoke the word "Congratulations" and then fell silent.
Siegfried felt a tugging on his sleeve – he looked down to see Amy, shyly and timidly looking up at him, an unspoken request in her eyes.
"Talim." He said, as he placed his hand on Amy's back and nudged her forward.
Talim performed her ritual of purification a second time, this time to cure Amy. The procedure went just as smoothly, just as quickly, and just as flawlessly as the first one. It began and ended so quickly it was almost anticlimactic – indeed, some of the children playing nearby were never even aware that the ritual took place a second time.
There were more cheers and more congratulations for Talim, but now that the group had witnessed two miracles, their thoughts turned – as always – toward what implications the latest events had for their quest.
"The Embrace, Siegfried." Several of the man's companions whispered to him. He nodded to let his acquaintances know that he was considering the same thing.
Talim had been busy over the past week, laboring tirelessly and selflessly to cure Ashur. She had never inquired as to the specific details of Siegfried's journey. He had explained that they were on a quest to destroy Soul Edge, but he had never quite mentioned that he possessed both Soul Edge and its counterpart. It was time, he decided, to reveal the Embrace.
The group huddled together to discuss the matter. "Should we tell her now?" Siegfried asked.
"Why wait another second?" Ivy replied. "The sooner we tell her, the sooner we can be done with this absurd quest once and for all."
"Wait. What about..." Cassandra jerked her head over at Yun-seong, congratulating Talim out of earshot.
All eyes were on Mi-na.
"What, like he's my responsibility or something?" Mi-na grumbled.
"Well, he's your friend, but his objective conflicts with ours. We just want to consider what you feel." Sophitia said.
"I feel that he's a stupid idiot." Mi-na said. "If he tries anything funny I'll kick his ass back to Korea. Actually, no matter what happens I'll still be dragging his sorry butt back home whether he's willing or not."
"It's better to avoid a fight." Setsuka said. "Instead of announcing it while he's present, maybe you could take him home now?"
"What?! And leave? But then I would miss it when the Embrace gets purified! I have to miss the big event I've been waiting for because of Yun-seong?! No fair!"
"We all have to make sacrifices." Taki said sternly.
Mi-na growled loudly. "...Okay, okay! I'll deal with him." Mi-na said. "I'll take Yun-seong home, and then you can try purifying the Embrace so – "
"I heard my name, what's goin' on? Am I in trouble? What's the Embrace? Is it some kind of big group hug, is that why you're all huddled over here like this?"
The entire group winced in unison.
"...Uh...Yun-seong...the 'Embrace'...is..." Mi-na stammered as she tried to manufacture a convincing lie.
Yun-seong raised a finger. "No use trying to trick me. I KNOW you're hiding something. And it has to do with Soul Edge, doesn't it?"
The group sighed and shifted their positions uncomfortably.
"...I didn't come all this way to find the solution to our problem, just to be stopped by THIS cretin!" Ivy said, grabbing the hilt of her snake sword. "I have no compunction with using whatever force is required to incapacitate this fool!"
Yun-seong leapt back and grabbed his own sword to defend himself, Mi-na grabbed his arm to stop him and take back the heirloom he was using as a weapon, while several females on Siegfried's team tried unsuccessfully to hold down Ivy.
"Stop! Don't fight!"
Talim's voice put a stop to the potential brawl, and the others sheathed their weapons and composed themselves.
"What's going on here? What's wrong? What are all of you getting so mad about?" Talim asked with her hands on her hips, looking much like an adult scolding a group of misbehaving children.
With a heavy THUNK, the satchel holding the Embrace fell to the ground. Siegfried pulled the knot binding the sack shut, and the faded brown burlap fell away to reveal a wretched almagation of flesh and crystal.
"This is the Soul Embrace." He began. "It is the fusion of Soul Edge and Soul Calibur. Calibur is the counterpart of Edge, another blade of equal but opposite energy. These two blades are locked in a stalemate, each kept in check by one another's power. In this form, they are indestructible. Only by introducing enough energy to cause an imbalance could one sword overpower the other and break the Embrace, returning Soul Edge and Soul Calibur to the world.
"We have tried countless methods to destroy the blades in this form, and nothing has worked. We have seen the blades separated once, but were not in a position to destroy Soul Edge at the time, and were forced to rejoin the blades. We have fought many enemies who have sought the blades from us, and suffered many hardships and losses as a result of this."
Siegfried pointed toward Talim. "You have shown the ability to remove the influence of Soul Edge from a person, and possess the power to direct a flow of energy according to your wishes. You may hold the key to breaking this stalemate in a favorable way. If you channel enough pure energy into the Soul Embrace, or channel enough evil energy out of it, the result would be a more powerful Calibur or a weaker Edge, which could allow us to finally separate the two blades and annihilate Soul Edge, or perhaps purify it instead."
Siegfried glanced down at the jumbled heap of gems and meat on the ground before him. "This is the weapon that has caused the hardships that you have endured until today. This is the weapon that we have traveled across a continent to destroy. This is the weapon that we have spent the last year of our lives seeking to obliterate. The annihilation of this weapon will remove the threat of Soul Edge from the world forever. Talim – will you help us? Will you purify this sword?"
Talim stood as still as a statue, staring wide-eyed at the sword standing upright in the ground before her. She recognized one half of it – the sword from her vision. The other half of it sent shivers down her spine, and instilled her with an impulse to run as far away from it as possible.
"...You were keeping this from me?" Talim asked.
"...There was never a reason to share the information until now." Siegfried said. "It would only have complicated things before."
Talim was silent, then nodded. "...So...you need an influx of holy energy? That I can manage. You wish to see it purified? If all it requires is the same procedure as before, then I can do it. ...Within this object...I sense that it contains untold amounts of energy, more energy than exists within a thousand people...I'm not sure..."
Talim calmly lowered herself to the ground, sat cross-legged, and looked gravely at the Soul Embrace, as though she was staring down a beast that threatened to attack her at any moment.
"...I'm not sure..." She repeated. "It would be on a far larger scale than before...I had no problem with these two purifications...but I...although I feel more pure than ever before, but I am weary. The ritual requires much exertion...I need to rest before I undertake something that will certainly require all of my strength. And I must consult the winds. I must ask the winds to give me the strength to do this."
Talim closed her eyes. "Give me a little time. One night. Allow me to sleep for the rest of the night. Tomorrow morning I will prepare, and at noon I should be ready."
The others nodded in consent...all of them except for one.
"Man, I am really at a disadvantage here..." Yun-seong said, scratching the back of his head. "There it is, right in front of me...but they're gonna destroy it in half a day! Dammit, I was so close this whole time? Aw, come on..."
All eyes were on Yun-seong, except for Talim, who was staring down her new mortal enemy.
"Is that really it?" Yun-seong muttered. "Soul Edge? Sitting right there? Man, it's a lot different than I imagined."
"It's the Soul Embrace, really." Mi-na corrected.
"Embrace, Edge, same thing right? Wait, didn't you say there's a 'Soul Calibur' somewhere in that fleshy mess? The Calibur thing is good, right? No complications, no problems about it being evil or anything? So, could I just have that sword?"
Siegfried shook his head sternly. "The Soul weapons are too powerful for any one man to be trusted with. In the wrong hands, any weapon could cause harm, regardless of its spiritual alignment."
"And what makes you think I'm 'the wrong hands', huh?" Yun-seong asked furiously.
"...Have you even taken a look at yourself lately?" Ivy asked. "You're a brash, foolhardy, hotheaded, impatient, nose-picking cretin."
"No I'm not!" Yun-seong said, pulling his finger out of his nostril.
"We will never entrust anything to YOU." Ivy said. "Soul Edge will be destroyed tomorrow, and Soul Calibur, despite its alignment, is a liability as well. We will dispose of it too."
"Awwwww maaaaan!" Yun-seong began pacing in circles, his hands on his head, looking as though he might start crying any moment.
"Come on, Yun-seong." Mi-na said. "Let's all go back to the house and have a nice long chat, mmm'k?"
"Nooooo..." Yun-seong said, even as he was dragged toward the watermill. Siegfried wrapped up the Embrace, and the other women followed Seong Mi-na to contribute their own reasons why Yun-seong's quest was misguided. Talim, after receiving many words of thanks and appreciation from Ashur, went to bed.
"...This will not do." Zasalamel noted from several hundred feet above the watermill.
--
Yun-seong idly dangled his legs off of the roof of the watermill. He'd never been scolded like that before in his life. He got an earful from every one of Mi-na's friends about every single reason Soul Edge was bad and every single reason why he was dead wrong. After several hours, they finally let him go once he pretended to agree with them. He knew that they still didn't trust him. Their creepy Japanese ninja was watching him at that very moment – just sitting perched in a tree, spying on him, making sure he didn't do anything they didn't want him to. He hated being under surveillance like that, but then again, he couldn't blame these people. They'd spent a whole year of their lives trying to destroy that sword, and many more years than that suffering because of it. He also didn't blame them for wanting to destroy it...and after listening to their speeches, he was starting to feel convinced that the sword was bad news after all. Ten people couldn't ALL be wrong about the sword, could they? Yun-seong felt so stupid...if his quest was all for nothing, then what had he been doing for the past few years? A pointless journey? It was a waste of his life! He didn't want to return home shamed and empty handed. Maybe he'd just run away...no. He couldn't do that. His nation was in peril, and he had to protect the people from harm. He had to be a hero. He had to have renown. And Soul Edge could give that to him! ...Maybe? Probably not...
Yun-seong sighed, and started thinking less about using the sword and more about how he'd make up for his mistakes. He unsheathed his sword, and looked at the blade to see what kind of reflection it would show him. A power-hungry demon? A nose-picking cretin? A moor with a golden eyeball?
...Wait a second.
As Yun-seong gazed into the reflection of the blade, he saw someone standing behind him, looking over his shoulder. A dark-skinned man with white robes and a single, golden eye. Yun-seong yelped in surprise and fear, jumped up, whirled around, and swung his sword at the intruder. His sword collided with a blade – a scythe held by the white-robed man, and the impact knocked the sword out of his hands. Yun-seong screamed, stumbled backward, and nearly fell off the roof of the watermill. After he regained his balance, he got a better look at the man. The others had described a man like this – he was their enemy! This was that Zazalala guy! He turned toward the ninja, and screamed. "HELP! IT'S ZALAZALA! HEEEEELP!"
"It's no use. No one can hear you. The ninja sees an illusion."
The man's voice was deep, commanding, and irritatingly confident. Yun-seong was no coward, and in fact often took on challenges too great for him to face, but the sight of this tall and imposing figure robbed him of every last ounce of courage he had. "Wh-wh-what do you want?!" He stuttered.
"Relax, Hong Yun-seong." Zasalamel said comfortingly. "I am not here to hurt you. I am here to help you."
Yun-seong thrust an accusational finger at Zasalamel. "They told me that everything you say is a lie! They said all you do is manipulate people!"
"I do whatever serves my interests best." Zasalamel said calmly. "And tonight, opening your eyes serves me quite well."
"Opening my eyes? Opening them to what?"
"The others were wrong, Yun-seong." Zasalamel said smoothly. "It is possible to wield the sword without falling under its influence."
Yun-seong peered at Zasalamel. "...I don't believe you."
"Do you recall the story that Siegfried told you about the origin of Soul Calibur?" Zasalamel asked. "An ancient King forged it in order to slay his son, who had been driven mad by Soul Edge..."
"Okay, yeah, you just said right there that Soul Edge drives people crazy. You are not doing a good job so far of convincing me otherwise."
"...But the King himself rose to power because he alone could control Soul Edge with the sheer force of his willpower."
"Oh yeah...that's how the story went..."
"I knew this man, Yun-seong. Algol was the one who instructed my tribe to guard Soul Calibur..."
"What? Wasn't that hundreds of years ago? How old ARE you?"
"...And I see much of King Algol in you, Hong Yun-seong."
"...Haaa?"
"The King was once an individual exactly like yourself...I'd say he was hardly different at all. Called brash and foolhardy by his peers, he attested his worth once and for all when he proved his ability to control the sword. He became the greatest man of all men, and united the known world during his reign..."
"Well...that's what Siegfried said...but am I really similar to this King?"
"Identical." Zasalamel assured. "If you require proof, consult the White Storm."
Yun-seong looked down at his sword, its blade digging into the roof of the watermill. He plucked it out and raised it up. The moonlight shined down and reflected his face back at him. As he gazed at the reflection, he slowly started to see a different face. A shaggy mane of white hair, a long scar running from hairline to chin, piercing eyes with irises the color of silver, elaborate golden armor made of scales and feathers and animal pelts...The man was sitting on a throne, casual, calm, confident, legions of followers at his feet, with branching kingdoms extending from horizon to horizon...the man rose from his throne, and held a sword aloft – it was Soul Edge, an ancient incarnation of it, but undeniably the same blade...He wielded the sword yet, did not fall prey to any kind of malevolent influence...
...The man's face appeared to be gradually changing. Yun-seong peered closer – and beheld a new face adorning the man's head. It was him – it was his own face – he was the King ruling the entire known world, he was the King loved, respected, and feared by his thousands of followers, he was the King who could hold Soul Edge without any consequence...and as Yun-seong gazed upon the lands surrounding his throne, he saw Korea, peaceful and secure, and all of the lands that once threatened Korea, scorched black and burned to ashes, and all of the lands he had ever traveled to as part of his dominion. Bowing at his feet were Seong Han-myeong, his mentor, Hwang Seong-gyeong, his idol, and even Seong Mi-na.
"Do you see now? Do you see what awaits you once you claim the sword?"
"...Yes." Yun-seong whispered breathlessly, captivated by the fantastic images within the blade.
"Tomorrow, I will grant you the opportunity to take the sword for yourself. When this opportunity arises, do not fail to claim it. It will be your only chance to have all of this glory and more."
"Yes..." Yun-seong repeated, only half listening.
"Good..." Zasalamel said coolly. He faded away, leaving Yun-seong sitting on the rooftop in the same position he had been before, holding up the White Storm just as he had done previously. As Zasalamel lowered the illusion he had cast, the scene was no different than it had been before he arrived. The only difference was the curse that Zasalamel had placed on the White Storm, and no one would notice that until it was too late.
--
It was difficult for anyone to sleep well that night. Evenings were never easy for Siegfried, nor the women who accompanied him. However, tonight it was not feelings of strife and hopelessness that kept them awake, but feelings of eagerness and anticipation. They were too excited to sleep, too anxious to see what events tomorrow would bring. It seemed very possible that the conclusion of their harrowing journey was near, and for the weary, over-traveled warriors, tomorrow could not come soon enough.
None of them had imagined that the tiny girl wearing silly garments would turn out to be their savior. Had they passed up the watermill village, chosen to end Ashur's life out of mercy, or chosen to depart from the village, they would never have discovered that Talim held the ability to purify the energy of Soul Edge and dispel its influence. Talim had humbly denied any praise they had given her, insisting that it was the wind that deserved their thanks, but the compassion and determination of the girl was still remarkable.
They tried to keep in mind the fact that the ritual might not work. They tried to remind themselves that they had no way of knowing whether or not Talim's technique would affect the Soul Embrace. However, after seeing her twin miracles earlier that day, and knowing that it was possible for energy to move in and out of the Embrace, they saw little reason to feel doubt.
In the event that Talim did not succeed, it was possible for any number of things to go wrong. She might become possessed by Soul Edge as soon as it was freed from the Embrace. She might be killed by such an extreme flow of energy. She might fall prey to any number of other risks that the group was unaware of. But regardless of the risks, they still had to try. They were ready to take any risk, as long as the possible reward was the end of this increasingly futile journey. They hated having to put Talim's life in danger, but the selfless girl had already volunteered to undertake this dangerous task. She knew the risks, just as she had with Ashur. She would go to any length to exorcise evil and save lives.
If the ritual was a success – then what? Then, in less than a day, their adventure would come to an end, and they would be free of the responsibilities that had plagued them for so long. They could return home, they could return to their new lives, or even forge new lives. Before then, however, there would still be loose ends – Soul Calibur, for one. The sword, despite being imbued with holy energy, was too powerful a weapon to keep in existence. It could be disposed of by exorcising its holy energy, but not before Siegfried had used the blade to defeat Nightmare. After the will of the sword had been annihilated once and for all, the only remainder of it in the world would be a handful of shards scattered across the globe, not even enough to form a new Soul Blade if combined. Certainly not a threat worth pursuing. As soon as Nightmare was defeated and the Soul weapons were disposed of, the weary warriors could rest at last.
Slaying Nightmare and disposing of the blades would not be easy, but were more straightforward tasks than the ambiguous journey they had followed so far. They could tolerate dealing with further responsibilities as long as this chapter of their lives could finally be put behind them.
But only if Talim succeeded tomorrow.
--
"Yun-seong."
The red-haired man showed no signs of having heard Mi-na say his name. He had spent the entire morning sitting motionless on his bed, holding the White Storm, staring vapidly into its blade. He was as still and lifeless as a statue, and the others feared what kind of trance the White Storm might have put him into - but whether it had hypnotized him or simply fascinated him, they did not want to risk snapping him out of his funk. As long as he was preoccupied, they were safe, and so they let him be.
"Yun-seong!" Mi-na repeated, irritated that her friend was ignoring her.
"What." Yun-seong replied in the same insipid tone of voice he had used earlier when he denied her offer for breakfast.
"Nevermind." She said, rolling her eyes and exiting the room. There was no use in telling Yun-seong that Talim was about to begin her ritual – it might only set him off, and interference from Yun-seong was the last thing anyone wanted. She placed a chair against the handle of the door to keep it shut. Yun-seong was closer to her than a brother, and she did not wish to trap him in a room, but she could not trust him, either – especially when acting so bewitched and entranced.
"No need to bother." Seung Mi-na said to Taki. "He's not going anywhere."
"I'm standing guard, anyway." Taki replied.
"You're going to miss the ritual?"
"We all have to make sacrifices." Taki repeated. She was no hypocrite and not exempt from her own rules. Although Mi-na was severely untrusting of the Japanese by nature, she had come to respect this ninja, even though she suspected that Taki disliked her.
Mi-na made her way out of the watermill and out onto the grassy lawn outside where Siegfried had placed the Embrace. It stood upright, its tip plunged into the ground, facing Talim, who stared down the Embrace with just as much conviction as she had the previous evening. Surrounding Talim and the Embrace on every side were Siegfried and all of his cohorts. Ashur and the other children had been asked to go play in the village, to protect them from a potential fallout of energy should the ritual go awry. No one knew exactly what was going to happen, considering that such immense amounts of energy were being dealt with – but everyone had faith in Talim's abilities.
Talim looked skyward, and closed her eyes. The air above began to swirl, and the howling of the wind was soon heard. The clouds above began to move at an unnaturally rapid pace, and slowly began to convene in one location in the sky directly above Talim. The clouds swirled, taking on the spiral shape indicative of a tornado, yet the sky was too calm to perceive it as a storm.
Zasalamel waited patiently.
"The wind is ready. I am ready, as well." Talim said. She stepped forward and approached the Embrace, which was roughly the same height as the short Filipina girl. She took a deep breath, and then wrapped her arms around the mangled, deformed mass that represented the two swords. She shut her eyes tight, and began to concentrate. The wind picked up speed.
Zasalamel manifested within the watermill.
The others standing around Talim and the Embrace began to feel powerful gusts of wind as Talim funneled the wind down toward the Embrace. She began to open up the spiritual boundary that kept her spirit confined within her body, and at the same time called upon the wind to channel pure energy from the sky and water nearby into the Embrace. The Embrace began to stir, and its crystals took on a brighter sheen. The flesh of the Embrace seemed to rot and shrink away.
Zasalamel looked down at Yun-seong, still transfixed by the White Storm. "Your opportunity will soon be at hand." Zasalamel said, before the door to Yun-seong's room exploded and a furious ninja at leapt him through a cloud of smoke. Zasalamel caught Taki's neck with the blade of his scythe – only failing to decapitate her because of the neck guard that Taki wore – and pulled hard, sending the ninja flying through a wall and outside of the watermill. Then he raised his scythe and slammed it down hard on the floor of the room.
Every instance of wooden paneling in the house rotted instantly. The floor, the walls, the ceiling, the doors, even the furniture aged rapidly. The watermill lost all structural integrity within moments, and began to collapse. The swirling wind outside of the building picked up the chunks of rotting wood that fell free, and pieces of the watermill were sent spiraling about in every direction. Within moments, what was once a home became a cyclone of dangerous wooden projectiles.
Zasalamel vanished, Yun-seong dropped down to the ground harmlessly, and began running straight at the Embrace without hesitating for a single moment. The startled warriors were caught off guard by the wooden shards that that now whipped through the air around them, and noticed Yun-seong too late to stop him.
Just as Talim poured enough holy energy into the Embrace to break the stalemate and separate the two swords, Yun-seong reached her position, grabbed the hilt of Soul Edge, and yanked it out of the grasp of the holy sword. Talim was knocked to the ground by the release of energy that resulted from the separation of the two blades, and the ritual came to an immediate stop. The wind disappeared, the air became still, the remnants of the watermill ceased to fly through the air, and numerous eyes landed on Yun-seong.
Yun-seong began to laugh, a wicked laugh, a sinful laugh, a laugh that caused pain to the ears. "At last! At LAST!" He crowed. "Soul Edge! It's MINE!"
The blade warped and contorted in his hands, transforming to find a form that best suited its wielder, as was its nature. By the time Seung Mi-na had reached Yun-seong and swung her Zanbatou at his head, Soul Edge had already become a Gao that blocked her attack effortlessly.
Seung Mi-na did not relent because her blow had been deflected, and instantly followed up with another strike, and yet another each time Yun-seong parried. "HOW COULD YOU DO THIS?" She screamed even as she assaulted him. "AFTER EVERYTHING WE TOLD YOU!"
Yun-seong swung his demonic blade violently, and just the impact of his sword against Seong Mi-na's weapon sent her flying back and away from him. "I can wield Soul Edge without being affected by it!" He shouted. "The White Storm showed me a vision...I will become a king and lead our homeland to prosperity!"
The others paid no heed to his words. In a span of mere moments, Yun-seong was forced to deflect a Zweihänder, a snake sword, an iai, a ninjato, a rapier, throwing daggers, and various other weapons. He swung his sword in an arc, releasing a wave of energy that scattered the plethora of foes assailing him from all sides.
"I don't want to see the people that I love suffering anymore! I will use this weapon to protect my country! I will kill anyone who threatens my people! If you stand in my way, you're preventing me from protecting others! That makes you my enemy! Stand in my way and you'll be the first victim!"
Yun-seong's persona was warping almost visually. It was obvious that the influence of the sword had already taken over his mind. A group of panicked, horrified warriors circled him like a pack of wolves, occasionally lashing out and attempting to strike him, only to be knocked away. Soul Calibur lay at Yun-seong's feet, out of the reach of any who might attempt to grab it – all but one person whom Yun-seong had failed to account for.
A blast of wind swept down and shoved Yun-seong to the ground. He leapt to his feet in time to deflect the blows of his many assailants and send them flying, but not in time to stop Talim from grasping Soul Calibur.
Talim gripped the holy sword with both hands, and the sword split in two as she did. It renovated itself just as Soul Edge had, taking the form of two tonfa.
Yun-seong howled in laughter. "What a JOKE! I was afraid someone POWERFUL was going to get Soul Calibur! I couldn't have asked for a better turn of events!"
Talim was the most compassionate person that any of the warriors present had ever encountered. She out-performed Siegfried in pacifism, and valued the lives of others above even her own. The others had observed the blades that Talim carried with her at all times, but had regarded them as mere ornaments, not true weapons. They had never suspected the girl to have any sort of formal weapons training.
Yet again, Talim proved them all wrong.
The little Asian girl beset Yun-seong with a blindingly fast flurry of attacks, swinging the shafts of her crystalline tonfa back and forth inhumanly fast. Gusts of wind backed her every move, giving her superhuman speed unlike anything the others had ever witnessed. Only through the superhuman strength and agility that Soul Edge granted its wielders was Yun-seong able to react in time to block the girl's blows and endure the attacks he could not evade. It was unclear how much of Talim's combat prowess was natural, and how much was a result of Soul Edge augmenting her existing capabilities, but regardless of that, the two combatants seemed evenly matched. Each time one of the Soul weapons clashed against its brother, there was a sound like lightning and a shockwave almost powerful enough to knock down the warriors witnessing the event. And yet, Zasalamel noted, the energy released with each attack was nowhere near the maximum potential that would be seen if more suitable warriors were wielding the weapons.
Talim used her tonfa blades creatively and unconventionally, using the shaft as both a weapon and a shield, and using the handle as a hook to catch Yun-seong's gao when he attempted to strike her. She frequently twirled her tonfa by the handles – a technique which appeared to be just for show, but in fact allowed Talim to impart large amounts of momentum to her attacks. She switched between different grips at high speed, mixing up her strategy to catch Yun-seong off guard at almost every opportunity.
Gashes and scars began to appear across Yun-seong's body, and his blood began to fly furiously, yet Yun-seong showed no signs of pain. Soul Edge had removed the concept of agony from his mind, and had given him the willpower and arrogance to endure any injury. He finally stopped attempting to block or evade Talim's attacks, and allowed her to strike him freely, caring not what damage he sustained. Instead, he concentrated on counterattacking, launching a flurry of attacks to match Talim's own, and aimed exclusively for heavy, hard-hitting blows.
Talim was swift, but she was not untouchable. While she could dole out attacks at a breakneck pace, her attacks were weak and did little actual damage to her adversary. She could dodge any attack that he threw at her, but only if she ceased her assault to concentrate on evading. Despite her speed and the fact that she was wielding the superior weapon, she would be unable to damage him with her level of power. Now that Yun-seong was attacking back, she was powerless to do anything but evade his attacks lest she receive a blow that she would surely be unable to sustain. The two had entered a stalemate.
Talim had to think quickly, before Yun-seong landed a fatal blow. A fatal blow...the answer came to her. It was a tragic solution, but it stood a chance of success. She didn't have time to weigh every option or consider all of her choices. She had to act before it was too late.
Talim leapt back and away from Yun-seong, then called forth a powerful gust of wind that sent her flying through the air straight at him. Yun-seong grinned - if the girl did not change course, all he had to do now was aim correctly and he would land a mortal blow on the foolish girl. He held Soul Edge back and prepared to thrust it forward.
Talim called forth another gust of wind – not to change her course, but to channel holy energy out of Soul Calibur. Using the same technique as before, she quickly flushed a great deal of holy energy out of the sword, until its energy was roughly equivalent to that of Soul Edge.
Talim continued her course forward through the air until she reached Yun-seong, who thrust Soul Edge forward into Talim's abdomen, impaling her. At the same time, Talim swung the twin blades of Soul Calibur downward into Soul Edge, impaling the blade twice over. The two swords fell silent immediately, ceased to radiate their energy, and became as dormant as they had been just a few minutes before.
Soul Edge's influence over Yun-seong was lifted immediately. He gazed down at the little girl who was impaled on the end of the sword he held, and let go of the Embrace immediately. He stumbled backward, his body trembling and his lips quivering.
"...No..." He whispered soundlessly. "No. No, no!" His mantra grew louder. "No no no no NO!" He walked backward, away from the grisly scene before him, away from the growing pool of crimson that threatened to bloody his feet as much as his hands. "What have I done? What have I done?! WHAT HAVE I DONE?!"
Yun-seong put his back to the girl's corpse, and began to run. He didn't know if anyone was chasing him, and he didn't care – he just wanted to be as far away as possible from what he had done.
"I killed her. I killed her. I killed her."
Yun-seong continued to flee, his entire world consisting of nothing but the path in front of him and the dead girl behind him. He ran far away from the river, far away from the watermill village, far away from the valley. He lost track of time and distance, only concentrating on the singular focus of running away from his crime.
The others did not give chase. They possessed the incentive, but could tell that the young man had finally come to his senses, and knew that would pay for his crimes in guilt and remorse.
The Soul Embrace was removed from Talim's body, and she was covered with a blanket as soon as possible; none present could bear to look at what had become of that kindhearted and courageous girl. They didn't want to see her this way, disemboweled, covered in her own blood, permanently wearing an expression of utmost agony on her face. They wanted to remember her as she had been, but no matter how hard they tried, none of them could stop picturing the look of horror and pain on her face, even after she was covered.
They had all seen death before, but they had seen few losses as shameful as this one. They chose to speak no words – there was nothing to say about Talim that they had not already said amongst themselves, nothing to say that was not already more than obvious from her actions over the past few days. They had scarcely known her, yet such a young girl had accumulated more of their respect in one week than had some adults.
Siegfried and the others somberly dug a grave for Talim, having nothing else that they could do for her. They buried her near a cliff overlooking the valley, and etched what they hoped was a fitting inscription upon her gravestone. The more sentimental women of the group were too emotional to speak, but the more stoic members of the group attempted to deliver a respectable eulogy. They told Ashur and the other children that the watermill collapsed because Talim failed in her ritual, and that she and Yun-seong had left for a far away land to find something important.
The group was in no shape to continue their journey just yet. They spent the rest of the day at the watermill village, ruminating over this catastrophe, stewing in resentment for Yun-seong.
"It's such a pity." Siegfried said with a heavy sigh. "If only we had conducted the ritual further away from that rickety old watermill..."
"Yun-seong." Mi-na spat, her words dripping with venom. "I'll never forgive you..."
"No." Taki said. "There's more to it than that. Zasalamel was there."
"Zasalamel?!"
"I heard his voice in Yun-seong's room." Taki began. "I investigated and attacked him, but he...evaded me. I was thrown clear of the house and was about to counterattack when it split apart."
"Zasalamel...in Yun-seong's room, before he attacked..." Sophitia mused.
"I'll bet he bewitched Yun-seong!" Cassandra said. "Or at least influenced him. Built upon the desires that already existed in him...maybe he's not really the one that's to blame here."
"Bewitched..." Mi-na muttered. "The White Storm..."
Mi-na ran over to the wreckage of the watermill, and retrieved the White Storm. She gazed into its reflection, and gasped. She hurried back to the others, and showed them the blade.
"Tell me! What do you see in this blade?"
The others took turns holding the blade and gazing into its reflection. They each saw something different, but few of them wished to announce what they saw within the blade – and those who did speak may have been lying.
"I see myself, and...my father..." Siegfried muttered. "He is...happy. Smiling at me. His arm is around my shoulder..."
"I see my family." Sophitia reported. "We're living happily together. We're all safe. There is no danger. Nothing to fear."
"I thought so..." Mi-na said. "Previously, the sword would reflect what is in your soul. Now it appears to reflect what you wish for the most."
Taki took the blade in her hand. "It is cursed." She said. "I could not sense it before, but now that I hold it, I can feel it. It reeks of that man. This is his doing."
"Zasalamel..." Siegfried growled. "No matter how much progress we make...no matter how close we get...he'll put us back on the path he wants us to be on. We'll walk whatever road he wishes us to walk..."
"All of it for nothing!" Ivy spat. "We were right there – it was going to work! It was all going to end, and now everything is ruined and the only one who had the power to help us is dead! That filthy moor!"
"What is the point of this mission?" Setsuka asked. "What is the meaning of our journey if we're all working for that man, whether or not we know it, whether or not we want to?"
"If he wants us to walk a certain path...then we walk it." Siegfried said grimly.
"Why?" Taki asked. "Why bow to his will?"
"Obviously, Zasalamel has a purpose that he is working towards." Siegfried said. "The only way to see an end to our journey is to fulfill the purpose. If his road is the only one he will allow us to walk, then his end is the only one we can reach. Otherwise, we will merely be struggling against a power that can shatter everything we've worked for in an instant."
"So you just want us to accept the fact that we're all pawns working for Zasalamel?" Ivy asked.
"I don't ask anyone to accept it. But, if we don't cooperate..." Siegfried gazed toward Talim's grave. "...we will pay for it."
"If Zasalamel is so powerful, why doesn't he just take the Embrace from us?" Cassandra asked. "If he's not going to let us do anything he doesn't want us to do, then why doesn't he just tell us what to do?"
"His ultimate goal must require very specific conditions. I presume that if we were aware of the circumstances, they might not take place. He requires our ignorance." Siegfried theorized.
"So we just have to blindly stumble along, HOPING we don't make the wrong decision?" Ivy growled. She threw her snake sword to the ground, pointed her finger skyward, and screamed at the clouds. "ZASALAMEL! I know you can hear me! Tell us what you want from us, or leave us alone!"
There was no reply.
"Zasalamel never intervenes directly." Taki observed. She was kneeling where Talim and Yun-seong had fought, inspecting a piece of metal. She picked it up and slid it into an empty sheath on her person – the object fit perfectly. Taki had finally retrieved the Rekki-maru. Long wedged within the Embrace, it had been sapped of all energy, reduced to a mere hunk of metal...but it had fallen out of the Embrace when the swords separated. "He'll guide us with his unseen hand. We'll know what direction to move in. He'll make sure of it. And we'll never know he had a hand in it."
The others stewed bitterly for the rest of the day, cursing Zasalamel and his ways. The following day they once again felt ready to travel, but were unsure of where their next destination would be.
"...I have an announcement to make." Mi-na said suddenly. "I'm leaving. I'm going to go after Yun-seong."
"Why?" Setsuka asked. "Do you seek revenge?"
Mi-na shook her head. "I'm worried about him. I don't know whether Zasalamel completely bewitched him, or whether that man only provided a light push to set an avalanche in motion...but I still care about Yun-seong. He's not mature enough to handle everything that's happened. He's only going to cause further harm, to himself or to others, in his current state. I'm going to find him and help him...one way or another."
The others were sad to see Mi-na go, even the ones who had not become very well acquainted with her. Although she was a quirky girl, her heart was always in the right place, and she had been a valued companion and fighter. Siegfried and his companions said their farewells, imparted her with advice, and wished her the best of luck on her search – and then Mi-na left in the direction that Yun-seong had fled.
Attention once again turned to the matter of their next objective.
"...Um..." Sophitia said timidly. "Athens...my homeland is not too far from this region. We could reach it in a short time. ...I...I miss my family. I want to see them again..."
"Nothing better to do." Ivy grumbled. "Why not let a family reunion take precedence over our mission? We have no idea how to proceed anyway. Off to Athens we go." She concluded with mock enthusiasm.
"...What about Amy?" Cassandra asked. "She is no longer cursed. Does she still need to travel with us?"
All eyes turned to the wallflower of the group. Either part of the background or absent altogether, it was often easy to forget that Amy was there at all.
"She doesn't speak the language of this region." Setsuka said. "It would be cruel to leave her here, stranded in a land like this."
Amy breathed a soft sigh of relief.
"Then we will travel to Athens, and after that, to France." Siegfried announced, to Amy's slight discomfort.
It felt good to indulge their own interests for once, rather than to endlessly march toward whatever destination showed them the largest sliver of hope. Reuniting Sophitia with her family, finding a home for Amy...these were much more appealing prospects than adhering to their futile journey.
And yet, as pleasant as their new objectives appeared to be, no shortage of conflict awaited them...