Chapter 5:
After their confrontation with Astaroth and Tira, Xianghua and her group continued heading on their quest to find Siegfried and Soul Calibur. Along the way, the young girl Amy joined Xianghua's group after Talim protected her from being tormented by Tira. As Xianghua's group treaded on their path, they came across a pile of rotting flesh and bones that were cleanly picked off.
"Eeek" yelped Amy as she held Talim's right arm tightly.
"Whoa, what happened to these guys?" Yun-Seong asked.
"Looks like they were killed in battle." Kilik said as he observed the bones and rotting flesh.
"I thought their souls left after they died in battle." Maxi chimed in.
"Besides, this doesn't look like these guys died in any kind of battle." Maxi added.
"Do you think it could be cannibals in the area?" Hilde asked.
"Cannibals...in Astral Chaos?" Xianghua inquired.
"You never know." said Hilde.
As the group continued, they came across more piles of bones and rotting flesh. The rancid stench of death lingered around them.
"Okay, are we in a graveyard somewhere?" Maxi asked.
Kilik looked at his pendant. It was glowing a bright green aura, assuring that they were going the right way.
"We are heading the right way." Kilik replied.
"I doubt it." said Xianghua.
Just up ahead, Xianghua's group heard shrills of terror and fright as they saw what was right in front of them. It was a group of Lizardmen devouring their hapless victims, taking their armor and carrying their weapons. Their leader, a blue scaled Lizardman, looked at the warriors and let out an ear-piercing cry as he sprouted wings, enabling him to fly.
"Look!" said Yun-Seong.
"So these must be the guys that created this graveyard." said Maxi.
"Yeah, and they don't look all too happy to see us." said Xianghua.
The blue Lizardman roared at the warriors, pointing his axe at them as if he commanded other Lizardmen to attack and devour them.
"This doesn't look good." said Maxi.
"Well, whatever they want, they're not getting in our way!" said Xianghua.
As the Lizardmen charged after the warriors, Xianghua and her group charged in also to do battle with them.
"Come on!" Xianghua yelled, leading her group.
As the warriors charged in, Kilik started to second guess himself once again. He had never seen Xianghua this brave in his life or at all. She was more than determined to get to her goal, even if it meant having to fight through hordes of Lizardmen. He felt someone nudging him from behind. It was Talim.
"Hey, are you going to assist us?" Talim asked.
"Yes...Yes, I will." said Kilik.
Kilik charged into battle alongside Talim, taking the Lizardmen head on. Kilik cartwheeled is way through the Lizardmen, and with his bo staff, swung it in the air to distract them allowing him to sweep them off their feet, and crushing their breastplates. Talim acrobatically jumped and flipped all over the Lizardmen while using kicking them as well. Using her tonfa blades, she managed to slice their lower abdomen and legs. Amy, watching from afar, saw Talim and how she managed to outmaneuver the Lizardmen. This inspired Amy to charge into battle. Taking her rapier, the young girl charged in but was stopped by the blue Lizardman as it flew to her direction. Amy was now paralyzed with fear as she looked directly at the monster. She tried to muster up some bravery, holding out her rapier at the monster but it effortlessly knocked it away. As the monster was about to devour the young girl, a behemoth of a man charged out of the boneyard, knocking the monster down. The strong man wore a rhinoceros's head for a mask, revealing only his chin and mouth, a long loin cloth that covered only the front, fur ankle warmers, and carried a large mace, suitable enough to match his strength. Amy was terrified at the sight of the man but as she saw another Lizardman heading his way, the strong man effortlessly knocked him away with his mace. The strong man then turned to Amy, to see if she was alright.
"Are you okay, little girl?" He asked in a rough tone.
As Amy nodded, her eyes then lit up, looking at the blue Lizardman, sprouting his wings as he levitated off the ground.
"What is it?" The strong man asked, looking into Amy's frightful eyes.
The strong man turned around and just as the Lizardman was about to spew fire on the two of them, they managed to roll out of the way. This caught the attention of Talim, who rushed towards both Amy and the strong man.
"Amy, are you okay?" Talim asked.
Amy nodded and pointed at her rapier.
"I'll try to get it for you." said Talim.
"No..." said The strong man.
"I'll fend off the monster, you get her to safety." He added, readying his mace.
"But her weapon." said Talim.
The strong man looked at Talim and Amy and saw the eagerness in their eyes.
"Fine but don't say I didn't warn you." said The strong man.
As the strong man fended off the blue Lizardman, allowing Amy and Talim to retrieve the rapier, Xianghua found herself surrounded as the Lizardmen were eager enough to kill her. Sensing that she must fight her way out, Xianghua tightly held her jian, and bravely yelled at them.
"I'll kill you all if I have to!" Xianghua yelled.
The first Lizardman charged at Xianghua with a sword and shield. Xianghua evaded its attacks by gracefully ducking and bending herself forward before slicing and stabbing the creature from behind. The next Lizardman charged in but Xianghua kicked it in the head, stabbing it in the throat. Two other Lizardmen, carrying axes leapt in front of Xianghua, swinging wildly. Xianghua quickly dodged their attacks, rolling out of the way and managing to slice their tails and legs off. As Xianghua got up from the ground, another Lizardman, this time, tackled her, pinning her to the ground. Xianghua struggled to free herself from the grasp. As the Lizardman pinned her firmly to the ground, raising its axe in the air, Kilik and Yun-Seong made the save. Kilik helped up Xianghua while Yun-Seong battled the Lizardmen.
"It's about time you showed up and helped me." said Xianghua.
Kilik was taken aback by Xianghua's comment, almost as if she was saying that now he found it necessary to actually help her. A Lizardman was charging at Kilik's direction. Xianghua saw this, grabbed Kilik's shoulders, spinning him around as she used a butterfly to knock him away.
"What was that you just did?" Kilik asked.
"It's called saving you from being killed and I expect you do the same for me." Xianghua responded.
Kilik was gobsmacked by Xianghua's comment. He knew he was not ready for this kind of attitude she now had but even worse was when she was going to question his fortitude and bravery. He surveyed the ongoing battle around him. He saw how bravely and dominant Xianghua was and how she was successfully fending off the Lizardmen with Yun-Seong at her side. He saw Maxi strangling and knocking out each Lizardman that came into contact against him and how Hilde, using her lance, spearheaded her way through each one of them. Then their was Amy and Talim, bravely fighting with no hint of fear, especially Amy. And then there was the strong man who had saved Amy, fighting against the leader of the Lizardman army. Kilik's emotions were at a fever pitch. His fear, hopelessness, despair, guilt, courage, valor, resilience, and bravery were all over the place. Then, his moment of haplessness was interrupted by Xianghua yelling at him.
"Kilik, what are you doing, fight!" Xianghua yelled.
Xianghua yelling at him drove Kilik to fight like a man with blind rage. His emotions began to cloud his judgment and moves, although he was skilled enough to land a couple of hits. The Lizardmen were all fleeting from the ensuing battle as their leader flew above them, heading in retreat.
"I'm pretty sure we haven't seen the last of them." said Yun-Seong.
Xianghua looked all around her group and saw Kilik, catching his breath after the battle.
"Kilik, are you okay?" Xianghua asked.
Kilik didn't respond. He was still catching his breath. He had never fought like that in his life.
"Are you okay, Kilik?" Xianghua asked again.
"Yes, I'm fine!" Kilik snapped
Kilik's outburst caught everyone's attention and shocked Xianghua. Kilik had never lashed out in anger like that. Xianghua looked at Kilik and backed away.
"Xianghua, wait." Kilik said as calmed down.
"No!" said Xianghua as she walked away from him.
"Xianghua, please." pleaded Kilik.
"Not a word!" Xianghua yelled, pointing her jian at Kilik's throat.
Everyone was on edge. Just seeing Kilik and Xianghua fighting like this was definitely out of the norm. Xianghua relied on Kilik as a guide to lead them to Soul Calibur and saving Siegfried but now it seemed like the group was headed for disarray. The strong man stepped in and to put both Kilik and Xianghua at ease.
"Save your bitterness for the real enemy." The strong man began.
"There is no need to clash when you have worked together against the opposition." The strong man added.
"Just who are you?" Xianghua asked.
"I am Rock Adams." said The strong man.
"But you can call me Rock." He added.
"He helped Amy and I fend off the leader of the Lizardman army." said Talim.
Xianghua looked at the brute and saw how much of an asset he would be for their group.
"I was searching for my son when I found myself sucked in to this world. I need to find a way out of this place." said Rock.
"We're also looking for a way out of here as well." said Xianghua.
Amy walked up to Xianghua, pulling on her right arm.
"Madame, can we keep him?" Amy asked.
Xianghua looked at Amy and nodded.
"Rock, how would you like to join our cause?" Xianghua asked.
"That I shall." Rock replied.
"Great." said Xianghua.
"Anyone helpful other than Kilik would be a step up right now." Xianghua said to herself in her mind.
"Then it is settled." said Rock.
With much needed strength and resolve, Rock now joined Xianghua's group in their quest. And although a new member has joined their ranks, there seemed to be a possible falling out between Kilik and Xianghua. Could this be just a minor miscommunication or could there be more to what lies beneath the surface?