Chapter 14: Monsieur Fleuret
Monsieur Fleuret was one of the most reputed swordmasters in France.
He was now an old man, who had trained the greatest swordsmen during all his life. He had also trained Raphael and his father before him.
Monsieur Fleuret had retired and he lived in a big house outside Rouen.
...
One night, while he was cooking his dinner, someone knocked at his door.
He was surprised, because he didn't use to have visitors, much less at that time.
He opened the door and saw Raphael, who had a strange glare in his eyes and was holding a bloody rapier. Fleuret hadn't see him since he was a teenager, but he recognized him at first sight.
- Raphael! Nice to see you again! It's been a long time. What are you doing here?
- Good night, Monsieur Fleuret. I need to ask you something.
Raphael went into the house before Fleuret could give permission to him.
- What is it? – asked Fleuret while he closed the door, with a smile on his face.
- Are we alone?
- Yes, we are. – answered Fleuret happily. Then he spotted the blood in Raphael's weapon and his face changed.
- I'm glad to hear that. Nobody can know about this.
- Just say it. You are scaring me. – said Fleuret while serving dinner.
- Have you heard about Soul Edge?
- The Sword of Heros? Yeah, of course.
- If you know as much about it as I do, you'll know it isn't a common sword. It has his own will, and it can destroy the people's.
- I've heard something about that.
- I have investigated. The sword releases an energy called the Evil Seed, which can possess weak people turning them into bloody killers.
Fleuret listened to Raphael's words carefully.
- So...I have a daughter. An adopted daughter.
- Is that true? – exclaimed Fleuret, recovering his smile. – I'd like to meet her.
Raphael laughed coldly.
- That's great, because you are going to meet her…for a long time.
- Eh…really? – asked a confused Fleuret.
- Her name is Amy. She…she has become infected by the Evil Seed.
- What?
- Not only her. I'm infected too.
Fleuret looked at Raphael's bloody rapier with fear.
- Relax, Fleuret. – said Raphael quickly. – I can deal with it.
- So…what do you want from me?
- I'm going after Soul Edge so that I can destroy it.
- What? – yelled Fleuret. – Are you mad?
- That's the only way I can get rid of the Evil Seed. I have to do it for Amy. And I want you to take care of her while I'm gone.
- Me? Why me? What about your parents?
Raphael raised the rapier to reach the level of his eyes and looked at it with an evil smile.
- Don't want to know.
Fleuret gulped.
- Tomorrow in the morning I'll bring Amy here and I'll go. You have to make sure that she doesn't harm anybody or herself, all right?
- But…
- I trust you.
Raphael didn't wait for an answer and left the house and a frightened Fleuret.