Merv, Saravid Dynasty

"Kammassakomhi kammadāyādo kammayoni kammabandhū kammapaṭisaraṇo yaṃ kammaṃ karissāmi kalyāṇaṃ vā pāpakaṃ vā tassa dāyādo bhavissāmī..." (I am the owner of my actions, heir to my actions, born of my actions, related through my actions, and have my actions as my arbitrator. Whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I fall heir) Mina and Kilik chanted together, sitting across each other in deep meditation.

Talim stood still nearby, thigh deep within the shallows of the Murghab River. With her arms open to embrace the blowing wind, Mina wondered as to what the currents of the world were telling the wind priestess.

It had been a long journey, but they were finally halfway to their destination.

However, Seong Mina wasn't sure of exactly where that destination was. Only that the wind was guiding Talim to a place where they were to meet the child of woe plagued by holy light and corrupting darkness. All Talim could say was that they were going to the place where the prophet's companion was buried.

Which did nothing to assure their leader.

Kilik had been restless ever since a few days ago. Mina figured that he'd sensed something that caused the Edgemaster's focus to weaken. Had he sensed danger to his children? Xianghua? Though he was calmer on the outside, Mina and Talim could see the great worry and guilt that he held within himself.

"Pañcimāni bhikkhave ṭhānāni abhiṇhaṃ paccavekkhitabbāni itthiyā vā purisena vā gahaṭṭhena vā pabbajitena vā." (There are these five facts that one should reflect on often, whether one is a woman or a man, lay or ordained) Edgemaster and apprentice finished their chant and stood from their meditation. Despite her training, Mina could literally breath the intense heat of this desert. Despite appearances, Mina doubted that Kilik and Talim would deny this heat either.

"We move." His dragon motif Ling-Shen Su Iron staff slung upon his back, Kilik started towards the settlement that lied less than an hour from the river bank.

"Talim! We're leaving!" Mina called to the priestess who stirred and waded out of the river bank to rejoin her companions. As much as Mina herself was tempted to take another bath, she knew that they could not afford to waste time. They needed to find out about where the sahabah was buried. Perhaps one of the locals would be willing to help.

"Room for the night?"

"No. We only need a table and food." Kilik informed the owner of the inn where the travelers had entered. It was densely populated, but they managed to find a table off and away from most of the chatter and rough-housing. Though they were still close enough to see and hear enough to gather what was happening in the world.

"There's no need to fight." Talim lamented when two patrons went to blows over an offense concerning an unfair trade agreement. They two were quickly taken to their rooms by the inn guard while the rest went about their merry business, "Perhaps they could be friends still?"

"Some people are like that. They fight as part of their friendship, hell it looks like this isn't the first time that they've done this." Mina pointed out, referring to how unsurprised that the patron's other friends had been, "Some things never change."

"Hey!"

"Unfortunately." Kilik noted as they were approached by another traveler. A halberdier from the Swiss Confederacy in the Holy Roman Empire from the look of things. Why he was all the way out there was beyond any of the trio's guess, "Hello-"

"This is my table." The Swiss stated threateningly, "Get up and find another one."

"No. We like this table." Mina already had her hand upon Scarlet Thunder. It's blade and pole adorned with platinum lightning that it bore since Kilik's master reforged the weapon, "Sides, I don't see your name on it."

"I suggest that you follow my friend's advice." The swiss was joined by a norse warrior with viking axes hooked on his belt, along with two saracens, an african and an arab with a curved blade, "We don't tolerate disrespect from outsiders from the East."

"But you're from the North."

"I'm on an important mission by the Emperor and these are my comrades." The halberdier stated and stared at Talim in a way that made the girl feel uncomfortable, "You know...perhaps if this girl were to come with us-"

The halberdier's nose was crushed from the swing of Kilik's iron staff.

Using the momentum of the attack, Kilik lifted the man up and slammed him into the floor before taking up an attack pose upon the table.

"Wait...I remember you!" One of the saracens shouted as the recovering though battered swiss lifted himself from the floor, "You're that monk that broke my brother's arm!"

"Pardon?"

"Please...don't do this..." Talim pleaded though she figured that combat was simply inevitable at this point. After all, with all others drawing their weapons, Talim would have been foolish not to do the same with her Syi Salika & Loka Luha now consisting of two overlapping crescent blades, "We don't have to fight."

"The fight has already started little woman!" The norse warrior shouted, clashing his axes together waiting for the battle to begin. Mina was standing on one leg ready to oblige the fools. Who were now joined by other associates in the bar.

Come to think of it, Kilik may have done something really stupid.

"Last time, you had your chinese whore and that japanese pirate for help." The saracen laughed now drawing his sword and shield, "But this time! It's just you and two women against me and a dozen warriors. What do you have against that?"

"Bring your ugly face to my spear and we'll find out-"

"Must this end in violence?" Another arab calmly entered in between the two groups and looked from Kilik's staff to the swiss halberdier's broken nose, "I assume that this began with you striking the halberdier?"

"It did."

"May I ask why?"

"This is not your fight Ahyad-"

"I am not speaking to you." Ahyad shouted to another arab soldier with a harsh tone and then addressed Kilik more cordially, "Forgive him. He has recently been blooded as a soldier of the dynasty. He slew five ottomans in combat. A skilled warrior to be certain. No where near your level of course."

"To answer your question, that man was demanding for us to leave our table on the grounds that it was his." Kilik stated, "Then he made a dishonorable preposition towards my companion which I took offense to."

"I see. Is there truth to the monk's words-" Without effort, Ahyad dodged a thrust from the halberdier and swiftly drew a janibya which stabbed into the pole-arm. A drawn talwar cut the halberd in half and blocked an attack from another warrior with great exhibition of control and precision, "The time for words have passed...unfortunate."

The fight that followed was unfortunately more destructive for that tavern than for the temple trio.

Despite her reluctance, Talim weaved in and out of the attack warriors to quickly for the human eye to keep track of it. She mainly focused on avoiding lasting harm, so her efforts were spent avoid and trapping enemy strikes. Her twin tonfa even broke several blades and wrists in the process. Her acrobatics confused and surprised her foes, allowing her to utilize her Eskrima dance to strike them down at random when necessary and to turn their own minds against them before she ever defeated them.

Kilik was not so merciful. Though he avoid killing his foes, his staff still battered many of the enemy with relentless focus. He did have trouble with the viking axe-man who was not only quick, but tough enough to endure the sheer force of Kilik's blows. So, a heated duel transpired between the viking and Kilik which left his staff style insufficient for the viking's close quarters tenacity. So, he set aside his staff and burrowed the fallen saracen's curved sword while utilizing a style very similar to that of Yun-seong and Hwang.

The Viking was beaten within moments.

Mina was having too much fun. She kicked and beat several warriors with such ease that it was amazing. She even deliberately let some hit her on purpose just so that their swiftly-followed defeat wouldn't be too humiliating for them. The African warrior did present an actual threat due to his quickness and his footwork which rivaled Mina's. However, she was able to take advantage of her greater reach off-set the african's advantage and soon managed defeat him with a parry and a quick slash across his chest.

Like Talim, Ahyad was deliberately avoiding harming the warriors. In fact, the way that he fought them seemed akin to a master who was toying with a helpless student rather than a warrior. He wielded his talwar and janbiya with equal parts defense and offense with a form of control that few who wielded two weapons at once ever achieved. He had full control of his own movements, his precision was with purpose, but it was also as to water.

Between these four masters of the blade, the swiss' companions were lucky to be alive.

"That was fun guys." Mina playfully chided the wounded, battered and grounded mercenaries, "But you're out of your league. By a lot."

"Do not be harsh upon them. Except for the swiss. He is a fool." Ahyad gave a quiet bow to the mercenaries, "May God correct your foolishness or else you may repeat the mistakes of this day with harsher consequences."

"Such as what we did to this tavern." Talim sadly lamented, noting the damage to the tables, floor and walls that the fighting had caused, "We must pay the owner reparations."

"Leave that to me." Ahyad assured the travelers, showing them a pouch heavy with gold, "I am blessed with this small wealth so that I may help others."

"I appreciate your generosity." Kilik said to the warrior, "As well as your aid, we are in your debt."

"We all indebted to the grace of God and his son." Ahyad said to Kilik, "Besides, I owe you and your friend a debt of my own. Consider this the first payment for that debt."

"First payment?" Kilik inquired, "For what?"

"My service in your journey." Ahyad answered confidently, confusing Kilik and Mina, "Or...have I come upon the wrong travelers?"

"We're looking for the city where the last prophet's companion was buried." Talim said as Ahyad ran a finger through his beard, "A prince who led his people after the temple fell was buried there as well."

"The Sahabah of Muhammad? And a...Nasi of the ancient jews?" Ahyad inquired as a thought occurred to him, "Yes...I believe I know of such a place. Though it will be a long journey to Yavne."

The Arabian Sea

"Stop being a statue! Move your feet!" Xianghua demanded Tian, her nameless jian clashing against the blade of his spear. Quicker and nimbler, Xianghua parried the long-pole aside and aimed a thrust at the young household guard. Said thrust was deflected off of Tian's shield arrayed with the golden flower of the Yan household. Xianghua ducked under the boy's swung spear and slashed at the boy's shield against to test his stalwart defense.

"At least you can hold your ground and that shield." Xianghua smirked and gestured as though she were going to retreat. Tian fell for the bait and thrust his spear forward, only for Xianghua to dance around the attack and attack the exposed boy. Though he tried to defend, Xianghua had now brought out a gold-handled steel sword that she stabbed forward with. The boy swerved to avoid the strike, but was unprepared for when the sword unfolded into it's true form as a fan.

"Too late!" Now adequately close enough to win this spar, Xianghua battered the boy with a series of quickly flurries with her steel fan and her nameless jian. No move was wasted, every attack did exactly as the master swordsman desired for it to do. It left her defense low, but her speed, agility and versatility meant that he would not be able to pinpoint Xianghua's exact intentions.

Moments later, the boy was knocked to the deck floor.

"I said no mercy, no?" Xianghua breathed in victory as she posed with her blades. Tian wasn't as skilled as other pole-arm wielders that she'd faced in the past such as Seong Mina or Kilik. But he was still well-trained which allowed Xianghua to sharpen her own abilities which had dulled in the past 17 years.

Though no one in Ming would notice. Except Wujan or...

"What took you so long?" Li-long inquired with a laugh, having watched the battle nearby, "You should've had that kid beaten in seconds. You've grown soft woman."

"Do not mock lady Xianghua!" Tian shouted as he quickly hurried to his feet and raised up his spear and shield in challenge, "She is among the great warriors of this age! What would you know of the purity of combat, pirate?"

"I am a smuggler thank you very much. Considering that I'm ferrying you across the world for free, the least that you can do is remember the distinction." Now sporting a rugged beard that ran down to his chest, Li-long could be mistaken for a mere smuggler captain. But Xianghua knew better as Tian would soon learn, "As for knowing about the purity of combat, I know enough to admit that the purity part is philosophical nonsense."

"Explain your knowledge." Tian was answered when Li-long pulled out a sanjiegun from off of his belt, "I see, then I accept your challenge."

"You should probably rest." Xianghua suggested, having remembered getting very painful bruises during past encounters with the smuggler captain's bladed three-sectioned staff.

"The strength that I have now will suffice." Deciding that another lesson would do the lad well, Xianghua shrugged and walked towards the Junk's*1 starboard bulwark and set herself upon the railing. She had to give the boy credit, he did recover quickly, but would that be enough?

"Let's get these old bones into action." For a 48 year old man, Li-long's footwork seemed spirited, "I'll start!" The captain's first attack was warded and Tian's counterattack was deflected as if it were an afterthought. Li-long spun around the extended spear and used that momentum to build up for an incoming swing towards Tian's side. The boy anticipated the attack and moved out his shield to block the attack. But before contact was made, Li-long quickly gestured with his forearm and moved the attacking-section of his staff up and over the shield. Leaving the boy completely vulnerable to being smacked in the face.

Hard.

The attack knocked the boy off balance as Li-long pressed his assault and hit Tian's chest with other section of his staff. Then he switched around his sections so that both hands were holding one end of the sanjiegun and using the rest to coil catch and throw the boy onto his back. Tian reached for his spear, but Li-long pressed his foot on the soldier's wrist and looked down at the boy.

"Was that sufficient?"

"It was...I beg...pardon for my rudeness..."

"You have it." Li-long held down his hand and with the other relinquished his weapon, "Do you know why I beat you so badly?"

"You are faster..." Tian accepted the hand and let himself be helped to his feet, "You are deceptive."

"I'm also older, more experienced and your footwork is rigid and slow." Li-long stated and lightly kicked the latter's feet, "You're probably used to wearing heavy armor, right?"

"Yes."

"Then we need to find you some when we get to port." The captain concluded, "Because your leg movement is heavy and stiff. For a style like your's, you want to be mobile and constantly moving or else you're dead. That defense of your's only works if your opponent can't find a way around it."

"I will ponder your words." Tian bowed to the captain and groaned as he grabbed his head, "I...believe that I need to go below deck."

"Go take a rest. You've worked hard today." Tian bowed to Xianghua and slowly moved towards the stairs leading off of the deck, "Xianghua hopped off of the railing and curiously moved towards Li-long, "I recall hurting a lot more than Tian is."

"He's got a harder head than you had."

"Or maybe those muscles got a little softer."

"It's age, it shaves the edge off of every good warrior in time." Li-long muttered while looking out towards the ocean around them, "Unless you're like Taki and got cursed with magic that keeps you young. How come you didn't get something like that?"

"I only had Soul Calibur for a few moments before I lost it." Not counting the many years that she'd practiced with Krita-yuga, thinking of it as nothing more than an old sword, "But I've been told that I'm still the prettiest lady in the empire, so perhaps I've been allowed to age gracefully."

"If it's worth anything, you do look 10 years younger than your actual age." Xianghua smiled at the small complement, "Me? I don't look a day like that idiot who almost got himself killed all of those years ago. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing, I'm not sure."

"At least you won't have anyone whose out for your blood able to recognize you."

"Oh yeah! You'll have to deal with that!" Li-long laughed a smug laugh and Xianghua just rolled her eyes, "You still look the same, just more filled out and you've got that steel fan in addition to the same sword that's beaten how many people again? Me? Most will just see me as an old smuggler with a 3-sectioned staff instead of that fool with bladed nunchaku. Most people probably assumed that the fool's dead which works even better for me."

"Then I relish the challenge." Xianghua declared confidently before her expression fell, "After all. Compared to what I may face later, the challenges of a few mercenaries here and there may be needed. A soft warrior will not defeat Soul Calibur..."

"Captain!" One of Li-long's shipmates hurried over to the two veterans and pointed out towards starboard, "Look! There's a storm coming this way!"

"What?" Li-long took out a telescope and pointed it towards the starboard as Xianghua looked out. As the shipmate had said, there were dark storm clouds coming out from the west and heading right for them, "A storm this close to the Arab peninsula? That's impossible."

"That isn't an ordinary storm." Xianghua felt dread as she saw how quickly the clouds were spreading over the horizon, "It's going to overtake us before we reach Bandar Abbas."

"Yeah...I've never seen a storm move that fast." Li-long agreed, gritting his teeth as he looked out at the darkening storm coming towards them, "Not at natural one..."

Author's Notes:

That escalated quickly didn't it? At least no one was permanently injured right?

Now for some weapon modifications that I described. Seong Mina's scarlet thunder has been mixed with properties from her "Ancient" weapon in SCIII and the same goes for Kilik with his "Master" weapon in SCV while Talim's tonfas now include the crescent blades from her Double Crescent Blades. I just felt like mixing things up to reflect some of the changes that these characters have gone through since it doesn't completely show physically.

Also, I formally introduce a new character without any connection to past characters. It would be interesting if the next Soul Calibur (whenever that comes out) features an arab character. Though with the current political climate, that seems unlikely for the near-future.

I gave Li-long the three-section staff since Maxi already has solidified himself as the nunchaku master. Plus, Li probably learned the hard way that nunchaku are not great weapons to use against a pirate captain wielding two demonic swords of power. On the bright side, at least this new weapon gives him a range edge, right?

Also, I'm having Xianghua use a steel fan as a secondary weapon. She primarily uses her jian for attack, but the fan's there as a diversionary form of defense by throwing off an enemy and making them defeat themselves with their own imagination.

Real world news? Um...There's a new mortal kombat coming out...yeah, I've got nothing. Especially for soul calibur news.

Later.