Chapter One: Embracing Fate ********** Sophitia. I can't believe it's been nearly six years. Six years since I last laid eyes upon her. In my heart... it feels like only a day has passed since I first met her. I... I still yearn for her... but why? Why can't I embrace my life without her? Then again... after the effect she had on my life in general... I doubt that I'd ever be able to let her go. And as much as it makes me... uncomfortable to speak of my feelings like this, I do not deny what she means (meant) to me. At present, I train hard at my secluded sanctuary of operations. It suits my needs. The lake across the grass fields is needed for my training. As is the southern cave and the bamboo forests I frequently visit. I have to work hard, if I do not, then the strength of the demons I pursue will eventually start overpowering me. So I train and fight, fight and train. The monotony of it all does bear itself to me. I am not oblivious to it. But that is my life. That is what I exist for... to travel Japan and destroy demons, those that plague the countryside. It's as my destiny demands. Yet, why could Sophitia see that? Humph. It's ironic. It was through battling demons that I discovered Rekkimaru's weakening. And it was through Rekkimaru's weakening that I found her. On that day, so many years ago... ********** Nagato Kyuuden, Chugoku Region, Japan A furious wind blew in from the west. The western winds poured through the quiet trees of Utsume forest, disturbing quiet and peaceful animals, and rustling up stray twigs and blades of grass. The vast forest of Utsume surrounded the equally large castle of Nagato, the main stronghold of that area. Though the castle was great in size, it had been abandoned at least three months ago. The powerful owner, the current daimyo of the area, had purchased this from the shogun, as a trade-off for loyalty during the wars. Little did that lord know that spirits of evil had invaded Nagato Kyuuden 20-years prior. Not even the proud bushi, loyal to the daimyo with their lives, dared to stand against the creature that was lurking within the castle's mighty walls. After the deaths of over 20 samurai, the daimyo and his forces evacuated the building with the utmost urgency, taking with them all of their sacred treasures, lest they be stolen by rogue vagrants or thieves. Nagato Kyuuden, a once proud castle of the Chugoku region, had been abandoned. Leaving the demon of the castle to roam free within its innards, haunting the place with its evil presence. Though regular people showed their backs to monsters such as the demon of Nagato Kyuuden, others were not so cowardly. There were people, blessed with divine gifts from above, that dedicated their lives to the pursuit of evil, unworldly forces. One of those said people happened to be traversing the path that led to the castle, through the woods. This woman stalked proudly through the trees, leaping from branch to branch, darting past the birds that took flight in an opposite direction, a direction that led away from the castle. This proud kunoichi bore the sleek attire of a user of the night, her tight clothes and thin plates of shin and wrist armour did nothing to weigh her down. Or hide the great legacy that she had. This young woman was known to the few as 'Taki' one of a small number of demon hunters. Taki was by all accounts a rare case. Orphaned as a child, she was raised in a secretive clan of ninja, brought up to be one of its most accomplished members. She had been trained in the dream-slashed style of kenjutsu, and had come to be experienced with all sorts of weaponry, though she had a preference for one, the wakizashi. Of this type of sword, she had fashioned her own personal favourite, the handcrafted blade lovingly dubbed as 'Rekkimaru'. With Rekkimaru at her side, her ninja skills in her fists, and her supernatural abilities at within her soul, Taki the demon huntress was a force to be reckoned with. As Taki landed on a new branch, she crouched silently and stared up into the night sky. The birds were fleeing so abruptly. She held up her hand and narrowed her eyes. In a brief few seconds, a small bird landed on it. Taki could read its feelings. "You can feel the evil too. It must be sealed soon." The ninja girl let the bird fly away, and then rolled her eyes over to the castle again. A black, horrible aura surrounded the place. It had to be fairly strong. Slowly, Taki shut her eyes and let her focus on her location drop. She channelled herself and then turned her mind's eye to Nagato Kyuuden. Like a sickly feeling in her stomach, the dark presence was impossible to ignore. From the feel of it, the beast was currently stalking around the higher levels of the castle. Which meant that it might be a little easier to reach it. "I need to move swiftly." Taki thought as she leapt up from the tree branch, up into the higher growth and foliage of the trees. The ninja jumped from tree to tree in that shadowy pace once more, inching closer to the stronghold containing the demon. Before long she reached the main outer wall of Nagato Kyuuden. The wall stood at a might height of about twenty feet, around one foot in width. The tree that Taki was standing on was not tall enough for her to jump up from, but another nearby tree might just do the trick. Taki focused herself, jumped across the divide between the tree of her position and the tree of her needs. As she reached the second tree, she bounded off it instantly with both feet, giving her enough momentum to vault over the castle wall. Taki stared down beneath her as she descended the wall and saw that she was about to land on an abandoned hey cart. The cart shuddered as Taki landed on it, but did not break. Luckily something had been there to massage the force of the fall. Now she was inside the castle walls. Taki hopped off the cart of hey, dusting off her attire, and then studied the grounds. Though she was in the castle's vicinity, she was still outside in the main courtyard. From the carts of hey and old bags of rice, it was obvious that this part of the fortress was used to hold goods which would be transported inside. Which also meant that there was an entrance somewhere nearby. Narrowed eyes darted from side to side, in the hopes of finding this entrance, which she did, but not with the results she had hoped for. Taki sighed. The door inside had been smashed apart, and the doorway had been boarded up, some wooden boxes and bricks were packed against the door, most likely to block out thieves. Though the daimyo of this castle was bound to have taken most of his prized belongings, there must have been a few more remaining treasures they wanted to keep safe, lest he return. Taki really couldn't care less about a daimyo's need to protect his interests, but this changed everything. Now there was no clear, sure-fire way to get inside. "Damn." Taki cursed. "Now how will in get inside this place?" After a few moments to think about it, Taki gazed upwards. The castle looked more or less scalable from the outside. It might take a bit longer, but that seemed to be the only way. The 22-year-old woman darted across the stone ground of the outer yard, crossing over to the main building. She came to the walls of the building, placing one hand against the wall. Another followed this hand, and soon both of her feet were off the ground, attached to the wall. Taki slowly began climbing up the castle to reach the top. The woman climbed up the wall like a spider, slowly but surely pacing over stone with sequential skill. It would normally be a strenuous task for others, but for Taki it was a drop in the bucket. Whenever she was tested by the darkness of a demon or a restless spirit, Taki would always rise up to new levels of strength and surpass herself. As Taki climbed on, she reached the extended roof of the ground floor's ceiling. She scuttled around the inner arch of the roof, and pulled herself above it, finally reaching some vertically based tiling. Taki ran across the roof and over to the wall of the second floor, once again climbing upward. She repeated this process, again and again, until she reached the final roof, the highest point of the castle. Taki stood upwards as she wiped a trail of sweat from her forehead, the strong west wind whipping up her ponytail of dancing black hair. The castle was very tall; in fact Taki could see the landscape in all its glory, and the surrounding forest being besieged by the winds. Still, this was not the time for her to be enjoying the view. Taki let herself fall out of focus again, shutting her eyes and concentrating hard. Taki focused her power on her left fist, one that she had spread out into an open palm position. All of her secret training allowed this, her focus unparalleled. "Yaah!" With that petite, feminine scream, Taki thrust her palmed hand at the roof of the castle, ancient energies instilled in it. The blow shattered the ageing materials that formed the roof, blowing open a three foot long hole into the building. Finally, an entrance was available. The fearless Taki jumped down into the castle, through the hole she had just created, and landed in the main room, the one-room palace of the daimyo. Taki's dark eyes locked on her location. The room was large, decorated richly with scripts, tatami mats, swords and suits of armour. This must have been a room to store the daimyo's keepsakes. "Kya, ha, ha, ha, ha!" Taki was alert as she heard that disgusting sound, the sound of a demon's laughter. She ran forward through the broken door that led into the hallway. The laughter got louder and louder as she stepped out the door, the sounds echoing along like a bat's screeching cry in a dank cave. Then Taki sniffed something peculiar. "... What? Is that... smoke?" Smoke wasn't good. Smoke meant fire. Taki picked up the pace and ran inside one of the rooms next to the one from where she had entered. As she stepped inside, and looked around, her eyes thinned out. Her target had been caught. "Kya, ha, ha, ha, ha!" The demon beast laughed once more as it stared at the more-than-ready Taki. It's pale purple skin with pallid and dry, it's face covered with blood and scars. Its mouth was lined with sharp jagged teeth; the fire in its eyes mirrored the flames dancing around the room. The beast was clad in the armour of a soldier for the Japanese army, another clear indication that the daimyo had to be in league with the shogun. Taki knew that this creature had grown in strength. If it was able to wrap itself in the weapons and armour of mortals, then it must have built up a fair amount of energy, most likely from killing some of the bushi that had served under the daimyo. After it let out another of those horrid laughs, the demon pulled out the sword from the sheath at its waist, glaring at Taki with its awful eyes. In return, Taki showed nothing but clout and bravery, spreading her legs apart and pulling her hand behind her neck. The kunoichi's nimble fingers inched towards her short sword, ones that clutched around it as the demon launched its attack. The demon sliced at Taki with its blade, rushing forwards. Taki rolled to the side abruptly, withdrawing her mighty partner, Rekkimaru. "The time for your judgement is upon you, demon." Rather than charge in head first, Taki ran around the flames that were starting to build in the room. The demon's fiery eyes followed Taki's movements step for step. It was sure that she wasn't trying to escape, but why run? Soon the flames were too high for the demon to spot Taki. It turned around fully, dragging its sword along the brown floorboards. It searched the fire and the room again, but there was no sign of Taki. Until... "Yaaaah!" Taki's fierce scream made even the fire flicker, as she descended towards the demon from the upper rafters of the room, with Rekkimaru poised to strike. The demon bellowed as Taki sliced through its torso, cleaving a fine path of energy as the sword's Chi proceeded to rend its soul. Taki landed near its feet and leapt away, as the beast's torso spat out putrid bile and decaying guts, the colour of a sickly green. Taki looked back at the demon. If her black mouthpiece weren't masking it, you would have seen the proud smile that had dropped into a frown. Though the demon's physical body had been sliced open, its demonic spirit had suffered only a slight wound. Taki blinked. "T-That's impossible... Rekkimaru should easily be able to handle this… it usually kills with one stroke..." "Eeeyaaaaaaaah!" The demon released another cruel screech as it charged at a startled Taki. It slashed at Taki with the sharp end of its blade. Taki brought up Rekkimaru to deflect the blow, a great 'clash' sound accompanying the roaring of the flames. Taki was still confused by Rekkimaru's failure to defeat this demon, so acted on instinct and kicked at the beast's legs. The demon tripped up and fell over onto ground, its armour squashing the embers and charred pieces of wood. Taki then leapt backwards, flipping over with her ninja skills. As soon as she reached a fair distance, Taki drew her right hand into a fist, and then extended the middle and index fingers. Her free hand began a series of powerful katas, each one letting loose a fierce flash of coloured light. Her dark black hair began to rise and the air began to get exceedingly thicker, as all of Taki's strength began to focus in on the downed demon. The room then lit up with a bright lavender energy, symbols of shuriken appearing along the floorboards and centring in on the demon. The evil beast's eyes went wide with horror as it realized what was about to happen. Taki's Chi had pinned it in place, stopping it from moving, while the energy also became more volatile. Taki too knew the danger in this, dashing out of the room to escape it. She stormed back into the room from which she had gained entry, and jumped up through the hole she had previously created. The screams of the demon were loud enough to be heard from the outside, but Taki wasted no time thinking about it. The Japanese girl quickly jumped off the roof and leapt into the cold night air, as the top floor of the castle exploded. With a gigantic boom, balls of fire and smoke singed the atmosphere, the deafening roar of the explosion causing the flock of birds still hiding in the surrounding forest to flee. Though the blast was strong, it didn't knock away Taki's balance, and she speedily landed on one of the lower roofs protruding from the side of the castle. Taki then jumped down each roof and dashed between falling shards of debris, finally reaching the ground level. The young ninja girl gathered gasps of air quickly, her panting becoming fiercer. She even coughed a little. Taki had to remove her mouthpiece, and then slumped into a sitting position on the stone ground of the outer yard. She couldn't believe that she had to use that mystical assault on the demon. And with those thoughts, she came across one that was a lot more urgent. Why had Rekkimaru not destroyed its target on command? Taki pulled her arm behind her head, and withdrew the short sword from the scabbard on her back. She pulled it down into her lap and stared at it. Now that she had taken this chance to inspect the sword, Taki began to realize something. Rekkimaru wasn't what it used to be. Its former sheen was gone, it was slightly chipped, and its edge was getting dull. What was worse was that its killing power was being compromised. Was Taki's beloved Rekkimaru... weakening? Well, whatever was going on, Taki couldn't stay here long. Regardless of his fear, when the daimyo caught word of the explosion that had taken place at Nagato Kyuuden, he'd most likely send some of his followers to inspect the situation. And Taki could not be there when they arrived. The demon slaying ninja sheathed her blade and began to climb up the outer walls surrounding the castle's yard. But she couldn't help but wonder... What was happening to Rekkimaru? ********** Rothion... Hmm. I love him greatly. There isn't a thing I wouldn't do to keep him safe. I'd even take up the sword again. And it was from his seed that I gave birth to my two wonderful angels, Pyrrha and Patroklos. And when I look my life now, it's very different to what I had known. The sacrifices I made. The people I encountered. The woman I fell in love with. Taki. My eyes dart back over to my sleeping husband, lying next to me on our bed. I hate it when I remember my times with Taki with Rothion around. I feel as though I betray his love for me... as if I forsake my love for him, which is simply wrong. I'd love him to the ends of the earth... But I'll never forget what she was to me. The beautiful swordswoman of the east... my childhood love, Taki. It was six years ago, when I was eighteen, when we first met. I still think of myself as a child back then. But I do not mistake what I felt for her... not a silly girl's crush, but a growing woman's love. And I know a part of me still loves her... at times I even miss her. I miss the way she would smile after a victory. I miss the way she would scold me for making an error in battle. I miss the way her lips felt against my own. You never ever forget your first love. But knowing Taki, she may have all but forgotten me. Her love for demon killing was greater than her love for me; I can see that quite clearly. Hmm... I can't believe that even after these six whole years, that still makes me angry. But that was the issue at the heart of it all. Had Taki not fully devoted herself to hunting monsters... it might have been her lying next to me at present, not Rothion. And I don't know if that makes me sad or happy. Even after all this time, Taki's influence over me is as strong as it ever was. I was adolescent at that time. I was... naïve and foolish. And it was because of this that I was unprepared for what was to become of me. I travelled the world to destroy Soul Edge, not to fall in love with this strange woman from the east. It was never planned. But then love never is. With this great feeling of nostalgia... I can remember the very day before we met. It was the last day of my journey that I spent alone. From then on I would be with the eastern swordswoman... me... an unripe girl hopelessly fixated on someone who seemed like she could do anything... ********** The Tsuki no Hikari Ryokan, Aki (Chugoku Region), Japan "So... what kind of room would you like?" Quite a few miles from the Nagato area, was the Aki area. This was home to one of Southern Japan's most talked about and loved Inns, the Tsuki no Hikari Ryokan. It was famous because it was one of the few buildings that had been untouched throughout the current wars. Somehow it had survived the battles in the surrounding areas, even when other buildings in the village got caught up in the crossfire. It was like many other Japanese-style Inns, roomy and spacious. Below the wooden rafters of the upper floor was the lower one, full of wooden tables and chairs, surrounded by travellers and survivors of other han, destroyed during battle. One thing this place was not familiar with was the westerner, least of all female westerners who were armed. Which was exactly what the Tsuki no Hikari Ryokan had. The stranger was up at the front of the building, talking to the manager of the Inn, who was seated behind a counter. She was young, that was obvious, around 18 years of age, and was poised innocently as she stood in place. People watched her with curiosity as well as caution. Distrust of outsiders amongst the peasantry was nothing new. But with their stares of anxiety, came stares of lust. Though these people were mistrusting, they were not ignorant of beauty. The beauteous woman stood out of the crowd, her lithe, well-endowed figure teased the patience of any self-respecting man, capturing the attention of their hearts and loins. Her long tresses of golden blonde hair flowed down onto her shoulders, her sparking blue eyes flicking curiously across the building, her naïve curiosity showing no bounds. Her form of attire was clearly Greek in nature, and her playful yet dedicated spirit indicated that she had a purpose for being so far from her place of birth. And it was that purpose of hers that was driving her ardour. This woman's name was Sophitia Alexandra, the chosen sentinel and avatar of the god of the forge, the mighty Hephaestos. Sophitia smiled sweetly at the owner of the Inn. "I'd like a normal room please... I don't have much in the way of money... at least not the kind of money in circulation in this country... but I will work for my stay here, whatever you'd allow." The Inn owner normally would have turned down a request like that, but Sophitia's charming innocence was too much for anyone to withstand. "I... will allow this. It's not often that we have visitors that so enjoy traversing a war-torn land." Sophitia's cheerful smile dropped. "I'm so sorry for your losses. These times are so dark and worrying... but the Gods will smile down on us eventually, of this I'm sure." "Such childish optimism." The Inn owner thought. "Thank you. Well, take the third room upstairs. You can work off your debt by helping out in the kitchens. A bit of work for a day should pay it all off." Sophitia's bright smile returned to her as she was handed the iron key to the room, and she nodded in acceptance of those terms. The young girl from Athens walked across the hallway, past the hall downstairs, the one full of mistrusting, curious and interested Japanese natives. She walked up the creaking staircase, and when she reached the top floor she scanned the doors for no.3. In not time at all she found it. Sophitia slotted the iron key into the lock, and opened the door to the inside. The room wasn't particularly special. There was a mildly comfortable looking bed in the corner, a small chest used for keeping clothes, and a simple wooden table. It was not home or anything, but it suited Sophitia's needs. The young woman pulled the pack off of her back with a great effort, and laid it to rest on her bed. She opened it up and then smiled proudly as she withdrew its contents, some spare clothes and items, but what truly pleased her, was the site of her gifts from Hephaestos. The Omega Sword and Elk Shield. Possibly one of the most ultimate swords of the entire world. Created by Hephaestos, it was blessed with the vigour of Ares, the wisdom of Athene, the beauty of Aphrodite, and the power of Zeus. The sacred metal of the sword gleamed with polish and strength. Its design was typical of Greek swords, the blade short in length but thick in girth. The shield was equally typical, light and rounded. These weapons may not have had the effective killing power of the Tanegashima matchlock rifle, but Sophitia could have received no better form of protection from the Olympian gods. Sophitia pulled out her spare clothing and packed it into the chest, then placed her pack at the side of her bed. The young girl then slowly crossed her arms over her upper clothing, grabbing at it with both hands, and then pulled her chemise free from her body. She undressed out of the rest of her clothing, but slowly, for she was always more than comfortable with her own nakedness. Within a few extra seconds, Sophitia had re-dressed in her nightdress. The young woman then removed the Omega sword from her bed, placing it and the shield beside her pack, and then slipped under the covers of her bed. It wasn't all that late, only a short few hours after sundown, but she wanted an early night. The miracle child from Athens nestled her head on her pillow, wrapping her arms around her torso to warm herself up. Tomorrow she would continue her journey eastwards. From the way the rumours of Soul Edge had been so frequent, it was obvious that whomever was wielding it had been moving around. Sophitia mused on that as she tried to get to sleep. Who was the one that commanded Soul Edge currently? The man or woman had to be of unearthly power. There was little chance that a simple soul could brandish the Soul Edge and manage to keep a grip on themselves. Though Sophitia had not seen it, from the urgency of Hephaestos, she could see that her feelings on the situation weren't unlikely. All the same, no matter who carried Soul Edge, it was her duty to destroy it. Sophitia began to remember just how she had been given that duty. It was merely a few weeks prior to the day. After a short morning at the bakery with her brother, Sophitia went down to a small lake just outside of Athens. It was such a serene day. Birds chipped blissfully, the crystal clear water gleamed with the light of sun. Gentle woodland animals scurried around the bank and nuzzled in the grass, the brief cries of a hawk flying overhead was part of the wonderful backdrop. The young blonde of Athens literally drank in the splendour of her location. It was like she was experiencing the beauty of nature, completely unhindered my human interference. Without hesitation, Sophitia shed her clothing along the bank of the lake, leaving behind her beautiful naked form, unrestricted by garments. She eagerly dove into the water, and after a few moments of admiring the wildlife, she started to bathe. Then without warning, the water to her left surged upwards. Sophitia recoiled in shock, as the crystalline body of Hephaestos rose up from the quiet depths. His strong, powerful voice sternly delivered his oracle to Sophitia, and he expressly gave her the mission to destroy the evil Soul Edge blade before it corrupted anymore of the world. Shortly after this revelation, Sophitia journeyed to the sacred Eurydice temple, where she was given the Omega Sword and Elk Shield. Of course she had to be tested, this was in the form of a spiritual copy of Sophitia herself. And though it was a struggle, the real thing managed to defeat the copy. Hephaestos wished her the best of luck, and then magically transported her to Northern America. From there, she began her journey westwards, and eventually reached her current location, Japan. Though it would be a long, hard task, Sophitia was determined to defeat the current wielder of the Soul Edge. Her family would be kept safe in the process, and Sophitia would automatically pay her thanks to the gods whom had dared to believe in her. The young blonde smiled peacefully as she nuzzled her head against the straw-filled pillow. Tomorrow would see the continuation of her great journey. ********** It's the middle of the night. I wonder what she is doing right now. I can imagine that she is betrothed to another. A man that can give her everything I couldn't. A stable life, children, and unconditional love. I suppose I cannot expect her to be lonely all her life. Sophitia deserves the world. She deserves anything and everything that this simple existence can offer her. No... I can't lose my focus... I must be strong... I will train myself to the ultimate limit, with Rekkimaru and it's demonic other at my side. Not that the shock of Rekkimaru's weakening didn't weigh on me at the time. ********** Oni Isle, Japan "Yaaaah!" Taki screamed as her sleekly crafted Rekkimaru cut through the crisp night air and lodged into the thin trunk of a bamboo tree. Taki's gasped in surprise when she saw that her blade had only cut through an inch of the bamboo. Giving out another scream, she ripped the steel from the bamboo tree and stared at it in disbelief. Taki wiped the sweat from her brow. It was at least six hours before sunup, and Taki had to make her weekly check-up on the shrine of Fury-demons. Of course, that was important, but first things first, she had to test out Rekkimaru's strength. And for what it was worth, Rekkimaru seemed to be weakening fast. The ninja woman was at a small bamboo forest just on the edge of Oni Isle. She got back here as fast as she could from Nagato; she knew that the trees around this area were tough to blows. Taki had to test out Rekkimaru's strength before she could make any more assumptions. But her guesses were correct. Rekkimaru's deterioration was serious. Not only was it waning spiritually, but also physically. "I cannot believe this." Taki said, holding Rekkimaru up limply. "Rekkimaru was hand-crafted by my own efforts. I spoke the incantations to fill it with masses of spiritual power. So why... why now?" Taki shot one last look at Rekkimaru before sheathing it. Something had to be done about this. From time to time, she heard stories about a blade from the west, a violently powerful weapon that was said to carry the strengths of armies. It was around the time of these rumours that Taki began noticing Rekkimaru's strange behaviour. If these situations were linked in any way... there was no way Taki could let it go. After picking up the stray bits of armour, shed during the test of Rekkimaru's power, Taki strode off into the darkness of the bamboo forest. If there was a connection between Rekkimaru's new limitations and the Soul Edge, or if there was something Soul Edge could do to ease it, Taki would hunt the blade down to the ends of the earth. Starting now. ********** Kaiser's Afterthoughts * My first Soul Blade/Edge/Calibur fic. There are a few things of notice though, I feel as though I should say as much. One, I base my info on Edge Master mode of the original Soul Blade. If that conflicts with more recent information about the series, then I'll change it in due time. Two, my spelling of certain god's names differ from those used in SC. For example 'Hephaestos' instead of 'Hephaestus' or 'Athene' instead of 'Athena'. This is simply because my resources on Greek mythology spell these names as such. * Any comments would be appreciated; I'm always open to feedback.
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