The Soul Edge is capable of many things. It can be
a healing agent, a method of defense, and it can revive the
dead, though they're cursed with a half-life. It may even be
the key to eternal youth... and immortality. However,
these gifts come with a price... your soul and your will.
The other divine treasures have the same
properties as the Blade... however, one's soul must be strong
in order to keep their free will.
There is one other thng that the two have in common...
in the event that they are broken, they can reshape themselves
into a new weapon... stronger and better than ever!
Unfortunately, the weapons do not remember their former
masters, unless there is some special bond between it and the
owner...
____________________________________________________________________
A thin veil of sweat was on Mina's brow. She was
plowing through the ranks as if she were possesed. 'Whoa,
these guys are nothin'! I haven't broken a sweat until now,
and it usually takes much less time than this!' Less time...
with Hwang of course. Other than that, she usually lost
every fight she was in... so right now, she was feeling good.
'If this is all there is to it, then I might as well
talk to him now!' She began to recall the fights with warriors
like Mitsurugi, Sophitia, and even Hwang. Yes, she could never
beat Hwang, who she considered her one true rival. And thinking
of their battles made her miss him, if only in a small way.
'Now then, I'll finish this round, and be on my way. I just hope
that there are more... interesting fights on the next tier.'
Suddenly, another whine came from her weapon. Mina
recognized it as the signal for trouble... 'More are here?'
Her persona came to life. 'Yes... two of them. They are
gathering here... to form another blade.' Mina was greatly
concerned at this. 'Another blade? You mean, there can be
ANOTHER Soul Edge?' 'Yes. In fact, there already is another...
It's too far away to detect, but I have a guess who its
owner is...'
____________________________________________________________________
Talim watched Mina's fights with great interest.
The opponent may not have known how he was defeated, but
she did. 'She sees his moves, even before he makes them...
I think she's paying attention to how their muscles move.'
But those movements are small, almost insignifigant, and
hard to detect in the middle of a fight. 'She probably doesn't
even know she's doing it, either. I have to move faster
than the others... like the wind. Constantly moving,
going from one motion to the next without hint or pause.
But can I do it?'
She shook the doubts from her mind. 'I can. The
winds are at my beck and call, anyway. I'll be fine.' And
with that, she closed her eyes and began to read the winds...
and noticed something different about them. Not the
surging evil that she felt four years ago, but something.
'Something is coming this way... people with pieces of that
sword are gathering here. But I don't feel any evil. Why?'
Then she understood. 'It's destiny. This is the wind that
will change the world...'
____________________________________________________________________
As Xianghua headed towards the inner gardens where
the fights were being held, she wondered when she would see
Mina again, and what she would say when she saw her. The
weight of guilt was still on her... 'I should've told her.
Even if she forgives me, I still should've told her that I
wasn't a Royal Guard anymore.' She recalled how she lied
to the emperor himself, saying that her team couldn't find
the Soul Edge. 'Even if the concequence was that I would be
killed, at least I wouldn't feel this weight inside me...'
Her thoughts were interrupted by the cheers of the
crowd. 'That must be Mina... I'd better hurry!'
____________________________________________________________________
Indeed, she had walked into the sunlight, and those
cheers were for her. 'At least I have someone's attention.
Now then, where's my opponent?' As if on cue, a man in red
armor stepped into the ring. His hair was tied back into a
samurai's ponytail, and he had the look of a seasoned warrior.
'Him again? I just can't shake him, can I?' She also noticed
that his soul was stronger than ever. 'And he's learned a few
new tricks. I sure hope that trick of mine works...'
The "trick" was a strange occurance that happened
every time she fought. Whether she won or lost a fight,
she remembered her opponent's style and technique, and the
next fight was much easier... in fact, she came close to
winning. And now that her over confident nature was no more,
she could take full advantage of her new skill. She asked
Edge Master about this, and he said that it was the latent
ability within the Scarlet Thunder, and that it was only
granted to blood relatives of the Seung family.
But she couldn't trust that... 'I have to stop
trusting in my weapon so much... even though it's the
only sensible conclusion.' She got back to the task at hand,
and noticed that she was being ignored. She didn't know if
it was deliberate or not, but she knew better than to let it
anger her. 'I'd better let him know that it's time to go.'
____________________________________________________________________
She took in a deep breath, and stomped heavily on
the ground. The noise was enough to startle Mitsurugi, and
silence the crowd as well. He looked over at the woman, who
obviously had no tact at all, and recognized her at once.
"Humph. Did daddy's little girl run out on him again?"
He waited for a reaction from her, and was surprised when he
got nothing but a smile and an awnser. "Nope, he let me leave
this time." The mercenary was mildly amused at this. 'She might
be a worthy challenge this time. I can't push her buttons
anymore.'
"Really? Well, congratulations. But your tournament run
ends here, I'm afraid." Mina simply smiled, and said, "All right,
then. Let's get this over with." He took this as a signal to start,
and made a beeline for his opponent. This was a mistake. "Gaah!"
He would have speared himself, had it been the blade end of
the weapon. "Aw, gimme a break! You didn't see that?"
She shoved him away with a sour look on her face. "I'll give you
a chance to step it up. If you don't, you won't be getting
up this time!"
'That was careless. I know better than to rush in like
that! Maybe this won't be so easy after all.' The case was that
if he rushed her, she would be startled by his speed, and it would
be enough to beat her handily. But she read the move, making
this tactic obsolete. 'Okay. Let's get serious.' He set up another
attack, but was cautious this time. He inched towards her, watching
her closely. But it didn't seem like she was going to move...
____________________________________________________________________
Talim watched this with a small degree of confusion.
'She's not doing anything. Why is she just standing still?'
The man in red armor struck again, and it seemed that it would
cleave Mina in two. But it missed. Another strike, this time
while he rose from his position... Missed again. The crowd was
starting to get into it. 'He's too predictable. all his power
is behind those vertical strikes of his. But what a power it
is... I can feel it from here!'
She began to notice his frustration, for he was going
faster with each attack. But it was no use... 'That's why she
doesn't fight. He can't hit her, so she doesn't hit back!
But it's getting... boring. Why doesn't she attack?' Suddenly,
there was a shift in the winds. 'What's this about? There's
a strange energy in these winds... Is it her?' Indeed, energy
was building inside Mina's body... 'She's gonna attack soon,
isn't she? This is gonna be interesting!'
____________________________________________________________________
Mina effortlessly avoided Mitsurugi's constant assault.
'It IS working! They're here, all of his moves are here in my
head! This is great!' She stopped herself there. 'There I go
again. The weapon might be giving me this, but I trained myself
to use it. I can't keep trusting in technique and weapons. But
at least I've got him where I want him!' She did, in fact, have
him where she wanted him: frustrated and angry. "Stop moving and
fight, dammit!" This was the opening that she was looking for.
"Fine then, but you'd better be ready!" He roared as he
struck with another attack... and was stopped cold. His blade
bounced off of hers, and he was sent flying with a Banishment
Kick. In fact, it sent him farther along than a normal one would...
'What was that? I don't kick that hard!' He was almost blasted
out of the ring! 'I don't like this. What happened?' Her weapon
chimed in. 'That wasn't me... It must've been you. all that
dodging and weaving somehow awakened your power...'
She didn't really have another explination for it,
but she did want to put this untamed energy under her control.
____________________________________________________________________
Xianghua arrived just before it happened. She saw
the deflection, the kick, and something else as well: a wave
of energy. It looked like a mirage, a heat wave of some sort,
but it was there. 'She did it! She used her spiritual energy...
and without tapping into the Scarlet Thunder! But how? That's
only possible with the Ling Sheng Su monks!' As impossible
as it seemed, it happened. 'Does she even know that she did that,
or is it just a natural reflex to her now? Just how strong
has she become?'
The rest of the crowd did nothing but cheer, for they
were watching the fight, and saw the samurai fly towards the
the edge of the ring. But even Talim saw that there was more
behind the blow than strength alone. 'She is fighting with the
wind, like I do! No... no that's not the wind. It's something
else. It acts like the wind, but it's not. What is this?' She
and Xian watched the bout with sharp eyes, that they might
confirm their suspicions.
____________________________________________________________________
Meanwhile, Heishero Mitsurugi was in pain. 'Damn, I
think she broke something.' He opened his eyes, and noticed
that he had unintentionally covered some ground... a whole lot of
ground. 'What the hell's goin' on? How'd she kick me that far?'
As he puzzled over this, he heard the voice of his assailant.
"Hey! Can you stand?" He was furious at this, but didn't hear
the sincerity in her speech. 'She's mocking me. First, she
treats my attacks like her plaything, then she knocks me
to the dark side of the moon and asks me if I can stand!'
"Yes, I can. But you won't. Hell, I'll be surprised if
you're still breathing after this!" He strode forward with
chaos in his eyes and death in his step. When he finally
approached her, he set himself in the Mist stance... "This
might hurt a little." His voice may have been calm, but there
was poison behind his words. He was out for blood, and
didn't care for the prize anymore, only his honor...
____________________________________________________________________
Mina however, was still calm, though she had a hard
time staying that way. 'The moves might be right here, but
I don't think that I'll be able to keep this up much longer.
That's his Mist stance. He's really fast now... can I keep up?'
She steeled herself for the assault. 'There's only one way to find
out!' He struck out with a quick, almost unnoticable stab.
Mina would've bit it then, had it not been for her reflexes.
The atack missed by a hairline, and even though it was dangerously
close, it was better than being speared.
'I can dodge it!' And dodge she did, as a flurry of Mist
Stabs came toward her. Mina's body once again felt like a coiled
spring... 'This feeling... I felt it just before that kick! Maybe
if I kept this up...' But the energy was heading toward its limit,
and she felt the strain. 'I've gotta attack soon, or else I'm done!'
Then, she saw an opening. Mitsurugi was setting up for a Mist Thrust,
which would end her life. And he was going to put his weight behind
this one... but it was still enough of an opening.
'Now! This is it!' Mina dodged the stab, saw the thrust
coming, and caught the warrior in a Legend Rush. He stumbled
backwards to try to keep his footing, but nothing could've
saved him from what came next. Mina sent him sailing with
a hard Legend Rush Thrust, and this time, it counted. Mitsurugi
fell into the lake, and thus was disqualified from competition.
Mina saw the fading traces of her handiwork as the
spirit energy faded from sight. 'Wow... so that's what it
looks like.' The air was distorted where there were still traces
of energy, as if there were heat waves coming from somewhere.
'Looks like a mirage. It's really pretty...' She was shaken
back to reality by what seemed like an explosion. The crowd
showed their appreciation for one of the best fights they had
ever seen. Mina could do nothing but smile and wave.
____________________________________________________________________
As the attendants pulled him from the water, Mitsurugi
was in disarray. 'I don't understand... this was supposed to be
easy pickings for me. I underestimated her...' Then, with a
smile, 'That won't happen again!' He walked over to her,
still soaked, and extended his hand. "Ha! That was
interesting. You've gotten much better. I couldn't get you
as worked up as I used to." Mina received his hand for a shake.
"The fruits of my training, I guess. You're not too bad either."
However, they were interrupted by a wailing sound
from Mitsurugi's pocket, as if the object inside were
afraid of something. "That again? It's been doing that
since I first came into China. Frankly, it's starting
to irritate me." He pulled a fragment of Soul Edge out of
the pocket. Mina's expression turned grave. 'As I thought.
He's got one too. No, wait...' He pulled another one.
'Two of them! Is this ever gonna stop getting worse?'
He saw the look on her face and asked, "You're
probably wondering why I have these, aren't you? Where
I got them from?" Mina nodded. "Well, if you're planning
on taking them from me, then forget it. They're my only
lead." Mina sighed. 'He's being overprotective of those
pieces. It's already got a hold on him, and I can't convince
him otherwise, can I? But it won't hurt to try.'
____________________________________________________________________
Talim was amazed at what she saw. 'Such people
DO exist after all... I've gotta get to know her better.
But the only way to do that is by fighting her... it is
unavoidable. And, a little sad... I do want to become
friends with her. Well, maybe after.' A servant tapped her
on the shoulder. "It's time for your next match, miss."
Talim's pulse quickened. "All right. I'm coming." And with a
last, sad look at Mina, she left for the arena.
Yet even with all her confidence, her hands were
shaking. 'What is this feeling that freezes my blood and
turns my body into a weight? Is this what being afraid
feels like?' She heard the cry of the crowd as she was
introduced, and steeled herself. 'No, I will not run
from this. I've gotta have faith in the winds. That's
how I'll win. Besides, if I lose here, I won't get to
warn the leader of this country!'
The masses gave another cry for Talim as she
stepped out into the sunlight. She closed her eyes and
willed the winds to her. 'Winds, to me! Guide me on the
true path! Hear my prayers and come to my aid!' At once,
a powerful force took her body captive. The very air
around her seemed to be absorbed, which made her a force
to be reckoned with. 'I trust all of you. Keep me safe.'
____________________________________________________________________
At the other end of the arena stood a blonde
man from the West. His pale blue eyes gave off a frigid
stare in the direction of the insolent young girl who
dared to stand in his way. 'No matter. I'll kill her
quite easily... she's just a girl.' Then a pang of guilt
came over him as he thought about who he was doing all this
killing for. 'On second thought, I might as well humiliate
her without killing her. After all, she's just a girl...
like her.'
He stepped out into the sunlight with a dignified
air about him. Somewhere deep within him was the man he
used to be, the noble from France. But the truth was that
that man was no more; he had gone mad with a lust for the
Blade. His plan was simple: give the sword to the nobles
and let them tear themselves apart. Then the girl's future
would be secure. It was the least he could do. How sad that
this would lead to the slaughter of innocents if necessary...
____________________________________________________________________
Mina was interested in how Talim would handle the
next fight, so she stuck around the fighters' preparation
area to see her practice. She noticed that her style was
more of a ritual dance than a pattern dance, but she knew
better. Her journeys to India during her training with
Edge Master taught her that. 'She's definitely getting
ready to fight. I can feel it, somehow.'
She took note of the dance's potential in a fight,
and began to pay closer attention. But as she increased her
focus and concentration, her weapon responded. As it began
to resonate with a red light, it also recorded the moves
and steps, as if it were looking through Mina's eyes. This
was the latent ability of the Scarlet Thunder: to record
the techniques of opponents in battle so that the wielder
could ues their own strategy against them, if so desired.
What's more was that it was only available to
those of the Seung bloodline. However, those of the
family had to know something about channeling and
harnessing spirit energy, the energy within oneself,
in order to use it. And Mina had such training.
However, she was unaware of the effects of the
weapon, and just watched out of curiosity... in fact,
she was almost entranced by the ancient dance of the
wind. Or maybe it was how beautiful the young Sybil
was when she danced... her graceful spins and turns,
while her blades mimiced the winds themselves, signified
both the beauty and ferocity of the winds.
'Maybe this IS a ritual dance... she did say she
was a preistess of the wind. She certainly moves like the
winds do. She's so pretty; she reminds me of Xian.' Then
she snapped back to reality. 'Xian! I do have to look
for her... I can't stay here!' She left hastily, with only
a slight regret that she couldn't see the rest of the dance.
But as she left, she heard a timid, yet clear voice
behind her. "Excuse me, Mina..."
____________________________________________________________________
Talim sadly recollected her combined search for
Xianghua with Mina. 'They love each other so much... but
this union may not last for long. The winds tell me that
her heart is turning to me... I can't let that happen.'
Then she turned her attention back to the fight. She
felt an ill wind around her opponent. 'That wind is...
the same as that sword!' She steeled herself for the
battle. 'I have to stop him!'
"It's about time! I was losing my patience," the
challenger snarled. Talim could not hold her findings in
any longer. "Please, give up your search. It will only
end in madness, or even death." The blonde was somewhat
surprised. "So, you know of my plans, do you? Well know
this as well: I will not turn back. I cannot, for her
sake. Now move, before I'm forced to move you."
"No, I will stand my ground. The sword is evil, and
I won't let this wind spread any further. I'll have to
stop you here." The blonde allowed himself a feral grin.
"Nothing but talk, I bet. We'll see soon enough. En garde!"
He struck out with a quick series of vertical half-cuts in
an attempt to end the scuffle quickly. His efforts were in vain,
however, because Talim was indeed like the wind: constantly
moving from one step to the next.
"You're only delaying the inevitable, wench! Stop
moving and die quietly!" She paid no attention to his threats
and continued to evade his attacks. 'There has to be a break
somewhere, I just have to see it. But I have to keep moving,
or else it's gonna hurt!' But it was getting harder to do so.
The light, weightless feeling that the winds provided her was
fading away... 'That's not good. This wind is the only thing
keeping me from being split in two! That evil taint from him
is corrupting my own personal currents as well!'
Indeed, there was madness in his eyes... "Hah!
You're getting weaker; I can feel it!" A stab from the rapier
skimmed her cheek, drawing blood. The blonde seemed to smell
it, for his eyes widened in triumph and an evil grin flashed on
his face. "This match is mine! Now DIE!" He lashed out with a
heavy vertical cut, hoping to end her life. Unfortunately for
him, that too was in vain, thanks to Talim's agility. She did
a quick spin to the side and lashed out with both of her
elbow blades in a vicious circle. Her Whirlwind Slash
cut deep, and the young noble went down.
"I... I didn't want to hurt you... but I had no
choice. The call of that sword has driven you mad. I fear that
only pain will free you from this evil. I'm sorry..." The young
noble slowly got up, obviously in pain from the attack. "Enough!
Save your pity for the weak; I need it not! You... you have
to die, for her sake! You and anyone else in my way!" Talim
was still confused. "Her? Who are you talking about? Let me
help you-" "AAAAAHHHHHH! DIE!" Though the sudden assault had
taken her by surprise, Talim's reflexes saved her. 'This
has to end. Forgive me.'
Talim went into her ritual dance, the Wind Charmer.
It was supposed to call the winds to her that she might
ride them. Of course, during this dance, she was impossible
to hit, as the young man from France soon found out. "Hold
sitll so I can kill you!" She said nothing, but continued
to dance around his attacks. However, as she evaded one of
the strikes, she turned her back to him... "That was
foolish!" He attacked... but was in pain before his strike
hit. She lashed out with two horizontal slashes that burned
a scar on the blonde's chest. Then she flipped her right
blade up, then back down... and she felt the winds again.
'It's good to know that I haven't been dancing for
nothing.' He saw the movement of the blade. "A mistake!"
He struck with a low horizontal attack, hoping to catch her
off guard. It didn't work, for she flipped over his head
and shoved her heels into his lower back, sending him flying.
She rode the winds, just as the dance had meant her to do,
and it wasn't over yet. 'This ends here. All you have to do is
attack...' She closed her eyes and waited.
____________________________________________________________________
Xianghua was amazed at how much power was within
Talim's young body. 'I can't imagine how she was able to control
that much energy at once!' Then, she recalled the strange motions
of the winds during the fight. It was as if they were being
drawn into her... 'That must be it. She's using the energy from
the air around her for strength. But that's dangerous... The
winds have their own way of doing things, and if one tries to
harness them, it won't always be there. Still, to hold
as much sway as she did... takes a strong soul.'
But as she admired the strength of Talim's soul,
she began to question her own inner strength. 'If I were that
strong, I wouldn't have to lie so much... If I were that strong,
the sword would be gone forever... maybe I'm not cut out
for this task after all. And maybe that means I'm not really
a big factor in the end of the world...' But the weight on her
heart grew even heavier at this. 'No, I am still a factor.
I can feel it within me... This power that won't go away.'
But instead of a blessing, it had become a cursed mark...
all because of a lie. In fact, more than one lie.
____________________________________________________________________
Mina suddenly felt an ache within her. "I guess that
last fight took its toll on me. I'd better sit down." But deep
within her, she knew different. That first night, so long ago,
had crafted a bond between the souls of Xianghua and herself.
This bond proved to be an asset to the women, for they had access
to each other's thoughts and plans. Such an intimate connection
formed a relationship of love and admiration, where no secrets would
be kept between them. But the bond also had its negative traits...
When a bond like this is formed, there is not only a
mental and spiritual oneness, but a physical unity as well.
This presented a few new elements: pleasure and pain. Indeed, when
they lay with each other, they both got something out of the evening,
in more ways than one. But they also shared each other's pain as well.
Whenever one felt pain within, the other felt it... but not just
within. The pain was inside the soul... and so the body was in torment
as well.
'I knew something was wrong... but I didn't want to believe it.
Xian's hurting inside...' She inhaled through her teeth as the pain
intensified. 'And it's getting worse! I have to find her before we
BOTH die in her sorrow!' Though it took more strength than she had
at the time, she stood, and continued her search for her love.
She didn't have to look far, either, for the closer she got, the worse
her condition was. It seemed that even the spectators and the
royal guards were affected, for they were becoming irratible...
____________________________________________________________________
Mitsurugi was deep in meditation, considering all that
Mina said before they parted ways. "I would do anything to protect
the honor of battle. If this weapon continues to exist, no fight
will be fair and battles will lose any honor they once had. That
is my purpose..." WIth a sigh, Mina replied, "That's all good and
well, and it's a noble cause. I agree, firearms aren't the way to
fight a battle. But how far will you go? It might cost you your
very soul, you know."
"Even if it does come down to that, I won't be commanded
by some silly sword. My destiny is my own, and nothing can change
that, including words. So it's no use talking to me like this."
Mina, however, was determined to turn him away. "Yeah, that's
what I thought when I went to look for it those many years ago.
If I could get the sword, then my destiny, my future, would belong
to me. But it wasn't like that at all. Now I know what the sword
really is, and I won't be fooled by it again."
He broke from his meditation and looked at the fragments
in his hand. "These pieces of the sword... are my only clue. But if
it really is evil... then I can't allow it to exist. That won't
happen yet, though. I'll see it with my own eyes, just to be sure."
____________________________________________________________________
Talim was in meditation as well, reading the winds.
What she felt, however, was more disturbing. 'This wind... it
has the same taint that I sensed when I first left home...' She
heard the complaining, irritation, and impatience of the people,
whether they were warriors or spectators. 'But this time, it
seems to have a source. I must find it...' She increased her
concentration, and listened for the one voice that caused this
disturbance.
She first heard it as a whisper. A faint voice, as
if it were afraid of discovery. 'I won't hurt you... please talk
to me. Tell me what's wrong...' All the other voices began to fade
out, and the whisper turned into a timid voice that seemed to belong
to a child. 'I... I hurt someone. I hurt her with my words...
and she doesn't even know it.' 'Really... who? How did you hurt her?'
The voice was suddenly frightened. 'NO! I can't say! I can't let
anyone else but her know about it... please forgive me, but I just
can't!'
Talim suddenly felt another force push against hers.
'Wait, don't do this! I want to help you!' But by then, she could
no longer hear the voice. She broke her meditation and sighed heavily.
'I just can't let this go. I have to stop this before it goes too
far.' She would start by finding out who the voice belonged to. 'It
sounded familiar... though I really don't know anyone with that voice.
But I think it belongs to that woman...'
____________________________________________________________________
The Scarlet Thunder suddenly began to resonate with
its red aura. 'What now? Another piece of the sword?' 'No. This
resonance is different. It's a reaction whenever one of the other
Divine Treasures are near.' Mina knew what that meant, but she had
to be certain. 'Is it Xianghua?' 'I can't say... but this aura
definitely belongs to the Krita-Yuga.' Mina suddenly felt the
sharp pains from before. 'We'll have to take a chance! Lead me to
the aura!'
Unfortunately, as she neared the source of the aura,
the pain within her intensified tenfold. 'This isn't cool! It feels
like i'm dying inside! She must really be hurting... This is what you
get for keeping secrets from me, Xian.' Finally, she was at the point
where the pain was too much to bear. "I can't find her like this,
dammit! We'll look later..." Then she had an idea. It was bold and
risky, and would probably be worse later on, but it was the only way
to find her love without slowing down. 'Hey, do you think you could
help me?' 'With what, pray tell?' 'You can absorb spiritual energy,
right?' 'Yes. But I thought you already knew that.'
'So, that includes negative energy too, right?' '...You
know what might happen if you go through with this, do you not?'
'Yeah, yeah, I know! I have to find Xian, so you have to help me!
Otherwise, we'll both die, and the world will come to an end!
So please...' 'As you wish. Simply channel the energy through
the sword, and I will absorb your pain.' She tightened her grip
ot the handle of the sword, and the negative forces were channeled
through the blade. The pain ebbed away... and Mina finally relaxed.
She raced off without another word. But the bond between the
women would not release her. She knew that The pain would soon return,
and with a vengance. 'Are we close?' 'Yes. But I am experiencing
something strange...' 'What now?' 'It is horrible... is this what
you call pain?' Mina could sympathise with the persona. 'Yes...
this is the pain that is within our souls. You can feel it too. But
I'm wondering if you'll be all right...' 'I will be fine. It's just...
No one should have to go through this. She calls for you with every
flash of guilt and anxiety.' 'Guilt... so she lied to me. I thought
as much.' 'You can ask about it later. She needs you right now...'
'Yeah. I just wasted a bunch of time, didn't I? Let's hurry then!'
____________________________________________________________________
"Talim, is it? Well, I'm..." Then there was a problem.
'Wait, what am I doing? I can't tell her my name, there are too
many people around. Besides, I can't really trust her...' "I see.
You don't really trust me that much, do you? I understand."
"Uh, yeah. Don't take it the wrong way, but no one around here
needs to know my name yet." Talim smiled. "It's all right. There
are too many people here, anyway. We should really talk somewhere
else."
They left the crowds and walked towards the walkways.
Everyone, even the guards, had gone to watch the fights, so the two
women were relatively safe. "This should be private enough. Now,
I need to talk to you about something." 'I guess that I can trust
you for now...' "All right, Talim, what do you want to ask?"
"Your name, for starters." "Oh, right... sorry about earlier.
My name's Chai Xianghua." 'I was right. This is the one.'
"A pretty name. So then, you're the one that she was talking about."
"'She'? What do you mean?" "Don't act so naive. You know who I'm
talking adout." 'How... does she know so much? No, wait, calm down;
they must've met earlier. That isn't that strange.'
"Don't worry, I don't mean anything by it. I just want
to help the two of you find each other, that's all." Xianghua
brightened up at that. "You mean, she's looking for me?" Then with a
sudden fear, "Oh no, she's looking for me! If she finds out, she
could be angry at me... she'll never trust me again!" "Finds out
what?" "Well, I... wait, why should I tell you? How do I know that you
just won't tell her everything?" Talim laughed at that. "What exactly
are you afraid of? I don't think that she'll fly off the handle
just because of a misunderstanding. Besides, You shouldn't hide
anything from the ones you love."
Xainghua realised the truth in this. If she hadn't lied in
the first place, she probably wouldn't be in this situation. It
would be much better if she told the truth... at least to Mina.
'I can't lie anymore. I have to tell someone...' "All right, I'll
tell you." Talim shook her head. "You don't have to. All you have to
do is find her and tell her yourself. Easy, right?" "No, it isn't.
When you've lied to someone, the bond between the two of you is
damaged, sometimes beyond repair. I never wanted to lie in the first
place, but I was scared." Talim nodded. "Yes, fear is the start of so
many bad things. But if you do the things that you're afraid to do,
then you can do it again, right? So tell her."
'She knows so much... much more than I do. And she only looks
fifteen.' "All right, I will. But she could be anywhere." "Well, there
has to be a place where you two meet, right? So all you have to do is
go there. I got the feeling that you'll know what to say."
____________________________________________________________________
Mina knew that she was running out of time. Soon, the
semi-finals would be over, and the finals would begin. She was
determined to find Xian before then. 'I have to know what's wrong with
her. It's not just because of my next fight, either; I want to
know what's hurting her. What could she be hiding from me?' She
doubled her efforts to find her, but to no avail. She was about to
take a rest when she saw Talim in the distance.
"Mina! I found her! I found Xianghua!" Mina coun't believe her
ears. She would finally put her pain to rest! "Yeah? Where is she?"
"Yes, do tell where our Captain is. Oh, sorry, I meant former
Captain." Mina and Talim turned to see three members of the Emperor's
personal guards. Talim slapped her forehead in distress.
'Why does everything have to go this way?' Mina however, wasn't
worried. "Can I help you fellas?" "Not really. But, we would like to
know what she found at that castle." "Castle? Oh, you mean the one on
the edge of the empire? I heard that was destroyed, and by the emperor,
no less. I don't really think that there's anything there..."
One of the guards smiled and replied, "Our spies said different.
They claim that a fragment of Soul Edge was inside that castle. Now
either someone's lying, or Xinaghua hasn't found it yet. If that's the
case, then she shouldn't be here. If you tell us where she is though,
we'd find out, and the two of you would be richly rewarded... Well?"
"Is that a bribe? And from a Royal Guard, too? Your mom and dad
must've paid a lot to get someone as snobby as you into the emperor's
inner circle."
"What was that? Hey guys, I think she's trying to provoke us!"
"Well, it seems to be working. And here's another thing: only
bratty, snot-nosed little kids fly off the handle because of a
simple comment. Or are you just getting angry... because it's the
truth?" Talim knew where this was headed, so she whispered into Mina's
ear. ("Hey, don't go any further. I don't want you to hurt them.")
"Whatever your friend's saying, you'd better listen. You might be
getting into more trouble than you can handle." "Arrogant as well,
huh? You guys need to go back home!" The guards were falling right
into Mina's hands. "Dammit, we'll show you!"
Talim got into her stance. 'Mina's right. These guys need to
learn some manners. But I wish it didn't have to be this way...'
____________________________________________________________________
Xianghua suddenly felt a surge of spirit energy flow
through her. 'What? She's fighting someone? But her match doesn't
come until the finals!' Then, she remembered that the emperor
had recently recruited fresh blood from Mandarian nobles...
and she smiled. 'They messed with the wrong woman. She'll be all
right... but the emperor might hear of it.' She couldn't risk leaving.
'I just hope that she doesn't get into any real trouble for this...'
But, of course, this trouble would be another result of her
lie. 'It would still be my fault... I can't be happy now, She's in
trouble!' And then, she remembered Talim's words... 'If you do
the things that you're afraid of...' She decided to wait. 'I don't
have to like it, but I'll trust her.' All she could do was bleieve.
And so she sat down and began to meditate. She focused all her soul
on one wish... 'Protect Mina. Please.'
____________________________________________________________________
As the first guard rushed, Mina simply stepped aside
and tripped his feet out from under him. He got back up in frustration
and attacked again, but to no avail. Mina simply slipped past
his attacks like water. This seemed to do nothing but keep her busy,
but it gave the other two guards enough time to join the battle.
"You guys don't get it! It doesn't matter how many of you there are!"
And it seemed to be the truth. Mina was surrounded on three sides, and
still didn't have a scar on her. She didn't even guard with her
weapon.
"Dammit! Attack already!" Mina didn't seem to hear him, for she
remained passive. One guard finally decided to use his legs and tried
to sweep Mina's legs out from under her. But he was rewarded with a
neat backflip over his leg. Then, after another backflip and a
somersault, she stood there and laughed. "This is what the Royal Guards
have come to? Not bad, if you wanna be in a play. The matches in the
arena were better than this! But I'll make you a deal. Either come back
in five or six years and fight me then, or bring out one of the real
guards to pick up your loss."
"I'll indulge your request, if you don't mind." A shapely,
light-brown haired woman of 25 stepped forward with an iron rod.
The guards stopped and stood at attention, though they were still
exhausted. "Oh, stop it, you idiots. You don't need to strain yourself
any further." They almosed collapsed with relief and agony at this.
"She started it, Captain! She provoked us into fighting her!"
"And whose fault is it for being provoked in the first place? Didn't
I tell you before that whoever angers you, controls you? Now go
back to your posts. I'll take care of this." They went back to
their positions somewhat sluggishly... "What happened to the fervor
you had earlier? Double time!" Then they ran towards their duties.
Mina shook her head as she watched them go. "Those were
nobles, weren't they?" "Unfortunately, yes. The emperor owed
a few Mandarian nobles a favor, and thought that recruiting
those idiots was a good idea. And for a while, it was; we were
running low on guards, anyway. So then... where did you run off to
these past few years, anyway?" "Oh, here and there. What about you?
Why are you being called 'Captain', Jen?" The former Ling Sheng Su
monk shrugged. "I guess that I was the best choice after Xianghua was
stripped of her rank." Mina was downhearted at this. "Oh... I see."
Jen looked at her with concern. "She didn't tell you about it, did
she?" Mina shook her head. "I see. You were looking forward to
joining our ranks permanently, too..."
Mina nodded. Jen sighed and tried to explain the former
Captain's actons. "She depends on the opinions of others too much,
even for her age. That's why she lied to the emperor." Mina
was shocked at this revalation. "She what? But... but why?"
"She told him that her search team couldn't find Soul Edge.
At the time, I believed it, too. But he was devastated. You see,
this country is constantly being raided by Japanese pirates. We
Have been searching for a quick end to the matter, and that's when
rumors of Soul Edge surfaced." Mina nodded. "Yeah, I know. That
would be a quick end."
"Yes... but when she came back without it, I thought that it
really was only a rumor... until I sensed something disturbing
recently. The evil aura of the sword is everywhere. It's no longer
focused in one single place, but is spreading to the corners of the
world. Then I knew that it was real. And I also felt the evil vanish
when she defeated the evil the first time. But I didn't blame her for
lying. Better for the Emperor to hear of it not being found than for
him to hear of its destruction." Mina understood as well. It seemed to
be the right decision. But there was one more thing that bothered her.
"Hey Jen.... What about that castle on the border?"
Jen's expression turned grave. "That is definitely the influence
of the sword. That castle was destroyed because a member of the
search team had, in fact, found the Soul Edge... or at least a piece
of it. But he knew of its evil, and so he hid it in that castle.
But that was a mistake; the lord of the castle found it and was
lured by its evil. The emperor heard of its existence and sent a
team to recover it. The lord claimed that it wasn't there...
but the team saw through it. I think you know what happened
after that..."
Mina knew exactly what happened. "Yeah. It was razed..."
Jen nodded grimly. "That's why we're gearing for war, and why we're
holding this tournament. Personally, I think that the accursed thing
should be destroyed... but I digress. This instance with you is just
like the thing with the emperor. The only difference is that Xianghua
seems to value your opinion much more than the emperor's."
Mina stared in disbelief, as if her ears were decieving her.
"She... does?" "Yes. I don't really find it that hard to believe,
either; you're a wonderful person to be around." Mina flushed at this.
"Naah... I'm not all that great." Jen laughed at the state that Mina
was in. Then, she turned to Talim. "You said that you had found
Xinaghua, right?" Talim nodded. "I understand why she would want to
hide. She isn't even supposed to be here. Tell you what, let me come
with you. I'll be able to protect her during her stay."
____________________________________________________________________
Xianghua continued to meditate and focus her energy
on Mina's safety. This forced sleep took more effort than it seemed,
for she was tiring herself with the attempt. The shining aura of
energy that surrounded her was slowly fading to nothing, and her body
had reached its limits. She was about to pass out when the weight
finally lifted from her heart. 'What? It's over? Then that means she's
okay?' She hoped for the best as she shakily stood up from her
position. 'I can't tell... my energy is too low.' Then, she had an
idea. 'I wonder if I could use the Krita-Yuga to find out? But that
would take a lot more energy than I have right now...' Then she thought
about Mina... and her doubts were cast aside. 'I have to know!'
With determination on her face, she channeled what was left
of her soul into the spirit sword and willed it to find Mina... and
almost instanly, it began to shine and give off a gentle hum. 'It's
working. Now all I have to do is wait...' The pitch of the hum
gradually began to rise, and the intensity of the light got brighter.
'She's coming this way!' Soon, the light seemed to outshine the sun,
and the sound was no longer heard. Xianghua turned around so fast,
she almost fell down because of her now weak legs. But as soon as she
did, she rushed to find the nearest cover. 'It's Jen! If she sees me,
the emperor will know where I am! I can't stay here!' She finally
found the cover she needed in the vast garden of Cherry Blossom
trees...
____________________________________________________________________
Just as Mina and company walked in. Talim scratched the
back of her head. "I swear, she was here a little while ago!"
Mina however, simply smiled. 'She still thinks that I'm gonna be angry
at her.' "Hey, don't worry, guys. I have an idea where she might be."
Jen looked at Mina with a mildly surprised look on her face. "Oh,
really? Well, fill me in, because no one can find her when she hides
in there." "Just follow me. But don't tell ANYONE about what I'm gonna
show you." "Deal. Now lead the way."
They dove into the vast maze of flowers and exotic trees.
The Scarlet Thunder was locked on to the Krita-Yuga's aura, so it
wasn't that hard. Combined with Mina's knowledge of the gardens, it
wasn't long before they stopped in front of a small shrine. Jen was
speechless at the beauty of the place. Mina simply looked and listened
for any hint of Xian's presence. Talim however, was the only one who
noticed what stuck out about the place. "Jen, below us!" Jen looked
down and gasped in awe. The ground looked as if it were on fire, and
seemed to glow and shine. "Mina, look down..." "Oh that? Yeah, I know
about that. Watch this-" She delicately pulled up one of her legs in
the Crane stance, then quickly stomped on the ground.
The floor suddenly rushed up at them. A flood of red-orange
butterflies had been resting there, and were now fleeing for safety.
But when the sun hit them, they glowed as if on fire. "We called this
the Field of Fire, for obvious reasons. It was a really good place for
meditation, at least until someone walked in and disturbed the
butterflies. Sometimes, the noise sounded like a roaring fire. But
there aren't that many here, so it's not happening." This diversion
helped Mina in more ways than one, for she could see a weeping
Xianghua sitting by the lake. 'Xian...' "Hey, stay here. I have to
take care of something." Jen started to follow, but was stopped
by Talim, who shook her head. Jen simply smiled. "All right, I
understand. Let's just stay here."
____________________________________________________________________
Xinaghua wept for her cowardice. 'How could I be so stupid?
I ran like a little girl, and here I am crying like one! I should've
faced them both then, instead of just fleeing! Now she must hate me!
I can't look at her ever again. Maybe I should just do this on my
own; she'll be in danger if she comes along.' She was so deep in her
sorrow that she didn't hear the footfalls behind her... and she
jumped up in complete surprise when she was nudged in the back, which
almost made her fall into the lake. "What the hell's the big idea-"
She faced a laughing Seung Mina. "Ha ha ha ha ha! That was classic!
You should've seen the look on your face!"
Xian did nothing but bound towards Mina and enfold her in
a warm, tear-filled embrace. "MINA! Mina, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry for
hurting you! I should've told you everything! I-" She was silenced by
a tender, gentle kiss from Mina, who was beating back the fires of
passion with all her strength. She kissed the tears from the cheeks
of her friend, and looked into the sorrowful brown eyes. Xian felt
the fires of Mina's soul as she looked into the emeralds that were
her eyes. "I'm sorry." Mina shook her head. "Would you stop saying
that? You'll make me kiss you again, and next time, it won't be so
gentle." Almost in disbelief, Xian managed to ask, "You forgive me?
But why? If I had told the truth, you wouldn't have to go through this
trouble!"
Mina was impressed. "So, you did know. It's true that I wanted to
join the Royal Guards when I came here. I also came to find out about
why you were no longer Captain. And on top of that, I had to tell the
emperor about Soul Edge. But I really wanted to win... because it'd be
a good chance to test myself. That's all, really. But I'm gald you're
safe, and that you told the truth to at least someone, if not me."
Xianghua only shook her head at this. "But that doesn't change the fact
that I lied! I can't be trusted, especially by you!" Mina just laughed.
"Stop being silly! You know I trust you! In fact, I trust you more than
anyone else! I told you before that I love you, and that can't happen
without trust." Xian held her friend even tighter and kissed her with
unrestrained passion. Then she caught herself, and quickly pulled away
with a slight blush on her face. "I... I'm sorry, I should really
control myself..."
Mina was almost breathless. 'Whoa. That was amazing! I didn't know
that a little kiss could do that!' "It's all right. Just try to hold
it in 'til later... right now, we've got company." The two of them
walked back to the shrine, hand-in-hand. When they returned, they were
greeted with applause from Talim and a smile from Jen, who simply said,
"Well, that explains a lot."
____________________________________________________________________
-End
My, wasn't this a long chapter? But thanks for coming along
for the ride. The tournament will be finished soon, and we'll be
moving right along. So, I'm open for suggestions. You know where I'll
be at!
- Next Episode -
After a bond is formed, the minds and hearts of two people
are connected and intertwined. But the strength of one such bond is
tested in the ultimate way... in the fires of battle. Both will fight
with all their passion, power, and soul. But only one can win. And the
stakes are quite high. Who will survive?
- Chapter 11: Fate Rears It's Ugly Head
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