Soul Calibur - Series Fan Fiction ❯ The Seeds of Evil ❯ A Prelude, Part 3- A Destiny Revealed ( Chapter 3 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Chai Xianghua. Age sixteen. Born Friday, April second, 1571 in the Ming capital of Peking. The largest city in the world at the time, it is known to be a mecca of trade, travel, and most of all, martial arts. Amidst this background was an influential family that had produced seasoned warriors of China for generations- the Chai.

The temple where the glory of this age's martial arts originated was the Ling-Sheng Su, and its monks were legendary for their fighting techniques. Chai Xiangfei was born in the area surrounding the mountain, and her father sent her to the temple in order to train in the tai chi jian. The woman proved to be a natural at swordplay, going so far as to surpass those who taught her their once-secret arts. Though she was ineligible to become a candidate for the temple's sacred sword, Krita-Yuga, due to her gender, she cared little about the holy artifact.

Upon the death of her father, her training increased tenfold to dull the pain of loss, and it was during this time when she had an encounter that would shape the rest of her life. A monk who acted as one of her trainers, Kong Xiuqiang, caught her fancy. Unfortunately, the meeting was ill-starred; in a rather cruel twist of fate, Xiangfei discovered that the man she had fallen in love with was the most prominent candidate for inheritor of the temple's sacred staff, Kali-Yuga. And to be a candidate, one must stick to the true path. Thus, such an illicit romance was forbidden.

Neither of them seemed to care.

Though kept secret for quite some time, one's mind is not entirely at its best when in love. Through these clandestine meetings, a child was concieved. The child's name was Xianglian, and she would later be instrumental in shaping multiple destines in the future. However, Xiangfei would never get to see her first daughter grow up, because the temple had discovered their affair. Taking the child in as an 'orphan' on her second birthday, they remained strict about the edicts that were placed.

It weighed heavily on Xiangfei's heart. She soon decided to leave the temple. Xiuqiang was urged by his sworn brother, Han Dongxiu, to leave with his lover and start a family to 'create his own destiny', but the man was insistent on staying at the temple in order to complete his training and attempt to atone for the wrongs he had committed by obtaining the Kali-Yuga. Agreeing with this decision, Chai Xiangfei said her goodbyes.

However, she would not be leaving without a farewell present.

Dongxiu aided Xiuqiang in sneaking a vital treasure out of the temple- the sacred sword. Before Xiangfei left, she was given this holy artifact, and it served as a promise that they would someday meet again. Unbeknownst to the monk, who would later be exiled from the temple for what he had done, his love had left with a second child. Born months after she had surreptitiously returned to Peking and began living in the Chai household from which her father had come, this girl was named Xianghua.

By the age of four, the impetuous girl was beginning to show the same level of skill as her mother with the Ling-Sheng Su's tai chi jian form. Training with her mother's old sword, which was the Krita-Yuga's concealed form, she began displaying remarkable talent. Her mother, meanwhile, was distinguishing herself within the ranks of the Ming Emperor's personal guards, and was considered an asset to the Dynasty. After Xianghua's tenth birthday however, her beloved mother had passed away.

"You were born to carry out an imporatnt task," Xiangfei said as she breathed her last. "Cut your own path through the future, however unpredictable it may be..." These words would stick with her as Xianghua continued training for the next six years. So proficient was she at her swordplay that she entered the Imperial Guard at the tender age of sixteen.

She would soon find out exactly how unpredictable the future could be...
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Within the gardens of the Ming Emperor, a duel was being staged. A rather impromptu duel at that. It wasn't very fetching of the younger woman to insist that her new nineteen-year-old friend fight her at this hour, but she simply could not wait. The two of them had already gotten into some kind of stance now, waiting for the other to act first. And seeing as each girl's reputation preceeded them, neither wanted to move just yet. Still, someone had to, and Mi-na was no longer so eager to rush headlong into a situation.

After a few moments of waiting however, one decided to get going.

"Here I come!" Xianghua shouted as she ran forward, sword pointed towards her adversary. She had to close the distance, since she was the one with the disadvantage. Mi-na swung the broadsword ever so slightly to the right, knocking the incoming attack away. Then again, it wasn't an attack. The next one however, was. Xianghua turned and swung to her left, which Mi-na blocked again, sparks flying between the two blades as they clashed. To the right, and another block... and then Xianghua turned again, dodging Mi-na's incoming downwards chop. However, she was shocked to learn that the Korean was indeed as fast as stories had said... She had to raise her sword, tip towards the ground, in order to block a horizontal swipe directed at her chest!

'What!? How did she-'

And while she was thinking about that, Mi-na was pressing her luck. She moved in once again, stepping forward and ramming the back end of her guan dao into the small of Xianghua's back... before sending a right roundhouse kick snapping into her face. The younger woman stumbled backwards as the older fighter came charging in. The last thing Xianghua saw was Mi-na's massive weapon being twirled as if it were a much lighter one.. before she had to block once again as the cheek of the blade came ramming against her right side. However, all she had to do was give the younger woman another nudge with said blade, and the younger opponent was sent staggering again.

The guard captain's hands were shaking and her grip was so tight, her knuckles were bone-white. The blade of her double-edged sword trembled, while the as-yet unperturbed Mi-na settled into a loose stance.

'She's good... she's got the advantage and she knows it. That's why she's so aggressive. How am I supposed to close the distance when she's so damned fast?'

And with such a long, heavy, and usually unwieldy weapon.

The Seong prodigy, while still unassuming, was getting a bit disappointed. She had been through plenty of battles by now- she had come to expect much of her opponents these days. So this so-called guard captain, the youngest of the Chai family, was supposed to be the toughest she had ever fought. That said, she wasn't about to just let her guard down... or her attack falter. She wasn't one to just let an opponent come to her unless she had to. Her legs tensed as she prepared for another charge.

'I should end this quickly before she gets serious. No sense in playing around.'

With that, she got a move on, the world seeming to blur around her person. Xianghua set into her fight stance as soon as she noticed Mi-na approaching... at a very... high... whoops, she was already here! The older fighter thrust her weapon towards the intended target of Xianghua's head, which forced her on the defensive again. The thrust was moved out of the way with the cheek of the sword, but it wasn't long before Mi-na hopped a step backwards rushing forwards again with a flurry of stabs. Block, block, block two more times... and then, just on the fifth attack, Xianghua met the attack with the sword, twisted backwards in order to get the attack out of the way and behind her... and then turned back around, lunging foward and thrusting towards the Korean's pretty face!

'Gotcha!'

Unfortunately, Mi-na had enough sense to bend backwards before the attack made its impact, the weapon clearing inches in front of her face.

'What the hell!?'

Mi-na whistled appreciatively. "Not bad. Excellent parry," she said before withdrawing her guan dao, kicking out at Xianghua's exposed midsection at the same time with her right foot. The younger woman was sent flying towards the ground roughly four feet away while Mi-na settled herself again. "I guess you're the real thing, all right. If you'd have come at someone who wasn't ready for that, they'd be dead."

By now, Xianghua was getting frustrated. "I'm not about to be beaten before we even start!!" And with that, she made her way forward again, the blade twisting and whirling around her person. Mi-na casually waited, wondering what exactly she was going to do this time. Then again, there wasn't a reason to wonder- there was only the knowledge that she was coming. That said, the Korean woman pressed forward, thrusting with her guan dao towards the incoming opponent.

Not this time- Xianghua turned cleanly to her right side, gracefully ducking low after Mi-na swung the long-handled broadsword towards her direction. A low swing in the opposite direction, and Xianghua jumped over, twisting through the air before landing and advancing further. Mi-na continued chopping and cutting, chuckling to herself as her young opponent continued advancing. She whipped the long weapon around like some kind of spear instead of a heavy broadsword. It was all the young woman could do just to keep on the move.

Xianghua was right there- she was almost close enough to score a hit... and when she was in range, Xianghua thrust her sword towards one of Mi-na's ankles, hoping to take away some of her mobility. Her opponent however was quicker, either in thinking or in reflexes, and positioned her own weapon in order to stop the incoming attack, the back end of the guan dao stopping the attack while the targeted leg lifted from the ground.

Xianghua pivoted and turned to her right, aiming to cut Mi-na's legs out from behind... and just as soon as she did, the Korean quickly lifted herself upwards while swinging her legs forward... and the weapon was cleared magnificently as she flipped backwards, taking the guan dao with her. But upon landing, she found herself under attack again as Xianghua lunged forward, bursting towards her opponent. The only thing she could do was swing the back end of her guan dao forwards before anything else happened, twisting to one side as she did so. Inches before either attack hit, they stopped. She could feel cold steel against her skin the edge mere fractions of an inch away, and Xianghua could feel the wood of the heavy weapon against her neck... specifically, against a particular pressure point just at the left side. It would have taken her down handily...

"I think that's enough," Mi-na said with a smile. "Is that proof enough for you?"

Xianghua nodded shakily. She had almost gotten her that time- but it would have been a while before she got back up. The match was considered a draw for the moment. They were lucky that no one had heard them- otherwise, some questions would have to be asked. As the two women retreated and calmed themselves, Xianghua couldn't help but feel a bit excited. 'She is as good as they say. This might be the easiest task we've ever had! Too bad she's not doing it for free- it would be a sweet deal. But you can't always get what you wish for.'

Mi-na on the other hand, looked at Xianghua thoughtfully, her brown eyes fixed on the younger woman before her. 'She's good. That was some seriously good work before I almost put her out- I might have to watch out for her.'

Xianghua cocked her head to one side and asked, "What? Do I have something on my face?"

The older woman smiled and approached the palace guard, stopping just a few feet in front of her before leaning forward, locking her eyes onto Xianghua's. "No. You're just cute."

Xianghua blushed, her cheeks turning a shade of pink. "I'm not cute..." She then grinned. "I'm sexy."

That made the Mi-na's usually calm expression change for a bit, eyes widening and eyelids closing for a brief second in a blink. After a few of those, she grinned right back. "I like your style! You know, I think we'll be good friends on this trip..."
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Mi-na almost laughed at some of the costumes. "Don't tell me we're gonna be wearing all THAT."

Xianghua nodded, trying to keep herself from laughing as well. The entourage they had with them were a few hand-picked guards of the Emperor himself, as well as so many props, costumes, and instruments it wasn't even funny. "Hey, if it made you laugh, think about everyone else who watches. Besides, an opera troupe is a perfect cover, right?" The Korean had to agree. It wasn't every day one got to do something dramatic that didn't involve fighting. In any event, she wondered where exactly they would be going first. It wasn't like she hadn't heard all the stories she could get her hands on already.

'I doubt we'll find it in China, though all the stories in the West seem to have died off as well,' she thought to herself. It were as if the Soul Edge had dropped from the proverbial radar. Still, it was worth a shot. It seemed that everything else they were trying against the Japanese raiders were either indecisive, or not working at all. The small contingent of pirates she had dealt with a few years back, as well as the other crews she had fought over the years were only a small fraction of the larger problem.

However, it wasn't any of her business until she ran into the pirates again. For the time being, she didn't need to do anything but stay under cover, and listen for any relevant hints. Then again, it wasn't like she believed everything she heard... including that bit about Soul Edge being evil. Then again, the seed of doubt had been planted, and she couldn't help but wonder what she was getting into. Still, Mi-na did not ask any questions about it for the time being.

'Best to find out for myself.'

Naturally, since it was damned near impossible to know what was what these days, they had to play things by ear. It was at that time, barely a week after they had set out, when they happened upon a rumor. Monsters had attacked a port city in India, just beyond the Himalayas. They would have to cross the rugged mountain range in order to discover whether that was true or not... and the troupe was not entirely ready for a trip along the forbidding, frozen cliffs. Stopping at the city of Yunnan Fu to give a performance, they heard stories of a man who had survived. Two of them, actually.

There were plenty of sneers as one of the men were mentioned, however. A pirate from the Ryukyu Kingdom.

Mi-na was not bothered. She had dealt with pirates before, and wouldn't attack this one unless he tried something stupid. She never attacked unless someone tried something- at least these days she didn't. She might strike first since it was her way- she was never defensive unless there was someone to protect, and she had defended many in her travels. She knew how.

If he did anything silly... he would pay for it.

But when they went to see whether the rumor was true or not... it was a different story. They happened upon a tea house and stopped there for something to eat. Naturally, the payment was taken care of by Xianghua, even for Mi-na. She wasn't entirely sure she could accept such a thing- by now, she had enough money to take care of herself. But when she told Xianghua so, she just beamed. "As long as you're with me, you can relax. There's nothing to worry about as far as money is concerned, so don't worry about paying for anything."

The older woman smiled and nodded. It was admirable of her to pay for everyone, of course. "Sure thing..." It was then that she saw him, out of the corner of her eye. Scars lined his upper torso. A very odd sash with mirrors along its surface, slung across his right shoulder. Brown hair and eyes... and a staff that looked almost new, as if it hadn't been touched. There was another- dressed oddly, but he seemed like a sensible man. At least, she had a feeling that he would be sensible.

'A feeling? What, is that it!? He's probably that pirate, Mi-na... look at how he's dressed!' Then again, she was usually right about these things. Her preternatural intuition was seldom wrong, though some would call it luck. She tucked it away for later however- right now, they were looking for some seats. On the second floor of the expansive tea house, the opera troupe found their seats. Xianghua found herself sitting next to Mi-na, and wondered how the woman could keep such a straight face. It was almost expressionless, if one didn't look into her eyes.

Those beautiful, captivating eyes that held one's attention in an intense, penetrating stare. Every word that seemed to come from her lips seemed to resonate within Xianghua's mind tenfold, as if she were inside of the young woman's head. But this time, Mi-na was not speaking. She didn't even know that Xianghua was, quite frankly, starting at her in a trance. Thus when she raised her eyes towards the young woman, she had to raise an eyebrow as she met her friend's intent stare. "Um... Xianghua?"

"Hmm?" She sounded a bit sleepy... it was odd, almost frightening. The Korean snapped her fingers and made Xianghua blink a few times.

"You're creeping me out... are you okay?"

Xianghua raised an eyebrow. "Hey, I'm fine... I was just..." Just what? Staring aimlessly towards those wonderful brown eyes that seemed to shine with their own light? She couldn't say that. So she said instead, "...Wondering what you were thinking. You seemed a bit preoccupied there."

Shifting her eyes this way and that, she leaned closer, fixing Xianghua with her gaze. She wanted her to hear exactly what she was saying. The young guard captain was transfixed in under ten seconds. Odd how that happened. "Those two at the front, when we came in. Did you see 'em?" Xianghua nodded, though it was a rather blank nod. Still, she had noticed the two men as well, though she hadn't paid as much attention. Mi-na continued speaking in a low, almost conspiratorial tone. "I think they're the ones that survived. I couldn't tell you how, but I can feel it."

Xianghua blinked. "You're sure?"

Mi-na shrugged and replied, "I don't know. I think we should find out- that is, if they're still there."

The younger woman looked back downstairs at the table that the two men supposedly occupied. In fact, they still occupied that table, talking amongst themselves. She nodded towards the table and said, "They're still there, all right. You got any ideas on how to get them to talk to us about it?" Mi-na had to think about that. They couldn't just walk up and ask about what happened, and they couldn't ask about the Soul Edge, either. Too many ears to hear.

Then she shrugged. It couldn't be helped. They'd have to play it by ear... besides, something might turn up.

"We'll just have to get up, get over there, and get it out. It's not like we have any leads... or anything to lose."

Xianghua nodded in agreement. She could see the sense in the Korean's words- if they didn't talk now, they'd never get another lead like this again. If indeed it was a lead... "Got it. Let's go, then."
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The two men were speaking in hushed tones, wary and watchful for any ears that may be listening in. The brown-haired young man had his eyes constantly downcast, as if he were trying to hide behind his bangs. The staff was propped up against a nearby wall... very nearby... and the odd, crystalline sash was slung around his right shoulder. The man's eyes seemed to be blank; distant and lifeless.

'I've done it again... just like that night.'

The black-haired man with the odd, brightly colored clothing was apparently trying to comfort him. Trying and failing, it seemed. He had been trying for a whole hour now- trying to get him to see that he wasn't seriously hurt and everything had turned out all right in the end. Well, besides his entire crew getting killed, including his "brother". Naturally, he did his best to forget about that... but his fellow brunet's bad mood was becoming contagious. "Come on, man... speak or something, will ya? You haven't spoken since we started heading out from that port... and it's starting to worry me."

Well, more irritate than worry... but he wouldn't say that.

It was then that the mirrored sash that the brown-haired man who seemed to be dressed much like a monk reacted to something. The reflective, crystalline surfaces radiated a light for a brief moment, as if the sun had decided to pay a brief visit. It was only a small thing, but his friend noticed it. He had, since the battle in which he had met the man, discovered that the mirrored sash known as Dvapara-Yuga had mystical properties. It acted as a metaphysical barrier against negative energies- a shield, if you will.

And if it were taken off... well, he had seen the effects of that first hand.

Yet that was not the point at the moment. He saw the sash react, and then saw the image of two women passing by their table. Well, there was more than one woman in the entourage that was moving along, but these two were different. Within the depths of the crystal, he noticed that one of them carried an ordinary looking straight sword, sheathed at the right hip. Nothing special about it at a glance. She was a pretty thing- five feet even, dark brown hair, eyes of the same color. Delicate face, gentle curves- cute, in other words.

The other woman was taller by a few feet, and had a much longer weapon. Longer, larger, and much heavier-looking. The weapon must have weighed about ninety pounds- perhaps more- and she carried it around as if it were some kind of toy. The woman herself was stunning. Not cute- stunning. The shape of her body was much more pleasing to the eye, so to speak. More mature. Brown hair, a lighter shade than her younger friend, and eyes of said same color. Said eyes seemed to capture his attention, though he was only looking at her reflection in the sash. They were both lookers, but this one had more to offer. And there was a look of confidence about her. He liked that.

But when he looked up, they were already behind them, backs turned. The man with black hair turned towards his companion again, saying "Oi! Did you just see-"

The man had not. He still had his head down.

'Damn, this guy's starting to be a pain in the ass.'

He raised a hand as the group of people went upstairs, ordering himself another cup of wine. He needed the drink, apparently. It was going to be a long day if he were going to hang out with this guy. It had been three cups later though and he still wasn't feeling any better. The brown-haired man before him was starting to show signs of being... well, all there. "Hey, he's awake. Just in time for a cup or two, hmm?" The brown-haired man shook his head, smiling politely. "Thanks, no. I will be fine. So, where do you think we should go now? Our means of fast travel is gone now ever since that attack. Since we don't really have enough money for horses, I doubt that we'll be doing anything but walking."

Which, by the way, was fine with him. But not his friend.

"Are you NUTS? Look, I still have plenty of money. Did you think just because my ship's gone means I have nothing? Please- I ain't that stupid." The brown-haired man raised his hands defensively. It seemed that things were back to normal.

However, they would not be normal for long. The brown-haired man looked behind his companion and said, "Hey... someone's coming."

The pirate turned... and raised an eyebrow. It was those girls again.

'I think my day just got a bit better.'
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Mi-na and Xianghua took stock of the two men sitting before them. One of them seemed to have a suggestive look on his face- he seemed pretty sure of himself. Mi-na couldn't help but notice that he had a pair of hardwood nunchaku tucked into his pants. He smiled, and she smiled back politely. He didn't look so bad, now that she could take a good look at him. "You guys mind if we sit here?" Xianghua asked, a bright smile on her face.

The man with black hair shrugged while the brown-haired man shook his head. The two women sat, and seeing as the young woman started the conversation, she decided to continue it. "So then, why are you guys all alone over here? I'm sure there are plenty of other, more friendly places to be." The man with black hair smirked. "And are you two offering to get friendly with us? Because I got plenty of time." The man with brown hair gave a disapproving look, but said nothing in response.

Mi-na looked at Xianghua for a moment, who had a smirk on her face. This would be interesting... Mi-na thought he'd be annoying, but no matter. As long as she got her information, that would be fine. She remained quiet, waiting until it was her turn to speak. Her face was a calculated mask of indifference at this point, though she was watching the black-haired man's reactions closely, as well as the one with brown hair. Xianghua had been talking up a storm by now, just trying to make friends and what not. At one point, she had called the man Li Long, though it was quickly laughed off once she figured out his real name- Maxi.

'Maxi, huh? Interesting name. I wonder why this guy isn't talking any...'

With that, she took a look towards the other who had not yet introduced himself. The one with all those scars... she couldn't help but wonder how he had gotten so many. The young man noticed her intense gaze and looked back, unblinkingly. His brown eyes had a distant quality to them... but still regarded hers in an unflinching way. Mi-na couldn't help but nod, quite impressed with his ability to hold his ground. So she leaned forward a bit, placing her elbows on the table and increasing the intensity of her gaze. The man's curiousity got the better of him, and wondering why she was looking at him like that without saying anything, he simply stared back.

Mistake. Soon, her eyes were all he could see. Xianghua looked over, raising an eyebrow. Her Korean friend looked like she was highly interested in the young man, but upon closer inspection... she could see that the same thing that had just happened to her a few minutes ago, albeit unintentionally, had just happened to him.

Only this time, she had meant to do so.

Maxi was at a loss. "What's she doing to him? The poor guy looks dazed. Maybe he has a thing for her?" Xianghua shook her head, giggled, and said "Just be quiet and watch. It should be fun, hmm?" And with that, he shrugged and did as he was told. He'd never seen this sort of thing before, but it looked amusing.

"So," Mi-na said, once she was good and ready to start, "What's your name?"

The brunet awnsered, clearly and smoothly. "Kilik."

Mi-na nodded. That was one thing out of the way. "Nice name, that. So what's a guy like you doing in a place like this? I figure there are other, more interesting places to be."

Kilik responded in the same tone, completely aware of where he was and what he was doing. It seemed like they were having a simple conversation, but even if someone called to him, he wouldn't respond at the moment until Mi-na turned away. "I'm on a quest. There's a great evil spreading in the West, and I have to dispel it. Maxi here was going to take me over there with his crew... but that idea is gone. Monsters came and attacked us, and we were forced to beat them off. The ship's gone, the crew dead, and we're basically without any means of travel besides our own two feet."

Maxi's eyes widened. Xianghua blinked. That was a lot, and the pirate was no longer amused by this little trick that the Korean was displaying. Just about everything, in a neat, tight little summary, had been spilled out into the open. And without a fight at that. Maxi wasn't too happy about that, since they had agreed earlier to keep all this under wraps. "Okay, I'm confused. How the hell did she do that?"

Mi-na pretended not to pay attention to his remark. "And I trust you know where this evil is coming from, right?" He started to speak, but she interrupted smoothly. "Don't say anything. I think I already know what's causing it. Tell you what- could you take us along for the ride to wherever you're headed? I'd really appreciate it if you would."

As Kilik shrugged and agreed to her proposal with no hesitation, Maxi's eyes narrowed. He was starting to get a bad feeling about this woman. But since she had just hooked them up with all the extra transportation they would need, not to mention quite a bit of manpower (judging by the entourage that had just headed upstairs), he didn't comment yet. Xianghua bit her lower lip as Mi-na pryed the information from Kilik without much trouble or struggle. It wasn't like she was disapproving of her methods... it was just that the information bothered her.

'The West... There have been no stories from that place for days, nor rumors- and now we come upon this. With the state she's got him in, he can't lie. So... that'd mean that the Soul Edge is evil.'

It was neither a warm, nor friendly thought. It was, in all means and methods, disconcerting. The Emperor was looking for a weapon that was causing a disturbance in the West. Mi-na turned away, making Kilik blink a few times. The intense gaze was now on Xianghua, and understanding completely, the Royal Guard nodded.

They had to destroy it. And the Emperor could not know about it, or their heads would roll. Hell, their heads would probably roll anyway. But no one could get their hands on this weapon, especially not someone in a position of power.

Xianghua said with a resolute tone, "Tell us more about this evil, please."
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Within the next month, they had moved from the Himalayan mountain range to the border of the Ming, at which point they had to follow the old Silk Road. Mi-na had been along this route and back many times, while the rest had not. That did not stop Xianghua from pushing forward, however. Fortunately for her, they had the Korean for a navigator, so the headlong march was not blind. Heading out from Xi'an, they made their way out towards the West by horseback, stopping in one city after another along the ancient route. Of course during their time in the Taklamakan desert, it wasn't entirely a smooth trip...

The unforgiving sands were traversed along the southern end, considered much easier than the north. That said, it was still indescribably hot. If that weren't bad enough, the nights were worse due to the temperature drop. It wasn't called the "Place of No Return" for kicks. Fortunately, they managed to stop in one of the oasis towns near the southwestern end of the desert, Hotan. The sun was on its downward arc, setting just in front of them and turning the small city into a dark silhouette. It would have been a forbidding sight, had they not been so exhausted.

The inn was more comfortable than expected, and larger to boot for such a place. Still, this evening, Mi-na preferred to be outside for a change. Standing atop the roof as the cool, soft wind brushed through her brown hair, she considered what she would do when she made it to the West. At this rate, it wouldn't be long... after looking for something that had the potential to save her country, she had recently discovered that it would be the death of everything if left unchecked.

'And here I was, trying to be some kind of hero or something. I can't live in such a small world, believing in stories and legends.' She recalled someone saying that if she had such little knowledge about the Soul Edge, she should not have left home. Perhaps the woman had some sense about her. 'She's still an ass, though. Next time I see her, it'll be different.'

It was then that she thought about taking a trip around the rest of the world. She thought about knowledge and how living in such a secluded world had affected her. Perhaps it would be best if she stayed away from home for just a little bit longer... that was, after she had destroyed that accursed sword, so no one could go foolishly looking for it ever again.

"Can't sleep?"

The Korean turned her head to look over her left shoulder... and found Xianghua, looking enchanting in a silk robe that she happened to bring with her. "Neither can I. I hope you don't mind if I stay here with you for a bit, Mi-na." The Seong prodigy shook her head and stated, "No. I could use some company."

As Xianghua stood next to Mi-na, admiring the cloudless, diamond-specked sky, neither spoke. For once, the chatter from the petit guard captain was gone as she stared contemplatively towards the heavens. After a while of this however,
One word was spoken from her.

"Mother..."

Mi-na turned her head ever-so-slightly to take a look... and found a tear running down Xianghua's face. It was odd, because never, not once, did she see her friend cry. At least, not in front of her. She didn't know what to say... so she did the only thing she could; reached over with her left arm and hugged her younger friend close. Xianghua let it happen. A minute had passed. Two. Three. All spent in silence as the wind softly stirred their hair.

When the silence broke, this time Mi-na spoke.

"I... never knew my mother."

Xianghua looked over at her companion, eyes still shining with tears. "You didn't?"

Mi-na nodded. "She died when I was still a baby, so I didn't get the chance to really... y'know, connect. My brother went along with her. After that, my father started training me hard since I was old enough to start. I didn't mind though- I loved it." Mi-na smiled, her eyes lighting up as if they were a candle. Seeing that look on Mi-na's face made Xianghua smile again. "There were so many weapons to play with, and my father taught me how to use most, if not all of them. Fact of the mattter is though that in the end, he wanted a son."

The younger woman remained silent as the tale continued. She was lost in the story... unaware of the passage of time.

The Korean sighed and said, "So he tried to get me hitched to my best friend. Key word here being tried," she stated with a chuckle. "I heard he was trying to get him adopted into the family, and knew that there was only one way that would happen. And I had no say at all! So I figured- If I couldn't join the coast guard, I just might prove myself otherwise."

Xianghua nodded. "So you went looking for the Soul Edge."

Mi-na scoffed. "Some help that turned out to be. I had barely left the school when I caught up to him, and told him about the planned attack on our shores. We've got as much trouble with Japan as you guys do, and they're practically next door. Only problem was, he wouldn't let me go any further... and I got shipped right back where I started. It hadn't even been a month."

Xianghua laughed at this. What, she couldn't help it- it was funny. "That had to be really embarrassing."

Mi-na smirked and said, "I don't get embarrassed."

Xianghua quirked an eyebrow and said, "Oh, really now? You mean, you've never been embarrassed before?"

Mi-na shook her head. "Never."

Xianghua giggled to herself, trying to think of something to say that would make Mi-na blush, and thought of something. "So tell me, what do you think of Kilik? Or Maxi?" The Korean blinked for a moment, somewhat surprised at the question. But she quickly figured out that her friend was trying to tease her, and smirked. "Kilik is a monk, Xianghua. I can tell by the way he carries himself. I doubt that he'd be in for a roll in the fields. Maxi is too tall, and he thinks he's everything that a woman would desire. I don't exactly think that's the kind of guy I'm looking for. Besides," she said with a hint of distaste, "He's a pirate."

Xianghua grins. She had hit a nerve. "But he's cute!"

Mi-na frowned. "But he's a pirate. Being cute doesn't redeem him for that."

"So you admit he's cute."

Mi-na's expression began to turn sour... that was, until she had an idea. "You sound like you're into him." Xianghua's mouth went so wide, one could fit their foot into it and most of their leg. "You can't be serious! I wouldn't go for a man like that if we were the only two people in the world," Xianghua shouted. She was all in a fit, and it made her face flush and her eyes shine in the most... attractive way. Mi-na chuckled in amusement, and it made Xianghua stop being angry as she realized what was going on.

"...No fair. You tricked me."

Mi-na's chuckle seemed to continue onwards. "Hey, never start something that you're not sure you'll win." Mi-na paused for a moment, then said, "What about Kilik?"

Xianghua had a funny look on her face when she thought about that. "Oh, no. He doesn't seem like the kind of guy who's all that interested in girls- at least, not like that. Seems more like a brother than a lover. Come to think of it," she continued, "I don't know who I like, really."

Mi-na gave Xianghua a rather intense stare, her eyes boring into those of the smaller woman. After a brief moment of this, she admitted to herself, "I don't know who I like either."

The question was, who exactly did they like?
_________________________________________________________________ _______

The next day, the caravan was preparing to leave, which meant that they had to find something to do to pass the time. Seong Mi-na was dressed in something other than what she usually wore- a white silk tunic that had full sleeves instead of leaving her arms bare. Atop this was a green dress with blue trim near the top She had even done away with the headband she usually wore.

Xianghua on the other hand was wearing her Imperial Guards' uniform, which was all red slik with gold trim. The legs of the pants were cut short, just below the hips, exposing most of the legs. Her shoes were soft silk, held together by a pair of cloth cuffs on her ankles. It was a rather racy outfit, considering what she usually wore, but it worked for her purposes.

In the place where they were preparing to head out, Xianghua was looking at her Korean companion with a confused cast to her facial features. "How do you play this again?"

Mi-na smiled and explained again, the ball underneath her right foot. "Like I said, it's simple. You keep this ball in the air for as long as possible using just your feet. No hands, no head, no other part of the body besides your legs and feet. The one who can do it the longest wins. Easy enough, right?"

Xianghua grinned. "Sounds a bit too easy."

The Korean smirked. "Fine then. You go first," she said as she slid the ball out from under her right foot, let it set on her toes, and flicked the ball towards the female guard, sending it sailing casually through the air. Xianghua easily caught it with her left foot, the ball sitting just on her instep before she flicked it straight upwards. With that, she calmly began to kick and flick the ball in the air. Her heels, her toes, her knees, anything that wasn't above the waist was used. Well, almost everything... when the ball bumped against her left hip, she knew that she had lost, because the ball was knocked towards the wall of a nearby building. "Shoot!"

Mi-na smiled and said, "Nice try. There's a way to do that, you know."

Xianghua raised an eyebrow, walking over to retrieve the ball. "Oh, really? Why don't you show me, then?"

She threw the ball towards Mi-na, who promptly let it bounce off of her left knee and started going to town, mimicking the actions that Xianghua took to keep the ball afloat. Once again, the ball headed towards Mi-na's left hip... Xianghua smirked, thinking that she would meet the same fate.

She didn't.

Rising up on her toes slightly and turning her back towards the ball a split second before impact, Mi-na bumped it upwards just enough for it to sail right over her head, and right back into play. Xianghua's jaw slackened and her eyes widened, the pupils dilating to get a good eyeful. She did not just do that, did she?

Mi-na let the ball rest on her right instep for a moment, looking over at Xianghua with a confident smile. Yes, she had just done that. "See? Simple."

Xianghua walked towards Mi-na and said, "Teach me how to do that."

The Korean raised an eyebrow. "What, you mean now?"

Xianghua nodded. "Yes, now! We have time, don't we? That was great- I want to be able to do that."

Mi-na smiled and said, "Sure thing. Turn around right quick."

Xianghua eagerly obeyed... but she wasn't so eager as Mi-na placed her hands on Xianghua's hips. A heated blush coated her cheeks as she whispered harshly, "What the hell are you doing?"

Mi-na relaxed and said, "Be calm. I'm only trying to help." Though if she were honest to herself, she was rather interested in what she felt last night. It wouldn't leave her alone... and now that she thought about that, she began thinking that Xianghua's hips, even clothed with the silk, were soft. Pliable. She marveled at the feel of her skin for a brief moment before going back to the task at hand.

"Okay. First, push your feet into the ground by bending your legs." Xianghua did so, and Mi-na felt her friend's hips respond. "Okay, now push upwards with the balls of your feet, but don't jump. Have your hips still outwards when you do it." She did as she was told, and Mi-na had to hold her breath as she felt Xianghua's hips tighten with the sudden movement.

'Damn...' A blush came to her face, but she was lucky that Xianghua did not see. 'What's wrong with me?' However, as if she were not bothered at all, her voice retained its level, cool state. "Okay, now do it again, but with less bend in your legs." Xianghua nodded, and did it again. Once again, her hips responded correctly, and Mi-na almost removed her hands. 'This is too weird...' But she did not pull away as she asked for Xianghua to perform the action one last time, but with as little of a bend in the knees as possible. "It was how I was able to turn around, pop my legs, and hit the ball in one movement."

Xianghua smiled and said, "You really are something else. But would you... um... move your hands this time?" Xianghua turned her head to look at Mi-na over her left shoulder. The pretty blush on Xianghua's cheeks did something strange to Mi-na's heart rate. "You're distracting me."

Some hidden part of the Korean laughed at that, knowing exactly what she meant. She pulled her hands away, and watched as Xianghua performed the movement. Her eyes were treated to the sight of Xianghua's cute little ass make a slight, ever-so-slight bounce as she performed the required movement. Mi-na's mouth went dry.

"Perfect."

Xianghua turned around and smiled brightly, gesturing for the ball. "I want to try now. See if I can actually do it."

Mi-na sobered up at this, smirking. "You sure? Might want to work on your footwork before you do the turn. This isn't exactly a simple move- it takes timing and precision."

Xianghua pouted for a moment. "So you're saying that I can't do it?"

Mi-na chuckled and flicked the ball off of her right instep, once again making it arc gracefully through the air. "Go for it."

After a few kicks to get the ball in position, Xianghua did indeed try. This time, Mi-na watched intently, her mind clear of suggestions. And lo and behold, the ball was bounced off of the young woman's butt, sailing cleanly back into the air, over
her head, and back down towards the ground, only a few inches farther than where it was suppose to land. Xianghua dipped low, using her legs to pivot and turn halfway around before bumping the ball back upwards.

Her back was facing Mi-na. The Korean's mouth went dry again as the sight from before met her eyes once again, only with Xianghua's rear end being put to good use, at least where the game was concerned. She didn't know what exactly she felt at that exact moment, but it made her head spin and her heart flutter, as if it were trying to fly right out of her throat. Mi-na lowered her head so that her bangs hid her eyes, which had turned a darker shade of brown.

Xianghua did not notice- she was too busy keeping the ball in the air with artful skill. Now that she had gotten the hang of it, she was absorbed in the game. By now, a few of the other members of the guards had stopped to watch her play around, but a few of them noticed Mi-na's downcast features. Thinking nothing of it, seeing as she had just been upset by someone who didn't seem very good at the game at first, they watched their captain, mezmerized. Xianghua finally dropped the ball after a good two minutes, far exceeding Mi-na. The Korean lifted her head when she heard applause, and noted that a crowd had gathered, with Xianghua rubbing the back of her head.

"Looks like I won, huh?"

Mi-na's eyes did not return to their original color. They were like a pair of deep pools of dark chocolate, and Xianghua noticed the change in color. "...Mi-na? Are you okay?" Xianghua walked forward to get a better look into Mi-na's eyes, which was a mistake. The new color of her eyes, which was caused by her pupils expanding to get a better view of her current object of interest, captivated the younger woman.

"...Pretty..."

Mi-na nodded to that, but what came out of her mouth was rather unexpected.

"Yes... yes you are."

Xianghua blushed again. For the longest time, neither could break the intense gaze, as if their eyes were a pair of magnets. A part of Mi-na thought this was strange. It was rather uncontrollable, and she didn't like things that weren't under her control. "Shouldn't we be leaving? Seems that they're ready to go." Xianghua's blush deepened. She shouldn't be playing games- there was a mission to carry out! With that, she began immediately giving orders. Mi-na's eyes slowly returned to normal as her mind began trying to make sense of what had just happened.

Even as they left Hotan, Xianghua could not shake off the sensation of Mi-na's nimble hands on her hips. The odd thing was, she didn't want to...
_________________________________________________________________ ______

It had been one week and three days now, and they were about to exit China's territorial control. Now in the city of Kashgar, the final stop in China's section of the old silk road, they had once again gotten an inn to rest at. As the sun made its final descent below the horizon, the sky was painted twin shades of red and gold, as if to mimic Mi-na's choice of clothing. By now, the troupe had been kno, twn throughout the land, even to here where trading still took place. And as they performed in the vast center of trading and commerce, they heard that things were getting rather interesting near the city. The guards had been put on a higher state of alert, but nothing had broken out in Kashgar itself yet.

This new information troubled Xianghua. Was it Soul Edge? Or just a battle? Or was it nothing at all? She wanted to investigate immediately, but Mi-na wasn't exactly keen to that idea. "We need rest, Xianghua. It's been almost a month in this desert- we need to get ready for the rest of the trip. Besides, we have no idea whether these stories are true or not. It's best to try and talk to someone who's actually been out that way."

Of course, Mi-na spoke reason, but Xianghua shook her head. "But if we wait, we could lose even more information! I don't want to be the last one to know things, especially where the Soul Edge might be concerned. Besides," she continued, making a counter-point of her own, "Whether it's true or not is best found out by going out there and seeing what's what, don't you think?"

Mi-na smiled. Xianghua never liked to be last in anything, just like she used to not like losing to anyone. Or at least, not without evening the scales. But she had gotten past that- matured. Or at least, she thought she had. She could forget things now- forget all those injuries and hurts that seemed insignificant in retrospect. Mi-na defeated her enemy and was able to move forward without bothering him or her again.

In any event... she placed a hand on Xianghua's shoulder with an amused smile. "You're gonna have to trust me on these things. We can't just go flying in there without any sort of information. Wait for now, okay?" The sun happened to shine in just the right way today, because Mi-na's eyes sparkled as if they were lit with some kind of inner fire. Xianghua couldn't help but agree with her, when Mi-na's eyes did that. The Chinese woman nodded in response, her eyes wide in fascination.

Mi-na nodded tersely and said, "Good. Let's head inside, okay?" She walked towards the inn with Xianghua in tow, who was blinking in order to clear the lights from her eyes. Once she did however, she noticed that she was looking directly at Mi-na's back, and once again the Korean was wearing something that was temptingly revealing. Her lower back seemed to shift and move with her hips. Xianghua's gaze was fixed upon Mi-na's skin and the motion of her hips as she walked.

'It looks so soft...'

And then, as they headed inside the inn, she realized just how hard she was staring at Mi-na's behind. Xianhgua blushed furiously, and darted up towards the upstairs rooms. They had already gotten their rooms set up, so it wasn't that hard to find. With that, she barricaded herself in there and almost cried.

'What's happening to me!? She's driving me crazy, and she's not even doing anything besides walking!'

Mi-na looked at the door in which Xianghua had escaped behind with a curious glance. She wondered what exactly had gotten into her good friend. Something touched at the back of her mind, and it immediately made her blush. Of course, Xianghua was most definitely in position to take a look at her hips. With that came another realization. Mi-na was not as ignorant as she looked, and the surreptitious glances from Xianghua that the Korean saw from the corner of her eye were becoming more and more frequent.

'...Does Xianghua like me?'

She was most likely adverse to the thought of ever marrying a man or settling down. That said... a woman almost seemed attractive. But there was one more thing that bothered her...

'Do I like Xianghua?'

She did not know. And Seong Mi-na did not like not knowing.

She also did not like being hot, and it was hot outside. Which meant that it was hot inside as well. Being on the western edge of the desert didn't mean that the intense, burning heat of the sun wasn't there all the same. 'Damn, I need to cool off.' With that, she headed towards her own domicile in the inn, wondering why it had to be so stifling. Sure, there was a breeze blowing through the open window in her room, but... even the air was warm. Warm plus hot equalled unbearable, and there wasn't much she could do about it.

"You gotta be kidding me," Mi-na groaned as she attempted to fan herself with one hand. There was only one thing she could do to remedy the situation, and it wasn't a pretty thought. 'This is humiliating,' the Korean brooded as she took off her top, underneath which she wore nothing. She wouldn't have to go through this at home. Then again, it was one of the rigors of the road. She'd just have to suck it up.

Soon, her entire wardrobe from that day was on the floor. In essence, she was standing in the middle of the room, her shapely curves and flawless skin completely exposed to the open air. It was still damned hot. A thin sheen of sweat covered her body, causing it to shine slightly as the sun beamed upon her skin. "Sleep," she said resolutely. "I need sleep. Maybe a rest will cool me off, or at least help me ignore the sun. Barring that, I could always take a bath." With that, she entered her bed, and pulled the sheets over her shoulders. Five minutes later, that was shown to be a mistake as she became uncomfortable.

'Screw it.' She pushed the sheets down until everything was exposed, save for anything below the waist, and found that she could rest a bit easier. In a few minutes' time, she had passed out.
__________________________________________________________________ _____

Chai Xianghua could not sleep.

She had attempted to get some shut eye as soon as the performances were over, but to no avail. And it was all because of her. The Korean woman whom she was becoming increasingly attached to, and thinking some very odd things about. Her heart stirred whenever she saw her face, which she did even now. It was getting frustrating, and she had no explanation for it. But she realized that she had to do something about it, and she had to do it right now.

Yes, that's right, in the middle of the night. When Xianghua wanted something, she wanted it right then, and didn't dawdle with pleasantries.

She knew where Mi-na's room was, sure enough. Sure, she was asleep at the moment, but she could always go back to sleep later. Right now, there was business to tend to. These feelings- hot, burning, insistent, demanded to be heard and felt, and Xianghua would sate them, if only to get some sleep. With that said, she approached the room at the end of the hall and... found that the door was easily opened.

'She must have forgotten to lock it,' she thought as she stepped into the room.

Xianghua suddenly wished the door had been locked, for there in the moonlight, there was a sight that made her pupils dilate, her jaw slacken, and her heart rate skyrocket all at once.

'Mi-na... she's...'

She was there in the bed, sleeping naked. And what's worse, she had shifted during her sleep. Her left leg had moved upwards slightly, exposing more of her leg than she realized, but other than that nothing had changed. Xianghua was one very happy woman at the moment as the moonlight made Mi-na's skin glow with a faint aura. She was compelled to move closer; get a better look.

Mi-na's body was powerful, honed by training. But despite this, her curves were all woman. Her hair had become completely undone during the night, and it fanned outwards in a fan of brunette silk. it made her look... ethereal, in a way. As if she were some kind of spirit. Xianghua's blush, which had appeared when she had opened the door, deepened. Her heart felt like it wanted to leap out of her chest and jump into the woman on the bed, just to see what it was like to be so beautiful.

She wanted to see more.

As if the sheets had a string tied to them and suddenly decided to pull on Xianghua's right arm, she began reaching for the covers.

"Mmmmmm..."

That stopped her immediately. 'Shit!' Xianghua slowly backed away, trying not to make any noise as she made her way out. As soon as she believed she was clear of any creaky floor boards, she left, closing the door behind her. With that, she made her way down the hall as fast as she could, bolted inside of her room, closed the door, and locked it tight. 'I did not see what I think I just saw, I did not see what I think I just saw, I did not, did not, did not...'

The problem was, the more she denied it, the more her subconscious screamed "yes, yes, yes!" And soon, she was too hot for it to be just the heat outside. No... far too hot, and in far too many interesting places. 'Ahhhhh... what's happenning to me!? Everything burns...' A throb from her loins made Xianghua whimper. Her legs almost turned to jelly.

The pale skin, shining like a lantern. The wonderful breasts, full and mature. Those hips, or rather what she could see of them, were smooth, the hollows and curves tempting to the eye. Her emotions rebelled against her reason as her body heated to an unnatural level. Or at least, the Chinese guard captain thought it was unnatural. Instinct told her that she needed relief. Not standing up- definitely not standing up. Something told her that losing herself while standing up would end in a rather painful way, especially to her knees.

'Damn, I need to cool off.'

The juncture between her legs agreed as it throbbed again. She whimpered a second time, and had to keep from running towards the bed and diving in without taking her robes off. Xianghua slowly drifted towards her bed, her fingers undoing her sash as if they had a mind of their own. Her silk robe slid slowly from her shoulders, pooling around her feet and revealing her young, bare curves and soft, delicate skin. The room was heated, stifling. Her body was hotter, from a need to dive into the most secret part of her. Xianghua sat on the edge of the bed and curiously reached for her breasts. Now that she thought about it, she had never done this before, had she?

Hands caressed, squeezing gently. A gasp, and a gentle moan. Xianghua's eyes turned a shade darker as they widened in awe. Her skin was on fire, and her fingers were the sparks that lit that fire. She squeezed a bit harder, and squeaked as the fires flared, sending a shock of heat through her body. She also noticed that her palms were against her nipples and began rubbing. A moan turned into a purr.

She didn't even know what she was doing, but she liked it. A lot. 'This is... what Mi-na makes me feel?'

Xianghua giggled, pleased with herself. 'I love it!' She fondled some more, her hips squirming and shivering slightly with every rub and squeeze. Other parts of her tingled, equally begging to be appeased. In fact, everything begged. Hands, arms, elbows, shoulders, anywhere that had skin wanted a piece of the action. She soon discovered that her fingers were tingling.

Curious, she slid one of the fingers on her right hand into her mouth and suckled. To her surprise, a moan resonated from her throat. She suckled just a bit harder, trying to see where the limit was. A louder moan surfaced. Her body heat was almost overwhelming. Something else needed to be done. Her left hand was no longer satisfied with just the breast. So she moved it along the skin, fingers playing along her belly as if she were some kind of instrument.

She had to remove her fingers from her mouth after a while in order to let the notes be known, and the sweet music resonated from Xianghua's throat as she did so. "Mmmm... Ahhhhh..."

Her right hand was at her breasts again, as if she couldn't get enough of them. But now her left was heading towards some places it had never been before. Her legs happened to be one such place. The fingers of her left hand had just passed the point where her heat was at its center, not daring to venture there yet. But it was close. Xianghua's inner thighs trembled as fingers strummed over and along them, producing noises from her that she had never heard before.

Everything within her was building. Everything she did was pooling in that one place, the juncture between her thighs. The itch there became unbearable. 'S-so hot...' Though it did not burn in a bad way- in fact, she did not know how to put this new type of heat. She hesitated momentarily as her fingers hovered over the core of her desire for a moment... then the fingers of her left hand stroked the petals of her flower, and that action alone made her jump slightly.

It felt like a small bolt of lightning had hit her, going from the top of her head to the soles of her feet, and then running back up again towards the spot she was rubbing. 'Yes! Good!!' Her head rocked backwards as she gently stroked, and wave after wave pulsed from her center.

It was at this point where she finally leaned backwards, flopping on her back and onto the bed. 'Mi-na...'

Her very name had an odd effect. The fires climbed higher, and Xianghua's hand moved faster. Her mind began to realize something profound. Something that caused her blush to turn a darker shde of crimson than ever before and made her whimper desperately with overflowing passion as the discovery struck her like white-hot mallet of emotion.

'I need you, Mi-na..."

Her hand moved even faster, and during this point, she found another bliss. One of her fingers had accidentally slipped inside. Her inner walls siezed up, clenching around the intruder. Xianghua gave a yelp and looked down in surprise. She saw the index finger of her left hand buried inside of her, and her blush, which had begun to soften, returned in full force at the sight of it. She began moving her finger in and out, back and forth, and moaned hotly as the waves began anew, but stronger now.

'Can she do this to me too?'

Xianghua shivered as she thought of it. The thought was exciting. Very much so. And as she thought about whether it were possible to recieve such pleasures, her mind actually envisioned Mi-na parcipating in this wonderful, worldly exchange. It wasn't Xianghua's hands anymore, but the Korean's. Touching her where she touched, feeling what she felt, sharing her need. Her heart felt like it was about to burst from her chest as a sort of ecstasy rolled over her. Thoughts within her mind scattered to the four winds as she began moving her finger faster. But it wasn't enough. No... not full enough.

She added another finger.

Xianghua had to bite her bottom lip in order to muffle the squeaks and moans and cries of newfound joy. Her hips began to tremble uncontrollably. Had she been standing, this was the point where here legs would have given out from under her. She didn't know why, but something within her, perhaps the flames that came from where her fingers were intruding, told her that she was close to something beautiful. Her fingers were guided along by something wet and slippery. She didn't ask what it was, she simply kept going, kept feeding the fire.

Xianghua was consumed by her passion. Her sense of self, that innocense, was wiped clean- replaced by something new. Something wild and untamed. Something that she could dive into and be lost in. She had been awakened. Her heart was full now- full of her need to scream, to cry, to shout to the heavens.

It was barely restrained.

'Just a bit more... almost there...'

Her fingers moved at a frantic pace. Xianghua's arm began to get tired. She switched hands and continued, trying to pick up where she left off. She blankly stared at her slick, wet, right hand, the first two fingers coated in nectar. Without a second thought, she placed them in her mouth, tasting herself. It was exquisite, and brought her to a new level. The moan was stifled; suppressed. But suddenly, she wanted to remove her fingers from her mouth and let out a howl to the moon.

She had hit something sensitive. Something sensitive that felt so good. It had turned from a raging fire to something on the scale of an inferno. She reached out again... and found it again. Another burst. And another. And... "Mmmmmmhhhhmmm!"

Her heart finally burst. It wasn't big enough for that.

Xianghua arched her back, curled her toes, clamped her eyes shut, and thanked whatever divine powers were watching over her. This was everything... she felt like she had touched the sun and taken a piece of it back with her. Her body was alive, more so than it had ever been. Every thought in her mind had been erased, save for one. It wasn't even a complete thought- just a name. A first name. In the state she was currently in however, thought immediately turned to speech.

"Mi-na...."

It took her fifteen seconds to calm down. She hadn't even noticed that her fingers were still moving.
_______________________________________________________________ ________

Seong Mi-na couldn't sleep. Her skin seemed to be cooling, though she couldn't tell why- she knew it was still hot in the room. It tingled, itched, prickled. She then realized that someone was here; she just didn't know who.

"Mmmmmm..."

Her eyes opened slowly, wondering what exactly was going on, but upon further inspection of her surroundings, she saw no one. Who had come in the midst of her sleep? Then, another thought came about that made her open her eyes. Someone had seen her naked. Vulnerable. Possibly tried to take advantage, but heard her stir, and...

Then her mind calmed down. No one here would do that. They were all honorable men and women. Mi-na almost went back to sleep... until she heard something. The noises were strange- things that she had never heard before. She didn't know there was anyone else staying here. 'Ah, well,' she mused. 'I'm awake already, time to go exploring.'

Mi-na reached for one of her robes from a nearby trunk in the room. She had conveniently been able to place all of her belongings in something other than a travel bag, and it only took a few seconds before she found one. Tying the sash over her waist as she approached the door, the Korean considered how someone had come into her room. Almost as soon as the thought came to her mind however, she approached the door and found the exact cause of entry.

She had left the door unlocked.

'Crap, figures I would forget that.'

She opened her door and headed towards the noises, wondering which room they came from. But when she finally traced them back to their source, her eyes widened. There was no way that Xianghua was making those strange sounds, was there? No possible way. Mi-na tried the door. It was locked. She couldn't get in.

Her mind ran through all the possible explanations as to why Xianghua could be making those sounds. Was she having a bad dream? Sick? In pain? The third option began to make her jerk at the door with a bit more force. It still wouldn't give. She was prepared to kick the damn thing down... and then, she began hearing sounds that were entirely too odd. Noises that were wet... cute squeaks... even a few giggles. It sounded like she was playing around in there instead of sleeping.

'Okay, what the hell?'

She found a convienient crack in the door and peered through. The sight that she was met with was... well, to say the least, eye-opening. Xianghua was playing around, all right. She was playing around with herself. Once again, the Korean's mouth went dry and her heart rate began increasing at the sight of her Chinese friend pleasing herself. Something within her became excited at this revealation of one of Xianghua's pasttimes.

'Not now!!' Mi-na lamented as something within her burned. She wanted it. She wanted to do what Xianghua was doing, with her no less. It was when she witnessed the guard's fingers sliding into her mouth that she wanted to run, but her legs were frozen in place. Her unconscious mind, which knew the truth, and the entirety of it, would get as much as it could.

Xianghua was beautifully naked. Her younger curves were beginning to come into their own, and her swift hands were flowing over her skin, which glowed in the moonlight. Her black hair seemed to shine and wink as if there were stardust in her raven locks. Mi-na, whether she wanted to admit it or not, was captivated. As she stared, questions began forming in her mind- what possessed her to do this? She remembered the conversation atop the roof, while they were out in the desert, and began to consider that Xianghua had lied to her.

'She is into one of them, isn't she?'

And if not them, perhaps someone amongst the other guards. Seong Mi-na found that her heart twisted in the worst way, and cluched a hand to her chest. She had definitely felt that before. It was the feeling she had when someone else had something that she wanted, whether she knew who that someone was or not. Jealousy. Pain. Her heart felt like it would tear itself apart at the very thought. And then, another thought came on its heels... a thought that no longer shocked her.

'I love Xianghua.'

Tonight, she could nod to herself safely with that notion in her head. She loved her. And she didn't want anyone else to have her. The thoughts organized themselves as the new emotion drove them on a new course. She would come to have her young Chinese friend, and via all the means at her disposal. Mi-na had to claim her before anyone else caught her eye- she knew it might happen. She also suspected it might already be that way, and her heart clenched again. If that were the case, she had lost before the game had started.

And Mi-na did not like losing.

It got to the point where the feelings became all too much, but she still could not move. It was only when Xianghua flopped to the bed that she was able to blink, just once. The notion immediately came to her to leave the scene before her heart completely stopped, but before she was able to take more than two steps, she heard one final squeal from the Chinese woman. She turned and headed back towards the door, wondering what had caused such a noise. Mi-na could see her good friend arch her back, which made her heart clench again.

Her mind reminded her that it was now time to leave before she was caught, and she began to do so. But before she could take three steps, she heard the one word that erased the pain in her heart, replacing it with something else. It didn't even seem like a complete sentence, just one word; a name. A first name.

"Mi-na..."

She stopped where she was. Her heart unclenched and began to open wide again, and the feeling in her chest eased a great deal. How could she have been so jealous of someone who desired her so deeply? So passionately? Sure, she knew that Xianghua liked her, but not that much. The shocked expression turned into a smile. She walked back towards her room, her heart beating fiercely in her chest and her legs unburdened, as if she were floating on air.

It occurred to her at that point that she still didn't know who had entered her room. It didn't matter anymore, though.

'I love Xianghua! I... love her.'

She would definitely have a good sleep that night.
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A Prelude, Part 3- A Destiny Revealed

...Wow. That was a complete one-eighty in the direction I thought I'd take. I have just one person to thank for this... my beta reader. He told me what people were looking for (or rather, what he himselfl was looking for) and informed me of any changes I should make. Which is what good betas do. Humongous shout out to Master Nemesis for his big, bad, biting comments. He chewed me out so much, I swear I'm starting to bruise.

But this is the result!

Well then, now that I've started the scenes, will you all please review? I would appreciate feedback very much. Thankx, and good night. There will be one more prologue chapter before the remix of the opening is complete, so stay put!