Transcending history and the world.

A tale of souls and swords eternally retold...

But how much has been forgotten?

How much still remains?

But once you learn the truth who is really left to blame?

We will sacrifice tomorrow and we will have our today.

And let our souls be the guide to keep the darkness at bay.

And on this guide a pillar for everyone to see.

Timeless and majestic

All you ever want to be.

And which way the blood flows

I will not stray from that glow.

I may fall but I will stand

Even though twighlight is at hand.

The light will guide my sword.

Guide my soul.

Guide my hand and make me whole.

Through Hell Gates I tread.

Through the Darkness I dread.

I wish to be that pillar

For all the world to see.

Timeless and Majestic

All you ever want to be.

Cassandra Alexandra

1587 A. D

A testament to the wind. A land forgotten to the sands of time. From the silent crystal ponds to the painted threads of sun light that pierced through the blanket of golden tree's. Fall had descended upon the lands and not even the forests could go against the seasons. The woodland creatures poked out of small burrowed holes in the ground and bark to skurry about gathering breakfast or whatever else instinct demand. A secret melody as complex as the song of the birds played upon ears of all that dared tread.

Not that the forest seemed particularly intimidating. And yet the peaceful, melodic pattern of the every day wild life was merely a mask straining to hide secrets of the malign. If nothing else, the usually depressing lot known as humanity knew well enough to stay away from a forest that has claimed more then twenty of it's own in the sum of a mere two months.

Such a convincing illusion. And yet the taint remained. To those sensitive to it, was merely a thought or feeling of forbodance. To the wary traveler passing by on horseback...

At first a small, silent stacatto, the animals scattered quickly to the galloping hooves traveling the barely beaten path though it's rider broke quickly for the lake upon sight. The gentle wind set the mans brown cloak to flare as he touched down kicking up dust. The sound of loose metal and wood made itself known as it rattled with the force upon dismounting. Brown boots over white trousers dug into the dampened ground thanks to the midnight showers. A mere spot of green made itself shown before the brown cloak hid the remains of the mans torso. Most of the mans facial features were concealed saved for the few wisps of blonde hair poking out from the shadows. Gloved hands held gently to the reigns as the warrior, evidence by the sword hilt poking out of his left shoulder, guided his horse to the quiet waters.

"Easy Epona. Drink now and rest. We still have a hard ride to Greece." The stranger whispered quiet but stern. The mare knickered softly before she lowered her head to take a drink. With that taken care of, the stranger walked away a few steps from his horse observing his surroundings.

The evil aura was very thick in the air and the stranger had to cast silent wards so that it wouldn't overwhelm him.

Looks like I'll have to find the source before I move on.

The man went into the folds of his tunic taking something gripping it tightly. Opening said hand revealed an almost stone like red shard that began to glow brightly.

It's reacting to the energy here. The stranger mused and put the shard away hurriedly. He learned early on never to reveal the shard for any longer then needed and even then it was still a risk. Silence hung over the area like a thick blanket save only for the occasional snort from Epona and even that was a foreign sound to the stranger when the others that should have followed failed to make themselves heard. The stranger brought his left hand to the sword hilt poking out behind his shoulder drawing it out ever so slowly.

Now!

The mans senses came alert immediately as he dived away. Rightly so as the patch of ground he was standing on was now occupied by another. Link finished his roll moving quickly to stance and drawing his sword completely. His would be assailant had her back to him, dual kodachi drawn but in no stance to use them effectively. Link would have judged the tactic foolish had the Hylian not sensed the strength of her soul.

From his view point stood a woman wearing blackened partial armor over a skin tight blue body suit. The woman before him wore both arm and leg guards but Link doubted that the added protection hindered the ninja in the slightest. She was very shapely Link noticed and even as the she turned Link couldn't help but notice the strength well hidden in the delicate frame. There were few things that marred the visage but they were more then enough. Most of the raven haired woman's face was concealed in a fanged mask and more likely then not those dual kodachi were meant for his blood.

"You possess a piece of soul edge." She spoke with a monotone.

Link flinched. Not five seconds had he had that shard out and he was already looking forward to trouble. Damn that sword.

"Give me that shard and leave this place if you wish to live." The woman continued staring coldly at the cloaked hylian.

In spite of the situation Link himself wasn't the least bit intimidated by the huntress. The Master Sword held in his left hand, he extended it towards the ninja threateningly.

"Funny..." He chuckled lightly. "I was about to ask you the same thing. I thank you atleast for not killing my horse. T'would be bad form."

Taki brushed off the comment not caring the least for the animal.

"Last chance. Surrender the shard or die." The ninja demanded holding her blades in an equal threatening manner.

Link smirked. "No." he says before falling into a defensive stance with his right leg extended forward and the blade brought back.

Taki simply nods. No notice of a smirk or scowl. Just the understanding that she would have to fight the warrior to obtain the shard. She placed Mekki-Maru back into it's scabbard while bringing Rekki-Maru forward. It was her custom stance, drawing out the stronger, tainted Mekki-Maru when needed. Though she held considerable control of the blade, she feared the power contained within if she was exposed too long. Perhaps it was because of this that Taki fused a shard of soul-edge into Mekki-Maru to begin with. That meant Soul Edge had some manner of influence on her and that scared her, ever since the death of her former master Toki.

Musings were cut off as Taki charged at the Hylian with her Rekki-Maru extended for a quick and fatal strike. Link however was no slouch and able to match her pace perfectly with a well timed guard. Link followed through with a rough kick to the side. Taki's instincts kicked in instantly and ducked under the counter and led once more with a kick of her own. Link back-handed the kick away with his right and then tried to knock the ninja out with the pommel of the Master Sword. Once again Taki ducked and would have countered once again had Link not followed through with a lower sweep with his blade. Taki was forced to leap back cursing for almost being caught off guard.

Had the attack succeeded, Link would have severed at least one of Taki's feat and severely cut through her second and that was being optimistic.

This time Link led the charge with his sword extended forward. By instinct again Taki jumped to the side twisting around with Rekki-Maru only managing to cut deeply into the strangers cloak before leaping away again to a safer distance. Unperturbed Link continued his pursuit with a series of horizontal strikes letting the momentum give him the speed he needed to do so. Taki proves her agility further dodging every strike and countering with a series of her own.

Now it was Link's reflexes that were to be tested and the Hylian did not dissappoint. As nimble as Taki was, Link was just as fast inspite of the heavy weapon he wielded managing to weave around the lightning fast Rekki-Maru with a veteran's ease. Taki cursed herself bitterly. Inspite of her vast experience she couldn't find any openings and Link was getting way too close with that sword of his. She was gonna have to bring her game up a notch to be able to take her opponent out this time.

As for Link, Taki had been his best opponent yet in this world. True enough this place so unlike Hyrule and yet so similar was filled with skilled warriors but there were few that could bring out the best in Link. Link wasn't quite at that level of urgency yet but he suspected the ninja was holding back. And if that was the case then things could get ugly really quick. At the very least it would be very interesting to see how the battle would turn out. She could probably have given Sheik a run for her money.

The next ten minutes was spent with both opponents taking advantage of semi openings when they could, fighting aggressively while trying to tire out the other. Link had an easier time of this having better range with his sword but it was only a matter of time before he'd make a mistake and she'd get inside his defenses. Taki however wouldn't be able to capitilize on those moments like she hoped she could. This stranger was very skilled with the sword he wielded and Links lack of confidence in the sword was to her dismay unwaranted. The blades design was foreign to her with similarities to Cervantes's broader Soul Edge which was shattered by the chosen of Haphaestus. Then again the sword also held a similar design to possibly the sword that Valentine woman had used against her a few months before.

Link went on the offensive again upping his own game by using a complex combination of both horizontal and vertical strikes finishing in a powerful leaping slash. Forced to defend against the onslaught, Taki felt the force behind Link's blows. Her wrists throbbed terribly but she refused to back down against the cloaked stranger.

Link winced at her mistake. She would have been better off simply dodging that last strike of his but she risked parrying it. She pulled it off albeit barely but now her style maybe compromised because of it. Link couldn't allow mercy and broke into a sprint bringing the Master Sword in a guard position yet advancing upon her quickly. Taki leapt away again unleashing several hidden shuriken underneath her arm guards. Link deflected away two of the throwing stars. A third swayed too far to the left with the blowing wind and out of harms way. Link's charge continued unchallenged managing to tackle the ninja to the ground. Before Link could restrain her arms however Taki kicked away from him. She landed ten feat away panting heavily. Beads of sweat tickled her brow as her eyes narrowed dangerously on the hylian. He was much better at this then she thought.

"You... Who taught you how to fight?" She asked half demanded.

Link was breathing heavily too. This woman was really tough but he faced worse.

"I taught myself." was the hylian's simple answer.

Taki's eyes widened. How could this boy be that skilled without any teacher to guide him? He had to be lying and yet she could detect no deception. The boy's skill could rival that egomaniac samurai and then some.

For that first time since the two had met Link found out something else about his assailant. Her face was unnatually pale, what little of it he could see. Link grimaced. The girl was ill. That was why he won that round as easily as he had.

"You're a little under the weather." Link stated the obvious.

"I am perfectly fine I assure you." Was the ninja's reply.

"You're a good liar, but a liar none the less." Link quiped.

Taki would have had something else to say to that when her senses became alert once again. Link had felt the change in the air too and it set him on edge. The unnatural wave of evil energy that had descended upon this forest had returned with a vengence. Moaning could be heard from the distance. Whispers upon the air crying out for...

Soul Edge. Link and Taki thought at once.

Beings manifested around them of seemingly normal (if discolored) people. With the shards they carried however, these ghostly apparitions held expressions akin to greed and a lust for power. Vengful malign phantoms of the dark. Remnants of the victims laid waste by Soul Edge. They resided here and they sought the power to reclaim their humanity. If such a thing were possible.

Link and Taki drew their blades. Not at eachother but against the very nightmares left about by the Azure Knight himself.

Soul Edge... Your scars run deep.