What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?
- Vincent Willem van Gogh

"I couldn't do anything..." The pain she had felt since they had lost squeezed at her heart. In the end, she hadn't been able to help at all. She, who had said that she would destroy the cursed sword, hadn't even been able to stand up against a threat in their path...

She had been reunited with Kilik, but had then lost in the fight they had fought together. No, perhaps it would be better to say that the fight had been between Kilik and the man with the scythe. The man had shown no interest in Xianghua. After defeating Kilik, he had left without even a glance toward her. The only thing she had been able to do was fight back her tears and run away, carrying Kilik.

She had tended his wounds, and his life was no longer in danger, yet Kilik did not open his eyes. Frantically wondering what to do, Xianghua remembered Kilik's teacher, a man who lived in a hermitage. Since Kilik had no family, she couldn't think of anyone to whom she could turn besides that old man, Edgemaster.

When she arrived at the sword master's hermitage, the old man welcomed her warmly. He informed her that if he dedicated himself to tending him, Kilik would recover. Relieved by the old man's words, Xianghua entrusted him with a letter to Kilik and left the hermitage that same day.

After returning to her country, she followed the Edgemaster's suggestion and placed herself in the care of a certain retired general. Having run away from the military, Xianghua would normally have been arrested, but upon reading the letter sent by Edgemaster, the general said that he would shelter her. He had spent his younger days in training at the Ling-Sheng Su temple and remembered the old man who had taught him.

"I must become stronger." Xianghua pleaded with the general. He was surprised to hear this. He had thought that her skills, though self-taught, were nevertheless more than sufficient. Regardless, he did his best to aid her. Even though he had retired, skilled warriors still gathered under him. Amongst them was an exceptionally skilled man whom he had employed as an instructor. Noticing the swordsmanship of the Ling-Sheng Su temple in Xianghua's style, he became interested in her and approached her himself about becoming her training partner. Devoting herself wholeheartedly to her training, Xianghua increased her skills considerably in a short time.

Ever faster, ever sharper...Each time she swung, her power grew stronger and her aim surer. Despite knowing this, she was unable to wipe away the uneasiness that had fallen over her heart.

"Even if I increase my power, if I can't use it when I need it...When I fought against the cursed sword, Kilik was with me. But if I'm alone..." Xianghua thought to herself, but forced her doubts aside. "No. I mustn't fear. I have to keep my spirits up!"

"Your blade is keen. However, it appears that you are forcing yourself." One day, the instructor cautioned her. She was focusing too exclusively on her strength. Xianghua told him of what troubled her. After hearing her concerns, he began to speak softly. "In combat, it is inevitable that one's heart will waver. But it is not wise to try only to reject and refuse these feelings. Sometimes, the path of the warrior requires letting in dark feelings, weighing them, then letting them go."

From that day forward, Xianghua began to train not her swordsmanship, but her soul. Her heart would be as water. A hard, solid heart will shatter upon the sharp point of fear, but when water is pierced or cut, it does not resist--by permitting everything to pass through, it does not break.. This was the truth which she had found. She no longer feared the swaying of her heart.

It had been several months since she had come to visit the general's mansion. Xianghua's blade now possessed both its past elegance and a newfound strength. She had grown strong. She now felt comfortable believing that.

Feeling that the time had come, she politely thanked those who had helped her and set out on her journey once more. Xianghua turned her thoughts to that which awaited her in the west. Inside her heart, she made a small promise to herself. When she met Kilik, she would proudly announce, "Sorry to keep you waiting! My skills have finally caught up with yours!"