"Brave mother, return to your children..." were the last words that echoed from the voice of a hero. The swords appeared to be gone, but was this really a new start? Was everything finished so quickly. Of course not; life is never that fair.
A quake rocked Sophitia from the Tower of Remembrance. She fell for what felt like forever, before simply landing on her feet with a power full stomp; too powerful for someone of her size. Was this a reward for defeating the one known as Algol? But suddenly she saw it; a most strange sight.
A man who looked like Algol, but with brown hair and blue eyes, and lacking the bird-like armor that she saw on him just moments before. In fact he was nearly nude, down to a loin cloth. Add to this he was chained up; as if being presented like a hostage or a slave.
"ATHENIAN" shouted a voice; one which she was certain she had never herd before.
She readied her weapon. A man walked forward out of a cloud of dust. He was white as a ghost, but with strange red stripes. Was he even human? And what did he want with her?
"I am Kratos, ghost of Sparta! Prepare to be defeated!" He yanked on the chain around Algol's neck, and with one motion he threw Algol in to the wall behind them with a bone crunching slap. And by some weird law of physics defying coincidence the chain Kratos was using to restrain him pinned it's self above Algol's body; turning it in to a noose.
"impressive trick." she said, raising one sarcastic eyebrow. Algol; he was human now? What had this Spartan done! Perhaps she was so kind or too motherly but she could not stand by and let this man die, not after he risked his life to destroy the Soul Edge for her.
Kratos went at her with what looked like two swords attacked to chains. It was unlike anything she has ever seen. and for the moment her single sword and shield seemed a bit inadequate. She blocked one hit and tried to get in closer to strike at his body. Was that ever a mistake.
Kratos could pull back the swords as quickly as he whipped them out. She took a hit to the chest resulting a gash that nearly crippled her. With limited use of her arm she knew that her only hope was to flee.
She ran up the wall to free Algol, taking a hit to the back from the flying chain swords. Luckily the next hit cut the chains holding Algol. Algol (even in his human form, with several broken ribs) was able to swing himself and Sophitia a safe distance away.
Hopefully this Kratos person would get the idea that she was a coward; not worthy of his time. Algol carried her to a cave overlooking what appeared to be the ruins of a town. He went to the town to see what they could use to stay alive for the next few days. In the abandoned town he found fabric to bandage her gaping wounds, lots of hard liquor, and some stale bread (the only food that did not look unbearably rotten.)
"As soon as you regain your strength you need to get home to your family." he said to her, he then spit out blood. Pain was not something he was used to. When he has the Soul Edge and Soul Calibur, their power protected his body from any real damage.
"What if he come back?" she started to make a bed of rags as to not have to sleep on the dirt floor.
"What he seeks is a challenge....." he drifted off; they would need a source of water.
"so you think you can protect me? How did he capture you in the first place?" she said, almost immediately realizing how stupid she sounded.
"After my defeat at your hands I was freed of the curse of the swords. Free to ascend to the afterlife." Algol's face chanced to an expression of 'this is where it gets really weird.'
"I went towards a light, or rather with in a light; transforming in to who I once was. I felt a sense of peace and hope then all at once I was ... well.. grabbed. And thrown back to earth." It sounded too strange to be true, but that was where they were now.
"It doesn't matter, I will go to fetch water. You get some rest." With that Algol left her to control the bleeding of her wounds and drink her pain away.
She had been away from home for so long. Although she loved her children and missed her husband dearly, part of her felt like there was no real reason to go straight home. She was supposed to be a warrior, right? She defeated a tournament of freaks; a weirdly dressed girl with sword whips, a blind guy with claws, lizard men..... and of course and mighty Algol. She would stay until she knew it was safe. Or die trying.
Meanwhile Algol found buckets to collect water, but was having a bit of trouble making it back to the cave. Kratos appeared out of nowhere, as if he could jump from the clouds.
"I seek only the girl; the one powerful enough to strip the Hero king of his powers." Kratos said.
"SHE DID NOT STRIP ME OF MY POWERS!" Algol took offense to his choice of words. He did a running charge at Kratos, temporarily knocking him down.
"WITH MY DEATH I CHOOSE TO FREE MYSELF FROM THOSE ACCURSED SWORDS!" Algol grabbed Kratos by his swords and threw him against a wall (not really noticing how badly he just cut up his hands.)
The two attacked each other with punches but it was clear that Algol was not strong enough to defeat Kratos with out his powers. Algol made one last effort, slamming Kratos so hard he got stuck in a now collapsed house. Or at least Algol hopes he was stuck, as he fled to deliver water to Sophitia.