Disclaimer; I do not own the characters of Soul Caliber.

Deep in the heart of the Ostrhinsburg castle Nightmare, the embodiment of evil, sat upon his throne. After driving off his former puppet Nightmare was attempting to beat his servants into line. One in particular was causing problems… the former holy warrior that his servant Tira had pressed into his service by kidnapping her daughter and binding that daughter's life to Nightmare's own. Still… the woman wasn't killing most of her opponents. She would wound them and let them run away! Costing Nightmare a soul every time. Maybe a bit of pain… no. That female didn't react to anything other than a direct threat to her daughter… that was how Nightmare would get the female to fall in line.

Nightmare called to his most faithful servant, "Tira, bring the daughter. And get Asteroth to drag the female in here. I plan on showing her the price of compassion."

Tira had been gloomy up until Nightmare had brought up that he was going to kill something. She ran off giddy as a school girl to fetch the daughter and the mother.

Her sleep was haunted by dreams of people she had killed in service to Nightmare. All to protect Pyrrah, her daughter. How was she ever going to escape from this waking nightmare? At that thought a dark, armored, figure ghosted into her dreams. He held Pyrrah by the hair as she stood chained to a wall. Unable to do anything while Nightmare brought up the cursed sword and cut Pyrrah in half.

Sophitia awoke with a scream, "No!!! Pyrrah!!!"

Standing at her bedside, laughing evilly, was the horrible golem, Asteroth.

His bulk blocks the doorway, "I would have woken you up but watching your little nightmare was too much fun. Speaking of nightmares… you have been summoned."

Asteroth roughly grabbed her around her neck with a stone fist and carried her at an arms length all the way to the throne room, not bothering to keep her away from all the hanging objects and decoration, banging her up against everything either by design or through lack of care. There was Nightmare, staring into the abyss that defined one end of the room. He looked up slightly upon Asteroth' noisy entrance and gestured slightly with his mutated arm. Asteroth promptly hurled her at Nightmare who snatched her out of the air in that same arm, cruelly pinning her arms to her sides with the jagged edges of his hand.

Nightmare slammed her up against the wall, pinning her there, "you refuse to kill all comers. Need I remind you your daughter's life hinges upon my favor?"

Her beautiful face twists with hate, "I do only what I must. I will not become you."

Nightmare brings his left fist around and punches her in the stomach, breaking at least one rib, "insolent wretch. Asteroth, hold her there. Tira, bring out the child."

The black giant takes Nightmare's place who draws the Soul Edge and walks over to his insane, female slave.

Pyrrah was dragged, kicking and screaming, out from behind Tira, "Mommy!!! Help me!"

She cried out to her daughter, "Pyrrah don't worry, mommy's…"

Asteroth delivered a brutal left to the side of her cheek, "will you just SHUT UP! I don't need to hear your pathetic assurances."

She was now on the ground with Asteroth's stone foot in the small of her back. She tasted copper.

Nightmare picked Pyrrah up by her hair, "Should I cut my hold over you or not… I think I shall cut my hold then cut out the problem at its root."

She screamed at the monster, "you leave her out of this!"

The monster only laughs, "don't forget that you're the reason that she is involved in the first place. You are the one that decided to be a thorn in my side since the pirate. You could have just ignored you frequent summons. But noooo. You just had to irritate me for years now. I think you get your just desserts here and now."

Nightmare raised the Soul Edge and as in her dream, Nightmare brutally executed Pyrrah, spraying her child's blood all over the throne room.

A blood soaked Nightmare gestured at Asteroth, "bring her over here, she's next."

Self-preservation instincts kicked in and she slipped from the giant's grip. She began running for the door as fast as her wounded body could carry her. Vaulting over the pit to get out she fled into the forest around the cursed city.

Nightmare passively watched the woman run away. It did not matter how far she ran nor how fast. He knew where she would flee before even she did.

He summoned Tira, "send a watcher to follow her. I will be heading out for a while."

Tira turns gloomy, "and where might that be?"

He laughs evilly, "I hear Greece is wonderful this time of year."

Cold. That surrounded Sophitia as she stumbled through the snow. Blinded by tears and blowing snow. She couldn't believe that Nightmare had actually killed Pyrrah. The logical part of her mind that told her that Nightmare would do that just because he felt like it was instantly clamped down on by her motherly instincts. She tripped over a root and lay there weeping in the snow, blood dripping slowly from her mouth to dot the pristine snowfield. She lifted her head suddenly, resolved to go home and protect her remaining family to the death. Cold and will numbing the pain from her wounds.

He woke slowly, yet again the spirit sword, Soul Calibur had saved his life, at the cost of Hilde's. The memory of her throwing herself in front of Nightmare's last attack, slowing the demon's swing just enough for him to get his sword in a block… This still did not stop him from being shot off the top of the tower like a ball from a cannon. Nightmare had grown in power so much that he doubted even the Hero king, Algol, would be able to stop the monster. He would welcome any aid against the beast next time they fought… and there would be a next time. Siegfried was bound by the blade he carried to oppose the Soul Edge until one or the other was destroyed. He noticed a black raven flying slowly overhead. He instantly recognized it as one of the birds that witch Tira used to keep eyes everywhere. He cast his eyes around for a rock to throw at the bird, found one just the right size and weight, and threw. He clipped the bird on the right wing causing the feathered freak to crash to the ground at his feet.

Siegfried picked the bird up by the neck, "and that is one less watcher for Nightmare…"

Tira's voice comes from the bird's beak, "oooh, so unfair that you should survive such a fall… go ahead. Kill the bird, you'll feel better 'tee hee'. It's already done its job anyway."

Siegfried pressed for details, "and that job would be…?"

Tira giggled even more, "oh. You really want to know? Ok! I sent this one to spy on the Greek woman as she ran from Ostrhinsburg. Nightmare killed her daughter and now he's going to finish the job!"

Siegfried blanched with terror and snapped the bird's neck to silence Tira's mocking laughter. Sophitia… his mind flew back to the one night they spent together five years ago. Even if she was married he couldn't help but feel the same way he had when he was sixteen. He squelched those self-same feelings the instant they emerged however. He couldn't afford to get close to anyone anymore. Still… that didn't stop Hilde from sacrificing herself for his benefit. Maybe he should just… NO. Get a grip Siegfried, she is married now. He thought as he started to run, if Nightmare was going to finish off her family, with as powerful as he had become the only way Sophitia would be able to fight off Nightmare now was if those gods that kept sending her oracles actually took part in the battle… very unlikely.

Sophitia stumbled onto the plot of land that Rothion had bought for the both of them upon the birth of both of their children. As she limped slowly down the cobble-stone path her mind wandered through a maze of happy memories. While lost in the morass of memory a stone that shouldn't have been out of place caught her injured leg and sent her sprawling painfully to the ground. As she pushed herself to her knees she noticed the landscape had changed… there were burn marks everywhere… NO it couldn't be!!!

A hated, evil voice rang out over the blasted land, "I was waiting for you to come out your little trance for over an hour. Still, I think the look on your face will be well worth the wait. Say hello to momma, little boy."

Patroklos steps out slowly from behind Nightmare, "mommy? Daddy looks different now… why?"

Her eyes shoot wide, "Patroklos! Get away from him. That's not daddy!"

Nightmare takes the boy by the head, "that's right, daddy is right here." Nightmare pulls out a severed head, "daddy could scream very well, try and imitate him will you?"

Nightmare then starts to squeeze Patroklos's head forcing the young boy to scream horribly before causing his head to implode with the sound of an exploding watermelon.

Sophitia kneels in stunned silence, unable to believe that her entire family has been slaughtered right in front of her. She doesn't even move to escape as Nightmare walks over and lifts her with his mutated arm. A thrown rock clangs off of Nightmare's helmet causing him to drop her and whirl around with a roar of anger.

Siegfried is standing there with Soul Calibur in hand, "Leave… her… alone."

Nightmare lifts the Soul Edge, "what's this, you care for the married one? Don't you have enough sins to atone for already?"

Siegfried rushes in wildly swinging, "don't read into it that much! Tira couldn't keep her mouth shut and that is how I found you here!"

Nightmare bats away the swings like flies, "oh, I will have to punish Tira for running her mouth again… how bothersome. I came out all this way to punish a runaway slave of mine and Tira has to go and blab to my nemesis."

Siegfried deflects a brutally strong slash from Nightmare, "she's important to me, nothing more."

Nightmare spins and retreats three steps, "then I suppose you wouldn't mind me killing her?"

Siegfried gives chase, "like Hell you will."

Nightmare swings from below and sends Siegfried flying out into the bay, "what a disappointment… should I wait for him… no."

Nightmare turns to the supine form of Sophitia, "now… should I kill her or let her live and suffer…? I choose let her suffer. Can't get to doing this too often however, people might think I was merciful."

Nightmare chuckles to himself as he walks away into the darkness.

Siegfried drags himself out of the bay half drowned and covered in seaweed.

He flops onto the sand on his back, "why do I always end up beaten, battered, and scarred?"

The Soul Calibur spoke to him, "possibly you are just a poor fighter?"

He looked at his sword, "you picked me. Do both of us a favor and stay quiet."

The Soul Calibur sounds confused, "I was attempting to joke… it fell flat didn't it?"

Siegfried picks up the sword and starts walking to where he had last seen Sophitia, "incredibly… yes. Keep to fighting until you actually hear some decent comedy."

Soul Calibur gives a huff of indignation, "well fine… you know, it just occurred to me. If I actually were a woman and we acted the same way to each other people would think we were a couple."

Siegfried froze mid-stride, "… never say that again."

Upon re-achieving conciousness she had crawled inside the burnt-out remains of what had been her home. She lay upon the charred floor and waited to die… instead she fell into sleep. Slipping into and out of conciousness she witnessed a bright light enter the ruin and carry her away. Months passed as her broken body repaired itself. The whole while she was half-aware of a holy light watching over her… as her mind danced the fine line between sleep and death. That same mind was consumed by what Nightmare had done. Sanity warred with madness inside her head. Eventually however the will to live won out over her will to die. She woke with a start as a sharp pain lanced up her side. A young woman was changing the bandages on her ribs.

A glare from something kept her from seeing quite clearly, "Cassandra?"

Sophitia's younger sister dropped the roll of bandages and gave a shout in the vague direction of the door before turning back to her sister, "she's awake! Sis you have no idea how good it is to see you awake after so long."

Sophitia tries unsuccessfully to prop herself up, "how long have I been out?"

Cassandra helped Sophitia sit up, "I was told that you have been out for three months. I only got here one month ago. That guy out in the other room, Siegfried, he has been taking care of you the whole time. He only leaves when either I or the village nurse change your bandages."

As if on cue Siegfried walks in and Cassandra's half-done bandaging job fails, falling off to reveal a good deal of Sophitia's generous cleavage. Siegfried's face turns redder than the dawn and he spins on his heel to face the opposite wall as Cassandra redoes the bandages, stuttering apologies to Sophitia and Siegfried. Slowly the blush fades from both of their faces.

Siegfried is standing there half-looking at the floor from embarrassment, still so much like the boy she had met five years ago. Unbidden, old emotions well up inside of her heart. Old affection conflicts with the sorrow that darkened most of her soul. But… she had just lost her entire family… how could she even think of another man so soon after Rothion being killed?

Cassandra looks from Sophitia to Siegfried and back, "wait… he's that Siegfried? The one you used to ramble on about for hours?"

A stricken look crosses her features and Siegfried looks even more uncomfortable.

The Soul Calibur speaks, "well, looks like she thought about you as much as, if not more than you thought of her."

Siegfried's head snaps up and he hurls the sword out into the front room before it could say anything more, all present heard a loud "thunk" as the blade buried itself in the wooden door post.

Siegfried edged his way out with some stuttered apologies.

Sophitia watches him go, "those eyes… they look so sad."

Cassandra turns back to her sister, "really? I just thought they looked so beautiful; those scars draw attention to those eyes… I just thought you were staring at him because of that."

Sophitia blushes again, "I was staring?"

Cassandra gets up to leave, "yep, I'm starting to think you still like him."

The blush deepens, "don't joke like that Cassandra, he reminds me too much of Rothion."

Cassandra grins, "don't forget, you met Siegfried first. Rothion reminded you of Siegfried, not the other way around."

Sophitia lay back down as Cassandra left. Could she really have loved a replacement Siegfried the whole time?

Far away in Ostrhinsburg the hero king had arrived. Nightmare confronted the being that had ages ago been his master.

Nightmare kicked the body of Voldo, slain by Algol, "killed Voldo, wounded Asteroth, and broke Tira's weapon… all in a futile attempt to regain me. I will not be mastered any longer, by man or anything else."

Algol bares both of his blades, "Foolish sword, you are no different than you were thousands of years ago. Same arrogance, same belief in your own invincibility. We both know that is false."

Nightmare threw Voldo's corpse as a distraction and rushed the hero king, "that was ages ago you foolish human. My power has grown immeasurably since then!"

Algol deflects the swing, inwardly worried by Soul Edge's vastly grown power, "all the better for me when I reclaim you."

The clash of the titans had begun. Would either side receive any aide however?

Back in Greece Siegfried was sitting on one of the many docks, trying to sort out what he was going to do. He knew he loved Sophitia but he couldn't let her get hurt because of being close to him.

Soul Calibur spoke, "remember the Hilde woman? She got killed for you even when you pushed her away."

He snarled at the sword, "you really aren't helping the situation here."

The sword snarls back, "look, you are distracted by romantic issues and you can't fight Nightmare like that. I would rather not get killed by having you off in la la land."

He looks puzzled, "who taught you la la land?"

Soul Calibur conveyed the mental feeling of a shrug, "Xiangua, thinking about Killik. Maxi called her on it and accused her of being off in la la land while they were fighting."

He almost laughed, "that sounds feasible. Still, I'm not lost in thought."

His blade laughed, "then the pickpocket that stole every last coin in your pouch was just my imagination?"

He quickly checks his pouch and glares at Soul Calibur, "ok, you've made your point. Any bright ideas?"

Once again the shrug, "confess? Be honest? I only have the voice of a woman, don't ask me to read them."

He muttered to himself, "well you're just as touchy as any woman I've ever met, more so than some."

Inside his head the sword spoke again, "I am bound to your mind and body you know. I heard that."

He grins inwardly, "and you just proved my point."

Soul Calibur gives a huff of indignation and quiets.

Sophitia was back in the house, testing her legs. She could stand without much difficulty, but that was not what her mind was occupied with. She was going over every happy memory she had with Rothion and was alarmed at the constant similarities Rothion had actually shared with Siegfried. In fact she remembered that any time they had argued he had been acting more like himself and less like Siegfried. Could she really have been that shallow? As she moved from walking to trying out some of her standard flips and kicks she couldn't help but notice Siegfried walking back from the docks and suddenly became as self-conscious as an eighteen year old again. Embarrassed that he had caught her practicing an admittedly provocative combat style. Thankfully he didn't seem to notice. That throbbing in her heart was now a constant sensation, only intensifying when he was nearby. Even though she knew the feeling was genuine she was ashamed that her heart could be so fickle. The very real possibility that she had really loved him the last five years was irrelevant. She had just lost her husband, there was at least supposed to be a long period of mourning first! When she thought about Rothion she couldn't even bring herself to cry… why? Did having two children with him mean nothing? Regardless that those children to were dead? Was this shame the god's way of punishing her for serving Nightmare?

Tira ran from Ostrhinsburg as fast as she could. Algol was good, so good that he had managed to carry the fight outside of the cursed city. Nightmare had lost the support of the city and it was just starting to show. His swings were starting to slow by the slightest bit. Much as it galled her to do it there was only one person that could make any difference in the battle. And they would hate the very idea.

Siegfried was practicing in a small clearing east of the house. Swinging the Soul Calibur in great sweeping arcs meant to control large crowds and keep his foes at a moderate distance.

A soft voice calls out from the bushes, "You're pretty good, mind if I join you?"

He turned and it was Cassandra, "You are welcome to watch but I doubt we would be a fair match."

Cassandra takes a seat by the edge of the clearing, "oh that's fine. I wasn't looking to challenge you. I know I would lose. No, I just came to watch."

He nods his head and turns back to his sword work, "fair enough."

Ten minuets go by and Cassandra asks the dreaded question, "do you think your fooling anyone about your feelings for my sister? Because you aren't."

He rounds on her, "mind your own business. Besides it isn't like that. We were together for one night, that's all."

Cassandra grins wickedly at him, "and from what Sophitia said it was quite a night."

All the blood drains out of his face, "she told you about THAT!!!"

Cassandra leans back against the tree, smiling, "no, but you just did. Must have been close to your first… I know it was hers."

He stands absolutely still, trying very hard to suppress his anger, "has anyone ever told you that you're nothing like Sophitia?"

Cassandra continues to grin, "how so?"

His ire is pushing the boiling point, "She is an angel and you're more like a little imp."

Too late he realized that she had baited him perfectly, "really? Sophitia is an angel to you?"

He falls back onto the ground massaging his temples, "yes…you got me to admit it. What more do you want?"

Cassandra almost seems to glance over his shoulder in the direction of the house before answering, "say it again, one more time."

He gets to his feet and glares at Cassandra, "Fine… I love Sophitia; I want to spend the rest of my life with her. But I care too much for her to confess while she is still grieving for her husband."

The voice of his angel carried over the clearing, "is that… really how you feel?"

He turns and Sophitia is standing behind him at the edge of the clearing.

Soul Calibur spoke in his head, "the chase is over, might as well speak your heart."

An edge of hysteria enters Sophitia's voice, "is everything you just said true?!?"

He closes his eyes and braces himself for the storm of outrage, "…yes… every last word."

He waits for the scream… it never comes. Instead Sophitia had dropped to her knees and was crying tears of… relief?

Sophitia looked up at him looking even more beautiful (if that was even possible), "you have no idea how much that eases my soul. Neither of us could deny what was in our hearts."

Cassandra stayed right where she was as her sister just about fell into Siegfried's arms.

She thought to herself, "my work here is done." She looked over to the house and saw… was this some kind of divine prank? The witch, Tira, was running across the field to the glade. Tira was unarmed, while that in and of itself was strange her face held the biggest surprise of all. Tira looked absolutely desperate. She cast a forlorn look back to her sister and Siegfried. Would those two ever be free from the strings of Soul Edge?

Sophitia could not believe the absolute temerity of this young witch. Tira actually expected Siegfried to go to Nightmare's aid against Algol!

Tira was in her gloomy phase, "You don't get it do you? If Algol gets Soul Edge he will come for Soul Calibur next. The only way you can preserve these salvaged lives of yours is to help Nightmare!"

Siegfried still was not convinced, "Algol can come for Soul Calibur. I'll just hand it to him when he gets here."

Soul Calibur whined, "do I even have a say in this?!? This is my life you're talking about!"

Tira grins, "oh? You forget that Algol collects souls just like Nightmare. You really think he'll be content with just your sword?"

She spoke firmly, "Nightmare killed my last family, you really think I'm going to let him get a shot at my new one? Besides, there are three of us here. Algol could try but he wouldn't win."

Tira continues, "without Soul Edge Algol killed Voldo, wounded Asteroth, and broke my ring blade. You think he would even break a sweat cutting all of you down?"

Siegfried looked over his shoulder at her, "…I don't think we have much of an option this time Sophitia."

She lets out a long deep sigh, "If you say so Siegfried…Tira, if this is a trick you die first."

Tira glared at her, "I… don't… care. If Algol dies you can kill me if you want."

Siegfried looked slightly amused, "hard to argue with that. Sophitia, if this is a trap you can do the honors."

She glares at Tira, causing the witch to tremble with fear, "with pleasure."

At Ostrhinsburg Nightmare continued to fight with the hero king. Neither were vulnerable to fatigue but Nightmare was certainly worse for wear than Algol. Whereas Algol was only sporting several small cuts and a black eye (courtesy of Nightmare's fist) Nightmare's armor was covered in deep rents and liquid flame was oozing out slowly.

Algol leered at Nightmare, "where is your supposed invulnerability now sword? It has fled like all of your servants."

Nightmare swung low, finally succeeding in giving Algol a hampering wound, "I am not dead yet human. It will take a long time yet for you to triumph."

Algol grits his teeth, "foolish, the odds are hopelessly against you."

A small thrown knife buries itself in Algol's right arm, "Master Nightmare is no longer alone."

Algol removes the knife and uses his shield to smash Tira to the ground, "some aid you are. This wound is nothing."

The voice of a young man carries over Algol's shoulder, "how about this wound?"

Algol turns and is just fast enough to avoid being impaled upon a large crystal blade. As it was it still opened a large gash on his side.

Algol sweeps Siegfried's feet out from under him and looks down at him, "I will destroy any that stand in my way. Now or later does not matter to me."

Algol brings a blade down and it stops before reaching the German. Algol looks up, a shield had intercepted his blade and now a short sword was speeding its way at his neck. The Hero king dove aside most unceremoniously and recieved only a long, deep scratch down his chest plate.

Nightmare's red eyes stare in surprise, "why are you two here? We are mortal foes are we not?"

Siegfried was getting back to his feet, "a little black bird told us that if we didn't help you Algol would come and claim my blade after he had taken you. Just this once we find ourselves on your side. Once Algol is destroyed I fully expect us to get right back to our eternal duel."

Nightmare stared for a moment and turned to Aglol, "fine... just this once..."

Algol could not believe what his eyes were seeing. The Soul Edge, the most evil sword to ever exist. And the Soul Calibur, the blade he himself had created to oppose Soul Edge. Mortal foes joining forces to fight him?!? Maybe he had misjudged the situation, and the lengths to which both blades would go to survive.

Siegfried readied the Soul Calibur, "you ready?"

The sword seemed distant, "hmm, yes..."

Siegfried turned to his angel, "Sophitia?"

She nods at a glance over at Nightmare all three charge and surround Algol.

Algol could do almost nothing. Trying to attack any one of them would leave him fully open to the other two. He could mearly stand in a ring of steel wildly twisting and contorting to avoid the whirling at first, then with increasing regularity. The nicks and cuts began to add up. Algol knows he is losing, he decides to take at least one of them with him. He zeros in on the German youth, who's face betrayed the most exaustion. Without warning Algol lunged at Siegfried, crashing into him with the shield and putting him on his rear. Extending both of his blades to their fullest Algol prepares to bring both of them down on Siegfried with all his strength.

Time seemed to slow as Algol began to swing. Sophitia could not catch both blades and stop Algol... with her weapons. She bodily hurls herself over Seigfried. Expecting at any moment to feel Algol's blades passing through her flesh. There was a loud clang and no pain. She turns and the real Soul Edge was suspended inches from her back. Having caught both of Algol's blades moments before they would have killed her and Siegfried. The Hero King presses with all his remaining power but it isn't enough. Nightmare grabs him by the head, slings him up into the air, spins to gain momentum, and slams the Soul Edge down into the falling Hero King. Cutting the body in half from shoulder to hip.

Nightmare gathers up Tira's unconcious body and starts to walk back to Ostrhinesburg.

Confused Sophitia calls after it, "why aren't you taking your opportunity? Both of us are helpless..."

Nightmare stops mid-stride and turns, red eyes blazing, "...I... owe you......... leave now."

Sophitia waits for Siegfried to wake, smiles at him, and the two walk off into the sunrise. Ready for a new beggining for the both of them.