Sonnenuntergang

Author: Xanthos Samurai

Rating: R

Warnings: Implied doppelganger sex, possible spoilers for the Soul Calibur series.

Disclaimer: If I owned Soul Calibur, Siegfried would run around shirtless more, trust me. And more slashtastic optional endings. Mmyes.

Feedback: Extremely appreciated!

Notes: Whew, it's been a while since I posted Soul Calibur fanfiction. Kingdom Hearts kind of took over my writing there for a while, but I return with a Soul Calibur fic at last! This was originally written for a fanfiction project in which I wrote and posted a "dark" piece of fanfiction every day for the month of October. This one happened to be number Four. I include some German in here because I think it's a sexy language and it's probably what Siegfried (and subsequently Nightmare) primarily speak because Siegfried is German. I apologize in advance if it's incorrect – I'm in no way claiming to be fluent. I've marked the German with parentheses and put the definitions down at the bottom for those of you who are curious, although it should be fairly self-explanatory. All that being said, I hope you enjoy!

People said that the forest was as black as the sin in a man's heart. They told tales to their children of the monsters that dwelled in the black forest, monsters with dripping fangs and blazing eyes. They had been telling these stories, designed to scare the young into obedience, since long before Siegfried's birth many years ago. Only now could the stories be considered true.

"One good thing will come of them and their damned superstition. There will be fewer foolish victims for you to prey upon."

The breath from Siegfried's snarl shimmered in the chill black air. All around him, the forest remained as silent and still as a tomb. It almost seemed to be waiting for him to fall so that it could add his to the great number of souls that it had claimed. But Siegfried would not fall. He could not.

Don't be such a fool. The voice that lurked in the back of Siegfried's mind crept to the surface, laughing at him. Don't underestimate this magnificent body of yours, Siegfried. No matter how far from people you go, I can always take you back to them and still have plenty of energy to slaughter as many as I choose. Your attempts at running only wear you out. Just accept that your body is mine.

"(Stille!)" Siegfried ordered harshly as he squeezed the hilt of the monstrous sword that he was carrying. "You're nothing, Nightmare. You're a spirit so pitifully weak that you have to posses the body of a human. Without me, you're nothing."

You understand nothing of the forces around you. When I finally decide to tire of your presence, I'll take complete control of this body and dispatch you in the most painful way I can think of. Siegfried could practically feel Soul Edge's spirit grin. What do you say to that?

"I say shut up. I'm tired of your hissing." Siegfried's head was beginning to hurt again. It always did around dusk – something that the blonde swordsman had long since learned was a warning sign. He quickened his pace. "I'll keep you contained even if it costs me my life."

I'll keep that in mind, (Geliebter).

Nightmare's purr only served to further anger his host and he knew it. In fact, he loved nothing more than making Siegfried angry. Human's bodies reacted in such amusing ways when they experienced heightened emotions. The increased flow of blood in their veins, the rush of adrenaline that pushed their maximum speed and strength to the limits of what their frail forms could handle... it was so very appealing, especially to one who didn't have a physical body of his own. Siegfried had an especially fun reaction to Nightmare's provocation – his rage spread to every fiber of his being and every part of him felt so deliciously alive… It was almost enough for Nightmare to feel a certain fierce joy at sharing the human's body. Almost.

"Don't speak in my language. You dirty it with your taint." Siegfried growled.

The door to the shack was locked, but effortless for Siegfried to throw open even without Nightmare's strength.

The interior of the shack was bare aside from a few pieces of simple furniture. It was crude, but Siegfried required little else. Soul Edge fell from his fingers and clattered to the wooden floorboards as he hauled his exhausted body into the hovel. Nightmare remained strangely quiet as Siegfried began to shed his azure armor. Piece by battered piece of the armor fell to the floor, accompanied by painful groans from Siegfried as his bruised and tender flesh was exposed to the cold air. His throat, torso and arms all displayed a macabre rainbow of colors, each a different shade of pain.

I can fix all of those for you, if you'd just let me. Nightmare's voice whispered into Siegfried's ear.

"No. Leave me alone." Siegfried slumped back onto the bed, eyes sliding closed despite his best efforts. He lay there for a moment, willing the pain to slow its circulation through his body along with his blood.

No! Siegfried sat up again, knowing that if he didn't keep moving, he would collapse. He limped over to the door and locked it again, knowing full well that it probably would do no good.

You think a few splinters of wood will hold me, Siegfried? You'll wake up again tomorrow morning with the blood of innocents on your hands. Cries of widows and orphans will be the symphony to which you will walk until the end of your days.

"…" Siegfried looked down at the sword he had discarded on the ground. The eye rolled over to fix its gaze on him.

Or you could just take your own life here.

"I'll never do that. Not while you exist." Siegfried walked over to the bed again and collapsed onto it.

Oh, but I'll always exist. Nightmare watched through the eye of Soul Edge as Siegfried drifted off into a deep, restless slumber. As the demon sword's spirit laughed softly to itself, the armor on the floor began to glow black. Rattling and creaking, it assembled itself in the air around a mass of what appeared to be black mist. The mist solidified slowly, gaining mass until the armor itself disappeared into it and the mist transformed into a man.

Nightmare grinned, pleased at how well his physical body had formed. Because he resided in Siegfried's soul, his body and features were identical to the swordsman's. Except, of course, for his right arm, which was now a monstrous claw. His skin was a smoky grey and his hair was jet black. His eyes resembled live coals.

"Poor little Siegfried… Containing me is such hard work." Nightmare walked over to where Siegfried lay asleep in the bed. "It's going to be so much fun devouring his soul."

Perhaps it was the sound of Nightmare's voice or perhaps it was merely Siegfried's own restless mind, but at that moment, his eyes opened. He looked up at the doppelganger looming above him, grinning down at him with very white teeth.

"What-?!" Siegfried tried to get up and run, but Nightmare crushed him back down into the bed with his claw.

"Don't you like it, Siegfried? Now I don't have to use yours all the time." He wrapped his claw around Siegfried's throat. "It will be so much easier now. All the benefits of having a body like yours, but none of the… drawbacks."

Siegfried gritted his teeth as Nightmare traced the myriad of bruises on his chest with a finger. It was frigid to the touch and slightly damp, like the outside of a cold glass. Siegfried pried the claw away from his throat and kicked Nightmare back, using the opportunity to scramble to his feet.

"How did you do this?!" He demanded.

"All the souls that I've been gathering with your body have finally given me enough power to form my own." Nightmare tossed his head, laughing at Siegfried. His cinder-eyes burned. "So you're useless to me now."

"Aren't you going to kill me?" Siegfried spat harshly.

Nightmare grabbed Siegfried's chin with his claw and held him in place as he tore a kiss from Siegfried's cracked lips.

"I said I didn't need you, Siegfried. I just want to play with you a little longer."

Fin.

Stille: Silence!

Geliebter: Beloved

Sonnenuntergang: Sunset