Soul Calibur III
Rebirth of the Soul Calibur
The Dark Tidings
Sweat was rolled on his brow.
Siegfried was surrounded by several figures; he can't run anywhere. His grip upon the Zweihander grew tighter. He looks frantic. His foes laughed derisively, as their crimson eyes gleamed in the dark. Letting his war cry, he swung his weapon uncontrollably but the mysterious figures evaded them with ease. They jeered at him again,
"Your strikes were weak. Fragile. Pathetic. Just like human souls."
"Accept your destiny. You are belonging to us!" The knight screamed,
"Silence... I will not obey you any more. I will atone for what I have done..." The figures walked closer to him, as they continued their verbal assault to their quarry,
"The depth of human greed astounds me. You sill seek forgiveness, after all you have done?"
"No! But one must reflect on one's sins and move onward." One of them laughed raucously,
"...Even if the path leads only to darkness? Only death awaits you in the end." Siegfried lifted Requiem to cut the jeering enemy; however he hit the empty place only. He began to despair,
"Is it because it is finite that people cling to the joys of life?" Another figure said,
"...Can you not hear them-the wails of the souls that were swallowed unto the abyss by your hand?" The German lifted his head and saw a single figure in front of him. He wore a white cloak and holds something like a scythe. Though obscured by the cloak, the knight saw something gleamed on the left eye. He laid his weapon and knelt on the ground. Strands of blond hair covered his face; he started to cry,
"I am eternally sorry for what I have done...but listen to me!" The cloaked figure spoke with deep voice,
"That isn't enough, Siegfried…you can't escape from your accursed destiny as well as mine. You only deceive yourself if you think you can change for good…"
"Like you, I try many times but all of them ended in failure. You shall be failing…"
"Nooo! I don't want to hear what you say!" Siegfried closed his ears with both of his hands, "I will undo what I have done with my own hand…" Suddenly, the cloaked figure laughed,
"Really? See your right hand again! It already claims its first victim!" Startled, the knight turned back and saw…the cold body of Isabella Valentine on his lap. Her white cloth was covered from neck to torso with blood; her blue eyes stared him with empty look. Not believing his own eyes, he looks shaken,
"Ivy…how…no, it can't be! No!" He shocked as his right hand had grown into monstrous proportions…like when he was Nightmare! The huge hand was slick with fresh blood. He looked back to the cloaked figure who already threw its cloak. What he saw, it makes him scream aloud…
Siegfried Schtauffen awoke. He could felt cold sweat upon his brow, and then he quickly lifted his right hand. Nothing happened; it was just a nightmare. The German breathed in relief; he remembers that he was in the Valentine Mansion. A sleeping figure came in to view. He turned to the sleeping figure beside him; it was Ivy. Her naked body was wrapped around the white sheets. The Englishwoman still held her Whip Sword. He was unable to forget what happened at Osthreinsburg Chapelsix month ago. Soul Edge had fallen into Raphael's hand and somehow the Englishwoman had spared him though she swore to destroy everything connected with that evil sword. She had given him a new life and identity. The knight felt indebted to her and swore to protect her, yet she treated him perfunctorily. Ivy sometimes closed herself inside the laboratory for weeks, ignoring him completely. He didn't know what she have doing inside. When she came out from the dark dungeon and strangely, she decided to spend time with him. Nevertheless, he felt nothing from her; just debt. No love, no hate and no affection! It simply passion! Siegfried leaned down putting her hand gently through the soft, short white hair but pulled up sharply as the woman shuffled slightly rolling onto her side murmuring in her sleep. Full moon shone lightly from the windows. He wondered whether she really loved someone once.
Back to England,
Siegfried swung his sword to the dummy with precision. He felt his swordsmanship still need improvement. Then he saw Ivy coming in. The countess wore the purple gown that almost revealed her bosom. She tucked a leather-bound book with right hand. He came closer to her,
"Good morning, Countess…" Her glare stopped him at the track. She stared him intensely like a beast watch its prey. That made the knight feels uneasy in front of her.
"Is there anything you want?" her voice was uneven, but cold. He spoke,
"I wonder if you have a spare time; I want to ask you to…" She already cut him before finishing the sentence,
"I'm very sorry, Siegfried. I have to do something in my laboratory tonight…" Siegfried's face was fallen,
"Probably some other time," The German offered her a slight grin,
"Sure, thanks for your time, Countess Isabella…" After saying so, he returned to the practice room. Ivy watched him without any expression, but then she went into her underground laboratory.
This book is very important…I don't have time to waste by doing the puppy love with that knight. If this is succeed, then we have chance to remove the Soul Edge from my life forever…The heavy door slammed.
Somewhere at Yunnan,
The boat sailed the river gently. Three people were on the boat. The youth wore red trouser and a shredded, blue sash tied around his waist. He also wore a shoulder guard at his left and phoenix-shaped knee guard on both of his knee. The red rod rest firmly on his left hand. He offered his hand to his companion, who fell onboard,
"Here, Xiang!" The young girl took his hand and pulled herself up, smiling sheepishly,
"Thanks, Kilik!" Xianghua wore pink costume and blue trousers that fit upon her lithe body. She held the same old, battered sword that once was Soul Calibur. After the last fight with Inferno, the spirit sword had gone silent. Then they were separated themselves with the other fighters who have the same intention to find Soul Edge. The Alexandra's sisters had returned to Greece. At Ayutthaya, they also separated from Maxi, who expressed his intention to sail again. Meanwhile, Xianghua wanted to know about her lost sister, Xianglian. Kilik offered to bring her to her grave and introduced her to Edgemaster. En route, they arrived at the small town that was struck with a strange illness. Moved with pity, the Master of Ling-Sheng-Su decided to cure those people. Thanks for the fragment of Dvapara-Yuga, he was able to cure them. From the citizens, Kilik learned the illness came from the strange place. Then someone broke the musing,
"Hey, Kilik! You are daydreaming again…" The young master turned to the girl,
"Sorry, I was preoccupied with the illness that we encountered at the town," Xianghua nodded only,
"What do you think? Is this illness caused by the remaining Evil Seed?"
"Probably. We have destroyed the largest portion of them when fighting Inferno, but there might be some who scattered around the earth. Only T'ian knows how many of them…" Again, she nodded,
"Eh, Kilik! Do you think someone else other than me and my sister?" The question surprised him,
"Why do you think that, Xiang?" She smiled naughtily,
"I just wondering only…you have been wandered around the world and saw the beautiful girls around. Who knows? You might attracted to them," Now his turn to smiled,
"Are you jealous, Xiang?" The girl facefaulted, and then shook her head,
"Jealous? No way! It is too childish! There is no way for me to be jealous with you! I know who the jealous one is…" Kilik chuckled,
"All right, I admit that I was jealous to Maxi for being close to you before!" Yet Xianghua didn't laugh this time,
"You must like Miss Sophitia or Mi-na or even Talim. They are beautiful and not to mention…sexy,"
"What? Come on, Xiang! It is natural to be jealous to the others because they were beautiful. You are beautiful too…"
Faraway, the tall, dark-skinned man kept watching the arguing couples. The man's head was shaven like a monk. He wore brown cloth and green trousers. A black bandanna covered his left face. The gold rings and necklaces adorned him. A grin formed on the corner of his lips.
Midnight at Valentine Mansion,
Isabella Valentine sat alone inside her laboratory. Various flasks, containers and stuffs filled the table. Some scribbling adorned the cracked wall. Her face looked pale, but she didn't care. She had read the ancient book many times and felt excited. Closing her eyes in contemplation, she pondered,
Soul Calibur…the good counterpart of Soul Edge! If I could recover the sword, I would be able to break my curse forever. She turned to her beloved weapon,
Valentine acts strangely since the last fight with Soul Edge…is that the adverse effect? The image of Raphael deflecting her Summon Suffering was fresh in her memory; she considered it as an insult. However, she also realized there was no way to beat the corrupted noble as long as he still wields the evil sword. She closed the book,
Only with Soul Calibur, I can be able to defeat Raphael and break that accursed sword! I must find it! With heavy steps, Ivy went upstairs. When she entered the living room, she felt something strange. It seemed she wasn't alone. Her mind raced,
Someone enter the mansion! He was watching me! Siegfried? She quickly banished that name,
No, it wasn't him! That fool is too chivalric to do such thing…it is someone else… She shouted aloud,
"Come out and show yourself! You have courage to enter the Valentine Mansion without my permission!" Then the sound of the door opening startled her. The figure appeared at the door was a man! The man was
tall, with dark skin, wearing a white robe. She asked in a firm tone.
"Who are you?" The mysterious man asked in a quiet, cold voice,
"Did you read the book?" In the following silence they both learned the answer to their respective questions. With a sudden movement, Ivy threw her gown away, revealing her white costume and the whip blade at the same time. She quickly sent a flurry of attacks toward the intruder,
"Immortal Gale!" Air passed through Valentine, producing a screech-like noise. Before the vertical attack touched him, the mysterious man whispered,
"Kafziel!" The man lifted his right hand and a white-gold scythe materialized on air. As he grabbed the weapon, he said,
"Sickle of Sin!" He sent a backhand swing that blocked Ivy's attack and sent her backward. The Englishwoman merely smiled; it had been a long time to not fight. She licked her lips,
"I'll play with you... for a little while." The robed man didn't answer nor pursue the attack. Instead landed, he vanished from the sight. Valentine reverberated. Instinctively, Ivy leaped on air and unleashed Singing Sparrow. Twice, the clangs of steel echoed along the mansion. The tall man distanced himself from the countess. Ivy had to admit this man was better than her, almost reminds her to…
Father, is that you? She hissed through her teeth, before pulled the whip sword to the next attack,
"Ivy Lash!" The sword stretched itself toward the robed man, but the target leaped forward. He evaded the sword and swung the scythe to the surprised Ivy,
"Kingu the Sly Lord!" He took her with the back of his scythe, swung and slammed her to the marble floor. The Englishwoman felt pain upon her body and her pride as well. When she tried to rise, the man picked the book that she dropped up. She said with fear,
"No…"
"This is a mistake from my past," the man said. "The world no longer needs this." The book burst into flames. He dropped the book on the floor. The flames spread with an unusual fervor, separating the two.
"Stop!" The man turned around and saw the armor-clad knight before him. The blaze made their features glowing. The German shouted,
"Stay away from her!" As a reply, the robed man launched attack to him,
"Lilitu's Thorn of Hatred!"
"Armor Breaker!" When their attack impacted, the powerful clang shook the entire mansion. Siegfried rolled backward to reduce the impact, while the mysterious intruder kept his stance.
"So you're here…have you heard the call?" The knight was stunned,
"What?" Before he managed to control himself, Ivy already attacked the robed man again. The tall man deflected her attack with ease. Siegfried immediately joined her; together they surrounded the man. She growled,
"Siegfried, stay away from this! He's mine!" The German held her shoulder,
"Wait, Ivy!"
"Let your hand off me!" After brushing off the knight, Ivy ran toward the intruder.
"Ershkigal's Frozen Touch!" The robed man pulled his scythe backward, while thrust his left hand forward. When he jerked, the Englishwoman was pulled by a powerful force toward him. She got the powerful blow that left her sprawling on the floor.
"Ivy! Darn you!" Siegfried lifted Requiem, ready to slice the man into two. The scythe-wielding man planted his scythe and delivers a strong high kick to him. He felt the air forced out from his lung, yet he refused to yield. To avoid that, he drove his weapon on the floor, forcing himself to stand. At that time, he noticed the man had a glowing left eye,
"Who…are…you?" he asked, though the pain still seared his chest
"You're interesting…why should you avoid your fate?" Heard that, the knight gritted,
"There will be…no more death…done in my name…" The man's expression didn't change,
"If you wish to learn everything about the cursed sword and the spirit world, then follow the knight you know well..."Siegfried was confused to hear those words until the realization dawned inside,
Nightmare returns…impossible! How could that be? I'm…" He shouted furiously,
"I'm done... WITH NIGHTMARES!" The knight stormed his opponent again, but this time, the robed man merely blocked his advance. He didn't flinch as the German pushed him; he looks immobilized. The man said,
"You were stronger than I expected but it's still not enough." With fluid motion, the mysterious man knocked Siegfried backward. Before he moves forward, they could hear the clamor of the crowd outside. Ivy went closer to him, as the man continued,
"You cannot resist against fate …" He turned to her,
"Even you…" Staring the robed man with angry look, Ivy asked,
"What is your name? I must know my opponent, at least …" The man answered solemnly,
"In my past, I was known as Zasalamel…" With these words the man disappeared behind the curtain of flames. Meanwhile, the loyal servants of the Valentine family had broke into the mansion and put down the flames around. Luckily, there was no major damage. The book was nothing but ashes. The Countess pondered something, while rolled her whip sword,
"Zasalamel…" She saw the knight still dazed with the revelation.
"Siegfried." The man didn't answer but continued to stare at the floor. This had really hit him hard. Ivy actually felt sorry for him. Suddenly, she felt something amiss,
Sorry? Since when I feel sorry to him? Shaking her head, she barked,
"Siegfried! Wake up!"
"Huh?" The knight said, and blinked, as if coming out of a trance. She shook her head again. She couldn't bring him along, not the way he was now. She tried to say softly as she can,
"Siegfried, I will go to pursue this Zasalamel. I think you are better to stay at the mansion now,"
"I should go with you," he protested weakly. She answered sternly,
"No! Not in this condition! About return of Nightmare, we will talk about it once I returned!" The knight was unable to protest; he bowed his head dejectedly and left her. Suddenly, Ivy felt nauseated. She quickly held her stomach and vomited its content to the nearest vase. She felt relieved when it was done.
What is happening to me? I experience this feeling since last month…she lifted Valentine,
Is there any other cause for Valentine's weakening? She didn't have the answer, but she knew how to get the answer. She had lost the book, but its contents were etched into her memory. The Countess snickered,
"This will be over quickly…Zasalamel,"
Meanwhile, at Yunnan,
Kilik and Xianghua arrived to a huge Buddha statue at the riverside. The boatman anchored his boat at the small pier nearby. The youth's face grew stern, while the Dvapara-Yuga fragment pulsated on his chest. Xianghua didn't ask anything until he went down to the pier. She quickly paid the boatman and followed him.
"Is it here, Kilik?" she asked. The young master nodded, while he stared the huge statue,
"No doubt, Xiang! I sense the strange presence on the statue…"
"Then, why are we waiting for? Let's go!" The Chinese girl paced faster to the stairways leading to the statue. Kilik followed her from behind,
They arrived nearby the statue's feet, but nobody there. Taking her breath, the former Imperial Guard leaned herself upon the rocky toes. She turned to the Master of Ling-Sheng-Su,
"Are you sure this is the place? I didn't see anyone…" Kilik didn't flinch,
"I'm sure!" Suddenly, a white-robed man appeared from nowhere on the statue's palm. His appearance surprised both warriors; especially he brought a huge scythe. Xianghua immediately shouted,
"Hey, who are you?" The young warrior asked,
"So, you are the source of the illness that happened on the previous city? What do you want from that?" The mysterious man was silent for a moment, and finally he spoke,
"You who are close to the spirit sword - leave this place. A great evil is poised to sweep over this land. Without your mirror, you cannot infuse you weapon with power." Kilik felt the man possessed an extraordinarily forceful presence, even he felt intimidated at first. But then he steeled himself and returned the question,
"What do you mean with 'a great evil'?" The man didn't answer. Xianghua stopped,
"I think we should drag him here, and then we can ask everything! Open wide, because here I come!"
"Xiang, no!" The girl had leaped airborne and pointed her sword to the robed man,
"Lan Hua Slice!" Before the sword touched him, the man countered the strike with:
"Namtar's Claw!" Xianghua's attack was blocked by a powerful horizontal attack, before she realized the man already behind her. She was shocked,
"Look out, Xiang!" The robed man didn't give her a chance; he thrust his weapon forward, then slashed her in circular pattern and closed the attack by a full overhead strike that hit Xianghua squarely. She was unable to block those simultaneous attacks. The girl crashed the ground instantly. The man remarked cynically,
"What a disappointment for the one who defeated Inferno twice…you can't even withstood my Marduk's Thunder,"
"Try me then! KONNOOOOOH!" Kilik was about to launch overhead attack to the man, however his opponent blocked the attack with Paean to Ishtar. The Kali-Yuga impacted with a thunderous clang with Kafziel. The young master was knocked four steps away, while the man looks undisturbed. Kilik watched Xianghua who still woozy, before staring his opponent,
"If something happens to Xianghua, you will pay dearly!"
"Very well... this should interesting," The young warrior attacked him again; this time forward. The mysterious man waited and positioned the scythe in front of him. He grinned slightly, but then the grin disappeared when he saw the youth changed his course into circular and strike at his unprotected back. He swung his rod,
"Phoenix Pounce!" He vaulted the man airborne and prepared to whip his weapon vertically. To his shock, the man encountered the attack,
"Ea's Judgement!" With an overhead slash, he broke Kilik's momentum to attack. Yet the master of Ling-Sheng-Su wasn't give up easily. He whirled the weapon above his head, as his opponent was about to land. The robed man knelt and unleashes his next attack,
"Twin Blades of Shamash!" He swung his scythe highly, forcing the youth to distance safely. However, he sensed another attack toward him. Quickly, he utilized the remaining horizontal slash to deter the sneak attack. The steel clanged and the girl leaped thrice to reduce the impact.Kilik shouted,
"Xiang!" The female fighter went to him,
"I'm sorry, but I won't give in! Kilik, this man is tougher than Inferno!"
"I know! You should be more careful next time!" Then, they simultaneously attacked the man. Together, they closed each other weakness and pressed their opponent. It almost looks like their last fight against Inferno. But the man didn't do anything but deflecting their attacks until he pulled out quite a distance and said,
"Both of you are strong, but you are no match against my experience!" Sensing something, Xianghua and Kilik prepared their strongest attack,
"Muu Jiann!" The robed man crouched and blocked the girl's attack. Instantly, the block transformed into a rising gut-ripping attack. The edge of scythe tugged Xianghua's clothes. When he lifted it, the attack ripped her clothes, narrowly slicing the abdomen. Stunned, she was unable to avoid the roundhouse attack at her body,
"Xianghua!" Kilik thought the opponent was preoccupied temporarily, but he was wrong. The man sent a rising attack that threw him off guard, followed by a knee attack and clubbing attack. The young master was startled for a moment as the edge of scythe hit her head. The fragment of Dvapara-Yuga snapped and fell. Everything was blurred and he fell to the ground insensate. Xianghua ran to tend him, and stared the mysterious man courageously. The robed man didn't pursue his attack; instead he took the fragment and stared them intensely,
"Love…both of you amuses me…" While holding his scythe down, the robed man continued,
"I see your boyfriend possess arts for purifying evil, but do not underestimate the evil of the sword. If he challenge it unprepared, he will surely find himself trapped within its dark abyss." She hugged Kilik, while shouting back,
"The evil of the sword? You mean Soul Edge? No way! I already destroyed Inferno! You are lying!"
"Do you think so?" The girl struggled inside. She was sure the evil sword had been destroyed, but this man spoke convincingly. She was more concerned with Kilik's condition. He continued,
"I am called Zasalamel. Follow the Soul Edge and we'll see again soon…" The Egyptian turned his back and vanished inside the mist. The Chinese girl snapped bitterly, as she carried her wounded companion,
"Perhaps sooner than you think…" The young master was still unconscious.
Carpathian Mountains, Romania,
Raphael Sorel sighed in desperation. He held the Soul Edge Rapier at his right hand. He came to this backwater territory, hoping to build his life with Amy anew. The territory was wracked with skirmishes between two great empires, Russia and Ottoman Empire. Amidst the chaos of war, he hoped that nobody would disturb them but he was wrong. It was begun with the vendor who brought the so-called 'Holy Stone'. He didn't expect the tiny stone would cost him so much; it diminished Raphael's influence. In addition, the Turkish and Russian soldiers turned their attention to him. Plenty of corpses lay beneath his feet; these foolish soldiers tried to kidnap Amy and he rewarded them with death. Then someone called him,
"Papa, are you there?" The pale-faced master turned around and saw a red-haired girl. Her eyes were bloodshot like him. The girl's lips were slightly darker. Yet, Amy had grown into a young lady. She wasvery beautiful, though still bore the curse of Soul Edge…like him. Despite her inhuman appearance and their present life, the young girl didn't complain and continued to follow him. Raphael begun to teach her La Rapiere des Sorel; she might need the skill to defend herself. However, nobody could expect to fight the powerful empires forever, even with Soul Edge in possession. The 'Holy Stone' was a proof of that.
"What is it, Amy?" The girl said,
"Someone wants to meet you," A cloaked man loomed behind her. The Frenchman frowned; he didn't sense his presence nor the Soul Edge. Even so, he greeted him with courtesy,
"Greetings, stranger! Allow me to entertain you." The man spoke, ignoring the intense watching from Soul Edge,
"I have come to warn you…someone is hunting you," Raphael miffed only,
"The Russian soldiers? Turkish? They're welcome to try…"
"No, an old friend…" the man grinned, "The Azure Nightmare!" The name reminded the Frenchman about their last fight a year ago. He said later,
"No problem... it's just as I expected. That fool never knows how to quit," The cloaked man added,
"He's not alone. After your betrayal, he'd gained new allies and begun to hunt you. He also pursued something…a spirit sword named Soul Calibur," The sword reverberated violently when the name was mentioned. Raphael shook his weapon to calm it, and then he asked again,
"I've read about that, but it just a myth…isn't it?"
"Like the sword that you hold now? You'd known better to not believe, Raphael Sorel." The noble didn't reply. That information was disturbing indeed, but he couldn't dismiss that. If Soul Calibur returned, Amy's existence surely threatened. He had to find it before Nightmare does!
"Why did you give me this information? What do you gain for that?" The man smiled through his golden left eyes,
"Just say, I like to give something!" Raphael didn't concerned with his own life, but he couldn't let Amy alone. Knowing that, the man spoke again,
"I will be here to guard your daughter if necessary. You just concentrate yourself to find Soul Calibur,"
The Frenchman stared him intensely; he wondered whether he had to trust this stranger. Then Amy Sorel said,
"Papa, you can leave me with him. Beside, I can defend myself now!" She glanced with deathly look to the man,
"If something wrong, I will kill him first. Rest assured, Papa!" Raphael smiled,
"My little girl has grown up…if that so, I leave this to you!"
On the top of the castle, Amy watched his adopted father leaving the palace with horse. As she mused, the man came,
"That's tough talk from a girl like you…" The French girl produced the Queen's Guard on her right hand,
"Papa didn't teach me for nothing…" Pointing her sword, she went closer to him with seductive poses,
"May I know your name, stranger?" The tall man threw his cloak as an answer; the cloak quickly wrapped them and vanished from the sight.
Ruins of Osthreinsburg Castle, Germany,
Huge bonfire blazed in the midst of the ruins. The undead were all around the place. The smell of decay hovered on the air. The rotten and mangled corpses shambled around, while the skeletons skulked. They brandished various kinds of weapons they could hold such as sickle, saber, sword etc. They turned around when the huge figure walked into the middle. It was…the Azure Knight. It seemed it had grown stronger than before. The jagged maw on its right shoulder was gnashing its razor-sharp teeth. The huge right hand sported its claw. The creature held a huge, fleshy sword with a yellow-reddish eye close to the hilt. Behind the steel visor, those crimson eyes blazed like hellfire, staring the surrounding with unquenched hunger of souls. It found nothing but those soulless revenants. Inside its armor, it heard a cacophony of tortured souls. Then the knight stopped and spoke with voice of thousand demons,
"My minions! It is the right time to harvest soul! I have brought you back to aid me!" The living dead could only moan mindlessly. Despite that, Nightmare barked,
"Go forth! Find the strongest soul for me! I shall not be denied this time! Find them!" With one accord, those undead went forth to the four winds. Some of them formed packs, while few went solo. The Azure Nightmare remained where he was. It already knew which of them would die, which would return with greater strength and experience, and which would perhaps do both thanks to his power. Yet, the results were same; they would bring the souls to it. The knight turned back to those who shrouded behind the darkness,
"Come out, my servants! I have waited you…" The green-haired girl came out from the shade. The clothes almost revealed her ample chest and her pants barely covered. She didn't care, while she wielded a huge steel ring. Her youthful look concealed the beast inside; the green eyes gleamed with strange flame. What she lacked in age, she made up in madness. Behind her, a sickly pale, thin man crawled. He was strapped from head to torso and wore the purple-colored skimpy costume. The girl knelt respectfully in front of Nightmare,
"Voldo and I have come as you ordered, Master," The knight turned around and nodded with satisfaction.
"Get up, my daughter!" Tira rose, awaiting her liege's command. The Italian stared the demonic knight dumbly. Then the creature spoke,
"I have a mission for you! Go to Athens and find the Alexandra's sisters. One of them had children…the potential hosts for Soul Edge. Find and bring them here as possible…" The Danish girl smiled coldly upon hearing it. She asked,
"Can I play with those sisters before I tear them apart?" Nightmare caressed the girl's hair gently,
"You're welcome, my daughter! But don't forget to claim their souls in my name! Now go and bring them!" Tira bowed again, before turning back into darkness with her companion. The Azure Knight flushed with satisfaction. Since its resurrection, it had difficulty to find the strongest souls. Even the seasoned warriors tend to avoid him as much as possible. The situation forced Nightmare to create Revenants, but to its disappointment, the undead were not reliable servants. Everything changed when the Danish assassin swore her allegiance to him. Much more, she brought Vercci's servant as well. Yet, they were the pawns. Once they were defeated by someone stronger than them, Nightmare would overcome the challenger and claimed their souls.
"That was to be expected from the likes of you." Nightmare didn't have to turn back, as the robed man stood behind it. The creature asked,
"How long you have been there?" Zasalamel replied,
"Long enough to see your underlings come and go, Inferno!" Behind his visor, the knight winced upon his lost name. It didn't have any luxury to use that name in mortal plane. Instead, he took the name that Siegfried Schtauffen once used. The Egyptian asked,
"Have you find Raphael Sorel?"
"Not yet," The Azure Nightmare replied, "I have been quite busy of creating Revenants or finding the strong souls. Tira and Voldo can help me, but I have sent them for another errand…" Zasalamel frowned,
"All the more reason not to waste your time with such insignificant work; you should participate as well, or perhaps you lost your vaunted skills as well…" Nightmare warned with a hiss,
"Watch your tongue, Zasalamel! You were my servant once…" the man replied disdainfully,
"The table have been turned now, Inferno," The immortal added,
"We have the deal to lure Siegfried, Raphael and hopefully, Soul Calibur. That's your bargain!"
"You should find the Chinese girl, instead of them!" The Azure Nightmare stopped when Kafziel was pointed to him,
"I have already checked her; she didn't have the sword," The Egyptian gave the creature a dagger look. His left eye glowed like a flame,
"I don't like your tone a moment ago; you should be more respectful when talking to your benefactor. Had I not coming there, you were still an empty armor instead now." Nightmare looked at Zasalamel, while gritting inside. It was good that he could not see its face when it spoke,
"I shall find them myself…if you want so,"The dark-skinned man turned lazily, pulling his scythe away,
"No need, I have directed them to you, including Cervantes' daughter. Do your part and let's finish this quickly." He glanced for the last time,
"Curse your fate as I do mine." With those words, he disappeared from the sight. Everything was silent for a moment. Nightmare drove his Soul Edge Phantom violently into the floor. The place shook under the powerful impact. Instantly, the revenants appeared before it. That was as far it got! Roaring like a beast, the knight pulled the huge sword and bashed his creations into oblivion. It still slashed uncontrollably though nothing remained. It was too humiliating for the Hellfire of Despair to be reduced into a mere servant by someone more powerful.
"I will avenge this insult, Zasalamel…you will see!" Then he roared again,
"Death! I want to taste more deaths! I shall cover the entire world... in darkness." The thunder cracked above the Azure Knight and rain fell upon its armor. The creature pulled the Phantom Zweihander and laughed,
"I shall show you... the GREATEST... nightmare!" The terrible laugh echoed into the night, even into the end of Abyss…
Author's Note: Hi, long time not see! I've decide to write this fanfic to follow –up 'Return of the Soul Edge' fanfic according SC III. Nightmare and Raphael, the remaining villains from 'Return' also returned, but Zasalamel took the major role this time. If it is possible, I will continue this story and you will see more returning and new characters. Please give your reviews, critics (and flames) as well. See you soon!