(Schu notes: All characters belong to Namco. I claim artistic license. This is why I abandon my belief that Raphael's is the true ending. It's also why Nightmare shoves his tongue down Raph's throat…and why Siegfried will be doing the same. The dialogue in the opening scene is based on the Japanese version of the Nightmare and Raphael destined battle animation, as the vocal quality is better and it serves the plot of the game and this fic more effectively. I also have written the fight with Inferno based on what my interpretation of what Inferno is. I will try to keep this as close to canon as possible with sticking to the story I would like to tell. I hope you enjoy.)

Nightmare sat waiting for something, anything to come his way. Part of him was waiting for another soul on which to feed, the other, Siegfried, trying to overpower this evil side and to free himself of its presence. He did not move as he felt the wind whip through his long blonde hair and heard footsteps enter the ruined cathedral.

"You're too weak for that, aren't you?" A voice said. Nightmare could feel the burning of the man's soul, desperately desiring Soul Edge. He grasped the Soul Edge with his inhuman arm and stood, the sword's evil energy flowing within him wanting to see if this stranger would be a more suitable master for it.

"Your insanity…show it to me," Nightmare said taking a battle stance.

The man, a tall blonde holding a rapier, lunged towards the knight at full force. Nightmare parried the attack and brought his sword down upon the fencer's back, knocking him into the ground. He was caught off guard as the man attacked with an upwards swipe as he came to his feet. He took a few quick jabs, twirled to Nightmare's left and lunged once more. Nightmare once again knocked the sword to the side. This man was insane in his desire to obtain the sword. Siegfried noted the sword's desire to control this man in the same way it controlled him. Nightmare grabbed the man by the right shoulder and pulled him close as if he was going to hit him with the butt of the sword. As the man struggled against the grip, Nightmare's claws scratched his neck and tore the man's clothing off his shoulder. Tired of the struggle, Nightmare pulled the man close and forced his way into a deep kiss. Siegfried used the moment of distraction to fight against the Soul Edge's hold on him.

The fencer finally freed himself from the kiss, obviously shaken and confused. This delay allowed Siegfried to gain brief control and swiped the man aside using his full strength and the side of the sword. The man took the blow and landed some feet away, knocked out. Siegfried sighed in relief. This gave him the opportunity to get far away from this danger.

This action caused the internal struggle to rise again. Siegfried fought the power of Soul Edge with all his might. He needed to rid himself of the sword, but as well find a way where the man who had attacked could not get a hold of it.

He paused as the ground shook and cracked beneath him and the area became engulfed in an unearthly flame. In the midst of the fire stood a flaming humanoid form. The figure's presence felt familiar to the one that had had control over Siegfried for so many years. He raised his sword against it. A fire surrounded what appeared to be a hand of the demonic creature and when it subsided, revealed a sword identical to the Soul Edge in Nightmare's possession. Without speaking, the demon made it very clear that it intended to fight. Siegfried could feel the sword in his hands express the urge to connect with the creature. Siegfried now knew he had to destroy what was standing in front of him. Perhaps there was a way to rid himself of Soul Edge afterwards. He recognized the stance in front of him as his own.

Siegfried made the first move to attack. He brought the sword down upon what was in front of him. He spun his body bringing the sword with it to attack while the creature was on the ground. The demon rose from the ground spinning in flames. It spiraled towards Siegfried and knocked him down effortlessly. As it came once more to the cracked ground, Siegfried stood and charged at the creature, his full power behind his sword. The attack was a success and the creature lifted off the ground, writhing in agony. It exploded in the air and Siegfried shielded his eyes from the flaming debris. When he sensed it was safe, he opened his eyes to see he was standing at the edge of a massive chasm, a river of lava flowing beneath him. "This is it," he said to himself. He raised his sword to cast it to the depths, but stopped as the Nightmare persona started to take over, trying to tempt him with power, threaten him with weakness, trying to take over his mind and body once more. Then he heard his own voice ringing out in the darkness. "Resist the evil presence!" it called. Siegfried tightened his gripped, thought for a brief moment, and then threw the sword deep into the darkness. The sound of what could only be the sword's destruction was deafening and the light coming from the chasm was blinding.

Once Siegfried could see again, he noted he was back in the church where it had started.

"Hey!" he heard yelled to him. He looked to his left to see the man who had attacked him sitting against one of the ruined walls, hand against his head. "Didn't you have a claw?"

Siegfried looked down to his right arm and noted it once again had five fingers and was human. He was now Siegfried Schtauffen once more in mind and body.

"Hey! I'm talking to you!" the man yelled again. "What happened to your claw?"

"It's over now," was the response Siegfried gave.

"Oh, good for you," said the man, in a dry, sarcastic manner. It was then that the man's eyes widened and he sat forward. "The sword! The Soul Edge! You had Soul Edge! Where did it go? What did you do with it?" In his fervor, the man reached for his rapier.

"I destroyed it. It needed to be destroyed."

The man stood, angrily. "What!? Destroyed it!? Why would you do such a thing? I needed that sword!"

Siegfried shook his head. "It's nothing that you're looking for."

The man raised his sword to Siegfried, obviously challenging him. "What do you know of what I'm looking for?"

"Enough to know that Soul Edge is not the answer. I cannot let anyone else have it."

The man threw his rapier to the ground, cursed whatever he had to curse and slumped against the wall once more. Siegfried walked to the wall and sat next to the man, staring forward. "What's your name?" he asked.

"Raphael Sorel," the man mumbled, deep within his own thought.

"Siegfried Schtauffen," he gave his name without being asked.

"You kissed me," Raphael said.

"No I didn't."

"Yes you did! You kissed me. You kissed me and you ripped off half of my shirt and jacket. I would like to know what you intend to do about this."

"Well I didn't kiss you."

"You most certainly did. Unless it was someone else that kissed me, but I don't see anyone else here, do you?"

Siegfried sighed. "It wasn't entirely me."

"Ah ha! So you did kiss me."

"I didn't kiss you! The Soul Edge did."

Raphael turned to Siegfried with an expression of disbelief. "Right. Of course it did. The sword possessed your body just so it could kiss me. Perfectly normal explanation."

"Hmmph." Siegfried decided that any explanation about the true nature of the sword would not be what Raphael wanted to hear.

"I still wish to know what you intend to do about my clothing."

Siegfried examined the man sitting next to him. He had a very lean build to him and very long legs, even for his height. He blushed as his eyes caught sight of Raphael's pale chest, rising and falling with his breath exposed to the cold air, thanks to the ripped clothing. He was still wearing the other half of the shirt and jacket.

"I'm not taking it off," Raphael said as he noticed where Siegfried's eyes were. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

"It's cold," Siegfried said, looking away. "You should put on something."

"You shouldn't be the one to tell me that," said Raphael gesturing to Nightmare's bare chest. "Besides, I don't have anything with me at the moment."

"I'm used to the cold." Siegfried looked to the sky. "It's going to be dark soon."

Raphael sighed. "I won't be able to get back to town in time. I also won't be able to make it through the woods with just my rapier."

"Stay here. No one comes here. You'll be safe."

Raphael stood. "Fine then. I'll go get some wood for a fire."

Siegfried watched Raphael leave to find something to burn. He felt the need to protect the fencer, but decided to stay. He was still ready to move in case he heard any sign of trouble. He was only relieved when he saw Raphael return, a bundle of sticks and tree branches in his arms. Raphael walked to Siegfried and dropped the bundle at his feet. "Well," the fencer said, resuming his sitting position, "are you going to make a fire?"