Soul Calibur IV
Legacy of the Souls
Prologue
The Disturbances
Five thousand years before at the land of Canaan,
The wails of mourning filled the skies, as the brave warriors carried something covered with burial shroud by the stretcher. They went to the huge citadel, which almost rival the splendor of Uruk. An old man led the band silently, while using his staff to step forward. The wails got louder as they entered the citadel; the maidens wept and threw the white flower to greet the somber band.
From another direction, another band came. They were led by a huge, broad-chested man with black, braided hair. His appearance looks regal, despite marred by concern on his countenance. The man was hurried his pace, almost left the entourage behind. Once both met at the gate, he immediately asked,
"What happened? Where is my son?" Instantly, the other band before him bowed, and put the stretcher on the ground. The old man explained,
"Mighty chief, there was a fierce battle! Your son had defeated the traitor and reclaimed the magic blade…" To everyone's shock, the huge man grabbed and lifted him close to his face.
"I don't want that!" He snarled, "I ask you for the last time…where are my son?" The old man gulped nervously and replied,
"O, mighty one! Your son is…lost in the battle with the traitor…"
"LIAR!!" The chief threw the man away and went over to the stretcher. When he pulled the shroud away, his face instantly turned white and his eyes filled with disbelief. In front of him, the body of a youth lay lifelessly. He felt powerless and fell to the ground. He hit the ground angrily, before screaming out with anguish,
"NOOOOOOOOO…"
19 BBY
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…
Inside the Super Star Destroyer Executor
The dark figure mediated silently within the mediation chamber. Then something stirred the figure from his deep meditation. He mused inside,
Strange…I feel a disturbance in the Force. Surely it wasn't the Jedi or the Emperor. The black-clad man tried to dismiss that, but he couldn't.
I have to find the source of the distortion…it seems outside the time and space. The loud mechanical wheezing came out from his breathing apparatus. Silently, Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith smiled to himself.
I shall find the source with some help …there is nothing impossible as long as the Dark Side with me! Now he had changed the objective of his meditation; to unravel the disturbance.
At the same time, at Planet Dagobah,
In the midst of obnoxious smell of the swamp, Yoda actually felt tranquility. He begun to commune with the Force. Sometimes he remembered his fellow Jedi Masters who had fallen during the Clone War and Order 66. Some of them had met with the violent death, thanks to the machinations of Sith. The master banished such memories from his mind. Giving to such thing would give the Dark side a desired victory. He would consider them now one with the Force.
Yet, something made Yoda upset recently. There was a disturbance in the Force, but it wasn't the ordinary one. The disturbance was located outside the present time and space. He wondered whether that was the Empire's scheme, however this…beyond the ancient knowledge of Jedi and Sith. Yoda sensed an epic struggle, and knew he had to do something. But he must not interfere directly, lest it would shatter the balance. He mused,
"Hmm, out there somewhere is…the cause I must find," Silently, he continued his Jedi meditation, hoping there was someone out there who inclined to follow the Light Side…
Meanwhile, at the different time and space,
The bare-chested youth stood upon the ship's upper deck. The green bandanna strapped tightly on his head. He wore the baggy red trousers and green belts. The youth felt the gentle breeze upon his sweated body. Not for long, someone called,
"Ahoy, Yun-Seong! What are you doing? How is the sea?" Hong Yun-Seong turned around and saw the pirate behind him. Maxi wore his usual costume, though this time with a feathered appearance. Nevertheless, the costume was displaying his well-toned body. The Korean youth was snickering only,
"Everything is fine, Captain!" he replied respectfully, "I am apologizing to not notice you here…"
"Don't bother," Maxi said while brushing his hair, "It isn't our first time, is it? We've meet each other too often! So, don't be so formal…just call me Maxi or…the Dandy of the South Sea," The captain came up and then looked around.
"Hey, where is your girlfriend?" he asked, "I thought she was with you…"
Yun-Seong answered, "You mean Talim? Well, she was having her sun-bathing at the opposite side of the ship. Why do you ask her?" Maxi smiled only,
"Let's us go to her…" Then they went to another side of the ship.
At the opposite side of the ship, a young girl was having a sun-bathing. She wore a quite large hat, while her midrib and chest was revealed. In addition, her silken transparent trousers failed to cover her sun-tanned skin. Her long green hair flowed to the back. Hearing someone coming, she turned and greeted them,
"Hi, kumusta, Kuya Maxi at Yun-Seong..." she added with Tagalog, "Masarap ng araw, kahit mainit. Bakit nandito ka?" The pirate asked,
"Er, Talim. Can I ask you something?" The Filipino nodded with childish charm, before asking,
"Ano yun, Kuya?"
Maxi continued, "Could you call more winds to push my ship? We might arrive faster to our destination,"
Talim quickly replied, "Oo, bakit hindi?" Slowly, the priestess rose and spread her arms away. Her lips begun to chant something in her native language.
Anito ng hangin, nakinig sa kagustuhan ng anak n'yo. Ibigay mo ng kalakasan ng hangin. Ipakita mo para sa ibang tao ng kapangnyarihan ng hangin. Then the mild breeze started to blow the sails, pushing the ship faster. Maxi couldn't help to wonder, but he knew better than question folklore. He had seen the similar thing when he was at Okinawa. Few moments later, he said,
"Talim, that's enough! Thanks for your help…" At that time, the girl stopped her chanting and replied,
"Walang anuman, Kuya! Gusto ko tutulungan!" The pirate merely nodded, and then left both of them alone. The Korean noticed she looks unhappy. Walking closer to her, he asked,
"Dear Talim, is it something wrong?" The Filipino wiped tears at her eyes,
"Nag-iisipan ko si Ate Taki kung nakita ko ang dagat ito...pero nawala si'ya..." Yun-Seong hugged her, trying to comfort her. He said,
"It is hard to believe that she's dead..." Suddenly he gritted his teeth, "...ironically, the weapon that she sought to destroy still survives..." Talim replied,
"Soul Edge...mabuhay uli ang bangungot ito..." she added, "Kailangan tatapusin ito..."
"Yes, Talim! We'll end the monster together..." Then he hugged her dearly, whispering Tagalog words,
"Mahal kita ako, Talim…" The girl answered back,
"Mahal kita rin, Kuya…hindi ko kaya mabuhay kung walang ikaw," The Filipino lifted herself up and kissed the taller Korean youth.
Maxi watched the couple from a distance. Actually he felt jealous inside. They reminded him to his best buddies Kilik and Xianghua, This coming week, they would celebrate their engagement ceremony. He sighed to ponder all of them were reunited by one thing…Soul Edge and Soul Calibur. When the evil sword came to his mind, he was reminded of…Astaroth, the creature who had killed his sworn brother Kyam and the crews. The last thing he saw the golem was when he fell to the depths of Chaos. There was no way he could survive from that…or could he? If so, why the Evil Seed inside him still resonates? He remembered their last conversation,
"Brother…" It disgusted Maxi very much to hear such abomination speak like that. He eventually realized Astaroth could come back again and…again. As long as the remnants of Evil Seed inside him, it could resurrect itself…unless he had the Soul Calibur! Yes, he must get the holy blade in order to sever the connection between him and the golem. Afterward, he would end their feud for good! Yun-Seong and Talim would help him to find the Soul Calibur.
At the dark, secluded place,
The fierce battle had just taken place. Bloodied corpses and broken weapons were scattered everywhere. Upon the boulder, the Azure Knight leaned itself. He held the Soul Edge Rebirth tightly; the evil blade was his extension now. The half-eaten body protruded from its makeshift maw. The creature had been devoured their souls, yet it was far from enough to sustain his existence. The crimson glow of its eyes begun to dim, and his ethereal 'hair' faded. Nightmare realized its body was unstable, and he needed another Soul Seed or vessel to exist. Worse, he couldn't even sense whereabouts of Tira, her once-loyal servant.
Suddenly a disembodied voice spoke to him, "You aren't so strong, are you?" The evil knight startled to hear the voice who spoke directly to him. He shouted,
"Who are you? Show yourself!" The mysterious voice chuckled,
"Come on, you'd forgot me so fast...I'm disappointed!" As the mocking voice said, a star at the constellation Perseus shone brightly on the heaven. Nightmare noticed the star intensely until he croaked,
"No...it can't be!Algol!" The voice laughed mockingly,
"Yes, Inferno! It is me! I have returned from the death! We shall end our grudges once and for all at this pathetic world! You'd better found a vessel, because I'll come for you..."
Nightmare growled, "You won't destroy me easily! You hear that, Algol!" Wherever he was, Algol merely laughed behind the darkness as the star continued to shine brightly at the night sky.
Then, at the same time in Bremen, Germany
Restless…that was the correct word to describe her now. Tira couldn't sleep; her memories went to one and a half year after her master disappeared and the Hell Guardian abandoned her. By coincidence, she met with the traveling circus and had become their main attraction since then. She felt accepted among them, yet she yearned for something else and it was getting stronger.
The Danish girl awoke and saw someone slept beside her. He was a young juggler named Franz. It was no secret that he liked her…and somehow the feeling is mutual. Before he had caressed his face, a harsh voice spoke to her,
"How dare you betray our Master? You don't need this weakling!" Startled with that, she mumbled unconsciously in a meek tone,
"Please spare him…everyone including him has been kind to me…" At that moment, she grimaced and said,
"Very well, perhaps Master would kill him by himself…" Tira shouted within,
"Stop it! I would do anything as long as you let Franz alive…"
"That's enough! I said we have to kill everyone, including him!" The Danish turned to her trusted steel ring, Ixion. Hesitating, she took the weapon and positioned it to decapitate the young man. Despite her eyes gleamed with insanity, she didn't brought the ring as expected. She gritted her teeth, struggling with another persona of hers.
Then a Watcher perched nearby and croaked. The girl turned to the bird, and something dawned in her mind,
She cheered, "Our Master is back! This is his sign! We have to hurry!"
Another 'Tira' asked, "What about him?" Together, they turned to the sleeping Franz.
Few minutes later,
Franz yawned and reached sleepily to his left side, but found nobody. Slowly, he awoke and rubbed his eyes.
"Tira? Where are you?" he called, but nobody answered. The Danish girl had left to fulfill her only destiny: obey her dark master…
Miles away from Tira's place,
Mount Vesuvius has been known with the last volcanic explosion, which buried the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. After unleashing such destruction, the volcano went into its slumber and the people around it were concerned with its awakening. Even some said the entrance of Inferno was underneath its belly. Nobody dared to awake the sleeping giant. Today, the volcano would give birth to another form of destruction…
Upon the surface of molten magma inside, a huge hand burst out. It held an axe, and then the rest of the body came forth. The creature dragged itself painstakingly through the fiery magma, and stepped the drier ground. Its appearance was less humanoid; its skin was craggy like a lime rock. The webbed cracks at limbs, shoulders and chest were bright with flowing magma inside. Sulfurous vapor came as the creature huffed and puffed. Not for long, a voice came from the heavens,
"My champion, Astaroth! You have been freed from Chaos!" it sounded excited, "Now find Soul Edge once more and bring it to me!" The Merciless Destroyer was silent momentarily, until then,
"No!" he rumbled, "I won't follow anyone's order again! I won't be an errand boy anymore!!" Ares, the God of War mocked,
"Fascinating, what we have here? A doll starts to think for itself? Ker, I warn you to not double-crossing me…" Hearing that, the golem bellowed aloud,
"I am Astaroth! The Merciless Destroyer! I serve none but myself! From now on, I shall claim Soul Edge for myself!! Do you hear that, Ares?"
Ares merely chuckled, "You're reminded me with Kratos! By one way or another, you would end up serving someone else!" Writhed with rage, Astaroth swung his Kulutues, destroying everything at his line of sight. However, God of War didn't respond. Once satisfied, he turned Northwest and disappeared among the obnoxious mist of the volcano.
At the same time on the shores of Dalmatia,
The shipwrecks scattered along the shores, virtually making it as ship graveyard. The waves from Mediterranean Ocean swept them to the shores, and sometimes claimed it back. This time, the ocean threw something different…
Cervantes de Leon woke up and found himself at the shore. His appearance was greatly changed. His pirate hat, shoulder guards and boots now sported single blinking purple eyes with thorny star appendages. Wherever the eyes roved, he could see what it saw. The last thing he remembered was the Greek goddess and the Japanese kunoichi were destroyed his medallion. To his surprise, he felt an excruciating pain upon his chest.
He shouted, "Pain…? How could that be? An undead supposedly not feels any pain!" Curious, he ripped his shirt and saw a huge purple eye on the place where the medallion supposedly there. The eye stared him intensely before rolled back. Cervantes also felt the eye throbbed inside himself. Still puzzled, the Immortal Pirate turned to his weapons. He could sense the power of Soul Edge inside them, but now they were the former shadow of the true blade. The fragments of the cursed blade were embedded inside his body; now he was the weapon! He grinned to this realization,
"If I am not an undead anymore, then what am I? Human? Or something else?" The eye at his chest blinked twice; it had no answer. Still many questions to be asked, yet Cervantes felt no hurry to find the answers. Now he felt hunger. He had heard a sound of merriment nearby; there must be a pub there. Since holding the cursed Soul Edge, he never stayed too long at the land.
"Probably I can use some refreshment there, ahoy!" He walked toward the sound…and would turn them into the wail of sorrow and death! His tracks were splattered with algae and sea critters…
Late midnight at Alexandria,
The monks were praying for their dying brethren; Zasalamel felt the disease had eaten his mortal body slowly. The former sorcerer felt untold anguish and pain, but he tried to endure it.
This is it, he thought, this will put an end to my cursed life once and for all… Then something spoke in his mind,
Is this what you've crave for? Such inglorious end… Slowly, the monks left his room one by one. The Egyptian said,
"I had committed many atrocities for centuries, and I deserve this…" The voice mocked,
Perhaps, but do you want to know how it ends? Is it better to die in a fight than dying as a weakling?
The dark-skinned man mused, "Maybe, but what is the end? Even so, who would match me in cunning? Even Inferno wasn't my opponent…Countess Valentine was easily gullible as her boyfriend…nobody can match me in brain or brawn?"
How about the King of Heroes himself? The one who had possessed Soul Edge in the history? Zasalamel startled to hear that. He had heard about the legend from his teachers, but could it be possible? But just then, a wondrous vision appeared before him; towering structures that seemed to reach as high as heaven itself, and steel boats that flew freely through the skies. The birth of a plan for leaving Earth and striking moonward, then the achievement of that goal. And the creation of new life, the province of the gods themselves. There was no doubt; he was witnessing the future: the sum of all human potential. Then another vision came. He saw a tall tower with someone sat on the throne.
To Zasalamel, it was a revelation. Suddenly he wanted to live. He had to be there when that vision became reality! He had to see it happen! He also pondered the prospect of facing the legendary figure. Such a mighty being was a worthy foe to stand between him and his ambition.
Then he coughed blood profusely. There was no time left; he had to do something to cheat death. With her last strength, he prepared to use a forbidden spell. Nothing would stop him to see the future, not even the Hero King himself! A strange inscription appeared at his neck.
"Z…N…Q…R…H!" Instantly, his body glowed like a blazing flame. The monks rushed back to the room and found nobody inside. The wooden bed was incinerated with an intense heat, leaving blackish mark at the floor. At that night, the evil has been reborn…
Siegfried Schtauffen woke up; he was sleeping nearby the tree. He dreamed bad things, and it always pursued him wherever he went. For one and a half year, the German always avoided the small and big cities, lest he would bring the trouble to anyone who helped him. He glanced to the crystalline Soul Calibur; that was another reason why he had to avoid any interaction with the others. Because of that, he had left Ivy…and there wasn't any choice. She had suffered enough with loss of her child, and that was enough! Not feeling sleepy anymore, Siegfried decided to continue his journey…somehow the spirit sword led him to Kingdom of Wolfkrone. He had heard about the small kingdom; they once were allied with Marquis Andre, and thus became enemy of Osthreinsburg Castle. At that time, he was served Count Stefan for the selfish reason. He sighed,
"Why do I have to go there? It is ridiculous?" Yet he had received no answer from Soul Calibur. The longer he had spent time with the sword, the more puzzled he is. Probably he would have the answer at Wolfkrone…
As the knight departed, suddenly the crystalline dew covered the grass. It multiplied instantly and eventually transforming the tree into a huge crystal. Unable to withstand the transformation, the crystal tree broke apart into a pile of rubbles…
From another dimension, someone watched them and smiled with anticipation! He had awaited this event for millenia and wouldn't waste any chance...
"Come and I shall find the worthy amongst you..."
Author's Note:Hello, it is me! I try to follow-up 'Rebirth' story, and this time based to SC IV. The old characters are returning to this saga, also the villains! Though out of place, I will try to put Star Wars characters in the story. This time, the old alliance shall be broken and a new one being made. You will see what role Algol (SC IV boss) had in the story later. When I have a spare time, I might continue this fanfic. Hopefully, you will read it like the previous one. Send your review, critic, opinion or even flame. See you soon!
Disclaimer: Soul Calibur IV and its characters are belongs to Namco, while Darth Vader and Yoda owned by Lucasfilm Inc.
P.S.Actually title of Algol is the Hero King, while King of Heroes belonged to Gilgamesh from Fate/stay night. Anyway, I like to use 'King of Heroes', since it looks cool.
Glossary:
Filipino:
Masarap ng araw, kahit mainit. Bakit nandito ka?- The sunshine is nice, though hot. Why are you here?
Oo, bakit hindi?Yes, why not?
Anito ng hangin, nakinig sa kagustuhan ng anak n'yoSpirit of Wind, hear the will of your children
Ibigay mo ng kalakasan ng hangin.Give your strong wind
Ipakita mo para sa ibang tao ng kapangnyarihan ng hanginShow to the others the power of the wind
Walang anuman, Kuya! Gusto ko tutulungan!It's okay, Kuya! I love to help!
Nag-iisipan ko si Ate Taki kung nakita ko ang dagat ito...I think of Ate Taki whenever I see the sea
pero nawala si'ya..but she'd already gone
mabuhay uli ang bangungot itothe Nightmare is lives again
Kailangan tatapusin itoit must end now!
Mahal kita ako, Talim I love you, Talim.
Mahal kita rin, Kuya…hindi ko kaya mabuhay kung walang ikaw, I also love you, Kuya...I can't live without you,
