Chapter 16/Final: The Grimm Homecoming


Lost Cathedral, 1600's

He had conquered Kilik, vanquished Voldo, mastered Maxi, matched Mitsurugi, yanked Yoshimitsu, annihilated Astaroth, trounced Tira, severed Cervantes, astonished Azukai, nullified Nightmare, zonked Zasalamel, and knocked off Night Terror. He had befriended Seong Mi-na, an Asian that was slain by Cervantes, Chai Xianghua, an Asian of superb sword skills, Kilik, a young warrior who was his first victory, Ivy, a supposed step-daughter of Cervantes, Sophitia, a Greek woman, sent by the gods to destroy the sword, Taki, a female ninja with a soft spot for him, Rock, a strong fighter, wielding a huge axe, Azukai, an assassin who wanted to challenge the strongest fighters, and Cassandra, Sophitia's sister. After running his journey, Peter's mission to retrieve Soul Edge, was accomplished. Peter looked at the sword, knowing that this was the sword, he was after. Azukai and Cassandra walked up to Peter, wanting to congratulate his feat.

"You did it, Peter," Azukai greeted.

"You're the new owner of Soul Edge," Cassandra advised. Peter huffed a chuckle. Even he was amazed at what he did.

"Well, I appreciate that," Peter thanked. "To be honest, I thought I wouldn't get this far." He had the sword. He was ready to go home. "Now, the only thing, I need to do, is get home: 21st century Wisconsin." Azukai was wondering how he could get home.

"How do you think, you're getting home?" he pointed out. "You didn't get here, by some sort of time mechanism, did you?" Peter knew that the Grimm Reaper was the one who brought him here.

"Good question." That's when Cassandra remembered something from Azukai.

"Azukai, didn't you read that story about the capabilities of Soul Edge?" she reviewed. Azukai shook his head. He was only interested in the warriors, not the sword. "Well, Soul Edge grants the wielder, with unimaginable power. So much, it's like Soul Edge acts as a genie, fulfilling the desires of the possessor." To Peter, the revived sword of salvation appeared to grant limitless power.

"If this is true, then I think, getting home, is a bit easier than what we, first, believed." He walked over to the opened side of the room, and held the sword, in front of him. "Well, Soul Edge, I think, it's time to go home." With one mighty swing, the air was ripped open, where a red portal-like tear, appeared. Azukai and Cassandra were shocked.

"No way!" he shouted. "What did he just tear?"

"I-I don't know!" she juggled her response. Peter had a guess on it.

"So, this is the fabric of time and space," he answered. He grabbed the scythe and Soul Calibur, the sword which helped him in his battle against Night Terror. He walked back to the tear, ready to enter it. That's when he turned to the two, still gawking at the tear. "Azukai! Listen, man, I'll see you in the future, in your new life." Azukai was puzzled at this remark.

"Why do you say that?" he wondered.

"Your my dear brother, James, in my time. You and he are two of a kind. Let's just say, it's a hunch." Azukai nodded, saying that he believed Peter. "In the meantime, keep an eye on Cassie." Cassandra must have thought, Peter was talking about her. "You're gonna need her...like she needs you." Azukai knew that Peter was right.

"I will, Peter...with my life." Peter nodded, and, with all weapons on him, started to walk into the tear, when...

"Stop!" was shouted, as a young teen raced into the room. He turned to see...Talim. Peter saw her, remembering the boat ride, she gave him. This was the same girl who was with him.

"It's you!" he shrieked. Talim ran to Peter, but, suddenly, got her feet tangled. She tripped and flew into Peter, with enough force to carry the two, into the tear. That's when, the tear closed. Peter and Talim were gone, leaving Azukai and Cassandra, wondering what happened.


Menasha, Wisconsin, 2005

James, Elizabeth, Mike, and Felicia exited from a place called "Mimh's." They felt good about having a meal there, since James and Mike rubbed their stomachs. "I tell ya, those chicken tenders hit the spot," James belched.

"Amen, James," Mike belched as well. Elizabeth glared at the sky, missing her big brother, sent by the Grimm Reaper.

"James, when will Peter be home?" she asked.

"I don't know," James shrugged. Suddenly, thunder rumbled the sky, catching everyone off-guard. "Did the Weather Channel, say anything about rain?"

"No, no precipitation for another few days," Felicia noted. Then, lightning struck the snowed turf, in the middle of the city, nearby the youngsters. "That's the last time, I listen to that channel." Elizabeth thought that the lightning wasn't behaving right.

"I think the lightning is trying to open something," she guessed, as she ran to the location of the lightning strikes. The others followed to the square in the center of town. That's when a lightning strike ripped open the dimensional fabric, exposing the tear. Everyone was wondering what that tear was doing here.

"Well, it's not everyday, you see a tear in time and space," James huffed. Before anyone could answer, screams were heard from inside. James recognized one of the voices. "Peter's coming back!" Everyone got excited for Peter's return. Their wait, wouldn't last too long. Peter, Talim and the weapons were hawked out, in which they landed and skid on the snow. James and Elizabeth ran over to Peter, and Mike and Felicia assisted Talim, while the fabric closed up. James shook his brother, in which he woke up. "Peter, thank god, you're alive." Peter wasn't sure if what he was seeing, was real.

"Azukai?" he weakly wondered. James shot an eyebrow at him, before pulling a card out, ready to read it.

"Let's see...James Daniel Hamby, Menasha, WI, birthdate: 11/14/87, brown hair, green eyes, social security number-" Peter clocked James in the head. He didn't want to hear anymore. He was satisfied that this was his brother, and not the assassin.

"You could've just told me that I was back here. I didn't need a full explanation."

"Sorry, I couldn't help it." Suddenly, Peter saw Talim, and ran over to her.

"Talim? Talim, can you hear me?" Talim started to open her eyes.

"Peter?" she named. Peter was there to comfort her. That's when she observed new surroundings. "Where am I?"

"My home. My time." Talim was surprised.

"Your time?" Peter helped her to her feet, as she was trying to understand the new timeline. "What year are we in?"

"2005." Talim tried to do the math as Elizabeth got to, and hugged her big brother.

"We've gone 400 years into the future." That's when she saw the brother and sister. "And who are they?" Peter knew she was talking about James and Elizabeth.

"These are my younger siblings, James and Elizabeth." Knowing that they were already family to him and smiled. James saw the wound on Peter's face, amazed at it.

"Whoa, Pete, cool scar," he pointed to. "Got into some serious scuffles?" Peter nodded. Suddenly, the skies got dark. Then, villainous laughter added to the air. Peter knew who it was.

"Guys, get back." Listening, Talim, James and Elizabeth joined Mike and Felicia, as the Grimm Reaper made its appearance. Peter grabbed the Reaper's scythe, and Soul Edge. Now, for the first time, since being stabbed by Grimm, the two met.

"Mr. Hamby, there is only one reason, why you are back home," Grimm grumbled. "You have obtained Soul Edge. Present the sword." Complying, Peter handed Soul Edge and the Grimm's scythe over. Grimm was surprised with the size of the sword. "So, this is Soul Edge. I'm doubly impressed."

"Doubly?"

"The size of the sword, and your accomplishment. I wasn't expecting you to get the sword, much less, return to your time. You've done exceptionally well." Peter was willing to ask everyone's question.

"There have been many souls, who're curious about why you need the Soul Edge. Care to share your story?" Here was the Reaper's excuse.

"Let me ask you a question. Why is the world, so over populated? The elderly have been living longer than what time permits them to be on this Earth. My scythe has failed to separate the souls, so when I heard about the power of Soul Edge, I desired it, after I found the shard of the sword. However, only a body/soul unit would be able to revive Soul Edge's power. I use my crystals of fortune, to locate a body/soul unit, suitable for such a task. That's where you come in. Now that you've succeeded in retrieving Soul Edge, I'll be able to control the world's population." Peter didn't feel comfortable with Grimm's reasoning. The fiend saw it. "You have a problem with my solution?"

"Little."

"Why do you say so?"

"While, I understand about the people, living into their 70s, 80s, 90s, there are people, who'd be living into those 70s, 80, 90s, like that person, over there." Peter pointed to a random person. Then, another. "And that guy." Then, his family, and Talim. "Even those, who've touched my life. Hell, I could be into those ages." That was an interesting point. Grimm laughed.

"What makes you believe, that you were going to die?" Peter was puzzled. "In exchange for retrieving the legendary sword, I was going to grant you, eternal life." So, Peter would be immune to the reaping. Peter felt like that was too much of a reward.

"That reward...makes me feel like part of your madness." James was wondering why he didn't want eternal life.

"Pete, why do you want to give up, living forever?" he questioned.

"James, I've nearly died several times, in my life. Recently, I wished that I was dead, since I had no friends. However, now, there's someone, that cares, for me. I, now, have someone, to fight for." He picked up Soul Calibur, ready to fight Grimm.

"Is that how you feel?" Grimm huffed. "That is how you're death will be remembered!" Now, it was a battle, between Death and the young man of Wisconsin. They clashed swords. One minute into the battle, Peter and Grimm were even. That's when Peter spun Soul Calibur, holding it, backhand. Mike didn't like the way, Peter held the sword.

"Pete, that's not how you hold a sword,"he argued.

"Call it, a dedication," he answered. "To someone special." He stormed into the fight. Ten minutes into the fight, Peter was in the air, after countless clashes and evasions. Then, Peter dove down, and slashed Grimm. Grimm was struggling to find a way to use Soul Edge, as Peter's use of the other sword, was amazing.

"No!" Grimm screamed. "I'm immortal! I can't lose!"

"The last guy said the same thing, and he's gone. So, don't give me, that bull saying that you're immortal!" One more slash, and Grimm was down. Peter fought Death, and won.

"I surrender!" The fight was over. Talim ran up to, and joined the victorious Peter. Grimm got up, not wanting another blow. "Fine! Name your reward, and I shall grant it!" Peter gave a look to Talim.

"Turn Talim and myself, into gods." Grimm nodded. Suddenly, the Reaper and the two vanished in an uplift of snow.

"Your wish has been granted! The two will become the gods of the winds." They were gone. They left Soul Calibur, in the snow, where James picked it up. He brought it home, with the rest, where he could hang the sword, in memento. There was no word on Peter or Talim for ten years. James and Felicia were married, living in a nice house, in Appleton. Elizabeth had started college in the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, while Mike had married, as well, living in an undisclosed location. As the couple were relaxing, there was a knock on the door. Felicia was close to the door.

"I'll get it," she answered. She opened the door, where there was a baby in a wicker crib. Inside was a boy, with dark brown hair, and blue eyes. There was a note on it, from Peter and Talim.

FELICIA, JAMES, WE WANT YOU TO WATCH OVER OUR SON, AZUKAI, WHILE WE HELP THE WORLD, WITH THE POLLUTION. PLEASE. -PETER AND TALIM.

The gods left their baby son, in the care of the brother and his wife. Azukai, the name of the assassin, who searched for the strongest fighters, became the name for Peter's son. James and Felicia looked up, humbled that they were going to raise a child, as an uncle and aunt. Peter and Talim would be gods, forever.


THE END...BUT, WHAT IF...


That's the story of the Right Hand of Death. However, there will be a bonus chapter, in which Azukai was successful in the battle against Peter. What would happen after the journey of souls?