Searching for someone
In Rouen…
-I am so glad to have found you! You do believe in magic and all! Every other mercenary I asked thought I was completely crazy…
Even with the new malfested crisis, France was still quite calm and not very touched since most of what happened was in the Holy Roman Empire and the Emperor tried to keep his problem secret from the other countries while the king of France also tried to hide this problem to his subjects to not create some panic. Yet many people were talking about it but many also thought they were crazy.
-We have seen enough of crazy cultists, magical golems, evil swords and all to believe you when you speak about vampires, said the older of the two men sitting on the couch in front of Claude who was sitting in an armchair.
The two men who Claude was speaking to were dressed in animal skins. One was older than the other but they both seemed very strong. While speaking, Claude was replacing his hair to try to hide the scar Tira made him on his forehead and on his head. He now had to comb his hair in a precise manner to hide it since his hair never grew again on this spot and he now never left the manor without a hat. That damned crazy girl… He hated her… Raphael was so right about her… Raphael… Claude did wonder how Raphael was doing and how this pursuit went… Everybody was after Raphael… The countess Valentine… The crazy girl which he did not remember the name…
Claude was still a little confused about all this story: After Tira's attack, he had been unconscious for many days and when he woke up, his daughter Catherine told him he had been attacked by Raphael since she didn't see Tira and Ivy didn't come back to explain. So she really thought it was Raphael who did that to her father. At first, Claude believed his daughter but then he began to slowly remember what really happened and he remembered Raphael was in trouble. Since they had left in not too good terms, he didn't know if he could really help his brother but at least, after some reflection, he had decided to help him in another way: by searching for Amy. Then Raphael would see he really wanted to help him, he would believe him… But Claude did wonder now with some amusement if people would think that Amy was this illegitimate daughter Ivy had told him about if he took her under his roof, with this crazy rumour Raphael had spread around… Yet only Ivy had mentioned it, maybe not too much people knew about it… Whatever. He was now used to rumours and crazy gossips…
-So you agree? Try to find my niece and bring her back to me. I told you everything I knew about this so you'll have to search for the rest.
The older man nodded.
-Family is very important. We will try our best to help you, right Bangoo?
-Yeah, dad.
Rock gazed at his son with affection. He remembered when Bangoo had been kidnapped by the crazy cult order Fygul Cestemus one day. He had done everything he could to find and take back his son. He was confident they would be able to do the same for this girl.
-Merci beaucoup. I am so grateful. Oh yes, and one more thing… It is not your main mission but I double the reward if you happen to kill that crazy girl I told you about…
Rock didn't really care about the money. He had been asked by Claude to work for him when the count de Sorel heard rumours that these two had seen Soul Edge and fought some monsters related to it. Rock and Bangoo had accepted to help him since they wanted to help his family, it gave then some challenge and they intended to give the money to some orphanage.
-If she is as evil and dangerous as you said, I hope we will face her one day… answered Bangoo.
-Well, be extremely careful! She is crazy! She is the Devil!
-I already took care of some crazy cultists. This crazy girl don't scare me nor my son! exclaimed Rock.
-Well, just to tell you. Be very careful.
And the two men left the manor.
Raphael was walking in the forest. He was still wondering what he should do. He did leave quite fast… But he had too. He knew that Siegfied would probably have intensified the surveilllance now that he knew Raphael wanted to leave. Beside his blood urges would have pushed him to attack anybody at the fortress. Now he may attack some people but at least it wouldn't be friends… And that damn Tira… threathening Amy… He could not stay there anymore, he had to leave and do something. But what? Go and kill Tira first? Or try to get to Astral Chaos by trying to invoke some demon? Yet even if he succeeded to go in Astral Chaos, how would he destroy the sword? Maybe it was weaker in this world and he could destroy it like any normal sword… But maybe he did need Soul Calibur… Where was that sword? Where was Soul Calibur? Sometimes Siegfried said he only had to find the chosen one but sometimes he did say he had to find Soul Calibur… Maybe he should take care of the most pressing matter: protect Amy by killing Tira. Which would by the way stop the process of restauring Soul Edge and maybe he wouldn't have to go to Astral Chaos… Yet Tira was not alone for this… Soul Edge had many followers… but at least her personnal grudge against Amy would be taken care of. But first, maybe he should try to know where he was now… Raphael realized he left without even knowing where he was. He didn't know where this fortress was, he woke up there. Ostrheinsburg was supposed to be near, but how near and where exactly? He would probably have to discreetly follow the road to the fortress, it must lead to some village where he would be able to know his way… But he would have to be very discreet since Siegfried may send people after him… While following the road, hidden on the side, he kept wondering.
-What am I going to do exactly? I am now alone… If I go in Ostrheinsburg, I would need people… I am not crazy, I know the dangers… I dont fear them but I need people to help me… Should I hire some? I don't have any money…
Suddenly an idea hit him:
-Why hire when… Yes… Minions… I can have many people… loyal to me… Yes… Marienbard and the others helped me against Nightmare… They remained loyal to me even against Soul Edge… So I could make new minions… I'll just use them for a time… And if we destroy Soul Edge, we may all be free of our curse after… I may even regain my lost soul part maybe… Too bad I didn't bring the serving girl… but anyway she didn't seem very good at fighting, she is better off at Siegfried's fortress… Now I have to find me some good fighters…
As he was walking, Raphael suddenly noticed an Imperial soldier walking alone on the road. He smiled: A soldier… What better fighter could I find for a minion…
Sometimes later, after a small confrontation, Raphael let go of the soldier he just caught. The soldier was now dead at his feet while Raphael, who just drank all his blood, felt relieved and pleased. Blood was what he needed and the darkest part of him rejoiced. At last, tasty blood, not Soul Calibur blood! He had enough of Siegfried's disgusting blood! But even if he felt relieved of his thirst, he was annoyed: He wanted to have a minion, not make a new corpse!
-Damn! It has been too long I haven't drank enough! I totally drained him!
He licked his lips.
-At least, it was good… I want another…
Still caught up by his bloodlust, Raphael hid the body under some branches, then went away in search of another prey to make his minion with.
As they kept walking, Viola gazed into her orb to try to find about Raphael's whereabouts. She suddenly seemed very troubled. Zwei asked her what was wrong.
-So did you see where he went?
-No… I only see this darkness again… He is going right through the storm… He walks toward a black storm, and disappear in it then the storm grows bigger and destroys all around it… a storm that will cause a lot of destuction… He is going right through it…
Viola now seemed very distressed and almost had teary eyes. Surprised by her reaction, Siegfried asked her:
-So does the storm means Ostrheinsburg?
-I don't know but a storm must most likely come from there… And he wished to go there… to kill this Tira…
-Don't worry Viola, we're going there and we'll save Raphael! continued Siegfried. Since we're not a big group, the Imperial soldiers won't notice our presence and we'll be able to pass their surveillance. But we'll have to be careful, with what Raphael told us, Ostrheinsburg was not too guarded, we don't need the big army, yet this place can have a lot of nasty surprises…
They are going in Ostrheinsburg? Thought Aeon who was still watching them. They may be too numerous for him to attack them now but he also thought they were not enough to go to this dangerous place… They'll get killed… But maybe they'll only get weakened and he will be able to attack them then… With some allies… Yes… That was a good idea… If Aeon could smile, he would have, but his reptile face didn't show the determination he now had, only by his eyes… He had this reptile body for so long, he was now used to it… and used to the continual changes his body underwent through the years… Yet if only he could become human again… He silently cursed once again this Hephaestus who abandoned him, who left him in his time of need, who turned his back on him when the god deemed he could get nothing from him anymore! But Aeon had a family, had friends! Well, he supposed… He didn't remember totally… Anyway what was the use of remembering? If he had a wife, what would she say if she saw him as he was now? If he had children, they would certainly flee in terror in front of him… Friends would chase him away… Anyway since how long he left? His wife may be dead, his children all grown-up… Everybody must have forgotten him… He suddenly got very sad and remembered why he began to act more beastly; to forget all this sadness… All these humans chasing him away and wanting to hunt him down and kill him! He cursed them all! That his family existed or not, he cursed them! They chased him away like everybody! The only ones remaining were the few lizardmen roaming around too… But they really were stupid and he could not really have any decent exchange with them… Yet they may be useful now… So Aeon left to search for some allies to attack Siegfried's group. He now knew where they were going; he will wait for them when they will get out…
Unnoticed to the Imperial soldiers along the way, the Schwarzwinds arrived in Ostrheinsburg. There seemed to have no one yet they would have to be careful and they carefully entered the courtyard. No one seemed there either. But for more discretion, they silently walked alongside the walls. As they were walking, Zwei suddenly received an arrow on his right leg.
-Arrgg!
From the high walls, many archers began to shoot at them and arrows began to rain on the Schwarzwind group.
-Quick! Let's go inside that door! shouted Siegfried showing his men some door.
He knew this door was the entrance to the basement and the dongeon. Now that they were discovered, they had to find Raphael and get him out as fast as they could. With his wounded leg, Zwei began to limp toward the door when he shouted:
-Ein! Come forth!
The wolflike creature appeared and began to strike at the archers on the walls, making some fall down to their doom until it disappeared again. But by then, all the Scharzwind group had entered the door and closed it behind.
-Are you okay? Asked Viola to Zwei with some worries as the wolfman was taking the arrow out of his leg.
-Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry. He said with a smile to the girl he loved. His leg hurt but it wasn't that bad. He knew he could go on, only limping a little… But he would not stop for a small arrow.
They walked and went downstairs for a while until they came upon a corridor where some faint moaning could be heard from.
-The torture chamber… muttered Siegfried with some disgust and apprehension.
As they entered the torture chamber, Siegfried and his gang were struck at the horrors they were seeing. All the torture devices seemed to be occupied by some unfortunate prisonner. There was blood everywhere… It was dark and stinky…
-That woman is worst than Nightmare! Exclaimed the disgusted German knight.
Siegfried remembered that when he was Nightmare, he killed, killed savagely for their souls but never took some people to torture. To keep on tormenting them… Slaughter was his primary motive… Of course, what he did was inexcusable, he killed like a monster but those tortures… were beyond that. He did takes the souls of his victims and that was the most horrible thing to do, worst than plain torture but was Tira even leaving their souls free after their death? He doubted it. The prisonners seemed in such agony that Siegfried was horrified at the sight. If he did that as Nightmare, thankfully, he didn't remember. Was Raphael among them? Some corpses were barely identifiable. No… Tira must not have had the time to do such a thing to him yet… And she wasn't even here… Raphael probably wasn't here either… Hopefully… But Siegfried wanted to free the other poor people, so he went toward some prisonner tied with schackles so tight for his wrists that they were bleeding.
-Don't worry… You'll be safe soon… said Siegfried, trying to calm the poor man's sufferings.
The man seemed half conscious and continued to moan in pain as Siegfried untied him while his group were now doing the same for other prisonners. Viola didn't move to help them. She was seriously gazing into her orb.
-Pluto is waiting… Keep away…
-What? Asked Zwei turning toward her while holding some unfortunate prisonner to help him get out of the torture device. Viola suddenly sent her orb in the prisonner's face who fell down before Zwei could catch him back. Still in shock of Viola's action, Zwei suddenly noticed that all the freed prisonners began to attack their saviors.
-What the…?
-They are already dead, stated Viola on a neutral tone while sending her orb on another ennemy.
-Undead?
-Yes. Cut theirs limbs. I cannot. I do not have any slicing weapon. My claw is not that effective… I can only push them away.
Zwei quickly got his sword and began to slash at the undead like Siegfried and the others were now doing. Some prisonners were still half tied to their device yet they tried to slash and bite at any Schwarzwind that would approach near. While slashing at two undead, Siegfried almost slipped in the puddle of blood that was on the floor. But the undead were mostly horrifying than really good at fighting since they were in fact, all poor tortured people and the Schwarzwinds defeated them all.
Standing victorious over the undead now scattered all across the floor, Viola thought with some sadness that her father saw this place for sixteen years… Lived… If few can call this like this, lived there each day… The stench of death and the horror of the sight made her feel sick. The torment the spirits were in also made her feel even sicker… Sensing her somewhat medium powers, some spirits wanted to speak to her… Pleading for help… Some others were only hate now… Pain… This place was horrible…
-Oh my… I can't… I can't stay… here… So many…
And Viola turned her back and went away, climbing back the stairs as fast as she could.
-Viola! Yelled Zwei going after her.
She could not go out like this there still was enemies outside! They even may have entered now!
-Viola! Zwei! Come back! Don't go alone! We haven't finished the dongeon yet! Ordered Siegfried to the two malfested.
Hearing the captain and seeing Zwei run after her, Viola suddenly felt bad having panicked, so she came back. She had to save her father. But those annoying voices… threathening her… or worse; begging her for help, were very disturbing. She could not help them, she didn't know what to say, so she tried not to listen to them… Many spirits wanted to tell something to their lost ones… Seeing Viola's distress and being himself quite traumatized by what just happened, Siegfried said they would quickly search for Raphael in the prisons now. They had to finish it all as fast as they could but they could not leave Raphael here! He was glad he knew the place at least, there was not much left to explore. So they quickly went through the cells and found no one. Only blood stains everywhere. Many trails from the torture room to the many cells…
-Okay. Now we go. Gott sei Dank, Raphael is not here. The cells are all empty, the torture room was more filled than them…
Before they could go upstairs, some guards came attacking them. Viola quickly sent them her orb in a violent way: she was angry at that seemed to have happened here.
-I don't know how to help you spirits, but I will avenge you…
The Schwarzwinds took care once more of the enemies and quickly got upstairs to get out. Once in the courtyard, some other guards attacked them but got beaten too. Siegfried, Viola and all the others were eager to get out of this cursed place and they quickly left to go back in the woods.
As they were now wondering where Raphael could be, they suddenly got ambushed by a group of lizardmen. Aeon threw himself at Siegfried, swinging his two axes toward the German knight. Siegfried got his zweihander and slashed at Aeon knocking out his right axe out of his hand with the powerful strike.
-Is that all you've got?
But Aeon took the opportunity that Siegfried's weapon was slow to quickly slash at him again with his remaining axe while he was unprotected. To evade the lizarmen's strike, Siegfried had to follow his sword's momentum and fell down with it while Aeon missed him. Aeon was about to slash again at Siegfried who was still down but suddenly quickly backed away as a wolflike creature appeared in front of him and violently hit where he was. Aeon swiftly retaliated with his axe, trying to hit the strange wolf creature but the spirit disappeared. Meanwhile Zwei ran to Aeon and slashed at the lizardman who dodged the strike by suddenly growing his wings to fly up before he dropped off on the werewolf. As Zwei fell down, Viola sent her orb flying into Aeon's face before she quickly turned away to kick at some lizardman coming from behind.
-You want it? Farewell. said Viola as the lizardman fell down unconscious from her well-placed kick between the eyes.
Meanwhile, Siegfried got up and invoked Soul Calibur power while driving his sword into the ground. Then some ice path appeared and passed right through Aeon Calcos who growled in pain and anger as the sharp cold ice cut his legs. Lizards don't like cold… But Aeon replied with his firebreath at Siegfried who quickly threw himself aside to evade it. But the Spartan fighter took the opportunity to jump on the now downed knight: he began to spin on his side, slashed again at Siegfried, jumped in the air and spinned again on the Schwarzwind leader's head before he fell on him and tackled him on the ground.
While Siegfried was dizzy from all these spinning attacks, Aeon swung his head toward him and violently bit the left shoulder before he shock it like a shark would do to rip it from the rest. Siegfried screamed in pain as blood flew from his shoulder getting violently shredded. Aeon had almost ripped his arm, taking a good part of his flesh away with his shoulder armour. Aeon was now standing over Siegfried, his big bloodied mouth opened to eat more of the Holy knight. But as he swallowed the small part he took, some memories came back to him and he suddenly realized who this man was: Nightmare! Well, the old Nightmare… He had worked for him before… Long ago… The group was called the Schwarzstrom… He now remembered… When he was younger, this man had been the terrible Nightmare and was now a Holy warrior! How could it be? He could not ask since he could not talk so he let go some frustrated growling while Siegfried moaned in pain at his bloodied shoulder.
Aeon then wondered: Should he try to speak to him somehow to ask him how he got out of this or should he eat him, in hopes he could get healed like the knight was… ? But before he could do anything else, a mercenary came and tried to hit him to save his boss. Aeon struck the man with his spiky tail while evading the attack. He then wondered if he really should eat Siegfried since he may be purified by him like this… But his problem wasn't really malfestation since it was in fact the cult order Fygul Cestemus who turned him like this. But the mysterious voice in the cavern said he would benefit from eating Holy warriors… Yet seeing his old leader gave him a shock: he so wished he could ask him what happened!
He quickly got up and grabbed Siegfried. Still in pain of his almost ripped off arm, Siegfried did nothing to escape; with the blood he gave to the vampires, he already had not much blood remaining and now this wound was taking away the rest of it. Realizing the humans had almost beaten all the other lizardmen, Aeon quickly put his axe on Siegfried's neck to forbid anyone to approach him and then, his face close to Siegfried's own, he growled again in hope Siegfried would understand or read in his eyes (I know you! Don't you recognize me? Remember the Schwarzstrom!) but Siegfried did not seem to understand or to recognize him: Of course, he was Nightmare then, his soul was overwhelmed by the evil sword and it was Inferno that was controlling the body, Aeon could see the gaze in Siegfried's eyes was not the same as when he was Nightmare, the eye colour was also different and beside, Aeon had also changed… He changed form so often, no one could recognize him from one time to another. And since there was so many lizardmen, Siegfried probably thought he was another lizardman… Now the question was: Should he eat him or not? Since the Holy warrior probably would never understand him or let him live, he better eat him. Siegfried was now losing consciousness anyway, he wouldn't be able to answer… Maybe he would get some powers from it…Maybe purification… But before he could eat him, Zwei sent Ein again to strike at Aeon while he was still busy with another remaining lizarman.
-Ein! Time to… finish this!
Aeon brutally received the hit and fell down letting go of his hostage who fell down, unconscious.
Then most of the Schwarzwind group threw themselves at Aeon who had to flee while Zwei ran to Siegfried.
-Captain!
Siegfried regained consciousness for a second and stared at Zwei with a lost gaze before he fainted again. Zwei saw the paleness of Siegfried's face, he had lost too much blood! He began to curse in worry.
-Damn! This is bad! $/&*$"%&*!
He quickly took off his coat and ripped it to make some bandages for Siegfried's wound. His captain must not lose any more blood or he'll die! Zwei really liked Siegfried since he never said it, but he considered him almost like a father. Unlike his real father, who threw him out when he found out his son was malfested, Siegfried had always protected him and took care of him and Viola. He had become some kind of father figure for him and he had the feeling Siegfried considered him like some kind of son… Zwei tried to put the bandages on and really felt bad as he saw the wound, how it was deeply opened… The muscles, nerves… getting out and all… He cursed again trying to give the best first aid he could…
-Do not worry, Zwei… He'll survive. Said Viola who now was by his side, putting her hand on his shoulder.
She then gently pushed him away as she took her own cape and began to take care of Siegfried in a calmer way than Zwei who didn't know much about first aid. Somehow, she knew how to take care of it… She already took care of some wounds in her life it seemed… and she was calmer than Zwei to do it. She knew how he appreciated the captain and even if she did appreciate Siegfried too, she had always been less attached to him… and to practice medicine, someone had to be more distant, not too emotional. The rest of the group then came back, they had chased the lizard creatures away or beaten them. After she took care of Siegfried's wounds, Viola knew they had to go back home… She wasn't a real doctor, she only gave him the first aid… Siegfried had to rest at the fortress under the care of their own healer, who would have to disinfect his wound and everything… Siegfried really was not in shape to continue, his half ripped shoulder had also been dislocated by the violence of the lizarman's bite. Yet they haven't found Raphael already… But they could not continue the search with Siegfried like this… Viola sighed. At least Raphael was not in Ostrheinsburg… Unless he was one of those disfigured corpses in the torture room… But probably not since like they thought Tira would not have had the time to do this to him… So he was probably elsewhere… She should go back home then go back again to search for her father… Maybe Salia had more chance…
Salia had rode through two villages and haven't found any traces of Raphael yet. It was now night time… She did wonder where he went. She was mostly convinced he went toward Ostrheinsburg, so the others must have more chances in finding him… Yet she left some men to keep an eye on the villages they went through. In case… She hoped he would be easily convinced to come back home…
Raphael was now victorious over the five soldiers. He had found the others soldiers from the patrol the first one was belonging to and had tried to not kill them to make them his minions but he didn't have the opportunity to bite them while they were conscious. So now that they were unconscious at his feet, he would bite them in peace.
-I shall enjoy feasting on your blood… just remind me to not take it all, okay? I need your services…
But before he even got time to kneel beside one guard to take his blood, he suddenly got stabbed in the stomach by some blade and a red blur passed in front of him before it quickly disappeared. Raphael fell down and quickly got up despite his wound to defend himself. The red blur was now more noticeable: it was a young girl with many blond ponytails. She jumped on him again. She seemed really fast but not as much as when she first hit him but then she had surprised him, he had not expected her; that was why she seemed so fast. Raphael parried her strike before he whirled back at her with a graceful slashing movement.
-Get away, child!
-Humpf! You're so gonna regret this!
The young girl sneered at the way he called her and jumped back on him again. But this time, she wasn't alone to do so: Two other kids suddenly came from the wood and were now also throwing themselves at him; a young black haired girl with a Chinese blade and a young red haired boy with a staff.
-Charge! Yelled the black haired girl as she ran toward Raphael with her chinese sword. She quickly slashed at him but Raphael swiftly evaded.
-As when mother fought… Justice will prevail!
The young boy gazed at the unconscious guards; he thought they were dead. He told the vampire:
-I'm angry now! You'll pay!
Raphael began to slash at them all to defend himself. He did not want to hurt them, they seemed young but he had to defend himself.
-Go away, kids! It is very late, you should be home sleeping in your beds! Not playing in the woods! Go back to your parents! I'm not here to play!
The annoying blond girl sneered at him again.
-Humpf! You don't stand a chance!
She jumped over him and slashed him in the back.
-How's this?
-Are you scared? Asked the boy tauntingly.
Before the black haired girl could approach him, Raphael kicked her away, sending her tumbling in some bush.
-How pathetic and weak. You've learnt your place, I trust?
-You're mean! Said the flower theme dressed girl as she got up from the small tree, brushing her clothes.
Before Raphael had any time to turn away, he got stabbed again in the rib by the blong haired girl. But the slash was not deep so he didn't really care and turned toward her to hit her. But she quickly jumped up and left his sight before a feet hit him from down under his chin, sending him tumbling away.
-Feet! Yelled the young boy who kicked Raphael. While Raphael was getting up, the boy was now shaking his butt in an insulting way toward him. Raphael was insulted at the vulgar gesture.
-You dare! An outrage!
But he could not stay insulted for long since the red girl came down with another attack on him. He quickly evaded it by rolling away. The girl was annoyed.
-No way! She yelled before she slashed at him again. Raphael parried the strike and kicked her away before he got attacked again.
-Poke!
Raphael almost got pushed down by the young boy's staff and tried to quickly regain his balance to parry the blond haired girl who kept coming at him.
Somehow, the young red girl seemed to fight in a way Raphael already saw somewhere… She was very fast and annoying. It reminded him of something… Someone…
-Damn you! Get away all of you or else you'll regret it! I am not the kind to kill children but if you keep coming at me, I won't hold on!
-You're the mean one! Punishment! I'm on fire! Go through! Yelled the black haired girl who finally saw an opportunity to strike.
While he got slashed on his left arm, Raphael thought he had enough; those children were really annoying, even with their mouth! And very annoying since they all fought together. And they fought better than the five soldiers he just vanquished. But he was also tired and wounded from last fight… Raphael knew that in a one on one fight, he could take care of all those children easily but now they were all against him at the same time. He could not teleport like he did against Marienbard and the others to get out of their attacks.
The red girl slashed his arm making Raphael almost lose his rapier before she jumped out of the way again.
-Arrgh! Damn you!
-Pong! Said the young boy as he slammed his staff on Raphael's head from behind.
-Ow! Raphael fell down again. His head hurt a lot but he quickly got up to fight again.
-Not over yet! Said Raphael as he whirled around furiously to try to slash at both the boy and the red girl who were behind him. But losing his balance, he fell down. He was very dizzy now as he was trying to get up and he heard the young boy say to the blond girl:
-Use your ninja skill, Natsu!
-Yeah! Seal him! Said the other girl.
Then all went black.