The insidious menace
After Kilik finished purifying the two Soul Edge followers who were now both awake but still wounded, Hilde came to interrogate them. The first still didn't know anything and the second didn't know much more. But he knew Raphael had been a prisoner before. So he thought Tira probably wanted to take him back to punish him for having escaped… It was not her style to forgive. She'll probably make sure he won't escape again now… By this, the man implied Raphael certainly didn't have long to live… And Hilde knew Tira; she could very well torture Raphael to death to punish him for escaping… Like then man said, she will probably not keep him for very long since she already had fun with him for sixteen years… She'll throw her toy away now… It was probably just a matter of pride to catch him again… But maybe she needed him to sacrifice him to Soul Edge… With the Soul Edge essence she took in Astral Chaos and Raphael's soul among probably many others offered to the sword, it was certain that Tira was up to no good… Soul Edge will probably reform soon… Even if it may be too late to save Raphael, they had to stop Tira.
-And where has Tira gone now?
-I don't know. I know she had prepared some other place to be our base of operation but I didn't know where. She would have taken us there once we would have gone out of Astral Chaos but she left without us… I really don't know… Sorry…
Hilde was disappointed: She had hoped for them to have answers… Well, at least they had saved two malfested who both seemed to regret what they did… The one who didn't know anything was not a malfested since a very long time so when he got purified and interrogated again, Hilde decided he would be released after that to go back to his family who didn't even know he was malfested since he fled in panic as soon as he transformed. But the other had a darker story: He had killed his wife the night he transformed into a monster, three years ago. So he wouldn't dare return to his village to see his children… Having no places to go, hunted by the authorities, he began to work for Tira, so he committed even more crimes. But now that he was purified, he deeply regretted all this so when he was offered to remain with the Schwarzwind, he gladly accepted. Hilde promised him she would try to see how his children were doing now while Kilik tried to console him. Suddenly as the man was still talking to Hilde and Kilik about his life, Franz came.
-Huh… Your Highness? The captain would like to see you…
-Is he all right? Asked Hilde suddenly worried over Siegfried's state.
-Yes, you don't have to worry. But he wants to speak to you about something…
Hilde politely took leave and went to see the Schwarzwind captain.
Siegfried was waiting for her, sitting on his bed. When Franz left and they were alone, he showed her Soul Calibur. Hilde was shocked at the state Soul Calibur now was. Since the two swords were linked together, it meant Soul Edge had regained much… She asked Siegfried:
-Do you think… Raphael is dead? Sacrificed or something?
-I don't know but something happened.
-And the wielder… You once told me it could be Talim… And she is here. Ask her. You must be prepared for the worst… When Soul Edge is revived… You must have found the wielder of Soul Calibur…
Siegfried sighed.
-I don't think she will accept to wield Soul Calibur…
-Well, it is the sword of purity… She is the one for it! It is the right thing to do, she won't refuse! She wants to protect the people as much as you!
-She said both swords were evil… How can I convince her Soul Calibur is our only hope?
-If you truly believe this is the right thing, just tell her the truth…
Siegfried gazed at Hilde lovingly.
-Another reason I love you so, you're so righteous, so wise… so good… so virtuous… You should wield Soul Calibur!
Hilde was surprised.
-Me? But it did not transform into my weapons…
Yet the thought of being the chosen one did please Hilde… She would fight the evil with the Holy weapon… What a dream… Siegfried then said as he still looked at the incomplete sword:
-It didn't into Talim's weapons either yet…
-Maybe we should wait then.
Meanwhile, Kilik left the two still wounded but now purified malfested to Franz's care and went to see Leixia and the others. He was worried for Leixia, she was Xianghua's child, almost his own… To see her unconscious with all those wounds was hard… She looked so much like her mother… and she was so young… Xiba and Maxi were by her side and by Natsu's side since she was on another bed beside them, still unconscious too. Xiba was chewing some food while looking worried. Maxi was looking calm but knowing his old friend, Kilik knew he was worried and sad. Maxi suddenly noticed Kilik and greeted him.
-Hey man!
Kilik made a sad smile.
-Hi. Can I stay with you?
-Of course, take a chair.
As Kilik was about to sit, suddenly Leixia woke up. She noticed the three men around her and suddenly asked:
-How is Natsu?
-She's still unconscious.
Deeply worried, Leixia started to cry for her friend.
-Will she be fine? She seemed so gravely injured! I don't want her to die!
Kilik answered her on a gentle tone.
-Don't worry… She will be fine… Don't cry… Leixia…
Kilik realized he was about to call her Xianghua… She looked so much like her, sounded like her… He missed Xianghua so much…Suddenly as Kilik was still trying to console Leixia, Xiba offered to go search some food for her.
-Yeah, yeah… For Leixia… ironically said Maxi with a smirk.
-Xiba, you're such a piggy… muttered Leixia as she giggled at Maxi's comment. It seemed Xiba's action and Maxi's remark had more effect on her mood than Kilik's attempts to console her. Seeing how Leixia, Maxi and Xiba seemed to get along so well made Kilik outline a smile. But he also somehow felt estranged from the group and it made him sad. But it was only normal; he was only a stranger for Leixia and Xiba… He did wonder what Xianghua thought about him now. Had she forgotten him? But he had now decided he would pursue in Edgemaster's path so he would not try to win back Xianghua even if he still loved her. He hoped she was happy with her husband though… He wanted her to know that if she needed him, he would be there now…
Suddenly Talim came. She asked about the girls' state and went to give Leixia some encouragements before she asked Kilik if he could follow her just for a moment. She explained:
-It's just that me and Cassandra don't think, the lizardman, Aeon, is malfested… We don't know what it is but we don't think it is malfestation… We would like your opinion on this… It think it is divine magic…
Kilik went with her. He looked at the lizardman and said:
-Indeed, this is not Soul Edge magic… Not malfestation… more of a… some sort of experiment involving divine magic… and alchemy… I don't know exactly but not Soul Edge. Confirmed Kilik.
Aeon knew it was some cult in Turkey that had done this to him but he could not tell… He didn't like being looked upon like some phenomenon but if he had to undergo this to get healed, he would. Yet with what those people were saying, they didn't seem to know what to do… He could not go see that cult who did that to him since as he learned, this cult was destroyed… He did wonder who was that voice who talked to him… If only he could ask them one day… Maybe they could know… Maybe not. Maybe he was crazy… Hearing voices… If only he could communicate with people… Maybe by communicating with people, he would stop hearing voices… But this voice did tell him the truth… Whatever. For now, he was happy to be accepted here, some people seemed very kind with him and this woman named Cassandra kept talking to him… Even if she talked mostly about her family that he didn't know, it was great to hear someone speak to him and in Greek too…
The next day, Cassandra said good bye to her friends, particularly Talim, Hilde and Aeon because she was going back home. In sixteen years, maybe someone had saved Pyrrha… Maybe Sophitia was even there… alive… But somehow Cassandra had a bad feeling for her sister… Yet she did miss her family… Her parents, her nephew Patroklos, her brother Lucius… Even her brother-in-law Rothion, who she considered like another brother. Maybe she had things to do here, she knew about the Soul Edge menace yet she missed her family too much.
Talim and Hilde both told her that family was important so they told her she should go there and get back once she made sure they were alright. Cassandra had asked Aeon if he wished to accompany her and try to find his family but the lizardman refused, too scared of the kind of welcome he would face. Cassandra also asked him if he wished for her to give them some news about him and that she gets some news of them to him but Aeon refused again. He really didn't want them to know about his state. Maybe he was better thought dead by his family… As for news about them, in a way he was curious but in another way, he feared missing them too much and be too sad… He didn't remember them completely and it was better like this. Cassandra had not understood his reasons but understood he said no to both her questions, so she would only go see her own family. Now Hilde, Talim and some others were telling her goodbye on the drawbridge before she would leave.
-Farewell, Cassandra it was pleasure to see you again… said the Princess to her friend.
-And it was to see you as well, Hilde… You really got nice children!
-Thank you my lady. Said Maximilian, Hilde's son who was standing beside his mother while gallantly bowing.
-Just call me Cassie. I feel strange being myladied…
-Then Lady Cassie?
The young prince had some problems being so familiar with this new woman he barely knew… Hilde was proud her son was so polite but maybe he should allow himself to be a little more familiar… He was not at court here… He even always called Siegfried, Sir Schtauffen…
Svanhild, his sister, was more familiar: She already called Cassandra by her name and often hugged Siegfried like if he was her daddy. She could easily address anyone in the fortress; even the malfested ones and often asked questions to Zwei and Viola about their powers but both were feeling kind of awkward near her and didn't know what to say: She was asking so many questions, about anything, to anyone… Viola was normally fleeing her and Zwei was normally politely staying until he got too embarrassed to answer and fled. She was really asking all kinds of questions, like their past, why do they have powers and how do their powers work and other questions not about them like who is God, how can someone transform lead to gold, why is there stars in the sky, how are babies made… When she asked him embarrassing questions, Siegfried had found a way to drift the conversation toward other subjects so he didn't have to answer some things he didn't want or didn't know the answer to, so he had less trouble than Zwei who only answered: I don't know or Huuh… before he fled.
Hilde thought her daughter may be too sociable yet there were times where she would begin to draw and talked to no one for hours. Now Svanhild was looking at Aeon with much curiosity since she noticed him in the fortress: he would probably be interrogated soon… Yet not knowing him much, Hilde would not let her daughter go alone to see him and she also didn't want her daughter to make Aeon feel like a monster, that was why she refused that her daughter went to talk to Raphael when he was there. He was already feeling down enough… He didn't need a little girl that may also make him think about Amy while he had troubles making ties with his own daughter to come ask him why he was a vampire. And Aeon didn't either. In a way, Raphael and Aeon both acted the same way since now Aeon stayed locked in his room like Raphael did. Yet he didn't talk and was more mysterious to Hilde who distrusted him more than Raphael…
So after hugging her friends, Cassandra went away to return to her homeland in Greece. Looking at Cassandra riding away, Talim thought she would also love to see her family but with what was going on here, she felt she was more useful here than at her village. But she did miss her parents, her grandmother and her bird Alun… It has been so long… Yet a little more time wouldn't change anything from the already long sixteen years… So she prayed the wind to tell her family that she was fine and that she hoped they were fine… She would be back home soon…
Meanwhile, Tira was wearing a dress made of feathers while having dyed her hair in blue and put them in pigtails. She had taken some dress from one of the old occupant's closet and adjusted it to her taste while trying to 'look acceptable' for her master. She cut it and put feathers on the skirt and low collar to show her love for birds.
After having changed, she quickly walked to Nightmare's quarters while many Soul Edge followers were trying to hide the mess that was caused by the slaughter in the house, washing the blood stains or hiding it, changing furniture too damaged with others from less apparent places… throwing all the corpses in the cellar… Nightmare thought probably the Schwarzwind would search for Raphael in the area and may knock at people's house to ask about him, so he ordered some of his followers to always dress as servants in case some unexpected visit would come.
And if it was the previous' family visit, they would just have to tell them they were gone for some times as he did for his mansion in Toulouse. It was easy to squat houses… But since he would be recognizable if he showed himself, one of his followers would play the master of the place and was wearing the elegant clothes the lord of the place would. But this impersonator was ordered not to keep people for long with him so that no one discovered the trick. He only had to answer briefly to any annoying people coming to look for Raphael or the family residing here.
While Tira was passing by the false master of the house, he was practising the basic elegant manners Nightmare taught him since most of the followers right now were poor peasants and didn't knew much about etiquette. Seeing her pass by him, the fake aristocrat quickly bowed to her while muttering some polite salutation. He still was very awkward with his scary mistress, not knowing if he would get some punishment for not having saluted her or on the contrary for annoying her with his salutation. But Tira didn't say anything and it mostly reminded her that she should act this way too so she made a graceful curtsy to Nightmare as she entered his quarters.
-Do I look acceptable for you with this, master?
She both seemed a bit sarcastic and a bit eager to please at the same time while the Raphael-looking Nightmare stared at her with a haughty and bored gaze while sitting on a much elaborated armchair like if he was sitting on a throne. Some servants were standing beside him.
-… It is more acceptable indeed… Fitting, for a buffoon…
Tira was disappointed and surprised.
-A… buffoon?
She didn't care being called buffoon by anybody, it was even funny, she loved it, but not by Nightmare… She had to be more than that to him… She had to be his right-hand woman or something… and this incarnation kept upsetting her… But Nightmare continued:
-To be honest, you look fine…
He then specified.
-Well, the dress looks fine…
Not wanting to elaborate on fashion, Nightmare changed subject while Tira thought again he really looked like Raphael with his cutting replies. But he did show her he was Nightmare…
-Have you brought me the books about politics like I asked you yesterday? I need to know more about the actual one… There is not much in the library of this place… No letters, no books… The people here weren't very intellectuals… or very concerned with politics… At least I know who they were with the few letters I found so we can pretend to know them or be them…
But Nightmare thought they would really have to move soon… This masquerade couldn't go on for very long… But if his plan worked, it would be soon indeed…
Tira's gaze brightened as she answered to Nightmare's question about the politics book and she completely forgot his previous unkind remark. She had a surprise for him.
-I did better, master! I brought you a live book!
And she quickly gambolled to the gallery were she made some sign to one of her followers. After some times, she came back with some richly dressed man. The man had his hands tied and seemed afraid. He had blood stains all over his clothes like if a lot of blood splattered in front of him.
-He is a German diplomat! An emissary! He knows much about politics! I caught him this morning as he was travelling on the road. You can ask him anything!
Nightmare looked a little annoyed. To kidnap diplomats may not be the best way to get Rudolf II's favours… The authorities would look for this man and the diplomat just saw him now, looking like Graf Dumas, the new identity he assumed when he went outside… Yet the kidnapping will probably pass as an unsolved crime… Or… a malfested crime… Indeed a live book could be useful… He could devour his book in both senses… and the diplomat would not say a word about any of this since he shall never get out of here again…
Nightmare smiled to Tira while nodding in approval.
-You have done well, servant. I am pleased.
Seeing her master's satisfied smile addressed to her, Tira smiled proudly. She finally had regained Nightmare's favours! She knew she was useful to him… and Raphael's smile could be cute it seems… Has she ever seen him smile before? Raphy was such a grumpy guy…
Nightmare got up from his elaborated armchair and walked to the frightened aristocrat. Even if he didn't know he was in front of Nightmare, the man felt something very evil around him and to be abducted on the road while all his servants were brutally killed in front of him, all their limbs cut off by a crazy laughing woman, was not very reassuring. Now he was surrounded by the evil master and many of his followers… The poor man wished so much he was somewhere else at this moment… He silently prayed God to save him or at least give him a quick death… Nightmare addressed him with a smooth tone.
-Now my good man, you shall tell me everything I want to know… What is your name?
-Ul… Ulrich… Von Richten… my lord… Baron… Von Richten…
-Well, Monsieur Von Richten…
Nightmare suddenly grabbed him and sank his fangs into his neck.
-I shall make you one of my minions!
The man tried to get out of the vampire's hold but like many victims before, he was unable to, mostly since he was hand-tied. Everybody in the room, Tira and the servants, stared as the man struggled helplessy against their master. After some attempts to resist and push the vampire away, the baron fell down unconscious while Nightmare wiped his mouth and smirked evilly: He was proud of his idea. He had thought at first to get the information he needed then kill him, but who said the human would have told the truth? And if he needed some more answers later? Now he would have his own personal loyal informant… Maybe he could even send him back among the humans…
-Untie him.
Not long after the baron woke up and respectfully kneeled before his new master while Nightmare smirked in satisfaction as he thought about the success of his plans. His scheme to infiltrate aristocracy under a false identity to get to the Emperor himself seemed to go well for now. Of course he had just begun but he thought that while physically weakened, he could use the way aristocrats always used to gain the power he needed to attain his goals… With his own occult knowledge he had as Soul Edge and Raphael's own knowledge about many subjects that could interest the Emperor Rudolf II oe useful, like art, occult, etiquette and many more, he could catch the eye of the Emperor among the other aristocrats and then manipulate him to gain some good position… To please the Emperor, he could also shine in any war Rudolf would do and prove his worth with his fighting skills. All those qualities would help him to become appreciated and influent enough with the Emperor to gain some title and power and then he would be able to collect souls to strenghten his power by organizing purges against humans under the guise of them being malfested since the malfested plague was now very important in the Holy Roman Empire while still searching for the missing Soul Edge fragments. As long as there was war and purges, he could collect souls… Then once strong enough, he would be able to crush his enemies and Soul Calibur once and for all.
Apparently this host had much succeess while in France with gaining alliances and pushing his family to higher positions… Yet Raphael didn't knew much about the actual politics… Having been imprisonned for so long, many things, many rulers had changed… The Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II and the King of France Henri IV haven't but many others did… As he could confirm, there was now a new Duke of Walachia… But that wasn't very surprising since it almost changed every years… But it seemed the Queen of England Elizabeth had died some years ago… Yet she was old… She was born in 1533… But who exactly was the man who succeeded her? This James, Queen Mary Stuart's son? Mary Stuart was the Queen of France when Raphael was born but he knew not much about the son since the son was raised in Scotland when Mary became widow after her husband the King of France François II died when Raphael was one year old and went back to her country where she was the Queen. She then remarried and had this son. The King of Spain Philip II also died some years ago, he was old too… Born in1527… His son Phillip III succeeded him, but how was he? So many changes had happened and Raphael didn't know who was in good terms with who… So Nightmare had to learn it. He already began yesterday to try to win the trust and friendship of the aristocrats living around here and get some information about the actual politics and some gossips. He presented himself as the Comte Dumas, a French aristocrat, a traveller, an erudite… Already making ties, he hoped to be able to use one of those wretched aristocrats to get to the court, get to the Emperor, win his trust and friendship and take everything he needed from him…
As he was lost in his thought, thinking of sending this baron back among the humans to spy on them, he suddenly thought about another plan: It would have been exciting to go back to the Schwarzwind and pretend he was still Raphael while hitting them from inside… Destroy the still reforming and weak Soul Calibur which must be there with that damned Siegfried… But he would never be able to truly hide his true nature in front of it before he could destroy it… Probably even that cursed Siegfried would be able to sense him since they shared much together… Deceiving normal humans would be far easier… Those stupid aristocrats all greeted him with open arms yesterday… But still it was too bad he could not trick Siegfried; this despicable knight trusted Raphael, to deceive him and murder him from behind would have been so much fun… Yet they accept malfested… He could send an agent to destroy or steal the sword and assassinate Siegfried… But this Viola… She would also probably sense him if he came himself but she may even be able to see through his agent's deception by looking into the future and reading that agent's soul… He should assassinate her too… Suddenly Nightmare felt strange, dizzy… His stomach hurt and he wanted to throw up…
-Whats wrong… muttered Nightmare as he stopped moving and clutched his stomach.
What was that? The host? Nightmare thought he should have to get more power to keep this annoying host to shut up forever… Nightmare suddenly feared losing his grip on him… Since he didn't have enough strenght to restrain the host completely, he'll leave the woman alone for now… He didn't want to lose control of the body for this petty reason… Anyway, he should not fear any insignificant seer… Yet she did have some powers… But he could not resolve himself to hurt her; this host was reacting too strongly… The seer was his daughter after all… He'll have to get some more Soul Edge fragments to dominate the host and crush his soul… Annoying host…
-Are you okay? Asked Tira in concern, seeing the slightly troubled expression Nightmare had.
Withtout answering her, Nightmare went to his sword and grabbed it. The evil energy would enslave the rebellious host a little more…
-Give me more power! Darkness… give me DARKNESS!
The sword began to glow and the evil energy surrounded Nightmare. After a while of holding his giant sword, Nightmare seemed better. He breathed deeply in relief before he turned toward Tira and told her:
-Souls. Give me more souls!
Seeing her master beeing himself again, Tira's gaze illuminated once more.
-Yes, master! I'll be right back!
And she quickly left the room to search for some victims while Nightmare sat back on his throne and ordered his new minion to tell him about the actual politics. Once outside, Tira gazed at the birds in the now blue sky and the bright sun and thought it was a beautiful day. She was happy now: She really enjoyed the turning of the baron. It was so funny to see his fear and despair… Now Nightmare was fun! And he did appreciate her work… He may groom himself and go elegantly dressed in a fine carriage while speaking with a snobbish voice but he did have some good sides… or bad sides, whatever… Maybe he'll even decide to slaughter some people on a large scale soon… His new hobbies were not really important as long as the killing could go on… He did seems strange just moments ago but he looked fine afterward. And he did ask for souls…
Viola and Zwei were riding on the road when Viola suddenly told Zwei:
-Zwei… Let's go in that direction. Something happened.
Zwei followed Viola and they rode for a while until they fell on a macabre scene: Some broken carriage with many corpses around. As they approched, they noticed the corpses were all mutilated… From what they knew, Tira liked killing this way… Maybe she was near… But before they could do anything more, a peasant mob and some Imperial soldiers arrived on the scene. A peasant had noticed the carnage and had gone to search for help.
-Hey you! Yelled the Imperial captain to the two. You're the ones who did this? You're malfested aren't you?
Without knowing the answer, he ordered his men:
-Shoot them!
His soldiers then took their arquebuses and aimed at them.
-Damn it… This isn't good! said Zwei.
Thank you for those who read my story.
