A/N: Again, many thanks to all of you for your continued support. Here is the long awaited final chapter! Please enjoy!


Chapter 29: Legends

He gasped, having suddenly woken up by an odd tingling sensation running through his body. He found himself lying on his left side against a solid ground. Moving proved difficult; his body felt extremely heavy and his right arm was completely numb. He felt drained of energy. He was void of any thought.

He wasn't sure how long he remained unmoving until his senses gradually returned.

First, he heard the annoying ringing that sounded around him. It was high-pitch in frequency but not excruciatingly loud.

The next thing he felt was the stinging of his eyes even though they were closed. He clenched them tightly shut but to no avail did that ease the discomfort.

He then recalled a brilliant flash. It had blinded him.

Then he remembered everything. His mouth twitched into a snarl as the memories flooded through.

The cursed Lizardman had crippled him with its vile blade. And the wretched little elf – the brat had clashed his holy sword against Soul Edge one final time, enveloping them in white light. That accursed white light… he had believed that he would never see it again! So the blasted elf had succeeded in opening the portal, did he not?

No… it could not be. He was the one in control and not cast into slumber like before.

However, Soul Edge… he could not hear it nor could he feel its great power. Without the sword he felt nothing. Absolutely nothing. The sword had been silenced somewhere and his rage was contained. Even the strong scent of blood invoked no feeling from him.

What has happened?

Slowly, he opened his eyes, seeing only a blur of black, blue and red through the stinging pain. He breathed out sharply, unable to keep his eyes open for too long. He couldn't tell if his body had changed – if he was older or even younger. He only felt exhausted and weak unlike the first encounter with the portal of light.

His left hand twitched when he tried to move it, sending that odd tingling sensation all over his body. He loudly cursed as frustration started to grow inside him.

The effect of the portal differed from the last. The wretched boy must have been wrong all along.

Something soundly groaned nearby, making his head jerk in its direction.

Bearing through the minor grievance, he pried open his eyes and blinked away the blurriness. He stiffened at the sight before him.

There was nothing but a mass of swirling colours all around him. Streaks of black, streams of blue; weaving, dancing, moving like water. A deep red burned within the darkness but never did the crimson touch the calm blues. He was lying on an invisible solid floor for the colours continued to move undisturbed beneath him.

This place… It was slightly different with the addition of the blue glow but he recognized it nonetheless: It was the damnable dark realm he had dreaded to return.

How? How was he cast into the endless void once again?

His body trembled, the fear of remaining trapped in darkness for eternity overwhelmed him. Was the opening still there? Or had it closed completely? He could hardly lift his head to look around.

He angrily roared at his body's refusal to move. He needed to search for an escape before it was too late.

Something groaned again, making him remember that he was not alone. Under the faint, moving glow of red and blue in the twisted realm, his eyes made out the crumpled form of a child not too far from him.

"You…" he lowly hissed through clenched teeth. It was the boy's blood that he could smell.

The wretched elf stirred, his back was turned towards the other. Only managing to rise onto one elbow, the brat soon collapsed back down.

Barely alive and still a child.

Nightmare's body was also still the same, much to his annoyance.

So the fool's plan had indeed failed to reverse the curse of time. Instead, they had opened a dark rift and were probably trapped inside!

The fallen boy was truly a pathetic sight!

"Get up," the harsh command towards the boy left his lips without him even thinking about it.

The elf visibly flinched from his voice but didn't move.

"Get up." His tone was more demanding and angry, spoken once again out of his will.

At first, the boy failed to rise, however at the second try the elf succeeded in rolling onto his stomach to slowly prop himself onto his elbows and knees. The boy's hands were curled into fists from the effort and his breath came out ragged and short. His forehead rested on his forearms, his blond hair hiding his face.

Red eyes narrowed with impatience. "Rise!" Nightmare suddenly snapped. "Or do you want to die here?"

The Azure Knight furrowed his brow at his own words – words he had no intention of saying in the first place. He did not care if the brat died right in front of him. In fact, he should be grateful the elf was suffering from the wounds Nightmare had personally inflicted. He should be mocking and laughing at the brat for his utter failure. He should be cursing the boy to hell for casting them into an empty world!

The pitiful vermin slightly lifted his head to peer through messy blond fringes of hair at the demon. "Wh-Where is… this?" the boy slowly rasped in a mere whisper.

Your grave! Was Nightmare's desired reply but the words were never spoken.

"Your poor excuse of a time portal," was instead his answer to the boy.

He mentally cursed, sensing another presence interfering with his true actions.

"The portal?" The elf glanced at his left hand, moving his blood-stained fingers as if testing if they were his own. Shock fell over the brat's pale face followed by extreme disappointment. "We're still… the same." The boy buried his face and clenched his fists until his knuckles were white. "This can't be it! I was sure… I-I thought…" He bit his lower, trembling lip and slowly shook his head in disbelief.

Nightmare cherished the boy's defeated display however he couldn't show it. In place of mockery was scorn; "Don't be such a pathetic fool. We are still inside the damn portal! Now get up!"

The elf continued to shake his head.

The demon's glare was furious. "Are you giving up now after coming all this way, brat? Get up!"

"There's nothing more I can do," the boy weakly murmured, refusing to obey.

"Imbecile! Idiot! Goddamn stupid little elf!" The insults were hissed out of pure frustration. "You are nothing but a damn liar, Link!"

At the sound of his name, the blond-haired swordsman raised his head to gaze upon the demon with wide, blue eyes. His lips moved to form the name Nightmare did not need to hear.

Siegfried!

His other half was somehow meddling. The human should have disappeared after Soul Edge's reawakening!

Nightmare tried to regain control of his body, only succeeding in making the fingers of his left hand twitch and nothing more. His hand formed a tight fist soon after as if the human was mocking the demon's incapability to move.

"Did you not make a promise? Or were they just empty words?" his human-half continued, his eyes boring into the despicable elf.

The elf licked his lips and swallowed. "No… Of course not," he rasped. A weak, relieved smile adorned the pointy-eared child's face. He carefully pushed himself up into a sitting position, one hand pressed against his bleeding wound at his side. "I intend to keep my promise, Siegfried." His eyes were closed to fight off the wave of dizziness that struck him but he remained upright.

Nightmare felt his lips curl into a sneer. "Then hurry up."

The blond hero drew several deep breaths and slowly exhaled each one. Blue eyes then opened to look around the area. "Is this really the time portal? Why are we inside it? This never happened last time."

The other snorted. "Did you honestly believe that the same thing would happen twice?"

"Yes. I was hoping it was as simple as that," the elf mumbled with a slight pout. His gaze focused on something behind the fallen Azure Knight that made the boy gasp in surprise.

"What do you see?" Was it an exit out of the treacherous realm?

"Our swords."

Nightmare internally smiled. Soul Edge was still near. If he could somehow overpower his human self and reclaim the cursed weapon he would be free to rule again.

"Take us to them."

The elf nodded and, after straining his body to rise, shuffled towards the dark knight on wobbly legs. Blood drenched the lower half of his oversized tunic and trailed down his right leg. Pain was evident by his grimacing expression and clenched teeth. He dropped to his knees right before Nightmare with a deep sigh, his tired eyes staring at the demon's right arm. "This sword…" whispered the boy as he reached out to touch something Nightmare failed to notice when he regained consciousness.

The demon's head shifted to look at the hilt of a blade protruding from the leathery flesh of his monstrous claw. It was the cursed beast's holy sword still embedded into his arm and it was the cause for his body's numbness. It had lost its light and appeared to be only a normal blade.

"Do not touch it!" Nightmare's human-half snarled with a dangerous warning.

Link pulled back his hand within an instant. "Does it hurt?" he asked with a frown.

"No. However," the demon formed a snide grin hidden under his helm. It was not meant for the elf to see but for Nightmare himself. "It is suppressing my evil power."

"That's why you…" The elf trailed off in realization as he gazed upon the sword with a saddened expression. A hopeful glimmer shone in his eyes when he gave the Azure Knight a determined look and smile. "Lizard's death will not be in vain… Just one more step until this is all over. You'll be free."

"Free?" the dark knight's other half scoffed at that. "Will I be truly free of this curse?"

"Believe." The hero placed his right hand in Nightmare's left in a supportive gesture. Iron fingers unwillingly curled, clasping tightly but not harming the other. "I will make sure it will happen. You will be yourself once again."

Freedom… that was what Nightmare desired as well. To be free of his weak human self and become a whole being; one that lived for death and carnage; one that brought chaos and fear in the lives of men. For that brief moment, the true Azure Knight wanted the wretched elf's belief to come true. Let the human have his pitiful life while Nightmare be reborn anew!

Burdened with pain and weakness, it took some time and effort for the puny elf to position Nightmare's heavy body so he could lift the demon onto his armoured feet.

With his left arm draped around the smaller elf, Nightmare placed most of his weight on the injured boy since his legs were stiff and barely moving. At most, it seemed his human-half could move his left leg to take meager steps while his right one was dragging.

With both struggling to stay on their feet, they moved at a snail's pace towards the glow of light up ahead. It was no surprise that the light came from the elf's atrocious sword but what did surprise him was the presence of another light-bearing sword that Link failed to mention. The blade of the second sword was thinner than the Master Sword but shone just as brightly.

Soul Calibur… There was no doubt about it. The wretched sword was initially lost in the dark void after all.

The two swords were held stiff vertically in the air with their tips pointed downward a short distance apart, suspended by unnatural forces. Behind the two divine swords was the larger Soul Edge that radiated with visible wisps of dark energy. The eye of Soul Edge was open but unfocused as if caught within a trance. Its evil aura was cancelled out by the light of the two radiant swords. Each weapon was positioned to form a small triangle.

Nightmare could not feel the evil sword's aura nor hear it speak. He could not sense the cursed holy weapons either, making him assume the weapons were neutralizing each other.

The annoying ringing noticeably grew louder as they approached the floating weapons. Panting heavily on trembling knees, Link stopped them before the swords of light, his eyes resting on the holy blade to their right. Trapped within the dark void, the sword's form had remained the same throughout the years. How and why it has suddenly appeared alongside their weapons was a mystery.

Has it been waiting for its owner to retrieve it?

Or has the time finally come for it to choose its new master?

Nightmare would have frozen with that realization if he was in control of his body. The dreaded Spirit Sword… Has it chosen Siegfried?

It cannot be

"It is Soul Calibur," Nightmare's other half answered the elf's questioning stare. "It was lost here in this dark void on that fateful day, four years ago…"

"Soul Calibur…" the boy quietly repeated in awe before shifting slightly to give the demon an exhausted but confused look. "Wait, this… this is the void of darkness? We didn't open the time portal?" He sounded worried.

"It is the dark void yet it is different here." Red eyes scanned the endless realm, watching the colours dance and flow all around with no particular pattern. There was no beginning and no end. Nightmare had once wandered the void, feeling forever lost and hopeless as time passed by – no, there was no time to keep track of. Days, weeks, months, years all felt the same.

"The blue light you see within the darkness," the demon's left hand weakly gestured to the surrounding swirls of blue melding with the black streams, "it was never here before."

"It is… it is the colour of time. It has to be," Link surmised, glancing at his sacred weapon. "The realm of time is the same blue."

"We opened the portal under different circumstances than the last. This new realm is the result." Nightmare's eyes fell on Soul Calibur. "It was the power of these swords that have created this awful place."

"If we take the Master Sword and Soul Calibur, what would happen? Would this realm collapse and disappear?"

The other had no answer. Crimson orbs were transfixed on the Spirit Sword, drawn by its soft bluish-white light.

What did the human feel when looking upon the holy blade? Nightmare dared not to know.

"Why don't we find out?" was his human-half's sudden answer. Nightmare's body pushed off the startled elf and stumbled forward with newfound strength to his legs. The left hand reached up at the white hilt of Soul Calibur. Nightmare tried to change his body's direction, to reach for Soul Edge instead, but once again the demon only caused a minor twitch in the fingers. His other self was laughing at him now, deep echoing chortles that ridiculed the helpless Azure Knight.

Nightmare could only watch with silent rage.

Iron fingers clasped around the handle and instantly a bright flash of light emitted from the contact. Then there was pain. White fire spread up his arm and into his body. He screamed but his body never let go.

Hot flames burned into his very core, devouring every nerve and fiber in searing agony. He was consumed in pain for what felt like a goddamn eternity, making him beg for it to stop and kill him already.

Something as cold as ice suddenly grasped his heart, encircling it in its cold, powerful grip. It violently pulled, tearing him inside out.

The pain vanished as white eventually turned to black. He felt as light as air for a brief moment before he started to sink into the muted darkness.

My child… I am here… Return to me…

Soul Edge… Nightmare could hear its voice, guiding him through the emptiness. Its power was waiting for him.

If he had a mouth he would be sneering for he was no longer restrained within the human burden he deeply loathed.


Heat swallowed him from head to toe, chasing away the deep, bitter cold that wracked his stiff body. It was painful at first. The white fires burned his outer skin before spreading deeper into his heart, mind and soul. Icy tendrils that held him prisoner were devoured by hot flames. He had screamed at the burning agony; he had silently begged for it to stop but the fires would not listen.

Then came the soothing cold that eased away the searing pain. Unlike the bitter ice that tormented him, the cool sensation was more pleasant and calming. It penetrated to his very core but it was neither excruciating nor uncomfortable.

The heaviness was gone from his body; he was stripped of exhaustion and weakness.

No longer was he bound to the malevolent entity that resided within him. No longer did he hear its harsh whispers and thoughts.

The chains have been broken, their links severed. He was free – free of the darkness that haunted his soul.

An otherworldly voice that sounded neither male nor female rang through the confines of his mind, clear and echoing; "I have been waiting, warrior, for your time to come. Your soul, it burns with honest desire.

"Power. Forgiveness. Redemption. These desires resonate the strongest within you.

"I will give you Power however you alone must seek Forgiveness and Redemption.

"Heed me: The great evil will rise once more. Eliminate the evil with my granted Power.

"The Time you seek will return when the Hero's soul is fully awakened."

"I am already awake," a distant youthful male voice sounded all around, carrying a hint of a smirk. "I am merely waiting. The end is nigh. Are you ready to finally put an end to all of this, Siegfried?"

For the first time after what felt like countless years, he heard his own true voice, strong and unwavering; "Yes."

Something grabbed him by the arm and pulled him out of the blank world of white and cold and into a realm of heat and darkness.

He found himself standing, feeling taller than he remembered. Slowly, he opened his eyes.

Shocked was his mind when he first saw the transparent white-blue crystal that covered the familiar metal armour of his body – a body that was the size and build of an adult human! Breathless, he took a quick look up and down his body, seeing crystal-covered armour protecting every part. He gaped at his armoured left hand, flexing each finger before clenching into a tight fist. Not once did the crystal outer layer interfere with his movements.

Then he noticed the large blade held in his right hand. He lifted the huge sword with ease before him, studying its beautiful glowing blue core and its clear crystalline surface that refracted the blue light, making the sword shimmer like pure ice. The crystal encrusted hilt fanned out around the central core, forming majestic wings of metal and frost. The blade itself was long and unevenly shaped but carried a sharp double-edge nonetheless. Strange as it appeared to be, the sword was a visually captivating weapon.

It was Soul Calibur.

It spoke to him. It had chosen him as its new wielder and granted him its formidable power. Its form had changed to match his abilities with both armour and sword. Once a one-handed blade that fit the style of that Chinese woman, Soul Calibur was now a zweihander-type sword meant for his hands only.

Never had he imagined himself capable of wielding such power that defied the cursed Soul Edge. Its power embraced him, fortifying his body and soul against its polar evil. The same sword that defeated him when he was Nightmare years ago was ironically his to wield.

"Astounding, isn't it?" asked a familiar voice to his right.

With a start, Siegfried turned sharply to the one who spoke, nearly gasping in surprise. "Link," he managed to whisper at the boy's change in appearance.

The elf was a young adult standing a head shorter than the other, wearing a green tunic with white undergarments, a green hat atop his blond head, brown leather finger-less gauntlets on both of his crossed arms and brown leather boots to match. Strapped to his back was his sheathed Master Sword and quiver of arrows and attached to his waist belt was his pouch of items he always carried as a child. And his long, pointy ears… they were both pierced with small blue hoop-earrings. If anything, the elf looked very similar to his younger self.

A wide grin adorned the young man's face, making him appear like the child Siegfried was used to seeing. The smile soon turned into a smirk as Link's expression became bold and mature. "No time to gawk in wonder, my friend," stated the elf, nodding his head towards Siegfried's left, "it's not over yet."

Siegfried lowered his magnificent sword as he turned to face the growing evil flaring with hot orange flames. He took a second to glance around, noticing that they were within a different but similar void. Pulsing deep reds and dark purples mingled with pitch black. Unlike the watery flow, the movement of colours in the evil realm was more violent and erratic, reflecting the turmoil and anger of the malevolent entity rising before the two warriors. Fire was spreading along the unseen ground, surrounding the creature that held onto the hilt of Soul Edge.

"Inferno," Siegfried seethed, narrowing his eyes at the fiery demon forming into its humanoid shape.

He heard the hum of a drawn sword beside him. "The soul of Soul Edge…" Link quietly remarked, stepping slightly ahead. In his left hand was his Master Sword, its light shining as vibrant as ever. On the back of his gloved hand was the mysterious glowing mark of three golden triangles, with one triangle brighter than the rest. Siegfried had yet to fully understand what sort of power Link possessed.

Capable of penetrating the darkest of evil despite all odds, Link's unfathomable powers had to be undeniably equal to that of a heavenly god. (Or close to a god at least.)

The air of the hostile realm was electrified with energy coming from not only the dark being but from Siegfried and Link as well. The opposite powers were in silent discord, creating a chaotic world.

"Your wounds have healed?" inquired the knight, stepping up beside the other.

Link nodded, giving Siegfried a sideways glance. "I'm missing a shield but I'm not too worried about that. We can take this fiend down, right, wielder of Soul Calibur?"

The older blond sneered, swinging his new weapon forward. It was not too heavy nor too light, just the perfect weight. He gave a resolute answer; "That's right. Let's finish this." By destroying Soul Edge completely would Siegfried ever redeem himself worthy to continue living on. By destroying the cursed weapon would he ever have the power to forgive himself for the sins he had committed. By destroying the wretched blade would he ever have a peace of mind.

Eyes that burned with intense white flames fell upon them when Inferno fully emerged. Soul Edge, just like Soul Calibur, had changed its form to better suit its 'wielder'. It had returned to its original size and shape – the true sword of Nightmare.

The fire demon resembled the Guardian of Soul Edge in that its limbs were made of brownish bone held together with living flames. Its main body was composed mainly of fire and few white bone segments just like most of its head. Atop the flaming skull was a crown of spike-like protrusions of black metal with a central, long horn at the front.

Its power was overflowing. The dark void twisted under its wake. With a simple wave of its inhuman hand it spread its flames outward, encircling the warriors within. Trapped inside a wall of fire, the demon left the impression that their battle would be to the death.

Inferno had no voice, it could not speak. However, it moved its body as a human would in a taunting gesture, daring them to attack. The stance it took was not surprising – matching that of Siegfried's greatest foe: Nightmare.

His alter ego – was his spirit taken in by Soul Edge? It was plausible since Nightmare was born from the evil sword.

If that was the case, then it would be very satisfying to defeat the fire demon.

Unfazed by the intense heat, Siegfried lowered into his stance. Beside him, Link was shielding his face from the sweltering fires with his right arm, sweat already trickling down his chin.

The boy was at an extreme disadvantage. With a nod to the elf, the knight took the initiative. He lunged forward, quickly closing the distance between him and the demon thanks to his long strides. (He really missed being an adult!)

He swept his sword around, starting off with a horizontal strike. As expected, the demon blocked against it. Soul Calibur brilliantly clashed into Soul Edge, creating a shower of sparks. Siegfried stepped forward to further press his blade against the evil sword, testing the strength behind his opponent. White electricity crackled against crimson energy, vying for dominance. Their polar energies battled for a brief moment before Inferno pulled back its weapon for a quick counter.

The hilt of Soul Edge nearly slammed into Siegfried's chest as he stepped back, anticipating the demon's attack. Having spent years in the body and mind of Nightmare, Siegfried could predict the Azure Knight's way of attacking. However, the same could be said for Inferno being able to foresee the blond warrior's maneuvers.

Nightmare's moves were originally Siegfried's. But over time and after countless battles, Nightmare further developed each attack to be more precise and efficient in killing. Those developed skills were deeply ingrained in Siegfried's body and mind. He fought like Nightmare and Nightmare fought like him.

An even match, the demon and knight viciously battled, defending each other's strikes and parrying each other's blades. He swung with much fervor that the monster's flames followed the direction of his blade whenever he missed. Not once did Siegfried land a hit on the fiery pest, making the man snarl in frustration.

He quickly wiped the sweat off his brow caused by exertion and not the heat of the fire. The crystal armour provided protection against the blazing air.

Taking a risky maneuver, he went for a low sweep, aiming for the demon's ankles. However, the cursed monster simply jumped back and instantly retaliated with a downward strike. Siegfried rolled to the side, hearing Soul Edge slam into solid ground. He was about to perform a counter of his own but a flash of green appeared in the corner of his eye.

Yelling as he leapt, Link went in with a jumping slash. His Master Sword struck the demon's crowned head, knocking the monster backward from the blow. The demon staggered but remained standing.

Not wasting the opportunity, Siegfried pounced forward, running his blade into Inferno's exposed body. It felt like he pierced into nothing but air, however once Soul Calibur was lodged inside the demon the sword jolted with energy.

Bluish-white light flared from Soul Calibur, making Inferno reel back as if in pain. The demon's flames were blown back by the burst of divine light, reducing the fires to weak glowing embers. Eyes that once burned an intense white faded into two deep orange, smoking hollows.

Inferno fell backwards, slipping away from Soul Calibur's edge. Soul Edge clattered beside its prone, smoldering body. Dark wisps of evil energy weakened around the cursed sword yet its eye remained open and glaring. The wall of fire dwindled into nothingness, taking away the orange light and heat. The realm had calmed, its colours softening and moving more akin to waves of heated air.

It had gone quiet with the exception of the heavy panting of the elf. Drenched in sweat, Link cautiously approached the smoldering remains of Inferno's body. "Was that it?" he asked, sounding quite breathless but relieved. He circled the ashes before stopping beside the fallen evil weapon. "All that is left is to destroy Soul Edge."

His blue eyes looked at Siegfried expectantly, silently asking to do the deed. Siegfried glowered at the atrocious sword lying helpless on its own one final time.

Soul Edge – the wicked blade that once controlled him and turned him into a killing demon. He had brought suffering and death to everything and everyone he had encountered under its dark hold. To finally be free of its curse felt much like a dream.

But he knew it was no mere dream.

The boy dressed in green, bearing a mystical light and wielding a holy sword capable of vanquishing the darkest of shadows was proof of reality. It was so long ago, it seemed, when Siegfried encountered Link the first time. They had journeyed so far and each had endured so much pain. It was difficult to understand why Link had stayed by Siegfried's side throughout it all.

The hero had promised Siegfried his freedom and stayed true to his word.

None other had ever shown such devotion.

Siegfried was eternally grateful to have Link as a friend. If the hero had not arrived in the forest on that day, what would have become of his fate?

He would probably still be Nightmare, hunting the lands for fragments of Soul Edge – that was certain. Silently, he scoffed at the thought.

He nodded at the elven swordsman, giving the honor of ending the greatest evil to the hero.

With both hands, Link held the Master Sword before him, the tip of the blade pointing downward in preparation for a stabbing thrust.

The yellow eye of the cursed sword fell on the young man, shining with malice. Link was unfazed by its unnerving stare. If anything his features hardened to match that of a veteran warrior who had dealt with such evil many times over. "Perish into nothingness," the hero whispered, raising his blade over the eye of Soul Edge.

Perish? A familiar demonic voice suddenly rang through the darkness. A short cruel laugh sounded all around. You are sadly mistaken…

Siegfried's eyes widened. "Get back!" he bellowed at the boy. Link glanced at him abruptly but didn't question him before jumping away from Soul Edge. Just when the elf landed did something black and wispy start to gather around the remains of Inferno and the fallen blade in a strong, vicious wind, blowing back the boy and nearly knocking Siegfried over. Dark tendrils swirled together, entwining to create a whole being. The darkness cleared and the wind stopped to reveal the hideous form that manifested before them.

Glowing crimson eyes glowered at Siegfried with deadly intent as the monster stood tall in its gleaming azure armour. A large monstrous three-fingered brown claw was its right arm with its shoulder baring an open mouth with glistening pointed teeth. Brownish leathery flesh spreading from the mutated arm across its upper chest also bore a set of ferocious fangs. A long, pointed horn protruded from the front top of its helm while a fin-like projection adorned the top and back.

"Nightmare," Siegfried growled, unable to hide his loathing hate. Emerald eyes blazed with fury at the ugly demon that dared to show itself before him.

"Did you miss me, Siegfried?" the monster spoke, his tone harsh through the ears. He stepped forward, turning his body sideways to point the evil sword in his human-like hand at the blond knight. Soul Edge, its form was slightly altered and its eye glowed an eerie purple along with the strange crystal inlaid within the center of the pulsing, fleshy region near it. "Your hate is nothing without me."

For I am you and you are me.

"No. We are no longer one and the same," Siegfried lowly spat with utter disgust, baring his teeth at the dark being.

"I was born from your hatred, do you not remember?" Nightmare cocked his helmed head slightly, giving the man a hidden sneer. "Without me, you are incomplete."

Your power only comes from hatred.

"I am the one who created you," Siegfried admitted, his mouth a grim line. He diverted his gaze briefly to the divine sword clenched in his right hand before returning his attention to the Azure Knight. Overwhelming hate was the reason Nightmare continued to exist; the reason why the demon manifested without a host.

Siegfried was the only one who understood the evil entity. That must have been why Soul Calibur had chosen him as its new wielder. The sword had yearned for the annihilation of Soul Edge and had perhaps foreseen his destiny. "Then I am the one destined to defeat you!" He mirrored the demon's current stance, pointing Soul Calibur at the monster.

"Are you forgetting something, Siegfried?" chided an annoyed-looking elf. Standing a fair distance from the Azure Knight, the boy smirked at the older man. "You're not alone in this fight. We'll take him down together!"

Nightmare broke into a deep, amusing laugh as his crimson orbs turned to the blond hero. The air around the dark knight shimmered with black energy. The colours of the void twisted and pulsed in reflection of the demon's growing power. "Wretched little elf," the Azure Knight snarled, "What use will you be when you are dead?" Nightmare attacked before he even finished his sentence.

He was upon the green swordsman within an instant, bringing Soul Edge around for a fast sweep to the boy's neck. Luckily, Link was ready for it, having leapt backwards to avoid the loss of his head. Nightmare moved in to thrust his blade forward. With his long range, he easily closed the distance between him and the hero within a blink of an eye.

The elven warrior dodged to the side, narrowly evading the deadly blade wanting to run him through. Link dove towards the recovering demon into a crouch position, his sword lighting up with mystical blue energy. With a yell, he jumped straight up all the while twirling his body and sword in circles in an odd but effective attack. Link struck Nightmare's body multiple times with his powered Master Sword, knocking the greater demon into the air.

Impressed, Siegfried dashed towards the falling Azure Knight. He leapt into the air, swinging Soul Calibur down on the defenseless demon in midair. However the monster detected him and twisted to face Siegfried, bringing Soul Edge around to intercept the divine sword. The clash between swords rang loud but the impact knocked Nightmare straight into the ground. The demon rolled into his fall and returned to his feet soon after, a look of murder flashing in his eyes.

Siegfried cursed at the demon's undamaged armour. He was certain Link's Master Sword was just as effective as Soul Calibur in harming the fiend. Or was the demon's healing power much greater than before?

There was no time to think about that; Nightmare was charging straight for the elf once again. Letting out a furious roar, the Azure Knight unleashed a series of attacks that forced Link to continuously dodge and evade without a chance to counter. With no shield, Link wasn't capable of defending properly either.

His power! It shall be mine!

The crystal-armoured knight rushed to the other's aid by attacking the demon from the side. Soul Calibur slashed into the dark being, throwing Nightmare into the ground. The demon hissed in pain but returned to his feet faster than expected. The wound in his side closed up immediately and the armour was restored to its former glory.

Siegfried huffed in annoyance. "Relentless bastard," he hissed under his breath at the rising, unharmed demon.

Link joined the blond knight, keeping his focus on their opponent. "We can't seem to harm him," he needlessly told the older man.

"It is futile," the demon mocked, raising his large talons before him and clenching it into a fist. "Your pitiful weapons are useless against me!"

For I am the master of this twisted world!

Siegfried narrowed his eyes at Nightmare's unspoken words. If the body cannot be harmed then why not go for the main source of evil power? "Use everything you got against Soul Edge," informed the older blond, falling into his stance. "We'll destroy it and take Nightmare down in the process!" He attacked first, charging headlong at the laughing demon.

"Destroy it?" the demon mused aloud, running forward to meet the blond knight. They both performed the same maneuver, attempting to bring their large swords down on each other's heads. Their swords clashed in the middle instead, sending a shower of sparks to fly all around. Siegfried grunted against the power behind his opponent's blade, feeling his arms tremble from the impact. Through sheer effort he pressed Soul Calibur against the demon's sword in hope of forcing the other back. White and red energy flared between the polar blades in another battle of dominance.

Nightmare was far stronger than Inferno, there was no mistaking it. The demon seemed unfazed by the amount of pressure Siegfried was forcing against him. Those red eyes sneered at the other. "You pathetic fools will never succeed."

For you shall both die by my blade!

Emerald eyes hardened against the vile fiend. "We will not yield. Your end is inevitable." Siegfried pulled back the moment he sensed Link behind him, making Nightmare slam his weapon into the ground.

The hero rounded the other, the Master Sword glowing a vibrant orange instead of blue. Link flipped in the air, spinning both himself and his magical sword at Soul Edge. Orange streaks followed the boy's twirling blade. Once, twice, thrice he struck the evil sword in quick succession, creating a dazzling display of sparks and flashing energy before Nightmare had time to withdraw.

Soul Edge's flesh was cut open and part of the purple crystal was scratched. However, its power had yet to falter.

Link stumbled in his landing due to his spinning momentum, leaving him vulnerable for Nightmare's counter. Siegfried acted in haste and jumped between the boy and the demon in time to parry Soul Edge to the ground. The blond knight followed with an upward slash, grinding the edge of his sword against the flesh and metal of the evil weapon. Soul Calibur shattered part of the purple core, sending crystal shards flying along with a few small fragments of the demon's sword. The pupil of the sword's eye contracted from the damage it received.

Swearing, Nightmare lashed out with his claw before Siegfried could complete his swing. Talons swiped into the blond knight's exposed side, soundly raking through crystal, armour and flesh. Siegfried was flung away by the powerful blow where he roughly landed and skidded to a stop.

He heard Link cry out his name in panic just as Nightmare roared out in anger.

Grant me the last of your power, Soul Edge!

Siegfried felt Nightmare's demonic aura dramatically increase to a frightening level. He opened his eyes and swore at the sight of the familiar red flame surrounding the evil sword and not just the monstrous claw but the entire enraged demon.

Berserk, Nightmare was a savage, killing crimson beast that lunged at Link with a bloodthirsty snarl.

Siegfried grimaced from his new wounds as he quickly climbed back to his feet. The two visibly bleeding gashes were painful but not fatally deep. Blood running down his armour stained the clear crystal red.

The core of Soul Calibur flashed as blue wisps of energy reached out and mended the armour's gaping holes but unfortunately not Siegfried's wounds.

Bearing with the pain, the knight charged back into battle.

Link was struggling to evade all of Nightmare's wild attacks. He attempted to block an overhead strike when left with no choice, resulting in him falling to one knee from the heavy strike. Too slow to move, he had to block against a second downward slash, placing the back of his right hand beneath the flat of his blade for support. The powerful impact left his arms numb and weak. Unable to raise his blade, Link could not block the third strike.

Siegfried bellowed in fury as he drove Soul Calibur into Nightmare's back, saving the hero from harm. He felt the sword pierce through the other side. The demon was howling in agony at the burning energy coursing into his wound but refused to fall. Nightmare violently twisted around, throwing Siegfried aside and making him lose his hold on Soul Calibur. The divine weapon remained embedded within the demon, its power visibly conflicting with Nightmare's ability to regenerate.

Despite the obvious pain it was feeling, Nightmare continued with his rampage, his fiery flames still burning with vengeance. With deadly eyes locked onto the crystal-armoured knight, the demon launched at his target.

Moving so fast, the fiend was blur of red that appeared before Siegfried within a split second.

Weaponless and too slow to fully evade, Siegfried sidestepped and swung out his right arm to backhand the deadly edge aiming to run him through. Managing to only divert the blade slightly from his feeble attempt, the point of Soul Edge still pierced into his armour and sunk into his right side. His armour thankfully lessened the blow, stopping the blade from penetrating into vital organs. However, it was absolutely painful – the cursed metal felt like fire cutting into his body before he was thrown backwards from the hit.

He cried out when he landed on his back, writhing at the searing pain from his new wound. Link was yelling at him – what exactly, Siegfried couldn't quite comprehend at his current state of mind. He turned towards the elf, catching sight of Nightmare breaking out of a thin shell of blue ice. A flash of blue erupted from the demon's back as more magical ice started to spread around his head and upper body. But the magic was quickly shattered for the powerful, rageful demon could not be easily contained.

When the demon sharply twirled around to face his attacker, a yellow streaked arrow struck the fiend's helmed face. Blinding golden light flashed before Nightmare's eyes, making him shriek in surprise. Unable to see, the demon thrashed blindly, attacking at nothing in front of him.

"Get up! Get your sword!" Link told the older warrior, drawing another golden arrow. "I'll keep him distracted!"

Siegfried's breath hitched in his throat when he forced his body to rise. The hole in his armour did not seal, making him assume that Soul Calibur's presence was required.

The blond knight snorted at the boy. Getting behind the thrashing demon was easier said than done. Nightmare was swinging Soul Edge all over the place in a futile attempt to hit something without seeing it. Nonetheless, there was no other way to retrieve Soul Calibur while the demon was berserk.

Rounding the dark knight at a relatively safe distance, Siegfried cautiously waited for Link to fire another flash arrow at the monster's face. The second golden blast made Nightmare rear back with a horrified scream. That was when Siegfried ran in and grabbed the hilt of his divine blade, feeling its power cool the fire in his wound and lessen the pain. He planted a boot on the fiend's back and kicked the bastard off his sword.

Nightmare fell forward onto his hands and knees, his dark blood splattering over the invisible floor. Soul Calibur was free of cursed blood for its power repelled it off its crystalline surface.

Red flames still enveloped the demon yet he was slow to climb to his feet. The large wound, Siegfried quickly noticed, was not healing.

Not caring why, Siegfried took the perfect chance to attack. He performed a jumping overhead slash, throwing all his weight and power into his swing. Soul Caliber cut into burning armour, leathery flesh and finally bone, leaving a gaping wound on the demon's back that stretched from Nightmare's upper right shoulder to his lower left side.

Letting out a gurgled roar of pain, the Azure Knight collapsed to his knees before falling over with a wet, metallic thunk. Soul Edge clattered beside him, its purple eye dilating with the fading crimson fires. Not wasting the chance, Siegfried stepped over the fallen body to put the finishing blow on the cursed sword.

Seconds before Soul Calibur was about to pierce the eye of the wicked blade, a three-talon claw reached up and clamped its iron hold around Siegfried's left forearm, stopping the descent of his weapon.

This is not the end yet!

On one knee, Nightmare crushed through the crystal gauntlet with ease, making the metal crumple and tear painfully into the blond knight's skin. With little effort, the demon tossed Siegfried over his shoulder.

The blond warrior crashed against the hard floor, further jarring his open wounds. There was a furious yell coming from Link followed by a roar of pain from the dark knight.

Wincing, Siegfried peered through his long strands of hair to see the elf had impaled his blade through the demon's chest. But even that did not stop the fiend from countering. Those vicious talons sideswiped the hero, making the boy fly roughly into the ground. It was the Master Sword's turn to remain embedded into the demon's body where it burned the cursed tissue.

Nightmare swore through the agony but still did not fall.

Frustrated by the demon's persistence, Siegfried mustered all his willpower to rise once more. His left gauntlet was repaired but his arm remained wounded. Soul Calibur was held firm in his good hand as he clumsily dashed towards the Azure Knight. "This is it for you, Nightmare!" Using all his strength, he plunged the Spirit Sword into the demon's back a second time, driving it as deep as the hilt. "Accept your fate!" he hissed in the demon's ear. "You were destined to die by my hands the moment you became whole, you damn fool."

Curse you, Siegfried! I will never die! For as long as you bear hatred I shall be reborn!

"Then I shall cast aside my hate!"

Mocking laughter rang through the darkness. An impossible feat. There is one person you hate most – one you can never forgive. The dark knight slightly turned his head to give the blond warrior a sideways glare. Can you cast aside the hate you have for yourself, Siegfried?

The man ground his teeth at the other's truthful words. His hands curled tightly around the hilt of Soul Calibur in a white-knuckled grip, shaking from the exertion. The trembling of his sword brought pained hisses to spew from the demon's hidden lips.

Siegfried closed his eyes and drew in a much needed calming breath. He sharply exhaled, his features softening. His trembling stopped. He spoke quietly; "I am the one who created you. I am the one who made you a legend. You are me… and I am you. But our fates have changed, Nightmare. We were destined to fight in this battle for freedom the moment Link crossed our path." At the mention of the boy, Siegfried opened his eyes to see the elven hero standing before them, warily watching with one hand pressing against his injured side. The older blond returned his gaze on the glowering demon. "If I am to be forgiven then I must first forgive myself. From now on, I will set on a journey for redemption.

"Nightmare, this is farewell. Schlafen für die Ewigkeit." Sleep for eternity.

You…!

"Link, take your sword and destroy Soul Edge!"

The hero nodded and approached the Azure Knight.

No!

The demon was never given the chance to retaliate.

With a final cry, Siegfried lifted Soul Calibur upwards, cleaving through the demon's body just as the hero freed his weapon.

Soon to follow was the boy's yell as he sank his Master Sword through the eye of the wicked blade.

An unholy wail of death howled through the void, its volume so loud that Siegfried dropped Soul Calibur and instinctively clamped his hands over his ears. However, the sound wasn't coming through his ears but through his mind as both Nightmare and the shattered sword disintegrated into nothingness. The colours of the void were erratic and violent before fading into complete darkness.

The cries stopped. The evil aura all but vanished.

Breathing deeply, Siegfried lowered his hands to his sides and fell to his knees in both exhaustion and utter relief. He tensed slightly when pain flared from his wounds but otherwise ignored them.

A hand rested on his right shoulder soon after. Gathering his bearings, he slowly raised his head to look up at the grinning face of the adult elven swordsman.

"I told you, didn't I?" Link began, dropping beside the other. His face was lit up by the light of his Master Sword. "That we would return back to normal and you would be free."

The knight smirked. "I guess I was wrong to have doubted you," Siegfried replied whilst shaking his head. He hung his head low, letting his long hair shroud his face as he stared at his shimmering armoured hands. Once deformed, they were now human – he was human. Twice now, the boy in green had freed him from his curse. The second time wasn't just temporarily either. "Thank you, Link. If you had not –"

"No," the hero interrupted, making the other frown at him. "I couldn't have done it without you either. I nearly gave up when we got here, remember?"

"It was you who brought us here," Siegfried argued. "You were – I was so close to killing you…" He could not forget the feeling of pleasure that overwhelmed his mind when Link's blood was first drawn. He shuddered at the horrifying memory.

"That wasn't you. You and Nightmare were separate entities so don't dwell on it. I'm still alive now, aren't I? The both of us." Minding his injuries, Link carefully shifted to sit cross-legged. He held up his Master Sword before him, pointing it skyward in both hands. "We defeated Nightmare and destroyed Soul Edge. We should celebrate!"

Leave it to Link to change the mood. The burden Siegfried had carried for so many years was finally gone and he couldn't be more relieved. It was thanks to the hero as well as the weapon lying beside him.

Soul Calibur… It was truly unbelievable that the Spirit Sword would appear before him despite being lost in the original dark void.

It had freed him of his curse by banishing the dark entity that resided in his soul and gave him the strength to conquer it in battle. He was forever grateful for its divine power.

Faint wisps of blue started to appear over his armour. He raised his arms and stared in fascination as the crystal layer gradually disappeared into mist. Silently, he watched as the glow of Soul Calibur's blue core dulled, its full power no longer needed. He reached for its handle and gently lifted it before him to gaze upon its crystalline surface in bewilderment under the remaining light coming from Link's sword.

The pair was silent for a moment, watching the last of the blue mist vanish into the darkness, leaving behind a normal suit of armour.

The hero lowered his weapon. "So…" he began, raising an eyebrow at Siegfried. "How do we get out of here?"

The older blond managed a tired shrug before something loudly cracked, making the two warriors glance around the darkness.

"What was –" were the only words that escaped Link's mouth before the ground beneath them suddenly gave way like broken glass.

Through the bleak abyss they fell, tumbling and screaming with no knowledge of what was happening.

But then the darkness turned into a realm of blue. For a brief moment, they fell through the calming watery world. A white light soon opened below them and their hope was renewed.

It was an exit! It had to be!

Siegfried formed a genuine smile when he entered the blinding, welcoming light for he knew he was finally free.


A/N: Had to squeeze in one last ultimate battle before the final conclusion. (I wanted to throw Night Terror in there but that would be overdoing it.) Perhaps it was a good thing I went on hiatus because my original ending was far different and not as epic.

Schlafen für die Ewigkeit - got it from Google Translate, hopefully it is correct!

I hope you all greatly enjoyed this chapter!

It's not over yet! A short epilogue will follow soon.

Thank you for reading!