SOPHITIA
After many grueling battles, at last Sophitia faced Nightmare. The two faced each other outside the ruins of Ostrheinsburg Castle. Sophitia gathered her power for the duel to come.
"Rothion," she whispered, thinking of her betrothed back home in Greece. "Give me strength."
For some reason, her resolve was faltering. She'd expected to be full of pure spirit and shining with power, as she had been when she'd faced Cervantes three years ago. Now she felt nothing, and it troubled her.
Then she noticed a similar aura of uncertainty about the monstrous knight before her. Was there more to this than met the eye? Perhaps he was not the utter evil he seemed to be. And her charge was indeed to destroy the Soul Edge, not necessarily its wielder. Maybe this host was not so far gone as Cervantes, and thus still salvageable.
"Bearer of the Soul Edge," she said, "for your own sake, please give up the blade before it condemns your soul utterly."
Nightmare stood silent, half-turned away and holding the cursed sword in his misshapen right hand.
"Whatever your quest," she continued, "whether foul or noble..." This produced a quiver in the armored frame. So she'd hit a weak spot. She pounced on it.
"Your means completely corrupt your ends. You think Soul Edge is helping you, but it always has its own plans, ones which supercede and possibly will destroy any good you hope to accomplish!"
As she spoke, the dark knight remained silent but physically trembled. He looked down at the living blade he bore. Its baleful eye was wide open and twitching with anxiety. Finally, with a mighty cry, he hurled the blade down.
Sophitia watched with horror as the hulking knight collapsed to his knees, convulsing and groaning. His huge claw of a right arm spasmed wildly, seeming to shrink before her eyes. During his writhing, Nightmare wound up kneeling away from Sophitia. She heard his helmet clang to the cobbled ground. He panted heavily for long moments while Sophitia waited for the outcome. Was he free from the sword's spell?
At last, his breathing slowed. He stood and half-turned to face Sophitia. She gasped; his right arm was now completely human (and well-muscled). And when she saw his face, she stopped breathing altogether.
Gods, he was gorgeous! His hair was long and blond, even lighter than her own. His features were fine and well-formed. A hint of baby fat suggested his youth. The only flaw were his eyes; they glowed red as they had behind the helmet he'd worn.
He closed his eyes and smiled as he finished his turn. When he opened them, the red glow was gone. In its place were the most beautifully green eyes Sophitia had ever seen. Her knees got a little weak with sheer awe.
"Oh...my...gods," Sophitia said softly, trying not to drop her sword. "He's a total hunk."
If he'd heard her, he gave no sign of knowing. "I thank you, Sophitia Alexandra of Greece. You concern and prayers have saved me, Seigfried Schtauffen of the Holy Roman Empire." At that moment, a gentle wind blew from the south, brushing his long hair from his eyes so Sophitia could see his whole face completely for the first time. And this time she *did* drop her sword.
"Aieeeee! You...you've got a..." she said, pointing frantically at his face, "...A SCAR!"
"Huh?" he said, suddenly self-conscious of the long, healed-over gash that ran from his right eyebrow to the base of his cheekbone. "So what?"
So what, he says, Sophitia almost screamed out loud. That only makes his sex appeal jump from its already considerable levels to nigh-irresistible power, that's what!! Gods, how I want him!!
Sophitia was contemplating how best to draw out Seigfried's personal, God- given "blade" when suddenly she remembered her words to her dear Rothion...
"Sophie," Rothion had said gently one evening as he walked her home, shortly after their engagement. "May I make a special request?"
"Yes you may," she'd answered.
"This may sound very strange. Please don't think me uncouth or untoward."
"I could never think that, Rothy!" She'd giggled and squeezed his arm as her interest mounted. He'd been like this when he'd asked to marry her.
"Ahh," he began, blushing. "When--when we're married..."
"Yes?" she said breathlessly.
"Well, ah--remember the time a few months back when you drove off those bandits?"
"Yes..." Her excitement trailed off somewhat. This didn't sound romantic at all.
"Umm. You used one of your special grapples to beat one of them..."
"Yes." She was almost glum now. "And he's still around, hollering and begging to see my 'neckbreakers' again."
"Umm. Yes," Rothion said, pulling his collar a bit in total embarrassment. Then he suddenly knelt before his surprised fiancee.
"Please promise me, Sophie! Promise me that you won't do any more 'neckbreakers' until we're married! And...!" Rothion's voice failed him.
Sophie was stunned silent for a moment. Then she smiled and knelt down to look Rothion eye to eye.
"I do promise, my love. And I promise something else..." She drew closer, whispering in his ear, making his eyes widen with wonder and delight.
Back in the present at Ostrheinsburg, Sophie felt dirty with betrayal. She'd sworn to save her best "neckbreakers" for Rothion alone, and here she was, contemplating giving them to this wonderfully built blond piece of perfection before her. She loved Rothion with all her heart, mind and soul, and yet she wanted this youth even more in spite of herself. She had to do something decisive. And quickly.
She squatted to the ground, reaching for her dropped sword (and resisting an urge to sprawl on her back and scream, "Take me, you Teutonic demigod!"). She gripped it tightly, remained kneeling there on the ground, and spoke through gritted teeth.
"Take up your sword."
"Huh?" Seigfried said.
"I said, 'Take up your sword!"
"But...you're the one who wanted me to get rid of it in the first pl--"
"I've changed my mind, OK? A girl's allowed to change her mind now and then!"
"Er...right." Skeptical, Seigfried strode back over to the Soul Edge. He looked back over at Sophitia. "You sure don't want me to buy you a cup of coffee or some--"
"I'M ENGAGED, OKAY?" Sophie screamed, still kneeling, as hot tears forced themselves from her eyes. "I just can't!"
"Oh, well that changes everything." He grabbed Soul Edge and yelled a war cry as his right arm bubbled back up into its hideous, clawed form. "I dare you to try a "neckbreaker" on me now!" he said with an evil laugh. Sophie gasped with horror as she realized a part of her still wanted to comply even though Seigfried was the grotesque Nightmare again.
"Yaaaah!" she screamed. "For my mission, for the sake of my true love, you're going DOWN!!!!!"
Arrgh, she thought. That didn't come out right at all--!
(Author's Note: Easily the longest of the series. This was partly inspired by some nutjob who used to spam the old soulcalibur.com forum. He'd post, in all caps, repeated requests of screencaps/vids of Sophie doing her various neck-wrenching throws. (I WANT NECKBREAKERRRR!") I was also intrigued as to how this rather chaste-seeming woman had the game's most risque moves. )
After many grueling battles, at last Sophitia faced Nightmare. The two faced each other outside the ruins of Ostrheinsburg Castle. Sophitia gathered her power for the duel to come.
"Rothion," she whispered, thinking of her betrothed back home in Greece. "Give me strength."
For some reason, her resolve was faltering. She'd expected to be full of pure spirit and shining with power, as she had been when she'd faced Cervantes three years ago. Now she felt nothing, and it troubled her.
Then she noticed a similar aura of uncertainty about the monstrous knight before her. Was there more to this than met the eye? Perhaps he was not the utter evil he seemed to be. And her charge was indeed to destroy the Soul Edge, not necessarily its wielder. Maybe this host was not so far gone as Cervantes, and thus still salvageable.
"Bearer of the Soul Edge," she said, "for your own sake, please give up the blade before it condemns your soul utterly."
Nightmare stood silent, half-turned away and holding the cursed sword in his misshapen right hand.
"Whatever your quest," she continued, "whether foul or noble..." This produced a quiver in the armored frame. So she'd hit a weak spot. She pounced on it.
"Your means completely corrupt your ends. You think Soul Edge is helping you, but it always has its own plans, ones which supercede and possibly will destroy any good you hope to accomplish!"
As she spoke, the dark knight remained silent but physically trembled. He looked down at the living blade he bore. Its baleful eye was wide open and twitching with anxiety. Finally, with a mighty cry, he hurled the blade down.
Sophitia watched with horror as the hulking knight collapsed to his knees, convulsing and groaning. His huge claw of a right arm spasmed wildly, seeming to shrink before her eyes. During his writhing, Nightmare wound up kneeling away from Sophitia. She heard his helmet clang to the cobbled ground. He panted heavily for long moments while Sophitia waited for the outcome. Was he free from the sword's spell?
At last, his breathing slowed. He stood and half-turned to face Sophitia. She gasped; his right arm was now completely human (and well-muscled). And when she saw his face, she stopped breathing altogether.
Gods, he was gorgeous! His hair was long and blond, even lighter than her own. His features were fine and well-formed. A hint of baby fat suggested his youth. The only flaw were his eyes; they glowed red as they had behind the helmet he'd worn.
He closed his eyes and smiled as he finished his turn. When he opened them, the red glow was gone. In its place were the most beautifully green eyes Sophitia had ever seen. Her knees got a little weak with sheer awe.
"Oh...my...gods," Sophitia said softly, trying not to drop her sword. "He's a total hunk."
If he'd heard her, he gave no sign of knowing. "I thank you, Sophitia Alexandra of Greece. You concern and prayers have saved me, Seigfried Schtauffen of the Holy Roman Empire." At that moment, a gentle wind blew from the south, brushing his long hair from his eyes so Sophitia could see his whole face completely for the first time. And this time she *did* drop her sword.
"Aieeeee! You...you've got a..." she said, pointing frantically at his face, "...A SCAR!"
"Huh?" he said, suddenly self-conscious of the long, healed-over gash that ran from his right eyebrow to the base of his cheekbone. "So what?"
So what, he says, Sophitia almost screamed out loud. That only makes his sex appeal jump from its already considerable levels to nigh-irresistible power, that's what!! Gods, how I want him!!
Sophitia was contemplating how best to draw out Seigfried's personal, God- given "blade" when suddenly she remembered her words to her dear Rothion...
"Sophie," Rothion had said gently one evening as he walked her home, shortly after their engagement. "May I make a special request?"
"Yes you may," she'd answered.
"This may sound very strange. Please don't think me uncouth or untoward."
"I could never think that, Rothy!" She'd giggled and squeezed his arm as her interest mounted. He'd been like this when he'd asked to marry her.
"Ahh," he began, blushing. "When--when we're married..."
"Yes?" she said breathlessly.
"Well, ah--remember the time a few months back when you drove off those bandits?"
"Yes..." Her excitement trailed off somewhat. This didn't sound romantic at all.
"Umm. You used one of your special grapples to beat one of them..."
"Yes." She was almost glum now. "And he's still around, hollering and begging to see my 'neckbreakers' again."
"Umm. Yes," Rothion said, pulling his collar a bit in total embarrassment. Then he suddenly knelt before his surprised fiancee.
"Please promise me, Sophie! Promise me that you won't do any more 'neckbreakers' until we're married! And...!" Rothion's voice failed him.
Sophie was stunned silent for a moment. Then she smiled and knelt down to look Rothion eye to eye.
"I do promise, my love. And I promise something else..." She drew closer, whispering in his ear, making his eyes widen with wonder and delight.
Back in the present at Ostrheinsburg, Sophie felt dirty with betrayal. She'd sworn to save her best "neckbreakers" for Rothion alone, and here she was, contemplating giving them to this wonderfully built blond piece of perfection before her. She loved Rothion with all her heart, mind and soul, and yet she wanted this youth even more in spite of herself. She had to do something decisive. And quickly.
She squatted to the ground, reaching for her dropped sword (and resisting an urge to sprawl on her back and scream, "Take me, you Teutonic demigod!"). She gripped it tightly, remained kneeling there on the ground, and spoke through gritted teeth.
"Take up your sword."
"Huh?" Seigfried said.
"I said, 'Take up your sword!"
"But...you're the one who wanted me to get rid of it in the first pl--"
"I've changed my mind, OK? A girl's allowed to change her mind now and then!"
"Er...right." Skeptical, Seigfried strode back over to the Soul Edge. He looked back over at Sophitia. "You sure don't want me to buy you a cup of coffee or some--"
"I'M ENGAGED, OKAY?" Sophie screamed, still kneeling, as hot tears forced themselves from her eyes. "I just can't!"
"Oh, well that changes everything." He grabbed Soul Edge and yelled a war cry as his right arm bubbled back up into its hideous, clawed form. "I dare you to try a "neckbreaker" on me now!" he said with an evil laugh. Sophie gasped with horror as she realized a part of her still wanted to comply even though Seigfried was the grotesque Nightmare again.
"Yaaaah!" she screamed. "For my mission, for the sake of my true love, you're going DOWN!!!!!"
Arrgh, she thought. That didn't come out right at all--!
(Author's Note: Easily the longest of the series. This was partly inspired by some nutjob who used to spam the old soulcalibur.com forum. He'd post, in all caps, repeated requests of screencaps/vids of Sophie doing her various neck-wrenching throws. (I WANT NECKBREAKERRRR!") I was also intrigued as to how this rather chaste-seeming woman had the game's most risque moves. )