Siegfried shivered. He hadn't remembered it ever being this cold. He didn't stop. His legs were sore from traveling, away from the girl who had figured out his secret. In front of the dirt road he was using there was a large green hill and just beyond it his home. He could remember running down it as a boy, the farmers on the road to the market.

Going up was more difficult than he anticipated, not just because of the weight of his armor and Requiem on his back, but because of his state of exhaustion. When he finally triumphed he sat down on the hilltop and surveyed the countryside. The grass of the fields was a dark brown. Winter was coming. He could see his home in the distance if he squinted.

He placed his hand on the door and paused. What would she say? Would she embrace him as her son? Or…? He noticed several indents on the door that he didn't remember. He pushed it open. There was only silence.

"Mother…?" he called out. He half-expected her to come down the stairs and give him a motherly hug. She would tell him how much everyone had missed him, and scold him for making her worry for all those years. No one answered.

It was too cold. His mother usually kept a fire going to keep the house warm on a chilly autumn day like this. He walked several feet inside and peered at the fireplace. It was empty.

"Siegfried!" It was her- no mistake! She was upstairs. Siegfried grinned. His mother was unharmed, thank god. He ran up the stairs, his iron boots making a noisy clanging sound as he did. He dashed to her room and opened the door.

Nothing. Her bed was empty. His fear returned. He walked into the room and looked around. No sign of her. He walked across the room. The bed- a simple cot, looked like it hadn't been touched in months. He walked to the window opposite the door. She wasn't in the fields. He ran a finger across the sill. Dust on his gauntlet finger.

"Here you are." He spun around.

Astaroth. The six-foot tall demon guarded the exit with his axe, a menacing instrument that had competed with Soul Edge for the souls of humans.

"Just like he said you would. I've been waiting for you. As you came closer and closer, the smell of Soul Edge grew stronger."

"Astaroth. I was wondering what became of you. Why are you hanging out in a backwoods farmhouse?"

"Per his orders."

"Whose?"

The giant lifted his axe and spun it so that the he now held it in both hands. Siegfried unsung Requiem from his back and held his at his side.

"The new bearer of Soul Edge. Well, no so new, really."

"Really. Did I mention that you're an freak of nature that needs to be Annihilated?

"Likewise. 'Cept you're not a freak since you're a human and then it wouldn't make sense…"

With impressive speed the behemoth dashed forward and smashed him the face with the flat of his blade. Siegfried reeled back, seeing stars behind his closed eyes. A hand closed around one of his feet. Oh no, he thought. He seen Astaroth do this to opponents. *Brack!* The giant had swung his body right through the wooden wall. When he opened his eyes, he saw he was at the top of the stairs. Astaroth climbed through the opening he made, taking care to brush the falling wood particles of his muscular body as he did so.

"C'mon Sieggy, I'm gonna be really disappointed if you made me wait all this time and don't bother to put up a fight." Siegfried struggled to his feet. He lost sight of Astaroth for a moment, which was long enough. A hand from behind closed around his golden hair. Then he was airborne for a moment before hitting the stairs. He felt every step on the way down and landed in heap at the bottom.

"Heads up!" The demon's voice called. Siegfried rolled to the side just in time to avoid being decapitated by Astaroth's axe. He ran out the door. The behemoth calmly pulled his axe out of the floor and walked out after him, taking care to briefly duck his head under the door frame.

"Siegfried! You like candy, don't you? Well the big man's got plenty so come get some!" Astaroth roared. He waited for a response. There was none save for the rustling of the autumn leaves. He'd lost track of Siegfried for some time and was growing impatient. He began to walk to the side of the German's house to search that particular area for what, the tenth time today?

He heard a noise behind him and then…something large swinging through the air.

*Shick!*

The giant's body was cut in half. Astaroth's torso fell to the ground while his lower half confusedly continued walking for several moments before toppling over. Siegfried stood over him. The monster began to curse in his hatred.

"Aw, Jesus! No way! Cheap bastard. First that pirate and now you. Damn."

Siegfried's expression didn't change.

"Where is Soul Edge?"

Astaroth's features hardened in concentration.

"That place there, uh…how's it go….'the rain falls mainly on the plain in vain', no, in Spain! That's where he is."

"Cervantes…" Siegfried whispered.

"Anyway, I'm gonna be back be. This isn't the first time I've been sent to hell. The dark lord and I are good buddies, Nightmare. I'll tell him to expect you." Then both halves of his body vanished and were no more.

********************************************************************************************

He knelt.

"I'm going to stop it, mother," he said before the Schtauffen family tombstone. His mother's name was there and looked to have been added recently. He stood up without moving his gaze. "I'll make you proud." He turned and walked out of the small country cemetery. Behind a tree, a blonde swordswoman watched him leave.