Chapter 1:the agony of defeat.

In a cathedral in Germany, a man named Siegfried was waking up. He stirred from his sleep, feeling no pain. That was odd because he distinctly remembered a french man, sticking a rapier into his chest. So, where's the accordian music? he thought. He was dead, wasn't he? How he hoped he was dead. He rolled over to see the blue sky, and the remnants of the cathedral's ceiling since the battle four years ago.

"Damned demon arm." Siegfried said, sitting up. He was reffering to his left arm, the one Soul Edge had used to take over him and become known as the bringer of death, the Azure Nightmare. Normally, it was a huge scaled monstrosity with webbed fingers. Now, though, it looked like a normal human hand.

"How could this be?" Siegfried said, gaping at his now human arm. "Does this mean Soul Edge is finally destroyed?" Remembering his injury again, Siegfried felt along his chest. He couldn't find any wound to speak of. "Looks like the damn arm did me one last favor."

"Siegfried!" a familiar voice called. "Siegfried!" Siegfried jumped up and ran towards the sound of the voice, coming to a crevice that split down deep into the earth. "Are you there Siegfried?"

It was Link. Siegfried had met the hylian ranger as the Azure Nightmare. In a brief but significant battle Link had managed to awaken the true man inside. Siegfried owed his freedom to Link. After sharing their wild stories, they had decided to team up and destroy Soul Edge together. Thus, a good friendship had started.

"Yeah, I'm here." Siegfried answered. He looked to see Link's hookshot attached to a piece of debris. "I really should get one of those things."

"The spring broke!" Link said. "Could you pull me up?"

"Sure thing." Siegfried answered, grasping the chain and hoisting it upwards. Soon, a green-clad boy was seen holding onto the end for dear life. When it was in his reach, Link scrambled onto safe ground.

"I saw you on the ground like that." Link explained. "Until I just heard your voice, I thought you had been killed by that man."

"So did I." Siegfried admitted. "But I guess I was wrong." He pointed at his chest with his left arm, which prompted Link to notice the change.

"Your arm." he said. "It's...normal. But how can that be? Soul Edge would have to be..."

"Yeah, but it's not." an unfamiliar voice said. Link and Siegfried looked around for the source of the voice.

"Who said that?" Link asked, looking around.

"I don't know." Siegfried said.

"Up here, simpletons!" the agitated voice said. They both looked up to see a black-haired woman in a skintight red jumpsuit standing on the highest point of what was left of the cathedral. She jumped down to face the two companions. "The evil of my sword, Mekki-maru, still resonates. Had Soul Edge been destroyed, it would had neutralized the evil power of my blade. As, I'm sure can sense, Nightmare, the sword still has the evil power."

Nightmare could indeed sense the evil power of the blade. "So, Soul Edge is still at large." he sighed. "That Raphael Sorel managed to take it. Now, the world will suffer again."

"Yes, but one consolation, Nightmare." the black-haired woman said. "I will get to destroy you!"

The woman took out a mid-sized blade and thrusted forward with it. Nightmare quickly maneuvered away from it. "How have I wronged you?" he demanded.

"Don't tell me you don't remember, Azure Nightmare!" the woman cried. "I am Taki. You and I battled four years ago! I may have been bested then, but I shall not now!"

Taki. The name seemed vaguely familiar. It must have been someone he had fought as the Azure Nightmare. She must have been formidable to have survived a clash with him.

But without his sword, the joined shards of Soul Edge, he could be felled by the most inexperienced in fighters. He looked around, searching for his sword, but Soul Edge could not be found.

"Where is it?" Siegfried demanded to no one but himself, and did his best to dodge another blow from Taki's kodachi. Siegfried understood. Raphael had absorbed that part of Soul Edge into his own, making it even more powerful.

That knowledge did not do Siegfried any good though.

Seeing his friend in trouble, Link unsheathed his sword and moved to help him. He was stopped as a blonde woman with a short sword and a circular shield drawn came in front of him.

"You're not getting near her!" the woman yelled.

"How has he wronged you?" Link cried. "He is no longer this Azure Nightmare you speak of! Siegfried is a good man and a friend of mine! If you insist on harming him, I will have no choice but to retaliate!"

"You might die!" the woman taunted, as Link thrusted forward.

That is something that I've forgotten to fear for a long time. Link thought. The woman side stepped the thrust, and moved her sword to strike at Link. Link quickly brought his shield up in retaliation, pushing her sword back. Link pivoted so that he could strike with his sword once more. Cassandra brought her shield up to block, but felt her arm go numb from the strength put behind the blow. She jumped out of the way, so that she would have time for her arm to recover.

"I can tell from that short display that you do not have an evil heart." Link said. "I'll ask you one more time, girl. Please convince your friend to stop attacking Siegfried."

"I have a name." the woman said. "I'm Cassandra. And why should I believe you?" Then, faster than Cassandra could register, the broad sword Link carried was at her neck.

"Because if I want, I could kill you right now." Link said, then drew back his sword. "Would a companion of the Azure Nightmare be so merciful? Or would the Azure Nightmare even have a companion in the first place"

Cassandra couldn't help but be convinced. The stories of the Azure Nightmare had portrayed him as a lone merciless killer, not caring who came in the way of his massive blade. And this swordsman was right. The Azure Nightmare had never been reported to have a companion of any type. Even so, Cassandra didn't want to take any chances. She pointed her sword at him.

"Alright." Cassandra said. "If you and your friend are really as innocent as you say, drop your weapons."

Link did not like the sound of that at all. One look at Siegfried struggling to dodge Taki's continual blows decided it for him though.

"Fine, he said, dropping the his sword and shield to the ground. "I'm completely defenseless. You have me at a disadvantage. Now please, stop attacking Siegfried."

Cassandra nodded. "Taki, wait!" she cried. "I think these guys want to say something before you kill them!"

"That wasn't what I said." Link growled.

"I am no longer the monster known as the Azure Nightmare." Siegfried said. He then stretched out his left arm. "Do you see? I don't have the demon arm anymore. I sincerely hope that this means I am free of his grasp forever now."

Taki remained suspicious. "How do I know that this isn't some sort of trick, Nightmare?" she asked. "How do I know that you will not kill Cassandra and I in our sleep?"

"Because he's never done it to me!" Link interjected. "I have seen the Azure Nightmare with my own eyes! And I have also seen Siegfried! The two are completely different people! To kill him now, not only when he is a victim, but also when he is unarmed can only be described as a thoroughly despicable act!"

"Hold your tounge, boy!" Taki said, pointing her kodachi at him. Then her eyes narrowed. "Your ears....are you an oni, boy?"

"A what?" Link said, baffled.

"An oni." Taki explained. "A type of demon."

"I should say I am not!" Link said, deeply offended. "I am a hylian of the nation of Hyrule!"

"Never heard of a hylian before." Cassandra said. "And these ears are weird." she added, pulling on one of them.

"Ow!" Link cried. "Let go! Let go now!"

"He's not from around here." Siegfried said. "He's from.... another dimension."

"Oh please!" Taki replied. "Do I look like I was born yesterday?"

"It's the truth!" Link said. "Soul Edge was plauging my land. I came to destroy it."

Taki sighed. "How do I know you're telling the truth?"

"Did the Azure Nightmare ever have a companion?" Link asked, using the same argument that he had used on Cassandra. "Let alone one that spoke of which acts were honorable and which were despicable?"

Taki nodded. "No. One who would find common cause with the Azure Nightmare would never use such words." She sheathed her kodachi. "I do not fully trust you, but I can see no reason to kill you. At least not yet. I suppose I deserve to listen to your full story."

.---------------

Mitsurugi listened to the conflict, not twenty yards away. He was careful not to make a single sound. He did not want Taki to know that he was listening to this conversation. It was not that he did not believe he could defeat Taki. He never doubted that. He just wanted the information about Soul Edge.

Mitsurugi was relieved that the blade had not been destroyed. He wanted the blade for himself. A deceitful ninja such as Taki had no use for it, nor did these gun-wielding westerners.

As a samurai, it was his duty to get Soul Edge and to prove that swords were superior to the firearms the others carried. He would not allow his land to forget the glory of the katana.

As he listened, he learned who possesed the sword. It was Raphael, the westerner who had defeated him with his sword.

He, at least, Mitsurugi thought. Is worthy of such a weapon, not forsaking the glory of the blade. That didn't change anything for Mitsurugi and his desire to obtain the Soul Edge though. This was just one more obstacle he had to overcome. His new destination was a place called

Fraans.

He quitely walked off to continue his journey, albeit one with a slight detour. He felt a wave of frustration as he walked. If only he had been quicker, he would be holding Soul Edge in his hands now! He was sure that there was little difference between his and Raphael's skills and that the result of their fight had been a single slip-up on his part. He did not doubt that he could defeat anyone that Raphael could. Raphael had just gotten there faster.

He came to the forest where he had left his mount. The horse nickered happily upon seeing him.

"Hello, Fuunsaaki." he said to the horse. "We are on another journey yet again. Do you think that you can handle another adventure with me?"

The horse neighed again and rose onto its back legs. Mitsurugi smiled at his only friend on the journey. He was truly the greatest horse in the world.

"I knew that you would." Mitsurugi said. "Come, we have quite a journey ahead of us!"

And jumping onto his faithful mount, Mitsurugi rode, heading once again to retrieve the legendary blade he had been seeking for many years.

.--------

Cassandra and Taki listened intently on the story Link and Siegfried helped weave. It was an incredible story, of course. In the time Cassandra had spent seeking to destroy Soul Edge, she had come to believe that nothing was impossible. That was at least twice as true for Taki.

That, however, did not mean she fully trusted these two. But as the boy named Link had said, she could not slay two unarmed people for no reason in good conscience.

"Take your weapons back, Link." Taki said. "If this Raphael has Soul Edge, then we must journey to his home, this France, and end its evil once and for all."

"Right." Cassandra said. "We can stop at home on the way. I'm sure that Sophitia is worried about me!"

"I'd like to see her again." Taki said. How long had it been since she had seen her old friend? The woman she had saved from Soul Edge's corruption?

Or thought she had saved. Cassandra had told her how Sophitia's children had been corrupted by Soul Edge. Cassandra had decided to go and seek out the destruction of Soul Edge to save her niece and nephew from the corruption.

"Wait!" Link said, as he was strapping on his sword and shield. "If you're going to this country in which Raphael lives, it only makes for us to join forces."

"Sorry." Taki said. "You two would just slow us down."

"You think I would slow you down?" Siegfried asked. "I may not be much without a weapon, but as soon as I find a new zweihander, I'll be able to tear that fool Raphael Sorel to shreds. And Link is one of the best fighters I have seen in all the world."

"You told me that he defeated you." Taki said. "What makes you think you can defeat him with the most powerful sword that exists?"

Siegfried gave a grin that reminded Taki too much of his previous incarnation. "I know how Soul Edge thinks. I spent years with it. I know every style it does and every trick. I can defeat Raphael, not with skill, but with knowledge."

"We would do much better against Soul Edge as a group than as seperate single fighters." Link said. "In all my adventures, I would never have been able to survive for a second without the aid of each of my friends."

"It would be good to have some extra help." Cassandra said. "I mean, if anything its just going to be harder than before, right? I think we could use all the help we can get."

Taki sighed. "Fine. Let's hurry up and get to Greece. Do you two have horses of your own?"

"I do." Link said.

"I can run just as fast as any horse." Siegfried assured.

"I didn't see any mount outside." Cassandra said.

"My horse doesn't bear a saddle." Link said. "Nor does she allow herself to be tied up." Link pulled out a blue ocarina and began to play a soothing melody on it. As the horse came near Link, he began to stroke her. "Her name is Epona." Link explained. "She's the fastest horse in all of Hyrule."

"Wonderful." Taki said, getting on her own horse. Cassandra did so as well. "I don't want to lose anymore daylight, so let's get going. Hah!"

As Siegfried ran with the horses, Link began conversing with him.

"What I still don't understand is why your arm is normal now." Link said. "You said that it was directly linked with the Soul Edge, didn't you? So, why would your arm become normal? Does this mean you're finally truly free of the Azure Nightmare?"

"I don't know the answer to any of those questions." Siegfried answered. "There is only one way for us to find the answer to them."

Link nodded, knowing exactly what his companion meant with those words.

"To France then." Link said. "This time, I'm sure we won't fail."

.-----------

It was good to be home.

It was true that Raphael had no dependence on France. He could have lived just as well in England or in Spain, surviving on his cunning and knowledge of politics that was just as sharp his deadly rapier. That was how he had grown to such prominence in France, after all. His most deadly weapon was not his deadly precision with the sword, but his brilliance with words and diplomacy, as well as underhanded lying and maneuvering to avoid any blame. Those skills could help him survive anywhere else. France was not his only refuge.

Still, it was good to be home. France had something no place in all the world could take. Raphael supposed it was all instinctual. That humans had an instintcual attachment to their homes. Raphael dismissed it all. Why it was good to be here was obvious. It was good to be here because Amy was here.

He came into the house he had left Amy in with a proper guardian, a priest that was one of the few people left in France that he trusted. In fact, he was surprised how well his journey had gone, considering that he was a wanted man. He chuckled at that thought.

"If my opponents thought me dead, they'll be rudely awakened." Raphael commented, then unsheathed Soul Edge. "Only to be introduced to a much more peaceful sleep."

Soul Edge tried to impose itself against Raphael again, but having experienced it before, Raphael simply laughed and shrugged it off. He sheathed Soul Edge and began to shout for his beloved angel.

"Amy!" Raphael cried out, his heart aching for that innocent child. "Amy!"

"Papa?" an eager voice was heard. "Is that you, Papa?" Raphael saw the red headed girl appear on the balcony above and run down the stairs to greet him. She went as quickly as her small feet could carry her, running into Raphael and embracing him with all of her might. "Oh, I missed you so much, Papa. Are you staying now, Papa?"

"Yes, of course I am, my little angel." Raphael said, kneeling down to give her a hug of his own. "And not even the entire french army and the musketeers could stop me."

And they wouldn't. He would create a land based on fairness and justice. A land where Amy and children like her would never have to suffer ever again.

Oh yes, it was certainly good to be home.