Chapter 16
Rivals
Raphael sat on a throne at the top of his manor, looking down on the people of the town below, Amy stood by his side, holding his hand. The two Soul Edges remained by the side of his throne. "They are all insects…" Raphael muttered to Amy, she looked up at him, then back down at the town. "Scum who don't even deserve to live… but… I shall keep them alive for now. You seem to wish it so…" He remembers attempting to go out to kill them all, but Amy wouldn't let him go, he understood what she was getting at. He looked at the little girl "I don't understand… what is it you want? I have given you everything I can think of, more then anyone could dream of! Yet… you remain sad…" he holds her chin and raises her head gently to look at him. "Please… let me know what you want…" He suddenly had an idea "I know… hold on" He stood up and picked up both of the swords. "How about… I make you older? You won't be a defenceless child anymore, but a fully grown young woman? How about that?" Amy's expression didn't change. Raphael hovered slightly of the ground and was covered in a red aura his arms out stretched, the swords in a cross. He started grunting, like he was in pain, then suddenly, a red flash of light shot from the swords and hit Amy. When Raphael opened his eyes, all he could see was smoke… "Amy? Amy!" He looked on to watch a young woman, about the age of 21 rises out of the smoke.
Her hair was long, red and beautiful. Her eyes, still that deep hazel colour he adored. He was everything he thought she would be, everything he ever wanted in a woman. "Amy… you are… so beautiful…" Amy tired to cover herself up, the tattered clothes she wore where too small and fell apart, she was completely naked. Raphael took of his cloak "Here, take this" She took his cloak and covered herself with it "I shall take you to my mothers room, you may pick anything you wish from there, then come back, with my cloak preferably" he giggled a little. Amy smiled and walked off. He thought to himself for a while 'Is it right that I… I love her?' He shook his head and followed her, the door to his mother's room was locked, his cloak lay outside. He picked it up and sniffed it… she smelt wonderful, suddenly he heard the doors smash open. He put on his cloak and went to investigate.
He came to the main hall and looked down to see Siegfried, Cassandra and Sophitia standing there, looking up at him. "How dare you! You dare barge in to this hallowed hall!" he started to walk down then laughed and said "You could have knocked you know… no manners… any of you!" Siegfried road at him "Shut up you fool! Look at what that blade has done to you!" Sophitia added onto Siegfried's statement "You have become nothing more then a monster… like Cervantes and Nightmare before you…" Cassandra finished what her sister was saying "Why are you doing this anyway? What makes you want all of this power?" Raphael was now directly in front of them. "That does not concern vermin like yourselves…."
Suddenly the three warriors where surrounded by a red electric field, they couldn't move. "I'm not so bad… ill tell you what… ill fight the three of you… one on one…you win, ill give you the swords... I win, I take your souls!" The three of could not believe what he just said. He then laughed "You have no say in the matter either!" The field around Sophitia subsided, Raphael then did the unthinkable, he slammed the two swords together, fusing them into one powerful sword… which took the shape of a huge Rapier "En Guard!" He attempted to attack Sophitia, who used her shield to block, but the blow almost shattered her shield. Raphael smirked and went to attack again. This time she dodged the blow and starts to attack him herself, she got a few good hits in, but Raphael slashed her across the chest, making her top fall down. He smiled and said "My my… aren't we the sight to see?" Sophitia got mad and charged at him, but he flipped over her and stabbed her through the shoulder. Sophitia fell to the ground. "Sis!" Cassandra couldn't believe that her sister fell so easily. Raphael looked at her "Do not worry… she wont die… until you are all defeated!"
Cassandra's field subsided "C'mon… fight me!" Cassandra started to attack Raphael, who couldn't believe how ferocious this young woman was. He teleported behind her and said "I underestimated you" She felt a sharp pain surge through her body "But… you could never beat me!" Cassandra groaned and looked down, the blade had gone straight through her. Siegfried just stood there seething at what this man had done. Cassandra slumped to the ground, then Siegfried's field subsided.
He just stood there and said "I have a little surprise for you…" He took of the armour of his right arm and said "Your sword has no affect on me!" his arm started to mutate, his eyes went that familiar crimson colour… he had become Nightmare… or a toned down version of him. Raphael couldn't believe what he was seeing. "You... how?" He soon regained his composure. "No matter, you are not as strong as you where with the blade!" He attacked this… monster Siegfried had become, but he blocked it with the Faust. "Then you have learnt nothing!" Siegfried roared, before knocking Raphael down.
The battle between himself and this Nightmare/Siegfried mix would be a tough one, it went on for a few hours, neither of the two could get the upper hand. Raphael started to glow red and said "Enough! he started to glow red "Die already!" he teleported at Siegfried doing an attack that the dread pirate Cervantes was used to doing. Siegfried was taken by surprise… and fell to his knees. Raphael stood above him "Now… you die!" Suddenly he heard a voice from upstairs "No!" He looked up to see Amy, she had finished changing… and she was speaking! "Raph… please… no more…thank you for everything you have given me… but… no more…" Raphael dropped his blade "Amy? Aaaaa! What have I done?" Siegfried stood up, he started to return to his normal self again. "Here…" he tossed him his original blade… the Flambert. Siegfried looked at Raphael and said "Bring the two of them back" Raphael shook his head "The blade needs to be destroyed before they can awaken!" Siegfried picked up the complete Soul edge and said "Then… we go to the void… find Soul Calibur and destroy this blade… will you help me?" Raphael nodded. Siegfried opened the void and said to Amy "Look after the two of them, will you?" The young woman nodded. Then, the two former enemies entered the void side-by-side, to destroy that which has ruined their lives.