Disclaimer: I don't own Soul Calibur or any characters affiliated with Namco.
Review Responses
Naoki07: Thank you for the review, it boosted my spirits up a lot.
Mpmagi: I just fixed all of the errors you pointed out for the prelude. The type of sword Raphael weilds is called a Rapier and is called Flambert
DilaZirk: Thank you, and yeah I couldn't think up of how to make Inferno and Siegfried argue, so I thought why not use the official arguement.LOL
Sacharja: I know I made out Siegfried to be angelic in the prelude, but I just wanted to emphasize how good compared to Nightmare he was.
A/N: ( ) signifies thoughts
signifies translation of language
This chapter was a bit longer than the prologue, and I was amazed that I could actually start it, because once I finished the prelude, I had no idea were to pick up with the story. Anyway thanks for the reviews. Keep them coming.
Soul Calibur III: Symphony of Souls
Chronicle 1: Resurrection; Omens of War
Ostrheinburg Cathedral, Germany : Three Months later.
Resurrection...foolish men wish for eternal life, believing that without the limit of time they could become a God on earth. These are the thought's of foolish men, who's pride and greed has created a seed for malice. Not knowing in their blatant haze that it is because men are mortal the Gods envy us. Not knowing that because our life has an end that every moment of existence for us is ever that much beautiful, ever that much glorious. We, mortals shall never be more beautiful than today, never be as content and as full of emotion as we will be tomorrow. Even the angels among Heaven covet us.
Resurrection, the wish to for ever be reborn, to live existence in it's eternity, is a wish granted to one man, who's blinding eye realized that in ages past..Life is beautiful but for a moment and then we are gone. Enraged at his own blight that he would forever live a life of pain. The foolish human has had many names. But to this day names himself after the dark god who cursed him, Zasalamel.
He wore ancient robes of ivory white, that clashed with his own dark skin. Threads of chain mail could be seen from underneath the robe. His head was covered in a hood the silhouetted his face. He wore light golden shoulder plate from which his sleeveless muscular arms were exposed, holding in his hands a silver Scythe decorated and rimmed with gold, the blade designed to represent the ancient Egyptian Sun God Ra. A scythe that even death itself would have envied.
The dark skinned man traveled the earth in search for the one thing that could end his cursed existence. Finally he felt the evil blade in the winds of the west, quickly picking up it's scent. He traveled faster than any ordinary being could, his determination to meet his own demise.
Weeks past and the days and night's were seamlessly felt in the same shade of gray, time not mattering to him, for what he wanted was that of a demons blade. Finally arriving upon the brink of dawn, to the place of haunted steps, and countless battles of life and death. He walked slowly, but pensively he moved through the Cathedral of forgotten souls. The dark halls of the building still left an echo of pain and dispair. And although the sun was high in the sky, sunlight did not shone their, as if the very corruptness of the land blocked back any ray of hope.
But in the main sector, were countless battles had taken place, was the soul of evil, a demons lair. The dark skinned man entered the grand hall. His white robes stood out in the every darkening depth of the corrupted place. The ancient man walked through sensing the demons soul. He continued noticing a pile of shattered armor from which the demonic essence resonated. He stepped up to it and the armor began to glow a crimson hue. The ancient man smirked and raised a palm over the pile of armor. "Listen to me you devil, I shall resurrect you to do my bidding" his voice was deep and black as his heart.
The monstrous spirit responded in a language not known to any being but those of hell. "Shal't verge minus, goth licht mer us" I am a being of infinite power I shall not bow to you. It stated in it's demonic voice.
"Secht mense vous a'lt ruse... Soul Edge." Work for me cursed spirit and I shall offer you the greatest prize of all...Soul Edge. Spoke the ancient man. The demon suprised that this man could speak his demonic tongue, but even more suprised at the mentioning of it's long lost counterpart.
"Praia ladius vecht mognir." Very well, resurrect me and I shall kill all those who oppose. However it's intentions were not so loyal, for as soon as it was rejoined with it's counterpart it would destroy the foolish human who had returned him from the grave. Unbeknownst to the evil Soul, this had been pre-planned by the ancient one, in his infinite wisdom.
Raising his second hand over the armor he began a chant. "Necro luminus licht sieger". The armor seemed to come alive reforming and taking a new shape, the same gothic armor remained, however it was thinner and the spikes had faded away, the rust had desolved and the armor seemed as if freshly forged from the flame. The Azure color still remained, and in place of the bat wings upon the helm a Horn that seemed to have been stolen from the devil himself remained. The armor clattered and clanked as it began to take new life. However the right arm of the armor was missing, at it still moved like a soulless piece of armor.
Zasalamel reached within his robes pulling out from under a familiar shard. infusing it with the armor the shard became it's heart. And it's Crimson eyes exploded within the helm. From within the chest plate a new body began to take shape, filling up the armor with a decayed flesh. Finally exploding in the right arm, taking shape of it's familiar demon claw. The bastard arm began to take shape once more, the thick hard skin and bone made of granite stone. The horn's had returned to their right full place. But in place of the eye's was a demonic mouth upon the shoulder. The rotten flesh stretched once more covering the chest plate in puss and dried out blood, finally taking form of another demonic mouth.
The demon reborn let out a mighty roar! "Let all those who come against me sunder in my infinite flame, let all those perish who speak my name" The demonic mouth upon it chest stretched and roared as if awakening from a centuries sleep. The ancient man smirked content with his condemning plan.
And a pact between immortal beings was made.
Valentine Manor, Britain.
It was a long cold night just like many before. The rain drummed upon the windows on the left and right walls. The large book shelf on the north wall had all but been emptied out. The pages of ancient books scattered all over the floor in a big mess. Along the west and east walls were tables full of test tubes and containers, and various other scientific tool's. In the middle of the laboratory was a single table which had rows of books piled upon each other silhouetting the single woman that sat, intensively reading and going over notes and languages. She seemed possess by some mad urge to find the solution to an un-answerable question.
She wore a plain black nightgown, and had a cup of tea beside her, though it was already cold, as well as her beloved sword. The beautiful woman had piercing blue eyes that were silhouetted by the bangs of her short platinum hair. her ivory skin shone like the light of the moon even in the still dark that consumed the laboratory. She was intensely focused upon her work, and to answer the question, the key to what she had been searching for, for these past years.(What is Soul Calibur?) the question echoed within her mind repeatedly, never allowing her a moments rest.
But an ancient being had made it's way to her home. He stepped as quitely and fast as the shadows. Making his way to the laboratory.
As his presence neared her's, her blade seemed to come to life the many sectors of her blade beginning to spin like a drill, warning her quietly of his presence. She slowly slid her hand from her book to the hilt of her blade, to respond quickly to any incoming threat.
Loudly the door to her laboratory echoed, it's rusted hinges screeching as it slowly opened. The countess turned around and saw the dark skinned, ancient man. But she did not know this mistaking him as nothing more than one of the slaves that had tried to run away from their master. "Leave this place now you moor. Or you shall never leave this place alive" her voice had a thick British accent, and was smooth and almost snake like.
However the man did not move, and plainly stated."Did you read the book?" not more as a question but as a statement. This completely took the Countess be surprise, how could he have known of her research.
"Who are you?" she questioned slowly, as she stood up from her chair, taking her blade and said book at hand. Slowly stepping back.
He began to lift his head slowly, a streak of lightning hit the window to the right lighting his face. He had a scar on his left eye, resembling a circular cut. But that was not the strange part: it was his eye, it was gold, pure gold, though it had some mystical presence. And as if out of thin air a grand Scythe appeared in his hands. "I am a ghost of the past"
"Then I shall send you to the afterlife!" the countess yelled, her blade coming to life broke into it's whip like form, thrusting itself a the mysterious man.
He side stepped to the right the paper on the floor blew up at his intense speed. The countess swung her blade performing a circular motion to cut the man by the waist. He ducked quickly moving under the many rings of a the blade. He leaped grabbing his Scythe by the end allowing him longer reach, he swiped at the countess cutting through her gown.
She quickly redrew her blade, returning it to it's blade form just in time to black the blade of his scythe. He quickly stepped back twisting his body in a spin and holding out his scythe to do a devastating spin attack. The countess quickly countered with another of her own spins reforming the blade to a whip. Both attacks collided sending sparks flying around the room.
The countess backed up stabbing the full of her blade into the ground, kneeling as she tightly gripped the hilt. "What is that all woman?" stated the ancient man, unbeknownst to him the blade had made it way underground and out the other side behind him, waiting like a snake for the best time to strike.
"Die woman!" he swiped her with his scythe, her blade quickly responded but not before he had landed a blow on her arm, the falling from her grasp. The tip of her blade struck fast and true impaling the shoulder of the enemy. He let out a loud gasp of pain, he had not seen his own blood in eons. As mysteriously as his scythe appeared it vanished as he slowly picked up the ancient book. "This is a mistake from my past. The world no longer needs this..." As he spoke, crimson flames engulfed the book in his hand. Ignoring the countess' gasp, he dropped the burning book onto the floor and turned to leave. The flames spread with an unusual fervor, seperating Ivy and the man.
"Stop!" she yelled at him, frustrated that he had been able to touch her. It was unlike her to lose a battle so easily, but because the power of Soul Edge was quickly spreading having full control over her blade was beginning to become a chore.
"If you wish to learn everything about the cursed sword and the spirit sword, then follow the knight you know well..." With those words, the man disappeared behind the curtain of flames.
"Damnit" she continued to curse underneath her breath. She quickly extinguished the flame before it could cause any real damage to the alchemic laboratory. "What did he mean by the knight I know well. Is he talking about Nightmare or..." Her heart began to race at the thought of seeing her old companion."Siegfried" she whispered softly.
Somewhere Near Ober-Getzenberg, Germany.
The sound of marching and thunderous drums of war echoed around the many hills of the battle field. The war cries of men ready for battle sounded like thunder. Thousands of men, clad in armor bearing swords, sheilds, lances, some on horse back marched to kill and destroy one thing. The Azure Knight, Nightmare.
And there upon the tallest hill he stood, the ominous warrior of death, the Azure Knight himself looked upon the on coming army. He let out a corrupt and wicked smile, his thirst for souls overwhelming him as he saw fresh souls to devour near him. Out of thin air a Phantom of the cursed blade appeared in his deathly decayed talons. He stabbed the phantom blade into the ground letting out a loud roar from his mouth escape him, as he moved like lightning grabbing the hilt of his blade once more and charged the oncoming army single handedly. This was a routine that he would do almost ceremoniously before running into deep combat.
The army of Germanic knight's readied their lances and swords, beginning a mad charge against the evil incarnate. Unbeknownst to them they were being watched by not one but two warriors. The ancient man Zasalamel watched as his puppet did his bidding. But another, confused Soul watched in anticipation of witnessing the being she had fallen in love with, and yet never even knew.
Upon the battle field Nightmare was a tyrant quickly slaying ten men in whole single swipes, quickly devouring their souls to gain even larger strengh. The armies of Germany battled on some of the warriors that were able to land a blow upon the Azure Knight died in vein, at the saw that it had naught a body to pierce.
Nightmare decapitated them all one by one, until the General of the Knight's drew his sword, requesting a duel with the nightmarish creature.
"I am Stephen Ducard, I shall slay you beast of hell" He had a thick Germanic accent. His face was strong and had a chizzled chin and jaw. He had deep green eye's and a scar upon his face, the scar was caused by a claw, Nightmares claw from years past. He wore stainless steel armor, the plates were large and decorated heavily with gold and rubies. He had a thick fur cape draped around his shoulders, and he weilded a large Zweihander. The blade itself was a ebony black, the middle of the sword decorated in ancient golden runes. The blade was infamous around Germany as the sword of the Legendary hero Sigurd, named Glam.
Nightmare's eye sharpened deviously. Both great warriors stood in a familiar stance. The surviving warriors ready to attack if anything should go wrong. They stood silently calculating each other's strengh. The tension between both great warriors was thick enough to be cut with a knife.
In an explosion the two knights charged each other.The legendary blades connecting, each times the speed and collision of the blades send sparks onto the battle field. Nightmare attempted to rip the noble knights head off with his talons, but was easily countered by the knight's sword. Each of their blows landed with fast and furiously tremendous impact. Finally seperating, both moving to each end of the battle field.
"How is it that you are able to anticipate my movements?" Nightmare's voice was dark and demonic, and yet a the same time cool and calm.
The noble knight looked at him with deep depressing eye's. "We have fought before" his tone was cold and emotionless. "You, demonic parasite, once took a friend of mine. And nearly ended my life. This scar is all that remains of that battle." he pointed at the talon like scar upon his face.
Nightmare noticed this, but still was not able to determine where, or when he had fought such a powerful soul. Finally taking one last charge at each other, their powerful blades colliding with each other as they met in a stalemate. Each warrior pushed his blade against the other in a test of strengh for both of them. (This man, his body is strong, he should make a suitable host for me) thought the Azure Knight.
An intense heat began to charge up in the Abominations arm causing his to glow a bright red. The heat began to melt the edge upon his opponents sword. (No!) thought the German General but it was too late. The Phantom blade cut through Glam like a hot knife through butter, sinking itself into the General's body.
The knight's saw the death of their noble leader and lunged once more at the demon. Each of them losing their life in the process.
Nightmare then picked up the body of the fallen General, and like a parasite his arm left the armor and began to fuse itself with the body of Stephen Ducard. Nightmare gaining a new host body withdrew the chivalrous armor of the fallen knight and reclaimed his demonic gothic armor. "Yes, this is it" the demon stated as a new surge of energy made it way into his new veins. However he knew that since the body was dead, it would decay if not fed with souls.
The Azure knight stabbed the phantom blade into the ground once more and in a large sunder devoured the souls of the knights. And an explosion of infernal fire swept the land destroying the bodies of the brave men, leaving nothing bit stains of blood upon the ash floor.
The misguided Soul of a young woman stepped onto the waste land, that had been a battle field. Nearing the Azure knight, her heart began to race in both fear and revearance toward the angel of death. Nightmare noticed her quickly turning to face her.
The woman wore torn green and purple clothes that were tight on her body, Her shirt cut to reveal the lower part of her breast. Her hair was short and wild, colored in a bright green, upon her face was a purple streak that across her nose to her jaw. Her outfit was decorated with various green feathers, representing her past.
Her huge purple eye's stared at him in respect. Around her shoulder she carried an unusual weapon, a large ring type blade. Her breaths became deep as the looked up at the towering demon. His sword appeared once more in his venomous grip. Fearing he would kill her before she could speak she dropped to the floor kneeling before him. Surprised and yet curiously he look upon her kneeling form as she began to speak.
"Oh great lord of death, I ask that you grant me my wish. I wish to join you, and to help you collect souls. I wish to be beside you, to kill by your side." she lowered her head in a worshipping like manner.
The knight gave her a cold neglectant stare. "To join my side you must be prepared to accept the dark flames of inferno". The woman quickly raised her head looking at him shaking her head intently."Very well" His claw violently gripped her head, nearly crushing it in it's mighty grip. She let out a small gasp, as the pain of hell began to surge through her body. Once the demon released her head, her eye's glimmered with a demonic flame. A pact among souls forged to forever serve his demonic will.
But unknown to them all, a cast of new soul's would appear that in time will set the path of victory. Either for darkness or Light. Warriors from other worlds, touched by the evil of the demonic flame will come to challenge it's will or to serve it.
A Death Knight
A Swordsman
A Hellspawn
A Warrior
Their lives, are more intertwined with legend of Soul Edge, that they ever could have imagined.
A/N: Not too particularly happy with this chapter, because I really had no idea where to begin the adventure. I might, if your wondering why I put Ivy in their is because her story is going to intertwine with one quite a few of the main characters. Also a bit about Stephan Ducard shall be revealed later in the story. And I'm also betting that a lot of you will be pissed that the Guest characters will be in the story. But don't worry, I'm making their reasons for being in the story different, that'll surprise you all just how well they fit into the story. That being said they wont appear until later in the story when the actual quest begins.
Preview to Next Chapter: Siegfrieds P.O.V: The blood still remains, haunted by my past, will those I have hurt be ever to forgive me. No, I shall be a forgotten song in the abyss of time. I shall create a new identity, a new face. But what is this, rumors of Nightmare are spreading, the Azure Knight has returned. Will I ever be freed of this cursed life. Will I ever be happy. I suppose I am nothing but a dreamer, in the nightmare of reality.