Note: Brackets [] denote thoughts
Note: There is violence contained within this chapter, and part of it
should be considered to be rated R
Siegfried staggered through the cold rain, exhausted from days of hiking in the wilderness near Beroia. For the first time in years, he had allowed himself to come in contact with human civilization. He knew he was putting people in danger by doing so, but he just couldn't manage to keep himself away for any longer, he felt he would go insane.. well, completely insane, not just partially insane, the way he felt now. [I have to get there in time.. before it happens again..] simply placing one foot in front of the other was becoming a chore now, with his exhaustion and the muddy ground. He was freezing from the rain, which had soaked through his old, partially rusted armor and clothing to bite him to the very bone. [That's not the only force of nature biting my bones right now..] he thought to himself wryly, feeling the pull and compulsion of Soul Edge, as he had felt for the past 4 years, [but I suppose Soul Edge could hardly be considered natural....] at this thought, the sword, which had come to possess a large portion of his body as well, seemed to seethe with delight at his observation, sending shivers of pain and revulsion through the portions of his body that remained his own.
He slowed to a halt, standing stock still in the pouring rain, letting the water cascade down his corrupted form. [Maybe I should just stop right here. If I just crawl over into the forest and lie down.. maybe no one will ever find me.] The thoughts, tempting as they were, became overridden by something more urgent.. [No, I have to meet him.. if I stop here, he'll... I have to continue..] and once again, the fallen knight began to pull one foot in front of the other, trudging towards what he hoped would be his final destination.
After what seemed like days but was probably more like hours, the rain began to lighten, and smoke from the village could be seen wafting up above the tree line ahead. [Almost there.. this time.. this time, I'll control it.. this time...] As he neared the village, his monotonous reverie was broken by a shrill scream from what sounded like a young woman. [No... No! He's here already!!!] With a rush of new adrenaline, Siegfried began to run forward, feet sinking deep into the muddy road and sapping his energy even further as he ran. [I have to stop him! I won't let this happen again!]
Finally the village itself came into view as Siegfried dashed past a patch of young trees and in between several outlying thatched houses. As he passed a small cottage, a terrible scene came into view. [NO! It's just like before!!!] Memories flooded into Siegfried's mind, unwanted memories, as he beheld the sight of blood and death before him. He remembered swinging, cleaving, and pain.. screams, blood, ash.. and death. Bloodied corpses lie strewn upon the ground in front of him, innocent peasants who had done nothing more than gotten in the way. He felt the sword, Soul Edge, surge with energy as it took in the sight as well, feeding from the fear, hatred, and pain of the dying. [NO! N-not ME! It's NOT ME!!] Siegfried desperately tried to reason with himself as the deadly blade overtook him, watching in horror as another peasant fell..
To a blade that was not his. The axe came up again, sweeping a fleeing man from the ground and through the air, to collide with a house and fall in a heap. The huge, hideously masked creature who had delivered the blow turned slowly to face the now-demonic form of Nightmare standing before it, who was holding up a massive greatsword with two hands and staring from the eye sockets of a deformed helm. Seeming to recognize the possessed knight, the eyes behind the berserker's mask flared a bright yellow, and a booming voice emitted from behind the hideous facial perversion, "Ah, so you finally came. Now I can take back what is mine."
[That is him..] Siegfried thought to himself, peering out of the eye slits of his helm at the masked berserker before him, trying to calm the burning of the muscles caused by Soul Edge's rapid possession, [He is the one killing.. NOT me, HE is killing this time.. if I can just h-hang on..NOT ME.. it's NOT ME..] during Nightmare's moment of indecision, the berserker stepped forward and with a mighty downward swing, tried to unseat the demonic knight in a single blow.
Pulled by Soul Edge, Nightmare raised his great blade to barely parry the attack of the berserker, forcing him back a step due to sheer power. [I can't let him get the advantage now, or all these people will die..] Nightmare frantically thought to himself, pulling back his sword and delivering his own swing which flew by the berserker's face as it backed out of the way. The masked demon stepped forward with a lurch, swinging horizontally at Nightmare, who managed to throw up Soul Edge just in time to parry the attack, returning with a powerful lunge which cut into the leg of the wrathful creature.
With a howl of pain, the berserker rushed forward, slamming into Nightmare and sending him sprawling onto his back. Nightmare rolled aside as the berserker's huge axe buried itself into the earth where his head was a half-second ago, climbing to his feet and whipping his blade up vertically to knock the howling demon off-balance. Scoring a cut with his upward swing, Nightmare pressed the attack, bringing his blade crashing down upon the masked monstrosity's upper body armor, cleaving off half of the mask and cutting apart the beast's breastplate in one fell swoop. As the berserker stumbled back, Soul Edge urged Nightmare to press forward, but Siegfried held back, trying to regain his balance and composure. [I must maintain control of the blade..] Siegfried thought, noticing the fearful, hiding villagers to either side of him, [If I don't, I'll end up doing worse than this beast..] but he could feel the spirit of Soul Edge writhe within him, slowly tightening its clutches upon his being. Every moment he held the sword in this form would make it exponentially harder to escape its terrifying designs.
...
Atheas, panting and weary with little time to rest between now and his departure from his beloved stables, slowed to a trot as his energy reserves neared their end. Sophitia, recognizing her mount's need of rest and nutrition, reigned in the horse just as they came in sight of a quaint, secluded village about a day to the northeast of Beroia. Slowing Atheas to a walk despite the terribly urgency she felt, Sophitia carefully made her way into the village, surveying the area for any locals she could ask for information. Strangely, eerily, she couldn't locate even one villager outside of a building. Feeling her hackles rise, Sophitia urged her mount to trot, but Atheas simply could not handle any more exertion, and stopped short. Dismounting and landing lightly upon the ground, Sophitia hurried into town, padding lightly on booted feet.
After only a few steps, she began to hear shouts and the familiar sounds of battle from nearby. Altering her course to lead her towards the combat, she rushed through the streets, praying to Hephaestus that it was just a local celebration of some kind.
Such was not the case, as clearly indicated by the sprays of blood and corpses strewn about the ground at her feet as Sophitia stopped short, horrified at the scene before her. Bodies of villagers, including men, women, children, elderly, and anyone who seemed to have been within range lay all about the street, dismembered and bleeding. Perhaps even more terrifying, two figures were locked in combat in the center of the devastation. [It's.. it's HIM!!!] Sophitia's mind raced as she recognized the figure of Nightmare, exchanging blows with an immense warrior holding a bloodied axe, [But.. Which one did this!?] as she noticed the terrifying countenance of the battered berserker through its half-destroyed mask.
Torn between sides, Sophitia could do naught but stand and watch the fray as the most horrifying incident ever seen in this small village continued along its hideous course.
...
Black blood poured from the cut on the berserker's chest as it continued to howl in rage, seemingly oblivious to pain, slamming the butt of its axe into Nightmare's stomach. Protected by his armor, Nightmare raised a disgusting, mailed claw and delivered a powerful punch to the unmasked portion of the demon's face, wrenching its head to the side. Pulling up his greatsword in both hands, Nightmare hauled it over his head to continue the assault, swinging the great weapon down twice upon the haft of the berserker's colossal axe, sending slivers of black metal from the damaged axe spraying out to either side of the combatants.
...
Sophitia watched in helpless horror as the two monstrosities pounded each other with blow upon blow of their oversized weapons. [There must be some way to decide.. they couldn't both have done this?] Once again forcing herself to look out over the bloody bodies, Sophitia offered a prayer to rest their souls up to whatever gods were listening, and looked for anything that might hint at the identity of the responsible party.
...
Hatred and rage poured into Siegfried's soul as he was slowly consumed by the power of his weapon, causing him to briefly lose track of his location and situation as a blood frenzy almost took effect. [I have to.. retain..control.. can't let it..] Siegfried desperately reasoned with his inner being, trying to convince it to resist the temptations of the insidious Soul Edge.
During his inner struggle, a massive knee-strike from his opponent took Nightmare by surprise, knocking him clear off the ground as well as relieving him of his ability to breath for several seconds. The shock of the attack knocked some reason back into him, and he regained a sliver of control as he staggered to his feet. Unfortunately the berserker took the opportunity to pick up a straggling, frightened villager by the throat, dangling the man before Nightmare with a sickening smile.
"Remember how it felt... feel that way again!" The berserker boomed with a hideous smirk, squeezing the neck of the villager who struggled to no avail.
Nightmare was unable to muster the strength of will to reply, as Soul Edge raised itself to cleave the struggling human in half. [Oh gods, I should never have come here.. someone, please help..] Siegfried thought in a panic, as he felt his body being usurped by the demonic blade.
...
While frantically observing her surroundings and simultaneously keeping an eye on the battle, Sophitia suddenly came to a realization, [The blood.. the black blood! Nightmare's blade has only black blood, that demon's axe has red! Then unless Nightmare was wielding the axe, it must have been...] and just then, the berserker snatched up its innocent victim, reciting a strange phrase to Nightmare while the peasant struggled helplessly in its grasp. Sophitia cursed herself for being so preoccupied with determining the culprit that she neglected to protect the citizenry, [How could I have been so stupid!? I can't believe I let them stay that close to the battle! No time to think about it now, only time to act.] but she was too far away, as Nightmare raised the terrible Soul Edge, preparing to cleave the flailing man held by the demon in half. All Sophitia could think was, [Please, don't swing! Please, stab straight, past the man! Don't hit the villager, attack straight! PLEASE!] "STAB STRAIGHT!!" She hollered at the top of her lungs as Nightmare swung his massive blade around.
...
"Yes, slice the worthless peasant in half, Siegfried.. just like we used to do.. " Nightmare felt the voice of Soul Edge reverberate through his mind as it became strong enough to communicate, controlling his movements, actions, his ... "STAB STRAIGHT!!" a woman's desperate voice broke through his soul, shaking the control of Soul Edge just enough to give Siegfried the power to wrench his sword to the side with all his might, against the will of the blade. The huge, terrible sword flew mere inches away from the peasant's stomach, driving deep into the abdomen of the berserker. Pain exploded inside Nightmare's mind as he ripped the sword through the gurgling form of the rapidly-dying demon, draining its awful life-force through Soul Edge and accepting it into his own deformed body.
Siegfried struggled to maintain the tiny measure of control the woman's voice has awarded him, letting the tip of Soul Edge drag upon the ground nearby. The peasant frantically crawled out of the huge hand of the berserker's corpse, screaming in horror as black blood showered his face and hands.
...
[Thank the gods!] Sophitia breathed to herself as Nightmare's blade passed alongside the screaming peasant and into the thick body of the hellish berserker. She watched with horror and fascination as the black blood of the demon welled out and sprayed over the figures of both Nightmare and the captured townsman. Shaking her head to clear her mind of the terrible sight, Sophitia hurried forward to aid the injured townspeople in whatever way she could.
Kneeling down next to a moaning young boy, Sophitia quietly tried her best to sooth the child, "Do not fear, the demon is vanquished, I will take care of you now, just lie still.." as she tore off a piece of the child's shirt and used it to bind a bleeding gash in his left arm. [These poor people.. ] and as Sophitia looked up from her medical work, she saw Nightmare standing over the body of the berserker, breathing heavily, [Despite what it may look like, if he had not gotten here, I would never have been in time.. this entire village would probably have been wiped out..] and she slowly rose to her feet, keeping careful watch of Nightmare while scanning the village for more aidable victims in her peripheral vision.
As her eyes passed over a number of villagers who had been standing back, watching the scene from what they thought was a safe distance away, she heard a familiar voice shout, "D-Demon!! Get out of here!" Turning her gaze in the direction of the voice, Sophitia spotted the very same peasant who had been saved by Nightmare just moments earlier. He had picked up a medium-sized rock with one hand, and had finally risen to his feet after his bawling and terrified hollering earlier. "You.. you hideous beast!! Get the hell out of our town!!" He yelled again, this time showing the audacity to actually hurl his stone at Nightmare. The piece of debris bounced harmlessly from Nightmare's shoulder, invoking no visible reaction from the armored knight himself.
[Wh-what is he doing??] Sophitia thought to herself in shock, as she watched the stone bounce from Nightmare's body. The moment the stone hit the ground, more voices erupted from the crowd, "Get the hell out of here, demon! You're just as bad as that thing! We don't want your kind here!" "Run like hell before I really get mad, you disgusting creature!" "You better get going out of here before we decide to make you leave!" and other such fearful, angry comments flew from the mouths of the locals, along with stones, dirt, and other pieces of debris. "What are you DOING?" Sophitia yelled, but her voice was inaudible over the din of the raucous crowd.
...
Drenched in the blood of his fallen foe, Nightmare struggled to hold on to his last vestiges of sanity as the effects of Soul Edge's life- draining washed over his being. Absently he felt something hard bounce from his shoulder, bringing back his awareness of the world around him. Shouts and more objects followed from his right side. As he turned to face the broiling crowd, each voice and each stone wrenched him further from control, and bit by bit he felt Soul Edge slipping from his grasp.
The villagers, suddenly noticing the change in Nightmare's behavior as he turned to face them, began to back away in fear. The shouts and insults continued, but were now instilled with a hint of panic as Nightmare took a stride forward. Finally, as a particularly large stone hit Nightmare square in the forehead, Soul Edge broke away from Siegfried's will, lurching forward in a burst of speed and power.
Soul Edge descended upon the man who Nightmare had rescued just moments ago, and in an instant, the rescue was for naught. The fearful peasant only had a brief second to display a look of incomprehensible terror on his face as his body was cleaved in half with a great stroke of Nightmare's demonic blade. Continuing with his horrific onslaught, Nightmare swept his sword to each side, scything down the townsfolk like wheat in an autumn harvest. Soul Edge cackled with glee as each peasant fell to the ground in death, while Siegfried silently, sorrowfully wept, trapped within a prison of terrible effectiveness - his own mind.
...
Sophitia felt the world swirl around her in madness as Nightmare lurched towards the townspeople, cleaving them down as if they were nothing but tiny tree saplings. [No... stop it..] "NO!! STOP!!" She shouted at the top of her lungs, taking off towards Nightmare in a sprint while instinctively reaching for the blade on her back. She bounded over the fresh corpse of an old woman, trying her best not to look down as she passed, knowing there was nothing she could do now but stop Nightmare as soon as possible. "STOP IT NOW!! PLEASE!" Her voice blended into a high- pitched scream as she hollered the last word, desperately seeking to revert Nightmare to his former self before she reached him and would be forced to do battle.
...
[That voice.. there it is again] Siegfried felt the thoughts pass over his detached mind as his body slaughtered every living thing within reach. [It's telling me to.. telling me to...] He looked down, and saw fresh human blood spread across his chest and arms, saw the corpses of the dead lying about him in a half-circle of violent retribution.
The familiar voice from earlier rang clearly through the air, "..IT NOW!! PLEASE!" [That's it.. I should.. stop.. should.. .. r-run... RUN RUN RUN!] He urged his body with all of his will, to the part of him furthest from the wicked blade - his legs began to move, seemingly of their own will, separate from the terrifying swings of Soul Edge. Faster and faster, his legs moved, pumping, running him away from town, away from the death, from the terror he was causing. Soul Edge screamed in frustration as Nightmare fled from the scene of his crimes, delving deep into the nearby forest, throwing trees and bushes aside with ease.
Finally collapsing near a streambed, Nightmare clawed and pulled his way to the edge of the water. [Maybe if I can just hide myself here, no one will ever find me again..] Siegfried thought to himself, trying to pull close enough to allow his armored head to dip under the cold, bubbling water. Just as the tip of his forehead touched the rushing brook, Nightmare's last bit of energy faded to nothingness, and his body relaxed on the ground as he lost consciousness.
...
Sophitia raced out of the village, following Nightmare into the dark forest beyond the small town's boundaries. She rubbed the back of her hand across her eyes, trying unsuccessfully to wipe away the tears that poured down her cheeks as she thought of what had just happened. [Those poor, ignorant villagers.. he would have been fine if they had just kept quiet.. now I'm going to have to.. have to..]
Twigs and branches scratched at her face and upper body, scraping across her clothes and armor as she batted them aside with a free hand. Twice she lost her footing on loose rocks, brushing her leg against a sharp tree branch which left a nasty gash near her left knee.
Finally, Sophitia pushed aside a fresh sapling along with its net of water-filled leaves, coming upon a clear, rocky stream. Stopping in her tracks, Sophitia gazed upon the ground near the stream as the small droplets from the sapling lightly showered the muddy ground. Before her lay the prone, heavily armored body of Nightmare, covered with blood and dirt, face nearly submerged beneath the flowing waters of the mountain stream.
Sophitia stared at Nightmare for a long moment, watching a portion of hair that had escaped his helm swish back and forth in clear stream. [His hair is almost the same color as my own] she chuckled silently, catching herself shortly as the reality of her situation returned to the forefront of her mind.
At that time, some may have seen a golden opportunity. Just a push, and Nightmare would be eradicated forever, destroyed beneath the clear waters of a stream in the mountains of Greece. More than a few may have made the choice to eliminate Nightmare; almost all would have heavily weighed the option.
[That water must be cold] Sophitia thought to herself as her mind wandered from Siegfried's hair to the water carrying it. Lifting him under the arm, Sophitia carefully hauled the unconscious knight out of the water to a comfortable patch of grass on shore, shuddering as her eyes passed over Soul Edge's hideously throbbing form. [He's different than I remember..] she thought to herself idly, checking him visually for wounds. [He looks more... tired. Older, and weary] As she removed his helmet, his unconscious face became visible, looking gentle and peaceful. [This poor boy, caught by Soul Edge's monstrous desires..] Sophitia gazed thoughtfully at Siegfried's countenance, losing herself in questions of the past.. where has he been? who has he... killed?
As she sat on her legs beside Siegfried, watching over him, blood from the gash on her left leg trickled down to touch with the ground mere centimeters from the tip of Soul Edge. The demonic sword surged in glee, reaching towards the sweet, pure blood that it could smell such a small distance away..
...
Siegfried floated in a void of sub-sanity, struggling with his own failures and Soul Edge's maddening laughter. [I've done it again] He thought to himself coldly, [I slaughtered again. If those damned people hadn't..] his thoughts turned to chaos as Soul Edge's intense laughter reverberated throughout his mind. Suddenly the laughter ceased, and Soul Edge's attention seemed to focus on some other, external source.
[What has it found!?] Siegfried pondered in a panic, racing to regain control of his body. With Soul Edge's focus shifted, he was able to wrench back part of his wretched form, forcing his eyes open and his mind back to consciousness. His weary eyes widened in shock at the somehow familiar female form he saw sitting next to him.. and the blood on the ground nearby.
With a mighty heave, he hauled Soul Edge backwards with all of his earthly will, pulling it away from the small droplets of blood on the ground and ramming in into a nearby tree while he still held control of his own senses, hoping to buy the woman some time to escape.
"RUN!! NOW!!!" He hollered as loud as he could, feeling Soul Edge's insidious grasp begin to take him as the blood focused in view.
...
Sophitia shot to her feet in surprise as Siegfried's eyes suddenly flew open. Climbing to his feet and hauling the massive Soul Edge around in the very same motion, Siegfried embedded the sword in a the trunk of a nearby tree, shouting at Sophitia, "RUN!! NOW!!!"
The words hardly registered with her, as she took a step back and reached for her sword, drawing it smoothly up in front of her and holding her shield in a firm, practiced grip.
"Don't do this, you don't have to let it own you." She stated in a level voice, assuming a battle stance and preparing for the worst. [It's been a long while since I last fought.. I hope I can remember how it's done]
...
"You don't have to let it own you." The words floated through Siegfried's mind as Soul Edge pulled itself free from the tree. The woman didn't seem to be running. That was not good. [I don't have to let it.. ] Siegfried tried to reassure himself, as Soul Edge took a great swing at the woman's elegant neck, pulling Siegfried along with it.
...
Sophitia ducked low under Nightmare's brutal attack, taking a few steps back to give some breathing room. [Well, that wasn't too bad..] Sophitia thought to herself, pleased with the reflexes that returned to her in her time of need. Raising her shield and sword both together, Sophitia braced as Nightmare's second attack crashed into the conglomerate of weapons and armor, knocking the female paladin off-balance and forcing her to backpedal several steps. [Well, that wasn't very good..] She quickly revised her opinion of her fighting abilities, resting on her back foot to prepare for a shield punch.
Lunging forward with her blade outstretched to deflect any oncoming attacks, Sophitia let her sword veer off to the side as she stepped forward with her back foot, launching off the real attack with the flat of her shield. Nightmare simply swung his armored fist forward, slamming it into Sophitia's shield punch and sending a shock through her upper arm, following up with a slash from Soul Edge's position near the ground. Sophitia whipped her sword around in one hand, placing it in the way of Soul Edge as she hopped backwards to avoid the blow, knowing her strength was no match for Nightmare's.
Soul Edge crashed into Sophitia's weapon, knocking the Hephaestus- forged sword into the air but buying Sophitia enough time to back away from the attack. Managing to retain her grip on the weapon, Sophitia drew her sword back into ready position and raised her shield once again. [That was very bad.. I'm quite out of practice.. If I don't attack with my blade, I stand little chance of victory with my current level of skill..] Sophitia told herself in a rush of mental analyzation. [But, that boy is behind the weapon, and he is simply being controlled.. I cannot harm him.. perhaps if I strike for the weapon itself]
Sophitia darted in, ducking low under a massive horizontal swing from Nightmare, swinging her sword near the ground but deliberately weak so as to avoid injuring the boy. Nightmare ignored the attack as it skipped from his armor, whirling his sword around for a strike that would surely cleave the annoying woman in half. Sophitia rose to her feet, quickly continuing her maneuver, bringing her keen blade around in a beautiful slash to score a hit across the great bulging eye of Soul Edge.
...
As Siegfried struggled to divert Soul Edge's strikes, anything, everything to save the life of this valiant woman before him, he felt his contest was coming to a short, and disastrous, close. Just as he was beginning to lose himself in desperation, the woman performed a brilliant maneuver, sweeping her sword across the surface of Soul Edge's pulsating eye. Soul Edge's control slipped just briefly, and as Siegfried's gaze passed to the drops of blood adorning the ground nearby, he immediately formulated a plan.
Forcing his body back three steps, Siegfried turned to the left and stomped downwards upon the drops of pure blood lying among the grass. As his foot touched the blood, Soul Edge instantly rose in Nightmare's hands, positioning itself over top of Siegfried's foot, and the blood beneath.
"BUT WAIT, you demonic beast, take that plunge, and you'll lose much more than you can imagine!! Without my foot, we will be stuck crawling in this forest for DECADES, with no way to walk, and NO ONE to feast upon!!! Drink THAT in before you strike!!" Siegfried called out to the blade, both aloud and in his mind, trying any way possible to reason with the wretched being.
Soul Edge hesitated, pondering the pathetic knight's annoying logic. It is true, the ability to move would be severely hampered.. and the woman would probably defeat us instantly, she was so close last time, although her skills had certainly weakened over time and disuse. Yes, the boy was right.. perhaps this was not the time to strike.
While Soul Edge pondered its pestering predicament, Siegfried painstakingly began to yank control of his body back from the hideous creature. However, it was quickly recovering from his distraction, and he doubted he would have enough time or energy to fully regain his functions..
...
Sophitia watched as Nightmare suddenly pulled away, and heard Siegfried's call to the crazed being. [Reasoning with it? What a far- fetched tactic] she thought to herself skeptically, moving forward quickly in the meanwhile to take the advantage the boy had provided her. But, as Nightmare hesitated, she, as well, lowered her weapon slightly. [Could it be WORKING?] Sophitia thought to herself, awestruck, as she watched Siegfried's body shake and sweat with internal struggle.
"You are doing well..." [What was his name again?.... Oh, yes..] "Siegfried, friends are nearby." Sophitia said, moving forward to recklessly move aside her shield and lay a hand on her opponent's shoulder, putting herself in close reach of the mighty and deadly Soul Edge.
...
Suddenly, Siegfried felt a cool, comfortable hand touch a shoulder that he gained control of just seconds earlier. Hearing a murmur of comforting words, the cool touch seemed to reach from his shoulder down through his chest and throughout his body, offering him support and comfort. [Yes.. this body is MINE.. it's NOT yours.. GO AWAY, Soul Edge! I care not what power you have to offer!] Siegfried willfully told himself and the portion of him possessed by the evil sword.
Soul Edge felt revulsion as a feeling of soothing and comfort entered through portions of this body that he had lost to the damned boy. The boy was strong right now, inspired, willful, and bolstered by the strength of another.. now was not the time to strike. Even if he could gain control, Soul Edge feared that too much of the boy would remain beyond his grasp, and that would cause him to lose in the fight against the blond paladin woman, especially if her former skills began to resurface. No, now was not the time.. soon, though.. for now, let the boy have a false sense of comfort and security.. let him think he's winning.. then, as soon as he becomes complacent....
Siegfried felt relief that he'd not felt in years and years of travel, as Soul Edge seemed to shrink back within him, taking refuge in the massive blade that it now possessed. His body began to form back to many of its normal proportions, horrible veins and claw-like entities fading to normal skin in just a few heartbeats. [Can it be? Am I victorious?] Siegfried could hardly believe it to be possible, as Soul Edge released the last of its control, only maintaining a firm grip on the hand that held the weapon. Try as he might, Siegfried could not manage to push the defiled being from the end of his arm. [Let the fiend stay there for now, I've won the day!] he told himself reassuringly, trying to focus on his new, mostly freed body rather than the remnants of the disgusting being stuck in his hand.
[I've won the day.. with her help] he reminded himself, allowing his eyes to focus as he tiredly fell to his knees, gaze resting upon the waist and upper legs of the woman standing before him. She knelt down before him, gazing at him with concern and caution in her eyes, still firmly holding a wonderfully forged sword near her side.
...
As Sophitia watched the boy regain control of his body, holding his shoulder confidently, the hideous appendages and deformed portions of flesh quickly reformed into normal skin, melding easily into the boy's strong muscles.. [I suppose he's not really a boy anymore, is he?] Sophitia thought to herself, watching the form of a young man take shape as Nightmare's armor re-forged itself into a suit of standard German plate armor.
She knelt down before Siegfried as he fell to his knees [He must be exhausted from this ordeal.. I wonder how many times he's been forced to experience similar events] and cautiously looked into his face to see if any traces of Soul Edge's control remained.
"You are Siegfried, are you not?"
...
Sophitia's question struck Siegfried's weary mind at an angle, causing it to bounce off at first, before he could get a clean grasp of it. [I am .. Siegfried.. am I not? .. Yes.. Yes, I am]
"Yes, I am Siegfried."
End Chapter 3
.... much, much more to come.. no, he has not conquered the blade yet.. not even close.. I just want him to have a normal-looking form so there can be some more romance and junk.. I haven't even put in the 2-handed mace yet
email me with comments/questions: kelaros@mail.com
Siegfried staggered through the cold rain, exhausted from days of hiking in the wilderness near Beroia. For the first time in years, he had allowed himself to come in contact with human civilization. He knew he was putting people in danger by doing so, but he just couldn't manage to keep himself away for any longer, he felt he would go insane.. well, completely insane, not just partially insane, the way he felt now. [I have to get there in time.. before it happens again..] simply placing one foot in front of the other was becoming a chore now, with his exhaustion and the muddy ground. He was freezing from the rain, which had soaked through his old, partially rusted armor and clothing to bite him to the very bone. [That's not the only force of nature biting my bones right now..] he thought to himself wryly, feeling the pull and compulsion of Soul Edge, as he had felt for the past 4 years, [but I suppose Soul Edge could hardly be considered natural....] at this thought, the sword, which had come to possess a large portion of his body as well, seemed to seethe with delight at his observation, sending shivers of pain and revulsion through the portions of his body that remained his own.
He slowed to a halt, standing stock still in the pouring rain, letting the water cascade down his corrupted form. [Maybe I should just stop right here. If I just crawl over into the forest and lie down.. maybe no one will ever find me.] The thoughts, tempting as they were, became overridden by something more urgent.. [No, I have to meet him.. if I stop here, he'll... I have to continue..] and once again, the fallen knight began to pull one foot in front of the other, trudging towards what he hoped would be his final destination.
After what seemed like days but was probably more like hours, the rain began to lighten, and smoke from the village could be seen wafting up above the tree line ahead. [Almost there.. this time.. this time, I'll control it.. this time...] As he neared the village, his monotonous reverie was broken by a shrill scream from what sounded like a young woman. [No... No! He's here already!!!] With a rush of new adrenaline, Siegfried began to run forward, feet sinking deep into the muddy road and sapping his energy even further as he ran. [I have to stop him! I won't let this happen again!]
Finally the village itself came into view as Siegfried dashed past a patch of young trees and in between several outlying thatched houses. As he passed a small cottage, a terrible scene came into view. [NO! It's just like before!!!] Memories flooded into Siegfried's mind, unwanted memories, as he beheld the sight of blood and death before him. He remembered swinging, cleaving, and pain.. screams, blood, ash.. and death. Bloodied corpses lie strewn upon the ground in front of him, innocent peasants who had done nothing more than gotten in the way. He felt the sword, Soul Edge, surge with energy as it took in the sight as well, feeding from the fear, hatred, and pain of the dying. [NO! N-not ME! It's NOT ME!!] Siegfried desperately tried to reason with himself as the deadly blade overtook him, watching in horror as another peasant fell..
To a blade that was not his. The axe came up again, sweeping a fleeing man from the ground and through the air, to collide with a house and fall in a heap. The huge, hideously masked creature who had delivered the blow turned slowly to face the now-demonic form of Nightmare standing before it, who was holding up a massive greatsword with two hands and staring from the eye sockets of a deformed helm. Seeming to recognize the possessed knight, the eyes behind the berserker's mask flared a bright yellow, and a booming voice emitted from behind the hideous facial perversion, "Ah, so you finally came. Now I can take back what is mine."
[That is him..] Siegfried thought to himself, peering out of the eye slits of his helm at the masked berserker before him, trying to calm the burning of the muscles caused by Soul Edge's rapid possession, [He is the one killing.. NOT me, HE is killing this time.. if I can just h-hang on..NOT ME.. it's NOT ME..] during Nightmare's moment of indecision, the berserker stepped forward and with a mighty downward swing, tried to unseat the demonic knight in a single blow.
Pulled by Soul Edge, Nightmare raised his great blade to barely parry the attack of the berserker, forcing him back a step due to sheer power. [I can't let him get the advantage now, or all these people will die..] Nightmare frantically thought to himself, pulling back his sword and delivering his own swing which flew by the berserker's face as it backed out of the way. The masked demon stepped forward with a lurch, swinging horizontally at Nightmare, who managed to throw up Soul Edge just in time to parry the attack, returning with a powerful lunge which cut into the leg of the wrathful creature.
With a howl of pain, the berserker rushed forward, slamming into Nightmare and sending him sprawling onto his back. Nightmare rolled aside as the berserker's huge axe buried itself into the earth where his head was a half-second ago, climbing to his feet and whipping his blade up vertically to knock the howling demon off-balance. Scoring a cut with his upward swing, Nightmare pressed the attack, bringing his blade crashing down upon the masked monstrosity's upper body armor, cleaving off half of the mask and cutting apart the beast's breastplate in one fell swoop. As the berserker stumbled back, Soul Edge urged Nightmare to press forward, but Siegfried held back, trying to regain his balance and composure. [I must maintain control of the blade..] Siegfried thought, noticing the fearful, hiding villagers to either side of him, [If I don't, I'll end up doing worse than this beast..] but he could feel the spirit of Soul Edge writhe within him, slowly tightening its clutches upon his being. Every moment he held the sword in this form would make it exponentially harder to escape its terrifying designs.
...
Atheas, panting and weary with little time to rest between now and his departure from his beloved stables, slowed to a trot as his energy reserves neared their end. Sophitia, recognizing her mount's need of rest and nutrition, reigned in the horse just as they came in sight of a quaint, secluded village about a day to the northeast of Beroia. Slowing Atheas to a walk despite the terribly urgency she felt, Sophitia carefully made her way into the village, surveying the area for any locals she could ask for information. Strangely, eerily, she couldn't locate even one villager outside of a building. Feeling her hackles rise, Sophitia urged her mount to trot, but Atheas simply could not handle any more exertion, and stopped short. Dismounting and landing lightly upon the ground, Sophitia hurried into town, padding lightly on booted feet.
After only a few steps, she began to hear shouts and the familiar sounds of battle from nearby. Altering her course to lead her towards the combat, she rushed through the streets, praying to Hephaestus that it was just a local celebration of some kind.
Such was not the case, as clearly indicated by the sprays of blood and corpses strewn about the ground at her feet as Sophitia stopped short, horrified at the scene before her. Bodies of villagers, including men, women, children, elderly, and anyone who seemed to have been within range lay all about the street, dismembered and bleeding. Perhaps even more terrifying, two figures were locked in combat in the center of the devastation. [It's.. it's HIM!!!] Sophitia's mind raced as she recognized the figure of Nightmare, exchanging blows with an immense warrior holding a bloodied axe, [But.. Which one did this!?] as she noticed the terrifying countenance of the battered berserker through its half-destroyed mask.
Torn between sides, Sophitia could do naught but stand and watch the fray as the most horrifying incident ever seen in this small village continued along its hideous course.
...
Black blood poured from the cut on the berserker's chest as it continued to howl in rage, seemingly oblivious to pain, slamming the butt of its axe into Nightmare's stomach. Protected by his armor, Nightmare raised a disgusting, mailed claw and delivered a powerful punch to the unmasked portion of the demon's face, wrenching its head to the side. Pulling up his greatsword in both hands, Nightmare hauled it over his head to continue the assault, swinging the great weapon down twice upon the haft of the berserker's colossal axe, sending slivers of black metal from the damaged axe spraying out to either side of the combatants.
...
Sophitia watched in helpless horror as the two monstrosities pounded each other with blow upon blow of their oversized weapons. [There must be some way to decide.. they couldn't both have done this?] Once again forcing herself to look out over the bloody bodies, Sophitia offered a prayer to rest their souls up to whatever gods were listening, and looked for anything that might hint at the identity of the responsible party.
...
Hatred and rage poured into Siegfried's soul as he was slowly consumed by the power of his weapon, causing him to briefly lose track of his location and situation as a blood frenzy almost took effect. [I have to.. retain..control.. can't let it..] Siegfried desperately reasoned with his inner being, trying to convince it to resist the temptations of the insidious Soul Edge.
During his inner struggle, a massive knee-strike from his opponent took Nightmare by surprise, knocking him clear off the ground as well as relieving him of his ability to breath for several seconds. The shock of the attack knocked some reason back into him, and he regained a sliver of control as he staggered to his feet. Unfortunately the berserker took the opportunity to pick up a straggling, frightened villager by the throat, dangling the man before Nightmare with a sickening smile.
"Remember how it felt... feel that way again!" The berserker boomed with a hideous smirk, squeezing the neck of the villager who struggled to no avail.
Nightmare was unable to muster the strength of will to reply, as Soul Edge raised itself to cleave the struggling human in half. [Oh gods, I should never have come here.. someone, please help..] Siegfried thought in a panic, as he felt his body being usurped by the demonic blade.
...
While frantically observing her surroundings and simultaneously keeping an eye on the battle, Sophitia suddenly came to a realization, [The blood.. the black blood! Nightmare's blade has only black blood, that demon's axe has red! Then unless Nightmare was wielding the axe, it must have been...] and just then, the berserker snatched up its innocent victim, reciting a strange phrase to Nightmare while the peasant struggled helplessly in its grasp. Sophitia cursed herself for being so preoccupied with determining the culprit that she neglected to protect the citizenry, [How could I have been so stupid!? I can't believe I let them stay that close to the battle! No time to think about it now, only time to act.] but she was too far away, as Nightmare raised the terrible Soul Edge, preparing to cleave the flailing man held by the demon in half. All Sophitia could think was, [Please, don't swing! Please, stab straight, past the man! Don't hit the villager, attack straight! PLEASE!] "STAB STRAIGHT!!" She hollered at the top of her lungs as Nightmare swung his massive blade around.
...
"Yes, slice the worthless peasant in half, Siegfried.. just like we used to do.. " Nightmare felt the voice of Soul Edge reverberate through his mind as it became strong enough to communicate, controlling his movements, actions, his ... "STAB STRAIGHT!!" a woman's desperate voice broke through his soul, shaking the control of Soul Edge just enough to give Siegfried the power to wrench his sword to the side with all his might, against the will of the blade. The huge, terrible sword flew mere inches away from the peasant's stomach, driving deep into the abdomen of the berserker. Pain exploded inside Nightmare's mind as he ripped the sword through the gurgling form of the rapidly-dying demon, draining its awful life-force through Soul Edge and accepting it into his own deformed body.
Siegfried struggled to maintain the tiny measure of control the woman's voice has awarded him, letting the tip of Soul Edge drag upon the ground nearby. The peasant frantically crawled out of the huge hand of the berserker's corpse, screaming in horror as black blood showered his face and hands.
...
[Thank the gods!] Sophitia breathed to herself as Nightmare's blade passed alongside the screaming peasant and into the thick body of the hellish berserker. She watched with horror and fascination as the black blood of the demon welled out and sprayed over the figures of both Nightmare and the captured townsman. Shaking her head to clear her mind of the terrible sight, Sophitia hurried forward to aid the injured townspeople in whatever way she could.
Kneeling down next to a moaning young boy, Sophitia quietly tried her best to sooth the child, "Do not fear, the demon is vanquished, I will take care of you now, just lie still.." as she tore off a piece of the child's shirt and used it to bind a bleeding gash in his left arm. [These poor people.. ] and as Sophitia looked up from her medical work, she saw Nightmare standing over the body of the berserker, breathing heavily, [Despite what it may look like, if he had not gotten here, I would never have been in time.. this entire village would probably have been wiped out..] and she slowly rose to her feet, keeping careful watch of Nightmare while scanning the village for more aidable victims in her peripheral vision.
As her eyes passed over a number of villagers who had been standing back, watching the scene from what they thought was a safe distance away, she heard a familiar voice shout, "D-Demon!! Get out of here!" Turning her gaze in the direction of the voice, Sophitia spotted the very same peasant who had been saved by Nightmare just moments earlier. He had picked up a medium-sized rock with one hand, and had finally risen to his feet after his bawling and terrified hollering earlier. "You.. you hideous beast!! Get the hell out of our town!!" He yelled again, this time showing the audacity to actually hurl his stone at Nightmare. The piece of debris bounced harmlessly from Nightmare's shoulder, invoking no visible reaction from the armored knight himself.
[Wh-what is he doing??] Sophitia thought to herself in shock, as she watched the stone bounce from Nightmare's body. The moment the stone hit the ground, more voices erupted from the crowd, "Get the hell out of here, demon! You're just as bad as that thing! We don't want your kind here!" "Run like hell before I really get mad, you disgusting creature!" "You better get going out of here before we decide to make you leave!" and other such fearful, angry comments flew from the mouths of the locals, along with stones, dirt, and other pieces of debris. "What are you DOING?" Sophitia yelled, but her voice was inaudible over the din of the raucous crowd.
...
Drenched in the blood of his fallen foe, Nightmare struggled to hold on to his last vestiges of sanity as the effects of Soul Edge's life- draining washed over his being. Absently he felt something hard bounce from his shoulder, bringing back his awareness of the world around him. Shouts and more objects followed from his right side. As he turned to face the broiling crowd, each voice and each stone wrenched him further from control, and bit by bit he felt Soul Edge slipping from his grasp.
The villagers, suddenly noticing the change in Nightmare's behavior as he turned to face them, began to back away in fear. The shouts and insults continued, but were now instilled with a hint of panic as Nightmare took a stride forward. Finally, as a particularly large stone hit Nightmare square in the forehead, Soul Edge broke away from Siegfried's will, lurching forward in a burst of speed and power.
Soul Edge descended upon the man who Nightmare had rescued just moments ago, and in an instant, the rescue was for naught. The fearful peasant only had a brief second to display a look of incomprehensible terror on his face as his body was cleaved in half with a great stroke of Nightmare's demonic blade. Continuing with his horrific onslaught, Nightmare swept his sword to each side, scything down the townsfolk like wheat in an autumn harvest. Soul Edge cackled with glee as each peasant fell to the ground in death, while Siegfried silently, sorrowfully wept, trapped within a prison of terrible effectiveness - his own mind.
...
Sophitia felt the world swirl around her in madness as Nightmare lurched towards the townspeople, cleaving them down as if they were nothing but tiny tree saplings. [No... stop it..] "NO!! STOP!!" She shouted at the top of her lungs, taking off towards Nightmare in a sprint while instinctively reaching for the blade on her back. She bounded over the fresh corpse of an old woman, trying her best not to look down as she passed, knowing there was nothing she could do now but stop Nightmare as soon as possible. "STOP IT NOW!! PLEASE!" Her voice blended into a high- pitched scream as she hollered the last word, desperately seeking to revert Nightmare to his former self before she reached him and would be forced to do battle.
...
[That voice.. there it is again] Siegfried felt the thoughts pass over his detached mind as his body slaughtered every living thing within reach. [It's telling me to.. telling me to...] He looked down, and saw fresh human blood spread across his chest and arms, saw the corpses of the dead lying about him in a half-circle of violent retribution.
The familiar voice from earlier rang clearly through the air, "..IT NOW!! PLEASE!" [That's it.. I should.. stop.. should.. .. r-run... RUN RUN RUN!] He urged his body with all of his will, to the part of him furthest from the wicked blade - his legs began to move, seemingly of their own will, separate from the terrifying swings of Soul Edge. Faster and faster, his legs moved, pumping, running him away from town, away from the death, from the terror he was causing. Soul Edge screamed in frustration as Nightmare fled from the scene of his crimes, delving deep into the nearby forest, throwing trees and bushes aside with ease.
Finally collapsing near a streambed, Nightmare clawed and pulled his way to the edge of the water. [Maybe if I can just hide myself here, no one will ever find me again..] Siegfried thought to himself, trying to pull close enough to allow his armored head to dip under the cold, bubbling water. Just as the tip of his forehead touched the rushing brook, Nightmare's last bit of energy faded to nothingness, and his body relaxed on the ground as he lost consciousness.
...
Sophitia raced out of the village, following Nightmare into the dark forest beyond the small town's boundaries. She rubbed the back of her hand across her eyes, trying unsuccessfully to wipe away the tears that poured down her cheeks as she thought of what had just happened. [Those poor, ignorant villagers.. he would have been fine if they had just kept quiet.. now I'm going to have to.. have to..]
Twigs and branches scratched at her face and upper body, scraping across her clothes and armor as she batted them aside with a free hand. Twice she lost her footing on loose rocks, brushing her leg against a sharp tree branch which left a nasty gash near her left knee.
Finally, Sophitia pushed aside a fresh sapling along with its net of water-filled leaves, coming upon a clear, rocky stream. Stopping in her tracks, Sophitia gazed upon the ground near the stream as the small droplets from the sapling lightly showered the muddy ground. Before her lay the prone, heavily armored body of Nightmare, covered with blood and dirt, face nearly submerged beneath the flowing waters of the mountain stream.
Sophitia stared at Nightmare for a long moment, watching a portion of hair that had escaped his helm swish back and forth in clear stream. [His hair is almost the same color as my own] she chuckled silently, catching herself shortly as the reality of her situation returned to the forefront of her mind.
At that time, some may have seen a golden opportunity. Just a push, and Nightmare would be eradicated forever, destroyed beneath the clear waters of a stream in the mountains of Greece. More than a few may have made the choice to eliminate Nightmare; almost all would have heavily weighed the option.
[That water must be cold] Sophitia thought to herself as her mind wandered from Siegfried's hair to the water carrying it. Lifting him under the arm, Sophitia carefully hauled the unconscious knight out of the water to a comfortable patch of grass on shore, shuddering as her eyes passed over Soul Edge's hideously throbbing form. [He's different than I remember..] she thought to herself idly, checking him visually for wounds. [He looks more... tired. Older, and weary] As she removed his helmet, his unconscious face became visible, looking gentle and peaceful. [This poor boy, caught by Soul Edge's monstrous desires..] Sophitia gazed thoughtfully at Siegfried's countenance, losing herself in questions of the past.. where has he been? who has he... killed?
As she sat on her legs beside Siegfried, watching over him, blood from the gash on her left leg trickled down to touch with the ground mere centimeters from the tip of Soul Edge. The demonic sword surged in glee, reaching towards the sweet, pure blood that it could smell such a small distance away..
...
Siegfried floated in a void of sub-sanity, struggling with his own failures and Soul Edge's maddening laughter. [I've done it again] He thought to himself coldly, [I slaughtered again. If those damned people hadn't..] his thoughts turned to chaos as Soul Edge's intense laughter reverberated throughout his mind. Suddenly the laughter ceased, and Soul Edge's attention seemed to focus on some other, external source.
[What has it found!?] Siegfried pondered in a panic, racing to regain control of his body. With Soul Edge's focus shifted, he was able to wrench back part of his wretched form, forcing his eyes open and his mind back to consciousness. His weary eyes widened in shock at the somehow familiar female form he saw sitting next to him.. and the blood on the ground nearby.
With a mighty heave, he hauled Soul Edge backwards with all of his earthly will, pulling it away from the small droplets of blood on the ground and ramming in into a nearby tree while he still held control of his own senses, hoping to buy the woman some time to escape.
"RUN!! NOW!!!" He hollered as loud as he could, feeling Soul Edge's insidious grasp begin to take him as the blood focused in view.
...
Sophitia shot to her feet in surprise as Siegfried's eyes suddenly flew open. Climbing to his feet and hauling the massive Soul Edge around in the very same motion, Siegfried embedded the sword in a the trunk of a nearby tree, shouting at Sophitia, "RUN!! NOW!!!"
The words hardly registered with her, as she took a step back and reached for her sword, drawing it smoothly up in front of her and holding her shield in a firm, practiced grip.
"Don't do this, you don't have to let it own you." She stated in a level voice, assuming a battle stance and preparing for the worst. [It's been a long while since I last fought.. I hope I can remember how it's done]
...
"You don't have to let it own you." The words floated through Siegfried's mind as Soul Edge pulled itself free from the tree. The woman didn't seem to be running. That was not good. [I don't have to let it.. ] Siegfried tried to reassure himself, as Soul Edge took a great swing at the woman's elegant neck, pulling Siegfried along with it.
...
Sophitia ducked low under Nightmare's brutal attack, taking a few steps back to give some breathing room. [Well, that wasn't too bad..] Sophitia thought to herself, pleased with the reflexes that returned to her in her time of need. Raising her shield and sword both together, Sophitia braced as Nightmare's second attack crashed into the conglomerate of weapons and armor, knocking the female paladin off-balance and forcing her to backpedal several steps. [Well, that wasn't very good..] She quickly revised her opinion of her fighting abilities, resting on her back foot to prepare for a shield punch.
Lunging forward with her blade outstretched to deflect any oncoming attacks, Sophitia let her sword veer off to the side as she stepped forward with her back foot, launching off the real attack with the flat of her shield. Nightmare simply swung his armored fist forward, slamming it into Sophitia's shield punch and sending a shock through her upper arm, following up with a slash from Soul Edge's position near the ground. Sophitia whipped her sword around in one hand, placing it in the way of Soul Edge as she hopped backwards to avoid the blow, knowing her strength was no match for Nightmare's.
Soul Edge crashed into Sophitia's weapon, knocking the Hephaestus- forged sword into the air but buying Sophitia enough time to back away from the attack. Managing to retain her grip on the weapon, Sophitia drew her sword back into ready position and raised her shield once again. [That was very bad.. I'm quite out of practice.. If I don't attack with my blade, I stand little chance of victory with my current level of skill..] Sophitia told herself in a rush of mental analyzation. [But, that boy is behind the weapon, and he is simply being controlled.. I cannot harm him.. perhaps if I strike for the weapon itself]
Sophitia darted in, ducking low under a massive horizontal swing from Nightmare, swinging her sword near the ground but deliberately weak so as to avoid injuring the boy. Nightmare ignored the attack as it skipped from his armor, whirling his sword around for a strike that would surely cleave the annoying woman in half. Sophitia rose to her feet, quickly continuing her maneuver, bringing her keen blade around in a beautiful slash to score a hit across the great bulging eye of Soul Edge.
...
As Siegfried struggled to divert Soul Edge's strikes, anything, everything to save the life of this valiant woman before him, he felt his contest was coming to a short, and disastrous, close. Just as he was beginning to lose himself in desperation, the woman performed a brilliant maneuver, sweeping her sword across the surface of Soul Edge's pulsating eye. Soul Edge's control slipped just briefly, and as Siegfried's gaze passed to the drops of blood adorning the ground nearby, he immediately formulated a plan.
Forcing his body back three steps, Siegfried turned to the left and stomped downwards upon the drops of pure blood lying among the grass. As his foot touched the blood, Soul Edge instantly rose in Nightmare's hands, positioning itself over top of Siegfried's foot, and the blood beneath.
"BUT WAIT, you demonic beast, take that plunge, and you'll lose much more than you can imagine!! Without my foot, we will be stuck crawling in this forest for DECADES, with no way to walk, and NO ONE to feast upon!!! Drink THAT in before you strike!!" Siegfried called out to the blade, both aloud and in his mind, trying any way possible to reason with the wretched being.
Soul Edge hesitated, pondering the pathetic knight's annoying logic. It is true, the ability to move would be severely hampered.. and the woman would probably defeat us instantly, she was so close last time, although her skills had certainly weakened over time and disuse. Yes, the boy was right.. perhaps this was not the time to strike.
While Soul Edge pondered its pestering predicament, Siegfried painstakingly began to yank control of his body back from the hideous creature. However, it was quickly recovering from his distraction, and he doubted he would have enough time or energy to fully regain his functions..
...
Sophitia watched as Nightmare suddenly pulled away, and heard Siegfried's call to the crazed being. [Reasoning with it? What a far- fetched tactic] she thought to herself skeptically, moving forward quickly in the meanwhile to take the advantage the boy had provided her. But, as Nightmare hesitated, she, as well, lowered her weapon slightly. [Could it be WORKING?] Sophitia thought to herself, awestruck, as she watched Siegfried's body shake and sweat with internal struggle.
"You are doing well..." [What was his name again?.... Oh, yes..] "Siegfried, friends are nearby." Sophitia said, moving forward to recklessly move aside her shield and lay a hand on her opponent's shoulder, putting herself in close reach of the mighty and deadly Soul Edge.
...
Suddenly, Siegfried felt a cool, comfortable hand touch a shoulder that he gained control of just seconds earlier. Hearing a murmur of comforting words, the cool touch seemed to reach from his shoulder down through his chest and throughout his body, offering him support and comfort. [Yes.. this body is MINE.. it's NOT yours.. GO AWAY, Soul Edge! I care not what power you have to offer!] Siegfried willfully told himself and the portion of him possessed by the evil sword.
Soul Edge felt revulsion as a feeling of soothing and comfort entered through portions of this body that he had lost to the damned boy. The boy was strong right now, inspired, willful, and bolstered by the strength of another.. now was not the time to strike. Even if he could gain control, Soul Edge feared that too much of the boy would remain beyond his grasp, and that would cause him to lose in the fight against the blond paladin woman, especially if her former skills began to resurface. No, now was not the time.. soon, though.. for now, let the boy have a false sense of comfort and security.. let him think he's winning.. then, as soon as he becomes complacent....
Siegfried felt relief that he'd not felt in years and years of travel, as Soul Edge seemed to shrink back within him, taking refuge in the massive blade that it now possessed. His body began to form back to many of its normal proportions, horrible veins and claw-like entities fading to normal skin in just a few heartbeats. [Can it be? Am I victorious?] Siegfried could hardly believe it to be possible, as Soul Edge released the last of its control, only maintaining a firm grip on the hand that held the weapon. Try as he might, Siegfried could not manage to push the defiled being from the end of his arm. [Let the fiend stay there for now, I've won the day!] he told himself reassuringly, trying to focus on his new, mostly freed body rather than the remnants of the disgusting being stuck in his hand.
[I've won the day.. with her help] he reminded himself, allowing his eyes to focus as he tiredly fell to his knees, gaze resting upon the waist and upper legs of the woman standing before him. She knelt down before him, gazing at him with concern and caution in her eyes, still firmly holding a wonderfully forged sword near her side.
...
As Sophitia watched the boy regain control of his body, holding his shoulder confidently, the hideous appendages and deformed portions of flesh quickly reformed into normal skin, melding easily into the boy's strong muscles.. [I suppose he's not really a boy anymore, is he?] Sophitia thought to herself, watching the form of a young man take shape as Nightmare's armor re-forged itself into a suit of standard German plate armor.
She knelt down before Siegfried as he fell to his knees [He must be exhausted from this ordeal.. I wonder how many times he's been forced to experience similar events] and cautiously looked into his face to see if any traces of Soul Edge's control remained.
"You are Siegfried, are you not?"
...
Sophitia's question struck Siegfried's weary mind at an angle, causing it to bounce off at first, before he could get a clean grasp of it. [I am .. Siegfried.. am I not? .. Yes.. Yes, I am]
"Yes, I am Siegfried."
End Chapter 3
.... much, much more to come.. no, he has not conquered the blade yet.. not even close.. I just want him to have a normal-looking form so there can be some more romance and junk.. I haven't even put in the 2-handed mace yet
email me with comments/questions: kelaros@mail.com