Chapter 8 enjoy.
Chapter 8: Abyss Awakened
The night was silent, thousands of stars shone in the heavens, they could be seen among the tall trees that seemed to reach up to glowing orbs. As night had fallen the four companions had stopped to rest for the night, they would be at their destination by morning. Siegfried was the only one that was awake, Cassandra was asleep inside a small tent alongside with Xianghua and Killik was on a blanket close to the test.
One thing bothered Siegfried and that was his Chinese companions. They had journeyed some distance together and they hadn't spoken much except among themselves. They had told him that they were sent to seek him out, that he was the only one that was strong enough to defeat Nightmare, but as to who sent them and why they were on this journey they didn't say.
The blond warrior sat on the tree stomp and gazed up at the stars above him, the thoughts of Nightmare came back to him all the horrible things he had done, lives he had taken, sins he could not forgive himself for. He had tried to let go of the past but it seemed intent on haunting him to the grave. Soon he realized he was not alone as his Chinese female traveling companion came up and at opposite him on another tree stomp, she looked at the brown cloth covering Siegfried's weapon.
"That's the Soul Calibur isn't it?" The girl asked.
Siegfried was shocked but didn't show it, he had deliberately covered his weapon so that no one would see it, he didn't trust his traveling companions completely except for Cassandra she already knew he had the sword. All he did to reply was nod.
"Wondering how I knew, aren't you?" Xianghua asked.
Siegfried didn't answer, and the dark-haired girl only giggled when he didn't reply.
"It's cause I can feel the spirit energy," She said calmly.
"Soul energy?" Siegfried asked turning to address her.
"It may come as a surprise to you but I was also once a wielder of that same sword," She said calmly.
This definitely came as a surprise to Siegfried, his eyes were wide with disbelief.
"But it only chose me for a moment, to banish Inferno after that it disappeared," She added.
"Inferno, I also defeated it, but at that time I didn't have the Soul Calibur," Siegfried stated.
This time it was Xianghua's turn to be surprised, she immediately got of the tree stump and stood, she was shocked to say the least, her jaw felt like it wanted to hit the floor.
"Impossible," She commented, "You defeated Inferno without the Soul Calibur, when I was before it, I could feel it's energy, I was like an insect before it's power, it was the power of Soul Calibur that allowed me to defeat it."
"I broke my old sword in the battle though." The blond-haired man said calmly.
"Now I know why Edgemaster sent us to get you, you truly have the power to defeat Nightmare," She stated.
"I'm not sure about that, I fought him once already and lost that is how I lost the Soul Edge in the first place," He replied.
"Soul Edge you had that blade also?" She asked, "I don't understand."
"Let's just say that I once sealed the Soul Edge with the Soul Calibur and then left but Nightmare came looking for the sword, he would have killed me but the Soul Calibur saved me." Siegfried explained.
"You mean you fought him once before?" She asked.
"Yeah and I lost, let's just say him and I we are opposite sides of the same coin, we are a part of each other but we cannot co-exist," He explained again, "You will understand everything if you decide to continue this journey for Nightmare but I warn you it will be a difficult one."
Without saying a word she went back to the tent, Siegfried lay on his back and gazed back at the sky.
"We'll meet tomorrow," He said calmly, "I wonder how our greeting will be."
Morning came as it always did and once again for four warriors made of to their destination, Xianghua didn't tell Killik about the conversation she and Siegfried made earlier and Siegfried didn't bother with it. They walked down the worn-out dirt path, with huge trees on either side, Cassandra walking slightly in front of Siegfried with Killik and Xianghua close behind him. It was late morning when they arrived at their destination.
"Is this where we're supposed to be?" Cassandra asked.
"Yeah but the mansion is a little ways from here," Siegfried replied.
"Mansion?" The blond-haired girl asked puzzled.
"At any rate you should go into town, and gather any information you can I'll go meet my friend," The blue-eyed warrior stated.
"I'll go with you," Killik interjected.
"No," Siegfried suddenly replied, "It's been a while since I last saw my friend and I don't know how they'll take my sudden reappearance."
Killik nodded and soon the trio left Siegfried behind as they headed off toward town meanwhile Siegfried headed down another path parallel to the ones his companions were currently taking.
3 hours later…
Cassandra had just come out from the local pub, she hadn't managed to get any information, the entire pub was filled with drunken men all of which were making passes at her and trying to reach for parts of her body, soon the door behind her opened and her female traveling companion emerged.
"Seesh, what's up with all the men in there, they act like they've never seen a woman before," the Chinese girl said.
"Tell me about it," Her green-eyed companion replied, "did you manage to find anything out?"
"Nope, you?" Xianghua asked.
Cassandra only shook her head.
"Hey, let's head back to the inn, maybe Killik found out something," Xianghua said.
Soon the two headed back to the entrance of the town, both girls had finally begun to feel comfortable around each other, the air of tension that separated them had begun to dissolve. As they walked towards the entrance Cassandra saw this as an opportunity to know her traveling companion better.
"So, are you and Killik a couple?" Cassandra asked bluntly.
Xianghua looked at Cassandra slightly surprised, "Kinda," She replied.
"What do you mean kinda? Is there such a thing as kinda?" Cassandra asked.
"Well it's just our relationship is a bit complex, but what about you and Siegfried?" Xianghua retorted.
Now it was Cassandra's turn to be surprised.
"What do you mean there's nothing between me and Siegfried," Cassandra clumsily replied.
"Oh really?" Xianghua questioned.
Cassandra's cheeks turned pink, "Is it that obvious?" She asked.
"Well I can see it plainly, the way you look at him always smile at him but I don't think he sees it," The Chinese girl stated.
Siegfried had made his way behind the city to where the Mansion was, or where it once stood, when he got there he was left in surprise, the entire mansion had been completely destroyed. He entered into what was once the beautiful grand entranceway to the Valentine mansion, now it was covered in debris. His mind began to worry for the survival of his friend.
"Ivy!" Siegfried shouted.
He shouted her name once more but realized that it was futile, if she did somehow survive this, she would be below the carnage, she would be either unconscious or worse dead, he didn't want to think of the latter choice.
"Come on Ivy, where are you?" He asked himself.
His eyes quickly scanned the area looking for signs of where she might be, his ears and all his other senses were on full alert desperately searching for a life sign. Soon his eyes picked up on a hint of gold, he quickly darted over to the spot and removed a boulder, as he removed it he saw the golden gauntlet his friend once used.
He removed two other large blocks without much effort, lastly he moved another one larger than all the others, but was slanted across the horizontal plane which it lay, it lightly pressed on something below, with part of it on a higher piece of debris and another lower. He easily removed it to see the still of a woman.
"IVY!" He shouted.
He picked up the woman holding her top half in his arms.
"Come on give me a sign that you're alive," He said desperately to her.
Her eyelashes barely fluttered but soon went back to rest.
"Hold on," He said to her, "I have to get you to town."
Cassandra was upset but she didn't show it. She hadn't expected Siegfried's friend to turn out to be a woman, and such a developed one either. She was quite surprised when he had come into town carrying someone in his arms, apparently this person was the friend he was talking about. She was slightly startled but thought nothing of it.
It was now evening, the sun had begun to set and it had the orange tint in the sky. Ivy was now in the Inn, the doctor had finished examining her and stepped outside the room to address the wanderers.
"How is she?" Siegfried asked.
"She was injured pretty badly, it may take a few days for her to recover, but nothing life threatening," The doctor replied.
"Well that's good news," Xianghua put in.
"But I suggest someone stay with her at all times, to watch her condition," The doctor added.
And with his final statement the group paid him and he left, all four warriors were now in the room, Ivy was resting beneath the white sheets that covered her body, and the four of them were at the base of the bed.
"Are you sure this person can help us?" Killik asked.
"No one knows more about Soul Edge than her," Siegfried put bluntly.
"Well I suppose one should stay with her," Cassandra interjected.
"Don't worry I'll do it," Siegfried stated.
Xianghua and Killik said nothing, they only nodded and left.
"You don't have to be the only one," Cassandra said, "I can stay also."
"It's alright Cassandra, go get some rest," The blond warrior replied.
"Alright then, goodnight," Cassandra said then turned and headed to the room's exit. As she closed the door behind her she saw Siegfried taking a seat at Ivy's bedside.
In a dark rocky cavern two figures knelt in respect before a thick dark mist that stood suspended before them, they were at the end of the cavern in a circular expanse there was hardly any light as the entrance were ways off, and a mysterious and frightening red light at the center of the mist. The two figures one was of a girl in dressed in a scantily clad green outfit, the other was a deformed lizard-like creature with various parts of armor on his body. Both had their head bowed as they knelt before the unknown presence.
"Where is Astaroth?" A calm but commanding voice called out from the mist.
"He is no longer among the living," Tira answered.
"Is that so," The voice said.
With that the ground between the two opened and a giant hand made of rock emerged within it carried the lifeless corpse of Astaroth, still with a giant gaping hole in his stomach. The from the red light at the heart of the dark mist, a small fragment of the mist came out and entered into the hole in Astaroth's chest within a few minutes the once lifeless giant violently stood up. He trashed about his confines and reduced the rock hand to rubble, when he emerged he saw the mysterious presence that Tira and Lizardman where kneeling before quickly he knelt also.
"Now let me introduce your newest member," The voice stated.
With that out from the red light, the image of a human could be seen, it slowly descended before the trio, instantly they stood up. The figure now stood before them, it had the skeletal form of a human with large bat like wings, horns from it's skeleton-like head and a large scythe in it's hand, instantly the beast let out a cry.
"Behold Abyss!"
To Be Continued…
Heh, well i introduced more characters here, oh and i plan on using the entire cast of Soul Calibur 3 no OCs. Let me know what you think of this chapter if you read it.