Rothian stood up, out of his chair and said, "Enough about the damn sword, this is our family here, right here! If the Gods want, whatever it is, they want done, they can send someone else. You did what they wanted, its time to let it go." Sophitia stomped out of the house, yelling, "You don't understand!" Rothian watched her go. He wasn't even sure what she said about this SoulEdge was true, yet, she was not one to lie, not about something like that. Her sister believed her but he could not be so certain.
Sophitia remounted her Pegasus and commanded him to fly to the shrine, where her life had been turned upside down. It was an amazing sight, clouds surrounding its cliffs, where the Hephaestus Shrine itself stood. They landed at the shrine beneath the great stair way that lead to its peak, the shrine that had been built years ago. She still comes here, praying to the gods, even though most have forgotten them, she knows they still exist. It was evening and the air had become cooler.
She had come back, worried about her children, after her encounter with the young girl, at the dead castle. They were okay, but she still felt the dark presence, it felt like it had followed her all the way back. And it had.
Tira watched the woman, saddling her flying horse, they landed in the middle of the courtyard of the shrine. This place was to bright, even in the growing dark, it was also to cold. Her plan had worked, however, sending one of the watchers to find where Sophitia lived. Siegfried must wait, he was important but Nightmare said the search for new hosts was top priority. Now she knew where they live, her children, the ones with the elements of SoulEdge flowing through their veins. Might as well make her self known. She hopped from her perch and landed behind Sophitia.
Sophitia stood beneath the giant statue of Hephaestus, looking at its face, the god that had commanded her to go and destroy SoulEdge. She said, "Hephaestus, why do you still wish me to go, I have a family, they need me." Silence, no answer from the shrine. But, from behind, she heard a familiar voice say, "Because he wants you for himself!" She quickly turned around. Standing there, in her tattered green clothing, was the girl. "You, what is it that you want?" Sophitia yelled, worried about her children. The girl smiled, looking at her blade and said casually, "Nothing really, I just want some friends to play with." Sophitia grew angry, her usual demeanor, when she met with enemies, was gone, her maternal instincts taking hold. "Leave this place, you are not welcome!" Sophitia screamed, grabbing her weapons, the girl stretched her arms and said, "Funny, it seems I am unwelcome everywhere I go, well, this time, it is you who shall leave."
The girl charged forward, using her ring blade as a battering ram, she knocked Sophitia off her feet. Sophitia rolled back, crouching, she swung her small sword, left and right, trying to inflict a crippling wound. Tira simply blocked them, stepping back, she laughed and began her own offense. Sophitia's weapons, however, allowed her to block and attack, almost at the same time. She blocked the first two hits then instantly retaliated, stabbing forward. Tira barely parried the attack, stumbling back. Tira's face turned from joy to rage in an instant, she quickly charged forward, swinging hard. Sophitia was taken aback by this renewed force, she was barely able to keep up with the attacks. She waited for her moment, when Tira unleashed a hard swing, Sophitia slammed her buckler shield into the blade the girl was using, causing it to fly out of her hands, it landed on the ground with a ting and rolled to the foot of the statue. Sophitia pressed the attack.
Tira was doing well, or so she thought, until Sophitia had disarmed her. She flipped back, barely dodging the swings from Sophitia. She stopped, then ducked under a high swing, and kicked Sophitia in her stomach. She stepped back as Sophitia fell to he knees, holding her stomach, Tira had knocked the air out of her. Sophitia fell to her side, trying to catch her breath. Tira walked to her side, looking down at her, she said in a sinister voice, "Listen, you Greek whore, your children will be gods. Consider it an honor, you are the mother of the future rulers of the earth. We shall return, you are lucky I will not kill you now."
Sophitia opened her teary eyes, and looked into those of the girl, her eyes flickered. Tira turned and went to the statue, where her blade lay. Sophitia got to her feet, still holding her stomach, she said, "You've...you've never known true happiness, have you?" Tira turned around, glaring, she angrily said, "Silence, you know nothing!" She quickly ran to the path leading to the shrine from the town and disappeared.
Sophitia went to her horse, dropping her weapons. The girl was a tragedy, she saw it in her eyes, the girl had probably been through alot. She felt remorse for feeling so angry at the girl, she was probably the puppet for someone, her remarks had given that away. "I guess there is only one solution. I must completely destroy SoulEdge, for the girl, for my sister, for my husband but mostly, for my children." She got back on her horse and flew back to her house, she must make preparations for this last and final quest.