Siegfried, Tira, Ivy, and Sophitia were standing in the middle of a temple built by a god.
It was the temple that Hephaestus had constructed at the peak of a mountain in ancient times - but it didn't look a day old. The same as Eurydice Shrine, except this one is even more beautiful. Siegfried thought. And it is Sophitia's faith that caused these temples to appear this way...amazing.
The four of them spent a few moments in awe of the temple. Sophitia revered it the most, not because of its beauty, but because of the respect she had for the one whom had made the temple.
As usual, Ivy was the first to break the silence. "...So, just how are you going to get this god of yours to show up, anyway?"
Sophitia seemed disheartened. "...I've never summoned Hephaestus before. In the past, he has always chosen to appear before me of his own accord, never because I beckoned him forth. I'm...not confident that I can summon him."
"Then why are we even here?" Ivy demanded.
"We're here because we don't know if it's impossible yet." Siegfried explained.
Sophitia was standing before a short set of steps that led up to an altar in the middle of the temple. She was looking down, as if in thought, trying to determine how to call Hephaestus. Finally, she seemed to have an idea of how to do it.
Sophitia knelt down, clasped her hands together, closed her eyes, and bowed her head.
"Hephaestus, please hear me. The people who seek you are here. I have spoken with them, and deem their aspirations to be pure. They seek an audience with you; they wish you to assist them in the permanent destruction of Soul Edge. Please, heed my call!"
Everyone waited anxiously after Sophitia had spoken her prayer. They weren't sure how long it would take for Hephaestus to reach them, if he intended to do so at all, so they weren't sure how long they would be waiting. As it turned out, they did not have to wait very long at all.
Gradually, a dim light began to shine on the stand where the altar stood. The light was barely visible, but seemed to be floating in front of the altar. It sparkled slightly, and after striking the four mortals as being an amazing phenomenon, it struck them as being beautiful. The light grew larger in size, and brighter. At its brightest, the four almost needed to squint.
The dazzling light continued to grow in size to the height of a man, eventually changing in shape to the form of a man. Then, the brightness of the light faded, and as it did so, the form took on the appearance of a man. They all knew who they beheld – Hephaestus, God of the Forge.
Hephaestus was not handsome. His skin was wrinkled, his ears and eyes were big, and his nose was large and crooked. He had pockmarks, and an odd lump on his lower lip. He had a large Adam's apple, and a long neck. Not only this, but his legs were somewhat misshapen, and he carried in his right hand a cane to help him walk.
Hephaestus - the only ugly god, and the only crippled god.
On the long, boring march up corridor leading to the temple at the peak of the mountain, Sophitia entertained Siegfried, Tira, and Ivy by telling them the myth of Hephaestus. She made sure to inform them that, after thousands of years, the exact story had been forgotten, so she could not be entirely sure that she was telling them the exact story. Some versions of his myth claimed that he was born with the defects - others claimed that his disfigurements were results of being tossed out of Olympus some time after his birth. But, his appearance did not stop him from becoming an extremely skilled blacksmith, the husband of the Goddess of Beauty, or from obtaining the respect of the other gods through the many useful items he forged for them.
Despite Sophitia's explanation of Hephaestus' appearance and warning not to be shocked by it, Siegfried, Tira, and Ivy were still surprised. The sight of an actual god was amazing, but the additional sight of a god actually being ugly or deformed was amazing in a different way.
Hephaestus may not have looked handsome, but there was no doubt at all that he looked like a god. He was very tall, at least eight feet in height, and although most of the light was gone now, he gave off a faint glow, and even had an air that suggested godliness. He was clothed in a robe like the statue of him at the Eurydice Shrine had worn - although that statue was a little more flattering in appearance.
As Hephaestus had begun to manifest himself, Sophitia had taken a few steps back from the altar, and then kneeled. Siegfried now kneeled as well. He did not do so merely to imitate Sophitia; he had knelt of his own accord, in reverence and respect for what stood before him. Tira saw what her master did, and imitated him. Even Ivy, the least likely of them to show respect to anyone, lowered herself to one knee, and bowed her head.
"Rise." Hephaestus said, in a tone of voice that was not commanding, but powerful.
The four mortals rose and looked up at Hephaestus. There was a moment of silence, and then Sophitia spoke.
"Hephaestus, thank you very much for honoring us with your presence."
Hephaestus nodded slightly, but even such a small gesture seemed monumental when coming from a god. "It is...unheard of, for a mortal to summon a god. If an abomination such as Soul Edge were not involved, then I most likely would not have come. But this is a matter that warrants my attention, for Soul Edge is not only a creation of the forge, my realm, which makes it my responsibility, but also threatens to destroy things that are of the other gods' realms."
Hephaestus surveyed his audience. "Who is the leader among you? Come forward." Siegfried stepped forward. Hephaestus looked down upon him. "You represent your group's interests, do you? Tell me your name, and your goals here today."
Siegfried took a long breath, and began. "...Greetings, Exalted One. I am Siegfried Schtauffen, formerly the Azure Knight, and formerly a host of Soul Edge. I know that your strength is great, Mighty Hephaestus, and that your skill and wisdom must be equally great. I have sought an audience with Your Greatness in hope that you can grant me assistance in my quest to destroy Soul Edge, totally and completely, once and for all. With your wisdom, I am fully confident that you will be able to assist me. Your assistance will be mutually beneficial to mortals and gods alike, and will enable you to avoid any unpleasant stains on your reputation as God of the Forge."
Tira, Ivy, and Sophitia stared at Siegfried with varying reactions. They all knew that he was a serious and formal man, but to see him delivering such a business-like speech was like seeing a different side of him. There were also several intriguing - and some would say bold - aspects of his speech that they knew could either help them, or doom them.
First, Siegfried had spoken to Hephaestus with constant flattering titles. This was the way that gods were addressed in ancient times. This could be seen as a gesture respectful of the time that the gods came from, or could be seen as far too much of an attempt to flatter him.
Second, he had wasted no time in revealing his largest secrets to Hephaestus. Knowing that Siegfried was previously the Azure Knight and a host of Soul Edge could lead Hephaestus to have second thoughts about providing assistance to him. However, establishing a sense of having nothing to hide from the very beginning could be beneficial.
Third, he had told Hephaestus that he was confident that he would be able to assist him because Hephaestus was wise, so if Hephaestus did not find a way to help Siegfried, then he would look very unwise. This would give Hephaestus more incentive to help them - but a god that feels like he's been made a fool of is the most dangerous kind of god.
Last, Siegfried had closed his speech by reminding Hephaestus that riding on the entire ordeal was his very reputation. Hephaestus could choose to interpret this closing comment as a friendly reminder - or as a threat.
That Siegfried was able to concoct such a speech so flattering yet so respectful, so friendly and yet so manipulative, so open and yet almost like a thinly veiled threat, taught the other mortals present that this man's skills went far deeper than just the ability to swing a large sword around. And, Siegfried was attempting to pull all of this off on a god, of all beings, which spoke volumes of his bravery - or his overconfidence. Siegfried was risking everything on his cleverly-worded pitch, and the others waited eagerly for Hephaestus' response.
As Siegfried spoke, Hephaestus did not show much of a reaction to his words, merely stroking his chin with his hand in thought. Gradually, however, as Siegfried spoke, a smile slowly began to form on the god's face. When Siegfried finished, Hephaestus was wearing a large smirk.
"...Fascinating." Hephaestus whispered. For a short while, he said nothing more, and the others waited tensely. "...No one has spoken to me that way in a long time. ...A long time, indeed..."
Whether Hephaestus was referring to Siegfried's archaic form of addressing a god, or merely his manipulative prose, the mortals present did not know. But Hephaestus did not appear angry.
"...As unconventional as this situation may be, I see the wisdom in lending you my aid. Tell me how you think I may be able to assist you, and I will tell you if it is possible."
Siegfried nodded. "My deepest gratitude. ...I believe that the first thing you should do is attempt to destroy the Soul Embrace yourself."
Hephaestus was silent for a moment, and then stroked his chin in thought again. "My power...is not what it used to be, back in the Old Times. ...But, place Soul Edge before me, and I will channel all of my strength into the mightiest blow I can deliver."
Siegfried slung the satchel that held the Soul Embrace from behind his back. He opened the satchel and slipped it off of the Soul Embrace. The object captured the fascination of everyone in the temple, whether they were a mortal or a god. Siegfried, Tira, and Ivy spent their days hunting for a way to destroy this abomination, but even so, they rarely actually looked upon it. Sophitia moved a hand to her side as she saw it - perhaps feeling pain from an old wound. Hephaestus looked down upon it, as well, but in a way that was more analytical than fascinated.
"Stand back." Hephaestus said.
The mortals wasted no time in complying. They each took a few steps back, and, upon consideration, stepped even further back. They had never seen a god attack with full force, and did not want to underestimate how destructive such a blow could be.
Suddenly, the ground beneath their feet began to vibrate slightly. The ground beneath Soul Edge suddenly began to rise up. It did not bulge in an unsightly way, nor did it break up the tiles of the floor. As if the floor was a surface of water, a new surface gently rose up out of it, forming a platform just large enough for the Soul Embrace to sit upon.
Hephaestus sat upon the altar behind him, and it became evident that it was not an altar, but a stool. Hephaestus leaned forward, the platform holding the Soul Embrace before him.
The cane he held in his hands began to change in shape, too, slowly flowing and melding into a new form. All of its mass seemed to pour together at one end, forming a large 'head' at one point and a short 'handle' on the other end - it was evident that Hephaestus' cane had shifted into a hammer. The hammer's head was so large and its handle was so small that it was almost comical in appearance, but the mortals did not doubt for an instant that the hammer could be used as a weapon to inflict destruction on a level they could never imagine.
After spending a moment contemplating the job before him, Hephaestus raised up the hammer in his hand. He slowly moved the hammer back and forth along the arc that it would travel across to strike the Soul Embrace. Then, when he felt he was prepared, he raised the hammer up one last time, higher than before.
At first, the mortals were merely tense. When they saw Hephaestus raise his hammer up high, some of them considered shielding themselves, and others slightly did so. But when Hephaestus' suddenly gave a thundering yell, flames appeared around him, and his hammer swung downwards in an arc towards the Soul Embrace, there was not a mortal in the temple that did not shield themselves, and brace their bodies as well as they could.
The sound of the strike was like thunder, but far louder. Those who kept their eyes open during this moment saw only a flash of light with flames licking out around it. A shockwave hit them, causing their bodies to slide backwards for a short ways, even if their feet were planted firmly on the ground. A wave of heat also hit them, and although it only lasted for a brief moment, its heat caused the mortals to wonder if they were engulfed in fire.
The sound, the light, the flames, the shock, and the heat were all gone just as soon as they had come. That one brilliant moment had carried so much, but lasted less than a second.
When the mortals peeked out, they looked forward to see a dumbfounded Hephaestus gawking at a short handle in his hand to which no hammerhead was attached.
Hephaestus' head suddenly jerked upwards, and then his other hand shot out. "Schtauffen! Beware! Look up!"
Siegfried looked up in confusion to see a giant hammerhead falling towards him.
His tense, adrenaline-filled body allowed him to react quickly, and he leapt out of the way of the hammerhead only a moment before it slammed into the temple floor, sending tiles and pieces of rock everywhere.
Siegfried scrambled to his feet, staring at the hammerhead in awe. It completely snapped off. Incredible. But what happened to the...?
All heads in the room turned to the platform on which the Soul Embrace sat.
It was completely unharmed.
The mortals stared at the Soul Embrace in silence. The same thought was in each of their minds:
Not even a god can destroy Soul Edge. What hope have we, then?
The mortals looked up at Hephaestus. He was looking down at the Embrace with a hand on his chin. His current emotions were indiscernible, but it was apparent that he was very deep in thought.
"What a very...interesting...condition." He slowly murmured to himself. "Each of these swords is everything that the other sword is not. These two swords perfectly compliment each other. When locked with one another, they are so perfectly linked together that they cannot undergo any sort of change. What a very, very interesting condition..."
"They can't undergo any change? Does this mean that absolutely nothing can be done to the swords? Are they stuck that way forever?"
"...I cannot be certain of that." Hephaestus said. "They are...quite obviously...immune to physical damage. But there is far, far more to something than merely its physical attributes. Acts of evil made Soul Edge what it is, and purification made Soul Calibur what it is. These two acts had nothing to do with the physical realm, but the realm of good and evil. Perhaps...perhaps the only way to change this abomination...lies within the ways the two swords were originally forged. Allow the sword to commit acts of evil, and Soul Edge would absorb the evil, and become the dominant of the pair. It could even completely overtake Soul Calibur. Likewise, if you were to attempt to purify the Soul Embrace, the purity of Soul Calibur would grow, and it would be the dominant of the pair."
"So, what all that means is that we need to find someone to purify it for us?" Ivy asked.
Hephaestus was still for a moment, and then shook his head. "Yet, I may be wrong. Perhaps these two swords can undergo no changes at all the way they are now. They would need to be separated, first. Although I have no idea how that would be done."
"Separate the swords..." Siegfried muttered to himself.
"And, perhaps, there is yet another thing to consider." Hephaestus said. "In its current state, the sword is neither good, nor evil. It does not pose the threat that it once did."
"So, it's harmless?" Ivy asked.
Hephaestus was still and silent once again. "...Have you ever...wielded the Embrace...as a weapon?"
All heads turned to Siegfried, the one whom had been in possession of the sword longer than anyone else.
"No." Siegfried said. "I never considered that."
"Good. Never - never - wield this as a weapon." Hephaestus warned.
"Why...?"
"...The sword cannot be changed. Thus, if change ever threatens the Embrace, then the world around the sword is changed to the benefit of the sword. My hammer threatened to change the Embrace - and when this happened, it was my hammer that was destroyed. Anything threatening to change the condition of the sword will be torn asunder. That weapon is far more powerful than Soul Edge. The only reason it is less threatening is because it is at the exact middle of the two opposite extremes of good and evil. If that sword were to lean towards the side of evil, then..."
Hephaestus fell silent. The curiosity of the mortals surrounding him peaked, but they did not pry. They could only assume that forcing Hephaestus to talk about a creation of the forge in this manner was causing him shame and embarrassment.
"Can you..." Siegfried began. "...Can you...forge a weapon with properties such that it is suited to destroying or separating the Embrace?"
Hephaestus stroked his chin in thought. "...I can. I can do so."
The morale of the inhabitants of the room soared.
"...But, it would take hundreds of years. And, by then, my power would have waned until it was no more. Alas, we gods are weak now. At the moment when no one longer believes that we once existed, we will die, and that time grows near. Our power fades daily. A sword that could destroy the Embrace? It is possible, but only with far more power and far more time than the gods have left."
The morale of the inhabitants of the room plummeted.
"Is there anything - anything at all, that you can advise us to do?"
Hephaestus closed his eyes in thought. "You have all done extremely well so far in protecting the sword. Continue to do so. Do not use the sword in combat, even under the most dire of circumstances, for then, Soul Edge would overtake Soul Calibur, or be released from it, and the situation could become dozens of times worse than it is now. There are things yet that we still do not know about this abomination. Continue to travel the world and obtain knowledge about it, and continue to follow leads pertaining to Soul Edge and Soul Calibur. In a world as vast as this one, there surely must be a weapon or a place or a person with properties such that can change the condition of the Embrace. If ever possible, attempt to find a way to purify the sword, although I cannot guarantee that this will work. ...With this advice, I have given you all the assistance that I can. I, as well as all of the other gods, will be looking down on you, and supporting you in whatever way we can. I hope that what you have learned here has made your ordeals to reach me worthwhile, and I regret that this is all I was capable of doing for you."
"Thank you, Mighty Hephaestus. You have granted us incredible aid." Siegfried said.
Hephaestus waved his hand. "I give you my blessings, wish you the best of luck, and bid you farewell."
Hephaestus began to shine, as did the detached head of his hammer. When he was engulfed in light, he faded away, his hammer along with him. Even the damage to the temple caused by the hammerhead disappeared, and it was as if he had never been there.
The four of them stood silently for a while, contemplating the experience of being in the presence of a god and obtaining his aid in their quest. Before long, however, the shock wore off.
"...Sir Siegfried."
Sophitia had been the one who spoke. "Yes?" Siegfried said in response.
"What will you be doing now?"
"...I suppose...we will think for a while, and when a new plan occurs to us, we will disembark again."
"...I see..." Sophitia looked down. "...Sir Siegfried."
"...Yes?"
"Would you...allow me to come with you?"
Siegfried seemed surprised, and then smiled. "...To be honest, I was going to ask you to join us." He said. "You have many respectable deeds credited to your name, and you are a warrior of great power. To have you on our side would guarantee a smoother journey."
"I thank you for such praise, Sir Siegfried." Sophitia said with a small bow. "I will discuss my plans with my family, and we can leave as soon as tomorrow."