Chapter 4 – An Adventure in Wolfkrone Kingdom Castle
On the ocean, Leonsritt, Cassandra and the man with the boat had ended up on the Adrian, Cervantes's ghost ship. Leonsritt had prepared himself for battle, with Cervantes ready as well, as Cassandra and the man stared at them.
"Cervantes. If you want this Soul Edge shard... THEN SHOW ME WHAT YOU'VE GOT!!!"
"FOOL! There won't be ANYTHING left of you..."
They both stared at each other. Leonsritt had waited and Cervantes made the first move, swinging his swords at him with great speed. Leonsritt had swung but it seemed that his strikes went through him. Cervantes had kept his assault as Leonsritt had moved on the defensive.
"I thirst... for more souls..."
Leonsritt had seen an opening, but Cervantes had countered with a kick to the face, Knocking him down to the floor, sliding towards a pole. Leonsritt had stood up and held his sword but was too weak to keep it held.
"Wallow... in despair..."
"Like hell I will, Cervantes."
"That power of yours doesn't seem to work on me, boy."
"Heh... I'm not giving up this easy..."
Leonsritt had charged at Cervantes and directly attacked him. Cervantes still seemed to have the attack go through him, as if they had no effect. Leonsritt had now noticed a small opening as Cervantes beat him down again. Cassandra worried more as she had seen Leonsritt in pain.
(Hmm... It's seems as he has a small opening. After I attack him, he seems vulnerable. I think I'll give it a shot.)
(This lad's soul is mine for the takin'. And once I get that Soul Edge shard, I'll be closer to being brought back to life...)
"Cervantes, what are you waiting for?"
Cervantes aimed his pistol sword at him, and shot at Leonsritt. He dodged the bullet, but had been struck by Cervantes's spinning attack, the Dark Geo Da Ray. Leonsritt flew upward as Cervantes shot him. Leonsritt landed with a harsh thud. Bleeding from the wounds, Leonsritt had reverted back to normal.
"Your time is up, lad. Your soul is mine for the takin'..."
Cervantes approached Leonsritt and had prepared for the final blow. Leonsritt had gotten up and charged at Cervantes once again. The attack failed and Cervantes was about to strike Leonsritt but he retaliated...
"STORM VIPER!"
Cervantes had been kicked in the jaw by Leonsritt, and was in the air, with Leonsritt kicking him down towards the ground. Cervantes had been caught off-guard and Leonsritt kept going with his assault of new moves on Cervantes. Leonsritt was too exhausted, but his wounds had now healed as he shifted to his demon form once more. Cervantes had attacked Leonsritt once more, but Leonsritt had found out how to attack him. Cervantes had now been taking a beating as Cassandra cheered Leonsritt on.
"Cervantes, you lose."
He had performed one more Storm Viper, and this time, it sent Cervantes crashing down. Holding a weakened Cervantes, Leonsritt threatened him.
"Now that we're on this ship, you better takes us on to Wolfkrone Kingdom. Unless I can take all that energy of Soul Edge out of you..."
Cervantes had led the ship to Wolfkrone Kingdom, with Leonsritt still threatening him. Without another word, Cervantes had disappeared after the three had gotten off the Adrian.
"First things first, sir. Here's some gold for your boat and all. Sorry if we caused you any trouble."
"No harm done. But thank you."
"Why thank us?"
"If I met Cervantes myself, I would've been doomed."
"Well, that is true. But good luck on your new boat, sir!"
Waving the man goodbye, Leonsritt and Cassandra had reached the Capital of Wolfkrone. The new sights had been amazing to them. The people, the houses, shops, everything. Cassandra was so excited at the new sights she explored everywhere. Leonsritt had seen a lot of weaponsmith shops, and decided to go to one to get his blade fixed.
"Hello there, kind weaponsmith."
"How may I help you sir?"
"How much gold for fixing a blade?"
"100 pieces of gold, sir!"
Looking in his pocket for gold, he only had 25 pieces.
"It's all I wanted to know. Thank you..."
"You have a good day, sir!"
Leaving, he felt pretty hungry now. He looked around for Cassandra, and found her at the entrance towards the Wolfkrone Castle.
"Leo! I was gonna look for you, but you found me. Let's go inside!"
"Alright!"
Cassandra and Leonsritt walked towards the castle gates but were stopped by guards.
"You are not allowed to pass unless you have permission."
Cassandra took out the letter Hilde sent her, and showed it to the guards. They let her pass, but Leonsritt was denied the entry.
"Hey! He came with me!"
"Sorry, only those with proof can go in..."
"Don't worry, I'll deal!"
Cassandra was led into the castle. Leonsritt had to go inside, but he thought how to. Looking carefully at the structure, he found a way.
(Huh... just as I thought. Security's tight in this place. I'm gonna have to Metal Gear this if I wanna get in.)
He crouched and sneaked but he noticed some guards walking towards his direction. Using evasion, he rolled into a bush and the guards walked by.
(That was close. I really gotta be careful. This isn't a game, so I gotta think each and every move.)
Leonsritt moved and had made it to the castle walls. To get over them was the hard part. He looked and found stacks of crates, with a guard nearby.
(How to distract this guy...? I got it!)
He grabbed a piece of gold and threw it. The guard noticed the piece and walked to get it, while Leonsritt climbed the wall. He made it to the other side of the walls and making it down another stack of crates, landed on a place what seemed to look like a training area. He sneaked and noticed two guards at a door.
(Dammit! Now how to get rid of these guys...?)
"HEY!"
Leonsritt had a bad feeling about this one. He grabbed his blade and noticed that he didn't get caught. The guard on the other side of the walls called the two guards on the door. They ran and talked to him. They had also climbed the stacks of crates.
"Hey, I found this piece of gold there!"
"You think there might be more?"
"Let's go look!"
The guards had climbed over to the other side, and the area was clear for Leonsritt to go by.
(This is awesome! OH MY GAWD! METAL GEAR!!!)
Sneaking in to the castle, he was in the Armory room. He needed to go to find Cassandra, and looking at the suits of armor he decided to put one, but someone walked in and caught him.
"HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!?"
(THINK OF SOMETHING, THINK OF SOMETHING, THINK OF SOMETHING!!!)
"Answer me!"
"Preparing myself, sir! I saw an intruder in the palace grounds, sir. I slowed him down and retrieved his weapon, sir!"
Leonsritt lied, hoping this would get them without taking him, and showed this higher rank of a knight his steel paddle.
"Good job, cadet! Now be on alert! If you spot the intruder once more, then subdue him and we'll be alerted."
"Yes sir! But what about the weapon, sir?"
"You are a rookie soldier, am I right!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Then as your reward for your first intruder slow down, keep it!"
"Yes, sir! Thank you, sir!"
And they left, Leonsritt feeling relieved that he didn't get caught. He left the Armory room and walked into a hallway... A LONG hallway. He walked and some guards were there. Leonsritt walked up to them.
"Hey, you guys know where Princess Hildegard is?"
"Why?"
"I'm just a rookie, and I need to know to go to places in the castle."
"Well, don't worry, I was like you, too!"
"Young rookie, you remind us of us when we first started!"
Leonsritt felt kind of guilty that these guys weren't talking to a rookie, but the intruder. So the guards escorted him towards the main room, all the while talking about how it was being a guard in the castle. They all shared some information about the people in the castle and the castle itself. He felt he was in a museum rather than a castle, and all the statues, paintings, and the sort were making Leonsritt amazed. The guards kept talking to him and showing him many rooms of the castle. After a while, they reached the main room, where Cassandra and Hilde were talking.
"Cassandra!"
"Huh? You know the woman?"
"Uh, yeah, I do... She... they talk about her a lot where I come from... yeah."
"Ah, but she is a total hottie!"
"Rookie, you surely are causing us good luck."
"Is it possible if I can talk to the princess and tell her about the intruder?"
"Well, since you are making our day, let us try!"
The guards walked in and Leonsritt followed.
"Princess Hildegard! Our rookie has something to say to you!"
"Shut the doors behind you, if you please."
"Yes, milady."
The guards shut the doors. Leonsritt walked towards Hilde and Cassandra. Hilde had been wearing a blue dress, a young woman with long red hair. Leonsritt had kneeled in front of her and Cassandra was looking at him.
"Princess Hildegard..."
The was a long silence between Hilde and him. He removed the helmet and Cassandra was surprised at the sight of the knight being Leonsritt.
"I AM the intruder."
"Leonsritt?!"
"Our rookie is the intruder?! Alert everyo--"
"WAIT!"
Hilde had stopped the guards. As she looked at him, she looked at Cassandra.
"This is the young man that is accompanying you?"
"Yes, he is."
"Guards, do not alert. It is fine, just go back to your posts."
"Yes, milady!"
The two guards turned around and headed towards the doors, but Leonsritt had stopped them.
"Wait. I'm so sorry if this was of any inconvenience, but since you guys were awesome with me, here!"
He gave them some pieces of gold.
"Young one, you may be our intruder, but you are so noble!"
"May God and the princess bless you!"
The guards broke down in tears as they said their goodbyes.
"That was weird, but anyway, I will introduce myself. My name is Leonsritt."
"I am Princess Hildegard von Wolfkrone, but you may call me Hilde."
"My sincerest apologies if I had caused some trouble in the castle..."
"It's fine... but how did you make it past my guards?"
"I have some skill in espionage... yeah, espionage..."
"I see..."
"Leo, I thought you said you were gonna stay out there."
"I was, but I wanted to go in, too."
"Now that you are here, we will discuss on what I need to do..."
"Alright, but first-- uhh..."
Leonsritt collapsed on the floor. Cassandra ran to him. Weakened, he looked around, everything around looking fuzzy...
"Oh God... I'm sooo hungry..."
"Guards!!!"
Guards walked in to the room...
"Escort these two to our guest rooms..."
"Yes, milady..."
They were escorted, as Leonsritt asked his two new friends about some food.
"You guys got any food on you?"
"We might have some."
"Oh, but milady will provide you with food later on."
"Thanks!"
The guards left and he was in a room so big he felt it would be big enough as an apartment for himself. He set all of his equipment on the bed and sat down, looking outside the window. He saw the townspeople walking around, in and out the shops. His stomach grumbled loudly, and noticed a maid walking in, with food.
"Milady has sent this meal towards you, young lord."
"Um, thanks, but you can call me Leonsritt."
"Oh no, I can't do that."
"Don't worry about it. I just like being called by my own name. Besides, I'm not high class like Your Highness, so can I get your name?"
"My name is Lilianna."
"It's nice to meet you. Thanks for the food."
"Yes, now I will head back to work."
"Okay, see you again!"
The maid left and Leonsritt had started eating, feeling grateful for the food. The hours passed and the guards had escorted Cassandra and Leonsritt to the throne room where Hilde was waiting for them.
"So what are we here for?"
"Yes, I have sent Cassandra the letter to help me find a cure for my father..."
"Huh, well what made him get sick?"
"Come with me."
The two of them followed Hilde to the King's chambers, looking at a bedridden king. There was a disturbance with Leonsritt and the pain in his arm was growing worse. He collapsed on the floor, grasping his arm...
"Leo!"
"Guh... agh..."
"What's wrong?"
"Leo's arm... it's glowing!"
"AUGH!!!"
"LEO!!!"
"The power of Soul Edge... It's what's... gotten the king... sick..."
"Leonsritt, you hold a Soul Edge shard?!"
"Hilde... get me... away..."
"Leo, hold on..."
Cassandra helped him out of the King's chambers. The pain had calmed down. Hilde walked out of the room and had looked at Leonsritt. A long moment of silence had crossed him and Hilde. She grabbed him and pinned him to the wall...
"You... why do you have a Soul Edge shard on you?!"
"Look, I don't know how I got it..."
"You're here to get to my father aren't you?"
"You got it all wro-- WHOA!!!"
Leonsritt was thrown to the ground and Hilde had grabbed a pole from one of the statues. She pointed it at his throat.
"Hilde, wait! Leonsritt's not like that!"
"Hilde, I have a shard but..."
"Then what are you after?!"
"I WANT THIS OUT OF ME!!!"
Hilde had noticed his arm and noticed a marking now stretched out towards his whole arm. She was shocked at the sight of it. Leonsritt got up and had looked at Hilde.
"I can sort of control its power, but I need to get rid of this."
"My... my sincerest apologies..."
Hilde bowed her head down in shame, but Leonsritt had held her hand.
"Don't worry about it, because Cassandra and I are here..."
Leonsritt turned to Cassandra and smiled at her.
"Right?"
"Yeah!"
Hilde had cheered up and smiled but that moment was soon interrupted with guards arriving.
"Milady, there's an intruder on castle grounds."
"Who is it?"
"Apparently it's a young woman with what appears to be a ring blade..."
"A ring blade?"
"Wait! Cassandra, Hilde, follow me. As for the guards, they protect the king."
"Guards, keep anyone away from my father!!!"
"Yes, milady!!!"
Leonsritt, Cassandra, and Hilde prepared themselves and headed towards the castle door. A young woman was there, with the guards in a defensive stance. She was laughing, in a manner that sent a chill down everyone's spine.
"Tira!"
"Oh my! You are such a cutie! But it's such a shame I'll have to kill you!"
"Leo! You know this girl!?"
"Yeah... she's out to kill everyone who's in possession of a Soul Edge shard and anyone who gets in her way, to awaken Nightmare's true potential..."
"Can I kill you? Please?"
"Hmph, not on my watch!"
"Cassandra, stay back..."
"Hilde, hold everyone back. Cassandra, alert everyone in the castle."
"So you're gonna play with me?"
"Sure... why not?"
Leonsritt prepared his blade and Tira had gotten in to her stance. A battle is about to take place on the Wolfkrone Castle Gates...
Author's Notes: Like I always say, I don't own SoulCalibur at all and the following: Guilty Gear, Metal Gear and other stuff that I mentioned in this story... Why must I do this? Because I don't wanna get in trouble with the guys from BANDAI NAMCO, KONAMI, or ARC SYSTEM WORKS, you know? Yeah...