Chapter 9:
After their quarrel with Astaroth, Tira, and the Lizardmen inside the cathedral, Xianghua and her group found themselves treading through a secret passageway, continuing their search for Soul Calibur and its current wielder, Siegfried. The group had been through a series of battles, not just between their adversaries but also against themselves, Kilik and Xianghua to be exact. As they marched along the passageway, they came across a glowing blue and white light at the end of the passageway. the light began to shine so bright as the warriors shield their eyes.
"What is that?" Xianghua asked.
"I don't know but it's too bright." Yun-Seong responded.
Kilik looked at his pendant and saw that it was changing its color from a bright green all the way to white. Was this a sign that they have found the spirit sword itself?
"I think we've located Soul Calibur." said Kilik.
"Are you sure?" Xianghua asked.
"There's only one way to find out." Kilik replied.
As Kilik walked closer towards the blue and white light, his pendant started glowing a blinding light as well, indicating that Soul Calibur, resided at the end of the passageway. Kilik stepped back for a moment and faced Xianghua and her group.
"Soul Calibur is here." said Kilik.
"It is? Well, let's go find out." said Xianghua.
As Xianghua and her group walked towards the blue and white light, they had entered a large chamber, with ice crystals surrounding the place, just like in the cathedral that they were in. At the center of the chamber, resided Soul Calibur and Siegfried, firmly grasping the sword by its hilt, remaining motionless as he looked down at the sword. The aura around Soul Calibur was a calm, enchanting and soothing presence that lingered all throughout the chamber.
"Siegfried!" said Hilde.
Hilde walked towards where Siegfried was. She placed her hands around his face and felt the coldness from his temple to his cheekbone. She could only stare at him, knowing that he had been possibly taken under Soul Calibur's influence to save himself. Hilde sighed as Xianghua walked towards the sword itself.
"Soul Calibur..." Xianghua began.
"So this is where your power resides." Xianghua added.
Xianghua examined the sword and knew that it was not the same sword she had once wielded. It had now taken the form of a Zweihander, for it had chosen Siegfried, the man once known as Nightmare, to champion its cause in destroying Soul Edge by atoning for his sins. Just as Xianghua was about to grasp the hilt of the sword, Soul Calibur itself spoke.
"Chai Xianghua." The spirit sword called out in a hollow yet angelic tone.
Hearing Soul Calibur talk for the first time startled Xianghua and also caught the attention of the rest of her group.
"Was that...Soul Calibur speaking?" Maxi asked.
"I'm afraid so." replied Talim.
As the rest of the group walked towards the center of the chamber, Soul Calibur spoke once again.
"Chai Xianghua, what has brought you and your band of warriors here to Astral Chaos?" The spirit sword asked.
"We came here to find you and destroy it at its very source." Xianghua answered.
"Destroy me?" The spirit sword asked.
"If you destroy me, you will be doing your world as well as this one a greater injustice!" Soul Calibur continued.
"You were once my champion as you wielded me to vanquish Soul Edge. What happened?" Soul Calibur added.
Xianghua looked surprised. She had wielded Soul Calibur but it had been such a long time and she never even knew that the sword itself would reveal its true form to her, let alone declare her as its first champion.
"It had been such a long time, I never knew anything about it." Xianghua replied.
"Yes, you knew nothing of my existence until you were left to face Soul Edge's true manifestation. Because of your innocence and pure heart back then, I chose you as my initial wielder and you had vanquished the foul monster that Soul Edge brought forth." said Soul Calibur.
"But you had abandoned me to save another's life." Soul Calibur continued.
"The same life you had saved became the one life you wanted to spend your whole being with while I disappeared in a void. " Soul Calibur added.
Xianghua looked baffled. How was she supposed to know that the sword itself wanted her to save it from vanishing into a void. It wasn't her fault that she had to save Kilik back then but even now, Xianghua didn't seem like she was at fault for saving someone's life, it was because she had to.
"While I toiled away having Soul Edge infused its evil energy into me, you devoted your whole time and thoughts to one man you claimed as your lover."said Soul Calibur.
"It was because of your unwavering devotion to him that you became weak and that you often relied on him for everything until the day he abandoned you, the same way you abandoned me." Soul Calibur added.
"That...that isn't true." said Xianghua.
"Remain in your world of denial and lies if you wish but deep down inside, had you chose to save me over the man you selflessly cared for, you would've been more powerful than you would've ever imagined." said Soul Calibur.
"You would've been more than my champion, you would've been a beacon of righteousness, heeding the call of Soul Edge's terror and turning it away from plunging the world into darkness." Soul Calibur continued.
"But alas, you chose to be with a man, whose tainted past and burdening sins weigh him down like Atlas struggling to hold the world, and with you trying to be his beacon of light, you only serve to be nothing more than added weight for him to carry." Soul Calibur added.
Xianghua was now beyond disbelief. She looked back at Kilik as if all these things that Soul Calibur were now saying was true. Xianghua tried to deny it but it was all too true not to believe. Xianghua was now heavily breathing, her emotions were running high. She had never felt like this before.
"Which is why I chose Siegfried to champion my cause, wield my will, and to be that beacon of righteousness for his own redemption." said Soul Calibur.
"Chai Xianghua, I had faith in you once, knowing that you would be the one true wielder to stand up to Soul Edge but now I see that I have chosen wrong." Soul Calibur added.
"No, no you haven't!" pleaded Xianghua.
"I no longer want to hear your pleas for forgiveness! You shall die by my champion's hand!" said Soul Calibur.
"Awaken Siegfried! Vanquish the one known as Chai Xianghua, so that you may be the true wielder and champion of my cause." Soul Calibur added.
Ice crystals around Siegfried started to break apart as Soul Calibur began to channel and awaken the knight. Siegfried opened his eyes as his pupils glowed an eerie white color. Siegfried, under Soul Calibur's influence, hoisted the sword in the air and as he swung the sword overhead, attempting to decapitate Xianghua, Kilik pushed her to safety.
"Do not try to save her, monk."said Soul Calibur, using Siegfried as a medium.
"You couldn't even save your own self from your own past." Soul Calibur added.
"We'll see about that." said Kilik.
Using his bo staff, Kilik confronted Siegfried as their weapons clashed against one another. Kilik seemed to be getting the better of Siegfried but ultimately was knocked aside right next to Xianghua. As Siegfried approached them, he raised Soul Calibur overhead and just as he was about to deliver the final blow, Hilde yelled.
"Siegfried, no!" Hilde yelled.
Hilde lunged with her lance at Siegfried but the knight turned around and her knocked her away.
"That's it, I can't take anymore of this!" said Maxi.
Maxi charged in with his nunchaku as he flailed it around, causing Siegfried to back away but still managing to pull off some offense. This also lead to Talim and Yun-Seong to assist Maxi as they attempted to overwhelm the possessed knight. Xianghua and Kilik stood to their feet, watching Maxi, Talim, and Yun-Seong swarm around Siegfried.
"I've got to stop this!" said Xianghua.
"Xianghua, wait." said Kilik.
"Let me help you." He added.
"Kilik, this is my fight, and I can't bring you into this." Xianghua replied.
"I've already suffered enough as it is and I won't let my fear hold me back any longer." Xianghua added.
As Xianghua charged into the fray, Siegfried had knocked Talim aside and threw both Yun-Seong and Maxi across the other side of the chamber. Xianghua managed to do some damage, dancing around her opponent as she poked and sliced her way against the knight as he started to stumble around. Xianghua gracefully dodged the oncoming attacks and delivered some of her own.
"You will never succeed in your attempts to stop me!" said Soul Calibur.
As Siegfried swung the sword overhead, Xianghua rolled out of the way and swiped Siegfried at his ankle, causing him to fall. Hilde, being helped up by Amy, charged towards Xianghua.
"Xianghua, don't kill Siegfried!" said Hilde.
"I'm not trying to!" said Xianghua.
"Xianghua, look out!" yelled Kilik.
Siegfried grasped Xianghua by her throat, stood up using Soul Calibur to balance himself, and pinned her against a wall on the other side of the chamber.
"You have been nothing more than a thorn in my side, Xianghua." Soul Calibur began.
"We could've been history's greatest heroes together but instead you threw it all away." Soul Calibur continued.
"But now, I see that your soul must be destroyed for good." Soul Calibur added.
As Siegfried readied Soul Calibur to stab Xianghua in the stomach, Kilik charged at him, poking the back of the knight with great force. Siegfried let out a yell, releasing his grasp on Xianghua as she fell to the floor coughing. Siegfried turned around and tried to swipe Kilik but the monk was too quick and started getting the better of Siegfried. Xianghua watched as Kilik fought bravely against Siegfried. She had started to see a little bit of himself in her, which inspired her to continue fighting. As Xianghua joined Kilik in the fray, both warriors started to overwhelm Siegfried and Soul Calibur. This also lead to the rest of the warriors assisting Xianghua and Kilik. Siegfried started to swing Soul Calibur wildly to back the warriors away from him but it only made them fight him even more. With Siegfried's back against the wall, Soul Calibur, using him as a medium, controlled his right hand by pulling a lever backwards, allowing the chamber to ascend.
"What's going on now?" asked Yun-Seong.
"I don't know but it seems like we're elevating." said Xianghua.
"But to where?" Yun-Seong inquired.
"You shall see soon enough." Soul Calibur replied.
As the chamber elevated, Siegfried swung Soul Calibur around, causing the warriors to back away but not to retaliate due to the ascending chamber.
"Soon, your judgment will be at hand." said Soul Calibur.
"Judgment?" said Xianghua.
As the ascending chamber came to a stop, Siegfried charged at the warriors, bowling them out of the chamber and into the coliseum where Ivy's group awaited them.
"There's Xianghua's group!" said Cassandra.
As Xianghua and her group looked at their new surrounding, they saw Algol, sitting on his throne amongst a sea of lost souls. With him were Sophitia, Cervantes, Raphael, and Voldo to his left and Astaroth, Tira, and the blue Lizardman to his right.
"Welcome, chosen souls to your ultimate judgment!" Algol announced.
"You shall be sacrificed for your ludicrous attempts to destroy the two swords that have brought you to your destined demise!" Algol continued.
"Soon, once you are all dead and your souls forced to serve under me, no one in your world, Astral Chaos or another world beyond this shall contest the superiority and dominance of the one true ruler of order and chaos, Algol!" Algol added as the souls cheered.
Ivy's group and Xianghua's group now stood together as one unit but this time, they would have to face not just Nightmare and Siegfried, both under the possession of Soul Edge and Soul Calibur respectively but to also stop Algol from merging their world with his.