Chapter 5: Hephaestus' forge
Hephaestus was the Greek god of fire and blacksmiths, among many other things.
There was a temple in the present Athens dedicated to this god. This temple was run by a man named Rothion, who was indeed a blacksmith. He spent most of his time forging different weapons and, occasionally, other ironworks. But he wasn't a very pious person…unlike his wife, Sophitia, and her little sister, Cassandra. The two women worshipped Hephaestus every single day.
Rothion and Sophitia had two children and they were quite a happy family. The weapons made at the temple were rarely used by them. They were sold or even used as decoration. However, Sophitia and Cassandra's father had been a powerful warrior while he was alive, and the two sisters had been trained by him, so they would be prepared if they had to fight.
Something they thought would never happen. But suddenly, their lives ceased to be as peaceful as they used to be, when a man appeared at the temple. A man with a hood covering his head and hiding his face.
...
- Can I help you, sir? – asked Rothion to the misterious man.
- I'd like...- said the hooded man with a soft and sinister voice. – I'd like a weapon more powerful than Soul Edge.
- Soul Edge? What is that?
- It doesn't matter. If the god you worship is as powerful as you claim him to be, he will give you what I'm asking for.
- But…
- It's very important. – interrupted the other man. – But there's no need to hurry. I know it takes a long time to make such a powerful weapon. So I grant you a year. But, if you don't manage to do it in that length of time…
The hooded man looked outside the temple, where Rothion's children were playing unworried.
- ...something bad will happen.
- Don't you dare even touch…
But before Rothion had finished talking, his interlocutor left the temple without saying a word.
...
That night, Rothion told Sophitia what had happened.
- Soul Edge? – exclaimed Sophitia. – No, not again!
- What happens? – asked a worried Rothion.
- Soul Edge is the most powerful sword in the world. People have looked for it for ages in vain. My father… – her eyes watered. – He died looking for it.
Rothion felt guilty and hugged her wife strongly.
- I'm sorry, Sophitia. I'm really sorry.
- Don't worry. I thought I got over it, but... Well, never mind.
- But, Sophitia...that's not the worst thing. That man said that if I don't manage to do what he asked me to do… He said he would harm our children.
Sophitia changed her face when Rothion said that.
- This can't be happening!
- Calm down, honey...Hephaestus will help us.
- No, Rothion. – said Sophitia. – Hephaestus' weapons are very powerful, but Soul Edge is just too much.
- What shall we do then?
- There's something we can do. – answered Sophitia. – There is a sword which may defeat Soul Edge. Nobody knows where it is either. But finding it…is our only hope.
- What sword is that?
- It's called...Soul Calibur.