Fan Fiction ❯ Second Advent of the Vow ❯ Dark Lineage ( Chapter 13 )

Second Advent of the Vow

Book III: The Stage of History

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Soul Calibur characters; they are property of Namco.

NOTE: Violent content depicted.

[ ] Denotes the dialogues by Soul Edge

Chapter I: Dark Lineage

A sense of wicked joy ran through the Grand Priest's body as he watched the brutal attack through his portal. This magical device allowed him to observe what his minions where doing anytime, anywhere, and in this particular moment, he was the sole spectator to yet another raid of the Dark Knight Nightmare and company against another helpless town. He could see how the blood of the innocent bathed Soul Edge and how the eye of the sword requested more in a frenzy of raw power and pure evil. His plans were going as expected; Soul Edge was growing stronger each day with the feeding of countless souls. Soon it would be ready for him to take it away from his present host and then, the entire world will know his name and fall to their knees in worship, fear and adoration.

But there was still something nagging at the back of his mind. Those damned warriors had joined together to search once more for the evil sword to try to destroy it. Fools! How they dared challenge Kumpaetku's plans? But they were powerful and he knew they had already challenged Soul Edge and its previous host Cervantes, successfully both killing him and destroying one of the twin blades. They only needed to repeat the deed to be successful. But it will not be. All the resources of the Fygul Cestemus were going to be used to prevent the destruction of Soul Edge under their hands. The Grand Priest caressed his beard as he watched the slaughter of the nameless town withering to an end. A signal of his alerted the giant Astaroth, who instantly reported through him to the other end of the portal.

-"Master, as you expected, we have raided another town and Soul Edge has fed on more souls."

-"Yes, I've seen that. Soul Edge's power is increasing. I can feel it on my bones!"

-"Master, do we attack Nightmare now?"

-"No, not yet. Keep an eye on him and on the sword. The sword has yet to reach it's maximum potential and for that it needs to feed on strong souls, warrior souls to acquire it and the opportunity for it is approaching you. Soon you will encounter a group of powerful warriors. Among it are the two responsible for the destruction of one of the two blades Cervantes held and for his demise and the other is looking for the boy we keep hostage. This the opportunity we were waiting for, powerful warrior souls that can strengthen Soul Edge, maybe they can even haste the process of reaching it's full power. We cannot risk having them around menacing our plans. You will make sure Nightmare seizes the opportunity to eliminate them."

-"As you wish, master."

-"Astaroth…"

-"Yes master?"

-"Do not fail me! You know well the fate those who fail me encounter."

-"I will not fail master."

The portal closed before the giant's face. He observed the enigmatic Azure Knight as he readied himself to start their march again. There was something in his red eyes that even in Palgaea with all its monsters could not match. His primitive brain did not serve for much but for following the most elemental orders but he knew one thing well; he loathed Nightmare and the day he proceeded with the order of killing him to seize Soul Edge would be a glorious one, for the burden of working under his orders will be finally taken off him. That day he will arise from Nightmare's shadow and stand out in his true identity: a fearsome general and a leader of many.

-"Nightmare, you will soon fear me and under my ax you will find your ultimate doom!"

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Taki, Rock and Sophitia had started their journey soon after the strange event at the Colloseum. Due to the fears of everyone, the rest of the tournament had been canceled but those who achieved victories were paid their due price money. It wasn't what they expected but at least they did not left with empty hands and pockets.

Andreas had better luck than most. He had struck good deals with the local merchants and he planned to stay, although Sophitia had warned him to be very much aware of strange things happening. He had assured her he and Alexander would deal with the best of care and before departing, he had given her letters of recommendation and maps of the neighboring towns.

-"After all the good luck you have given me and my son, this is the least I could do for you and your friends. The letters will serve you with fellow merchants for obtaining any thing you might need. May the Gods bring you victory and bring you back to our dearest homeland safe."

Now, after many days on the road, they found yet another evidence of the Evil Seed striking. Through their travel, they had encountered people of the run, fleeing from their hometowns, carrying strange tales of their own townspeople turning mad and attacking viciously anything within their grasp. Those who were not infected ran before being killed by those who were. To make things worse, it was rumored that the "Szwartzwind" had been attacking, taking advantage of the current state of chaos. It was like the gates of hell had broke down, flooding the land with its evil.

Seeing the gray pillars of smoke coming from the destroyed humble houses, it did seem Hell had risen to Earth. A sense of urgency stirred the hearts of the warriors, as they hurried their steps further into the wasted lands seized by the Evil Seed.

-"Oh Gods, how many more innocent have to fall before we banish this evil thing from humanity?" prayed Sophie in silence.

As the sunset, they had left the now barren towns behind and were nearing a clearing when suddenly just across the other side of the clearing they saw "Him". A figure clad in Azure armor lifted with a grotesque clawed hand a deformed "Zweihander" sword. Behind him a giant and the lizard creatures followed. It was the "Szwartzwind" and Nightmare and they were about to start a raid!

Rock's eyes lighted with the fire of hatred and revenge and a battle cry exploded at the top of his lungs: Bangoo!" and without any other word, he lunged towards the attacked town. Taki and Sophitia gripped their weapons and for a second they crossed glances.

-"There it is, the object of our journey", Taki said with Mekki-Maru unsheathed, it's perfectly forged blade reflecting pinks and oranges of the sunset.

-"I know. May the Gods grant us their mercy and Victory may be upon us."

The female warriors followed the path Rock had initiated. Soon they found themselves in the middle of the starting massacre by Nightmare and his beastly minions. Rock had already slain many of the lizard like figures with his massive ax. The slain creatures laid all around him. His bare torso and arms were splattered with dark blood and sweat and every single slash of Apocalypse found enemy flesh to rip open. He was fighting against two when a giant golem approached behind his back carrying an ax as massive as Rock's when suddenly Sophitia noticing the impending danger threw her shield like a disk, knocking the creature down. Taki finished the deed with a deadly strike right at the pulse point of the golem's bullish neck. A pool of bright red blood gushed drenching his thick neck, jaw and shoulder, soaking the soil under him. With a growl, the beast exhaled his last breath.

-"That was too close. What took you so long?" said Rock lifting his ax over his head again.

-"We are now here and that what counts" replied Sophitia as she picked up her shield and stood at his side.

-"That's good because look who are yet to arrive here", said Rock as his hand pointed towards the opposite side of the town.

Holding the reigns of his horse as Soul Edge pierced through the chest of a nameless victim, Nightmare seemed to have already observed the presence of the newcomers. He laid motionless, the fire in his eyes suddenly brightening, the grip on the cursed sword tightening. Noticing he had stopped fighting altogether, Astaroth and Ivy closed in on their leader clueless.

-"Why you have stopped? The town is ours and there's no opposition" grunted Astaroth.

-"Look there!" said the Azure Knight as he extended his clawed hand towards the unexpected presence of Taki, Rock and Sophitia who made the small group of lizard creatures and Astaroth like golems diminish by the minute.

-"My, my, what a pleasant surprise. Seems I've got the chance to finish what I had started at the Colloseum," said Ivy as her white eyebrows lifting in an amused look. She caressed her right shoulder and bit her lip, still remembering the wound she got from that dramatic fight. She wasn't too happy about the scar that tainted her once unblemished skin and would not mind returning the deed. She also relished the new opportunity to see the Asian woman's weapon, the one that uncovered a multitude of new findings for the platinum-haired alchemist on their previous encounter. It would be interesting how it would react against Nightmare, given the fact that his own weapon had traces of the Evil Seed and that he had aided in her Ivy Blade's creation. The Azure Knight's steely voice brought her from her deep thoughts.

-"You know them?"

-"Of course. Remember the silly tournament I participated? They were there too and my opponent was the red-clad woman. This might be the right moment to obtain my revenge and I will not hold back now." Ivy was already readying her weapon when she was surprised by the thunderous voice of their leader behind her back.

-"You will do what I order you to do!" spewed Nightmare, giving Ivy a hard look through his helmet's visor. Ivy looked at him back defiantly with deep hatred in her eyes. He might had been crucial to give for her precious sword but she was getting tired rather soon of his ordering around and she did not need him or the other freaks that accompanied him to fulfill her one mission: to find and destroy Soul Edge for the curse it had brought upon the Valentine family. Obviously upset, she turned her back and left. A roar of a laughter left Nightmare's throat.

-"Huh, now you're leaving? You are so easily offended milady. I knew you did not have what it took to stay with us. Go, go silly woman and find yourself someone you can order around, because the only one that does the ordering here is me and you better have that clear."

Arching an eyebrow, the Englishwoman left the knight's side, and went towards where Astaroth and his golem army were positioned.

Astaroth did not mutter any words. He was reflecting on his master's keen instincts and knowledge. As he had foretold, the strong fighters crossed paths with them. The moment of liberation was getting closer. Soon Nightmare will be no more and only Astaroth and his master will prevail. He approached Nightmare, as his emotionless eyes assessed the trespassers.

-"Nightmare. Those are strong warriors. Just what you 'need' " said the Palgaean giant with a hint of complicity.

-"You might be right for once Astaroth. Go and recall the troops. I want those three for myself."

-"But, are you sure you can handle all of them? Ivy said they were all experimented warriors and each of them alone is a great challenge."

-"Don't mind her opinion, she just easily impressed and her vanity cannot take her defeat on that useless tournament she assisted. I don't even understand why she wasted her time there instead of aiding us in our mission. Besides, I have my blade and my strength. That should suffice. Now go and do what I told you to do before I feed Soul Edge with your inept soul!"

-"We'll see that", Astaroth muttered under his breath as he approached the captain of the now almost vanquished lizard force, the possessed former Spartan Knight Aeon Calcos. He was about to join the fray when Astaroth's huge hand stopped him. Lizardman hissed angrily and glanced at his partner in disbelief but as ordered, he recalled the few lizards that were still barely alive to retreat.

The carcasses of the vanquished lizard and giant clay golems littered the narrow streets of the town. Its dwellers looked from their hiding places in surprise how their lives had been miraculously saved by the group of strangers that had intervened. However, they still knew the leaders were yet to strike, so they waited...and hoped for their salvation. They knew the hardest part of the battle was yet to start.

-"Where's that coward of Nightmare? He lets his minions do all the fighting so he can reap the glory?" said Rock in contempt.

The loud sound of earth-shattering warhorse hooves pierced the momentary silence that had fell over the makeshift battlefield. The armor-clad figure broke the outline over its huge stallion and suddenly all eyes were upon him. Astaroth, Lizardman and what was left of their force looked from afar. A hoarse voice came from the helmet.

-"You seemed to had a little fun with my troops. Let's see if can do the same with me."

Sophitia recognized him from the oracles she had seen back in Athens. He was the new wielder. As she remembered with Cervantes, the dark aura was powerful, enticing and most of all, utterly evil. This time Soul Edge was under the guise of a huge German two-handed sword. She had seen that type of weapon before; that was the weapon favored by Siegfried Schtauffen. She remembered long ago admiring the golden haired warrior's strength in handling such a massive sword as it was weightless, and how he used to joke about hers being a mere child's toy. Her heart ached at the perspective that the fearsome Nightmare could it be in fact him, possessed and utterly corrupted by Soul Edge. She had suspected three years ago that his endless thirst for revenge could easily lead him towards the path of evil, but she would have never imagined the depths of his despair and rage. Was it possible that Siegfried, the German warrior that she once bestowed her affections upon was the Knight known as Nightmare? Could his soul still be saved? She could at least try, for the sake of the all good and noble she knew Siegfried once had in his soul.

-"Host of the Evil Sword, we come to claim Soul Edge, not you. If you give up Soul Edge, we will spare you."

Taki and Rock gave the Greek warrior puzzled glances. Could she be serious about it?

A cynical laughter roared loudly. "Oh, the girl with the petite sword says she will spare me if I give up my weapon. Oh my, what a gracious gesture. Are you mad? Don't you know I hold the power to destroy you in the blink of an eye?"

She was sure now. Despite the years and the growl like rasp of his voice, she recognized his voice of that of the former Holy Roman Empire knight. This new fact brought a new layer of difficulty to her already difficult mission. She gathered her spirit's energy and replied with determination.

- "I know it but if you give up you will not face the same demise as your predecessor. Do not force us to do so."

-"What the hell are you rambling about girl?"

-"My name is Sophitia Alexandra of Greece and three years I destroyed one of the swords of the previous host of Soul Edge. I have yet to destroy the remaining one and if you do not give it up peacefully I have no choice but to take it away from you." Sophie realized that he lacked any remembrances of his past life. Such absolute power held Soul Edge that it literally imprisoned its hosts up to the point of obliterating their sense of self!

Nightmare's red eyes widened as he listened to the girl. Could that be possible? Could she be the one that made what was almost impossible, the destruction of one half of the dreaded Soul Edge? He gripped Soul Edge harder. From their observing point, Astaroth, Lizardman and Ivy, who came back to witness the fight, waited in desperation.

-"What's taking that arrogant fool so long?" fumed Astaroth. He knew his master will be very angry if his plan did not go as planned.

Taking advantage of Nightmare's shock, Sophitia continued. They might be successful without any more bloodshed!

-"As you can see, I am not alone in my quest. With me I have Taki, the Demon Slayer, the one who sent Cervantes to the afterlife. If you do not give up, she will not hesitate in doing the same thing with you."

Taki approached Sophitia's side with Mekki-Maru at hand.

-"You will fare off better if you do what she says. She still has a sense of pity but I don't. If you do not comply, I will make sure you meet Cervantes in hell, along with the demons I've slain before!"

So it was true after all, not some old maid's tale. Two women had defeated the Immortal Pirate and now those very two women were in front of him. He chuckled under the heavy helmet; his red eyes glimmered in the darkness with a malignant gleam.

-"Ladies, it will be for me a great honor to avenge Cervantes' memory by feeding both your souls to Soul Edge." The eye of the sword moved anxiously to behold the potential two souls about to be sacrificed.

-"If that's the way you choose, so be it" said Taki. "Rock, don't allow his allies to intervene."

Rock replied with a nod and his glance hard and menacing went over the hill were Nightmare's minions stood.

-"May the gods take mercy on your soul" said Sophitia solemnly.

-"Prepare to die!" The horse galloped heavy towards the two fighters in foot. Taki leaped quickly as Sophitia and Nightmare met in a loud clash of irons. His blow had been deflected by the Athenian's small shield. As he turned around his horse for a second rush, a red shadow seemed to fall from out of nowhere and fell behind the knight with her katana lifted high. Nightmare caught the lethal flash with the corner of his eye and barely had time to block her assault with his gruesome clawed right hand. She somersaulted back to the ground, ready for his renewed attack.

-"Enough with games. Let's finish this already!" However, as he lifted Soul Edge again, it seemed the sword had acquired a will of its own and wouldn't move as willed by his wielder.

-"Now what's with you?" said a very angry Nightmare to the eye at the hilt, which in turn watched him fixated.

The eerie voice in his head that he knew so well responded:

["Don't you realize who you are fighting? Those two destroyed my other half and Cervantes was a even more vicious and cruel host than you boy!"]

"How you dare compare me with that inept pirate?"

It seemed that Nightmare had gone insane because all of a sudden he was talking to himself and had stopped attacking altogether. Then the ninja and the Greek warrior understood: Soul Edge was trying to exert its dominance over Nightmare at this particular moment, but why? Stunned they observed the awkward scene that was developing right at the battlefield.

["Shut up."] Soul Edge spewed angrily [" I'm the master here and I order you to cease fighting. I'm yet to be strong enough to face them again. If we fight them now, I risk my own destruction and yours too because you are part of me. You BELONG to me."]

-"Coward. You got it all backwards. I am your owner. Without me you'll be nothing."

["Is that so? We will see about that."] And to the Azure Knight's shock, Soul Edge escaped the grasp of his gauntlet and rose above his head. When he tried to catch it again, his arm received an electrical shock that numbed him from his shoulder down to his fingertips.

["I hope this has reminded you who's the master here. Now turn back. Our time will come to face them again and I'll relish in devouring their souls. Do as I have ordered!"]

Nightmare hesitated when suddenly the dark voice morphed into his father's.

["Siegfried, the time will come that you will bring me back to life but now do as I tell you. If you fight now, you might not make it and you will condemn me to eternal death."]

-"Yes father, I will do as you wish", murmured Nightmare.

Recovering his senses and bringing the still floating Soul Edge from over his head with his claw, the Azure Knight looked at Taki and Sophitia defiantly.

"It seems your lives has been spared…for now. The next time we meet you will not be that fortunate. Until fate brigs us back again for your demise. Eeyah!"

Rock, Taki and Sophitia were still too shocked to do or say anything as they observed the armored figure flee past the town to the woods. Astaroth seemed even more confused that them but hesitantly left behind his leader, along with Ivy, Lizardman and what was left of their troops.

-"Can someone explain what just happened here? I saw that cursed thing float and attack its own owner and after worthless threats the guy just left without further attacks" said an obviously confused Rock scratching his head.

-"I cannot explain it myself Rock, but it seems this new wielder and Soul Edge aren't completely fused", answered Taki while sheathing back her katana.

-"If that's true, then we still have chances of destroying it without harming the host" added Sophitia, as the perspective of saving the former German Mercenary was becoming more attainable.

-"I wish I could be so hopeful as you my friend", concluded Taki.

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The "Szwartzwind" had established camp close to the ruins of what had been in better times a small monastery during the Middle Ages. It had been long abandoned after falling prey of constant wars and pillages. Now it served as a sort of refuge for the seedy type that sought refuge from the authorities. Astaroth dealt with the problem of the injured lizardmen the best way he knew: with a precise blow to their necks. Lizardman was eating raw a calf that they found wandering away, to the utter disgust of Ivy while Astaroth still tried to understand what had happened at the town. He had already communicated with Kumpaetku through his master's portal and as he had dreaded, Kumpaetku was not pleased at all at how the events had unfurled. Even him with his unfathomable wisdom, he could not come to terms with how things had happened. Soul Edge seemed to have a will, an identity of its own and thoughts even he could not yet come to understand. He could not dare to believe Soul Edge could actually fear any living thing, much less a pair of female warriors. At least his rage wasn't directed toward him but towards a useless servant who had the misfortune of spilling his master's wine. Astaroth knew very well what his master would do to the unfortunate. Exhausted with the results of the day, he joined Lizardman and decided to fill his stomach to ease the headache all these things triggered on his head.

After the shameful event, Nightmare had sat down to himself in front of a small fire and did not utter a word to any of the other warriors. On the other hand, Ivy could not mask her contempt and anger towards the knight. Not only he foreboded her to exact her long sought revenge towards the masked Japanese warrior, he wasted his chance against her in a disgraceful performance. With her rage seething, she could not control herself any longer and walked towards Nightmare.

As she approached his back, she found him in a rather unusual posture. She had never seen the fearful Nightmare without his helmet but this time it laid beside his foot, revealing a head covered with long blond hair and at profile, he seemed to have surprising fine features. He seemed less terrible this way but when he noticed her approaching, he lifted his head and although what she saw was the handsome face of a young man barely tarnished with a long scar that came from an eye down to his jaw, his eyes still had the evil red gleam of cruelty that was always noticeable through the visor.

-"So the wench is back. What has brought you back milady?" Nightmare said with scorn.

-"I can't fathom how you can keep being so brazen after the less than dishonorable spectacle we saw tonight."

-"My reasons for not fighting are mine alone and they are nobody's business. If you don't like how I do things, you can leave whenever you wish."

-"You know what? I might do so. I'm getting tired of this senseless slaughtering without any apparent reason to justify them."

-"So, you don't understand why we attack and kill? Then you are definitely on the wrong place! Go leave woman, go and bother somebody else with your inane chatter."

Ivy held the hilt of her Ivy Blade with the urgent desire of strangling the hateful man that sat in front of her.

-"And remember my dear, you owe me helping you bringing to life that little contraption of yours, or have you forgotten about it?"

-"Damn you Nightmare, damn you to hell!"

-"Such strong words coming from a delicate noblewoman such as you Lady Isabella! Why, I'm shocked and very disappointed."

-"Do not press your luck Nightmare. You might have helped in bringing forth my treasure but that does not mean I cannot use it against you."

With a speed that didn't seem compatible with the heavy looking armor her wore, Nightmare stood up and grabbed Lady Isabella by the neck with his claw.

-"It is you who shouldn't press your luck. I spared those fool's lives with reasons that are only my own but that does not mean I have yet satisfied my bloodthirst for today. Do you want to find that out with me Ivy?"

With terror tainting her face with a deadly pale, Ivy forcefully nodded under the tight grasp of Nightmare's claw as his crimson eyes shone with delight. Her world started to turn dark each passing second without air. As her body slowly turned limp, Nightmare eased the grasp and Ivy fell to her knees coughing.

-"There, now leave me alone!"

Still with her legs wobbling and her delicate ivory neck bruised black and blue, Ivy left as soon as it was possible. Her steps lead her to the ruined walls of the monastery. Lizardman was already asleep snoring loudly while Astaroth was devouring the remains of a doe.

-"I'm not that smart but you are worse than me lady. How you dared to bother Nightmare after what happened tonight?"

-"That's none of your business."

-"Seems someone is in a very delicate mood tonight. I think you should leave as you threatened before. You are not ready for what's yet to come."

-"Bloody hell! Damn you all with all this secrecy. I have enough with Nightmare and Kumpaetku. Can you talk straight?"

-"My master is right about you. You are very smart yet you haven't recognized that the purpose of your quest is right before you."

-"How do you know about my quest?"

-"All of us are here with a purpose. Neither you nor I serve Nightmare willfully, but at least with my sparse understanding I know what I'm dealing with."

-"You don't mean that…"

-"Finally, you have understood." Astaroth threw the meatless bones to his side and cleaned his mouth with his huge forearm.

It all made sense. Nightmare and that enigmatic sword of his, the one that had granted its obscure power to create her Ivy Blade is none other than…

-"Soul Edge! And I have been deceived by all of you all this time!"

-"You were deceived by your own choice. You, among all of us should have felt it. Or have you forgotten about that little episode on the Colloseum with the scarlet ninja? You told us yourself that she said you had the Evil Seed within you. You serve us very well as a spare host in case Nightmare dies or falls from Soul Edge's favor. My master has many plans for you, although I would not care if you die. You are only trouble and I'm waiting for the moment my master orders me to feed you all to Soul Edge!"

Thoughts were racing on Isabella's mind as fast as her brain relied the electrical impulses that turned into ideas. Her lineage, Soul Edge, her treasured weapon; everything was connecting and making a wicked type of sense. Red rage clouded her mind; everybody was using her in a way or the other, when it should be her the one who should be using them all! But what she would do now that the answers were appearing before her one by one?

Astaroth had switched his attention to a small animal that had dared to cross his path. The beast grabbed the hare and in just one move, it squished it and gulped it. Hiding her utter disgust, Isabella turned around, her back facing the blood golem.

-"Tired of talking at last? Good, I'm tired of talking to you and I hope when you recover your use of speech you thank me for helping you know the truth." The Palgaean creation moved towards a group of strong looking trees. Resting his ax beside him he rested his muscular back against the thickest tree and instants later his snores made Lizardman's sound like whispers.

-"Thank you Astaroth" said Ivy to herself as she silently put on her cloak and grabbed her ridding whip. Hiding on a corridor of the former holy place ruins, she did a quick inventory of her possessions. She planned into leaving before sunrise, when her former battle allies usually lowered their guard the most and with it gave her the best window of opportunity to leave the camp unnoticed.

-"Astaroth's loose tongue has filled the remaining pieces of my puzzle. I'm done with all of this. I'll come back to face Nightmare but first, I have some debts that some Palgaean charlatan has to pay me. He thought he could use me at will but now he'll learn that his favorite huntress will make him her new prey!"

And shrouded by the mist and the waning darkness, a slender figure on horseback rode silently, her mind a burst of activity, her will filled with more resolution than ever. Cursed blood may be her heritage, but she will make sure the curse will not pass her generation and the world be spared for all of the madness of Soul Edge.