Soulcalibur: Heart of a Dragon

Soulcalibur: Breaking the Curse

The sun began to rise over the horizon as two figures approached a small village. One of the figures was a man with a zweihander sword sheathed on his back and the other was a woman with a strange bladed ring draped over her shoulder. The man, Draco Faust Williams was clad in blood-stained white armor and black chain mail. He wore red and black clothes with a crimson red cape. The girl, Tira, was dressed in green ragged clothing decorated with green feathers and purple patches.

Draco locked his cold blue eyes on the village below and moved his hand through dark brown hair. “Looks as good a place as any to take a break from all this traveling. Besides, Nightmare seems to have disappeared… for now at least…”

“I guess so,” replied Tira as she scratched her head and pulled some debris from her teal hair.

“Let’s go then,” said Draco as he looked into Tira’s bright violet eyes and smiled.

Tira blushed slightly as she gazed back into Draco’s eyes, but then she caught herself. “Yeah… let’s go.”

.::~::.

The duo arrived in the town and rented a room at the local inn. Draco took the time to clean the blood from his armor. ‘There has to be some way to break this curse…’ Draco thought to himself as he wiped the blood from his armor until it was peal-white and glistened again.

“Is something wrong?” asked Tira noticing Draco was acting as if something was bothering him.

“No,” replied Draco. He knew Tira was well aware of his problem- his curse. It had plagued him ever since they had been together; and she too was unknowingly cursed.

“Are you sure?” asked Tira raising her eyebrow.

“Yes…” replied Draco.

“Are you really, really sure?” asked Tira again.

“It’s just that… I feel I can’t protect those I care about…” replied Draco.

“You mean your brother and your family back home?” asked Tira. “I’m sure they’re all just fine.”

“Not just them…” replied Draco. “There’s another I worry about…”

Tira blushed slightly again knowing Draco was referring to her.

“I need to go out for awhile…” said Draco as he reapplied his armor over his clothes.

“I’ll come with you!” replied Tira giddily.

“I need to be alone for awhile…” said Draco.

Tira’s expression suddenly changed from jolly to gloomy. “I see… well, I’ll see you later.”

Upon leaving the room, Draco found a note on the door. He quickly opened it and read it. “If you really want to end your curse and save those you care about, meet me in the town’s cathedral at noon.”

‘Could be a trap, but I guess I have nothing to lose…’ thought Draco.

.::~::.

After giving the situation much thought, Draco arrived at the cathedral at noon and saw a familiar face. Standing in the shadows clad in icy blue-white armor with the holy sword, Soul Calibur, in his grasp was Siegfried Schtauffen.

“Siegfried?!” exclaimed Draco as he drew his zweihander sword, ‘Faust’. “You finished off Nightmare so you’ve come to kill Soul Edge’s next choice host as well?!”

“No, I’m here to help you break Soul Edge’s hold over you,” said Siegfried as he emerged from the shadows.

“Why should I trust you?” asked Draco.

“Because, I’ve been in your place, Draco. I know you want to save those you care about and I know you have remorse for all the lives Soul Edge has forced you to take in your sleep,” replied Siegfried.

“How do you even know about all this?” asked Draco.

“I’ve been watching your progress from afar. I’ve even noticed that your main concern is not for yourself, but for that girl, Tira,” replied Siegfried. “You would as soon die than fail to save her, am I right?”

Draco just stood silent.

“I’m offering you an opportunity to achieve your goal, but first you need to break Soul Edge’s curse over yourself,” said Siegfried.

“How?” asked Draco.

“With this…” said Siegfried as he pointed to a zweihander sword stuck into the base of a fountain behind him. “That sword helped me break Soul Edge’s hold over me once before. It’s called Requiem or Gram if you prefer.”

“How will a sword help me?” asked Draco.

“Draw it from it’s resting place and you shall find out,” replied Siegfried.

Draco approached the sword’s resting place cautiously still gripping Faust’s hilt tightly.

“First, cast your sword aside,” said Siegfried.

Draco hesitated for a moment, but did as Siegfried said.

“Now, grasp Gram’s hilt,” said Siegfried.

Draco slowly reached out for Gram. As his fingers closed around it’s hilt, he felt a sharp pain surge through his body. “What is this?!”

“Gram is a holy word, it will purge Soul Edge’s corruption from your soul, but only if you can defeat your own inner demon,” said Siegfried.

Draco turned to see Faust floating in the air as a ominous black aura surrounded it, then Draco was blinded by a bright light. When the light cleared Draco saw Faust corrupted by Soul Edge and in the hands of a knight clad in black armor with a crimson red cape- it was the very visage of Draco consumed by Soul Edge, Night Dragon.

Draco stood in shock at the sight of Night Dragon.

“Draco, use Gram to defeat your inner demon and you’ll be freed from Soul Edge’s curse!” exclaimed Siegfried.

The cursed knight’s eyes glowed ominously as he reached out his grotesque claw. “Draco, you dare try and cast me out?! Our bond is more enduring than life itself! You cannot run away from me!” roared Night Dragon as he leaped into the air.

Draco quickly drew Gram from it’s resting place and rolled out of harm’s way. “This ends here!” exclaimed Draco as he charged at Night Dragon.

The cursed knight blocked Draco’s attack and laughed manically. “Do you really think you can stop me?!”

Draco struck again only to be deadlocked with Night Dragon. “For the sake of those I care for, I must!” yelled Draco as he broke the deadlock and gained some distance from Night Dragon.

Draco charged at Night Dragon again and stuck, but Night Dragon ducked and countered- cutting into Draco’s arm. The cursed knight quickly grabbed Draco by the neck and sent him crashing into a nearby statue.

“Come on, Draco!” exclaimed Siegfried as Draco struggled to his feet.

“Face it, you’re weak without me!” cackled Night Dragon.

Draco charged at Night Dragon again. The cursed knight struck at Draco again; but Draco blocked the attack and countered- cutting into the cursed knight’s breastplate and smashing him into the wall.

“I’m stronger… than you could ever be!” exclaimed Draco as his eyes glowed crimson red. “Ever since I’ve been afflicted with this curse, I’ve held my true strength back to keep you from using it, but it’s time to release it again! Seien Sie Drache!” With that Draco was engulfed in flames. The flames towered over the cathedral and when they cleared a massive white dragon with a dark brown mane and crimson eyes hovered over the cathedral.

Siegfried looked up at the great beast and noted that it bore the same scars as Draco. “So the rumors are true, he really is a Ryugami…. I thought those were only a myth.”

“Fool! I knew of this power all along! Seien Sie Drache!” Night Dragon was surrounded by black flames that towered even higher than the flames Draco’s dragon form had emerged from. Night Dragon emerged from the flames in the form of a metallic black dragon with glowing red eyes and a wispy mane.

The two dragons let out a monstrous roar before engaging each other above the cathedral. It seemed they were evenly matched, but then both of them unleashed a fiery blast from their massive maws. When the two attacks collided the entire cathedral was engulfed in fire.

Soul Calibur protected Siegfried from the searing flames but the cathedral itself lay in ruins as the smoke cleared. Siegfried looked up in the sky to see both of the dragons were injured, but it was Night Dragon that fell and crashed into the ground. Upon his impact, Night Dragon reassumed his normal form.

Draco slowly landed and reassumed his humanoid form and grasped Gram tightly as he cautiously walked through the charred ruble. Suddenly, Night Dragon emerged from the flames and struck, but Draco blocked the attack. Night Dragon let out a roar as he tossed Draco into the air with his claw and prepared for the final attack. Draco readied Gram as well. After a few seconds, the rivals charged at each other again and struck. Siegfried looked on as the dust and smoke cleared. Draco fell to one knee as Night Dragon cackled, but then the cursed knight let out a loud pained roar as he dropped his sword and grasped a fatal wound to his chest. Draco quickly staggered to his feet with his pistol, ‘Drako’ drawn.

“The nightmare ends here!” exclaimed Draco as he fired a shot into the cursed knight’s helmet. Night Dragon fell to the ground in a crumbled heap minus his head. The cursed knight’s body turned into black smoke and disbursed. Draco started to reach for Faust, but then he noticed it was still tainted by Soul Edge.

“Do you take me for a fool?” asked Draco as he pointed his pistol at the sword and fired a direct shot into it’s ‘eye’. Soul Edge’s form shattered and fell from Faust and Draco grasped it’s hilt and sheathed it back on his back, then turned to Siegfried.

“It’s finally over,” said Siegfried.

“No, not until all those I care about are from Soul Edge,” replied Draco as he sat Gram at Siegfried’s feet. “Thank you for the help, I’ll be going now.”

“Keep it,” said Siegfried as he placed Gram back in Draco’s hands.

“Thank you, I’m sure it shall serve me well,” said Draco.

“Nightmare and the true Soul Edge will return soon… I feel the final battle is near,” said Siegfried.

“I’ll see you there,” said Draco with a confident grin.

“Take care, Draco. I hope you achieve your goal,” said Siegfried.

Draco started off, but then paused for a moment. “I’ve vowed to achieve victory…. I cannot lose…”

Siegfried smiled. “Farwell, Draco Faust Williams.”

.::~::.

Draco returned to the inn where Tira was waiting for him. “What happened to you?!” she exclaimed noticing Draco was scuffed up.

“I was just in a little scuffle …” replied Draco.

“No fair! You had all the fun fighting while I was here waiting for you!” groaned Tira.

“Trust me, it was anything but fun,” said Draco.

“Where did you get that sword?” asked Tira pointing at Gram.

“It was a gift… from a friend,” replied Draco.

“Well, it suits you,” said Tira.

“Thanks. I think I need to rest awhile, that little scuffle took a lot out of me and we should probably head out in the morning,” said Draco.

Tira blinked. “Already? I thought we’d at least stay here a day or two since you were all depressed.”

“Let’s just say my motivation is back. The end draws near and I intend to walk away with everything I hold dear,” replied Draco with a smile.

Tira smiled back as she blew out the candles. “I’m glad you’re feeling better.”

.::~::.

The next day, Draco and Tira set out on their journey once again. The two looked over the horizon and saw a dark cloud looming over Ostrheinsburg.

‘This is it… I will save you, Tira…’ thought Draco as he looked at Tira with a look of deep concern on his face.

“I thought you said you felt better!” snapped Tira.

“I do!” replied Draco scratching the back of his head.

“Well, where are we heading?” asked Tira.

Draco pointed Gram in Ostrheinsburg’s direction. “That way. The end of our journey is ahead, I can feel it!”

End