The Legend Will Never Die: Part Nineteen "Inferno the Hellfire of Despair"
By: Anita
Inferno the Hellfire of Despair
Inferno watched as the warriors in front of him cowered in fear. The blinding light that shone from Inferno died as Inferno settled onto the ground, with Soul Edge in hand.
"The evil incarnation of Soul Edge. This must be Inferno of the legends." Edge Master stated in obvious fear.
The fighters broke out of their confusion and held up their weapons, fully prepared to fight to their deaths.
"FOOLS! EVEN IF YOU ALL FIGHT ME, IT WILL BE USELESS. NOTHING CAN COMPARE TO THE LIMITLESS POWER OF SOUL EDGE!" Inferno said, as the confidence diminished from the warriors' faces.
'Soul Edge's strength is returning. I will bide my time. Soon enough, the world will fall to the strength of Soul Edge.' Inferno thought.
"There is hope..." Xianghua replied quietly, but with determination.
"YOU HAVE SEEN THE TERRORS THAT WILL BEFALL YOUR WORLD. DO NOT DARE TO DEFY SOUL EDGE'S RULE!" Inferno yelled.
"I have seen what may be, but with the help of my friends, I am sure you will be defeated!" Xianghua replied, this time with even more confidence.
"Xianghua, can we really defeat Inferno?" Maxi asked.
"I am sure we can. Taki and Sophitia had destroyed it once before, and I am certain we will do it again."
"If what Edge Master says is true...we must find the...Soul Calibur..." Kilik replied, deep in thought.
Taki watched as Xianghua turned away from Kilik as he spoke of Soul Calibur.
"What is the Soul Calibur, Xianghua?" Taki asked curiously.
"I...I am not sure..." Xianghua hesitantly replied. "I only remember hearing Soul Edge's thoughts. The sheer greed it felt for Soul Calibur. It needed this power more than anything. The force of Soul Calibur must rival even that of Soul Edge."
"It is our only hope." Sophitia decided solemnly.
"YOU KNOW SO LITTLE, HUMANS. YOUR SOULS WILL BE MINE BEFORE YOU EVEN BEGIN TO UNRAVEL SOUL CALIBUR'S MYSTERY!" Inferno growled.
'Let these fools talk all they wish. My powers grow stronger in each passing moment. Soul Calibur lays hidden beneath their grasp.' Inferno mused.
"Xianghua..." Edge Master slowly started. "You are correct, there is hope for all of us. There may be much wickedness and sin in life, but there are still those who are pure-hearted. Our unity will bring us strength, and good will overcome evil. For the sake of our world, Xianghua, you must fight the final battle. You will defeat Inferno."
Xianghua looked at Edge Master in shock. How would she be able to win a match against Inferno on her own? She had already failed once...
Edge Master put his hand on Xianghua's shoulder. "I know you will fulfil your destiny."
"I will try my best..." Xianghua agreed.
"FOOLS, YOU STILL BELIEVE YOU HAVE A CHANCE? WE SHALL SEE HOW YOU FARE THIS TIME, XIANGHUA." In a flash of light, a portal opened in front of the fighters, a passage to Chaos.
"Master, you can not be serious! Why have Xianghua fight alone, when we can all fight together? You said yourself that unity will bring us strength, so are we to turn our backs on one of our own?" Kilik shouted in disbelief.
"Kilik, I agree with Edge Master. Xianghua...Soul Calibur...I am not sure, but I know that this is the right decision." Maxi tried to explain.
"As long as we believe in her, I know our hope will bring her back safely." Sophitia concurred.
"I have no doubts, Xianghua. You will come back." Taki replied with a grin.
"Thank you. Kilik, I am sorry, but I must do this. My mother, she always told me that my fate was to destroy Soul Edge with the Krita-Yuga by my side." Xianghua explained.
"I know, as much as I hate it, this is your fight and not ours to interfere in. Just...be careful..." Kilik conceded with an encouraging smile.
"I will."
Inferno quickly disappeared into the portal and Xianghua followed.
"The spirit sword, Soul Calibur..." Edge Master mumbled as the portal closed behind the two figures.
Xianghua recalled the last time she had been sent to this dreadful universe. She had held her sword close to her, feeling her heart beat faster with every moment, her confidence slipping as she tried to calm her nerves and believe in herself.
But now, she felt her courage and determination build. She felt the hilt of her Krita-Yuga tingle as she gripped it.
Inferno withdrew his weapon, Soul Edge, as Xianghua withdrew hers.
"I CAN FEEL THE OVERWHELMING POWER OF SOUL EDGE. I AM UNSTOPPABLE!" Inferno cackled.
Xianghua lifted up her sword, and it began shaking violently in her hand.
"Kya!" Xianghua yelped as she dropped her sword to the ground.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Inferno bellowed.
Xianghua fell to the ground in defeat. She could not even hold her own weapon, how would she triumph against the monster in front of her?
"ARE YOU GIVING UP BEFORE WE EVEN BEGIN? I EXPECTED MORE FROM YOU, YOUNG ONE, BUT YOU WERE FOOLISH TO DEFY ME!"
"No... I will not give up. There is still hope. My friends...they are all counting on me..." Xianghua whispered.
"FOOL! YOU WILL-" Inferno started.
"No! I will not give up hope! Justice will prevail over evil, I will see to it!" Xianghua shouted, full of willpower.
Suddenly, Xianghua's sword gave off a brilliant light. It began to float in the air in front of Xianghua, and before her eyes, it began to transform.
"NO! THIS CAN NOT BE!" Inferno screamed.
'This girl, her pure heart. Her weapon revealed its true form, and she is capable of wielding its power. I must destroy her!'
"SO, GIRL, YOU HAVE FINALLY UNCOVERED THE MYSTERY OF SOUL CALIBUR, BUT YOUR REVELATION HAS COME TOO LATE!" Inferno charged at Xianghua with the Soul Edge.
Xianghua immediately blocked the attack and began pushing the amazed Inferno back. Soul Calibur glowed brightly as Xianghua began to assault Inferno with a flurry of attacks.
Inferno weakly defended himself from the onslaught. The girl's quick moves were unlike any other warrior's.
'She is incredibly strong. Xianghua must not continue to handle the Soul Calibur.' Inferno decided.
Inferno swung Soul Edge with all of his strength, directly at Soul Calibur, knocking it out of Xianghua's hands.
"THERE IS NO ESCAPE, XIANGHUA!" Inferno sneered lifting Soul Edge up to Xianghua's neck.
"No..." Xianghua whimpered. "Mother...I have failed again..."
"KNEEL DOWN TO THE STRENGTH OF SOUL EDGE, AND I WILL SPARE YOU, XIANGHUA..."
"Cut your path through an uncertain future..." Xianghua whispered quietly.
"WHAT?"
"My mother believed in me, my friends believe in me. I will never give up!" Xianghua screamed, and kicked Soul Edge out of Inferno's hands.
The sheer power of the kick shattered bits of the sword.
"AAARRGHH!" Inferno screamed in pain. The sword that he was a part of had been critically wounded.
Xianghua summoned all of her strength and concentrated on her weapon. The power coursed through Soul Calibur's blade.
With one final blinding flash, Xianghua smashed Soul Edge into many shards, as they flew off into Chaos.
Inferno crumpled to the ground in defeat.
"YOU...MUST...DIE!" Inferno shouted, and with the last of his strength, kicked Soul Calibur out of Xianghua's grip, into the Chaos.
Inferno slowly began to flicker out, and disappeared.
Xianghua watched in shock, as she saw the portal back to her universe slowly start to close.
'I must get back home, but...my mother's sword.' Xianghua pondered.
Without another thought, Xianghua ran back into the portal. Back to her home.
"Xianghua!" Kilik greeted.
"You did it!" Maxi exclaimed.
"I knew you would..." Edge Master assured.
"But...Siegfried...his body...it disappeared..." Sophitia mumbled in confusion.
"Siegfried...he saved me..." Xianghua said sadly.
"I'm sure he's fine." Taki reassured.
'I'm not so sure...' Xianghua thought.
The sun finally set on the finale of history's legends. The phantom sword Soul Edge forever remained a rumour.
The raging call of Soul Edge was answered by the spirit sword in the East.
Few were aware of the final battle where the pure evil Soul Edge was shattered. Few knew of the loss of Soul Calibur, forever in a void. They were all oblivious that this unknown sword had granted them peace.
But, the few who knew were grateful. The world they had hoped for had finally returned.
Their journeys complete, their destinies awakened, they were finally free.
THE END