Soul Calibur: A Tale of Souls and Swords

"Death be proud, though some have called thee mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so..."



Hilde-



Chapter Two: A new Heir to the Throne and a new Hope for a Kingdom




Hildegard von Krone lowered her head before the cold iron bars of the cell.

Hilde: "Father, we leave today. Our kingdom shall be victorious. This i swear to you upon our family's name."

there's no answer, just an animal growl devoid of all human reason. in the closed stone chamber, not a single torch flickered. only the faithful moon, shining silver and weak through a small window set high in the wall, offered any light at all.

it was an audience beyond the public gaze. though "audience," Hilde realized, was far too grand a word for the encounter that took place in this chamber at the very top of the castle tower, the chamber in which the king of Wolfkrone was sent to live out his days. Hilde's father - the great king, the great warrior - was no more. lost in a fog of madness, he could not even recognize his own daughter when she stood before him.

Hilde had lost him on that horrible day when the of destruction had swept across the kingdom. though she was still but a child, the reins of the kingdom were thrust into her hands. gathering allies and power about her, she managed to cling to the throne and at the same time save the kingdom from grotesque hordes that were led by the Azure Knight. her youth was sacrificed to war, and she was tempered in the fires of battle.

how many times had Hilde almost given up the struggle? though she knew nothing could be changed, she could not help but dream of how things would be if her father - her strict, fair and kind-hearted father - were still king. but she pushed those thoughts form her mind. the survival of the kingdom depended on her now. weakness was not an option.

yet in those moments when Hilde was alone w/ her father, she longed to renounce everything and give in to her weakness. to once again be the meek, frightened little girl who knew that she could rely on the absolute protection of her father.

but... it was not to be. Hilde raised her head and slowly stood up.

her world was different now. Hilde was no longer the little girl whose father taught her fencing in jest. the sword she wielded was a bolt of lightning that cut down all those tainted by evil, and the lance in her hand was a symbol of her kingdom in which, when raised aloft in battle, summoned great warriors at her side. she had become strong. strong enough to rule her father's nation, but one aspect of Hilde had not changed. the nobility of a wolf, inherited form her father, still flowed in her veins, as it had in the veins of every king and queen that had ruled Wolfkrone.

with a murmured prayer and a final glance at her father, Hilde turned on her heels to leave the room that only she could enter. an inhuman shriek followed her as she passed through the door, but her face betrayed no reaction.

Hilde had to purify herself before leading her army to battle.

she bathed alone. she felt no shame in exposing the wounds that covered her body; it was the sorrowful, pitying gazes of her servants that she could not bear. as Hilde poured the ice-cold water over her skin, her mind was as chilled and cleansed as her body.

it was the moment just before dawn and the garden was as still as a grave. the moon that attended Hilde's quiet ritual would soon slip below the horizon. the night belonged to "them." When the sun set, they emerged from the ruins of Ostrheinsburg Castle, a deadly threat to the land. the people of the kingdom barricaded themselves into their homes and brave soldiers patrolled the villages, watching over them.

whenever Hilde thought of her devastated realm, sorrow gripped her heart. once upon a time, it was a rich, bountiful land, but now the hopes of her subjects rested upon her shoulders. she must restore its former glory for the men, who in times of peace tilled the soil, but now had taken up the sword to fight w/ her.

the time was at hand; the tides were changing. Hilde thought of recent events; patrols reporting bizarre sights, such as thousands of objects in the sky, shining w/ an evil light, hurtling toward the ruined castle like wasps swarming a nest. and then there was the encounter of that man...

her purification complete, Hilde left the garden and entered her chambers. immediately, her servants began to prepare her for battle in silence.

several days earlier, Hilde and her soldiers had come to the assistance of a troop of mercenaries traveling through Wolfkrone. they had been attacked by the inhabitants of the ruined castle. and many of their number were slain. among the survivors was a woman who had information that was of great interest to hilde.

according to her, a man named Siegfried had entered the cursed city alone to face the army of the Azure Knight. the woman told Hilde in a quiet voice that she tried to help him but he had refused her. she just was not strong enough, but Hilde was powerful. perhaps she could help him instead? Hilde immediately sent out patrols to find the man. she could not let one who fought for the same cause die in vain.

it was not long before Hilde found Siegfried and contrived to meet him on the outskirts of Ostrheinsburg. However, the knight clad in the cold, crystal armor would have nothing to do with her.

Siegfried: " this is my battle" he said " and i don't want anyone getting in my way. i don't need any help."

and w/ those few words, he left. Strangely, Hilde did not feel angry at his response. there was something about him....

Hilde's silver armor was forged to resemble a wolf, the guardian animal of Wolfkrone. it gleamed in the flickering candlelight as her servants secured it piece by piece to her body. each time she donned this suit, its weight reminded her of the heavy responsibility that she bore as ruler of her kingdom.

a heavy helm and armor plate are poor attire for a young lady of noble descent, but Hilde wore it with pride. for her, to bo dressed for battle felt the same as being attired in the finest silks.

there was a sense of foreboding. though she could not see the future, though she was unsure, Hilde felt instinctively that something enormous was about to happen. oh, how she longed to see into her own future in the same way that the children of Wolfkrone could read marrow's weather in the colors of the sky and the fragrance of the winds.

With a sharp metallic sound, Hilde snapped her gauntlets closed.

all she could do is believe in herself. dawn began to break. the long nightmare that Hilde thought would never end would soon be over.

Messenger: "You Highness. the royal guards and the rest of your army are assembled before the gate."

Without so much as a glance at the messenger, Hilde issued her command in a clear, confident voice.

Hilde: "good. have all units prepare to move out. we march at dawn"

Messenger: "as you command, You Highness."

Hilde could hear a tremor of excitement in the messenger's voice as he bowed and left.

only those who follow their convictions with no knowledge of their fate can build new futures. Hilde thought of that old teaching as she tucked her helm under her arm, left her bowing servants, and strode with confident, powerful steps out of the castle.

Daybreak-

they sky in the east was tinged with color and the night mist began to lift. soon, the magnificent formations of troops arrayed before the castle gate would be bathed in the morning sunlight. among the well-ordered army, nothing disturbed the silent stillness except the occasional neighing of a horse anticipating the sun and the messengers who scurried among the ranks.

from atop her steed, Hilde surveyed the armored rows of her loyal soldiers. she breathed deeply, unable to control the tension and excitement welling up inside her. but looking over the faces of the citizens who had come out to cheer the army off, she felt her courage grow.

there was no need for grand speeches. all in Wolfkrone had long known this moment would come. not a man or woman was ignorant of what this day meant. this day marked the beginning of a sequence of events that would decide their fate.

at that moment, a woman approached Hilde's horse. it was Sarya, the surviving mercenary. she limped slowly, still not recovered form her injuries. when she reached Hilde's side, she offered a brief blessing, and then handed Hilde a small necklace.

Sarya: "give this to him..."

Hilde nodded her head in silent acknowledgment and carefully took the necklace. this woman, too, had come to place her hope in Hilde's hands. she could not ignore her plea.

Hilde lifted her head and look to the sky. a single beam of sunlight split two mountains and shone across the fields.

Hilde: "SOLDIERS, MOVE OUT!!!"

upon Hilde's order, the horns sounded and the soldiers gave a mighty roar. like on the ocean, the kingdom's army began to move across the plain. Hilde raised her lance high in answer to her soldiers' cheers. in front of the castle tower, bathed in light, the flag of Wolfkrone.

the one who held that flag high would be the one who would drive drive back the darkness and lead Wolfkrone into a new, true dawn.

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