SoulCalibur: Crystal Embrace

Soulcalibur: Crystal Embrace (ソウルキャリバー：クリスタルエンブレム, Sourukyaribā: Kurisutaruenburemu) is a spin-off game in the Astral Lineage series of fighting games. It is the fifth overall game and first spin-off in the series. Its episodes coincide with the events of Soulcalibur: The Spirit Lineage and Soulcalibur Astral Swords - A Dark Destiny. The main focus is a young male and the whereabouts of the Spirit Sword, Soul Calibur.
==Plot==
Val, a young man who briefly met Patroklos and used to run with Schrwarzwind, catches wind of Soul Edge being brought to power once again. Disappointed but spurred on by a strange vision, he leads a small group and begins to prepare an army, intent on finding Soulcalibur; in the end, Destroying Soul Edge and all traces of it.
==Characters==
===New Characters===
Val- Sword and Shield
Vienna- Long Sword
Natalio- Ring Blade
Lucio- Two-handed Sword
Alaina- Halberd
Talon- Rapier
===Returning Characters===
Siegfried- Zweihander
Hilde- Lance and Short Sword
ZWEI- Cross-blade
Patroklos- Sword and Shield
Edge Master- Mimic All
Xiba- Staff
Viola- Cyrstal Ball
Natsu- Dual Kodachi
Maxi- Nanchaku
Kilik- Staff
Leixia- Chinese Sword
Algol
===Non-Playable Characters/Story Mode Only===
Malik- dual officer blades
Lily- Crossbow
==Game Modes==
===Offline Play===
Story Mode
Arcade
VS Battle
*Training
Character Creation
Museum
===Online===
Upload Custom Characters
VS Battle
Colessium
===Misc===
Options
*Language
*Display Settings
*Audio Settings
*Controller Settings
==Game Mechanics==
The game features the classic Soul series 8-way-run movement and attack style. Impacting (forward and back) are included as well. The game utilizes stringing combos together in order to perfect the gameplay. Critical Finishes have remained, with the conditions being you have won a majority of the rounds in a row. SoulGauges measure the amount of damage your Critical Edge does, and whether or not your shield is about to be shattered.
==Story Mode Episodes==
===Act I===
These episodes take place during the events of TSL, unless specified.
====Prologue====
Val glared at Siegfried and Hilde as the pair talked. Beside him, his best friend Alaina sighed. Patroklos and Pyrrha had returned without Soulcalibur, or any evidence of what had happened to Soul Edge. "You're not over it?" Alaina said to him. Val tilted his head and looked up at the sky. It had been awhile, and he had been reading the reports the scouts had been sending out. There was evidence of Soul Edge being active in the British area, and Siegfried had sent Lily Sagmire and not him.
"No, I'm not," Val replied moodily. "Soul Edge is back and we're sitting here doing nothing. We're not going after the one thing that would stop it." Alaina eyed him.
"What do you think we should do?" she asked him. Val gave her a look as though the answer was obvious.
"We find it ourselves."
"Find...?"
"Soul Calibur, of course," Val replied. He resisted rolling his eyes.
"You two look like you're plotting," ZWEI said as he walked up to the two. Val bit his tongue and Alaina jumped in surprise. "You know what happened the last time you upset Siegfried." Val slid down the wall he was leaning against a bit in attempt to make himself smaller.
"Then I just won't upset him this time," he responded cooly, eyeing ZWEI with disdain. ZWEI smirked at him as Viola walked by, and the tall man went after her. Viola looked over her shoulder at Val and shook her head. Val glared at her. Alaina shivered.
"She scares me," she muttered. Val looked at Siegfried again before pushing off the wall.
"Come on," he said. "I have a plan."
====Chapter I (Cutscene Only)====
"We need to find Soul Calibur," Val said to Siegfried. The blonde shook his head and sighed.
"We have no idea where it is," he responded. "I've already sent Lily and a lot of men to help this Tadeas kid. We don't have the resources at the moment."  Val glared at Siegfried but said nothing. He stormed out of the tent and stalked over to the training area where he spotted Patroklos. He frowned and crossed his arms. He'd been more than upset about Patroklos and Pyrrha's arrival to the group. Deciding to cool off before he did something stupid, Val left the base, making sure the guards at the gates knew he was leaving. He walked into the forest and was surprised by how warm it was.
Stripping down from his clothes, Val set his sword and shield at the edge of the water before sliding into the small lake. The water wasn't that cold, it was actually warm. Val closed his eyes and floated in the water, thinking. He needed to find Soul Calibur-
He let out a yelp as he felt himself being dragged down into the water. When he opened his eyes, he was surrounded by white, and in front of him was a bright, shimmering light. He was somehow able to breathe and he stared at the light. It felt familiar. He reached out with his hand to touch it and it erupted into blue crystals.
Val awoke with a gasp as he breached the surface of the water. He instinctively reached for the edge of the land, his hand landing on the hilt of his sword. When his eyes landed on where his sword should be, a glowing, crystalline blue sword was in its place. "Come To Me, My Child."
Freezing, Val stared, enraptured at the sight of the crystalline blade. The Sun's light was intensifying its glow, and there was a soft ringing in his ears. Suddenly, the vision was gone, and Val panted, looking around, shocked. Feeling a strange clarity, Val closed his mouth and sunk back into the water.
====Chapter II====
Talon approached Alaina where she was practicing with her halberd. Part of Alaina's "fighting style" included showing off much of her body, and Talon involuntarily flushed as he walked up to her. "Have you seen Val?" Swinging her halberd onto her shoulder, Alaina faced Talon.
"Not for the past hour, no," she answered. "But, I do know that he left the gates earlier." Talon nodded, having a feeling he knew where Val was.
"Thanks Alaina," he said as he walked away.
"Wait!" Alaina called, running up to him. "Train with me?" Talon chewed on his bottom lip before smiling and nodding.
"Sure thing Alaina."
Playable Character(s): Talon, Rapier
Opponent(s): Alaina, Halberd 3/5 battles
"You should try holding your halberd with the blade pointed more towards the ground," Talon advised. "To put less strain on your muscles." Alaina nodded, fixing her positioning.
"But, I can hold it up," she pointed out. Talon nodded.
"That's true, but it's not a staff. this has a more heavily weighted end."
On his way to the gates, he is stopped by ZWEI.
"Hey, Talon; watch that little brother of yours," said the dark haired man. Talon smiled stiffly.
"He's not really my brother, as much as I like to pretend," Talon responded. "And I can't control him." Talon and ZWEI lock eyes for a moment before ZWEI nodded and moved away. Talon sighed and continued to the outside of the gates. Once on the bridge, he ran right into Val.
"There you are!" Talon looked Val over and noticed the small trail of water coming from behind Val. The younger boy was carrying his boots instead of wearing them.. "You're all wet..." Val gave Talon an exasperated look.
"I took a swim," he replied. He cleared his throat. "Is Alaina on the training court? I need to talk to her." Talon frowned at the blatant dismissal Val had just given him, but nodded in confirmation of his question. Before he could say anything else, Val rushed past him and into Schwarzwind. Talon couldn't help but think that Val...
was glowing?
====Chapter III====
Val narrowed his eyes as he saw Alaina conversing with Patroklos. The blonde was grinning as Alaina laughed. Val ran over to the pair. "Go away, Patroklos," he said, irritated. "I need to talk to Alaina."
"No need to be so hostile, Valentine," Patroklos said calmly, rasing his hands in surrender. Val glared at him.
"It's Val," he muttered before turning his back on the other man and giving Alaina his attention. Patroklos didn't take the hint.
"I know that you've been interested in Soul Calibur-
The Camera flips to show's Val's face. The redhead's eyes roll up in annoyance and his mouth straightens into a line
"- but it's not the sword you think it is-"
Val spun around shoved Patroklos away and onto the battle court. He unsheathed his sword and raised his shield. "How about a quick spar, Pat," he hissed angrily, eyes flickering an icy blue. Patroklos looked worried, but was unsheathing his blade as well.
Playable Character(s): Val, Sword and Shield
Opponent(s): Patroklos, Lai Blade
Deflecting Patroklos sword with a well placed roundhouse, Val then slammed his hilt into the blonde's side. "I'm done, I'm done," Patroklos panted as he keeled over, grasping his side. Val flipped his sword into its sheath before once again turning to Alaina.
"I need to talk to you," he breathed, pushing her around a corner and away from Pat and other people. Once alone, he spoke. "We need to get Soulcalibur ourselves."
====Chapter IV Cutscene only====
"How are we even going to find it? We don't know where it is!" Alaina hissed.
"It's in Astral Chaos," Val said without even blinking. Alaina's eyes widened.
"How could you possibly...know that?" she questioned. Val opened his mouth to answer but then paused.
"I..I just do."
"You just do?"
"Yes, Alaina, you..." Val frowned. "Don't you trust me?" Alaina smiled softly, although she still appeared a bit concerned.
"Of course I trust you, Val," she replied. Val mirrored her grin.
"Then here's the plan..."
(Scene change to show passge of time)
"The skies are red over England," Alaina said to Val as she put slid her translucent skirt on. She was topless and Val was naked as well, and sat looking at various papers. He nodded.
"I've read the reports," he agreed. "It's time." Alaina nodded and tied her top on before leaving the tent, Halberd in hand. Val stood and walked over to a rack that held silver greaves and gauntlets. For a moment, their colour brightens into icy blues.
Stepping out of the tent, fully dressed in his new armour and body suit, Val caught several people's eyes. "Attention!" he announced. He looked around, making eye contact with everyone he'd previously talked to over the weeks. Beside him, Alaina took her place. "Soul Edge is Rising Again. We are sitting here, and letting it happen. Two ex-wielders of The Holy Blade; The Spirit Sword, Soulcalibur, are letting it happen. No More! We must retrieve Soul Calibur! The answer lies in Astral Chaos!" Yells of agreement erupted from several spots in the crowd that had formed. Val's eyes seemed to glint blue and a slight smirk made it's way onto his face as he caught Siegfried's eyes.
"The Ones Who Know what's Right will follow!" Alaina exclaimed, raising her halberd. Val spun on his heel and began to walk steadily to the gates of Schwarzwind. Many people began to follow.
At the gates, Talon was waiting, leaning against a wall. As Val got closer, he stood up straighter. "Val-
"Don't say anything," interrupted Val as he stopped walking. Talon sighed as Val refused to meet his gaze. Finally, Val looked at Talon.
"Little Red," whispered Talon, "are you sure about this? Siegfried won't-
"If you really care about me like you say you do," Val murmured, looking down, "you'll be at my side." He looked up at Talon from under his lashes, before staring at the ground again and walking away.
====Chapter V====
Talon stood at the gates, watching Val's retreating fiugre. He bit his lip, taking a step out of the gates. Someone grabbed his arm. It was Viola. "Blood..." she said quietly, Talon leaned a bit closer. "Blood is thicker than water. That makes it easier to choke on." Talon blinked, really taking in her words. Most people brushed her off, but Talon knew everything she said was significant. He nodded.
"Thank you, Viola," he muttered. He pulled away from her and ran after Val.
(Scene change)
Natalio screamed as Vienna did...something. Lucio was unsure of what to do except hold onto his little elf. Natalio had been throwing himself into walls and thrashed about. "Damn you, Vienna!"
"Don't you curse my name," Vienna hissed, using Natalio's mouth to speak. "Natalio loves you and that is the only reason I am letting you live!"
"I'm oh so thankful," Lucio said with as much sarcasm he could muster. A dark mist-like substance began to pour from Natalio and form into something human-figured. "What is that?" The figure did not answer, although it did seem to turn its head to look at Lucio. Natalio also seemed to be calming down.
Soon, a young woman with jet black hair, pointed ears and purple eyes stood before Lucio and Natalio. Lucio looked away with a roll of his eyes. She was naked.
"Vienna?" Natalio asked, eyes wide.
"In the flesh," she answered. Her eyes flickered past him and Lucio. "On your guard, we are not alone."
Playable Character(s): Lucio and Natalio
Opponent(s): Colourful Assassin 1, Colourful Assassin 2, Colourful Assassin 3
"How strange," Vienna said as examined their weapons. Lucio shook his head in disbelief.
"Who were they?"
"Organized thieves, perhaps?" Vienna suggested. But, Natalio looked grim.
"Those..." he bit his lip. "Those were Harlequins."
====Chapter VI====
"Harlequins?" Lucio repeated. Natalio nodded.
"My younger twin siblings; I've been keeping up with them. They're apart of the Harlequins," explained Natalio. "They're a group that hunts down anything Soul Edge related and destroys it."
"That doesn't explain why they attacked us," Vienna stated. Natalio tilted his head at her.
"What's also unexplained is how you are here right now," he retorted.
"I was under the impression she was some kind of ghost," Lucio said, crossing his arms. He still wasn't looking at Vienna.
"I am. I just have a more physical form."
"Well, can your physical form put on some clothes?"
Vienna's eyes narrowed at Lucio but she walked over to one of the dead Harlequin and wrapped a cloak around herself.
"They were probably after us because of you Vienna," Natalio said after a few moments. "You possessing me and trying to get me to Soul Edge."
"Which is why I am here now," Vienna responded. "To help you retrieve it..." Natalio frowned and moved closer to Lucio, his left hand's fingers gripping his lover's sleeve.
"I don't want to; it's in the hands of some pyshotic boy!" Natalio placed his ringblade on his shoulder. "And I won't kill all of humanity to get the elves back." Vienna sighed and shifted her weight to one side, placing a hand on her hip.
"But this is your lineage, Natalio," she insisted, hand raised in a fist. "You are elven."
"Human is also his lineage," Lucio added. Vienna's mouth twisted into scowl.
"I thought having a physical presence in this world to guide you would be better than roaming around in your head," Vienna said angrily, "but you need a little bit of force." A black and red Ringblade materializes in Vienna's hands.
Playable Character(s): Natalio, RingBlade
Opponent(s): Vienna, RingBlade
Vienna is thrown across the room, knocking over a vase as she goes. Natalio grabbed Lucio by the hand and pulled him towards the hallway. "Out through the garden?" Lucio said as they ran.
"You know me so well, my love." Natalio smiled and Lucio did the same.
====Chapter VII====
"Where exactly are we going?" Talon hesitantly asked Val. The slightly shorter redhead raised an eyebrow at him as they walked.
"We're going to get something to get us into Astral Chaos." Beside Val, Alaina nodded in affirmation of his words. Talon chewed on his bottom lip, unsure.
"Well, how do you know, exactly?" Talon questioned. Val tilted his head to look at Talon.
"I thought you said you trusted me?" Val muttered. Talon sighed, scratching the back of his head, but refused to be frustrated.
"I just want to know how you know all of this," he replied.
"Val!"
From across the mostly empty plain, Lily ran over to the group. The brown haired girl glared at Val as the redhead watched her. "What the hell do you think you're doing, Val?" Lily shoved Val and the group behind him became tense.
"Watch what you're doing, I'll cut you open." Val hissed. As if to back it up, Val removed his sword from its sheath and pointed it at her. "Now get out of my face."
"Siegfried told you not go after it!" Lily exclaimed, throwing her arms into the air. "It's lost for a reason!" Val's eye twitched before he lunged at the girl, only to be held back by Talon as Alaina got in Lily's face.
"You should step aside," Alaina suggested.
"Make me," Lily retorted.
Playable Character(s): Alaina, Halberd
Opponent(s): Lily, Crossbow
Lily stumbled back after Alaina kicked her in the gut. "Go back to Schwarzwind, Lily," Talon muttered quietly as Val and the others angrily stompped past her. He helped the brunette to her feet.
"What are you doing, Tal?" she questioned. Talon frowned and looked up at Val. She shook her head. "He's not worth it; he's not your responisbility."
"I know," Talon said simply. He stood and nodded at Lily before running to get caught up to Val.
====Chapter VIII- A Dark Destiny Begins to Intertwine ====
It was a battlefield that hadn't been cleaned. Talon swallowed uneasily as he watched Val traverse the grounds without a hint of hesitation. Even Alaina and some of the soldiers were uneased by the littering of dead bodies. Val simply walked with a purpose. He paused, however. "This isn't safe," Val said and turned to Talon and Alaina. "Tell the men to head back under cover Alaina; Talon you have my back." The men quickly did as they were told, with Alaina leading them. Once they were out of sight, Val motioned for Talon to follow.
Val looked up as he heard a screech. It was a raven. He looked down again and spotted two women as the Raven dropped something that emitted a dark energy. Val knew immediately it must be a Soul Edge shard. It let out a dark pulse and awakened two of the corpses. Val grabbed Talon's arm and pulled the older man even farther away from the two women and the undead corpses. He pointed at the woman in a dark dress. "She has what we need," he said quietly as the bodies soon fell back to the ground and one of the women stabbed the shard.
Talon looked at Val and then back at the scene. There was faint screaming; it sounded like a male. "What... what do we do?" he asked.
"Follow me," Val said. He then began to walk over to where the two brunette women had been. Talon is wary but follows Val, curious as to how Val seems to know exactly what he was doing. The shorter redhead stared down at one of the dead bodies and Talon frowned. It was such a young girl; her pretty face was round and dusted with freckles.
Val, however, was searching through the blonde woman's clothes before he let out a quiet, "aha." Talon looked up as Val stood, a grey shard in his hand. "I tried to stop him!" Alaina yelled suddenly, getting Talon and Val's attention. Approaching was ZWEI, sword resting on his shoulder. Alaina glared at him as she followed. Before anything else could be said, Val froze in place, eyes widening dramatically, a look of shock becoming stuck on his face.
(scene change)
A woman with a long, blonde braid and a grey and blue skinned woman were watching Val. The blonde woman nodded and the grey-blue woman stepped towards Val, a large, crystalline sword appearing. "Are you the one we need?" The blonde woman asked.
Playable character(s): Val, Sword and Shield
Opponent(s): Spyridon Calibur
He came back to reality so hard, Val fumbled forward, but his hand was clenched tight around the shard in his hand, and his veins began to glow a silvery blue, his eyes an icy colour. The shimmering faded soon, and he blinked as he took in the sight of Alaina, Talon and ZWEI all watching him.
====Chapter IX====
"Who are they?" Val asked suddenly, looking at ZWEI. The dark haired man seemed surprised by the sudden question but did not let it hinder his response.
"The woman was Lucinde," he said slowly. He looked at the smaller, younger girl. "...And the smaller girl, Nirvana." Val nodded slowly.
"What just happened, Val?" Talon asked. If he was any more worried, Val knew the older redhead might faint; his skin was looking a bit pale. Ignoring the questions, Val continued to stare at ZWEI.
"What are you doing here?" he demanded. ZWEI snorted.
"Siegfried told me to follow you guys...." ZWEI shrugged. "And I'm actually curious to see if you can actually get to Soul Calibur." Val smirked but said nothing. He refused to rise to ZWEI's bait. He looked at Talon and Alaina.
"We need to go into town," he said. He tilted his head. "Go get the men. You can come if you want, ZWEI." Val raised both of his eyebrows in invitation as he grabbed Talon by the wrist and began to head towards civilization.
(Scene change)
Lucio watched Natalio remove his clothes. They were back in Natalio's mansion, and Natalio had explained what he knew about the Harlquins and Soul Edge. There was no sign of Vienna, and there hadn't been for awhile. It made Natalio feel uneasy, but for now he'd take the peace. All of his clothing gone, Natalio flopped onto his and Lucio's bed. He fully intended to invite his lover to bed when they both heard a distinct crash. Lucio was immediately on alert, grabbing his sword from where it leaned on the wall. "Stay," he commanded and Natalio stilled as his dark haired lover left the room.
Almost immediately, Lucio was tackled to ground. He rolled him and his adversary over and flipped them off of him, raising his blade.
Playable character(s): Lucio, zweihander
Opponent(s): Blonde girl
"Wait, wait!" Natalio ran into the hallway and wrapped his arms around Lucio. "It's my sister! Rosie! Rosie, stop!" Everything calmed. The blonde girl stared at Natalio and then at Lucio and back and again. She cocked her head to the side.
"Big brother... I didn't....realize..." Rosie cleared her throat and looked away before staring at Natalio with her large, blue eyes. "I need your help."
====Chapter X Cutscene only====
Alaina wandered off, halberd in her hands. The boys were all jumping into the water nearby, and there was no way she was going to be getting naked near them. She may have not been wearing much, but she had all of the essentials covered. Once she could no longer hear the boys chatter, she stripped down and slid into the water. She rested her head on the ground near the water when she heard noise. She reached for her halberd and but froze when a black-haired man walked into view. The man froze as well, seemingly just realizing there was a naked woman in the water near him.
"Lord Maxi, where'd you-
Dear lord, Alaina thought as her face flushed and three more people appeared. "Fuck it," she muttered and climbed completely out of the water, halberd in her left hand. The man's face was an interesting shade of pink, and the two girls and boy were completely looking away. "I'm dressed now; what are you all doing here?" Alaina demanded, any good mood she had, gone. The black haired man, the obvious leader, cleared his throat.
"We heard from...the nearby locals about..."
Alaina watched him stutter, resisting to smile. "Follow me," she said simply.
(scene change)
Val was asleep, his head resting on Talon's thigh. Even in his sleep, the younger redhead looked angry, his eyebrows furrowed. ZWEI sat down next to Talon. "Do you have any idea what we saw on that field?" the man asked. Talon shook his head, gaze not leaving Val. He was worried. He was so worried, his heart had been racing since they left Schwarzwind. "I think Soul Calibur is connected to him, somehow," ZWEI continued. Talon looked up at the man, blinking.
"Soul Calibur has been sending him visions...." Talon said so slowly, as if he was saying the words as the thoughts flowed into his brain. "...is that what you're saying?" ZWEI tilted his head, blue eyes watching Talon curiously.
"Why, however? Why Val?" ZWEI raised an eyebrow and Talon ws beginning to wonder why the man was so intent on staring at him.
"I... I don't know," Talon replied and winced when he felt Val's fingers digging into his leg. The younger redhead sat up, eyes instantly glaring at ZWEI. Talon was confused as he saw ZWEI smirk.
"Val, we've got some people here to talk to you," Alaina announced as she walked back into the camp. The other soliders were all alert then as Maxi, Natsu, Xiba and Leixia followed her in.
====Chapter XI ====
"First, why did you attack me?" Lucio demanded as Natalio relaxed against him. Rosie smiled sweetly at him.
"Well, I was trying to protect my big brother's innoncence, of course," she purred. "Nattie didn't tell me about you; he hasn't exactly been around to." Natalio frowned at her words.
"It's not exactly my fault," Natalio retorted. He tilted his head at Rosie. "Where is Aaron?" At this, Rosie's expression darkened and she looked away for a few moments.
"He's dead," she muttered. She looked up at Natalio again. "That's why I need your help. To kill the one who did it..."
(scene change)
Val stood and walked over to Alaina. Behind him, Talon trailed. The older man stood behind Val as he spoke. He crossed his arms. "What do you want?" he said plainly. Maxi raised his eyebrow.
"We heard you were looking for Soul Calibur," Maxi said slowly. Val shrugs.
"So I am; do you have a point?" Shifting from one foot to another, Val was becoming impatient. Alaina sighed softly and looked at him.
"They want to help us, Val," she said pointedly. Val rolled his eyes.
"What can you offer me?" Val questioned.
"Our skills in combat and knowledge of the Spirit Sword!" Leixia piped up. Val briefly looked at her before shrugging.
"Prove you can hold your own then," he replied. He pointed his sword at Maxi with a smirk. "Talon, Alaina; at my side."
Playable character(s): Val, Alaina, Talon
Opponent(s): Maxi, Xiba, Natsu
Sheathing his sword, Val lets out a huff of breath. He stared down the four as his teammates breathed heavily. Chewing on his cheek. "Fine. Tell me what you know then."
====Chapter XII====
Natalio moved away from Lucio and stared at Rosie in shock. "He's dead?!" he exclaimed. "What!?" Rosie nodded frantically and came closer to Lucio and Natalio.
"Yes! Killed by The wielder of Soul Edge!"
Natalio tilted his head and shared a look with Lucio. He'd nearly forgotten his sister was involved with the Harlequin assassins. His lover raised an eyebrow. "The..the Wielder of Soul Edge?" Natalio ventured closer to his younger sister. "When did Soul Edge gain a new wielder?"
"That doesn't matter, big brother!" Rosie tossed her hands up in frustration. She shook her head. "Know this; I'm with a group called the Harlequins, and my brother and I; we were the best. We were sent to kill him and.....destroy Soul Edge but...." Rosie sucked in a breath. Natalio lowered his gaze and he felt Lucio's arms come around him.
A few moments passed as Natalio debated something in his mind. "about Soul Edge....."
(scene change)
Two Weeks later....
"So, how do we get into Astral Chaos?" Val crossed his arms and leaned closer to Maxi as the older man spoke. On his left, Talon was chewing on his cheek in worry. On Val's right, Alaina was staring intently at Maxi with something akin to admiration. A few feet away, ZWEI leaned against a tree. The rest of the soldiers were either sparring or chatting. The past days, they'd made some progress. They'd been able to set up refuge in a smaller town and, now, apparently, they were in an area that'd be more easy to acces a veil into Astral Chaos.
"We need at least a piece of one of the Spirit Swords," replied Maxi. Val immediately pulled out the shard he'd retrieved from the dead blonde woman. It glowed softly in his palm. "I know this is from Soul Calibur." At his words, the shard glowed more before a woman began to materialize before him.
"What is that?" Alaina demanded, her halberd in her hands, ready to strike if necessary. Talon was tensed as well. The soldiers had stopped to look. Spyridon Calibur appeared. She ignored everyone, but stepped to Val. Without saying a word, she lifted her hand towards him. Val took it, and his veins began to glow once more. She lifted his hand, and silver clouds began to form above them.
Without warning, ZWEI tackled Val to the ground. "Sorry, kid, but I can't let you do this!" he exclaimed. Val sceamed at him in frustration as they scuffled on the ground. He managed to get the man off of him, and he rose, sword ready.
Playable Character(s): Val
Opponent(s): ZWEI
Straddling ZWEI, Val raised his sword, but Talon gripped his wrist, stopping him from stabbing the man. Val's head whipped around to glare at him and he growled before wrenching his wrist away. He stood, breathing heavily. "Try and stop me again, you bastard!" spat Val. ZWEI glared at him as Val turned back to Spyridon Calibur. He lifted his hand once more and the silvery clouds parted, revealing a tear into Astral Chaos.
====Chapter XIII====
"About Soul Edge, Rosie....You know I'm on the list the Harlequin's have," Natalio said quietly. Rosie froze where she stood, and her eyes widened comically.
"WHAT?" Rosie seemingly teleported to Natalio's front. Their faces were only a few inches apart and Lucio pulled his lover away from her.
"Back up," he commanded. "Now." Rosie clenched her jaw and stiffly stepped away from the pair with clenched fists.
"The Harlequins only target people connected to Soul Edge," Rosie said slowly. Her brows furrowed and she bit her lip. "Natalio, what did you?" Before Natalio could answer, the glass of the windows around them began to shatter. There were flaming torches being thrown through them. The drapes and carpet were soon catching fire.
"No!" Natalio screamed in horror as his childhood home burned.
"Shit, we need to get out of here!" Lucio took Natalio by the hand and rushed him down the steps, Rosie a few feet behind them. Natalio looked around with teary eyes as they exited through to the garden. His eyes widened when he saw that his swing and garden were burning as well. With a huff, Lucio lifted Natalio bridal style and ran out of the garden.
"Wait a moment!" Rosie called out as she struggled to keep up. She glanced around and paused when she saw her fellow Harlequins tossing the torcehes. "What are you doing?!" Running to one of them, she pushed them down.
Playable character(s): Rosie
Opponent(s): Harlequin 1/2, Harlequin 2/2
Rosie smacked the Harlequin hard across the face with a growl of frustration. "It's me, Rosie, you fucking idiots!" she growled. The Harlequin's eyes widened in recognition and Rosie shoved him again. "THIS IS MY HOME YOU DUMB SHITS!" Rosie gripped her sickle's hilt tightly, her jaw clenched.
"M-master Rosita, we- we didn't-
With a scream of rage, Rosie plunged her sickle's blade into the girl's chest. Placing her foot on the girl's abdomen, she shoved her away and watched as she choked and fell to the ground. The other Harlequins were silent and watched Rosie in fear. Breathing deeply, Rosie glared at them.
"Put this mess out," she growled.
====Chapter XIV====
Lucio watched his lover as he stared in silence at his burning home. Without a word, Natalio turned and began to walk away. Lucio followed quietly. For a few more moments, there were no words. "I love you, Natalio," Lucio began. "But, your sister is insane." Natalio closed his eyes and ran his hand down his face with a sigh.
"That much was clear..." muttered Natalio as he looked over his shoulder at his burning childhood home.
(scene change)
Val tilted his head as he stared, fascinated, at the dark entrance. Behind him, ZWEI had gotten back to his feet and was glowering at the entrance into Astral Chaos. There was utter silence around him, and he grinned because he was the cause of such awe. Spyridon Calibur nodded and moved closer to Val.
"No time to stand on ceramony," finally, Val spoke up. Spyridon Calibur nodded again and faded away and back into the crystal shard. His veins glowed silver as he looked at Alaina. She moved to stand next to him, large grin on her face.
"You already know I'll be at your side," Alaina said confidently. Val smiled, the expression the most genuine it'd been in a long time.
"Actually, I want you to stay here and take charge of the group," Val replied. He grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her closer. Lowering his voice, he said, "Keep those four in check, yeah?" Alaina nodded hesitantly and Val released her with a short nod. He then looked at Talon.
"With me, Talon," he said. Sucking in a breath, Talon stood at his side. Smirking, Val pointed at ZWEI. "C'mon, doggy. Be a good boy, and let's go." ZWEI scoffed and rolled his eyes. He trudged over to Val and looked down at the redhead.
"I just tried to stop you not even eight mintues ago," he said plainly. "You think I'm gonna help you now?" Val smirked and grabbed ZWEI by the forearm and dragged the man closer, so their faces were merely inches apart.
"Yes. I do," Val said triumphantly. He licked his lips and let go of ZWEI's arm. Still smirking, he walked backwards into the tear of Astral Chaos. Talon and ZWEI both watched him until he was no longer visible. Frowning, Talon gave ZWEI an annoyed look, but ZWEI either ignored him or didn't see it as he followed Val into Astral Chaos. Talon wasn't sure why, but his teeth were beginning to ache; he didn't know why he was clenching his jaw so harshly. He followed after ZWEI into Astral Chaos.
Astral Chaos was exactly how Val imagined it. It was almost eery how accurate his fantasies had been of this place. "I know why you've come, young warrior," a man's voice called out. Val narrowed his eyes while ZWEI and Talon settled at his side. Before them was an older man with long, white hair and a beard. Val looked past him and his eyes widened. Soul Calibur floated in the sky in crystal-blue aura.
"The Soul Swords cannot leave Astral Chaos," the man said, getting into a defensive position. Talon went to step forward, but Val stuck out his arm, stopping him.
"Soul Calibur is mine," Val said darkly as he approached the older man.
Playable character(s): Val, sword and shield
Opponent(s): Edge Master, 300%, Twice
Val heard a screech in the background as he struck down the man. Making sure he was unconscious, Val tossed his sword and shield to the ground. Behind him Talon and ZWEI were tense. Soul Calibur seemed to shine brighter as Val walked closer to it. Once he was right under it, the sword began to descend.
"It's really reacting to him," Talon muttered in shock. ZWEI seemed equally as surprised by this, if his wide-eyed expression was anything to go by.
"Do not!" Edge Master grabbed Val by the leg and pulled him away from Soul Calibur, tossing him back toward Talon and Val. He collapsed on the ground by their feet, knocked out cold.
====Chapter XV====
Talon immediately dropped down to check on Val while ZWEI ran at Edge Master, his sword raised. "You do not understand," Edge Master said calmly. He held up his hand. "Allow me to explain something to you. If Valentine's fingers even graze Soul Calibur, he will never be able to let it go. His soul will be forever intertwined with it."
"What does that even mean?" Talon demanded once he was finished checking over Val.
"It means he will never be able to part with Soul Calibur, and Soul Calibur may not part with him," Edge Master said gravely. ZWEI scowled at him before turning away, scoffing. On the ground, Val stirred into concsiousness and sat up slowly.
"What the..." Val groaned and slowly rose to this feet. He held his head and stumbled to Talon, leaning against the man's side. "What's going on."
"Val-
"When are you going to stop meddling in my affairs," Algol's voice boomed as he floated toward where the four stood. Edge Master shook his head at the man, while ZWEI and Talon both positioned Val behind them.
"I'll stop when your affairs do not put the world at risk."
"Who the hell are you?" Val demanded, not liking how he was being babied, and pushed past Talon and ZWEI. "Neither one of you are going to stop me from getting Soul Calibur!" Algol looked at Val and watched him silently.
"Hot-headed, just like his mother," muttered Algol as he approached Val. Val looked at him in confusion.
"What do you know about my mother?" he questioned, his demeanor softening just a small bit. Shaking his head, Algol gestured for Val to approach.
"You claim you want Soul Calibur!" he boomed. "Then prove you are worthy of it!"
Playable character(s): Val, sword and shield
Opponent(s): Algol, 200% Health, 3 out 5
====Chapter XVI====
"This is not going to end well," said Edge Master as he watched the Val and Algol dance around each other. "Those swords only cause disaster..."
Val let out a scream as he jumped up, sword gleaming. Algol dodged this easily, but Val smirked as he managed to ram his shield into Algol's side. Immediately, he brought his sword back around. Algol caught the blade and yanked Val closer, nodding. "You are definitely your mother's son. You have the same fire in your eyes and heart." Algol released Val's blade and Val narrowed his eyes at the man. Soul Calibur gleamed brightly.
"You speak of my mother again! What do you know of her?" Val demanded, fists tightening around his hilt and shield's handle. Algol smiled faintly.
"I know her, because you, Valentine Ra's Al Ghul, bare my name.... for you are my son."
Before Val could speak, Soul Calibur began to glow incredibly bright and wrapped Val inside a light blue mist.
....
Val opened his eyes. It was white everywhere he looked, and impossibly bright. He narrowed his eyes when he saw Soul Calibur in the short distance. A woman with warm, red hair was standing beside it. She wore a pale, white dress and her amber eyes stared expectantly at Val. "Who are you?" he questioned, though he had a feeling he already knew. He stepped closer, his fingers grabbing a small chunk of his hair and he gazed down at it before returning to look at the woman. Her features were sharp but not harsh. She took Soul Calibur into her hand and walked toward Val with a confidence.
"This is your final test, my little Valentine," his mother said as she flipped Soul Calibur in her fingers.
Playable Character(s): Val, Sword and Shield
Opponent(s): Rhiannon, Soul Calibur
Val knocked Soul Calibur from his mother's hands, and caught it as it fell. Rhiannon watched Val as the blade shimmered in his grasp. Val's eyes widened as dark blue began to trail up his veins and a burning sensation spread through his body. He clenched his fist around Soul Calibur's hilt as the pain increased to a searing and he couldn't help but let out a scream of pain.
.......
In reality, Talon and ZWEI struggled to keep Val from thrashing around. His veins were glowing the same dark blue. "What the hell is wrong with him?!" ZWEI demanded, growling as he approached Algol. Behind him, Talon winced as Val began to scream. Algol said nothing, just crossed his arms, a strangely smug look on his face. Suddenly, Val stopped moving and opened his eyes. They were an unnatural, crystal blue.
"How is that happening when he doesn't even have Soul Calibur?" ZWEI shook his head, shock clear on his face. Talon released Val and the redhead began to walk to Soul Calibur, where it was nearly invisible behind the pure white aura surrounding it.
"If you take up that blade... You can never be away from it. Do you understand that? You will die without it!" Talon exclaimed desperately as Val reached for Soul Calibur. The younger redhead paused and looked over his shoulder at Talon.
"We all have to make sacrifices... for the safety of humanity." Val wrapped his fingers around the blade's handle.
====Chapter XVII====
Natalio gently swung his and Lucio's hands back and forth as they walked through the abanonded city. Natalio was still naked, only he was wrapped in his lover's dark blue cape. "We need to find you some clothes," Lucio commented lightly as they walked. "And a weapon." Natalio shook his head and ran his hand down his face.
"It was stupid of me to just leave it," Natalio muttered.
"Yes it was," Vienna called to them as she stepped from out a small shop. Lucio groaned and rolled his eyes dramatically as he and Natalio came to a stop.
"What are you doing here?" Natalio demanded.
"You should know that the boy no longer has Soul Edge," Vienna said slowly.
"You should know that Natalio isn't going after it," Lucio said flatly. Vienna tapped her fingers against her thigh.
"You don't control him, human," she hissed angrily. Lucio chuckled as he raised the hand tangled with Natalio's, pressing a kiss to the back of the young blonde's hand.
"You don't control him either, not anymore," he retorted.
"If you only came to tell me about Soul Edge, then you can leave!" Natalio exclaimed. "I want nothing to do with it anymore." Vienna's mouth twitched and she looked away.
"So be it," she said quietly. Licking her lips, Vienna looked to Natalio again. "Just remember that you're abandoning your heritage, your ancestors; your real people for....nothing." Vienna twirled around and began to walk away. Natalio glared at her retreating form and held Lucio's hand tighter than ever.
(scene change)
Once Soul Calibur was in Val's hand, his clothes completely desintigrated, leaving him naked. However, a thin crystalline substance began to spread across his body, glowing brightly. Once he was completely covered, an icy-blue, crystalline crown formed on his head, and the glow died down. Val sucked in a deep breath. His eyes were back to their normal amber. "I remember..." he said quietly, gaze going to Algol. He looked solemn as he observed the man.
"Are you alright, kid?" ZWEI questioned. Val hummed his affirmation as he dropped his shield and another materialized around his arm.
"Now that you've retaken the blade, what do you plan to do with it?" Edge Master demanded. Val smirked at the old man.
"You said the swords shouldn't leave Astral Chaos; so they won't. It's a good thing Soul Edge is already in here, huh?"
Suddenly, a loud, gravelly howl was heard, and a figure with large wings swooped down, landing heavily on the terrain. A crater was created from his impact, and only one of his peculiar eyes was visible behind his lengthy, pitch black hair. He was quite a sight to behold, his brilliant wings on display, scaled legs and arms, claws ready, and tail swishing slowly behind him. Two horns protruded from his head as well. Slowly he stalked toward the group before abruptly a huge beamed fired from his mouth, blasting Algol and Edge Master. The man then jumped at Val.
Playabale Character(s): Val, Soul Calibur
Opponent(s): Unknown Man, Unknown Weapon
"What the hell is that?!"
Val struggled beneath the man, letting out a yelp as its tail slammed down into the ground where his head had been. Talon ran at him, swinging his blade, only for the man to look up and catch the sword with his fingers. Releasing his sword just as the man went to pull him in, Talon spin kicked him, sending him tumbling off of Val. Quickly, he gathered Val up, helping the younger redhead to his feet.
The unknown man seemed enraptured by Talon's blade, a strangely fierce look in his one visible eye. He looked over at Talon and Val before growling and taking to the sky again. "My sword...." Talon said quietly as the man flew away. Val was breathing deeply and he sheathed Soul Calibur in a belt that materialized as he willed it. He turned to look up at Talon as ZWEI approached.
"Drystan, thank you..." Val said quietly as he looked up Talon. Hazel eyes widened in slight shock at the use of his birth name and Val moved closer to him. "I mean it, for everything; you've stayed with met his whole time..." Val looked away, eyebrows furrowing as he gazed out to astral chaos. He wasn't sure how he would ever thank Talon for putting up with his horrible attitude, but he'd figure it out after he destroyed Soul Edge.
===Act II===
====Chapter XVIII====
A young, brown haired boy lay unconscious on the ground before arms carefully lifted him, cradling him close to their body. "C'mon, wake up," a deep voiced said gently. "Wake up, Teo." Cyril couldn't help but grin softly at the confused expression that came over Teo's face.
"W-what?" Teo lifted one of his hands and rubbed at his eyes before opening them. He blinked lazily at Cyril before recognition filled them. "Blonde man! Y-you... you're not dead!" Teo jolts up, wrapping his arms and legs around Cyril. Grinning, Cyril places his hand on Teo's lower back.
"No, I'm not dead. little one." Cyril sobers up. "I need your help with something, okay?" Teo tilts his head, staring intently at Cyril.
"Of, of course Teo will help Blonde Man!" Teo tilts his head to the other side, a light pink crawling in his cheeks. "T-Teo l-likes blonde man." He smiled sweetly at Cyril. I am so fucked, Cyril thought vaguely.
"That's good; and call me Cyril, alright? Cyril wants you to help him kill some people, are you alright with that?" Cyril raised an eyebrow at the almost giddy expression on Teo's face.
"Of... of-of course Teo is!" Teo exclaims happily. "T-teo is good at, uh...killing people."
"You've been a very bad boy, Teo!" Tira croons as she sashays toward them. Teo's eyes widen at the sight of his sister. Cyril puts Teo down and glares at Tira as she advances.
"Back the fuck off, witch!" Cyril growls, drawing his daggers.
Playabale Character(s): Cyril, Dual Daggers
Opponent(s): Tira, RingBlade
"P-please!" Teo calls at the two as they continue to fight. His head begins to ache, and tears form in his eyes. "Stop, stop f-fighting!" Tira manages to slice Cyril's cheek and Teo's eyes widen.
"I- I said st...stop! TEO DOESN'T LIKE IT!" Teo screamed, his voice taking on an unearthly edge, and a blue shockwave erupted through the forest. Cyril and Tira both collapsed, screaming in pain. Panting, Teo rushed over to help Cyril up.
"...that....that power was...." Tira looked shockd at Teo as her little brother helped Cyril.
"Go-go away! Go away, Big Sister! I mean it!" it was the most coherent Teo had ever spoken. He stomped one of his feet and held his sister's gaze. There was a strange look in her eyes as she backed away before completely running off. Teo bit his lip as his head began to ache once more. He really did cry this time, the pain excruciating. He slammed his fists into his temples, but Cyril grabbed his wrists and pulled him closer, pressing his lips to the boy's head.
"Hey, calm down Kid," Cyril muttered gently. He chewed on his bottom lip. He'd known that icy pain very well....
(scene change)
Val pulled Talon forward into a hug. "Alright, let's go," he announced as he released Talon. "We've got Soul Edge to deal with."
====Chapter XIX (Cutscene only)====
"You know the whole point of being a Guardian is to keep people from getting the swords," a blonde woman said lazily as she sat, her legs dangling from where she was. She swung them back and forth idly as the horned man from earlier examined Talon's blade. His one visible eye slowly drifted up to where she sat.
"Those blades aren't from here, anyway. My only concern is one blade...and one blade only," he muttered boredly. His voice was strangely familiar. "Humans love to mess with things they do not understand. It is their naive way."
"Well, one of their spirits is from here," the woman retorted. She stood and jumped down, landing in a silvery pool of liquid with a soft splash. Some of it landed on one of the man's wings and he hummed irritably.
"Don't aggravate me Seraphina," the man murmured. She smiled mischeviously at him and flicked more of the silvery liquid at him.
"Don't be grumpy," she cooed sweetly, crawling slowly from the silvery liquid. She pushed her hair back and approached the dark haired man. "What's got you so twisted up in this little sword?" The man looked at Seraphina once again before tilting it down to show her.
"It's from my wing," he said plainly. "How did any piece of me get out of Astral Chaos?"
"Maybe you're not as careful as you think you are," Seraphina grinned cheekily.
"Impossible. Careful is my real name." He brought the blade higher and took a chunk of his hair. With a frown, he cut through his hair with the blade, revealing more of his face. However, the camera cut to Seraphina watching him. "It really is from my wing; it wouldn't have cut my hair otherwise." Seraphina frowned, her mirth dissipating.
"Humans really don't know what they're dealing with, do they?"
====Chapter XX====
"I don't know how much help I'm going to be without my blade," Talon said slowly as he watched Val with a wary expression.
"We all know you don't need your sword to be deadly," ZWEI said with a raised eyebrow. Talon shrugged, but didn't respond. Suddenly, Val winced and bent forward.
"What's wrong?" Talon questioned as ZWEI helped Val stand. Astral Chaos began to shake about them. "What's going on?" Val pressed a hand to his head and groaned.
"I feel.... kind of weak...." he then promptly, passed out.
(scene change)
"Teo, how did you do that?" Cyril asked curiously. Teo was riding on his shoulders and he wiggled a bit.
"How did Teo do what?" Teo idly ran his fingers through Cyril's blonde hair. It was a valid question, actually. Cyril was sure there'd been some type of Soul Calibur-related power from that shockwave; there was no other reason for it to have burned the way it did. However, he wasn't even sure what Teo had done or how to describe it, or if Teo was even aware of it.
"Eh, nevermind Little Thing," Cyril sighed. He stopped walking when he saw a girl in the short distance. He recognized her immediately. "Not this bitch..."
"You're still alive?" Rosie laughed as she skipped closer, sickled swinging in a circular motion through the air. "I thought maybe your precious Alexander would've done you in already!" She stopped when she was a few feet away from Cyril. The latter blonde kneeled down so Teo could hop off his shoulders.
"Unlucky for you, I'm still kickin'," Cyril snapped. He pointed Robin at her. "You gonna waste time talking or was there a reason you skipped your annoying ass up to me?" Rosie smiled nastily at him before tossing her sickle at him. However, before Cyril could deflect it, Teo kicked it, the chain wrapping around his leg. He jerked his leg down and Rosie let out a scream as she was pulled forward before ultimately crashing to the dirt.
Teo tilted his head in curiousity at Rosie. "Why does everyone want to..to attack C-Cyril?" He unwrapped his leg from Rosie's sickle and the blonde girl rose to her feet with a humourless grin.
"Today is not going my way," she grumbled, stalking forward.
Playable Character(s): Teo, Bladed Boots
Opponent(s): Rosie, chained sickle
Teo's heel made contact with Rosie's gut and she fell down to her knees. He ran at her and swung his leg in a kick, but she moved, so his leg missed her head and instead landed on her shoulder. She went to lift him, but once he was in the air, Teo wrapped his legs around her neck and whipped her back to the ground . His legs stayed wrapped around her neck and easily cut off her airways.
Cyril whistled lowly. "Damn, Teo..." He walked closer as he observed Rosie struggling to breathe.
"WAIT!"
====Chapter XXI Preview====
Cyril looked up at the....
......Pointy ears?
Cyril's eyebrows raised at the pointed ears portruding quite blatantly from the boyish-looking man approaching him. Not to mention, he was naked, with an almost exasperated looking man behind him.
"What are you doing?" Natalio demanded. "Release my sister!" Teo looked startled at his exclamation and rolled away from Rosie with wide eyes. Cyril scoffed as Rosie staggered to her feet.
"She's your sister? Have you tried keeping the bitch on a leash?" Cyril's grip on his dagger was tight. 
==Stages==
TBA
==Trivia==
It is the first, and so far the only game in the Astral Lineage that has earned the USA M-Rating  18 rating, according to PEGI. The game contains Blood, Violence, Nudity, Mild Language, and Sexual Content according to the ESRB and PEGI. 
==Gallery==
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