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'I can see the fear in your eyes.'
'You could...never understand.'
-Mykel Linden speaks to Siegfried before battle in SoulCalibur V.
Main Information[]
Mykel Linden is the main character of the 'Destined Souls' fanon created by SoulCalibur Wiki user 'Mykel Linden'. Formerly a Demigod, Linden pursued his brother, Tratior, to Earth in their own dimension in order to destroy the ultimate evil that was possessing him, a Supreme God called Xexes.
Eventually becoming a King of a now-lost kingdom called Sanaria, Mykel Linden (along with many of his friends and foes that he had gained in the years since his descent (including Tratior)) all shared a dream one night; a dream of two swords floating in the air in front of them. Each reaching for one of the swords, everyone is each pulled into a portal in their dream. When they awaken from the dream, they all find that this exact incident has occurred and that they have been scattered all across the world of SoulCalibur (from Europe all the way as far as Japan).
Main Themes:[]
Forsaken Sanctuary (SoulCalibur III)[]
To the Wind (SoulCalibur IV & Broken Destiny)[]
Samsara: The Wheel of Eternity (SoulCalibur V)[]
Undying Legend (SoulCalibur VI)[]
(Songs uploaded to YouTube by BrawlBRSTMs3 X & Nightfall)[]
What lies in his soul is Divinity'. In an unreleased promotional material, Linden is referred to as The Apocryphal King'.
Events of Soul Blade & SoulCaliburs I, Legends, & II[]
The annals of history do not say much about what Mykel Linden does during the events of these games, save for the fact that, upon awakening in this world, he felt an incredible surge of holy power. The few who met Linden in this timeframe state that he was seeking the source of this holy power...
Events of SoulCalibur III[]
It is during the events of SoulCalibur III that Linden takes his place in the annals of history. One day, whilst in a village in eastern Europe, Linden heard tell of a man with long blonde hair wielding a massive sword that gave off a large amount of holy power. Was this the answer Linden had been searching for? Immediately traveling across Europe, he gathered all he could on the man whom he learned was named Siegfried, and began to follow his trail. For weeks, Linden chased Siegfried, and finally...that was when Linden learned of Tratior.
Tratior Helsing Rebus Valleghan, Linden's brother-turned-nemesis from Sanaria, was seeking a monstrous being in azure armor who also wielded a massive sword that gave off horrifically evil energy (as opposed to Siegfried's sword's holy power). Soul Edge is what this demonic sword was called, and Linden learned from a man calling himself Zasalamel (after managing to best him in combat at an old Clock Tower) that Tratior sought to take Soul Edge for himself, go back to Sanaria, and destroy the entire kingdom with its near-limitless power. Realizing that the very kingdom he loved dearly as its King was threatened, Linden took an oath of resolve that he would take this 'holy sword' from Siegfried...even if it meant prying it from his cold, dead hands...either that, or find the Azure Knight first and destroy him and Soul Edge both...upon taking this oath, Linden practically ran from the Clock Tower without ever asking Zasalamel how he knew of these things...
Eventually pursuing Siegfried to a faraway Lost Cathedral, Linden sensed Tratior's presence nearby and was just about to stumble upon him when he found his path blocked by none other than Nightmare, the 'Azure Knight' that Tratior was pursuing. A fierce battle ensued, and after no less than eleven rounds of battle, Linden was finally able to weaken Nightmare enough to drop the Azure Knight to his knees. As Linden raised his blade to pierce the eye of Soul Edge and save his kingdom, a voice called out to him: "Only one blade can truly end Soul Edge...the blade you've been chasing after me for for so long, Mykel Linden...the mighty Soul Calibur!"
Siegfried, stepping out of the shadows, immediately engaged Linden in combat and thanks to the powers of the holy sword known as Soul Calibur, Linden was gravely wounded. Swearing to wrest Soul Calibur from Siegfried to save his kingdom, Linden fled before Tratior could arrive to finish him off...
Events of SoulCalibur IV[]
Recovered from his wounds, Linden took up his sword once more after learning that Tratior had managed to acquire a shard of Soul Edge (assumedly at the Lost Cathedral) and pour enough of his own power into to form a totally separate Soul Edge sword. Upon the appearance of the Tower of Remembrance, Linden knew instinctively that all of the world's strongest warriors would flock to this tower like vultures to a rotting corpse. Traveling there himself, Linden was just about to reach the base of the tower when he found himself on a large plateau surrounded by bubbling lava and facing a massive figure clad in futuristic black armor. The figure's breaths were distorted by his face mask, and wordlessly, he ignited what looked like a red laser blade. After an extremely difficult battle, Linden was able to overcome the figure, who declared himself as being someone named Darth Vader, and began ascending the Tower.
On an upper floor inside the Tower, Linden battled with Nightmare again. History repeated itself as Linden was able to bring Nightmare to his knees, but this time, the battle had taken a toll on Nightmare and chipped off a fragment of Soul Edge (which Linden decided to take with him). However, Linden looked down on the kneeling Nightmare and said: 'Embodiment of all evil as you are, a leecher of souls, I have a more important foe to fight than you right now, Azure Knight.' So saying, Linden temporarily grasped Soul Edge, and using the light and purity in his heart to block out the tempting voice trying to lure him to the side of evil, he pinned Nightmare to the floor by impaling his leg with his own sword. This would buy Linden more than enough time to get to the tower's top. Linden made for the stairs leading up, but not before bending down and picking up the shard of Soul Edge and putting it in his pocket.
But as he ascended further, he still could not shake the feeling of his body being 'tainted' in the moment he grasped such an evil shard...
Atop the Tower of Remembrance, expecting to find Siegfried, Linden found Tratior instead, wielding his Soul Edge. Linden and Tratior then proceeded to engage in what would be one of the greatest and most deadly fights ever witnessed in the world; both Linden and Tratior suffered great injury, but finally, thanks to the increasing power of his own Soul Edge, Tratior gained the upper hand. Unleashing the full power of his Soul Edge, Tratior brought it down on Linden's blade so hard that Linden's blade was utterly shattered. With a noise that sounded between a roar and a yell of triumph, Tratior was then able to kick Linden hard enough in the stomach that, with a look of utter shock on his face, Linden fell backwards from the top of the Tower, plummeting to the ground far below...
Events of SoulCalibur: Broken Destiny[]
Bruised, battered, and broken, Linden's own powers were the only thing that allowed him to survive the fall. Barely able to move, Linden slowly attempted to crawl away from the Tower of Remembrance, but his wounds were too great.
Fortuitously, Linden's closest friend from Sanaria, Scolita, found Linden laying at the gates of the Tower. Slinging Linden over his shoulder, Scolita carried Linden a distance from the Tower to a small hut outside of the evil ruins of Ostreinsburg Castle (Nightmare's domain), and through the events of Broken Destiny, while the other warriors of destiny fought for possession of Soul Calibur and Soul Edge, Scolita intended to spend much time healing Linden and letting him recover...but history would not permit this.
One day, a very famous warrior named Heishiro Mitsurugi visited the hut and saw the injured Linden. Having met Linden briefly when Linden had traveled to the Far East in pursuit of Siegfried during the events of SoulCalibur III, Mitsurugi asked Scolita what had happened. Scolita explained Linden losing to Tratior and Soul Edge.
Knowing its power all too well, Mitsurugi declared that he found it unsurprising that Linden had lost. Setting aside his weapon, Mitsurugi pulled some bowls and primitive implements out of a satchel he was carrying; he would then spend the next couple of hours completely healing Linden's wounds using ancient healing techniques that he had been taught long ago for healing himself after the great battles he'd been in.
However, even Mitsurugi's healing could not repair Linden's shattered psyche. When asked if he would take up his sword again and go after Siegfried, Linden waved a hand dismissively and spoke with gritted teeth: 'What blade? After that fight, my blade was lost, and with it, my hopes of not only finding Soul Calibur...but also my hopes of finding all of my friends and getting us back where we belong...'
Scoffing, Mitsurugi gave Linden a hard flick on the nose, and as Linden rubbed his nose, Mitsurugi firmly countered: 'Just because you lose one battle, doesn't mean you've lost them all. Stand up, get a new sword, and get out there. Make them remember your name; make them remember how much your soul burns.'
So saying, Mitsurugi, Linden, and Scolita left the hut with Mitsurugi taking them on a long journey to southern Japan. There, Mitsurugi gifted Linden with a specially-crafted Ōdachi and reiterated to him that the time was ripe for Linden to go on a new adventure.
Following Mitsurugi's advice and bidding him farewell, Linden and Scolita together began journeying across Asia and Europe seeking Siegfried. However, 17 years passed, and they were utterly unsuccessful...but Linden gained much wisdom and experience from his long journey, and at last, after 17 years, he returned to the hut near Ostreinsburg...
Events of SoulCalibur V[]
As Linden stayed at the hut near Ostreinsburg, Scolita continued traveling across Europe, and Linden regularly picked up information from him via passenger pigeons and semi-regular visits. He learned that Tratior had turned up again in history and grown much stronger, but (much to Linden's utter shock) had broken free of the grasp of Xexes, the Supreme God who had been brainwashing him for millennia, and better yet, had destroyed his Soul Edge. In the process, Linden also learned that Siegfried had destroyed Nightmare and his Soul Edge utterly, and that Siegfried had 'retired', searching for a new person to wield Soul Calibur...
It was then that Linden looked to the shard of Soul Edge he had taken from Nightmare all of those years ago...for about a year after he had taken it, the shard's evil presence had been attempting repeatedly to pierce his mind...but had been unsuccessful. Shortly thereafter, Linden went and poured a large amount of what remained of his power into the fragment, causing the fragment to be purified and take on the shape of a sort of 'pseudo' Soul Calibur. But now...Linden felt that he was ready for one last adventure. Rising from the chair he had been sitting in and taking up his new sword, Linden made a decision. He knew that everyone from his dimension was still trapped in this world (he could sense it), and he had to find a way to get them all back home...
One final time, Mykel Linden stepped onto the stage of history...
Events of SoulCalibur: Lost Swords[]
Mykel Linden reunited with Scolita (whom had been searching for Zasalamel in order to claim a new scythe to use (for his had been shattered during the events of SoulCalibur: Broken Destiny in a major showdown with a mysterious being calling himself Yoshimitsu)) and the two of them began searching for their friends and family. One by one, Linden was able to find his wife, son and daughter respectively (while Scolita was able to find most of their other friends and foes).
Returning to Ostreinsburg yet again, and this time, with everyone together, Mykel Linden came up with a truly crazy plan to return everyone to their world. He reasoned that Soul Edge and Soul Calibur were what brought them to this world; perhaps they could return everyone too. Setting up a temporary 'base' in Ostreinsburg, Linden commanded from its throne, sending his friends out across the land to find Soul Edge and Soul Calibur.
After three months, Linden finally had news. Both swords had been found at the site of a massive battle in a place called Castle Denevér. Soul Edge and Soul Calibur were both weakened, but not completely destroyed. However, Linden felt that they both contained enough power to achieve what they all desperately wanted: a way home.
Linden himself went to Castle Denevér and he retrieved Soul Edge (again, using the light in his soul to blot out Soul Edge's darkness), while Scolita took up Soul Calibur (which instantly transformed into a large scythe, causing Scolita to chuckle). Returning to Ostreinsburg, Linden and Scolita put the former's plan into action...
Conjuring up all of their combined power (and with Linden letting his psuedo-Soul Calibur be absorbed by the real one for more power), a large portal opened. However, before everyone could rejoice and rush through it, two beings emerged from the Soul Swords: one a flaming creature of purest malice, and the other, a feminine being of divinity.
Inferno and Elysium (Elysium having taken on the form of Linden's Muse mother from when he was a Demigod, Euterpe) attacked the group. With their souls burning bright, everyone charged into battle against the two beings as the portal grew to swallow all of them up, then vanishing without a trace, save for the two broken swords laying on the cracked floor...
Did everyone find their way back to Sanaria? Or did Inferno and Elysium overwhelm them all and defeat them, absorbing their souls and growing to powers untold?
Perhaps that chapter of history will be written and told someday...
THE REBOOTED TIMELINE[]
Disclaimer: As SoulCalibur VI (6) is a reboot of the events of SoulCalibur and SoulCalibur II, what is described of Mykel Linden in SoulCalibur VI takes place prior to his escapades in SoulCalibur III. Some of the events that occur in SoulCalibur III happen 'early' in this rebooted timeline.
Events of SoulCalibur VI[]
Yet another soul who sets his foot upon the stage of history...yet another fool who will fall prey to the nightmare...
Mykel Linden and Tratior Valleghan, having both recently been transported into the SoulCalibur world by a mysterious dream (along with all of their friends, scattered across this world), almost immediately sense a pair of powerful presences (one holy, the other evil). Linden begins to seek the source of this holy power, while Tratior begins to seek the source of this evil power.
Learning that a major event called the 'Evil Seed' had just occurred, plaguing much of the lands called 'Europe' and transforming innocent people into mindless, raging monsters called malfested, Linden decreed that the malfested were a danger not only to his plans to acquire the 'holy power' to try to get back home to Sanaria, but upon learning that the power Tratior sought was the source of the Evil Seed (a sword called Soul Edge), Linden also concluded that he was going to have to acquire the 'holy power' to combat Tratior should he get his hands on Soul Edge.
Starting his search in Europe, Linden encountered a woman named Sophitia Alexandra; she was a holy warrior on a mission from Hephaestus, the God of the Forge. She had been called away from her homeland of Greece to destroy Soul Edge once and for all, and the news she had for Linden was stunning.
The 'holy power' he was seeking was also a sword, just like Soul Edge...however, Soul Calibur (as it was called) had been lost for many years. Linden told Sophitia that he was unwilling to give up and wished her luck on her journey. Following his sensing of Soul Calibur's energy, Linden finally encountered a young girl named Chai Xianghua. He could sense that the energy in her simple-looking sword matched that of the energy he sought. Challenging Xianghua to a friendly duel (which ended in a tie because they were beset upon by malfested shortly after starting), Linden afterwards explained what he had been seeking, and that he was led to Xianghua's sword. Reluctantly, Xianghua told Linden that the sword was a relic called Krita-Yuga, of an ancient temple called Ling-Sheng-Su. She also bade Linden keep that knowledge a secret from the two companions she was traveling with, named Kilik and Maxi.
Reluctantly, Linden left Xianghua with the sword, knowing he'd have to bide his time until he could find a way to take it from her...
At this juncture, Linden soon after encountered Tratior, who had acquired several shards of Soul Edge, enough that they had joined to form into a brand-new Soul Edge...however, this Soul Edge was highly unstable, and Linden was able to easily beat Tratior in the following duel, utterly destroying his Soul Edge.
Before fleeing, Tratior snarled that Linden had not won yet, that he (Tratior) would go directly to Nightmare and wrest Soul Edge from his corpse.
At last, Linden had a name to put to the wielder of Soul Edge.
Stealthily pursuing Tratior, Linden was led all the way to Ostreinsburg Castle, and witnessed Tratior be utterly beaten at the hands of Nightmare; however, Tratior managed to flee before Nightmare could kill him.
It was at this point that Linden too challenged Nightmare...and lost. Realizing that Nightmare and Soul Edge were just too strong for his own powers as they currently were (weakened from being separated from Sanaria), Linden immediately fled from Nightmare the moment Soul Edge shattered his sword into pieces.
Vowing to himself that he would destroy Soul Edge, Linden knew that he could wait no longer: he needed the power of Soul Calibur.
A couple of months passed, and Linden was able to meet up with Xianghua again...only to learn that her and Kilik had defeated Nightmare, temporarily sealed away Soul Edge, and that Krita-Yuga (which indeed turned out to be Soul Calibur) had vanished trying to seal away the cursed sword.
Cursing his own luck, Linden was stunned when he realized he still felt Soul Calibur's presence in this world (albeit from a new location).
Was there another 'holy power' like Soul Calibur that he could use?
This 'holy power' was much weaker than Soul Calibur, however, and Linden's sense of it continued to waver. Hoping to get a better fixation on where it was, Linden traveled towards eastern Europe, in the hopes of finding some answers...
Personality[]
Mykel Linden is a kind soul, willing to give the shirt off his back for just about anyone. However, as a King, he has had to recognize where the fine line is between generosity and firmness. Many a time his close friends have had to console him against giving aid to his enemies out of a compassionate belief that all souls can be saved.
However, this does not mean Linden is a pushover. If backed into a corner in battle, he will exhibit a ferocity and commandment of his blade worthy of his original status as a Demigod. He is also fiercely loyal to those closest to him, even willing to sacrifice his own life to save another's.
Appearance[]
Linden is tall and well-built, possessing arms much more muscled than the rest of his body due to him wielding a zweihander as his primary weapon of choice. He can usually be found wearing regal armor in varying shades of blue and purple, and on rare occasions, a long cape...however, he always dispenses with this cape before a battle owing to the lack of practicality there would be in swinging a huge sword around on which his cape could get caught.
Linden is forced to always wear glasses due to an accident that occurred shortly after forsaking his Demigod status: in a duel to the death against a fire spirit known in Sanaria as an Igniramus (due to their lack of intelligence), Linden nearly lost his sight when the spirit shot a fireball at him that glowed with such intense light.
Fighting Style[]
Linden wields a large zweihander sword highly reminiscent of the swords that Siegfried and Nightmare wield; however, due to Linden being slightly taller than Siegfried, he is able to usually get better reach with his sword (and sometimes, more powerful swings). When Linden wields the pseudo-Soul Calibur in SoulCalibur V, his sword swings are slightly faster thanks to his increased vitality.
Appearances in Other Games[]
Mykel Linden (as well as many of his friends) have appeared in other video games, either as cameo appearances, or as major characters who had a direct influence on the plot of that game. The games are as follows (in the order that Linden appeared in his life):
-Dynasty Warriors 8: Empires
-Saints Row series (1, 2, 3, 4, Gat Out of Hell)
-A Realm Reborn: Final Fantasy XIV
-The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
-Pokemon Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon
-Grand Theft Auto V
-Final Fantasy XV: Comrades
-LEGO Worlds
-Fallout 4
-Super Smash Bros. for Wii U/3DS
-Super Smash Bros. Ultimate