Iska Acht

Acht

Iska Acht is a minor character in Soulcalibur VI. She plays a vital role appearing in the chronicles of Setsuka, Hwang, Mitsurugi & Nightmare.

Biography[]

Background[]

Deep inside the cursed sword lies the so-called "mind" of Soul Edge, a formless maelstrom of souls who fell prey to the weapon. It is here that "they" were born—amalgamations of souls once possessed by the sword given form. Though "they" shared a collective consciousness, "they" each represented different souls.

For some time, "they" wandered the inner world of the sword as neither men nor beasts. However, with a fracture of the cursed sword at the end of the 16th century, one being was awash with purpose. It formed into a silver-haired boy, and entered the warped mind of the swordsman carrying the blade. It is there that he latched on to the man's desires and forced him to wield Soul Edge with reckless abandon in the hopes that he would harvest more souls for the blade.

Afterward, the cursed sword suffered a setback: its favored host would be bested by the spirit sword, and the cursed sword itself would be rendered into several fragments. It was then that "they" who wandered the world of chaos would find purpose once again, though not as one, but as many. "They" would have earthly vessels to house their once ethereal forms and allow them to traverse the outside world.

Though "they" possess no ability to fight in the outside world, "they" can make use of Astral Chaos, and work in the shadows to "pair" with malfested and assist (or manipulate) them. "They" serve as shepherds of sorts to powerful malfested with sword-based monikers, herding them into conflicts across the land that will reap souls and revive the cursed sword.

The being known as "Acht" (meaning "eight") appears as a little girl, and has been seen in the Ming Empire, Korea, and Japan. Paired with the malfested known as the "Sword of Cursed Flames", she also attempts to manipulate other powerful warriors into joining the ranks of the malfested. Given her name, it naturally follows that there are at least six other beings like her—those numbered two to seven. Should they all find the malfested with whom they seek to "pair", then it follows that there exist seven "sword malfested" in Nightmare's new dark force...

Soulcalibur VI[]

Iska makes appearances in Mitsurugi and Nightmare's interludes. In the former, she drags him to Astral Chaos, and engages in a fight with the samurai, assuming the form of Cervantes, Nightmare and Inferno to face him. Though she loses the fight, she tries to pair with the samurai and malfest him, but Mitsurugi's will unknowingly awakens the Hero King Algol, thwarting her plans.

In Nightmare's interlude, she appears in front of Siegfried within Astral Chaos, claiming to have once been a friend of his; and that at some point after claiming Soul Edge but before becoming Nightmare, Siegfried had earned the favor of the Holy Roman Emperor and become one of the most famous knights in the world by slaughtering untold thousands of Ottoman Empire soldiers. He, however, remains undeterred, and does not secede. Bored by the knight's adamant resolve, she leaves while claiming she will return to him once he has being more mentally unstable. She then appears in Ostrheinsburg Castle, asking about Johan's report on Wolfkrone. She them taunts that his greatest achievement was robbing an arm of Wilhelm, prompting the Sword of the Inquisitor to react. Asking him if its an acquaintance of his, the Sword of the Inquisitor negates, saying that he doesn't know him. Showing no concern to him, she turns her attention on the Azure Knight, saying that some setbacks happened on gathering the shards of the cursed sword. Still, they spread calamity where they landed, growing plump with power, explaining that it's more convenient to obtain them when said shards are filled to the brims with souls, to which Nightmare agrees.

Her more prominent role, however, is in Hwang's story, where it's revealed that she has paired with Won Gabok, easily making use of his feelings of inferiority and jealousy towards his older sister to malfest him. He then creates the group known as the Society of Salvation, in which Iska takes the role of "medium", making use of the shards to malfest people and use those malfested to kill more innocents, gathering more souls to the cursed sword. In a flashback, she lures Hwang into a gathering of the Society in the following week. During said meeting, she uses her powers to weaken the followers, until only Hwang is left standing. Gabok then attempts to malfest him, but Hwang kills himself. Unbeknownst to both, however, Hwang was saved by Gabok's sister. After learning of this by Johan, Iska chastises Gabok for his failures, but still amuses herself with his mannerisms and his plans. After Gabok's plans of attacking the Seong Dojang happens, she knocks Seong unconscious, but get bored at his stubbornness. Following Hwang's life force being taken by his own talisman, she and Gabok go to the Ruins of Motien Pass, seeking to destroy the Mirror of Evil's Bane for their goals. When Hwang appears to one last duel against both, Iska pairs with Gabok, transforming his figure in that of a demon. Still, he is defeated, and Gabok is sent into the Mirror, apparently defeating him. Reappearing in Ostrheinsburg Castle, Iska laments their failure, saying that both Vier and Sechs are going to mock her and Gabok about it. After his claims of trying to bring Hwang to his side, Iska lets him do as he pleases, saying that she will at least entertain herself watching him try. Finally, she tells Gabok to take his reports more seriously, lest he gathers the anger of those sworn to the Azure Knight.

Though not revealed at the time, she is also featured in Setsuka's Story as a shadowy, unknown figure, being the one who removes the cursed sword's shard out of the crippled body of Gyobu Kokonoe.

Personality[]

Acht is a crafty, manipulative being who shows a veneer of civility when she has a goal in mind, but also has contempt for others regardless of whether they are friend or foe. Though she is the attendant to Won Gabok, she has no love for the man and dispenses with any respect. She shows a particular interest in Siegfried and repeatedly goads him into becoming her ally for reasons unknown.

Acht's speech in Japanese is a style stereotypical of tomboys in Japanese fiction, referring to herself with ボク (a masculine form of "I" typical of young boys) among other masculine patterns.

Weapons[]

Iska Acht can take the form of Cervantes, Nightmare or Inferno to fight. Wielding their respective weapons (Acheron & Nirvana or Soul Edge) in battle.

Stages[]

Astral Chaos: Tide of the Damned (SCVI)[]

Trivia[]

Her claims to Siegfried in Nightmare's interlude makes reference to Soulcalibur Legends.
Her name and backstory are references to Iska Farkas, with her museum entry revealing that they are the same being.
The tattoo on her neck is similar to Z.W.E.I.'s