Chapters Prelude : There is another sky
Twilight let out a yawn as she looked over her latest find, she had been contracted by the crown to watch over, manage, and assist in an archeological dig. The dig site was on the border between her native homeland of Equestria, and Griphos, the homeland of the griffons. She may not be a archologicalist, she was more of a scholar, but she had a long history with the Princesses, and they trusted her to get the job done.
It had been a rather... unsurprising matter as of yet, all her and the dig team had found were some broken buildings and pottery. The only thing of note was the age of the artifacts, none of the craftsmanship nor the architecture matched anything she had seen before in her studies. Whoever, whatever, had built this had to be much older than anything yet to be discovered!
The newest discovery served only to compound her anticipation about learning more about this ancient civilization.
She took a moment to compose herself before she began to look over the new artifact.
It was rusted and corroded beyond measure, but it’s general form and purpose could still be discerned.
It’s top was pointed, it then expanded to it’s widest about a fourth of the way down, then tapered back down to another point at the bottom. It also had a very slight inward curve to it at the edges. It’s handle on the inside was broken from age.
It was a shield, as one of the dig site guards informed her. She had belittled herself after the fact, ‘How could you not have seen that! Your brother’s the captain of the royal guard in Canterlot for Celestia’s sake!’, She had thought.
The guardspony had sensed her ire and put her at ease by informing her that it was like nothing he had seen before.
Now that she looked at it she could see what he had meant. First of all it was massive, almost as tall she was. The craftsmanship was also leagues ahead of the current standard, it’s survival for all this time was testament to that. No, whomever constructed this certainly never intended for it to be used by her kind, she concluded.
She was using a spyglass to get a better look at the in-lays in the shield, though she quickly realized the fruitlessness of the endeavor due to the weathering of the metal, when a mare came in. A unicorn not unlike herself.
“Ma’am?” She called.
“Yes? Is there something you need?” Twilight said looking up from her work.
“We need you to come look at something.” the mare said .
Twilight caught the mare’s eyes looking at the shield with a odd look.
“What have you found?” Twilight asked as they began walking towards the min dig site.
“We don’t know.” She stopped for a moment before continuing. “Though I think it’s connected to that shield...”
“Why would you say that?” Twilight asked.
“We found a... body, it’s holding a sword, well what’s left of one, it would make sense that the two may be connected. Maybe the shield even belonged to this... thing.” The mare elaborated.
Twilight stopped walking and raised a brow at the mare,”’Thing’, so it’s not a pony?”
“No, it’s not a pony, nopony knows what it is.” She confessed.
‘A whole new species... just as I thought... Amazing.’, Twilight thought to herself, picking up her pace a bit.
~=~
“There it is Ma’am.” The mare said, pointing to a sectioned off portion in the center of the excavated building.
Twilight smiled due to the fact that a herd of ponies had yet to form as was the norm with such a discovery.
‘They must be holding off to tell the others.’, Twilight thought.
She moved passed the small group of assembled archeologists and scientists and covered her mouth with a hoof as she let out a small gasp at what she saw.
The body, or skeleton as that would be more accurate, had been fully exhumed. It was obviously bipedal, that much could be plainly seen by even a cursory glance at it’s bone structure. She guessed it would stand at six feet, maybe a bit more.
In what would have been it’s right hand was a sword, it’s bony fingers still wrapped tight around the hilt. The sword was broken near the hilt, what little remained of the blade was corroded and pitted from what she assumed was use in battle, and the passage of time.
‘What... and why was it fighting?’, Twilight wondered.
Her eyes caught something else near the body, and she dusted if off with a small brush and picked it up with a hoof.
‘A pendant?’, She observed.
There were a small number of rings left on the chain that would have been the necklace, the pendant itself was made of stone with blood red in-lays in it’s face. It also seemed to broken, and the whereabouts of the other pieces eluded her.
‘Where’s the rest of it?’, She wondered.
She nearly dropped the broken pendant when a dark blue, almost purple, mist begun to seep from the cracks in the pendant’s surface.
Suddenly there was a crack of thunder from an incoming storm that broke her gaze away for an instant. When she looked back, the mist was gone.
“Is something wrong Ma’am?” Somepony asked.
“No... nothing, I just need some sleep.” Twilight replied.
There was another crack of thunder in the distance.
“Get these under some covering, will you?” Twilight asked the assembled ponies, who all nodded.
“Cast some waterproofing spells as well.” She added.
~=~
Twilight lit another candle as she prepared to look over the odd pendant once more. It was rather early in the morning, she had just woken up from a long rest.
She had convinced herself that the scare from yesterday was not just a trick of her mind, but the pendant itself.
She could feel the magic coming off of it, and it felt... sick. Not particularly evil, but twisted. Like a old festering wound. Most odd of all though, the more time she spent with it the more... nostalgic she began to feel about the old trinket.
She picked it up with her magic, and the moment she did she instantly regretted it.
She began to feel sick, deathly so, she was about to drop the pendant when the same dark blue/purple... mist appeared in it’s place, obscuring it from her sight.
“What in the world is that...” She said aloud, her voice cracking a little.
She got just a little closer to it when a massive... hand, the same darkness seeping from the pendant rolling off it’s form, burst through the mist and grabbed her tight. It’s momentum making it crash through the table behind her.
She could only let out a muffled scream as it pulled her harshly back through the mist, the mist itself vanishing without a trace.
The... thing was thrashing her around like a wild beast, threatening to snap her in half.
She let out a infuriated scream at the appendage, “Let go of me!”, as she said that she cast the most powerful spell she could think of. Over all her body a small fire appeared, then she released the spell, and the blast of force and flames broke the beast’s hold on her. The smell of burnt skin and fur reaching her nose.
She felt a moment of weightlessness and the sickening feeling of vertigo, also seeing a flash of white light behind her closed eyelids. She felt a rush of air, then as quick as that came she slammed into the ground... hard, forcing the air from her lungs.
She simply laid there for a time, her mind a heavy fog of pain, her only concern getting air back into her burning lungs. Slowly as air flowed into her body once more her mind cleared and then was filled with frantic thoughts.
‘What in the name of tartarus was that thing!?’
She slowly opened her eyes expecting a crowd of ponies, or worse, that damned monster, but neither greeted her gaze.
She appeared to be laying in lush green grass, the sun beating down on her body warming her fur. She was laying on some type of outcropping on the side of a cliff face of a ravine, to her back was the rock wall and to her front was a massive walled city the likes of which she had never seen.
‘Where... where am I?', She thought.
She lifted up her head to see a bit more. She was near to what appeared to be a dilapidated church or temple of some kind, a half destroyed tower reaching up to the sky above with what appeared to be a massive bird nest on one of the outcroppings.
She also saw a small fire with a... sword sticking up out of the ash at the flame’s base.
She also saw something that gave her pause.
Near the fire sat one of the beings from the dig, this one alive and well apparently.
It was also fully armed and armored in heavy looking metal plates, a sword and shield sitting nearby in reach.
She just looked at it for a while, trying to gage it from a distance, not wanting to get any closer.
‘It’s wearing armor, and it’s armed... is it some kind of warrior? Or maybe some type of guard, but why would it be guarding this broken down place?’, She wondered.
It suddenly got up and grabbed it’s sword and shield and began to turn around and she did the first thing that came to mind.
She played dead.
After a short time she could hear the steady thumping of it’s rather heavy sounding footfalls, she could hear it’s armor rating as it moved.
She then felt something cold, hard, and pointy jab her in her belly, right where her ribs stopped, not hard enough to pierce the skin, but hard enough for her to feel a slight pain. She forced herself to stay still.
“What in the name of the gods are you?” She heard a voice ask, muffled by a helm, no doubt a rhetorical question by the tone.
She opened a eye just enough to see it.
The creature kneeled down, not seeing the barely opened eyelid.
“Some kind of animal? Another twisted beast of this accursed land?” The male sounding voice stated.
It’s hand reached down and ran across her fur.
“Hmm? What’s this?”
It moved her foreleg a little and pulled out the broken pendant. It looked it over in it’s hand for a time before putting it in one of the pouches on it’s belt.
It suddenly stopped and it’s armored head snapped to hers.
“Alive are we?”
She closed her eyes and held her breath.
“No use in hiding the fact now... What manner of peculiar beast are you?”
It was talking to her like she was an animal, but it sounded nice enough.
She opened her eyes all the way and lifted up her head.
“I... I’m a pony... a unicorn.” She said, her voice nearly failing her.
As soon as the words left her the beings hand moved to a small dagger on it’s belt, but it did not draw the blade, but the hand hovered near the grip.
“Gods... you talk.” It was not a question, but a statement.”How... peculiar.”
She was about to ask where she was when a strange sound reached her ears, like the sound of stressed metal. She jumped back onto her hoofs.
A fair distance behind the biped a red circle was on the ground that was not their before, a blood red mist emanating from it.
Every instinct in her was telling her to turn tail and run, but fear kept her rooted to the spot.
Razing up out of the ground was another of the bipeds, this one covered in a red aura, the same crimson mist flowing out of the new arrival. She also noted that it was armed with a sword, but no shield.
The biped had long since turned to face the new creature, shield and sword at the ready.
The red aura'd being let out a truly mad sounding cackle and pointed at the armored being in front of her.
“Invader, leave this plane! A Knight of Astora stands before you, fight me and you shall die . I give you only one chance, leave , or be destroyed! ” The ‘Knight’ said.
The ‘Invader’ let out another laugh and charged.
“So be it!” The Knight said.
The Invader jumped and tried to hit the Knight with a downward swing, which the Knight blocked with his shield. The Invader recovered and spun and attempted to decapitate the Knight with another swing, he blocked it once more and the Knight took a swipe at the Invader who jumped away. As the invader hit the ground he jumped at the Knight, getting past his shield and slicing open his arm, the Knight letting out a grunt of pain.
The Invader pulled back and stabbed at the Knight once more. This time the Knight spun on his heel, his shield coming around just in time to knock the Invader’s blade away. The Knight kept his momentum and slammed his straight sword into the Invader’s chest all the way to the hilt. The Invader’s legs buckled under him and he fell to his knees, the sword still impaled in his chest. The Knight of Astora placed a armored foot on the Invader’s chest and kicked him off the sword, the Invader’s body slowly turning to ash and wafting away.
Twilight found herself and began to take in what had just occurred not ten feet from her.
The Knight turned to face her, his armored chest stained a deep crimson, his shield arm bleeding.
Twilight slowly backed away from the Knight, terrified of him, her mind not used to seeing violence of that calabar.
He took a step forward, putting the sword in its scabbard as he did so.
“Stay away from me!” Twilight yelled, horn glowing.
“Calm yourself! Panicking here will only hasten your death.” His voice level.
She let out a blast of magic at the ground in front of the Knight, kicking up a plum of dirt and rocks.
She turned tail and ran up a rocky trail towards some type of bride that ran to the rocky wall on her side and the city on the other.
“You insolent fool!” the Knight called from behind her.
She could hear him chase after her. She sprawled to the ground as she slammed into something. She looked up to see what it was.
She let out a long blood churning scream the the sight. What looked like a walking corpse of one of the bipeds, clad in torn up rags and holding a broken sword snarled at her, and razed it’s blade intent on ending her life.
It’s actions were stopped as a sword came bursting though it’s chest, almost catching her face as well. It’s blood splattering her face and coat.
The Knight’s gauntleted hand pulled the monster off the blade, the now unmoving body falling to the ground.
Her own body not far behind as she fainted from the ordeal, the last thing she saw was the Knight battling another walking undead, grabbing it’s wrist as it swung at the Knight and throwing it off the cliff by rolling it over his shoulder, grunting as he did so.
Author's Note
Will spoil basically EVERYTHING about Dark Souls, you've been warned.
Chapter 1 : Fast rode the Knight
Twilight’s facilities slowly returned to her from the inky blackness that had covered her mind, a grown escaping her cracked lips as a burning sensation began to radiate from her shoulder. She could hear a voice speaking to her, but the words were murky and unclear in her present state.
Her eyes slowly opened, everything was a blurry mess of an amalgamation of colors. She blinked a number of times in an attempt to clear her vision, a shape slowly coming into focus.
It was the Knight from before, he was sitting not an arm’s reach away. He was not looking at her, instead he was examining his sword, running a small whetstone down the length of the sword’s edge, sharpening it.
‘He must care for that blade, it shines like a mirror.’ Twilight thought.
She attempted to move her body into a more comfortable position, but only the sound of stretching rope was the reward for her actions.
The sound alerted the Knight, he spared a parting glance at her, then he focused himself again on his work, running the whetstone along the sword’s length once more.
“You tied me up!” She said with a raised voice.
“Aye, that I did.” The Knight said plainly, not looking away from his work.
“Why? What are you going to do to me?” Twilight asked, a small measure of nervousness growing within her.
“Would you not bind a potentially dangerous individual?” The Knight said.
Twilight was going to retort, but then she remembered her attempt to blast the Knight with her magic.
“As for what will become of you, that is entirely dependent upon you.” The Knight said, looking up from his work to gaze at the mare.
“What do you mean?” Twilight asked.
“I shan't harbor a threat, nor do I hold a murmur of patience for a lier.” The Knight said, “If thou art either, I shall kill you myself.”
Twilight’s ears flattened at the decree, but she lowered her head, “I can see why you would see me as a threat because of my earlier actions, for that I’m sorry. I was confused and scared, I was not trying to harm you, I just wanted to get away.”
The Knight simply looked at her for a time, Twilight could feel his eyes scanning her looking for a tell. He sighed deeply then stood up, “Understandable.” He leaned down a pulled on the rope, untying it, “Where do you hail from, M'lady?”
She stretched her legs out a bit, only to retract her left foreleg, a rather deep cut in it started to bleed, she did her best to ignore it. She grabbed a piece of rope that was still draped across her with a hoof and moved it off of her.
“I’m from a place called Equestria.” She said while extending a hoof in greeting, gritting her teeth in a fake smile to keep from crying out from the pain of her wound.
Instead of a hand the Knight placed a dull green flask in her outstretched hoof.
“Drink.” He said simply.
Twilight looked into the flask, her reflection wavering in a golden colored fluid inside the flask. She brought the flask up to her lips, the fluid flowed into her mouth and she nearly spit it out when it touched her tongue, but she forced herself to swallow.
“Ugh... It tastes like ash. What was in that!?” She asked, handing it back to the Knight.
“An Estus Flask, an undead favorite.” The Knight said, putting it away.
“Why did you tell me to drink it?” She asked.
Instead of telling her, he simply pointed to her wound.
She looked and her eyes widened in surprise. The wound on her shoulder was slowly closing, the flesh melding back together until it looked as though it had never been there.
Before she could voice her question the Knight answered, “It contains the healing essence of the Bonfire, allowing one to take it with them.” He said, pointing at the nearby fire, the odd sword still sticking out of the ash at the base. The fire didn’t look natural, it looked almost like... water.
“This... Equestria, where is this land? I’ve shan’t heard of this land, nor have I seen a being such as yourself.” The Knight said. Then he stopped as he was about to say something else and he bowed slightly. “Oh, I’ve forgotten my manners. I am Aston, a Knight of Astora. An honor to meet you M’lady.” The newly named Aston said, reaching out a hand which she took. A small blush appearing at the title of ‘M’lady’.
“My name is Twilight Sparkle, but please, just call me Twilight. You don’t have to call me ‘M’lady’, I’m not royalty.” She said with a smile. She then answered Aston’s question, “I don’t even know where ‘here’ is. I didn’t travel here by my own accord. I was taken, kidnapped you could say, by... something.”
The Knight reached into one of the numerous pouches around his waist, and he pulled out the broken pendant, “Something to do with this, I presume?” Only now it was inert. He attempted to give it back to her, but she politely refused.
“Yes, but it’s not doing what it was before.” Twilight said.
“So you know not why thou art here? Stolen to this land by some unknown entity... A very odd set of circumstances you’ve found yourself in, no?” Aston said. “What do you plan to do?”
Twilight thought for a moment, “Find a way home, it’s the only thing I can do for now.”
‘You idiot! You don’t know anything about where you are. Where would you even start!?’ She thought. ‘Wait! Perhaps...’
“What is your purpose here?” Twilight asked Aston.
The Knight removed his helm, inadvertently letting her get a good look at him.
He had no fur, save for on top of his head, on which sat short but curly brown hair. He had a far off look in his eyes.
He seemed to find himself and he began to speak, “In my homeland of Astora, a legend is foretold. ‘Thou who art undead, art chosen. In thine exodus from the undead asylum, maketh pilgrimage to the land of Ancient Lords. When thou ringeth the Bell of Awakening, the fate of the undead thou shalt know.’ I may not know my purpose in being here, but I know how to find it.”
Twilight sat for a time before speaking, “I have a proposition, Sir Aston.”
Aston raised a brow, “Hmm?”
“I know how to defend myself, and I also know a wide variety of helpful magic. Help me find a way home, and I will assist you in you quest.” Twilight said.
“I will take on no burden, no liabilities, if I take you, you’ll pull your own weight.” Aston said.
“It’s my only chance to find a way home. I’ll do whatever it takes.” Twilight said. The thought of her friends and her home in her mind.
“You’ll kill if need-be?” Aston asked.
Her mind flashed back to that undead attempting to kill her, and to Aston fighting the ‘Invader’.
“Yes.” Twilight said.
“Good, those hollows shall not give you a chance, their only purpose in their existence is to kill those not like them.” Aston said, putting his helm back on.
Aston stood up and began walking up towards waterway from where she had first met him, Twilight following close behind.
After a short walk up some rocky steps he stopped, holding out a hand to signal her to stop as well.
A short distance away was another hollow armed with a broken sword and a cracked round shield. It caught sight of her and Aston and began to shuffle towards the pair.
Aston gave her a look from behind his visor, gesturing towards the undead.
‘He wants me to kill it?’ She thought, slightly unsure of herself.
She steeled herself and prepared a simple spell. She aimed, and let the spell fly.
The blue ball of magical energy shot out of her horn, flew towards the hollow, hitting it square in the face. The hollow’s head vanishing in a mist of crimson and bits of flesh, the hollow fell to it’s knees, then to it’s back.
Twilight stood still, eyes fixed to the spot, unnerved at what she had just done.
The Knight appeared to see her discomfort and he placed a hand on the nape of her neck.
“Don’t think much about. We’re doing the poor souls’ a service.” Aston said, “They are not human anymore, not even animals. We are freeing them from an eternity of torture.”
She just nodded, and kept repeating the Knight’s words in her head.
Another undead came running at them as Aston stepped forward. Aston simply slammed the pointed tip of his crest shield into the hollow’s face, caving it in and spattering the tip of the shield with blood, the shield hit with such force that the hollow was now stuck to it and Aston had to kick it off. It fell to the ground unmoving.
They made their way up to what Aston told her was an aqueduct. Another hollow advanced on Aston and took a swipe at him, he moved to the side dodging the blow by a hair and grabbed the hollow by the throat. He hoisted the hollow up with only one hand, surprising Twilight with his strength and tossed it to the ground, his armored boot coming down on it’s face a moment later, it’s head bursting open and covering the Knight’s leggings with blood and brain matter. Twilight wincing at the display.
Aston then walked up another flight of stone stairs leading to a door that would let them into the waterway, he went in and she heard him curse and crash to the floor and there was a splash of water.
She hurried to help him when another undead, this one wielding a battle axe, jumped from a hiding spot. Thinking fast she called up a magical barrier to block the blow, the shield hugged her form and glowed a bright purple as it almost shattered under the strain. She pumped more energy into the barrier and then let the spell keeping the energy bound fall and it all exploded out, the hollow was blown back and a spell to the chest sent it over the edge. Twilight breathing heavily from the exertion.
“Twilight?” Aston called from inside the waterway.
She looked over just in time to see him come out if the doorway to the waterway, a massive... rat over his shoulder which he promptly tossed off the edge. The rat must have been what made him fall because the cloth over his chest was soaking wet from the water and torn from it’s claws, revealing the armor underneath.
“I’m fine Aston.” she said as she came up the stairs.
“Good. Come, I’ve cleared the way.” Aston said with a nod.
The pair traveled down the waterway until they reached another door, that led to some more stairs that led them to a roof with two undead on top of it.
Aston parried his attacker's blow then stabbed the hollow in the chest which fell back, but Aston lost his balance and fell with the hollow. The second bringing it’s sword down on his back.
“Aston!” Twilight yelled as she charged a spell that blasted the hollow in half, coating the roof in blood and gore. “Aston, are you ok!?” She yelled as she ran up to him.
She heard a grown as Aston got up to his knees. She could see that the fabric across his back had been cut from the attack, thankfully the armor had taken the blow albeit with a new dent.
She was about to sigh in relief when another hollow tossed something out of the corner of her eye directed at Aston. Knowing better not to underestimate the projectile Twilight picked Aston up with her magic and moved him out of the way, the ball hitting the spot Aston had just occupied and an explosion of flames was the result.
That did not matter to Twilight though, because the moment her magic touched Aston he let out a scream, not of surprise, but one of agony, long and loud, and he didn’t let up until she dropped him to obliterate the undead who tossed the firebomb.
“Aston are you...” Twilight’s words died in her throat as she looked at the Knight.
He was writhing on the ground, his armor... smoking.
‘But... the firebomb didn’t hit him, why...’ Twilight’s thoughts were interrupted as Aston got up to his knees once more, using his shield as a support he pulled out the estus flask and drank heartily.
She moved close, “Aston... are you ok?”
He slapped her across the face, though thankfully not with his shield, so hard that her head snapped back and her legs wobbled.
“You little wretch! I’ll have your head for that!” He screamed getting up, only to fall to a knee. His armor stopped smoking.
“No! Please! I didn’t know that would happen!” Twilight said backing away from Aston until she hit a wall.
He took another drink from the flask, “That burned like a pyromancy...” the point of his sword on her neck, “What in the name of the gods was that.”
“It was a telekinetic spell! I swear! I only wanted to move you out of the way of that firebomb, I only wanted to help! Please Aston... don’t...” Twilight pleaded, tears in her eyes.
She could hear his grip tighten on his sword, “Damnation.” The sword fell away,”Beast of burden, I shan't give thee another chance. Think with prudence, or I shall end you.”
“Aston, I’m sorry.” Twilight said. She could see his shoulders drop a small measure.
He sighed, “No, tis I who should be sorry. I acted without restraint.” He handed her the flask and she drank the remainder of it’s contents. “Twas an accident meant in good meaning, and I did not act in a way befitting a Knight of Astora. I am in your dept M’lady.”
Despite herself, Twilight let out a small laugh, “I told you not to call me ‘M’lady’.”
They moved to the second floor of a nearby building and were walking across a narrow walkway when she heard a deafening roar, a moment later she felt Aston grab a tuft of her mane and yank her back into the building just as a massive dragon landed on the walkway. It then took of with a roar.
Aston looked at her for a moment, “Debt repaid, would you not say?”
She nodded, “Was that a dragon?”
He shook his head, “A drake. Gwyn, Lord of Sunlight killed the dragons with the other primeval lords.”
Twilight’s interest peaked, “Who are the others, how did they do it?”
“The other Lords are Nito, the first of the dead, and The Witch of Izalith. The rest of the tale can come later.”
They moved to the roof, finding only a crushed hollow on the roof, it’s organs in a pool around it’s body, along with some destroyed battlements.
Twilight looked to the right and saw two hollows, these ones move heavily armored and better armed than the ones they’ve been fighting. She nudged Aston and pointed to the pair. Aston advanced on one and charged with his shield up, Twilight’s magic projectiles already slamming into the other undead. Aston slammed into his target, the force knocking the undead to the ground, Aston’s sword plunging into it’s chest a moment later.
“What’s down there?” Twilight asked, pointing to a staircase blocked off by boxes.
He suggested they go look and Twilight used her magic to move the boxes, what they found surprised her.
Another sain Human.
“Well... I think I’ve finally lost my marbles.” The Human said as he saw Twilight. He was sitting cross legged surrounded by an amalgamation of odds-and-ends. She couldn’t see any of his features do to his cloth wrapped head.
“Get behind me.” Aston ordered.
“Oh well I see you two are real,” The human let out a mad cackle. “You’ve not gone hollow either. Well then you're welcome customers.” The Human said while running a hand over his ‘wares’.
Aston looked at Twilight and moved forward, “What are you selling?”
“A bit of everything! I only trade for souls, nothing else.” The merchant said.
‘Souls! What in Celestia’s name!’ Twilight thought.
Before she could ask what he meant Aston asked her something, “How well can you throw?”
“What?...Umm, Pretty well I guess. Wait why?” Twilight said.
He ignored her and grabbed a bundle of small knives, along with a hooded black leather cloak with dozens of small metal plates woven into it.
He walked up to her, “Put this on lass. There’s pouches on the inside for the knives. I’d say that will do more to protect you than just your fur.”
She did as Aston told her, simply too bewildered to object. He turned to the merchant and held out his hand, and she watched in amazement as what looked like white smoke traveled down Aston’s arm and condensed into a small ball of what now looked like white fire in his hand.
“I trust this will cover the gear?” He said, disgust coating his voice.
“Oh yes.” The merchant said.
The ball floated to the other Man's hand then turned back into mist and was absorbed by his body.
“Thank you kindly.” The merchant said as they left.
Twilight looked at Aston, “You’ve better explain what just happened.”
Chapter 2 : The Lesson
Twilight eyed Knight Aston from across the rising flame of the bonfire, it’s light glancing off his shield and sword. Aston himself not looking at the mare, instead he looked at what looked like to her like a simple piece of cloth.
“What are your questions?” Aston asked, not looking away from the cloth.
“Souls? You use souls as a currency in this land?” Twilight asked, deeply confused about the concept.
“In this land, Lordran, yes. Souls are the source of our life and power, and that power can be forged into weapons or can be used to bolster one’s own power, but only undead like myself can make full use of them.” He pulled out a copper coin and tossed it to her. “In the Human realms a more... cultured form of currency exists.”
Twilight eyed him, “Undead like yourself? You’re undead... like those hollows?”
He nodded, “Yes, in a way. They used to be like me and you, but this... curse drove them mad.”
“Am I undead?” Twilight asked.
He looked her over for a time, “Maybe... You are not marred by the darksign, so I would say no, you’re not.”
She breathed a sigh of relief.
“Then again, only death triggers it’s appearing on your form. So the only way to know if thou art undead is to kill you.” Aston said.
“Great...” Twilight lamented. “Wait, you come back after death?”
The Knight of Astora only nodded.
“So you’re immortal? You never ‘really’ die?” She asked astonished.
The Knight grumbled, “Yes.”
“What’s it like, being immortal?” She asked, forgetting herself.
The Knight clenched his fist, “Not something you would enjoy.” The Knight stood up and began walking out of the tower and across a small plank bridge. “Dying over and over, your humanity slowly slipping away until you finally go hollow.”
Twilight stopped and looked down, “Aston... I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”
“I suppose there was no way you could have known lass.” He said to her as he looked around the area.
“What makes someone go hollow?” Twilight asked.
“The power of the bonfires resurrects an undead after death, but at a price. That price is the humanity all humans hold within themselves. The way that... payment affects each one of us is different, but the end result is the same. That is why many undead attempt to hoard as much humanity as they can, the more one has, the less damage is done when the bonfire takes it’s price.” Aston explained.
“What happens to you?” Twilight asked.
“It is... difficult to explain to another. The... connections, the fluidity, between my memories... degrade. I can remember events and locations, peoples’ names and faces, but when I attempt to connect a face to a name, or to name a place I’ve been too, I find myself unable to. I know my mother’s name and her face, but when I attempt to connect a face to a name, or vice versa, I’m never certain that the connection is the right one. Maybe I got the face right, but instead of my mothers name, I placed the name of a lover in it’s stead. It’s all very... infuriating. To think that all this... damage is the cost of only one revival, I shudder to think what will happen should I die once more.”
“Is there a way to stop the hollowing?” She asked.
“To stop it? I do not know if it can be stopped. I do know it can be helped. I find it’s better when I have a goal, an objective, to strive towards. It helps me focus my thoughts and mind, and I find that my memories are more clear.” Aston said.
“Why do the bonfires take your humanity?” Twilight asked.
“I do not fully understand the bonfires, only the Way of White knows. But I was told by a cleric that the bonfires are fueled by humanity.” Aston said.
“But earlier you said that humanity comes from humans, does that mean you sacrifice humans to the bonfires?” Twilight asked startled.
“No, the church is not capable of something so... evil. Humanity can be freely given to the bonfires to bolster their flames, though I know not how to go about doing so.” Aston said defensively.
“Where did the bonfires come from?” Twilight asked.
“The bonfires appeared across the realms after Lord Gwyn kindled the first flame after it started to fade.” Aston said, Twilight noting the near reverence in his voice.
“Who was Lord Gwyn? Was he a god?” Twilight asked.
“Gwyn was one of the three primeval lords, along with Nito and the Witch of Izalith. Long ago in the Age of Ancients, the world was unformed, cold... dark, ruled over by Everlasting Dragons. Then, fire was born, and within the flames were found the souls of Lords. Being born not from life, but the world itself, these souls held unimaginable power. Gwyn’s soul gave him dominion over the light, the Witch of Izalith held the power of life, and Nito held power of death. They waged a war against the dragons, and would have lost were it not for a scaleless dragon named Seath. He was spiteful towards the other dragons for being born without their scales of immortality, so Seath told the Lords of the Dragons weakness, lightning. So Gwyn forged mighty bolts to peel away their stone scales, the Witch of Izalith and her followers weaved great firestorms that burned their homes, the Archtress, to ash, and Nito unleashed a miasma of death and disease on their unprotected bodies. Thus the Age of Ancients was no more, and thus began the Age of Fire.” Aston said.
“That’s... amazing.” Twilight said in awe, to which Aston nodded.
“Sadly, the flame began to fade and the darkness encroached upon our lands. After an ill fated attempt by the Witch of Izalith to copy the first flame, which only resulted in her being corrupted unto a twisted reflection of the chaos of the flame and the birth of the first demons, Gwyn traveled to the kiln of the first flame and sacrificed himself and his soul as fuel for the flame. In doing so he stopped the fading of the flame and rescued us all from the coming darkness and the beasts that called the darkness home.” Aston said, finishing his tale.
“Come, we've tarried long enough.” He said.
Twilight nodded and readjusted her new cloak.
They moved onto a narrow walkway that led into a building, a pair of undead inside simply waited for them. As Aston got about half way across a firebomb crashed to the ground just in front of him, the explosion of flame crashing over him like a wave of water, though thankfully he had raised his shield to block most of the fire.
“Move!” He roared as he sprinted into the building, jumping into and barreling over one of the undead that had blocked his path, the undead and Knight crashing into the ground; Aston’s sword skidding across the floor in the scuffle. The other undead moved to run Aston though with a sword, but the Knight blocked the strike with his shield from a kneeled position atop the other undead.
“Twilight, take care of it!” Aston said as he blocked another blow, his sword on the ground just out of reach.
Thinking fast Twilight used her magic to pull out one of the small throwing knives from her cloak and she tossed it at the undead, her magic propelling it at an inhuman speed. The knife impacted the undead in the side of the head and sunk in to the hilt with a wet heavy thunk. The hollow’s head jerking to the side and it’s body falling to the ground. Aston, now free of the undead’s attacks, used the top portion of his crest shield to smash the other hollow’s head in.
They both breathed heavily, and Aston moved to collect his sword that had landed near a closed wooden door. As he kneeled to pick it up the door flew open as a armored undead kicked it, the door slamming it Aston’s head as it swung on it’s hinges. The Knight sprawling to the ground. The Knight attempted to get up only for the undead to plunge it’s spear into his chest, the point glancing off his armor, the undead stabbed again, this time hitting the unarmored portion in between Aston’s chest and left shoulder. The Knight let out a howl of pain as the spear went all the through the Knight’s shoulder, the blood covered point getting lodged into the ground.
The Knight kicked the undead from a near prone position, the spear keeping Aston from laying all the way on his back like some macabre kickstand. The undead stumbled back, leaving the spear lodged in Aston’s shoulder. Twilight took the chance to blow the hollow into oblivion, after the hollow was dealt with she went to his side.
Aston bit back another scream of pain as Twilight helped him to a sitting position, “This needs to come out.” He said.
“How do we get it out?” Twilight asked, “I’ve never done something like this before...”
“I have.” He said. “Make sure the other end does not move.”
Twilight took hold of the ‘spear end’, with her magic watching the blood on it bubble and boil away as her magic came into contact with it. She looked closer at the field of energy and saw what looked like small tendrils of magical energy tearing into the metal, but they left the wood untouched.
“Ready lass?” Aston asked, snapping Twilight out of her observation.
“Ya... ready. What are you going to-” The rest of Twilight’s question was cut of as Aston wrapped his arm around the spear’s handle and yanked it sharply down, snapping the wood so that only about an inch still poked through.
“Pull.” He said.
She did as Aston said and pulled on the spear, drawing it out with a sickening squelching sound and a spirit of blood, drawing a scream from Aston. The spear had not come out ‘clean’, she could see that it had taken ribbons of the Knight’s flesh with it as the jagged wood passed through.
Wordlessly Aston pulled out the flask and downed a number of large gulps, the wound closing. He got up and went to get his sword.
Twilight walked to his side, “Aston, are you ok?” She asked, worried.
He placed a hand on her, “I’m fine lass.” He walked towards the door “Not the first time I’ve been run through.”
“Oh...” Twilight said.
“Come on.” He said, moving up another set of steps.
When they reached the top, they found a group of three hollows, one with a battle axe, another with a sword and round shield, and behind the two of them was an undead with a pouch of firebombs.
“Twilight take care of the hollow in the back, I’ll handle the rest.” Aston said. Twilight did as she was told, opting to stay out of the fray, mostly to give Aston the room he needed, and charged up a spell. The undead reached into a pouch and pulled out a firebomb, but before it tossed the sphere Twilight’s magic connected. The spell hit the hollow square in the chest, it was not enough to kill the hollow, but the force made it drop the firebomb, the flames finishing it off. Aston making short work of the other two.
Aston walked a short distance to a door of a house the undead were standing in front of, he attempted to open the door but found it locked. He moved to a window and peered inside.
“Where do you think the key is Aston?” Twilight asked.
Aston answered by putting his straight sword away and punching out the window and climbing in the building. A moment later the door opened, “I’d say I’ve found it lass.” He said rolling his shoulders.
A small chuckle escaped her lips, “I’d say. You can be quite the brute, you do know that?”
Aston allowed himself a hearty laugh as he rummaged through a chest they had found on a small porch. He let out a noise of delight as he picked something out of the chest, “Gods, now what do we have here I wonder.”
Twilight moved to his side, seeing three pouches of a fine golden resin, “What is that?” She asked.
“Golden tree resin, smiths use it, along with an ember, to work lightning into a weapon. Normally it would be useless to us in this state, but the Knights of Astora found a trick. Watch.” Aston said.
Aston took a large glob of the golden resin and smeared it on his blade from the tip to where the blage met the hilt, then he took out a small flint stone from his pouch and struck the blade making a spark. What happened next astonished Twilight, the spark began to jump along the blade getting progressively bigger and bigger with more jumping around until the blade was covered in what looked like lightning.
“Come, the resin shant last long like this.” Aston said as they made their way up to some kind of watchtower.
They traveled up the tower until they could not go up any farther, having to walk across the battlements along the top of one of the cities many walls. Twilight jerked as she felt something slam into her back, she jumped to the side and looked around. On the ground not too far away was a crossbow bolt that would be lodged in her right now if it were not for the metal plates woven into the cloak, Twilight in a small fit of rage at the attempt on her life found the culprits to be a pair of undead on top of the watch tower they had come out of. She pulled out a pair of knives and tossed them at the undead, killing them.
“I’ll go look for more. Stay here will you lass?” Aston said.
Twilight nodded as Aston walked back the way they had come, climbing up a ladder that they had missed when they came onto the battlements to look for more undead.
Twilight allowed herself to look over the edge of the wall, surprised to find that the city appeared to be on top of a mountain, the city taking a terraced form like some farms from her homelands with massive wall separating each level.
Twilight suddenly heard and felt a deep growl reverberate through the air, the sound of cracking stone coming not far behind it. She looked around the wall, her eyes slowly scanning around before she found what was making all the noise.
Atop the tower opposite from Aston’s was what looked like a giant minotaur, a massive axe held in it’s hands. It let out another deep growl then it jumped off the tower onto the wall, it’s great axe smashing the ground in front of it.
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Chapter 3 : Monsters (Taurus Demon Boss Fight)
Knight Aston sidestepped a bolt loosed by one of the two undead in front of him, barely being able to do so as the second came at him with a longsword. The undead with the sword raised it’s sword over it’s head, bringing the blade down at the Knight in an attempt on his life. Aston used the momentum of the sidestep to spin on his heel, using his own straight sword to parry the undead’s blow before it landed. He then slammed the pointed tip of his shield into the hollow’s skull, the blow was not enough to end the hollow but it did knock it off balance long enough for him to bring his sword back up and plunge it into the hollow’s chest. The blade hit the undead warrior in it’s unarmored midsection, it’s tip bursting through the skin of it’s neck in a small spurt of already congealed blood, the lightning from the pine resin making the body twitch. Aston pulled sharply down on his blade, the blade coming clean of the now dead hollow with a sicking sound.
Aston diverted his attention to the remaining hollow just in time to see it fire another bolt directly at his face. Thankfully for the Knight the bolt glanced off his helm due to it’s angled construction, this exact scenario being envisioned by the blacksmiths of Astora. The more flat faced helms of the Knights of Balder for instance would not redirect the force of an incoming arrow or bolt, leading to more deaths from impacts to the head from such weapons. That said, the blow still made Aston’s head spin, the force making it swing harshly to the left.
Aston shook off the blow and raised his shield to block the hollow’s next bolt, the force of the impact bucked his shield back and made his arm muscles scream in protest. Determined to destroy the annoying undead he rushed it and loped it’s head off, like the other it’s headless body twitched as the electricity coursed through it.
‘Find your peace, wayward souls.’, He repeated the simple prayer twice in his head, shivering slightly as what little power the two undead warrior’s souls still had flowed into him like the mist of a person’s breath in a cold winter day.
He moved to look down out towards the wall at his companion, he found that she was indily making her way towards the other tower. As of yet he did not know what to think of the odd creature. She held herself well enough in battle, and for now that was good enough for him. She was unwieldy at short range combat but her combat style mixed well with his own. She was likeable enough, though she carried herself like a member of the Dragon School but thankfully not as self conceited, no doubt she was highly educated for her race. Her form was what he would call healthy, though he could be wrong, that led him to the conclusion that she led a life of mild... stillness. She attempted to make idle conversation, thankfully she knew when the time called for such things and she did not babble on passed her time. For now he found her... tolerable.
He was about to call out to her when her felt a tremor race across the wall, coming from the tower across from the one he was on. The Knight felt a small terror race through him at what he saw jump down to the wall.
A Taurus Demon, wielding a massive demon axe in it’s claws.
The massive beast prepared to take a swing at Twilight, though thankfully she had the sense to jump backwards out of the way... if only just. It then raised it’s axe above it’s head and slammed it down, again rewarded with a miss.
Aston’s mind raced to find a way to kill the demon. On the rare occasion that one of these beasts or their ilk made their way out of Lordran they would normally be dispatched with siege weapons like cannons or ballistas, only as a last ditch effort were lone Knights sent to fight the beasts. He himself had little experience fighting foes such as this, the demon protecting the Asylum being the only one he had fought.
He also had Oscar with him he remembered sadly.
Twilight dodged another blow as Aston remembered how they had dispatched that beast.
“Twilight! Bring the beast to me!” He screamed as loud as he could.
Twilight’s head snapped in his direction, her eyes full of fear.
“Now you fool! Run to me! Run you imbecile!” Aston cursed the gods, as she finally started to run towards him. The mare had froze up in terror. Twilight tore across the wall as fast as her four legs would carry her, nearly jumping into the tower as the beast skidded to a stop with a roar at the lose of it’s prey.
Aston placed his shield on his back and held his sword in both hands with the tip pointed down. His shifting armor caught the beast’s attention making it look up.
Aston took a deep breath... and jumped off the tower.
His blade impacted a moment before he landed on the beast’s head, though the blade was deflected a small amount because of the thick plate of bone that made up the beasts face. Instead the blade plunged into the monster’s shoulder, the lightning from the resin coursing through the beast. His jaw clenched despite himself as the lightning jumped to his body through his steel leggings, it was not as bad as the effect it had on the beast, but it still hurt. He took the pain and used it to force the blade all the way to the hilt into the beast before pulling it out. The beast violently shook it’s head, knocking the Knight from his position atop the beast.
Aston landed on his back, knocking the air from his chest. The beast brought it’s axe down, though the Knight was able to roll to the side to avoid the blow. Aston got up to a knee as the beast prepared to take another swing, through a blast of magic from Twilight to the face made it stumble back. Aston took the chance to duck under the beast in between it’s legs, he spun around and cut the beast’s calf muscles in it’s right leg down to the bone, rendering the appendage useless and covering the knight in gore.
The beast let out a long roar as it seemed to realise it was on it’s deathbed. In a final act of defiance it somehow managed to use it’s axe as a crutch to turn to face Aston. It attempted to take a swing at him with it but when it moved it lost to balance and fell prone.
Aston took his blade and plunged it right into the monster’s left eye all the way to the hilt, the eye popping as the blade passed through and the beast letting out a small series of spasms as the last of the resin wore off.
He let himself fall to his knees in exhaustion as he pulled the blade out of the beast’s skull, it’s power slowly flowing into him giving him a small thrill.
“Aston! All you alright?!” He heard Twilight yell as she moved around the demon’s corps.
“Yes lass, I’m fine.” He answered waving her away.
“I can’t believe I froze like that-” She started only for Aston to raise a hand signaling for stop.
“You can not blame yourself for that, I know many would have done the same were they in your position. You did well lass, that blast of magic very well saved my life.” Aston said.
She shifted under her cloak, “Thank you Aston.”
“Think nothing of it lass, help me up would you?” Aston said. Twilight came over and he used her as leverage to hoist himself up and carry on with his... their, quest.
Author's Note
To anyone interested, I could use a pre-reader for this and other works. If interested just PM me.
As to why this took so long, my modem died and I just got it replaced recently.
Chapter 4 : A Sun Shines Brighter
“Think nothing of it lass, help me up would you?” Aston said, holding out a hand.
Twilight nodded an affirmative and moved to his side. She had to move a hoof to the side to keep herself from falling over as Aston grabbed at her cloak and hoisted himself up. The knight was covered in gore and blood, though there was little either of them could do about it. Aston gave the massive corpse a kick for good measure and started across the wall towards where it came from.
“Wait! What if there's more of them?” Twilight asked.
“Doubtful lass, if there was another it would be here already. These beasts art not ones of strategy nor subtlety.” Aston replied as he began walking to the tower.
“Oh... that makes sense, I guess. Have you fought them before?” She asked the knight.
“Not one of that breed, but I’ve fought their ilk once before. I’d rather not speak long of it, ‘tis a tale that brings sour memories of friends lost.” Aston said, his tone sullen.
Twilight simply nodded, giving the knight his space. She had learned not to push things with the Knight, it would come on it’s own.
Aston’s voice reached her ears, “Been meaning to ask something of you lass.”
“Hmm?” She simply replied.
“Do you know why your magic reacted the way it did when it came into contact with my armor?” Aston asked.
She stopped and placed a hoof to her chin in thought, “I’m not entirely sure but I have an idea, could you take off one of your gauntlets?”
The knight looked at her for a moment, considering the request, before wordlessly removing the piece of armor.
Twilight told him to trust her as she called up a telekinetic field around his hand, smiling as nothing happened out of the ordinary, she then picked up the gauntlet and immediately dropped it as it began to smoke.
Aston picked up the piece of armor once it stopped smoking and put it back on.
“A revelation, lass?” He asked as he descended the stairs in the tower.
“No.” She said sadly, “I have no idea what could be causing this.”
The knight chuckled, “We should find ourselves a mage, a man knowing of the sorceries would be able to help.”
“I would like to see how your magic works in relation to mine.” Twilight said eagerly.
“Yes, I’d wager you’d have a grand time boiling in my armor.” Aston said dryly.
The knight spared a passing glance to the left and was met with a long bridge that connected to another part of the burg. The bridge itself was covered with hollows and charred corpses, the masonry blackened and burned. He broke his gaze and looked to the right finding a small flight of steps going down to a large balcony overgrown with greenery.
Aston chose to check the balcony for anything useful, beckoning for Twilight to follow. She moved to his side, but bumped into him as he suddenly stopped. She was about to speak when his hand moved to cover her mouth.
Standing not far in front of them was another individual, Aston apparently just now noticing the lone figure.
The figure’s back was turned to the pair, and had yet to acknowledge their presence. Aston used his hand to signal Twilight to move back and hide behind a nearby wall.
The Human was a mountain of a man, clad in heavy looking armor, his arms and the upper portions of his legs covered in chainmail. Over his chest were thick metal plates with white fabric over it, his shoulderblades shrouded in a animal fur that had been dyed a vibrant green. Atop the man’s head sat a iron helm, a crimson feather attached to the side. Resting nearby was a large round shield with an odd symbol painted on it, a visage of the sun with a face at the center and red rays coming out of it. A sword rested in its scabbard at the man’s waist.
‘That symbol, is it something of religious significance?’ Twilight wondered.
Aston was a fair distance away when he returned his sword to it’s place in it’s sheath, producing a soft ‘click’ as the hilt met the scabbard.
Upon hearing that the individual turned to face Aston with surprising quickness for a man under such a burden, a hand on his sword’s grip, but after a moment of examining Aston his hand fell away.
“Ah, hello! You don’t look hollow.” The man said to Aston, his voice sounding almost... jovial to Twilight.
“Far from it.” Aston said in confirmation.
Aston slowly walked up and extended a hand to the man, which he took and shook happily.
“I am Solaire of Astora, an adherent of the Lord of Sunlight. May I trouble you for your name?” Solaire asked.
“I am Aston, also of Astora. I trust what brought me to this land also brought you?” Aston said, seemingly happy to be talking to one of his kinsman.
“You are a man of Astora? How truly wonderful to talk to a kinsman. Alas I’d wager we are here for different reasons, my friend.” Solaire said.
“Hmm? How so?” Aston asked.
Solaire turned to look at the horizon, “Now that I am undead, I have come to the great land, the birthplace of our Lord Gwyn, to seek my very own sun!”
‘What?’ Twilight thought.
Aston for his part simply looked at the man.
Solaire laughed, “Do you find that strange, Knight Aston? Well you should! No need to hide your reaction my friend, I tend to get that look all the time.”
“I will admit that sounds of a strange conviction.” Aston placed a hand on the man’s shoulder, “Strange, but an honorable one.”
“Haha! So I didn’t scare you away, hmm? Well then, in that case I have a proposition.” Solaire said.
“A proposition?” Aston asked.
“Aye, the way I see it our fates appear intertwined. Two honorable men of Astora crossing paths in this land brimming with hollows. Can that be just mere chance? Why not assist each other on our path?” Solaire began.
Aston nodded, “That is a pleasant proposition Knight Solaire, it would be an honor to fight by your side.”
“This pleases me greatly! Here, take this.” Solaire pulled a white stone from a pouch and gave it to Aston, “This land is perilous, and fraught with danger, even the flow of time itself is convoluted. The fabric shifts and wavers, relations shift and obscure. There’s no telling how long your world and mine will stay connected, but, use this to summon each other as spirits, cross the gaps between worlds and engage in jolly cooperation! Now there are others engaged in this, but I am a warrior of the sun! Spot my signature by it’s golden aura, if you miss it, you must be blind.” The knight said with a chuckle
Aston laughed as well, and beckoned Twilight out of her hiding spot.
“Knight Solaire, this is my wayward companion. She was stolen here by some shadowy limb and I happened across her, saving her life. She is looking for a way back home.” Aston explained.
Twilight pulled down her hood and smiled at the knight, extending a hoof in greeting, Solaire knelt and took it.
“Hello Knight Solaire, I’m Twilight Sparkle. It’s an honor to meet you.” She said.
“To you as well Miss Sparkle, any confidant of Knight Aston is one of mine.” Solaire said, apparently unfazed by her appearance.
“Thank you Knight Solaire. I have a question if you’ll humor me.” Twilight began.
“Why of course! What would you like to know?” The knight said.
“You said that time here is convoluted, could you explain further?” Twilight asked.
“I will try... ah! Imagine that this quest that Knight Aston and you are on is a individual string in a rope, a single path if you will. Others walk on the rope, just on different strings. Some are ahead of you, others behind. With some working towards different goals and others the same as your own. Sometimes these strings cross and allow others to jump into your string, but they cannot stay because it is not their path to walk. Does that help clear things up?” Solaire finished.
“Yes, that helped very much. Thank you.” Twilight said.
“I am glad.” Solaire said.
“As am I. Knight Solaire, it truly has been an honor but I fear we must continue on.” Aston said.
“Very well. I will remain here, to gaze at the sun. It truly is a marvelous body, like a magnificent father! If only I could be so grossly incandescent.” Solaire said as the pair walked away towards the bridge.
Author's Note
A big thanks goes out to Haerdalas & LunarArmor for pre-reading this chapter. Couldn't be done without you two!
Chapter 5 : The Curse Of The Undead Part 1
Chapter 5 : The Curse Of The Undead Part 1
The pair made their way back up the overgrown steps, leaving both the balcony and Knight Solaire behind. Stopping at the beginnings of the burnt-out bridge.
“He’s of a... peculiar sort, hmm?” Aston directed towards Twilight.
Twilight nodded at the statement “He seems like a good man though, very polite.”
Aston made a sound in affirmative as he surveyed the charred bridge.
Nearly every inch of the bridge was covered in soot, char, and burnt remains of what Twilight thought were hollows. The soot covered masonry under her hoofs left a blackness that clung to her, and the smell of burning flesh was prevalent in the air making her gag. About half way across the bridge stood a large group of hollows, the small horde dimly moving in their direction. Most were armed with spears and shields, making her wince internally as the picture of Aston impaled on the one from not long ago entered her mind. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Aston roll his shoulder. She took a step forward only for her to hear Aston shift suddenly, she felt his hand grab her cloak and hold her in place.
“Hold lass. Look at the burns.” Aston instructed.
“I see them, they came from some battle fought here right?” Twilight offered.
“See how they overlap across the whole length? Mage-fire, pyromancy... ‘could’ produce burns like that. Only you would need a large group of pyromancers to do it. No, this is not from any pyromancy. Remember that red drake?” He asked.
“Yeah, I remember.” She said.
“I’d wager it has been here, it may perchance even roost here. If so we need to cross this bridge with care as it may come to defend its territory. I’d rather not tangle with such a beast.” Aston said.
Twilight shivered at the thought of fighting that red beast, “Nor would I... How do you propose we get across?”
“I know not of an alternative path, so we must cross in the most expedient way possible.” He said.
“So we run past them?” She said.
“No, were we to just dash past those fiends we could become trapped should there be more on the other side of the bridge. Keep the fighting to a minimum, don’t kill, just maim so that they cannot pursue.” Aston said, to which she nodded and prepared herself.
Two undead had meandered ahead of the group to stand about half way across the bridge, Aston getting to his target first. The undead let out a growl at the man fast approaching and drew back its spear. Aston was on the hollow now and took the opening the undead had gave him to slash downward to the right, lopping the undeads spear arm off at the elbow, the blade continuing down to slice its leg off as well. The undead fell to the ground and Aston simply ran over it. Twilight had also neared her target and she launched a magic blast at the hollow. The ball of magic impacted the undead’s waist and blasted the hollow in two.
Just as she passed her undead, a new sound rang out across the battlefield. The unmistakable roar of the drake.
Both Aston and Twilight turned just in time to see the drake appear over the outer wall from whence they came, the massive reptile landing on the outermost wall. The drake simply looked at the bridge for a moment, as if it was deciding whether or not to bath the structure in it’s fire.
“Twilight run!” Aston roared as he began to turn.
Too late.
The drake brought it’s head back and she could see fire begin to spill from it’s maw, it thrusted it’s head forward, projecting the flame out of it’s gullit and towards the bridge.
‘No way we’ll make it! Think Twilight think!’
Thinking fast, Twilight called forth a great magic wall similar to the one her brother used during the attack on Canterlot by the changelings. Just before the fire reached the pair a purple dome popped into existence around them. She strained to keep the magic wall coherent as the flames flowed around the pair like water around a stone.
“Twilight!” She heard Aston call.
“I’m... a little... busy here Aston!” Twilight said back in a strained voice.
‘I can’t keep this thing up for much longer!’ Twilight thought, about to panic.
“Can you move this shield!? We need to get across!” He screamed.
“I... I think I... can.” Twilight said.
She looked towards their destination through the flames. It was a small alcove with a large statue or alter at the center. She assumed it connected to the upper parts of the burg.
Twilight took a shaky step forward and the dome of magic moved with them, each step felt like someone was hitting her horn with a sledge hammer sending reverberations of pain through her head and body.
“Almost there lass.” Aston said, the knight moving closer as the dome began to shrink as she neared the end of her endurance.
Just as the barrier was about to fall she felt the flames stop assaulting the shield. She unceremoniously let the barrier fall as fatigue overtook her. She started to run only for Aston to scoop her up in his arms and start to sprint faster than she thought possible as she heard the drake roar once more.
They passed through the archway and Aston jumped to the left and slammed up against the wall. Just as she was about to sigh in relief about not burning alive, a massive gout of flame came bursting through the archway. She watched in horror as the flames slammed against the far wall and came rushing back at them. Her vision blurred as Aston spun, putting his back to the flame as he got as far into the corner of the room as possible in an attempt to protect her from the fire. As the heat began to build her mind was taken by unconsciousness.
=~=
Twilight awoke with a gasp, her vision blurred and the smell of char filled her nostrils, nearly overwhelming her. She blinked for a time and shook her head in an attempt to clear her vision. With her vision slowly returning she took note that she felt... lighter, as if someone had removed her cloak.
“Ugh... Aston?” She called, her vision finally back to normal.
They were still in the small alcove with the statue appearing to be watching over whomever would enter. She had to admit it was rather peaceful, even though the stature and most of the room was burnt to a preverbal crisp. She also noted a bonfire she had not seen before.
“Awake lass?” She heard Aston say.
She turned her head to look at the knight, he was propped up against a wall and was apparently resting as his helm was sitting at his side along with his shield and sword. Her cloak layed next to him with burn marks covering it.
His armor that covered his arms and the large pauldron on his shoulder burnt heavily burned in many spots and the blue and gold cloth that covered his armored chest was gone as well, save for some burnt scraps, revealing the armor underneath. Over his chest sat a heavy looking metal plate with metal bands of some sort running laterally up and down the metal plate. The chest plate stopped about where she imagined his ribs would, from there down he was covered in what looked like metal scales, the scales sat on top of heavy leather that made up the waist belt lower down.
He thankfully had a slight smile on his face, signalling that he was fine, though she could see a burn mark on the back of his neck slowly receding no doubt due to the estus doing it’s work on whatever wounds he had sustained.
“How bad?” She asked.
The knight chuckled, “I’ll live.”
“What’s so funny?” Twilight asked.
The knight said nothing, opting to simply point at her.
She looked down at her self, finding that her fur was burnt in many places, giving her a near patchwork pattern of fur. To add to that her mane was about half as long as it used to be. She sighed as she cast a simple spell to speed the growth of her hair.
‘Could be worse Twilight, you could be dead.’ She thought.
“Aston... thank you.” Twilight said.
The knight looked at her for a moment before nodding, “I could hardly let you die now, could I, lass?”
Twilight gave a light laugh before stopping, “Where did the drake go?”
The knight stood up, “The beast took the the sky after it attempted to burn us to ashes without success. If you are able, I’d rather leave before it comes back.”
She nodded and stood up, taking a moment to compose herself. She asked Aston for her cloak and as he handed it to her she found herself staring at his chestplate.
“Something amiss lass?” He asked.
“Just a question.” She responded after she realised he had said something. “That... covering, that blue and gold cloth was over your breastplate, what did it symbolize?” She finished as she pulled the cloak on.
She saw Aston’s eyes gloss over, “I... I can’t remember.”
The knight absentmindedly grabbed for the fabric that was no longer there, a look of worry on his face.
“I think it was the crest of my family... or... or the emblem of the house I served in Astora...” Aston said defeated.
Twilight saw his discomfort and moved to his side.
“Don’t worry Aston... I’m sure you’ll be able to remember it all eventually.” Twilight said reassuringly.
He did not look at her, instead he simply put his helm back on his head and lightly hit the side of it to make sure everything was correct.
“Aye... Come, we’ve stayed for long enough.” He said in a blank tone.
“Sure.” She said after a pause.
Aston moved to a lever and pulled it, a portcullis sliding up that had since been blocking their progression.
“Where does this lead Aston?” Twilight asked.
He stopped as he reached an intermission between two flights of steps, looking to the right at the entrance to a tower that overlooked the bridge. Like the rest of the burge the masonry was overgrown by greenery and in poor repair.
“If I’m not mistaken, this should lead to the undead church, held within the church should be the bell of awakening.” Aston said.
What ever she was going to say was interrupted by the sound of a large animal, though she was hard pressed to name it.
Only it had more of a bass sound to it, meaning it was very big.
The stairway opened up to a large courtyard, to the right was another desecrated structure, it looked like it was once a small inn or shop of some kind. It also had a stairway up to the top of the building next to it. In the courtyard were two large fires, the work of the drake perhaps, though the flames were dieing down. The courtyard took the form of two large flights of stairs separated by a long flat intermission with a walkway above that. On the far end was another portcullis, this one raised, on the other side of that was another flight of steps leading up to the undead church.
Though it was what was at the center was what took the pair’s attention.
“Damnation.” Aston cursed under his breath.
“What is that thing?” Twilight asked Aston.
“Warboar, a creature used for siege or open plain warfare. What in the name of the gods is it doing here?” Aston wondered aloud.
Said beast was currently devouring a hollow that it had crushed underneath its massive hoofs, with a vicious pull it ripped the undead in half at the middle; the guts spilling out in a pool making Twilight gag. True to Aston’s word the beast looked like a boar, only that it was much larger, it’s shoulder had to be even with Aston’s head. It was also covered in gleaming silver scale armor, it’s tusks also had dozens of spikes along their length.
“How do we get passed that thing?” Twilight asked, voice low.
Aston was silent for a time, his head idaly drifting from side to side scanning the courtyard.
“You see that building with the stairs to the right lass?” He said gesturing to the structure, “Those stairs lead to that upper walkway above the boar, we drop down and make a run for the portcullis. Then we drop it on the boar.”
“Will that even work? That armor looks thick.” Twilight said.
“Trust me lass, this is the best chance we’ve got. That is not normal metal, it’s hardened to resist weapons and magic. Normally, to kill these beasts one would use heavy siege weaponry, or powerful magic on par with the grand mages of the Dragon School.” Aston said.
“Ok, lets get this over with.” Twilight said.
“I’ll go and grab the boars ire, you take the stairs and go up to the walkway. When I give the order you jump down and close the portcullis.” Aston said.
“What if it can’t be closed?” Twilight asked.
“Trust me lass, it can. This burg is designed to be a defensible position as well as a living area. An... intermission between the outer walls and the city proper.” Aston said pointing up to the walls of Lordran high up above.
Twilight nodded after a moment, putting her trust in the knight’s knowledge.
=~=
Aston spared a parting glance at Twilight as they entered the courtyard, just in time to see the cloaked mare disappear from view up the stairs. With her out of the way he refocused on the boar, said beast still tearing at the hollow it had crushed under it’s hoofs. Steeling himself he gave a shout, getting the attention of the beast. The boar simply looked at the knight for a moment, as if it was deciding to ignore the human and continue with it’s meal, before it let out a mighty roar and charged.
The beasts hoofbeats shook the ground as Aston dived to the left as the boar tore through the spot he had just occupied. Just as he was getting up he heard a blood curdling scream that he immediately recognised as belonging to Twilight. He took a glance in the direction of the screen. He saw a glimpse of the mare, with an blot in her shoulder, staring down a armored hollow that had been on the roof.
He was about to call out to her, only to be tossed to the ground by a mighty force slamming into him, a sickeningly loud snap and a searing pain telling him that his chestplate had failed to save his ribcage from the impact. He attempted to force himself up only to be pushed back down by one of the boar’s hoofs, the weight warping the armor of his shield arm.
The boar roared into his face, coating his upper body in spittle and the gore of it’s last meal. The knight took this opportunity to plunge his straight sword into the boars mouth, stabbing through the roof of it’s mouth. In response the beast snapped it’s mouth closed, breaking the blade in half in the process. The boar reared up with a roar with the intent of crushing the knight beneath it’s hoofs.
“Aston!” He heard Twilight scream, the call punctuated by a blast of magic impacting the boar’s face.
While not enough to kill the beast, it was enough to make the beast loose it’s balance and crash to the ground. Aston looked in the direction of the blast, seeing Twilight standing in the archway bloody but alive.
“Come on! Get up!” She screamed.
Aston moved to his knees, using the tip of his shield to support him as he got to his feet; the sounds of the raging boar spurring his motion despite his wounds. He moved as fast as he could, little more than a slow walk. He heard the boar paw at the ground and that moved him to a run. As he got about halfway he called out to Twilight to close the gate.
Aston dove through the archway, just as the portcullis started to fall, the boar close on his heels.
=~=
The grinding sound of metal on metal and a crunch signaled the plan had worked. Though Aston opted to simply lay face down on the moss covered stone.
“Aston?” He heard Twilight lightly call from somewhere nearby.
Aston grunted in pain and slowly got up to his knees, caught in fit of coughing as he took off his helm, taking the time to look at what was left of his blade before tossing the useless hunk of metal away with a huff. A trickle of deep red blood coming from the corner of his mouth. Aston’s breastplate had a large dent in it, and the armor on his shield arm was warped. Twilight did not look much better. She still had an bolt from a crossbow lodged firmly in her body near her right foreleg, along with multiple bloody cuts with a particularly nasty gash across her muzzle. The armored cloak had most likely saved her from death.
In his haze he did not take notice of the flask floating near his lips until it bumped up against them. His hand took the flask from the field of magic and he looked at Twilight and nodded in thanks,Twilight offering up a weak smile in return. He took a long drink from the flask before setting it down, a grunt of pain escaping him as the ash tasting fluid did it’s work, a rib snapping back into place.
Twilight winced at the knight’’s pain before he nodded to her. She picked up the flask and was about to take a drink before Aston stopped her.
“That... has to come out first.” He said, pointing to the bolt.
She looked between the knight and the bolt in her side a couple of times, before nodding weakly.
He placed a hand on her, the bolt between his thumb and fingers.
“On three?” He asked.
With a nod she closed her eyes tight.
Aston gripped the bolt with his other hand, it had managed to puncture the cloak and bury it’s head in her flesh. The nasty thing about these bolts was the fact that the heads were barbed, making getting them out almost as painful as getting them in.
“Ok... One.” With that the knight pulled and pushed as hard as he could. Twilight screamed in agony as the point came out, taking a ribbon of muscle with it, the new hole bleeding profusely.
Twilight all but drowned herself with the flask, Aston watching the wound slowly close.
“I thought you said on three!” Twilight screamed at Aston, openly crying from the pain.
“Old knights’ trick lass.” He said as he took the flask back, “The surprise helps numb the pain. Besides, it had to come out anyway. How do you feel now?”
She huffed, “Better.”
“Good.” He said standing up.
“Your sword broke.” She said, looking at the hilt not to far away.
“Aye.” He said, “Tis but a blade, I’ll find another.”
His tone betrayed his words, she could tell he was hurt from the loss.
“Until then, I’ll make use of this.” He said, pulling the plain looking dagger from his belt.
Twilight looked away from the knight as he replaced the flask in the pouch from which she had taken it, looking towards the massive church, all the while wondering what could be held within.
Chapter 6 : The Curse Of The Undead Part 2
Twilight tore herself away from the church and looked back at Aston just in time for him to catch her chin in his hand, a thumb moving across her fur as he moved her head around.
“You’ve got a new scar, right across your nose.” Aston said, drawing his hand back.
She crossed her eyes and looked at her nose, and true to the knight’s words a line of scarred pink skin ran from right to left from where her snout met her face to its tip. She lifted her cloak and saw a pink circle where the bolt had been. She looked at him, running her eyes over him from top to bottom, catching a twitch of pain and a soft gasp as something forced itself back into place.
“I’d say the same to you, but I can’t see much of you under all that armor.” She retorted, getting a chuckle from the knight in response.
“The healing power of the flask does not leave one with scars, at least it should not. It may not work as well for you if you sustain grievous wounds… something to keep in mind. How do you feel?” Aston said, taking a look around.
“A bit sore, nothing too bad. I guess I’ll have a lot of explaining to do when I see Celestia again.” She replied.
“Celestia?” The knight asked.
“Oh… I’ve never told you about her?”
“Can’t say you have lass.”
“She’s the ruler of Equestria, along with her sister Luna. I am one of her many… students.”
“A diarchy? How long has this line been ruling?”
“Line? Oh… you misunderstand, they have been ruling for as long as there has been an Equestria. It’s been well over two thousand years since we’ve had a different ruler.”
“Truly? Their rule must be just for such a feat. For that matter, how long lived are your people?”
Twilight laughed lightly at the knight’s expense, “Most of us live to be around sixty years old, Celestia and Luna are not normal ponies.”
“Just what are they then?” Aston asked.
“Gods, if you’re feeling dramatic. In reality, they’re little more then… embodiments of the sun and moon respectively and have attributes reflecting their charges. That said they are both extremely powerful, but don’t let that fool you, they have made mistakes and are not infallible.” Twilight explained.
Aston nodded at the information and began to trudge up the steps leading to the church, stepping over a long dead body. Twilight followed close behind with a slight scowl, she was getting sick of climbing all these steps, but she held her tongue. They reached the thick iron double door that served as the churches entrance, a kick from the knight failing to open the way.
“Someone has barred the doors.” Aston said with another kick.
Twilight told him to stand aside; Aston nodded and stepped over to the left clear out of the way. He turned his back and began rummaging through a stack of crates and boxes after hoisting a decrepit body off of the pile that, to Twilight, looked to have once been one of the clergy of the church due to the garb it wore. The body did not look that old, naught but a few days.
“What killed him?” Twilight asked.
“’She’ actually. I’ve not seen wounds like these before, these cuts are nice and clean. That means the blade is sharp, sharper than something like my longsword or the arms of these hollows. Keep your eyes open lass; we may have a new foe in our midst.” Aston said as he picked what looked like a key off of the body and put it in a pouch with a light shrug.
With a nod she looked away from the body and focused on a spell to try and blast the doors open. She closed her eyes and let her power flow into her horn, she could see a flash of purple from behind her eyelids. She heard a gong like sound from the door along with a start from the knight. She opened her eyes only to be greeted by the door still mockingly in the way.
She looked at the knight, wondering what had caused the outburst from the normally reserved knight.
Aston had his back to her, his hands buried elbow deep in a box about seven feet long that had once been at the base of the pile that was now strung about. With a grunt he ripped something from the box with the sound of crackling wood, a particularly large splinter flying past her head as she involuntarily raised a brought a hoof up to cover her face.
When she lowered her hoof she was greeted with Aston holding a weapon the likes of which she had never seen.
The best way she could describe it was a cross between a spear and a hammer. It had a red painted wooden handle that was about as long as Aston was tall, about six feet, and the metal tip made up another foot. Its head was a dual sided affair with one side having a heavy, hammer-like end with the other being a beak like protrusion. The metal head then tapered down to a triangular spear point, she looked down at the other end to find a simple square counterweight.
Aston flipped the weapon experimentally in a single handed grip, switching between the two lethal points.
“What is that?” Twilight asked.
“It’s called a ‘Lucerne Hammer’ I believe. It makes fast work of armor, the blunt hammer is made to crush and crack thick armor and the beak is made to pierce armor plates, as is the spearhead. It will make a fine replacement for the time being.” Aston said.
He fiddled with his belt for a moment, pulling a length of leather with buckles on each end from it. He then looped and clasped it through the handle on his shield, doing the same with his belt. He let the shield drop from his grasp and it dangled from his side, he took a moment to move around to see if the new arrangement hampered his movement. He swung the lucerne around in arches and swings, and then he grabbed the shield and sung it around. He turned to her and shrugged, seemingly pleased.
“There’s also a mace, if you’d like it.” He said, taking a glance back at the box.
“I’ll stick with my spells, thank you. You’re more suited to the hacking and smashing.” Twilight said, pulling her hood back over her head, eyeing another set of stairs to the right.
“That reminds me of a question, how does your race wage war?” Aston asked.
“We don’t really, it’s not like we’re peaceful by nature, it’s just direct combat does not suit us quadrupeds all that well. We don’t all have magic; I do because I’m a unicorn, but there are also pegasi and earth ponies that don’t. It’s kind of hard to hold a sword without hands. There are hoof and wing blades, but those are hard to learn to use effectively. Most ‘wars’ are mainly assassinations and clever politics.” Twilight said.
“You seem well versed.” Aston said.
“I had to learn how to defend myself; I was on my own most of the time. A lone mare looks an easy target, you see.” Twilight said.
“I’d imagine they’d be in for a surprise.” The knight chuckled and motioned her to follow as he made his way over to the stairs.
Twilight moved to join him only to be tossed to the ground as Aston barreled over her with a curse as a form cloaked in a blood red mist tackled him just as he reach the top. She spared a glance back to him just in time to see him kick it off him, sending it tumbling down the steps. The jingling of armor brought her attention back to the stairway to see an armored hollow shamble down at her.
The hollow was much bettered armed and armored than any other she had yet seen. It wore a helm that was similar to Aston’s; only it was almost flat, left a larger slit for the eyes and protected its mouth with perforated iron. It’s chest plate armor wholly covered it’s chest and most of it’s midsection unlike the sparsely armored hollows from before and she saw what had once been chain mail that would have protected it’s the lower parts of its midsection but now was little more than a couple of dangling rings. Its thighs were covered in scaled plate armor, though one side was falling off and its calves were covered in plate iron.
In its left hand was a massive kite shield that had to be at least as tall as she was and in its right it held a long, but thin, sword that looked to be made for piecing armor.
She looked back at Aston to see the knight and a wraith circling each other. The wraith was garbed in cloth with armored plates and hood that covered most of his face. The wraith held a large, slightly curved, blade with wavy stains on the edge and had a shield that was only a bit larger than its hand. The wraith suddenly dashed forward and thrusted its odd sword at Aston, but luckily the knight was able to dodge to the left with a jump, then with a spin, slammed the hammer end into the wraith’s back, sending it to the floor with a crack of broken bone.
“Handle that hollow.” Aston said, pointing the lucerne at her before pivoting back to his target.
=-=
Aston pivoted back to his target, trusting the mare to handle herself.
The lightly garbed wraith quickly picked himself up, making a glance towards Twilight, only for the knight to place himself in between the two. The wraith jumped forward with a horizontal slash of his sword, the blow sparking off of Aston’s shield. Aston jabbed at the wraith with the tip of his shield, only for the blow to miss as the wraith jumped backwards. The wraith took this opening to cut a deep gash into Aston’s shield arm, the blow cutting a line into his armor; the blade slipping in-between the armor plates and gashing into his arm.
With a grunt of pain Aston kicked the wraith in the chest then brought the lucerne down upon him. The wraith raised his small shield in an attempt to block the blow. The pollhammer crashed against the shield and glanced off onto the wraith’s arm, the bones failed under the unforgiving force and snapped. The hammer continued and crashed into the wraith’s face, sending him to the ground.
Aston whipped back to Twilight just in time to see her blast the head clean off the hollow, its shield pot marked in blackened holes and divots from her spells. Twilight herself looked no worse for wear aside from the fact that she was huffing and puffing from exertion and looked like she was about to fall over.
“You ok?” Aston asked.
“I’m fine, just,” The mare suddenly stopped talking and her eyes widened, “Aston look out!”
Aston turned on his heel just in time to see the wraith take a stab at him, no doubt with the intent of running him through his back. Aston contorted himself in a way that the blade missed his gut, though it did graze him producing a nasty gash. The blow however was sloppy, leaving the wraith extended. Aston used that to loop his arm around the wraith’s as he took a step closer. Aston pulled up sharply and the wraith’s arm caught in his armpit only for the arm to snap and bend at the elbow in the opposite direction to that which it was meant to. Then Aston delivered a mighty kick to one of the knees of the wraith, snapping it in the wrong direction to the point that Aston’s foot nearly touched the ground. He untangled himself from the wraith and slammed the lucerne into his face with a spin, nearly decapitating him as it tore most of his face away. The wraith dissipated in a reddish fog, signaling his death.
Twilight rushed up to Aston, “I thought I’d lost you for a moment.” She said, lightly brushing up against him.
“Humph. It will take more than some sneak to kill me, I assure you that lass. I thank you for the concern though.” He said, placing a hand on her back momentarily before fishing the flask from his pack. He offered it to her, but she waved it away and took a seat while Aston tended to his wounds, thankful for the reprieve.
Aston took the time to examine the hollow that Twilight had dispatched. It wore the armor of the Knights of Balder, normally praised for its protection and quality, only this armor was in such disrepair that it barely served its purpose anymore. He picked up its side-sword, only to toss it away due to its sorry state. It was rust covered and the edges were chipped in many places, it was not beyond repair, but he’d be a fool to carry a blade he could not use to its full effect. The side-sword was made to cut in between gaps in armor and slip under plates to stab at vital organs, not cut through armor like his old sword. He’d like to have another weapon in the event that the lucerne was unwieldy such as in tight corridors, he’d just have to be careful as the dagger at his side would be all but useless against armored opponents.
‘Twilight will make up the difference until I find something.’ Aston thought.
“Are you ready to continue?” Aston asked.
“Yes.” Twilight said simply.
Aston could see the fatigue in her eyes, dark bags had appeared under them and her head hung low. He felt no worse for wear, most likely due to his state as an undead, but he could tell she needed rest. He fished a clump of green leaves from his belt and handed them to her.
“Eat. They’ll help make the fatigue go away.” He said.
She popped one into her mouth and chewed, “Tastes bitter.”
“Why don’t you take some time to yourself, I’ll watch over you.” Aston said, rolling his shoulders.
“We can’t-” Twilight started, only for Aston to cut her off.
“You can barely keep your eyes open lass, you're in no shape to fight. Sit here a spell and rest, I’ll be sure to dispatch anything that comes this way.” The knight said.
Twilight sighed and got into a more comforting position.
“Thanks Aston.” She said.
“Think nothing of it.” He responded as he sat next to the mare, leaning against iron door.
Aston watched the mare slowly fall asleep out of the corner of his eyes, a memory coming to the forefront of his mind.
It was of a little girl with had red hair, green eyes, and a splash of freckles on her cheeks. She was about half as tall as himself, laughing and reaching up to him with a smile, showing a small gap in-between her two front teeth. She was garbed in a simple green/brown dress that reached down to her ankles, and her hair was done up in a bow. She was saying something, but what it was escaped his memory.
The memory faded away, leaving the knight to wonder just who the child was. With a shake of his head to clear his mind, and a curse to his fleeting memory, he returned to his vigil over the sleeping mare.
Chapter 7 : Fallen Knight
Twilight was pulled from her dreamless sleep as something shook her harshly.
“Twilight! Come lass, get up… up!” She heard Aston bark into her ear as he shook her again.
She was about to rebuke the knight for the rude awakening when a loud bang came from the church doors.
“Seems we’ve kicked the nest.” He said simply as he stood, twirling the poll-hammer as he did.
Twilight glanced at the door, the two thick black-iron doors caving outward slightly as something bashed them from the other side. The stone frame cracked and fissured as some unimaginable force was weighted on it.
Twilight moved to Aston’s side, the knight positioning himself at the side of the door so that they could ambush whatever was trying to get out; holding the poll-hammer in such a way so that he could swing it around into the hostile.
“What do you think it is?” Twilight asked.
At that the door was slammed again, almost buckling.
“Something big I suppose.” The knight said looking back.
The door was finally blown free from its frame, the two iron pieces crashing down the steps towards the portcullis. Two hollow knights of Balder followed, one of them quickly meeting its end at the hands of the knight as Aston slammed his poll-hammer’s blunt end into its unprotected face; tearing it off at the jaw and sending it flying back though the door. The other hollow jabbed at Aston’s face with its piecing sword; thankfully the blow glanced off his angled helm. With a grunt Aston kicked the hollowed knight away, sending the figure tumbling down to the ground; Twilight taking the opening to blast the hollow with a spell.
Just as the hollow fell a huge form clad in massive armor came rushing out the door, wielding a huge mace and hefting a massive rectangular greatshield. A terror raced through her as Aston spun to face the new foe, only to lose his footing on the body on the ground. Still sprinting towards the fallen knight the massive hollow raised its massive mace, preparing to crush Aston.
Thinking fast, Twilight raised a dome of magic around him. The massive hollow’s blow connected with the shimmering shield, the dome immediately shattering under the strain; though the pause allowed the knight time to roll to the side. The massive mace crashing into the ground, kicking up dust and pieces of masonry as it crushed a large divot into the ground where Aston once was.
The hollow turned its head in her direction, ripping the mace from the ground it was lodged in as it turned fully to her and lumbered and lumbered forward. She fired off another spell at the hollow, the massive figure blocking the incoming blast with its greatshield. She jumped backwards as the hollow swiped at her with its mace, Aston by that time had sprung back to his feet. As the hollow’s swing reached the end of its arch Aston brought the beaked end of his poll-hammer down on its head, though the blow missed its mark and impacted its arm; imbedding itself deep as it nicked into the armor-less joint at the elbow.
With a primal roar the massive hollow pulled its wounded arm forward, ripping the lucerne from Aston’s grip. The hollow then backhanded its mace into Aston’s raised shield, the impact sending the knight to the ground. The hollow tore the poll-hammer from its arm and tossed it away. Twilight sent another spell at the hollow, this time the spell slammed into its chest only for it to splash harmlessly against the armor leaving little more then a scorch mark.
The hollow took the hit in stride and slammed its massive shield forward, hitting Twilight in the side as she tried to jump away from the blow. She heard a snap as her ribs caved under the strain; a feeling like lava being poured into her chest tore through her body as she was launched to the ground. The hollow hefted the massive mace over its head and was about to bring it down on her when Aston jumped onto the hollows shoulders. The hollow twisted and contorted itself in an attempt to get the knight off his back, Aston climbing up higher; nearly standing on its shoulders as he ripped of its helm.
Aston pulled the dagger from his belt and plunged it deep into its head, the beast of a hollow twitching once before falling in a heap, the battle finally over.
-=-
Aston cursed loudly as the mountain of a hollow nearly fell on top of him, the knight pulling a foot out that had been lodged under it. He grunted in pain as he realized his shield-arm had been broken in the battle, the injury going unfelt in the heat of the battle.
The wound was put from his mind as he saw Twilight’s prone and broken form. She was still breathing, but the breaths came in short gasps and blood flowed from her mouth with each exhale. The knight knew that her ribs had been broken, likely had punctured her lungs, one of her front legs had also been broken into an unnatural angle. The knight kneeled, holding her head as he pulled the flask from his pouch. She had a panicked look in her crying and pain filled eyes. Her horn glowed for a moment and her movable legs kicked at him, but the knight stopped that by forcing her mouth open with a thumb and pouring the substance of the flask into her mouth.
“Calm… you’re going to be fine.” Aston said, his mind flashing with images of the little girl from before; only now she was blooded and face down on the floor. “Everything’s going to be fine.”
Twilight tore her head away from his grasp, a snapping sound audible as the bones moved back into place, but it was not a scream of pain that escaped her lips.
“Aston!” The mare let out the single word in such a way that meant only one thing.
Danger.
The knight spun on a heel, a flash of blue filling his vision right before something slammed into his chest.
“Aston! NO!” He Twilight scream, her voice sounding far away; a ringing starting in his ears.
He looked down at his chest, the sounds of the world around him slowly fading away, finding a bloody hole where the majority of his chest used to be. Strangely, the man felt no pain as he fell to his knees. A second blow, this one physical, sent the knight to the ground.
His energy sapped from his body he could do nothing but look as his assailant, a human sized figure garbed in a grayish blue robe with gold trimmings holding a golden trident, simply stepped over the knight like he was some pile of trash as it approached Twilight.
She, still recovering from her wounds, could do little more then scream for help as the figure picked her up.
‘No! I…’
The knight kept his eyes locked on Twilight, burning her face and name into his mind as the blackness swam in his vision. She was kicking and squirming in its grasp as it looked her over.
‘I have to… remember. I can’t forget.’
Runes appeared around the figure as he held the mare tight, the pair slowly fading away, as was the knight; the bonfire tearing into his soul as it drew it in.
‘Remember… Remember.’ The knight repeating the mantra as Twilight vanished.
The knight finally lost the battle with the bonfire, his body going limp as he faded away into green smoke.
Chapter 8 : The Covenant
Aston awoke with a gasp, sitting up from his prone position on the cold stone masonry, holding his head in his hands as it flared in pain. He could feel the tendrils of the bonfire tearing at the edges of his mind, ripping away at his mind and humanity. The knight writhed on the ground, clawing at the sides of his helm; letting out a scream as his mind fogged. Finally, the pain stopped, the knight laid on the ground, the ordeal sapping him of his strength.
The events that led to his current position were little more than a soup of events, the knight unable to clearly remember what had happened.
He stood up and took a look around, dimly remembering the small shrine and the drake that burned it. He was alone in the burned out shrine, but he had the unshakeable feeling that that was not always so.
He bent down and retrieved his poll-hammer and his crested shield, his memory failing him as to when he lost his sword. He trudged up the steps, stopping in the courtyard of the undead church, looking at the massive crushed armored boar; the scene bringing a small amount of clarity to his mind. Images of the boar atop him passed through his mind, the massive beast rearing up only to take a blast of magic to the face.
He pushed the thoughts from his mind as he ducked under the portcullis and moved up the steps.
‘What am I forgetting…’ He stopped at the broken door frame, looking down at the tattered remains of a brown leather cloak under his foot. He moved his armored foot and picked it up, running it between his thumb and pointer fingers. He flipped it over and found a clump of purple fur, the sight jarring his memory.
“Twilight!” Aston screamed, remembering the mare being taken away after he fell.
“Twilight.” The knight laminated, looking at the mass of fur. He placed the fur in a pouch and looped the remains of her cloak around his neck as a reminder. “I will find you, I promise.” He swore, knowing that she was gone.
He looked towards his new goal, moving into the church. Passing through the doors and walking through a small hallway he stepped into the church proper. It was a large building with two main ‘rooms’; the first room was a gathering area with two rows of chairs along either wall. The next room had two rows of pews though most of the benches were broken down beyond any usability.
The chairs sat in front of a large visage of the goddess Gwynevere, princess of sunlight. The knight’s mind was soothed by the statue’s watchful gaze and his body by the soft heat emanating from it. Aston said a silent prayer for the safety of the mare.
The rattling of armor made Aston turn, a knight of Balder was coming down the steps to the upper levels and speeding towards him. Aston jumped backwards from a jab, sweeping his poll-hammer low as he landed and swiped the hollow off its feet. Keeping the momentum Aston brought the blunt end down on the hollow’s face, bursting it and spraying gore around.
Aston was suddenly slammed from behind by some unknown foe, the force of the impact sending him to the ground. He couldn’t see his attacker, but the growling and moaning told him well enough that it was a hollow. He lashed out with his left elbow and felt it connect with something hard. He sent whatever was on his back sprawling to the ground; he rolled over, placing himself atop a lightly garbed hollow. He slammed his armored gauntlet into its face, tearing away half its jaw, a second blow stilling the walking corpse. A second hollow was already rushing at him. His lucerne to far away to retrieve in time, so the knight took a half step towards the lightly armored hollow and slammed his crest shield into the beasts face, cleanly beheading it.
Aston gazed at where the hollow had come; they had entered through a small side-door that led into the church. Through the door was another small courtyard, a long walkway that led to a dilapidated clergy building visible beyond the door. The soft clang of metal on metal was on the wind, emanating from the depths of the building.
‘What the blazes is that?’ Aston wondered, stepping into the courtyard after taking a look around for foes.
He trudged across the broken down walkway, sidestepping a falling piece of brick as he entered the clergy building. The room was small with piles of broken roofing and walls all around, at the opposite wall to the entrance was a stone speaking stand, and set of stairs was to his left. The clang of metal on metal still echoing through the air as he started his way down, the next floor was all wood with a bonfire in the center and a single exit that led to a massive fortress.
Aston brushed his hand across the bonfire as he passed. The room lighting up as the fire grew, bathing the room in heat. The clanging finally stopped; the sound of shuffling now on the wind.
Aston moved down to the final floor of the building with his shield raised and poll-hammer prepared.
“Oi! You best not be coming for a fight!” A gravely voice shouted to the knight.
Aston looked at the speaker and was taken aback; the man was a mountain of muscle! He was tan, though not overly so, and had almost overly wide shoulders. His long hair was white that draped over his shoulders and he had a long beard. He had his wrapped fists raised over his bare chest in a defensive posture, a small smithy behind the man along with a various weapons and shields.
“No, I’m not here for a fight. Who are you?.” Aston dropped his guard, his shoulders sagging.
The man smiled broadly, moving back behind the smithy, “Well then, you must be a new arrival, for few do not know of me. I am Andre the blacksmith, of Astora.”
Aston leaned his poll-hammer on the nearby wall, letting his crested shield fall to his waist as he approached the smith.
“Well met smith. I am Aston, a knight of Astora. I’d bid your assistance if you’d give it.”
“Of course knight, what do you need of me?” Andre said, starting to forge a sword; looking away for just a moment.
“A companion of mine was taken from me by a strange foe, a man sized figure welding a trident and magic, what do you know of it?”
“By the sounds of it you ran into one of Seath the Scaleless’s ‘Channelers’, they steal away maidens for his fiendish experiments.”
“Where did it take her!? ” The knight asked harshly, taking a step forward. “I have to find her! ”
“I’m sorry lad, but they take their captives to Seath’s archives, in Anor Londo, past Sen’s Fortress. By the time you’d reach her, if you even can, she’d most likely have perished.” Andre said, tone sullen.
“No, she’s more than capable of escape the clutches of that beast. I refuse to believe she’d die so easily!” He shouted
“Calm yourself lad. I know of a way, however unsavory, that you may be able to find her. But first, why don’t you tell me of you companion.” The smith said.
The knight sighed and sat, preparing to tell the tale of himself and Twilight.
-==-
“I must admit Aston, in all my time, a stranger tale I’ve not heard. But if your tale be true then she may have hope. The Channelers of Seath normally only take defenseless maidens, if her skill in battle hasn’t been exaggerated, then she may well be able to escape before she’s taken to Seath. If you truly want to find her, then seek out Alvina of Darkroot Wood. She heads a clan that defends the graves of the forest and her eyes and ears reach far throughout Lordran, if Twilight is still alive and free, Alvina can find her.” Andre said.
“I’ve sworn on my honor to see her safely home. Even more so, as I friend I cannot see her harmed.” Aston said.
“I see you will not be swayed from you way, and rightly so Aston. See yourself to Alvina, but be wary, she resides in a perilous part of the woods.” He pulled a stone disk from behind him. “This is the crest of the knight Artorias, use this to open the way. Alvina and I have an… understanding, show this, and you shan't be harmed.”
Aston took the disk, it was a small bit larger then his hand, inlayed with depictions of two wolves behind a large kite greatshield.
“An understanding?” Aston asked.
“Sorry lad, I’m sworn not to say more. See yourself to her lad, and you’ll find your friend.” Andre said.
Aston bowed slightly to the man, extending a hand after, “My thanks Andre, I will find a way to repay you.”
The huge smith took the offered hand and gave it a mighty shake, “Think nothing of it lad, I’m glad to help a man in need.” The smith’s face lit up with a smile. “Of which, I’d think you’ll need more than that pollarm, take this.” The smith handed Aston a sheathed shortsword.
The knight took the blade, it was simple but beautifully crafted, the knight’s trained eye unable to see a defect. The knight clasped it to his side with a smile. “You spoil me smith.”
The smith let out a deep laugh, “I hardly need it lad, ‘sides, you can hardly help her when you’re without a weapon when that pollarm gets unwieldy. Now head out that door and follow the path to the sealed door to Alvina’s domain, you’d hardly miss it.”
“Again, thank you Andre.” Aston said.
“Your welcome, now put it to some use.” The smith said, waving his hand in the indicated direction.
Aston quickly fashioned a leather loop for his lucerne to he could loop it around his shoulder and hold it securely on his back, opting for his new armament for now. The knight sighed contently as he drew the blade, enjoying the scraping sound as it came from the scabbard and the weight of it in his hand.
He moved down the steps and rolled his shoulders as he entered the dilapidated congregation area of the old clergy building. Most of the pillars in the room had fallen to the march of time, though some still stood definant. A low fog was wafting into the room through a far door that led into the forest, the plants invading the room through both the door and numerous holes in the walls.
He made his way quickly through the room only to stop as an odd new sight greeted him.
What looked to be a living plant was slowly shambling towards him on noodle like legs of vines, arms outstretched.
He adjusted his sword in his grip, ready for anything. The plant-man drew on of its arms back and wiped it forward, the blow doing nothing but leaving a bit of green on his arm. The knight answered with a swipe to its midsection, cutting the demonic foliage in two.
He found the path spoken of by Andre with little difficulty, and followed it, easily dispatching the walking plants as he made his way down the overgrown path. After a long walk, long enough for the sun to dip below the horizon and bathe the area in twilight, he came across a large door.
It, like the crest, was inlaid with depictions of wolves; though this time they chased prey to and fro. At the center of the door was a empty circle that put forth a glowing light, the same size of the crest in his pouch. His hand drifted to the crest and he placed it in the circle, then the door opened of its own accord, startling the knight. He reached up and removed the crest, replacing it in his pouch.
Before him was a thick, fog covered forest that seemed to stretch on forever. He made his way down the stone steps and moved into the woods, intent on finding this ‘Alvina’. He trudged through the thick woods, the knight quickly losing sense of time and direction.
Suddenly, the sound of battle brought him from his stupor; namely the sound of metal crashing on metal.
Aston moved to it, finding a man dash the clearing he just entered. He was wearing the garb of a lowly thief. He held no armaments, but his body had the wounds of recent battle and a sheath rested empty at his waist side. What he did have was a fistull of gold trinkets. The man was looking back so he did not see Aston as he bumped into the knight. The man sprawled to the ground but was back to his feet lightning quick.
He jumped back from the knight, “Who-”
That was the only word that escaped his lips before a arrow punched through his chest, Aston finding a dagger at his throat and a hand on his sword wrist.
“And you are you?” A male voice asked from behind. “Another thief, Hmm?”
Aston watched as the thief tried to crawl away, choking on his own blood, a nearly invisible form coming from the fog and standing over him. She clad in the leather of a hunter and she wielded a slightly curved sword that she used to slit the neck of the man on the ground before picking up the trinkets.
“I’m no thief.” Aston said simply.
“Oh, like we haven’t heard that before. Prove it.” The man behind him said.
“I seek Alvina of Darkroot Wood.” He said, pulling the crest from his pouch and holding it up over his shoulder.
The dagger was removed from his neck and the figure moved into his vision, “I’m sorry for the threats, but these woods are rife with dastardly individuals. Come, this way.”
The knight followed the lightly armored man to a dilapidated stone building, a growl on the wind stopping him in his tracks.
“Ahh. Thou hast returned to mine presence.” The feminine voice sounded out from the broken down structure, the tone odd to Aston’s ears. “I trust the hunt faired true?” A purr rumbling out at the end of the sentence.
Aston’s escort bowed, “Yes lady Alvina.”
“And mine senses feel a new one before us, I trust you treated him well?”
The man gulped, “Of course M’lady. He carries the seal, lady Alvina.”
“Is that not true? Yes.... I can feel its presence, but what of the one who holds it hmm? What is your purpose here, knight?”
“I bid your assistance.” Aston said respectfully.
“Is that so?.... Come closer, enter my domain.” The voice purred.
The knight entered the structure, stepping over the fallen masonry before stopping before a oddity.
Before him sat a large cat-like creature, its head tilted slightly.
“Thou fared well to find me, I am Alvina of the Darkroot Wood. Who art thou?” The cat spoke.
It took the knight just a moment to find himself, his time with Twilight somewhat dulling the shock of the talking animal.
“I am Aston of Astora.” Aston spoke, an unreadable expression flashed across the cat’s face before it returned to normal.
“Show me thine face, Aston of Astora.” She asked, jumping into a window.
Aston did as she asked and removed his helm. The same look flashing across her face before what he would call a smile replaced it.
“You seek mine assistance?” She purred.
“My companion was taken from me by a Channeler of Seath. As I’m told your eyes and ears reach far, I beseech you lady Alvina, help me find her.”
The cat was silent for a time before she suddenly jumped onto the knights shoulders, the sudden weight nearly toppling him.
“Your case pains mine ears as I too have felt the pain of a friend lost. I will assist you knight Aston, as one so once helped me.” She suddenly held a strange looking ring in her teeth, it was made of thin gold with a pure white stone. “But that means you must help mine case as well. Join mine Covenant, offer your body as mine own and defend these woods from harm. Should you accept, I will find your companion.”
Aston took the ring from Alvina and slipped it on, “I accept, my lady Alvina.”
