Tales of Dark Soulsby SolidArc5542ChaptersChapter 1: Raime, The TraitorChapter 2: The Ivory KingChapter 3: Sinh, The Slumbering DragonChapter 4: Sir AlonneSomething bad has happenedChapter 6: The slow and painful process of hollowingChapter 7: Nito, The First of The DeadChapter 8: PinwheelChapter 5: The Daughters of ChaosChapter 1: Raime, The Traitor"Ooh, this is so exciting!" Exclaimed Pinkie Pie, as she and her friends stood in front of The Golden Oaks Library. They had been told that a special event was being held in the library. Needles to say, everypony wasn’t too excited. But when they heard of their human friend, holding the event; they agreed to come along. The sun had settled, and the moon had risen. Yup, Luna had done a great job, just like she always does. "I hope it’s as cool as Twilight said it would be." Added Rainbow Dash. "Well, I’m just happy that Tim decided to hold this special event just for us." Said Fluttershy, receiving nods of agreement from her friends. "Can ya’ll believe it’s been eight months already." Said Applejack. "Come to think of it, I can remember the first time I saw him. And boy, was I scared!" Rainbow Dash giggled as she nudged her friend playfully. "Who wouldn’t be scared when a six feet tall ape comes running at you, screaming “Help, there’s a pink horse trying to capture me!” "Yeah, that was pretty funny." Applejack laughed. "I’m just happy everything turned out as it did." Rarity said as she looked at Rainbow Dash. "As I recall, you were the one who tried to throw him of a cliff." Rainbow Dash laughed nervously as she rubbed the back of her head. "Well, he did punch me. So I could do something in return." "Didn’t he punch you, because you punched him first?" Pinkie asked. "Could we please drop this subject and just enter the library?" Rainbow Dash asked in a slight annoyed tone. "We’ve been standing here for five minutes!" "Well, if you would knock maybe Twilight would open the door!" Rarity retorted. "Or, you girls could have knocked the first second you stood in front of the door." Just then, the door opened. Revealing a six feet tall human standing in the door frame. He had short blond hair, wasn’t too muscled, and was wearing a white t-shirt and a pair of jeans. Both of them were hoof-made by Rarity. "Oh, hello there Tim." Rarity greeted him. "Hi Rarity." He said, smiling at her. "Girls." He said, looking at the others. "Hiya Timmy!" Pinkie greeted him. "Howdy partner." Applejack said. "Hey there you big ape." Rainbow Dash joked. "Good evening." Fluttershy whispered. "A good evening indeed." Tim said, stepping aside. "Please enter." The mares nodded and all stepped inside. There they were greeted by an abnormal sight. The library was a complete mess, except for a set of futons and other accessories one would need for a sleepover. "Wow, what happened in here?" Rainbow Dash asked in confusion. Tim shrugged as he looked over the mess. "When Twilight heard of my plan, she said she didn’t want to miss anything. So she decided to write down everything that is going to be told." "Told?" Applejack repeated in confusion. "What are ya going to be tellin’ us partner?" "Well, just prepare yourselves and you’ll find out soon enough." Tim replied as he waved the grills goodbye and head upstairs. Tim reached Twilight’s room, and he knocked on her door. Twilight, they’re here! "I’m coming!" Tim heard Twilight reply from inside the room. After a minute or two, Twilight exited her bedroom. Fully dressed in her pajamas, she and Tim walked down towards the library. There, they were greeted by Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Spike, all wearing their pajamas. "Hello everypony." Twilight greeted her friends as she positioned herself beside Fluttershy. Tim grabbed a chair, a specific chair Twilight had helped create. Due to his height and weight. Placing the chair in front of his friends, like a teacher would when he or she would tell a story to toddlers. He looked down upon his friends and smiled. He still felt a little sad not being able to return to Earth. If it wasn’t for Discord and his tricks, he wouldn’t even be here. Well, he is and he’s not going anywere. "Alright girls, I am honored to welcome you all to the first; Human/Pony sleepover!" Tim said. "Tim, if you don’t mind; could we skip the “spin the bottle”, and just go right to the story telling?" Twilight asked. "Well, that’s not my decision." He replied, looking at the six others. "Well, how about it?" He asked. Everypony shrugged. "I think I speak for everypony when I say: Let the stories, begin."Rarity said. "Alright." Tim said, clasping his hand together. "I have a lot, and I mean A LOT of stories right in here." Tim said, knocking on his head. "Watch out, you might damage the last two remaining brain cells in there!" Rainbow Dash joked. "Well, at least I still have two left." Tim retorted. "Good one." Rainbow Dash said. "Why thank you." Tim replied. "Ahem." Tim looked at Twilight and gave her a goofy smile. "Sorry. Right, story time!" "Finally!" Twilight exclaimed, making a paper and quill appear in front of her. "Now, go ahead." "Alright. Let me tell you the story of two loyal knights, who unfortunately clashed. One was deemed a traitor, while the other succumbed to darkness." "Oh this is going to be good!" Pinkie Pie said. "A long time ago, there was a proud king. That king had almost everything. He had power, he had an army, and he had a humongous castle that he created. But the king was missing something, he was missing a queen. But then she came, and she warned the king of the looming threat across the ocean. The Giants." "Giants? As in big, scary and dangerous?" Twilight asked. "Yes." Tim replied. "Anyway. The king crossed the ocean and defeated The Giants. He brought back a prize and he created The Golems, who helped him built his castle. A castle fit for a king and queen. And that is when our two knights come into play. One was called: Veldstad. He was seen as the right hand of the king. And then there was: Raime, who was seen as the king’s left hand. These two knights treated each other as brothers, and the king treated them as if they were his own sons. All was well, until Raime became suspicious of the queen. He kept a close eye on her, he watched as she poisoned the king’s mind with lies. Eventually, Raime decided to speak out. Not only for the safety of his king and brother, but also his kingdom. But, the damage had already been done. Queen Nashandra, had corrupted the king’s mind. And so it was, on that fateful day, Raime and Veldstad clashed. They were equally matched; the fight was long and painful. But eventually, one had to lose. Unfortunately, the one who lost; was Raime." "Oh no." Fluttershy whispered, actually scared of what would happen to Raime. "Oh no. That's two words do describe it, Fluttershy." Tim replied. "What happened next?" Rarity asked. "Raime was deemed a traitor, and was exiled from the kingdom. Raime went to search for other kingdoms, to warn them about the dark, and perhaps, serve a new king. A new father. Or maybe he could return to his king when he had found new and greater power. His trek was long and tiresome. But when all hope seemed to be lost, Raime found Brume Tower, were a once mighty king ruled. Raime noticed the land had been engulfed in a thick layer of black fog. If he did not hurry soon, was this to become of Drangleic too? Not even questioning his actions, Raime began to search for the source of the darkness. He had to fight against many foes. Old knights and warriors who were still present in Brume Tower. An ordinary warrior would have been killed long before he could even reach the centre of Brume Tower. But Raime was no ordinary warrior. He had an unbendable will of steel, and was skilled with a sword. So it was the, at that exact moment that Raime stood in front of the source of this darkness. The darkness that engulfed Brume Tower. Nadalia, Bride of Ash." "And he stopped the darkness, and returned to the king, right?" Twilight asked. Tim shook his head. "No. You see it was at that moment, Raime did not see a Child of Dark. Rather, a broken woman. Nadalia promised him great power. Raime accepted. He had not found the darkness, or a new king to serve. Rather, he found a caring mother. A mother that granted him the power he desired. And so, form that day forward. Raime became the guardian of Nadalia, killing anyone who dared threaten her. From that day forward, Raime became: The Fume knight." "Wow, that's not a happy ending." Rainbow Dash remarked. "Indeed." Tim replied, looking at Twilight. "You finished writing? Because I'm about to tell the next story." Tim said. "Give me some time." Twilight muttered. "Well, hurry up! Next up is:The Ivory King!" "Ooh a king! Rarity said in joy. Now this is a story I will most certainly enjoy!" Chapter 2: The Ivory King"Alright, so tell us about this king." Rainbow Dash said as she snuggled into her futon. "The story about Raime was kind of, well, meh." She said, faking a yawn. "Oh really?" Tim asked sarcastically. "Well, I'm sure I can come up with one story that'll pull some strings." Tim said as he looked at her. "Oh, and believe me, there are plenty." "Bring it." Rainbow Dash retorted. "Could you please continue?" Twilight asked in slight annoyance. Tim looked at her and rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Sorry Twilight, I'll begin right away." "Oh this is going to be amazing!" Rarity whispered. "Alright, let's begin." Tim said as he looked at the ponies. "Why do we build walls?" He asked. Everypony looked at him in confusion. "Well, there are two reasons. The first one is more common, it's to protect something, something precious. The other is much more rare and terrifying, it's to keep something from getting out. The walls of Eleum Loyce are those second kinds of walls. Eleum Loyce is like a Pandora's box. Containing one of the most ancient and terrifying evils ever known to mankind. The Chaos. The Chaos did not always exist, it was born from fear and respiration. The Chaos had returned once more, for it was thought to be destroyed long, long ago. The people of Eleum Loyce fled in fear from The Chaos. That was, until The Ivory King came." "Ooh, these are the kind of stories I like!" Rarity squealed in excitement. Tim laughed at Rarity's excitement. "Yeah, but let's continue." "Yeah, let's." Twilight said. "So, with his sword, his soul, and Loyce Knights, The Ivory King fought back The Chaos. When it was contained, the king build Eleum Loyce, a vast; rampart city. Golems patrolled the walls, given life by The Ivory King. They were charged with the containment of the creatures of The Chaos within. A cult of priestess' was formed, who devoted themselves to a ritual that appeased the ancient Chaos. The king himself erected his throne at the very entrance to Chaos, for he wished to serve as the first line of defence. Any creature of Chaos that threatened his city would have to pass him first. And the king would not falter. It was here in Eleum Loyce, that The Ivory King took a queen. Alsana. It appeared she was a woman of great power, for she possessed the same talent as the priestess' did. And she quelled The Chaos Flame below. Together, in a city cut off from the rest of the world, and facing constant danger, they were wed and they stood together; despite the hardship. But, like Nadalia and the queen I mentioned in the first story, Alsana was a Child of Dark. She wed her king out of selfishness." "How could she?!" Rarity almost screamed. "Getting married is something you do when you truly love your special somepony! Not because of selfishness." "Easy Rarity, you're heating up." Applejack said nervously. Tim shook his head and continued. "She saw that the king was strong, and intended to find safety by his side. Nevertheless, The Ivory King loved her, and supported this Child of The Abyss, even as he fought against the flames of Chaos. Two ancient evils weighed upon the king. One in front of him, and one at his side. But even so, he weathered them both, for himself and for his people. There was evidence that having a Child of Dark weighed upon the king. He had seven pets, and two could be found in the outskirts of Eleum Loyce. Task with the mercy, killing those who were exiled form the kingdom. Lud and Zallen are great cats, brothers of Aava, a tiger that remains in the city itself. The two outside were cursed with a dark aura and one has to wonder whether they became this way due to the presence of Alsana. For they were kept out of sight, so none could report on their true nature, or what The Child of Dark was doing to those who stood beside her. Inevitably, there came a moment were The Ivory King sensed the degradation of his own soul. In this moment he made a decision, he would not run from Chaos, rather, he would give himself to Chaos in order to appease the flame. Without a word, he left his home. He left his wife. And he left his country. But not without one final act." "For before he set off to strike at the heart of Chaos,, he entrusted everything to Alsana. Upon his parting, he handed her Eleum Loyce. The city and a ceremonial blade by its name. The twin blades of Eleum Loyce, one light and one dark, were intertwined. Just like The Ivory King and his Dark Queen once were. He knew Alsana was a Child of Dark all along, but he said nothing. He believed her to be more than the sum of her parts. And so she was. The king' s believe in his queen allowed her to rise above her dark nature, it was his final gift to her. But then he left, never to return." "I don't like were this is going." Fluttershy whispered. "A true love. The king loved her even if she was dark." Rarity sighed in sadness. Tim shook sighed. Damn, the king had really been through a lot. "Chaos claimed The Ivory King. And many knights of Loyce, many were burned along their lord, and to this day they burn in agony. Alongside their once proud king. Lacking all sense of self, and driven only to sponge those who disturb the flame. Even former compatriots. But those who survived, fight against the Chaos, commanded to strike down their former comrades and their own king. Their sacrifice is total, and they freeze the portals that contain the creatures of Chaos, and their comrades. What makes a king? Some say that it is birthright, while others call it destiny. Perhaps it is not important. As long as the king's name serves to unite his people. The Ivory King was one of the greatest, if not the greatest king to have ever lived. His sacrifice saved the world from Chaos, and he was not changed by The Child of Dark at his side. In fact, she alone remains, despite her fearful nature, and watches over Chaos out of respect for her lord. Such was his influence over her. The Ivory King gave everything for his queen and kingdom. He died, with his honor intact. Unlike others, the king died for his queen and kingdom. He saved the world from Chaos. He was a true king." "Wow, that was probably one of the saddest stories I've ever heard." Twilight said, scribbling on a piece of paper. "The Ivory King, Princess Celestia would certainly respect such a king." "A true gentlecolt." Rarity said, wiping away a few tears. "He wasn't a meanie, nor was Alsana." Pinkie said. "The story was cool, but, I didn't cry." Rainbow Dash said. "Well, I was on the verge of crying." Applejack admitted as she looked at Rainbow Dash. "And you too Dash. Don't deny it." "Pffft, yeah right." Rainbow Dash said as she looked at Fluttershy. "What about you Fluttershy?" "Well, I'm just happy The Chaos didn't spread." Fluttershy smiled. "Yep. Alright everypony!" Tim beamed in joy. "Next up, Sinh, The Slumbering Dragon!" "Dragon!" Spike beamed. "Awesome!" "Did you honesty think I would forget about you, Spike?" Tim asked. Chapter 3: Sinh, The Slumbering Dragon"Alright, a dragon story!" Spike exclaimed in joy. "What did the dragon do? Did he saved the land? Beat up bad guys?" Spike asked. "Well, heb did beat up some bad guys." Tim replied, a hint of nervousness in his voice. He looked at Spike and spoke up. "Spike, if I say dragon. What is the first thing that comes up in your mind?" Spike rubbed his chin in thought. "Well, I would say scary, or big. "He replied. "Aha." Tim said as he looked at Twilight. "You see, not all dragons are bad. Even the big ones aren't bad, if you just leave them alone and don't disturb their slumber." "What are you getting at?" Twilight asked in curiosity. "Well, Sinh, The Slumbering Dragon was different from all dragons." Tim replied. "Then just tell the story already!! Spike exclaimed." I want to hear it!" "This is the story of a dragon with poison in its heart. And it's a story of the race that discovered him, worshipped his magnificence, but ultimately perished by his side. Dragons have always been intriguing to humanity. With many believing they hold the secrets to life itself. One who believed this was Vendrick, king of Drangleic and his brother: Aldia. Together they experimented on dragons, in the hopes that they could learn more about their existence. Eventually they were successful, re-creating an Ancient Dragon with the ability to peer into the past. To view the stories of old, so that they might learn from them. This, is one such story." "Hold up." Twilight said as she looked at Tim in confusion. "They created a dragon? How?" She asked. Tim shrugged. "Well, some really weird things happened in Drangleic." "Wow, I'd love to meet these two." Twilight said in astonishment and awe. 'Too bad they're gone.' Tim thought as he continued the story. "In The Ancient Dragon's eerie, before the chamber that held a dragon's egg, is a mural that depicts an ancient civilization. Who existed long ago, deep below the deepest depths. Legend has it that deep below the earth, behind a door locked from the inside, is a magnificent city; built for a great slumbering dragon. In a bygone age, the king in the depths built his city around this beast. This subterranean world centred around the great sanctum that housed the dragon in its depths. And was aptly named: Shulva, The Sanctum City. This was a religious city. Were sorceries were considered taboo, but miracles flourished as the people there were grounded in their faith. The people prayed and worshipped, and the priestess' sang, to sooth the dragon in its slumber. One wonders whether a single frase of their song, ever reached the dragon's ears. But to people of faith, such questions matter not." "Wow, so this dragon just slept all day long?" Spike asked as he crossed his paws and huffed. "What a boring dragon." "Spike, it's common for a mature dragon to sleep for a long time." Twilight said to her assistant. "Yeah, right." Spike huffed. "Anyway." Tim said with a hint of awkwardness in his voice. "As is common, the king had a dear queen, and the queen sang to the dragon, also. At this point in our story, you should know that the dragon has a tragic secret. Deep within him, Sinh harbors a dreadful store of poison, and there will come a time when he cannot bear it any longer. Looking back, it's impossible to know whether the people knew of the poison, or even if the dragon himself knew. Perhaps the people of the city prayed, sang, and soothed out of fear. Fear that the waking of the dragon would lead to their demise. If so, this could only serve to strengthen their faith. For fear is the heart of reverence. And the people revered their magnificent sleeping beast, the center of their faith." "Poor Sinh." Fluttershy said in compassion. "The poor thing must be so scared, and lonely." "Fluttershy, he's been sleeping all day long!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed in confusion. "How would he feel lovely?" Fluttershy shrugged. "I just think he is." "Continuing were I left of." Tim interrupted. "It should come as no surprise to you, that men would come to covert the dragon. To The Drakeblood Knights, fresh dragon blood was sacricent. They believed that by obtaining it, they could come to a true understanding of life. Allowing them to transcend their own pointless existence. In a world were strength of purpose, keeps one from hollowing, a believe like this isn't so strange. Led byobtainingSir Yorgh and his famous spear, The Drakeblood Knights lay siege to Shulva. The king of Shulva called his Sanctum Knights to arms, many who renounced their own flesh, to eternally guard the sanctum from the assault of Sir Yorgh and his Drakeblood Knights. They were sentenced to eternal stuage-ship, yet soon the day would come were the sanctum received nearer visitor. During the conflict, the dragon slept, lulled by the queen's song. You have to wonder who sent Sir Yorgh and his Drakeblood Knights. But Sir Yorgh had a ring, and on that ring was a crest. It was the crest of Drangleic. Sir Yorgh, leader of The Drakeblood Knights and possibly of Vendrick's kingdom, cuts down the soldiers of the sanctum and kills the king in the depths. He then faces the slumbering dragon." "With visions of dragon blood and domnisiance, Sir Yorgh pierces the dragon with a flash of his steel. Piercing Sinh through the chest. And as you can imagine, it was not was he was expecting. Sinh immediately awakened and and from his wound; spews forth the deadly poison that had long been brewing within him. It blankets the entire city in a miasmic cloud, restoring the dragon's purity, but toppling the city. Sir Yorgh and his Drakeblood Knights disappeared into the sanctum. And nothing more was heard of the race that discovered a dragon and worshipped its magnificence. Until now." "There have been many, kings and kingdoms, hierarchies that rose and fell. Leaving ruined kingdoms behind. Somewhere within the sanctum is The Crown of The Sunken King. The crown of a king that came before King Vendrick. The crown of a king that was killed by Sir Yorgh, on the day that the dragon awoke. The soldiers of the sanctum are all undead, coroded with the poison, but still carrying out their orders to defend the sanctum. Throughout the sanctum, opened chest and pillaged treasures. Sinh, the sleeping dragon now roams his domain, sleeping lightly were he pleases. Dragons have always kept to themselves, they either think themselves above man, or not care for his conflicts. You have to wonder about Sinh, did he harbor malicious intent? He had poison in his heart. When he was pierced by Sir Yorgh's spear, the poison gushed out, restoring his purity. This implies he was pure before. Which suggest that the poison was placed within him. But by who?" "Probably The Drakeblood Knights." Fluttershy hissed. "The answer, dear Fluttershy, can be found in the sanctum, right before Sinh." Tim said as he looked a Spike. "Alana, The Squalid Queen. Once again sings to Sinh, The Slumbering Dragon. After the kingdom is ruined by Sinh's awakening, she remains alone. I believe sang the song to poison the dragon's heart, and was at least partly responsible for the fall of The Sunken King, just like her sister Nashandra was responsible of the fall of Drangleic. Nothing explicitly confirms Alana's intentions. Except for the pattern that repeats itself. The kings all have queens that lay in wait. Waiting to strike for the right moment to strike. And it's easy to believe that Queen of The Sanctum City, was party responsible for its fall. Alana defends her kingdom with a mixture of fire, dark, and most notably: Poison and filth. Her essence is that of filth and neglect. All queens thus far are the children of The sentient abyss that existed long ago. They are the pieces that regained form. They were all, fragments of dark. Alana, The Queen of The Sanctum king, was another Child of Dark. Nashandra, a Child of Want. Alana, a Child of Vengeance and wrath. Nashandra guards the throne. Alana guards the crown. I'm sure a third sister remains somewhere. Waiting for the right time to strike." That was that, Tim had finished yet another story. Well, let's find out how everypony took that information. "That has got to be one of The coolest stories I've ever hear!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed in joy. "The dark, the dragon, the knights, it's all so cool! " "It was alright." Rainbow Dash said. "Didn't cry though. "She said, winking at Tim. "Oh, you will Dash, you will." Tim said as he looked at Fluttershy. "You okay Yellow? You look a little sad." "I'm just sad that Sinh is still all alone, and that the kings are all doomed to fall." She said, looking up at Tim. "But your story telling is really good." "Yeah, it's almost like you've actually been in every story you've told so far." Twilight remarked. "Oh Twilight, you silly unicorn." Tim laughed nervously. "Next up, Sir Alonne and The Old Iron King!" Chapter 4: Sir Alonne"Who's Sir Alonne?" Rainbow Dash asked in curiosity. "His name sounds kind of goofy." "I bet you wouldn't say that to him, face-to-face." Tim mocked the cyan mare. "I would!" "Wouldn't!" "Would!" "He'd cut you to pieces!" Tim retorted, pretending to slice away at Rainbow Dash. "Yeah right." Rainbow Dash said sarcastically. "I bet he's as slow as you are." She mocked. "Hey, flying is easy Dash." Tim said as he smirked at her. "Landing is hard. But I bet you know all about safe landings, don't you?" He mocked, making her face heat up. "I swear if you don't take that back I'll--." "Watch out girls, she's going to explode!" Tim laughed, grabbing his belly in joy and laughter. "Could you please tell us the next story?" Twilight asked as she rubbed her temples in defeat. "You two are like foals." "Right." Tim said. Clearing his throat, he spoke up. "A man is defined by his ambitions. Before The Iron Crown, all the young lord had, was an iron will. Little known and un-established, the lord held some power, but he wanted a kingdom to match his pride. So with ambition alone, he raised an army and threw his entire might at the kingdom of Venn. Venn was not a desirable region. Even so, the lord lost much to acquire it. He rested this small throne from its previous owner, and became the king. This act left him ineffabled, he had sacrificed everything for this kingdom. And was discovering that ambition without wisdom, is like a bird, without wings. How could he hope to hold this kingdom? Ambition had inspired his subjects to action, yes. But ambition alone cannot run a country. It cannot substitute the qualities a ruler needs. The king was shortsighted, he knew little, and his story would have likely ended here. But then, from the East, a powerful warrior came. A man wielding a bewitched sword so powerful, it was unknown if he controlled the blade, or whether the blade controlled him. This man was: Alonne." "Wow, now this might get interesting." Rainbow Dash said as she nudged Applejack. "Right?" "Yeah, a blade controlling the one who's wielding it? Boy, that's scary!" Applejack replied. "That's the spirit!" Tim said as he continued his story. "Sir Alonne stands apart from the characters in our stories. The others are defined by their wants and their ambitions. But Alonne has none to speak of. Thus it's impossible to say why he came to this land. Or what he saw in the king. Perhaps he thought he was destined for great things. Or perhaps they became like brothers. Whatever his desires, Alonne decided to serve the shortsighted king. His wisdom was a light in the darkness. And the king was reborn as a powerful ruler." "With wisdom and pride, Alonne and the king did a great many things. Their rule was defined by their strength and the kingdom was shaped by their union. The king's army was revolutionized under Alonne, the men mastering Greatbows and slender blades, wielded in an Eastern fashion. The king, as many kings before him, found himself enraptured with fire. And all it represented. He appointed a master of Pyromancy, a man named Eagel, who would grow on to grant fire, a will of its own. Eagle adored his bull-headed king. And was awarded a great ornamental Minotaur helm. The Minotaur, half men half bull, would come to symbolize the stubbornness and beastial strength of the king and his kingdom. For even with Alonne's council, the king remained shortsighted and reckless. So, like a bull, he charged ahead. Savoring his momentum. To sustain his country, the king sacrificed the land. Past the hunting grounds, in the copse. In a place called: Harvest Valley. The king exploited the land here so thoroughly, poison seeped from the earth. But it mattered not. The stubborn king posisted, adapting his workers, and driving the slaves ever harden. The bounty of all found here was high. So the kingdom became wealthy and well supplied. Within the valley, great relics of times long passed were uncovered. Kingdoms from long ago. Sunken, forgotten to time. A warning existed here, but the king was blind. He did not seek to learn from it, from passed kingdoms buried beneath the earth. Rather, he intended to profit from their passing. And so, when the scorching iron sceptre was found. And everything changed." "So, the king was a stubborn as he was before?" Rainbow Dash asked. Tim nodded his head as a reply, making her sigh. "That's stupid. He finally gets help, but he's still as stubborn as before." "With heat you can fuel, create, destroy. It's one of the simplest forms of energy and thus it's one of the most useful. With this artifact, the king of Venn revolutionized his kingdom. Smelting iron became trivial. The king now had no bounds to what he could create. Iron becamemelted, shifted and was bought under his control. As if he controlled the forces of life and creation. The kingdom's warriors were equipped in iron armament, bulking great suits of armor were brought to life. The king curated a palace made entirely of iron. And some legends even say, that he tried to create a dragon out of iron. Driven by the same fated lunacy as the kings before him." "Presiding over his great age, the iron king knew unparalleled power. None could stand in his way, and any who would try would be crushed under his might. Be that as it may, the iron king still faced challenges. All the iron in the world, could not cure the treacherous undead curse. But not for lack of trying, on the king's part. He sought to chackle and imprison all undead in iron. Converting the copse into a hunting ground, and prison were undead, not animals were the prey. It seemed fruitless however, and the hollowed undead continued to multiply within the ranks that were hunting them. In his rage, the iron king built a great circular colloseum to torture the undead. They were ritually released from their cells to be run down by The Executioners Chariot. Unable to escape, and unable to die. The punishment for offending the king's might was harsh. Even if undeserved, these things became reflections of the king's conceit. Hallmarks of his reign. At this moment, a terrible woman who would be his ruiness queen, set course for the kingdom." "And then, at the peek of The Iron King's rule, his friend walked away. Alonne was gone, his distaste left unspoken. The king was alone. How had Alonne dared to leave him?! The king's might was iron! His right to rule unchallenged! He could not suffer the indignity! Would not! So he tracked his old friend to a far off keep. He saw that Alonne had brought some of the king's own men with him. And enposted them as guards. Knowing the king would come after him. But The Iron King had grown powerful, and Alonne's knights were no match for his might. At the top of the tower, Alonne waited for his king to meet him. Once the question the king might have asked was: Why? Why had Alonne left him? But he had been king for a long time. And his arrogance had grown. So when the two men clashed, their tires were forgotten. They had come far together, ever since the days when The Iron King was just a small lord on a small throne." "Alonne had helped him become the man he was today, and he paid dearly for it. For once, Alonne would have avoided every blow. But now it was the king who overwhelmed the teacher. Alonne took his own life in the end. Dying with honor, instead of to the king's hand. The memory that we experience, doesn't end with Alonne's death; as you would expect. The king walked into the room that stood beside of Alonne. And what he saw there would steel this memory in his mind, forever. In this room, Alonne had kept the king's old throne. A reminder of the king's humble origins. It keeps sake from the time he had traveled to the king's land, offering his servitude and friendship to the man who would become The Iron King. The memory ends here. Man's ambition allows us to take flight. On ambition's back, we reach greater hights. And kingdoms are elevated alongside the man. But if man looks back, and sees not where he has been, then on which path does he travel? The Iron King had lost his way, and now he had lost a friend and mentor as well. From this point onward, we see evidence that this event has broken the man. After Alonne departed, the king named his knights after Sir Alonne. For they were loyal to him, more than The Iron King. He took Alonne's armor back to his home, enshrining it, and locking it below his current, towering iron throne." "His Pyromancer Eagel had experimented with giving fire a will of his own. And the king had become a depth at infusing suits of iron with souls. Now, towards the end of his rule, he crafted one more. A terrifying suite of black iron. That would come to represent the demons he now held. It's implied he infused it with Alonne's soul, for the demon he created took on the combat style of his old friend. Battling with inhuman leaps into the air, and the ability to infuse its sword with fire, by plunging it in to its belly. Just like Alonne had done. It's unclear what happens next. There are some that said that the earth spouted fire, with The Smelter Demon arising from the flames, says that the shortsighted king was incinerated by the creature with one swing. And his castle his castle devoured in a sea of flames. The other side says that the king hurled himself into the magma, perhaps in agony over what he had done to his friend. Though, in the end, the queen of ruin arrives. And finds no king, or country. The shortsighted king had sunk below the scorching iron. And his iron rule sank with him." "Aaaaand done!" Twilight said as she finished scribbling on yet another piece of paper. "Another great story, Tim!" "I have to say, this one was really good." Rainbow Dash said. "But didn't cry." "Rainbow Dash, there are still a lot more!" Tim replied as he looked at Spike. "Maybe another dragon story." "Awesome!" Spike beamed in joy. Something bad has happenedSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.Chapter 6: The slow and painful process of hollowingSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.Chapter 7: Nito, The First of The DeadSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.Chapter 8: PinwheelSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.Chapter 5: The Daughters of ChaosSomething bad has happened Hello readers of Tales of Dark Souls. My name is Dave, ramsesechosquad99sp' s best friend. Something bad has happened to my bud. While in New York, he was hit by a car and sent into the hospital. His condition is goood, well it's how you describe "good" in these kinds of situations. He will be flying back this week, to The Netherlands. I'm very sorry to tell you that the only chapter he wrote was The Daughters of Chaos. I'll publish this chapter when I feel better myself. I thought I was going to lose my best friend. So, I want to thank everyone from this the bottom of my heart for being supportive for my best friend. Thank all of you. And as Ramses would say: I'll see you all, in the next chapter.
Chapter 1: Raime, The Traitor"Ooh, this is so exciting!" Exclaimed Pinkie Pie, as she and her friends stood in front of The Golden Oaks Library. They had been told that a special event was being held in the library. Needles to say, everypony wasn’t too excited. But when they heard of their human friend, holding the event; they agreed to come along. The sun had settled, and the moon had risen. Yup, Luna had done a great job, just like she always does. "I hope it’s as cool as Twilight said it would be." Added Rainbow Dash. "Well, I’m just happy that Tim decided to hold this special event just for us." Said Fluttershy, receiving nods of agreement from her friends. "Can ya’ll believe it’s been eight months already." Said Applejack. "Come to think of it, I can remember the first time I saw him. And boy, was I scared!" Rainbow Dash giggled as she nudged her friend playfully. "Who wouldn’t be scared when a six feet tall ape comes running at you, screaming “Help, there’s a pink horse trying to capture me!” "Yeah, that was pretty funny." Applejack laughed. "I’m just happy everything turned out as it did." Rarity said as she looked at Rainbow Dash. "As I recall, you were the one who tried to throw him of a cliff." Rainbow Dash laughed nervously as she rubbed the back of her head. "Well, he did punch me. So I could do something in return." "Didn’t he punch you, because you punched him first?" Pinkie asked. "Could we please drop this subject and just enter the library?" Rainbow Dash asked in a slight annoyed tone. "We’ve been standing here for five minutes!" "Well, if you would knock maybe Twilight would open the door!" Rarity retorted. "Or, you girls could have knocked the first second you stood in front of the door." Just then, the door opened. Revealing a six feet tall human standing in the door frame. He had short blond hair, wasn’t too muscled, and was wearing a white t-shirt and a pair of jeans. Both of them were hoof-made by Rarity. "Oh, hello there Tim." Rarity greeted him. "Hi Rarity." He said, smiling at her. "Girls." He said, looking at the others. "Hiya Timmy!" Pinkie greeted him. "Howdy partner." Applejack said. "Hey there you big ape." Rainbow Dash joked. "Good evening." Fluttershy whispered. "A good evening indeed." Tim said, stepping aside. "Please enter." The mares nodded and all stepped inside. There they were greeted by an abnormal sight. The library was a complete mess, except for a set of futons and other accessories one would need for a sleepover. "Wow, what happened in here?" Rainbow Dash asked in confusion. Tim shrugged as he looked over the mess. "When Twilight heard of my plan, she said she didn’t want to miss anything. So she decided to write down everything that is going to be told." "Told?" Applejack repeated in confusion. "What are ya going to be tellin’ us partner?" "Well, just prepare yourselves and you’ll find out soon enough." Tim replied as he waved the grills goodbye and head upstairs. Tim reached Twilight’s room, and he knocked on her door. Twilight, they’re here! "I’m coming!" Tim heard Twilight reply from inside the room. After a minute or two, Twilight exited her bedroom. Fully dressed in her pajamas, she and Tim walked down towards the library. There, they were greeted by Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Spike, all wearing their pajamas. "Hello everypony." Twilight greeted her friends as she positioned herself beside Fluttershy. Tim grabbed a chair, a specific chair Twilight had helped create. Due to his height and weight. Placing the chair in front of his friends, like a teacher would when he or she would tell a story to toddlers. He looked down upon his friends and smiled. He still felt a little sad not being able to return to Earth. If it wasn’t for Discord and his tricks, he wouldn’t even be here. Well, he is and he’s not going anywere. "Alright girls, I am honored to welcome you all to the first; Human/Pony sleepover!" Tim said. "Tim, if you don’t mind; could we skip the “spin the bottle”, and just go right to the story telling?" Twilight asked. "Well, that’s not my decision." He replied, looking at the six others. "Well, how about it?" He asked. Everypony shrugged. "I think I speak for everypony when I say: Let the stories, begin."Rarity said. "Alright." Tim said, clasping his hand together. "I have a lot, and I mean A LOT of stories right in here." Tim said, knocking on his head. "Watch out, you might damage the last two remaining brain cells in there!" Rainbow Dash joked. "Well, at least I still have two left." Tim retorted. "Good one." Rainbow Dash said. "Why thank you." Tim replied. "Ahem." Tim looked at Twilight and gave her a goofy smile. "Sorry. Right, story time!" "Finally!" Twilight exclaimed, making a paper and quill appear in front of her. "Now, go ahead." "Alright. Let me tell you the story of two loyal knights, who unfortunately clashed. One was deemed a traitor, while the other succumbed to darkness." "Oh this is going to be good!" Pinkie Pie said. "A long time ago, there was a proud king. That king had almost everything. He had power, he had an army, and he had a humongous castle that he created. But the king was missing something, he was missing a queen. But then she came, and she warned the king of the looming threat across the ocean. The Giants." "Giants? As in big, scary and dangerous?" Twilight asked. "Yes." Tim replied. "Anyway. The king crossed the ocean and defeated The Giants. He brought back a prize and he created The Golems, who helped him built his castle. A castle fit for a king and queen. And that is when our two knights come into play. One was called: Veldstad. He was seen as the right hand of the king. And then there was: Raime, who was seen as the king’s left hand. These two knights treated each other as brothers, and the king treated them as if they were his own sons. All was well, until Raime became suspicious of the queen. He kept a close eye on her, he watched as she poisoned the king’s mind with lies. Eventually, Raime decided to speak out. Not only for the safety of his king and brother, but also his kingdom. But, the damage had already been done. Queen Nashandra, had corrupted the king’s mind. And so it was, on that fateful day, Raime and Veldstad clashed. They were equally matched; the fight was long and painful. But eventually, one had to lose. Unfortunately, the one who lost; was Raime." "Oh no." Fluttershy whispered, actually scared of what would happen to Raime. "Oh no. That's two words do describe it, Fluttershy." Tim replied. "What happened next?" Rarity asked. "Raime was deemed a traitor, and was exiled from the kingdom. Raime went to search for other kingdoms, to warn them about the dark, and perhaps, serve a new king. A new father. Or maybe he could return to his king when he had found new and greater power. His trek was long and tiresome. But when all hope seemed to be lost, Raime found Brume Tower, were a once mighty king ruled. Raime noticed the land had been engulfed in a thick layer of black fog. If he did not hurry soon, was this to become of Drangleic too? Not even questioning his actions, Raime began to search for the source of the darkness. He had to fight against many foes. Old knights and warriors who were still present in Brume Tower. An ordinary warrior would have been killed long before he could even reach the centre of Brume Tower. But Raime was no ordinary warrior. He had an unbendable will of steel, and was skilled with a sword. So it was the, at that exact moment that Raime stood in front of the source of this darkness. The darkness that engulfed Brume Tower. Nadalia, Bride of Ash." "And he stopped the darkness, and returned to the king, right?" Twilight asked. Tim shook his head. "No. You see it was at that moment, Raime did not see a Child of Dark. Rather, a broken woman. Nadalia promised him great power. Raime accepted. He had not found the darkness, or a new king to serve. Rather, he found a caring mother. A mother that granted him the power he desired. And so, form that day forward. Raime became the guardian of Nadalia, killing anyone who dared threaten her. From that day forward, Raime became: The Fume knight." "Wow, that's not a happy ending." Rainbow Dash remarked. "Indeed." Tim replied, looking at Twilight. "You finished writing? Because I'm about to tell the next story." Tim said. "Give me some time." Twilight muttered. "Well, hurry up! Next up is:The Ivory King!" "Ooh a king! Rarity said in joy. Now this is a story I will most certainly enjoy!"
Chapter 2: The Ivory King"Alright, so tell us about this king." Rainbow Dash said as she snuggled into her futon. "The story about Raime was kind of, well, meh." She said, faking a yawn. "Oh really?" Tim asked sarcastically. "Well, I'm sure I can come up with one story that'll pull some strings." Tim said as he looked at her. "Oh, and believe me, there are plenty." "Bring it." Rainbow Dash retorted. "Could you please continue?" Twilight asked in slight annoyance. Tim looked at her and rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Sorry Twilight, I'll begin right away." "Oh this is going to be amazing!" Rarity whispered. "Alright, let's begin." Tim said as he looked at the ponies. "Why do we build walls?" He asked. Everypony looked at him in confusion. "Well, there are two reasons. The first one is more common, it's to protect something, something precious. The other is much more rare and terrifying, it's to keep something from getting out. The walls of Eleum Loyce are those second kinds of walls. Eleum Loyce is like a Pandora's box. Containing one of the most ancient and terrifying evils ever known to mankind. The Chaos. The Chaos did not always exist, it was born from fear and respiration. The Chaos had returned once more, for it was thought to be destroyed long, long ago. The people of Eleum Loyce fled in fear from The Chaos. That was, until The Ivory King came." "Ooh, these are the kind of stories I like!" Rarity squealed in excitement. Tim laughed at Rarity's excitement. "Yeah, but let's continue." "Yeah, let's." Twilight said. "So, with his sword, his soul, and Loyce Knights, The Ivory King fought back The Chaos. When it was contained, the king build Eleum Loyce, a vast; rampart city. Golems patrolled the walls, given life by The Ivory King. They were charged with the containment of the creatures of The Chaos within. A cult of priestess' was formed, who devoted themselves to a ritual that appeased the ancient Chaos. The king himself erected his throne at the very entrance to Chaos, for he wished to serve as the first line of defence. Any creature of Chaos that threatened his city would have to pass him first. And the king would not falter. It was here in Eleum Loyce, that The Ivory King took a queen. Alsana. It appeared she was a woman of great power, for she possessed the same talent as the priestess' did. And she quelled The Chaos Flame below. Together, in a city cut off from the rest of the world, and facing constant danger, they were wed and they stood together; despite the hardship. But, like Nadalia and the queen I mentioned in the first story, Alsana was a Child of Dark. She wed her king out of selfishness." "How could she?!" Rarity almost screamed. "Getting married is something you do when you truly love your special somepony! Not because of selfishness." "Easy Rarity, you're heating up." Applejack said nervously. Tim shook his head and continued. "She saw that the king was strong, and intended to find safety by his side. Nevertheless, The Ivory King loved her, and supported this Child of The Abyss, even as he fought against the flames of Chaos. Two ancient evils weighed upon the king. One in front of him, and one at his side. But even so, he weathered them both, for himself and for his people. There was evidence that having a Child of Dark weighed upon the king. He had seven pets, and two could be found in the outskirts of Eleum Loyce. Task with the mercy, killing those who were exiled form the kingdom. Lud and Zallen are great cats, brothers of Aava, a tiger that remains in the city itself. The two outside were cursed with a dark aura and one has to wonder whether they became this way due to the presence of Alsana. For they were kept out of sight, so none could report on their true nature, or what The Child of Dark was doing to those who stood beside her. Inevitably, there came a moment were The Ivory King sensed the degradation of his own soul. In this moment he made a decision, he would not run from Chaos, rather, he would give himself to Chaos in order to appease the flame. Without a word, he left his home. He left his wife. And he left his country. But not without one final act." "For before he set off to strike at the heart of Chaos,, he entrusted everything to Alsana. Upon his parting, he handed her Eleum Loyce. The city and a ceremonial blade by its name. The twin blades of Eleum Loyce, one light and one dark, were intertwined. Just like The Ivory King and his Dark Queen once were. He knew Alsana was a Child of Dark all along, but he said nothing. He believed her to be more than the sum of her parts. And so she was. The king' s believe in his queen allowed her to rise above her dark nature, it was his final gift to her. But then he left, never to return." "I don't like were this is going." Fluttershy whispered. "A true love. The king loved her even if she was dark." Rarity sighed in sadness. Tim shook sighed. Damn, the king had really been through a lot. "Chaos claimed The Ivory King. And many knights of Loyce, many were burned along their lord, and to this day they burn in agony. Alongside their once proud king. Lacking all sense of self, and driven only to sponge those who disturb the flame. Even former compatriots. But those who survived, fight against the Chaos, commanded to strike down their former comrades and their own king. Their sacrifice is total, and they freeze the portals that contain the creatures of Chaos, and their comrades. What makes a king? Some say that it is birthright, while others call it destiny. Perhaps it is not important. As long as the king's name serves to unite his people. The Ivory King was one of the greatest, if not the greatest king to have ever lived. His sacrifice saved the world from Chaos, and he was not changed by The Child of Dark at his side. In fact, she alone remains, despite her fearful nature, and watches over Chaos out of respect for her lord. Such was his influence over her. The Ivory King gave everything for his queen and kingdom. He died, with his honor intact. Unlike others, the king died for his queen and kingdom. He saved the world from Chaos. He was a true king." "Wow, that was probably one of the saddest stories I've ever heard." Twilight said, scribbling on a piece of paper. "The Ivory King, Princess Celestia would certainly respect such a king." "A true gentlecolt." Rarity said, wiping away a few tears. "He wasn't a meanie, nor was Alsana." Pinkie said. "The story was cool, but, I didn't cry." Rainbow Dash said. "Well, I was on the verge of crying." Applejack admitted as she looked at Rainbow Dash. "And you too Dash. Don't deny it." "Pffft, yeah right." Rainbow Dash said as she looked at Fluttershy. "What about you Fluttershy?" "Well, I'm just happy The Chaos didn't spread." Fluttershy smiled. "Yep. Alright everypony!" Tim beamed in joy. "Next up, Sinh, The Slumbering Dragon!" "Dragon!" Spike beamed. "Awesome!" "Did you honesty think I would forget about you, Spike?" Tim asked.
Chapter 3: Sinh, The Slumbering Dragon"Alright, a dragon story!" Spike exclaimed in joy. "What did the dragon do? Did he saved the land? Beat up bad guys?" Spike asked. "Well, heb did beat up some bad guys." Tim replied, a hint of nervousness in his voice. He looked at Spike and spoke up. "Spike, if I say dragon. What is the first thing that comes up in your mind?" Spike rubbed his chin in thought. "Well, I would say scary, or big. "He replied. "Aha." Tim said as he looked at Twilight. "You see, not all dragons are bad. Even the big ones aren't bad, if you just leave them alone and don't disturb their slumber." "What are you getting at?" Twilight asked in curiosity. "Well, Sinh, The Slumbering Dragon was different from all dragons." Tim replied. "Then just tell the story already!! Spike exclaimed." I want to hear it!" "This is the story of a dragon with poison in its heart. And it's a story of the race that discovered him, worshipped his magnificence, but ultimately perished by his side. Dragons have always been intriguing to humanity. With many believing they hold the secrets to life itself. One who believed this was Vendrick, king of Drangleic and his brother: Aldia. Together they experimented on dragons, in the hopes that they could learn more about their existence. Eventually they were successful, re-creating an Ancient Dragon with the ability to peer into the past. To view the stories of old, so that they might learn from them. This, is one such story." "Hold up." Twilight said as she looked at Tim in confusion. "They created a dragon? How?" She asked. Tim shrugged. "Well, some really weird things happened in Drangleic." "Wow, I'd love to meet these two." Twilight said in astonishment and awe. 'Too bad they're gone.' Tim thought as he continued the story. "In The Ancient Dragon's eerie, before the chamber that held a dragon's egg, is a mural that depicts an ancient civilization. Who existed long ago, deep below the deepest depths. Legend has it that deep below the earth, behind a door locked from the inside, is a magnificent city; built for a great slumbering dragon. In a bygone age, the king in the depths built his city around this beast. This subterranean world centred around the great sanctum that housed the dragon in its depths. And was aptly named: Shulva, The Sanctum City. This was a religious city. Were sorceries were considered taboo, but miracles flourished as the people there were grounded in their faith. The people prayed and worshipped, and the priestess' sang, to sooth the dragon in its slumber. One wonders whether a single frase of their song, ever reached the dragon's ears. But to people of faith, such questions matter not." "Wow, so this dragon just slept all day long?" Spike asked as he crossed his paws and huffed. "What a boring dragon." "Spike, it's common for a mature dragon to sleep for a long time." Twilight said to her assistant. "Yeah, right." Spike huffed. "Anyway." Tim said with a hint of awkwardness in his voice. "As is common, the king had a dear queen, and the queen sang to the dragon, also. At this point in our story, you should know that the dragon has a tragic secret. Deep within him, Sinh harbors a dreadful store of poison, and there will come a time when he cannot bear it any longer. Looking back, it's impossible to know whether the people knew of the poison, or even if the dragon himself knew. Perhaps the people of the city prayed, sang, and soothed out of fear. Fear that the waking of the dragon would lead to their demise. If so, this could only serve to strengthen their faith. For fear is the heart of reverence. And the people revered their magnificent sleeping beast, the center of their faith." "Poor Sinh." Fluttershy said in compassion. "The poor thing must be so scared, and lonely." "Fluttershy, he's been sleeping all day long!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed in confusion. "How would he feel lovely?" Fluttershy shrugged. "I just think he is." "Continuing were I left of." Tim interrupted. "It should come as no surprise to you, that men would come to covert the dragon. To The Drakeblood Knights, fresh dragon blood was sacricent. They believed that by obtaining it, they could come to a true understanding of life. Allowing them to transcend their own pointless existence. In a world were strength of purpose, keeps one from hollowing, a believe like this isn't so strange. Led byobtainingSir Yorgh and his famous spear, The Drakeblood Knights lay siege to Shulva. The king of Shulva called his Sanctum Knights to arms, many who renounced their own flesh, to eternally guard the sanctum from the assault of Sir Yorgh and his Drakeblood Knights. They were sentenced to eternal stuage-ship, yet soon the day would come were the sanctum received nearer visitor. During the conflict, the dragon slept, lulled by the queen's song. You have to wonder who sent Sir Yorgh and his Drakeblood Knights. But Sir Yorgh had a ring, and on that ring was a crest. It was the crest of Drangleic. Sir Yorgh, leader of The Drakeblood Knights and possibly of Vendrick's kingdom, cuts down the soldiers of the sanctum and kills the king in the depths. He then faces the slumbering dragon." "With visions of dragon blood and domnisiance, Sir Yorgh pierces the dragon with a flash of his steel. Piercing Sinh through the chest. And as you can imagine, it was not was he was expecting. Sinh immediately awakened and and from his wound; spews forth the deadly poison that had long been brewing within him. It blankets the entire city in a miasmic cloud, restoring the dragon's purity, but toppling the city. Sir Yorgh and his Drakeblood Knights disappeared into the sanctum. And nothing more was heard of the race that discovered a dragon and worshipped its magnificence. Until now." "There have been many, kings and kingdoms, hierarchies that rose and fell. Leaving ruined kingdoms behind. Somewhere within the sanctum is The Crown of The Sunken King. The crown of a king that came before King Vendrick. The crown of a king that was killed by Sir Yorgh, on the day that the dragon awoke. The soldiers of the sanctum are all undead, coroded with the poison, but still carrying out their orders to defend the sanctum. Throughout the sanctum, opened chest and pillaged treasures. Sinh, the sleeping dragon now roams his domain, sleeping lightly were he pleases. Dragons have always kept to themselves, they either think themselves above man, or not care for his conflicts. You have to wonder about Sinh, did he harbor malicious intent? He had poison in his heart. When he was pierced by Sir Yorgh's spear, the poison gushed out, restoring his purity. This implies he was pure before. Which suggest that the poison was placed within him. But by who?" "Probably The Drakeblood Knights." Fluttershy hissed. "The answer, dear Fluttershy, can be found in the sanctum, right before Sinh." Tim said as he looked a Spike. "Alana, The Squalid Queen. Once again sings to Sinh, The Slumbering Dragon. After the kingdom is ruined by Sinh's awakening, she remains alone. I believe sang the song to poison the dragon's heart, and was at least partly responsible for the fall of The Sunken King, just like her sister Nashandra was responsible of the fall of Drangleic. Nothing explicitly confirms Alana's intentions. Except for the pattern that repeats itself. The kings all have queens that lay in wait. Waiting to strike for the right moment to strike. And it's easy to believe that Queen of The Sanctum City, was party responsible for its fall. Alana defends her kingdom with a mixture of fire, dark, and most notably: Poison and filth. Her essence is that of filth and neglect. All queens thus far are the children of The sentient abyss that existed long ago. They are the pieces that regained form. They were all, fragments of dark. Alana, The Queen of The Sanctum king, was another Child of Dark. Nashandra, a Child of Want. Alana, a Child of Vengeance and wrath. Nashandra guards the throne. Alana guards the crown. I'm sure a third sister remains somewhere. Waiting for the right time to strike." That was that, Tim had finished yet another story. Well, let's find out how everypony took that information. "That has got to be one of The coolest stories I've ever hear!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed in joy. "The dark, the dragon, the knights, it's all so cool! " "It was alright." Rainbow Dash said. "Didn't cry though. "She said, winking at Tim. "Oh, you will Dash, you will." Tim said as he looked at Fluttershy. "You okay Yellow? You look a little sad." "I'm just sad that Sinh is still all alone, and that the kings are all doomed to fall." She said, looking up at Tim. "But your story telling is really good." "Yeah, it's almost like you've actually been in every story you've told so far." Twilight remarked. "Oh Twilight, you silly unicorn." Tim laughed nervously. "Next up, Sir Alonne and The Old Iron King!"
Chapter 4: Sir Alonne"Who's Sir Alonne?" Rainbow Dash asked in curiosity. "His name sounds kind of goofy." "I bet you wouldn't say that to him, face-to-face." Tim mocked the cyan mare. "I would!" "Wouldn't!" "Would!" "He'd cut you to pieces!" Tim retorted, pretending to slice away at Rainbow Dash. "Yeah right." Rainbow Dash said sarcastically. "I bet he's as slow as you are." She mocked. "Hey, flying is easy Dash." Tim said as he smirked at her. "Landing is hard. But I bet you know all about safe landings, don't you?" He mocked, making her face heat up. "I swear if you don't take that back I'll--." "Watch out girls, she's going to explode!" Tim laughed, grabbing his belly in joy and laughter. "Could you please tell us the next story?" Twilight asked as she rubbed her temples in defeat. "You two are like foals." "Right." Tim said. Clearing his throat, he spoke up. "A man is defined by his ambitions. Before The Iron Crown, all the young lord had, was an iron will. Little known and un-established, the lord held some power, but he wanted a kingdom to match his pride. So with ambition alone, he raised an army and threw his entire might at the kingdom of Venn. Venn was not a desirable region. Even so, the lord lost much to acquire it. He rested this small throne from its previous owner, and became the king. This act left him ineffabled, he had sacrificed everything for this kingdom. And was discovering that ambition without wisdom, is like a bird, without wings. How could he hope to hold this kingdom? Ambition had inspired his subjects to action, yes. But ambition alone cannot run a country. It cannot substitute the qualities a ruler needs. The king was shortsighted, he knew little, and his story would have likely ended here. But then, from the East, a powerful warrior came. A man wielding a bewitched sword so powerful, it was unknown if he controlled the blade, or whether the blade controlled him. This man was: Alonne." "Wow, now this might get interesting." Rainbow Dash said as she nudged Applejack. "Right?" "Yeah, a blade controlling the one who's wielding it? Boy, that's scary!" Applejack replied. "That's the spirit!" Tim said as he continued his story. "Sir Alonne stands apart from the characters in our stories. The others are defined by their wants and their ambitions. But Alonne has none to speak of. Thus it's impossible to say why he came to this land. Or what he saw in the king. Perhaps he thought he was destined for great things. Or perhaps they became like brothers. Whatever his desires, Alonne decided to serve the shortsighted king. His wisdom was a light in the darkness. And the king was reborn as a powerful ruler." "With wisdom and pride, Alonne and the king did a great many things. Their rule was defined by their strength and the kingdom was shaped by their union. The king's army was revolutionized under Alonne, the men mastering Greatbows and slender blades, wielded in an Eastern fashion. The king, as many kings before him, found himself enraptured with fire. And all it represented. He appointed a master of Pyromancy, a man named Eagel, who would grow on to grant fire, a will of its own. Eagle adored his bull-headed king. And was awarded a great ornamental Minotaur helm. The Minotaur, half men half bull, would come to symbolize the stubbornness and beastial strength of the king and his kingdom. For even with Alonne's council, the king remained shortsighted and reckless. So, like a bull, he charged ahead. Savoring his momentum. To sustain his country, the king sacrificed the land. Past the hunting grounds, in the copse. In a place called: Harvest Valley. The king exploited the land here so thoroughly, poison seeped from the earth. But it mattered not. The stubborn king posisted, adapting his workers, and driving the slaves ever harden. The bounty of all found here was high. So the kingdom became wealthy and well supplied. Within the valley, great relics of times long passed were uncovered. Kingdoms from long ago. Sunken, forgotten to time. A warning existed here, but the king was blind. He did not seek to learn from it, from passed kingdoms buried beneath the earth. Rather, he intended to profit from their passing. And so, when the scorching iron sceptre was found. And everything changed." "So, the king was a stubborn as he was before?" Rainbow Dash asked. Tim nodded his head as a reply, making her sigh. "That's stupid. He finally gets help, but he's still as stubborn as before." "With heat you can fuel, create, destroy. It's one of the simplest forms of energy and thus it's one of the most useful. With this artifact, the king of Venn revolutionized his kingdom. Smelting iron became trivial. The king now had no bounds to what he could create. Iron becamemelted, shifted and was bought under his control. As if he controlled the forces of life and creation. The kingdom's warriors were equipped in iron armament, bulking great suits of armor were brought to life. The king curated a palace made entirely of iron. And some legends even say, that he tried to create a dragon out of iron. Driven by the same fated lunacy as the kings before him." "Presiding over his great age, the iron king knew unparalleled power. None could stand in his way, and any who would try would be crushed under his might. Be that as it may, the iron king still faced challenges. All the iron in the world, could not cure the treacherous undead curse. But not for lack of trying, on the king's part. He sought to chackle and imprison all undead in iron. Converting the copse into a hunting ground, and prison were undead, not animals were the prey. It seemed fruitless however, and the hollowed undead continued to multiply within the ranks that were hunting them. In his rage, the iron king built a great circular colloseum to torture the undead. They were ritually released from their cells to be run down by The Executioners Chariot. Unable to escape, and unable to die. The punishment for offending the king's might was harsh. Even if undeserved, these things became reflections of the king's conceit. Hallmarks of his reign. At this moment, a terrible woman who would be his ruiness queen, set course for the kingdom." "And then, at the peek of The Iron King's rule, his friend walked away. Alonne was gone, his distaste left unspoken. The king was alone. How had Alonne dared to leave him?! The king's might was iron! His right to rule unchallenged! He could not suffer the indignity! Would not! So he tracked his old friend to a far off keep. He saw that Alonne had brought some of the king's own men with him. And enposted them as guards. Knowing the king would come after him. But The Iron King had grown powerful, and Alonne's knights were no match for his might. At the top of the tower, Alonne waited for his king to meet him. Once the question the king might have asked was: Why? Why had Alonne left him? But he had been king for a long time. And his arrogance had grown. So when the two men clashed, their tires were forgotten. They had come far together, ever since the days when The Iron King was just a small lord on a small throne." "Alonne had helped him become the man he was today, and he paid dearly for it. For once, Alonne would have avoided every blow. But now it was the king who overwhelmed the teacher. Alonne took his own life in the end. Dying with honor, instead of to the king's hand. The memory that we experience, doesn't end with Alonne's death; as you would expect. The king walked into the room that stood beside of Alonne. And what he saw there would steel this memory in his mind, forever. In this room, Alonne had kept the king's old throne. A reminder of the king's humble origins. It keeps sake from the time he had traveled to the king's land, offering his servitude and friendship to the man who would become The Iron King. The memory ends here. Man's ambition allows us to take flight. On ambition's back, we reach greater hights. And kingdoms are elevated alongside the man. But if man looks back, and sees not where he has been, then on which path does he travel? The Iron King had lost his way, and now he had lost a friend and mentor as well. From this point onward, we see evidence that this event has broken the man. After Alonne departed, the king named his knights after Sir Alonne. For they were loyal to him, more than The Iron King. He took Alonne's armor back to his home, enshrining it, and locking it below his current, towering iron throne." "His Pyromancer Eagel had experimented with giving fire a will of his own. And the king had become a depth at infusing suits of iron with souls. Now, towards the end of his rule, he crafted one more. A terrifying suite of black iron. That would come to represent the demons he now held. It's implied he infused it with Alonne's soul, for the demon he created took on the combat style of his old friend. Battling with inhuman leaps into the air, and the ability to infuse its sword with fire, by plunging it in to its belly. Just like Alonne had done. It's unclear what happens next. There are some that said that the earth spouted fire, with The Smelter Demon arising from the flames, says that the shortsighted king was incinerated by the creature with one swing. And his castle his castle devoured in a sea of flames. The other side says that the king hurled himself into the magma, perhaps in agony over what he had done to his friend. Though, in the end, the queen of ruin arrives. And finds no king, or country. The shortsighted king had sunk below the scorching iron. And his iron rule sank with him." "Aaaaand done!" Twilight said as she finished scribbling on yet another piece of paper. "Another great story, Tim!" "I have to say, this one was really good." Rainbow Dash said. "But didn't cry." "Rainbow Dash, there are still a lot more!" Tim replied as he looked at Spike. "Maybe another dragon story." "Awesome!" Spike beamed in joy.
Something bad has happenedSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.
Chapter 6: The slow and painful process of hollowingSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.
Chapter 7: Nito, The First of The DeadSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.
Chapter 5: The Daughters of ChaosSomething bad has happened Hello readers of Tales of Dark Souls. My name is Dave, ramsesechosquad99sp' s best friend. Something bad has happened to my bud. While in New York, he was hit by a car and sent into the hospital. His condition is goood, well it's how you describe "good" in these kinds of situations. He will be flying back this week, to The Netherlands. I'm very sorry to tell you that the only chapter he wrote was The Daughters of Chaos. I'll publish this chapter when I feel better myself. I thought I was going to lose my best friend. So, I want to thank everyone from this the bottom of my heart for being supportive for my best friend. Thank all of you. And as Ramses would say: I'll see you all, in the next chapter.
