"What do I do now?" Colva Moon said as he walked out of the Throne of Want, "I've now been able to chart my own course, but what direction do I take?"

Colva has fought through everything the children of the Dark could throw at him, and complete every trial King Vendrick gave him. As he journeyed through the realm, he realized the cycle of Light and Dark. Even though he knew that there was no point to doing any of the challenges, he believed he had no choice, for, if he did nothing, he would become Hollow, and none wish to have that be there fate, be it inevitable. So, he pressed on, knowing that whatever he did, fate would not be bested.

Or could it?

Colva encountered Aldia, the King's brother, numerous times on his journey. At first, Colva thought he was just some crazy coot, but, as Colva learned more about Light and Dark, he began to understand what Aldia was telling him: there might be a way to break the cycle forever. With the confirmation, instead of Colva's imaginative mind trying to convince himself that there may be an escape, his resolve became stronger than even before he set out so many years ago, when he had lost his family, though he does not remember who was in his family.

He found greater inspiration when he journeyed into the Memory of King Vendrick. Vendrick told him of how he sought to do almost the same thing that Colva now seeks, and pointed him in the right direction. He ventured down into Shulva, the Sunken City, and faced down the first Child of Dark, Elana, the Squalid Queen.

But that was nothing compared to facing Sinh, the Slumbering Dragon. As Colva moved around the sunken kingdom, he became aware of the dragon's role in the kingdom, as well as the failed/successful assault of Sir Yorgh and his drakeblood knights, how Yorgh was able to reach Sinh, the dragon they sought. However, the moment he attacked Sinh, the dragon spewed the poison that was trapped inside him, killing Yorgh, and devestating the kingdom. But he had no choice, he had to face Sinh. Colva's Red Iron Twinblade and Sun Sword were doing a good amount of damage, but Sinh would simply spray himself with his own poison, healing himself, and his Havel Greatshield, infused with dark properties, could only handle so much. Finally, Colva was able to rip the spear of Sir Yorgh from Sinh's chest. Once he did, the dragon seemed to move around like it was relieved. It stared down at Colva, and Colva caught a glimpse of the Sunken King's Crown. Sinh noticed this, and believed that the Undead warrior only came for the crown so, with the eyes of a predator, he allowed Colva to take the crown.

He presented the crown to Vendrick, and he told Colva how the Children of the Dark, or, as Colva now knew them, the Children of the Abyss, came to be. After which, he told Colva to head to the Old Iron King's castle, and find the Brume Tower, when the Iron King's crown is held. There, he found Nadalia, Bride of Ash, another Child of the Abyss, but one where she technically failed in obtaining a king to rule beside. As a result, he had to hunt down the fragments of her soul, which were scattered all around the Tower. After killing the last one, he felt where the crown was. He doesn't know how he did it, but he sorta knew where it was. Then again, when you enter the top of a tower, logic would dictate that what you seek would be at the bottom. There, he faced another challenge, one he didn't want to do: Raime, the Fume Knight. He read all about how Raime supposedly 'betrayed' Drangleic, and Colva knew the sad truth behind Raime's actions. However, he had to fight Raime, as he was consumed by the Child's Darkness, and there would be no reasoning with Raime now. With Raime's death, Colva took his long sword, as a memento to a unsung, fallen hero.

Now containing the Iron King's Crown, he learned on his own that Vendrick was testing him, so that he could pass on the monarchy to him, and not Nassandra. But why would he do that. Why would he have so much disdain for his wife, unless.... she was also a Child of the Abyss! When he next Vendrick, he confirmed Colva's suspicions. But that didn't change anything for Vendrick. He then sent Colva to the frozen northern lands, to a place called Eleum Loyce. Once there, he met Alsanna, the Silent Oracle. She was another Child of the Abyss, but, unlike her sisters, she was able to embrace light, due to the Ivory King's love for her. But the King was consumed by the flames of Old Chaos, and she was left alone.

She was reluctant to help Colva, as she was trying to keep her King's last wish, which was to make sure the Old Chaos never left Loyce. But after Colva defeated Aava, one of the Ivory King's pets, tasked with protecting Alsanna, she believed that he could finish what her husband started. With her guidance, Colva rallied the remaining Loyce knights, those that weren't consumed by Chaos, and they made one last assault on the Old Chaos. There, the Loyce knights faced their corrupted brethren, with several of the knights giving their own lives to halt the unending assault.

At the end, it was just Colva, as well as one lone Loyce knight, that stood against the now corrupted Ivory King. The battle was fierce, and it cost the life of the last Loyce knight, but the Ivory King fell. With all three crowns collected, he returned to Vendrick for the last time.

There, he tells Colva that he is ready to complete what Vendrick failed at, and he gives Colva his crown. He then bestows a gift upon you, granted by the powers of the four crowns: resistance to the Curse. Colva could now live on forever, without having to fear the effects of Hollowing.

Colva, however, felt he still needed to reach the throne, as that was, what he believed, was his destiny to at least reach. Once there, Nassandra, in her true, dark form, made one final stand to take down Colva and obtain the throne for herself. After a long and fierce battle, Colva was barely able to emerge victorious. However, he finally understood what the throne was....a kiln. A kiln for the First Flame, the ultimate source of Light. He was about to make his was towards it when he realized the true meaning behind what Vendrick gave him, and the words that Aldia told him. He can now break off from the cycle, so there was no need for the kiln. At least, not for him. So Colva left the castle, never planning to return their, as he set forth to start his own destiny in his world.

But he would never find it in the world he was born into.

It has been several months since Colva abandoned Castle Drangleic, and he has been spending most of that time improving his own skills. Until recently, when he decided he needed allies, companions, friends, to help him make his own kingdom, one that could last forever. He decided he would begin with one of his closest friends... Lucatiel of Mirrah. She stood by his side throughout all of his adventures, up until his final journey into Castle Drangleic, when she was too tired to continue, and asked him to go on without her. He felt bad leaving her, but he had no choice, or so he thought.

However, finding her proved much harder than anticipated. She wasn't where he saw her last, and he has spent the last month tracking her, finally reaching the Black Gulch. He goes down to find his friend, but he doesn't know what he will find down there.

Wielding a torch, his Faraam suit gleamed in the dark green abyss, the only source of light besides the glowing clay statue. He had tracked Lucatiel to this decrepit place, for whatever reason she came here. He needed an ally, especially now, when he was so close to finding a suitable place to start his kingdom.

crunkle

Colva stopped. That wasn't a noise a slimy creature of this place makes, that's the sound of an armored boot hitting the ground!

crunkLE, crunKLE

However was making the noises was moving towards him.

crUNKLE, cRUNKLE

Colva threw down his torch and pulled out his Fume and Sun Swords, turning to one of the cave tunnels that the noise was coming from.

CRUNKLE. CRUNKLE

He was shocked to see a feminine figure...donned in armor from a knight of Mirrah.

"Lucatiel?" She turned her head, and his heart dropped. With her normal mask gone, he could see that her face was sickly green and her eyes were dead white.

She had Hollowed.

Thinking about it, he blames himself for this. He should've stayed with her so that she wouldn't end up like this. But, nothing to do now but put an end to her misery.

He charged at her, planning to end it quickly. However, she dodged with lightning speed. Colva was shocked once again, as most Hollows lose almost all their abilities, being lumbering, skinny slumps. Not Lucatiel, apparently, as she then began her own massive assault, with the same speed that she used to dodge him.

Instantly he was on the defense, trying desperately to hold off her assualt, parrying blow after blow, edging closer to the cliff side.

He had to turn this around and fast, befor....Lucatiel launched her greatsword in an upward angle, knocking both arms away from his body, leaving his chest open.

Too late.

He didn't even feel the blade pierce his heart, but he could see the blood easily.

"I'm sorry." was the last thing Colva said before he plummeted down into the abyss.

In Majula, Shanalot, the Emerald Herald, depressed that she could not have her death, saw that the bonfire went out.

"So it is done."

Author's Note

As I have said, look up the what each of the stuff you don't know is.

As much as I would love to continue Gathering Embers immediately, I feel I have lost my touch with the series.....So I currently replaying them all. THIS WILL TAKE AWHILE X(

This is the start of the prequel series, taking place before the events of Gathering Embers.