Ashes

My eyes closed. I lowered my head. To any casual observer, I must have been asleep. But I wasn’t. I couldn’t. Despite my exhaustion, I wasn’t able to sleep. Still, just sitting beside the fire, listening to it crackle and pop, feeling its heat against my cold skin.

Across from me, Mister Knight started to breathe again.

It was slow at first. Raspy. Kinda sounded like a zombie, if I’m being honest.

More than likely, it was the sound of him struggling to breath as his crushed body knitted itself back together. I could feel the same happening to me. The black patches of frostbite on my skin returned to their usual tones and my migraine petered out.

With nothing to do, I couldn’t keep my mind from wandering.

I thought of home, and the people and ponies waiting for me, of course.

I wondered how I would get home.

But the most concerning thoughts pertained to Mister Knight.

I could only imagine what he’ll be thinking when he wakes up.

Would he be thankful to me for helping him fight? Maybe he’d be upset that he died trying to save me again? After how we’d separated back at the shrine, I can’t imagine he’d be happy to see me again. Or maybe . . .

Maybe he wouldn’t remember me at all.

I hadn’t thought about that. If the curse took more of his memories . . .

I shook my head. I didn’t want to think about it. In the attempt to avoid thinking about that, I stumbled directly into an even worse thought. If Mister Knight had revived already, then that meant it wouldn’t be long until the big knight returned, too. Or did it not work like that?

Beneath the pile of debris, I could see the giant still.

He didn’t appear to be breathing.

Still, it warranted a closer look.

I crawled to my feet and walked over to the half-buried corpse. Even up closer, I couldn’t see breathing. My eye twitched as my boot stuck to the drying blood, but I moved in closer still. Close enough to touch the fallen beast.

It had no light in its eyes.

I knelt down and put my hand on its helmet, just a few inches from my lightning’s scar. Despite the beast-like howls and wild movements, its eyes still looked human.

“You poor thing,” I whispered, petting it like a wounded animal.

Then the debris shifted.

Adrenaline surged through me. I jumped back and reached for my dagger. But it wasn’t the beast returning to life that had caused the shift. Instead, the beast’s body had started to disperse, disappearing into a cloud of white mist. As parts disappeared, the rubble collapsed into the open space.

I remembered the judge doing something similar after our fight outside of Firelink. The chorus whispered in my ear as the mist drew towards me. Unlike the last time, though, it started to coalesce in front of me as well. It swirled into a vortex, forming a mote of light.

Hesitantly, I reached out and touched it.

The moment my fingers brushed the edge, the world around me vanished.

I wasn’t standing in the courtyard at the foot of the high wall anymore. Glancing around, I seemed to have been transported to some sort of vaulted marble cathedral. Rows of empty pews on either side of me only landed more credence to that theory.

At the end of the center aisle, I saw three figures standing.

First, a tall, robed man. He wore a helmet that obscured his face and a crown upon his head that resembled a tangle of tree roots. His robes, accentuated with gold chains and jewels, flowed down to the polished marble floor. Two swords hung at his waist.

Kneeling before the robed man were two silver knights.

One was thin and lithe, with a silken veil covering her face.

The other was taller and of a stockier build.

I couldn’t hear them speak, but I saw the robed man dismiss them with a wave of his hand. The two knights rose and walked towards me. I didn’t bother trying to move as they stepped through me and out the large set of double doors.

I followed them outside.

Here, I saw a icy-white, moonlit city. Freezing winds blew, carrying with them a dusting of snow. Tall white buildings stretched up in every direction, building upon each other in a chaotic, yet mesmerizing pattern. The architecture, I could only describe as beautifully mystic.

Irithyll.

The name echoed in my head as I closed my eyes.

And when I reopened them, I was standing back at the high wall. The giant knight’s body had disappeared completely. The flickering cinder of light in the palm of my hand was the only remaining evidence of it.

As I closed my fingers around it, the light vanished.

But it wasn’t gone. I knew that much.

With that problem taken care of, I returned to the bonfire.

It didn’t take long before Mister Knight stirred. He sat up, groaning. After taking a moment to scan the area and check his gear, he turned toward me.

“Morning,” I said, waving at him.

“Sunset.”

Well, he remembered me at least.

“You alright?” I asked. He shook his head. “Right. Sorry. Kind of a stupid question.” I shrugged. “Do you remember what happened?”

“I remember . . .” He rubbed his helmet. “I was fighting that beast.”

“Vordt,” I corrected.

Mister Knight glanced over at me. “What?”

“The knight you were fighting. His name was Vordt.” I wasn’t a hundred percent sure how I knew that name, but I did. I assumed that maybe it had something to do with that light I’d touched.

“Right. I was fighting Vordt. Then you showed up. Then I got my head smashed in by a giant mace.”

I frowned. “Sorry about that.”

He turned his body to face the fire. “Care to explain what you’re doing here?” Between his completely neutral voice and hidden face, I didn’t have a clue whether Mister Knight was happy to see me or not.

I shrugged. “Following the flame, I think.” I paused, giving him a chance to interject, but he said nothing. “After we parted ways at the shrine, I tried asking around for information.” My finger traced a line in the dirt. “The old man there —I think his name was Ludleth— advised me to ‘follow the flame’ and that doing so might help me find my way home.”

“That’s a bad idea,” Mister Knight said.

I clawed angrily at the stone with a finger, bloodying my nail. “Well, I didn’t exactly have a lot of options after you left me alone at the shrine.” It came out kind of harsh. Harsher than he deserved, probably.

Mister Knight looked away. “You should go back.”

“And do what, exactly? Sit at the shrine and hope the way home just falls into my lap?” I shook my head. “No way. This path Ludleth put me on may just be a fool’s errand, but at least I’m trying.”

“It’s also exceptionally dangerous.”

My eyes narrowed at him. “What does it even matter to you?”

“You’re better off searching on your own,” Mister Knight said. “The path you’re on will lead you to the Lord’s of Cinder. And the Lords are too far beyond you. You won’t stand a chance against them.”

“Maybe,” I muttered. “But that isn’t your problem anymore, is it?

He sighed. “Damnit, Sunset, you don’t get it.”

My teeth clenched. “Oh, I get it. It’s dangerous. That’s why you left me at the shrine. You didn’t want me to get in your way. I get it. But I’m not out here with you. I’m out here on my own. So you go do your thing, I’ll do mine, and we don’t have to bother each other anymore.”

We both kept quiet for a long time.

“Sunset?” Mister Knight finally asked.

I raised an eyebrow. “Yeah?”

“I didn’t leave you at the shrine because I was worried you’d get in my way.”

“Then why did you?” I huffed.

“Like I said, following this path you’re on will put you up against the Lords of Cinder. Same as me.”

“Yeah?”

“The Lords of Cinder are some of the most powerful creatures in this world. Champions of legend. They were the ones that succeeded where tens of thousands of other undead failed. They were powerful enough that their souls kept the Flame burning for ages. And the things you’ve battled so far? They’re nothing compared to the dangers that lie ahead.”

My head tilted to the side. “What’s your point?”

“I didn’t leave you because I was worried about me. I left because I didn’t want to drag you down this path with me. It’s . . . It’s not a path you come back from. It’s one you take when there are no other paths available to you.”

I felt my anger diminish. “You’re trying to protect me?”

He nodded.

“Then tell me, what other path am I supposed to take?” I sighed. “I don’t know anything about this world. Everyone at the Shrine was either rude or unhelpful. Right now, following this path is my only option.”

He lowered his gaze into the fire. “Nothing I can say will sway you?”

I shook my head.

Another long silence.

This time, I broke it. “I guess this means we’re headed down the same path, then?” I averted my gaze. “You’ve seen what I can do. My magic, your strength? If we’re going the same way, it would be easier if we went together. Don’t you think so?”

He hung his head. “I think you’re making a mistake.”

“That’s the best way to learn.” I grinned.

“Fine. You win.”

“Good.” I leaned back on my hands. “Besides, I owe you for saving me. The least I can do is help.”

“We’ll see if you still feel that way after a few more deaths.”

With that, he stood. I heard him grunt in pain as he hauled himself up. Blood still covered his armor.

I reached out toward him. “Maybe we should rest a little longer? You still seem to be hurt pretty badly.”

“We can rest back at the shrine while we resupply for the next leg of the journey.”

I jumped up. “We can go back?”

I could feel him staring at me out of the corner of his helmet. “Yeah.”

“Good. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to retrieve the stuff I left there.”

He reached out toward the bonfire. “Come over here. Stand close.”

I did as he commanded. He reached out and took my hand as he extended the other out to touch the coiled sword. The flames grew and scattered cinders around us. The world vanished in a cloud of dust and ash.

When the dust settled, we were back in Firelink.

Nothing had changed since we stepped out. The flame still swayed, the Firekeeper still tended to it, the forlorn knight still sat on the stairs, Ludleth still rested on his oversized throne, and everything still had a layer of ash covering it.

“Welcome home, Ashen One,” the Firekeeper said in gentle, motherly voice.

“We’re here to rest for a moment,” Mister Knight said back.

She bowed to him as he passed. I followed hurriedly after.

“Good to know she’s nice to someone around here,” I muttered.

“What was that?” Mister Knight asked.

My cheeks reddened. “Nothing. Just being a little upset about being ignored last time. After you left, I asked for her help. She just pretended I wasn’t here.”

I heard Mister Knight hum. “Strange. The Firekeeper serves the undead as a guide. I don’t know why that wouldn’t include you at this point.” He led me down the tunnel, toward Andre. “We should speak to her before we leave. See if we can clear that up. If we plan on challenging these Lords of Cinder, we’ll need her help. In the meantime, though, there are a few things I’d like to check.”

As we approached Andre, Mister Knight turned and continued down the stairs. The blacksmith and I nodded to one another as I passed. Down the stairs, we approached the pile of gravestones I’d been using as a seat the last time I was here. A blanket had been laid out near it, covered with a wide assortment of strange goods and weapons.

A man squatted at the edge of the blanket. He wore a strange headdress, a strange amalgamation of a mask and hood. It reminded me a bit of an oversized hat, pulled down over his face, with two holes cut out for him to see out of.

“Oh, hello.” The squatting man said. He sounded small and uncertain. Mouse-y was the first term that came to mind. “You’re back. And in one piece.”

“Greirat,” Mister Knight said.

“Hey now, don’t look so glum. I’m here to keep my end of the bargain.” The small man motioned to the spread of goods before him. “I’ve got any trinkets you need.” He turned and looked at me. “Just don’t don’t ask where I got them.”

I liked to imagine that he winked at me under the hood.

Mister Knight started to pursue the selection. I, meanwhile, found my attention drawn to a spear leaning against the wall. It was a simple design. A wooden handle, tied off at the end with a short metal tip. It brought my mind back to my days in Ponyville, watching the Royal Guards march around the castle with their own spears not too dissimilar to this one. My training with them had included blades, but mostly centered around spears.

I felt drawn to it.

“Sunset?” Mister Knight asked.

“Yeah?” I returned, pulling myself away from the spear.

“Anything catch your eye?”

I glanced briefly at the spear. Despite my familiarity and training, I could make do without it. I still had my axe. Besides, it wasn’t like I could have afforded it anyways.

“Not really,” I finally admitted.

“Right.” Mister Knight returned his attention to Greirat. “This shouldn’t take me too much longer. Why don’t you go make sure you’re ready to depart?”

“Yeah. Sure.”

I turned my back to them and walked back upstairs.

“Hey, Andre.” I waved.

He stopped swinging his hammer momentarily. “Ahh, we’ll met, Miss Sunset. Tis good to see y’ in good health.”

I chuckled. “It’s nice to be in good health.”

“I suppose so.” He pointed his hammer at me. “How’s the armor holdin’ up?”

It took a second to answer. As armor, it didn’t stop much. Blades still seemed to cut through it just fine. Not like it really mattered, though. Would any suit of armor be enough to stand up against a force like Vordt?

Still, it was a gift.

“It’s comfortable. I like it well enough. Not sure it’ll stand up to some of the crazy things I have to fight out there, though.” I pointed over my shoulder. “Pockets are nice, though.”

“Aye, armor like this isn’t likely to stand up to more fearsome foes.” He sat back on his stump and crossed his arms. “In situations like that, it’s simply best to stay out a’ their way. Thinner armor like that should keep y’ light on yer feet.”

“Yeah. It’s pretty easy to move in. Thanks, Andre.”

“No need t’ thank me, so long as ye keep safe.”

I snapped my fingers. “I almost forgot, there was something I wanted to show you.” I tugged the axe of my belt and held it out for his inspection. “What do you think?”

He reached out, but paused. “May I?”

I nodded, allowing him to remove the axe from my grasp. I was a bit surprised at just how light it seemed to be for him, as he held it with only one hand. The longer he examined, the more his brow furrowed, and the more I started to worry.

“Is something wrong with it?” I asked.

“Where did y’ find this?” He asked, his jovial attitude all but vanished.

“I ran into this creature. I thought it was a treasure chest at first. When it died, this was left behind.” I rubbed the back of my neck. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d done something wrong. “Why?”

“It resembles a plain axe. The like y’d find all across the lands. But . . .” He ran a leathery finger across the edge. “There’s something dark in it.”

I glanced down at the weapon. “That sounds bad.”

“Aye, possibly.” Without taking his eyes off the weapon, he turned it. “The dark’s a sinister thing. It preys upon the weak and hopeless.” His eyes flicked up toward me. “It is a dangerous thing. And one to be wary of if y’ plan on keeping this axe.” Finished with his exam, he offered the weapon back to me.

I stared at the axe. As I ran my gaze along its silvered edge, I couldn’t help but feel an uneasiness wash over me. I had lost myself to darkness before, once. I wasn’t keen to face a nightmare like that again.

With a trembling hand, I reached out and took the weapon. As I wrapped my fingers around the cold metal, Andre put his hand over mine. At first, I was afraid. His hands were strong and his grip tight, but there was a gentleness to his touch. I met his gaze. His features were softened.

“Be careful out there, Miss Sunset. Neither of us want to see you go Hollow.”

“I . . . I will.” I nodded, and he released my hand.

I stepped away from the smithy and Andre returned to his work.

“You finished?”

I jumped at the sudden voice behind me. I’d been so lost in thought that I hadn’t heard Mister Knight approach.

“What?” I blinked a few times. “I mean, yeah. I think so.” Mister Knight had a few new items on his person: a sack of firebombs, a second quiver of larger bolts beside the first, and a spear in his hand. “You got a spear?” I asked.

“That a problem?” It sounded like a genuine question.

“Not really. It just doesn’t seem like your kind of weapon.”

He glanced down at the spear. “It isn’t.”

“Oh? Then why did you . . .” I trailed off as he held the spear out toward me.

“I saw you staring at it earlier. Are you familiar with how to use it?”

“Yeah.” I took the weapon from him. The smooth wooden handle just felt right. I gave the spear a quick twirl, which wasn’t quite so easy without my magic. “Back in my world, most soldiers carried one.”

“You were a soldier?”

I scrunched my nose. “Not really. But I did train with them.”

“Good. If you’re going to be accompanying me on my journey, you’ll need to be well armed. Consider this an investment.” He turned to walk away, but stopped as I spoke up.

“Hey, can I ask you a kind of weird question?”

The Knight nodded.

“How are you with the dark?”

He looked around the shadowy undercroft. “Doesn’t really bother me.”

“That . . . isn’t quite what I meant.” As I spoke, I leaned my spear against the wall and held up my axe. “I was speaking to Andre about it. He says the axe has some sort of dark energy.”

“Yeah.”

I raised an eyebrow. “You knew?”

“Of course. Didn’t you?”

I shook my head. “I knew there was something strange about it.”

“Is it a problem?” He asked.

“No. Maybe. I don’t know.” I sighed. “Andre made it sound like it was evil.”

“Many would agree with him.”

“And you?” I asked. “What do you think about the Dark?”

He put his hand over his heart. “Those who follow the Lord of Sunlight seek to banish the dark in all of its forms. But that is a never ending battle, for it resides within all of humanity.”

“So, not evil?” I asked with a shrug.

“The Dark is home to many terrible things. But in the end, it is merely a part of who we are as humans. The power it grants us is hardly good or evil. It is merely a tool to be used.”

“If that’s how you feel, then do you want this?” I offered the axe.

He took it. Like Andre, one hand was sufficient for him to hold it. “It’s a fine weapon. Are you sure?”

“Yeah. I don’t need it anyway, now.” I picked up my new spear. “And failing that.” I tapped the dagger and chime on my belt. “So, are we ready to set out now?”

“Almost.” He motioned for me to follow him into the main chamber. I thought we were heading for the bonfire, but then he turned and walked over to the stairs where the Firekeeper sat.

As we approached, she rose. “Welcome, Ashen One,” she said warmly. “Speak thine heart’s desire.”

“I have come to ask for your assistance,” Mister Knight began. “In the old tales, the Firekeepers helped draw out the strength of the undead. Can you do similarly?”

She nodded gently. “Ashen One, to be Unkindled is to be a vessel for souls. Sovereignless souls will become thy strength. I will show thee how.” She offered him her hand.

“Hey, hold on a second.” I tapped Mister Knight on his shoulder. “Souls? Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“Why not?”

I stammered for a second. “I mean, that just sounds really . . . questionable.”

“Their strength is what will allow us to fight our stronger foes.” He turned his attention back to the Firekeeper and took her hand. Where they touched, the air started to shimmer with dark energy.

“Kneel,” The Firekeeper said. In her gentle voice, it sounded more a request than a demand. Mister Knight did as he was told. “Take nourishment from these sovereignless souls.” I heard a sound like a driving wind, and the magic between them stopped. Mister Knight stood again.

“You alright?” I asked.

Glancing down at his hands, he drew in a deep breath. “I feel better than I have in a long while.”

“Alright, well, I guess that wasn’t so bad. Now can we—”

“Can you do the same for her?” Mister Knight asked the Firekeeper. A cold dread gripped me as I realized that I was the ‘she’ he was referring to.”

“That isn’t necessary!” I nearly yelled.

Despite lacking vision, the Firekeeper seemed to appraise me. “Of course. I serve thee, and will do as thou bid’st.” She stepped forward, reaching her hand out toward me.

I stepped back in kind. “Hey, I . . . I don’t have any souls to give right now.”

“Of course you do,” Mister Knight said.

My eyes darted back and forth. “I don’t think so.”

“You brought down the giant . . . Vordt. The souls he carried will give you strength.”

“The . . . souls?” I stared blankly at him, hoping it would prompt a response.

He lowered his head. “I suppose such things are not common in your world.” I nodded. “I shall do my best to explain, then. A soul is an immaterial part of all living things. When we kill something, like the giant or those hollows back on the wall, we absorb a bit of that soul.”

I thought back to my arrival in Firelink. The old witch in the tunnel had offered to trade me her wares for souls.

“These souls are used as a currency in these lands, where coin no longer has value. It requires some arcane knowledge, but these souls can also be transformed into strength. The more souls you gather, the stronger you will become. It is simply the way of this world.”

His words didn’t put me any more at ease. Still, Mister Knight hadn’t led me astray so far. I suppose he deserved a bit of my trust. He had died for me after all. With a deep breath, I stepped forward and took the Firekeeper’s hand. Her skin was smooth, yet cold as ice.

“Kneel,” she said. Maybe I was imagining things, but she didn’t sound as gentle ordering me around. Nevertheless, I did as she asked and dropped to my knee. I felt an aura of magic where we touched. “Take nourishment from these sovereignless souls.”

For a moment, I felt weightless, not just in body, but in mind. I heard a chorus of whispers calling out from the shining brightness all around me. A white mist flowed from me, spiraling into the dark energy in the Firekeeper’s fingertips.

Then it was over.

I blinked a few times as the Firekeeper stepped away.

“Did it work?” I asked. I felt . . . light, energetic, like I’d just woken up from a long, restful nap on a day off. Serene, I supposed would be another way.

“Here.”

Mister Knight tossed my spear to me. It felt . . . lighter?

“So, now what?” I asked.

Mister Knight walked over to the bonfire and put his hand over the sword.

“Now, we get back to work.”