When will it end?

       The light rustle of the wind. It was the first thing Celestial heard as she lay on the ground. She slowly opened her eyes. She was in a garden. At least, that is what it seemed like. There were trees that rose into the air, and the stone ruins of...something. The sun shone down onto Celestia, who was in the middle of the clearing. Right next to Celestia was an unlit fire, but it was different. it was warm, but it didn't burn. It was more like a heat that comes from healing magic. It also had a twisted sword that rose from the center. She put a hoof towards the sword, and it burst into flame. She jumped back, and then she noticed the ashes around the fire. Upon close inspection, she realized that they weren't ashes, they were bones. Bones of what, she couldn't tell. All she new was that something had made this fire, and it had killed plenty. Celestia rose to leave, but she heard voices. She snuck behind one of the ruins that was lying around. As she waited, the voices got closer, until she saw a rustling on the other side of the clearing. "So your god's name is Gwyn, and he lit the First Flame so he could push back the Dark?" Celestia recognized the voice as Twilight's, but someone else began to talk.

       "That's about right, but it goes on. He was afraid of the dark, and was driven insane by his fear. My job is to replace him, and Rekindle the Flame. I was in Anor Londo when this very fat guy named Smough crushed me when I tried to get to Gwynevere, Gwyn's daughter."

      "I see. Was it a long journey?"

      "Oh yeah, I died lots of times."

      "You... died?" Celestia walked into the open gazing intently at Hevlium's face, or the face of his helm.

      "Yes." Hevlium grabbed at his collar and slightly tugged it down. Celestia gazed at his shoulder, where she saw... "The Darksign." Celestia looked to Hevlium and she saw the glint of his eyes. Looking back at his shoulder, she stared intently at the dark mark etched into his skin.

      "What does this mark do?" Hevlium backed away from the both of them, Celestia preparing herself while Twilight looked confused. Hevlium slowly removed his helmet.

...

...

...

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!" Twilight screamed as she saw the shrivel of a monster under the helm.

      "This is what the Darksign does. It turns me into a monster when I die. But I can never truly die. I'll just come back to life at a bonfire, like the one you lit. I have lived for days, weeks, months, years, I can't even remember." Hevlium thrust his helmet back onto his head with a slight anger. He slowly walked over to the Bonfire. Twilight slowly regulated her breathing.

      "Is there any end?" She asked.

      "There was. If I had relit the flame, I would have died consciously. But now, I can't. Sometimes, I wonder when it will end." He sat the bonfire, hands across his knees.

      "I might be able to help." Hevlium looked up at Celestia. "I am a goddess. Maybe there is something I can do. But I don't have the resources here. I need to get back to Canterlot.

      "Well, " said Hevlium as he rose from the bonfire, "If we're going anywhere, we need to get through those ghosts."

      "What are those anyway?" Asked Twilight, as she remembered the specters.

      "People who had died here, but never accepted their fate. So instead, they hunt for souls, so they can feel whole again."

      "But we have no way to fight them. My magic could nothing." Said Celestia, as she shivered at remembering their cold touch.

      "That is not true, we have one thing we can do." Hevlium reached into his pouch he kept on his belt, and pulled out a box.

      "Oh, Artorias had one of those."

      Hevlium stiffened. "Did you say Artorias?"

      "Yes." Hevlium, paced around the clearing, but eventually just stopped and stared upwards.

      "As I was saying, we have one form of attack." Hevlium reached into the box, and withdrew another small sack. The two mares walked over as he opened it to reveal a bunch of shriveled, blue hands. "These are Transient Curses. They will curse us, and allow us to fight the ghosts. They wear off over time, so we will have to be quick. Or we can try to run past them. Which one should we do?" Hevlium stared intently at Celestia.