Let's RP: Dark Souls! Part 3

After I gathered my strength at the bonfire, I set out once more onto the battlements of the undead city. Shouldering the claymore I snatched form the clutches of the great lizard, I cleaved my way through the rank and file of the hollow horde with little effort; my rampage went unfettered until into my view came a figure. Standing taller than any man or woman I've ever seen, it waited at the end of a long hallway. Upon its shoulder rested a gigantic longsword, and its body was clad in the blackest mail I had ever laid eyes upon. It ignored my presence; I dared not approach it. I slowly backpedaled in a terror greater than any I had ever felt. I stopped and regained my composure, for the first time I could remember feeling something in my gut other than that terrible hunger...

Once I was in my right mind again, I made my way to the beast's bridge and paused for a second. I contemplated the situation: the dragon was not going to move easily. Instead, I moved down below the bridge, and something caught my eye: a pair of signs upon the ground, one white and one a golden yellow. Curious, I touched both and stood back. First to step forward was a woman, wielding a spear.  She introduced herself simply as Laviana, and urged me to continue on my journey. While I was shocked to have seen her appear out of thin air (though she did not look totally real, more like a pale phantom), I told her nay, as I was waiting for the other mark to activate. Frustrated, she left without me and ran ahead.

When it finally did resolve, out of it stepped a gloriously shining figure. Wreathed in golden light and wearing plate armor, the man hailed me with a hearty laugh and gave me a salute I wasn't familiar with, arms spread wide and upwards. He introduced himself as Valko of Astora and hailed me as one of his kin. Though I told him I had never heard of an 'Astora', he called me by name and told me that I was one of his fellow knights. I couldn't say I remembered anything like that, but he had no reason to lie...

I explained to him the situation, and he recommended that Laviana and myself continue below while he would deal valiantly with the hellkite above. I praised his courage and offered to help, but he declined my assistance and went to face the challange alone. A twinge of fear for him formed in my breast, but I did as he suggested and followed in Laviana's footsteps through the swathe of death she cut with her spear.

I finally caught up to her, finding her in mortal combat with a massively tall figure, clad in black armor; instinctively, I froze in fear. For a second, my body could not move, but my determination to aid my new cohort threw me into battle, and together we struck the thing down. We met back up with Valko by the gate, and together once more set back out through the city streets.

Valko eventually put an arm out and stopped us, warning of danger ahead. Though I nodded, Laviana scoffed and ran onward, slaughtering more undead before my eyes found exactly what he meant: a great iron boar, the size of two horses. The beast pawed the ground, ready to charge at the girl; I ran to her side, trying to protect her when something golden whizzed by my head. A bolt of lightning pierced the air and struck the beast, smiting it upon the battlements in one fell stroke. My eyes gazed back at Valko in astonishment, my mouth agape.

His only reply was, "Praise the sun."

The our journey next brought us to a large church; the three of us worked to gether to clear it of the undead. A noble deed it was, in my mind, though I wish still that it would stay clean of their taint for longer... In its depths we freed a man in golden armor. He introduced himself as Lautrec of Carim, and he promised a reward to me at a later date. Valko, out of Lautrec's earshot, warned me not to trust him, that there was something... off about the man. I would not let him lay a finger on the man; in my eyes, he seemed an innocent. I would not let harm come to such a person if I could help it... Valko eventually sighed and moved on.

As we traversed the shattered church, I felt a vibration ring through my very soul. I stopped and looked around frantically, feeling the pain emanate from everywhere. "Invader..." was all Valko said, and he grabbed me by the hand and led me to where Laviana was. Confused, I had to wait for the threat to show itself before I could see what had thrown us all nto a panic. A blood-red figure, clad in skeletal armor, confidently strode through the church, its eyes scanning the area. It eventually caught eye of me, and paced over to us.

The three of us surrounded it and jumped it, but it deftly rolled out of the way and fought us all head on. It's blade found my gut and send me staggering backwards; the next blow was aimed for my head, but Valko jumped into the way and took it into himself. I cried out for him in vain before the black edge met my neck and my body filled with cold.

I awoke on the frigid floor at the bonfire on the hellkite's bridge, spewing curses and crying out for Valko. I needed to talk to him! I needed to learn what he knew about me! I eventually gave up, hanging my head in defeat, before a familiar voice caught my ear; it was Laviana, who had evaded the wraith's blade and came back here. The two of us sat silently by the bonfire while I crushed another dark crystal in my hand, trying to fight off the encroaching cold.

-Elsa