Cold. I await my time in this dank, dark and musty cell. The echoes of Zombies and Hollows all around me, trying to escape, trying to stop their miserable life. Nothing could be so torturous, to be Undead. "Immortality just goves you more time to fail", that quote rang in my head but my memories were so vague i could not remember who or what spoke those words. I was huddled in the darkest corner of this prison in the Asylum. The light burned my wrinkly, dead skin and peired my eye sight. I noticed a small rat creep into my cell, it too was affected by the plague that had come to this land. I turned my left hand into a fist and struck the rat dead. As it did i watched a peculiar light erupt from within the rat's corpse and it twitched. The rat rolled back onto its feet and scuttled away with a screech.
A loud scraping sound echoed throughout the prison area. A door to my left opened and a Hollow trudged through the door way. It was dressed in Tattered Cloth and wielded a hilt from a broken sword. It gathered its bearings quickly from the way it jerked its head around the room, i quickly acted like i had gone Hollow so that i wouldn't attract attention. Out of the corner of my eye, it was a very heavily built male, most likely a Far Eastern Traveler. Out of nowhere he began to hack at the Hollows closest to him, i was safe in my locked prison cell but hopefully he didn't notice me and try to tear it open. The Far Eastern man ran off down the hall, away from my vision. I got up and shook off the fear. I looked around for something to use to get out and follow this person. I looked around but saw nothing. I peered through the bars to see if i could try and grasp something to break apart the lock. I saw a silver shining key on one of the Hollows corpses. A loud crash shook my prison cell, a brick from above fell down and i could see a knight fighting some sort of monster. Before i could inhale my next breath the monster raised its weapon, a massive hammer, and smashed the knight down on the roof. Part of the roof caved in and the monster jumped back so it would not fall off. I need to help that knight, i run back to the cell door and reach for the key, my fingers brush the 'teeth' of the key but it slides away. I manage to grasp the handle of the key but just as i touch it a Hollow bursts into my face and wraps its hands around my throat through the cell bars. It tries to strangle me but i punch it in the face. Its body flings across to the other side of the hallway, the Hollow recovers quickly and grabs a broken straight sword next to it. I grab the key again and slip it into the key hole but it doesn't fit! Its the wrong key! The Hollow staggers over to me, i curl up into a ball as far away from the door as i can get, i starts hammering blows on the door. I curl up in fear and witness a big, black sword skewer the Hollow in one motion. The Hollow turns to look at its opposition but a black shield bashes its head, killing the Hollow. I gasp in horro at the fearsome beast before, a big, black knight. It kicks the prison cell door down and walks slowly toward me. I get up and push the Black Knight back, it staggers but doesn't fall down. I run past it and rush down the hallway, my legs ache from not being used in so long and my lungs burn from the sudden need for oxygen. I stop running and jog for a bit. A pool of water opens out infront of me with a ladder attatched to the wall. I grasp the rails and climb the rusty, slippery ladder. As i reach the top i get up and job up the series of stairs before a doorway opens up into a Courtyard with a bonfire in the middle. It is already lit. I rest at the bonfire and i feel my skin and organs settle down. I relax a little. Infront of me and the bonfire a closed door lies ahead. From the corner of my eye the Far Eastern traveler runs towards the door from my right. I get up to talk to him but he is already halfway through the door. As i touch his clothes the monster from before jumps down, its blood-stained hammer glinting in the sunlight. The Far Eastern traveler braces himself and the giant doors close infront of me. I look to my right and another closed cell door lies in the dark. I walk over to ot with the key in my hand and i push it into the lock. It fits with a click and i twist it to the left. I open the cell door and close it behind me in case the Black Knight comes back. A flight of stairs lies before me, followed by another. I hear footsteps and run back down to the cell door and huddle in the dark. I see the head of the Dar Eastern traveler but in his hands are a broken, wooden shield and a small hand-axe. He begins to run up the stairs but as he gets half way up he rolls to the side. He lands ten feet infront of me while a large metal boulder rolls down the stairs and breaks down a brick wall. The Traveler waits for several seconds and then runs up the stairs into the wide hole in the brick wall. I don't know why i didn't talk to him, i was so scared. I mutter a curse and walk up the second flight of stairs, just as i peer up another Hollow descends on me. It swings its scimitar in a downward arc towards me. I knock its arm away with my left hand and clasp its throat with my other. It doesn't notice the situation and simply drops its weapon and flails its arms around. I choke it for several seconds and punch it in the chest, it screeches in pain but i finsh it off with a slug to the face. I grab the scimitar it dropped and the sheathe the Hollow carried. With barely any cloths on except for a loincloth for modesty, i decide to loot the corpse for its single boot and its thin waistcloth. I felt, absurdly, like a warrior. Although, i guess the thin breeze that picked up made me feel like a popsicle soon after. I heard some voices and footsteps. The Traveler was talking to someone but while he was another Hollow from down the steps came running towards me from the right. I held my scimitar with both hands and tried to block its attack but its straight sword managed to nick my right elbow. The Travelers voice stopped talking soon after and i heard the sounds of water being splashed echoing closer. I jumped to the left and hit next to the cell door again, just as i did so i heard running and the sound of the Hollow above me being killed. Its body fell beside me, its eye holes peering at me. A door was being scraped to the side above me and the footsteps sounded distant. I heard more Hollows approaching so i ran to the cave the Traveler was in before. As i entered i saw the knight from before look at me. His helmet glinted in the sun and the sunlight poured through a hole in the roof. He reached his left arm towards me but it soon fell weak against his side. He reached inside his satchel and retrieved his final, last Estus flask. it was slightly bigger but abnormally longer than any i had seen before, it was more like a canteen than a flask. I took the Estus from his hands and tied it to my waistcloth. He was obviously getting weaker by the second, before i could leave he grasped my hand and made a 'chop-off-head' motion with his finger across his neck. I nodded, he took his sword and clasped it to his breast to prepare for the afterlife, and i slew the proud knight with my weapon.His body disappeared within a cloud and a hundred tiny souls were absorbed within my body. A violent earth-shaking rumble flung me off my feet and a loud crash echoed throughout the whole Asylum. I ran through the exit of the cell, up the stairs, past the bodies of numerous Hollows and stopped at a fog door. Before the fog door could allow me through it the white mist of the fog evaporated. On a small platform, i could see the Traveler standing down below, he had a triumphant smile on his face. Had he killed the monster? I pondered the question but decided not to think about it. By the time i jumped down, a big black door had been opened behind me and a large, black Crow was flying off to a distant land. I ran to the cliff but saw no way to reach him. A series of loud cawing caught my attention and i walked to the right to see a Crows nest but no bird in sight. "Caw, you! Caw, give me! Give me warm, caw! Give me soft, Caw!" said a nearby voice. I could not see the owner of the voice but i looked at the nest. Maybe i should drop something warm in here? I took out my Estus flask and dropped a few millilitres of warm Estis in the nest. I heard no reply. A strong breeze picked up and i stumbled, i stepped on the nest and the eggs splintered into a gooey, yellow mess. The nest fell off the cliff and was picked up by the cliff. A loud "CAAAAAWWWWwwwwwww" was all i heard before it was too far to hear it anymore. I dove after the nest. Would i die or would i live? I don't even know. I grabbed the nest and cradled it in mid-air. I heard no chirping or cawing but my arms were now stained with egg whites and yolk. I peered into the nest and found a bone. I grasped it and wondered if birds eat flesh, meat and bones. Now was not the time, as the clouds below me got ever closer i thought about home. My wife, the kids, Berenike, the Church, the King and our Prince Ricard. As i did so the bone began to glow a white light and it enveloped me. White light surrounded me and i fell flat on my face on soft grass. I picked myself up and looked around, mossy stone structures, ancient buildings and a bonfire next to me. A series of laughter came from behind me and i turned around to see a warrior. Although he bore no Crest, but faded etchings and marking across his chained armour, he looked physically strong and at peak condition. He smiled at me, his hairy stubble swaying from a cool breeze and his eyes staring at me with a dull look. "Oh i see the bird's nest in your arms, don't want to go carrying that around i tell you. Mother Bird is above us right now and i don't think she's too fond of having a scrambled daughter or hard-boiled son. I, however, love eating cooked eggs." said the Crestfallen Warrior, and with a grin, he took an egg, a stone platter, and began to cook his meal. During our meal however, we began to find Titanite in our egg yolk, a Ring in our egg whites and we found a scroll labelled Pursuers after we had thoroughly digested the eggs. He vouched to keep them and i heartily agreed.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Part 2
After i had settled into Firelink Shrine the Crestfallen Warrior had told me several thousands of Undead had left for the Burg. A wise-mage, a knight clad in black-iron, an apprentice and a warrior bearing a crest of the sun. I wondered if the undead i had been following also left for the Burg but the Warrior did not answer me, he just stared into empty space in silence. I managed to meet a cleric called Petrus, he was reluctant to talk to me at first but in the end he gave me a copper coin as a token of apology and he told me that there had been many warriors that often visited and left, so any equipment left lying around was free to use at my leisure. Although i could not find any equipment, i found many souls of past Undead. Even now, i clutched the large, white, wriggling soul in my hand. I broke it in my palm and felt thousands of little souls sink into my spirit. I felt weird, but in a positive way. Maybe they have medicine for that. After more searching however, i found a mace with spikes, several bones, broken orbs and talismans. I kept them in a bag Petrus had fashioned for me yet no matter how many things i put in there, the bag never got heavier nor bigger. It was like it was bottomless. I decided i had enough things to last me a short while and so i made my way up the stairs to the Burg. Not even a few seconds past and several hollowed warriors had engaged me. I rammed the pommel of my mace into the closest hollow i saw and smacked him with the spikey pommel again, his broken body flying backwards. A hollowed soldier nearby lunged towards me, its sword only just missing my heart. I swung my shield at it and bashed its head in while it was stunned. I ran forwards with both my hands holding the mace's handle, ready to kill the last hollow but a sudden explosion of bright, blindling light and searing heat made me stop. I saw flashes of orange, yellow and red and i suddenly noticed a hollow above me, throwing firebombs in my direction. I leapt backwards, my sword arm and chest burnt badly. I took out my estus flask and tried to sip a little but a large axe stopped me, knocking the flask out of my hands onto the ground. I raised my hands infront of my face and stopped the blade of an entire battle axe before it could cut me. My arms were weak from the fire, my dried skin still sizzling and smoking. I could feel the blade of the axe cutting into my cheek. With a yell i gripped the axe tightly and pushed it into the head of the hollowed warrior. I heard a screeching sound coming from the warrior, i kicked its shins and it fell to the ground. I reached for the flask and took a few sips. I immediately felt the pain leave me and i took a deep breath. I grabbed the mace i had dropped and clutched it tightly. The warrior slowly scrambled back onto its feet, as it did it reached for its own estus flask. I ran straight for the hollow and speared the pommel into is chest. The hollow dropped the flask and fell to the ground. I gasped for breath. I took the hollow's estus and drank it all. I felt even better, but the scars did not disappear.
I ran up the stairs to the aqueduct and stepped into a stinking mess. Sewer water flowed past my legs, at the end of one way i saw a giant rat gnawing on a dead corpse. I vomited into the water but as i did, the rat turned towards me with its orange, beady eyes. I screeched and ran towards me. I turned around and ran the other way, to my left i saw a doorway and ran through it and up the following stairs. As soon as i neared the top and turned left i ran into something and fell to the ground. I got to my knees and saw another hollow infront of me. I looked for my mace but didn't see it anywhere, i looked up at the hollow as it raised its rusty battle axe, time seemed to slow down. I could fell my heartbeat, it shook my whole body, i stared at the hollow's dead, dark eye sockets nd waited for the blow. In a flash, a stream of blood splashed my face and i opened my eyes to a pair of legs only centimetres from my face. I looked up to see a female undead looking down at me. She was dressed in shining plate armour, like a knight's, and wielded a large, two-handing sword with a paire of spikey poles just above the hilt. She smiles and offers a help up. I grab her hand and rise to my feet, before i can ask her a question she gives me a long, thin-bladed, spear-like sword and blue shield with a tree-crest. My jaw drops open in amazement and she laughs. She gestures me to follow her and i notice that her body has a ghostly, white aura to it. I can't tell if her skin is pale or if its thw whiteness of the aura. I follow her up two sets of stairs to a short bridge. Before i can set foot on it a large red dragon lands on it and i reach out for something to support me. I grab something warm and small, i look down at it and im holding the woman's hand. She slaps me and continues on. I rub my cheek yet i feel it doesn't hurt. In as little as a few minutes she finds me a set of clothes to replace my old ones, they looked like a thief had worn them before. We had also killed relentless numbers of hollows, traded with an undead merchant, obtaining an orange soapstone and a box. After all that i realised what i was doing. She had led me to a set of stairs before a big tower and i could see the back of a large, towering, black knight. She pointed towards it and it was clear she wanted it dead. I slowly walked towards it and clutched my sword tightly, i peered behind my shoulder but i couldn't see her. I swallowed, loudly, yet the black knight didn't turn around. I walked towards it, i was now only a spit away from its back. I looked at it closely, it had a reddish aura to it and it looked like the black armour was also tinted red at a certain angle. I turned to look at the female undead, she was gesturing me to come back to her. A breeze blew past my cheeks and she stopped gesturing, she just stared. I turned around to see the breastplate of the knight touching my nose. I fell backwards and the black knight grabbed a staff of some sort and rose it high. A whoosh of air was sucked into the head of the staff and a black orb formed. In the blink of an eye several streams of pure, black beads shot towards me. I stared in horror but then a dazzling stream of golden light filled my view. The dark beads disappeared and the female undead backstabbed the black knight. The silver blade of a rapier shot through the black knight's chest and then the woman kicked it down, the black knight's body disappearing in a shower of red mist. I gasped for breath, the female undead just smiled and bowed. I got up and followed her again. I walked back up the stairs into the tower. I turned to my left and walked up the stairs, then the stairs after that until i came to another white, fog door. I walked through it and she followed me. She gestured me to keep following her again and so i did, as soon as i was ten feet from the tower infront of me when a large, minotaur-like monster jumped down infront of me, the ground shaking so violently i'm knocked to my feet. I get up and roll to the left, narrowly missing the demon's giant axe. As i get up i stumble and my foot loosens some stones, which fall down below me, away from the break in the wall which im standing on the edge of. I get up and turn around, the demon's axe swings into my chest and i lose rack of my bearings. I hold onto the greataxe as i notice gravity seems to orbit me. I peer down the handle to see the demon's face staring at me, i realise im clutching onto the demons weapon, who is trying to shake me off. I notice a large explosion of orange and yellow and the demon drops its hammer onto the bridge. Im knocked off of the axe and i land next to the handle. I look at the demon and spot a large, x-shaped, black, burn scarring its chest. Smoke, embers and lava seem to coat parts of its chest and hair. I look at the female undead, who is holding a large, red orb in her hand and proceeds to throw it at the demon's face. I watch the heavy figure of a two-tonne demon collapse and disappear in a white, shower infront of me. The female undead picks up the demon's greataxe without any trouble and places it into a bag of her own, bows before me and then fades away until nothing is left. I just sit there and stare in amazement. Suddenly two crossbow bolts imbed themselves in my chest and i cough up blood. I look up to see two hollow soldiers shooting bolts at me. I raise my shield and retreat to the tower the demon was atop of. I exit through a wooden door and turn to my right. Nope, that was a mistake. I turn to my left and head down the stairs.