//------------------------------// // A Game // Story: An Invite To The First Flame // by Michael Hudson //------------------------------// Pinkie stepped away, holding her pretty new talisman in the hand that used to have the Pyromancy Flame. It was admittedly odd to think about putting a fire in her pocket, but as she was supposed to control it anyways, it made some sense she supposed. Besides, with it she’d be able to keep herself safe for longer along with her… ten Estus? She could have sworn she’d had maybe two left before. She couldn’t dwell on the thought for now, as Petrus got her attention with a bit of advice. “I would suggest you head up. Not only shall it bring you to the cathedral beside us in time, but it will also have you fight the undead who have hollowed. They’re foul creatures and deserve no mercy. So, the second they attack you, strike them down with all you have, for you are doing gods’ work doing so.” Pinkie frowned. It seemed so weird to just cut something down and claim to be being good, but on the other hand… ’Thunk.’ A tear rolled down Pinkie’s cheek as she slowly nodded. They didn’t want jokes, so she would not let them stop her from getting to those who wanted to hear her jokes, like Petrus. In fact, he deserved… Pinkie spun around, pointing a single finger at Petrus, who now had a shield on his other arm. It was pretty, with the corners split into a pattern of blue and red, and a simply metal insignia crafted in the middle. She kind of wished she’d seen- Focus Pinkie! She smiled at Petrus, putting her hands on her hips as she said, “Remind me that when I’m in some better clothes that I owe you a hug, got it?” Petrus bit into his cheek, before nodding, which was enough to get the girl to leave. As she moved, springing towards the city of undead, he scolded himself for his actions. Even if she could be useful later, she was still some sort of monster. No undead ever had fur and hooves like she did, and that was dangerous. And so, he kept his own advice firm in his mind, his knuckles turning white around his mace. ======+++++====== Four undead. All in tattered armor that would probably just be more revealing on her, so that wouldn’t be useful, and she bet once she went up the hill and attacked one of them, the rest would come to help it, and the guy with a big old shield could be a bit of a meanie. For a moment she considered switching to her explosion spell, but something in her told her that she had abandoned it, at least for now, for heal, which she was fine with. She’d rather use a friend’s spell than a stranger’s. And besides, what she was doing? She never planned, not unless it was something Granny Pie told- “Ow!” She put a hand to the side of her head. Where had the pain come fro- “Ah!” She stepped back from the closest undead having decided it was done waiting, slicing at her. If it had been using a real sword, it would have got her, but with only a hilt, she got away easily. She let instincts kick in as she grabbed the hand axe at her side. One cut into its shoulder, the next into its side, until back into its skull to finish it off. Quick, clean, and hopefully as painless as she could make it. Where she’d learned to fight like this, she didn’t know, but she couldn’t care. Pinkie was in combat, and she didn’t want to let herself get touched. That was easier said than done though, as she learned from running up to the next one, the one with a shield, her swing felt oddly heavy. Her crude weapon slammed into the iron shield, which didn’t budge and sent shocks of pain up her arm. She tried to follow up, especially as the undead put the shield to the side so it could swing its sword, but her arm refused to move. And then she noticed the two bars in the corner of her eye. One red, the other green, with the second one just now beginning to fill back up from empty. And then, as the sword stabbed into her ribs, she saw about a fourth of the red bar disappear as she was pushed back. Pinkie breathed heavily, holding onto her side as she grit her teeth. When she pulled her hand away though, nothing was on it. There should have at least been blood, but instead she could feel the pain ebbing away. “Another piece of this world’s magic?” She bit into her cheek, her brow furrowing, before she was reminded of what was going on by another slice through her shoulder. “Ah!” Pinkie’s mind cleared as she backed up, her hand going to her side for the flask. It would heal her, but a glance upward, and the wrapped bundle that fell towards her made her roll back again before she brought the small, glass flask to her lips. It was… powerful. Not delicious, though she did think that as the hot, tangy liquid passed her lips, but it was also like drinking liquid fire. It filled her body with a warmth she only now noticed was missing, and the cuts on her closed, leaving her almost unmarked. Taking it away, she could see that the shield man stayed back, going slowly with its shield up, while one of the two on the stairs heading up had dropped down. She shot forward without another thought, not even letting the undead get a strike in as her axe found its marks. That left two. No, one. She didn’t want to deal with the shield, not while her attacks would bounce off. The last one was just as weak as the other two though, and she would be able to get to the next level if she got through. Yeah, that made it easier. These were just mobs in the games she would play with Sweetie and Button. Clear them to continue. Clear enough, and you beat the game and get your prize. Yeah, that would work. And so she continued. It hurt, but like in a game, she could heal herself. She even had a UI, so why shouldn’t she treat it like that. One after another, she cut down undead, totaling to around seven, maybe more as she made her way through. Yes, this was what she had to do. Pinkamena let the tear on her cheek fall as Pinkie left a house, and a large, red dragon landed before her. She could see what Pinkie was thinking just from seeing it, and put her head down as she knew she could do nothing about it. Not while the rest of Pinkie’s mind was breaking and imploding. Pinkie grinned wide at the leg, her legs tensing up as she got ready to take a skip. 1) She succeeds, grabbing the dragon’s leg. 2) She fails, falling on her face.