//------------------------------// // Welcome to Firelink Shrine // Story: The Age of Fire and Shadows // by NewWillinium //------------------------------// Chapter 3: Welcome to Firelink Shrine “You know? I’m enjoying this a lot more than I expected. Thank you for this.” The wind swept through his mane for the first time in decades as he lay clutched in the raven’s claws. Chirps answered his thanks as they flew over great forests and desecrated townships at speeds greater than even he had gone in his heyday. ”So…Where exactly are we going?” Quick Silver asked his captor. “Creee!” The crow shrieked in reply as it swooped up a mountain, it’s wings fluttered in the Jetstream. Quick Silver gasped as the full moon crested over the clouds above them. “Could I ask a favor of you?” “Chrp?” The Raven twitched its head to the side listening to it’s captive. “…Could we go as high up as you can and do a flip in the glow of the full moon?” he hesitantly asked,” I used to do it before,” his wings twitched, “well before.” “Chrp.” The Great Raven nodded and began to flap its wings harder, faster, until the pair of them were speeding upwards into the night sky until they pierced through the shrouding clouds, bathing the two winged beings in the light of the full moon. The pair basked in the pale glow for several calm minutes until the raven flipped over and dove back through the clouds towards a basin covered in ruins. Turning back upright Quick Silver saw their flight taking them past a towering fortress and over a misty forest. A few great flaps had them flipping into a loop as they passed an aqueduct and Quick Silver felt the raven’s talons release him left to glide downwards towards what appeared to be a ruined shrine of some sort. ‘Come on. Nice and easy. That’s it.’ He struggled to keep a steady downward descent, but managed to land in the center of the shrine ruins next to a roaring bonfire. Quick Silver sat before the bonfire and rested until a sardonic voice broke his rest. “Well look what the flying chicken brought in. Another less useful chicken.” Speaking to him was a griffin clad in chainmail roosting upon the ruined remains of a wall. “Let me guess. You’re another chicken brought to the slaughter.” Quick Silver got up and walked towards the armored griffin. “And you are?” “The names Gilda. Knight of Griffonstone.” “I am Quick Silver. Former Mercenary to the lords of Saddle Arabia and other significant parties.” Gilda smirked at him.” Clearly not significant enough to not get locked away. Did you enjoy your time in the coop.?” Quick Silver snarled “Listen here feed for brains. I am only on this pilgrimage to keep a debt. So, tell me what you know or shut it!” Her talons glistened as she snarled back “It was a joke ‘Quick’ to anger. Back off!” The two glared at one another until they both found themselves laughing at the other, both extending a forelimb. “Gilda.” “Quick.” “So. The Pilgrimage huh?” Gilda scratched her head,” Don’t know why you’d want to do that, but it’s no skin off my gizzard. What do you want to know?” Quick Silver paused and thought back to what Filthy Rich ‘s family saying,” …Do you know where I might find the bell of awakening?” Gilda laughed,” You don’t know anything do you? All right, here’s the deal. The Bell of Awakening is above the Undead Berg maybe a few minutes that way.” She pointed over the canyon to the top of the wall. “And the other bell is...” “Other bell?” She smirked, “Yeah the other bell is way below us. Not as easy to get to unfortunately, there are massive bugs that attack anyone who tries to fly down there. . . but then you should have no issues with that huh? Quick Silver gritted his teeth and shook her claw once more. “My thanks for the help Gilda. I suppose I should head off.” Gilda laughed at his politeness,” Ease up on the stiffness there champ. It’s not as if you’ll succeed anyway. ‘Sides before you leave you should go introduce yourself to the mute and the dweeb back there.” Quick Silver blinked in confusion. “Who?” Gilda pointed to a nearby stairwell “The mute is in a cell right down there. She keeps this fire going and is a great listener.” She tolled her eyes and pointed a talon over her shoulder in the opposite direction “The obnoxious dweeb is back there. I won’t blame you for not talking to him though. He isn’t worth the effort.” Quick Silver chuckled lightly before he waved and walked down the stairs to meet this fire keeper. He rounded the corner and there just as Gilda had said in the cell kneeling in the dirt and clad in the dingy robes of a priestess was a mare. He knelt down to eye level and asked her “Mam? Are you alright?” The ash covered maiden shook her long grey mane and curled away from him, her bloodstained skirt pooling at her hind hooves. “Can I do anything to help you?” Though she shook her head once again Quick Silver saw her shiver. ‘I’ll try to bring back some blankets . . .and some books from the Burg.’ Quick Silver got up and headed back up the stairs to the sarcastic griffin. “Have a nice chat?” Gilda snidely remarked. “Not really. You try to get her out of there?” “Not after the first time. The mute FREAKED. Only time I ever saw her anything but miserable.” She said slightly amused. Quick Silver sighed and moved past her into the ruins of the shine and through what remained of a desiccated doorway into a plaza filled with urns and a silent stallion both muscular and fat in equal measure. The large stallion saw him approach and snorted in disgust. “I do not believe we have had the pleasure of meeting. I am Biff of Thoroland.” The Heavily armored stallion sniffed in disdain as he took in Quick Silver’s slit pupils, “I would ask that you stay away from me, unless we have some business to discuss?” ‘No. I am not dealing with this right now.’ Quick Silver turned away and left without saying a word to the large stallion. Gilda saw the tense frown on his face and laughed as he sat back at the bonfire. She snickered at him, “You see what I mean by not worth the effort?” “. . . Never has ANYPONY made me want to stab them in so little time.” She smirked, “Not even little ol’ me? So… you heading out on that fool quest now?” Quick Silver sighed. “I suppose. Which way was it?” Gilda pointed past the canyon at the high wall,” Just fly on up there.” She noticed Quick’s glower, “Or I suppose you’ll just have to hoof it through that aqueduct.” She pointed past him to the aqueduct in the distance. Quick Silver got to his hooves and nodded his thanks to Gilda before he walked past a well and a tree on the corner of he stairs leading up to the Aqueduct. “Suppose ‘tis time to start this pilgrimage.” Quick Silver sighed and took his first step on the path to the Undead Burg.