I set a small number of traps, all relatively close to the bonfire most being extremely simple, as things hanging from the limbs of trees suspended by vines. Cursing my inability for building things beyond the most simplistic. A few rocks hung near the edge of the light, having made sure to make the vines holding them look as normal as possible.
Having finished them rather quickly I managed to sneak in another protein bar in before they arrived as well as some water.
Looking at the bonfire I quietly wondered how, and if I could, get some of the 'estus' from it, and wondered where I would even hold such a thing.
'Maybe if I get a seal-able mason jar or an old wine bottle with a cork I might try getting some' I thought sitting near the bonfire my weapons next to me I waited. Time seeming to drag on as I was excited and nervous to meet the six ponies in person. Wondering what might happen, praying to God they wouldn't want to attack me.
'Well if the show is anything then Rainbow could be either brash and try to attack me, or scared since I'm different like they all, minus Twilight, were of Zecora' I thought before putting a hand to my chin, 'Then again, she'll most likely hear from Twilight, if said zebra went into town, and Fluttershy about the “monster” who tried to attack them'
Shaking my head for a moment I looked at the sword in the bonfire, 'Could be that everypony, will be all happy and stuff for a new creature, who knows' I thought before remembering. 'Oh crap I left that manticore out there' I thought.
Jumping to my feet, I grabbed my weapons putting the shield on my back before running out into the forest.
“Now how to move this” I asked myself looking at the monster on the ground. Trying to get under and push it seemed futile, and while I managed to move it a few centimeters by pulling, it did little more than put the dead creature more on the path and in the way of anyone walking down it.
A sigh escaped me as I started to hear voices. “... I keep telling you it'll be alright Fluttershy cause we can take anything this forest throws at us” I heard a familiar brash voice coming from further ahead down the path.
'Good thing I didn't remove the ring' I thought running down the path as fast as I could towards my camp and at least relative safety. Arriving I tried to calm my breathing before standing in front of the tree that I had tied the vines holding the rocks to.
“Alright, everything will be alright” I said to myself before leaning my spear against the tree and doing the same, being careful to hide the vines holding up the stones without leaning against them. The pose reminded me of a certain Chester who had rubbed me the wrong way since meeting him, only causing me to act on this feeling when he had made the attempt on my character's life.
Amiss the near silence of the forest, I heard an almost inaudible and stuttered “That's him” as a small ragtag group approached my clearing.
“Welcome” I said simply bowing my head “I see you have accepted the invitation” I said trying my best to sound at least somewhat cool. Twilight Sparkle was at the head of the pack wings horn and all, flanked at either side by her five other friends, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash of course in flight, Applejack, Rarity, and a seemingly tiny Fluttershy. “So now comes the important question; what have you come for?”
“I've heard that you've causing trouble here” the alicorn said stepping forward right under the trap. “So we've come to help put your spirit to rest” she finished.
If my face wasn't covered they would no doubt see the look of surprise, though they'd no doubt freak out as well. Looking down I realized I was still wearing the ring of fog, making me partially invisible. “Hell if I was wearing this, I'm surprised you could tell me apart from the trees” I said more to myself, taking it off and putting it into the bag on my hip once more becoming opaque. “I'm not a ghost” I said crossing my arms again.
Different reactions ran across the pony's faces; The fashionista's disgust most likely for my choice of attire, the farmer and weatherpony's distrust, the party planner's curiosity as well as the alicorn's interest, and lack of animal caretaker as she hid behind her friends.
“What magic was that?” I heard Twilight ask making me shrug and wonder myself what enchantment had been put on it.
“No idea” was my reply as I pulled it back out and looked at it. “I've never been magically inclined so perhaps I'll have it looked at later” I said under my breath. “Does have it's uses, though seems the creatures here can smell me well enough to attack through that”
“So you were the one who killed that manticore?” she asked before a small tap on her back reminded her of the other “As well as my friend's python?”
“They were both in self defense, though the snake I will admit was my fault through searching for materials” I said making her raise an eyebrow. “For survival of course, The vines here are quite strong”
“Well why didn't you come into town silly?” Pinkie Pie asked, bubbly as normal. “I mean the ponies there are great!”
“After my little attempt with speaking to the zebra down the road, I decided against that” I said simply trying to not sound rude.
“Oh! You mean Zecora?” Twilight asked looking back before turning around “Are you what's got her so spooked?” She asked rather aggressively.
“Unfortunately” I said looking down, “but there's not much I can do about that now, seeing as how when she saw my face is when she freaked”
“I'm sure there has to be more to it than that, I mean your face doesn't look that bad Darling” Rarity chimed in making me chuckle for a second.
I tapped the bark mask, “This isn't my face, this is a mask I made so that no one else would start screaming, or running away” I said, a smirk appearing behind the mask.
“Oh come now, do you expect us to believe that your face is so horrifying that it scared Zecora of all ponies” Rainbow Dash chimed in giving me an incredulous look to which I chuckled again.
“Yes, but if you can't believe it I can show you” I said, some part of me hoping that they would say yes so I could take off the mask, sweat having made it stick to my face and make it quite uncomfortable.
The pegasus shrugged so I reached for it only to stop, “Make the yellow one cover her eyes first. From the cowering she's doing now, I don't want to know what it would do to her” I said pointing at Applejack who the pegasus in question was hiding behind.
Curiosity had grown enough with most of them so that they turned to look at Fluttershy who simply covered her eyes with her hooves.
Looking back to me I was now pointing at Pinkie Pie who looked at me questioningly. “You too” I said simply only for her to stick out her bottom lip in a pout. “Why me?” She asked “I can take scary!”
“Because, you're energetic. I like that, now cover your eyes, else no one gets to find out” I said, grinning again. Rolling her eyes over dramatically she put a forehoof in front of her eyes.
I nodded before pulling my hood back and taking off the mask. Three of them gasped and Rarity put a hoof up to her head before fainting. “So, how bad is it? Haven't really had much of a chance to look in a mirror since I've been out here” I said tugging a little at my beard.
“I think I'm gonna be sick” I heard Applejack say turning away. “What happened to you?” Twilight asked giving me a scared look.
I wiped off the interior of the mast before putting it back on over my face. “Well that's an interesting story, but the short version; you know that manticore you passed on the way in?” I asked motioning out behind them. To which she nodded. “Well it killed me, so I came back and killed it”
The alicorn's face fell further as Pinkie sniffed. “So you are a ghostie?” She asked hoof still sitting in front of her eyes.
“No, but I am cursed apparently” I said, sighing “The curse of undeath, or the undead, depending on who you hear it from. I'll be 'alive' until I lose my sanity and go hollow attacking any and everything in sight” I said putting up air quotes.
“I've never even heard of a curse like that!” Twilight said stamping the ground with a hoof before stopping and stepping back “Why would anyone ever want to put somepony through that?”
I thought for a moment, trying to remember what had happened, having paid little attention to the story of the game after the first few play throughs. “If I remember right, it was to keep my race from becoming too strong, as well as to feed the dying fire... Or something to that effect” I said motioning towards the bonfire before waving my hand randomly.
“Dying fire? Who wanted to keep your race from becoming too powerful” she asked only for me to chuckle.
“That is actually a long story, and while I am not good at telling them, I'll try” I said, stepping away from the tree I leaned against and made my way towards my bag sitting near the fire.
“You see...” I said, starting the tale of the beginning of Dark Souls; How while at first dragons ruled, fire appeared along with the souls of lords, giving the so called 'gods' enough power to destroy the dragons that made them hide underground. This first flame that had given them the power had started to dwindle and die causing one of the lords to attempt to remake it to much devastation, as well as the birth of demons.
As I continued my story the others started to listen as well, Rarity waking up only to freak out about falling in the 'dirty dirt' as she put it and brushing herself off. Looking at her for a few seconds due to the interruption she uttered a small apology before I continued.
“Now to get where the curse came in” I said turning back to Twilight “You see Gwyn did not wish to let go of the fact that the fire was going to die and instead made undead humans fuel the fire after him. Of course, when the 'Chosen Undead' as they were called go and kill the lord of cinder, they are given a choice; either to allow themselves to become the next log on the fire, if you will. Or to walk away and welcome the darkness”
A visual chill swept through the small group “What'd they do?” I heard Applejack ask.
“They burned” I said simply “By sacrificing themselves, they let the age of fire go on for just a little longer. Having seen the effects of the darkness on humanity and the monsters that would come they kindled the flame with themselves.”
The farm pony nodded before looking at Twilight confidence written on her face, but the alicorn looked at me uncertainly. “What happened next?” she asked only for a smile to appear on my face behind the mask.
“I don't know” I said, “I know the curse of the undead continued, but beyond that I know nothing of the second game”
Twilight's eyes went wide as she looked at me. “That was a game?” she asked, “H-how could anyone take enjoyment from a game where you are forced to kill ponies simply to keep from being killed, only to sacrifice themselves in the end? And if it was just a game, then why do you have this 'Curse of the undead'?”
I laughed before scratching my eyelid “Well you to answer your first question, they had the choice, one I've made multiple times” I said making them look at me shocked, “To answer the second one, I couldn't tell you because I don't know” I said shrugging. “My story is a relatively boring one until I got here, I didn't like my job, loved my Mom, Dad, and older brother... c-cats,” I stopped looking down before lifting the mask to wipe my eyes before pulling it back down “the family dog, as well as my friends.” I coughed for a moment before clearing my throat. “But hey, I got colorful ponies to keep me company now right?” I asked looking over at the five, Fluttershy still hiding from view, and Pinkie Pie still covering her eyes.
The pink one hopped and gave a cheerful “Yep!” while the others looked unsure. “You do know you don't have to cover your eyes anymore” I said looking at her.
The pink pony took her hoof from her face continuing to hop around cheerfully “Okie dokie! Just wait though! We'll get a huge party for you, your very own 'Welcome to Equestria' party!” she said only for both me and Twilight to shake our heads.
“That probably wouldn't go over well” I said. “That and Princess Celestia needs to be informed of this” the purple pony said making my gut sink.
'Surprise surprise, she hasn't already sent a letter' I thought as Pinkie to stop hopping and said a dejected “Oh”
“So what now purple one, just going to drag me off to this 'Princess Celestia' or do I get to wait while she comes here?” I said putting my elbows on my knees and resting my chin on them. “I mean from the reactions I got from you six, I think it might cause chaos to just walk me into town like a new pet” I laughed for a moment before looking at her, thinking to herself.
“Well that's not a very kind way of putting it” Rarity said looking at me with a mix of annoyance and anger. “I mean we have names!”
“Which you never exactly told me” I said before taking my hands out from under my chins and waving them around. “As far as I know you could be a princess and the pink one could be the executioner” I said 'not that you need to' I though smirking under the mask.
“Well, we don't know your name either darling” She said keeping her cross look. “You only signed 'the wanderer' on the stone outside the forest”
“Which is what I want to be called” I said simply “I may be me here” I tapped the side of my head before moving my hand over the entirety of my body, “But I'm something completely different here”
“Well how's that?” Applejack asked stepping forward. “Like ya said, ya may look differen' than before, but it's what inside tha' matters” she said placing a hoof over her chest.
“That may be true, but I was also never too fond of my name. 'Bret' just never sat good with me” I said “Though it's better than what my Dad wanted to name me” I said laughing at the memory.
Before Applejack could say anything, Twilight spoke up “Alright, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash you two stay here and, keep him company, Fluttershy, Rarity and I will go inform the princess and lead her back” she said
I raised an eyebrow. 'What's the point of separating, if you want some to watch me then simply leave them all' I though, but simply rolled my eyes as the others sounded off their respective agreements.
Twilight and the other two left quickly as the other three stayed behind. “So, now what?” Rainbow Dash asked, setting down on her hooves.
I shrugged, “Might as well get introductions over with since the purple one didn't exactly seem to care about that” I said looking at the three.
“Well I'm Rainbow Dash, fastest flier in Equestria, and soon to be Wonderbolt!” she said taking flight, proud written all over her face.
I looked to the next pony in line, “Well Ah'm Applejack, Ah help run Sweet Apple Acres down the way out of the forest” she said tilting her hat.
Pinkie Pie appeared in front of me with a big smile “And IIIII'm Pinkie Pie! Party planner extraordinaire! I also help out over at Sugarcube Corner!” she said hopping around.
I nodded “Well it's a pleasure to meet you all, hopefully we'll get along fine” I said, “Make yourselves at home as well, but please stay out of my things, I don't have much and what I do have that's not food is quite important to me.” I finished.
“Well what about your name?” The blue pegasus asked lighting down on the ground again, “said something about introductions, but then don't introduce yourself, kinda lame” she said.
I rolled my eyes. “I already told you all what I wanted to be called. Just call me Wanderer, or Wander if you have to shorten it” I said.
The pegasus replied much like I did in rolling her eyes, before settling down on the opposite side of the fire and settling in for some Zs.
I looked at the other two who shrugged. “Well we got I'd say at least thirty minutes before they get back.” I said getting up and walking over to grab my spear which I placed by my bag. “Unless any of you got a deck of cards I can't think of anything to do besides trade a few stories”
“Well Ah-” Applejack started only for Pinkie Pie to jump in “Oh! Oh! I got a deck of cards” she said pulling the deck from her mane and giving it to me.
I looked at it for a second a few pink hairs hanging out of it before thanking her. “Sorry, what were you going to say Applejack?” I asked pulling open the deck shuffling it.
“Well Ah was thinkin' maybe ya could tell us more 'bout your home” she said giving the pink pony a slightly annoyed look. “If'n that's alright with you”
I nodded my head, “I don't see a problem with it, not much to talk about though” I said “It was a violent place, wars were quite common, normally over land or who's God was the real one, unless you count a group of extremists who just wanted everyone else dead” I said offhandedly looking at the cards. “Crazy eights?” I asked tone cheerful once more.
The two ponies looked at me dumbstruck, even Dash who had been somewhat been listening lifted her head. “What?” was all I said.