“So yer sayin’ this…this thing here used to be the most powerful witch in the land back home?” Applejack asked, feeling a mixture of disgust and sympathy as she stared at the whimpering chaos bug. It was securely held in a makeshift prison of webbed crystal on the side table, flanked by four of the royal guards who stood ready to skewer it with their spears should it repeat its little party trick of creating a giant demon to massacre everyone. Around it most of those who had endured the last demonstration of said party trick were now being seen to by the nurses and doctors who had been summoned from the Canterlot General Hospital. All in all the aftermath of Luna’s disastrous birthday party could’ve been worse. Shining Armor was going to be laid up until his broken ribs and legs healed, Rainbow Dash needed to spend a spell in the burns unit, and everyone else was going to need a heaping amount of ointment and bandages, but so far there was nothing that couldn’t be mended in due course.
“A bearer of the Lord Souls was the Witch of Izalith. T’was her power over the fires of chaos that helped defeat the Everlasting Dragons, and then birthed the art known as pyromancy. For centuries did she rule on high with the gods of Lordran.” Seath darkly explained as he drained the last of another estus flask.
“And…now she’s a bug?” Spike queried, looking almost saddened at how the insect chirped and clawed helplessly at the bars of its prison.
“Yay. When first the fires began to fade she sought to kindle them with a new First Flame, created from her Lord Soul. Through either failure to control the power she wielded, or perhaps fate’s determination to see she be punished for trying to save that which all treasure, the attempt ended in disaster. Her homeland of Izalith was destroyed, and the flames consumed her and her offspring. The latter were all turned into monstrous demons, the first of that which would eventually lay ruin to Lordran. The former was turned into this: a mindless atrocity designed to perpetually spawn new demons, known among the lands as ‘The Bed of Chaos’.”
“Ahem! HER name is ‘Queen’ and she is most certainly NOT mindless!” Discord argued. Seath turned and shot him a glare that told the dracoequus he was mere moments from becoming another victim of the dragon’s wrath. Impressively Discord did not falter in his ire.
“She was behaving herself perfectly fine until YOUR stupid butterfly attacked her without provocation!” The chaos god snarled. From where it was perched protectively over Luna, the Moonlight Butterfly charged its antennae as if to likewise punish Discord for this insult. A sharp stamp of the moon princess hooves and a shake of her head coerced it to back down.
“Forsee the appearance of another Lord Soul bearer I could not. Thus did I program my creation to identify all that would most certainly be a threat against thine princesses.” Seath replied defensively.
“And while we are grateful at how admirably it performed that function, can thou please see to it that it does not cause further issue? We would prefer to not make the situation worse than it already is!” Luna commanded, then groaned as her head pounded in retaliation at her raised voice. “Ow, ow, also loud is bad. I need to remember that.”
Glowering in defeat, Seath clapped his hands and the butterfly flew over to him. Gripping it gently, the dragon focused several beams of light from his fingers into the gem mounted inside the rotating wheel on its back. The butterfly chittered and relaxed its stance.
“It is done.” He said as the butterfly returned to Luna and began massaging her scalp again. “Now might I plead that we return to the matter at hand?”
Celestia turned to the pink and blue mares scrubbing the ash from her coat and bid them to step away. Rising to her hooves she approached the chaos bug and sighed at what a pitiful image it presented, looking so scared and miserable in its cage.
“We thought your arrival in Equestria was a mere quirk of fate, Seath, but now a second entity from your world shows up via suspiciously similar means. Do you know of any connection there might be between besides the aforementioned?”
“Indeed. As I stated this creature bears one of the Lord Souls. I bear a fragment of another, gifted to me by the Lord Gwyn himself.” Seath replied.
“And you say that there exist four of these souls?” The sun princess asked.
“Yay, originally. As time moved on and notable folk did make their name in service to the gods, Gwyn sought to reward them as he did me. Currently there are several as myself who bear a fragment of the gods’ power. Indeed I believe this creature, and the Gravelord Nito, currently stand as the only two who’s souls remain intact…assuming others with a more devious mindset hath not claimed them for themselves.”
Placing a hoof to her forehead, Celestia sighed in lament.
“Captain, send word to the guard’s watch in all major cities as well as the border patrols. Have them check if any other unusual creatures or occurrences have been sighted in Equestria and report back at once if anything suspicious is discovered!” She ordered.
“As you command, your highness!” The sentry by the door bowed and rushed out of the room.
“And as for this thing…” The white alicorn turned back to the chaos bug.
“Queen! Her name is Queen!” Discord interrupted again.
“Yes, as for Queen.” Celestia rolled her eyes. “Normally I would prefer to play it safe and have her locked up in the vault with the other artifacts that have proven dangerous…however, I can already tell that won’t sit well with those present.”
“T’were the decision mine to make, then slew this atrocity I would without further ado. T’would be a mercy to all seeing the witch’s mistake did not spread its suffering upon thine own land as it did Lordran!” Seath replied darkly.
“And as she’s my pet I am officially stating that neither of you will do anything of the sort!” A tiny version of Discord poofed into the cage with the chaos bug. “Seriously what happened downstairs was an accident! Had Seath’s technicolored hippie throwback not gotten trigger happy then we’d all still be happily dancing away to some lovely wubs!”
“Speaking of which…erm…would now be a bad time to inquire about getting my decks replaced? I mean that wasn’t exactly a cheap set up.” Vinyl Scratch queried in between coughs. Seath’s malice momentarily broke as he turned to glance at her, then the guards.
“Bring forth what remains of these ‘decks’. I may be able to repair them for thee.” He ordered. Getting a nod from Celestia, the royal sentries trotted down into the garden to see what they could salvage.
“Oh, hey, thanks!” The DJ smiled.
“Thine music proved strangely enticing. Such ferocity, such energy, such bestial, chaotic beats. I do confess it stirred a most primal desire within me.” Seath nodded.
“Well I’ve got several albums out if you’d care for more. Could autograph a few of them for ya!” Vinyl grinned, before having to slap the oxygen mask over her mouth again as her lungs convulsed from smoke inhalation.
“Yes, well if we could try to not get distracted here…” Celestia groaned. “Discord, you seem surprisingly protective of this pet of yours. Is there anything you’d care to say in her defense?”
“Plenty!” Tiny Discord summoned a fireproof suit for himself then hugged his bug tightly. “Granted I didn’t know she could just create monsters out of thin air, but that’s because until now she never tried it. I treated her with love and respect as any responsible owner should, and she’s been nothing but an utter joy in return!”
Celestia nodded slowly. “And at no point before tonight has she proven herself dangerous?”
“Not at all!” Discord declared, though his confidence wavered slightly when the chaos bug burst into flames. “Well…okay she’s a bit of a pyromaniac but I’ve got that under control!”
Luna sighed and stretched her neck as the butterfly pressed harder on a sore spot to try and alleviate her pain. “And what about my garden?”
“I’ll replant everything! Every last tree, hedge and bush, exactly the way it was before! No tricks, no little special surprises!” Discord promised. “Please, if this thing is all that remains of your friend, Seath, then I think you can at least try to empathize with my desire to ease her suffering! See to it that she gets some compensation for having to live life like this!”
The white dragon looked unconvinced. “And should it be confirmed the Witch of Izalith is dead and that thing is merely a vessel for her Lord Soul?”
“Then I’m keeping it happy and thus ensuring it’s not a threat to us. One might even say I’m showing how much I’ve learned about this whole ‘Magic of Friendship’ deal by reforming her as Fluttershy reformed me!”
All eyes turned to the yellow pegasus who was now blushing like a rose.
“I…guess I can’t argue with that.” She said.
“And at any rate, you welcomed Seath in with open arms, how is it such a crime that I wish to do the same with a fellow visitor from his world?” Discord continued, smilingly smugly behind the faceplate of his suit as everyone contemplated his words.
“There is…logic in thine speech.” Seath reluctantly admitted. “Thou dost accept though that thine charge may still bring woe upon thee? As the bearer of a complete Lord Soul, one of only two remaining in existence, it is a treasure that many have and will continue to lie, cheat, steal and kill in order to obtain?”
Discord responded by poofing out of the cage, taking the chaos bug with him. He reappeared clutching the flaming insect to his chest, with a barrage of gun turrets, electrified fencing, missiles and, oddly, party poppers and champagne bottles surrounding him.
“Let them try! As long as I still draw breath and have the ability to create chaos, no harm shall come to my darling Queen!” The dracoequus declared. More looks were shared, several of them conveying their admiration that Discord would show so much devotion to anything besides himself.
“Fine…so long as you accept the responsibility of looking after her and not having her spawn any more demons on us, you can keep her for now, Discord.” Celestia decided. “However, that also means you’re on the hook for fixing all the damage she caused. I expect you to have Luna’s garden looking even better than before, not to mention paying the hospital bills for Shining Armor and Rainbow Dash. That will of course be in addition to your community service.”
To the white alicorn’s pleasant surprise, Discord bowed respectfully.
“A done deal, princess, unless anyone has an issue with it?” He poofed next to Seath, fixing him with an accusatory glare. Seath responded by pushing the chaos bug back against Discord’s chest.
“Better thou than I to shoulder such a burden. Mine charge weighs heavy enough with the responsibility of Twilight Sparkle.”
“Speaking of which, would you mind having a word with her, Seath?” Celestia intoned. “She seemed fine after our little talk, but then she locked herself in my study…and so far has yet to return.” The sun princess said with increasing concern as she glanced down the hallway. Seath blinked in surprise as did Luna.
"I believe what troubles her is something you would be able to provide better council on." Celestia explained. Seeing the gentle insistence in her eyes, Seath moved around Discord (who proved his politeness by waiting till the dragon's back was turned to blow a huge raspberry at him) and headed to the indicated door down the hallway. Behind it, his student sat morosely on the floor, staring with a deeply troubled expression at the two catalysts before her: her own and the one dropped by the Demon Firesage.
“Dost thou fare well, noble Twilight?” Seath queried. Flinching as if gripped by some unseen pain, Twilight rubbed a hoof over her leg.
“I…I guess so. I mean physically I feel fine. Better than fine, actually. Like I could run the 1,000 yard dash at the Equestrian games 10 times over, then still be able to do 20 long jumps and maybe a few dozen laps of the galloping track.” The pony looked to her teacher for an explanation for how this could be despite her having been burned and bashed up like her friends. Seath clenched his fists in unease.
“Thine soul has been augmented by that of the firesage. Worry not, thou shalt come to no harm as a result. Merely thou will feel a bit more energetic until thine body adapts.” Seath assured. His student wrapped both forelegs around herself and shivered like she was freezing, despite the windows being closed and the warmth of a summer night waiting outside.
“And what about how this…nothingness I feel at what I’ve done? Seath, I…I actually….I ki-ki…killed…oh Faust it hurts just to say it!” She whispered. Seath lay down next to her and let one of his wings drape across the mare like a blanket.
“Thou did what thou had to do. The demon would’ve left thee no other choice…” He replied. Twilight gratefully snuggled up to her teacher’s warm skin, though she still couldn’t stop her shivers.
“But…But it’s not right…I’m the Princess of Friendship! Friends don’t…muh-muh….” She bit her tongue, took a deep breath and promptly spat the rest of her words out in quick succession. “…murder in cold blood!”
Seath nodded and sighed. “I told thee mine world was far different from thine. Kindness, peace, mercy and chivalry are respected little, oft thine only option for survival is to kill. If proof were needed that I spoke no lie, thou hast seen it for thineself.” He replied while blinking. His eyes were starting to sting again, along with that weird wetness. He could hazard a guess as what that was, but…he couldn’t understand why. What cause had he to shed tears now, over something that was positively pathetic in comparison to the years of misery and pain he’d endured before? Why did the upset of one little pony affect him so severely?
Seath looked to his student, his body aching terribly as she pressed both front hooves to her chest and gasped as if unable to breath.
“But I…I don’t even feel bad….I don’t feel anything! It’s like what I did doesn’t even matter.” She raggedly exclaimed.
“Such is the true horror of taking life and souls. T’is not the impact, nor the aftermath of the deed that is worst, but how easy it is to cause the death of another. So easy that it eventually becomes second nature, to where thou ceases to care if they have to kill and just does so with the same manner as sweeping dust out the door.” Seath quietly replied. Twilight gagged and keeled over, as if now needing to vomit. Seath gripped her shoulders and gently held her upright as she thrashed, choked and fought uselessly for air.
“It can’t…no it can’t be like this! I can’t just…there’s gotta be more! I should hate myself! Loathe my actions! Not just this frigid emptiness! No! NO! NO!”
“TWILIGHT!” Seath roared.
The mare promptly went limp in shock, gazing at her teacher with the most traumatized expression.
“Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Equestria, student of mine, listen to me now! Thou stands on the brink of what could be the most important moment in thine life! For the sake of all thou loves and holds dear, do NOT run from it!” The dragon ordered. Fraught with nerves, Twilight nodded slowly. “Thine acts were gruesome and unexplainable yes, but thine intent was not malicious! The Demon Firesage sought to take thine family, thine friends, and thine trusted mentors from thee. Yet rather than cower from such danger thou threw thineself into the fray with nary a second thought for thine own safety! I beseech thee, try to remember what thou felt then, not what thou believes should be felt now!”
With tears now running from her eyes, Twilight gasped for breath, her face contorting as she fought to recall what had sparked her suicidal rampage.
“I felt….as I said I felt angry…hateful….so utterly hateful…” She wept.
“Such is how I hath felt for more years than I can count. Hate built my world, drove my actions, told me when to sleep, when to work, when to breathe. Never have I known a time when hate did not run like a poison through my veins!” Seath intoned, his own infernal anger building. “And after all that time I hath come to know this: hatred alone does not drive one to throw their lives on the line so that they may protect another. Truly, Twilight, was there not more thou felt in that moment?”
His words sounded frantic, as if he was begging the alicorn to affirm his query, fearful of what may be revealed if she answered to the contrary. Twilight’s chest felt like it would burst from the lack of oxygen, she grabbed for any little bit of life giving air her mouth could hold, just something to keep her going long enough to answer her teacher’s question.
“No…I also felt…worry, despair, a crushing sense that my life would cease to have…have meaning if I lost those I care for…those I love…if I didn’t act then I might as well be dead anyway.” She replied with a raspy tone.
At once Seath let out the breath he’d been holding. His head tendrils fell like wilting leaves as he let his eyes close.
“S-Seath…am…am I evil?” Twilight whispered.
“Nay, far from it. As far as geography and morality woulds’t allow.” The dragon said, his voice sounding lighter. “Thou killed to save that which gave thee cause to fulfill thine purpose. Thou risked thine life because it was expected of thee as friend and family. Such is not the act of one who is evil.” Seath reached up and pulled off his glasses. “Tis the act of one who truly deserves the title of ‘hero’.”
The dragon pressed his head to his student's. He didn’t need to see her now, he needed to feel her. To let his other enhanced senses tell him what to say to bring her back from the precipice.
“To defend our cause sometimes require drastic action, and in such times, as I hath said before, it falls to the individual to decide what they can accept. In thine moment of truth, thou accepted and committed without hesitance. What thou feels now is merely shock, nothing more.”
Twilight sobbed as she dragged in an enormous breath. Her body trembled but slowly its shivering ceased.
“The danger is passed, thine loved ones are safe. Now thou is letting loose with thine emotions because it is safe to do so. Fear it not, my student, just let it pass through thee.” Seath gently soothed.
Twilight nodded and clung to the dragon for dear life as she bore through the rest of her break down. When last her tears ceased to flow, and her lungs again felt like they could resume their job, she let herself fall onto the ground.
“Th-Thank you, Seath. I…I’m sorry, I thought I had all this worked through when Celestia comforted me….”
Seath shook his head. “Even the strongest falter more than once. Do not judge thineself too harshly.”
Twilight nodded again and rubbed her eyes with her hooves. “I heard what you were talking about out there. Is…is Equestria in danger?”
The wing fell from her back, wilting like Seath’s other three.
“None can yet say, pony. The mystery presented bodes most ill, but at present no more can I discern than the observation that, for now, all would seem well.”
Taking what little comfort this offered, Twilight pushed herself back up to a sitting position and turned to gaze at the catalysts again.
“Okay…then…then…there’s something I want to ask of you…but I need a little more time to think before I do. I mean…if that’s okay.”
Seath nodded as he picked up his glasses and returned them to his face. “Take what time thou requires. No further than the next room shall I venture.”
He rose and turned to leave.
“And Seath?”
The dragon turned back.
“I know you think there’s nothing except hatred and anger in you, but you’re wrong. Just the way I’ve seen you act, how you’ve responded when I ask you important questions, it shows there’s more to you than you might realize. I just hope one day I can make you believe that as I do.” The lavender alicorn replied.
Seath’s hand crushed the door handle. He practically tore the solid oak door off its hinges as he rushed back outside. Most of those that were deemed well enough to rest up had been moved to chambers in the palace to recover, while the rest had been escorted to the hospital for additional treatment. As he had no need to discuss anything more with anyone, Seath ripped off his glasses again and let himself collapse onto the floor, his face buried in his hands.
She claims to see light where there is only blackness. Her talent is sufficient to craft spells she should hold no knowledge of. She kills without hesitance as thou kills without hesitance, yet still shows remorse afterwards for even the merciless. Is this a divine savior thou hast been charged with, or a monster worse than thou? A prodigy or a lunatic? A tyrant thou pampers with power, or the daughter thou was so cruelly denied before?
The dragon’s claws dug into his skin, his own insane ponderings now hammering upon him like a torrential rainstorm.
None of this can be! Yet thine eyes tell only truth. The future bodes as dark as the past. Thine sins pursue thee no matter where thou seeks to hide!
“Seath?”
The dragon yanked himself from his maniacal thoughts as a blurry, Luna shaped apparition approached.
“How fares Twilight?” The moon mare asked.
“Well enough. Her mind remains troubled by what has transpired but the strength of her soul has seen her through the worst.” He replied. “I worry though. She believes herself to be evil based on one act of desperation.”
Luna nodded and chuckled softly.
“It is a…silly little phobia of hers. All the previous enemies she hath faced bore some resemblance to her, mostly the shared feature of having horns. She fears such similarity means she’s destined to eventually fall to darkness.”
Seath felt himself grow colder, pondering if the moon princess realized how easily such could become a possibility if they weren’t careful. Whether Luna did or not remained up for debate as she cleared her throat.
“Dost thou have a moment to speak? Or is this a bad time?”
The gratitude at being saved from his woes sank into wrath at what was about to be discussed. Glowering anew, Seath grabbed his glasses and slipped them back on.
“A moment I have, but no more. I know what thou seeks to speak of, and it has already been said!”
Luna shook her head and stare resolutely up at the dragon.
“Said but not concluded. First thou arrives, bearing the same powers that prophecy speaks of. Now that prophecy is proven accurate again with the appearance of thine fellow soul bearer. More and more a great calamity seems destined to befall us.” The moon princess stated.
“It always does, equine. T’would seem the powers that be treat happiness like plague: something they tolerate only for so long before striving to stamp it out wherever it may appear.” Seath scowled. Luna grit her teeth but told herself to remain calm.
“Be that as it may, Equestria has faced and averted disaster before. We will not hesitate to do so again if history threatens to repeat itself.” She said. Seath looked at her like he would a mentally deranged animal that needed to be put down.
“And how cans’t thou be so sure of success? As thine own lore states this cycle has repeated itself since time began! To resist is to only delay the inevitable!”
Luna stamped her hooves in frustration. The Moonlight Butterfly on her back clung to her tightly, seeking another pressure point to manipulate and hopefully calm the mare.
“We have tolerated thine behavior and thine skewed sense of morals without complaint. For once can thou not do the same in return?”
Seath growled and held a fist to his head. His brain was starting to hurt.
“Speak then. I have little choice but to listen it seems.”
Luna nodded and took a deep breath.
“We can survive disaster by knowing of its existence. There is a mystery here that must be solved with all haste, but we stand little chance of doing so without thine help.” She stated. Seath furiously shook his head.
“Mine actions did naught but doom one land already. Thou knowest this for thine self! How dost thou think I can help?” He demanded.
“Because thou art a part of this. Regardless of how thou feels about it, thine presence is entwined in the very heart of this matter. Try as thou might, thou cannot hope to run from thine involvement.” Luna replied.
Seath cradled his skull again, desperately pleading for it to stop the whirlwind of doubt, resentment, contempt, worry and every other negative emotion he was capable of.
"Reveal to us what came before in thine life, what thou was witness to, and thou may yet make up for the evils thou committed before.” Luna pressed. Seath slumped against the door, focusing on its battered wooden consistency, and the mare that still lay just beyond it.
“Twilight still believes I am capable of good despite what I hath told her.” He commented.
“And we believe the same.” Luna replied. She let a moment pass for this to sink before continuing “As such we ask only this of thee: when the time comes…”
“Yes.” Seath interrupted.
“Yes?” She asked softly.
“Thine realm deserves not to suffer the tragedy of Lordran. To that extent will I help you.” The white dragon swore. Luna nodded softly. “Also shall I put both your and Twilight’s beliefs to the test. When next I dream, more shall I reveal to thee.”
Luna’s stance relaxed as she stepped back to give the dragon some space. He glared at her to just please leave.
“Then see we shall where thine alignment truly lies, although again I see evidence that thou art better than thou thinks.” She turned and trotted away, pausing momentarily when the Moonlight Butterfly gently rubbed her neck. “Oh and Seath?”
The dragon raised an eyeridge as Luna brought her pet onto one of her forelegs.
“Thank you, for this. It’s honestly one of the most thoughtful presents anyone has ever given me.” She smiled as the butterfly fluttered up and hovered like a loyal guardian over her.
Seath’s hands fell from his head as the mare departed. He pushed himself from the door, forded his way down the hall till he found passage to a balcony, and stepped out to drink deep of the warm night air. Where before the idea of being outside filled him with dread, now he positively craved it. The way his time to take advantage of the land seemed to grow more fleeting with each day made it imperative that he grab every possible moment to enjoy what Equestria had to offer, before yet again he had to watch it be destroyed.
Verdite, Lordran, now this place. Is it mere fate that curses each fall to darkness, or thineself? When thou was slain before things improved drastically. If such came again….
Seath looked down at his healed arm. Before all this started he held a very healthy fear of death and considered unlocking the secret of immortality from the primordial crystal to be one of his greatest triumphs…except in the long run that had ended up causing more problems than it solved…and then of course it had taken only a minute of inciting his blind rage to rob him of it, along with so much else. Even if he went ahead with his plan to become immortal again would it make any difference now? Would the world again be better off without him?
Seath clutched himself and turned back from the balcony. He needed something to occupy his mind, a distraction to divert it from this all too well treaded line of thought. Hearing the shuffling of heavy objects outside he remembered the DJ and her decks, and duly headed out to see what could be done.
“Is this all, Miss Scratch?”
Vinyl angled her head to take in the pile of warped metal and melted plastic the guards had managed to recover.
“I…think so. There’s both turn tables…and this part looks like the sub woofer…and…uh…” The unicorn lit up her horn and shone the light into a hunk of blackened scrap. “I think that’s the amp there, fused to the mixer…erghhhhh.”
Vinyl sighed as it became all too apparent what a lost cause her equipment was.
“DJ P0N-3 may be hitting the rentals again for a while, Dedmau5…unless we can sweet talk Tavi into maybe getting us an early birthday present…”
The rodent on her back squeaked in sympathy. Seath retrieved his catalyst from where he’d set it against the wall and approached the unicorn.
“Before thou does…permit me a chance to see if indeed none can be done to mend these.” He said while powering up the crystal staff.
The charred equipment slowly floated up in a neon blue aura, the ashen coating on it slowly evaporating into nothingness as Seath tried to reverse the damage.
“The complexity of these mechanisms will require time…” The dragon warned as he next focused on trying to untwist the components to see what was what and where it looked like it was meant to go. Vinyl just lifted her glasses and let her mouth drop open.
“How…uh…well when you said you could repair them I didn’t think you meant it this literally!” She gaped.
Seath narrowed his eyes as he brought up the turntables, slowly stretching them back out into their original circular shapes.
“Intended was this spell to maintain the integrity of weapons and armor. While a severe step up is machinery such as this…I rather welcome the challenge now.” The dragon lamented as he next focused on what looked like a bank of levers and switches. Even if such advanced technology was unknown to Lordran, it had seen limited use in Verdite. An odd anachronism that had been, but Seath had been glad for it when he needed to breed more empowered soldiers to bolster the lands’ army; a need that had cropped up more and more often when his nemesis, Guyra, started brainwashing the inhabitants of Melanat into doing the same thing…
Seath sighed and tried again to focus on the task at hand. He had enough worries without dwelling on the troubles of the past in addition.
Wires slowly threaded themselves back into sockets; circuit boards shrugged off their melted state and slotted themselves into sound equipment; speakers worked out their dents and attached themselves to their casing again. It was rather like cutting up several jigsaw puzzles in such a way that the resulting pieces could then be reassembled into one giant puzzle; time consuming yes, but mercifully it also provided a calming, meditative exercise to soothe a disturbed mind.
“There….what is thine verdict of this?” Seath said after he’d set down a speaker. Still gaping in amazement, Vinyl tapped it with a hoof and listened to the reassuring knock of solid craftsmanship.
“I think I can work with this…wow…ummmm….” The unicorn winced as her thoughts turned to a more sensitive issue. “Not that I wish to sound greedy but does this spell work on other objects too? Like musical instruments? I…erm…my marefriend has a cello that could do with some touching up.”
Seath looked at her curiously. “Marefriend? Another soul thou feels dearly for?”
Vinyl nodded and shrugged. “Yeah, Octavia Philharmonica, world renowned classical musician, all around classy, somewhat snooty and stuck up mare….who’s also an utter sweetheart and the control dial I desperately need in my life.”
Seath looked around the mixing board he was trying to put back together, his curiosity rising at how Vinyl sounded so pleased and yet simultaneously so despondent.
“I was…erm…using her instruments…well her prized cello to record some new material for my wubs. Started out fine, I mean I know how to play classical as well as she does!” The unicorn stated proudly, only to then immediately falter. “…only I got a little over ambitious and tried getting some faster notes out…ended up snapping the neck off in my frenzy and scratching up the finish.” She glanced down at her hooves like they were stained with the blood from some heinous crime.
“Hardly a grievous error it sounds…” Seath commented, much to Vinyl’s unease.
“Yeah well you haven’t seen a Canterlot mare in a rage…nor have you hurt someone you love in a way that just…seems so paltry but also hits ya harder than a class 5 beat drop….” Vinyl looked up, and cocked her head at the way Seath stopped fixing her decks so he could cringe as if in pain. “Erm…have you…done that?”
Seath growled lowly, his breath turning white with crystalline venom.
“T’were I to be put on the confessional stand I suppose I would have to say yay. Desperation and heinous twists of fortune did drive me to sin against one who…was very dear to me…and in turn was she driven into the arms of another who would not betray her trust so.” The dragon lamented.
Vinyl removed her glasses and set them aside. Being an albino, light tended to hurt her eyes but she needed to study the giant drake without her trademark purple filters in the way. Study him and confirm he was exhibiting the same body language as herself.
“So…the usual apology letters, flowers, chocolates, and such didn’t mend things?” She asked.
Seath set the mixing board down so it wouldn’t bear the brunt of his crystal breath.
“Not for what I did.” He seethed while turning to the unicorn. “Performed similar efforts of atonement hast thou?”
“Yeah, well, that’s partially why I did this gig. That and Princess Luna adores my wubs too.” Vinyl grinned smugly before lapsing into seriousness again. “Was hoping I could use the bits I made to get Tavi’s cello repaired, show I really am sorry and respect her things and I can be responsible and…” The DJ’s voice uncharacteristically dropped to a whisper. “…that I really, really don’t want to lose her.”
Seath grit his teeth as he felt a tightening in his chest. Why was this affecting him so? Heck, why again was he suddenly feeling so broken up over the miniscule issues of a bunch of painfully pastel ponies? He’d slaughtered his own kind by their thousands and lost no sleep. Lordran had crumbled around him and he’d cared not, so long as it didn’t interrupt his research. He’d had maidens kidnapped from every corner of the lands and subjected them to every horrible experiment he could think of, with nary a single tear shed when they ended up as shattered, hideously mutated shells…as…a result…
And pray, what did motivate thee to such horrendous acts in the first place? Truly why didst thou choose to victimize so many, even long after it ceased to benefit thine work?
Seath backed up against the wall, his catalyst falling from his hands as he again clutched his head in agony.
“Oh…uh…sorry, am I bringing up some bad memories here?” Vinyl asked as the dragon balled his hands up into fists, then swung and punched a large hole through the wall.
“Grrrrrr…nay….nay pony…these thoughts haunt me regardless. Thine own confession is not to blame.” He said while smashing his head against the wall as well. The fracturing of stone and the subsequent pain in his skull helped drown out his thoughts. “Promise me only this, Musician Scratch: if thou loves this mare as thou claims to then thou shalt take thine leave as soon as thou art healed. Find her and make her know how much she means to thee…lest thou risks losing her as I did my own!”
Vinyl snapped to attention, almost bringing her hoof up to salute in fear, such was the command of the drake’s voice.
“Hey, no worries on that! After nearly becoming a pan seared special I’m very, very clear on what’s important in my life now!” She promised. The rodent on her back squeaked. “Yes that includes you too, Dedmau5!”
Seath brought his head away from the crater it had made in the wall.
“Good, then I shall resume repairing thine tools.” He began casting the spell again, pausing only when the sound of hooves against the marble floor rang out across the hall.
“Hey is everything alright out here? I heard banging…I thought…” Twilight’s voice tapered off as she observed the hole in the wall, with the dragon shaped crevice of broken masonry next to it. Noting her teacher was sporting several fragments of said masonry on his features, the alicorn brought a hoof to her mouth.
“All is well, Twilight. T’was another fit, and nothing more.” Seath blandly responded. The alicorn didn’t buy it, but a frantic wave from Vinyl to please not ask for further details made her hold her tongue.
“Well, umm…I had a question. Not the one I mentioned earlier, just a side issue that occurred to me after you left.” Twilight levitated the demon catalyst over to herself. “You said this was good for casting dark sorceries, but can it also be used for the normal ones as well? Like what we’ve been practicing?”
Seath cocked several tendrils in puzzlement. “It can.”
Taking a deep breath, Twilight lowered the catalyst into her mouth.
“Okay, mind if I give it a try? You look like you could use the help.” She mumbled around the fire forged staff.
Seath gave his student some space, and she began casting her own version of the repair spell. Hers, however, made much quicker work of reassembling everything and fashioning it back into a functional set of gear for rocking the house with wubs.
“Alright now I gotta kick myself for not having a camera to hoof. No one is ever going to believe this without photographic evidence.” Vinyl stammered as she checked her freshly fixed equipment. It still stank of smoke and needed a thorough cleaning, but after plugging it into a wall outlet and trying a few quick sound checks the unicorn found it acceptable for her professional needs.
“Seriously, if I could like do a tribute track for you two, or if you have an even coming up, just say the word and I’ll do it pro-bono. Least I can offer for being allowed to walk out of here with my decks now back in action!” Vinyl exclaimed.
Twilight put down her catalyst and smiled softly.
“I tinker with the odd gizmos here and there so it was easier for me to work out how everything needed to be put back together. Not to mention this catalyst actually feels more ‘natural’ than the one you had made for me, Seath” The alicorn dipped her head submissively as she turned to her teacher. “Would it thus be okay if I started using this one instead for our lessons?”
Seath nodded. “If it suits thee better then thine craft can only benefit. I only caution thee of the risk of harm to thineself if thou dost not take heed of its pyromancy enchantment.”
Twilight looked up and smiled again. “Well, considering you’re a very careful teacher I’m sure I’ll be able to manage.”
A hoof patted against one of the dragon’s tentacles. Again, Seath felt his chest suddenly loosen in the most peculiar way.
“Regardless, Musician Scratch, remember mine words.” He choked out
Vinyl held up a hoof.
“Get a clean bill of health from the doctors, go home, make Tavi the happiest mare in the world. Got it. I just need to go lie down for a few hours first.” The unicorn headed for the guest chambers, an occasional cough still racking her lungs. “My offer still stands though, please think about it!”
Twilight nodded. “I’m going to check on Shining and Rainbow at the hospital before I turn in for the night if that’s okay. I mean, they’re probably fine but it can’t hurt to be sure.”
“Do as thou needs. I shall await thine return.” Seath replied. The alicorn teleported herself away and he headed in the direction of where the palace’s royal library was said to be located. Pushing the doors open to a vast chamber stocked ceiling to floor with books, the white dragon gave a gentle sigh as he gathered up parchment, quill, ink and several reference tomes. Even if he was fine with not having access to his resources back at the Archives, it still helped that when he needed material to work on, this society was all too eager to deliver.
Sometime later he was seated with a thick book of blank pages opened before him and a quill in his hand. With seasoned and masterful strokes he penned the words to some grand text, pausing only when there came a knock on the door.
“Seath? Are you in there?”
Dipping the quill in an inkwell, Seath finished the sentence he was on, then rose to stretch.
“I am, Twilight. Please come in.”
The alicorn trotted in, looking much more chipper than when she’d left.
“Thine friends and family fare well?” The white drake asked.
“As can be. Cadence made a fuss about not leaving Shining’s room till he was well enough to return to the Crystal Empire with her, and Soarin wasted no time in coming down from Cloudsdale to be by Rainbow’s side. Everypony should be fine for the moment…” Twilight’s mood dipped noticeably as she set down her new catalyst. “Yeah, for the moment…”
Seath calmly waited for his student to voice whatever was on her mind. Instead she hesitated, then turned to the book he was writing in with sudden interest.
“What’s this?” She asked while reading several paragraphs.
“A few of mine observations from the previous week. There is much of thine world that hath given me cause to revise several theorems on sorcery, life and all that they affect.”
Twilight got a strange smile on her face as she continued to read. Seath’s prose was rather complicated and flowery, and desperately in need of an editor, but he wrote with such passion for his material it still drew her in.
“Have you authored many works like this?” She asked.
“Yay, every tome that exists in the first three wings of mine archives did I pen. Many on fact, some on fiction, some for reference, and some just for the sake of having a medium to record mine own random musings. As music hath charm for some, writing doth soothe my nerves in the same way.” Seath commented as Twilight’s smile faltered, her ears wilting under the return of some great weight.
“Well maybe we can co-author a few works together…I mean later when you’ve taught me more and I’m closer to your…um…level…” The lavender pony twitched and took another breath. “Okay, Seath I’ve had time to think, and I’m ready to ask that question from before, regardless of however much it frightens me to do so.”
The dragon folded his arms and fluttered his wings hesitantly. “And that is?”
Twilight swallowed and picked up her catalyst again in her magic.
“The dark sorceries….are they all as deadly as the one I somehow managed to cast?”
Seath nodded. “The power of the Abyss allows for little else. Weaponizing it was the only feasible means of utilizing its strength.”
Twilight sat down and held the catalyst with her hooves. She idly scanned over its gnarled, twisted and dangerous construction, noting how, unlike the crystal version, there was little to find beautiful. The demon catalyst had been created for one purpose, and that purpose was evident in every inch of its physical components.
“What would you say if I asked you to teach me those? To show me how to…kill again…if I have to?”
***
The Chosen Undead continued to try telling herself she was justified in being afraid of the dark just this once; that the creeping chill that had been gripping her spine for the last few hours, ever since she’d made it out of the Oolacile Township, was natural and she was not being a coward. Sure she’d been conditioned since childhood to see night as a natural part of the flow of time, no different than the day that preceded it. She knew the night brought peace, quiet, and a sense of freedom that was stifled by the all reaching light of the day. One could find darkness comforting if they wished for an environment where they could calm their soul and gain a sense of relaxation. As such a true warrior of the land knew not to fear the dark but embrace it.
They also knew, however, that there was a difference between the natural darkness of the earth, and the choking blackness of the Abyss.
Raising her skull lantern higher to try and illuminate a little bit more of the area, the Chosen Undead was again consumed with the sensation of being alone, vulnerable and very afraid. The dangers she’d braved to reach this entrance to the realm that was slowly swallowing Oolacile had been bad enough, but now they seemed almost a mercy compared to standing here on the brink of what was believed to be the inevitable fate of all of Lordran. There was no peace here in the Abyss, no warmth, no calm, no familiarity. Just the overwhelming sense of death and nothingness.
Though her pack felt comfortably heavy back on her person, having now been replenished with the offerings from a crystal lizard she’d found along the way, the undead husk still pondered if she was really prepared to face this. Even with the silver knight armor she’d picked up in Anor Londo now embracing her body, she still felt naked and exposed. Each step further into the darkness felt like a descent from which she could not escape. Only the thought that there was another trapped down here with her kept her going.
Another that she had no idea how to find of course. Not even a rough guess as to where to start looking.
The skull lantern revealed a bridge stretching out over a black chasm. The Chosen Undead took her time to check and re-check exactly how much surface area she had to walk on, then thoroughly tested the durability of the stone path before she set out onto it. Below her a sea of blank white eyes twinkled into existence, drawn to look up at this strange light passing overhead, and the strange figure that clutched it with a white knuckle grip. They bore a roughly humanoid shape, but otherwise lacked any discernible features, nothing more than crude manifestations of the darkness to let any intruder know the Abyss was watching them at all times.
Silently the Chosen Undead now gave thanks that Ciaran had not joined her. No one deserved to have to suffer through this, and Artorias was a gruesome example of why. She only hoped she was indeed one of the few to have been foolish enough to actually make it this far across the brink…and that those eerie sprites staring up at her were not the remains of others who had likewise fallen victim to the darkness.
An eternity later the undead put a foot down and felt it touch upon a wide solid stretch of rock again. She’d made it to the other side of the chasm…for whatever good that did.
Hoisting her lantern as high as she could, the undead surveyed that she stood on a craggy cliff side. To her right it stretched seemingly without end into the darkness, to the left it sloped sharply down into the pit she’d just walked over. Neither presented a particularly welcome course for her next action.
Searching out the cliff face, the Chosen Undead took a moment to catch her breath. She could ill afford to get lost down here so some careful planning was needed. Ciaran would not have sent her on this mission with little more than a vague order, unless she knew her disciple could figure out the rest on her own. She just needed to collect her thoughts, try to ignore the sense of the darkness closing in on every side to crush her in its grip, and try to reason what was least likely to get her killed.
Help Me.
The husk shook her head and rested her head in one of her gauntlets. There had to be something to indicate where she was supposed to go. Some sign left from when the one she was searching for had ventured down here and gotten trapped. If she could just work out what…
Help Me.
Something out of place…as if anything could stand out of place in an area that was perpetually consumed in pitch blackness.
Help Me.
The Chosen Undead looked up. That was definitely not just the infernal silence playing tricks on her mind. No, that had definitely been a voice, expressing real words.
Help Me.
Carefully she held her lantern aloft again, edging herself in the direction of the voice. Her arm shook as the light revealed only more of the barren, lifeless terrain ahead of her.
Help Me.
Frantically the Chosen Undead strained her eyes. She thought to remove her helmet so it didn’t obscure her vision but that seemed too suicidal even for her.
Help Me. *click*
The husk stopped as her foot encountered something hard and loose on the ground. Looking down she saw a wooden carving depicting a face twisted in alarm and fear. Carefully she nudged it with her foot.
Help Me. The carving weakly whispered. The undead picked it up and stared at it in puzzlement. An odd little trinket to be just lying down here. Had someone dropped it? Could it be a clue?
“Help me.”
The Chosen Undead jerked upright as the phrase came again, not from the carving but from a new presence that now stood beside her. It was the ghostly image of a great feline, clad in translucent white fur and baring a dangerous smile filled with razor sharp teeth.
“Help me.” It spoke again before vanishing and reappearing several feet away.
The Chosen Undead instinctively followed. She recognized this cat: it was Alvina, fabled leader of the Forest Hunter Covenant of Darkroot Wood. The two had crossed paths briefly some time ago, when the undead had returned from ringing the second Bell of Awakening and sought safe passage through the woods back to Firelink Shrine. Since the forest hunters instinctively attacked all who ventured into their domain one could only hope to survive their passage via one of two ways: kill everything they came across, or seek out Alvina and bargain with her to call off her band of protectors. Having lacked the gear for prolonged battle at the time, the Chosen Undead had opted for the latter, and from there the two had gone their separate ways again.
As such, what the hell Alvina was doing here, in a land forgotten by all else, made for a very intriguing mystery indeed, one the undead figured she was intended to solve before she left.
She approached the feline and watched her vanish and reappear several more feet in the distance. The husk followed, checking that she wasn’t about to be lead off the cliff or into a trap. Alvina did her little act again, only this time she appeared right next to several of the weird black phantoms that had apparently climbed out from their little gathering spot.
”Help me.” Alvina repeated, almost sounding like she was teasing the undead. The warrior slowly raised her other hand and summoned her pyromancy flame. The phantoms stared unblinking at her as she approached, moving as if to meet her halfway to the grinning kitty. They closed the gap, the Chosen Undead steeled herself.
One of the phantoms collided with her front. An absolutely wrenching sensation of deathly cold shot through her as her armor buckled like it had been physically struck. She promptly fell backwards and executed a defensive roll. The phantoms continued to advance. She stood again and let fly with her fire, burning them all with ease.
“Help yourself.” Alvina replied as the phantoms were consumed by the flames. In their place a small collection of black sprites burned softly above the ground. Staring at them, the Chosen Undead knelt and very gingerly reached out to touch them. Humanity…it was pure, raw, blessed humanity!
The undead looked up at the feline and cocked her head as Alvina just smiled. Deciding not to question such a rare turn of fortune she grabbed one sprite and crushed it in her hand. A sudden feeling of well-being overcame her, strength again filling her limbs as the darkness seem to retreat just enough that she could breathe easier. The undead scooped up the rest of the humanity and stored it in a hidden compartment in her pack.
“Now…” Alvina disappeared and reappeared further away. “Help her.”
The undead ran over and Alvina vanished completely. Sensing this meant she’d arrived at wherever she was supposed to be, the husk surveyed her surroundings for another clue. There was nothing out of place on the ground, no unusual activity anywhere around her, so that left…
The undead turned and examined the cliff face. It seemed as barren as any other part of the Abyss…yet…as she held her skull lantern closer, there seemed to be something slightly off about the texture of the rock.
Deciding to take a gamble, the Chosen Undead drew her golden tracer and struck the cliff face. It promptly vanished just like the kitty that had led her to it; an illusory wall!
Hoisting her lantern high again the female warrior carefully stepped into the hidden cavern that had been revealed. She could see a faint glow in the distance, and could hear what sounded like whimpering. She quickened her pace, only to just as quickly stop herself as she came to an area packed with more phantoms. They turned at the sound of her footsteps, while behind them someone whined in fright. The Chosen Undead sheathed her sword and smashed her fist into the ground, triggering a chaos storm as the black shadows swarmed upon their new prey. Cold bit into her body like the jaws of a raging beast as the pillars of fire died down, and those that had survived being incinerated now floated over the resulting lava pools to attack. She rolled back out of the way, dropped her lantern and drew both of her tracer swords.
Darkness lapped at the edges of the battle as the husk bore the brunt of impact after impact, telling herself that she’d be rewarded for her efforts with more humanity as these creatures seemed to drop it by the cartload every time they died. In the recesses of the cavern their original victim cried quietly as the darkness was momentarily banished by the light of another pyromancy, then crashed down to reclaim its territory while the Chosen Undead fought her way through the horde. The battle was costly, and by the end the undead knew she was going to need yet another change of armor as her current set bore the buckled, broken appearance of having been raged upon by an entire legion of soldiers. To think the Abyss could spawn horrors that could do so much damage through mere touch….dear Gwyn, she needed to get out of here soon! Her and the one who now lay still in the darkness, fearful of doing anything that might give away its position.
Retrieving her lantern, the Chosen Undead shone it in the direction of the pale glow, revealing a shield thrust into the ground, inside a swirling ring of magic.
No…not just a shield.
It was Artorias’ shield! The one he’d been given to defend against the most powerful of magical attacks. Recalling the knight had not had it with him in the coliseum, the Chosen Undead crept closer to investigate. It was chipped in numerous spots and heavily dented, and it bore several ugly black scars across its finely etched surface. The phantoms must have been attacking it for a great many hours for it to have amassed so much damage, but why?
The undead got her answer upon picking the shield up and seeing what was behind it.
A young wolf lay quivering inside the magical ring, with a smaller version of the blade used by Artorias laying across her front legs. Yes, it was definitely a female. The undead knew this because she knew exactly who this wolf was!
It was Sif, Artorias’ loyal battle wolf, and her own childhood friend!
The husk dropped to her knees as Sif turned to face her. The wolf’s body shivered terribly as she beheld one who could not possibly be kneeling before her. The Chosen Undead pulled off her helmet and held out her hand. A weak move that was, considering she currently looked like an unrecognizable strip of beef jerky…but maybe if she let Sif get a whiff of her scent…
The wolf cautiously inched her nose forward, her eyes staring at the rotten shell. It bore just a hint of one she recognized from years before, but still this could not be her…surely! The last she’d seen of her human friend was when she was in the grip of two armored guards being dragged out of their residence, while she was being restrained from rescuing her by Artorias. It was impossible for her to be here now!
Surely…
Sif sniffed the undead, and her eyes promptly widened. She rose to her feet, her shivers ceasing as she now saw the truth. It WAS her! Aurelia had come back to rescue her as she’d tried to do so in return! Fate had finally seen fit that they be together again, united to avenge the fall of their master and mentor!
Sif howled in blessed relief, the circle of magic around her blazed with sudden energy.
And then she was gone.
As quickly as the Chosen Undead had cause to rejoice, that cause was returned to sorrow. She grabbed for the spot where the wolf had been, only to find nothing but the endless void of the darkness. For a moment the female warrior feared she had just hallucinated the image of her friend, but then her hand brushed against Artorias’ shield and she knew it had been no hallucination. So where had Sif gone?
“Well done. Return to us soon!”
The undead whirled around, catching the glimpse of something vanishing just out of the corner of her eye. Alvina? Sif? Another phantom visitor?
The husk picked up her lantern and held it high. All that remained around her were the humanity sprites dropped by her attackers. Sighing in remorse, she began gathering them up, absorbing a few to give herself some needed strength. Once she returned to Lordran she could get more answers.
She just had to hope she could find her way out of the Abyss first.
***
“This course of action is a fool’s errand! The Lordvessel was intended for use by the Chosen Undead and no other!” Frampt complained. The serpent hung upside down over a dark subterranean altar. Beneath him Logan and Siegmeyer watched as their fellow undead scurried around the giant golden bowl perched perfectly atop said altar, its interior burning brightly with want for souls.
“Intended perhaps, but that does not necessarily mean it can’t be re-purposed.” Logan countered. “True it is a most unique and magnificent craftsmanship, but in terms of function it is no different than the other bonfires.”
Frampt growled and flexed his jaw in agony. He was already violating several rules by allowing these commoners into the Firelink Altar, and now he was paying the price for such from having to have carried them all down here in his mouth, one after the other. If there was any compensation for the above, at least most of them looked suitably ill from the ride.
“*Cough* He speaks the truth, noble Kingseeker. While pyromancers, as a rule, do not tamper with Lord Gwyn’s sacred flames we have understood how they function for many centuries. And though the Chosen Undead may have the most need out of all of us to be able to instantly traverse between bonfires there is nothing to indicate others cannot do so as well.” Laurentius replied as he ran his burning hands over the Lordvessel. Though nausea still gripped his stomach from how much the interior of Frampt’s mouth stank, the honor and the awe at being allowed to behold the holy artifact was helping to hold back the need to vomit. Never in a million years did the humble fire user think he’d ever be granted the right to even look at a creation of the gods, let alone use it. His previous urge to return to the swamp and find the one who had taught the Chosen Undead her new pyromancies was becoming even more of a priority, now that he’d be returning with the prestige of being the first to have shown his skill with one of Gwyn’s greatest treasures. Griggs likewise was lost in his study of the enchanted object, lamenting the fact he had none of the required Lord Souls to offer, if for no other reason than to record what happened when the vessel was sated.
“Bold is this ambition and honorable is thine cause, but I still fear thou is doomed to fail in the attempt.” Frampt replied. “The purpose of Gwynevere’s work is not so easily circumvented.”
Under the brim of his hat, Logan frowned.
“Tell me then, noble kingseeker, and all powerful primordial serpent, what exactly is it about the Chosen Undead that makes her so special?”
Frampt flicked aside one of his flaps of skin. “Beg thine pardon?”
“Just an idle thought that occurred to me during my research in Seath’s Archives. The Chosen Undead is as her title states no? A noble soul handpicked to succeed Lord Gwyn and sustain the Age of Fire right?”
Frampt swayed back and forth in a nodding motion.
“Well here’s what puzzles me: by her own account she was just another faceless nobody languishing in an asylum somewhere to the north, before being released along with all the other inmates. The first inkling she had about being anyone special is when you popped up in the shrine and told her, after she’d found and rung both Bells of Awakening.” Logan continued.
“Such is the test to confirm her status. Only she who had been chosen would have been able to find the sacred bells and summon me from my slumber.” Frampt replied.
“And there’s the thing: what would’ve happened if another had rung the bells and awakened you first? After all the Chosen Undead didn’t find them of her own accord, she was told about them by another warrior that was resting by the shrine.” Logan pressed.
Frampt slowly clicked his teeth together.
“I mean take Siegmeyer here. He’s managed to make it across Lordran just as fine in his search for adventure. If he’d rung the bells and awakened you, would that not make him just as worthy as the Chosen Undead?”
Underneath his onion shaped helmet Siegmeyer blushed.
“Big Hat, you do jest! I am a proud man of valor but I do not seek to be put upon a pedestal!” The knight bashfully replied. Frampt began grinding his teeth.
“What’s more, if you need this Chosen Undead to link the fire, why did you simply opt to return to slumber when she went missing? We all found that a very curious course of action.”
Frampt exhaled slowly. If nothing else it shut Logan up as he quickly covered his mouth and nose to guard it from the stench.
“As I stated, there is naught that could be done for her from here. Much of what has befallen us lately is unexpected, and troubling. I…I…” Frampt sighed. “I knew not of how to respond. None of this was foretold to me!” The serpent glowered.
Logan nodded.
“In which case there is all the more reason to try and adapt. One cannot hope to get far by letting themselves live and die by one plan. Just as the flow of time in Lordran is distorted and ever changing, so must we behave accordingly when things do not proceed as we expected.” The aging sorcerer replied as Laurentius stepped away from the vessel and clasped his hands together.
“I believe I may know of what to do. If there is indeed a bonfire in Oolacile, as I envisioned in the flames, I can direct the Lordvessel to send a few of us there. I insist that it be as few as possible as I have never attempted anything like this and have no idea what might happen. The Lordvessel may just as easily end up sending us to some other random location so I do hope everyone has a homeward bone on their person.” The pyromancer explained. Unsurprisingly, Siegmeyer immediately stepped forward brandishing his sword in one hand and one of the aforementioned enchanted bones in the other.
“Well if that’s all that’s needed then I happily volunteer! To do less would be a disgrace to the Knights of Catarina!” The knight proudly declared.
“And I shall follow. There may be something in Oolacile to lend further light to the strange sensations I experienced in the Crystal Cave.” Griggs seconded.
Taking position before the Lordvessel, Laurentius curled his fingers together as if praying. Given what he was about to try, on nothing more than guesswork and a few hours of study, he had understandable cause to.
“Okay, please stand close together and let me focus.” The hooded pyromancer said. His hands ignited again as he cast streams of fire into the blaze burning inside the vessel. It bloomed like a flower of darkest red and hottest amber, the flames reaching out to envelop the knight and sorcerer and whisk them away from the altar. Logan pulled his hat down to shield his eyes from the brightness as Laurentius leaned forward and fed the fire with more of his own power, causing it to shoot into the heavens above and hopefully send its two passengers to their intended destination.
“Okay…that’s done it…I hope.” The pyromancer weakly replied as he slumped onto the ground. “Now I must return to studying the flames and see if they show me where Siegmeyer and Griggs have turned up.”
He made himself comfortable before the vessel and stared intently into the inferno burning away within it. Behind him, Logan likewise sat down and retrieved the book he’d been reading.
“If not, then there may still be an alternative in Seath’s writings. One way or another we shall uncover the truth of what’s going on here.” He stated sagely.
“I shall do naught to stop thee in thine search, noble undead, but do not think ill of me when I tell thee that thou will not favor the answer when thou finds it.” Frampt intoned forebodingly.
Neither undead thought to question him further for the moment.