Chapter 58
While Celestia was never a fan of war, battles, or violence in general, her time as diarch of Equestria had seen her having to get embroiled in many conflicts, and do a fair bit of fighting to defend her kingdom. Like any great warrior, she emerged from her trials always the wiser, and willing to dispense some useful advice whenever applicable.
From her experiences, there was one particular quote the sun princess was rather fond of, and oft quoted to Twilight whenever the then unicorn had asked about her teacher’s approach to dealing with threats. And as Twilight watched her friends enter the grand reading room of Seath’s Archives, it was this quote that she clutched to her heart:
“No beast, however great or dangerous, can be a viable threat once its head has been cut off.”
Rarity, Fluttershy, Discord, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Spike all looked as battered and sore as Twilight felt, yet as she asked around, she found that apparently killing Logan had indeed ended the terror plaguing the archives (at least for the moment). If nothing else that lightened her worries ever so slightly.
“So the maneater clams just suddenly froze in place, then sluggishly began retreating from you?” Twilight asked Spike and Rarity.
“Indeed, and they couldn’t have been quick enough about it. Darling Spikey here was such a gentle drake, weathering their brutal attacks for quite some time while I scrambled to move my sewing machine and supplies to a safe location. I did plead with him to let me help, but he was most insistent that he had it under control.” The unicorn fawned as the heavily bandaged Spike dragged a giant heaving sack to the table.“I did have to administer some first aid for his boo-boos afterwards though.”
Spike painfully shrugged.
“It really wasn’t any big deal. Once I found out they were weak to fire, it was just a matter of pacing myself so I didn’t run out of breath, then keep cooking them till they keeled over and spilled a lot of… well, this stuff...”
Spike tipped the sack over, causing a small avalanche of brilliant twinkling titanite shards and ghastly skull embedded purging stones to spread across the floor.
“Not what I’d normally deem treasure, but I’m sure it has to be useful somehow.” The dragon said. Rarity shook her head and promptly scooped Spike up in her arms.
“It certainly does not compare to the treasure of simply knowing you still live, my wonderful, fearless protector!”
Spike tried to again argue it was no big deal, then he decided to save his breath and melt into the loving kisses Rarity plastered all over his face as she hugged him as tight as she could.
Twilight’s body felt lighter still as she looked at Applejack.
“And at the same time, the crystal golems just stopped and let Seath’s butterflies mow them down?”
“Yeah, darndest thing, though Ah sure ain’t complaining.” The farm mare cleared her throat. “Speaking o’ which Seath, there’s uh… someone out in the courtyard with Siegmeyer who’d like to speak to you. Seems she got captured by those same crystal golems o’ yours and spent quite an unpleasant while imprisoned in one of them. Priscilla’s currently trying to keep her calm.”
Seath grumbled in dismay.
“What about you, Rainbow Dash?” Twilight continued.
The blue pegasus ran a cleaning cloth along the blade of her rapier, studying its magnificent ebony surface for any smudges or imperfections.
“I took care of the crystallized hollows that were lurking around the exterior. Once they stopped trying to get in, I… erm… well, I got distracted by something waaay up above me.”
Rainbow gave Seath a weird look.
“Yeah uh, Seath, are you aware there’s a metal door just floating like a mile or so in the air above this place? Doesn’t seem like it goes anywhere. It’s just there, hanging about.”
Seath snorted dismissively.
“Time and fate doth twist these halls as they doth twist Lordran itself.” He grumbled.
Twilight rolled her eyes as she turned to her other friends.
”Discord, Fluttershy?”
The butterscotch pegasus meekly looked up at her patchwork friend, who in turn looked rather annoyed.
“Honestly? While I’m sure whatever that Logan character did to make all the various monsters around this place resume their normal carnage would probably be hazardous to everyone’s health, I was having the time of my life! It was downright depressing when they all stopped and ran from me, just as I was preparing a super special surprise!”
Discord looked to Seath.
“You really couldn’t have taken five minutes to ask him how he accomplished that before killing him?”
Seath raised a curious eyebrow as Fluttershy hung her head.
“We… lost quite a few more of the channelers as well. The ones who might still survive I helped to the East wing, along with Griggs, and made them as comfortable as possible. I just… I don’t know if they’ll be able to recover.” The pegasus sadly admitted.
Seath sighed and shrugged.
“The flames hath denied them rest before. If fate shalt now decree otherwise, it does so only to further mock our plight.” He morosely replied.
Twilight swallowed hesitantly.
“Then we face what may be the greatest challenge yet, and likely we have to do it with far fewer numbers.”
From the saddle bags she’d brought into the chamber, the alicorn levitated the Covenant of Artorias out and onto the table.
“This is the item Sif was trying to protect. According to Seath, it’s the only way we can hope to traverse the Abyss and find the other primordial serpent, Kaathe. The one that first approached him.”
The other five ponies, chaos being and two dragons all stared at the gleaming ring.
“So the problem here is there’s only one of it, and a lot of us. Meanin' one of us has to go brave this Abyss alone.” Applejack coughed uneasily. “Well it's not like it’d be the first time any of us have had to head into danger solo.”
Silence held as the farm mare tried to smile, only to sense there was an impending air of doom descending ever closer.
“If only t’were that simple.” Seath seethed. “The most likely source of the Abyss in this time layeth under the ruins of New Londo, a kingdom long since fallen to darkness, its cities sealed and flooded to contain the growing evil, and its subjects left to drown. To join their four kings and their corrupted knights in the wallowing void that doth follow undeath.”
Another pause as everyone looked suitably sickened by that.
“Okay, well still… we can swim? I’m sure Pinkie can rustle up some scuba gear… once she gets back here, I mean.” Rainbow intoned.
Seath growled and covered his eyes.
“T’is not thine lungs’ need for air thou must heed, but the status that hath become of New Londo’s residents. Their lives were ended once more when their city flooded, but the Abyss did thus make use of what was left. So close art they to the heart of darkness they are ghosts, ghastly visages immune to any and all a warrior of any discipline may face them with.” The dragon growled.
“He’s right. I tried venturing into New Londo shortly after I first arrived in Lordran. I barely made it past the entrance bridge before those same ghosts slaughtered me… over and over again.”
All eyes turned to see the Chosen Undead, looking resigned to the worst like she always did, yet lacking the same heavy, wearisome stride to her step as she walked into the library. The answer for the change in her mood revealed itself when Sif scampered in behind her, looking a million times better and more energetic.
“Everything I did, all of my equipment, nothing stopped them.” The Chosen Undead intoned darkly.
Seath gave an affirming nod.
“Only those who hath been cursed as they can hope to vanquish the restless spirits and reach the darkness where their kings, and likely Kaathe, doth lie.” The white dragon intoned, narrowing his eyes at the looks of disbelief.
“Cursed… you mean like what you just did to Logan?” Twilight said with healthy cynicism. “Because that looked pretty final, considering he hasn’t been resurrected yet… not that I’m terribly eager to see him again.”
Seath scoffed.
“Unto that mindless wretch I did vent the full force of mine power. Indeed, none could or SHOULD ever survive that.”
His scornful gaze turned to the Chosen Undead. Sif growled menacingly at the dragon in retaliation, but the warrior pleadingly gestured for her lupine friend to please not spark another fight.
“There exist other ways that an undead may be burdened by curse and yet live. There’s an… interesting character I ran into who told me of three possible means of facing off against cursed enemies. The first is to strike them down with a weapon with a similar cursed status. Sadly, I don’t have any.”
The undead female hunted in her pack, and brought out a disembodied ashen hand that turned many a stomach among the ponies.
“The second is to smear yourself with the ash from a severed limb of a cursed entity. It will temporarily transfer the curse to you… though it’s only for a very short time.”
Twilight cleared her throat and choked back nausea.
“And the third?”
The Chosen Undead awkwardly placed the hand on the table and bowed her head.
“In the sewers of the Undead Burgh, as well as among the arch trees, lives a creature known as a basilisk. Their main attack is their breath, which can instill a permanent curse on a being, and turn them undead if they aren’t already. It does reduce you to only being half as strong, half as fast, and you can no longer keep yourself rejuvenated with humanity, meaning you’re likely to go hollow a lot faster.”
The female warrior quickly pointed to the purging stones as everyone stared at her in disgust.
“With all of those though it’d still only be a temporary measure! The whole point of purging stones is to act as a surrogate and take the burdens that our souls simply can’t bear.” She replied while giving Seath an accusing glare. The dragon stared back at her with equal scorn.
“Witless still art thee, if thou believes thine burden exceeds that of thine peers.” He swore under his breath. Twilight closed her eyes and told herself not to retort.
“Okay, well that’s still something at least. Hmmm...” Twilight rapped her hooves on the table in deep thought. “These basilisks… how suicidal would it be to capture one and bring it back here?”
The alicorn let a moment hang for everyone to redirect their shock, their worry, and their disdain on her before she proceeded with her next point.
“Thanks to Spike, we have multiple means of at least being able to study this ‘curse’, provided it’s in a controlled environment. I can’t say I approve of what I saw down in Seath’s dungeon area, but at least the cages there permit us a means to corral a live specimen… and given the number of times I’ve died thanks to Logan, I’m no longer afraid of anything that may threaten my existence… what little of it remains.”
The alicorn looked down over her gaunt, shrivelled body. Silently she made a note to take inventory of how many humanity sprites she had left, and see if she could excuse using one more at this point.
“I just don’t want us to lose any more of our numbers or make any more sacrifices if we don’t have to. This archive has everything we need for scientific research. Maybe with a live basilisk, some experiments, and a lot of quick, hard thinking, I can work up an amulet, or a bracelet or something that’ll let us face whatever lies on the route to Kaathe without getting anyone else killed.”
Another silence fell as everyone pondered this. Several of the ponies still looked concerned and unconvinced that this was an avenue that’d bear much fruit, yet they had to acknowledge that the alternative still sounded far worse. Seath, by contrast, seemed momentarily surprised, and again a little impressed that his student could look past her less than pleasant exposure to the horrors that lay within the archives and see it for what little merit it still held as a place of knowledge and learning.
“That is indeed completely insane… but, it’s not impossible. Basilisks are incredibly dangerous, but at heart they are little more than wild animals. I suppose if one went in with enough counters to their cursed breath they’d be able to capture it.” The Chosen Undead intoned, much to Applejack’s intrigue.
“You got any countermeasures?” She asked. The Chosen Undead nodded and drew from her pack the cursebite ring, Artorias’ withered greatshield, Paladin Leeroy’s Sanctus shield, and a shield decorated in what looked disturbingly like red blood.
“Using any of these, plus some humanity will give you at least a moderate amount of resistance.” She replied, much to Applejack’s satisfaction.
“Then it’ll be like roundin’ up cows in the pasture and leadin’ them to the barn fer milkin. Ah could do that.” She said while swallowing. “No offense, Seath, but Ah think Ah need some time away from these archives o’ yers. Jest for a little bit.”
Seath’s elation immediately died like it always did. He deliberately folded his arms and resumed staring out the window, not even glancing in Applejack’s direction.
“There is one other alternative.” The Chosen Undead sighed as she turned to ruffle Sif’s fur. “With all that I’ve witnessed in the last few days, between the abomination that devoured Gwyndolin, the sages that you said Logan summoned from another time, Gravelord Nito somehow being brought back from his own demise.... you are correct that we need every advantage possible. There are still a few souls here who may be able to help with that.”
The warrior held up her hand as it ignited with fire.
“The Great Swamp still harbors both the pyromancer who taught me my advanced abilities, and a covenant leader who can further help us understand the growing chaos that’s consuming Lordran.”
Discord raised an intrigued eyebrow as the Chosen Undead extinguished her flames and looked up at Seath again.
“If we’re going to go after a basilisk anyway, there’s something else that calls their realm of the Ash Lake home. Something that’s helped me a great deal and I’m still very curious to hear the explanation as to why it’s around at all.”
She drew out the orb signifying her membership of the Path of the Dragon covenant and placed it on the table. Seath turned to look at it for a second, and scoffed in disgust.
“It lives because I had need of it....and because it did understand that which its brethren never could.” He said, before adding in a slightly more curious tone. “That it hath still not revealed all to thee, e’en as thou serves it as apostle, and hypocrite, doth bear further study.”
The Chosen Undead shook her head as she idly turned the eye like orb around in her hands.
“I have my theories as to why...which is where the catch in my proposal comes in.”
She looked at the ponies.
“As you’ve no doubt gathered by now, everything comes at a price here. More so as things get more desperate. The only way we’re going to get any help from those I’ve mentioned is if we agree to give something to them in turn.”
The Chosen Undead pointed to Discord.
“You say you embody chaos. That covenant leader is of a similar creed and will probably be far more receptive to you than anyone else… IF you’re willing to help her. She hasn’t… taken as well to her new status as you have. The common ground between you two may help to establish trust.”
Discord looked to Fluttershy beside him. Idly he toyed with his beard as he thought the idea over.
“Well hold on there. First off, I’m certainly not in the market for a marefriend right now. Second, even if it happened over a year ago, I’m still painfully aware of how cutting deals with those of a less than stable mindset can screw over even one as fine and tactful as myself. Let’s settle for me meeting whoever this being is, and seeing how it goes from there. No promises.” He said.
The Chosen Undead nodded as she turned to Spike.
“This is admittedly an even greater gamble, but the entity I serve may likewise be more willing to open up to you, given you’re the same species… and are possibly the only dragon currently in Lordran not to be tainted by Seath’s touch.”
Spike looked very confused. Seath lifted his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Uh… well, okay. Not sure what you mean by that, but as always, however I can help, I will!” The little dragon said, pounding his chest in affirmation.
Seath leaned down to promptly crush Spike’s resolve with a withering stare..
“Strong is thine spirit, yet without assistance, thine aid will be as minimal as thine size.” He said.
Spike gaped, but by then the white dragon had turned to Rarity.
“The pyromancer this undead speaketh of…,only those of the strongest and greatest hearts, incorruptible by any means, would she agree to teach. Little can there be of her knowledge that hath not been bestowed upon this current student of hers. Thus another student she will no doubt demand in her stead.” Seath stated, confidently, and with just a bit of smugness as the Chosen Undead bowed her head.
“Yes, that is probably true.” The warrior bleated.
Rarity furrowed her brow in uncertainty, her ears folded back as she looked at her hooves for a moment.
“Well, as honored as I am that you deem me of such value...I can’t help but detect there’s going to be another catch to this proposal. Quite an unpleasant one I believe.”
The Chosen Undead nodded slowly.
“The Great Swamp, as like so many places of this realm, is not the most hospitable to foreign folk. Its waters are as volatile and poisonous as the creatures that live in them. To an undead, it’s perilous. To a living being, it’s...well...”
The warrior turned her attention to the table as she tried to think of the most polite way to finish her thought. Rarity decided not to give her the chance.
“Aurelia, darling, while I may present myself as a lady of high standards and taste, as I’ve already proven multiple times while here, I’m not above getting my hooves dirty if needs be.” The unicorn said in a carefully measured tone, making sure she didn’t sound too arrogant or too scornful. “I made it through Sen’s Fortress and that dreadful Painted World intact. You’re saying if I’m willing to wade through some less than pleasant mire, there’s someone that can show me how to cast fire, summon lava spouts, and do all those other tricks you’ve used to regularly exhibit your discontent with everyone?”
Another silence held, formed both by the awe of Rarity’s poetic response and also the incredulity that she was actually on board with heading to what sounded like certain doom.
“Ideally, yes. Quelana said she only reveals herself and her teachings to those she senses as having a gift. If she reveals herself to you that would pretty much confirm she’s willing to teach you.” The Chosen Undead confirmed.
Rarity looked to Spike, and promptly straightened up her pose.
“Well, I must be able to do what I can to keep my friends… and my sweet Spikey-Wikey safe! Very well, show me to this pyromancer, and let me convince her of my worth!” She declared, drawing strength from Spike’s reaction of utter, heart filled, adoration.
The Chosen Undead politely held her tongue on repeating what the unicorn was letting herself in for.
“Laurentius will probably want to accompany you. He’s been wanting to meet Quelana too, and he no doubt will know the Great Swamp better than even I.” She replied instead. “I can drop you off with your patchwork friend where the swamp leads into Quelaag's domain. From there, however, you’ll have to go on without me, as I’ll also need to show your dragon to my covenant leader...”
The warrior paused as she looked at Applejack.
“And if you’re that determined to catch a live basilisk you’re probably going to need some help.”
Applejack snorted in dismissal, even as her flank twitched with that maddening phantom burning sensation from the Darksign, reminding her that the cost for every foolish risk she took would keep growing ever higher.
“Well again, least Ah’ll be making myself useful. Jest point me wherever Ah’m likely to find one, and Ah’ll worry about the rest.” She said, stomping her hooves on the ground to try and cover the betraying tremble in her legs.
“How about I worry with you then?” Rainbow queried as she alighted on the floor. “I mean, not that Rainbow Dash is one to worry… but at the same time, if I’m not needed here, I’d like to stretch my wings a bit.”
Rainbow smiled confidently, even as she was assaulted by numerous expressions from her friends that confirmed she was lying through her teeth, and everyone knew it.
“Also, it’d be nice to have something to distract me from going crazy over whatever the heck this other covenant I got roped into is expecting me to do.”
The pegasus looked to her flank where the Book of the Guilty sat neatly tucked into the folds of her clothing. Ever since her arrival at the Archives, where she’d found a short but foreboding message had suddenly appeared on the book’s pages, it had remained annoyingly still and silent, offering no further insight as to just what Rainbow’s prophesied new role would entail.
“Still twisting my mane over that nonsense about ‘Lords of Cinder’ and how I’m apparently going to have to hunt down the guilty.” Rainbow admitted.
“Well then, let’s hope that our final lead can provide some answers.” Twilight spoke up. “Logan stated he found something in the books here. That there’s texts which told him about the future, I guess. He mentioned spiders… and a king that went mad reading the books here… and who I really am...”
Twilight trailed off as she realised everyone was giving her some very weirded out looks.
“I don’t know what he meant either, but I intend to find out.”
She turned to Seath.
“Do you have any idea which of the books here he might have been referring to? Is there any section that focuses on things like precognition? Time magic? Being able to see into the future?”
The white dragon rubbed his chin in thought.
“Many sections do feature such subjects, but from Logan’s wording… that he did explicitly use such terms as ‘tomes that tell of other worlds, other times, and how the flames doth link them all together’ I begin to suspect which works he meant.”
Seath gestured to the door.
“In the absence of mine channelers, I do possess another means with which thou may locate certain texts with all speed.”
Twilight nodded.
“Then it sounds like I’ve got reading to do, and quickly.”
The alicorn turned to her friends.
“So we’re all agreed on what to do. I’ll try and learn as much as I can while everyone gets everything in place. Once that’s done, I’ll find us a means to get through New Londo, we find Kaathe, see what he knows, and then… well...”
Twilight trailed off again, though this time she seemed more upset with herself than the reaction of those around her. With a pained cringe, the alicorn sat down on the floor and bowed her head.
“Honestly, I need to ask a serious question: does anyone want to go home after that? To head back to Equestria?”
She looked to her friends, her eyes burned with the demand for tears, yet due to her hollowed state, she had none to shed.
“I know we went into this expecting trouble… but as much as we’ve accomplished here, I feel like the cost is getting too high. Seath and I may have to stay and see this through to the end… whatever that may entail. But for the rest of you… with who’s waiting for you back in Equestria...”
The alicorn looked to Applejack, then to Fluttershy, then to Rarity, then to Rainbow.
“I mean… I still appreciate that you all want to help me… just… if all that waits for us here is more ways to suffer and die, then...”
Twilight’s head dipped lower as her inability to coherently phrase her thoughts just added to the weight of her guilt.
“Twilight, dear, while I understand what you’re saying, I don’t think that’s a very practical course of action right now.” Rarity intoned softly while walking around the table to stand by her friends. “We can’t just run and hide from problems of this magnitude.”
“Dang straight! The Element of Loyalty does not turn and go home just cause the skies are looking rough.” Rainbow declared while dramatically sheathing her rapier.”Back in the Painted World I said it didn’t matter if this place kills me, I’m sticking it out! That hasn’t changed.”
Twilight looked at the blue pegasus in horror, causing Rainbow to add in a far less confident tone. “Please Faust, may this place not actually kill me.”
“Really Twilight, whatever makes you think I would want to leave? Between being able to massacre indiscriminately, play havoc with the flow of time and the lay of the land, and the refreshing attitude everyone has of rewarding me for making their lives even more chaotic, I’ve never felt more appreciated or respected!”
Discord swooned in glee, collapsing into Fluttershy’s arms with an expression of pure bliss on his mismatched features.
“Oh Flutters, don’t you think we should go scouting for a place to build a vacation retreat here? The real estate has to be far cheaper than what you’re paying for your cottage, and the disruptive neighbours would provide us with endless nights of free entertainment!”
He gazed into the eyes of his beloved butterscotch beauty, only to be met with the razor sharp glint of scorn, born from one who had actually been paying attention to the reality of their situation.
“And what about all the animals I’m caring for? What about Scootaloo? What about Queen?” Fluttershy replied flatly, pressing a hoof to her face as Discord got up out of her arms and grumbled at her intent to kill the mood.
“Yes well, we do need to make sure there’ll be room for them...and just them.” He said with a subtle scowl. “But that’s a matter to discuss once we’ve finished what we started here.”
With a tired sigh, Fluttershy nodded her agreement.
“Let’s at least ensure we’re as ready as can be for anything. On that actually...” Fluttershy paused as she lifted one of her legs, studying the cat covenant ring on it. "I should go ask Alvina if she can offer any further help. At least make the effort to patch things up after what we did to her hunters..."
Applejack raised her hoof.
“And if Ah may bring up Rainbow’s point, there’s still some of us out there, getting wrapped up in who knows what. If nothing else we gotta regroup with Pinkie and Trixie before we depart.” The farm mare cringed. “Ah don’t even want to think of what madness they’re getting caught up in.”
***
“So you indeed found this fair lady of the cloth down in the Tomb of the Giants, just as the Gravelord foretold?” Laurentius queried, turning from Trixie to Reah. The three stood in the chamber of Kingseeker Frampt, catching up on the turmoil they’d just been through while the serpent behind them caught up on his nap time.
“By and by, you ponies continue to astound.” The pyromancer concluded, holding his breath as Frampt snored loudly behind him.
Trixie smiled and dismissively waved her hoof.
“The Great and Powerful Trixie can accomplish anything she sets her mind to, and as she just proved, she can do so without too much wanton bloodshed.” The unicorn snorted as Patches stepped into the chamber.
“She proved she is greater than me, as it seems many I have turned aside are.” Reah sighed as she picked at the fabric of her talisman. “As pleased as I am to meet another friendly soul, I fear you have misjudged me to a degree, good Laurentius. With what happened down in the tombs, I question my being fair or worthy of the cloth.”
Patches snorted in what sounded like restrained laughter. Quickly, he covered his mouth as Laurentius turned to him.
“And you are?” He asked.
“Oh… no one special. Just another wanderer who’s been given quite the incentive to take up his former role as a humble merchant.” Patches cleared his throat as Trixie glared at him in disdain. “Don’t suppose you know of a quiet spot where I could set up shop, do you?”
Laurentius delicately turned to Frampt’s slumbering form, politely coughing into his glove as the serpent’s snoring filled the chamber with another waft of his foul breath.
“If there is any, I doubt it’ll be here. The other ponies, and souls whom the Chosen Undead rescued, all asked for me to speed them on their way to Seath’s archives. That they haven’t returned ideally means they’ve succeeded in securing it as a new safe haven. I only remained here for when Miss Trixie and...”
Laurentius broke off as he took note of something amiss with the other beings in the chamber.
“Actually, wait, where is the pink equine that followed Gravelord Nito down into his domain with you?” He asked with added concern.
Trixie looked around, and rolled her eyes.
“She’ll show up when needed. She always does, somehow.” The unicorn sighed. “Regardless, if Twilight and the others have made themselves useful in finding somewhere less exposed and more luxurious, then the Great and Powerful Trixie would very much appreciate joining them.”
“Indeed. If you’ll please forgive this momentary act of unjust violence.” Laurentius apologised, before turning and delivering a brutal kick to the side of Frampt’s head.
“...Hm? No, no, I'm fine, I'm fine. Well and wide awake!” The serpent declared, shaking off the sudden pain in his skull as he reared up and let out a stench filled yawn. “As I continue to plead: do not treat me like an old withering snake!”
He clicked his jaw multiple times, checking Laurentius hadn’t damaged it, and then stared morosely at the figures before him.
“So once again, I am met not by she who is charged to decide the fate of Lordran, but by others of a lesser stature. Tragic this would be, were it not for a most interesting change on the winds.”
Trixie’s glare grew sharper as Frampt lifted his head to the sky, twisting it left and right as if trying to listen for something.
“Pinkie, if you’re close by, I might have need of that mouthwash.” The unicorn seethed as Frampt snorted in tired mirth.
“Indeed, the Great Lord Gwyn’s last child dwells in Anor Londo no more. Spirited is he off to the domain that shall be both his paradise and his nightmare. Once again, Lordran’s sorry saga is beset by a twist not even I could foresee.”
The serpent exhaled, making everyone cringe from the smell as he turned to regard them again.
“Truly, Gwyndolin deserved far better, but with his sacrifice he may yet earn redemption for his sins against his father… and me.” Frampt smiled. “Time grows short for all. I assume you have urgent need of my services?”
Laurentius cautiously nodded.
“Yes, I must escort these last few survivors to the Duke’s Archives. May we request access to the Lordvessel again?”
Frampt clicked his teeth in greater humor.
“How ironic it is that a mere pyromancer has seen more value in the sacred receptacle of souls that even the one it was entrusted to. If by your words I am to assume that wicked dragon Seath still draws breath, then I can only imagine things shall get more refreshingly dire. Perhaps enough for me to at last fulfill my role as Kingseeker.”
Frampt ceased his infernal clicking, and leaned down towards Laurentius.
“Very well. If you are ready, then I shall do my part to speed you on your way. Stay still for a moment.”
Trixie swallowed heavily as the serpents great jaws were open. Then as they closed around Laurentius to pick him up and carry him to the realm below Firelink Shrine, she had to turn away and gag.
“Those archives better have a place where Trixie can grab a shower.” The unicorn grumbled as Frampt disappeared into the hole in the floor he’d emerged from. “Reah, Patches, will you accompany Trixie, or stay here?”
Patches looked to the largely abandoned Shrine and shook his head.
“Well, given there’s no one else here for me to make friends with, I doubt I’m going to get much business. Probably those who hang in Seath’s abode have better tastes, too.”
The bald headed thief leaned over to look beyond the doorway to Frampt’s chambers.
“Seriously, no one else made it here alive? I was hoping to have a good natter with a few other fine folk.” He said in dismay, only to then look up and stare with new interest as a figure emerged from behind a wall.
“One did… though dare I imagine I’m not the only one?” Petrus asked as he approached Frampt’s chamber. “I heard a voice… can it be...”
Reah turned, and gasped as she beheld the sandy haired warrior.
“Petrus!”
The aforementioned promptly gasped too and dropped to one knee.
“M’lady! By the gods, you’re safe!” He replied, bowing his head. “When we were separated in the Catacombs, I feared the worst!”
Reah likewise lowered herself onto her knees, taking her friend’s hand with her own.
“Yes, when that horrid Pinwheel attacked, Vince and Nico urged me to follow them to higher ground. They said it’d be harder for that creature to pursue us...only then...we...we...”
The cleric paused as she looked up to Patches, as if asking him how she should finish her thought. Trixie followed her gaze, narrowing her eyes as Patches studied the back of Petrus’ body, clearly contemplating something before he simply shrugged in a manner that said Reah was free to be as honest as she wished.
“We slipped off the coffins of the giants and fell into a hole. This gracious equine here managed to find us and lead us to safety, but not before...before Vince and Nico...”
Reah trailed off again the weight of those had perished while she lived descended upon her. Patches let an expression of bemused curiosity cross his face at her choice to lie about his involvement in her peril, while Petrus looked at Trixie in amazement.
“You...the one I trained in our way of miracles and divine power. My actions to atone for my shortcomings allowed you to rescue our fair lady...” He said, even as his expression seem to convey more shock than elation.
Trixie nevertheless smiled proudly as she placed a hoof to her chest.
“A most wonderful turnout isn’t it? The Great and Powerful Trixie thanks you for giving her the means to prove both her kindness...and her ability to forgive.”
Trixie shot Patches a suspicious glance as she finished her statement. The thief smiled as he raised his hand in a gesture of gratitude, as well as reconfirming his vow that he indeed would respect her decision to not obliterate him in revenge for what he’d done.
In the same breath, Patches then subtly nodded to Petrus, causing Trixie to turn and notice that the warrior still seemed somewhat reserved about her daring rescue.
“Indeed. Well, I shall have to make sure our fair lady is in no further danger.” He said while Frampt emerged from the hole in the floor again. “Come, let us retire to the Duke’s Archives, and hope they are indeed safer than here.”
Petrus stood and helped Reah to her feet.
“Kingseeker, will you do the honor of escorting the Lady Reah first?”
Frampt clicked his teeth in mirth.
“A tragedy it shall be to see all life depart from this shrine, but ho, I sense I shall not be alone for long.”
The serpent raised his head to the sky and snorted in regretful acceptance.
“Even now my brethren stir as souls make ready to raise them from slumber. Very well, stand still, my lady. Our time grows short.”
Frampt opened his mouth and swallowed Reah, carrying her down to the altar. Presently he emerged again and took Petrus next.
“Right, now Trixie just has to endure this last bit of unpleasantness and then...well if nothing else she can hold her head high telling Twilight of what she’s accomplished.” The unicorn muttered, bracing herself for what was going to be a short but likely quite unsanitary journey.
“Indeed. Mmm, tell me equine, seeing as I did right by you to make up for our previous...disagreement. Might I offer one bit of advice? Just in case we part ways after this?”
Trixie turned to Patches, arching a puzzled eyebrow as he approached her, still smiling that strange, incomprehensible smile of his.
“Do try to keep your eye on that Reah girl. For me, please.”
Trixie looked even more confused, while Patches looked even more smug as Frampt rose to transport them to the altar.
“Be terrible to think something might happen to her after all you did to save her once from certain death.”
***
Slowly, Celestia’s eyes opened, though her finally surfacing from the darkness of unconsciousness was met with a disappointing revelation, as all she saw upon regaining her mental faculties was more darkness.
Blinking several times, Celestia made to get up. Immediately she thought better of doing so as a wrenching agony ripped across her body, from her flank to her neck, and back again. Tenderly, the sun princess set herself down on what she now recognised as some manner of rocky, natural flooring. She waited till the pain ceased to circulate through her beaten form, then carefully lit her horn.
Glittering piles of gold coins twinkled into existence, stacked handsomely around Celestia like a proverbial highlight to the royal who now lay in their midst.
Narrowing her eyes, Celestia slowly turned her head, sweeping the light of her horn across the murky dark walls of what was clearly a natural cave of some manner. Hesitantly, she looked overhead and found… nothing. Even as she concentrated on brightening her light, the black void that seemed to consume all but the area around her refused to retreat.
Gritting her teeth, Celestia planted her hooves on the ground and gingerly forced herself to stand up. Pain wrenched and tore at her, focusing its intensity on two very distinct areas of her barrel and neck. Turning her light on the first of the aforementioned revealed an ugly puncture wound, made by something that had apparently been sharp enough to pierce clear through her armor, and judging by how deep the pain was entrenching itself, Celestia had to guess it had gored her almost clear through to her stomach.
Said stomach promptly tried to flip itself over at the thought, but Celestia consoled herself as she looked closer and noticed, to her relief, it wasn’t bleeding. To be sure, her coat was heavy and crusted with the evidence that, indeed, she had spilled quite a bit of her vital claret, but it seemed now the wound was already in the process of healing.
At least, she hoped it was healing. The only alternative was...
The pain was instantly joined by a deep seated chill that shook Celestia to her core. Quickly, she levitated her armor off her flank...
...and gasped in quiet relief as she saw her cutie mark. The sun blazed bright as ever, and the hair around it was as white and pure as could be. There was no trace of the dreaded Darksign, meaning that she still was among the living for the moment.
With that one bit of good news, Celestia turned her attention back to her surroundings. Her horn light seemed only able to illuminate about 12 feet around her. Beyond that, the darkness was just too strong.
Snorting and bracing herself, Celestia took a few steps forward. The clops of her hooves against the rock echoed like the pleas of a lost soul begging to be found, and to her worry, the darkness seemed to actually close angrily in around her, as if demanding she be silent.
Trying to push the negativity down with the pain, Celestia ventured a little further, finding the piles of gold seemed to stretch on like a twinkling treasure road into the void. With curiosity now gnawing at her, Celestia levitated a single coin off the piles, and brought it over to her face. The face of an old and noble human male stared back at her, with a white halo around his head.
Celestia furrowed her brow as she noticed writing around the edge of the coin.
“In Allfather Lloyd we place our faith.” She read, blinking again in confusion. “Do I dare ponder what that means?”
“You may, likely at great length. It’s meaning varies as much as its value.”
Celestia whipped around, biting down on the fresh stabs of pain in her neck as she focused her light on the voice. Her breath then rushed from her lungs as she beheld another human male, dressed in the distinct set of chainmail and plate mail armor, with the even more distinct cylindrical plumed helmet covering his features, and the outright unmistakable white tabard with the blazing sun etched upon the chest.
“To some, a gold coin is a reminder of their end goal: to survive the chaos that envelops this land and return to the outside world. To others, it represents their reason to keep going no matter how perilous their journey. To many, it symbolizes what they have sacrificed in coming to Lordran, and what they seek to claim, or rise above.”
The armored warrior uneasily rose from where he’d been reclining against the wall, walking over to lay a heavy hand on one of the piles.
“To the one who has imprisoned us here, I fear this wealth serves a far darker purpose. As much for him as for us.”
The warrior reached up and removed his helmet, revealing a head adorned with a brilliant mane of golden hair, and a face whose handsomeness was marred as much by exhaustion as it was by sheer, crushing defeat. The chiseled masculine features struggled to orient themselves in a smile, the pale skin cracked around the mouth as the warrior still forced himself to give his guest the best possible welcome he could muster.
“While I regret we must be met under such dire circumstances, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you, noble Princess Celestia, Equestria’s shining sun. I do hope I am not being presumptuous in believing I need no introduction?”
He offered a hand, to which Celestia looked at in quiet silence. There passed an awkward moment before the warrior seemed to realise his folly and retracted his hand.
Celestia kindly paid him the service of a forgiving smile.
“You’re him, aren’t you? The one that lore states to have been summoned by Starswirl the Bearded, and who left with him the Annals of History.”
The warrior let out a tired chuckle as he slid his helmet back on.
“That was indeed quite a strange game changing move on my part, wasn’t it? Yes, my fair Lady of the Sun, I am Solaire of Astora… an adherent to the Lord of Sunlight… whose search for his own sun has sadly lead both him… and it seems many others down a very dark path.”
Noting the wobble of Celestia’s legs as she kept trying to fight through the pain of her injuries, Solaire drew a white silk talisman from his belt.
“I only pray that your presence here means my actions have at least allowed you to prepare as much as could be for the calamity that is now consuming both our worlds. I’d hoped to prevent it, to redeem myself for what I did in times long past, and thus find my sun. Sadly, it seems I am not yet worthy of becoming so grossly incandescent.”
Celestia furrowed her brow again as the knight bade her to sit.
“Please, you still have injuries that need mending. It took a great amount of effort for my miracles to purge the poison from your body and stop your bleeding. I was grabbing a moment’s rest when you regained consciousness.”
With her barrel and neck still screaming in agony, Celestia acknowledged this was a fair argument, and duly set herself down on the floor again.
“How… how did I get here? For that matter, where IS ‘here’?” She asked as Solaire knelt and his talisman lit up with a soothing golden aura.
“A place most foreboding in its nature, yet so promising in what it reveals. This is the Edge of the Abyss, the point where Manus deemed his work complete, and laid himself to what was to be an eternal rest. Sadly, some presence of Lordran persuaded the residents of Oolacile to disturb their common ancestor, and thus from here the darkness of humanity now spreads.”
Celestia let out a breath that was equal parts relief and dismay.
“So I’m still in Oolacile. Kalameet literally did the same thing Chrysalis did to get both Cadence and Twilight out of the way during her and Shining Armor’s wedding.” She said with a weary laugh. “If nothing else, I can probably take advantage of that.”
“Indeed, we both can.” Solaire replied as he guided the power of his miracle to heal the gaping hole in Celestia’s barrel. “It would seem once more I have misjudged the black dragon. He is more than just another ancient enemy, more than just a mindless beast. Indeed, it seems he seeks to prove even the most darkest of beings can still value and seek the glory of the sun.”
Celestia winced at the intense burn of her muscles and skin weaving themselves together again, feeling returning to her nerves as the last of her barrel injury was burned away.
“Is that why he and Manus are trying to invade Equestria? Why they’ve been sending so many of the most powerful entities from here to there?” She asked.
Solaire gave a dry chuckle.
“While Manus may appear to share Kalameet’s goal, I fear his intentions may be very different. It would not surprise me at all if the reason Kalameet has kept me, and now you, here as his prisoners is because he suspects the Father of the Abyss plans to eventually betray him, and desires that we comprehend what he cannot. Ho, what a glorious irony that would be! To think, in this time even our enemies would wish to engage in jolly co-operation!”
Celestia arched an eyebrow as the knight moved to her neck. Realising his jovialness may have been misapplied, Solaire awkwardly cleared his throat.
“Yes, well, to finish answering your question: Kalameet’s interest in your world stems from a desire that is older than even the Everlasting Dragons and the Age of Ancients, yet still motivates many a soul in the here and now. To him, Equestria is as the Lord Souls were to the gods: an opportunity simply too good to pass up. So that he may, finally, realise that desire.”
Rather than diminish Celestia’s confusion, this explanation only increased it.
“So then, what DOES he desire? Power? A kingdom? Forbidden knowledge? The chance to just live somewhere other than the nightmare that is this realm?” The sun princess queried.
“Any and all of the above.” Solaire replied before bowing his head. “Forgive me. The time I have spent letting Kalameet try to once more win me over to his side has made me forget that others are not on the same page as I. Heh, perhaps I truly still am a blind fool without reason. Could that be what endears me so to that black beast?”
He dabbed the knife wounds on Celestia’s neck with his talisman, gently healing them up.
“To summarize, your kingdom, Celestia, offers all of the advantages of Lordran, with few to none of the risks. Your realm is full of life, magic, raw materials with which one can build the most magnificent and powerful of kingdoms, and unlike here, you lack anything that could one day topple it. There are no humans, no darkness, no Abyss, and no undead curse. In such a suitable realm, Kalameet believes he can at last fulfill his purpose, or at least, what he claims is his purpose.”
The knight stood up, allowing Celestia to flex her neck and let out a happy sigh as she no longer felt the wrenching painful tear. She still felt exhausted, not to mention clammy and in dire need of a bath, but the sheer relief of being able to move without suffering made even the darkness around her seem a little more welcoming.
“And what is that purpose?” She asked while getting to her hooves.
“Why, to create paradise, your grace. To unite all in reverence of his benevolent power, and rule over a domain of peace and understanding for the rest of eternity. It seems this was the reason he was originally created long ago, again, so he claims.”
Solaire paused, then chuckled at Celestia’s dubious expression.
“He’s not the only one who believes so, is he?” The knight queried.
“Not by a long shot. The list of others who’ve sewn chaos in Equestria for the exact same cause is longer than my mane.”
Celestia flicked her voluminous mass of technicolored hair, smiling as it billowed out to one side, assuming a bit of its natural constant state of flow.
“However, that does give me pause for how to approach stopping him. Many names on that list have since come over to our side, albeit after either being humiliated, defeated, or subject to some intense psychological profiling.”
Celestia turned to the long trail of gold coin piles.
“Do you think Kalameet and Manus might be persuaded to call off their invasion of Equestria if I tried to reason with them? To show I understand what they want and that there are non-violent means of achieving it?”
Solaire sighed and shook his head.
“If only it were just their invasion of Equestria you need to worry about.” He said, prompting Celestia to warily turn her attention back to him. “Your presence here, do I dread to assume that is a result of Manus’ uninvited visit to your world?”
The alicorn blinked, then sadly nodded her head.
“Tell me, did he perhaps leave a reminder of his presence behind? Has the Darksign found itself a new home amid your people?”
Celestia’s gaze narrowed as she grit her teeth. Again she nodded.
“He killed… a pony that is very dear to me. I thought that was bad enough, but then Seath confirmed my greatest fears that she had joined the ranks of the undead.”
Solaire looked up, then let out a very impolite laugh.
“Seath… so that’s what he meant! Oh ho, I am both absolved of my sins against our magnificent father, yet proven guilty of allowing the wheel of misfortune to turn anew.”
Celestia now glared at the knight, who held up his hands in submission.
“Forgive me again. You have my utmost condolences, but while this confirms my fears, it also upholds my suspicions. Manus did not condemn this pony of yours to the curse out of sheer malice. He has sown the seeds to bring his own plans to fruition, while also seeing that Kalameet’s paradise shall once more be tainted by poison.”
A sudden, ghastly cry, and an explosion of light far off in the distance of the Abyss stole the attention of both alicorn and knight. Staring at the fading spark as it vanished back into blackness, Solaire let out another dry chuckle.
“That is of course, assuming Kalameet has not already provided the poison with his own agent, he that has been preparing your world for this most terrible of moments.”
Celestia turned back to her companion in dismay.
“What do you mean?”
Solaire held out his closed fist.
“There is much I have learned during my time as a prisoner. Poor has my fortune been, but always can it change. With you here now, a soul with a strong arm...erm...leg, a strong faith and a strong heart, we can yet hope to avert disaster.”
The knight opened his hand, revealing a brilliant gold medal, engraved with the same sun symbol as that which graced the front of his tabard.
“Lordran has never had a greater need for the Warriors of Sunlight. As I tell you all that I know, may I also offer you the chance to ready yourself for the coming conflict. I have no doubt that you are very powerful, Celestia, but there are ways for you to grow more powerful still!”
Celestia levitated the medal into her hoof. It felt surprisingly warm and reassuring to the touch.
“Join my covenant, Celestia, and you shall learn the abilities that allowed Lord Gwyn himself to defeat the Everlasting Dragons. With your combined might I may yet atone for my sins of the past, prove I am once more worthy… to praise the sun!”
Phew! Got this in just in time. Apologies it's not as warm or fuzzy as befits a Christmas time story, but like the season itself, it does promise good things to everyone.
Yep, going forward I'm going to try and incorporate as many of the requests I've been seeing in the comments section from all the previous chapters.
Thought Rarity would do well as a pyromancer? Done!
Wanted Discord to meet the Fair Lady and perhaps see about joining or forming his own version of the Chaos Servants? Done!
Curious about Spike meeting the Everlasting Dragon, and finally actually serving some use? Done!
Demanded to know what's up with Solaire and if someone could join the Warriors of Sunlight? Done!
Don't care about any of the above and just want the focus to return to Seath and Twilight? Well, that can be done too. I'll post a journal about it soon to hear everyone's thoughts but yes, if folk still think it was a wrong move involving all the other main MLP ponies here's as good a spot as any to set down a means for them to depart from the plot.
Now of course as cheery as I hope it'll be for everyone to hear this news, those in the know about the flow of Dark Souls' story may feel there's still a storm cloud brewing. Indeed, you can't expect there'll be all this good stuff without having to make some sacrifices in order to obtain it. 
Aside from that, here's a video detailing the floating door above the archives that Rainbow mentioned : Duke's Archives Flying Door
You can expect in the near future I'll be mentioning a few other glitches and bits of unused game content that series has uncovered.
To all of you, may you and your loved ones have a very Happy Holidays! *raises a glass while stifling an evil cackle*
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Just as a heads up, there's a Dark Souls series tag now.
Whoot Whoot, here comes the pain train!
8623293
Added it on. Thanks!
So there is!
Inb4 Celestia learns the Sunlight Spear.
Oh god that's going to be O.P.
If Seath the Scaleless was voiced, what would he sound like? If he does have a voice, then can I please get a link to it?
What a great chapter! And all my yes to Solaire meeting and teaming up with Celestia!
i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/312/563/05d.jpg
Yessssssss time for sun bro and sun princess to fuck shit up.
8623293
That's almost as random as heaven's door floating in the sky.
There actually is a dark souls tag.
I'm now envisioning Celestia saying this to a filly Twilight over tea.
I was one who suggest having Discord join the Chaos Servants, though I also suggest he would be the one learning Pyromancy.
Then again I think he can already conjure fire, so having Rarity be the group's pyromancer isn't that bad of an idea. In fact that would wide her abilities for her survival and since Pyromancy doesn't scales on intelligence nor faith, it would be practical for her since, even if she's a unicorn, she's not that talented in magic.
Now with them gathering more allies and some already coming to them. I think the only ones left are Andre, the magic blacksmith near New Lando and some merchants scattered there and here. Also is the fire keeper from Firelink Shrine still alive? I don't remember if you had Lautrec's quest already been done?
Some beasts....need to have their head chopped off repeatedly for it to stick.
8624597
Lautrec is done and buried, and probably will not be coming back. The fire keeper for Firelink Shrine has probably been resurrected since I believe I mentioned several times that the bonfire there is still fully functional...and in all my playthroughs I always resurrected her anyway.
Andre may crop up again, given he appears in DS III as well. Rickert...I'll have to see.
8624314
You and me both. Might actually do a story on what else Celestia told young Twilight when no one was around to hear them.
8624644
Well considering lore states Logan took on more than one student, and in DS III there's more than one Crystal Sage...yeah his legacy may yet rise again to cause trouble.
8623306
Seath never actually talks in Dark Souls, but if I were to give him a voice, crazy as it sounds, I imagine he sounds like The Elder God from Legacy of Kain:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eqts63h2x8o
That sort of haunting, ancient tone, laced with crazed malice and tons of arrogance. I can see Seath sounding like that.
8623306
If From decided to give him an official voice then it'd be the same voice actor as snake bois and egg boi.
If I had to guess, then he'd probably be voiced by the same person who voiced Cephalon Simaris from Warframe. I'll link a voice later.
P.S: While looking at the ad below, I realised that the word "Pixel" in the Google Pixel 2 is a combination of "Picture" and "excel". It 'excels' at taking 'pictures'! I'm a genius!
8623883
Yeah, the latest site update added series/franchise tags in general (Pokémon, Fallout, Star Wars, Transformers, etc.)
8627096
You are Dio don't you have people for this?
I like that you have the mane cast in this adventure as it helps make how epic the situation is more real when there are several characters tackling it. No need to get them all to suddenly pull out I think. On the other hand, yeah, I have to admit I would like a chapter or two of just Twilight and Seath in the archives together discussing things. Maybe one where they look for what Logan was babbling about and then another later after the basilisk is captured as the two experiment on it. I do believe the parallels between the two are getting lost in the adventure on some levels if you will.
Oh, Solaire finally meet the sun. But can he call this as his sun? Only time will tell...
i love the format for this story
I just realised that on the thumbnail, Seath has glasses inside of his glasses.
Um... 58 chapters of Twilight learning from Seath the Scaleless. Is it done or is there more?
8749417
There's more. Life is just delaying it a bit.
Every time I read this story, I keep coming back to this chapter.
Not only is it well-written and has some of my favorite interactions, but the end makes it almost feel like a turning point in favor of the heroes.
I could be very wrong, of course: this is Dark Souls, after all.
Either way, I find that this song fits the last part of this chapter perfectly.