27 Chapter 27

Liquid dripped as the cold edge of my blade shone, reflecting a brilliant crimson back at me. Sweeping the greatsword through the air, I abruptly halted its movement shortly after, the blood that once tainted its edge leaping off, splattering against the walls of the castle, a soothing sigh leaving my lips.

It was more akin to a dungeon more than anything, with winding path ways that led to nowhere, and twisting staircases that exited to the outside, showcasing how truly vast the area was. A monument larger than anything I had ever seen, stood in the center of it all, standing above most other buildings and hidden under the litany of obstructions from below.

The sight was breath-taking, to say the least. Vestia enjoyed it less so, but that was to be expected, though this was slightly eased by Melina's descriptions. It was built to honor those long passed, of those who were most loyal to both Stormveil and Leyndell, the capital of the Lands Between. However, their glistening bodies were an eyesore to stare at for too long.

Still, there were harsher threats further up ahead. And with how this placed seemed to scale in difficulty, this one might just be more trouble than its worth. Shaking my head, my eyes drifted towards the open hallway ahead of us, Vestia to my side and with Melina adopting an ethereal form.

The three of us strode along with caution, the tension in the air so thick it was viscous. Sharpening my eyes at the door ahead of us, my lungs sucked in a breath, magic spooling in my palm. A pungent scent wafted through the air, the walls stained a light shade of orange, as I opened the grand doors with my other arm.

Pushing it open, we were greeted by a grand dining room, tarnished by thrown dishes and black linen littering the floor. It had been in this state for what looked to be years, and if the smell was anything to go by, probably even longer. Scanning the room, it wasn't hard to find the several bodies strewn about without a care, their weapons laid out, stuffed into their rotting cavities like some sick hunting trophy.

And at the center of it all, stood a grotesque monster, one that didn't look too far off from a pile of corpses. An eldritch abomination, its appearance was similar to that of a hundred damned denizens trying to claw their way out of a pit. Except, they all worked in unison. Each leg lifted at the right time, each arm retracted and stretched to give room for the rest of its physique. With the only thing keeping me from observing it any further being a dark green cloak wrapped around its back, embroidered with yellow silk.

"Sneak past it." Melina advised in hushed tones. "Lie past the beast is an elevator. Should you take it, there you will find yourself returned to where we had started, the castle's high walls. Only now, with a short cut to return here at your leisure." She coolly finished as I found myself curtly nodding to her words, snuffing out the pyromancy in my left hand.

Producing a staff from the storage, green whisps of light left its shaft, dusting us in motes of blue. The brunette's brow arched, the sudden display of magic seemingly catching her off-guard. "You knew how to use magic all this time?"

My shoulders shrugged, a ring appearing on my finger as I went through the motions of casting another spell, a shade wrapping around our bodies. "It would be a waste if I didn't." A mental strain lingered in my mind, a breath shakily exiting as the pain of casting eased ever so slightly. "I had a teacher willing to teach me. Same went for miracles. With how pyromancies work, it would be a waste not to utilize the split in intelligence and faith, especially when both offered quite the benefits."

Whether it was my tone or the sudden dump of information, it didn't seem to have bothered the woman much, her head nodding to my explanation as I turned towards the behemoth that stood in our path. Attempting a sneak attack would be easy, there was no doubt about that. The combined might of both spook and hidden body was nothing to be messed with, after all. Though, a tug at the back of my mind stopped me from doing such.

An aching feeling that wouldn't go away no matter how hard I wanted it to. Inhaling a mouthful of air, I set my sights towards the large door at the back, which in all likelihood, was the exit to this bloodbath. Then there was also the matter of the elevator, but that could wait for now.

Thoughts of perverse violence tainted my mind, a thinly veiled illusion of violence dancing across my senses. All the while, Nurgal whispered sweet words of temptation into my ear. Then, a hand clutched my own, and everything was once again clear. Though it may still linger in the dark depths of my mental space, that barely mattered in the face of Vestia's calming warmth.

Shaking her head, a soft giggle leapt from Melina's lips. It wasn't loud by any means, but it was still strange for the girl to do. In the end, I pushed those thoughts to the side, crouching down as to not be seen as easily. Instantly, my eyesight tunneled, focusing on the exit above all else, legs briskly walking towards its direction, a mental clock ticking in my head.

One after another, seconds passed, and with them, the creature became wearier. Its movements were on edge, tense, just as sharp as the swords and spears it wielded. The spells I had used were not flawless, in fact, they had quite a few issues. For one, while they did make me invisible, and quiet, it did not block the user's smell.

Normally, it wasn't something I would need to worry about, those hollowed lost a majority of their senses for it to matter. However, when it came to an opponent such as this and due to the number of people me and Vestia had slain to get here… perhaps it was an oversight on my part.

From above us, a chandelier glistened, its candles flickering as a passing breeze swayed it back and forth, casting a shadow down at those below. The amalgam gradually stalked towards us without a clue, unknowing whether it was just his imagination, or a real threat.

Its "nose" sniffed the air, a nervous sweat trailing down my brow as it made its way closer and closer. Motioning for my beloved to continue on further ahead, my hands found themselves stuck in the aether, cycling through various items that could be of use, eventually selecting one that I was very familiar with.

The Dragon Torso Stone had made its way back into my palm, as power surged from my fingertips. In a split second, my body transformed, adopting an appearance similar to that of a starving dear, the skin on my body turning charcoal black, as horns sprouted from the top of my head.

From deep within me, a high-pitched cry bellowed out, a strain placing itself comfortably on my shoulders as the spell that I weaved faded away, unveiling my standing figure over one of the dining room tables. Eyes trained, and with a buckler shield swapping into my left hand, I waited for it to strike, an ebony greatsword comfortably resting in my grip, sparks of flame trailing off its edge.

Like water splashing in hot oil, the sequence of events all happened within a flash. Metal met metal as I launched my blade overhead, the wooden shield held up to defend against it shattering as it reached my adversary's flesh. Though unexpectedly, the deformed chimera took this to its advantage, even if it meant injuring itself. Glints of light hinted to something beneath his robes, my shield hand moving up just in time to meet it in the middle.

However, in the end, the attack struck true, a minor, almost insignificant, deviation at its approaching angle knocking the attack off course. The wound spurting out enough blood to thoroughly coat the weapon's shaft. My teeth grit against one another, black flame spooling in my hand as I thrusted outward, the flash of fire shooting, blocking my view.

Rolling backwards, I grabbed a hold of an estus flask and stuffed its contents into my gullet, the sound of the beast's wails booming in my ears. 'Faster, faster, faster!' I urgently chanted, the yellow liquid flowing downward accompanied by a wave of heat, its effects taking effect immediately. The blood clotted, and my muscles sowed themselves shut, vitality returning to my system as I stared down the beast before me, its weapons trained and ready.

Without thinking, my body dashed forward, the familiar scent of my pyromancy blowing through the wind as I dodged its many attacks, weaving past them with much difficulty. Reaching out for the chandelier above, a flame burst from my hand, shooting out with the speed of an arrow and wrapping around the canopy.

As to be expected, barely anything came of it, initially. A grimace overcame my now boney deer-like face, as the monster thrashed in a vain attempt to strike me. Its movements had lost their edge, likely broken when the thing lost its composure. Likewise, the same could be said for me should I make a series of lapses in my judgement.

Holding my buckler shield out, I blocked one attack after another, each one pushing me just a step further back than the last. The integrity of my stance wouldn't hold for much longer, and if things were to continue as they were, it wouldn't end favorably. A plan, I needed to come up with something, and swiftly at that.

My focus split for a moment. There wasn't nearly enough time to pull from my inventory, so I had to make due with what I had, just hoping for the best outcome. But, hoping would get me nowhere, not unless I put my all into it. Forcing saliva down my parched throat, I allowed the fire to go wild, the heat of which danced along both of my forearms, its warm orange glow aggressively darkening to a deep vermillion.

The chandelier above us crashed down like a rock falling from the sky. However, the grafted mass of raging souls had one last trick up its sleeve. Under the pretense of its impending doom, it launched a last ditch effort, the legs on its back blasting towards me, while three separate spears thrusted forward, closing in the distance like a bolt of lightning.

Too fast and heavy to stop the attack, I doubted that even blasting it with a high-level pyromancy would be enough to stop the momentum. Frankly, I would be surprised to find something capable of knocking the beast on its ass. Instead, my eyes shut, and arms tensed, my foot scraping against the ground as the attack pushed me back.

I blocked the first attack, that much I could do, though, I wasn't so lucky with the rest. Pain shot through my body as the control I had over my right arm and left leg completely shut down, without so much as a warning. My breath hitched immediately, a hard grunt bubbling from deep within my weakening core.

Deeply inhaling, a chuckle was all that left my lips as I cackled like a hyaena, the edges of my lips tugging as I looked toward the ceiling. It was my victory to lord over the now deceased bastard. But the wounds I had incurred were certainly something else. My shoulder was completely shattered, and so was a good portion of my abdomen.

Merely moving an inch became laborious, the beat of my heart booming in my ears as I struggled to stay away, blood spurting out of the exit wounds like a broken keg. Dropping my shield to the ground, I reached for an estus flask, taking yet another sip of its contents, as my muscles overlapped one another, allotting me a moment of rest.

Placing a hand on the shaft of the spear in my right arm, I tugged on it, my jaw clamping shut almost immediately. My breath hastened, picking up the pace as I attempted to repeat the motion, this time, getting better results. Strands of muscle tore once more, parts of the spearhead's base to be barbed- sharp indentations with spikes jutting out of the edges. They made removing an object damn near impossible to heal unless you used magic.

Again, I pulled. Pulled with all my might as crimson stained my body along with my thin loincloth. Eventually, I was able to take it out, moving onto the one stuck in my abs and doing the same. By the time I had finished, Vestia knelt by my side, her head shaking disapprovingly as her talisman shone.

"Thine style has adapted, as of late, has it not?" Her voice resounded above all else, the pitter patters of her foot steps echoing in the large dining room. "Melee. Thou hath been engaging in more close-ranged fights, is this perhaps in an effort to help me, Dave?"

"Yeah." I curtly answered as the wounds littering my body sealed, the horns on my forehead receding. "Adapting to this new style has been… grading, to be frank. In the past, it wouldn't be too much of an exaggeration to say that I swung my sword as though it were a hunk of metal, a club with unequal proportions. I sought to fix this issue."

"It would seem so." She idly returned; an arm slung over her shoulder as she aided me in standing. "Though, to have improved so much in such a short amount of time… Forgive me if I step out of line, dear. But that is nothing short of absurd." My cheeks suddenly rose in temperature at the complement. "However, with this in mind, I also expect those past this castle to be stronger than most we have faced here."

Craning my neck to face the ceiling, a whistle blew from my lips. "Perhaps that may be true, and it does hold much merit. Each forward step is still progress, no matter how miniscule, right?" Her head tilted to the side upon hearing my words, an index finger pressing against her chin. "And besides, death is nothing more than a stepping stone for me. So even if it takes a hundred more deaths, it won't matter that much."

The irony was not lost on her, a bubbly giggle soothing my ears, the deep well inside of my chest closing by several nail's length. Vestia's hand drifted over mine, wincing once they interlocked with one another, just barely able to keep the rot at bay, a reminder that I wasn't totally invincible.

"Very well, I shall trust in thy word, even if it may hurt me to say." She shakily sighed, her head leaning on my shoulder. "But," Clearing her throat, the fire keeper's demeanor shifted, her back straightening out as she let go of another breath. "Remember, mine beloved. This endeavor, this burden, is not just for thee to uphold now. No matter where thoust are, there will always be people willing to support thee. And if there is naught a single soul, then knowth that I, Vestia, will help you through thick and thin."

A simple smile crossed my lips as we entered the elevator, as both hands drifted to her back. Twisting her body, she fell into my arms, her lips tantalizingly close to my own. "You know, I love it when you say things like that." I closed my eyes, and leaned forward, sweet delight taking me fully, as the fight's woes wrung out of me.

…

Hours passed while the pair rested at the site of grace, the few safe points for Tarnished, such as them, granting both some much needed comfort. Although she might not have personally known what it felt like, but it did make her heart skip a beat watching the scene that had unfolded before her, knowingly or not.

However, all good things still had to come to an end, one way or another. Soon, they returned on their warpath, carving out droves of Godrick's forces with their respective magical expertise. Frankly, it had surprised her somewhat. In little over a fortnight's time, the blind woman had progressed faster than she could have ever thought. Still not at the point of her partner by any means, but it was still impressive nevertheless.

Trailing just behind them, the brunette watched on with a tinge of delight as she took to seeing them bicker back and forth. In truth, there hadn't been much for her to do as of late (despite how much she would have tried to deny it). There was little help to be found in the Roundtable Hold, as those she could ask for already had their alliances. It would be a miracle if she were to find someone experienced enough to aid in offsetting Dave's plights, and willing enough to go along with her plan.

It was ridiculous, but in hindsight, it was likely something she should have expected beforehand. Shaking her head, Melina walked down the stairs as her face drooped, eyes squinting at the sight. Tens, potentially even hundreds of guards stood there in what looked to be the courtyard, each of them armed with a crossbow or manning ballistas, their fingers itching to fire.

If it wasn't apparent enough, then it certainly was now. During the wide-scale bloodshed, someone must have alerted those on the outside, allowing them enough time to set up an ambush. The situation wasn't that hard to understand nor was it shocking to say the least. Quite the contrary. However, it would seem as though her travelling companions didn't think anything of it in the moment.

A pair of large and heavy doors dropped to the ground, a loud "thud" accompanying them as they each took cover, their protection quickly shattering shortly thereafter. Splinters rained down from the sky like water, as a ballista's arrow tore through the wood with ease, granting the archer an opportunity to fire with their crossbows.

Events unfolded in rapid pace, occurring one after another while Melina watched on, a plain look on her face. Surely, they could handle it, she reasoned, maneuvering herself over a nearby wall and watching from the sidelines. However, it was only then that she was able to realize the full scale of the fighting below.

Over in the distance, the sound of barked commands could be heard, as wheels squeaked under the weight of whatever it was they held. Cries, neighs, and all manner of sound bellowed from an unopened door. The ground rumbled as a shadowy figure in the distance encroached upon their location.

The tides of battle might have been swaying towards Dave's side, but she knew that sentiment wouldn't stay the same for long. And while she knew he could likely survive the onslaught, the same could not be said for his dearest companion. Sucking in a breath, her hand s found themselves holding onto a blade's handle, it's thin width comfortably sliding into her palm.

She hadn't used it since she slayed the redmane knight, nor would it be the last if things went her way. Clutching it tightly, air blew from her lips sluggishly, her body still, frozen in space. Melina didn't want to do it, but her mind reaffirmed of her decision to intervene. The passing breeze brushed against her ethereal figure, motes of light dusting away as she manifested in the material world.

The transition flooded her senses, exposing her to new, yet, familiar stimuli. Having already gotten used to this, she shook her head and took to the rooftops, her boots loudly clacking against the flooring's stony tiles. Along the way however, a hidden away group of knights laid in wait. With either a crossbow or bow in their hand, it didn't take a genius to surmise what they had planned.

Weren't it not for the sound of her footsteps, she would have gotten the drop on them too, but alas, it was an unexpected variable left unaccounted for. And now, she had to deal with the consequences of her actions. Immediately, they sprung into action, launching several projectiles her way while some swapped to their melee weapons.

Disappearing right before their eyes, a cold shiver ran down her spine, beads of sweat trailing her forehead. That was close, far closer than she had anticipated, a miscalculation that would have costed her own life had she not moved out of the way sooner. Adrenaline surged through her veins, cold, but also exciting. She couldn't shake the feeling no matter what.

From the tips of her invisible fingers to the ball of her foot, it was like clockwork. The closer she was to danger, the better she felt. 'No!' She halted her train of thought, sliding herself between suited soldiers. 'Don't… fall for it. Keep thine eyes on the goal, thou shan't reach its roots if thoust were to die.' Chanting the last few words, she re-materialized behind the cohort and thrusted her dagger's blade into the nearest poor soul.

They each turned their head, glossing over their fallen comrade for but a mere instant before slashing their weapons at her, blades of wind parting the air. Channeling some energy into her weapon, it shone a golden brilliance, making the sun shining up above seem dim in comparison. Without much time for theatrics, she swept her blade across the confined space, a golden crescent lashing out.

In one fell swoop, Melina had not only dodged their attacks, but also launched her own, following up by grappling another foe's shoulders, her thighs around his neck as a pair of arms rose to the air and crashed back down at equal speed. Three down and with only three more to go, she her confidence brim to the surface, a smirk over coming her mug as she stared down the other two.

"Worthless, all of it. Your training, was for naught, as you couldn't even protect Stormveil from a measly three outsiders, oh how far Godrick's army has Tarnished with time." She allowed her emotions to get the better of her, a taunt leaking from her voice while her body told another story. Ladened with sweat, every step taken felt as though she had just ran the length of Caelid, her eyes snapping shut for the briefest of instances.

Twisting the ball of her foot, she spun out of the way of an attack, her boot imprinting faintest glimmer of a step in her path. Light as a feather, Melina hopped around the small battlefield, dodging both halberd and swords jabs when the need arose. Over the course of a minute, the same cycle of attacks sprung one after another, mechanically thrusting, and slashing at the brunette, unable to even hit her long clothes.

And just when they had begun to falter, she struck like a viper, sliding the edge of her dagger underneath the front Most's armpit and thrusting upward with the tip of her blade. It broke through with little effort, as the once golden light that trailed its edge flashed menacing crimson. Pulling it out, the hairs on her neck rose, the slightest twitch in her spine propelling her into her immaterial form once more, the stone at her feet shattering as the axe-like side of a halberd smashed through where she had been previously.

Jumping upward, she reappeared atop the weapon's shaft, her knees bent while her hand switched grips. The sudden weight brought the weapon out of her opponent's hand, sending him back as she rushed at him, mounting his chest and driving her dagger into his chest-piece. Though, as expected, the armor piece wouldn't budge, her digits uncontrollably shaking because of the recoil.

Momentarily stunned, the second was able to get up behind her, his sword rising as the tempests raged along his blade, the whirling air whistling in her ears to give a warning. But it just wasn't enough. How could it have been when she was hit at such an inopportune time.

Either way, it had been by her own fault that she was in this situation. Had Melina simply went for his jugular, things would have been so much simpler. There wasn't a breath in her lungs to draw upon, instead, gurgles were all that were left to attained. Viscous, and damn near impossible to break through, her fists tightened, sparks of golden light reflecting on the fallen steel on the ground, reflecting against the crimson floor.

From the earth, sprouted yellow roots, quickly growing upward and outward as the two stared at its transformation, likely awestruck at the miracle as control over her own fingers returned to Melina's senses, a wave of relief wafting over her as the beat of her heart rung through out her body.

"By the Erdtree, I hath grown weakened by mine own hubris." She uttered to no one in particular, deeply inhaling. "May you be guided into Her grace," Pausing in the middle of her words, her hand ran across the first's neck, cleanly finishing the job without much theatrics. The second on the other hand, was a different beast.

Flipping herself upright, she pointed her weapon's edge at the man, his sword jittering under his ministrations, as an audible gulp resounded from his mouth. "And may destined death not befall you in the afterlife." Ducking low, she slid under the soldier's thrust, getting up behind him and cutting his tendons along the way.

Defenseless and on his final legs, he tried to gurgle something out, turning desperate when Melina crouched down to meet his height. However, she was not able to understand "Dwont't kwilww mweee!" very well, her dagger slicing at the many joints in his armor.

Pushing all thoughts aside, she shook her head and looked towards the sky, her wounds fresher than a new born babe. Though they might have been sealing up, it would take upwards of thirty minutes to fully recover. And sadly, time wasn't a luxury she had at the moment.

In her instant of rest, her eyes drifted to the happenings below, perhaps curious as to how the situations evolved from where she had left off, or simply because her neck and upper body lurched forward. Whether or not it was intentional, Melina was able to observed how well the pair were doing from her position, their moving figures little more than ants from her perspective.

They fought in a melody, one blow coming after another as the pair moved like clockwork. Synchronized was their movements, and synergized; their attacks, where one rained hellfire and decimated the surrounding landscape, the other picked off many a foe with her lightning, the smell of ozone and burnt corpses distinguishing itself above all.

With a long, drawn-out breath, she shook her head, veering away to look at a wall. It was funny, the maiden thought she could delude herself in the moment. What a joy it would be to attach herself to someone, to feel the same as they did. A cheek stretched, whilst the other stayed put, stopped by both sets of teeth clasping at her lip. No, I should focus at the goal at hand, she reminded herself, her eye twitching ever so slightly.

Slowly, she stood from her place, knees shaking, and arms quivering. This weakness soon left her like dust in the wind, drifting away without a second thought. For but a moment, she looked towards the sky, sucking in a deep breath before her legs carried her further into the Demi-Gods Castle, its depth and secrets fully on display for her see.

But she didn't seek them, not once thinking of diving into the endless knowledge the structure held within its walls. Instead, she continued with her self-imposed task, her mind wandering to anything that she could latch onto, the maiden seemingly lost in thought. There was no reason for her to do this, and yet, she continued on. What kind of thought led her here, even she couldn't remember. However, she pushed forward, taking each step with stride.

The light of the sun dimmed, as it fell over the horizon, its silhouette casting a shadow over those on the ground. Shortly, the moon would once again show itself, and like the rays that had once touched her skin, Melina would rid herself of the delusions she had kept up. Though, for now, at least, she could still pretend every little woe didn't matter. As in the face of what laid ahead of her, it was nothing but a speck of dust.

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[A/N: You like the chapters? What do you mean I'm coping? Shut up! Anyways, I'll return to this fic soon, but for now, I'll write like 5 chapters for "Suffering" Grimmderp is fun like that Copy and paste below, enjoy boys!

Anyways, if you find anything wrong in the fic, let me know. I would love to hear your thoughts, opinions, and what I could have done in place of what is present.

Join discord server. I have one.: /eTb2kPab4z

I also have a at balls1124. For only a dollar or more, you can motivate me to write faster.

With that being said, I'm going to write some more.]