ᴄʜ. ɪɪɪ.

|--Dark Souls--|

With well-deserved rest, the Ashen one and Fire Keeper resumed their journey, this time towards the town that was noticed in the distance. Although the Ashen one knew to avoid any places that could be inhabited, it struck the Unkindled on the possibility if there were hostiles there, or hopeful that it was people – the sane and none too aggressive to which he preferred.

After all, he has questions which that he would like to ask; more importantly about directions to the east.

Slow yet progressive, their walk to the town neared but it finally seemed the lurkers were able to muster a number to actually challenge the Ashen one despite the menacing armor he wore and the aura he emitted. Like any other undead, whether or not Unkindled, those who bear the curse had a terrible aura about them. But just that did not deter the little lurkers from charging.

The sounds of the many lurkers running towards them made the Unkindled snatch the Fire Keeper by her arm and pulled her behind him as he covered her retreat as he faced them.

Without wanting to be a hindrance to the Ashen one and prove to be a liability, the Fire Keeper merely did what he wanted her to do – to run towards the town – as he took them on with his back to her.

Covering the Fire Keeper's retreat, he drew his sword and maintained a stance as he puts the sword to his level as he watched the enemies march toward him. When the enemies did enter his range, he thrust forward as he struck perhaps two of the enemies in that single strike. At once, without a moment to waste, he slashed down to his right as a lurker jumped at him with sharpened claws.

With a better look, he saw what these lurkers looked like – their appearance grotesque – as their disfigured form took on a humane silhouette.

As he slashed down to his right, he cuts its face open as it continued to scream despite the head being cut diagonally in half. In repeated sequence, he continued the cycle as he fought them in numbers. Thrust, slash, jump, block, and the loop continues. However, he was slowly becoming troubled by their consistent attack as it bothered his stamina and stance greatly. Sometimes a slash would not be enough to even kill the lurker he did strike.

Despite his wants to end it quickly before he was caught winded enough to make mistakes, he made use of spells he has been taught – such as Emit Force – as he propelled the enemies at the front by a shockwave. Seeing an opening, he pushes through as he slew those that took long enough to return to their stance and footing.

But still, there were a lot of them.

When he attempted to use the spell again, the sorcery spell failed to work, and the failure to notice that was a crucial mistake. When he had expected the enemies at the front to be pushed back to parry and block the attacks from behind, he was struck on the front and back as a result.

Fortunately, he had switched the damaged armor he had for the Black Knight before and it endured the damage instead. But as mentioned by his inspection of it, it wasn't that well of with how damaged his own were. A few more hits and the armor will break.

With a grunt, he stands back up at full height as he readies his stance once again to take them on, forever unflinching in the face of the horrors and enemies of the world.

In an instant, the fight resumed as the lurkers continued to harass and assault him at any angle and opening. Hits have struck true as he began to dwindle and his ferocity with the blade decreases as he falls tired. Again, with their consistency, a lurker had jumped towards him knocking him back as it staggered him – leaving him open for attacks.

But before the many tiny lurkers could get a jump on the opening, a fireball engulfed a lurker into a fiery flame until it went silent by being roasted to ash. Looking to who it was, he could just about see in the distance as she ran towards him with the cloth on her eyes discarded and another fireball orbiting on her hand.

Angered by the Fire Keeper, but more so by the fire she cast, the lurkers began to shriek and scream as half the numbers went to take on the fire caster. Panic coursed through him as he watched a dozen run to meet her with their snarls and claws. In a swift move, he began to take on a more reckless approach as he butchered the ones against him left and right.

In an attempt again, he cast another spell – a dark miracle; atonement – effectively drifting the attention back on him on those that had turned to the Fire Keeper. But not all were persuaded by the spell as some still continued relentlessly at the Fire Keeper.

Once more, he cast using all he could muster on the last and final spell he could perform with all he has got as the enemies got terrifying close to the Fire Keeper who still went on to torch them in the distance to get to him.

With a loud singular scream, he yelled as he took his left armored hand and reached to the skies, and dragged it down. At the motion, a lightning storm erupted and vanquished the lurkers where it struck. With the threat gone from targeting his companion, he could feel he exerted himself too much as his sights gradually become dim as he fought hard to keep them open and his legs standing. Until he could only hold on for so much, he fell to his knee and collapsed to the ground.

The Light…

The Dark…

Or something else entirely?

The Unkindled soon found himself awake as he gasped, quickly reaching for his sword that should be in his scabbard by the waist but he felt and found nothing as he looked down. Undeterred without being armed by a weapon, he immediately attempted to cast a simple yet deadly pyromancy spell to be charged and ready to be unleashed at the first sight of an enemy.

"Calm yer' heart, if you even have one."

Like an instinct that has been practiced time and again, the Ashen one with swift action pointed the fiery flame at the voice – finding the man to whom it belonged. Despite being cautious, even the Unkindled could consider his act a rude greeting. But even then, it would not serve well to be careless and underestimate strangers and their nature.

Silence falls between both men as they stared hard and observed each other. It must have been quite some time before another person made their presence known through a pretentious cough. "Almond, the Chief calls for you. I will take over."

It was short but it mentioned all that was needed to be known as the big man nodded to the woman as he stood up from his seat and stood tall to his full height. He took a moment to let his eyes stare hard at the Ashen one for one last time, perhaps making a show of his bigger and taller structure than the man on the bed – a sign to dare to make trouble as so his eyes said.

As the Unkindled watched the large man leave the room out through the door, his eyes lands on the woman who was leaning against the door frame. Again, silence. It was not hard to spot an enemy, and it cost nothing to simply analyze someone, especially in their world. Therefore, in kind, the Ashen one did the same as she did to him before she finally spoke.

"Who are you and what business do you have in our town, stranger?"

Stranger?

Like a sudden strike of an epiphany, the woman saw his body go stiff at the choice of words she chose, as though she mentioned something that was wrong. Before she could get the chance however to ask what seemed to bother him, he leaped out of the bed as he tried to stand.

Stumbling over his weight and the exhaustion his body underwent, he crashed towards the table as he held on to it for support. "A woman. I had a woman companion!" He yelled out loud that it caused poorly armored guards to enter through – possibly to protect the woman whom he was asking. With spears aimed at him, and the woman making no hint in responding, he felt both panic and anger brew inside him.

"Follow me. I will lead you to her."

Dumbfounded by such a nonchalant attitude in the face of incurring the Unkindled's wrath, however more importantly on what she said to words was what calmed him and grabbed his attention, although to an extent he still felt irritated at their passive-aggressive attitude towards him since he woke.

Without further ado, the woman turned to leave the room, but the guards that entered still had their spears pointed at him. "He is no threat. Return to your post, I can vouch for him."

More puzzled than ever, he questioned how she could say such a thing. Moreover, he could firmly believe he has yet to meet this woman. So, the question begs how could a stranger vouch and believe a man she or himself had hardly met.

Hesitant but obeying to the orders, the guards retreated as they lowered their spears and exited the room. "Everyone is just twitchy ever since all went dark. Furthermore, those creatures you fought have been increasing and terrorizing our town. We have never seen them nor have any knowledge about them. Which explains the guards' reaction."

Yet again as the Ashen one felt that nuisance feeling at the pit of his heart; guilt, at the mention of their town being harassed by creatures he has unleashed by ending the Age of Fire. The feeling was becoming sickening, but he brushed it off, trying to reason it with logic that the Age would end regardless – maybe after he relinked the flame or thirteen more others before it couldn't carry on any longer – it was meant to end.

Outside the room and down the hallways as he followed the woman, dressed in a sort that could be an indication of a sneaking type based on her attire and the hood along with the mask she donned. Especially, most notable were the pair of short daggers she had that was sheathed to her waist.

Their walking steps echoed throughout the hall, and based on the condition and structure of the place – it was the fortress that was seen in the distance.

"Your companion is through this door." The woman stood by the door to make way for the Ashen one to enter, leaning against it on the side as she took a comfortable stance.

"After your reunion with your companion, you and the woman will be called upon to attend the mayor's call to be questioned. Fear not, the mayor considers you a guest."

With her speech, she simply looked away while still remaining in her stance by the door, probably to ensure their guest don't get 'lost' and run away.