Balance
Garwyn sat atop the tallest spire of Anor Londo ad regarded the sunset. It's radiant warmth washed over him and he couldn't help but be reminded a little of the heat of the First Flame which his father cherished so.
Even with his eyes closed, radiance filled his sight and soul, until a shadow fell across his supine form. Garwyn open his eyes to regard the giant towering over him, resplendent in the armour of a golden lion.
"Ornstein? I had not expected to see you again."
His friend's face was hidden behind his helm; even so, Ornstein seemed to regard him with some measure of annoyance.
"Nor should you have. I expected you to be well clear of the city by now; if Lord Gwyn learns that you remain, Smough will be more than happy to take your head."
"This is my favourite view in the world my friend. I would see it once more before I leave this land for good."
"And what a foolish exile it is." Ornstein said, taking a seat beside the young lord. "What were you thinking?"
"Trying to create an alternate solution to the problem, isn't that why my father sired me in the first place?"
"Your mother is hardly the issue?"
"Is she not?" Garwyn asked, turning to regard the Knight Commander. Even seated, Ornstein towered over him. "I'm half human Orn, father thought that a touch of the dark combined with his light may provide new solutions to the dwindling flame, but when I finally come up with one, it's not to his liking."
"I see the truth my friend, because of my heritage, I see it more clearly than any of you can imagine." Garwyn's eyes pleaded with Ornstein to take heed as he spoke. "The First Flame is too powerful and now that it wanes, the dark grows in equal measure. It will have it's time, regardless of what any of us do to try and stop it. Once it's time is over the light will return, and on and on. I don't know how I know... I just know, as surely as I know the light of the sun falls and the dark of the moon rises."
"You truly believe that a cycle is unavoidable?"
"Would I have taken such a drastic step otherwise? I believe that it is only unavoidable so long as once side strives to dominate the other." Garwyn pulled an old copper coin from his pocket and began to twirl it between his fingers. "Light and Dark are but two sides of the same coin, one that continues to flip. One side if the coin cannot be strengthened without reinforcing the other."
"What does all this have to do with your crime Gar? Speak plainly, why did you give so much of your father's collected knowledge to the humans?"
Garwyn sighed. "I'm trying to tell you Orn. What if, instead of one side dominating the other, the Light and Dark could find a sort of harmony?" He set the coin down, balanced on it's side. "It is a delicate balance, too much force in either direction and it will topple and begin to spin once more, but the balance can exist... as it does in me."
"You believe yourself to be the vision of the future, that reeks of arrogance my friend." Ornstein warned.
Garwyn smiled sadly. "I am my father's son after all, aren't I? If the humans with their Dark souls could learn just enough of the light to find balance, that could possibly stabilize the world."
"It was too great a risk Gar!" Ornstein exclaimed. "Do you have any idea what you could have set in motion?"
"Trying to save the First Flame is no safer!" Garwyn retorted. "Look at what just transpired in Izalith! The Lords are grasping at straws and calamity follows in their reckless wake."
They stared at each other for what seemed like ages until Ornstein finally backed down. "I didn't come here to fight with you Gar, I came to say goodbye."
Garwyn's face softened as well. "I know old friend. It has been an honour to fight by your side all these years."
"The honour has been mine young lord." Ornstein looked out across the horizon towards the nearly set sun. "Where will you go?" he asked.
"I believe that I shall begin my journey in Astora and see where fate leads me from there."
"Shall you ever return?"
Garwyn smiled sadly. "An exile is supposed to be permanent; I doubt that my father will ever forgive me."
"That wasn't an answer." Ornstein pointed out.
"Should the dark seek to dominate the light as my father has dominated it, then I will fight by your side in the name of balance. Call to me, and I will come."
Though Garwyn could still not see his friends face, he could sense Ornstein relax.
"Then should that day come, I will ring the bells of Anor Londo and call the name Garwyn to the sky and summon you home."
"No." he replied.
"No?"
"In my exile I shall leave behind even my very name. I shall no longer answer to it once I have left the gates of my father's city."
"Then how should I call to you?" Ornstein asked.
"Henceforth, you may address me by my new name. Solaire."
I've always supported the theory that Solaire was somehow Gwyn's exiled son, even though there were a few things that didn't quite line up. So I was inspired to write this story about how that would make sense in addition to being able to write about a time long before the game, which I think is another interesting era to write.
Hope you all enjoyed.