Chapter 1: A Light in the Darkness
There are many worlds of darkness. Worlds where light and warmth are scarce and scattered. But among theses dark and lonely worlds, there are those where fire was linked. These worlds act as a beacon for lost souls. Worlds of magic and chaos where time is twisted and shrouded in fog. Realms fade in and out, and death loses its meaning. Where the dead become cursed with a dark sign of their ill fate. Doomed to roam these lands, fighting and clawing at what humanity can be plundered, or letting what little humanity remains slip away until nothing remains but a hollowed shell, full of hunger and madness. Many accursed lost souls who find themselves in this realm of ancient lords come from lands that are known. Astora, Catarina, Carim, Thorolund; these places are known, and the realm of Lordran is known to them. But there are those with the power to see through the abyss, to these other worlds. To guide lost, powerful souls into this accursed realm. There will be no peace to await them. The age of fire is ending. And if these two ever wish to be free of this undead curse, they will ensure that the soul of that old fool Gwyn burns out, with no one to succeed him.
One impaled by a spear. One crushed beneath the weight of a crumbling house. Two lost souls, who once held the power of gods, now pervaded by an empty and endless dark. They will awaken where all undead first find themselves; in an asylum far to the north. I should think they won't be there long. But if they succumb to the asylum, they were never of use to me anyway. Hahahaha.
Only time will tell if these two hold the power to overcome this world and usher in a new age. That's the only way they'll ever find their way back.
After death, there was only endless dark. There was no warmth, nor was there cold. There was an absence of feeling altogether. Only the void, and a voice that whispered.
'Overcome this accursed world of the undead, and live once again.'
That was all that was known to Andrew Detmer and Carrie White upon waking in a dungeon. Neither had said much to the other. Neither had much to say in general. Andrew sat in the same jeans and hoodie he had been wearing through his rampage across Seattle. Ripped up and tattered, bearing the hole that had been torn through him. Carrie sat across from him, still wearing her hand stitched pink dress, soaked red with blood that wasn't hers. Distant wails and cries echoed through the stone halls. This place was full of so much disparity and darkness, but they felt none of it. They merely felt empty, their faces disfigured by the curse and their lack of humanity. The void of unchanging time was broken, however, when a corpse was dropped in from the opening in the ceiling above. The pair looked up, and saw a figure in full armor crouched over the opening, as if surveying the room, before the figure departed and they were alone once more. Andrew slowly rose to his feet and shambled over to the newfallen corpse.
A quick search discovered a key. Andrew held it up for further inspection. Carrie rose to her feet, and spoke.
"Is that what I think it is?"
Her voice was low and raspy, like someone who was sick.
Andrew turned his attention to the keyhole of the cell door. The key entered the lock easily, and with a sharp turn, aloud clang echoed, followed by the slow creak of a rusty door swinging open. They were free.
"We're free. But where can we go from here?" Asked Carrie
"Overcome this accursed world of the undead…"
"... And live once again." Finished Carrie
"You heard that voice too?"
Carrie nodded.
"Do you remember how you died?" She asked
Andrew shook his head. His hand moved to the hole in his shirt.
"I imagine that this is what killed me though." He said soberly
Carrie looked to be in thought, but said nothing more. They passed numerous undead on their way out of the dungeon. Lost souls, trapped in prisons of despair. Harmless to them, and barely moving, never speaking.
Leaving the sewer like dungeons, the pair entered an open courtyard, with a twisted sword plunged into a firepit. After exchanging a look, Andrew moved to take hold of the hilt of the sword. But upon contact with the sword, the firepit burst to life and the sword quickly became too hot to touch. Andrew jerked his hand back. Carrie joined him by the fireside, observing the flames.
"I can feel the warmth…" she trailed off, as she sat next to the fire, soaking up the warmth with her body
Andrew sat next to her, and felt the revitalizing warmth spread into his body. He was surprised to feel a weight on his shoulder and find Carrie resting her head against him. His arm spread across her shoulders and pulled her close, and for the moment, they allowed themselves a moment of peace by the light and warmth of the flame.