The Beautiful Creature in the Cold and Lonely World.
Back step, parry with shield, riposte with sword, fell opponent, duck under incoming strike, use shield to barge opponent aside, jump back again, block arrow, strike nearby opponent, fell opponent, four left, two close-range, two archers. Leap behind cover to avoid arrows, opponent comes around corner, quickly dispatched with. Foolish creature of this accursed world…
An armour-clad man pulled his claymore out of his felled opponent and lowered his stance to prepare for his next move. He counted to three in his mind before sprinting around his cover, raising his shield high to block the arrows, the armoured man literally charged into his last close-range opponent, he knocks the opponent down and doesn't even flinch when his armoured foot crushed the floored opponent, he just kept sprinting forward, ignoring the sound of his opponents skull crushing under his foot.
Thwang! Thwang!
The feeling of the arrows impacting on his shield didn't deter the man at all, his momentum would not be defeated by the foul creature's pitiful attempts of archery. He reached the archers and without flaw simultaneously swung his sword horizontally and felled both archers in one strong strike. Watching both opponents fall impassively the man stepped over and continued down the pathway.
What more surprises will strike at me from the shadows now?
The man's internal question was answered almost instantly after, as a few steps past his previous opponents a hulking figure in black fell from above and hit the ground, causing the ground to shake slightly. The figure crouched for a moment before rising to its full size, towering over the claymore-wielding man, brandishing a tower-shield that is as big as the figure in one hand and a great sword in his other hand.
The smaller man looked at his claymore and then at his intricate medium sized shield before looking back at the hulking, dangerous looking walking armour.
I'm taking that sword…
The smaller man charges forward and rolls under a sweeping strike from the hulking figure, standing up quickly the normal sized man turned around and swung his sword at the hulking figures left shoulder, scoring a solid hit the hulking figure stumbles from the strike but doesn't let up with its assault, the figure swings its giant sword in a circle but this doesn't worry the smaller man, instead the man brings his shield up into the swords path and struggles not to break under the pressure of the swing, but after a few tension fillings seconds the shorter man manages to push back the larger sword which leaves the huge figure wide open for an onslaught of deadly blows. The man's claymore moves at a mile a minute as it slashes across the figures body, he doesn't let up at all, and soon after he began the man brought his sword wielding arm back and thrusts forwards into the figure chest, due to the force the man had put into his thrust he manages to pierce through the figures entire body.
A familiar rush of power intruding into the man's body was his signal that his foe was defeated. He retracts his claymore and before his opponent's blade could fall to the ground the man grabs the handle and is almost toppled over by its weight, the man manages to stable himself by placing the great sword on the ground and placing his claymore into its sheath onto his back. Having his sword arm free the man reaches for the great sword on the snowy floor, thankfully he could wield the blade with his right-arm efficiently. He noticed the significant extra weight that he now carried and briefly debated the worthiness of the great sword versus his agility.
He finally decided to keep the sword for later when his strength has increased. The armoured man takes a moment to catch his breath from all of the surprise attacks that he had managed to survive. He looks over his dark purple cotton tunic that covers his chainmail armour and is relieved to see no scratches or rips in the cotton, the "Elite Knight" armour that he had gathered from the dark root forest where he was ambushed by stone creations and vile plant-life. Reassured that there was no damage to his armour, the man marches on, determined to leave the vile place he found himself in.
He came upon a grey gate of fog soon after that blocked his advancement.
A fog gate that probably hides the disgusting creature that calls this place home no doubt.
The man takes a deep breath before placing his sword arm onto the gate of fog, soon after his hand floats through and is swiftly followed by his entire body, without even looking at what awaited him the man brought his shield up in a defensive stance and awaited the initial assault of whatever lied in wait. He waited one second which soon became two seconds and then three seconds.
What is this? Where is the first strike?
The man peers over his shield and is frozen in place at what he saw.
In-front of his stood something that could only be described as ethereal, for what stood before him was a very tall being, a beautiful womanly figure with pale white skin and piercing eyes with long flowing white hair, her body covered in what the man assumed was fluffy white fur that wrapped around her body, two feet could be seen peering out from underneath her fur.
The man regained his bodily movement when he noticed the deadly looking scythe that the beautiful… thing handled. He reasserts his defensive positioning and moves closer, his shielded eyes from his helm locked with the strange looking woman, noticing that her eyes stayed glued to his slowly advancing form.
Who art thou? Thou does not belong, "I beg of thee, plunge down from the plank and hurry home. If thou seekest I, thine desires shall be requited not".
"Thou must returneth whence thou came."
The man stopped in his movements, shocked beyond words that something in this dreaded world would rather talk than attack, her voice also sounded magical to his ears.
"This land is peaceful, its inhabitants kind, but thou dost not belong."
Wait. What? KIND?
The man stared in bewilderment, "inhabitant's kind"? How long had she been in here for, If she classed those bone-wheels skeletons in the sewers underneath this place then he'd hate to see people she considered cruel.
"… Okay then, if the fair lady wishes my departure then depart I shall!" The man circled around the scythe wielding giant, his eyes glued to her body in anticipation of any kind of movement, be it aggressive or not he would not be surprised by any means.
Once he reached the back of the giant woman, he noticed an extremity that was poking out where her rear-end would be, then he saw it, it was a tail, a fluffy tail!
A dragon crossbreed!? So that means that one parent was a giant and another was a.. OH GODS!
The man gags as images fly through his mind. He notices the crossbreed turn her head to give the man a strange look at his retching. Finally the man calms himself and banishes the horrid images from his mind, sometimes it was worse to have your humanity than not, humanity brought imagination. Something not wanted right now.
The man brushes himself off and heads towards the "plank" that he should jump off from. However before he moved further on he recalled something important. The man leaned his new sword against a nearby wall. The man reaches into one of his many side pouches attached to his body and pulls out a strange wooden doll. A humanoid doll made of a strong wood with no details, it was simply a doll shaped like a human, nothing more. However this strange little doll was the whole reason that he was dragged into this damned world in the first place.
This doll must be connected with this world somehow… a small wooden doll… perhaps…
The man turns back to the crossbreed and clears his throat, the giant woman turns to face the man with an inquisitive look. The man walks towards the woman, his arms raised above his head in a calming gesture as not to cause the scythe currently held by the huge dragon/giant crossbreed to cleave his stupid body in half.
"Why dost thou come near? Please do not intend to harm, I dost not wish to cause harm…"
The man stops a few feet away from the towering figure and extends his right arm which held the strange wooden doll.
"I have a small hunch that this might be yours fair maiden."
The crossbreed lowers down to peer at the object in the man's hand, once her eyes pick up on the actual object they widened in surprise and her mouth opens in amazement, slowly, almost daintily she lowers her scythe to the ground next to her feet and carefully plucks the small doll out of the mans outstretched hand.
She lowers herself on to her knees and sits back, her tail wrapping around her waist as she held the doll in her hands as if the doll would simply vanish is a plume of smoke.
The man, knowing that he had done all that he had needed, turned to leave and leave the obviously now reminiscing woman alone and head back to Lordran.
"Please wait kind sir."
The man paused in his step as the voice of the beautiful beast reached his ears, he turns to give the half-breed his full attention. She was kneeling down, a small smile on her face with a few tears sliding down her pale face. The man returns to the crossbreed and folds his arms.
"If you would allow kind sir, would thou show thy face to me so that I may thank you properly?"
The man seems to consider the offer for a few moments before conceding with a nod, holstering his shield on the handle of his claymore before carefully reaching towards his helmet and takes it off in one movement, dark purple mid-length, middle-parted hair cascades out of the helm and frames around his masculine face, very defined cheekbones built his face, a unruly goatee covered his lover face.
The beautiful crossbreed scanned his face, her eyes analysing everything about his manly face.
"May I also know thou name?"
The man smirks as he gestures with his hand to the crossbreed herself.
"After you, fair maiden."
The fair maiden lets a small giggle escape from her pale pink lips.
"My name is Priscilla. What is yours sir knight?"
"Priscilla? A beautiful name if I ever heard one. My name is Asher, knight of Astora!"
The now named Priscilla laughs slightly at Asher's compliment.
"Asher? A most brave name, now allow myself to thank thee properly".
Without warning Priscilla leans her head forward and places a shy kiss on Asher's cheek. She pulls back a small red tint to her cheeks, whilst Asher touched his cheek where he was kissed, her lips were as cold as ice, but as soft as snow.
Very appropriate I find.
"Well then, I must thank-you for your reward fair Priscilla but I fear I must depart as I still have a quest to complete!"
Asher turns to leave at last.
"Dost thou really have to leave so soon?"
"I'm afraid so fair Priscilla, it was a pleasure to meet you but I must be off now." Asher reached over his shoulder and grabbed his shield with his left arm, equipping it, he walks up to his new sword and heaves it unto his right shoulder.
"Oh… if it must be Knight Asher, then so be it, Thank you once again and farewell".
Asher waves his shield arm at the thankful crossbreed.
"Farewell fair Priscilla, I wish you well!"
Asher stood at the edge of the plank that led to a deep abyss, he kicks a small pebble into the darkness and whistles as he couldn't even hear when the pebble supposedly hit the ground. He prepares to jump and moves forward slightly before hesitating slightly, another deep breath followed before Asher finally plunged from the ledge into the dark abyss below.
Here's hoping Priscilla was not lying to me.
Little did Asher know that as he leapt from the edge Priscilla gained a small smirk on her face as he stood up, and moved towards the ledge herself.
Scene Change
Asher fell to the granite floor that was very familiar to him.
I'm back in Lordran, I do not know if I should be happy for that fact or not…
Without even given a moment to recover Asher leapt from the floor and raised his shield to block the income of flying daggers aimed for his head.
Indeed… This is Lordran, no doubt.
Asher charges forward, shield raised and ducking underneath any of the daggers that managed to find their way past his trusty shield. He reaches the culprits, bizarrely dressed humanoid figures in stark white, Asher dubbed them "Painting Guardians" as they seemed to be guarding the huge painting that Asher was dragged into before. He swings his huge sword in a large horizontal arc and isn't disappointed when his sword slices through three of the Guardians. Not willing to allow the rest of the Guardians to surround him Asher sprints towards the exit as fast as he could, ducking and weaving around and underneath daggers flying towards him. He leaps through the archway leading to the rotating lift that he used to get down to this level.
Rushing up the stairs knowing that the Guardians would be trying to get onto the lift before he could ascend it. Finally reaching the top he pushes the leaver as fast as possible for the lift to rotate upwards, the sound and feeling of the elevator ascending relaxed his body slightly knowing he had escaped the massive horde of white-clad-devils. But the sound of hurried footsteps told Asher that a few had managed to scramble onto the lift. The Knight of Astora turned to the stairs and as soon as he saw the first guardian, he jumped forward and swung his sword downwards, as expected his huge sword cleaved the cloth-clad individual in half. Following up his plunging attack Asher quickly balanced his feet on the stairs and thrust his sword forward into the chest of the second guardian, watching the figure go limp, Asher kicked the supposed man off his blade and down the stairs.
The final guardian came upon him and Asher ducked underneath the first dagger-swing and uses his shield to bash his opponent over the head as hard as he could, a resounding crack was heard as the figure falls to the floor limply and begins to roll down the stairs. Asher sighs of relief as he holsters his sword upon his shoulder once again ready to continue on with his adventure.
"Oof".
Asher turns back to the stairs and see nothing, but he could have sworn that he had heard something coming from the stairway. He gazes intently down the stairs for anything that could have made that noise, whatever that things voice was… it sounded familiar to him somehow. However since he saw nothing Asher continued onwards, just noting to keep his eyes extra peeled for anything out of the ordinary.
It wouldn't be the first time something unseen could attack him.
God damn mages…
Asher came up to a massive castle-like structure, noticing the huge locked gates he surveyed a side gate that he would be able to take that would hopefully lead into the castle.
The catch?
Oh nothing much, Asher simply have to defeat the two stone guardians, multiple bat demons and is Asher squinted he could see a pair of black-Knights handling great-bows primed and ready to fire, presumably at him as he had to cross across a very, very unsafe ramp/walk-way to what he could only assume would be a window he could enter through.
Something tells me I'm not going to enjoy this little endeavour.
Scene Change
Yep… I did not enjoy that.
Asher stumbled into the archway, placed on the side of the castle and went to the first door he saw, opening I up he spied a Black-Knight sharpening his spear, the noise of the door opening attracted the Knights attention who looked at Asher who stood in the doorway. Asher and the Knight stared at each other. Asher waves nervously as he slowly closes the door on the Knight.
Okay… not that door then, let's try this one.
Asher opened up an opposite door which immediately lifted his spirits as the tell-tale sound of an unlit Bonfire filled his ears. He steps into the room and is instantly greeted by a homely welcome.
"Dear friend! What a surprise to see you here!"
Asher couldn't prevent the cheerful laugh that escaped his mouth.
"Solaire! My friend, I didn't see you on my way here, how did you find your way to this place?"
The now named Solaire motioned to the floor next to him and Asher was more than willing to comply and sat next to his cheerful friend, taking his helmet off, he placed it next to him and listened to his friend's explanation.
"Well dear Asher, I simply opened the front door and followed the path to this wonderful Bonfire!"
"The door? But it's locked… isn't it?"
"My friend… did you actually try the door at all?"
"…"
"Oh HO my companion, your misadventures do amuse me so!"
Asher didn't respond, too annoyed with being so stupid in not even trying the door. Having nothing else to say about that conversation he stands in-front of the Bonfire and hovers his right hand over the hilt of the impaled sword, a soothing sensation filled his entire body as something unknown expelled from his body and lit the Bonfire on fire, the fire was safe and warm, empowering the room with a safe haven feeling.
Asher sighs in content as he returns to the floor and looks over his jolly companion Solaire.
A stout looking man with a rather stylish bucket helmet with a white tunic with the picture of a smiling sun of the chest. The man had helped Asher more times than he could count and he the same to Solaire, both of them working together when possible to make the harsh world of Lordran a little more bearable.
Solaire leaned over to his comrade in arms and pondered something aloud.
"Where have you been my friend, usually your first to the next Bonfire"?
"Ah well, do I have a story for you my friend! Let me tell you of this place where this beautiful creature lives, a horrid place of snow and monsters, however this beautiful creature simply stays in that horrid place, having been drawn into a cold and lonely painted world".
Chapter finished
Hello and thank you for reading this… whatever this is. A one-shot? The first chapter of something bigger? I don't know, I just know I wanted to write this for a while. And I do have an idea with other chapters but I dunno… I hope you really enjoyed this.
Thanks for reading!
This is Skeleturd signing off.
CYA!