Author's note: So this is my first fan fiction, combining two things I really like, Dark Souls, and RWBY. It will have Sirris of the sunless realms as the main character's travelling companion, kind of like Anri and Horace. (End of author's note)
It's been so long since the Ashen One awoke… spending almost all his time fighting monsters and people alike… thankfully he wasn't alone for most of it. Sirris, he met at Firelink Shrine shortly after his journey began. After them helping each other out when they were most in need, they decided to stick together, and through that, became friends, despite the threatening armor of thorns he wore.
It was raining today in Firelink. 'Huh. It usually doesn't rain out here, I wonder what's happening?' thought the ashen one. It didn't bother him or Sirris because they were indoors, at the welcoming warmth of the bonfire. "So," said Sirris, "we made it past Irythyll, and we've explored part of Anor Londo. Should we go to the Profaned Capital?" He thought for a moment, "We should go to the Capital, we'll get to another lord of cinder faster." They rested at Firelink Shrine for some time, buying gear from the few people who lingered there. They were leaving from the front entrance when they heard a familiar sound. That terrible, terrible sound. It was the sound of the schism between worlds being manipulated so murderers from other worlds could invade. Only, it sounded slightly different, slightly higher pitched. The two set out to find the source of the noise, walking out to Gundyr's arena to find four teenagers, looking around confused. They all laid their eyes upon the Ashen One and Sirris, to which the duo slightly raised their weapons.
Three out of the four teens raised their hands in surrender, choosing not to pick a fight. The blonde one however, raised her… her… gauntlets? "So, we've got a fist fighter, eh?" said the ashen one. "You're damn right!" responded the blonde one. The ashen one didn't want to fight anyone right now, so he decided to end the fight quickly. Pulling out his Demon Great axe from his back, he charged the lady at a sluggish running speed, weighed down by the humongous axe. He charged up his shot for an incredibly long time, before finally swinging down. The blonde girl, feeling cocky, narrowly dodged the axe swing, pretending it was a threat. The man covered in thorns chuckled, then the axe erupted in flame, scorching the ground and slamming the girl against the wall. The Ashen One was about to finish her off but the small teen in a red cloak intervened by running in front of the blonde one, waving her arms about like a maniac towards the Ashen One. He stopped walking, listening to her pleas for him not to kill her. "Don't kill her, please!" pleaded the teenager. "If I wasn't a chivalrous knight of the Dark Moon, I would not answer your pleas. But since I am, I will accept your surrender. Now leave. Go back to your world." He said. All the teens looked at him, puzzled. "What?" he questioned. "What do you mean by 'go back to your world'?" responded the teen in white. The ashen one then remembered that time was convoluted, and people from other times could help, or kill, other people from other times. He realized that these people must have been from the far future judging by their weapons, and how they change forms. "Hey Sirris! Do you know what this means?" Sirris looked at him, confused. "It means these people are from ages yet to come! They're from the future!"
After leading the teens to the inside of Firelink Shrine, the Ashen One explained a little about who he is. "So, let me get this straight… You were brought back from the dead, as something called unkindled, to challenge what are basically gods and demons." Said the one known as Blake. "That's right. And Sirris here is helping me." He responded, as Sirris waved her hand at everyone. "Hello. I have not properly introduced myself. I am Sirris of the sunless realms. I am the Ashen One's friend and travelling companion." The one known as Yang smirked as she said "Really? I thought he was your boyfriend." The Ashen One responded by saying, in a dead serious tone, "We are not lovers. Our duty is too important to be distracted by things that will delay our progress. We will both meet our ends by the time our quest has concluded." The one in white name Weiss responded, "That's depressing. After all your pain, suffering, losses, you still can't win…" all of them frowned, when the red one known as Ruby asked the Ashen One a question he had never had an answer to. "So, what's your real name by the way?" he looked at her, then looked at the ash covering the stone floor. "I cannot recall my name. It's lost to time." Then an idea struck him. Since he wore armor covered in thorns, he would name himself after his armor! "Actually," he said, "call me Thorn."