It was as silent as usual.
It was moments like these he cherished the most about the forest. It wasn't as architectural as Anor Londo, but it came with its own sort of soothing merits.
He breathed in a deep breath, before ruffling into his side pack, shoving aside the Witch's cloak which he wore. He clambered about in the deep recesses of the bag's inner sanctum before pulling out a circular object. The item was a blue color, with the depiction of an eye engraved into the side.
He looked at it once more, always wondering what was the peculiar orb's reason for having an eye of all things on it, every time he used it. He shrugged before tightening his grasp on it, before chanting.
"Search the worlds, find my target, and let me bring unto them vengeance."
The chant being said and done, he was enveloped in a bluish light, with two rings passing over him. The first coloring him a darkish blue hue, and the second sending him-off to do his business.
Invading World of the Guilty
He allowed himself to stretch once, before looking at his surroundings and seeing the lush forest of before, except he was in a different location. He made his way around an uplift of land, careful to look around the corner. His eyes focused in on a figure in the distance, its form too blurry for his eyes themselves to see. He grumbled, before reaching into his side bag once more and pulling out a ring. This ring was one part of a set of four he had attained through his journey as the Chosen Undead (even though he currently was human).
It was a dull grey color, with the small engraving of a hawk upon it.
He almost slid it on his fingers, when he remembered he had another item for moments like this. Putting away the ring, he pulled out a pair of binoculars. His vision enhancing twice over. The figure's gender was unable to be confirmed due to the heavy looking armor they wore. It was a cement-like armor in his eyes. It had small grooves in the body, with the helmet having grooves, but those grooves were most likely holes for the person to see through. In their hands was what could be called a "huge-ass weapon". It was a terrible looking dark brown axe, thick and wide.
He sighed. He was seeing more of these guys lately. He had dealt with them on few occasions, and he hated it. Heavy armor seemed to be a fad he was running into. He wasn't that worried yet. This person had two out of four of his personal ticks going for them. He was hoping they only qualified for those two or else this would be more the just a little troublesome.
He made himself scarce behind the small uplift of land. He reached into his bag before pulling out his weapon of choice. A symbol of all he was.
A Bow.
He shivered as he held it in his hands once more, before focusing on the situation at hand. He reached in once more before pulling a quiver of feather arrows out of his seemingly endless bag. He slung the satchel of arrows over his shoulder. He would most definitely need more than one regular arrow for this target. He breathed in, and then expelled the breath.
It was time.
He was about to get ready to knock back an arrow, before groaning at remembering they had a protocol for this.
He would one day sit with his beloved leader and proceed to smack the shit out of them for the covenant's law of ordinance.
There were three laws of the Darkmoon:
Always hunt down the targeted guilty.
Never go through the barrier of the leader, unless he bid you entrance.
Finally, when invading the target announce yourself, and give them the chance at redemption with Oswald of Carim.
He sometimes regretted the day he refused to join the forest hunters. They looked like fun. Though the DarkMoon Ring was cooler looking.
He let out an irritable sigh, before walking around the outcropping and setting off towards the figure. He made himself known.
"You there!" He shouted.
The person turned to him with a curious tilt of the head, before giving him his full attention.
He really didn't like how they just sat there looking at him, but he continued on before he was within 30 meters of the fellow and stopped. No need to get too close to the target, less he feel the sting of the weapon they wielded with all their might behind it.
"I am Oram of the DarkMoon, Spirit of Vengeance, you are under penalty of assault against the persons, Adrian the Blacksmith, Vamos the Skull, and Torant the Giant."
"Oh am I now?" They spoke, the voice distinguishing that they were indeed male, but the malice behind it was obvious.
Oram was not happy. Something was wrong, so very wrong. He looked left and right, to the sides of the guilty, before focusing back on him.
"Yes! State your name and come peacefully for redemption less you be killed here and now" Oram's voice was dry ice, as he looked down the person across from him.
He adopted a thinking posture, before shrugging, "How about…No"
Oram felt annoyed. There was something foul in the forest and he felt like he was in the middle of it.
"Then by the order of Gywndolin you shall be punished!" He was done talking. It was time to deal out some vengeance.
"Well then…Come at me bro" The person said, before they readied themselves. Axe flying to their shoulder with ease, as a glowing green shield came to their front. Oram notched back an arrow. His aim for their head.
No one moved. They stood like that for a moment, when movement caught his eye, a tree that he was almost positively sure wasn't there was standing 10 meters away from him.
*rustle* He looked behind him, and spotted what could only be an exact copy of the tree in front of him.
Shit. His luck couldn't be this bad could it.
His breath hitched before he jumped sideways to avoid being cut down by an oversized axe.
"Eyes on the prize there! DarkMoon!" The guilty mocked, before moving and engaging Oram, his speed destroying any doubt Oram had of this being simple.
He jumped away and knocked back an arrow from the air, before letting it fly. The man before him let the arrow be deflected by his shield.
Oram knew this wasn't going to be easy. He growled before jumping to a tree, and shooting off three more arrows.
They were as ineffective as the first.
The guilty ran up to him again, his swing widely arced, and deadly. Oram bent down low, dodging the swing, before he reached his leg upward to kick at the opponent's hand. He was successful in his disarming of his opponent, and he punched the person in the left side of his helmet. They staggered backwards, before Oram swept his legs out from under him. The sinner fell in a heap before he was held down by a booted foot, with an arrow aiming for his face.
He allowed a smirk to settle on his face, 'Too easy ya clunky bastard'
Just as he was about to end it, The DarkMoon blade was forced to backstep, less he be on the receiving end of a claymore to his face. He landed in a tree and was forced to jump away once again, as that same tree was chopped down by another large weapon.
Taking purchase of the floor beneath him, invader's eyebrow twitched relentlessly. Three of them. Three of fucking them. He hated his life, or undead life, whatever it was.
"You okay boss Gannon?" Asked the one with the claymore. Oram looked up to see an individual, just as armored as the Guilty, no known as Gannon. They were covered from head to toe in yellowish gold armor. The shoulders being wide, and the headpiece having a protrusion at the top with grooves in the helm like with Gannon's, though this one's armor was more metal-like. The claymore in their hands made all the more prevalent by the crackles it carried throughout the forest.
A Fucking LIGHTNING weapon, shit. This wasn't his day. He looked behind Gannon, and his lackey, whom Oram proceeded to call Lackey #1, and looked to see another figure, who he would call, Lackey #2. His armor the same as the #1's, and his weapon of choice being long heavy blade. In fact it looked like the one he saw with…the…Capra….Demon.
"Fuck my life" He groaned. Did Gywn hate him or something?
"Yeah, yeah, I'm good, now how about we go take care of this chump" Gannon said, as he was given his axe by the second lackey. He then proceeded to dust off his armor and hitch his Axe once more onto his shoulder.
"So this was yoru trap? What couldn't handle a little punishment by yourself?" Oram taunted, not belaying the growing anger at seeing the trio, whom he would call the Gank Squad for obvious reasons.
"What, does it bother you that I, Gannon, brought along some insurance? What, U mad bro?"
He really needed to pick a better line of work. He facepalmed and dragged his hand down his face. His visage the image of irritated beyond belief.
He couldn't do it like this. He needed space. There were few things he could do to kill all three of them without dying. And even then he may even die trying. So he had to make a tactical retreat.
He quickly let his left hand glow a bright orange, before he raised it, and brought it down onto the ground. His form covered by a purplish mist.
"Shit! Poison Mist!" The Gank leader, Gannon shouted, before he backpedalled along with his junkies away from the immediately area.
"You go right, you left! I got middle; we'll get this bastard in a pincer!" Gannon ordered. They entered formation, around the smokescreen. It finally dissipated, and they were shocked to find that he was gone.
"Dammit! Where'd he go?" The Gank Squad was looking every which way.
"I don't know!"
"Where's he at?"
"You idiots! Come on lets go find him! He's gotta be here somewhere" Gannon said, as they stomped through the area, towards another section of the forest.
"Man, if there was a ring I loved more than the Hawk Ring, it would be this one" A voice rang out, before a figure became visible. Oram sighed in relief, as he looked at his helpful ring. It had a golden band, with a spherical gem embedded in it. The gem held a wisp-like substance within.
"Ring of Fog, Gywn's gift to us invaders" Oram spoke relieved. He looked to the immediate area finding the Gank Squad in the distance, tearing through the forest with gusto. Treants and trees found themselves on the receiving ends of lightning, Machete and axe points.
He needed to deal with this quickly and efficiently. They were stupid, for sure, but he wouldn't bet his souls that they wouldn't figure things out with time. He needed a vantage point take Gannon down in one swift move. He knew of only one place here where he could get such an advantage.
He moved quickly, shading over his form with the Ring of Fog once more. He ended up at a stone structure. It resembled a small entryway, with a bridge toward the other side of the forest. He began to climb. His Black Leather Boots and Hard Leather Gauntlets finding good purchase in the jutted stones of the wall. He made his way to the top and stood tall. His Witch Cloak blowing in the wind, as he attached the Hawk Ring to his left ring finger. He sight instantly tripled. He could see the opposition.
He would only get one chance at this.
He changed his current bow. He would need something stronger. He needed a weapon that would laugh at this distance between him and his foe. He reached into his side bag, depositing the Composite bow her held before.
He needed the strongest in his arsenal. He reached and pulled.
The weapon of their undoing.
DarkMoon Bow. Its blackish brown liquored wood, and gold aim piece shined in the moonlight.
The bow though by itself would not be enough. It had the speed but none of the power. He needed an arrow of immense potential. He thought back to when he was practicing with the bow itself, when he was taught the secret to making the bow reach its maximum point of power.
Flashback
Oram stood at the edge of one of the Anor Londo buildings. He took to look out towards Anor Londo his eyes focused, as he steadied his new weapon, recently received from Torant himself, who was ordered by Leader Gywndolin to make him this particular weapon.
He aimed far and wide, his form erect, as he let a blunt wooden arrow fly far before hitting an imp in the hind quarter. The Imp itself looking around as it raged.
He laughed, while rolling. This thing was so freakin' awesome!
"I see you have made entertainment for yourself Oram" A calm voice spoke. (If you want a good idea of how Gywndolin speaks, imagine her with Tia Harribel's voice. I think it fits.)
Oram froze, as he turned his head mechanically to the right. There, in all her robed glory, stood Gywndolin, second daughter of Gywn and sister to Gywnevere, as well as the founder of the Dark Moon Blades.
"Ah, ah, I mean, good evening Ma'am! I mean sir! NO I mean Ma'am!" He stumbled over his words. He was so stupid to have not been paying attention.
A smile made its way onto Gywndolin's lips, before she chuckled, amused. Her helmet of dark sun absent, revealing short cut, auburn hair and green eyes.
"I see you're practicing with your new weapon" She spoke, her voice sweet honey.
He blushed. Getting caught like that was nothing short of embarrassing.
"Uh, well, I mean…Sorry" He bowed at the hip, his cheeks aflame.
The covenant leader chuckled once more. She glided over towards the edge of the building on which they stood. She brought out a pair of binoculars, catching sight of the arrow her member shot. Her eyes widening slightly as she spied the distance. She looked towards Oram, her gaze speculating. She took in his bare fingers and she allowed her eyes to widen once more.
"Oram" She spoke.
"Yes, Leader" He answered back, his head coming back up to see his mistress watching him with a curious gaze.
"Where do you keep your Hawk Ring?"
"Hawk Ring?" He questioned. He heard of it before, but he never found one.
"Do you not own one?"
"No mistress" He answered, curious. He watched her as she reach into her robe, before pulling out an enclosed fist. She glided over towards him, and stretched out the appendage, opening it up, revealing a gray ring with the engraving of a hawk on it.
"It's one of a set of four that I own, and I'm entrusting this to you for excellence use" She spoke, as she turned his frozen body's hand over and handed him the ring.
"Mistress, but this is yours-"
"And now it is yours, I know you will put it to good use"
"Thank you mistress!" He bowed deeply. His respect for her shooting up more than just a few notches.
She seemed to smile once more before preparing to leave. She ghosted past him, before stopping a few meters away.
"Oram" Her voice carried over easily.
"Yes, Ma'am" He responded in kind.
"Tell me, how does the weapon fair? Be honest" She spoke once more, her tone curious.
"Honestly, my leader?"
"Yes"
"…" He hesitated for a few seconds, before speaking up once more, "the bow is very durable. It is easy to steady and its range and far above that of regular bows…"
"Yet…"She urged him on.
"It has great distance, no doubt, but its power may be for lack of a better word, weak" Oram finished, as he watched his master mull over what he said.
She thought about what Oram said and, after some thought, she came to a decision.
"Oram" She finally spoke, her eyes alight with determination.
"Uh, yes, Leader?" His response came out more like a question than a statement.
"I have decided that you will become my apprentice" She said it with finality that he couldn't dispute.
"Are you sure?" He asked.
"Were I not sure I wouldn't have offered" She responded with a smile. All he could do was smile and bow once again.
"Thank you master! No! Sensei!" Gywndolin blushed at the title, before chuckling and walking over to her former position by the edge of the roof.
"No, it will be my pleasure to have you as an apprentice. So you said that the bow lacked power?" She asked, confirming his opinion.
"Yes sensei, but like I said regular arrows just don't seem to do the job" His response was crisp and quick.
"Then how would you like to know the true power of that bow you wield?" Her question brought a certain tint to her eyes that filled him with unfamiliar dread when he usually addresses his leader.
"M-M-Ma'am?" His response was stuttered. A shiver went up his spine as the Dark Moon Blade leader turned toward him slowly.
"Tell me what do you know of Moonlight Arrows?"
Flashback End
He shivered once more in memory of the events that followed that meeting. He went through hell and high water to learn, craft and obtain the materials for the base of the arrows…
He would never be able to look at a Moonlight Butterfly the same way again.
He let that moment pass, and began preparation for his attack.
He set his feet apart, slightly wide stance. His arms were loosened, and relaxed.
Finally he reached into him side bag and pulled out an object that had brought him to tears to get.
A crystalized Moonlight Butterfly Egg. It was small, and glistened in light of the moon itself. Its color being a bright teal.
He brought the egg to the tip of his bow and attached it to the golden piece.
He eyes set out wayward. He removed the Ring of Fog and attached another ring to the finger. The Hornet ring. The second ring to the set of four that he earned from his leader. It would help raise the power of the shot he was trying to make by a significant amount.
He looked outward, toward the forest, and his eyes settled on his target. The trio still looking for him. He would only get one shot at this, so he had to make it count. The preparation took 30 seconds and he needed every moment to count.
He held the bow, his Hard Leather Gauntlets notching an arrow, and with this movement he began a chant:
30 seconds…
I wield this bow in the name of the Moon…
He watched as the trio turned around and raged about. He continued,
My life ever bathed in its eternal circle…
25 seconds…
Gannon was turning to look at his goons, whose backs were to Oram. Yet, he continued on.
Meeting the Sun, only once bathing in its glossy incandescence….
15 seconds….
If he could tell, he would say that Gannon froze with his eyes wide. The chant still rolled off his lips.
The Path of Nine venues, yet I shall remain in the darkness of night…
10 seconds…
Gannon is now pointing and frantically moving about, probably telling them to turn around. The chant took priority.
5 seconds….
Yet I shall mourn for the Moon, as it is eclipsed by its other….
They finally turned around taking notice of him… Too late, the chant in its final verse.
So make tribute to my plead…
The bow shone a great light, his Faith finding home in its embedded egg.
Cry and seek Vengeance! Arrow of Wrathful Moonlight!
He fired the arrow. The arrow that contained all his faith and being. It shot through the air, with the sound of breaking crystal following its wake.
Gannon had just enough time to stop two-handing his great axe before the arrow tore into his skull, removing the head as a whole. Yet it wasn't finished, the arrow with its collective powered exploded in a great light. Encompassing all in its range.
The trio never stood a chance.
Oram watched his work, and smiled, tipping his Witch's Hat downward. Finally he could say this for this adventure…
"Victory Achieved Target Destroyed."
