Siegmeyer's Last Bow

With one final heave he swung his trusted blade to cleave the last of the strange beasts in two. Breathing heavily from the effort and the poison around him, he looked to his ally and smiled, regardless that his helmet was in the way.

"Didn't you get away? Well, you've saved me once again... Thank goodness... I'm exhausted." He admits to his friend, although slightly ashamed at his feebleness. Many times now his comrade had made sure to keep him safe and assist him on his adventures. Certain demise had awaited him in several instances, and yet fate was kind and offered up his undead friend to keep him through. "I think I'll have a rest." He says, huffing slightly at the exertion.

"Siegmeyer, are you sure you're alright?" The undead asked with concern in his voice.

"Don't you worry," Seigmeyer replied, stretching his back. "the ground below me is my pillow." The knight crossed his arms and bowed his head, not moments later he had fallen asleep. What seemed like only a moment later must have been hours. He raised his head and cursed slightly once he awoke, his shame now settling that his friend had gone. He was utterly embarrassed by his own display. His beloved daughter could have taken on those monsters all on her own, of that he was sure. But himself? He seemed no more a soldier than a mere babe whenever faced with adversity. He paused a moment and felt the creeping feeling of emptiness. What had become of his daughter? Was she still at home with his dear wife? Or had she set off to make her own journey? He paused to think this over for a moment before trying to shake it off.

He took up his blade and stole away from the dark and fiery place in which he had been exploring, making for the surface. As he walked he thought, like he often would. His thoughts buzzing around him. He leapt from recent events to thinking about his family. Oh what a fool he had been! To leave something he was so fond of for something simple like adventures or thrills. He missed them immensely now. Traveling had been amazing, the heights of the Legendary City, the depths of the Earth to the lost town of Izalith... But wasn't there something lower?

He nearly stopped in his tracks, recalling something he had heard from a prisoner within the massive fortress he had found himself entrapped in. Thinking back at this caused him to grimace slightly, again recalling where his ally had succeeded when he had failed. The strange inmate had told a story of a hidden path, leading through an ancient tree to the lowest point of the world. When asked more about it he merely muttered about his Lord and Master, the Immortal One. Although confused and incredibly inconsistent, he insisted the tree was one of the giants found in the mire below Blightown. Siegmeyer thought over this, becoming more and more excited. Such a place must be nearly deserted, such a barren, strange and isolated land. There he could explore without needing assistance from his friend. Although special to him, his comrade had saved him one too many times. He needed to prove himself a true knight, not some simple babe with armor and a sword. A true hero and adventurer! That's what he would be. He laughed to himself as he hurried along his way. Now he would be an adventurer, testing his might and finally have stories he could share on his own. Truly now, Siegmeyer the Brave and-

"Father?" His stride faltered. That voice. That voice! Surely it couldn't possibly be...

"Sieglinde?!" He nearly died again on the spot. But there she stood, her armor shining in the sunlight as she stood in his path. "My dear Sieglinde, what are you doing here?" He approached her, his sword falling into the dust.

"Father, I am delighted to see you." She said, taking off her helmet to rush and greet him, their armor clanking together in an awkward hug. "I was terrified that I may never find you again. Oh how good it is to have you here at last." She was crying now, her arms hugged tightly against him. "I have been searching for you for a very long time, father, you are too difficult to find."

"Darling, why are you in this forsaken land? Why are you not back in Catarina?" He asked, his voice wavering slightly.

"Oh, father. I came looking for you. It has been such a long journey. Mother wanted me to tell you that she loves you, and she is sorry for everything she said. Whatever happened between you is forgiven, and she will always remember you." At this last sentence Sieglinde wept louder, her father holding her close as he possibly could.

"My darling daughter, why are you telling me this? You're making it sound like..." He refused to finish his sentence.

"She is dead." Sieglinde cuts in, "She wanted me to tell you before, but I dared not leave her side during the worst of it." She was sniffling by now, unable to wipe her own tears from the bulky metal in her way. Siegmeyer sat her down beside him.

"Sieglinde, what happened? She was right as rain before I had left. How could she have passed so quickly?" He nearly pleads to her, his heart gaining a few pounds. At this Sieglinde only wept more.

"Did you really not see? She was becoming weaker over the years, but she hid it from you. She did not want you to fret over her illness, she wanted to keep you in the dark till the very end. She demanded I say nothing."

"That damn woman." He gave his daughter a sad smile and squeezed her close. "Even on her deathbed she still tries to get the best out of me." He made a clumsy attempt at wiping her tears. "Shush now my precious flower, it is alright, you've made your mother proud and your father more than satisfied. My beloved daughter. I am so proud of you." He says lifting her chin. "I'm sorry for my silly whims, I should have been more careful and caring toward you both."

"So you'll come home then, father?" She asks, not looking back at him. He pauses, somewhat caught off guard by the question.

"Well. My sweet Sieglinde, I have one more task I must complete." She remains silent and then pulls away from him.

"Do as you must, father." She replies in a soft tone. The weight of her words settled even more heavily on his heart.

"It will not take me long. A day at the most. After, we can meet at this quaint little ruin called Firelink Shrine, have you been there, little one?" Sieglinde wipes her own tears silently before replying.

"Of course, a lot of travelers come and go from that place. It is quite interesting to say the least."

"Hm, perhaps you have seen one of my allies at the shrine, then? Tall fellow in blue and red knight's armor? Much less protective than our own." He attempts a lighthearted laugh. She nods in reply.

"Why, yes. In fact, he helped me when I ran into some trouble during my search. I'm glad I had found him, or rather him me, for I would not have been able to be here otherwise."

"Well, I'll be damned." He starts with a chuckle. "Seems I'm not the only one to whom he has lent his blade. Nonetheless, we waste time, my flower. I shall meet you in a day's time. I have heard rumors of an expansive lake, and I must see it with my own eyes before we leave this strange land. That is alright, yes?"

"Why of course, father. I trust you will not make me wait long." She says to him somewhat orderly. As he dons his armor he pauses a moment, wondering if he should share his worries. In it's place he decided to simply pray that whatever deity holds this land in it's heart keep his daughter protected above all else.

It took him the better half of the day for the descent. Luckily, his supply of antitoxin held up through the slow muck through the swamp at the base of the great tree. As he approached, he looked around, quite unsure if this were the correct one. Though he did not use the arcane arts himself, he could feel some magic at work. The tree stood tall and menacing, far greater than any other he had seen. Siegmeyer could spy a telltale curve in the wood, something that would indicate some kind of anomaly in the bark, but it led to nothing of interest. It was at this spot he placed his armored palm. He pushed slightly and felt the wall give, the magic concealing the path dissolved at his presence, as if it knew the trick was revealed. As the wall vanished, he could see into the tree, a slight glow, most likely lit by some organic material from within. He readied his blade and advanced. Nothing could stop him now.

The roots of the tree were amazingly thick, but after some searching he found his exit. It darkened at first, nearly causing him to walk in pitch blackness just before he began to see the light again. When he emerged he nearly stumbled, completely caught off guard for what he saw. For miles around he could see a massive lake or sea of some sort. Massive trees and growth came from beneath the water to ascend further than Siegmeyer could ever hope to see. This mystical, hidden place far below what many consider some of the lowest points of Lordran. Siegmeyer actually laughed, placing his hands on his hips and looking across the thin beach that stretched from one tree to it's closest neighbor. The lake seemed far more akin to an ocean dotted with a few arboreal giants. He stood there a moment before spying an abandoned fire down by the still water. He marched his way through the sand, no easy task for a man in such bulky armor. Once he reached the fire he warmed himself and sat heavily, smiling in triumph from his accomplishment. Here he could conquer anything! Now he would prove his knighthood in a final, heroic tale to be remembered! Once he felt reinvigorated he stood up, stretching and looking about him. It always felt like he would lose track of the time while he say by these fires. The light had shifted and it actually seemed lighter than when he first arrived. Hefting his blade he marched onward, preparing himself for his last adventure. He had made it nearly the length of the first stretch when a particularly large rock began to shift. Underneath was a massive crab of sorts, easily larger than him. The territorial beast clacked it's shell, yet he stood his ground. No simple foe could hope to stand against the armor of a knight of Catarina.

"Have at thee!" He cried before swinging his blade before him. He easily cleaved away it's front claws, causing the beast to give a loud shriek. It attempted to withdraw, striking at him with it's legs, to which Siegmeyer easily deflected or absorbed, proceeding to take a swing at those as well. Although not taking as much of the limb as he would have liked it cut enough for the beast to recoil and emit another horrifying sound as it toppled slightly, losing it's balance with only the few remaining stumps. "Foul creature, I am no mere slaughterer, so I shall end you quickly for mercy and kindness." He speaks to the monster, aiming between it's eyes and running it through. Retracting his sword he watched the beast topple to the ground, devoid of life. He nods before turning to continue, but feels a sort of pressure surrounding him, as if danger were present. The water that was once calm and complacent was now in turmoil. After a moment he decided he had waited long enough, and was ready to move on when the head of some horrid sea-beast breached the ashen surface. Siegmeyer fearlessly readied his trusted blade, but his resolve weakened as another head burst to the surface. Soon another, and another, and Siegmeyer feared he was outnumbered as the ninth head came up from the depths of whatever lair this monster kept beneath the lake. He now saw it was a hydra, a beast that plagued the lakes of Lordran. His undead ally had told him once that he had killed one during his adventure, so surely it could be done! Once again he tightened his grip around his handle.

"Now is my time. This task of clearing this lake of this monster is entrusted to me and me alone." He began his steady advance forward. Once last fight. One last battle. The hideous aquatic snake hissed as it saw the intruder. Several of the heads stared at the dead crab, surely brought to the surface by the blood and sounds of death. Siegmeyer roared as he stepped closer, some hydra heads noticing him and coiling for an attack as the two faced off. He closed the distance as several heads sprung all at once toward him. He dodged and swung full force at one, only catching it as it pulled away hurriedly. It gave a horrifically loud hiss at him, angered at being struck. He steadied his sword and prepared a lunge to avoid another attack when he was caught off guard by a burst of water. He stumbled back from the blow, spluttering as he coughed the salty water out of his mouth and lungs, the splash hitting him full on the helm. It was here the hydra struck, catching him painfully in the side and bowling him over.

"Tricks!" He declared, quickly clambering to his feet. "Cheap tricks and nothing more than that!" He explains, furious that such a beast could get the better of him. He stood again and made sure to keep his eyes peeled, prepared for any of the heads to strike him again. They arced around, waiting for their opening. He was but one man versus nine heads, no, nine different, thinking monsters all at once. On his left he saw one coiling, while another on his right began to fill it's colossal maw with water. It was here he saw his chance. He feigned a step to the left as two of the heads lurched, while stepping forward. He quickly dodged backward, letting a third hit the others with a blast of water. Although ineffective for any damaging blow, it angered them and gave Siegmeyer a chance to take a stab. He landed the hit, but the creature reeled away from his blade, once again stopping him from evening the odds even by a little. While focused on his task two more flailed angrily toward him. One entirely missed, but the other caught his arm, sending him spiraling cross the sand. He righted himself, only to receive another surge of water right at his helm. The force knocked him back while the thick, sealed metal threatened to hold the water, draining at too slow a rate, causing Siegmeyer to struggle for air.

He feels more splashes, by now no physical attacks. The hydra had learned that it could keep him off his feet and itself out of danger by simply hitting him with water again and again. Every time he tries to get his bearings on the beast it sent another splash aimed for his head. He was now coughing, trying to get distance from the murky water that was quickly filling his helm. He was panting, short of breath and surely bruised and battered from the strikes. His left arm was definitely useless from the massive blow earlier and the water that dampened and burdened his form collected sand to weigh him down even more. The terrain was against him and he was far outnumbered. His pride was overridden by strategy and common sense. He could not win this.

He began to move away, still choking from the water that obstructed his breathing. The heavy splatters continued to hit him and the surrounding area, like a rapid fire machine. He made a break for the fire, knowing he could at least put some distance between them. He felt the water continue, more like mocking words and insults than high pressure missiles as he fled. He saw the fire, still smoking in the distance as he made his way to the lip of a solitary dune. He coughed the rest of the foul liquid from his lungs and leans over to help drain his helm, too proud to attempt going without. He righted himself one last time and continued his trek, eager to get to the fire and rest. He was not more than a few feet from his respite when he heard the beast roar off in the distance and a massive splash. He turned slowly, and much to his dismay the monster had leapt over the sandbar to the side he was now on. He could not believe his eyes, but sure enough now the nine devils were bearing down on him with an evil hiss. He fumbled for his sword, nearly dropping it in the process.

"Such a... persistent foe..." He trailed off, unable to speak as all the heads sent a new wave of water toward him. He covered his helm but it is little help to discourage the surge that knocks him back. He landed atop the fire behind him heavily. If the water did not snuff the flames then surely his form did, and worse, he was now slipping down the slope. Siegmeyer's judgment fails as he still refused to take off his helmet, simply attempting to force out the water with his limited air supply. Before he could even look he gets pushed further ashore by another surge, only to repeat the cycle of sinking back down. His strength fading, he attempted to force his blade into the sand, knowing it will not hold long. The assault was too strong, his resolve too far gone.

He coughed loudly now, struggling for air. He shakily looks for the latch on his helm, too little too late, for his hand was now numb with shock and fear. More water. His head blasts backward into his hand, and he felt something crack. His vision fades as he is drown. He barely attempts movement any more, his strength all but gone during the final minutes of bombardment. Siegmeyer could do no more. He fell forward, giving a feeble cough into the pool of water that barred his access to the vital air, mere inches from his face, yet unreachable. He wept quietly, ashamed and alone. Why had he not gone with Sieglinde? His daughter was in his arms not mere hours ago. He lay there, devoid of energy and aching physically and emotionally. As his vision faded his breathing too gave out and he slipped away, letting the darkness take him.

Somewhere in the darkness he hears his daughter. At first, she is calling to him. She stops, and lets out a small scream. He worries, hoping she is alright. Not too long later he hears a struggle and her exasperated breathing. There is a clatter of steel and she begins weeping.

"Sieglinde..." He calls to her, unsure where he is or where she may be. "Sieglinde please be alright." Her weeping stops.

"Father?" Her voice is riddled with disbelief.

"Sieglinde I seem to be lost. I don't think I'll be coming back, dear." He feels weary, as if he were somehow fading even further into his void. "Sieglinde I am proud of you. And I love you. Of you, not my achievements or adventures." His tongue begins to slow. "Because you... were my greatest."

And the knight stops. And lets himself go.

Fin