Ember, Lord of Hollows, Usurper of the First Flame, wakes not to the familiar walls of his keep, to the sounds of his people attending to their duties, but to the open sky, stretching high and far above him.
Well, that was new.
He blinks slowly, taking in the surroundings. Was he dreaming?
How strange. He doesn't think he's dreamt in so long a time. He stretches, realizing then that he lies in a stone box.
Oh no.
He sits up, armor scraping loudly against stone. Oh no.
He recognizes this place, hazy in his memory, his awakening as the Bells tolled the fading of the Flame and the abandonment of the Thrones by their proper Lords.
He hears the Bells now; the deep, resounding toll to wake the Unkindled to link the Fire.
This was no dream.
He can feel the Usurped Flame in his breast, rumbling as the Bells continued to sing their mournful peals into the mountain air.
Ember wonders if he could Usurp another Flame. What Lord of Hollows would stop at one, after all?
He wants to try, and he has to find Yuria and the others again, anyway. Might as well have some fun along the way to rebuilding his kingdom.
Gundyr is almost too easy to kill and Ember rams his sword up the giant's throat and gleefully tugs it free, reveling in the rush of a fresh kill.
He'd nearly forgotten how fun it was to slaughter his way through the many other monsters and Lords that existed in the world.
Then it's on to Firelink Shrine. Ember breezes past the Firekeeper, waves cheerfully to Ludleth who seems to be on the edge of dozing off on his throne and activates the bonfire.
The journey to the Undead Settlement doesn't take too long, and Ember spots Yoel in prayer, surrounded by dead pilgrims.
"Yoel!" Ember calls, all the command of a Lord of Hollows ringing in his voice.
"Ah, how do you know my name, good Champion of Ash?" Yoel asks, voice thin and reedy.
"I know many things, loyal Yoel," Ember says. "I would have thee send word to Yuria of Londor, for I much desire to speak with her. I would become this world's Lord of Hollows and usurp the dying Flame."
Yoel seems for a moment shocked, but recovers quickly, voice excited now. "Oh, my good Lord, I shall do so at once. I can sense the Sigils you bear, oh how wonderful!"
"I would deliver thy reward, loyal Yoel," Ember says, idly drumming his fingers against his sheathed sword, "But not until thou have spoken with our Lady Yuria and she stands before me."
Ember longs to see his black-clad Lady again, see the glint of her bone-white eyes through her ebony helm, hear the sweet sharpness of her voice.
She is a mentor and servant both, sworn to his service, kneeling before his throne of Hollow Souls.
He will need her in the coming months, of that much Ember is sure.
He leaves Yoel to send word, and heads towards the crumbling walls of High Lothric. There's a few more things that need to die, Ember thinks.
His kingdom will rise like embers from the ashes of this world of dying flame.
"But the old gods are no more, and the all-powerful fire deserveth a new heir.
Our Lord of Hollows, it shall be, who weareth the true face of mankind."