A/N: Hello everyone, i had meant to get this out much earlier than this. Unfortunately, i managed to catch the worst stomach flu i have ever experienced, and due to my own stupidity, ended up with nasty additional health issues. And then of course, Xmas time arrived and all creative time was lost in a haze of Chocolate and other things that aren't good for me.
I should probably explain that my story will take certain liberties with established canon in both games, Darksouls is a game centered purely around its mechanics and its lore is intentionally left open, thus characters will be fleshed out as i see fit with added ideas about what those degenerates get up to in firelink shrine and beyond.
Skyrim, as with all bethesda games is unpolished and i'll be making little adjustments to fix what i think are rough areas and also to adapt the world to the coming dark soul.
Thanks to all those who are viewing the story and especially those who follow, review and other such things. It is greatly appreciated.
Katryn
"I still don't get it, where the hell did it go?"
She felt as thick as a Dwemer breastplate at that moment, she had always been fascinated by magic and had read about all the major disciplines from those practiced at the guild of magic right to the taboo arcane arts in the Hist swamps of the Argonians, but despite all this she could not wrap her head around the small sack that hung from Gale's belt.
"It is still here." The man responded in his oddly high-pitched voice as he reached into the sack and pulled the Dragon stone halfway out, the sack itself stretching in a logic defying manner to accommodate the object before he allowed it to slide back in.
"But look!" She exclaimed, snatching the confusing sack from Gale's hand and upending it. "It doesn't fall out, it's not an illusion and you say it's not teleportation... It doesn't even weigh anything!"
"And yet." Her companion began as he took his bag back and pulled the stone out once more. "Here it is."
'Is he being deliberately obtuse?' She thought to herself before catching sight of the ever so slight up-tilt corner of his mouth that indicated he was in fact playing with her. She huffed without any real annoyance, she considered it an achievement in her book that she had gotten that level of reaction out of him, the man hadn't cracked a joke, a smile or even a frown the entire way down the mountain and had instead maintained that same stone face and metaphorical distance between them.
"In truth, I do not know how this or any item of its kind functions." Gale began and she had to stop herself from jumping in surprise, this was the first time he had volunteered anything beyond a simple response. "The magic involved in creating such things has been lost for millennia. As best I understand, the sack contains a gate of sorts that leads to another aspect of reality that we cannot normally perceive."
Katryn stared. The man had gone from barely speaking to the vocabulary of a long-time scholar, he was without a doubt the strangest person she had ever met.
Gale continued to speak, his face pursed in thought. "I suppose an analogy could be found in a painting, the observer sees the painting as flat yet if one were to live in the painting there would be a depth of area to his view that the observer cannot perceive. Likewise, I am of the belief that there is a realm or dimension beyond our ability to naturally observe."
"I... Okay." She filed this conversation away in her mind, it seemed to be his area of interest. "So, you have a lot of things in there?"
Gale cocked his head. "Yes, although I had not thought to take count. Time was... of the essence." He brought up the sack and slowly withdrew a long and thin blade, the type of sword the old Emperors guard, the blades, used in times of old.
Her interest must have shown on her face because he produced the sheath for the sword and handed it to her. She brought the sword up to her eye to examine it, the sheath was simple yet beautiful being made of some unfamiliar dark wood, the handle was wrapped in ray-skin and bound with dark ribbon. With as much flourish as she could she drew the sword, it was lighter than any other she had ever used and responded to every flick of her wrist. With a smile she brought the sword above her head and slashed down through an imaginary Draugr.
"The Advantage of the Uchigatana is that one can draw and attack in the same motion." Gale said as she handed him back the sword. He held the sheath at his waist as if it were attached to his belt and with one smooth movement he pushed forward and pulled the blade from its sheath right into a sweeping backhanded slash. "Few expect such an attack."
"Anything in there for hunting dragons?" She joked as he slid the sword back into his bag. Only to gasp in shock as he began to pull out a length of beautifully engraved steel.
The curved steel length just kept coming and he finally freed it by dropping the bag to the ground, it was only when he planted the larger end on the ground and forcibly began to bend it that she realized what it was, an impractically sized great bow. She was about to say as much before the thought struck her that if anything, the bow was too small to do anything but tickle a dragon unless he had-
Once again, her thoughts were cut off as he finished stringing the bow and withdrew an arrow from his bag, although the word 'arrow' was the loosest possible term for the monstrous javelin-like object in his hand. With the base planted in front of him he pinned it down with his front foot and with a grunt pulled the base of the 'arrow' to his cheek and loosed it at a nearby oak. The almighty crack echoed through the evening air as the metal tip punched into the trunk of the oak sending a shower of splinters in every direction, the sound of panicking birds soon joined that echo as they took off in fright.
"Sweet child of Mara." Katryn whispered.
Curious steps carried her to the great arrow to find in well and truly stuck, an experimental tug revealed that the tree would just have to live with the giant metal shaft, her mind already picturing a child's swing set hanging from the arrow some hundred years from now. Her little fantasy was cut short as Gale gripped the arrow shaft, planted his foot against the tree and heaved. She supposed she shouldn't be surprised anymore at his random displays of strength; the man's preferred combat style was to one-hand a greatsword and pair it with a dagger the size of a shortsword after all.
"I am told that these bows were used to hunt dragons in times past." The man said, placing each object back into his mysterious pouch. "Never seen it done with mine own eyes."
"Well it's not as if these would be used on people, that would be excessive even for Thalmor." She chuckled to herself. A handful of seconds passed before she noticed Gale's ever so slight grimace.
"You're jesting right?" She asked.
"The results are...disturbing." Her companion responded.
At this she once again found her mind trying to figure out where this man was from. Flaming swords and lightning were not uncommon even in her limited experience, but there was something decidedly unnatural about him. His build was unremarkable for his size yet he was easily one of the stronger people she had ever met, he barely spoke but when he did his speech indicated a deep education, His skin was fair enough to be a native to Skyrim but his features were refined enough that one could mistake him for a mixed breed elf.
Her own education had been exceptional and she was fairly certain that no major city bore the name "Astora". She wondered whether he could be lying to her before a thought occurred to her, she was certain that there was no city in Tamriel by that name but Tamriel was not the only continent on Mundas. Akivir, the ancient home of man existed somewhere beyond the shores of Skyrim.
"So, tell me about Astora."
She didn't know what kind of response to expect but she was surprised when the man jolted in surprise, very nearly tripping on the uneven path.
"What doth thou wish to know?" Came a reply that sounded almost...Hesitant.
"What is the greatest thing about Astora, the thing you miss most?" She asked in an attempt to diffuse his sudden tension.
Almost a minute passed by in silence before he finally responded in a voice quiet even by his own standards. "The parades."
She tilted her head questioningly as he seemed to struggle with the memory.
"Astora was known for its wealth and culture, the blue tabards born by the elite knights of the land were recognized by all. As a child I would run out to watch them march by our estate to try catch sight of my brother. Once, he even bore me on his shoulder for the rest of the parade."
She waited but he did not make any attempt to continue with his story.
That he spoke of it all in past tense was not lost on her.
Gale
His head hurt.
Pain was not something he was unaccustomed to, in fact one could quite rightly say that it was the one constant in his life...perhaps 'Lives' was the more accurate term, he had after all lived and died countless times since awakening in that gods-forsaken graveyard.
But this pain was somewhat bitter-sweet. His first life was something that came to him in flashes, enough that he knew his name and origin but precious little more. Now however, he had a solid recollection and it came to him with shocking clarity, he could smell the oil on chainmail, hear the metallic chorus of marching boots, feel the solid pauldron beneath him and most potently of all, feel the child-like hero worship he held for his brother.
A faceless, nameless brother as it was. From a long dead, faceless and nameless family. Hence the bittersweet nature of such a memory.
His mind turned once again to his impromptu travelling companion, a veritable contradiction of personality quirks. Her imposing height and build, especially for a woman, was countered by a quirky and playful sense of humor that reminded him uncomfortably of Greirat. Her rustic leather and fur armor that gave the impression of a barbaric mountain dweller belied a sharp wit and surprising level of education. But there was one thing above all that intrigued him, the familiar feeling that he had when she was near, one he had felt numerous times throughout the past months and knew very well.
It was the same feeling he always had when he came upon one with a powerful soul, or as Ludleth had put it, 'A twisted soul, steeped in strength'.
The fact she wasn't trying to kill him was a breath of proverbial fresh air, so it probably indicated that the 'twisted' part of the description was inaccurate in her case. Nevertheless, the fact that someone as unassuming as Katryn bore such a soul piqued his curiosity, he just hoped that his curious nature would not lead him on another horror journey as it did with Ariandel... or the Dreg heap.
He shivered. The Dreg heap and the Ringed city were places he dearly wished he could forget, and it did not help that Katryn had seen fit to nickname him after one of his most terrifying foes, even if he had once been a friend of sorts.
The thundering sound of a club meeting the earth pulled him from his thoughts, it was a sound he was well acquainted with. Katryn was the first of them to act, bounding through the remaining trees around the mountain path towards the source. He stopped in confusion as he broke through the foliage and beheld the...Giant?... doing battle with a group of warriors. It was by far the strangest giant he had ever seen, dressed in the wooly hide of some unknown animal and swinging about a club larger than most men.
'The giants of this world must be a far different breed.' He thought to himself as he walked unhurriedly towards the melee. Firstly, it was smaller than the giants he was familiar with and far more wiry, secondly it fought with none of skill or finesse the Yhorm possessed, perhaps Yhorm was a cut above most giants in martial ability. What It did have in common was the raw strength expected of one so large.
The ground quaked with every blow as the pack of warriors danced around it alternating between attacking and distracting roles, one archer in particular seemed to be making the calls while firing arrows at the giants face forcing it to keep the arm upraised in defense. They fought well, leagues better than bandits and hollows he fought at the barrow, one warrior would feint in to bait out the giant's attack and the other two would dart in to cut away at its legs while it was unable to retaliate, an attack pattern that was reminiscent of a wolf pack. Katryns arrival speed up the inevitable as she leapt from a crumbling stone wall to hamstring the weakening giant and it felt to its knee with a pained groan which was cut short as a lucky arrow found its way into its eye.
Almost as one the warriors sheathed their weapons and turned to the red-haired archer, the archer herself was content to stare coolly at the pair of newcomers as Gale finally arrived at her side. The war paint on the woman's face did a good job at masking any little expressions that would give away her thoughts, her armor left her midriff and parts of her arms exposed leaving him to wonder what purpose it served. Finally he made eye contact with the silent woman and he felt his fingers twitch for his sword, her eyes were a deep, unnatural amber eerily reminiscent of his own, a trait he realized was shared among two of the other warriors. Finely honed instincts warned him that the three were far more dangerous than they appeared.
"Well. That's taken care of." The woman began. "Although it seems one of you would make a better shield-sibling than the other."
"I have no quarrel with the giant. Far be it for me to join a fight without understanding the situatin." He replied seeing Katryn frown a little at his rebuke.
The archer scoffed. "It's a giant, not a man. There is no reasoning with it."
Gale cocked a brow at her, the woman's casual arrogance grated at him more than it usually would. "Spoken with many giants then, I wouldst assume?"
"Giants don't talk." Stated one of the warriors, a large bear of a man. A split-second after, a small frown creased his face and he turned to the warrior beside him. "Do giants talk, brother?"
"Not to my knowledge." The brother replied, stiffening as the archer turn her frown towards them.
Gale looked down at the colossal corpse that lay crushing some poor farmers vegetable garden. "Stitched animal-hide garments, carved oak club. If it is capable of making thread and needles and working both leather and wood then t'would stand to reason such a beast would be able to communicate, wouldst it not?"
The Huntresses eyes narrowed at him, an almost animal look that did not sit well on an otherwise beautiful face. "A True warrior would relish the opportunity to test his mettle against such an opponent."
Gale's own eyes narrowed, the longer he was in this woman's presence, the more he felt that those three were...wrong. "Perhaps, I've often found the phrase "true warrior" to be synonymous with 'fool'.
Strangely this response only made the woman smile, another predatory expression that looked much out of place. "Perhaps you would be willing to come by Jorrvaskr and show us how the wise do battle then, outlander?"
Gale blinked at this. "Jorrvaskr?" He asked.
"The home of the Companions, it stands before Dragon's reach here in Whiterun." The woman replied.
He turned to Katryn, she did not look pleased with him or the situation before turning back to the Huntress. "If it be thine wish, our business with the Jarl should not endure for too long."
"Until then outlander." She said, turning to walk past her assembled companions. "Come boys, Jorrvask awaits!"
"He has strange eyes, brother." Came the terrible attempt at a whisper from the departing group.
Any replay he may have heard was lost as Katryn's palm met his un-armored shoulder with surprising force.
"What in the name of Molag's balls was that about?" She hissed.
He merely turned to her and tilted his head questioningly.
"Don't give me that look, life is hard enough here in Skyrim without making enemies with the Companions of all people!"
His only response was a raised brow which earned him an exasperated sigh.
"Let's just go see the pissing Jarl, the sooner he gets his stone the sooner I get paid and the sooner I can get a warm meal."
"Something is wrong with them." He finally spoke.
"What?"
"The huntress and the two brothers. Something is...wrong." He clarified.
"Gale. You throw lightning with one hand and throw around a great sword with the other. You were literally on fire when you killed that giant draugr."
He blinked. Twice. "Your point is valid."
Katryn sighed again. "I do see what you mean, there's something odd about them but then again, we're both outsiders here so we aren't the best judges."
Gale hummed in agreement and turned his attention to the city as they walked on. The city walls were rustic and unrefined in design yet quite functional, by the height of the roofs visible over the top he supposed that the ground level was higher inside, making them impossible to breach. All three of the gates were heavily reinforced and set up with large killing grounds in between, truly this city was built to withstand a siege.
The sight the awaited him as they entered the city proper stopped him dead in his tracks. People were everywhere, non-hollow people that simply went about their business, and there were so many of them! Children darted along in groups as they played some alien game amongst themselves, women and men wandered between the market stalls and various houses, milling about in a chaotic mass of bodies that all at once amazed and terrified him.
The clanging of hammers on steel assaulted his ears, the smell of smoke from house chimneys and forges brought memories of Lothric to mind, he could now hear the unsteady clacking of armored boots and the moans of hollows, he could smell the scent of burning and rotting flesh. His muscles tensed and his hand absently made its way to the hilt of his Farron great sword.
"Gale." The name snapped him back to the present as a hand grabbed his wrist. "Are you okay?"
He turned his gaze downward to find Katryn looking up at him with concern in her eyes.
"I am sorry, I... forgot myself." He tried, the excuse sounded lame to his own ears.
"How does Whiterun compare to Astora?" She asked him. He could tell she was trying to keep his thoughts occupied. He appreciated it.
"In truth, I have not been to Astora for... many years, I scarcely recall what the city was like."
"Oh? So which city did you come here from then?" She asked.
Gale cursed internally, he had managed to walk himself right back into the one place he was trying not to think about.
"It is called Lothric." He eventually replied.
Katryn hummed thoughtfully. "Haven't heard of that one either, how does it compare to this?"
This time Gale steeled himself as he drudged up the memories of that destitute city. "In its prime, Lothric had no match, the walls were over a hundred feet high, the castle proper and the grand archives seemed to touch the sky and its people were the wealthiest in the world."
"That sounds amazing, kind of like the imperial city." Katryn said as she navigated them through the busy streets towards a large statue.
"It was by all accounts. When I arrived, the city had fallen into disrepair from strife and civil war, those who roamed the streets were little more than beasts themselves."
"Oh... What was your reason for being there if it was so bad?"
Gale chewed his lip searching for a partial answer that would satisfy his inquisitive companion. It was hard thing for such a terrible liar. "I was to deliver a message."
"What kind of message?"
This time, the words came unbidden to his lips. The same words uttered in his mind and soul since the bells tolled to bring him from the grave.
"In flesh or in cinders, the lords shall take their thrones." He said.
The silence stretched on between them as they crested the stairs before a large ornate longhouse.
"That sounds almost like an ultimatum." Came Katryn's voice.
Gale hummed in agreement. "That's because it was."
Thankfully he was saved by any further explanation as they were approached by two of the guardsmen.
"Halt. What business do you have here, the court is not in open session until the evening" The guard questioned.
'A ruler who allows the common folk to come in open audience? How strange.' He thought to himself as Katryn answered the guard.
It seemed their arrival was anticipated and the guard hurried them inside and directed them towards a room off the side of the main hall. As they neared the entrance, he could make out two distinct voices, he was surprised when Katryn's arm reached out to stop him in his tracks. The woman only motioned for him to be quiet before sneaking closer.
The conversation meant little to him without context, the voices discussed some sort of record from an age he was unfamiliar with and one person's ability to compare it to other records, in truth, if it were not for Katryn's rapped attention then he would have barged right on in. That was until one sentence made him startle.
"The dragons have returned."
The phrase uttered from the feminine voice caused his gut to roll and his fists to clench, his mind assailed by memories of giant stone scales, torrents of abyssal flames and a giant clawed hand that sought to deny him entry to the church of Filianore.
"Ah, so you have returned! With good news I hope." The male voice roused him to the realization that he was standing alone by the doorway, he quickly entered to stand behind his companion.
"And with a new companion, this was not the man sent with you?" The man continued.
"No." Came an uncharacteristically cold voice as Katryn turned motioned to him for the Dragon stone. "Your man fell to bandits on the journey, Gale had been hunting the same bandits and joined with me."
"Oh, that is unfortunate. But his sacrifice will be remembered." He started before catching sight of the tablet Gale had produced from his bag. "The Dragon stone of Bleak falls barrow, you two are evidently a cut above the usual brutes the Jarl sends to aid me."
Gale made to hand over the tablet when Katryn's arm halted him once again.
"What about my reward?" She asked.
"Oh, you'll have to see the Jarl or Avenicci. The Jarl's funds are not mine to disperse unfortunately, they are sure to reward you no doubt."
A second passed and Katryn nodded at him which he took as a sign to hand it over. They robed man took it and cradled it as if it were a newborn.
"Incredible." The man breathed before looking up at them. "My...associate here will be pleased to see your handiwork. She discovered its location, by means she has so far declined to share with me."
He turned to the mysterious hooded woman. In Gale's experience, people with hooded faces meant trouble.
"So, your information was correct after all. And we have our friend to thank for recovering it for us." He continued.
The woman merely regarded him and Katryn, her hooded eyes rolling over them both in a critical manner before speaking. "Impressive, to brave Bleak falls barrow. You do not know the importance of what you have done. Farengar, be sure to-"
She was cut off as a strange looking woman burst into the room. Her eyes were blood red, her skin a deep purple that verged on black, her features all sharp angles.
"Farengar! You must come at once!" She called. "A dragon has been sighted!"
The strange woman then caught sight of them, her eyes briefly glancing over him before resting on Katryn.
"You should come too, you're the only one to have seen a dragon attack." She added.
His gaze shot toward his companion, this was one thing she had neglected to mention during her incessant talking on the return to Whiterun. Katryn looked about abut ready to tell her where she could stick her suggestion when Farengar's excited voice sounded.
"A dragon! How exciting, where was it? What was it doing?" He questioned as he hurried after her.
Katryn hissed in annoyance as she turned to follow, leaving a very confused Gale to follow her.
"Irelith tells me that you came from the western watchtower?" Came a strong confident voice as they arrived at the upper floor. The man speaking had to be the Jarl, broad shoulders were adorned with ceremonial pauldrons and a fur mantle, a simple circlet of bronze sat upon the man's head.
"Uh, yes m'lord." The soldier stammered, Gale could hear the near panic in his voice. "We saw it approach from the south, it was faster than anything I've ever seen."
"Did it attack the garrison?" The Jarl pressed.
"No m'lord, it was only circling as I left. I've never run so fast in my life, I thought it would take me for sure."
The Jarl breathed a deep sigh as he drummed his fingers on the table. "Head down to the barracks for some rest son, you deserve it. Irileth, muster all available men, I want the guard on high alert and the folk returned to their homes. I want every man we can spare ready to march on the western watchtower."
The woman nodded. "Being done as we speak m'lord, they will assemble before the main gate."
The Jarl smiled and turned to Katryn. "There's no time to stand on ceremony my friend, and I know I ask a great deal from you. You survived Helgen and I need whatever information you have given to my men as they march."
Katryn herself had turned pale. "I... I don't know.." She trailed off.
The Jarl's face was grim and he approached her. "I am aware of what I am asking and believe me when I say I wish I did not have to ask, but I need anything that can help save my men's lives, the reward will of course be substantial for you and your companion."
He set his hands on Katryn's shoulders. "It is not befitting of a Jarl to beg, but needs must. Will you help us?"
Katryn's eyes darted rapidly from the Jarl's eyes to the door to the floor and back again, seconds passed before she took a deep bracing breath and nodded.
A relieved smile formed on the Jarl's face. "My deepest thanks sword-maiden, the men await before the main gate."
Gale clamped his hand down on her shoulder as the Jarl turned his attention back down to the maps and letters scattered about his table.
"I am with thee Katryn. We shall be victorious." He reassured her.
"I need but a minute to change."
Thanks for reading. Feel free to leave any critiques or thoughts.
