The place is huge indeed.

From the looks of it, the inside of this large palace seems to be a worshipping place because to Bell's perspective, when he saw the five thrones, two for each side and one at the middle. The center of the palace lies a small pit of ash that looked quiet familiar to the boy. He looked around the place more and also found out that candles are mostly seen on stairs, corners, archs, ect. and most of the candles are lit, however some are dimming and some already gave in. Either way, there are lots of candles around here that he could already smell the exposed wax upon entering the huge palace but also enough to light up the entire place spite of having the lack of torches and lanterns here. The last thing he noticed is that there's really no one around here to clean the place because everywhere he sees on the ground, it's gonna be full of ashes mixed with gravel.

Bell continued to stand there and look around the place until something caught his attention, he heard of footsteps going down the stairs coming from his left and-

"Welcome to the bonfire, unkindled one." said the unknown person who just came down the stairs to greet the boy. It's already a fact to him that in this world he is in right now is that cruel and sorrowful that he should be raising his knife to her by now just in case she might ambush him and kill him. Although he still keeps his general instincts as an adventurer in orario that anything that doesn't come out of nowhere and kill is a sane normal entity. "dost not worry, young one, I tend no harm." said the lady that happened to be one with a very gentle tone with a slight smile to show him she really isn't a threat.

When she approach Bell to welcome him, she seems to be wearing a Dark blue dress that looked quiet a bit tight on her torso and her skirt looked too large that could only barely see your feet whenever you're walking with them, and covering her is a large black cape like cloak that comes with a large hood that is enough to mask your identity and her arms and hands almost entirely wrapped in brown cloth only leaving her hands fingerless as if they're gloves. Bell can't tell whether her hair is white or ashen blonde but it's best to leave it alone for a while since they just met, and what made the boy feel questioned for is her crown over her eyes, blinding her and yet she went down the stairs with ease and knew where Bell currently is.

"please cease your arms now." the blindfolded lady calmly told Bell and did what was told and put the knife back into his sheath at his side. After doing said request, the blindfolded lady gently bowed down to the boy. "Allow me to introduce thine self. I am a Firekeeper, and I tend to the flame and tend to thee." after introducing herself, she raised her head back up to properly ask the boy "Now tell fullest of thyself, what brings you into this land?" As a simple question as is, this is still hard to answer for the boy because he was brought here because he was killed and brutally murdered at the fifth floor of the dungeon.

"I... i-i was... w-was" He can't really say it, it's too painful for him to answer it and it's as painful as his critical fight he went through not long ago, tears are at the verge of flowing down his cheeks. "your very life hath taken its fate awfully soon? Or am I wrong?" the firekeeper rephrased his answer in advance, she thought to herself that even death is a nuisance in this land, he is still too tad young to be experiencing this even if she had no idea what really happened to him. "S-so, where am I? What is this place?" It's pretty normal for newcomers to ask those questions but the firekeeper expected someone who already knew and through. "The land of Lothric, and this very place you're in, the Firelink Shrine, you'll prethee it a haven if you wish to call it" It's true that it's a safehaven, only if you abide the inhabitants personal field. "A haven?" the boy got confused to the odd sayings of the firekeeper, "you'll be safe here, just like the others who wish to be" she answered simply. "Wait, others? Do you mean that-"

"Ahhhh another one, roused from the sleep of death, even one who have never heard of such place" Another voice was heard coming from his right that is yet an another set of stairs and the person coming down is a man crossing his arms and looking at Bell and firekeeper in a sarcastic tone with a very despising disappointment in it. "And yes, you're not alone, although we unkindled are worthless. Can't even die right, hmph. Gives me conniptions" the man scoffed as he circled around the two still crossing his arms and two of them continued to listen to the man's blabber. But aside from listening, the boy took an observing look at the man's apparel, he wears a dirty brown long sleeved tunic and trousers with only a peculiar designed iron shoulder pad, a single gauntlet with his other hand being strapped in leather, and iron knee pads that serve the only pieces of armor. He also seem to wear a long red cape that is attached to its shoulder pad and a circular shaped piece on his right front shoulder with disgusting dregs and prints of black, ragged and teared at the ends of it and in front of the cape is what it looks like a standard greatsword sheathed inside, and finally his head was covered by a chainmail hood-like helm but his middle-aged face.

"Sir Hawkwood, me does not think 'tis the correct attitude to introduce a newcomer." the firekeeper tried to talk back. "And what? They'd have us seek the Lords of Cinder and return them to their moulding thrones?" Hawkwood stopped circling and faced himself in front of the firekeeper to reply back in a formal manner, "Please try best to not endue the Lords of Cinder to thine complaint, after all, there is really no reason why must thou fleer a newcomer." the Lords of Cinder and the current arguement between firekeeper and hawkwood caught the boy's interest, he'll might ask more from the firekeeper after this, "Yes, I do understand this child here must've not heard of this place before, not that I knew that he must've got here for a reason, to seek a second chance perhaps? After all, this land is most likely for the dead and those who have risen up to fulfill their duties and reawaken once more as hollow or went back to rest, and most guarantee and unfortunate that he have met his unwanted sleep too soon." Hawkwood let out a slight devilish giggle as he made a short look at the boy and made him a little upset but quickly held it in and calmed down mentally. "But, we're talking true legends with the mettle to link the fire, not children toying with worthless cinders, and to add, we're not even fit to lick their boots. Don't you think?" Hawkwood then turned back away from the contact of the firekeeper and Bell.

"Sir Hawkwood, me dost understood your disliking but please bare with this for another-"

"Another what? A Brave fool? Muscles for brains? Self-appreciated rouge?" Hawkwood quickly turned back to face the firekeeper to reply back with an annoyed tone. "Have you not seen the many you have sent alone and not even one were to return back here-...".Hawkwood slightly widened his eyes and stepped back a few as a realization lit up, "oh... I must've forgotten, my apologies" he then left his place and went past between them to go outside as he rudely laughed and grim at his action made seconds ago, when the sounds of his laughter started to become more distant and quite, the firekeeper laced her crown with her fingers in upsetting defeat.

"um, what- no, who are the 'Lords of Cinder'?" Bell asked the firekeeper, even if the firekeeper's purpose is to tend the flame, she'll at least try to give him the most basic brief history of each lord "please follow." The firekeeper silenty answered his question by letting him follow her to each of the five thrones.

The first throne the firekeeper lead to Bell was covered by a large red rug-like cloth that would somehow fit a comfort for someone that huge, and that huge someone would be the 'Saint Aldrich of the Deep', engraved and written at the back of the throne, she told Bell that Aldrich used to be a proper cleric but had a habit of eating men and he wasn't chosen to be the Lord of Cinder for virtue, but for might.

What made Bell shiver is how the firekeeper told him that Aldrich grew tired of eating men so it resorted to eating gods.

The second throne they come acrossed was halfly made of molten hard and normal rock, slightly glowing at that, and that throne belonged to the 'Holy king of Lothric, the last hope of his line', as the engravings stated written at the back of the throne like Aldrich's. She told him that Lothric was supposed to be the next Lord of Cinder, the next chosen one to prolong the age of fire, but alas refused to be one, and up until now she still doesn't know the sole reason why.

The third throne they went to is not like any of the other thrones, this one rather looked to be as normal because the rest of the thrones were most likely made for giants and this one was likely to be made for a fierce warrior, the engraving at the back of the throne says 'Watchers of the Abyss' and Bell thought that it wasn't much of a name, but a name of their legion. She told him how these warriors despise the abyss and any kingdom that were exposed to it would be buried down to mass genocide, that's all she knew and do not know of their fall.

The fourth throne was the largest of them all and pretty easy to tell why just by reading the engravings behind the throne that's: 'Yhorm the giant of the Profaned Capital'. She told him that he used to be a reclusive lord and favored vanguard, until the profaned flame came into play and have everyone of his people fall into it's flames.

Now there were five Lords of Cinders and only went and talked about four, because that one Lord of Cinder seemed to be the odd one out of the other four, and that Lord of Cinder is currently sitting on his throne to fullfil it's true duty, and written at the back: 'Ludleth the Exiled'

The firekeeper called out for the Lord's attention from the back of the throne, "Lord Ludleth, we have a visitor." she said, "ah yes, I'm aware of his presence as well, however me does not vision himself well, I wish him to be close to me for the shortest." To be honest, Bell didn't see that there was actually someone in that throne right after coming in the place, then becomes clear right after he actually sees him. Going over to the front of the throne, he sees a very small person sitting on it and believe it or not, that person is Ludleth the exiled as written on the back of his throne, other than his very small physique, he looked very old, famished, and ill that his cheeks were almost non-existent, his eyes were very swollen and hollow and the bone of his arms are giving off a little exposure, not in a disgusting literal manner thankfully.

As unhealthy as he is as a Lord, he did kindled the flame long ago and made into a Lord of Cinder and the only Lord who refurned to their throne to prolong this age of fire once more.

"Thou'rt unkindled, and a seeker of Lords. I am Ludleth of Courland" He introduced himself to the boy, "Look not in bewilderment as I say" he must be referrinf to his size... Bell looked away in embarrassment for a bit when he looked at him back and went back to looking at him again when he no longer minded, "I linked the fire long ago, becoming a Lord of Cinder, if substantation be thy want, set thine eyes upon my charred corse." this is all a bit too much for him to understand, "This sad cadav'r. No need to be coy, have a closer look." he started to wonder now why are they calling him an 'unkindled one'? Is it his new title now that he has been ressurected in an another world or perhaps it's a foreign tradition where each individual has their very own title to live on for histories. He wanted to ask him those questions but as young as his mindset is, he still has to give utmost respect since he's one of the Lords of cinder afterall. "Milord-" Ludleth interrupted, "please, my proper name suffices thy interest such" Bell corrected himself and continued his saying, "L-Ludleth, what do the Lords of cinder actually do?"

"Knowest thou of our purpose? Five thrones will take five lords, as kindling for the linking of the fire. The fast fading flame must be linked to preserve this world. An enactment of the first linking of the fire. So it is, I became a Lord of Cinder. I may be but small, but I will die a colossus." to put it simply, these five Lords of cinder need to be brought here to extend the life of this world, and without fire, this world will fall. With that said, all he needed now is the meaning behind his new title given by the firekeeper and Ludleth, perhaps going to ask either of them but..

That was until he noticed the crackles of fire coming out from him.

He only barely noticed it however, but what made him caught his attention was his smell and in spite the candles lying all over the place, those weren't the candles and can guarantee is coming from himself.

He inspected his arms and noticed-

"FIRE!" the boy yelled and panic, caught both the firekeeper and Ludleth off guard.

"FIREFIREFIREFIREFIREFI- AH-!" as much as he panicked around like a crazy hen going up against their bad farmer. He didn't realize he was still on the base of the throne of Ludleth, fortunately the fall didn't affect him much thanks to the numbers of piles of ashes lying around about the center and the height doesn't seem that dangerous anyway. The poor boy tried to roll around to cease the burning.

But it really isn't.

The firekeeper, who was still behind the throne all along, went down to calm down Bell. "Worry not young one, the flame flowing in thou dost not in harm. Thou must have embraced an ember." she told him, "Ember??" the boy finally ceased his panic and looked straight up to the "eyes" of the firekeeper or to state it, looked straight at her silver crown that hinders her entire vision. "An ember is what of the undead have favored for the longest periods of time. It reawakens the flame in you, to regain the strength you once had." the firekeeper thought her words would be useful to him before he gets out of the shrine, out of this place to a different place in the same land, out to fulfill his duty now that he is here. "but, I don't have any with me.." ah, Ludleth knew about this, not that he can sense into the past and learnt how without the knowledge on the boy, but knew what made him 'burn'. "if that's the very case, hath you taken a bloodshed on the large fellow before the very shrine?"

large fellow?

Bell let out a quick gasp after knowing what was he referring to. He doesn't want to remember it at all, nononono. He even remembered his second death and coming again and almost went mad.. this is not good, not good at al-

"If that is, then thou must've restored into you. Oneself needs fire to surpass long unforgiving walks." Ludleth continued to look down to Bell while sitting on his stone withered throne and seeing him still lying down on those pile of ashes who were to gave in.

They both further explain the use of embers and its true sense of purpose, they told him how they were almost everywhere and waiting to be found, can be kindled again if a critical battle has been dealt with triumphantly and more importantly, how valuable they are to this twisted new world he's in. The last thing they told him about is the consequences of using them, he could be ambushed by someone else from their own world and take away his flame. Now that Bell knew of the all important embers, he thanked the firekeeper and Ludleth for telling him of the flame in him, afterwards, he excused both of them to continue roaming around the shrine.

Making his way to the hallway below the floor where Bell first came in and Hawkwood out, as he walk about and around the place, suprisingly, he found someone else at the end and looked like he was doing something, he wanted to see and meet the person until he is being called out by an elderly woman, who also seems to have a crown that fully hinder her vision and above it was strapped in cloth, perhaps it was falling out he thought. "Ahhh, if it isn't it the newcomer the blabber's all 'bout" the elderly woman said in a gentle tone every typical grandmother has as if she is comforting her grandchildren through the toughest times and she'll always be there to help you out. To answer her question, it is true that the talk he had above was loud enough for anyone to hear. Bell then answered "Y-yes, I'm still new in the shrine." she doesn't really mind having newcomers to the shrine really, she is there for a purpose and will not dig deep into his past and instead get straight up introducing herself, "I am the shrine handmaid, I possesseth no name but a purpose. I give away wares of mine for a price of what you harvest, however me thinks I'll let you off for free once this time, to welcome a newcomer." despite the opportunity given to him, Bell thought this shrine handmaid would be keeping the whole place in sparkles, hence the mess around here, but guess it would be nice to make use of her offer and gather some items from her.

Perhaps a healing potion.

"Umm, do you have any healing potions?" Bell asked, hoping those kind of things exist in this world. "I'm afraid I don't have what you wanted.." Bell frowned, "However, I know just what you need" the shrine handmaid went over to her side to look for something over a pile of small urns and ashes, finally found what she was looking for and what it appeared to be a green bottle similar to what he found on the dead knight back at the graveyard, but except the liquid inside wasn't radiating blue but firey orange and resembles the warmest fires than those in fireplaces in the most coziest places fused with your mother's homemade fresh delicious orange juice. Bell had no idea what was being given to him, "go on, take it, This is what one consume if they start to lack strength." He still didn't get an idea what it is, "erm, what is it?" He asked her, hoping the way he said didn't offend her in some way in this world, instead she let out a short giggle as a reaction to his question, "This is an estus flask, inside it is the warmth flame of the bonfire, gulping it in will mend your worst wounds." the shrine handmaid explained, so it IS a health potion in a way, but he was only given one flask and she claimed that was the only flask she could give him so he had to think of a way to balance his needs of it, whether it be before, after, or during a battle. After Bell thanked the shrine handmaiden, he then proceed to the elderly man at the end.

Once Bell had a proper close up with someone at the end of the hallway after the shrine handmaid, he appears to be an elderly as well but at the same time has a build of a ripped bulky dwarven berserker he saw often at the guild, mostly seen at the streets of Orario, he even has a big white bushy hair that also seemed long after seeing at the back of his hair ponytailed that resembles them dwarven warriors and their ponytailed bushy hair, he even seem to be working as a blacksmith in this shrine and he can tell with the weapons and small shields laying beside and back of his wooden shelf stand.

Bell didn't want to disrupt the old man's work, hammering a shortsword laying top of the anvil in the middle of its development, but he needed to know the place more or the land he is in, he tries tries to get the attention of the old man, "uuhhh, hello?" the old man instantly stopped as he is already aware of the boy's presence and brought his head to the boy and smiled at him. "well, a newcomer I see." the old blacksmith happily reacted, "I am Andre the blacksmith and I serve for this shrine." He understood that it's a blacksmith but he still asked him what is he doing, "mm, what are you doing?" Bell asked said question, "Well I serve here to be the blacksmith 'round here, be smithin weapons, armor, anythin' in particular, but it don't mean that I actually make 'em." with that said, Bell definitely needed some better equipment.

But what does he need though, better armor? better knife? He can't ask too much from him knowing how hard it must be for him to work all of that but the other side of him thinks that he needs to get what he needs to survive the worse if the large being he fought was. "um do you have something that can help me?" What a question...

Andre then stopped hammering the shortsword and brought his fingers to his bearded chin and his brows focused to gesture his thinking, but he looked upset to the boy, 'oh no, he won't help me wouldn't he?' he thought. "Well- I remember makin a piece, a whole set, long ago... maybe you'll find use of it." that he replied to Bell. "ah- oh! what is it? and where is it?" asked Bell looking around for his work, "Just at me back boy, the thing been sittin there for ages, dunno why but me thinks it'll help ya through." Andre pointed the set with his left hand thumb and Bell peeked where the direction of the pointed thumb is.

"ye don't have to pay anythin' by the by, the thing's all yers."

An old worn out mannequin wearing what appears to be an armor fitted for travels and combat. Bell went to the armored mannequin and started inspecting it, steel pieces from head to toe protection against sharp attacks, leather armor below the pieces for mobility, a ripped piece of clothing that is attached at the back of the left rivetted shoulder blade piece was there a cape of sorts so he thought, black leggings that's leather boots have steel guards, a belt that can hold some useful utilities, a sheath that also comes with a standard straight sword, and a dark gray shield with a crest that slightly resembles a crossbow. Bell is awed and fascinated by this and thought this can really help him throughout.

Later...

Bell thanked Andre for the gifted set and waved him a 'thank you' goodbye with his right metal clad fingered gauntlet as constant sounds of metal clunking

were being made for every step he makes. When Andre looked at Bell waving at him, he figured he didn't include the helmet and only equipped the whole body armor, the sword in it's sheath, and the shield at his back. Bell thought the eyeholes of the helmet would hinder most of his vision due to being too horizontally small and as for the shield Andre didn't figure but thought that he would use it as somehow an easy way to protect his back from unexpected attacks, so the only thing left the mannequin wearing is the supposed equipped helmet... It does feel quite a bit heavy for him, but not too heavy, maybe a box of at least twenty lemons that kind of heavy.

Out of the hallway, Bell went to the center of the shrine where the pit of bone ashes lies and stood in front of it. He took out the coiled sword he always have with him and still have no clue what to do with it, until the firekeeper showed up on his left walking down the curved stairs, "there is no stopping, ashen one" Bell replied "No stopping what?". "Stopping you from thine kindle of the bonfire. That sword is it's very source." basically, she is telling him to insert the sword into the pile of bone ashes and so he did. (A/N: this seemed rushed, ik... I feel disgrace)

Flames ignited in an instant, ashes now radiating warm orange and the coiled blade of the sword glowed too due to its now active fires.

The bonfire continued to glow and started flowing yellow fog, surrounding the boy and his body slowly fading as if he is being summoned by an abnormal shaman that require of needy assistance. "e-Eh!? w-what's happening to me!?" panicked Bell, "Thou will be taken to the Beginning, fairwell ashen one...-"

the yellow fog entirely covered the boy and soon faded in an instant... so does he.

"may the flames guide thee..."

"Where is he going, exactly?" asked Hawkwood who had just came back from going outside and coming , the only reply he could get was a smile from her. "You'll see, Sir Hawkwood. He is nay different from the rest."

As two inhabitants of the shrine left to do their own business to wait for his return, a shadow that mimics a silhouette peered down the center from the upper floors of the shrine lookouts and muttered..

"hmm, he'll make a fine finger indeed"

the figure laughed as if they have done the worst and enjoyed it.