She couldn't remember the last time she had just laid there staring into the abyss, eyes gazing at the blackness that was the entirety of this world. It was startling, but strangely mystifying. She could remember her pushing back this abysmal spectacle, trying to push it away and hide from the shattering reality that dawned upon her so many cycles ago. It was strange, she thought. Perhaps what we perceive as light is the true dark? We cling to the fire, but this fire we cannot touch. But when we fall into the arms of the Abyss, we find not only salvation. But an odd warmth, something that stabilizes our very well-being. It gives us that sense of safety, something that we find very little of within this dangerous land. It was beautiful, but so wrong..
The Darkness would fade soon; she would awaken from her slumber and probably find herself with a deep wound. After witnessing what she had done to that poor Crestfallen knight, who wouldn't seek justice and slay the murderer? It wouldn't be right to ignore such a thing.
When her eyes opened she didn't find the visage of her blood soaked corpse against the ground but instead where she was injured from the previous battle was covered with bandages and probably cleaned too. This was startling so thus she surveyed the room for the man, hoping not to meet his eyes so she could quickly escape. Or at least ask why he kept her alive after seeing her commit such an atrocity.
"You aren't going to find your weapons anywhere near." A voice said sternly. "But why should you need them? If I were to do harm to you, I think you would already be dead."
"I-I..." She stammered. "I'm not one to be kept alive after slaying ones 'helper'. I assume that man has given you sound advice, something rarely found within this land. I have slain that man, so you are either-" She was cut off by the voice
"You sure do talk a lot. Listen. I'm not going to harm you. I wouldn't harm another human being, no matter what they have done in their past lives. What you did was indeed horrifying, but not uncommon within these parts. You had a good reason to slay that man, correct?"
She thought about it for a second about what she could tell the man. If she told him the truth or why she thinks he attacked her, she might unbalance the cycle and damage this world. It was painful to do, but she had no choice but to life. Her lips parted and her hands began to shake. "I would rather be armed before I tell you. I do not know who you are, why you are here, or what your goal is out of this is."
She fidgeted but remained seated. A tall figure approached and entered her line of view, or what little light the Firelink Shrine Bonfire had to offer. "Well if it is names you want, my goals, and why I am here. Then let me give you a little explanation."
He knelt down close to the bonfire and peered towards the woman. "My name is Audrey. I hail from the land of Astora. I was cursed with the undead curse so like any other, I sought a cure for the curse and found myself apprehended by my towns guards and was thrown into The Undead asylum." He took a short breath and knelt down near the fire. "However, anything beyond that, I don't quite remember. Most of it is just gone and when I try to remember them. It's just a dark haze that I can't see."
"Tell me about yourself. Tell me who you are, and why you are here." His voice sounded sincere, but she couldn't find it in herself to trust this man. Meeting someone new after all this time is slightly disorienting. She was either in denial of this new addition, or still trying to process what type of person he was. It could be both.
"I am going to be quite honest with you. It's been so long that my name must have been forgotten within the amount of time I have spent in this god forsaken land. I couldn't tell you my name either even if I knew it. Everything that I apparently once was is no more. My past is gone, but I'm still staring into the future." She paused. Her lips quivered but she remained her gaze with him. "I can tell you this though. I have been here for a very long time. So long that the fellow people here you know, I would recite their names in order." A sigh was released, making her body relax and lean back a bit. "The fact that I've been here for so long also makes me dangerous and very unhealthy for you."
"How so?" he questioned.
"Because if I were to help you all throughout this journey of yours, you would become too dependent upon me. I won't follow you, nor will I aid you in anyway. But if I happen upon you in a situation that requires help. I will jump in and aid you. But only if it absolutely requires it."
"I do not think I will require help after any of this. I can handle myself, I assure you that.. Um..
"
"Refer to me as Angelika. I am very fond of that name. One of the undead within this area have told me of this woman Angelika they once met. I do not favor the person, but I favor the name."
"Well Angelika. I put your stuff with that Cleric up there. He told me he would hold onto it for you until you wake up." A smile emitted from his lips. He stood up and back away. "I'm going to rest. I hope to see you here when I awaken. If not, I will assume you left on one of your own person journeys."
Once the man had left Angelika stood up and immediately made her way towards where Petrus, the Cleric was. She was hesitant, fearful he might do the same as what the Crestfallen has done. "Petru- I mean Cleric. That man named Audrey told me he handed you my stuff. I would like my armor and weapons back please."
"Ah yes, the murderer. I was reluctant to take these blood soaked garments and tools, but he insisted since it would be the nice thing to do. And since I am a cleric, good deeds are within my nature." Her stuff was placed upon the ground infront of the Cleric. "There you go. I took the liberty to clean them myself. Although I may not fancy what you have done, it would be unruly to see a beautiful woman covered in blood."
"Um… Thanks. I will find some way to repay you. Every good deed is rewarded in some way. But not right now. I have something of great importance to attend to." The Chosen grabbed her things and turned. "If we do meet again, let it be in good circumstances."
Angelika made her way up the steps to the sewers system, leaving the bodies of those hollow knights behind her. She looked back down towards the Firelink Shrine and just gazed.
"I feel ill omen coming of this. If you are the new Chosen Undead, and what Frampt says is true. Then there can only be one. If this cycle is going to cancel me out, or try and kill me. Then I will not let it happen willingly. This god forsaken cycle will have to work down to its skin to get rid of me. And if it tries to send this new Chosen after me. I will not hesitate to cut them down… There can only be one after all. Only one…" With that she turned back and ran into the sewer system, ready to make her way to the lower Undead Burg and free enter the Depths. She was hell-bent on finding Laurentius and freeing him from his imprisonment.
AN: This is going smoothly so far. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, favorited, and hearted this story. Updates are extremely slow, but once exams and graduation pass. I'll have more free time to work on my story.
I hope most of you are ready for a feelsy story. A lot of sad things are going to happen to Angelika. Being replaced is tough for her, and things only get worse.
