The Reckoning Chapter 4: New Arrival
"RUN" Elijah bellowed, grabbing Axel's arm and dragging him along.
"Hold fast, good Knights! We may be able to best this monster yet!" A booming voice said, coming from their left flank. Elijah and Axel tuned to see the largest man they had ever laid their eyes upon. He towered over even Elijah by at least a foot. He wore heavy Black steel armor, a Black Iron shield, and the largest sword Elijah had ever seen. As the pair slid to a stop the jovial Knight said,
"I am Black-steel Tarken (AN: it's exactly what you think it is), at your service!" The man thundered. "Come on lads, we have a beast to slay."
Elijah and Axel looked at each other and shrugged.
"Why not attempt to kill one of Mankind's greatest enemies." Elijah said.
They sprinted back to the ladder to see the Darkwraith's hand begin to glow as he reached for Tristia's face.
"Hurry, she's still alive!" Axel yelled.
Elijah skidded to a stop and pulled out one of his fiery greatarrows, pulled his bow out, and loosed. The arrow hit the wraith in the chest nocking him off of Tristia.
Tarken then thundered past him and punched the Wraith in the face, knocking out some of his helmet's teeth. The wraith pulled out his sword and attempted to stab the man in the stomach, but the blow bounced off of his armor.
"HA HA, fiend, your end has come!" Tarken yelled as he dropped his sword and shield, picked up the Darkwraith and literally ripped the Wraith in half.
"Twas a good fight indeed my friends. Excellent shooting there my good fellow." He bellowed to Elijah and Axel who were still trying to process what just transpired.
"Tristia!" Axel yelled, snapping out of his 'trance.' "Elijah, do you have any Estus?
"No, I haven't much chance to refill it. I do have a few lifegems though. Let me to her." He then picked up Tristia's hand and placed the gem in her palm. He then crushed the gem and watch as it's healing power worked into Tristia's wounds, sealing them shut.
"Tarken, get some water from the river." Elijah said.
Waiting until Tarken's back was turned Axel started, "Did he just…"
"Rip a man in half?" Elijah finished.
"Indeed!" The man laughed, startling the pair. "May I ask you two warriors what your names are Hmm?
Elijah swallowed then answered, "I am Elijah of Forossa, and my Companion is Axel of he-doesn't-remember. Our unconscious friend here is Tristia."
"Forossa you say? Didn't that nation fall years ago?" Tarken asked
"You say it true my friend. I watched the land burn to the ground, assaulted by the forces of Mirrah."
"But you are far too young to have been there!" Tarken protested.
"I was there. I was taken by the curse when I was nearly 23 years old. I wandered from land to land as a sellsword, before I ended up here, working directly with the King and his brother. Haven't aged a day since." Elijah answered.
"You worked for Aldia and Vendrick?" Axel asked.
"With." Elijah corrected.
"No wonder you know so much of this world." Axel stated.
"Here is your water, good knight." Tarken said, handing him his helmet, filled to the brim with water.
"Thank you Tarken." He then poured water over Tristia's rapidly scabbing wound, cleaning away the blood and dirt. He then splashed some on her face.
"Wha—What happened?" Tristia said weakly.
"You had a sword stabbed through your chest. You're lucky to be alive. You wouldn't be if Taken here hadn't killed the Darkwraith. There is your assailant, there and there." Axel said. These words sparked a deep chuckle from the steel mountain that stood to their left, ankles still in the river.
"Th-Th-Thank you. I owe you my life it seems." Tristia said weakly.
"You know, help like yours would be very useful on our journey." Elijah said to Tarken.
"I must decline your offer, good knight. Tristia, it was an honor to meet you, but I must pursue my own journey. I have set out to find the grave of my Ancestor, Black Iron Tarkus. He was said to wear a suit of Iron, which only he could move in. I wish to find it, and wear it proudly."
"Well, I wish you luck then friend. May our paths cross in the future." Elijah said, standing to shake the Knight's hand. Tarken reached down and took it in his steel-bound fist and whispered to Elijah.
"I know who you are. Your brother lives. Seek him in the Shaded Woods."
He then turned to the pair who were still kneeling and said, "I must bid farewell, Lady Tristia, Sir Axel may we meet again." The massive man then turned and headed back towards the bonfire from which they came. Elijah could have sworn he saw the big man wink to him as he walked by.
"Shaded woods, eh? I'll need to find him there. Should be easy. I'll find you brother." Elijah thought.
"Let's move into the fort. Don't want to be caught outside during the storms." Elijah said, referring to the roiling black clouds getting nearer every second. "Are you good to move, Tristia?"
"Aye. Pain is nearly gone." She said, with a much stronger voice.
"Axel? You good?"
"Yeah…" He said in a far away voice.
"Better get your head out of the clouds son. There's likely to be hollows ahead."
Axel nodded and knelt to pick up his dropped greatsword. The trio headed up the ladder, Elijah in the lead and Axel bringing up the rear. They reached a courtyard with a tree jutting out of the middle. A Heide knight leaned against it, breathing heavily.
"There are hollows everywhere. I'll pick them off, one at a time." Elijah whispered to the two behind him. He then pulled out a small bow that was hidden behind his cape.
"Amazing how he doesn't trip over that in battle. That looks to be a small bow. Not quite a short bow, nor a longbow." Axel Thought.
Elijah deftly put arrows in the heads of each hollow's head, all without a sound.
"I travel in good company. Tristia thought. "They both look to protect me from whatever horrors oh this world. I must prove my worth to these men. I am worthy."
"Axel, put the Knight of Heide out of his misery. I'm sure he was a good man. He does not deserve to suffer." Tristia said.
"Alright." Axel replied.
"Why are there scorch marks next to the Knight? And yet the tree did not burn down… I will need to look for answers." Elijah thought to himself.
He turned towards the hallway that lead into the fort. As he started for the hall, he heard a wet snap and then metal grating on metal as Axel removed his sword from the bloody remains of what must have been a noble knight.
"It's a shame. He would have been a useful addition to our little group." Axel said solemnly.
"I agree with you on that." Tristia replied. "The Knights of Heide were strong and dexterous knights. It's a shame he was taken by the curse."
"Hold up." Elijah said. "I hear the shuffling of feet. Two maybe three pairs. Tristia, grab that torch." She grabbed the torch and tossed it to Elijah. He then threw it down the hallway to illuminate three men. One dressed in the tattered armor of a royal soldier, two in the light infantry armor they had encountered before.
"I'll take them. Axel, watch my back." Elijah said. He handed Tristia his beloved greatbow and drew his sword.
"I wonder why he never uses his greatsword." Tristia thought.
Elijah darted to the first hollow and silently plunged his sword through his back. He moved to kill the Soldier when an unseen hollow jumped out and sliced his blade across Elijah's chest.
"AIIRRGH" Elijah yelled as blood gushed from his wound.
"Elijah!" Tristia yelled when the Hollows turned to finish him off. One pulled his sword arm back, but the blow never came. Axel had dashed forwards and sliced the hollow's arm off with his dagger. He then threw the knife into the soldier's head and used is fists to bash the head of the last.
"You've saved my life, now time for me to save yours. Tristia, your Estus."
She immediately knew what to do, and put the flask up to the fading man's lips.
"GAHUH" Elijah gasped as his wounds immediately closed. "Thank you my friends."
The man stood and picked up his sword, only to sheathe it. He reached behind his back and pulled out his black greatsword.
"For Vingrann." Elijah muttered.
'What?" Tristia asked.
"Nothing."
The trio ran up the stair while dodging firebombs and arrows. Elijah went first, a look of anger upon his face that had never been seen before. He charged up the stairs and drove his greatsword through the first hollow he laid his eyes on. He ripped out the sword and cut the hollow that was foolish enough to charge him wielding nothing but a small knife in half at the waist. He whipped out a throwing knife from his belt and sent it hurling into the hollow that had been incessantly throwing firebombs at them. He then sunk into a rage that clouded his memory as the hollows swarmed around him.
When Elijah's mind cleared he stood atop a bloody mound of hollows, at least twenty of them, all missing limbs and various chunks of themselves. He watched Tristia and Axel clean up the rest of the hollows.
"The bonfire's this way." He said gruffly.
"Something's not right." Tristia thought. She glanced at Axel and she could tell he was thinking the same thing.
They walked through the doors to be bathed in light and heat. At that moment, there was a loud crash of thunder.
"That's not thunder..." Axel said.
"Help! Help Me!" A voice called.
"You lumps coming or what?" Elijah called as he completely bypassed the ladder leading into the fort. He landed into an agile roll and sprinted in the direction the sounds had come. Then he saw it. A knight hovered a few inches off of the grounds, red light seeping through his helm. In a flash, Elijah nocked an arrow and sent it sailing into the Knight. The knight was staggered, and Axel rushed in and crunched the things helm. As the Knight shattered into white light, Elijah called to the man down the hall.
"It seems you are in need of help."
"Thank you." The man said quietly. "My name is Ezekiel."
Elijah clapped him on the back and said, "Come man. I have some food waiting at the bonfire upstairs. We will discuss more there.
"You have food?" Axel asked.
"Bottomless box." Elijah said.
Ezekiel and Tristia's eyes met and they followed the two on their way up to the fire. When the group made it to the fire, Elijah opened his box and pulled out a bundle; in which a large hunk of meat, some potatoes and a few loaves of flatbread. Axel pulled out of his bag a few skins of wine that were somehow intact.
"Well, lets introduce ourselves. I am Elijah; the girl is Tristia, and the young man in Axel. "
"My name is Ezekiel. I am from Drangleic. I stayed here to help travelers such as yourselves, but it seemed you helped me. Thank you. I will help in any way I can."
"Welcome to our little group then friend." Elijah said. "Before I continue, may I see that scimitar of yours?"
"Why?"
"I need to be sure of something. Don't give me that look. We all know I could kill you before you could even react. I have zero intention of doing so." Elijah said.
Ezekiel handed him his sword.
"Thank You." Elijah looked at the blade and found what he was looking for. On the pommel stone was a letter, V. "Vengarl's Red Rust scimitar. I wonder how the boy found it. There is no way he could take on a warrior such as Ven." Elijah thought.
"Thank You." Elijah said, handing him the sword. Thunder began to shake the building, and rain could be heard pounding the roof.
"The hunt begins tomorrow." Elijah said. "That was the last of my stored food. It's a long trek back to Majula and we will not be backtracking. I'm going hunting and the three of you will be scavenging the fort. Get some rest." We will be departing for Heide's tower of flame next week too."
"Why?" Axel asked.
"Why was that Knight here? We're looking for answers boy. We're going to find them."