KZD: I own neither Dark Souls nor Kingdom Hearts.
Her breath hitched as she stared down below at the glaring red eyes that stared right back. She couldn't see it, but Aqua just knew that the beast below sported a wicked grin sensing her fear of it. The mystic knight could hear the beast laughing in her head causing a ringing in her helm. Just as her blood ran cold and nausea started to take over it all disappeared as the eyes receded back into the dark, waiting for its future foes.
Aqua let out the breath she's been holding for well over a minute. She wished to take of her helmet to whip the cold sweat from her face. Instead she slowly shook her head to calm her racing mind. She was way in too deep now to back out, and have a promise to keep to best this beast.
She looked over to her companion who took care of a few remaining humanity that were guarding a treasure. From the moment they stepped into the chasm, the Elite Knight seemed completely unfazed by the abyss. Sure it didn't affect her physically by any means, but it did seem to have an indirect effect on her mind from past events. Aqua wondered if she wouldn't have such a hard time with darkness if, she was more like her friend pillaging the treasure. Just being able to shrug darkness off, like water off of a duck.
"Humans are inherently dark." The keybearer whispered the words that Artorias claimed as true. She was starting to believe them herself. A new theory started to form in her mind that she would have to discuss with Yen Sid next time she saw the old master.
Claiming his prize, the silent knight looked over to his companion signaling that he was ready to move on. Aqua took a deep breath before nodding and walking over to the narrow ledge that lead to the white fog gate. It was amazing how this was the only thing separating them from the beast below.
The Elite Knight pass through first placing a hand lightly on the fog as it consumed his body as he went in. Aqua tilted her head as she watched him disappeared before duplicating the actions. It was strange to say the least. It felt like there was a physical wall her body was trying to pass through, but a door just opened from nowhere to allow her passage before being denied entry.
Aqua had to stop short after emerging from the fog. She stood shoulder to shoulder with her friend, who looked down from the small ledge that they stood on. There was absolutely no way to go. No path or bridge. Just a bottomless pit. She couldn't see it, but Aqua knew that the Manus was down there. Somehow she could just feel his presence as her skinned crawled from the abyssal darkness all around.
Black flame like wisp formed at the edge of their feet and a tremor made their knees buckle from underneath. The keybearer saw something glint red from bellow and acted. The honeycomb shape of a reflect barrier covered the two quickly as a monstrous hand emerged from the dark. The limp paid no heed from the spell and shattered it like glass as slammed into the two knights, grabbing them both before dragging them into its domain far below.
Her bones ached from the collision that the hand had caused. Aqua groaned as she pushed herself off of the cold stone ground, using her keyblade as a temporary crutch until she was stable. The master looked sown to see her companion right beside her on his knees as he started to stir from the fall.
"Cure." Healthy green vines wrapped their energy around the two and mended the weariness from the fall way. When the spell disappeared, the downed knight stood up amazed at the healing magic. "Better?" He nodded in response.
Fire sprouted from the ground creating an arena on the platform they stood on. The floor rumbled and something growled horribly as it breathed into the blacken air. Both knights readied their weapons as they peered into the dark.
The hand that had grabbed them slammed on the ground as it helped in pulling the body it attached to forward. Black wisps of fire grew around the beast feet and the platform the knights stood on creating an arena as it prowled. A much more proportionate hand held a cane like object that held a shape of a catalyst similar to the ones that the corrupt citizens were using, only larger. The monster berthed with a hiss and the crimson eyes carried on its open carcass like back lit up revealing its whole presence to its challengers. An ape like creature that was primeval man, corrupted by his own emotions and made of pure darkness. Manus, Father of the Abyss.
Aqua looked up to the gigantic creature with widen eyes. How could this monster possibly be primeval man? It looked similar like a pureblooded heartless but she could still sense one deep inside of the creature, buried in a flurry of hate, malice, and sadness. That odd feeling of déjà vu reared its ugly head in her. Manus was more like an unversed or even worse, in her mind, a mutated Vanitas. A creature influenced by its negative emotions and unlikely to change them for anyone.
Manus bellowed as he raised his ape like palm into the air. It reached out far, further than the two knights had expected. They dodged just at the last second as the palm came crashing down and crushed the blackened earth beneath it. The Elite Knight took a chance at the exposed limb and countered with a forward slash. Manus recoils his hand back and turned his glaring gaze at his first assailant. The swipe of the sword barely even nicked his tough skin but did succeed in getting the early humans attention.
Manus trotted over like a crazed gorilla to the silent knight, slamming his catalyst and fist into him in a savage way. The only thing the smaller human could do was block the titanic hits. Just as the evil human broke the others guard a fire-ball struck Manus backside completely deterring his attention to the other presence in his domain.
Aqua charged over to the beast exposed back and landed a few hits upon his haunches. Without taking his eyes of the other, Manus reached behind him with his engorged hand in a serpentine manner. It grabbed Aqua's torso and slammed her to the ground as the beast jumped into the air. Despite being dazed from the attack, the women took the opportunity to cast thundaga on the leaping creature. She had to get her drive up if they wanted to beat this thing.
The magic stroke heavily right on its head making it crash to the ground. Lightning crackled around Manus body as it stood stunned and staggered. It growled horribly at the mystic knight as it struggled to get out of its forced paralysis. With the Father of the Abyss unable to move, the Elite Knight moved in with a forward slash on the distorted humans' body. With her second win and a quick cure spell, Aqua joined in on attacking Manus.
With each strike, Manus grew more and more enraged at the feeble humans. With a mighty roar, he regained control of his body. Stunned by the shockwave of the roar, the two were unable to get away as Manus scooped them into the air and repeated slam their bodies over and over into the ground in a tantrum. Just as he finished, the black beast swatted them away with his arm leaving the two knights to crash into broken architecture.
Aqua could feel the massive dents and clinks in her armor as she stood back up. If it weren't for it she was sure that more than a bone would be broken by now. But it didn't stop her body from aching from the monsters frantic poundings. She looked to her companion who was popping a potion hastly. When he finished the flask turned into an emerald-green, its contents spent. With the cure spell still charging from its last use, a potion was a really good idea right about now. She didn't have time to dig around for one.
Seeing the two back up, Manus slammed his catalyst down by its shaft and a multitude of black orbs that stayed themselves around the arena and behind the knights. With another queue from his staff, the abyssal magic rushed into them. Aqua saw the incoming orbs by the corner of her eye and grabbed the silver pendent, activating its fleeting but brilliant magic. A large golden dome covered the twosome saving them from the onslaught that they would have endured as the black magic dissipated on contact with the shield. All remaining orbs in the ring vanished just before hitting their master. Manus snarled. He remembered that glow, that power that could suppress his own. His crimson eyes set themselves on the other magic user.
"Artorias!" Aqua's head felt it was about to burst from the scream of her deceased friends name. The beast had spoken from inside of her head. With a flash of its eyes, the mystic knight felt something gripping at her heart and burning into her soul. The beast was trying to pull out her own darkness with its own madness.
"No, not Artorias." It hissed, "But thou bares his crest, unbranded human, and you shall pay for trespassing upon my domain." Manus manipulated the women's inherited darkness until he found what he was looking for and smiled cruelly at his successful search. "Your madness and darkness are tightly coiled together. Why don't you let it out?"
Aqua could see them, the most haunting of her memories. Only this time, they are twisted. She had not caught Ven in time when he fall frozen solid by a close ranged blizzard spell. Manus twisted the memory so that the boy shattered into pieces before her eye, limbs scattered about the cursed ground of the keyblade graveyard. One more bearer of the weapon added.
Another passed by before her eye, Terra trying to free himself of Xehanort. He stabbed himself with his own blade. A heart didn't come out, only crimson spurts of his blood mixed with dark as he took his own life than be possessed for the rest of his days.
She could see them out from the corners of her vision. Not the corrupted gaze of the citizens of Oolacile. Beady yellow eyes that had haunted her for more than a decade looked at her with an empty hunger. Why was she here? She had escaped that damnable place long ago, so why was she back in the Realm of Darkness?
"Yes, give into your madness and forever stay in your own personal abyss as I have." The keybearer could still see Manus smiling wickedly at her. The ant like bodies of the heartless formed at his feet and started to slowly crawl over to her. They were here to assimilate her into their fold. She closed her eyes and tries to drown out the hiss of the heartless and the maniacal laughter of Manus.
"Your mind will decay, but thou shalt never die. Just like your friend." Manus let out a yell of pain as the Elite Knight slashed at his torso. Aqua's eyes flew open to see Manus grabbing at his chest that bleed with his darkness pouring out, roaring at the other. There were no heartless on the battlefield or any of her friends or otherwise. Just a beast, corrupted by its own hatred and pain. The Father of the Abyss had tapped into her own soul and heart to see her fears and tried to exploit them. The women gritted her teeth in anger as she glared at primeval man. No, she shouldn't be getting enraged unless she really would give in to these false visions. Aqua took hold of the silver pendent and let its suppressing magic wash over her and keep her own darkness in check. Her companion looked over to her and she gave a nod signaling that she was fine now.
Manus bellowed gaining the knights attention. He raised his catalyst and a black storm cloud formed overhead. Homing black hail rained down upon them. Though it was plentiful, thankfully they were slow enough to doge away from before they struck or lick their heels. Manus used the cover of his own darkness to swipe at the Elite Knight who rolled through the dark formation of his hand and stabbed at his haunches. He swiped his bony tail and swatted the knight away as he blocked the strike only get staggered afterword.
Seeing the knight helplessness, Aqua caught Manus attention with a firagra before he could punch the knight into the ground. He trotted over to her. Using the beast own blind anger, Aqua baited his swipes and gracefully dodge away from his overgrown hand and made quick strikes at it when he tried to recover. With each strike, Aqua could feel her own power grow from within her and soon enough she was already in a first tier drive form where fire formed at the end of her blade at each successful hit.
With his stamina back, the Elite Knight watched and notice that Manus movements were starting to slow as it grew weary from the battle and trying to catch Aqua. Soon this outbreak would come to an end.
The undead ancestor let out a roar as the mystic knight cartwheeled away from his grasp once more. Manus has had enough of this foolish fight. He made to go after Aqua as the other knight came up from behind. One of his eyes took notice and his hand reacted by grabbing the silent human. This one was already branded with the curse just like him, but has not given in to its undead and psych breaking burden. There was nothing he could do about this one except to kill him time and time again until he gives up.
The keybearer stopped her movements as her companion got nabbed by Manus, who had his lips curled in an ugly snarl. She cursed under her breath as the beast still seemed to have some energy left. The Elite Knight groaned as Manus crushed his body before tossing him aside like a ragdoll. Manus quickly turned his head to Aqua as she charged at him and reared his catalyst back. Expecting his to use it like a bat the women jumped back just out of its range only to see a cruel smirk of Manus at the last second.
A tidal wave of abyssal magic shot out of his catalyst. It consumed and completely toppled over the mystic knight who didn't react in time to use the silver pendent. Though the magic fazed through her body it still felt like she got hit by a truck as the attack knocked the very breath from her lungs. Body aching, Aqua struggled to stand from the dark bead onslaught that Manus has dished out. Instead her legs buckled from under her from the amount of damaged she sustained from the attack. She glanced quickly to the other side of the arena to see her friend in a similar situation and breathing heavily.
Manus let out a snort at her before turning away. This woman was not an immediate threat and would suffer as he made Artorias had. The Chose Undead otherwise could be a recurring nascence unless he did something about it.
The women cursed from under her breath. Somehow, this beast has gained the upper hand on the two warriors and soon to finish them off. She could barely even lift her body anymore as the darkness and her own exhaustion weighed itself heavily upon her shoulders. But she wouldn't give up. She would see this task done or be trapped in the abyss once more.
A brilliant flash of light showed up beside her carving written words of a name carved into the ground. Her tired gaze looked down at the glowing white sign and the strange language it was written in. Hesitantly, Aqua touched the sign and saw a hologram appear of whom it belongs to and she smiled. Using the tip of her keyblade, the women tapped the white sign and sent a pulse of magic to it causing it to react.
"Summon." A large furred body rose from the ground, a familiar great sword clenched in its jaws. The large animal phantom looked over to its summoner and gave a crooked smile due to its weapons position. "Just in time, Sif." The Great Grey Wolf bowed its head to her before switching the position of its sword as it faced Manus, ready to avenge its fallen master.
Manus lifted his catalyst to smite the undead that had his guard up, using Artorias great shield. After just a few short poundings, his guard broke from underneath the evil humans' pressure. Darkness swirled at the end of the large wooden catalyst. The demon like creature knew that he would see this undead again if he killed the knight, there was no escaping the issue. But he would kill him again and again, until his will breaks just like Artorias. Just as Manus could be rid of the undead knight, a blade cut deep into his haunches making him redirect his attack into nothing and swipe his hand back to try and catch his offender only to miss. Red eyes narrowed at the familiar animal and the Father of the Abyss hissed while the wolf snarled.
Sif provided as a fresh and wonderful distraction for the two knights as the animal used its speed and agility to swiftly maneuver around Manus, taking quick swipes at the monster when an opening reviled itself and even tanking a few hits when necessary. With Manus full attention on the jumping wolf, it gave the perfect opportunity for the two warriors to regain their strength. The undead pulled out a familiar black sprite from his inventory and crushed the humanity in his hand, letting its energy renew and heal his body instantly. With her spell recharged, Aqua was able to use a powerful curaga spell on herself, the aching in her body gone and her mind clear of horrendous thoughts of the past.
Manus swung tiredly at the wolf, but his hatred for the fur ball drove him on to try to kill the canine. Primeval Man reared his hand back to slap the pest away who stood its ground against the corrupt human. Manus fist collided with black steel of a great shield that protected the wolf. A familiar repelling magic radiated from the old cracked shield and bounced the attack back while burning the knuckles of the large beast with its cleansing light.
The dark human howled in pain but its suffering did no end. An onslaught of varied magic infused with light hit the beast on its open back forcing The Father of the Abyss to now use its catalyst a crutch to stay standing on his haunches. A clear holy power swirled around the edge of Aqua's keyblade making it into a long transparent white sword. The same blade that freed Artorias from his torment. With her unoccupied hand, she grabbed the silver pendent from her neck and placed it on top of her glowing blade. The cleansing magic from the amulet transferred over to the keyblade and changed its white hue to a brilliant gold that can repel the dark.
"This ends now." Manus gaze moved slowly over to the armored maiden. His gaze completely dizzy with weariness. He could see him that blasted Abyss Walker standing right next to this damnable whence! All of his anger and suffering boiled into one single bellow.
"Artorias!"
"Now!" Two handing his weapon, the Chosen Undead charged first attacking the beast unsteady haunches. He tried to slap the pesky knight away but missed when he rolled away right through the dark material that made his arm. Sif jumped and head-butted Manus square in the chest causing him to become unbalance and fall backwards his catalyst dropped.
Manus snarled as he struggled to get up. This couldn't be happening. He was the Father of the Abyss. This was his domain void of light like any other human soul. He was the ancestor to all men, the furtive pygmy, The Dark Lord!
His crimson eyes looked above him to the empty air. The Mystic knight had teleported over him with her shining weapon readied. He reached up to grab her but his failing vision made him miss his mark causing the women to fall on his chest and it began to burn.
Aqua plunged her keyblade deep into Manus chest reaching and piercing where his heart is. The ancient human screamed in agony as the weapons cleansing magic and light entered his system and seared the darkness that made up his body. The evil human scratched at the air but couldn't grab onto to the offending weapon and with each second, Manus could feel his energy drain rapidly as his body began to diminish. The Master ripped the blade out from the demon like creatures chest before jumping off the black beast. It was finished.
Light cracked at the edge of Manus skin breaking his flesh into separate halves. He could barely make out the proud knights and wolf that defied him and the abyss. He reached out for the knights in a longing manner but not to them. Where was it? Where was his precious pendent? His hand fell and burst into a golden ash and the rest of his body followed until there was nothing more than a fist size black sprite that blazed like fire and a normal human sized body curled in the fetal position.
Aqua let out a heavy breath and the brilliant glow from her keyblade disappeared. It was over and Artorias dying wish fulfilled. She looked over to Sif who sat down beside the keybearer loyaly.
"Thank you, Sif. Couldn't do it without you." The Great Grey Wolf wagged its tail happily from the praise. The animal threw its head back in a long howl; its phantom disappeared tasked finished. After the wolf left, Aqua followed the knight to the body on the ground. It was a women clad in a pale yellow ball gown, her hair in a crown knot. She had come out of Manus body when it was destroyed along with his soul. The mystic knight crossed her arms there was no way that this was Manus or what his original self-looked like.
The Chosen Undead picked up the flaming souls of the Father of the Abyss. It truly was a powerful soul that radiated malice and other ill intent. It could be used to make an equally powerful weapon, but the very thought of it made the knight sick. Though darkness is needed, Manus could not control his own and had corrupted him and he would be damned if he let the same thing happened to him. The more important thing now was to get sleeping princess out of the Abyss.
The Elite Knight handed over the soul over to his partner. Aqua hesitated before retrieving the sprite. Like the Abyss Walkers soul earlier it simply floated an inch above her palm. Unlike Artorias soul, it was human and completely dark. To any normal human, it could easily overpower the body and take over recreating the beast they just fought if it fell into the wrong hands. It will have to be sealed and hidden away, when given time of course. Now they had to worry about getting out of here.
A familiar humming filled the silent air and the two knights turned to see a dormant bonfire suddenly appear now that its oppressor was gone. The Chosen Undead did a fist pump at the sight of the bonfire, knowing its purpose. Aqua looked at him with an amused smirk wondering why he let out such an outburst of joy. Was the bonfire really going to help them out of this place?
Gently, the Elite Knight picked up the sleeping princess in his arms. He gestured to Aqua to follow with his head before walking over to the bonfire. Seeing her as her friends' hands were full, the woman outstretched her free hand to the dormant flame. Like how the other bonfire ignited to the knight's presence previously, it sensed the power of the human near it and activated with a spark and spewed out its calming radiating flames.
The undead warrior looked at her then at his shoulder just as he knelt by the fire. Taking the hint, Aqua placed her free hand on her friend's shoulder as be prayed by the bonfire. The flames intensified until they consumed the trio in its brilliant embrace. When the light show ended nothing was left but the stand alone bonfire that hummed in the dark.
The mystic knight had closed her eyes tightly as the flames washed over them. Not out of fear but from their blinding intensity. She could feel Manus soul in her palm twitch violent, not exactly happy with being consumed in such a light. As fast as the flames held the humans in its embraced, they died down and let go. Carefully, Aqua peered an eye open and quickly noticed the seen change. They were outside of the Abyss and back in the Oolacile Township where the bonfire here sat idle greeting back its users. The women blinked a few times before smiling inside of her helm. How strange to use a bonfire to teleport, but she has seen stranger. At least she wouldn't be damned once more to walk the Realm of Darkness again. She let out a sigh of a relief.
"It's finally over." The Master let go of the knight shoulder. He readjusted the princess in his arms as he stood up from the bonfire. "She's really out cold, isn't she?" Aqua could have sworn she heard a ghost of a chuckle escape her silent friend. He nodded his head before taking off ahead of her towards the coliseum. As she followed she looked at the Soul of Manus in her hands. "What to do with you?"
"Good to see you both alive. I was beginning to doubt whether either of you would come back alive." Ciaran greeted the two human knights. Though her greeting was a snide one, it was light hearted sounding then how she would normally greet a human with absolute disdain. The ash white cat Alvina was curled on her lap while Sif sat loyal by its masters grave. Upon seeing Aqua, the wolf let out a happy bark and trotted up to her.
"It wasn't easy that's for sure. But the job is done." Sif sat down in front of the keybearer who patted the animals head affectionately. "Actually, we probably wouldn't of made it without Sif's help."
"Loyal even after death. Sif has never left Artorias's side even when he first found her as a pup." Aqua looked down at the happy wolf and raised a brow. She had assumed Sif was a male. She inwardly laughed at her own trivial mistake.
Ciaran poked Alvina to get up from its sleeping position. Though thoroughly annoyed of having the leave her comfortable position, the future head of the forest covenant got up from the warm lap, stretching out her body. With the cat of, The Lord Blade was able to better address the knights.
"I see you also rescued Princess Dusk. Human, she would be best with Elizabeth. That old mushroom will keep her safe." The Undead nodded in agreement. His main mission was to rescue the sleeping women in the first place for the talking mushroom after he got snatched by Manus in his own time. With the Undead gone to complete the last leg of his mission, the hornet knight could have a better conversation with the Master.
"Thank you for your services, Master Aqua. You are most kind." There was a pause in her voice before a small laugh. "Tis a strange feeling, thanking a human."
"There's a fist time for everything. It took me awhile to change Artorias mind about humans. The moment we met I thought he would attack me out of fear." Both women eyed the soul of Manus that continued to burn eerily in the mystic knight palm.
"I can only imagine why. But if I may inquire, where exactly did you find Dusk?"
"When we defeated Manus, she just fell right out of him along with this soul. Honestly, I thought she was Manus."
"Plausible, but no. I can assure you that they are different and that soul is proof." That explained much of what happened to the old Abyss Walker. A fairytale of saving a princess from the big bad monster only to go horribly wrong leading to a tragic end. The soul flared in the women's hand getting both of the maidens' attention.
"What a troublesome human. A strong soul such as this is a rarity these days. Normally a magnificent weapon could be made of such a power, but nothing good will ever come out of a soul so dark. Tis best to destroy it." There was a sneer in the hornet's voice. It wasn't a suggestion as much as it was an order.
Aqua stopped caressing the fur of the wolf who let out a whine. Her teeth gritted in a sudden spark of anger. The keyberer took in a deep breath to calm herself. She had to remember that these people weren't human themselves and didn't take kindly to them easily.
"Of course if you can't do it. I have no qualms about it. After all, the original task given to the four was to protect the world from the reappearance of the Dark Lord."
"No it's not that I can't. It's still a human soul after all and I'm still trying to get use to the concept of this is what it looks like and what it is." She can still remember Artorias's words of human souls being pure dark and even now it was hard to believe despite the evidence sitting on her palm.
"Yes, human souls are truly dark. I can see though that your heart is pure at the very least." A soul full of darkness and a heart of light. Is that what makes a human and give them internal balance that can be easily upset if not kept in check?
"Actually, I was thinking it would be better to seal it away so that no one would find it." It was the better option. Who knew what would happen if they simply crushed it. The last thing they needed was for Manus to be reincarnated due to negligence. Ciaran seemed troubled by this and crossed her arms too sure if she could agree to this.
"Thy self-second this notion of a sealing." Alvina padded forward to the Master with a purr in her voice. The large feline walked up to the human and circled around her legs. "Yes, I have taken a great likening to thee. Even thou art human still and not an undead one either. Very strange indeed but not intolerable." The feline held a growl in her voice giving it a condescending tone. Though if Aqua had to guess, she would suspect that all cats to have a sarcastic attitude about them despite not meaning it. Then again, she wasn't too surprised at the notion of talking animals.
"Are you sure about this Alvina?" The cat looked up to the hornet with a Cheshire grin.
"Quiet so, Ciaran. Remember to always to take the advice of a cat. Thy kind sees all and knows all the longer we live and I've seen things in my day may, may I remind you. Seal the soul of man and keep the events here a secret is best. And of course," Alvina flicked her tail to the make shift grave, "To protect the grave sight of Artorias. No doubt others will come to try to pillage it."
After thinking it over, the smallest of Gwyn's knights nodded her head to the cat.
"Then it's settled. Now we just need something to put Manus in."
"Don't fret human. I know of a perfect place to hide our little friend. Now, bring that soul closer to me." Aqua knelt down to the cat's level not entity sure what the feline had planned. The smaller of the two animals flicked its tail back and forth as she stared at the burning black soul. Whit a yodel, Alvina used her own magic on what was left of Manus. The souls twitched violently and change it's shaped as its free-floating form started to harden and round out. The magic died and what was left over was just a small ring with an emerald embedded into it.
"Ah yes that will do wondrously. A ring that shall allow the wearer to traverse the abyss much like Artorias, but shrouded in lies." The cat looked over to Sif and frowned. Unlike Alvina, the wolf lacked the ability to speak outside of body language. "Mongrule, come here."
Sif's ears pulled back and her lips curled in a mild growl. Despite being friends with the feline, the wolf highly disliked being called names by the smaller animal and her high and mighty nature. Knowing it bothered the Sif, the cat continued with a sideways smirk.
"Do not vex thee Sif. Be a good pup and hid the ring." The canine snorted at the cat unhappy with her taunting. Never the less, the companion animal brought her muzzle to the blue knight's outstretched hand that held the ring. With a quick lick, Sif's tongue scooped up the ring and into the animal's mouth where it was promptly swallowed into the wolf's stomach.
Aqua's jaw dropped from the sudden action of the animal while Ciaran felt a mild headache coming from Alvina's plan.
"Out of sight, out of mind." The cat purred happily, "Do not go yonder knocking for nothing I say." She flicked her tail with pride. Sif let out a whine not entirely enjoying the experience of having to swallow such an object, trying not to wretch. Aqua at last took in a sharp breath after registering the animal's actions in her head. This could work as long as no one knew about the wolf's new secret. Granted upon death, something would have to be done again.
"I guess that could work." She stood back straight. "But are you sure nothing will happen to Sif?"
"Humanity is attracted to humanity, human. That dog is no human. Nothing to bad should happen." Sif's ears peeked as she stared down at the cat, lips curling as she growled low. Alvina just cocked her head and smirked. "My slip up, wolf." The larger animal didn't stop. It continued until Alvina's curses became nothing more than hisses and the two animals became incoherent to the knights. It didn't take long for the argument became a heated game of chase.
"Does this happen often?"
"More than I'd like to admit."
Shadowed by the corridor, the Chosen Undead watched the interaction of the four. He dared not make a sound; his saddens hidden by his helm as he looked at the wolf especially. The knight looked down at his clenched hand before revealing its contents. Right in the center of his palm was the emerald ring that the animal had swallowed. For in another time and another place, he had slain Sif and inherited the Covenant of Artorias.
KZD: Ok explanation time. I decided to screw up the lore here a little just to explain why Sif drops the Covenant of Artorias. Also to why I made Sif a female, well I think for those who play the game know that we all spent so much time under the wolf and have not seen a damn thing XD. But in all seriousness, Sif is a female name. Sorry this couldn't come out sooner. I've been obsessively playing DSII and doing a play through on my gaming channel on YouTube. I finished it not to long ago and now I can focus a little more time into this.