Quelaag's Domain

"I wish to speak to the Fair Lady." Eingyi peered at William with a wary look. "I'm sorry, do I know you traveler?" Rolling his eyes he pulled up the visor on his helmet. "It's me, Eingyi." The pyromancer's brow furrowed and he took a closer look. "Well, you're looking a good deal healthier these days!" he said as he led William to the chamber where the Fair Lady rested. "Here she is. The Fair Lady was frightened, you weren't exactly in the best of moods when you last came."

William removed his helmet entirely as he approached Quelaan. She could not see him, but he felt obliged given the level of trust between them. Nodding in respect Eingyi went back outside saying, "Let me know if there is anything that either of you require." Now that it was just the two of them, William pulled off one of his gauntlets and placed the Old Witch's Ring on his finger. Much like the removal of his helmet the Ring was no longer needed after the half-spider was healed. But old habits died hard. "I hear you've been quite worried over me, my lady," he said teasingly. Quelaan let out a soft laugh. "Yes. That sweet knight Solaire. When he came asking for you, I had to help."

When she gestured for William to come closer he did so right away. The Undead shrugged saying, "I guess I should thank you for that. You probably spared me another death, and…" He trailed off and peered at Quelaan's complexion, noticing she was paler than usual and trembling slightly. "Um, you don't seem well, Quelaan. I gathered some liquid humanity for you, if you want it." The lady shook her head and muttered, "No, no, it's alright." William took her hand. Quelaan was cold as ice. "You don't seem alright." Before she could respond again he uncorked the vial of humanity as his side and poured several drops into the Lady's hand. "Oh… Oh my…"

Quelaan groaned and her face flushed. William closed the flask asking, "Is that better?" The woman nodded. "Quelaan, it's fine to ask me for help. You know I'll always say yes," William said as he put away the vial. His friend breathed deeply and smiled pleasantly. The Lady's voice was stronger and more relaxed when asking, "Thank you. It's not that I don't trust you. It's just… For years the only company I truly had was my sister. I am still getting used to a new friend I suppose." There was a pause before she kept going.

"I have to know; what happened at the Asylum? And what caused you such distress when we last saw each other?" William sat down. Telling Quelaan the whole story would take a while.

...

By the time William was done telling Quelaan about the Serpents, the Flame, and his visions she was shaking her head ruefully. "I am so sorry you had to find out the truth this way. It must be terrible. Knowing who you are but… well not knowing. I mean, I may be blind but at least I can close my eyes and still picture everything. Have you remembered anything else?" It pained William to say no. He had tried to bring back something else of course, but so far? No luck. "I'm afraid not. I just have the name, a brief memory of my parents and Oscar, and I know that I became a knight when coming of age. But there's nothing else."

"Yes, the name. William. It is a good name," said the Lady. William's ears burned as she grinned sweetly. Returning her focus to the matter at hand before the moment lingered too long, Quelaan asked the undead knight, "What will you do now?" William looked down at the Astora straight sword he had taken from Oscar's corpse. Already it had served him well when he encountered several gigantic leeches when in Blighttown. Before long, William knew he would be using it again. "Honestly, I don't know. Kingseeker Frampt told me that to satiate the Lordvessel and continue with his plan, I must find beings with strong enough souls. Afterwards, who knows? Maybe I will link the Lordvessel, maybe I won't."

Quelaan cocked her head. "Who's souls would these be?" The answer was frightening, but he couldn't lie to himself and think there was some other way. Trying not to make his friend too nervous William said, "The Lord Souls. Gravelord Nito, Seath the Scaleless, the Four Kings, and the Bed of Chaos." If his goal was to keep Quelaan calm from the look of things he failed miserably. The Lady's face was stricken with shock and her voice was shaking when she spoke again. "Are you mad? You will be a man fighting gods! Such a task can only end in failure." William understood her concern but his retort was ready nonetheless. "People likely said the same of Gwyn and his followers when they fought the Dragons."

This did nothing to help relieve Quelaan, and she began to breathe rapidly while running her fingers through her hair. "Quelaan, it's alright…" He was cut off when the mutated woman yelled shrilly, "Not it's not! You nearly died out there, and you're just going to strike out on your own again. Even if you succeed, what then?" William placed his hands on both sides of the Lady's face without thinking and locked eyes with her. "Quelaan, please listen to me. What will standing by and doing nothing gain? The Age of Fire is ending." The weight of his words quieted her but Quelaan 's fear was evident even in silence.

"I'll be alright." William caressed her cheek, and the half-spider took his hand gingerly. "If you give yourself to the Flame, we will lose your forever." Of all the things William told Quelaan, this seemed to have hurt her the most and it was evident by how defeated she sounded. But he was not going to let her despair, not even if he was indeed going to his death in the Kiln of the First Flame. William squeezed her hand softly and whispered, "When the time comes I may have to make a difficult choice Quelaan. But whatever happens, I'll save as many people as I can. Eingyi, Solaire, Quelana… you. It's why I sought the bells in the first place, why I've forced myself to die over and over… And why I've helped you."

The Lady had nothing to say this time. Awkwardly, William realized how close he and Quelaan were and took a step back. Eingyi chose this moment to enter holding a scroll of parchment. "I have some information you requested, Undead!" William straightened himself up and took the scroll. "Thank you." Quelaan asked, "What is it?" Opening it the undead knight smiled. "It's about my first destination. If I am going to find the Four Kings I need a ring called the Covenant of Artorias. And I know who's holding it.

An old friend named Sif."

Author's Note: Yes indeed, William is going off to find Great Grey Wolf Sif. In this story, he has already gone back in time and encountered both Sif and his fallen master. Of course those of you who have played the game know that Sif is quite changed when the Undead meets him again.

And it was nice writing the first in-story interaction (in this particular fanfic anyway) between William and the Fair Lady Quelaan. As I have said before, I will write a separate story explaining how they met, how William enabled her to communicate with others, and how the friendship between them could be established at all considering what happened to her 'dear sister'. As of now, all you need to know is that William treasures Quelaan's friendship because of how rare a selfless and good person like her is in the Dark Souls world. And the Lady treasures William's friendship because he healed her and is the first real friend she's had in years.

So William is off to collect the Lord Souls. How will that go? Stay tuned and find out.
Leave a review below and I'll see you 'round.