I did not sit and stare but rather trudged along aimlessly, thankfully the creatures of Grimm left me well alone as if the previous destruction had satiated their hunger.
There was nothing to detect (after all), no blind rage or wailing sorrow, a simple hole within that hungered for fullness. It could have taken days or weeks for every minute spilled into the hours only to leave me with some vague sense of its passing. I say aimless but truly there was a point I was drawn towards that steadily grew stronger in its pull, up until I was at its doorstep I had no idea as to where I was being drawn to.
Had I the capacity I would have wept at the sight of her, my mind now enveloped in her radiant presence that gave me the necessary purpose.
"Welcome home Oscar" I moved to genuflect in her presence but she raised her hand quickly to stop me. "Please, we've already discussed this, there is no need"
"Oh my queen, I have failed thee in my quest. Please! Do not cast aside your loyal follower!"
"Failed? Oscar, I had no doubt in my mind that you would succeed, and you have. Your death is nothing but a minor setback. Though I'd urge you to treat your life with more care"
"Thank you for endless mercy. Though I may be the usurper to the dying embers of old but until I find the First Flame I am all but useless to you, not worthy to stand at your side" she smiled patiently at my remark as if I were a child speaking of matters which I understood not.
"My dearest knight, there is no longer a flame to usurp" At first it failed to register, taking them at their most basic values they were nothing more than sound permeating the air. Words were all but meaningless to those who could not understand them; of course there were undeniable truths such as the tone of the voice communicating without any need for true meaning but disregarding such things words could not have any impact on a mind unless the person chose to understand the words.
"I beg your pardon milady, but I believe I misheard you. Of course you did not mean that the First Flame is-"
"Dead?" The word hung in the air with all the weight of centuries of history behind it.
"But without the flame…without it, I…you promised me…"
"Really? Did I promise you power?" She seemed honestly surprised at my request which only further roused my disobedience.
"You promised that you would never lie! You promised I would be safe! That I'd be given purpose! You lied to me!"
"Calm yourself!"
"No! I'll have your damned head on a pike!" The words should not have angered me so but there remained that insatiable desire, the hollow within had grown stronger, gnawing away at the rope that bound it to my control with every moment I could not prevent it from doing so. Unconsciously I found the hilt of a weighty blade in my hand, I cared not for what kind (it could have been a ladle and I would have felt its comfort) and that familiar bloodlust took hold. The fog that had once been suffocating was now intoxicating, the clouded intelligence making it all the easier to lose oneself to rage. I rushed forward only to find impressed upon me the strength of a thousand flames bursting within my breast. I had been burned and crushed betwixt gargantuan fangs and yet this pain was the only to leave me unable to move. My limbs attempted to convulse and yet they would not move, I could do nothing but collapse in a dribbling heap of flesh with my arms and legs petrified by pain.
"Humanity is a strange thing isn't it? It is unpredictable in how it will react but can still be controlled to some extent, and control it I have. I am a creation of The Abyss and so in the same way I can give you humanity I can also take it, and beyond even that I can alter it. Being a part of a human makes it quite prone to…react when it's in pain, but that has the added effect of doing the same to its container" My eyes were unable to close despite the pain and I could just parse her curious expression through the prickling remnants of tears. "I suppose that would be you in this case". I could do nothing but continue to stare vacantly at her while my mind was ravished by the writhing humanity within, like fire flooding trough my veins and bleeding out into my innards. Such was the agony that I seldom realised that it was not my own.
"I didn't want to do this but you've left me no choice" The urge to shiver beneath the slithering tendrils sliding across my bare skin was immense and yet I could do no more than recoil within my own mind at the sensation of it invading my armour through what small chinks it found. The floating creature with its bulbous head and single incandescent glow was quite clearly another of her servants (among which I was apparently no longer considered) but I could feel the spark of intellect missing from the others. Not the intellect of a living creature, of course, but instead the unfeeling aura of arithmetic those bean counters oozed.
I was brought slowly through a series of closed doors that progressively grew smaller and so too did my pain, enough so that I could perceive the quiet pad of bare feet on stone. It was unclear as to what fate awaited me until I was met with the sight of the Abyss, though, of course it was not the true Abyss but the undulating waves of humanity coursing through the pit were enough to hold its affects. I was flipped onto my backside and placed like a corpse in the pit that would be my grave, my thoughts stormed by pain and yet I managed within that whirling tempest to reach out into the ethereal to draw out the strength of the iron-willed Artorias. Many a time a well-worn blessing decided my victory and now with the protection of a covenant long forgotten I too would be safe from its influence.
"Oh don't give me that look, this isn't a death sentence. This is just your punishment, I'll return in time to retrieve you from there. Maybe you'll even learn something valuable while you're down there" The quiet laughter echoed across the pit in a way that defied the very laws of nature, rebounding off surfaces that did not exist and penetrating my ears with their mocking tone. I was uncertain if even the very ground beneath which I lied could constitute some semblance of a floor rather than the surface of dense humanity it most assuredly was. The abyss tugged at my skin and bit into my armour in an attempt to draw me into their sweltering mass but also freed the pain that had caused my inertness. Despite myself, I waited there for my punishment for what else should I do? If I had lost my purpose then I was truly doomed, should I desire to battle the inevitable then what good would come of it? At the core of what drove me so far was spite, overcoming obstacles in spite of their difficulty not because of it.
A sensation akin to a bath of cold water washed over my body and I stood up instinctively only to find that I was very much not alone in the darkness.
Eyes like lava burned through the unending darkness only to settle upon my frightened figure. There were perhaps hundreds of points swaying in an unseen breeze, all quiet and all trained upon my person. I moved my hand to the phantom sheath at my side only to freeze as the floating orbs followed its path. They could sense something, perhaps it was my hostility or my fear but whatever it was they sensed it and moved slightly closer. Their movements were shaky (as if they had just woken from a long slumber) and swayed in an almost hypnotic fashion, though I cannot be certain, it seems that was there intention all along. They had grown steadily closer and I only realised my mistake once something solid rested on my pauldron, weighty as it was, the tendril had wrapped itself around my arm and held with great force despite its thinness. I struck out with a short dagger at my belt but it did not recoil even though I felt the resistance of its body as I cut into it. The few moments it had gripped me depleted some of my vitality and while not life-threatening it was worrying without any Estus with which to regain it.
They were not dissimilar to the Humanity Phantoms that wandered aimlessly except these were twisted somehow, made to take a more malign form to suit its creator's needs and yet still retaining the same desire as their inept brethren.
I had thought this enemy strange since the moment I encountered in the depths of Oolacile, they damaged whatever they passed through and yet they passed through and retained their solidity. They were the same as the humanity I absorbed into myself and yet they were so pure and in such great quantity that they were damaging rather than healing. It was then that I realised that perhaps they were more human than monster, deprived of contact for centuries they longed for the touch of another and sought out whatever landed in their prison that could provide them that. They meant no ill will (of that I am sure) but still they harmed whatever they touched in an attempt to garner their affections. Why they would disregard the wellbeing of those they wanted to befriend in an attempt to become whole once-more (to be reunited with the 'soft' humanity within) I could only theorise. Perhaps they too mimicked their predecessors and pursued their desires without consideration for the consequences of such an action (or the consciousness to perceive its counter-intuitiveness).
A most human thing indeed…
And much like humanity they too could be coerced and shaped to fit another's needs, so (I thought) perhaps they could also be shaped to fit mine.
Revitalised by purpose, I reached out into the otherworld wherein I grasped the revolting catalyst those Bloated sorcerers seemed so fond of wielding. The thing had long ivory tentacles of its own (tipped with red) that quivered happily in the presence of the Abyss and curled around empty space before stopping and returning to its inert state. I rarely used such a thing since it responded so poorly to most sorceries but it had a certain knack for commanding the Abyss that I was certain could be used to my advantage.
They were closer now, reaching out with curiously pronged limbs, they clawed at the air as they neared which brought one close enough that I could view how the central crimson glow surrounding it splintered out into less vibrant cracks that decorated the simple white mask it wore (presumably to add some distinction to its vaporous form and supply it the necessary centre to anchor itself rather than join the formless Humanity around it). Its ghostly visage raised a problem, I'd hope to deter them from attacking by controlling them with my own catalyst but they were quite clearly her creations (unable to be influenced by me). The connection was obvious now that I had analysed deeply enough. She gave form to humanity and shaped it into these creatures but in order to allow them to move freely without her focus and far from a place untouched by the Abyss they needed the integrity to maintain their form or risk being defenceless (in other words, useless). The bones coating the daemons' bodies and piercing out through their skin were more than mere aesthetics or a way to incite further fear from a combatant, the inclusion of these were what allowed them to move independently and hold some base intellect all with complete autonomy. It was almost inspiring how such an idea had never been attempted despite the overtness of its efficacy, a cure to a (at my time) new complication. But those that encroached upon my position seemed juvenile somehow in how they lacked anything other than a mask and (upon closer inspection) a small set of ribs floating in and around the mist that concealed (or perhaps was) their true form. They would be useless in battle (far too slow and brittle) as any soldier with half a mind could easily dispatch of such a weak little thing, following that logic; they were either the true juvenile state of all these 'Grimm' or they needed a vessel to draw out their true strength. And what were the Grimm? How could Humanity be twisted until it struck out wantonly? A perversion of its desire for touch surely…or perhaps the true nature of mankind still.
Focus! Leave philosophy to those scholars and their dusty old tomes…
Striking my skull with the staff helped bring my thoughts back to the more pressing matter. They were far too close and far too many in number for me to fight off before becoming overwhelmed however I need not fight alone. My soul was still shaken from its encounter with the Queen and so I needed to focus the entirety of my being into this spell. It was not one that was taught and learnt through a scroll or a willing teacher, it was something known only to the Pygmies and their descendants. The art of manipulating Humanity had disastrous consequences should it be mistreated and was handily forgotten as the only civilisation to study it was erased for its attempts. However the fruits of their labour (rotten as they were) still remained which made it simple to learn of the spell and its properties. Yet it was pure idiocy to manipulate something within yourself, absolute folly to think that you could, and still I made my attempt. I drew out the tempest of emotions swirling all around, their love and envy I transformed to floating wisps that spilled in from unseen places like dew until they were large as my head; a quintet of these balls hovered in a half-ring above me before rushing forward and colliding with the Giests in a cloud of silent screams but their effort was not nearly enough.
Think…make them more solid, give form to thought and meaning to shape. Creativity is a weapon, those who do not use it die first…
I tried once more to conjure something but the only thing that I could produce in my panicked state were floating wisps that dissipated as quickly as they came. No! Focus!
Your panic is disrupting your concentration. Think on what you are. Who are you?
"I am a…"
This time I gave shape to their will, not a direction or a purpose. No, not their will, I gave shape to my own. My desire for purpose, my longing for safety and my hunger for peace yet stained by my wretched want for destruction, for revenge and power. Perhaps I should have expected what came of this, of my projection of self, a melding of my best and worst qualities into something built for battle yet ill-suited to anything else.
It was a perfect monster.
Every inch of it was covered in those white plates of bone, none of them spiked outward but for a crown of thorns atop its helm. And surely it was armoured in a way that spoke much of myself as the only part of it to be unshielded was its missing visor wherefrom coiling smoke escaped in rolling billows. It's back turned to me, I could see that the armour smooth in some places and sharp in others (as if someone had mixed two differing sets of armour together) was cracked in places that further leaked the contents within. A small round-shield soldered to its left arm and its longsword forever grasped in its right hand as if to grant it the dexterity to utilise the weapon without the ability to surrender it. Without so much as a glance in my direction it began slaughtering the horde of enemies surrounding in complete silence.
The only thing that could be heard were the fleeting moans of the dying and the sound of a blade dicing bone.
It was over in seconds but already steam rose from their corpses to join the Humanity around them but distant points of red light betrayed any sense of safety.
I was unwilling to wait and discover exactly what these new contenders would bring.
I looked at my creation once more.
It stood deathly still.
"Up" it was a simple command and as it turned to face me I thought it would strike me down but instead it merely pierced my shoulder with the tip of its sword. I thought my own creation had turned against me (spurned on by bloodlust) but for how it immediately leapt from the pit to land on solid ground and slid the blade from my wound. It returned to its neutral stance and shook slightly as if shivering from unseen frost. It was my knight to command and that was alone was a most enticing prospect.
What frightening power…
I could feel the Humanity within now fully under my control and with it the ability that I had long since thought impossible. An ability many would slaughter entire kingdoms merely to have a fraction of.
Many already had.
What amazing power…
"Come" The walk down the ever widening corridors was leisurely yet I could not help but become giddy from the strength I now possessed and quicken my pace to a jog, and then a run.
I cleared the length of the hallway in seconds with the thundering footfalls of my companion echoing the weight of my own. Bursting through the doors, I turned to face my Qu-
My captor, with a mind no longer afflicted by madness I saw her for what she truly was. The small creases in her gown, the thin hairs peaking from hair ornately woven hair, small imperfections only serving to further destroy any and all remaining loyalty to her false image of divinity.
"You're back sooner than expected, whatever is the matter. Did your longing for me grow too strong?"
"Not another word from your wretched mouth witch or I'll have your tongue before your head"
"Excellent! You've even exceeded my expectations. As expected of my champion"
"I said hold your tongue! First you lie to my face and now you mock me?"
"Lie? I've never lied to you" I was about ready to burst.
"You said I was to usurp the First Flame, you told me it that it was still burning!"
"I never said that the Flame was dead, I only implied it. It is still very much alive but there is nothing substantial enough to usurp. That bonfire in that cave is the only thing left of it. The last glimpse of an age long gone"
"But…how?"
"All fires eventually fade. It's pointless to try and stop it"
"Then what is to become of me?"
"Oscar do you know why I brought you through to this time?" Cautiously, I responded.
"Is it not because you required my services?"
"Yes, but that is only part of it. Tell me, what was the first thing you learnt once you escaped the asylum?" Regardless of how she knew of such a thing I decided to humour her inane questions.
"Plunging attacks are vital to defeating bosses"
"Ok, what was the second thing you learned?"
"Treasures and secrets are as easy to find as their namesake would suggest"
"Third?"
"Never attack the parent of a mush-"
"Time is convoluted!"
"That doesn't explain why a Hellkite Dragon was roaming the skies"
"Ah, so it has already begun…"
"What has? Stop speaking in riddles and give me a straight answer before I decide you are not worth my blade and toss you from the nearest balcony"
"While your threats are oh so frightening I can't tell you if you talk over me. Be patient and I'll tell you"-I gave a curt nod of my head to display my compliance-"Thank you. Now, the reason I brought you here was to create a fracture between our two times. Bringing you through created an opening from your world to my own, like a tear in a fabric. Ever since then it has been leaking parts of your world into mine, that dragon is only a taste of what's to come"
"But why? Why would you want more danger and potential enemies?"
"Where you see the threat of invasion I see the opportunity for new and powerful allies and the chance for you to grow stronger by defeating them"
"Then what is to become of the people that live in this world? They'll all be slaughtered, they can't stand to face these creatures, I know well enough. I've seen the depths of depravity that has consumed my time, no human army could defeat them…no sane man would even try…"
"They won't have to, I only want to destroy the walls that keep them safe and reclaim the treasures that lie within. I'll rule over those that remain"
"And what if they reject your rule? If they do not wish to serve?"
"Then they will die" No hesitation, not a glimpse of sympathy for those who were of no use to her.
How familiar…
"…I see…of course" A moment of thoughtful silence filled the room.
Order and chaos…what are they? A matter of perspective, surely, there is order even in chaos. Everything has an order, a direction and laws to abide by…then what should happen if those rules were broken, if paupers became noblemen and knights became…
"Then I suppose that all that remains for me is to learn from you" A genuine smile spread across her face, I sheathed whatever weapon I had drawn and pretended not to notice how she toyed with the humanity surrounding my soul, lulling it into security so she could make it more suggestible and (by proxy) me. I had drawn it tight but left wisps for her to amuse herself with, she frowned almost imperceptibly as she was unable to influence my spirit to any significant degree (her experience and sensitivity in manipulating it far exceeding my own).
"Yes, now we can stand together. We will usher in a new age"
"I really must thank you for the truth you've shown me. Gifting me this wondrous power, truly I am in your debt-"
"Please, we are equals in a world without. You've saved me from a lifetime of boredom really, standing around frightened sheep and commanding arrogant pups becomes quite unfulfilling after a while"
"I suppose in time I'll be able to sympathise with that sentiment. But right now as a celebration of our partnership may we shake hands. It is only right when agreeing upon an arrangement to do so" she raised her brow in suspicion but held out her hand nonetheless.
"To new beginnings" I grasped hers firmly with my Dark Hand.
"To new beginning-" her echoed sentiment caught in her throat as I pulled her into a deadly embrace.
"Though I believe you have misunderstood something crucial. We are far from equal. In fact, I think I'll be taking some of that power you are oh so fond of" I brought the crimson glove to her throat and steadily drew out her Humanity.
It was absolutely euphoric, so much of it, so much raw unadulterated Humanity and yet none of it toxic. Like the sweetest of wines, it settled into my belly leaving behind only a newfound sense of power and a headiness that causes one to act brashly.
"We'll both. Die. There's too much" She managed to squeeze out a few words despite my unconsciously tightening grip.
"Oh no, unlike you I never go back on my word. You will teach me everything you know and I will become the head of a new age" The Dark Hand itself was a dangerously seductive weapon that had brought an entire city to ruin when the monarchs were consumed by its strength. However, a dedicated mind could stave off its allure through sheer force of will.
And I, if nothing, was a dedicated man.
A small counter in my mind signalled that I could hold no more of her essence (peaking at a mere 99) and so I left her on the cold crystal floor. Drained and usurped, she could do nothing but collapse in an exhausted heap. I could have very well left but I knew she would regain her strength and (if nothing) she had incredible regenerative properties. Soon enough she would recover and hunt me down.
I could rectify that.
Summoning my Notched Whip, I wrapped the length around her wrists and pierced the spikes through her forearms to tie them together; she could not heal something that had pushed apart her flesh. Even as she moaned in pain I continued my work until all that was left was to secure her completely. I summoned a second (barbless) whip and tied it around her neck before dragged her to the nearest leg of the table. Tying the other end firmly, I left to look a moment at my handiwork. Sweat dampened her forehead and a few stray tresses had come undone to flow freely during my attack, she looked almost like a beaten hound (bringing a sadistic pleasure forth at seeing her so humiliated). Her dishevelled appearance brought forth another memory in startling clarity.
The type of person you hate most…bringing chaos to order.
He was the one to say that to me, berating me with his 'words of wisdom'…
What utter horseshit.
They were everywhere; their disgusting kind wormed their way into every single kingdom like maggots in a corpse. Seeking to bring order yet failing so spectacularly, lauding themselves over every small victory yet unable to bring forth any substantial change, everywhere you found a king you would see not two paces from his throne a snivelling bureaucrat believing that they could run the country better. That they were somehow the only person to ever conceive an idea that would bring about total order, that them and only them could bring about this wondrous change. Some were even able to back up their claim, bringing a period of brief prosperity to time immemorial.
Yet they all had a fatal flaw.
They were mortal and therefore doomed to decay. Once hopeful ambitions twisted into cruel dogmas, traditions turning into religion and a forever lowering bar for what constitutes a good ruler. It was all par for the course when dealing with a system built upon the idea that a single ruler could not remain for eternity.
But I could do it. An Undead safe from hollowing, able to maintain his sanity over the course of centuries, unwilling to leave his throne and strong enough to defend it. Where others had failed I could succeed.
You shouldn't, it's not right for you to dabble in the affairs of a new land…
There is no way back, this is my land now...
You are just a knight, do you even want to be a ruler? Do you want to end up like him?
Reality was harsh and I was no man to place my bets on ambition and hope alone. I decided then that I was not fit to rule. I was far too weak and inexperienced to lead an entire world to prosperity under my rule.
Which was why my first step would be to grow stronger.
"You" I pointed towards my knight "guard her, make sure she doesn't escape" I turned to the door and called over my shoulder to whoever would listen.
"I am going Dragon hunting" What else was there to do? Live a quiet life as a humble farmer? My hopes of such a life dashed ever since I was born and bred to be a killer and a servant.
Now I held a purpose once more. Not to kneel at another's feet or wander aimlessly (held back by chains stronger than any slave's), even as I descended those stairs I could feel the purpose strengthen my steps and sharpen my mind.
And from my throne room above I could hear the distant voice of someone wish for me:
"Good luck"
AN:
How was that? I thought I might change the landscape (so to speak) and dragons have always been the heralds of new ago
~Symbolism~
This decision was a bit of a gamble because I'm not sure what you're response to this will be however I needed to remedy something that has plagued me for a while. Oscar had been suffering from a severe case of purposelessness so I gave him one, and when I give something purpose I sure as hell don't skimp out on the height of the aim. It was really a tossup between him usurping the throne, running away into the wilderness or pretending to serve Salem. The last option was actually what I originally intended but this works too.
Now time for some dot-point explaining of idea things (I'll find a name for this section later):
I used Geists instead of other Grimm because humanity 'phantom' and poltergeist. Beyond that, because they appear to have a similar physiology to phantoms (since it would bring about questions if I used Beowulf that typically bleed or are completely solid) as the Geists seem to be less solid and generally (well) ghost-like.
Also look out for pronouns in this series, I use them heavily to imply everything from power dynamics to levels of animosity and allegiances but I understand that if you're not looking out for them they can be easy to miss if you simply skim. Here's a freebie for you though:
When Oscar refers to the previous room as 'my throne-room' he's essentially claimed the castle as his own. But whether or not the people under Salem choose to follow him is a different matter entirely.
You'll also notice that this chapter was somewhat shorter than the last and that's because this was written (mostly) this week so you get what you wait for (which is why I shall never promise another chapter early again as an apology). I feel that this format is better since it's a return to the days of 3,000 word chapters of the beginning which allows me to stress over and pedantically research every word before I release it (but that's not to say they'll be that short again so don't panic).
But enough about that, I'll see all of you in the next chapter (2-3 weeks later)
