The duelist knocked the estoc away from his neck, and kicked the bronze colored knight away from him. He launched darkness into her stomach, decaying her weak armor away. Fiora turned to the duelist, rapier at the ready.

"You!" She yelled with anger as the duelist turned to her. "How do you expect me to react in a situation like that. The way I see it, that was self defense." A firekeeper soul appeared above the body of the fallen knight… Fiora turned to it, her rapier did not lower. "She was… she was a firekeeper. Scum! You have sinned for the last time. I will beg the gods for the power to slay you… and hope that every time I do you grow closer to becoming a hollow."

"Gods… Power?! Do you really believe in that nonsense? The power that you use is yours alone to control. It is a direct extension of yourself. How has this cursed place not showed you that already? All of the gods are gone or dead so who or what do you draw power from? Hm?"

Fiora stared into Jeff's eyes, this time it was her rapier that was at his throat. She looked down at the talisman she had in her left hand. She asked herself… where does this power come from? She looked up at the duelist again…

"You…"

Fiora stepped back and sheathed her blade. "I guess… you're right." She tried to be noble about it, but in fact felt defeated, as though a part of her world had just been ripped away and was thrown out of balance. Alone. She thought. She was truly alone in the world. There was no light at the end of the tunnel, there was no guardian looking over her shoulder… her legs gave out, and for the first time since her death, she cried.

Ornstein stabbed his spear right into the darkwraith, lifting his body up. He sent a wave of electricity through his great weapon and the figure went limp. Throwing the body to the side, he turned to the main entrance of the cathedral. The dark one stood up, consuming a sprite of humanity. The giant was facing away from him, and with full strength he slashed the legs of his foe to bring him to his knees. With his left hand, he obliterated the dragonslayer, leaving ashes and a pile of golden armor in his wake. He was alone in the cathedral, he could no longer see the warriors standing at the entrance. The darkwraith walked out of the cathedral, heading for the rotating bridge in the center of Anor Londo… to Gwyndolin.

Fiora sat, staring into the bonfire inside of the very small room. There were paintings on the walls and a small chimney that appeared to not have been used for hundreds of years. Tables and chairs littered the room but looked as if the slight amount of pressure would shatter the things. Jeff entered the room, slowly shutting the door on his way in.

"This place is crawling with darkwraiths, I would be able to take on one or two… but any more than that would be the end of me."

The duelist looked at Fiora, she wasn't emotionally ready for a fight… "Look, I'm sor-"

"No, don't apologize." Fiora was looking into his eyes. "I'm a fool… just like a sheep, being herded on a farm."

Sheep… no, Jeff had met sheep before… Fiora was no sheep… yet she wasn't a wolf either, she was something else... "Sheep? I wouldn't go that far." He attempted to crack a smile, but failed and returned to a straight face. "I recently had interaction with a sheep, you are a much better person than he... was. If I would use one word to describe you… I would say that you are a sheep-dog. The sheep-dog is friends with the sheep, but when it needs to…" Jeff pointed at his teeth. "It can defend itself, and its' friends."

Fiora looked at the man, the person who was once her enemy was now entirely different. Was it the lack of a mask? No. Was it because of the situation? Maybe. She remembered how fast Nogal and the pyromancer had befriended this person… was it her? Had she changed?

Jeff looked into the fire. "I don't know why we are here… but it's all for naught if we can't find a way out of here."

"Have you ever heard of The Painted World?" The words attacked the man by surprise as he looked at Fiora, expecting further information. "It is a world that houses a powerful magical being. I remember reading about it in an old history book. It may be our chance to get out of this place."

The duelist smiled, "I don't know much about history, but that sounds like a risk I'm willing to take!" Fiora was on her feet, but before she could move Jeff reached his hand out. "Partners?" He stated. She smiled back. "Partners."

The darkwraith approached the long corridor, facing the enemy he challenged not so long ago. Gwyndolin was an odd creature, snakes extended from under a white dress-like robe that seemed to transform into a feminine man wearing a gold, pointed crown.

"Where is the Lordvessel?" stated the god. The darkwraith just stared at him, his hunger was taking over... he had never tasted a god before. Gwyndolin threw poison darts in his direction, but the dark one absorbed them all with his twisted "shield". He charged the god, who started to bombard him with masses of soul arrows. Ducking behind a pillar, he readied his pyromancy. Gwyndolin prepared to launch a massive attack, the darkwraith noticed that the bombardment had ceased, sprinting out from behind the pillar to deliver his attack. Gwyndolin unleashed a great soul orb, and the ball of fire passed by over it. Lava spilled under the god, melting the snakes that were holding him up. Gwyndolin tried to teleport away, but the darkwraith already had his right hand in the god's chest. The being withered away in his hand, his life force sucked dry by the darkwraith. The dark one looked outside of a window to his right… he had devoured a god.