Chapter 54: Darkness Holds No Fear

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"Scatter! Don't let his attacks touch you!" Erik shouted as the Dark Dragon took a deep breath and spewed a wave of crackling purple smog. Whatever it touched melted and dissolved into nothing.

"This is bad," Vengarl said.

"No shit!" Mytha hollered, hurling bolt after bolt of sorceries into the massive behemoth before them.

Everyone who had ranged attacked joined in, trying to bring the deformed duke-turned-dragon down without nearing the wicked claws and teeth and flames.

But it did nothing. The attacks were swallowed by the black, oozing scales and did no visible damage. A few scratches here and there from the exception weapons, but that was it.

Aldia sneered down at the scurrying Hollows and flared his wings. Globs of black slime flew off, splattering all over the ground.

"Gross," Erik gagged as one of the blobs landed at his feet.

"Erik, move!" Elana shouted, shoving Erik to the side just as a black tentacle shot out of the puddle of darkness. Had the chef not been moved out of the way the black tendril would have pierced his heart.

Before the Undead's stunned eyes the black puddles exploded, strands of goop twisting and rising into malformed humanoid shapes that lunged at the party.

"What are these things?!" Lucatiel shouted, slashing at the goo-men that were rising from the puddles of raw Abyss.

"Manifestations of the Dark! Each one of these things is the remains of a human who was swallowed by the Abyss!" Nadalia exclaimed. "Be careful, they're stronger than they look!"

One of the goo-men proved her right by ripping a pillar out of the ground and hurling it like a spear at Erik. Raime countered, shattering the stone with his blades.

"They're trying to kill Erik! Don't let them hurt him, no matter what!" The former left hand commanded, his voice strong and firm.

"Yes! Let's do this!" Benhart shouted victoriously, obliterating two of the creatures with a flash of magic. Of course, they reformed instantly afterwards.

"Ha ha ha! Scurry and writhe like the worms you are! Let despair consume you!" Aldia crowed. He turned around and began to tear at the dome of ash that sealed off the Throne that he so desperately craved.

"Damn it!" Erik cried. "Don't let him break through! If he touches the Throne he wins! And we cannot allow that!"

For the moment the ash and soot, remnants of countless former Kindlers and wannabe-Kindlers, held, its arcane essence holding up to the onslaught of Darkness that washed upon it.

But it was only a matter of time. Thin cracks were spider-webbing across the dome's surface, and Aldia refused to let up.

"How are we supposed to stop me?! His scales are soaking up our attacks, and his minions just keep reforming!" Mytha shouted.

"Aaahhh! Don't set them on fire! Don't set them on fire!" Rosabeth shouted, running in panic from a goo-man who had turned into a shambling, living bonfire. Aslatiel decapitated the flaming monsters, but that barely slowed it down.

"If fire won't work, let's go with ice!" Alsanna shouted, flinging her hands out and freezing three of the goo-men in their tracks. Frost creaked and cracked, and it seemed to hold them in place for the moment.

"Alright, Alsanna and I will run interference with our Cryomancy! Everyone else, try to do what you can to distract Aldia! But don't die!" Erik shouted, letting the chill crawl out of his soul and ensnare more of the goo-men.

They turned into black, icy pillars where they stood. Their defeat caught Aldia's attention, and he looked at group of Undead who opposed him.

He flicked his tail and Vengarl and Raime went flying into the wall of the tower. He lashed out with his claws and nearly disemboweled Raime who needed a handful of Radiant Life Gems to recover. A gust of wind from his wings knocked Lucatiel and Rosabeth onto their asses.

"You are testing my patience," Aldia growled.

"Good!" Erik shouted back. He then immediately dodged a crushing blow from the dragon's barbed tail, narrowly avoiding being impaled by the spikes.

"This is not going well!" Vengarl shouted as he cut down another ooze monster. "Aldia's scales are too hard, and these things just keep reforming! It doesn't matter what we do to them!"

"I have an idea!" Erik replied, dashing over to Elana. The Squalid Queen was busy drowning the goopy tar-like beings in waves of summoned skeletons when the chef arrived at her side.

"What is it? I'm busy keeping these wretched spawn at bay," Elana said.

"Glaive!" He shouted, causing the eldest of Manus' daughters to raise an eyebrow before she smirked, understanding his plan. Or, at least he thought that was what she did. She was in her true form, and was less than human looking now.

Placing the large weapon against the ground, Elana waited for Erik to jump onto the flat of the blade before flinging him at the towering black mass of scales and Abyss.

Much like with Sinh deep down in Shulva, Erik landed hard on the draconic back, barely avoiding the spikes that ran down Aldia's spine.

The chef's arrival did not go unnoticed, and the duke-turned-dragon began to writhe and buck, trying to remove the gnat from his back.

"Remove yourself from me, worm! How dare you try to ride a greater being like it was a mere beast of burden!" Aldia roared.

One sharp, sudden jerk of the dragon's body nearly dislodged Erik. His pack went flying and it clattered on the ground, spilling pots and pans and cutlery everywhere.

Unknown to everyone, and unseen, a black and white crown rolled out of the canvas knapsack and came to rest upright on the floor, innocently watching the battle.

Erik clenched his teeth and ignored the shaking. He reached down to his belt and removed his precious Titanite kitchen knife, and jammed it into Aldia's back. The blade bit deep, puncturing the scales. Erik grinned madly at the sight. It had taken Lenigrast a long time to fully upgrade his dinky little blade, but now it could cut through Wyvern scales, meat, and bone with ease. And false dragon's, too.

It wasn't much, a pathetic pinprick upon the wrathful duke, but it was the first solid wound they'd landed in the entire battle.

With his other hand, Erik jabbed the Blade of Eleum Loyce into the dragon's back. It dug deep as well, and slowly, enduring the flailing all the while, Erik crawled up Aldia's body to reach the head.

Down below, the rest of the fighters noticed the chef's plan and tried to distract the duke from attacking the young Undead.

"Over here, ugly!" Lucatiel shouted, hacking at Aldia's foot. She quickly rolled to the side to avoid being stomped on.

"I've seen Basilisk more terrifying than you!" Aslatiel sneered, his great sword drawing sparks as it glanced off the dragon's belly.

"Ha! You call yourself a dragon?! The beast I slew was a hundred times your better!" Benhart taunted, smashing his glowing blade on the tail. He wasn't sure why, but he felt he had to cut it off for some reason. His sword compelled him…

"No wonder no one liked you! You reek worse than a cesspool!" Vengarl laughed, enjoying the battle with the endlessly regenerating goop-men far too much.

"Is your current size compensating for something?" Raime retorted as he delivered heavy blows to Aldia's haunch.

Sadly, the Undead's words were more harmful than their actual attacks. Furious at their insults, Aldia tilted his head back and roared, shaking the Kiln to its foundations before unfurling his wings and flapping them, sending more blobs of black goo raining down.

The movement nearly dislodged Erik who held on for dear life.

"Drown in my Darkness, pathetic Undead!" Aldia bellowed.

Their words stung his mind and ears to the point he completely ignored the antics of a certain cook. Taking a deep breath, Erik waited for Aldia to return to all fours before he pushed himself up and ran up and over the back towards the head. He then jumped and performed a plunging attack straight onto Aldia's head.

A knife in one eye, a sword in the other. A scream of pure agony rippled through the First Flames' hiding spot and Erik was finally tossed off. He landed hard on the tiled floor, a sickening crunch echoing from where he landed.

"Shit," Erik griped, staring at the mangled remains of his left leg. He'd landed on the limb badly, and bones protruded from his flesh.

"Erik, look out!" Rosabeth called out from the sides. He looked up to see Aldia's tail streaking towards him, spikes glinting maliciously in the torch light.

"Double shit," he growled. He closed his eyes and raised his arms in front of him, hoping to minimize the oncoming impact.

Instead of sharp, pointy death he felt something soft collide with him, pushing him out of the way.

"Are… you… alright?" A wet, weak voice called out.

Erik opened his eyes and his mind screeched to a halt.

"Lucatiel?"

The knightness coughed, black blood dribbling down his lips. The swordswoman from Mirrah had thrown herself in front of the young man, pushing him out of the way of the tail spikes, but ended up taking the blow instead.

With a sickening meaty sucking sound the spikes ripped out of her body, sending more blood flying, and her mask tumbled off of her face.

"No, no, no!" Erik cried, grabbing the young woman as she slumped forward. "why did you do that?!"

"You… must live…" Lucatiel gasped. In the background a howl of fury erupted and Aslatiel began to try and cut his way through the tar monsters that barred his way. Aldia screamed as he tore the two blades from his eyes, but laughed as they regenerated and he beheld the tragic scene before him.

"Drink some Estus, quick!" Erik commanded, removing his flask. It had survived the fall intact. Say what you want about the taste of the stuff, but the dull green bottles that held it were durable.

However Lucatiel pushed it away. "I'm fine. Save it for yourself."

"But, the wound…" Erik trailed off, seeing the gaping holes in her body. She just laughed, causing more blood to be coughed up.

"It's fine… I'll be fine…" she assured him.

"No!" the Chef cried. "Drink, damn it!" he shoved the bottle towards her, forcing the neck past her lips. After a moment she reluctantly drained the last few sips remaining.

"There, that wasn't so bad," Erik began, but was cut off as Lucatiel reached out and pressed her lips against his, passionately kissing him.

For a moment, it seemed like the whole battlefield froze.

Time immediately resumed as Erik pulled away, sputtering with golden fluid dripping down his chin.

"Lucatiel…" he gasped. He could feel the Estus he had been forced to swallow repairing his ruined limb as well as any other minor wounds he'd sustained.

"I am your sword, Erik," Lucatiel said with a smile, even as her eyes became cloudy.

"But, I'm glad I got to go on such an amazing adventure with you and everyone else." Tears filled her eyes. "Tell Chloanne I'm sorry it had to end this way."

"Damn it, Luca, snap out of it!" Erik shouted hysterically. "Why are you acting like this is the end?! You're an Undead! You'll be fine! You'll be back at the bonfire in no time!"

Lucatiel simply smiled sadly, and Erik finally saw her veins pulsing with black ichor. Not like an Undead's darkened blood, but true, liquid Darkness.

"No, no, no!" He screamed, scrambling for his medicine pouch. He reached in and grabbed a Radiant Life Gem and crushed it over her chest. But the glowing motes of energy did nothing. He tried again with another potent Life Gem, but got the same results. Over and over he crushed the precious healing items against Lucatiel's body, weeping all the while.

Silence. Stillness. The knightess's body went limp with a sorrowful smile still on her lips.

Her body was not consumed by golden flames as she was whisked back to a bonfire, fully restored.

Instead, her flesh dissolved into vicious black slime, staining Erik's hands. Her armor and clothes became empty.

What happened next would be spoken of in awe for countless generations.

Erik let out a mournful scream of raw emotions, hatred and sadness fusing into a single, raging storm. Golden flames exploded from the chef's body, the hand with his Fire Seeds transmuting into an appendage of pure, blazing fire and energy.

He rose, still screaming with his loss, and the fires bathing him gushed forth and swallowed up the tar-men. They were immolated on the spot, turning into naught but embers and ash.

Erik strode forth, and from the corner the fused crown that lay on the floor shot up and alighted upon his brow, drawing gasps from the Sisters of Dark.

"No… impossible! How could you be the one to unite the Four Crowns?!" Aldia demanded, staring in shock at the immaculate being before him. Erik ignored him, his cried having faded as his breath was sucked from him by the roiling firestorm that was his body.

The darkness Aldia had brought with him was being burnt away, and the fog gate which had turned black now became a veil of gold flames. Yet they did not harm, rather they soothed.

Erik raised a hand, and a ring glowed bright. Aldia was suddenly tackled to the ground by a dozen large figures. Everyone stared in surprise as strange, headless Giants crawled out of the pit that surrounded the Throne of Want and began to tear at the massive dragon, pinning it down.

The Giant's Kinship flared once more and the empty socket in the brutalized Giant's chests flared to life, a golden spark resting inside it. This seemed to empower the remains of Aldia's experiments and they tore at the monstrous man with greater fury. Numerous souls within Erik cheered at the sight, the Last Giant loudest among them. Her people were finally being avenged.

Erik held out his other hand, and the Blade of Eleum Loyce zoomed over to him. He grabbed it, and held it in both hands as he approached the trapped duke.

Aldia refused to be taken without a struggle, and he raged and thrashed but the golden energy spilling forth from the chef and the crown were draining the Darkness from his body.

"What are you?" he demanded. For the first time in ages fear gripped what passed for a heart in the twisted effigy of a man. Erik stopped in front of the dragon's snout and tilted his head slightly as he appraised the fallen creature before him.

"I am Erik Potts, chef of Lindelt," he uttered.

Without another word he drove the helix blade into Aldia's forehead. The dragon twisted in pain, but was held still by the remains of the Giants. However, after a moment the dragon froze.

"You're… healing me?" Aldia asked, incredulously. Everyone stared at Erik in shock, then at the body of Aldia. The tiny, insignificant strikes that had scratched his scales were fading.

"Yes." Erik gestured towards the Giants and they released the duke, to everyone's continued horror.

"You fool!" Aldia cackled, lashing out with his claws. The chef stood there, golden fire wreathing his entire body. The blow never landed.

"What trickery is this?!" the demented duke screamed. His entire hand had fallen off, spurts of golden flames gushing from the stump. All over his body fissures and rents were tearing his body open, spilling forth more golden flames that danced and flickered.

"You said it yourself. I healed you," Erik said, tone utterly cold. "And that includes all the countless innocent souls you've abused and consumed in order to sustain your own worthless life."

The golden fires took on the forms of people for a brief moment, their expressions joyous even as they tore apart the foul monstrosity they'd been trapped in.

"Nadalia said so, didn't she? Those black creatures you summoned were people who'd been trapped in the Abyss. By you. You were using their souls to keep yourself alive this whole time, no better then us Undead you so scoffed at," Erik explained. "A single spark was all that was needed to reignite their powers, and of course, their resentment. You now have the honor of being tore apart by your own victims. A fitting end to something like yourself."

"NO!" Aldia roared, fruitlessly trying to snuff out the flames that clung to him. One of his eyes exploded as golden light spilled forth.

"Not like this! NOT LIKE THIS!" Aldia cried as more and more of his body was replaced by glowing flames.

"I was supposed to be a god! I was supposed to save the world! Why did this happen… to… me…" the Duke trailed off as last remnants of his black, scaly body vanished into golden flames.

For a moment, a blazing shape appeared in front of Erik, and took the form of Lucatiel. She vanished, along with the other flames that had consumed Aldia, before anything could be said or done.

Silence filled the air, and no one moved. The fog gate collapsed, and everyone from Majula who'd been outside poured in.

"Luca, my baby sister," Aslatiel wept, clutching her discarded armors to his chest. At his side Rosabeth and Cholanne were crying as well, with Mytha trying her best not to break into tears.

"You did it," Shanalotte said, as if she couldn't believe it at all. "You slew Aldia. Saved the Throne and the Fire."

"I did," Erik said, body still burning, though the amount had dropped. He let out a tired sigh. "Damn this new form. Can't even cry properly! The tears just evaporate!"

"I'll cry for you," Shanalotte said, stepping up beside the chef. She did not hesitate and wrapped him in a warm, comforting embrace. Silent tears fell from her eyes. Her nightmare was finally over.

"It's not finished yet. He still must take the Throne."

Everyone turned at the voice, and saw an incredible sight. A massive golden coffin was being carried into the Kiln by a quartet of Fenito's. At the front Agadyne led them, the four Milfanito's singing their ethereal song for the procession.

"Ah. Right," Erik said wearily. He looked at the ornate, decorated casket before him. "Is this the so-called First Coffin?"

"It is," Agadyne nodded. It was carefully set down in the center of the room and the leader of Nito's children proceeded to open it with a bone white key. In fact, the key may have been made from actual bone!

"So, what's the big deal with this thing?" Erik asked. He was tired to the bone, all the adrenaline having drained from his body.

The chef's question was answered as the lid popped open and light gushed forth.

"The 'big deal,' as it were, is a choice. Yours." A melodious voice called out as the light faded and everyone could see… that nothing had changed. At least, that was how it seemed.

A patch of ground turned to lava and a pillar of molten earth erupted before revealing a beautiful woman with long, raven hair and mismatched eyes. She was draped in an exotic black dress hemmed with golden silk.

"You see, every Chosen One has a choice. We made some rather foolish ones in our time. But, they were the correct ones when we came to them. Such is life," the elegant woman sighed.

"Quite. Unfortunately, you were forced to deal with the consequences. For that, I apologize." A man molded himself out of a crackling bolt of lightning that struck the ground. He was tall and grey haired, and looked like Vendrick and the Iron King. He wore an impressive crown, which helped with the likeness.

"In life, we may come to regret these choices. In death, we continue to do so. After all, it is our choices that define where we end up. Suffering or bliss." A mound of bones rose from the pit, shaping themselves into a massive humanoid pile of remains.

"From the Light comes the Dark. But sadly even that fades under the relentless march of time. What is good one day becomes bad the next. Villains become heroes as easily as they swap roles in the pages of history."

A scrawny, diminutive man slipped out of the shadows, his entire body seeming to be more at home in the dark than the light.

"It's time to make your choice, Monarch Candidate," a fifth and final voice boomed. Atop the petrified dome of ash and cinders the God of Peace stood, radiant and still looking uncannily like the chef.

"Light the Flame, or let it Fade. But remember what I told you. Love or hate will be the consequences of either."

Erik looked around, and noticed that everyone was frozen in place. Time had seemed to stop. He sighed and pulled himself from the Emerald Herald's grasp.

"I really, really, really do not want to have all this responsibility," Erik groaned. Yet even as he complained he strode forward. The Giants who had previously pinned down Aldia moved again, this time forming a bridge for Erik to cross to reach the Throne of Want. A door on the ashen dome slid aside, revealing the imposing black seat.

"Do not worry. My son will be there to guide you," the King crowned by Sun and Lightning assured the chef.

"Good. I'm going to need all the help I can get," he sighed. He stared at the throne for a while, lost in thought.

"Don't worry. In time, the Cycles will end. Of course, when that happens the barrier that keeps the Old Ones at bay will fall, and Madness from Beyond the Stars will descend. But I have faith our legacy and our descendants will endure. I mean, how much worse can what comes after the Darksign be?" the God of Peace asked.

"You just jinxed it," the Man who was more human than any of them complained as the other bearers of the Lord Souls facepalmed. "Now we're going to have freaky fish gods, or vampires, or men who become beasts at night!"

Erik sighed and tuned out the bickering deities and plopped himself unceremoniously into the Throne of Want.

"Here goes nothing…" he muttered as the door slide closed.

Taking a deep breathe, he let go of all the anger and pain he was holding in. He remembered his past self's warning about lighting the First Flame, and tried to fill his thoughts with happy ones. Of couse, he'd just emerged from a fierce, and costly, battle, and was not full of joy or sunshine.

Still, he peered into himself, and found a moment that made him smile. The memory of him kissing the Emerald Herald flashed before his eyes, and he savored every moment of it. Then, he opened his eyes and stared out at the woman in question. He caught a glimpse of Shanalotte before it sealed him in, and a thought struck the chef.

"I just realized I never asked what her name was!"

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Author's Note: Stay tuned for an exciting epilogue! After this story I will be taking a short break to catch my breath and catch up to other issues in my life. I'll hopefully be back in the fall with a new story. Probably not Dark Souls related, though. Maybe I'll make a collection of Omakes for what happens in DS 1, 2, and 3 based on this continuity. But we'll see. Till then!