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"Please."
The pyromancer was beyond stubborn.
He was making it easy for Andre to wish he was still unconscious.
"I-I am begging you."
"And I can't speak for Siegmeyer," Andre replied. He kept his attention on the blade he was forging, "but I already told you no. Do not ask me again, unless you want me to repeat myself over and over."
The pyromancer, who went by the name of Laurentius, remained quiet. Even in his silence, Andre was aware of his frustration and resentment. He could hear it in Laurentius' ragged breathing, he could feel it in the warmth all pyromancers exuded when they were angry; especially when they were about to manifest their fire.
Andre stopped slamming his hammer against the blade and tightened his grip on the hilt.
He didn't wish for it to happen, but if Laurentius resorted to violence, so would he.
"Enough." Siegmeyer intervened. He sounded nothing like the carefree and jovial man Andre knew.
He sounded like Catarinian knight he truly was.
Andre looked at him.
Siegmeyer's back was turned on him.
He too must have sensed the rising tension and had put himself between them to prevent any potential chaos. It had been a reckless and foolish move.
As expected from an onion knight.
In any other circumstances, Andre would have expressed the thought out loud and laugh.
Siegmeyer only moved once he was sure neither Andre nor Laurentius would attack. Both the pyromancer and the blacksmith looked at each other.
Everything would have been easier for Andre if he had seen hatred in Laurentius' eyes; instead, all he saw was hopelessness and disappointment.
"I- I don't understand. Why won't you help me rescue my friend?"
How long had it been since Andre was at a loss of words? The feeling was unpleasant and unfamiliar, and it came dangerously close to shatter his resolve. It was fortunate that his will was as strong as the steel of his anvil.
"Every Undead in Lordran has a unique fate to fulfill on their own."
Andre continued working as if he had never stopped. He spoke during the prolonged pauses he made between each strike of the hammer.
"To directly intervene on their journey is a transgression we must not make. There is only so much we can do for others. This is a harsh lesson to learn Laurentius, so I hope you take my wisdom seriously and save yourself the trouble of learning it on your own."
"I don't need to learn such nonsense." Laurentius exclaimed. He was defiant, but also desperate. "Besides, who are you to say any of that? Solaire and Oscar... they told me about you. They said that you and this knight of Catarina helped them when they needed it most."
"You can call me Siegmeyer. There's no need to be so formal, lad." Siegmeyer added casually. He was ignored by Laurentius and Andre alike.
"T-then, why?" Laurentius insisted, "Why do you refuse to help me save Solaire?"
Against his will, Andre stopped his work once more.
He had not forgotten about his fellow Astorans.
After Laurentius had woken up and had informed him and Siegmeyer of the events that had occurred at the Depths, Andre had mourned Oscar in silence.
Yet, as much as it pained him to know the young elite knight hadn't returned from death, Andre had always been aware that such fate would catch up to Oscar eventually.
It was not that he hadn't had faith in Oscar's skills, or in Solaire's.
In the end, it all came down to a simple truth.
"We are Undead." He put his hammer down on top of his anvil and rested a hand on the Darksign branded on his chest. "Sooner or later, we will all go Hollow and die. That is inevitable, regardless of how much we try to help our friends and save others. And perhaps, the sooner death takes us for good, the more fortunate we are."
"You don't believe that, Andre."
Siegmeyer took a step closer to him. His brow was furrowed in disbelief. That armor of his made him look ridiculous, even more so when he wasn't wearing his helmet.
"Sadly," Andre answered, "I do, my friend. Don't get me wrong. Helping Oscar and Solaire is something I could never regret. I even dare to say that helping them filled me with more pride than my craft has done in ages. However, I only helped them because fate put them in my way. You are a catalyst of good fortune, Siegmeyer, and I thank fate for allowing us to meet. But I can't go out of my way and interfere with Solaire's journey, especially not if he has become only a shadow of his former self. His fate is his alone. His fortune is not our responsibility."
Nor our burden to bear.
Andre remembered. He had said those same words to Oscar, back when the elite knight was trying to recover from Solaire's temporal death.
Andre had intended them to be of comfort for the young man, a piece of his wisdom that would make Oscar's journey across Lordran easier to endure.
Now that he was saying them out loud again, he felt none of the pride from before. If his words had rung accurate and wise during his talk with Oscar, they felt hollow and disingenuous in the presence of Siegmeyer and Laurentius.
"These weapons I forge, the equipment I repair and modify... I do it to aid any Undead that comes to this land, so that they get a better chance at fulfilling whatever purpose they have. That's all I can do for them. To do more than that, to go out of my way to save them whenever they may be in danger is foolish, and an offense on my part. I know well how prideful knights are, regardless of their homeland. For them to receive outside help when they didn't ask for it is the biggest transgression one can—"
"I've heard enough." Laurentius exclaimed. "I-I don't have time for this."
Andre felt as if the pyromancer had smacked him in the face with the back of his hand. He was left with his mouth agape.
Laurentius ignored him.
For him, no one in that room existed other than Siegmeyer.
"Will... will you help me, sir Siegmeyer of Catarina?" Laurentius said. He bowed his head before Siegmeyer until his chin touched his chest. "I am asking much from you. I know we are only strangers, but if you were to aid me in rescuing my friend from that awful place—"
"Say no more." Siegmeyer placed a hand on Laurentius' shoulder. Then, he went to the corner where he had left his equipment. He secured his helmet and picked up his shield and greatsword. "Do not worry. I, Siegmeyer of Catarina, will do all that I can to help you and Solaire. He is my friend as well, and if he is in danger, my sword is ready to fight on his behalf."
"Thank you."
Laurentius' voice broke. He looked at Siegmeyer as if he was a fabled hero of legendary courage.
Perhaps, Andre thought, he was, especially compared to himself. Still silenced by embarrassment, but wholly committed to his beliefs, Andre watched how Siegmeyer and Laurentius quickly prepared themselves to leave the old church.
"Let's go." Laurentius announced, pulling his hood back on his head.
"Wait." Andre hurried towards the pilled-up weapons next to his anvil. He chose a small but sharp-edged axe and offered it to Laurentius, together with a wooden shield. They were the favored weapons of most pyromancers. "Take these with you."
Laurentius looked at him. His eyes were filled with suspicion, and his expression seemed even more incredulous under the shadow of his hood.
"I don't need them. My fire is enough." He finally said. His tone wasn't rude, but it was cold. He didn't wait for a reply, and before Andre could speak, Laurentius was already on his way to the second floor of the church.
"We'll be back soon." Siegmeyer said warmly, as if trying to smoothen Laurentius' apathy towards Andre. He gave the blacksmith a pat in the back and followed after Laurentius upstairs.
"You understand, don't you?"
Andre raised his head and stared at Siegmeyer, who looked at him over his armored shoulder.
"Why I'm doing this. Why I am not going with you. We all have our fates, Siegmeyer. If Solaire's fate is to go Hollow and die in that pit, just like Oscar did, none of what you do will change that. You would be throwing upon your shoulders a burden that isn't yours to bear. You are embarking on a fool's errand."
Silence lingered between them.
"Hmmm..." Siegmeyer shrugged. "I understand, my friend. You don't have to justify yourself to me. I will not judge you or try to change your mind. Do whatever you feel is right and be true to yourself. That's the only duty any person has, even us Undead."
Siegmeyer gave Andre a final nod and left.
Soon, Andre found himself alone in his shop.
He was free to return to his anvil and his craft.
It was a relief, really.
"I better go back to it, then."
He didn't move.
He remained where he stood, with his hands still holding the axe and shield Laurentius had refused to take with him.
His sense of reality had shattered the moment Solaire had pushed him away. His confusion stunned him; Oscar was yet to come to terms with what had happened when he heard Solaire's screams.
Oscar looked at him, but he was blinded by the strange light that shun above Solaire's head.
Oscar raised a hand to keep some of the rays away from his eyes. All he could see was Solaire's silhouette.
He looked more like a shadow than a man.
"Solaire!"
Oscar got back on his feet as fast as he could and rushed towards his friend.
Solaire had stopped screaming, but his silence was as unnerving as his cries.
Oscar reached Solaire and held him tightly by the shoulders.
"Are you alright?" He asked him. His entire body was trembling.
Unlike him, Solaire remained still and quiet.
"Solaire." Oscar squinted. The light shining above Solaire diminished, allowing Oscar's eyes to see clearly again.
The first thing he saw as the lingering luminescence disappeared were four red glowing eyes staring back at him.
They were not human.
By instinct, Oscar let go of Solaire and backed away.
The upper half of Solaire's face was concealed by the scaly and disgusting hide of an abomination.
The hideous bug, the cursed parasite with a tail that glowed like the sun, clung to Solaire as if it was a living helmet. Its teeth had sunk deep into Solaire's cheeks, securing the monster in place, and causing thin threads of blood to run down to his neck.
"Solaire."
The name was only a whisper at first. It became real and loud once Oscar shook away his fears and the truth struck him.
It wasn't a nightmare.
It wasn't a hallucination.
It was all real.
Driven by his instincts and his need to save his friend from that godforsaken monster, Oscar wielded the crystal sword that old merchant had gifted him.
He had to be careful and precise.
He had to remove that awful creature from Solaire without hurting him.
He—
Solaire opened his mouth and dropped to his knees. He clawed at the monster, but his nails were no match for the thick hide of the parasite. A delayed scream finally came from his chest.
It shattered Oscar's focus, but it also strengthened his resolved. To see Solaire in so much pain was more than he could endure.
I'll save you.
Oscar thought as he shed away his stress and aimed at the monster again. The swing of his blade, the strength, the angle, the speed, it all had to be precise and swift.
"Hold on." He exclaimed as he rushed toward Solaire, holding the crystal sword with both hands. "Hold on, Solaire!"
Oscar swung his weapon once he was steps away from Solaire. Though his racing heart made it almost impossible for his grip to be firm, he managed to deliver a clean attack.
The crystals of the sword would sink into the parasite, but they would not reach Solaire. Then, Oscar would pull the creature away from his friend, until its teeth became undug from his face and—
Solaire dodged the attack. He threw his back backwards, preventing the blade from touching the parasite at all.
Before Oscar had the chance to recover from his failed attack, Solaire tackled him. His shoulder crashed against Oscar's belly, depriving him from his breath and breaking one of his ribs in the process.
Oscar felt as if a charging bull had rammed him against a wall with its horns. The pain of his broken rib clashed with the burning explosion of his reopened scar. Rather than negating each other, they mixed in a single pain that Oscar had not felt since the Asylum Demon had crushed him with its hammer.
His sight went white, and it only came back to him when his back hit the swamp's surface. He had no air left in him to scream, and neither he had time to allow his body to recover.
Solaire made sure of that when he charged at Oscar again. He screamed not like a mindless savage, but like a man overwhelmed by grief. The despair in his voice did not match the violence of his actions.
Oscar pulled himself up, pushing his body to its limits.
Estus...No, no! Save it for Solaire! He needs it more than you!
He evaded Solaire's reckless rush with little agility. Had it been an enemy, Oscar would have turned on his heels and impaled his opponent, severing its spine with his blade in a single riposte.
But the man attacking wasn't a Hollow or some murderous ruffian like the knight of thorns.
It was Solaire.
His friend.
Solaire stopped running and turned around to face Oscar again. His teeth were bared. The lower half of his face was now completed covered with the crimson lacquer of his blood.
It's not you who's doing this.
Tears of frustration and pain at seeing Solaire reduced to such state abandoned Oscar's eyes, cleaning the grim of his face as they streamed down.
It's that parasite.
He wiped off his tears with the back of his leather gauntlet. There was no time to let his emotions get the better of him. Solaire needed him, and until he was saved and safe again, Oscar had not the right to lose hope or give up.
He prepared his stance and readied another attack. He would not miss this time.
Solaire did not move. The red eyes of the parasite glowed with more intensity, as did the golden tip of its erect tail. Then, as if he was being controlled by an inexperienced puppeteer, Solaire raised one of his hands.
A cold shiver traveled through Oscar's spine when he noticed the crumbled-up talisman Solaire held on his palm.
Knowing what would happen next, Oscar's arm quickly reached for the crystal shield on his back. He secured it on his forearm as he ran to his left, already escaping the Lighting Spear before the miracle became fully manifest in Solaire's hand.
His jaw tensed and his teeth chattered as the sharp sting of his injuries punished him for his rough movements. It stunned Oscar and made him drop to his knees.
It was only for a second, a minor distraction. Oscar was back on his feet fast, but even such a small misstep could be the difference between life and death in a duel.
He raised his shield in case Solaire had already hurled at him the Lighting Spear. The crystal shield was frail, the merchant had warned him, but a brittle defense was better than no defense at all.
The shield blocked his view, but Oscar could still hear the sizzling of thunder. The miracle had been launched.
It was coming right at him, and it would crash against the shield in a matter of seconds.
I can't die.
Oscar clung to this idea, but the most logical part of him was aware that no amount of determination would save him from a direct hit of Solaire's miracles.
I can't.
His mind went blank when the booming crash of the Spear and the following explosion finally arrived.
Oscar tripped over his feet and held on tight to his shield.
He expected to feel the burn of his broken bones, the painful tingling of lighting as it scorched his body, the prickling of the shattered pieces of the crystal shield.
All that he felt was a piercing ringing in his ears and the earth trembling underneath him from the explosion's aftermath.
Baffled by his lack injuries and the fact he was still alive, Oscar put down his shield and stared at his surroundings.
The only remaining trace of Solaire's miracle was a gigantic, sunken mark on a nearby stone wall,
Solaire had missed, but the distance between the scarred wall and Oscar was too great for him to think Solaire had failed because of a miscalculation.
It had been on purpose.
Oscar got up, unaware at first that his chainmail was turning crimson from his belly down. He noticed his bleeding when he felt the wetness of his blood reach his pants.
The realization was instantly followed by a sharp sting that spread from his sides to his chest.
His scar had finally given in and had ripped completely open.
Without thinking it twice, his hand sprung to his Estus flask. He drank, but only a small sip.
Solaire will need it. Don't you dare be selfish now. Don't you dare fail him like you have failed everyone else in your miserable life.
What a cruel concept his own mind had of the word encouragement.
"No!"
The scream came from Solaire. His hands were clutching to the parasite. He clawed at it as he shook his head as if he wanted to snap his own neck. His once beloved and well-kept talisman lay at his feet, crumbled into a wrinkly ball as the swamp's filth spread across its silk.
"Not my sun." Solaire dropped to the floor. "Not my sun!"
Oscar was by his side in no time. He dropped to his knees next to Solaire, discarded his sword and shield joined his hands in Solaire's struggle.
"I'm here, Solaire." He said as he employed all his strength in freeing his friend from the parasite's control. "You are going to be alright; I promise! This will all pass! You ae stronger than this creature!"
Solaire did not reply to his words, but Oscar knew he had heard him when his hold on the parasite became more focused and precise. With their joined efforts, the creature's teeth started to come out from Solaire's face.
The parasite let out a hideous screech.
It was followed by a sudden whip of its glowing tail. It hit Oscar on his left brow, slicing his flesh open almost to the bone.
The shock of his injury caused him to fall back and lose his hold on the parasite. Solaire roared as the little progress he and Oscar had made in getting the creature off him became undone.
"No." Solaire stood up. His limbs twitched and spasmed in an unnatural manner, as if he was electrocuting himself with the contained power of one of his miracles. "No, no, no! I won't do it! I... won't-hurt—"
Oscar, with his left eye partially blinded by the endless flow of his own blood, stared at Solaire in despair. This time, he couldn't get back on his feet as quickly as before.
He panted heavily, struggling to catch his breath. He tried, but his efforts weren't enough.
By the time he managed to stand up, Solaire had lost his own battle as well. Once he was under the control of the parasite, the first thing he did was picking up his talisman.
Solaire.
Oscar already regretted what he was about to do. He drank from his Estus again, a generous enough dose to allow him to pick up his discarded equipment and run towards Solaire.
Forgive me.
Solaire, or better said the parasite that controlled him, was already preparing another miracle when the sword's crystals dug into his arm after Oscar slammed the weapon against him.
Drops of Solaire's blood splattered all over. Many of them landed on Oscar's face.
The parasite and Solaire screamed at the same time. His now limp arm let go of the talisman, and the lighting energy he'd gathered dispersed into nothingness.
Forgive me.
Oscar hated himself for what he had done. The fact that he'd had no other choice didn't make it easier for him.
Yet, what else could he have done? If he had allowed Solaire to continue casting miracles, he would have killed him for sure; and if he died, who would rescue Solaire?
This injury... it's nothing. I can heal you with Estus. But I won't be able to heal you from death or your Hollowing. That's why I—
Without previous warning, Solaire retaliated by punching Oscar with his healthy fist. The impact filled Oscar's mouth with the coppery taste of his blood. A second later, Solaire pushed him away with a kick to his chest.
With his injuries numbed by the effect of Estus, Oscar was able to keep his balance and endure the Solaire's attacks without letting go of the crystal sword. Frustrated, Solaire put his hand above Oscar's and forced him to pull the sword away from his arm.
The crystals came out looking red. They left behind broken chainmail and tattered flesh in Solaire's body.
Without letting go of Oscar, Solaire plunged the crystal sword downwards. Oscar resisted and tried to break free, but Solaire's strength was overwhelming. Once the tip of the blade touched the swamp, Solaire stomped his foot on the weapon, breaking it in half.
Solaire injured his foot in the process; it was a price the parasite was willing to make to rid Oscar of his only weapon.
Then, Solaire lunged his head forwards and crashed his concealed forehead against Oscar's.
Oscar heard a loud cracking. He couldn't tell if it came from his skull or Solaire's. The texture of the parasite's hide was as hideous as its appearance. Oscar felt it clearly, even when their contact was fleeting.
Without giving him quarter, the parasite forced Solaire to let go of Oscar and throw another punch at him.
Oscar raised his shield, and Solaire's healthy hand was pierced by the dozens of sharp crystals that covered it.
It was Solaire's turn to retreat and recover from his wounds. The break was welcomed by Oscar. He used what little time he had earned to stand up and prepare himself to attack the parasite once and for all.
The headbutt had left him with a slight but growing vertigo that blurred his sight and threatened his balance. His left eye continued to be blinded by his blood, and if it hadn't been for the Estus he had drunk, he doubted he would have been to support his own weight.
I have to end this.
His sword was only rubble sinking into the swamp, lost forever.
It didn't matter. His shield would suffice.
One way or another, he would free Solaire from that monster.
Solaire's two arms were injured. As long as he didn't retrieve his talisman, he'd had no means to attack, no matter how much the parasite wanted him to.
It was a small moment of conviction that didn't last long.
Solaire and the parasite screamed at the same time. He rushed at Oscar trotting like a Hollow more than human being.
As Oscar parried Solaire's fist, one thing became clear. The parasite had long stopped caring about the well-being of its host. To it, Solaire was nothing more than a ragdoll.
The parasite forced Solaire to continue attacking, forcing his arms to keep striking the surface of Oscar's shield over and over.
The parasite gave Oscar no quarter. It didn't even allow him to discard the shield when Solaire's wounds became warningly serious.
In the occasions Oscar managed to counterattack, it was obvious he was doing no damage to the parasite, only to Solaire.
At this rate, he'll die from his injuries!
Oscar thought as the parasite's chaotic plan began to work and small cracks began to appear on the crystal shield.
With one final blow of Solaire's bloodied fist, the shield broke in half. The upper half fell into the swamp.
The lower half remained on Oscar's forearm, secured by the handle.
Now!
Without calculating or thinking it twice, Oscar took advantage of the small opportunity his broken shield had earned him. He slammed what remained of it against the parasite as Solaire's body continued to move towards him, still impulsed by the inertia of his latest attack.
Though he didn't have the time or energy to aim, Oscar never stopped being mindful of Solaire's well-being, and he managed to land the broken shield away from the parasite's eyes.
If he harmed them, he could also blind Solaire in the process.
That was not an option.
Such injuries couldn't be healed by Estus.
Only death and rebirth at a bonfire could.
But I won't let you die. Not now, and not ever again!
The crystal's penetrated the parasite's hide, right where the glowing tail joined with the rest of its body. The parasite let out a gurgling growl. It attacked Oscar with its tail again.
This time, he was prepared for it, and he managed to catch the tail before it could land on his face.
With the parasite now subjugated, Oscar continued pushing the shield against it until he caused Solaire to lose his balance and fall on his back.
Oscar put his whole weight on his friend's chest. He had to immobilize him as much as possible.
Sensing how his strength started to wane, Oscar began to pull the parasite off Solaire's head. He moved the incrusted crystal shield upwards without mercy while also pulling the parasite by its tail.
His shoulders and elbows burned, overwhelmed by effort. He did not desist. He kept pulling for what felt like an eternity until the parasite's teeth finally started to come out from Solaire's face again.
Oscar roared as his body begged him to stop and heal himself.
I've got not time for it. I need to save and heal Solaire. Until then, nothing else matters!
"Hold on." Oscar exclaimed as the parasite continued to lose its grip on his friend. "Hold on, Solaire!"
It's almost over.
Solaire, whose movements had been chaotic and without a purpose since Oscar had attacked the parasite with the crystal shield, suddenly grabbed him by the wrist.
His hands were injured almost beyond recognition, but his broken fingers still managed to get a strong grip on Oscar.
Strong enough to push him away.
"No." Oscar pleaded without letting go of the parasite. "Solaire!"
Solaire did not stop.
He continued moving, but rather than trying to push Oscar's hands off the parasite, he joined Oscar in his effort to remove the creature.
With his aid, the parasite finally let go of Solaire once and for all. The sound of flesh being torn apart came together with its departure from Solaire.
It was an awful noise that made Oscar hate that disgusting creature more than he had hated anything else in his life.
The parasite twitched and screech like a wounded rat. It hung from Oscar's hand, growingly stiffer with every passing second.
Oscar killed it by slamming it against the floor, further impaling it with the crystals of the shield. He slammed it twice to make sure it was dead and then he threw the corpse away from them.
Oscar wished to burn it until nothing but ashes remained of its horrid existence, but he had no time for petty presentments against a dead parasite.
Solaire.
Oscar removed his weight from Solaire and knelt next to him.
Solaire's face was covered in blood. Deep, long cuts traced vertical injuries from his cheeks to his forehead. His eyes had been spared, but Oscar couldn't see any blue in them, only white.
His mouth was agape, as if he had died while trying to breathe his last scream.
Oscar almost went Hollow just by looking at Solaire. The only thing that allowed him to keep his sanity was the small chance of Solaire still being alive.
Clumsily, he picked up Solaire's head from the swamp. He lifted him until he could rest an ear on Solaire's chest.
My friend.
Amidst the silence, he heard a beat.
Faint and slow, but it was there.
A broken whimper came from Oscar's throat. He clenched his eyes and held Solaire closer to him, fearing the heartbeat he had heard had been an illusion, fearing that Solaire would vanish into thin air forever as he held him.
But Solaire remained there with him.
Unresponsive, injured, and alive.
"My friend." Oscar whispered as he held Solaire's head closer to his chest. "It's over. You are safe. You are going to be alright. I'm here, I won't let anything else harm you again. I'm here Solaire, I promise."
Solaire couldn't answer, just as he couldn't hear him.
Oscar knew, but he still hoped the echo of his word had reached Solaire's soul somehow. He swallowed his tears and reached for his Estus flask.
He fed Solaire all of the elixir, keeping only a small dose for himself.
Solaire chocked on the Estus and coughed most of it out before Oscar could stop him.
Cursing his own stupidity, Oscar held Solaire until his friend's coughing fit passed; then, he carefully fed him the dose of Estus he had saved for himself.
"Easy." Oscar said to Solaire. "Easy."
He gave Solaire a moment, but Oscar did not make the mistake of thinking they were out of harm's way.
Their struggle was far from over. Solaire was alive, but his injuries were serious. He needed more Estus.
He needed to rest.
He needed the healing warmth of a bonfire.
As he continued to embrace Solaire, Oscar raised his head and stared into the distance, right at the direction where he remembered having seen a bonfire.
It took him a moment to find it again, hidden inside a sewer as it was.
It was a dirty, dark place. Oscar wanted nothing more than to offer Solaire a proper sanctuary to rest. A clean place, far away from Blighttown's pestilence.
A place where the sunlight reached.
I'll take you to a bonfire you deserve. I'll find a place to rest where you'll be safe and at peace, you have my word.
Oscar took a deep breath and braced himself before maneuvering his body underneath Solaire.
But first, we have to get to that bonfire.
Once Solaire's body was resting on his back and his head on his shoulder, Oscar secured Solaire's arms across his chest.
Then, he secured his legs with both arms.
He steadied himself.
"Are you ready? Let's get going, Solaire."
Oscar stood up.
Or tried to and failed.
His injured and tired body couldn't endure his weight combined with Solaire's. Even in normal circumstances, it would have been a challenge.
It was in such cases that a knight's armor became a curse.
No more excuses.
Oscar made one more try to stand up. The result was the same as before, and he had to release one of Solaire's legs to keep him from collapsing on the swamp's water. The impact caused his injuries to burn at the same time.
Get up.
Oscar was still screaming when he made a third attempt.
Get Solaire to the bonfire.
He succeeded in pulling his body up with one of his knees.
He took care of you when you were too weak to even think correctly. He was there for you when you needed him, even when you were never there for him in the past. He cooked for you, he traveled and fought by your side, he forgave you for your cruel indifference and your deceit... he became my friend.
The wound on his belly hurt as if his entrails would leak from it and spill all over the swamp.
He collapsed together with Solaire before he could take a single step forward. They landed next to each other.
Not like this.
"Not again." Oscar whispered as he pulled Solaire closer to him. He rested his hand on Solaire's face. He looked like the Undead had done back at Asylum before the Hollows devoured them.
He looked like his fellow elite knights as their corpses lay scattered all over the streets of Astora.
"I can't fail you like I failed all of them."
Oscar got managed to get into a kneeling position and hold Solaire on his arms. His body shut down immediately after.
"I promise I'll save you." Oscar stared into the distance, his delirious mind only half aware of the abominations with lumps on their back that lured nearby.
There were many. They were crawling out from the cobweb-covered hole at the other side of the swamp.
Their glacial pace was relentless.
Sooner or later, they would reach him and Solaire.
"I'll protect you, Solaire." Oscar said, embracing Solaire and instinctively shielding him with his body as much as he could.
My friend.
Fire and steel halted the march of abominations.
It passed unnoticed by Oscar.
To him, only the man in his arms was real.
"My brother."
"Look at you."
The serpent appeared before them.
Had it returned to finish the deed once and for all?
They could only hope that was the case.
Even the prospect of being swallowed by a monster was preferrable than an eternity of wandering that endless pit of darkness all by themselves.
They had been foolish to think they could endure a fate so awful. They continued to be as stupid and ignorant as they had been in life.
"What did he do to you?
Kaathe spoke to him with more kindness that anyone had ever done when they were still alive.
If their body hadn't been destroyed, they feared they would have cried.
"You are safe now. Never again will I allow something like this happen to you again."
Kaathe opened his mouth and devoured them. For the Hollow, it felt as if they were returning home.
Not even at the Undead Asylum, that godforsaken place where they had remained trapped for so long, had they ever felt as safe as they did in the serpent's mouth.
If it truly existed a paradise, the Hollow doubted it could be much better.
"Can you hear me?
They could, but they had no mouth to answer with.
"Little Hollow?"
But, as dismembered and broken as they were, they still had a mind.
That had always been their blessing and their curse.
"I do."
Though the Hollow couldn't see it, they knew Kaathe had smiled.
They were not mistaken.
"My little Hollow." Kaathe said. It was strange to hear a relief so genuine in the voice of a grotesque, ancient creature. It made the Hollow smile too, or at least, imagine they had done so. "My Dark Lord."