After resting long enough to ease the tensions in my muscles, I retrace my steps to the tower, dispatching the hollows along the way, I hurry across the top of the wall and towards the now open tower on the other side. Having already taken two drinks from the flask, I continue my way through the tower, only stopping when I see a light shining out of some crates. Smashing the crates with my left hand, I find a corpse laying under the broken wood. Pillaging the corpse and acquiring a large white ember, I head down the stairs and out the opening to see a wooden door in front of me, and scorched bridge to my left. Turning completely to look down the bridge, with several hollows scattered down the bridge, I turn around to see if there's an alternative path, and see a bright light. Heading towards the sun coated side of the structure, I descend the stairs and find an armored figure standing at the balcony, gazing at the sun.
Approaching the figure, I see no visible weapon on it, before I roll past it and stand between the figure and the sun. Turning to face it, I see that it has no reaction to my antics. Holstering the battle axe, I begin to talk to the person. He seemed to be glad that I was not a hollow, before saying that his name was Solaire, from the land of Astora. As he talked about being a support of the sunlight lord, I stepped away from his view of the sun and stood by his side. He seemed rather hopeful about becoming undead, and has willingly come to the Gwyn's birthplace to find his own sun. A rather strange goal for a strange man. But, strangely fitting.
After musing over his words for a bit, I decided to continue the conversation, and he rather pleased that I had not left him for his peculiarities, before he started to make an offer of sorts. Weary of what he would say, I carefully agreed to hear him out. Talking of our fates being intertwined in this land filled with hollows, he offered to help me on my journey, and I try to help him. Walking to the edge of the balcony, I paused for a moment. Do I really want to accept that kind of burden? For that matter, am I just picking up dead weight, or am I the dead weight? Thinking things over put things into perspective, but having gone through several ordeals on my own, perhaps some aid would be appreciated. Turning back to Solaire, I agree to his offer of help.
He seemed to be rather glad about this form of corporation. Handing me a white stone, he talked about being among strange beings in a strange land. As he spoke of the flow of time and heroes of old, I could only place my left hand on my forehead and shake in confusion. With waving fabric and relations, and his talk of different worlds and spirits, the only thing I could understand is that it just works. And really, that's good enough for me. Taking my hand off of my head, I listened as he continued by talking about how he was a warrior of the sun, with a bright signature. Taking in his information, I converse once more to learn that he's staying behind to gaze at the sun, clearly being engrossed by it's light. Turning to leave the strange man, I ponder if this strange land is really worth the trouble. Regardless of such matters, I'll leave him to his goals, whatever they may be, so long as they don't involve me.
Returning to the burnt bridge, I make my way across the bridge, preparing to engage the hollows, only for a shadow to rush overhead and coat of flames come down on my head and across the bridge. As I recover from the fire, with flames dying out around me, I look up to see the dragon from my first visit to the Undead Berg, now perched on the structure in front of me. Taking to drinks of Estus, I draw closer to the center of the bridge, and look up at the dragon. Looking around, I see path forward, and towards the dragon and a surviving hollow, or a staircase leading below the bridge off to my right. Going down the stairs, I come up to two exits. Taking the exit to an open environment, I find myself beneath the bridge. Creeping along the arch, I move to the right side edge, and peek around the corner to see the tail of the dragon, and a narrow path leading forwards. Not feeling to confrontational, I head back to the room, and take a right turn to the next opening before descending some stairs.
At the first turn, I come up to a wooden platform with a ladder attached to it. Kicking the ladder down, I look down to see a lit bonfire. Dropping down the height and landing with a degree of pain shooting up my legs, I look around and realize this is the same place I've been staking out in the Undead Berg. Restoring my Estus and health, I climb the ladder, and head back to the underbelly of the bridge. Creeping across the right side of the bridge, I make my way over to the left side at the midsection of the second arch. Peeking over the side, I see a spear wielding hollow in front of me. As I drew closer, it raised it's shield and approached me. Turning right to lure the hollow to a more open section of the bridge, I see a sword wielding hollow that wasted no time stabbing me, clearly in an attempt to pin me down between it's sword and the other's spear. Rolling away from the two, I stand on the opposite side of the arch, and stared down the sword hollow as the spear hollow went back behind the wall.
Waiting for an opening, the sword hollow eventually rushed at me. Leaping forward, I bring my axe down on it's torso, causing the hollow to crumble to the ground at my feet. Pillaging it's lit up corpse for a longsword and some of the hollow's body armor, I look to my right and see the spear hollow peeking around the corner. Rushing in for an attack, I quickly get stabbed by it's spear before withdrawing to drink some Estus. As I restored my energy, the hollow closed in on my position. Getting within striking distance, I kick the hollow's shield away before bringing my axe across it's body. Kicking the hollow's now lifeless body off the bridge, I make my way past it's guard point and enter an opening at the end of the path.
On the inside, I see a large rat rushing at me. As it closes in, I lift my axe for an overhead strike, but that's when the rat bites at my right leg, throwing my aim off. Attempting to retreat from the rat and return to a more open area, the rat stood up on it's hind legs and swiped at me from my right with it's head, teeth bared. As I reel from the attack, almost losing my footing on the edge of the path, I regain enough footing to quickly roll away from the oversized vermin as it goes for another strike, slamming it's head against the walls of it's narrow passage. Backing up to the place where the hollows once stood, I feel a sick feeling well up within me as the rat follows me, seemingly eager to continue the fight. Withdrawing further to the more open area, I turn around just in time for the rat to bite my left arm before I could do anything. Turning around, I attempt to withdraw once more, only for the rat to bite the back of my right leg, causing me to feel an overwhelming sickness well up within my throat.
Before I have any time to figure out this feeling, the rat quickly bites into my right leg once more, almost throwing me off the edge of the archway. Rushing back to the main room and leaving the rat behind, I feel the sickness sapping my energy. Taking a moment to drink some Estus, I find it difficult to keep the substance down as my energy continues to drain away. Trying to figure this feeling out, I turn around and take another sip of Estus, and look down just in time to see the large rat's teeth baring down on me. Backing away from the vermin, it's teeth only scrape against my left arm. As it misses it's second strike on me, I bring my axe down on it's head, killing the oversized filth in a clean cut. As I feel the sickness continue to drain my energy, I realize this must be poison that I'm feeling, and that a mere Estus wasn't going to cut it this time.
With a resigned sigh, I slowly make my way to the left passage, and down the ladder to the bonfire. Looking through my inventory, I see nothing that looks like an antidote for this aliment. As my vision begins to darken, I take my last sip of Estus, if only to delay the inevitable. Having gotten my resources returned to a safe place, and acquired my revenge on the vermin responsible, I wander about the room as the poison works away through my body, and I reflect on my predicament. Namely, the fact that an axe is not really the best weapon to use against rats. Looking around at my surroundings, my vision once again becoming blurry and dark, I decide to take seat at the bonfire and rest for a while. Maybe it'll even restore my Estus fast enough for me to cheat death this time.
Resting at the bonfire, I feel my energy restore, see my Estus fill, and a wave of relief overcome me. And so I sit, staring at the flame, awaiting for my death. Eventually, I notice that my vision is not fading, nor is my energy feeling drained. Standing up from the bonfire, I notice that the poison is no longer coursing through my body. Making my way to the ladder once more, I pause. Even if it's only for a moment, I want to consider my options before moving forward.