A/N: Was not exactly able to post this before the month ended. But close enough… maybe. Happy Halloween everyone! The dealy does have its reasons like all things. But in the end, the chapter is complete. And there were some fun aspects that I'm sure you'll see in a second.

Beta: Genatools (In Spirit)

Chapter 16: In Hope of Answers.

Eskar was astonished. It was a strange feeling given what caused such a reaction. He had been in front of hundreds of other Absolvers, fought them, shared camaraderie with them, and he had been searching for the people of Adal for a couple of weeks by now, the ones that weren't Lost Prospects. And yet, actually being face to face… or mask to mask once again, was not something he had expected when returning to the Darkroot Garden. He also had not expected the feeling of joy and relief with the force they did.

The person in front of him had introduced himself as 'Another Absolver', and for the most part, he seemed to fit the part of an Absolver, for only them tended to wear a combination of clothes from the different regions of their world in such a way. All people of Adal wore similar clothes, but there were vast differences between a Uring citizen and a Tear soldier, and most did not have access to the clothes of other regions, nor would they misc and match their attires in such a fashion. It didn't always produce nice-looking results, and it wasn't practical if one's purse could not afford it, and most commoners couldn't. Even the Orate, who had a culture where the peasants wore similar clothes to the nobility, did not have the means for its commoners to wear whatever they wanted.

Absolvers were different, however. They were the enforcers of the Guides and were in a sense multicultural in nature, but more than that, they had the means to afford clothing of quality and fine make from different lands. Most Prospects would begin their journey with either plain and practical clothing, or with the prospect robes granted to them in Towerpoint. But as Prospects and Absolvers proved their worth, their wealth would increase as well, fragments being obtained by right of conquest from Lost Prospects, and Rift Coins and Disks being granted by the Altars to Absolvers that had proven their metal. Fragments were used to pay for some pieces of clothing and for weapons, unique wares from Towerpoint or from distant lands granted by the Guides, but they only sold their more exotic wares to Absolvers that were trustworthy. Rift Coins and Disks however were different, they opened a rift in the fold through which random items would come out from the Fold, sometimes, these artifacts would be something that could not be found anywhere else in the world, Eskar's mask was one such artifact. Whether that was a system engineered by the Guides or the Ethereans, it was hard to guess, but the fact was that they had been granted means to obtain them.

Even with those means within reach, only the ones that fought and put consistent work would be able to reap the high-end benefits of it. Rift Disks in particular were hard to obtain, and generally, only the best Absolvers that fought constantly or proved themselves on the School Challenge were able to acquire them in spare. The result of it was that only people with the rank of Absolver would be able to have a combination of Towerpoint and foreign items in whatever sense of fashion, pragmatism, or belief they had. And the one in front of Eskar did display his own preference.

He wore a green Forest Spike Mask, its green crown of feathers swept back as the rest of the mask and its colored motifs spiraled into the mask's green central spike, giving him the look of something similar to a woodpecker. His attire continued in a mix of green, black and red, starting with a Forest Caller Shawl adorned with black feathers and colorful patterns on his shoulders, followed with a green Tear Tyrant tunic, a Uring Idolator belt with a tiny mask hanging by its side, and Tribal Pants that were mostly black up until they reached the knees and shifted into a rough red, then came black Uring Riding long boots that had similar specks and traces of red. He also had a black under top. A Towerpoint shirt with the sleeves rolled at the elbows, giving way for a Tear shaman elbow ornament in his right elbow and Tear Tyrant metal gauntlets in both arms.

If something could be discerned, it was that the Absolver had a mixture of pragmatism and care for his image. All his clothing was practical and showed raw durability, enough to survive a fight, yet also displaying a sense of refinement, elegance, and authority. And also, a preference for the colors green, black and red.

"Te is Abszolút es. Quamdiu enim en ĉi tiu loko? De kie venis? Milyen vettél észre? Y en a-t-il vannak veled?" (You are an Absolver too. For how long have you been in this place? Where did you come from? How long ago did you spot me? Are there any others with you?) Eskar began to ask questions. It was clear the other Absolver had spotted him first, and decided to interact with him. The question now was if the Absolver was lost, was simply exploring, or if he was scouting and traveling with others

"Je solas sum. Et non ita láttalak. Megláttalak te in podio Paroisse, de la veszek fari longan turnon kaj longum iter l'autre côté de la forêt hogy találkozzunk. Minus inmortuae ut pri tiu maniero." (I am alone. And I spotted you not so long ago. I saw you on the balcony of the Parish, from there I decided to take a long turn and come through the other side of the forest to meet you. Less Undead to worry about that way.) The Absolver responded.

"Ĉu vi evitas Hollows-t? Ou tous omnes inmortui?" (You are avoiding the Hollows? Or all the Undead?) Eskar questioned.

"... Vis putida? Ac lucidus?" (... You mean the rotten ones? And the lucid ones?) The Absolver asked back.

"Igen."

"J'évite ĉion." (I avoid all.) The Absolver stated.

"Do vi ne senkivel sem? Sani id est." (So you have not spoken with any of the people here? The ones that are sane that is.) Eskar wondered.

"Circum non multae lucidae sunt, és néhányuk ŝajnas lucidaj, sed leur tour. Átváltoznak a Hollows-ba, ahogy tu eas vocas, vertunt. Eos vitare optimum est bone eviti ilin, ili estas singardaj, ils se méfient de nous, ont peurtudnak megérteni minket." (There aren't many lucid ones around, and some of them appear lucid, but soon after turn. They turn into the Hollows, as you call them. I learned it is best to avoid them, they are wary of us, fearful, and can't even understand us.) The Absolver responded.

"De meg possumus ea. Audisti recte? La vortoj havas signifon, même s'ils ont des sonshangzásúak." (But we can understand them. You've heard right? The words have meaning, even if they have different sounds.) Eskar said.

"Igen ám, de nem tudtam 'paroli' kun iu ajn lucida. Kio pri vi? Ĉu vi in aliquas lucidos?" (Yes, but I haven't been able to 'speak' with any lucid one. What of you? Have you run into any lucid ones?)

"I have indeed," Eskar answered.

"Vi… Linguam eorum leur langue." (You… have learned their language.) The Absolver said with surprise.

"As best as I've been able to," Eskar said. The Absolverin turn looked at him surprised for a couple of seconds.

Internally, Eskar wondered if he had been extremely lucky to find someone like Beatrice when he arrived in Lordran. Well, perhaps he didn't need to wonder. Finding someone understanding and well versed in knowledge and magic like her, and above all, willing to help, was not something common. Perhaps not in any world now that he thought a bit more about it. If it hadn't been for her… he would rather not think about it. Regardless of that, however, he had to ponder how many of his people were truly in Lordran.

He had been told that some of his people were here, but now having found only one, he wondered if perhaps Lordran itself had become so desolate that even a few of his would be around. It would make sense to relocate and try to find a more hospitable place, and the accounts of seeing groups of Masked Ones… he saw how many Lost Prospects there had been in Blighttown, they could easily be confused for sane Absolvers and Prospects. And perhaps there were more lone Absolvers out there than groups of them. One Absolver could appear as many if they decided to be stealthy and play with the minds of their enemies, or perhaps even to run away. Like that Absolver on the Depths had done, and how the Absolver in front of him seemed to have survived.

That thought returned him to the here and now. He decided he needed to start from the beginning.

"Quod nomen ton est?" (What is your name?) Eskar asked him.

"Je- Je Lamten vagyok." (I- I am Lamten.) The Absolver responded.

"Lamten. Eskar vagyok. Nem hiszem, ke ni iam renkontis sicut Abszolúts nostro tempore." (Lamten. I am Eskar. I do not think we've ever met during our time as Absolvers.) Eskar mentioned.

"Hmm. Non, je ne le crois el. Ugyanakkor nem te sola, kiu portis la Masko-o-Lanternon." (Hmm. No, I do not believe so. Then again, you are not the only one that has worn the Mask-o-Lantern.) Lamten chuckled.

"Eble, sed mi estas l'un des qui faciunt." (Perhaps, but I'm one of the few that do. And I do know that no other wears it quite like me.) Eskar laughed.

"Tum iterum je doute que vous kun Arbara Spika Masko. Az első, amit láttam, la verdan koloron." (Then again, I doubt you are the only one with a Forest Spike Mask. First one I have seen uses the color green though.) Eskar mentioned.

"Mmm. Megértettem pris." (Mmm. Point taken.) Lamten said while crossing his arms.

"Dic mihi, quam diu ezeken a vidékeken?" (Do tell me, how long have you been in these lands?) Eskar asked. At the question, Lamten seemed to eye him. Sizing him up as he thought of an answer.

"Ugyanazt feltételezném, tu. Kiom longe êtes-vous ici?" (I would assume the same as you. How long have you been around here?) Lamten asked back.

"Je estas ĉi tie dum hónapja vagyok itt. Talán egy proksimiĝas al monato." (I've been here for a bit less than a month. Perhaps it is getting closer to a month.) Eskar answered.

"Vero? Tu verum igazat." (Truly? Are you telling the truth?) Lamten seemed surprised by his answer, more so than by any other question or word spoken so far.

"Ez az vero. In ebbe az erdőbe et je suis ĉi tie dum iom temps, novam terram az új földdel. Lordran." (It is the truth. I arrived in this forest and stayed here for a time, getting myself acquainted with this new land. Lordran.) Eskar began to explain.

"Vi ankaŭ nomen eius scis." (You also know its name.) Lamten noted.

"Én igen. Heureusement, j'ai eu de l'aide pour apprendre tiujn detalojn. Láttad az Idéző Jeleket? De tiam mi vojaĝis ĉi amicum. Azóta j'ai parcouru ces ruinojn kaj forlasitajn strukturojn provante vidi ĉu sajátunk közül." (I do. Fortunately, I had assistance in learning those details, and to adapt. Have you seen the Summon Signs? I was lucky enough to summon a friendly spirit by accident. From then on I've been traveling these ruins and abandoned structures trying to see if I could find any other of our own.) Eskar finished saying. There were other details that were left unsaid, but none of them seem particularly important at the moment. At least, not important or necessary for a first-time meeting.

"Quam- quam diu temps êtes-vous terra venis?" (How- How long have you been in this land?) Eskar asked, partially dreading the answer.

"J'ai- je suis ici tie pli longe ol vi." (I've- I've been here longer than you.) Lamten said.

"Meddig?" (How long?) Eskar continued.

"C'est difficile à dire, a napok múlása ŝajnas normala en ĉi tiu lando. Hortus hic kovrita de mallumo, kiu ne estas normala nokto. Sol lucebat maga a nap nem megy le. Ipse sol occidere non videtur. Sed így is mondhatnám, hogy néhány ĉi tie dum kelkaj monatoj." (It is hard to tell, the passing of the days doesn't seem normal in this land. This garden is shrouded by a darkness that is not a normal night. The sun was shining before I entered. And the sun itself doesn't seem to set. But even so, I could say I've been here for some months.) Lamten recounted.

"Hmm. Ŝajnas, ke estas nagy a tartomány perventum videtur. Alii, quos locutus sum, évszázadok óta léteznek Abszolverek és Kilátások." (Hmm. It seems there are very large ranges as to when we have arrived. The others I've talked to, they have said there have been Absolvers and Prospects for centuries.) Eskar told him.

"A Ceteri?" (The others?) Lamten suddenly turned to him.

"Inmortuae. Lucidaj." (Undead. Lucid ones.) Eskar confirmed.

"Ó. Elég különös. Cum factum esset, ne monitionem aucune sorte d'avertissement ötletem, hogy hova szállítottak. Eĉ malpli ke jöttek ugyanabba mundum venerant. Et dispersés tempus." (Oh. Quite strange. When it happened, I didn't even have any sort of warning or idea as to where I'd been transported. Even less that others had come to the same world. And scattered through time.) Lamten recalled.

"Quando accidit? Comment ĝi okazis por vi?" (When it happened? How did it happen for you?) Eskar asked. It was a question that had been bothering him for some time now. Why would anyone but him get transported if he was the closest to Arcell's vortex? Why would any other people other than maybe Arcell's acolytes and he be sucked into it? There had not been anyone else in the Fold. And yet, there seemed to be far more people than some merely scattered groups. The trader Domhall seemed to have met far more.

"Egy Oltárnál voltam, meditáltam et exercens, procinctu ad venonta defio. Mais alors, Fold elszakadt. Olyan érzés volt, mintha az Oltár et corpus evellere kaj tiris min en la Faldon mem, et alors, j'étais ici." (I was at an Altar, meditating and practicing my own technique, getting ready for an upcoming challenge. But then, the Fold seemed to tear. It felt as if the Altar plucked my soul and body and pulled me into the Fold itself, and then, I was here.) Lamten explained.

"Az Oltárok." (The Altars.) Eskar finally understood. The Altars were connected to the Fold, and so when Arcell performed his sacrifice and tried to tear down the barrier, all the ones close to them, or perhaps in a deeply meditative state, must have been drawn to another dimension similarly as Lamten had. It answered some questions, but not all.

"Milyen por vi?" (How was it for you?) Lamten asked him curiously.

"Je n'étais oltárnál. J'étais a Foldban voltam." (I wasn't at an Altar. I was in the Fold itself.) Eskar told him.

"A Fold?! Az éteri?" (The Fold?! The Etherean?) Lamten suddenly piece together why Eskar had been in the Fold.

"Igen. Arcell qui-" (Yes. It was Arcell who-)

"Ça doit esti. C'était la kialo..." (That must be it. That was the reason...) Lamten turned his back and brought a hand to his chin.

"Huh?" Eskar looked puzzled as Lamten seemed to lose himself in pondering. He seemed to have stopped listening to him the moment he confirmed he had been in the Fold.

"A Fold! Ez és nos traxit, quomodo nos esti kiel ni kaj aliaj à des moments időpontokban. Ha a Foldon voltál, ŝajnas, ke ĝi influis où vous êtes arrivé." (The Fold! It and how it drew us, it must be how we and others arrived at different times. If you were on the Fold, it seems it affected the moment in which you arrived.) Lamten explained.

"Jól. Igen. Ŝajnas tiel. Ĝi sonat elméletnek hangzik." (Well. Yes. It seems so. It does sound like a solid theory.) Eskar nodded.

"Mhm." Lamten agreed as he kept contemplating.

"Azt mondtad, ni kaj aliaj. Novistine alios? Vannak itt ĉi tie?" (You said we and others. Have you met others? Are there others around here?) Eskar asked him.

"Mmm? Ah… Találkoztam már, sed ĝi ne estis volt különleges. Ni renkontiĝis preterpase. Nous avons interŝanĝis informojn pri nia situ nostro, quaedam simul provis eltrovi kelkajn aferojn kune. Sed in fine dividi manierojn. J'étais déjà quelqu'un is tartottam magát Adalban és Towerpointban, et sic alii hic conveni. Une fois qu'il nous a semblé különböző irányokba akarunk diversa ire volebamus, el ni provis trovi manierojn pluvivi en ĉi tiu terra. Hasonlóan ahhoz, amit Adalban tettünk. Certus Je komprenas." (Mmm? Ah… I've met others, but it wasn't a special meeting. We met in passing. We exchanged information about our situation, tried to figure some things out together. But in the end we decided to split ways. I was already one that kept to himself in Adal and Towerpoint, and so were others that I met here. Once it seemed like we both wished to go in different directions, we separated as each of us tried to find ways to survive in this land. Similarly to what we did in Adal. I'm sure you understand.) Lamten explained.

"Én igen." (I do.) Eskar said, he had been a solitary figure as well, and still was. But even so, he didn't quite understand that mindset given the circumstances they were in. Numbers and someone to lean back on were useful in strange lands, whether one was immortal or not. But he could see other Absolvers deciding to strike out on their own.

"Tehát csak certains? Nulla coetus?" (So only some? No groups?) Eskar asked.

"Nulla coetus." (No groups.) Lamten said.

"Látom." (I see.) Eskar nodded. It seemed like Lordran was far more desolate than he had thought, but perhaps he should have figured that out on his own.

"Quid hic en via tempo ĉi tie? Ĉu vi környéket? Avez-vous gardé akikkel találkoztál?" (What have you done in your time here? Have you explored the surroundings? Have you kept an eye on the others you have met?) Eskar decided to turn his attention to the little information he could gather.

"Nem tartottam in eis. Ne pontosan. Mais je sais que circa istas terras esse. Kaj vi? Ŝajnas, ke vi magad ehhez habitué à ce pays." (I have not kept my eye on them. Not exactly. But I do know that some of them are still around these lands. How about you? You seem to have accustomed yourself quite well to this land.) Lamten turned the question around.

"J'ai voyagé inmortuae dum alios quaerens, ezért átutaztam az Malmorta Burgo, la Profundoj kaj Blighttown. J'ai aussi fouillé dans Katakombákba. Ezen a homines iusti en ĉi tiu mondo." (I've been traveling with Undead while searching for others, for that I traveled through the Undead Burg, the Depths and Blighttown. I've also delved into the Catacombs. There are many more dangers than just people in this world.) Eskar said.

"Vere. Estas malamikoj akikről álmomban sem nunquam somniasse." (True. There are foes here that I would have never dreamed of.) Lamten sighed.

"Kio revenigis dans cette az erdőbe?" (What brought you back to this forest?) Lamten asked him.

"Je suis venu jöttem, aki Mosst keres. Et fortasse ekscita defio." (I've come with a friend looking for Moss. And perhaps an exciting challenge.) Eskar responded.

"Egy barát? Ĉu defio?" (A friend? A challenge?) Lamten seemed curious.

"Igen. Barátokat szereztem ezen a földön. Kaj ĉi tiu mondo ankaŭ chance de relever de nouveaux défis. Coactus sum accommodare amire nem számítottam." (Yes. I made friends in this land. And this world has also given me a chance to fight new challenges. Forced me to adapt in ways I had not expected.) Eskar said.

"Mmm. Vannak. Új dolgokat lerni novajn aferojn pour l'emporter." (Mmm. There are. I had to learn new things as well in order to prevail.) Lamten said.

"Je croyais ke vi diris, ke vi decidis inmortuae vitare decrevisse." (I thought you said you decided to avoid the Undead.) Eskar said to him.

"Eligo pugnas, sed mi batalis. Ne erres, je suis még mindig Abszolút vagyok." (I choose my fights, but I have fought. Make no mistake, I'm still an Absolver, after all.) Lamten turned to him, almost offended at the idea of being mistaken for anything less than a warrior.

"Ĉu vere? Quid vi credis? Ĉu la ici sont-ils un défi?" (Truly? What do you believe then? Are the foes here a challenge?) Eskar asked him.

"La putraj estas konkoj, sine mente et praedictio. Lucida sunt estas pli inteligentaj, sed mi neniam tro rapproché de beaucoup. Akivel harcoltam, jobban félt, nunquam acquievi. Unum pugnatum mint bármi más. Li diseriĝis pro premo. A szörnyek… ezek múlnak, minora ar faciliora sunt, de a nagyok ed magnae exitum possunt ponere." (The rotten ones are shells, mindless and predictable. The lucid ones are smarter, but I've never gotten too close to many. The one I fought was more afraid than anything else. He crumbled under pressure. The monsters… those depend, the smaller ones are easier to take down, but the big ones can pose an issue.) Lamten answered.

"Tarde sunt tamen, és túlszárnyalhatók." (They are slow however, and can be outmaneuvered.) Eskar pointed out.

"Igen. De a velük kun ili povus konduki hajtogatáshoz vezethet." (Yes. But tangling with them could lead to an early folding.) Lamten rebutted.

"Idem dici potest pri batalado kaj superkreskita Tearanról." (The same could be said of fighting and overgrown Tearan.) Eskar rebutted.

"Heh, van értelme. Kaj ĉu vi trovis sukceson dans vos combats contre eux?" (Heh, you got a point. And have you found success in your fights against them?) Lamten wondered.

"J'ai. Rengeteg tapasztalatom sum nunc in magnis inimicis tractandis, még Adalban is." (I have. I've had plenty of experience by now in dealing with large foes, even in Adal.) Eskar proudly crossed his arms.

"Vi Biztosan magabiztosnak videris. Esne estis altnivela Abszolút?" (You certainly seem confident. Were you a high-ranking Absolver?) Lamten asked with a hint of curiosity, but also doubt.

"J'étais. Et toi?" (I was. And what about you?) Eskar asked back.

"J'ai fait probavi, ĉar mi folyamatosan assidue pugnavi. Tamen ŝajnas inconveniens quod numquam te conveni." (I proved myself, as I fought constantly in the challenges. Yet it seems odd that I've never met you.) Lamten said.

"Ĉu vi eble doutez bennem?" (Are you perhaps doubting me?) Eskar chuckled as he extended a hand and he and Lamten began to circle each other.

"Le doute fortis est. Scivolema povus esset melior." (Doubt is a strong word. Curious might be a better one.) Lamten said as both continued circling.

"Hmm. Unalmassá konfliktojn fariĝis enuiga? Vi rdekli a folytatás." (Hmm. Has avoiding conflict grown boring? You seem interested in continuing this.) Eskar gestured to their pacing and them circling each other.

"Eble ĝi havas. Mais nous avons tous les mondon ĝis nun. Talán tesztelhetnénk a tanultakat." (Perhaps it has. But we both have survived this world so far. Perhaps we could test what we have learned.) Lamten proposed.

"Talán tényleg possumus." (Perhaps we can indeed.) Eskar said as he stopped the circling, Lamten did the same. Soon both were in their respective stances, Lamten seeing Eskar used the Faejin style, and Eskar seeing Lamten used Khalt.

As the two faced each other, they began to do a small amount of circling, getting ever so slightly closer to each other as they watched each other's movement. They didn't need to fight, but the idea of testing themselves against a fellow Absolver was tantalizing for them, a friendly competition that excited them. Eskar was the one to attack first once they were both in range to do so. He rushed forward with a double Mill punch and followed the attack with a low kick, with Lamten blocking the attacks and standing his ground. Eskar decided to follow up the attack with a flying roundhouse kick, but before he could finish jumping into the air, he shifted his weight to feint the movement and attack from a different direction. Lamten had expected the kick and had moved to counter said the attack, but soon was surprised as he was met with a kick to his shin.

Eskar kept up his offense while Lamten focused on recovering the initiative. Eskar went in with a set of punches and kicks, Lamten blocking and deflecting them with his own arms and legs before Eskar switched stance with a surprise knee. Lamten dodged to the side and spun with a palm strike, a move Eskar had seen many times and had made a counter for. As soon as the strike came, Eskar ducked low and performed a back spinning heel kick, hitting and tripping Lamten's leg.

Lamten recovered quickly as he was hit and moved quickly to not allow Eskar to keep pushing the advantage. As soon as Eskar had moved to land a more powerful kick, Lamten interrupted him with a very quick gut punch and followed up with a quick turning hook kick. Eskar immediately blocked as they began to exchange blows. Lamten was quick with his attacks, but Eskar noticed there was something off with them, and he soon realized what it was. As Lamten turned with a punch Eskar blocked, and as soon as Eskar moved to counter, Lamten made a powerful side kick that forced Eskar back. He would follow up with a quick back step and a forward dashing punch, a Faejin move plenty of Absolvers performed for its speed and strength, a move Eskar had learned to counter the hard way. He made a Faejin parry before the attack could connect, stopped its momentum, and then hit Lamten with a gut punch and a strong roundhouse kick to the head.

Lamten was pushed back and Eskar and he began to exchange blows, Faejin parries were followed by quick strikes in Eskar's corner, and swift dodges and blocks were followed by surprise attacks from all directions in Lamten's one. Soon enough Lamten was countered as Eskar fainted a kick and then performed a Faejin parry, countering Lamten's gut punch response with a fast punch of his own, following with a knee to the stomach, and then continued with a fast spinning hook kick to his head. Lamten was knocked to the side, but he was still able to react as Eskar followed his motion and continued into a low spinning heel, only he braced himself as a blue aura surrounded him. The Khalt Absorb.

Lamten immediately moved, landing a low punch on Eskar's stomach before he could move with a follow-up attack, then continuing by performing a low kick, and then a spinning back punch. He followed with a roundhouse kick that Eskar blocked, and then proceeded to feint an attack, giving Eskar the wrong impression as he did a powerful roundhouse low kick to his leg. Eskar recoiled at the contact and immediately noticed that Lamten would move to perform another type of kick, instead of letting him continue, he decided to attack first with a jab, a roundhouse kick, and finally, hit him in the forehead with a flying Illusion Twist kick. Lamten received the brunt of it, but prepared to counter as Eskar seemed to continue with his attacks, preparing to absorb the next attack again with the Khalt technique, but Eskar had guessed that he would try something of the like, so instead, he delivered an orange-glowing plexus elbow.

It broke through the Khalt Absorb and pushed Lamten backwards. Eskar continued his attacks and landed a low cross punch, and then moved with a front kick, But Lamten reacted and deflected the kick and landed shook to his face. They continued to exchange blows, both of them blocking and remaining relatively on par. Lamten had proven himself to be the kind of Absolver that would perform very fast moves in continuous repeats, hiding a second option that was equally as fast, or even a third and more powerful option, a single well-timed powerful blow that could be devastating. That was the way plenty of high-ranking and experienced Absolvers built their deck of moves, as it was deceiving and powerful while leaving not many traces of a clear pattern of attack, and confusing the opponent as to what attack would come next. And Lamten clearly knew how to use his moves.

Eskar's style was far more straightforward, going in perhaps more predictable chains of attacks, but he could be just as deceiving as other Absolvers. His deck was still made with fluidity and fundamentals in mind, and proper execution made his moves a menace to any normal opponent. And it wasn't like he could be deceiving himself.

As Lamten blocked a low kick and prepared to absorb the next with the use of Khalt, Eskar made a forward step for a string gut punch and Lamten covered himself in the blue aura, but it quickly dissipated with no attack landed, a faint that disguised a strong jump spinning roundhouse with his right leg that whipped Lamten's head. Eskar landed perfectly and immediately jumped again with a high amount of momentum, right into a spinning back jump kick with his left leg. Lamten was knocked some meters back and rolled backwards to recover from the powerful kick.

Eskar Moved with a Faejin running kick to continue the fight, but as he landed the attack, Lamten absorbed it with Khalt. Lamten moved before Esakr could move again with a front kick, a back elbow to his ribs, and then a standing jumping kick that sent Eskar skidding backwards. Both of them ended at similar distances as when the fight had started.

"Heh… Vi vagy. Vi bone moviĝas, kaj bene uti tuo genere… és többet, quam ornare."(Heh… You are good. You move well, and know how to use your style of deck well… and more than your deck.) Lamten said between deep breaths.

"Vi ankaŭ uzas quam ornare. Jól érezted? Az auctoritas Ducum abiit. És az elménk sin liberaj nun." (You too use more than your deck. You've felt it right? The influence of the Guides is gone. And our minds feel free now.) Eskar said as he panted.

"Igen. Hirtelen olyan határt éreztem, n'était plus là, rigida non esset. Gyorsan tudtam váltani a aroj de movoj. Kaj eĉ fari faire moi-même. Ŝajnas, ke vi ankaŭ havas." (Yes. I've suddenly felt a limit not being there anymore, as if my mind wasn't as rigid. I was able to rapidly switch between sets of moves. And even make some of my own. Seems like you have too.) Lamten said to Eskar.

"Havas van. Igen." (I have. Yes.) Eskar nodded. He had indeed begun to make his own moves and combinations, ever so slowly, but it seemed like it was beginning to show results as the rigidness of the combat decks began to dissipate more with each fight.

"Hmm..." Lamten stood there for a second. But still ready to continue sparring.

"Vi scias, ĉi tio nem kihívás , ni havas nur unu ŝancon." (You know, this is not a challenge fight. Technically, we only get one chance.) Eskar said with a chuckle.

"Bár a meghalás problémás lehet, non explicat alterum. Ni povus fini ĉe la lasta ĝojfajro,chacun de nous a visité. Et alter in sebesülten maradna blessé dans en malamika medio." (Though dying could be problematic if the other doesn't unfold the other back. We could end up at the last bonfire each of us visited. And the other would be left wounded in a hostile environment.) Eskar added. Noting that Lamten didn't seem to register the word bonfire as he looked at him with a strange gaze.

"Nekünk kelle-" (We should-)

"Eskar?" A voice said from behind Eskar.

Eskar himself turned and relaxed his stance. He turned to see Beatrice with a curious look as she was coming back from the path to the rest of Darkroot Garden. As she looked at him she seemed to tense a bit as she saw his battle stance.

"Beatrice." He said to her, "It is fine, it's not a fight to the death."

"You were fighting?" Beatrice asked him.

"A friendly spar… and an introduction," Eskar said as he used the Healing Tension Art to heal his body. Meanwhile, Beatrice looked behind him and noticed Lamten.

"He is… He is one of your people." Beatrice's eyes widened.

"Yes." Eskar nodded, a small hint of joy escaping his words. Beatrice looked towards Lamten and then back to Eskar

"Do all Masked Ones greet each other by battling?" Beatrice questioned him.

"Heh. I believe both of us were eager to spar with another one of our own again." Eskar chuckled, he and Beatrice then turned towards Lamten, who seemed to be staring at both of them with an odd look.

"Do vi vere iter avec lucidis. Voltak kétségeim, de..." (So you were really traveling with the lucid ones. I had my doubts but...) Lamten seemed to ponder. Eskar looked at him and then back at Beatrice before turning to Lamten again.

"I don't know what Undead or Non-Hollow you have met. But the ones I have met have proven themselves as people that can be trusted." Eskar said in the tongue of Lordran, giving Beatrice some insight into the conversation.

"... Ĉu vere? Eĉ se ili ha bármelyik pillanatban vertere Hollow-t?" (... Truly? Even if they can turn Hollow at any moment?) Lamten asked.

"..." Eskar personally had not thought of Hollowing as a matter of time. But Lamten was indeed right. Hollowing was seemingly something that would happen eventually, and Oscar had been pretty close indeed. But it was also no use in despairing about it, it was another turmoil in the face of adversity, and one needed to stand up and face it rather than succumb, despair for Undead, in fact, was one of the ways one would Hollow sooner. If they had to face it standing tall then so will he, for his and their sake.

"It is not so different from us. One of us could always break under the effects of Essence. There are not many good people in this land. Not many people left in general. It would make sense for us to band together." Eskar extended an offer.

"Ĉu vi em bánnának minket? Copia videntur." (You think they won't mind us? Plenty seem to.) Lamten reminded him.

"But not all. Most people are dimwitted and fearful, ignorant and even subservient to other fools. But there are people out there with a good head above their shoulders. You'll find that there are many you can call friends. Even in the strangest of places." Beatrice interjected. Surprising Lamten.

"Vi..."(You...)

"Yes. I have indeed begun to understand your language, little by little." Beatrice confirmed.

Lamten looked at her and back at Eskar, he then noticed her clothing and recognized the style of clothing from their world. Looking back at Eskar Lamten seemed to lower his gaze, bringing a hand to his chin. After some time he spoke again.

"Kion vi celas keresel? Azzal, hogy coeuntibus."(What are you seeking to achieve? With us banding together.) Lamten questioned.

"To live. To find a way to live. We are not shackled anymore, it is a new beginning." Eskar began. "If nothing else we owe it to ourselves. We are survivors, we are fighters, and for the longest time the only thing was each other, we were our only family. We all learned from each other, through rivalry and cooperation. Why can't we cooperate again? And learn once again, not only from each other, but from this world as well." Eskar said as he produced a wisp of soul energy in one hand and wielded his pyromancy flame in the other.

"Vi havas..." (You have...) Lamten was astonished.

"There are people in this world that are interested in learning about your world as well. That has learned from it, and that wish to know more as well." Beatrice added. She was still interested in Tension Arts, and she recalled how Domhall had familiarized himself with other Masked Ones, and how Oscar had learned new moves thanks to Eskar. It wasn't at all impossible to learn from each other.

Lamten remained quiet, thinking. Eventually, though he turned towards them attempting to say something, but remained quiet, thought again, and finally seemed to make a decision as he turned away from them.

"Sodalitates periculosae videntur. Ahogy néhány múltbéli celoj al atakantoj, kaj lucida quam vutida. De megbeszélhetem a többiekkel."(Groups seem to be dangerous. As some past ones became targets to assailants, both lucid and rotten. But I can discuss it with the others.) Lamten said.

"The others?" Eskar tilted his head.

"Je tibi me hic aliorum Abszolúts ĉi hoc verum erat, ed mi ja scias kie trovi ilin. e parlerai avec eux, és ez is ad időt a gondolkodásra." (I told you that I did not keep track of the other Absolvers here. And that was true, but I do know where to find them. I will speak with them, and that will also give me time to think.) Lamten said.

"Then how would I find them, and you? Will you come to me? I have to aid my own companions on their quest, and I won't abandon them." Eskar immediately said.

"... Kiom longe tart ez a küldetés?" (... How long will that quest take?) Lamten asked.

"We'll return to Blighttown soon. We'll descend and ring a bell. And then I presume we would return to the surface." Eskar told him.

"Hmm… ha visszajön, nin en la Valo sub ĉi tiu ĝardeno. Azokkal a sárkányokkal. Tie ni estos. Postquam illic es mox per pontem, hamarosan meglátjuk." (Hmm… if you return, wait for us in the Valley below this garden. With those drakes. That's where we'll be. Once you are there just wait by the bridge, we'll spot you soon enough.) Lamten said as he began to walk in the direction he had come from.

"Legyen azonban óvatos a sárkányokkal. Ili estas dikhaŭtaj, kaj avidaj por prandium." (Do be careful with the drakes though. They are thick-skinned, and eager for a meal.) Lamten warned as he continued to walk, leaving Darkroot Garden and disappearing from sight. Eskar and Beatrice watched him leave and waited until he was indeed gone.

"I did not know what to expect when we would find one of your own," Beatrice confessed.

"I also did not. I knew it would not be a normal reunion, though he wasn't anybody I knew." Eskar told her.

"Do you think he'll appear, with other Absolvers as well?" Beatrice asked him.

"I get the feeling he will. But that doesn't mean it will necessarily end well." Eskar responded. Even if he felt he made his point heard, it didn't mean that they would be convinced by him. If the other Absolvers thought that striving out as a group was too dangerous, or really did not trust him or the idea of trying to trust Undead, then he could end up leaving quite disappointed. If things truly went wrong, perhaps burning some bridges as well.

"You said you wouldn't abandon us," Beatrice noted.

"I did." Eskar confirmed.

"Part of me wondered what you would do once you found your people. If you would immediately join them." Beatrice said.

"I owe you and the others far too much to abandon you. And I do not see it as something that should be on the table. You have all taught me much, had my back as well. I wanna have your backs and help you as you helped me. And I do not believe it should be necessary for me to abandon you for me to be with and help my people." Eskar said.

"Some say one cannot have it all." Beatrice said to him.

"Perhaps." Eskar granted. "But I will choose myself what I wish, and under what conditions." Eskar said to her.

"Hmm." Beatrice paused, she understood, as she had to make many similar choices even before meeting him. And it was true that it was hard to find people such as the ones of Firelink Shrine, or Eskar.

"Whatever you decide is best, know that I will go with you. I already crossed time to get here, and there's nothing left of my old life. And besides, I still have some things to teach you." Beatrice said smugly.

"Hmm. I don't doubt it. Thank you, Beatrice." Eskar said to her. She in return smiled at him.

"We are in this together." She nodded at him. "And with that in mind, I believe we still have some Moss to collect."

"Some." Eskar nodded.

"Let's not keep the other waiting too long." Beatrice said as she returned to kill more Demonic Foliage, and Eskar followed right behind her.

The two of them managed to return to Firelink Shrine after another hour of collecting Moss, and retrieving their box from Andre. They had around thirty pieces when they first arrived at the swamp of Blighttown, now with around fifty pieces of Purple Moss and a fair amount of Blooming Moss would go a long way into increasing their chances of success, they even had a fair amount of Red Moss in case anyone suffered from bleeding.

As they walked into the Shrine, they noticed a cloud of steam began to rise from behind the ruins that were closest to Firelink. They turned the corner and managed to see Laurentius using the flash sweat pyromancy and their clothes and armor as they were laid on the ground. With Oscar and Solaire watching closely.

"It already smells much better. Perhaps even better than before I reached Lordran." Oscar said.

"Heh, yeah, it does give it that nice smell right. Though you are still better off not wearing it for a bit. You'll have to still let it dry properly and let the ashwood do its thing. And we still need that Moss." Laurentius said.

"Perhaps these will be of use for you," Beatrice said as she and Eskar approached them, Eskar carrying the box.

"Ah, they return!" Solaire cheered.

"That we did." Eskar nodded as he walked forward and set the box down next to the clothing.

"Oh, simply amazing. Moss, lemon oil, repair powder, and brushes. Oh, this is going to be so much easier now. I was wondering how we would scrub these with the ashes and the moss. Now it can be done in less than an hour or two." Laurentius said excitedly.

"Great to hear." Oscar said as he walked towards Eskar and Beatrice. "Seems you had no issues."

"That would be a lie. We met that Stone Knight again." Eskar said to him.

"The Havel Knight." Beatrice added to be more specific.

"Him? Again?" Oscar said with worry. "You've managed to take him down?"

"We did. Fortunately, Andre came to our rescue, that man is larger than one might think, and seems able to punch through stone." Beatrice said.

"Huh. Well, I suppose that's fortunate. But this is the third time he has appeared. Did he say anything this time?" Oscar asked them.

"Nothing." Eskar told him.

"Curses. It is a problem, because it seems like he won't hesitate to show up again. It's strange, he seems too smart to be a Hollow, but he seemingly only has bloodshed in his mind." Oscar commented.

"It does seem like that." Beatrice agreed.

"Well. It does seem like you were able to handle it, but if he's still around perhaps we should be more careful." Oscar said.

"Did Siegmyer and you have any trouble?" Eskar asked.

"Not really. Compared to everything we have faced, the Hollows of the Undead Burg seem slow and harmless now. Had more trouble bartering with that Undead Merchant." Oscar said.

"Hmm. Where is Siegmyer?" Eskar wondered as he looked for any sign of the Catarinian knight.

"Oh, he is sharing tales with Lady Rhea and Griggs." Oscar told him.

"Well, I'm sure he and Rhea will be happy about it. Wonder how Griggs will fare though." Beatrice smiled.

"Heh, I guess we'll have to wait and see." Oscar laughed.

"We also found something else in our venture. Or better said, someone else." Beatrice said.

"Hmm? Who?" Oscar asked.

"An Absolver." Eskar said.

"Wait… one of your people?" Oscar asked and Eskar nodded. "He didn't run away?"

"He came to meet me, we talked. He was curious, and seemed to be striving on his own on this land. He also seemed to have been here longer than me. I told him that it would probably be wise for us to band together, to work together to live in this world that isn't ours. I also invited him to join us." Eskar said as he gestured to Firelink Shrine itself. Oscar looked behind them and towards the ruin, in case he hadn't seen another Masked One come with them.

"Is he hiding behind the ruin or did he decide not to come?" Oscar asked them.

"He is wary. Seems he hasn't had pleasant experiences with other people here in Lordran. But he did say he would think it over. Mett with other Absolvers he knows that are around here and discuss it. Then I'll meet them and see what they say." Eskar told.

"Others? So there are more around here we haven't even had a clue about." Oscar looked toward the Burg, wondering if perhaps they should have scouted the place more.

"He didn't know where they were, but he knew where he could perhaps find them." Eskar said.

"I see. Then, what are you going to do now?" Oscar asked him.

"I'm going to meet them after we ring the second Bell. And then we'll see. But regardless of what they choose, I will still aid you in your quest. Even after the bells if I can help it." Eskar stated.

"You do not need to if going with your people is what you were truly after. It was why we banded together." Oscar said to him.

"I'll still aid you. You have helped me a lot, and I wish not only to repay you, I want to aid so that you find success in your task as well. You've helped me with my quest after all." Eskat told him.

"I…" Oscar paused. "I honestly feel I'm the one that owes you much more Eskar. But even so. Thank you. We haven't known each other for long, but I'm glad I can call you a comrade and friend." Oscar said he placed a hand on Eskar's shoulder. Eskar himself nodded as if to say he understood the sentiment.

"One cannot really be picky about their friends with what the world has turned into. We could all do worse I suppose." Beatrice smiled at both of them.

"It is true." Oscar nodded. They all turned towards the sky as it seemed to take an orange tint.

"It seems we'll get a sunset, perhaps even a full night." Oscar said. "It's been so long since the sun and sky had made any sense, it's nice to see such sights again."

"Perhaps we will be able to see stars as well." Beatrice added.

"Hmm." Eskar was curious, he had wondered why the time of day didn't seem to change past multiple days, but he had guessed it had something to do with the decay of the world, it seemed he was correct.

"Resting sounds appealing. When will we set out again?" Eskar asked.

"I say when our armors and clothes are ready, and they should be by tomorrow. Right after, we should go ahead and return to that place. The sooner we deal with it, the better. And if we do it, we'll finally get a glimpse of the Fate of the Undead." Oscar said.

"We better rest then while we can. We'll have to be ready for tomorrow then." Beatrice said.

The other two agreed as they walked towards the Bonfire to rest, for now, they would take the time to recover, and by tomorrow, they would be ready to face Blighttown again.

A/N: Absolver speech is something interesting, and that took some adapting and planning in order to write it, what I get for trying to represent it. It is in a sense gibberish though. I don't have the language rules that the people at Sloclap have, so I have to make do with my best and the languages are my best guess for the combination. And also to try and maintain a sense of consistency on how I achieve it and which words mean what.

Don't get your hopes up though, it is still a butchery of languages mashed together, and I'm deeply sorry if any of you studies languages here. In the end, though, it is inconsequential, it is also why all Absolver speech will now be in Bold.

I noticed as I was translating that the words all looking the same could become troublesome for the people that just want to know what they are saying, on top of being kind of difficult on the eyes if they are all in the same paragraph and not separated better. Lone simple sounds or grunts or hums won't be emboldened though, as there's no real need to translate those and there won't be more words behind them. It's only for the purpose of easier reading.

With that said, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Follow, favorite, and review if you so desire. ANd I hope to see you again. Have a good day.