AN: Second to last chapter, next chapter coming soon!

Repetition

Time had once again been lost between the Fire Keeper and the Ashen One. They stood there for who knows how long, bodies pressed closed, arms tangled around one another and hands cupping the other's visage while refusing to look away. Sweet and passionate words were whispered between them as they found not only comfort but happiness in their proximity.

Happiness was a commodity within this world. It was rare to come across and even harder to keep. That resulted in them not wanting to ruin this moment by breaking away, instead preferring to remain there and drink in the affection of the other until they were drunk off it. They figured the flame could wait a little longer. However, some were a little less inclined to agree.

During the time spent in each other's embrace Lothric's essence began sending gentle waves of warmth down the bond to draw the Ashen One's attention. To remind him of his duty. However, that wasn't even remotely effective. Probably due to the fact that he was already hotter than an ember, which was shown clearly by his scarlet visage. So instead of taking the warm, gentle approach, Lothric's essence took the cold, jabbing approach.

The Ashen One recoiled a bit, his lips shifting from a loving grin to a tight frown. His arm didn't dare leave her waist, but the hand cupping her cheek dropped to clutch his throbbing side. He bit back a profanity that was at the tip of his tongue as he broke the Fire Keeper's gaze to look down and pin-point the source of his pain. There was only one possible cause behind the sharp, freezing jab. His frown turned to a mild scowl, "Do you mind!? I am a bit preoccupied!" He shouted down their bond. Another sharp jab showed that Lothric did, indeed, mind.

The Fire Keeper quickly placed her hand over the one that clutched his side, worry now taking over as she watched the Ashen One's visage contort from one of joy to one of what she assumed to be pain. "Art thou well, Ashen One? Has something happened?" She asked, worried as her eyes tried to make out any wound which she may have previously been blind to.

He straightened himself, letting out a sigh that was more from frustration than pain. "I am fine, however Lothric's essence isn't exactly the definition of patient." Another jab followed and the Ashen One had to use all of his willpower to not notably flinch at it.

The Fire Keeper's expression changed from one of worry to curiosity as she arched a brow, "Lothric's essence…?" Her gaze went to the sheathed straight sword at his side that the Ashen One was scowling towards. She moved her hand from his side, grasping its hilt. Instantly, she could feel what the Ashen One was referring to, there was definitely a soul within the blade. It was pulsing within like a heartbeat. It even reached out to her and she felt a small brush of warmth, almost as if in greeting.

"How did thou come upon this, Ashen One?" She inquired, slowly retracting her hand. There was no case of this ever occurring, it was peculiar. Even if it was Lothric's weapon it was unheard of for his soul to remain bound to it.

"Ludleth gave this to me after he transposed the soul. I was testing it out and then I felt something latch on and tug at me. I assumed that it was Lothric, and Ludleth believes I am correct. The soul he transposed was truly both the princes', he seems to think that Lorian's soul went towards creating the weapon and that left Lothric's essence nowhere to go but within." He paused, unsheathing the sword and holding it up to the faint glow of the bonfire.

"It's a good weapon, even if the soul within can be a bit impatient. I intend to use it to finish my journey. It feels right to do so," He stated, turning his gaze back to the Fire Keeper as he resheathed the weapon. "Just now with the end close at hand he seems a tad bit impatient. Sometimes it's just a gentle brush of warmth. Other times, like a moment ago, it is a cold, sudden jab," He muttered, glancing down at the sheathed weapon, tenderly clapping it on the hilt. The Ashen One then jolted a bit, likely being prodded again by Lothric. This led to a strange back and forth, the Ashen One slapping the blade, only to jerk back as Lothric retaliated.

The Fire Keeper stared in slight confusion at the bizarre sight before her. So soon after recovering her sight, she could not have imagined witnessing such an exchange. After the process repeated itself a few times she chose to step in, lest the flame die before they finished. She reached out her hand and placed it upon the sheath. The Ashen One stopped to stare and since he didn't jerk she could assume Lothric was waiting as well. "There is no need for this quarrel. Lothric, the Ashen One and I were…overwhelmed within the moment of passion. He dost not mean to keep thou waiting or delay his own journey, we both simply forgot the task at hand and focused on cherishing the passing moments of peace. Certainly thou did the same with thy mentor, Emma? And thy brother, Lorian?" A tender warmth was given as an affirmative. She gave a faint smile at the feeling. "Precisely. You are a reasonable soul, Lothric. So, let us drop this and continue. Remember, thou will be working with the Ashen One as his partner. If thou are not of the same mind, then both of thee shall suffer."

Her gaze then turned to the Ashen One, her hand rising from the blade to gently pat him upon the cheek. "And thou shouldn't provoke fights farther," She teased with a smile, watching how flustered he became. She enjoyed the sight, stepping back. "Now with both of thee properly humbled, let us begin." She turned to the bonfire, standing a few feet away. The Ashen One moved in closer, standing right at the edge of it, waiting for her to speak.

"The five Lords sit upon their five thrones. All thanks to thee, most worthy of Lords. Ashen One, with the Lords as thy witness, bend thy knee afore the bonfire's coiled sword. And let the Lords' embers acknowledge thee as thine true heir. A true lord, fit to confront the Soul of Cinder." He obeyed wordlessly, dipping a knee to touch the ground as he grasped the coiled sword. He stared up towards the five thrones before him, letting his eyes fall upon each one before finally coming to Ludleth's. They locked eyes briefly, Ludleth giving an affirmative nod. Giving his encouragement and support. The Ashen One faintly smiled as he nodded back, the only way he knew how to express his gratitude. He would make him proud. The Ashen One dipped his head to stare into the ashes, feeling the Fire Keeper draw closer and stand beside him, her hand placed upon his back. Reassuring him, reminding him that he was not alone.

"Noble Lords of Cinder. The fire fades and the Lords go without thrones. Surrender your fires...to the true heir." The Fire Keeper spoke, her voice sounding much calmer than she'd anticipated. She felt ready. They were going to go through with this, they would extinguish the First Flame. She listened as the cinders of all the lords began to crackle, watching as Ludleth was reduced to a pile of cinders himself. She mentally whispered a prayer for the old Lord and all he'd done.

Soon the cinders grew dark as they obeyed the Fire Keeper's command, surrendering their flames to the Ashen One. She lifted her hand from the Ashen One's back and held both hands out as from each throne faint crimson embers came, specs of red glimmering in the darkness and culminating within the palms of her hands. It was a sight to behold, the gold and scarlet of the embers melding together as they swirled around her hands. A feeling of warmth and power was radiating from the small cluster, stronger than she had ever witnessed before. This was the raw energy and power of past Lords of Cinder, people who were strong enough to link the flame. Not even the Ashen One had invoked this sort of warmth within her.

"Ashen One, when thou peer upon the First Flame and wishest for a world without fire, for an end to the linking of the fire, then call upon me. I am a Fire Keeper, and I tend to the flame, to its very end. And at its very end I shall be there to greet the darkness with thee. To create a new existence, and with the eyes thou'st given me, see what future lies before us."

The Ashen One gave a barely perceptible nod as he retightened his grip upon the coiled sword. "We shall carve out a new existence within the darkness, Fire Keeper," He stated, his voice firm and resolved. Hearing that helped reaffirm her of what would inevitably come. She stepped forward, placing her hands over the bowed head of the Ashen One to sprinkle the vibrant cinders onto him, her tone somber as she spoke. "Let him grant death to the flame. To the Old Gods of Lordran, deliverers of the First Flame."

He felt it then, a surge of warmth pulse within him. Warmer than any ember, more potent than any prod from Lothric, and more powerful than the feeling the Fire Keeper brought upon him with her smile. It overwhelmed him- the heat scorching him from the inside, coupled with the absolute power he could feel roaring through his veins. It was the only thing he could hear as his body was transported to the Kiln of the First Flame. For a time, he felt he could hardly breath. As if his body would not be a suitable vessel for all the raw power and energy suddenly bestowed upon him and would simply come apart at the seams.

Thankfully that did not occur, and he felt the wave of power ebb. As it did he gulped in a breath of air, reeling back from the bonfire only to find himself no longer within the Firelink Shrine. He didn't even need to inspect the area closely to know he had done it. He had been transported to the Kiln of the First Flame. He noted also that the bonfire before him was alight, meaning that if he was slain then he could come back without all the ceremony and the feeling of almost coming apart.

He unsheathed Lothric's Holy Sword, holding it at the ready. He did not know what lurked within the Kiln, and had no intention to be caught unaware. He examined the darkness of the ruins, finding rubble and debris clogging many of the passages ways and polluting much of the area. He quickly noticed that there weren't many places he could actually venture, only a single path that lead up the stairs to an area where light filtered in. Everywhere else was blocked off.

"Let's go Lothric, time to break the cycle," He whispered, stepping forward and beginning the climb up the stairs. As he did he took a few moments to really acknowledge that within this sword was Lothric's very essence. His soul was within. He was living on through this weapon, and it posed a question in his head.

"Lothric, why did you not just offer to return to your throne? Why did you wish to…die? I mean, I guess you could say that the same fate would be met either way, but you must've had a reason." As he finished asking he realized that Lothric had never actually spoken to him via their bond, only given feelings of warmth or cold. And just as usual, Lothric didn't speak but the feeling he gave was a mild cold that permeated through the Ashen One's limbs. That didn't exactly answer anything.

"May I at least guess?" He asked, receiving a faint rush of warmth as hat he could only guess was an affirmative.

"Was it a way to ensure I held up my end of the deal?" A lukewarm feeling was given. Not wrong, but not fully correct he assumed. "Was it not wanting to leave behind your brother?" He guessed again, seeing that as one of the only other viable reasons. This time he received no answer at all for a time. It slowly began to dawn on the Ashen One that his guess didn't make much sense, no matter what Lothric would have to leave Lorian behind. His lips curled into a frown. It was no wonder, then, that he had received no response.

Then it happened, before he could speak once more, an aura of white enveloped the blade and shot forward. Lothric was trying to indicate something. He quickly realized after looking at the environment and finding nothing that he was trying to indicate the blade. His blade. The blade that was meant to be Lothric's but could not be wielded by him due to his condition. The connection suddenly seemed clear, the revelation blindsiding him.

"You…You didn't want to remain in your body, did you? You didn't want to continue being so sickly. You didn't want to die on the throne, undignified. You wanted to face whatever afterlife that came after death. To free you from the illness of your body. Am I right?" There was a long period of silence as the Ashen One topped the staircase. It was then that he received a surge of powerful warmth to indicate that he'd likely hit the nail on the head.

He spent a long moment staring down towards the blade, contemplating the new information. He could empathize with how Lothric had felt. The prince's body looked as if it were close to failing. He wouldn't have lived to see the fire die out, even if the Ashen One never got to him. He could see how it'd be more beneficial to live within a blade than to live in a sickly, decaying body. He let out a faint sight as he stepped forward towards the light in the doorway, "Just remember that you aren't alone. We are in this together." That was the only reassurance he could think to give the young lord.

Then they stepped out into the new world they found themselves in. The first thing to be seen was the sun straight ahead, mostly eclipsed by a sphere of darkness. However, it didn't block it entirely. On the edge of the darkness, sunlight shone through and illuminated the world, and in the bottom-center a streak of light went down into an array of clouds. But that was not the only thing to see. The Ashen One stepped down the decaying stairs, turning his head to the left and looking down the path ahead only to find what can best be described as an amalgamation of buildings and structures crammed together.

He paused, staring ahead to the cluster of buildings that were haphazardly stationed around one another in a cluster. "Well, this is certainly a change of pace." He whispered, walking on ahead and taking into the chaos around him. Only to find that there was little else to go, the only thing in proximity was a coiled sword buried into another bonfire. He arched a brow, stepping towards it.

"What's this? Another bonfire?" He wondered aloud, reaching out a hand to seize the handle. Then it hit him like a great sword, a wave of nausea rolling over him as he felt his body grow light. It lasted only a moment, much like the pain he suffered every time he died, and he was soon standing in a new area. He stumbled a bit upon his teleportation, gazing around. He was now closer to the mashup of architecture, and ahead lay a path. And another bonfire.

This time he hesitantly touched it, not eager to feel a wave of nausea again if this one were to teleport him. To his luck, it did no such thing. Only lighting under his touch as the embers were stoked once more. The only thing left was the uphill path ahead being clear of anything except debris. So he began his hike upwards, steeling himself.

This was the start of his final journey. Once he vanquished the Soul of Cinder, then the flame could be extinguished. He could live a life with the Fire Keeper, he'd be able to hold her within his arms again and cherish the peace for as long as they desired. They would have no other duty than to protect one another, and could live however they so pleased. The sheer thought of that freedom put a jump in his step as he moved on ahead up the incline. He was getting eager now, this would be the end of one journey and the start of something lovely.

He climbed the final stairs, the eclipsed sun coming into view again as he approached the Kiln of the First Flame…Or what was left of it. The first thing that became obvious on the open ashen landscape was the sheer multitude of weapons embedded into the ground. Different blade shapes and sizes with different guards and hilts on each and every one littered the area. Then there were spears and battle axes among them, all varying as well. It seemed like for each weapon there was a respective amount of bones left near it. But then, in stark contrast, flowers with pink and white petals grew around and between them. They filled the area, like little embers glowing in between the metal and bones. As if the souls of the fallen had been rebirthed as them.

"We will not become like them," The Ashen One whispered, mostly to himself more than Lothric. He felt his heart thunder in his chest, anticipation rushing him as he focused ahead. There sat a pile of embers, glowing faintly, as if on the verge of dying out. It had to be the First Flame, there was no other option. This belief was further reinforced by the fact that beyond it sat a large, blackened figure that he could only guess was the Soul of Cinder. He readied himself, digging a hand into his pocket. First his fingers brushed against the pair of rings the Shine Handmaiden had given him, the ring he would one day give to the Fire Keeper. His mind was flooded by thoughts of the Fire Keeper. He would do this for her, he would do this for them. To create a future for them both.

He drew in a breath, digging a bit more into his pocket and withdrawing an ember and absorbing it, feeling its warmth rush through and strengthen him. This action drew the attention from the Soul of Cinder, and it was up in a flash. It was…not nearly as tall as he would have assumed. Taller than him of course, but only by a few feet or so. Given the things he had to face to get here, that height difference meant virtually nothing. A sword of flame was summoned from the embers, coming into its grip as it surged forward.

The Ashen One braced himself, gripping Lothric's Holy Sword with an iron grip. "Let's go Lothric! We shall put an end to the fire!" He charged ahead, preparing to meet the Soul of Cinder in combat. They would win, they'd conquer this foe and bring upon the age of darkness. They'd end this futile cycle of delaying the inevitable and face the unknown no matter what it may be. No matter what it took, they would win.

Sometime later

They didn't win.

It was a complete and utter rout, the Ashen One had only managed to land a few strikes. It seemed Andre was right, changing up his weapon towards the latter end of his journey wasn't the best idea he'd ever had. It was far different than the curved blades he'd grown accustomed to and he'd need to practice some more to adjust to the difference. Also, given the fact that his blade was now sentient didn't make things better. Lothric would try to help in his way by giving off certain sensations to warn the Ashen One, however it only confused his senses and diverted his attention. Which often led to a lovely smack from that gigantic flaming sword the Soul of Cinder wielded.

And then Lothric seemed to forget just who was in control and wielded the sword, sometimes giving a sharp tug to resist an attack the Ashen One intended to deliver. This only caused him to stumble, miss entirely, and then get smacked again into a pile of weapons, bones, and flowers. It was like fighting with an uncooperative summon, except it was your weapon and could directly affect your ability to battle. All in all, he wasn't very happy.

He opted to let himself return to the bonfire at the bottom of the incline to the First Flame instead of the Shrine. He didn't exactly want the Fire Keeper to see him return in such a defeated state, at least not so quickly. That'd just be pitiful.

He groaned as his body became tangible once more and he slowly rose up, that dull aching still haunting his bone. And this time the warmth it granted gave little comfort. He'd rather have the Fire Keeper nearby to welcome him home.

Despite the grogginess he felt, he reached over and unsheathed Lothric's Holy Sword, staring down to it. "Lothric, I think we are forgetting just who is wielding who here. I appreciate the help, I do. However, more often than not your warnings don't work, they only makes me confused and stumble, and I am then consequentially sent flying into a pile of bones, weapons, and flowers. And secondly, sending a sharp tug to stop me from attacking will stop me from attacking. But it will also stagger me and leave me open to be smacked around like a ragdoll." His tone was curt, keeping a level of respect but not wavering in trying to set new boundaries for their partnership.

Lothric responded by prodding at him with cold pokes over and over, and he could almost hear him saying, "It isn't my fault you can't use me and have poor judgement." He narrowed his eyes, resisting the urge to argue further with the damn blade.

"And thou shouldn't provoke fights farther." He recalled the Fire Keeper saying as he exhaled a breath of air and moved to stand. "Just, let's try this my way. No brushes of warmth, tugging, or cold jabbing. Let me handle it and we will see how it goes." The lack of an answer he received from Lothric could only be taken as compliance as he trudged on ahead, a little less eager than before. He withdrew another ember, crushing it as he prepared to engage the Soul Cinder.

As he reached the top once more he drew in a deep breath of air. "Relax. It is just like any foe you've faced before. They will fall if you are patient and seize the opportunity. I can do this. I have people counting on me." He marched on ahead as the Soul of Cinder rose, rushing him once again. And this time, he would defeat him. He would be victorious.

Sometime later

If victory could be counted as getting the Lord of Cinder to go into his second form before being absolutely annihilated, then he had achieved a stunning victory. Though it did little to lift his spirits. He was now groggy and sore once again as he reappeared back at the bottom of the hill.

He didn't get any reprieve before Lothric was tugging and prodding at him immediately. He could feel the sarcastic question, "So how did that go for you?" To which he could only groan in irritation. "I made it much farther than I had with you tugging at me like a nanny does a spoiled prince," He muttered, sitting up and rubbing the back of his head. He may have felt a lingering warmth, but he also felt a phantom pain in his stomach from when the Soul of Cinder decided to impale him like meat over a dying fire.

He had expected Lothric to give a retort to his comment, but it never came. The Young Prince was probably just as tired of the bickering as he was; just as tired of being stonewalled. He glanced down at the blade, sighing weakly "I was wrong. We need to work together as a unit. I can get close to defeating it, but I'll need your help since I am not keen on dying with a sword through my rib cage. I'm willing to trust you, but you need to trust me, don't stop me from attacking. Worst thing that happens is we trade blows, which is better than getting slapped across the ground. If you are going to warn me suddenly then make it…less startling."

He rose once more, withdrawing his last ember from his pocket and crushing it. The heat he gained was mild compared to the surge of warmth from Lothric's sword as he trudged on ahead. He questioned it for a moment as his entire body was filled with the warmth. And then Lothric would pull back the warmth in certain appendages, doing it over and over to try and convey a message. He'd fill his body with warmth, then retract it from his right or left side. Occasionally he'd pull the heat away from his feet or head. It took the Ashen One a moment to grasp what he was doing, but then it clicked. It was his method of warning him, instead of sending a rush of warmth or cold through him he'd pull the warmth away to indicate where he should be watching from.

"Not a bad idea..." The Ashen One whispered. The sensation was much less startling this way. It was far superior to a sudden jab on his right side. He had crested the hill and was once more before the gray landscape. He strove ahead confidently now as the Soul of Cinder rose. He'd make this last ember count. He'd defeat it and finish this journey once and for all.

"Let us finish this, Lothri," He stated, his vigor returning to him as he charged ahead. This time he would be the first one to engage the Soul of Cinder. He and Lothric weren't a perfect unit yet, but they could compensate for one another. And he believed that it would carry him through as he landed the first overarching blow upon the Soul of Cinder's frame.

Sometime later

Compensation hadn't carried them through. It carried them far, yes. Lothric no longer tugged at him mid-attack which had stopped some major issues. And the warning system, while not always perfect, was suitable enough to help him at least block or evade some major blows. However, in the end of the fight, the Soul of Cinder had managed to outlast them. His estus had run dry and despite how close the Soul of Cinder was to falling, the job couldn't be done. They had fallen short again.

Despite all the progress made, it was disheartening. So close and yet so far away again. Without an ember left he had no choice but to return to the Firelink Shrine to purchase one. There was no other way he was beating the Soul of Cinder without one, he'd probably fail to make it past his first phase otherwise.

So he let himself be transported back to the Shrine, his body phasing in and becoming tangible once more. He didn't even feel the pain during this, he was instead plagued by disappointment. He wanted to already have this done, he didn't want to worry the Fire Keeper and delay the future they both wanted. What would she think? Would she be disappointed? Concerned? Or even disheartened?

He hadn't even had the chance to open his eyes before he heard, "Welcome home, Ashen One." Her voice was a relief to hear, but he didn't want to open his eyes to look her in the face. However, he had to, laying on his back with his eyes closed wouldn't get him very far. He bit back a groan as he sat up, opening his eyes, and shifting his gaze over to the Fire Keeper who sat beside him at the bonfire.

He was met by a face he cherished so dearly, her pale skin flushed and her serene eyes soothing the aching in his heart. But what did it for him was the contagious smile that painted her face and that he couldn't help but reciprocate, easing whatever pain was left. "I'm back…" He whispered.

He was met with a response he hadn't expected. An embrace, her frame leaning over to tightly encompass his own. He didn't hesitate to return the action, laughing softly as he did. "I hadn't expected this."

The hug lasted a few moments longer before she leaned back, her hands moving and cupping his own. "Oh? What had thou expected?" She asked, arching a flaxen brow as she turned her body more towards him.

The Ashen One opened his mouth to speak but no words actually came out, he was unsure. He ended up giving a small shrug, letting his thumbs glide over the tops of her hands. "Something not so positive. I thought maybe you'd be…disappointed that I got sent back here already," He stated, letting his lips turn to a slight frown.

There was silence as the Fire Keeper looked confused, furrowing her brows together now and tilting her head a bit. "Disappointed…? No, Ashen One. Dost thou remember how many times thou was slain by Yhorm?" It was a memory he tried not to think about.

"Thou fell many times to him, over and over." He looked away, heat rising in his cheeks. It wasn't his fault that he hadn't found the Storm Ruler until his 12th attempt. "However, thou got up each time and continued on. I have no doubt that thou shall do the same now. I know thou shall succeed, for it isn't in thy nature to accept defeat." Her hands rose and cupped his cheeks, turning his face back to her own. A smile had returning to her expression, one that made his heart skip a beat. Or three.

"I said it before and I shall say it again. I believe in thee, Ashen One. Whether it be to travel the best-fitting path with me, or to succeed in thy battles. I wholeheartedly believe that thou canst accomplish it. I always have and I always shall." He drank those words in and a smile split across his face as he began to laugh. How silly of him. It didn't matter if this was the start of his journey or the end. Of course she believed in him, what did it matter if he got defeated? She wouldn't judge him; the Soul Cinder could probably defeat him ten times over and she'd still never lose faith. He'd always gotten back up, and it was because he always had a reason to. She'd been in his corner this entire time, she wouldn't stop now just because of one little setback.

He leaned in to her, closing the gap in between them as he rested his forehead against her own as a relaxed sigh escaped his lips. "That's all I need," He whispered to her, her fingers dropping from his face and lacing themselves with his own. She couldn't help but smile back, enjoying their nearness. "I am glad I can provide it, Ashen One."

There was silence for a time as they did what they had a habit of doing. They remained motionless and still, locked in an affectionate stare that neither wanted to break. However, the Ashen One ended up leaning back slowly as he cast his gaze down the main corridor. "I do need an ember, however, seems I'm all out. And I don't see myself getting farther than a few steps without one against the Soul of Cinder."

He moved to get up but the Fire Keeper's hand grasped his own and pulled him back, a faint blush rising in her expression. The Ashen One cast her a look, raising a brow as he sat back down and readjusted himself where he sat. He didn't press for a reason, she looked as if she was working through it on her own. Slowly her hand detangled from his own once she seemed confident he wouldn't get up, reaching within her robes. He watched as she carefully pulled an ember out, gently holding it between both of her palms.

"I…Procured this for thou. I was worried thou would run out and have to return. I felt it was the least I could do, to aid you in your quest." She explained, moving in closer.

He couldn't help but chuckle a little at the gesture. He really shouldn't have been worried about her being disappointed, she basically expected him to return on his back at some point. He couldn't entirely tell if that was courteous or somewhat embarrassing.

"Thank you, though you have done more than enough to aide me in my journey. I'll gladly accept this," He responded gratefully, watching as her cheeks grew a darker shade of crimson. Why was she so red? She hadn't given him a gift before but it didn't seem like the type of thing to be so flustered over. She leaned forward and instead of placing the ember into his waiting hands she placed it against his frame. Her palms pressed into the armor covering his chest as the ember melded into his body. However, he didn't even realize this.

His attention was more drawn to the fact her lips were pressed tenderly against his own, her hands against his frame to hold herself steady. At first, he had no idea how to react. He was absolutely shocked, and he knew that the warmth flooding him was definitely not from the ember or Lothric. He hadn't expected her to be so bold, but he wasn't about to complain. Soon his senses returned and he leaned into her a bit, his arm reaching out to coil around her body while his hand rose up to it usual position, cupping her cheek.

He felt as if an inferno now raged within him, their lips molding against one another as the kiss deepened ever so slowly. If this was the future he had to look forward to then he would rip the Soul of Cinder apart ember by ember if he needed to.

AN: For those wondering, I didn't write the full on battle scenes here because it would have made this chapter obscenely long. However, don't worry, next chapter will most certainly entail the final battle with the Lord of Cinder!