Event 3: Sen's Fortress
"As it is passed on, 'Thou who art Undead, art chosen. In thine exodus from the Undead Asylum, maketh pilgrimage to the land of Ancient Lords. When thou ringeth the Bell of Awakening, the fate of the Undead thou shalt know,'" began Kingseeker Frampt, Primordial Serpent. Seiko stood patiently and listened.
"The Chosen Undead is to succeed The Great Lord Gywn. By escaping the Undead Asylum, coming here to Lordran, and ringing not just one, but both Bells of Awakening, an Undead shall be Chosen. He is now to brave Sen's Fortress, and retrieve the Lordvessel from Anor Londo. Here I wait, to see if he succeeds, or if he is not the Chosen Undead after all..."
Seiko got the feeling this snake withheld the real truth, but without proof, she didn't bring it up. Instead, she asked a different question.
"Can he be helped...?" she asked from under her black cloak, draped over her head as a hood and covering her near-nakedness.
"Nothing in the legend says he must be, or that he cannot be. I would reason, therefore, that he may be helped."
Seiko turned to walk away, and find the elevator she saw Solaire leave for.
Frampt called after her. "I must warn you! I don't see how you could be of aid in your current state! In fact, you may never make it! Be wary of going Hollow if you pursue your current course of action!"
Seiko ignored him, seeing more stairs carved into the collapsed temple off to the left. After just a little exploring, Seiko found what must be the elevator Solaire mentioned. It was a stone slab hung by chains with a pressure plate in the middle. Seiko stepped on the plate and heard metal on metal, then began rising. Halfway up, an identical stone slab sped passed her, going down. A counterweight, she assumed. When the elevator finally stopped, there was a cage door blocking exit. It quickly moved aside, however, and Seiko stepped into what seemed to be an abandoned church. A massive castle filled the view out the door of the church, which Seiko assumed was Sen's Fortress. Seiko moved quickly through the church, her black cloak fluttering as she moved. She never saw the six-eyed Channeler who spied her from the second floor, nor did she feel the small sorcery it placed under her skin to find her again later...
Following the collapsed path from the church, Seiko found herself in another small place of worship, perhaps for smaller services. It was here she began hearing a consistent clanging noise. It came from below her, and there were stairs leading down, so she followed them. It was the only way to advance anyway. Unexpectedly, she found a bonfire and the path to Sen's Fortress down the stairs. However, the source of the clanging was lower still, so out of curiosity, she went down one more flight of stairs. Peering out cautiously, she saw a blacksmith, his face almost hidden by his thick gray hair and beard. He looked up at her for an instant, not able to turn away from the sword he was currently working on, but long enough that she knew he wasn't going to attack her. She continued down the stairs to stand before him. He worked for a while longer, finishing the sword and placing it in a vat of oil to cool.
"I've been seein' a lotta knew faces these days," he began. "I'm Andre, of Astora. I know it's a rare sight, but I'm the blacksmith in these parts. If you require smithing, as you seem to, I'm always open for business. I trade for souls, which I can sense you carry few of. But, I'll make you a deal, just this once: if you give me all the souls on ya, I'll fashion you some protection. Of course, we can reason out as to what you'd like, and if it's doable, I'll see that it's done."
Seiko bowed, never one for words. Andre held out his callused and dirty hand, and Seiko held out her dirty, smooth one. The Darksign on her stomach, under her ribs, glowed as the few souls she had acquired passed from her to Andre.
"Ahh..." he said, noticing the sign. "Another Cursed one, ehh? You must be looking for the fellow who passed through here not too long ago. But before we talk, tell me, what are your strengths, M'lady?"
"Pyromancy. And, punching...?" said Seiko quietly.
"Punching?" said Andre, sitting up a bit, confused.
"I've broken bones easily before..." said Seiko, still unsure of how to explain it.
"Ahh, you mean you've got a lot of strength?! How good are you with a sword?"
Seiko shook her head. She'd never used one.
"Hmm..." said Andre, turning a bit and pulling a broadsword off the wall.
"Try it," he told Seiko, handing it to her.
She raised it, preparing to swing down, and swung so fast she knocked the tip of the sword free on the brick floor.
"By the Gods! I doubt any sword or ax would do you any good!" He cleared his tools from his anvil.
"Try lifting this," he said, meaning the heavy anvil. "Don't drop it, if you please," he added.
Seiko walked over, bent, and gripped the sides of the anvil. She stood with it, holding it as if she were holding a basket of flowers.
"I'll be..." said Andre, scratching his scruffy head.
"Well, I'll think of something. For now, place that back where it was, and we'll get started on your attire..."
Some time later, Seiko was finally outfitted. She had black, leather-ish boots that went up to her knees, and simple black leather pants. She had asked for them quite short, since she had grown used to not wearing stifling clothes. She replaced her old rags covering her chest with a simple black brassier, more like a bikini top than anything. Andre had then taken her cloak, after she used it to hide herself while she changed, and cleaned it up, making it a cloak and hood with proper sleeves. Seiko wouldn't have to hug the cloak to her at all times anymore, it being a coat now. Seiko hid her long black hair under the hood and coat, shrouding herself once more. All that would remain was a weapon, if she wanted one.
"I've got an idea," said Andre, after they both considered what she could use. He stood and went to a rack on the wall, off in the corner. He scratched his bearded chin, debating with himself.
"Bah, to the Abyss with it, I won't use it meself!" he said loudly, talking to himself. He took the thing off the wall and picked up the sack next to it.
"I want'cha to try this out," he said. He was holding what looked like a giant, deformed bow and a sack full of metal spikes. "It's a Dragonslayer Bow someone brought me long ago. I've used it a few times, but I was never very good with it. Give it a shot!"
Seiko reached out and grabbed the handle on the upper third of the bow, slinging the quiver, if it could be called that, over her back. She saw the spike on the bottom of the bow, and figured it was to brace it on the ground. She found a gap in some bricks and fit the spike into them, wedging it firmly, and drew one of the spikes. It was notched at the end, made for the bow. She nocked the arrow, and drew it back. She had to breath in and pull hard, but it was easy enough. The bow was bigger than she was, the handle at shoulder height. She had to stand facing right to separate her hands far enough to hold the bow steady and pull the arrow back far enough. It would take getting used to, but it seemed the only thing she could manage. Her Flame Bow would probably get more accurate if she got used to this thing as well. She breathed out and slowly lowered the tension on the arrow, placing it back in the sack over her shoulder.
"What'd'ya think? Seems a bit big for ya, but you can handle it very nicely. And that bit with the spike in the bricks, I didn't think of that. Now, I suspect, that must be why that spike was there, ehh? No wonder I had such a hard time. On top o' that, without those boots raisin' your height, I doubt you could draw it at all. Perhaps you should leave it here for now, then?"
Seiko nodded, handing the giant bow and arrows back to him.
"I doubt anyone'll come around for it til you get back. It's been here this long, after all. If you come back with some proper souls, I'd be inclined to make a custom one of 'em for ya. Bet if it was just a bit smaller, it'd be perfect."
Again, Seiko nodded. She liked the idea, but for now it was too impractical. It might slow her down anyway, at the moment.
"Thank you for all your help," said Seiko, removing her hood and bowing.
"T'was my pleasure, M'lady. Be careful out there, especially if you're goin' to Sen's Fortress as I suspect. That place is brimmin' with traps and monsters. Not a soul is meant to pass."
Seiko just stared off to the side, her piercing blue eyes lost in thought or memory. Before long she nodded, absentmindedly, and went up the stairs.
Seiko sat at the bonfire, drank from her Estus Flask while she could, and prepared herself to enter Sen's Fortress. She stood up to leave, but stopped when she heard someone call for her.
"M'lady!" came Andre's voice, rushing up the stairs. "Deepest apologies, but I forgot something. I made these with the parts of your cloak I cut off when I was cleanin' it up."
He held out simple black gloves. Seiko took them and thanked him again, putting them on. Something between her hands and what she touched seemed like a good idea.
"Good luck to ya," said Andre, heading back down the stairs. He seemed concerned, though Seiko couldn't know why. She headed out the doorway, over a short bridge, to the massive open gate to Sen's Fortress. Only the middle gate was open, the other two still down. Right in the way of her path, were four raised tiles. She hadn't been lucid for a relatively long time, but even Seiko could understand a trap when she saw one, especially after Andre's warning. Ahead, nothing but silence. As she crossed the first room, she saw the corpses of two massive snake-men. Both had been cut many times, probably dying from blood-loss. Seiko went up the small staircase at the end of the room, and came into a huge chamber. Down far below, she could see what looked like tar and a stone statue. The only way to cross the room was a thin brick bridge. It was wide enough for two people to cross at the same time, but at indeterminate distances apart, enormous pendulum axes swung back and forth. They had a predictable rhythm, though each ax had its own. Seiko crossed the bridge easily, her patience paying off as she waited for an ax to swing away before passing it.
Up more stairs and across another brick bridge with the axes, and passed two more dead snake-men, Seiko saw trees. She reasoned it must be a path up the side of the fortress. There was a round groove on the path leading left and right, as if water should have passed it before. Seiko feared a burning oil trap, or something involving flowing water until she saw a giant round boulder roll passed the door. She waited, and sure enough, another boulder rolled passed. She waited for three more, measuring how much time she would have to figure out where to go. The sixth rolled passed and she made a run for it, looking left and right. Up the path to the left there was an opening. Above the opening seemed to be where the boulders came from. For a trapped fortress, that must be the right way. Seiko sprinted for the opening, only seconds to go before the next boulder. Too late, she realized, as the next boulder rolled around the corner, ready to fall on her head. She dove to the ground and rolled right, toward the edge of the path, hoping to be small enough to avoid both the boulder and the fall. The boulder rolled over her sleeve, but she had put too much force into the roll, and went over the edge...
Seiko braced herself for the impact at the end of a very long fall. What was death but another chance, after all. But she didn't die. Instead she landed on a long dead warrior, her breath knocked from her. She stood and looked around, seeing a thin path that would lead her back on the boulder track. It was guarded by two snake-men, the first she'd seen alive. They seemed weary, however, of the knight sitting with his legs over the precipice. His armor seemed bulky, rounded out in many places, and his helm looked like a squashed onion. Seiko dropped down and formed her Flame Bow, both to let its light announce her to the knight and allow her to pick off the snake-men in her way. The knight didn't seem to notice the faint blue light from the flame, so Seiko drew back an arrow and fired it at the head of the nearest snake-man. It had a human body, but a long and drooping snake's head extended from its neck, and it was covered with scales. Her Flame Arrow burned through its head, killing it and sending it toppling over the edge of the thin path. The second snake-man, weary of the knight but unwilling to die without a fight, raised his stone shield and walked down the path quickly and carefully. He carried a big stone sword as his weapon, and he raised it from behind his shield as he approached, ready to split Seiko in half. Seiko fired a Flame Arrow into its right leg, right through the knee. Its leg gave way and it, too, toppled over the edge to its doom. By this point, Seiko figured the knight must either be oblivious or dead in his armor, so she approached him and nudged him on the shoulder.
"Hmm! What?! Oh-hoh! Forgive me, I was absorbed in thought. I am Seigmeyer, Knight of Catarina. Quite honestly, I've run flat up against a wall... Or a ball, to be precise. I'm afraid I'm a bit too plump to be outrunning those things. So, here I sit, in quite a pickle, weighing my options, so to speak. Ha ha ha..." The knight's words were a bit muffled by his odd helm, but Seiko could understand him. He laughed to himself after he spoke, but Seiko could tell he was utterly crushed by his dilemma.
"I could help... I think..." said Seiko. She wondered if he'd hear her through his helmet.
"What? You? My apologies, but somehow I doubt that. Unless you can carry me and run faster than those boulders, or stop them somehow, I do believe I'll be here for quite a long time."
Seiko bent down, grabbed him around the waist, and lifted him over her head.
"By the Gods! Unhand me! What have you done! Is this magic!? Put me down!" Seigmeyer couldn't believe a slim woman like Seiko had just lifted him up like he were a doll.
Seiko set him down as he had asked.
"Dear Gwyn! How did you do that?!" asked Seigmeyer, still quite shocked.
Seiko just shook her head. She didn't know.
"Bah ha ha ha ha ha! That was a terrific start you gave me! I don't believe that will ever happen again," laughed Seigmeyer.
Seiko reached for his waist again.
"Oh! No, no! I do wish it not to happen again! Once is plenty, thank you!"
Seiko grinned, unable to hold her amusement.
"Oh, yes, laugh indeed. All joking aside, I would appreciate if you could stop those rocks somehow."
Seiko nodded, leaving Seigmeyer in his place and heading back to the boulder track. She managed to make it back to the door where she started, then waited for the next boulder before making her move. She ran halfway to the opening, to just before where the incline up to it started, and waited. A boulder appeared, dropped down to the incline and rolled right at her. A few steps for a running start, and Seiko jumped as hard as she could, flipping over in the air and landing on the boulder. She jumped again before it rolled her feet out from under her and slammed into the lip of the drop, where the boulder had come from. She scrambled up, thankful for her new boots and gloves and the extra grip they gave her. She rounded a corner and came in contact with a small chamber. It was full of gears, four paths for boulders, and a pedestal in the center. A boulder landed on the pedestal with a crash, and Seiko barely managed to dodge as it was smacked by something in her direction. Inspecting the pedestal, Seiko found a lever on the opposite side of where she came in. She turned it, and the next boulder was knocked away from it down a new path. One path led out an empty opening, down to the surrounding forest. Seiko set it so the boulders would roll harmlessly down that path, then set about returning to Seigmeyer.
With the way clear, Seiko and Seigmeyer fought through Sen's Fortress, ever higher. When there were traps to pass, Seiko analyzed them and went first. When monsters or Hollowed knights attacked them, Seigmeyer proved himself a fierce knight. He used a massive sword, and a small shield with a spike in the center. He was only struck twice, but both times his curved armor or shield deflected the blow. Before long, the two stood near the top, eying what Seigmeyer said was probably the guardian of Sen's Fortress. Easily thirty feet tall, a massive golem stood on the highest platform in the fortress, out in the open air. It looked as if there were once four of them, but now only one remained. Signs of a recent battle were present, though no other golems could be seen.
"Hmm..." hummed Seigmeyer, puzzling over how to defeat the golem and finally reach Anor Londo.
"Knock it off?" suggested Seiko.
"Yes, I thought as much... But how...?" said Seigmeyer quietly, his arms crossed.
Seiko spun quickly, hitting Seigmeyer behind a knee. He rocked back, off balance. Seiko pushed his chest and he fell over with a crash.
"Ouch! What are you-!..." he began. Then he realized what Seiko had just demonstrated.
"Genius! You know..." he began again, "I like the way you think."
Seiko helped him up and he swung his shield onto his back, ready to use both hands on his sword.
"We must move quickly. I'm guessing you'll do the pushing if I get him to stumble?"
Seiko nodded.
"Right, then! We have our plan! Now let's make it work!"
Author's Note: If you know who Seiko is a reference to, you understand her a bit better. I'll reveal it later for those who don't.
Event 4: Seconds Too Late, coming soon...