Event 16: First And Last Steps

With most of the experiments, things Kama called Pisacas under her breath, dead or dying, the fight to escape the prison tower was just about over. Seiko, still more than ready to fight, didn't find much to do after Jinta gave her and Kama the chance to escape. Kama didn't get to fight much either, though she seemed more thankful. Instead, Jinta seemed tireless and absolutely livid, even after saving them. The only other time he could remember ever being so angry was during his fight with Ceaseless Discharge after it had crushed Seiko. The lightning bolt he'd used had cleared most of the stragglers, since the Pisacas didn't have the brains to avoid bunching up or lining up. When Jinta had reached the cage where Kama and Seiko had been hiding, the Pisacas had headed right for him. It was the most enemies Jinta would ever kill in one attack, and it was thanks to his tentative friendship with Solaire of Astora. When the last Pisaca fell, Jinta finally looked as exhausted as he should be, as if his body had been running on nothing but rage for the entire fight. Kama went over to inspect a larger cage built into the ground floor, seeing someone she recognized. While she did, Seiko crossed the room to see Jinta and ask him, in her own way, what about him had changed so abruptly...

"Why couldn't they have been captured animals we could eat...?" asked Jinta to no one in particular, taking off his helmet and sitting down on an unbloodied section of the floor. He had sweat all over his forehead and buzzed hair, and was having trouble catching his breath. The only reason he hadn't had to cut his hair any further before was because of his frequent death; the flames knew only the first form they were fed, and replaced it each time a Hollow died. An Undead could be paralyzed, scarred, and even lose an eye, only to die and be reborn mobile, smooth-skinned, and whole. Jinta didn't even notice Seiko walking over to him from behind he was so tired. By the time her footsteps were loud enough he hadn't the time to even stand.

"I knew you'd come..." said Seiko. She knelt, making sure her coat didn't land in the odd purple blood of the Pisacas.

"I'm glad you... Have such... Confidence in me..." struggled out Jinta, still winded.

"What changed...?" asked Seiko, looking right at him. Jinta switched between making brief eye contact and looking at the floor. Now that she was here and he was out of energy, it was the last thing he wanted brought up.

"Another time... Alright...?" said Jinta, closing his eyes and trying to catch his breath.

Seiko waited until he opened his eyes again and glanced at her. Her face was serious.

"No," she said, simply.

Jinta closed his eyes again, breathing deeply. Here he was, Chosen Undead, and he had no way to argue with someone. So he thought, but then he also realized that even if they were just two normal people he couldn't argue with Seiko. It's just how she was. Jinta opened his eyes again.

"Let's start with this... Why are you here...?" asked Jinta, setting his helmet down and rubbing his eyes to get the salt from his sweat out of them.

"You," said Seiko.

"Right. And why because of me? You never told me."

"At the Asylum... You pointed up..."

"Up? 'You pointed at the stars...'" said Jinta, remembering the Great Hollow.

Seiko nodded.

"So? What about it? I don't remember that. I was Hollow. I probably saw a constellation or a bird, how does that bring you here?"

"First memory," said Seiko.

"As in seeing me, Hollow, pointing up at the stars is what made you sane again?"

Another nod.

"Why?"

"It made me look up too..." said Seiko.

Jinta started to say something else, but then he stopped himself. He pictured it as best he could. No memories. No sanity. No personality. Nothing. Seeing a Hollow in just the same condition aiming higher than that nothing you knew. It brought a smile to his face, randomly, and he looked up from where he sat. The top of the tower was open to the light, and the glare made it impossible to see the sky or clouds. It looked like a big star.

"So you feel like I'm the one who gave you sanity. That's why you followed me. That. That's why you fought all the way to Anor Londo to meet me. That's why you killed the Four Kings and found your heritage. You climbed out of Blighttown after getting dropped out of the sky, followed who you thought was me through an impenetrable fortress, to a legendary city and back, plunged into the greatest darkness in the world and emerged victorious, all just to meet some Hollow you saw point up? Your Pyromancy, which, by the way, will start a legend on its own, comes from that scene? Your will, more unbreakable than a warrior who will be remembered for centuries, that allowed you to command that which not even primeval man could harness, comes from that sight? You, the daughter of Artorias and Ciaran, someone more powerful simply by being born than most people alive for hundreds of years, chased me, someone who doesn't know his home or blood or place at all, because in a moment of insanity I liked a star enough to point at it? Do you understand yet, just how outrageous that sounds? Do you realize, I wonder, that without you choosing to follow and meet me, I would have Hollowed again eventually? Have I told you that? I could have killed Nito alone, given enough tries, sure. Maybe I could have killed Chaos if Solaire had helped instead of you. Maybe. But I never would have left Kirk alive. I never would have been to Ash Lake. I would be alone, just going on because it's where I'm needed. Fighting because if I don't fight I'm giving up. Living and dying with no consequence. Without you, I wouldn't be here. Funny, don't you think? You say you're here because of me, and yet without you I'd have failed a long time ago..."

Through his entire speech, Seiko didn't say anything. She didn't react. She just listened and stared.

"I'm going to say this only once. You can take it as you will. It's something I have to say."

Seiko kept staring, listening.

"I didn't come down here because I needed you to succeed. I didn't get angry because I was going to lose my chance to succeed Lord Gwyn or destroy him. I came down here, I got angry, because it was you that was captured. I'm not here for the daughter of Artorias, the Blue Child trained and named by Quelaana of Izalith, the woman who will go down in history as the only person to ever command the Abyss. I'm here for you. I'm... Here..."

Jinta had to stop. He looked away again and rubbed his eyes, this time to try and keep himself from crying in front of a woman. There was a lump in his throat. And it was only getting bigger. Jinta pulled his hand away from his face, his eyes squeezed shut until they hurt. He took a deep breath, ready to try and speak again... Until Seiko made him speechless. She leaned forward, still on her knees, and was hugging him. If they weren't sitting, she'd have to hug herself to his chest, but thanks to the situation she could rest her chin on his shoulder. There was chain mail under her chin and a gold plate near her right cheek, but the entire left side of her head was against Jinta's. Jinta had no reaction prepared. He was shocked still. He couldn't so much as blink, somewhere deep down fearing dispelling the illusion. Seiko squeezed once and leaned back, resting in a proper seated position, knees front and feet under her. Previously untouched, some of her long hair stuck to the side of her head from the sweat on Jinta's head. She didn't seem to care in the slightest. Still unable to blink, Jinta couldn't stop himself from weeping. Tears snaked from his eyes and disappeared into his short mustache and beard, the same length and color as his hair. Seiko simply sat and waited for him to get it together. It wasn't lack of emotion, she was smiling from ear to ear, but understanding that somehow kept her from crying too. If she started now, Seiko feared she'd never stop, so one of them had to hold together. Jinta took a few shaky breaths, bowed his head to wipe his face, and looked up at Seiko again. He swallowed hard, that damn lump still in his throat.

"I see... Why you're so quiet..." he said.

Whatever kept Seiko together snapped. The way he'd said it, half in a chuckle and half trying not to cry anymore, obviously choked up, pierced her through and through. Smile on her face and all, blue tears streamed down her pale face. She was quiet because words were never enough. She'd proved it in her actions. Before Jinta had even the courage to confront her, she'd known just by watching him fight. When his words almost failed him, she'd proven it again by hearing what he'd been unable to say. In everything she did, Seiko showed why she almost never spoke, thinking it made her odd or distant. Yet here was Jinta, amidst his own emotional release, fully understanding exactly what she'd thought would always be missed. She couldn't not cry at that.

Jinta stared at first, not the least bit surprised, but then started laughing for some reason. It was hearty, free, and completely on impulse. The sound made Kama turn away from her conversation. Someone, at the bottom of a prison tower surrounded by the corpses of dead deformed women, was able to laugh like that? Her first thought wasn't disgust, disappointment, or violation in any way, it was envy. Neither Kama, nor Seiko, or even Jinta himself could remember laughing like that. Something about just the sound begged for lifted hearts and happiness. The sound was out of place in Lordran, it seemed, and yet it was there. Kama finished talking to whoever was in the cell and made her way over to Jinta and Seiko. By the time she reached them, Seiko had dried her tears and Jinta and his helmet on, preparing to stand.

"What... Happened...?" asked Kama.

Jinta and Seiko stood, Seiko comfortable much closer than before. Their arms where practically brushing against each other they stood so close.

"Just... Closure, I suppose..." said Jinta, his voice muffled by his helmet once again.

"Right... Well, I just finished talking with Big Hat Logan. The great wizard from Vinheim? He's still trapped in here and his cell is made specifically to keep magic users in. Any ideas?"

Seiko walked passed her, striding with purpose for the cell. Kama watched her go, then looked back at Jinta. Jinta shrugged and followed her with Kama. They entered the chamber to see Seiko shooing Logan back from the bars. Abyss billowed out of Seiko to the left and right, sinking into the ground and beginning to look like massive jaws. Spanning the chamber, the jaws closed on the bars and thrust upward. For a moment, there was a black wall between Seiko and Logan, then it sank away. The bars, crystallized like all the others, had been pushed up and bent back over the bars above Logan. It was like someone had reached under and peeled them away, effortless. Logan, his face hidden by his large hat as he was famous for, stood his ground a moment, processing what he'd just seen.

"My," he said at last. "I do believe if one could learn such a technique, Vinheim could produce wizards more frightening than the demons of Chaos."

"Trust me," said Jinta, "Seiko here is much more frightening than any demon. You don't plan on attacking us now that you're free do you?"

"Heavens, no. I didn't in the first place. However, judging by the display, I gather those who have up to this point have met quite an unpleasant end," said Logan, stepping forward.

"Will you two come with us? We must find a way to kill Seath. I'm the Chosen Undead."

"Anot-?" started Logan, stopping himself. "Nevermind. I apologize, but I have no intention on confronting Seath. I am here for the archives and the knowledge within, nothing more. Though, to offer my aid, Seath has stored the stolen Primordial Crystal beneath the castle somewhere. The only lead I found before being spotted and captured was crystalline growth in the courtyard. That's all I can say, however..."

"Kama?" asked Seiko.

"I was supposed to wait for my friends here, but if we kill Seath before they arrive, I suppose it would only speed things along. If you think we can do it, I will help," said Kama. She glanced at one of her black bone hands, possibly remembering receiving them.

"Then, Logan, I believe this is farewell," said Jinta, turning. Seiko and Kama followed him. Logan watched them go, then pulled a notebook out of his robe and wrote detailed notes of the ability to control the Abyss that he'd seen from Seiko. He knew dark magic, and that was no dark magic. Resolving to research it, he made his own way, never crossing paths with Jinta and Seiko again...

"Crystalline growths? I think Big Hat Logan has a problem with understatement," said Jinta, looking down into a cave composed entirely of blue crystals larger than pillars in Anor Londo.

"We need to find the crystal if we plan to kill Seath," said Kama, skeptical herself.

"You said you have comrades on the way? Why kill Seath if not for his Lord Soul shard?" asked Jinta.

"In our fight with the Undead Dragon, we were contaminated by it. For a time we each split to find our own cure, but only one ever succeeded. She returned to us recently and told us that only another dragon could undo the corruption. We intended to kill Seath and use his blood as a cure."

"Recently? How recently," said Jinta, making the connection.

"Well, I was captured just ahead of Seiko trying to scout ahead, so it could only have been a day or so ago," said Kama, a sharp black fingertip on her chin in thought.

"Rii?" asked Seiko.

"You knew her?!" said Kama, surprised.

"We left ahead of her, but we had to make a stop on the way. How'd she meet you so fast, and how could you get here so quickly?" said Jinta, going over it in his head.

"We had heard there was a dragon in the sewers, and as we were going down she was coming up. After that they split to see if the rumors of a Hydra in the forest lake were true while I scouted out Seath. I got through Sen's Fortress using an elevator system with the cages, but I was captured on the side of the mountain after finding another way in. I thought the main entrance would be too obvious."

Jinta and Seiko looked at each other.

"Despite the shortcut I thought I'd found, Channelers were waiting for me, and brought me here in a matter of minutes. I didn't even have time to fall asleep and Seiko was thrown in my cell. She was asleep for a while, during which time I tried several times to steal keys from passing guards. She woke, tried once, and we were out in no time."

"Well then, thank you for agreeing to help us," said Jinta, impressed with her story.

"Shall we?" said Seiko, getting impatient.

"Right, sorry..." said Jinta, looking over at her.

The three found a crystal to walk on and descended into the cave. It was a cavernous opening in the earth more than a cave, and crystals jutted from every surface. After picking their way down for almost an hour, they came to a dead end.

"Any ideas besides jumping?" asked Jinta.

Seiko pointed at nothing, for a moment confusing Kama and Jinta. But as they looked where she pointed crystal dust wafted from above and landed on nothing before blowing away.

"Invisible walkways?" asked Kama, walking over and tapping her scythe on the unseen surface.

"It looked like there's an opening in the cavern wall over there. I bet if we follow the walkway we can reach it," said Jinta.

"Stay behind me, I'll use my scythe to feel it out," said Kama, stepping onto the walkway and letting her scythe drag in front of her. The path was mostly straight, and soon the three were over the chasm unharmed. They walked down a short passage in the crystal before coming to another cavern. On the far side, in a misty chamber, something glowed brightly, like a star in the night sky. Jinta, Seiko, and Kama inspected the cavern first, then proceeded toward the chamber.

Just as the three entered the chamber, a hissing sound came from the ground at their feet.

"Imminent dragon..." appeared written on an orange streak on the blue crystal floor.

"Oh, good..." said Jinta, half a second before the ceiling behind them burst open and a very angry Seath plummeted toward them. The three ran into the misty chamber, toward the crystal they needed to destroy in order to even hurt Seath. Jinta took the chance, running right for it and slashing with his falchion to shatter it. He wasn't nearly strong enough to break it, however, and his falchion simply bounced off. Without being blessed as it was, Jinta was sure he would have just shattered his weapon instead of the crystal. Seiko thrust a hand out to Kama. Kama flinched, then understood, handing Seiko her black dragon bone scythe. Seiko, without looking back at the charging Seath, adjusted her grip, judged the distance, stepped forward to get force behind her strike, and sliced right through the crystal in one powerful swing. Seath, practically ready to crush them into the wall, recoiled as if struck by a wrecking ball, roaring in pain and anger. Seiko handed the scythe back to Kama, aiming a hand at Seath's open and roaring mouth. A ball of Abyss shot from her gloved palm and into Seath's mouth, plugging it. The pale dragon grabbed his throat, unable to breathe, then seemed to realize something and blew out. His breath shattered the Abyss seal, spewing white mist onto the ceiling and causing crystals to grow where it landed.

"Do not let that breath hit you. You'll be cursed faster than you can react," said Jinta.

Seath looked down at the three intruders who had just managed to find and destroy the source of his power. In a blind fury, Seath breathed in deeply and simply began shaking his head and spewing white mist all over the chamber. The group split up, trying to get around Seath's tails and away from the cursed mist.

"Come on, you insane traitor! You're next!" yelled Jinta, his swords out and ready.

Seath looked back and to his right to see Jinta, swung a tail at him and turned to face him, slashing at him with a skinny clawed hand. His turn nearly crushed Seiko, but it put his largest tail right next to Kama. Kama raised her scythe over her head and sliced, sheering off Seath's largest tail in one swing. The slab of meat hit the crystal floor in a spray of light blue blood. Seath, about to breathe at Jinta, spun again, aiming a smaller tail at Kama to crush her for wounding him. As Seath turned so violently, Seiko formed a stationary blade of Abyss and let Seath injure himself on it. Seath nearly sliced off one of his own tails because of the maneuver, growing even more furious. He was already beginning to lose a lot of blood, however, and he was slowing down. Seiko threw a fireball at Seath, but it barely scorched him. Jinta tried a few offensive miracles, and those didn't do much either. Seath, even wounded and angry, was impossible to hurt with any form of magic, even after losing the source of his immortality. The only way to bring down the legendary scaleless dragon was with brute force, it seemed.

"Seiko, remember the Hollows?! Look at his stomach!" yelled Jinta, trying to form some coordination. Sure enough, there was a crust of crystals on Seath's belly, under his prominent ribs. Seath, understanding their speech perfectly, immediately tried to figure out which woman was Seiko in order to defend himself. Kama noticed and brandished her scythe, being flashy as was her style, and drawing attention away from Seiko. Seiko took advantage of the distraction and formed a blue flame in her hand, pressing it into her chest. She let the Pyromancy and Abyss flow, exactly as she had fighting the Four Kings, unseen by Seath as she prepared to turn his guts to jelly in one punch. Seath swung at Kama, aiming to rip her to shreds in one strike. Kama spun her scythe at just the right moment, redirecting the force of Seath's swing and almost making the dragon roll himself forward on his head. With effort, Seath pulled his head up and righted himself in time to see a black streak to his left. Seiko was running on the wall, Abyss and steam streaking from her body. She reached the lip of the misty cavern, leading back the way they'd come, and jumped into the center of the chamber like she was fired from a cannon, right at Seath. Seath could never be fast enough to block her strike, both her fists slamming into his stomach and pushing him back into the cavern wall. Seiko pushed off as crystal dust flew from Seath's stomach, cracking it. She flipped backwards, her hands hitting the wall in the same spot she'd jumped from. A perfect mirror of her fight with the Iron Golem, twin jets of flame shot from her palms and launched her across the cavern, slamming her boots into Seath's stomach. In a shower of crystal dust and his own blood, Seath lurched forward, the cap over his stomach shattering. He'd anchored himself to the crystal, performing surgery on himself to do so. The crystals holding all the important things in had just been broken. Seath, before he, in all his genius, could process what had happened, fell forward and died before his head ever touched the crystal floor. His Lord Soul shard, earned by betraying his kin to Lord Gwyn, flowed from him to Seiko. Seiko had enough left in her to manifest the Lord Soul and give it to Jinta before passing out from excursion...

Event 17: Alter Of Sunlight, coming soon...

Author Note: I know Seath is weak against fire, lightning, and bleed. I changed his properties to fit the established story elements. The first steps toward two becoming one has been taken. The last step toward the Kiln has been taken. Also, my Y key is still broken T.T