Event 23: A Soul Not Worth Saving

Alone, Seiko pulled her black katana from the ground at last. The image of Jinta impaled on the Sanctuary Guardian's claw was still fresh in her mind. For some reason Seiko couldn't place, fighting it had been much harder than expected. By the time she and Jinta had revived, the guardian had already found a new way to fight without seeing. The water in the basin it guarded was a large part of that, and the only reason the beast was even dead was because Seiko had finally outsmarted it. Alone, a single Humanity left, and depressed, Seiko returned to the bonfire she'd come from to wait for Jinta. She waited, practicing with her oppressively heavy katana as she did. For her, the weight was necessary, but that didn't mean she wanted to be slowed down so much. Just carrying the sword forced her to behave more like a normal fighter. Not too much jumping around and no insane attacks. With it she could finally hurt something beyond punching, burning, or outright corrupting it, but that it slowed her down made it impossible for her to continue as normal with it. She took the three days to devise and practice a new fighting style she could use with the sword.

When Jinta finally revived, out of Humanity and ashamed he'd forced Seiko to finish the fight without him, Seiko was ready and waiting. She offered her last Humanity, holding it out in a gloved hand. Hollowed and unable to speak more than a rasp, Jinta simply held up a hand and shook his head, refusing her gift. Seiko thrust her hand and head forward, insisting angrily. Jinta walked around her, ducking and heading out of the cave. Seiko clenched her fist, concealing the Humanity as she followed him out. Seiko put her hood on, expecting more of a fight after leaving the water-logged basin. Even Hollow, Jinta offered to carry her over the water, forgetting about her sword for a moment. She held it up to remind him and he bowed his head a bit, further disappointed in himself. The two crossed the basin, rounding a corner, and saw the bridge to Artorias' grave as it was many years before Seiko ever crossed it. The forest on the other side seemed much more lively than the one they were used to, not fitting the name "Darkroot" at all. In the forest, Jinta and Seiko were met by monsters resembling scarecrows. They wielded pitchforks and large clippers, and carried pouches of helpful mosses and plants.

Which way? wondered Jinta. To the right was a large cliff wall, which Seiko recognized. Other than that, there was nothing but dense forest. The only real choice seemed to be to head left, in the general direction of the Undead Burg. Seiko, noticing this, took the lead and headed left, into the forest. She knew there were ways out once they got near the Burg, so it was their best bet. As they continued, Seiko and Jinta encountered stone guardians along with the scarecrows. The scarecrows fell quickly, but Jinta's swords bounced off the tough armor of the stone guardians. Seiko could cut through them, but it took timing so as not to be crushed by the guardians' powerful stone hammers. Eventually, after fighting in a small crater, Jinta and Seiko came to a stone bridge. Just as they were about to cross it, a massive black dragon landed on it, staring at them with one large orange eye before taking off again. Both Jinta and Seiko were confused, since the only dragon they'd ever seen had been immobile in Ash Lake. Jinta had fought and killed a twisted ancestor, the Gaping Dragon, but even that had been a laughable excuse for a "dragon." Pressing forward, Jinta and Seiko came to a narrow passage in the rock. As they exited, the two came across a terrifying sight. A short cliff stood in their way, just two meters or so to the ground, but the ground at the bottom was tainted with Abyss and gave way to a massive pit.

"Down?" asked Seiko, looking at Jinta. She was worried now. Abyss hadn't been here before.

Jinta looked down, looked around, then looked at Seiko. He nodded, seeing no other way. The two hopped down, going around the pit in their way. They came around the pit, coming out from behind the shadow of a knoll, and faced another new scene. A massive structure Seiko didn't remember seeing stood at the bottom of a long drop-off. A small building to the right looked like it may offer stairs down to the building, but it was guarded by more scarecrows and two stone guardians.

"Scarecrows, please," said Seiko, more an order than asking for a favor. Jinta drew his swords and complied, expecting Seiko to begin a dance with the two stone guardians. That is, until Seiko used Power Within and stood her ground. One guardian drew close, raising his hammer, preparing to crush Seiko. Before it could bring the hammer down, the top part of its body began to slide off the rest, chopped off from ribs to underarm. Seiko had jumped and sliced it, which sent her right passed the other guardian. It turned, swinging its hammer low, back-handed. Seiko landed on her feet and blocked the strike with her sword, back-flipping when it knocked her into the air and landing on her feet again. A scarecrow to her right raised its large pair of scissors, but was cut down by Jinta before it could attack Seiko in her recovery. Seiko rushed forward, lowering herself. The motion and speed whipped her hood back, revealing her long black hair. Seiko cut through the right leg of the remaining stone guardian, spun, and sliced up its back. It fell to its right, using its hammer as a crutch and struggling to turn. Seiko jumped, front-flipped, and sliced the guardian in half from the crown of its head to the floor. Her unusually heavy and sturdy katana made the dirt jump around the blade as it struck. Seiko put her foot on the back of the stone guardian and yanked her sword out of the dirt beneath it.

Jinta, finished moments before, looked to her and nodded approval instead of rasping out anything, then jerked his head toward the building their foes had guarded. Inside were no stairs, just an empty section of floor and a strange symbol on the ground. Jinta squatted, touching a gauntlet-covered hand to the symbol. It glowed in response to the touch and moments later had revealed a stone platform to fill the empty section of the floor. Jinta looked up at Seiko and stood. The two stepped onto the platform, which glowed like the symbol had and began descending quickly. At the bottom, sure enough, the entrance to the coliseum-like structure could be seen. As Seiko and Jinta exited the odd elevator, heading for the coliseum, someone approached them from the left. The figure had walked over a small bridge to reach them, and called out to them.

"You two there, hold still," said the figure, its voice male and mildly sinister. "Let me guess, snatched up by a shadowy limb and dragged through a portal?"

Seiko and Jinta nodded.

"Yes, of course. Exactly what happened to me. We're all strangers in this strange land. But, at least now we are not alone. Judging by your gait, sir, I presume you are Hollow under that armor. I am Marvelous Chester, a... Hunter, of sorts. I happen to have quite a bit of Humanity on me, if you're willing to trade some souls."

Jinta thrust out his hand without hesitation. Seiko looked at him, surprised but keeping a straight face.

"Eager, aren't you," said Chester, his voice almost teasing. "Very well."

The two made their trade, which would have been impossible if Jinta hadn't been able to recover the souls he'd lost fighting the Sanctuary Guardian.

"The nearest bonfire is just over there, through the coliseum. Do come back when you can speak properly, since the lady here seems not to want to talk," said Chester, turning to cross over the stone bridge again, leaning on the stone wall on the other side.

Jinta and Seiko followed his directions, passing through the wide open area inside the coliseum. After approaching the bonfire to reverse his Hollowing, Jinta took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry... I felt staying quiet would be best..." said Jinta.

Seiko smiled. "It's ok," she said.

"Shall we return to Chester? There's a few things I'd like to ask him," said Jinta.

Seiko nodded in agreement and the two passed through the coliseum again. After crossing the bridge, Jinta addressed Chester, having many questions.

"Where are we?" asked Jinta, already having an idea.

"Where do you think? We know this as the Darkroot Garden. But, in this time, it is called Oolacile. Or didn't you notice this was the past?" said Chester, all the while speaking as if to imbeciles.

"I had a feeling..." said Jinta. "And the Abyss? What's it doing here?" asked Jinta.

"Believe it or not, Oolacile has brought the Abyss upon itself. Fooled by that toothy serpent, they upturned the grave of primeval man, and incited his ornery wrath. What could they have been thinking? But, to you and I, it's all ancient history. Speaking of history, have you happened across Knight Artorias? The legendary Abysswalker, from the old tales?"

Jinta and Seiko looked at each other, Seiko hiding her expression as best she could.

"...Well, if you haven't, it's just as well... He's a colorless sort, if you ask me. Very flat and uninteresting. Diving into the Abyss at the first sign of trouble to save the poor citizens of Oolacile."

"Which way is Oolacile? Is that the town we saw below the bonfire?" asked Jinta.

"You're thinking of going after him? And here I thought a Paladin would have more of a brain... Which, I suppose, reveals how little I know, since a faith-monger like you probably has no logic to begin with. Yes, that's Oolacile. Now you know, so off with you. I fear your heroic naivety may spread..." sneered Chester.

Jinta considered retorting, but found it more wise to leave the bitter man. Seiko obviously wanted to hurry and help her father, and Jinta himself wouldn't mind meeting the legend either. The two hurried back toward the coliseum entrance.

"No... What?!" said Jinta. Blocking the way into the coliseum, this time, was a wall of white mist.

"Another fight? What could be in our way this time?!" said Jinta. "Should we go in? We're safe here, so I can use Soothing Sunlight first, but that's all."

"We should," said Seiko. She stood still, waiting for Jinta to recite his prayer fully. As always, Seiko felt as if she'd spent a day lazing in the sun after Jinta was finished.

"No way out if we go in. We don't even know what's in there. It could be that black dragon," warned Jinta.

Seiko pulled on her hood, fixing her hair, and just stared at the wall of mist. Jinta sighed, resigning himself to the fight.

"In we go, then," said Jinta, stepping forward with Seiko at his side. Through the mist, in dead silence, the two emerged. In the center of the coliseum, an odd figure stood facing them. It had a brown, bulging head and long, oddly jointed arms. Many gel-filled red eyes stared at them, unblinking. Either it was deceptively strong for its size, or they'd been tricked.

"Careful... That thing might-" started Jinta. He stopped when the false enemy was killed. A black and blue figure, trailing Abyss, dropped from an upper floor and stabbed a black and cracked greatsword through the original enemy's bloated head. Unsatisfied, the new enemy shoved the greatsword deeper into the stone brick floor, forcing the crushed body under it to spasm. The armored foe's left arm hung limp, as if the armor there was actually empty. The figure looked at them, its helm shadowing its face completely. In that moment, somewhere in his heart, Jinta knew who he was looking at. Seiko must have known too, judging by the blue tears running quietly down her face.

"Fa... ther..." she whispered, in awe and despair.

As if in response, Artorias began a loud moan of agony, ripping Abyss smoke from the surrounding bricks and absorbing it. His body shook and his head jerked uncontrollably. Ripping the tainted greatsword out of the brick and spinning with it as if it weren't even there, Artorias hefted his kill, still impaled, over his shoulder, flinging it at his two foes with a swing of his sword. The body rolled and bounced over the brick floor, stopping in front of them.

"Seiko...!" said Jinta, suddenly realizing what they were about to do. "Seiko, we can't fight him. We can't do this. Not only could he crush us both, he's not in his right mind. We can't fight him," insisted Jinta.

Silence. Then...

"I can save him..." said Seiko. Only Jinta could have heard the slight hysteria in her voice.

"... What?! No. No, you can't. You don't understand! Seiko, if you try to save him, what if you end up like last time?! What if you end up worse?! You can't. Don't try it. Don't."

Seiko wouldn't look at him. He could tell she wasn't listening.

"...Seiko...!?" said Jinta, truly frightened. "Seiko! Listen to me!"

Nothing. Artorias wasn't waiting, either. He pulled his sword back, shifting his weight, then charged forward. In a single, masterful stride, Artorias covered the distance and stabbed, aiming to kill Seiko. Seiko ducked, stepping aside to the right. Artorias flailed his limp arm, catching Jinta with a backhanded swing and sending him rolling into the wall. Seiko and Artorias stood less than half a meter from each other, suddenly looking right at each other. Artorias was even taller than Jinta, and almost as thin. Her sword in her left hand, Seiko thrust her right hand up at her father's shadowed face, calling out to the Abyss within him. It answered, rushing out of Artorias as black smoke, as if from the chimney of a factory burning tires.

"Seiko! NO!" yelled Jinta, finally up, his swords drawn.

Both Artorias and Seiko seemed to be overtaken by the event, both shaking and leaning away from one another. Still the Abyss linked them. Still it roared out of Artorias, like the rapids of a river of ink. Finally, Seiko broke the link, taking a shaky step back. Artorias remained frozen for a moment... Then, he lifted his left foot high, putting it on Seiko's right shoulder, and forced her to the ground on her back. He leaned down, his shadowed face centimeters from Seiko's. Then he began to draw back the Abyss from within her instead. Were she not pinned, Seiko's convulsions would have lifted her torso from the ground, arcing into a C shape. Instead, she could only jerk and shiver as Abyss rushed from her instead. Jinta couldn't get close, the rush of the Abyss meaning certain death for him. Finally, Seiko began screaming in agony. Artorias was not in pain as she had been. He was already a thing of the Abyss. At last, the Abyss ceased flowing out of her and all was silent for several heartbeats... But Artorias wasn't done. There was something in Seiko he wanted, and he would have it. For it was his to claim, as it always had been. Seiko's mouth opened, a silent scream of the utmost pain, but no sound issued forth. Instead, a bead the size of a tear rose from within her, glowing brilliantly in a hue of perfect purple. It floated up, right into Artorias' shadowed helm, and vanished. Seiko felt like someone had just opened her up and scooped out her insides. Artorias removed his foot, stepping back as if in awe. Jinta seized his chance, rushing forward and full-on tackling Artorias. He shoved with all his might, desperate to get just far enough away from Seiko. The instant he was, Jinta activated Force, point-blank, and sent Artorias flipping to the other side of the coliseum. The second he could move, Jinta rushed to Seiko's side.

"Seiko! Seiko! Can you hear me?! Come on!" pleaded Jinta. "Seiko, please...! I can't... I can't do this without you... I can't do anything without you...! Please! Stand up! Help me! Save me..."

Seiko, her eyes wide, her mouth hanging open, tightened her grip on her sword. Every breath shook her body. The Abyss was gone. All of it. She felt empty. As if only her heart remained inside her. But still she closed her mouth. Still she relaxed her eyelids. Still, she struggled to her feet. Jinta had called to her, and she would not disappoint him. She would not leave him. Never.

"...Seiko...?" said Jinta, desperation yet in his voice.

"Together..." said Seiko, her face hidden from his view by her hood.

"Together..." she repeated.

Artorias had recovered and turned to look at them.

There was no choice... Fight, or Prepare To Die...

Event 24: True Abysswalker

Author Note: Ever notice how, for some reason, the basin full of water isn't connected to the bridge in the Prepare To Die DLC? Odd, how that basin is perfect for Artorias' grave, but it's separated from the bridge by an incline. So, to keep the geography constant, I cut out the retarded stretch of inclined land keeping them apart. Which also meant moving or removing Elizabeth.

For best effect, imagine the final scene with this in the background: youtu(period)be(slash)QbO70-JLvo0