-Duke's Archives-
"My thanks once more for your help escaping," said Logan. "If there's any information you'd like, I'd be happy to repay the favor, but I do have my own agenda to return to."
"If you have any idea how we're supposed to kill Seath, that would help," said Jinta. "I was captured by him earlier and nothing I was doing was working, even lightning."
"Ahh, here for the soul shard, are you? Not to worry, the pale dragon has yet to perfect his research. I suspect he isn't far off, though, so you'd better hurry. Head into the courtyard and look for the crystal growths from under the earth. That's as far as I got before I was captured as well. I'd have liked to see the Primordial Crystal for myself, but I couldn't get close."
"The Primordial Crystal?"
"Yes. Seath has used some magic of his own design to manipulate his life force in an attempt to mimic the immortality of his kind. From what I've been able to gather, he's essentially tied himself to this crystal to forcibly extend his life. If you destroy it, or somehow sever the link, Seath will be mortal until he is able to repeat the process. I'm less interested in the immortality, being Undead already, and more interested in all the research he went through on the way there. He's created powerful spells the likes of which no one has ever seen before! If I can understand them, learn them myself, and build on them… Why I'll be just as great a sorcerer as the father of sorcery himself!"
"Either way, we need to get back into the archive proper," said Jinta. "Would you mind teaming up with us until we can clear out the area a bit?"
"Hmm… I don't see why not. The crystallized foes in the Archives were giving me trouble, as you would expect with their magic resistance. If you two won't mind my throwing magic around from a distance, I think our alliance will benefit both parties."
-Crystal Cave-
Tetsuro raised his axe again, holding it in one hand almost all the way up the shaft, his other hand on pale flesh. Another few heartened swings and his target came into view.
A few moments later, Tetsuro climbed down off of Seath's corpse, a new sword in hand.
"Moonlight Greatsword? It's just a stone slab!"
Tetsuro held up the sword in one hand, trying to see if the light from above would pass through it. No matter how he looked at it, or turned it over, it just looked like a sword made completely out of stone or bone, carved perfectly smooth.
"Hmph. At least the fight wasn't bad."
Tetsuro stabbed the sword into the crystalline floor and left it there, next to the heap of blood and flesh that was what remained of Seath the Scaleless. Tetsuro took up his axe again, swinging it a bit at the air, getting a feel for it again. He reached into the bonfire nearby and vanished, leaving the fake sword behind…
But just because he left it behind didn't mean someone else wouldn't find it. Another warrior, yet unknown, would find his way into the Archives not long after, and carve a path through its halls. This man would not only find the crystal cave, but come upon Seath and the sword as well. At his touch, the Moonlight Greatsword would reveal its true form. It grew longer, thinned slightly, and glowed a seafoam green. An element of translucence came to it as it glowed. The warrior drew the sword from the ground and held it up, his curiosity and drive renewed. He turned, and went back to the Archives, his hunger for arcane knowledge stronger than ever before…
-Duke's Archives-
"You're not coming with us?!" said Jinta.
"Of course not," said Logan. "I have no quarrel with Seath the Scaleless. In fact, I'm here for the Archives and his knowledge. I've already forced my way in! The last thing I need is the Duke himself attacking me. I've found a place to study any books I find here, and there is a wealth of knowledge unlike any other here!"
"You're not concerned about linking the fire, or the curse?" asked Seiko.
"Not in the least. The curse is a blessing to those with purpose, and I have that in heaps and loads. I can use this long life to study and create magic unlike any other scholar could. I might even find a way to simplify magic so that anyone could use it! Or find a way to interact with magic without having to use tools or components! The Duke can do it, so there must be a way for me to do it too."
"Regardless," said Jinta, his tone one of barely hidden annoyance, "We thank you for your help thus far, and the tip about the crystal. Good luck in your research."
He and Seiko left, heading back to the hidden path they had opened earlier, down stairs, and out to the yard where massive crystals grew from underground.
-Crystal Cave-
Within seconds, they were forced to fight crystal golems. As previously, since they were weak to strike damage, Seiko was able to make quick work of them. Without much else to keep them from their path, the two quickly began their descent into what turned out to be a large cavern overgrown with crystal.
Another crystal golem guarded the way down, and leapt at Seiko. Jinta grabbed her shoulder and yanked her back out of the way so she wouldn't slip, then stepped up behind her to get out of her way. Seiko stepped in and struck straight-armed with a punch to the golem's "head" while it was still bent from jumping up and slamming its arms down. The force rippled through it and it burst into dust with the single hit.
They continued further down. There was no smooth, easy path to the bottom of the chasm. Instead, the crystals were so overgrown that they interconnected, making jaggedly winding paths that were hard to predict. After a while without incident, however, the path came to an end. The only way down was to jump down, attempt to slide down a sheer cliff without being impaled by crystals further down, or turn back and find another way.
Before they could turn back, they both heard a sound akin to tapping a spoon on the side of a bowl, or playing a single note on a piano. It was the sound of a smaller crystal landing on something, like a glass tear falling to the floor. They both looked around, suddenly on guard, expecting an enemy. The sound came again, and this time they were able to tell its general direction. When it happened a third time, Jinta saw what made the noise.
"Look," he pointed out. Over the edge of the crystal they were on, smaller crystals were falling from somewhere above, landing on nothing, and bursting into dust. They fell in a roughly straight line ahead and landed, but those deviating too far to the left or right continued falling into the cavern.
"A path?" wondered Seiko aloud. She pointed her open hand down at it and let out a weak Fire Surge. The flames indeed collided with something unseen. A crystal happened to bounce off of Jinta's helmet.
"Follow me, I guess," said Seiko, walking out onto the empty air. She took it slowly, but not painfully slow. Her pace was driven faster by fear of falling, but slowed by caution. Jinta stayed close behind her. She could hear him draw his weapons, but she didn't dare look up.
"There's another golem on the crystal we're walking towards. It's not approaching us yet, but it's a different color than the others. Be ready as soon as we're clear of the gap."
A few second later, they reached the other visible crystal and Seiko stopped her Fire Surge to look up. Sure enough, a golem made of yellow crystal stood in the way. The small falling crystals did not appear to be landing on another path in the direction they'd been going, so fighting it seemed the only way forward.
"Let me go first," said Seiko, fists up.
The crystal was narrow this time, barely enough for Seiko and Jinta to be shoulder to shoulder and just enough for the golem to stand on. It was slightly larger than the previous golems as well. As Seiko moved forward, it too began to approach. The golem raised an arm, extended it into a spiked club, and swept it at Seiko across the platform to push her off. Jinta wasn't close enough to be hit, but Seiko had to jump to avoid getting smashed over the side.
She off-handed a Fireball at it mostly to draw its attention upward, but found that the flames stuck and began eating away at the thing. The others hadn't minded fire, but this golem was apparently made of a different material. Seiko landed and nearly slipped, but managed to balance herself just as the golem raised its arms over its head. She wasn't nearly close enough to it, so she didn't bother to dodge… But when the golem's arms hit the ground, it transferred some of its mass into a wave of golden crystals that exploded up from the ground and blew Seiko backward.
She slammed into Jinta and both of them hit the crystal on their backs. Seiko carefully stood up but had pierce wounds all over the front of her body. Jinta motioned her back and sheathed his estoc to draw his talisman. Seiko assumed he'd attempt Force, so she stepped far enough back to be safe and drank Estus. Jinta stepped in and used Force, pushing the golem back and causing the front of it to lose several layers, but it was still up and still on the crystal in front of them.
"Step to your left, Jinta!"
He did so, turning his body so his left shoulder faced the golem and his right was toward Seiko. She slid past him over the crystal and slammed a punch into the golem's chest with her right hand, then slid between its legs to get behind it. As she came up from the slide, she spun and hit the golem in the back with her left hand's knuckles, causing it to stumble forward off balance. She pulled back both hands and did a U-punch, right arm at chest level and palm down, left arm at stomach level and palm up. The attack showered Jinta in the yellow dust and destabilized the golem. It fell to pieces between them soon after.
"We need a better plan for fighting those things," said Jinta, putting his weapons away.
"Flanking them seems to be the best bet," said Seiko flexing her left fist.
"So, let me draw their attention, you get behind them? Sounds better than a forward assault. Does Power Within drain you very much if you just use it for a jump?"
"I don't need Power Within to jump over those," said Seiko, almost offended he assumed so.
"Regardless, let's stick to that plan for those in the future. Where do we go from here?"
The two moved ahead, now keeping an eye out for more hidden paths. Seiko swept light flames around over the sides here and there until she found another. It moved over to their right, toward a far wall. The only downside was that they would need to drop down a fair bit to walk on it, which would make backtracking difficult.
"We don't have much choice but to go,"said Jinta. "I have Homeward if we need it. We should press on. The longer we stay here, the more likely Seath will discover we're here and what we're looking for. We need to destroy this 'Primordial Crystal' before he can stop us, otherwise it will be nearly impossible."
Seiko didn't have anything to say counter to that, so they both dropped onto the unseen path, landing off balance since they were unable to see exactly when they would land. Seiko led the way across again while Jinta looked around the cavern. There was nothing of mention far below but more crystals. Large butterflies like the one he'd encountered in the Darkroot Forest perched on crystals nearby but did not take flight or attack them. Several more crystal golems stood on outcroppings, but either they could not reach Seiko and Jinta, or were standing in place guarding a fallen corpse.
They reached the other side of the path without incident and found that they were near a hole in what had at first appeared to be a solid wall. They continued, now slowed down by what appeared to be a cluster of the man-eating clams from Ash Lake. Most of them appeared to be asleep, lying on the ground, shells closed. Across this new cavern, however, in a deeper, misty part of the ravine, there was a bonfire and something obviously glowing.
"I don't think I need to say it,"said Seiko, "But I feel like the overwhelming energy in the air is coming from that thing. It's at least coming from that direction."
"Should we take our time, then, and keep these things away from it?"
"No. We know by now that they're slow to get up and don't run very fast. If we rush through, I bet we can get close to the bonfire before they reach us. Fighting them with the bonfire at our backs will be much easier, and if we die, we'll just get right back up there instead of back in the Archives."
"That is a very good point. Fine, I'm with you. Just don't leave me behind."
"How about you take the lead, then? If any of them seem like they'll reach you or myself, I'll try and use some of my black flames. I'm not worried about my stamina with a bonfire so close anyway."
"Fair enough. Here we go, then."
Jinta broke into a sprint and Seiko followed. As expected, the clams were a bit slow to rise, so the two passed by swiftly without much trouble. The clams gave chase, but couldn't keep up. As Seiko and Jinta neared the bonfire, however, it went out. They slowed to a stop, a bit unsettled, and turned.
-Duke's Archives-
Two men, of different worlds, sat in the Archives, studying. One, a master from Vinheim, well known and regarded. The other, nameless and faceless to the world, a man who threw away his heritage for the sake of curiosity. Both sat in silence until one was disturbed by the shaking of the castle itself. In one world, Seath already lay long dead, and so the curious man was left alone. But in the other, Seath was very much alive, and enraged when word reached him of the prison break. Big Hat Logan huddled into the corner of his hide-away, listening to Seath move through the Archives, searching for his enemies until a Channeler pointed him toward the Crystal Cave… Where the intruders were last seen heading…
-Crystal Cave-
Seath raked his claws over the crystalline floor, roaring at the two Undead so close to his most prized secret. Seiko and Jinta at first panicked at the sight of the enraged dragon barrelling toward them. It was Seiko who first broke free and turned toward the glowing, thin crystal. She ran toward it, activating Power Within, and punched it with all her might. The force was mostly unnecessary, as the crystal snapped under her fist immediately.
Seath recoiled as the bond was severed, rearing back and shrieking.
"That's our chance!" yelled Jinta. He drew his falchion and talisman, and hurled a lightning bolt at Seath's head. The bolt struck a glancing blow, but it drew Seath out of his pain and back into his anger. The pale dragon swept an arm at Jinta and Jinta dodged. Seath blasted the area with magic and curse infused breath and Jinta dove aside to avoid it.
"In case you're unaware," said Jinta gaining his feet and moving to a new position, "He's blind!"
Seath whipped a tale at Jinta and swatted him across the cavern. Jinta rolled to his feet and ended up next to a figure he hadn't seen through the mist. Something humanoid, encased in cursed stone. Someone previously discovered here by Seath.
Seiko took advantage of this new knowledge by leaping about and throwing Fireballs to keep Seath from knowing where she was. A few scorched his flesh, but didn't seem to be terribly effective on their own. What Seiko failed to consider was that Seath was immensely intelligent. After only a few jumps, with Seath flailing wildly to slash at her, he was able to deduce a pattern and smash her down out of the air. He roared at her, and that roar turned into another breath attack. Seiko rolled over onto her stomach and pushed off the ground to dodge, deftly flipping to her feet and sliding over the crystals. She prepared another Pyromancy, a Chaos Fireball this time.
Jinta, forgotten by Seath for the moment, quickly carved furrows into two of Seath's three tails with his falchion. He drew blood freely, but, like Seiko's Pyromancy, his attacks didn't seem to do much on their own. One of the tails lashed out at Jinta for his carelessness. Jinta brought up his arms and jumped back, mostly absorbing the blow, but was still sent flying backward.
Seiko's Chaos Fireball seemed far more effective. It blistered Seath's skin where it struck him in the shoulder and washed over his torso and back, burning him severely. Seath recoiled from the heat and the attack, roaring. He whipped a tail around to sweep at where Seiko should be, then reared up to flail his arms at where she might have jumped to. Seiko kept her dodge low, flipping over the tail, and threw another Chaos Fireball at Seath's chest. She was in a risky spot, almost caged in inside his arms and under his torso, but the Chaos fire caused Seath to rear upright completely and spray the ceiling of the cavern with his breath.
Seath's snake-like neck whipped about and he covered the ceiling with new crystals from his attack. These, however, were more unstable than normal growths, and started falling into the cavern. Seiko and Jinta were forced to dodge about to avoid getting impaled. While they did so, Seath thrust a palm in Seiko's direction and closed his fist. Crystal-infused magic bolts formed like stars around her before collapsing inward on her.
Seiko crossed her arms over her body, then threw them outward, casting Immolation under the effects of Power Within. It was clearly a losing battle, and she couldn't get close to Jinta to coordinate, so caution went out the window. The magic collided with her flames and was mostly dissolved in the air. She was still struck all over with crystals, but it wasn't anything she couldn't handle. Blue flames with black and white tongues swirled about Seiko as she approached Seath again.
Instead of face her head-on, Seath whipped about to face Jinta. His huge tails slammed into Seiko before she could dodge aside and threw her back into the wall. She lost Power Within and Immolation along with all the wind in her lungs. She hit the ground face down and had to recover before she could drink Estus.
At the same time, Jinta was now face to face with Seath the Scaleless. He readied a bolt but Seath slithered aside to dodge it on sound alone. Seath blasted Jinta with cursed breath, but Jinta had already used Great Magic Barrier. Jinta covered his face with both his arms, crossing them in front of his head, but was largely undamaged. Seath brought down a hand on Jinta, pushing Jinta to the floor. With Jinta in Seath's grasp and stunned, he was lifted up and bitten in half before he could recite a miracle to save himself.
Seiko was back up, but too slow to save Jinta. She jumped and landed on Seath's head near where it met his neck. She thrust her hand into the side of Seath's head behind the hole for his ear and tried to implant her Pyromancy. Instead, flames flowered from her palm around Seath's head, blocked from going in completely. Seath suffered heavy burns, but was far from dead. He snatched Seiko off his head and crushed her against the wall, killing her as well.