[Cover is owned by (I believe) French-banna-toast. If they want me to put it down, I will.]
[Inspired by 'Jaune Arc, Watcher of The Abyss' by Rum Aficionado, although will not have much plot taken from it.]
[Beta read by MidKnightMoonglow99]
After a good few hours of aimlessly wandering within this new land I chose to take my rest by the husk of a fallen oak tree. Believe it or not, the Abyss Watchers of Farron's Legion weren't as infallible, or as unyielding, as we'd liked to admit. Those cursed with being undead still needed to rest and restore ourselves from time to time, or suffer the fate of becoming hollowed...
In the end though, only a minute long break from walking was good enough to collect my strength for the trek ahead. Still, as I stood from my impromptu place of rest and continued on my aimless journey, I couldn't truly help but let my mind wander to this world which I've found myself being brought back too.
Since leaving the shrine, I have yet to find any signs of civilised life - old or new - only this expansive forest of lush vegetation. How long have I been in rest within that monument? The world has changed so much... The Kingdom of Lothric was completely gone from what I can tell, and the surrounding lands are unrecognisable from those I knew...
Centuries...? Perhaps even a millennium could have past me by whilst I slept? I would not know for certain... what I did know however, was that this world was no long that of which I once knew; which meant it held unknowns... A fact that didn't bring me any solace.
And, as if to confirm by unease and paranoia with this world, an all too familiar feeling of darkness washed over my form; bringing me from my astray thoughts within an instant.
The Abyss...
My form skilfully leapt back a step; just behind the cover of a large oak and in time to safely witness a dark furred wolf- No... Lycan, broach the grove of emerald trees several steps away from were I once stood.
The first thing I noted about the creatures appearance - besides it's dark colouration - was that the skin and muscle had been seemingly peeled away from it's face; leaving the ivory bone of it's skull on full view. It's empty eye socket only holding a foreboding well of darkness alongside a set of red, glowing pinprick.
It was a manifestation of the Abyss - this I was curtain - but... it was the fact that it was here of all places which both disturbed and infuriated me.
The Abyss and it's monstrous creations had been fought back and killed by countless warriors for a millennia before the Legion of Farron came to be. Every encroachment of the Abyss's corruptive darkness was seen as a threat which needed to be snuffed out instantly and without remorse. It didn't matter who or what was corrupted, the fact that it had been was enough of a reason for whoever or whatever it was to be completely destroyed and purified.
The Abyss could not be allowed to extent it's borders, or else the world would suffer dearly... So, with this conviction in mind... Why was this abomination here and freely roaming these lands?
Had things truly become so dire since the Legion's defeat that the Abyss had taken free rein over the world? - No. That can't be the truth. The sun was still within the sky after all. It's heavenly light still embracing the lands.
... As long as the Age of Fire still goes strong... then the forces of darkness can still be pushed back to their holes...
With a primordial desire to slay this abyssal abomination, I carefully, and silently, unsheathed my greatsword from my back - making sure not to alert the monstrous beast of my presence before I decided to strike.
When it turned it's back to me, I took my opportunity to deliver a swift and deadly attack. Lunging from my place of ambush with inhuman speed, I leaped into the air only a few steps away from the lycan. By this point, the creature had already took notice of my presence, but all it could do by this point was watch as I ruthless plunged my sword into it's exposed skull.
It was all over within an instant.
The impact of my greatsword, coupled with the weight of my body behind its strike, resulted in the beast crumpling to the ground in a gruesome heap of dark fur and jagged bone. Sparing the lycan's body a suspicious glance, I immediately lifted my blade from it's body only slightly before immediately plunging it back down within the creatures corpse - No response...
As I removed my greatsword completely from the creature's mangled form, I came to the conclusion that the Abyss's influence within this forest was marginally weak at best. It was still a threat of course - it always would be... - but it was potentially one which could be easily dealt will if given enough attention and coordinated manpower.
Seeing no further need of the beast corpse, and not wanting it's corrupting influence to potentially fester anymore than it already had, I ignited my greatsword - intending to simply purify the abyssal abomination by turning it to ash. Yet, before I'm able to even touch the creature with the tip of my blade, it's body slowly begins to disintegrate into a dark miasma.
Within an second I am several feet away from the lycan's evaporating corpse. My form taking a low, defensive stance as I carefully observed the smoke dissipate into the sky above. When nothing remained of the beast or the miasma it produces I returned to my full hight.
My next action was purely fuelled by a mix of hatred and duty as I marching over to the place the creatures body once lay. With absolute conviction I plunged my flaming greatsword into the ground; causing an eruption of fire which engulfed the surrounding grove.
The ground becomes scorched and fractured, the trees turning to naut but charcoal. Once the purification of the grove was sufficient I removed my sword from the smouldering dirt - the flames fading into embers upon the blades removal.
Observing my work for but a moment, I slowly sheathing my greatsword away before leaving the area to continue my journey.
... The corruption of the Abyss cannot be allowed spread... No mater the cost...
...
Three days have now past since my resurrection... Three days since I discovered the Abyss's continued presence within this world...
In that time I have faced, fought and slew several abyssal abominations. The lycans having been the most prominent during my time wandered these lands - agile but relatively weak; from what I could gather they usually traveled in packs of five or more.
However... as I journeyed further within this endless forest, I soon discovered that the Abyss had also corrupted some of the local wildlife as well. Bears and boars must've been fairly prominent in this land, for there had been a great many which had stood before my blade. The Abyss changing and mutating their visages to that which matched those of the lycans - stripping away the flesh and muscle from their corroded bodies to reveal the bone which lay beneath.
... With each passing day it became ever-the-more apparent that the Abyss's corruption of this land was far worse than what I initially thought...
Yet, even with this revelation in mind, I still possessed no feasible way to turn the tide and push back the Abyss from this land... Truly, it might be for the best to simply burn the entire forest to the ground. It has been most efficient at culling the corruption I've encountered so far, but to ignite the entire land in a wave of purifying fire would likely be impossible with my own dwindled cinders... If I were to even attempt such a ploy, my last limb would most definitely become naught but ash...
As a familiar feeling creeped over my form, I resolved that the issue would not likely be solved at this time...
... The darkness is nearing once more...
With night having already fallen upon the land several hours prior, the moon's delicate reign now fully covered the world beneath it in a low, ethereal glow. Something else which had seemingly changed since my defeat was the aforementioned moon itself. I do not know what happened, or even how, all I knew was that a third of it's surface had been destroyed; the remains of which now hung in seemingly permanent orbit around the sight of it's destruction.
A part of me occasionally wonders upon looking too the celestial body: What would the Dark King Gwyndolin say if he could witness his precious moon be defiled in such a way? ... Regrettably, I highly doubt the God of the Dark Sun would still be amongst the living by this time.
News of the Kings ailing body was still relatively fresh by the time of my prior awakening, with echos and rumours of the traitorous Sulyvahn steadily consolidating power as unease within the kingdom and it's ruler grew. It wasn't long after that when word came to Farron's Keep of Gwyndolin's ousting as the ruler of Irithyll by the newly crowned Pontiff Sulyvahn. The profane tyrant soon imprisoning all those who would still proclaim loyalty to the Dark God, whilst Gwyndolin's own fate at the hands of Sulyvahn was shrouded in shadows...
True, the Legion of Farron's relations with the Dark King weren't anything of sufficient note, but it was an unquestioned fact that Gwyndolin was a necessary cog in the larger machine which kept the Age of Fire going. It was him after all who maintained the cycle of manipulating the naive and the foolish into sacrificing themselves over and over again to stoke the fire.
If it wasn't for the ever-present threat of the Abyss, it's corruptive nature over his limbs and the return of Aldrich - yet another resurrected Lord of Cinder; who, like myself, decided to forsake their duty; instead joining Sulyvahn in the Boreal Valley - the Legion of Farron would have likely stormed Irithyll to rid it of it's own brand of profane corruption.
Still, seeing as the Age of Fire is still in effect, perhaps the Champion of Ash had done what I was unable to do so long ago in his own search for Saint Aldrich and succeeded? - Purging Irithyll of it's darkness and passing Gwyndolin's position as ruler and guide to those seeking the privilege of rekindling the first flame to someone more suited for the role.
Perhaps it was even passed down to the young Crossbreed Princess who Gwyndolin favoured so much? - Making her leader of his Darkmoon Covenant and the rightful heir to the Thrown of the Gods, it was obvious the Lord of the Dark Sun was grooming her to take over the kingdom once he knew his time was coming to an close. Subsequently, it would not be too far fetched to also assume she'd take over his other - more unscrupulous - roles upon being crowned queen.
Maybe she still lives somewhere within this new world; guiding the light-minded towards the Kiln? ... Yet more thoughts to ponder upon at a later time...
Getting into visual range of the creatures, I could easily make out a group of three lycans aimlessly wandering around an open glade alongside a rather large abyssal scorpion which possessed a seeming sturdy bone exoskeleton and toxic stinger. The lycans would be easily dealt with, however the armoured arachnid may take a few more strikes and additional planning before it is vanquished... Having not fought such a beast within these last three days, it would be best to air on the side of caution.
Positioning myself within the tree line, I awaited for the three lycan to get into a position which was perpendicular to my own. As the time for my ploy came to fruition, I lunged forward into the glade, greatsword ablaze within my hand, as I angled it too the ground before dragging it through the lycan's line. It was only when I reached the other side of the glade when the ground exploded behind me in a burst of pluming fire.
Turning with a wide sweep of my blade, I charged the scorpion - noting the mutilated and ashen corpses of the three lycan near were my sword carved the ground as I narrowed the distance between myself and the last abyssal abomination.
In the end however, the skirmish with the scorpion was a much simpler affair than I previously assumed it would be... As I grew near the imposing beast it decided to face me head on; lunging at my form with it's vile stinger. I side-stepped the incoming attack quick enough; preparing a heavy slash at the arachnids soon-to-be exposed tail in return. My flaming greatsword easily slicing through the connection between it's armour tail and bulbous stinger.
A billowing screech erupted from the abyssal abomination's maw; rushing my position only moments later - armoured pincers rearing to strike at my form. Jumping back from the beast in time for it's sharpened pincers to impacted the ground were I once stood, I skilfully sheathed my greatsword before maneuvering my free hand to my belt whilst my main settled on the straps of my armoured pauldron.
As the beast dislodged it's pincers from the ground it was soon met by a searing blindness. Two burning throwing knives imbedded themselves deep within two of the creatures ten eyes, with the subsequent wave of fire from the impact of the blades causing additional damage to the remaining eight.
With the beast now thoroughly blinded, I unsheathed my greatsword once more alongside a parrying dagger sheathed on the right side of my belt. The dagger itself wasn't the same as the carved and serrated one synonymous with the Watchers of the Abyss, but a backup blade incase one or both primary weapons were rendered unusable during a fight - the same went for the two throwing knives stored on a Watchers left pauldron.
Just as I prepared my form for another charge and strike at the now blinded arachnid, I could suddenly felt something rapidly gaining ground on my position from with the tree line behind me...
My thoughts were cut off went I instinctively dashed several feet to the left before taking a tall, challenging stance. A new form raced across the glade only a step away from were I once stood a mere few moments before. The figure appearing to be a short humanoid in a red cloak and wielding a large scythe.
The diminutive scythe wielder soon took to the air midway through the glade as it aimed for a downwards strike at the arachnid's cranium. With beasts faceplates weakened by my prior attack on it's eyes, the scorpion's exoskeleton easily fractured under the force of the humans attack - it crumpling to the ground immediately, letting out a few last twitches before going still.
Looking too the human who dealt the final blow to the abyssal beast in more critical detail, I soon took notice that the person in question appeared to be a child... A raven's hair boy with red - though not glowing - eye and the stance of someone who was noticeably trained but who was also slightly intoxicated...
Removing his scythe from the scorpions faceplates he turned his attention upon my form with a proud bravado, "Hey there- umm..." though, said bravado died slightly upon meeting my embered body. "Uhhh... you're, umm... sorta, on fire, along with your sword. Is your gear dust infused...? Or is that a semblance sorta thing?" the kid questioned with an awkward cautiously - trying, and failing, to covertly ready his scythe for a potential fight.
I contemplated my next action for a brief moment. True, I could dispose of the human child here and now - it likely wouldn't be too difficult a task - but this was my first contact with a civilised being since awakening within this new world... It might be for the best to gain as much information which I can from this boy before deciding his fate? ...
In the end I chose to humor the child with a response to his inquiries, whilst also testing his reactions further. Motioning to the abyssal creature besides him with my sword, I manipulated the cinders within the metal of my throwing knives, causing the scorpion's body to sizzle and glow in several places before it inevitably crumpled into a mound of grey ash.
Jolting away from the newly formed ash pile, the raven haired boy was silent for a time before staring at me what seemed to be interest, "Okay..." he let out with slight bewilderment, "So... uhh, you a Huntsman or something then? That's some pretty cool armour and gear you've got there... You make them yourself?"
I replied with only more silence; choosing to rather listen and take note of what the kid had to say. However, upon his inquiry regarding my Watchers attire, a small pit formed deep within my undead soul. It seemed enough time had past that the Legion of Farron and the Abyss Watchers weren't commonly known anymore... It was a likely possibility, but now it was all but confirmed.
"Are you on a mission?" the boy continued to ask his questions, "Potentially heading somewhere...?"
"... I'm wandering." I chose to admit to the raven haired human in a low tone - the cinders which ignited my form and greatsword dying down somewhat as I continued to speak. With any luck he might just let loose the location of a nearby settlement or township if I indulged his queries. "I have no determined destination, nor am I aware of the local lands. What of you?"
The child was silenced by voice for a good few seconds as he just stare me down; seemingly it appeared he was judging the sincerity of my words, before giving a couple small nods of acceptance.
"Vale's not far off from here. I guess I can guide you there if you'd like? I was planning on heading back soon anyways."
Interesting... "Indeed. Let us head to Vale." I replied after a couple seconds of false consideration of his proposition.
He didn't seem to see it that way however, judging by the genuine smile the child gave me upon my acceptance of his offer of assistance. "Alright. Come on then, Vale's this way." and with that he started to move out of the small glade.
Staying behind for a few moments more, I finally sheathed my blades before moving over to the ashen remains of the abyssal scorpion. Crouching down, I shifted through the ash till my hand found my discarded throwing knives. Affixing them on my pauldron once more, I looked too the area were the raven haired kid was waiting for me at the threshold of the glade. A small, unseen smile decorated my features - glad in my decision not to immediately kill the boy.
With that final though, I returned to my full hight and made my way to the child's position. Ready and willing to see what the new world had to offer.
[6/3/21:edited one word or so, Once I realized the mistake was there I couldn't help but fix it.]