Summary: The duo has a moment of peace at Fire Link Shrine.
(Author's note: A bit of a shorter chapter this time. Now that Seath has been dealt with, I need to set a few things up. I also wanted to explore a few headcanons. I hope you enjoy and stay with this duo at their journey to get the other three lord souls.
Also, I decided to use both the POV of Tempest and Ornstein even in a single chapter. It is far easier for me. Tell me when it gets confusing. I promise the POV will never shift away from our main characters though.)
Tempest couldn't get enough from the warm, glowing soul he cradled into his hands.
This was part of a lord soul. A real one. And he had been the one to receive it.
Granted, he wouldn't have done it without Ornstein's help. Tempest should cook his favourite meal when they had a moment of rest.
Right now, the dragon slayer didn't looked like he was eager to eat anything at all. He sat on the ground next to Tempest at the Fire Link Shrine bonfire, his helmet removed and having a rather green colour in his face.
Tempest just wanted to test if the warping powers of the lordvessel could been activated when he would have someone with him and indeed, it worked. But through this he also learned that Ornstein didn't take easy to magic teleportation.
"Are you feeling better?", Tempest asked after a good while of silence.
"...The next time you ask before I get a surprise teleportation.", Ornstein murmured.
Ah good, he was talking again. For a moment Tempest had been worried that Ornstein would vomit all over the Fire Link Shrine, so sick had he looked.
"...sorry.", Tempest said, gaze locking back onto the soul he got from Seath.
"...You are awfully fond of this thing already.", Ornstein said.
Tempest eyes lightened up: "Because it is a lord soul. A real one! I never thought I would see one, much less that I would be the one holding it in their hands! I just... have a hard time grasping it, that's all." He looked at Ornstein and his eyes softened: "This wouldn't have been possible without your help, you know this."
"And I already said to you, I only fulfilled my duties."
"Still!", Tempest said out loud. "...Say, Ornstein, don't you have a part of the lord soul too? Does your soul look as beautiful as this?"
"What? You don't expect me I can just rip it out my body to show you? That isn't how this works!"
"No, but I mean, you must have merged your soul with the lord soul part somehow, right? And haven't you seen it then?"
Ornstein looked down at Tempest, studying the face of the little Undead. He had this big curious eyes again. Biting back a sigh, he began to explain: "When I got the part of the lord soul, I indeed merged it with my own, but that wasn't done by pulling my soul out of my body. Instead, I inserted the part into my chest where it could merge with my own soul. It felt... very warm and hot, almost burning. It has been so long but I still remember it vividly..."
"You mean, it felt like if you drink soup that is still too hot?", Tempest chipped in.
"...You know, Artorias would have really liked you."
Both of them stayed silent for a while before Tempest spoke: "How was he? Artorias, I mean."
It took Ornstein a while before he replied: "He was... always there when you needed him. He would always listen. He was always smiling. As nerve-racking as he could be, his presence made every day a little bit brighter. And so, as he died, my world got a little darker..."
"...I am sorry.", Tempest said once again.
"...Don't sweat it. That was a long time ago..."
Ornstein seemed to act like he didn't care anymore, as if he was above this things, but Tempest, studying his face, seeing the frown and the glistening tears the dragon slayer tried with all his might not to shed, knew that this wasn't the case.
"...Shall we maybe take a walk around Fire Link Shrine? I can introduce you to the others."
"Oh and how do you want to introduce me, the knight from legends who is twice the size of you humans and should instill fear in your hearts?", Ornstein said, voice practically dripping with sarcasm.
Tempest was happy that he managed to distract Ornstein from his loneliness, but he apparently had to be complicated about it.
"I just say that you are my friend who helps me with my quest. I don't have the feeling the Undead at the shrine know a lot about Lordran. They are all from other lands.", he said, standing up. "Are you coming or not?"
"Fine.", Ornstein said, putting his helmet back on and standing up too. "But I leave the talking to you."
"Great!", Tempest smiled, heading into the directions of some stairs, but briefly froze and looked back at the bonfire.
Ornstein followed his gaze and both of them stared at the onion knight standing near the bonfire, clearly so lost in thought that they hadn't noticed the duo.
"Is that Sieglinde?", Ornstein asked. "Doesn't feel like it.", he added.
"No, I think that is Siegmeyer.", Tempest said, squinting his eyes. With the same suit of armour it was hard to find out which of the knights really was in it, but that distinct sense of being absent smelled too much like Siegmeyer.
Tempest casually strolled over: "Hey Siegmeyer. I see you have made it back from Anor Londo."
The onion knights head jerked up and when he saw Tempest his face seemed to lighten, even though it was impossible to see through the armour, his whole being just seemed to light up as he spoke:
"Well! Fancy meeting you here.
You did much for me up above. I am grateful.
You know, I was thinking…
The gates at the old fortress…
Was that your doing?"
"Um, you could say that, yes...", Tempest replied to the question, biting back a nervous laugh. That he had opened the gates for Siegmeyer had been a pure coincidence after all.
"Yes! I knew it!
It seemed like an unlikely coincidence.
Well, am I fortunate! This knight of Catarina thanks you sincerely
Please take this, as a token of my gratitude."
The onion knight handed Tempest a scroll. Ornstein glanced at it and determined it as a miracle, but one he had never seen before.
"Oh, thank you very much.", Tempest smiled. "Say, I have to tell you something!", Tempest suddenly said but got interrupted when Ornstein laid a hand on his shoulder and just shook his head. "Oh, nevermind.", he finished. "Say, Siegmeyer, what are you planning to do now?"
"Oh me? I'll be heading down below shortly.
There's nothing worthwhile up above.
No worries! Adventuring is my life; I'm prepared for the worst."
He finished with a hearty laugh.
"Just... take care.", Tempest said and stepped behind a corner, whispering to Ornstein: "Why shouldn't I tell him about his daughter?"
"It's better when he doesn't know. It probably is also better when this two never meet. When we see her the next time, we should just tell her that she should leave. Lordran is no place for a living human.", Ornstein said.
It took a few seconds before the statement hit Tempest, but once it did, he threw his hands up in the air and almost shouted: "She's not UNDEAD?!"
"Little storm, not so loud.", Ornstein hissed. "And yes indeed, she isn't. I could feel her soul power resonating within her, you Undead have a completely different feel. It is more than impressive that she made it to Anor Londo in this state."
"I have a newfound respect for this girl.", Tempest whispered.
"You wanted to go elsewhere before you saw Siegmeyer, so where to?", Ornstein asked after a few minutes of silence.
"Oh right, I wanted to pay Laurentius a visit.", Tempest called out. He led Ornstein up some stairs, heading for an Undead dressed in the robes of the pyromancers of the great swamp. Ornstein tensed at his sight.
"Hey Laurentius, how is it going?", Tempest asked with a big smile.
"Oh, it's.. it's you. I.. I surely hope my flame was of help?", Laurentius spoke, a sonore voice interspersed with some kind of anxiety. Though Ornstein could relate to this, he preferred to stay a bit to the side.
"It was, thank you very much. Actually, I wanted to ask you if I could get an upgrade?"
"Of... of course. Just hand me the souls I need for this."
Ornstein watched as Tempest went to grab the souls. It was as fascinating as it was disturbing. While most people just absorbed the souls once the kill had been done, Undead only could store them. And so they were able to trade them. Ornstein saw how Tempest turned around to open up the leather vest he was wearing and touching the dark sign to channel the right amount of souls to hand over to the pyromancer.
The process looked at weird as it looked distressing for the little storm. Ornstein asked himself if maybe he shouldn't have stared. He discreetly looked away as the pyromancer took the souls, probably to add to his own stock and got to work.
"So.. who is your friend standing there?", Laurentius asked while working on the flame. Tempest turned around to look at Ornstein.
"I met him in Anor Londo. He helps me out with my quest.", he replied. "You know, you can come a bit closer!", he suddenly shouted.
Ornstein winced and answered: "...sorry, fire just isn't my thing."
"Oh, th.. that's fine, I understand.", Laurentius said and Ornstein could hear some hurt in the pyromancer's voice. It didn't surprise him. Pyromancy was scoffed upon, especially from sorcerers, being a very primal art of casting. That Ornstein didn't want to come closer because fire reminded him of the dragon war and he could get a... rather negative reaction, he didn't dare to say.
It probably was better when none of the other residents of this shrine knew who he truly was.
The both Undead talked about some trivial things with each other before Tempest got his pyromancy flame back and said his goodbyes.
"Where to now?", Ornstein asked.
"I wanted to visit Logan's student, Griggs.", Tempest said. "He surely wants to hear about his master's whereabouts, don't you think?"
Ornstein couldn't argue with this, after all, he asked himself where his own master was for centuries now. Tempest ran upon a small figure dressed in the sorcerer garb of the dragon school of Vinheim.
Vinheim with their practices of dragon worship had never been very welcome in Anor Londo.
"Hey, Griggs, guess who I found in the Archives? It was Logan!", Tempest exclaimed.
"Master Logan is safe? Oh, these are good news.", the young looking sorcerer said. Of course there wasn't any guarantee that he was still young, just like Ornstein was hundreds of years old, the Undead could have been like this for hundreds of years too and just kept their appearance they had when they turned undead.
"He was behind bars though, your master seem to have an affinity for being caught.", Tempest laughed. "But don't worry, we freed him and he studies in the archives now.", Tempest gestured to Ornstein, who simply gave a small nod at his mention.
"Are you in need of any sorceries?", Griggs asked. "I would like to travel behind Master Logan soon, but I don't want to leave you hanging after all you have done for me. And Master Logan."
"Actually, I would like to buy that last one you offered.", Tempest said with a grin.
"Of course, just hand me the souls."
This time Ornstein turned around as the exchange happened and soon Tempest was in the possession of a scroll with a mighty sorcery on it.
"Why did you buy this? I don't think you are able to use this sorcery.", Ornstein said as they walked away from Griggs.
"I made a lot of souls in the archives and just wanted to share.", Tempest replied. "Besides, maybe I learn how to use this! You'll never know!"
"Any more people you need to visit at this shrine?", Ornstein asked.
"Ah, not at this shrine anymore, but I would like to visit Andre, the blacksmith in the parish.", Tempest said. "It would be quicker to warp there, but don't worry, there is a shortcut and you only need to fight three hollows to reach him."
In secret, Ornstein was glad. Magic teleportation really didn't sit well with him. That Tempest took this into consideration made him incredibly sympathetic.
As they headed for the aforementioned shortcut, they passed another Undead, a rather burly man in the typical cleric garb of Thorolund, or maybe the armour just let him look like it. "Oh, this is Petrus.", Tempest whispered to Ornstein and went over to talk with the man.
"Has your lady returned yet, Petrus?", Tempest asked.
"M'lady...? I am afraid not, just where could she have run of too?", the cleric replied. Ornstein frowned under his helmet. A sworn protector who has let his protégé run away? And was not searching under every stone for her?
"Don't fret.. I am sure you will find her.", Tempest reassured the cleric. He didn't seem to acknowledge Ornstein's presence at all, so the two of them went on.
"This guy, he is shady.", Ornstein whispered. "Why wouldn't he search for the lady he should protect? I think he might have abandoned her."
"What?!", Tempest eyes grew wide. "...your words makes sense, but... he looked so distressed."
"He's acting. I have seen enough people like this in my life. Just... don't talk to him anymore. He isn't worth it."
"Well, I guess so...", Tempest said as they stepped in an elevator that took the both of them right into the church of the Undead Parish.
Ornstein hadn't been in this place in ages. The knights of Anor Londo had sometimes helped out the human population of Lordran to fight off threads, but most of the time, they had been on an Undead hunt.
Now Ornstein was sure that not a single living human was left in the land of Lordran anymore.
Like Tempest had said, the way to Andre was easy and only guarded by three very weak hollows that fell to their blades far too quickly. As they made their way to the blacksmith passing a bonfire, the constant clanging of a hammer was heard echoing in the old building.
Ornstein followed Tempest but preferred to stay out of sight of the blacksmith. He only would pique interest with the golden armour and the special weapon he wielded.
Tempest talked to the blacksmith who first noticed the crystal ember that Tempest had found in the Archives, quickly dismissing it, stating that he wouldn't be able to use it. They then talked further and shortly afterwards Ornstein could hear the distinct sound of a twinkling titanite used to reinforce a weapon. Apparently, Tempest had taken a liking to the silver knight straight sword.
After the weapon had been handed back to Tempest, Ornstein noticed that another exchange of souls happened. When Tempest came back to Ornstein he held an item in his hand, presenting it to him, asking: "Ornstein, what is that?"
"The Crest of Artorias.", Ornstein gasped. "Why did the blacksmith had it?"
"Wait, this belonged to your friend?"
"No.", Ornstein quickly shook his head. "It is a key that can open the door that leads to his grave. It was made by Princess Dusk of Oolacile after the grave robbers went too far. There is an alternate path to the grave, but it is long and difficult to take, so the door kept the grave rather safe the last few hundreds year."
Ornstein fell silent after this explanation. While the door had managed to keep most graver robbers out, what it didn't had managed was to keep Ciaran's sadness out of her heart. She had died right next to the grave of her beloved.
"...Do you want to visit the grave?", Tempest asked, concern shining in his blue eyes.
"No, not yet.", Ornstein said. "We have to go there eventually, because that is where the friend is we need to talk to, but.. for now, let's go somewhere else."
"Alright.", Tempest said, pocketing the magic key. "Let's head back to Fire Link Shrine."
"What destination have you picked out for us to head next?", Ornstein asked.
"I was thinking heading to the catacombs... I already have been there, though I was mostly running through it screaming... The gravelord is down there, right?"
Ornstein simply nodded once they rode the elevator back to the shrine. Once they had managed to make it to the bright burning flame, Tempest spotted the familiar onion knight and said: "Oh, Siegmeyer, didn't you want to head out?"
"Idiot.", Ornstein hissed and gave Tempest a slight hit on the head.
"You have seen my father? Where did he head to?", the voice of Sieglinde asked and Tempest knew instantly which kind of mistake he had done.
"Uh, he didn't tell.", he quickly lied.
"Still, thank you. Now I know he must be around somewhere here...", Sieglinde murmured to herself.
"I sure hope you haven't doomed this girl.", Ornstein scoffed as they sneaked away from her, in the direction of where a loud snoring sounded.
Ornstein knew the primordial serpent, knew that he was a friend of Gwyn and that he also worked closely with Gwyndolin.
And Ornstein also perfectly knew that Frampt wasn't telling the whole truth. His gaze rested on the slumbering serpent for a little while before it wandered to the little storm, cheerily hopping in front of him, heading for the cemetery.
Just a sacrifice., Ornstein thought to himself. He really had gotten too attached.
"So, the first time here I tried to get past this skeletons for an hour or so.", Tempest said, pointing to a piles of bones on the ground. "Eventually I gave up and searched for another way. I don't even know why I was so dead set on trying to get past them."
"Well, sounds like a typical mistake only an Undead could make.", Ornstein said. "After all, every sane person would leave immediately and try to get to safety once they notice they don't have a chance."
"... I surely think I could have a chance now.", Tempest said. "Are you ready to help out, Ornstein?"
"Sure.", the dragon slayer replied with a grin under his helmet.
After a short while every skeleton at the cemetery was an unmoving piles of bones and Tempest had picked up a comically large sword, which got determined as a Zweihander by Ornstein.
"We never used weapons like this in Anor Londo, but we had a squad using big weapons, they eventually became the black knights. We also had one silver knight named Ledo who used a giant hammer... was good friends with Havel, the stone warrior.", Ornstein casually told. Tempest soaked up every word he shared from a world the Undead hadn't been part of.
"So how is Nito like?", Tempest asked as they stood in front of the entrance of the catacombs.
"Hmm... Maybe I'll tell you when you manage to reach the next bonfire without my help.", Ornstein teased, but didn't expect the little storm to take the tease serious as he practically rushed into the catacombs.
"... At least he uses a silver knight sword.", Ornstein murmured to himself as he switched out his own dragon slayer spear for the silver knight spear he had used many years ago.
He waited five more seconds, heard the sounds of explosions and then followed Tempest into the crypt.