Title: A Storm is coming (Chapter 22)
Fandom: Dark Souls
Characters: Chosen Undead/Dragon Slayer Ornstein, Dark Sun Gwyndolin
Word Count: 6.992
AO3-Link: /works/16603610/chapters/54567793
Previous chapter: post/190441575024/title-a-storm-is-coming-chapter-21-fandom-dark
Summary: Ornstein drags Tempest to visit Gwyndolin to ask a specific question and then the both of them travel to a cold, lonely and gentle (?) place.
(Author's note: Phew, I had planned for them to go to Painted World for a while now, but I didn't thought it would have been so soon, but my characters act in their own ways and so they wanted to go there now or more, Ornstein wanted to go there, Tempest just follows along ^^
I could work some of the scenes I had planned for a long time into this arc, I very hope you enjoy.
Oh, and did you know that a fic inspired by mine was written? It is "Eye of the Storm" ( /works/22617718/chapters/54053647) by Doom 1713 and please give it a read!)
After they had picked up the rusty ring which Tempest grumbled about a few minutes more, there was nothing more to do for them in the Asylum so they headed back to the bonfire.
"You are fine with teleporting?", Tempest asked, black eye sockets stared at Ornstein with a worried expression, even though this shouldn't be possible.
"Yes. This will be far quicker than walking back to Anor Londo.", Ornstein said.
"When we are back there, shall we take the opportunity and get rid of that titanite demon in the cathedral?", Tempest asked.
"No, I want go to to Dark Moon Tomb.", Ornstein said.
"Oh, alright.", Tempest extended one hand to the fire and felt for Ornstein's with the other. Even though the dragon slayer could barely feel anything through his thick metal gauntlet, he had a weird feeling in his chest once Tempest took his hand. Or maybe it was just his anticipation of the aftereffects of the teleport.
It didn't take long until he felt the familiar feeling of being dragged through space and once the Dark Moon Tomb came into side, he sat down, heavy breathing as he tried to settle down his nausea and to swallow down the bile instead of throwing up in his helmet.
"Are you alright?", Tempest said. When Ornstein slightly turned his head he saw that the little Storm had sat down next to him, still with this big worried eye sockets. Ornstein allowed himself a few more seconds of deep breathing before he replied.
"Yes... yes, I am fine. I just need a moment."
Tempest made an approving sound and waited until Ornstein stood up on his own and walked over to the fog gate to the actual Dark Moon Tomb. "Gwyndolin, it's me, Ornstein. I want to talk to you."
"Ornstein? What a nice surprise.", Gwyndolin's voice came from the other side of the fog gate. "Are you alone?"
"No, the little St... the Undead is with me too.", Ornstein said, cursing himself because he nearly slipped up. "He can come with me. In fact, I want him to hear what I have to say."
Tempest's heart skipped a beat as he heard this. Whatever it was Ornstein wanted to talk about, that he wanted Tempest to be a part of it made the little Undead's chest bloom with warmth. Maybe he still had a chance after all.
"Then come in.", Gwyndolin said and the fog gate vanished. Tempest rushed to the entrance but got stopped by Ornstein before he could cross it.
"Do you really think you should face the Dark Sun like this?", Ornstein scolded him.
Tempest stared at him with a little bit of confusion before realization hit. "Oh.", he just said and rushed back to the bonfire. When he came back, his hollowed out form had taken shape again and his blue eyes were eagerly placed on Ornstein.
Ornstein didn't bother to say anything to him but instead just stepped into the Dark Moon Tomb and crossed the hallway until they arrived at the room Gwyndolin resided in.
"Ornstein... Chosen Undead...", Gwyndolin said, clapping their hands together. "It is good to see you again. How would you describe the process of your quest?"
"We have gathered two of the lord souls!", Tempest piped up before Ornstein could even say anything. He found them in his luggage and presented them both to Gwyndolin. "Seath and Gravelord Nito." Tempest looked very proud as he presented them. "Ornstein was a huge help."
"Just be glad that you can't die, because I still have the day where you just rushed to Seath and died instantly and got imprisoned vividly in my mind.", Ornstein smirked.
"Don't remind me of that.", Tempest said, laying his head down on the table. "That only was the start for the most intense training in my life."
"It's good to see that you two are getting along now.", Gwyndolin chuckled with a white robed arm in front of their face. "But...", they took on a more serious tone. "You surely didn't want to come here to just chat."
"Of course not, no.", Ornstein said before realizing what Gwyndolin had said and snorted: "Getting along? I have to make sure that this little idiot doesn't rush to his doom day and night. I can't wait until we are done with this whole quest."
Tempest stared at Ornstein at this harsh words. Was he truly meaning it... He had a tight feeling in his chest, but... Ornstein had actively encouraged him to go back to the asylum. Even though it didn't had to do anything with the quest at all... Tempest had the assumption that Ornstein wasn't true to himself.
"Of course.", Gwyndolin said. "But you seem to be able to work together. That will help you greatly with getting the missing two lord souls." They flicked their catalyst and three tea cups appeared. "Let me get some tea.", they said and vanished for a short while before returning to fill steaming hot tea in the conjured tea cups. Tempest picked it up and studied it, not trusting that the tea cup wouldn't vanish any moment. He couldn't taste the tea anyway, only the warmth was nice.
"It won't vanish just because you drink out of it.", Ornstein said, taking a sip of his own.
"Oh, alright...", Tempest said and took a sip too. He briefly wondered why Gwyndolin hadn't also conjured the tea but figured that an illusion would hardly be nourishing. Not that he needed it...
Gwyndolin sat down again and took a sip of their own tea, putting their attention at Ornstein and said: "Well?"
"Gwyndolin, you probably remember Seath's daughter.", Ornstein said.
Even with the crown on their head Tempest could see how their gaze darkened.
"Of course. How could I ever forget her and... what my father had decided should be her fate.", they said, putting their tea cup down and staring into it.
"The little Storm and me have gone to the Asylum and...", Ornstein said, but got interrupted by Gwyndolin.
"Ornstein, what was that? Did you give our Chosen Undead a nickname?", they chuckled.
"I have an actual name, you know.", Tempest complained. He had gotten used to Ornstein calling him little Storm, but just being referred to as the Chosen Undead made him uneasy.
"Well, um...", Ornstein said and then furiously blushed. "That isn't the question here! We found this at the asylum!" He pulled out the doll and threw it on the table, making Gwyndolin gasp.
"But... but how did it find its way to the asylum...?", they picked the doll up and studied it instantly. "With that... with this doll you can visit her... with this doll you could free her..."
Tempest looked from Ornstein to Gwyndolin. What were they talking about? He almost was a bit annoyed that nobody seemed to explain anything to him.
"I wanted to ask for your permission.", Ornstein said. "Back then I couldn't do anything. It wasn't her fault. She never was a bad child. I am... still glad that I didn't had to, you know...", he made a gesture that was very clear about what he tried to not say out aloud. "But... I never stopped feeling guilty about it. She deserves better."
"Indeed.", Gwyndolin said. "Especially because... Wait here, I have to show you something."
As soon as Gwyndolin was gone Tempest had enough: "Ornstein, what are you talking about? I don't understand anything."
"Of course, this whole thing was very secret. You probably only heard fairy tales about it.", Ornstein said. "Did Astora have a version of the Painted World fairy tale?"
"Oh, of course we did. It is about this girl getting trapped into a magical painting.", Tempest said, trying to recall how the exact fairy tale went. His mother surely had told him this a few times...
"That was never a fairy tale. The truth is, the Painted World exists and it was used by the gods to imprison anything that they deemed to dangerous to be left free.", Ornstein said.
Tempest's face fell. This sounded a lot more bleak than the fairy tale he remembered.
Gwyndolin came back before Tempest could ask another question and laid a large round object on the table. It looked like an egg... but it was gigantic.
"Gwyndolin, is this...", Ornstein said, not finishing the question he already knew the answer too.
"Correct. I found this in Seath's workshop.", Gwyndolin said. As Ornstein put a questioning look at them they started to explain: "I thought I should clean it out a bit and see if he had some artifacts lying around that shouldn't be found. But I find this egg instead. He put a stasis spell on it, but now that he is dead, they should hatch soon."
"Are you planning to raise them?", Ornstein asked and Gwyndolin nodded.
"Wait, in this thing there is a baby?!", Tempest blurted out, just now getting what they were talking about.
"You got it.", Ornstein said. "I am sure Gwyndolin will do their best to raise them into a proper child."
"After all, I am pretty sure they might be a blood sibling of mine...", Gwyndolin said and Ornstein nearly choked on his tea.
"I just knew that Seath did it somehow... I don't know why, but of course he would manage to seduce even Lord Gwyn.", he growled.
"This is all getting too much for me...", Tempest said, he felt a headache coming. Just in which kind of world were these two living?
"I explain it later to you.", Ornstein said. "So you give us permission to visit the Painted World and free Priscilla?"
"Yes.", Gwyndolin said. "It would also be nice if the little one would be able to meet their sister. But please, Ornstein... don't force her to anything. It should be of her own free will."
At this Ornstein looked down at Tempest... while he got and understood Gwyndolin's concerns, he didn't had the feeling that the little Storm got a choice. Tempest interpreted Ornstein staring at him differently though and smiled up to him. "So our next destination is this Painted World? Were is it?"
"Here in Anor Londo, not too far from the Dark Moon Tomb actually.", Ornstein said.
"You just go up the stairs and then enter church where it is housed. You probably have traversed this room while balancing on the beams.", Gwyndolin added.
Tempest had to think a bit, but then realization hit: "Oh! This room with the chandelier and the white robed freaks which threw knifes?! Don't ask me how often I fell to my death there. I thought I would never make it through and then I had to encounter the sharp shooters!"
"Ah yes, my favourite part of watching your journey to us.", Ornstein grinned and received a tiny slap from Tempest.
"I am very glad you two get along so well.", Gwyndolin said. "How about you finish your tea before you set off?"
"And how about something to eat?", Tempest said. "Aren't you hungry, Ornstein? We have been up and fighting the whole morning."
"I am good.", Ornstein said. "You can feel free to cook something for me once we are finished with our quest in the Painted World."
"I am going to cook the greatest meal ever.", Tempest grinned and drank the rest of his tea in one gulp.
Of course he still had to wait for Ornstein who wasn't Undead and still had basic needs but once the dragon slayer was finished with everything, they headed into the direction of the Painted World.
"Be careful. There should be plenty of Painting Guardians in there.", Ornstein said, standing at the door leading into the church housing the Painted World, peeking into the room.
"Painting Guardians?", Tempest asked.
"These figures within wearing white robes. They used to be human but then they all got cursed with Undeath and are now hollowed out."
"Oh, the annoyances with the throwing knifes?"
Ornstein nodded: "Yes, if you want to call them this..."
"They shouldn't be a problem. This time we are on the floor and not like 30 feet above the ground.", he grabbed his sword with both hands and proceeded into the room. "That shouldn't be a problem."
Roughly thirty seconds later Tempest came running back to the door, a few throwing knifes stuck in him, around five Painting Guardians following him, screaming: "It is a problem!"
Ornstein sighed: "I told you to be careful."
He stepped into the room and took care of two Painting Guardians at once with a single thrust of his spear. It was enough time for Tempest to heal his wounds with a sip of Estus and turn the battle around. Ornstein noticed that he now used his shield.
Tempest managed to get one of them down and then got pulled against a pillar as he tried to block their continuous attacks. Ornstein jumped in and slashed one of them open with a single strike of his spear, giving Tempest the opportunity to thrust his sword into the last one.
"Well, little Storm, do you have to say something in your defense?", Ornstein asked as Tempest stood there, breathing heavily. After a few minutes he had caught his breath and said: "I didn't know they would hide behind the pillars, alright?!"
"Now you know. And now we can be more careful with the ones that are still here.", Ornstein said. "Just be glad that hollows aren't very intelligent. If they still would have had their minds, they would have all come at you."
Tempest shuddered at the thought and put his sword to his back in favour of picking up his bow.
"Good thought.", Ornstein smiled as an arrow whirred through the air and hit one of the Painting Guardians, prompting them to turn around and rush at them.
A few arrows and a few corpses later the both of them stood in front of the painting.
"Woah.", Tempest said. "This is the biggest painting I ever saw."
"The artist's name was Ariamis.", Ornstein said. "I have never met them, but they had the power to turn the world into the painting into life. With the doll we should be able to enter it."
"Wait a moment. I want to look at the painting from afar before we go in.", Tempest said and ran quite a distance back. As he turned around, his gaze was on the painting for a short while before getting distracted.
"Oh wait, Ornstein, there are still some guardians left.", he shouted and pointed into the corners of the room and shortly after he had said that, already rushed to take care of them.
Ornstein simply watched him fight and once both of them had dropped dead – for now – Tempest stopped on the way back to Ornstein and looked at something on the ground before kneeling down and inspecting it closer. That got Ornstein curious and when he checked on Tempest he saw the little Undead frowning in front of some huge, black armour.
"Did this belong to anyone you know?", Ornstein asked.
Tempest shook his head. "No, never saw a knight wearing this armour. Or at least I think. I tried to remember, but I am pretty sure I never saw them."
Ornstein kneeled down too to inspect the armour. "That armour is huge and heavy, as well as the weapons that come with it.", he said. "The one wearing this must have been big and strong. Probably would have been black knight material if they weren't human."
Tempest gave Ornstein a tart look and said: "What, you didn't had humans in your ranks?"
"We had.", Ornstein said. "Havel and his warriors. But nobody who made it into the rank of silver or black knight was ever human."
"Havel?", Tempest asked.
"I am surprised that you didn't meet him.", Ornstein said. "He got undead and hollowed out. I think Lord Gwyn locked him in a tower near Dark Root Garden so that he couldn't hurt anyone. Stone armour. Uses a dragon tooth as a weapon. One of the only humans who managed to face a dragon."
"Aaaah!", Tempest said, realization hitting. "Yes, I remember that one. I didn't come back after I got smashed one too many times. That did hurt horribly, you know."
"I hope you have locked the door again.", Ornstein said. "Though with the state Lordran is in it hardly matters..."
Tempest laid down the armour he had inspected and looked up. "Huh, I wonder how this one hollowed out? Did they fall of the roofs one too many times and then just... gave up?"
"Who knows?", Ornstein shrugged. "We shouldn't search for questions we don't have answers for, but instead concentrate on our mission. Take my hand, little Storm."
Tempest blushed a bit as the dragon slayer presented his hand. While it was usual for them to hold hands when teleporting through the bonfire, Ornstein usually didn't invite him to hold it. He raised his hand to place it into the cold gauntlet of the dragon slayer and waited.
Ornstein touched the painting in front of them and the next thing he knew was that they got sucked in.
Once Tempest opened his eyes he gasped. The sight in front of him was the exact same one as the sight of the Painting. Before he could take it in fully though he noticed that both him and Ornstein were standing on a rather narrow hanging bridge and the dragon slayer was swaying a bit. Oh, of course, his teleporting sickness.
"Are you feeling alright, Ornstein?", Tempest said, worry shining in his eyes. "Or do you have to puke?"
Ornstein took a few heavy breathes which didn't convince Tempest at all that he wouldn't puke down the bridge any moment so without thinking he took Ornstein's hand in his own and started walking: "We should get you off that bridge, the unstable ground will make your nausea only worse."
Tempest was a tiny bit surprised when Ornstein pressed his hand into Tempest's and let himself guide off the bridge. Once they were off, the walkway was still very narrow but more stable and there were quite a few stairs. "Do you want to sit down here?", Tempest asked and turned around to look at Ornstein.
The dragon slayer nodded and then gulped before sitting down at the base of the stairs, heavily breathing. "Maybe you should take your helmet off to get some fresh air.", Tempest suggest, sitting himself on the stairs, both hands on his knees, looking at Ornstein.
Ornstein, who still hadn't uttered a single word, heeded Tempest's advice and took off his helmet, his face looked kinda pale and even a bit green. The teleport into the Painted World seemed to have taken a good toll on the dragon slayer's stomach. He continued to take deep breathes, in and out and Tempest was starting to ask himself if he should take cover when the inevitable happened but then Ornstein straightened himself and muttered: "Hm, alright, it seems to be over."
"Are you sure?", Tempest asked as he got up. Ornstein made a sound of agreement and fumbled his hair through his helmet, staggering a bit more before getting his composure back and picking up his spear. Tempest turned around and finally could take in the view he had seen from the bridge.
"It's hard to believe this place is real.", he marvelled. He almost couldn't believe it was a real place, but he could feel the chilling cold air on his skin and the snow on the stairs crunched under his boots.
"This place is called the Painted World of Ariamis.", Ornstein said. "Like I said, some gods are able to create paintings that turn to life and Ariamis was one of them."
"Amazing.", Tempest said as he ran up the stairs, Ornstein slowly following him. Tempest only stopped once he spotted a bonfire and went over to light it up. Once Ornstein had caught up with him, he had already rested on it and murmured: "Hm, the lord vessel won't function with this one... I can't visualize where I want to go..."
"Of course.", Ornstein said, sitting down next to Tempest. "This place is a prison. Every Undead who would be able to warp through bonfires would just have been able to leave, so it got cut off from the others."
"That probably means we are stuck here.", Tempest said, lying down in the snow with his arms stretched out.
"There is a way to leave this place, don't worry.", Ornstein said. "But for this we have to find our way through the Painted World."
Tempest pulled himself up and then jumped on his feet: "What are we waiting for then? Let's explore every crook and nanny of this place!"
"You are strangely motivated.", Ornstein chuckled, rising on his own feet.
"Hey, I am in the world of my childhood fairy tale. Of course I want to see it!", Tempest could hardly conceal the excitement in his voice.
"Maybe don't get your hopes up too high. This place is still a prison. There are bound to be some ugly things here...", Ornstein said, turning around and facing the stairs that led to a large building. "Little Storm, how about you take the lead?"
"Alright.", Tempest headed to the stairs and started to climb them, stopping and raising his shield when a few hollows charged at him. "It seems like we already got company.", he said as he swung his sword and fell one of the three hollows that had charged at him. Ornstein's spear struck the other two down with ease.
After all three hollows had collapsed on the ground with a groan, Tempest scanned the area and then walked to the large wooden door right in front of them. "This... won't budge...", he grunted as he tried to open it. "Seems like you have to open it from the other side."
"So we have to go the long way.", Ornstein said, turning to the right.
"Like usual.", Tempest let go of the door and followed Ornstein. The path ended at the right wall, but instead a few stairs were build into the wall in front of them which Tempest climbed up. After he had climbed these stairs up, Tempest turned to the right to see another set of stairs... and an arrow flying at him which he avoided just in time, leaving Ornstein exposed to the attack but before Tempest could warn him Ornstein just flicked his spear and the arrow fell to the ground.
"This place must be chuck full of hollows.", he murmured as he charged his spear at the sharpshooter on the top of the stairs. The smell of burned flesh was in the air once it fell down the stairs.
"Why are there hollows in this place?", Tempest asked. "They weren't like... painted in it, right?"
"No, of course not.", Ornstein said. "When the Painted World was created, hollows didn't exist yet. These are Undead who were tossed into the Painted World before we established the Asylum. Before we knew how much this curse would spread. In the Painted World we wouldn't have to fear them getting hollow and attack us."
"This actually makes sense...", Tempest said and ascended the stairs in front of them, bracing himself for more hollows. And of course two more hollows attacked him with broken swords. While their weapon hardly could do any damage, hollows possessed some kind of wild strength which could even made a hit with a broken sword hurt. As he fend them off he spotted another archer on even more stairs that led further up. Ornstein jumped in and fried these archer too.
Tempest managed to take down the two hollows who had fought him and when he looked up, he saw Ornstein standing there, two more hollows approaching him, but these ones looked... wrong. Where their head should be there was like a... swollen bulb. One of them carried a torch and the other one weaved pyromancy. No wonder that Ornstein wasn't keen on getting close... or... he seemed to have another reason.
"Little Storm, be careful with them.", Ornstein said, slowly backing away. "Keep your distance with them, they are toxic."
Tempest's eyes widened and he switched to his bow: "Out of the way then, Ornstein, I am going to shoot them!"
The dragon slayer gladly complied and soon enough both of the strange hollows had been shot, Tempest surprised at how easy he had hit them. Their swollen head apparently was a good mark.
Ornstein was right about them being toxic, once the bulb popped, which in itself was a disgusting sound, a purple cloud evacuated from them. The smell was even more disgusting as the sound and Tempest could see how Ornstein turned around and had this heavy breathing again.
"If you have to puke, just do it.", Tempest said. "It's better to get it out instead of forcing it to stay down."
"I am fine...", Ornstein said. Tempest decided to still leave him a bit of space and walked back down the stairs, inspecting the fallen hollows. The bow of one of the archers looked still usable so he pocketed it and when he got back up he noticed that there was a small path in the corner. He narrowed his eyes and inspected the small path to see another set of stairs that led up.
"How many stairs does this place have?", Tempest muttered, waving Ornstein to him.
"What have you found, little Storm?", Ornstein asked but his question got answered when he looked to the right. "You want to go up there?"
"Yes.", Tempest said and slowly walked the stairs up until he arrived at an alcove where of course two hollows were awaiting him. Both of them fell with one strike, one to Tempest's sword and one to Ornstein's spear.
"And now...?", Tempest looked around and spotted more stairs. "That Ariamis guy surely liked stairs.", he complained and ran them up, an unfortunate hollow at the end of them turned victim to his sword. Ornstein quietly followed him. The stairs led to a small roof with a corpse lying on it. Tempest inspected the corpse and picked up a small white item which seemed to waver.
"The soul of a decent warrior.", Ornstein said. "They had accumulated quite a bit of soul power. Maybe they have fought against the hollows in this world again and again."
"You can see this with just one glance?", Tempest asked. "I have to pop them to know how much power they hold..."
"Of course, the greater the soul, the more soul power the bearer had.", Ornstein said. "There doesn't seem to be anything else here. We should go back and follow the path."
"Wait a moment...", Tempest raised some binoculars and looked at a tower in the distance. "Ornstein, do you see this?", he handed the binoculars to the dragon slayer who declined them. He could see what had gotten Tempest's attention well enough.
"The corvians? They are native to this world. Don't pay them any mind.", he said.
"...They are natives to these world?!", Tempest asked.
"Well, yes... at least I think so... I never have heard of corvians existing outside of the Painted World.", Ornstein explained further.
"...But how do you know about this?", Tempest asked. "It sounds like you have been here already..."
"I... might have visited this place once it was first finished...", Ornstein admitted. "Before it was a prison. Only for a short while and only to determine for Lord Gwyn if we could use it... that is when I saw them."
"You could have said this sooner.", Tempest said and turned around, looking down the side of the roof they were. "Huh, I think I can see something on that alcove here..."
Before Tempest could finish that thought they heard the flapping of wings and two of the corvians blocked their way.
"What... they shouldn't be aggressive!", Ornstein said, readying his spear.
"Wha... these are women?!", Tempest exclaimed as he picked up the fight, getting kicked in the face right away, almost falling down the roof but he managed to hang on a ledge.
"Tsk.. be more careful, little Storm.", Ornstein hissed as he thrust his spear through the bare chest of one of the corvians which shrieked in pain before collapsing. As he was busy getting his spear out of the corpse, he saw the other one readying an attack... Once she flew into the air Ornstein abandoned his spear for the moment, realizing that she would try and grab him. He dove down and the corvian missed him, shrieking in frustration.
Ornstein scrambled back on his feet, he might have beeen strong but even he would have trouble without his weapon and now there was a corvian between him and said weapon. Luckily, Tempest managed to climb back up and thrust his sword through the back of the corvian, which collapsed with a pained shriek.
"Thanks, little Storm.", Ornstein said, dusting some snow off his armour before he casually walked over to get his spear.
"Ornstein.. thanking me?! Who are you and what happened to the real Ornstein?", Tempest said, as he struggled to get his sword out of the corvian. Ornstein walked over and pulled the sword out with one hand.
"You can think of me what you like, little Storm, I will appreciate when someone saved my life.", he said. "A fall of this roof would have managed to hurt me too and the corvians are not warriors that you should take likely."
"That they weren't wearing anything was taking me off guard.", Tempest said. "Or I wouldn't have gotten nearly kicked off the tower."
"What, really, little Storm?", Ornstein grinned. "A bare chest of a bird woman distracted you?"
Tempest blushed a bit before blurting out: "I am into guys! But it still surprises me when I see a naked woman, alright?!"
"I hardly would call the corvians woman, look at these abominations.", Ornstein pointed down at them. "A bird head, bird wings, bird feet... only the middle is kind of that of a woman. They look like something Seath would think up in his work shop but he actually had a sense for aesthetic."
"Actually... I am not surprised your civilization fell.", Tempest said, crossing his arms. While he agreed that the corvians weren't the nicest sight he wouldn't call them abominations. After all, he knew how it was to be viewed as a monster.
"What is that supposed to mean?", Ornstein's voice had taken on a dangerous tone.
"Oh, um, nothing.", Tempest said and simply jumped off the roof. Ornstein hurried after him only to see him picking up something on a small alcove which he had landed on.
"...Don't scare me so, idiot.", he shouted after Tempest.
"Huh, you haven't call me that a long time.", Tempest said mockingly and jumped down the alcove. He was standing in front of the wooden closed door again. A few seconds later Ornstein landed near him, snow puffing up around him.
"What have you picked up?", Ornstein asked.
"Twin humanities.", Tempest said. "So something useful. I was running out of humanities after our training and now I manage to slowly build up a stack."
"That is good, it surely is more aesthetically pleasing to see your non hollowed out face.", Ornstein said. It might have been a harmless remark, Tempest knew that his hollowed out form was creepy and ugly, but it still stung a bit. Being Undead was a part of him and he wished that Ornstein would be able to accept every part of him. He didn't say anything anymore and quietly trudged the stairs back up, the corpses of the hollows they had slain earlier still lying there.
With his eyes on the ground Tempest could see another soul floating around. He mindlessly picked it up and pocketed it.
"Quite a few warriors have tried to get out of here it seems.", Ornstein said.
"Would they have made it?", Tempest asked, gaze still on the ground.
"If they had been sentenced to be prisoned here, not without anyone of the outside world helping them leave.", Ornstein said. "So their death was in vain. At least their leftover regret can help you in your quest, little Storm."
"Regret?", Tempest asked.
"Souls only linger on when they have something to regret when they died.", Ornstein explained. "Then they can't move on and will stay with their corpse. Anyone is able to pick them up and use them to strengthen their own soul power."
"Does that mean...", Tempest thoughts wandered to the "special" souls in his possession. The bright glowing ones and the fiery souls of the lords. Ornstein seemed to have picked up on his train of thoughts because he spoke again.
"No, little Storm, while some of them may have been left because of regret, as an Undead you naturally draw souls to your dark sign. Every being that dies when an Undead is near will have their soul pulled to them as well as their soul power, if they want or not. Surely you must have realized that you gained soul power even though you haven't slain a foe."
Tempest nodded. It had happened quite a few times. He often had found a dead hollow getting killed by gravity, which was good because he nearly snapped trying to find out where the souls suddenly gained to his stock had come from.
"See?", Ornstein said and grew quiet. In the meantime they had arrived at the end of the stairs. Tempest turned to the right were a small stone bridge spanned over the pit beneath two buildings. Just as he wanted to take the next step he felt a pain in his back and once he had swirled around, sword in both hands, he saw a spear sticking out of a hollow.
"Pay better attention, little Storm.", Ornstein said, casually shaking the hollow from his spear.
"Where did it come from...", Tempest murmured before his eyes spotted a doorway. "Oh, from there?" Tempest interest in the bridge waned as he walked over and took a peek into the building. "Hm, seems safe...", he said and crept forwards.
Ornstein followed him, barely fitting through the doorway. "Do.. do we have to go down there, little Storm?", he asked, even though he could stretch out in the actual building again. The ceiling was far more higher up than the doorway had been.
"I am curious.", Tempest said. "You don't have to come with me if you don't want to."
"It is my duty to assist you, remember?", Ornstein said.
Again, words that felt harmless but stung. Tempest wanted so much more from Ornstein. He wanted for him that he cared about Tempest of his own free will and not because his god had told him it. He had thought... he really had thought that Ornstein cared for him, especially in the Tomb of the Giants, but then he had to hear from him that he was only aiding Tempest so that he could go find his old love.
It was... frustrating to say the least and so Tempest huffed and moved on. In the building there wasn't much to see... but there was a wooden construct that spiralled down and Tempest followed it until he hit a dead end. As soon as his eyes had gotten use to the dark, he spotted two rats, very much like the ones in the depth.
Without saying anything he drew his sword and slashed both of them, making them squeak in pain and collapse in a pool of their own blood.
"Anything interesting down there?", Ornstein asked. He had stayed on the wooden boards behind Tempest.
"Just another soul.", Tempest sighed. "Probably got eaten by the rats after they fell." Tempest pocketed the soul and the both of them climbed the wooden construct back up until they were at the bridge again. Tempest stayed silent the whole trip.
In front of the bridge, Tempest shielded his eyes to try and see what would await them at the other side. The bridge clearly led into another building. Just as he wanted to get his binoculars out his eyes grew wide as he saw the distinct shape of an arrow coming nearer and he raised his shield just in time to not get an awkward new hole in his face.
"A sharpshooter.", he growled and rushed off.
"Little Storm, wait!", Ornstein called after him but it was too late. Tempest ran the whole distance to the sharpshooter without pausing once and thrust his sword into its chest, a grin on his face for having taking the sharpshooter out. Just as he pulled his sword back out of the hollow, two more turned up... they had hung over the ledge. Tempest took a few steps back and then intended to run back into the room, but the room was a flaming mess. The torch and pyromancy wielding toxic hollows were occupying it.
Tempest had run into a trap and if not for a miracle he would find himself back at the bonfire again. There was no way he could fight properly at this narrow ledge where the sharpshooter had fired from.
His miracle came in the form of Ornstein who barged into the room and, despite his fear of flames, braved through the toxic hollows and transformed their swollen heads into slush. With renewed determination Tempest picked up his own weapon and killed the two hollows who had tried to corner him, both of them falling to the ground with a gargled moan.
His triumph didn't last long because Tempest very much could feel the figure of the dragon slayer looming over him. "You idiot.", he snarled. "We have talked about this... over and over again. Don't rush without thinking! You only get yourself killed!"
"Whatever...", Tempest said, hardly believing the word that escaped his mouth next. "It's not like you would care about it or anything. Besides, I am just coming back anyway."
"Little Storm, what...", Ornstein said, his stance wasn't looming and threatening anymore but instead looked... deflated.
"You are just with me so that you can go on a journey to find your old lover.", Tempest said, nearly sniffling. "You never cared about me. I am just a nuisance, just this annoying Undead."
"That's... that's not true...", Ornstein said, a tremble in his voice.
"Oh yeah?", Tempest got himself worked up. "Then why have you never asked me what I want to do when this is all over?!"
Ornstein now looked really really small, which was impressive for a man of his size. "It's... It's not that I am not interested, but...", Ornstein didn't finish the sentence.
Because Tempest didn't knew. Tempest wholeheartedly believed that linking the flame would set everything right again. That it would get rid of the curse of the Undeath, give the gods back their power and Anor Londo would once bloom again. He didn't know that linking the flame meant to sacrifice oneself...
"But?", Tempest asked, an angry glare and some tears in his eyes. Ornstein felt horrible. He couldn't tell him. Not with the hope he still had...
"I am sorry, little Storm.", Ornstein said instead. "So.. what is it you would like to do when this all is over?"
Tempest's eyes widened and he looked at Ornstein before a sheepish smile crept over his face and he scratched the back of his helmet when he said: "I know it doesn't sound like much but I was thinking about opening up a tavern on the road. For everyone who needs a break, a soft bed and something warm to eat. I want to see people enjoying my meals."
The feeling in Ornstein's guts got even tighter. That was such a down to earth dream that would easily be able to be fulfilled. And he loved how honest Tempest felt when he told him. The little Undead sat himself down and swung his legs over the ledge, letting them dangle.
"Being a warrior or a knight doesn't suit me.", he said further. "I have thought about all kind of meals I could serve there already. I always loved to see when you tasted my cooking. I want to see this every day."
Ornstein sat down next to Tempest and looked at him. He should tell him. He really should tell him, but... he wanted to let the little Storm dream. And to not crush his hopes in the middle of their quest. He sat there and listened as he rambled on and on about the dream he had. The dream that would never got fulfilled.
And so Ornstein felt a chill go over his spine when Tempest asked: "Say, Ornstein, how about you come with me? Isn't that better than searching for someone who dumped you centuries ago?"
Ornstein, feeling tears in his eyes, only could say: "I'll think about it."
(Author's note: I love that last part so much!
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