Characters: Chosen Undead/Dragon Slayer Ornstein, Solaire, Siegmeyer
Word Count: 12.262
Summary: Tempest and Ornstein proceed into Lost Izalith to find and kill the Bed of Chaos.
(Author's note: Oh dear, this chapter didn't want to get written. First my fingers failed me by constantly hurting and making typing sheer agony, then I got the big Covid depression again because the cases went up in my region and then my husband was in meeting after meeting (yes, we are still stuck in home office). I wanted to finish this chapter so much sooner, but now it took me two weeks or longer...
But anyway, here it is, FINALLY! Sorry for the wait everyone and also sorry for the length. I don't feel like the chapter should be cut though, so please take 12k words of Lost Izalith. Also, I wish the titanite demon down there would be as easy to kill like it happened in this fic...)
"Hey, that's Quelaan's room.", Tempest said aloud once they stepped off the elevator.
"You will address her as the Fair Lady.", the egg-bound hollow hissed, getting ignored by Tempest as he ran to the bonfire to fill up his Estus. Ornstein followed him, ignoring the egg-bound hollow as well.
"It appears the elevator is a shortcut back here.", he said. "However, we don't have any business here, so let's move on."
"Alright, just a moment.", Tempest said and as Ornstein left the room, he could see how he gave a humanity to Quelaan, even though these resources were rare. Ornstein couldn't help but smile, Tempest just liked to help people.
Even though it wouldn't heal Quelaan, just prolong her suffering... Prolong one's suffering... why did that feel so familiar to him...
"I am ready.", Tempest appeared at Ornstein's side and together they rode down the elevator. Gladly, they didn't have to walk all the stairs back down, because it was easily able to drop into the room where the fiery demon had been, the staircase in there had just broken off. It probably once had been connected to the room.
"The only way left are the stairs down.", Tempest said and proceeded to descend them. At the end of them, there was a bonfire.
"Huh, that makes the shortcut kinda obsolete...", Tempest said and touched the bonfire, lighting it as well as assuring that he would be reborn from it the next time he died. Which Ornstein didn't plan to let happen. Especially not when it would mean that he wouldn't suffer in the heat as much in his hollowed body.
"Be careful, little Storm, there is another fog gate ahead.", Ornstein said.
"After everything that stood in our way, we still have to fight more?", Tempest sighed. "Though, not every fog gate led to a big fight... but lately, they all have, hmm..."
Tempest approached the fog gate. Ornstein followed him, alert about his surroundings, but it was eerily quiet. Tempest had stopped in front of a golden glow. Ornstein recognized it as a summon sign... one of a sunlight warrior. As he saw it, his thoughts wandered to his own soapstone, which he hadn't used in centuries.
He wondered if it still glowed golden...?
"Hey, that's Solaire!", Tempest's eyes sparkled as the silhouette of the phantom appeared, an undead a bit taller than Tempest wearing chain mail, a tabard depicting a bright sun and green pauldrons. He didn't look like a renowned knight at all, more like someone who put together their outfit in a sale.
"You know him, little Storm?", Ornstein asked.
"Yes, he taught me about the whole thing with the intertwined worlds. However, because you can only see it when you have your human form, I barely have seen his summon signs around. Hm, it's nice that he offers his help, but I don't need to take it, I have you, Ornstein."
Ornstein blushed a tiny little bit at Tempest's words. Tempest turned to the fog gate and sighed. "Though, the existence of Solaire's summon sign means there is something big behind this door... Oh well, let's go."
Several minutes later the duo stood sweating and breathing heavily over the corpse of a rather large demon which upon its death had started to transform into a ring.
"I hope that was the last big demon in our way before we face the Witch of Izalith.", Tempest said, wiping his sword.
"Lost Izalith shouldn't be far from here.", Ornstein said, looking around. Yes, Lost Izalith should be around the corner, but...
"And how are we supposed to reach it?! There is nothing but lava around us!"
Tempest had a very good point and it was a point Ornstein didn't have an answer for. His eyes fell on the ring. An idea struck him... the demon had transformed into the ring and the demon had been able to stand in lava, so maybe...
"Little Storm, please wear the ring.", Ornstein said.
"I don't know how that should help us, but fine.", Tempest picked the ring up and slipped it over his finger. As soon as it was in place, Ornstein kicked him into the lava.
"Ornstein, what the hell?!", Tempest screeched and scrambled on his foot, only to look down at him in amazement.
"Oh woah! I am not burning! I mean, my feet burn a bit, but... I am not dying!"
Tempest walked back to the ground and rubbed his feet in light discomfort.
"My theory was correct. This ring lets you walk over lava. At least it reduces the damage of lava a significant amount.", Ornstein concluded.
"But we only have one of it.", Tempest countered. "How are we both supposed to cross the lava? I mean, I come back from the dead, but I will die before I have crossed the lava and then I will just be set back to a bonfire and never progress."
"That's easy.", Ornstein said. "I'll equip it and then I'll carry you. You are light enough to be just slung over my shoulder, remember, little storm?"
"Oh right... that has only happened... a lot...", Tempest looked like he physically deflated, but at the same time, he looked rather happy. "But won't that hurt your feet, Ornstein? You can't heal yourself with Estus."
"I can handle a few burns.", Ornstein said. "Besides, my armour will protect my feet better from the lava than your leather boots. Also, I can run very fast. I should be able to cross the lava before any lasting damage is done."
"I guess I don't have an argument against your points.", Tempest said, drooping his shoulders. "Let's move."
Ornstein took the ring from Tempest and slipped it over the ring finger of his right hand. He was wearing his leo ring on the left. He never intended to take it off, not only because it was a sign for him being a knight of Gwyn, back when Smough was still alive, they had used it to vow themselves into marriage.
While the marriage had ended with Smough's death and Ornstein had managed to move on and accept Tempest's feelings, he still cherished the ring a lot. He was glad that he had another finger he could slip the ring over.
Ornstein shouldered Tempest and then crossed a small gap of lava. He looked around, trying to find the correct way, when Tempest piped up: "Ornstein, turn around, there is a tunnel right in front of me."
Ornstein whipped around, making Tempest yelp in surprise. In fact, there was a tunnel. He took his start-up position for his dash and then pretty much flew through the tunnel until his feet hit solid rock again. There was a bonfire in front of him, so he put Tempest down.
"Now they are everywhere and back in Sen's Fortress I barely could find any.", Tempest grumbled as he lit it. As he refilled his Estus, he got distracted by something different. As he hurried over to it, Ornstein recognized the sunlight warrior from earlier.
"Solaire, I haven't seen you in ages, how are you doing?", Tempest asked with a hand raised for a wave. Solaire however, didn't acknowledge him at all.
"Solaire, is everything alright?", Tempest asked, approaching the warrior. Ornstein stepped a little bit closer, he usually tried to not get too close to Tempest's undead friends, when Solaire started to murmur.
"...Why? ...Why? After all this searching I still cannot find it..."
Ornstein laid a hand on Tempest's shoulder. "Come little Storm, he doesn't seem to notice you. We better leave him alone."
"Hm, I guess...", Tempest said and followed Ornstein but looked back at Solaire, his brow deeply furrowed in concern.
"You seem to be bummed out over this, hm, little Storm?", Ornstein asked. He didn't know much about the relationships that Tempest had with the other Undead, but he knew that Tempest cared about them.
"Ornstein, it's just... Solaire was always so cheerful and jolly when I met him, looking at the sun or encouraging me. I have never seen him like this, so sad and... broken. I am concerned about him."
"I think I can understand you, little Storm... when I think about you being sad and broken, even though you smile so much and are a source of joy, that would make me feel weird and concerned as well."
"Awww, Ornstein, did you just call me a source of joy?", Tempest grinned at Ornstein which made his heart beat a tiny bit faster.
"A-anyway.", Ornstein forced his gaze away from Tempest. "Look, there is lava again, so I will have to carry you. Come closer."
"You really don't need to be ashamed anymore.", Tempest murmured. Ornstein knew he was right. Ornstein knew that nobody was there to judge them, he knew that he had confessed to Tempest and that they were boyfriends now. Still, deep inside of himself Ornstein knew what Tempest's fate was and it blocked that little bit of attachment that Ornstein needed to get fully mushy with Tempest.
Ornstein briefly asked himself if he only had set himself up for more heartbreak, but when Tempest stepped closer to him and looked up to him, waiting to be carried, he decided that it was worth it.
Ornstein shouldered Tempest, who let himself fall limp like a sack of potatoes, and scanned the area. There was only a little bit of lava until a branch appeared out of it. Why the branch wasn't on fire escaped Ornstein's understanding. He ran over to the branch and followed it, stopping once Lost Izalith laid in front of them.
Ornstein's throat was dry and sweat stuck to his skin, he should probably make a break at the next bonfire... if only they would get out of the lava soon. His feet also were hurting from the slight heat that the ring let through.
Instead of complaining though, Ornstein put Tempest down and gestured in front of them. "This is Izalith, or well, what is left of it. We call it Lost Izalith nowadays."
Tempest's gaze wandered over the area and then he winced and raised his hand to count something... as Ornstein followed his gaze he saw what it was. It was like the lower body of a big lizard, standing in the lava and there were many of them.
"Oh, these... things. I don't really know what they are. They remind me of dragons, but... only half of them. They actually aren't that dangerous, they only notice you when you are too close. And besides, I am the dragon slayer. If those are really the bottom halves of dragons, then I won't have any trouble with them."
"I was just astounded about how many of them are there.", Tempest said. "Down here everything seems to exist in large quantities."
"I can't argue with that.", Ornstein said. "Come, little Storm, let's follow this branch. Any path that isn't scalding hot lava is a breather for me."
"Don't forget to take a breather at the next bonfire as well.", Tempest said, pretty much confirming that Ornstein needed a break. Maybe Ornstein was getting better at noticing it himself? "It's still very HOT in here and when I sweat so much, I can only imagine how thirsty it must make you. I am actually wondering why I don't turn into my dried up form with how clammy I feel."
"Oh, I planned to, don't worry.", Ornstein said. "I am not lying when I say that I look forward to getting out of here as soon as possible... at least now that we are in Lost Izalith, our goal shouldn't be far away."
"Yeah, the way to come here was a long one.", Tempest agreed. He stopped once they reached some ruins. "Hmm, seems to be a dead end." Tempest wandered around the ruins a little bit and picked something up from a corpse. "Just a soul. A powerful one though. I should use it later."
Ornstein stepped next to Tempest and locked around, until his eyes locked onto a ruin a bit away, which required them to walk over the lava. What concerned him more though, was the dragon bottom thing right next to it.
"If we run over there.", he pointed to the ruin. "Better prepare for a fight."
"I have the best dragon slayer of Anor Londo at my side, I am not afraid.", Tempest said as Ornstein shouldered him. Ornstein rolled his eyes, he knew for a fact that Tempest ran away screaming from everything. Regardless, if the little Storm felt safe with him, then he shouldn't disappoint him.
Ornstein ran over to the ruins and, as predicted, the dragon bottom at their right turned into their direction. Ornstein put Tempest down as soon as they reached ground and grabbed his spear. "Careful.", he said as the dragon bottom jumped up high in the air. Tempest flinched at the fact and then rolled to the side, long before the dragon bottom would land. Ornstein had his eyes fixed on it and did a short elegant step back before he stabbed his spear into the dragon's... torso? It was hard to see with it being only legs and a tail.
The dragon bottom didn't have any voice to shriek, but Ornstein could see it flinch from his attacks. Then, it started to raise its right foot to stomp on him... Ornstein lunged to the side and saw how the left food got raised for a second stomp. At the same time, Tempest used the distraction of the dragon bottom and slashed its right leg three separate times.
Ornstein only had to finish the job by jabbing his spear deep inside the dragon bottom's stomach. Ornstein didn't know if there still were any vital organs, after all, the dragon lived without an upper body, but it did the trick and it slowly collapsed into the lava.
"See, I knew I wouldn't have to be afraid with the best dragon slayer at my side.", Tempest said.
"You have fought quite well yourself, little Storm.", Ornstein replied with a smile before turning to the ruins. "Let's see if we can enter this building from somewhere."
Tempest nodded and joined Ornstein's side, only to gasp and run ahead after they had only rounded one corner of the square building. Just as Ornstein wanted to sigh and call him back or fight the foe that got his interest, he noticed that Tempest was fending off more of these fire breathing demon statues.
His heart fluttered, Tempest did make sure to take care of them because he knew that Ornstein reacted negatively to fire. It truly was nice to not have his lightning powers surge inside of his fingers all the time.
Once the demon statues were nothing more but statues again, Tempest waved Ornstein over. "Ornstein, here's an entrance! And a chest!"
Ornstein hurried over once Tempest talked about the chest. As usual, the small Undead gave it a good nudge. It turned out to be just regular wood. Ornstein thought about teaching Tempest how to spot a mimic by sight alone, the chain was often rolled differently and you could see subtle breathing, but giving every chest a nudge did get the job done as well.
"There's a soul inside.", Tempest looked surprised, "Who stuffs a soul in a chest?"
"Hm, maybe the chest was used as a coffin.", Ornstein suggested. "The body has crumbled to dust, but the soul remained. Or someone only had the soul of their friend left and wanted to give it a proper burial."
"Hm, if that is the case, then I feel bad taking it...", Tempest said and laid the soul back into the chest, closing the lid. "Your burial rites looked very important to me."
"It's just an assumption.", Ornstein said. "Still, thanks for respecting them, little Storm."
Tempest smiled at him and the duo continued their journey, finding a branch on which they could travel to another set of similar looking ruins, the only difference was that it had two stories. There wasn't any imminent danger, so Tempest wandered around for a bit and looted at least one item from a corpse before joining Ornstein, who looked for the best spot to drop down to the lower floor.
After Ornstein dropped down, he caught Tempest, who gave him a big smile and cuddled shortly into his embrace before getting put onto the ground, then ran off again. Ornstein didn't even question it anymore, but he still followed him to see that Tempest once again took care of two fire demon statues.
As he dodged to the left to escape their fire breath, he suddenly yelped because the wall he had used for support had vanished. Ornstein saw him emerge soon enough and finish off the demon statues, waving Ornstein over.
"Ornstein, a bonfire! Time to take a break for both of us!"
Tempest lighted the bonfire. For once, he hadn't used much Estus, but they barely had run into any foe. The lava probably would have done greater damage, but thanks to Ornstein's speed, he only felt his soles burn a little bit.
He still was grateful for the break and sipped on the next water bottle. His last meal hadn't been too long ago, so Ornstein was fine with just hydrating himself. Of course the water was still warm and tasted weird like this, but it made the sweat running down his forehead a tiny bit more bearable.
Tempest was using the break to sort through the souls he had found and apparently thinking about how to use them, often loudly talking to himself if he should strengthen his soul power or keep them to buy a new pyromancy from Quelana. Ornstein hoped that Tempest didn't expect him to go down to Blighttown again just to see her, he had enough of this place for a lifetime.
Of course he knew that if Tempest would ask him, he would come with him... but he wouldn't be happy about it. Ornstein decided that for each time he had to enter Blighttown, he would make Tempest cook an extremely cruel dish in return.
With a devious grin on his face, obscured by his helmet of course, he turned to Tempest. "Are you ready to go?", he asked. Tempest nodded and after a short time they stood in front of the lava, looking for the correct path.
"These dragon butts are everywhere.", Tempest said, rotating around his own axis to cover as much ground as possible.
"They are not worth it.", Ornstein said. "Besides, my feet already burn a little, so I would like to stay out of the lava as much as possible. Help me look for the right path."
Just as Ornstein had finished talking, his eyes locked onto a particular branch that led away from the lava. "There.", he said, waving Tempest over, who let himself shoulder without complaint. Ornstein dashed to the branch and put Tempest down. "Let's follow this branch and see where it leads us."
At the end of the branch, Ornstein let out a sigh of relief when in fact the branch had led them out of the lava field. Of course it was still hot and the air around them seemed to flicker, but at least his feet would get some respite now.
"Oh woah.", Tempest said, as he looked down. "The mini asylum demons are everywhere. Shall I go down and clear them out for you, Ornstein?"
"Mini what?!", Ornstein was busy with being perplexed for a few seconds. "Well, if that is how you want to call them, sure... To answer your question, no. I can't let you deal with such a quantity alone. Besides, with barely any demons around anymore, I feel like I want to use my miracles."
"This will certainly speed up the process.", Tempest said and slid down the branch, or more, he attempted it, but lost his balance and fell on the stone ground in a rather painful way. With a sigh, Ornstein slid down the branch correctly and prepared a lighting spear while Tempest was still busy drinking some Estus to take care of whichever bone he had broken while failing that stunt.
"Sorry, Ornstein.", Tempest looked sheepish as he got up and fought the next best demon statue, slashing at it until it stopped moving. Ornstein kept a bit of a distance from him and went to fight more of them, he could see them standing in the distance. As he got closer, he saw that it indeed was just a real statue this time... with a living one right next to it. One lighting spear later, Ornstein had attracted several more of them. Soon, Tempest joined him and once they were done, the floor was littered with a good ten of these pests or so.
"Hey, there is still one left!", Tempest shouted and leaped against his supposed foe, only to widen his eyes in surprise when his sword hit real stone this time. He had clearly mistaken the real statue for a "mini asylum demon".
"Really, little Storm?", Ornstein said.
"In my defense, they look really convincing.", Tempest said, hastily stepping away from the statue, not being able to hide the red that crept into his cheeks.
"Yes, sure.", Ornstein said, faintly amused, steering towards some steps that led upwards. He could see something at the end of it, didn't seem to be small either.
Tempest, who had walked next to him, suddenly took both sword and shield in his hands and said: "I.. I'll show you that I can deal with that, Ornstein. I am not a bumbling idiot anymore!"
Ornstein, surprised at this sudden outburst, only managed to watch when Tempest stormed upwards and promptly got grabbed by the creature and put into its maw. Ah, a chaos eater. Ornstein hadn't recognized it at first. He strolled upwards and stabbed the chaos eater with his spear, making it spit out Tempest, who just sat on the ground sheepishly, his skin dotted with tiny red teeth marks.
"That was HORRIBLE!", he said and then he looked down on the ground, avoiding eye contact with Ornstein at all costs.
"Well, I wasn't thinking idiot earlier, but I am certainly thinking it now.", Ornstein said. "What was that about, little Storm?"
"I... I didn't want to make a fool of myself in front of you, Ornstein... and then I saw a chance to show you that I became competent, but I only made a fool of myself AGAIN!"
A few tears appeared in Tempest's eyes and Ornstein was quick to embrace him. "You don't have to be competent to have my respect.", Ornstein said. "You died dozens of times and came back from the dead without losing hope, that is something I already respect you for. I know you aren't a fighter and even though you are a bumbling idiot and storm off always without thinking, you still manage to turn the situation around and win. Most of the time."
Tempest mumbled something in Ornstein's armour, having buried his face in there. "Pardon?", Ornstein had to ask.
"Ornstein, I am sorry.", Tempest said after he removed his face from Ornstein's chest plate. "And thank you."
"Leave being competent to me.", Ornstein said and took Tempest's Estus from his belt, encouraging him to take a sip. He also was covered in the spit of this damn chaos eater, Ornstein should have thought twice before he hugged him. Ah well, his armour was already ruined thanks to Blighttown. It would need a cleaning either way. Tempest as well, he didn't smell too good after all this...
After Tempest had healed his wounds, the duo entered a small room. Nothing of interest was there and they soon stood out on a walkway again, with branches that led in various directions.
"Oh, Ornstein, may I choose where we go first?", Tempest said, his earlier embarrassment replaced with excitement.
"You know that I normally let you choose the way anyway.", Ornstein said. After a few moments of consideration, Tempest decided to walk the branch on the far right first. It actually only took them back to the room from before, just higher up. Tempest picked up a bit of loot, but in the end, they landed at their starting point again.
"Alright, let's take the one that leads downwards now.", Tempest said and stepped on it. Ornstein followed, internally groaning when he saw more of the fire demon statues. Not feeling like dealing with them, he sent a lighting spear right in their middle, zapping them all in a giant explosion.
"Why have you never done this before?! I didn't know your miracles could be so powerful.", Tempest asked as he walked down the branch, having learned his lesson from earlier.
"Because it's a bit dangerous.", Ornstein admitted, "And it also takes quite a bit out of me. I only could use a lighting spear in that intensity because the field there was flat and wide. Also, now that I used it, my lighting spears will be weaker for a while..."
"I see, that makes sense, I guess...", Tempest said. They were down in the field and Tempest turned to look at a small tunnel and some stairs that led to a path. After a bit of thinking, he turned to the tunnel. "Maybe there is something worthwhile at the other si-" He was abruptly interrupted when the stone floor crumbled and he fell into the depths with a shriek.
Ornstein was at the hole in an instant, looking down. He could see Tempest down there, groaning and getting up, preparing some Estus. It didn't look too deep for him, so he just jumped down.
"Well, that hasn't happened in a while.", Tempest said once Ornstein stood next to him. "At least this time I don't see a giant demon trying to squash us with his ass."
"Time for you to pay in the swear jar, little Storm.", Ornstein said, half joking.
"Hey, you have sworn a lot lately as well.", Tempest countered. "Have you paid in the swear jar accordingly?"
"O-of course I have.", Ornstein said, though it was no use, he hadn't paid into it. There wasn't any need for money anymore anyway, he didn't even know why he kept the thing around. When even was the last time he had used it? Before they had gone to the Duke's Archives? It felt like years had passed since then.
"So, how do we get back up?", Tempest asked and started to explore. The room they were in had kind of a stiff atmosphere... it felt humid and smelt horrid, not unlike Blighttown. Ornstein looked up, he should be able to just jump back up, but when he wanted to call Tempest over, he saw him hurrying to another Undead. Ah, that was this Siegmeyer fellow... the one with the catarinian armour.
When Ornstein arrived, Tempest nudged Siegmeyer and said: "Look at him, he's asleep. AGAIN. How does he do it? I sometimes wonder how he even made it this far. I might be the bumbling idiot, but Siegmeyer is the idiot that is in a pickle all the time. Just once I would like to see him fight."
"It's not honourable to talk ill about someone who can't listen.", Ornstein said but had to chuckle at Tempest's descriptions. He even had owned up to him being a bumbling idiot.
"Aw, actually, I think, he knows that he isn't the best at adventuring.", Tempest said. "Though he is wielding this giant zweihander and I have seen him kill things with it, well, not seen, but they were dead and there were giant slashes in them. I think he's just a bit slow, is all." Tempest gave Siegmeyer a sudden slap and shouted: "Hey, Siegmeyer, time to wake up!"
Finally, the knight of Catarina reacted. Ornstein could just imagine how he blinked sleepily under this onion shaped helmet of his when he spoke: "Mm! Oh-hoh! Excuse me. I was so absorbed in thought, I just drifted away. It must be the warmth."
Both Ornstein and Tempest shared a look at the last comment, Ornstein was sure he would never be able to sleep in this heat, he would have to collapse from exhaustion before he would drift away.
"Well, what's on your mind?", Siegmeyer continued. "No, don't tell me. Those monsters making life difficult for you?"
It was only now that Ornstein realized that Siegmeyer was staring in a pit with at least four chaos eaters, their mouths all turned skywards, looking like an invitation for suicide for anyone who dared to jump in this pit.
"You need not be ashamed. We are in the same boat.", Siegmeyer just continued to speak. "…You know, I really have run up quite a debt to you. Perhaps the time has come…"
"What are you talking about, Siegmeyer?", Tempest crossed his arms and looked unsurely at Ornstein. Referring to Tempest, Siegmeyer always was the one who needed help. Ornstein bowed down to Tempest and whispered into his ear to wait and see. It wasn't like Siegmeyer would suddenly jump into the pit or anything. Tempest had made clear that he wasn't the type for that.
Siegmeyer turned to Tempest and spoke after a little pause: "Friend, I have an idea. A good one, really. … I will ruse those dire fiends, and you can slip away in the confusion. Please, friend, I owe you much more than this. By the honour of the knights of Catarina, allow me to assist you. And now, I go! Don't be slow!"
Both Ornstein and Tempest watched in horror when Siegmeyer did the unexpected and jumped in the pit with a battle cry. "I have to help him!", Tempest exclaimed and jumped after him before Ornstein could even say something.
He stood up there dumbfounded, when various words drifted upwards to him, like "I am Siegmeyer of Catarina and you shall feel my wrath!" and "I am not afraid of you beasts!"
Ornstein finally managed to get out of this stupor and joined the battle in the pit, grimacing once his feet hit the water. It was poisoned and the poison built up quickly. In fact, looking at Tempest, who was locked in a battle with one of the chaos eaters, he looked already sufficiently poisoned. They had to end this battle quickly and get out of here. Ornstein fought two of the chaos eaters at once, letting lightning surge through his spear and stab through them, while Siegmeyer slashed through one with his giant zweihander and he could feel the warmth of pyromancy behind him.
As soon as the last chaos eater fell, Ornstein could feel that the poison had taken hold... he would need to take an antidote soon before his body succumbed to it. For Tempest and Siegmeyer it wouldn't be too dangerous, they could heal the damage with Estus, but for him... he needed to get to dry ground soon.
He turned around to see Tempest facing Siegmeyer.
"What were you thinking?!", Tempest scolded a heavily panting Siegmeyer.
"Now you know how I feel with you." Ornstein commented, coughing a little.
"What... didn't you get away?", Siegmeyer just asked.
"That is not the point, the point is...", Tempest said and coughed himself as well, even Siegmeyer wasn't spared of the poison.
"As much as I would like to watch this discussion, we need to get on dry land and take an antidote.", Ornstein said. "Or we are all done for."
"You are right, Ornstein...", Tempest said. "Tell me when it gets too bad, I have enough purple moss clumps with me."
"Even though you shared them with me?", Siegmeyer asked, not having forgotten Tempest's earlier kindness in Blighttown.
"Well, it's a necessity when you travel with a knight that can still die.", Tempest said. "They aren't even that hard to come by, there is also that hollowed out merchant that sells them and-", he got interrupted by a heavy cough. "I guess I have to talk later..."
Luckily, the area with the poisoned water wasn't too big and they soon found some stairs they could ascend. Tempest got out three purple moss clumps and gave one to each of them. Ornstein didn't waste any time eating his, grimacing at the bitter taste. His body was luckily sturdy enough so that the poison didn't inflict much damage, but he felt a bit wobbly and preferred to sit on the ground for now.
Siegmeyer did the same, continuing the discussion from earlier.
"You, why didn't you get away...", he asked.
"Because you were about to commit suicide.", Tempest had his hands on his hips, looking comically, because he was smaller than Siegmeyer and still kinda managed to tower over him... with his glare alone.
"Well, then I guess you saved me, once again... Thank goodness..."
Ornstein was unsure about what Siegmeyer was grateful... that Tempest and Ornstein had saved him or that Tempest was alright.
"I'm exhausted…", Siegmeyer continued. "I think I'll have a rest. Don't you worry, the ground below me is my pillow."
Siegmeyer's snoring soon filled the room again and Tempest came over to Ornstein.
"I am glad he's alright.", Tempest said, sitting next to Ornstein and leaning on his leg. "I guess you are right, now I know how you feel with me all the time, but...", Tempest looked to his side and then at Ornstein's feet, "I probably would have done the same thing as him."
"Of course you would have, little Storm.", Ornstein said and stood up, "I think the poison did wear off for me, so we can continue."
"We first need to find out how to get out of here.", Tempest said, still clinging on Ornstein's leg.
"Easy.", Ornstein said and picked Tempest up before he jumped out of the room, landing with a loud clang on the stone ground outside. "Phew, it is warmer out here than down there though, maybe it is possible to fall asleep there...", he murmured.
"I wouldn't have managed. It smells too bad.", Tempest said. "Why is my sense of smell intact but not my sense of taste? I had to smell Blighttown, but I can't eat anything even though I have to smell how delicious it is. That is the part about being Undead that sucks the most."
"I am doing my best to taste your dishes for the both of us.", Ornstein said, turning to the stairs that led to a long platform. "Well, where to now, little Storm?"
"Hm, let's get up there.", Tempest said and hopped up the stairs. Ornstein followed him and the moment he set his foot on straight ground again, Tempest, who had strolled a bit ahead of him, suddenly stopped and then came back, hiding behind Ornstein.
"Oh, what is it now?", Ornstein said in fake annoyance as he scanned the area and soon saw the issue. A titanite demon was blocking the way. The path was far too narrow to avoid it. "Come on, little Storm, we managed to take one of them out already."
"They are still scary.", Tempest said. "And when I die you have to get back to the bonfire to get me. I mean, you normally wait there anyway, but... with the lava and all, you know?"
"Then you just have to do your best and not die.", Ornstein said. Tempest gulped as Ornstein stepped forward, holding his spear in both hands. Ornstein looked at Tempest and nodded, then he charged at the titanite demon. With its line of sight being clear, the demon could easily see him coming.
It raised its polearm high in the air. It would come crashing down, Ornstein knew it. He let himself fall and slid past the demon and then turned around to stab it into the shoulder. With skin as thick as titanite, of course his attack didn't do much damage. Just as Ornstein was busy removing his spear from the wound, watching the movements of the demon closely, a barrage of arrows flew at the demon, three of them hitting the target at various places, giving Ornstein enough time to remove his spear.
"Well done, little Storm.", he whispered as Ornstein raised his spear, grabbing it with both hands. Tempest ran towards him and the demon from the entrance, sword and shield ready, frantically waving his arms and therefore his weapons around.
"Hey! I am here! Try to get me!", Tempest screamed. Ornstein smiled as the titanite demon completely lost any remaining interest in him and instead its polearm crashed down where Tempest had been just a second ago, the small Undead having rolled out of the way, eyes wide at the damage the attack had done to the ground.
Ornstein acted quickly. He was in the air the same moment the polearm had hit the ground and landed on the shoulders of the demon, balancing himself as the surprised creature tried to shake him off.
"Oh no, you won't!", Tempest cried out and ran towards the demon, slashing its leg with his sword. It barely left a scratch, but it was effective enough for Ornstein to regain his balance. He thrust his spear deep into the, the... neck or whatever it was, of the demon, they all seemed to be headless...
It was enough for the demon to stop moving and fall to the ground instead, its body cracking and releasing the precious materials inside of it. Ornstein hopped off it and looked at Tempest, who stood there.
"I didn't die.", he said, very proud of himself.
"I noticed.", Ornstein replied dryly, but he had a smile on his face. Maybe he would withdraw his request for an awful dish. Hmm.. he shouldn't let the little Storm get away with too much. He would withdraw his request if Tempest wouldn't rush onwards until they had secured the soul of the Witch of Izalith.
iImpossible./i, Ornstein thought to himself while Tempest babbled to him, most noticeable about how awesome Ornstein had been. He resembled the excited children of Anor Londo so much during this time... Ornstein decided not to dwell too much in memories lost however and simply basked into Tempest's praise. Maybe Tempest was right, maybe Ornstein really was awesome and he should be more proud of himself again. Like the young dragon slayer he had once been, decorating the wall with more and more of his kills.
The path they were on started to turn into a tunnel and Tempest suddenly rushed forward. Ornstein rolled his eyes, that had been short. Of course the little Storm would rush forward the moment he saw something interesting... what was it this time? The glittering shine and the many colours... a crystal lizard. However, Tempest didn't manage to catch it, jumping against the wall and sitting on the ground, rubbing his nose, before taking a swig of Estus to heal his small injury.
Ornstein took his time walking up to him, the tunnel didn't look very dangerous. He could see a few bugs flying around in it, but those were hardly foes that Tempest would need assistance with. They usually died in one hit and barely managed to do any damage, unless someone allowed them to sit on their head and who would be so dumb to use a bug as a hat?
Apparently, there was someone, because when Ornstein had caught up to Tempest, the small Undead stood there with his mouth slightly open, sword still in hand, staring at someone at the base of the stairs. Ornstein recognized the goofy sun on the tabard of the warrior... it was the undead named Solaire, who had been lost in his own thoughts next to the bonfire. Instead of the heaume he had been wearing back then though, a brightly lit bug sat on his head.
"...Solaire?", Tempest was cautious to approach at first, but then ran over to his friend. "Solaire, what are you doing?"
"Little Storm, wait.", Ornstein said, but it was already too late. The moment Tempest approached Solaire, the warrior grunted, as in heavy pain and then he spoke, his voice neither gentle or jolly, like Tempest had described it nor the hopeless mumbling from earlier. This was the voice of a man that had become mad.
"...Finally, I have found it, I have!... My very own sun... I am the sun!"
"What are you talking about?", Tempest asked, gasping as Solaire's sword clashed down on him, leaving a wound in his arm. "Oh no, are you...", Tempest looked down at his wound, not intending to move. Ornstein was at his side with a single jump and blocked Solaire's next strike with his spear.
"Ornstein, is he hollow?", Tempest asked, slowly grabbing for his shield, "But... I have never heard a hollow ever speaking..."
"I fear it is something different.", Ornstein said, his gaze on the chaos bug on Solaire's head. "The people of Izalith, they used to fuse with demons. He tried to fuse with a demon!"
"Then what can we-"
Tempest got interrupted by Solaire screeching: "I've done it... I have... Yes, I did it... I did!" His insane mumbling then turned into a pained battle-cry as he readied a lightning spear. Ornstein narrowed his eyes at the sight.
"How dare you use his miracles in this state?", he murmured and readied a lighting spear of his own. He was surprised to see that both miracles neutralized each other when they hit in mid air, either his faith for him had become a lot weaker or Solaire's faith in him was exceedingly high. Maybe both.
"Little Storm, there is a chance to save him!", Ornstein said. "But you have to distract him for a short while for me!"
"I... I am ready!", Tempest said. He didn't bleed anymore and had sword and shield ready. Ornstein blocked another strike of Solaire. Even though the warrior felt a bit clumsy, there was force in his blows. With a bit of proper training, he would become an excellent knight.
Ornstein twirled to the side and let Solaire come into contact with Tempest. "Solaire, stop this.", Tempest said, raising his shield. "I don't want to hurt you!"
Solaire didn't listen and three continuous attacks hit Tempest's shield, almost getting him off balance. "Parry one of his attacks!", Ornstein shouted, loosely holding his spear, ready to abandon it once the opportunity arose.
"It's easier said than done.", Tempest said, but when Solaire raised his sword for the next attack, Tempest's timing couldn't have been more perfect and he left Solaire wide open. Ornstein's spear fell to the ground while the dragon slayer took the short moment to jump behind Solaire and hold him in place. Of course he was fighting against it and with the added power of the chaos demon, even Ornstein had to exercise some strength to keep him in place.
"Now little Storm, cut this cursed thing off his head!", Ornstein shouted.
Tempest only stood there for a second before he moved, abandoning his shield and getting on his toes to reach the head of the much taller Solaire. Ornstein forced Solaire to kneel down, which he didn't like, all the time he fought against the grip while hissing and groaning.
"We are trying to help you, you idiot.", Ornstein hissed back and suddenly Solaire was limp in his arms. It was enough for Tempest to start working on the bug and for Ornstein to reinforce his grip on Solaire.
Tempest worked as quickly and precisely as he could, cutting off each leg of the bug under Ornstein's careful stare. The moment it came off, he would squish the damn thing. He only hoped that it wouldn't be too late.
Blood oozed out of the bug... or whatever their equivalent of blood was with each cut leg. Thankfully, Solaire wasn't putting up much of a fight anymore, he only weakly tried to get out of Ornstein's grip. Ornstein watched as the fifth leg of the bug came apart and then... the sixth! The moment the bug fell onto the ground, Ornstein released Solaire and stomped on the bug, it died with a satisfying crack. Ornstein only regretted that it ruined his armour. Well, it needed a cleaning anyway.
"Solaire?! Are you alright? Talk to me!" The voice of Tempest sounded through the room. Ornstein saw him kneeling next to Solaire, trying to get him to respond, but all Solaire did was vacantly staring at nothing.
"Feed him some Estus, little Storm.", Ornstein said. "It might not be too late to repair the damage he'd done to himself." Ornstein feared that another death of Solaire would be enough for him to hollow. He had clearly been desperate enough to try and fuse with a chaos bug.
Tempest nodded and carefully fed Solaire some of his Estus, which he thankfully managed to swallow down, maybe out of instinct, maybe because he wasn't gone completely. Once the wounds were closed, Tempest gently laid Solaire's head down on the ground, propping it up with his bag.
"And what do we do now?", Tempest asked.
"Wait.", Ornstein said, sitting down and leaning against the wall. "We wait to see if he wakes up again or if he..." Ornstein didn't dare to finish the sentence. Tempest understood it anyway.
"Don't you dare go hollow.", he said to Solaire and then joined Ornstein, leaning against his leg. Ornstein didn't even notice that he laid his hand around Tempest's shoulder and rubbed them soothingly.
Around thirty minutes later, Solaire stirred. Tempest was on his feet in an instant, actually kicking away Ornstein's hand once he shot up and ran over. "Solaire, how are you feeling?", he shouted, having his hand on his sword just in case, if the worst case scenario was about to play out.
Solaire opened his eyes and blinked a few times, then he pulled himself up and looked around in confusion. Ornstein relaxed and loosened the grip on his spear. Like Tempest, he had been ready, but Solaire didn't show the signs of a hollow.
"Oh, it's you. What... what have I done? I barely can remember...", Solaire murmured.
Tempest looked at Ornstein for a second and then replied to Solaire: "You... you had something like a bad dream. But it's over now. Please don't worry about it anymore."
"Is that so?", Solaire said, crossing his legs as he pondered about the situation. "I remember... I... I found my sun. Didn't I find my sun? No, there isn't a sun here... Just... where is it...? Why can't I find it?"
Ornstein stood up and crossed the distance to Tempest and Solaire in three strides. Upon seeing the tall imposing knight, Solaire gasped and searched for his weapons, which had been both put to the side by Tempest.
"Friend, pay attention, there is a powerful foe here.", Solaire said. Ornstein stopped in front of him and simply shook his head.
"I am not here to fight.", he said. "I am here to talk. I will say it only one time, so listen closely." Ornstein took a deep breath while Solaire stopped searching for his weapons, looking at Ornstein instead.
"The sun has left Lordran a long time ago.", Ornstein said, feeling a shiver running down his spines at his words. He knew it, he had known it for so long, this land was beyond salvation. Their only saving grace was someone who could replace their sun. His gaze wandered to Tempest and lingered there for a second before wandering back to Solaire. "You won't find your sun in this land anymore. However, I personally know that there is a sun in this world, I just don't know where he is... but I am sure that he looks over you. He always loved watching your covenant... He's still there and I know he wouldn't approve of you becoming... like this..."
Solaire stared at Ornstein with wide eyes and waited, apparently he waited for Ornstein to speak more, but Ornstein had said all that he needed to say. Finally, Solaire spoke. "But sir knight... where shall I go now?"
Ornstein looked at Tempest who fidgeted with his hands and then at Solaire. "Find him.", Ornstein said. "Find him and you will find the sun in your life. And...", Ornstein turned around and started to walk away, "tell him that I am sorry. Come, little Storm."
Tempest needed a minute or two before he caught up with Ornstein, who waited back in the area which was littered with the corpses of fire demon statues. When he appeared, he spoke: "Is it alright to leave him alone in this state?"
"He will be alright.", Ornstein said. "I can see it in his eyes. He hasn't given up. Besides... have you ever seen the sun during a storm?"
"You have a point.", Tempest said as the both of them walked back towards the branch that had brought them into this area in the first place. "It's so you to ask him to apologize for you though. Was he your sun, Ornstein?"
"Like I said, the sun has left Lordran a long time ago.", Ornstein said. "But that's alright, I think I prefer the storm that has come to it now."
They both fell silent on their way back with Tempest walking in the front, Ornstein merely following him, allowing the little Storm the lead. Maybe Tempest had to unpack the words that Ornstein had said to Solaire. Ornstein himself thought a bit more about this encounter. Tempest had tied companionships and friendships with these other undead, though they didn't interest Ornstein much. They weren't part of the mission. Was it even still a mission? Ornstein felt more and more like he had started to do this on his own free will. Ever since he had confessed his feelings to the little Storm. No, it actually must have been earlier... He easily could have told him to not take any detours. Not wanting to go to Blighttown was just an excuse.
It must have been when they went back to the Asylum. Or maybe even earlier, in the Tombs of the Giants. Ornstein had simply been in denial. About everything.
"Well, only one way left to go.", Tempest said loudly, breaking Ornstein out of his thoughts. He shook his head to clear his thoughts and looked around. Indeed, there was only one path left, a stone path that led to the left after going up a few stairs.
"I have the feeling we are close to our goal.", Ornstein murmured. The few times he had been in Izalith, before it had become overrun by lava and demons, he remembered that the great hall was located after taking a turn to the left.
"Hopefully.", Tempest said. "Even I sweat a lot and I can only imagine how bad it is for you, Ornstein."
"Just be glad that I am wearing armour.", Ornstein said, meaning every single word. The garb he was wearing beneath his armour to avoid any rashes was wet with his sweat. He surely didn't smell the best, especially not after having walked in the poison swamp of Blighttown, literal lava and the murky water in the area where Siegmeyer had been.
"Yes, I am also glad that you probably aren't able to smell me with that helmet on your face.", Tempest grinned. "Let's move on. I am eager to get this all done so we can leave that place and I can cook for you."
Ornstein looked forward to this as well. It was certainly better than melting into a puddle in a far too hot area. When he remembered correctly, Tempest wanted to cook a cheese omelette, promised him a refreshing dish and he had requested apple sauce with pies. It had almost become pudding with garlic. Almost.
"Agreed, little Storm.", Ornstein just said and walked up the stairs behind Tempest. Tempest stopped after having ascended the last step, looking into the near distance and then turning to Ornstein.
"There is someone in the same garb as Quelana here.", he said. "Is she one of the daughters of Izalith? There were seven in total, correct?"
"Yes, indeed.", Ornstein confirmed. "You met Quelaag, Quelaan and Quelana. We saw one of them dead where the Ceaseless Discharge was. The whereabouts of the other three are unknown. We should approach carefully. There isn't a guarantee she hasn't turned mad during years of isolation..."
Tempest nodded and took sword and shield into his hands, shuffling forward. Then he stopped and said: "Shouldn't you go first, Ornstein? Maybe she recognizes you."
"That sounds like it is a good idea actually.", Ornstein said and strode past Tempest, approaching the daughter of Izalith. From this far away, he couldn't recognize her face.
"Lady of Izalith.", he said as he walked towards her. "I hope that you still recognize me, Sir Ornstein, the dragon slayer, captain of the four knights of Gwyn."
Ornstein's friendly greeting was answered with pillars on fire appearing on the ground. With a gasp, Ornstein dove out of the way, his fingers tingling. That had been too much fire at once. He could get a good glimpse at the face of the woman in front of him and recognized her as the one named Quelaxis. There was nothing but pure hatred in her eyes.
"Lady Quelaxis, please.", Ornstein tried to reason as she readied a fiery whip, the same one that Tempest had used as well, "There is no reason to fight."
"Liar.", Quelaxis hissed, finishing the whip and trying to hit Ornstein with it, the knight having to take little steps back, all while the tingling in his fingers and stomach intensified, "You are here for her soul! Why else should you have come here after one thousand years?! You and your kind left us alone to rot, not sparing a single thought and that after all we've done for you in the dragon war...!"
Ornstein stopped dodging once she mentioned the dragon war. In fact, each word had been like a stab. She was right, right about everything. Anor Londo had abandoned Izalith, had left it to rot, had left the daughters of Izalith to pick up the pieces.
"I.. I am sorry...", he said, a pained yelp escaping when the fire whip hit his left arm and his armour, making it turn painfully hot.
"It's too late for apologies!", Quelaxis shouted at him. "Just... leave us alone! Hasn't she suffered enough already?"
Ornstein looked at the ground, carefully thinking about his next words. She knew, didn't she? They had been born from the flame as well... "You know that we can't...", Ornstein said. "You know that we have to do this..."
"Then die.", Quelaxis finished and Ornstein saw that she readied up a mighty pyromancy. Even though he knew he had no other choice but to fight, his feet felt stuck to the ground. He felt like he couldn't attack her, not after all he had done to her... and Izalith, by doing nothing. A part of himself still felt like he deserved to die at her hand.
"Ornstein, watch out!", Tempest screamed and the next thing Ornstein realized was that Quelaxis had a sword stuck in her chest and fell to the ground with a gurgling sound, blood seeping out of her mouth and the wound on her chest.
"You killed her.", Ornstein stated with a blank look.
"Yes, because she was in the process of burning you to a crisp.", Tempest said. "I know that you can't handle fire well, but..." This went deeper than just Ornstein's reaction to fire. Tempest must have heard the whole thing. In fact, Ornstein had completely blocked Tempest out during his conversation with Quelaxis. "Are you alright, Ornstein?", Tempest asked, not dwelling on the topic any longer.
"I... I am alright, thank you.", Ornstein took a deep breath and then looked at Quelaxis. "...Maybe it was for the better. She must have sit here in solitude for centuries to protect her mother..."
"You know, Ornstein, all the stories I heard about Lordran as a child, they were about this glorious kingdom that fought the dragons and brought along all these knights and now that I am here, all I see are the pieces of what once was. It is especially obvious here." Tempest looked at Ornstein and then corrected himself. "No, it was already apparent in Anor Londo. It is apparent even in you, Ornstein."
"What?", Ornstein said, still processing that Tempest had just killed one of the old allies of Anor Londo. Even though she hadn't been an ally anymore.
"Pieces.", Tempest repeated. "You are broken inside. I try to glue the pieces back together, but sometimes they break again. It happened earlier as well."
Ornstein was left speechless as to how easily the little Storm managed to see through him and even put in words like he felt. As if only pieces were left of him and they were glued together, sometimes falling apart again.
"That is why we have to finish that mission, right?", Tempest smiled at him, but it looked like a sad smile. Ornstein asked himself right at this moment if Tempest knew. Maybe Tempest was aware of the fate that awaited him. Ornstein's uneasy feeling in his stomach grew at the thought.
"Let's just move on.", Tempest said and took a step forward, gasping when a very distinct sound appeared. "An invader.", he whispered. "Be on your guard, Ornstein."
Ornstein nodded, still a tiny bit shaken about everything that had happened over the span of the last ten minutes. As he looked around, the red glow of the invader appeared in his sight.
"The knight of thorns! Again!", Tempest gasped, getting into a battle stance. Ornstein however, still feeling the gathered energy in his fingertips from the fight against Quelaxis earlier, simply unleashed a mighty lightning spear against the knight of thorns, the explosion swirling up a lot of dust.
Tempest, who had already been on his way to search for a fight with the knight, stopped and said: "Well, I guess that takes care of him..."
Ornstein closed the distance to Tempest and waited for him until the dust settled. Both of their eyes widened when the knight still stood there, heavily breathing, clearly badly hurt, but alive.
"Just... what keeps this guy going?", Tempest asked as the knight of thorns limped towards him, taking a deep breath and then pretty much stormed forwards to meet Tempest's shield, which he raised at the last second.
"I don't know.", Ornstein said. Even in the demon ruins the knight had fought until they had managed to kill him. "He must have a very strong will."
Tempest had some trouble with the sheer force the knight of thorns put on his shield, attacking again and again, trying to keep some distance so that the thorns wouldn't cut him. Ornstein jumped over the scene and stabbed the knight of thorns in the back.
It was enough to let him slump over, though even while he was dying, he was reaching for Tempest, leaving a nasty streak on his arm when his thorned glove grasped him.
As he dissolved into ashes, he left behind his sword and his shield. Tempest took a swig of Estus and then looked at the bottle. "Not much left.", he said. "Maybe two more sips... I should take care to not get hurt anymore."
"I think we might be at our goal anyway.", Ornstein said, looking at the fog gate right in front of them. Tempest hadn't noticed it yet, inspecting the weapons on the grounds. After a moment of consideration, he picked them up.
"This knight of thorns was truly dedicated to his cause.", Tempest said. "I wonder if he has gone hollow? Why would he leave his weapons behind otherwise?"
Ornstein simply shrugged. He didn't know. He had never seen the knight of thorns before. It was clear that he was undead. Like Tempest he must have come to Lordran. Either in search of something or he had been in the Asylum and escaped.
"There are some mysteries we will never solve.", Ornstein said. "It's best not to linger on them."
"It still interests me.", Tempest said. "But I guess I can look into it after we leave this far too hot place." Tempest took one last look at Quelaxis' corpse as well at the spot the knight of thorns had died. "I guess now we solve the mystery about what is behind the fog though."
"That one is easy to solve though.", Ornstein said and stepped through it, bracing himself for anything that would attack them on sight, but relaxing when all he saw was a steep slope, some branches growing from the ceiling and obscuring the view into the room at its end.
"Oh huh, that is strangely calm for once.", Tempest said, having followed Ornstein through the fog gate. "I wonder where this slope leads?" Tempest stepped at the edge of it and studied it closely.
"Only one way to find out.", Ornstein pushed Tempest with minimal pressure, but the small Undead was too close to the edge and too light and Ornstein too strong for him to withstand the force behind the minor push, so that he started to slide down the slope with a yelp, desperately flailing his arms to keep balance. Ornstein was pretty sure that he heard Tempest curse over the course of the slide, something like "Ohshitohshitohshit."
Then, after there was silence for approximately five seconds, he shouted: "Ornstein? You better come down here!"
Ornstein slid down with much more grace and elegance that Tempest would ever possess in three lifetimes, looking very much like the dragon slayer and knight of Gwyn that he was. As soon as his feet hit the ground, he saw what the problem was. They certainly had arrived at their goal. The amalgamation of branches and pyromancy was what was left of the Witch of Izalith.
"How are we supposed to fight that?!", Tempest asked, arms spread to emphasize his following words. "It's HUGE!"
"Let me assess the situation...", Ornstein said, scanning the creature in front of them. Bed of Chaos, that was what they had started to call it. Because what once had been the Witch of Izalith, was now nothing more but a birthplace for demons. All because she had tried to recreate the first flame by herself.
"There isn't much time, I feel.", Tempest said and raised his shield when a branch that looked and acted like an arm came towards them in an attempt to swipe them off their feet. Ornstein managed to jump over them while Tempest blocked them with his shield, getting pushed back a few inches, but ultimately still standing.
It gave Ornstein enough time to finish his evaluation. He could see several clusters of magic in the structure. Two points stood out to him. He laid a hand on Tempest's shoulder and pointed at them.
"Little storm, do you see the red coloured cluster of magic on the left and right side of the bed of chaos?", he asked, picking Tempest up when he had to dodge a swing of the very long branch-arm.
"Y-yes.", Tempest said, stuttering a tiny bit. If it was because of fear or because Ornstein had picked him up, the dragon slayer didn't know.
"We need to attack these points. You go right and I go left. As soon as we are done, we meet back here."
He put Tempest on the ground who just stared at him and then said: "You want me to go ALONE?!"
"Little Storm, you fought a whole lot more scarier creatures than this.", Ornstein said. "I can't guarantee that the creature can stick itself together if only one of the clusters gets hurt. Besides, you are pretty good at blocking these swipes."
"Al-alright.", Tempest nodded and then stormed off into his direction. Ornstein turned around and moved to his location, always jumping over the swipes and swirling out of the way. He heard wood hitting metal occasionally, knowing that Tempest managed to get to his point unscathed, in his own way.
While Ornstein very much preferred to fight without a shield, he very much could see the benefits of such an item during a journey like this. Especially when the wielder wasn't as acrobatic as him.
The danger of the sweeping branch-arms subsided once Ornstein reached a tangle of twigs and branches, clearly guarding the cluster he wanted to break. It was too dense to just walk into, so he prodded along with his spear, clearing the way until he stood in front of it. He didn't attack it right away though, Tempest surely would need a little longer to get to his position.
After a minute or so, the Bed of Chaos suddenly screeched as if in pain and the remaining branches set themselves on fire. Ornstein grimaced under his helmet, of course it would be fire, this whole place was fire. Of course, it was the origin of pyromancy...
Now that he was sure that Tempest had succeeded, Ornstein stabbed the cluster in front of him. A second shriek evoked from the Bed of Chaos, but Ornstein had already turned around and didn't see any changes. However, the creature also hadn't died yet, so there must have been another weak point hidden somewhere. He had already suspected that, that was why he planned to meet up with Tempest in the centre.
Ornstein exited the tunnel of branches and started to head towards the middle of the room, when the branch-arm came swiping for him. Lazily, he prepared a jump, this fight was far too easy so far, when the branch didn't come for him, but for the floor instead. Ornstein stared when it crumpled away left and right of him, not letting much room to walk.
"You think that will stop me?", he said and simply jumped over the gap, all his confidence dropping when he saw Tempest at the other side, in the exact same situation, only that the little Undead wasn't able to just jump the gap and looked around rather helplessly.
"Ornstein, help!", he cried out once he spotted the golden armour, trying his best to push against a violently shaking branch-arm that threatened to push him into the deep abyss that had opened up.
"I am coming, little Storm!", Ornstein shouted and was already moving towards him, when the floor underneath him grew strangely hot. Looking down, he only had time for a short surprised gasp before he had to dodge several large pillars of fire, standing at a safe spot while four or five of them surrounded him, ready to burn him into a crisp if he moved a single muscle.
Even after the spell was over, Ornstein couldn't move, still too shocked by the attack, still too reminded of the horrors of the dragon war, the smell of burned flesh into his nostrils and a miracle on his fingers that desperately fought to suppress because he couldn't let it loose here.
"Ornstein, could you... hurry up a little?", Tempest shouted, his feet at the edge of the abyss, him trying as hard as possible to push against the branch-arm that wanted to shove him off. Ornstein still stood there in shock, not able to move a single muscle as he saw the scene play out in front of him.
Tempest's stamina ran out and Ornstein saw him fall over the edge, gasping in shock as he screamed for his legs to just move, why was he frozen in place, why couldn't he just run over, when he noticed that the sound of a body dissolving into ashes never came. Instead, a loud, high-pitched "Ornstein!"
That finally got Ornstein moving. Tempest had somehow managed to hold onto the edge, but he surely wouldn't be able to hold himself up for long. Ornstein wouldn't let him die again, he had let enough people die in his lifetime. Even though Tempest would come back, he didn't deserve to die over and over and over again.
Ornstein didn't even care when the pillars of flames erupted anew behind him, outrunning them and jumping into the abyss, using his spear to hold himself in the air, which was luckily long enough to lay safely on both ends of the abyss.
With his right hand hanging off the spear, he could see Tempest desperately grasping at the edge, starting to slip. Just as he lost his grip for good (Ornstein was pretty sure he heard another "Oshit."), Ornstein managed to catch him by his coattail, having a shaken and shuddering Tempest into his arms.
"Ornstein! You came!", he whined. "If I would still have been able to do it, I would have wet myself."
"Gross.", Ornstein said as he tossed Tempest back up and then heaved himself up with both hands, landing next to the little Storm. Without sharing a single word, he picked him up and jumped over the abyss, so that they landed back in the centre. There was no time for them to breathe though, because the pillars of lava appeared a third time and Ornstein ran as fast as he could out of their reach, while still carrying Tempest over his shoulder.
"Ornstein, look!", Tempest said, pointing at something that Ornstein couldn't see from his position. "There's a third cluster in the middle and it looks like we can reach it now! There is just a really large gap in front of it... Not even you will be able to jump it."
"Well, we see about that.", Ornstein said and ran back to the front, stopping when he saw how wide the gap was. Well, that certainly was a problem even for him.
"What now?", Tempest asked, still draped over Ornstein's shoulder. "Watch out!", he suddenly shouted. The heat already told Ornstein that the pillars of fire returned. Gladly, right at this moment he saw the root in the abyss. It was small and it would not be easy to hit it and when he missed, it would be over for him, but when he had the choice to die because of a fire or die because he fell from a great height, the latter one was the preferred choice.
"Hold tight, little Storm!", Ornstein shouted and jumped, landing on the root. He was never more glad to have trained for aerial combat for so long, because he managed to keep his balance and, unlike a dragon, the root wasn't moving. He ran towards the length of it and put Tempest down in front of a tangle of branches.
"End it.", he said. "Run in there and end it. This must be the core."
Tempest didn't need to be told twice because he already hacked on the branches. Ornstein helped him, being able to cover much more with his larger weapon. Ornstein asked himself which kind of creature the core would be... if the real fight was just in front of them, when Tempest slashed at something in front of him and suddenly the whole bed of chaos stopped moving.
"What the-?", Ornstein said, looking around in confusion, then at the dead thing in front of him. A bug. A single chaos bug. A pitiful little thing, really. "That has been her?", he said, kneeling down to examine it. "All this time she had been nothing but a little bug?"
"I am rather glad about it, because I was already imagining a fight against some warped demon.", Tempest breathed out a sigh of relief. "Ornstein, you saved me back there. I don't want to imagine how often I would have fallen to my death if not for your help. Thank you."
"Don't mention it.", Ornstein said, blushing faintly under his helmet, his gaze locked on a bonfire right in front of them. "Oh look, here's a bonfire. Do you have the soul?"
Tempest opened his hands to reveal a large glowing golden soul before he tucked it back into his darksign. "Three of them are collected. Only one more." It sounded somber, almost sad. Ornstein didn't have much chance to ask about it though, because in the next moment his hand was taken and he was moving through time and space.
(Author's note: While fighting the Bed of Chaos in my game, I got shoved down a dozen times, so I got a little revenge on it by letting Tempest be saved in here. The Bed of Chaos truly is such a bullshit fight... so many cheap deaths...
I had to save Solaire. I just had to even though it was mainly to let Ornstein say his part to him. Where is Solaire going now? I don't know. By the way, it was the idiot that made him limp. He still could hear everything that was said, but that was the only thing that got a reaction out of him.
We have more than half of the story told. Actually, I think I only have around four plot points left and I will probably have them told in less than ten chapters. We are about to reach the end. Thank you so much for having stuck with this story for so long already.
As always, please tell me how you liked the chapter in a comment.)