Chapter 12: Crucifixion Dungeon and The Great Grey Wolf.
Kingdom of Gaul, Viola Region.
...
On the dirt roads of the Viola frontier region, a caravan strolled through, along with horse-mounted bodyguards. Ash watched from the rear of the caravan with caution to see if there were any cases of bandits or wild mamono roaming around. The person sitting beside him to the right side was Sasha, hands firmly gripping her ornament staff with anxiety.
"I hope nothing bad will happen today," Sasha muttered silently before curiously glancing up to Ash. "Is there something wrong, Ash?"
"...I don't know but I got a weird feeling from a while ago," Ash said plainly before turning towards Sasha. "This mission we've taken might not be easy, so get yourself prepared."
"So it's kinda like we're going to encounter another Sullyvahn Beast," Reginald asked while raising his eyebrow in question. "... or something similar?"
"Something like that," Ash replied before crossing his arms. "But I get a feeling that it isn't."
"Then it's similar." Elen mused while cupping her chin while wondering. "But what could it be... Ash, any ideas?"
Ash paused for a moment in a few seconds before speaking up. "It could be a Greatwolf."
"A Greatwolf?" Sasha curiously perks up her eyebrow in question. "What's a Greatwolf and what does it look like?"
"It's a variant of a Grey Wolf but larger," Ash replied until he received confusing looks from Reginald, Elen, and Sasha. "Wait ...You don't have any Grey Wolves in these lands?"
"No, but I heard they existed way back into the ancient times when the former demon lords wrought the world with the destruction of all life," Sasha answered before she began to explain the details. "They died out a long time ago and their existence was only recorded in ancient scriptures and arts. Today, there are only Dire Wolves in this continent."
"Then I suppose they've survived and somehow ended up in your homeland," Elen suggests to Ash while wondering about Sasha's theory. "But how rare were they and just how big are these... Greatwolves?"
"Grey Wolves are common in my homeland and there are some exceptions," Ash explained. "Greatwolves were a unique breed of Grey Wolves once they went through trials of fire and survived many odds... Over time, when they became more powerful; they can grow larger and stronger than a bull. They even have significant intelligence but it's a very rare sight to see even one."
"Wait... you're telling me that Greatwolves are actually giant beasts!?" Sasha widened her eyes in surprise and disbelief. "They exist!?"
"...Yes, and we're going to subdue it." His words made a chill cross her spine and Sasha couldn't help but feel dread. "Don't fret, just stick with us and you won't get harmed."
'Ugh, now I regret picking up that request sheet!' Sasha expressed her deadpanned reaction before exhaling in regrets.
Half an hour had passed, the caravan stopped its tracks before Ash and Co. disembarked from the transport before they made their way towards the nearby settlement in the midst of a remote region. Once they got in front of the village gates, two village guards came up on top of the palisade walls. They look down to see a group holding a request sheet.
"Let them in!"
Massive wooden gates slowly opened, and the group was met by a short, stocky old man with a big white beard standing alongside the surrounding villagers; stared cautiously at the newcomers. The old man clears off his throat before making a jovial welcoming.
"Welcome to Fior Village!" The old man greeted with a heartfelt tone. "I am Goran, the Village Chief and Elder of this humble village."
"We came here to subjugate the beast," Ash said with a monotone voice behind his helmet while showing the request sheet.
"Ah yes, come and we have matters to discuss." Goran acknowledges with a nod before turning his direction to his house. "Just follow me."
...
"Here you go~!" said a handmaid while handing warm milk over to Sasha. "It must have been a tiring journey for someone coming all their way from Gerth."
"Indeed, I didn't expect it to be farther than the nearest settlements around the town," Sasha replied with a friendly smile before taking a drink.
At the other side of the table, the Goran began to explain the details of the Village's previous incidents while Ash carefully listened to the stories and rumours of village men and women disappearing in the woods for the past few days, never to return. His story suddenly turned dark and dreadful once he told them about torn clothes of missing people and bloodstains before mentioning the mangled body parts and corpses of the missing villagers.
"Every night, we heard guttural screams like never before. Like a mixture of a man and a beast." Goran said with an anxious tone as if his voice trembles. "Like something that is out of ordinary until one day, our Hunters saw a massive wolf, larger than a bull!"
'So I stood correct, a Greatwolf is involved in this quest.' Ash thought in wonder. 'But guttural screams between a man and a beast... It must be a Hollow of some kind.'
"Then what does this wolf look like?" Ash raised his eyebrow curiously.
"According to our hunters, it's a wolf they haven't seen one before," Goran answered while stroking his beard. "Unlike any dire wolf or some other types of wolves we've seen around, it's a different breed."
"I see. Thanks for the information." Ash nodded in acknowledgement. "We'll be taking our leave."
Goran sighed pitifully in his hopes to see them coming back alive and waved his hand for a farewell. "Well then, take care, young lads. The forests are teeming with danger nowadays."
...
...
"Run!"
"Just what the hell is that thing!?"
A pair of hunters were running away in fear after witnessing a humanoid monstrosity lurking under the shadows of the forests. The scream of the monster was horrific, one that intermixed between beast and man. One of the hunters slowly stopped his tracks before looking back to see if the abomination stopped chasing them, only to see a massive humanoid sprang up from the trees and pinned him down to the ground.
He screamed in terror as sharp claws tore through his eyes and ripped off his head before throwing it away. The Lycanthrope looked up and smelled the scent of its next victim before it sprang forth in inhuman speed. The other hunter kept running desperately to salvage his life as he heard a roar coming from behind.
He saw the same terrible humanoid from earlier now sprinting towards him as fast as a wolf before it leapt from a great distance and raised its claw. The hunter's life ended as his screams echoed through the forest.
...
"What was that?" Sasha looked around in confusion and her skin felt chills once she heard an echoed scream. "Someone just... screamed."
"Definitely not a mamono attack," Elen suggested while cupping her chin. "It felt like a scream of... someone dying."
'Really!? Is that all that you have to say!?' Sasha was taken aback by her words before shrugging in discomfort.
Ash looks back to his group before unsheathing his broadsword with caution. "It's near. We have to investigate it to see what's up."
Within the next fifteen minutes that have passed by, the group encountered something unusual going on in the woods. Reginald first saw a disembodied leg lying on a pool of blood, while Elen found trails of intestines hanging on the wooden branches. Meanwhile, Ash found a caved head showing off the inner parts of an unlucky male victim. These body parts belonged to the unfortunate victims, both human and mamono.
The carnage of corpses was still fresh and as soon as the group walked deeper into the forest, Sasha couldn't help but feel nausea and the immense stench that assaulted her nose. She felt her full stomach churn until she had an urge to vomit.
The brown-haired dhampir couldn't help but step away in sheer disgust while the Warrior Nun spilled out all of her lunch that almost got one of Elen's boots.
"Jeez!" Elen groaned while holding her nose. "Next time find a room, okay?"
"Y-Yeah, I will..." Sasha replied with heavy breathing. "Th-This is hard to take in..."
Ash was kneeling by a nearby corpse and started inspecting it. It's a man wearing the usual peasant clothing, but the cause of his death wasn't like the previous dead bodies from earlier and instead, his gut was impaled by a large wooden spear.
"Weird, this fellow lad seems to be impaled by some... Lycanthrope Hunter." Ash muttered silently in a grimace. "No... those folks shouldn't be here too..."
"Hey Ash, is it me, or is there a field of wooden crosses in this forest?" Reginald called out loud before pointing his thumb forwards. "Take a look at this."
Ash, Elen, and Sasha came up to a small hill and saw a swamp filled with wooden crosses scattered throughout the place and some torn down ruins. The most unusual and unsettling of all however were the distant, massive forms of gigantic crustacean beings that patrolled around the area. They even saw several humanoid figures carrying large wooden branches like a spear that looms around.
"Those are people down there, shouldn't we meet them?" Sasha asked curiously.
"No, don't." Ash suddenly spoke up with a sharp voice while holding her back by the shoulders. "Those aren't people, look."
The Silver-Blue Knight handed over his binoculars to Sasha, m much to her confusion. When she got a hold of the object and peek out from the lenses to see up-close, she saw towering figures with rotten grayish skin which made her skin crawl before one of them spun its direction towards her.
"HIIEEK!" Sasha gasped, almost screaming while closing her mouth after what she just saw.
Those beings were far from human or even a mamono itself. No, what she just saw are towering figures of walking corpses with empty eyes. Elen and Reginald also borrowed Ash's binoculars to look up after being curious to see something that made Sasha react in terror.
"Just... just what are they...?" Sasha uttered in disbelief. "They're not mamono... or humans... they're... they're-"
"Hollows," Ash spoke up with a dreadful tone. "They're Undead... living corpses with darkness which filled their empty husks with no purpose left within."
"Say... are these guys friendly or what?" Elen asked while pointing her thumbs towards the hollows in the distance.
"No, and do not simply get near them. " Ash warned. "They will attack anything that isn't one of them."
"So they're like zombies, but deadlier?" Reginald guessed while raising his eyebrow in question. Ash nodded. "Great, seems like this would be an enjoyable experience to what it feels like to fight the actual monsters."
Reginald flexed his arms before unsheathing his Bastard Sword from the shoulders before making a confident grin while his dhampir sister sighed with apathy towards her older human brother and unsheathing her greatsword as well. Ash prepared his Black Bow of Pharris before looking back to Sasha.
"Get ready, stick with me."
Sasha nodded before unsheathing her broadsword and her staff ready on her left hand along with the Elkhorn Round Shield. Ash then led the group and marched into the uncharted areas. However, once they stepped in, they heard an unusual sound of a gong coming from all different directions in much to their confusion and tensed themselves until they saw white words with a line underneath that floats in the air.
[Crucifixion Forest Dungeon]
"Crucifixion Forest... Dungeon?" Elen raised her head in confusion.
"It must be a name for this area." Reginald scratched the back of his head. "But why a dungeon?"
"Beats me." Ash shrugged. 'So this is the Crucifixion Forest, but how did a swamp from Lothric come all the way here?'
"Hey, Ash! Everyone!" Sasha calls out for the group that caught her attention. "Look what I found here!"
Ash saw Sasha was standing on a pool of water while pointing her finger down towards an unusual crustacean that Ash hadn't seen for a long time, a Lesser Crab.
Sasha made a friendly smile while patting the small crustacean. "Don't you find this crab cute?"
While Reginald and Elen stood in disbelief and confusion, Ash tensed as he felt something going wrong once the ground shook. He knew what was coming before he ran towards Sasha.
"Sasha, get out of there!"
"Huh?"
Out from the trees, Ash saw a massive shadowy being loom over the Warrior Nun until Sasha turned around and widened her eyes in horror. She saw a Giant Crab lifting its massive claws and brought it down to kill her, but Ash came in a nick of time and tackled her down before the massive claws would hit her mark. Ash quickly stood up on his feet and raised his shield. The giant raised its claw once more and swung it down against him. Ash clenched his teeth once he received a massive blow that struck his shield from the Giant Crab before rolling aside to dodge the second attack and jumped back while the massive claw made an uppercut.
'Right, all I need is a jab to its face.'
The Giant Crab lifted its claws one more time and Ash took a quick strafe to the right before the massive claw pounded into the wet ground. The Silver-Blue Knight slashed his broadsword against the mouth, slicing off its appendages. The giant crustacean roared in pain and staggered in its place before Ash sent in the final blow.
He jabbed his sword through its mouth and hit the most critical target, its vital organs within the carapace, and twisted harshly. When he released his blade, the crab's guts came out, and it fell backwards with its last breath before the claws fell.
Ash whipped off the creature's blood from his blade before turning around to see if Sasha was alright. Only to see her having a shaken reaction and breathing heavily in fear, he walked up to her and helped her to get up, yet he felt her hands trembling. Knowing full well that she was so close to death.
"Are you alright?" Ash asked worriedly.
"I-I'm f-fine." She stuttered before gulping a lump in her throat. "Th-Thank you for saving me."
Reginald and Elen breathed out in relief as their grips still held on their weapons. Therefore, they let it go before coming up to the couple. Elen whistled in awe while looking over the massive corpse of the Giant Crab.
"That's one big bastard alright," Elen commented. "How big do these things get?"
"I don't know." Ash shrugged his shoulders. "But I've seen larger ones."
"Like what?" Reginald asked.
"Many beings such as Giants and Wyverns," Ash replied, but his thoughts came to a grim reminder. "Imagine those giants but more than ten times your size while the other is an oversized lizard that can breathe fire, not your everyday hedonists."
In his past life, he saw how many opponents he faced rather than simple hollows. There were tall and dangerous enemies that exist in his world where he encountered horrendous beings such as the Man-Serpents from Sens Fortress, Hollowed Berenike Knights, The Silver Knights of Anor Londo, and many more. With the convolution that is happening around the New World, Ash needed to come up with a plan that they should be prepared for the worst to come.
"Let's get out from here before more of those giant crabs appear," Ash said to the group before they nodded without asking questions.
...
Town of Gerth, Viola Region.
...
"This is the place," Alameria said while looking over the town. "Humble isn't it?"
"It is... but something is off with this town," Olivier spoke with curiosity in her mind and raised her eyebrow in question. "I sensed a massive surge of mana coursing through the air, but it's even wilder."
"Yeah, I can feel it," Sandra said while being intrigued by the presence of wild mana. "Olivier, disguise yourself before going in."
The Demon Musketeer nodded before motioning her hand. Her magic covered her entire body so that her human form became visible. Alameria smiled to see the appearance of Olivier's old self.
"It's nice to see your old appearance again."
"Indeed, but I prefer to live in my new form."
Upon entering the town, they came in with no problems, and when they took a glance at the Town Guards at the gate entrance; they didn't even bother to look at their beautiful looks. The males would normally lust for them like greedy wolves.
"My, this town is so diverse," Alameria remarked while looking over townsfolk. "Not something unusual, it feels like we're in a Monster-friendly state."
"It does, but it feels like something is really off." Sandra squinted her eyes in suspicion. "The Mamono living around here are most, in fact, single."
"Eh? How so?" Alameria raised her eyebrow in question. "That can't be right... Olivier?"
"Sandra's right. They are single." Olivier replied while tilting her head sideways before crossing her arms and explaining. "This town would normally be filled with Mamono couples. But I sensed that the majority of human men in this town aren't drenched with demonic energy despite a significant population of Mamono living here."
"... Now that's totally weird." Alameria scratches the back of her head in confusion before telling out loud. "Where's all the love and romance for god's sake!?"
"Are you the Agents sent by Druella?" Sandra turned around and saw a cloaked figure and noticed her red eyes and a streak of raven hair. She unveiled her hood and pulled up her pendant. "I'm Jane, a member of the Demon Realms Intelligence Branch."
Sandra sighed in relief and returned a smile. However, she realized something felt wrong. She was all alone and Druella has sent only two agents to Gerth, which means that someone was missing.
"I heard that only two agents were in this town," Sandra said curiously before crossing her arms. "Where's the other one?"
"Daniella? She's gone for an entire day!" Jane then spoke up in worry. "She said that she has to meet with some man that caught her heart, but she never came back!"
"Could it be that the Silver-Blue Knight caught her?" Sandra went wide-eyed in horror. "Where is he?"
"The last time I saw him, h-he left the town four hours ago," Jane explained. "But then… recently, I saw my partner, and she was brought into an inn!"
"... An Inn?" Alameria said incredulously. "Why is she brought into an inn? Could have been in jail for spying on him."
"Because the Inn's owner is a friend of the Silver-Blue Knight!" Jane whispered closely to their ears. Try not to speak out to the public. "The Onion Knight of Gerth himself!"
At this moment, Olivier's reaction went blank and clueless. "Huh? Onion Knight?"
"What kind of Knights Title is that!?" Alameria stated in much to her disbelief and near laughter. "It sounds more ridiculous than threatening! Hahaha~!"
"Don't underestimate that guy!" Jane uttered out in a hush. "I've seen that guy holding a massive club with bloodstains on it. He's not some straightforward guy to deal with!"
Sandra couldn't help but sigh in irritation at hearing such a ridiculous rumour. Half an hour has passed. Jane guided the three agents through the town. Olivier was amazed at how a large flow of mana coursed around the town while sensing more from the outskirts, like a massive tidal wave. Yet what worries her is that her entire body and mind are becoming tamer and her hedonistic nature is being repressed by the wild mana flowing around. Sandra and Alameria felt it as well.
When Sandra asked Jane how the Mamono were docile around the town, her information shocked the three to hear something which is supposed to be impossible.
"A farm in the outskirts is releasing a massive amount of spirit energy... by a million fold?!" Olivier states while hanging her head down in shock and ruminates that in her mind. "That's... impossible as if the entire power of the Demon Lord's Husband flows through here."
"And the reason the Mamono stayed in this town is due to an exorbitant amount of Spirit Energy that is stored within the local food here," Alameria added incredulously, yet amused by this. "That's incredible... I mean, really."
"Yeah, but let's talk about it later," Sandra spoke before turning towards a peculiar building with its name; the Horseback's Inn. "Let's head in that place and try to save your partner."
...
The four agents of the Demon Realm slowly opened the doors and entered the restaurant. They could see several men, women, and Mamono celebrating with their mugs filled with beer while the Agents took their seats beside the bar until the Barkeeper came along.
"Ah! Welcome to Horseback Inn, how may I serve you?" Jennifer asked with a friendly smile while placing the mugs on the shelves.
"Oh, we would like to have some warm milk," Olivier ordered before handing out her pouch of gold. "Give us the sweetest milk in town~"
"I'm worried about Daniella," Jane muttered anxiously while looking down. "I hope she isn't hurt or worse."
Minutes passed and Jennifer came by with four mugs of warm milk. They heard a bell rang through the kitchen window and heard the sounds of sizzling and the smell of roasted meat, Sieglinde came by close to the window and pulls out a large tray with food ready to serve.
"There you go, three Cow Steaks and a Breadbasket full of Croquettes." Once Jane heard a familiar voice; she accidentally spat out her milk in disbelief and coughed.
"Thanks, I didn't expect that you learned how to cook so well." Sieglinde remarks with a cocky grin.
"W-Well, I heard men prefer a woman who can cook." Daniella laughed nervously before someone barged through the bar. "J-Jane?!"
"Daniella! I'm so glad you're alright!" Jane cheered, hugging her face through the kitchen window. "What happened to you and... uh... since when were you a cook?!"
Daniella and Sieglinde stood by in surprise before the waitress heard heavy footsteps and clanking of armour entering the restaurant. Sieglinde turned around and saw her father arriving with an enormous pack of food supplies around his back.
"Oh dear, what do we have here?" Siegward asked in question with a jovial tone. "Some unusual guests trying to get along with my daughter?"
"Hiek! It's Siegward Catarina, the Onion Knight!" Jane whispered in panic while hiding behind Sandra. "That man is said to have subjugated many mamono like the Silver-Blue Knight himself and that cheery look only makes him even more dangerous!"
"Wait, really?" Sandra raised her eyebrow incredulously.
"I... uhh... these are my friends," Daniella replies sheepishly while nervously scratching the back of her head. "They just want to come by and say hi!"
"I see, so I presume they came from the Demon Realm Army as well," Siegward stated, which brought a shock towards Daniella and much to the surprise of the other agents. "I have ears, Daniella. The acquaintance of Ash Cyrus has spoken about your intentions here in Gaul which might be ugly for the Royal Family and... by the Lords! Such a wrenching smell!"
Siegward stepped back in disgust while holding his nose before turning to Olivier.
"How come such a beautiful lady such as you reeks from a wretched sewer?" Siegward uttered in question.
"I have no idea, father. But ugh!" Sieglinde said while holding her nose. "She does reeks from the sewers... but the customers don't seem to notice."
"Then I believe our dear customer is a Demon." Jennifer guessed while pointing out at the monsterized Heroine. "Am I right?"
"H-How did you know?" Olivier stepped back in shock. "My disguise should be unnoticeable!"
"That my dear lady, whenever my husband smelled some unusual scent that isn't usual, then it's something," Jennifer explained before walking towards the Agents. "But I, as a former Heroine of the Order, can tell the difference."
At that moment, the Monster Girls went wide-eyed in shock. "A heroine?!"
"Wait... mom's an Order Hero?!" Sieglinde said out loud in surprise. "Dad, you knew that she's a heroine?!"
"Well... um, your mother and I wanted to keep it a secret." Siegward nervously shrugged off his shoulders. "That is, until now; she decided to blow it over."
Olivier recovered shortly from her shock before setting off her human disguise. The customers then backed away immediately in fear while witnessing a demon; which were said to be the strongest beings of the Demon Realm with inhuman prowess and powerful magic.
"So my hunch is correct." Jennifer mused to herself but remained unfazed. "Let me guess, your intention here is to convert everyone in this town once you subdue the Silver-Blue Knight, am I right?"
"As if, we're here for the Silver-Blue Knight himself!" Olivier declares with determination while unsheathing her rapier. "We're going to convert this town and capture him for sure, starting with you!"
The Fallen Heroine dashed towards Jennifer while raising her weapon. The Barkeeper stood unfazed, and the Demon grinned with overconfidence before her vision was blocked by a wooden mug.
"Not so hasty!" Siegward swung his wooden mug against her face and sent her flying into the air. "Madam! Please, show some respect to someone who owns this restaurant."
Once Olivier unconsciously fell flat on the floor; Alameria, Sandra, and Jane trembled in fear when Siegward turned towards the agents... with a menacing-looking aura. Even his ridiculous onion-looking armour only made it even more intimidating.
"So... young lads, what should we do to you from now on?" He spoke coldly behind his helmet.
"Hiiieeek!"
...
...
...
"Keep the potatoes fried up, they're getting cold!" Siegward spoke strictly to the Agents around the kitchen. "What are you waiting for?! The customers outside are getting hungry!"
"Y-Yes, sir!" The Mamono nodded in fear.
"I can't believe we're forced to work," Sandra muttered before pursing her lips in embarrassment.
"Well, at least this job seems pretty easy," Olivier stated with a mischievous grin. "Since I'm a Demon, my speciality is cooking~!"
"Actually, I don't allow monster delicacies, Ms Amaltia." Siegward tilted his head in disappointment while crossing his arms. "I will not let any guests consume food which reeks and make their wits to think about having any hedonists as their wives. I can smell it."
"Ohhhh.." Olivier let out a disgruntled groan while facing down in distraught. "This sucks..."
...
Crucifixion Forest Dungeon
"RAAGH!"
A hollowed Lycanthrope Hunter charged against Ash with its long wooden pole before the Knight took a quick strafe to the right and quickly drew his sword, which sliced off the head of the undead. Reginald and Elen flanked the hunters with their aggressive agility to flank the undead to distract them from all directions before seeing an opening to cut them down.
Reginald caught another hollow that came out from the trees and suddenly threw a firebomb. He immediately evaded the bomb until Elen appeared behind the undead and sliced the body in half with her reinforced greatsword.
Ash spun around and saw Sasha having difficulties while dealing with a single Starved Hound. Sasha shielded herself with her Elkhorn Round Shield from the aggressive bite of the undead beast. She swung her sword down, but the dog jumped back in, much to her surprise until the hound countered back by leaping forth and jabbed its jaws on her right arm.
"AAAHH!" Sasha screamed in pain before she was pinned down to the ground and her sword was dropped.
The hound savaged her arm aggressively back and forth before the hollowed beast died once Ash threw a knife against the head. He quickly went to Sasha and inspected her condition. She was breathing heavily and groaning in pain as Ash inspected her wound, showing several bloody ugly gashes and lacerations from bite marks.
"Here, take this." Ash pulled out a vial from his pouch and handed it over. "It'll heal your wounds."
Upon touching the vial, Sasha's eyes went wide once she felt something truly unnatural as if the Vial itself radiated warmth like the Siegbrau and the liquid content of the potion is filled with some Divine Magic that might be given by some sort of God. Yet it feels more powerful than she ever imagined.
"Wh-What's this?" She raised her eyebrow incredulously. "I felt this potion is blessed with some divine powers."
"It's a Divine Blessing, just drink it," Ash said blandly. "Or else you'd pass out with blood loss."
When she heard the word "Divine" made her silent. Sasha stared at the vial for a moment before drinking the potion gasping in surprise. Her body then radiated with some unknown energy which gave her a comfortable warmth that soothingly eased her mind. But that's not all, she felt her wounds heal and join together immediately before disappearing within a matter of seconds and the pain shifting away.
"Amazing..." Sasha uttered in awe. "This potion is truly blessed... but it's more... Holy."
Ash helped Sasha to get up from the ground until Elen tensed once she heard something from across the swamp. She heard guttural roars of some beast and Reginald took a closer inspection and saw a shadowy figure in a distance taller than the rest of the undead. It's a hulking figure wandering around the swamp and on the back of the abomination is tied along with a wooden cross.
But the most unsettling of all was its pairs of red eyes that glowed underneath its hood.
"What the hell is that?" Reginald tensed while he stood on guard with his sword drawn. "That guy seems bigger."
Ash immediately knew that the figure they saw was a Lycanthrope; Hollowed Abominations who were once ordinary men that drank the blood of the Farron Wolf to pass the trials of becoming an Abysswatcher of the Farron Legion. He knew these beings were the ones that failed the passage before they were cast out into the swamps.
The Silver-Blue Knight noticed the abomination was becoming aware of their presence before it gave out a roar that echoed through the swamp. For a mere moment later, they saw several pairs of red glowing eyes appear from the misty fog. Ash realised what was going on before it was too late.
"Run! Don't look back!"
Ash warned the group before he saw several lycanthropes sprang out from their hiding spots. The hollowed creatures sprinted through like screeching madmen that screamed for blood. Reginald caught another Lycanthrope from the right and ducked down from its deadly claws before more of them suddenly rushed in numbers.
The Son of Farron quickly drew his sword and cut off the arms of the hollowed being while it staggered back in pain. The lycanthrope tries to fend back while attempting to bite off his neck, but Reginald strafed to the right and leapt away from the abomination at a great distance before sprinting back to the group.
Ash and Elen stopped their tracks once they were surrounded by Lycanthropes until Reginald barged through by impaling his blade on one of the back of the hollowed abominations. The three made their defensive positions until the Silver-Blue Knight felt off.
"Wait..." Ash realised something once he looked around. "Where's Sasha?"
...
Sasha sprinted through the swamp all she could while trying not to look back as she heard the horrible screeches from behind.
'Why… Why?!... The blessings of the gods should've strengthened me! But in this place. I felt weakened! But how?' When fear took over her heart. Her mind yelled while in a state of panic and her breath became heavy with exhaustion. 'Help me! Ash! Elen! Reginald! 'Where are you?! Save me!'
Her feet never stopped as fear overtook every bit of her entire soul and mind until she tripped over a root. She looked back to the Lycanthrope and saw the abomination jump from a distance before she rolled away to avoid becoming a paste of meat and bones.
She drew her ornament staff and cried out a spell.
"Light Arrows!"
Light particles appeared out from thin air and formed several arrows that were pointing against the Lycanthrope before shooting out at lightning speed. But the beast dodged the magical projectiles effortlessly by quickly strafing aside before it sprinted towards her into an instance and came face-to-face.
The Lycanthrope swung its claws and sent Sasha against the tree at full force. Any ordinary person would die at that point. But fortunately, her blessing from the Chief God had protected her from such a deadly blow, yet what she received was fatal and for the first time in her experience, the Warrior Nun felt pain... an immeasurable amount of pain coursing through her body that she can't comprehend, Sasha grits her teeth and tries to ignore the pain as best as she could to get up.
She can feel the streams of her blood pouring out from her forehead as her knees slumped to the ground. Sasha looked up to see the abomination looming over her and raised its claws.
"Ash..." Sasha uttered his name, expressing her fear-stricken eyes full of hopelessness before closing her eyes. "Please... save me!"
Just before the Lycanthrope would bring down its claws, a giant tree log swooped above her head and brought the hollowed creature into the air. It smashed against the nearby tree and died on impact.
Sasha's eyes went wide as she witnessed what had happened. She turned around and met a pair of eyes that belonged to a wolf. She crawled back in surprise and fear as she saw the strange creature before her; a massive Grey Wolf wielding a giant tree log in its mouth like a sword.
The Great Grey Wolf dropped his weapon gently to the ground while his eyes inspected the terrified Warrior Nun with caution.
"What are you doing here?" The Wolf suddenly spoke through her mind. "This place is off-limits and human travellers such as thyself cometh' here will bring nothing but thy own demise."
Sasha went speechless to the point where her mind couldn't comprehend his existence. Not only had she witnessed and came face-to-face with a giant wolf, but it's capable of speech... while having a male voice!
"Y-You're a male?!" Sasha went slack-jawed. "A-And you must be... A Greatwolf?"
"That is correct." The Grey Wolf nodded.
"Umm... since you can talk, you... uhh..." Sasha paused for a while before taking another question. "Do you... have a name?"
The Great Grey Wolf closed his eyes before sitting right up and stared down at her with a hardened gaze. Sasha couldn't help but awed to see that pose the wolf made radiates that of a majestic being.
"I am Sif, the Great Grey Wolf of Anor Londo and a dear friend of Sir Artorias, one of the Four Knights of Lord Gwyn." Sif introduced himself with prideful radiance. "I may not belong to this land and have wandered this swamp for a year. Thy kind that I've encountered have previously fled in fear and some tried to hunt me down without knowing that this swamp itself will bring danger which can befall on them."
"Wait... so you've been saving those villagers... not eating them alive?"
"For your correction; I tried." The Wolf replied. "Humans would normally flee in fear once they saw me, but they ran into places that consist of danger... but you are the first that understand my intentions."
"Have you ever tried to speak with someone in the village?" Sasha raised her eyebrow in question.
"That... I was trying to communicate with them." The Wolf then hanged his head down in much to his disappointment. "Unfortunately, they sent a mob to get rid of me. So I should stay here."
"Then... another question." Sasha then asked once more. "You said you came from a place called Anor Londo and have a friend named Artorias... and who is Lord Gwyn?"
"You... do not know of Artorias the Abysswalker?" The Wolf tilts his head in confusion. "By the Flames, even you do not know Gywn, the Legendary Lord of Sunlight himself?"
"P-Pardon me for my ignorance!" Sasha quickly apologized while waving her hands. "This is the first time I've heard about them!"
"I see... so this is truly a foreign land indeed..." Sif closed his eyes and made an apologetic bow. "Pardon me for my hasty question, I suppose that you must le-"
"Sasha!" Sif suddenly raised his ears once he heard voices coming from nearby. "Sasha! Where are you!"
"That voice, it's Elen!" Sasha breathed deeply in relief as she stood up. "I'm here!"
Once they heard her voice, Elen came through the trees first and saw the Warrior Nun is alright. Yet what made her wince in surprise to witness is a massive wolf standing by her side, the Dhampir cautiously drew her sword.
"Wait Elen, No! He's a friend!" Sasha spreads her arms wide to cover Sif. "Please, put down your weapon."
"If you would have drawn your sword, then it will be your demise to face me." The Grey Wolf added through mental communication.
Elen stood in shock before slowly lowering her blade. She did not expect that the giant beast could talk... with a male voice!
"Elen is she-!" Once Reginald came by, he quickly drew his sword at the sight of the Greatwolf, but he was stopped once the Dhampir held him back. "What?"
"She's safe."
The last person who arrived was Ash. His Claymore rested on his shoulders and was filled with the black blood of hollowed beasts. Sasha smiled before running up to Ash. The Silver-Blue Knight breathed out in relief before looking up to the massive Greatwolf. His eyes went wide to see a familiar face once he saw through the wolf's eyes. However, Sif immediately recognizes his presence first by smelling his scent.
"That smell... no, that can't be." Sif's eyes went wide. "Is that you...? The Hero who saved Oolacile?"
'Wait... Hero!?' Sasha's eyes went wide in disbelief before turning to Ash. 'Ash is a… Hero!?"
"Sif... it's been a while." Ash paused before nervously making a small gulp through his throat. "I didn't expect you to be here... still angry that I desecrated the grave?"
The Wolf then witnessed the memories of his past life before his death. The Elite Knight that stood before him is the same warrior that slew him. Sif made a disgruntled snout before standing straight up.
"Yes... It was a shame that you defeated me." Sif said in a warning tone. "Then what did you steal from his grave?"
"This," Ash replied before pulling out a familiar ring that the wolf immediately knew what it was. "I just came for this ring to slay the Four Kings."
"The Ring of Sir Artorias?" Sif went wide-eyed in disbelief. "And you used it to traverse the Abyss and slew the corrupted Kings!?"
"Indeed." Ash nodded before handing it over. "I'm sorry that I got his ring... maybe I should give it back."
"No need... I would have realized sooner of thy intent to end the Abyss in Lordran." Sif tilts his head sidewards before looking up in reminiscence. "You received his Ring and slay the Four Kings. I knew no warrior would dare to face them until you achieved it. Artorias would have been proud of your actions, Hero of Oolacile."
"Hero of Oolacile?" Reginald spun towards Ash in surprise. "You were a hero?"
"And what is Oolacile?" Elen asked while crossing her arms. "Could you explain to us?"
"Well, I-" Ash tries to speak up before he was cut short by Sasha.
"Ash... I never realized you were a hero..." The Silver-Blue Knight spun around and saw Sasha make a flustered expression before shyly looking away.
"Listen, everyone, I wasn't a hero in the first place." Ash then sighed in frustration while slapping the palm of his hand against his helmet. "I will explain it once we got out of this place."
"RAAAAAGH!"
"Yeah, and a lot of killing," Reginald spoke with sarcasm while drawing his sword once the group saw a horde of Lycanthropes rushing to them. He grunts while squinting his eyes in irritation. "Great, now we're outnumbered."
"Don't mind if I may grant your assistance." Reginald, Elen, Sasha, and Ash spun around and saw Sif grabbed the massive tree log into his mouth. "Now let's see how you warriors of this lands fare... and as for you, Hero of Oolacile; you have my gratitude for defeating the Abyss."
"I appreciate your thanks, Sif." Ash nods before drawing his Claymore and then points to the horde. "Now let's end this, like the good old times."
With that, the group gained an unlikely ally until they charged forth through the swamp with their newfound strength before the sounds of steel clashed against flesh and metal whilst the dying cries of beasts echoed through the swamp.
...
Fior Village.
...
Goran stared up to the orange skies as the sun set across the horizon, it's been a few hours have passed and awaited for the adventurers that have succeeded in their goal to subdue the beast that is terrorizing the village outskirts. He prayed for the Chief God for his answer, as if the deities themselves would heed his call, from what he saw is a gigantic beast coming on its way to their village with familiar figures riding on top of the massive wolf.
The village guards on the walls went slack jaw in awe while Goran's eyes went wide in disbelief.
"Look over there! They've returned!"
Meanwhile, Ash looks back at Sasha. The warrior nun is distraught while groaning in disgust whilst her blue kirtle and cloak were stained by hollowed blood.
"Ugh, the smell of the blood reeks a lot," Sasha complained while pursing her lips.
"Don't worry, you'll get used to it," Ash spoke while pulling out a fresh Dingy Set. "Here, I got a spare of fresh clothes for you."
...
...
...
"So this... massive wolf isn't the cause for the deaths of our unfortunate villagers." Goran stroked his beard before looking up to the Great Grey Wolf and bowed down in apology. "Forgive us, we've judged you too much because of our fears.."
"If you'd understand my intentions, their deaths would've been prevented," Sif replied. "They should have not come near that swamp, it is filled with Hollows."
"That place we just got there has turned into a dungeon," Ash explained before tilting his head sideways. "I'm afraid we have no knowledge to reverse the effects back to normal and it stays there permanently."
"I see. Then it will be a problem once if one of those abominations would come to our village." Goran sighed sombrely while tipping off his hat. "Unfortunately, your contract of this quest is finished since you succeeded to subdue the Giant Wolf. We might hire another batch of adventurers or call Gerth to send their soldiers for protection."
"Alright, we might come back when things go awry," Ash stated before pulling out the Quest sheet. "And we'll find out how that dungeon appeared."
Once the Village Chief signed down the Quest Sheet with his approval. The group packed up and left the settlement. Sasha felt good as new with the Dingy set which Ash gave her earlier before she sat above their new companion of the group, Sif the Great Grey Wolf.
...
"So Ash, how were you a hero?" Sasha asked while raising her eyebrow in question. "And what is Oolacile?"
"I've got a... complicated story due to my experience," Ash said before taking a deep breath. "My adventures in Lordran are full of mysteries going around, it also includes traversing someone into another timeline."
"Into another timeline?" Elen perks up in surprise. "Isn't that considered... Time Travel?"
"In a sense, yes," Ash replied with a grim reminder about the existence of Manus and brought him back to a time three hundred years before the Fall of Lordran. He took another deep breath before explaining. "About Oolacile, it is a lost Ancient Kingdom, home to sorcerers that practised ancient spells of Illusions and Light magic."
"Ooh~! A land of magic and illusions!" Sasha beamed. "But tell me more about it, and what happened?"
"That land is ruled by a royal family until one day, the citizens of Oolacile excavated an ancient grave that belonged to Manus; The Primeval Man. They disturbed his slumber and created the Abyss, it swallowed the whole land and turned the citizens into many forms of abominations." Sif explained as Sasha caught a shiver down through her spine. She didn't know that the fate of its citizens was much more horrible than she thought.
The Wolf met a sense of nostalgia before looking up at the transparent moons that loom above the orange skies. "Gwyn, the Lord of Sunlight and the King of Lordran heard the spread of the Abyss. He sends forth one of his most powerful knights, such as Artorias, and Ciaran, to prevent the spread and save Princess Dusk of Oolacile from the hands of Manus. I was a young pup at that time while assisting Artorias to fight the abyss and fought Manus, but he lost that battle and protected me from the darkness until he was consumed by the Abyss."
"So... what happened to Artorias?" Reginald asked while crossing his arms, intrigued by the lore.
"Manus sensed his long-lost pendant through time and dragged me way back to the past about... one thousand and three hundred years. Oolacile happened three hundred years before the fall of Lordran." Ash answered, which made Sasha speechless for a moment. "As for Artorias, I fought him in a ruined colosseum and freed him from the grasps of the Abyss."
"O-One thousand and th-three hundred years!? So that means Sif is... By the Chief God." Sasha gasped in disbelief before her face went pale as white. "That goes way back, three centuries before the current Demon Lord ascends the throne... and by 'freeing him'... does that mean..."
"Yes, that kind of thing," Ash answered once more to the Warrior Nun. "The Abyss can do horrible things to any living being."
"Damn, now that's something we wouldn't mess with." Elen shrugged off her shoulders in discomfort. "How dangerous is the Abyss, by the way?"
"Way worse than the Abyssals of Chaos underneath Poseidon's domains," Ash replied in a grim tone before turning to Reginald. "It is of pure darkness... I've been there and it isn't pretty."
"Then after you went into the Abyss and let me guess, you fought a monster called Manus, I presume?" Reginald stated before Ash replied with a nod. "So what does he look like?"
"A gigantic, distorted ape and it's capable of using dark magic," Ash explained the details. "He's extremely dangerous and beyond aggressive."
"So how did you beat it?" Sasha tilts her head in question.
"Simple... I just jabbed my sword through his face." Ash answered in much to her surprise. "If it were not for Sif, then I would have died there before the entire Oolacile was consumed."
"Just like that?" Elen said amused while crossing her arms. "So what happened to Princess Oolacile?"
"She was freed before Elizabeth summoned me back to her Sanctuary." Ash said before adding another statement, "Also before you ask who Elizabeth is, she's the caretaker of the Royal Family."
"Oh."
"And she's a Mushroom as well."
"...Wait." Elen perked up in surprise before she spun around to Sif. "She's a matango?"
"No, they're different from those infectious hedonists," Ash stated. "There exists a species of wandering Mushroom people."
"Amazing, your lands have different kinds of creatures~!" Sasha said as if she were daydreaming. "I guess they're mostly terrifying, yet I find it most fascinating, like Sif himself."
"Hmph. Your Knight tells me that the people of these new lands never heard about Greatwolves." Sif said while looking up at Sasha. "But he tells me that this land is filled with creatures that were part monsters and part women called the Mamono. But their nature, however, his descriptions concern me the most; they were hedonists that always hunt for men... only to become their wives?"
"Uhh, yes. Do you find that weird?" Sasha asked.
"I do find it extremely bizarre." Sif paused for a moment. "Even the Knights of Anor Londo wouldn't find that... impressive at most."
...
Town of Gerth, Viola Region.
...
A day has passed, and the sun rises in the sky. The town guards at the gates yawned from their sleep until one of them saw an unusual creature coming in their way, a massive wolf accompanied by a group of adventurers. The guards dropped their jaws in disbelief and fear. However, Ash informed the soldiers that they came with no harm.
Once they entered the town, the citizens stood back in fear and shock when they caught the sight of a giant wolf.
On the side of the road, Arcturus went out from the inn with a yawn before looking up to the ruckus going on. Elaine came out from the door as well while strapping up her iron bracelets.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Elaine raised her eyebrow in question.
The ruckus going around the town intrigued Arcturus before raising his hand. "We'd better find out what's going on."
"Ugh, what's going on out there?" Gerome yawned while stretching up his arms. "Why's everyone getting noisy all of a sudden while early in the morning?"
Arcturus went and Elain went forth, leaving Gerome in confusion before they reached a gathering of people on the roadside. They noticed that human and mamono citizens gazed with awe and surprise at an unlikely group that was accompanied by a massive wolf behind them.
"What the..." Arcturus' eyes went wide in disbelief. "It's huge..."
"Is that... a wolf?" Elaine uttered while having the same face as her human cousin before her eyes fell on a peculiar knight. "Hey, is that an Order Knight?"
"Hardly, despite it almost having the same colour scheme." Both Elaine and Arcturus yelped in surprise before staring up at Gerome. "The design is foreign, it even does not match that of any ordinary Order Knights and he has a full body protection."
The Silver-Blue Knight stopped for a moment before turning his attention to the Knights of the Sunlight Covenant. The three knights felt their hearts stop once they felt a foreboding aura coming from the Knight before he continued his path.
"Wh-What was that?" Arcturus felt his breath becoming heavier. "It's not like I've felt it before."
"Me neither. It seems that guy doesn't want to play around," Elaine added before turning to a fellow townsman. "Excuse me, do you know who that guy is?"
"Oh, him? He's the Silver-Blue Knight of Lescatie." He replied. "He came here around the town not too long ago, but his reputation has spread further all across this town because of the Lescatian Refugees."
"The Silver-Blue Knight of Lescatie?" Gerome raised his eyebrow, which piqued his interest. "Can you tell us more about him?"
"Well, people told of his reputation; a Knight who fought the Mamono with no hesitation." The man replied with a fearful look. "It's just that from what we've heard about, but others have said that he doesn't kill Mamono without a good reason."
"Huh, so he's a reasonable Knight." Elaine mused to herself before looking back to the Silver-Blue Knight and his companion. "To think of it, that guy seems like a veteran on his own... and I can feel it."
"He probably killed a lot of people back then." Gerome guessed. "To think of it is due to his dark background."
...
Horseback Inn.
"Ah! Welcome back!" Siegward greeted cheerfully while raising his wooden mug in the air. "Oh my, I didn't think you'd bring such an unusual wolf into this town!"
Sieglinde and the orphans watched the Greatwolf in awe before Emiyu slowly stepped in and pat the fur of the giant wolf.
"Ooh! It's soft!"
"H-Hey Emiyu, cut it out!" Lisia cried out in fear. "That big wolf might bite you!"
"Who says that I will bite?" Sieglinde and the children stood in silence once they heard his voice through their minds, Sif chuckled amused as he stood straight up. "Hahaha! A child like thee doesn't concern me, young one."
"Whoa! It can talk!"
"Yeah!"
"And he sounds like a man!"
"The wolf is actually a man, I can smell it!"
Emiyu grew a smile before hugging one of Sif's legs. "You don't seem dangerous at all. What's your name?"
"My name? I am Sif, the Great Grey Wolf of Anor Londo." Sif introduced himself with pride. "Your name, human child."
"I-I am Emiyu... and over there are Lisia and Ralf!" The young orphan girl beamed before introducing herself to the rest of the other orphans. "They are my friends, even big bro Ash and big sis Sasha! But we're just like a big family!"
Sasha made a warm smile while witnessing the orphans interacting with the Greatwolf, she made a hearty chuckle. "Hehe~! They seem to like Sif a lot."
"Indeed, as if they were in a fairy tale book." Ash nodded before turning to Siegward. "So, how's our prisoner?"
"She's fine, but we got some additional workers in the restaurant as well," Siegward replied before tilting his head in disappointment. "That might be.. her friends."
"Silver-Blue Knight of Lescatie!" Ash turned his attention up to see someone standing on top of the restaurant building. "I have finally found you! In the name of the Demon Lord and the Fourth Born Princess Druella, you are under arrest!"
"Olivier, what are you doing!?" Suddenly, another one came out of the restaurant's entrance before looking up at the demon. It was Sandra that tried to warn her in desperation. "Are you mad!? You're getting yourself killed!"
"As if! Thank you for your distraction on Jennifer. We can finally get our target!" Olivier yelled proudly before raising her rapier. "Druella will be proud to have him captured!"
"Oh Lord, that girl." Sieglinde groaned in disappointment while slapping herself against the forehead. "Don't tell me..."
The demon points her rapier towards her target and leapt from the building at lightning speed. Sasha and Co jumped out from the way, except for Ash.
'I got you now!'
Unfortunately, Ash quickly steps aside and casually raises his first, thus sending her hard down to the ground. Her body crashed against the hard cobblestone grounds before bouncing off and landed near Sif while the children quickly hid behind the Greatwolf in panic. Olivier groaned in pain until a boot stepped right in front of her face before looking up and quietly shrieked in fear once she saw a pair of dilated eyes behind his helmet visor.
"So... any words?" Ash spoke coldly before cracking his knuckles.
"HIIEEEK!"
...
Chapter 12: Ends.