An Apostle's Fate

Chapter 5: The Asylum

Undead Asylum

Claudia von Mondrecht

I just stood there, staring at the damn thing. A good few minutes passed before I began to move from my spot, walking towards the bonfire. The mana emanating from it seemed strange and… unnatural, in a way.

It was to be expected after all, it was a thing deeply connected to the undead. I was amazed that my senses were still picking up mana, considering Dark Souls magic was fueled by either faith, the soul, or a weird combination of the two.

I knew it wasn't a 'real' smell, but it was just how I… saw it? It was a strange feeling, kinda like those people who said they could taste music. Mana didn't have a 'proper' scent tied to it, I knew it was just how my mind was processing it in a way for me to tell what it was.

But that hardly was important now. Moving closer to the coiled sword, I reach out to the hilt with my hand. My fingers graze the warm metal and… nothing happens.

The bonfire did not relight from my touch. I pondered the question for barely a second before realising why this was. I did not have the Darksign. I was not afflicted with the curse of the undead so I was exempt from the cycle of life and undeath.

In other words, this is a no Bonfire and no soul level run…..Goddammit.

I flex my limbs for a good second before deciding on my next step. I will stay here for the next few hours and eat the bodies in my inventory. Before preparing my meal, I move back to the previous building, taking cover from the sun's rays. Personally, I think that going back for now is the best thing to do anyway. I wouldn't want to aggravate the Asylum Demon chilling on the roof just yet after all.

Waiting here shouldn't be a problem. Sure, the bonfire isn't lit, but this is a safe spot and time is rather strange in Lordran. With the fire fading, so does the flow of time. At least, that is what I seem to remember.

Either way, I should start eating and maybe make a new cloak for myself as well.

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Alchemist's workshop

The dungeon beneath Ahrental's apothecary was abuzz with screaming, the source being a certain old man to be specific. "How could you let her escape!" Xefus Ahrental's voice rang out, filled with rage and yet carrying a tinge of fear, the sound of him slapping one of his homunculus followed shortly after.

Sabine, with her cheek now turning an ugly shade of red, stares at the ground alongside the other two remaining Homunculi. She had been put in charge of the captured dead apostle after returning from the castle, but when she had gone to inspect the cell she had found it empty. She could find no way the apostle could have escaped. There was no damage that could be found in the cell and the lock was entirely external. There weren't even any traces of magecraft having been cast in the cell. The only thing that Sabine considered even remotely possible was some kind of Flash air spell.

It was possible that she'd displaced the very space in the cell, creating a makeshift form of teleportation, but even masters of the craft had nowhere near that level of ability, at least to her knowledge. It was a fringe theory at best, one that her master had struck down almost as quickly as he'd struck her.

"The cell was perfect. It would've dissolved any spell she possibly could have cast. How could you have let her escape! Did you even lock the cell when you put her in it!" He continued screaming at the maids, growing louder with each statement. He had destroyed some of his possessions during his rage and was sure to regret them later...or blame them on his homunculi once more.

The maids didn't care, their minds focused on the body that lay on the table across the room from them. Their sister had been murdered, and yet even in their grief they were expected to serve or else they would end up like her. To be recycled and reforged into a new 'sister', but it wouldn't be them. It never was.

A bell hung on a nearby wall, began chiming all of a sudden. It was connected to a hidden shack located in the woods behind the apothecary. It had a pathway that led directly to the workshop and the bells functioned as an alarm, warning them if anyone had entered the bounded field surrounding the shack. "The Count's men have arrived with the next shipment of materials, should we-?" Selene quietly asked, but was cut off by the enraged yelling of her master.

"Do you think I care what the Count wants?! The resources he sends are nothing compared to the value of this subject!" He bellows. The bell however, does not stop ringing. The veins on his face grow more visible, seeming about ready to pop as he screams out once more, "LEAVE ALREADY!"

The maids rushed away and headed down the corridor. They were certain that their master's mood would not improve for quite some time and only hoped that he would take out his wrath on the new "Materials" rather than on them.

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3 hours later

Undead Asylum

Claudia von Mondrecht

I am happy. After eating my 80th body, I finally have what I want.

Body/Blood Coefficient= 100%

Undergoing evolution….

You have advanced to the race of "Vampire"

Parsing…Compiling…

No superior Dead apostle exists in the "Heart-Under-Blade" Bloodline.

You have advanced to the race of "Undead"

Parsing…..

Stage III: Undead — From this point on a creature can finally be called a vampire. A living corpse. Undead. Although it hasn't fully regained its mental faculties, it can simulate a human lifestyle on its own. A high-ranking soldier whose brain has been reconstructed after death. It is not fazed by sunlight, but requires periodic embalming treatment so as to conceal its true nature. Counted among "The Dead".

I could barely contain my joy from this message. I just jumped up my evolutionary tree without any proper hardship. No living for countless decades under the power of a greater vampire or some fucked up Magus. I was free and I was powerful. Any improvements I get now are bound to be good.

My body had healed in its entirety and the form I saw when I first reincarnated is mine once more. Sure, my skin was still pale and a bit sickly looking, but that didn't bother me right now. I have a beautiful body filled out in all the right places. Not to mention that I felt truly strong now. I flexed my arms in experimentation. It really was something else. The luscious blonde hair trailing down my back was also a great addition, I might need to fix it for combat situations later, but for now, I might leave it be.

You have acquired the following perks

[Undead physiology] ( The strength and speed of a dead apostle are leaps and bounds above that of humankind. You gain +3STR, +3AGI per level.)

[Temporal Reversion] ( The regeneration of a dead Apostle defies the logic of reality, healing your body by turning back its own time. HPr Rate is multiplied by a factor of 10.)

You have acquired the following augments

[Apostle's Bite] ( Dead apostles are capable of draining other beings of their blood and mana within seconds by the use of their bite. However, they hold another ability. Like snakes, they can inject their blood into their prey, turning them into Undead soldiers heeding the apostles every command. Beings sired by you can never surpass your own Rank unless they usurp you.)

[Vampiric senses] (All your senses have been improved to an exceptional degree due to your racial evolution. Hearing the slightest sounds or peering through the greatest darkness is no challenge to you.)

You have acquired the following skill

[Apostle's claws] E Rank (The ability to turn your hands into razor-sharp claws that render flesh and bone with ease. Density and sharpness will increase with improvements of the skill.)

Like a child given a new toy, I immediately set about playing around with them.

My fingers were elongated, almost doubling in length, and the skin and muscle grew far denser. My nails melded into my flesh, growing denser and stronger as they shifted into miniature knives. Yet despite the shift in both size and weight my hand felt no heavier and my fingers felt no harder to move.

Wanting to test out my new skills and status as a true dead apostle, I equip my newly made (And slightly worse) cloak and head towards the Chapel-like building before me. The cloak gave me a damage reduction of 3. Nothing major, but it was still better than nothing. The cloak guarded my skin from the rays of the sun but the heat still bled through, a minor stinging sensation spawned up in response.

I cross the courtyard and soon open the large double doors while keeping an eye on the roof. The Asylum demon, a fat and ugly gargoyle-like being, was standing on the broken roof, waiting to pounce upon any undead that would enter the building….or in this case, me.

Rather than walk in like a fool, I break into a sprint and rush towards the open pathway towards the left. Barely a second passes before a great and mighty tremor echoes out behind me.

I threw myself through the gateway without pause, the gate slamming shut behind me as the Demons giant hammer slammed into it, shaking the very foundations of the building.

I didn't dare look back, rather I marched onwards towards the second bonfire but seeing as it was absolutely useless I ignored it and continued on through the chamber before I took cover at the archway.

Peering around the corner I see a large open corridor with a hollow standing at its end. It stood ready with an arrow knocked in its bow. The Hollow did not take its rotten eyes from this archway, making any attempt to sneak by impossible.

With stealth impossible I decided to gun it, storming forward towards the hollow. It was surprisingly quick to react, firing the arrow at me. With all my supernatural speed and strength I believed I would be able to dodge it with ease but to my surprise the arrow was faster, piercing through my gut with ease despite my best attempt to avoid it.

-190.1HP

The pain isn't too bad honestly, but it does mean that I need to move more quickly. To my luck, there was a small cell towards the left. I made it inside before the next arrow could hit me, landing in shallow water once more.

I lean against one of the walls and rip out the arrow from my stomach. It isn't the recommended method to treat arrow wounds as the arrowhead will rip up the flesh when pulled out. Most people would never do this. What most people don't have however is the bullshit regeneration of a Dead apostle.

My HP might only be 5900 but my regeneration rate was at 1771 per minute

So when I ripped the arrowhead out, the vile wound began healing immediately. It would be finished in under a minute.

I turn to the side and see another body, as hollowed and rotten as the rest except for one difference. It had the heater shield on it.

I equip the defensive weapon with my left arm and raise the shield. With new vigour, I rush past the corner and towards the hollow archer. Two more arrows are let loose against me and both penetrate the shield in my hands, piercing through the wood with ease. It does not hinder my advance though and I finally reach the hollow. I turn my free hand into a claw as I ram the pointy side of the shield right into the hollow's jaw.

The archer recoiled from the blow but was too late to avoid the claw that tore through his skull and severed his head from his neck in a messy decapitation. ...Why is this so fun?.

To my joy, the bow and arrows on the hollow's body did not disappear as they did in-game. So as one would expect, I found no issue in looting my foe and placing the bow and 12 arrows into my inventory.

With the looting done, I also flick away some of the blood and tissue still attached to my hand.

Oh yes. For your information before you complain.

XP is usually gained after a combat encounter, but as you are currently not in one, you might wonder why no such notification has appeared.

XP is gained after you finish the dungeon essentially. It's a bit weirder with this one as it is considerably larger than it is supposed to be. Either way, it seems that it can be subdivided into "Sections" or locations. So clear a section and you get your XP.

Got it!?

I am startled at the tone, surprised at the aggressive tone that cypher gave me,' Well I….I wasn't even going to ask...and i-"

Look, I'm sorry about this, but I really am still very busy. Hiding your presence in the main universe was hard enough, and now I have this issue to deal with as well….
Just survive and keep going.
I can't really recommend anything else right now.

The voice cuts out and Cypher's presence disappears...I can't really imagine what he is doing, but I'm guessing that his previous master really fucked him over….

I quickly shake off the thoughts.

Rather than focus on Cypher and his past, I really should concentrate on the dungeon. I could probably ask Cypher for the details later on anyway.

I move past the dead archer and continue along the broken path towards the next item of importance. A longsword, being clutched by a corpse on the ground. Kneeling down, I pry open the dead fingers with my enhanced strength and rip the blade from its grasp.

The sword was light in my hand, decently sized and with good reach. A few chips and patches of rust were present, but it was still better than nothing. Definitely not better than my old sword though. I had lost the Knight's sword in my battle with the Homunculi and some of my better knives were also lost.

I stand up from my position and turn to the stairs that would continue me through the dungeon. They led me to the upper floor of the chapel, where a fog door awaited me. I knew from memory that no boss was behind this door, so I stepped through it without hesitation.

It felt like moving through water without getting wet, a membrane that gave way with enough force…..

My fascination with the fog door quickly fades as I see the broken cell door before me. The grates gave view to Oskar, the knight that had thrown me the key to escape my cell. He was probably struck down by the Asylum demon that had fought him on the roof judging by the hole in the ceiling that now shone sunlight upon his form, I guess I wasn't that far off.….. I was uncertain if he was still alive. I had taken hours longer than expected after all.

...I owe him a debt, and hearing his last words is the least I could do. Rather than risk being flattened by a boulder rolling down some stairs, I instead decide to rip down the damaged gate.

The hinges were already broken, leaving just some loose bricks to keep the gate in place. My strength was 4 times that of an average human, so ripping it free was a cakewalk. The Gate loudly drops upon the hard ground and I make my way into the cell. Oskar lay on a pile of bricks, his sword and shield held loosely in hand.

As if to alleviate my fears of his death, his visor turned towards me, "...Oh, you… You're no Hollow, eh? Not with such a beautiful face, no. It seems you were more capable than me when it comes to keeping your humanity. Hahahaha…."

I only nod in response, I'd rather not have him know that I was something else to what he expected

His head drops down, a shiver of exhaustion visible in his body, "... Thank goodness….I'm done for I'm afraid…I'll die soon, then lose my sanity."

He looks up at me once more, "...I wish to ask something of you...you and I, we're both Undead...Hear me out, will you?... Regrettably, I have failed in my mission...but perhaps you can keep the torch lit..." He states as he begins to search for something in his pouch. "There is an old saying in my family..Thou who art Undead, art chosen...In thine exodus from the Undead Asylum, maketh pilgrimage to the land of Ancient Lords…When thou ringeth the Bell of Awakening, the fate of the Undead thou shalt know."

He looks down towards the floor once more, his voice was now noticeably weaker, "Well now you know...And I can die with hope in my heart…Oh, one more thing...Here, take this."

He finally pulls out a very iconic bottle and tries to pass it to me. It was made from greenish glass, with many cracks and chips in its shape. What stuck out was its contents. A swirling amalgamation of glowing reds and yellows. It could be described as liquid fire.

"An... Estus Flask, an Undead favourite," He states. He continues to hold out the flask towards me, hoping that I would take it. I eventually reach out with my own hands and take the bottle.

As I stare at the very full bottle, I realise something else...Oskar was giving up. He wasn't actually dying. This was the moment he gave up and became a Hollow. Now that I thought about it, I might actually need him. I am not an undead. So a few things that only they can interact with are denied to me. A wide grin spread across my face, prompting a small tilt from the knight's head.

I take the flask and instead of chugging the liquid flame as he would expect, I rip up his visor and force it down his throat instead. He struggles at first, but his broken body did nothing to aid him there.

In time, his body healed, leaving the flask half empty. I grab onto his arm and pull him to his feet. His hollowed face stares at me in confusion, but I give a small smile in return, "The curse of the undead is many things, but a death sentence it is not. You weren't dying, friend, you were giving up. So before you get any ideas of doing so again, why not follow me for just a bit?" I state as I turn back to the broken grate door.

Oskar was still gaining his bearings and before he could follow me, a giant boulder smashes through the cell's walls giving him quite the fright.

"Keep up will you?"

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10 minutes later

Oscar of Astora

The young Knight had never been witness to such peculiarity before...

The person he wished to bestow with his quest was…extremely unusual, even for undead standards. From rushing down enemies with reckless abandon to jumping in joy for being able to "Climb up ledges" or "jump without sprinting". As if such things weren't possible before.

He does have to admit though, she was...helpful, and even kind. Something too rare in these times.

She had taken him to the bonfire first which hadn't been lit at the time and then dragged him along the asylum in her quest to slay every hollow in it. It was strange and dangerous, but it took his mind off of things.

But that peace of mind soon came to halt When they arrived at a fog door, one that led to the asylum demon. The beast had broken him, not just his bones, but even his will. His feet were already moving away from the fog gate when the woman laid her hand on his shoulder. He froze from the sudden contact, unsure of what to say.

"Hey, don't chicken out now!"

He was stunned, a mixture of the absurd sentence he'd just heard and the grip on his shoulder stopping his passive escape attempt before it could truly start."Have you seen the beast proper? A well-placed swing and one's body will be crushed by its weapon. Even a full battalion of knights would struggle against such a beast. We number two, and I must say we hardly have the arsenal of such a group between us."

The woman slowly turns him by the shoulder, making him see her untarnished face. He would have considered her a beauty on any other occasion, but her words took precedence at this time.

"Who cares? We jump on the bastard, stab his head and..." It seemed as if she was about to continue in an annoyed rant but suddenly stops herself in the thought.

Her expression changes. She flips up his visor once more, allowing her smile to be seen without issue. "...If I'm being honest, I will admit, that thing is terrifying. It only makes sense that fear is something natural here. I'm pretty sure if you felt no fear then you could barely call yourself human….or well a sane undead at least. But what I guess is important here is to consider that it won't be the end...I guess? Well, I mean that….uh...I'm not sure how to say it.." She pauses for a good bit, a blush of embarrassment clear on her cheeks.

It certainly was enough to get a chuckle out of the young knight. Her blush only intensified and a punch to his side soon followed, one that was stronger than expected but not enough to harm. She quickly rights herself and turns her head just a bit to conceal her embarrassed state,"Look, I won't pretend I'm good at talking about these things, but I guess I meant something like this…."

She coughs into her hand before talking in an even tone," Your duty asks that you fight, not that you do so without fear. Fear is a human response, so don't punish yourself for it or you'll find yourself falling long before you meet an enemy's blade…..or something…...and sorry for punching you." she adds at the end, looking away once more.

Oskar could hardly contain himself as he burst into laughter. It did nothing to lessen her embarrassment, but she had enough self-control not to punch him again. His laughter eventually lessened, ending with a bright smile on the young knight's face," Hahaha… I certainly did not expect something like that Lady Mondrecht. You are most certainly the most unusual undead I have ever met."

She pipes up after that and proudly trots past him as she dissolves the fog gate," I'm not actually an undead!"

"I beg your pardon?" She merely laughs as she pulls out her swords and jumps towards the beast below.

Oskar stares at the spot she sat at for a good second, before saying, "She is certainly insane then". He himself unsheathed his own blade and started sprinting towards the edge.

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20 minutes later

Firelink shrine

Claudia von Mondrecht

I think Oskar might hate me now...

How could you tell?

Don't be sassy with me Cypher. It wasn't my fault that the Asylum demon went down after we both stabbed him in the skull. So what if I wanted a more fulfilling Boss fight out of that place.

So your response was to trigger a Boss meant to be fought after beating at least half of the game. I wonder why he wouldn't enjoy that?

Enough of the Sass Cypher. So Oskar died a couple of times as I waited for him to get back. I hooked my claws into the fat bastard's neck and he kept chipping away at his shins. He may have gotten slapped around a few times during this. All in all, it was a very cheesy fight, making it absolutely great….And it's not like we didn't get anything out of it.

4280 XP for all the undead, 18,000 for the Asylum demon and a whopping 120,000….It's safe to say I levelled up like crazy. I made it to Level 60 to be precise and blasted through two new classes. Still haven't decided on those actually.

One of my skills actually improved as well.

[Apostle's claws] D Rank (The ability to turn your hands into razor-sharp claws that render flesh and bone with ease. Density and sharpness will increase with improvements of the skill.)

Why I even got a new one too.

[Slash Weapon proficiency E] Your skills with weapons meant for slashing. Current skill increases weapon parameters by 10%.

So yeah, I was happy and I grew even happier when I noticed my stats!

Claudia von Mondrecht

Lv=60 (5880/6000XP)

Class = Rogue

Subclass = Pickpocket

Race = Dead Apostle (Fully fledged)

Title = none

Hp = 9000 HP (END x 100)

Hpr = 5400 HP/m (LV x END x 0.1 x 10 )

Body/Blood Coefficient= 61%

Damage Reduction = 9.9 (END/10 + ARMOR)

Stats:

Strength = 213 [E]

Endurance = 90

Agility = 233 [E]

Mind = 61

Charm = 120

Luck = 140

I had servant grade Stats now, baby. Sure they were only E-Rank, but it was one hell of a jump from what I was. I can't say I was happy with how the stats are divided, but I doubt I should complain. They grew too after all…..

I break out of my pondering for a second as I look around the shrine. Oskar had been going round talking to the few NPCs here and it was fascinating to just watch them from afar. They were alive. Beings of thought, not scripted lines. It was something truly interesting.

It brought a whole slew of new options to the table…..something I was sorely lacking. Oskar got all the souls from the Asylum as I am unable to absorb them. I can't level up, which is something I don't need at least. The real issue was that I couldn't trade with people. The only option that I had there was for me to essentially trade valuables with them. It would be hard, but I doubted that it would be completely impossible….

I at least stashed the Demon corpses into my inventory. It was weird that it was even possible, and I had no idea what to even do with them...But who cares. I have big fat Demon corpses now. I'm bound to get a fortune for that in the Outside world. Demons left earth for the reverse side ages ago so their bodies are literally as rare as unicorns, even if it is of a Dark souls demon...

My enthusiasm fades as I finally realise that something along those lines is rather impossible right now.

I wasn't sure when I would leave the dungeon and when I could even try it. I got a popup displaying that I defeated the undead asylum, but that wouldn't help me if I ended up in a locked cell again. Even if I manage to escape, What then?

I was in the middle of medieval Europe in what I assumed to be a germanic country. Got some hints of the language, but I could barely understand it at all. So if anything, I need to learn the language first…

I don't know if someone could help me here. My first bet would be Big Hat Logan… but it will take ages until I reach him and finding his apprentice Griggs won't be any easier… I also didn't want to live out a second life in this hellish world. It was honestly a bit bleak for my tastes and the possibility of dying here without actually respawn possibilities frankly terrified me... What I needed was someone that could teach me how to survive.

I jump to my feet in the realisation. While Griggs was seen as the first proper source of Magical training here, he wasn't actually the first. It was the Blacksmith Rickert!

I run to the side of the shrine and head towards the stairs. "I'll be back Later Oskar! Go Explore the undead Burg for now!" I shout as I continue my sprint down. I quickly make my way down another flight of stairs and eventually reach the elevator. I step onto the switch and begin the descent to The New Londo Ruins. As soon as the elevator comes to a stop, I break out into a sprint once more and exit the ruined structure just outside. I avoid all the quivering and crying Hollows around me and head towards the side cliff. I reach the stairs and finally come across Rickert of Vinnheim's cell.

"Hm? What is it? Have you-" he tries to speak, but I interrupt him by pulling a book I had pilfered from the dead villagers. I threw it through the iron bars separating us towards his face. He is quite shocked, probably more from the action itself and not the fact that I had an inventory. (Especially as Oskar seemed to carry a bottomless bag with him, something that I guessed was somehow a standard here.)

But yeah, I threw the book at his face and frankly do not care for his reaction. I begin yelling," Can you read this book!? Do you understand the language in it?!"

Rickert is obviously shocked by the sudden questioning, but opens the book before him nevertheless and starts turning its pages. "This is….I believe this to be the language of the Alemanni, a kingdom to the-"

"Don't care." I interrupt him once more before sinking to my knees and saying," Can you teach me?! Please." He stares in absolute surprise, but before he can reply I bring out the Knight armour I had looted a few days ago. "I offer this in return". I pass the armour through the cell after I see a slight twinkle in his eye.

He inspected the armour for a good bit before glancing between me and the book again," Well, I won't pretend I am the best, but I can teach you at least. Seeing someone with such a desire to learn in these dark times is a refreshing sight." the blacksmith says with a smile on his face.

I heave a sigh of relief as I comfortably sit down before his cell, he pushes the armour to the side and opens the book in question,"I guess we should begin with the basics then, saying your name and introducing yourself."

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Author's note: Hope you enjoy the chapter all. Am a bit sleep-deprived, so blame that if the last bits of the chapter are a bit wacky.

I'm undecided on what to do for now. I will probably continue the Gamer's Rise in Marvel Story but I'm also considering writing a Lewd Fic in Worm, based on the interactive Lewd CYOA and doing at least the first chapter there. But I am undecided there.

If you wanna hang out or contact me, then this discord server is generally a good place to do that as I'm very active there. I also hold votes and brainstorm ideas there for my stories in a channel just for my fics.

Is this a shameless promotion of a server? Yeah, but it's a nice place and a lot of authors that write great fics are there as well. so there.

The link is on my profile page.

Just remove the space in the first bit and it will work.