Characters: Dragon Slayer Ornstein, Black Dragon Kalameet, Artorias the Abysswalker, Lord's Blade Ciaran, Hawkeye Gough, Gwyn Lord of Sunlight, Nameless King
Summary: Ornstein goes alone to face a certain black dragon but quickly learns that his has been a bad idea.
When Ornstein heard of the black dragon terrorizing this innocent town, he was sure he could take on the beast by himself.
He had already proven his worth on many battlefields and was proud to say that he had managed to slay at least a dozen dragons with his own hands. He had been granted the position as one of Gwyn's knights, even had been appointed their leader and his master had granted him a very special weapon, so perfect for dragon hunting that it deserved the name it had been given, the dragon slayer spear.
So he walked up to the black menace just casually lying there, chest swelled with confidence, casually holding his spear in both hands, when he said: "Black Dragon Kalameet, I am Ornstein, the dragon slayer and I have come to take your life."
The dragon just lazily turned around, eyeing Ornstein. "You seem to be awful full of yourself.", he said. "When you have the guts to even introduce you to myself instead of trying a surprise attack."
"You should at least know the name of the man who will become your doom.", Ornstein said, readying his spear in a battle stance.
Ornstein heard the dragon chuckle. "My doom? Let's see if you will say this again after I am finished with you!"
Ornstein had prepared himself for the opening attack and easily dodged the fire breath, that the dragon had prepared with his last words. It was time for the dance on the battlefield. He dodged a tail swing with ease. Made sure to dive below the dragon when it was breathing fire. Jumped out of the way when it tried to crush him with his massive body. Jumped over it when it charged at him. Even though one thing was weird... the dragon didn't even use any aerial attacks. Hah, seemed like he apparently wasn't the one being full of himself. Ornstein spotted his chance to attack, when the dragon stood up on his hind legs, surely preparing another breath of fire.
Ornstein prepared the lightning powers of his spear, bend his keens and closed the distance to the beast with a dash, spear ready to be thrust into the now unprotected stomach of the dragon before its fire breath would even have a chance to hit him.
But shortly before his spear could connect with the dragon, Ornstein felt like his body was forced into the air and an awful noise rang in his ear. What was that? Why wasn't he able to move at all? The dragon slayer struggled and cursed but the invisible grip on him was too tight. Eventually the grip on his body lifted, but it felt like a very heavy punch to the guts and the next thing Ornstein knew was, that he had been hurled at the ground, a sharp pain traveled through his whole body but concentrated especially around his right ankle. Ornstein knew how it felt to be hurled at the ground and this had been extreme, the pain was far too intense. He gasped, struggling to get up. And Ornstein knew, he had to get up, there was a dragon behind him, a dragon that would not have second thoughts to just squish him and what had he been thinking, taking on this beast alone without any backup? He needed to get on his feet, now!
He finally managed to come to his feet with the help of his spear that he used to prop himself up when he felt the heat. He jumped to the side as quickly as he could, heavily wincing when his injured foot got jostled in the process... and then he felt the pain surging through the left side of his body. He was so surprised by the sensation that he didn't even scream, it was more a feeling of disbelief. He just connected with the ground, clutching his spear, his mind screaming at his body to just get up. Or he would be done for. He shouldn't have come, this was too much for him, why did he get so cocky for having slain a dozen dragons? He looked up to see the dragon preparing a finishing attack. "Was that all, dragon slayer?", the dragon said and Ornstein closed his eyes awaiting the inevitable impact.
The buzzing of an arrow and the screech of a wounded dragon was heard and the next thing Ornstein noticed after he opened his eyes was Artorias at his side. "Ornstein, are you alright? What were you thinking?", the wolf knight screamed at him.
"Clearly his status got to big for his own boots.", Ciaran said, her daggers ready.
"Hmph.. fighting all of you would be too troublesome...", Ornstein heard the dragon say and the sound of blazing fire followed.
"Careful, it will breathe fire.", Ornstein brought out, gasping. He was in so much pain that his boy refused to move. Ornstein felt how Artorias pretty much hurled him to the side and used his shield to block him from the leftover flames.
"Gough, it is getting away.", Ciaran shouted and the giant laid another arrow on his bow, but... "It's no use, it blew up so much dust and with the leftover smoke... I can't make it out.", Gough said and lowered his bow. "Also I feel we wouldn't continue the fight when one of us is hurt.", he added.
With the dragon gone, Ornstein finally could allowed himself to relax and pretty much collapsed on the ground, gasping and wincing in pain as his injury got jostled by it. Lying there he could see how his three companions stared at him. And it wasn't in a good way, even with their masks and helmets on, he could feel the growing rage of them behind it. He tried to sit up but failed because of the pain.
Artorias was the first to speak: "Ornstein, have you gone mad? Going after this beast alone? What would happened if we hadn't tracked you down?"
Ornstein locked eyes with Artorias and felt a pang in his stomach by the sheer look of disappointment in his friend's face.
"...sorry.", was the only thing he got out.
"Yes, you messed up. You could have at least left a note.", Ciaran said. "It was pure luck that some of the silver knights got wind of your plans and had an assumption where you went."
"Even though I doubt the dragon will come back, I will keep guard.", Gough said. "I got a good shot right through his wing. But Ornstein...", the giant addressed the younger knight. "And you are hurt too, Ornstein, but it could have been prevented. This pain was your own fault."
Ornstein started shivering. Now that the heat of the battle was over and the adrenaline rush was over, the pain kicked in and he started to grasp the severity of the situation. How close had been to losing his life in this battle and that in this few seconds before Gough's arrow hit he just had accepted it as his fate.
"By the lords, what was I thinking?", he murmured to himself as Artorias helped him sitting up.
"Clearly not straight.", the wolf knight said and helped Ornstein out of his armour. Ornstein was greeted with the stinging smell of scorched flesh. He forced himself to look at his left shoulder and winced. The burn was bad, really really bad. "Oh dear... anyone having some ointment with them?", Artorias asked in the round. Ciaran had already prepared some bandages.
"Normally we are close enough to the healer tents, so we don't need any ointments on the battlefield.", Ciaran said. "And we barely had time to pack. At least I brought some bandages. Do you have something with you, Ornstein?"
Ornstein shook his head. "No, I didn't take anything, cause I was so sure, that..." His words stopped there. He had been so sure that he could win. He had been so confident about himself that he didn't even thought about taking some first aid with him.
"Let us at least bandage the burns so that they won't get infected.", Ciaran murmured. As she got to work, Ornstein hissed and groaned at the pain.
"Ciaran, be careful, it hurts...", he complained. "Can't you be a bit more gentle?"
"I am already as gentle as I can be?", Ciaran asked. "Also, this surely isn't your first burn wound. Since when are you such a crybaby about it?"
"I don't know, it just... it hurts a lot more than usual...", Ornstein said. A part of him noticed that he had taken Artorias hand and squeezed it very hard, but the wolf knight just had stayed quiet at his side, not complaining once. Gough still scanned the sky for any signs of the dragon returning.
When Ciaran had finished bandading the wound, she said: "That should suffice until we have arrived at the infirmary. Artorias, you better help him get up."
Ornstein gladly accepted the help of Artorias and managed to stand up, but gasped and winced once his right foot hit the ground. "Crap, I think I broke my ankle...", he said and sank back to the ground.
"This is bothersome...", Ciaran said. "Gough, let me keep guard for a while, we are needing a splint. Broken ankle.", she said, pointing at Ornstein's foot.
"I am getting to work right away.", the giant said and scanned the ground for a fitting piece of wood. In the meantime, Artorias opened Ornstein's leggings and took a look at the foot.
"It isn't twisted, but pretty swollen.", he said.
"It certainly hurts like a break.", Ornstein said, gasping from the pain. He started to feel dizzy and soon after he was engulfed by darkness. When he awoke, he was carried by the giant arms of Gough and they already had arrived back in Anor Londo.
"Oh, Ornstein, you are awake? How are you feeling?", Gough asked him in his gentle voice.
Ornstein felt blood rush into his face. "Gough, thanks for carrying me, but please let me down, I don't want the silver knights to see me like this.", he said, completely ignoring his companion's question.
"Are you sure you are able to walk on your own?", Gough asked.
"I'll help him.", Artorias joined the conversation. Gough gently lowered Ornstein, who made sure to not strain his right foot too much and accepted the help of Artorias, who was at his right side in an instant. Ornstein's foot had been splinted and bandaged in the meantime, cause he could step on it without too many trouble.
"Where is Ciaran?", Ornstein asked as the trio was walking through the entrance of the cathedral.
"She already went to the infirmary to get everything prepared for your treatment.", Artorias explained. Ornstein shuddered. The wound clearly needed to be cleaned and he knew how much it hurt to clean out a burn wound. And this particular wound was hurting twice as much as usual. Ornstein wondered if the massive pain just came from the enormous size of the wound. The strange attack the black dragon had surprised him with still was ringing in his ears.
Ornstein had managed not to scream when the flames had burned him, but now that he was lying on the bed at the infirmary, the physician busy with cleaning his wound, he couldn't help but scream, muffled from the cloth they had given him to bite on. The pain was too much, so that his body had started to rebel against the treatment and Ornstein could feel how Artorias did his best to hold him down.
"Stop, I don't think I can hold him down anymore.", Artorias shouted out. The physician stopped and Ornstein relaxed, which meant that he was shivering and breathing heavily. Artorias face appeared before his eyes: "Ornstein, this isn't your first burn treatment. Please try and get a hold of yourself, you know the wound needs to be cleaned."
"I...I know...", Ornstein stuttered. "It... it.. just.. h-hurts so much..."
A familiar hand touched Ornstein's shoulder. "What have you brought yourself into, Ornstein? That wound looks really bad.", the master said.
"Master, it's...", Ornstein started, but got hushed by the master.
"Ciaran has already told me. We talk about this later. For now we should make sure that you get proper treatment. It is a shame that Gwynevere isn't here right now. Artorias, do you need a hand?"
Ornstein lowered his head, he had disappointed the master. The way he had talked to him, it had hurt. More than the wound. Whatever, for now Ornstein couldn't worry about the talk that would await him. He closed his eyes, bit on the cloth and braced himself for the continuation of the wound cleaning. At least feeling the master's hands on his body was a welcome distraction.
Some time later Ornstein's body and left shoulder was covered in ointment soaked bandages. The ankle had turned out to not be broken at last, instead it was sprained. Ornstein wondered why it had hurt so much then, it didn't feel normal that his body was in so much pain. He wondered if the dragon had managed to curse him somehow. His mind wandered back to that attack that had stopped him in midair, he didn't had any control over his body at all when hit with it, it felt like he was forced to move against his own will. If the dragon really had cursed him and this was the reason for his bad pain, Ornstein wondered if that would subdue eventually or would he had to face to live with an increased experience of pain his whole life. His thoughts got interrupted by the voice of the physician.
"Sir Ornstein, Lord Gwyn wants to talk with you.", she said.
Ornstein shot up, muffling a curse under his breath when it jostled his injuries. Lord Gwyn strode through the door with wide steps, stopping in front of Ornstein's bed, eyes burning. Ornstein bowed to him, as good as he could manage, sitting in his nightshirt on the bed.
"Ornstein, you know why I am here.", Lord Gwyn started. It wasn't even a question.
"...I am sorry...", Ornstein said, when Lord Gwyn started to let loose a tirade.
"What were you thinking? Challenging this dragon on your own? You should know your skills and your place, knight! Just leaving without saying anything to me or my son! Just leaving without even asking our permission! Not even taking any of your companions or a single silver knight with you! Completely violation your position! Ornstein, I am very disappointed in you! Be assured, that I won't allow you to face this specific dragon ever again. I prohibit it!"
Ornstein had cowered in on himself during the rant of his lord, but raised his head at the last bit.
"But, mylord... you can't be serious...", he started, but got silenced quickly by the hissing of the lord: "This has been my last word on it. Think about what you have done!"
Lord Gwyn left the room and slammed the door. Ornstein winced at the sound and then flopped into the pillows, wincing again when his injuries protested at the impact. His chest and throat were burning and he could feel tears dwelling up in his eyes.
"Stupid, you won't start to cry over this.", he murmured to himself. "It was your fault after all..."
The door opened again and Ornstein raised his head, quickly wiping the tears away, when he noticed his master stepping in the room, sitting down on the bed.
"Master, I messed up...", Ornstein said.
"Yes, you did.", the master nonchalantly said. Ornstein's jaw nearly dropped, he hadn't expected the master to just agree so bluntly to it. He sighed and buried his head into his pillow.
"Master, that doesn't help.", he said with a muffled voice.
"You feel guilty, right?", the master said. "And it is justified. Ornstein, I have heard the tirade of my father and he is right. And you know that. You have been cocky and tried to face a challenge that went over your head. But you know what is good? That you know that you did wrong and I am sure you will better yourself, right? At least I want to have a knight I can be proud of and I fully trust you to be that knight."
"Master...", Ornstein just said, sniffling and then fully blow started to cry in his chest, cry out all the pain, the guilt, the feel that he disappointed everyone around him. The master didn't say anything, just rubbed gentles circles in his back, making sure that he didn't upset the wound. When Ornstein's crying fit was over, he realized what he had done and jerked back from the master's chest as if he had burned himself. Again.
"Are you feeling better now?", the master asked and Ornstein swore that he saw a hue of red on his cheeks. His own face felt like it was flushing red.
"Master, I am so sorry, I didn't want to...", he said.
"It's fine.", the master said. "You are allowed to cry out your feelings, you know? Just promise me one thing."
Ornstein raised his head, looking the master in the eyes, but slightly averting his gaze so that he could avoid his look.
"What is is, master?", he wanted to know.
"Promise me to never bring yourself in so much danger EVER again.", the master said. "I could have lost you and that thought... it has been scary. I consider you a dear friend, Ornstein, and I don't want to lose you because of some delusion of grandeur."
Ornstein thought that his tears had dried, but now they welled up in his eyes again. The master didn't know about the feelings Ornstein had for him, how much he wanted to hear these words, that he actually meant something to him. He quickly wiped the fresh tears of his eyes and said:
"Thank you, master, that you are saying this means so much to me. I will promise you that I will never do something foolish like this again."
(Author's note: And here we have the reason why Ornstein hates Kalameet so much and where the burn scar on his left side and shoulder comes from.)