Author note: Hey guys and gals! Sorry for the long wait, I had to deal with getting settled back into using my knowledge for academic reasons as well as possessing that infamous writer's block. And here's a new chapter of A Dark Soul & A Painter Within Remnant! Plus, I kinda feel like an old person for not knowing how to manage and update chapters and what not, maybe there's a need to read a manual, but I as a gamer don't read many tutorials! Learned it the hard way (unfortunately...) And criticism and reviews are welcome! I'd appreciate any of it!
Also:
Hitler's Moustache: I like the name ;) I thank you for blessing this humble one with a review, and sorry for the sudden teleportation jumbo, I intend to maybe do something with it. Regardless, I'm happy that I'm doing well on the grammar portion.
Gold Crown Dragon: Thank you for reviewing this as well, although I don't know what you said on the last bits, rrads will come?
So, without further adieu, enjoy this chapter (if you want to that is...)
Plus, I don't own Dark Souls or RWBY, they belong to their respective owners.
"Bearer of the curse, seek souls. Larger, more powerful souls. Seek the king, that is the only way. Lest this land swallow you whole, as it has so many others." A familiar voice said to the Ashen one, reminding him so much of another harsh journey that ended in another cycle.
"Ashen one, to be unkindled is to be a vessel for souls. Sovereignless souls will become thy strength. Bring me souls, plucked from their vessels…." The firekeeper's calm and soothing voice was heard as well.
Another fading sound came from a farther part of this never-ending abyss that he found himself in. It was a voice he hadn't heard in a long time, someone who he answered to for power.
"They failed me, every last one of them." The gigantic head looked on towards a sea of hollowed corpses, draped in a variety of armor and robes, and then looked back to stare the young undead, "They were strong, but saw not the truth," it motioned its face closer, "I am certain you will be different."
In the end, he failed him and was accepted by someone who showed him the of the Sun. Yet, it wasn't enough to cleanse his thoughts of what he once was. A monster that preyed upon others to sustain themselves for life and power. What was that woman's name? Why did it bring great sorrow to his blackened heart?
The Painter was the first to find out on what had occurred. Her eyes scanned the surroundings, and what she saw was similar to what she'd seen in the books of the library she was in. A lush forest full of life and wonders, the grass was peculiar, as were the sky. Bright sapphire, with pristine clouds floating high and above.
A cold wind drifted by, hitting her face with a scent of freshness, it didn't feel dull or lacking in that manner, much like the painted world of Ariandel.
She checked her outfit to find that her cap is still placed upon her head, long hair drooped to the ground, and her feet feeling the cool and prickly sensation of grass.
Yet, the Ashen one wasn't faring so well with the strange summoning that brought them to this strange place that mimics the age of gods. His armor still somewhat intact and his face, it was showing a plethora of emotions that hadn't been seen elsewhere. Sadness, anger, as well as fear. Plus, his left-hand glew a sickly red, but it was suppressed like instinct, and he awoke. His heavy breathing and sweating face showed worry as he looked left and right, up and down, and finally before resting his eyes up the Painter.
"Ashen one, are thou unhurt?" She inspected his being and he waved it off, signaling that he's fine.
As he stood up, instinct took over as he quickly grabbed the Painter and dodged a pounce from some sort of creature.
The strange animal appeared as some sort of bipedal wolf, fur that's darker than night itself and eyes that shine a bright red. There was some bone-plating on its head and back.
"Stay behind me, I'll take-" The Painter let out a cry as another one of those creatures came in from the back and took a bite to his left shoulder and closing its jaws on the already damaged metal.
The ashen one grunted in pain, but he quickly unsheathed a small dagger, yet he gave it a quick jerking motion, allowing a thin, bluish blade to appear.
He jabbed the blade deep into the creature's eye, allowing himself to be free of those strong teeth. In response to this, it howled deeply in pain before falling limply to the ground, still, the second one leaped onto the knight and began clawing at his armor, eager to rip into more flesh. He wanted to use his longsword, but it wouldn't allow, as it sunk those sharp claws deep into sides of the armor, before lifting him up slightly and slamming him back down.
'This isn't over yet….' he thought as the familiar taste of iron filled his mouth, he clenched his right fist, allowing a flame to spark to life. Preparing to take more pain, the Ashen one lifted his left hand to punch the beast, giving him enough time to use combustion, which ignited its abysmal fur into flames, immolating it.
They were both dead, but he knew that it wasn't the last of them. He motioned for the Painter to come closer and asked her to hold out her hand. She received a strange white branch. Using hand motions, the Ashen one waved it around his person and allowed her to mimic those actions, which transformed her into a small bush.
"Stay hidden, I will tell you when to come out."
She mentally nodded, and found a decent place to stay low.
'I'm getting far too old….' pain wreaked havoc throughout his abdomen and shoulder. Soon, more howling came from farther down the forest full of green trees, and a much more thunderous one erupted to his right.
Preparing for a long fight, a swift swig of estus, and applying a small bit of charcoal resin to his longsword will ensure a small bit of success. Using his weapon art, he held his sword up to his face, leveling it perfectly enough to presumably take down at least one unlucky wolf creature that may pounce upon him again. Should they come in the hordes, he'd have to resort to using the last bits of his focus for the chaos bed vestiges, they used a ton of it, so he'd likely be able to use only three before refilling with an ashen flask, in which he only possessed four of them.
Five more of those things charged towards the howls of their fallen brethren, and to the right, a bear with multiple bone plating sallied forth, were there more such beasts tainted by this? To him, he sensed no souls in these beings, nor did he absorb any from slaying the two earlier.
Squeezing the hilt of his longsword, he hoped that he'd make it out of this alive, and ensure the Painter's safety, whatever summoned him to this world, be it one of those from a distorted time, or something else entirely, they had to get back to Ariandel, so that the painting could be complete. It was without a doubt that the blood of the dark soul could be a factor in attracting these things, their eyes showed more ferocity and tenaciousness. Back home, dark spirits and other invaders would come in the hundreds for such a thing, for it carried the essence of true power.
The Ashen one closed his eyes and reopened them, his breathing becoming less erratic and calmer, his footing is back in a proper position, and the sword he wielded became steady.
He chuckled for a moment, that dark humor is starting to rub off on him from his speakings with the many inhabitants of Lordran, Drangleic, and Lothric. Did he laugh at the odds of his survival? Or the odds of them surviving? Most likely the former.
There's the end of this second chapter, I don't know how I did on fighting, I'll have to research more into that, I feel as though I'm terrible at doing those. Don't worry, I intend on giving them names for the next chapter, it feels redundant to keep calling them Painter and Ashen one.
"Sinakin29, one day you'll end up making more chapters for this story, without really knowing why." *Creepy and dental issue grin by that old woman*