Making our way down to the swamp as usual, I began thinking about the things we might see by journeying all the way to the castle wall of New Londo. We would have to actually get there first. My mother would drop dead at the idea of either one of us venturing that far away from home, but I wasn't going to let her mindless worries prevent me from possibly discovering a secret behind our lives.
Aelia was first in line on the ladder, I was at the top and Kid was between us. He almost slipped and lost his grip a few times from the natural moisture that filled this place. This moisture also made us feel slightly sick at all times. Various levels of congestion and sometimes a low fever took over. Our clothing kept us warm and made it easy to move, but they were the only things we had to wear, so we tried not damage them. My clothing consisted of tan brownish-like cloth and leather with a soft hood that was snug on my body but still comfortable. The pants I wore were of the same material and just as snug, which muffled any noise that I produced (SPEAKING OUTSIDE OF THE STORY, THIS IS HOLLOW THEIF GEAR JUST TO CLERIFY). How I came by this outfit is interesting, actually. A thief came down into our village from above seeking to murder everyone in their sleep. An inhuman and murderous creature was wandering the depths of where the world knows no longer in search of his own personal gain, uncaring of the blood cost to be spilt on his innocent-stained blade. However, one of the village elders spotted the thief in the dead of night and cried for help. Torches were lit, the thief was located in the dark and a group of adults cornered him at the edge of the planks, causing him to fall to his immediate death. I was wearing torn robes at the time and they supplied no warmth and were easily torn, so I waited until the next morning to climb all the way down to the location of his death. After searching the horrific base of the swamp below our village, I found the thief dead on the ground. Examining the dimensions of his clothing, I noticed that the hollowed thief was no bigger than I was. I stripped the corpse of its clothing and applied it to myself. The difference in comfort and protection was miraculous. But, the item that I located immediately after on the body created an entirely different sensation within me: His dagger; the blood-stained knife of a thief ridden with the guilt of cold murder. The strap with the concealed tool fit perfectly around my waste, but I had to tell myself over and over again that I would never use it and I was just making a means of what I could pillage. It's a strange sensation that overcomes you whilst holding the blade of a murderous being in your clutch. You feel almost as if your entity screams out for you to continue the duties of where it once belonged. To this day, I have never had reason to use it, and nor will I ever so I suspect. In short, clothing was hard to come by down here.
Aelia slid the rest of the way down the ladder and hit the ground lightly without slipping. Kid, however, fell the rest of the way down and landed directly on his rear. I slid down to the ground with one hand and almost slipped on the ground upon landing.
"D-… Do you think it's dangerous?" Kid stuttered quietly.
I turned my head to see him fidgeting with his hands and looking around nervously.
"Don't worry about it, Kid. If anything happens, you know we're fast enough to get away and we know this place better than anyone else."
Aelia joined in without looking at us, "Yeah, and besides. We might find something interesting."
I smiled at Kid and put my hand on his shoulder, "Hey," I said as he looked up at me timidly, "Don't worry about it. We aren't going to get into trouble, and if we do, I'll protect you."
Kid lowered his fidgeting hands and smiled back at me while nodding his head once in conformation to my bold words. Though I spoke bravely and intended only for his complete safety, my hand would still forever lack the countenance to unsheathe the blade at my very waste.
Once we reached the end of the swamp, the three of us stopped immediately. This was officially the farthest that we'd ever been from home. Not one of us had ever ventured past the swamp in our lives even as a trio, let alone by ourselves. The castle wall was clear in the distance with the sun shining brilliantly off of it. It was beautiful from where we were standing, and I couldn't imagine what it was like up close. The curiosity and excitement practically forced me to start leading down the large wasteland in front of us.
"Hey!" Aelia snapped at me, "Do you even know how to get there?" She continued as I stopped and looked at her.
I turned to see her incredibly serious face before responding with carelessness.
"Nope." I mumbled as I continued walking.
I could sense her aggravation towards my response, but nonetheless, she and Kid began following me anyways.
After about 2 hours of straight walking, the castle wall stood straight ahead, towering over us in a magnificence that made us wonder how such an establishment was even possible. It stretched forever into the sky and even beyond into the clouds. The beautiful and flawless structure went just as far across as it did into the sky. There was absolutely no way to enter it from our current location. It was completely solid and seemed almost more than capable of halting an onslaught from the Gods themselves. Or perhaps that was what it was intended for.
Never before had we been in the presence of such a structure. Being the first to examine it, I walked forward with caution. I came close enough to reach out and touch the gem-like shimmering wall. With a cautious hand, I reached forward and ran my hand past the God-like structure. It was freezing cold and smooth to the touch, but beyond it there were deeper and more mysterious feelings.
"Well, now what?" Aelia said calmly.
Kid was looking around in curiosity, rather than nervousness this time. He began wandering off to the left, following the wall for about twenty paces before I stopped him.
"Hey, Kid. Don't wander off. We don't know where this thing could take us."
He stopped and nodded his head without a second thought.
Just as I retracted my arm and pulled my hand away from the wall, a cold and ere feeling filled my stomach, and there it was.
It was sacrificed to keep them sealed away….
A soft voice whispered almost directly into my ear as I yanked my arm away and stumbled backwards in fear. I started looking around relentlessly for another presence, but I saw only Aelia and Kid. My heart was racing and my hands began sweating.
"What's wrong?" Aelia asked while holding out her hand to help me up from the ground.
I hadn't even realized that I'd fell to the ground while stumbling back. I couldn't even collect enough focus to reach out and accept her hand.
"You didn't hear it!" I stuttered, still looking around furiously for the source of the voice.
Aelia pulled her hand away from me and started scratching her head while looking at me in confusion. Kid started looking around in all directions.
"I didn't hear anything." He said while approaching us form where he was standing.
Just as I regained my feet and stopped searching the area, it came back. A frozen feeling of fear and unsettled restlessness filled my stomach again. I looked up at Aelia and Kid to see if they were experiencing the same sensation. Aelia's pupils widened right in front of me and Kid began breathing heavier. It was obvious now that whatever had come into contact with me before was hitting them just as hard. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and my skin went numb as it whispered once again.
They were never meant to roam again….
All three of us were frozen solid. Whoever was speaking to us was not normal. Only as the voice dissipated did the strange sensations as well.
"Okay…. I heard it." Aelia said nervously.
Kid was still frozen solid, but as Aelia spoke he suddenly fell to his rear and began breathing heavily.
"W-what was th-that..?" He stuttered as a drop of sweat ran down the side of his head.
He looked terrified beyond belief at this point. He was staring off into space with a petrified expression while breathing violently. My first reaction was to help him up and calm him down. After all, I did tell him that I would protect him, and he didn't look like he felt very safe at all. I reached down and pulled him from the ground by his arms until he was on his feet.
"Kid, listen to me. Nothing is going to happen, alright? It was just a voice! There's no one here except for us three, understand?"
He was still staring straight forward in fear. This was the first time that I had ever felt unable to reach him with my voice. He was terrified. This called for drastic measures.
"KID," I shouted while placing a hand on top of his head and shaking him firmly once by the shoulder with my other hand, "Listen to me! You need to pull it together. We're completely sa-…."
Out of nowhere, Kid broke free from my grip and fell to the ground in fear. He slowly raised a quivering hand that pointed straight to the wall. A stroke of fear bolted down my body as I remained terrified to see where he was pointing. My head was just brave enough to turn towards Aelia, who was looking straight in the direction that Kid pointed. She was backing up in fear with the same terrified expression.
At this moment, I can't quite explain what came over my body, but I knew that whatever had them secluded in this state was not friendly or safe. Deep inside, part of me knew that I had to summon the strength to meet whatever was behind me and save my friends. I was the only one who could do anything at this point. It had to be me.
I forcefully yanked the strength from within myself to turn around and meet the mysterious force that had my friends terrified beyond words. Somewhere within that hidden supply of strength lays the will to unsheathe the murderous tool at my waste. I must have grazed it, because upon turning around, my arm flared out against the will of my spirit and ripped the dagger from its home; the leather grip firm in my hand.
My eyes turned over to meet a tall figure robed in a scarlet red cloak. His face was concealed by a large, pointed hood and a dark, beak-like mask. In his left hand he gripped an intimidating dagger that was bathed in blood. His right hand held a large staff item that looked just as capable of taking someone's life. He stood completely still, almost as if he was examining whether or not I possessed the bravery to combat him. After concluding that he was not going to move or speak, I redeemed the courage to address him.
"Tell me who you are! What did you do to my friends!" I violently demanded of him.
I thought everything was under control, but his mere steps toward me caused me to lose all confidence and almost drop the knife from my quivering hand. He stepped slowly towards me until his figure was towering over top of mine; his shadow consuming me. His arms did not move, but the threatening aura that he emitted was still as present as ever. I did not possess even half of the bravery required to plunge my knife into his gut, even though doing so would've been easier than putting the knife away because of how close he was. Just as I was about to strike from the shear will to protect my friends, he spoke.
"I've done nothing to your friends." He said calmly without moving, "They're being infected with the same thing that's tainting you as we speak; fear. There's no need for a young boy like you to have that weapon. I mean no harm to you or your friends."
Despite the fact that he directly spoke of avoiding violence, my quivering arms just wouldn't lower the dagger from facing his gut. His shadow still enveloped me. I didn't want him to think I was going to retaliate, but my body was still acting with a will of its own; a burning will to protect my friends. Sweat ran down the side of my face from the pressure of the situation, and then he spoke again.
"Did you not hear me? I'm not going to harm you. However, I will not refrain from engaging if you so choose to strike." He said with a sinister calm.
The challenge had officially shifted to regaining control of my body. After taking a deep breath and relaxing my shoulders, my grip loosened on the handle of the knife and I was able to lower my arms. I slid the blade back into its sheath and turned my back to the mysterious stranger so I could help Kid from the ground. Once Kid regained his feet, he stood close behind me and didn't move another inch. Aelia slowly crept her way over to my right. She was standing so close that her shoulder was touching my own. Kid stood behind both of us still scared, but he had regained himself. Everything was under control now. It was time for answers.
Without stepping forward, I spoke out to the stranger. "Tell me-…. No…. Tell us who you are." I spoke with a sense of demand and bravery.
The man was looming over the 3 of us, but he did not refuse my request. Looking down at us, he placed the large staff item on his back and sheathed the dagger at his waste. The moment he moved his arm to sheath the blade it caused Aelia to wince in fear of him attacking. Her eyes opened from being clamped shut only to be greeted by my right arm in front of her chest. She looked at me in confusion as I gently forced her to my back so that she was directly next to Kid. This caused the man to speak.
"Do you wish to protect your friends?" He said with a superior tone.
I didn't answer. It sounded almost as if he was challenging my bravery.
"Do you have the strength to save them?" He spoke once again.
After gathering the strength to meet his challenge, I answered him.
"Yes. I do."
Not a moment after I spoke, the man began reaching behind his waist for something. The three of us both staggered back for a moment. Was it a weapon? Was he going to hurt us? Once his arm returned from searching it came back around towards us, revealing a small flask filled with an orange light.
"Come now, children." He spoke softly as if our trust had been gained from the start.
A sliver of my soul thirsted for the answers that he might hold; answers that I've been searching for my entire life; while the rest of me cried out to the sanity left in my heart and told me to run away without looking back. It's times like this when you just don't know which side of you is right, but then again, you wonder if either side of you is right to begin with.
After resolving a war going on within myself, I finally stepped forward until I was directly in front of the man. His aura was different now. It was almost welcoming compared to just moments ago. I didn't know what to expect at this point so I just kept my head on straight and tried my hardest to expect the unexpected.
The man forced the cap of the flask off with his thumb and slowly lowered it directly in front of my chest and spoke again, "Drink…. And feel the embers of life. Only then will you know the truth."
My arm, quivering with excitement and fear alike, found the strength to gently reach forward to grasp the flask from him. I suddenly felt the grip of Aelia firmly grab hold of my right arm before I could touch the flask.
"ZEKE," She shouted as I turned my head to see her purple eyes glittering with intimidation, "Don't…."
She muttered quietly after as I lowered my arm back to my waist. She never let go of my sleeve as I watched her eyes desperately try to express how afraid she was. My eyes shifted over to Kid, who was frozen solid with the same expression. Despite how afraid they were, I knew this was it. This was our only chance to gain some form of knowledge over how we got here and why the world is the way it is.
After a brief silence, the man spoke out once more, "What's wrong? Don't you want to know the truth?"
His words burned into my soul like a flaming spear. This was it. This was the opportunity that I had spent my life waiting for. Without further hesitation, I reached forward and dumped the flask over my mouth. It was immediately the opposite of what I expected. What entered my body wasn't entirely liquid, but it wasn't entirely flame either. Orange spark ran down the sides of my mouth and a burning strength suddenly began building in my chest. An overwhelming sensation like nothing I had ever felt began taking over my body and mind. The man was able to regain the flask from my hand before I fell to my knees and began breathing violently. It felt almost as if my life force was being drained…. But…. Revitalized at the same time. My current condition was being devoured by the orange substance and replaced by something more.
"ZEKE, NO!" Aelia said as she bolted to the ground and threw her hands on my back, "What's wrong with him! What did you do!" She began shouting at the man.
He simply held the flask out towards her ever so gently and spoke softly, "Here, child. Drink."
Aelia was now crying. I felt her tears on the back of my neck as I reached into myself for the strength to speak over the otherworldly sensation, "Ae-Aelia… It's okay. Just… Do it…." I grunted out while still being thrashed by the substance.
I could feel her breathing heavily over me, her attention now on the flask that the man was still holding out in front of her. With a quivering hand, Aelia reached out and grasped the flask from his grip. She stood up and looked into the bottle. It seemed as if I hadn't taken anything from the previous supply. The flask appeared to be just as full as before I engaged in it. Aelia slowly raised the flask with both hands shaking wildly and dumped a large amount of the burning liquid fire into her mouth.
Just as he did with me, the man grabbed the flask from her before she was able to drop it. Aelia's reaction was completely different than mine. Rather than a harsh physical sensation overcoming her, she fell directly to her rear with her legs bent out beneath her and appeared to be witnessing something beyond her wildest dreams. She stared directly forward as her entire body shook uncontrollably. What was she seeing? Was she okay? It looked almost as if her spirit was going to crack under the pressure. Tears were running down the side of her face and all I could do was watch her break.
Just as the man began approaching Kid with the flask, the sensations suddenly faded from my body. I felt…. Unbelievable. It was unlike anything that I had ever felt before. The strength to pull myself from the ground was absolutely nothing. I held my hands out in front of me and looked down at them. I balled my hands into fists feeling a burning strength run through my body like no other force imaginable. It was as if the weaknesses of my previous condition were completely dissipated. The slight sickness that had overcome our bodies just from living down here was completely gone now. I didn't feel as cold as usual. My vision was now clearer than ever.
After releasing my hands from their tightened grip I knelt down to Aelia and put a hand on her shoulder while lightly whispering, "It's okay. You're brave enough to overcome this. Just be strong and pull yourself back to us. I know you can do it."
I watched Kid slowly take the flask from the man's hand and raise it to his mouth. He glanced over at me before ingesting. I nodded my head in conformation before he exhaled nervously and dumped the liquid flames down his throat. Orange sparks trickled down the corners of his mouth and the man once again took the flask back into his hand as Kid fell to the ground and began groaning with his hands over his head.
From behind me I could hear Aelia regain control of her breathing. I turned to face her slowly raising from the ground with her back to me. She took one last deep breath and let it out slowly. When she turned to face me, the expression in her eyes was nerve-racking. They burned with a sense of confidence and wisdom that couldn't be outshined even by the sun. They were much different than before. Although still a brilliant purple, but there was something more; something that could only be felt and not seen. She had gone through something equally dramatic to my experience from the flask as well.
What did the liquid flames do to us? Would we ever be the same again? What would our lives become after all of this was over?
Just as Aelia regained herself at my side, we both watched Kid rise from the ground as a completely different person. The three of us didn't look any different physically, but the changes that we could feel inside each other were overwhelming.
My own strength and dexterousness had grown immensely. I felt stronger and faster than before. My reflexes were sharper than my dagger now.
Aelia seemed as if her very soul was entering the surface of her body and fighting with her. Her eyes radiated with a wisdom and determination that appeared unstoppable.
Kid regained his feet and walked over to us. He wasn't even close to afraid anymore. His spirit hardened like iron and his confidence lashed out with a sense of bravery like I had never witnessed from the likes of him before. He was reborn into something capable of much more than any of us ever expected.
The three of us lined up next to each other and faced the man as he put his flask away. He slowly walked forward until he was standing directly over us.
"Now, children, it is time." He whispered to us. Without speaking, we gave him out complete attention as he continued, "You are now undead, and you shall know the mortal limitations of this world no longer. You have tasted the embers of life, the Estus, and it has reawakened your inner flames. Though you are much stronger and more resistant to death now, it is not without cost. Part of you still hungers for the humanity that you left behind just moments ago, and this hunger cannot be ignored. You must feed your hunger for humanity or risk losing yourself and becoming a hollowed undead. Become hollow, and you risk losing yourself forever. Now, go forth and uncover what has been hidden from you for too long…."
With this, the man suddenly became transparent and faded out of thin air until he completely disappeared. There was no longer a single trace of him left.
After taking in his words carefully, the three of us faced each other in a triangle formation and exchanged eye contact. Not a single thing needed to be said at this point.
I looked down at my hands once more and then back up at Aelia and Kid.
"It's getting late. Let's go home."