Ok I'm back with the follow up chapter to Dark Souls: Four Souls. Now for time sake I will cut out most of the deaths, as I have died plenty of times in the catacombs which is where this chapter will take place. So with that said I'm ready to continue.
I do not own the character NPC's of Dark Souls I do however own the four created characters associated with the games story and plot.
Ch.1 The Hunter & The Thief
Deep in the catacombs of Lordran one individual was on a journey out of the catacombs. The person was female, and she wore a tattered hood and cloth robe as well as brown leather gloves and boots and black leather pants. On her back wrapped around her waist was a quiver filled with arrows, and on her back was a longbow. She was an archer by nature, and the best from the Far East lands she traveled from. Also a large sword made from the bones of the dead rested on her back as well.
This sword was called the Gravelord Sword, made similarly but not as powerful as the one wielded by Gravelord Nito, one of the primeval lords. She acquired the sword by accidentally stumbling upon his tomb, and pledged a false allegiance to the Gravelord. She had a small smile on her face, but not because of the false pledge. She looked down to her right hand, on her index finger was a ring. This ring caused her a lot of strife, and now she was sure it was all worth it.
'The Darkmoon Séance Ring. Finally, next step Anor Londo.' She thought to herself as she made her way out of the dark tomb of coffins. She stopped when she heard footsteps.
They were coming from all sides, and she sighed. She thought that being a part of the Gravelord Covenant would keep these guys off her, but that was not going to be the case. She grabbed her new sword as several sword wielding skeletons surrounded her.
Quickly going for the one to her left she shattered the skeleton sending bones flying everywhere. She turned to strike the one behind her, but it blocked with a shield and kicked her in her stomach knocking her on her back. She rolled out of the way as another skeleton tried to impale her with its sword. She lashed out with her foot and kicked the skeleton into a wall, and its bones collapsed to a heap on the floor.
Rising quickly she was knocked back by two skeletal warriors in front of her. She pulled out a firebomb and threw it. The bomb detonated against the skeletons setting their bones on fire. The bombs having little effect, the skeletons kept advancing towards her. She rushed forward and smashed through them.
She let out a sigh, but she wasn't out of the woods yet. A giant skeleton dropped down from the floor above, almost causing her to lose her footing. The giant skeleton wielded a large falchion as it raised above, before bringing it down quickly.
She was able to evade the attack and prepared herself for battle, when she the sounds of bones rattling. She looked around to see the bones of the skeletons she just defeated pulling themselves back together.
'Shit, I forgot what a pain these assholes can be!' She thought.
She knew there was a necromancer nearby. That's the only way these skeletons were able to resurrect. She couldn't take on those guys and the big one, and decided that a tactical retreat would be the smarter choice. She fled the area and back outside, she still had a ong ways to go before she was clear of the catacombs.
She looked behind her to see the skeletons giving chase, and she looked ahead of her. There were more skeletal warriors everywhere and she was going to have to fight her way out, if she wanted to live. Gripping her sword in both hands, she charged in.
Firelink Shrine
Catarina looked around, she had been brought here by that bird which sat perched a few yards away above her. She immediately noticed the bonfire before and looked to her right to see that she was not alone. She saw a man sitting before her, wearing nothing but chainmail except for his head. He is a pale man with dark hair, stubble and surly appearance. He also took note of Catarina's sudden arrival.
"Well what do we have here? You must be a new arrival. Let me guess. Fate of the undead right? Well you're not the first, but there is no salvation here. You'd have done better to rot in the Undead Asylum…But, too late now." He said to her.
"Hey I didn't ask to be brought here pal." Catarina said as she folded her arms.
"Well since you're here…Let me help you out. There are actually two bells of Awakening." He told her.
"Two? Look I could care less, I just wanted to get out of the Asylum." She said.
The man shrugged. "I see, still in case you might want to know. One is up above in the Undead Church, the other is far below, in the ruins at the base of Blighttown. Ring them both, and something happens… Brilliant right? Not much to go on, but I have a feeling that wont stop you. So off you go. It is why you came, isn't it? To this accursed land of the Undead. Hah hah hah hah." He said with a chuckle.
Frustrated Catarina walked up to the man. "Apparently you're hard of hearing. I don't care about some fate or curse of the undead, I only wished to be free of that wretched Asylum." She told him.
"Oh your face! Your practically Hollow!" he said as she got a good look at her. But who knows, going Hollow could solve quite a bit! Hah hah hah hah." He laughed again.
Catarina growled a bit, this man was starting to work her last nerves, but then she stopped and looked herself over. She didn't like her new look, and it got her thinking about that humanity sprite she got off the corpse of the Asylum Demon.
"Since you're so fucking smart, why don't you tell me how I can look normal again?" She said placing her hands on her hips.
"Hm, what? Restoring your humanity? Well, there are a few ways to go about it… Collect it bit by bit from corpses, or you can butter up a cleric and get yourself summoned. And the quickest way though I'd never do it, is to kill a healthy Undead, and pillage its humanity. Coveting thy neighbor is only human, after all! Hah hah hah hah…"
Catarina only stared at the man after hearing his words, prompting another response from him.
"What are you looking at? Don't try anything clever. You might regret it." He said placing his hand on the hilt of his longsword.
Catarina went to grip her dagger, but relaxed. She wasn't after this fool, she then turned her attention to the bonfire behind her. She walked over and sat next to the bonfire. She then pulled out the humanity she got earlier, holding her hand out in front of her. She gazed at the bonfire. She watched the flames dance before squeezing the humanity tightly in her hand.
The humanity was absorbed into her soul, and she sat there waiting for something to happen. She grew frustrated to see that no change was coming.
'Well what am I to do?' she thought to herself. Once again she found herself staring at the bonfire.
She could tell that there was some connection between the two, she didn't know how she knew, she just did. She slowly extended her hand to the bonfire, reaching for the flames. She could feel something, something she couldn't describe. She felt overcome by the feeling as it grew stronger, it felt like the flames from the bonfire were starting to crawl throughout her body.
Then suddenly the feeling just disappeared. She sat there, looking on at her hand, before pulling it back to herself. She stared amazed at her chocolate skin, her human skin. She had her lovely ebony skin back, and a smile formed on her face. She quickly rose, practically umping for joy.
"Got anymore helpful tips." She asked the man.
"Hm, what? You want to hear more? Oh, that's all we need. Another inquisitive soul. Well, listen carefully, then… One of the bells is up above in the Undead Church, but the lift is broken. You'll have to climb the stairs up in the ruins, and access the Undead Burg through the waterway." He told her.
She nodded, seeing as she had nothing to do at the moment, she might as well explore this strange land.
"The other bell is back down below the Undead Burg, within the plague-infested Blighttown. But I'd die again before I set step in that cesspool! Hah hah hah hah!" He told Catarina.
Catarina took a look behind her to see the stairways leading up to the waterway the man was talking about. She was taken from her thoughts as he spoke up some more.
"By any chance have you been to the ruins of New Londo below?" He asked.
Catarina shook her head. "No, I have not." She told him.
"Just head down the stairs and take the lift. It's certainly worth a visit. It was once a Undead city. You may find a clue or two. Unless the ghosts find you first… Keh heh heh heh!" He laughed.
Catarina could tell that he seemed to take nothing seriously. But this New Londo sounded like a place she should definitely check out. She headed down the stairs and found herself below the bonfire. She immediately noticed some bars and in it was a woman.
The woman had blonde hair tied into a ponytail. Her head was lowered and she appeared to be praying, her outfit was dingy grey color and her skirt was covered in blood stains. Catarina wondered why this woman was imprisoned here, and who done it.
'Had she done something terrible?' Catarina wondered. It couldn't have hurt to ask.
"Hey." Catarina called out to her.
The woman gave her no response. Catarina tried to get her attention but to no avail, the woman had no interest in speaking whatsoever. Catarina eventually gave up, and walked back up the stairs.
"Oh, have you seen that terribly morose lass?" The man asked Catarina.
"I have. She would not utter a word, when spoke to. Would you happen to know why she is caged up?" Catarina asked.
"She's the firekeeper, she's stuck keeping that bonfire lit." He said as he nodded towards the bonfire. "Sad really. She's mute and bound to this forsaken place. They probably cut her tongue out back in her village, so that she'd never say any gods name in vain. How do these martyr's keep chugging along? I'd peter out in an instant. Hah hah hah hah!" He said.
Catarina looked back towards the steps. That woman had her tongue cut out, and was now being forced to keep this bonfire lit. The very bonfire that restored her humanity, in a way she felt like she owed it to the woman to repay her for it.
Still though she decided to do some looking around, and found herself with six firebombs that she discovered in a chest. As she continued her search, she came upon someone else, not to fire from the bonfire.
It was man, he was on the large side and had blond hair. He carried a morning star as his weapon in his right hand and a shield with red and blue designs in his left hand. He was clad with leather armor and locked eyes with Catarina's as she approached him.
He could tell by the looks of her that she was thief, and was immediately on guard.
"Hello there. I believe we are not acquainted? I am Petrus of Thorolund." He told her.
"I am called Catarina, a pleasure." She said and extended her hand to the man.
"Have you business, with us?... if not, I'd prefer to keep a distance, if possible." He told her.
Catarina withdrew her hand, seeing that the man had no interest in her. So she continued past him, walking up the stairs next to him.
"Wait a minute." He called out to her, making her turn around. "I realize that I have requested that we retain our distance, but I want you to know it was not meant in ill-will. Here, take this. As a token of peace. No, go ahead. It's for you." He said handing her a copper coin.
Catarina looked the coin over. "Gee thanks." She told Petrus as she pocketed the small item.
She continued her way up the stairs to find the lift the Crestfallen Warrior spoke of. It indeed was inoperable. She looked left of the lift to see an empty shaft, presumably for the other lift, which probably sat up near the Undead Church. Catarina looked down the shaft to see that there was light coming from the bottom. Catarina shrugged and jumped down the shaft to find a small passageway.
It led to a small area filled with chests. Catarina being the thief she was, had to know if they contained anything of value. She smiled as she opened the first chest, and found four cracked orbs. Upon closer inspection these red orbs appeared to have eyes on them, not sure what these were good for, Catarina held onto them just to be sure. When she opened the second chest she found a morning star, like the one Petrus has and a small talisman.
The last two chests yielded unto her some bones and four Lloyd's Talismans named after the man who created them. Catarina looked over the bones and felt that they had a similar vibe like that of the bonfire. Catarina decided that she would look around the graveyard just below here.
She slid down the small slope and was greeted by dozens of tombstones. She looked around at all of the names scribbled on the stone slabs. She spotted several more bones on the ground, but thought nothing of them and walked past them. She saw several weapons, a zweihander, and a winged spear, but neither interested her. A small shield that she looked over but she did see something that caught her interest. She grabbed a pair of binoculars that were laying on the ground.
Two corpses that had a strange glow to them. When Catarina drew closer she found that there was a piece of a soul left on these corpses. How were pieces of a soul left behind was beyond her, but she took them anyway. Catarina was about to exit the graveyard when she heard a rattling sound. Looking up near the stairs she saw the bones from earlier pull themselves back together and form two skeletal warriors. She backed up, pulling out her dagger, when she heard more rattling. Behind her several more skeletons pulled themselves together, alongside a giant one.
"What kind of fucked up shit is this?" Catarina asked as she mumbled to herself.
Her pathway was blocked and she knew it was going to take more than this little dagger to defeat these things. Catarina dodged the attacks from the first three skeletons and kicked them back, making them stumble. She bashed the other one with her shield, making it collapse back into a heap of bones.
She absorbed the essence of the skeleton afterward. "Souls? How is that possible, these things shouldn't have souls." Catarina said.
She jumped back avoiding the strike from another skeleton, but was kicked by the giant one. She rolled across the ground and hit a tombstone. She looked up to see the giant skeleton was its blade. Dodging to her right she avoided being cut in half, and tried to grab the zweihander. It was too heavy to lift, and she was now cornered by the skeletons.
She tried to get away, but was smacked by the one of the smaller ones and stumbled back. Grabbing her dagger she charged in, but was deflected by the giant skeleton, who grabbed her and slammed her on the ground. Catarina looked up to see that the skeletons were circled around her and preparing to strike her all at once.
Her eyes widened at her imminent death, it seems that she wasn't going to be a part of the world of the living for much longer. However before Catarina could be finished off, a large blade cut through the skeletal beings, destroying them in one shot.
Catarina looked to see a woman wearing tattered clothing standing before her. The souls from the skeletal warriors were absorbed into her body. The woman looked upon Catarina before extending her hand out to her. Catarina accepted her hand, and she helped pull the thief up.
"Thanks." Catarina said.
"No need to thank me, though I'd suppose if I hadn't been passing by you'd be on the end of their blades by now." The woman spoke.
Catarina merely nodded. "So may I ask the name of my savior?" She asked the hooded woman.
The woman removed her hood, revealing dark blue hair. "Suren, Suren of the Far East." The woman introduced herself with a quick bow.
"Well it's a pleasure to meet you Suren. I am called Catarina." She said introducing herself.
"Oh, you mean like the Kingdom of Catarina?" Suren asked.
Catarina nodded. "My parents named after the kingdom, in hopes that it would bring them great fortune." Catarina said as she looked over into the distance.
Catarina then focused her attention back to Suren, to see that her outfit was torn in several places. "You look worse for wear. Where did you come from?" Catarina asked her.
Suren pointed behind her. "The catacombs, nothing but a whole lot of trouble down there, so I advise on not going down there. Unless you have some sort of deathwish." Suren told her.
"What's down there?" Catarina asked.
"A whole lot of Skeletons." Suren answered as she walked past her.
Catarina followed her back to the bonfire of Firelink Shrine, where the Crestfallen Warrior sat waiting.
"What's wrong? Get a bit of a scare out there? No problem. Have a seat and get comfortable. We'll both be hollow before you know it. Hah hah hah hah.." He chuckled.
Catarina growled at his remark towards her, but calmed down a bit when Suren placed her hand on her shoulder. "He's always like that, from as far as I can tell. Pay him no mind." She advised.
Catarina nodded and they both sat down at the bonfire. Catarina noticed that her cuts had healed, as well as Suren's. The bonfire's here were indeed a special place. She learned that Suren was a traveler, she had a love of exploration and she wanted to see the world. Catarina also learned that Suren was not alone she had a traveling companion, but he had went ahead of her while she was in the catacombs.
Suren also divulged that she was heading to Anor Londo, the city of the gods. There she could find a group she was searching for. She also learned that Suren was not an Undead like herself. Also the Crestfallen Merchant had been listening on their conversation since it was clear that he wasn't going anywhere.
"You there." He said calling out to Suren.
Both women turned, to see what he wanted.
"You said you are a traveler correct?" He asked her.
"That I am. What of it?" She asked him.
"It seems that you are familiar with this forsaken place. By chance have you heard of the Lordran Reaper?"
"Lordran Reaper?" Catarina asked.
"I have, the rumors of the reaper, before my coming here." Suren spoke.
"Who or what is the Lordran Reaper?" Catarina asked.
"They say that the reaper came from a world where the unwanted live." The Crestfallen Warrior said. "The Reaper is a powerful being, and hunts down the weary and unexpecting. I am just glad the reaper has never come here. Hah hah hah hah…" He said.
"What more can you tell us of the reaper?" Catarina asked.
He merely shrugged. "If you want to know more, why don't you chat up that old blacksmith in the Undead Parish." He answered her.
"The Undead Parish huh? That's where I'm supposed to meet with my companion." Suren said. "You can accompany me if you like?" She told Catarina.
"Sure, we seem to be traveling in the same direction." Catarina responded.
With that Suren got up, and began walking in the direction towards the lift.
"If you're heading towards the lift don't bother, it doesn't work." Catarina told her.
Suren let out a frustrated sigh. "Really?" She asked sucking her teeth. "Looks like we'll have to take the long way, through the Undead Burg." She said.
Catarina nodded as she got to her feet. "Ready whenever you are." She told the hunter.
"You're heading for the Burg, then let me ask you a question." The Crestfallen Warrior said.
Both women nodded, awaiting his question.
"How did that silly sorcerer's apprentice end up? You know, the one always prattling on about Master Logan. He left for the Undead Burg, but he never came back. Serves him right. If even Old Big Hat can't make it out there, what chance does he have? I hope he enjoys his new life as a hollow." He told him.
Suren shrugged. "I don't know, his problems are his own. I cannot babysit everyone." Suren replied before walking off.
End! This is the end of Chapter one, what do you think of the story so far. You have seen three of my created characters, now we need the fourth, but right now it'll just be Suren and Catarina. In the next chapter Catarina gets a better weapon. Now in the game Catarina is a Strength/Endurance/Faith build. She is the second power character. Suren was creating for an assist only purposes. My attention with her was to create the ultimate archer, for co-op, but upon use of the Gravelord Sword she became my best PvP fighter. Her build is a Strength/Dex/Intelligence build. If you have this game and a PS3 we should PvP, if you want to co-op with this two. I of course have two more characters in the game as well, but until they are fully introduced I wont bother mentioning them yet.
Track List
Firelink Shrine- Firelink Shrine (Dark Souls)
The Reaper Rumor- Those who crave souls (Demon's Souls)
Hope you don't mind the Demon's Souls music inclusion.