Chapter 45: Into the Breach
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"So, what do you think?" Chloanne asked, nervously shifting from foot to foot. In the corner Maughlin was sitting on a chest, trying not to look concerned but failing.
"This is amazing! I've never seen or worn armor like this before! Light, yet durable! You two outdid yourselves!" Erik praised, looking himself over in a nearby mirror.
During the chef's week long training montage, the residents of Majula had been unexpectedly busy. They knew a storm was coming, and a final confrontation was about to descend on Drangleic. Who the contenders were, only Erik was known to them. But each one, from the cackling hag Melentia, to the airheaded yet caring Chloanne, to the greedy Gilligan, knew that if he won, their curse would be undone. And for that, they worked to insure he would survive the coming war.
From the hag-merchant, dozens of Ancient Life Gems had been scrounged up and sold at a discount to the young cook. Gilligan, Magerold, and Kale scoured the land for rare materials and treasure that might assist him in battle.
Elana, Vengarl, Saulden, and Benhart drilled the boy until he was a man, and Carhillion, Licia, Alsanna, and Nadalia forced his magic to the brink and back.
Mytha taught him basic etiquette for talking with women, though this seemed to have all flown over the poor chef's head. Shalquoir had given vague hints about what Erik could expect in Castle Drangleic and below.
As for the more crafting minded of the village, Chloanne, her father, and Maughlin had worked day and night to forge the finest armor for the chef. He already possessed a powerful weapon in the form of the Blade of Eleum Loyce, so defense was the most important matter.
And now, dawn of the day he was to march to the castle of King Vendrick, Erik was examining the masterwork armor they'd given him.
It was leather armor, but made from the tanned and cured hide of the King Basilisk Erik had slain. The Lionkin had been kind enough to offer it up once they found out it would aid their hero. This made the outfit immune to not only Curses and Petrifaction, but also the touch of Dark. Nadalia and Carhillion assumed this was because of the experiments Aldia and Duke Tseldora had performed on it.
The armor, which consisted of leggings and tunic, was studded with knobs and spikes of Twinkling Titanite, adding a small amount of defense towards magic of all kinds. It gave the ensemble a fearsome appearance, while being light enough for Erik's lightning fast movements and attack style.
Then there were the gloves and boots. Both sets were made of a combination of King Basilisk leather and fur from the three magical tigers that had taken up residence in the nearby forest. Alva, Lud, and Zallen had gracious allowed themselves to be brushed for some discarded hair that Maughlin had carefully added to the armor. Now, not only was Erik immune to heat and cold, but his magic was even more powerful and he'd be able to take less damage from a bad fall.
All in all, with his assortment of magical rings to add further bonuses, Erik was more than ready for battle.
"I'm glad you like it," Chloanne said with a breath of relief. "Father, Maughlin, and I worked hard to get it ready in time."
"Thank you so much," Erik said with a respectful bow of his head to the pair.
"Thank us by removing the Darksign from this world, friend," Maughlin said. "Do that, and I won't charge you for the armor."
"Heh. Thanks, Maughlin." Erik glanced out the window at the position of the rising sun. "I should go, now. The others are waiting for me."
With his goodbyes finished the chef strode with pride out of the armory, nodding in greeting to the Undead who called Majula home and had become his friends and companions.
As he approached the path leading towards the castle, Erik smiled as he saw the group that was to accompany him. Benhart was there, his oath still in effect. Behind him Vengarl stood, or rather, leaned against a large tree. Mytha stood nearby, her spear held loosely in her grip. Then there was the trio of Dark touched sisters, waiting eagerly for their champion.
"Looking very fine, young Potts. The armorer did a fantastic job," Benhart praised. Erik nodded in agreement.
"Well, no reason to wait around. Shall we go?"
"Indeed. Raime reports that there is no movement within the castle. There was some activity in the beginning of the week, but now it is oddly silent and still. We should be wary of any traps our sister has prepared," Nadalia informed. Agreement was echoed through the party and they set off towards the legendary castle.
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"So this is where the Soul King lived," Erik said, impressed in spite of himself.
Castle Drangleic was a tall, imposing edifice, built on a large cliff overlooking a deep ravine which lead to a dark, foreboding lake. Towers and a long staircase all gave the structure a larger-than-life look.
Of course, it helped that there were gold and bronze armored titans and knights scattered about. On the stairs leading to castle and vaguely glimpsed patrolling the wall, it was a fortress that had Erik been less trained or in a smaller group, would have been hard pressed to pass through.
As it stood, the defenses fell in an almost pitiful way as the Primal Knight Golems and Knights of Syan met the steel and spells of the most deadly warriors still fighting for the side of Good.
However, the front door proved to be more of an obstacle than the Undead hoard guarding them.
"Open!" Elana roared, slamming her fist onto the imposing Titanite gates that refused to budge.
"I don't see a keyhole anywhere… is it activated through a spell or artifact?" Mytha mused, looking it over.
"The anti-siege mechanisms were the finest in the land. However, I was not made privy to their workings. I was a mere mercenary, and one with a bit of a bloody history," Vengarl apologized as he kicked a Hollowed Royal Guard over the edge of the cliff.
Raime gave a shrug as well as he wrestled another Primal Knight to the ground. He had been more of a fighter when in service to the king of the castle and had forgotten much in his time close to going Hollow. Plus, he had a feeling he'd missed the meeting where Vendrick had discussed this particular defense.
"I sense magic in those statues that flank the door. Could they be part of the puzzle?" Alsanna asked softly.
"Hmmm… Those bowls look like the kind of offering altars and alms dishes Lindelt Clerics use. Maybe we have to give a sacrifice of some kind?" Erik pondered. An idea came to his head and he turned to Benhart.
"Can you bring me one of those guardsmen? I want to try something." The Jugonan grunted and dragged a fussy Hollow over to the chef, who promptly slit its throat and watched the souls flow into the bowl-like altar.
"Huh. That seems like a really bad defense mechanism. I mean, anyone on this side, which would be the guys wanting to get inside, would be able to fill the bowl just by expending fodder soldiers during a siege," Erik said as a tiny white flame flickered to life in the bowl. It wasn't enough to open the doors, and soon the rest of the party were dragging Hollows over to the statues and offering up their souls.
"To be fair, only those branded with the Darksign are normally able to extract souls in such a manner. For most others the energy fades almost instantly," Alsana explained timidly. "Only Nashandra, Aldia, and of course Vendrick would have had souls strong enough to pull out other souls to fill the bowls and open the gates from this side."
"Huh. I guess that makes it a decent security system. As long as there aren't Undead around."
After a few more Hollows and Golems were sacrificed the white flames were bright and full. The doors creaked open the lid to a coffin, revealing a dark yet surprisingly well-kept interior.
"Who are you… And by whose permission do you stand before me? This castle is the domain of King Vendrick. Is your trespass intentional?"
A wheezing, elderly voice called out to the group as they stepped inside the foyer, Vengarl and Raime both jolting in shock as they stared at the speaker. Or rather, through him.
An old man in stately robes and possessing a luxurious beard was looking down at the large group from the steps leading to the audience chamber. He was also transparent and hovering a few inches off the floor.
"Chancellor Wellager?" Vengarl gasped, unsure if he was seeing things properly.
"Oh, is that you, Vengarl? I thought you'd gone off to the Cove on order of the king. Did you succeed in your mission?" the elderly man asked in a slightly condescending tone. His expression turned surprised though when he saw the towering form of Raime.
"Sir Raime, you have returned! Oh, it is so good to see the slander about you being a Hollow were all lies!" The ghostly man floated down towards the knight who looked on, bemused.
"You would not believe how things have fallen apart without you! The queen has begun ordering us all around for senseless reasons and the king has vanished! Not to mention Sir Velstadt refuses to tell me where he has gone!"
The chancellor's eyes fell on Erik who was standing awkwardly next to Mytha who was staring at the ghost in shock.
"Oh, Sir Donovan Potts, and Queen Mytha!" Chancellor Wellager fell to his knees, still hovering in place. "It is so good to see you both again! Please, come in, come in! If I had known you were on your way I would have rolled out the red carpet!"
As the phantom floated away Erik turned to his companions seeking an explanation. Shrugs were the only response.
"In the distant past, when the Abyss swallowed an ancient kingdom, it turned the souls of those it consumed into ghastly wraiths; blood thirsty ghosts who could not be harmed without tainted magic akin to what spawned them," Nadalia said hesitantly. "and Castle Drangleic has been the center of power for Sister Nashandra for many centuries now. Perhaps the energy has turned those who did not obtain the Darksign into similar entities?"
"But how does he not realize we're all Undead?" Erik asked as he watched the grandfatherly old man shouting into the air.
"I don't know. Maybe he can only remember what occurred before death and nothing more? He did call you by your ancestor's name," the Bride of Ash pointed out.
Any further conversation was cut off when a ghostly hoard slipped through the walls and floors. Maids, butlers, servants and guards, all pouring out into the foyer to greet their distinguished guests.
"Not to be rude, but we have someone to speak to. I'm afraid we have no time to waste," Elana said loudly, garnering the attention of the phantasmal host.
"And you are?" The chancellor inquired, raising an eyebrow.
"I am Queen Elana of Shulva, here to see my sister, Queen Nashandra," the Squalid Queen of the Sunken Kingdom announced, whispers of shock and awe running through the ghosts.
Chancellor Wellager hastily bowed. "My deepest apologies, your majesty! Please forgive my ignorance for not recognizing royalty such as yourself! I shall escort you to the queen immediately!"
"Thank you, and you are forgiven, chancellor. Do not forgot in the future, though. Nor the faces of my sisters Nadalia, Duchess of Brume, and Alsanna, High Priestess of Eleum Loyce!"
Yet more gasps rang out and if it was possible for a ghost to become even paler, Wellager pulled it off. By becoming invisible.
"Right this way!" Chancellor Wellager cried out, swiftly turning visible once more and leading the party through several rooms, halls, and staircases until they reached a lofty part of the castle.
"Queen Nashandra resides in the Upper Audience Chamber, entertaining those Dragonriders from Heide. She has been most distraught recently. I'm sure the disappearance of the king has done her weak constitution no favors."
Elana and Nadalia snorted at that, only for Alsanna to chide them by smacking both upside the heads. For the other Undead it was amusing to see eldritch beings acting so human.
Well, for Erik, he'd always seen them as such. Humans touched by fathomless Darkness and not quite mortal, but human none the less. He smiled at their antics before his souls suddenly began to throb violently in his chest. He grunted, the discomfort growing as they neared the location of the final Daughter of Manus.
"So, my darling family deigns to show their faces to me after all this? How droll. Leave us, Wellager. I wish to speak to my 'guests' in private."
"At once, my queen," the ghost declared, swiftly drifting away.
Erik ignored him, focus firmly on the blonde hair woman who looked very familiar for some reason. She was sitting on a throne at the far end of a small hall, separated by a balcony so none could approach her without falling to their death if not carefully.
"You are Nashandra?" Benhart asked in surprise. The petite woman in question snapped her head to glare at the desert knight.
"I am. And that's 'Queen Nashandra' to you, worm."
"Shove it up your ass, sister," Elana said rudely, folding her arms. The glare from the blonde queen then settled onto her dark hair sisters.
"So you've chosen to side with the First Flame after all, then." Nashandra glowered before her stare landed on Erik who stepped back in fear.
Numerous souls were crying out against the woman. The Flexile Sentry, stitched together for her amusement. The souls of the people who made the Ruin Sentinels, butchered to create her unfeeling servants. The Last Giant, its own child stolen and tormented by the Dark One for her ambitions. All demanded justice.
"Why do you have blonde hair?" Everyone blinked, befuddle by the chef's out of place question.
"Pardon?"
"Your sisters all have raven black hair. Why don't you?"
"Dearest Nashandra is the embodiment of father's Want. And the one thing he wanted most before he died was our mother. That is why she looks like that. She takes on the form of the only woman to love him, and he in turn loved. Princess Dusk of Oolacile," Elana revealed, uncaring of the confusion her words caused among the uninitiated. But Erik and Benhart remembered what Nadalia had spoken of back at Shulva.
"I see," the cook said with a look of pity at the petite blonde.
"Don't you dare give me that look!" Nashandra roared, rising to her feet with coils of black mist rising around her. Everyone tensed.
"My apologies, Queen Nashandra," Erik replied. Remarkably, there wasn't even a single hint of sarcasm of disrespect. But that was to be expected. He had grown up in the Palace of Lightning as a servant. He knew how to hide his disgust.
"However, in regards to reigniting the First Flame, that is indeed my mission. So please, stand aside?"
Silence reigned, and everyone stared at Erik in various states of shock.
"Balls of Titanite," Vengarl muttered under his breath.
"If you can defeat my two knights, then perhaps I will concede to your request," Nashandra said slowly, the power around her fading.
"But it must be done alone, and without a single death. That is my one condition. Do so, and I will give you the run of the castle and you can try to achieve my foolish husband's dream. Fail, and I will have you all thrown out."
Erik nodded resolutely. A smirk crossed the lips of the blonde queen and she pointed down a nearby hall.
"They wait in the treasure room. Fight them. Now."
Saying nothing, Erik walked off to face the Dragonriders next door.
"They are two of the finest knights from Fallen Heide, who once rode Wyverns into battle! Despite having gone Hollow, their skills are as sharp as their blades! You will fall, and the First Flame will belong to me!"
Maniacal laughter echoed behind the chef, but he just strode onwards, drawing the Blade of Eleum Loyce and letting a Fireball flicker to life as he stood before the Fog Gate.
In the throne room, Nashandra waved her hand and the numerous mirrors flickered to life, showing the interior of the battlefield.
Erik grinned. It was time to show off that his training had been worth it!
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Basilisk King Leather Armor: Armor made of the remains of a giant Basilisk, born of twisted Dark experiments. Grants impressive immunity to Dark and Petrification. Upgrades with Twinkling Titanite.
Stats: 85 / 85/ 85 / 95 / 60 / 45 / 45 / 110 / 5 / 40 / 40 / 100 / 100, 70/70, 12 lbw.
Beast Lord's Gauntlets: Gloves made of the remains of a giant Basilisk and the fur of giant saber tigers, all touched by the Dark. Grants enhanced resistance to effects of heat and cold while boosting the powers of Pyromancies and Cryomancies. Upgrades with Twinkling Titanite.
Stats: 65 / 60 / 60 / 75 / 70 / 85 / 60 / 100 / 5 / 40 / 40 / 50 / 50, 50/50, 6 lbs.
Beast Lord's Boots: Boots made of the remains of a giant Basilisk and the fur of giant saber tigers, all touched by the Dark. Improves Dodge Roll speed and distance while negating a small amount of Fall Damage. Upgrades with Twinkling Titanite.
Stats: 50 / 50 / 50 / 45 / 65 / 60 / 55 / 100 / 5 / 20 / 20 / 50 / 50, 50/50, 6 lbs.