One Order for a Large Burg?

Astrea had finally resolved to just shut up and see where the giant crow would take her. It had a hold of her arms, so she couldn't reach her sword or even swing it if she could. Even if she managed to get it to drop her, they were hundreds of miles up in the air. She'd restore at a bonfire, yes, but that was all the way back at the Asylum. Plus, dying fucking hurt.

So, she decided to go along for the ride. If the bird tried to eat her when they got there, she'd think of something.

While they flew, she had time to think about what Oscar had told her. She could remember hearing those words before. It was a prophecy or something from back home. From what sense she'd been able to make of it, it had something to do with an Undead leaving the Asylum, ringing a bell or something and knowing 'the fate of the Undead'.

It sounded fucking insane, but to her… if she rang this bell, would she be able to find out the truth about the Undead Curse? Maybe find a way to get rid of this fucking curse and actually become human for good again? To not be ripped from the living world and shoved right back in over and over again? All that, just for ringing a bell in Lordran?

Yeah, fucking insane. But really, what in this fucked up world made sense anymore? There was a curse going around that stopped people dying then drove them insane. If there was a way to get rid of this curse, she was going to fucking take it, even if it killed her. And it probably would. But she'd never really been one for sitting on her ass, especially when her time was so limited now.

If she was going down, she was going down with a sword in one hand and thrusting up her middle finger defiantly at the world with the other.

After what seemed like hours, the crow began to drop below the clouds. The first thing she caught was a massive wall, nearly a hundred feet high, with round towers built into it. There appeared to be something beyond it, but she couldn't make it out. Above that was what looked like some kind of church. She could see a bell tower. Was that where she needed to go?

Suddenly, the crow banked left and she felt a rushing as her stomach leapt into her throat. It swooped under the branches of a massive tree before finally dropping her when they neared the ground.

"Finally," she muttered. She looked up to see the crow perched on the top of a nearby ruin. "Okay, you got lucky this time, feather brain! I've decided not to kill you! Yet…"

She took in her surroundings. Once again, it looked like a crumbling ruin. It was rounded and walled by stone walls and a few benches, all decaying and ruined. A small set of stairs led down to a centre where a bonfire took pride of place. This one seemed brighter than the ones back at the Asylum. The place was overgrown with plants and moss and a few more trees, but it was dwarfed against the giant that loomed overhead.

"Okay then," she murmured. "So, where the fuck am I now?"

"Well, what do we have here?" A slimy voice got her attention. "You must be a new arrival."

It came from man perched on a fallen column. He had dark, greasy hair that trailed off in scraggly ends. His face was unshaven and rough with stubble on a slightly narrow face. He was dressed in basic chainmail and she spotted a sword and beaten shield lying next to him.

His dark eyes appraised her, but not with any interest or malice. More of a mild interest. He was just sitting there, crouched near the fire, in a very resigned sort of way. Like the way you see a man at a bar who's depressed enough to be there, but hasn't managed to drink himself stupid yet.

She cocked an eyebrow at him. "What was your first clue? Maybe to do with the giant fucking crow that just dumped me here?"

If he was irked by her sarcasm, he didn't show it or he just didn't care. She guessed the latter was more likely.

"Let me guess. Fate of the Undead, right?" he asked.

"Actually, I just heard Lordran was nice this time of year," she replied. "Thought I'd come by and see the sights. Even managed to get free air travel. Not a bad deal, huh?"

She saw a ghost of a smile flicker across his face.

"Well, aren't you a spirited one?" he remarked. "But so was I, once…"

"Yeah, real life and soul, I can tell," she said.

He smirked. "Give it time. Pretty soon, you'll be sitting here keeping me company too."

"Not my style," Astrea said. "Look, can you just tell me where I am?"

"I suppose that's fair," he shrugged. "If you mean generally, you're in Lordran. If you want specifics, may I be the first to welcome you to Firelink Shrine."

"I'm getting all warm and fuzzy already. Are you this cheery with everyone or am I just a special case?"

"Oh, you're hardly special," he sneered. "You're not the first and you certainly won't be the last."

Astrea cocked an eyebrow. "What the fuck does that mean?"

"You'll see," he murmured. "Now, do you still want my help?"

"Thanks, but I wouldn't want to waste anymore of your valuable time," she said in a falsely sweet voice. "I'm just gonna go find this bell and get this over with."

"Which one?" She paused. "Oh, that got your attention, didn't it? There are actually two Bells of Awakening. One's up above, in the Undead Church. The other is far, far below, in the ruins at the base of Blighttown. Ring them both, and something happens. Brilliant, right?"

"Fucking incredible." She sighed. "Great. Two bells. Didn't mention that Oscar, did you?"

"Talking to yourself is the first sign of madness, you know?"

"Tell it to someone who gives two shits," she replied. Glancing around, she caught sight of some stairs leading up and away from the Shrine. "Up above, huh?"

"Oh yes, in the Undead Church," he said, even though Astrea wasn't speaking to him. "There is a lift you can take up there."

"Oh, good."

"Sadly, it's broken."

"Oh, fuck you."

"You'll have to climb the stairs up the ruins, and access the Undead Burg through the waterway," he directed. "I trust your fiery spirit will serve you well. I know one who'd certainly appreciate it."

She looked back at him. His smile wasn't warm and inviting. It was more like he was mocking her. She resisted the urge to carve him a permanent one with her scimitar.

"Why the fuck do you even care?" she asked.

"Oh, I don't," he clarified. "But it'll be amusing to pass the time until I go hollow. It's better to have some entertainment while you wait for the inevitable, wouldn't you agree?"

"If you're bored, I'll show you some fucking entertainment," she snarled. Her hand gripped her sword and so did his.

"Careful now," he warned. "I do find you an admirable sort, but that won't stop me from running you through if you give me cause."

She considered him a moment. Then, she took her hand off the hilt. He wasn't worth her time.

"There's a good girl." He returned to his relaxed position. "So, off you go. It is why you came, isn't it? To this accursed land of the Undead?"

His laughter followed her as she stalked off. She drew her sword, but it was all she took not to turn around and see how much he would be laughing with blood in his throat.

Passing by a gnarled tree, she climbed a set of stone steps and emerged to find another set off to her left. This led off the waterway the Warrior mentioned. Four hollow soldiers stood guard, two at the base, one on the stairs and one at the very top. One was already charging at her, wielding a rusted sword and a broken wooden shield.

He ran right into her blade and she shoved him off the side. Staircase hollow jumped off and landed, but didn't even get to stand up before she drove the sword into the back of his neck. There was one more in armour with a spear and she went to give him the same treatment.

A sudden burst of fire appeared between her and him. Whipping her head up, she saw the guy at the top already preparing to throw another firebomb. The guy in armour raised his shield and approached.

"You cheeky fucker!"

She kicked against the shield of the hollow and he staggered back right into the second bomb. He writhed in the flames, but she didn't stay to watch. She tore up the stairs for the final one. She ducked under his next bomb and drove her scimitar into his chest.

"Got any more of those for me?" she pondered, searching him and finding two more. "Well, aren't you sweet?"

Astrea followed the stairs up to the waterway. The lightstone in her belt gave her enough light to see directly in front of her. She ignored the scurrying of an undead rat and forged on, taking another set of stairs out into the Undead Burg.

The massive wall still towered overhead when she got up. It shadowed the remains of a town that looked to be trying to rise up from below. Just plain buildings with wooden support, like in any village. There wasn't much of a structure or system. They just seemed to build on top of each other. Not to impress anyone or look pretty, just give people places to live. For Undead to live…

A form of respect for the place rose at the thought. Everywhere she'd been, Undead were persecuted and discriminated. Knowing they'd managed to make a place for themselves here was rather nice. Just too bad it hadn't turned out well. A place full of Undead, it was only a matter of time before they Hollowed. Those who didn't wouldn't have lasted long.

She pressed on. Four more hollows tried to get in her way. She swiftly cut them down, getting one more firebomb of another and feeling the little bit of strength their souls gave her. Astrea made a mental note to utilize them properly at the next bonfire. Last thing she wanted was to die and lose them all.

All living things had souls. As an Undead, when she killed them, she ended up collecting those souls into herself. They stayed stored up inside her until she reached a bonfire. If she so wished, she could use them to make her stronger, give her more energy before she wore out. In short, making sure she was less likely to die when facing whatever was out there.

She climbed a set of stairs and paused when she reached a path along a wall. She could make out another hollow standing atop a roof. There might be more, but she'd have to see.

So far though, all she'd seen were these hollows and they weren't much of a deal. It was safer to deal with them one at a time, but she was quick and smart enough to not let them overwhelm her. The path to this bell was going to be a cake walk.

She was about to proceed when a large clawed foot slammed onto the ground in front of her. To her amazement, it was attached to a massive red dragon. It spared her one cursory glance, then took off again. Astrea watched after it as it soared away.

"Someone else who appreciates a fiery spirit?" she recounted. She barked a laugh. "Yep, guess so."

A large open area greeted her. A few wooden cover positions were set up ahead. Another hollow came to meet her, the one atop the roof beginning to load a crossbow. She raised her shield and charged at the first hollow. His sword hit her shield and she knocked it away, making him stagger. She ran her sword into his belly, using it to block the arrow fired a second later.

A crashing of wood revealed another smashing aside the cover positions. She kicked the first guy off and swung her sword at him. He met the steel with his own to block it, but she feinted and shoved the scimitar into his side. He grunted in surprise and fell flat on his face. Not missing a beat, she dived for cover from a second bolt.

She paused, took a few breaths and counted to three. Then, she rolled swiftly out of cover and darted to the building he was standing on. He missed his next shot and was trying to load another when she sliced his head off. The body staggered and the neck spurted blood for a couple of seconds, then collapsed in a heap.

"I really am just too good," she chuckled. "I'll show that smarmy prick how a real undead fights."

She started across a bridge with a bit of a swagger. She almost laughed at another hollow charging towards her. But laugh became a short scream when something singed her back and another burned her foot.

For a moment of panic, she leaped back across before two more firebombs could be lobbed at her. The explosions had grazed her, but fuck they hurt! Gritting her teeth, she swung at the guy, but he caught it on his shield and thrust forward with his sword. She cried when it stuck in her side.

Before he could drag it out, she lashed out at his neck. It sliced it open and warm blood leaked from the wound. He clutched at it, his breathing rasping, fell on his knees and fell dead. It pooled on the stone, mixed with her own.

She fumbled with her belt and grasped the Estus Flask. She took a quick swig from it and felt a familiar warm feeling course through her body. The essence of a bonfire healed her wounds, soothing the pain of her back, foot and mending the hole in her side with vibrant energy.

She spat at his corpse. "You got lucky, fucker."

But the blame wasn't all his. That was so fucking stupid! She'd gotten overconfident and it almost cost her. So soon after recovering her humanity, she almost lost it again. She should have checked, seen those two perched up high, ready to throw their load at her.

"Don't lose it, Astrea," she urged. "Just be more careful and don't let things get to your head."

Now she appraised her surroundings properly, she spotted another bonfire not too far away in the opposite direction. She rested at it, used the souls she had to strengthen herself a little and turn around to try again.

This time, she booked it across the bridge and came across two hollows waiting for her. Both of them had battle axes.

"Come on! How many more of you bastards are there?!" As if in answer, another hollow kicked down the door to her left. "Guess I answered my own fucking question."

One with an axe swung and missed, stumbling a bit. Enough of an opening to drive a scimitar into his side and swivel him around to take the axe of his friend. She pushed them both aside, parried the blow of the door man and cut his belly open. The one who killed his friend shoved his buddy's axe-embedded corpse off in time to get a sword cleaved into his skull.

She yanked it out with a spray of blood and brain, catching her breath. Back on top again. Just had to stay that way.

Three more hollows blocked her way in the courtyard ahead, but she dealt with them easily. She had to take another swig of Estus when an archer she didn't see in the tower behind her got her with a crossbow bolt in the shoulder. Another lesson for her to pay attention to her surroundings.

She grabbed his crossbow when she killed him and managed to kill one of the guys down below with a shot to the neck. His two friends saw where she was and ran up the tower steps, only for one to get a bolt in the eye and the other a sword to both his arms.

A set of stairs led her to the entrance of a round tower. The hollow at the top tried to kick a flaming barrel down at her, but she saw it coming, ran back and it missed. He soon paid the price for trying to be clever with her.

Up yet more stairs she went and found a passage that led out onto the wall to another tower just across the way. She stepped out onto the ramparts and paused.

Something was wrong. The quiet was unsettling when before hollows had been brimming everywhere.

Astrea's moment did allow her to hear the sound of crossbows being loaded. Looking up, she saw a pair of them getting ready to fire. Looking for a way up, she spotted a ladder to her left and shimmied up it. She rolled when she reached the top, dodging their bolts. When she faced them, they'd both pulled out swords.

Making the first move, she ran to one and shoved him off the side. He landed with a satisfying crack of bone. The other was stabbed in the heart as he raised his sword and fell off too.

From up here, she appraised the wall. Up ahead was the tower she needed to get to. It looked like a straight shot, but something made her cautious. Sliding down the ladder, she advanced slowly, sword and shield at the ready. She expected a storm of soldiers, more crossbowmen from the second tower.

What she didn't expect was something very large and very hairy to jump from the tower and land in front of her.

The demon wasn't as big as the one at the asylum, but he was still pretty big. A massive upper body and strong legs made him different too, as well as looking more like a bull on its hind legs. Yellow eyes fixed on her and it prepared to swing a massive great axe down at her.

Astrea had already jumped back and sprinted the other way, hearing the smash as the axe struck the ground. It pelted after her, but she didn't look back, reaching out for the ladder and hurrying up it as fast as her arms and legs would let her. It took another swing, one that smashed the ladder to pieces, but she'd already cleared it and reached the top.

She walked to the edge, saw him stare up at her and jumped. She didn't get his eyes, but managed to make a wound in his neck. He roared in anger as Astrea tried to jump, but ended up stumbling and didn't stick the landing. Pain shot through her legs, but she grabbed her Flask and took a quick swig.

But when she turned, a massive hand was already on top of her. The demon swept her up in its grasp and he was far from gentle.

"Hey! Let me go you- AGGGGGGGH!" She screamed as he clamped down. Astrea could feel her bones cracking. "You… fuckAGGGGGGGGH!"

He tossed her away to the other end of the wall, landing with a hard smack on the ground. Through the blinding, searing pain, she managed to grasp her Flask and take another swig. The pain was numbed mostly, but it remained.

Clutching her chest, she turned to see him charging across to her. She had another swig for good measure, gritted her teeth and charged. She dodged his axe and stabbed his knee. She grinned when he roared.

"How does it feel, huh?!" she demanded. "How do you like it, you-?!"

A massive backhand smacked her away and she skidded on the stone. She tried fumbling for her flask again, but he was already preparing to swing his axe. She wouldn't even have time to drink if it hit her. It would be straight back to a bonfire.

But she wasn't dying yet.

Her hand fumbled and instead grasped not her flask, but the round shape of a firebomb. She staggered to her feet, pulled her arm back. The demon pointed his axe to the sky to bring down on her body. She flung, he swung. She jumped to the side as a shadow cast over her-

BOOM!

The axe missed her by an inch. It was sent off course when her bomb got him in the knee she'd stabbed him and he forcibly kneeled on the other knee. He clutched the injury, bellowing his anger while Astrea managed to get back to her feet. But she was still close.

Close enough that the demon flung aside his axe and grabbed her again with his other hand. She could see the look in his beady yellow eyes when he glared at her. She'd really pissed him off and now he was going to make sure that when he killed her, it was going to fucking hurt.

But Astrea had already managed to grab another bomb. She looked the demon straight in the eye, wincing through the burning pain. He roared again, spraying spittle in her face, but she grimaced, raised her free arm and tossed the bomb.

Right into his mouth.

His roar was cut off when he choked on it. He started to cough but the bomb exploded in his throat. It tore a hole open, blood and smoke pouring out. His grasp lessened and he dropped Astrea, falling forward onto his belly and dead in seconds.

His body dissolved into soul shards. Astrea took some pride while they flooded into her, but not much. Her chest still hurt and the number of times the demon almost got her had given her pause for thought.

"Maybe not so much a cake walk," she murmured, taking another swig of Estus and walking away with a slight limp.

Okay, slight note. I'm sorry if it seems these fights with bosses in the game aren't going on for very long, but I am finding it a little bit tough to extend these in such a way to make things realistic and still be satisfying.

For both the Asylum and Taurus demons, there's not really much to their fights in my opinion. They're challenging when you first do them, but when you know what you're doing, they don't end up lasting very long.

I do hope future fights and chapters will be more interesting in future. So far, it's just Astrea hacking through hollows on her own, but not for much longer. I can promise you this: Astrea won't be on her own for long.

If you have any suggestions for improvements, feel free to point them out in a review.

Thank you.