Oscar found himself in quite a pickle. The shortest way to the grand balcony where he and Lex had met Solaire in the flesh was to cross the bridge. It seemed simple enough, but scorch marks like the ones covering the bridge's length weren't the sort of thing that arose from the occasional fire. Things had a tendency to rot and fade in Lordran, but the soot covering the stone was fresh. If what he feared was true, that huge drake could come back at any time.

"Siegmeyer, you can't run very fast while armored, can you?"

"Oh, don't beat around the bush, my friend. I am well aware that I have packed on the pounds since my younger days."

The older knight chuckled heartily until the old pew he was sitting on broke.

"Perhaps more than I thought."

He picked himself up, no more the worse for wear. There were still holes in his breastplate from the Pardoner's sword, but Oscar's Estus had healed the worst of the damage to his body.

"We'll have to go around," Oscar said, sighing. "The direct path might have us trying to outrun a drake. I'm not sure I could make it myself. Although… Perhaps there is a way."

He led Siegmeyer out through the church's side door and past the fallen hollow soldiers. He sprinted up the stairs and across the wooden pathway, stabbing the Balder knight up and through its ribcage before it could react. With that, the way to the front of the church was cleared without having to fight through the three knights in the atrium. The rest of the way through to the Altar of Sunlight was just hollow soldiers, but the crossbow snipers would prove troublesome. Oscar glanced about and found the trident he had cast aside earlier, taking it with him as he approached the gate.

Silently, he backstabbed the soldier on the church side and looked up at the snipers, who were facing away from them. The winged spear he had thrown at the fang boar was nearby on the cobblestones as well. The elite knight exhaled, drew the trident back, and hurled it at one of the snipers. The hollow was pierced through the gut and went crashing onto the stones below.

"Go!"

Oscar dashed ahead and under the sniper's bridge, sliding to scoop up the spear. The hollow fired at him, but he whipped his shield around just in time. Meanwhile, Siegmeyer thundered through and smashed the hollow swordsman's shield with enough force to send it flying, and his followup cleft the zombie neatly in two. By now, Oscar had risen and threw again, slaying the second sniper. Siegmeyer moved on to the spear-wielding soldier now and shattered its spear as it attacked.

"Oho!" he cried jubilantly. "You should not underestimate the strength of a family man!"

He hacked its head off with little effort and turned to face the last swordsman as Oscar pulled the spear from the sniper's body. Without Lex's lightning, they were sorely lacking in range. This would have to do for now. The older man made short work of the last hollow, and they continued to the gate. Here, Oscar pointed to a narrow alleyway.

"If we try running across the bridge from here, we'd be sitting ducks. There is a path below to the Burg. We can cut halfway across before risking the monster's return."

Siegmeyer nodded. They both attuned to the bonfire ahead just in case, and then Oscar descended the ladder.

UNDEAD BURG

He cleared through the rats with ease. Compared to the Gargoyles or the Pardoner, they were neither strong nor fast. A mere nuisance. Likewise for the hollows blocking their path on the ledge and then again on the bridge supports.

They entered the next room without event. Oscar briefly considered descending the ladder to the Burg and taking the long way around, but with Lex possibly in danger, time was of the essence. Silently, he made his way halfway up the stairs and looked around with his binoculars.

"I don't see it. We might be fine, but be prepared to run."

"If I must," Siegmeyer said, sighing.

Oscar walked up onto the bridge. The moment he was completely clear of the stairs, he heard a roar overhead.

"Down!" he shouted, falling back on top of Siegmeyer.

They tumbled down the stairs as a wave of flames passed overhead. Oscar rose first, regretfully giving Siegmeyer a hand again.

"Oh my. My head is spinning," Siegmeyer groaned.

"Sorry. I didn't have much time to react."

"It's quite all right. But it seems we've run flat up against a wall… of flame, no less!"

"We'll have to take another way around. Fighting through the Burg and crossing the upper bridge again will take time. There has to be a faster way."

"Didn't Prophet Lex mention some shortcuts? He did not say where the first was, but the second was in an aqueduct. The one overlooking Firelink, I would think."

"Hm."

"Weighing your options?"

"I'm used to following Lex's directions in order. There's no telling what starting from the end will do… But he didn't predict the Pardoner's attack. Defying fate may be our best defense if a goddess is out for our blood. I am sorry for this, Siegmeyer. I didn't realize-"

"Think nothing of it, my friend! Why, I couldn't ask for a grander adventure! Now where was that aqueduct?"

Oscar led Siegmeyer down the stairs into the tower and down the ladder to the bonfire. Between the two of them, the feral hollows guarding the front of the Burg were little trouble, and they had soon made it back down to the aqueduct's interior.

"That way is where we entered, so the shortcut must be down here," Oscar said, continuing down the tunnel to the west.

Eventually, they came upon a grate that blocked the whole tunnel. Oscar looked through the bars.

"This is why he said to do this last. It opens from that side but not from this one. Look, there's a handle. We'll have to go back through the Burg. Damn it!"

"Don't give up so easily, my friend. You'd be amazed at what can be overcome with a little willpower. Let me try."

Oscar moved aside so that Siegmeyer could reach the grate. He slung his sword over his back and grabbed hold of the bars with both hands.

"Siegmeyer, that grate must have been made to withstand-"

The older knight roared, and the grate ripped free with the screeching of steel. He fell back onto Oscar, getting them both soaked.

"How did you-! No, I've seen stranger things already."

"You see, Oscar, you just need to use a little elbow grease!"

He chuckled as he picked himself up, extending a hand to Oscar. The tunnel continued onward for a bit before they came upon another grate and an exit. Behind the grate stood what seemed a hollow, but then she began speaking.

"Hmm, you still have your senses about you? Then why won't you buy some of my moss? I need your souls!"

She began cackling wildly. Siegmeyer was still in front, so he elected to speak with her.

"I'm afraid we are short on time, my dear lady! I will surely buy some of your moss when I pass through again. I won't be caught ill-prepared when I face the poisons of Blighttown."

"Hmph. Fine then," the near-hollow merchant said, crossing her arms.

Siegmeyer nodded and then turned to the exit. They were in another tower with a spiral staircase, like the one Lex and Oscar had passed through before fighting the Taurus Demon. They hurried down the stairs, only stopping to kill an archer standing on a platform midway down. Outside of the tower, there was a door a little bit to the left, with the remainder of the path blocked by a high fence. To the right was a long path leading to some stairs.

A hooded cutthroat blocked the path, its back turned to them, while another lay in ambush in an alcove that would have been hidden had they passed through the other way.

"This must be the locked door," Oscar mused.

"Oho! We've arrived quite swiftly. Let's hurry and save this 'Griggs' fellow."

Oscar nodded, and they approached the hollow ambushers. The one facing them threw a knife at Oscar as he approached, but he deflected it easily with his shield and broke into a charge. Surprised, the other hollow started after him, but found itself looking up at its own legs after a swing from Siegmeyer. As they started up the stairs, they heard growls from behind. They whipped around after the unseen noise, and two half-rotten hollow dogs lunged down at them from above.

Oscar fended off the one that had come at him with his shield, barely keeping the slavering maw away from his throat. He batted the dog back and swung at it, clipping it as it jumped out of his reach. Siegmeyer had less trouble. He had caught his own assailant on the solid spike sticking out of the center of his shield. With his long sword too unwieldy on the narrow staircase, he simply wrapped his other arm around its neck and yanked.

Now there was only the one dog, looking hungrily between the two knights. Smelling meat through the holes in Siegmeyer's armor, it leapt at him, only to be smashed into the wall by the spiked shield. The knights continued up the stairs. At the top, the path to the right was blocked by the white fog.

"Here's our next fight," Oscar said.

They continued down the narrow road, approaching tightly-packed tenements. As they walked between them, the doors burst open, and three more ambushers rushed out. Siegmeyer jumped and swung his zweihander blindly. In a stroke of good luck, it slashed two across the chests before they could react, and they collapsed in a heap. The last came at Oscar with a knife, but he parried it simply enough and ran his sword through its gut.

"'Be wary of ambushes.' He could have been more specific."

"That was quite exhilarating!" Siegmeyer said, laughing it off. "Don't worry so much, Oscar."

The elite knight just shook his head, lest he go into some rant about the importance of proper battlefield intelligence. It never got through to the Captain, so why would it get through to this jolly old adventurer? They continued down the road for a bit, when another dog came upon them. With only one, it was easy. Oscar blocked its initial lunge, and Siegmeyer struck it before it could react.

As they approached another group of apartments, they slowed, preparing for another ambush. Two more dogs rushed toward them. They caught the beasts on their shields and counterattacked, having grown used to the animals' speed. As they moved forward, to the center between the apartments, the doors finally burst open, and the assassins ran out to encircle them. Still, it was only three against two, so the knights stood back to back and waited for the onslaught.

One raised its arm to throw a knife, but it had misjudged the sheer length of Siegmeyer's zweihander, finding itself spitted in a flash. Another tried to take advantage of the opening, but Oscar whirled around and parried before hacking off the assailant's arm. The last assassin charged, but now it was Siegmeyer's turn, spinning to decapitate it before it got anywhere near Oscar. He put one hand to the front of his helmet.

"Oh, I may be sick. Remind me to never do that again!"

"Can do."

Oscar pat Siegmeyer on the back and waited while they both caught their breath. The road continued for a while further, and there was also a staircase heading up. Near the base of the stairs was a massive pile of burning bodies. Strangely, it didn't smell very strongly. Oscar wondered morbidly if his sense of smell wasn't already rotted away.

Eventually, they continued down the road, watching the doors for more assassins. As they passed one of them, they heard a muffled voice coming from inside.

"Somebody! Please, let me out of here! Somebody, anybody! Help me! Unlock the door!

Damn… I'm finished… How did this ever happen…"

Oscar lifted his visor so that his words wouldn't be muffled and leaned against the door.

"This could be another trap. What is your name?"

"I am Griggs of Vinheim! A sorcerer of the school! Please, let me out!"

Oscar reached into his belt pouch and withdrew the key, unlocking the door. He opened it slowly, looking inside for hollows. There was only the sorcerer and countless barrels, with another, dead, hollowed sorcerer trapped inside one. The knight wondered if Lex had been mistaken when he said that Griggs was trapped in a barrel or if this other sorcerer had stolen the real Griggs' identity. For now, he would have to assume that this was the real one.

"Brilliant! You opened the door for me! Thank you; I am saved. I thought I might never escape. As I said, I am Griggs of Vinheim. I am much obliged for your assistance. Thanks to you, I may now resume my travels."

"I am Oscar of Astora, and this is my companion, Siegmeyer of Catarina."

Siegmeyer's head bobbed.

"The Prophet of Slaanesh saw that you were trapped here. Are you all right?"

"I am fine. I will rest a while, then return to Firelink Shrine. I have my sorcery. And I will be more cautious next time. Besides, I have an important task at hand."

"Understood," Oscar said.

"We would join you," Siegmeyer added, "but we find ourselves short on time. Best of luck to you!"

"Give the prophet my thanks," Griggs replied, a little uneasy at the idea.

Seeing nothing but feral hollows down the road, Oscar doubled back to the stairs. At the top, the knights found a split. One path led to a ladder – presumably the one that they were meant to take. The other led up some precarious stairs to the Burg. The door here only opened from the side they were on, which is why they had ignored it before. Still, it was only a short distance from the bonfire, just across the narrow bridge overlooked by the firebombers.

They turned back now, with only one thing left to do. They approached the fog gate slowly, thinking about the fight ahead.

"Lex said that we needed to watch out for the demon's opening attack. And more dogs."

"These fog walls make it terribly difficult to make a plan when you need one most," Siegmeyer said, sighing.

He looked up at the archway it blocked and the wall that was a part of. It was the height of about three men – not particularly tall but still enough that it could both trap and conceal the demon.

"If only we could find a way to see over it. Mmm. Hmmmmm."

"Wait. Siegmeyer, that's it!"

He tugged at the ivy crawling up the walls. It was tough, but it wouldn't hold a man in armor for more than a moment. He turned back to Siegmeyer.

"Can you lift me?"

"Oh-hoh! You underestimate me! Once, my Lin sprained her ankle while we were training, and I carried her all the way back to her room! She was so embarrassed, she wouldn't speak to me for the rest of the afternoon!"

He laughed as he crouched down and cupped his hands. Oscar stood on this makeshift foothold and carefully clutched at Siegmeyer's shoulder as he began moving upward. At his maximum height, he stepped off, placing one foot onto the thin outcropping of stone from the arch and jamming the other against the wall's corner. He strained his body upward and grabbed hold of the crenelation atop the wall.

Inside was a long courtyard. Several doors opened out to it, and stairs descended from one on the second storey. Next to the stairs was an apple tree. Next to the tree was a demon similarly-sized to the previous one, but much narrower. It had a lean, athletic body, but its head was an oversized goat's skull. Four glowing, fleshy eyes peered up at him.

Following their master's gaze, two more hollow dogs began growling and pacing beneath Oscar, blocking the entrance. He heaved himself over the relatively narrow wall and dropped to a rotten balcony. He held his breath, but the moldy wood didn't collapse beneath him.

"Siegmeyer! Get ready!"

Oscar loosed the spear from his back and held it high, setting one foot on the balcony's railing. By now, the demon had casually made its way to him. It squinted and swung its massive cleavers back in anticipation. If it wanted, it could easily take out both Oscar and the balcony.

"Now!"

He lurched forward, jumping off of the railing as it crumpled beneath his foot. The speartip plunged downward, digging straight into the demon's shoulder. He swung as the pole bent under his weight and kicked one dog into the other before tumbling with them into the tree. Siegmeyer pushed through the fog as fast he could and recoiled to see the demon before him.

"Well, you're quite the tall one!" he said, gripping his zweihander tightly.

It took a step back and wove its fingers together.

"Oh my!" he cried, diving under as the demon swung both of its swords at once.

As Oscar rose, he quickly jerked out his sword and stabbed one dog through the throat. The other latched onto his shield arm and began gnawing. Unable to use his sword properly this close, he punched it in the head repeatedly, its teeth tearing his flesh through his mail. Eventually, its grip slackened, and he quickly slit its throat and rose to his feet. Across the courtyard, the demon was drawing its swords back for an overhead swing. Siegmeyer had not yet regained his feet, and even if he had, there was little room to maneuver.

"Siegmeyer! Roll!"

"Oh, not again," he complained.

The demon lunged, but Siegmeyer slipped just beneath its feet as it crashed down to earth. Oscar sprinted forward, hopping over the other knight and jabbing his sword right into the demon's other shoulder. He twisted the blade as the demon rose from its attack and tried to throw him off. Now, Siegmeyer finally got back to his feet and rushed after it. It dropped its blades and tried to claw at Oscar, but Siegmeyer took one wide swing after another, striking one arm or both.

Eventually, even its unnatural toughness was not enough, and it dropped to its knees exhausted before erupting into souls, leaving only a key and its fallen blades behind. Oscar and Siegmeyer both collapsed as well. The older knight started laughing in relief, and it turned out to be contagious.

"That was… quite the fight…"

"Oh! I could do with a nap for now!"

"Come on. Let's get to that door."

Oscar grabbed the key and hopped to his feet, too tired to help Siegmeyer up this time. The onion knight finally got up on his own, joints cracking from the exertion. Tired and ready for a bonfire, they hauled their tired bodies out of the courtyard. Much to their surprise, they saw Lex approaching from past the tenements down the road. He waved as he ran toward them. It was only as he got closer that they noticed there was someone else with him, a woman in a tattered black gown, with a tall, floppy hat.