Rising from the bonfire rested and energized, I drink three servings of Estus from my flask, before heading off to the water filled ruins. As I continue moving, I recall my first clash with the skeletons, and I realized that I never did inspect that light before getting pushed off the ledge, nor did I do so after defeating them. Heading up the ruin's stairs, I see that the corpse is still on that ledge with a light glowing on it. Making my way around the ruined walls and crumbling floor and to the corpse itself, I pillage it to find another white ember. Another lost soul. I was somewhat disappointed at this discovery, but glad I didn't die senselessly trying to grab something that was worth so little. Walking off the ledge and feeling the pain in my legs as I land, I leave the ruins through the exit leading to the graveyard. Near the top of the stairs leading down, I equip some firebombs to go with my Estus, in case things go sour while fighting the skeletons. Once I actually reach the top of the stairs, I grip my battle axe with both hands, and begin to slowly descend the stairwell, feeling more then a little confident in my new tools.
Near the bottom of the stairs, the two skeletons formed, one on the left and one on the right, as if awaiting this rematch themselves. Backing up the stairs to avoid a strike from the skeleton on the left, I try to move in, but have to back when I see the skeleton raise it's sword above it's head. Rushing in the second time, I quickly swing my axe as the skeleton attempts to spin around with it's own attack. To my surprise, this attack cut the skeleton at the base of it's spine, causing it's entire upper body to fall apart. The sudden collapse of it's structure was so distracting, I failed to notice the other skeleton leap in to attack me until it brought it's sword across my legs. Rolling back once more, I manage to see the fallen skeleton reassemble it's body structure as though my attack did no lasting damage to it. Heading back up to the top of the stairs, the skeletons follow me up. While I did want to separate them, they seemed pretty content to stay and fight together.
Upon reaching the top of the stairs, I step off to my right, and attempt a strong overhead attack on the reassembled skeleton. Unfortunately, the skeleton's shield was held quite firm against the blow, and I had to quickly roll away from the battle as the other skeleton attempted to strike at me. Withdrawing to a familiar pair of stairs, I turn around to face my incoming foes at the stairs, the first of which attempted to swing at me with a horizontal strike from my left side, forcing me to roll down the stairs. As the skeleton follow me down the stairs, swinging it's sword towards the wall, and away from it, I attempt to attack it, only to be greeted with a sharp pain as it's sword came across my waist, which was followed by the second skeleton leaping in behind it's ally and swinging it's sword across my chest. Wounded and bleeding, I quickly roll back to avoid the fatal blow from the second skeleton as the first one leaps away from the fight. Realizing this fight was going poorly, I made the choice to withdraw into the water filled ruins, and rush out to the bonfire area and take a quick drink of Estus, looking over my right shoulder for the skeletons, before going up the stairs to the aqueduct, stopping before I came into sight of the hollows at the top.
Turning around, I check for any signs of the skeleton's pursuit. Looking around the ruins, I see no sign of the skeletons. Taking a deep breath, I begin to creep down the stairs to see where they are. As I descend, I take my left hand off of the battle axe and try to swing it with one hand. It felt like a real burden to do so, so there's no way I can effectively use it with a shield of any kind, so I grip it with both hands once more, and continue my way to the ruins. Reaching the base of the ruins, I stop next a tree to drink some Estus and mend my wounds. While the relief was nice, I could still feel a distinct form of terror creeping up my back as I came to terms with a new fact. While I did escape the skeletons, I no longer knew where they were. A strange sense of dread that's arguably worse then death, one that is matched only by the pain that causes death.
Checking the open area around the bonfire first, I turn around and head into the first archway of the ruins that I had once fled from. Turning left, I see both of them, staying in front of the water filled ruins like guards doing their paces. I'm sure this wouldn't be such a problem if there was just one of them, but having the home field advantage is their specialty. Which does make sense, as I did trespass into their graveyard, and I certainly intend to do some plundering of it as well. Moving forward, I manage to get one of the skeletons to try and swing at me, and while I did dodge it, the second skeleton began to close the distance on me, swerving around it's ally with a shield raised, the other skeleton jumped back as it's ally tried to get in my face and attack with a slashing combo. Avoiding the first two, I became careless and tried to get closer to attack, with the third slash managing to hit its mark, but left the skeleton wide open. Seizing the opportunity, I attack the skeleton with a horizontal slice that cause the skeleton to crumble to the ground. As it reformed, I took a stance to strike it once more, and I noticed it was not the same skeleton that I had struck before, but regardless, I wasted no time preparing the second attack just as it's head was propped back onto it's neck piece.
Hitting the skeleton with another horizontal attack, it once again fell apart, it's shield and weapon falling to the ground with it's upper torso as the light in it's eyes go out, before the body reforms once more and reignite the eyes, just making eye contact with me for a second before the third horizontal attack hits and breaks it's body in a cycle. But in delaying the next attack, the skeleton manages to bring it's shield in front of my axe, before leaping back as I attempt a second strike. I suppose it was none to pleased about the prior cycle shenanigans I put it in. At that point, the second skeleton leaped in to attack with a two strike combo. Ironically, that attack would have landed it's mark if the first skeleton had just stayed in the cycle of pain, and most likely would have killed me too. Regardless, that skeleton was now panicking and swinging it's sword from a fair distance away, before retreating into the water filled ruins. Perhaps the cycle of pain had broken it's mind? Whatever the case was, I focused on the closest skeleton, the fresh scratches on it's bones tell me that this was the one I had once struck at the start of this fight. Moving in to attack it as it raised it's sword, I disassemble it's upper torso as before, but in an over eager attempt at ending it, I discarded a strategy to try and finish the fight with three swings of the axe, with only the third strike breaking it's body apart.
Tiring myself with out the third swing, I was unable to lock it into a cycle as it raised it's shield before I could recover my energy. Backing away from the defensive skeleton, I noticed that it was approaching me. Thinking it over for a moment, I risk leaping in and smashing my axe over the skeleton, and to my surprise, it actually lowered it's shield to try and attack me! The sheer luck of it all resulted in the skeleton getting hit by the overhead strike, and flying back a fair distance, it's body in shambles. While initially shocked by this outcome, I noticed it's body beginning to reform still, so I wasted no time going right up to the skeleton, and waiting for it's body to almost finish reforming, before bringing my axe across it just as it's head was on it's neck. As it seemingly reared it's head back to scream, it fell to the ground, it's body breaking apart for the last time as I felt a few new souls come unto me. I had no time to bask in this feeling though, as the second skeleton came rushing out of the ruins to avenge it's comrade. Not in the mood to have my victory spoiled, I took advantage of it's eagerness to fight and leaped at it with an overhead strike, smashing it against the walls of the ruins it had just left, it's body falling to pieces on the stairs. It is only now I noticed just how tiring these attacks really are.
Taking a few steps back to catch my breath as the skeleton began to reform, I waited until it's body was formed, armed, and rising from the ground, before leaping in to hit it with another overhead attack, smashing against the wall once more, and effectively pinning the thing down. As it reassembled once more, I ready my axe and swing it once more and hit the skeleton again, and goes through it's death throes as it's comrade before it, and I see the white essence of the souls going towards me. With new found confidence in my battle axe, and perhaps a little to eager to keep going, I move forward, through the water filled ruins and back to the graveyard, taking a quick drink of Estus on the way down. At the bottom of the stairs, I turn left to the edge of the gravesite and see a familiar glowing light around a corpse. Recalling how things went down last time, I know they'll be there. But this time, I'm ready and looking for them. Approaching the site, I stop a short distance away from the light, and observe the bones and weapons on the ground. I knew they were here, but I can't accurately hit something that I can't see very well. Taking a few steps forward, I stop once more. They still aren't forming. Are they truly just piles of bones and weapons then? Perhaps, but they could just be waiting to form until I'm cornered against the wall and the cliffside. It's a foul tactic to be sure, but one that I would embrace as well.
Taking another step forward, I see the bones in front of me form into something. As I was now expecting this to happen, I calmly turn around and walk past the second set of bones that are forming, before turning around once more. Seeing the skeleton form, I notice it was lacking a shield, and had a different weapon as well. A new weapon means new attacks, and new attacks mean new problems. Not wanting to deal with that, I decide it's time to commit a deed most foul. Lining up my position with the skeleton as it finishes forming, I hurl myself at it with an overhead strike, and the skeleton only had enough time to turn towards me before the axe came down. With that attack, the skeleton was sent flying backwards like the ones before it, but this one had the misfortune of being on a cliffside. Flying over the cliffside, it only had a moment to cling to the side before falling off. Turning around, I notice that the other skeleton was apparently hit by the attack too. As I feel some souls flow to me from the first skeleton, I line up my position with the skeleton and a gap in the graves, and leap at the second skeleton, and smash it's reforming body with an overhead strike, effectively flinging it over the edge. But to my surprise, it landed on a ledge that was below. While I consider leaping after it, I decide to let come to me, and instead pillage the nearby corpse for loot.
The light concealed a white ember, although this one was different from the ones from before. It looked a bit larger, and it made me think if there were others like it, or if I had been collecting embers like it before. I'll have to be more observant of these variations from now on. Pushing such thoughts away, I turn around to focus on the skeleton that was returning to this spot. Observing how slow it was, I beckon it closer. As if responding to that, it rushed in and struck me with it's weapon, before leaping off to my right. As I attempt to keep pace with it, I back away from the skeleton as it tries to swing it's weapon at me once more. With some distance between us, I leapt at it once more as it prepared to do the same, and since it's shield was down, my attack hit it's mark, flinging the skeleton to the edge of the cliffside, the same one that it's ally was flung off of. Backing away, I wait for it to reform a bit before leaping in to finish the fight. But to my surprise, it did not fly into the ravine, but instead fell apart at my feet, with most of it's body and it's shield falling off anyways. Perhaps in the midst of the fight, I failed to notice just how poor it's current condition was.
Kicking it's weapon off the edge, I turn around and leave, scrapping one of it's leg bones into the ravine as I continue to walk away. Moving past the stairs, I go down the main path that the first set of skeletons once laid on, and I see another light above corpse that's curled up next to some tombstones. While I don't see any bones or weapons, I take caution in approaching the light in the event of any other surprises popping up in this site. Descending some stairs, I reach the light and pillage the corpse to find another large white ember. Turning around, I notice that the stairs also are much wider than I thought, with a noticeable edge reaching out to my right. Going up the right side, I come across an opening, and by standing atop a fallen tombstone, I see a fallen corpse with a light above it, as well as some bones. Looking off to my left, I see that there's also a path leading down to that spot. Heading back to the main route, I take a right turn to reach the branching path, and begin to descend the stairs down, only to stop halfway to observe the bones on the ground. If experience has taught me anything, it's that these skeletons pop out in pairs. Cautiously approaching the light, I step over some bones. To my surprise, they do not begin to assemble, despite the fact that I had just walked right on top of them, and right past the opening leading to the corpse.
While this surprise is pleasant, I'm not to keen on letting my guard down. As I turn to defile the corpse, I see some bones move to the position behind me. Turning around, I head up the stairs past the forming skeleton, before turning around and kicking the enemy, followed by a swift swing of my axe to break it's torso off. Backing away, I attempt to leap at the skeleton, only to be interrupted by a swift sword hitting my legs. As I reel in pain, I notice the second skeleton creeping behind the first one, and it had a different weapon and lacked a shield. Turning around, I begin to scramble back up the stairs. Fighting two skeletons in a narrow location is a bad idea on it's own, but I don't know what fighting style that shieldless skeleton can use. Racing back up to the back entrance to the water filled ruins, I stop to drink some Estus. In doing so, I realize that this could work to my advantage, assuming the skeletons are willing to follow me up here. Turning around, I see one of the two coming at me with it's shield raised, and try to take my chances.
Leaping at the skeleton, I realize that I made a mistake when I see that it stopped a fair distance away. Struggling to pick my axe up, the skeleton leaps at me, and I barely manage to avoid it's attack with a roll, before backing away from it's second strike. After seeing it reel back from it's attack, I see it's not doing a third strike. With that opening, I lunge at the skeleton again, and while it does attempt to leap away, I still manage to hit it as I hear it's body crash into the ground to my left. Exhausted from the strike, I hear the second skeleton coming up the stairs to my right. Lacking the energy to move quickly, I struggle to move away from the stairs and into a better position to take out the broken skeleton. As it begins to reform, I maneuver myself to an archway to attack it again. In doing so, I narrowly avoid getting hit by the second skeleton rolling in from my right. Leaping forward with another overhead strike, I feel as though my axe hit something behind me as I bring it down on the skeleton, flinging it to my left, and closer to the cliffedge, followed by the sounds of bones falling apart from my left as well as my right. If I had to guess, that meant that the shieldless skeleton was the thing that I hit, but I have no idea how I managed to hit it from that angle.
Moving to the fallen skeleton, I proceeded to swing my axe at it to finish it off, with the second strike causing it go through it's death motions. Turning around, I hear it's bones hit the ground and I feel the souls go to me as I approach the reaming skeleton. This one was different from the others I had faced. I carefully strafed the foe as it lifted weapon above it's head, before slamming it down with both hands. Seeing this as an opening, I lunge forward to hit it, only for it to leap back from my attack. Backing away, I see the skeleton once again try the overhead attack. Recognizing the attack, I waited for the sword to come down, before moving in and leaping at the skeleton, the force of the attack slamming it into wall of the ruins. Leaping once more, I crush it's bones under the weight of my axe before it can even begin to reform. Despite this, it still began to reform, and I was to drained to hit it right away. Watching the process go through, I eventually gain the strength to swing my axe once more as it reattaches it's head with it's free hand, and it begins to go through a similar death throes, and the souls pouring out for the victor.
Heading back down to the graveyard, I make my way to the corpse that was once guarded, and pillage it to find a shield of sorts. Turning back, I eventually reach the main path and continue down and I take note of the rather large tombstone off to my right, and that the path ahead also had some more bones and gear on the ground. Counting at least one shield, I move closer and they begin to go through the motions of forming, with the second skeleton having a shield as well. Leaping forward with an overhead attack, I slam the first skeleton to the ground, and try to lure the second skeleton after me. But it was more interested in approaching me with it's sword raised in front of it like a guard of sorts. Annoyed by it's timidness, I leap forward and slam it with an overhead attack. With the skeleton flying backwards, I notice the first skeleton leaping over it to attack me, forcing some quick feet as I narrowly roll back and under it's attack. Only now I was pinned against some tombstones and the skeleton. With no way to get out, I'm forced to evade another attack, before I come out of the roll with an overhead attack that slammed the skeleton's upper torso into the ground.
Being more then a little shaken how quickly I was put at a disadvantage, I decide to draw this battle to a more open location. Stopping at the entrance of the graveyard, I turn to face my opponents. Backing away from one skeleton's attack, I find myself backing even further away to avoid the second skeleton's attack. As I leap in with an overhead attack, the first skeleton charges forward with it's shield raised, halting my attack from reaching it's more vulnerable ally with it's own body, as it's shield stops my attack from doing much to the front guard skeleton. As the second skeleton leaps to my left, I roll back and begin to withdraw up the stairs to the water filled ruins, only stopping near the top to try and leap down at the approaching skeleton. As I try to bring my axe down, the skeleton manages to bring a quick slash across my legs, and one more across my stomach, before leaping back down the stairs. Feeling the blood seeping from my new wounds, I roll back and drink some Estus before the skeleton can close the distance, only to have to move once more when it tries to hit me with an overhead attack.
As it's ally rushes up the stairs to lend support, I leap forward and smash the closest skeleton to the ground, before rolling back to avoid the rear guard's assault. Leaping once more, I smash the second skeleton into the ground and begin to withdraw once more as the first one finishes reassembling. Going towards the archway ruins at the rear entrance of the water filled ruins, I turn around and try to hit the approaching skeleton on my right, but I misjudge my opponent and up leaping as it prepares to do it's own lunging attack. Somehow, the attack manages to whiff over my head, and I barely manage to avoid getting hit by the second strike. I attempt to strike it with my own attack, but it did not do a third strike as I had anticipated, causing my counterattack to miss, leaving me open to a sword swing that cuts it's way across my left arm. Rolling past the skeleton, I attempt to retreat into the water filled ruins, only for the skeleton that I had once knocked down to quickly slice at my left leg, causing me to tumble down the stairs and into the water of the ruins. Working through the pain and running through the water, I step past the shield of the first skeleton I had slain on this quest to raid the graveyard, and eventually stop at the well by the bonfire to drink some Estus.
With my wounds mended, I turn back to face the two skeletons. Returning to the water filled ruins with my battle axe raised as a guard of sorts, I make my way back to the left side path to the graveyard, and I see one of the skeletons run back to me. Luring it inside, I begin to fight defensively, with my weapon raised up, I wait for the skeleton to strike first, and it did so with an overhead attack of sorts. As I leap in to do an overhead attack, the skeleton leapt away from my attack and tried to counter with it's own, but I avoided it's attack in turn. Waiting for it's next attack, I back away through the water and wait for it to make it's next move. After it made another one of it's overhead attacks, I leap in and bring my axe down as it attempts to leap off to my left, it's body slamming into the ground beneath the water. Confident in my position, I move in and swing the axe at the skeleton that causes it to release it's souls to me as the lights in it's eyes go out for the last time. Now there was only one adversary left. Looking off to my right, I see the remaining skeleton creeping around outside, almost aimlessly. As I draw closer, I see the skeleton backing away from the ruins, as if withdrawing to the graveyard. Moving in with the intent on winning this fight, I get close to goad the skeleton into striking first, backing away when it did it's own twirling attack, and then leaping in to send it's body crashing into the stairs that led to the upper section of the ruins. Just in case this one could survive another strike, I wait for it to perch it's own head onto it's body before bringing my axe across it's body in a horizontal fashion, a strike that caused it to reel back in pain before collapsing into pieces as souls were once again gifted to the victor of the conflict.
With the fight over, I return to the graveyard once more to explore the surroundings. Upon reaching the spot the last set of skeletons once were, I begin to slowly take in my surroundings. Looking off to my left, I see the houses of a town below, and I have to wonder if such a place can be reached by foot. Continuing down the path and turning right, I see a giant tombstone ahead, with a corpse laying at it's base, a light shining off of it. And on the ground are even more bones. Wanting to avoid more confrontation, I turn around to find an alternate route to the corpse. Heading back up the main path, I turn left and look for an opening to pass through. To my surprise, there's an opening just large enough for me to get past, and I find the path leading me to a large tombstone. I do slow down when I realize this is not the same tombstone that I had seen further down the path, but I press on when I see that there's a corpse slumped against the tombstone with a light glimmering off of it. I only stop completely when I see something moving through the grass.
It's a bone. A rather elongated toe bone, but it's clearly humanoid in it's features. Looking at where it placed itself, I turn my gaze further up to see a large leg structure rising up, with a torso on it's pelvis, weapon in the left hand, and a visible skull in the right hand. As it places it's head on to it's own body, I see the mouth is clearly open wide, and from the way it's bone structure is, I can now tell it is not a regular human skeleton, or anything like the ones I've seen so far. Turning around, I begin to flee the area, as even trying to fight such a large being in a space this small would be a death wish for someone who can hardly swing an axe with accuracy. Running through the narrow passage of tombstones, I hear the large skeleton swing it's weapon around, scraping against the various gravestones. Turning around, I observe the large being as it tilts it's blade sideways and begins to rush down the path to reach me. At this point, I decide the most sensible option is to retreat to a new location, and so I run. Up the stairs and around the staircase on the side of the water filled ruins, before rushing up the stairs, kicking the bones of one of the fallen skeletons aside, and to the second floor of the ruins.
At the top of the stairs, I stop to catch my breath. From the looks of the archway, the large skeleton shouldn't be able to follow me through here. Taking a moment to gather my wits, I hear the large footsteps of the skeleton coming up the stairs. Turning around, and in doing so I have just enough time to see the toes of the skeleton's feet rise above my head before it slams it's heel into my face, flinging me off my feet and onto the ground behind me. As I get up, I see the skeleton slam it's weapon down in an attempt to cut off my escape route. Rolling through the gap between it's weapon and it's right arm, I manage to make my way through the archway path, I scramble to make my way to the bending path, before stopping to turn around and drink some Estus, only to realize the flask was now empty. Shaking my head in disappointment, I decide to try to and approach the skeleton with a new tactic, only for the giant being to squeeze it's way through the archway. The sight of this made me feel as though my blood was running cold, and so I turned around and ran away. Crossing the crumbling section opposite of the entrance to the second floor, I remember that I do have some firebombs on standby, just in case things went poorly. Although, they were never intended to be used on an enemy quite like this, I decide that now is as good a time as any to use them since it's better then just dying without a fight.
With the firebombs ready, I wait for the giant skeleton's arrival. Turning around, I see nothing. No skeleton, no feet, no weapon or bones. Looking to my left, I see the giant backing down the stairs behind the archway, and seemingly heading down to the graveyard again. Turning around, I pinch the bridge of my nose with my left hand. Was I really going to have to chase the thing down just to throw some bombs at it? After a few seconds of contemplating my options, I hear some heavy footsteps, and I turn to see the giant skeleton running down the path to, past the ruined walls and towards me, it's weapon tilted at an angle. As It turns the corner to approach me, I back away and begin to line up my throw with the skeleton, which was now lumbering ever closer with it's weapon almost dragging along the ground behind it. As I throw the firebomb, the skeleton actually watches it's arc and begins to back away from the explosive, but it still got caught in the explosive as it lost it's footing and slipped off the edge of the second floor, landing in the water below. Was such a being really so timid of little fire? At the very least, it seems to know what those things can do, and has half a mind to avoid lingering in the blast zone.
Using this moment of reprieve, I use this time to swap out the battle axe for the short bow, and in looking over my gear, I realized I never did store away my arrows. Regardless, this worked in my favor for speeding up this weapon swap. Gripping the short bow with both hands, I attempt to take aim at the giant skeleton as it once again stormed down the path, only for my shot to miss it's mark. As it came down the path that I stood on, I threw a firebomb at it, only for the giant to walk right through the flames unfazed. As I attempt to throw another firebomb, it readies it's weapon in both hands and begins to charge right at me, which does have the unfortunate effect of causing me to panic enough to throw the firebomb well off it's intended mark as I attempt to turn around and put some distance between the two of us. Fearing what's to come, I quickly roll off the ledge to my right, the crashing of the skeleton's weapon ringing my ears as I land on the ground below. I wasn't expecting the ledge to be so close to the bonfire, so not landing in the water was unexpected.
Going through the path leading to the bonfire of this place, I stop to turn back. Had the skeleton not followed me off yet? Going back into the ruins themselves, I look up to the path I had once stood and see no sign of the skeleton. Confused by this outcome, I begin to make my way back to the bonfire to reconsider my options. As I pass by archway next to the entrance, I hear the now familiar sound of loud footsteps off to my left, and I turn around to the giant skeleton swinging it's weapon at me. Backing away further, I attempt to throw a firebomb at it, only to miss the skeleton and hit a wall instead. With the skeleton backing away, I step forward and throw my last bomb at the thing, missing my mark as the bomb explodes on the ground in front of the skeleton. Without any more replenishable explosives at my disposal, I move in with both of my hands on the short bow, and take aim at the entrance of the ruins. Firing an arrow into the skeleton's spine, it reacts with pain, before gripping it's weapon with both hands and charging straight at me. Firing off another arrow, the skeleton managed to block my arrow with it's weapon, at which point I begin putting some more distance between it and me. As I retreat to the bonfire, I feel the ground shake from the giant slamming it's weapon onto the ground.
Turning around, I focus on the skeleton and pull back another arrow, before letting it loose. The arrow ends up flying past the skeleton's head and into the wall into the wall above the statue in the back of the ruins. Gripping the bow with both hands, I follow the skeleton to the entrance of the water filled ruins, and take aim with another arrow, only to end up missing my mark as I hit the pillar behind the skeleton. Taking out another arrow, I shoot it directly at the skeleton, striking it's spine through it's rib cage. Once again enraged, I only manage to delay it's charge with another arrow, before withdrawing out of the ruins. As the skeleton was still in a defensive stance, I get close enough to get it to take a swing at me, before rolling back and readying another arrow. Missing my mark once more, I realize that trying to be in a serious fight with a weapon I have limited experience with may have been a terrible choice.
Reaching the entrance of the ruins, I miss with another arrow, and eventually have to draw closer as the giant skeleton keeps backing away. At the side opening of the ruins, I manage to fire off another arrow, striking the giant skeleton in the pelvis bone, which caused it to do another charging attack. Avoiding that attack by ducking into the ruins, I crept back out to fire off another arrow into it's pelvis bone, once again causing a counter attack from the skeleton. This almost started to feel like routine, repeating this stale cycle as my arrow supply continued to dwindle. Counting my arrows, I could only hope the giant would fall before I ran out.
With nineteen arrows left, I felt as though things were unsteady. With eighteen arrows left, I began to regret this course of action. With only seventeen arrows left, I felt as though I should at least consider using my crossbow, despite having no real training with it, but I do not believe I have the time to load it up right now. Going down to sixteen arrows, I began to consider expanding my limit of arrows and other consumables from thirty to a much higher number. And with fifteen arrows left, I began to wonder if I should try to take my chances with my axe at close range. Firing off the next arrow, I mentally sounded off that there were only fourteen arrows left. Perhaps I'd have a better rate of survival if I were to just use the knives instead, seeing as how the battle axe just isn't that good for mobility. And the black firebombs don't really strike me as being that expendable yet, so wasting them on an enemy that might just come back anyways is just a bit much.
With these thoughts on my mind, I play through the same motions with only a mild awareness of my actions, at least until the skeleton's weapon came down on my right shoulder, nearly taking my arm off in the process. With thirteen arrows left and feeling a little closer to death then I'm comfortable with, I decide to try seeing this fight through to the end. Missing with one arrow, I move in to fire off another arrow as the skeleton is withdrawing through the water filled ruins, hitting the fiend in it's left arm. Moving back towards the bonfire, I can hear the giant foot steps beating the ground behind me, followed by the familiar sound of a steel hitting the ground. Putting some more distance between us, I began to take aim once more, hoping to hit the skeleton from an opening in the ruins. But when I turned the corner, the skeleton was gone.
Unnerved by this change of events, I search the area around me for any sign of activity. I didn't feel any souls go to me, so it couldn't be dead yet. Running up the stairs to the aqueduct and surveying the land below yielded no answers either. I briefly consider arming myself with the bolts before thinking otherwise. Searching the ruins for answers, I check the archway furthest to my right, the one I've yet to inspect. Upon entering the ruins, I turn left to see a long path seemingly leading nowhere. With a moment of hesitation, I make my way down the path, rolling into the end. While there were no threats, I did find a corpse with a light on it, and pillaging it gave me six firebombs. In any other case, this would be a pleasant surprise, but in my current condition, I'm not even sure if I can use them before I drop dead. Still, it gives me a better chance then before, and while this does not improve my morale or resolve by much, I'm not about to waste an opportunity to settle the score.
Leaving the ruins, I take the large soul off my belt and store it away. After that, I attempt to try drinking from my flask again, only to see that it lacks it's glow, and only a single, pitiful, drop falls to the ground at my feet. Shaking my head in disappointment, I move into the ruins and see the giant skeleton in the water to my left. Startled by this, I quickly flee back to the open bonfire area, before turning around. Confused as to why there were no heavy footsteps chasing me, I begin to creep my way back to the ruins. At it's entrance, I see the giant, it's back against a pillar. Taking a moment to adjust my angle, I grab a firebomb and throw it, the pain of my wounded arm makes even this action feel like I could lose the appendage just from this action alone. As the firebomb explodes at the skeleton's feet, I know what's to come and begin to leave the area, only slowing down enough for a few seconds before rolling ahead, just as the sound of metal hitting the ground rings out behind me.
Turning around, I hurl another firebomb through the pain, and observe as it explodes and burns the the giant, the flames scaling it's legs and burning them. Retreating through another archway, I turn around to see that the giant skeleton is stuck. It cannot reach me through the path I had taken. Throwing another firebomb, I miss my mark from a combination of poor control and the pain in my arm. As the giant begins to withdraw, I slowly walk after it, and I see that it's gotten it's feet stuck on the stairs. This entire bout has brought both of us to pretty bad shape. Struggling through the pain, I grip another firebomb, and hurl it at the giant's feet. With the as it hits the ground, it explodes into flames, engulfing the skeleton's entire lower torso, the giant flailing it's weapon around and opening it's mouth in an attempt to scream, I quickly roll away in order to avoid any attempt it may make on bringing me down with it. Turning around, I see the giant's bones crumble down, falling on top of one another before scattering each other around the ground as I feel many souls go to me.
Breathing a sigh of relief, I grip my right arm. I didn't think I'd be able to pull through that one, but I'm not done exploring the graveyard yet. Although, perhaps I'll avoid further confrontations for the time being. Returning to the graveyard, I store away my short bow and make my way to the spot the giant skeleton rose from and pillage the corpse to find a spear of sorts, but still different from the one I have. Moving further ahead, I see the second large gravestone, and start to inspect it from the main path first. Heading down the main path, I observe the giant tombstone from a distance. From the looks of things, there were several bones laying around the area, some of which were particularly large. Remembering the pain in my right arm, I decide to not have a trial with this nonsense, and make my way back to the first large tombstone. Reaching the location, I begin to creep down an opening leading to the second tombstone, crossing over a few fallen gravestones along the way. On the way down, I see a second glowing light further in the distance, but decide that prize is for another time.
Reaching the end of the path, I quickly pillage the corpse to find a large sword of some kind. The very act of picking it up to store it away caused me to feel a great deal of pain. With the weapon stored away, I quickly turn around and begin to sprint up the narrow path, the harrowing sound of bones rustling around making me fear for my collection of souls. Fleeing out of the graveyard and up the stairs to the water coated ruins, I hear the sound of a heavy footed being racing after me, almost granting me more encourage meant to race directly to the bonfire. Reaching the opening, I turn right and head to a ledge, leaping over the giant weapon of one of my fallen foes and over a small part of ruins, I land a short distance from the bonfire. Rolling over to the comforting respite, I take a seat and rest for a while as my wounds mend and my energy is replenished.
Some time later, perhaps it was minutes or hours. I've only been feeling through a daze, before I truly feel alive once more and rise from the bonfire once again. Checking my right arm for any restrictions, I find that the pain is gone. I'm more than a little relieved in knowing that my arm didn't just fall off in that battle. It would be shame if something like that happened, even if it's nothing that death couldn't fix, seeing as how it would still make me leave my souls behind and, of course, the pain of dying is always an issue. Checking through my equipment, I decide to try my hand with the new spear that I pillaged from the graveyard.
The new spear had short spikes pointing outwards near the head of the weapon, but I could not find the power to use it. It's length made it quite unwieldy to use, and it truly felt as though I couldn't have a proper grip on it. Shifting through my gear, I find the giant sword, and try it out. An impressive blade with a wide hilt guard, as well as a blade crossguard, but it was far to heavy for me to use, even as I tried with both of my hands. Storing the weapon away, I equip the new shield on my left hand, and find that I can actually use this one. It's design is actually quite ornate for a simple tool, and the image to a snake with a head on both ends almost feels proper, given the common deception that can come with good and bad intentions. Actually, I'm probably just looking way to much into this with my personal insight and prior experiences, perhaps with a unhealthy mixture of my faded memory and skewered personality, but if extended and exaggerated ideas can prevent hollowing, then that's what I'll do. Even if it doesn't actually do anything to stop it, at the very least I can stall for time before rushing off to face down death once more.
Shuffling through my gear some more, I equip and promptly store away both the cracked shield and the dagger without really thinking about it, before stopping. As if looking through a haze, I wonder why I was doing this, just looking through these tools as if they held a hidden meaning, or a greater meaning than mere tools. Was there a reason for these musings beyond the prevention of hollowing, or was there something more to it? Have I already forgotten memories by chance, or was I looking for memories that never existed in the first place? Or would I even know what memories I've lost if I cannot recall them to begin with? Gazing up at the aqueduct, the bonfire's flames blurring the horizon, I decide that some questions may just be left unanswered. Unequipping the arrows and firebombs, and equipping my battle axe once more, I grip the weapon with both hands and return to the graveyard.
Dispatching the first set of skeletons and finding a scimitar from the bones, I decide to drop it, as I already had my own, before dropping off the first ledge, and hurling the second set of skeletons into the chasm, and making my way deeper into the graveyard to the third set of skeletons with minor difficulty. Heading to the furthest edge of the gravesite, I move past the giant tombstone and find some stairs leading curving around the cliff. Following these stairs lead to an opening in the ground, a cave of sorts with no light. Heading inside, a soft glow lighting my immediate surroundings, I find ruins of some kind. A temple under a graveyard? No, this must be crypt of some kind, maybe even catacombs. If I could just find a large number of corpses stacked away, or maybe a bunch of urns, this would prove my theory.
Heading deeper in, I find some glowing lights of some kind before me, some of the closest one seemed to be obscured by a wall, or maybe the floor leading to a pit of some kind. As I creep closer to the lights, I see a skeleton rushing out of the darkness to greet me. Rolling back, I wait for the skeleton to open itself up to a counter attack before leaping in with a overhead attack, slamming the bony foe near the ledge. As it's about to recover, I leap in and slam it off the edge, when I notice one of those glowing lights was very close. With a closer look at it, I can see that it looks like a person's head. Except I can't see the eyes, or maybe they're just too dark to be seen? As I take these observations, the light begins to glow, and the head begins to let out a scream that can best be described as pain and rage. Become more then a little fearful, I decide it's time to get away from this entity. Rolling away, and moving up the stairs, I hear an explosion that sends shock waves through me, and rumbles the surroundings.
Heading up the stairs, I slow down and pause a moment to catch my breath before turning around. Seeing nothing following me, I head back down to the pit. Looking down, I see glowing lights, and no trace of the head that was once so close to me. Perhaps that's what they do then? Make themselves explode on things they don't like? Doesn't really seem like a survival trait, so perhaps they aren't natural? Either way, it won't be a problem for the time being. Staying close to the right side of the cavern, I head deeper down. Coming to an opening of sorts, I turn to my left and to see the heads again. They're just floating around vacantly, with the closest one leaving it's mouth open absentmindedly. Or are their heads actually formed like that? Unfortunately, their explosive tendencies mean I will most likely never get a clear answer. Turning around, I head into the opening. Coming through on the other side, I find myself greeted by an open room, and a skeleton rolling past me.
Rolling back through the opening I left, I counter with a leaping attack that hurls the skeleton over an edge, and deeper into the room. One thing I noticed is that the skeletons in this area don't come in pairs. This means they'll be easy pickings as long as I don't get greedy with my attacks. Peering over the ledge, I see the skeleton is struggling to get back up to me, as well as a pile of bones or rocks leading up to the ladder that I now stand next to. Taking note of these surroundings, I decide to withdraw to the entrance so that I have an escape plan ready should the battle go against my favor. Heading back up the stairs, I stop near the entrance and turn around to take a defensive stance and wait. After several seconds, I notice the skeleton still hasn't pursued me like they normally do. Carefully making my way back down to the room, I arrive just in time to see the skeleton reaching the top of the ladder and hurl itself at me in an attack. Rolling away, I manage to only get scrapped by the attack as I withdraw up the stairs once more.
Measuring up the distance, I wait for the skeleton to finish attacking. It then took on a defensive stance with it's sword, slowly shifting it's blade from side to side. I moved closer and swung my axe at it. Without realizing it, my axe was repelled by the by the skeleton's sword, and I could feel the skeleton's sword piercing it's way through my waist, bringing me to my knees as the skeleton put it's foot on my chest and kicked me off it's blade. Laying on the ground with blood dripping out of my wound, I realized that was the same kind of move I had pulled on hollows before. I hadn't really thought about how it was to be on the receiving end of that maneuver, so getting to feel what it's like is a different experience. It kind of puts things into perspective to. Staggering to my feet, I roll away from the skeleton and up the stairs, before rushing up the stairs to put some distance between the skeleton and myself. Drinking an Estus to mend my wounds, I turn to face the skeleton, but before I can figure out how to strike back, I hear the haunting sound of a scream echo through the darkness as a light begins to bellow up from the pit.
Recognizing the sound, I quickly back away from the pit, only to cover my eyes as a bright light engulfed the skeleton. Recovering my vision as the light fades, the skeleton lets out a cry of sorts before falling apart, it's eye sockets glowing brightly as it's head falls to my feet, it's chin held shut by one of the many stairs. Feeling more than a little dumbfounded by this turn of event, I decide now is an optimal time to express myself by pointing down at the skeleton's broken body. As I do so, it's bones begin to rustle about, and it begin to reform only a few inches from my face. Quickly gripping my axe, I slice off the skeleton's upper torso, but the skeleton manages to reform fast enough to get one quick attack in, forcing another crippling slice before I manage to hurl it back with a leaping strike, the skeleton falling into the dark pit as it struggles to reform. Gazing down into the pit, I try to gather what just happened, all the while keeping my eyes on the last remaining light floating around. Looking up into the rest of the pitch black room, I ponder if I should continue onwards with having to deal enemies that won't die when their killed. Staring into the darkness for several minutes of uninterrupted silence, I realize that I currently have too many souls to squander them all in a reckless gamble against possibly immortal foes.
Turning around to see the light shining though the opening, I begin to make my way back to the ruins bonfire, passing over the fallen skeletons that didn't revive, their eye sockets empty and hollow. On approaching the bonfire, I roll over one of the crumbling ruins and make my way over to the bonfire, paying no mind to the crestfallen one as I take a seat to rest and reflect on this discoveries so far. The skeletons in the graveyard didn't have glowing eye sockets when I was passing over them, so maybe the eyes are the key? An idea to ponder, but regardless of the details, maybe I can use that place as a weapon testing ground? Although, the problem still presents itself in how to get there in an efficient manner, since passing through a few sets of bones isn't an ideal way of getting to a testing ground. Exhaling, I decide it may still be too early for me to figure out the secrets of the graveyard, and come to the conclusion that it may best to finish exploring the town first before hurling myself into the graves again.
Leaving the bonfire and arming my left hand with my crossbow, I make my way back to Undead Berg, and decide to get some practice in along the way. Crushing the many hollows that dot the path with minimal difficulty and collecting some, and even pillaging some hollow armor as well as another shard of sorts, before dropping by the undead merchant of the berg. Checking the wares, I decide to expand my arrow and bolt arsenal to thirty each, and than purchase a key as well as a box, before replenishing my firebombs up to five once more. With my crossbow in my left hand, and my battle axe in my right, I make my way to the nearby bonfire to try out some of the new armor I've collected so far. The chest plate armor doesn't feel to bad to wear, although it does feel a bit off after wearing my coat for so long. Now, the waistcloth is a different story. It's clearly not meant for battle, and is really only meant to be worn by those who have few other options. I suppose the bottom of the totem poll is a good way to describe them? Regardless, I stick with my current garb set, as I've already grown quite accustomed to it, and just changing out of it for something that's too unfamiliar doesn't sit well with me.
Taking a seat at the bonfire, I repair my equipment, and check out the box that I bought. To my surprise, it's a surprisingly spacious object. Starting with the Zweihander, I follow up with putting the sword hilt, winged spear, and talisman into the seemingly botomless box. Looking around my surroundings, I decide now's a fairly safe place to take a rest. Laying down next to a wall, my eyes fixed on the bonfire's comforting glow, I wonder if my current equipment is enough for the trials to come. Whatever they may be, I have to face them eventually, and I do grow weary of having to face the same foes without making any real progress. Perhaps it's just time for a change of pace. But for now, I shall rest here. Storing away my equipment and making my way over to the wall furthest from the entrance, I lay my weapons down and rest my back against the wall, closing my eyes as the flickering embers of the bonfire dance around, darkening their surroundings and lulling me into to a trance...