Author's Note

Hello again everyone, I'm terribly sorry for letting this go on for so long without an update. I do want to continue it but I felt my writing skills needed attention so I worked on other things in the meantime and then eventually forgot about this. But I'm back now, so let's get it going again.

Music of the day

Elden Ring ost - Old Castle

Uploaded

(02/25/2025)

Legend below

"Greetings! I am Oscar of Astora!" = Normal speech.

''Doth thee find my appearance unpleasant?''= Normal thoughts.

Rated-M

M rating for mature themes, nudity, adult themes, Violence, and eventual romance.

Chapter 6

The Depths are nearing

The walk back to Firelink Shrine was a quiet one, the path to the cliffside respite having been made clear of the mindless zombies that once called it home. Their bodies lingered, holding onto whatever twinkle of life they had left, forever unable to truly die so long as the dark sign remained.

It served as a sobering reminder for the trio of warriors, a reminder of what lay in wait for them should they loose their hope, should their minds and souls waver, should they give up. It was the spark that helped them to continue to cling onto what kept them going forward, never looking back. For what lay in wait for them if they were to stop was a terrifying fate indeed.

Hollowing truly was a terrifying thought, and not one of them wished to dwell on for any longer than necessary. If anything, it helped them to strengthen their resolve to fight for what they believed in, what they sought, greedy or selfish as it was, they couldn't afford to falter here.

In the world of humans, the idea that someone existed solely to find his perfect sun, to light a fire far, or even the unwavering urge to endlessly breed a half dragon would seem greedy, foolish or downright absurd. But they were no longer in the land of humans, not by a long shot. That world was gone now, far, far away, likely to never be seen again. And even then, they were no longer welcome there were there even a path to go back…

If Solaire did not yearn for his ideal sun, his own beloved yearned for sun, what did he have left? He was a man stripped of his life, and it was only his longing for the sun that kept him going. If he ever let that hope die, his humanity, his sense of self would die with it. It was why Clemente had never belittled the man, as delusional as he seemed for yearning for the very sun, because in the end if he didn't have that then he wouldn't have anything at all.

Oscar had grown up in a family of knights, trained since he was a wee lad to use a sword and a bow. The legend of the undead was a story passed down through his family for generations, and when he'd been branded with the dark sign, he knew it must've been the legend calling for him. It kept him going, kept him sane, for without it, he would falter.

And then there was the half dragon man himself. He was one of only two half breed dragons in the entire world, a creature scorned by both all of humanity, and even the world of monsters. But that didn't matter to him, for he knew within his heart that he was not alone. Somewhere out there was a glorious giant woman just like him, a creature made half blood human, and the other dragon. And he wanted more than anything to find this crossbreed, to hold her and make her his own, and to create even more like them and live by her side forever.

Between the three of them, they were all basic or strange life goals but…

It was all that they had, and it was what compelled them to keep moving forward.

So much was at stake, even when half of them didn't fully understand the entirety of the fate they were destined to face, they would face it head on.

So, eager to continue their journey headstrong, they set out for Firelink Shrine immediately after ringing the first of the two bells of awakening.

Upon arriving, however, they found the cliffside as serene as it ever was. The old crestfallen warrior was still sitting upon his stone in silence, and the bonfire was still raging on.

However, upon further investigation, they realized that the cleric from before had vanished without a trace. Despite this, they had more important things to worry about.

Clemente approached the chainmail wearing man with a question in mind. "Good sir, we have returned from the first bell of awakening. We seek your knowledge of the location of its twin." The halfbreed inquired of the man, holding his hefty great-sword up on his shoulder.

The man, for his part, nearly stood up in shock. "You what? You mean to tell me you actually managed to ring the bell? Preposterous!" He stated, before turning to glance behind the half dragon to find two more similarly armored warriors standing behind him. "Well… I suppose if you work together, even such a task might be possible… But you will not survive the next trial for sure." He stated confidently, an almost sinister look crossing his features.

"We have yet to face a true challenge that has tested us! Although we journey together, we all suffer different weights. We have our own goals, but work together towards them. I dare say, this second bell will surely be rung, I swear upon it." Solaire exclaimed passionately, stepping forward to grasp the crestfallen warrior's hand. "Tell us! Where is the second bell of awakening?"

The man was caught off guard by Solaire's exuberance, but managed to eventually gather himself. The crestfallen man frowned, before sighing. "I must be honest with you men… I did not anticipate that any of you would survive this first challenge… But seeing you all here in one piece, well… My mind has been changed."

The man suddenly stood up, something he hadn't done in a long time. He wandered over to the edge of the plateau, beckoning them over as he pointed down into the cavernous abyss that lay below.

It was a treacherously long fall down from the top, and technically speaking, they were at the base of the mountain that hid Anor Londo.

It was quite the sight to witness from their perspective.

"Do you see that ghostly world down there? Do you witness it's poison and filth?" The crestfallen warrior asked, pointing to the land below. "That is Blight Town, and it is home to some utterly disturbing abominations. I have spent numerous years trying to scare adventurers away from this land, for nothing awaits you should you venture there but death and suffering. Seeing you three ring that bell has… opened my eyes."

Solaire peered over the edge, his eyes going wide behind his helmet. "Goodness me! That is such a fall!" He exclaimed, before calming down. "How would we even attempt to scale down this abyss? We would surely fall to our very deaths…"

"Perchance I still had thy wings, a descent as such would be trivial…" Clemente murmured beneath his breath, peering over the ledge. Not for the first time, he bemoaned his lost wings.

"There are… two entrances to Blight Town, in fact." The chainmail wearing man said. "There is a back entrance down the hidden elevator just below us, but it is far more dangerous than the alternative…" He cackled lightly.

Oscar leveled a curious gaze at the man. "What of this secondary path thee hath mentioned?" He asked, his Astorian dialect thick.

"The second path lies at the bottom of the Undead Burg, a hidden path within the sewers of the city. It too, has been infested with monsters the likes I would never again wish to encounter. Both paths are dangerous, and I cannot recommend one over the other…" He trailed off.

The three warriors stepped back, having been given new information to dwell on. Their second objective had been set for them, but the complication came from how they were to reach their destination.

The difficult path, or the impossible path.

Those were the choices they'd seem to have been given, and it was up to them to decide how to move forward.

The trio had departed not long after receiving the news, having decided to chase after the lower Undead Burg instead of the alternative route. It didn't take long to make the trek down into the depths of the burg, before they found the doors they were looking for.

In the back of a long rounded alleyway, at the end beside a gated wall, stood a lonely wooden door. And for as lifeless as the area they stood in was, the presence of a single wooden door in such a place was highly unnerving. It gave off a menacing presence, and a pungent smell radiated from somewhere close behind it.

Clemente was the first to go through, finding the fact that the door was locked a trivial matter to settle, as he broke the handle in his hand. The wooden door squeaked on its ancient hinges, slowly opening to a dimly lit hallway. It made a loud echoing sound as it fell from rusty hinges, crashing to the mildew covered brick floors below.

The three warriors stared into the darkness, the strange wet musk that radiated from beyond the doorframe foul to their noses.

Clemente pushed inside, his mighty blade scraping against the ceiling above. The room was cramped, lit by ancient torches that did little to provide light. There was a staircase across the way, the only way forward. The presence of lit torches was a telling sign, that something or someone lived down there.

Oscar and Solaire stepped inside after him, their shorter swords proving easier to carry within the cramped halls of the dungeon.

As they stood shoulder to shoulder, they all gazed down into the room below, listening in to the sounds of moaning, the undead that made their home within the basement of the dungeon standing close ahead.

Within these walls, and the rooms that likely lay ahead, they were going to have to fight battles in tight halls, and dangerous situations.

They were going to have to rely on and trust each other even more now, then ever before.

"Sir Clemente, I believe thou art disadvantaged within these halls with thy choice of weaponry." Oscar spoke up, patting the much taller dragon man on the shoulder. "Perhaps you could make use of your strength down hither until a more spacious place is reached." He suggested.

Clemente's eyes widened in surprise, before he nodded. A moment later saw his mighty blade sheathed on his backside, while he took hold of his shield with his left. He clenched his right fist, the metal creaking. "Thou art full of wise ideas, sir Oscar." He muttered proudly, offering the other man a terse grin behind his plated visor

The other knight chuckled. "Thou art the first to state such." He muttered lightheartedly.

The three of them made their way down into the depths, crushing any opposition that stood to block their paths. As they traversed the depths, they found themselves conversing about things that they had on their minds. Eventually it reached the point where one would question the other about their dreams, the goals that compelled them to resist their curse of hollowing. Being the literal reason behind their current success with maintaining their continued sanity, it was often a subject of conversation.

What else did they have? For this world was anything but kind to them…

"Sir Clemente, if thee does not mind thy asking, what doth thee seek in thee future? Thee hath mentioned it before, but thyself art deeply curious about it. Thy believeth that sir Solaire art curious himself." Oscar found himself asking out of the blue, cutting a hollow down with ease. The moaning zombies collapsed underneath the holy knight's blessed blade, suffering from the holy burns that slashed their bodies apart.

"Yes yes! I am very curious so as to what pushes you, sir dragon! I want to know, that way I can help my good friend reach his goal as soon as possible. Hahaha!" Solaire exclaimed loudly, throwing a bolt of lightning down the dark sewer tunnels. Giant rats cried out in pain as the knight of the sun illuminated their forms in powerful lightning magic, the beasts dispatched rather easily.

Clemente's cheeks warmed at the line of questioning, yet held no shame as he opened his mouth to speak but a moment later. "Thy dream is to find my other half, and make her mine. My heart lusts endlessly for her grace, I cannot remove her image from my mind. I wish to breed her endlessly, one day I will be the father to a new generation of dragon crossbreeds, and she will be my wife forever." Came his vivid yet straightforward explanation, the detailed explanation of his deepest desires not hidden from their ears.

Solaire coughed in surprise, expression hidden behind his helmet. Clemente sighed sadly. "Thee believes me strange… No?" He muttered in disappointment. It was a reaction the halfbreed had expected, yet it still stung to bear all the same.

"Oh no, quite the contrary!" The knight of the sun exclaimed quickly, patting the half dragon on the shoulder much to his surprise. "To procreate is something I suppose I can understand one such as yourself would yearn for. This world is full of humans, but only two dragons. What's wrong with wishing to make many more? And besides, such an act is quite exciting no?" He explained his thoughts, genuinely excited for the other man. "As the last of your kind, the yearning to create even more must be very strong, no? I couldn't blame you for that!" He laughed lightheartedly.

The halfbreed smiled underneath his helmet, pleased to see that his fellow knight had not come to the conclusion that he was of a strange mind. His desires would be considered crass or outrageous in the human world, but he was neither fully human nor was he in their world any longer. Their opinions of him meant nothing after his first death at their cruel twisted hands…

However, all this talk of breeding had made him quite worked up. He tried to shake the sensation from his body as he continued deeper into the darkness below, but the thoughts lingered.

However, it gave Clemente a thought. "Sir Solaire… Thee wisheth to find thine own sun, yes?" He asked curiously. "Thyself hath given it much thought, these many days. Wouldest thou be happy with a maiden of sun, even if they art a monster?" He asked curiously, voice level. He hadn't anticipated the other man's sudden and nearly overbearing delight at his words.

If possible, Solaire's eyes widened in barely contained glee. "G-Good sir!? Are you suggesting that there exists a maiden with the powers to become her own sun?!" He'd grabbed the half dragon's hands, eyes sparkling.

Clemente nodded at the other man, not at all unnerved by his apparent excitement. It would be hypocritical of him to judge him for also lusting after a maiden of the monstrous variety. "There art legends of mysterious sisters that harness the powers of fire naturally. It is stated that the skin of these maidens glow with the radiance of the sun itself as they bathe within the flames of their own sun. Or, so goes the stories thyself hath heard…"

Solaire's mouth opened and closed as he struggled to comprehend what he was hearing. It sounded unbelievable, almost too good to be true. "T-The sun is fire of the grandest scale!" He exclaimed in awe. "A-And they create fire naturally, skin that glows with a magnificent radiance…" He trailed off, staring blankly ahead.

"Oh dear, I doth believe you hath spoken too much. Sir Solaire is stunned, Sir Clemente…" Oscar sighed, shaking his head in amusement. The humor he gained from the situation was great, as he watched the happy man daydreaming of these mysterious maidens of the sun. What these monsters looked like was concerning, for he believed that Solaire would attempt to court them no matter their shape.

He supposed that he would have to offer his support to the man if and when the time came, for it was only right.

"S-Sir Clemente! You must inform me! What do they look like, what sort of monster are they? No, do not tell me, I will spoil the surprise! I shall find out for myself! Hahaha!" He exclaimed with glee.

The halfbreed chuckled lowly at his newfound excitement, the knight of the run reinvigorated in his desire to keep moving forward. The darkness of hollowing seemed far behind him now.

Hours passed as they slowly made their descent into the darkness, the world growing more putrid the further they ventured. Eventually they stumbled upon a gate nearing the edge of the sewers. Upon further investigation it seemed to lead deeper into the chasm, likely the direction towards the second bell of awakening they were looking for. But it was locked behind a powerful spell, something that would require the death of whoever or whatever had cast it to allow them access. It was sealed, and the guardian of the depths was now what stood in their way.

"This must be the way forward, I am sure of it." Solaire muttered firmly, reaching out to place his hand against the gate. An invisible force repelled him back, staying his hand. "Curses. It seems as if we have reached a dead end…" He grumbled, shaking his head as if it couldn't be helped.

"Calm thee's fears, Solaire. I doth believeth that a path forward must still survive." Oscar placed his hand on the other knight's shoulder. Solaire regained his strength, nodding firmly. This was no time to let a minor setback shake his faith, he must keep his head held high.

That said, hours of endless wandering had begun to take its toll on the wayward adventures, the dank musty smells and the rotting corpses that lurked around every corner. A mad spell caster had nearly got the drop on them before he was vanquished, the spell caster quickly and effectively cut down before any serious damage could be brought to them.

However, they'd soon found their escape when a secret unassuming tunnel lead them straight into a massive underground chamber the likes of which none of them had ever seen before.

It was a grand room that stretched on for thousands of feet, at the end of which was a waterfall the size of the room in width, falling into a deep depths that none of them wished to peer into. Light poured in from a crack in the ceiling, the first source of natural light they'd seen since entering this accursed place.

Stepping out into the open they couldn't help but feel a sense of danger crawling down their spines. The wayward warrior who resided at Firelink had warned them of the immense dangers posed by either entrance to Blight Town, and they'd feared that they were about to face one of them.

"Prepare thyselves! Something is amiss!" Clemente shouted, finally drawing his massive great-sword again as the room allowed ample space for combat with it. They could all feel it, a deep shuddering that was rocking the ground beneath them, something large growing closer and closer.

Then the saw it.

It appeared to be a snake of some sorts, poking its head out from the depths at the opposite end of the room. However, upon it taking notice of them it continued to climb out, and they'd feared very quickly cake to realize that it was no snake.

The putrid beast that crawled out from the depths was unbelievably massive, over one hundred men in length with many gangly arms protruding from its side. Its entire underbelly was what appeared to be one giant gaping maw, hundreds of teeth just waiting to tear them all to pieces.

It was a monster through and through, and it had taken notice of them.

"It seems that you were right, sir Clemente!" Solaire exclaimed, the surge of battle flowing through him as he drew his weapon to face this new might foe. "I shall pull its attention, give you both free rein on its hind!" He called out, rushing into the battle as the Gaping Dragon roared his way.

"Solaire!" The halfbreed shouted in distress, but the knight of the sun's laughter soothed his worries. This was no time to be fretful, this was a battle!

He solidified his heart, gripping his giant sword with all his might as he rushed into the fight as well, flanking left while Solaire ran right. Even this beast would not stand in their way!

Chapter

6

End