Chapter 3: the Pain of Death

Sitting by the bonfire and feeling its warmth I felt like I could finally relax. For even just a little bit. The bonfire didn't feel like any old fire. It felt homely, welcoming, nostalgic even. So I sat by the bonfire for a bit enjoying the warmth and comfort it provided.

But I knew all good things had to end eventually. I had to get up and keep marching forth. Staying like this is not good I can't become complacent. But, as I was looking around while preparing to get up I saw something. My blood immediately grew cold. Because from the large window-like opening above Heavy set of doors leading to the Asylum Demon's arena.

From that window, I could see the asylum demon himself. Perched above the arena. Waiting. But that wasn't even the scariest part. Because he was staring right at me with a ravenous gaze filled with sadism and mockery. daring me to even try to go through the doors.

For the first time, I was glad I was a hollow because if I wasn't then I would probably have shit myself in fear. With the Stray Demon, it was different. I could avoid the stray demon until I was ready, he was an eventuality. But the Asylum Demon? He was right here right now. I have no choice but to face him now.

I was frozen on the spot. Like prey meeting the predator's gaze. I am absolutely terrified. But I must do this. Snap out of this John!

Come on! You feel great! You feel awesome! You! Can! Do! This!

Hyping myself up I finally snapped out of my fear-driven state and sat up from the bonfire.

Forcefully stopping myself from shaking, I braced the straight sword handle in my right hand and approached the set of heavy metal doors.

Fuck it I'm not scared of you ugly fat piece of shit! I pushed open the doors with incredible difficulty. Holy hell these doors are heavy. Stepping inside I saw the door I went through become obscured by fog.

Psyching myself up I continued forth seeing the open door on the side I made it my target. I prepared myself to spri-

/*BOOOOM!*/

I felt my whole world shake as the gigantic demon landed right in front of me. He was way more intimidating up close. He was slightly smaller than the asylum demon but he was still 3 times taller than me. His large bulbous body towered over me, holding a gigantic hammer to go along with his size. He stared me down with a glare filled with malice and anger.

I am scared of you fat ugly piece of shit! Fuck it, just sprint toward the exit and don't look back! And out of freeze, flee and fight. this time I chose flee. There is no way in Gwyn's burnt beard that I'm going to be able even to provide a fight to the bastard. So just run!!!

But in my tunnel vision toward the door while sprinting I didn't see him swing his hammer horizontally toward my legs.

/_Crunch_/

Suddenly I felt my vision do a 180-degree turn and I realized that I was flung in a spinning motion by the Asylum Demon hitting me. Along with that realization, I felt immense amounts of pain shoot through my legs. or well, probably what's left of them considering the agony I am feeling.

/thud/

''AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUGHHH''

I finally hit the ground, far from the door. The pain in my legs intensified to an unbearable degree. Along with my probably broken back. I lay on the ground motionless except for the occaisional twitching. unable to move from the pain. I could only lay there with my mangled legs and broken back as the Asylum Demon slowly approached me.

''Augh augh...''

The Asylum Demon took immense pleasure from my suffering. I could only helplessly lay there barely able to scream from ripping my vocal cords as the Asylum Demon slowly raised his hammer above his head. Intentionally delaying my demise to prolong my suffering. In my last moments, the only thing I could do was to give him a hateful glare until He brought his hammer down-

/SPLAT/

[YOU DIED]

<{Curse of Undeath} has activated>

Those were the last things I saw before I woke up back at the bonfire. Even after dying I still felt the pain in my whole body, especially my legs. unable to restrain myself I started dry heaving while clutching the ground.

I could vividly remember every detail. Including the part where the asylum demons hammer turned me into a fine paste. the fear, the dread, the pain I remembered it all vividly.

''*hugh...* *hugh...*''

Finally reclaiming even a tiny bit of composure I sat back up straight and reflected on my encounter with the Asylum Demon. As painful as it was to think back on the encounter I still did. I was too rash, too terrified I couldn't even think straight when faced with him.

Fuck! I couldn't even act rationally when faced with an actual threat, I was such hot shit when I was attacking those unretaliating hollows right!?

'Chosen Undead' my ass! I am the one who the fate of the world relies on? Me who nearly shat himself seeing a mere Asylum Demon?

The guy who is supposed to ring the bells of awakening. the one who is supposed to go through Sen's Fortress and defeat the Iron Golem. The one who is supposed to go to Anor Londo the land of the gods to defeat Dragonslayer Ornstein and Executioner Smough to claim the lord vessel. The one who is supposed to kill the 4 lords of Lordran and claim their souls to open the way to the kiln of the first flame. The one who is supposed to defeat hollowed Gwyn and either fuel the flame or to snuff it and become the lord of the dark.

Me? the guy who cried and screamed like an infant in front of the asylum demon is supposed to be that ''Chosen Undead''? Is that a joke or something? How is someone as pathetic and weak as me supposed to be that Chosen Undead? I guess the worlds fucked huh? I May as well sit here and wait until I hollow...

...

No, this won't do. I refuse to waste my second life like this. I won't give up just because some fat ugly bastard spooked me. I will become someone worthy of the title of the Chosen Undead. But above all, I won't give that fucker the satisfaction of making me give up.

The first I have to do is forget about the easy path. I refuse to take the easy path. It will make me complacent and soft. Someone who takes the easy path out won't survive in someplace like Lordran. I have decided, that no matter what happens, no matter how much I suffer, no matter how much I cry and regret I won't take the open door.

Trying to take the open door is the first thing that killed me. And if go through it I know deep down that it won't be the last time it kills me. And if I take it that means that I truly lost against the Asylum Demon. And I'm too spiteful for that.

___

<New Quest! {A Hollow's Resolve}>

Seeing yourself pitiful and weak you resolved to defeat the Asylum Demon without resorting to the easy way out.

[Condition]

Defeat Asylum Demon without stepping through the exit

Defeat the Asylum Demon without completely Hollowing

[Reward]

???

___

___

<New Challenge! {The Asylum Demon}>

Kill the Asylum Demon without exiting his Arena

[Reward]

3000 souls

Demon's Great Hammer

Twin Humanities

___

Why thank you system for the motivation. Now I want to tear that asylum asshole's asshole to shreds even further. I slowly sat from the bonfire. Preparing myself to confront the demon once again. Although I couldn't stop the shaking I could ignore it. and that's precisely what I did. I walked up to the Double doors leading to his arena again. Pushing the doors open I was met with the empty arena-like building. Taking a deep breath I walked forth and as expected He jumped down to meet me.

While fear burned inside me determination burned brighter and this time.

I chose fight. Not allowing myself to freeze I slowly took steps back while observing his actions. Seeing his prey before him the demon swung his great hammer toward me, probably in the same motion in which he broke my legs with previously. A horizontal sweep.

Seeing the hammer coming toward me I hastily jumped back. narrowly avoiding the devastating swing. But I seem to have forgotten that I am not that athletic nor did I do any gymnastics before. So jumping back probably wasn't a good idea seeing that I completely lost my balance and tripped backward, falling on my ass. By the time got back on my feet he did yet another horizontal swing in the opposite direction. Hitting my side and batting me to the wall.

/Crunch/

I felt debilitating pain in my right side. I'm sure he broke almost every single bone on my right side. While I was stunned from the pain he approached me with his wrathful gaze and-

/Splat/

[YOU DIED]

<{Curse of Undeath} has activated>

''*huff* *huff*''

Fuck, dying doesn't get any better. nor the sensation of getting all of your bones being pulverized. Taking a few moments to recollect myself from the wave of immense pain I raise my head and flip the bird to the Asylum Demon.

Finally gathering myself I again thought back on the the fight. My current problem is that I'm not athletic or experienced enough to dodge his large swings without losing my balance and eating the swing in the process. And there is another much bigger problem.

This isn't the tutorial boss of darksouls with his limited number of rigid attacks and a set amount of health. This is a 6-meter-tall chaos demon who while fat is still plenty strong with that gigantic hammer of his. He doesn't have a limited movement pattern nor an exploitable ai. He can swing wherever he wants whenever he wants however he wants.

And I'm not a game character with a set amount of health and unbreakable limbs. Nor can I roll like the chosen undead and even if I could unlike him this isn't a game and I don't get i-frames. So when I get hit by a great hammer weighing at least a ton swung by a demon weighing several tons I get launched like a ragdoll and break almost all of the bones in my body leaving me completely vulnerable to the Asylum Demon's next move.

So basically, my only option is to not get hit. And thankfully he is quite slow. Both physically and mentally. So I got up and started practicing jumping backward without losing my balance. At first, it was a bit hard but after a few hours of practice, I could reliably jump backward without completely losing my balance. Something that helps with my backward jump is how light I am due to my hollow physique.

I, once again, go up to the double doors and push them open. entering the empty arena I walk forth and the Asylum Demon(the ugly bastard) once again jumps down to give me a smashing greeting. Retreating backward slowly I see him preparing to swing right horizontally. Anticipating his move I try to jump backward.

Try, but seeing the great hammer coming close made me flinch causing my jump backward to be clumsy and instinctive. Making me lose my balance again but this time I fell on my back. Knowing what's coming I brace myse-

/Splat/

[YOU DIED]

<{Curse of Undeath} has activated>

''*ugh* *guh*''

Bracing myself didn't really lessen the pain. Taking a minute or two to reclaim my composure. The pain fades and I sit back up. Prepared to once again challenge the Asylum Demon.