Maidenless? But I already have a Firekeeper.

Dave

Many have died to get me this far.

Kingdoms have fallen, families; broken, warriors and friends lost to the fires of the first flame. All to push me just a little bit closer to victory. This journey has brought me far. The number of times I've seen death stare me in the face is too many to even counts.

All, for this, the first flame. Standing over the pathetic excuse of a God, I glanced at him for one last time before plunging my trusted Onyx Greatsword straight into his chest, causing an explosion of red motes to come bursting out of his body. The battle was over, the war was won. And now, it was just me, standing over a mountain of ash.

This was it, right? I was to become a lord. Whether it be a Lord of Cinder, or the Lord of Hollows, both would end the same. There was no rekindling of the flame, only prolonged suffering. The old Gods tried to push it back, and look where that left us. Suffering under its subsequent effects.

Ha~. In truth, I just want all of this to be over with. Resting back in the comforts of my home, with the Firekeeper at my side to keep me company. Actually, I'll do just that. Why shouldn't we watch the world's last kindling fade away alongside my beloved companion.

Drawing her summon sign on floor beneath me using my gloved finger, a flash of yellow light shone from the letters, and in an instant, the figure of my beloved companion came from it, blindfold and all. A soft bittersweet smile curved on my lips, as we both shared a moment of silence together.

This was really it. Nothing more, and nothing less. The end of the dying age, and the beginning of another. Crouching down, she picked up the small fire and rested it on the palm of her hands, it's soothing heat warming us both as its size diminished.

"The first flame quickly fades. Darkness will shortly settle…" Turning back to me, the blonde woman picked herself up and moved closer, our bodies now embracing the flickering spark. "But one day, tiny flames will dance across the darkness. So long as humanity continues pushing forward through their trapped soul, nothing will ever sha-"

She paused, noticing something odd. The flame was growing brighter, it's final last-ditch effort. A bright dome encapsulated us, one similar in nature to Filianore's miracle, which sent me forward in time when I used it… Oh no.

Before either of us could react, it flashed us blind, a kaleidoscope of color shielding us from using our sight. What was going on? Was all our effort for naught? Were we misled into a trap set by the hands of the old lords? Blasted ancient buffoons! They've doomed everyone else to an eternal suffering! Curse them for ever foolishly believing they could extend a non-existent prosperity!

…

Soon enough we dropped down on solid ground. However, something in the air felt off, foreign almost. As though we were transported to another dimension. No longer did the stench of rotting bodies and ash fill the atmosphere, instead, it was surreal.

Even in this… this cave, the environment felt more alive compared to before. Was this the holy land everyone was talking about? Because the only thing missing now would be the bosom of lady Gwynevere-

*bonk*

"Hey! What was that for!?" I cried out, putting a hand over the back of my head.

The Firekeeper was still there by my side, with a pout on her face. Though the strike might not have actually hurt, it was still a good idea to keep up appearances. "Cease thine lecherous thoughts this instant, Ashen One. I sense that we are in unfamiliar territory."

"You could say that again." I commented. "But what do you think happened, to us I mean. The flame was just in our palm, and suddenly, we're both here."

"Unfortunately, I am unable to give thee the information for which you seek." She responded, her tone gradually lowering. "However, might I be able to present a theory to thee?"

"Very well, I see no harm in doing so. Especially with how the circumstances present themselves as they are right now."

"My thanks. Ehem, the flame lingers still, to the far north. Alive as it may be, the fire already has a master who wields it. An existence akin to that of the Gods, yet far stronger than Lord Gwyn could even hope to be."

Oh no, that's bad…"That's bad, right? I mean, the last vessel the Soul of Cinders took was that of the God of Sunlight himself. So, for him to be stronger…"

"Indeed. Though, there might not even be a reason to panic." Yes! "As something stronger has quelled its lust for destruction." Oh no!

Letting out a sigh, my shoulders slump with it, and my arms find themselves on my beloved, pulling her into my tight embrace. She tried to protest the action, doing her best to slip herself out of my grip.

Soon, even those plans fall through, as she fell deeper and deeper into my bare chest. "You know. I don't care for any of this nonsense. Gods, demons, bird people? None of that matters anymore. I'm tired, drain of any and all energy. All I want to do is spend the rest of eternity with you."

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