Just Kaathe one up

Reima continues dragging himself to the salvation the bonfire would provide, hopefully it would return his severed arm as well he hopes. As he's almost reach it a deep and noble voice speaks from behind him.

""Greetings Undead Warrior, I am the Primordial Serpent Darkstalker Kaathe. I can guide thee, and illuminate the truth." Just as it's about to continue speaking Reima chokes out "Look... I'm in quite a state right now, could you piss off until later?"

He hears an affronted huff, "Very well, I will return." and the presence disappears. Obviously Reima knows who Kaathe is, he's from the same race that Kingseeker Frampt was, both manipulate you in the game to achieve different things depending on who you side with. Frampt would have you burn yourself to death to keep the Age of Fire and properity going, as was Lord Gwyn's wish. Kaathe on the other hand would have you become a Dark Lord and bring the Age of Fire to an end, to do this you'd presumably just have to not link the fire and prevent anyone powerful enough to try in your stead. Both eventually lead to the world resetting the cycle and continuing in an endless loop, Reima had thought of this extensively and the only ways he can think of to stop the cycle is either have Priscilla completely destroy the Lord Souls, preventing them from being reincarnated in another cycle, or remove the lord souls entirely... To another world outside of this ones influence perhaps? The thought almost brings a smile to his face but even a single twitch of his face brings serious pain to his injured body.

Eventually he rolls onto his back directly next to the bonfire, raising his hand over it to light it and begin his healing. It bursts into flames and he can immediately feel the soothing energy tending to his wounds, particles of light slowly gather around the stump where his left arm used to be and the flesh around it starts rapidly growing. He continuously refills his Estus while drinking it to speed up his recovery, he doesn't know how long this goes on for but once he's completely healed the Primordial Serpant appears before him again, neck sticking 10ft out of the dark abyss below.

Kaathe "Greetings again, it seems you've recovered enough to have a rational discussion."

Reima doesn't react and stays in the prone position on his back, "Yeah, did you need something?"

Kaathe either doesn't notice his disrepectful attitude and posture or just doesn't mention it. He coughs as if clearing his throat and begins again, "Undead Warrior, conqueror of the Four Kings, do you wish to know the truth? The truth of men?" he states ominously.

Reima "Depends on what the truth is."

Kaathe bends it's giant neck in what seems to be a nod, "You will find out in time, you've already placed Gwyn's lord vessel and triumphed over all those with the strength to power it... You're destiny of taking the mantle of the Dark Lord draws near... Only then will I tell you of the truth of this world, and indeed men."

Reima already knows what Kaathe wants, but he's going to have to play along if he'll get the thing he wants, the Dark Hand. "If I'm to become the Dark Lord then I'll need servants. What value are you to me? Why shouldn't I kill you like the rest?"

The Serpant releases a snorting laugh, "SNRKK haha Snrrkk! Unfortunately I'm not among the beings capable of dying, you're disposition fits a Dark Lord perfectly however. I'll gift you with the same thing I'd gifted the Four Kings, I only hope you can utilise it without succumbing to the same madness." The Serpant appears to be hawking up a massive loogie, fortunately instead of a disgusting nasally fluid it spits out a scroll instead, somehow it's in pristine condition... As if it was stored in a separate space. Reima shrugs and mutters a small thanks before storing the Dark Hand technique away.

Kaathe "I will be awaiting news of Gwyn's defeat, do not disappoint me, Dark Lord." he says with authority before sinking into he Abyss below.

After speaking with the serpent Reima looks over the Four Kings souls, obviously there is four of them but he can detect a small link between them, as if they're soul bound or something similar. Each of the souls looks like Artorias but worse, more similar to Manus except for the insignificant white that reveals the King's true origins. He stores them away for future use and pulls out the new Soul shard of Gwyn that he'd retrieved, it looks like a puzzle piece that'd connect together with the one he'd claimed from Seath. He retrieves it and like magnets the shards snap together and refuse to be separated again, he gives an uncaring shrug before storing it with the rest of his loot.

Reima rests for a while longer before standing, he flexes his new left arm to test for any inconsistencies but finds none, it's as if he had never lost it in the first place... Once thing he does do however is fix his battered armour with the repair kit, it takes more souls than usual to fully repair due to the higher quality and large damage it'd sustained but if Reima lacks anything currently, it's not souls. Afterwards he prepares to teleport back home to the sisters, Solaire will be happy to know they're fight with Lord Gwyn is quickly approaching.

He teleports to the Chaos Covenant caves only to hear sounds of combat and spells throughout the area, no... Someone's invaded Quelaag's domain.