The Ashen Keeper

Chapter 60

Just as she was falling, she heard several voices from below. She sensed down upon it, and she sensed the two everlasting ones throwing their breath straight at Yhorm from the ground.

Yhorm's armor and body were so strong that their breaths barely penetrated it but it did slow him down by a lot. Air itself, started to solidify around her as gravity becomes less and less. That was the doing of Wanda. The giant also slowed slowly weaken his grip on his chains.

This was the doing of Loki and Mantis. It seems that his all-out blow combined with the effects of Mantis putting a planet to sleep could barely affect a Lord. Truly, he has gotten stronger.

Trees and other plants also started growing out. This was probably the doing of Groot as he tries to cushion her fall. She could also hear thunder roaring in the distance, apparently a doing of her last disciple.

Despite their efforts, all they did was slowed up for both of them slammed into the ground with such force and heat that some parts of the ground started turning into glass. She also manages to apply some protection using her authority as the keeper of the first flame.

The only thing it did was avoid an instant death. She could no longer feel anything due to the shock. She will soon register the pain and go into a coma.

Her blindfold has been destroyed somewhere as she faced this world with her very eyes for the first time. The light was blinding. She also 'saw' how everything looked like for the first time. She was seeing for the first time.

She needed something to do before that. Flames frantically started coming out of her body and started healing her. It healed some of her worst wounds but not some minor wounds as a result of doing healing the most important parts first.

Normally, she would be able to shrug off the injuries and heal the in an instant, but she was still affected the aura of the Lord of Cinder. The flames that came out of her body did not fade away.
Instead, it started glowing a distinct shade of red due to the blood all around her.

She felt every aspect of her abilities grew at a great pace. Her strength stronger, her speed faster, her fire brighter. This includes the ability to heal and enchant.

She knew this state. It was a state very few actually reached. There was no name for the phase, but she knew the Ashen One called it a second phase. Once a being is on a brink of death, they shall awaken their strongest state and go berserk.

The reason she was able to stay sane was because the very flames that cause a being to become berserk was herself.

She also healed Siegward who could die at any moment. He was already on the line between life and death. He rose and the first thing she noticed was that he too had, flames like her and that he was not berserk.

"You have my gratitude, M'lady. But I fear our affairs has yet to be done for the light of the Sun has yet to shine upon this Lord of Cinder.", he spoke as he readied his sword once again preparing to charge against his old friend one more time.

Truly a man with little to fear. She could see why a giant like Yhorm would take a liking to this man. This mere knight, whose qualities blinded the dark world of Yhorm. Back in Lordran, some people have always wondered one thing.

Who was stronger than the gods themselves?

Was it the everlasting dragons that once ruled over creation itself? But they were driven out and defeated by the lighting of Gwyn, the fire of the Witch and plague of Nito.

Was it the tyrant Sullivan who drove the royal family, direct relatives of Gwyn out of Anor Londo? Keep in mind that this includes the sons and daughters of Gwyn himself. But he was slayed by the Ashen One, who eventually become a lord of Cinder.

Was it Wolnir, the enormous conqueror of Carthis that once brought the rightful Lords of Lordran to their knees and ground the crowns of these very mighty lords to dust? But even he eventually fell into the abyss.

Regardless of what anyone may think she believed the ancient heroes like the lords of Cinder to be stronger or at least on par with the gods. After all, nobody could kill them unless they sacrifice themselves. They were strong to the point where the only they can die is to kill themselves.

So, she herself believed the Lords of Cinder to be the strongest among the beings to ever walk on the surface of Lordran but she could not tell for she has never seen the gods themselves.

Two everlasting dragons were now trying their best to kill Yhorm yet even with his massive sight, he managed to roll around. She guesses rolling was a common move among the heroes of Lordran. Whenever his armor ever caught on fire he would roll around to extinguish it.

It worked wonders from what she can tell. Thor was also helping in any way he can by striking at any opening he sees. As for Loki, he was nowhere to be seen once again but she could sense himself hiding and helping by conjuring illusions.

Mantis was in a coma from the sheer amount of mental strength to even control a Lord. The rest were still battling the monsters brought up by Yhorm alongside the slaves and gladiators of the Grandmaster.

"Teacher!", Wanda ran towards her, but she did not touch her for the fire was still burning on her. She could tell her disciple was worried, but this was a job she needed to do as a firekeeper. She will allow the Lords to rest once and for all.

"Move along, child. It is time to put this pitiful Lord of Cinder to rest in fire once more."