The Ashen Keeper

Chapter 106

[Firekeeper POV]

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"A home is not merely a place, Kalameet.", she tried to reassure the dragon who was about to explode out of anger. She slowly released the wisps of the first flame as she calms him down.

"What else could it be? Keeper, all we have known since we exist is Lordran. The winds the never fails to blow across my face. The dim sky that never fails to amaze me. The soil that never fails to hold us. There was no suffering. It was a paradise.

The only exception among the dragons to have seen Lordran is Alduin. He is a mysterious one. No one knows where he came from except for the fact that he did not originate in Lordran. But to us, it was everything.

And you ... ruin it. Burn it down to cinders, to ashes. The witch of Izalith burned our once mighty home and Nito spread plagues among us. The final blow was Gwyn with his righteous statements as he banished us from there."

"My dear Kalameet, Lordran too is something all we have ever known. I did not exist since the beginning of time and cannot understand thy pain of eternity. But why would thou continue to deny the sons and daughters of Lordran. In a way, we all hail from the same place."

"From the same place, we may be but that does not entail us to work together. There is no reason for us to do it. There exists no more foe for us to kill. The only reason I came here today was because of you and the Abyss. Now, some people are trying to rule the Abyss."

Kalameet did not forget to throw a snide remark at Artorias. But he was right. There was no more reason for them to team up against any foe. So, she should just let them separate ways? She thought to herself once again.

"I would contend if the Abyss and the dragons could simply co-exist. There exist many foes to defeat but none who needs the might of the Abyss and the dragons.", she settled for the next safest option since there were no more.

But she still knew that the two major forces might unite one day once again. She still has yet to forget 'Red Hood' and his mistress. She also still had no idea about the indiscernible thing she fought with the baby crying in the background.

"And I will become Lord of the Abyss?", Artorias asked.

"Understand this, my great knight. I still have things to do and thou art the only being I trust with matters concerning the Abyss. The Abyss will not accept me as its leader. I have no subjects. With the Abyss Walkers preparing to serve thee, thou shall suffice the position."

"Are there truly no other option?"

"We can choose to come time and time, again and again into the Abyss to slay new monsters that will undoubtedly spawn once more, or we can give this position back to Manus. According to mine knowledge, there exists no other being more suitable for this position than thee."

The knight stood still thinking for a moment. He appears to have come to a decision quickly. That was a good thing. Whatever he may be, knight or lord, indecisiveness is not a good trait for him to have.

"Come, Keeper. Turn me into the ruler of dark."

She nodded as she clasped her hands and sprout a small flame. She had the unique ability to turn someone into a lord. This was not the power of the first flame but her power as the keeper of the firelink shrine.

She noticed several souls starting to appear as she begun the process. She recognized them very well. They were the daughters of the Abyss. Daughters of Manus. Shards of his souls scattered. They are no longer part of Manus and has come to witness their new lord.

She acknowledged them one by one.

"Nashandra, Queen of Drangleic; Prisoner of Desire who covets the First Flame and the Great Soul, dedicating everything to cover up her weakness,

Elena, the Squalid Queen, the child of dark who rest beside the sleeping dragon of the Eternal Sanctum anticipating the coming day of vengeance,

Nadalia, Bride of Ash, who renounced her flesh and wandered Brume Tower enticing people to enter there in the act of dancing making it her seat of power,

Alsanna, the Silent Oracle of Eleum Loyce, who contained the Chaos of Izalith awaiting the day her lord, the forgotten Ivory King returns to the place where nothing exists apart from the flames she loathed and the ice that froze time and space,

Karla, the Spurned, loathed wretched child of the Abyss awaiting the day someone will search for her, master of the dark sorceries,

Bear witness to the new father of the Abyss,

Artorias the Abyss Walker, the demigod with human blood in thy veins, thou shall renounce godhood forever in favor of the dark of men. Can thou bear the burden of humanity?"

"I will bear the burden of humanity."

"Very well. Humans are of the dark, and thou art no different. Some may avert their eyes, but the truth remains the truth. Be careful though. Thou can be consumed by the dark anytime. Can thou accept the burden?"

"I accept the burden."

"Once, the Lord of Light banished Dark, and all that stemmed from humanity. And men assumed a fleeting form. These are the roots of our world. Men are props on the stage of life, and no matter how tender, how exquisite. A lie will remain a lie.

Can thou renounce thy lord and go into a new path of a lord accepting the lies of the Lord of Light?"

"A lie will remain a lie and I renounce my knighthood to Gwyn."

"Then rise, Artorias, formerly a knight of Gwyn now the father of the Abyss. May the dark prosper under thy rule.

Where fire resideth, shadows twist and shrivel. But in the Abyss, there are shadows none.
Fear not, the dark, Artorias."

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This is Chapter 106.

I pulled out parts of dialogues from different characters to make that. Hope it comes out good.

Have some idea about my story? Comment it and let me know.