Soul of a Soldier (R6xDS3 Abyss Watcher)

V: The Check-Up

*Abyss Watcher perspective*

A loud and repetitive beeping noise filled the room. I sat bolt upright, and I slapped my hand down onto the source of that obnoxious sound. I heard footsteps and the creak of hinges as someone entered my dorm. Then, Tachanka's head popped around the corner. He paused, looking at my pale face and silver hair, before speaking. "Wake up comrade, or you might miss food. Your alarm has been going for seve-"

I flew out of bed, sheathing my knife and tucking away my Estus flask in one fluid motion. I attached my armor to my left arm and shoulder, and threw on my cloak and grabbed my sword. I pulled on my boots, grabbed my hat, and raced from the Spetznas dorm with uncanny speed and silence. I ran to the cafeteria, donning my hat as I dashed down the hall. I made it to the cafeteria, and slowed from running to walking. I went to the line for food, and got these things called "pancakes". They looked like discs of something, and there were sausage links on the side. I walked to the table I ate supper at, and sat down. This time, not wanting to have a repeat of when that Emma person told me about my upcoming physical with the doctor, I rested my greatsword against the side of the table.

After contentedly munching on sausage links, I moved to these pancakes. I carefully cut a piece, and took a bite. Flavor flooded my mind as I chewed this heavenly food. It's not Estus by any means, but it does come close. I was temporarily interrupted when a woman wearing a blue sleeveless shirt and tight fitting black pants paused in front of me. She looked me over and grunted, turning back to her travel across the room while mumbling something about the lower class. I shrugged my shoulders, returning to the feast that was pancakes. Finishing one of the two discs, I was interrupted once more by two people who sat down opposite me. One male and one female, almost exact opposites of one another. 

The guy was short and thin, with sand-colored hair and dark glasses. The woman was of an average height but was powerfully built, had brown hair, and gray eyes. He seemed to be full of energy whereas she was more reserved and not as energetic. Judging by their outfits and the emblems on their shoulders, they belonged to the same CTU. She just sat there, contentedly sipping something from a white mug clasped in her hands. Her counterpart, on the other hand, immediately introduced himself. "Oi. Names Max Goose, but I go by the callsign Mozzie. This here's Tori, with the callsign of Gridlock. She's the calmer of us two but where's the fun in that. What say you and I get to know one another over a couple bottles of VB later today, eh? Good fun and a chance to meet your allies?"

Shaking his hand, I finally got to introduce myself. "The name is Corvus, of Farron's Undead Legion. I think it would be wise to get to know one another a bit more, tell me a time and place." His response is to shrug and continue prattling on. "You're bunkin' with the Russkies, yeh?" I nod, mouth full of pancakes. "What if I show up and we have a small party. You get to learn about your dorm-mates and your allies, and we get to learn about the guy who fell from the sky. Also, Doc Gustave told me to tell you that he's waiting in his office for your physical. His office is in the medbay, which should've been shown to you during your tour of base. I'm gonna leave it to ya, you seem to like food. Almost like ya haven't had any for years." Upon hearing this last sentence, I chuckled and responded, "Max, you have no idea."

Having finished his speech, Max/Mozzie and Tori/Gridlock got up and left. I finished my food, put away my tray, and went to go see Team Rainbow's Doctor Gustave about this physical.

*timeskip brought to you by Mozzie teaching the Abyss Watcher to ride a dirtbike*

After making my way to the medbay, I was met by walls and floors that were painted pure white. The place reeked of cleanliness. A guy in a long white coat turned around, and I recognized the man from when I first arrived here. The man with the blue gloves who called me "mon amie".As the doors closed behind me, he spoke up. "Ah, you have made it, mon amie. Take a seat, and we shall begin. Now, Emmanuelle told me that you have this Darksign?" I nodded and began a fairly simple explanation, "Yes. The Darksign marks someone as an accursed undead. And no, it's not a blessing. It's a curse. I can't die, unless I finally go Hollow. Even then, my physical body won't die until it is damaged enough." Doc looks up from his notepad with a confused expression, "So you cannot be killed?" I shook my head, "Oh, I can be killed. Have been hundreds of times already. I'll always return, as long as there's a Bonfire nearby. I guess Bonfires are part of this world, now that I'm here. Only one way to find out, but that'll come later. If they really are here, then that's both good and bad. I'll keep living, but I can't be rid of this curse. At least I've got Estus..."

Doc once again looks up from his notepad, "...Es-dis?" I pulled out my Estus flask and set it on the table between us, "Estus. Embers from a Bonfire, in a liquid form. Estus has wonderful healing properties, and it is highly coveted by all accursed undead. If there are Bonfires here, I'll be fine. If there aren't, I'll have to make some." Doc nods, making some notes on the pad in front of him, before he asks something I was half expecting. "May I see this Darksign of yours? And how does being killed feel?"

"Being killed is most definitely not fun. The only thing you feel is pain, all you see is white, and your senses can only detect the nothingness of death. If you are an accursed undead, like me, you'll return to the land of the living. Your eyes will snap open and you feel fine. Then, you get to do it all over again." As I explain how getting killed feels, I remove my armor, hat, and shirt. Doc's eyes grow wide, seeing the ring of smoldering iron centered in my chest. Not to mention the network of scars across my chest and shoulders, each a memory of a failed battle. "That's the Darksign, and those are the reminders of my deaths. Each death, a lesson. That one right there, the size of a coin between my ribs? A rapier that pierced clean through me. The lesson I learned: some people can move really fast, you must react faster."

As Doc finishes his fervent scribbling, I pull my shirt and hat back on, and strap my armor back on my arm. Judging by how fast Doc's writing, I'm an interesting person. "I'm going to assume that we're done here," I said turning to leave, and Doc assented. He called to me as I was leaving to go to my dorm and meditate, "Mon amie, you'll have your initiation trials today. I suggest heading to the gym." I nodded before turning to ask, "What do these trials entail?"

"The trials consist of a 100 meter dash, a test of strength, and a section of hand-to-hand combat. Seeing as you always have that knife, you'll probably do armed hand-to-hand. I'll be watching, acting as the medical professional on site for if you or the others get injured," Doc explained. "If I get injured, you might be able to see the Estus at work," I said as I walked towards the gym.