Thalesin charged forward at the large beast, dodging past a skeleton as he did. They needed to end this now. He had his halberd in both hands ready for a powerful blow to deliver to the beast, hopefully enough to at least aid in dislodging the creature from the cliff and send it down the edge. The ooze smelled horrifying, and the smell only got worse the closer he got to it as his mind raced through on what might happen, either they would succeed or he would have to look forward waking up at the last bonfire he had seen which wouldn't be enjoyable for the last one had been miles away. He hoped they would succeed though for those that were not undead they didn't get to come back at a bonfire, they merely died so they had to succeed, failure was not an option.

Shirley managed to get her spell off and take down a skeleton, but almost immediately after she was hit by the giant's breath. She covered her nose and mouth with her sleeve. It obviously did no real damage besides making it hard to breath, "Goodness! Have you been eating Dung Pies?...No wait, Dung Pies smell better!"

The stench seemed to linger, and made it difficult to breath and concentrate on her spells. Shirley tried to stumble away from the....now diseased area to get some fresh air and breathe again. Otherwise, just that smell could make someone pass out from lack of oxygen. She idly wondered why the beast came after her. Was it attracted to red? Or was it the dark sign? Or was it just because she was closest? Or maybe it was amgry at her from her Emit Force. Maybe it was all four. It was hard to tell.

With the skeletons all but gone, Idan focused his attentions on the beast. It dripped its ooze over the ground and he briefly wished he had something to cover his nose and spare him from that awful scent. The woman on the cliff above seemed to be getting the worst of it though, as she stumbled back away from the beast while covering her nose. He briefly considered charging towards the beasts with the others, but he would be nigh useless and he'd more likely just be in the way. Instead, he loaded his crossbow again and studied the creature, looking for some sort of vulnerable area. He decided on the 'eyes' and took aim.

With the group charging in, or gaining distance from the beast, the surroundings grew silent, apart from the heavy breathing of the beast and the rumbling sounds, whenever the tail hit the ledge the beast was leaning on. As the bolt dashed through the air, hitting in the mass of skulls, Emilia reached the beast and dug the blade into the body. Besides hitting bones and skin alike, the blade dug through without a problem, drawing black, undead blood from the beast.

It screamed. The ooze seeped through the injury in the eye socket, making large drops of the horrid smelling liquid. The head brushed against the ground and moved to look for the attacker, spotting Idan just on the ledge below. The stinging further below the body was ignored. With a deep breath, the beast's body grew a little, as it dropped down, claws ready to pierce the rock. It clung to the ledge the main group was standing on, a claw very close to hit Emilia. With another roar, the beast sprayed the ooze from it's eyes.

"Watch for the ooze," Thalesin said rolling out from where he had been, moments before the ooze struck where he had been standing. This beast just would not die, at least not as easily as Thalesin had hoped. Thalesin charged once more, switch to his axe and aiming at one of its clawed feet that clung to the edge in hopes to hack through it and make it loose its grasp and fall back into the abyss that it came from. Though the stench was unbearable from the undead creature, especially the closer one got to it, he had to nearly hold his breath while he swung at the creature for at least suffocating seemed like a better option that having to breath in the stench.

The creature held the attacks the group threw at them. Emilia, being close to the beast and ready to strike, aimed for the claws that were right next to her. Together with Thalesin attacking the other, the beast was stunned, pained by the attack. Shaking with strength leaving the body, the beast gave another roar, before the claws released the ledge. Watching the beast fall, Emilie remained on the spot, sheathing her katana and nodding with approval.

"That should have taken things done, right?", she muttered, looking at the group. There were two new faces that she did not know of. Travelers like them, perhaps. She bowed at the strangers and smiled. "Emilia Tepez. It is nice meeting some strong willed faces that don't fight oneself."

"And you have trespassed our lands!", a voice barked at the group. Following the path further downward the ledge, an armored man stood there, facing the group with his hand on a bag that rested at his belt. It looked like a large duffle bag, but there appeared to be more than a few hilts sticking out of them. "What is such a group of travelers doing in the lands of heretics? Yet alone drag the undead with them?"

Emilia faced the man and bowed to him. "These men and women are my companions. I was sent by the Lords of Lordran to assist the matter at hand in these lands. I was ordered to establish the flames for the people living here." The man in front of them shrugged, his body slowly turning. "Then you have come to the wrong place. Our kingdom is forgotten by the Gods. You should not be here."

With a flourish, Nita bowed to the other traveler who introduced herself as Emilia Tepez. "I am Nita. And not to distract from such a warrior as yourself, but that beast was...unusual. Even for around here." She rose, finally, making sure to hold her claws in such a way she would still look threatening, but not antisocial. "My partner and I--" She was soon interrupted by a voice not belonging to anyone she could see of the group. He spoke of the land being forsaken by the gods, something she could never believe.

"Sir, as an interested third party, would you believe that the two of us," She waved her clawed arm in the general direction of Shirley, "were here to challenge that claim? The fires themselves be damned, I would like to bring another form of salvation for those undead who no longer cling to their sanity. We will accept any purpose you may have, as well, though at least I have no intention of leaving these lands. I will pay my tithe directly to whom these lands belong."

"Thank God... Fighting is one thing. Doing it while trying to survive that stench is another...." Shirley said, taking in a deep breath of fresh air. She worked her way down to the group to check them for injuries now that there was no immediate threat. "Nice to meet you...I'm Shirley. Shirley Meridia...." she said with a small nod, while trying to hide her face with the cowl of her hood.

Shirley sighed and shook her head, "Would that we could save them, but it seems they are too far gone to be saved, just as I and the other branded will be. All we can do is fight for our lives and try to find some way to help them." She frowned at the man's words, however. 'Forgeotten by the Gods...' she frowned further as she picked a thin, small piece of shredded skin off her cheek. Her beautiful, flawless skin... Were they really forgotten? It seemed possible. This land was hell now. But she couldn't believe that. No, she must keep her faith, her hope, strong. There must be some way to cure this.

"Yes indeed it was nice meeting fellow travels but we should make haste Emilia, unless we attract more attention for whatever else may still lie here," Thalesin said before hearing the voice of another person, an armored man who seemed to appear from no where ",Just because some of us are Undead does not mean we lack a will to live. We are not hollow, not yet. As long as our hope remains, we have a chance and that is worth fighting for against this curse. Damn the gods for all I care, as long as I do what I see is right, then that is enough of redemption for this undead knight." If there were gods, then Thalesin had no love for them, they let mankind face this curse on there own without aid. Why should he show compassion for them?
"Anyways we have a mission that needs completing and we are here to do just that," he added in a matter of fact tone, sheathing his axe. This mission could not fail, that he was certain, not for the sake of the flame but for his own sake, for his own sanity ",Now like I said Emilia, it is time we moved."

Idan watched as the creature fell to it's death and smiled. He slung his crossbow back over his back and made his way towards the group. "My name is Idan Gr-" he began, but a man appeared above them and spoke. Forgotten by the Gods? Thalesin was urging them to leave, but Idan wanted to hear this man out.

"And what is it you mean by that?" He asked, stepping forward. "Are there worse things ahead? My companions here are more than capable, and these newcomers here have proven themselves in my eye." He instinctively reached for the card that was stuck on his belt and held onto it.

The man turned to face the group. They all expressed doubt against his statement. His gaze, veiled by the armor, was focused on Nita. "You have no idea what you are up against. I saw the way you fought the Gryphon. Even with it's body cursed by the same blight that you carry with you." He stepped closer to the group. The clunking sound of his bag echoed from the cliff, as he dropped it on the ground. "The lands belong to none other than the King of Valkyries. To address him is to address the land itself. And the land has proven you unworthy, stranger." He walked closer to the walls of the cliff. With a steady gaze against Nita, he kicked against the crumbling cliff, opening another small cave in. Glinting with faint embers, there was a bonfire.



It was obvious that Emilia was not trusting the man at all. Her eyes were narrowed and she kept one hand close to her katana, ready to draw the blade any second. "It is best you rest here and go back to the forsaken place you were born. Not even the Valkyries can prevent the insanity residing in this place. The Gryphons are dying. The desert is rising beyond it's borders. The Dark is swallowing the world. We don't need the help of a Firekeeper, or her keepsake. We need someone to properly bury the dead once this is all over."

The fact that there was a bonfire disturbed Emilia, for each bonfire was the soul of a Firekeeper. She moved towards the man and barked at him "Where is the Bleeding Throne?" Once more, all the man did was turn his gaze at the woman. He shook his head. "I told you that you are not welcome."
"Then stop us."
A hint of a chuckle escaped the helmet of the warrior in front of them. Picking up his bag, the man ignored Emilia's words and walked down the path of the cliff. It was still a long path downward. Nothing but sand and trees can be seen below. The ground was still too far away to see any details.

Nita kept her stare on the man as he spoke. She patiently waited until he had said everything before speaking herself. All the while, she was thinking of different words, different ways to say things so that she wouldn't cause this man to turn on them. She didn't want to fight anything that could think clearly, if he truly still could. Though his apparent strength made her think of him as an equal, it could still be a challenge as well. "You haven't stated your purpose. Are you here to deliver redemption to these other undead?" She wasn't sure he could even hear her, and she had no intention of raising her voice.

Turning to Emilia, Nita motioned to the man. "You are the leader of this little group? Then I shall defer to you. Would you have us follow him? Or will we stay and tend to the flames? I would like to pay my respects to the land...and for the cursed who again met their end." She knelt on the ground and quickly mumbled some words quietly, and withdrew her daleflower. Holding it between her hands, she continued her prayer. She didn't remain in prayer long, as she knew there were more pressing matters at hand.

Nita's words were hitting a solid wall. The man kept walking, but his voice turned to her. "All of us Knights have sworn to protect these lands, the King and the throne. I was merely seeing yourself out of these lands. As for the Undead, we have driven them out or killed them. There are no more Darksigns after this cliffside. You would be the first and hopefully last to ever take a step on this soil."

Emilia watched the man gaining more distance from the group. "If the title has to be given, then I shall be the leader, but my companions have not been called by the Lords, merely following their heart." She walked over to the bonfire and touched the pole that stuck out of it. The glinting embers sparked up and heat rose from the ashes. "Gain your strength, my friends. We continue our journey."

Her eyes wandered towards the strangers. Faith was a strong weapon, without a doubt. The prayer was more out of respect, though. It felt... like a pardon. Feeling touched, Emilia's gaze wandered over to the fellow wanderer. She was quite a beauty, even with the curse of the Darksign gnawing at her very being. It pained the Firekeeper to see her wilt down through the spiral of insanity. "If there are no other objections, we shall venture forth."

Shirley watched Emilia light the bonfire and then touch it. She did the same, hesitantly, expecting to be burnt. However, it actually just seemed to be a soothing warmth flowing over her. It reminded her of something akin to a healing spell, but...different. More....primal? Perhaps it was because her miracles came from God and this bonfire was just some sort of fire that they felt different.

She nodded to Emilia, "I'm more of a follower then a leader. So that honors all yours as far as I'm concerned." she smiled at her. "Lead on, Brave Leader..." she looked in the direction the man in armor had gone. "Do you think we'll see him again? Or have to fight him?" she asked. He kind of scared her. He seemed like he kept a lot of secrets. Well, everyone has a few of those, she supposed, including herself. But he seemed to have far more than he let on.

"Who knows but if we must fight him so be it, we've come this far, no point in turning back," Thalesin said looking at the bonfire ",at least we have reached this small sanctuary, at least a sanctuary for us cursed with the Dark Sign." He rose a hand towards the flames, feeling its warmth, its comfort. He had no idea how long he had, how many times he could still die and come back before the insanity came and he went hollowed, but a bonfire was always a good sign to him, a place of comfort at least knowing he would return here and feel its warmth again before entering the cold world away from it.
"It's better not to dwell on things that we can't control. If we see him again, we will and if we don't, we don't. It doesn't matter right now, once more only the task at hand matters."

"We will see him again. I feel it in my bones", Emilia responded to Shirley. This man was a protector, a guardian. He would probably show up sooner or later when another troublesome event was happening. Perhaps they would meet him in battle against a beast such as the Gryphon... Slowly following the path further downward the cliffside, Emilia soon would feel more comfortable to walk on soil, without the danger of falling lingering at each muscle. The path was wide, but the ground was still further away than the body could handle when stumbling down.

Though it felt safer to have more company, the Firekeeper was unsure what to expect from the two newcomers. Her gaze wandered to Nita, who appeared to be the one that guided the priestess. "What brings you to these lands, Nita? Is it truly the act of redemption that you seek here?" These words clung to her mind, even after she spoke them. Of course not many have delved into the land of the infamous Valkyries. Only legends and rumors have spoken of the men and women that could fly into battle with wings that they had grown themselves. Perhaps these travelers were seeking the secret of this power.

They were all moving again, something Nita preferred. It wasn't like her to stay in one spot for as long as she had, but then again, she wasn't used to having anyone sane around to talk to. She kept her claws on her arms as she walked. It was safer, even if it meant her hands would be uncomfortable. And before too long in the walk, the leader of the group they had joined asked her a question. "I...it's a part of it. I don't seek redemption for myself, however. I just...don't want to see others suffer through this. I like to think maybe I can end their unlives for good. Eventually. It's nice to have company, though."

She wasn't sure what she'd said made sense to anyone else, nor was she particularly sure she really believed it anymore. It was what she'd wanted before she had died the first time. That's why she had started all this traveling in the first place. She wasn't sure what she believed, though. She believed in the gods, there was enough proof that they had existed. She wasn't sure whether they still did. She believed in her purpose...at least a little. The only thing she honestly believed now was that she didn't like being dead.

Shirley frowned at them as they walked the path, "I pray we don't...he looks very dangerous...but I suppose you're right. No sense in worrying about him right now." she sighed.

She nodded and smiled at Nita, "Plus, you aren't the type to just lay down and give up anyway. I think if there were rumors of a cure you would search for it until you couldn't search any more..."

"There is a cure for everything", Emilia muttered, as she listened carefully to the two strangers. It appeared as if they were really an adventurous pair. They did not have the same air to them. Like a murderer has the blood of innocents on his hands, every person has it's inner self painted across their body. What the firekeeper saw in them was light and hope. Something she rarely saw in men and women from the lands she had traveled. Before she could say anything, she took a step in soft sands. Desert. Vast oceans of sand.



"The Foul Springs..." The swordswoman could not believe her eyes. The cliff they had climbed down led them to a vast expanse of sand. Occasionally, the landscape was stirred by rock formations that spiked out of the ground. The wind that blew across the area was grinding sand in each crevice. The sun's light was naught but a faint glitter in the fog of sands that seemed to cover the sky.

"We might need more than strength to venture forth." Emilia looked at her companions. The cover of her helmet dropped down and hid her face behind a bulk of iron and leather. It did stop the wind from blowing sand into her face, but she was spared the scratching pain of the grains digging into her flesh.

"So no our true trials shall begin as we cross this hellish ocean of sand and heat," Thalesin said moving away from the bonfire. The blowing sand produced a constant annoying clinking sound against armor that he was in but he ignored it.
"What matter of beasts and twisted souls this place holds we soon shall see I assume, no journey is ever so easy to not expect enemies lurking in wait for those that traverse there lands. The question remains though which direction do we set out toward, if this is an ocean of sand then it will be easy to get lost and never find our way out of its grasp."