The Ashen One looked about in confusion, the dark pits of their silver mask darting about the dilapidated shrine in search of their familiar confidant. Though they had difficulty keeping grasp of their sense of time, merely traversing the hollow crags of the world made a convoluted mess of even a few hours walk, little seemed to change in their self-made base of operations. Occasionally a fellow Undead would appear in the midst of their journey, or a new merchant would return from one end of the earth or another-but there were always certain fixtures that never seemed to vary, no matter how long The Ashen One were absent.

The distant clanging of the old Astorean, Andre-smithing away at some manner of arms; the faded red cloak of an old fire maiden, slumbering nearby; even Patches could be seen, idling away in the rafters of Firelink. Because of these unchanging features, The Ashen One was understandably perplexed by the absence of one person in particular from the menagerie of those present. Abandoning the interior of Firelink, the Undead circled around the the leftmost side of the large building, wondering if perhaps the Maiden in Black had paid visit to her aspiring peer-Irina having vacated her place amongst the rest of those occupying the main structure in favour of a smaller tomb of deceased Firekeepers.

The Ashen One pondered if the former cleric even knew the particulars of where they had taken up residence, but blind as they were it seemed unlikely. Still, something had been... off, the last they spoke. Entering the small room at the bottom of the tower, only the dingy sight of Irina's stained robes greeted them; The Maiden was absent still, but so long as they retained access to soul reinforcement, searching for their wayward Keeper could be postponed for a later date.

Meanwhile, on the center of a rooftop not far from the Ashen One, a certain crow reclined amid a nest of straw and downing-enjoying her time basking in the remaining beams of sunlight that decorated the mountain range, just barely strong enough to overpower the ever present chill that permeated the air. Most of the shrine's occupants tended to forget of her presence, truth be told, if they were not ignorant of her existence altogether. Only the funny Undead person made the effort to speak to her these days-opting to climb a nearby tree to reach her nest, instead of simply unlocking the more convenient tower and incorporated staircase...

It didn't bother her any, seeing their armoured form toppling over the small branches during the several attempts it often took for them to arrive was quite amusing-and they always showed up with some interesting trinket! Though, if the Ashen One had been aware of the outcome of their trades, it's likely they would have reconsidered their actions slightly.

Pickle-Pee belched again, the hiccuping noise echoing slightly in the rafters of Firelink; The Ashen One had recently unloaded a measure of some strange alcohol unto her, having no taste for the Brau they had traded it for a rather nostalgic suit of armour. The set had little value to her, other than as an heirloom-but the Siegbrau was splendid! Oh, how she longed for a nice cut of grilled meat and a hearty selection of vegetables... The squirming in her middle told her those thoughts might be a tad selfish, given the luxury of the booze she were imbibing-but it was difficult not to long for the tastes of ages past.

Even still, it weren't as though this dying age were without anything to eat at all-even if those in it had little need. Down below her nest, in the main of the shrine she had found quite a delectable treat! A maiden wrapped in a yucky black cloth that she quickly peeled from her voluptuous form before making quick work of her. Was it not the best of ideas? Probably not, but scarfing her down had been well worth it-she paired nicely with the ale, and was a far better meal than the scraps she normally managed.

Rubbing over the still form of the taller woman, Pickle-Pee sighed; the crow's rose tinted cheeks puffing slightly before loosing another gaseous outcry. While she smacked her lips at the sour taste, the Ashen One shrugged-having spent their souls, they made for the Lord Vessel at the heart of the shrine. If the Fire Keeper could not be found, there was little point in sticking around for the given moment. Not to mention, Gwyndolin was rather impatient these days-even more so after they had just barely saved the sullen goddess from imminent devourment. Even so, the Darkmoon had little patience for The Undead's antics... you'd think after untold millennia the brooding serpent would have a bit more love for his Chosen Undead...


Backlogged commission from  Scyn! Love the Souls Crows, Pickle-Pee especially; thought it would be fun to have her drunk on Siegbrau and having gobbled up the Bonfire Maiden-much to the Ashen One's confusion. Oh, well! Luckily they completed the good ending to Irina's questline.

Please login to post a comment.