After receiving enough rest at the bonfire to continue my journey, I calmly walked down the side of the wall, observing hollows awaiting a gate to open. They have received their request, only to be mauled by several skeletal hounds from the gate. I quickly rushed in to save some of the hollows and even though I managed to defended a few, they seemed to care even less. I should have let them be eaten by the dogs. Before heading to the gate, I scouted ahead to the destroyed bridge and discovered a army of corpses with boulders on their backs, save for one, begging to join their ranks.

???(crying in despair)Please, grant me death, undo my shackles...

Alex(confused):Wait, why do you want death?

???(turns to me):Ohh...Ohh, then it's true...A Champion of Ash, as I live and breathe. To be in your presence is a great honor. I am Yoel of Londor, a pilgrim as you can see, only...Somehow, I've failed to die as was ordained. Well, my calling lies elsewhere. Say, Champion of Ash, how does the idea of taking me into your service strike you? I was once a sorcerer. Surely I can be of use.

Alex: Of...Of course, I accept your services, Yoel of Londor. Best just to call me Alex from now on.

Yoel of Londor:Ohh. I am honored, truly. I should be dead, yet you have granted me purpose anew. I, Yoel of Londor, do solemnly swear myself to you.

As he finished talking, he disappeared into smoke, catching me off guard for a moment. Perhaps it was his method of teleportation. After returning to the gate and unlocking the gate, I proceeded to see a settlement of a sort. Perhaps it was just regular village, filled with farmers, workers, and merchants. Now? Another cursed place full of mindless hollows and beasts. During my time overpowering some minor enemies, I've discovered a large tree surrounded by fiery corpses while worshipped by the hollows alongside what appears to be a evangelist. I quietly snuck behind one of the worshipping hollows and quickly pieced it's head, killing it almost instantly. I repeated the process to every hollow until only the evangelist remains. She may the only "sane" hollow due to her praying  with actual words to the tree unlike the others. 

She may be smarter as well due to her sensing me as I stepped towards her back, attempting to stab her like the rest but like a bolt of lighting, she swung her book unto the top of my head, making me dazed long enough for her to grab me and light herself on fire, burning me in the process like a live pig on a campfire while she chanted "I'll cleanse the bastard's curse."  I barely survived the "cleansing" and as she dropped me to the floor, I sprung up and stabbed her in the chest, aiming upward to her heart. She died shortly after I got up on my feet and observed the nearby farm. Perhaps there is a path ahead and so I continued there, encountering only minor resistance in forms of farmers and hollow slaves. As I opened the door that leads to a small bridge, There's too much enemies for me to face on my own. Luckily, I spotted a ledge below the bridge that continues down to a empty house. I quickly ran to the ledge, avoiding the bombs thrown by some of the hollows ahead. I successfully jumped to the ledge and made it to the house to discovered a bonfire inside. I didn't question it as I rested near the bonfire, feeling the warm embrace of safety again.

After receiving enough rest and got up on my feet, I've noticed two of the same glowing signs, making me excited to see Toria again. However, my excitement for her quickly faded as the sign does not show the same beautiful, longed hair woman but a fully black armored warrior, wielding a large, charcoal sword that is barely containing flame of chaos on the right hand and on his left hand carries the contrary, a thin yet sharp sword that encourages aiming for exposed flesh under mountains of armor. Alongside him was a young woman with black hair in bun, wearing leather armor in all save for her left arm which is protected by a metal shoulder cover and a gauntlet while wielding 2 katana, one more shorter than the other. I might require their assistance and so I touched the signs. Like Toria's sign, they disappeared for a while as I started to explore outside of the house. Out in the distance, I saw more hollows following another evangelist. Perhaps they have a method of controlling the hollows, shame I'll never find it. What caught me off guard was not the enemy but the low humming back from the house, attracting me to return. The hum repeated itself as I saw the knight rises up from the sign before the woman. Before seeing me, she smiled at the knight and hugged him like a long awaiting wife seeing her veteran husband from a bloody war.

???(cheerful): Oh right, sorry about earlier hehehehehehe. My names Kyra, Kyra the black cat and the handsome man under all that armor is...

??? 2:Udoroth. Udoroth the black. What is your name, warrior?

Alex:My name is Alex...the wanderer. I am the one who summoned you here. I hope you do not find me too wanting .

Kyra:Oh don't worry about that, its the reason we put down those signs. We just hoped we'll be summoned by the same guy (holds Udoroth's left arm). Anyway, we know the way to a creature you might want to kill. Want to go there?

Alex:So if we advance to the creature you suggested and slay it, I will receive a item of value?

Udoroth:I would characterize this creature so we could prepare for a strategy but Kyra requested to observe your...reaction towards the beast. 

Kyra:Yup! You'll be surprised when we get to the giant...creature. Are you two boys ready?

Alex:Yes. Let us begin our journey.

After the conversation, we proceeded to where the evangelist was and right when we going to attack, Kyra rushed to the evangelist, jumped on top on her, and stabbed her eyes through the visor with her katanas, killing her rather easily. Meanwhile, Udoroth swung his great sword horizontally, killing several hollows in one attack. As he finished swinging his sword, a hollow manservant attempted to attack Udoroth with a saw and so he thrust his rapier into him. After staggering him, I charged in and attacked the hollow manservant from the side, piecing the heart. I didn't want the feeling of being useless so I assisted him in killing the hollows while Kyra takes care of the skeletal dogs. We noticed a pathway that leads to the sewers. The smell of aging feces, decaying food, and rotting corpses filled our nostrils as our feet touched the heavily polluted waters. Kyra walked to the nearest wall, painfully holding her stomach which led to her vomiting which I would have done as well have I eaten since my return.

Udoroth:It's best to ready yourself, love. Some rodents have made their home here(prepares his rapier and sheaths his great sword)  

Kyra(wiping her mouth):Right, dearie.(unsheathes her katana) 

I prepared my blade as well to face the rodents. Normally I would let the rats pass by but seeing their size is as large as us, see us as discarded meals, and the countless wounds on their eyes and bodies, perhaps its best to eradicate some rats. They were just mindless animals so it was done without much effort. After finding another route out of the sewers, I see...arrows? I can see them up ahead and yet I shouldn't...Perhaps they're...from a giant?

Alex:Hey guys, once we get near those arrows up ahead, we need to look at the skies at least once in while, ok?

Kyra(cheerful):Ok!!

Udoroth:Right.

Before entering the field of great arrows, a group of hollows was about to charge towards us before being destroyed not only by the great arrow but the shockwave it brought upon them. It has confirmed my suspicion of there being a giant firing great arrows from afar and so as we enter field, All of us sprinted to the cabin at the end while avoiding the great arrows and the hollows too shortsighted to avoid the giant's sights. We finally were able to reach inside the cabin, breathing heavily as if we ran endlessly for a month.

Kyra(exhausted):Let's...(gasping for air) DO IT AGAIN!

Alex and Udoroth(breathing heavily):NO!

Kyra:Hehehehehehe. Just jesting, ok?

After resting in the cabin for a while, I've noticed the interaction between Kyra and Udoroth are like a married couple, Kyra talking to Udoroth while flirting with him like a mistress with a well dress soldier. Udoroth even removed his helm, revealing a long haired kept in a ponytail, lighthearted faced man with a noticeable scar on the left side of his neck, probably hinting a attempted deathblow on him. His expressions caught me off guard when he talks in a stern voice yet shows happiness towards Kyra. I wonder if there are still people worth protecting...

Kyra:Oh sorry, Alex. We haven't talked to you about your life. Do you have a purpose in this land?  

Alex:You are forgiven. After failing to link the fire in my past life, the bell rung to summon me to bring back the lords of cinder. Speaking of my past life, I only remember glimpses of it. All I currently know is that I had a wife and two daughters. Perhaps even a...nevertheless, what reason brought you both here? 

Udoroth: We came to this land to kill a being that Kyra has some history with. She...

Kyra(interrupts Udoroth): I was a child when that damned priest had me and other children as his meals.(trembling with memories of her friends) One after another, my friends...my friends were...

Udoroth:Devoured by the being named Aldrich. She wanted to return for revenge and to avenge the victims he brought destruction upon.(comforts Kyra)

Alex:I see. (looks at Kyra) Perhaps we should discuss another matter if it bothers you, Kyra.

Kyra: It's fine. It would have been worse if the person I now admire didn't came and saved us from that cannibal. I don't remember her name but she looked liked a angel in disguise, wearing a blue vest, covering her white shirt and wielding a sword from a far away land. Her beautiful appearance was my inspiration for my current garb and her drive to save us well...I am here, aren't I?  (Stands up) Well... I'm all rested up! If you want to rest for a while longer, I'll just scout ahead, boys.(Leaves the house via a large hole on the side)

Alex: Do not stray too far from us, then(I turned my attention to Udoroth) Something is telling me  that you were not part of the escaped children.

Udoroth: Well, that is true. I found her unconscious near the end of the river my family usually goes to. Since then, my family raised her until she was old enough to survive on her own. After discovering that Aldrich remains alive, I decided to help her on her quest.

Alex: That is honorable of you and it seems she might reward you once you vanquish Aldrich.(Stands up) Now, let us reach Kyra.

After leaving the house via Kyra's route, we managed to catch up to her, waiting for the both of us at a entrance to a large arena. She looked at us with a mischievous smile, reminding me of what Udoroth said about seeing my reaction towards the creature.  I only see hollows worshipping a giant tree, not a giant beast to slay, not a demon to destroy, but some hollows and a tree? After killing the hollows, I started my search for the creature the duo mentioned and as I continued my search, I see Kyra laughing like a easily entertained child while Udoroth chuckles slightly inside the armor. In frustration, I walked towards the tree in hoping that's the creature and...I see the tree turn around to face me, spreading arms and legs while revealing white "sacs". I would be surprised by it's appearance were it not for me becoming somewhat annoyed by the duo laughing hard  enough to hurt themselves. They then entered the arena to assist me , with Kyra chuckling quietly. 

I quickly sidestepped to the side and attacked the tree, only for the sword to chip some of the vines off the tree. After observing Udoroth charging towards the sacs and Kyra circling around, It made me realized that despite being abundant, the sacs attached to tree creature are its weaknesses. While Udoroth and I attacked the sacs, Kyra seems to be searching for more of them elsewhere on the tree, founding one on it's "hand". After Kyra destroyed the sac, it devastated the tree like a elderly person having a heart attack. During that, We destroyed the sacs as well that injured the creature enough to force it on it's back. We later focus on finding more and after destroying a few of them, the tree rose up and smashed the floor, making it collapse under us. All of us fell to some sort of a pit, being saved by the dozens of corpses that soften our landing. I saw Kyra gagging but quickly recovered and charged at the creature while it gathered up what's left of it's sacs and placed them on it's stomach, erecting a large, pale white arm from it. During the time Kyra's attacks it, Udoroth seems to be preparing his great sword in a hanging left position, making the fiery aura glow within the stone coated sword.

Kyra(screams): You're ready, darling!? 

Udoroth(struggling to control his sword): Y-Yes!

Kyra: Alex, I need your help in distracting the creature while darling aims to it's belly. Got it?

Alex: Got it!

After guiding the tree to face Udoroth, the black knight swung his sword, unleashing a trail of  hell like fire that spread across the now open sacs, consuming the tree in a blaze of flames and ashes, finally killing it. I would celebrate our victory were it not for Udoroth collapsing on his knees, probably exhausted from using that sword's ability. Kyra noticed it as well and ran to check on him.

Kyra: Are you okay, darling?!

Udoroth: It's fine.(sees hand vanishing then turns to Alex) It seems we're leaving now, friend. I am glad to assist you on this journey.

Kyra: Yup, it was fun seeing your reaction towards the creature(giggling) but I'm also happy to help you, friend. Bye!(waves while banishing with Udoroth)

As I said my goodbyes to them, I looked for a way to leave the pit and after looking at the leftover vines, I realized that climbing might take a while... After reaching to the top, I saw the gate up ahead and so I opened it to see the same path to the sewers, which I wouldn't mind were it not for the hollows and a manservant. As I began my battle with them, I felt my spine shivering as if a monster is trying to rip it off my back. Nevertheless, I destroyed the hollows blocking the new path I decided to take and so I continue on to the tower, awaiting another aven....

???: Found you...

Hearing that, I quickly raise my shield to who was behind me, facing a black knight with silver markings, wearing a red cape and attempting to stab me with the coiled sword, exactly like the one I put at the shrine. His sword and my shield clashed and as we struggle, I pulled my sword out and attacked him from the side only for him to block it with the sword, giving me a opportunity to knock him back. It worked as he got stunned while I backed away, preparing myself for this unknown warrior

???(recovering): Even when we were buried, your senses are still sharp...

Alex: What is your name and what is your intent on killing me?

???: You don't remember me?(mumbling to himself)It's probably best you just know only my name, Bellator. As for my intention?(prepares his sword) It's best you don't know. 

As I prepared my shield for his attacks, Bellator slammed his sword on the ground, emitting the same fire Udoroth used earlier but this time, heading for me but I dodged it in time to thrust my sword only for him to deflect it with his now fire covered sword as he kicked my shield away to punch me with his open hand. As we continue our battle, I thought of what he said to me. It is evident that he recognizes me but why does he want to kill me? Have I done a wrongdoing to him or is he against the first flame's linking? I ignored it for now as we fought to a standstill, both unable to move our blades any longer.

Bellator(talks while gasping for air) : You...seem to...still be able...to hold well against me. Shame...I have to kill...you...right(eyes open wide). It seems that I need to delay this hunt a while longer(pulls out a black crystal and vanishes)We will meet again, chamaco...

Despite wanting to kill me at first, he didn't seem to be angered to leave his task unfinished. Perhaps he was ill prepared to face me or...From now on, I need to be more prepared for not just mindless hollows and bloodthirsty beasts but also that of other "sane" warriors. I do hope I'll see more allies than enemies....   

Hey!!!AM here and I'm truly sorry this took so long to make this chapter since I had family problems. Hopefully I'll make it up in future!! AM out!!