The Ashen Keeper

Chapter 142

[Keeper POV]

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"Stab!", she called out as she dug down the blade into the chest of the demon lord.

She aimed it right at his heart and of course, it wasn't a simple stab with no essence. She incorporated two main components. The first being the lightning of Gwyn and the other being the dark of men.

Two totally opposite elements that formed a wonderful combination. The dark of men would poison the essence of the demon lord himself bringing him to his inevitable, destined demise. The lighting was purely her bad taste.

It is quite obvious that the demon lord was not used to the human body and physique. Lighting can numb nerves but it can also bring unimaginable agony. To one not used to pain, it would feel even worse.

She still failed to understand the purpose of Chthon. He made no impact whatsoever in the fight. She was barely even injured. He was still careless as ever by trying to catch the blades she threw over. He might have been afraid of what she would if he had dodge but the outcome would have been different if he smacked it away instead.

Weak was all she could say. They appear incomparably strong and nigh unbeatable to ones weaker than them but when faced with an equal opponent who is focused on killing them, they appeared weak.

The reason the fight appeared easy was because she did not gave Chthon the opportunity to burst with full strength. He may be a reality manipulator but he was also a sorcerer. She cut down his runes in fear of what they could display.

Using his carelessness against him combined with the factors and the weakness of a sorcerer, she appeared to have easily killed him. But, it was in fact all premeditated. It was not unheard of to kill someone truly strong due to carelessness.

It was like when the Ashen One died due to falling off a cliff or due to a rolling stone. He slaughtered and absorbed the essence of the Lord of Cinder but still managed to die from something as simple as that.

She could recall her cursing the archers of Lordran. She recalled him also cursing the Archdragon peak, especially the rock lizards. The fact that he died more times due to mere knights and insects compared to Yhorm spoke about how even such beings could be brought down. He also really hated dogs for reasons he refused to elaborate before he got a shield.

So, now what does she do? She looked above in hope of guidance from the Grandmaster. She was utterly lost to the point she barely even remembers what she is doing. Save the timeline. Save the timeline. She kept chanting in her mind.

"Well done! Keeper! Well done indeed!", the Grandmaster approached her as he appeared to her right side. She did not even know if what she did was right. Killing her own disciple, that is. She felt as if her purpose is becoming increasingly unclear.

In the past, all she did was stay by the side of the Ashen One and assist him in his journey to slay the Lords of Cinder. She raised her blood-stained hands as she looked at them. Her hands has always been stain with blood but it is somehow different.

Has she grown more and more arrogant? She remember what she is. A fire keeper and nothing more. Her purpose is to simply make sure the flame never goes out. That was it. There was no need for her to do what she is currently doing.

She is still alive meaning that the first flame has yet to fade. Is that not enough? Why go further? A poor girl who had her eyes taken out now killing beings like Chthon? Who was she to judge what was right or wrong?

She sincerely wish for the presence of the Ashen One. Let him solve the problems. Let him heal the world while all she merely had to do was assist him in whatever he does, even if it meant killing herself.

Ah... living in Lordran was somehow 'easier' than living here. She did not had to think so much. Now, does she move onto the next opponent? Or does she simply give up saving the timeline? What does it even matter anymore? They won't even know or remember it anyway.

'Then, what did you kill the little girl for?', the words of Alduin sounded in her head. He was not there but if he were here, this is what he likely would have said. Indeed, she has come this far anyway. Why not continue doing it?

She put back the blade and the stick back together forming a scythe. With blood still trickling down from the edges, she put on her guard back up. She scanned all around the place. There was nothing unusual except for the two corpses and the Grandmaster.

"Who's next?", she asked glancing at the Grandmaster.

She liked living like this too. Simply kill what is in front of her and move onto the next. Kill, wait, kill, wait, kill, wait and keep on repeating the cycle. No need to think too much. Tell her. Somebody should tell her what she has to do next. She didn't want to think anymore.

"Well, this is it for the trials of death. There were a lot more but I was able to negotiate to face only two of the strongest opponents. It was rather easy for you, I would say, other than killing the girl that is.

According to my deal, you have won back the physical world.", the Grandmaster continued.

"The Physical World?", she asked with a bit of confusion. She thought she would be winning back the souls of the death.

"Yes, the physical world.", he repeated as if it was helpful.

"I believe thou to mention that I gathered every single soul and leave it to death.", she reminded him.

"Ah, by that, I do not meant it literally. By soul, I do not mean it literally. I meant the physical aspect of the world itself. It turned them into a soul to leave them in the hands of death.

Listen keeper, in the combined world, we have three paths to survival. Three pillars of creation. Let one path fall and the rest follows. My original world holds the physical aspect. What you see, touch, smell, hear, taste, all of these physical aspects are owned by the creator himself as he created them.

But then, there are the non-physical aspects. Dreams, nightmares, will, courage, hope, fear, happiness, madness, emotions and even imagination, things you cannot really see or hear. Things that you can only feel, these metaphysical things that exist outside of mortal perception are ruled over by the Great Ones of Yharnam. All emotions, madness is theirs to play as they pleased.

And then, there is you. The last of the three pillars of creation. You represents only one thing. That is the soul. You do not create or own them but you dabble with them. You repair them. You give comfort through the warmth of fire to them. The thing that makes each individual unique. You are the harbinger of life as without souls, even physical creations are merely bags of flesh.

These are the three pillars of creation. You have won back the physical aspect of my creator. Now, my job here is done. You will follow Lady Maria to win back the hopes, dreams and emotions of all beings. Now, go away. Your reward will come after you have won everything.

So, for now, you can move onto to the next phase. I am the guide of my world and Lady Maria shall be the guide of her world.", he gestured with his hands to a pool of mist that resembles a teleportation point.

Hearing and sensing no lies from the words of the Grandmaster, she did not even think. She felt nothing over the fact that she was a pillar of creation for she did not think about them. All she had to do now was move forward.

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This is chapter 142.

Sorry for the long delay as I am doing a volunteer job.

Tell me what you think about this.