New story, and this one is focused on a Chosen Undead after NG+9352, and his struggle to escape the cycle of NG.

Chapter 1: Painted Ashes, Painted Snow

Deep underneath Firelink Shrine, were the ruins of a strange building, warped by decay and strange magics, and seared by the linking of the fire. The sky was a dark grey, the sun having no hold here, as the sun had died years earlier. The ruins were made of a dark brick, and ashes covered any surface that wasn't brick, and quite a lot that was.

A strange figure made his way through the ruins. His armour was heavy, and made of brass, in the style of Anor Londo's guards, and his body was completely hidden from vision. In his hands was an extremely large sword, glowing with fiery magic, beyond a simple fire charm, and a shield, with a grass pattern on it. Strapped to his back was an ornate catalyst, reminiscent of the ones used by Vinheim sorcerers, and a light-purple Talisman was attached to his belt.

There were but a few Black Knights guarding the way, who were swiftly dealt with by the stranger, until he finally arrived at his destination.

He came to a fog gate leading into a large circular area, and, after taking a sip from his Estus Flask, pushed his way through. As soon as he entered, another figure rushed towards him. It was Gwyn, once the Lord of Sunlight, now reduced merely to cinders. Despite his size advantage, Gwyn was little more of a threat to the figure than the Black Knights from earlier, as the figure, once again, simply parried the Lord, and riposted him into oblivion.

Eventually, the Lord crumbled, leaving behind only his soul, and ashes.

The Chosen Undead simply stared at where the Lord had fallen, before staggering towards the bonfire in the centre of the wide area. He had suffered no physical wounds on his journey from the Lordvessel, and yet the same could not be said for his mind. His knees collapsed, and his hands clutched his face, tears streaming down the grooves in his armour.

He knew his fate well, and it would be fulfilled. Time after time, cycle after cycle. Be it death by fire or death by dark, he would awaken within the Undead Asylum, and Oscar would drop a corpse into his cell, which held the key.

There was a decision, but there was no choice.

He outstretched his hand, and flames consumed him.

\[T]/

Oscar scrambled up the side of the wall, a swarm of hollows chasing after him, and as he reached the top, he grabbed a spear from his bag, and stabbed at a hollow that came too close, sending them falling far below. He was on top of the roof of the Undead Asylum, and he was letting any sane Undead out of their cells. As the last hollow fell to the depths, he looked around, and saw a hole in the roof he was standing on. Peering in, he saw an Undead, lying on the floor, propped against the wall, in heavy armour. Seeing it's lack of mad behaviour, he picked up a corpse, and tied a cell key around it's neck with a length of string, before pushing it into the cell, and nodding to the Undead when it looked up to see what caused the noise and movement, before he stood up and continued his journey.

\[T]/

Ryan pushed himself up, steadying himself on the wall. He staggered through the corridors, barely able to keep himself upright, with his mind filled with sadness and forced apathy. He climbed up the ladder that led to the first bonfire, and he stared into it, trying to distract himself from his own reality. After all, he was trapped in an endless cycle of death and rebirth, and eternal torture. So long as he was resurrected after death, the world was doomed to stay stuck within that span of time that his adventures occupied. He couldn't even remember the last time he felt anything at all. But eventually, he pushed himself away from the bonfire, and forced himself into the arena of the Asylum Demon. Just as expected, it jumped down from the roof, and began it's offensive.

He blocked it's first few strikes, and, when a gap appeared in it's movements, he ran past it, an idea forming in his mind. As he reached another bonfire, he ignored it, and continued his journey.

A hollow began shooting at him, and he raised his shield, blocking the arrows with ease. A single blow severed the hollow's head from it's body, and he continued onward. Ryan came to another fog gate, and pushed himself through. He immediately went down the rightmost stairs, and opened the door, before he ran up the stairs again, and rolled to the right as soon as the boulder came down. He ran up the stairs once more, and killed the hollow there, before he went back down the stairs, and entered the room Oscar was in.

Oscar was lying on a pile of bricks, obviously wounded.

"Oh, you're no Hollow, eh?" Said the luckless knight. "Thank goodness... I'm done for, I'm afraid... I'll die soon, then lose my sanity... I wish to ask something of you... You and I, we're both Undead... Hear me out, will you?"

Ryan stared at the knight, deep in thought after an idea occurred to him, and responded quietly. "So long as you'll listen to me afterwards, of course."

"Regrettably, I have failed in my mission… … But perhaps you can keep the torch lit… … There is an old saying in my family… … Thou who art Undead, art chosen… … In thine exodus from the Undead Asylum, maketh pilgrimage to the land of Ancient Lords… … When thou ringeth the Bell of Awakening, the fate of the Undead thou shalt know. … Well, now you know… And I can die with hope in my heart… … Oh, one more thing… Here, take this." With this comment, Oscar handed Ryan a rusting key, and started to speak again. "… I would hate to harm you after death… So, please, whatever you want to say... make it quick..."

Ryan reached into his bag, and pulled out a long, thin bottle, filled with what vaguely resembled liquid fire.

"This," He said, "Is a Divine Blessing. It can heal you, and cure whatever other ailments you have. Please, take it. I have almost a hundred of them, I can afford to spare one."

Oscar looked at the Blessing with a mix of awe and confusion. He picked it up, before raising it to his lips, and drinking it's contents. Ryan extended his hand, and Oscar took it, and Ryan pulled him up.

"Now," Ryan said, "Let me explain a few things..."

\[T]/

After a brief conversation where they revealed their names to each other, the two adventurers sat down at the bonfire in front of the Asylum Demon's arena, and Ryan explained the disaster afflicting the world..

"So... The world is stuck in a loop, with the world resetting itself once the fire is either linked or destroyed?" Inquired the Elite Knight, sitting at the bonfire.

"Yes," answered Ryan. "But I believe that if a group of people were to go through this adventure in the flesh, rather than as phantoms, they might have enough soul power to subvert the usual possible endings. After all, all the Lord Souls are needed for is to open the way to the Kiln of the First Flame, and so perhaps we could end the cycle with enough soul power, held within multiple people."

"So, a hunting party, of sorts? And you want me to join you?" Inquired Oscar, who was debating the pros and cons of helping him.

"Yes. Even if you don't want to sacrifice yourself, I would at least be grateful for company."

They sat there for a good half-minute, Oscar debating whether to help Ryan, and Ryan simply waiting for a response.

Eventually, Oscar made up his mind.

"I will accompany you through the land of ancient lords, Ryan, as my adventure through this land would likely be a death sentence anyway, one way or another. So I might as well help save the world while I'm at it."

Ryan smiled his first genuine smile in decades, and stood up.

"I'm glad you agreed. Now, how about we leave the Asylum?"

END OF CHAPTER 1

How was that? This is going to be a more serious story, although by no means grimdark or anything like that, and I have a good idea for how to change the ending. Here's a hint: The Asylum Demon will drop two humanity sprites this run.

Please favourite and review. Review especially. I need advice.