I AM BACK. AND I AM SORRY. Really, almost six moths since the last update, I feel ashamed. There were reasons, of course. Life turned very complex very fast and I haven't had time to really write. But things now are better and hopefully they will remain like that. I will do my best to not disappear for such much time again.

And for that, I have decided to use my profile to give updates about the progress of the next chapter. They won't be completely exact, but they will give you an idea of how I am going and that if I am still alive or not XD

I don't know if people will find it useful, but I think it can help.

Well, that enough for apologizes. About the chapter, I think it's a little rushed in some parts, but I wanted to update as soon as possible. And no action, but we are getting ready to it! Ah, and one detail about descriptions I think I didn't talk about. Clothes and armor are a little more... conservative that the original ones, because, well this is a functional world and not an excuse to a hentai. However, if you look for images of the characters (be careful of not doing it in public), they are similar, but more realistic. Probably more 'anime' realistic than 'real' realistic, but I think you understand me XD

Now, to the reviews. I will do it like the last chapter, so let's begin:

Touhoufanatic – Well, Maia wants him to help, so the possibility of working under Vault it's very real.

Rotrox – I love that description XD

Unpro – We will see. For now, it's something that Knight doesn't really know how it works.

Writer with no skill – We all know the real reason for the adventure it's to find better equipment. All that thing about linking the first flame it's an excuse.

Phantom Dark-Knight – The First Flame has affected him, and we will see its effects, but they are probably what you expect (villain laugh sounding at the background).

smithisaac25 – I don't know what the heck are you talking about, but I LIKE HOW IT SOUNDS!

Ylnadiir – Thank you a lot! I am trying to be prouder of my story… it's a work in progress XD But yes, I will keep going as long as you people enjoy it!

EiNyx – He will recover with time, but I am afraid it will take time. So if the pace it's not your cup of tea, don't worry, I completely understand. I have the same problems with some fics I read and dropped. Just hoping you enjoyed what you read!

Snakemain – I have many plans for that moment! I just hope it will be up to everyone's expectations (yours and mine). And thank you a lot!

Guest (11-5-19) – A knight must keep his oaths, no matter what!

drake202 – As I read you review, I imagined it with western music and I loved it XD

Halo – Damn, a little concept but very beautiful… what!? I am not crying! You are crying! Aaaaahhhh!

Godofsushi – Exactly. Not all will be happy and fluffy, but he will fight for these moments.

Nameless Archer – What happens in the Painted World of Ariamis, stay in Painted World of Ariamis XD And I think it's not spoiler (?). The armor is the Black Armor set he found in the kiln. He decided to use for many reason… and for its fire resistance. Our boy had to be practical. And the fight with Artorias affected him, that I can assure you. And about not saving anyone… we will see more of that. Thank you a lot!

Stuporman – I know, right? I was the same when I read the Night Unfurls. Then this idea popped in my head and I had to write it. And yes, I love some of Bloodborne and Dark souls fics, and a completely closed character it's completely coherent after the story of their games, but I wanted to do something different. I am not the first of course, but I like it nonetheless.

Sociopathic-Antichrist – Amen, brother.

agilarex.8 – Thank you a lot for your comments! The meeting with Vault will be a little different, but that would have been hilarious! And yes, he lived through Dark Souls, so comfort and happiness are not something he is used to, but he will fight for it. And about Celestine reaction, we can see some of it in this chapter. Our boy still has secrets, but I hope you enjoy it!

Simple Reader – Thank you a lot for the review! Yes, Gwym wasn't hollowed when he linked the flame, so we can see what happens to the 'fuel' after a while. And I don't think I will bring any more character from Dark souls. It just… don't go with the story I planned. Maybe for some omakes or something like that, but I had problems writing just the chapter, I don't know if I can write more XD And yes, you can't have all the powers in the game and not suck at them. However, that doesn't mean the Chosen Undead didn't decide to learn some tricks…

PizzaSpinner – Thank you for the suggestion, but… I don't really want to touch Kuroinu material if I can avoid it XD So, it's just general information and others fics for me.

Night /and/ Jasonmcbuff – Thank you for the interest! But yes, I think the same, it would be out of place.

Historyfan2 – Hola! Gracias por el comentario. En principio nuestro no muerto elegido es del primer juego, por lo que los eventos de los otros dos no han pasado para él. Pero puede que aparezca algún detalle o teoría referida a los otros dos. Quien sabe? (risita manipuladora sonando de fondo)

XxShazemxX – Thank you! And yes, Rhea and the Fair Lady are event we will see, but it's as you said. I really like the part about the heart of glass, and probably fitting for our boy T.T

Night (1-4-20) – I hear it as well and I love it! Thank you!

Reviewer – Thank you a lot! And yes, I have problems deciding about the romance too. I still not sure what I am going to do with it, but your idea sounds interesting, I will think about it. Thank you!

Halo (3-3-20) – I watched it. It's interesting, but they basically says the rest of movements make no sense XD Though they didn't see any character using the shield, so it's not complete. Thank you for mentioning it!

The Lazy Dragon – It's not his specialty, but a chosed undead with no parry it's no chosen undead XD

kwak73 – Thank you for the review! I try to do it right, even if is slow, so I am glad you liked it!

Smiley – Thank you! And yes, rereading the chapters I have seen a lot of mistakes with pronoun genres. So much I think one reviewer was confused about Knight being male or female XD But I am trying to do better. Thank you for the support and hope you like the new chapter!

Ok, that's it, I think. Longer than I expected but reviews are like drugs for authors, so I am not complaining. Again, even if I didn't answer know that I read all the reviews and I am very grateful for all of them! And for all the favorites and follows, really, thank you for the support guys.

Well, I am sure you want to read the chapter so let's do it!

(Real size 9920 words)

Life in Ken was fairly peaceful.

After all, it was the capital, protected day and night by the best knights of the country and under the direct influence of the Goddess Reborn, Celestine Lucross. Just her presence was a calming balm for all the residents. Added to the fact that it was the furthest Fortress City from the border against the Dark Queen's forces, it was normal that Ken was the place with the least crime.

That didn't make Claudia any less worried, though.

Claudia Levantine was one of the Princess Knights, in charge of Geofu, the closest Fortress City to the capital. However, that wasn't her only title, nor the one more important in her opinion. To Claudia, she was first and foremost the bodyguard and responsible for the security of the Goddess Reborn herself, and it was her honor and her duty to keep her safe from every danger.

That was why Claudia lived in Ken, only going to Geofu for official matters and trusting its everyday ruling to a council of sage people. It could seem she was ditching her responsibilities as a Princess Knight, but it was more complex than that. The Princess Knights were political figures, symbols of the fight against the Dark Queen. People trusted them, gathered under their flag, but they weren't rulers exactly.

They had the last word in the control of their cities, yes, but that didn't mean everything passed through them. The cities had autonomous governments, made from a council like hers, powerful nobles or a mix of the two. They answered to the Princess Knights, and she and the others could act as their cities' rulers, but at the same time, it wasn't an obligation, so most of them kept a passive stance in that regard.

Ironically enough, it was Luu-Luu the one of them who was most involved in the ruling of her city, especially with its trade and the different guilds of artisans. It would be surprising, knowing the Halfling usual behavior, if Claudia didn't know her better. After all, fighting and crafting were the only things that woman took seriously. But she was digressing.

As the Fortress Cities wouldn't burn the second they weren't watching over them, the Princess Knights could dedicate to other tasks, in her case, to the protection of Celestine. Even in Ken, there was crime, and its low rate didn't mean there weren't hundreds of threats lurking in every shadow. Not only that, but recently she had begun to suspect that the criminals weren't so absent as it seemed but that they did a really good job hiding their deeds.

As some would say, the closest you are to the light, the largest is the shadow.

Paranoid? Maybe a little, but she couldn't afford any risk, especially now that they were so close to end the war. That was why she was in an almost-permanent state of worry these days. The success of the mission relied in its secrecy. Any leak could be fatal, and even if she was fairly sure there weren't spies in their inner circle, she had to take every precaution possible. For now, only the seven Princess Knights and Kuroinu's leaders knew about the plan, and it had to remain that way.

It didn't help that she had a really bad feeling about the mission, but she had decided to ignore it. This was their opportunity to end the conflict that had infected their land for centuries, an ominous hunch wasn't enough to stop it. She just had to do her best and trust that nothing bad would happen today.

"Lady Claudia!" a voice filled with urgency called her from behind.

She had jinxed it, hadn't she?

Claudia turned from the view of Ken she had been gazing through one of the castle's windows. Behind her was one of her trusted knights, wearing a full armor except the helmet and waiting in a respectful stance. Inwardly, she sighed. She just hoped it wasn't bad news.

"At ease." she finally replied to the knight, "What's the matter?"

The knight nodded, "Ma'am, a messenger from the north gate has come to announce Lady Maia's arrival."

Claudia blinked. Maia had returned? Already? She had departed several days ago to fight a battalion of monsters that had crossed the frontier and were sighted close to Rad. She had no doubt the redhead had won -she was a great fighter and an excellent general- but usually she remained with the soldiers for a bit before coming back to inform, celebrating with the living and mourning the fallen. It was strange she had returned so soon.

Externally, she didn't show her confusion, "Thank you. Did the messenger say something else?"

Another nod, "Yes. Lady Maia wanted you to know she was here and that she wanted an audience with Lady Celestine as soon as possible, that she had something to discuss."

Claudia frowned a little, that was even more strange than her quick return. Something had happened, she was sure of it, and whether it was good or bad, it probably was important. You could say a lot about the woman -especially about her manners- but Maia wasn't a fool. She took the title of Princess Knight with pride and was serious when needed. She wouldn't joke around just before the mission.

She had to talk with Celestine and hope that it wasn't bad news.

"Thank you again." she replied to the knight and began to leave, "I will take care of the rest."

"Ahh… Lady Claudia?" the knight stopped her with an uncertain voice.

Claudia looked at the knight who had clear signs of hesitation in her face, "Yes?"

"It's not part of the message, but the messenger said something else. It seems Lady Maia has brought with her an old armor in a cart, and when he was leaving, he heard her… talking to it?"

The Princess Knight blinked, not knowing how to respond to that. She opened her mouth just to close it after some seconds. She repeated the action two times before voicing her confusion.

"She what?"

Ken was indeed an imposing city, and he wasn't talking about its architecture. It wasn't bad, of course, especially the palace he had seen as they approached it, but some flashes had shown him sights of a city of gods. A city so majestic and beautiful that the mere act of walking its desert streets felt like a sin. After that, no city could compare, not even Ken. However, this capital had something that made it as imposing as that city of old.

It had people.

There were tens and tens of persons around him, walking, talking, shouting, looking, living. And that only in this principal street. He was sure there were a lot more people in this enormous city. It was... astounding. The ten or so persons of the town had already been a lot for him. This amount was almost unimaginable, he didn't remember having ever seen so many live beings together.

... Not that that meant a lot coming from him, but still.

Everyone around him had their own lives, thoughts and feelings. It was hard to grasp for him, but beautiful in some kind of way. As a curious child would, he wanted to look around him, looking for every sight and detail he could find. But he couldn't, forced to remain still and suffering little spasms every time something caught his attention and his neck almost moved on its own.

Funny, how he had been eons motionless but now it was hard to not move and watch the world around him.

And about why he was doing his best to keep himself from moving, it was because-

"Stop!" Maia's voice shouted-whispered at his side, "Or they will realize you are not just an armor!"

Because of that.

When they had arrived at the gates, Maia presence had caused a big ruckus, all the soldiers wanting to know why she was here, what had happened and what she needed. The rest of people had been caught up in it as well, probably admiring the presence of one of the Princess Knights so close to them. He had noticed a big part of the group looking at him with curiosity, but it was better that Maia was the one explaining.

Which she had done, saying in no low voice that she had found an old armor and she had thought it could be useful.

And... it wasn't exactly a lie, but she was clearly implying something that wasn't true.

Before he could move or do anything to refute her claim, Maia had moved to his side and began to whisper. She had said she needed him to play along and that he had to look as if he was just an armor. He hadn't known how to respond, still trying to grasp the situation, so he hadn't answered. Seeing him frozen, Maia had blinked, then laughed and finally told him that was perfect and to keep it up.

The nerve of that woman.

The worst part was, he was pretty sure several persons had seen her talking to him. Even if no one had heard her, it would have still seen as very strange. Not something easy to explain, but he had decided that would be Maia's problem and forget about it. He had enough problems fighting the irrational fear that if he didn't move at all, he would be frozen again.

Irrational for sure, but still scary as hell.

So here he was, going through the main street of the city but still on the cart, Maia and her guards riding around him. He was sure he was drawing a lot of attention, but it was probably mitigated by the presence of one of the Princess Knights. Still, it would have been a lot less if he could just walk behind them or something. Maybe he didn't know how his armor looked, but it couldn't be too different from some of the soldiers he had seen at the gates.

It brought some question to his mind. Why Maia wanted to keep him as a secret? He wasn't sure. Maybe it was related to that war-ending mission. Was she afraid of a spy? Afraid of someone trying to steal the 'magical golem'? Maybe she wanted to keep him as a secret for some unknown reason... or maybe she was just too lazy to give the whole explanation and had lied to avoid it.

He didn't know, he had known Maia for less than a day, not enough to really know her character. However, he had seen in her both sides, the serious and the carefree one. The one who could lead armies and the one who could joke and tease about everything. With such extremes and little information, it was hard to know what the woman was thinking, but he supposed he would trust her for now.

After all, it was very probably he was going to fight at her side very soon.

Any further mussing was interrupted when the group stopped. Even lost in thoughts, he had noticed how the buildings they passed were getting bigger and of more quality. Added to the fact there were more lines of guards and less people, he was pretty sure they had arrived at the castle.

He was surprised none of those line of soldiers had asked about his presence with the group, even with the obvious glances of curiosity, but it seemed Maia's presence was enough to avoid a lot of problems.

Finally, they went through a big gate and came to what looked like an inner courtyard. It was surrounded by tall walls where more soldiers were walking with watchful eyes. He guessed it was a second defense if the outside walls fell, showing why Ken had the name of Fortress City. But his musings were interrupted when the group turned to one side. The main entrance should be in a straight path, where were they going?

A powerful neigh from a horse behind him answered him. Ah, right. The stables.

After some minutes, Maia and the rest had their horses taken care for, even the one pulling his cart if the noises were anything to go by. That was when a young man, probably no more than a teenager, appeared in front of him and began to look at him with curiosity and… awe?

"Lady Maia," the boy finally spoke after some seconds of spacing out, "Where do you want us to take the armor to?"

Hearing that, the redhead appeared at his side as well and looked at the boy, blinking. Oh, this was going to be interesting.

After some kind of eye duel between the two, Maia laughed, "Oh, don't worry! I will take care of it."

It was the boy's turn to blink in confusion, and maybe in a little panic, "B-but Lady Maia, we were ordered by Lady Claudia to help your group with the luggage so you could go immediately to the audience. She is already waiting for you and she said she wouldn't tolerate any delay."

For some reason, that made the redhead's eye twitch, "Of course she did." she whispered to her side. Then, she looked around them, as if she was scouting the area, and finally turned to the boy, "Ok, come here for a second."

In an instant, Maia surrounded the boy's head with her left arm and brought him close to her, forcing the two to lean forward a little. He recognized the action, a gesture of camaraderie or to speak about something with some privacy. However, being the boy smaller than her, and being Maia so… gifted, on certain area, it had the side effect of squeezing the poor -or lucky- bastard against her breasts.

Well, the good part was that now the strange armor was probably the last thing on the boy's mind.

As his whole face turned to a red that matched Maia's hair, the Princess Knight kept talking, "I can't say too much, but this is important and very secret. Until we can say more, I need to do this personally. So, can I trust you with this?"

With that, Maia released him, and the boy stood there, his face still red and gaping like a fish out of the water. After a solid minute, his overheated brain finally processed what had happened and what he had heard. When that happened, the boy choked, coughed, yelped and even squealed a little, all at the same time.

It was a little impressive to see.

"I-I-OF COUR- I m-mean… Y-YES! I w-will! I won't d-disappoint you, Lady Maia!"

And after such declaration, he ran, probably to hide his embarrassment/excitation and do whatever Maia's vague words had inspired him to do. The redhead just looked at him and nodded after a work well done. Now he felt bad for the boy. With that in mind, he looked at her and raised a brow, trying to convey what he thought about the way she had handled the problem and- Wait.

He raised a brow?

…

He raised a brow!

It was just a little facial gesture, but damn if he wasn't proud of it. Every new movement was a step closer to his distant goal of shaking his head no! Maybe not a great goal, but after all the misunderstandings, he really needed to be able to say no. And maybe not so distant, because he could feel his neck muscles twitching a little. Yes, it would be soon!

Returning to the aforementioned gesture, even with a helmet hiding, it seemed Maia's supernatural awareness about him worked again, and made her chuckle, "Hey, don't look at me like that! I didn't really tell him anything and I am sure he enjoyed it." she replied with a knowing smile, "Besides, if I ordered him to leave us, he probably would have gossiped about it later. Better one thinking he knows a secret, than many knowing there is a secret."

Well, he couldn't say her logic was wrong. It still didn't explain why she was adamant on making him pass as an armor though.

"You know it's creepy as hell seeing you acting as if you knew what he is thinking, right?" Elena appeared at his left, shaking her head.

"Who knows," Sera continued as she joined the group, looking at him with analytical eyes, "Maybe now that he is bonded to Maia, they had some level of mind communication. If true, it would be very useful."

The redhead perked up at that, "Wait, do you really think he can read my mind?" she asked with a bit of excitement and turned to him, "Quick, Knight! Tell me if you can or not, but not with a nod or a shake, just think about it very strongly!"

Ok, he didn't know how Maia could read him so well, but he was very sure it wasn't a mental bond. So, he looked at her and enjoyed the feeling of raising a brow to express every bit of the silliness and absurdity of their current situation. Judging by the redhead's sigh, he seemed to be succeeding.

"Well, I am pretty sure he is deadpanning at me, so I think that's a no." Maia deduced, some traces of disappointment in her voice. Elena tried to comfort her, giving her some pats on her back.

"Worth a shot." finished Sera, nonchalantly. Then, she focused on her leader, "But it still leaves us with the question of how you can do it."

Everyone looked at the Princess Knight, expectantly.

"I don't know." Maia shrugged, "I just… catch his general aura… I think?" she scratched her head, "It's hard to explain. I can't be sure if I am right or not, but I think I am doing fairly well guessing it."

He wanted to laugh at that. Fairly well? She had been doing it frightening well. Maybe she had previous experience? She was a leader, and for what she had told him, before this she had been a mercenary. There was the possibility that she had grown used to people full-clad in armor. Even then, her observation skill would be beyond what he had ever seen… probably.

That was the problem of just having flashes of your life.

Ignorant to his musings, Maia spoke again, "Ok, now that all that it's out of the way, we have to keep going or Claudia is going to skin us alive!"

He remembered that name as one of the other Princess Knights Maia had talked about, so it was fair to assume she was exaggerating. However, seeing her expression of half jest, half worry, he decided to step down the cart and follow them with no more delay.

At least, that was the intention, but what happened next was the most awkward game of stealth between them and the rest of the castle population. It was full of hiding, whispering and waiting while someone scouted ahead. It was stupid, especially because he was not stealthy. He was big, heavy and loud, metal clanking with every step. So he was sure that by now, everyone knew that something was happening… or that there was a ghost haunting the corridors.

~ The city was indeed beyond recovery. The weak light -that came through what seemed like holes in the sky-, was enough to see the ruins of what could have been once a proud city. It had the same feeling of melancholy and abandonment he had felt in every place of this land, but here, there was something else. Maybe it was the eerie silence, or the stench of stagnant water, but there was something definitely wrong in this place.

Any further thought was stopped as something grabbed him and turned him to his side. Then he saw it. Something beyond this world, beyond anything he had fought before. A translucent, cadaveric form cloaked in rags was approaching him as some kind of limbs kept him immobile. He tried to grab them, tried to shake them off, but his hands went through them as if they weren't there, but never losing their fierce hold.

It was too late. The thing was in front of him, looking at him with a face devoid of skin or life. With no pause, it brought a spectral dagger to his neck, bypassing his armor as if it wasn't there, and sliced with a firm move. Its dead expression never changing during the process ~

He inwardly shivered after the flash. Ok, maybe not a ghost.

And maybe it would be useful if he remembered more about his strange tendency of coming back from the death, but no new information appeared in his mind. It was beyond frustrating. Obviously, it was important, but no matter what he tried, every time he thought about it, he just got a heavy feeling of… resignation? Resignation to what?

It didn't paint a pretty picture, but he needed to know more. If he was kind of immortal, it would be very useful to his future fights. Besides, the ominous feeling didn't make sense. After all…

What could be wrong about returning after death?

"Ok, it was a little funny at first, but this is getting stupid." Elena sighed with exasperation, "I still don't understand why you are doing all these theatrics to keep him being 'just an armor'."

Well, he was glad he wasn't the only one.

Right now, Elena, Maia and he were seated on the ground, waiting on a corner as Sera checked if they could continue. Their slow adventure had prolonged for more than half an hour, and he didn't know how big this castle was, but he could guess that without the hiding part, they should have reached their destiny in some minutes at most.

Destiny that he didn't know, now that he thought about it. He knew that the Princess Knight Claudia was waiting for them -and probably getting angry at their delay- and that Maia wanted an audience with the Goddess Reborn, but he didn't know what they would talk about. It was very probable it would be about him though. Him and the ending-the-war thing.

He just hoped they didn't expect him to answer yes or no questions.

Back in the real world, the conversation continued with a chuckle form Maia, "I will admit that the funny part is one of the reasons." seeing the wrath growing in the blonde, she quickly amended, "But not the important one!"

Elena took a big breath, "Ok. So then, what it's the important one?"

Maia sighed, turning serious, "There is more than one. To start, if I explained what he is, there would have been a lot of interest on him, and self-centered nobles wanting a piece of him it's the last thing I want. Second, what I want him to do is kind of secret, so if he attracts too much attention, it will be very bad. Even if it's an uncomfortable idea, the presence of spies in the city it's almost unavoidable."

Elena nodded at that. Even if she didn't know what the secret plan was, she could understand Maia's reason. He could as well. It was similar to what he had already thought. But it seemed Maia hadn't finished.

"And the last one… it's more a personal thing." she focused on Elena, "Imagine you don't know anything about him, about how he saved the town and protect everyone. If you didn't know anything and then you heard about a mysterious armor, one silent golem that obeys orders and it's more powerful than many knights. An armor that no one know where it comes from or who create it. If you heard that… what would you think?"

Elena paused at that, blinking with surprise. Then, she grabbed her chin and began to think about it. He could almost hear the gears moving inside her head.

"I guess…" she started, slowly, "That I would be a little nervous about it. I mean, it sounds as a good help against our enemies, but it could turn out to be a dangerous threat as well."

Maia nodded, expecting the answer, "He can do good, I know it, but if people fear him from the start, they won't see it. So, let's tell them after he has helped, when they know what he can do. Then, they won't have any option but see him as a hero."

After her speak, the Princess Knight looked at him, a warm smile on her face. He didn't know how to react. Maia wanted people to see him as a hero? It was… moving. Being a hero was kind of his goal after all, just behind helping to end the war. That she had thought about this, for his sake… It was like with Anna. He wasn't a hero, he knew that, but he would do everything in his power to become what they saw in him.

Now he wanted to talk so he could say a sincere 'thank you'.

He didn't know how much time they kept looking at each other, probably just some seconds, but it was like they were in their own little world. He could see in her eyes the almost admiration she had for him, and that brought back some questions. Why was she doing this? Why did she have him in some pedestal, even if he hadn't done anything for her? He wanted to ask, but until he remembered how to talk, that wasn't going to happen.

For now, he would just bask in the warm feeling of someone believing in him.

"Damn," Elena suddenly chuckled and shook her head, "If I didn't know about your infatuation with Vault, I would say you are crushing on Knight!"

And just like that, the atmosphere was broken.

He had to admit, seeing Maia blush for the first time was a remarkable event. The redhead looked at Elena, gaping a little. Then she began to wave her hand, as dismissing the idea.

"You know it's nothing like that! And about Vault…" she looked to her side, trying to look dignified even with her increasing blush, "I-I don't know what you are talking about."

Considering that even he could see how she was acting as a flustered maiden in love, he was pretty sure Maia knew perfectly what Elena was talking about.

The blonde chuckled again, "Really, I don't get why you are doubting so much. Just go to him and tell him you want to bang. I am pretty sure he won't say no."

The crude language surprised him a little, but it seemed it was normal as Maia didn't react, just her eye twitching a little. Said twitching suddenly stopped when a smug smile appeared on her face, "Yeah, I probably should follow your advice. After all, I am sure it worked wonders to start your nonexistent relationship with certain, handsome captain of Rad's guard, didn't it?"

It was Elena's time to gasp and blush, "W-WHAT!? I didn't-! I d-don't know what y-you are talk-" realizing what she was going to say, the blonde closed her mouth immediately, but it didn't stop Maia from laughing hard. Seeing this, Elena's expression turned from flustered to furious, "Oh, you little bitc-!"

"Maia? We must keep going. Like, now."

The potential bloodbath was stopped by Sera's urgent voice. The three turned to the side, noticing the mage looking at them with a nervous expression. The redhead was the first to recover enough -and had the ability- to talk like a normal person, "Hey Sera. What's the rush? Is the way clear to go?"

"Not exactly…" the mage muttered with resignation.

"Eh? What do you mean?"

"She means me"

He didn't know why, but the new voice, full of authority and cold fury, froze everyone instantaneously, even him. Then, the owner walked around the corner and… well, another evidence to his every-woman-is-gorgeous theory.

Before him appeared a woman in armor. Silver pauldrons, armguards and greaves mixed with almost purple metal covering her torso and thighs. It didn't cover her whole body though, but he could understand that removing the armor from the hips and neck could help to improve speed and movement… but maybe she had removed too much from the neck zone.

Beyond that, she had light brown hair on some kind of bun and blue eyes. She seemed probably older than Maia and the rest, but that didn't decrease a bit of her beauty. A perfect face frozen in a blank expression that didn't betray nothing. She had one hand resting on the sword tied to her hip, but there weren't more signs of possible aggression.

The panic in Maia, Elena and Sera's faces told him a different story.

"Claudia!" Maia greeted the brunette with a smile too tight to be true. So this was the other Princess Knight they were going to meet. It was a little funny. Even with Maia's explanations, he had expected somebody like the redhead. Claudia was more like a true knight for him. Not knowing his internal musings, Maia kept talking, "I… thought you will be waiting in the conference room?

"Yes, I was. After all, I was informed that your group arrived half an hour ago." she replied with a perfectly serene face.

Maybe he wasn't an expert in communication, due mainly to his amnesia and the fact he couldn't talk, but even him could feel the cold anger that Claudia was radiating. A cold anger that was completely focused on Maia, who was already laughing nervously.

And it seemed he wasn't the only one who could feel it, because with a fast move, Elena was beside Sera and the two were already walking away faster than a simple walk, "Well, it's obvious you two have a lot to talk about, so we will leave you alone. Later!"

Maia just gaped at their retreating forms, "T-traitors!"

"Maia…" there was a clear warning in Claudia's tone.

The redhead flinched a little at hearing her name. Then, she sighed and turned to the armored woman, "Ok, I am sorry. I know you were waiting but we need to go slowly."

"For what?" Claudia asked with exasperation mixed with genuine curiosity, finally breaking her blank expression, "So you could parade around the castle with that armor?" she asked again, pointing at him with her arm but not moving her eyes from Maia's.

He wasn't sure if it was a natural reaction at being addressed, or if he didn't want them to talk as if he wasn't there, but with a sudden movement, he rose as well from his seated position. It seemed Maia's shenanigans had paid off, because considering the little yelp from Claudia, it was clear the Princess Knight had thought he really was just an armor.

"What the-!?"

"Yeah, he is so quiet that sometimes you forget he can move." Maia commented with some humor, happy for the convenient diversion.

"'He'?" Claudia repeated with her hand already on the hilt of her sword. Maybe he had surprised her, but it had been just for a second. Her reflexes were really good, "Are you saying that is not a hollow armor?"

Maia rubbed the back of her neck, "Ahh, that's a question a little hard to answer."

No, it wasn't.

"No, it's not." Claudia shared his opinion, "Who is him? And why the gate messenger thought he was just an armor?"

"Probably because I shouted it." Maia muttered to her side before looking again at Claudia, "Don't worry, I was planning on explaining all that in the audience with Celestine. Especially because it's related to the plan for tomorrow."

That froze Claudia.

It was strange to see how the woman turned from imponent but in a nonchalant manner, to really scary and dangerous. After taking a quick look around them to see if they were alone, Claudia got very close to Maia's face, "What. Have. You. Done?"

Maia turned serious as well, showing she wasn't joking, "I know what you are thinking, but it's still a secret. Only he knows our goal, but nothing about the real plan." she explained, pointing at him with her head. Then, Maia relaxed a little, "And you don't have to worry about it. He won't talk about it." she turned to him and grinned with a knowing smile, "I can promise he won't say a word… literally."

Oi, that was a low blow.

However, it worked to calm Claudia, at least a little. It seemed there was more trust between them that what he had believed at first. Not that he was complaining, especially if they could continue without hiding in every corner.

After some seconds in silence, Claudia sighed, still wary, "I hope you know that if this put in danger the operation, I will kill you personally." she said it with a voice so cold that he was pretty sure he would have shivered if his muscles weren't frozen, "Now, come on. Celestine is waiting and the sooner you explain all this, the better."

And with that said, the brunette turned around and began to walk. She didn't look back to make sure they were following, but it wasn't necessary. After such order, their bodies had moved in an instant.

As they followed the armored woman, Maia turned a little to him and patted him on the arm, an alleviated expression on her face, "Well, that went a lot better than what I expected." she whispered with a nervous chuckle.

Inside his helmet, he could only blink at the redhead. What the hell had she expected to happen!?

Knowing he wouldn't get an answer, he inwardly sighed and kept following. Well, time to meet the goddess. And after all his flashbacks, he couldn't help but be very curious about this Celestine Lucross. After all the different gods he had met, he had to wonder…

How tall was she?

The group went through the castle a lot faster than before, something he appreciated. At the same time, he had to admit Maia had been correct, as every person that saw them had reacted alike: surprised faces and quick whispers. At least this would show he could move and made them think there was someone inside the armor.

Funny, because the two Princess Knights with him knew 'better' and thought the opposite.

He wanted to sigh loudly. This misunderstanding was starting to last too much.

Finally, they arrived before two huge doors guarded by four armored women with halberds. Now that he thought about it, half or even more of the soldiers he had seen were women. Which was strange, because he was sure in his past life female warriors were exceptionally rare. Was due to this new world? This land? Or was his old world the strange one? He hadn't an answer.

… And of course, the four women had beautiful and delicate faces, but he had decided to accept that as a rule of this world.

As Claudia got closer to them, the soldiers took a step to their sides, allowing them to access the doors. The brunette nodded at them and began to open it, so Maia and he followed her. He could feel the women's eyes fixed on him, but in their defense, they remained silent, not questioning his presence nor whispering about it. Probably because he was being escorted by two Princess Knights, but he could appreciate it nonetheless.

Leaving the doors behind, they entered a big room, dominated by a round table with seven chairs around it. It was illuminated by huge windows on the wall opposite to the doors. Wall that made a curve line around the table, giving the room a form of half-circle. He was sure there were a lot more details, but he stopped his analysis when he saw the woman already sitting in one of the chairs. And by what Claudia had said, she had to be the Goddess Reborn.

It seemed the answer to his previous question was 'not very much'.

Celestine Lucross wasn't very tall, but that dint' mean she wasn't an imposing figure. She had incredible bright, green eyes and blonde hair so long that it almost reached the ground. She wore robes of pure white covering her generous curves, secured with golden rings in her neck, chest and belly. And to complete the regal figure, she had a tiara made from leaves, so green that they appeared alive.

However, what really caught his attention were her ears. They were… pointy, and big! He didn't think he had ever seen ears like that on humans. Well, now that he thought about it, Celestine wasn't human, was she? Maia had defined her as a high elf. At the moment, he had thought it was some kind of title, but it seemed it was something else entirely. Another race? He… he remembered giants -especially their skeletons-, but nothing like this 'elves'. Was it a race of gods? Or it was a coincidence? He had many questions he couldn't ask.

But… that was just her appearance. There… there was more. So much more. It was around her, inside her, shining with such strength that blinded him. But he didn't close his eyes, as it wouldn't do anything. There was no real light, nothing corporeal that his eyelids could stop. It was beyond that, something he had felt in great warriors and old beings.

It was her soul.

How? How did he know it was her soul? How did he know how a soul felt? But the worst part was, he now recognized the feeling. The same feeling, albeit a world smaller than right now, that he had felt entering his body after killing the orc. He… had he absorbed the monster's soul?

~ I trade for souls. Everything's for sale! ~

~ Even coins of great value in the world of men have little value in Lordran, where the accepted currency is souls ~

Souls… as money? That… that couldn't be right. He had seen it. As they had gone through the city, he had seen merchants and people trade with shining pieces of metal. That was money. Or at least, it was here. His old world worked with souls, and it seemed he could absorb them from the dead. And… and he knew humans, knew how they worked. Humans couldn't do that. So what…

What was he?

The three women were talking, he knew that, but was too lost in his existential crisis to understand their words. At least, until Celestine herself stood up from her chair and began to walk towards him. That was enough to snap him out of his thoughts… for now. He had too many questions, and until the fog in his mind cleared, they would remain unanswered.

Focusing again in the world around him, he noticed the different feelings showing on the Princess Knights' faces. Claudia's eyes had a tint of worry, Maia had a grin full of expectation and Celestine couldn't hide her surprise and curiosity as she got closer. Damn, now he regretted spacing out. Whatever they had talk about, it seemed it had been about him.

Finally, the Goddess Reborn stopped just in front of him and raised a hand, as if she was going to touch his arm. For an instant, his body tensed, getting ready to fight, but he managed to stop it before it could be noticed. Yes, he had fought gods, but that didn't mean all of them wanted him dead… he hoped. For now, Celestine hadn't any trace of hostility against him, so at least, he would do the same.

In the end, she didn't touch him. Her hand remained there, just centimeters away from his arm. After a little while, Celestine tilted her head a little and dropped her arm, a surprised smile in her face, "Well, it's… it's incredible."

What?

"What did you find? Do you recognize the magic used to make him?" Maia asked, not controlling her curiosity anymore. It seemed she already had explained he 'was just a golem', or whatever they called him. Then, he hadn't skip something important. He had heard that conversation enough times.

Going by what Maia had said, Celestine was inspecting him, trying to know how he worked. It gave him some hope -surely a goddess was able to see his true nature-, but after all the misunderstandings, he wouldn't bet on it.

After a second of pondering, Celestine just shook her head, "It's not so simple. For starters, the armor is old, very, very old. Older than me at least, and that's is something." she said with a hint of humor, "It's too old for the spells I know, so I can't determinate his age for sure, but it's more than a thousand years old… at least."

Claudia blinked, astonished. Maia was more vocal, as he could hear a whisper of 'holy fuck'. For his part, he didn't know how to feel. He knew he was old, he remembered eons inside the Fire, but the truth was… he hadn't thought too much about it.

He had had more important matters, like relearn how to move.

But hearing it from another person, and after the little revelation about his relationship with souls… Well, he couldn't avoid it anymore. He wasn't human, couldn't be human. Humans didn't live for thousands of years, didn't consume souls, and he was pretty sure they didn't resurrect on bonfires either. However, even knowing this, something told him he had been human once.

But then, what had happened to him? What was he now?

Ignorant to his internal musings, Celestine kept talking, "The engravings of the armor are very distinctive, but I don't remember having ever seen it or reading about it, so that won't help us. But what I can tell about it, is that the armor is made to hide whatever is inside, so any information about the magic used to create him would need an extensive study. Sadly, that is Olga specialty, not mine."

Olga? Olga Discordia? That was the name of the Dark Queen, right? It was strange, because when Celestine had said it, it didn't sound like the leader of enemy, but like an old friend. However, Maia and Claudia reacted as he expected, growing tense and serious.

"So… it could be one of her creations, right?" Claudia asked with a wary tone, hand already on the hilt of her sword.

He saw Maia opening her mouth, ready to say something, but the goddess spoke first, "No, it's not possible." she shook her head, "The armor is older than she as well, and even if she found it somewhere, the core is too old for her to have made it."

Maia closed her mouth and blinked, "His core? You mean the 'burning thing' Sera felt?"

Celestine nodded with a sad face, "Yes. I don't blame her for not understanding what it was. After all, is something humans can't hardly sense." she looked at the two women with a grave face, "It's made of souls. Many, many souls patched together and making a powerful core. Even with the hiding properties of the armor, it can't obscure it."

Maia gasped and Claudia looked at him as if he was an abomination. And, well, he couldn't blame them for that. Even he could see it was messed up, but at least knew those souls were gathered after killing enemies. They believed he was created, so probably thought that the souls were from a massive sacrifice or something like that. He could understand why that would upset them.

But it was just from enemies that wanted to kill him, it had to be. Maybe he didn't really remember his past, but he couldn't have been so different from how he was now. He wanted to be a knight, someone who protects, so he just killed the enemies that left him no other option, never hurting the innocents…

Right?

Thankfully, no flashback appeared to prove him wrong, but a dreadful feeling in his chest told him it hadn't been so simple.

"Well," Maia started with an awkward expression, "That's… certainly a mood-killer, but how he was made it's not important! He saved the town, he protected those persons. And he wants to help! He told me that if he could choose, he would do the same."

Claudia raised an eyebrow at this, "He told you? Can he talk?"

Maia paused for a second, "Not exactly. But he can say yes or no with his head."

No, he couldn't… yet.

Claudia didn't look convinced, but Celestine decided to mediate, "We believe you, Maia, but why do you want to include him in the mission? Even if he can fight, I don't see why you want to take the risk."

At that, Maia seemed to grow taller, put her hands in her hips and looked at them with a confident smile, "Because I had a good feeling about him!"

Silence. Very awkward silence. After some seconds, Celestine used a hand to cover a chuckle, but Claudia wasn't amused. If her expression was anything to go by, she was a second away from killing the redhead.

Thankfully, Maia decided to keep talking, "… and some tactical reason too. Vault told me they had a problem with a possible defense system of the tower. It seemed it can detect humans, elves, halflings… Basically, all the races opposed to the Dark Queen. They wanted to employ a dark elf to enter and disable it, but the last I know, it hasn't going well. If that barrier detects them, the mission will be a lot harder. Maybe impossible."

Then, she turned to him, "But Knight is not human!... And I say that as something positive. He can enter the tower without triggering any of the Dark Queen's barriers. And the best part is, he isn't just a golem which needs orders for everything. Even if he has to go alone, Knight will take decisions to accomplish his mission. That way, he can put down that barrier and let everyone inside. It's perfect!"

So, it hadn't been just a hunch? Well, he was glad Maia had planned about his contribution. It made more sense than just wanting him because he was 'cool' or something. He had to admit that was one of the reasons he had thought for Maia's actions, but it seemed the woman kept surprising him.

After her explanation, everyone turned serious, thinking about Maia's words and reasons. The first one to talk was Claudia, "I wasn't informed about this barrier." she said with a hint of worry and looked at the goddess, who shook her head as well, "Why hasn't Vault told us any of this?"

However, Maia dismissed her concerns with a waving hand, "He is like that, always trying to do everything on his own. The idiot probably thought that if he asked for help, it would be a show of weakness."

Even if the words could be considered as a reprimand, her tone was soft, clearly fond of said idiot. It seemed Elena wasn't joking. Maia had some kind of feelings for this Vault. That made him curious though. What kind of man was he to attract a woman like Maia?

In the current conversation, Celestine continued, "Certainly, if this barrier exists, Knight presence will be invaluable." she pondered for some seconds and then looked at Maia with a serious expression, "Can you guarantee he will obey orders and not risk the mission?"

The redhead immediately nodded, face full of confidence, "I can. I saw him obeying orders and he confirmed it. I just need to-" she suddenly paused. It was just an instant, but he saw something in her eyes. The light of an idea she hadn't considered before, "I… I just need to go with them!"

He blinked. For what he understood for their conversations, Maia believed that she could pass the control over him to another person with an order, just like Anna had done. Then why the sudden change?

Claudia sighed, "We have already talked about this, Maia, you can't go with them. The Princess Knights are too public. We can't afford the risk of a spy realizing something is going on."

"I know, I know, but this is different!" she began to pace a little, "We need to make sure he follows orders, and right now I am the only one he will obey. This is a necessity! Besides, I can go to their camp with a disguise. Thanks to Claudia, Knight is the focus of the rumor mill, so we have to do it for him anyway, so what's wrong with one more?"

It was clear Claudia wasn't happy with the idea but couldn't see anything wrong with Maia's arguments. For her part, Celestine was deep in thought, her eyes lost in something far away. Finally, she focused again on Maia, "Are you sure this is not an excuse because you want to go with your old group one more time?"

A shadow of doubt appeared in her eyes, but it soon went away, "I really think this is for the best."

He wanted to chuckle. The same phrase she had used to convince Anna. It wasn't really an answer to the goddess's question, but it seemed she accepted it as one.

"Then, I approve it," Celestine said with a regal tone. It was clear Maia was about to celebrate it, but the goddess stopped her with her next words, "But I have a condition."

The redhead blinked, but quickly regained the composure, "Err, yes of course. What is it?"

"I want…" she paused, as if nervous of what she was going to ask, but eventually regained the resolve to say it, "I want you to bring me Olga… alive."

For some reason, those words brought a tense silence to the room. Somber expressions appeared in Claudia and Maia's faces. He didn't understand why, though. Capturing the enemy sounded fairly reasonable to end a conflict.

However, Claudia didn't think like him, "That's not the plan. We already talked with Vault about this and we agreed it's too risky. That's why we gave them that order." she shook her head, "That as soon as they can, they have to ki-"

"I know!" Celestine interrupted her, raising her voice for the first time since they had entered the room. After a second, she sighed, "I know. But I… I can't help it. With Maia and Knight there, they could…" she shook her head, "She was my friend, and even after all this… I just want to talk with her… one last time."

After those words, he didn't see anymore the imposing Goddess Reborn but a woman who had an incredible burden over her shoulders. That wanted the best for everyone but couldn't help a selfish desire. And for him, that was way better than the gods he had met, obsessed with their old ways and not caring of the sacrifices needed to remain in power… even if he wasn't exactly sure where that thought had come from.

He didn't know the history between Celestine and Olga, but he didn't need it to accept her request. After all, a knight fought for what he believed just, and right now, he believed that granting her this was the right thing to do.

So, surprising all the presents, he took a step towards Celestine, and gave her a slow nod. She wasn't Anna nor Maia, didn't have that uncanny ability to know what he wanted to express, but seeing the surprise mixed with gratitude in her eyes, he knew Celestine understood.

They hold gazes for what seemed an eternity, and finally, Celestine nodded as well, a bright smile on her face, "Thank you Knight. Thank you for accepting my selfish request." then she looked at Maia with an amused expression, "Are you sure he will only obey your orders?"

In her defense, Maia only stuttered a little, "O-of course!"

The goddess laughed at that. For her part, it was Claudia's turn to sigh, "I don't like it and you know it, but… I swore to follow you, no matter the path. And I can't refuse one of the few petitions you have asked since I know you."

Celestine smiled even more, "Thank you, Claudia."

"Ok, ok, enough emotional blackmail, I accept." Maia said with a smile and joking tone. Then she got to him and tapped his chest with her knuckles, "Besides, he had already accepted, so it would be shitty to say otherwise."

Some amusement appeared on the goddess' face, but the gratitude was patent, "Really, thank you Maia."

The redhead just shook her head, "Don't sweat it. Besides," she turned and began to walk to the exit, "A selfish request in exchange of a selfish request… Sounds fair to me. Now, come on, Knight! We have a lot to do!"

He blinked. It seemed the conversation was over. Giving a nod to Celestine and to Claudia, he moved to follow Maia. As the went through the doors, he couldn't help but feel better with himself, even forgetting for now his existential crisis. The goddess had accepted his help and even gave him another mission. He had the feeling that capturing someone was something he had never done before. Now, hunting someone?

A lot of flashes show him he had experience in that field. He hoped he could use some of it to get this mission right.

One thing that kept nagging at him was why Maia had lied to be able to accompany them. Did she want to help? Did she really think she had to be there to order him? Or was it related to her infatuation with that man, Vault? Whichever was the answer, he was surprised to realize he trusted her.

She seemed to do thing on whims, like the plays and the sneaking in the castle, but she had shown to have a reason to do them. Even a plan ready for him to help to end the war. Maybe he still didn't know the whole plan, but it seemed they were going to attack the enemy stronghold, and surely, Maia would explain everything now. She could be strange, but the Princess Knight had a good head on her shoulders.

"Ok," the woman as his side started, "I know it's hard to say no to Celestine, but what you did back there, accepting without letting me talk? That was a dick move. Don't worry, you didn't know it. I will teach you these things… and maybe what 'dick move' means, now that I think about it…" she grimaced and looked at him with a strange expression, "But you know what a dick is, right? I don't want to have to explain you the birds and the bees.

…

Well, good for battle at least.

As the strange duo left the meeting room, Celestine and Claudia remained in it with thoughtful looks.

"I know I already accepted, but… are you really sure about this?" Claudia asked to her leader.

Celestine didn't answer for a time. Then, she turned and looked at the city outside the windows, "I just want an opportunity to talk with her and… I don't know, do something. But I know the reality of war, Claudia. I am ready for it to be our last conversation."

The knight nodded in response. Feeling the grave feeling over her friend, and seeing she was still looking through the windows, Claudia decided to leave her alone. Hearing the knight closing the doors behind her, Celestine smiled a little. Claudia was her closest friend since many years ago and knew her very well.

This was a habit she had developed with the years. Being the leader of the alliance against humanity enemy, she couldn't let anybody see her doubt or break. That was why she preferred to be alone in these moments. She just needed some time to regain balance after a day so hectic as this one.

She had awakened knowing the assault was close, that maybe the end to this tragic war was close too. But for that, she had accepted Olga was too dangerous to bring back alive, that the Kuroinu had to kill as soon as they could. She had firmed the death sentence of her old friend, and it was eating her up inside.

Celestine knew the Dark Queen crimes, that she was the enemy of this prolonged war, that she had attacked the land with her monsters for centuries. She knew all that. But at the same time, she couldn't forget the woman she had met, her previous best friend. She couldn't forget her ideals, her resolve, her support… and her circumstances. After all, Olga had started all this for the sake of her race. If things were different… if elves were the ones enslaved and sold… would she have done the same?

Celestine shook her head. She really didn't want to entertain that line of thought.

However, now she had a last opportunity to talk with her. Thinking that just talking would be enough to give her back her friend was naïve, crazy even, but she couldn't help it. She would do her very best. And if it wasn't enough… she at least would be able to say goodbye.

But she wouldn't think like that! She had to stay positive and trust this chance Maia had brought to her. Well, Maia and… Knight. It was the only way, but Celestine was still a little worried about letting Maia go with that… she didn't know. He was too complex to be called a golem. A golem couldn't do the things he could do. A golem couldn't understand the things he could understand.

A golem wouldn't grow anxious just because she approached.

It had been very fast, so fast that Claudia and Maia, who hadn't been looking at him, hadn't noticed it. But she did, that one second when he had tensed at her presence, almost as if he was going to attack her. The only reason Celestine hadn't said anything was because she had felt no hostility from him. Not a single bit of it.

How was that possible? Getting ready to attack her but with no desire to do it. Almost as if… he had seen her as an enemy, someone dangerous, but refusing to attack just for that. It had made her doubt, but when he had nodded to accept her request, she had felt pure honesty in him, just a powerful desire to help. After that, how could she keep doubting him?

Besides, he hadn't been the only one. When he had tensed, so had she. It had been very strange, as if her very soul was moving inside her. Trying to… what? Warn her? Make her move? Make her attack him? Celestine didn't know, and it had been too fast to really understand what she had felt on that moment.

She thought she had pinpointed one of the feelings, but she had decided to ignore it. It was probably caused by the unrest she had been feeling and how tired she was. It wasn't enough to make ignore her last chance to talk with Olga, just a stupid thought that made no sense. After all…

What could possibly make the soul of a goddess tremble in fear just with its presence?