#9 – Solaire and Metaphysics

It was hard to actually believed that I had killed the Taurus Demon. I sat there for a while looking at his carcass, trying to find something I could use, but soon enough I had to leave and venture forth. I was tired, but curious enough to be compelled to see what awaited me. So I crossed the bridge and, after going down the tower on the other end, arrived at another, larger bridge to a shrine and the main Church of the burg. A few hollow warriors awaited me there, but they shouldn’t be too much of a hassle. There was a nice open space on the other side though, in the direction of the sun, shining bright, so I went that direction first, hopeful of finding some useful loot.

it was then that I saw an apparently unhollowed knight, staring at the blinding sun as if absorbing it’s power for himself. I swiftly came closer, instinctively knowing I needn’t to raise my shield. Upon seeing me, he greeted me enthusiastically and I felt relieved and exulting from having found another human, someone who could explain me the meaning behind all of the strange things I had seen.

He spoke, however, as a wise, insane man, and I could distinguish behind his words a greater knowledge than he thought I was prepared to receive. He started by explaining the ghosts and writings on the floor. They were, according to him, warriors such as me, striving to survive and conquer this accursed world. He said my reality wasn’t the only one, not even the same as his own. The undead curse, he explained, was but part of the results of a shattered universe, parted in as many realities as there were men, but that all those realities were equally in peril. The curse itself, he said, wasn’t a disease, but the long before prophesized cure, allowing but normal men to acquire the unimaginable strength necessary to defeat demons and gods alike.

I struggled to understand his words, but claimed to understand what he said anyway. He replied: “If you understood what I said, you would become as me, and see these brave men and women pass by you, as confused as you are now, lost in the midst of their lonesome, impossible quest. Once you understand, you take a stand; after that, everything changes”. I couldn’t disagree.

“So every person I meet has taken a stand on this reality?”

“Yes, precisely”, he answered. “That means, for you, the saddened warrior in front of the Firelink Shrine, the holy warrior of the Way of White, the bonfire’s keeper and the hollowing merchant, I suppose?”

“Well, yes!”, I replied.

“The keepers all accept their slavery to their bonfires, the saddened warrior you met has accepted his unability to fulfill the prophecy, the way of white warrior strives to help a saintly maiden to find the art of kindle, and the merchant hollow has accepted he cares only for his possessions. They have all come to terms with their existence, in their own way”.

“Well, what about you?”, I asked.

“I have but two cares in my life: to help others such as you and to fully realize my devotion to the sun, being able to incorporate it myself. I care not for defeating Lord Gwynn in my own world, at least not before I find my own personal sun, which, I believe, will give me the power necessary to fulfill the prophecy in my world. Before that, I shall not try. I have killed all hollows I could find, and walk around this deserted reality placing down my call sign. I sure love me some jolly cooperation!”

“The names I’ve seen on the floor! Was that you?”

“Oh well, not me. I believe the Taurus Demon is a good proving ground, there is no sense in helping weaklings kill him, just so they will be destroyed immediately after. Some challenges you will find, however, are quite demanding for a man, so I help with those. Just look for my name, glowing as the sun, and I will help you”.

I just stared at him for a while, amazed at the great quest he casually described, confidently telling my future as if he had already seen it ten times before. Then he added:

“Look, take this my son, and do as I, place it in places where you few others might need a help”. And gave me a small piece of white soapstone. Then continued: “This is all you need to know for now, I have faith in you, go forth and conquer!”

And so I did.