Awkward doesn't even begin to describe my feelings as Jinwoo sat in front of me and waited for me to speak after telling me his side of the story. All the while, Jinah clutched her brother's hand tightly with fear and pain.
And what a story it was.
It was absurd, borderline insane.
A real-life 'system' that only he could see. Levels and Skills that allow him to grow constantly. Dungeons that only he could travel to, and so much more.
If I were someone else, I would have thought that the stress had finally caught up to Jinwoo and driven him insane.
However, being the tool of the primordial serpents that I was in the lands of Lordran, I easily accepted his words for what they were.
After everything I have seen in that hell, I really cannot say that something is impossible.
However, here lies the problem.
Somehow, someway, Jinwoo has been to Lordran, or at least an imitation of it, in the dungeons that only his system can create or access.
That in itself is a terrifying thought.
I do not want to become the pawn of the gods once again. Especially now that I have a real family here.
No, I really cannot handle losing them because of those accursed lands.
But for now, there is nothing I can do about it, so I need to put that aside and focus on the real issue.
The truth.
Do I tell Jinwoo everything about my life in Lordran? Do I tell him of all the horrors, all the madness, all the darkness and evil nature of all living creatures that I saw in that hell?
Do I traumatize him even more than he probably already is? Do I tell him of my suffering? Of my fate?
No. I don't want to. I cannot. Because it will break him.
He is my family, just as I am his, and I know him better than anyone at this point.
Jinwoo will take my story to heart and burden himself with my sorrows.
Best-case scenario, he will become extremely protective of me and will start to see me as someone who needs to be protected from themselves.
worst-case scenario, he gets it in his head to try and find a way to Lordran and take revenge on my behalf.
Both of these scenarios are something that I must avoid at all costs, for both his sake and mine.
And all of this is not even considering what Jinah, this cheerful but stubborn girl, will do once she knows the truth.
On the other hand, how could I not respond to his sincerity? His trust in me? When he so easily exposed his secret to me, a secret that could be easily used against him should the wrong person know about it.
I closed my eyes, thinking on this dilemma, hoping to find an answer someway, somehow, from the countless eons of memories stuffed in my mind by all kinds of creatures.
And yet, I came up empty.
Except for one piece of advice that Solair gave me a long, long time ago.
'James, trust your friends. I know that you are worried about all of us, that you are willing to take all the burden on your shoulders without letting us know what you are really going through.'
'But, always remember this: we are your friends. Trust us. Trust us enough to look after ourselves. Trust us enough to share your burden. Trust in our bond, forged through fire and death. Trust us, to know what is good for you, just as we trust you to know what is good for us.'
Trust huh!?
....Looks like I have my answer.
I opened my eyes and spoke, and Jinwoo listened to my words attentively.
"There was once a man who was torn from his home. Brought to a place unfamiliar to him, in a dying world."
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I woke up, startled by the noise of metal.
I should be dead. I know that.
I saw the Jet's engine catch fire through the window and felt the explosion that engulfed everyone before my mind went blank.
And yet, here I was. Alive.
I turned to see the source of the noise, only to find two strangers wearing armor like those one would find in movies or games.
"Looks like we found another one. Shall we end it right now?"
"No. It will just be reborn at a bonfire and might go hollow earlier than expected. Send it to the rest. To the Asylum"
I could not help but scramble back as the strange men moved towards me.
"WHO ARE YOU!? WHAT DO YOU WANT!?"
"…We are Knights of Astora, and you are to be sent to the Undead Asylum."
"…We are truly sorry, but we don't have a choice. You have already been claimed by the Dark Mark, and we cannot have another Hollow bring ruin to what little remains of mortal men."
I was not given a choice, I was not given a chance.
For eons, I held my silence.
In a world of darkness and violence.
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"And yet, it was not to be. As this man finally found a ray of light in the eternal darkness."
"A knight of Astora, just like the ones who doomed him in the first place, would also prove to be his salvation."
I closed my eyes as the image of that brave knight appeared in my mind.
Oscar of Astora.
A man who wanted to become the chosen undead but inadvertently stumbled upon the true chosen undead in his quest.
Me.
The Estus Flask that I hold was his.
I continued speaking.
I spoke of the ruins that were the Firelink Shrine.
I spoke of the prophecy. Of the Crestfallen Warrior who gave up and settled to stare at the bonfire of the shrine.
I spoke of the arduous journey I undertook to ring the two bells.
The Undead Burg, the Undead Parish, Darkroot Garden and Darkroot Basin, the Depths beneath the ruins of Undead Burg, Blighttown, and the domain of Quelaag. Even the time-travel shenanigans of Oolaciel.
All the horrors I witnessed, from the mindless despair of the Hollows to the monstrosities of the Scaleless Dragon. From the Dragon in the Depths to the Noble maidens known as the Firekeepers.
The fight for survival, the unjust cruelty of the gods, the Dark Mark, everything.
I told them everything.
At some point during the story, I let go of the illusion that my Dark Mark always casts on my body, an illusion of humanity.
And exposed my true nature to the siblings. The Undead hiding beneath the veil of Humanity.
Surprisingly, I did not find disgust or fear within their eyes as I expected. Only shock, which was soon replaced by the familiar love and rage that was directed towards a certain someone.
The story went on as I told them everything, of the many people I met, those I called friends, those that I care for greatly.
Solair of Astora, a wandering knight of the Covenant of Sunlight, searching for a purpose to call his own, his own sun, as he used to say.
Andre of Astora, a blacksmith, betrayed by his own, seeking a friendly face in an unfriendly world. My mentor in the way of blacksmithing.
Laurentius of the Great Swamp, a man seeking to further his arts and held a degree of optimism despite having become undead. A treasured friend and the one who helped me start my journey in the arts of Pyromancy.
Quelana, one of the daughters of the Witch of Izalith. Another dear friend who stood by my side till the end in many of my loops
So many companions, so many friends. So many people to call my own.
And yet, in the end, I failed them all, just like always.
Finally, as the depressing tale of the Chosen Undead neared its end, I told them the final bit of truth.
The truth of how I came to be in this world.
Of how I literally walked into their lives.
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How many years had it been?
Decades? Centuries? Even more?
I do not know.
All I know is that Solair sacrificed himself to give me time. To give me the chance to break out of Lordran and find a way home.
That is why I must not stop walking. I must not turn back.
I walked and walked, for countless years, I continued walking, amongst the towering and ancient Archtrees that spanned as far as the eye could see.
The rules of time and space were broken in Lordran, and that much was a fact that everyone knew, but what few people knew was the fact that near Ash Lake, where the ancient world and the modern Lordran coexist to some extent, the rules are completely nonexistent.
That is why I walk. beginning from the shores of Ash Lake to wherever this distorted world takes me next.
Then, one day, all of a sudden, a change in scenery.
The dull view of the towering stone bark of the Archtrees was suddenly replaced by cavernous depths within the blink of an eye.
The emptiness of the void that my senses had gotten used to feeling, replaced by a sudden surge of energy from life forms of all kinds.
But I would soon find that these creatures were not friendly, not in the slightest.
For I would learn later on that I had somehow found myself inside the depths of a Dungeon, a high-ranking one at that.
And then, as they say, the rest is history.
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"So, that is the truth. Of everything. Of who I was, and who I am now."
I did not dare meet the children's eyes for fear of seeing something terrible, something that my heart could not bear to witness.
They would be justified to feel such things because, for all intents and purposes, to them, I am no different than the monsters within the dungeons.
Suddenly, I felt two pairs of arms wrap around me as I felt my shirt start to get soaked.
Looking down, I found a sobbing Jinah and Jinwoo who held me tightly, showing what they truly felt about me.
That night, we spent all our time hugging like that until the two children fell asleep in exhaustion.
Truly, I must have been blessed by someone to have found people like these in my life.
For that fact alone, I am grateful.
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Author Notes: Read 5 chapters ahead on Patreon: patreon.com/Ruijard1