Chapter Text
I heard screams in the distance, their voices muffled and distorted, yet strangely familiar. I didn't care, I left the two blurred figures behind and ran towards the pulsating sun.
Strange beings stood in my path, giant rats and tall, thin men dressed in yellow. All sharing flaming eyes, a violent flame that screamed and burned, born of pain and suffering.
I felt that same fire in my eyes, though weak, contained, I was stronger than these beings and could withstand the scorching heat. With a few swings of my sword, I tore them to pieces, absorbing their screaming souls which were silenced within my body, free from their agony.
The closer I got to my goal, the more the heat intensified, threatening to melt my flesh, but I clenched my teeth, holding firm. I didn't stop when my pyromantic flame exploded, nor when my fingers contorted, nor when my body screamed in protest, nor when my mind was consumed by chaotic memories.
I heard echoes of distant memories, saw forgotten places, witnessed erased moments, all crumbling to ashes, all melting like wax. As quickly as they came, they disappeared, returning the world to normal, leaving me with a profound emptiness and sadness.
Who were they? How did they know me? Why were they calling my name? Why did I long to hear more and see them again?
I don't know what happened next; when I realized it, I was right beneath the frenzied sun, listening to the agonizing cries of countless victims of this world. Poor and miserable souls who lost everything to the injustice that permeated existence.
At that moment, I clutched my head and howled to the heavens, for such suffering was impossible to bear.
-XXXXXX-
The sun went out, and in a brief moment of lucidity, I glimpsed a burned village, inhabited only by rats and madmen, all felled by my hands. I felt pity; what had happened to make them all end up like this, devoid of hope? What tragedy had befallen them to succumb in such a way?
Something nearby called to me in the church atop the hill, a simple scarab, something so small and fragile carrying such a powerful artifact. A pity it didn't live to return home; that wasn't fair, but what was it really in this world?
The power I found in its remains invaded my mind; a new infernal power burned in my eyes. A tingling sensation ran down my spine—an invader, a challenger, a red specter in melted armor wielding a spear.
It didn't last long; I took a deep breath and threw my head back, letting out a deafening scream, feeling my lungs burn and the air vibrate. From my eyes, my new power was unleashed: a focused burst of fire, an orange line that pierced my enemy, melting his body and striking the side of the hill behind him.
When the fire and smoke from the explosion dissipated, there was only a molten crater, a kind of grape marked with a fingerprint, and my opponent's spear. I put the artifacts in my bag and moved on, curious to know what that knight was hiding; invasions were rarely random.
It was disappointing: a dead woman, a sacred tear, and a piece of white cloth. I put the objects of interest in my bag and moved on, for something was calling me.
-XXXXXX-
“Hello? Is anyone there? My name is Lucatiel, and I am traveling in search of the distant light. If I may be so bold as to ask… could you donate some Shabriri Grapes that you have in your possession? My eyesight has been weak since birth, you know. I can't discern where I should go. But when I eat one of these grapes, I feel a distant light deep in my eyes. It will guide me to my true duty, as a Maiden of the Fingers.”
Was it her? Yes! How could I doubt it?! It was her, my companion in many battles on my journey through the decaying Drangleic! Lucatiel of Mirrah! She was alive! Surely a miracle! A miracle! Praise be to the gods!
There she was, in her colorful and intricate clothes, her tall hat and mask that concealed her partially transformed, yet still beautiful face! I thought I had lost you! My dead heart broke after your disappearance! Now it is healed! I kept my promise, I never forgot your name! And you, do you still remember mine?!
What am I saying?! Of course you remember! We've been through so much for you to forget something so important! Don't worry, I'll bring you what you want, just promise you won't disappear again!
-XXXXXX-
"Ah, thank you so much. Now I can feel the distant light once more. You are truly very kind. May the blessing of the Fingers be with you."
I don't care about the damned Fingers, only about your presence! As long as you're still here, nothing else matters, because I… I… Where did you go?
-XXXXXX-
“You’re not like the others who give me grapes, are you… They place their trembling hands on me. Howling without words, they gently caress my eyes. Their frail, emaciated fingers… And yet, they give me the grapes. But you… seem, somehow… firmer. You are, in fact, very kind. May the blessings of the Fingers be with you.”
Oh, how glad I am to hear those words! How glad I am to know that I am helping! I will never make the same mistakes again! I will never again hide something so important from you! I could have saved you if I had only told you what that little effigy did.
-XXXXXX-
“I wonder, what are Shabiri grapes? Deliciously soft and sweet, but at the same time scorching… What a sight they must be.”
Don’t worry, I’ll tell you!
“N-no… that’s not possible. All those people… Their very eyes… then those noises I heard were…— COUGH! COUGH!”
What happened?! Did I do something wrong again?! I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry! I…
“Sorry, I’m fine now. I apologize. You only did what I asked. I’ll be okay. Don’t think about it anymore. BLERG!”
Lucatiel, what is…
-XXXXX-
“Ah, is that you? I discovered something truly important, thanks to you. The reason why I had to eat eyes. The distant light is weak and faint. So weak that it can't be seen with the naked eye. But with everyone's eyes together, it appears. Finally, everything makes sense. Now I'm sure: I'm going to become a finger maiden. Have you ever heard of fingerprint-grapes? They are special grapes that only grow on those who have been touched by the Burned Fingers. I would love to taste one… The distant light seems much closer than before. But I can no longer feel anything in ordinary grapes… Please, could you give me a fingerprint-grape? Without one, I don't know, I feel like I might go crazy.”
Of course! I have one right here!
“Oh, oh! A fingerprint-grape, proven and true, what a wonderful thing! Ohh, how sweet, but how it burns… Thank you. I’ve recovered. May the blessings of the Fingers be with you. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. I’m sure I’ll be a Maiden of the Fingers.”
I’m happy to help, as always! Now we’re finally together, there’s something I wanted to tell you, but I realized it too late, I… I…
-XXXXXX-
“GASP!”
I woke up in a panic, feeling my lungs burn as the icy water entered my mouth. I struggled to get up, thrashing like a fish until I managed to get on my hands and knees, trying to understand what had happened.
“COUGH! COUGH!”
My breathing was rapid and my mind confused, my eyes burned and I couldn’t see my surroundings properly. I weakly crawled toward what I thought was a blur of a tree, using it for support to stand up.
Then I remained there for a few moments, trying to recover. I groped my body for the Flask of Cerulean Tears, feeling some of my worry leave my body as I found it in its proper place.
I poured its contents into my mouth, feeling a familiar and calming warmth, realizing I had wasted a precious Estus Flask. The pain disappeared and my senses returned faster than I expected, making me scream when I was attacked by a barrage of noises and smells, as well as sunlight hitting my eyes.
I clicked my tongue, scratching my head as I looked around, trying to get my bearings. I was in Liurnia, that was certain, I could see Raya Lucaria in the distance, but how did I get here? We were heading towards the elevator, but then I felt something calling me, and then…
Images flashed through my mind, almost knocking me to the ground with the throbbing headache that accompanied them. Various locations, fire, screams, madness, fights, and despair, and a woman—I recognized her appearance, but it was impossible, she was dead. No, I never saw her body, but how? Why is she here?
The Frenzied Flame, that damned flame, what does it want from me? Why me? What did I do to capture its attention?
I focused on the gym in the distance, clenching my fists in anger. I ignored it for a long time; it was time to gather information about what was happening.
-XXXXXX-
Piles of books formed around me. Volume after volume, I emptied the shelves of the Great Library. Some sorcerers tried to stop me, but gave up after some bodies hit the floor.
My frustration grew, for the more I searched, the less I found. There were gaps in the manuscripts; every time I thought I was close to some information about the Frenzied Flame, I found myself in a dead end, as if all the information had been purposefully erased.
I sighed, an irritated sound echoing off the walls, setting aside yet another book before leaning back in my seat, running my hands over my face.
“DAMN IT!”
CRASH!
I slammed my fist on the table, breaking it in two. This was a waste of time and effort! So much knowledge, but nothing of what I was looking for! Perhaps there's something in the capital that can help me, perhaps, because if there isn't, I don't know what I'll do to get rid of this flame, or what I'll do under its influence.
I gripped my shield with both hands and turned it towards my face, analyzing my reflection. My face was worn and dirty, my hair disheveled, and most importantly, burns around my bright yellow eyes. This was new, as if the slits from my connection to the dragons weren't enough.
I dropped the shield with a metallic thud, remaining silent as I stared at the ceiling, my mind blank, too tired to think of solutions. I don't know how much time passed; I felt my head getting lighter and lighter, I heard distant voices, incoherent whispers, glimpsed figures running between the shelves, and it didn't take me long to realize the problem.
I removed a human effigy from my bag and crushed it in my hand, temporarily warding off the curse's influence. If things continue like this, I'll become Hollow before I find all the crowns.
“ALDEN!”
I looked at the source of the voice, a slow movement and eyes full of disinterest and exhaustion. Godwyn and Blaidd ran towards me, stopping near my chair. I knew they were both worried about seeing me like this, the armored one because of his voice and posture, and the half-wolf because of his face.
“Hello, I’m glad to see you unharmed. I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
“N-no! You ran off like a madman! We were trying to find you!” The demigod replied, throwing his arms up.
Blaidd spoke next, though more restrained.
“Can you tell us what the hell happened?”
“Sit down, it’s a long story.”
They both did as I asked, then I recounted the events, doing my best to remember what had happened.
-Caelid-
“GASP!”
Millicent awoke with a sigh, a mixture of the pain caused by the golden needle piercing her flesh, and the relief of feeling the Scarlet Rot receding. Gradually, her vision adjusted to her surroundings, cleared by her newfound health.
Sitting down, she tilted her head in confusion as she noticed the two individuals staring at her. The hooded old man was familiar; she struggled to remember his name, Gowry, her adoptive father who found her amidst the decay. She felt ashamed for almost forgetting.
The other was more peculiar; her memories were hazy but recent—an ominous young man with hair as red as hers. A rude person, from what she could remember, but he seemed to have helped her.
She stood up, her body trembling, aided by her father, thanking him for his help when she finally managed to stand.
“How do you feel, my daughter?”
Millicent paused and thought after hearing her father's gentle tone, looking at herself as she opened and closed her remaining hand. Her joints no longer locked, her skin had acquired a healthier tone, and it was easier to move and breathe without coughing like a dying man.
“I’m better, but how? I thought the needle had been lost.”
She asked, looking at the object in question piercing her arm. Strangely, it didn’t hurt when she moved.
“Young Albert found it; he also brought you to me after you fainted.”
The person in question was still sitting in his corner, looking away, but a quick glance revealed that he was paying attention to the conversation. Millicent hesitated, but sighing, nodded to the young man, thanking him for his efforts.
“Thank you so much for saving my life.”
Albert seemed surprised, frowning for a second before returning the gesture with a small smile.
“You’re welcome, that’s what my father would do. Speaking of him, have you seen him? His name is Alden, tall, strong, with red hair, and he’s a sorcerer just like me.”
Millicent froze, standing still like a statue, remembering invading the person in question accompanied by a knight wearing skeleton armor and a half-wolf, especially the fact that she was hit by a ball of fire and lava, one of the most painful things she had ever felt.
Gowry, on the other hand, put a hand to his chin, murmuring something as he delved deeper into his thoughts.
“I believe you’re referring to the Radahn Festival’s champion; he fits your description, but he left Caelid a long time ago. I heard he’s the Tarnished with the most Great Runes, having obtained Godrick’s and Rennala’s, so I suppose his next destination is the Altus Plateau. Head west until you reach Limgrave, from there, cross Stormveil Castle to Liurnia, head north and you’ll reach the plateau, although the lift has been deactivated since the last time I heard, but if you’re in a hurry, there’s a tunnel dug somewhere leading to your objective.”
Albert’s smile widened, almost splitting his face, revealing his sharp teeth, then he stood up quickly, using his tail for support, turning to the father and daughter before bowing politely.
“Thank you for everything, now if you’ll excuse me, I must leave.”
Before Gowry and Millicent could even answer, Albert turned his back on them both and ran off at an absurd speed, leaving them both dumbfounded.
“Millicent, do you want to go with him?”
The young woman turned around in less than a second, like lightning, facing her father with a surprised expression, demanding an explanation.
“It’s obvious he’s captured your interest; after all, your goals are similar, aren’t they? Albert wants to find his father, and you, his mother, am I right? I believe you should join forces to achieve what you desire; the Lands Between are full of dangers, even more so with your distress.”
It was a subtle gesture, but Millicent’s hand stopped mid-way to its stump, grasping the air, missing what should be there. Her gaze alternated between her father and Albert disappearing into the distance.
She shifted uncomfortably, biting her lip before sighing and nodding in confirmation.
“Be careful, my daughter.”
“You too, father.”
They exchanged a tight, warm hug, and with that done, Millicent set off, running to catch up with Albert, but not before waving goodbye to Gowry halfway..
“I promise I’ll be right back!”
Her father waved back, and then she continued her advance along the dirt road. Honestly, she had hoped it would take her longer to catch up with Albert, but to her surprise, or perhaps frustration, the young man found himself in a fight against a Death Rite Bird.
They traded blows, blue fire clashing against dark sorcery. Drawing her curved blade, she advanced, closing the distance and preparing her dance.
The moment the bird raised its poker to unleash a wave of flames, she swooped down like an eagle, unleashing a flurry of swift slashes against the monster's chest, which screeched and roared, its blood renewing the earth's red hue.
“Girl, what the hell are you doing here?!”
“My name is Millicent! And if you don't mind, I'd like to help you on your quest!”
Albert growled, shrugging before conjuring Dark Orb in rapid succession, bombarding his enemy with shadowy spheres that exploded into dark clouds with each impact.
“So be it, but don't die, I don't want to have to deliver the bad news to your father!”
“Don't worry, I can handle myself!”
Then they stood side by side, spells and weapons in hand, ready to face the first challenge of their journey.
END OF CHAPTER
Hello, before you go, I would like to share two drawings I made.
1- Godwyn as the possessed armor.
2 - Rennala on her casual clothes during her talk with Alden.
So, what do you think?
Another thing, I have some basic coloring pencils, should I add some color to my drawings from now on?