Road of Sacrifices, Crucifixion Woods.
Xia Yu shook his somewhat dizzy head, preparing to continue the map progression that hadn't seen progress in a while.
During the recent relaxing revelry, he had been poured a lot of wine. Although as an Undead, it was impossible to taste the alcohol, let alone get drunk, he had somehow obtained Siegbräu.
Specifically, the ale brewed by Siegward, which was a fine brew that even the Undead could savor.
By analyzing the Siegbräu, he successfully had his other selves clone the drink and even created different flavors.
With both strong liquor and sake available, he managed to outdrink a large crowd of people; even the blacksmith Andre couldn't beat him.
After drinking everyone under the table and relaxing for a long time, he finally left Firelink Shrine with a swaying gait.
Before leaving, he had already instructed the robots to take care of the drunken crowd, while the remaining sober personnel could also look after those who were dazed.
He himself wanted to take advantage of this momentum to directly defeat the Crystallized Elder and then push through to the Cathedral of the Deep.
Even if Aldrich the Drowning Pig wasn't at the Cathedral of the Deep yet, there were still many good things there. The souls of the Deacons of the Deep alone were enough to make the trip worthwhile.
After all, Deep Miracles were also good stuff. Although the Deep itself wasn't anything good, it was certainly useful.
Thus, Xia Yu arrived, but before he had progressed very far, he encountered someone he expected... or rather, two people.
"Hello, it is a pleasure to meet you. I am Anri of Astora, an Unkindled Ash, as you likely are as well. This beside me is Horace, a friend who travels with me."
A woman wearing Elite Knight Armor greeted Xia Yu as he walked toward her. The large knight beside her merely nodded in silence.
Noticing Xia Yu's gaze on Horace, Anri smiled and said, "Regarding him... Horace is very taciturn, but please do not misunderstand. He is an upright and gentle person, truly a knight worthy of sharing a mission with."
"To be honest, if I were not traveling with him, I would surely curse this mission."
Hearing Anri say this, Xia Yu also offered a friendly self-introduction: "Hello, I am Xia Yu. However, I have no homeland; I am an Ashen One with no place to call home."
"Is that so? Then you are truly impressive, bearing your mission alone," Anri remarked with a slight sigh upon hearing Xia Yu's introduction. "I really cannot do it alone. I am glad to have you by my side, Horace."
Horace responded with his usual silence, but Anri just gave a light chuckle, as if she had long since expected his reaction.
Watching this scene of what seemed like a couple showing off their affection, Xia Yu felt a bit of a stomachache. Damn that Miyazaki!
In the game, neither of these two had a happy ending. Horace turned into a Hollow and was killed by the protagonist, and Anri was forced to marry the protagonist.
It was a textbook NTR plot, where the protagonist acts as the blonde interloper who kills the victim along the way.
Of course, that was just a description. The actual plot wasn't exactly that gut-wrenching, because the protagonist also kills their own spouse, Anri... which seems even more gut-wrenching.
Regardless of the choices made in the game, Anri and Horace never had a good end. Horace would inevitably become a Hollow, and Anri would surely lose herself.
Even the wedding ceremony involved plunging a sword into the other person's head; it was just cruel to the player's emotions.
Noticing Xia Yu's silence, Anri asked curiously, "Is something wrong?"
"It's nothing." Xia Yu shook his head, pushing his impressions of the game to the back of his mind. Now that he was here, everything in the game would naturally be changed.
Just as he wanted to change the tragedy of Solaire in dark souls i, he also wanted to change the tragedy of Anri and Horace. These two should not die.
If he couldn't change what he wanted to change after transmigrating, then wouldn't his transmigration be for nothing?
Looking at Anri, Xia Yu suddenly changed the subject: "Astora, Anri... do you know Solaire of Astora? A venerable Warrior of Sunlight."
The reliable ally Solaire from dark souls i, as well as Oscar who appeared at the beginning of dark souls i, were both from Astora. People from this country were powerful and upright.
Xia Yu didn't know if people today still knew about everything that happened in dark souls i, but he couldn't help but ask.
"Solaire of Astora? My apologies, I have never heard the name of this Warrior of Sunlight." Anri thought for a moment and shook her head apologetically. "But to be titled a Warrior of Sunlight, he must have been an upright and warm warrior."
"Yes," Xia Yu recalled the days when he had been helped by Solaire. "He truly lived up to his title as a Warrior of Sunlight."
Receiving this answer from Anri, Xia Yu didn't have much regret. After all, who knows how many years have passed since the timeline of dark souls i; very little from that era has survived to this day.
Even the femboy Gwyndolin was eaten by Aldrich the Drowning Pig; that former Dark Sun had long since set in this era.
"A chance encounter is fate. Since we are both seekers of the Lords of Cinder, no matter where you are headed, we are on the same path and will meet again sooner or later," Anri said suddenly as Xia Yu was lamenting the cruelty of time. "When that time comes, we must help each other. May your journey be guided by the flame."
After saying this, Anri prepared to leave with Horace and continue toward their goal. Seeing this, Xia Yu also replied with a smile.
"Certainly. After all, the more companions, the better. May your journey be guided by the flame."
After exchanging greetings, Anri and Horace walked away. Xia Yu did not stop them; they were still fine for now.
Furthermore, at this moment, he had no way to solve Hollowing. When an Undead dies too many times, they inevitably transition toward becoming a Hollow.
The process of death is accompanied by the loss of Humanity and memory. To change Horace's fate, the problem of Hollowing must be solved.
But this was not so easily solved, unless he extracted Horace's soul and sealed it away for the time being until a solution was found later.
However, such a method was too unorthodox, and besides, if he tried to do something to Horace, Anri would certainly not agree.
It really is a headache for an Ashen One. Damn that Miyazaki!
...[dark souls iii]: I've met Anri and Horace. How on earth can I change their original fates? This seems unsolvable.
[clash of clans]: That's rare; you actually have a moment of worry.
[dark souls iii]: It's not like I'm truly heartless; this is just an attitude toward life.
[dark souls iii]: Alright, help me think. How exactly can Hollowing be solved? Should I just stuff them with souls?
[dark souls i]: Wishful thinking. The essence of Hollowing is dying too much. As long as you don't let those two die, won't Hollowing stop?
[dark souls iii]:...I feel like you're talking nonsense.
[dark souls i]: Did you use another ember?
[dark souls iii]: What do you mean?
[dark souls i]: Your brain's been fried by the fire.
[dark souls iii]:... [dark souls i]: You've already renovated Firelink Shrine, so what's the harm in buffing Anri and Horace a bit? Just give them some power armor and boost their vitality.
[dark souls i]: Do you still care about changing the plot? Some of our powers can only be used by ourselves, but some external forces can definitely be used for others. I've already given Solaire a set of Sun Power Armor; can't you learn from me?
[dark souls iii]: Holy crap? When did you get Sun Power Armor? How come I didn't know!