[X] Go ask the priestess for the key and take the longer route
-[X] Let Oscar do the talking
"The long way it is." You say with an exaggerated shrug. "Those drakes sound way too much of a pain to deal with." You think you've said something pretty reasonable, but Oscar stares down at you silently. "What?"
"No, nothing. I'm just surprised, is all." Oscar replies, shaking his head. "I'd assumed you would be keen on a mad idea like running past a flock of drakes."
"Hey, I'm not an idiot!" You retort, crossing your arms and glaring up at him angrily. "I might be able to get through no problem, but you're as slow as a snail! I can't just leave you to be dragon food, can I?"
"Oh." Oscar mutters, seeming taken aback. "Uh, I see. Thank you for the consideration, then."
You eye him for a moment, but turn back to Andre when you hear him give a satisfied chuckle. Andre seems to have finished the sword and is eyeing it keenly with a big grin. The blade has a faint golden glow that fills you with a subtle warmth.
"Aye, that should do it. Truly a marvellous thing, the power of the gods is." Andre muses. He lowers the sword after a moment, sheathing it and handing it over to Oscar. "I thank ye again for the chance to work with a divine ember. I hope that sword will be of some help on your journey."
"I'm sure it will." Oscar replies, accepting the sword and strapping it to his hip. "Thank you for taking the time to bless the weapon. I'm sure it required no short amount of skill."
Andre waves off the compliment with a hearty chuckle. "Aye, but 'tis a pale challenge to the beasts you're likely to face. I wish you good luck, friends."
You and Oscar exchange farewells with Andre before departing once again on your adventure. You have a direction now, so no matter what happens, you shouldn't be caught up too much from here on out. Or so you think.
Oscar pauses as you pass the small bonfire set up above Andre's workshop. After a moment, he steps over to the fire and crouches down beside it, letting the embers swirl around him.
"Uh, Oscar? I don't think you had any wounds to heal." You say, squatting down next to him. The embers dance around you as well.
"Hmm? Oh, apologies. I just had a thought." He replies as the two of you stand back up. "Since there's a chance we may come across more Homeward Bones in the future, I thought we should start pausing at each bonfire we encounter. The bones resonate with the flame, and will link with the last one it comes in contact with."
"Well, that seems… convenient." You mumble, glancing down at the flickering fire. "Just one more game-like thing, I guess."
You don't think too much about it as you carry on up the stairs and towards the parish. Thankfully, those Hollows at the door to the church are still dead, and you're able to enter without issue. Oscar stops you, however, once you turn the corner for the other end of the building.
"We should find another way around." He says quietly, eyeing the revived knights with tattered red cloaks.
All three of the tall, armoured figures have come back to life, thin swords in hand and patrolling the front room of the church in a somewhat messing fashion. You remember them being messy corpses when you first reached the church, presumably killed by the not-witch, and their armour doesn't seem to have recovered as well as they have.
"What's the big deal?" You ask, emulating Oscar's hushed tone for the sake of humouring him. "We kicked the witch's butt, and it made ragdolls of these guys."
"Kirika, these aren't just your average Hollows, they're knights from the land of Balder." Oscar replies with a shake of his head. "They may not be as deadly as a Black Knight, but they're still capable enough, especially in numbers."
You stare up at him for a while, but eventually give in with an exaggeratedly heavy sigh. The nearest of the hollowed knights twitches at the sound, so the two of you back away before you get into any needless trouble.
While you grumble about having to find a long way around – to a long route to your goal, no less! – it doesn't end up being as tedious as you expected. Heading back out into the little area where the still-dead Hollows are, you follow a crudely fixed bridge across to a side path. You both pause when you see the billowing red of another Balder, but it turns out to have its eye on a Hollow.
You sneak past as the two of them start trying to kill each other, and quickly leave them behind. Not long after, you find yourself in front of the church's main entrance. The big gate into the courtyard is still raised, as there's still a red stain where you were… uh, where you 'encountered' the boar.
Speaking of the boar, its corpse is also still there, exposed butt a bloody mess that makes you shiver at the memory. The Hollows are there too, but are far more alive and moving than their armoured pet.
You summon your claws, ready for a fight, but once again, Oscar stops you. He points up at one of the Hollows up above the gate holding a crossbow, and you see it eyeing you blankly. It doesn't make any move to attack, nor to alert its buddies.
"Huh?" is all you can manage at the sight. Weren't these guys pretty determined to kill you last time you passed through? Why do they seem calm now? Did something change?
You and Oscar slowly make your way through the gate and down the stairs, weapons ready and eyes on the Hollows in case this is some kind of trick. The Hollows don't attack, however, instead just blankly staring at you as you pass. Soon, you arrive at the shrine without any issue, not entirely sure what just happened.
A loud crack makes you jump as you step through the small gate into the shrine. Ada is missing but a few Hollows idle about the place. Another crack sound leads you to the little garden where you spoke to Solaire, and you find the priestess standing over a stone table. She raises the big hammer you took to Andre for repairs and brings it down hard on a skull that very much looks like it belongs to a human.
She pauses after shattering the skull and lifts her head. "Is someone there?"
Oscar clears his throat and takes a step forward. "Ah, yes. It's Oscar and Kirika, the travellers that passed through not too long ago."
You notice the woman's lip twitch at your name as she places the hammer down on the table beside the pile of shattered bones. "Ah, welcome back. I heard the ring of the bell. I presume that was you?"
"Indeed." Oscar replies, shifting awkwardly. You don't need to see his face to know he's eyeing the priestess's 'work.' "We've unfortunately run into a bit of a dead-end on our search for the second bell. The blacksmith you told us about mentioned you know the way down to the Lower Burg, where we may make our way to the bell."
Ada stares at the two of you (well, faces you, seeing as her eyes are covered) for a moment, before chuckling. "Ah yes, of course. Well, you did deliver my hammer to Andre, and I presume you're somehow responsible for calming the Hollows around the church." She says, wandering over to a small door. "I suppose I can grant you access to the Lower Burg."
You and Oscar share a glance when Ada disappears through the door. She returns a few moments later with a big rusty key in her hand. "There is a door on the other side of the bridge that will lead you down. I had locked it to keep people from wandering down there unknowingly, but you seem capable enough."
"Why would you need to keep people from going down there?" You ask, causing the woman to turn her head towards you. You expect some kind of rude remark or irritated tone, but she replies matter-of-factly. "There are a number of Hollows down below who are dangerous and unwelcoming. Thieves and killers in their lives, I suspect. As well, there is a dangerous presence further in. Something that has climbed up from the pits beneath Blighttown."
"We'll keep that in mind." Oscar says with a nod of thanks. After a moment, he realises she can't see and quickly adds "Thank you for your cooperation."
"Not at all." Ada replies with a faint smile. "You may rest here for a time, so let me know when you wish me to unlock the door for you."
[] Stay at the shrine for a while
-[] Talk to someone
--[] Oscar
--[] Ada
--[] Try talking to one of the Hollows
-[] Poke around the shrine for a bit
-[] Write in
[] Unlock the door and carry on
[] Write in
