The Ashen Keeper

Chapter 112

Out of all the champions the Judicator Argo would summon, the last one she expected would be Ornstein. Even Wolnir seems more believable in comparison. After all, he at least had some connection with the church despite his actions.

Ornstein, on the other hand had little to do with the church. There was reason he was the head captain of the four legendary knights of Gwyn. His power itself was a huge factor but another reason was Gwyn's trust in him.

Ornstein, the dragon slayer was one of Gwyn's most loyal knights and he proved it by slaying several everlasting ones. Of course, it was only their physical forms but even slaying their physical forms required immense power.

Another reason for his success was his affinity with lightning. Kalameet might be an exception but the ancient dragons are still vulnerable to lightning. It strips away their stone scales and render them vulnerable to mortal weapons.

But as she was pondering about him, another phantom emerged. Someone Ornstein has become associated with over the course of eras. It was Executioner Smough and unlike Ornstein, there was nothing glorious or honourable about him.

The executioner for the royal family of Anor Londo, Smough dreamed of being anointed a knight of Gwyn. However, such was his relish for his work that he soon began to eat the bones of those he had executed.

Regarded as distasteful by his masters, the royal family never raised him to the rank of knight. Though, after the gods fled Anor Londo, he remains in defence of Gwynevere's illusion. Whether he does so out of loyalty to Gwyndolin or he, too, has been fooled by the illusion of sunlight is not clear.

How ironic that when even Ornstein left Anor London, Smough remained despite his unholy position as the executioner. However, in her era, it was slightly implied that he too was finally defeated in Anor Londo and disappeared in the long history of time.

These two probably did not work together but they came to become known as pairs after the Gods themselves fled Anor Londo and leave behind these two to guard it. Rumours said that Ornstein, too fled with the Nameless King, the firstborn of Gwyn.

It is said that the Ornstein left in Anor Londo was merely an illusion much like Princess Gwynevere and that the light of Anor London was a facade. An illusion created and maintained by Dark Sun Gwyndolin, the last born of Gwyn.

Dark Sun Gwyndolin, the leader of the blade of the Dark Moon, the last remaining deity of Anor London who guarded it with his illusion of Princess Gwynevere and Ornstein alongside Executioner Smough. An unmasking of those deities was tantamount to blasphemy.

And now, those two were standing in front of her. Both Gwynevere and Filianore were daughters of Gwyn but she could not imagine them guarding Filianore for no reason. It may surprise her a lot but they shall not stand in her just like all the others like before.

Smough charged ahead first while Ornstein watched from the back. She struck her scythe into the ground and swung it towards the charging executioner. The rocks that became small hills tripped him. His huge weight and armour did not help in balance.

Ornstein rushed in at that time, his spear right at the forefront ready to maul her to death. She parried it with the hilt of her scythe. He did not stop and started a relentless flurry of sharp stabs. She tried to block all but one slipped.

Luckily, it only caught her clothes, but Ornstein was not one to let such small chance go to waste. He used his spear and flip her straight to the air. her clothes must be more durable than she thought because she flipped right into the air.

She only had a glimpse of lightning at the tip of his spear was he aimed it at her when flying through the air at such speed. She failed to account for Smough. The executioner had already recovered and hammered her down right in the sky.

She failed to even see it coming much less block it. She had been too careless and had gotten hit by him. She crashed landed into the ground. not a single bone in her remained intact yet she still stood up.

Pain seared through her like hot magma but it is becoming less and less with every passing moment for the flame heals. Flames started coming out of her and she bathed in fire. Lightning then rain down from the spear of Ornstein.

She intercepted some and dodged some but Smough ran straight at her crushing through every obstacle and boulder in the way. He swung once more. She could not dodge it for lightning was coming from every direction.

So, she let balls of fire rain down from the sky. She would destroy everything to break their cooperation even a little. Smough simply bore through the storm as Ornstein destroyed the incoming meteors with his spear.

Simply to say, he was as fast as lightning. She sailed through her own rain of meteors as she attempted to harm the two of them. She first went for Smough for he was slower. She aims for the legs.

But how could the executioner of Anor Londor fall for such meager tricks. He jumped high up using his hammer as a shield from fire, and let himself fall to the ground. He did not had to do much. Any enemy would be crushed under his sheer weight.

Normally she would have moved away but Ornstein would not fall for it a second time. She formed a pillar of fire right under him with the top being made of sharp edges. Smough had literally jumped to his own death.

But it was still not enough to faze the experienced executioner. He swung his hammer that was up on top of his head right under him meeting it with the incoming fire. For such a big guy, he was a lot more agile than he looked.

As she has taken the risk before, the dangers that accompanied the risk was showing its consequences right now at this moment. She could no longer dodge. She formed a barrier of fire at the last moment but how could that be enough?

She flew away again and crash straight into a pillar. Blood fell from her mouth but the duo still has yet to be done with her. Ornstein rushed straight at her with such force that he was literally leaving ravines in the ground and thrust his spear straight into her once again.

It penetrated right through her stomach and the pillar behind her nailing her there leaving her defenceless and for them to finish her off and get the job done.

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This is chapter 112.

I made both Ornstein and Smough a lot stronger than the game version.