From The Abyss, We Shine Brightest [Kingdom Hearts x Dark Souls 3 Crossover]

Chapter 5 - Git Gud Casul

The monstrous knight closed the distance quickly, his thundering footsteps shaking the chamber as his crazed growls reverberated off the walls. Eraqus stood his ground, allowing his opponent to approach, his heart pounding in anticipation. The knight's next move came swiftly, the great icy mace thrust toward Eraqus with bone-crushing intent.

At the last possible second, Eraqus stepped aside, the weapon and its carrier barreling past him. He countered with a horizontal cut aimed at the knight's right side. But to his shock, the scimitar bounced off the knight's armor with a deafening metallic clang, a shower of sparks lighting up the dark chamber. The unexpected resistance threw him off balance.

The knight, seizing the opportunity with a primal instinct, swung his mace in a deadly arc while pivoting his body. Eraqus saw the great weapon blur towards him, carving a path of destruction on the stone floor and sending fragments and dust flying. He barely had time to raise his shield in a desperate attempt to block the blow.

Pain exploded through his body as the mace connected, the impact rattling his shield and shattering his bones. His scream echoed through the chamber, a raw cry of agony. His flesh felt as though it were being torn apart, every nerve aflame. The force of the blow lifted him off his feet, sending him crashing to the ground several meters away.

Struggling to stand, Eraqus found his legs shaky and his breath labored. Blood dripped from his nose, forehead, and mouth, staining the ground. His vision doubled, the blue blur of the knight looming larger with every heartbeat. The arm holding his shield hung uselessly at his side, a dead weight of pain.

Clicking his tongue in frustration, he sheathed his scimitar with great difficulty, his fingers trembling. He fumbled through his pockets for an Estus flask, but the tremors of the approaching knight forced him to abandon his search. The ground seemed to quake with every step of the monstrous figure.

Eraqus threw himself to the left, rolling painfully across the stone floor. He cursed the agony that revealed more broken bones than just his arm. Every movement was a new wave of torment, but he had no choice. Survival demanded it. The relentless knight would not stop, and Eraqus had to keep moving.

Judging by the bang that assaulted his ears, Eraqus assumed that the massive blur had hit the wall near his previous location. So the Master returned to his efforts to find the Estus flask, succeeding this time, and drinking its contents.

The flavor of the potion surprised Eraqus. Having the substance of syrup but an indescribable taste, better than any beverage he had tried before. Instantly, an orange aura surrounded Eraqus, healing his wounds, mending bones, tending his bruises, and stopping the bleeding.

The Master sighed relieved, feeling the pain disappear and vision returning to normal, in time to see the knight violently removing his colossal form from a hole in the wall.

Eraqus analyzed his situation and chances of victory, frowning at how low they were.

Eraqus quickly assessed his situation, realizing his chances of victory were grim. His earlier attempts had shown that brute strength alone wouldn't pierce the knight's formidable armor. He needed something more—something he didn't have on hand. Magic was his only remaining option.

The chill in the chamber and the icy mist surrounding the knight indicated that ice was his natural element. Fire and lightning, then, would be the most effective countermeasures. Determined, Eraqus focused, feeling the magic course through his veins as he prepared a spell. Meanwhile, the knight roared, slamming his mace into the ground before charging again.

"Fire!"

With a snap of his fingers, Eraqus sent a fireball hurtling toward the knight. It exploded on impact, engulfing the knight in flames. A pained grunt echoed from the armored figure, who shook his head violently, dissipating some of the fire but continuing his relentless advance.