These weeks have been long indeed. Ever since Miss Mia left me with a tingle on my lips, a rare thing for a Hollow to feel, I have marched through these desolate sands of Zebran.

The map I had procured back in Zebril helped me on my way, and although it did not show where Equestria was as I had hoped, I assumed it was further north.

Thus, my travels lead me to the ancient jungles of the Ara. I had fought many desert beasts, dogs, worms, snakes, and defeated all, reaching and passing through a number of ruined buildings so far gone it was hard to tell what they originally were. Bonfires were placed in each ruin, as if they were checkpoints egging me forward.

Eventually, I had reached the outskirts of the Aran Jungles, and as I trudged through the mud in the humid jungle climate, my mind wandered to Miss Mia and the others.

Young Chris... Someone so young should never have to see the horrors I know he has. Much less live them. I could only hope my efforts and teachings to his Rebellion had helped him to achieve greater victories against those machines.

Miss Ita seemed to have lived a good while, only to be placed in yet another world. She seemed to have much on her mind at all times. Maybe someday, I can find a way to give her the respite I knew she needed.

And Miss Mia...

Miss Mia, that beautiful dragoness I had grown so close to in so short a time...

I pulled out the red and white orb she had given me, staring at it wistfully. I had to return to her, some time, I knew.

But my quest was not just about myself. It was about finding my old charges and keeping them safe. I couldn't abandon them. I gripped the orb more tightly.

"I will return, Miss Mia. And pay you back," I promised with a soft but no less meaningful whisper. I returned my gaze to the jungle environment around me.

Tall trees covered in vines and moss loomed far above me. Bushes, shrubs, and unruly vegetation were all over the muddy ground.

My boots were sinking a little into the mud, but thankfully, not as quickly as they would in quicksand.

I trudged onward, boots squelching in the mud with every step and my sword held at the ready. The jungle canopies hid most of the dim light the sun provided, and the amount of brush and foliage all further added to my disadvantage in terms of an ambush.

This was not ideal.

Still, I had to continue, no matter how many foes waited for me, or how many gruesome deaths lay ahead.

Pressing forward and cutting down any vegetation that lay in my path, I eventually came across a ravine. But not a normal one. This one held an entire city on either cliff face, bridges and the like spanning it's length and depths that I could not see the bottom of.

This was the city of the Ara, known as Arath. I looked around the ravine, trying to find a way inside without recklessly jumping down towards the nearest bridge, and likely my death. In time, I found a staircase leading downwards, and followed it.

As I walked down the steps, I looked at the walls, seeing ornate carvings, all done by talons, if the shape of each carving was any indication. The Ara, whilst not as adept at stone cutting as some, still prided themselves on their unique stone work and reliefs.

I idly admired the carvings, all of them decorative, and all telling of their gods and how they descended to the earth to give them their life. It was an interesting thought, to be certain.

In time, I came upon the vast and breathtaking view of the truly massive and sprawling underground cityscapes of the Ara. Underground lakes, temples, houses, cathedrals, all of them sprawled out in front of me, just a several hundred foot drop away from me. I had to force a step back so as to not fall off the edge of the bridge leading down into one of the massive cities.

Still, I couldn't help but marvel at the beauty and majesty. At least, until I heard an ominous clicking sound, and looked up to find the twelve legged, chitinous, Hollowed form of an Ara above me, the once majestic Aran woman's previously fetching face now rotting, her mandibles popping out of their sockets and clicking together hungrily.

She slammed down onto me, clawing at my armor with her stone-cutting talons and rending it to metal scraps, then reaching my skin beneath and quickly disemboweling me.

I screamed in absolute agony, and screamed louder as she tore into my organs with her mandibles and teeth. The pain became too much, eventually, and I passed out, dead from the shocking pain.

Welp, here's a huge fuck-you to all of you who thought things were gonna go smoothly. (Not really, I love you all to pieces )

This is his first onset of true agony, now. Of hopelessness. It's, in my eyes, a must for any Dark Souls story.

Sorry if it's so short, just thought I'd make a quicky with a good ol' bang!