Because I Am Surtr

Alright, it seems the only way to solve this is with a princess carry.

Surtr scooped up the girl by her knees, and one of Yelena's arms naturally draped around Surtr's neck. The girl buried her small head into Surtr's chest, and Surtr continued moving upward.

She felt like something was wrong, though she couldn't pinpoint what.

Her heart seemed to be beating a little fast, but it felt less like her own heart—she didn't quite understand why. All she knew was that the girl in her arms seemed to be withdrawing into herself.

This confusion persisted until she reached the bonfire's entrance and saw the Fire Keeper, who had regained her dignified composure.

"You've finally arrived, Ashen One."

She watched as the Fire Keeper bowed deeply to her.

Then, she noticed the Fire Keeper's temple twitching—the Fire Keeper wasn't blind, and she could see Yelena cradled in Surtr's arms.

She didn't see Yelena quickly lift her head and cast a scrutinizing glance at the Fire Keeper.

Chapter 45: Because You Are Surtr

Tens of thousands of years ago, in Lordran.

On the final battlefield of the Kiln of the First Flame.

The majestic corpse of the Sun King collapsed, the last remnants of fire surging into the Ashen One's sword and hand. Bright flames erupted from the burning Coiled Sword, and sparks gradually began to dot the Ashen One's crimson hair.

It was over. The final war, the ultimate battle that ushered in a new era, had concluded. And now, there was only one thing left to do.

"And so, the world will continue." The flame-haired girl gently clenched her fist, feeling and restraining the almost overflowing Soul of a King and flame within her. She wasn't the only vessel, but she was the only successful one. Only she had managed to contain the souls of kings and arrive here, and she came from another world.

...Surtr.

She tilted her head, looking at her only companion beside her—the Sun Warrior known as Solaire was now silent. The reason for this was something they both understood.

"Is there any wish I can help you fulfill?" a voice asked from beneath Solaire's bucket helm.

"A wish? What wish could someone like me possibly have... If I had to have one wish, Solaire, it would be for you to live well. You deserve a beautiful life in the new era. Hmm... If you have time, please visit Clara for me. Leaving without a word always feels a bit wrong... I wouldn't want to go out one day and find her dead alone in some unknown corner."

"...I don't want to see you outside the Kiln. Surtr, that would be too tragic a fate for both of us."

"You certainly won't see me, but I might still see her. Even the great King Gwyn will eventually burn out, and I will inevitably face the same fate—the flame will extinguish again, and a new successor will rekindle it. And through countless cycles of kindling the First Flame, one day, the ember that has burned once will be reawakened, and I will return to this world to fulfill my mission once more."

"...That day will never come, I swear."

"What are you swearing to?" The Flame-haired Woman waved her hand, letting out a soft laugh. "You are neither king nor sage. You are merely a warrior; there's no need to think about such complicated matters."

The air suddenly grew silent. She looked at him, and he looked at the burning fire. The power of the Soul of a King churned restlessly within its vessel, yet it was suppressed by an absolute will.

"Then let's make a bet," the Sun Warrior's tone suddenly became cheerful again. He extended his hand and took out an amulet he carried—he tossed the amulet to the girl, who caught it with ease.

"What bet?" the girl asked.

However, the warrior did not answer directly.

"Give me your eye patch," he said, pointing to the accessory on the girl's waist. "You never use it anyway, so why not give it to me as a memento?"

"...What a strange taste, but if you want it, take it." The girl casually tossed the eye patch over and then continued their previous topic. "And then? What bet?"

The warrior let out a hearty laugh.

"You'll know later."

With that, he turned and walked towards the outside of the Kiln of the First Flame.

"Then... farewell forever, Surtr, my friend. May we never meet again."

His steps were heavy and firm.

There was no need for lingering or superfluous words.

"Yes, never meet again." The girl nodded slightly, watching her last companion in this world gradually recede.

Now, she was alone in the Kiln of the First Flame. It was time to begin the final task.

She released her restraint, allowing the swelling Soul of a King to dissipate from within her. The calm Kiln of the First Flame trembled violently. From the ground, from the sky, from every inch that sentient beings could perceive, unbound, pure flame bloomed wantonly.

"How long can I burn?"

She spoke, and then flames erupted outward from every pore. They engulfed the land, the sky, everything within the Kiln of the First Flame.

Distant memories floated in her mind, and details she had once forgotten surfaced in her consciousness. Finally, everything converged and solidified into that piece of armor given away as a souvenir.

I see.

So that's what it was.

That bet back then, did it mean this?

—You lost, Solaire.

Surtr reached out and took the amulet from her embrace—the inscription on the amulet, even after countless years, was still like new. It hadn't been damaged or discarded, even after the long burning of the First Flame.

Then she looked up at the Fire Keeper before her.

"So, you've been waiting for me all this time?" she asked softly.

"Yes, I have been waiting for you, Your Majesty," the Fire Keeper replied gently, bowing to her.

Yelena squirmed restlessly in her arms. She glanced at the frost-haired maiden, who seemed to want to break free from her embrace. The maiden then placed Yelena on the ground, expecting her to fall. However, Yelena stood more steadily than anticipated.

She heard Yelena ask the Fire Keeper before her, "Why 'Your Majesty'?"

But the Fire Keeper did not answer. She simply tilted her head back quietly, looking at her, looking at Surtr.

"Why?" So she repeated Yelena's question.

"Because you are the first Lord of Cinder. You are the first human to inherit the First Flame after the Old God Ancestor, the Sun King. Fourteen thousand years ago, Ancestor Emperor Solaire unified the continent of Lordran and established the kingdom of Lothric, after which he established the Pact of Fire Succession. Since then, two royal powers have existed simultaneously on the great land. One is the ruler of the human world, and the other is the inheritor of the Flame. You are the first, and the only one acknowledged by all gods, kings, and heroes."

Surtr opened her mouth.

—Good, I finally understand why I jumped directly from the first game to the third without playing Dark Souls II… Lothric Emperor Solaire… Well done, you actually became king. I shouldn't have even mentioned the name Lothric back then!

"You call Solaire 'Ancestor'…" she hesitated.