"Pardon me, Miss Surtr." The Fire Keeper readily complied, her submission to Surtr far outweighing the traces left on her by old rules and teachings. She gave Surtr a slight bow, then extended her hand toward the stone ground. With a quietly circling gust of wind, thousands of candles lit up at once throughout the dim Firelink Shrine.
A vast and detailed map appeared beneath their feet. Yelena let out a soft gasp, and Miss Surtr patted her shoulder, soothing her until she calmed down.
"Beneath your feet lies Firelink Shrine. This is where you, I, and your companions are standing. If you intend to walk the pilgrimage road again, then this will be both its beginning and its end. The Coiled Sword in your hand is the key to the First Flame, and according to legend, you are the only one capable of wielding it as a weapon."
Surtr looked down at her feet. The circular architectural marker was exceptionally clear beneath the faint glow of the Coiled Sword and the candlelight within the shrine.
"If the Rite of Kindling were functioning normally, I doubt I would have appeared here at this time." Surtr let out a soft snort. She wanted to know how similar this altered world was to the game's storyline as she remembered it.
"Yes, just as you expected." The Fire Keeper nodded gently. "The Rite of Kindling has suffered two errors. The first occurred over a decade ago. My foolish and pitiful father, Oceiros, the current king of Lothric, coveted the power of dragons. He tried to use dragon blood to create new royal heirs. I do not know why he did so, but he ultimately failed and went mad. He delayed the original season of kindling, and imprisoned the hero Gundyr, who should have