Nuclear Ash (Darksouls OC X Fallout 4)

Raiders and Invaders

There was much to celebrate in Sanctuary. Edgar had freed more hostages from Raiders and had killed a whole arena of them too. Some of them knew Preston and his group, while others had been taken from further out in the Commonwealth. But they all had one thing in common now, that being they held a deep feeling of gratitude towards Edgar for his noble actions.

Drinks were had, jokes were told, tears were shed, and for Edgar the flames seemed to dance along with the inhabitants surrounding it. It brought him a sweet satisfaction to see the First Flame glowing so radiently. No doubt the large amount of souls that had entered into its embers was a heavy factor, but something was deeply troubling Edgar now that everyone had put all responsibilities on hold for the night.

These Raiders are despicable, twisted minds with the determination to brig pain and sorrow to others for their own enjoyment. What could possibly bring them to do such things? Why do humans always fight each other when there is so much more for them to worry about? When di-

"You okay Edgar?"

Edgar was snapped from his thoughts when Wallace came over to check on him.

"It's just...everyone is celebrating by the fire while you are over here by yourself. Can....can I help?"

This boy, so hopeful and helpful. What changed him so much?

"Walk with me, I have some things I want to get off my chest."

The two men walked together up the hill towards the entrance to Vault 111. When they had reached the cliff edge Edgar Sat down and removed his helmet, exposing the handprint burn on his face, just like the one he gave to Wallace. He gently pat the ground, signaling Wallace to sit beside him

Wallace was standing a few feet back, trying to decide if this was a good time to ask some questions that had been in his mind for a while. After a brief moment of thought he decided to let Edgar speak his piece first before he got to the personal business.

As Wallace sat down next to Edgar he noticed a somber look in the eyes of the man. Something was clearly troubling him, something that he probably had never talked about before.
"Edgar, whatever you asked me here to talk about, just know that despite our.....history together, I won't judge, and I won't tell anyone. I promise." Wallace gently ran a finger over his own burn scar that covered the majority of his face.

"Wallace, you have heard me tell stories of my home to the others, correct?"

He nodded in response.

"Well, I think I should tell you one that I've never shared before. It has to do with why I'm so...brutal with the Raiders in this land. You see, back in my home when I was in the midst of my grand quest to reignite the First Flame, there were several factions, called Covenants."

Edgar reached his hand forward and seemed to grasp at the very air. after a moment of tense silence there was a shimmer, almost as if the space around his gauntlet was turning to pure gold.

"First, there was the Warriors of Sunlight, the last remaining men and women with pure hearts and radiant souls." Edgar closed his fist and the light vanished, but the gold stayed as a small token with a depiction of a smiling sun on it. "They were always ready to aid those in need, often leaving their summoning signs in dangerous lands to help those who needed it most. I aspire to be like them, when ever I can."

The token vanished, and Edgar once again held his hand forward, but this time there was no brilliant light, no shimmer of sunlight. There was only a puff of blue smoke as Edgar now held what looked like a small piece of flesh.

"Next we had the Blue Sentinels, and their more organized brothers known as The Blades of The Dark Moon. These two covenants were very similar, they would find those who tried to kill others for either fun or glory, hunting them down continuously until either they or their prey was dead. The Blue Sentinels were more like a militia, whereas the Blades of The Dark Moon were an army."
The small, blood-drained ear fell to the ground as Edgar released his grasp on it. "While I admire their courage and dedication I was never fond of them, always fighting other's battles for them. How can one grow if they never truly struggle?"

"Next, there were Rosaria's Fingers, a group of invaders who hunted down those who simply wished to survive. They were infamous for how persist they were, and even worse was their habit of cutting out the tongues of their victims."
Edgar decided to spare Wallace the sight of the pale tongue, and instead and instead he took a deep breath, calming his nerves.

"Last, and certainly least of them all, is the Mound Makers. Men and women driven mad by going hallow and being forced to die over and over again. They knew neither friend nor foe, all they knew was that each kill would grant them another trophy."

Wallace heard a dull rattling as Edgar pulled a necklace out from his pouch. It took a moment for Wallace to recognize what he was looking at.

Hung on a fine metal chain were dozens of small pieces of bone, each with a small mark carved into them. Wallace stared at the macabre trinkets before shifting his gaze back to Edgar.

His head was hung low and shame was evident in his eyes. "Wallace, back in my home I faced many trials, each more difficult than the last. Eventually the curse got the better of me. I went hollow and joined the Mound Makers. I killed dozens upon dozens of innocent people and even killed those that called to me for aid. Truthfully I don't remember much of what I did as my memories are faded, though I don't know if that is my mind trying to forget or the curse taking it's toll."

Wallace was silent for a while, struggling to find any words to ask the dozens of questions filling his mind.

"But you aren't like that now, right? I mean, you could have killed me but instead you let me live. Most people would have just shot me and moved on with their day!"

"I may no longer be hollow, but I can still feel the urge, the need to kill more. Truthfully I was going to kill you, but I managed to keep myself under control in the end."

"S-so how did you escape? What happened to make you stop being a 'Mound Maker' and start helping people?"

Wallace knew he had touched a nerve as Edgar's hand swiftly covered his face, laying over the hand print burned there.

"Wallace, sometimes in life we are incapable of helping ourselves. When.... When I went hollow I lost all reason, and eventually I even tried to turn on those closest to me."

Between the distant sounds of celebration in Sanctuary and the chirping of irradiated crickets, Wallace could hear Edgar's voice shaking with effort to hold back tears.
"Edgar, you don't have t-"

"Olivia"

Wallace was silenced by this, and as he looked to Edgar once more he could see the shining streaks of tears rolling down his face. He was staring at the moon, eyes wide and agony apperently in his eyes.

"Her name was Olivia, and she was the love of my life. She was always there for me, from the very beginning right to the end. Never once did she grow angry with me, she always waited for me to return to her with open arms and an angel's smile..."

His hand came away from his face as he shifted his gaze to Wallace once more.

"She was the one who cured me of the curse, returning my humanity to me and bringing me back to my senses. The miracle she had to preform was powerful, so much so that it burn a print of her hand into my face. And now, that's all I have to remember her..."

Silence filled the air as the two came to an awkward lapse in conversation. Edgar was prepared to sit in silence for a while, gazing upon the moon.

Wallace stood up and brushed off his pants.
"That was a lot to take in. But... i-if you ever need my help to not, y'know, go crazy again, let me know how I could help."

Wallace began returning to Sanctuary, and Edgar was left to ponder on his past experience. Soon he too would return to the festivities, but not before coming to a decision.

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Perhaps it is time for some Jolly Cooperation
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