Git Gud Or Die Trying #35

Author's note: since my go-to speel checker is down for some reason, I had to rely on myself to edit the chapter, so it probably has more typos and errors than usual. I'll re-edit it tommorow, though. 

Adrian materialized on the Site of Grace, surrounded by the crumbling ruins of the Third Church of Marika. The air was heavy with the weight of history, and the remnants of the once-majestic structure stood as a haunting testament to the passage of time.

Without hesitation, Adrian summoned his loyal steed, Torrent, who materialized before him in all its spectral glory. With a swift motion, he mounted the ethereal horse and urged it forward, riding out of the ruins and onto the beaten path that stretched before him.

As they ventured westward, the path led them through a desolate landscape. The ground beneath their hooves was cracked and parched, the earth bearing the scars of relentless drought. Adrian's gaze shifted to a massive troll lumbering along the path, its hulking form adorned with a massive sword strapped to its back. He chose to ignore the creature, opting to avoid unnecessary confrontations.

Torrent carried Adrian with grace and agility, its ethereal form gliding effortlessly over the rough terrain. As they continued their journey, Adrian's eyes caught sight of a peculiar formation up ahead. A gigantic debris piece, seemingly torn from some ancient structure, had wedged itself perfectly between two high rocks. Nature had taken its course, with moss and greenery clinging to the debris, creating an almost natural bridge-like structure.

The sight triggered an unpleasant memory, a recollection of an annoying character from the game who would often appear at such moments. Adrian quickly dismissed the memory, pushing down any distractions or doubts that threatened to slow his progress. He focused his gaze forward, determined to press on.

With a gentle nudge of his heels, Adrian guided Torrent towards the makeshift bridge. The ethereal steed effortlessly traversed the gap, its hooves barely making a sound as it glided over the moss-covered debris. The greenery seemed to part ways, as if bowing to the passage of the Lordsworn and his spectral companion.

... 

Adrian materialized on the Site of Grace, surrounded by the crumbling ruins of the Third Church of Marika. The air was heavy with the weight of history, and the remnants of the once-majestic structure stood as a haunting testament to the passage of time.

Without hesitation, Adrian summoned his loyal steed, Torrent, who materialized before him in all its spectral glory. With a swift motion, he mounted the ethereal horse and urged it forward, riding out of the ruins and onto the beaten path that stretched before him.

As they ventured westward, the path led them through a greenlandscape. Adrian's gaze shifted to a massive troll lumbering along the path, its hulking form adorned with a massive sword strapped to its back. "Better steer clear... I already had enough action for one day..." He chose to ignore the creature, opting to avoid unnecessary confrontations.

Torrent carried Adrian with grace and agility, its form gliding effortlessly over the rough terrain. As they continued their journey, Adrian's eyes caught sight of a peculiar formation up ahead. A gigantic debris piece, seemingly torn from some ancient structure, had wedged itself perfectly between two high rocks. Nature had taken its course, with moss and greenery clinging to the debris, creating an almost natural bridge-like structure.

The sight triggered an unpleasant memory, a recollection of an annoying character from the game who would often appear at such moments. Adrian quickly dismissed the memory, pushing down any distractions or doubts that threatened to slow his progress.

As Adrian approached the bridge-like structure, an exclamation echoed, filled with pompouse self importance. "Hello? Is anybody there?" 

Adrian's brows furrowed in annoyance as he drew closer, his irritation escalating with each word that spilled from the man's mouth. Just thinking about the obnoxiousness of the speaker threatened to disrupt Adrian's focus.

"Someone who might be interested in rescuing the great Kenneth Haight? Servant to the true Order, and celebrated repudiator of the false!" the voice proclaimed, relishing in its own grandiose introduction.

Adrian's patience reached its breaking point. He couldn't stand the sound of the man's voice any longer, his irritation boiling over. In a moment of uncharacteristic bluntness, Adrian snapped, "Shut the fuck up, I'm on my way already!"

Despite the forcefulness of Adrian's outburst, the voice remained undeterred, its pompous rhetoric continuing as if Adrian's words had fallen on deaf ears. The man seemed unfazed by the interruption, lost in his own delusions of grandeur.

"O Erdtree! Grant me succour!!" the voice proclaimed, invoking some higher power in a dramatic plea for assistance. Adrian rolled his eyes, both amused and exasperated by the theatrics of the self-proclaimed servant of the true Order.

Adrian really didn't want to deal with the pompous man atop the bridge. The man's haughty demeanor grated on his nerves, and he couldn't help but feel a strong aversion to engaging in any interaction with him. But he knew that sometimes enduring such characters was a necessary part of his journey.

Despite his annoyance at the pompous man's demeanor, he was one of the few characters in the game that didn't attack on sight. As such, his questline would most likely be of considerable importance with a hefty reward at the end. 

Suppressing a sigh, Adrian steeled himself and continued his ascent towards the top of the bridge. Each step felt heavier, as if burdened by the weight of the man's sense of self-importance. He couldn't shake the feeling that this encounter would be an exercise in enduring pretentiousness rather than a meaningful quest.

Reaching the summit, Adrian's gaze locked with the man's smug expression. The man's eyes sparkled with a mixture of amusement and condescension, seemingly aware of and relishing in the power he held over others through his questlines.

"I see you have finally decided to grace me with your presence," the man remarked, his voice dripping with arrogance. "Tell me, are you the one who will embark on this great quest to liberate me from my predicament?"

"Yes, yes, the Greater Will sent me directly to you," Adrian replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm. He struggled to keep his eyes from twitching as he indulged the man's delusions of self-importance. "Because, you know, the entire world could go to shit. So please, just shut the fuck up and tell me what you need."

The man snorted with a hint of disdain and replied, "As expected of tarnished rabble... you have no manners, but help is appreciated even from one such as yourself..." 

Adrian felt he was losing brain cells just listening to man's condescending tone but decided to maintain his composure and listen quietly.

The man, seemingly oblivious to Adrian's growing impatience, continued, "Despite appearances, nobility is no prerequisite to serving the true Order..." He paused, clearing his throat and preparing to make a grand introduction of himself. "You might have heard of me. Kenneth Haight. Next in line as the rightful ruler of Limgrave." 

"I'm sure you are, get on with it please..." Interrupting Kenneth's self-indulgent ramblings, Adrian urged him to get to the point. He didn't have the time or patience to indulge in Kenneth's grandiose monologues.

Reluctantly, Kenneth revealed his request, "Young Tarnished, I would have a boon of you. I want you to take back my fort."

Adrian let out a relieved sigh as Kenneth finally ceased his self-indulgent monologue and got straight to the point. Eager to cut through any further nonsense, Adrian inquired with a hint of impatience, "And where is this fort you speak of?"

Kenneth, seemingly catching on to Adrian's lack of tolerance for his grandiose mannerisms, straightened his posture and provided a concise response, "The fort lies to the south, beyond the Mistwood."

Kenneth took a deep breath, and continued. "A Knight commander from--" He said, however, his words were abruptly cut short as he glanced up, only to witness Adrian descending the bridge and swiftly galloping away on the back of his horse, leaving Kenneth behind.

Surprised and slightly offended by Adrian's sudden departure, Kenneth's voice trailed off mid-sentence. He watched with a mixture of frustration and resignation as Adrian disappeared into the horizon, the sound of hooves fading in the distance.

A mix of frustration and annoyance crossed Kenneth's face as he muttered under his breath, his words laced with disdain, "Mannerless, graceless tarnishes..."