Little Witch Academia: The Ashen Knight (LWA x Dark Souls)

Canopus Ruins

After weeks of travelling, I finally arrived at the desolate ruins of what was once called Canopus Keep. There wasn't a soul to be found, just walls of stone reduced to rubble from centuries of neglect. The main building itself looked as though it could crumble at any moment.

All the more imperative that I find what I'm searching for as soon as possible.

Trudging up the steps and into the keep, I stumbled through the near darkness with a cautionary eye, the only illumination being from the cracks of light shining through the walls and ceiling. Moments like this is when having a torch would be beneficial. I kept walking until I reached a sizeable room.

At the center of the room was a stone pedestal of sorts, from the looks of it. Examining it closer, it looked as though a sword was to be embedded into it. But there was no sword to be found.

Aside from that, there was nothing else of note. Just ruined stone and faded tapestry. All that remains of a kingdom lost to time. No different from Lothric or Anor Londo. The only thing missing are the undead Hollows roaming the area.

But in any case, there had to be something hiding in plain sight. Some kind of switch, or an illusionary wall. Before I started to whack my blade against some walls, I glance back at the pedestal and look at my own sword. I unsheathe it and ponder. Perhaps if I stab my sword onto it...

Was it least worth a shot.

I stab my sword into the pedestal and take a step back, waiting for something to happen. Nothing did at first, but soon the floor beneath me shifted and began to split apart. Before I could even react properly, the whole floor gave way and I found myself falling down a slope for minutes.

I gritted my teeth and groaned loudly as I slid on my rear, doing my best to move out of the way of falling stone until I reached the bottom. I rolled for a bit longer until coming to a halt, laying on my stomach and taking a moment to catch my breath. The sound of metal and something sharp impaling the ground next to me got my attention, revealing to be my sword.

Least there was some silver lining to this. I picked myself and my sword up and scanned my surroundings, finding myself in darkness yet again. Yet the ground beneath me felt hard like stone. More ruins, perhaps? I take a few more steps before knocking into something.

I glance down and pick up what seems to be a torch, unlit. I chuckled dryly, as it seemed fortune favored me today. Picking up a couple rocks, I roughly clash them together until I finally spark aflame the torch, quickly holding it up as my surroundings became clearer.

All around me, there were husks of armor slumped against the walls. With the way they were arranged, it was as if they were holding some kind of last stand before meeting their ends. But furthermore, they formed a narrow path that led straight into a room.

Were they trying to protect something? An artifact? Their ruler? Something else entirely? I had to know.

With my blade and torch in both hands, I trek ahead and past the armor husks into the large room. All around, more husks and crumbling stone littered the area. And at the heart of it all, a desolate brown chest that looked all too similar to the ones I was familiar with. Completely untouched.

Whatever was inside it, it was deemed important enough for them to defend it to the very end. Now to just find out what exactly lies within it.

Just before I open it, I check the chain and see it was curled. What a relief. Last thing I needed was to meet my end to a mimic. I pry it open and set my eyes on the contents inside. My eyes widen, dumbfounded by what I saw.

It had a vaguely humanoid shape to it, as small as my hand and completely black with large cracks. When I picked it up, it felt coarse and rough, and smelled of ash. There was no mistaking it.