Dark Souls. The name itself conjures images of relentless difficulty, cryptic lore, and an overwhelming sense of accomplishment after finally conquering its challenges. Within this grim and unforgiving world lies a choice, a pivotal decision that determines the fate of the land of Lordran and the player’s ultimate destiny: choosing between the Age of Fire and the Age of Dark. Many consider the Age of Fire ending to be the “good” ending, a path of perseverance and sacrifice that delays the inevitable twilight. This guide will provide a detailed walkthrough on how to achieve this ending, ensuring that you, the Chosen Undead, can kindle the flame and prolong the Age of Fire.
Why would you even *want* to link the fire? Well, many view it as the less bleak outcome. It staves off the encroaching darkness, providing a glimmer of hope, however fleeting, to a world teetering on the brink of collapse. While the Age of Dark is not inherently evil, the Age of Fire represents a continuation of the established order, a familiar, albeit decaying, world. For players seeking a traditional “heroic” conclusion, the Age of Fire ending often feels like the more satisfying choice.
Understanding the Endings: Fire and Darkness
Before diving into the steps, let’s briefly understand the two main endings that await you at the culmination of your arduous journey.
The Age of Fire
This ending involves continuing the cycle of linking the First Flame. By sacrificing yourself to the flame, you prolong the Age of Fire, ensuring that light and life persist, at least for a while longer. The consequences of this act are complex and open to interpretation. Some believe it’s a heroic act, while others see it as a desperate attempt to delay the inevitable. The world benefits from the fading strength of the flame, which gives hope to the people left, and the monsters roam freely.
The Age of Dark
This ending involves allowing the First Flame to die. In doing so, you usher in an age of humanity, an era where humans, no longer bound to the gods and the cycle of fire, are free to forge their own destiny. This ending is often shrouded in mystery, with many viewing it as a sinister or destructive path. However, some believe it’s the natural order, a necessary transition to a new era of human dominance. It is unknown what that future holds for humans, whether it is utopia or distopia.
The Journey to Light: A Step-by-Step Guide to the Age of Fire
This section will detail the steps you need to take to ensure you achieve the Age of Fire ending. Pay close attention, as one wrong move can lock you out of your desired outcome.
Preparing for the Kindling
Before you even think about facing Gwyn, Lord of Cinder, you need to prepare your character. Level recommendations are subjective and depend on your playstyle, but aim for a level range where you feel comfortable facing challenging enemies. Vitality, Endurance, Strength, and Dexterity are all valuable stats, depending on your chosen build. Ensure your weapon is fully upgraded, and that you have a comfortable amount of estus flasks ready.
One of the most critical aspects of this ending is what you do with the Fire Keeper Soul(s) you find throughout your journey. The Fire Keeper soul grants the ability to replenish estus more when given to the fire keeper, but that isn’t the full story. **Do not, under any circumstances, give the Fire Keeper Soul to the Fire Keeper in Firelink Shrine!** This action will drastically alter the final boss fight and make achieving the Age of Fire ending significantly more difficult, if not impossible. We will get to this aspect later.
Navigating Lordran: A Path of Perseverance
Your journey through Lordran will be fraught with danger. From the Undead Asylum to Anor Londo, you’ll face hordes of enemies, deadly traps, and challenging bosses. Familiarize yourself with the environment, learn enemy attack patterns, and don’t be afraid to experiment with different weapons and strategies. While this guide won’t provide a detailed walkthrough of every area, it’s important to remember the key areas and bosses that you must overcome to progress.
Remember to explore thoroughly, as hidden areas often contain valuable items and shortcuts. Don’t be afraid to die; death is a learning experience in Dark Souls. Analyze your mistakes, adjust your strategy, and try again. Perseverance is key to success.
Reaching the Kiln: The Final Confrontation
After overcoming countless obstacles, you’ll eventually reach the Kiln of the First Flame, the final arena where you’ll face Gwyn, Lord of Cinder. Gwyn is a formidable opponent, a powerful knight wielding a flaming greatsword. He is fast, aggressive, and relentless.
To defeat Gwyn, you’ll need to be patient and strategic. Parrying his attacks is a highly effective way to deal significant damage, but requires precise timing. Alternatively, you can use ranged attacks or exploit openings in his attack patterns.
Before entering the Kiln, ensure you are fully prepared. Restock your estus flasks, repair your equipment, and equip your best armor and weapon. Remember, this is the final challenge, so give it your all.
Linking the Fire: A Choice of Destiny
Once you’ve defeated Gwyn, you’ll be presented with a choice. You can either walk away from the First Flame, allowing it to die and usher in the Age of Dark, or you can approach the flame and link it, prolonging the Age of Fire.
To achieve the Age of Fire ending, you must **walk up to the First Flame and interact with it.** This action will trigger a cutscene, where your character sacrifices themselves to the flame, reigniting it and prolonging the age of fire.
The Final Glimmer: Witnessing the End
After linking the fire, you’ll witness a cutscene depicting the consequences of your actions. The flame is rekindled, the darkness recedes, and the world is bathed in light once more. While the victory may feel bittersweet, you have successfully achieved the Age of Fire ending. You will be greeted with a new game plus to play, where you can keep the same stats, and items from the last playthrough, and play through the game again.
The Path Less Traveled: Avoiding Common Mistakes
Several pitfalls can prevent you from achieving the Age of Fire ending. Let’s discuss some common mistakes to avoid.
The Fire Keeper’s Soul: A Crucial Choice
As mentioned earlier, **never give the Fire Keeper Soul to the Fire Keeper in Firelink Shrine!** Doing so will empower her, leading to a different ending after defeating Gwyn. If you give the fire keeper the soul, the firekeeper will be hostile after the boss fight, and you will be stuck with the age of dark ending.
Accidental Darkness: Avoiding the Undesired
While less common, it’s possible to accidentally trigger the Age of Dark ending. This typically involves specific NPC interactions that lead you down a different path. Without spoiling too much, be cautious when dealing with certain characters and their requests.
Learning from Failure: A New Player’s Guide
New players often make mistakes, but that’s part of the learning process. Don’t be discouraged by deaths or setbacks. Analyze your mistakes, learn from them, and try again. The community of Dark Souls is filled with guides and videos to help you along the way.
Alternative Fire: The Path After the Soul
For those who accidentally gave the Fire Keeper her soul, there remains a convoluted, but still possible, route to what could be considered a version of the Age of Fire ending. This involves specific interactions with the Primordial Serpent, Kaathe, who can be found in the Abyss. Engaging with Kaathe and joining the Darkwraiths covenant allows the player to “usurp the fire.” This ending is a more complex version of the Age of Fire, one where humanity begins to be empowered, and the flame is linked under new pretenses. Be warned that skipping the Undead Asylum is a choice that ensures that you cannot obtain the Age of Fire ending, but you can get the Lord of Hollows ending.
Kindling Hope: A Final Word
Achieving the Age of Fire ending in Dark Souls is a testament to your perseverance, skill, and determination. It’s a challenging but rewarding experience that offers a glimmer of hope in a world shrouded in darkness. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can ensure that you kindle the flame and prolong the Age of Fire, securing a brighter future, however fleeting, for the land of Lordran. Remember that the events that happen, happen. Whether you think the “good” ending is truly that, is up to you. Be sure to try for other endings, the Lord of Hollows ending may just give you a new perspective. Now go forth, Chosen Undead, and may the flames guide your way!
