Finally took down Havel the Rock, then went on to fight hydra #2 and free that chick from the amber golem. Got my dragon sword and estus flask leveled up as well, for more better monster killing.
On a different note, Dark Souls really impresses. It doesn't feel like a Japanese game, or even a Western game for that matter. From Software has managed to inject the inventive weirdness of Japanese developers into the bland fantasy trappings of Western games, so you end up with the best of both worlds. It's not bland, but it's also not Power Rangers at Disney Land [see: FFXIII] or boring animu. They've also completely nailed the awe of exploring some truly amazing locations [through a combination of the massive scale and interesting and unique designs of each new area] and the thrill of finally fighting your way through an area that previously felt impossible. The various NPCs you come across also make things interesting, they're all different and many of them have their own goals and storylines that unfold over the course of the game. Even thought Skryim is still my GOTY, Dark Souls is even more impressive in many ways [not even counting things like animation and overall polish]. It's easily the best RPG I've played from out of Japan in years.
It's also interesting to note that, gameplaywise, Dark Souls actually has more in common with Euro RPGs [Two Worlds, Gothic, Risen, ect.].
