by Kyubi-Nick Wed Feb 22, 2012 10:37 pm
I believe that the passage to the Kiln transports you back in time. When you arrive in the Kiln, 'Gwyn' has just finished linking the fire. When you reach him, and kill him, you take his place or walk away. Should you walk away, instead the time loop repeats itself and cycles you out. Should you link the fire, you become the new 'Gwyn', and are soon after killed by another, at which point your darksign triggers again and pulls you into a NG+. This cycle repeats nearly infinitely, for over a thousand years.