Your ending statement is quite interesting. While I've chosen to link the fire in both my first playthroughs of Dark Souls 1 and Dark Souls 3 I've felt more satisfied when playing the games a second time and just letting the world succumb to darkness. End the cycle and let the lords find piece. Is this why I was depressed a few years ago, coincidentally around the time I played Dark Souls 3?

I need to put on Gwyn's song and cry now.