What occurred in the deepest reaches of the Haligtree remained unknown even to the Cleanrot Knights standing guard near the Valkyrie, let alone to Gawain, who was far away in Liurnia. Although Millicent felt a faint, inexplicable resonance in her soul, she ultimately could not be certain if it was anything more than a momentary lapse caused by the Scarlet Rot within her.
Until she could unravel the mystery of the relationship between Miquella and the Valkyrie's desperate, almost self-destructive southern campaign, she lacked the confidence to convince her "mother" to reclaim the will and dignity to resist the rot.
During this time, she could only ensure her blade remained sharp, giving the Scarlet Rot no opportunity to seize an opening.
Several more days passed. Gawain stood upon the bridge connecting Nokron, the Eternal City, to the Mohgwyn Dynasty, gazing toward the blood-soaked ruins across the chasm.
Under the reconstruction efforts of the Albinaurics and Silver Tears at both ends of the bridge, while it was not as majestic as the structures built by the Nox in ancient times, a stable passage had finally been established across the gap.
Gawain looked at the massive host assembled behind him, feeling a surge of pride and excitement. Although he had anticipated this day, he had been accustomed to solitude for so long that seeing such a vast "family fortune" at his disposal felt surreal every time he looked at it.
There were massive stockpiles of supplies from Limgrave and Liurnia, a fully staffed team of Perfumers, and a contingent composed of sorcerers from the Academy and knights of the Carian Royal Family.
There were even two Crucible Knights who had once crossed paths with Messmer—the very ones Gawain had first recruited in Stormveil. According to Kandane, the two of them wanted to use this opportunity to meet the Crucible Knight who had remained in the Land of Shadow.
That mighty warrior was named Devonia, who was considered one of the oldest and most experienced even among the Crucible Knights. Devonia... the name sounded even more ancient than Siluria.
As for why he hadn't brought the Storm Knights, it was primarily because if they were to face the elite Crusaders who had once fought alongside Godfrey, it was hard to say what kind of volatile situation might arise.
Gawain looked into the countless eyes staring up at him and spoke loudly.
"The reason I have gathered you all here is something I believe you understood before we set out. Yes, we are going together to the mysterious Land of Shadow."
"Our primary goals are twofold. First, to save a group of unique patients. Their injuries are specific and rare, unseen even in the Lands Between today. Philia, this task will fall primarily to you and your team. I will ensure the patients remain whole in spirit and soul; your job is the treatment and care. There is no need for undue pressure."
He paused. It was true: to save the Shamans, the most critical step was removing the portions of their souls contaminated by the Omen horns. Those whose souls were only lightly tainted were apparently already living relatively normal lives in Messmer's Shadow Keep.
Thus, the subsequent physical healing could afford to take a bit of time. They had endured centuries of torment; they could wait a little longer for a stable recovery. Forcing a cure through miracles to remove tissues that had long since fused with their bodies would only add more pain. Conservative, steady treatment was better than radical methods.
"Beyond that, I believe many of you know who leads the Crusade in the Land of Shadow. The first city we shall enter is Castle Ensis, guarded by Rellana, the Twin Moon Knight. I believe I need not remind you how to conduct yourselves when that time comes."
This news caused a stir among the Carian sorcerers below. Rellana was, after all, the sister of the Full Moon Queen—a legendary figure who had shone brilliantly during the two Liurnia Wars. Regardless of anything else, they had to prove their worth before her.
Gawain exchanged a glance with Moongrum. Although the knight was also visibly excited, as the joint representative of the Academy and the Royal Family, he waved his hand to quiet the sorcerers.
Secretly, Moongrum was a bit worried. He felt that the sorcerers he had carefully selected were somewhat embarrassing compared to the glory of the Academy's golden age. As one of the most senior Carian Knights, he rubbed his forehead and shook his head helplessly.
But there were no better options. Not long ago, the Carian Royal Family had been so humiliated they were practically under siege at their own front door by the Cuckoo Knights. He wondered what kind of lecture he would receive from Muliitier when they finally met.
Seeing that his message had been conveyed, Gawain set out with his luxurious host, crossing the bridge toward the Mohgwyn Dynasty.
Of course, not everyone would enter the Land of Shadow. The Mohgwyn Dynasty, serving as a convergence point for the Consecrated Snowfield and the Land of Shadow, required proper security. Beyond increasing defensive forces, they needed to reinforce the passages, which were currently not entirely stable.
First was the portal Mohg had created to ambush the Haligtree. It was located in a remote spot near a cliff, making it easy to send men to build additional two-way channels for insurance and to monitor the situation at the Haligtree at all times.
The other passage followed the same logic. When Gawain had first entered the Land of Shadow, he wouldn't have even understood how he had been enchanted by Miquella if he hadn't been prepared. He felt uneasy not having the main artery to the Land of Shadow fully under his control.
The members of the Academy and the Nox would be responsible for researching this precious passage, finding ways to make it stable and controllable so that it wouldn't require the brute force of a demigod like Ranni to open.
After his people merged with the Albinaurics already stationed there, Gawain didn't linger. He reached out and touched the withered arm, transporting everyone to the Land of Shadow.
Inside the chambers of the Castellan of Castle Ensis, Melina rubbed her eyes and woke from her sleep. Because of her, Rellana had seen Messmer again, after which Rellana had insisted she stay in this room. Everyone in Castle Ensis, from the sorcerers to the Crusaders, was ordered to respect and obey her.
However, Melina had no intention of abusing her status. Between caring for the Shamans, she personally visited every corner of the city. Over the past few days of irregular... or rather, non-existent rest, even her extraordinary constitution was beginning to feel the strain.
Having gained a deeper understanding of the Crusade's situation during her time here, she could no longer view things with the detachment of an observer. Besides her daily care for the rescued Shamans, she had taken on many extra tasks, such as teaching the few Perfumers in the city the Erdtree incantations she knew.
She even taught the Erdtree priests how to better craft the "Blessed Bone Shards" (Grace-Mimic veils). Under her guidance, these artificial graces were nearly indistinguishable from the real thing. Combined with her status as a child of Marika, her presence had breathed a spark of life back into the deathly still Castle Ensis.
Deep down, she didn't like these meager comforts. Fleeing reality to indulge in false hope usually led to a more tragic end—the Frenzied Flame was the ultimate proof of how despair could lead people step by step into the irredeemable.
The tragedy of Midra's Manse still echoed in her mind. A weak seed, once the false hope woven by Nanaya shattered, could cause such catastrophic harm.
Carrying so much on her shoulders was no easy feat. Melina knew this was different from the time she traveled as a spirit; back then, going without rest for long periods was nothing. But now that she possessed a physical body again, her emotions had become richer, and with them came the disadvantage of human fatigue.
Her brother, Messmer, was deeply concerned about the situation in Castle Ensis. These past few days, despite returning to the Shadow Keep, he hadn't stayed holed up in his dark chamber. Instead, he had coordinated a massive shipment of supplies, including resources that had been desperately lacking during this long, supply-less war.
Sometimes, among the supplies from the Shadow Keep, there were bright flowers that felt very familiar to her. In this Land of Shadow filled with despair and death, those flowers could likely only be gathered from one place in her memory.
Just as she finished her brief rest and prepared to resume her work, a sense of familiarity rooted in her soul welled up. Her lips curved into a relaxed smile. He was finally back.
After tidying her slightly messy hair in the mirror, Melina walked quickly out of her room. As expected, she soon found Rellana at the Moongazing Grounds, staring toward the Shadow Keep as she often did.
Melina hesitated for a moment, ultimately deciding not to call her "sister-in-law" just yet. Though she had observed some chemistry between them during their recent encounters, it was still a bit early.
"Sister Rellana, my brother told me his room is sealed, so you won't be able to see him no matter how much you look. If you miss someone, the best thing to do is go see him personally."
Rellana's face beneath her helmet turned awkward. She quickly turned around and straightened her posture.
"Cough... I was merely watching the caravan that just left. What if they encounter danger?"
"Danger? With Castle Ensis still standing, what danger could there be in Scadu Altus?"
Realizing she was only digging a deeper hole for herself, Rellana quickly changed the subject.
"I recall you only just went to rest. Why have you come to find me so suddenly? You needn't worry about the city's affairs; Messmer told me to take good care of you while you are our guest."
Melina thought of her brother's somber yet clumsy displays of concern and sighed softly.
"Please do not treat me as a guest. Everything that happens here concerns me deeply."
Though her incomplete memories of living in that small village with her mother and brother were short, there was no doubt that this was her true home, far more so than the Leyndell where she had later been confined to a hidden room.
"Sister Rellana, I came primarily to tell you good news. I can feel that Gawain has returned. He must have found a way to treat the Shamans over these past few days. If possible, I wish to take some Black Knights to meet him."
Following the great battle in the Abyssal Woods, news of the return of Messmer's sister had spread through the Crusade. Naturally, it couldn't be hidden from the Hornsent wandering outside. If Melina wanted to go out, she couldn't risk going alone; a contingent of elite Black Knights was necessary.
"He returned so quickly? Did he encounter some insurmountable trouble?"
Truthfully, Rellana didn't believe Gawain could have found a solution and returned so fast. However, she doubted he would return empty-handed. She privately guessed he had brought a shipment of supplies after seeing the state of the Crusade.
Ultimately, he was the King chosen by her niece, Ranni. While she acknowledged him to some extent due to his recent deeds, a baseline of scrutiny and skepticism remained. He had to be tested further.
Just as she was considering whether to head out personally to meet him—and perhaps beat down some of the Hornsent who had become restless lately—a portal glowing with blue light appeared out of thin air above the Moongazing Pool.
Ranni stepped out, looking somewhat travel-worn. She held a blade stained with black blood in her right hand; evidently, she had encountered combat along the way. While she wasn't injured, the blue doll body was stained with organic matter from some unknown creature.
"Ranni!? You were investigating the ruins. How did you get so filthy?" Rellana frowned at the sight of her niece.
"Sigh, it was nothing. I merely encountered some unpleasant creatures at the Finger Ruins."
Ranni seemed to recall something distasteful. Her expression turned to one of slight disgust as she enveloped herself in a blue light. Soon, the doll body was as clean as if it had just been washed.
"Though it took some effort, I did indeed discover some interesting things within those ruins. Without a doubt, they are linked to the goal I seek. I felt through the ring's connection that he has returned, so I ended my exploration early. Has he not arrived at Castle Ensis yet?"
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Elden Ring: In the Name of Ash
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