When the stars streaked across the sky like streams of fire, the fate of the cosmos seemed to ignite in an instant and begin flowing through the night.
That magnificent sight heralded the birth of new legends and epics in the Lands Between, and word of it spread swiftly.
In Stormveil Castle in Limgrave, a breathtaking battle had just come to an end.
The fierce clash between "Lord of Cinder" Nolan Bethel and "General Radahn" Radahn Caria had shattered the earth, thrown the heavens into disorder, and sent the sea of stars crashing down.
In terms of intensity, this battle could be called the most world-shaking confrontation since the Siege of Leyndell.
Yet what no one expected was that Nolan, the Tarnished Lord, had not only defeated two formidable opponents in succession, General Radahn and Archmage Lusat.
Even more astonishing, Radahn himself had acknowledged that Nolan was the Golden Hero who had appeared for one brief moment decades ago to save Leyndell.
A legendary feat. A truly great champion.
Whether one stood against the Firelink Army or not, whatever one's position might be, after hearing this news, most people would rise to their feet and cheer for Nolan.
As people clinked their cups, they shouted Nolan's name, their voices ringing through every corner of the Lands Between, in taverns, on hillsides, across open fields...
All of it felt only natural.
The history of the Lands Between had always been a collection of tales about champions and Lords, and the people's longing for and reverence toward those stories and the figures within them had never changed.
This Battle of the Lords undoubtedly sent a tremendous shock through every corner of the Lands Between.
After all, whether it was Godrick or Mohg, one had been too weak to truly be a Lord, while the other had hidden in the shadows, his death unwitnessed by the people.
This time was entirely different. A one-on-one duel between two supreme powers carried an influence that no previous battle against a Demigod could compare to.
No matter who ultimately won or lost, it was bound to become a legendary epic that even time itself would not forget.
Who was Radahn? He was the great champion who had shattered the stars and sealed the heavens.
He ruled over the vast land of Caelid, the undisputed The Golden King, and the Demigod hailed by the world as the "strongest."
And Nolan had defeated both him and his army. Naturally, he was a champion who surpassed even the strongest, a Lord whom all the people looked up to.
This kind of epic legend was the ultimate dream countless champions in the Lands Between chased with all their hearts.
Troubadours carried carefully embellished songs from place to place, letting more and more people learn of this legend.
Meanwhile, the missionaries of the Church of the Flame would paint the Lord's heroic deeds across church walls for people to admire.
Common folk and other champions alike could stand there and gaze upon the Lord's story.
Some might laugh and leave it at that. Some might feel their hearts stir with longing. Some might even join the heroes and follow behind the Lord, writing legends of their own.
It was no exaggeration to say that, in just a few short months, Nolan had become the most renowned of all the Shardbearers.
After all, he now controlled the largest territory. Not only did he hold the vast land of Limgrave, but he was also about to bring all of Caelid into his domain.
Such an expansive territory was undoubtedly the best proof of his strength.
More than that, Nolan also had two exceptionally powerful Demigod-level followers at his side.
Although Messmer was a Demigod not widely known to the public, his feat of annihilating the Beast Temple's forces on the battlefield was plain for all to see, while Borealis had long since made his name.
"The campaign is going smoothly for now. The other regions of Caelid have all submitted. Only Redmane Castle refuses to yield and is still putting up a desperate resistance."
Messmer walked through the streets, considering how to take this final Redmane stronghold.
War was never a matter of a day or two. After the Battle of Stormveil, what they needed to do was recover lost ground and swiftly swallow the enticing "prize" that was Caelid.
"Father, in my opinion, I should lead the army to storm the castle myself." Messmer stopped and spoke to Nolan, who was walking ahead of him.
"I can guarantee that within ten days, I will take Redmane Castle!"
Nolan strolled leisurely in front, half a step ahead of everyone behind him.
Accompanied by a group of civil and military officials, he inspected the postwar reconstruction of Stormveil Castle while listening to Messmer's confident request to lead the assault.
Every passerby bowed to him. Not only soldiers of the Firelink Army and residents of Stormveil Castle, but also a number of unfamiliar new faces from the Redmane army could be seen along the road.
Some of them were prisoners of war who had willingly submitted, while others had accepted the choice given to them by the Lord of Cinder.
"Do you want to draw your swords now and die here for nothing, or stand beside me until the day the world no longer knows war and suffering, until your martial skill has been honed to its peak, and then swing the sword of rebellion at me?"
The prisoners of war in Stormveil Castle had been gathered in an open square, with countless blades and swords laid out before them. Nolan stood high above them in the sunlight, looking down at the shackled warriors as he spoke those words.
And so, as the prisoners looked up at that man, they put on new armor, took up new swords, stepped out of the shadows, and stood with that Lord in the sunlight, all for the sake of one day driving the blades in their hands into his chest.
"You should try trusting those young people, too," Nolan said with a smile, his voice carrying both admiration and expectation for the young people he spoke of.
"I haven't seen them in years, and their growth has truly exceeded my expectations. Especially Vyke. Before long, he may even catch up to you."
Messmer listened quietly to Nolan and did not immediately refute him. He had met that young man and knew he did indeed possess extraordinary talent and potential.
Although the Fire Keeper's help was certainly a shortcut, the young man's own effort and talent could not be ignored either.
Messmer gave a slight nod, showing that he agreed with Nolan's assessment of the young man.
Recently, Messmer had joined an organization called the Fire-Passing Church. According to High Priest Lansseax, that young man was one of the people in the Fire-Passing Church closest to Nolan.
Of course, "closest to Nolan" did not refer to strength. There were people in the Firelink Army stronger than Vyke, and Messmer himself was one of them.
This "closeness" referred more to Vyke's understanding of Fire and his profound grasp of that power. It was a quality beyond simple strength, something that could be called natural talent.
"Leave the matter of Redmane to Vyke and the others. Our allies are facing some difficulties right now and need our aid. So I intend to send you to the Liurnia of the Lakes."
Nolan paused briefly, then added.
He casually glanced at the petite Ranni on his shoulder. The little one was sleeping soundly with her eyes closed, but the tiny hand she used to steady herself was clutching Nolan's clothes tightly, as if she were afraid she might fall off if she let go.
"Leyndell has just suffered a defeat, Scadu Altus is still sealed, and with us backing them from the rear, Caria no longer has any external threats. Ranni is about to move against the Magic Academy."
"The Magic Academy no longer has any Grand Masters, and Her Majesty the Queen of the Full Moon has lost her mind. Ranni is a Demigod no matter how you look at it. Is an opponent like that really worth Caria asking us for help?"
Messmer was puzzled. From what he knew of the Lunar Princess's strength, while she was not among the strongest Demigods, she should still far surpass the vast majority of champions.