Boom!!
The two Valiant Gargoyles' enormous heads smashed into the pool, sending sprays of water several meters high into the air like a giant flower in bloom.
Within the spray, a figure appeared faintly. As the water gradually fell away, a figure closely resembling Nolan slowly stepped out from behind the curtain of mist.
"My Asimi isn't bad either." Nolan smiled as he drew Asimi back into his body, then took Melina's hand.
"What are you doing?" Melina asked, looking at the hand he had grabbed.
"Taking you to see your brother," Nolan answered simply. He pulled her straight onto the horse's back, and Torrent broke into a run toward the base of the waterfall.
"I don't even want to see him..." Melina's voice was faint in the wind, nearly swallowed by Torrent's hoofbeats and the rushing air.
Torrent ran so cheerfully that Melina was jostled on the saddle, so she wrapped her arms around Nolan from behind.
Even now, she still could not remember what that so-called elder brother looked like, or what kind of person he had been. There was certainly no bond of family affection to speak of.
"But I don't think so. Come on." Nolan's tone was firm. Torrent ran for a while, then stopped before the great waterfall.
Melina only held Nolan and no longer argued. Once again, this man had seen through her thoughts.
Although she did not remember that brother, Melina still wanted to see Godwyn. He might know something about her past.
She had already decided to reclaim her past. Even if she could not remember those old events herself, she still wanted to learn more about herself from others.
Of course, she also knew Godwyn was already one of the living dead, but that did not conflict with holding on to a little hope.
"Speaking of which, you've been apart from Messmer for so long. Do you miss him?" Nolan suddenly asked.
Melina only replied flatly, "No."
What was there to miss about an annoying brother who woke her up early in the morning and disturbed her dreams?
"Don't let Messmer hear that. He'll be sad." Nolan could not help grinning, as though he had expected her answer all along.
He then returned Torrent to the Spectral Steed Whistle and led Melina to a stone coffin.
The stone coffin looked old and worn. Nolan stepped directly into it, then reached out to Melina. Melina tilted her head, clearly not understanding what he intended to do.
Nolan explained, "This stone coffin is a special means of transport. It goes straight to the Deeproot Depths."
Melina lowered her gaze to the stone coffin beneath Nolan. It looked perfectly ordinary, without the slightest trace of anything special, nothing like the magical thing Nolan had described.
"I thought you would simply fly up," Melina said, somewhat puzzled.
"Flying there would be too much trouble. I don't know the exact location of the Deeproot Depths, and the underground water system of the Siofra River is complicated. Even flying along the river could get us lost."
Nolan waved a hand casually and continued,
"Why make trouble for ourselves when we have such a useful tool? But you could fly if you wanted. I'll remember the route on the way there, and we can fly back."
"No need," Melina refused.
She simply felt that this plain stone coffin was unreliable. Flying was not exactly a hobby of hers.
So Nolan entered the stone coffin first, and Melina followed after him. Nolan lay below, Melina above, and the two of them lay together just like that.
As the coffin lid slowly closed, the originally unremarkable stone coffin suddenly began to release a dazzling red glow.
The light was like mysterious runes, weaving through the air into a guiding path from above.
The stone coffin seemed to lose the restraints of gravity. It floated lightly, as if held up by an invisible force, and slowly drifted upstream.
Melina, lying in Nolan's arms, frowned slightly. The instant the stone coffin rose, she felt a faint sense of weightlessness, which made her somewhat uncomfortable.
But that was not important. What mattered was that the inside of the stone coffin was too small. A space meant for one person was inevitably cramped with two inside.
Nolan seemed to notice Melina's discomfort and said softly, "If the stone slab feels too hard, you can lean closer to me."
He tightened his hold around the girl slightly.
Come to think of it, had this girl forgotten she could turn into a spirit?
...
A Tree Sentinel in golden armor passed through the long corridor. His footsteps echoed through the empty passage, drawing the attention of the guards on both sides.
The guards looked toward him at the same time, but quickly turned their gazes elsewhere.
In Leyndell, there were only two kinds of people who needed watching. Assassins hiding in the shadows with daggers, and stray knights in black armor.
The former had Godwyn's precedent behind them. The latter had never earned the city's trust. A Tree Sentinel clearly belonged to neither group.
The Tree Sentinel's armor shone brilliantly beneath the sunlight, as though symbolizing the nobility and majesty of gold.
As he drew closer to the Erdtree, that radiant light grew even stronger, almost too sacred to profane.
The entire palace was bathed in golden radiance. Fully armed knights stood in neat formation, their armor heavy and exquisitely made.
Maids in long robes moved lightly through the corridors. When they saw the passing Tree Sentinel, they immediately bowed. A hero bathed in battlefield blood looked so tall and captivating.
The strong naturally drew people's eyes, but the true strongest of this city was waiting deep within the palace for the knight's audience.
The Tree Sentinel nodded in return. Fighting like a madman on the battlefield had not made him forget the noble etiquette instilled in him since childhood.
The knight passed a garden where a small Erdtree grew, then stepped onto layer after layer of clean white stone stairs, each step ringing out clearly.
Rows of Leyndell Knights stood on both sides of the great door.
They wore tree-crown helms that represented the glory of the Erdtree's guardians and held great golden shields. They were the enviable golden knights of the Royal Capital.
"Tree Sentinel Ishudar has urgent business to report to His Highness Morgott," the Tree Sentinel said, standing before the door and looking at the knights there.
The two knights closest to the door exchanged a glance. One of them immediately went inside, and before long, he came back out and nodded to the Tree Sentinel.
"Go in."
With permission granted, the Tree Sentinel stepped into the room.
What entered the knight's eyes was a massive sand table. A tall figure shrouded in light and shadow stood beside it, unmoving for a long time.
This sight was not unfamiliar to the knights who often entered this room.
Especially after General Margit's defeat at Mt. Gelmir, scenes like this had played out almost every day.
The Tree Sentinel cursed Margit inwardly, thinking him utterly useless.
He had clearly led the Dynasty's finest army, yet he had failed to conquer even the weakest Mt. Gelmir. It was nothing less than a disgrace.
If not for Margit's incompetence, why would His Highness Morgott have to worry so much?
Ishudar knew that Margit's defeat had been due to the Great Serpent, but he also believed that if Morgott himself had led that army, the battle would certainly have ended differently.
Ishudar bowed deeply to Morgott.
Morgott merely waved his hand, signaling that there was no need for ceremony, and asked directly, "What is it?"
Ishudar took a deep breath and steadied himself.
"Something has happened at His Highness Godwyn's tomb!"