"Are we really going back?"
Edwin's voice wavered with uncertainty as he looked at Calot and Pohl.
Calot was in a wretched state. A horrific scar now ran across one of his eyes, which was currently clouded with a dark, bloody hue. If Pohl hadn't arrived in time to treat it with Incantations, Calot would have likely lost the eye entirely.
"Of course we are. Our condition might not be peak, but that Omen isn't faring any better. Besides... they took Rip's body," Calot said, his expression darkening.
In truth, he didn't want to return either. But Rip had been carrying the map of the sewers. Without that layout, trying to navigate the subterranean labyrinth based solely on memory was a death sentence. Just the thought of getting lost in the darkness made Calot's skin crawl.
Their goal wasn't just revenge; they had to retrieve Rip's corpse and get that map back. As for the grudge—vengeance was a dish best served cold. Once he made it out, he would gather a larger crew and return to settle the score with these Omens once and for all.
The trio followed the trail of blood through the tunnels. Just as they reached a long corridor, a thunderous boom echoed from up ahead.
"We meet again. I half-expected you to flee like beaten curs, yet here you are, crawling back."
Whoosh—
Mohg violently unfurled the great wings on his back, sending a powerful gust of wind whipping through the passage. In the next instant, blood-red flames erupted across the black feathers.
Seeing this, a look of pure, fanatical obsession crossed Pohl's face.
"Pohl!" Calot roared at his side.
With a flash of cold steel, Calot unsheathed his greatsword and charged. Edwin was just as fast; he notched three arrows at once, letting them fly with bone-snapping force toward Mohg. After releasing the volley, Edwin immediately drew his curved swords. His form blurred into a dark shadow as he activated a Skill, flanking Calot in a coordinated pincer maneuver.
Boom—
A localized gale erupted beneath Calot's feet, propelling him forward like a cannonball. His greatsword, wreathed in white, cutting currents of air, reached Mohg in the blink of an eye.
Fwoosh—
Mohg backstepped, snapping his wings forward. In an instant, countless blood-red feathers streaked through the air like a swarm of crimson meteors.
The terrifying whistle of incoming projectiles forced Calot and Edwin to change their expressions. Edwin, lacking Calot's heavy plate armor, was forced into a desperate retreat. Calot, however, only hesitated for a heartbeat before gritting his teeth and plowing through the rain of blood-red feathers to reach Mohg.
The sound of feathers clanging against heavy armor rang out like a flurry of hammers on an anvil, leaving deep, jagged gouges in the metal. Within seconds, Calot's body was crisscrossed with bloody furrows.
Edwin fared worse. Though he had tried to back away, several feathers were now embedded deep in his flesh.
Slash—
The moment he was in range, Calot swung his greatsword. Gales converged on the blade, adding a razor-sharp edge to the crushing weight of the blow. It was a strike of undeniable power.
However...
CRACK!
"GAH!"
BOOM—
Following a sickening thud, Calot was sent flying backward at a blurring speed, slamming violently into the stone wall.
Morgott's silhouette slowly stepped out from behind Mohg. He held a massive, glowing golden warhammer, which began to dissolve into shimmering motes of light as he lowered it. Mohg's frame, even more imposing than Morgott's, combined with his spread wings, had perfectly concealed his brother's presence.
"Pohl! Quick... heal me!" Calot wheezed, using his greatsword to prop himself up. He looked toward Pohl with desperate urgency.
Pohl sprinted to Calot's side.
By now, the secondary effect of Mohg's feathers had taken hold. Every wound on Calot's body was gushing blood; even the smallest scratches showed no sign of clotting. Hemorrhage was setting in.
Mohg folded his wings and lunged, closing the distance to Edwin, who had been trying to disengage from the periphery. Edwin's face paled. He had been looking for a chance to slip away, but Mohg had spotted him instantly. He desperately tried to use Quickstep and rolls to evade.
Thud!
Aspects of the Crucible: Horns!
Terrifying force shattered the stone floor where Edwin had stood a second before. In the next breath, a golden tail whipped through the air, chasing Edwin down as he tried to regain his footing.
Just as Edwin narrowly avoided the tail, Morgott appeared behind him like a vengeful ghost.
Swish—
Golden Needle!
"Ngh!"
Edwin twisted his body at the last possible microsecond, narrowly avoiding a lethal blow to his vitals, but Morgott's golden light still pierced clean through his shoulder. He let out a muffled groan of agony.
Aspects of the Crucible: Thorns!
Mohg slammed a palm into the ground. A split second later, countless golden spikes erupted from his shoulder, streaking forward and burying themselves in Edwin's torso.
"AAAAAAAGH!!!"
Nearby, Calot—who still hadn't received any healing—finally realized something was wrong. He looked up at his companion, Pohl, with wide-eyed terror.
"Pohl... you..."
Thud.
Splash!
A spray of blood painted Pohl's face, and a twisted, eerie smile spread across his lips.
Edwin, his eyes pierced by the golden spikes, let out one final, agonizing shriek before his body slumped lifelessly to the floor.
Mohg didn't give the corpse a second glance. He stepped toward Pohl.
"Ahhh... I have fulfilled your request. So..."
Pohl looked at Mohg with fanatical eyes before glancing toward Morgott, a strange, calculating glint flickering in his gaze. Surely, the one who truly deserved the favor of the Mother of Truth... was himself!
Snap— Thud!
"Gah!"
Mohg lunged forward, catching Pohl by the throat and slamming him against the wall with bone-crushing force. Pohl's eyes bulged as he stared at Mohg, his expression one of shocked betrayal, as if accusing Mohg of going back on his word.
"Yes, you did quite well. But unfortunately, you overlooked one thing: you are also one of the sacrifices I am offering to Her."
A golden light ignited along Mohg's forearm.
Aspects of the Crucible: Horns!
CRUNCH!
In the next second, Pohl's head burst like a ripened melon.
With the deed done, Mohg tossed the corpse aside with a look of pure disgust. He paused to observe the growth of the power within his body, finding that it had indeed increased—though only by a minuscule amount.
It seemed that plundering "spirit essence" had specific requirements regarding the target and the method that he didn't yet fully understand.
"Well... time to loot. We'll worry about the rest later."
Mohg knelt down and began rummaging through Pohl's belongings. This group had been quite capable; there was bound to be something useful on them.
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Elden Ring: As the Consort, I Reject Miquella (227 Chapters – Ongoing)
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