After bidding farewell to Ranni, the night passed without further incident. The next morning, Highvin planned to double back toward the Weeping Peninsula. Following the main road would take him past the Waypoint Ruins, through the Agheel Lake region, and eventually to the cave where Patches was holed up.
He watched Kalé packing his belongings and asked, "I'm heading back toward the Weeping Peninsula. What do you plan to do?"
"Me? I'm moving to a different spot to hide out for a while," Kalé replied. "After the massive commotion you caused yesterday, even a ruler as slow-witted as that demigod in the castle should be sending troops to investigate by today. I expect the main paths will be guarded, so it looks like I won't be leaving Limgrave for a few days."
"Fair enough. Stay safe. Don't go dying out there."
"Don't you worry. We nomadic merchants are experts at staying alive."
Highvin watched Kalé load his donkey and scurry off before leaving the Church of Elleh himself. He summoned Torrent and galloped down the high road.
A few Godrick soldiers tried to intercept him along the way, but they couldn't hope to match Torrent's speed. Highvin ignored their shouts; for those few who were foolish enough to actually block his path, a single swing of his blade was enough to settle the matter. His next objective was the encampment just before the gate.
A Pyromancy Flame ignited in his left hand as he began charging a spell. The damage and scale of his pyromancy grew alongside his Intelligence and Faith; his current stats were far beyond what they had been when he faced the Misbegotten or the Frenzied Flame cultists.
Even without tapping into the power of his Embers, he could unleash wide-scale pyromancies with ease. Though the damage was somewhat diluted when spread over a large area, it was more than enough for crowd control.
Augmenting his power with his newly learned Storm Arts, he used a basic fire-venting technique to generate several fiery tornadoes, literal fire-storms that flipped the tents of the Gatefront Ruins upside down.
"Enemy attack!"
A Godrick soldier sounded a horn, its loud blast signaling the alarm. Dozens of soldiers and knights, disheveled from the sudden chaos, scrambled out from various corners of the camp.
Highvin dismissed Torrent and stood in the center of the camp, watching the soldiers gradually surround him. His right hand held a greatsword coated in frost, while his left hand blazed with a Pyromancy Flame. A look of eager anticipation crossed his face.
"Gatefront really is the perfect spot. Let's see the results of these last few days of training."
A long while later, Melina stepped over several charred corpses. Surveying the ruins of the camp, she furrowed her brow and asked, "Was this not a bit excessive? I thought you were waiting a few days so you could catch Godrick off guard with a surprise attack."
Highvin tapped his gauntlet and glanced at the remaining guards nearby. Though they glared at him with murderous intent, not one of them dared to charge. He chuckled.
"The Tree Sentinel is dead. There's no point in hiding my presence anymore. I might as well tear this camp apart now to clear the obstacles for when I march through in a few days. Though, to be honest, I'm a bit disappointed. Godrick's army feels... weak. It was over before I could even use half my skills."
"Perhaps the defeat against the Blade of Miquella was too devastating," Melina mused. "Even Godrick himself only kept his life by groveling on the ground and begging for mercy. His army must have suffered staggering losses."
Melina looked around at the bodies—half roasted to a crisp by fire, the other half frozen into brittle shards of ice scattered across the ground. She didn't know what to say. From the look of it, Stormveil Castle would find it very difficult to withstand the coming onslaught.
"How do you think Godrick will respond once he realizes what's happened?" she asked. "If he sends more troops to block the path, you could use the Grace to warp behind them and attack from the rear."
"You overestimate him," Highvin said. "I've heard enough about Godrick to know he was psychologically broken by Malenia. Now he spends all his time hiding in his castle, obsessing over 'grafting' to make himself stronger. He'll likely pull all his forces back into the castle to defend. That'll actually save me some trouble—I can cook them all in one go."
"So, what now? Back to the peninsula to prepare?"
"Not yet. I still need to pick up a 'secret weapon.'"
Melina nodded, stepped back, and vanished into thin air.
Highvin cast one last look at the guards shivering behind the gatehouse. He curled his lip and ignored them, summoning Torrent to depart.
Initially, he had considered a stealthy infiltration for a decapitation strike. But with the help of the Ancient King and several reliable teammates, his mindset had shifted. Why bother with stealth when you could just kill everyone who saw you? That was the ultimate form of "stealth."
He certainly couldn't count on Gostoc to help him open the gates now. After all, Gostoc's loyalty was... questionable at best. That massive main gate would likely require some brute force to break open—which was exactly why he had tested his power at the Gatefront.
As he rode Torrent along the road toward Agheel Lake, he heard a cry for help from a cluster of bushes by the wayside, exactly as he expected.
"Oi! You there! Help me, please!"
Highvin dismounted and followed the sound until he stood before a stunted, unremarkable sapling. He picked up a stone and tossed it at the tree.
The impact caused the sapling to transform into a humanoid figure. The creature curled into a ball, wearing a tattered hat over a mouse-like face—a typical Demi-human.
"Ow! That hurt! Why would you throw a rock at my head? That's just mean!"
The Demi-human rubbed a growing lump on his head, dazed, before suddenly realizing what had happened.
"Oh! Ah, right! I was cursed and turned into a tree, and you're the one who broke the spell. Thank you! My name is Boc. I wasn't welcome in the cave with the others, so they kicked me out... and then I got turned into a tree. You've truly done me a great kindness."
Boc began fumbling through his pockets, eventually producing only a few mushrooms. He looked down, embarrassed.
"Ah... I'm sorry. When I was driven out of the cave, they took all my valuables. All I have to thank you with is... this. I'm so very sorry."
Highvin looked at the moldy mushrooms. He suspected that if he ate them, he'd be seeing imaginary people dancing in short order. However, he didn't want to reject the gesture, so he accepted them.
Boc still felt guilty. Seeing the exquisite armor Highvin wore, an idea struck him.
"Please, wait for me. I'll sneak back into the cave and retrieve my precious things. I'm sure they'll be of use to you!"
But as soon as the thought of the two leaders in that cave crossed his mind, Boc began to shake with terror.
"Actually... I'm still terrified of them. I need a moment to gather my courage. Just thinking about those people and that Coastal Cave makes my legs turn to jelly."
"The cave on the coast?" Highvin asked. "Is it guarded by two massive Demi-human Chiefs?"
Boc looked up in surprise and nodded vigorously. "You've seen them? Yes, they're the ones who cast me out. I didn't have much to begin with, but there is one thing I must get back."
Highvin reached into his pack and pulled out a worn, tarnished sewing needle, holding it out to Boc.
"Is this what you're looking for? I found it on one of the Chiefs. I didn't think it was the kind of thing they'd use, so I brought it along."
Boc stared at the only keepsake his mother had left him, now miraculously returned to his sight. His hands trembled as he took it. After a careful inspection to ensure it wasn't broken, his eyes grew misty.
"Wh-whoa... this is it. This is my most precious treasure. Thank you so much for bringing it back. My mother was a seamster, and this was her legacy. I want to be a seamster just like her... so I can't afford to die easily."
"Alright, stop crying," Highvin said. "You've got your needle back. Just inherit your mother's talent and be an excellent seamster."
Boc nodded, then hesitated before asking in a small, humble voice, "Master... would you allow me to be your personal seamster? I'm not skilled enough to make clothes from scratch yet, but if you have need, I can alter your garments or armor to fit your liking."
Highvin thought for a moment. Boc was a Demi-human; bringing him back to the Weeping Peninsula might be a bit complicated for now. Instead, he handed Boc an exquisite, sharp dagger he had picked up in Castle Morne. It would give the little guy some self-defense and serve as a token of recognition.
"I can agree to that. But I have urgent business elsewhere and can't stay. Hide yourself somewhere safe for now. In a few days, when you see a signal, bring this dagger and come find me. No one will bully you then."
"A signal? What do you mean, Master?"
Highvin looked back toward the silhouette of Stormveil Castle and smiled mysteriously.
"You'll know when it happens."
After parting ways with Boc, Highvin continued his journey. After a while, a voice tinged with reflection drifted from behind him.
"I didn't expect you to be so kind to a Demi-human."
Melina was sitting side-saddle on Torrent, the occasional bumps of the ride bringing them very close together.
"What? Did you think I only knew how to slaughter Misbegotten and Demi-humans?"
She thought for a moment, recalling how Highvin had carved a bloody path back to Castle Morne across the plains. She nodded slowly.
"Well... sometimes it does seem that way. But those were Demi-humans who attacked me first; I didn't have time to differentiate between them while defending myself. But Boc is a Demi-human who can speak and reason. There was no need to strike him. Besides, to inherit his mother's craft and grow into a seamster in such a harsh environment... and to be so grateful... that is rare. He might be an 'ugly' demi-human to some, but he acts more 'human' than many of the high-and-mighty demigods."
Melina looked toward the magnificent Stormveil Castle in the distance, her eyes flashing with a hint of disdain.
"Yes... that is true."
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Elden Ring: In the Name of Ash (40 chapter - Ongoing)
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