Gawain walked with Melina to the lift in the center of the Divine Tower. As they stepped onto the switch, a strange light radiated from beneath their feet. Complex symbols began to flicker, and a surge of power lifted the stone disc toward the summit.
Gawain scanned the interior of the tower. Standing near the edge, he could feel an invisible wall blocking any reckless movements. To be honest, he had no idea which faction had constructed such a magnificent edifice; the level of architectural sophistication here felt worlds apart from the structures outside.
Before long, the lift reached the top floor. He exited and followed the outer spiral staircase up two more levels, finally arriving at the highest point in Limgrave—the peak of the Divine Tower. It's beautiful, truly... wait, aren't those the Two Fingers? Let's just look at the Erdtree in the distance, shall we?
Gawain's lip twitched at the sight of the massive corpse. This was his first time seeing the remains of the Two Fingers, and they were, frankly, more revolting than he had imagined.
The skin was shriveled and a sickly brown, with dark red tissue exposed through cracks in the mummified surface. After eons of desiccation, the blood within had long since solidified. Countless vessel-like patterns spiderwebbed across the skin, giving it the appearance of severe varicose veins.
What he found most difficult to look at, however, were the few stray hairs sprouting from various points on the body. He couldn't fathom why those long, thin strands remained on the skin after all this time; it made him want to set the whole thing on fire.
But the priority was activating the Great Rune. He stepped forward and, with a conscious effort, drew the Great Rune from his body, placing it before the corpse. The remains served as the necessary medium for the ritual.
Seeing this, Melina opened the box in her arms. Under her guidance, countless tiny Rune Arcs converged upon the Great Rune. In a process similar to turning Runes into strength, the arcs fused perfectly with the Great Rune, reigniting its faded and fractured surface.
She let out a breath. Repairing a Great Rune was no small feat, especially one as substantial as Godrick's.
"It is done. Now, you need only re-assimilate the Great Rune into your body, and its inner power will act upon you. Godrick's Great Rune is also known as the anchor of the Ring; it once sat at the very center of the Elden Ring and has always been held by the progeny of Godfrey, the First Elden Lord."
She continued, "The center signifies the power to connect all things. In Godrick, this manifested as the power of grafting. I have done my best to purge the parts corrupted by grafting and the power of death. I wonder how it will manifest within you."
Gawain slowly merged the activated Great Rune back into his body, unsure of what the result would be. Based on his knowledge, the power of a Great Rune wasn't just inherent; its holder could, in turn, influence the Rune. Malenia's had been rotted by the Scarlet Rot, while Radahn's burned fiercely to hold back that same rot. So, what would happen when he and the Great Rune influenced each other?
As the Rune settled, Melina converted the remaining Rune Arcs into fine particles and injected them all into his body at once.
Instantly, Gawain felt the various powers he commanded begin to churn. Ice, fire, lightning, magic, and storm—all of them resonated with the Great Rune. They shifted from initial conflict to a state of perfect harmony. It felt as natural as if it had always been this way.
He calmed the surging power and opened his eyes, flexing his hands to savor the change.
"I see. So this is the manifestation of 'inclusion'?"
All his attributes had increased by five points. Beyond that, the most significant change was that the power of the Embers within him had begun to fuse with the Great Rune. This was no minor adjustment.
Previously, the abilities he unleashed relied essentially on his own soul-power. Having harvested countless souls in the world of Dark Souls and brought them to the Lands Between, he acted as a continuation of the First Flame, manifesting that power in various forms.
However, the souls from the world of Dark Souls and those of the Lands Between were fundamentally different. While both could be cast into the Embers to gain strength, that was due to the Embers' own potent nature. The two types of power had always remained distinct and separate.
Fusing with the Great Rune meant that the power of the Embers and the power of Grace were no longer incompatible sources. They could now be converted into one another harmoniously. To put it simply, this interloper finally had his credentials.
The benefits were obvious. For instance, if he wished to resurrect the souls hiding within the Darksign, he could now use the power of the Great Rune to free them from the shackles of the First Flame and make them independent entities.
Siegward had said they didn't need to be resurrected, and Gawain knew he was likely being sincere—after fulfilling one's duty, rest was well-deserved. But Gawain had his own selfish desires. He wanted those souls who had struggled to survive in a dying world to finally see a better environment.
There was still a long road ahead before he could bring them out, and he would have to bring order to this fractured land first. But time was the one thing he didn't lack; he could take it slowly.
Melina breathed a sigh of relief seeing the activation was successful. The violent reaction earlier had made her worry something had gone wrong. Her attention then shifted.
"I have merged the remaining arcs into you, and with the Runes you gained from the battle, you have quite a large reserve. Do you wish for me to turn them into strength?"
"Yeah, it's about time I got a bit stronger. I'll leave it to you."
"Very well. As before... just take my hand."
Gawain reached out, then realized something was missing from the script. "Isn't it usually done in an instant now?"
Melina shook her head and replied softly, "Because you are currently a distance away from a Site of Grace. Let us go to the Grace together."
"That sounds fine."
As Gawain held Melina's hand and calculated how to spend his Runes, he noticed a blind spot. "I feel like I'm missing something. I heard that defeating a demigod-level enemy should grant an item called a 'Remembrance.' Why haven't I seen one?"
"Because Remembrances are essentially coalesced from Runes," Melina explained. "Your final attack was so powerful it nearly shattered the Great Rune itself. Godrick's soul was blasted into jagged fragments, let alone the Remembrance that would have been carved by the Erdtree."
"I was wondering where that extra heap of Runes came from. So that's it. Well, whatever. I didn't really want anything from Godrick's Remembrance anyway."
Gawain's spoils from this campaign were unprecedented. He had fought the twin battle against Morgott and Mohg, slaughtered Godrick's remaining garrison, and finally claimed Godrick's own Runes. This translated into a massive level-up.
With the +5 to all stats from the Great Rune, the pressure on his stat distribution was much lower than before. He could afford to develop in areas other than just Faith.
Without the boost from rings, his stats were as follows:
Vigor: 40
Mind: 25
Endurance: 23
Strength: 25
Dexterity: 23
Intelligence: 35
Faith: 40
Arcane: 12
This was a jump of twenty-five levels. Aside from hitting the 40 soft cap for Vigor, he had significantly increased his Intelligence and Mind.
After all, he had brought Master Sellen back. He couldn't remain a "low-intelligence warrior" forever; even if his teacher didn't mind, he would be embarrassed. Furthermore, whether he faced the Academy next or headed to Caelid, stats like Dexterity and Arcane were unlikely to be as useful as pure power. He needed to ensure he could trade blows effectively.
Inside Stormveil Castle, Irina was helping her father record the notable guests who had arrived. The visitors who had come today were people Gawain held in high regard, so she had to ensure nothing went wrong.
"Banished Knights, nomadic merchants, Crucible Knights, Tarnished, a heretical witch, a beastman, and even a dragon... To be honest, I never imagined I'd see so many different people gathered in one place."
The diversity of the ceremony's participants was staggering to her, but even more incredible was that she was playing a part in it.
"This is why I had you start learning the basics even before your eyes were healed," Edgar noted. "See how it's come in handy? I knew he wouldn't stay in the Weeping Peninsula, but his speed and strength have far exceeded my imagination."
Irina agreed. The Lands Between, which had been stagnant for years, had suddenly undergone a drastic upheaval. It was something that would have been unthinkable before.
"Father, do you think he will be a good King?"
Edgar sat in his chair, unsure of how to answer. Truthfully, in his eyes, Gawain was incredibly powerful in battle but still somewhat "shallow" in other matters—he hadn't even realized he needed a coronation until someone pointed it out.
But those were minor issues. Edgar was willing to support him, and he knew more people would soon feel the same.
"Irina, we need a hero. The Lands Between needs a hero."
Edgar's voice was tinged with emotion. He had thought deeply after the rebellion and had gained a new perspective on the state of the world, especially after his total disappointment with demigods like Godrick.
"I am not talking about the so-called 'heroes' who fight for their own interests and leave this land fractured. I mean a hero in the true sense—one with the ability and the will to sacrifice for others. To me, he is the King I have been waiting for, even without the Ancient King's recognition. I can fill the gaps where he is lacking, but only a King like him can truly return this land to its former glory."
Recalling her experiences over the past few days, Irina understood her father's meaning. No one else had ever lit up her soul the way Gawain had. She clasped her hands together, looking a bit fidgety.
"Father, actually... I..."
"Alright, do you think I don't know what you're thinking? Look at him—everyone but him can probably see it. Or maybe he already knows."
Edgar looked at his daughter with complex emotions. He was happy for her, but also a bit saddened.
"You must realize that even if he accepts your feelings, he won't be by your side for long. Liurnia, Caelid, the Altus Plateau, and even the distant Mountaintops... those are the places he will set foot and fight. Stormveil is just the beginning. And I know... someone entered his heart long ago and then left. I was in a similar state when your mother passed. Though after this recent battle, I don't see that look in his eyes anymore. I'm not sure what changed."
Irina simply smiled, showing no hint of disappointment. "It is enough for me to hold a place in his heart. My soul is already linked to his; there is no room left for anyone else."
Edgar rubbed his forehead. If his daughter felt that way, what could he do? Memories of his own youth flashed through his mind. He gritted his teeth and said, "Fine. Follow my lead. I'll help create the best opportunity for you—it'll be up to you to seize it."
In a secluded loft within Stormveil, Sellen used a key to open the innermost door. According to the arrangements, this would be her temporary residence.
She knew her identity was sensitive. To expose herself recklessly now would invite unnecessary trouble, so she had to stay hidden for the time being.
Looking around the room, Sellen was quite satisfied with her apprentice's arrangements. Aside from the necessary furniture, the room essentially replicated her research area in the Waypoint Ruins cellar, complete with all the essential facilities.
Not only had her own scrolls been brought back intact, but there were also many other sorcery books. Although a quick glance showed the organization and classification were a total mess, she knew this was the best that could be done in such a short time.
The room featured an opening in the ceiling with a matching birdseye telescope for stargazing, and the floor was covered in a thick carpet. It was very comfortable under her bare feet.
Removing her stone glintstone crown, she sat on the soft bed. She had forgotten the last time she had enjoyed such luxury. Since being expelled from the Academy, she had been a wanderer until she was captured and thrown into that dungeon.
No matter what kind of person he was, she now fully accepted him as her apprentice. She intended to teach him everything she knew about glintstone and the Primeval Current. I should start by organizing these materials, she thought.
After a short rest, she stood up to begin her work. As she passed the room's only window, a familiar figure caught her eye. Her eyes widened.
"Is that... Blaidd? Why is he here? Unless!"
Sellen thought of the blue silhouette. She still had a spare puppet body hidden in the cellar of the Three Sisters towers. There was no mistake; this had to be the will of the Lunar Princess. This is getting interesting.
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