"Scarlet Rot? If you had told me a short while ago that I'd be dealing with such a thing, I wouldn't have believed you. But has the situation in Caelid truly reached this point?" Edgar massaged his temples, feeling a headache coming on. The dread reputation of the Scarlet Rot had spread throughout the Lands Between ever since Malenia's southern campaign.
"It's bad. Though the Redmane Army has its own methods for suppressing the corruption, they are at their wit's end after holding out for so long. One of their goals in coming here was to plead for aid."
Gawain's expression was grim. "Once the Scarlet Rot spills out of Caelid, Stormveil is its next stop. Regardless of the cost, we must send reinforcements. Even if we can't push the Rot back, we must at least maintain the status quo."
In Gawain's view, his greatest enemies in the Lands Between—aside from the world-ending Frenzied Flame—were likely the Scarlet Rot and the power of the Prince of Death lurking behind the Deathroots. But while those were distant or subterranean threats, the Scarlet Rot was right next door.
The distribution of this rot was alarmingly vast: traces could be found in Caelid, the Lake of Rot, and the Haligtree, not to mention Malenia herself, who could bloom into the Goddess of Rot at any moment.
"As far as I know, the Scarlet Rot fears two things: unfailing, flowing water and fire."
Gawain looked at Edgar. "Select a contingent of elite Banished Knights. Prepare ample supplies—usually, with enough logistics, things won't spiral out of control. But as a final insurance policy, I will share the power of my flame with them."
Edgar glanced at Gawain's left hand. He knew that before Gawain unleashed his power, his hand would turn a glowing red, followed by the manifestation of fierce flames. He assumed the "shared power" Gawain mentioned was related to this. To think such a power could be bestowed upon others?
"I will make the arrangements," Edgar promised. "Godrick hoarded massive amounts of fuel while he held the castle. He has no use for it now, so we can ship it to Caelid."
He then recalled Gawain's other point. "You mentioned 'unfailing flow.' Can we act on that front as well?"
Gawain nodded. His next plan was to head to the Siofra River with Blaidd. Aside from being adjacent to Nokron, the Eternal City, that river system had an exit leading directly into Caelid. An unaffected underground passage would be more useful for suppressing the Rot than anyone imagined.
He handed Jerren's letter to Edgar, who would understand the specifics upon reading it.
"We'll move on two fronts," Gawain commanded. "Obtaining the General's Great Rune is only the beginning. Whether it's Caelid or elsewhere, the Scarlet Rot must be purged completely."
Edgar left with Irina to consult the old king about the roster, while Irina took charge of the logistics. However, after taking only a few steps, Edgar paused and turned back.
"The title 'Banished Knight' should probably change. Though our true home hasn't been fully reclaimed, Stormveil is the home we must stand and defend. From now on, we shall be the Storm Knights—defenders of our home against the encroachment of the Rot."
Gawain gave a slight nod of approval. Once they were gone, he sent a message through their spiritual link.
At that moment, Elsa stood alone on the top floor of Fort Haight. One of her twin blades was coated in frost, while the other still carried lingering sparks of fire. The common thread between both weapons was that they were drenched in cursed blood.
Behind her lay a carpet of corpses. Whether it was the soldiers who had long since descended into madness or the giant rats and other beasts, none stirred. The unluckier ones had been shattered into ice shards or suffered extensive burns.
Among the fallen was the knight who had been driven mad by cursed blood. His armor was hacked to pieces. Elsa had to admit that his "Bloody Slash" technique had been somewhat troublesome, but that was all. The rebellion at Fort Haight had been single-handedly quelled by her.
She climbed the ladder and opened the chest. As expected, she found a delicate medallion half—the most precious treasure of Fort Haight. She tucked it away, intending to return it to Gawain in Stormveil.
Elsa vanished and reappeared at the Site of Grace outside the fort. A group of former Exile Soldiers and Kenneth Haight were already waiting.
"I've cleared the interior," she said. "There might be a few rats hiding in the corners, but that's not my concern."
"A thousand thanks! Praise be to the Lord of Storms!" Kenneth Haight gushed.
As she cleaned the residual blood from her blades, Elsa received the spiritual summons. It seemed it was time to head back. She wondered what the rush was; she had only just started enjoying the thrill of battle.
"I have business to attend to. You are the rightful heir to this land, so you won't be held responsible for this rebellion. But if this fort falls into chaos again after today... we'll just have to find a new lord. Understood?"
Kenneth Haight broke into a cold sweat. Though he usually enjoyed mocking "Godrick the Grafted," he didn't dare act flippant before the new Lord of Storms. This new Lord's performance was infinitely better than that cowardly Demigod's, and he had sent a warrior to settle the rebellion for him.
To see a single warrior cut through an entire fortress was terrifying. Even if the rebels had mostly lost their minds to cursed blood, such martial prowess was still staggering. Having been lucky enough to return to his fortress, Kenneth knew he had to work hard to avoid being dragged off his seat.
Seeing that things were settled, Elsa focused on the Site of Grace at Stormveil and warped back. She immediately saw Gawain waiting for her.
"What's happened now that you've called me back in such a hurry?" She sheathed her blades and leaned against the wall to catch her breath.
"It's about Caelid. I've thought it over, and I need you to lead the detachment personally. I've sent Lhutel and the two Crucible Knights to quell uprisings elsewhere; they can't be spared."
"Caelid? What's going on there?"
Gawain explained everything that had transpired, including his plan to send a group to the border to support the Redmane Army. He didn't expect a decisive victory yet—he just needed to ensure the front line didn't collapse and keep the Kindred of Rot pinned within Caelid.
Elsa took a moment to digest the massive influx of information. Having been locked in an Evergaol for so long, she didn't have a clear concept of the Scarlet Rot, only what she'd heard from Gawain's brief descriptions of the current state of the world.
In the mountains, she had mostly dealt with Fire Giants and the Frenzied Flame. The Scarlet Rot had been sealed within the Lake of Rot long before it ever parasitized Malenia, so it hadn't spread much back then.
However, she understood the catastrophic danger of the substance. Against the Scarlet Rot, the Redmane Army would need every bit of help they could get.
"I understand. The knights of Stormveil primarily use storm-based powers, which aren't very effective at suppressing the Rot. So you want me there to stabilize the situation?"
Gawain nodded. He chose Elsa not just because she was powerful enough to handle emergencies, but because of their soul-meld. He could share his flame with her—the very "transfer of fire" he had mentioned to Edgar.
"The journey may be dangerous. One of the things the Scarlet Rot fears most is fire. Take this, and use it to share my flame with the Storm Knights when the time comes."
Taking a deep breath, Gawain separated a portion of his soul and offered it to Elsa. Though it was only a small fragment, he had infused it with a potent amount of Ember.
Elsa stared at the orb of burning white light floating in her palm. she could feel the immense power radiating from it.
"This is...?"
"This is a fragment of my soul and the power of the Embers," Gawain said with a weak, playful smile. "Keep it safe. You know how to use it. The fire within will serve as your trump card at the critical moment. Don't waste it—after all, this is your Bequeathed Lord Soul."
He used the power of his Estus Flask to mend his fractured soul. He was mimicking the tale of Gwyn, the Lord of Cinder, who had gifted fragments of his powerful soul to his followers.
This was his final hole card. Usually, fuel and defensive structures would be enough to hold the line. But if a situation arose that couldn't be handled normally, and he was tied up elsewhere, this fragment of his soul would provide the necessary miracle.
Elsa said nothing, silently tucking the fragment into the depths of her soul. She now fully understood how much importance Gawain placed on the Scarlet Rot. It was time for her to get serious.
"Leave it to me. I trust you'll find a way to purge the Rot for good. Until then, I won't let the line break."
"Go and prepare. The Redmane Knight waiting in the castle will lead you once you're ready."
Gawain let out a sigh of relief after giving the orders. However, he didn't go to Blaidd immediately. Instead, he found Calvin and told him to gather his men.
Calvin had been living well since the battle against Godrick. In the following days, he had brought his kinsmen from all over Limgrave under his banner. This included several mercenaries who had survived Gawain's mercy earlier. Thus, the Kaiden Sellswords in Limgrave were now largely loyal to the new King.
With the Crucible Knights putting out fires across the realm and the Storm Knights heading to Caelid, the Kaiden Sellswords were the only significant fighting force Gawain had left for his own mission.
After all, this was the Siofra River. If he and Blaidd explored it alone, it would take forever to map out. Moreover, unless they dealt with the Ancestral Followers—who loved sniping from the shadows—his plan to connect Limgrave and Caelid via the river would be impossible to implement. This wasn't just an exploration; it was a campaign to open a viable supply route.
Calvin was intrigued by the prospect of an underground world and immediately went to pick the best men for the job. Of course, it was already afternoon; even with the fastest preparations, they wouldn't be able to set out until the next day.
Gawain took this idle moment to head into a certain building. He wasn't looking for Blaidd, but for Sorceress Sellen. Since bringing her here, he hadn't had the chance to see her. Although he didn't have the time to study Glintstone sorcery properly yet, a quick visit was long overdue.
Climbing the stairs to the top floor, he saw blue light flickering from the room at the end of the hall. It seemed a sorcerous experiment was in progress.
He stepped forward and knocked gently. Before long, the flickering light from under the door faded.
"You may enter now."
Hearing the familiar voice, he slowly pushed the door open. Standing before him was a face he had never seen in the game, yet it perfectly matched his imagination.
For a moment, he stood there, dazed. He couldn't help but think that if he'd had a teacher this beautiful back in school, his grades wouldn't have been so bad. Or perhaps they would have been even worse.
Sellen rested her chin on one hand, eyeing him thoughtfully. Her Glintstone crown sat on a nearby bookshelf; it seemed that in this safe, comfortable environment, she occasionally took it off to relax.
She looked at her apprentice. This was the first time he had sought her out since their brief meeting.
She understood, of course. Stormveil had only just settled down, and he must have been buried in work. Blaidd had also appeared in the castle, likely to discuss matters of great importance.
So, she had used this free time to conduct research that had been impossible in her cellar, including organizing her spellbooks and resuming her study of the Primeval Current.
"So, it's my apprentice. I never thought I would one day take on a student with such a unique status," Sellen said. "But none of that matters. Are you ready to learn the secrets of Glintstone? We can begin your lessons at any time."
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Elden Ring: In the Name of Ash (112 chapter - Ongoing)
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