Having finished his conversation with Iji, Gawain turned to find Edgar approaching him.
"Master Iji, are the armaments I requested ready? Castellan Jerren has already sent word urging us along." Edgar then paused, noticing the half-wolf. "Oh! Blaidd is here as well?"
"Tell him to stop pestering me. The convoy tomorrow should be able to load this latest batch of weapons and equipment," Iji grunted.
Gawain frowned. He had thought the situation in Caelid was progressing steadily, yet today it seemed they were suddenly desperate for weapons again.
"Yes, Blaidd will be staying in the city for a while," Gawain noted before turning back to Edgar. "Has something happened in Caelid recently? The demand for weapons is so high. If it's truly an issue, I know a blacksmith at the Roundtable Hold I can call upon for help."
Edgar shook his head, indicating there was no major crisis.
"Normal usage is perfectly covered; Redmane Castle and the other outposts have stockpiled sufficient supplies. It's actually because the situation is progressing better than we expected. Since the Siofra River route was recently cleared, Irina and Alisa are planning a more thorough operation in coordination with Redmane Castle. If they succeed, they should be able to purge the Scarlet Rot from the Swamp of Aeonia in one fell swoop. The smaller clusters of rot would then be easy pickings. That's why things have been so busy lately."
"They've already reached that stage?" Gawain asked. "Are there any difficulties? If necessary, I can personally head to the front to assist once I've settled my current affairs in a few days."
"The most troublesome Kindred of Rot in the Swamp of Aeonia were already cleared out by you, so it's actually not as difficult as one might imagine. After all, the most terrifying thing about the Scarlet Rot is its morbidly twisted vitality, not its raw combat power. This time, even the Nox will be helping; no one knows the Siofra River basin better than they do. Between using Flame Chariots to clear the path and neutralizing the spores with poisonous mushroom powder, there shouldn't be any issues. Besides, Jerren seems to have recruited a very powerful helper to bolster their ranks."
"A very powerful helper?"
Gawain searched his memory of Caelid's residents. It wouldn't be some "Greatest Warrior of Caelid" type, would it? That didn't sound right. Suddenly, a spark of realization hit him. He thought of a certain entity whose combat power was unknown but undoubtedly immense.
"You don't mean that massive Warrior Jar guarding the entrance to the Caelid Colosseum, do you? How did Jerren convince him to help?"
"Uh, well, it wasn't exactly 'convincing.' I heard that the Great-Jar doesn't care about the outside world and only wants to guard the colosseum. So, Jerren plans to herd all the Kindred of Rot down that narrow path toward the colosseum. That should be enough to persuade him to intervene."
"That... well, that's actually very logical," Gawain admitted. "If you've planned it all out, then I'm at ease. But don't take unnecessary risks. If things go south, wait for me to return and I'll handle it."
Edgar tightened his grip on his weapon and offered a formal salute.
"You are our King. Until now, you have always been the one charging ahead into the most dangerous battles. If we were truly powerless, that would be one thing, but if we cannot even settle a minor matter like this for you, it would be a source of great shame."
"Precisely because I am King, every unnecessary sacrifice is a failure on my part. Just do your best. Regardless of the outcome, what matters is your effort. Only those who stay alive have the luxury of talking about the future."
Edgar nodded solemnly. Despite Gawain's words, he intended to give his all to this operation—not just out of a knight's loyalty and honor, but because he would not allow anything to threaten Stormveil or his daughter.
Late that night, Edgar leaned against the wall of Iji's smithy, staring out at the city which remained brightly lit even in the dark hours.
"Master Iji, do you think this operation will go smoothly?"
"The Storm King was right," Iji replied. "As long as we do our best, that is enough. I suspect that for both him and us, there are hard battles ahead."
"True enough. Though I do not know what kind of enemy the King must face, I imagine they are far more powerful than what we encounter."
By the Lake-Facing Cliffs, Gawain gazed up at the starry sky. Beside him, Ranni had manifested her form. With the critical moment approaching, they needed to finalize their route.
"So, our next objective is Nokstella," Gawain said. "Have you decided on how we'll get there?"
Ranni pondered for a moment before producing an hourglass-like object from seemingly nowhere.
"In truth, before we entered Nokron, I originally intended to give this to you as a reward once you brought me the Fingerslayer Blade. However, subsequent events changed my mind. There is more than one path to Nokstella. While there is a shortcut prepared within the Three Sisters, I also know of an entrance slightly north of Liurnia of the Lakes. Can you take me to Nokstella through that route? There is no need to rush; move at a steady pace. There are things I wish to show you along the way."
Gawain recalled the path she was talking about—entering through the Ainsel River Well, passing through the Uhl Palace Ruins, which would eventually lead to Nokstella and the Lake of Rot. That was exactly where he could hunt down the Baleful Shadow pursuing Ranni.
But why would she abandon the teleporter in her own tower to take the long way around?
Looking at the Carian Inverted Statue in her hand, he had a few guesses. Regardless of what she wanted to show him, he was happy to comply. Traveling at full speed, it wouldn't take long anyway, and he remembered there were things along that path he was interested in as well.
"Sure, no problem. Looking at the map, the Ainsel River Well is on the opposite side of the lake from Caria Manor. I realized I haven't even visited the Liurnia Highway yet; I've spent all my time on the other shore. Let's head out from there tomorrow."
Ranni shook her head with a hint of resignation.
"Starting tomorrow? You truly have immense confidence in your subordinates, it seems, to be so at ease while they carry out an operation as large as clearing the Aeonia Swamp."
"Whether it's the Redmane Legion or the Storm Knights, the strength they find to protect their land is greater than even I can imagine. I believe they can succeed without me. Even if there's an accident, I can always head back to clean up the mess later."
What Gawain didn't say was that, in his mind, the enemies they might face on this path were likely even more powerful. But these were enemies that had to be faced eventually. Since they couldn't be avoided, it was better to deal with them head-on.
The next morning, after taking a moment to meet with Irina and the others to discuss the state of the Academy and Caelid, Gawain and Ranni left Stormveil. Following her request, they traveled slowly along the Liurnia Highway.
He could clearly sense that Ranni was trying to stall for time, seemingly contemplating a significant decision. Consequently, he didn't push the pace.
As they traveled, clearing out stray nobles and spirits along the way, Gawain glanced toward the cliffs. He remembered there was a catacomb beneath the cliffs there—the Cliffbottom Catacombs—where the boss, an Erdtree Burial Watchdog, held the ashes of a Kaiden Mercenary.
He wondered how many generations back that ancestor of Galvin's was, buried there after serving the Golden Order. Of course, the promise of the Erdtree had long since become a beautiful lie. He'd have to mention it to Galvin later, so the man could bring his ancestor back and eventually bury him in their mountain homeland when the chance arose.
After clearing out the Purified Ruins and casually crushing a Shabriri Grape hidden within, he looked at the Two Fingers' Heirloom talisman in his hand and scoffed.
He tossed it to the ground and crushed it underfoot. He had no need for help from the Two Fingers. Beside him, Ranni looked visibly pleased by the gesture.
Continuing along the highway, the towering Divine Tower of Liurnia soon came into view, standing tall behind the Carian Study Hall. He knew that place housed a very annoying magic professor and a "welcoming party" in the form of a fat Godskin Noble.
Just as he was about to approach the Study Hall to take a closer look, he heard a familiar, boisterous cry for help. It seemed that even with the massive changes to the timeline, the "Jar-Man" was still fated to get stuck in a hole.
"Hello! Hello! Is anyone there? Can someone give me a hand? I'm stuck!"
Gawain looked toward Ranni. She simply waved her hand, indicating he should go help. Without hesitation, he appeared before the jar.
"It's been a while, Alexander. I heard you went to Stormveil to have the pot-menders fix your cracks and then continued your journey. How did you end up stuck here? Is this some new training method for Warrior Jars?"
"Oh! It's you! It truly has been too long! You've come at the perfect time. I didn't want this either, but as you can see, I've managed to get myself wedged in this hole again. Please, another hand?"
"Sure. Don't move, I'll pull you out."
During the previous Radahn Festival, Gawain had drawn almost all the General's attention in the later stages, but Alexander had still taken a heavy blow. Even with maintenance from the pot-menders, his body wasn't entirely sturdy. A direct pull might lead to an accident.
"Wait, I don't think this will work," Alexander noted. "I feel my leg is caught on something. If you pull like that, I might shatter. Better to think of another way."
Gawain realized he hadn't brought any Oil Pots with him. He could hardly be expected to use "Soporific Grease" on the man; that would be a rather unsightly scene.
Left with no other choice, he used the most direct method. Manipulating gravity, he hoisted a massive chunk of the surrounding earth—along with Alexander—into the air. After his special training with Master Sellen, this level of precision was child's play.
Finally freed, Alexander stomped down on a rock that had been pinning him, shattering it. He spun around to check himself over before offering his thanks.
"I owe you once again! You truly are clever to think of such a way to get me out. To think we would meet here again after the festival! Here, don't be shy—this is my thanks to you."
Seeing Alexander open the lid of his head to offer a piece of "Exalted Flesh," Gawain quickly pushed the lid back down. He'd take the sentiment, but that was enough.
Gawain wouldn't dare eat the meat Alexander offered; even Agheel would turn his nose up at it. After the festival, heaven only knew how many corpses of warriors Alexander had "collected" on that battlefield. God only knew what that meat was actually made of.
Seeing Gawain's look of refusal, Alexander didn't take offense.
"Fair enough. I won't force it. Regardless, my thanks."
"So, why are you stuck here again?"
"Ah... follow me."
Alexander turned and walked to the edge of the cliff, looking down.
"After the festival, I continued my journey. Thanks to the skilled pot-menders at Stormveil, I haven't cracked further. Look down there—that is Jarburg, my home. Although I once swore never to return, I find I cannot help but steal a glance when I pass by. But I was careless and got stuck in that hole. If the warriors within me knew of such a pathetic display, they would surely mock my weakness. You know how it is—if one wishes to be a hero, one must cast aside thoughts of home. In any case, my body is not yet strong enough. I shall continue toward the volcano. After seeing your battle with the General, I realized that if a Warrior Jar wishes to be strong enough to never crack, he must temper his body in fire."
Gawain stood beside Alexander and looked down. Indeed, at the base of the cliff was a secluded little village—Jarburg. He could see jars of various sizes playing and rolling about.
"Alexander, if you miss home, go down and visit. No one will blame you. Who says a hero must cast aside thoughts of home? Often, it's the thought of home that turns a weak warrior into a fearless hero. I suspect those little jars down there would love to see you."
"No, no. I cannot let homesickness delay my journey. The warriors inside me would be displeased."
Seeing Alexander's hesitation, Gawain decided to give him a nudge.
"I've heard some rumors at the Roundtable Hold—apparently, a group of poachers has been active lately. You wouldn't want to see the little jars in your village being poached, would you? Don't worry, the Academy has surrendered to me, and I'll be sending people to protect Jarburg soon. But until then, could you look after the village? Isn't protection one of the greatest virtues of a warrior?"
"But... but..."
"Enough with the 'buts.' You're being far too fussy for a Warrior Jar. Get down there!"
Before Alexander could react, Gawain had already circled behind him. Aiming for the slope formed by the cliffside tombstones, he delivered a massive "Patches-style" kick.
The massive, rounded jar tumbled down the cliff, bouncing off tombstones while using bursts of internal storm energy to cushion the impact. After smashing several graves, he finally landed in a soft patch of flowers.
Alexander slowly stood up and looked back up the cliff with a mix of resignation and shock. That kick had nearly cracked him open.
"That fellow... didn't even give me time to prepare before kicking me down. This won't do. I must hurry before I am spotted—"
Before Alexander could finish his sentence, a small warrior jar appeared before him, staring up at the behemoth with wonder.
"Are you... Uncle Alexander?"
Seeing that he couldn't escape, Alexander let out a few awkward laughs.
"That is I! I am Iron Fist Alexander! Go tell everyone in the village: do not fear the poachers! Alexander has returned!"
Gawain watched with satisfaction as a group of small jars surrounded Alexander. At least for the next few days, Jarburg wouldn't have to worry about poachers.
"I knew it. The best way to deal with a tsundere is a direct hit. You have to give them a push, otherwise they'll keep their mouths shut until the day they die."
"Tsundere? What does that mean?"
Ranni savored the word, sensing that the man beside her was implying something specific.
"It means exactly what it sounds like. I know another person who fits that description perfectly, actually. Let's keep moving."
Laughing off Ranni's question, Gawain turned his thoughts elsewhere. Aside from the warrior jars, Jarburg theoretically had many different types of jars. Having a bunch of little jars helping out would be very useful, and collecting the "Living Jar Shards" they naturally shed could be used to craft many helpful items.
He wondered if he should introduce Diallos to a job here next time he saw him at the Roundtable Hold. It would be better than seeing him moping around with his servant every time Gawain visited. Although Diallos was a bit of a coward who liked to talk big, Gawain knew the man would genuinely be good to the little jars.
After the interlude at Jarburg, the two resumed their journey. With Gawain's slow pace, the day was drawing to a close. The stars of Liurnia began to twinkle as they finally arrived at the entrance of the Carian Study Hall.
Ranni gazed at the towering Divine Tower in the distance, her thoughts unreadable. Finally, she let out a sigh.
"This is it. There are important things I wish to show you. But listen well: no matter what you see, keep it in your heart and do not speak of it to another. Understood? This is the request of the Witch Ranni."
"Understood, understood. Tonight, I'll take on the role of a true Carian Knight. I am at your command, my Princess."
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Elden Ring: In the Name of Ash (229 chapter - Ongoing)
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