It was hard to tell what Rennala, the Full Moon Queen, thought about Rya—her theoretical granddaughter. Regardless, she remained unchanged, clutching her Amber Egg in a state of self-imposed isolation.
If there was anyone in the Lands Between who could truly cure the Queen's ailment, aside from Radagon—the root cause of it all—it was likely Rellana, who was currently hidden within the Land of Shadow.
Gawain took this opportunity to learn more about the current state of Volcano Manor. It was much as he had expected: after Rykard was devoured by the serpent, he had proceeded to consume all of his own knights. This bout of "indigestion" had resulted in the birth of a multitude of Man-Serpents.
Bernahl, the leader of the Recusants, had likely already returned to Volcano Manor to take charge. Gawain wondered if the man had already obtained the Blasphemous Claw—the tool capable of parrying the power of Destined Death.
Looking at it this way, there wasn't much to worry about on the Altus Plateau. It was still a chaotic mess where various heroes and villains slaughtered each other, and it would remain that way for some time.
Consequently, he decided to let Rya stay at the Academy or Stormveil for a while. Not only was it safer, but he could also head to Volcano Manor whenever he finally found the time.
Mmm, I'll bring Ranni along when I go to visit her brother. That will be a beautiful scene, he thought. He wasn't sure what Rykard's current condition was, but if the opportunity arose, he wouldn't mind lending a hand.
Rya had no objections. She had left Volcano Manor to recruit heroes precisely because she wanted to travel and see the world; her mother, Tanith, hadn't given her a deadline for her return anyway.
After all, in her best ending in the game, she left the Manor to embark on her own journey. The people she met here were kind and gentle; no one shunned her as her own kind did.
However, Patches was starting to get restless. His mind was entirely occupied by the Mistress of Volcano Manor. After shamelessly "borrowing" some equipment and items, he chose to head for the Manor ahead of the rest. Since Millicent's group had already cleared the enemies in the most difficult mining tunnels along the way, the journey was no longer perilous.
Blackguard Big Boggart had originally thought about slowly making his way back to the Royal Capital. But the thought of that terrifying, curse-radiating figure locked in the sewers made him reconsider. He felt it was best not to provoke that individual until he was fully prepared—and certainly not while armed with nothing but iron spheres.
He toyed with the idea of selling prawns in Stormveil for a while. He could earn some runes and, using his slight acquaintance with the Storm King, perhaps secure a decent set of gear. Previously, he'd had no choice; now that better options were available, he had no desire to take unnecessary risks.
As for Great Horned Tragoth, he naturally enjoyed wandering the Lands Between to aid his fellow Tarnished. He didn't have a specific plan, but after hearing about the state of Stormveil, he decided to head back and visit a few old friends he'd missed when leaving Caelid.
A few more days passed. When Gawain wasn't teasing Rya, he was practicing the Flowing Curved Sword style with Millicent. He had no intention of missing out on a sword style specifically designed as a counter to the Scarlet Rot. The move he had used against the Goddess of Rot previously had been a haphazard invention; learning from a master-level swordswoman like Millicent was far superior.
During this time, he took Millicent back to Caelid. The transformation of the land left her in disbelief. How could such a massive amount of Scarlet Rot be suppressed in such a short time?
Thinking of the current state of the Haligtree, Millicent made her final decision. Going there alone would achieve little. Forget seeing Malenia—she likely wouldn't even make it past her own sisters. Moreover, the Rot entrenched within the Haligtree would not be easily dealt with.
In her heart, she wanted to believe that Malenia could regain her former dignity through her persuasion. But if the worst should happen, she wanted a powerful and steadfast comrade by her side who was equally committed to fighting the Rot.
Finally, with the preparations complete, Gawain decided to head to the Consecrated Snowfield via the waygate at the Four Belfries. Aside from his inseparable Maiden, Melina, he took no one else. Numbers meant nothing in the pools of Accursed Blood.
Simply put, he was going to settle the score with Mohg and investigate Miquella's current status. If anyone in the Lands Between knew how to reach the Land of Shadow, it was that most mysterious of demigods.
The passage in the Consecrated Snowfield was currently his most efficient way to force an entry into the Blood Dynasty.
He had already bolstered his Faith, Intelligence, and Vigor to sufficiently high levels. Although his Dexterity was still slightly lacking, head-on confrontation was his style. Before a well-tempered body, flashy tricks were useless.
As he inserted the Imbued Sword Key into the waygate labeled "The Infinite Snowfield," a shimmering blue portal opened. His destination lay beyond.
He wasn't sure exactly where he would be teleported. If it was Ordina or the Haligtree itself, it would be a bit of a headache. He prepared for battle, lest he be swarmed by Black Knife Assassins and turned into another Godwyn the second he stepped through.
"Melina, there might be danger ahead. Stay behind me."
Melina nodded, readying herself. Although she could hide as a spirit, having a physical body again meant she wasn't as elusive as before. she leaned close to Gawain, keeping a sharp eye out for attacks from their blind spots.
Together, they touched the portal. Following a momentary blur of scenery, they regained their senses to find their vision filled with pure white. There were no people, not even the ruins of buildings.
Gawain eased his defensive stance slightly. At least the worst-case scenario hadn't occurred. He estimated they were in some remote corner of the snowfield.
"So this is the Consecrated Snowfield? It truly is a lot of looking at nothing," Gawain muttered.
The wind howled incessantly, and the blizzard was so thick he couldn't see a thing. It perfectly made up for his regret of never visiting the Frigid Outskirts in his past life. All he needed now was a pack of spectral horses to charge him to make the experience complete.
Exhaling a cloud of white mist, he felt the chill. The constant gale made the perceived temperature colder than even the Painted World. Standing still for just a few moments caused a thick layer of snow to accumulate on his armor.
He brushed the snow from his shoulders and turned toward Melina. She was in a similar state; her auburn hair whipped about in the gale, and she pulled her cloak tight to ward off the cold. Now that she could feel physical sensations, such temperatures were becoming difficult to endure.
With a whistle, he summoned Torrent. The spectral steed's thick coat made him seemingly indifferent to the cold, making him ideal for travel in such a harsh climate.
"Alright, we aren't sure of our exact location yet. We need to find a site of Grace. The light of Grace should point us in the right direction. Come, get on."
Melina nodded. She reached out from her cloak to firmly grasp the hand he offered and climbed onto Torrent's back.
So warm... like sitting by a bonfire, was Melina's first thought. She couldn't help but lean close against his back. It was as if the blizzard had paused; a comforting warmth radiated from what should have been cold armor.
It wasn't an illusion. To prevent their vision from being obscured, Gawain had directly altered the flow of the wind around them. Within a small radius of their space, the air was calm.
As for the freezing temperature? To an Ashen One who had once set the cold, rotting Painted World ablaze, it had no effect. His very existence was an extension of the Flame.
"It's not too cold now, is it? Shall I turn the heat up a bit?"
Melina was amused by the question. After spending so much time with him, she understood the nature of that warmth. She shook her head, and a faint golden light from an incantation enveloped them both.
"This is enough. Even if you are indifferent to it, as your Maiden, I do not wish to see you disregard your own body for my sake."
"When it comes to disregarding oneself for others, I think we're both in the same boat. No need to fret over it."
Melina tightened her grip slightly but didn't pursue the topic. She leaned silently against that increasingly warm back, her gaze occasionally drifting toward the Erdtree. Amidst the howling of the wind, she quietly enjoyed this rare, solitary moment.
Torrent trotted across the desolate snowfield, leaving a trail of hoofprints. In this lonely expanse, the blizzard never ceased, save for the small pocket of calm around them.
The heavy snowfall blurred the world into a featureless haze, obscuring distant views and leaving only the hollow silhouettes of mountains. Everywhere was a single color: an endless, blinding white.
Aside from a few scattered trees along the path, there were no landmarks, giving one the sensation of walking in place. The only thing providing direction was the faint gold drifting in the air above—the guidance of Grace. As long as they followed it, they would eventually leave this unfamiliar region or find a recognizable landmark.
After an indeterminate amount of time, they finally left the heart of the blizzard. The obscuring snow vanished, and their field of vision opened up significantly.
In the distance, across the barren snow, stood a grove of ancient stone trees. At the foot of the nearest tree lay a site of Grace.
Strange red flowers grew at the base of these ancient trees. These flowers were thin and clung tightly to the ground to survive the harsh environment, providing a meager splash of life to the desolate landscape.
With a clear direction in sight, Gawain fed Torrent a few Rowa Raisins as encouragement. Torrent's pace quickened, easily crossing the vast distance.
Eventually, Gawain pulled the reins, bringing Torrent to a halt. The ruins ahead appeared ordinary, but a sickening aura in the air was enough to put him on guard.
"Melina, do you feel that?"
"Mmm. There is no mistake. This is the scent of the Frenzied Flame."
Gawain and Melina shared a look. He realized he had stumbled upon a specific location, and his eyes brightened. If nothing else, the tunnels behind these ruins held an Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone!
He urged Torrent forward slowly. Corpses clad in the attire of the Golden People began to appear in the snow, looking as though they had been frozen solid, yet their clothes bore scorch marks.
With the Rune of Death sealed, the Golden People were theoretically immortal. To end up in such a state, aside from an Ashen One like him, only a power capable of utterly melting the soul—like the Frenzied Flame—could achieve it.
Further in, several Trolls draped in massive cloaks stood around. They held their hands over their faces, but through the gaps in their fingers, their eyes could be seen glowing with a brilliant, maddening light.
These were the Yelough Anis Ruins, the suspected origin point of the Frenzied Flame's spread in the Lands Between.
Gawain watched the maddened Trolls and citizens, slowly drawing the Sword of Night and Flame from his back.
Had they been simple victims of the Frenzy, he might not have resorted to slaughter—much like the nomadic merchants whose Frenzied Flame he had absorbed. But these beings had been tortured into a state of total mindless insanity. He could only end their suffering.
Not far from the other side of the Yelough Anis Ruins, Leda led her companions through the snow. Her sword was stained with Accursed Blood from several Bloody Fingers they had dispatched on the road.
Behind her, Freyja rubbed her arms for warmth. Hailing from Caelid, she found the temperatures of the Consecrated Snowfield difficult to bear.
"Leda, what exactly are we waiting for? Since we've found the waygate left by the Lord of Blood, why not just charge in and rescue Lord Miquella?"
"Have you already forgotten the wound on your arm that just stopped bleeding?" Leda looked at the battle-hungry Freyja with a hint of exasperation. "You were injured dealing with a single Bloody Finger. Do you truly believe we can win an away-game against them on our own?"
Leda's followers had been injured merely dealing with elite Bloody Fingers; charging in to rescue Miquella was out of the question for now. This was why she had waited so patiently. Only after the end of the Festival of Radahn had their stagnant fate begun to shift.
"Then... what are we doing staying here?"
"This is the instruction of Lord Miquella. Do not question it; simply follow."
Leda seemed to sense something and looked up. A fiery red explosion reflected in her golden pupils. A loud boom, accompanied by a slight tremor in the earth, signaled a battle taking place ahead.
"Has he finally arrived?"
Support me here: https://[email protected]/AuAuMon
Elden Ring: In the Name of Ash (272 chapter - Ongoing)
Join the journey and become part of the story!