By the time Leda reached the site of the battle, all she found were piles of scorched corpses with hollow, burned-out eyes. The only other sound was a massive rumbling emanating from a hidden basement within the ruins, as if something substantial was being systematically demolished.
Freyja stood with her greatsword slung over her back, her expression a mix of tension and excitement as she stared toward the source of the vibrations. There weren't many beings in the Lands Between who could project such an overwhelming sense of pressure. Was this the individual Miquella had guided Leda to find in this frozen wasteland?
Deep within the basement, Gawain squeezed his fist. A yellow grape burst in his palm, and the Frenzied Flame contained within was instantly absorbed and assimilated into his being.
"I didn't expect to find such a large Shabriri Grape hidden down here," Gawain remarked. "I wonder which poor soul left it behind."
"Despair has long been a plague upon the Lands Between," Melina sighed softly. "It is perhaps inevitable. At the very least, removing it here might curb the spread of the Frenzy to some degree."
Melina couldn't help but feel a sense of melancholy. Even here in the Consecrated Snowfield—the domain of the Empyrean Miquella, who was said to embrace all—the shadow of despair remained inescapable.
As they emerged from the basement, Melina's gaze met two familiar figures. A sudden gust of wind blew past, the freezing air jolting them back to reality after the suffocating heat of the Frenzied Flame.
"Hmm? They are..."
"It seems we've run into some old friends from the Festival," Gawain said, his eyes narrowing slightly.
He wondered if the commotion he'd just caused had simply drawn them in by chance, or if their meeting was an inevitability now that he had set foot on this snowfield.
"Leda, Freyja? It's been a while. It's rare to see a familiar face in a place as desolate as this."
After the brief greeting, his gaze swept over their armor. Though the freezing temperatures had caused the hot Accursed Blood to congeal into ice, the thick, sickening aura of the curse remained palpable.
Leda watched Gawain with a complex expression. She could feel that in the short time since their last meeting, he had grown significantly stronger. Simply standing before him reminded her of the radiant sun she had seen in the sky on the night of the Festival.
"Indeed, it has been far too long, Lord Storm King," Leda replied. "The Consecrated Snowfield is a great distance from your domain. May I ask how you arrived here?"
"I recall you saying you were a knight of Miquella," Gawain replied, glancing at the Sword of Night and Flame on his back. "Then you should know what he left behind in Liurnia."
Leda's eyes flickered with a momentary, subtle hint of distaste as she looked at the legendary blade, but she quickly masked it. "I see. Then our meeting must be the work of destiny."
Before she could continue, the impatient Freyja stepped forward. Her voice carried a mix of reverence and urgency. "I heard there was a great battle in Caelid. They say Old Man Jerren led the Redmanes alongside Stormveil to scrub the Great Swamp clean. Is it true?"
Gawain nodded. He hadn't expected news to travel so quickly to this remote corner of the world. It seemed Miquella's followers were more numerous than he'd thought, providing a constant stream of intelligence.
"It's true. Despite some setbacks, the outcome was favorable. Aside from some lingering traces, Caelid has been freed from the Rot and reconstruction has begun."
A sigh of relief escaped from beneath Freyja's helm. Her primary concern had been whether Jerren and the Redmanes could hold out. She had hoped things would improve after the Festival, but she never imagined the Rot would be so thoroughly purged so quickly. Now, she could pursue Lord Miquella's path with a clear conscience.
"Lord Storm King, you have my deepest gratitude," Freyja said. "I will remember this debt. Should the opportunity arise, I shall repay it with my blade."
Leda's attention shifted to the cloaked figure standing behind Gawain. One look was enough to convince her that the woman was no ordinary person.
"And who might this be behind you?" Leda asked.
"This is Melina. She is my Maiden."
"Your Maiden? A pleasure to meet you. I am Leda, of the Needle Knights."
Melina offered a slight nod of acknowledgment, but her gaze remained fixed on the faint golden glow beneath Leda's helm. It was the same radiance she had seen in Millicent's eyes—the specific blessing granted to those who followed Miquella.
Leda, sensing the moment was right, tentatively broached her main objective. "I heard that while the war in Caelid was raging, the Academy of Raya Lucaria was thrown into chaos by a powerful intruder. They even say mountains of Cuckoo Knight corpses were found on the lake."
"Correct. Just as you warned, the Lord of Blood took advantage of my absence to strike at the Academy. Though he failed in the end, he caused significant damage. That is why I have come to the Consecrated Snowfield—to find the entrance to the Mohgwyn Palace and end his threat once and for all. I assumed there would be a gateway here that he used to return to his dynasty."
"A terrible tragedy," Leda remarked. "The Academy is the greatest seat of learning in the Lands Between; many sorcerers from its halls now reside within the Haligtree."
The sorcerers Leda referred to were the heavy-armored "battle-mages" of the Haima Conspectus—warriors who frequently discarded academic etiquette to smash foes with glintstone hammers.
"I see the two of you are covered in traces of Accursed Blood," Gawain noted. "Did you run into Bloody Fingers just now?"
"We did. Since the Festival, the fate of all life in the Lands Between has begun to flow once more, no longer bound by the stars. My fellow followers and I returned here to seek the trail left by the Lord of Blood. Just recently, by tracking the movements of strangely altered animals, we finally confirmed the location of the waygate he used to invade this snowfield. It leads directly to the Mohgwyn Palace."
"Strangely altered animals?"
"Yes. Creatures—and humans—who dwell too long in the presence of Accursed Blood eventually descend into madness. We recently hunted down a powerful and frenzied Runebear. It was only near a cliff's edge that we discovered the gateway. Unfortunately, our presence was exposed, and we had to fight our way through."
Gawain thought for a moment. He remembered that in the game, a red Runebear with absurdly high stats prowled near that very waygate. Its color clearly indicated an affinity for the Accursed Blood.
The timing felt almost too convenient. He had only just arrived, and Leda was already offering the location of the gateway on a silver platter. Knowing she could receive Miquella's "guidance," this coincidence was highly suspicious.
However, he didn't care. Since Mohg had dared to harm Master Sellen, their feud was a fight to the death. Whatever Miquella was planning didn't change the fact that Gawain intended to storm the Mohgwyn Palace. He was also curious to meet the most mysterious of the Empyreans.
"Lord Storm King," Leda said, "since our goals align, I, as a follower of Lord Miquella, request your assistance in this battle."
Perhaps feeling her request was too one-sided, Leda produced a gift she had prepared. Through her prior observations, she had a good idea of what he valued.
"This was something I intended to do anyway," Gawain said. "There's no need for gifts. Providing the location of the waygate is help enough."
"Please, accept this," Leda insisted. "Without your efforts at the Festival, my mission could never have been completed. I took this from the treasures of the Haligtree; I believe it will aid you in the battles to come."
Gawain saw no reason to refuse further. He took the container bearing Miquella's mark and opened it. He let out a sharp intake of breath as his eyes lit up.
Inside lay two white stones. As he touched them, he could feel the space around them subtly distorting. There was no mistake: these were scales shed from the Dragonlord—objects whose very existence could warp time and space.
These were fundamentally different from ordinary smithing stones. This was why the highest level of weapon reinforcement was referred to as creating a "God-slaying" weapon. The power within these scales could fundamentally alter the strength of any blade.
Finding even one was usually a monumental task, yet Leda had handed him two Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stones in one go. The Haligtree faction was truly wealthy.
He recalled that in his past life, most of the Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stones found in a single playthrough were located in the Consecrated Snowfield or the Haligtree. He wondered if Leda had more.
The last "sugar mommy" to provide for him was Ranni, who specialized in quantity; Leda, it seemed, specialized in quality. This trip was already proving profitable.
He pocketed the gift without ceremony. When he returned, he would have Master Hewg work on his gear, fulfilling the blacksmith's dream of forging a God-slaying weapon.
"Mmm. I'll accept your gift then. I like it very much."
Leda saw the fire in Gawain's eyes and knew her gamble had paid off. During his battle with the General, his mastery of various weapons and combat techniques had left a deep impression on her. A pure warrior like him could never refuse such a precious gift.
"I am glad it meets your approval," Leda said. "Lord Gawain, though it may be forward of me, I have observed your actions since your arrival in the Lands Between. I must say, you are a more gentle and kind ruler than I imagined. In some ways, you are like Lord Miquella. I believe that if you and Lord Miquella were to meet, you would lead the Lands Between to a far brighter future."
Gawain thought of what Ranni had told him regarding the Night of the Black Knives, and a trace of complexity flashed in his eyes. If and when they actually met, he doubted it would be as harmonious as she imagined.
"I can handle the brunt of the fighting," Gawain said, "but tell me the truth: is Miquella really deep within the Mohgwyn Palace?"
Leda went silent for a moment. She knew that after Freyja's earlier comments, Gawain would have his suspicions. It wasn't something that could be kept secret forever; the only question was whether she should draw him into the Land of Shadow.
After a brief internal deliberation, as if receiving a revelation, her golden pupils shimmered. She spoke at last.
"It seems nothing escapes you. I can only tell you that Lord Miquella is indeed no longer within the Mohgwyn Palace. However, to follow his trail, one must pass through the Lord of Blood. If you can truly overcome that great obstacle, I shall reveal the full truth."
"Then it's a deal. Lead the way. It's time I settled things with the Lord of Blood."
"You have my gratitude. Please, follow me."
Led by Leda, the four of them set off toward the gateway. Freyja was ecstatic, her mind only on the coming battle. Even if she couldn't win, being able to witness a fight of this caliber—much like the Festival—was worth any injury.
Melina rode on Torrent while Gawain held the reins, walking slowly through the wind and snow. They appeared silent, but they were communicating through their spiritual link.
"Be careful," Melina warned. "I can see that same blessing in the eyes of both of them."
"Mmm, I saw it too. It's likely one of Miquella's powers. If I fall under its influence, I'll need you to break the charm."
"I can do that. Just stay safe in the coming fight. I cannot imagine the amount of Accursed Blood we will encounter in the Lord of Blood's domain."
"Don't worry. I've learned of his weaknesses from Master Sellen. I've dealt with his kind enough times to know what to expect. And don't forget—the Mohgwyn Palace is underground."
Melina understood the implication and relaxed slightly. She hoped the coming trial wouldn't be too grueling.
As the sky began to darken, they finally reached their destination. Bloody Finger corpses littered the snow, evidently dispatched by Leda's group during their search.
"Lord Gawain, here it is. This gateway leads to the entrance of the Mohgwyn Palace. Are you ready—"
Leda stopped mid-sentence as she felt herself enveloped in a wave of warm light. Her body suddenly felt significantly more powerful. She turned in surprise to find Gawain holding a chime-like tool, his body glowing with several different colors of light.
"What is... this?"
"Just some basic combat preparations," Gawain replied. "Don't be surprised."
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!