As the brilliance of the Erdtree veiled the stars above, Gawain returned to Stormveil Castle. Before he could attend to any business, he was nearly tackled by Irina, who lunged from behind to wrap him in a desperate embrace. Melina, startled by the sudden display, looked away with a subtle, complicated expression, though her eyes occasionally drifted back to steal a glance.
"Alright, Irina. I know the battle was grueling this time, but I'm back now, aren't I?"
"Don't lie to me. At that moment... I felt like I was going to lose you."
Irina was trembling, her arms locked tight around Gawain as if afraid he would vanish if she let go. She had been truly terrified; the sensation of a soul-deep tearing and helplessness had made her feel as though she were back in those dark days after she lost her mother.
"Next time, do not push yourself so hard. If things look grim, just retreat. You know that you are the only one capable of carrying the weight of the Lands Between right now."
Elsa, following close behind, wasn't as overtly emotional as Irina, but the lingering fear on her face was impossible to suppress.
"My apologies. In that moment, I felt I had only one shot, so I took the gamble. But the result was worth it."
Gawain exerted a bit of will, and the projections of four Great Runes manifested before his chest. Three were glowing steadily, while Mohg's rune was dim and lusterless. Combined, the four fragments allowed one to catch a faint, ghostly glimpse of the Elden Ring's true shape.
"Is this your bounty? Four Great Runes..." Elsa whispered, her breath hitching. To possess even one Great Rune during the Shattering was enough to be called a Shardbearer. What did possessing four make him?
"This is only part of it. My greatest gain was finding the passage to the Land of Shadow. It's tied to Miquella, which means our future plans need some adjustments."
"Miquella... it's related to him? What do you intend to do?"
"Follow me. There are things you all need to know."
Gawain led Elsa and the others to a secure location and recounted the events at the Mohgwyn Palace in detail, including Miquella's connection to the Battle of Aeonia. The revelation left those in the dark stunned; no one had expected such a layer of complexity behind the scenes.
"So, I must go there personally to see what the state of the Land of Shadow is, and what goal Miquella is pursuing that warrants such a convoluted scheme."
Irina thought for a moment before offering her input. "We don't know how large the Land of Shadow is, but I doubt it's something that can be investigated quickly. The battle in Caelid has already exhausted most of the castle's stockpiles, and now we have the Liurnia region to manage as well. If you remain out of sight for too long, it might cause unnecessary unrest."
Gawain knew she was right. Although he had been a "hands-off" ruler who spent most of his time fighting elsewhere, he had still been physically present in the Lands Between. Anyone with ill intent knew better than to act up because he could return to suppress them at any moment.
But if he were to leave the Lands Between entirely for a special dimension—effectively disappearing for a time—not having a powerful figurehead on the surface could indeed be a risk. However, he already had a solution in mind.
"I'll make the necessary arrangements shortly. Don't worry."
Once the briefing was over, Elsa pulled the reluctant Irina away to find Edgar. With such a massive shift in the situation, many things required logistical adjustments. There was no time for the girl to slack off.
"Alright, Melina. No one is bothering us now. So, what was it you wanted to tell me?"
Melina's expression turned hesitant. After weighing her words repeatedly, she finally steeled herself.
"Ranni told you before about a figure in the Land of Shadow named Messmer, do you remember?"
"Mmm, I recall. He supposedly led a massive force from the Academy, including the Full Moon Queen's sister, into the Land of Shadow. Why mention him now?"
"Because... he is my brother."
"Your brother? No wonder both your names start with 'Me'—wait. Did you say he's your brother!?"
Gawain's lip twitched. While he'd had his suspicions based on the naming conventions, having it confirmed was a shock. Great, he thought. Another candidate for the 'Future Brother-in-Law' list.
A look of nostalgia crossed Melina's eyes. She stood and walked to the window, sighing as she looked at the massive Erdtree on the horizon.
"I didn't mean to keep it from you for so long. It was only after I regained my body that I truly remembered many important things. It is as you heard: Messmer is my brother, just as Marika is my mother. Does this... trouble you?"
Gawain took a moment to process the massive info-dump, eventually accepting the fact that he had a future brother-in-law waiting for him in the Land of Shadow. He wondered how the "Impaler" would feel when he discovered his sister had become the Maiden to a Tarnished.
Pushing those strange thoughts aside, he stood and walked to Melina, stroking her auburn hair to comfort her.
"I guessed your true identity long ago. After all, who else but you could recite so many of Queen Marika's own proverbs to me?"
Melina's face flushed. When they first started traveling together, she hadn't known how to interact with people normally. Even when they weren't at a church with her mother's statue, she would often recite proverbs from her memory.
Back then, Gawain had listened so intently. Now she realized that some of those proverbs were incredibly private—things an outsider could never have known. So that's how I gave myself away?
"To the world, you might be the daughter of Queen Marika," Gawain said softly. "But to me, you are my indispensable Maiden. That is enough. Since your brother is in the Land of Shadow, I'll just take you to see him once we've settled in."
"But... but my brother... once he knows your identity, he might attack on sight."
"My identity?" Gawain was surprised. Is that what she was worried about? Clearly, the two of them were thinking on entirely different wavelengths. He waved it off dismissively. "It's fine. I have a fair bit of confidence in myself. I doubt your brother will have many complaints."
Melina looked up and opened her mouth to speak. She wanted to say that her brother was merciless toward those not blessed by the Golden Order, but seeing his confident expression, she swallowed her words.
So much had changed in the Lands Between since the Shattering. Perhaps if she spoke to him, she could change her brother's mind. After all, the summoning of the Tarnished was her mother's own decree.
After the cross-dimensional heart-to-heart, Gawain took the time to return to the Roundtable Hold. God knew what kind of foul enemies he would encounter in the Land of Shadow.
Based on his experience with the "Souls" worlds, there would definitely be elite enemies on the level of the Ringed City's finest, or perhaps a "fly room" full of nauseating creatures.
Weapon reinforcement was essential. It would be a waste to leave the two Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stones Leda had given him unused.
He intended to upgrade the Dark Moon Greatsword and the Sword of Night and Flame—the two legendary weapons he felt most comfortable with.
Aside from those, he needed some ordinary backup weapons. From what he knew, the Land of Shadow was likely still in a state of active war. He didn't want to be too conspicuous while investigating Miquella's situation; staying low-profile would be necessary.
When he brandished the two Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stones, Master Hewg's trembling hands almost dropped them. Muttering Marika's name, the blacksmith immediately pushed aside all other work. He vowed on the spot to put his full effort into forging two God-slaying weapons. Gawain only needed to return later to collect them.
Two days later, in a briefing room within the heart of Stormveil Castle, Gawain stood at a podium. He scanned the room, noting that everyone was present. Nodding in satisfaction, he pointed to a general map of the Lands Between behind him, cleared his throat, and began his speech.
"The region of Stormveil has seen over fifty large-scale battles throughout the ages. The rights and wrongs of history are difficult to parse. But no historian can fail to notice that it was on this very ancient battlefield that the rise and fall of countless dynasties was decided. Thus, since antiquity, it has been said: 'He who holds Stormveil, holds the Lands Between.'
"In years past, the First Lord Godfrey led his warriors in a three-pronged convergence upon Stormveil to march south. On the day Stormveil was reclaimed, the Storm King saw the tide had turned and fell in battle against Godfrey outside these walls.
"At the dawn of the Golden Order, it was also here—on the shores of Liurnia before Stormveil—that the Consort Radagon led the heroes of the Golden Order in two campaigns against the Academy, ultimately securing victory through his marriage to the Queen!
"I do not understand why, when people think of Stormveil, they speak only of the Storm King's defeat, as if this ancient battlefield is destined to bring us ill fortune.
"Eighty days ago, I set out from the Weeping Peninsula and began my northern campaign. Limgrave, Caelid, and Liurnia have since been unified. Wherever my army goes, the people welcome us with sincerity. It is truly a time of destiny. The sight of such vibrant growth and the flourishing of all things is still fresh before my eyes.
"Presently, the Mountaintops are sealed, and Mt. Gelmir and the Haligtree have both seceded in betrayal. The Golden Order holds only the environs of the Royal Capital, Leyndell. We, however, hold the Academy, Stormveil, and Redmane Castle. No matter how you count it, the ratio of major cities is three to one. The advantage is with me!"
Rya, sitting in the audience, let out a bored yawn. she had been busy hunting rats outside and wondered why she'd been summoned here. She leaned over to whisper to Millicent.
Gawain's gaze swept toward her. He pointed at Rya, feeling a bit speechless. "Rya, you're being distracted again. What were you saying?"
"I said... Uncle's vision is profound!"
"How many times must I tell you? Use my official title in formal settings. Fine, I'll let it slide this time. Go on, play."
Despite the dismissal, Rya sat up straight with a jolt, pretending to listen intently, though her attention had clearly already wandered elsewhere.
Elsa, sitting in the back, found Rya's antics amusing; she had always found the girl foolishly cute. She looked down at Irina, who was leaning against her shoulder, fast asleep after several days of pulling all-nighters. Elsa asked with a hint of helplessness:
"Is it possible that, theoretically, our faction is somewhat similar to the Storm King's? We are, after all, opposing the Golden Order, and you were even chosen to inherit that name. And the area around Leyndell is terrifying enough on its own. In my memory, the Golden Order at its peak swept across the Lands Between with an overwhelming momentum, backed by an infinite supply of Blessed Dew."
Gawain cleared his throat and continued. "I am well aware of these things. That is why I have analyzed the balance of power. No matter how you look at it, the advantage is with me. You are all comrades I trust implicitly. It will be up to you to integrate the strength of our three regions and prepare for the eventual march on Leyndell.
"As for me, I must depart for a time. It may take some time. To prevent any instability during my absence, I have made the necessary preparations."
As he finished, there was a gentle knock on the door.
"Finally here? Come in, Asimi."
Asimi walked into the room. Aside from Rya, who had been too busy exploring to notice, almost everyone present knew her true identity.
However, Asimi was not manifesting her usual feminine appearance. Unless one was intimately familiar with Gawain—to the point of 'zero distance' or beyond—it was virtually impossible to tell her apart from him.
"Alright. I know there is much to be done, but I believe you can all handle it. Should a situation arise that requires my personal intervention or presence to resolve, let Asimi step in as my face. As long as the people believe I am present, they won't have cause for complaint."
Asimi was still a bit dazed. She had been busy overseeing the reconstruction of the Eternal Cities and monitoring the Blood Dynasty when she was suddenly summoned and told to alter her appearance.
Great. Now I'm a body double.
"Uh... me?" Asimi asked. "Are you sure you want to leave something this big to me?"
"Of course. You've been inside me for so long; I'm sure your imitation will be flawless. My seat is yours for a while. Outsiders won't be able to tell the difference. I don't know how long I'll be gone, so you'll act as my proxy for any matters that require my personal appearance. You have enough phantoms; as the Lord of Night, you should be able to handle the Eternal Cities and this duty simultaneously."
Asimi wanted to critique the plan, but the words failed her. She let out a long sigh and accepted the assignment. He really is working me like a dog.
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Elden Ring: In the Name of Ash (347 chapter - Ongoing)
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