Messmer's expression remained grim, but the hostility in his gaze had diminished by several degrees. He had never truly intended to kill Gawain; it was merely a display of warning for Melina's sake.
However, once he learned of his mother's current state, he could no longer spare thought for anything else. His mind was a chaotic storm of conflicting thoughts, and he felt an urgent need to slowly untangle them himself.
Casting a look at Melina, he let out a heavy sigh and finally forced himself to accept the reality of the situation. If his mother truly had abandoned the Golden Order as the man claimed, then he would naturally no longer seek to slaughter every last Tarnished. Of course, the Hornsent still had to die.
"Take me to see those Shamans you rescued."
Hearing that her brother had no intention of continuing the fight, Melina breathed a sigh of relief. She truly hadn't expected Gawain's method of persuasion to be so successful. However, her brother's expression in that brief moment... it was truly unforgettable.
As Rellana watched Messmer being led to the secret chamber by Melina, she couldn't help but sigh. So, in the end, only the mention of Queen Marika could convince him to change his mindset? If she had asked Miquella more about the specific situation in the Lands Between when he arrived, perhaps...
She shook her head helplessly. It wasn't that first-meeting Tarnished who had convinced him; it was the gaze of his own sister.
Messmer, leaning on his spear, limped slowly to the door of the secret chamber. Upon seeing the Shamans lying quietly on the beds, receiving meticulous care, his tight jawline softened slightly, and the gloom on his face finally receded.
The perfumers tending to the Shamans in the hallway fell silent and stepped to the sides, clearing a path the moment they recognized the visitor.
Messmer gave a slight nod in acknowledgement and stepped forward to inspect the progress of the treatment. When his eyes fell upon a Shaman's steady breathing and the gentle rise and fall of her chest beneath the blankets, a flicker of surprise—one he tried to hide—crossed his gaze. His tensed shoulders finally relaxed a fraction.
He had taken in many Shamans turned into jars within the Shadow Keep, so he could make basic judgments. Though he loathed to admit it, the Shamans on these beds were almost all "irreversible" cases. Their sanity should have been completely gone, and the slightest external stimulus should have caused their bodies to collapse entirely.
"Under the guidance of an old sage, we rescued these Shamans from the gaol," Melina explained. "I checked every one of those Greatjars; there are no more survivors. Fortunately, the prayer Mother gave me can temporarily maintain their current state to ensure things don't worsen, but that is all it can do."
"You have done well, Melina. Even Mother felt helpless in the face of this."
"The Land of Shadow is the place where all deaths converge. The boundary between soul and matter is blurred here. Therefore, the damage these Shamans sustained was far more than physical. Those filthy things have long since fused with their very souls."
Melina was well aware of the complexities. The Hornsent believed that fusing Shamans with sinful kin would wash away sin, and the most unique talent of the Numen was their receptiveness to the spirit. Thus, when the various horn-remnants fused with the Shamans, their souls were inevitably polluted as well.
"If even Mother had no solution... then perhaps only he can help."
"Are you referring to that Tarnished? He may be barely qualified in terms of strength, but this is not a situation that can be solved with martial force."
"No, Brother. You haven't known him long, so you don't understand his abilities. I believe that in terms of mastery over the soul, there is no more authoritative expert in all the Lands Between." She paused, then added: "There might be one, but he is inextricably linked to Gawain as well. I believe he will find a suitable way to save these Shamans."
Messmer let out a cold snort. He certainly didn't believe the Tarnished possessed such power, but in the depths of his heart, there was a tiny sliver of hope. Since his sister said so... what if? If he truly could save these Shamans, Mother would surely be satisfied.
After a moment of thought, a memory surfaced, and he formulated a plan. The thing hidden "down there" was a threat to any faction. Because of that, he had tacitly ignored the Hornsent's presence there.
If the Tarnished's mastery over souls was truly as powerful as his sister claimed, then he should be able to handle that soul-melting power.
"In that case, I have a rather troublesome task I can entrust to him. If he can truly complete it, then the path to the Shadow Keep shall be opened to him, and I will consider his proposal."
"Truly!?" Melina's voice was filled with pleasant surprise, but she quickly asked with curiosity: "What kind of task could be so troublesome that even you find it difficult, Brother?"
"Call him over. You'll understand then."
Gawain was a bit dazed when Melina dragged him before Messmer. He had been busy counting the Scadutree Fragments he had acquired in Castle Ensis.
While his Ember could temporarily burn away the shadows to prevent his strength from being suppressed, it was ultimately an unnecessary drain on his resources. If he could absorb enough Scadutree Fragments, he wouldn't need to buff himself for battles he could normally handle.
"You want to give me a task? Interesting. Lay it on me; I can't wait."
Messmer automatically ignored the man's strange tone. Recalling the information he had regarding that dead land, he spoke.
"To the south of Scadu Altus, beneath the Recluses' River, lies a region known as the Abyssal Woods."
"It was once a peaceful place. Even Mother passed through the Abyssal Woods when she was spreading the teachings of the Golden Order. But later, everything changed. A Hornsent sage named Midra came into contact with the Frenzied Flame for some reason, and that soul-melting fire burned down the entire forest."
He paused, a look of distinct disgust appearing on his face as he thought of the current state of the Abyssal Woods.
"Hmph. Even the Hornsent know the danger of the Frenzied Flame. They sent people to seal off the area to prevent the fire from spreading further. Rumors say that within the manse that once belonged to Midra, a Lord of Frenzied Flame has been born."
"Melina tells me your understanding and mastery of the soul far exceed anything in the Lands Between. If so, prove it to me. Clear the Frenzied Flame from the Abyssal Woods. If you can truly do that, I will no longer stop you from wandering the Land of Shadow."
"There's a Lord of Frenzied Flame in the Land of Shadow!?"
Almost simultaneously, Gawain and Melina shouted out in shock. This place truly was a "land of heroes and legends"—every single region had some heavyweight existence.
"What? Are you afraid?" Messmer sneered. "It's no wonder. That fire that melts all..."
"Fine. I accept this task."
Under Messmer's slightly surprised gaze, Gawain agreed without a second thought.
"You should think this through," Messmer cautioned. "Though he may be a weak 'Lord' of Frenzied Flame, even the Hornsent elites cannot avoid falling into madness there."
"Don't worry. To outsiders, the Frenzied Flame is indeed terrifying. But for me... in a sense, it's a... supplement?"
Messmer froze, wondering if he had misheard. But when he looked at Melina, she merely nodded, despite the strange look on her face.
"I can testify to that. The Frenzied Flame born from despair cannot affect him. But this matter cannot be delayed. That highly contagious flame could spread from its confinement at any time. I must see it resolved with my own eyes to be at peace."
Messmer wanted to intervene, but seeing the determination in his sister's eyes, he could only give in. After all, one of a Maiden's duties was to be inseparable from her chosen hero. Furthermore, he could see Melina's own hatred for the Frenzied Flame—its very existence was a blasphemy against life.
Letting out a sigh, he pulled a talisman carved in the image of a winged serpent from his armor and handed it over.
"Carry this talisman. I will be able to monitor your movements through it. If you encounter danger, I will come to your aid immediately."
Melina took the talisman and gave Messmer a smile before embracing him.
"Thank you, Brother. But don't worry; there won't be any accidents on this trip."
Messmer was left somewhat flustered by the sudden gesture. He felt as if he had almost forgotten what this kind of warmth felt like. Or rather, after he had voluntarily taken on all the curses and grievances, he had closed off his heart. The betrayal from subordinates who were also friends had only served to reinforce his belief that the beautiful days spent with his mother could never return.
But thinking on it now, had his previous actions also blocked out those faint but real traces of goodwill? In a daze, it felt as though a streak of cold but gentle moonlight had shone into his heart.
Looking up, he saw Rellana walking into the room with a scroll.
"Are you finished talking? I found a map of the Abyssal Woods in the city. Though it was drawn by sorcerers I sent to observe from a distance, the general coordinates should be accurate."
Rellana approached naturally, preparing to hand over the parchment, but her gaze collided unexpectedly with Messmer's. His look was softer than moonlight—a tenderness she had never seen before. Her cheeks beneath the helm instantly flushed, and her movement to hand over the scroll faltered for a half-second. She asked with a hint of panic:
"Is there a problem with the map? I'll send people to re-observe and draw another one immediately. It won't take long."
"You have done well, Rellana," Messmer said. "I have been away for too long; it is time I returned to the Shadow Keep."
He stood up and walked slowly toward the door. As he passed her, he gently patted her shoulder guard.
"You have worked hard these years... my Moonlight."
Ranni, who was hiding outside the room eavesdropping, couldn't help but cover her mouth to stop herself from laughing too loudly when she saw her aunt frozen to the spot. After all these years without progress, it really took a well-timed push to move things forward.
It was a perfect use of the opportunity she had found by listening in. However, she had certainly heard some interesting news.
"A Lord of Frenzied Flame? No matter. Though troublesome, it is not something I need to concern myself with."
Ranni looked into the distance, touching the Fingerslayer Blade she kept with her. She had already decided what she would investigate next.
At night, Gawain and Melina stood on the city walls, studying the situation of the Abyssal Woods under the blue light of the glintstones above.
Ranni let out a sigh of relief as she walked out of the Lord's chamber. Seeing the scene before her, her lips puffed out slightly. She walked quickly to the empty spot on the other side of Gawain, her doll body performing a mock stretch.
"So, things are settled inside already? Was the effect that good?" Gawain asked.
"Naturally. Auntie probably won't be able to settle down without some strong hypnosis after today. Regardless, it's better to let her have a good rest."
"That's good. Tsk, Messmer's line today was truly something. 'My Moonlight.' Maybe I should call you that too? 'My Dark Moon'?"
Ranni pursed her lips. "I'd rather not. I love you for who you are. This is enough."
"Next, I'll be heading to clear the Frenzied Flame with Melina. After that, I'll likely have to return to the Lands Between to find a way to heal the Shamans. What about you?"
"I've sensed some strange ruins in this Land of Shadow. I think they might be related to the so-called Mother of Fingers. That is where I will investigate next. I suspect the place where she hides is even deeper than I imagined."
"The Mother of Fingers? That is indeed an existence worth noting. Even with the Fingerslayer Blade, she is not to be underestimated. If you find anything, you must tell me, understand?"
Ranni smiled and reached out to gently caress Gawain's face. After casting a glance at Melina, her figure slowly faded from the spot.
"Do not worry... my Sunshine."
Melina, standing quietly to the side, raised her hand slightly before letting it fall back to her side as if deflated. Like her brother, the mission assigned by her mother forced her to bury the small flutter in her heart.
But if even her brother could respond to the feelings of the Twin Moon one day... what about her?
"Where were we? I remember we were talking about the areas where the Frenzied Flame Grapes might be hidden, right?"
"Uh, yes. That's right. We need to clear those Frenzied Flame Grapes first to ensure that once the Lord of Frenzied Flame is slain, the entire Abyssal Woods can be cleared quickly. Looking at the map, I think we can go this way..."
Melina pushed aside her stray thoughts and threw herself back into the upcoming journey. Isn't it fine like this? Do my duty, repair this shattered reality step by step... that is enough.
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Elden Ring: In the Name of Ash
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