Beneath the full moon, in the gaps between the dense trees, two horses stood facing each other.
Nidhogg and the skeleton knight were evenly matched in momentum. But even Torrent and the skeletal dark horse seemed to share a faint reluctance to yield, as if they might have competed if not for their riders pulling on the reins.
Of course, Torrent, with his horns, probably had the advantage in that regard.
Nidhogg thought for a moment. He knew the skeleton knight was one of the rare trustworthy individuals in this world, so he got straight to the point:
"My name is Nidhogg. I am a man who shares your convictions. I know your past. You are the one who has been taking revenge on the God Hand for a thousand years—'Lord' Gaiseric."
"And I, on the other hand, am someone who opposes the fate of this world, a world ruled by the God Hand and even the masters behind them. I cannot sit idly by and watch them plunge this world into the abyss, into darkness, and bring unimaginable calamities."
"So, in every sense, we are like-minded. I know you are searching for Beherits to forge a special sword. So these two Beherits are my sincerity."
The skeleton knight, upon hearing his own life story laid bare, and even the secret of the "Sword of Water Calling" revealed, couldn't help but freeze again, his ghostly eyes flickering.
He once again scanned Nidhogg from head to toe and asked seriously:
"Where did you learn of this? There are few in this world who know of these things. I have just considered every possibility and determined that they should have no connection to you."
Nidhogg didn't enjoy being enigmatic, especially after experiencing fragments of Elden Ring's story. But now he had to play the role of the mystery man; otherwise, he couldn't explain how he knew so much.
He reached out and tapped the armor on his chest. The light of the golden brand appeared, radiating a divine golden glow that was unforgettable.
Seeing the golden brand, the skeleton knight couldn't help but be stunned.
Nidhogg continued:
"Accepting a great mystery and exploring the whole scene from within the world—this is a magical path. You understand that this is a different magical path. Your sorcerer sees the world through the spirits of the four directions. I have my own as well."
The "sorcerer" Nidhogg spoke of referred to Flora, who still accompanied the skeleton knight. Their relationship was somewhat like that between Guts and the little witch Schierke.
The "magical truth" he spoke of was also a paraphrase of Flora's words.
As for the "spirits of the four directions," he referred to the four elemental spirits—wind, water, fire, and earth—which together composed the myriad substances of the modern world and once possessed powerful energy. Sorcerers also had to commune with them when casting spells.
Unfortunately, as the teachings of the Holy See gradually spread, more and more of the former temples of the four spirits were destroyed, and monasteries of the Holy See were built on their ruins. Their power grew weaker and weaker.
There were even examples of goblins, symbolizing the element of wind, who, after all the people in the world forgot them and had no contact with them, quietly died in the underworld.
These events had been unfolding gradually since the destruction of the vast empire created by "Lord" Gaiseric a thousand years ago.
Over the millennia, the teachings of the Holy See had been enough to cause the vast majority of humanity to change their beliefs in the spirits of the four directions. They deeply believed that faith in the four spirits was a cult and paganism.
"Lord" Gaiseric, now the skeleton knight, resolutely and tirelessly journeyed to atone for the mistakes and regrets of a thousand years ago, and he continued to do so to this day.
In the end, he had even chosen the most extreme "Path of the Demon of Hell," becoming the current form—neither man nor ghost.
To help him, his closest friend, Flora, had also defied human common sense and prolonged her life unnaturally. In recent years, she could no longer maintain it. Her life force was fading, and she likely had very few years left.
The skeleton knight looked at the glowing brand. It was easy for him to recall the several Eclipses he had witnessed, and the branded sacrifices.
Those sacrifices also bore brands on their bodies, but they were all evil marks that attracted monsters from the astral world.
This brand was clearly different. It contained another kind of power.
Then the skeleton knight looked at the two Beherits in his palm and muttered to himself.
"Like-minded, but people walking different demonic paths? It's truly strange. In a thousand years, there have been very few such people. It seems everyone has given up and is preparing to accept their fate..."
The skeleton knight suddenly looked up, opened his mouth—a dark void with only teeth remaining—tossed the two Beherits in, and swallowed them whole.
Then the skeleton knight lowered his head, turned, retrieved something from beneath his cloak, and with a dull thud, tossed it to Nidhogg.
"Catch."
Nidhogg sensed no killing intent, so he caught it carefully. He looked down and saw it was an unopened letter, sealed with wax bearing a rose crest—the same pattern as on the skeleton knight's shield.
Something small rattled inside, and it was a bit heavy.
"What is this?" Nidhogg asked.
The skeleton knight's eyes flickered, and he replied, "It is an invitation. The cursed object inside is enchanted and can guide you to the Spirit Tree Pavilion. It is the home base of those of us who struggle and resist."
"You have given me two Beherits. I have given you this invitation and the cursed object. If you truly can walk a different magical path, then meet me there."
"That is all for tonight."
With these words, he pulled on the reins.
The skeletal black horse beneath him turned its head, spread its four legs, and galloped into the distance. After a while, it vanished into the darkness.
Nidhogg couldn't stop him at all. He could only watch the skeleton knight leave, then looked at the letter.
An invitation?
Oh, I see. It's like an invitation to Volcano Manor. Too bad it can't teleport me directly.
As for the Spirit Tree Pavilion, it was actually Flora's residence, located in one of the narrow cracks between the real world and the astral world, also known as the "Narrow Valley." It was still quite far away, on the path to the Western Sea.
However, the skeleton knight hadn't mentioned the fairyland in the Western Sea—that is, the island of fairies. It seemed he was still wary of him.
In any case, he hadn't fully explained his secrets either. Everyone has their own secrets.
Overall, the skeleton knight was trustworthy. Nidhogg being able to get to know this warrior now would certainly be beneficial for the Eclipse, less than a year away.
Thinking this, Nidhogg opened the invitation and took out a silver compass. But the direction indicated by the needle was clearly not south; it pointed to the location of the Spirit Tree Pavilion.
He looked in the direction the Spirit Tree Pavilion's compass indicated, then squeezed his horse's flanks and rode off in that direction.