Gawain wasn't quite sure what to say upon learning the man was an emissary of the Grace-Given King. After all, he'd had a rather unpleasant encounter with Morgott not too long ago.
However, the knight looked as though he had been stranded here for an eternity. It was likely he had been sent shortly after the First Defense of Leyndell, back when Mohg had vanished with the Haligtree's prince and the Sovereign Alliance began to fracture.
Morgott, seeing that Mohg had disappeared with his "young consort" and showed no sign of returning, had dispatched a Crucible Knight from the Royal Capital to find them. The poor soul had teleported from the Four Belfries, only to find the bridge ahead shattered, leaving him marooned in this lonely corner of the underground.
Though Gawain wasn't certain the knight would "jump ship" and join him, he extended the invitation anyway.
"I can get you out of here," Gawain said, "but you must agree to two conditions."
The Crucible Knight let out a heavy sigh. Even through the iron visor of his helmet, he radiated an aura of weary resignation.
"As long as I can leave this godforsaken place, I'm listening. State your conditions."
"They aren't unreasonable," Gawain replied. "First, do you know what has happened in Caelid above?"
"Caelid?" The knight tilted his head, searching his memory. "I recall feeling a massive tremor, like a violent explosion, a long while back. Was General Radahn fighting someone?"
Gawain nodded. He was now certain this man had been trapped here back when the First Defense of Leyndell was won and Morgott's forces were laying siege to Mt. Gelmir—a time when things looked promising for the Capital.
One had to admit, Crucible Knights were the absolute kings of endurance. Being trapped here for so long, and he still looked as though it were just another Tuesday.
"Let me bring you up to speed," Gawain said.
He took a moment to explain the chaos that followed: the Shattering, the duel between General Radahn and Malenia the Severed, and the blooming of the Scarlet Flower that had devastated Caelid. The sheer volume of information seemed to cause the knight's mental gears to grind.
"So, my first condition is that you work for me. The Redmane Legion is on the verge of collapse, and I plan to send aid via two routes. One group will travel across the surface to the border, while the other will use this underground passage through the Siofra River. You will help me clear this path and ensure those Ancestral Followers don't cause trouble."
The Crucible Knight pondered this. He had heard of the Scarlet Rot; if that foulness was spreading everywhere, it would indeed be a catastrophe. However, he caught the subtext in Gawain's words.
"Sending men from the surface? You mean from Stormveil? Just who are you? I recall that after Godefroy was captured, the Grace-Given King appointed Godrick to oversee the Great Rune and the castle."
Gawain heard the touch of suspicion in the knight's voice. He knew there was no point in hiding it; it was better to be blunt.
"Godrick has been dealt with. His Great Rune is in my possession. I am the master of Stormveil now. You may call me the Storm King."
A sudden, fierce gale seemed to whip through the air around Gawain. The knight felt a surge of familiarity. There was no mistake—this was the same storm-wind that had howled when Godfrey the First Lord fought the Storm Lord of old.
He had been privileged to witness that ancient battle. He needed no further proof; the man before him had truly inherited the storm of Stormveil.
However, he didn't care much for the pathetic Demigod Godrick. His thoughts immediately went to his two brothers who had escorted the coward to the castle.
"And my two comrades? Did you 'deal' with them as well?"
Gawain shook his head. Those two were among the few elite "hero units" currently under his command.
"That leads to my second condition. Those two are fine; in fact, I saved their lives. I've had a falling out with your former master, the Grace-Given King, and future conflict is likely. I won't ask you to actively take up arms against him, but I expect you to fulfill your duties under my banner. Can you do that?"
The knight fell silent for a long time, likely recalling the face of the King he had seen before leaving the Capital. After the Lord of the Battlefield was hounded from the Lands Between, the Crucible Knights had disbanded, each following their own chosen path.
He didn't have a specific master he was desperate to serve; he had simply remained in the Capital and fought in the defense of Leyndell out of habit.
Truthfully, his loyalty to the Grace-Given King wasn't particularly deep. Since his two brothers were already here, he didn't see much reason to refuse. Besides, fighting the relentless Scarlet Rot was a noble cause no matter how one looked at it.
"Fine," he said. "I accept your conditions. Just get me off this bridge." He paused, a hint of hesitation in his voice. "By the way... there's no need to tell the other two why I was stuck here. They'll never let me hear the end of it."
Gawain nodded understandingly. It was indeed a bit embarrassing to think one could take a shortcut via teleportation, only to get stranded on a broken pillar for years. He channeled the storm, swirling the winds around Torrent's hooves and the knight's feet.
He wasn't worried about the man going back on his word. The former personal guard of Godfrey was above such petty treachery.
"I'll keep it quiet, though I suspect they'll figure it out eventually."
"Let's just delay that day as long as possible. My name is Nasir."
"Nasir, then. I'll remember it. I am Gawain—former Ashen One, current Storm King. Now, ready your Aspects of the Crucible. We're leaving."
Gawain charged into the air on Torrent, riding the updraft of the storm. Nasir followed close behind, manifesting his ethereal wings to take flight.
Normally, the Aspects of the Crucible wouldn't allow him to sustain flight over such a distance, but with the aid of Gawain's storm, it was a different story.
The two landed successfully on the pillars ahead. Below them was the Siofra River bed; they could use the natural Spirit Springs to descend safely without worrying about a crash landing.
Blaidd and the others were growing restless by the Spirit Spring when they heard a massive thud from above. Two figures plummeted through the air, using the spring's updraft to cushion their landing.
"Cough... what in the—"
Blaidd stared in shock at the Crucible Knight. Where on earth had he come from?
Gawain dismounted from Torrent, letting the residual winds dissipate. "Don't be alarmed. I found him on the broken bridge. He'll be helping us clear the Siofra River basin. I doubt those Ancestral Followers can shoot through that armor."
Blaidd didn't know what to say. The man in front of him had a knack for producing constant shocks. Since Gawain didn't elaborate, Blaidd suppressed his curiosity and asked no further questions.
"We've scouted the surrounding area. There's no path to Nokron. Further ahead are just waterworks with no visible entrance. Did you find anything from above?"
Gawain shook his head and recounted what he had seen from the heights.
Blaidd fell into a pensive silence. He needed to report this to Ranni and see if there were other ways forward.
"In that case, there's little point in me staying here for now," Gawain said. He knew he didn't need to linger; he could leave the mopping up of the "wood-men" to the others.
"Calvin, you stay here for now. Clear the Siofra River with Nasir. With him around, you shouldn't face much trouble. If you need supplies, take them from Fort Haight. Finn and Kahndahn should be returning from the Weeping Peninsula soon; they'll pass by the fort. If you hit a wall you can't climb, ask them for help."
Calvin nodded. With a Crucible Knight at his side, he felt no pressure. Backed by the steady flow of supplies from Fort Haight, he expected to control the Siofra River channel in short order.
"Blaidd, come back with me for now. We might find another way. I need to head to Caelid personally."
Gawain had originally intended to clear the Ancestral Followers himself while Elsa led the reinforcements, then warp to Caelid via the Grace. But plans change. Since he'd recruited a Crucible Knight to take his place here, he might as well lead the Caelid expedition in person.
Blaidd nodded. He had already projected his image to the Three Sisters; he expected a response soon. For now, it was time to leave.
After the two departed, Calvin and the mercenaries stood facing Nasir. For a moment, neither side knew what to do.
"So," Nasir said, breaking the silence. "How far have you progressed?"
"Uh... well, based on the timing, it's about time for those things to ambush us again."
Nasir turned his head. A volley of glowing spirit arrows whistled through the air, clattering harmlessly against his heavy plate armor. One or two managed to wedge themselves into the joints of his harness.
He tightened his fists. These Ancestral Followers were as annoying as ever. Manifesting his wings once more, he locked onto the enemy positions.
"Fine. We start with them."
While Blaidd waited for a response from Ranni, Gawain warped back to Stormveil. Upon arrival, he found Elsa, who had just dismissed her troops.
She looked surprised to see him back so soon. "I thought you were taking men to explore that underground river. How are you back before sundown?"
"It's a long story, but I'm not needed there for now. Tomorrow, I'm going to Caelid with you."
Elsa considered this and felt a wave of relief. To be honest, the prospect of leading men against monsters born of the Scarlet Rot had her on edge. A few monsters she could handle, but Caelid was a wasteland as large as Limgrave.
"Fair enough. I have things to attend to. See you tomorrow."
Gawain noticed a trace of conflict on Elsa's face. "Wait. Something's wrong. What's got you looking so flustered?"
Elsa sighed. "I met a Finger Maiden today. She helped me turn Runes into strength... and then she asked if she could serve me as her chosen hero. I haven't figured out how to answer her yet."
Gawain laughed. "That sounds like a good thing. Not many Tarnished in the Lands Between get that kind of treatment."
"Sigh... let me think about it."
As night fell over Stormveil, Gawain leaned back into a chair draped in furs. He clenched his fist tightly. Ever since he had allowed himself to relax, he'd felt something "off" within him—as if the Great Rune in his body was undergoing a strange transformation.
He knew Godrick's Great Rune was characterized by its quality of "inclusion and integration." Previously, this had manifested as his soul power merging with the Great Rune.
But lately, especially after using his powers against the Ancestral Followers today, the Great Rune seemed to be gravitating toward the Darksign on his chest, as if the two were destined to become one.
He didn't know what this change would bring, but he sensed it wasn't a bad thing. At the very least, based on today's results, even if he exerted himself, his Darksign didn't manifest as easily.
This was likely because he and the Fire Keeper had mended the fractured parts of his soul. But if it were that simple, this Great Rune wouldn't be merging with the Darksign. He could only hope the power of this rune would bring him more pleasant surprises in the future.
"Hm? What are you thinking about?" Irina asked curiously from his side.
"Nothing important. It's not a bad thing, at least. Are the supply caravans ready for tomorrow?"
"Yes, everything is in order," Irina replied. "The plan is for you to lead the first wave of Storm Knights to Caelid to clear the path of any immediate threats. The envoys from the Redmane Legion will accompany you. Afterward, soldiers will escort the troll-drawn wagons with the rest of the supplies and begin repairing the Smoldering Wall."
She looked at him with a hint of worry. "Based on the reports from the Redmane Knight, the situation is grim. Many of the containment fire-walls are on the brink of failing. The fuel Godrick hoarded will serve as an emergency reserve, but we'll need to produce more. Is there anything else we missed?"
Gawain thought for a moment but couldn't think of anything to add. Without seeing the situation himself, he couldn't devise a better plan. For now, the goal was to secure the border and find a weakness in the Scarlet Rot. He had a few ideas, but their feasibility remained a question mark.
Irina set down her scrolls and closed the window. She stepped behind Gawain and rested her hands gently on his shoulders.
"What is it? Are you worried about my journey?" Gawain took her hand, feeling the faint unease in her soul.
She nodded softly. "I've only seen the Scarlet Rot on those Redmane soldiers... but I can't imagine the horror of an entire land being polluted by it. Please, be careful. Father and I will do everything we can to keep the border stable."
"Trust me," Gawain said. "I've seen things far more terrifying than the Scarlet Rot. Compared to those, this is nothing. You staying here and guarding this city for me is the greatest help you can give."
"I understand. It's late... let's rest."
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