Early the next morning, with Irina's assistance, Gawain donned his armor. This journey wasn't merely about participating in a combat festival to claim a prize; he was marching as the King of Stormveil to extend a helping hand to Redmane Castle.
In the current state of Caelid, aside from the Kindred of Rot, no faction was interested in seizing territory. Even Castellan Jerren planned to abandon his post once the festival reached its conclusion. The man had held out this long solely through sheer, stubborn obsession.
"I'm heading out. Take care of yourself while I'm gone. I can see the dark circles under your eyes," Gawain said softly.
"Don't worry, I'm fine," Irina replied. "Of course, if you truly want me to rest, you could just stay and keep me company like you did last night."
Gawain chuckled. "Then you clearly don't want me to get any sleep at all. Alright, it's time. I don't want to be late for my first campaign with the Storm Knights."
"Mm. Safe travels. I'll be waiting for your return."
Gawain gave her a final embrace before turning to leave the room. Down in the spacious plaza, Elsa had already assembled the troops.
There were twenty-odd men in total, comprised of Storm Knights handpicked by the Old King and Edgar, as well as the Redmane Knight envoys. Every knight was mounted to ensure they could travel at high speed.
These men would serve as the vanguard, heading to the border to help the Redmane Legion fortify their defenses. Continuous waves of support would follow in their wake.
"Finally, you're here," Elsa noted, her eyes sweeping over him. "Judging by your look, you had a good night. We're ready to move whenever you are."
Gawain summoned Torrent and vaulted into the saddle. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Therolina standing at a distance, watching them.
"And you?" Gawain asked Elsa. "Have you made up your mind?"
"Since she's chosen me, I might as well save myself the trouble of looking for another maiden. She actually knows quite a bit. You mentioned wanting to set up a place for the maidens to work, right? I told her to find Irina later and see if they can hammer out a plan."
"Leave those matters to them. Our job is to clear the path of any danger."
He looked back at the silent Storm Knights and the Redmane envoys behind him. There was no need for further speeches; he had already briefed them on the dangers of the Scarlet Rot and how to combat it.
"Move out! We hold the line at the border. Do not let the corruption reach Limgrave. We will not allow the rot to pollute the storms of Stormveil!"
Without hesitation, he led the charge. The group galloped out of the castle, following the highway—the same path Malenia had once taken during her southward march to face Radahn after defeating Godrick.
Not long after they departed, Blaidd entered the castle. He had recently learned from Seluvis that he should seek out Sellen to ask about their next move regarding Nokron.
He had checked the ruins at Waypoint Ruins first but found no one. If there was anywhere in Limgrave the sorceress would stay, it was within the walls of the capital.
Unfortunately, by the time he arrived, Gawain had already left. Just as he was wondering whom to ask, he ran into Edgar, who was heading toward Stormhill to oversee the Trolls.
Edgar recognized the half-wolf as a trusted ally. Seeing the wolf-man looking hesitant, he stepped forward to offer assistance.
"Are you looking for something? I might be able to help."
Blaidd looked at the man holding the Banished Knight's Halberd. He remembered him as someone who held a high position during the coronation ceremony. He decided not to hide his purpose.
"Do you know where a sorceress named Sellen is? I need to speak with her."
"You seek Master Sellen?" Edgar mused. He decided to consult the sorceress first. If she agreed, he would take the half-wolf to see her. "Follow me. If she is willing, I will arrange a meeting."
"Thank you. I appreciate it."
By noon, Gawain and his men had reached the place known as Saintsbridge. He wasn't sure who this "Saint" was supposed to be—perhaps one of those bearded elders holding stone tablets often seen in the underground ruins.
The bridge was clear of the maddened Pumpkin Head soldier from the game. They crossed without incident, entering a canyon flanked by vertical cliffs.
"He should be appearing right about... now," Gawain muttered to himself.
He scanned the heights, listening for a specific sound. Sure enough, before they had gone far, a faint cry for help drifted down from the cliffs above.
The voice was muffled by the canyon walls. If he hadn't been expecting it, it would have been nearly impossible to hear. Elsa noticed him looking around.
"Is there something up there? You've been looking at the cliffs since we entered the pass."
"I heard a cry for help. I'm going up to check it out. Wait for me here; I won't be long."
After giving the order, Gawain urged Torrent upward. A few well-timed double-jumps brought him to the top of the cliff. There, a short distance away, he saw his target—along with several giant land octopuses flailing their tentacles in a nearby pond.
"Iron Fist" Alexander was even larger in person than he had appeared in the game. It would likely take five or six men standing hand-in-hand to encircle him. Among Warrior Jars, size usually equated to combat prowess, fitting Alexander's status in Jarburg.
Of course, there was an outlier—the colossal Great-Jar standing before the Caelid Colosseum. God only knew how that thing was made.
At the moment, Alexander was miserably stuck in a large hole. Gawain only needed one look to see why he couldn't get out. His arms, though muscular, were too short relative to his massive, round body to provide the necessary leverage to push himself free.
Seeing someone finally approach, Alexander felt a surge of relief. His days of shouting for help hadn't been in vain.
"Ho there! I'm over here! Can you see me? Come, lend a hand and pull me out of this predicament!"
Gawain dismounted and circled the jar, inspecting the vessel from all sides. Finally, he couldn't resist asking.
"I've always been curious... which side of you is the front? I'm not talking to your backside right now, am I?"
"Haha! You are a strange one indeed! You are currently facing my front. Usually, you can tell by the direction of my feet. Even a Warrior Jar cannot walk backward, after all!"
Alexander seemed tickled by the question and let out a boisterous laugh. He pointed to a tiny, almost invisible crack on his front.
"Besides, I have 'contents'—eyes, if you will—and I can see the world through the seams of the jar. Now, would you mind giving me a shove?"
Gawain leaned in and saw two tiny openings. That must be where his "eyes" were.
"There's nothing fragile underneath you, right? I'm worried if I use too much force, I'll break you."
"Fear not! There is nothing but dirt beneath me. Give me a good, hard strike from behind with something sturdy, and I should pop right out of this wretched hole! I'm not so fragile; I do train my body daily, you know!"
"Alright, hold on. Let me think of the best way to get you out."
Gawain looked at the jar's surface, which was nicked and scarred from countless battles. He was afraid a direct strike with a blade might shatter him. Instead, he channeled a storm to swirl around the jar, then unleashed a Wrath of the Gods.
The shockwave, combined with the wind, blasted Alexander's massive body out of the hole, sending him flying along with the surrounding soil.
The round jar tumbled across the grass several times before coming to a halt. Upon gaining his freedom, Alexander didn't immediately thank his savior. Instead, he charged toward the nearby pond in a fury.
He launched into a spinning attack, sending plumes of water flying as he delivered a final "shoryuken" that smashed the land octopuses into pieces. Clearly, being harassed by these creatures while he was stuck had made him quite cross. Finally, he turned back, letting out a hearty laugh.
"Haha! My apologies. I've put up with those octopuses for far too long! My thanks for your aid! Your strength is even greater than I imagined—I truly thought for a moment I might be dashed to pieces by that blast!
Ah, but I haven't introduced myself properly. I am a Warrior Jar, known as Alexander. I am currently journeying East to further my training."
He gestured toward the distant plains of Caelid.
"Further ahead lies the Scarlet Rot-infested wilds of Caelid. At the southern tip of those plains is a place called Redmane Castle. I've heard rumors that a great combat festival is soon to be held there.
A festival of battle... does that not sound exhilarating? I've heard it is being held for the mightiest Demigod, General Radahn. I wonder just how powerful he truly is.
And you? You seem to be heading in that direction as well. Are you also interested in the festival?"
Gawain nodded, gazing toward the horizon where the soil began to take on a sickly scarlet hue.
"You're right. I've been invited by Castellan Jerren to participate. I want to see the General for myself—and, of course, to claim his Great Rune."
"I see! That is the goal of every Tarnished, after all. Redmane Castle will be quite the lively place."
Alexander suddenly recalled something. A few days ago, while he was making his way toward Caelid, he had heard a massive roar from the direction of Stormveil. The storm that had reached for the heavens had left him mesmerized—so much so that he had tripped over a rock and ended up in that hole.
Looking at Gawain's equipment and hearing about his personal invitation from the Castellan, he began to put two and two together.
"I knew you were strong, but to be personally invited by the Castellan... you've come from the direction of Stormveil. You wouldn't happen to have something to do with that great storm I saw the other day, would you?"
"I won't deny it. I caused that storm," Gawain admitted. "The opponent was dangerous, so I didn't hold back. I am the Lord of Stormveil now."
He saw no reason to hide his identity; he knew he would be crossing paths with Alexander again. He also recalled that there were several Warrior Jars of various sizes currently in Stormveil, helping to repair the city.
"There are several of your kin in my city. Some are still young. They are currently helping me manage the castle. As you might know, Godrick's rule left a mountain of corpses behind; it's a good thing their remains can be put to use by your kind. You should visit Stormveil sometime—after the festival, of course."
"To think it was you! You are an even mightier warrior than I imagined! Thank you for providing sanctuary to my kin. It's a deal, then. I have wandered for a long time without seeing my own kind, and I haven't been home in ages. But I cannot return until I have become a true hero."
Alexander's opinion of Gawain soared. Because Warrior Jar shards could be used to craft precious items, the Lands Between were full of poachers who targeted the smaller, defenseless jars. Before leaving his home, Alexander had spent much of his time fending off such attackers. Hearing that his kin were living safely in a city warmed his heart.
"In any case, thank you for your help. Without you, who knows how long I would have remained in that hole. I shall continue my trek toward Redmane Castle. I hope to see you at the festival! Please, take this as a token of my gratitude."
With that, Alexander used his hands to pop open the lid on his head. After rummaging around inside, he pulled out a chunk of red meat.
Gawain took the opportunity to peek inside. He noticed that the interior of a Warrior Jar was actually layered. The bottom was filled with the "contents"—the remains of fallen champions—while the top had space to store items.
From Exalted Flesh to strange little trinkets and medals, Alexander had quite a collection. Gawain even spotted a small doll—who knew the boisterous Alexander had such a hobby?
"Here, eat this Exalted Flesh! Trust me, it is very fresh and quite delicious!"
Gawain took the meat, a look of extreme hesitation on his face. He found it hard to bring himself to take a bite. Though he had been forced to eat some truly "indescribable" things during his past explorations, things had been much more civilized since arriving in the Lands Between. He preferred to keep it that way.
I think I'll just keep this as a souvenir, he thought.
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Elden Ring: In the Name of Ash (120 chapter - Ongoing)
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