After the treatment provided by the Minor Erdtree's prayer, the condition of the soldiers in the camp had markedly improved. At the very least, they were no longer as listless as they had been before.
Gawain pondered whether he should ask Melina to craft more Grace-obscuring veils. Even if it were merely a false comfort, for those who had been forsaken for so long, it would be a rare miracle. However, that wouldn't solve the underlying issue. He gazed toward the distant Scadutree; since the Scadutree had been severed from the Lands Between, signifying the end of the Age of Plenty, perhaps he could create a true Blessing similar to that of the Golden Lineage once he reached the foot of that shadow tree.
Gawain turned to Carian and spoke.
"It's late. Get some rest. When dawn breaks, I will take you to a place—a hidden gaol on the outskirts of Belurat. My Maiden, Melina, is there. You will take orders from her and assist her in managing things there."
Carian, naturally, did not object, though he felt a bit curious about the relationship between the two. Why would a long-lost child of Marika serve as a Maiden?
He was also quite curious about Melina, this mysterious demigod. Unlike the other Golden demigods who had earned great fame and prestige in war, very few knew of Melina's existence. One had to understand that the Black Knight Legion was a core combat force of Messmer's army, holding a significant status. Yet, even so, he only knew that such a figure existed among Queen Marika's children.
Among the rank-and-file soldiers, most didn't even know she existed. There were even some terrifying rumors—for instance, that her ladyship was connected to the Black Knives, Queen Marika's personal band of assassins. But no one knew the truth.
The night passed quickly. After packing their gear, Gawain led the remnant force toward the Belurat Gaol.
After the events of the previous night, the morale of this group was quite decent. Even the lowest-ranking soldiers held their axes tight, keeping a vigilant watch. If any foolhardy Hornsent dared to launch an ambush, they would surely be minced into paste.
The journey back was slow. As they walked, Gawain questioned Carian further about the Land of Shadow, specifically regarding the city across the great bridge.
The city was called Castle Ensis. Just as he had suspected, it was guarded by the legendary Twin Moon Knight, Rellana. It sat upon the essential path to Scadu Altus and could connect to almost any region within the Land of Shadow.
Two days later, Gawain finally returned to the vicinity of Belurat Gaol, taking a bit longer than he had anticipated. He had to admit that he had absolutely no talent for leading troops; even a group of well-trained former Crusaders could be turned into such a mess under his command. He was better suited to being a simple bruiser.
"So, there was a gaol hidden here? Why was a place like this overlooked during the initial offensive?" Carian stood at the entrance of the gaol, feeling the chill emanating from within, and muttered to himself.
Something felt off. Although the gaol's location was indeed remote, it still felt abnormal. During the height of the Crusade, large areas, including Belurat, should have been thoroughly purged. Was this Hornsent gaol missed due to negligence, or was there a deeper reason?
"Go on in. I suspect you'll know why soon enough."
Gawain led the way. To be honest, when he had first entered, he had thought the gaol remained intact due to the Crusade's oversight. But after gaining more intelligence and considering things from Messmer's perspective, it was likely an intentional result.
The group was stunned by the sight upon entering. Why were there such a massive number of jars?
These warriors all knew something of the Hornsent's customs. The jars were filled with what the Hornsent considered "sinners." It was said that through a certain ritual, a sinner could be turned into a "good person," but no one knew the specifics of how that was done.
As they descended the spiral stone staircase and reached a slightly wider platform, a figure stood ahead of them.
The figure was strikingly out of place. The surroundings were filled with the damp cold characteristic of a prison; the stone walls seeped with ice, and every breath turned to frost. Yet she stood there like a cluster of warm light, utterly incompatible with the bone-chilling cold.
In an instant, the gaol—which had been saturated with despair and icy bitterness—seemed to be washed over by an invisible warm current. The frost on the walls seemed to soften, and the stagnant despair in the air was quietly melted away by her warm presence.
This thick aura of Grace... there was no mistake. She was indeed the unseen child of Queen Marika.
Carian stepped forward excitedly, his heavy armor leaving deep footprints with every step. Once he saw her face clearly, he dropped to one knee and bowed his head.
"We swear our loyalty to Lord Gawain and to you. Please, command us as you see fit. No matter the hardship, we will overcome it!"
Melina looked at the people kneeling neatly before her, feeling a bit confused. In their previous communications, she only knew that Gawain wanted to use her prayers to help some people. She hadn't thought much of it when she lent him her power, so why had he suddenly brought back so many strangers who were now looking at her with such reverence?
However, seeing as these people were members of her brother's host, she gave a slight nod and accepted their plea.
"Since that is the case, please follow me. Help me tend to the patients here. The child and I simply cannot keep up with the work alone."
Carian stood up and followed the two deeper into the gaol. Not just him, but the soldiers following behind all had strange expressions on their faces.
They couldn't help but look at the weapons in their hands. In a sense, they were very good at creating severe casualties, but as for "tending to patients"... that was a job for the army's perfumers.
But back then, very few perfumers had joined the rebellion, let alone remained with this defeated remnant. Caring for the sick was a bit much to ask of these Badlands tough guys.
However, once they actually saw the "patients," no one present cared about such trivialities anymore.
"This... what in the world...?"
Seeing the Shamans huddled around the Minor Erdtree, lying quietly on the ground in sleep, Carian and the others were dumbstruck. What kind of torture did one have to endure to turn into such a ghastly state?
Melina held Ashmi and sighed, as if she had expected this reaction from the soldiers. She spoke softly.
"These... are the kin of my mother and me. The Hornsent turned them into this. I am currently trying to heal them. But as you can see, I am severely short-handed. So even ordinary people without medical experience can be of use, provided they are willing to help."
Carian clenched his fists. This news shocked him, but it also made many things click into place.
"This is the handiwork of the Hornsent?" He looked at Melina and received a firm nod.
"Queen Marika... if only you had told us the truth directly. If we had known beforehand, perhaps we wouldn't have..."
"So, don't tell me you didn't even know why you were slaughtering the Hornsent?"
Faced with such a soul-piercing question, the soldiers didn't know how to answer. Before seeing the scene in this gaol, they hadn't truly understood the intent behind Queen Marika's order.
"I see. I understand the situation now," Gawain said. "You stay here and help Melina take care of these patients. Is that clear?"
The men nodded vigorously. Even if they didn't know how to care for people, they would have to learn.
After a chaotic period of learning, these rough men were finally able to do some useful work. Although their care of the Shamans was still a bit clumsy—sometimes accidentally pulling a few Hornsent horns out of the meat clumps—it was nothing compared to the torture the Shamans had endured for all those years.
"The people I found for you should be useful enough, right?"
"Mhm... at least their desire to help is clear. They can more or less assist me in tending to them." Melina rubbed her forehead, knowing she had to make do for now. "You know, we can't let the Shamans stay here forever. We should move them to a place with better conditions as soon as possible, but..."
Gawain looked at the hesitant Melina. Clearly, the history of the Crusade he had shared made her realize the troublesome state of the Land of Shadow. In a sense, it was similar to the Lands Between—various factions stuck in a stalemate after a brutal war.
"It's fine. You just focus on the Shamans. I'll personally head to Castle Ensis across the bridge. I believe I can arrange for them to be moved there for care."
"Castle Ensis? I recall that is the city guarded by the Twin Moon Knight, Rellana. How do you plan to convince her to trust you?"
As soon as she spoke, Melina glanced at the faint blue ring on Gawain's finger. Suddenly, she felt her worries were a bit redundant.
"Alright then. But please don't make me wait too long."
"I know. Once I've finished talking with her, I'll bring you over immediately. I suspect the Twin Moon Knight knows quite a lot about your brother's current situation."
The night mist rolled over the silhouette of the Lands Between. Atop a certain tower in Stormveil Castle, the lingering warmth of the Erdtree remained.
Sirris leaned against the railing, adjusting her veil which had been ruffled by the cold wind. Her silver circlet rustled as she looked up at the moon hanging in the ink-black sky.
The moon looked unfamiliar. Its edges glowed with a cold silver light, unlike any moonlight she had seen in Lothric. When the moonlight fell, it carried a comfortable coolness, like soaking in a lake during a heatwave.
She stared blankly at the cold light, suddenly remembering the Nameless Moon worshipped in her homeland, the Sunless Realm. Unfortunately, whether it was that moonlight or her long-destroyed homeland, she could never meet them again. But at least here, she could tangibly see the starlight called hope.
"You've been training all day. Do you still have the leisure to look at the moon? It seems I can be even more serious tomorrow."
Elsa had walked over at some point. She had a good impression of the knight before her, and given the other's special status, she had specifically left her tasks to Edgar so she could personally help her adapt to her new life. Naturally, the primary method was through sparring.
"That would be for the best. I still need time to adapt to this new body. When I first came out of that rebirth egg, I felt like I couldn't even walk straight, but I've mostly recovered now. If possible, I want to take command of the knight legion you prepared as soon as possible. When the Ashen One returns, I'm sure he'll be surprised."
"The Ashen One... that really is a fitting name for him."
Elsa recalled how Gawain's body would ignite with flames during battle; a level of intensity that even the Fire Giants she once fought probably couldn't withstand.
Before this, she hadn't found the opportunity to ask about his past. To her, it hadn't been necessary. As long as she confirmed he was a comrade to whom she could entrust her soul, that was enough.
Another reason was the fear of accidentally disturbing old scars the other didn't want to touch. Having come from the mountain of giants, no matter how rugged she appeared on the battlefield or how her weapon could cleave the wind and enemy blades, she possessed a subtle sensitivity toward her companions. If the other didn't wish to reveal unspoken pasts, she would never ask, treating it as a silent understanding.
But this time, the person beside her had truly piqued her curiosity.
"Can you tell me the story of his life before he came to the Lands Between? And how you became his knight? I want to know what kind of experiences could forge such a resilient soul."
A look of nostalgia appeared on Sirris's face, and her lips curled upward unconsciously.
"Of course. His... no, our story should not be forgotten. Let me think, where should I start? Hm... let us begin with my homeland, the Sunless Realm."
Sirris's voice carried through the air, reaching all the way to that dim moon. Ranni saw everything.
"Hm, how interesting. To think such a story existed. The Darkmoon Knights? Fine. Since he likes the name, I shall allow them to walk the Lands Between under the title of the Darkmoon."
"An enemy who hunts gods, a tale of revenge... it truly does share similarities with your Dark Moon."
Ranni pulled on the brim of her massive hat, then turned to smile at the Shadowbound Beast standing behind her.
"I am glad to see you've recovered so well. It seems there are no serious lingering effects, so I can rest easy. Where is Iji now? Can you take me to see him?"
"Uh... let me think. Master Iji's forge should be in the back. Please, follow me."
After a brief thought, Blaidd confidently led Ranni toward a specific direction.
It wasn't until the two reached the front of the gatehouse and stood eye-to-eye with several cargo-carrying Trolls that Ranni's relaxed expression underwent a subtle change.
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Elden Ring: In the Name of Ash
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