I rode south until I came to a rocky terrain with another site of grace; I touched it and saw some kind of stone building where I found more of those thin men wearing rags.
I rid myself of them easily and searched for something useful in this region, but a spell flew inches from my face, catching my attention. Looking up, I saw someone on top of the stone building.
Another spell came towards me.
"HA!" I shook Torrent's reins, and he rode towards the building.
I guided Torrent to the left, dodging another spell, and we started go around the building, dodging more spells. Torrent jumped up the hill where the building was.
After a few jumps, we were in an elevated area where we could see who was casting spells, it was one of those men wearing rags, but this one had a staff. I turned Torrent towards him and…
"HA!"
Torrent darted forward, leaping the space between the elevated area and the top of the stone building. At the end of the jump, I drew one of the ornate blades and pierced the man in his heart; he disappeared in souls and runes.
"Well done Torrent!" Said while stroking Torrent's head, he seemed to like it.
On top of the building was the corpse of a man dressed in black, in his hands a scroll. Opening a scroll, it looked like a sorcery scroll, but I couldn't understand what was written.
Maybe Sellen knows. I will give it to her later. Let's see if there's anything else useful here.
-XXXXXX-
I was right; I found a great rapier and a brass shield. I finally have a shield that isn't too heavy. I held the shield in my left hand and Rogier's rapier in my right hand.
Torrent set off towards the lake, we are getting closer to Patches. After a few minutes, I saw a person ahead. It was a man wearing a metallic hat with holes, as I approached he began to speak.
"Ah, you must be the new tarnished. You would do well to get away from Lake Agheel. A dragon lands there... In addition, it is as fearsome as it is majestic. So unless you're crazy or want to be burned alive… Stay away from the lake."
A dragon? As if, I didn't have enough problems already. However, it's not the first time I've killed a dragon, I also have the right miracles for the job.
"Thank you for the warning. But don't worry, it's not the first time I've killed a dragon."
"Don't be a fool. Go back, before it's too late." He replied with an irritated tone.
Therefore, you doubt me. I would like to see your face after I kill the dragon.
"Like I said, don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
Torrent rode towards the lake. On the way, I touched a grace in some ruins near the sea. Going to the edge of the ruins, I looked down and saw a beach. Maybe I will go there later.
Continuing towards the lake, something caught my attention, a ghost near a tombstone, approaching the ghost. I felt a headache, and suddenly the image of the painting I found in the cabin appeared in my mind, this was the place where it was painted.
Getting even closer, I touched the ghost on his shoulder, he disappeared and in his place, there was a mask in the shape of a scarab. Taking the mask, I put it in my bag.
Further, on, I finally entered the lake, I could see some burned ruins around me, and signs of a dragon, better be prepared. I kept my Silver Serpent ring, and put the Sun Seal, Lightning Clutch Ring and Ring of Prayer.
The three rings increasing respectively the power of my miracles, the power of lightning and my faith. I held my chime in my left hand and the Golden Halberd in my right hand. I think I'm ready.
While riding across the lake everything seemed normal, I approached some ruins that were on fire, and suddenly I heard a flap of wings.
When I looked up, I saw the dragon landing on top of the ruins. Burned pieces of wood flew in all directions, the dragon turned towards me and roared.
The roar echoed across the lake creating waves. Better stop wasting time, I raised my chime and cast Sunlight Spear, I'm ashamed to admit it, but there are certain spells and miracles I can't cast normally.
I don't have enough faith or intelligence, so I asked Magerold to lower the requirements needed to cast them, Sunlight Spear being one of them.
The miracle didn't lose its power by having its requirements lowered; the Sunlight Spear is stronger than usual due to the three magic rings I equipped before the fight.
How do I know that? Well... Let's just say the lightning bolts that are coming out of my chime and up my arm are an indication of that. My chime looked like a storm cloud with lightning bolts crawling across the surface of the water.
I fired the spear toward the dragon, hitting its head. The magic-reinforced spear generated a burst of lightning, ripping scales from the dragon's head. Since the dragon was in contact with the water, waves of electricity ran across its surface and electrocuted the dragon, causing even more damage.
The dragon recovered from the blow, dissipating the electricity from its body with a roar. The dragon then raised its head upwards. I saw fire and smoke coming out of its mouth; I knew what it was going to do.
"HA!"
Torrent gave me a neigh before running.
The dragon pointed its open mouth at us and shot a wave of fire. I pulled Torrent to the right, but the dragon moved its head, following us. The wave of fire was right behind us. I could feel the heat on my back.
As I swerved, I approached the dragon, it stopped spitting fire and when it saw me approaching, lifted its left wing, and lowered it towards me. I pulled Torrent's reins causing it to swerve to the right again.
The blow collided with the ground just behind us, taking advantage of the fact that I passed beneath the dragon's wing; I slashed its left hind leg with the halberd.
A blood dripped down the dragon's leg, staining the lake red; the dragon raised its injured leg and tried to step on me.
"HA!" Torrent galloped around the dragon.
The dragon stomped the ground in the place where I was previously. When going around the dragon, I cast another Sunlight Spear and threw it at the dragons back. With another burst of lightning several scales were ripped from the dragon's back, he let out another roar.
The dragon spun its body, using its tail as a whip, since I was too close to the dragon, I didn't have time to dodge. The dragon's tail hit me on the left side, throwing me out of Torrent.
Torrent disappeared and the dragon turned to my direction, trying to devour me. While on the ground, I raised the Golden Halberd and pointed the metal spike on the tip towards the dragon's open mouth.
The spike of the halberd pierced the inside of the dragon's mouth and ended up stuck somewhere inside. I let go of the halberd before I was thrown again, as the dragon shook its head, trying to remove the halberd.
I took Godrick's Ax out of my bag and cast Sunlight Blade, dragging the chime across the ax, it was enveloped by lightning. Then I cast Sacred Oath, increasing my attack and defense. I held Godrick's Ax with both hands and ran towards the dragon.
The dragon roared and ran towards me, its head tilted to the right with the horn on the tip of its snout pointed at me. Sinh the Slumbering Dragon had a similar attack, I already knew how to deal with it.
The dragon and I ran towards each other, when I was close enough, it shook its head up trying to hit me with its horn. At the last second, I rolled to the left, the dragon's head passing my side. As the dragon repositioned itself after its attack, I went under its wing and cut its chest.
Three powerful blows with the ax, lightning ripping off scales and the ax blade creating deep cuts, blood smeared the waters of the lake, with a roar of pain the dragon flapped its wings and took off.
The dragon hovered above the lake, it just stood there flapping its wings, and I cast a Sunlight Spear, aimed at the dragon and fired. The dragon swerved to the right, the miracle passing harmlessly by its side.
The dragon then stared at me. What was he going to do? My eyes widened when I found out.
The dragon threw itself towards the lake, having me as a target, I ran away, but I wasn't fast enough. The dragon landed right behind me, and the shock wave of its landing threw me away.
I fell into the lake with my face sinking into the water; I quickly got up and turned towards the dragon, only to be face to face with its mouth open, ready to bite me. I cast Iron Flesh with my pyromantic flame.
My body turned to iron as the dragon bit me. I was trapped between its teeth, it raised its head upwards, and inside the dragon's mouth, I saw an orange light forming.
Thinking fast I grabbed the hilt of the halberd that was stuck inside the dragon's mouth, and with my other hand, placed my chime on the halberd's hilt, casting Sunlight Spear.
Lightning flowed through the halberd and electrocuted the dragon from within, at the same time the dragon choke on the fire.
Looking into the dragon's throat, the fire inside intensified, the dragon couldn't spit it out due to the lightning running through its body. Suddenly I saw a bright light then…
BOOM!
-XXXXXX-
Limgrave was known to be a relatively peaceful area of the Lands Between, formerly ruled by the now deceased Godrick the Grafted, these lands hold some of the weakest monsters.
That is as long as you don't end up wandering to the wrong place, such as a forest full of giant bears, or a hill inhabited by Trolls, or a lake where the dragon made its nest.
Speaking of the dragon, those watching from afar could see that some fool had decided to invade the dragon's nest and provoke it; an attentive observer would also notice the lightning bolts that were shot at the dragon.
One of these observers was a man wearing a metallic hat covering his entire face, this man tried to warn the fool about the dangers of facing a dragon, but he was ignored. The man could only watch as the fool was devoured by the dragon.
"Well, I tried to warn him, but he wouldn't listen, that's the fate of hotheads like him."
The man was about to turn to leave, but something caught his eye. The dragon coughed like a cat choking on a fur ball, the dragon struggled as lightning ran through its body.
An orange light glowed in the dragon's chest as it coughed more and more, smoke came out of its nostrils. The glow got stronger and stronger, the dragon's eyes widened as if it realized the mistake it had made, suddenly...
BOOM!
A huge explosion erupted from within the dragon's mouth.
-XXXXXX-
"AAAHHH!" I screamed as I flew through the air.
My body bounced across the lake like a stone. I stopped with my back on the ground. Looking at where the dragon was, two glowing objects flew out of the smoke, the Golden Halberd pierced the ground on the left side of my head, and Godrick's Ax on the right.
I was almost killed by my weapons!
I put the ax in my bag and grabbed the halberd with my right hand. I saw something moving in the smoke, it was the dragon. The dragon dispersed the smoke around itself with a might roar.
I took a step forward, but I felt that I stepped on something soft. Looking down, I saw the dragon's tongue. Looking better, there were pieces of dragon's fangs around me.
When I looked at the dragon, I saw that most of its fangs were gone. Blood ran from its mouth due to the torn-out tongue. The dragon's eyes focused on me, and the dragon took flight again.
This time I was faster and I called Torrent. I mounted Torrent and I rode away from the dragon, I managed to escape the impact of the landing. Turning around, I approaching the dragon and cast Heavenly Thunder.
Lightning fell from the sky, and since the dragon was a big target, it ended up being hit by all the lightning. The dragon then turned its tail trying to hit me.
"Torrent, jump!"
Torrent jumped and the dragon's tail passed beneath us.
When we landed, I used the ash of war of the halberd and rode around the dragon, cutting it through various parts of its body. Right leg, right wing, neck, left wing, left leg, tail. In the process, the dragon tried to crush me several times with its wings and paws, but Torrent was too fast.
Now I was facing the dragon, and orange light formed in its mouth again.
"HA!" Torrent ran towards the dragon.
The dragon spat a wave of fire toward us but I had a plan for that.
"Torrent, jump!"
Torrent jumped over the wave of fire, and while in the air, I yelled.
"Again!"
Torrent jumped once more while in the air, as if he was stepping on invisible ground.
I sent Torrent away and as I fell, I pointed the tip of the Golden Halberd toward the dragon's left eye. The halberd pierced its eye and the dragon roared in pain as it shook its head frantically, trying to knock me down.
I held the halberd with both hands and braced my feet on the dragon's head while pushing the halberd deeper. Eventually the halberd got to the dragon's brain killing it.
The dragon stopped moving and its body fell, blood pouring out of its wounds turning the waters red.
I removed the Golden Halberd from its eye and cast Great Heal. Soon the dragon's body disappeared in souls and runes. The only part of its body left was the heart that was still beating.
I kept it in my bag.
-XXXXXX-
I returned to the site of grace of the ruins. I decided to rest to heal my wounds and restore the spells. This fight was fun, but I wonder. What is the dragon heart for?
Suddenly I heard the sound of footsteps; it was the man who warned me about the dragon. Probably came to lecture me.
"Good work, taking down that dragon. And as such, there is something you would like to know, that heart you brought back, is used in the Dragon's Communion. If you feel overcome by the hunger of the heart, yearning for its strength, seek out the decrepit church on the tiny island off the west coast. You must not forget though, those who participate in the Dragon Fellowship will one day lose their humanity. His hunger for the dragon, his yearning, only gets worse, until the floodgates burst, unleashing eternal torment. The strength of a mighty dragon, magnificent but deadly. It's no surprise that the Dragon's Communion is ruinous."
Only if he knew what I could do with my dragon stone! Even so, a warning is always welcome, but the power of a dragon interests me, so I'll look for this island.
"Thanks for the warning, but you don't have to worry. Now, if you allow me, I must go." I said, heading towards the lake again.
-XXXXXX-
While riding across the lake, I passed some ruins burned by the dragon, inside these ruins; I killed a giant rat and got another stone key. I passed under a bridge and went upriver.
Suddenly I felt a tingling all over my body, someone was invading me, I left Torrent, drew the Ornate Blade and Sunset Staff, a few meters away from me, an invader appeared.
The invader wore black and gold robes, a hood concealing his face, chains wrapped around his arms, and in each hand, a dagger stained with blood. He spun the daggers in each hand and ran towards me.
I cast Affinity, followed by Dark Orb, the invader rolled away from the orb, but the affinities flew towards him, hitting all over his body. I cast Dark Hail right after, the shards of darkness flew towards him, but he rolled back dodging the spell.
I switched my staff for my pyromantic flame and ran towards the invader.
The invader prepared his daggers and tried to cut my neck, I blocked the blow with the ornate blade, taking advantage of this; I raised my flame at the invader's face and used Great Combustion.
The invader bent down, dodging my attack, and slashed my belly, an excessive amount of blood came out of the wound. Did those daggers cause bleeding?
I saw one of the daggers coming towards my eyes; I ducked, dodging the blow, and then hit my flame on the ground, using Fire Snake.
The invader was hit by the flames and thrown back; I drank form the vial of crimson tears and the wound in my belly healed.
"If it isn't Nerijus, The Bloody Finger. The end is near for you!"
Looking back, I saw the man who had warned me about the dragon, he was wielding a long katana. The man ran past me and went towards the invader; the invader took a vial of crimson tears and drank it, his wounds healing immediately.
I launched a Great Fireball, and the invader rolled away, only to be met by a katana cut in the chest, the invader tried to stab the man, but I cast another Great Fireball before this could happen.
This time the invader couldn't dodge, being hit by my pyromancy, the invader couldn't block the katana that came towards his neck. The invader put his hands on the cut, trying to stop the bleeding, but it was useless, soon his body disappeared.
I approached the man with the katana "Thanks for the help!"
"Ah, we meet again. To have fought Nerijus and lived, you must have seen your part in battles. I am Yura, as you may remember, a hunter of Bloody fingers, enslaved tarnisheds. Zealots who persecute their own. If you stay on the path, you will surely face more of them. Just remember, no kinship with your ilk remains. Their madness prevents it. Don't let your emotions get on your blade."
He must be talking about the invader. Bloody Fingers? Then I will find more of them. Nothing new.
The invader left his daggers on the ground after his death; I put it in my bag.
"Nice to meet you, Yura, my name is Alden, a sorcerer exploring Limgrave, thanks again for your help, but now I need to be on my way, I have a thief to find."
"Very well Alden, I wish you good luck on your quest, keep your eyes open for more bloody fingers, you never know when they will appear." Yura said, walking towards the lake.
He is not bad that. Looking at one of the banks of the river, I saw a cave with a bonfire on the side. Entering the cave, I went down a tunnel, found a site of grace; I touched it and kept walking.
On the way, I took a deep breath and screamed.
"PATCHES!"
As I ran like a maniac. Further, into the cave, I stepped on something and the sound of bells echoed through the cave. Soon ten bandits came out of the tunnels.
"I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR YOU!"
I used Chaos Storm, the fire pillars came out of the ground and incinerated the bandits, and those that weren't incinerated were melted by the lava. The lava dried up and I kept running through the cave.
"PATCHES!"
I walked through a wall of fog, and on the other side, I found myself in an open area, and in the center of it was a chest.
"THIS IS WHERE YOU ARE HIDING MY THINGS PATCHES?!?" I screamed, running towards the chest.
When I approached it, I raised my fist and punched the lid of the chest. My first went through the lid, the chest opened and I grabbed it by the sides. Turning it over, a leather suit fell out of the chest. Where were my things?
"Well, well, well? Have you considered helping yourself with a man's personal belongings? You little thief. The gods demand repentance! Give me your money, all of it!"
From a high part of the cave came a man, he was bald, wore leather armor, and carried a spear and a shield.
"So you're Patches?" I asked, turning to him.
"Yes, you miserable thief. Why the question?" Patches said, jumping off the high part of the cave.
"I heard that you got a lot of equipment recently."
"Yea. Any problem with that?" Patches said, reading his spear and shield.
"Well this equipment belongs to me, if anyone here is a thief it's you."
"I got this equipment fairly and honestly, if you want it you'll have to take it from my dead and cold hands."
"I don't see any problem with that." I shrugged.
I squeezed the chest in my hands, the wood and metal cracked, I applied even more strength, and splinters of wood flew through the air. The chest was crushed in my hands like a ball of paper.
"How about we talk about this?" Patches looked at me startled.
"Too late!" I said, running towards Patches.
Patches tried to run but I grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and raised my other fist.
"Wait!"
I punched him in the face.
"Where are my things?!?" I demanded.
"Wait, wait, please! I surrender! White flag!"
"Wrong answer!"
I gave him another punch.
"For the love of God! I surrender! Nobody likes a hardheaded brute you know?!? I surrender, surrender! You cannot harm a submissive man!"
"So tell me. Where my things are?"
Patches looked left and right.
"Speak!" I shook him.
"I've sold it."
"What?" I couldn't hear what he said.
"I've sold it."
"Say it louder!"
"I've sold it! Ok?!? I sold every single one of them, every weapon, every staff, every armor, even items that I had no idea what they were."
"You did what?!? Who did you sell it to?" I said, raising my fist again.
"I don't know!"
"What do you mean you don't know?"
"I don't question my customers, they just show up with the runes and I sell them my products. That's all, I swear!"
I took a deep breath and released Patches.
"Well, you've finally come to your senses, haven't you? I knew you would. You are a gentleman of reason, though. Hahaha… Well, you're tarnished, like me. Now how did I get this wrong? I took you for a demihuman or something. An innocent mistake, I assure you. Well, water under the bridge. Now that we're even, how about we play well from now on?"
"Fine!" I said in an irritated tone.
Great, apparently I'm going to have to ask Melina if she managed to find out where my stuff ended up.
"A true lord of reason. Just what I like about you. I'm Patches, tarnished like you, just free-spirited. Nomad, you might say. Just for now, those retired soldiers-turned-thugs who are paying for my porridge. In exchange, I show them my products. But honestly... This looting business is scary. Frankly, I'm ready to wash my hands. Maybe set up a legitimate store. Hahaha…"
"Just show me your products." I sighed
"With pleasure!" Patches said with a smile.
-XXXXXX-
I bought a cookbook and another item, an item that interested me, an item called Margit's Shackle.
According to Patches, this handcuff was made to hold someone specific, but its power is weak, it will only hold Margit to the ground for a few seconds.
Now time to visit Stormveil.
"I'm leaving, you better have told me the truth, because if I find out you were lying…" I punched the palm of my hand with my first.
Patches swallowed and nodded his head.
As I walked away, I heard Patches say.
"Well, nice of you. It's a bit ad hoc, but be welcome to the Patches Emporium. Where you won't need a refund because everything is top-notch."
I gave a snort of disdain. Went towards the site of grace in the cave, and transported myself. Before going to Stormveil, I'll pick up the golden seeds on the way.
-XXXXXX-
First I transported myself to the hut where I found Roderika, near the hut I found a golden seed, I kept it in my bag and returned to the hut, transported myself to Stormveil.
I appeared in the site of grace a little before the room where I found Nepheli. Passing through the birds with blades and hooded men, I found another golden seed close to where I faced Godrick.
Now where should I go?
I decided to go back the way I came. Going to the castle courtyard, the defenses were still there, so I decided to repeat the trick from before, casting Chameleon, I turned into a barrel and approached a stairway while no one was looking.
Going down the stairs, I found myself inside a cellar, on the other side of the cellar there was a wall of fog with a statue on the side, approaching the statue, I saw that something fit in it.
Placing one of the stone keys inside the statue, the fog wall disappeared and inside the room on the other side, I found two chests. I hit both, but nothing happened.
Inside one chest there was a piece of jewelry, a silver medallion with a black stone in the center, in the other chest there was a book, opening the book I couldn't understand what was written in it.
I kept it in my bag, maybe I will find someone who understands.
-XXXXXX-
I've been walking around Stormveil for some time, killing the occasional enemy. It got to the point where I stopped walking the conventional paths and walked along the walls and supports of the castle, walking along edges and performing risky jumps.
Eventually, something caught my attention, a golden message on the floor.
It was a message from Rogier encouraging me. I gave a small smile. Thanks, Rogier.
Going left, I went down some stairs outside the castle until I reached a door, opening the door and going up some stairs, I unlocked another door. Moreover, on the other side of it there was the site of grace that I used to enter in the castle. I now have a shortcut.
Returning the way I came, I stepped on the edge of one of the castle's walkways and looked down; it was a dark area and full of ruins. I believed that's where I should go.
Jumping off the walkway, I stepped on a stone archway; I went down and then jumped towards the ground below.
Next to me was another stone archway, going down that archway, I came to a series of wooden platforms and going down these platforms, I came to a kind of crevice full of ruins.
So far, I didn't find anything important as I walked through the crevasse. I killed some giant rats that were in my way and another beetle by rolling a dung ball and got a new spell.
Walking a little further, I reached the end of the crevice, looking around; it was a kind of cave. I jumped towards the cave, only to step on a pile of bones. The cave was full of bone, ruins, and large tree roots. On the other side of the cave was a tunnel with pieces of fabric hanging over it.
When I walked towards the tunnel, the ground shook. From the underground came a giant monster. It looked like a worm made of rotten wood with branches coming out of its back and several arms around its body. The monster looked at me and let out a roar.
What terrible luck I have! I equipped the Great Ax in my left hand and lit my pyromantic flame in my right hand. Ax and fire, the greatest enemies of wood.
The monster slithered across the floor with its mouth open, trying to devour me. I rolled to the right and used Fire Whip, on the creature's left side, the wood in its body burned.
The monster then turned around and used its arms to lift its body and throw itself in my direction, trying to crush me. I rolled to the left, dodging the attack and delivered several cuts to the creature's right side.
Pieces of wood flew through the air as the monster roared.
The monster slithered away like a snake, turned towards me, and using its arms lifted itself again. The monster's mouth opened and a golden light formed inside it.
I ran towards the monster, and the flames passed over me. I ended under the monster's head and facing its chest. I used the great ax's ash of war. Letting out a roar a red aura surrounded me.
Then I executed a series of strikes, rotating my body, jumping, and slashing the monster's chest as I fell.
The monster then threw itself against the ground; I didn't have time to dodge, so the impact of its body threw me backward. When I looked up, the monster clasped two of its hands and dropped them towards me like a hammer.
I rolled to the left, dodging the blow, and used Chaos Fireball; the fireball hit the monster on its back, starting a fire in the rotten wood of its body.
The monster spun its body hitting me with its tail. However, it didn't stop there, putting its right hand beneath the ground, the monster threw a handful of stones and rubble in my direction.
I rolled to the right dodging the stones and drank from my vial of crimson tears, healing some of my wounds. I cast Flame Swathe, and an orb of fire appeared in front of the monster's face. The orb spun and exploded in the monster's face.
The monster fell to the ground, I used Flaming Weapon, engulfing the ax in flames, and using its war ash again, I ran towards the monster.
Raising my ax with both hands, I struck the eye of the monster with all my strength. The monster roared, thrashing and rolling on the floor, but that didn't helped.
Soon the monster disappeared in souls and runes, and in its place, there was a golden seed. On a corpse in the room there was also a key of stone, I kept them both in my bag.
I headed toward the tunnel on the other side of the cave, time to see what Rogier wanted me to find.
-XXXXXX-
What is this thing? I couldn't believe what I was seeing; I've seen many bizarre and disturbing things in Drangleic and the realms of the Old Kings, but this… This was at the top of my list.
On the floor there was a face made of wood with two big black eyes staring at me, next to this face there was a bloodstain, when I touched it, I saw Rogier being attacked by something.
Probably this face, near the face, there was also a corpse holding it a talisman, a horrible smell came out of it, and I kept it in my bag.
Well, I found what Rogier wanted me to see, time to return to the Round-table. Inside the cave where the giant face was, there was a big ladder leading up, but as I was about to go up the ladder, little green fragments came out of the face.
Bright bugs, picking the Ashen Mist Heart, I approached the face, soon the mist enveloped me and I disappeared.
Let's see what memories this face will show me.
END OF CHAPTER