"Great champion, is there something wrong?" Fia asked.
"No, I just didn't expect to find him here." I said, pointing at Godwyn.
"Him? Great champion, there is no one here beside the two of us." Fia gave me a worried look.
"Hm… You're right; I must be tired from today's fights."
Meanwhile, Godwyn just smiled at me.
I left Fia's embrace and walked out of the room, on the way I heard Fia talking to me.
"If you feel tired, just look for me, I will hold you in my arms anytime." Fia said, smiling and waving goodbye.
I returned the gesture and left the room.
I walked through the halls of the Round Table with Godwyn at my side, all this time he had a smile on his face.
"What?" I asked Godwyn, trying to figure out why he was smiling so much.
"Nothing, nothing." Godwyn replied, trying to hold back his laughter.
"Fia couldn't see you." I said to Godwyn.
"And no one else will, unless, of course, someone else put on the medallion I gave you." Godwyn said, pointing at the medallion.
I held it in my hands, the face just like the one I found in the cave.
"So does that mean whoever puts on the medallion will be able to see you?"
"Yes! Have you ever thought about what would happen if everyone could see me? Stories of Godwyn's vengeful spirit roaming the Lands Between would spread like wildfire!"
Godwyn said, floating around me.
"So you're some kind of ghost?"
"You can say so." Godwyn shrugged.
I got to the central room of the Round Table; well I have a lot to do here. I need to talk to Rogier, see if Roderika is okay, and find someone who can understand what is written in the book I found in Stormveil.
Let's get started, I walked to the counter where Rogier was sitting.
"Hello, Roger!" I said, waving at him.
"Oh! We meet again." Rogier said with a smile.
"Rogier, let's get straight to the point. What was that thing under the castle?" I asked.
Meanwhile, Godwyn leaned against the counter, looking down at the Round Table.
"The misshapen corpse under Stormveil? This is a holy relic. From the plot of black knives. As that famous night of murder is known."
I looked at Godwyn; he didn't seem to be paying attention to our conversation.
"It happened during the Golden Age of Erdtree, long before the Elden Ring broke. Someone stole a fragment of Malekith's Death Rune, the Black Blade. And one bitter night, murdered Godwyn the Golden."
I noticed that Godwyn flinched slightly; remembering the day of his death must be difficult for him.
"This was the first recorded death of a demigod in all history. And it became the catalyst, so the Elden Ring was shattered, and thus came the war known as Shattering."
Rogier then looked down towards his legs; I noticed he was covering them with a white blanket but small black roots protruded from under it.
"I once wished to become a scholar, you know. I spent many hours scouring the archives for knowledge of this fateful plot. The world has become twisted, and if you intend to fix it, you had better understand what happened to make it this way, mm? Moreover… this thing is to blame for the way I am now… I urge the utmost caution. Do not disturb the corpse more than necessary…"
Too late for that, I thought, looking at Godwyn.
"Do you want to know more about the Night of the Black Knives?" I asked Rogier.
"Despite everything that has happened, yes, I wish to know more." Rogier said with a determined look.
"Right. Perhaps other tarnished at the Round Table know about the Night of the Black Knives?" I asked Roger.
"Could you do this? Ask for more information about the plot against the gods?" Rogier asked hopefully.
"Yes."
"Thank you, my friend; I will await your return with more information." Rogier smiled.
"I'll be back soon."
Therefore, I turned away from Rogier and walked away with Godwyn at my side.
"I'm sorry about your friend; I'm not exactly in control of my actions in my current situation." Godwyn said in sad tone.
"Don't worry, I don't blame you. And besides, I don't know if Rogier and I are friends."
"Looks like he considers you a friend. Haven't you had friends before?"
"Hm… I think so."
"And what were they like?"
"Well, we have Vengarl, a warrior from Forossa, a land east of Drangleic. The Lion Knights was a mighty order of warriors famous for their heavy armor and agile two-handed swordsmanship, yet they still seemed to avoid Vengarl, due to his fame as a deadly warrior. The Lion Knights were dedicated to Faraam, God of War, and their armor was blessed by the god himself."
"Hm… Interesting, it is exciting to know more about the kingdoms outside the Lands Between, this Faraam must be some sort of Outer God. Tell me more about your friend and Forossa."
"Eventually, Forossa fell due to a prolonged conflict with its neighbors. Many citizens became bandits to survive, as Forossa became lawless after the kingdom fell to war. The remaining knights became mercenaries, and Vengarl was one of them."
"A pity indeed, during my time in life I always wanted to see what was beyond the mist that surrounds our lands, I wonder how much has been lost forever."
"But Vengarl's story doesn't end there, his reputation as a cruel warrior grew, Vengarl was noted as being especially brutal, and his preferred method of killing was decapitation."
"Not exactly my preferred method of killing, but I can't judge, after all, I participated in several battles alongside my father."
"During a battle, he was beheaded."
"Ironic." Godwyn laughed.
"I know, but instead of dying, he woke up after the battle was over, the silence of the forest where he died gave him a lot of time to think, and he spends all his time doing that."
"What do you mean by that?" Godwyn asked confused.
"Vengarl can be considered someone who lives in death, he became one, at the exact moment he was beheaded, it made his body and head continue to live separately."
"So you mean…"
"Yes, Vengarl's head remained alive and alone in the forest, while his body continued to fight and roam Drangleic."
"Of all the stories I've heard, this is one of the most bizarre."
"I agree, imagine my surprise when I was walking through a forest full of mist and suddenly found a talking head."
"And what happened afterward?"
"Vengarl and I talked a little bit about Forossa, Drangleic's past, and the war against the giants."
"War against the giants?"
"Yes, in the past the kingdom of Drangleic went to war with the giants, King Vendrick hired several mercenaries and warriors of questionable reputation to aid his forces in the war, Vengarl was one of them."
"History repeats itself. But I believe it doesn't end there."
"No, I eventually found Vengarl's body, and by killing his body, Vengarl let me keep his armor and helm, I also have a Faraam set, or had, a lot of my equipment was stolen, and I'm trying to get it back."
"I hope you don't mind telling me more about your friends and adventures in the future."
"Of course, you just need ask."
Soon we arrived at Fia's room.
"What do you plan on doing here?" Godwyn asked.
"Find out more about the Night of the Black Knives." I replied.
"And why don't you tell Rogier what you know, after all, you've seen the night firsthand."
"When I arrived in the Lands Between I knew nothing about the Night of the Black Knives, it would be strange for me to reveal so much information all of sudden, besides, it's always good to get more information from other people. I might end up discovering something new."
"That I cannot deny."
We entered the room and there was Fia, I let her hold me once more.
"Great champion, this is sudden, you've barely left before you're back in my arms."
"Unfortunately, I'm not just here to receive your blessing, I would also like some information."
Fia went silent for a few seconds.
"Great champion, you could keep a secret."
"Yes."
I heard Fia take a deep breath, and then she spoke.
"I was known as a deathbed companion, where I come from, after receiving the warmth and vital vigor of several champions, I lay down with the remains of an exalted noble, to grant him another chance at life. To do so is the purpose of my being, but before I could lead the noble to a new life, I was awakened by the guidance of grace and driven from my birthplace. Despite all this, I still want to be a Deathbed Companion. So please let me hug you like this, as many times as I need to."
"I see, your secret is safe with me, but that's not what I came here for. What do you know about the Night of the Black Knives?"
"Oh! That! My dear… Ever heard of black knife marks? Dear Rogier likes to talk about it when he's in bed. The ancient plot, in which the first of the demigods was killed."
"It was not a pleasant experience." I heard Godwyn say behind me.
"The black knives wielded by the assassins who committed the act, with the impressions they made, somehow hide the truth of the conspiracy. These big deals are hardly my field of understanding… But dear Rogier began to cry as he spoke…"
I had no idea Rogier was so obsessed with it.
Fia then handed me a piece of paper, when unfolding it I saw that it was a sketch of a map.
"I've heard from someone else about the black knife marks that so fascinate dear Rogier. However, it wouldn't be right to give him that, stuck as he is in the Round Table. Perhaps you can make use of it?"
I got out of Fia's embrace and took the map of Limgrave from my bag. I compared the sketch with the map, but I couldn't find the location.
"Thanks, Fia, I will return as soon as I find what I am looking for."
"Okay, until we meet again, great champion." Fia smiled.
I left Fia's room, and as soon as I closed the door behind me, I saw Godwyn staring at me.
"That's it?" Godwyn asked seriously.
"What do you mean?" I asked confused.
"You were in the arms of a beautiful maiden, and you didn't even compliment her. Didn't say how beautiful she looks today, or how comfortable it is to be held by her." Godwyn said irritably.
"And should I?"
Godwyn smacked his face with his hand "You and I have a lot to work on that attitude of yours."
We went back to the central room of the Round Table, where I found Corhyn. Maybe he knows what is written on the book that I found.
"Oh, you seem to be doing well, so would you like to learn an incantation?" Corhyn said as I approached, strangely he was shaking and sweating a little.
"I would like to know if you can decipher what is written on this book." I said, handing the said book.
Corhyn accepted it with shaking hands.
"This… is a work of heresy. These incantations have no lineage to the Erdtree." Corhyn exclaimed as he read the book.
"Couldn't you make an exception?" I asked Corhyn and he took a step back.
Was he scared of me?
"Very well…" Corhyn sighed.
-XXXXXX-
Corhyn finished deciphering the book. He said there were two incantations on its pages, Black Flame and Black Flame Blade. I decided to learn both. I gave the runes to Corhyn, and he taught me the incantations.
I suddenly grabbed my right arm; there was something wrong with my pyromantic flame.
"Are you feeling well?" Corhyn asked.
"Yes, you don't have to worry, thanks for teaching me the incantations." I said, running into one of the Round Table aisles.
"What's wrong?" Godwyn asked, concerned.
I lit my pyromantic flame and felt pain coursing through my arm; suddenly black flames replaced the red-orange flames. What was happening? Was this due to the incantations that I learned?
"The black flame? I never thought I would see it in person." Godwyn said curiously.
"Black flame? What is that?" I asked.
"Before my mother became the ruler of the Lands Between, before she removed the rune of death from the Elden Ring, there was a group called the Godskin, who possessed the power of black flame and Destined Death. Capable of slaying all who were enveloped by it, including gods. The Godskins were led by a queen, my mother sent Malekith to defeat her. In the end, Malekith sealed the Destined Death causing the black flame to lose most of its power."
"So does that mean that the flame is useless now?"
Godwyn brought his face close to mine and gave me a serious look.
"No! You are wrong, the black flame may have lost most of its power, but it remains a dangerous weapon, after all, it was feared by the gods themselves."
"Aren't you going to try to stop me from using it?" I asked Godwyn.
"No, I'm dead; I can't exactly stop you and as far as I know, there are no ill effects from using the black flame."
"That's good, as a sorcerer I'm always looking for new types of magic."
"I'd like to hear stories about Drangleic's magic later."
"Okay, I'll tell you when I have time."
-XXXXXX-
I approached Hewg's forge. I could hear the sound of the hammer hitting the anvil, when I entered the hallway, I saw Roderika sitting on a piece of fabric on the floor.
"It's good to see you again. Thank you very much! I've got to thank you, don't I? For persuading Master Hewg? I can happily announce that he taught me the noble work of spirit attunement. I'm still not sure what I could be able to accomplish, but if I can be of any help to you all, I would certainly like to give it a try." Roderika smiled.
I'm glad that Roderika found her purpose, right now she's accomplished more than many undead.
"What if there is a chance to alleviate the suffering of my dear men who have been grafted in? Well, I certainly must try. Roderika, the spirit tuner apprentice. Nice to meet you."
Roderika said to me, smiling and making a small bowing gesture.
"Nice to meet you Roderika, I am Alden, a humble sorcerer." I said, bowing too.
We stared at each other for a few seconds before laughing.
"HAHAHA!" Roderika laughed, covering her mouth with her hands.
"Hahaha!" My laugh was lower and somewhat awkward; I'm not used to this kind of situation.
"I'm glad you're using your talent. Since I'm here, could you upgrade some spirit ashes for me?" I asked.
"Of course, which ashes do you want to upgrade?"
"These." I said, handing her the Lone Wolves and Jellyfish ashes.
"It's good to see you again, Aurelia." Roderika said to the ashes.
"Who is Aurelia?" I asked.
"This little one. She's on the verge of tears, the jellyfish girl, she seeks her distant home." Roderika said, showing me the jellyfish ashes.
So is she lost? I hope someday she finds her home.
"Give me a few minutes, and I'll deliver the upgraded ashes soon."
"Right, take your time. In the meantime, I will speak to Hewg."
"Okay, I'll be here waiting."
"I didn't expect you to be so popular with the maidens." Godwyn suddenly appeared at my side.
"I think I don't understand." I said confused.
"Well, it's just that you're a sorcerer, I was expecting you to stay locked in a library researching magic than getting some maidens."
"And what's wrong with that?"
"Nothing, but how about next time you give the girl some compliments? I believe it would do wonders for her low self-esteem."
"I don't see a problem with that, I'll try later."
As we approached Hewg, we heard him mumbling something. Was he praying?
"Your deity, have mercy and grant me forgiveness. The way is still long. A God who is not easy to bring down. However, one day, without fail, you will have your desire. So please grant me forgiveness, Queen Marika…"
Godwyn looked disturbed when his mother's name was mentioned, and as I approached, Hewg noticed my presence and stopped praying.
"Oh, you, aren't you? I… didn't notice you there. I'll do my job, as usual. Just show me your weapons."
Hewg said, pretending that nothing happened.
"Were you praying?" I asked.
"Those words were not meant for you. I can be your prisoner, tarnished. Nevertheless, my prayers are mine and mine alone. Well, I had my opinion. I will be more careful, too."
"No need to worry, I won't tell anyone." I said to Hewg and he looked relieved.
"Let's stop small talk, I propose we forge something."
During my exploration of Limgrave and Stormveil, I found several stones, which must be the stone used to forge here. I gave Hewg my Lord's Worn Great sword and the stones needed for the upgrades.
"Hm… A beautiful sword, too bad it's so worn out, I'll return it in a few minutes."
Hewg then began his work.
Glancing to the side, I noticed that Godwyn was strangely silent. I walked away from Hewg and spoke to Godwyn.
"Godwyn? Is something wrong?"
Godwyn took a deep breath and spoke.
"It's about what Hewg said. My mother. Did she imprison him here? You know, despite what many people think the golden order isn't perfect. My mother could be especially cruel sometimes."
"Hm… If it's any consolation, I don't blame you for anything your mother might have done."
"Thanks." Godwyn smiled.
"Hey, what are you whispering there? Your weapon is ready!" Hewg yelled.
I walked over to Hewg and picked up my upgraded sword.
"Thank you Hewg! Could you change the ash of war from this weapon?"
"Of course. What kind of blacksmith would I be if I didn't know how?"
Hewg exchanged the Stomp ash of the war for the Determination ash of the war. This new ash of the war makes my next attack with the weapon stronger.
"Thanks, I think that's all for now."
"Humph! Try not to die out there."
"Leave it with me!"
I turned away from Hewg and headed toward Roderika.
"Hello! I finished upgrading the spirit ashes." Roderika gave me back the ashes.
Upon receiving it, I was reminded of what Godwyn said about praise.
"Thank you, Roderika, you did a good job."
"Oh! Thanks." Roderika said, looking down, hiding her face.
Weird.
"HAHAHA!" I heard Godwyn laugh beside me.
What was so funny?
-XXXXXX-
I believe I did everything I had to do, time to leave, but on the way to the grace, I bumped into someone. It was Nepheli.
She crossed her arms, and with a small smile on her face, she talked to me.
"You again… I thought you'd get a call to the Round Table. Nepheli Loux. We met in Stormveil, I'm glad to see you here. I have something for you; I found it in Godrick's grafting ground."
Nepheli then handed me a talisman representing a mass of grafted swords.
"Thanks." I said, accepting it.
"You must have it, make good use of it. I don't plan to get into the habit of looting dead bodies. Oh, yes! I wonder if you met my foster father. He's in his office. If you haven't already, I advise you to introduce yourself. The father is the leader of the Round Table. I'm sure talking to him will be worth it."
"Oh! Is your father Gideon? If so, I already spoke to him."
"Good to know, unfortunately, it's time to leave. I'll see you again, sorcerer, if fate allows." Nepheli nodded and then disappeared into one of the Round Table rooms.
I kept the amulet inside my magic bag.
"Hm… She has too much muscle for my taste, but I won't judge if that's your preference." Godwyn said.
I sighed. I'll have to put up with Godwyn's comments, won't I?
I touched the grace and transported myself to Limgrave.
-XXXXXX-
I left the grace in the dilapidated church, but before I could continue my journey, I heard someone talking to me.
"Oh! Is that you? Good to see you again! Any news?" Kalé asked from his usual place.
"No, I just explored Limgrave… Wait… I also found something strange during my trip. It was the howl of a wolf in some ruins in the forest. The howl seemed to be coming from above." I said, approaching Kalé.
Kalé then assumed a thoughtful expression.
"A wolf's howl, in the forest… I suppose he must still be hiding… I know. Why not meet him in person? Next time you hear the wolf howl, make this sign."
Kalé said, snapping his fingers.
Kalé must have noticed my suspicious look.
"Oh, don't worry, there's nothing to fear. I just have a feeling the two of you might get along." Kalé said with a small laugh.
"Thanks for the information, Kalé; I'll check it out."
"You're welcome. Tell my friend I said 'Hi'." Kalé said as I walked towards the grace.
"Are you sure about that? This merchant wasn't clear about whom we'll meet." Godwyn asked worriedly.
"I already bought some items from Kalé and he seemed like a good person, besides, if he meant to hurt me, he would have done it a long time ago."
"If you say so." Godwyn shrugged.
I transported myself to the grace at Fort Haight.
-XXXXXX-
We arrived at Fort Haight, but before I could go into the forest, I heard someone shouting from the walls.
"Kind sir! Could you come over here?"
It was Kenneth.
I entered the fort and climbed the stairs until I reached Kenneth.
"I suppose you must have seen by now, yes, the sorry state of my fort? Oh indeed, it is a terrible fate for a land to be without a ruler. One must be found, in a hurry. Moreover, not that horrible Godrick. However, a true, stalwart Lord of the proper lineage to take the kingdoms of Limgrave. I am sorry to have raised your hopes… But I have no authority to elevate you to a knighthood."
Too bad, I was enjoying the idea of being knighted. Is it just me, or was Kenneth a little nervous talking to me?
"The Great Kenneth Haight issues his most sincere apologies. Now, I must begin my quest without haste. For a true and stout Lord of proper lineage to take the reins of Limgrave."
"In other words, you want me to find a legitimate ruler for Limgrave." I said.
Kenneth looked away sheepishly.
"Yes, if it's not a problem." He whispered.
"Fine. You have the family tree of the rulers of Limgrave?"
"Unfortunately no." Kenneth said, looking away.
I took a deep breath. Excellent! I have to find the member of a bloodline that no one knows if is extinct or not.
"If I find someone worthy and return immediately."
That seemed to cheer Kenneth up.
"Thank you, kind sir, I wish you good luck in your quest… However… If I may say so… Wouldn't it be a good idea to change your current attire?" Kenneth said nervously.
"What do you mean?"
"Well… On the Night of the Black Knives, Godwyn the Golden was killed… However, there was one more person in the capital who tried to poison Lord Radagon and Queen Marika… You wear the same clothes as that person; I'm not claiming that you are that person. After all, you have only performed good deeds in my service, but other people following the Golden Order may not share my opinion."
Kenneth said nervously, looking away.
"Thanks for letting me know, I'll see what I can do." I said, turning to leave.
"Until we meet again." Kenneth said as I walked away.
Well, well, well. If isn't the consequences of my actions coming back to haunt me. If I travel through time again, I will make sure to use different equipment each time.
"So? Who was the pompous noble?" Godwyn asked as we walked away from the fort.
"Kenneth Haight, I helped him take back his fort."
"You seriously need to tell me what you've been up to before you met me, I love a good story." Godwyn said, drank from a goblet of wine.
"I have no shortage of stories to tell." I called Torrent and rode towards the ruins.
-XXXXXX-
When I reached the ruins, I hear the wolf's howl again.
I snapped my fingers and heard something falling behind the ruins; I approached it slowly with Rogier's Rapier in my hand. I went to the back of the ruins and was surprised by what I saw.
In front of me was a werewolf of sorts, a being between human and animal, like the leonine knights of Drangleic.
"Who goes there? Did Kalé send you?" The werewolf asked as his hand slowly went to the sword at his back.
"Yes. Kalé told me to come over here and snap my fingers." I said to the werewolf.
"Always the damn busybody. Hm… Maybe to him, you don't seem so strange. My name is Blaidd. I'm looking for a man who goes by "Darriwil". He fled to somewhere nearby. Or so I heard. Come and let me know if you find him before I do. I can offer you ample reward."
"Nice to meet you Blaidd, my name is Alden. Do you happen to have a clue where Darriwil might have gone?" I asked.
"Do you happen to have a map of Limgrave?" Blaidd asked.
"Yes." I said, showing my map to Blaidd.
Blaidd then searched for something on the map.
"According to the information I received from Kalé, Darriwil was last seen here." Blaidd said, pointing to a part of the map.
"Thanks, I'll see what I can do if I find Darriwil." I told Blaidd, putting my map away.
"Darriwil is nothing but a traitor. And needing a proper ending to his story." I heard Blaidd say as I walked away.
"How strange, I didn't expect to find a shadow around here." Godwyn said.
"Did you say something, Godwyn?"
"No, just thinking out loud." Godwyn replied.
Together we went to the location marked by Blaidd on the map.
-XXXXXX-
We arrived at the place marked by Blaidd. However, where was Darriwil? There was only one stone circle with a smaller one in the center.
"An Evergaol." Godwyn said beside me.
"Evergaol? What is that?"
"A type of prison, touch the blue stone in the center and we'll find Darriwil."
"I will probably have to fight."
"That's good, I'll finally get a chance to see how you fight, and I'll also have some good entertainment for some time." Godwyn said.
I sighed at Godwyn's attitude. I wonder if he traveling with me just to ease his boredom.
I went towards the stone circle in the center and touched it. I felt my body being transported somewhere, when I opened my eyes, I saw a transparent barrier around me and a golden summon sign in front of me.
I summoned Blaidd, he nodded at me and I nodded back. Now where was Darriwil? I got my answer when a type of blue spirit appeared on the other side of the evergaol.
It was a man wearing a armor covered by a piece of cloth, in one of his hands he carried a large sword that he leaned on his back, in his other hand there was large metallic claw.
His most notable feature was that he dragged himself along the ground like an animal, using its arms and legs like a quadruped.
"Darriwil… Rotting in a cell isn't true justice. No, this is where it ends for you." Blaidd said as he drew his sword and prepared to fight.
"Give me a good show!" Godwyn screamed.
When I looked towards him, I saw Godwyn sitting on a large ornate golden chair and in front of him was a table full of food and drink.
"What is this to you? A gladiator battle?!?" I exclaimed.
"Who are you talking to?" Blaidd asked beside me.
"No one, let's focus on the current situation."
Let's see what the Black Flame is capable of.
I lit my pyromantic flame and cast Black Flame, the flames changed to a black and white color, and then I threw it towards Darriwil. Unfortunately, he jumped to the side, dodging the fireball.
"Why don't you try a charged attack?" Godwyn said, munching on a chicken leg.
"And what is a charged attack?" I asked ducking from Darriwil's attack aimed at my neck.
"Focus on the fight!" Blaidd screamed cutting Darriwil's back.
"As the name says, it's an attack that you charge. You focus and put more power into your attack, you can do it with spells and weapons." Godwyn said drinking from a goblet.
"And you just tell me that now?!?" I yelled, casting a Dark Orb and hitting Darriwil in the head.
"Excellent! Of all the people Kalé could have sent me, it had to be a madman!" Blaidd growled, blocking a blow from Darriwil with his sword.
I took the chance and slashed Darriwil across his shoulder with Rogier's Rapier.
"I thought you knew it, after all, that the ax talisman you carry increases the power of your charged attacks! Alternatively, are you going to tell me you didn't know it? Did you walk around with that talisman, not knowing its effect?"
Godwyn asked as he removed the shell of a lobster and ate the meat underneath.
I didn't have time to answer as Darriwil ran towards me; he tried to cut my face with his claw. I used the ash of war of my staff, and as I extended my left hand, my staff spun in front of me with magic surrounding it.
Darriwil was hit several times by the attack, forcing him to back away.
"Is there anything else I should know?!?" I asked Godwyn.
"Yes! You can put two crystal tears in the physique vial you have. The green tear increases your stamina, the cracked tear increases the effect of your charged attacks, unfortunately, it doesn't work with spells and enchantments, and the crimson tear restores half your health."
Godwyn said this time cutting off a piece of roasted pork.
"How do you know that? I don't remember telling you about the flask." I said as Blaidd and I attacked Darriwil simultaneously.
Darriwil tried to slash Blaidd in the chest, but was stopped by a magic sword flying towards him, courtesy of the rapier ash of war. This gave Blaidd time to kick Darriwil away.
"I can feel the magic of the various items you carry, from your robes to the rings on your fingers; I hope you can tell me about it later." Godwyn replied, eating a piece of pork.
"To hell with it! How do I use the vial?" I said, rolling away from a series of blows from Darriwil.
"Who the hell are you talking to, you lunatic?!?" Blaidd yelled, blocking a blow from Darriwil's claw.
"Just put a tear in each of the sockets on the bottle!" Godwyn laughed.
I took the physique vial from my belt; looking at it, I saw two sockets in its adornment. I moved away from Darriwil and put the green and with tears in the sockets.
The liquid in the bottle glowed, and then I drank it. I felt its effects on my body.
"Good job, the effect should last for three minutes, more than enough to finish off this mad dog!" Godwyn said, crossing his legs and sipping from his goblet.
I put away Rogier's Rapier and held the Lord's Great sword. I cast Black Flame Blade; the flames enveloped the blade right after. Soon after, I ran towards Darriwil, who was busy exchanging blows with Blaidd.
Darriwil was taken by surprise when I cut him on the left side and black flames enveloped him.
Darriwil jumped towards me, but was stopped by Blaidd cutting him on his right side.
I used the sword ash of war. The sword was surrounded by a white aura and I passed it to my left hand, casting Black Flame towards Darriwil right after.
This time I charged my attack. A white magic sigil appeared in front of my hand as I launched the fireball. The Black Flame flew and hit Darriwil exploding on impact.
Taking advantage, I ran towards him, charging my next attack and pierced his chest. Soon Darriwil disappeared in runes.
He left his sword behind. I kept it in my bag.
"…Good job! We had to work for it, but it's done. Don't say I'm not a man of my word. Here is your prize." Blaidd said approaching me and handing me a type of forge stone, it differed from the others I found.
"Oh yes, I should say. If you venture north to Raya Lucaria and find a venerable blacksmith who's a little big… Tell him I sent you. Moreover, he will be sure to treat you right. I owe you one, despite your obvious madness… I think. That's enough chat for now. It is time for us to part."
Then Blaidd's summon disappeared, and soon I was sent out of the Evergaol.
"Bravo! One hell of a show! Too bad I can't have an encore!" Godwyn congratulated me, clapping his hands.
"You could have helped me instead of watching the fight like an emperor!" I said irritably.
"And what could I do? I'm a ghost!" Godwyn replied.
"I don't know! How about using your ghost powers to possess something and help me!" I said as we walked off the hill.
"Ghost powers? It doesn't work that way. If I could do something about my condition, I would have done it a long time ago, I'm stuck with you. Wherever you go, I'll go too." Godwyn said, floating in front of me.
"I wonder if I can get a priest to exorcize you away from me." I said smiling.
This seemed to irritate Godwyn.
"That's not how it works!" Godwyn said, stomping the ground.
I walked past him with a smile on my face. I don't mind a few small victories here and there.
"Hey! Where are you going?!? Don't ignore me! I'm talking with you!" Godwyn demanded.
I quickly summoned Torrent and rode away.
"Hey! Don't leave me here! I'm Godwyn the Golden! I will not admit this disrespect to my presence!" Godwyn yelled, floating after me, trying to catch Torrent.
-XXXXXX-
"Why are we here?" Godwyn asked bored.
"To see if Boc is okay and find a way to that island." I said, looking at the island through my binoculars.
I was riding Torrent with Godwyn walking beside me; we were on a beach in Limgrave. That island must be the place Yura told me about. The place where I could use the dragon heart. Now how will I get there? I cannot swim. Maybe I can find a boat.
"Who is Boc anyway?" Godwyn asked.
"A demi-human ape, he was banished from his cave and was transformed into a tree, I helped him, and now Boc feels he must reward me. He is a seamstress and said he would return to the cave for his sewing kit. He looked scared, so I decided to check on him."
I said, getting off Torrent in front of a cave. This must be the place.
"Hm… A rational demi-human? This is rare to see." Godwyn said with a hand on his chin.
"Is it that rare?"
"Most demi-humans act like aggressive animals, but there are a few you can have a friendly conversation with."
Hm… I feel uneasy about the way Godwyn talked about the demi-humans; there were also those beings with chains tying them to the chariots. I could be wrong, but it seems that some races in these lands are more favored than others.
"Ah… That… Hurts…"
I heard groans of pain coming from deeper in the cave. As I approached, I saw Boc beaten on the ground next to a site of grace.
"Oh, what are you doing here? You must leave this place immediately. They will beat you to a pulp. You will end up just like me." Boc said.
"Poor fellow. Who did this to you?" Godwyn asked, but Boc couldn't hear it.
I saw that the cave continued ahead and went deeper into the earth; whoever did this to Boc must be there. I touched the grace, approached Boc, and cast Warmth.
The fire orb floated beside Boc, healing him.
"Wait here." I said to Boc as I walked deeper into the cave.
"What will you do?" Godwyn asked.
"Solve this problem." I replied.
I found myself in a more spacious area of the cave. On the other side were two demi-humans carrying daggers and crouching low to the ground. Near them were smaller demi-humans carrying clubs.
I equipped the Bloodhound Fang in my left hand and used Black Flame Blade on it. One of the smaller demi-humans came ran towards me.
Before he could attack me, I cut him in half with my sword, black flames burned what was left of his body.
A second came from my right, I pointed my pyromantic flame at him and cast Great Combustion, and he was reduced to ashes.
One of the larger demi humans seeing this ran towards me with his daggers raised.
As he approached, I used the ash of war of my weapon. I swung it upward, and used the momentum of the blow to somersault backwards and gain some distance.
Then I used a charged attack, I shot forward at great speeds, for the untrained eyes, it was as if I had transported myself forward.
I pierced the demi-human in his chest, the black flames enveloping his body, and then he disappeared in runes.
There was one more left, he ran towards me with one of his daggers aimed at my eyes. I ducked, dodging the blow. Then he tried to cut me in the stomach, I rolled back, the blow just cutting the air.
I lunged forward, my pyromantic flame aimed at the demi human's face; I cast Fire Whip, a spiral of fire shot out of my hand and engulfed the demi-human, burning him completely.
The fight was over and on the floor there was a tailor's kit and a sewing needle, better return it to Boc.
I returned the way I came and found Boc with most of his wounds healed by my. I gave the kit back to him.
"Wait, is that what I think it is? Did you return it to me? My sewing needle! What made you do such a thing… My mom was a seamstress… and that sewing kit was all I had to remind me of her. I always wanted to be like sweet old mommy. So I suppose I-I-I can't just curl up and die, can I?"
"No problem at all Boc, if your mother was a seamstress, and you want to be, then how about some practice? There are a lot of different people in the Lands Between; I'm sure one of them will let you sew something for them."
Boc went silent for a few seconds as he hugged the sewing kit.
"Thank you, you are very kind." Boc then ran out of the cave.
"Are you okay?" Godwyn asked, putting a hand on my shoulder.
"Yes. Seeing Boc like that only reminded me of what I saw in Drangleic, but that's in the past now. Let's see how far this cave takes us."
Godwyn and I walked through the cave.
-XXXXXX-
Who knew? The cave led us to the island. Godwyn and I were in a ruined church with a dead dragon on the side. In front of me was an altar that glowed with a red liquid. I took the dragon heart from my bag and I approached it.
"So you're after a dragon incantation?" Godwyn asked, sitting on a ruin.
"Yes, but I'm not sure how to do it."
"Approach the altar, focus on the powers you wish to acquire, and devour the dragon heart."
I stared at the dragon's heart still beating in my hands. I shrugged, I can't taste anything anyway.
I focused in front of the altar and heard the names of the incantations in my mind, Dragon's Fire, Dragon's Claw, and Dragon's Maw. I chose Dragon Maw, so I devoured the dragon heart.
At first, I felt nothing, but as time went by, I felt a discomfort in my head, this discomfort increased until it became an absurd pain, and I grabbed my head, trying to stop it.
Suddenly I floated, a red sigil appeared in front of my face and a dragonhead appeared above mine. With an impulse, the dragonhead bit a piece of the ruins, crushing it completely.
Then I landed on the floor, breathing heavily.
"So, how did it feel?" Godwyn asked curiously.
"A feeling of power, I felt like nothing could stop me, but I also felt unbearable hunger."
"You better learn to control that hunger, after all, we don't want you to become a malformed dragon." Godwyn said, jumping off the ruin and landing beside me.
"One what?" I asked.
"That, my friend, is a story for another day."
I touched the grace on the island and transported myself far from there.
-XXXXXX-
"What will we do now?" Godwyn asked me as we walked through the hills.
"Find the location that is on the map that Fia gave us." I said, taking out the piece of paper and trying to find some point of reference.
"This is going to be boring." Godwyn said, looking at the map.
"You get bored too easily." I said to Godwyn.
"What can I say? I am a person always looking for emotions and challenges."
"That kind of attitude will end up killing you someday."
Godwyn laughed, patting me on the back.
"HAHAHA! Good joke, you are learning."
Joke? What joke?
-XXXXXX-
I crouched down, dodging a jet of poison shot by a giant jellyfish.
"Behind you!" Godwyn yelled.
I turned around and blocked the sword of a skeleton behind me; with an Ornate Sword in each hand, I pierced the skeleton, thrusting my sword in its lower jaw until it exited through its skull.
The skeleton crumbled, its bones scattered everywhere, but soon its bones came together, and the skeleton was on its feet again.
This has been going on for some time.
This is getting annoying, I was in a cemetery in the hills; this place was full of giant floating jellyfish and reanimated skeletons. The worst part is that this cemetery was on a cliff, and I was slowly being pushed over the edge, I could hear the waves hitting the rocks below.
"Godwyn! Any advice?"
"Maybe I have? Maybe not? I might have known, but a rude comment about getting a priest to exorcize me might have made me forget how to best deal with skeletons."
Godwyn said lying on top of a gravestone, his legs dangling in the air.
"Godwyn! This is not the time for that!" I yelled, casting a Dark Orb on a jellyfish, it disappeared, but there were still the skeletons.
"I might say if you apologize."
"Alright, alright! I'm sorry!"
"I'm sorry for what?" Godwyn asked his smile widening.
"I'm sorry, Godwyn the Golden!"
"See, it wasn't that hard! To finish off the skeletons, you need to use holy attacks, or attack the skeletons again as they crumble to the ground."
Finally! I used the ash of war from the ornate swords, dragging the blades together, covered them in holy energy, and ran towards the skeletons in front of me.
I pierced the first one in its rib cage, bones flying away. Other skeletons came towards me, trying to cut me with their swords. I spun around, cutting its spine in half; both halves of its body fell to the ground.
The last skeleton ran with a spear in its hands, when it approached I took a step to the side letting it pass me, and then I cut its head off.
Looks like its over, but I didn't found the place Fia was talking about, at least I found a spirit ash in this cemetery, the ashes of Soldiers of Godrick.
"See, it wasn't that hard." Godwyn said, nudging me with his elbow.
"You're right, Godwyn the Golden, the most annoying ghost I've met in my life and who will probably end up taking me to my grave." I said, calling Torrent and riding away.
"Hey! Come back here and say it to my face!" Godwyn yelled, chasing Torrent again.
-XXXXXX-
Godwyn and I kept looking for the place Fia talked about; on the way, we came to a collapsed bridge, on there was an old woman similar to Enia.
"You, please, I can read them. Your fingers, please, your fingers…" The old woman said to see me.
I approached her and extended my left hand; she took it and looked at it closely.
"Oh, God bless you. Oh! Ohh! Go to the golden foundation, Tarnished… Cross over to Raya Lucaria… And gather the crescent halves of the Great Lift. Ah, but the bridge has collapsed and cannot be crossed. Why does it matter? Stormveil Castle still rises mighty!"
Great, she talks in riddles!
I called Torrent and rode away.
"Did you understand what she said?" I asked Godwyn.
"The most I understood was to gather the two halves of the Medallion of Dectus and trigger the Great Lift to reach the Altus Plateau."
"I think I have a part of that medallion."
"Now we just need to find out where the other one is."
-XXXXXX-
"Is this the place?" Godwyn asked me.
"I don't know, but there's only one way to find out." I said approaching the door of the catacomb.
Godwyn and I rode until we got here. On the way, I got a crystal tear in a stone receptacle. According to Godwyn, the tear I got increases my strength. I put it in place of the green tear.
I walked past the ghost next to the catacomb door and opened it.
Going down the stairs I found a site of grace, touched it, and moved forward until I came to a large locked stone door.
"So, how are we going to get through?" Godwyn asked, approaching the door.
"Can't you go through the door and see what's on the other side?" I asked.
"How many times do I have to tell you that's not how it works? I'm not that kind of ghost!" Godwyn replied irritably.
"Never mind. What's the point of having a ghost helping you if he's completely useless?"
"I heard it!" Godwyn yelled.
We followed a passage on the left, going down some stairs. Suddenly a bunch of bones moved until they formed a skeleton with a sword.
With an ornate sword in each hand, I used its ash of war; I didn't give the skeleton time to fully form. I quickly pierced it through the rib cage and forehead. The bones fell harmlessly to the ground.
I kept going down until I reached an area with a staircase on the left, going down these stairs; I came to an area with stone pillars. Another skeleton tried to form, but I didn't give it time, I attacked it and the bones fell harmlessly.
Passing by the stone pillars, I saw a narrow passage to my left, passing through it; I came to a large room with stone coffins.
Again to my left there was a narrow stone corridor, passing through it, I came to a raised platform overlooking the area below, on the way I got an Uchigatana from a corpse.
Jumping off the stone platform, I went through a corridor until I reached a room with a lever in front of a statue, pulling the lever; I heard the sound of the stone door opening.
When I turned to leave I saw five skeletons in front of me, I didn't have the patience for it.
When the skeletons approached, I cast Wrath of the Gods with my chime, the skeletons were thrown away, and I ran past them until I reached the room with the stone door.
I went through the door and down the stairs. I noticed that the walls were covered in tree roots.
In front of me there was a fog wall, when I passed through it, I came to a large room with roots covering the stone pillars and a large mass of roots on the other side.
Something stirred in the darkness, as the figure approached; I was surprised by who it was. A Black Knife Assassin, one of the people involved in Godwyn's death.
"Kill her…"
I heard Godwyn say something behind me.
"What…"
I couldn't finish because of Godwyn's scream.
"I told you to kill her! Send that plague to the hell where it came from!" Godwyn yelled, pointing at the assassin.
The assassin wasted no time and ran toward me with her knife ready. The assassin looked wounded, but I couldn't worry about that now, there was an enemy in front of me.
I held Rogier's Rapier in my right hand and my Sunset Staff in my left hand.
I used the rapier's ash of war, magic swords appeared above me, and then I conjured a Dark Orb towards the assassin. She jumped to the side, dodging the spell, but was hit by the magic swords.
The assassin recoiled from the blow, and then I cast Dark Hail, the shards of darkness shot toward the assassin in an arc.
The assassin slipped under the spell, she then spun her body, dragging her knife along the ground, and tried to cut my chest. I quickly parried the blow and pierced the assassin in her shoulder.
She grunted in pain, and leaped forward, her knife aimed at my neck. I rolled to the right, dodging the blow, and then cut the assassin at her waist. She clutched her wound in pain.
The assassin then jumped and trued to plunge her knife towards my head, I jumped back, letting the blow hit the ground, and cast Dark Greatsword.
A blade of darkness appeared on my staff, and used it to cut the Assassin. The wave of darkness emanating from the blade, threw the assassin back.
The assassin then jumped, spinning her body and releasing a wave of black and red energy from her knife.
The energy hit me but nothing happened.
This surprised the assassin, but her surprise was her fall, because when she landed, I ran towards her and pierced her heart.
"You…you were there… that night." The assassin said before disappearing in runes, leaving only a knife-shaped talisman on the ground. I took the talisman and analyzed it.
"Hey! Godwyn! What do you think of this talisman?" Looking around, I didn't saw Godwyn anywhere.
"Godwyn?"
He didn't answer. I shrugged, put the talisman in my bag.
Near the mass of roots there was a chest, I hit it and nothing happened. When I opened it, I found a kind of black root; I kept it in my bag and walked out of the catacombs.
-XXXXXX-
As I rode on, Godwyn finally appeared, but he was strangely quiet.
"Godwyn?" I asked.
"Sorry for my sudden disappearance, but that talisman reminded me of the Black Knives, and the night of my death, for a moment everything came back."
"I see… If it makes you feel better, I don't plan on equipping that talisman."
"Thanks." Godwyn smiled.
"Hello? Can you hear me? Help me! I am stuck. Hello? Hi! Somebody!"
We heard someone asking for help.
As we followed the sound, Godwyn and I gasped at what we saw, a giant, talking jar stuck on the ground.
"Oh, by the stars, I'm so happy to see you! I'm Iron Fist Alexander. In addition, as you can see, I'm stuck here. Can you please help me with this?"
"Godwyn, are you seeing the same as me?"
"Yes, and I'm not believing it. I think it's better to help him."
I approached the talking jar.
"Thanks! A thousand thanks! Just give me a good slap from behind with something nice and big." The jar said.
I heard Godwyn laugh beside me. Did Alexander say something funny?
"Are you sure?" I asked.
"Put those doubts to rest, I'll be fine. I'm very well trained. Give it your all, I say!"
With Alexander's confirmation, I took Godrick's Ax out of my bag, gripping it with both hands, went to Alexander's back, and hit him, sending him flying.
"Oh! There! Ahhh! Ahh!"
Godwyn fell to the floor, laughing at the noises Alexander made.
"Well played, good sir. Well played. However, that mighty blow of yours almost marked the end of me! Ha! Well, I'm out now, and that's what matters. I thank you, and as a token of my appreciation, I would like you to keep this." Alexander said as he handed me a piece of flesh.
I kept it in my bag.
"Nice to meet you, Alexander, my name is Alden."
"Again, the pleasure is mine. I am a warrior jar known as Alexander. Alexander Iron First. I travel to the East, where I aspire to continue my education in the ways of war. Beyond these lands lies the rotting scarlet Caelid. Moreover, at the southern end is Red Mane Castle, in which a fighting festival is being held. I've heard whispers of such festivities before… The idea doesn't make your chest flutter?!?"
"I wish you a safe journey, Alexander until we meet again."
"Hope to see you again, my friend!" Alexander said, walking away.
Godwyn finally stopped laughing and stared at me with tears in his eyes.
"What?" I asked him.
"HAHAHA!" Godwyn laughed again.
I shrugged, called Torrent, and rode away.
-XXXXXX-
Up ahead I saw someone familiar, it was D. He was standing next to a dead body.
"There's no mistake, is there? Death left its mark once more. I'm sorry; I can't give you your proper rites… At least you haven't joined those who live in death. Erdtree, with time. Golden rays, like honey, release this spirit."
Looked like he was mourning someone's death.
"Oh! We meet again, heed my warning. The village here has been touched by Death. Worse, is the home of a Tibia Mariner. If you value your life, then go no further. Come back while you still can." D warned me.
"Alden, let's solve this Mariner problem." Godwyn said.
"Are you not on the side of Those Who Live in Death? Why do you want to finish off the Mariner?"
"There are better ways to solve this problem, but until then, we can't let the Mariners run wild."
"Fine. I will deal with the Mariner."
"Hm… I won't stop you, but you're a fool for trying." D said, crossing his arms.
"HA!" With my command, Torrent shot towards the village.
On the way I touched the grace near the village, this place was surrounded by water. However, where was the Mariner?
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw something purple glowing in the distance; I went towards it and saw the source of the glow.
It was a type of ghost sitting on a chair, on a boat, and with a lantern above his head; the ghost rowed his boat through the waters around the village.
"Is that the Mariner?"
"Yes." Godwyn said.
"Are you sure what we're about to do?"
"Yes, put him to rest."
With these words, I approached the Mariner, the Mariner seeing this, played a horn, the sound echoed through the village and skeletons emerged from under the water.
I rang my bell and summoned the Soldiers of Godrick, one soldier held a hammer and shield and another soldier a crossbow, they started fought the skeletons, leaving me alone with the Mariner.
The Mariner is one of those who live in death, so holy energy should work. With an Ornate Sword in each hand; I used the ash of war and coated the blades with holy energy.
Slowly, the Mariner lifted the front of his boat and dropped it my direction, I rolled to the right, dodging the boat, and cut the Mariner with my swords, making him row away.
Then the Mariner raised his hand above his head, and with a green glow, the boat rose into the air in a wave and fell towards me. I rolled backward, dodging the attack.
The Mariner then dipped his horn into the water and launched it forward, splashing water toward me.
I had the impression that it wasn't normal water, so I rolled away from the attack, and then ran towards the Mariner cutting him several times with the swords.
Suddenly the Mariner disappeared and appeared beside me, and swung his horn in my direction. I ducked letting the blow go over my head and lit my pyromantic flame, throwing a Chaos Fireball at the Mariner.
Right after, I held my chime and used Dragon maw, I floated, the dragon's head formed and bit the Mariner shortly after. With the mighty bite, the Mariner disappeared in runes.
There was a spirit ash on the ground and a root; I put it in my bag.
"May you finally find peace." Godwyn said to the Mariner.
"Looks like its over." I said to Godwyn.
"Yes, but this is just the beginning, there are still several Mariners causing trouble across the Lands Between." Godwyn said, watching the sunrise.
"Don't worry, we'll solve this problem. How about we see if there's anything useful in the village?" I asked Godwyn.
"Fine! More trinkets to add to our collection." Godwyn replied, rubbing his hands together.
"Of Course! Wait! What do you mean by our collection?" I asked Godwyn.
I'm the one gathering equipment here.
-XXXXXX-
We entered an underground area on the outskirts of the village, and on the way, I saw several messages that confused me.
"Behold dog."
"Dog ahead."
"Onward then dog."
"Look for dog."
I prepared Rogier's Rapier and my Sunset Staff. I remembered the hollow dogs of the Lost Bastille. I was prepared to encounter a monstrous dog, but what I saw surprised me, a room full of turtles.
"A bunch of turtles?"
"They're not turtles, they're dogs." Godwyn said, trying and failing to pet a turtle.
His hand ended up going through the animal, Godwyn looked sad.
"What are you talking about? They are turtles." I said, opening the door on the other side of the room.
"They are dogs!" Godwyn said beside me.
"They are turtles!" I said, hitting the chest, nothing happened.
When opening the chest I found a green talisman in the form of a turtle.
"They're dogs, and this talisman regenerates your stamina faster!" Godwyn said, pointing at the talisman.
I put it just below my ax talisman.
As we left the village, we found D.
"Well, well… Another fool who won't listen to reason, huh? Nevertheless, with a knack for weeding the Root of Death… Would you like to gain the strength of the beasts? If you are inclined to hunt more those who live in death and weed out the root of death, then I will introduce you to Gurranq, the beast-man cleric. I have an issue to resolve. In addition, the beast itself wants someone to take my place. What do you say?" D asked me.
I looked at Godwyn, asking what he thought; Godwyn gave me thumbs up.
"Yes, I would like to."
"Very well. Show me your map."
I showed my map to D and he marked a location on it.
"I marked the location for you. From a hidden portal. It will take you to Gurranq, the cleric beast man. I would love to stay longer to talk, but I have a business to attend to." D then walked away while waving goodbye.
"We are going to visit Gurranq later, now we are going to Liurnia." I said to Godwyn.
"I agree I believe we have explored enough." Godwyn replied.
"But how will we get to Liurnia?" I asked.
"If I remember correctly, there is a passageway through the Stormveil throne room." Godwyn replied.
"Well, to Stormveil we go."
I headed towards the grace near the village and transported myself to Stormveil.
-XXXXXX-
We came out of the grace in the courtyard where I fought Godrick, as I walked to the room across the courtyard; Godwyn put a hand on my shoulder and talked with happiness in his voice.
"Finally we'll go to Liurnia, we'll face powerful monsters, we'll explore ancient ruins, and we'll get several maidens!" Godwyn smiled, pointing at the sky.
Suddenly, a familiar sword fell from the sky a few meters away from of me. I know this sword. Don't tell me that…
Something heavy fell in the courtyard, raising a large dust cloud. I saw a red glow in the middle it, and when the dust settled, I saw a being wearing a large black armor covered with screaming faces, on his back was a quiver full of weapons, the being grabbed the sword in front of him and floated.
"You!" I said, drawing my Lord's Sword and staff.
"Alden? What is that thing?" Godwyn asked.
"The Pursuer!" I replied.
The red glow on the pursuer's helm intensified, and he bolted toward me.
END OF CHAPTER