We found ourselves close to the ruins where the portal that took me to the academy was.
"Where are we going, dear?" Rennala asked.
"Let's explore a little; we also have a lot to do in Liurnia." I replied, walking into the ruins. I noticed that there was an area covered by boards on the floor.
I broke it with my sword, revealing a staircase leading down, and Rennala wouldn't fit there.
"Can you wait here, Rennala?"
"Of course, dear, but don't keep me waiting." Rennala smiled.
I went downstairs and entered a room with a chest inside, hitting the chest, nothing happened.
"You don't need to smite every chest you find." Godwyn said.
"Believe me, I need to." I opened the chest and found a golden talisman with the image of the Two Fingers and people bowing in front of it.
I showed the talisman to Godwyn and he studied it.
"This talisman increases your faith. It's strange to find a Two Finger relic in Liurnia, probably from when Rennala and Radagon were still together."
"It's useful, but from what little I know of the history of this place, it's weird."
I went back to the ruins.
"Did you find anything interesting, dear?" Rennala asked.
I showed her the talisman.
Rennala narrowed her eyes and spoke through gritted teeth, "Honey, wouldn't you rather get rid of that thing? This talisman reminds me of those nasty fingers."
"Sorry, but the talisman is too good to throw away. If it makes you feel better, I can keep it in my bag." I replied, doing what I said.
"Thanks." Rennala smiled.
I called Torrent, but I noticed a problem, Rennala was too big to ride my steed. She could carry Torrent in her arms if she wished to.
"Is there a problem, dear?"
"No, I just don't know how to get you on Torrent; I don't want to make you run all the way."
"Don't worry about it, I have my ways."
Then Rennala floated, her body was enveloped by magic, when it was done, a moon floated in the air, similar to the one used in our fight in the library.
Then, the moon circled me.
"Ready to go?" Rennala's voice came out of the moon.
Strange. How did her body fit in that moon? How can she see where she's going? Is there air in there too?
"Let's go." I replied.
Therefore, we rode through Liurnia, and not much happened, that is, until we found an abnormal amount of skeletons in front of us.
"Alden?" Godwyn called me.
"Yes?" I asked, slashing a skeleton with my Golden Halberd.
"There's another Mariner ahead."
"That explains the skeletons, better get it over with."
Swinging the halberd and eliminating a group of skeletons, I took my binoculars out of my bag and observed the area ahead. I spotted the ghost paddling a boat, and it seemed he hadn't noticed me yet.
"Honey, what's the matter?" Rennala's voice came from the moon beside me.
"We found a Mariner."
"Mariner, what is that?"
"A being known as Those Who Live in Death, they appeared after Godwyn's death."
"Godwyn is dead!" Rennala screamed surprised.
"Yes." I answered seriously.
"A tragedy, despite being Marika's son, he was a good boy." Rennala responded sadly.
"What do you mean by, "Despite being Marika's son?"" Godwyn demanded.
"Yes, Godwyn was murdered and his body placed in the roots of the Erdtree to be reincarnated. But something went wrong and Godwyn's body corrupted the roots, this created those who live in death, beings like skeletons and ghosts."
"Did they find out who murdered him?"
Time to tell another lie.
"No, all they know is that someone hired the Black Knife Assassins to kill Godwyn, they infiltrated the capital and succeeded in their objective."
"He didn't deserve that."
"I agree, but at the moment we can't do anything about it, for now I'm fighting the Mariners to lessen the damage."
Rennala and I approached the Mariner.
"The plan is as it follows, I fight at close range and you support me with… Rennala, wait!"
Rennala came out of her moon and approached the Mariner, the Mariner played his horn, summoning skeletons, but before the skeletons could approach, Rennala pointed her staff at them and cast a great magic beam.
The skeletons and the Mariner were destroyed immediately, leaving only a ground scorched by magic.
"Did you see that? I did it!" Rennala waved at me.
"I'm thinking it was a good idea to let her come with us." Godwyn said.
"Really? Knowing my luck, that will become an issue later."
"You are too pessimistic."
"That comes with experience."
I kept the Death Root and Spirit Ashes left by the Mariner in my bag.
"Yes… You did it… Good job Rennala." I gave smiled nervously.
I had mixed feelings, in one hand, I was glad that the fight ended quickly and without problems, but on the other hand, I had the feeling that a victory was taken away from me.
After the fight, Rennala returned to her moon and I called Torrent again.
This time we arrived at a small village, with some wooden houses and jars of all sizes walking and dancing around flowers. To my surprise, this place was full of living jars like Alexander's.
"That's a surprise, these funny jars have a village, and I didn't know they lived in Liurnia." Godwyn said.
"Oh! Jarburg, how long has it been since I visited this place?" Rennala said happily, walking past me and talking to some jars.
Entering the village and looking around, I found a small jar sitting in front of a house.
"Hello, what are you doing here? I didn't think anyone knew about this place, 'except us jars. Oh! Will you be the new Potentate?" The jar asked in a child's voice.
"Potentate? What is that?" I asked.
"It is the leader of our village, a person to lead and defend us. Can you be our Potentate?"
"I don't know. It's not like I could stay here for long." I rubbed the back of my neck.
"I know! Show me your hands. It's just a little test, to see if you have the right stuff."
Shrugging, I removed my left gauntlet and held out my hand, the jars took my hand and caressed it.
"Hm… Your skin isn't so smooth, is it... You need smooth, gliding hands to be a Potentate, you know. I'm sorry, but I don't think you have what it takes... Shame on you..."
Smooth hands? I looked at my hand, despite being a sorcerer, my hands are full of calluses, burns, scratches, and scars, and each of them tells a story.
"I don't care what your hands look like if I can hold them." Rennala said, approaching with a smile and some jars children behind her.
The children were doing a little dance around Rennala. I laughed a little at it.
"Don't look so gloomy. We can still talk, potentates or not." The child jar continued.
"Thank you, but I don't think we've introduced ourselves, my name is Alden."
"Nice to meet you, Alden, my name is Jar-Bairn."
"Nice to meet you Jar-Bairn, my name is Rennala." Rennala said, beside us.
"Majesty, it has been a while since I last saw you." Jar-Bairn replied surprised.
"I see what you mean, I've been… unwell, but now I've returned to Liurnia to try to make things right." Rennala replied.
"We are fortunate to have you back, Your Majesty." Jar-Bairn voiced.
"Tell me, Jar-Bairn, before I leave. Do you know a jar named Alexander?"
"Have you been with Uncle Alexander? He used to live here with us, but then he left to be a champion. I asked to go with him, but he said: "The path of champions must be walked alone". So heroic, right? However, I miss him. If you see him, you should ask him to teach you how to fight. He is big, tough, and strong!" Jar-Bairn said admiringly.
He must hold Alexander in great respect.
"HAHAHA! Seriously? Who taught these jars to talk? I'm dying here." Godwyn exclaimed, laughing.
What does he mean by that? Is there something wrong with the way that the jars talk?
"Yes, I met Alexander. He was stuck in a hole."
"HAHA! It sounds like him, despite being a brave warrior; Uncle Alexander is a bit clumsy. I wish you a safe journey Alden, come back and visit me when you can."
"Sure, see you later Jar-Bairn!" I smile, calling Torrent right after.
"Goodbye little one, be careful!" Rennala said, entering her moon.
"A lovely child, no?" Rennala asked.
"Yes, but still innocent, the warrior's way is not all that wonderful."
"Let the boy dream, he will learn in time." Godwyn spoke this time.
Hm… Perhaps, I guess I'll give him some advice later. I was snapped out of my thoughts when I saw something shiny coming towards me. That looked like… A Lightning Spear?!?
I pulled Torrent's reins to the side, letting the spear pass. Looking at its source, I saw a knight wearing golden armor, it was one of the capital's knights.
"A knight of Leyndell! What is he doing here?" Godwyn exclaimed.
"I don't know, but sure as hell aren't here to talk!"
I pulled Torrent to the left, dodging another spear. I pointed my chime at the knight and cast Great Lightning Spear, the knight was taken by surprise, being hit in the chest and thrown to the ground.
I got off Torrent and approached him, but before I could do anything, Rennala came out of her moon and kicked the knight's sword away.
"What are you doing on my land?" Rennala demanded, placing a foot on the knight's chest and pointing her staff toward his face.
"What… Since when did you…" The knight muttered.
"Answer my question!" Rennala demanded, magic built into her staff.
"I am not under your oath; I am not obliged to tell you anything!" The knight replied.
"Is that so?" Rennala used her remaining hand to remove the knight's helmet, still with her foot pinning the knight to the ground.
Rennala gripped the helmet with both hands, at first nothing happened, then the metal creaked, and the helmet's ornaments popped out, Rennala crushed the helm like a sheet of paper and dropped it beside the knight's head.
"I was patrolling the region, to report the situation of Liurnia to the capital!" The knight responded scared.
"Tell the cowards hiding in the capital that Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon, will not tolerate trespassers in her lands!" Rennala said, taking her foot off the knight's chest.
The knight collected his sword and stood up, giving us nervous look, he walked away in a hurried step.
The knight forgot a bock with a golden cover on the ground. I pick it up.
"A dragon cult prayer book, that knight must be part of it. I recommend keeping that book, until you find someone who can teach you the incantations." Godwyn said.
I put the book in my bag.
"Marika, or whoever is in control of the capital. What are they planning, sending their knights to my lands?" Rennala complained, watched the knight in the distance.
"Rennala, are you okay?" I asked.
"Yes dear, just a little irritated." Rennala smiled.
"If it's okay, can we ride again?"
"Of course!"
We explored the area until we reached a hill, and on that hill, there were several messages on the ground.
"Dog ahead."
"Behold dog."
"Move on, then dog."
I got off Torrent and Rennala off her moon, we walked up the hill towards the ruins of a church.
When I got there, I had one of the strangest sights of my life, a giant turtle with a silver shell and wearing a priest's hat.
"A giant turtle?"
"What are you saying honey, that's a dog." Rennala said.
"I don't understand how you can't tell a turtle from a dog, Alden, that's a dog." Godwyn continued, pointing at the turtle.
I give up; the inhabitants of these lands are weird.
"You're tarnished, aren't you? I welcome you to the Church of Vows. I am Miriel, host of this sacred chamber. My apologies for the indecent state of things. Do you know the origin of this place?"
Great! The turtle speaks.
"No." I said disconcerted by it.
"Who can blame you? The Shattering caused us all to lose sight of something we hold dear. It is here, at the Church of Vows, that the great houses of Erdtree and Moon were united. Therefore, our church keeps in view the monuments of both houses. The Capital Erdtree and Raya Lucaria Academy."
"And that union continues to this day," Rennala said, grabbing my arm.
"Lady Rennala?!? I'm sorry I didn't notice your presence, allow me…" Miriel stammered, slowly turning towards Rennala.
"Please, you don't have to do this, it's good to see you again, Miriel." Rennala said, stroking Miriel's head.
"The feeling is mutual, Lady Rennala. But what do you mean by the union continuing to this day?" Miriel asked.
"Miriel, has age finally affected your eyesight? My dear Radagon is here." Rennala said, pushing me towards Miriel and removing my helmet with a tug.
Miriel's eyes widened.
"The resemblance is striking, but Lady Rennala…"
I put my hand in front of Miriel, cutting him off, and then shook my head. Miriel got the message.
"I... I see... it's good to have you back, Lord Radagon." Miriel said nervously.
"And it's good... Seeing you again Miriel." I replied.
We looked at each other awkwardly.
"Ah, was there something you needed? You are free to show yourself. I would serve as your guide, only my legs aren't what they used to be... If you find something useful, you're free to take it with you. Unless maybe you're looking for instruction? In that case, I will share everything I know." Miriel said, trying to break the strangeness of the situation.
"PPSSHH! Show him the book." Godwyn whispered.
"I found this prayer book; I would like you to teach me what is written in it." I said, handing the book to Miriel.
"Ah, what do we have here? All right, let's both learn together. Heresy is not native to the world; it's just a gimmick. All things can be joined together."
Miriel read the book that lay open on the floor in front of him, I sat down next to Miriel, meanwhile, Rennala sat on a piece of ruin, swaying her feet.
"Miriel?"
"Yes?"
"What can you tell about me Radagon?"
"Honey, why do you ask Miriel about yourself?" Rennala asked.
"I've heard strange rumors about me; I'd like to compare Miriel's knowledge with those rumors, to get a sense of what's going on." Another lie, I'm getting better at this.
"Do you want to know more about Lord Radagon? Lord Radagon was a great champion, possessed of flowing red locks. He came to these lands at the head of a great host of gold, when he met Lady Rennala in battle. He soon regretted his territorial aggressions and became the husband of the Carian queen." Miriel said.
"I still remember when we first met on the battlefield, the determined look on your face, your hair blowing in the wind, at first I thought you were just another warlord, but the more we faced each other, the more we learned about each other. . ." Rennala said passionately.
"However, when Godfrey, first Elden Lord, was chased from the Lands Between, Radagon left Rennala to return to the Capital, becoming Queen Marika's second husband and King Consort, taking the title... of the second Elden Lord. The mystery lingers, even to this day... As to why Lord Radagon would cast Lady Rennala aside... and... Why a mere champion would be chosen for the seat of Elden Lord." Miriel continued.
Rennala gave me a sad look.
"I don't understand either darling, why did you leave me for Marika?"
Godwyn, Miriel, and I looked at each other nervously, in my case, just Godwyn and I, since Miriel couldn't see Godwyn.
"You know, it is said that Lord Radagon harbored a secret… A famous sculptor from the Capitol was once summoned to render Lord Radagon's likeness into a giant statue. When he glimpsed the skeleton in Radagon's closet. And as such, the great statue is also said to harbor secrets from him." Miriel explained.
"So my darling was blackmailed by Marika?" Rennala questioned.
Thank you Miriel!
"Yes, that is exactly what happened!" I responded quickly.
With a snap of her fingers a magic sigil appeared above Rennala's hand, from that sigil, came a roll of parchment and a quill. Rennala wrote on the parchment.
"Rennala, what are you doing?"
"Writing down all the reasons I have for killing Marika, I don't care if she's trapped inside the Erdtree, I'll finish her off one way or another." Rennala said, still writing.
Miriel cleared his throat, "Well... now that your doubts are cleared, how about we learn some incantations?"
"Sure, show me what you found out."
-XXXXXX-
"Thanks for everything, Miriel." I said, waving goodbye.
"You're welcome, I'm happy to help, if you find more prayer books, bring them to me." Miriel replied happily.
"Thank you very much Miriel, take care and until we meet again." Rennala said, taking her leave.
"Your words are kind Lady Rennala; I wish you a safe journey."
That was productive, I learned three new incantations from Miriel and found a golden needle and sewing tool in the church, Boc will like that.
-XXXXXX-
"This must be the place." I said to Godwyn, holding up the map that Fia gave me.
"The map matches the area." Godwyn answered.
"Honey, what place is that?" Rennala asked.
"Remember when we talked about Godwyn's murder? I am investigating the murder for a sorcerer named Rogier and a woman named Fia, the clues lead me here."
"So what are you looking for inside this catacomb?"
"Yes, this could be dangerous, you better wait outside."
"I refuse, if you plan to enter a forgotten catacomb without knowing what's inside, I must help you."
"I won't change your mind, will I?"
"No." Rennala smiled.
Know what? Let's go. With an ornate blade in each hand, I opened the door to the catacombs and we entered.
The first thing we found when going down the stairs was a group of skeletons coming towards us. Immediately Rennala shot several spells at the skeletons, making them fall to the ground.
I dragged my blades one on the other, covering them with holy energy and cut the skeletons before they could reassemble.
We advanced until we reach a locked door with a staircase on the left, with no options, we walked down the staircase while eliminating the skeletons on the way.
As we walked, we saw a fog wall with a statue on the side. Touching the wall, I couldn't cross it.
"You have to use a stone key, dear." Rennala said.
Stone key? I think I have some, I took a stone key out of my bag, and saw an opening in the statue's head. Putting the key in the opening, the fog wall disappeared.
Entering the room, I found an ax in a corpse's hands.
"Interesting ax, the design looks a bit religious."
"Usher of Death Rosus, who shows the way to catacombs throughout the Lands Between, is depicted on this ritual ax. The dead easily lose their way, and have always been in sore need of a guiding hand." Godwyn said beside me.
"Was this written in a book in the capital?"
"Yes." Godwyn answered.
I need to find that book later. I put the ax in my bag, and we walked through the catacomb again.
We came to a room with three large blades going up and down. As soon as we entered, we took a step in opposite directions, letting an arrow pass between us.
There were two skeletons with bows and arrows in the room, one between the first and second blades and the other in front of an exit on the other side of the room.
"Can you hit the skeletons?" I asked Rennala
"With pleasure." Rennala cast two spells at the skeletons.
The skeleton between the blades was the first to fall, timing it right, I passed the first blade as it rose, and sliced the skeleton before it could rebuild itself.
"You can come any time." I said to Rennala.
A few seconds passed until I heard footsteps behind me, Rennala passed through the first blade. We approach the second one. The other skeleton reassembled itself and fired arrows at us.
At the right moment, we passed the second blade.
Rennala fired a spell at the last skeleton; we timed the third blade and ran pass it, slashing the skeleton, preventing it from coming back.
We walked down the passage that the skeleton was blocking until we reached a room full of water and with crabs scattered throughout the place.
"These are called crabs, aren't they?" I asked Godwyn.
"Yes, why the question?"
"Considering turtles are called dogs around here, I don't doubt other animals have had their names changed."
"You are weird." Godwyn said to me.
"No, the Lands Between that are weird."
As Rennala and I crossed the room, a giant pincer rose out of the water, and a giant crab appeared, only to be destroyed by Rennala's magic beam.
Once again, what little joy a fight brings me was taken away.
We walked through the area until we stopped in front of a barred gate. The bars were crooked and rusty, so I just kicked the gate and it gave way.
I saw Godwyn staring at me.
"What?" I asked.
"Nothing, I just figured you would find a way to open the gate."
"And I found it."
"I didn't think it would be so abrupt."
"It was an old rusty gate, I won't waste time looking for an alternative way to open it."
"You're talking to yourself again, honey." Rennala said.
"Sorry, I was lost in thought."
On the other side of the room was a lever, pulling it, I heard the sound of the locked door opening. We made our way back, passing the blades and more skeletons until we stopped in front of a fog wall.
"Ready?" I asked Rennala.
"Yes." Rennala nodded.
We went through the fog wall, we found ourselves in a large rectangular room with pillars on the sides, and on the other side of the room was a mass of roots and corpses with a chest in front of it.
In the center of the room, there was a creature, the creature was dark as night, it seemed to be made of darkness. Two eyes shone like diamonds on its face, adorning the creature's head, there were spider legs that moved erratically, the creature also carried a blade in each hand.
As soon as we entered, the creature teleported to the other side of the room, and skeletons reanimated to attack us.
I used the ash of war, dragging the swords on each other, I covered the blades in holly energy. Then, I ran towards the skeletons, quickly dispatching them with a fast trust in the center of their skulls.
However, before I could deal with the strange creature in the other side of the room, Rennala cast a magic beam, destroying the creature upper body, and leaving a pair of smoking legs that fell to the ground right after.
"Are you well?" Rennala asked me.
"Yes, not a single scratch. What about you?" I asked back.
"Nothing I haven't dealt with before. Crayfish gave me harder fights than that thing." Rennala smiled.
"Alden, that thing, was one of those who live in death." Godwyn said.
"Another being created by the death root?"
"Yes." Godwyn answered.
Therefore, there must be a death root here somewhere. I approached the chest on the other side of the room; nothing happened as I hit it.
Opening it, I found another death root and turning around, I saw an ash left by the creature. I kept it and the root in my bag.
"Is this what we came here for? A death root?" I asked Godwyn.
"It mustn't be that, if it was a death root, we just needed to hand over the one we already had. There must be something we are missing." Godwyn answered.
"Rennala, let's take a closer look at the catacomb, we still haven't found what we came for."
"Okay, but we must be careful; we may find another one of those things." Rennala replied.
I nodded in agreement and together we searched for what this catacomb truly hides.
-XXXXXX-
"How did we not notice this before?" I asked.
"Well, they say people don't look up often." Rennala replied.
"I feel like an idiot for not realizing this sooner." Godwyn continued.
The three of us looked up, toward the stone platform at the top of the room with the three blades. Something so obvious and we didn't notice.
Alden, you solved several puzzles in Shulva but struggled to find a passage that wasn't even hidden. I'm disappointed with you.
I climbed on top of one of the blades as it came down and when the blade came up, I jumped off it and stepped onto the platform.
Rennala did something different, she jumped, but it wasn't a normal jump, it was hard to explain but she came up slowly, almost floating, and as she fell, Rennala 'stepped' on the air, launching herself upward, and landing on the platform.
"Impressive." The words came out of my mouth without me realizing it.
"Thanks." Rennala replied.
We walked through the corridors of the catacomb, eliminating skeletons until we stopped in front of another fog wall. Crossing it, we found ourselves in a tiny room, with several church pews and a small altar on the other side.
Inside that, tiny room was a black knife assassin. The assassin turned towards us, and with grace and dexterity, she swung her knife towards us, sending an energy blade.
The blade cut the air with great speed. I immediately jumped in front of Rennala, protecting her from the blade. The expected result happened; the blade hit my body harmlessly.
"I only know one person whose destined death has no effect. You're the same man from that night, aren't you?" The assassin asked.
"Yes."
"Honey, what are you doing?" Rennala asked.
"Please wait." I said replied.
"I'm one of the few assassins who escaped the capital, Tiche was killed and Alecto was imprisoned in an Evergaol, I've lost everything. Why are you here? To take my life? Was the disaster in the capital not enough for you?" The assassin continued.
"I don't wish for trouble, I'm just looking for something that was hidden in this catacomb, if you tell me where it is, I'll leave without causing any trouble."
"You swear?"
"Yes, I swear."
"Say it with determination! You swear you'll go away and leave me alone if I give you what you want?!?" The assassin demanded, pointing her at me.
"Yes, I swear!" I said, placing my hand on my heart.
"Fine, here it is." The assassin said, throwing something towards me.
I grabbed it; it was a dagger with bright blue letters printed on its blade.
"Now get out of here! Get that accursed thing out of my sight! Before I feel like I made a mistake! This was all a mistake, killing the demigod and trusting that damn witch! Thanks to that, I lost everything… My sisters… My clan… Everything." The assassin said, walking towards the altar praying.
"I..." I couldn't finish, as Godwyn put his hand on my shoulder.
His face was a mixture of hate and sadness, he wanted me to kill the assassin, but after seeing how broken she was, he had second thoughts.
"Rennala, let's go."
"Honey, that woman… Did she participate in the Godwyn's murder?"
Well, she connected the dots quickly.
"Yes."
"Hm… Black Knives Assassins, not just anyone can hire them, whoever killed Godwyn has great wealth and influence."
I know, unfortunately, I can't tell you who that person is, for your sake.
Rennala and I passed through the fog wall and walked out of the catacomb.
END OF THE CHAPTER