The Blessing of Blood descended upon several Claymen in succession. The physical changes in these individuals were less pronounced than Pilar's; none of them even manifested the telltale signs of concentrated spiritual energy.
Mohg estimated this was because these Claymen lacked Pilar's inherent strength. Nevertheless, they represented a fresh infusion of combat power for his budding Dynasty.
However, more important than raw strength was Pilar's other contribution: his vast accumulation of experience and knowledge across the ages. Pilar not only understood the common tongue of the Lands Between but was also proficient in several other languages and could decipher the scripts of the ancient dynasties.
This was an invaluable asset for Mohg's future research.
After briefing Pilar on his duties, Mohg had him take several essential items and lead his sentient kin through the Blood Pool to rendezvous with Liana. He also used the statue to communicate the situation to Liana so she could prepare for their arrival.
As for why he hadn't briefed her when he sent the Malformed Star's remains earlier... he had simply forgotten.
Once the blessed Claymen departed, the remaining mindless kin fell back into a state of confusion. Led by several Clayman Priests who still retained their basic instincts, they returned to their original patterns of activity.
Watching these creatures who had lost their sapience, Mohg fell into a brief, somber silence. These Claymen were strikingly similar to the common residents of the Lands Between who had succumbed to soul-stagnation after the shattering of the Elden Ring. Their souls gradually withered away while their bodies remained—vessels driven by nothing but primal instinct.
For some, the total dissipation of the soul was a mercy. The alternative was to become a "Living Husk"—trapped in a body that could be devoured by monsters while the consciousness endured eternal torment. It was a form of torture beyond imagination.
Shaking his head to clear the thought, Mohg unfurled his wings once more and flew toward the waterfall above. This wasn't a problem he could solve yet; his priority remained finding the Eternal City of Nokstella.
Soaring over the waterfall, Mohg soon discovered a new canyon. This one was even more expansive than the one he had left. The good news was that he had emerged at the canyon's edge; he only needed to fly toward the far end.
The currents here were swifter, and the canyon walls were devoid of any animal or plant life. Mid-flight, Mohg realized the water wasn't flowing from the far side, but from above. The water plummeted from a higher level before splitting in the middle to form two separate river channels. This strange sight defied the geographical logic of his past life... but in a place like the Lands Between, which operated on its own unique physical laws, logic was often a secondary concern.
Bypassing the small waterfall in the center, Mohg spotted a massive cavern entrance at the far end. The water from the canyon flowed directly into this passage, disappearing into a lightless abyss.
After a moment's hesitation, Mohg left a mark at the entrance, folded his wings, and stepped into the tunnel. Even if this wasn't the right path, it was a discovery worth investigating. He wasn't familiar with every winding passage down here, so exploring them one by one was a valid strategy. Furthermore, he was still close to the Uhl Palace Ruins, and since he considered his luck to be fairly decent, he decided to trust his intuition.
Boom!
With a wave of his hand, a globule of bloodflame ignited, acting as a torch to illuminate the pitch-black tunnel. Mohg began his descent.
The path was a monotonous stretch of rock and flowing water. There were no signs of ant excavations—only the occasional silver firefly drifting lazily through the air. His spiritual intuition remained silent, giving the impression that the area was exceptionally dull and safe.
That feeling didn't last long. Before long, he caught a scent that was all too familiar—a scent he had even "tasted" before...
The stench of Basilisks.
Mohg came to a halt, his expression growing complicated. Where there were Basilisks, there was usually something far more terrifying nearby. In such areas, water ceased to flow, forming stagnant lakes where "mist" hung heavy in the air.
And in the world of the Elden Ring, stagnant, unchanging water bred only one thing... Rot.
He had absolutely no desire to wander into the Lake of Rot. That place held nothing but horror and misery. If he caught the eye of the Rot Goddess, he'd be in for a world of trouble. Unlike the Formless Mother, the Rot Goddess wasn't "chill" at all; she was the type of deity who was constantly plotting to make a massive, catastrophic scene. He suspected she was already covertly preparing to undermine Radagon and Marika.
Though, I suppose the Rot Goddess didn't expect her chosen empyrean to be suppressed by her brother's 'Unalloyed Gold'—or that she'd be so charmed by that same brother that she'd lose interest in everything else...
Mohg sighed. In a way, he was in the same boat as Malenia—the "pot calling the kettle black." After all, he was the other "unlucky bastard" fated to be charmed by that same brother.
Hearing the familiar scuttling sound of many legs, Mohg's eyes took on a look of weary resignation. His "old friends" had found him first.
Blood Whip!
Crack!
Mohg lashed out with a whip condensed from Accursed Blood, striking the cavern walls and the lunging Basilisks. Upon contact, the creatures were sliced clean in two, the scent of burning blood adding a foul, metallic tang to the air.
Having cleared the immediate threat, Mohg continued forward. While he didn't intend to dive into the Lake of Rot, there was no harm in surveying the perimeter. He might even find a familiar landmark from his memories.
As he passed the Basilisk corpses, he glanced down. These creatures had low physical resistance but were remarkably resilient to status ailments—they were even immune to the Scarlet Rot.
Hmm. I almost want to skin them and make a suit of clothes out of them. That would certainly solve the Rot problem...
Bypassing the pile of carcasses, Mohg soon caught a scent that was sickeningly sweet, yet laced with a faint, underlying rot that made his head swim.
Even a shallow breath of the air made him feel slightly unwell. It wasn't enough to infect him with the Scarlet Rot yet, but long-term exposure would be another story. Mohg retreated a few steps, took a massive lungful of fresh air, held his breath, and marched forward again.
Ahead lay a passage that opened directly into a colossal, blood-red cavern.
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Elden Ring: As the Consort, I Reject Miquella (340 Chapters – Ongoing)
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