Gawain left his quarters and quickly located the Redmane Knight who had escorted him in. He had a few questions to ask.
"That tremor just now... does that happen often in Redmane Castle?"
"Sigh, there's no point in hiding it. The General's condition is worsening. The city feels the gravity magic he releases unconsciously."
The Redmane Knight's voice was tinged with sorrow. These incidents were becoming more frequent. In the beginning, General Radahn could still occasionally relay orders through Jerren; now, there was nothing but beast-like wails and fluctuations of gravity magic that shook the entire fortress.
"This can't go on. Do you know exactly when the festival will begin?"
"The specific time? The Castellan decided long ago: the festival opens when the stars fill the sky. Based on current calculations, that should be in about fifteen days. Here, take this Redmane Token. With this, you can move freely throughout the castle over the next few days without being hindered."
Gawain pondered this. Fifteen days was roughly what he had expected. In the game, the festival was triggered either by progressing Ranni's questline or by reaching the Altus Plateau.
"Fifteen days, then. I can wait. But where is the Castellan now? I'd like to meet him if he has the time."
"The Castellan has locked himself in his chambers. He won't see anyone until the festival begins. I suspect that applies even to you, milord."
"I see. That's a shame. I wanted to discuss a few things with him—and, if possible, check on General Radahn's condition."
The Redmane Knight hesitated, then offered a suggestion.
"If you are insistent on a meeting, you could try to pass the trial currently being held in the plaza. Two of the finest warriors in Redmane Castle are guarding that ground. If you can defeat them and prove your martial prowess, I believe the Castellan would be very pleased to see you. Of course, it is merely a trial—the fight ends once a victor is determined. There's no need for lethal force."
Gawain knew exactly what this was: the Misbegotten Warrior and Crucible Knight boss fight from the game. He remembered being stuck on this encounter for a long time during his early-game exploration.
The Misbegotten Warrior was manageable enough—one could usually just summon the Lone Wolf Ashes to stunlock it. But that "poise-god" Crucible Knight was a nightmare for someone who struggled with parrying.
However, that was then, and this was now. Since arriving in the Lands Between, he hadn't truly tested himself against a Crucible Knight in earnest. He decided to head over; it would be a good way to stay sharp before the big battle.
On his second day in Redmane Castle, Gawain sought out the knight and asked to be led to the plaza.
As an outsider, wandering around aimlessly was a sensitive matter. He hadn't snuck in through the side door like a player character; he preferred to operate in the open.
The Redmane Knight wasn't surprised by the request. Evidently, Jerren had given instructions before sequestering himself. The trial served to identify potential champions and discourage the weak who were simply looking for a quick death. No one knew what would truly happen once they stepped onto those dunes.
Guided by the knight, Gawain marched toward the heart of the castle. Along the way, he saw more Lion Guardians with blades in their mouths, as well as Abductor Virgins—likely gifts from Rykard.
The machines were consuming corpses, pulling them into their iron maws. With the help of techniques learned from the Fire Monks, the soldiers were using the machines to provide a "one-stop cremation service" for bodies heavily polluted by the Rot.
They reached the tunnel leading to the trial plaza. The layout was nearly identical to the boss room in the game, though the armory was now bustling with soldiers frantically hauling weapons to the front lines.
There were no idlers in this city; everyone had a role. If one looked up, they could see rot-infected flying creatures attempting to dive into the city, only to be intercepted by the castle's defenses.
Before he even reached the plaza, Gawain heard a guttural roar. He had heard a similar sound back in Castle Morne. If he remembered correctly, this belonged to the Misbegotten Warrior of Radahn's army. It seemed a challenger was already in the ring.
He waited a moment and heard the rhythmic clack-clack of heavy metal. The Crucible Knight had joined the fray. The current challenger seemed fairly capable, managing to hold his own against two foes at once.
"I've seen too many challengers lately," the Redmane Knight muttered, his tone dripping with disdain. "Most are far too confident. they think they can pass the trial, see the Castellan, and claim the General's Great Rune ahead of time."
To the knight, these petty scoundrels were a waste of time and energy for the two defenders. They would be better off out in the wilds killing Pests—at least then they'd be doing something useful.
"So far, not a single challenger has managed to defeat both of them. This one is decent, though; he's lasted until the Crucible Knight stepped in. Others have been cleaved in two by the Misbegotten before they could even draw their blades. Anyway, it looks like this one is finished. Even though you are a guest of the Castellan, the rules must be observed. I wish you luck in your challenge."
Gawain nodded. Judging by the sounds, the tide had turned. A sudden scream echoed, and he saw a massive, round form blasted out of the plaza by the Crucible Knight's Aspect of the Crucible: Horns—a powerful shoulder-bash that sent the figure rolling.
He squinted and realized it was Alexander the Warrior Jar. It seemed that after their meeting, the jar hadn't gotten lost in the tunnels but had found his way here first.
Alexander looked worse for wear. Several cracks spider-webbed across his clay body, clearly the result of the Crucible Knight's heavy strikes. However, Warrior Jars could self-repair as long as the damage wasn't catastrophic, so he wasn't in mortal danger.
The round jar rolled a few times and came to a stop. He noticed Gawain standing nearby.
"Ah! We meet again! I knew you would make it to Redmane Castle for the festival. Since you are here, I assume you, like me, wish to challenge those two mighty warriors!"
Gawain was genuinely surprised. Alexander was fast. He had only arrived yesterday—had the jar found a shortcut or used a teleportation gate?
Alexander patted the dust from his sides, stood up, and laughed boisterously, pointing to the cracks on his vessel.
"I know you are strong, but do not be careless! Those two are quite troublesome. They left these marks on me before I knew what was happening. What do you think?"
"Let me see... fighting a Misbegotten Warrior and a Crucible Knight at the same time is indeed a tall order," Gawain admitted.
"Do you think you'll lose?"
"I'll win."
With that pre-battle declaration, Gawain waited a moment for the defenders to reset. Gripping the Grafted Blade Greatsword, he slowly walked into the plaza.
He looked up. The Crucible Knight had flown back to his perch on the battlements, observing the arena and ready to intervene if necessary.
The Misbegotten Warrior, clutching the legendary Ruins Greatsword, rose from the ground. It sized up the new challenger, its eyes narrowing. It sensed something different about this one.
"Are you the new challenger? If you are ready, we shall begin. This may be a trial, but we do not hold back."
Gawain's eyebrows shot up. This was the first time he'd met a Misbegotten, other than Hewg, who was capable of speech. And it was actually wielding that legendary sword? Things were getting interesting.
He gripped the Grafted Blade with both hands and replied with an air of nonchalance.
"No, no. Let me correct you. To me, you are the challengers. If you're ready, why don't both of you come at me? I'm in a hurry to see your Castellan. Let's make this quick."
Despite the arrogance of the statement, the Misbegotten didn't get angry. It was a warrior chosen by the Castellan; it knew that such confidence required a foundation of absolute power.
"Very well. Let us begin."
Wielding the Ruins Greatsword required a staggering amount of Strength—fifty points, to be exact. Even a naturally powerful Misbegotten had to use both hands to swing it.
As the duel commenced, the Crucible Knight on the wall manifested his wings. He wanted to test the newcomer's mettle himself and planned to strike the moment his comrade engaged.
Gawain activated the Grafted Blade's skill, Oath of Vengeance, boosting his attributes and poise across the board. Even so, when his blade clashed with the Misbegotten's, the impact made his teeth rattle. The Ruins Greatsword was definitely packing extra weight in that strike.
As expected, after a brief charge, the Ruins Greatsword began to glow with the tell-tale violet hue of gravity magic. A wave of gravitational force erupted from the blade.
Gawain had anticipated the move and rolled clear of the main impact, but the crushing weight of the gravity field still made his movements sluggish. He used the storm to buff his agility, breaking free of the pressure.
"So this is the General's brand of gravity magic? Fascinating."
Gawain took advantage of the brief recovery window after the Misbegotten's heavy attack. He swung the Grafted Blade in a wide arc, imbued with a Storm art. The heavy blow sent the relatively low-poise Misbegotten stumbling back. At that moment, the Crucible Knight's follow-up strike descended from above.
Ignoring the distant Misbegotten, Gawain planted the Grafted Blade and rolled beneath the knight's plunging greatsword. As he came up, he whipped out a medium shield to catch the knight's follow-up: a sweeping Aspect of the Crucible: Tail.
One, two, three... now!
Gawain trusted his instincts and swung the shield with perfect timing, deflecting the knight's next lunge.
This was the Crucible Knight experience: they loved big, telegraphed moves and reading player inputs. Once they raised their hand, he knew exactly what was coming. He countered with a precision parry.
The Crucible Knight, staggered by his own momentum, fell to one knee. Gawain didn't go for a riposte. Instead, he raised a hand, and a pillar of flame erupted from the ground beneath the knight, blasting him backward.
Without looking back at the downed knight, Gawain sprinted toward the Misbegotten Warrior. He leaped into the air, spinning with the momentum of the Grafted Blade, and brought it down with a thunderous crash against the Ruins Greatsword the creature raised in defense.
"I learned the Lion's Claw early. I wonder if you can handle it."
A focused burst of force hit the Misbegotten square in the chest. The impact shattered its defense and sent it flying into the wall, where it slumped, unable to resist further.
"Enough. The victor is decided."
An elderly man in a red hood appeared on the battlements above—Castellan Jerren.
Though the Misbegotten and Crucible Knight had only suffered a temporary setback and could have continued the fight, it was clear this wasn't a duel to the death.
Hearing the Castellan's voice, the two warriors ceased their hostility. The Crucible Knight stood up, looking at Gawain with a mix of confusion and respect. He was still trying to process the parry—how had the man timed it so perfectly, and with a "clunky" medium shield, no less?
"Take it. This weapon is your reward for passing the trial."
The Misbegotten Warrior sighed and handed the Ruins Greatsword to Gawain. The weapon belonged to the Castellan and was kept as a prize for any hero who could pass the test. There was no reason to go back on the arrangement.
"I'll take it, then," Gawain said. "But a word of advice: next time you use that skill, don't charge it to the max. The opening you leave after the swing is long enough for me to cut you a dozen times."
"Is that so? It seems I have spent too much time fighting brainless rot-creatures. I've forgotten how to fight a true warrior. Thank you for the reminder. It was a fine duel. I hope you perform even better in the festival."
Gawain took his trophy, thinking he'd practice with the gravity arts later to better understand the General's attacks.
Damn, this thing is heavy, he thought, feeling the weight of the slab of stone. I'll stash it for now. My Strength is still a bit low.
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Elden Ring: In the Name of Ash (127 chapter - Ongoing)
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