The next morning, Gawain woke from a deep sleep. He had spent too much time boasting and storytelling the night before, eventually downing Siegward's brew by the gallon when he reached the exciting parts. He must have passed out right in front of the Site of Grace.
Melina had remained by his side throughout the night. Even deep within the Swamp of Aeonia, there were few things that dared approach the Grace, so his sleep had been exceptionally peaceful.
"Awake at last? It's nearly noon. How did you sleep?" Melina asked.
"Mm, not bad. Though I had this weird dream that someone was watching me. Probably just a trick of the mind."
Gawain suddenly noticed that the surface beneath his head felt uncharacteristically soft and carried a faint, pleasant fragrance. Realizing he had spent the entire night leaning against Melina's shoulder, he awkwardly sat up and moved a short distance away.
Melina didn't mind. She offered a small smile; seeing her traveling companion so relaxed was a rare sight, and the feeling of someone being willing to rely on her was a novel experience. She handed him a golden flask.
"I prepared this for you last night. I used the Crystal Tears we found in the Weeping Peninsula. I thought you might find a use for it in the upcoming festival."
"I almost forgot about this. Thanks, it'll definitely come in handy."
Gawain took the Flask of Wondrous Physick. Currently, it was mixed with two tears: one for healing and another that significantly mitigated the damage of the next hit. If he couldn't dodge Radahn's "Starscourge Meteor" strike, at least he'd have a chance to tank it.
After stowing the flask, he stood, stretched his limbs, and stepped out of the pocket dimension of the Site of Grace. Even after a night, the swamp remained relatively quiet. No surprises were in sight.
Summoning Torrent, he pulled out the crude map Gideon Ofnir had given him and pointed out the destination to his "automatic navigator." It was time to head to Sellia, Town of Sorcery.
"Are we going to Sellia today? No wonder you wanted to increase your Intelligence yesterday. Do you plan on using sorcery to gain the trust of the mages there?"
"Something like that. And it's best if the spell looks intimidating; otherwise, those sorcerers won't give me the time of day."
Melina thought back to the practical soul sorceries used by the Farron Undead Legion that Gawain had mentioned, but those "combat-focused" spells didn't seem particularly flashy. She wondered what kind of "powerful magic" he had in mind. She supposed she would find out soon enough.
Gawain mounted Torrent and prepared to cut directly across the swamp toward the southern shore to enter Sellia through the main gateway. He also wanted to see if killing that many Kindred of Rot had any lasting effect on the swamp itself.
As they rode, Gawain observed that there were far fewer attacks than on their way in. Occasionally, a few immature larvae would slither toward them, but Torrent simply crushed them underfoot, leaving only a splash of fluid behind.
"It seems that if you clear out the Kindred of Rot in an area, it takes some time for new ones to gestate. That's good news."
Making this judgment allowed Gawain to breathe a sigh of relief. He had feared they would simply respawn infinitely from the earth, which would have made future management a nightmare. The only real concern left was rational Kindred of Rot like Gowry; he wasn't sure if Gowry was a unique case or if there were others like him hidden throughout the blighted lands.
By the time they left the swamp, the sky was already beginning to dim. Without the disgusting muck beneath him, even the relatively dark Caelid Highway looked positively charming to Gawain.
Indeed, stay in a "poison pool" long enough and your aesthetic standards are forced to change. It was just like how, after dealing with the "Sada-kos" in the Profaned Capital, even the big-headed babies in the Irithyll Dungeon started looking cute by comparison.
After worrying briefly about his own mental health again, Gawain continued down the road and soon arrived at the Sellia Gateway.
As he approached, a dozen weapons were instantly pointed at him, and several marionette soldiers surrounded him, flailing their multiple arms. From atop the gateway, mountain trolls glared down at the intruder. The good news was that the garrison didn't open fire immediately; instead, they sent someone down to verify his identity.
After showing the token Jerren had given him, the guards lowered their weapons and allowed him through. After a brief exchange, Gawain learned why they were so high-strung. Too many people infected by the Scarlet Rot would approach the gates only to launch sudden, suicidal attacks, leaving everyone on edge.
Furthermore, the sorcerers of Sellia were known by another name: Sorcerer-Hunters. Their spells were designed for assassination, and they had offended more than a few people in their time. Without authorization from Redmane Castle, outsiders were rarely permitted entry.
As he passed through, Gawain looked around. He had to admit, the three Carian siblings—Ranni, Rykard, and Radahn—must have been incredibly close allies during the Shattering. The Sellia Gateway was a veritable showcase of their combined military might: marionette soldiers, trolls, and flame chariots were all present.
After all, Sellia was where General Radahn had learned his gravity sorcery. In terms of importance, it was second only to Redmane Castle.
One of the primary reasons the General chose to "conquer the stars" was that a malicious star was hurtling toward Sellia. To protect his school, Radahn crushed the star and subsequently halted the movement of the entire cosmos.
While this act sealed the destinies of many—including the Carian Royal Family—it also prevented the Lands Between from being constantly pelted by malevolent stars. Otherwise, there would likely be a lot more than just one or two Astels roaming around today.
However, while Sellia had not yet been overrun by the Kindred of Rot, it was far too close to the Great Swamp. In places the guards couldn't watch, a few disguised Kindred would occasionally slip in as humans—like a certain "Sage" who claimed to be Millicent's foster father.
Gowry was reclined in a dilapidated shack, a massive scarlet dog guarding his side. He hummed a jaunty little tune. As a Kindred of Rot capable of taking human form, he was naturally distinct from the mindless "pests" wandering outside.
During Malenia's bloom, he and his cohorts had contaminated all the "daughters" born from the flower buds with the Scarlet Rot. Four of them had already succumbed, becoming entities like him—embracing the rot and awaiting the advent of the Goddess of Rot.
But the last one, Millicent, was a problem. No matter what he tried, he couldn't break her iron will.
However, killing her wasn't an option. Their goal was to see the Goddess of Rot become whole, and a missing piece would make the result imperfect. Besides, the hardier the bud, the more beautiful the moment it finally blooms in despair.
To make Millicent yield, he needed a better plan. If simple corruption failed, perhaps he needed to change his approach. Perhaps only a bone-deep betrayal could make that resilient bud feel true, absolute despair.
It would be just like Miquella's influence on Malenia, which had eventually resulted in the Aeonian bloom that covered all of Caelid.
Gowry wasn't in any particular hurry. Time was on his side. In the current state of the Lands Between, who had the power to stop the rot from spreading?
The Commander was trapped in the heart of the swamp; the Cleanrot Knights had been scattered since Malenia's defeat; the Redmane Legion was barely holding on; and even Sellia, which was still resisting, was destined to fall sooner or later.
The thought of Malenia becoming a true Goddess of Rot—turning the entire Lands Between into a paradise for the Kindred, a resurgence of the mythical age of rot from antiquity—made him feel as though the scene of vibrant, chaotic growth was already before his eyes.
However, his pleasant daydream was soon interrupted. The dog at his side sensed someone approaching. Gowry waved a hand, signaling his pet not to attack.
He was disguised as a human, after all, and he planned to trick a few more people into following the Laws of Rot. He couldn't afford to attract the local guards; any scrutiny might blow his cover.
He glanced at the newcomer—a knight in polished armor. The man had removed his helm and was approaching with a rather nuanced expression.
Gowry didn't recall such a figure arriving in Caelid. Likely someone drawn here by the festival at Redmane Castle.
It didn't matter, as long as it wasn't a Sellian sorcerer. He was currently a "Sage." Just as he was about to open his mouth to begin his deception, the man spoke first.
"You seem quite comfortable lounging here, old man. You look rather refreshed."
"Haha, young man, you could stand to lounge a bit yourself. It's good for the constitution. Especially breathing in the sweet, fresh air here. This is the true life."
"You seem quite old, yet your body is remarkably robust. Your breathing is clear, your spirit calm... you look healthier than the Radahn soldiers outside. I'm impressed."
"Ah, the years haven't been kind. In the blink of an eye, I've lived over a hundred years. And you, young man? How old are you?"
Gawain feigned a sigh as a Pyromancy Flame quietly ignited in his palm. The stench of rot on this "old bastard" was practically unmaskable.
"Ah, how shameful. If I don't count the time I spent traveling to a distant end-of-the-world, I'm only in my twenties. I'm nothing like you, you old geezer, playing your games of deception and hiding in plain sight."
"I can tell you're not human at a glance! Hmph, you think your petty tricks can fool me? Bold monster! I'll force you back into your original form!"
"By the power of the Heavens! By the Earthly Sovereign! By the Great Law! Dragon of the Skies, reveal yourself!"
Gawain didn't feel like wasting words with a Kindred of Rot like Gowry. He gathered a storm into his fist and delivered a punch that sent the "Sage" flying, deciding to skip the pleasantries and prevent whatever plot Gowry had for Millicent.
Gowry was completely blindsided by the sudden strike. Seeing its master attacked, the dog bared its teeth and lunged, only to be instantly engulfed in a Pyromancy Flame. After a brief howl on the ground, it went still.
Gowry's twisted, distorted limbs writhed as he tried to crawl away. Before he could cast a spell, Gawain's foot came down, crushing his staff into splinters. The "Sage" coughed up rot-blood flecked with white spots. If Gawain hadn't wanted to confirm Millicent's location, that first strike would have killed him.
"Cough... Who... who are you?"
"You don't need to know who I am. Now, tell me Millicent's exact location. Where are you keeping her?"
Gowry froze. The man knew about Millicent? Was it the work of that Commander?
"Cough... I see. You seek the girl? It's too late. Her four sisters have already become the goddesses we desire. Her blooming into a beautiful flower is only a matter of time."
"Cut the crap! She's being held at the Church of the Plague, isn't she?"
Faced with the interrogation, Gowry tried to deny it. He sensed that if this man found Millicent, the ending wouldn't go the way he wanted.
But Gawain saw everything he needed in the creature's shifty eyes. Millicent likely hadn't been moved yet. In that case, this old bastard was useless.
Honestly, at the start of the game, Gawain had quite liked Gowry; the old man acted the part of a caring elder perfectly. It wasn't until he revealed his true colors and asked a "Living Yama" to backstab a girl that players realized he was a Kindred of Rot in disguise.
Now that Gawain had the Unalloyed Gold Needle from Commander O'Neil, he had no intention of letting Gowry "repair" it. Who knew what kind of red-tinted additives he'd mix into the fix?
Seeing Gawain's eyes, Gowry knew his expression had betrayed him. Realizing there was no hiding the truth, he hissed indignantly.
"We only seek a place to exist! We have lived upon this land since ancient times! Do we deserve to be slaughtered by the likes of you simply for wanting to live?"
Gawain almost laughed at the absurdity. The Scarlet Rot had turned Caelid into a nightmare of suffering for every other living thing. There was zero possibility of coexistence, yet this thing had the audacity to say that.
"If you don't die, I do. Don't think for a second that because you can change into a human shape that you are human. Once a Kindred of Rot, always a Kindred of Rot. I don't argue with monsters; you're not worth the breath."
Without another word, Gawain used his Pyromancy Flame to detonate Gowry from the inside out, reducing him to ash just like the other rot creatures.
Melina, who had watched the whole thing, felt her mouth twitch. While she agreed that eliminating the Kindred of Rot was a good thing, the scene had felt... a bit off.
She pushed the thought aside and recalled the location on the map. "How did you know the girl was being held there?"
"Just a lucky guess. But it seems I was right. It's not far from here. We'll find a guide in Sellia to confirm Millicent's location."
Melina accepted it as a coincidence. She looked at the pile of ash on the ground, unsettled by the fact that the Kindred could hide in human form.
"Sellia is just ahead. When I traveled with Torrent, I heard tales of their assassin-sorcerers. Night is falling; perhaps it's best to wait until daylight to enter, or we might face unnecessary danger."
Gawain shook his head. He looked at his Sage Ring and the effect of his Grafted Blade Greatsword. He was exactly at the threshold for a certain devastating spell. He was going to give these backwater sorcerers a "little shock." In the face of a true torrent, those assassination spells were nothing more than parlor tricks.
"Don't worry. I want the darkness. It's not as visually impressive during the day. Remember what I told you about the Crystal Sages? The spell I'm about to use is the masterpiece of an even greater Sage."
Hearing this, Melina felt a flicker of anticipation. From the initial firestorms to the storm that was visible halfway across the Lands Between, Gawain's displays of power always left a deep impression. She wondered what this next move would be.
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Elden Ring: In the Name of Ash (135 chapter - Ongoing)
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