Early the next morning, Gawain stepped out of the room, casting a final glance at the soundly sleeping Irina. The night before, she had actually tried to seize the initiative, but unfortunately for her, Gawain was bolstered by the effects of a Budding Green Blossom and the Ring of Favor. With nearly infinite stamina, he was a marathon runner who refused to lose. By the latter half of the night, he had successfully turned the tables and won the encounter.
Shouldering the Ruins Greatsword, he made his way toward Master Sellen's quarters. The building had been cleared out in advance, serving as a preparatory site for a future team of sorcerers. Once the Radahn Festival concluded, the sorcerers from Sellia would be relocated here.
To his surprise, Sellen was already outside waiting for him. Though she still wore her iconic glintstone crown, she seemed to have adjusted to her surroundings and no longer felt the need to hide her presence.
"My, you've arrived earlier than I expected. Was your journey to Caelid successful?"
"There were a few ripples, but nothing I couldn't handle. I heard you were looking for me, so I came straight away."
Sellen glanced at the Ruins Greatsword on his shoulder and immediately understood his secondary motive. She shook her head slightly with a faint smile.
"The hour is still early. Let us tend to your business first. It seems you wish to learn the secrets of Gravity Sorcery, yes?"
Gawain nodded and set the massive slab of stone on the ground.
"This was a trophy I earned from a trial in Caelid. It's said to be forged from the debris of a ruin that fell from the sky. It possesses the gravity skill 'Wave of Destruction.' With the festival approaching, I want to learn the basics of gravity magic so I can better understand the opponent I'm about to face."
Sellen fell into thought, searching her vast memory for the relevant knowledge.
"General Radahn learned his gravity arts from an Alabaster Lord in Sellia. However, that was long ago, and I possess only a superficial understanding of those particular arts. That said, the fundamentals of all sorcery remain consistent. Since it is your wish, find an open space. I shall accompany you in your practice."
"Sounds good to me. I've always been the type to learn magic through physical experience anyway."
Gawain decided to approach this as he had the storm: start with the basic weapon skill to feel the pull of gravity, then build up from there.
As he moved to lead the way, he looked down at Sellen's bare feet. With the massive reconstruction projects currently underway in the castle, the ground was littered with debris—hardly a suitable place for walking barefoot.
"Master Sellen, why don't I carry you? The ground is a bit rough for you to walk like that."
"Hmm?"
Sellen looked down at the sharp gravel. Having spent so long in her private study, she had indeed forgotten the state of the outside world. Sorcerers had their own ways of traveling that bypassed such minor inconveniences, but since this was a gesture of kindness from her apprentice, she saw no reason to refuse.
"Very well. It seems my apprentice has learned how to flatter his teacher."
Gawain knelt with his back to her. Two pale, slender arms reached over his shoulders to lock in place. Having been confined to a cellar for so long, Sellen's skin was a stark contrast to Nephali's sun-kissed, bronze complexion.
Then, he felt the soft pressure of two mounds against his back. He had to admit, the Academy's robes were far too loose; one could never guess a sorceress's true measurements just by looking.
"Hold on tight, Master. I'm taking you to the training grounds."
On the way, this master-and-apprentice pair naturally drew many stares. Rumors of a "Graven Witch" exiled by the Academy living in the castle had been circulating for a while, but this was the first time she had appeared so openly.
The fact that the Storm Lord himself was carrying her confirmed the rumors of their bond. This was no small matter—it was a public declaration that the Primeval Current, once suppressed, might flourish here once more. It was a direct provocation to the Academy.
Gawain didn't care about the onlookers. He wanted Sellen to have a public presence. He needed her to lead his magical division in the future; she couldn't stay hidden in a room forever.
They soon reached the clearing. Usually used by Storm Knights to practice their martial arts, it was the perfect size for testing wide-reaching gravity spells. Sellen gave her staff a light flick, manifesting a smooth platform of glintstone above the rough ground. She stepped onto it and turned to face him.
"Let us begin. With your talent, I expect you to be able to manipulate gravity without the aid of a weapon skill by sunset."
The training session followed. Gawain unleashed the Ruins Greatsword's "Wave of Destruction" repeatedly, slowly learning to control the direction and flow of the gravitational pull.
As always, there were no shortcuts. He didn't consider himself a genius; he relied on repetition, combat, and the memory of a thousand deaths to master unfamiliar skills until they became second nature.
After an untold number of strikes, Sellen halted the lesson. she offered her critique on his mana release and magic circle control. Gawain was now able to manifest a small amount of gravity instinctively. It was enough. Gravity sorcery was the natural domain of beings from the stars; to reach this level in a single day was an achievement in itself.
Gawain collapsed onto the ground like a stranded fish, his body still faintly radiating the purple glow of gravity magic. He felt as though his weight was fluctuating wildly, leaving him unable to even maintain his balance.
"Ah, gravity backlash? Hardly surprising. If you overextend yourself, you'll be pinned down by the very force you created. That is enough for today. We must return to meet with Blaidd."
"Just... give me a minute. My body feels too heavy to stand."
Sellen sighed, reaching down with one hand to pull her apprentice up. She then slung him over her shoulder and began walking back. As a master of the Primeval Current who specialized in rolling sorcerers into "seeds," she was used to dragging around heavy "raw materials." Carrying a single apprentice was nothing to her.
Up in a nearby watchtower, a soldier peered through a telescope, a bead of sweat rolling down his forehead.
"It has to be that woman! She beat the Storm Lord down! She's probably forcing him back to her room to be her... her star-slave!"
"Shut up, Caterpillar! Use your brain. You think the Storm Lord would lose to a sorceress? He's just exhausted from training."
A Storm Knight arriving for the shift change smacked the soldier dubbed "Caterpillar" on the head and snatched the telescope. He began to peek for himself. This isn't a sight you see every day.
By the time they reached Sellen's residence, Gawain had recovered from the chaotic gravity fluctuations. This stuff was harder to learn than the storm. If you messed up the storm, you just blew yourself away; mess up gravity, and you imploded.
"Where's Blaidd? I know he was looking for me."
"I am right here. I have been waiting."
A tall figure emerged from the shadows of the corridor. Blaidd had prepared for this meeting. Since the matters at hand were of grave importance, Ranni had decided to bring her entire inner circle together for a formal discussion.
"Come, apprentice. Let us go in and meet the Carian Princess. I shall be right behind you."
Gawain had an inkling of what was coming. It was time for a remote video conference. The only difference from the game was the location.
The three entered the inner sanctum. A special glintstone rested on the central table. Blaidd adjusted it, and the room was suddenly illuminated by a soft, pale-blue light. It was a projection glintstone, much like the one Gawain had seen in Sellia.
Sure enough, two figures soon appeared in the room. One was the massive mountain troll Iji, wearing his signature mirror-mask. His projection was so large it seemed to clip through the ceiling. The other was Ranni herself.
Unlike Iji's colorless white projection, Ranni's was in full color. Ethereal starlight swirled around her, making her image look far more sophisticated.
Now Blaidd, Iji, and Ranni were all present. I wonder who's missing from the team? Gawain thought wryly. Truly a mystery.
"We meet again, Storm Lord of Stormveil. This is sooner than I anticipated."
"Perhaps it is destiny. I expect we'll be seeing much more of each other. I assume you're here about the Eternal City? Let me guess: it involves the festival?"
Sellen looked at her apprentice thoughtfully. She hadn't told him about the destiny of the Carian Royals yet. Was her apprentice the type to have a deep intuition regarding the flow of fate?
Ranni nodded gravely. The decision was not one she made lightly, but it was necessary for her path.
"As you have guessed. Only by killing General Radahn—my brother—and allowing the stars to resume their movement will the path to the Eternal City be opened. Therefore, I invite you to participate in the festival. Claim my brother's Great Rune, and in exchange, the treasures of the Eternal City shall be yours as we discussed."
"Even without your invitation, I would have gone. I've heard many tales of the General. Whether it's for the sake of Caelid or his own dignity, I intend to give him a proper send-off. I accept your invitation. However, I have a few requests of my own. Grant them, and I guarantee the treasure of Nokron will be in your hands."
"Speak. If it is within my power, it shall be done."
Gawain turned his gaze to Iji. The blacksmith's physical body was likely still outside Caria Manor, hammer in hand.
"You are Iji, correct?"
Iji tilted his head in surprise. It was their first meeting, yet the man knew his name. "Indeed. I am Iji. I served the Carian Royals as a war counselor and blacksmith. Though my skills have dulled with age, I remain at Lady Ranni's side."
"Good. I've heard your name from Jerren."
"Jerren? Ah, that explains it."
Gawain used the old friend as a convenient excuse. His real goal was to find a way to move Iji—at least that way, he wouldn't have to worry about the blacksmith being assassinated later.
"Giant's smithing techniques are vital for resisting the Scarlet Rot. I wish to invite you to Stormveil to help forge weapons. It would go a long way in easing the pressure of our containment efforts in Caelid."
Iji didn't mind. He followed Ranni's orders above all else, but helping an old friend like Jerren appealed to him. "I have no objection. Consider it my contribution to the Caelid my Master Radahn wished to protect."
Ranni readily agreed. She felt a lingering guilt regarding her brother, especially since his state was the result of Malenia's actions. Whatever the Haligtree twins were plotting, Ranni was more than happy to throw a wrench in their gears.
She sensed Gawain was still hesitating over his final request. "Is there something else? You may speak freely."
Gawain glanced at the empty air beside him. Though he saw nothing, he felt a familiar presence—a bond formed through their long journey together.
"Once the festival is over, I wish to use the power of the Great Rune of the Unborn held by the Queen of the Full Moon. Can you assist me with this?"
A meaningful smile played on Ranni's lips. To seek the power of rebirth from her mother? This was interesting.
"It seems you wish to grant someone a new life. May I know who is to receive this honor?"
"To be honest, there is more than one person I wish to help. But the first will be my maiden. She has helped me immensely, and she deserves a chance at a normal life."
Melina, watching silently in her spirit form, felt her heart skip a beat. She had assumed Gawain's first priority would be the souls residing within him. Why was she his first choice?
She clenched her hands. Despite her confusion, a complex wave of emotion washed over her—a tiny flicker of hope for a future rebirth, and a profound sense of fulfillment at being so highly valued.
Remembering their journey, she couldn't help but smile. Her companion certainly had a knack for the unexpected, but she found she didn't dislike these surprises at all.
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