Gawain tightened his grip on the Firelink Greatsword. This weapon had no need for reinforcement; it was, in itself, the manifestation of the embers maintained by the souls of countless Lords of Cinder who had burned themselves since time immemorial.
One without the resolve to burn for the sake of the world was unworthy of wielding it; one without a soul strong enough to endure the searing heat of the First Flame could not hope to lift it. But as the final inheritor of the Lords' lingering embers, the roaring flames upon the coiled blade were the ultimate proof of their recognition.
The Firelink Greatsword, a vortex of storm and flame, collided with the Starscourge Greatswords. The resulting shockwave was so violent that every warrior attempting to intervene was forced to a halt. The two strongest beings on the battlefield unleashed their full presence, and the sheer atmospheric pressure of their gravity and heat pinned the lesser warriors down before they could even draw near.
Lingering embers flickered within Gawain's pupils. After parrying the General's initial strike, he tightened his grip, activating the sword's fundamental weapon art: Ember. Using the explosive kickback of the flames, he knocked the Starscourge Greatswords aside.
Without a moment's pause, he threw his arms wide to cast a miracle. Countless pillars of white angelic light—Divine Pillars of Light—descended from the heavens. The scorching rays left charred furrows across the General's body and momentarily blinded him.
Easily dodging a desperate, blind counterattack, Gawain flicked his wrist. The Firelink Greatsword instantly shifted from a colossal blade into a curved sword. Harnessing the power of the storm at his feet, he vaulted into the air, gathering strength to pierce the General's skull.
Radahn thrust his twin swords upward, parrying the mid-air sweep of the scimitar. Purple gravity spheres materialized around him, locking onto his airborne foe. These were the same gravity stones used in his legendary feat of conquering the stars; only an enemy he deemed worthy could receive this baptism.
When the spheres blanketed the sky, their density surpassed even that of the Astel Meteorite. There was no dodging; he could only meet them head-on.
Switching his weapon into its staff form, Gawain summoned multiple Homing Crystal Soulmasses, which shattered the gravity stones upon impact. Then, a deep blue radiance erupted—the spectral image of a dragon coalesced around the staff, forming the shape of a colossal blade: the Old Moonlight, a sorcery born from the memories of Midir's ancient sword.
The magical greatsword expanded and swelled before Gawain unleashed a frantic series of slashes, piercing through the gravity blockade to strike directly at Radahn's defensive blades.
Seeing a momentary opening, Gawain used the storm to accelerate mid-air. He gripped his weapon with both hands, allowing the Firelink Greatsword to return to its original form. As the coiled blade reignited, memories of the many times he had suffered under this very move flooded his mind.
"One, two, three, four... five!"
Five consecutive, relentless slashes struck the General's body. Finally, Gawain drove the coiled sword into the earth, triggering a massive explosion that upended Radahn's colossal frame. But even as he fell, the General manipulated gravity to hurl a Starscourge Greatsword in a wide sweep. The blade caught Gawain mid-air, nearly cleaving him in two.
Gawain spat out two mouthfuls of blood tainted with a black curse. Gritting his teeth, he clutched his waist as new flesh regenerated within the embers.
Looking at the General rising once more, Gawain saw the bone-deep wounds beneath the shattered armor knitting together at an impossible speed. However, he also glimpsed the General's Great Rune: a ring that appeared to be perpetually burning.
"Can you still stand? Fine then, again! I want to see how much longer your Great Rune can hold out."
Blaidd watched the two resume their clash from a distance, his heart racing with awe. What was that blue greatsword in the sky? It looked similar to Carian Grandeur but felt fundamentally different. Though the two seemed evenly matched for now, Blaidd knew the General had yet to unleash his ultimate move. He couldn't let this drag on; he had to find a way to assist.
Leda gazed at the spectacular battle. Amidst her shock, she debated whether she should intervene. She knew the General's regenerative powers came not only from the Great Rune but also from the twisted, potent vitality of the Scarlet Rot. If she could suppress it, he would be weakened.
However, doing so might restore a sliver of the General's sanity, which could complicate the battle. As she hesitated, she caught a glimpse of Freyja's excited expression and felt a wave of exasperation. As a Redmane Knight, Freyja was a reliable combatant, but in other aspects... she was perhaps too "pure."
Freyja, still recovering from the punch she'd taken earlier, let out an occasional gasp of admiration.
"Whoa! He's going head-to-head against the General's gravity stone barrage? That guy is incredible! To push the General to this state... I have to find a chance to duel him later! But truly, General Radahn belongs in a fight like this. Endless combat, scorching passion! That is the spirit of the Redmanes!"
Leda sighed. If that was the case, she would use "that move" to hasten the conclusion.
She raised her sword with one hand, and the crest of Miquella's Unalloyed Gold appeared. Guided by her blade, ten golden needles materialized around Radahn and shot into his body with blistering speed. Fully immersed in the duel, he hadn't thought to defend against such a flanking strike.
"Storm King, I have done what I can. The rest is up to you."
She lowered her weapon. The technique was the Needle Piercer, a skill unique to her as the last member of the Needle Knights—or perhaps, only a fanatic like her could master it. It was a long-range attack learned through years of serving Miquella and deeply understanding the essence of Unalloyed Gold. For a brief time, those needles would function as pure Unalloyed Gold Needles.
It was a double-edged sword. It could purge debuffs but also strip away buffs. Used on the General, it suppressed the Scarlet Rot within him. This would have two results: his rot-based regeneration would be hindered, and a portion of his reason would return.
While the parts of his mind already destroyed were gone forever, the undamaged fragments were liberated. Even with only a fragment of sanity, the General might recall forgotten things—including his peerless combat techniques.
Leda watched with bated breath. She wanted to see how the "Storm King" would defeat a General whose regeneration was weakened but whose martial prowess was now far more formidable.
After unleashing a final, frenzied slash, Radahn's body suddenly convulsed and stopped. Chaotic, near-illogical thoughts flickered in his hollow mind.
"What am I doing... who is fighting me...?"
"Malenia... War of Aeonia... Miquella's promise..."
The sudden influx of fragmented memories plunged him into deeper confusion. Through his blurred vision, he saw a warrior wreathed in flames standing before him.
"Hmm? The scent of Ranni... who are you...?"
But there was no time for contemplation. Gawain's weapon, now in the form of a spear, pierced his chest.
"You... regained your senses?" Gawain asked.
He didn't press the attack. The General's behavior was strange; he was muttering words, and for a fleeting second, a look of fear crossed his face. The physical pain, however, snapped Radahn back to reality. He was in the middle of a life-and-death struggle.
Radahn funneled his remaining sliver of sanity entirely into the fight. As a warrior, there was no room for distractions. Defeating his opponent with everything he had was the ultimate mark of respect. Moreover, the opponent carried the scent of his sister. This solidified his resolve. Whatever this man intended for Ranni—good or bad—he would have to get through Radahn first.
His presence exploded with newfound intensity. With the Great Rune temporarily freed from the Rot's interference, its output was even more powerful, though such a surge could not be maintained for long.
Gawain noticed the golden needles dissolving into the air. He immediately realized this was the work of the needle knight following Miquella. But weren't they supposed to be allies? Why did that strike make the General even stronger? He could feel it—Radahn's offense was becoming far more precise and lethal.
Raising his weapon to parry, Gawain found the General's dual-blade work was smoother than before, following a distinct logic. His martial arts were returning to him.
Radahn sent Gawain flying dozens of meters with a powerful whirlwind slash. The General's breathing grew heavy. Without the vitality provided by the Rot, and after the long duration of the Great Rune's burning, he was nearing his limit. If he took another fatal blow, he would truly be unable to recover.
If he was destined to lose, he would make this a battle worthy of a sword monument—just like his legendary fight against the stars.
Pushing his Great Rune to the absolute brink, Radahn looked at the warrior who stood as his equal. To show his respect, he would maintain this peak state until the very end. The stars above seemed to answer his will, beginning to shift and converge.
The flames of the Great Rune erupted as Radahn transformed into a meteor, hurtling toward the sky.
"Shit! He's going for the Starfall!"
Gawain looked up at the streaking light. This was going to be hard to dodge. The prolonged war of attrition was taking its toll on him as well. Physical pain was manageable, but as the power of the flames was consumed, the curse within him grew more aggressive. He had to end this now.
He momentarily stowed the Firelink Greatsword and drank his remaining Flask of Crimson Tears, restoring his condition. Glancing around, he saw Blaidd quickly approaching.
"Be careful," Blaidd warned, his eyes fixed on the meteor. "He's about to impact as a falling star."
"In a moment, let me—"
Before he could finish, the scorching meteor tore through the sky, striking the ground near Gawain. Several warriors scattered across the dunes were pulverized instantly by the shockwave.
Gawainbreathed a sigh of relief, thinking it was over, but his eyes widened as the meteor began to accelerate again. The initial impact had only slightly hindered its speed; without stopping, Radahn soared back into the heavens.
"He can keep doing that?!" Gawain's skin crawled. Infinite Starfalls? How was he supposed to fight that?
Blaidd nodded grimly. "You're right. In the Starscourge Conflict that made him famous, he became the Shield of Sellia in exactly this way, shattering the stars themselves. But the General must be at death's door now. If we stall long enough, he won't be able to keep this up."
Gawain watched the meteor homing in on his position. He knew the previous miss was likely a mistake due to the General's poor condition; this time, he wouldn't miss.
"Blaidd, move away. I'll tank the next hit. Then, buy me just a moment. Just a small window."
"If that's the only way... be safe." Blaidd knew he couldn't talk him out of it and prepared to support.
Gawain turned to face the incoming star. He downed an Ironjar Aromatic he had prepared, followed by his Wondrous Physick.
"No, it's not enough. My defense is still too low."
After a brief thought, he pulled out Yhorm's Greatshield. Only a shield of that magnitude could withstand the impact. He layered on Great Magic Shield, Golden Vow, and every other buff he had, pushing his defense to the absolute limit. He was going to take the hit head-on.
When the General's meteor struck the earth, the shockwave kicked up a massive cloud of sand, making the entire desert tremble. Blaidd couldn't see the result, but he couldn't waste the opportunity. He charged into the dust cloud, followed by the other warriors. They couldn't let the General take flight a third time.
Inside the crater, Gawain removed his shattered helmet. He had blocked the blow by a hair, but the impact that had once broken stars had completely destroyed Yhorm's Greatshield, even with its magical reinforcement.
Gawain was wreathed in two types of purple light. One was gravity magic used to anchor himself, and the other was Vow of Silence. Though the silence only lasted a few seconds against a demigod of Radahn's caliber before being shattered by brute force, it disrupted the General's gravity casting. Radahn would have to charge up again to fly.
But this time, the ones stopping him were the warriors emerging from the dust.
"Whatever you're going to do, do it fast! We can't hold him long!"
Blaidd pounced toward the General's back. But the General, having regained some of his wits, was no longer an easy target for a sneak attack. With a roar, the Starscourge Greatswords glowed with purple light, pinning Blaidd to the ground with overwhelming gravity. While Radahn couldn't fly yet, he had enough power to suppress these warriors.
"I'll help you!"
Iron Fist Alexander leaped, his massive ceramic body slamming into Radahn's abdomen, followed by a Shoryuken-style uppercut to the chin that caused the General to lose his balance.
"Good job, Alexander! Give me more time!"
Gawain used both hands to manifest the strongest Sunlight Spear he could muster. He would end this now. As he poured more power into it, the black curse spread across his body, but he kept it from spiraling out of control.
Within the Darksign, the Fire Keeper bit her lip. She knew the stakes and used her own soul as a medium to suppress the spreading curse.
"Now is your time. Bring victory to the Ashen One."
A figure sitting by the bonfire nodded and stood up. He reached for the coiled sword, only to find it was already gone. He prepared to enter the fray empty-handed—the effect would be much the same—but as he looked up, he felt a warm power, similar to the bonfire itself. He paused.
Sensing the lightning that had previously wounded him, Radahn grew anxious. He grabbed Alexander and smashed the living jar against his other greatsword before throwing him away. Tragoth and Lionel quickly took Alexander's place, trying to restrain the Starscourge Greatswords with brute strength.
Okina's Rivers of Blood carved into the General's chest, and even Jerren, though late, joined the fray. But the collective efforts of the warriors were struggling; against the massive area-of-effect of gravity magic, numbers were almost meaningless.
With a cast of Starcaller Cry, there was no "pull" phase this time—only a pure gravitational shockwave that sent the surrounding warriors flying.
"Trying to run? Too late!"
Gawain had finished charging, thanks to the time bought by his allies. He calculated the trajectory and hurled two Sunlight Spears into the General's path as he attempted to take flight. The first was blocked by the crossed Greatswords, but the second struck Radahn's waist, erupting into a massive wound.
Radahn, unable to sustain his flight, crashed back to the ground. This time, even his scrawny horse, stripped of its gravity protection, fell heavily, barely clinging to life.
Following the attack, black blood dripped from Gawain's unhealed burns. Both the General and he were at their limits. The outcome would be decided by the next strike.
Radahn had no time to mourn his steed; he had known from the start that this was his final battle. He would burn the power of the Great Rune one last time to decide the victor.
Gawain watched as the General's wounds began to seal once more as he hovered in the air. Debris floated around him, forming gravity spheres. He knew the Great Rune was burning out; this was a final strike fueled by the General's very life. Gawain had to withstand this to win.
Gawain shed his ruined armor; he no longer needed external protection. Storm winds and purple gravity light swirled around him. Though a novice, he could use the storm to hold himself aloft in the air briefly. Taking a deep breath, he kicked off, rising above Radahn.
"Come, General. If we don't finish this, I really am going to burn out."
Radahn looked up at the figure and the shifting stars, sensing a ball of fire approaching. He gripped his swords tightly. In his flickering consciousness, he was transported back to ages past. He saw himself in his prime, facing the stars alone. With the help of his mentor, the Alabaster Lord, he had become the Shield of Sellia. This was a fitting curtain call.
Swinging both greatswords, Radahn commanded the gravity spheres to strike the figure above him, while he himself transformed into a meteor for one final, all-or-nothing charge.
Gawain drew the Firelink Greatsword again, using it as a catalyst for a miracle. This time, the Sunlight Spear he conjured was not bright; it was tainted with the color of darkness—a sign of the waning flame.
Before he could throw it, he felt a hand grip his arm. A warm light washed over his back, and the curse began to fade.
"Well fought, champion. But that is not how one uses a Sunlight Spear."
Gawain turned his head. He saw a sphere of searing light and a majestic, crowned old man. The old man took the Sunlight Spear from his hand.
"You're... Gwyn?!"
The old man nodded, then shook his head. "No. Like you, I am merely a Lord of Cinder. We all are."
The souls of countless Black Knights appeared behind Gwyn with a wave of his hand—loyal knights who had once accompanied the First Lord to link the fire. Their lingering spirits were woven into the Soul of Cinder.
The Sunlight Spear in Gwyn's hand became blindingly pure. With the power of a Lord's Soul, the miracle that had once toppled the Everlasting Dragons was fully revealed in the Lands Between for the first time. It illuminated the pitch-black sky of Caelid, making even the distant Erdtree seem dim in comparison.
He cast it alongside the spirits of the Black Knights. Thunderbolts and miracles of all sizes collided with the gravity stones, shattering them in a chain of explosions.
Finally, the Sunlight Spear thrown by Gwyn collided head-on with the meteor that was Radahn. Following a cataclysmic explosion, before the eyes of all the warriors, the strongest demigod of the Lands Between was struck from the sky and fell to the earth.
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Elden Ring: In the Name of Ash (162 chapter - Ongoing)
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