With the final Astel juvenile in his line of sight destroyed, Gawain had nearly exhausted the blessed strength he had received from the Sun. His current state was far from ideal; even with that surge of power, this battle had been a staggering burden for his current self to bear.
He could still feel the connection between himself and that celestial entity—a bond forged at the level of the soul. However, compared to other Outer Gods, the Sun's influence on the Lands Between was still far too faint. Unless absolutely necessary, it was best not to over-rely on that power.
After the combat ceased, he and Gwyn shared a silent look. Though their identities and histories were worlds apart, the smoldering fire within them granted them a shared title.
Gwyn turned silently to gaze at the sky, a sight entirely alien to him. It was magnificent, filled with both the unknown and the glimmer of hope. Even as the Lord of Sunlight who had founded the Age of Fire, he could never have imagined such a vista.
For Gwyn, everything that preceded his plunge into the Kiln of the First Flame had lost its meaning. Having a place to belong, like this, was the ultimate fortune. This feeling wasn't unfamiliar to him; it was like the long ages spent testing the mettle of great heroes who sought to link the fire, only to eventually sit together beside the coiled sword to maintain the First Flame.
In this place, he could pass the time disciplining his wayward son, and his daughter could come to visit him. Such a scenario would have been unthinkable in the past. He felt it was almost too decadent a luxury.
"Dwarf... no, Ashen One. Though it is broken and battered, this remains a beautiful world filled with hope. Do not let the curse consume it. I hope you can fulfill your unfinished mission here."
"I will. Burning away despair is the very reason for our existence. And this time, are you all not with me?"
A look of gratification appeared on Gwyn's face. The Ashen One before him reminded him of those human warriors who had earned his respect through their actions during the Dragon Hunt. This time, he was certain he wouldn't be forced to make the same agonizing decisions as before. The beauty here was real, not an illusion of "souls" manufactured by the First Flame.
Gwyn's features began to blur, and the surrounding Black Knights followed suit, merging back into a single entity. Finally, only a figure clad in the scorched Firelink Set remained. Beneath the helmet, a multitude of shifting silhouettes could be felt—the Soul of Cinder, the manifestation of all the Lords of Cinder.
Gawain reached out and bumped fists with the manifestation. The entity then faded back into the Darksign within him. The stars above, having weathered the chaos of their unsealing, returned to their proper orbits. However, no one knew how many Fallingstar Beasts had touched down across the Lands Between—another mess he would eventually have to clean up.
With the dust of battle settled, Gawain found a relatively quiet spot. As he landed, his knees buckled, and he eventually just slumped onto the sand. He needed a moment to recover; the toll of wielding the Firelink Greatsword was even more severe than he had anticipated. It was no wonder Sister Friede had fled to the Painted World to idle away her days after being burned once.
A hand gently patted his back, followed by the spectral image of a Minor Erdtree appearing before him. The gentle radiance of the miracle washed over him, providing a warm and soothing sensation.
Melina sat down beside him, shoulder to shoulder. Her eyes held both joy and a trace of lingering worry.
"The battle is over. You fought beautifully. Rest a while before the others find you."
"Thanks. Honestly, it was a bit tougher than I expected. I nearly couldn't handle the power the General squeezed out of his Great Rune at the end. It seems I need to grow even stronger."
"I saw. So, what happened in those final moments that allowed you to erupt with such immense power?"
Like the other warriors on the ground, Melina had only been able to watch the duel from afar. She knew that while he harbored great power within his body, it came with risks. During the fight with Godrick, he had nearly lost control; she wondered why there were no such signs this time.
"How should I put it... the moment the General's Great Rune failed, he lost the strength to suppress the stars. At that moment, an Outer God reached out and granted me a blessing of strength. Otherwise, I might have had to risk losing control to block the General's final strike."
Hearing the term "Outer God," Melina's expression became visibly tense, despite her mental preparation.
"An Outer God! How could this be?"
"Yes, and not just one. After the General was struck down, my consciousness resonated with a distant outer deity. During that time, I witnessed more than one."
Melina recalled seeing Gawain staring blankly at the stars for a moment, after which he seemed to possess inexhaustible strength to shatter the celestial invaders. So, he had received help from beyond the Lands Between?
"Why would the Outer Gods seek you out? Did they do anything to you?"
Gawain looked up at the stars, his voice calm. "It's fine, don't worry. Only one Outer God established a connection with me; I wasn't interested in the others. And it didn't 'do' anything to me. On the contrary, it provided immense help."
Melina remained uneasy. Aside from a very few exceptions, the Outer Gods of the Lands Between were increasingly "abstract" and horrific—the Fell God of Fire, the Frenzied Flame, the Scarlet Rot—the laws they represented were all catastrophic. By comparison, the Golden Order seemed almost humane.
"It surely couldn't be that simple. What is the price?"
"The price? Well, there certainly is one."
Gawain knew that his connection with the Sun was a mutual choice. If he ever stepped onto a path completely contrary to the law it represented, the connection would likely be severed instantly.
"Though I can't communicate with it, my understanding is that it wants warmth and brilliance to shine equally upon every kind soul. So, if I want to keep receiving its blessing, I probably can't go around slaughtering like those Blood Nobles or Recusants."
Melina was stunned for a moment. That was the price? The Outer God he encountered seemed a bit too reasonable. She thought for a moment, then couldn't help but let out a small laugh.
"Then this power comes at no real cost to you at all. I can't imagine you doing anything that would betray its will."
Gawain huffed, lying back on the desert sand to watch the stars.
"It's what I deserve. Why should those evil gods be allowed to ravage lives and turn the Lands Between into a purgatory, while I'm forbidden from representing the Sun to eliminate them?"
"I see. Is that why you called yourself a Warrior of Sunlight? I suppose the Sun you speak of must be a benevolent deity."
Gawain nodded. The Sun was undoubtedly a good deity, regardless of the world. Though, "benevolent" might not be the most accurate descriptor. To the Outer Gods among the stars, human concepts of good and evil were meaningless. They were simply loyal to the concepts and laws they represented since their birth. The meaning represented by the Sun happened to align with his own understanding of a "good" god.
Other deities were labeled as evil only because they held different ideologies. Each chose its own ideal vanguard to let its law flourish—that was the result these Outer Gods hoped for.
Though a sliver of concern remained, Melina truly couldn't feel any malice from the unfamiliar aura Gawain carried. She supposed only someone as unique as him could attract such an outer deity. In the current Lands Between, people of such character were far too rare.
Sensing something approaching, she looked up and saw a figure standing before them. Since there was no need to hide, she gently nudged Gawain , who was still daydreaming at the sky.
"The Lunar Princess has come for you."
"Hmm? She's here?"
Gawain sprang to his feet at the warning. Indeed, a soul projection was walking slowly toward them, a slightly tattered golden ring floating in her hand.
Ranni approached slowly. She glanced at Melina standing behind Gawain but showed no unusual emotion, as if she had expected this.
"Hmph, as spirited as ever. It seems my worry was misplaced. So, is she the maiden you mentioned before? No wonder you required my mother's art of rebirth to obtain a new vessel."
"That's right. Since I've fulfilled my part by unsealing the stars, I expect you'll keep your promise as well."
Melina said nothing, merely observing the Lunar Princess. Her impression of Ranni was limited to her being a primary participant in the Night of the Black Knives. Compared to the other demigods who had turned the Lands Between into a stagnant mess, Melina didn't feel much resentment toward Ranni, the Empyrean who had vanished early on. She had only occasionally warned Gawain to be careful when working with her; so far, their cooperation seemed to have gone smoothly.
Ranni pulled her attention back and slowly held out the Great Rune floating in her hand.
"Accept it. This is your rightful reward as the victor. I entrust my brother's Great Rune to you; I hope you make good use of it."
Gawain looked down at the Great Rune as it merged with him. In its spent state, it provided no immediate effect, so his attention quickly shifted. With the two most pressing matters addressed, he finally took in Ranni's current appearance. That vibrant red hair was hard to ignore.
"Ranni, is this your original form? It's quite..."
The image Ranni projected was her likeness from when she lived in the Royal Capital, a form she had specially manifested to see her brother one last time. Seeing Gawain's slightly dazed expression, she couldn't help but feel a small spark of pride.
"Yes, this is my true appearance. I thought you had already investigated it; it seems there are still things you do not know."
Gawain snapped out of it. He admitted that while he had imagined it, seeing the "original" red-haired Ranni instead of the charred remains atop the Divine Tower was truly striking. However, in general, he felt a bit more familiar with her Snow Witch doll appearance.
"Regardless, thank you for the Great Rune. How is the General?"
Ranni thought back to what had just occurred and hesitated. Finally, she sighed. She realized she truly did need this man's help to find out where Miquella had taken her brother.
"My brother's body was already overburdened. Once the Great Rune was removed, his life force left him entirely. However... his soul was pulled away to a place even I cannot perceive."
"What? The General's soul was taken? How did that happen?"
"It was Miquella's doing. My brother's soul bore Miquella's mark. There seems to be a vow between them that must be fulfilled, though I do not know the specifics."
Gawain's mind stalled for a moment. Miquella again? Since when did that pretty-boy have a connection with the General? He had no intel on this. The previously straightforward War of Aeonia was becoming increasingly blurred.
I need to find a way to get some information out of Leda later, or this is going to keep eating at me.
Ranni looked back and saw the other warriors from the festival drawing closer. It wasn't a good place for a private conversation.
"The stars have resumed their course. Our agreement must now move to the next step. Come find me at Caria Manor when you are free."
She stepped closer and whispered into Gawain's ear.
"This festival was fought more beautifully than I imagined. As I said before, there will be an extra gift for you. I look forward to meeting you officially. Perhaps our destinies will overlap for much longer than I anticipated."
"Who can say for sure? But I'm confident that no matter how long our fates are joined, I will leave a lasting mark on that path."
Ranni stopped in her tracks, her back to him, her expression hidden. She began to slowly fade into the air.
"A lasting mark? Unfortunately, I am destined to leave everything behind for a lonely journey. That is my true path."
Gawain simply smiled as he watched her leave the desert. Ranni was the same as ever. He'd make sure to save Iji and Blaidd when the time came, and then see how stubborn she could be.
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Elden Ring: In the Name of Ash (162 chapter - Ongoing)
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