They made their way down the sloping Erdtree roots. The incline was significant, but the surface was fortunately rough enough to provide decent traction. Furthermore, every few meters, small wooden stakes had been driven into holes carved into the roots, with hemp ropes strung between them to serve as a primitive guardrail.
After nearly half an hour, the group finally set foot on the grass of the Deeproot Depths. The air was thick with moisture, making every breath feel remarkably refreshing.
Not far off was a rushing river, its thunderous gurgle echoing in their ears. Raven knelt by the bank and scooped up a handful of water.
"Phew. The water is quite clear; it's likely safe to drink directly," he said, splashing his face. "The flow of this river alone is more than enough to support the agricultural needs of tens of thousands."
"Be careful not to fall in," Tricia warned. "This is just a tributary; it joins up further down at the Great Waterfall. If you fall in and get swept over the edge, it'll be the end of you."
They walked along the riverbank, crossing a floating bridge at a bend in the river. Once across, they began to see vast stretches of farmland appearing on both sides of the path. Although there was no sunlight underground, the proximity to the Erdtree meant the crops were bathed in its golden radiance, and they appeared to be thriving.
Several figures were tilling the fields. When they saw Tricia walking at the front, they called out warm greetings. However, when Raven offered a greeting in return, many of them became guarded. Some even jogged away, seemingly heading off to notify someone.
"We aren't lacking for much, though we're a bit short on livestock for plowing," Tricia said, ignoring the cold reception as she spoke enthusiastically. "We bought some young animals and brought them down here. The first batch has grown up, but it'll take time to breed them on a large scale. Still, these aren't major problems. Everyone's life here is much better than it was on the surface."
"How do you manage for farming tools?" Raven asked.
"There are some Misbegotten blacksmiths in Deeproot; forging tools is easy for them. We have plenty of charcoal, and there's an open-pit iron mine—"
She was in the middle of her explanation when she suddenly spotted a group of about a dozen people approaching from a distance. She stopped and whispered, "Let's change direction. I'd rather not run into that lot."
"They're heading straight for us; we can't avoid them." Raven looked toward them. "Is there a problem with them?"
Before Tricia could answer, the group spotted them and quickened their pace.
"Tricia, who are these people?"
A sallow-faced man at the head of the group questioned her aggressively. He appeared to be empty-handed, but Raven noticed something concealed in his sleeves—the glint of sharp, slender blades protruding over the backs of his hands. They looked like retractable hookclaws.
The other dozen or so men were also armed with blades and swords, fanning out to surround the party.
"They are Tricia's friends," the Omen, Tata, said as he stepped forward, shielding Raven and the others behind his bulk. "Machno, what do you think you're doing blocking our way?"
"Friends, hmph." Machno glanced at the heavy poleaxe on the Omen's back, and his tone moderated slightly. "Don't tell me this is our future Lord and Master, come down to inspect his new domain?"
"If a Lord were truly coming, he would likely bring dozens of knights with him," Raven spoke up. "Is this the hospitality of Deeproot? Or can you simply not distinguish between a friend and a foe?"
"If a friend comes, we entertain them. If a foe comes, we entertain them just the same," Machno said. "If you want a welcome in Deeproot, remember not to wear those fancy robes next time."
"You don't get to decide who is welcome in Deeproot!" Tricia said angrily. "I'm taking him to see Big Brother Morgott."
"Morgott—" Machno frowned. "I doubt you'll be seeing him right now."
"Machno!" Tata finally growled in anger, his hand moving toward the hilt of his axe.
At that moment, a man ran up from the distance and whispered something into Machno's ear.
Machno raised an eyebrow and, without a word, gave a wave of his hand. The rest of his men followed him as they hurried away.
Watching their retreating backs, Raven asked Tricia in confusion, "Where are they going?"
"There's nothing that way except the Great Waterfall. I have no idea what they're up to."
"Let's follow them."
Machno's group sprinted along the riverbank, completely ignoring Raven and his companions trailing behind.
The sound of rushing water grew louder until it became a roar that vibrated in their eardrums. The river was constantly joined by other tributaries, its waves becoming massive and churning. At some point, the opposite bank had become quite distant.
"The Great Waterfall is just ahead!" Tricia shouted.
The thundering river suddenly took a sharp turn, plummeting into the abyss as if stepping into a void. Raven squinted and saw a large crowd gathered at the edge of the falls, shouting and milling about in chaos.
"Who the hell cut the rope!" an Omen roared, brandishing a length of hemp rope. The other end was tied firmly to a large tree. "This cut doesn't look like natural wear and tear! Who's trying to kill Big Brother Morgott?"
"If someone had cut the rope, they couldn't have hidden it from all of us," an elderly Misbegotten said. "It's a tragedy, but I fear the rope simply snapped under the strain."
The Omen's eyes were bloodshot as he glared ferociously at the old Misbegotten.
"Instead of hunting for a murderer who might not exist, we need to focus on getting Big Brother back up!" the old Misbegotten shouted, meeting the Omen's gaze. "Someone has to tie themselves to a rope and go down. Once they find him, we pull them both up together."
"We've already sent people back to the town to gather more rope," someone nearby said. "They're busy braiding it into a thick cable; they'll be back soon."
Raven and his party mingled with the crowd, finally piecing together what had happened.
Earlier, a group of children had been playing by the river. One had accidentally fallen in, and two others had jumped in to save him; all three had been swept over the falls.
The other children had run back in a panic to find the adults. The families of the missing children were heart-broken and had begged Big Brother Morgott to save them.
Given the height of the waterfall, even a master in the Heroic Realm would have little chance of surviving such a fall, let alone children. Yet Morgott had agreed, deciding to tie himself to a rope and descend to investigate—even if only to retrieve the bodies—and to see where the Great Waterfall actually led.
This was the first time the residents of Deeproot had attempted to explore the bottom of the falls, and many had gathered at the shore to watch. However, not long after Morgott descended, the rope tied to the tree suddenly snapped. Caught off guard, no one had been able to grab the line in time, and they could only watch as the rope was swept over the edge.
Raven squeezed through the crowd and looked at the remains of the line. Based on the length of the leftover rope, the break point was on the shore. If the rope had been severed by a sharp rock on the cliff face, it would have been understandable. But for it to snap inexplicably on the shore... it was no wonder the Omen suspected foul play.
He glanced toward Machno. The sallow-faced man stood some distance away, whispering with his companions, their expressions unreadable.
────────────────────────────────────────
Support me here: https://[email protected]/AuAuMon
Elden Ring: The Unborn One's Journey Through Elden Ring(161 Chapter - Ongoing)
Join the journey and become part of the story!
────────────────────────────────────────