"Victory! Victory!!"
The cheers erupted, wild and powerful, thundering through the air.
Though fewer than ten soldiers remained, their roar carried the force of a thousand warriors, even drowning out the crashing of the waves.
The Erdtree stood for glory, yet no one truly knew what awaited beyond returning to it. When that moment drew close, an uncontrollable fear still rose from the depths of the heart.
It was not fear of death, but anxiety toward the unknown, a feeling no one could escape.
And yet, having survived this calamity, for the first time, these soldiers wished that the glory of the Erdtree would come a little later.
Perhaps it was only an illusion, but the once-noisy Haligtree suddenly fell into an uncanny silence. Even the wind seemed to stop.
People from the Holy City appeared to be drawn by the fervent cheers, all turning their gaze in the same direction.
Nolan felt the soldiers' excited eyes upon him. He tightened his grip on the greatsword, pressed it down hard, and shouted,
"Come on. Let's go home."
The battle had just ended, and their bodies were already exhausted, yet as they looked at the Golden Needle Knight under the moonlight, something shone in their eyes. An indescribable strength welled up within them.
They did not know where the power in their legs came from, but one after another, they followed Nolan forward.
Their bodies were spent, their limbs trembling slightly, yet their steps remained firm.
Nolan walked at the very front, iron boots soaked in blood. His red-and-white-stained figure seemed to overlap with the countless Golden Needle Knights once hailed as heroes, drawing everyone together.
Just as Ella had predicted, only a few minutes later—
Under the moonlight, a torrent of steel swept out from within Elphael.
Their armor gleamed with a cold sheen, engraved with sacred Haligtree patterns, radiating an aura that struck fear into any enemy.
At the head was a Cleanrot Knight wearing a winged helm. Her presence alone inspired reverence. This was a true hero.
They had only just passed several defensive lines when, beneath the pure moonlight, crisp clashes of armor rang out. Blood-red figures halted dozens of Haligtree soldiers in their tracks, forcing their heated blood to cool.
Seeing this, the Cleanrot Knight seemed to recall her past self. Amid bloodshed and clashing blades, there was always a tragic song, and from such moments, true heroes were born.
He remained silent, his gaze meeting that of the Golden Needle Knight leading the group.
Like the others, that knight was drenched in blood.
But compared to the once well-known yet weak knight of the past, he now seemed different.
Regardless of how this battle had unfolded, Nolan Bethel, the Golden Needle Knight who led the soldiers home, had already become a hero in the eyes of many.
The Cleanrot Knight slowly and solemnly performed a knight's salute toward the Golden Needle Knight, who returned the gesture with equal respect.
After their brief exchange, the many gazes around him caused the Cleanrot Knight to straighten her posture. Turning toward the soldiers behind her, she spoke,
"Come. Escort the warriors back to the city, and sing honors for the fallen."
"Honor to the warriors!!"
The response echoed through the surroundings, as if lighting up the entire Erdtree.
The light that fell upon the ground illuminated twisted, broken corpses and shattered, ruined blades.
...
Time passed swiftly. The Erdtree continued to radiate its resplendent light as it always had, and the Lands Between remained calm and serene.
In one corner of the Haligtree, a fierce battle involving fewer than thirty fighters was, in truth, insignificant. It stirred no ripples across this vast land.
Golden light spread quickly, flowing past roots stained red with blood before finally casting itself upon the towering outer walls of Elphael.
Inside a chamber, a petite girl rested one hand against the bed, staring ahead with disbelief written plainly in her eyes.
Has my Lord grown stronger again?
Within the Haligtree, no one was ignorant of Nolan's strength. The title "the Golden Needle Knight Who Was Not a Hero" was widely known.
And yet this time, without the aid of any knights or heroes, he had slain two Kindred of Rot on his own, something no ordinary Haligtree soldier could ever hope to achieve.
"I heard Knight Karo has returned as well?" a gentle voice said. The girl lifted her hand slightly in a small gesture.
Finlay rose at once. She had been busy all night without rest, handling the aftermath of last night's events. That troublesome friend of hers managed to set the Haligtree on edge with every action he took.
"Yes. Knight Karo returned to Elphael early this morning and is recovering in the city alongside the soldiers."
The people of the Lands Between were naturally hardy, and knights even more so.
Though Karo had fallen from the roots into the sea, his injuries were not too severe. In comparison, the wounds he suffered during the ambush were more serious.
After a great deal of effort, he had finally crawled out of the sea and returned to Elphael this morning.
The gentle saintess frowned slightly. She then slowly extended her hand, offering a chalice vial filled with Sacred Tears, something worth a fortune.
The red liquid inside the chalice rippled like ocean waves as it swayed, spreading ring after ring, as though waiting to fulfill its purpose.
"Finlay, please distribute this to everyone."
The Cleanrot Knight Captain was long accustomed to the saintess's kindness. She accepted the vial and nodded firmly.
Trina lifted her head a little, her gaze calm as it drifted into the distance.
"Have the remains of the fallen warriors been properly arranged?"
"They have. Soldiers and ships will carry all the bodies away. They will be laid to rest beneath the roots and return to honor."
The Cleanrot Knight Captain's voice was subdued. Perhaps she did not wish to burden Her Highness with such heavy emotions, and she lowered her head slightly.
"Your Highness, are you grieving over last night's events? Please forgive my bluntness, but even the Cleanrot Knights were sent as reinforcements. We have done everything that could be done. Besides, death has long since—"
Before she could finish, the girl raised her hand to stop her. She understood death well enough.
After the passing of the Gloam-Eyed Queen, Destined Death had been sealed away, excluded from the Golden Order. Some newly born children of the Erdtree did not even know what death was.
"The Golden Order have indeed moved far from the threat of death, but they were never meant to live this way. This is not the best outcome."
Finlay froze for a moment, then nodded firmly. Such words would be considered outright heresy under the Golden Order, but who could object? She was Her Highness Malenia's elder sister.
"Indeed, it is not the best outcome. Only Your Highness's Law holds the future we long for."