"Huh? You actually ran into something like that? I'm starting to think that no matter where you go, you attract a crowd of strangers ready to follow you at first sight.
Should I call it luck, or are you just particularly skilled at winning over the hearts of women?"
Sitting on a chair beside the training grounds, Elsa listened to Gawain's account of what had transpired in Nokron. She never expected him to successfully recruit two Crucible Knights, let alone gain the fealty of Nox survivors who had been underground for eons.
Of course, she knew nothing of the far-fetched tale of traveling back to the past; she simply held her helmet in her lap, savoring a rare moment of leisure as she teased him.
"This time it's a Night Maiden. Who's it going to be next? Don't tell me it'll be a Finger Reader Crone."
"Uh, what are you even thinking? Let's just say there are some secrets between her and me that I'm not sure how to explain yet. Maybe you'll understand eventually."
"Fine, fine. If you don't want to talk about it, I won't pry."
Elsa massaged her shoulder. Some of the people she'd seen since returning had stirred up old memories.
"I've already met those Fire Guardians living outside the city. I don't know how you convinced them to join, but they seem loyal enough."
"You mean Gary and the others? I'm not too worried about them. But you just got back—why were you looking for them so soon?"
"Well, aren't they tasked by the Mountaintops to hunt down thieves? The Fire Guardians are an organization that has existed since I followed the Golden Order's armies to defeat the Fire Giants. I figured I'd ask them about the state of my homeland while I was at it."
It clicked for Gawain. The Zamor Ruins were located not far from the Grand Lift of Rold. Any Fire Monks leaving the Mountaintops would likely pass through there.
"Your homeland? I see. Did you hear any good news?"
Elsa sighed quietly. Though she'd been somewhat prepared, hearing about the ruined state of her home was still hard to swallow.
"By the time those Guardians left the mountains, my home was already a field of ruins. There are still kin living there, but things are worse now than when I left."
"Do you still have family alive?"
"Family? Most of mine died at the hands of the Fire Giants. From the moment I was strong enough to wield a curved sword, I threw myself into the thickest parts of the battlefield.
I might be known as the strongest warrior of the tribe, but in truth, I'm just a lucky survivor who made it back from the front lines. Having cheated death so many times, I simply learned how to deal with those Giants better than most.
That's how I earned the honor of representing the tribe, joining the Golden Order's army and fighting all the way from the snowy peaks to Limgrave at the southern tip of the continent. And you know what happened after that."
Even after all this time, the memory of the betrayal she'd suffered still made her grit her teeth in anger.
"When I left home, I promised my kin I would bring them a better life—that we would bask in eternal blessing, free from the threat of the Giants.
In the end, I've achieved nothing. Even if I had the chance to go back, I wouldn't know how to face my people... or my only sister. I wonder how she's doing now."
"You have a sister? She wouldn't happen to be named Anna, would she?"
"How do you know that? I don't recall ever telling you her name."
"Ahem... just a wild guess."
Gawain looked at the dejected Elsa and quietly pulled out an item.
"If you're that concerned about your kin and family, just go back and see them for yourself when the time comes. Here, this is for you."
"Hm? This is...?"
Elsa took the disc-shaped object he handed her. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was the completed Dectus Medallion.
"It's exactly what you think it is. I found the other half in Caelid a while ago. You fought your way down from the Altus Plateau; I assume you know what a complete Medallion is used for?"
"Are you really giving something this precious to me? Does this mean you won't be leading the charge onto the Altus Plateau yourself?"
Gawain shook his head. He was actually planning to take the Ruin-Strewn Precipice path through the ancient mines first to scout things out. Plus, that path would lead him to Lansseax, the dragon-maiden. He wanted to see what a true Ancient Dragon of the Lands Between looked like.
"I have my own plans for when the time comes. I think this Medallion will be most useful in your hands. Haven't you been dreaming of revenge against the Golden Order?
So, once everything is prepared, I'm giving you the honor of leading the first army back up to the Altus Plateau. When you return to your home, you'll have something to brag about to your kin, won't you?
It's many years late, but I think there's still a chance to rebuild your ruined home—just like we've done with Stormveil. That way, you won't have broken your promise."
Elsa clutched the precious Medallion to her chest. She turned her head away for a moment, and a few stray ice crystals seemed to fall from her face before vanishing. After a long silence, she spoke softly.
"Thank you. But before I go home, I'm going to help you sit upon that throne."
They chatted for a while longer, covering the situation on the Caelid front and the progress of the army's training. For now, there were no major setbacks. The perfumers had even cultivated their first batch of toxic mushroom powder; though the yield was small, it was enough to be useful.
Gawain didn't stay long. Elsa needed to go wash the battle-scars off her armor, and he needed to speak with Master Sellen about the Academy.
As he approached the sorcerers' quarters, a series of muffled explosions echoed from within. To anyone else, it might have sounded like a war zone; to Gawain, it was just another day of research.
He shook his head helplessly. Just as he was about to enter, Irena rounded a corner, her head down as she pondered something. After a few steps, she walked right into him.
"I'm so sorry! Please, let me—" She looked up, realizing who she had bumped into, and a smile instantly lit up her face. "You're back? I hadn't heard! Let me guess... the trip went well?"
Gawain made a complicated face. He'd achieved his goals, but he'd also ended up with a whole new pile of headaches.
"Hard to say. I got what I came for, at least. Next up is an 'academic exchange' at the Academy. I hope they welcome a humble apprentice like me—I am Master Sellen's pupil, after all."
Irena couldn't help but giggle at the thought.
"Is that so? An 'academic exchange'? I seem to recall Master Sellen has some very... profound... views on that subject. I suggest you ask her for advice on how to deal with, well, what did she call them? 'Academic dissidents'?"
"Alright, jokes aside. What brings you here?"
Irena's expression turned weary. "What else? The sorcerers. You know how much we've been juggling resources lately.
The Caelid front is devouring supplies, and the perfumers are constantly asking for more. Castellan Jerren—who's basically a guest general of the Academy now—is even writing to me, asking if we can divert some sorcerer resources to prioritize the perfumers."
She was at her wit's end. With the recent influx of Sellian sorcerers, the demand for resources had spiked. Both the sorcerers and the perfumers were competing for the same rare materials.
"I think it was the second day after you left. Philia, our chief perfumer, literally stood at this door with a spark aromatic in her hand, blocking the way.
I finally managed to talk her down and find out why she was so upset. It turns out the perfumers leave their materials outside to cure, and the sorcerers keep 'borrowing' them for experiments. They'll pretend to be lost, wander into the perfumers' area, and walk away with a pocketful of ingredients.
Master Sellen had those Fallingstar Beast corpses you dealt with in Caelid brought here, but the hides are apparently too tough. To make their research easier, the sorcerers have been stealing perfumer materials to make explosives to blast the carcasses apart."
As if on cue, several more booms erupted from the building. Irena winced and covered her ears. Once the noise subsided, she continued.
"Hear that? More explosions. I bet they're still at it. I'm here to ask what on earth is going on; I gave them a perfectly adequate resource allocation!
Ugh, if I weren't on good terms with Philia, I suspect the perfumers would have barricaded this building and burned it down by now."
Gawain was speechless. His current team of sorcerers was essentially a "wild-card" squad: you had "bluntstones" like Thops, high-level theorists and legendary "sorcerer-ball" practitioners like Sellen, and "sorcerer-killers" like the Sellians. Every one of them was a specialist in their own right.
He led Irena into the building. Suddenly, a piece of metal shrapnel came flying toward his face. He caught it mid-air, though some fine iron dust still dusted his cheek. He glanced at the fragment; it looked like part of a shield.
Holding the remains of the shield was a very embarrassed-looking, bald-headed Thops. It was a textbook case of how much trouble a "newbie" could cause.
Standing before Thops was Sellen. She hadn't noticed Gawain's arrival and was busy chanting over a staff.
"No, no, that's not it. Let's try again with a fresh shield. I think we were very close that time."
"M-Master Sellen... someone's behind you."
"Huh? Is it that perfumer again? I told her, once these experiments succeed, I won't have to 'borrow'—ahem, I mean, 'scavenge'—those items anymore. Why is she back?"
Sellen turned around, clearly annoyed. In her current state of research frenzy, she didn't appreciate interruptions. If this had been back at the Academy, she'd already be crafting a sorcerer-ball.
However, the moment she saw Gawain, her irritation vanished. She thought for a second, then broke into a wide, bright smile and hurried over.
"Apprentice! You're back! Perfect timing—your master has a very important experiment that requires your cooperation. If we succeed, this could be a discovery worthy of founding a new classroom!"
Gawain raised an eyebrow. Based on what Sellen was saying, he had a hunch. He decided to let the "iron dust in the face" thing slide; whatever these two were cooking up was bound to be significant.
"Come, come. Thops, this was your brainchild. You explain your discovery."
Thops nervously set down the ruined shield. Upon closer inspection, faint, lingering tracery could be seen on the metal.
Truth be told, he was terrified. The man who had arranged for him to live and study here was such a powerful figure; he'd feared meeting him again under these circumstances. At the Academy, causing this much trouble for a professor would have gotten him expelled.
But with Sellen's encouragement and seeing that Gawain wasn't angry, he found his voice and quickly hit his stride.
"S-Since Master Sellen insists, I shall explain.
In truth, the inspiration came to me while observing the Fallingstar Beast carcasses up close. I also have the city's maidens to thank.
A few days ago, I was studying defensive sorceries—you know, things like Carian Retaliation that allow for both offense and defense when imbued into a shield.
By chance, one of the maidens was casting a healing incantation on the wounded nearby, and the aura affected the tracery I hadn't yet finished drawing.
I swear, though the change was miniscule, the diffusion of that incantation actually produced a wave-like resonance."
Thops was becoming overwhelmed with excitement, his words beginning to trip over each other. Sellen stepped in to finish the explanation.
"Thops realized he couldn't complete the discovery alone. Having left the Academy, his research materials were too limited, so he came to me.
I'm glad he had the insight to notice and explore it. I am convinced this is no mere coincidence. We have been using every resource available in the city to try and replicate that moment."
Gawain's eyes widened. This was the principle behind Thops's Barrier. In the game, the barrier was legendary not just because it could deflect spells—many sorceries could do that.
It was revolutionary because it proved that sorcery and incantations shared a common source. For a sorcerer, such an achievement was mind-blowing. And since it could be used as a skill on a shield, its value in both theory and practice was immense.
"But judging by the iron dust on my face, the research isn't going perfectly. This is just a prototype, right?"
Sellen nodded helplessly. She'd tried many methods, but they were stuck at a bottleneck.
"Indeed. We have replicated the phenomenon and successfully deflected several sorceries and incantations, but it is not enough.
As it stands, the effect simply exists. The patterns of its appearance and the conditions for its activation are entirely chaotic. I've spent days deconstructing and recombining every sorcery pattern I know, but the results are underwhelming.
And so..." Sellen suddenly grabbed Gawain's hand, her face alight with intensity. "Apprentice, how much longer must I wait to take the Academy? Your master cannot wait to return to those halls of knowledge!
Defensive sorcery was never my primary focus. It's too late for regrets now; if I can just return to the Queen's Grand Library and access the deeper records, I know Thops and I can master this secret!"
Hearing her refer to him as "Master Thops" showed just how much Sellen valued this new discovery.
Gawain was also looking forward to the results. In the game, Thops died just after unifying incantations and sorceries; the potential of his barrier was limitless.
If he could unify them in such a short time, what if he had more? Could he unify sorcery variants like hexes, or even the fundamental power of the gods themselves?
"Actually, I came here to tell you just that. My exploration of the Eternal City is finished. Next stop: the Raya Lucaria Academy.
So, Master? Interested in going back to teach?"
Sellen nodded to herself. She'd guessed as much when she saw him walk in. With Iji now moved to the city and an agreement with the Carians in place, taking the Academy was only a matter of time.
"It would be my honor. However, Apprentice... while there are certain sorcerers at the Academy I despise, the majority of the junior students are just that—students.
Pure academic environments are rare in the Lands Between these days. You know what I mean. Don't be too hard on them."
"Don't worry, Master. The Academy's strength is a vital piece of my puzzle. Since your new discovery involves both sorcery and incantations, I will do my best to preserve all the texts for your research.
Just wait for my word. When the time is right, I'll take you there. Though most are innocent students, I assume you agree that the 'academic lords' who turned the Academy into what it is today shouldn't be spared?"
"Naturally. When the time comes, let your master handle them. I still remember the traditional 'Primeval' techniques well enough."
Gawain had finished what he came to say. He was about to leave when he saw Irena blinking frantically at him. He pulled Sellen aside for one last piece of advice.
"Uh, Master Sellen? About the perfumers... try to understand their situation. Caelid needs a lot of supplies. Let's try not to steal their things, okay?"
"Ahem! I've told you a thousand times—I saw those materials lying on the ground, seemingly unwanted, so I 'scavenged' them. Waiting for outside shipments would have delayed my experiments. But... your master will be more careful next time."
"Right, right. Just don't forget to turn off 'auto-loot' next time. I've got things to do. See ya."
Gawain had considered telling Sellen about his encounters in the Eternal City, but for now, it seemed better to let her and Thops focus on their breakthrough.
Leaving the sorcerers' quarters, Irena was visibly relieved that her headache of the past few days was finally resolved. She didn't fully grasp the technical details of the conversation, but she knew that if it was this important, it was a big deal.
"How long will you be staying this time?"
"I'll probably head out tomorrow. I need to check on the Albinaurics first—I've found a suitable home for them. After that, it's off to the Academy."
"In such a hurry? You must have learned something incredible down there. I can see it on your face."
"Is it that obvious? It's a bit tricky, yeah. but don't worry, I can handle it."
"I believe you. I always have.
Still, I can't believe it... the Academy. Once the Liurnia waterway—the most important artery of the Lands Between—is secured, won't you be able to visit the Royal Capital and see the Erdtree whenever you like?"
Irena's face was full of excitement and curiosity as she imagined the sights of Leyndell.
"To be honest, I've never seen what the Capital looks like. When my father told me stories as a child, he spoke of how magnificent the city at the foot of the Erdtree was.
But I was blind back then; I couldn't even imagine it. Is Leyndell really more spectacular than Stormveil?"
"I'll take you there one day. Honestly, it's not all it's cracked up to be. If you ask me, Limgrave is better. At least Limgrave is the safest place in the Lands Between right now.
I've heard some terrifying rumors about the Capital. There are villagers who dance while skinning people with cleavers, abandoned coffins everywhere, and Omen-born hiding in the sewers.
But the worst is the forest in the center. There are these monsters with worm-faces; if you get close, they'll puke a face full of disgusting bugs on you."
"Stop, stop! You're making it sound more and more horrifying. I think I'll pass on the bugs.
I'll stay here and keep the home fires burning for you. Like you said, Limgrave is my true home.
But when you finally enter the Capital and take your seat upon that throne... I'll be there to give you my blessing."
"It's a promise."
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Elden Ring: In the Name of Ash (218 chapter - Ongoing)
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