"Miquella, Golden Order Fundamentalist incantations are useless against the Scarlet Rot!" Raven shouted a warning.
Miquella did not cease his prayer. The surging tide of light from the Law of Regression grew ever brighter, yet the nature of its power quietly shifted.
Whether it was fungi or spores, every product of the Scarlet Rot began to grow at an accelerated rate. However, with no new source of Rot energy to sustain them, they were forced to consume their own reserves; the end point of such rapid growth was total destruction.
The Scarlet Rot gradually faded, turning into a lifeless, ashen grey before finally disintegrating into a flurry of fly-ash that drifted to the ground. Amidst the bed of cinders, new vegetation absorbed the nutrients to sprout; blades of grass pushed through the cracks in the masonry, and the entire district began to brim with verdant life.
Having finished this, the gold within Miquella's eyes dimmed significantly. He looked back toward where he had come from, only to find that Raven was no longer there.
"Mohg, you must return to the Deeproot immediately," Raven said hurriedly by a manhole leading to the sewers, his gaze fixed grimly in the direction of his own manor.
Having only just regained consciousness before being dragged along by Raven at a dead sprint, Mohg was completely confused. "But what about the negotiations?"
"The chance to secure legal status for the Deeproot is gone. The Golden Dynasty will likely choose to launch a military offensive against you. Machno and the others will blow up the tunnels leading to the Deeproot; you must hurry."
"There must be another way," Mohg said, staring into the darkness of the entry well. "I don't want to go back like this."
"It's not a matter of what you want. If you delay any longer, you won't be able to get back at all."
"It doesn't matter if I can't go back. I want to stay in the Capital to help you."
"Don't you understand? The Capital could issue a warrant for your arrest at any moment. If you stay, you can't help with anything—you'll only be a liability!"
Mohg stared blankly at Raven, slowly lowering his head.
Raven pursed his lips, realizing his words had been too harsh. Furthermore, it was precisely because Morgott had stirred his sense of rebellion that Mohg had been determined to come to the surface; speaking to him like this might actually cause him to refuse to return.
"Mohg, you can be of much greater use in the Deeproot," Raven said, softening his tone.
"Really?" Mohg immediately looked up.
"Yes," Raven paused for a moment. "The Deeproot accepts newcomers without any vetting; it must have been infiltrated until it's like a sieve. If you go back, you can help identify those moles and spies, ensuring that Machno's plan to collapse the tunnels isn't sabotaged."
"I understand." Mohg nodded repeatedly.
"This mission is vital. You must go back right now," Raven urged, still uneasy.
"I understand," Mohg said, and with a sudden spring, he leaped down into the well without even touching the ladder.
"Maybe that was too much motivation." Raven felt a faint sense of unease but had no time to dwell on it. His silhouette vanished instantly, reappearing over ten meters away as he raced toward his mansion.
Just minutes ago, he had sensed the aura of Dragonbolt erupting from the direction of his home. There was no doubt the mansion was under attack, forcing Lansseax to use her dragon powers in response.
Machno and the others hadn't left yet. If the enemy's goal was to arrest and interrogate them—Raven quickened his pace, blurring through the streets like a gust of wind.
"Comrade Raven, was the result of the meeting ideal?" Machno asked hurriedly when he saw Raven return to the estate. "Why didn't Mohg come back with you?"
"Something unexpected happened. The Capital is preparing to send troops to attack the Deeproot. The mansion is no longer safe; I'm taking you back to the sewers."
Machno didn't say another word. "Understood. We'll leave at once."
The group exited through the back gate, with Raven leading the way and the others following closely behind.
"The main roads might be crawling with the Capital Sentinels. We'll take the back alleys," Raven said.
"Comrade Raven, are we to detonate the explosive stones immediately upon our return?"
"Now is not the time for that," Raven said. "Pick up the pace."
Machno frowned, feeling that something about this Raven was strange. He thought for a moment and suddenly asked, "Comrade Raven, what is beneath your mask?"
"I said, now is not the time for distractions. We'll talk once we reach safety."
"No, this question is very important."
"Fine. Beneath the mask is—" As Raven spoke, a dagger suddenly slid from his sleeve. In a flash of cold steel, it slashed across Machno's throat, drawing out... a flurry of black feathers.
Ash of War: Raptor of the Mists
An Ash of War that grants an armament an affinity and skill.
Affinity: Keen Skill: A technique that allows the user to duck low and vanish instantly. Upon being struck, the user sprouts raptor wings and leaps into the air.
Can be used on all melee weapons.
Machno gave a cold smirk as his entire being dissolved into a cloud of black feathers. His true self appeared in mid-air, diving down like a bird of prey.
Raptor Talons
Passive Effect: Causes blood loss buildup (60).
Description: Claw weapon featuring two long, razor-sharp blades. Mimics the claws of a Deathbird, used by the assassins of Ravenmount.
Excells at jumping attacks. When performing a charged attack, it mimics the fierce strike of a raptor.
Before the "Raven" could react, the two slender blades had already pierced through his eye sockets and driven straight into his brain. As the blades were wrenched out, he fell backward, his body hitting the ground with the heavy clang of metal on stone.
In the next second, a delicate, light-brown veil appeared over his face. His hair changed from black to blonde, and his clothing shifted in style.
Mimic's Veil
A light-brown veil of intricate design.
Consumes FP to mimic various objects. This was one of the many treasures Godrick the Grafted took with him when he was driven out of the Royal Capital, Leyndell. It is famously known as 'Marika's Mischief'.
"No wonder it looked wrong; he was wearing such thick armor under that surcoat." Machno shook the blood and brain matter from his claws, looking down at the corpse of the "Raven" with a disdainful shake of his head. "To think someone with so little resolve would try this. If you value your life that much, don't take this kind of work."
"Comrade Machno, you—" The exchange had happened with the speed of a leaping hare; one man was dead on the ground before the others could even process it.
"This Raven was a fake," Machno said, picking up the Mimic's Veil. "We must retreat to the mansion immediately! He lured us out of the estate—there is surely an ambush ahead."
Tweet!
A sharp whistle pierced the air. From the distant rooftops, a large group of black-clad Confessors emerged, clutching broadswords as they lunged forward.
"Retreat!" Machno barked, leading the group in a dead run back toward Raven's mansion. They had only left the estate by a few hundred meters and hadn't yet entered the kill zone of the ambush. The hidden soldiers gave chase, but they could only watch helplessly as the group fled back into the manor.
"Lord Klepps, what do we do now?" a Confessor asked, a crimson whistle hanging from his chest.
"That useless waste, to be seen through so quickly," Klepps snorted. "Go in directly. Apprehend everyone inside."
"But what if the mansion guards refuse us entry?"
"Do I need to make myself clearer? Attack from all sides. Don't let so much as a fly escape. I have intelligence that this pathetic mansion has no significant defensive force. I expect you to take it within five minutes."
The Confessor was taken aback. "My Lord, we haven't received authorization. Attacking a Demigod's residence without cause... if there is an investigation later..."
"The cause has already been provided," Klepps said flatly. "A vicious criminal murdered the leader of the Redwhistle Confessors in the middle of the street and is being harbored within Raven's mansion."
"The Redwhistle?"
"He is a Redwhistle now," Klepps replied. "As long as we catch the culprit and interrogate a confession out of them—stating that Raven assisted the Deeproot rebellion—we will bear no responsibility afterward. Begin the assault. You will join the fray as well."
Amidst the shrill sounds of whistles, the Confessors began casting incantations of Darkness. Clouds of pitch-black mist spread uncontrollably, surging toward the mansion like a black tide under a moonless night, swallowing all light in their path.
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Elden Ring: The Unborn One's Journey Through Elden Ring(170 Chapter - Ongoing)
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