Latenna lay weakly on the ground. Before her lay her long-time companion, the white wolf, its breath having long since ceased.
After those men had captured her and realized they could extract no information, they slaughtered the wolf and left her in this secluded, dilapidated shack to rot.
Though she didn't know how much longer she could hold on, she had to find a way to get word out. Otherwise, the village would almost certainly be raided.
Hearing footsteps from the cave entrance, she forced herself to stay alert. Why was there fighting here? Had her kin come? No, impossible—her people could never make such a ruckus.
Before long, the sounds of battle finally died down. A strange figure emerged from the depths of the cave. Though she didn't recognize him, the distinct aura of a Tarnished was unmistakable.
"Ugh... Tarnished? What are you doing here? I've already told that 'All-Hearing Man'—I don't have the medallion. Are you still not satisfied? Is taking my companion not enough?"
"Medallion? What are you talking about? I was just passing by when I saw some first-generation Albinaurics had been murdered, so I followed the trail. You should recognize the Bloodhound Knight who was watching you, right?"
Gawain tossed the Bloodhound Knight's battered helmet in front of Latenna. She looked at it in shock. After a careful inspection, she confirmed it belonged to one of "them."
It seemed the sounds of battle had indeed come from him clearing out the cave. Letting out a small sigh of relief, she began to believe his words. After all, only the Village Elder knew the location of the half-medallion. There was no reason to lie to an ordinary Albinauric like her; the cost of such a deception would be far too high.
"Thank the heavens... I didn't think I would encounter such an upright knight at a time like this. Could I ask a favor of you?"
"I have nothing to offer as a reward right now, but I cannot move on my own. The village is in danger. I must get word back."
"Don't rush, tell me slowly. Who locked you in here? I heard you mention an 'All-Hearing Man'—do you mean Sir Gideon Ofnir?"
Latenna nodded, her face contorted with pain. That was indeed the title he used at the Roundtable Hold.
"You must have seen them when you entered. There are many of them, gathered from all over the lake over the last two days."
"My kin who were out on patrol were captured and interrogated one by one. They are searching for a secret treasure kept within the village."
She recalled the group in her memories. On reflection, it was a very strange combination of people.
"There are many of them—from Bloodhound Knights to Cuckoo Knights, even a powerful Omenkiller. The leader wore armor made of bones. After locking me in here, they likely headed toward the village via another exit in the cave. My people are in danger. Please, can you help deliver the message? Even if only one more person escapes, it would be enough. I beg you."
"I see. Fine. Tell me exactly where your village is. I'm taking you back with me."
Latenna didn't hesitate to agree. She knew the village's location had already been compromised. While she couldn't be certain if the man before her harbored ill intent, she knew for a fact that the bloodthirsty thugs were closing in on her home.
Looking at the companion in her arms, her eyes filled with apology.
"It is time to say goodbye, my wolf... my loyal, steadfast partner. For the safety of the village, I must travel with this Tarnished. Forgive me, Lobo."
Summoning Torrent, Gawain looked back at Latenna. Once she had finished her final farewell, he reached out his hand to signal her to mount up. They had to move fast.
Latenna took his hand and allowed herself to be pulled up behind him.
"Hold on tight. I don't have time for a smooth ride."
"What did you—?"
Before she could finish, a storm swirled around them and a purple light erupted. A violent jolt nearly threw her off, forcing her to grab Gawain's shoulders for dear life. In the next instant, she realized they were in the air.
Gawain used a self-made "Spirit Spring" jump to launch them upward. He was becoming increasingly proficient with this technique, allowing him to bypass complex terrain with ease.
As they soared over the cliffs, Gawain looked down. Groups of figures in red robes carrying banners were scattered below. He knew they were Flame Monks; theoretically, they were here hunting Adan, Thief of Fire. Once he finished the business at the Albinauric Village, he would deal with those fire worshippers.
While still in mid-air, he dropped a glob of Seething Chaos directly in front of the Flame Monks. He watched as they looked at the chaotic fragment in confusion, followed by a violent contraction and a massive explosion. You lot can study this Chaos Fire slowly. I bet you won't have anything to say once it goes off.
Maneuvering Torrent's landing, Gawain touched down steadily on the lake's surface. He looked back at Latenna, who was still pale from the shock. Clearly, such an experience was a bit too intense for an Albinauric.
"Which way now?"
"Uh... do you see that area ahead covered in poison pools? My village is nestled deep within those cliffs. You'll see it as soon as you look up."
"Good. No more wasting time. I can already smell the malice in the air."
Deep in the heart of Liurnia, above a stretch of poisonous marshes, sat a secluded little hamlet. This was the home of the first-generation Albinaurics.
Compared to the somewhat dim-witted second generation, these first-gen Albinaurics were not particularly strong in combat and suffered from physical disabilities. Even for self-defense, they had to rely on their tamed wolves.
Albus was the village elder. He was very old for an Albinauric; his withered legs were proof that his life was nearing its end. However, he was undoubtedly the one who had led his kin to this temporary sanctuary, and he commanded great respect within the village.
Currently, his face was clouded with worry. Several young men who served as scouts on the outskirts had gone missing. He didn't know if they had run into trouble they couldn't return from, or if something much worse had happened.
Years of dealing with the dangers of the lake had given him a sharp sense of crisis. Last night, he had re-selected some of the village's youth to stand guard, hoping to react in time if danger arrived.
However, he had ultimately underestimated the severity of the threat. A commotion from the outskirts interrupted his thoughts.
"Elder! It's bad! A huge group of people appeared out of nowhere! They've already engaged our guards! You have to hide, quickly!"
Albus sat atop his old partner, a white wolf, and looked down at the scene below. He nearly fainted from the shock, taking several ragged breaths before he could steady himself.
"How is this possible? Why are there so many... No, there's no point in questioning it now. Get all the young men out here! We cannot let them break into the village!"
Ensha rested his weapon on his shoulder as he gazed at his objective. He had originally thought the task Sir Gideon gave him wouldn't be too difficult. According to the intelligence, it was just a matter of snatching a medallion from a group of Albinaurics.
He had already captured many wandering Albinaurics and, after interrogation, had finally found the village's exact location. From here on out, it should have been a simple, one-sided slaughter.
To be safe, Gideon had given him unprecedented authority to mobilize allies within Liurnia. As long as he secured the Haligtree Secret Medallion, it didn't matter how many Albinaurics died.
Thus, the force Ensha led consisted of more than just himself. There were Omenkillers, Cuckoo Knights, and even Glintstone Sorcerers from the Academy—all part of Gideon's intelligence network. Their combined strength was more than enough to dismantle a village.
The only slight surprise was the speed of the Albinaurics' reaction. Just as he finished clearing the outer sentries, the Albinaurics above had already established a crude defensive line. Occasionally, an arrow would fly toward him, only to be easily deflected.
But no matter how much they struggled, it was futile. Under Ensha's command, the warriors—led by the Omenkiller—pushed forward, using their shields to force their way through the defense.
The accompanying sorcerers stayed to the side, using Glintstone spells to disrupt the counter-attack. Gradually, the Albinaurics were unable to withstand the assault from a numerically superior foe and were forced to retreat.
Ensha could already see the large house in the center of the village. That was likely the core of the settlement; the secret medallion had to be hidden there. Though the process had been a bit messy, the advantage was still his. At least, that's what he thought.
Elder Albus watched the approaching enemies, completely at a loss. He racked his brain but couldn't understand why his village deserved such a massive raid.
Only the half-medallion hidden in his robes might be a reason, but how could such a secret have leaked? He had received it from the hands of the world-renowned Saint Trina when they met by chance long ago.
"Elder, you must find a way to hide! At least you must remain safe!"
Just as he was wavering, he suddenly saw a figure approaching rapidly from the distance. Rubbing his eyes, he realized that one of the people on the horse was Latenna, who had been missing for days! Who had she come with?
Gawain rode past the corpses of Albinaurics strewn along the path. Each had died a gruesome death. At the hands of enemies like the Omenkillers or Cuckoo Knights, who took a sadistic pleasure in their work, a quick death was a mercy.
He flipped off the horse, landing in the poison marsh. He took a deep breath and looked back at Latenna.
"Wait here. This won't take long."
"Be... be careful. Don't push yourself. Just saving some of them is enough."
Gawain didn't look back. He drew the Butcher's Knife he had found in the Undead Settlement. While not an incredibly powerful weapon on its own, once coated with Carthus Rouge, it was exactly what he needed for this.
Slowly and silently, he stepped behind the sorcerers at the rear of the raiding party.
One Glintstone Sorcerer was focused on casting spells at the heights above when a terrifying voice spoke from behind him.
"Heaven brings forth all things to nourish man, yet the world resents Heaven for its lack of grace."
With a single hack, he split the sorcerer from shoulder to hip.
"They know not the locusts that swarm the earth, nor the suffering of the common folk under the crown's embrace."
Two Cuckoo Knights, who were busy delivering finishing blows to Albinauric corpses, finally realized something was wrong. They tried to retaliate but were instantly bisected. They died with eyes wide in terror, staring at the god of death who had come from behind.
Indeed, this was a one-sided slaughter—but the attackers hadn't realized they were now the prey.
"The disloyal—Slay! The unfilial—Slay!"
"The heartless—Slay! The unjust—Slay!"
"The discourteous, the unwise, the faithless... The Storm King says: Slay! Slay! Slay!"
By the time Ensha realized there was trouble at the rear, he saw only a trail of corpses staring back with unseeing eyes. Their deaths were horrific, mirroring the Albinaurics they had just slaughtered. The only difference was that while silver-white blood had flowed before, this time it was bright crimson.
He stared at the warrior wading through the pile of bodies, and his identity immediately clicked in his mind. Even as a man who never spoke, Ensha nearly let out a string of "sign language" curses.
He frantically commanded his remaining few allies. Under the cooperation of the Omenkiller and several dogs, they tried to block the opponent—even for a second—just so he could find an opening to flee.
Gawain tossed aside the Butcher's Knife, which had snapped from the force. He looked at the Omenkiller charging toward him. He didn't know if the man was brave or if he simply hadn't hit hard enough yet, but it didn't matter.
"You like using dual blades, do you? Then I'll use some, too."
As flames erupted from his hands, the Ringed Knight Paired Greatswords appeared. At that moment, three dogs and the remaining enemies surrounded him, trying to swarm him to bring him down.
Slamming the greatswords together to ignite the blaze, Gawain began a frenzied dance of steel, mimicking the moves of the "Ringed City's heavy-hitters." Even a mere graze was fatal; wherever the blades struck, flames exploded from the inside out, reducing bodies to ash.
After swatting away the last lunging dog, Gawain used the final heavy attack of the weapon art to shatter the Omenkiller's dual cleavers and pierce through his abdomen. Seeing that this resilient elite monster still had the strength to move, he decided to add a little more weight.
"Kneel!"
A bolt of Storm Lightning crashed down from the sky, striking the Omenkiller. The man's attempt to pull the greatsword from his gut ended in total failure. His charred body collapsed powerlessly to its knees. That Omen mask wouldn't be scaring anyone ever again.
"Don't run, Ensha. You're next!"
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Elden Ring: In the Name of Ash (189 chapter - Ongoing)
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