Lansang beat her wings, circling near the cavern dome for a while before coming to a stop in front of the largest fissure, her claws gripping the rock firmly.
"Alright, let me see how badly this volcanic vent is obstructed." Raven entered a meditative state, reaching out to sense the power of the stars beyond the Lands Between.
The canopy of the Erdtree shrouded the sky, and Starscourge Radahn had arrested the cycles of the heavens; modern glintstone sorcerers could no longer communicate directly with the stars. Coupled with the interference of the thick volcanic rock walls, even masters like Azur or Lusat would find it impossible to sense the cosmos from within the heart of this mountain.
However, Raven's gaze pierced through every layer of obstruction, looking directly at the stars beyond the world. He could even judge the openness of the volcanic vent based on the strength of the interference.
"There's some obstruction at the end of the vent, but it isn't strong," Raven said with a nod. "We'll exit through here. We can force our way through the blockage at the far end."
Lansang folded her wings and squeezed into the wide volcanic tube, scraping away large chunks of rock as she went.
"Slow down, slow down!" Raven huddled against Lansang's back, the falling debris clattering noisily against his magic shield. "Lansang, are you considered... large, for a dragon?"
Lansang, who was currently clawing and shoving her way through to widen the passage, suddenly went still.
"Every other dragon I've seen was smaller than you. If you just ate a little less—"
Boom!
Lansang bucked her back upward. A massive section of the ceiling rock shattered, leaving a human-shaped indentation in the stone above.
Raven fell silent after that.
Lansang became stuck several times during their ascent, but she relied on raw, draconic strength to force herself free. To her, the solid rock was as fragile as foam board. However, as the volcanic vent continued to narrow, Lansang finally took Raven's advice and shifted back into human form.
Retrieving Lansang's outer garments from beneath several dragon scales—her undergarments were tucked away in the fine scales beneath her neck—Raven jumped down, turning his back to wait for her transformation to complete.
"Shirt."
"Here." Raven handed the garment behind him.
"Robe."
"Here."
As he passed her clothes one by one, Raven couldn't help but comment, "Do you really have to go through this whole process every time you transform? What would you do in a real crisis?"
"I'd just transform. As long as I squash all the enemies, it doesn't matter."
Raven shut his mouth.
The crimson glow of Dragonbolt and the magical torrent of the Sword of Night and Flame complemented each other. Together, they shattered the solidified igneous rock, forcing a path through the final blockage of the vent and finally returning to the surface.
The sky was beginning to brighten. Raven saw the first sliver of the sun peeking over the horizon, casting a dim light across the mountain, while the Altus Plateau below remained swaddled in the darkness of night.
"Word of what happened below likely hasn't reached the Manor yet," Raven said after a moment's thought. "We should sneak back immediately."
"Inquisitor Ghiza has yet to be found, but the prospects of his survival are grim."
Inside Rykard's study, a knight clad in heavy, bronze-colored armor delivered his report.
Rykard's knuckles rapped against the desk. He gave a slight nod, though his attention seemed elsewhere.
"The awakened Man-Serpent legion has slipped beyond our control. Even those holding serpent scales can only slightly dampen their aggression; safety is no longer guaranteed," the knight said. "The search parties for Ghiza suffered several casualties and were forced to terminate the operation."
"And the mushroom forest base?"
"All personnel have been evacuated. The Man-Serpents have occupied the base and begun distributing weapons from the armory among themselves. Thus far, we have seen no further movement from them."
"Those weapons were intended for the Man-Serpents eventually. It makes little difference if they arm themselves early."
"If our Great Cause is hindered by this, Ghiza's death will not be enough to atone for it," the knight said bitterly.
"It matters not. The Great Serpent is a dull creature; it lacks the intellect to rally its kin for a strategic defense," Rykard said. "There were reports of a dragon sighting earlier. What did the follow-up investigation reveal?"
"After cross-referencing the testimonies of all witnesses, I judge it to have been an Ancient Dragon."
Rykard's eyebrow finally twitched. "An Ancient Dragon?"
"The beast utilized crimson Dragonbolt—an unmistakable trait of the Ancient Dragons. Furthermore, Ancient Dragons possess the ability to take human form and could infiltrate the mountain through any volcanic vent, whereas a common wyvern cannot reduce its size," the knight said cautiously. "Of course, this is merely my personal assessment."
"You Crucible Knights fought on the front lines against the Ancient Dragons; it was your order that breached the walls of the Crumbling Farum Azula. You are the experts in such matters. I trust your judgment."
"I cannot claim the glory. Farum Azula was already shattered by divine wrath, and we were merely following in the footsteps of Lord Godfrey."
"The only Ancient Dragon confirmed to still be among the living is Fortissax," Rykard said thoughtfully. "Could Godwyn have caught wind of my plans and sent his dragon to interfere?"
"My Lord, it could be another. Though Farum Azula has crumbled, we never confirmed the death of every last Ancient Dragon. It is possible others escaped with their lives and have been wandering the Lands Between in human form. We cannot know for certain."
Rykard allowed a faint smile to touch his lips. "Hotspur, I know you are reluctant to name Godwyn as an enemy."
"The Golden Prince carries the blood of the Lord. I cannot turn my blade against him; I ask for your forgiveness, My Lord," Hotspur said, dropping to one knee. "But the False King misled Queen Marika into exiling our Lord. I, Hotspur, have sworn to rebel against the Order. I will follow you until the throne of the False King is shattered."
"Enough. I do not blame you; I have known your heart for a long time." Rykard helped the knight to his feet. "Has there been any change in the guest list? Are any of the recusants missing?"
"All guests are currently in their respective quarters," Hotspur reported. "However, I cannot confirm if they left the Manor last night. I overlooked the necessity of monitoring their movements—it was a failure of duty."
"Every available force was sent underground; there was no strength to spare for a watch," Rykard waved a hand dismissively. "In other words, it is possible the Ancient Dragon is hiding among the guests."
"I will organize men immediately to investigate and interrogate the guests. I will root out that dragon."
"Do not be rash," Rykard said, shaking his head. "These guests are powerful individuals with overweening pride. Many have less than savory backgrounds; they will not cooperate with an investigation. If you provoke a riot among them, the situation will spiral out of control. Besides, it is not certain the dragon is among them."
"Then, My Lord, grant me a little time. I will observe each of them individually to determine who among them is the dragon."
"We have no time to find the dragon, nor is there a need to concern ourselves with it," Rykard said. "A single Ancient Dragon cannot derail my plans. Not every dragon is as powerful as Gransax."
"But—"
"If that dragon truly came from Leyndell, we haven't a moment to lose. Once the beast reports what it saw to the Capital, it may draw the attention of Maliketh the Black Blade," Rykard said calmly. "As it stands, Volcano Manor is not yet equipped to deal with that monster."
"Maliketh..." Even a Crucible Knight who had followed the First Elden Lord couldn't help but turn somber at that name. "I was short-sighted."
"Have Tanith assemble the guests. We depart at noon," Rykard said, standing up. "Inform the Godskin Noble and the Blackflame Monks to prepare as well. Do not reveal too much; the most critical task still rests with you."
"Yes, My Lord," Hotspur replied, turning to leave.
"When this is all over... do you intend to be with Tanith?"
Hotspur froze. "My Lord, I..."
"Did you truly think I hadn't noticed?"
The Crucible Knight trembled slightly, his fingers tightening on the hilt of his greatsword before relaxing.
"A man like me cannot give Tanith happiness," Rykard's voice carried a hint of loneliness. "I hope that you can."
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Elden Ring: The Unborn One's Journey Through Elden Ring(155 Chapter - Ongoing)
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