Half a day later, the trees of the Valleybottom Forest had all sprouted a hint of spring. This was the limit.
Frieren let out a long breath, put away her staff and the Great Rune, and wiped the sweat from her brow. Looking at the surrounding greenery and the vibrant flowers at her feet, she no longer felt tired. The effect was excellent, smoother than anticipated.
"This works too! Mother's Sun Healing can be this powerful?" the Mimic Tear was left in pure shock.
"You didn't see her restore Caelid. The situation then was even more severe, and we didn't have the great advantage of the goddess of rot withdrawing her scarlet power."
Melina found it incredible just thinking back on the conditions at the time.
In reality, her partner had been continuously working miracles. In terms of area, the Valleybottom Forest was not as vast as Caelid, but the caster had grown much stronger, so it wasn't hard to understand how it was restored to this extent.
As far as the eye could see, she witnessed a sea of flowers, and the trees were even laden with heavy fruit.
Little did they know, Frieren was the most moved of all.
In her own world, this would have been impossible. How could a tree that had been burned once regain its vitality? But she firmly believed it was possible in the Lands Between, because all things were blessed by the Golden Order. She viewed the Frenzied Flame as an abnormal status, not a change in nature.
"Melina, this proves our theory is viable. I guarantee I will have restored most of the regions before even holding the complete Elden Ring."
"I trust you. In truth, the Ring is the final, safest option, but not necessarily the best."
"The Land of Shadow shouldn't have any more stubbornly polluted lands, right?"
"If you don't count the Hornsent encampments."
"We'll eliminate them sooner or later. That place is scheduled for cleanup... The Finger Ruins might need investigation, but that's not pollution."
"The map indicates a small patch of Scarlet Rot in the Rauh Ruins area, which is also the path to the Spiral Tower. We can deal with that later. If we must speak of pollution, Jagged Peak counts as well. The lightning and magma have made it a forbidden zone for life."
Putting down the map, Melina gazed at the dark mountain peak ahead, a mass of chaos.
ROAR!
The ever-present dragon's roar was full of spirit, more terrifying than the bellows from the Frenzied Flame, as if issuing a challenge. How could it not be curious about a great battle happening in the adjacent Valleybottom Forest?
The three, having regrouped, looked at each other and nodded. It would take some time to get to Jagged Peak anyway, so they could rest on the way. The resilience of a Demigod's body made it a non-issue. The key question was, how to travel?
Frieren let out a whistle.
Amidst a spirited neigh, Torrent reappeared, raising his hooves and pacing joyfully. Only after confirming the environment was safe did he relax his tense muscles. The spirit steed had returned.
Melina stroked its head and fed it a Rowa Fruit. "You were frightened. Don't worry, Frieren has taken care of everything."
At the same time, the Mimic Tear returned to the Spirit Calling Bell to rest and recuperate.
The two mounted Torrent once more, and with a cry of "Giddy-up!" they galloped away.
They showed no signs of fatigue after the great battle. On the contrary, their fighting spirit was high. The resonance and tacit understanding in their hearts were the best part of the journey. They decided to press on and reach Jagged Peak in one go.
At the foot of the mountain.
A massive flying dragon's corpse lay upon the black rock, large enough to cover a city, uncorrupted by the years. From a distance, it looked like a spectacular statue.
Only upon approaching could one marvel at what a majestic and enormous life form it must have been.
And next to the corpse was the Great Altar of Dragon Communion.
It exuded the scent of dragon blood, with fragments of hearts and flesh not uncommon. Here lay the most ancient tradition of Dragon Communion in the Lands Between today.
At a time when the tradition has been lost, decayed, or even vanished in other regions, the priest Crusesax, an Ancient Dragon in human form, is responsible for maintaining the ritual in its highest purity.
Usually, she would be seeking out those with a strong aptitude for Dragon Communion, but today she was preparing for a reception.
"It should be soon. That King won't take too long, will she?"
Looking back towards Jagged Peak, thunder shook the heavens amidst dense, dark clouds. Both Bayle and Crusesax were on high alert. A dragon's intuition was warning them that a great battle was coming.
It was the quasi-King.
To come rushing over without pause right after defeating the Lord of Frenzied Flame, and with such purpose—of course, they had to extend their full hospitality.
Crusesax sighed, "I wonder if it will be successful this time..."
Someone was also hurrying along the path through the Dragon's Pit. Igon, his spirit restored, passed through the tunnel.
Along the way, he saw only scattered corpses, rubble, and weapons, with blood everywhere. A slaughter had clearly taken place.
"This sort of one-sided annihilation must be her handiwork."
Although the monsters in the Dragon's Pit were not exceptional, the one-way passage made it easy to set up ambushes. Rushing in recklessly would be a death sentence.
But what Igon saw before him was a complete wreck; the ones who had been slaughtered were the monsters inside.
As expected.
After they parted ways, Frieren must have charged straight through. How could they possibly resist a monarch who possessed such an aura? They had run into a tough one.
Upon stepping into the depths of the Dragon's Pit, Igon was even more certain, for the remains of the Ancient Dragon-Man lay sleeping here.
There were no signs of a very fierce battle, which meant he hadn't caused the intruder much trouble from beginning to end.
"Bayle is about to meet a powerful challenger this time. I have to hurry."
He couldn't miss this opportunity. Even in his battered state, he had to reach the battlefield. A fight to the death with Bayle—it would be either his last dance or the dragon's.
Shadow Keep.
Messmer, who had been observing from a watchtower, breathed a sigh of relief.
"You won. It seems Melina is safe as well. What an adventurous King you are."
When the Outer God of the First Flame was unleashing its power wantonly, he had been on the verge of intervening, nearly rushing over himself. Geographically, a brief flight and dive into the Valleybottom Forest might have been fast enough, but he didn't know if the Blasphemous Serpent's flame would react with the Frenzied Flame. If so, it wouldn't just be adding to the trouble...
This was one of the reasons he'd left the Valleybottom Forest alone. That Outer God, specializing in the dark side of the human heart and possessing corrupting power, was a troublesome foe.
Suddenly, the battle was decided.
Although the distance was considerable, his senses couldn't be wrong. Besides, the commotion from both sides was quite large. It was obvious: the battle had ended in an overwhelming victory for the Lord of Cinder, Frieren.
Her strength was incomprehensible. Why had such a figure suddenly appeared in the Lands Between?
"Melina, you've found a reliable person. Was this Mother's will? To actually let a Tarnished bear such a sacred mission."
If the two of them were simply traveling together and carving out their own territory, it wouldn't be too serious.
But when it came to the issue of the Golden Dynasty's rule, Messmer could not sit idly by. An ambitious Tarnished wants to claim the throne of the Elden Lord? Even if she possessed peerless martial skill, a strong moral compass, an unyielding will, and numerous followers... it was not permissible.
He looked at the guard beside him and asked, "Has this monarch publicly declared her choice for the Age of Stars?"
"Yes. Her Empyrean is Lady Ranni."
Messmer was no stranger to the members of the Caria Royal Family, and he knew a great deal because of Ranni, which was what made the situation so complicated.
What would the Twin Moon Knight think?
Ensis Castle was also in an uproar.
The intense tremors had caused some buildings under repair to collapse, with scaffolding falling apart in a clatter. The first collapse was because of Frieren; the second collapse was also because of Frieren.
As expected of the quasi-King who could conquer half the Lands Between. Just the sheer spirit of her battles was exaggerated; an ordinary opponent wouldn't last.
And now she was probably rushing to Jagged Peak, not even stopping to rest after defeating the Lord of Frenzied Flame.
Faced with such a performance, the Caria army was left discussing in shock:
"Will it be exhausting to go to war with Her Majesty in the future? Will we have to constantly be on the march?"
"Wrong."
"—Quite the opposite. Her Majesty will rely on her spirit steed's speed to leave us all behind, test the enemy's strength on her own, and in the process of 'testing,' she'll conveniently wipe out more than half of them, leaving not much military glory for us."
"That really does sound like Lady Frieren's style."
"An enemy that could make Her Majesty fight conservatively and move with the army would have to be on the level of the Royal Capital's forces. I wonder how much combat strength they have left?"
"Are we already considering the Knights of Leyndell as our hypothetical enemy? That's right, it's not like we Caria haven't fought them before."
"A pity it was inconclusive last time."
From the traditional perspective of the Lands Between, a true victory must display martial virtue and utterly dominate a strong enemy. Therefore, laying down arms after a political marriage didn't count; at the very least, it wasn't imposing enough, and thus became a less than glorious point in Radagon's military record.
In the eyes of many martial-minded Carian warriors, that battle a thousand years ago was never settled.
They believed that the Royal Capital of Leyndell had not shown sufficient mettle. Unless Godfrey himself led the army to war with world-shaking might, they would not be convinced.
"Are we about to have a second round after a thousand years?"
"That's great news."
The crowd's lively discussion made Ranni sigh. The inconclusive and less-than-imposing outcome of the political marriage had ultimately affected everyone's attitude, making them always want another satisfying showdown.
However, she felt a faint sense of anticipation. This was how it should be: a battle between factions championing different orders.
To finally decide whether the Stars or the Golden Order would rule the Lands Between.
Ranni crossed her arms and gazed towards Jagged Peak. The thunderclouds were dense and booming, with lightning slithering through them like serpents, as if looking down upon any intruder who dared to challenge them.
A shooting star flew across the path along the Dragon's Pit. A swift steed, propelled by gravity magic, landed firmly on the ground, and Torrent reared up with a neigh.
Frieren grabbed the reins and, while adjusting, dispelled the gravity magic's effect.
Thanks to the complete purification of the Valleybottom Forest, if the Frenzied Flame forces had still been there, flying over them might have drawn an attack, which would have been troublesome to deal with. Now, back on a normal route, things were finally a bit more relaxed.
Behind her, Melina's arms tightened around her waist.
She leaned against her without reservation.
Since things were out in the open, she would rely on her completely. You're the one who told me not to sacrifice myself, so you find another way.
She had never been one to shift blame; on the contrary, she had a strong sense of responsibility. But not having to bear it all alone felt so good.
Though Frieren always appeared carefree and didn't hold things in, she could always come up with a suitable plan when needed, just as she had with restoring the Valleybottom Forest.
For now, she would just rest well to compensate for all the stress up to this point.
"Once we're done exploring the south of the Land of Shadow, let's continue looking for the Sorcerer Village. Only the Cerulean Coast is left." Melina changed the subject. "Can you sense the danger ahead?"
"It's normal for now, but Bayle is quite active. He doesn't seem like someone who's been grievously wounded, disabled, and imprisoned."
"A dragon's life force is always tenacious. You can't be careless. Although he is disabled, what truly determines strength is an indomitable will. That's likely why even the Ancient Dragons find it hard to kill Bayle."
"True. There's a very large flying dragon up ahead, even more exaggerated than Greyoll. It's been dead for so long, yet its life force lingers."
"Something like that exists?"
"Let's go take a look."
Always one for action, Frieren spurred her horse, galloping towards the other side. It was all on the way to Jagged Peak anyway.
Her perception spread to its maximum, capturing a fleeting aura of an Ancient Dragon. Strange, why was it so faint? It seemed to be in an unstable state, or perhaps weakened. It was worth noting.
She had to ensure she wouldn't be disturbed during the fight with Bayle. It was best to check beforehand.
He was not an enemy she could defeat casually, especially since the goal was to kill him. With the mad dragon's will to survive, he would surely erupt with a resolve no less than that seen in the battle against the Dragonlord.
Even without having met him, Frieren was certain he was an extremely tough opponent. A character remembered by the entire Ancient Dragon race for thousands of years was no small fry.
His history was more ancient than the Golden Dynasty's; his age alone placed him among the foremost in the Lands Between. He was a long-established figure.
There was also a message confirming this was the right path:
[Bayle, O incarnation of dread, this old man has come for you again]
The tone was clearly Igon's. While she was fighting the Frenzied Flame forces, he had passed through the Dragon's Pit to issue another challenge.
Though he lacked a bit in strength, his will was commendable. With such a spirit, he would at least not go hollow. On the contrary, he would continuously hone himself and grow stronger over the long years. Only the resolute can enjoy the Golden Order's eternity.
"Giddy-up!"
With a command, Torrent accelerated further, charging down the hillside, the long wind scattering fallen leaves, pointing towards the target like an arrow released from a bowstring.
After the oppressive atmosphere of the Frenzied Flame-ridden Valleybottom Forest, it was venting.
It could no longer hold back. As the steed of the future Elden Lord, it would only encounter stronger enemies... When that time came, the spirit steed would not flinch but would ride to victory with its master.
"Good boy, just like that."
Sensing her companion's fighting spirit, Frieren gently stroked Torrent's neck while leaning low.
She and Melina minimized their wind resistance as much as possible, and sure enough, the spirit steed's speed increased even more. Moreover, the terrain leading to Jagged Peak was complex, with rises and falls and scattered rocks, making aerial jumps very important.
With its double jump, most terrain obstacles were rendered moot.
A passing Golden Goat could only watch as a gust of wind and a single rider vanished into the distance, leaving it stunned. It wasn't even given a chance to interact. The rider seemed to be purely here for a horse race.
A few breaths later, Melina saw what Frieren had called the "massive flying dragon's corpse," which was comparable to a mountain range.
Spreading out the map, it did indeed depict the corpse.
At first, she thought it was just an illustration, a feature marking the environment around Jagged Peak, meaning a large number of flying dragon corpses. It turned out to be a realistic drawing.
Even the Mimic Tear's ashes poked its head out from the silver-haired girl's embrace. A mass of silver liquid looked around, surprisingly giving off an air of curiosity. Then, a sigh was heard:
"There are many soul auras here. Were they left by communicants of the Dragon Communion?"
"That's right."
Frieren stated with certainty and cast a questioning glance at Melina, who immediately replied:
"We are about to arrive at the Great Great Altar of Dragon Communion."
_____
🔥 Announcing new story updates! 🔥
🔥 New history!: Genshin Impact: Starting by Stuffing Columbina 🔥
✅ Gain early access to 40 chapters for all stories.
✅ Enjoy exclusive content and special announcements.
We have set new community milestones:
🎯 100 Powerstones = +1 Bonus Chapter for all readers
🚀 80 MEMBERS = +5 additional chapters for all series!
👻 P - Walnutchan