Lucian was surprised to hear the Ancestral Follower speak.
These people revered nature above all, rejecting metal and civilization—even abandoning their once-advanced culture to return to the wild.
And yet, they still used language to communicate with other races?
Reining Torrent to a halt, Lucian raised his hand in greeting, smiling as warmly as he could.
"No need to be nervous. I come without hostility. I only wish to pass through your lands and reach the mountain beyond."
The Ancestral Followers exchanged strange glances, their chieftain frowning. He studied Lucian's easy expression, unsure of his true intent.
Surely this man didn't believe there was a road beyond? Behind them lay only barren wasteland and sheer cliffs.
The chieftain called out, "Turn back. Beyond this point there is only wasteland and precipice. Whatever you seek, you will not find it here—unless you wish to make friends with the beasts."
Lucian laughed at the remark. Truly, they were a pure race, abandoning civilization to embrace nature. Even "animal friends" were part of their humor.
"I know it may sound unbelievable, but the cliff is exactly where I wish to go. I won't explain further, but I assure you, I mean you no harm."
The chieftain opened his mouth to protest, but his words died as Lucian lifted his hand. A vast dragon's head manifested from nothingness and bit through a stone ridge dozens of meters tall as if it were clay.
At once, the Followers understood. No argument was needed.
The chieftain wiped the sweat from his brow. In the Lands Between, strength was the only law. With such power, this man could annihilate their people with ease. If he wished them harm, lies would be pointless.
Fortunate, then, that they had not provoked him earlier.
"Ha… wel… welcome," the chieftain stammered, his speech growing smoother by the moment. He signaled to the women to take the children away and ordered the warriors to sheathe their weapons.
Seeing their acceptance, Lucian nodded. As expected, a small show of strength was the most effective language in the Lands Between.
He dismounted, leading Torrent toward them.
The Ancestral Followers were tall and broad, men and women alike brimming with a primal vitality.
"Forgive the intrusion," Lucian said politely. "Might I trouble you for a guide? I only need someone to lead me across your lands."
The chieftain quickly agreed, stepping forward himself. "Of course, I can do that."
He dismissed the others and began leading Lucian deeper, speaking as they went.
"Long ago, this region belonged to the ancient Uld Dynasty. No matter how glorious it once was, now it is but ruins. The terrain is complex, without a guide you would lose your way. That is why our people chose to settle here. We call it the Ruined Labyrinth."
Lucian looked about as they walked. The paths were indeed a tangled maze, rising and falling across layers of natural stone. Roads vanished into walls or cliffs without warning. On a map, the area seemed small, but in truth it was a twisting labyrinth.
He pointed to a colossal statue nearby. "And these elder statues? What are they?"
The hooded figures appeared everywhere in the Lands Between, robed elders clasping stone tablets, looming as prophets or seers. Some were broken, others nearly whole, towering as high as the surrounding stone pillars.
The chieftain scratched his head. "Perhaps our ancestors once knew, but we no longer care. Our lives are peaceful now. We rarely speak of the past."
Lucian let the matter drop. For a people who had abandoned civilization, a broken history was only natural. He had no judgment to pass, if they were happy, then so be it.
Still, it was a pity to see the ruins of the Uld Dynasty left untended. Surely relics and treasures lay buried here.
The chieftain guided him through the labyrinth, eventually bringing him to a settlement filled with Followers and animals alike. Children clambered up stone pillars while adults prepared hides from naturally deceased beasts. Berries and foraged food supplemented their diet. They harmed no animal by choice.
This was life without civilization—primitive, simple, yet content.
The chieftain eyed the large jar slung on Lucian's back. "By the way, honored one—ah, may I ask your name?"
"Lucian. No need for formality, treat me as a passing traveler."
The chieftain nodded quickly. "Then, Lord Lucian, would you like us to rebind that jar for you? The rope seems… loose."
Lucian glanced back at his rough handiwork, then nodded. "If you would. Ropework isn't my strength."
He set down the jar. At once, a muffled voice groaned from within, the vessel shuddering slightly.
The chieftain looked at him in alarm. "Lord Lucian, just now—did I hear—"
"You misheard."
"But… it moved—"
"I didn't set it down evenly. Nothing more."
The chieftain hesitated, then forced a laugh. "Ah, yes, of course. My mistake."
While a female Follower worked on the bindings, Lucian asked casually, "Do your people worship the Erdtree?"
She looked up at the small Minor Erdtree nearby, where others knelt and danced in strange ritual steps.
Before she could answer, the chieftain explained.
"We usually speak our own tongue. Few here know the common language. As for your question—yes, we follow the Erdtree. We have lived on the surface for generations. The Erdtree is part of nature, with avatars dwelling beneath its boughs. How could we not believe?"
Lucian found them curious, but he doubted they would ever accept allegiance.
The woman finished binding the jar, her knots simple but firm, leaving loops for easy carrying. Lucian tested the weight and found it secure.
Together with the chieftain, he left the labyrinth.
Ahead, the land opened into plains dotted with lakes. In the distance, massive Walking Mausoleums wandered aimlessly, their steps shaking the earth.
"Our people seldom leave this range," the chieftain said, leading him to the cliff's edge. "This is as far as I can take you. Beyond lies nothing but a sheer drop."
Lucian peered downward. Below was the sealed academy gate, its surface glowing with a blue ward. The bridge behind it was collapsed, impassable.
From the gate stretched a great road, leading toward distant camps of Cuckoo Knights and their siege engines.
This was the Bellum Highway—the path Lucian had chosen to reach Caria Manor.
A familiar stone platform jutted from the cliffside. Perfect for Torrent's leaps.
He waved to the chieftain. "Yes. This is the place. Thank you, you've saved me much trouble."
Without further explanation, he mounted Torrent and leapt from the cliff.
"Wha—?!"
The chieftain gaped as Lucian landed smoothly upon the stone stele below, bounding from one to the next until he reached the Bellum Highway far beneath.
Shaking his head, the chieftain muttered; "This lord… truly walks paths no one else would dare."
Lucian lit the first Site of Grace in the new region, opening its map for future travel. From here, he could easily reach the Grand Lift of Dectus. With both halves of the medallion in hand, ascent was his whenever he chose.
For now, he pressed onward, soon arriving at Bellum Church. Unlike most churches, this one housed not a statue of Marika but of Radagon himself.
Even stranger, a great slope had been built beside the statue, descending deep into the valley. Raya had once mentioned this path—a way toward the Altus Plateau. Lucian had no need of it now, but his road aligned for the moment.
He claimed the Sacred Tear within, then followed the downward path.
On the road, he met a nomadic merchant by his fire, purchasing two Rune Arcs for 2,000 runes.
Not long after, his true goal appeared: a colossal slab of stone spanning the gorge like a bridge.
It jutted from Caria Manor's cliffs, its far end resting upon the highway.
Guiding Torrent, Lucian leapt easily onto its surface. Ahead lay the manor gates. With luck, Iji would guide him through without conflict—straight to Ranni herself.