"Dark Moon Knights?"
A playful expression flickered across Ranni's lips. "In my memory, there is no such order of knights who bathe in the radiance of the Dark Moon."
"It was a knighthood that existed in a very distant place," Gawain replied. "The Dark Moon Knights acted as the Blades of the Darkmoon, hunting down all who dared oppose the gods. It is a tale of a city called Anor Londo.
"But unfortunately, by the time I joined, the order consisted only of a single Captain and myself. In the end, I helped her fulfill her duty of punishing the enemies of the gods. Much like you, she was the youngest daughter of her family, and her two elder brothers... well, things didn't turn out well for them either."
Ranni recalled the unique enchantment Gawain had applied to his weapon when they first met; perhaps that was indeed the power of these "Dark Moon Knights."
Though it had nothing to do with her, hearing such a title felt a bit strange. As for the story of the "Captain," she sensed Gawain was showing his sincerity by sharing such personal history. For a brief moment, a red-haired silhouette flashed through her mind.
"Perhaps, in the future, I too will need your help to slay a certain enemy."
"And who would that be?"
"It is too early to speak of such things. Let us focus on Nokron for now."
Ranni did not pursue the topic further, pivoting back to their objective. She had let her guard down and said more than she intended.
"Regarding the treasure of Nokron... I want you to find it before Blaidd does. Can you do that?"
"Find it before him? I thought he was coming with me. May I ask why?"
"I believe you understand the concept of a 'Shadow.' They are assistants gifted by the Two Fingers to their chosen Empyreans. A Shadow will never betray the Empyrean they serve, nor will they betray the Two Fingers themselves. Do you know what happens when those two loyalties inevitably clash?"
"They are beings incapable of betrayal... so whatever happens next has nothing to do with his own will, does it?"
Gawain understood immediately. Blaidd was likely constantly under the remote influence of the Two Fingers. That influence might even include methods of surveillance. Honestly, allowing Blaidd to come into contact with the Fingerslayer Blade was an unwise move. Given the risk of forced mental override, one couldn't rely on his personal willpower. The result would only be to accelerate his descent into madness.
Ranni was pleased to see him grasp her meaning so quickly. Previously, sending Blaidd alone to find the Eternal City had been a choice of necessity; he was the only one under her command capable of such a task.
But things were different now. Perhaps it was because of what her brother told her before he departed, or perhaps because she still harbored some impractical hope, she was willing to place her trust in this man.
"Take what you wish from here, and then follow me back. I have something to show you."
She manifested the same teleportation ripple she had used before. Gawain didn't hesitate, packing up everything of value in the basement and slinging the Sword of Night and Flame onto his back. Together, they stepped through the ripple and returned to the top floor of Ranni's Rise.
Ranni resumed her seat on her throne. Gawain watched as a look of hesitation crossed her puppet face, followed by a sudden flash of resolve. She held out her four hands, and in a shimmer of blue starlight, a tiny doll took shape in her palms.
She handed the doll to him, her voice tinged with a mix of haughtiness and uncharacteristic bashfulness.
"I did not originally intend to show myself in such a form. However, after witnessing the events of the combat festival, I cannot sit here and simply wait for your report.
"Therefore, I have transferred a portion of my consciousness into this vessel. My true body will fall into a slumber, shifting most of my awareness into this doll to maintain focus for as long as possible. I shall accompany you personally to explore the Eternal City."
Gawain's lip twitched, but he accepted the Miniature Ranni doll. He hadn't expected to see this item so early. So this was what she meant by "us."
The moment he touched the doll, it transformed into a faint blue light that swirled around him, effectively hiding its form. It was likely the same method Blaidd had used to bring Ranni's projection to him before.
"Now that you have seen me in this state, the name of the Witch Ranni has been tarnished by your gaze. Therefore, I shall not allow you to refuse my proposal."
Gawain glanced out of the corner of his eye. He could tell that Melina, who was also invisible, was struggling to keep a straight face. Ranni had actually stuffed herself into the tiny doll? This was unexpected. A woman as proud as her had actually set aside her dignity to travel with him this quickly?
He looked at the doll, which was currently staring at him with a tilted head and a haughty air. What else could he do but agree?
"You're really going all out to spare Blaidd the pain, aren't you? Don't worry, I'll handle things before he gets there. We'll find a way to save him when the time comes."
Ranni sighed softly at the mention of Blaidd. If a solution were easy to find, she wouldn't have waited this long. But there were other reasons she wanted to visit Nokron personally.
"I will assign Blaidd other tasks; you need not worry about him. But there are things I wish to know that go beyond the treasure.
"I want to know what act of rebellion the Nox committed to earn the personal punishment of the Greater Will—to the point where their descendants created sorceries like Eternal Darkness in the image of the very thing that brought them despair. Many Two Fingers have died since the Shattering began, yet the Greater Will has not lashed out as it did then. I must uncover the reason why."
"You have a point. Whether for the exploration ahead or for the matters involving the Academy later, I will need your help."
Ranni nodded. As long as she obtained the Fingerslayer Blade, the plan could proceed. Moreover, her presence would ensure her mother's peace remained undisturbed.
"Once you leave, I will fall into a deep slumber to preserve my focus. When you reach Nokron, that false sky will wake me once more. Keep this a secret; let no one know of my presence. As a Shadow of the Fingers, Blaidd has already done much for me; pushing him further into the depths would serve no one."
She paused, and a letter bearing her personal seal appeared in her hand. "Give this to Blaidd. He will understand what to do next."
"Understood. Leave it to me."
The moment he spoke, Ranni's true body on the throne slumped into a deep sleep. Only a faint, dim shimmer of starlight—perceptible only to Gawain and Melina—remained wrapped around him, marking her presence and awaiting her awakening.
Melina stood to the side, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. This development had exceeded her expectations.
"So, in a sense, you truly have become her exclusive Dark Moon Knight? She's even sidelined her own Shadow to go to Nokron with you personally. That is no small amount of trust."
Gawain's feelings were complicated. He understood why Ranni was doing this.
"Ranni doesn't have many options left. When we came in, you saw how battered Caria Manor is. Her remaining forces are only capable of defending the estate. Iji is a Troll blacksmith and can't move around easily. The other sorcerer, Seluvis... Master Sellen warned me he's a piece of work. Blaidd was her only field agent, and his nature as a Shadow makes him a ticking time bomb.
"I think that's why she was so willing to ally with me. No one places their hopes on a stranger they've known for only a few days unless they're forced by circumstance."
Melina acknowledged this, then couldn't help but ask, "And what about you? Why are you willing to go this far? The treasure of the Eternal City is deep beneath Limgrave. You haven't known her that long either."
Gawain turned to Melina and offered a counter-question. "Then why were you willing to seek me out when I had no maiden, and voluntarily fill that role?"
"That was because of Torrent... no, it was because after observing you, I believed you had the potential to be Lord and fulfill our vow."
"I appreciate the trust. But for me, it isn't that complicated. I simply think she's worth helping, so I want to help. Just like I want you to have a normal life. I don't need a grand reason. You are special to me, and that makes it worth doing."
Melina was momentarily at a loss for words. The feeling of being treated as "special" as a matter of course was alien to her, yet it touched something deep within. However, the fragments of her past memories made her instinctively resist occupying such a central place in his heart. The power sealed in her left eye remained a constant reminder of an ill-omened future.
Gawain saw the shadow cross Melina's face and made an educated guess. Likely, the unsealing of the Gloam-Eye had brought back memories she wasn't supposed to recall until reaching the Capital. But he had already rejected that tragic fate.
"Alright, it's time to head down. Blaidd is probably getting impatient."
"Oh, right. Let's go."
Holding the letter Ranni had given him, Gawain descended the stairs and left the lift. He saw that Ranni's retinue had been assembled. Blaidd stood in the center, flanked by Iji and a projection of Seluvis.
Gawain glanced at the sorcerer hiding behind a mask. He recalled the questline where this man would instruct the player to give a puppet potion to Nepheli—after which he'd treat the player as a kindred spirit and try to trick them into feeding an enhanced potion to Ranni, obsessed with "tasting the beauty" of a demigod by turning her into a doll.
Gawain suspected the old creep was still harboring those exact thoughts. The only reason Seluvis was still breathing was that his techniques were useful for the defense of the manor. But his ultimate end would remain unchanged.
After a brief introduction of Seluvis, Blaidd asked impatiently, "Was the meeting with Mistress Ranni successful?" He subtly eyed the Sword of Night and Flame on Gawain's back, drawing his own conclusions.
"Yes. It went better than expected. I will fulfill our agreement; you can rest assured of that."
"Good. Then when do we depart?" Blaidd was eager to move; he wasn't sure how much longer he could hold out. He needed to see Ranni reach her destiny before he lost himself.
"Ah, about that... this is a letter she asked me to give you before she went to sleep. Take a look."
Blaidd took the letter and scanned it quickly. He let out a silent, internal sigh.
"If this is Mistress Ranni's decision, I shall obey. I must leave this to you for now; I will catch up as soon as I can."
Though he spoke those words, Blaidd knew Ranni's true intent. At such a critical juncture, she was sending him to rescue Bols, the Troll Knight who had been defeated and imprisoned in an Evergaol during the war. As a Shadow who had grown up with her, how could he not recognize the specific "aura" Ranni was projecting through the letter?
However, as a Shadow, he would always choose to follow the decisions of his Empyrean. Having fought alongside Gawain at the festival, Blaidd was willing to believe the man was a true ally. He accepted that it might be better for Gawain to handle the exploration; his own presence might cause trouble, especially as the Fingers' influence had been growing stronger since the festival ended.
Gawain and Blaidd shared a look. Both understood the subtext, but neither spoke it. Some things were better left unsaid. Gawain reached out and shook the Half-Wolf's hand.
"Good luck with your mission."
"And you as well."
Gawain turned to the massive figure beside them. "Iji, are you ready? If so, it's time to head to Stormveil. I can provide whatever you need."
"Do not worry about me," Iji replied. "This old frame can handle the walk. Please, prioritize Mistress Ranni's wishes."
"Fair enough. Just don't keep Jerren waiting too long."
Gawain's overt reason for bringing Iji to Stormveil was to utilize his smithing skills for the governance of Caelid—skills even Jerren had vouched for. The deeper reason, however, was to keep the Troll away from the Black Knife Assassins. In the game, those assassins had reached the very doors of Ranni's Rise, killing several of her retinue before being repelled by a maddened Blaidd. Iji hadn't been so lucky. It was better to have him working safely at Stormveil.
As for Seluvis... there was something Gawain definitely wanted to "retrieve" from him first.
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Elden Ring: In the Name of Ash (189 chapter - Ongoing)
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