"Lady Rellana, the person you were waiting for has arrived. Should I bring him here?"
Moonrithyll entered the Lord's chamber and stood respectfully before the woman she served, reporting the events that had just unfolded outside the castle walls.
"I know. He arrived sooner than I expected. Go personally and see him temporarily settled within the city. Find a room with better conditions and place him under strict surveillance. Ensure he makes no further moves. I shall interrogate him personally afterward."
Hearing this command, Moonrithyll's expression beneath her helm turned somewhat strained. If things were as she suspected, then theoretically, she wouldn't dare to actually imprison the man. After a moment of hesitation, she decided to report another vital piece of information truthfully.
"Lady Rellana, perhaps you should go and see for yourself. You likely sensed the aura of the Dark Moon within that storm the other day. Just now, that man drew Princess Ranni's Dark Moon Greatsword. With a single strike, he broke through the bridgehead's defenses."
"What?"
Rellana stood up abruptly, unable to remain seated. She had previously assumed the man had, at most, shared some of Ranni's power to investigate the Land of Shadow—much like how a stronger soldier in the Crusade might share in Messmer's flame.
But now she was being told he carried the Dark Moon Greatsword? Impossible. Absolutely impossible!
Recalling the memory of her adorable red-haired niece, Rellana couldn't help herself. She intended to go in person, if only to ensure the man hadn't obtained the sword through some treacherous deception.
As she took up her paired swords, the once-dim chamber was suddenly illuminated by the intersecting light of Moon and Fire.
At the gates of Castle Ensis, Gawain reached out to touch a Cross of Miquella.
"I abandon here a part of my flesh."
As the carved words surfaced in his mind, he turned to look at the Carian sorcerer standing behind him.
"Has Miquella been to this city before?"
"Indeed. After that noble Empyrean entered the Land of Shadow, he stayed briefly in this city. He continued toward Shadow Keep after leaving the cross, though he returned a few times to travel to different regions. However, he hasn't been seen for a while now. No one knows his current whereabouts."
"I see. I have no more questions."
Gawain looked at the Sacramental Bud growing beside the cross. He had begun to construct a mental map of Miquella's route after entering the Shadow Realm; these were the areas he would need to investigate.
"Lady Rellana has arrived."
Startled from his thoughts by the warning, Gawain watched as the Crusade soldiers behind the gate pushed the mechanism. They immediately stood in solemn ranks on either side as the heavy gates slowly ground open.
His gaze pierced through the gateway. The first thing to enter his vision was a figure clad in Carian Knight armor. For a split second, he almost thought Moongrum had arrived, but the figure wasn't carrying the sword and shield he associated with Carian Knights. Instead, she gripped a colossal greatsword with both hands, similar to the weapons wielded by Troll Knights.
Looking at the length of that blade, Gawain didn't want to imagine how ridiculous its stats would be in the DLC.
"State your purpose, Tarnished. And where did you get the Dark Moon Greatsword on your back!"
The voice from beneath the helm was not the deep, masculine tone Moongrum usually possessed. It was crisp and cold, wrapped in a tone of interrogation that brooked no argument. A female Carian Knight?
Gawain was momentarily stunned; this was slightly different from what he had imagined. Recalling the information Ranni had given him, he couldn't help but feel that this Carian Knight was, in a sense, a "dowry maid" the Queen had sent along with her sister.
"It was gifted to me by my consort, naturally. As a Carian Knight, you shouldn't have any doubts about such an obvious fact."
"Consort... a Tarnished? How is that possible!"
Even though she had entertained the possibility, hearing it confirmed still felt world-shattering. Was the Lands Between still the place she remembered?
"Enough, Moonrithyll. Fall back. I shall handle this."
A cold, melancholy voice drifted from the rear. Accompanied by steady footsteps, the Twin Moon Knight, Rellana, arrived to personally "greet" the foreign Tarnished.
Upon seeing the Twin Moon Knight for the first time, Gawain felt a staggering pressure wash over him. She wore dark plate armor etched with exquisite Carian royal patterns—a gift personally bestowed by the Full Moon Queen before her departure. The cloak draped over it billowed behind her. In her hands were two swords: one glowing with a cold blue light, representing the mark of the Carian Royals; the other burning with the hot, dark flame of Messmer, its blade carved with the patterns of golden fire.
Beyond that, the way she held her blades crossed before her reminded Gawain of an old acquaintance.
Did I wake up too fast? I feel like I'm looking at a gender-swapped Pontiff Sulyvahn blocking the road in the Land of Shadow.
Shaking his head to clear the strange thought, Gawain knew this wasn't going to be a friendly chat. That powerful pressure had not been restrained in the slightest.
Since that was the case, he had no intention of showing weakness. He gripped the Dark Moon Greatsword firmly in his right hand and drew the Sword of Night and Flame with his left, igniting its ember. Pardon me, but who is the true Carian orthodox here?
Witnessing this, Moonrithyll, the surrounding Carian sorcerers, and even the Crusade soldiers instinctively moved back. By now, even the dullest among them could see that this wasn't an enemy invasion—it was their Lord's family business.
Rellana scanned the Tarnished before her, her gaze eventually settling on the roaring flames of the Sword of Night and Flame. This man... can he also use a unique flame?
With that realization, her guard lowered slightly. If he possessed such power, then it wasn't impossible for a child like Ranni to be drawn to the flame. After all, Moon and Fire were always inseparable.
"I am the Lord of Castle Ensis, sister to the Full Moon Queen, the sword of Messmer: Rellana, the Twin Moon Knight. Who exactly are you?"
"Me?"
Gawain thought for a moment, then felt something. His eyes flicked upward as the surrounding temperature began to drop. A smile touched his lips.
"My name is Gawain. As for my other titles, I suspect you aren't particularly interested. I am Ranni's consort, the Promised King of the Dark Moon. It is an honor to meet the legendary Twin Moon Knight. I suppose I should call you 'Auntie.'"
Rellana's hands, which had just relaxed, tightened around her blades once more. The power of Moon and Fire flared uncontrollably, and her tall figure swayed imperceptibly.
She was about to speak when she felt a slight chill above her. Without anyone noticing, a Dark Moon had quietly manifested in the sky, casting down a clear light imbued with a ghostly chill.
Turning her head, she saw a portal tear open in the air behind the man. Within the doorway, shards of starlight swirled like a crushed galaxy embedded in the void.
A familiar figure stepped slowly from the gate. A massive blue Snow Witch hat was tilted low, obscuring most of her face, leaving only the soft curve of her jawline visible. That faint, elusive smile on her lips, set against the backdrop of the Dark Moon and starlight, appeared aloof and mysterious.
"So this is the Land of Shadow? I didn't expect that even with guidance, it would take so long to enter."
Ranni felt the pervasive shadows around her. A portal that usually opened in an instant had required quite a bit of effort here. Queen Marika had hidden this place well. Of course, that was only a hassle for the first time; from now on, the way would be clear.
"It has been a while, my King. I have received your summons."
She gently embraced Gawain's shoulders from behind. The familiar scent of his flame was comforting.
"Alright, Ranni. There are people everywhere. Go say hello to your aunt first."
Ranni slowly raised her head, her gaze meeting the stunned Rellana from beneath her hat. Even after such a long separation, she immediately reconciled the figure before her with the memories in her mind.
Her aunt was still her aunt, but compared to when she had left the Academy, she carried an aura of melancholy and exhaustion.
"Ranni? Is it truly you? But why are you wearing your mentor's clothes? Miquella said you vanished from the Lands Between after the war began. What is all this...?"
Rellana finally lowered her twin swords completely. The appearance and temperament of the person before her had changed entirely, but that familiar feeling of blood recognizing blood ensured she could not be mistaken.
In a daze, the image of a red-haired little girl flickered before her eyes, overlapping with the Ranni of the present.
She suddenly remembered the days before she left the Academy, before the upheavals tore everything apart. Her sister always loved to dump her youngest daughter on her for babysitting so she could sneak out for trysts with Radagon.
It was also then that she had first met Messmer. Back then, he hadn't yet been left in the Land of Shadow by Queen Marika. The pain that now dwelled in his eyes hadn't yet manifested, nor had the deep weariness worn into him by years of imprisonment.
Ranni opened her mouth slightly, but in the end, everything she wanted to say dissolved into a sigh.
Gawain looked at the crowd still watching and coughed twice before speaking quickly.
"This isn't the place to talk. Let us head inside first."
Rellana nodded and glanced at Moonrithyll. Understanding the look, Moonrithyll stepped out of the gate. The commotion outside had been far too loud; they needed to restore their normal defensive posture immediately to prevent any opportunistic enemy attacks.
Rellana then turned and gestured for the two to follow. No matter how many thousands of questions she had, they required a quiet place.
Gawain held Ranni's hand as they walked through Castle Ensis. After years of war, this city had become much like Redmane Castle—a thoroughly militarized fortress. Though smaller than the Shadow Keep further ahead, its defenses were airtight.
However, even the sturdiest city required people to defend it. Gawain had seen the organized, combat-ready Crusade soldiers outside and assumed the interior would be better. But as he entered the inner city, he realized that basically everyone capable of fighting was outside putting up a front.
Heaps of numb Crusade soldiers huddled around bonfires, looking lifeless. They didn't even react to the presence of strangers. He even saw a spirit kneeling in prayer to Marika, constantly asking when the Crusade would finally end.
Aside from the Black Knights, the only ones in slightly better condition were the sorcerers Rellana had brought from the Academy. These sorcerers were originally elites sent to support the Crusade; some had even faced off against Radagon on the battlefield. Naturally, being dumped in the Land of Shadow by Marika didn't change much for them. Some sorcerers had even begun researching the hidden secrets of the Land of Shadow, proving themselves to be versatile mages who could handle both academia and war.
As he chatted with Ranni about their recent experiences, Gawain noticed Rellana, who was leading them in silence, constantly glancing back at them. Even through her helm, he could sense complex emotions—there was even a trace of subtle, almost imperceptible envy.
Eventually, the two were led to the Lord's chamber. Outside the room was an exaggeratedly large platform, similar in environment to the Royal Moongazing Grounds in Caria Manor.
The rear of the platform led directly toward Scadu Altus. It was unclear if this place was intended for moongazing, or if someone had specifically chosen it to steal glances at the Shadow Keep from afar.
Rellana withdrew her gaze from the Shadow Keep, removed her helmet, and placed it on a weapon rack along with her twin swords.
As a direct sister, the face beneath the helm was naturally very similar to the Full Moon Queen's—regal and sharp—but it was haggard from years of war and anxiety. Her face only softened into a genuine smile when looking at Ranni, but her look toward the "other one" was not nearly as kind.
"No one should disturb us here. Now, tell me everything that has happened in the Lands Between."
Gawain had just decided where to start when he was silenced by a glare from the woman. Great. The interrogation Rennala wasn't interested in conducting is being handled by her sister.
Ranni chuckled and gripped his hand tighter. A mischievous glint appeared in her eyes as she countered with a question.
"How about you speak first, Auntie? How are things between you and Messmer? How many children have you had? The Carian royal line is currently short-handed, and I don't have much time to manage things. If I had a few younger cousins to help out, that would be for the best."
The faint smile on Rellana's face froze. She stood between them, her gaze sweeping over their interlaced hands. She said nothing.
Ranni seemed to realize something, and a peculiar expression crossed her face.
"Auntie... you aren't still single, are you?"
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Elden Ring: In the Name of Ash
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