Chapter 30: Origins of Farron.

Crucifixion Dungeon, Farron Keep.

...

*CLANG!*

...

*CLANG!*

...

*BOOM!*

"Aw fuck!"

Elen saw the Purple Phantom draw her deadly Pyromancy art, the Chaos Bed Vestige. She saw the incoming ball flinging towards her and strafed to the left to avoid the massive fireball before it would have reduced her and her nearby companions into piles of ashes. Mad Spirit Wilmarina caught a brown blur coming from the left flank and promptly raised her claymore. The blade felt a hard clang and the mad spirit saw Olivier gritting her teeth in disbelief. The musketeer didn't expect the mad phantom had good reflexes until the spirit made an evil grin and used her free hand to grab the blunt edge of her claymore and swung the claymore's crossguard, which knocks Olivier across her face. Impostor Wilmarina's counterattack completely caught her off-guard as the Musketeer fell on her butt into the murky waters and then looked up in horror to see the mad spirit raise her greatsword to end her.

But then, her killing blow was interrupted when a lightning spear hits her against the back, sending the invader flying before crashing into the mud-filled with poisonous toxins. The Phantom grunts in pain as she turns her gaze and noticed white circles coming toward her. The mad invader rolled to the left to evade the attack and then strafed to the right for cover behind the trees once it came back to return to its owner.

The Phantom caught her sights on Sasha and grit her teeth in frustration while the Warrior Priestess raised her Elkhorn Round Shield to defend herself before the Mad Spirit sprinted toward the Maiden of Lescatie as she raised her claymore. However, Elaine stood right in front of Sasha and then parried off the Mad Spirit's attack. The Orc then swung her Greataxe forth from below, performing an uppercut blow which sends Mad Spirit Wilmarina flying once again and crashing against the nearby swamp tree.

Sasha can see the Mad Phantom was battered and exhausted while looking up at the Priestess with a spiteful look.

"Forgive me!" Sasha apologises regretfully as she raised her talisman.

The Ring of the White Corona sprouts out from her magic catalyst, but the Mad Spirit rolled aside to evade her attack and retreats behind the swamp trees. Arcturus and Reginald threw their lightning spear and a couple of throwing knives at the retreating Phantom, yet none hit their mark. Ash saw the phantom retreat deeper into the swamp and disappeared from their sights. Phantoms disappearing from this world can mean one thing and to his relief, the invader won't bother them anymore. However, they need to stay alert to the situation and the possibility of another invader.

"Olivier, are you alright?" Sasha helped the musketeer to stand on her feet. "Are you still hurt?"

"J-Just a minor bruise-agh!" Olivier winced in pain once touching a nasty bruise on her cheek. "Damnit, she hits hard."

"Here, it'll help you heal." Ash produced a life gem out from his pouch and handed it over to Olivier. "Crush it with your own hand and let the magic do its thing."

Olivier looked down on the small life gem in her palm before carefully crushing the fragile gemstone. The musketeer swore she must have felt a great sensation after a faint divine energy coursing through her body and her injuries were healed in mere seconds. Olivier wondered why these healing stones were harvested by killing dungeon monsters and wooden chests that appeared randomly in such a hostile place? The answers to those questions remain a mystery and not even the Priestess of Lescatie knows.

Yet Ash comes up with a logical conclusion that it was the works of the distortions in his case.

"Ash, are we safe?" Sasha anxiously asked. "Will she come back?"

"She disappeared... only for a while, but who knows when? Phantoms can come back and hunt down their targets for revenge." The Silver-Blue Knight paused for a while, reading the surrounding area. "We'd better find a safe place to take a break."

"But why does that phantom look like Wilmarina?" Olivier asked Ash, as if hundreds of questions flooded in her mind. "Why her? Why does she want to kill us?"

"Who knows, but that person isn't the real Wilmarina." The Silver-Blue Knight concluded with an explanation. "Phantoms are spirits, merely a copy of someone who came from parallel worlds. In fact, there is a world where it has its own Wilmarina, but the intentions were varied based on their colours."

Sasha raised her eyebrow in curiosity. "Their intentions are based... on their colours?"

"That's right," Ash nodded to her answer. "The red ones are known as Dark Spirits while the purple spirit is a Mad Spirit."

"So, what's the difference between the two?" Elaine asked in curious. "I mean, Mad Spirits and Dark Spirits are similar, right?"

"Dark Spirits only has an intention of killing a host, probably someone in this world. Although they can get killed by dungeon monsters if they caught their attention." Ash answered straightly. "Mad Spirits, on the other hand, can kill Dungeon Monsters, red spirits and the host."

Arcturus then questioned. "But I wonder... who's the host do they want to kill?"

"I... do not know, it's probably some fool who just touched a purple summoning sign by accident, and no wonder there were deaths of many explorers in this part of the dungeon, including heroes." Ash sighed in disappointment to think that some unfortunate adventurer was killed by their own curiosity. "Take my advice. Never touch a sign that glows red and purple."

Sasha and the others took this advice to their hearts as a pre-caution from dangers.

"Hey guys, look over here!" The group heard Elen called over while waving her hand. "I found this long ladder!"

Ash felt a wave of relief before walking over to Elen's position and then climbing up the ladder, heading straight up from the swamp.

"Let's go up, and take a rest," Ash says while climbing up. "It's a safe haven up here."

"Are you sure?" Olivier asked while raising her brow. "I mean, have you been to this place?"

"Yeah... I'm sure as hell this swamp hasn't been here on this continent to begin with," Ash replied while climbing up.

Olivier then turned her gaze over to Sasha and Elaine. Both of them shrugged their shoulders with no answers before it was their turn to climb up the ladder. It took ten minutes to reach the top before Elaine, being the last one who reached up, breathes out in exhaustion.

"Hah~! Hah~! Shit, that was high!" Elaine breathes out as her hands were shaking while pulling up herself on the hard surface. "We've been in the Fallen Tower with longer staircases, but this must've been the longest ladder that we ever climbed!"

"Sure... I've climbed even longer ones," Ash spoke up amusingly while helping Elaine to get up on her feet. He remembers the ladders from the Water Reservoir under the remains of Anor Londo in Irithyll and another one on the cliffs of Ariandel. "Trust me, climbing those gives me a good warm-up."

"Haha. Very funny, Ash." The Orc groaned sarcastically while rolling her eyes.

"But I wonder... Who made this ladder?" Sasha wondered in question. "This must've been the longest one I've ever seen in my life."

"Who knows?" Ash shrugged off his shoulders before going into the nearest entrance. "Over here."

Once he entered the room, a feeling of nostalgia washed over him. It had been already almost a half year since he was thrown into another world and sees a familiar black coiled sword in the middle of the room, impaled on the ground along with the remains of ashen bones. Then he turned to his left and sees the same corpse of a Farron Greatwolf. However, this wolf shows signs of deformation and decay as if most of its body is showing its bones.

The others stepped into the area until Sasha, Olivier, and Elen jumped back in surprise to see the decaying Greatwolf. Ash turns around and sees them drawing their weapons, much to his brief confusion and mild amusement. He chuckled underneath his helmet while tilting his head.

"Don't worry, the corpse won't bite." Ash raised his hand, gesturing them to lower their weapons. "This wolf has been around here for a long time."

Sasha slowly lowered her guard. "How long...?"

"I guess... probably hundreds of years," Ash replied with a guess about the years while turning his gaze to the Farron Greatwolf. "This one was used as an altar by the Farron's Undead Legion, known as the Abysswatchers. They used to drink the blood of the Farron Greatwolf, which gives them extraordinary abilities such as keen smell, strength, and speed."

Upon Ash mentions the name, Elen and Reginald stood stunned in disbelief until memories have swirled into the minds of the siblings, remembering their father who had told them during their camping trip, hearing his stories as they sat along with a bonfire. The eldest child of Farron had never forgotten about his past, that his father was once a member of a Legion of Duelists.

...

"Dad, what's the Farron Legion?" The young Reginald asked his father curiously. But his father, Hawkwood, remains silent. "Come on, Dad! Can you at least tell us what it is?"

"Yeah! Every time we told you something about this, you're awfully quiet." The young Elen jumps up, pouting at her father in frustration while begging at him. "Please papa? Pretty please!?"

At that moment, Hawkwood took a deep breath in admittance of his defeat before he crossed his arms and looked down at them with a warm smile.

"Alright, you two squirts. Your demands for answers are giving me some... conniptions." The former Abysswatcher sighed with a sad chuckle while massaging his temples before telling a part of his background story. "The Farron Legion... also known as the Abysswatchers, is a wandering army of Duelists who seek out and destroy the perversions of darkness."

The young Elen and Reginald listened as Hawkwood continues his tale. "It is also said that the Legion is capable of burying an entire kingdom with a slight presence of darkness."

"By burying it... you mean those guys used a lot of dirt... right?" Elen guessed in question before Hawkwood snickered at his daughter's remarks. The young dhampir then fumed with redness on her cheeks. "What's so funny daddy!? Regi! You too are laughing!"

"Hahaha! Sorry, I can't help it, little sis!" Reginald laughed before shaking off those thoughts. "So dad, what do you mean by "burying" a kingdom?"

"Well, "burying a kingdom" means the full destruction of an entire nation," Hawkwood answered with a shrug of his shoulders while his children reeled back in fright after hearing that. "Like what I did to that small Demon Realm estate where your mother used to live in."

"Woah... th-then does that mean you're really powerful! Right?" Reginald then stood up with a brightened expression while raising his fist, yet Hawkwood tilts his head sideways. "Huh?... You're not?"

"Reginald, I know there are warriors who are stronger than I." Hawkwood replied while looking down on the bonfire. "A warrior who is more of a dragon than I ever faced."

"... But remember this, children; the blood of the Great Farron flows within your veins." Hawkwood continues while Reginald and Elen sat with glimmers in their eyes, realising that there is something special about themselves. "If you want to know more about your origins, you shall find it out one day and understand what it means to be a Farron Swordsman."

"But why not tell us now? I mean, you know of something, right?" Elen suspected.

"You squirts are too young," Hawkwood smiled while pulling out a pendant from his pocket and giving it over to Reginald. "Here, I will give this to you. Consider this as our traditional family inheritance. But remember, do not lose it."

Reginald gently grabbed the pendant and examined the emblem of the Farron Legion with his eyes filled with curiosity. He nods at his father's remarks and tucked the pendant under his pocket.

...

"The Abysswatchers...? Hold on a sec," Reginald muttered while pulling up his father's pendant from his small pouch and look closely between the Farron Greatwolf and the pendant itself. "It has the same face as this pendant..."

"Y-You're right, it is!" Elen tensed in realisation and then turn her gaze to Ash. "Ash, do you know more about the Abysswatchers, the Farron Legion?"

"... Yes, I do." Ash nodded in reply. "What do you know more about them? Didn't your father tell more about his past?"

"No, not really." The dhampir tilts her head sideways. "He told us he was a former member, and mentions about the Great Farron flows in me and my brother as well."

"Huh, I see. The Farron Legion is an army of duellists once they drink the blood of the Greatwolf Farron... Therefore, this Greatwolf behind me must've been your uncle." Ash smiled while pointing his thumb back at the corpse. "Your father became a member of Farron after drinking the blood of the Greatwolf. While you were his children, it seems you both inherited the wolf's blood as well. Did you two experienced some abnormalities which aren't usual for an ordinary human being?"

"Well, Me and sister." Reginald assumed while wondering. "My mother told me we have keen senses and hearing."

"She also told us we have sharp noses," Elen added in acknowledgement, then turned her gaze to Reginald. "So that wasn't natural after all. Then the blood of the Greatwolf within us did some enhancements...? The reason how we were so sharp in our surroundings?"

"That might be the case. Therefore, no wonder why we were born with exceptional abilities!" Reginald's expression brightened behind his bandana while turning to Ash. "Is that right?"

"Yes, at least you two were lucky to be naturally born with the blood of Farron." Ash nodded in reply. "Those who are unworthy while drinking its blood were turned into hideous beasts like those Lycanthropes we've encountered earlier. As I can tell, your wolf's blood seems tame and under your control."

"By the Lords! Then you have one badass bloodline within you two!" Arcturus stated with astonishment. "Keen senses of both hearing and smell. I assume it also includes sharp vision, right?"

"You're not wrong there, Arcturus," Elen replied with a flustered look, yet flashed a prideful smile.

"Damn, I'm jealous of you two." Elaine groaned in a downcast before straightening herself up. "But at least we learned our miracles."

"It's quite impressive to hear more about their origins, Ash," Sasha spoke up, amazed by the tale behind the sibling's origins. "So Elen and Reginald carry the blood of the Greatwolf all this time and it grants them unnatural abilities since birth is truly astonishing."

"I also find that quite astonishing indeed," Olivier agreed before she expressed a grim look. "But if we reveal them about their nature to the Order of the Chief God, I doubt they would allow them. They do have the blood of monsters, am I correct?"

"Indeed, as you can say that." Ash nodded in admittance while Sasha looked down, feeling discouraged. The Silver-Blue Knight soon noticed the Priestess' expression. "Don't worry. One day, they'll change their minds and can tell the difference."

"I do sure hope they will understand." She exhaled.

...

Desert Region of Arum Sedis.

...

"My~! The city is as wonderful as ever."

Ilassa heard an elder woman speaking shortly before taking a small sip of her tea. The Lilim smiled while placing a porcelain teacup on the wooden table.

"How is the new milk tea?" The lilim asked.

The old woman smiled with a small sigh. "It has quite an exotic flavour, no doubt. Who would have thought tea mixed well with flavoured milk?"

"I've been experimenting with all kinds of drinks in my travels~" Ilassa replied with a prideful smile. "So, Myza, I have one question."

The Carthus Chieftess paused before drinking another sip before the Lilim asked. "Who will be the next chieftain of your tribe?"

"Hmm~ Who knows? Half of the tribe says it will be my son Abrar." Myza replied with a downcast sigh. "Others tell it will be my nephew, Junayd. But I know he will not involve in this. My niece Atif is also chosen to be a candidate."

"I see, then that sounds difficult for your folk to choose a new chieftain." Ilassa couldn't help but feel pity for Myza. Human politics were indeed a pain to understand until her thoughts were interrupted once she heard footsteps coming into the room. Both the Lilim and the Carthus Chieftess turned around and saw an elderly Vinheim Sorceror. "Ah! Oswald! Right in time for a meeting old man~!"

"Hahaha! I appreciate your words of hospitality with sarcasm, Ms Ilassa." Oswald smiled humbly while bowing politely towards the Lilim. "Although I may be past my prime, my heart remains young."

"Heh! Motivated as ever, huh?" Ilassa then made a cocky smile while handing him over a cup of milk tea. "I've made a new type of drink that feels refreshing!"

"Oh~? Gladly I will." Oswald nodded while taking a small seat beside the table. "I've heard this meeting of ours is important because of my latest reports from the northern lands."

"Indeed." Ilassa nodded before explaining. "I'm aware that the Demon Realms were planning to make their next move."

"I've read your letter from a couple of days ago that several incidents happened in Gaul." Myza guessed while stroking her chin. "Was it an attempt?"

"Your guess is as good as mine, Myza. Since the fall of the Fallen Tower and crisis within the Faith of the Fallen Order had stirred throughout the known Demon Realms," Ilassa points out. "Plus, in recent news. A Wight and her small army of undead tried to capture Gerth. Luckily, I gave a helping hand to the defenders of that small town."

"Huh, this is unusual news. Indeed. And the wight who invaded Gerth... I assume it was Aedra, am I correct?" Myza questioned and the Lilim nods. The Chieftess sighed in disappointment while crossing her arms. "What were those fools in the Demon Realms are up to?"

"As far as I could tell... The Knights of Mirrah had reported that the Mamono Extremist faction is sending spies within the Federation territory for some individual," Oswald said until he made a brief pause and takes a small drink. "But not just the Demon Realm. The Order of the Chief God, as well. They were sending their undercover inquisitors, and their activities were well noted. There have been several assassination attempts within the Federation to sway the local governments to the Order while on another side is doing similar acts to convert some Royal families to the Demon Lord."

"I feel my hunch stood correct, as I suspected. The two sides are moving on us from both sides." Ilassa exhaled heavily while massaging her temples. "Furthermore, I've talked with the royal family in Albion and they, too, are fully aware of the situation. So they dispatched the Knights of Mirrah to observe what was going to happen and do the best they can to protect the people's interests."

"Then their acts would mean breaking our neutrality and bringing us into war," Myza spoke up dreadfully. "What were they thinking? Letting some foolish blockheads in the High Order of the Chief God that wouldn't respect the sovereign law of a neutral land?"

"It also goes the same for the Royal Makai, my older sister..." Ilassa then looks down disappointingly, talking in a whisper, which addresses her older sibling. "Druella, for whatever you do. Don't do some dumbfuckery."

Ilassa felt uneasy that her hunch stood correct, and she hated that feeling when her guess was going to be right all along. Myza and Oswald stared at her with worried looks until the lilim straightens herself back with a refreshing breath.

"I think we will have to wait until something happened," Ilassa concluded. "Then we shall strike back if several violations against the sovereign law are met. Meeting dismissed."

"Understood. I hope this shall never escalate into a new conflict." Myza nodded before drinking the last drop of her milk tea and stood up from the table. "I will talk to my commanders if anything is necessary."

"For my sorcerers as well, and keeping their eyes on them." Oswald agreed as he nods before standing up and making a polite bow. "Under the times of strife, we shall remain standing with vigilance."

Ilassa then smiled proudly. "Then I'm counting you two."

Once the Chieftess of Carthus and the Grandmaster of Vinheim left the room, Ilassa gently placed the porcelain teacup back on the table until she felt a fresh wind brush lightly against her skin. Weird, she didn't open the windows until she turns around and widened her eyes in surprise to see a newcomer who had just entered her office. Another Lilim, who wore a white Leanne dress along with her wide, soft straw hat.

The 10th borne Lilim smiled at her younger sister. "My~ My~! Long time no see, little sis~!"

"Mari..." Ilassa growled tensely. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh? Are you not happy to see your Onee-san?" Mari giggled with a malevolent look in her eyes. "Ara~! You sure have changed after the past eighty years. Why couldn't you come back to mother? I do sure hope she'll forgive you."

"Forget it, Mari. You know I don't like someone who is a deceiving jester." Ilassa spat back as she narrowed her eyes. "You didn't change after the past eighty years as well. Are you having fun converting human nations into Demon Realms?"

"Well, sort of, but not very often," Mari replied with a smile and Ilassa just saw it through her eyes, as if her older sister didn't care about the decision of the human inhabitants to live as humans. "Staying in Vamore is boring~! But you kept yourself busy to maintain Arum Sedis. Oh, how I wished this place remains a green demon realm until I realise how a fool you become when you meet Dina and Artos."

"You're the ones who are fools here," Ilassa said with a bitter tone as if her older was making a mockery of her friends. "You don't want to see it for yourself, do ya? Will you like to hear it?"

"Huh?... Ah... Wait! Nope! Lalalala~! I don't wanna hear that stupid "Truths" of yours~!" Mari hastily sang with ignorance as she plugs her fingers into her ears and then spoke up in disbelief. "Seriously, when you're about to say those words... I'm about to tremble!"

At this moment, Ilassa stood bewildered at first, until her lips formed a smirk as soon as she realises her older sister's emotions were afflicted by the emotions from her words about The Truth. It was indeed a powerful weapon that any monster girls can convince themselves to join her side. In fact, The Truth never truly tells any lies after what she had witnessed through the subconsciousness of a monsterized victim with Artos and Dina. Even when her mother listened to it; her words had also struck fear into the Demon lord as well. Thus choose to be ignorant about this, which forever scarred her and the family, and Ilassa knew it.

"I will ask again... would you like to hear it?" Ilassa chuckled in confidence, noticing Mari was shaken. Exposing her own vulnerability.

"NO! Fuck you! I won't hear it!" Mari yelled frighteningly as she flew out of the office window. "D-Damn you! Just w-what did you do to me!?"

The 13th Borne Lilim then calls out. "Mom's a hypocritical jerk~!"

Upon listening to that, Mari felt a cold shiver through her spine while sweat beads roll down her face. Whenever she says something foolish against her mother must be punished. But those words were telling her senses that it was true and lost her will to fight back. The 10th Borne Lilim cursed on her own nature which her own kin can sense truths and lies behind the emotional words of humans and mamono through their connection of mana. She wished she shouldn't be born with such natural ability and she wondered why the strongest monsters of the Royal Makai, who were sent to Ilassa, had never come back.

Yet for Ilassa, she wouldn't mind telling this after she had seen the grim reality behind the happy sheets that is the ideal of the Demon Lord.

"Damnit! I'm telling mommy about this!" Mari yelled out in hysteria while nearby passerby from the ground just saw a strange act between the two Lilims until Mari flew away from the main capital of Arum Sedis. "You will regret it!"

Ilassa heard her last muffled cry from a distance and made a confidential smile until she noticed another individual entered her office. A curious Wight, Aedra, just checked in to look inside the office after the commotion.

"Ilassa? I heard loud noises coming from the office."

"Oh, it was someone else I used to know." The Lilim chuckled while waving her hand dismissively. "Just another childish sibling of mine who had just paid a visit."

...

Kingdom of Gaul, Viola Region Eastern Frontier.

...

On the dirt road, Gerome held an open map in his hand while following the direction where it leads to. The rest of his companions followed down the roads while on their way back to the Frontier Town of Gerth.

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"Are we there yet?"

"...No."

"... Are we there yet?"

Gerome sighed deeply in much to his frustration and turns his attention to Lucena. "Lucena, we're far off from the Town."

"I'm bored~" The young Mirrah Knight lamented with a yawn. "I mean, we could've hitched a ride from the latest settlement."

"That transportation was heading only for Lombard," Junayd said while shaking his head in regret. "The next ride for Gerth comes in for tomorrow."

"Don't worry, at least walking is considered a great exercise!" Adelmar said with a brightened expression. "The longer we walk, the farther our legs can go!"

Lucrezia and Lucena stared at their older brother with irritated looks on their faces as Gerome chuckled while shaking his head from such humorous thoughts and looks back to the map. After an hour passed by, Junayd picked up a sound coming from a distance and turned his attention to the source.

"Oh, look." Junayd curiously points out. "That carriage has an emblem on it. Must've belonged to a Noble Family."

"Noble Family? It has more blue and gold rather than of any colour." Adelmar looked at the carriage sceptically while he pulls up his binoculars. "Huh, it has many crosses... wait, shit. It's them. Lucrezia put up your cape and mask. It's the Inquisition from the Order of the Chief God."

Lucrezia listened and quickly donned her own disguise. She promptly pulls up her hood to cover her horn and dons the silver mask over her face. Lucena saw Lucrezia's demonic tail sticking out and carefully put it back in before the Inquisitor's carriage passed by along with their bodyguards on horseback. Moments after they left, Adelmar sighed in relief that they didn't notice a thing.

"That was close." Lucrezia breathed out. "But why were the Inquisitors here?"

"How should we know? They should do witch-hunting on their own turf, but not here." Lucena raised her eyebrow in question. "Wasn't that going against the Federation's Civil Law?"

"You're not wrong, the Order Inquisitors were not permitted to enter Federation territory unless if it's for diplomacy and needed to be escorted by the local federation knights," Adelmar said while narrowing his eyebrows towards the Order carriage. "While witch-huntings are shunned under Federation Civil Law. Then looks like we have trespassers coming from the other side of the international borders."

"They must've gone through the border under their disguise as nobles." Junayd guessed while looking up disturbingly. "Even though... not everyone knew the emblem of the Order's Inquisition and we're not sure what these people are up to."

"Then we'll find out," Gerome said while feeling anxious. "Come on, let's go."

...

"That was an unusual group of people," Royse said while looking outside of the carriage's windows, out of boredom. "What do you say about them?"

"Who knows, and what do you care about them?" Jack said, amusingly as he shrugged his shoulders while polishing his knife. "In a land of heretics, a place where people never follow our ways... will always remain as heretics since they were born."

"I can't believe the Kingdom of Gaul would allow mamonos to live among the human population." Royse sighed in disappointment. "This land was once an Order territory. Although, I'm still surprised their Royal Family remained human for the past seventy-five years."

"It's also strange that this Kingdom isn't even a Demon Realm yet." Jack wondered while looking up at the sun from the window. "Was Gaul protected by fate itself from the hands of monsters?"

"We're not sure, but there were legends which surround the common folk of the Federation." Royse then speaks up with an explanation. "Other than the mysterious Silver-Blue Knight. Peasants spoke a folktale of Artos of the Astora Family, a Legendary Knight, and Gaul's national hero."

"Never heard of it, but it sounds interesting to hear." Jack raised his eyebrow, piqued in interest. "Since when does a land of heretics have heroes?"

"According to the Legend... Artos is the son of Solaire, the local Human Saint of Ansur, and Catherine, the Dragon of Northern Corse." Once Royse explained the lore, Jack felt his skin freeze and his eyes widened in disbelief. "I know it sounds nonsense to you, but people in these lands believed it as a part of history. They said that Artos is the first human knight who had defeated a Lilim despite he wasn't born with a status of a Hero."

"A mamono having a son? That's impossible." Jack narrowed his eyes sceptically. "These monsters will breed only monsters, and even convert women into one of them."

"I would also hate to say this, but Artos also has two younger sisters. The second eldest is a dragon, while the younger sister is actually human." Royse continued with an uneasy look. "It is said that his youngest sister became the new Queen of Gaul after the invasion of monsters led by the 2nd Borne Lilim of the Royal Makai."

"Are you telling me there is a family... where actual humans carry the blood of monsters?" Jack raised his eyebrows at Royse with an incredulous look. The female inquisitor nodded in response. "That's truly unbelievable. If that were true, it will be the very end of our Order. The Chief God won't allow such abominations to exist."

"But what if they aren't? Shouldn't we at least allow them to join our Order?" Royse then said in doubt. "I mean, humans who're just born with the blood of monsters without being born as monsters are still humans, right?"

"Are you doubting the teachings of our lord?" The female inquisitor then reeled back in fright once Jack spat back in irritation against her question. "They're descendants of monsters. Regardless of who they are... they are born with their blood and we, the Order, won't allow them to taint us!"

Royse tried to speak up in this brief argument, yet no words come out of her mouth and remained silent as she looks down with a defeated sigh. Although, she must've admitted that these tales she had heard from the individual folk somehow brought hope into her heart as the new means to counter the monster expansion in order for humanity to thrive, despite her idea of a solution to bring peace for the world. She was aware the Order wouldn't allow anyone with traces of monster heritage. Even if it means they were humans.

...

Viola Region, Farron Keep.

...

On top of the bridge above the Altar of Farron, Ash observed the remains of the great bridge which connects Lothric Castle and the Undead Settlement. Although, he could no longer see the castle and the settlement as if were replaced by a serene sight of high hills and grasslands. He turns around and sees the corpse of a once-living Izalith Demon that lay under the ruined keep.

He remembers how many times he died in his visions to find a creative way to fight his first Izalith Demon in the Northern Asylum while resting near the bonfire. Fighting that monster remains nostalgic in his memories and now got used to dealing with even more dangerous enemies. Although, he never died once in this world and almost got killed until the Flames gave him the powers to kill the Fallen God.

He wondered himself how high is his luck? According to his current attributes, it was very high indeed, but that was only used to get the chances of finding worthy items. Not saving him from death.

"Ash?" The Silver-Blue Knight snapped out from his thoughts once he heard Sasha coming behind him and turns around. "We've done some rest and we're good to go."

"Good, we'll be heading straight north." He said while they went down through the staircase and used the stone elevator. "Straight out from the ladder. There's another gate nearby."

...

"Aw man, back into the shithole we go." Elaine groaned with dread while taking the ladder.

"Going back down is giving me some conniptions." Reginald deadpanned.

"Conniptions... conniptions... yeah..." Elen stated, agreeing with her brother's statements. "I'd be taking an hour-long bath after this..."

Minutes after packing up their belongings, the group descends back into the swamp until the stench assaulted their noses once more. Olivier cringed in disgust and wished that they'll be getting out of this swamp dungeon after this exploration quest they had. For the first time in her life, this is the only thing she regretted to join a seemingly dangerous mission as a Hero Musketeer. Going into a dungeon such as this, where no gods could hear the voices of their prayers and death looming everywhere, could mean one thing; that death is the last prize of their lives to end their own misery.

"I admit... my overconfidence for being a hero got me too cocky that led me to this accursed place..." Sasha sees Olivier trembles in anxiety. "I just... want to get out of this place...!"

"Olivier... Worry not, we'll get through this." Sasha cooed while holding Olivier's hand tight. "We have to follow Ash's lead and I'm sure you'll get used to it."

Ash led the group through a dirt path and, to his surprise, the Farron Keep was much bigger than he remembers. More paths, slugs, Ghru's, and more dead bodies. Then he saw a large Elder Ghru wander into their path, and Ash held up his fist for them to a halt. They waited until the Elder Ghru passed by, unknowingly that a group of adventurers were nearby before they can continue their trek.

Arcturus and Elaine gulped in dread when they eyed the Elder Ghru that had just walked past by was munching on a bloody torso of a dead Werecat. The next area they've stumbled into is where they saw several petrified individuals. All clinging their arms high in the air and judging by their expressions, they all had agonizing looks on their faces.

"Avoid going here," Ash said as he took another route. "It's too dangerous."

"J-just what happened to these people?" Olivier asked agitatedly while pointing to the petrified victims. "Th-there are... black crystals all over their bodies..."

"No time to talk. We have to get out of here as soon as possible." Ash tilts his head sideways. "Before they'll arrive at any moment."

The Hero Musketeer Olivier then raised her eyebrow. "Who?"

"AAAHH! No! Save me!"

Almost everyone jumped in surprise after hearing someone's voice until Ash then points his finger out to another individual. A lone young woman in her Order Priestess garments was surrounded by short reptilian creatures with oversized "eyes". They all jumped into the air at once and released a stream of yellowish gas substance and the poor priestess coughed violently once she inhaled it before blood spurted out from her eyes, nose, and mouth.

"*Cough!* Chief God! Help- *Cough!* MEEEeee~!"

The Order Priestess let out a terrified scream as she reached her hand out for Ash's group. Then red-blood crystals violently sprouted out from the back of her spine, and the rest of her body soon followed. Sasha felt an icy shiver brush on her skin to imagine if she was in her place. She has to thank her Lord Chief God that Ash became her knight and their guide, who knew more about the dangers that entail these otherworldly monsters.

If it weren't for him, she stood no chance of the hidden dangers that implicate this place.

"What the hell..." Elaine stared at the creatures in disbelief. "That's gruesome."

Olivier then spoke up, terrified, as she almost reached for her rapier. "H-How horrifying."

"We have to keep moving," Ash said while keep going forwards down the path. "Or else we'll get caught in their sights."

"Ash, just what are those things?" Sasha whispered as she followed him.

"Basilisks." He answered while looking at the creature with caution. "Their gasses are dangerous if you inhale them."

The group continued their trip through the swamp without alerting the nearby hostile anomalies. Elen and Reginald felt their senses pick up any random creature every time a wandering ghru crawled around the swamp. The young dhampir breathes out to calm down her senses while following Ash's lead. Arcturus then looked to the left and saw a bunch of rotten slugs feasting on a corpse of an Ogre mamono.

"Overconfidence is a slow and an insidious killer in the dungeons..." He muttered nervously. "Right, Ash?"

"Yep," Ash answered straight until he caught the sight of massive stone doors. "We're almost there."

The group reached the entrance of the massive stone doors. Ash was relieved that they were still open. He would've been frustrated if the three important flame vessels were still lit and guarded by even more dangerous monsters.

When they stepped in and walked up the path, Elaine saw a small group of Corvians, preachings, or telling whatever language she was hearing that is not of the common tongue.

"Don't make a small fuss over them," Ash warned while raising up his hand. "Believe me, don't make our situation even worse."

They silently walked past them as the Corvians continued to hear the tales from a storyteller without noticing a group of adventurers had just walked past behind them. Then Ash stopped as he held his breath once he saw the sight of four Darkwraiths instead of the usual duo he encountered on his previous journey. His group halted and watched them walking past by until Elen and Olivier saw one Wraith grabbing two dead corpses. One is a Ghru while the other is a dead Goblin mamono who was grabbed by her hair. But the appearance of the dead Goblin shows she has been shrivelled and dried up like her life has sucked the Hel out of her.

Ash dreads if one of his companions got caught by their Dark Hand, their life energy will be absorbed, and that will turn them into lifeless husks of meat.

"Darkwraiths, they're also dangerous," Ash informed them as a precaution. "Don't get caught by their hands or one of you will get turned like that goblin."

Olivier nodded and watches as the Darkwraiths continued their patrol before her feet struck a stick on the ground and produced a crack. One of the Darkwraiths noticed the eerie cracking sound and turned its attention to the group. Then a few moments later. The rest of the Darkwraiths soon followed.

Elen and Elaine slowly narrowed their eyes as they turned their attention to the poor hero musketeer.

"Ehehe~! Whoops!" Olivier chuckled nervously. "I'd better check my surroundings next time~!"

Sasha sighed deeply in regret while pulling out her sword as the Darkwraiths charged in. The group scattered while Ash casts a Fire Orb and smashed it against one of the Darkwraiths which blows the hollowed knight into smithereens. Reginald and Elen flanked the two Darkwraiths with their agility, while the hollows tried to hit them with their swords. One Darkwraith tried to catch Reginald with its sword and hit the ground with a powerful force until Elen pierced the Darkwraith from behind. Reginald turned his gaze to see another one comes from the shadows to attack them, but a Lightning Spear caught its head and blew it into bits.

"Thanks!" Reginald gives thanks to Arcturus with a thumbs up.

Meanwhile, Elaine caught another hollow coming out from the dark. The orc knight evaded the attack from a Darkwraith and swung her greataxe overhead against the demented hollow several times while black blood was drawn into the air. Then she weaved her greataxe and smashed the hollowed knight into the ground, killing it.

"Shit, these guys are very resilient!" Elaine breathes out heavily before catching her attention on Sasha and Olivier, who were facing a Darkwraith.

Olivier evaded the lethal blows coming from another Darkwraith and Sasha charged in to plunge her broadsword through the chest with all her might, yet the Darkwraith still stood and kick its knee towards Sasha and hit against her belly, forcing her to bend over until the hollow turns around and then made a roundhouse kick which sends her down to the ground.

"Sasha!" Olivier shrieked out in horror before she held her rapier tight. "DAMN YOU!"

The Darkwraith then caught her move which surprises Olivier to her shock and evaded the thrust of her sword. The hollowed Knight then grabbed the musketeer on her neck, squeezing the air out of her before the Darkwraith unleashes its Dark Hand and immediately slowly pulls her life force out of her face. Olivier felt her own soul screaming in horror until a blade punctured through the hollow's chest from the rear.

The hollow made its dying howl and dropped Olivier to the ground. Sasha panted heavily as she pulls out her broadsword while the Musketeer coughed as her lungs breathe desperately for air.

"Olivier, are you alright!?" Sasha kneeled down beside her and check her condition before Ash came by their side. "Where are you hurt?!"

"Hah!... Hah!... In Chief God's name... that was terrifying!" Olivier breathed out loud as terror have filled in her eyes. "That thing just sucked the life out of me!"

"She's alright, but that was indeed close." Ash sighed in relief as he helped the musketeer to stand on her feet. "That would've killed you."

Sasha helped to accompany the shaken Olivier to her feet and Ash meets up with the rest. "Alright, we'd better keep going!"

They continued their way to a certain building and the doorway to the lair of the Abysswatchers stood open. Arcturus saw a pile of corpses strewn in front of the entrance and Ash raised his eyebrow in surprise that the Ghur corpses had been increased than he previously remembered. Once they entered the building, Ash caught sight of an individual who sits on a small staircase in the middle of a large area, filled with dry blood and the skeletal remains of the Abysswatchers.

"Well, this is surprising." Ash stood frozen when he heard that awfully familiar voice. "A Knight of Astora had reached the end of this forsaken swamp in the middle of a foreign continent."

"... And you are?"

"Oh? I knew that voice." This individual perked his head up and he was quite surprised to see the Ashen One once more. "Well, Even you as well. Eh? Heh. It's quite a surprise to see each other again after our supposed 'deaths'."

"... yeah, it's also nice to see you again... Hawkwood."

...

Chapter 30: Ends.

AN: The Chapter's Typos and Errors will be constantly corrected if needed.