Chapter 5 Madness in the Lands
Sophie crouched low to the ground. As low as she could. She was waiting on a ledge just above a mountain path. Raynor was standing right next to her. "Are you sure this is going to work?" He whispers.
"Trust me." She says. "It will. Just pay attention to the food." Below them was a large crate full of food. Meat, bread, even fruits. The army had been low on supplies so it wasn't easy to get this together but they had laid a trap. "See the thing that those madmen like most is food. They can't get anything to sate their hunger on the mountain so they eat each other. This crate then serves as the best bait, something that promises to satisfy that hunger."
The Serpants had a great deal of trouble tracking the mad soldiers down. Like animals they hunted in packs often attacking lone soldiers or smaller groups. They had learned that sticking together would allow them to defend themselves but hunting these enemies was a challenge and since they had discovered the Serpents as a possible food source packs of madmen periodically attacked their camp. The trick would be to find a way to lure them out in big numbers and try to take all these madmen out at once or at least enough so that they could travel without fear of being attacked from behind and try to either find a more suitable place to defend themselves or ideally regroup with the other forces loyal to the Elden Lord which hopefully were already in Liurnia distracting the main force of the Cuckoo.
Sophie's plan was simple and so very her style. Gathering supplies from the Serpent's she had laid them out for the madmen to track. Once they would catch wind of a seemingly unprotected source of food they would try to capitalize on it and feed their empty bellies and when the packs started coming in the Serpents hiding amidst the rocks and ledges would surprise their enemy and bring the madmen down for good. In her mind it was full proof but such a large number of madmen would be a challenge to fight even with the surprise and they most likely wouldn't get more than one chance. The odds were low but higher than most any other alternative.
As they wait Sophie keeps her staff and sword ready. Raynor readying a spell. Ava further down the path, up on the same ledge as they had her bow ready, a few of her scouts with her aiming bows down the trail as well. Everyone was silently waiting. Then a light flashed in the corner of Sophie's vision. She looks at it. A knight stationed far down the trail was holding up their sword giving the signal. They had takers. She watches the flashes. "3 flashes, that was a group of 10 or more right?" She whispers.
Raynor looks at her. "Milady, you're the one who came up with the system." He says a bit worried that Sophie didn't even remember a system she made herself.
"I know I just have a bad memory." Sophie says defensively.
"I think so." Raynor says unsure if he remembered what all the signals meant himself though he was sure it meant a lot. Then another scout on the other side of the road returns a similar signal.
"Shit I think this is working too well. The first scout sends another signal this time showing them 2 flashes which meant a smaller group.
"That is at least 30!" Raynor complains.
Then they saw the first madman come into view. A female knight, her eyes glowing through her helmet as she marched raggedly towards the crate. Her shuffle like that of a skeleton seemed labored, one of her legs not responding much, the knight dragging it along like it had been weighted with a ball and chain. Behind her was a large group of mad soldiers all with glowing yellow eyes. On the other side Sophie sees another similar group. These two groups were both only occupied by the bait just as expected but it was a far bigger group then she had counted on.
"When do we attack?" Raynor asks, starting to get anxious.
"When they get to the crate. The signal will be obvious."
"Ok so will it be a shout or a spell or what."
Sophie sighs. "You'll see it when you see it now shut up!" She says a bit louder but, still attempting to whisper, starting to get pissed off by his insistent questioning. Ava looks at them and makes a quiet gesture looking equally pissed at the two chatter boxes. They refocus and soon the soldiers near the crate. The female knight opens the top and the signal goes off.
Suddenly engulfed in flames the knights are blasted back as the fire grease and gunpowder went off all at once. The extremely flammable and quite unstable paste went off with the rough removal of the lid and of course setting off each bomb set within the crate sending every mad soldier scattering and realing.
The madmen closest to the crate were all doing their best to put themselves out the grease clinging to their bodies and melting their flesh. Those further away though were now in a frenzy. A group who had arrived late howling in anger at the deception. Capitalizing on the confusion Sophie fired on them with her magic great bow spell launching a barrage of arrows into the crowd. Raynor follows suit with a lighting spell and Ava's soldiers do the same with their own arrows.
The barrage of distance attacks followed by a charge from the soldiers below who had been hiding. The charge pressed the mad soldiers from both sides of the narrow road. The overwhelming attack scattered the few madmen who weren't on fire and began to quickly bring down their numbers..
It didn't take long before the madmen were routed. Exterminating the group. Though the fight isn't over yet. There was now a pile of cooked flesh. "Everyone move!" Sophie shouts. "Hopefully that was enough." She says counting 50 bodies in total not including a few injured on their side. She quickly climbs down a ladder back onto the path and begins to run down the road. Raynor, Ava and a few dozen other soldiers follow them. It wasn't long before they saw another group of madmen, about 6 of them. Overwhelming the group quickly they could see that the freshly cooked bodies and food, the small of the smoke and the sound of the explosion had worked in luring not just a large group but, most likely the attention of the most of the mad soldiers in the mountain and they needed to run, run fast and as hard as they could.
As the group returns to the camp Sophie waves her hands. "GO GO GO!" She shouts. Men were waiting near or on horses. Carriages were filled to the brim with supplies. The camp mostly packed up.
They look at each other and get going putting the last bit of preparation together. "Where to?" One soldier asks as they still hadn't decided.
Sophie thinks. "What did the scouts say about the mountain pass?"
"Unguarded still, the way down is monster infested but, unlike the lift, isn't guarded by enemy forces."
She nods. "Then we head down the plateau that way." She says simply.
General Haadvar rides up to her. "Good to see you alive." He says.
"Thanks." Sophie says back with a smile.
"Now lets get the fuck out of this godforsaken hell hole." He swears quickly moving to help push a wagon that had gotten stuck in the rocks. Sophie nods, calling for tempest and rides down watching the procession.
"Raynor, I'm leaving you in charge of the rear!" Sophie shouts back.
Raynor blinks. "What?"
"I trust you!" She shouts barely able to hear him as she keeps riding.
It was now a race against time. They could hear another explosion go off then a third marking the last of Sophie's grease as well as the last of the trapps triggered. With the plan now in full force they needed to get out of dodge as quickly as possible. If the madmen caught on they would be swarmed from behind and if they were caught by Lyndell scouts they would be attacked from the front. Any pause, anything slowing them down could cost not just some lives of the company but the entirety of the company. Every last soldier. Sophie moved herself as fast as she could to the front in the hopes of helping the front of the convoy move quickly so as not to slow the rest.
She could see soldiers riding on the wagons, horses struggling in the rough terrain. She even had to stop to help another wagon that was stuck on her way to the front. The troops were rushed and chaotic, not fully in disarray but close to it. Everyone wanted to get off the mountain, a place which as the General put it was a god forsaken hell hole but, some were getting ahead of themselves. "Calm down!" Sophie shouts as two soldiers argue with each other as they drive a carriage.
"This bastard keeps getting us stuck!" The man complains.
The driver turns. "Because you won't shut your ass up." He says with a thick Limgrave accent.
"Both of you are assholes, eyes on the road and stop shouting at each other!" She says, annoyed at them both. The two having been chewed out get back to work.
After a bit more effort and riding on Torrent Sophie finally makes it to the front. The Serpent knights here were elites, their gold armor having an ornamental fan shape at the top, The symbol of the Serpent Slayers painted on their shields and on their chests. The red snake being skewered by a spear. A symbol that until recently was only used by a few but, now, with so much need for the knights to be united was now on everyone's shield or armor. Partly to show their unity and partly to, if it came to it, differentiate Lyndell knights with their Serpent Slayer Counter parts. Knights of the Elden Lord as they had begun to call themselves against the traitors.
As the group marched they found the road ahead clear. The other groups sent out to deploy the traps to distract the madmen reporting in. Only one death but multiple injuries. A price Sophie was very much willing to pay if it meant they had a chance. As the group went further and further down the landscape became less rocky and more fertile. Now easier to traverse the wagons got stuck less and their pace increased. The horses were doing better as well, going into a more comfortable trot as they finally arrived at the bottom of the mountain and started to make their way towards the mineshaft.
This would be their next problem though. Here in the flatter and more open terrain of the Altus Plateau it would be easy to spot a caravan of moving soldiers so they needed to be quick and take a more unexpected route. Picking the mountain pass over the easier lift for one would throw the knights off their trail as it was a path known by only a handful of tarnished who had been clever and strong enough to find and use it. Sophie and an old friend of hers having used it before she got her own Dectus medallion to get up and down the lift.
Another key would be to head north as if to head towards the capitol but quickly turn south down the main bridge through a teleport point. Not only would it save them hours of hiking around the plateau's inner forest it would further confuse any scouts as to their whereabouts. After that they only needed to worry about the Cuckoo but, even then the Cuckoo were dealing with forces from the opposite direction meaning anyone who they fought with would most likely not expect an attack from the direction of the plateau.
Though admittedly it would still take a lot of time and was a large risk. All of this plan was and so far the plan was working. Sophie keeps up with the other knights on Torrent. Staying as close as she could to the rest of the convoy. She looks back at the convoy behind her. "Moral boost I guess." She says. It had been General Haadvar who wanted her to be in the front thinking it would boost morale to see the Elden Lord leading the march but she had to admit it felt stressful. If enemies were to attack from the back it would take her a while to respond. Though she supposed if she was in the back it would be the same problem for the front. At least here she would serve a purpose other than protection. Though hopefully there would be no need to defend the convoy at all.
Nephelie sighs looking over and inspecting their new fort. It had been swept for traps and remaining enemy troops but, so far they found neither and the few stragglers they did find had surrendered and were sent back to the castle to await judgment once the campaign was over. So far everything has seemed to be going well. Iji on the East bank had reported that they had secured the forts nearest to the castle on that side all the way up to the lake meaning they now had a substantial foothold in the territory beyond the castle. Their newest forts on either side would allow them access to the lake itself which could serve as an excellent means of pushing troops to the front lines faster as they moved their invasionary forces.
Despite these gains though Nephelie was nervous. She had heard from Blaidd that Lyndell may have made an alliance with the Cuckoo. It might have been a desperate bluff from a commander on the verge of defeat but, it was also very likely and would spell disaster for their own plans. The only bright side was they had no news of Sophie being captured or killed.
If Lyndell did rebel the Elden Lord would have been their first priority so either she escaped or they are still loyal to their Elden Lord. Either way no news from her was substantially better than bad news with such a high profile target like Sophie was if she was hurt or captured the whole lands would know. Though it had also made Nephlie wonder even more why Sophie would be so foolhardy as to go out in the first place. "If that girl doesn't come back with the head of the leader of these damn rebels I'll chew her out." Nephlie says feeling pissed off now. Though she was more frightened for Sophie then mad at her at this point.
As she sat there though, Blaidd, always on top of things, came right up to her. "We found something." He says, sounding very serious.
"What is it?" Nephelie asks.
"It's a bit strange a few journals but, ugh take a look." He says handing a small leather bound book The pages are poorly bound together by thin string. Some of the pages on the verge of falling out. The cover had been stained by blood on one side with a strange flame symbol poorly drawn on the other with what looked like some strange yellowish substance.
"What in Marika's name is this?" She says looking it over, on the inside of the book there seemed to be normal writings from a soldier though as she thumbed through the pages she noticed a symbol popping up in the writing similar to the one on the cover. On the last few pages with writing it becomes a deep crimson in color and reads "The eyes see the eyes see the eyes see the eyes see." Over and over again going all the way down the page.
She looks up at Blaidd. "What is this?"
"Your guess is as good as mine. There are rumors of a town plagued with madness somewhere in Liurnia but, I have yet to see it, only heard the rumors." Blaidd says honestly.
Nephelie nods. "So you think this might have something to do with it?"
Blaidd nods once more. "The rumors always talk about a flaming eye that drives those who look at it insane. Could be a match, after all he seems to love that symbol and had a thing for eyes. His last entries have him looking for this rumored village as well."
She nods. "Investigate the matter further. Have our troops look for any sign of this madness in the prisoners. If there is some sort of madness plague going on we need to be vigilant." Nephelie had heard of the madness before as well but also had never seen it herself. "Hopefully the soldier who made this madness is dead." She says.
Blaidd nods. "Most likely he is." Blaidd says honestly. "Though we can't be sure that there weren't others."
Nephelie nods. "As if we didn't have enough to worry about." She says before heading back to the troops to talk about what to do next as well as give the orders to search for possible signs of madness among the prisoners. Though the thing that kept running through her mind was… Where would this sort of madness have come from?
-Several Months Earlier-
"I am Melina and I offer you an accord." A maiden says, appearing from thin air to kneel next to the small twinkling light of the sight of grace. A ragged looking woman in battered armor looks back. Her red hair tangled and messy, her eyes frightened.
"You… you want to help me?" She asks, sounding worried and tired. The woman is not in the best shape.
Melina nods. The brown haired maiden lowering the hood of her traveling cloak and looking at the lonely tarnished with her good eye, her other eye marked and kept shut. "Yes. I do. What is your name?"
"Sophie." Sophie answers looking a bit skeptical but, keeping an eye on Melina
"Well Sophie, have you heard of the finger maidens?" Melina asked knowing Sophie was new to the lands between and was testing her knowledge.
The warrior nods. "I found a dead one when I first came here." Sophie says looking into the sight of grace. "Was she supposed to help me or something?"
Melina nods thoughtfully. "They serve the Two Fingers, offering guidance, and aid, to the Tarnished. But you, I am afraid, are maidenless. I can play the role of maiden. Turning rune fragments into strength. To aid you in your search for the Elden Ring. You need only take me with you. To the foot of the Erdtree."
Sophie studies her closely. "How do I know I can trust you?" She asks. Melenia just sits there silently. Sophie had no other option. "I… Accept." She says not knowing what else she could do. Who else could help her?
Melina smiles. "Then it's settled." Melina offers her hand. Sophie looks at it then takes it. Suddenly a burst of golden light comes out of their clasped hands "Summon me by grace to turn runes into strength."
-Present Day-
Melina gasps for breath, coughing and wheezing. She felt like there was fire in her lungs, ash on her breath, everything burned and smoldered. She scratches at her skin and her hair but, as she does she feels no flames, then suddenly her mind catches up with her body and the pain goes away. The illusionary experience was far too real. Melina sits straight up. She looks around. The last thing she remembered was being consumed in flame. Her body and spirit being broken down and used as fuel for the Giant's flame. Now she is here.
Around her were heavy stone structures, she herself was laying in what looked like a stone coffin just her size. Melina looks about the room frantically. She was supposed to have died. How could she be alive still? It wasn't possible. It couldn't be. She shouldn't still be alive! Then a new realization hit her. She feels her face, then her arms then her legs. She was real. No more spirit. No more burnt feelings. Only peace. She could feel the stone, the cold damp air. Every sensation she had been missing as a spirit but, how. She needed to find out. She needed to know. She steps out of the coffin and onto the mausoleum floor. "Fitting that you would wind up here."
Malina turns her eyes widened. "You're dead." She says in shock.
"So should you be but, here we are."