A day had passed since rescuing Boc and Roderika.
They settled into the village rather quickly despite everything going on. Diallos was especially happy to see Roderika once again. Melina watched on from a distance, perched on the cliffside. Her attention was split between the village and the expanse it looked out over. As always, the oppressive yellow fire burned the sky without end. Occasionally, she spotted debris being washed away by the waves below. Some chunks were still burning. Others were nothing more than floating mounds of dirt.
Little by little, the Lands Between were crumbling away. It made Melina grimace. Turning back to the village, she watched Diallos talk with Roderika as if they were old friends. According to the spirit tuner, she had stayed within the Roundtable Hold until the very last moment. Together, with Hewg the Smith.
The old wretch had died not knowing who he was or why the girl was crying for him.
It was an inevitability that he would perish once the Erdtree was burned, but his last moments were no doubt lonely and filled with nought but fear. Even with Roderika by his side.
That was how she was burned. She stayed at Hewg's side even if doing so risked burning her up as well. Not long after Hewg's final breaths, Roundtable Hold collapsed and Roderika awoke within Leyndell. Within the ruined shell of the manor Roundtable Hold took its form from. Boc happened upon her during his escape from the capital and they had been traveling south since. Eventually ending up being chased to the artist's shack.
A tragic tale, to be sure, but not an uncommon one. Even before the Shattering and the subsequent stagnating centuries.
Wrapped up in her thoughts, Melina completely failed to notice the small, lumbering form of a rotund individual. Technically, he was the village's leader, even if he was young. The Jar Bairn fidgeted with his stone fingers and lightly coughed. Melina slowly let her gaze fall on the Living Jar, a very tiny smile donning her lips. "Yes, Young Jar? Is there something I may help with?"
"Oh… uh, not right at the minute. Coz… you never really join the others for long. I was just wondering if you're alright!" Although Living Jars didn't have faces or any discernible expressions, Melina could still see that Bairn was worried.
The tiny smile thinned out. "I am… fine." A small lie, but what good would dwelling on misfortune do? "Soon, I must depart. I cannot put off my sworn duty any longer." She said that, but the very thought still sent searing aches through her heart. She had made the vow, but could she really follow through? Could she really kill someone so dear to her? The Tarnished's time with her may have been short, but her feelings couldn't be denied.
She had loved the Tarnished.
Maybe not a romantic love, but something close. She forced herself to not indulge her feelings for there was no future for the pair. Melina was supposed to burn and the Tarnished was supposed to become the Elden Lord. Happiness - for either of them - was little more than a whimsical fantasy.
Bairn nervously tapped against his ceramic body. "It's dangerous out there, Coz." He spoke with concern, but held a tone of resignation.
He knew there would be no point in trying to talk her out of leaving.
"Y'know, Coz, Rya is actually a really good cook! Or so I'm told. I can't eat human food, but Diallos always smiles when he tastes her stews."
His words managed to bring back the tiny smile. Melina appreciated his attempts at cheering her up. She really did. In his own little way, he was helping. He had constantly spoken about wanting to journey with Melina, but once more people came to Jarburg, that desire faded and turned into a duty to keep watch over the survivors. "I believe that is called being polite. It is in Sir Diallos' nature despite his lineage."
Melina fully intended on staying away from the group until she left. Getting more attached than she already had would just lead to more unnecessary trouble. More ties she would have to eventually cut.
No, she would remain alone once more. It was her natural state of being, after all. Ever since her burning, she had been alone. Only in Torrent did she ever find companionship.
Then her own body betrayed her.
Grumbling like an animal begging for its supper, Melina's stomach tightened and groaned. She felt a faint heat dust her cheeks. This was something else she had yet to get used to. With a new body, she grew hungry at the worst of times. Bairn let out a quiet giggle. "Come on, Coz." He held out his stoney hand and with a moment of hesitation, Melina took it.
She was led back into the village and toward one of the bigger houses. It was apparently once home to Alexander the Iron Fist, but was now an improvised communal space.
Inside, the warm crackling of a hearth cast its orange glow over the wooden floors and walls. Steam filtered up through its chimney and the sound of bubbling broth offered a welcoming soundtrack. Rya stood hunched over a large cooking pot hanging from the fireplace. She occasionally stirred the contents and hummed a quiet tune.
Casually sitting with his feet up on a table, Patches was watching the woman cook. A content grin rested on his features. No doubt enjoying the smells.
To Rya's credit, the stew did have quite the alluring scent. It managed to get another growl from Melina's stomach. Much to Patches' amusement, thankfully, he knew better than to remark on it. On the other side of the large room, Millicent was carefully cleaning her prosthetic arm.
Sellen was absent, as usual. She apparently never ate with the others. Much like Melina herself.
Diallos was still outside along with Roderika and Boc. The three would probably join soon. As for the other Living Jars, it was like Bairn had said. They couldn't eat regular food, so they were all going about their usual business.
"Oh! Lady Melina! Will you be joining us this evening?" Rya chirped once she noticed Melina's arrival. She nodded and quietly took a seat, awkwardly looking over the room.
She remembered being quite sociable before her burning. She enjoyed the company of others and would eagerly seek out companionship. However, after spending so long alone, those social skills had almost completely vanished. Now, she was reluctant to get involved. That - of course - didn't stop those around her from trying to include her. "It smells quite enticing."
Rya happily nodded. "Thank you! Mutton can be very tasty. Especially when you add just the right amount of herbs. The Erdleaf helps lock in the flavors of the vegetables, too." Melina had to wonder who taught the girl to cook. From what Melina had seen of the Volcano Manor, she hadn't noticed any servants nor any chefs. Of course, the heinous horrors hidden deeper in the manor shed some light on that fact. If there ever were servants, they had either been left to burn in the magma or used for sacrilegious rituals. "Oh… we have new guests now. Perhaps I should have asked them their tastes first."
"That's our Rya, for ya'. Always the considerate sort." Patches smirked. He might have looked like he was poking fun, but there was a hint of genuine adoration. "Could you throw a few meat chunks extra my way? Cheers."
"Patches, you know we have to ration things equally." Millicent chimed in from her own seat. "Don't sweet talk the poor girl."
The whole exchange was remarkably unremarkable.
Warm. Normal. Untethered from despair.
It gave Melina a small sense of hope. Hope that, despite their situation, life still endures.
The meal was humble, filling and - admittedly - delicious. The group chatted with each other as a family would at a gathering. Chuckling at jokes, making witty banter, poking fun at one another. By the end of it, even Melina had started to open up a little more. She enjoyed the peace and the feeling of normalcy. For just a few hours, she could forget about her troubles.
Eventually, when the food had been eaten and the dishes cleaned, they all sat around the hearth, watching the fire dance and crackle within.
The content and satisfied feeling Melina had made it quite hard to bring up what was on her mind. She didn't want to ruin the mood, but at the same time, it needed to be said.
So, she sighed and finally popped the bubble of peace.
"I will be departing on the morrow."
For a few moments, no one spoke. Everyone knew she would have to depart sooner or later. After a long minute of silence, Millicent broke it; "is this really what you want?" A simple question, sure, but one that didn't have a simple answer.
"Of course not," Melina replied, her tone a little sharper than intended. "However, if I were to abandon my vow, the world would be consumed within the year. Reduced to a single whole where there is no life."
She didn't want to do this.
She had to do this.
"Why does it have to be you, though?" Rya muttered, curling herself up in her chair. The ember glow of the fire darkened her features, but everyone could see the single tear streaking down her cheek.
"Because I am responsible. I allowed him the strength of Runes. I offered him the guidance. I failed to stop him from falling into madness." They all knew this already. Melina had said it numerous times, and yet, not a single one agreed with her. They always kept repudiating the notion. As they still did right now. Melina let a sigh pass through frowning lips. "His ascension is my own fault and I will put that mistake to rest. I have to accept that I was bestowed this new body for a reason. And that reason is to fulfill the vow I made to kill the Lord of Frenzy."
"When do we leave, then?" Patches asked.
Melina blinked for a few moments. There wasn't a hint of a joke in his question. The man was deadly serious for once.
Everyone looked his way with surprise. To which he scoffed. "What sort of man would I be if I let you do this alone, eh? Untethered I may be, but I still consider myself a Recusant! Hunting Tarnished is… kind of in the job description." Looking awfully proud of himself, Patches bathed in the adoring glares of Roderika and Rya. "So let me ask again; when do we leave?"
"I shall second that query…" Millicent added.
Melina considered the two of them.
Patches was a coward. Someone who would abandon his comrades in order to save his own hide. He was not the sort of person Melina would choose to travel with. Yet, he was still capable. He had taken steps to better himself and if Melina was being honest with herself, she found him quite amusing.
Millicent had proven herself capable and determined. She had a strong will, yet she always seemed to look down on herself. The Scarlet Rot had ravaged her for her whole life. Eating at her from the inside. It had taken every ounce of her strength to keep it contained. To spit in the face of her given fate. However, what that left behind was a woman who was quick to tire and a shadow of her former power.
Despite that, Melina knew full well she could never kill the Lord of Frenzy alone.
"Dawn tomorrow." Melina gave in. "My first task is ascertaining where the Tarnished fled to."
"Then you'll want to head to the Academy." Sellen's voice cut through the air, drawing everyone's attention to the doorway leading outside. A cool night breeze trickled in, tainted by the sickly glow of the burning sky. The Sorceress stood with arms folded and a heavy frown on her face. "They're cowards, one and all. No doubt they have reinforced their seals and isolated themselves further. However, I happen to know of a secret route into the Academy grounds."
"What business would we have with Raya Lucaria?" Melina's brow perked at Sellen's interruption. The woman scoffed as if the answer was obvious.
"What better way to find your mark than to employ a scrying master? Sorcery isn't just about throwing pretty lights around." It wasn't something Melina had considered, but once Sellen mentioned it, yes, it was obvious. "House Caria is nothing but a house of cowards, but they hold dominion over the moon. Their divination is - admittedly - unmatched."
Melina felt her jaw clench. Small flecks of black flame curled from tightened fists.
She didn't care much for Queen Rennala, but that wasn't what stirred the anger in her chest. Sellen had insulted - intentionally or not - someone dear to Melina.
In a small mercy, no one seemed to be paying her any attention. Her little outburst faded away, unnoticed.
"I take it you have someone in mind?" Diallos gave Sellen a strange glare. A mix between curiosity and suspicion. Sellen nodded, her reluctance was clear, but she knew what was at stake. Melina begrudgingly gave the Graven Witch silent respect. Putting one's personal vendettas aside was something a rare few had the will to do.
Sellen sighed, pacing deeper into the room. "An old student of mine. From when I first began teaching. He went on to study under the Lazuli Conspectus. Quite the talent… shamefully wasted on a lesser pursuit." The haughtiness in her tone was barely restrained. Sellen's elitism was starting to eat through to the surface. Melina didn't care about the pointless politics of the Academy's various conspectuses. Even before her burning, she saw most of it as petty. Granted, she never was interested in sorcery to begin with.
"And you believe this man can help locate the Lord of Frenzy?" Melina cut through the snide remarks and tried getting to the point.
Emphatically nodding, Sellen grinned with pride. "Despite his disappointing life choices, he was my student. I refuse to flatter or coddle, yet his promise was apparent even as a Juvenile. If he yet lives, he would surely lend aid to us."
"Us?" Patches chimed in.
"Yes." She didn't offer anything further, as if her joining the party was already decided.
Patches glanced toward Melina with a silent questioning look. Objectively, Sellen was indeed a powerful ally. Freed from her prison on the Weeping Peninsular, she had regained most of her former strength. However, she was headstrong and single minded. Normally, those two traits would have been invaluable on a quest such as this. However, Melina couldn't help but wonder why Sellen had suddenly insisted on joining.
In response to Patches' glare, she shrugged with dismissal. "If what you say is true, then I will accept your aid."
Sellen curtly nodded. Satisfied, she turned on her heels and left for her makeshift study. There were many questions she had left unanswered. What was this secret entrance? Why did she know about it? What was her agenda?
Before the Tarnished became the Lord of Frenzy, Sellen had made her intentions of overthrowing House Caria painfully known. Was that still her goal?
Foolish woman.
Melina gripped the fabric of her long cloak and quietly huffed. Even in the face of annihilation, was the Sorceress' motives really so selfish?
And to think she had silently given the Graven Witch respect for her strength of will.
"Rest, now. We leave at dawn." Melina spoke, lifting herself to her feet. The journey ahead was going to be long, arduous and filled with danger. She would need to make preparations now she wasn't going to be traveling alone. Their store of boluses would need to be replenished, they would need to pack more rations and above all, they would need some sort of camping gear.
If it were simply Melina traveling alone, she would have gotten by with minimal supplies and equipment.
She sighed and made for the house she had been staying at.
Though made to accommodate Living Jars, the room Melina had been given was quite comfortable. Even with the bed being made of chairs, stray cushions and fragments of cloth.
Similar accommodations had been made for the others as well.
Melina paced the room and grumbled to herself. Unable to sleep, she had given up on the idea. Everything was packed, everything was prepared. The only thing keeping her here were the others who had decided to join her. She wanted to leave as soon as possible, but it would be at least a few hours before her companions awoke. So, she resigned herself to waiting. As the seconds dragged into minutes, her frustrations only grew.
She barely registered the very quiet knock on her door.
"Enter," she commanded curtly.
The door slowly creaked open revealing Roderika. Bandages wrapped around her arms and legs, running underneath the patchworked nightgown, provided by Boc fashioning it from spare fabrics and cloths. She moved stiffly and winced whenever she moved strangely. "Oh… am I interrupting?" She curiously watched Melina's pacing.
"No. I simply could not sleep…" thankfully, she didn't need to explain why. It was painfully obvious. "Are you in need of assistance? The Jar Bairn has offered you lodgings I presume?"
The young girl hesitated, her brow furrowing. "I'm aware I can't accompany you, I'm quite craven, really…" she grunted and caught herself before she could spiral, "but I still want to help you! You have Spirit Ashes, right? Your wolves were magnificent." Melina nodded and gestured to the small stone box hanging from her belt. The inlaid sigils glowed faintly with ethereal power. "I tuned the ashes the Tarnished brought to me, gave them more strength to enact their will on the world. You said that you're responsible for the Tarnished… but I don't think that's true."
Roderika's words stopped Melina in her tracks.
Her first instinct was to snap back with some defensive comment.
Then her more level headed side stopped her. Instead, she gave a tiny smile. "Come, I believe one of the Jars left some tea."
As anxious as the Spirit Tuner was, she still took Melina up on the offer. A few minutes later, two cups of steaming tea rested on a wooden table. A simple brew made with wild herbs and sweetened with Rowa fruit extract. The fruit on its own wasn't safe for human consumption, but the Jars had somehow found a way of extracting a sweet flavor from its natural juices. It filled Melina with a warm fondness. Nostalgia. Unconsciously, she ran a thumb over the marred surface of Torrent's whistle ring. The object still hung from her neck and she had no intention of parting with it again.
Once Roderika had settled down, Melina brought the conversation back on track. "I understand your sentiment. I am not blind to the aid others gave to the Tarnished, I was there for each interaction. Unseen and incorporeal."
"O-oh…?" Roderika looked confused, but Melina didn't offer any context.
"However, the truth is, I was the one closest to the Tarnished. I was his traveling companion and guide. Were it not for me, he would have likely perished in obscurity, barely known to the Lands Between." She had spouted the same argument countless times now. Yet, the more she said it, the less she really believed it herself. She stared down into her cup. Mismatched eyes looked back up at her. This new body was an enigma, however, Melina tried to interpret that it came with a purpose. "This village is now home to many the Tarnished had forged bonds with. You, me, the Sorceress, Zoryas… everyone. They all once believed the Tarnished to be a beacon of hope. The man that would usher in a new age of change, breathing new life into the Lands Between. Instead… he has doomed us all."
"Yes…" Roderika's expression darkened, "and… I'll never forgive him for it." She let out a frustrated sigh. She likely guessed it was useless to argue and she would be right. "I watched as Master Hewg lost his memory. With each strike of his hammer, the intent behind it weakened. The flames consuming the Hold hurt… it was agony simply existing. But if I left, Master Hewg would be left completely alone. I was fully content with dying along with him, burning up in the Erdtree's pyre. Then the flames turned yellow…" her grip on her cup tightened as a memory flashed through her mind.
"The Frenzied Flame." Melina uttered quietly, nodding in solidarity.
"Yes," Roderika spat. "The Hold might have already been burning, but it was a natural end. Master Hewg would die happy even if his mind had failed. The yellow fire corrupted the Hold. It infected Master Hewg and sewed a seed of madness within him. It hurt him. The screams were… terrible. In one instance of lucidity, he begged me to end him there and then. To use his own work to lay him low. I… I…" Tears streamed down her face. "I couldn't do it. Yet… he still smiled. That smile had no joy in it. No life. Only despair. Then… madness. His eyes… they… they… they melted and burned with a foul yellow."
"I am… truly sorry." Melina's chest tightened. She felt the guilt claw at her heart. It developed into anger directed at herself. "Such a tragedy… you ought to hate me."
"I don't hate you!" Anger flashed across the girl's eyes, replaced by apologetic tears a moment later. "I'm telling you this not because I think you're to blame. The Tarnished did this. The Tarnished made the choice, not you. You are not the only one that has a reason to seek an end to the Tarnished. Let me help you in any way I can. Be it strengthening your ashes or offering friendship. This burden should not be yours alone."
"I thank you, Lady Roderika," Melina bowed her head, a subtle smile tugged at her lips.
In a lot of ways, Roderika was a lot like Zoryas. The snakeborn was also a kind soul desperately trying to convince Melina. She was sure the two would become good friends.
"I shall accept your offer." Carefully sliding the stone box toward Roderika, Melina placed down several bushels of Glovewort alongside it. The action served to invoke Roderika's curiosity. "I have witnessed your practices numerous times. You need not explain."
"With this much… I…" the girl's eyes sparkled as she gently ran a finger along the stem of one of the plants. "The Spirits you command will be strong indeed."
"This place smells more rotten than Old Bernahl's unmentionables… ugh. Gives me hives just thinking about it." Patches' voice echoed down the long tunnel. A semi-natural path that was hidden in the rock plateau the Academy was built upon.
A single stream flowed through with odd coloured hues passing by. It was as if a thin veneer of oil constantly covered the flowing water. True enough, the passage smelled truly awful. It might not have been the worst place Melina had been taken during her travels with the Tarnished, but at least then she didn't have to endure such places physically. The makeshift band traveled in single file with Sellen at the lead. Melina was close behind, followed by Millicent and Patches.
Millicent struggled under the rag covering her mouth - everyone wore similar coverings to help against the stench, apparently enchanted with a simple Glintstone sigil. "I have to agree. This place is… quite foul. I would liken it to the Rot, but I can't see any growths or signs of infection." She eyed the walls of the cave and quickly studied some of the moss growths they came across. A few in particular - those closest to the stream - looked like they were glowing in the dim light given off by Sellen's Starlight spell. Small crystals were budding from the moss too. Unsurprisingly, seeing as they were directly underneath the Academy. It was actually more surprising that they hadn't encountered more Glintstone.
"What is this passage?" Melina asked, earning an amused huff from Sellen.
The Sorceress turned her head slightly, allowing the stone crown covering her face to blankly stare at her. "Many experiments in the Academy can produce various byproducts. Waste substances that can't be used elsewhere. This tunnel was a means of disposing of those materials."
"Wait… so we're basically in a trash chute? Are you kidding me!?" Patches was distraught at the very idea. Melina had to admit she wasn't happy about it either. Who knew what sort of foul gasses permeated the air. No wonder Sellen had given out the rags without any explanation.
"Would you rather the actual sewers?" The grin hiding underneath Sellen's mask was practically screaming of smugness. "Besides, these tunnels haven't been used for a long time. Aside from specific transposition sorceries, this tunnel is the only way into the Academy that can still be accessed without a Glintstone Key. I don't have the materials, nor time, to prepare the former, so the latter it is."
"Is this tunnel well known? If it's a disposal chute, then I would assume so." Millicent asked, avoiding stepping into the stream. A particularly narrow part of the passage almost forced her to do so.
"No. Like I said, these disposal tunnels haven't been used in a long time. Most have forgotten they ever existed. Now, waste is merely transposed elsewhere. Out of sight, out of mind. I know of them because I once used them to smuggle… illicit materials into the Academy for my own research."
Sellen brought up a thought in Melina's mind. This passage might have been quite difficult to find, but the Tarnished would have no doubt sniffed it out, offering him relatively easy passage into the Academy. Instead, he took the more direct route into the Academy.
By that she meant slaying a Glintstone infused drake and prying a key from the stiff hands of a dead scholar. That probably wasn't an option this time. If there were other Glintstone keys out in the wild, they had no way of finding one. So, if this acquaintance of Sellen's really was their best bet at finding the Tarnished, these tunnels would have to do.
They walked the tunnels for quite some time, always heading upward. The path twisted and turned a few times, splitting off into forks, yet Sellen walked on with confidence.
Notably, they hadn't encountered any living creatures yet.
Only dead rats and the occasional dog or cat. Long since decomposed and skeletal. Perhaps it was indicative of whatever fumes remained lingering.
Eventually, Sellen stopped at an intersection. A small trickle of a waterfall fell down a chiseled rock face. Completely innocuous at first glance. Until Sellen made various gestures with her staff. The Glintstone on its tip pulsed with glittering energy and the waterfall faded from existence, along with a huge chunk of rock behind it. Now dispelled, the illusory rock concealed a stone tiled alcove. A metal ladder was riveted to the far wall and from first glances alone, everyone could see it was incredibly rusted. It also led up to nothing but the ceiling of the alcove.
"Well, here we are." Sellen whispered, stepping up to the ladder. Her mask angled upward as she glared at the blank ceiling. "... Shit."
Patches gave a wry smirk. "Something wrong?"
"Not yet. Someone's been through here recently. I only know of one other person who is aware of these tunnels and would have the need for them."
Melina's eyes narrowed. By Sellen's tone, it did not sound good. "And… who may that be?" She asked, earning one hell of a groan from the sorceress. Her shoulders slouched and her whole presence seemed to heave an exasperated sigh.
"Preceptor Seluvis."
Author's Notes:
My writing has been split into two projects, so chapters may update slowly.
In other news, we now have Melina's initial party of intrepid heroes! Will they succeed? Will they die horribly? Will their sanity persevere? Will Patches ever forget the stench of Bernahl's underwear? Find out next time!