The Bhagavān then went to the region of Uruvilvā. Kāśyapa was living near there on the shore of the Nairañjanā River. He knew astronomy and geography, and there was nothing he couldn't comprehend. He even knew how to calculate the number of tree leaves that there were. He led 500 disciples, whom he instructed daily. Not far away from Kāśyapa, there was a cave where a poisonous serpent lived. It was then that the Bhagavān visited Kāśyapa. When he arrived, he said to Kāśyapa, "I'd like to stay for the night in the cave. If you would permit me, I'll go there to stay." Kāśyapa replied, "I don't care about it, but there is a poisonous serpent there that's frightful and dangerous." The Bhagavān told him, "Kāśyapa, that's no problem. That serpent won't hurt me. I just need permission to stay there for the night." Kāśyapa replied, "If you want to stay there, then do as you like." The Bhagavān then went to the cave and prepared a seat for the night. Sitting down cross-legged with upright body and mind, he fixed his attention to what was in front of him. The poisonous serpent saw the Bhagavān sitting there and spat flaming venom at him. The Bhagavān at that moment had entered a concentration of kindness. He emerged from that concentration of kindness and entered a concentration of blazing light. The serpent's fire and the Buddha's light met at the same time. Kāśyapa got up that night to look up at the stars, and he saw the light of a large fire in the cave. Seeing that, he told a disciple, "This ascetic Gautama is handsome looking, but now he is being killed by that serpent. What a pity! I told him earlier that it was there. 'There's an evil serpent; you can't stay the night there.'" Kāśyapa then told his 500 disciples, "Get pitchers of water and high ladders and go douse that fire! Save that ascetic from this danger!" Kāśyapa then led his 500 disciples to the cave to put out the fire. Some of them carried water and others brought ladders, but they weren't able to put out the fire. It was the Bhagavān's power that made it happen. The Bhagavān then entered the concentration of kindness and slowly made that serpent stop being hateful. The evil serpent's mind then became fearful. It ran east and west, trying to leave the cave, but it wasn't able to find the exit. The evil serpent then went up to the Tathāgata and coiled up in his alms bowl.

The Bhagavān stroked the evil serpent's body with his right hand and spoke these verses:

"Serpent, exiting is so hard to do, / One serpent and another have come together. / Serpent, don't have harmful thoughts; / Exiting is so hard to do, serpent. / Numbering like the Gaṅgā River's sands, / Buddhas [have attained] parinirvāṇa. / You haven't met any of them; / That's the reason for your hateful fire. / Have good thoughts towards the Tathāgata; / Quickly abandon this hateful venom. / Once the venom of hate is gone, / Then you'll be born up in heaven."

The evil serpent then stuck out its tongue, licked the Tathāgata's hand, and looked up at his face. Early the next morning, the Bhagavān carried the evil serpent in his hand and went to Kāśyapa. He said to Kāśyapa, "Here is the evil serpent that's so dangerous. I've tamed it." When he saw the evil serpent, Kāśyapa was terrified and said to the Bhagavān, "Stop! Stop, ascetic! Don't come any closer! That serpent looks ready to strike!" The Bhagavān said, "Kāśyapa, don't be afraid. I've tamed it. It'll never harm anyone. The reason is that this serpent has accepted my instruction." Kāśyapa and his 500 disciples then praised this unprecedented thing. "Amazing! Extraordinary! This ascetic Gautama has such miraculous power; he can tame this evil serpent and make it do no evil. Even so, it's not the same as the truth that I've attained." Kāśyapa said to the Bhagavān, "Great ascetic, will you accept my invitation to stay for 90 days? I'll supply you with all the clothes, food, seats, bedding, and medicines that you'll need." The Bhagavān then silently accepted Kāśyapa's invitation. The Bhagavān released that magical serpent into the ocean, and that evil serpent lived a short time longer. After its life ended, it was born up in the heaven of the four god kings. The Tathāgata then returned to the cave to stay.

-Ekottara Āgama 24.5 (Chinese Buddhist Canon)

Getting to Altus was a task easier said than done, as it turned out. Torrent ran through Liurnia relatively unobstructed, but when it came time to enter Altus, all that stood ahead was a monumental cliff face. Torrent's galloping slowed, stopping before a monumental stone entranceway.

"Inside there's a lift," Yura said, "...which would be tremendously helpful in reaching Altus- if it were functioning. Unsurprisingly, it is not."

Rogier clicked his tongue- "Gods, can't ever be easy, can it?" Say…" he turned to Wolf, "You've got that hook of yours, right? Could you get us up there?"

Wolf looked up at the cliff- "...Too high. Can't climb, either. Not while carrying either of you."

Yura interjected- "I know another way around- used to, at least. There's a smaller set of lifts nearby that are supposed to carry you up- problem is, from what I've heard, a magma wyrm has made its home there, and I want nothing to do with the damn things."

Wolf turned to him- "I thought you hunted dragons."

Yura shook his head quietly, "Ah, those days are long past me. Agheel was an exception- he was terrorizing the land. This wyrm over here, as far as I'm aware, keeps to himself. If I were to try and slay him, I'd be taking the fight to him- not a wise choice when it comes to a magma wyrm."

Rogier looked confused. "Now, forgive me, this isn't exactly something I'm well-researched on, but I was under the impression that wyrms were considered inferior to dragons- something about diluted blood, and not being truly born. Is it truly so threatening?"

"Diluted dragon's blood is dragon's blood no less," said Yura, turning to Wolf "and wyrms have one key advantage. Tell me, what do you know of devas? "

"Devas?" Rogier asked, "I… must confess, the term is unfamiliar."

"Gods," Wolf said, reminiscing. "Or something like them."

Yura nodded, "They may live for billions of years. They live in untold luxury and power- when they speak, the mountains turn their heads to listen. When they roar, the earth itself bends below them in an attempt to escape their wrath. The realm of devas is the highest realm in saṃsāra , and to reach it, one has to acquire mountains of good karma. Yet, many consider being born in the realm of men to be a greater boon. Why?"

Wolf considered for a moment- "...They have no reason to change."

Yura chuckled, "Exactly, kid. All pleasures are transient, even theirs. But when one lives that long, it certainly seems like eternity- until it's over, that is. Why strive for more? Why give up endless riches and luxury for a concept of enlightenment one can't even fully understand? When a deva's time has come, they often find themselves brought to naraka or the realm of hungry ghosts, their good karma extinguished and corrupted by greed and ignorance."

Rogier interrupted, "Pardon me, but may I ask how this relates to dragons?" His words were tinged with genuine curiosity.

"Dragons are much like devas. They do not struggle- and in turn, they only rely on that which they were born with. Little skill- and even less willpower. There are exceptions, of course- wise devas and skilled dragons exist, but they are rare breeds. A wyrm, on the other hand… One becomes a wyrm. Only he who has slain dragons and eaten their hearts can become one, to be exact. The strength of a dragon, with the skill of a warrior who can slay them… a terrifying combination."

"You said dragon communion leads to ruin," Wolf commented, "...is that the result? A wyrm?"

Yura laughed mirthlessly, "One of the possible results. One of the better ones, in my opinion. A wyrm results when one's reason is consumed by the hatred within dragon hearts. In the case of stronger hearts, hatred is not the only thing that remains, but also the will of the dragon the heart belonged to. When one is consumed from within by a dragon's will- that's when things get ugly."

"How so?" Rogier asked.

"Well, with wyrms, you know what to expect. When they start to turn into something else, you know it's going to be unique." Yura sighed, "Unique is never good."

Rogier had an interested look on his face as he spoke, "You speak like you've seen a lot. How many have you known who performed dragon communion?"

Yura shrugged, "Enough. Killed most of 'em."

"And this person you're after?" Wolf asked.

"One of the ones I haven't killed. Yet, that is. She knows something about Okina, probably- they're both Bloody Fingers."

"Should you be going with us to Rykard?" Rogier asked worriedly, "If this person is corrupted by dragons and is killing people as a Bloody Finger, surely she's not far from transforming entirely."

"Eh," Yura shrugged, "She's lasted this long. Besides, Okina's the big fish here- It'll leave a sour taste in my mouth to let her live longer than she needs to, but I'll take leads into killing Okina rather than killing her any day."

Rogier smiled at him, "In any case, we're happy to have you along."

Yura's route to Altus wasn't far- a short ride later, they had reached a site with several wooden elevators and ladders leading upwards. After navigating the rickety wooden pathways that led upwards, a cave filled with mossy ruins stood before them, a large stone arch beckoning them forward. A large moving mass was faintly visible within.

Rogier's eyes widened- "I assume that horrific thing belching magma is the wyrm you spoke of."

Yura's tone was deadpan- "You assume correctly. Now, let's go." Reaching into his pack, he pulled out a strange gel, throwing some of it to the two behind him. "Dragonwound grease- rare stuff, so only use it if you need to."

Yura calmly walked into the cavernous opening and crept towards the scaled beast as it turned its slitted eyes on him. It raised its gargantuan sword and swung it down with brutish strength, while Yura rushed towards it and gave it a gash along its face. Thrashing with rage, it started spewing magma, forcing him to retreat backwards. "Damn," Yura spoke gravely, "It's probably not going to let us get close anymore. You, the mage-" he gestured to Rogier, "...hit it from afar with whatever you have. We'll need to bait it closer."

Rogier hastily nodded, and began pelting it with glintstone missiles. The wyrm squirmed, trying in vain to dodge- it gazed at the sorcerer with bestial contempt as the gleaming bolts struck its scaled hide.

Yura nodded to Rogier in approval- "A dragon's form is cumbersome- it is unused to it. It has no hope to dodge. Either it will remain at a distance and die- or charge in a last attempt to kill us."

With an embittered snarl, the beast sank its claws into the stony walls, and began climbing upwards. Despite Rogier's bombardment, it persisted in crawling upwards until it reached the cave ceiling and embedded its claws in the rocky roof above. It slowly began to trudge its way towards the three while upside-down, spewing magma all the while.

"Crafty thing," Yura spat, "This is why I hate wyrms. Can't ever lay down and die."

The thing had made its way above them, raining molten rock down below- with every passing second, there was less and less safe ground to walk on. The thing had a cruel victorious smile, even as spells continued to strike its armored back. In its mind, it had won- the two swordsmen were unable to reach it, and it would kill them before the sorcerer's spells would kill it.

"...Any ideas?" Rogier asked somewhat frantically, his staff raised. "I can only do this so long, you know!"

"Those shurikens of yours…" Yura turned to Wolf. "Could you get some of the dragonwound grease on them?"

Wolf had an uncertain look on his face- "...I could try." With those words, he opened his arm's launching mechanism, all while trying to dodge the rain of fire above. He gently applied the grease over the lazulite-tipped shurikens, and aimed his arm upwards. With a single fluid motion, a shuriken flew up towards the ceiling of the cave- before harmlessly bouncing off of the beast's scales.

Wolf grimaced- "...The grease is slowing down the firing mechanism." He could just use the lazulite shurikens as they were, but he doubted they were enough to deal lethal damage to the thing. He could simply throw them without the mechanism, but his regular throw lacked the firing power of the launcher… then again, he had grown substantially stronger since he had last tried. He picked up another shuriken, covered it in the grease, and tossed it utilizing his inhuman strength and masterful dexterity- a deep crimson gash appeared in the thing's scaly skin, and it roared once more. Enraged, it unlatched one of its claws from the ceiling and swung its colossal blade downwards, narrowly missing Rogier.

"Damn, still not enough to end it…" Yura grumbled.

After he had gotten over the panic of nearly being decapitated by a giant rocky blade, Rogier's face froze, and then broke into a look of sheer focus. He shot a glance at Wolf- "Get your hook ready," he shouted out without further explanation. Rogier's head turned to the wyrm above, anticipating its next move. Still consumed by anger after being cut by the shuriken, it recklessly swung its sword downward once more, leaving one of its claws off of the ceiling above. Rogier's eyes glinted in recognition and he raised his staff which began to hum with purple sparks. The rock above the wyrm's other front claw began to rumble violently as a purple glow emanated from it. The stone fell in pieces towards the ground, landing with a reverberating boom as the creature let out a confused yelp. Its front claws flailed wildly- yet, it held on still. It was a beast made to grip rock- and its hind claws remained firm within the top of the cavern.

Wolf glanced over to Rogier who gave him a small nod- it was time for his part of the plan. He looked over the flailing beast, trying to find the best point to grab. He wouldn't have much time before the wyrm stabilized itself- he would need to act quick. He launched the hook from his hand, which just managed to wrap around the creature's waving arm. With the hook attached, there was nothing left to do but pull- and pull he did. Wolf anchored himself into the ground, the rock splintering beneath him, as he tugged with strength that was once foreign to him. The beast's hind claws loosened as the stone above cracked, and all at once, the titan fell.

The ground cratered beneath where it fell- its weight had caused it to embed itself within the stone below. Its vulnerable underbelly was exposed, and it was Yura who struck first. He leaped atop the weakened beast, and slowly drew his blade across the wyrm's neck, a trail of inky blood following his incision. The beast let out a dying gurgle as its hate-filled reptilian eyes began to grow dull.

Rogier heaved out a heavy sigh- "Gods, it's over. Damned thing's finally dead."

"Not quite," Yura exclaimed. "Listen." A faint thumping reverberated throughout the cavern as Yura walked atop the beast's corpse. "Should be right about… here." He pointed downwards near the wyrm's stomach, and turned to Wolf. "Care to do the honors, kid?"

Wolf nodded and walked towards Yura, drawing the Mortal Blade. He pointed the blade downwards and stabbed- the unending beating of the heart drew silent.

Rogier gave Wolf a triumphant grin- "You were bloody brilliant with that stunt- pulled the giant thing down like something out of an epic!"

Wolf looked away, not used to the praise- "...You were the one who suggested the idea."

Rogier continued to smile- "To be honest, I expected you to grapple up to it and slash it with your sword- but that was far more impressive. I just weakened him a little- you're the one who sent him tumbling down."

"You were both mighty impressive," Yura stated firmly, "Haven't ever seen a wyrm go down that easy, even with entire teams of hunters." He turned to Rogier curiously- "I have to admit- I didn't expect you to be familiar with gravity magic."

Rogier shrugged sheepishly- "Well, I wouldn't say familiar… I just learned a few things from seeing Radahn."

Yura froze- "...Kid. You learned how to cast an entirely different school of sorcery just from witnessing it?"

"Yes, well, it's far from perfect." Rogier grumbled, "That tiny stunt with the rocks on the ceiling required almost all of my focus."

"Quite impressive, nonetheless," Yura commented.

"It was," Wolf agreed.

Rogier gave them both a small smile- "Ah, if you both say so."

"Well, now that that's done with," Yura spoke, "Altus should be up ahead. Come." Yura made his way across the cavern, nimbly avoiding the magma that still remained, as Wolf and Rogier followed behind him. Across from the cave where the wyrm dwelled, there was a single wooden lift. Yura got on, and waited for Wolf and Rogier to join him before it began to slowly rise upwards. Bright sunlight shone down as the lift surfaced.

"Here we are," Yura said as he walked off of the platform, "Altus. Nowhere is the Erdtree's light more present, save for Leyndell. Even the grass is a radiant gold."

Rogier looked northwest- "And that intimidating volcano is where we're headed next. Now, as to how we'll get there…" He paused. "I have no earthly clue. Doesn't exactly look accessible."

"...We'll circle around the area," Wolf said, "There has to be some way up." Summoning Torrent, he mounted the spirit horse, with Rogier and Yura joining behind him.

As they began to ride across the region, Yura spoke- "I'm just thankful we got done with that wyrm quickly. I've had enough dragons for a lifetime- let's hope we don't encounter any more."

Just as he said that, a shrieking roar reverberated across the land- from the skies, a bone-white dragon began to descend as red flashes crackled through the air. Diving downwards, it landed gracefully on the rocky terrain, wings whipping the air around it.

Yura let out a sigh- "Spoke too soon, I suppose." Suddenly, he snapped his head upward in shocked recognition. "...An ancient dragon? Here?"

Rogier was on edge, staff held at the ready- "...Should we flee?"

Yura shook his head slightly- "No point. I'll try something, but be ready to fight." As he said this, he slowly lowered his sword.

Wolf stood back with his blade at the ready as Yura walked forward and cleared his throat- "Ah, greetings, your… eminence. Is there anything we can do for you?"

The dragon's head tilted downward, assessing the three. Its voice was deep and gravelly- "Thou know'st not where thou tread'st, little lordlings. It appears that thine transgression is one of ignorance- so, in my grace, I will allow thee to turn back."

Both Yura and Rogier looked relieved at its words when Wolf spoke- "...We need to get through here."

A deep rumble reverberated through its throat- a growl or a laugh. "Is that so? Perhaps thou dost not understand." The air itself began to crackle and Wolf felt his skin tingle as his hair stood on end. In a single moment, several pillars of red lightning descended from the sky, striking right beside them. "Thou wilt turn back." Even as the beast growled, Wolf held firm, his eyes locked with the dragon's. The lightning did not seem to scare him- strangely, it had the opposite effect, seemingly granting him courage. The two locked eyes for a few tense seconds, when it spoke once more- "Hm. Thou still wish'st to defy me? Thou'rt a fool- but a brave fool. But bravery is nothing without the means necessary to uphold it. Shouldst thou prove satisfactory, perhaps I will consider granting thee passage. If thine words are mere bluster, however…" The beast gained a predatory grin.

The pale dragon moved quickly- in a moment, it had risen onto its hind claws, manifesting a blade of red lightning with its front two. Wolf's eyes glinted in recognition, and, to the surprise of Rogier and Yura, jumped into the attack rather than away from it.

In a single moment, he felt the familiar sensation of lightning coursing through him- this seemed to be more potent than what he was used to, but he would channel and redirect it all the same. His limbs moved without a second thought- the lightning went through him, then out of him once more. His hands pulsed as pure energy moved through his fingers and into Kusabimaru- as he slashed, a massive arc of red electricity followed his swing. The dragon jolted backwards, narrowly escaping the crackling arc. Its eyes gleamed at Wolf, and a hint of cautious fear appeared in its eyes.

"Thou… How…?" It growled confusedly, before taking a moment to regain its composure- "Hm. Thou'rt… skilled, with lightning. To use mine own against me- a novel technique. I had thought lightning manipulation a dying art since the Shattering, especially since Vy…" It paused suddenly, shaking its head. " Tarnished. Remember the name of Lansseax. We will meet again." Its membranous wings began to rise in preparation to take off when Rogier yelled out to it.

"Wait!" he bellowed as loudly as he could, "May I… ask you a few questions?"

The dragon snorted, wings lowering slightly. "Speak, little sorcerer. Thine companion has won thee a minute of my time- and not a drop more."

Rogier gained a massive nervous grin as he began to stutter- "Ah, well… It's said that after Godwyn defeated Fortissax, the two became close companions. Yet, when Godwyn perished, I could not find any mention of what happened to Fortissax afterwards. Would you, erm… happen to know what became of him?"

The dragon's eyes closed, and it remained eerily silent. " ...Thine questions bore me, little sorcerer. I will not insult myself by answering them. Be thankful thine companion will not see thee smitten where thou stand'st."

Rogier's face blanched, and he hurriedly muttered an apology- "I, uh, apologize for offending…" The words were useless- Lansseax had already taken to the sky.

Yura hummed thoughtfully- "Hm. Well, I'd say that was the best possible outcome."

Rogier pouted- "For you, maybe. One of the oldest and deadliest creatures alive threatened to kill me after I asked it a question."

Yura nodded slowly. "And you're still alive. Take it as a lesson learnt."

Rogier glared at him- "That lesson being?"

"Lessons are best learnt when realized on one's own," Yura said sagely, hand rubbing his chin.

"Ah, you're full of shit," Rogier grumbled, all too eager to get back on Torrent and move on.

After the back-to-back experiences with dragons threatening their lives, the three found exploring Altus to be relatively calm so far. Save for a couple Omens, (who didn't have a chance at outrunning Torrent) the few foes they encountered could be defeated with complete ease. It was, for lack of a better word, peaceful- even if Wolf was still getting used to the massive spectral tree that was constantly present. As the three rode, taking in the sights around them, Wolf spotted a familiar young woman standing beside a road. As Torrent trotted by, her eyes widened in recognition as she turned her head over to him.

"Ah, kind Tarnished," the hunched-over girl said, "I am glad to see you have made it all this way. Have you considered my offer to join the Volcano Manor?"

Rogier shook Wolf's shoulder from behind and whispered stiltedly- "You never said anything about being asked to join Rykard's manor!"

Wolf thought back to when he had first encountered this girl… Rya, if his memory served him right. He leaned back and whispered to Rogier- "...I had received a request to join another lord. I did not remember the specifics- at the time, I thought them unimportant."

Rogier looked like he had something more to say, but Rya appeared ready to speak again, so he turned back to her. "I understand it is not an easy decision, so if you wish to think it over further…"

"I accept," Wolf spoke hastily, "...if you will allow my companions to join me."

Rya's smile grew massive- "Ah- of course! The Volcano Manor is always welcoming of new champions!" She tilted her head down and spoke under her breath, hands shaking- "I can't believe it- three in one day!" She quickly turned her head back up, realizing that she was still being watched. "Ahem. Well, noble champions, I welcome you all to… oh."

"What is it?" Rogier asked.

Rya looked bashful- "Well, um… Lady Tanith gave me this crest that allows me to teleport to the manor with any potential recruits- but it's limited to myself and one other."

"...Could you do the three of us one at a time?" Yura asked.

Rya shook her head dejectedly, "Ah, I'm afraid not… it's costly to teleport even small distances, so using it destroys the sorcery inside. Lady Tanith has to spend entire days re-enchanting it." Suddenly, she perked her head up- "Ah! But I could lead you! It's not that far…" She turned her head towards Torrent- "Well, it will be tight with the four of us… but I don't take up much space! If… if you'll have me, that is."

Wolf overhead Rogier whisper to Yura- "This girl is a part of Volcano Manor? The 'brutally kill Tarnished under the command of a megalomaniacal demigod' Volcano Manor? Are we sure?"

Yura whispered back, "Looks can be deceiving. We do not know how dangerous she could be. But… if it is an act, it is quite convincing."

"...Sure," Wolf replied to Rya, "We would appreciate a guide."

Rya beamed. "Oh, wonderful!" She cheerfully walked towards Torrent and rubbed his mane softly as he neighed. "Good boy!" she commented, as she tried in vain to climb atop him.

"Need help there?" Yura asked cautiously.

Rya nodded, embarrassed. "If you would be so kind. I can never get used to this bod- riding horses. …Yes, I… struggle with riding horses."

"Ah, we all struggle with things. No shame in it, kid." Yura said placatingly as he raised her up onto Torrent.

"...Do you call everyone you meet kid?" Rogier commented.

Yura scoffed. "I'm old , kid. You're all kids to me." He turned to Torrent and got on, Rogier and Wolf joining him. Under the instruction of Rya, they slowly navigated their way around the volcano- a tricky endeavor, given how mountainous the area was and how random bursts of magma seemed to erupt from the ground at random. Jagged peaks and oozing magma gave way to wooden pyres ablaze with flame and mountains of charred corpses- this was not a battlefield, this was an execution site.

Rogier's eyes narrowed as he gazed around the mountains of scorched flesh and turned to Wolf- "Before… everything, Rykard was quite the dedicated inquisitor. Compensating for his own hidden doubts about the Order, I think. In any event… let's, uh, try not to add to the pile, hm?" He grinned nervously.

Wolf nodded, only half listening. He was used to battlefields- but the clear signs of torture on so many of the bodies still sickened him slightly. Rya continued to guide them, seemingly unfazed by the mountains of offal. He supposed she would be used to it now, if she had to keep returning to the manor.

Terrible ironwork contraptions wandered around the charnel ground, occasionally taking stray swings at nearby corpses with their swinging blades. They didn't seem to take notice as Torrent rode by.

"Lady Tanith has also gifted me an invisibility charm, in the event I should have to use the main entrance," Rya said, seemingly proud of the fact that this Tanith saw fit to give her this gift. "The Abductors can't tell friend from foe, so it's necessary to avoid their detection."

Rogier seemed morbidly curious- "What animates these… abductors, exactly?"

Rya remained quiet for a moment and then spoke- "I'm sorry… I don't really know. I asked Lady Tanith a while ago, and she told me that 'the genius of our lord can make all things possible.'" She leaned in conspiratorially to Rogier- "Between you and I… I suspect Lady Tanith doesn't know either."

Before long, they neared the manor- a giant stood guard outside, but it thankfully didn't see past Rya's apparent invisibility. The manor struck an imposing figure- stark grey stone rising into the sky above, surrounded by blazing pyres. Rya dismounted Torrent and slowly pushed open the large wooden doors, the three following right behind her. As Wolf slowly walked into the manor, he felt surprisingly impressed- deep red banners draped across the entrance hall, both the walls and domed ceiling had intricate patterns carved into their stone, and unlike every other castle he had come across- it actually seemed to be maintained. This was not the decrepit and dying fort of Godrick or Radahn- this castle belonged to someone of power and status, who had managed to cling to that power and status even after the collapse of the Order.

Rya guided the three through the decadent halls, portraits of scenes and people unfamiliar to Wolf hung on every single wall. It was a jarring experience- to go from the body-strewn wasteland outside to the luxurious manor so quickly. As he walked through the halls, he saw a familiar bald man- the same one who had come to the Radahn festival. He turned his head to the man, whose eyes widened in recognition and then shock, quickly turning away.

Rya led them to the main hall- a wooden table surrounded by gilded chairs stood next to a nearby hearth. It would have almost seemed homely, were it not so needlessly opulent. As he gazed around, he heard a refined voice echo across the hall.

"Ah, Rya. I see you have returned- and with prospective recruits, no less. I welcome you, brave Tarnished. You have all traveled a long way to come here- that speaks well of your dedication. I am Tanith, the proprietress of this house. Have you come here to rally against the dogmatic teachings of the Fingers?" A masked woman sat at the end of the hall, a towering knight standing beside her.

Rogier stepped forwards to address her- "We have. We wish to join the Volcano Manor."

Tanith nodded- "Very well. It is heartening to see Tarnished rising against the deceit of the Fingers. You are now part of our family. Here-" She held out a key, which Rogier walked over to grab. "You may find the drawing room at the end of the hall. Make yourselves acquainted with the manor- it is yours as much as mine."

"If I may, my lady…" Rogier took on a supplicating tone- "may we be able to see the library? Lord Rykard is truly wise, and I am certain his library would enlighten us as to how the Order has deceived us all."

Tanith seemed to think it over- "Of course. I will admit- it has seen little use in recent times, with our lord as he is. You may find it beside the drawing room." Beside her, the knight stayed motionless. Were it not for the faint sound of breathing, Wolf would think him a stand of armor.

Rogier bowed to Tanith gracefully. "My thanks, my lady." With those words, he began making his way towards the library, barely restrained giddiness in his step. As he walked across the stone hall and through the door, he was met with a few bookshelves as well as a pile of scrolls laid on the floor. He sighed as Wolf and Yura walked in behind him.

"Well, I can't say I wasn't expecting a little more…" He continued to look around the room, searching for any further books that might be hidden. "But, I suppose it's not the amount of texts- it's the quality of what's within. Help me search for anything interesting, will you?" He took a quick glance at a shelf, picked a book from within, and began to read.

Wolf combed through the books and scrolls- occasionally he saw the name of a person he had heard of, but most of the books seemed to speak on topics he was entirely clueless on. They spoke of the nature of the Order, the conquests of Godfrey- these books were clearly written for someone with more background knowledge than him. Yura looked disinterested- taking out a book, skimming it for a few minutes, then picking out another. Wolf was unsure how much time had passed- maybe an hour or two? Though Rogier had initially started to read with great fervor, he seemed to grow increasingly disappointed with each page turned. After a period of time listlessly searching for anything of interest, he let out a groan.

"I suspect this place is useless," he muttered. "Sanitized trite, all of it. Scrubbed clean of anything even remotely interesting…"

"Everything here seems quite uncritical of the Order's actions. Perhaps," Yura said, "...this is from his time as a justiciar, still with the Golden Order.. After he grew disillusioned with the Order, he might have stored his more controversial texts elsewhere."

Rogier nodded. "Yes, that's plausible… Now that you mention it, it's strange that Tanith was so ready to show us this place after we had just joined. The knowledge of a demigod is a precious thing- I doubt she'd show us the valuable stuff so easily."

"Should we look around the manor?" Wolf asked.

Rogier response was quick- "Eh, I doubt it's worth it. If it's hidden, it'd certainly be hidden well- behind meters of solid stone, likely. Besides, if it is hidden, I doubt Tanith would be keen on us finding it. You may be strong, my friend- but I don't want to risk upsetting an organization whose main goal seems to be killing random people."

"What would you recommend, then?" Wolf turned to Rogier, anticipating an answer.

Rogier thought for a moment and then spoke- "We make ourselves useful- we'll be straightforward. We'll say we want to be more faithful followers of Rykard or something to that effect, tell her we know there's likely another library somewhere, and ask what we need to do to get to it." He grinned knowingly. "The concept of reciprocity is a universal constant- if we do a favor for her, she'll do this for us. Hopefully, at least."

Yura scoffed. "Kid, I don't think you understand what this 'favor' of yours entails. The Volcano Manor kills people for no reason - I won't be a part of that, and I'd hope you wouldn't either."

Rogier's smile faltered for a moment, but he spoke once more- "Then we won't kill anyone. We'll meet up with whoever Tanith wants dead, warn them that the Volcano Manor is after them, and ask them to give us something of theirs so it looks like we killed them. Don't worry- I can be persuasive." He gave Yura a charming smile.

Yura still appeared skeptical- "Kid, you said you don't want to upset the Volcano Manor. Lying to the proprietress- I imagine that'd be pretty upsetting, once they find out."

"We'll… tell the target to lay low for a while. By the time they're found, we'll be out of here. I doubt the manor's reach stretches that far." Rogier still appeared confident in his idea.

Yura shrugged. "Eh, your funeral." He paused. "...Ours, actually- but who's keeping track?"

Rogier smiled triumphantly- "You're on board, then? As I said- I can be very persuasive. And you?" He turned to Wolf.

Wolf tilted his head. "...I don't see why not."

Rogier clapped. "Good! Let's head back, then." He began to quickly walk back to the main hall, with Yura and Wolf following behind. As they made their way to the main hall, they found Tanith eating at the table, knight standing beside her. She had her mask off as she ate- when she saw the three approaching, she quickly turned away and donned her mask once more. She quickly tried to compose herself.

"Ah, dear family… I hope you found what you were searching for." Her voice seemed kind, but distantly so. "Knowledge can only be a benefit in our fight against the Erdtree." She glanced back at the table, before looking back at them- "...Should you see Rya, tell her to come to eat. I worry for the girl- missing meals seems to be a growing trend for her."

Rogier cleared his voice and began to speak- "Of course, my lady. But, if I may be so impolite, may we also request to see the full extent of the manor's library? We would be willing to prove ourselves worthy of it, if necessary." He gave her a humble smile, lowering himself when he spoke.

She tilted her head confusedly- "...That is the full extent of the library. If there truly was another part to the library, I would inform you of it. You are family- the only places off-limits are some of the lower areas, which I am forbidden from as well- save for when I am called there. As I said earlier, this manor is yours as much as it is mine."

Rogier nodded, unsure whether to accept her words as truth, but unwilling to tell her to her face that he thought she might be lying. "...Could it be possible that there's a library in the off-limits areas?"

Tanith firmly shook her head. "No- our lord keeps me informed of every area in the manor. We are only forbidden from the lower areas due to the fact that they can be dangerous. If there was a library, he would see fit to tell me. He says himself that this manor is not his- it is ours."

Wolf wondered- if the knowledge of a demigod was truly so valuable, would he even share it with her? "Maybe… he wanted to keep it secret, even from you."

"No." Tanith's voice was firm, losing some of its kindness. "We trust each other- he would tell me about such a thing. Please- do not speak about our relationship as if you are familiar with it."

Wolf wasn't exactly skilled at reading people, but it was clear she wasn't happy with him. "...I apologize for offending."

She shook her head, voice returning to normal- "No, no- it's fine. Please, just be aware of what you say."

Rogier wasn't sure what to say next. "Well… we'll find Rya for you."

"Thank you," Tanith said, "And… if you could, ask her if there is anything troubling her. I have asked her myself- she has been evasive. I worry she does not want to upset her mother- perhaps she may be more amenable to someone she has no relation to. Please do not mention I put you up to this." She paused, her vulnerable words surprising Wolf and Rogier- "I fear I have not been the best mother to her. Please, give me the chance to correct that."

Rogier looked nonplussed, but managed to reply. "We will, my lady."

"Please- we are family, now. Call me Tanith- all three of you. You have earned that, at the very least."

Rogier bowed, Yura and Wolf following his example. The three then quickly left, waiting to get out of earshot. Rogier seemed entirely unsure how to proceed.

He took a deep breath in- "Alright, I said it before with Rya, I'll say it again now. Are we certain that this Volcano Manor is the same Volcano Manor that murders people? Everyone's too damn nice. I don't trust it."

"I believe it." Yura said. "I knew Okina, before it all- he was a kind, if slightly strange, person. His fanaticism drove him mad. I suspect that the people here are much the same- people who believe they're doing what is necessary. What's right. Fanatics are scary, in that sense- they can be entirely normal people, at first."

" Ahem." The three turned when they heard the sound of a throat clearing behind them. A familiar bald man stood there- familiar to Wolf and Rogier, at least.

"Ah, pardon my interruption," the man said lightly, "Patches, proud member of the Volcano Manor, at your service. I couldn't help but overhear your conversation with Tanith- well, I could help it, but curiosity got the best of me, I'm afraid." He gave them a sly smile.

"...And?" Rogier appeared cautious.

Patches held his hands up in placation- "Oh, nothing, nothing. Just introducing myself." He turned to Wolf. "Apologies for avoiding you, earlier. I had thought you like that other Reedsman- a hasty judgement, I assure you, and one I will make no more. I swear on my honor."

Wolf nodded in acknowledgement. "...It was nice meeting you."

Patches grinned at him- "And you as well, friend. Can I call you friend? I'll call you friend. Just- one little thing. I heard the request Tanith asked of you- that thing with Rya. When you go and do that, when you report back to Tanith… would you tell her that you asked me to do it for you, and I helped you out?"

Rogier seemed suspicious. "...Why would we do that? And why would you want it?"

Patches held a grin- it was difficult to tell if it was forced, or if his face just happened to move like that when he smiled. "Ah, my friend… the Volcano Manor is all about connections. Not to brag, but I'm a bit of a big deal around here. If you were to help me… well, there's nothing I couldn't do for you. You scratch my back, I scratch yours, you get it? As for why I want you to…" His face grew slightly red. "Well, erm. As I said, connections, you know? If I were to get closer to Tanith…" His face grew redder. "...it would be very beneficial to my standing in the Volcano Manor."

Rogier's face was unreadable. "We'll see."

Patches seemed to take that as a yes, with the way his smile brightened. "Ah, wonderful! Do this one little thing for me, and trusty Patches will always have your back, my friends." The man happily strolled away, his goal seemingly accomplished.

With nothing else to do, the three combed the manor- either to find Rya, or a way down to the hidden library that they were all still confident existed- whichever came first. As they opened the door to a bedroom, they found a snake-person coiled up on the bed, listlessly staring upwards. Strangely, they were wearing a robe that looked exactly like Rya's. The snake-person's head shot up as they heard the door open, glancing between the three intruders in their bedroom.

Rogier seemed eager to get out of the situation- "I apologize for disturbi-"

"No, no, it's fine." The voice sounded familiar… exactly like Rya's. Wolf wondered- did she have a snake sister, somehow? Or…

"...Is there something bothering you, Rya?" Wolf asked.

The snake-girl had a bitter smile- "Ah, am I truly so easy to see through like this? …I guess I am. It's nothing worth bothering you about…"

Rogier, trying to quickly get over the shock of learning that Rya was a giant snake person, tried to console the girl- "Nonsense, if it's causing you trouble, let us know. You helped us get here- allow us to return the favor by helping you."

"Oh, well…" The girl sighed, "My form is… disliked, by many. I have grown used to it- Lady Tanith cherishes it, and that is enough. Still- recently, I noticed something strange. A serpent, just like myself, skulking the halls… Then again, perhaps it was a shadow, animated by the flickering candles- but… I can't help but worry."

"...About what, exactly?" Rogier asked softly.

"Lady Tanith has told me that I was unique because I was born between a union between her and a great king- if there are others like me, however…" Rya looked distressed. "Lady Tanith has never spoken of other children of hers. I must know what is truly going on here." A sense of resoluteness seemed to grow in her- she had to find out the truth, even if it hurt her.

"...Well, how could we help, kid?" Yura spoke up.

"Rarely, I've heard skittering from the walls and from below- I suspect there's some manner of secret passage hidden around here. Perhaps the truth lies in there. Oh, and before I forget… in this form, you may call me Zorayas."

Rogier perked up at the mention of a secret passage- "Well then, Zorayas… would you care to explore Volcano Manor with us?"