15 Battle at the Evergaol

Dave

It didn't take long, not one bit.

Interaction had been kept to a minimum. If we could avoid it, combat would be the last option on our list due to how much time it ate at our schedule. And if the scale of the Weeping Peninsula was as large as Limgrave, then we needed to get there fast.

Still, we took our time traversing the Lands Between. For example, there was a dragon, a full on, living, four limbed, two-winged dragon, roaming in the lake just close by where we initially started five days ago. Never in all of my existence did I expect to find a dragon out in the wild. All of the ones in my past world were hunted down in the "Age of Gods", so to find them alive(if only in this other world), was like getting presents on my birthday.

But, sightseeing what I already had in the past wasn't the only thing I spent my time on, there was still Melina's scroll to decipher. Suffice to say, my mind had been thoroughly scrambled, and that was just the first half. From what I was able to gather, the script called for the user to pray to the "Will of the Flame". Whatever that was. Then, I was instructed to push the fire inside of me, an act that would singe my body. I didn't know whether they were insane or stupid, though supposedly, it would sort of replicate the effects of Power Within.

However, my evidence for this has yet to be seen, simply because most the new spell's usage has been limited to theory crafting. As of right now, I am still nowhere near the level needed to actually cast it, with the language barrier hindering my progress, it will be hard to say when the time will come. Perhaps I could get Melina to read to me? She is a native of this world after all, and if she was dead set on helping me, then it wouldn't be too far of a stretch to ask if she could translate it for me.

"Hm? Oh, it's you lot again." A familiar figure called out, having been approached from behind. "Didn't expect to meet up so soon. But here we are."

"If you're here, then I presume this is the place where your 'friend' has been hiding?" I asked Blaidd, the wolf woman turning to look at me in the eyes, squinting.

"Friend… is putting it loosely." She scoffed, putting a hand on her blade. "I more prefer adversaries, though honestly, that's putting it too lightly." Letting go of a sigh, she moved over to the stone platform and planted her hand at the center, a blue glow emanating from the ground. "The both of you may join me in this battle, or you can stay out. Though, should you choose to do so, you may claim his runes for yourself, I care little for them, you see."

"We wouldn't want to impose on the-"

"Deal!" I interrupted, causing Vestia to look at me with a concerned expression. "What? Free money, is still free money. A little danger never hurt anybody."

"Your help is greatly appreciated. Now, it would be best for the both of you to get off your mount, the space provided in an Evergoal isn't enough to make them usable. Leave him for now and stand by my side here, I shall will initiate the entry sequence shortly thereafter."

Shrugging my shoulders, I did as I was told, all the while staring at her ears with a certain attraction. My eyes gradually became fixated to them, my vision warping to focus solely on the pair. Fluffy… must… touch.

*bonk*

A smack to the back of the head brought me back to reality, blinking several times to wash away the fog clouding my sight. That was weird, to say the least. "If thine attention is really that drawn to her animal-like features, just ask her to for permission. At this point, thou art more likely to get struck during combat if thou aren't careful." Vestia chastised, ever the voice of reason.

Blaidd turned towards us with a somewhat nervous look on her face. "It doesn't bother me at all. And if it helps you fight better, then I don't see why you can't touch them." A smile beamed from my face. "Within reason, of course. They are very sensitive and can lead to me becoming disoriented. Not a very fun thing to experience in the middle of combat, that's for sure." She spoke with experience, echoes of mirth in her voice.

Oh shit, it's actually happening. Code red alert! A dog that won't try to viciously kill me! Shit, I never thought they existed, like outlandish fairy tales told to only the bestest of good children. My hands slowly hovered over her head, shaky in its pursuit. Briming with excitement, a soft mewl left my lips as I touched down on the fluffy fur, which was softer than any animal skin I had laid my hands on, better yet, it was the softest object I had laid my hands on period.

Seconds passed without me knowing, and soon, I had to pry myself off before things got too out of control, a tad unsatisfied, but things such as these needed to be dealt with a reasonable amount of restraint, or I could very well have stayed there for the next eternity, petting her ears.

The lights beneath us shone once more, this time, gleaming far brighter than previously, glistening so brightly that it sent us into another world, this one distorted compared to earlier. Desaturated and deprived of color, drab was putting it lightly. Lifeless as the landscape was, we still had a job to do. Bringing out my talisman, I activated Sacred Oath and Deep Protection, layers of light circling around all of our bodies as Blaidd took the charge and stalked the cerulean hole in the ground.

Much to my surprise, a figure crawled out of it not a second later, as though he were expecting someone. His armor was tarnished, for lack of a better term, it was violet in color, though it did hold some evident rusting. In his left hand was a large curved sword, about the size of a Murakumo, I reckon.

Swapping to my Buckler Shield, I held my Onyx blade at the ready, a shroud of dark flames bursting from its edge. Crackling fire exploded from it, as I rushed in with reckless abandon, my right arm swinging in from above with a crushing blow. Naturally, those left behind in my dust tried to stop me, but I had already reach my peak at that point, there was no stopping me no-

A long diagonal slash lacerated my chest, cleaving through a better part of my stomach, hip to shoulder. And beyond that, he had the audacity to roll backwards as well, out of the way of my attack. A click left my lips, the grin breaking. With the slightest twitch of my opponent's body, he rolled back in, dissipating in a flash, reappearing a moment later, narrowly missing another slash by a hair.

Pins, needles, and everything of the like shot through my spine, adrenaline pumping through my veins with intense vigor. Suddenly, something else got his attention. "Darriwil. Rotting in a cell is no true justice… No, this is where it ends for you." Blaidd stated, leaping into the air and slamming her colossal greatsword into the ground, the air around us dropping to a severe degree.

Frostbite crept up my fingertips, freezing me down to the bone as I shifted my body out of the way, all the while cracks reverberated throughout my body. Fast, scarily fast, my legs were shivering, arms frozen solid, though their condition was improving faster than everything else, but besides that, I was relatively fine.

Taking advantage of the opening she gave me, I sipped on my estus flask. Then, the crack of thunder boomed in my ears, rising to attention as Vestia aimed several bolts of electricity at the enemy. Alright, break time was over.

I had to be careful of Blaidd's attacks, however. Each of them was swung big, sweeping more than slashing, sluggish yet destructive, my timing needed to be perfect if I was planning to land any blows. Observing their fight from the sidelines, a ball of flame gathered at the palm of my hand, a cluster of fire pooling.

And when I had just enough, I struck like a viper, my left hand parrying a strike that came from the animalistic beast as I flung the fire in a wide blast. It peppered him, the sight of it as sickening as the smell. Rot swiftly developed on his body as the onslaught of all three of our attacks took a massive toll on his wellbeing, causing it to slowly deteriorate as time went by.

Though this might have been the case, he would still put up one hell of a fight. Focusing his attention on me, Darriwil lashed his blade out on me, sporadically rushing with a flurry of blows. His attacks became animalistic, hard to predict. And with that large sword of his, it wouldn't take long for me to be shredded. A misstep that could cost me my life.

Gritting my teeth, I dashed, and dodged, my footwork becoming sloppier as I not only had to maneuver his attacks, but also the support coming in from both of my teammates. And with one wrong step, my ankle twisted.

'Shit, shit, shit.' I cursed, my panic having fully ripened over the course of the battle. My footing was in utter disarray, broken by my fucking mistake! But, that was in the past. Now, the future awaited me, a long curved sword greeting me at the entrance.

I blinked, disbelief washing over my blood-stained eye. Spewing out like a geyser, the entire right side was drenched in crimson, a gigantic gash spreading open as his cold steel met my very fleshy body. With no armor there to protect me, he cleaved through my bones as though it were butter. There was very little chance that he would allow me to cast some sort of healing spell, so estus once again seemed like the better option.

Rolling backwards, his attention was directed away from me and rerouted to Blaidd, a breath of relief escaping my lips as I drank the yellow liquid. Looking towards Vestia, I commanded her to provide healing and support, a plan brewing in my head.

Metal clanged against metal, the battle still raging on. With both warriors seeming equal, only for one of them to gain the upper hand, trading blows as their armor dented from the strikes. All the while, I patiently waited for an opening, a chance to strike.

An imaginary clock ticked in my head, counting the passing moments as their dance came to its climax, blood and ice seeping into the ground. Poising my greatsword skyward, I broke the distance in a single step, cleaving through the mad beast in a flash. However, a slight miscalculation was enough to deflect it off center. Still, it was enough to lob his entire arm off, forcing him to retreat.

Immense blood loss, frost, and Scarlet Rot, each of them had no doubt wrought his body a sunder. And yet, he still kept pushing onward, as though sheer willpower was keeping him going. He just didn't stop. Missing a limb, with his flesh rapidly falling off, it was a miracle he could still stand.

Slowly stalking towards my foe, I raised my sword to strike, only for a hand on my shoulder to stop me. Frankly, it was obvious who had done it and why. Blaidd with her towering figure standing hunched over, walked past me, all the while using her weapon as a crutch. She turned to look at her former ally's form, tired and broken from the battle.

A moment of silence was shared between all of us, the only noise polluting the air being his cries. Raising her sword off the ground, a light blue aura emanated from it, lighting up the dreary world with color. And from there, it was a quick affair, as she plunged her sword deep into his chest, frost gradually snaking its way from the initial wound to the rest of Darriwil's body, making him into a life-sized sculpture.

"There, we've done it." The swordswoman sighed, the air around her still cold. "The seal should be lifted shortly, unless he's somehow alive, that is."

Right as she said that, we were booted out, the world around us darkening pitch black before returning us from whence we came. No longer was there a filter around us, as the bright light of the sun met our eyes, blinding us momentarily. Still not used to that being there, but damn if it isn't a magnificent sight.

Admiring the view for a moment, Blaidd's voice cut through my attention like butter, dmy ears twitching at the sound of her voice. "Many thanks, stranger. Honestly, I thought your help would do very little in my battle against him, but I stand corrected. That incantation of yours was quite powerful, especially since you casted it silently and without a Sacred Seal to boot."

Incantation? Seals? What was she talking about? "And your partner as well. Not often you see someone of the Dragon Cult faith, though when you do, they are usually of the eccentric type, like that Vyke fellow." Wait a minute, something isn't right here. Dragons created lightning incantations? Ha! Hahaha!

Laughter bubbled up from my throat, starting off slow with a few chuckles, but quickly spiraled into uncontrollability, the absurdity of the situation getting to me. "By the gods! This place sure makes it feel like we're being played like a fool. Backwards in some ways, yet not in a negative way."

"Was there something wrong with what I said?"

"Listen naught of his laugher, miss." Vestia reassured, a small smile on her face. "He simply isn't right in the head sometimes and goes into manic fits. I apologize if he's offended you in some way."

I stopped, almost instantly, staring deadpan at my beloved. "Slander." My voice was hushed, but she clearly heard it by the look of things, a grimace slowly forming on her face.

"But that's besides the point. Tarnished, don't say I'm not a man of my word. Here's the prize you were promised." Pushing the conversation forward, Blaidd returned into the foreground and presented a shiny silver stone. "Oh yes, I should say, if you venture north to Raya Lucaria, and come across a venerable blacksmith who's little on the large side. Tell him I sent you. And he'll be sure to treat you right. I owe you that much, I reckon."

Sending it into my inventory, my eyes widen to the size of dinner plates. They were similar to titanite, twinkling titanite to be more specific. Now, I wasn't a hundred percent sure about this, but a theory sprouted in my head, teasing me to a possibility that wasn't too out there. What if I could upgrade my-

"That's enough chit chat for now. It's time we parted ways. Good luck on any of your future adventures though. Be an utter shame if either or both of you suddenly fell after helping me fight that thing." Abrupt, like an arrow straight to the chest. She departed with very little else, sparing us nothing more, and nothing less.

Standing there for a second or two, I processed the situation I found myself in. Only to be brought out by a tug on the shoulder, courtesy of Vestia. "Is thou set to depart? There is very little in the way to the Weeping Peninsula. Actually, based on this map, it is just over this path."

"Convenient, surprisingly so." I noted, snapping back to reality, a smile drawing on my lips. "But, before we can continue, I think it would be best if we were to talk to Melina first. Sitting on this many runes could lead to some disastrous situations if we end up forgetting about it."

Pulling her into my arms, we trotted on foot, hand in hand. "R-right, of course, how could I have forgotten." She shook her head, leaning back into my chest. "However, wouldst thee answer a simple request of mine? Lend me thine ear?"

"What's on your mind?"

"Thou seemed… awfully close with Ms. Blaidd just earlier, and all of the other women thou hath encounter so far, barring Melina. But a pattern unfurled from all those thou encountered so far."

"Which would be?"

"Thine ease at conversing with them." She answered simply. "Thine comfortability and the manner in which thou speakth makes make think thy intentions were to court them in all reality."

Uhhhhhhh. Blankly staring at the air in front of me, a drawn-out croak left my mouth, unable to come up with any words to reply with. "Maybe." She looked up at me, her jaw hanging open. "On the other hand, I don't know." Scratching the back of my head, I tiptoed through several simulations, finding none of them to have the outcome I needed. "To be perfectly honest, I don't know. The past few days have been sporadic and I'm still in disbelief myself."

A confusing set of explanations, none of which made sense except for the last one, if only because it mentioned our circumstances instead of my thoughts. "Look, if you're going to be angry with me, that's alrigh-"

"This was going to come, one way or another. But fine, do as thou please. Galivant around without a care in the world. However," Vestia stressed, flipping over and pushing me to the ground. "at the end of the day, no matter how many women enter thy heart, I will be the one to be at the center. The person who stuck with thee from the beginning. Through thick and thin, highs and lows, I will be the one to stand by thine side. And at the end of the day, staring over the vermillion horizon, I want thee to still be there, holding mine hand till the ends of the world.

Picking her up off the ground, I spun her around in joy, my heart beating faster and faster, my legs collapsing out of weakness. "Of course, why would I leave you? And after a declaration like that? I think we might need to extend our venture by a day."

"What dost thou mean by tha-"Snatching her lips with my own, I flipped our positions, pinning her to the ground.

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[A/N: Sup dudes and that one dudette in the back. I had to rush the latest chapter today(17), due to some unforeseen family trip. I'll be gone until tomorrow, but rest assured, I'll try my best to write two chapters to make up for this slightly late one. Anyways, copy and paste below. Enjoy the smut in the next chapter.

Anyways, if you find anything wrong in the fic, let me know. I would love to hear your thoughts, opinions, and what I could have done in place of what is present.

Also, join discord server. I have one.: discord . gg / eTb2kPab4z

I also have a pa- tr eon at pa- t reon / balls1124 For only dollar or more, you can get access to 2 more chapters beyond the current one. That's pretty neat if I do say so myself.

With that being said, I need go swimming.]