The Weeping Peninsula (1)

[Sigurd's POV]

(Near the Bridge of Sacrifice...)

Without much issues we made our way South after resting for a while.

Following the highway...

"Hello, is someone there?"

It came from a woman, sitting to the side of the road. But why does she have a blindfold on?

"...Are you alright?"

"I am fine but can I lend your ear for but a moment... please."

"Very well."

"Thank you, kind Sir. My name is Irina, I escaped from Castle Morne to the South.... the servants there have rebelled."

"Castle Morne huh? Are the enemies humans or..."

"I-I can't be sure of what they are.... my eyes have been weak since birth you see, but I swore I could hear frightful howling from all over...."

"That's definitely not humans then. What's the point of you telling me all of this?"

"My good father secreted me out of the Castle, but he decided to stay-"

Yaddi Yadda.... She has too much to say and it's not far off to say that I don't care.

"Please, good sir, I implore you.... Would you take this letter to the Castle for my father? My sole wish is for him to return with his life, even if it means the end of his honor...."

"Hmm...."

"Sigurd, a word with you." Melina whispers, still in her spirit form. "We stand to gain nothing from this... There is little reason for her to impose on us."

"Yeah that's true but...-"

I looked at the blind woman, she frail body sitting to the grassy sides of the road looking like she has not seen battles in her life. Well, I didn't help her out of pity.

"-her father can send out soldiers to help her escape... That means he must be rich right?"

"Are you... extorting a disabled woman?"

"Good Sir...? Are you still there...?"

"It's not 'extort'... I'm merely helping her for both of our benefit!"

"Whatever choices is the same if it helps us obtain a weapon... but we should avoid endangering ourselves from nothing."

"That's what I intend to do...." I turned my gaze back to the blind woman.

"Ahem... I'll take your letter to Castle Morne, I'm on the way there anyway."

"Ah thank you, dearly! Then please, deliver this letter to my father who remains in the Castle... I just want to see him safe!"

"Alright." It is totally reasonable to ask her father for a payment right...?

Irina gave me her letter, but rather than a letter it was just a piece of napkin with words written on it... out of blood.

Following the road south, I was met with a few monsters on the way.... Misbegottens, they are the same race as the blacksmith inside the roundtable hold.

However, they aren't exactly as friendly as him.

Come to think of it I haven't asked for his name yet.... Guess I'll have to introduce myself again later when I return with a proper weapon.

____________

[Melina's POV]

(Night Time)

We continued on the highway heading South but on our way we came across a rider in black mounted on a steed just as dark as himself.

While he doesn't wear heavy armour like the Tree Sentinel, he does hold a dangerous looking flail in his hand.

This man is a member of the Night's Calvary, a group of dangerous calvary that hunted down strong warriors during the Shattering.

Just as their name implies, they only show up at night time and donned their signature black cloak to conceal themselves in the shadows.

This one doesn't seem to be hiding, however.

"Sigurd, he's a Night Rider, a formidable opponent to take on in a fight... Let's just-"

"So he's a worthy opponent? I see I see...."

Sigurd looks to the side of the road where there's a Site of Grace nearby....

"Oh no you don't!"

"Heh... Torrent, let's go!"

"Neigh!"

"No wait!-"

"Hyah!" He charged forward towards the black rider with his club raised.

And just a second later... 'Thump!!!'

"Sigh...."

This idiot is the one to take me to the Erdtree? I have a feeling that I'd have more chances to do that if I were to ask that Gideon Ofnir instead....

[You Died]

________________

[Sigurd's POV]

(At Castle Morne...)

The Night Rider disappeared after morning came. That's a shame, really, I just learned how he fights and how to counter him....

Ah well, can't cry about that now can I?

Castle Morne is just after this Site of Grace, 10 minutes of walk away on Torrent.

"Let's proceed with caution, Sigurd... Irina warned us about the rebellion of the 'servants' there."

"Yeah...." Arriving at the castle isn't much of an issue... The problem comes after that.

The interior of the Castle was destroyed and ravaged, clearly a sign of fighting not too long ago.

"Hmm.... Not very nice of them now are they?"

There were countless corpses scattered throughout the Castle, some burnt while the others were stabbed or hanged.

And the culprits? A group of Misbegottens celebrating together as if they were holding a festival.

"Rahahaha!" (?x)

"Rahaha- Rah?" One of the monsters finally noticed my presence.

"Oh umm greetings, would you like to have some raisins? It's meant for Torrent but you bunch should be able to snack on it as well. It's sweet apparently."

"Rah!!!" (?x)

"Now isn't the time for jokes!"

"They don't like sweets apparently!"

_______________

(Some more time later....)

"Hah... Hah... Phew..."

I managed to run from all these bastards somehow by climbing up the stairs and reaching the walls of the castle....

This place is indeed overrun with these monsters, while beating them individually might not be that hard there are simply way too many of them.

I made my way along the castle walls, trying to find the old man of that Irina lady.

"Hmm...." I need a better vantage point, I might be able to see somewhere that he might hide in.

I climbed onto one of the watch towers of the wall... and there I saw an old man dressed in a suit of armour, sitting on top of the tower.

"Ah... There's a face I have not seen before. I am Edgar, the Warden to Castle Morne-"

Yiddi Yadda.... This guy also has too much to say. Like daughter like father, eh?

"-now then away with you, you have no reason to risk your neck dawdling here eh?"

"Well actually I have a letter to deliver."

"A letter?"

It took him a while to read the letter, but...

"I see, Irina wants me to leave.... but I can't do that just yet. Even if the castle should fall, I as a commander must remain, to ensure the treasured sword of Morne does not fall to the wrong hands."

"A sword you say? From whom?"

"From a warrior that fought and died in rage during a great battle. The gods themselves feared the sword, because it held hatred so deep for Marika's bloodline...."

Godfrey once fought a vengeful but extremely powerful warrior in this castle.... That warrior was a skilled swordsman and it was said that his sword could even repel the Chief's Axe strikes.

If it was a weapon that could stand against the great champion's own attacks, it must be a sword that I could use

"If you do see Irina, then tell her that I'll be back for her once I've finished my duties... For now however, I must ensure the sword does not fall into the hands of the enemy."

"Actually, can you tell me where is the sword?"

"Excuse me...?"

"Irina is waiting for you... you shouldn't keep your daughter hanging, especially when it's so dangerous right now."

Yes, that's a great reason for me to get the sword for myself. It's mutually beneficial, so it's not stealing right...?

"I see... Very well, you have my permission to carry the sword with your own hands. It's stolen by the leader of the Misbegottens, but I am not entirely sure of where he could've went...."

(Chapter End)