Castle Morne coast.
The enormous Leonine Misbegotten howled in agony. Its two eyeballs burned away, replaced by black-yellow flames that quickly spread across its body.
A voice seemed to echo in its mind: "Kill the one named Irina, create the Frenzied Flame Maiden."
Yes, for the supreme undertaking, for the rebirth of all things.
And send a signal to the candidate for the Lord of Frenzied Flame.
The Leonine Misbegotten prostrated itself, allowing the malevolent Frenzied Flame to actively take over its body. It received power – surging and vast, seemingly endless. This was an unprecedented, euphoric experience...
Inside the castle.
Sensing that aura, Melina's brow furrowed tightly. She then looked towards Irina and Frieren.
"It seems you've both been targeted by the Frenzied Flame. In the eyes of those madmen, a powerful Tarnished unseen for millennia is worth enticing, paired with a Maiden responsible for guidance."
"My only Maiden is you."
The silver-haired girl's unwavering words stirred Melina's heart, but this was no time for happiness. Who knew what tricks the Frenzied Flame held?
Simultaneously, the remaining Misbegotten throughout Castle Morne suddenly froze, then let out snarling howls. The loudest roar came from the coastline; the monsters resonated with each other, sliding towards madness.
Not good. Could this have been part of their hidden scheme all along?
Frieren swapped the Uchigatana in her left hand for her shield. While more than capable of protecting herself, she also had to protect Irina.
Player information mentioned this person was a crucial link in the Frenzied Flame questline. A plot requiring sacrifice wasn't what she pursued; it had to be avoided.
Besides, as someone who incorporated various powers, she didn't mind encountering the Frenzied Flame adherents. She just wouldn't mention this thought to Melina, who was currently vexed about being targeted.
At this moment, a group descended from the castle walls.
Leading them was Castellan Edgar. He was just about to express his gratitude when he noticed his daughter, whom he had painstakingly sent out of the dangerous battlefield, was also present. He immediately demanded urgently, "What are you doing here?"
"Father, I came to persuade you to leave! Besides, it's dangerous for me to be outside alone."
Seeing a potential argument brewing, Frieren interjected, "Castellan, as you can see, the Frenzied Flame covets Irina's aptitude. That Leonine Misbegotten is proof. Sensing this, I brought her along to protect her."
"Thank you."
Edgar wasn't entirely ignorant of the secrets circulating in the Lands Between.
He had previously sensed enemies lurking in the shadows, coveting Irina. Now they had finally revealed themselves and caused such immense trouble. The Misbegotten rebellion was likely fueled by their machinations.
Therefore, he was grateful the reinforcements were protecting his daughter. For someone strong, keeping her close was indeed safer.
The only lingering doubt was: Who are you people?
Why were they dressed as Limgrave noble soldiers, not bearing Godrick's banner? Could they be Kenneth's colleagues, dispatched to assist?
Not entirely.
They clearly belonged to the silver-haired girl. Her aura was powerful, her mastery of magic profound; she was the one who released that heaven-piercing magic blade earlier. She couldn't possibly be serving Kenneth; if anything, it would be the other way around.
In the Lands Between, strength was the reason for rule. It didn't matter if you didn't know the details; as long as your fist was big enough, the necessary resources would naturally gravitate towards you.
"My name is Frieren, a Tarnished. I came to help Castle Morne quell the rebellion."
"Your Ladyship understands the greater cause!"
Although many things didn't add up, Edgar wasn't stubbornly conventional. He set aside disagreements for now.
Besides, he couldn't help but notice her other subordinates. Even a Black Knife Assassin willingly submitted to her? Openly recruiting enemies of the Erdtree and granting them sanctuary? How capable must she be? It seemed she actually was.
On the other side, the group in pointed helmets radiated an even more terrifying aura, deep as the abyss, terrifying as hell, faintly comparable to divine beings he had witnessed. What kind of monsters have suddenly appeared?
ROAR!
With a bloodcurdling howl, flames erupted in the eyes of all Misbegotten!
Influenced by their leader, the Leonine Misbegotten, they fused with the power of the Frenzied Flame amidst the roaring, their madness intensifying.
Melina warned, "Frieren, be careful of that roar! It can easily drive one mad, turning them into captives of the Frenzied Flame. You must prioritize eliminating the source."
"Then let's end this quickly—"
"It's definitely coming from the direction of the coastal prison area! Let me guide you there; we'll take it down."
Since Edgar eagerly volunteered to be the guide, she happily accepted. The two quickly ascended the castle walls, heading towards the eruption point at the furthest edge. Cut off the head of the snake – they needed to eliminate the leading Leonine Misbegotten first.
Their figures swiftly vanished from sight, heading straight for the leader.
The remaining forces focused on dealing with the other Misbegotten, especially preventing them from escaping and wreaking havoc nearby.
Battle commenced!
The Castellan's personal guard, their fighting spirit reignited, charged heedlessly towards the enemy, prepared to fight to their utmost and ultimately die.
However, they were far slower than the Farron Undead Legion. Every swing of the greatswords claimed a Misbegotten life. They left a trail of corpses as they advanced, unstoppable, invincible.
Occasionally, a few desperate Misbegotten managed to pull down a Legion member through sheer numbers, biting and tearing ferociously. But the next moment, sword light flashed, and the member stood up again, injuries fully recovered.
Truly undead monsters... no, heroes.
The Black Knife Assassin moved stealthily behind enemy lines, her Death Rune dagger killing silently and without trace.
As for the noble soldiers, they skillfully secured kills, following the two powerful vanguards to ensure the battle line remained stable. After all, the shortcomings in teamwork and holding ground had to be supplemented by them.
Simple and efficient.
The personal guard understood now: the reinforcements were simply steamrolling through.
With their strength, likely no one could stop them. The Misbegotten outside Castle Morne were insignificant, probably all fallen under their blades by now. Truly a troop of brave warriors, it really got the blood pumping.
Both sides admired each other – one, the city defenders who had held out till now; the other, the reinforcements who had charged straight in. Now, they fought side-by-side.
In that case, the personal guard decided to focus on protecting the young lady Irina; the main battlefront was beyond their league.
"Lady Irina, who are they?"
Hearing the familiar voice of the guard captain, the blind girl paused, thought for a moment, then replied, "They are a combined reinforcement army from eastern Limgrave."
She wouldn't mention issues of allegiance, trusting this battle would show everyone who the true monarch was.
"Led by Frieren?"
"Yes. The Black Knife Assassin and the Farron Undead Legion are her subordinates. Although she's a Tarnished, I heard she defeated the Tree Sentinel, the Deathbird, and the Tibia Mariner, saving many lives."
Hearing this, the Castle Morne soldiers exchanged glances. Except for the Tree Sentinel, whose allegiance was arguably similar to theirs, the defeat of the others was indeed cause for celebration.
And the Tree Sentinel camping the Chapel of Anticipation? Who else would it hit but you? You accept the consequences.
However, they keenly realized that the contingent led by Frieren had a stance conflicting with Godrick's...
How should they view this relationship?
____
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