[Smithing Table]
The words read at the top of his sight. Below the words, a picture of his katana stood. Looking at the katana, new word popped up. [Required: Smithing Stone 1 (x2)]
'Two?' Sasuke thought, looking at the single stone he picked up. 'I don't have enough right now...'
Turning to Kale, he inquired about the locations of more of these smithing stones, but the merchant only smiled at his words. 'So he won't tell me more...' Sasuke thought.
Shaking his head, he turned away and looked around. 'Guess I'm off...'
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Rustle
The leaves of the bush he sat in rustled as Sasuke looked at the patrolling soldier in front of him. But that wasn't all, a bit further away, a soldier stood crouched in front of a corpse and to his left, another soldier patrolled. 'At least three of them.' As he thought of this, Sasuke pulled out a few kunai from his inventory.
'Luckily I brought things over.'
As the soldier turned around, Sasuke jumped out of the bushes and threw a single kunai at the soldier's neck, watching on as he fell down. Narrowing his eyes, Sasuke ran forward and stabbed the fallen man's back with his katana
[+64]
'There it is.' Sasuke nodded, having not seen it pop up after hitting the man with a kunai. Not dawdling further, he ran and backstabbed the crouched soldier, killing him instantly. But the sounds attracted a soldier he hadn't seen to his right, who unsheathed his sword.
"Raahhh!" The soldier screamed, running at Sasuke before raising his sword and swinging it down. Blocking the blade with his own, Sasuke flicked it to the side and sliced the soldier's throat. Frowning a bit at the blood sprayed on his face, Sasuke turned and faced the last soldier who came rushing at the noise.
Before the soldier could come close though, Sasuke flung a few kunai in his direction, stabbing one through the soldiers eye and another in his neck, instantly killing him.
"Whooh." Sasuke exhaled, glancing around to see if any more soldiers were close. Seeing none, he sheathed his katana and turned to the northeast, looking at what seemed to be ruins of some building. 'Barely anything left...' He thought and started counting the soldiers patrolling the ruins. 'One, two, three... Nine visible soldiers.' He counted. 'There's no way I could finish them off one by one without the other noticing.' At this thought, Sasuke clenched his fist before a golden light caught his attention.
Turning to the left, he saw a Grace a few meters away from the ruins in front of what seemed like a castle's gates spanning high against the rocks. 'a Grace! Should I go there..?' Sasuke nodded to himself and crouched down, moving to his right, he hugged the mountain walls and moved forward.
After a few seconds, he reached the gatefront, as Kale had called it, and peeked in, seeing nothing but four soldiers. 'Two on the left and two on the right.' Sasuke noted and waited for the perfect opportunity to dash past. 'Now.' Sasuke thought, seeing three of them look away for a moment.
"Haah..." He sighed, safely reaching the Grace. Looking up at the sky, he saw the sun had long set, painting the sky black, with only the faint glow of the golden tree shining brightly. "I should go back." He muttered, thinking of the test he would undergo tomorrow.
Taking a seat next to the Grace, he intended to rest a bit while catching his breath. "Greetings traveler..." a Soft feminine voice comes from his right, catching him off guard. Snapping his head to the right, he looks at a figure materializing from nowhere, wearing a full body cloak.
The woman took the hood off her head, revealing her extremely light brown hair as she kneeled closer to Sasuke. He stared into her single opened golden eye, noting the black mark over her closed one.
"I am Melina..." She introduced herself, her voice soothing to Sasuke as he tried remembering where he heard the voice. 'When I fell!' His eyes widen.
Smiling at Sasuke's stunned expression, she continues. "I offer you an accord. Have you heard of the Finger Maidens?" Her voice slow and steady, never wavering as she asked.
Shaking his head, Sasuke waited for her to continue. "They server the Two Fingers." Melina explained. "Offering guidance and aid to the Tarnished... But you..." She raises her one hand slightly. "I am afraid, are maidenless."
Sasuke frowned at her words. "What does that mean?" He asked, his voice quiet.
Melina, with her ever present smile, speaks. "I can play the role of Maiden, turning runes into strength." She spoke. "To aid you in search for the Elden Ring."
Sasuke sat in silence for a few seconds before opening his mouth. "Why?" a Single word escapes his lips.
"I'm asking for you to take me with..." She spoke and looked into the sky, gazing at the big golden tree. "To the foot of the Erdtree." She explained.
Sasuke followed her gaze. "The Erdtree..." He muttered the name and turned back to her. "Is that my duty as a Tarnished?" He asked.
Nodding at his question, Melina didn't speak further on his question. "Do you accept?" She asked a question in return.
Sasuke stared into her eye, contemplating his choices. 'She seems... Trustworthy?' He thinks. After a few seconds, Sasuke nodded slowly.
"Then it's settled." Melina's smile softened. "Summon me by Grace to turn runes into strength... Ah." She let out, as if remembering something. "Another thing." As she said this, she took something from her cloak and reached it out towards Sasuke. "I bequeath to you this ring. Use it to summon a spectral steed."
As Melina spoke, Sasuke reached out and took the ring, placing it on his right hand's middle finger as words appeared in his sight. [Acquired: Spectral Steed Whistle]
"His name is Torrent. He has chosen you..." She said, gazing at the ring on his finger. "Treat him with respect."
Nodding, Sasuke looked back up at her. "Who are you? How did you find me?" He asked.
"Me?" Melina spoke up. "I am looking for my purpose... a Purpose given to me by my mother in the Erdtree long ago..." As she spoke, she seemed lost. "For the reason that I yet live... burned and bodiless." She said, looking into Sasuke's eyes.
Seeing the touchy subject, Sasuke thought of something to change it. "Oh! What do you mean by turning runes into strength?" He asked something different.
Melina smiled and reached out her right hand. "Let my hand rest upon yours... for but a moment." She spoke and Sasuke slowly reached out, gently taking her hand into his. "Share them with me." Melina spoke. "Your thoughts... Your ambitions..." As she spoke, Sasuke felt a warmth traveling from his palm into his heart. "The principles you would follow..."
Sasuke closed his eyes in comfort. Within his sights, words appeared once more.
[Level up.]
[Runes needed: 811]
[Vigor: 12
Mind: 11
Endurance: 13
Strength: 12
Dexterity: 15
Intelligence: 9
Faith: 8
Arcane: 8]
Scanning through it, Sasuke mused. 'So the build I chose had more focus on dexterity...' As he thought of this, he looked at the runes he held. After a few kills plus the 300 runes he picked up right outside of the church where Kale sat, he had 824 runes stored.
Thinking of the stat he wanted to upgrade, the warmth within his heart traveled throughout his whole body for a few seconds before returning to his heart once more.
[Vigor: 12->13]
Opening his eyes, he looked at the smiling Melina for a few seconds, inspecting her features closely before she stood up and covered her head once more with the hood. "Summon me by Grace if I shall be needed..." She spoke before disappearing into the air.
Looking at the spot she disappeared from for a second, Sasuke stood up and looked at the ring on his right hand. 'It's a whistle?' He thought, remembering it's name. Lifting it up to his mouth, he blew onto it, causing the sound of a whistle to come out before something materialized in front of him.
a Horse stood, staring at him, neighing softly. It's white mane flowing over it's dark grey hairs.
Glancing at the horse's head, Sasuke spots two long horns grown out the sides. "Whoah..." He lets out before Torrent nudges it's head closer at Sasuke. Lifting his hand, he pats Torrent's head. "So you're Torrent." Sasuke spoke to it. 'Is this like a summoning contract?' He thought, brushing it's mane with his fingers. "Thank you for choosing me, Torrent." He spoke to it and raised his finger up to his mouth before blowing into the ring again, sending Torrent back.
'It's time to go back.' He thought and summoned the Finger Severer before cutting the air in front of him.
Shing...
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