Lucian's right hand gripped the Halberd tightly, while his left rested on the hilt of his sword, ready to draw at a moment's notice.
Kaiden Sellsword weren't exactly terrifying enemies in the game, but they weren't common cannon fodder either. And they rarely traveled alone.
If there were more Kaiden Sellsword nearby, Lucian wasn't confident he could handle them all easily.
The mercenary by the bonfire stood up, casually lifting a massive curved blade onto his shoulder, his sharp gaze locked onto Lucian.
A white wolf padded over and stood at the mercenary's side, its movements slow but deliberate.
Tension filled the air like a drawn bowstring, but neither side moved.
Lucian didn't plan to make the first move. He knew his own limitations. It wasn't him who was strong—it was this body. And even then, that didn't guarantee a win.
Besides, he was curious. In the game, enemies would charge like rabid dogs the moment they spotted the player. But this mercenary—he was different.
He spotted me but didn't immediately attack. Could we communicate?
Or is he waiting for someone? Lucian wondered.
Better test the waters. See if he's hostile.
"I mean no harm," he said aloud, his voice steady. "I drifted ashore and saw the firelight. I just wanted to take a look. If possible, I'd rather avoid a meaningless fight."
The Kaiden Sellsword didn't respond. He continued to stare, unblinking.
Lucian sighed inwardly. Damn, don't tell me there's a language barrier. That'd be a disaster.
Thinking quickly, he opted for a more primitive form of communication.
He kept his right hand on the Halberd but slowly lifted his left from the sword hilt and opened it wide, showing he held nothing.
Then, carefully, he reached into his pouch and pulled out a gleaming golden necklace—one of the noble remnants looted from the Grafted Scion.
With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the necklace toward the mercenary.
The man caught it with ease, inspecting the item and then glancing back at Lucian, his expression unreadable.
Lucian remained tense, alert. Despite projecting goodwill, he was prepared to fight at any second.
After all, this was a world gone mad since the shattering of the Elden Ring—a land ruled by chaos.
Then, finally, the mercenary lowered his weapon, letting the curved blade fall to the ground with a dull thud. He whistled sharply, and the white wolf backed away, still watchful.
"Tarnished... My last job was hunting your kind," the mercenary said.
"But you're lucky. I'm currently between employers."
Lucian exhaled, relieved. They can talk. And we understand each other. Thank the Erdtree.
"That's good to hear. I'm a peaceful man, really. Though…" He smirked and added, "If it came to a fight, you might not come out on top."
The mercenary laughed.
"Heh, a Tarnished—descendant of warriors, blooded in countless battles—claiming to love peace?"
"Strength is mine to command. I choose when to use it. If words can solve a problem, I won't raise my weapon needlessly."
The mercenary gave him a long, thoughtful look. "You're different. Not like the Tarnished I've killed before."
Lucian chuckled. "Guess a basic education goes a long way."
"You're not what I expected from a Kaiden Sellsword either."
"Oh? You've heard of us? What did you expect?"
"Well, I'd tell you, but I don't know your name yet."
The mercenary raised an eyebrow. "Shouldn't you give yours first?"
Fair enough. Lucian shrugged.
"Lucian. A Tarnished seeking the Elden Throne."
"...Hakkan" the mercenary replied.
Lucian nodded. "Then I suppose we're acquainted now."
Hakkan frowned. "Enough small talk. What did you mean—we're not what you expected?"
Lucian looked around, then explained.
"Kaiden Sellsword ride warhorses, roam battlefields in packs with wolves. But you're here alone, on this isolated beach. When your wolf howled, that's when you noticed me. I'm guessing, if I hadn't drifted here, this place would've remained undisturbed. You were relaxed by the fire—no true warrior does that with strangers nearby."
"Warrior, huh... I'm just a wanderer now. A man without a homeland. Nothing more."
A shadow crossed Hakkan's face.
Lucian's eyes lit up. He's got a backstory? This is so different from the game.
"No homeland? I thought Kaiden Sellsword came from the snowy mountains up north. Can't go back?"
Hakkan shot him a glare.
"None of your business. We're not that familiar, are we?"
"Haha, fair enough. But since I gave you that necklace, maybe you can tell me how to get out of here?"
Seeing that Hakkan had no intention of elaborating, Lucian wisely let the matter drop.
Low affinity—can't progress the side quest yet. Yep, I know how this goes.
Hakkan answered readily.
"I rowed here by boat along the coast. This is an isolated stretch of beach, surrounded by cliffs too steep to climb."
"Oh! Then, can I hitch a ride when you leave? I've got more jewelry I could trade."
"Good trade... shame the boat wrecked a few days ago. Ran aground. Lucky we weren't hurt."
He gestured toward the nearby warhorse and the white wolf.
"To be honest, I've been looking for another way out. Just today, I found a cave. Planned to rest tonight, head in tomorrow. Then you showed up."
Lucian brightened. There was still a way out. When Hakkan mentioned the boatwreck, he thought he was stranded again.
After finally escaping the Chapel of Anticipation, the idea of getting imprisoned in a different spot made his skin crawl.
"Ha, what a coincidence! Want to explore it together tomorrow?"
But to his surprise, Hakkan shook his head.
"Nice idea. But no—I refuse."