Galus got up after finishing the three pictures, cracking his back. He'd ask Selen if he could move a cot in here, if he wasn't about to leave that is.
He put the flower carefully in his satchel and closed it, he knew it was important but he didn't know how he knew but his instincts had not steered him wrong as of yet. He looked down at his hands, a pair of symbols had inked themselves on his palms, he'd noticed it while sketching, on one side was the symbol of the Haligtree, the other seemed to be a torch and sword crossed with a flower blooming between them.
He walked upstairs seeing the trio standing next to the pumpkin heads burning body. he took another glance down at his hands, before walking up to Selen. He said in a low voice. "Selen, can we talk in private?"
She looked over at him then motioned for him to follow her. After they were away from the others, she turned around, tilting her head. "What's wrong."
Galus shook his head. "Nothing is wrong, I'm gonna be leaving tomorrow, I'm heading to the Haligtree, I had a dream, about saint Trina and Miquella, when I woke up this was on my hands." He raised the backs of his hands to her revealing the marks.
Selen raised her eyebrows. "Miquella, saint Trina? Those who have been missing since the shattering began. Why did he appear for you?"
Galus shrugged. "I'm not even from this place, but apparently Miquella was the one who brought me here, I have no idea how, but the why I can guess at. He's in danger, his blade is slumbering, and I need to get her to awaken, then save Miquella, but I need you to tell me what these are."
She takes his hand, inspecting it, and nodding slowly. "That, is a seal, it allows you to cast incantations, but I don't know which ones, hold on, I'll go get Edgar to make a couple training dummies."
Galus waited as Selen went over to Edgar who looked exasperated about more work but she was equally fierce in her own stubbornness and he caved after a couple minutes, Galus grinned like an idiot seeing the exchange, she came back and glared at his look, he put his hands up defensively. Edgar eventually came back, a cross with thatch tightly wrapped around the body and limbs, and a helmet shoehorned in at the top. He stabbed it into the ground and walked away, clearly going to take my place and nap.
She looked at him. "Let's try the right hand first, focus inside yourself, imagine the incantations, what they do, how they work, and what you need to do to make it work."
Galus nodded, closing his eyes, and imagining it, a beautiful disk of unalloyed golden light. He saw the way it worked, the way it cut through fields of wheat to feed a family, the way kids could use it to cut cut an apple from a high branch. The way it could easily be used in war. The way it was used by Radagon to sever the horns of an omen baby, to cause suffering. He opened his eyes, seeing a discus of light and he tossed it at the dummy, it sheeted through it's arm with a sharp whining noise. then watched as it looped back around and cut through the helmet and returned to his hand.
Selen nodded. "Let's try another one this one from your left hand."
Galus looked inside himself again, focusing on a greyish purple mist, the likes of which rested over a field of silvery and velvet flowers, he could see one of those small rodent creatures he'd seen bouncing around the lands between fast asleep with it's pups. He opened his eyes and saw one of the rodents nearby, he stalked over to it and sprayed it with this mist, causing it to fall asleep. That was gonna be useful when he didn't want to kill.
Selen nodded. "Anything else?"
He did feel one more thing, something that he didn't wish to demonstrate, because it felt wrong to use it, he saw it, the final blessing that maybe the most powerful thing he'd seen yet, an ability to turn enemies into allies. To turn brother against brother, something that could make a mother strangle her own baby in her crib. It made him sick, but it could be useful.
Galus shook his head. "No, that's all I have in my arsenal."
She nodded. "Well, it seems versatile enough. You're like a confessor."
Galus laughed. "If I was Spanish they'd never know I was coming."
Selen just looked confused. "Uh, okay, well, I'll go get you something, I think you'll need for your travels."
Galus waited and Selen came back with an academy Glintstone staff. "This was mine, when I was in in the academy of raya lucaria, I believe it'll find good use with you apprentice, I forgot to give you a Glintstone staff when you left last time, so you couldn't exactly practice. So here."
He took It, it seemed to have been made of an ebony shaft with a green glintstone marble in the top of it. It looked good, and he nodded to her. "I'll take good care of it."
Galus nodded, seeing the sun rising in the east. "I'm gonna need a horse."
She shrugged. "Can't help you there. Edgar might be able to commandeer one from a squad. Or maybe you can buy one from a squad of Kaiden Mercenaries. But otherwise you're on foot."
Galus sighed and nodded. "I'll get on the road then."
She looked at him. "You're not gonna say goodbye to the others?"
Galus tilted his hand side to side. "I don't know, maybe they'll come with me, that reminds me, do you want to come with me?"
She laughed. "Me? I have things to do, and my lab... My equipment, I can't exactly put all of it in a bag and go."
Galus sighed. "Selen, I know a good place in the consecrated snowfields it's a rise, which means it has a built in security system, all the equipment you could need and probably more. Plus, I can't read your script, so I'll need someone who can teach me on the road."
she sighs, looking back at her lab. "Listen, I'll go get your soul and bring it to Selevus' secret little laboratory, I'll be going that way anyways, it'll throw Jerren off your trail, for a little while atleast, then while he's distracted we'll be in the mountain tops of the giants at the very least, which any goody two shoes will never go to lest they themselves be branded heretics. He cannot be that persistent that he would be one the very thing he swore to hunt. Right?"
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She sighed shaking her head. "You underestimate his determination. The king of grace would likely give him special permission to go there if only to hunt us down."
Galus shrugged. "Then I'll stick to our deal and kill him. If he is so determined to die."
She nodded. "Alright then. I'll come with you, when are we leaving?"
Galus shrugged. "Soon as Edgar and Irina wake up."
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A few hours later they got on the road, after a few about two hours they were at the rope bridge. And Galus saw the demihuman. He saw Edgar instinctually go for his now war axe, but Galus stopped him. "I told you on the way here, we're going to a place where these people live, you need to get rid of that instant kill response everytime we see one of them. Knock em up a bit but I will not see a single one killed."
Edgar opened his mouth to argue but then closed it nodding.
Galus patted him on the back. "If your daughter is to be truly safe, we'll need the help of Miquella. And this is the path he would have us follow."
Galus snuck forward, he sword sheathed, the creature was sleep in front of the bridge, unfortunately it was also blocking their path, so he was gonna see if he could lure is away from the bridge and put it back to sleep. He figured it wasn't a horrible plan, nice simple and flexible, the best plans aren't like those heist movies, because chaos has a tendency to bite intricate plans in the balls.
He conjured a discus of light and threw it, and then realized this was essentially krillins destructo disk. He chuckled at the thought, he realized he could control the discus midair when he used it on the dummy. He controlled it to wizz around it's head it got up with a panic it saw the discus and tried to attack it with a knife. The knife was sheered in half with a whine. Before flying and cutting the second one. He has it fly back to him and it ran in his direction, when it turned the corner it got a face full of sleep mist. It was drowsy but it was still on it's feet it attempted to attack him. And he caught it by wrist and kicked it's feet from under it, before blasting it with more sleep mist. It finally went unconscious. He stood up brushing his hands on his trousers and started walking. "Come on guys, there might be more ahead." He said, rubbing his forehead, his brain felt a little tired itself, it was likely from low focus.
He watched the others come out of hiding and they all walked across the rope bridge. When they got to the other side, Galus lead them down the plateaus and through the forest, eventually coming down to a field. He pointed to the distance, "it's off that way, I'll go get it, you guys go head and make camp"
Edgar sighed. "What are you getting again?"
Galus stretched. "Not for me to tell, You'll have to ask Selen."
He looked expectantly at Selen who shook her head. "For me to know and you to maybe find out when this is over and not a moment before. Also, don't be alarmed if I off and die."
Before Edgar could flip his shit Galus thought head. "Selen, why can't I just put it into this body?"
She shot him a death glare and grabbed him by the arm dragging them away from the others. "First off, keep your trap shut, secondly it's because this body is a lot weaker than the puppet Seluvis made, that body has far greater capacity and potency."
Galus nodded. "Is it possible for me to put the soul into this body, then make the transfer when we get there?"
Selen sighed shaking her head. "My soul could only be transfered completely intact once, then pieces would start to break off after each transfer."
Galus sighed. "That sounds about right."
They got back to camp, and Galus bid them adieu, and started walking. Selen gave him a Glintstone device. "For the task." She said.
It was about half way there when he heard hoofs beating the earth, he turned, seeing Torrent and a rider in a cloak coming straight at him. He quickly dodged out of the way narrowly dodging the swipe of a dagger. He skidded to a stop and unsheathed his sword, before summoning a discus and had it go after them as the turned to do another charge. It struck The rider sheering the cloaks hood and it fell, revealing none other than Melina.
Galus recalled his discus and got ready to receive another blow, he blocked the knife strike he turned to strike but saw Torrent disappearing into blue smoke and sparkles. He realized a split second before he felt the cold gold to his throat.
He spoke levelly but inside he was shitting his pants. "Melina, how can I help you this lovely morning?"
She spoke softly, but with a chill in her voice. "Thou'rt not meant to be here, you've already changed things-"
Galus spoke up then, he was already late. "For the better, already I have brought justice to the wicked, safety to the innocent and am on pilgrimage to the Haligtree, so if thou will let me the fucketh go, I'll carry on to my new home. Besides, I've already pissed off Shabriri, doesn't that get me brownie points?"
Melina's grip tightened on his shoulder and the blade nicked his skin. "I would not interrupt me, you have yet to let me finish. If you would as you'd say, shuteth the fuck up, I'll tell you what is going to happen. I am going to offer you an accord."
Galus sighed. His throat pressing against the knife. "I don't have the guidance of grace ma'am."
She leaned forward. "No, but you know where you need to go, and what you need to do. So I think that's good enough."
Galus looked over his shoulder. "Who killed Godrick."
She looked him in the eye. "I believe it was Diallos Hoslow, then Diallos was assassinated by Ensha and gave the great rune to Gideon Ofnir."
Galus sighed. "Sounds about right."
Melina looks at him with a confused look. "Did you expect that to be the case?"
Galus nodded. "It was the outcome I was hoping for, because then your other accordee will be denied the abilities of said rune."
She sighed. "Yeah, they knows you're here, they're coming for you now actually, he should be here in about a few minutes, so if you can kill them, I'll give you the ability to draw strength from runes."
Galus shook his head. "My strength has been gradually increasing the more I fight and overcome difficulty. So I'm good."
She blinked. "What?"
Galus smiled. "Yeah you know what else?"
Galus cast the sleep mist, and Melina skipped backwards, moving exactly like black knife assassins with all of their low gravity nonsense. She rushed off on Torrent. And Galus laid down on the grass waiting for his would be killer. He might have accidentally dosed off because he was in the flower field again.
Miquella looked at him in surprise, and Saint Trina took the opportunity to turn the board. Galus shook his head at her antics.
Miquella came over to him. "What're you doing here?"
Galus shrugged. "Came here to warm you that I might die, I have a pretty tough opponent coming after me and I believe it could end in one of us dying, or at the very least being injured."
Saint Trina stopped her Troglodytery and looked at him, worry matching Miquella's.
Galus nodded. "Yeah, Melina showed up, tried to kill me, I let her praddle on for a while, then blasted an entire cloud of that sleep mist and she ran off. So I laid down to wait for the dude and went to sleep by accident."
Miquella shook his head, "you should get going the " and snapped he his fingers. Galus woke up, seeing someone snapping their fingers in his face.
When he focused he saw someone in an old knights armor with a helmet that covered their face. "wake up jackass."
Galus stretched, he back popping and yawned. "Heh, sorry, kinda dozed off, you were taken your damn time, rune hunter."
The guy grunted and backed up a grin on his face. "You good and ready?"
Galus nodded, grabbing his sword off the ground and unsheathed it, tossing the sheath to the ground and holding his sword in front of him, the rune hunter clinked theirs against his and they started.
Galus immediately going on the offensive and attacking in rapid succession, the hound fang sword was a lot lighter than it looked. Then the world blurred and he was behind the knight and attacked again, the knight blocked his sword over his shoulder, so he kicked them in the helmet knocking it off his head. So when they turned around and he saw a red haired chick he paused. "A Valkyrie?"
She laughed. "Melina was right, you really know your shit." She said then attacked again.
Galus laughed as well, blocking the strike. "Yeah, you curse nearly as much as I do."
Galus saw her attempt a punch to mix it up. To which Galus used the bloodhound step a threw a discus of light at her. Before bloodhound stepping again throwing a second one at her as well. He's never tried to shoot two of them at once before. It wasn't as hard as he thought it'd be. They zipped after her and he watched he dodging around them and not one of them hit, so Galus decided complicate it. He charged in using the superior mobility of his bloodhounds step, and landing a hit on her, it must have caught her off guard because both discs hit their marks cutting into her arm and leg, deep cuts though not enough to sever it. She turned and attempted to attack him using her sword, it hit him in the shoulder and he saw his chance and blasted her with a the flowery mist. They fell asleep for but a moment, but that moment was all he needed, he cut her under the armpit and the speed of the blow along with it's strength sent the arm toppling to the ground. She grabbed her stump, backing off. "Agh! Fucking bastard I'll get you for that!"
Galus shrugged holding his up. "wanna trade?" He said in a sarcastic manner. "Listen, I'm not gonna lie, you're not looking too hot, but I'm feeling generous, five minute headstart?" She gave him a look of utter rage. "I know, I know, you can thank me any time." he said, then sighed. "Listen, if you want Godricks great rune, then go kill Gideon, I just want to be left the fuck alone. Your girlfriend Melina wanted me to kill you, but fuck her, I'm not aiming to become elden lord, I'm not gonna be a tool to be tossed aside like Godfrey and Placidusax. You want the elden throne? Fucking take it. I'm just house shopping, heard the Haligtree has great weather this time of year. So peas and carrots, stop trying to murder me."
She looked at him with utter rage. "No." And then she passed out from blood loss. Galus thought about helping her, but then remembered Valkyries have a life expectancy of about a month, maybe two. But if she's older than that... Then that means she has an unalloyed needle otherwise all that blood would be turning the grass grey from rot. God damn it, if she has one then that means it's it's in her body somewhere, he wasn't gonna start looking for puckers in Her skin like some she was somekind drug fiend. He sighed, and undid a strap that went to her bag And started using it to sench the wound, he wasn't gonna cauterize it, he decided that Melina could handle that, if she wanted her alive that is. He'd need to talk to her about how she got that unalloyed needle if she lived. He'd check her pulse when he came back this way.