Graded [Alvheim Ruins] Dungeon Crawl Ho! - Remnant of Ancient Ambition

[EMIYAman]

Spoiler: Dark Lord

@Individual @lXlGamemaster @Dante Verren

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With Cephus' capture the groups situation seemed to spiral and grow more dire. Astrid lay inactive within her mech. Unable to be stirred or reached. Mitsunari had vanished when no one was looking. How he had gone from them was unknown, and whether he was alive or dead even more so. Along with the strange being TMK's disappearance as well the group had been reduced to a mere four. Of the original expedition team no one remained. Gawain, Lothric, and the Fairies had quickly become the only ones who stood a chance at slaying Persephone. Their only hope at escape lay in overcoming the Forest.

Gawain and Lothric raced through the arch of trees which beckoned them further into the depths. The Fairies quickly followed behind maintaining formation with them. The dim Red light gre brighter and brighter in the distance until eventually they broke through into an open area. The source of the crimson glow revealed itself. A black sphere hung in the center, seemingly fused unnaturally with the nature around it. Suspended in the air in front of it was the unconscious form of Cephus. Persephone floated idly by his side. Her trademark grin upon her face. She had been waiting for them. "I am so glad you could join us. The boy is rather boring company, just look at him. He hasn't spoken a word!" She giggled to herself finding the situation humourous. Titania's eyes narrowed while Charti radiated a cold fury. "Damn you Persephone! Don't think I'll hold back just because that Unrooted is in the way!" The fairy meant it too. Too much was riding on this for her to allow the life of an outsider to stay her spear. A hostage wouldn't work on her at least. Even if her mother wouldn't like it. Persephone let out a deep laugh her manic aura growing more prevalent. "Oh my you sound just like Oberon! He said something similar before I killed him." At this Titania reacted letting out an energy blast at incredible speeds. Below the black sphere lay a pool of mud which churned below splashing violently up into the air intercepting the blast.

The wall of mud obscured Persephone for a moment. When it fell her face was devoid of emotion none of the mirth or sadistic joy of before, only a dead and resolute gaze. She raised a finger. "Let's end this centuries long charade my dear sisters." With a flick of her finger Cephus fell back into the sphere. It swallowed him up swiftly. Then began to grow brighter and brighter. Eventually the crimson light grew almost blinding before it suddenly disappeared entirely. The entire forest seemed to grow perfectly still as if it too lay in wait with bated breath.

A quiet rythmic sound emanated from the orb. Which grew louder and louder till it was clearly heard by all. A limb burst from the orb. A shower of black ichor succeeding it. It was a hand outstretched as if to grab something. It placed itself on the side on the orb sinking it's figners into it. It began to rip it open. Cracks began to form along it not unlike an egg. Until it could hold it's form no more. The pieces exploded out launching themselves throughout the clearing. Causing a figure to fall from it's remains. It fell face first into the ground unceremoniously collapseed. With shaky hands it raises itself up. Standing upon it's equally unstable legs. The full form of the being was revealed. Similar to the creatures they had fought it's head resembled the skull of an animal. Yet that's where the similarities ended. It's body was lean and covered by black muscle. It was almost like a man yet stood taller than most at seven feet tall.

The creature let out a deep raspy breath though no mouth or even eyes could be seen on it. With each second it seemed to grow more used to itself. As it no longer stood on wobbly legs, but straight and balanced. Persephone said nothing but a smile stretched across her face as if it was slit by a blade. The creature clenched it's clawed hand into a fist and stared at it. Then it noticed the presence of others for the first time. It looked to them all lingering it's gaze on each of them. Then it began to walk towards them. Measured and slow it's grew closer and closer. Oddly enough the two other fairies seemed stunned into inaction merely staring at the being before them. The rage of Charti replaced by an incredulous stare. While Titania stood ramrod straight and unmoving, her drones fallen to the ground inactive.

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[EMIYAman]

Spoiler: Arise Dark Lord

@Individual @lXlGamemaster @Dante Verren

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The dark being before them walked with a steady gait towards them. It seemed calm and measured in its steps. And while not it did not make any inherently threatening actions. The vile feeling which had served to root the Fairies in their place only grew as the distance between them shortened. Suddenly with a loud roar Lothric charged crashing into the creature head on. In a flurry of claws and teeth the dragon fell upon the dark being knocking it to the ground. The dragon put his whole body into his rage fueled attack each bit dug into the creatures skin drawing black blood, and ripping through flesh. It let out a long deep groan like tree falling over.

Spurned on by Lothrics attack Gawain sought to rally the Fairies. Stunned into silence the two were startled heavily by Gawains voice. Charti blinked as she realized what was goin on. She looked at Gawain with an expression he had never seen on her face before. It was a haunted look of revulsion. "You cannot understand that thing, its horrible. I can barely bear to look at it... it shouldn't even exist! How is it here!?" While she was back to a fraction of coherency Titania was also stirring from inactivity. In a rare display of emotion she grit her teeth and moved as if carrying a heavy weight upon her back. Behind her, her drone were doing what they could to prop her up and help her move. Yet still it was a struggle for both of them. Whatever force held them back mentally and physically affected them in a way it did not Gawain or Lothric. It even seemed to affect Persephone, but the difference was her expression was rapturous and blissful. Her gaze was locked on the dark creature, yet she made no move to defend it.

As Lothric continued his ferocious attack the Undead Knight Gawain came up on the creature. With sword held high he brought his blade down upon its leg. While it did encounter some resistance the quality of his sword pushed through and severed the limb cleanly. The moment it was the creature let out a piercing shriek stunning Lothric and Gawain briefly. And spoke in a quiet wispy voice, sounding eerily similar to Cephus. "H̷̞̦͋͜ṳ̶̠̥̤̀̃r̵̳̺͕̱͛̉̉t̵̢̥̉̿͐́ͅs̵͍̺̍̃̐͌..." Then in an unnatural display its body moved like a puppet on strings out from under the dragon and away from the undead knight. Raising itself back up it stood before them, its black pits where eyes would be bearing down upon them. Somehow it stood straight despite missing an entire leg. Standing by the pool of black mud it had emerged on top of the creature stuck its stump into the pool. Pulling it out a scant few seconds later with a new leg. It regarded the two of them, a malice they had not felt before was palpable from it. It raised its clawed hands in a bestial fighting style. Then in a speedy movement retaliated against Lothric slashing him with his claws. The fairies were still struggling to join the fight but were making headway. And the creature before them had only just begun to fight back.

 

[EMIYAman]

Spoiler: Grim Opportunity

@lXlGamemaster @Dante Verren

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The creature tore into Lothric with reckless abandon. Showing neither, skill nor restraint. It struggled like a cornered animal that knew nothing of the battle. The Dragon not seeking to take an attack lying down struck back against the creature. Biting deep into its arm, the creatures bled black blood and let out a shrill screech before it preceded to use its other arm to punch Lothric in the gut over and over its lithe form concealing great strength. Knocking the wind out of the Dragon.

Watching the battle Charti stood her knees shaking ever so slightly. At Gawains words she rounded on him, some of her anxiety replaced with anger. "You don't understand! And I know you can't... dammit!" With reluctance she hefted her spear in her hand. "Don't question my determination when it comes to my family Unrooted!" She gulped deeply and threw her spear through the air striking the creature in the shoulder interrupting its attack on Lothric. This time it was quiet as it stared at the spear in its shoulder and then to the Fairy who put it there. Charti appeared shaken just looking at it but with a command the spear returned to her hands. The creature now ignored Lothrics attachment to its arm, dragging the dragon along as it made for Charti. Titania was in a similar state and Gawains words to her only made her freeze up. "My... Master?" She shook her body trembling like a scared puppy. For a moment Titania seemed on the verge of breaking, till she stopped her expression blank of everything save for resolve. "Affirmative." She closed her eyes and a blue glow suffused her body, for the moment she was still.

With his rallying words uttered Gawain made for Persephone seeking to finish her off. Fortunately she still seemed locked in whatever had clouded the other Fairies' minds. With a great swing of his sword he slashed upwards intending to cleave the Dark Fairy. His sword struck true passing through Persephone like a knife through butter. The attack was clean, and efficient. The strike knocked her out the air causing her to fall and land on her back still upon the ground. Gawain would notice that while there was a wound showing where his sword had truly hit there was no blood. Not even the black blood of the forests creatures. The angle of his slash and her small body should have practically split her in two but that was not the case. "Not very honorable of you Sir Knight, to strike a lady so." Persephone sat up her trademark eerily wide grin upon her face. She raised her hands and pushed the parts of her body which had split back together. The black mud they had seen from the monsters of the forest surging out of her wounds and summarily closing them. "To think you would seek to kill a mother; what would my baby do without me? Have you no heart?" She giggled madly.

It was then that Titania opened her eyes narrowing them as she stared at the creature bounding for Charti. With a flick of her wrist she sent out her drones to both Lothric and Gawain. From the constructs Titanias voice reached their ears just quiet enough for Persephone to not over here. "I have scanned on the Void Beast. The Unrooted Human is still alive within it, providing it life. Right now its in a immature stage, should it not be destroyed here then it will become unstoppable to the denizens of Demeters forest." There was a pause in her speech before her robotic tone gave way to a more human one laced with sympathy and solemn emotion. "If we are to destroy Persephone, then the Human inside must be killed. Will you do it?" She gave the same message to both. Despite her mission she gave them a choice, leaving Charti and her own opinions out of her request. Then a blast of dark magic collided with the Drone next to Gawain launching it back. "Hey hey, its rude to talk about someone behind their back you know?" Persephone raised her hand causing the ground beneath Gawain to bubble before swelling and exploding with black mud wrapping itself around him restricting his movement. He could struggle but he would not be able to escape under his own power. Seeing Persephone's survival from Gawains strike Charti yelled out in realization, "Its this forest so long as its around Persephone lives! We don't have the capability of killing her normally, we have to destroy tha-" She was cut off by the creature Titania had called a "Void Beast" suddenly speeding up and attacking her. She blocked its claws with her spear but grit her teeth and strained under its strength.

 

[EMIYAman]

Spoiler: Grim Resolution

@lXlGamemaster @Dante Verren

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With the Void Beast bearing down on Charti, and Gawain trapped by Persephone's magic the situation seemed dire. Yet, Titania's message had been delivered. Within the vile creature of black muscle and inhuman form was their sole hope of salvation. For both them, and the Fae from their cruel and slow death. Charti was on the defensive blocking the vicious swipes of the beasts claws with her spear. Gawain was still constricted by the unyieldingly thick mud. Persephone the Fae who's body had been completely reformed by the black mud, gazed at him. She was confident in her victory and was unworried about the Void Beast, but that didn't mean she wouldn't act. She brought herself close to Gawain, his hood falling from his head fully revealing the skull underneath. With a mad grin she splayed out her hand towards him. "Ah, an Undead huh? I know just how to deal with you; mother taught me well. Even as I am I can manage this much..." Her hand glowed with a bright golden light, Holy Magic. Where it shined Gawain could feel a sensation as if his skin was near a roaring fire. With a wicked grin she brought the palm of her hand to his skull. The closer and closer she got the worse the burning sensation grew until she was mere centimeters from him. If she touched him, the pain would no doubt be excruciating. And his second death swift.

Before it could come however a laser cleaved through the air. Just as quickly Persephone's arm was separated from her body. Pouting she appeared mildly bothered, as if facing a rather bothersome inconvenience. "Thats no way way to treat your little sister, Titania." Wordlessly the Magitech Fairy stepped next to Gawain. Her drones glowing with energy as they threateningly faced Persephone. "Helping Undead now? Wh-" Her mocking words were cut short as another laser shot towards her this time obliterating most of her head. As before there was no blood or flesh. Persephone didn't even fall over merely stumbled before floating up straight again. Her head and arm beginning to reform as one eyed stared at the two of them with sickening glee. Titania flicked out her arm a blade of light materializing over it. With quick and precise slashes Gawain was freed. She nodded to him before facing Persephone. With most of her body reformed save her mouth she narrowed her eyes at Titania. Then a tentacle of mud shot out from the ground towards her. Titania's drone acted in kind turning on a dime and blasting the tentacle into chunks. They stared at each other intensely. Then just as Persephone's mouth reformed they struck. Titania shot out blasts with her drone while slashing with her arm blade. Unlike before Persephone wasn't keeping up an appearances, she barely even tried to dodge. She took the blows that she could and powered through the rest. Her fighting style if it could even be called that would have been suicidal for anyone else. It forced Titania to take the defensive at times despite being the faster of the two. But their fight seemed to have no sign of stopping and no clear winner.

A ways from them the Void Beast kept up its attack on Charti. She got what hits she could in, but while the beast seemed to not fully share Persephone's regenerative abilities it could still weather most of the wounds Charti could muster. Lothric who had been flung from the beasts arm in his pursuit of Charti, began to glow with remnants of his cosmic power. The dragon leaped at the beast who at the last minute moved to parry his desperate attack. Lothrics tail lashed out to open up the beasts guard. It partially succeeded as the beast had not suspected such a maneuver one of his arms was thrown off course. Leaving him open to the claws and teeth of Lothric but the other was still able to hold off the worst of the dragons attack. While the dragon could not deal a fatal blow from his angle Charti was freed from the beasts assaults, and thanks to the opening Lothric had made... With a yell she thrust her spear as hard as she could towards the wounds Lothric had dealt where the muscle was the thinnest. The spear penetrated with some resistance, but it wasn't enough for her. "RAAAGH!" With a roar and one final push it went all the way through where the Void Beasts heart would be.

It froze starting at them with the black pits of its head. Then blood, red blood began to spill from the wound. It let out a raspy grunt then raised its arm. Charti's eyes went wide as she clenched her spear while it was still in the beast. She expected an attack, but there was none. In fact it seemed to be ignoring them. Its head was pointed up and its arm outstretched towards the sky. "I- I want... to see..." It spoke. The voice which emanated from it was soft and familiar. Charti's eyes grew confused and a flash of pity came across her for a moment, but she grit her teeth ignored the uncertainty and ripped her spear out. A shower of blood followed it, spelling the beasts end. With its hand still reaching for the sky it fell onto its back and died. Its body began to flake then blew away in an unseen wind as black ash.

Persephone and Titania's fight continued to rage. Persephone capitalized on a opening in Titanias form. Her hand thrust out to grab the other fairies head. Then it fell off. With surprise she looked down at the limb which had splat on the ground collapsing into mud. "What?" Her eyes went wide as she looked over to see the Void Beast laying upon the ground dead. "No, no thats not possible..." She spoke incredulously unable to believe what she was seeing. Her lip began to quiver as an expression of despair came upon her face. She looked as if her world was breaking down around her. "No I... I cannot fail! My Master, my mother they need me to succeed! I CAN'T!!!" Persephone screamed out in anger, sadness, and confusion. Her expression twisted as if she was sobbing. Yet, she could not cry. Not anymore.

More of her body began to fall off in clumps of mud. She fell out the sky when her wings went, and fell to the ground when one of her legs followed. All around them the Dark Forest itself began to groan as if in answer to Persephone's sorrow. Then it began to fade away. Much like the beast the entire forest flaked off into black ash and slowly but surely disappeared. Charti breathed heavily as she stepped next to Gawain nursing a cut to her side the beast had managed to get off on her. "The Dark Forest will soon be gone. I... never thought this day would come." She spoke to Gawain as she stared at the broken form of Persephone. "I dreamt of it for so long. What it would be like if we succeeded. Of course, I always imagined it would be me and Chartres. Certainly not you, and especially not her." She inclined her head to Titania who stood over Persephone's body unmoving. Charti stared her expression empty. "I hated her, Persephone. I still do, for what she did to my siblings, to mother, to me. But..." She trailed off unable to summon up the righteous vengeance which had burned so bright in her only moments ago. "Thank you. I may have dealt the killing blow to that thing, but I would have never gotten this far without you. I think... that I didn't want to. But you dragged me along to the end, so... thank you Gawain." With that she fell into a silence all the words she could spare exhausted.

Titania stood over Persephone's collapsing form. Her body reduced to little more than an arm some of her torso and her head. With what remained beginning to slough off already. She raised her fingers in a command. Her drones came up to her with one partially damaged. They prepared to charge up their energy in a blast that would obliterate the rest of Persephone. They lingered like that for a time. All they need was the command from Titania. The Magitech Fairy stared, but did nothing. Then with a heavy sigh she declared. "Persephone is dead, mission complete." She put her arm back at her side and began to walk away revealing nothing of what she may be feeling. "PERSEPHONE!" Then a scream of worry and fear reached them. The fairies and Gawain would recognize the voice immediately. Demeter had appeared, manifesting herself out of the dirt no longer under The Dark Forests influence. The Sovereign, Fae Tree, and mother ran and desperately clung to what remained of her daughter. "Persephone I'm sorry! I'm so sorry I didn't want this... I'm sorry." The mother was soon racked by sobs as she held Persephone. Charti appeared in pain as she looked at her mother but said nothing. She knew her mother would never have been ok with seeing Persephone die, Charti thought she had been prepared for that... "Mother?" With a blank expression on her face Persephone called out. "Yes, I'm here. I'm with you." Persephone's eyes focused and noticed Demeter's presence. Her eyes softened and a warm smile lit up her face. "Ah, there you are. I'm so glad you are here..." Demeter had a bitter sweet smile on her face as she tried to comfort her dying child. "Of course. I'll ne-gh!" Her words were cut out by Persephone's hand clenching around her throat. Her expression did not change. "I'm so glad, I was so worried. Don't worry mother I'll save you." She still smiled as if content. Surprisingly enough Charti did not move or even looked worried though she did hold out an arm to stop Gawain knowing he would rush to her side. Titania as well merely stood with her back to the two. As before Persephone's last arm fell into mud. She appeared truly spent as if she had used the very last of her will in that moment. "I'm sorry mother, I failed as your child. I'm sorry Master, you were wrong to place your trust in me..." Demeter didn't care she had tried to kill her she merely held her close. Before she could console Persephone however, the body in her arms collapsed into mud and ash. Slipping through her fingers before blowing away. Demeter stared at her hands, trembling. Before letting out one last howl of despair. Of the grief of a parent who watching their child die. The Dark Forest was gone. All that was left was dirt which stretched for miles devoid of any nature. It was quiet save for Demeter. Above them, the Black Sun watched.

Spoiler: Villain

Someone clapped "My, what a touching scene." A sickly sweet voice spoke aloud. "The bond between parent and child. Soured by time and betrayal, yet unbroken till the end. There really must be a power in love, though our dear Persephone's was a twisted yet no less valid form of it." A man came before them. There had been no sign of his coming and no one had noticed him till now. He had simply appeared as if he had always been there. Clothed in gold and white with hair to match he made for an elegant figure. Save for the gold mask which hid his face from view. He stood with one arm behind his back while the other gestured as he spoke. He appeared far too cheery for the situation and was unnervingly affable.

Charti was not in the mood for anything at the moment. She hefted her spear and pointed it threateningly at the man. "Who are you?" She glared intensely. The man did not seem afraid or bothered, his expression was hidden but one could imagine the smirk across his features. A surety oozed off every action and every word of the man as if nothing bothered him. "How scary. No need to glare at me like that, I'm but a humble scholar performing my duties." She glared even harder and pointed the spear at his throat. The man raised his hands in a placating gesture. "Alright alright, If you insist. You may call me the Sovereign of Light, Helios." Chartis' eyes widened but she remained suspicious. "Another Sovereign? None of you have ever come here before." He dusted himself off. "As they say, there is first time for everything." He walked past her towards Gawain and Lothric. As he passed Demeter she looked up from her grief at the new person and gasped. Her eyes widened as she recognized him. "Ma-" Then she shut her mouth staring at him in with something like awe, and fear. Helios put a finger to where his lips would be as she was about to address him.

He stood before the Dragon and the Knight. Looked to them both, then at the corpse of the Void Beast. It had fully faded now revealing the corpse of Cephus blood pooled underneath him, and a strange black shard seemingly crafted from darkness itself. Looking at it was less like looking at an actual object and more akin to seeing a hole in space you could hold. The man thrust out his hand the shard floating to his open palm. He gazed at it for a moment then pocketed it. "You there, Lothric right? I recognize that energy signature anywhere. You are a Wyrm of the cosmos, similar to her yet not quite like the Serpent of Yliaster. Tell me, how is it being brought low to mortal mundanity? A change in perspective among your kind may as well be death." Despite how easily his words could offend his tone was friendly and comfortable. "You seem to have taken to your reduced state better than the Serpent, I'll be watching the show you put on. Us mortals may have use of a being like you after all."

Helios then turned to regard Gawain. He stared at him for a time longer than he had examined Lothric but there appeared to be no judgment merely amusement. "Ah yes, the Knight Gawain. Quite the namesake you've inherited, it's ironic. Especially with the way you've stolen your way into Demeter's heart. You've grown on her you know? Despite all her children she never once has had a friend, then a strapping young Knight falls out of the sky. Why its practically a fairytale." Helios places his hand on his chin as he converses with Gawain. "Though your hand in her beloved daughters death must make for quite the complicated feeling. She'll forgive her daughters with time, but an outsider and one who had grown so close in so short a time?" He chuckled quietly to himself as if sharing in an inside joke only he understood. "Love is powerful indeed. I pray I see more of its power at work before the time comes. Very well then it only stands to reason this is how it would turn out after all. Ever since I gave it to her I had a feeling it would end like this" The Sovereign Helios was growing vaguer and vaguer by the moment to the point where it seemed he wasn't speaking to Gawain at all. Then suddenly his focus was solely on him. "Well then. You've killed Persephone, stealing the joy of Demeter, and you'll then sequester off to your realm so far from this one. Leaving a grieving mother all alone, correct? Yes it rather fits. Then I grant you this, from now on you are a Sovereign. In name mostly, apologies I have not a domain to grant you, but you'll have to do with a name for now. That should suffice shouldn't it? Sovereign Hades." As he addressed Gawain by this new name the kindly levity which had been in his voice had disappeared into a regal declaration. Charti stared at their interaction conflicted, but simply too drained to care for much beyond her mother. Titania as before was stock still refusing to meet the gaze of anyone, and Helios hadn't acknowledged her either.

 

[EMIYAman]

Spoiler: An End

@lXlGamemaster @Dante Verren

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In the aftermath of the battle Helios listened to Gawain raptly. He was surprisingly respectful allowing the knight to get all the things he wanted to say out, without interruption. With his fist to his cheek he stared at Gawain. The reflection of the undead upon his golden mask staring back at him. At Gawain's somewhat bitter chuckle Helios tilted his head. He seemed to ponder Gawains words for a time merely staring at him as he considered them. No one else moved or spoke as if they all hung off his word.

"The name, Hades. It is not one I grant without any thought but it is certainly without mocking. You are not Hades to strike fear and bring death, but because much like him. You are wholly separate from the world, you live an existence incomparable to many you can pretend but you will never be like them. Yet still you seek out companionship, justice, love." Helios started to slowly pace around Gawain with his arms behind his back. "Take solace in that, if nothing else. It is a sign of my acknowledgment of you."

He ceased his movement as he was about to pass the corpse of Cephus. He looked down at it briefly then looked back to the two of them. Beneath his mask a smile split his lips as he saw Gawain speak to Demeter. The nature spirit and Sovereign couldn't bring herself to look at Gawain hanging her head low refusing to meet his eyes or even speak. "Poor girl, simply inconsolable. Apologies Hades but you'll have to leave her be for now worry not I'm sure she'll come around eventually." Helios chimed up next to him speaking flippantly, then reaching into his pocket pulling out the black shard he had picked up. "I'm quite grateful I got to see all this, the data especially will be useful. Shame what happened, but in the end giving this to Persephone worked out well." For a brief moment the others had to process his words, but no sooner had they did... Charti stared at Helios with wide eyes an expression of despair and rage barely held back. Demeter herself looked similar but rather than anger her weeping returned in full force unable to handle the torrent of emotions. "Hm? Whats wrong you're all giving me rather scary glares." His voice was still just as amicable as before. But underneath his mask a mocking smirk grew. "Don't worry I'll be out of your hair soon enough I got what I came for. Titania?" The previously frozen Fairy perked up at Helios' words saying nothing. "Grab the boy." Titania wordlessly walked over and scooped up the corpse of Cephus. Then raised his arm. Charti with a rageful yell charged at Helios with her spear. "With that, your time here has come to an end. Struggle until the end, I'll be watching." With a snap of his fingers Lothric and Gawain disappeared into strings of light to be deposited outside the facility. The last thing they would see is Titania stopping Charti's spear with her blade, Demeter staring at Gawain with bitter longing and sorrow. And for a brief moment as Helios pulled down his mask slightly, his eyes.

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