I continued down the road and at some point, I left the road as I began exploring the surrounding area. The world felt alive, not just the gentle breeze or the suns warmth, but the grass beneath my feet and the rustling of the leaves on the trees. I could hear the birds chirping all around me and could see several springhares running through the foliage.

  The world feels much more real in person... I'm starting to wonder if I actually am dreaming.

  I managed to find a few inTeresting locations while I was wandering. I found a shack with a painting in it, the painting depicted a pce that I had already been to. I knew that I could finish that painting puzzle whenever I wanted so I just continued on my travels.

  I encountered a few camps of mobs. One of them had spellCasters protecting it, I obtained a scroll of sorcery from that camp, the royal house scroll specifically. It was actually three scrolls, but it counted as one item. I also got ambushed by demi-humans a couple of times. Both times my lordsworn greatsword came in clutch, dispatching every enemy in one or two hits.

  Eventually I approached the Third Church of Marika. I really wanted to see what these churches looked like before they all got destroyed. Within the church was a site of grace, a basin with something glowing gold, and a statue of Queen Marika. Beneath the statue was A cup that shone with a blue light. I grabbed the cup and added it to my inventory. It was a Sacred Tear, an item that boosts the potency of my fsks of crimson and cerulean tears. A very useful item.

  I approached the basin, it was partially filled with water, a pair of golden flowers swam within. A singe crystal sphere floated within the water, it was crimsoN in color but most of the color was concentrated on half of the sphere, the other half becoming darker and darker the deeper into the crystal I looked. Sitting in the middle was a golden fsk.

  This was the Wonderous Physick and a crimson crystal tear. Very useful.

  I sat down at the site of grace, and Heard Melina appear.

  "Spoken echoes linger here. Words of Queen Marika, who vanished long ago. If you wish, I will share them with you."(Melina)

  "... I'm interested."(Alexis)

  "Very well. In Marika's own words:

  [My Lord, and thy warriors.I divest each of thee of thy grace.

  With thine eyes dimmed, ye will be driven from the Lands Between.Ye will wage war in a nd afar, where ye will live, and die.]

  Well? Perhaps that might serve you in lieu of a maiden's guidance."(Melina)

  I made sure to pay attention, this was lore after all. When Melina was finished, I raisEd my hAnd.

  "Shall I turn your runes to strength? Let my hand rest upon you, for but a moment. Share them with me, your thoughts, your ambitions, the principles you would follow."(Melina)

  I Raised my faith stat to 13 and then poured the sacred tears into my fsk of crimson tears. I watched as the liquids merged together, the crimson fluid becoming a slightly deeper shade of red. I then took out my wonderous physick and put the crimson crystal tear inside it. I now had another healing item.

  My current pn was to explore the Mistwood, then explore Stormhill. Once I got into the roundtable hold, I need to get my hands on the various incantations sold by D and Corhyn.

  With my pn in mY head, I got up and began walking towards the Mistwood.

  I started by following the path from the third church Through the Mistwood. There was an actual fog rolling in this morning, and the forest felt a lot creepier than I knew it was. I almost caught the attention of a bear on my way through the woods. The creature was indeed rge, and I knew that it was strong enough to absolutely destroy me, but I also knew that it wasn't the strongest creature in these woods. A few minutes ter, I saw it, A Runebear. It was almost as rge as the tree it was scratching, and it was twice as wide.

  I gave it a wide bertH.

  After another two demi-human ambushes, I saw a message On the ground. "Open for Business..."

  I walked off the road and Up the nearby hill, through the foliaGe to see a small camp with a man sitting down by the fire.

  "Ahh, welcome...dear customer. Yes, right this way... Right this way."(Merchant)

  I approacHed the merchant.

  "Welcome. Valued customer... Come trade, in our wandering emporium. Please, buy something... I'm hungry. I've been hungry so long. Please."(Merchant)

  I purchased all three smithing-stone [1]'s and then purchased a single Trina's Arrow. It was all I could afford at the moment, I would definitely have to come back soon. I wandered around some more, I found the minor erdtree in the Mistwood and gathered some more crystal tears, then I stealthed my way around several Runebears, then I found the Mistwood ruins. I snuck into the basement, past the Runebear that was sleeping right next to the stairwell, where I obtained a new talisman. The axe talisman that enhances charge attacks.

  After a while I approached Fort Haight. If I cleared Fort Haight, I could obtain half of the Dectus Medallion. Which is the key to using the Grand Lift of Dectus. The forces outside were not very notable, even the mad pumpkin head went down in only five Strikes.

  Inside the fort, I used Glintstone Pebble to take out the firebomb throwing commoners from a range. The giant rats weren't all that difficult to fight either. I knew they could be devastating in a group but individually, they were chumps like the rest of the mobs. I gathered several supplies, including a cookbook for bleed items. This was shaping up to be an easy area. I approached the top of the fort, the pce where the Knight of Godrick was stationed. Once at the top I readied myself for combat, only to blink a moment ter as a piercing pain shattered my exposed stomach. I swung my bde, only for my opponent to slice across my chest. The next instant, my blood exploded. I felt my body grow numb and cold. I lost strength in my arms and legs, I fell to the ground, watching the Knight walk back to where he stood only a moment before. My vision began to fade as I noticed my empty HP bar.

  Ah... I died...

  "??????! ?? ??! ????! ??!"(???)