I opened my eyes back in the Third Church of Marika.

  Ow... That hurt. Like, really hurt...

  I thought back to the knight who killed Me.

  I'm gonna f!@#%g tear his face off!

  "??????! ?? ?? ????!"(???)

  I was very livid. But I still maintained a cool head. I knew Torrent was faster than jUst about everything in the game, so I immediately brought the ring to my lips and blew. A fsh of blue and Torrent appeared, he looked like a grey horse with a white mane and bck horns on his head, and his saddle also had several bags hanging from it. I swung my legs up and sat upon Torrent's saddle. I knew how to handle him, an effect of the ring I figured. Or the dream. And immediately we galloped back to Fort Haight.

  I made Sure to touch the nearby site of grace that I didn't see st time. Then I used Torrent to slip around the resurrected soldiers who were guarding the entrance. I didn't bother killing anything on my way up the stairs other than the commoner at the top. Once at the top I looked over at the knight who was getting ready to advance.

  I pulled out my spirit calling bell and my lone wolf ashes. My wolves charged at the knight, and I followed a moment behind. The poor knight didn't have the opportunity To even fight back as three wolves cwed and bit at him as I brought a greatsword down on his back multiple times. In only a few moments he fell down, dead.

  This is what killed me? This weakling sughtered me in two hits? I suppose I'm not nearly as strong as I thought. It's time to finish that painting puzzle and check out Agheel ke.

  I saw a silver light gather around the knight's shield, and so I added a gilded greatshield to my inventory. I Climbed the dder in the nEarby tower and opeNed the Chest at the top to get one half of the Dectus medallion. I focused myself and teleported back to the first step.

  A few mOments ter I arrived at the pce the painting showed, a phantom sitting in a chair slowly dissolved into motes of light, leaving behind a golden scarab haiRpin. I moved further along the keshore until I came across a ruined arch. Underneath which was a man with a metal hat. I approached the man. Yura.

  "Ah, you must be the new Tarnished. You'd do well to steer clear of Agheel Lake, fledgling. A dragon roosts there... And it's as fearsome as it is majestic. So, unless you're mad, or wish to be burned alive... Stay clear of the ke. Don't be a fool. Turn back, before it's too te."(Yura)

  I nodded, then turned back towards the ke. I wanted the longbow so Much, but I wasn't able to go to the roundtable hold just Yet.

  The dragon burnt ruins weren't a problem, nothing there posed a real cHallenge. So, I walked over towards the spot where Agheel is supposed to appear. Despite knowing it was coming, Agheel's nding still took me by surprise. I summoned my wolves, and mounted Torrent. My sword was doing some decent damage, but all it took was One tail-swipe to eliminate all of my wolves. Also, Agheel's fire was painful. Agonizingly Painful, and hard to dodge.

  I quickly left the area and rested at a nearby site of grace. I figUred I could do better with an upgraded weapon and some proper armor and tools. I resolved to advance up Stormhill so that I could make it to the roundtable hold.

  I teleported to the gatefront site of grace. Then I mounted torrent and barreled past everythinG until I arrived at the Stormhill shack. Sitting inside the shack is a woman wearing a red hood. Roderika. I approached her to start her questline.

  "Everyone's...been grafted. Everyone who came with me. They crossed the sea for me. They fought, for me. Heh... Only to have their arms taken. Their legs taken. Even their heads...taken. Taken and stuck to the spider. Did you know? If you're grafted by the spider, you become a chrysalid. It's quite the rk, when you think about it.

  You're all on your own, are you? And heading to Stormveil Castle? Enticed by the one in the white mask, I suppose. Oh, you've come to be one with the spider? Well, that makes us two peas in a pod. But I don't have your courage. It's scary, you know. Having your arms cut off. Or legs. Or your head. I want to be like everyone else, but I'm just too scared. I'm nothing but a craven."(Roderika)

  I wanted to tell her she's misunderstanding something. I nodded along and waited for her to continue Her dialogue.

  "Oh, I know. Can you take this little one along with you? The poor thing deserves someone braver than myself... And the spirits look rather fondly upon you. It'll be gd of your company, I think, the little'un. It was a pleasure to see you. Oh, can you pass on a message for me, if you see the little chrysalids in Stormveil Castle? Tell them I love them. And that, despite my craven heart, I'm sure I'll be joining their club soon enough. I'm finally getting the hang of this whole "pain" thing, you know."(Roderika)

  I nodded, then moved on. Advancing up Stormhill until I could get To a particur site of grace. Once I was in the castle tunnel I sat down by the grace. Melina appeared shortly thereafter.

  "Forgive me. I've been...testing you. To see whether or not grace truly does guide you. And... whether you are fit to face the challenge that entails. It seems my worries were unfounded. Torrent had your measure from the very start. Whereas I merely pretended.

  There is but one other thing I can do to offer you guidance. I can take you to the Roundtable Hold... Gathering pce of Tarnished champions, guided by Grace..."(Melina)

  "Take me there please."(Alexis)

  "Very well. Let my hand rest upon you, for but a moment."(Melina)

  My vision began to darken, and I felt a simir sensation as when I teleport using the sites of grace. A moment ter I opened my eyes to See a grand hall with four entryways, though one had doors which were closed, in the center was a rge round table with many weapons stuck into the center. I knew where I needed to go and what I needed to do, I also knew who to speak with to get stuff. I walked down a hallway past a very creepy guy who was wearing a bunch of bones until I reached a statue of a pair of women holding up a staff with many bells on it.

  I took out all of my golden runes that I had gathered thus far and purchased a set of knight's armor, without the helmet, as well as the finger seals and the memory stone. I also purchased the longbow while I was at it. I then turned around and walked back into the main room, where I spoke to each person in turn.

  "Oh, this is a rare occasion. I can't remember the st time a new Tarnished made their way to the Roundtable. Very well. As your senior, I bid you welcome. It is safe here. You may let down your guard. Allow me a word of advice, as your senior. You are a mere visitor to the Roundtable, nothing more.A house guest, yet to earn their keep. Remember your pce, newcomer. There's nothing left to say. Be at your leisure."(Gideon Ofnir)

  "Ah, hello. You must be new here. I'm... Well, just call me Diallos. The honor of one's house holds little import in these nds. By the way, have you met a young woman named Lanya on your travels? She's my servant, but fickle as the wind. Take your eyes off her for but a moment and she's good as gone. If you find her, please be sure to tell me."(Diallos)

  "I don't believe we've met. I'm known as D. I hunt down Those Who Live in Death, and weed their Deathroot. Heed my warning. Those Who Live in Death should be left well alone. All the more, should you spy a mariner among their number. Unless you wish to y down your life in vain."(D)

  Then came the person I was hoping to speak to the most.

  "Oh, I see you've just arrived. Welcome to the Roundtable Hold. I'm Corhyn, a man of the cloth. I teach incantations, the strength granted us by the Two Fingers, and explore the secrets of the Golden Order. So that one day, if a Tarnished of the Roundtable Hold should become Elden Lord, I might counsel them, ensuring order regains its proper form, righting rule over men. By the way, do you still see it? The guidance of grace."(Corhyn)

  "I see it."(Alexis)

  "You do! Wonderful news. Most Tarnished are blind to it these days.You are something of a rare breed. Well, what do you say?Care to learn an incantation of the Two Fingers?"(Corhyn)

  I took a look at the books that Corhyn was offering, each one represented a single incantation. I took nearly all of them: Fme Sling, Catch Fme, Cure Poison, Heal, Urgent Heal, Rejection.

  "May the Golden Order shine through you."(Corhyn)

  The only spells I didn't get were the Magic Fortification and Fme Fortification spells. But I could get those ter. For now, I was done with the Roundtable Hold. I teleported back to the first step. I needed to see if I could take the Tree Sentinel on now first.

  "??! ?? ?? ? ?? ??!"(???)