Upon entering the main gate, Bai Shi found a Site of Grace in the corridor. After touching it and resting for a moment, he prepared to take the lift into the main part of Castle Morne.
"Wait a moment."
Melina stopped Bai Shi.
"That seed you just picked up is a Golden Seed. I can use it to upgrade your Sacred Flask."
Bai Shi had almost forgotten. He handed the Golden Seed to Melina.
Getting an extra flask charge before entering the castle would certainly increase his safety.
Melina took the Golden Seed, produced a small knife from somewhere, and began to work on it.
"Don't worry, it won't take long."
Bai Shi took the opportunity to sort through his equipment.He brought both the halberd equipped with Storm Stomp and the Lordsworn's Greatsword.
Both weapons were easy to handle, one suited for dealing with large groups of enemies, the other for stronger single combatants.
Bai Shi also planned to carry a shield. If he couldn't dodge in time while surrounded, his only option would be to block.
He first took out the Brass Shield, but it was rather heavy, which might affect its performance when wielded with one hand. It was also on the smaller side.
After some thought, Bai Shi took out the Flame Crest Wooden Shield he'd found back in the blighted village. This shield was longer and, despite being a medium shield, could cover a large area.
Moreover, being a wooden shield, it was very light. Although its defensive capabilities were somewhat lacking, it would be more than enough against weaker enemies like the Misbegotten.
There didn't seem to be anything else he could bring.
Suddenly, Bai Shi found a metal piece engraved with the image of a golden ancient dragon.
It was the Sacred Dragon Crest Talisman that Hakan had picked up and given to him outside the Stranded Graveyard.
Bai Shi had never known how to use a talisman. If it was as simple as wearing it, couldn't he just hang a whole bunch of stat-boosting ones on himself?
"Melina, do you know how to make a talisman work?"
Melina's hands never stopped moving as she spared a moment to answer.
"Talismans are items imbued with power. To make them work, you must use special means to fuse them with yourself."
"For example, eating it."
Bai Shi was stunned. Eat a piece of metal this big?
Melina continued.
"Besides eating them, there are other methods of fusion, like embedding them into your body."
"The safest method is to use a Talisman Pouch, sewn by the Finger Reader Crones of the Two Fingers. The pouch will trick the talisman into thinking it's inside your body."
"Regarding talismans, I can't help you right now. I'm sorry."
Bai Shi shook his head.
"There's no need to apologize for that."
"You're my witch. We're meant to rely on each other. If I had to depend on you to solve every problem, then I'd be quite a failure."
Melina's hands paused. Her head was bowed as she worked, so Bai Shi couldn't see her face.
"As a witch, being unable to help you in a situation like this, of course I'd feel sorry."
Melina looked up. Though her words were apologetic, the corners of her lips were tilted slightly upward.
She handed the newly finished Sacred Flask to Bai Shi.
"Use this to carry the Tears you need."
"And... I wish you success in defeating your foes. Please, don't die."
Bai Shi took the Sacred Flask, an indescribable feeling in his heart. In the end, he could only give Melina his solemn promise.
"Don't worry. No matter what, I won't die here. If I'm to die, it will be after I've brought you to the foot of the Erdtree."
---
Bai Shi stepped onto the lift that would take him into Castle Morne proper. The old wooden lift let out a series of creaks and groans, but it ascended steadily through the mountainside.
However, once the lift reached a certain height, Bai Shi caught a smell.
It was a foul odor, sickening to the stomach.
A mix of something burning, the stench of decay, and the overwhelmingly pungent smell of blood.
The rock wall next to the lift was streaked with dark blood that had trickled down and congealed.
The higher the lift rose, the more blood there was, and the fresher it seemed.
Dark red blood covered dark, clotted blood, which in turn was covered by fresh, bright red blood.
It was still flowing...
The lift finally reached the top. The bodies of several residents were scattered carelessly in the space before him.
The steps ahead once led to the great gate of Castle Morne, but now they led to hell.
Blood flowed out from within the castle, down the steps. Peering through the gate, he could see the distant walls draped with the corpses of residents and soldiers.
Bai Shi's face was terrifyingly dark, completely devoid of expression.
He stepped onto the blood-soaked stairs, the viscous feeling under his feet like a plea for him to stay back.
It cried out in pain, begging him not to enter—not to add another body to the count.
Standing beneath the castle gate, the full picture, which had been obscured by the height, now came into view.
In the wide courtyard, bodies were scattered everywhere, merging with the mud. There was not a single clear spot to step.
And in the center of the courtyard, a dense pile of corpses had been stacked into a small hill. The Misbegotten had lit a bonfire on top of the bodies and were dancing around it in a circle, celebrating their victory.
Bai Shi saw the bodies strewn about—children, the elderly, soldiers, servants.
Their faces were twisted in fear and despair, but without exception, they had all been hacked beyond recognition, torn to pieces.
They had not been killed with the intent to "kill," but tortured with the intent to "entertain."
Even in death, they were not spared. The Misbegotten continued to desecrate the corpses, as if the splatter of blood brought them greater joy.
Because of the Aspects of the Crucible, the Misbegotten were born as slaves, subjected to abuse and humiliation.
In the game, Bai Shi hadn't felt much for this race that had suffered such injustice. He didn't like them, but he didn't particularly hate them either. They were just a group of common enemies.
He had thought it reasonable for them to resist after being oppressed.
In the game, he cared about the various NPCs, the powerful enemies, the legendary stories.
He had never paid any mind to the massacre in Castle Morne, only caring about the questline involving Irena and her father.
But now, the castle beneath his feet was groaning, and the bodies were crying out. No one cared about them.
Not the great demigods. Not the powerful heroes.
Only Bai Shi, here and now, cared.
This scene, a veritable hell on earth, had changed Bai Shi's perception of the Misbegotten race.
These creatures were born to be slaves, and that was right. Look at what they became once their shackles were broken. Every one of them slaughtering with abandon, every one of them reveling in torture...
Such a view was unjust, of course, it was unjust—because Bai Shi was human! A human, not a Misbegotten!
There was no need to consider their actions from the perspective of the Misbegotten, to search for a justification. He only needed to act as a human and seek revenge.
Bai Shi tightened his grip on the halberd, his fingers aching from the force.
Watching the Misbegotten who, having spotted him, were calling their companions and beginning to surround him, Bai Shi growled through gritted teeth.
"Since you've all gone this far, it's fine for me to go a little overboard, right...?"