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Chapter 192 Vereor Nox

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A few minutes later, Naruto found himself back at the same broken church area where he had first met Petrus.

The boy sat on the worn stone stairs, leaning back against the wall with his helmet tucked at his side. He was trying to balance a coin on Oscar's snout, the little crystal lizard blinking rapidly as he fought the urge to sneeze it off. The simple game was enough to keep Naruto distracted from the uncomfortable atmosphere that hung over them.

Nico and Vince stood nearby, their eyes fixed on him. Their hands twitched near their weapons out of habit, but they did not move.

After all, it had only been minutes ago that the two of them had been planning to kill him, and now here they were, standing awkwardly while their so-called comrade Petrus had been reduced to shards.

"You two should probably get checked for brain damage. I did knock you both out pretty hard."

The two paladins clicked their tongues and looked away in unison. Their pride had clearly taken a greater wound than their skulls. Naruto smirked faintly. He honestly did not care. Let them stew. His attention shifted when he noticed Reah finishing the last strokes of ink on a parchment scroll. The soft glow of divine light shimmered faintly across the completed prayer.

"I am done, Brother Naruto," Reah said, taking a careful step forward. But Vince immediately moved in front of her, blocking her path.

"I will deliver it to the knight. You should keep your distance. He is dangerous."

Reah blinked, her face calm but her tone carrying quiet reproach. "Vince. Sometimes your protective side overwhelms your judgment. Brother Naruto has shown no malice toward us. He does not mean harm."

Vince's jaw worked, but before he could argue further, Nico placed a firm hand on his shoulder. Nico's only response was a low grunt, but the meaning was clear: if Naruto had truly been a threat, we would already be dead.

Vince hesitated, then stepped aside with visible reluctance.

Reah approached Naruto without hesitation and held out the scroll with both hands.

Naruto grinned as he accepted it, unrolling the parchment slightly to scan its contents. The prayer was long, the script tight and complex. He gave a low whistle. "This is a big one. Guess I better start practicing."

"I hope the miracle serves you well, Brother Naruto. And once again, I apologize for Petrus' actions against you. His betrayal is a stain on us all."

Naruto rolled the scroll and tucked it away in his inventory. He shook his head. "You don't need to apologize for someone else's sins. He made his choices, and he paid the price. That's all there is to it. Besides…" He stood, stretching his arms, his grin returning. "I finally got the miracle I wanted."

As Naruto made to leave, Reah hesitated. "Brother Naruto, wait… Do you require something else?"

Naruto paused, scratching his chin. "I don't know. Do you have anything stronger than Great Heal? Something better for healing a comatose patient?"

Reah's brows furrowed slightly as she thought. "The Great Heal is among the highest miracles taught to clerics. It is advanced and rare, known only by high-ranking members of the Church. In terms of healing, it is surpassed only by the miracles said to come from the Goddess Gwynevere herself."

From within her robes, she drew a small bottle. The others shifted uneasily as she presented it.

The item was beautiful. Long and thin, shaped like a stretched teardrop, its body made of flawless glass. The lower half was wrapped in ornate golden work, sculpted into twisting flames that seemed to climb up its sides. The neck was narrow, capped with a small rounded stopper. It radiated purity, and even from a distance Naruto could feel its warmth. A divine light hummed quietly inside.

"This," Reah said softly, holding it out with reverence, "is holy water, blessed by the Goddess Gwynevere herself."

The chamber went still.

"Cool. I can already feel it's got some serious power. So… how much do you want for it?"

Reah shook her head. "No price. I would give it freely."

"What?" Vince barked, stepping closer. "Reah, what are you doing? That divine blessing was a gift from the Bishop for our mission. You cannot simply hand it over to a stranger!"

"Brother Naruto is no stranger," Reah said firmly, her usually gentle tone carrying a rare strength. "He is a knight who defended my dignity when it was so nearly profaned. That alone is reason enough. I would grant him this blessing, for such power should be placed in the hands of one who will use it for the sake of others."

Nico and Vince looked at each other in disbelief, their mouths opening in protest but no words escaping.

Reah extended the flask to Naruto.

Naruto scratched the back of his head, giving an awkward laugh. "Thanks, sis, but I don't wanna take advantage of your kindness. I'd rather earn it."

"Then let it be a fair exchange. A thousand souls will suffice."

Naruto's jaw dropped. Beside him, Oscar chirped in equal disbelief. "A thousand? That's… you're basically giving it away."

"What good is a treasure if it rots unused? A gift given to one in need is of greater worth than a relic sitting idle."

"Alright, how about this... we make it a barter instead."

Vince's hands tightened into fists, and Nico shook his head with disbelief. The gall of this boy after being offered a divine blessing for next to nothing, and he still haggled?

"Very well. What dost thou offer?"

Naruto selected an item from his inventory, and with a faint shimmer, a crate materialized in front of them. The three clerics froze as he shoved it forward with his boot. The sound of clinking glass filled the chamber.

Inside were rows upon rows of Estus flasks.

The sight left Vince and Nico speechless, while Reah gasped outright, her composure breaking for the first time. "By the gods… how did you come by so many?"

"Hollows. Everywhere I go, they've got one of these strapped to their belts. I just take 'em after I kill the hollows. I've been storing them up. Guess you could say I've got a collection."

The clerics stared at him as if he were insane.

Reah, however, studied the crate quietly, then gave a single nod. "This is more than enough. A divine blessing in exchange for such bounty will serve our mission well. Then it is settled."

[ Item Acquired: Divine Blessing ]

[ Description: Holy water from Goddess Gwynevere. Fully restores HP and cures all irregularities. The Goddess of Sunlight, cherished daughter of Lord Gwyn, is revered as the symbol of bounty and fertility. ]

Great Heal, Estus, and now a Divine Blessing. No matter what, I'm going to save her. Hinata's mother, the Uzumaki… anyone I can. One way or another.

Naruto smiled faintly, looking up at Reah. "Thanks for the stuff, sis. I'll make good use of it. Guess I'll see you around."

"Then may you be safe, Brother Naruto. And may the light of the gods guide thy steps. Vereor Nox."

"What does that mean?"

"It is an old benediction. It means: Fear the dark. For within the dark lies the hunger of humanity. The light must always be earned, lest we fall to the shadow that sleeps in us all. Vereor Nox… fear the dark, and walk ever toward the light."

Naruto's grin faltered slightly. Something about her words struck him deeper than he expected, like they carried more weight than a simple blessing. It felt less like a prayer and more like a warning.

Still, he gave a wave over his shoulder and started down the steps toward the bonfire. "Got it. Fear the dark. Easy enough."

Oscar chirped and scurried after him, though the little lizard kept glancing back at Reah, who remained still with her talisman in hand, her lips moving in quiet supplication as the knight and his companion disappeared into the Firelink Shrine below.

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The walk back to Firelink Shrine was quiet, save for the crunch of boots on stone and Oscar's occasional chirps. Yet the silence shattered the moment Naruto stepped past the crumbled archway into the shrine.

A staff rose immediately, its tip glowing faintly with blue sorcery.

"State your business," Griggs demanded. His voice was firm, but it wavered at the edges, like a man unsure if he was about to face friend or foe.

Naruto threw his hands up. "What is it, huh? I grow my hair out a little, get taller, my eyes start looking cool, and suddenly everybody wants me dead? That's discrimination!"

Oscar blinked up at him, then gave a low, unimpressed chirp.

"Don't give me that look. You're just jealous you can't pull this off."

The crystal lizard tilted his head, chirped again, and flicked his tail in a way that definitely felt like mockery.

Naruto muttered, "Great, even my pet thinks I'm too handsome for my own good."

Griggs' eyes flicked to Oscar, and recognition dawned. "That creature… yes, I know it. You are the companion of the boy Naruto. Then…" His staff wavered as he studied the tall, armored knight before him. "…who are you?"

"I am Naruto."

The sorcerer blinked rapidly, as though struggling to reconcile what he saw. "What… what happened to you? Your body bears the marks of something unnatural. It is etched with resistance, as if sorcery itself cannot grasp you. You stand like an archtree, immovable."

"Dragon scale grafted onto my soul. Changed my body. Taller, tougher, stronger. It is what it is."

Griggs' grip tightened on his staff. His mouth went dry. "By the scholars of Vinheim… you should not be alive. Countless experiments were tried in ages past. A human soul cannot withstand the weight of a dragon scale. Every attempt ended in death. You should have perished."

Naruto tilted his head. "That's a rude thing to say."

"No," Griggs insisted, his voice shaking. "You must understand. Souls collapse under that strain. They dissolve, or worse, they fracture into madness of the abyss. The flesh fails, the mind breaks. But you… you endure."

"Guess I got lucky. Or maybe I'm just stubborn. Either way, I'm still here. Dattebayo."

Griggs shook his head, disbelief written across his face. "This is beyond me. Master Logan… yes, only he might make sense of this. He is unmatched in his knowledge. He must see you."

Naruto shrugged. "Then you can tell him when you find him. I have my own work to do."

The sorcerer's voice cracked, almost pleading. "Naruto, wait. Give me just a moment. A glimpse, a measure of your condition. Even the smallest detail could advance the study of souls. Please, allow me this chance."

"Not happening. Maybe another time, but not today. I'm busy helping my friend."

"…Very well. I will not press. Then I wish you luck in what lies ahead. May you remain whole, for as long as fate allows."

Naruto gave him a casual thumbs-up. "Thanks. You too, Griggs. Try not to get yourself Hollow chasing answers."

The knight walked off, Oscar padding faithfully at his side.

Griggs stood rooted in place, eyes haunted. His hand twitched toward his staff, the temptation to open Soul Sight burning in his veins. To look. To know.

But the old warnings whispered in his mind. To peer too deeply into the soul is to risk one's own.

He shut his eyes and muttered to himself. "Not worth it. Not worth the madness."

And yet, as the boy's silhouette faded from view, the thought gnawed at him. A human carrying a dragon's scale. An impossible survivor. A living contradiction against all that Vinheim's scholars believed true.

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Naruto made his way to the familiar cage nestled beneath Firelink Shrine.

He hadn't expected company.

Casually sitting near the bars was Lautrec of Carim. His arms draped over his knees, golden armor faintly gleaming in the gloom. His eyes weren't on Naruto, but locked forward with a hollow stillness, focused on Anastacia.

She sat inside the cage, cradling the tiny crystal lizard Naruto had once brought her. The creature trembled slightly under Lautrec's gaze, pressing into Anastacia's hand for comfort. She too looked wary until she saw Naruto. Her face lit up immediately, and the little lizard practically sparked with joy, chittering as it spotted Oscar behind him.

Oscar gave a hesitant chirp and then dipped his head low, awkward and shy. The female crystal lizard raised her tail in the air and twitched her head side to side in a figure-eight, glowing faintly with bright blue energy. Oscar blinked, fluffed up his little frills, and puffed out his chest proudly.

The two lizards began a tiny ritual, Oscar thumping his tail softly on the ground while the female circled him in spirals, stopping to nuzzle his chin.

"Yo."

Lautrec turned slowly, as if remembering the world outside his own head. "Ahh… hello there." His voice was smooth, almost warm, but the edge beneath it stayed sharp. "I heard the bell ring. Congratulations. You're well on your way to becoming the Chosen Undead."

"Yeah, I don't really care about that. I just rang the bell to fulfill my late master's wish."

"Interesting…" Lautrec murmured, as he pulled a small, gold-plated medal from within his armor. The symbol of the sun gleamed on its surface. "I have your reward. Please accept it. I am… grateful to you for freeing me. Keh heh heh heh…"

Naruto took it and glanced down, watching as it shimmered and faded into his inventory.

[ Item: Sunlight Medal ]

[ Description: This faintly warm medal, engraved with the symbol of the Sun, is the ultimate honour, awarded to those who summon the Warrior of Sunlight and complete a goal. The symbol represents Lord Gwyn's firstborn, who lost his deity status and was expunged from the annals. But the old God of War still watches closely over his warriors. ]

Huh… did he get this from Solaire?, Naruto thought.

"Not enough for you? Let's not be greedy now… keh heh heh…"

"What? Oh, no, the reward wasn't even needed. I was just… thinking."

"Hm," Lautrec hummed, unconvinced. "Strange boy."

Oscar's happy chirp broke the awkward silence. He was gently rubbing his forehead against the female crystal lizard, producing a faint shimmer of light where their crystals touched.

"Awww," Naruto giggled again. "Get a room, you two."

"Ah… love," Lautrec said, wistfully. For a moment, his voice was gentle… almost human. "How fragile. How dangerous." He stood and stretched lazily. "Well, that's enough rest for now. If fate has plans for us… we shall meet again."

He gave Anastacia one last lingering glance, then went to the Undead Parish.

Naruto exhaled, the air suddenly feeling a little lighter with the man gone. He stepped closer to Anastacia's cage, crouching near the bars. "Hey. Like the new hair?" he asked, brushing back a few long golden strands now reaching past his shoulders.

Anastacia nodded, her eyes crinkling with something that might have been amusement.

"I'm thinking of keeping it," Naruto mused. "Or should I cut it?"

Anastacia raised her hand and gently patted his head, fingers brushing against his scalp with silent affection.

That was answer enough.

"Guess long hair it is."

Anastacia gave a soft, hopeful nod when Naruto knelt beside her cage and asked, "I want to talk to my friend."

She lowered her eyes, shame creeping into her expression as the memory of her sin returned to the surface like a splinter she couldn't remove. Naruto reached through the bars, gently lifting her chin so she'd meet his gaze.

"I found a way to absolve your sin."

Anastacia inhaled sharply. Her lips parted, but no words came… only a small shake of her head as she tried to look away again.

"You don't think you deserve to be freed, do you?"

Another silent nod.

"Well, that's stupid."

The word struck like a stone in still water. Anastacia stilled, wide-eyed.

"I'm serious," he continued. "Anastacia, tell me… at what point is a punishment enough for a crime? A year? Ten? A hundred? Because from where I'm standing, you've paid for it a thousand times over. Whatever happened in the past… you've suffered more than enough."

Her eyes dropped to the small crystal lizard curled beside her. It chirped, nuzzling her hand with innocent affection. She looked up at Naruto again, eyes shining with uncertainty, then nodded.

"Good."

Without hesitation, he gripped the iron bars and bent them outward with a soft grunt of effort, his muscles straining as metal groaned. He paused for a moment, glancing at Anastacia's legs that were twisted and lifeless. He raised a hand instinctively, considering a healing miracle… but stopped.

No. Healing her now might only draw attention from the gods. Right now, it's better that the world still sees her as broken. Safer.

"I'll carry you."

He lifted her bridal-style, slow and careful. Anastacia trembled in his arms from fear. The world outside the cage was bigger than she remembered.

"Anastacia, don't be afraid," Naruto said, voice soft but confident. "A knight is here for you."

It was corny. He knew it. She knew it. But it worked.

Her breath steadied. The lizard climbed up onto his shoulder, nestling close to Oscar, who rode perched on Naruto's other shoulder.

Naruto made his way back toward the bonfire, ignoring the shocked gasp from Griggs as he stepped into view. The sorcerer opened his mouth but Naruto was already moving, heading toward the elevator. He passed Reah and her group on the way. Vince and Nico immediately tensed at the sight of Anastacia in his arms.

"Brother Naruto… what are you doing with the Firekeeper?"

"Oh, I'm taking her somewhere," Naruto replied casually, not even breaking his stride.

"But if you take her away, the bonfire here at Firelink Shrine will go unattended. Do you understand what that means? Without her presence, the flame could fade, and the Shrine would lose its heart."

"Relax, we'll be back in a few minutes. I'm just getting her a new pair of shoes."

Reah blinked at him, her expression one of pure confusion. Vince and Nico exchanged baffled glances, clearly unsure if they had misheard him.

The joke fell completely flat.

Naruto didn't slow down. He stepped onto the elevator, shifting Anastacia gently in his arms as it began to rise with a grinding rumble of chains.

"Before you leave!" Reah called after him, raising her voice so it would carry over the sound of the elevator's ascent. "I must tell you something important. My bodyguards and I—we will remain here at Firelink for a time before continuing onward. Our mission is to descend into the Catacombs. We seek the Rite of Kindling… Brother Naruto, I would like to formally invite you to join us on this expedition. You have proven your strength and your character. With you beside us, the task may truly be possible."

Naruto leaned against the railing of the rising platform and cupped a hand around his mouth. "I can't hear you!" he shouted back, his grin wide.

The elevator carried him higher, the distance swallowing his words. But Reah caught only fragments as he turned his head and muttered something else.

"…joining the Warriors of Sunlight after this… don't know how that's going to go…" His voice grew fainter, carried away by the rising platform.

Reah lowered her hands slowly, her shoulders sagging as she stared upward until he vanished above.

"What did he say?"

Nico shook his head. "Couldn't make it out."

Vince grunted, folding his arms. "Whatever it was, he isn't staying with us."

Reah stood in silence, her lips pressed into a thin line. Then, she whispered a short prayer under her breath. "Let's wait a few more minutes before we move onto the Catacombs. Make sure your weapons are ready to strike down some necromancers."

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Author Note: Honestly, the chapter itself is pretty straightforward, but since you guys enjoy the Q&A sections, I'll give you one here.

Q1: What is Vereor Nox?

Answer: I have always been interested in what exactly is worshipped by the Way of White. It is clear they serve the gods and their mission is to kindle the flames that sustain those gods, but what do they really believe about themselves?

Reah is such an interesting character in Dark Souls because she does not say much. After becoming Undead, her life spirals downhill. She despises her mission and openly despairs over her purpose. But what really stood out to me was her farewell line: "Vereor Nox."

At first glance, you would think this translates to "I fear the night" or "The night is feared." That is how most quick translations interpret it. But if you look at the Latin more closely, it gets more complicated.

"Vereor" is a deponent verb. That means it looks passive, but it is actually active. It is first person singular, so it translates as "I fear." Then you have "Nox," which is nominative, meaning "night" or "darkness." Here is where it gets strange: you cannot really make "fear" into a linking verb, so the phrase does not line up with a simple "I fear the night." What it more likely means is that the subject and object are the same, and the reflexive direct object is omitted, which is common shorthand in Latin.

That gives us: "I, the Night or Darkness, fear myself."

It is worth noting that this may not be the only meaning. Medieval or church Latin often bent grammar, and sometimes phrases were translated loosely. But I personally like this interpretation because it fits so well thematically.

The Way of White believes that humanity harbors the Dark Soul, and they fear it. Their entire mission is feeding fire to stave off the darkness inside every human. Their undead hunts make sense if you think of it this way, because Undead who do not serve the church are treated as heretics who would disrupt the balance between light and dark.

And remember, the leaders of the Way of White ultimately serve Gwyn and the other gods, who themselves feared the darkness of humanity. So Vereor Nox works almost like a coded blessing or curse, a quiet reminder of how deeply this fear has been taught: humanity told to fear its own dark.

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[ Personal Note: First off, thanks a ton to all of you for sticking with this story. Seriously, you guys are awesome. Now, if you're interested in supporting me on P@treon, let me just say that over there, I post these massive 5k-word chapters. But heads up, if you're jumping to P@treon, you'll need to start from Chapter 90, since that's where this chapter lines up with the content there.

To everyone here just reading along, please don't forget to leave a comment! Honestly, your comments make my day, and they let me know you're as invested in this story as I am. So yeah, thanks again, and I hope you have an amazing rest of your day!