Castle Ensis and Shadow Keep supported each other, guarding the only route to Shadow Keep. Go around it? Dream on. Storm it? Keep dreaming.
Because its defender was none other than Rellana, the Twin Moon Knight of the Carian Royal Family. Though this second princess had left the royal family early on, she had brought Caria's fine traditions here-her mages, scholars, and spellswords put their expertise to full use, inscribing runes on the walls, constructing spells at the gates, and burying triggered glintstone traps underground.
They had turned Castle Ensis into a superfortress with its magic resistance maxed out.
Miquella trying to teleport past this castle was like Radahn shaking his hips in front of him. Radahn could decide when to go in, but when he came out would no longer be up to him.
Simply put, the castle would "snag" his teleportation, making him a prisoner of space.
So Miquella could only abandon the idea of teleporting across and obediently travel on foot.
Below Castle Ensis, Miquella caught his breath and straightened his windblown short hair-freshly cut, and still a little unfamiliar-then said to Leda beside him:
"Go announce us. Tell them Miquella, son of Marika, has arrived, and have them open the gates."
Leda hesitated. "My lord, Rellana of Castle Ensis is one of Messmer's trusted followers. When you first arrived in the Land of Shadow, Messmer sent a warning. He clearly doesn't welcome you. His subordinates probably won't..."
Miquella shook his head, his voice gentle but unquestionable. "Even so, I am still Marika's son. Courtesy alone demands that Rellana appear and offer some grand, polite excuse to refuse me."
He paused, a confident gleam flashing in his eyes. "As long as she appears, I'm 'confident' I can persuade her."
Realization dawned on Leda.
*Of course! Lord Miquella's