Those pulsing red-orange orbs you keep running into in Valor Mortis are not decoration. Each one seals a side room, a shortcut, or an optional stretch of a level, and your saber and Fire Transmutation do absolutely nothing to them. They react to one thing only, and most players hit this wall in the opening hour before they have the tool to deal with it.
Quick answer: Fire the Pistol at every red orb to break it and clear the route. You obtain the Pistol as a required story item inside a stranded carriage in Chapter 2: Regroup.
What breaks the red orbs in Valor Mortis
Nodes that seal side routes must be struck from afar, so a firearm is needed rather than a melee attack. Aim at the glowing orb and shoot; the barrier disappears.
There is a later close-quarters alternative: after you obtain the Rapier, equip it and strike an orb with a melee attack if it is within reach. Since some orbs are too far away, the Pistol remains the dependable choice throughout the game.
- Pistol — Fire at an orb to break it, no matter how far away it is.
- Rapier — Equip it and strike an orb with a melee attack when it is nearby.
Put your aim on the glowing node, not the material surrounding it. Red orbs are not fleshy barriers; those are removed by burning them with Fire Transmutation. Each obstacle requires its own tool.
Your first orb encounter is beyond the broken bridge. At the junction, take the path on the right. You will get there before you have a way to destroy it, so leave it and return later; that is expected.
Where to get the Pistol in Valor Mortis
The Pistol is required on the critical path, so you can’t miss it, but it appears later than many players expect. In the Steam Next Fest demo, you received it right at the beginning. The full release changed that: you collect it in Chapter 2: Regroup, typically after more than an hour of play, leading many players to think they overlooked it.
After facing General Lothaire for the first time at The Battlefield, proceed to the Valley of Ashes. The route from there is brief.
Using the Pistol on orbs and enemy weak points
Equip the Pistol, aim at a red orb, and fire. The orb breaks and the blocked route opens immediately, confirming the hit. If the barrier remains, your shot struck the material around the glowing node instead.
The same weapon handles enemy weak points, the glowing pustules that stud some foes. Breaking a weak point deals extra damage and drops Nephtoglobin Remnants, which refill the resource your Transmutations run on. So a clean shot does double duty: shatter the weak point, then spend the Nephtoglobin on something like Fire Transmutation.
The Pistol deals 30 base damage, and materials you find out in the world let you upgrade it later. It carries a generous ammo capacity, but ammo is still limited. Save your shots for orbs, weak points, and genuinely dangerous enemies rather than plinking away at trash mobs that your saber can clear. Defeated enemies can also drop ammunition to top you back up.
Going back for the first red orb
Once you have the Pistol, clearing the sealed route beyond the broken bridge is straightforward. To get back, either retrace the entire route on foot or, after Fast Travel unlocks, teleport directly to the area. Fast Travel avoids the lengthy return journey, making it the less tedious option if your plans do not already take you there.
The same method works for the rest of the game: shoot any red orb you spot to open the way forward. Later abilities let you revisit places you explored earlier, so remember any orbs you passed before obtaining the Pistol.
