Chapter Text

Art By TatiAndArt1

PROLOGUE

CLANG!

An object crashes upon another within the darkness, creating a golden light. Light, Particles, and crystals of the gold spur from the impact.

The Elden Ring begins to fracture.

CLANG!

An object crashes upon another again, and the light from it becomes brighter. Its luminance reveals a man in front of a stone anvil with a line of golden light on its surface. He held a hammer in his right hand that emitted golden dust on its tip.

The man stood hunched and breathed loudly from his previous action, his left hand placed upon the anvil for support. His hair was colored red like flames and braided due to its length, his skin pale as clay, his body sculpted to perfection with all his layers of muscle on display, his lower bottom covered with a black skirt with lines of gold trends.

The Elden Ring reforms and starts to mend itself.

His golden-colored eyes fall upon the anvil again with a hint of panic on his face. He stood tall and raised the hammer once more.

CLANG!

The hammer clashes on the anvil again, landing the golden line. The impact emits a flash of light once more. The light becomes brighter again and stays constant. Its luminance lit up the area, revealing a stone platform with golden leaves on its grounds and the anvil in the middle.

A woman stands in front of the anvil with the hammer in her left hand. Her hair was pale gold and braided, her skin was pale as clay, and her upper body was exposed to reveal her feminine features to be perfect, firm, and toned in their naked form. She wore a black skirt with lines of gold trends that were used as part of a dress that covered her upper body.

The Elden Ring begins to fracture once more, now more damaged than before.

Cracks appear on the back of the woman. She groans in pain and kneels in front of the anvil. Using the hammer to push herself up, she stood up in hesitation and raised the hammer.

CLANG!

The hammer crashes on the anvil again, creating another flash of light. The red-haired man appears again in front of the anvil kneeling with labored breathing. He looks to the hammer in his left hand and switches it to his right. Cracks too appear on his back, causing him pain and discomfort. He stands up with the support of the anvil. Looking down at the golden line on the anvil, he prepares to raise the hammer again.

The Elden Ring mends again. But its damages remain.

Radagon. Stop it.

He hears a voice of a woman speaking to him within his mind. He frowns in frustration and pain as more cracks appear on his pale skin back to make it resemble a clay statue that is breaking. He breaths harder as he struggles to grip the hammer, his left-hand twitches as if he is not in control.

Radagon puts the hammer down on the surface of the platform and grips his left hand to control its movements. He regained himself by clenching his left hand into a fist. He tests his fingers to ensure that control is now his.

He looks up with his eyes closed. "Stop what, Marika? This act of blasphemy and madness? One you plotted for years? Eons? Since the beginning?". He answers to the space around him.

This is my will. The final act of my life. One that was a blessing soon turned into a curse. I never intended for this age to last. Not after what it cost me and what it tried to do.

"Never intended? So it was all lies? The words of the greater will you tell our people?!" Radagon shouts out upwards, causing the area to echo his words. "You would throw a few thousand years of progress for a personal grudge that was eons ago!?"

The time of that matters not, my husband. I cannot forgive the greater will for the decision that cost me everything. You, of all people, should understand this, considering your existence.

Radagon shouts in pain as he fights off a presence that attempts to possess his mind. He grabs his head with both hands as the presence takes his body from his control. It failed, however, as Radagon, in a desperate state, slams his forehead against the anvil to ward off the presence. The action caused a bruise and blood from a wound. It healed instantly with no scarring due to his divine blood.

"Marika... Please. This is not our right to do. Think of our children... The price they will pay when the greater will decides to enact its retribution." he pleaded to the voice.

Your children, my children, and our children's fate were sealed from the start. They will attempt to claim the mantle of godhood, for the new age come. They will rise, fight, and die should they fail to live up to their measure, for that is the price one must pay to be eternal...

For how is a God to be born without great struggle?

They have chosen their paths radagon. And like Godwyn, we cannot help them. As my as I want to.

Radagon remains kneeling from the pain in his struggle to keep his body as his own. He knows he is losing badly. This was never a fair fight for him anyway.

He had a purpose and role to play for the golden order to ensure that the current age remains the dominant power of the known world. And he played it faultlessly without question or hesitation even as it caused him grief, hurt, and regret.

He thought of the cause of his actions to the family he had left to fulfill his duty to his religion.

His sons, both going on their own ways far from his teachings and guidance. One of them even denouncing the Golden order itself, much to Radagon's dismay.

His daughter takes after her mother despite her flaming red hair like his. Who grew up to become her own woman, looks to him with nothing but contempt and hatred for the abandonment she experienced when he left at the age of seven. He still remembers her teary eyes and violent sobs as she begged him to stay when he chose to sneak away from them in the middle of the night rather than announce his departure.

And his former wife... The one that he regrets causing hurt the most. How a queen of the moon and stars who stood against him on the battlefield was reduced to a heartbroken woman that knows nothing but the pain caused by a choice, his beliefs over his family.

But it is too late for any regrets, not when the world is on the brink of chaos. Caused by the decision of the greater will's chosen God, With him as its last defender.

Marika. This woman was queen and god he calls his second wife. It's a wonder how they managed to have twins in a marriage arranged out of necessity by decree of the greater will.

Enough.

Marika's voice echoes in his head as radagon begins to lose himself. He struggles in the mental fight for his soul, no matter how artificial that may be. But all of that was for naught.

"Marika! Don't! I implore you we can find another way! No one has to pay for our sins!" He pleaded in a final attempt to change her mind.

No, radagon. There is no other way. My mind is made. It has been since his death an age ago. Everything I do in defiance of the greater will is for him. I have waited a long time for this moment.

Radagon screams in agonizing pain as the presence in his mind starts to take over. He lost this battle as this body was never his in the first place. Radagon had tried reason, and it was fruitless, so he would use violence instead.

The area goes silent for a few moments before a woman rises to her feet. It was marika with her golden hair that once again appeared. With renewed strength, she picks up the hammer again and prepares to carry out her task at the anvil.

"Greater will... May you never use anyone again the same way you used us." She vowed before the anvil.

CLANG!

Markira slams the hammer upon the anvil again, hitting the golden line on its surface.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

The Elden Ring fractures once again. Its perfect lines begin to come undone.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

She continues to slam the hammer upon the anvil multiple times. Each time the hammer lands, the cracks upon her back grow larger and more numerous, even extending towards her front torso. The pain was unbearable like her body was being ripped apart from the inside and outside. It provided her with the resolve to continue on this foolish path, for pain was a reminder of the hurt she too has suffered within her heart.

This resentment, doubt, and wavering faith had been building up for some time within her mind. All of it had now sprew over to create the moment that is happening now, where a god would finally rebel against her higher powers.

Do you intend to continue this path? Despite all, I have said!?

Marika paused her actions upon hearing Radagon's voice in her mind. "Yes, Radagon. I intend to continue. And nothing will stop this. Not the stars nor the fates."

Then you leave me no choice, woman...

Her right hand suddenly grabs the hammer held on her left and tosses it away from her grip. Marika's right starts raising up of its own will. She grips it with her left in an attempt to bring it down. "What are you?! Stop you fool!"

If death is the only solution to your madness. Then I shall deliver it. TO BOTH OF US!

Marika's right hand begins to emit red lighting. It crystalizes to become a red crystal spear. She starts struggling with her other hand to hold it off as it begins to drive the spear downward towards her abdomen.

In a surprise to her, the hand throws itself back to lose her left hand's grip on it. With one swift motion, it drives the spear straight through her lower torso, impaling her to half its length.

Marika screams in pain, and Radagon's voice cries in unison with hers within her mind. She attempts to remove it but was hindered as her right hand maintains its grip on the spear and begins twisting in all directions to cause her more pain.

"ARGH! AAAARRRRGGGGH!! RADAGON, YOU FUCKING LAPDOG! STOP! STOP!" She continues her attempt to remove the spear lodged in her abdomen to no avail as she still has no control over the hand that kept it in place. Blood spills from the wound as no amount of instant healing can recover from a consistent injury.

Marika falls to her knees in her continued struggle. She grew weaker from the pain caused by the spear and the cracks on her back. This struggle continues until she falls to the ground on her side, her stray hand maintaining its grip on the spear to keep her subdued.

"No... No... Not like this. Not after all... I have given... For this....."

It did not... have to be this way... You... forced me...

Marika soon begins to lose consciousness due to the blood loss from her abdomen. Her right hand finally loses its grip on the spear as her body begins to lose its strength. She felt cold and knew that death might claim her despite her immortal status. All her efforts will be wasted and she will die a failure, with not a single move made against the greater will.

The Elden Ring is fractured to a worsened state. It will shatter should one more strike find its mark.

Marika tried all means to muster one last effort to crawl to the discarded hammer but could not feel her legs and arms. She instead starts reciting to ease herself for the end.

"Radegan... Rags... Please... Help..me."

Her vision was dark, and she felt cold throughout her entire body. She could not feel the ground beneath her, and she did not feel like she was floating, as the alabasters do with their gravity magic.

So this is how my death is to be? Marika wondered to herself whether this was how she would spend the eternal afterlife. An infinite amount of time floating in the darkness with only her thoughts and voice as company. Fitting torture for the woman who defied an outer god. She thought bitterly.

Her thoughts were interrupted as she felt her surroundings changing. The wind was blowing past her sides, and warmth was returning to her body.

Marika opened her eyes to find herself standing at the foot of a small hill with a path leading upwards. She looked up to see a thousand stars and the moon lighting the night sky, giving light to the lands beneath its blue midnight hue.

What? Where am I now? She could not think of an answer as she started moving forward to scale the hill by traveling the path upwards.

While walking, she looks down at her body to see that she is fully dressed in her old traveling attire made of white and gold. She was wearing a light cotton shirt, tan leather pants, and mid-cut boots. Made at her request for the use of better movement and comfort as compared to her usual dresses.

She suddenly remembered that this was an attire she wore an age ago when she was still a mere Numen, traveled far from her homeland. One of the few chosen of a new age to ascend to godhood under the guidance of the finger. To take the place of all her previous

Marika continued to walk upwards and reached the top of the hill. Due to their distance from her, she heard hundreds of men speaking in hushed voices. As she walked the cliff face, she started to see bits of orange hues in the distance that interrupted the night's cool tone.

Wait. I recognize this place. This was the encampment the night before a battle against the dragon order's army. That means...

She walks slightly faster as she remembers the significance of this place at this time on this very night. Her suspicions were confirmed as she reached the cliff face to see a single tree near the cliff's edge. A single tent was set up nearby with a small bonfire in front of it. The ridge provided a view of an army encampment that seemed to stretch endless with orange lights caused by touches and campfires, no doubt made by the army's many members.

The sound of metal sliding against another catches her attention. She turns toward the source and what she sees causes her to hold her breath.

She sees him.

A man was sitting down on a rock with a great sword in hand, its length extending above his sitting height. His back was turned against her as he focused on sharpening the sword with a welding stone, carefully sliding it on the blade's edges.

He was taller than the average man and was built with a fighter's body due to his lifetime of battles since childhood. His hair was black and slightly longer than usual. This caused him to tie a small ponytail on his head. He was dressed down from his standard lightweight armor, all the metal and leather parts removed to leave only his inner black shirt and rugged leather pants.

Marika did not know long as she stared at him from afar. She was still overwhelmed with thoughts and emotions.

How long has it been since I last saw you? Even in dreams and hallucinations, I could never clearly see you. Have I forgotten our time spent and how you look?

She considered the words she would say as tears started welling up in her eyes, overwhelmed by her feelings of grief and sorrow. Part of her knows that this moment might be the last time she sees him. For fate was never kind to him, even in his final moments, he suffered greatly.

"Good evening, Ser Radegan."

She hears herself say without her control the exact words she spoke to him that night. So this is just a memory, Marika wonders to herself, slightly disappointed that she would not be able to say the words that she left unspoken.

Radegan stops his actions and turns towards her. She lets out a breath as she finally sees him clearly, after a lifetime of waiting.

His facial features were rough and masculine, with not a hint of softness. Small scars were on his nose, mouth, and cheeks. His eyes were dull brown, gloomy, and dark. He had a slight hint of Reedlander features with slightly tanned skin. Perhaps he is an indirect descendant of the Eastern people.

Radegan nods in acknowledgment and turns back to continue his sword sharpening.

"Hmmm... I hate that name."

Radegan often shows his disapproval of the current name many call him by. It was a necessary change that the nobility under marika's service had 'recommended' to her after her decision to announce him as a knight in her direct service. Despite the many protests she heard from them, she was firm in her decision. It was a move that may have cost her as some lords in her service.

It was not a change he embraced willingly nor overnight. He was often uneasy with the status granted to him due to the attention others began to show him.

Many soldiers, sellswords, and warriors around reacted positively to his new title. They had seen firsthand his actions on the battlefield and listened to the story of his journey to escort Marika safely to the sacred Lands. But to the nobility, he is nothing more than another lowborn that got lucky, not worth their time or respect.

"I understand that, Ser Radegan, this change and what it brings. Perhaps I had been too hasty in my decision to announce so soon." Marika heard herself speak again. It was clear that she had no control over what she said and do within this memory, as she was simply a spectator in her point of view.

How cruel. To only see what was already passed, she thought to herself as she continued to observe her past in her own eyes.

"Not your fault. Still, maybe give me a heads up next time?"

"Of course." her past self answered quickly. In truth, she was surprised at how quickly he forgave her for this incident. She did not even remember offering an apology for it.

"Shouldn't you be asleep, maiden? We are going to march by full force tomorrow when the sun shows its head." He asked with a hint of concern in his voice. His eyes looked at her while sharpening his blade.

Marika waves her hand to brush off the concern. "I am of Numen blood, Radegan. Sleep is not a requirement for our people." She answered. "And what of you, Radegan? Should you not sleep?".

Radegan stops his actions and looks toward the encampment with a frown. He considers Marika's words for a moment. "I... can't sleep. I got over a thousand men to lead to their deaths tomorrow. If we are lucky, we will come back with a least half left? Give or take really." He comes up with a number right off his head.

Marika moves to the right of where he is seated. Radegan notices this and proceeds to move slightly to the left of the stone he is sitting on, offering her a seat beside him. She accepts and takes a seat on his right.

"And what would be the outcome if we are unlucky?" Marika inquires about the result that Radegan has in his mind. Although he does not show it often, Radegan has a good sense of battle tactics from his several tours of battle during his time as a lone mercenary.

"We get overwhelmed by them and die horrible, painful deaths. And the lesser houses get their arses in gear to win the battle in your name." He says bluntly. "That is if they don't shit themselves after learning that the vanguard was completely defeated, and they have to fight for real alongside their armies." He adds knowing that marika's nobles were not seasoned fighters and relied solely on their armies to back their claims.

Marika had remembered this fact long ago. The lords and nobles who followed her only did soon out of disdain for the dragon order. They hoped that she would lead them to a new, better age under the greater will, with them at her side of the course.

"Though that seems petty unlikely...." Radegan muttered under his breath.

"Why not?" She had asked curiously.

He places his greatsword and welding stone down to the side to face her fully.

"The dragon order has at least five thousand men in their vanguard force to meet us at the field this time. But to get that number means they will need to compromise the efficiency of their men." He explains.

"You mean to say that our forces may have the advantage despite being outnumbered?" Marika inquired about her assumption.

She sees a slight smirk forming on his mouth. He nods in agreement with her statement. "Yeah, all the manpower in the world doesn't mean much if your army's fighting skills ain't worth cock."

Radegan pauses for a moment after finishing his statement as he realizes the word he said in front of her. He sighs for committing the same mistake he usually makes.

"Sorry. I shouldn't be talking like that with you, considering you are going to be queen and-"

"It's fine, Ser Radegan. I'm used to it, considering that we had conversions more vulgar than this current one." She points out to him to make him remember their previous talks during their travels to the capital.

"Still, the future queen of the... Lands between? Shouldn't learn to swear." He answers with a shrug.

"A bit too late for that good ser. I have learned new words since our last game." She eyes him with a smirk to issue her challenge.

He looks at her with a frown. "Oh, Really? You want to go there? You are so eager to be beaten? Again?"

"Not this time, ser. I came prepared." She turns to face him fully for their game.

Radegan twists his neck to both sides, creating cracking sounds, and sits up straighter while facing her. He mocks a battle stance as they start their dance of words.

"Shit." Radegan starts.

"Fuck." Marika replies

"Balls."

"Cunt."

"Bitch."

"Cock."

"Bastard."

"Whore."

"Dick."

"Arse."

"Bollocks."

"Cum."

"Shi- dick... Damn it. I'm out." Radegan loses the game as he repeats a word. The result causes Marika to break into laughter. Radegan soon joins her with a hearty laugh of his own.

After their humourous conversion, she composes and looks at him, his face lit by the moonlight. She remembers this moment as the first time she had seen a different side to his usual cold and closed-off behavior. He only truly lets his walls down in these moments of levity around her.

I enjoy seeing you smile. She thought to herself, as smiling was something Radegan rarely did.

"Well, you got me. That was impressive, I didn't think you would remember our game." He says bluntly while reaching out to his sword on the stone's side.

"I could never forget you... I meant our game! It is an... Entertaining concept." Marika corrects herself hastily. A slight blush creeps up her face as she turns around to hide her face.

Radegan looks at her with a perplexed look on his face. He does not pursue the meaning of her words and simply uses the tip of his sword to push himself off the stone to get on his feet. He offers a hand to Marika to help her stand.

"Good to know. But it is getting too late for talks. Come on, I will take you back to your tent." He waits for her hand while resting his greatsword's blade on his shoulder.

Marika takes his hand and gets on his feet. She felt it being rougher and more callous than before. Probably from his training sessions with the recruits. Before they started moving, Marika makes a request.

"Radegan... Wait. Let's stay here awhile. To observe the encampment." She says while looking toward the orange lights

Radegan looks at her, confused. "Why?" He asks bluntly.

"I... I think the view is rather interesting. I would like to think on it for a while." In truth, she was buying some more time to spend with him as her duties required her to be away from him.

She hears him sigh, no doubt a little annoyed.

"Ok." He replies as he moves to stand beside her.

She looks out to the vast camp before them, observing the many men and women going about their activities from a distance.

Some were trying to catch sleep in their bedrolls and tents. Some sit around bonfires, making conversation and enjoying supper made from their food ratios. Some pray in silence with their books and talismans with symbols related to the greater will. Some were still working, refining their weapons, and discussing the coming battle.

All of them are here for the same purpose. To win the war that will usher in the new age after the dragons. One with her as their guide.

All of this was for her.

"These men and women. They all chose to risk their lives to resist the dragons and their order. To hope that perhaps they will be able to live better lives under another God that is more benevolent than the dragon's god." Marika explains loudly, mentioning the dragon order's equivalent to greater will.

"They truly believe that whatever comes next can and will be better. Where they will be able to follow a destiny that does not lead to ruin." She continued, both her hands clasping each other.

"It is certain, then, that destiny can drive one to do greater things. Even with impossible odds. The need to follow a dream often distorts one's fears and doubts." She also looks to her side to see Radegan looking to the horizon of the encampment.

"What about you, Ser Radegan? Do you believe in destiny?" She inquires, curious about his thoughts on such a concept.

Radegan looked toward her with a concentrated face as he thought of a response to the question. He ponders a bit longer while turning up to look at the night sky. He turns to her with a reply.

"I... Don't. Destiny is a thing that was never really kind to me. And in all honesty, most of my feats and achievements were just me... Winging it." He answers honestly which was a surprising response Marika rarely gets. Most answers she hears from others tend to be attempts at impressing her or not offending her.

But not with Radegan, though. He was consistently honest with her, even with harsh truths that she refused to accept in her days before. It was one of his aspects that made her feel endeared with him.

"But still.." He continued from his previous words. "If I'm going to have a destiny. I should be able to pick. Right? Regardless of what some universal law or god I never met says." He answers her question.

Marika was once again surprised by him. She never thought that he would give this response due to his no-nonsense mindset. He never believed in the gods or their laws and only trusted what he could see and hear in front of him.

That was the best thing about you. Marika thought to herself as Radegan looked back at the view before them.

"It is a nice view... That's why I camped here. It's also petty breezy. Good night for a nap." Radegan mentions casually to resume their sightseeing. Marika looks to him instead. She looked down at his free hand, and a stray thought came to her mind.

Please let me be able to feel this... Marika thought to herself as her past self reached out to his hand. She grabs it gently, hoping for a response. She feels its warmth and roughness.

Radegan looks down at her hand, grabbing it lightly. He pauses for a moment to consider his next action.

Marika waits anxiously to see his response. Part of her fears a negative outcome, and she fears he will start avoiding her to ensure this doesn't happen again. Instead, she feels his hand start closing on hers. Holding her hand gently, Radegan looks at her with a neutral expression.

They looked into the eyes of each other, both thinking about the significance of their current action. Marika had a small simmer of hope that Radegan would be making the first move, for she was afraid of taking the first step due to her fears of pushing him further away.

So instead, they remain holding hands. Marika soon speaks to break the tension.

"I am... Glad you are here... Rags." She speaks his real name. The name was given to him by his adopted mother, as he told her before. "I was... Afraid we never... See the other again." She mentions after having remembered his last departure.

Radegan nods and smiles at her. It was the brightest one she had seen from him so far. She smiles back at him, regaining a feeling of happiness she once had before the day she was announced as one of the greater Will's chosen ones.

Reality soon catches up to her as her vision blurs and darkness spreads around her sight. The memory is ending, and she will fade to nothingness, with Radegan as her final companion in the fondest memory she has.

No. No. No. Please don't leave me alone...

She begins screaming to him for acknowledgment, but no voice comes out of her mouth. She attempts to move her arms to signal him for an acknowledgment, but her past self remains to hold Radegan's hand. She remains to look through the eyes of her younger self within this fading memory.

The darkness begins to take her vision. No doubt, death will follow. She could not even cry at this moment. Marika soon hears his last words within this memory.

"I would never leave you..." Radegan fades from view completely. She loses him again, for the third time.

Marika breathed out for air with her eyes open. She looks around to see herself back on the platform where she had collapsed from the wound on her abdomen.

She looks down to see it still intact. Her wound closed around the spear in her body's attempt to heal the damage.

Looking forward from her current lying position, she sees the hammer she had been using previously and begins to crawl toward it despite the pain from the spear.

What? How?

She heard Radagon's voice in her mind but did not care to respond as she continued to crawl towards the hammer, intending to finish her task.

Marika finally reaches the hammer. She grabs its handle with her left hand and pushes herself up with the support of the hammer's head. She adjusted the foreign object stuck in her abdomen before walking toward the anvil.

Marika! Stop!

She continues towards the anvil without heeding Radagon's voice.

Please do not do this!

She gets closer despite the spear causing her pain. The wound had reopened due to her movements.

MARIKA! LISTEN TO ME!

She reaches the anvil, placing her right hand on its surface. She looks down upon it.

The Elden Ring will break today. She will ensure it.

Marika raises the hammer above her head and prepares to enact her cardinal sin, for her revenge.

"If I'm going to have a destiny. I should be able to pick. Right?"

A single tear rushes down her cheek from Radegan's words, even in death he had saved her again. She starts reciting a vow in his honor.

"Upon my name... As Marika... The Eternal"

NO! STOP!

"I solemnly swear...."

PLEASE DON'T!

"As long as... I have breath in my body...."

MARIKA! LISTEN TO ME!

"I will... Chose... My... Own..."

DO NOT!

"...Fate."

She brings the hammer down with great force, slamming it directly upon the golden line. One last time.

An explosion occurs on the anvil. Its blast breaks apart Marika's hand and engulfs her in a flash of light that fills the whole space.

The Elden Ring was broken.

And the world will soon follow.

Radegan.... My love...

It was known as The Shattering.

A shockwave engulfs the lands between, emitted by a giant tree in the middle of a golden city.

Its power sweeps through every corner of the land. Winds howl without restraint. Seas beckon waves that reach for the sky. The earth shakes as melted rock bleeds through a volcano.

It was a signal to all who lived in the region that the end had occurred and that chaos would follow.

The demigods, children of Godfrey, Marika, and Radagon, hear it. Each of them prepares their legions and begins making their moves to claim their birthright.

A war of reckoning follows between six armies. One dedicated to each demigod.

One is born of an Omen to die within the depths of his mother's capital. Outcasted by the greater will, But rose to become its the greatest defender.

One is also of an Omen birth and chooses to follow the teachings of the formless mother to achieve a fantasy of his own dynasty. Guided by a unknown force.

One is born as a non-believer, who preferred his gods of knowledge and logic over the teachings of his father's religion. Who vowed to consume the gods with the blessing of a great serpent.

One is born as a dreamer who looked to the feats of the first Elden lord as inspiration to become the strongest of them all. Commanding a thousand stars as his greatest show of strength.

One is born under the glooming light of two moons to a lunar queen and red king. Her fate is written within the movement of the stars, destined to bring forth a new age under the infinite wisdom of the cosmos.

One was born with eternal childhood, With a twin that was cursed to rot from the inside. Who vows to cure her afflictions even if it goes against the golden order. His twin, therefore, became his blade, unmatched and unrivaled in all the lands.

All of them marched to the capital to claim their birthright. Each takes a piece of the Elden Ring for themselves in the midst of battle.

Soon, another legion of warriors would show themselves to challenge the gods and bandish the Elden Ring.

The Tarnished, warriors of old and forsaken resurrected by the gift of grace from the greater will. They came from all corners of the world even from outside the lands between. To struggle and fight for the great runes.

To stand before the Elden Ring and become Elden Lord.

So they struggled, fighting the demigods and soon each other. Living with immortality between life and death from the blessing of grace, the Tarnished died and resurrected by the thousands, soon the hundred thousand, and soon the millions. An endless cycle of death and rebirth within their own timeline.

But none succeeded. Even the closest tarnished warrior to claim the mantle fell victim to madness.

Eventually, some lose sight of grace. Without its guidance, the Tarnished begin to fall, their deaths final.

The struggle for the Elden Ring would last for centuries with no clear victor in sight.

The Outer Gods, Demigods, and Tarnished would all fail in their ambitions. All of them were never meant to win.

All of them were but slaves to causality's grand design.

Until now.

THE VALLEY OF THE FADED

The Chapel of Anticipation was an old structure that welcomed many tarnished into the lands between. Many would embark on their first steps from this building into the lands with a message from a dead maiden, facing their first challenge in the form of a living abomination made from the bodies of men, women, and children.

But that was a long time ago, the chapel has since lost its use. As no new tarnished warrior would appear for the longest period of time. The building would soon lose its form to the elements and the maiden body within it was nothing more than bones at this point.

Beneath the isle that hosts the chapel was a vast red valley with streams of water. Its grounds were dull reddish from dried blood spilled over centuries of conflict that took place within it. The streams were polluted beyond repair, completely red-coloured from blood.

Hundreds of Piles of bodies lay within the valley, Some stacking as high as a small hill. They attract flies, crows, and pests that feast on freshly dead corpses, likely thrown down from above the mountains.

These bodies comprised tarnished warriors, sellswords, mages, bandits, soldiers of a demigod's kingdom, and anyone else unfortunate enough to die a final death in the lands between innocent or not. They were all abandoned here to rot together, for there were no priests and undertakers left to give these dead proper burials.

ARTS BY Kraujas

Among the piles of corpses lay the body of a man chad in medium light armor with a tattered blood-stained grey cape, wearing a closed face helmet with a white wolf pelt on its back. He was a mercenary from outside the lands between that had met with a terrible fate.

He was around the bodies of other warriors that had been part of the band of sellswords hired by an unknown party for a job in Leydell, the region of the capital. That hardly mattered, however, as they were now part of this valley's collection of the dead. To be forgotten and forsaken by all loved ones and friends, left to rot.

Movement came from the man's fingers, indicating a small sign of life for him. The movements were slow and weak as that of a dying man.

Boy, get up.

A small voice echoed in his mind. His movement started getting more lively, like a man waking from slumber.

Get up, boy. No slacking today.

The voice echoes again. He starts moving more. Like a body trying to get up from restraints while tied to the ground.

"Argh... Hmmm... Ah..." He mutters with his eyes closed. Still weak from whatever event got him here.

Boy... This is the last time I will say this!

He starts tossing and turning from his lying position, like a man having a nightmare with no end. His hand clenched and his teeth grinning with great effort. The pain was returning to his body when he woke.

LORDAN! GET THE FUCK UP!

The voice screams in his head. His eyes opened instantly, and he began violently coughing as air returned to his lungs.

Lordan had just returned from death, defying his intended Death.

Reborn Amidst Mud and Blood.

"What... What?! What the fuck?!" He cursed while looking around at his surroundings from his lying position. Lordan's body ached and pained as he began trying to get up. He grunts as he pushes off a body that was pinning his legs.

Master Vagram? He thinks about the voice that resembles the voice of his teacher. The man who taught him the ways of swordcraft and combat. Lordan was always grateful for his teachings before his master left on a quest of great importance. The armor he was currently wearing was a reproduction of Vagram's, and with some modifications, Lordan made himself holster more weapons and be lighter.

He finally stands on his feet, clutching his shoulder while hunched due to a sharp pain. Using his right hand to investigate his back, he felt an arrow tip that was protruding from it.

With one motion, Lordan pulls the arrowhead out from his shoulder. He softly growls in pain from the removal. Looking at the arrow, he sees it as half of the original. Its shaft was most likely broken in his last attempt to remove it.

"Damn... Hope it doesn't fester." He examines the wound from his front and determines that the arrow had caused a severe injury because it did not travel all the way through. The wound would need to be treated soon, or his left arm might become infected and require amputation. He tears off the cape he was wearing to make a makeshift bandage to cover the wound, ignoring its dirty, blood-soaked state.

Lordan moves his left arm around to test its current usability. The pain from each movement is great, and it will not be efficient in combat. He bites through the pain and ignores it for now. He must first find a way out from these hills of corpses.

He starts walking through a cleared path in front of him, careful not to step on bodies in the blood-wet ground beneath him as a form of respect for the dead. While walking, his eyes scan for weapons that he can salvage as Lordan suspects the chances of meeting an enemy among the bodies are high.

Lordan starts picking up anything resembling a weapon from the ground with no luck. He only finds sword hilts without blades, spears without tips, axes without a sharp edge, and half-broken shields. He eventually settles for a half-broken longsword and a blood-caked, rusted parrying shield.

"Beggars can't be choosers, but did you really have to be so fucking meagre about the weapons around here." He says to the sky as if talking to the gods directly. He could use some divine help right now, despite not believing in any of them.

Lordan continues to travel through the corpses, stopping every once in a while to loot bodies for supplies, but he has no luck, as they have been picked clean. Soon, he reaches a gorge with swallow waters that only reach up to his knees. The waters are bloody and filled with floating bodies and parts of bodies. A few piles of dead soon block his path, and he decides to climb them to reach the other side of the gorge.

He makes steady progress with careful movements so as not to slip. While climbing, he starts hearing a noise on the other side that sounds unnatural and monstrous.

Is that chewing? Lordan assesses the sound to be like a person chewing ravenously on meat and bones, but at a more disturbing level due to its unnatural volume. He reaches the top of the corpse hill to see the source. The sight of it makes him sick to the stomach.

It was a creature the size of a giant bear with many heads and arms attached to its mutated body. The arms were human arms, but the heads seemed to be made out of wolves, goats, a bear, and a giant raven head that seemed to be its main one. The creature became more unsightly as Lordan noticed human faces on the surface of it. A few even resembled children. The faces were even moving and moaning, much to Lordan's horror.

The creature was eating a few corpses in front of it, with the raven head, guts, and bits of human organs spilling from the mouth of the raven head as it chewed. The smaller arms were picking up the pieces dropped and feeding it to the human faces, they chew on the meat in agony as if they were forced to eat by the creature's body. It was standing on 4 legs made out of a collection of human arms, all twisted and merged into a bigger limb used as a leg.

Lordan remained on the hill and crouched down to avoid being seen. He looks over the creature to see an opening that it was currently in the way of. The hill of bodies he was currently on formed a round shape that stretches to the other side. He would need to travel along this stretch to reach the other side and drop down quietly without being seen.

Difficult but doable, Vagram's words echo in his mind as he begins moving to the side of the hill. The path was more challenging than he had thought, as bodies do not make for proper flooring.

He continues at the best speed he can move on the hill while keeping the creature in view. It had moved on to a different spot to feed, making it more difficult for Lordan to avoid its sight as it was in the direction towards him.

Lordan continues to make progress with the creature in view. However, this would be a mistake as he steps on a loose piece of a broken that was on the verge of sliding down to the ditch where the creature resides.

"Shit!" He tries to balance himself the best he can but steps on another loose item that cause him to fall forward, sliding down to the hill of corpses and falling into the ditch. His impact causes a loud splash that attracts the creature.

It stops chewing on its meal and turns towards its back, where Lordan landed, a half-eaten body still in its mouth. It growls loudly as it finds a new meal that is more fresh and more appealing.

"Holy Fuck..." Lordan muttered and draws the weapons he had looted earlier to prepare for a fight he may not win. The creature roars, emitting an inhuman scream that is a mix of animals and humans shrieking together.

Grafted Corpse Eater

The Eater charges toward Lordan with its 4 limbs with the raven, bear, and wolf heads in the front while bearing its teeth. Its mouth opens in an attempt to bite him, so he rolls to the side of it, slashing it while coming out of its roll.

Lordan begins to circle around the Eater while slashing, slabbing, and bashing it with any openings he sees. It was difficult to actually land hits as its body on all sides were covered in limbs that block its body, Lordan's broken sword and its length didn't help as well.

He begins severing any limbs that he could reach on the Eater with his broken sword while blocking the grab from the hands with his shield. All while avoiding the view of its main heads by rolling or dodging away every time it turned towards him and attempted a bite with any head that was closer to reaching him.

The Eater and its heads shriek as the constant damage to its grafted hands causes it to bleed excessively. It begins to move its four bigger limbs in a frenzy. One of the limbs hits Lordan, but the impact is softened by the small shield he is blocking with.

Lordan was getting tired from the constant rolls and dodges. The wound on his left shoulder did not help, as it was bleeding again due to his constant movements. He fights through the pain and fatigue and charges the creature in its frenzied state, intending to stab the eyes of the raven head, which grants it sight.

In a surprise, the Eater grabs Lordan with one of its bigger limbs while he is charging and slams him to the ground. It then proceeded to toss him to the side, sending him through a small pile of bodies that were half-eaten and stacked.

Lordan was faced down after landing from the throw. He quickly gets to his feet and sees the Eater jumping at least a few feet above him. He rolled backward but was knocked over again by the impact of the Eater's landing. It then moves towards him by stepping sideways to face him with the side of its body that grafted 5 wolf heads.

The heads of the wolves reach Lordan and begin attacking him. Their jaws bite his hands, legs, and any part that was in reach. He cries in pain as the jaws are biting into his damaged armor, piercing his flesh. He stabs furiously at each of the wolves' heads around their necks and jaws to deter them, but they continue their assault, intending to tear Lordan apart.

He soon gets the better of the heads by bashing each of their jaws with the top of his shield, dislocating each one of its jaws to stop the biting. The Eater backs off from the damage to its heads as he runs to the other side of the Eater.

The Eater moves its raven head in one shift motion to intercept Lordan. It hits him down with the side of its head to knock him back to the ground on his back. The Eater looms over him and grabs Lordan by his arms and legs with its many grafted human limbs while he struggles to escape.

The raven head bites Lordan from his waist while the bear head bites him on his right arm. He screams in agony as he feels his torso and right arm being crushed by the biting force of the heads. His pain was further increased as the bear head manages to break his right forearm from the biting, causing more screams to leave his mouth and his hand to drop the broken sword.

"GAHHH! ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!? BOTH ARMS!?" He shouts in frustration and bashes the eater's raven head in the eye with his shield in his left hand.

The attack causes the Eater pain and it lets Lordan go. He runs away from the Eater to get his bearings back from the attack while it tosses and turns from the damage to its eye.

Lordan begins to experience his head spinning as the pain from his new wounds was overwhelming his body. He drops on a single knee and coughs out blood, Likely from the biting to his torso from the raven's head. He tries all means to return to standing by could not move from his kneeling position.

"Shit... I'm gonna d-die..." he whispers quietly.

Boy. I forbid you to die.

Another one of Vagram's words echoes in Lordan's mind. He shouts with a mix of frustration and pain in his voice and punches his shoulder wound with his broken hand to cause more pain. The adrenaline allows him to get up and charge the Eater, picking up a broken spear that was stabbed to the ground along the way.

Pain was a tool the berserkers of the Northmen used to increase their strength in their final moments to ensure their enemies followed them to death. He learned that through personal training when Vagram took him on his first job when he was just fourteen years of age in the Northern part of the known world, far from the lands between.

With the momentum of running, he charges the spear straight through the opened mouth of the Eater's raven head, sending the sharp wooden end through the Eater's body. It shrieks from the damage with its other head, its limbs trying to reach to grab the spear lounged in the raven's mouth.

It's not enough! Lordan thinks and moves towards the mouth of the raven's head with great speed. He reaches inside of its opened mouth and grabs something he can only assume is its tongue.

He pulls hard with his left arm, a single leg pushing against the raven head beak as leverage. He feels it coming undone but not fast enough, so he reaches out with his broken hand as well ignoring the pain while using it.

He arches back with both hands, grabbing the tongue to use his body weight for more strength. The Eater tried to grab Lordan but failed to reach him as its limbs and heads were confused between removing the spear and removing Lordan.

The tongue comes loose with one hard tug. Lordan rips the Eater's tongue out and falls back from the motion. Blood spills uncontrollably from the raven's mouth, and the Eater and its many heads shriek in great pain.

Its movements become erratic and start to slow due to the never-ending blood spilling from its raven mouth. It falls over to the wet ground and starts crawling towards Lordan to kill him in its dying rage.

"You first... Ugly fuck..." Lordan spits and remarks while tossing the tongue aside to watch the Eater crawl towards him. It never reached him as the last of its blood was choked out from the mouth of the raven's head.

The Eater dies from losing all its stolen blood, denied its final meal.

ENEMY FELLED

White particles spew out from the Eater's body and move toward Lordan. They seem to go towards him and disappear upon impact. He felt a strange sense of power he could not describe like the hidden potential that belonged to the Eater was now his.

The particles fade out completely and leave Lordan alone in front of the eater's body. He looks to the right to see the opening to the other side of the gouge. He was now free to go, having survived the encounter.

Reality had different plans, however, as the pain from his wounds started to cripple him from moving. In his lying spot, he attempts to get up slowly but tumbles from the effort, the pain too great to handle.

Great... Guess it's my turn, huh? He thought to himself as he attempted to stand again. He succeeds by using the last bit of adrenaline left from the fighting.

Lordan moves past the Eater's body towards the opening of the gouge. Along the way, Lordan delivers kicks to the Eater's body as a final insult despite his injured state. He picks up the broken sword he dropped earlier near the opening's entrance and begins to leave the hills of corpses.

He continues moving while suffering blood loss from his wounds inflicted by the Eater, each step more agonizing than the last. He uses the gouge's walls to support himself and keeps moving forward.

He reaches the end of the gouge, where the entrance of a great cave is. In front of the cave, there is a large shallow pool of crystal clear water, much to Lordan's disbelief, as if it was never polluted by the Valley's rivers of blood.

Lordan kneels in front of the pool and removes his helmet to see his reflection. He washes with the pool water to clear his face from the sweat and blood earlier so that he could see clearly.

His facial features were slightly rough and masculine, with a hint of softness. Small scars were on his nose, mouth, and cheeks. His eyes were a dull golden brown, gloomy and dark but with a small gold shine to them. He had a small hint of a Feminine look. Most girls he met used to call him 'Pretty' despite time making his face rough and hardened.

He was a bit taller than the average man and was built with a soldier's body due to training with Vagram since childhood. His hair was dark bronde with a ponytail on the back of his head. He had a small beard growing that hints at his age of twenty and five years old.

Lordan soon scooped up water from the pool to drink. The taste was refreshing and cool, much needed after the fight.

He begins to feel tired and dizzy as he realizes that he has lost too much blood from his new wounds. He soon realized that he was not going to make it, despite all the efforts to push on and survive.

He started losing consciousness and fell into the pool, which was deep enough for him to float on its surface. He helplessly allowed the pool's miniature current to push him into the cave.

...I had a good run, I guess.

Lordan thinks to himself as he accepts the incoming death that awaits. He reaches the edge and was pushed off slowly. He feels himself float in the air, drops of water on his face. He faints completely before reaching the bottom of the cave's pool.

Lordan washed up on a shoreline within the cave. He was slipping in and out of consciousness in an area with a stairway and a golden tree in front of him, a man-made part of the cave.

He was still alive but barely. His wounds were still untreated, and he could not awake from his injured state. He will still not survive in this current state.

A horse's hoof made a small impact on the shoreline near his hand. The horse bents down to stiff him, revealing itself to have horns and ears that belong to a goat.

On the back of the gorse, a woman dressed in traveling attire sits sideways. She strokes the gorse's mane with affection.

"Don't worry, Torrent. Fortune is on his side."

A female voice speaks loud enough for Lordan to hear in his sad state. He attempts to look up but fails.

"We found him here, after all. Just as intended."

She continues, stepping off the gorse to the shallow water near Lordan's shore. He looks up again to see the woman with her hood on, covering her full face but not her eyes.

Gold and Blue... He thought to himself about the eyes of the woman before him. He loses consciousness and is out cold from exhaustion.

The woman kneels down to him and flips him over to lie on his back. She lifted up his head and placed it against her knees. She takes a red potion from a bag on her side and feeds him the liquid within it.

Lordan's wounds begin to heal completely without scarring. The process wakes him up again to see her looking down at him fully, her face in full view.

An angel? He thinks about the face of the woman staring down at him.

"He is sure to seek the Elden Ring, as his kind did."

"He will succeed where they failed."

He begins fainting again, the pain from his wounds subsided, but his fatigue levels catch him. He will need to rest for the long journey of struggle that lies ahead.

"Even if it does violate the golden order..."

THE GODLESS AGE

ARC I

A WOLF FROM MUD AND BLOOD

2000 YEARS BEFORE THE SHATTERING

"Allow me to turn your runes into strength."

A blonde woman says while offering her hand to a man dressed in Medium armor opposite her. Both of them are sitting in front of a small simmer of light known as a site of grace. It is within a clearing of a forest during the night sky. The moon light the surroundings with a blue and cool hue.

"Fine. But make it quick," he replies dismissively, as if not keen on the idea. He reaches out to her and places his hand beneath hers. She gently takes hold of it and begins the process.

"O, Worthy struggler. Share with me your thoughts. Your hopes and dreams. The ideals that drive you to continue the path of enlightenment through great struggle..." She recites her vows with her eyes closed while a golden light emits from their hands, which are currently held together.

He doesn't understand the words or their significance. He closes his eyes to think of the aspects of himself he wants to improve. He wishes to be stronger, faster, quicker, and more resilient.

Once he chooses his aspects to improve, a small flash of light emits from their hands. He feels the power of his runes flowing within him and its effects, permanently enforcing his willpower and strength.

They let go of each other and settled back to their spots. He stood, took the claymore that was placed on his side, and moved a safe distance away from the woman near the site.

She observes from a safe distance as he goes into a battle stance to perform several wild strikes and stabs with the claymore around the clearing, his movements were more concentrated and powerful than last.

He is already strong enough. Why does he still focus on raw strength? She wonders to herself about his choice of aspects to improve, once again choosing to improve several aspects that aided him in close combat.

Perhaps I should introduce him to incantations? There are several spells that could benefit him in battle. She thought of two incantations that could aid him in fights but disregarded them immediately when she remembered that he was lacking in the faith to perform such spells.

He performs a final strike upwards to the air with a technique that was meant to hurt giants. "Not bad, Maiden. The sword feels lighter now." He remarks as he stops practicing with the claymore. A single drop of sweat flows down from his head before he wipes it off with his hand.

"How does the power of runes benefit you so far? Does it help in our journey?" The maiden enquires as he slowly walks back close to her with his claymore resting on his shoulder. He takes a sit in the same spot he had previously occupied.

"It's fine, I guess... Usually, I train myself to gain strength. This just speeds up the process, considering that I only need to kill things to gain runes." He explained while putting the claymore into the ground by stabbing it against the dirt.

"Then you believe it? The power of the greater will and what it bestows on its followers?" She asks curiously to know if the recent events have changed his perspective.

"No."

She receives the same answer from him as she did for the whole duration of their journey together thus far. It annoyed her greatly that she depended on a heretic to complete her trip to the golden capital between the lands. His lack of faith in any gods or higher powers seems to go against all of the teachings she learned during her younger years in her homeland of Numen.

"Then why do you continue to escort me? you could have le-"

"Because they paid me in advance to finish this job. We all were paid first before the attack." He mentions the attack that took place about a week ago that resulted in the deaths of all members of the caravan hired to bring her safely to the capital.

The caravan was arranged by the Golden Order's churches to transport her in secret. It was disgusted as a supply transport with a hundred men dressed as mercenaries and merchants. Some actual swordsmen were hired to keep up the ruse and bolster the caravan's numbers. The man with her now was among those hired for this trip.

It didn't work, though. They were attacked by a faction of soldiers loyal to another religion that stands against the greater will. The attack wiped out the force and sellswords that escorted her, leaving only him as the sole survivor.

He single-handedly fought off the remaining hundred men's strong enemy force to defend her, but not a single one of their attackers survived that day when they engaged him. Most of them were cut down and slain by his claymore despite outnumbering him 100 to 1.

The fight left him injured beyond the requirements of normal healing and on the verge of death as he laid down on the trunk of a tree. It was then that she decided to grant him the gift of grace. It healed him back to his original health and prevented death from claiming him, allowing him a chance to relive again.

"This is the last fucking time I take an 'easy job,' damn priest." He muttered under his breath after the maiden recounted the incident in her mind. Part of her feels guilty for putting him into the situation in the first place.

"I'm sorry. I'm being a nuisance, aren't I?"

"It's not your fault," he replies, sighing as he tries to calm himself. There was no point in blaming her for his troubles; he took the gold after all despite the red flags that he knew from the start.

An awkward silence lasted between them before the maiden asked a question. "Then why did you stay, if I may inquire?" She was curious about why he truly stayed around to protect her even when the danger following her was great. She could defend herself easily with incantations, and her rapier and dagger were blessed with holy enhancement despite her weak appearance as a 17-year-old young adult woman who caught most of her opponents off guard.

"We... no, you are being followed constantly by whatever forces the enemy can muster. At first, it was easy with only one group, but now, is it? We got like six groups of people trying to kill us?" He shrugged as they were attacked by multiple smaller groups of enemies within the last few days. Each group belonged to another religion or cult that was in direct conflict with the golden order.

"And the worse part is they all now think I'm involved. So, I might as well finish the job and make sure you aren't dead along the way." He finishes his sentence.

"Some of them are trying to capture me alive. What happens when they succeed?"

He paused a reply to her question to consider giving a hard truth or a comfortable lie, he settles for the latter.

"They will hurt you real bad. That is if they don't rape you or sell you first." He answers without a hint of emotion in those words as he knows fully well what evil men do to women and children as spoils of war.

The answer causes the maiden to display a hint of dismay on her face. The idea of each scenario plays out in her mind, creating fear within her. She promises herself that such outcomes will never be, for she would rather be dead than suffer those fates.

"Don't worry, we are safe for now... get some sleep." He stands up from his position with the claymore again. "I'm taking the night watch."

"Again? but you haven't slept for the past four days." The maiden says, worrying about his health. Grace would keep him alive from death, but it would not make him invincible.

"I'm not sleeping until we get to a town, castle, city, village, or someplace with people that aren't trying to kill us every second. Besides, the red juice is keeping me awake." He takes a red flask in hand to gesture it as his source of awakeness. Even if it was not the intended purpose.

"But I can keep watch as well. As Numen, I don't need sleep. I can take over for ton-"

"Then rest. Pray, eat, read, fondle, or something. Just relax until morning. We still have months of walking to do with enemies among us." He walks in front of her, his height towering over her.

She looked up at his face and saw gloom and dark eyes staring down at her. He placed a hand on her shoulder to ease her worries. "If anything happens or if you see anyone, shout out loud, okay?"

He walks away from her with his back turned away. "Or maybe throw a lighting spear in their face, might make them shit themselves. Killed by a maiden." he remakes, knowingly that she was actually quite deathly with the use of incantations.

He moves away from her as she looks on. A thought comes to her mind to try and get him to open up to her more. They had not introduced themselves yet yet and did not know each other's names. She decides to take the first step.

"Wait."

Her call causes him to stop and look back at her with a neutral expression.

"Marika. My name is Marika."

He does not respond for a few seconds as his face softens his usual hard expression.

"I'm Rags."

Rags replied and walked away from the site of grace. He settled for a spot within her view and sat down, leaning his sword against a rock while looking out in the distance.

Marika looks at him a few moments before returning to the grace before her. She decides to follow Rags's advice to relax. She takes out a small prayer book and recites its lines.

She says a small prayer for her and her people's safety. She also includes Rags in her prayer, grateful for his protection and kindness despite his rough exterior.

She thinks of his dark and gloomy brown eyes within her prayer, sensing pain and hurt behind them.

"Oh, Greater Will, provide this man salvation and protection from all his challenges. May he be given a place by your side and mine, for that is what he deserves in this cruel and beautiful world."

FIN

Chapter Text

WARNING

EXPLICIT CONTENT AHEAD (NSFW)

SCROLL BELOW ONLY IF YOU ARE FINE WITH NUDITY, SEXUAL ARTS, ETC

ARC I:

CHAPTER 1:

THORN IN THY SIGHT

Cold.

That was all Lordan could feel for the longest time in what felt like hours or days. His body was still on the ground from exhaustion.

Cold... and wet? He thinks again. A new sensation of water hits the side of his face, his helmet getting more soaked in the process. This triggers his awakening

He begins the process of moving by attempting to move his fingers. Then he followed with his arms to push himself up. He succeeds, without a hint of pain from his injuries, to his surprise.

"I'm alive... I'm alive..." He says to himself, a hint of reliving within the tone of his voice as he slowly gets on his feet to check his injuries.

Lordan looks down at his body to all the points of injury that he sustained during his encounter with the Eater. He felt the wounds with his hands to find that all of them had been healed, not a single scar from them aside from his usual ones still present.

He then tried some movements of his arms and legs; both were freed from soreness and seemed healthy. His thoughts were interrupted when his hand bumped into flasks attached to the side of his belt due to him testing his healed arms.

Strange... I never had these items before. He took both flasks to examine them to be of red and blue colored liquid. A small note was attached to the base of each flask to indicate its use and name, Crimson Tears and Cerulean Tears.

Red to heal and blue to focus? He thinks to himself based on the detailed description written on the note. It also mentions the usage of seeds and tears to improve its use, a mental note he makes to himself to find these items if possible.

He sees a stairway leading out of the cave he currently resides in with a glowing tree on its side. He approaches the tree to find a Golden Seed on its base that seems to match the description of the seeds required by flasks to increase its capacity.

After keeping the seed in one of his pouches on his belt, he approaches the stairway but stops upon reaching the entryway to the exit due to a thought that came up to his mind.

Now what? He realized he didn't have a plan on how to proceed. He thinks of the current situation and how he got here.

An unknown party hired him as a freelance mercenary and other mercenaries to travel to this region for a battle. The details were pretty vague from the start, where and when the fight would take place against who was missing from the dossier given to him. It only said that he would be paid generously, and the party had specifically picked him for this job.

Lordan had never been to the lands between. He had often heard tales of living gods and mystical creatures that roam this land under the guidance of an old religion in the middle regions of the known world. Not that he cared, the idea of gods had always seemed like nonsense to him. The Lands Between was considered a myth, with only a few people accounting for the evidence that all the rumors of the lands were true.

But now here he is, the very lands he seems to downplay as fantasy decided to give him a reality check by introducing him to a nightmare-based monster the moment he wakes up from a coma among piles of dead bodies.

But how did he even end up there in the valley? He tries to recall. With only vague recollections, he remembers an attack from a band of black-cloaked horse riders against him and the group he traveled with.

Honestly, he should have just stayed in Verdite in the far west. It was peaceful there and with plenty of jobs from monster hunting to bandit bounties under the new kingdom that was formed.

Forget it. Worry later, act now. He continues going up the exit of the cave. He passes a catacomb and a light that floats just above the ground along the way. He reaches out to it and feels a warm sense of comfort from its glow, unaware of what that action causes.

Lordan continues to exit the catacomb by taking an elevator that brings him up to the surface. He encounters a door after reaching the top and pushes it open to reveal the surface. Sunlight greets his eyes, causing him to cover them.

LIMGRAVE, THE FIRST STEP

The sight in front of him was lush green and bright. He sees a cliff's edge right in front of him, one of those floating lights was near a man wearing a white human-faced mask. Over the ridge was a field leading to woods and hills to the north. A church was on the path to the woods, abandoned and half destroyed.

On the horizon, he sees a golden lighted tree of great height, its size and scale reaching for the heavens above. A truly godly view.

Lordan approaches the floating light that was near the cliff's edge. He reaches his hand out and feels the warm sensation again, still unclear of its purpose.

"You there. come here a moment would you." A voice calls to Lordan. He turns to the white-masked man, gesturing for him to come over for conversion.

Moving to the man, Lordan notices his attire as that of a war surgeon. Neutral healers that were sent to scout battlefields after the fighting has been completed. Their main purpose was simply to save those that can be saved or to mercy kill any left alive but beyond saving, usually the latter happens.

"Can I help you?" Lordan asks, his right hand hovered near the broken sword holstered on his in case of trouble.

"Oh yes... Tarnished, are we? Hmmm... been a while since I've seen one of your kind coming from that tomb." He looks at Lordan from top to bottom to assess his appearance. "Come to the Lands Between for the Elden Ring, Yes?"

"The what? What do you mean by Tarnished?" Lordan asks, clearly confused by the man's description of him and the mention of finding a ring.

"Of course you have. No shame in it... Denial is a smart move. Considering that we just met." The surgeon continues with small chuckles along with his words. "Unfortunately for you, however, you are maidenless."

"Seriously, what are you on about?" Lordan asked the white mask man again, clearly annoyed by his confusing words.

"I speak of your current state of course. Without guidance, without the strength of runes, and without an invitation to the Roundtable Hold... You are fated, it seems, to die in obscurity." He finishes with a smug tone to his voice.

"Listen, you better start speaking sense you fool. Why are you calling me Tarnished and what is that light on the ground for?" Lordan points to the ground behind where the light was located. He moved closer to the surgeon to pressure him but he displayed no reaction to the action and merely laughs it off.

"A fierce one are you? Luckily for you, I am a patient man and the one shining ray of hope for even the maidenless. " He laughs again with the statement. "I am Varré. Take care to listen."

"The light you see is grace. A golden light that gives life to you Tarnished." He points to the light known as grace. "You may also behold its golden rays pointing in a particular direction at times. That is the guidance of grace. The path that a Tarnished must travel." He continues, leading Lordan to look back to the site to notice swirls of light that point north.

"Mm, indeed. Grace's guidance holds the answers. It will lead you Tarnished to the path you are meant to follow. Even if it leads you to your grave." Varre's words continue to antagonize Lordan; he considers leaving before he gives in to the urge to punch him.

"Grace's guidance will most certainly reveal the path forward. To Castle Stormveil, over on the cliff. The home of the decrepit demigod, Godrick the Grafted." Varre points northwards to a castle over the horizon that sits on a cliff.

"It's time you set off, I should think. To Castle Stormveil, on the cliff, where grace would guide you. If you seek the Elden Ring, maidenless as you are." He finishes as his fingers gesture Lordan away.

"You still haven't explained why you called me Tarnished." Lordan presses Varre for an answer. Determine to understand this term.

"A bit slow, are you? Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. A Tarnished is a warrior who has returned from death to claim the Elden Ring. The power of the Gods themselves." Varre explains the term to Lordan. "With the Elden Ring, one can dictate the very fate of the lands and possibly the world. Your kind is its last resort to fix what has been broken or die in an unending curse should you fail."

Lordan has had enough. Clearly, this man was speaking in circles and not providing him with practical answers to his problems. He will follow his advice and go to Stormveil Castle to find out what is going on and whether he can find a ship out of the lands between. "Alright... I'm leaving. Any more words of wisdom before I go?" Lordan asked with an annoyed voice.

"Clearly you are not in the mood for conversion. So I suggest we speak again once you learned some manners." Varre speaks to Lordan as if uncaring to the hostile tone. "If not, feel free to go off and die in a ditch somewhere."

Lordan turns away and walks out, heading to the church below the cliffs near the woods entrance as he sees smoke coming out of it, indicating a campsite within the church's ruins. He utters a word to Varre as a parting gift.

"Cunt."

"What was that?"

"You heard me." Lordan continues walking down the cliff with a smirk on his mouth. Satisfied that the insult went over Varre's head. He walks through the field, passing some staked-up bodies, and nears the church's entrance.

LIMGRAVE, CHURCH OF ELLEH

Lordan enters the half-destroyed church to discover a man sitting in front of a campfire. He holds an instrument in his hands and relaxes to the warm aura of the flames. Behind him, a mule stands stabled to the ground, its saddlebags holding items and supplies.

Lordan approaches the man slowly, hoping he wasn't an enemy or a fool like Varre was. The man notices Lordan and tenses up, looking for any intention of attack. Once Lordan stands closer to the man without making a move he sighs in relief and speaks.

"You are a Tarnished, I can see it. And I can also see... That you're not after my throat. I am Kale, Purveyor of fine goods." He offers a hand to shake.

"I'm Lordan." Lordan takes the offer of friendship with a handshake.

"Are you in need of some supplies? I offer weapons, tools, herbs, and apparel for your travels." He makes an offer to Lordan, putting some items out on display on a nearby mat.

Lordan checks his pockets and pouches on his armor for any form of payment with no luck. He had packed all his items and gold on a horse he was provided that was now probably lost or dead in the valley he came from.

"Sorry. Got no gold on me. Maybe we can trade for something else?" He suggests thinking about the golden seed he picked up earlier as an offering.

"Gold? You must be new here. The currency used around these lands at the moment is runes."

"Runes? What's that?" Lordan asked, confused about the form of payment.

"Runes. The essence of life that forms living things, you gain runes by killing creatures and opponents in these lands. And based on what I see, you currently have a lot on you." Kale mentions to Lordan.

"A lot on me? Where?" He looks around and checks himself for the runes that Kale mentioned.

"It is not something you can see but only feel within your mind. You killed something big recently, did you? Did you feel a rush of power after that?" Kale asked.

Lordan remembers the fight with the Eater that resulted in its dead body emitting white particles. Perhaps those are the runes that Kale is speaking of. "Alright then, how many runes do I have on me now?"

"You could check for yourself; simply think about it, and the answer will echo in your mind." Kale suggests a method to find Lordan's answer.

Lordan frowns as the suggestion perplexes him. Think about the runes for the amount? Is this a joke? He rolled his eyes and tried the method, not hoping for an answer. His own voice echoes back to him with a number.

20000 Runes

He opens his eyes in a mild shock as he hears the number. Kale's suggestion had worked. If 20000 runes were equivalent in value to gold, he could purchase enough supplies to last for a few months, if he could carry it all, of course.

"Alright, I'm going to need some weapons. A shortsword, medium shield, a few daggers as a backup, and a bow with some arrows." Lordan makes known his request to Kale. The merchant nods and reaches for his mule's saddlebags to pull out items that he requested from a single opening.

Lordan is a bit confused by Kale's action as the weapons do not fit the size of the saddlebag on Kale's mule. He decides not to question it and takes the items he purchased, examining the blades and bow for their usability. They were of decent quantity, not great nor terrible, but entirely usable. "These are fine weapons." Lordan complements Kale.

"Glad you think so. May I also recommend the crafting kit? It allows you to make basic items on your own. Essential, really, if you intend to survive out here for any duration." Kale recommends bringing out the kit to show Lordan. "The kit costs a bundle, and I admit I take my cut. But the important thing is that you survive. Every customer counts, after all."

"Sure, why not?" He accepts the recommended kit, as it would be helpful to create improvised items for use.

"Good, now let's shake hands to exchange the runes." Kale offers his hand to Lordan, who then grabs it with his own. He feels a rush of power leaving his body with the exact amount of runes he was to give Kale.

They release their hands, and Kale takes out something new from his saddlebag. "Oh, some small parting gifts for your journey. Free of charge." He passes Lordan four bags that can be attached to his waist, back, and thighs.

"They are enchanted with magic. The smallest one allows you to store quick-use items. The two medium-sized bags can store three weapons each for quick access. And the largest one allows you to store an indefinite amount of items, provided that it can be carried by hand." Kale explains.

"Really? Then how do I get the item I need if there is an indefinite amount of things inside?"

"Good question. And I'm happy to say it's been solved. Just reach in the opening with your hand while thinking of the item you want. You should be able to retrieve it with no issues." Kale demonstrates to Lordan by reaching into his saddlebag and pulling out a longsword that does not physically fit the bag's size.

Deciding to trust Kale due to his help with the usage of runes, Lordan takes the largest bag and starts lowering his shortsword into the opening. The sword slowly goes inside the bag and he checks the opening to realize that he visually cannot see the sword he just stored, the underside of the bag also remains unbroken.

He reaches into the bag's opening, thinking of the shortsword. To his surprise, he manages to grab the sword's hilt and pulls it out, the blade completely unaltered and in its original state.

"Amazing..." He exclaimed with a tone of wonder. He was now able to store tons of items for usage without being bothered by the weight or space taken with these bags. The medium-sized ones will also be useful for six weapons that he needs at any time.

"Yes, useful storage space for us travelers who need more items on the go. But remember the rule of "It can be held by hand." Don't expect to store a living horse in there." Kale continues to pack the items on his mat for the show, putting more items out for display. "Anything else?"

Lordan considers the items he could purchase now with the enchanted storage bags and runes he currently has. While doing that, he notices an anvil behind him with a full smiting kit for use. An idea turns up in his head as he looks down at his currently broken armor set.

"Got any salvaged armor parts I could buy?"

Kale smiles behind his facemask, indicating that he has exactly what Lordan needs. "Plenty. You might be my best customer in a long time."

Lordan adjusts the new bags he was given for his armor set. The two medium bags are strapped to his thighs for weapons used on his left and right hands. The smallest one is on his right waist for quick items such as the flasks. The largest one is on his lower back for the rest of the items to store.

He had used the anvil to make improvised repairs to his armor with the parts Kale had sold him. It would need to be taken as an actual smith to be properly mended and reinforced from its current state, but it will have to do for now.

After making the repairs Lordan brought some additional items from Kale in the form of throwing knives, firebombs, and a blade whetstone before leaving the church. He bids farewell to Kale and proceeds to the woods ahead.

Along the way, he observes siege equipment and defensive setups by a local army. The army's soldiers had the colors green and orange, their banner depicts the distant Erdtree and the beast regent, an emblem of the golden lineage. Most of them attack Lordan on sight but were quickly dispatched by him with not much resistance.

He continues along the main route while scanning around for more danger. A faint galloping noise can be heard behind that was getting louder with each second.

The noise becomes louder to indicate the source was closing in fast. Lordan turns around to see a horse that was three times bigger than the average one with a rider that held a halberd and greatshield charging towards him, both were chad in golden armor and spotting the symbol of the sacred Erdtree.

He dodges the charging horse and the rider who swings his weapon upwards along the way. Both of them face each other with a battle stance, Indicating a fight that is to take place.

Tree Sentinel

"Really!? Now of all times!?" He grunts in frustration as he was now going to have to fight another battle with another great opponent, this one more dangerous than the last one due to it being an actual fighter on horseback. And he just got started with his new journey.

"Fine! Let's dance you big bastard!" He charges the sentinel on foot with sword and shield in hand. The sentinel charges as well with his horse and halberd dragging across the ground.

The Sentinel swings his weapon upwards to deliver an upper slash that Lordan easily dodges. Lordan then delivers a thrusting attack with his sword that the sentinel blocks with his shield, causing Lordan to finch as the sword bounces back from the attack.

The Sentinel's horse then attempts to stamp Lordan with its hooves but he sidesteps in time to avoid it and delivers three slashes to the horse. It neighs in pain and performs a jump backward to stop Lordan's attack.

The Sentinel charges again, performing wild strikes with his halberd to attack Lordan. Most of the attacks from the sentinel were either blocked or dodged by Lordan as it had a lag time that he could read.

Their exchange of blows continues, with the sentinel delivering many hits that miss and Lordan not being able to land many hits as the sentinel and his horse would use their speed to their advantage. Each time Lordan closes the distance to attack they would open it to avoid him.

Can't hit them. Not at this rate or speed. He notes his disadvantage of being on foot and decides to switch to a bow. Firing arrows that miss and find their mark on the sentinel and his horse despite being armored.

The Sentinel becomes more aggressive as realized Lordan was now capable of hurting them even while on horseback. He charges again with more speed and his halberd dragging across the ground. Lordan times his dodge again and avoids the horse but the sentinel predicted it and swings his halberd up after Lordan moves to the side.

"Shit!" The move surprises him as he was hit hard, causing him to stagger. The Sentinel's horse then delivers a swift kick with its back legs to Lordan's chest, Knocking him over a small distance.

Lordan feels the pain in his ribs as if it was just broken again. He dodges another charge with a roll to his feet and takes out his red flask for a sip. When he downs the substance within it and the feeling of pain in his body subsides, indicating its effectiveness. Lordan takes out his sword and shield while keeping the bow to switch strategies.

With renewed vigor, he doges the next attack and delivers a thrust after the dodge that hits the sentinel in an exposed part of his armor to hurt him. The sentinel cries in pain and retreats again to a distance.

Lordan pursues him unrelentlessly to keep up the pressure. He lets out a battle cry as he sprints faster to perform a jump attack in order to hit the Sentinel on his horse. He raises his sword during his time midair intending to perform a slash downwards.

The horse swiftly turns its armored head to slam Lordan while he was in the air. He falls back and gets up quickly only to be knocked down again with another kick for its back legs. The Sentinel quickly creates more distance by riding away from Lordan once again for his next charge

The second slam on the ground had caused a strain in Lordan's left hand and he feels his grip on his shield failing due to a sharp pain. He attempts another sip from his red flask but was interrupted after he fails to notice the charging Sentinel's next upwards slash.

The hit sends him upwards into the air due to its strong force from the speed and momentum of charging, making Lordan's body flip two times before landing again.

He attempts to get up but feels a sharp pain in his right foot while trying. He sees that his foot has been bent out of place and quickly tries to take a sip from his flask to heal it but it accidentally slips from his hand due to his quick and panicked movements.

The Sentinel charges with his horse again while Lordan was on the ground with an even greater speed, intending to end the fight. The sound of stamping grows greater and more violent as he moves to Lordan.

Lordan attempts to crawl to the flask with his broken foot while clenching his teeth, the foot causing pain with each minor movement. He reaches the flask but looks up to see the Sentinel's horse upon him, his fate was sealed.

"Oh... for fuck sa-" He could not finish his sentence as the horse trambled violently over him, breaking the majority of the bones in his body that allows him to move. He screams in pain from his injuries and starts feeling weak, the pain numbed his body to the point of no return.

The Sentinel dismounts from his steed and moves towards Lordan's broken body with his halberd in hand. He flips the halberd and uses its pointed spear downward by delivering a thrust to Lordan's neck. Blood gushes out as the Sentinel removes the spear, a final act of mercy and insult.

Lordan helplessly chokes on his own blood and begins losing consciousness. He coughs a final time with blood spilling from his mouth before going limp, dying from this encounter.

DEATH

LIMGRAVE, THE FIRST STEP

Cold.

That was what Lordan felt again as darkness surrounded his vision. He opens his eyes and gasps for air while clutching his throat, which had just been cut open from the tip of a halberd.

He breathes hard with sweat dripping down his head as he recounts the death he experienced at the hands of the Sentinel. It felt real and painful... He thought to himself as he came to his senses and looked around. He was at the site of grace near the tomb from which he came to the surface.

Wait... What? He was confused about why he woke up sitting around the site of grace at the first step of his journey, with all of his equipment and items he brought from Kale intact. Just a dream then? He thinks as an explanation for why he woke up here after experiencing a violent death.

"You there. Come here a moment, would you?" a voice calls to Lordan. He turns to see Varre, gesturing for him to come over for conversion as before.

"You again? what do you want?" Lordan asks impatiently.

"Oh yes... Tarnished, are we? Hmmm... been a while since I've seen one of your kind coming from that tomb." He looks at Lordan from top to bottom to assess his appearance. "Come to the Lands Between for the Elden Ring, Yes?"

"But you said that already..." Lordan finds Varre repeating the same words from when they first met.

"Of course you have. No shame in it..." Varre continues with small chuckles and his words. "Unfortunately for you, however, you are maidenless."

Really? Do I have to hear this fool again?

"Without guidance, without the strength of runes, and without an invitation to the Roundtable Hold... You are fated, it seems, to die in obscurity." Varre continues his words with small chuckles in between. "Luckily for you, however, there is one shining ray of hope for even the maidenless. Me. Varré. Take care to lis-"

"Enough out of you. I'm leaving." Lordan refuses to let Varre finish his words and starts to walk away, leaving him flabbergasted by the rudeness.

"What? Wait, where do you think you ar-"

"Going? Away from you arrogant prick. Besides... where are YOUR Maidens?" Lordan turns around pointing his finger at Varre while delivering his aggressive question. "Cunt." He delivers his insult again before moving down the hill.

Varre watches with his mouth left hanging open from the exchange. Clearly not expecting to be outtalked by a maidenless Tarnished.

"What. A. Runt." He speaks slowly with anger in his tone.

LIMGRAVE, GATEFRONT

He met Kale again at the church, and Kale believed he was a customer he had met long ago but had forgotten due to the enchanted bags he was wearing on him. Kale completely forgot about their previous conversion and business, which left Lordan more confused.

He purchases more items from Kale before continuing through the woods he was previously at, avoiding the main path due to not wanting to reencounter the Tree Sentinel. The Sentinel passes him peacefully as he did not notice Lordan crouching in the bushes.

Along the way, Lordan sees a small patch of golden transparent reeds near the spot where he died recently. He reaches to touch them, and they disappear. Golden orbs float into his body as he feels his runes returning.

He reaches another site of grace near a stone gate that leads upwards to Stormveil Castle. Near the site was a temporary patrol encampment made by the soldiers he encounter earlier. They attacked him on sight but he manages to take down the entire encampment with some time and careful maneuvers to isolate the soldiers into smaller groups for him to handle. It took a while, especially with the full-plated knights. He sits at the site of grace until nightfall to rest.

"So the path leads here and in the south is another castle at weeping peninsula..." Lordan mutters to himself while reading a map that he found at a pedestal nearby the encampment. The map was a magical visual layout of the entire region with some parts missing color and names of locations, markers on the map indicate more map parts to find. It also came with a compass that shows the time of day on a circular painting that moves.

"Stormveil is the priority. But it couldn't hurt to explore east..." The map was missing the eastern portion of Limgrave. He looks at the map with great focus but soon felt a strange presence around him.

He was then interrupted by a woman that appears out of thin air with a blue hue around her. She was wearing a traveler's attire with a coat and hood that covered her face as the blue hue around her starts to fade.

"Greetings." She speaks out with a soft voice. "Struggler who defied death. I Am Melina."

She moves closer to Lordan as he tenses, with his hands ready to draw weapons from his enchanted bags. Not knowing if she is another enemy to face, he's had enough surprises for one day.

"Please... calm down. I am not here to harm nor trick you." Melina reassures Lordan by raising her hands to show herself not holding any weapons, a small dagger was holstered on at her belt for her own safety.

Lordan calms himself and slowly lowers his hands from his weapon bags. He places them to the side and introduces himself. "I'm Lordan."

She nods in acknowledgment of his name with a hint of familiarity. Melina moves closer to the site of grace while keeping a respectable distance from Lordan's seated spot.

She kneels down to a resting position and slowly removes her hood, revealing her face and reddish-brown hair that was of medium length.

She's pretty... Lordan thinks to himself while observing her face, comparing her looks to other women he had met before. Her left eye was closed and tattooed with a symbol that looked similar to a crow's claw. Have I seen her before?

"I offer you an accord." Melina speaks to him with a proposal. "Have you heard of the finger maidens? They serve the Two Fingers, offering guidance and aid to the Tarnished."

"Nope. I'm really new to this whole Tarnished thing..." He confessed, not knowing much about his title of tarnished and the two fingers that Melina mentioned. He was truly lost on the purpose that had been forced on him.

"All Tarnished are to be guided by a finger maiden on their quest for the Elden Ring." She pauses mid-sentence with hesitation before continuing. "But you, I am afraid, are maidenless."

Lordan sighs, having heard these words before from another man that irritates him to no end. "Why does everyone keep telling me that?" he wonders to himself as the latest person to tell him that is a woman that he finds attractive. It is like being teased by his fellow warriors again for being the only one without a woman to keep around.

"I can play the role of maiden. Turning rune fragments into strength. To aid you in your search for the Elden Ring." The offer catches Lordan's attention, causing him to sit straighter and listen. "You need only take me with you. To the foot of the Erdtree."

"The foot of the Erdtree? You mean that big glowing tree in the north?" Melina nods at his assumption. "Sorry... but I'm not really going that way. I'm heading to Stormveil Castle to seek a way out of this region. Maybe by a ship if possible." He answers honestly, not being interested in the quest a Tarnished has to complete.

"I understand that. But escape from the lands between is impossible at this time. There are... Measures in place to ensure that nothing leaves the region." She explains the situation further. "As long as the Elden Ring remains broken. Nothing and no one can leave."

"Wow, great. So I'm stuck here with everything, trying to kill on sight. Fucking perfect..." Lordan remarks with impatience and frustration in his voice. He realizes that his tone may have been a bit unfair to Melina, considering that she only explained the situation to him. He shouldn't be taking it out on her.

"Sorry, I'm acting like a fool, am I..." He apologizes to Melina for the unkind words that came out due to his stressful thoughts. Melina moves nearer to Lordan and reaches out to place a hand on his shoulder to comfort him. The gesture makes him turn towards Melina, their faces close together, so that Lordan can admire her unique facial features.

"I understand your frustrations and uncertainties about your current situation. Truly, I do." Melina observes Lordan's eyes while they stare at each other. It showed signs of a man who was tired and beaten with no options. "But you must remain strong and not lose hope. This path that has been presented to you is a path of pain and misery, one where many have failed or chosen to give up." She mentions, knowing that the majority of the Tarnished have either abandoned the path to brandish the Elden Ring or chosen to hunt their own for the power of runes.

"But you will be different, you must be different. Struggle and prepare to die a thousand times, a million times if necessary before you succeed." Melina lets go of his shoulder and return to her original spot. "So please. Allow me to ease your burdens and assist you on this endeavor."

Lordan considers the offer. He could use some help, any help really to get out of this mess he into. His options were either continue his lone wolf act and risk not making any progress or accept help from someone who has knowledge about the region and the quest a Tarnished is to complete, regardless of her true intentions with the Erdtree.

Why not? I'm going in circles anyway. He thinks to himself and accepts the offer. "Alright, I'm in. I will take you to the Erdtree in exchange for your help as my maiden." He will need to take her to see Varre sometime to rub it in his face.

Melina smiles at his acceptance and stands to her feet. "Then it's settled. Summon me by grace to turn runes into strength."

"Maybe you could do that now? I could use some strength." Lordan requests due to his inability to beat the Tree Sentinel earlier.

"Of course." Melina kneels near him and offers her hand to Lordan. "Think of an aspect to improve, and let my hand rest upon you, for but a moment."

Lordan takes her hand as she begins to recite a prayer. "O, Worthy struggler. Share them with me, your thoughts, your ambitions, and the principles you would follow."

Not knowing the meaning of the words, Lordan focuses on the aspects he wanted to improve. He thought of gaining more strength, being faster, taking more hits and having more stamina. In an instant, he feels a rush of power that circulates his body and enhances his senses, all the aspects that he wanted were improved without the need for training or time. The runes that he had become a permanent part of his body.

Wow... That feels good. He thought of the advantages this ability Melina provides him could do, a lifetime of skills without the time taken to train at his fingertips.

"Is there anything else?" Melina inquires, indicating her intent to leave.

"Yeah... I kind of... died recently. But I came back. Only, some things weren't the same as before when I woke up." He explained the event of his death to Melina to get an answer on this experience. "I talked to some people before I died and they forgot that we even had the conversion. Why?"

"This is due to the sites of grace." Melina points to the one currently near them. "The light of grace prevents you from dying permanently by reviving you to a point in time before your death to the last site of grace you touched."

"So it just sends me back to a time before I died?"

She nods at his assumption. "Correct. Grace preserves your memories and equipment upon death while the world around you reverts to the time before your demise." She elaborates on the workings of grace further. "It is a time loop. Unique to each Tarnished as they all follow the same journey as you."

"Same as me?" He inquires about the explanation of a Tarnished's journey.

"Same as you. Timelines that follow the same flow but in different ways or variations for each Tarnished. Branching out like roots of a tree. All resulting on a pre-determined path."

The explanation was not something that Lordan could understand or comprehend at the moment, so he decided to leave it for now. His path was clear. Brandish the Elden Ring and leave the lands between once his pact with Melina was completed. 

"Alright. I should get going." He stands and prepares to enter the Gatefront towards Stormveil Castle. "Unless you are coming with?"

"No, I can appear before you at any moment. Just call for me when required at sites of grace or anywhere you within safety." Melina joined him in standing, taking out something from her enchanted bag. "Ahh, another matter. I bequeath to you this ring."

Lordan takes the ring from her and inspects it. It was a delicate goldwork ring that could be used as a finger whistle. "A ring? I'm flattered, really. But we just met." He remarks with hints of flirtation in his words.

Melina smiles and develops a small blush from the comment, clearly finding it amusing and adorable. "What can I say? I intend to claim you before a real maiden shows up." She jokes along to make Lordan chuckle.

"But its true purpose is to help you traverse great distances. It will summon a spectral steed named Torrent. Torrent has chosen you. Treat him with respect." She explains the use of the ring.

"A steed? Well, what do you know? I CAN put a horse in a bag." He remarks about Kale's advice on the limitations of his enchanted bags. "Kale, my friend, prepare to eat some crow."

They prepare to leave others' company as Melina offers more words. "This tiny golden aura is the grace of the Erdtree. It once shone in the eyes of your Tarnished brethren. But now it is all that guides you through your burden." She points towards the castle to warn Lordan of the impending danger.

"Upon the cliff, in Castle Stormveil, is a shard bearer. A demigod who inherited a fragment of the shattered Elden Ring. If the rays of grace signal the castle, then the Elden Ring beckons you. As an ally by pact... I pray that you are fit... To face the challenge presented by the Ring." She has a hint of worry in her voice.

"A demigod? For real?" Lordan asks. The idea of fighting a demigod is preposterous yet seemed possible in this land of gods and monsters. "Well, god or not. If he bleeds, I can kill him." He answers with resolve.

"Good. Then I wish you luck on your path, Lordan." Melina performs a small bow before disappearing with blue mist and particles around her.

Lordan takes a look at the ring again and wears it on the fourth finger of his right hand. He notices small holes in the ring and indicates that it can be blown as a whistle.

He moves his hand to his mouth and blows upon the ring. Blue mist and particles appear before him, and a steed shows up. It was a horse with horns and ears like goats, with saddlebags that showed signs of wear and tear. An inscription on one of the bags reads " Do Not Loot—R."

"Oh... Um... Hi there, horse... goat thing... Gorse or Goat horse?" He mentions a few terms that caused Torrent to huff in annoyance, indicating it clearly understood Lordan's words and disapproved of those terms. "Ok... you don't like those names. Torrent, am I right?"

Torrent stops huffing and looks at Lordan to move its head up and down like a nod. It then bends itself down to a shorter height for Lordan to mount. He mounts up on Torrent and adjusts himself to the saddle's seat.

"OK, boy. Let us test you out." He commands Torrent forward to the open field south to test his riding skills. Torrent surprises him as he charges off immediately, mimicking the speed of the winds.

"WOAH! Definitely a Torrent!" Lordan holds on tight as he attempts to ride Torrent properly. His thoughts were interrupted when Torrent approached a broken bridge at full speed without any signs of stopping. "Woah! Torrent! Stop! STOP!"

Torrent then leaps into the air at the end of the bridge, a magical aura around it causing Lordan to hang on for dear life. It then performs a second leap while still in the air to clear the distance between the two broken sides of the bridge. Torrent lands and stops on the other side effortlessly, with no force from the impact; it was as if they had landed on a giant pillow.

Lordan breathes loudly from the initial rush, his heart pounding from the sense of panic when jumping the bridge. He then starts laughing loudly and pets Torrent's mane. "Ok, you just ruined horses for me. How about another spin, then?" He asked Torrent and received a happy huff as a reply.

"Hyah! Fly boy! Fly!" He rides Torrent forward with great speed towards the southern fields. Stormveil Castle and the Elden Ring could wait as Lordan was enjoying some time to himself in this new region he roams. Alongside Torrent, his loyal and trusty steed raced the winds.

From a distance atop a ridge, Melina watches Lordan take a ride with Torrent without his knowledge. The display makes her smile endearingly, and she is glad that Torrent's newfound master is spending time with it despite his quest for the Elden Ring.

Torrent had not been the same since departing its former master. Due to its close connection with him, it had been lifeless and depressed for many centuries. Based on what Melina was told, its former master had commanded it to leave him for death as his final request.

I hope that he brings you joy, dear Torrent. You deserve it. She thinks to herself as another woman appears beside her within a blue mist and particles similar to her own.

"So this is the Tarnished causality foretold? He seemeth interesting..." The woman speaks with a regal and gentle voice. She was wearing a Witch's pointed hat with robes that were white as snow. The woman looks on with a smile of her own as well, her fingers touching each other between her four arms.

"Yes, he is the one. The one that cannot fail. Else, we are all lost." Melina replies, her eyes still watching the sight.

"Indeed. and so it begins."

"And so it begins..." Both women are aware of the path of struggle Lordan is to take.

STORMHILL, STORMHILL SHACK

Lordan had ridden around the south for some time before continuing through the Gateway, avoiding the soldiers and giants that stood guard with Torrent's speed. His need for fun was satisfied and he decides to proceed with his quest at Stormveil Castle. His main objective was to kill the demigod that resides within it to claim a great rune for the Elden Ring.

What exactly is the Elden Ring? He thought about the concept of this ring that everyone seem to mention. Perhaps he could ask Melina about it when he is done with the first demigod. How many great runes do I need in the first place?

He traveled to the top of the cliff leading to the castle's entrance before looking at his map again. It indicated a small shack to the east.

He decides to travel to the shack as a temporary shelter to reassess his gear and intentions before entering the castle. Upon reaching the shack, he notices a person seated inside one of the houses. It is a woman dressed in noble traveling attire with a red hood. It appears she has been crying for some time.

Lordan approaches carefully without his weapons drawn as he did not want to scare her. "Miss? Are you Ok?" He makes his presence known to the woman. She looks up to him with tears and distress.

"Everyone's...been grafted. Everyone who came with me. They crossed the sea for me. They fought for me. Only to have their arms taken. Their legs taken. Even their heads... taken. Taken and stuck to the spider." she spoke with an accent, still crying along the lines of her words. "Did you know? If you're grafted by the spider, you become a chrysalid. It's quite the lark, when you think about it."

"Are you hurt?" Lordan enquires about her condition. Clearly, she was not an abled fighter and had no place in this hostile landscape.

"No... No... I'm fine. Protected by a ward that I'm too scared to come out of." She continues with a hint of shame and regrets in her words. "You're all on your own, are you? And heading to Stormveil Castle? Enticed by the one in the white mask, I suppose."

"You mean Varre? The man at the first step?" She nodded at his answer. Lordan felt angry at this fact. What lies had he been telling her to reduce her to this state? I am going to punch that man... HARD.

"It's scary, you know. Having your arms cut off. Or legs. Or your head. I want to be like everyone else, but I am too scared. I'm nothing but a craven." She breaks more tears and sobs over her own words. Lordan kneels on one leg and places his hand on her back, rubbing in circles to soothe her.

"Not your fault. Normal people don't willingly let others take their arms and legs." He understands her position. He had once wanted to be like the majority of the heroes in legends that were told to him as a child, just like his fellow warriors in training. As he grew older however he chose his own path as a sellsword, food and gold being more important than appearing in a storyteller's tale.

"Listen, you need to get to a safe place. Is there one you know of?"

"There is... a haven for the Tarnished to stay... I could make my way there..." She answers Lordan, having calmed down from her grief.

"OK, make your way there and do nothing else. I will find this spider and your men." Lordan stands and reaches out to the site of grace near the shack to activate it. He walks back to her and offers his hand to help her stand up, she takes the offer and stands with him.

"Thank you... My name is Roderika." She rubs her eyes with the sleeves of her attire to clear her tears. "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." She requests while taking out a letter. "I'm finally getting the hang of this whole "pain" thing, you know."

Lordan accepts the letter and her request, it was along the way to his objective after all. "Alright, go to this haven and stay there. Don't think about anything else. Especially the "Joining them" part." He didn't want the woman to throw her life away for nothing. "I'm Lordan." He introduces himself as he forgot to do so earlier.

Roderika so begins to depart to the haven she mentioned. Lordan observes her on her way and worries about the danger along her route. He decides to call Melina for assistance.

"Melina? You there?" He speaks to the air around him and sure enough, she appears in a blue mist.

"How may I help you, Lordan?"

"Could you make sure Roderika gets to safely? She's not very... capable of defending herself." He asks, hoping she would understand.

"Of course, Lordan. I know the haven she speaks of. I will ensure she reaches it. You have my word."

"Thanks, Melina." She nods before disappearing again, leaving Lordan alone at the shack's site of grace. He takes a seat and pulls out the whetstone from his large enchanted bag, sharpening his weapons for the next battle.

STORMHILL, CASTLEWARD TUNNEL

Lordan reaches a tunnel that leads to the castle's main gate and was currently sitting near the site of grace that resides there. He passed by some soldiers guarding the entrance with their siege equipment set up to repel invaders to the castle.

Lordan had managed to dispatch all of them with ease due to Torrent's speed, which allowed him to maneuver between the sights of the arrows fired by the soldier's ballista and the ground Abatis set up to deter cavalry, with Torrent simply doing the attacks or jumping over any obstacles.

At the site of grace, he inspects his current equipment one last time before approaching the castle's main gate as he was expecting an unfriendly welcome based on the number of times its defenders attacked him.

He currently had a short sword, two daggers, a parrying a medium shield, a light bow, and two new lord bound's longswords and greatswords. The new weapons were found at the encampment where he met Melina.

It's not exactly god-slaying ready, but it will do the job. He thinks about the weapons he will use to fight the demigod residing within the castle, not knowing if he requires a special weapon for the job.

Lordan stands up and approaches the tunnel's exit towards the castle. Its entrance was littered with discarded weapons and armor that formed piles of rusted metal. The road to the main gate was narrow, with cliff edges on both sides that would lead to death should one fall over.

He proceeds slowly while observing the castle's battlements for any activity that indicates archers or more ballistas. After confirming that there was no danger ahead, he picks up speed to continue.

"Foul Tarnished."

A voice booms loudly, causing Lordan to stop in the middle of the pathway, his eyes scanning the castle again to find the source.

"In search of the Elden Ring."

He sees a glowing gold light on a tower of the castle, and a tall figure wearing rags and holding a stone cane appears from the light with his arms folded.

"Emboldened by the flame of ambition."

The figure performs a leap from the tower towards Lordan. He lands directly in front of Lordan on the pathway, creating a small crater from the impact that kicks up dust and debris from the ground.

The figure was a white-haired, grey-skinned humanoid with horns on his head. His height towered over Lordan as he made a declaration for battle.

"Someone must extinguish thy flame." He draws his cane to be used as a blunt sword, getting into his battle stance. "Let it be Margit the Fell!"

Margit, The Fell Omen

It happened again...

Just as Lordan was making progress on his endeavor, another obstacle appeared. This one appears more brutal and deadly than the Tree Sentinel, which could be avoided. But not Margit, for he was directly in his way to Stormveil Castle, preventing him from claiming the great rune required.

"Why am I even surprised... Of course, it would not be this easy..." Lordan truly thought he could catch a break as his luck seemed to be turning with the appearance of Melina, but the appearance of Margit truly started to affect his morale.

He sighs in defeat and prepares for battle, dual-wielding his long and short swords while taking a battle stance. "Come on then!"

"Prepare yourself, Tarnished. Expect nay mercy!" Margit declares and charges Lordan; he follows up with a battle cry.

Margit delivers a downwards strike with his cane that Lordan ducks to the side to avoid the swipe, he continued the assault with a combination and slashes and strikes that aim low to reach Lordan.

Lordan dodges the majority of the attacks Margit used against him with slashes and stabs to Margit's lower body in between using his swords. Most of his attacks hit Margit successfully but seem to have little effect as if they only scratched the omen.

Margit performs a rotating swipe low to trip over Lordan and prepares to strike downwards against him but was interrupted when Lordan throws a knife towards his face which he blocks with his free hand, the knife piercing through his hand with the tip nearly reaching his face. He removes the knife from his hand with an annoyed grunt.

Lordan then rolls backward to create some distance between them and charges while keeping low. He jumps up when below Margit to deliver an upwards vertical slash that hits Margit on his horns and the left side of his face. Margit grabs Lordan with his free hand by his arm and throws him to the ground, following up with a kick that sends Lordan towards the Tunnel gate.

Lordan gets to his feet and sips on both of his flasks to recover. He keeps one of his swords to change to a sword and shield combo instead. Both warriors soon re-engage their fight, their weapons clashing with sparks between contact.

Lordan blocks several frontal attacks from Margit with his shield multiple times, each impact bucks him hard and forces him to take steps back to compensate for his balance. Seeing an opening on Margit's left side, Lordan's side steps to Margit's left and delivers a thrust towards his neck.

His thrusting attack fails as Margit conjures a golden sword from his left hand to defect it. He then performs several fast slashes with the golden sword that hits Lordan's upper body, each hit staggers him as he attempts to block with his shield.

Margit kicks Lordan again with his shield raised and breaks his guarding stance. He performs a sideways strike with his cane that knocks over Lordan to the ground before he looms over him with a leg that steps on one of Lordan's shoulders to pin him down.

He raises his cane and thrusts it down to Lordan's torso while he was laying on the ground. To Margit's surprise, Lordan manages to catch the upper part of his cane's tip to stop the attack. Lordan struggles to keep the cane from thrusting into his chest as Margit continues to push down with inhuman strength.

"Enough Tarnished. Thy fate is sealed." Margit responds to Lordan's resistance by pulling the cane up, the sudden move makes Lordan release his grip, allowing Margit to deliver his thrust downwards successfully. The cane shatters Lordan's armor and stabs into the left side of his chest, crushing his left lung internally.

Lordan gasps in pain from the stab as his left lung collapses, and his breathing becomes painful and difficult. He spits out blood toward Margit's face and attempts to remove the giant cane lounged in his chest.

Margit then conjures a golden sword again and stabs downward into Lordan's heart. He stares in shock as he feels both the sword and cane within his chest. Lordan's vision fates, his hands start to let go of the cane as he slowly dies.

"Put these foolish ambitions to rest."

DEATH

He wakes up screaming with his hands clutching his chest. Phantom pain from the two death blows he received earlier from Margit remained in his body for a moment before fading completely with his wounds absent.

Lordan woke up at the tunnel's site of grace just before the castle's main gate, returning to his last point of refuge before death at Margit's hands.

His breaths were hard from the death he had just experienced a moment ago, and the feeling of being stabbed in the chest burned in his mind. Taking a moment of slow down his breathing, Lordan begins to calm down.

He returns to his feet and checks on his equipment again, finding them all to be intact with the exception of some consumable items being lost. Might need to re-supply after this. He makes a mental note to return to Kale for more items once he acquires more runes from defeating Margit.

He walks toward the tunnel's exit and stops just at the doorway, taking a deep breath to compose himself before continuing. A familiar voice booms at the castle's battlements again.

"Foul Tarnished."

Lordan deflects several attacks from Margit's golden sword that performs slashes, their blades parry and bounce off each other in rapid succession. Margit would use his cane on occasion for large sweeping attacks that Lordan dodges or ducks to avoid. Their exchange of blows lasts longer than the first encounter.

After a sweep from Margit's cane forces Lordan to retreat, he switches to his light greatsword and wields it with two hands. The sword offered him more reach and causes more damage to Margit due to its larger size. He manages to get a few good hits into Margit's lower body, causing the Omen to slightly stagger from each hit that lands.

Frustrated, Margit performs a leap backward to create distance between both of them to cease Lordan's assault. He conjures what Lordan thinks to be his golden sword but turns out to be something new, a golden spear.

That's new... Lordan observed as the new weapon allows Margit to attack from a larger distance. He charges while avoiding swipes and thrusts from Margit's two weapons which he delivers with intense speed despite his greater size.

"Holdeth still thee little pest." Margit remarks, annoyed by Lordan's constant dodges that avoid his hits. Lordan manages to get in front of Margit and delivers a huge slash from his greatsword that hurts Margit's waist.

He sees Margit's spear disappear and was prepared to dodge backward, anticipating the usage of his golden sword. He was caught by surprise as Margit conjures a large golden Warhammer instead, slamming it to the ground to stagger Lordan with the impact as it lands.

Margit then swings his arm back and performs a swipe with his hammer. Lordan attempts to block the attack by bracing his greatsword with both hands for the impact. The hammer lands and it knocks Lordan back hard, breaking his guard and forcing him to one kneel.

Of course, he has a fucki- Lordan's thoughts were interrupted when Margit performs a second strike with his hammer that sends Lordan flying back. He slams towards the wall behind him with force so great that it snaps his neck upon impact, killing him instantly. His body falls to the ground, limp and lifeless.

"Put these foolish ambitions to rest."

DEATH

After sipping on his flasks to recover his strength and stamina, Lordan dodges to his right to avoid Margit's hammer. Its impact kicks up dust and debris. He gets in some stabs and slashes before retreating to create distance.

He brings out his bow to launch some arrows towards Margit, which he deflects with his golden sword. Some arrows manage to land, but their effectiveness is not noticeable.

Margit's sword disappears, and he conjures a golden dagger, which he throws towards Lordan. The action completely surprises Lordan, as he did not anticipate a ranged attack.

The dagger lands and sticks to Lordan's lower body near his stomach, causing him pain in his abdomen and forcing him to a single knee. He tries to pull it out but another dagger strikes his chest and interrupts his attempt to remove it.

"GAH! You fuckin-" Another dagger fly towards him, this one strikes through his helmet and into his forehead. His mind could not process the damage as it was currently in the midst of dying. Lordan goes limp and falls back to the ground, his eyes still open in death.

"Put these foolish ambitions to rest."

DEATH

Lordan was hit by Margit's cane and fell to the ground. A second strike from the cane came while Lordan was on the ground. He shifted to the left before it landed and rolled out of the way to get on his feet.

He retrieves his swords from his enchanted weapon bags to dual-wield again and charges Margit, delivering a flurry of stabs that hits Margit's legs, making him lose some balance.

He swipes his golden sword towards Lordan to stop the assault before conjuring his spear to follow up with a thrust. The thrust strikes Lordan's shoulder and pushes him back as he lets out a pained cry.

Lordan retreats to the left to create a safe distance to sip on his red flask. He starts to lose his balance as he takes a step back, looking back to realize that he was at the edge of the pathway's side which leads to a fall to the depths below.

While he was distracted, Margit delivered a trust with his cane. The impact knocks Lordan back and sends him off the edge, screaming as he falls to his death below.

"Put these foolish ambitions to rest."

DEATH

Lordan thinks of a method to bait Margit to the edge of the cliff, thinking of pushing him off to kill him with the height of the fall.

He proceeds with his plan by making Margit advance by letting him attack and dodging backward before it hit lands, each movement inching towards the edge.

When he was finally at a spot where the abyss lies behind him, he prepared to execute his plan. Margit delivers a thrust which Lordan sidesteps and quickly moves to his back, using his greatsword to push against Margit with all the strength he can muster. Both men struggle as they push back each other in a hold.

"Fall! Damn You!"

"Thee first Tarnished." Margit breaks their hold and grabs Lordan by his neck before throwing him back off the edge. Lordan falls to his death again as his plan to kill Margit by height backfires against him. His screams echo on the way down before slowly fading to silence.

"Put these foolish ambitions to rest." Margit remarks while looking down to the abyss.

This was his 17th fight against Margit.

DEATH

Pain and fatigue were taking over his body as Lordan finished the last sip from his red flask to heal. He charges forward again with a downwards slash with his greatsword which Margit blocks with his cane.

Margit conjures his golden sword and delivers multiple swipes that overwhelm Lordan due to the speed and timing of each attack, multiple hits land causing more damage to his injuries.

Lordan retreats and sips on his red flask before realizing it was empty, kicking himself internally for such an amateur mistake. The distraction allows Margit to thrust twice with his spear, both hits land on his chest and injure him more.

Lordan rolls to the side to recover but his incorrect timing due to fatigue allows Margit's cane to hit him mid-roll. The attack sends him tumbling to the side of the edge again.

He could not get up on his feet as his body was now on its last legs. With no healing or focus to regain from his flasks, Lordan knew that death was now but a certainty.

"Tis over tarnished, accepteth thy dea-"

"Yeah... Fuck you too..." Lordan weakly says before crawling off the edge to fall off the cliff. Another death by falling awaits, choosing to die by his own hand.

Margit looks down to the abyss at the sight he just witnessed. Confusion displayed all over his face.

"Has't the Tarnished truly lost their minds?"

This was his 30th fight against Margit.

DEATH

"Put these foolish ambitions to rest."

"Put these foolish ambitions to rest."

"Put these foolish ambitions to rest."

"Put these foolish ambitions to rest."

"Put these foolish ambitions to rest."

"Put these foolish ambitions to rest."

"Put these foolish ambitions to rest."

"Put these foolish ambitions to rest."

"Put these foolish ambitions to rest."

"Put these foolish ambitions to rest."

DEATH

DEATH

DEATH

DEATH

DEATH

DEATH

DEATH

DEATH

DEATH

DEATH

The last words of Margit before his own death constantly echo in Lordan's mind. It terrorized him to his core with how often he hears it before waking up to the site of grace. He felt his hands shaking as he approaches the tunnel's exit, his breath quickens to fog up the inner parts of his helmet as uncertain thoughts plagued his mind.

What if I'm not fast enough? What if I'm not able to dodge in time? What if? He shakes his head to clear those thoughts. He needs to complete this quest if he is going to get out of this accursed place. The thought of a peaceful place to lay low after this is what keeps him going.

Get a ship to cross the ocean to Boletaria. And stay there forever. Done Deal. He thought to himself, intending to put an ocean between himself and the lands between.

He walks through the tunnel's exit. A familiar voice booms from the castle's battlements again.

"Foul Tarnished."

This would be his 47th fight against Margit.

Put...

Lordan is impaled by a golden spear thrown by Margit, and he dies.

these...

Lordan's head is smashed in by Margit's hammer, and he dies.

Foolish...

Lordan jumps to perform a downward slash, but Margit grabs him mid-air and delivers multiple stabs with his golden sword, and he dies.

Ambitions...

Lordan's body was hit with five daggers, and he dies.

To...

Lordan was hit by Margit into the air with his hammer which sends him flying to the castle's battlements above. His body tumbles down to the abyss, and he dies.

Rest.

"FOR FUCK'S SAKE!"

Lordan screams out after waking up at the tunnel's site of grace again after his latest death. His breath was heavy and his hands shakes to no end, the memories of each death and the pain he suffered lingered fresh in his mind.

That was his 92nd fight against Margit.

He could not think clearly at this time and only wanted to lash out against anything that was in sight. Drawing his shortsword, Lordan proceeds to hit the nearby wall repeatedly. Each hit causes sparks and small parts of brick to fall out.

"DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT! WHAT THE FUCK! WHY ME! WHY ME!" He screams to the tunnel's ceiling and continues hitting the wall. His shortsword soon breaks in half from the repeated strikes but Lordan continues with the broken sword, switching to stabbing the wall with the damaged tip.

"GODS! IF YOU FUCKING EXIST! SHOVE IT UP YOUR FUCKING ARSES FOR PUTTING PEOPLE THROUGH THIS... SHITE!"

Lordan's assault on the wall continues until he starts feeling his arm burning. His sword is reduced to a quarter of its original length, and pieces of it are scattered on the floor.

He kneels in front of the damaged wall in an exhausted state, dropping the broken sword on his side. His breaths were labored and sweat drips down his head as he removes his helmet.

"What's it going to take... To end this?" Lordan rests his head on the wall, and he considers slamming his head against it.

Blue mist appears behind him to reveal Melina, worry forms on her face as she moves to Lordan's side.

"Lordan? Are you alright?" She kneels beside him and places a hand on his back, she feels him shivering as no answer would come out of his mouth.

"No..." He finally answers. "I'm not ok... I... Can't do this, Melina." His tone was full of defeat as he continued his labored breathing. "I'm not a great hero or warrior like the rest of the Tarnished. I'm just a mercenary... An average one at best."

It was true. He wasn't a warrior of great renown or fame. He was just a sword for hire, paid to fight for the person who pays the most. Even under the teachings of Vagram, he was still considered the weakest among all of the other children who trained to become sellswords, the "Runt of the litter," as others used to call him.

"I can't kill a demigod... I mean... look at me. I couldn't even reach the castle. I'm just... not strong enough..." He hangs his head low from the admission, the truth that he avoided his whole life.

He is just too weak.

"Then become stronger." Melina takes his hand to get his attention. "With the power of runes, through me. Gain the strength you need to overcome this setback, Lordan." She continues, her other hand tracing circles on his back to comfort him. "Travel throughout Limgrave and seek other lesser opponents to face, defeat them and claim their runes, making their strength your own."

"For how is a hero to be born without great struggle?"

Lordan listened carefully to the advice Melina gave and started considering his options. The idea of spending more time collecting runes to turn into strength was not appealing, as spending more in the region time was not something he wanted to do.

But what were his options? Truly? Die a thousand more times to Margit and despair at defeat? or try something else first to get stronger? He was at a complete loss.

"You are very brave, Lordan. Few will admit weakness, especially the other Tarnished warriors and heroes." She continues to observe Lordan while he thinks about her words. "It is alright to be weak. But it is never right to stay weak."

He starts calming down from his panic and destress and returns to breathing normally. Taking a stand, Lordan stretches his neck, causing some cracking sounds.

"Ok, Margit and the demigod can wait. I will... travel around first to see if I can find anything that can help me." Deciding on a plan, Lordan leaves the tunnel and returns to Limgrave. He stops midway to speak to Melina.

"Melina, Thank you... I... I don't deserve you." He remarks, considering that she could have chosen another Tarnished that would be stronger and more capable.

"Don't worry Lordan. Call me again should you need anything." Melina steps away from the site of grace and prepares to leave. "And if there is any doubt in your mind. You do deserve me." She speaks her final words before disappearing into a blue mist again.

Now at the tunnel's entrance, Lordan puts his helmet back on and takes out his map to plan out his next routes. He makes markers on the castle to the south, any ruins and catacombs, Mistwood forest and a nearby fort, and finally, the beach and lake near the first step.

He calls upon Torrent with his ring and mounts it upon appearing, his next destination was to resupply and replace the shortsword with Kale before progressing his quest. A pent-up frustration lingers in his mind as he prepares to move.

"Ok, Torrent. I got to ride fast... and... kill something along the way." Torrent acts out a gesture similar to a nod and rides off as fast as possible to comfort its current master.

LIMGRAVE, CHURCH OF ELLEH

Lordan had ridden for hours on Torrent to burn out all the stress he had from fighting Margit. He had taken out some enemies along the way to recoup the runes he lost from his last fight. Once he was satisfied with the amount of runes collected he decides to visit Kale again at the church, it was nightfall and he hoped Kale would still be awake.

He reaches the Church's entrance and discounts Torrent; it fades away with a blue mist as Lordan walks into the church.

He spots Kale and calls out to him. "Kale! You awake?" He receives no response and moves closer to the campfire where he sits.

He inspects Kale to find both him and his mule asleep. He gives Kale a gentle shake on the shoulder to try to awake him but it would not work, it was as if he was in a coma. Lordan also notices the air around the church being colder than usual, so cold he could visibly see his own breath.

"This way, Tarnished. May I have a word?" A voice speaks to Lordan from behind him, he turns to see a woman dressed in white sitting upon the church's collapsed wall. She was blue-skinned and had blue hair that matches the blueish hue of the moonlight.

Lordan moves closer to the woman, observing her for any signs of hostile intent. He reaches a spot within that was close to her and lets his guard once he considered her safe.

"Can I help you?" Lordan asks while looking at the projection of her face that floats beside her real one. He also notices that her skin was not entirely natural, it matches the surface of a doll's skin rather than a human one.

She... Looks a bit like Melina, doesn't she? He notes that the woman's facial features seem to resemble Melina's.

"A pleasure to meet thee, Tarnished. I am the witch Renna. " She introduces herself. As Renna speaks, the projection of her face follows its movements flawlessly.

"I'm Lordan." He gives her his name and she nods in acknowledgment with a smile.

"I'd heard tell of a Tarnished hurtling about atop a spectral steed. And upon looking into the matter, the talk, I surmise, is of thee." Renna speaks while placing her fingers together to reveal herself as having two pairs of arms. "Thou'rt possessed of the power, no? To call forth the spectral steed named Torrent*."*

Lordan considered denying the claim but reconsidered his decision as it was highly likely that she already knew that her assumption was correct.

"Yes. It's me." Lordan then blows the ring to summon Torrent, It appears immediately from a blue mist. It sees Renna and begins to move closer to her. Renna smiles with joy as the steed brings its head close for her to touch, her four hands rubbing its mane with affection.

"Ah... Torrent. I have missed thee dear old friend." She rubs circles around its neck while placing her head on Torrent's with her eyes closed. "It pleaseth me to see Torrent hale and hearty. I thanketh thee, Lordan. For taking careth of Torrent."

"Yeah, It... Took care of me, too." He admits, noting that Torrent has helped him maintain his sanity from the most recent death cycle he suffered, all without question or hesitation as Lordan rode for hours and end.

Renna gives Torrent a final pat before turning her attention back to Lordan, her hands move to her robes to retrieve an item. "I was entrusted this, for thee. By Torrent's former master. 'Tis a bell for calling forth spirits." She reveals the item and passes it to Lordan.

"I also grant thee this. The ashes of three Loyal wolves." She takes out another item, a small hollow transparent gem that contains a tiny amount of ashes in its space. "Summon them with it, from ash unreturned to the Erdtree. The spirits will obey thine command but briefly, as they recall battles past. Now it is thine. To do with as thou wishest."

"Three wolves? Do they have names?" He asks as he takes the gem.

"No. Tis is up to thee to giveth they names." She comments a smile from her indicates that she was pleased with Lordan's question as not many would bother with naming spirits.

"Ok... Um... Thank you, Renna." Lordan keeps the items given into his enchanted bag and refocuses on Renna. "I don't suppose I need to give anything for this?"

"No Lordan. Nothing is required. This is m'rely a gentle gesture." She responds and prepares to leave. "Forgive mine intrusion, Lordan. I doubt we shall again meet. But all the same, learn well the Lands Between."

"How long will it be, I wonder... Before you tire of obeisance to the Two Fingers?" She comments to Lordan, earning her a confused look as he did not know what she had meant by "The Two Fingers".

"I don't follow any higher power or god Renna. I... trust my own hands." He answers truthfully as Renna nods in agreement, clearly sharing the share sentiments of Lordan.

"Indeed. One must trusteth their owneth sight over the words of unseen beings." Blue mist starts to emit from her as Renna prepares to leave. "Thou art an int'resting and handsome fellow, Lordan. I desire to collab'rate, Shouldst we meeteth again. Heir to nothing and everything."

Renna disappears from sight, leaving Lordan alone in the church to process the meeting. It was clear that there are people in the region that seem to be guiding him to success. A small part of him questions the true intent of Melina and Renna's assistance and what they want in return.

Heir to nothing and everything? What does that mean? He ponders Renna's last words. Was a Tarnished supposed to inherit something in their quest? While he walks back to the campsite to think about the words, Kale begins to awaken at his campsite.

"Huh... What? Oh! Lordan! Sorry, I must have dozed off. Are you here to Trade?"

1999 YEARS BEFORE THE SHATTERING

Voices and music can be heard throughout the early night as the citizens of Azalin prepare for another night of celebrations and festivities.

The main sources of these celebrations would come from the many inns and taverns that welcome travelers from all around the known world. People like bards who travel with their songs and stories, traders with their goods who look for food and shelter for the night, sellswords who are just passing by, and travelers who stay for the night, hiring the working women and men for their "Services".

Within one of the taverns, Rags and Marika sit together on the corner of the building. She looks at the menu provided to decide on the food she wants to try while Rags looks on with his arms folded, regularly scanning their surroundings for danger.

"Are you done, Maiden?"

"A moment, Rags. I am still thinking." Marika speaks without looking up at Rags, her focus still on the menu.

"It's been ten minutes... And you asked for a moment for the last five times."

She looks up at him with a frown. "I need to understand my choices for a meal before ordering, yes? So naturally, it will take some time."

"Well, now it's taking too much time. Just pick something simple..." Rags suggested but was ignored as Marika looked back to the menu without a care for his suggestion.

He lets out a groan after seeing Marika flip the menu back to its first page, clearly intending to read the whole menu again. Rags decide to hasten the process by calling the barmaid.

"Barmaid! Order! Here!" He shouts while banging the table to attract attention. Marika looks up at him with an annoyed look before sighing as the barmaid comes over.

"What can I get you, Handsome?"

"Ale and Chicken Stew. More Salt." Rags gives his order immediately, clearly deciding long ago to give the menu a glance.

"And your lady friend?" The barmaid asks while looking over to Marika.

"Um... The same as what he is having." She orders with a hint of unwillingness in her voice. "With less salt, if possible."

The barmaid nods and returns to the counter where the cooks reside to give their orders.

"See? Was that so hard, Maiden?"

"If we are going to travel for months together, and this keeps happening? Then, yes. It is going to be that hard." Marika replies to Rags's question with a passive-aggressive tone, unhappy with Rags for forcing her to make a decision too quickly.

"Yeah, I figured." They sit together in an uncomfortable silence after their exchange. Marika decides to break the tension by finding out more about Rags.

"So... would you be willing to tell me more about yourself Rags?" The question causes Rags to look at Marika with a frown. The stare from his gloomy brown eyes indicates this was a sensitive subject to disclose. The staring from Rags begins to cause a bit of discomfort to Marika as she shifts in her seat.

Rags can be frightening at times, she thinks to herself, recalling the way Rags fights with his claymore, most of his enemies dead from being cut in half or worse.

"Not much to tell..." Rags say with an uncaring voice. "I'm a mercenary who kills and fights for gold. I trained with the sword after my father died. I'm seven and ten years old and I am currently taking the longest job in my career." He finishes with a vague answer to her question.

"You are seven and ten years old? Then why do you look so..."

"Old?" Rags answers Marika's inquiry before she finishes, aware of his age, which does not match his current look. For he had the appearance of a grown man rather than a boy on the verge of manhood.

"Not all of us are as blessed as you Maiden." Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of their meals.

Rags start his meal by first drinking his cup of ale with no restraint, finishing it with a single gulp. Marika picks up her own cup to observe the liquid that Rags had just drunk, not knowing how it would taste. She decides to take a sip of the ale, her face frowns upon tasting the drink.

She forces the liquid down her throat and coughs. "It's quite... Strong... Isn't it?"

"First time?" Rags smirks at the sight of her struggle and gives out a small laugh. "This is what happens when you nobles drink that piss you call wine your whole lives."

"Wine isn't pi-" Marika stops her sentence to avoid a vulgar word. "Wine is a fine drink. When we get to the Sacred Lands, I intend to enjoy an endless supply of it rather than... Whatever this is."

"Whatever you say, Maiden. You gonna finish that?" He points to the ale that Marika drank. She shakes her head before Rags takes the cup, finishing it on her behalf.

"What about you then? What's your deal?" Rags asked the question to Marika while he starts eating his stew. She sits straighter while placing her hands on the table.

"I am traveling to the Sacred Lands as the Greater Will requires. I and many other women of my people have been selected as an Empyrean."

"Leadership for what?" The mention of leadership gets Rags's attention.

"The one to lead the new age as the vessel for the Greater Will. All of the Empyrean candidates are born from the undying lands of Numen. The homeland of my people. where many are long-lived and seldom born." Marika briefly describes her homeland.

"Where is this place? Never heard of it."

"In all intends and purposes. The Lands of Numen does not exist to the world. It is... Isolated and safe." 

"How many candidates are there then?"

"There aren't many of us left outside Numen. Many have been captured or killed by enemies of the Golden Order. Based on what I last heard, only a few dozen candidates are left. Myself included." The situation was explained to Rags, making him understand why they are constantly in danger.

"I see..." He stops eating the stew for a moment after a question comes to his mind. "Still... you as a candidate for leadership? Aren't you a bit young for that?" He mentions Marika's appearance as a 17-year-old woman on the verge of womanhood, the same age as him.

"I am over five hundred years old Rags."

The answer makes Rags stop completely and he looks up slowly at Marika, his eyes focusing on her to spot any signs of age. "Bullshit."

"It's true. Time in my homeland works differently, and our lifespan can be up to 8000 years on average." The higher number makes Rags even more stunned.

"So a few thousand years later you will still look... like a girl?"

"Not necessarily, My people have the ability to change our appearance at will. We can change our faces, hair length, color, body shape, and size." She describes the unique ability of her people while consuming her stew. "There have also been cases of our alchemists creating newborns and duplicates of a Numen with the use of mimics tears, even if they are artificial. Thus, the saying of long-lived and seldom born."

"So you can change into a different person? Why not do it now? It might help us travel easier." Rags's suggestion earns him a stare from Marika, who dislikes the idea.

"This appearance is the last gift my mother bestowed upon me. It is one I am proud of and don't intend to change. I will only alter it with minor changes to my body and appearance of my age, nothing else." She declares with a hint of anger in her voice.

"Fine. I understand. Sorry." He offers an apology which Marika accepts with a nod and returns to consuming her stew. "So you say you can alter your body as well?" Rags asks as a curious thought comes to his mind.

"Yes, I can. I have done it before."

"Does that mean you can make your tits big-" Rags stops himself upon realizing what he just spoke out. Both of them stare at each other with minor shock for a while before Rags clears his throat from embarrassment and Marika blushes greatly from the statement, hiding her face by looking down at her bowl.

"Ahhh... S-sorry." He places a palm on his face while kicking himself internally. Why the FUCK did I say that...

"Y-y-you are... a sick man Rags..." She attempts to speak while being distracted by the statement. "I-i-if you are curious about that. You should know... that I... CAN do that. B-but I won't." She finishes her sentence with studders in between.

Rags notices the hesitation from the answer and realizes something that threatens to make him die from laughter.

Oh, Fucking Gods, Heavens, and Hells... She has done it before. The theory forms in his head as he starts to realize that Marika's current upper body and rear are much more "Robust" compared to an average woman.

He starts holding back his laughter with great effort to earn Marika's confused look.

"W-Whats so funny?" She asked with a confused tone.

"Nothing." He answers with a smirk as he finally controls himself.

They continued with their bowls of stew in relative silence, with some small talk in between. When they finished their meals, they proceeded to the tavern's counter to pay for the meal.

"And you require a room for the night, yes?" The tavern owner asks while Rags takes out the payment from his pouch.

"Yes, just one for the night."

"Of course. Does your lady require moon tea for the both of you to... be careful?" The owner asked this question while looking at Marika, Making her confused by what he meant.

"No. We are not here for that. Besides, I'm not her type." Rags responded to the question with no emotion or hesitation, Indicating that he understood the owner's meaning. A small part of Marika felt disappointed by Rags's statement despite not knowing the context of the conversation.

"Ah... I see. Very well. Second floor, last door on the right. Enjoy." He hands Rags the key and both he and Marika proceed upstairs.

They reach the door and Rags unlocks the room they would be staying for the night. It was rather plain looking with a single two-person bed, a mirror drawer and chair, a room divider for changing clothes, and a window to see outside.

"There's only one bed..." Marika mentions as Rags moves over to the dresser without pause.

"You don't say..."

"Alright, you can take the right and I will have-" Her suggestion was interrupted when Rags starts dragging the chair to the room's door. He braces it against the door and takes a seat, his weight as leverage to prevent it from opening.

"The bed is yours. I got the chair." He speaks while taking out his claymore to place it near him for use.

"What? Don't be foolish... There is enough space for both of us. Besides, I do not require any sleep." She mentions her Numen aspect again of not needing sleep at all.

"So what if you don't need it? Numens can sleep, right?" She nods at his assumption. "Then get some. It helps make time go faster." He starts to lean back in the chair and close his eyes.

"But-"

"Go to sleep, Marika." He adopts a resting position on the chair with his head leaning against the door, eyes closed to rest as grace did not stop him from being hungry or tired.

Marika stops her protest and retrieves clothing and a cloak from her enchanted bag. It was a white thin nightdress that was partially see-through. She moves behind the divider to undress, and while nude, she observes herself through the mirror.

ART BY Vandi

She ponders her current form. She had spent a great time creating her current body to resemble that of a true goddess as her people depicted in their great paintings. Her breasts were fairly robust and roundly shaped, her waist was shaped flawlessly like an hourglass, her limbs and legs were toned and firm and her rear was nicely sized and round.

She was to present this form to the Elden Lord of Gold should she be the Greater Will's chosen. Where she would marry him and continue the Golden Order's great reign. Serving as the direct vessel to the Greater Will.

Marika starts touching her body, starting from her shoulders. She starts moving down and feels her breasts, belly, waist, thighs, and rear. Ensuring she was currently in the perfect form, she worked so hard to sculpt.

A part of her soon begins to realize her purpose as a candidate. What would she actually do for the Golden Order if chosen? Would she be responsible for remaking the world into the Greater Will's required design? Lead the armies of gold to dominate the known world? Make peace with the Dragon Order for the good of the world? Or simply be used by the Elden Lord as a brood for heirs?

She was greatly bothered by the last possibility: being chosen by an outer god for nothing more than a brood. Like some mimic tears, her people used to create duplicates of themselves or others to satisfy their lustful needs. They were nicknamed Living Pleasure Dolls.

She stops her pointless thoughts and decides to get dressed, with an extra cloak to hide the view of her naked form exposed by the transparent properties of her night dress from Rags. Upon moving to the bed, she observes Rags as he is still sitting with his eyes closed at the door, completely oblivious to what she has been doing behind the divider.

She lies down on the bed and covers herself with the blanket. Her mind starts debating the previous thoughts she had which causes her more distress. She decides to distract herself by trying to speak to Rags, his presence giving her an unusual sense of comfort.

"Rags? Are you awake?" she asked, staring at the ceiling in her lying position, hoping he would answer.

"Hrm?" Rags responds with a grunt.

"Why didn't we go to the town's church for the night instead?" Marika asked, as it was a suggestion she had given when they arrived in this town.

"Because they would have announced your presence and we would be in danger." He answers with his eyes closed.

"Then... Why didn't we ask the local lord for refuge?" She turns on her side to face him.

"Because he would have announced your presence, and we would be in danger." He answers again with his eyes closed. "Also, he might have tried to make you fuck him."

Marika considered her next question to be about another suggestion she gave, but she wanted to know more about his mindset, so she asked a different type of question.

"Rags... Why... Why do you always see the worst in people?"

Upon hearing the question, Rags opens his eyes. His gloomy eyes stare at Marika with a blank expression. It scares her again, and Rags can look frightening at times.

"That's because people are the worst. They just can't help it. It's their nature." He answers with a monotone voice, completely devoid of emotion. "I learned that the hard way."

"How do you know?"

"Ask my father." Rags responded; his tone was unchanging.

Marika knew she should stop with her questions but wanted to know more about his cynicism and what caused it. She chooses her next words carefully, not wanting to antagonize him.

"Do you think... People can change? If someone, like a god were to... Teach them?"

His eyes close on the question, clearly knowing his answer. "No. If a god were to do that, that would make gods far worst than people." He starts to shift from his seat to return to his previous resting position.

"No one should be forced to think or do things they don't believe in."

Rags finishes his answer and returns to his rest, picking up and hugging his claymore in the process. Marika soon lies back on the bed to see back at the ceiling, her mind pondering Rags's opinions of the world.

"If I were a god... or chosen to become one... I could make things better. I would-"

Marika looks back to Rags during her words and realizes he has fallen asleep; his claymore is still being hugged in his slumber. She gets up from bed to check on him. "Rags?"

He did not respond to her, prompting Marika to kneel down to observe his face and check on him. His face was fatigued and strained, as if he had never had a peaceful night of sleep before. An unseen weight was shackling him from inner peace.

She removes a cloak and covers his shoulders with it as a way to make him comfortable. Marika observes him for a few more moments before reaching out with her hand to caress his face, her thumb brushing it with affection.

"If I were chosen... I swear that no one will be hurt like you ever again. I promise Rags."

"I promise to mend you."

FIN

Chapter Text

ARC I:

CHAPTER 2:

DYING TO SURVIVE

Put...

Margit kicks Lordan to pin him down and rip his limbs off, and he dies.

These...

Margit delivers a stab with his golden sword through Lordan's neck, and he dies.

Foolish...

Margit beheads Lordan with his golden sword, and he dies.

Ambitions...

Margit delivers multiple slams with his hammer to Lordan while he is knocked down and he dies.

To...

Margit grabs Lordan by his torso with great strength and rips him in two, and he dies.

Rest.

"GAHHHH! HHHAAA!! ARGGH!!!" He awakes from his lying position screaming. Sweat covers his entire forehead and drips down once he was upright. He grips and feels several parts of his body to inspect for damage, paranoid about the wounds Margit inflicted on him.

Lordan's breaths were hard and uncontrolled. The nightmare from the deaths he experienced by Margit was still fresh in his mind as if they had just happened a moment ago. He looks around in a panic to see that he was still at the Church of Elleh, sitting on the bedroll Kale had sold to him last night after his talk with Renna. He sighs in relief from the fact he was nowhere near Margit, for now.

He wipes off the sweat from his forehead and starts to control his breathing; they become soft and steady after a few moments of control. He gets on his feet and moves to the campfire where Kale was sitting, Kale's face fills with concern over what he had just witnessed.

"Morning, friend. I... noticed your distress while you sleep... You all right?"

"Yeah... Yeah, I'm Fine." Lordan lies through his teeth, the battles with Margit took a toll on him. Each death he experienced was remembered with full details of the pain and feeling of fading away from life.

All of it still hurts somehow... Each wound that Margit gave him still lingered with

phantom pain that appears at random times on any part of his body.

"I see... Well, looking to buy something?" Kale inquires on business immediately, sticking to his profession as a merchant even in the early morning.

"Not at the moment Kale." Lordan rethinks his answer and thinks of a potential deal he could close with Kale. "Unless... you are selling information that might interest me."

"Depends. What kind of info do you need?"

"Runes. I need to earn runes Kale. Fast. Large amount at the same time if possible." He asked Kale, a hint of urgency was in his tone.

"Still sticking to the mercenary ways during the end of the known world huh? Lordan?" Kale responds with a small laugh. "Well, there's two places that might interest you. The Mistwood and the Lake to the east." Lordan's interest was sparked by the information Kale was providing.

"If you hear the howl of a wolf while traveling in the Mistwood, then I suppose he must still be skulking about." Kale mentions while his hand was placed on his chin.

"Who?"

"A Friend. Based on what I last heard, he's on a job. Might cut you in for Runes if you help." Kale explains further. "So if you hear a wolf's howl in the Mistwood, make this signal right under the source." He snaps his fingers to show Lordan the gesture. "Oh, don't fret, there is nothing to fear. I just have an inkling the two of you might hit it off."

"Alright then. What about Limgrave's Lake? There's a friend of yours there too?" Lordan enquires while going into a single leg kneel to hear better.

"No. But there is a creature that can give you runes once you kill it. A dragon." Kale informs a hint of hesitation was in his voice.

"A Dragon? Aren't they extinct?" Lordan asked with curiosity as he had been taught that dragons had died out after the last great war that caused the downfall of the Dragon Order centuries ago.

"Oh no, Lordan. Dragons are very much still alive. Their numbers are few, but they are still around. With most of them in this region and on what remains of Farum after it fell to the earth."

What Kale mentioned about Farum was an urban legend about the destruction of the Legendary homeland of Dragons and beasts. The story was about how the Dragon Order's followers had kidnapped a princess from the Golden Order which caused her sworn protector to travel alone in to the region to save her, fighting their Dragon God in the process which he slew despite being a mere man. The Dragon God's death caused the region that resided in the sky to fall to the earth, killing millions that lived in the floating region and the lands below it.

Of course to Lordan, it is an urban legend that was over dramatic. Because even with all the magic that exists in the known world, there is no possible way an entire region with millions of people could have existed in the sky.

"So a dragon to kill and a man that is on a job in Mistwood." Lordan takes out his map and marks the locations of interest. He plans out his route to these two locations and settled on finding the dragon first. "Sounds difficult but doable..."

Got to see It for myself. The size of that dragon Kale said. Ideas on how to fight a dragon came up in his mind, hoping it wasn't too big. He keeps his map and prepares to travel east to the lake.

"Thanks, Kale. How much is it then?" Lordan offers his hand to Kale, Ready to transfer runes with the required amount.

"Nothing. Consider it an investment." Kale waves off the offer. "You earn runes for strength to stay alive longer and use the remaining to purchase supplies. From me, Preferably." He explains his act of goodwill as a proxy for Lordan to spend his runes on his wares.

Lordan lets out a small laugh at Kale's scheme, amused by his theory of indirect investment. "Don't worry. I will visit again Kale. If I'm still alive, of course." He makes a mental note to resupply again once he falls the dragon.

They share a goodbye with a friendly handshake and Lordan proceeds out of the church. He summons Torrent and mounts him while facing west.

"Ok boy. We are going to need more speed for the next task, can you do that?" Torrent gestures a nod and both of them ride off to the eastern lake, to hunt the dragon for its power.

LIMGRAVE, AGHEEL LAKE

PRESENT DAY

They reach a cliff overlooking the lake on the western edge of the Lake. Lordan takes out a miniature telescope he purchased to scan the area, hoping to see the Dragon to assess his options to slay it and the strategy he would employ.

From the edge, he observed a gathering of several yellow-clothed men that seemed feeble and sickly looking around what appeared to be a pyre on fire, they make hand motions towards the sky as if praying to it. Nearby was also a ruin that was burned, presumably by the dragon.

He also spotted a collection of creatures that currently roam the lake including giant dragonflies, husks of flesh that spew poison mist, feral wild dogs, and giant crabs, but still no dragon in sight.

No dragon here. Maybe Kale's information was outdated? He continues his search for any signs that indicate its presence with no luck. The lake was only filled with the aftermath of the dragon's presence.

He turns his sights to the left and spots what appeared to be part of a ruined building with space below that created a shelter. Under this ruin was a campfire with a man that was currently seated near its fire, clearly using it as a source of heat.

Lordan inspects further at the man's appearance to assess if he might be an enemy. The man was wearing lightweight armor that appears to be improvised, with heavy armor parts from a plate armor worn over it on his left shoulder and hands. His face was hidden by a straw hat that was made of metal, with several holes on it allowing the man to see through it.

A Reedlander? This far west? Lordan thinks to himself upon recognizing the design of the hat the man was wearing as a piece of apparel commonly worn by warriors of the far eastern lands. He had studied the history of the eastern regions when he was learning to read as a child. Vagram had brought him books from his travels in the east that tells of the culture and ways of the far eastern lands. His favorite from the bunch was a book titled "Sun Zu Bing Fa" that he was asked to translate as part of his lessons.

Gotta read that book again... He thought to himself to do so if he finds a copy of it in this region. Lordan puts away his telescope and decides to approach the man. He rides Torrent in a direction that allows him to reach the lake below while being prepared if the man decides to attack him.

Lordan reaches the ruin where the campsite of the stranger resides. He dismounts and catches the stranger's attention. The stranger stands slowly while grabbing the hilt of his sword that was holstered on his back, ready to draw in case of a fight.

Lordan stops his approach and places his hands near his weapon bags, ready to attack as well if the need arises. Both men stand at a distance for moments, trying to read each other's next move.

After a minute of tense standoff, the stranger speaks out. "Are you a Bloody Finger? Recusant? Looter? or another madman who attacks all in your sight?"

"Neither." Lordan answers with no hesitation.

The stranger lets go of his holstered weapon and stands back straight, his hands gesturing Lordan to come closer. Lordan relaxes and accepts the offer, walking towards the campfire.

"Forgive me, Stranger. I'm a bit... cautious about people roaming in these lands. Most of them have become hostile to any travelers as of late." He offers an apology with a short bow, as a custom by Reedlanders. "I am Yura, Bloody Finger Hunter, and Ronin by trade."

"I'm Lordan. Mercenary by trade." Lordan mentions their shared profession to Yura. Mercenaries have often been called many terms based on different regions and languages. With different methods of hire and different types of jobs, some unique to a region.

"Ah, you must be the new Tarnished." He mentions as Lordan's arrival had been a rare occasion. It had been at least 10 years since a new Tarnished had appeared in the lands between, most of the Tarnished legions had appeared 1000 years ago with Godfrey right after the shattering occurred, with the number of newcomers reducing with each passing day.

"You'd do well to steer clear of Agheel Lake, lad. A dragon roosts there... And it's as fearsome as it is majestic." Yura's voice becomes low, his tone becoming serious. "So, unless you're mad, or wish to be burned alive... Stay clear of the lake. "

"Yeah... About that..." Lordan replies with uncertainty. "I'm here to kill it for runes."

Yura looks up slightly at Lordan, his face frowns with annoyance as he sighs. "Another one of you fools trying to fall that dragon? I swear there no end to the folly of Tarnished warriors trying to gain glory." He continued with impatience in his tone. "Unless you're mad, or wish to be burned alive repeatedly, stay clear of the lake. Don't be a fool. Turn back."

Lordan stood his ground, clearly insistent on his intent to slay the dragon. "No. I need to do this. I need to fall that dragon today. It's my ticket out of this place." He continued, earning another sigh from Yura, who was disappointed in his decision.

" You're a bloody halfwit, lad. Trying to pick a fight with a dragon? It seems I'm forever crossing paths with hotheads like you." Yura gives up on his attempts to discourage him and sits back at his campsite. "I can tell you want to see it through. Fools will be fools. Fight all the dragons you like."

As Lordan begins to move on from the camp after his lecture from Yura, an idea pops up in his head. "You wouldn't happen to be able to help fight it, would you? For a price?"

The offer gets Yura's attention as he looks up to Lordan with consideration, the Ronin side of him debating a potential job offer. "Depends, Merc. What are you offering?"

"Depends, Ronin. What do you want?"

Yura stands on his feet upon considering the offer, he eyes Lordan from head to toe to assess his capabilities based on his look alone. He starts speaking once he comes up with a price for his help. "I got no use for runes, lad. But I could use a hand with a... Personal matter."

"Let me guess. You are hunting someone." Lordan shifts his feet from his conclusion due to Yura introducing himself as a Bloody Finger Hunter. "And you want me to hunt this target on your behalf?"

"No. I would want you to assist me in this killing this target. He has been... Giving me a hard time. Alone, I'm having difficulties. But with you..."

"We could gank him." Lordan finishes for Yura, earning him a smirk from the older man.

He nods in response to Lordan. "Yes, that's my price for help with the Dragon. Hunt this bastard with me, and the Dragon and its runes are yours with my help."

"That's it? Just hunt one man for help with the Dragon? That seems a bit... Too little in return for what I'm asking." Lordan enquires with uncertainty in his voice, doubting the offer.

"If you knew what he did, you will understand that his worth equals two Dragons." Yura's voice becomes soft and low to indicate a hint of anger in his voice, clearly resentful towards this mark he was hunting.

Lordan considers the request from Yura. He was a bit uncertain about the equality of their deal due to Yura getting the shorter end of the agreement. A single man in exchange for a Dragon? Seems too good to be true... He notes the deal is too one-sided and wonders about the hidden details Yura might be hiding. He decides to accept the deal and offers Yura a hand.

"Alright, the Dragon for this man. Deal?"

"Deal." Yura takes the hand and shakes to accept their pact. He proceeds to his campfire and retrieves a longbow from his own enchanted bag. "Alright, here's my advice for fighting that flying lizard. Avoid its front and stick to its legs or use arrows to strike its weak spots. Its face, neck, front torso, and legs are soft spots that can be hurt by normal weapons. Anywhere else is naturally armored, simple blades won't do against those areas."

"That's good and all but where is this Dragon?" Lordan points towards the lake where the dragon was supposed to be, its absence was all he could see despite Kale's information.

Yura walks towards the direction of the lake and stops before stepping on the water which was shallow to the height level of their boots. "Oh, it's around. Look at the pyre with those men."

Lordan joins Yura by standing beside him to observe the sight. "What about them? They seem to be comfortable having a party around the middle of the lake."

"The party IS for the Dragon." Yura points to the pyre that burns in the middle of the gathering. "That pyre is an offering to the Dragon's outer god, an entity known as The One Great. They are praying for the dragon to appear, hoping the outer god will be merciful to them and have the dragon kill them as a final release."

Lordan is perplexed by that information. The idea that a god would protect them from its creation was a foolish notion, as dragons were considered feral and possess no morals nor logical thought. "Are they insane? A dragon wouldn't care about their prayer to some god. All it sees are a bunch of food offering themselves on a platter."

"Dragons are smarter than people think. It is not mindless, it can think and has actual thoughts despite not showing it." Yura explains the false notion of dragons that many people seem to have. "Some legends also speak of ancient dragons taking human forms to mate with people. But you are right... Those men are insane."

"So what do we do? The dragon's not here."

"We wait. It should appear in-" Their conversation was interrupted by a growl that echoed through the sky. Both sellswords looks up to find the source and saw a shadowy figure behind a cloud, in the shape of a dragon that has its wings spread out. "Hm. It's early today." Yura mentions with a minor surprise, the part of "Today" catches Lordan's attention.

"Today? It's been here before?"

"Yes. Every day for the past week."

"Then happen to th-"

A loud slam forces Lordan to look in the direction of the noise. He sees the dragon landing in the middle of the gathering, its impact breaks apart the pyre and creates dust that concedes the area for a short time. Once the dust clears he sees the carnage that unfolds as the dragon proceeds the slaughter the men that were praying at the pyre, crushing them with its giant legs or devouring them whole with one bite.

"Oh... That's what happens to them."

The dragon that landed at the lake was large in size that matched the size of a least two dozen horses in length and height. Its scales were a deep grey and resembled thorns that were sharp on different parts of its body. It stood on two legs and two claws that were part of its wings unlike some depictions of dragons that stood on four legs with its wings separate from its front legs.

"Damn... Bigger than I thought..." A small part of Lordan had hoped the dragon would be a smaller one as compared to the sizes the stories used to tell. He still considered himself lucky though, as the dragon currently in front of them was not as big as an ancient dragon.

"Indeed. They grow to their fullest size within a few years." Yura eyes Lordan to his side to gauge a reaction. "Not too late to turn back, lad. No shame in survival."

He waits for a few moments for Lordan's choice as he observes him having second thoughts about this task. Lordan soon lets out a deep breath and proceeds to draw his light greatsword from his weapon bag, gripping it with two hands and giving it a twirl a few times to test himself.

"Fuck it. I'm ready." Lordan proceeds to move forward by walking towards the dragon, slowly picking up speed without a hint of hesitation.

Yura sighs at the display, part of him had hoped Lordan would change his mind after seeing the dragon in person. He follows Lordan's lead and draws his weapon as well, a long and slightly curved blade on its top which was a common design in his homeland. "Seems like all the young ones are suicidal these days..." He muttered under his breath.

Both men walk side by side, slowly closing the distance. Each of them silently agreeing to their own strategy to take on the dragon, with distance being the main factor. Both would take turns to attack at long-range and close quarters around its limbs.

They get closer as the dragon continues to feast upon the bodies that remain near the pyre. It soon sees the both of them and stops its actions, slowly getting to its feet and facing the men on the approach.

Both Lordan and Yura look at each other and nod before starting to run at the dragon while creating distance between themselves to give it two targets. The dragon lets out a roar to the sky, signaling to its new prey that it was prepared for battle.

Flying Dragon Agheel

The pair starts their attack with Yura who throws several fan knives to the Dragon's face to attract its attention, most bounce off upon impact due to the dragon's thick scales. Lordan used this distraction to go below the Dragon.

He delivers several slashes to the Dragon's legs and wings with his greatsword in rapid succession, moving to different limbs to avoid the Dragon's movements that may knock him over. He makes good progress from his attacks as his greatsword was able to hurt the scaly unarmored parts of the Dragon easily.

The Dragon growls from the constant attacks and starts stamping with its two legs against the ground, creating shockwaves that cause small quakes to the ground. Lordan loses a bit of balance from each stamp but manages to stay on his feet, continuing his assault from below.

Lordan soon attempts to retreat by running away from behind the Dragon. It notices him behind and performs a large swipe with its tail. Lordan gets caught by the attack and was knocked over. He gets up as soon as he can as the Dragon begins chasing him with its mouth open, intending to swallow Lordan whole.

Yura from the sidelines prepared his longbow for a mighty shot. He nocks an arrow and fires it straight at the Dragon's head. The arrow hits a spot on the exposed part of the Dragon's mouth, causing it to stop its chase and turn to Yura.

It closes its jaw and reopens it with its claws clutched to the ground. The Dragon's mouth soon begins to emit a bright orange flare, an indication that it was going to spew fire from its mouth.

"Fuck me..." Yura hosters his bow and runs to the left while a column of fire burst out of the Dragon's mouth with great heat, burning moss and boiling the lake's water in its way. Yura manages to avoid the fire breath with close calls while Lordan draws his own bow to start his barrage of arrows as a distraction for Yura.

Lordan begins to fire off arrows at the Dragon's face to attract its attention while Yura runs to the Dragon's front torso in his turn for close quarter attacks. He performs a combination of slashes upwards to attack the Dragon's torso that manages to cause damage due to the long reach and excellent sharpness of his blade. His attacks were causing the dragon to bleed out from its torso, rapid blood loss was polluting the water beneath it.

The Dragon cries out in pain from the constant attack on its unarmored spot from the two warriors and begins spreading out its wings. It delivers a large flap that creates a gust of wind that staggered both Lordan and Yura while pushing itself up into the air. Flying to stop the pair from their assault.

"Damn! It's going to dive us with fire!" Yura exclaims with a shout.

"You don't say!" Lordan responds and the pair begin to run after the Dragon to keep themselves directly below it.

The Dragon creates a great distance and height between itself and its attackers. It starts to turn back while in the air and performs a dive towards them, its mouth once again lit up with fire.

The Dragon breathes its fire to the ground while flying toward both of them. The column of fire hits the ground and spreads in all directions. Lordan and Yura were caught in the wall of fire and begin to perform rolls to put themselves out from burning.

The Dragon lands far from them and turns in their direction. It lets out a second column of fire in an attempt to burn them while keeping a safe distance. The pair dodge the attack by running in opposite directions from each other to make the Dragon lose its focus.

Lordan tries to close in on the Dragon but was pushed to the ground by another gust of wind that the Dragon creates from its wings, flying up to the sky again. It lands close to Yura and charges him with its mouth open but fails as Yura dodges forward to avoid the bite and reach the torso again.

He tries to attack its limbs but was knocked to the ground as the Dragon takes off again, Its intend to avoid Lordan and Yura from close quarters and use its breath.

Can't reach it! It's trying to tire us! Lordan comes up with the conclusion that the Dragon was using flight to avoid them while forcing the pair to constantly run to reach it. Even bows were useless due to the Dragon's constant movements that make hitting its soft spots with arrows very difficult. Lordan blows his ring to summon Torrent and rides to the Dragon while keeping his greatsword and changing to dual swords for more speed.

"Yura! Attack from Range! I will hit it up close!"

"Right! Don't get killed, Lad!"

They renew their assault with Yura firing off arrows while moving to the Dragon's side. Lordan rides Torrent to confront the Dragon with a frontal charge at the best speed. The Dragon delivers a bite but misses as Torrent dodges to the bottom of the Dragon, allowing Lordan to slash the Dragon's limbs with his dual blades.

The Dragon turns in the direction of Lordan's steed to chase it. Yura follows the Dragon from behind and attacks its tail, Delivering rotating slashes that resemble a sword dance to cause more bleeding damage to the Dragon.

The Dragon then Lets out a roar that was loud enough to cause waves on the lake's surface. Both men grip their ears due to the sharp sound that hurt their heads. The Dragon delivers a tail swipe to Yura and knocks him down while stunned by the roar. It looms over Yura and is prepared to breathe fire downwards to burn him to ash.

Lordan snaps out of the stunlock and rides Torrent towards where Yura lays. He lets out his hand low on Torrent's side while riding. Yura grips Lordan's hand while he rode past before the fire reaches the ground. He was dragged for a few moments before Lordan stops at a safe distance and let go while Torrent disappears to safety.

They take cover from behind a ruined wall in ruins that have been burned by the Dragon before. Both catch their breaths from the long fight.

"Thanks, lad. Saved my skin there."

"No problem..." Lordan lies back against the wall, slowly sliding down to sit. They were safe a the moment as the Dragon did not see them hiding out at the ruins, it roared loudly as it was enraged from losing sight of its attackers. Yura joins Lordan in sitting and both men were exhausted from the ongoing fight.

"Told you this was a bad idea lad..." Yura lectures Lordan while he sips on his own flask, Lordan followed suit and drinks from both his red and blue flask. Their injuries were healed and their stamina was regained.

"Well, we got this far." Lordan looks through his items and considers what can use to counter the Dragon. The main issue they are currently facing was that the Dragon was too armored on large parts of its body with hard-to-reach soft spots and it flies away multiple times to avoiding them from attacking its unarmored areas. They also get tired from constantly chasing the Dragon, all their might and skill meaning nothing if their blades can't reach their target.

"Our swords only do a little damage, yours cause it to bleed out with enough hits. And our arrows do horseshit unless it hits a soft spot, which is only below the Dragon... Fuck, this is hard." He lays out all of the issues to Yura while continuing his search for a useful item. Lordan soon brings out a few firebombs and places them on the ground.

Yura sees the bombs and rolls his eyes due to the fact that it was useless against the Dragon. "Lad... The Dragon is fireproof... The entire outer body of that lizard can withstand lava if necessary."

"Right... I'm being a fool." He picks up the firebombs and prepares to keep them due to Yura's reasoning of the Dragon's outer body being completely fireproof. He stops midway as an idea comes to his head.

The Outer body is fireproof. But what about... Lordan leaves a single firebomb on the ground and takes out his crafting kit, small white pouches, and a few arrows. Yura watches on as Lordan proceeds to dismantle the bomb with the kit's tool, carefully removing the black power and pouring them into the smaller pouches.

"What are you doing, lad?"

"I got an idea, but..."

"But?"

"It's fucking mad." Lordan says while focusing on the arrows next, tying the small pouches to their tips. "I need the Dragon to face me and open its mouth before it breathes out fire."

"And then?"

"I feed it this." Lordan shows Yura the arrows he just modified, they are fitted with small pouches of black power that will explode if exposed to heat. Yura inspects the arrow and understands Lordan's intent with a nod.

"That would mean you would need it to follow you..." Yura sighs as the plan would mean Lordan's chances of death were high despite his ability to resurrect by grace. He stands on his feet and offers Lordan a hand to stand. "You are fucking insane like the rest lad... But if you pull this off perfectly, that lizard will fall today. Hard"

Lordan takes the hand and stands, he passes two of the arrows to Yura. Both warriors inspect their equipment one more time before charging out of the ruins towards the Dragon. It notices them and lets out a roar.

The pair moves below the Dragon and begin attacking all its soft spots with their blades, Lordan attacks the limbs with his dual swords while Yura attacks its torso with upper attacks. The Dragon tries stamping them with its legs but fails to do so when the pair decides to attack a single leg together, the pain the Dragon felt causes it to stop the attack midway.

The Dragon soon spread its wings again, trying to take into the air to create more distance. Yura then jumps high and delivers a downwards slash to one of the Dragon's wings, causing a small hole in its wing's skin as it growls in pain.

With the Dragon unable to take off, Lordan decides to enact his plan. "Yura! It's time!" Yura nods in acknowledgment of the idea and begins to clear off from the Dragon while drawing his bow.

Lordan in a display of bravely decides to move to the front of the Dragon to get its attention. The Dragon stops its struggle and focused on Lordan who was now standing in its view, he keeps his swords and draws his bow with the arrow he created earlier.

This better work... Lordan nocks the arrow and pulls the drawstring of the bow to its fullest extent and aims at the Dragon's mouth to wait for his window. "HEY! OVER HERE DRAGON! BURN ME! BURN ME!" He lets out a taunt that catches the Dragon's attention, It stands firm and opens its mouth to reveal a bright orange flare once again.

Lordan lets loose his arrow and fires it straight into the Dragon's mouth. It winches in pain and closes its mouth from the hit but recovers without a hint of the arrow working.

Shit. He thought upon seeing the result. The arrow that Lordan fired fails as the Dragon prepares to breathe fire towards Lordan, it would burn him and he would resurrect at the last site of grace. Lordan closes his eyes and stands firm, waiting for death by fire to come.

His thoughts were interrupted when an explosion occurs on the Dragon's neck that caused a large open wound, created by the arrow that was stuck in its throat. The delayed explosion was due to the fire breath not reaching the pouches, but occurs now as the Dragon attempted a fire breath.

The Dragon roars in pain to the sky as it vomits blood from its mouth, with some coming out of the open wound in its neck to pollute the lake's water below it. Lordan's theory had worked.

Not fireproof on the inside huh? He moves away quickly as the Dragon had begun thrashing around violently from the pain, desperate to kill Lordan by whatever means.

Yura takes a high position atop a ruin as he watched the scene unfold with a small smile, amused by the result of Lordan's foolish plan. "Giant balls, lad. Giant balls." He remarks while lighting a rope fuse on the arrow Lordan gave him and aims with his longbow. He fires the arrow at the open wound of the Dragon's neck. Another explosion happens after a few moments that cause more blood to burst out from the Dragon's neck, making the wound bigger to expose its throat.

The Dragon swings its head in a frenzy from the new injury and attempts to cover its neck. Yura fires another arrow to deter it with an explosion on its wing.

"Lordan! The Neck! Now!"

Lordan hears Yura and charges the Dragon. He had switched to his light greatsword at a safe distance and wielded it with two hands. He performs a charging jump with his greatsword to deliver a final bow.

"FALL! DAMN YOU!"

The greatsword was brought down with a downwards slash on the opened neck wound. It craved through the Dragon's neck vertically to create a gaping wound that stretched from its middle neck down to its torso, blood and guts spew from the bigger wound onto Lordan after he lands beneath.

Lordan begins to backstep with speed as the Dragon faces upwards and roars, trying to keep its innards from falling out with its front limbs. It begins falling forward with its head landing right in front of Lordan, himself almost being crushed by its body.

He waits for a few moments while still griping his greatsword as the Dragon struggles for moments, blood pours out of its wounds with some innards slowly flowing out from its neck. The Dragon lets out soft growls as its movements slowly start to cease. It finally lays still after a final choke, dying from blood loss.

GREAT ENEMY FELLED

White particles float out of the Dragon's body and move their way to Lordan, disappearing upon impact. He feels the rush of runes entering his body. A large number of runes will be used to empower himself with Melina's help. Lordan holsters his greatsword as Yura begins to walk towards the dragon's body, stopping beside Lordan.

"So, once again the wolf has bitten the dragon..." Yura remarks to the body that lies before him, a rare sight during this age. "Beautiful work, felling that dragon*."*

"Well, you helped. Otherwise, I would be toast. Literally and figuratively." Lordan admits as he knew that his current state would be no match for the Dragon alone.

"You did most of the work. A firebomb arrow into the Dragon's mouth? That was quick thinking." He compliments Lordan on his efforts and moves to the dragon's body, he prepares his sword to cut open its chest.

Yura drives his weapon into the dragon's chest and delivers a thrust, slowly cutting open the chest before sticking his hand into the hole and pulling out the Dragon's heart. Lordan looks on with disgust as Yura approaches him with the heart in his hand, sticking it out to Lordan for him to take.

"This heart can be used in Dragon Communion. If you should find yourself overcome by hunger for the heart, yearning for its strength, then seek the decrepit church, on the little island off the western coast."

"Eat the heart? Raw?" Yura nods at his assumption. "I... Will... Consider that." The idea of eating a dragon heart sickens him.

"You must not forget though. Those who partake in Dragon Communion will one day shed their humanity. Their hunger for dragon, their yearning, only worsens." Yura warns with a grave tone. "Until the floodgates burst, unleashing eternal torment. The strength of a mighty dragon. Magnificent, but deadly. It's no surprise that Dragon Communion is ruinous."

"I will keep that in mind." He takes the heart reluctantly and stores it in his enchanted bag.

"Slaying a dragon is no small feat. But you're still a long way from Radegan's record streak."

"Radegan? Who's that?" Lordan asks, not recognizing the name Yura mentioned.

Art By Elzdraw

"Radegan The Black. Queen Marika's sworn blade and greatest champion during the last great war with the Dragon Order. Surpassing both the legend of Elden Lords Radagon and Godfrey combined." Yura tells Lordan of the tale. "Legends tell of him falling dragons by the tens and thousands. His presence was known on the battlefield as terrifying and demonic to the Golden Order's enemies. So, whenever they saw a rider chad in black armor with a red cloak atop a spectral steed charging in front of the Golden Order's vanguard... They knew... The Black has come for them, and death was guaranteed."

Lordan listens to the tale and was curious about how Radegan would have managed that. "So how did he do that? Killing thousands of dragons?"

"With inhuman strength, speed, skill, and a big fucking sword."

The idea of a man single-handedly killing thousands of dragons with a simple great sword was ridiculous to Lordan. But the fact that such a man could have existed also intimidated him. He hopes he never has to face Radegan in battle should he still be alive. "What happened to Radegan then? Is he still alive?"

"No one knows. The stories said he disappeared before Queen Marika could make an important announcement that require all of the lands to hear. But that was almost... Thousands years ago." Yura finishes his story.

"Alright then. About my part of the deal." Lordan asks to fulfill his agreement. "Where is this target?"

"He is close by. Very close by." Yura cleans his sword with a cloth and holsters the weapon. "We can go after him now, lad. Or do you need a break?"

Lordan sips on his blue flask and walks towards Yura, his body renewed with vigor and energy. "No, We do this now. Lead the way."

Yura smirks and leads them both to a gorge nearby the lake. They both spot a man that was dressed in a regel dark robe with a hood that was carrying two spiked daggers. The pair draw their weapons as Yura's target spots them and proceeds to charge.

"If it isn't Nerijus. Another worthless Bloody Finger. The end is nigh. For you, and your cessblood." Yura remarks as three men soon engage in combat.

LIMGRAVE, THIRD CHURCH OF MARIKA

Lordan sits at the site of grace within the ruined church, a statue of a woman with her arms outstretched looks over the site as if watching over the grace. He removes his helmet and breathes out deeply, taking in the fresh air.

He rubs his head to adjust his hair which was messy and ponders on its current length. It's getting long... Taking a bunch of hair into his hand and forming a ponytail, he uses a dagger to cut it off and throws it to the side. He rubs the excess hair strands and reaches into his bag to pull out a new weapon given to him by Yura after their fight with Nerijus.

The fight with the bloody finger had started and ended quickly. With the two sellswords managing to overwhelm him by way of divide and conquer, forcing the target to change directions constantly by surrounding him back and front.

Yura had managed to deliver a death blow by beheading after Lordan stabbed Nerijus with his dual swords. The target was killed and Lordan fulfil the end of his bargain.

Yura was very grateful and rewarded Lordan with his spare weapon, a Nagakiba, or katana as most people called it. He also taught Lordan a technique of deflecting with weapons that allows one to absorb the force of any attack and reflect it back to their enemy.

Lordan inspects the quality of the blade and found it to be of exotic built, long effectiveness of a spear and sharpness of a longsword combined into one. He keeps the katana in his weapon bag as part of his regular set of weapons to use.

"Melina? Are you there?" He calls out to her and she soon appears out of a blue mist near the site of grace. She smiles as if happy to see him.

"Greetings, Lordan. Are you well?" She enquires about his well-being due to their last conversation when Lordan was in a lowered state.

Lordan nods and she eases herself from concern, making her take a kneel near the site of grace. Lordan observes her for a brief moment, a hint of uncertainty within her body language. "I have some runes to turn into strength." He makes his request known and catches Melina's attention.

"Of course, Lordan. And a generous amount as well." She feels a significant number of runes within Lordan's body, runes that equal the worth of a dragon's strength. "Very well. Let my hand rest upon you, for but a moment..."

The both of them touch hands and Melina begins the process of turning runes into strength while reciting her prayer that Lordan has heard before. He focuses on the aspects that he wishes to improve and slowly feels runes granting him a newfound strength as before.

Lordan opens his eyes early than usual and looks upon Melina's hand that he was currently holding. He observes scars that resemble burn marks on her hand, most of the scars were faded and seemed to match her skin tone. He traces her hand with his thumb to feel the surface, her normal skin soft and her scars slightly rough.

Who or what did this? He wonders about the cause of her scars as Melina opens her eyes after finishing her prayers and sees Lordan's actions. He soon looks up and both their eyes meet, their hands not letting go for moments too long.

Melina slowly releases her hand from Lordan's grip and looks away, tensing up due to the fact that Lordan had discovered her scars. Lordan clears his throat and lets out a quiet "Sorry" to ease Melina with no effect as she begins to display more sights of distress.

"Melina... Are you Ok?" He asks carefully, concerned due to her display of growing discomfort. Perhaps he should not have examined her scars. He observes her for a few moments as she continues to keep quiet with slightly harder breaths as if trying to hold back from breaking down.

Melina takes a deep breath and slowly begins to calm down. She looks to Lordan who had been staring cautiously and waiting for a response. She steels herself and returns to normal, part of her feeling bad from the display which caused him to worry.

He's not here... He won't hurt you... He won't hurt you... She tells herself in her mind upon remembering the man who gave her the burn scars that run around her body, they still hurt with a phantom pain to this day.

She decides to give Lordan an excuse to throw off any worries he has about her, she didn't want to bother him with her problems. "Forgive me, Lordan. I've been... Testing you. To see whether or not grace truly does guide you."

Lordan crooks his head from the answer and wonders about the test that Melina had been using on him, completely forgetting about the earlier incident with the scars. "Ok? Did I pass?"

She nods to his question. "After Margit, I... wondered whether you are fit to face the challenge that entails. It seems my worries were unfounded." She continues slowly, carefully minding her words. "Torrent had your measure from the very start. Whereas I merely... Pretended." She notices disappointment on his face as he hears the lie.

He sighs from her confession "No surprise there... I don't exactly display confidence." Lordan notes his limitations as he did before after dying to Margit multiple times.

"I'm sorry, Lordan. I didn't mean to lie."

"Not your fault..."

Melina looks to him with surprise but was grateful that he would forgive her. "There is but one other thing I can do to offer you guidance. I can take you to the Roundtable Hold... Gathering place of Tarnished champions."

The news of a place of gatherings for the Tarnished catches Lordan's attention. A group of people from all over the region could assist him in any matter regarding his lack of knowledge in the lands between. It would also be beneficial to have a place to rest and regroup when not in combat. "Alright, which way?"

"The hold has no physical entrance. I will simply bring you there." Melina offers her hand to Lordan again, this time more uncaring of the appearance of her scars.

He decides not to pursue the matter of her scars any further and takes her hand. "Ok, I'm ready. Bring me there."

Melina nods and closes her eye with his hand in her grip. He starts to feel a sense of warmth and sees their bodies slowly fading into a blue mist similar to how Melina appears. The both of them soon fade away, teleporting to the Roundtable Hold.

THE ROUNDTABLE HOLD

Lordan reopens his eyes after a few moments to see that he was no longer at the church, they stood in a hall with a large round table that had swords gathered around the middle with a light of grace.

Wow... That was weird. He thinks to himself about the feeling of teleportation. They both let go of their hands and soon attracts the attention of the people that were currently residing in the hall. With Roderika being the first to wave to Lordan with a small smile near the hall's fireplace.

"This is the Roundtable Hold. A haven for the Tarnished to gather and regroup. You may find safety and assistance here. Should you require it. An enchantment has been put in place to ensure no harm will come to anyone while in the hold." Melina explains to Lordan while a man approaches the pair.

The man was wearing a light grey armor set with a helmet covering his face, leaving many to wonder what he may look like. He stands with a cane that doubles as a hammer. He stops in front of them and looks at Lordan, eying him top to bottom before turning to Melina.

"Melina. It has been a while since you came to the hold." The man speaks with a mature and wise voice while Melina performs a small bow to greet him.

"Greetings, Master Ofnir. I bring a guest to the hold. He is... new to the lands between."

The man looks to Lordan again, sizing him up with his eyes beneath his helmet. "Oh? This is a rare occasion. I can't remember the last time a new Tarnished made their way to the Roundtable. Brought by you of all people." He speaks while continuing his stare. Lordan decides to offer his hand and gives his name.

"I'm Lordan."

"Sir Gideon Ofnir, the All-Knowing." Gideon responds without shaking Lordan's hand, leaving him hanging for moments before Lordan puts his hand down. "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." He starts to turn away from the pair and walks towards an exit leading to the hold's study room. "You have yet to earn your keep. So remember your place, boy."

"That's it? No words of wisdom from the all-knowing?" Lordan asks while Gideon continues walking away. Not caring for Lordan's rudeness.

"What were you expecting, boy? Tea?" Gideon responds. "There's nothing left to say. Be at your leisure. And take care of the girl. She is the reason you are here in the first place. "

Lordan looks at Gideon while he moves out of view. Cunt... He comments within his head on the encounter. He looks back to Melina. "Well... He's peachy, isn't he?" The remarks earn him a small smile from Melina.

"Master Ofnir is currently leader to the Roundtable Hold. He acts as a guide to the Tarnished. But he can be... Impatient, in recent times. Due to the last few Tarnished that came being failures in his eyes."

"You don't say..." Lordan replies with a hint of sarcasm while rolling his eyes. He looks around the hall towards the others residing there. A priest and noble, both nod in acknowledgment to Lordan when he looks upon them.

Lordan looks around the decorated hall to take in all the details of the room. While looking around, he notices five paintings hanging on the higher part of the hall near the ceiling. They were paintings of two women and three men.

The first painting depicts a woman wearing a witch's hat and robes in dark grey color that was similar to Renna's. The woman holds a staff in one hand and her other hand shows her wielding flames, flames that are black and white in color. She had pale skin and black long hair with blue gloomy eyes but was remarkably beautiful.

The second painting shows another woman who wore a crown and a black dress that was revealing with her chest and back exposed. She had her arms outstretched like the statue in the church Lordan had rested earlier. She had blonde hair and light pale skin, with her beauty matching the woman in the first painting.

The third painting was of an elderly but strong-looking man that wears a crown that was sliver in color as compared to the previous painting's golden crown. He wields a colossal axe and was donning a heavy armor with a blue cape. It also shows a white lion that stands tall beside him as a war companion.

The fourth painting was of a man dressed in black robes that wears a golden-colored version of the same crown as the previous man, he had his arms outstretched but was straighter. He had flaming red hair and divine facial features that makes him look like a painted depiction of a god.

The last painting was of a man donning a black jagged armor with a wolf helmet that covered half of his face, his lower jaw exposed to reveal tanned skin with a hint of beard stubble. He wields a giant greatsword that was Massive, thick, heavy, and too rough for a mere man to hold. It was like a giant raw clunk of iron that was far too big to be called a sword. Compared to the other paintings, this one looks like a painting of a demon.

"Who are those people?" Lordan points to the painting and asks Melina. She looks up to them and takes a step forward; her focus is on the first painting.

"These are the forebearers of the Roundtable Hold and the beings that shaped the lands between. Their efforts, feats, and stories earn them a place among the old legends, most see them as living gods." Melina explains while beginning to speak their names.

"Renna The Gloam."

"Marika The Eternal."

"Godfrey The Lord."

"Radagon The Red."

"Radegan The Black."

Lordan takes in the information of the names and wonders about the last two names. "Radegan and Radagon? Any particular relation?"

"No. They are different persons. They did not exist in the same time period and neither are they related." Melina provides him with the answer. The two paintings were also completely different in tone like two sides of a coin. with Radagon depicted as holy and godly, and Radegan depicted as demonic and ungodly. Complete polar opposites of each other.

He looks back to the painting of Renna and compares it to the witch he met a day ago and notices some differences. The most obvious is the lack of blue skin and hair. The painting of Renna also looked older, than that of an adult woman compared to a younger version he spoke to.

"I... Met a woman called Renna, at the Church Of Elleh. Are they the same person?"

"No, Lordan. The woman you met is not Renna. Most likely, she has given you a false name." He nods upon understanding what she means.

Melina begins to walk towards the same exit where Gideon went, she stop for moment and looks at Lordan. "There is a guest room where you can stay for the night and whenever you require it." She points to the other exit on Lordan's right. "There is also a blacksmith that can reinforce your weapons towards that room. Enjoy your stay, Lordan. Find me in the library, should you require me."

"Thanks, Melina." Lordan watches her leave while he remains in the hall. He decides to look around the hold and introduce himself to its current residents.

The first was Roderika again as they had already met. She thanked him again with a hug which he awkwardly returned. She speaks of finding her purpose and hoping to help him on his journey. Lordan removed his helmet to properly introduce himself as he did before. The gesture causes Roderika to blush greatly upon seeing his unique face, due to her not expecting Lordan to look so "Pretty" as most girls used to tell him.

He then greets Diallos, a nobleman from the house of Haslow who greets him with the phrase "The tale of House Hoslow is told in blood". He wears a elegant built light armor with red and silver tones and wields two metal whips as weapons. He makes a request to Lordan for assistance to look for his servant named Lanya, offering a reward for his services should he find her during his travels. He accepts the request but makes no promises.

The last person in the hall was Brother Corhyn, a man of the cloth for the Golden Order or priest as most people call them. He learns that Lordan still sees the light of grace and offers to teach him incantations, provided Lordan increases his level of faith. He gifts Lordan a seal to cast these spells and advises him to try it when outside the hold.

Lordan moves to the exit on his left to find the blacksmith who introduces himself as Hewg, a humanoid man chained to the wall near his anvil. He looks to Lordan and asks him to bring smithing stones to improve his weapons and imbue them with ashes of war, magical ashes that allow the user to use a weapon skill without the need to learn them. Lordan offers runes to Hewg to repair his Raging Wolf Armor which Hewg accepts upon commenting on the horrid state of his equipment. Lordan takes off the armor down to his inner leather gambeson and passes it to Hewg who requires a few hours to fully restore it.

In the guest room, Melina mentioned a woman sitting on the bed and introduces herself as Fia, who mentions her stay in the roundtable hold as temporary due to unforeseen circumstances. She offers to hold Lordan in a hug to provide him with a blessing which he declines, offering an excuse by showing Fia the ring to call Torrent as a means to indicate that Melina has "Claimed him". She tells him of another guestroom in the lower level before bidding him farewell, requesting him to see her again if he changes his mind.

He moves to the other side of the hold to where Melina and Gideon reside. At the doorway to the study, a man dressed in blackened armor with a skull helmet leans against the wall. He does not speak and simply gestures Lordan away, not caring for Lordan's introduction.

Gideon was busy the study room with books and scrolls laid out on the table he was working with. He dismisses Lordan when he attempted conversation by telling him that he would only have use for him when is granted an audience with the Two Fingers in the throne room of the hold's hall.

Lordan returns to the library to see Melina reading a book titled "The Throne of Want". He moves closer and attracts her attention.

"How are you getting on, Lordan?"

"Uhh... the people here are... interesting to say the least." He gives his answer not knowing what to make of the people here yet.

"Indeed. Most of them come from different walks of life. Some of them can be considered enemies towards each other, but the hold welcomes all."

"Yeah... Would be a pretty shit haven if anyone started killing each other." He comments on the hold's enchantment that allows no conflict. "Well. I'm going to get some shut-eye. You should too."

"Of course. Rest well, Lordan."

He starts to walk away from the library back to the hall. Melina asks him a question along his way.

"Did you receive a blessing from Fia?"

Lordan stops midway and answers. "No. Pretty sure I can't." He raises up his hand where he wears Torrent's ring. It makes Melina let out a small laugh and blushes at the comment.

"Oh... Lordan... We aren't married."

"Yet." He walks away while laughing on his own, leaving Melina to her book.

"Such a foolish man..."

MISTWOOD, MISTWOOD RUINS

After spending half a day in the hold for rest while waiting for Hewg to fix his armor, Lordan sets off to Mistwood from the church in search of the "Friend" Kale mentioned. On Torrent's back, Lordan traveled into the woods to begin his search.

He rode around the woods in circles for about two hours, trying to find signs of a man or man with a wolf as Kale had described howling as a sign of his presence in the area.

During his search, he encountered new enemies in the form of demi-humans, man-eating flowers, and bears. Not just any bears, bears that chased him and Torrent with matching speed resulting in some close calls. He managed to avoid them as Torrent could do something the bears couldn't, It could jump, twice.

Lordan reaches a ruin and decides to take a break as it was getting dark. He looks through his map that was updated from the new piece he found earlier, marking all the locations he already visited in the woods to ensure he would not repeat a stop in his search.

"Damn it, Kale. Why are all your recommendations not so simple..." He remarks with negativity and keeps his map. He takes out his kit to prepare to craft new items for the road, intending to continue his search in the morning.

Lordan's focus was interrupted by a wolf's howl that resonates in the night. He looks around and draws his sword to prepare for danger, expecting more stray wolves to attack him. After a few moments no wolves appear, causing him to let his guard down as the howl sounds out again.

He thinks the source of the howling was close and remembers the information Kale gave him, to snap his fingers when he hears howling in Mistwood. He proceeds to perform a snap with his fingers, its sound echoes in the night.

He waits for moments with no effect, causing him to sigh and return to his business. He was stopped when he hears a heavy impact from behind him. Lordan out of instinct turns around and backsteps into a battle stance while drawing his other sword to dual wield.

The figure that looms before him was a large man that wears a grey plate with a fur cloak, a giant greatsword was holstered on his back with engravings on the blade. Perhaps the most prominent feature of the man was the fact that he has a wolf's head.

The man grips his sword's hilt while raising a hand to indicate to Lordan to stop. "Might not want to do that, Mate. It will probably end badly for both of us." He speaks calmly to ease the situation.

Lordan starts lowing his swords and places them back in his weapon bags. "Right... Sorry. Jumpy from all the bears earlier."

A nod of understanding came from the man, indicating he had trouble with them as well. "Kale told me to find you."

"Kalé sent you, did he? Ever the bloody busybody." He sighs on the fact that his friend gave his location away. "Hmm... Maybe to him, you don't seem so strange*.*"

"Of course, I'm not strange. I'm the only one who buys stuff from him. Supposedly..."

The man laughs quietly from the inside joke, his wolf displays a smile-like smirk. "Yeah... His business is taking a hike from the strinking Tarnished poplution." The man offers a hand for Lordan to shake. "The name's Blaidd."

"Lordan." They shake their hand as greetings. "So... you're an actual wolf. Honestly, I didn't expect that..."

"Yep. The accent and tone throw most people off. Especially the ladies..." Blaidd's smirk grows larger from the mention. "And you're a wolf too, I see. I recongise the armor of the Raging Wolf Vagram anywhere."

"You know Vagram?" Lordan asks, not expecting anyone to know his master's name in this region.

"Grumpy fellow? Grey hair? In his fifties in terms of looks? Yeah, we have met." Blaidd recounts his experience with Vagram. "Took a job for my mistress a while back. The man fights like a mad dog with nothing to lose. A bloody fucking savage."

"Have you seen him recently?"

"Nope. Sorry mate, It has been a while since." Lordan felt disappointed by this fact, he had hoped he could meet Vagram due to not seeing him for a couple of years already. Blaidd continues the conversation to question why Lordan was here. "So... You were looking for me?"

"Yeah. I was told you were on a job."

"I am. I'm looking for a man who goes by "Darriwil." He fled somewhere nearby. Or so I've heard." A tone of frustration was within Blaidd's voice as he had been hunting for some time.

"Don't suppose you need a hand? For runes? I'm working on the fly."

Blaidd looks to Lordan and gains interest in the offer. "Merc for hire, eh? Hmmm... Tell you what, mate. We find Darriwil and kill him. I finish my job and you take his runes and whatever loot you want from his body. Deal?"

"Deal." Lordan accepts and ponders the next move they need to take. "Ok... so, where is he?"

"That's the thing. I can't find him. Bastard's covered his tracks pretty well for a bloodhound knight."

"Well... Can't you just... smell him out?" Lordan suggests and earns a perplexed look from Blaidd.

"Smell him out? So you think all half-wolves can just do that?"

"Uhhhhh... Yes?"

"That's bloody racist, mate."

"Alright. Alright. Don't be such a bi- Baby about it." Lordan waves off his supposedly offensive remark. "But you got any leads? We can't just stand around and think about where he might be."

Blaidd sighs. "As much as I hate to admit it, smelling him out might be the way to go. But uh... I don't do that." The limitation creates an idea in Lordan's mind.

Lordan reaches into his enchanted bag and pulls out the spirit calling bell with the ashes that he was given. The items catches Blaidd's attention with a hint of recognition on his face.

"Oi... Is that Ra- A spirit calling bell?"

"Yeah. Hopefully these guys can help us." Lordan rings the bell with the ashes of three wolves in hand. the spectral forms of three wolves appear before them. They move to Lordan's front, waiting for a command.

"Hi... wolves... uhhh... Nice to meet you?" Lordan attempts to pet one of the wolves but his hand phrases through as they were in spectral form. The attempt makes Blaidd laugh which he ceases after earning an annoyed stare from Lordan.

"Ok. Can you guys track a bloodhound nearby?" The wolves begin moving around the ruin while stiffing the ground as if understanding the instruction given. They eventually look to the same direction to indicate that they have their target's location.

Blaidd looks on with a smile clearly impressed by the method Lordan used. They proceed to follow the wolves as they slowly move towards the location of Darriwil.

"So you have a pack of wolves in your pocket?" Blaidd remarks while they walk along. "Sure you aren't a half-wolf, mate? Might need to check your arse for sights of fur."

"Fuck off Blaidd..."

FORLORN HOUND EVERGAOL

Bloodhound Knight Darriwil

"Shit! Blaidd! Can you Flank him!?"

"What do you think I'm trying to- Bloody Hells!"

Blaidd blocks an attack from Darriwil as he dashes towards Blaidd with his curved greatsword, he follows up with an upwards slash with a backflip to create distance.

Darriwill proceeds to dash around the pair as they attempt to attack him, every attack from them were missing as he dashes with incedibe speed that almost seems to make him disappear between dashes. Lordan and Blaidd struggle as Darriwill gets in hits on both of them between his dodges.

They soon stand side by side as Darriwill creates distance again to ease off his attacks, both sides taking a breather as they circle around their battle arena.

"Dodgy little bastard isn't he?" Blaidd comments with heavy breathing, tired from the constant assault the knight was issuing.

"Yeah... I... Noticed..." Lordan was breathing hard as well, more so than Blaidd as Darriwill had been targeting him more often. He sips on his blue flask and finishes his last drop to focus.

Darriwil was a bloodhound knight that specializes in rapid movements and attacks with his curved greatsword. Despite his size and long limbs, he was still fast enough to outrun both Lordan and Blaidd at the same time, using their efforts to attack him to tire them out as he dodges in circles to phrase through their slashes and stabs.

This was Lordan's 6th fight with Darriwill. He had resurrected nearby the stake of Marika which served the same function as grace, bringing him back to a point before death. Each time he died, Blaidd was waiting for him outside the Evergoal to learn how their last battle went, aware of the time loop that a Tarnished experiences.

Darriwil charges them again with multiple dashes in a zigzag pattern to throw off their focus. The attempt makes Blaidd stab his greatsword to the ground, creating an ice blast that spreads out to deter the Knight's attacks, forcing him to retreat again.

Blaidd removes his sword and looks at Lordan. "If you got a plan mate, Now is the time!" Impatience fills his voice, clearly wanting the fight to end.

We need to distract him. But how? Lordan thinks fast as he notices Darriwill readying his next attack, taking a low battle stance with three limbs on the ground to dash at any time. An idea comes to Lordan which caused him to retrieve his spirit calling bell.

He rings the bell to summon his three wolves. Upon creation, the wolves immediately attack Darriwill, forcing him to dash around them as the speed of the wolves almost match Darriwill's dashes.

Lordan and Blaidd sip on their red flasks to regain their vigor. Both men sees the sight before them as they prepare to renew their attacks. "Alright, Mate. We got him running, so now we-"

"Tear his arse a new one."

The remake makes Blaidd smirk as he wields his greatsword with one hand. "Aye. Rotting in a cell is no true justice for this muppet. No, this is where it ends."

The pair joins the fray, it was now a five versus one battle as the pair seeks to overwhelm the Knight with constant attacks from all sides.

Darriwill starts to dodge in rapid sucession as he was constantly harassed by attacks from five directions. The wolves could keep up to his speed and force him to move away while Lordan and Blaidd get in their attacks in between. The method works as the pair was able to get a few hits in to Darriwill, a feat that was rare in their last few fights.

The fight lasted for a few more minutes before Darriwil starts to slow down, as the constant dodging was starting to wear him out. His grave mistake was made as one of the wolves manages to bite on his leg to stop his movement, its jaws holding on tight as he struggles. The two other wolves join in to bite on his shoulder and hand, keeping him bound tightly.

Blaidd sees his opportunity to end the fight fast and shouts to Lordan. "Lordan! Prepare yourself! Take his head on my move!"

"When!?" Lordan shouts back while drawing the katana Yura gave him from his weapon bag.

"NOW!" Blaidd leaps into the air, his greatsword in hand as he prepares a downward thrust. Once above the bound Knight, he stabs down into Darriwil's chest, pinning him down as his blade stabs through his torso and into the ground.

Lordan charges to where Blaidd has pinned the Knight with his katana and reaches in front of them. He wields the sword with two hands and delivers a downwards slash to Darriwil's neck with all his might. In one swift motion, the katana's sharp edge cuts through the neck with no effort, beheading Darriwil. His head falls to the ground as his body goes limp after a few twitches, and blood pours out of his neck stump.

ENEMY FELLED

The Evergoal starts to fade around them as its prisoner was now dead. The area returns to the normal cliff where the Evergoal's entrance was located, both Lordan and Blaidd still at their same postions when they killed Darriwil.

Blaidd removes his impaled sword from the body and kicks it a few times, his penned-up frustration taken out on the body. "Fucking Traitor..."

Darriwil's body soon emits runes that rush to Lordan's body, increasing the amount he currently has. He would need to increase his strength again after this fight.

While Lordan was absorbing the runes, Blaidd had moved to Darriwil's severed head. Taking out a small sack from his own enchanted bag, he removes the helmet and places Darriwil's head into the sack and hangs it on his belt, taking it as prove of his successful hunt. "Well... We got him. Had to work for it, but it's done."

"Six times, Blaidd... That's how hard we had to work for it..." Lordan reveals the number of deaths he needed to take down Darriwil. He was a bit happy about the fact that it took a lesser number than his fights with Margit, which he still has not succeeded in defeating.

"Our new lucky number then." Blaidd moves to the body and takes the curved greatsword that Darriwil used. "Here. Might be useful for you, if you can use it properly." He tosses the sword for Lordan to catch, he barely catches it with his hand.

"A curved greatsword? What's next? Square shields?" He comments on the design of the greatsword which was rarely seen from the lands he came from. "Not as special as yours though..."

Blaidd holds out his own greatsword and shows it off. "You like it, Eh? I had a blacksmith design it after Radegan's dragon killing greatsword. I was always a big fan of the Dreaded Black Wolf." He says proudly as he mentions his inspiration. "Alas... It is smaller than the real thing. I like it to be a bit more balanced."

Lordan keeps the sword in his enchanted bag for safekeeping. "Alright. Guess I got what I came for. Thanks, Blaidd."

Blaidd waves off the thanks. "No worries, mate. You did good as well. Your wolves really saved me the trouble." Blaidd holsters his greatsword and prepares to move off. "That's enough chit-chat for now. It's time we parted ways. Good luck on the path, wolf."

They exchange goodbyes with a handshake and Blaidd moves off, leaving Lordan at the Evergaol's entrance. Blaidd stops half-way as he remembers something that may help Lordan on his journey. "Oh yes, by the way. If you venture north to Raya Lucaria and come across a venerable blacksmith who's a little on the large side... Tell him I sent you. And he'll be sure to treat you right."

"Oh... Thanks, Blaidd." They wave goodbyes once more as Blaidd walks away. Lordan makes his way to Darriwil's body and examines the armor set he was wearing. "Hmmm... Nice gear..." He starts to remove the Bloodhound armor from the body, intending to take it for himself.

LIMGRAVE, AGHEEL LAKE SOUTH

"Share them with me, your thoughts, your ambitions, the principles you would follow." Melina recites to imbue the runes into strength for Lordan. He feels his body empowered again from the runes, his chosen aspects improving.

They let their hands go and sit back down in front of the site of grace. It had been a few hours since the fight with Darriwil and Lordan was currently preparing to depart into the Weeping Peninsula. He maps out the route to reach Castle Morne to the south in search of more runes, a trip that will take him one week even with Torrent's help.

Lordan stands up and wields the curved greatsword of Darriwil, giving it a few swings to test his newfound strength. He was pleased as the aspects he improved allowed him to use the weapon more effectively. "Not bad... Not bad at all." He sits back down and places the sword to the side, removing his helmet as well.

"Thanks, Melina. You have been a great help." He thanks her as she had been the reason he was even making progress.

"Of course, Lordan. You have been improving greatly since we first met. I am... glad I had been wrong." She admits to her doubts again as she did earlier. It had been a relief for Melina to see Lordan start succeeding in his endeavors, his recent victories with a Dragon and Bloodhound Knight were by no means easy tasks. But he had managed to overcome them, even if he needed assistance to do it.

"It's no big deal... I still need more strength if I'm going to face Margit again. Just a little more..." He grips his hands together into a fist, determined to see his task through. Margit was in his way to freedom and needed to be felled.

"And I am confident you will gain it." Melina complements, earning her a smile from Lordan which she returns. She had only seen Lordan without a helmet a few times. His smile was bright and calming, which causes her to feel a sense of warmth.

She observes his face with his soft and rugged facial features that were a mix of masculine and feminine features, a rare look from the average man. She thought of him as "Pretty".

She also wondered at his hair. Its length was medium and a bit messy, giving it a certain charm to his overall look. The colour was dark brown with minor hints of blonde highlights that was overpowered by the dominant brown color.

Lordan clears his throat due to Melina staring too long. It gets her attention causing her to turn away as she blushes deeply, embarrassed for having admired his face.

That was... inappropriate. She thought to herself as she feels her heart beating a bit faster.

They sat in an awkward silence from the incident before Lordan decides to break the tension. "So... I have been meaning to ask... Why did you choose me?"

Melina looks back to Lordan upon hearing the question. She thinks of a proper response so as to not reveal the truth of why she has chosen to follow him, the real answer was too complicated for him to understand.

"I was... told to seek a Tarnished that follows the path of grace. This Tarnished would be the one to bandish the Elden Ring and I would follow, reaching the Erdtree along the way." Melina explains as Lordan listens in carefully. "When this task was given to me, I had traveled all over the lands between in search of such a person. I found some, along the way. But..."

"But?"

"They... Did not live up to their measure. They chose different paths, and ways, and engage in... unacceptable acts that was against the Greater Will's interest. Thus, they lost sight of grace." Melina had found other Tarnished warriors before and followed them despite being instructed not to do so. When they lost sight of grace, she had been forced to abandon them, each one falling into further

It was a mistake on her part. She had become desperate from the waiting and decided to take an easy way out. As a result, she had paid for it with pain, her burn marks being the most obvious sign.

"And now. I found you. Another Tarnished with the potential to succeed." She lies again about why she chooses him, feeling shame from the act and hoping he would be conceived without issue.

Forgive me, Lordan...

Lordan accepts the explanation with no suspicion. "So that's your purpose? Leading a Tarnished to the Erdtree?"

"My purpose?" Melina was caught off guard by the question. "The truth is... I'm searching for my true purpose given to me by my mother inside the Erdtree long ago, for the reason that I yet live, burned and bodyless." The last part was another lie.

"Bodyless? But... you are right in front of me." Lordan was confused by the meaning of the last words.

"This is... a false body... It will do have to do for the moment." Another lie comes from her mouth. Each one she tells tore her up on the inside.

"I... See..." He decides to accept the explanation. "Still... If you're going to have a purpose. you should be able to pick. Right?"

"Pick? You mean choose my own purpose?"

"Yeah. You know. Just... choose what you want to do. No one is gonna stop you." Lordan shrugs from his response. Melina ponders on the words she receives and was curious about Lordan himself.

"But what of you, Lordan? What is your purpose?" She asks and he thinks of a suitable answer.

"Me? Hm. Well... let's see... I am a mercenary. So most of the time, my purpose is gold. Not because I wanna be rich or anything... It's just that a man has to eat, you know?" He gives a practical answer to her question and its was also the most honest one he could think of. "Besides, It's all I know since birth. The way of the sword. And how to sell it."

"So you were a sellsword from birth?"

"Something like that... I grew up among them. In New Lothric, for the first few years. Then I traveled, with my master around the known world. Visiting many mercenary bands and guilds. I met other kids along the way. All of us were training to become sellswords."

"Children? Training to fight?" Melina asks with concern about the practice of child soldiers.

"Better than being orphan. At least you could earn a keep when you fought alongside the adults."

Melina thinks about asking her next question but hesitates for a moment before speaking out. "Then... What about your parents?"

"Never knew them. They died during a war." A hint of sadness was in Lordan's tone. "At least that's what I was told. My father and mother were footsoldiers. She gave birth to me in the midst of battle when an enemy found her."

"He... helped her birth me and took me to safety. She died after that from blood loss. And my father... Well, he didn't make it very far too." Lordan shifts in his position due to discomfort with the topic. "Then... Master Vagram found me, after the battle in a burnt-down tent. I was the only survivor out of all the babies that were housed there."

They kept silence for a moment for Lordan to remember about his childhood. It was a decent one considering his circumstances at the time. Vagram was the closest figure he had to a father and gave him his name. The only thing Lordan truly owned. He also didn't starve or suffer like many other orphans.

"Do you remember anything about your mother?"

"No... Nothing. But I'm pretty sure I have a bit of her hair." He points out the minor highlights of the blonde on his hair.

He looks back to the site of grace and thinks to himself about how his life would have been if his parents were still alive. Perhaps he would have been happier? Working on a farm? Dead as well? All the what-ifs appear in his mind to no end.

Melina moves closer to him and moves her hand slowly to his, they hold their hands with their fingers intertwined while Melina leans in closer to him, Lordan allows it and place his hand over her shoulder.

They held each other tightly to provide comfort from the bitter memories, with no words to exchange as they simply sat in silence. Both of them in their own way were broken but paid no judgment to each other's pasts, they simply wanted to relax in each other's company.

"I'm sorry, Lordan. For what you suffered."

"Me too, Melina. Me too." He says as he feels the burn scar on her hand again. He looks up to the sky to a night of a thousand stars, A majestic sight shelters them from above.

ARTS BY Kranjas

"Stars are... Pretty tonight, Aren't they?"

"Yes. They are." Melina responds while looking up as well.

Both of them suddenly feel a sense of terror surrounding them, as if they had been invaded by an unknown presence. They let each other go and Lordan gets on his feet and starts looking around for signs of anomalies.

"Melina, did you feel-" He looks back to Melina to see her shaking while still being seated. Her mouth was open and her hands trembled uncontrollably while folded, tears stream down her face as her breathing quickens, she was on the verge of a major panic attack.

"No... No... No, please..." She grips her head and adopts a fetal position while looking down. More tears leak as fear overtakes her. "No... Don't let him hurt me again... Mother... Please..."

Lordan moves down to Melina's side to comfort her, gravely worried as he does not know what was causing this. "Melina? What's wrong? What is-"

A red presence soon appears from the cliff where the Evergaol entrance was. The presence reveals himself as a knight wearing a ruined armor with a dark blue tattered cape, it was iron armor singed and blistered by something resembling giant fingers. He wields a giant war spear that seems to emanate yellow flames.

The knight moves closer to the site of grace from the cliff, all while shaking with what appears to be the constrained laughter of a madman.

"Kindling... Give me... Kindling..." He whispers as he moves closer to the pair. "Hahahaha... I... I need It... NEED IT..."

Lordan takes guard and draws his Katana, standing in the way of the Mad knight to Melina as both men stop at a distance from each other. Melina stayed frozen in her postion at the site of grace, completely paralyzed by fear.

"Who are you!?" No response came from the knight. "What the fuck do you want?!"

"HEY! ANSWER DAMN IT!" Lordan shouts to get the Knight's attention but nothing came. The knight soon walks forward slowly, with his spear at the ready and a seal on his other hand. Lordan takes a battle stance of his own, ready to cut him down to protect Melina.

"Kindling... Kindling... Give It... Ha... Ha... GIVE IT. HAHAHA. GIVE IT. HAHAHAHAHA! GIVE IT! HAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" The Knight charges in a frenzied war cry.

Festering Fingerprint Vyke

Vyke delivers a thrusting attack with the momentum created by his sprint which Lordan easily deflects to the side with his katana. He swings and thrust his spear madly in an attempt to gain a hit on Lordan. Lordan gets out of range with a dodge backward and side steps from each attack.

Lordan soon attempts a counterattack with several slashes and stabs with great success as Vyke was too focused on attacking and forgets to defend. He performs a sword dance to land multiple attacks on Vyke and staggers him.

Vyke dodges backward to reclaim some ground and gain a breather, he swiftly flings a number of sharp rock shards with an incantation towards Lordan to get him off his back.

Lordan charges through the rocks with swift dodges, not intending to give Vyke a chance to recover. He gets close and delivers a sword Piercing stab that breaks Vyke's guard, forcing him to retreat once more.

After creating some distance between them, Vyke performs a leap and thrusts his spear into the ground. The spear creates an explosion that spreads out yellow flames to lit up the area in front of him. Lordan gets caught in the flames and quickly dodges out of the radius as the flames slightly burn him, a pain in his head also appears from nowhere.

He shakes his head from the sudden headache and charges again to gain the upper hand. Once he was close, Vyke grips his head and howls out a scream madly to the sky. A soundwave from his scream could be visbley seen with an orange-yellow hue.

The scream creates sharp pain in Lordan's ears as he begins to bleed from them. The headache from earlier also becomes greater. He grips his ears to muffle the sound while taking a sip from his red flask but fails to realize Vyke approaching him, his spear holstered and his hands free.

Vyke knocks Lordan's flask over the cliff and grips his own head, he lets out a painful grunt as his eyes glow yellow flames. He grabs Lordan by his head successfully and forces their eyes to meet. Lordan tries to resist and push Vyke off but could not help looking into the unknown glow that emits from Vyke's eyes.

"LOOK! LOOK AT ME! LOOK! LOOK! LOOKKKKK!"

The pain in Lordan's mind becomes unbearable as maddening thoughts fill his mind. His worst impulses, greatest fears, most deranged thoughts, violent frustrations, and wicked lustful intents all surface in his mind from within. Chaos and madness fill his thoughts to overwhelm his sanity. He screams in pain and frenzy like how Vyke screamed, the sight makes Vyke laugh like a madman.

Vyke lets go for Lordan to fall to the ground, kneeling and gripping his head as yellow glowing flames also emit from his eyes. "HAHAHAHA! NO MORE GRACE FOR YOU! HAHAHAHAHA!" Vyke leaves Lordan to his pain and moves towards Melina.

Melina snaps out of her trance as she notices Vyke approaching her. Fear grips her tighter, making her unable to move to safety. "No... No... NO! NO! PLEASE! VYKE! STOP!"

Vyke reaches her at the site of grace and grips her tightly with both hands. She struggles but could not escape his grab as he laughs louder with the yellow glow from his eyes burning brighter.

"YES! HAHAHA! YES! HAHAHA! BURN! BURN! AND SHE WILL RETURN TO ME! BURN!"

Melina screams in terror as flames begin to appear from her body, with her scars creating the majority of the flames. She continues her struggle but could not release herself from Vyke's grip.

Lordan hears the screams of Melina through his broken mind. He shakes his head a few times to try and suppress the pain that was breaking his mind. He looks to Melina and Vyke to see the event unfolding before him, with Melina crying tears in pain and terror and Vyke laughing along madly. He also notices a detail that leaves him in shock and fear.

The site of grace was gone. He could not see it. His next death may be permanent.

Lordan steadies himself to stand, not caring about the grace at the moment. He lets out a warcry and charges Vyke without his katana, intending to push Vyke off the nearby cliff.

"GET AWAY! LEAVE HER BE!"

The charge tackles Vyke and he releases Melina from his grip. The two men reach the cliff's edge and stop as Vyke pushes back to stay up. The both of them struggle in an armlock that pushes in different directions, one to fall over the cliff and the other to safety.

Vyke grips Lordan and forces him to look face to face. A hint of shock and recognition processes in Vyke's mind as he suddenly remembers something.

"YOU? YOU!? AFTER ALL THESE YEARS?! AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, YOU SHOWED YOURSELF!? YOU SHOWED YOURSELF! YOU FINALLY FUCKING SHOW-"

Lordan delivers a punch that stuns Vyke and grabs him by both legs to lift him up. He screams and runs towards over edge, sending both of them falling to their demise below.

They hit the other side of the gorge and begin falling down the side, their bodies hitting any obstruction in the way of their fall.

Lordan feels the impact of each rock or edge he falls to the bottom. Each snap and crack can be felt like his body breaks under the constant impacts.

He finally reaches the bottom of the cliff by landing on his back, the final impact breaks the majority of the bones in his body and shatters his vital organs. His final death may be the most painful one yet.

Vyke lands nearby and was not as lucky as he lands on his head. A large dent can be seen on his helmet as it absorbs the impact of the fall. He twists in pain as his red phantom form begins to fade.

"You... You... Little... RUNT... I... WILL... FIND... YOU... AGAIN..."

His phantom form fades, leaving Lordan alone in the gorge.

INVADER VANQUISHED

Lordan looks around the best he can while in his broken state. He attempts to move but could not due to the overwhelming amount of pain that course his body. He thinks about the red flask to heal but remembers that Vyke had knocked It over so it was now lost. There was no hope for him now, he was going to die.

He hears a galloping sound coming towards him. He looks to the side and sees Torrent riding towards him, with Melina as the rider. She moves to his side in a hurry and kneels down beside him.

"Lordan?! Lordan! Oh... Gods... I'm so sorry!" She places her palm on his cheek. "Hold on... Hold on... Grace will save you... It will be ok."

"Mel-Melina..." He speaks in pain. "I-I... I... Can't see It..."

"What?"

"I... Can't see grace... I... I... Can't... I... Can't..."

Lordan begins to faint, the pain and blood loss was beginning to kill him. His life was now hanging by a thin thread. Melina attempts to wake him to ensure he stays awake with no effect.

"Lordan? Lordan?" She begins crying, knowing full well that this is it. This death would be his last one with no grace to save him.

"Lordan? Please... Don't die... Not yet... Not now..." She holds him helplessly, making sure he does not die alone. "Please..."

Three figures soon make their way to where the pair was located. Melina spots them as they move closer, drawing her dagger to defend him. She recognizes the first figure that steps forward.

"Master Ofnir?" The first figure reveals himself as Gideon. Behind him were the Skull Helmet Knight and a woman wearing a badlands style outfit with two axes holstered.

"I suspected something like this would happen." He moves closer and kneels down on the other side of Lordan. "Come. We must bring him to the hold at once. We will heal him there with Corhyn and Fia's help and remove the traces of the frenzied flame. Then grace will return to him." He states as his two assistants move to help Lordan.

"Stay in the hold for the next few days, Melina. Until I sort this out..." Melina nods and wipes her tears, now focusing on moving Lordan to safety. They place him on Torrent and move out, Gideon casts an incantation on Lordan to stabilise his condition.

"Nepheli. Scout Limgrave with your warriors and ensure anyone affected by the frenzied flame is handled."

"Yes, father." She nods at the request.

"Ensha. Go to the Evergaol where Vyke resides. TRIPLE the enchantments and defences. Make sure he STAYS there, for good." Ensa nods at the request and the group heads in different directions based on Gideon's orders.

Torrent begins to move out with Gideon and Melina beside It as an escort, It carries Lordan and moves slowly to ensure he does not get hurt further. Lordan begins to make movements, the healing incantation taking effect as he emits weak groans. Melina moves to him and places a hand to comfort him.

"Hush, Lordan. You will be alright... You will be alright..." He opens his eyes a little to see Melina as she speaks, he sees her single eye red from crying. He starts to faint again, fatigue catching up to him as his vision darkens.

It was not Vagram who gave you that name, Lordan...

1999 YEARS BEFORE THE SHATTERING

Three days.

That's how long Rags did not speak for. Three days since their last incident on the planned route. Marika was at loss at this point, every single answer and response from him was a simple "Yes.", "No.", "Hm.".

They were currently resting at another site of grace located off the main road within a ruined shack. It provided shelter and a safe space for hiding away from unwanted eyes. The next populated settlement was about a week away.

The duration of their journey had been extended by a lot. They had a clear path east, a straight path mapped out with the easiest route and terrain available. But alas, fate decided to throw them a few curve balls.

Their main path had been completely off the table after news broke that the Dragon Order's armies had invaded the kingdom of Heladin. The battle was still ongoing and has completely cut off travel to the east via the main route they planned. It didn't help that a forest fire caused by dragons was also in the way.

This meant they had to take a detour. To travel north below a mountain, then travel east via on its side. The terrain and route was different and was also filled with refugees and travellers with the same idea.

What was a five-month trip from when they left Azalin, was now extended to a year and a half.

"For fucking fuck's sake..." Was the exact words Rags spoke when he calculated the duration of the new route.

So they changed course and traveled the new route. Along the way, they had met several travelers who all encountered problems of their own. Problems ranging from bandits on the road, thieves stealing their items, and some really minor ones like a missing pet.

And much to Rags's disapproval, Marika had offered help to the majority of these travelers. He often refused to help but was forced to after Marika gave him a choice to either help alongside her or reach Leyndell by himself, he always chose the former.

The helping wasn't the bad part, as Rags had earned a few extra bags of gold from the assistance they gave. It was the time taken for each extra errant that bothers him to no end.

The incident that made their current conversations so non-existent was an event that involved bandits that raided a local caravan days ago, killing off all the citizens that were traveling along with it.

They were moving from a higher road as they observed the event from above. Rags, as usual, refused to interfere, reminding Marika that they could not stop for every person.

That changed, however, when the bandits found a survivor. A young girl around the age of twelve. At first, it seemed like she was simply going to be killed. But that changed when some of the bandits decide to start ripping her clothes off, intending to violate her.

The sight makes Marika prepare to intervene but Rags beat her to the punch as he moves toward the bandits without a word. She manages to see a glimpse of his face while he moved past her.

It was filled with An Unbridled Rage.

He begins attacking the bandits with no restraint. They outnumber him twenty to one but stood no chance due to Rags's strength from runes. He cuts them all down with his claymore quickly before Marika could even participle, each kill was executed to inflict as much pain as possible.

The girl they recused was left traumatized at the sight of Rags, even as he did save her by extension. She refused to follow them even with Marika promised her safety from Rags of all people. He walks away without a word, even as Marika insists they take the girl along.

And then, something in him snapped as he lashes out at Marika, his bitter words hurt her to the core.

"GODS, HEAVENS, AND HELLS! FUCKING DAMN IT, WOMAN! FOR ONE MINUTE! STOP SHOVING SHIT IN MY FACE! NOW MOVE!"

A hint of regret shows on his face after the words came out. He had continued walking without a word, forcing her to leave the girl behind to keep up.

Which brings them to the current moment. Rags remained emotionless after that outburst and refused to talk to her. It could not continue if they were going to travel for another year. She decides to stop his foolishness tonight.

"I'm taking the night watch. Go to sleep." Rags move away from the site of grace with his claymore. Marika follows suit to start her attempt.

"Rags, wait. We need to talk."

"Go. To. Sleep." His voice was lower the second time. Marika becomes annoyed at his display and picks up a rock to throw at his head. He stops once the rock lands.

"No. Rags. No more... I am done. Do you hear me? I AM DONE." Her volume increases at the last words to express her displeasure. "We are going to talk about what has been bothering you, now. Not tomorrow. Not later. NOW."

Rags slowly turn around and move closer to Marika, stopping in front of her to stare down from his taller height. She looks up directly, unfazed by his terrifying presence. "Talk." He responds to her request and she leads them back to the shack, both take a sit to face each other.

"Fine. I am going to say something for you to respond to. Just answer yes or no."

"Fine." Rags speak without emotion.

"Are you angry at me?" Marika asks the first question.

"No." He responds immediately.

"Are you angry at the bandits?"

"Yes."

"Are you angry at the girl you rescued?"

"No."

"Are you... Willing to tell me why you are acting this way?"

No response comes out from Rags for a time. Marika sighs at the display as she feels like giving up.

"...Yes." He finally speaks up and catches her attention.

"So... Tell me." She asks with a soft pleading tone. "Please..."

Rags stand up from the site and turn around, he looks to the sky and lets out a breath. He stays there for moments before speaking again.

"It... reminded me... About... My father."

Marika was curious now as Rags had only mentioned him once. "What made you rem-"

"I killed my father."

The admission make her stop her questions as that was not an answer she ever considered. She could only leave her jaw open as she processes what she just heard.

"Hm... Feels weird when I say that out loud..."

Marika starts her next question carefully, not wanting to antagonize him in any way. "Why did you... Do that?"

He breathes out again as he slowly lets his walls down, making an effort to get through this.

"My mother... Found me on a battlefield. After the fighting was finished. She bought me home and raised me, despite my father's disapproval." Each word of his story comes out with difficulty. "Soon, she died from a plague. And I was left... with him." A tone of bitterness slips through his voice.

"One night, he came home drunk. And started beating me. Blaming me for my mother's death." He pauses for a moment more as he was going to reveal a shameful secret.

"Then... He... Decided to... Rape me..." His fists clench at the admission.

Marika was shocked at the reveal. She could not understand what would drive a man to do such an act, to his own son of all people.

"A mercenary passed by and heard the event. Stopped him, by breaking his legs." Rags continue, slower than before. "Then, he offered me a choice. I could take his sword to stab my father to death and go with him or he would leave me there to suffer the consequences..."

"I... chose to kill him. My father."

Rags were now silent and his hands shake with no control. Marika stands and slowly moves near him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You were a child... You didn't have a choice..." She attempts to justify his actions.

"I did. I wanted to kill him." He admits to the truth. "I was so... Angry... For what he did. I didn't even think twice about the deed."

"Rags..." She was worried now about his mental state, it was on the verge of breaking under the stress.

"I guess that's why... I acted that way. I... Still can't move on from it. Even now. It... broke me."

Rags breathe hard as Marika grabs his hand to calm him down, he holds it back after a few moments.

"I'm like... a broken pot... You can put me back together as many times as you want... But..." A single tear drops down his face. "I'm still damaged... I'm... Used goods..."

They stand together in silence as Rags starts to calm down. Marika thinks of the words she could say at the moment that would help ease him, but no amount of comfort nor words can help him heal from his past trauma, not at this current time or place. An idea comes to her mind to project her advice in the form of a different topic.

"Rags... Have you ever traveled to the Land of Reeds?"

She observes him for a moment after speaking to gauge his reaction, no signs of distress or annoyance were displayed, allowing her to continue comfortably.

"The people there have a unique practice with pottery. It is called "Kintsugi" in their language. It is translated to "Golden Joinery" or as most people call it, The Art Of Broken Pieces."

She pauses again to see his reaction while allowing him to process her words.

"The process involves mending pieces of broken pottery back together with gold, silver, or bronze resin as binding. The repaired pottery is then preserved as an heirloom, work of art or keepsake."

She pauses again as she sees him thinking about the words, trying to understand their meaning and how it relates to him.

"The most notable part of these repaired potteries is the damages that remain visible. The resin used for mending does not hide the damage to the pottery, it highlights it to the fullest extent. Every crack and imperfection shown to the eyes, not hidden or replaced."

A hint of thought shows on his face.

"The concept behind such a practice is the idea that by embracing flaws and imperfections, you can create an even stronger, more beautiful piece of art." She lets go and places her hand on his back.

"Which teaches us an important lesson. We can create something more unique, beautiful, and resilient from something that is broken. Instead of restoring it to its former self. Hiding the damages will only make things worse."

She finishes her words, hoping Rags would have a measure of peace from the advice. Silence surrounds them again.

"Do you... understand where I am coming from?" Marika asks, a response would not come for a while.

"...Yes." Rags finally answer. His body language and facial expressions return to their normal neutral state, like how he always displays. It will take some time for him to get over this period of doubt, But it was a decent start.

Marika lets out a deep breath, relieved over Rags's answer. She removes her hand and walks forward away from the shack.

"Good. Then it's settled. Now... Go and rest Rags. I will take the night watch."

Rags look forward to Marika and let out a sigh. "No. I'm fine. I can take the watch ju-"

"I wasn't asking, Rags. I am telling you. I am taking the night watch." She insists on the arrangement, not backing down from her intention. "If you are that stubborn about it. We can take the watch together." She offers a compromise to his insistence.

Marika leaves the shack and moves to the spot where Rags had set as a lookout point. It was the ruins of what appeared to be a storage shack, half of it's walls had broken down to give a clear view of the clearing to the main route while still providing cover to stay hidden.

She takes a seat against one of the ruined walls and looks at the open sky, the stars light up the sky with infinite brilliance.

She hears footsteps and sees Rags walking toward the lookout spot. He stops beside her and takes a seat as well, his claymore placed at the side within reach. He does not speak and simply looks to the ground.

"I'm sorry. For what I said."

Marika sighs from the apology while still looking to the stars.

"I forgive you."

They sit in silence for the night. Both mulling over their own thoughts in each other's company.

FIN

Chapter Text

WARNING

EXPLICIT CONTENT AHEAD (NSFW)

SCROLL BELOW ONLY IF YOU ARE FINE WITH NUDITY, SEXUAL ARTS, ETC

ARC I:

CHAPTER 3:

THE LONE WOLF ALONE

Boy?

A voice calls out to Lordan. He shifts his head on the desk he currently rests on, turning away from the source of the voice.

Boy? What are you doing?

Lordan shifts once more. A frown appears on his face with his eyes closed. His sleep was disturbed by the voice again.

Boy? Boy?

The voice gets closer, but Lordan continues to ignore it. Sleep was the only thing on his mind now.

"Boy!"

A first slams the desk. Lordan currently rests his head. It causes him to jerk up awake. A little shout escapes his mouth from the shock.

"Huh?! What?!" Lordan looks around in panic from the desk he currently sits at. He stops his movement upon laying eyes on his left, where Vagram stands presently with an annoyed look on his face. Vagram was dressed in a leather gambeson from his usual Exiled Wolf armor.

"Master Vargram! I! I was jus-"

"Sleeping while I asked you to read the books I brought you to study?" He lays out his assessment of Lordan's actions with a deadpanned tone. Displeasure was written all over his face.

Lordan looks down at the desk from the lecture, thinking of what to say to Vagram to avoid his wrath. He knew the rules, made a mistake, and then paid for that mistake with equal punishment.

"I... did read the books... Master Vargram..."

"Oh?" Vargram leans against a wall near the desk, intending to test Lordan on his knowledge of the information within the books laid on the desk. "Name of the ruler in the First Age of Fire."

"Gwyn, the Lord of Sunlight."

Vargram nods from the correct answer. "The Weapon used by King Allant?"

"Soulbrandt or its counterpart, Demonbrand."

He nods again, appearing more relaxed from the correct responses. "Name of the region found and settled by the Northmen in the far west? Across two oceans?"

"Vingland, founded by Elrik Lefson."

Vargram stops leaning and places his hand on the edge of the desk, prepared to ask his final question. "Name of the demon that a person becomes when hatred becomes their weapon as told by the Reedlanders?"

"Shura." Lordan answers the final question. All four were correct as written in the books. Books that he spent the last night reading till the sun breaks the dawn.

Vargram sighs, clearly relieved from the fact that Lordan had followed his instructions. "So you have been reading... Why didn't you speak up then?"

"I did..." He states the fact from earlier. "I just fell asleep after finishing the last one of this batch."

"Finished? Lordan, I asked you to read some, not all." Vargram asked surprisedly, not expecting him to read the entire set.

"Oh? Did I make a mistake? Shit..."

Vargram waves his hand from the response. "Forget it. You did extra... That's fine." He removes his hand from the desk and stands with his arms folded. "But watch your language, boy. You are only nine this year. I don't expect that word to leave your mouth."

"Yes, master." Lordan looks down at the desk again, worried that he was caught falling asleep. "I'm sorry. For slacking off... Again..."

Vargram closes his eyes and sighs once again. While displeased from catching Lordan sleeping again, he was also happy with the outcome of Lordan's studies. He walks to the door of the study room they both were currently residing in and gestures for Lordan to follow.

"Get yourself ready and dressed proper for the day. I will meet you at the gate stables. You have 45 minutes." Vargram speaks and leaves the room. Lordan gets up from the desk while gathering his books in his hands. He follows along and goes to reach his room to prepare for the day.

Lordan moves on from the barracks his room was in, dressed in his gambeson, with a short sword custom made for his current height and size as a child. He moves around the fort to navigate his way to the front gate where Vagram instructed him to meet.

The fort they were currently staying in was a training and mustering point created by the local kingdom for the mercenaries guild, as a place for their many members and freelancers to gather and meet to take jobs for the local lords or nobles.

Vargram and Lordan had stayed there as a pit stop from their current travel route, intending to move on once Vagram decided that he had earned enough gold from this region.

It was common to see child recruits around the barracks, children who were orphaned by war, or any other circumstances training to be the next generation of mercenaries. Most children here chose this path, recruited from orphanages or retrieved for battlefields. They were given a choice in the new parentless world that lies ahead of them, let the world decide their fate, or choose to fight on their own accord.

Vargram and Lordan we're a rare sight though, as there had only been a few instances of a sellsword taking a ward. Most of the time a ward was considered special to be following a mercenary, but in Lordan's case, he was a ward due to him lacking behind compared to the other children in training. Vagram had requested Lordan to come along on his latest tour to survey the state of the known world and report it back to the guild's leaders, despite them offering him better choices for wards.

Lordan was reminded of this fact every day, as he would engage in duels with the other children in training. The majority of these duels result in him losing, often by disarming or knockdown. He tried his best but was ultimately unable to master a single weapon as Vargram had tasked him to train to use all available weapons.

Training him to be a Jack Of All Trades rather than a Master Of One.

After making his way through most of the fort's areas, Lordan finally reaches the stables. Vargram was already there, equipped in armor with two longswords sheathed on his back, one made from black steel and the other made with silver. He was adjusting the saddle of his horse to ensure all his supplies were ready for travel.

He spots Lordan and gestures him over while walking towards the gate of the fort, leading his steed along the way. "43 minutes... An improvement, boy."

"Yes, master. I had to take a detour to avoid... The crowd." He mentions the large number of people that were within the fort, most of them working during the day on forges, stables, and training sites.

Vargram looks to Lordan for a moment to see if he was lying. He stops after a while. "Fine. I will be leaving for the next three days, boy. And you are not coming, so stay in the fort until I come back."

Lordan looks up with disappointment and surprise. "What? But I thought we were going to" He was stopped mid-sentence as a stare from Vagram was delivered to him, reminding him of Vargram's condition for taking him on this tour. "Yes... Master. I understand..."

Vargram sighs from Lordan's response. It's not that he did not want to take Lordan along on his jobs, it was his safety was a concern. The last time he brought Lordan along resulted in him almost getting maimed. Until Lordan was older or more well trained, he would not be bringing him on any jobs that he assessed to be dangerous.

"Look... I get it. You are restless. Most kids are your age." He walks over and stops in front of Lordan, slightly bending down to address him. "But you remember what happened last time? What you went through?"

"Yes..." Lordan answers with a soft tone. Remembering the last incident that required him to stay with healers for a week.

"Then, do you want it to happen again?"

"No..." Lordan replies. Now softer than before.

Vargram nods with his eyes closed. He bends down further to reach Lordan's height, meeting face to face. "Good. Then I expect you to carry out your own training. Everything that I told you to use and practice, you are to carry out on your own. No slacking, Lordan. I will know if you do." A small warning was given at the end of the request.

"Yes... Master..."

"Also, I have informed the quartermaster that you will be visiting the dueling grounds for the recruits. In your own time, visit the grounds and participle in duels with the other children. After, you finish your training, of course."

Lordan nods, not speaking a word. The action causes Vargram to frown, a minor concern shows on his face. "Do you hear me, boy?"

"Yes, Master..."

Vargram stands up straight and returns to his horse. He inspects it one more time before attempting to mount it. Lordan interrupts him as a request comes to his mind.

"Master? Can I... Practice more with a sword and shield instead?" His request catches Vargram's attention. He stops his action and looks to Lordan, not showing a hint of emotion. "Because... I feel like... I should be practicing to master one weapon rather than all at once... Because I..." Lordan begins to stop as Vagram's stare continues, he prepared himself for another scolding coming his way.

Vargram sighs again, as this was a request he heard before. "Lordan... What is the reason I ask you to train with all weapons?"

"You want me to be able to use any weapon that I may find on a battlefield... If my weapon breaks or is lost... And I will be able to fight with many styles. If required."

This explanation was told to Lordan many times, it did not help that he was still a novice to many of the weapons available in the fort. This resulted in him losing many duels, as his opponents were experts with a single weapon type compared to him.

"Yes, boy. That is the exact reason you are training everything at once. You need to be able to adapt to a changing fight. Without the knowledge of other weapon types, you will be dead weight on the field when your main weapon is lost."

Lordan receives his lecture as he anticipated. Vargram moves towards him again to bid him some final words before leaving. "Listen, whatever the other boys are taunting you with... Just keep in the dueling grounds. Please don't get into any unnecessary fights while I'm gone. Do you hear me?"

"Yes, master..." Lordan looks down to his feet. Vargram uses his hand to make Lordan face him by holding his chin.

"But if you are forced to fight. Win." Vargram advises him, his tone serious to indicate its importance.

Vargram lets Lordan's chin go and gives him a rub on his head, ruffling up his bronde hair. Lordan looks on as Vargram mounts his horse and gives a wave goodbye. He moves on from the fort through the exit, leaving Lordan behind himself. Lordan looks on for a few moments at his departure until his figure is out of view.

He decides to return to the barracks and begin his training for the day. His mood was slightly down from the disapproval of his request.

Lordan hits the training dummy with another series of strikes with his training sword, each one getting more clumsy due to his exhaustion. He had been practicing with multiple weapons for hours now, as instructed.

He thinks back on the early day as he had taken part in five duels on the grounds. He lost them all, as usual.

He was just too weak.

He hits the dummy a few more times before his final strike causes him to lose the grip of his weapon due to his sweaty palms. The sword flies back and hits the ground.

Lordan looks at his hand, shaking from the impact of his last strike; It was bleeding and bruised from the constant stress he put himself through to become stronger.

Why I am... So useless? He thinks about the constant setbacks he faced today alone, not wanting to count the previous days and weeks as the number would be too high.

He walks back to discarded sword and picks it up along with the rest of the training weapons he borrowed from the quartermaster. He returns the weapons and retrieves his shortsword in exchange for the borrowed weapons.

"No luck today, kid?" The quartermaster asks Lordan as he was the last one in the dueling ground for the day, most of the trainees left hours ago and it was now nightfall. "Ah... Sorry kid. Maybe you will get them tomorrow, yeah?" He offers some words of encouragement to Lordan to make him feel better with no effect.

Lordan makes his way to the fort's battlements and sits in one of the quiet sections to gain some peace. He thinks of what he needs to do tomorrow while looking to the night sky, the moon providing him with some light to keep the area lit.

He looks at the stars and wonders about his parents, thinking about who they were and what they used to look like. No matter how many times he imagined or tried to remember, he could never truly how they looked like. He was the only thing they left behind before their deaths.

"Mother... Father... If you can hear or see me up there..." He prays silently to the sky, hoping that maybe they would hear him. "I hope... I'm not a disappointment to you... I... Wish... We could have met."

A small tear escapes Lordan's eye and he quickly wipes it off. A slight breeze passes through him that resembles the feeling of a hand stroking his head. He pretends it was a gesture from his parents from any heaven or afterlife they currently were resting at. He continues to observe the night sky, alone.

Sleep soon overtakes him and his eyes start to close, he clutches his sword close to his chest as support.

THE ROUNDTABLE HOLD

PRESENT DAY

The guestroom of the hold was lit by the nearby fireplace, it's light created an orange hue that gave the room a warm but comfortable setting.

On the bed of the guestroom lies Lordan. The blanket covered his body up to his chest to keep him covered. His state of slumber was soft and calm, his breaths slow and steady to indicate he was peacefully resting.

He begins to move with his head making small turns on the pillow he rested on. His eyes turn while closed and he makes a soft sigh from his mouth as he begins waking up.

He opens his eyes slowly to see the ceiling of the room, his vision still blurred as it adjusted to the lighting of the room.

"Huh... What..." He murmured a few words from his woken state and turns some more. He begins sitting up from the bed in a slow and calm matter.

He looks down at his body to see himself without a shirt, his upper body exposed to reveal his toned and muscled lightweight body with scars he got during his previous jobs outside the lands between. He feels his body to find any new scars he might have gotten to no avail.

What happened? Where is? He questions the current state and how he got here. His previous encounter with the invader was the last memory he could recall. He grips his head and rubs his hair to awaken himself more, more sleep was the last thing on his mind now.

Melina? What happened to Melina? Worry begins to develop as he remembered what caused him to throw himself off a cliff with the invader in the first place. The sight of the blue knight burning Melina was a horrible sight that remains in his head.

"Ah. You have awakened. Gideon will be most pleased." A soft feminine voice speaks out near him, very near him. He turns to his right to see the source.

It was Fia, laying on her side. Her long blonde hair was down to reveal her face in its entirety from her usual hooded veil. She was elegant and beautiful as Lordan suspected, a sharp contrast to the dark dress he recalls seeing her in.

She was completely undressed. Her exotic body on display. Sharing a bed with him.

ART BY harart

"What!? GAH!" Lordan recoils to the side, falling off the bed in the process. He gets up and sees her again on the bed he was resting. He quickly turns and averts his eyes as he feels blood rushing to his head and lower area, lustful thoughts coming to the surface from the sight of her naked body.

"What?! What the fuck?!" He speaks from a state of shock as he processes the position he woke up in. He looks down to see that he was still dressed in pants despite the fact that he was topless. A small relief fills his worries that he was not fully undressed like she was.

Fia begins to move off the bed, wrapping the blanket around her body to cover up as she stands. She moves to take a seat at the desk with a mirror, beginning to do up her hair with the comb in one of the drawers.

Lordan finally turns to Fia where she sits, questions begin to fill his mind to ask Fia, who seemed unfazed by the fact that they shared a bed with minimal clothes.

"How did we?! Did we?! I-you?! Did we?! Did I?! Did you?!"

Fia continues her combing without a concern. She speaks calmly with her next words. "Do not worry. You did nothing inappropriate to me. And nothing happened between us. You were cold after we removed the flames and on the verge of death. I was asked to provide you warmth and borrow you some of my strength granted by other champions."

Lordan shakes his head from the reveal, not being able to process the fact that Fia had slept with him to save his life. "You... You can't be serious."

"I apologize, Lordan. If you feel violated by me. I did not mean any harm." She continued to comb her hair. "Gideon was desperate. He wanted to employ all means to save you."

Lordan sighs in relief from the truth, they did not engage in sexual acts. He looks around the room and finds his inner shirt laying at the nearby drawer. He picks it up and wears it, intending to leave the room.

"Hewg is repairing your armor from the fall. It should be ready by now. And Gideon has asked for you to meet him when you awaken. Take your time, Lordan. Do not strain yourself." Fia informs him as he moves towards the door.

"Uh... Thanks, Fia." He awkwardly speaks due to the situation.

"It is alright, Lordan. You were very... warm. I enjoyed our exchange of heat." The comment causes him to almost slip as more dirty thoughts fill his mind again. He moved into the room quickly to hide his embarrassment.

Fia finishes combing her hair and prepares to tie it to her liking. A small smile develops as she muse from the exchange with Lordan.

"You have picked well, Melina... You have picked very well."

After retrieving his armor and equipping it, Lordan made his way to the study room where Gideon usually resides, Ensha was still leaning against the doorway of the room and continued to pay him no mind.

Gideon stands behind his desk in the study, his focus was currently on a new scroll that was not previously seen on his desk before. He inspects the scroll closely, his face close to the table to read the smaller words. Lordan gets his attention by clearing his throat.

"Ah. The wolf arises from his slumber." Gideon comments on Lordan's previous condition. "So... How are you feeling? Any particular anomalies that you experienced?"

Lordan twists his neck to create cracking sounds that stretch it, making himself more comfortable to answer. "No. Only a dream about a time long ago."

"A dream? Was it a dream or nightmare?"

"Dream. I can tell the difference between the two."

"Interesting..." Gideon takes a quill and notes down words on a notebook at his side, adding it to a list of other notes pertaining to the facts about the frenzied flame.

"Well... I suppose you intend to understand what happened. Would you like the whole explanation or a summarised one?" Gideon asks Lordan, having two versions ready for him.

Lordan didn't have the patience to sit through a whole explanation as there were other things on his mind. "let's keep it short, what happened to me?"

"Very well. You were attacked by a very dangerous individual and exposed to a deathly curse, one that almost cost you your life as you lost grace from its effects. And you also laid with a deathbed companion." Gideon states the last fact that causes Lordan to winch from embarrassment. "Both were dangerous in their own way. It was only because of the efforts of some volunteers in this hold that you survived. You are a very lucky man."

It was not a short explanation that Lordan understand as he was not familiar with the two dangers he faced. "I suppose I am. Still... Did I really have to sleep with Fia? To recover?" The part about laying with Fia still bothers him, despite them not actually doing anything.

"I am supposed to believe you didn't enjoy yourself? Sleeping with a naked woman?" Gideon has a hint of accusation in his voice. "Based on what I heard from Fia, Nepheli, Melina, and Roderika you stood rather straight for a half-dead man."

"What?! They didn't?! They- Saw?!" Horror spills from Lordan voice as he understands the meaning of Gideon's words.

"Oh yes, they saw. As if you were an art piece on display. You are well-sized, based on what Nepheli said." Gideon sighs from the reveal while Lordan facepalms with both hands. The idea that four women had seen him at his most inappropriate form was humiliating. "Don't worry. None of them touched it."

"But enough about that nonsense, Lordan. You must be wondering why I stepped in despite my previous words to you." Gideon's actions were a curiosity that Lordan wanted to understand.

"Yeah. You made it pretty clear I'm on my own."

"And you continue to be. I have no use of you until you gain the audience of the Two Fingers." Gideon reminds again, his tone serious from the insistence. "But circumstances have forced me to ensure you survive."

Lordan rolled his eyes from the statement. "How bloody convenient for you..." His thoughts suddenly shift to the knight that attacked him. "Who was the knight that attacked me?"

Gideon pauses for a moment while looking at the table. "His name is Vyke. A knight for the Roundtable Hold long ago. He was the closest to mending the Elden Ring in his own timeline. Before he turned to a different path... A shame really. I had hoped he would succeed."

"You knew him?" Lordan notes the tone of recognition in Gideon's voice, and he confirms it with a nod. "He had flames coming out of his eyes. They were... Yellow in color."

"You mean this?" Gideon reaches under the table and pulls up a metal lamp, he opens the front latch to expose the same flames within the lamp.

Lordan looks to the flames and cannot turn away, voices call out at the back of his head to keep staring into the lamp. He feels a headache beginning to develop in his head, the same one he experienced when fighting Vyke. The flames start blazing more from his point of view, his head begins to twitch as he feels more pain developing in his mind, and his eyes glow with a minor hint of ember matching the flames.

LOOK. LOOK. LOOK. LOOK. LO-

He was snapped out of the stare when Gideon slams the latch shut to cut their connection, Lordan grabs his forehead as the pain begins to fade away.

"Careful, Lordan. We don't want to go through all that again, do we? Stare too long into the abyss and it starts to stare back." He gives Lordan a moment to adjust while keeping the lamp back under the table. "Took us a while to extract these flames from your mind, nasty little thing. Has a mind of its own, despite being severed from the Three Fingers."

Lordan shakes his head to recover from the headache. He finally looks back at Gideon when the pain fades completely. "How does it do that? Make my head hurt and causes me to think... Badly?"

"How does it, indeed. The flames we extracted will need to be studied, carefully. Do not worry, it's contained very well." The desk shakes a little due to a rattling from the lamp, Gideon gives it a little kick and it ceases. "Hm. Seems to like you. Still, not an excuse for it to cripple you for four weeks."

"Four weeks?! It's been that long?" Lordan exclaims from the duration of his slumber. "It felt like it was yesterday..."

Gideon write down another line on his notes from what Lordan had just said. "Yes, four days of screaming while we removed the flames. Three weeks of deathly cold that almost killed you. And eight more days of you staying unconscious until now."

Lordan sighs from the lost time. He had planned to leave the Lands Between within that period. He was now overstaying his welcome. No more delays. I need to move. He prepares to leave but had a final question for Gideon.

"So, Why did you save me?" He asks with doubt in his voice. "You made it clear that I needed to earn my keep before you helped. What changed your mind?"

Gideon looks up to Lordan, clearly not too happy from being called out. "A message. From the Two Fingers. The Greater Will's latest words gave me pause. And when I heard Vyke being spotted in Limgrave. I knew it was a matter of time before he pursues you."

"What message?"

"The words of the Greater Will. Its message was clearer this time." Gideon takes out a piece of paper and reads out the written note. "It told the Two Fingers this, word for word."

"He is the last one. Ever."

Lordan takes note of the message, clearly referring to his status as a Tarnished. "Ever?"

"Ever. It means you may be all we have got at this point. Conserving you is now a priority. And someone is needed to look after Melina. Especially from that madman."

Lordan takes notice of her mention. "Melina? Where is she? Is she alright?" Guilt and worry take hold of him as he did not see Melina around the Hold when he awoke. He was worried she might have gotten hurt, both physically and mentally.

"She is well. She will not be available for a while. Asked me to pass your this when you wake up." He passes a sealed letter that was addressed to him. "Also, I received this from a half-wolf. Says he is a friend of yours." Gideon passes another letter and a parcel, it was a bit weighted and felt like was carrying liquid.

"From Blaidd?" Lordan takes the parcel and letter, assuming it was from the only half-wolf he knows of.

Gideon takes out another item from his own enchanted bag and hands it over to Lordan. "Here. The flask that you lost. It has been upgraded to hold more and be more effective. Use it well."

Lordan takes the red flask and inspects it, it felt a little heavy compared to his previous flask. He keeps it in his quick pouch as he previously did. "So what happens now?"

"Now, we return to our previous state. Acquire a great rune and gain an audience with the fingers. Once that is done, speak to me. I may have use of you." Gideon returns to his reading and ignores Lordan as he usually did. "Be on your way then."

Seeing that he no longer wanted to converse, Lordan walks away annoyed once again by Gideon. Intending to return to his own guestroom to read the letters.

The desk shakes again due to movement from the lamp that contained the flames. Gideon gives it another kick, this time harder than the last. It ceases movement while Gideon looks at it directly.

"Behave, you damn pest. Or I will freeze you in a metal box like last time."

Lordan takes a seat at his guestroom's bed with the two letters in hand, placing one at the side while holding another.

The first letter was from Melina. It was sealed with a red wax seal with an Erdtree symbol on it. He open the letter to read her words, It was written with fine ink and elegant handwriting.

Dear Lordan,

If you are reading this then you must be awake.

If we have already spoken by the time you received this letter then please ignore it.

Firstly, I must apologize for not being there when you woke up.

There are matters that I must attend to elsewhere, matters that you cannot be involved in.

I hope you understand.

Secondly, I am ashamed of my behavior during our last conversion.

I froze and put you at risk.

I am sorry once again.

I never intended to put you in harm's way, not from Vyke of all people.

If you are angry at me for this reason, know that I do not blame you.

It is what I deserved.

And do not worry, I am unharmed.

Both in body and mind.

I have allowed you to turn runes into strength on your own.

Should you find the need to do so without me.

I wish you all the best on your journey, should you choose to continue without me.

Love,

Melina.

He closes the letter in half and sighs. Not happy with the possibility of Melina leaving him alone due to guilt. He never blamed her for the incident, he understood what it feels to be lost in fear. His fight with Margit proved that.

He would have to find her and speak in private. He needed to assure her that it was alright. That they were alright.

He puts Melina's letter in his enchanted bag for safekeeping. Taking Blaidd's letter and inspecting it as well, seeing a different wax seal that resembles two moons and some small stars. He opens the letter and reads the words, it's handwriting was rougher than Melina's.

Dear lordan,

Heard about your dance with Vyke.

Nasty business that one was.

Especially with the whole frenzied flame cursing you and all that.

Hopefully, you're up and running by the time this reaches you.

(Please don't be dead. Writing is hard for me.)

That parcel that came with the letter was from my mistress.

Thinks you might have a use for it.

Not that I know anything about alchemy, I just drink anything that helps.

(I think she might be interested in you. We might be in-laws soon, eh?)

Anyway, I heard you might be thinking of taking on Margit to claim a great rune from Stormveil Castle.

Got some info on an item that might help you out.

A magical shackle.

One that was used to bind him before.

Heard it was being kept by a bandit, he's bald so he's not hard to miss.

Around Lake Agheel, in a cave last I heard.

Well, I'm not good with words, but hope you get well soon, mate.

I still want to test your sword arm against me.

Might be a sick spar.

Cheers,

Blaidd.

A shackle? To bind him? He notes on the information Blaidd provides and remembers that there was a cave nearby the area where he and Yura fought the bloody finger. He takes out his map and marks the location, intending to find this shackle that could help him fight against Margit.

He opens the parcel to find a yellow flask similar to his other two. A note provided instructions to mix two different tears for various effects. Tears can be found at minor Erdtrees.

Looking through his map again, Lordan marks out several points on the island to the south called the Weeping Peninsula. He had intended to explore the area for more runes before Vyke's attack that caused him to delay his journey.

While moving back to the main hall, Lordan observed the table and could now see the grace clearly. He sighs in relief as he was now protected by the time loop again.

Checking on his equipment one last time to ensure he was ready, Lordan puts on his helmet once again. Ready to return to Limgrave. His first stop would be the cave Blaidd mentioned.

Stay safe Melina. I will see you soon. He thinks of the conversation he and Melina were to have. Thinking of the words he could say to comfort her.

LIMGRAVE, LAKE AGHEEL

Starting from the campsite Yura once resided at Lake Agheel, Lordan made his way to the last location of their fight with the bloody finger on Torrent's back.

Torrent had been happy to see him once summoned, It proceeded to lick him like a dog much to Lordan's dismay. He was lucky to be wearing a helmet, most of the saliva from Torrent did not even reach his face.

He reaches the gorge where the fight had taken place and ended, dismounting Torrent and letting it disappear. His current location had been correct as he sees the body of Nerijus still in the shallow water where the fight ended, beginning to rot with his clothes colors fading and flies hovering around.

Lordan takes out a firebomb and throws it on the body to burn it, the bomb sets the body ablaze despite it being wet due to the oil.

He looks to the side to see an entrance to a cave. Suspecting it was the one Blaidd mentioned. He places a lamp on his belt and draws his broadsword and parrying shield, noting that tighter areas like caves would hinder long and big-styled weapons as Vagram once taught him.

He reaches a large area within the cave after some exploring. Some time had been taken to reach this point as he had experienced an ambush by some bandits after he activated a noise trap that gave away his location.

Bandits came rushing out once they heard the trap. They had outnumbered Lordan ten to one but he managed to dispatch them all with ease as they were not very capable of fighting a trained mercenary, it did not help that their equipment had been in a poor condition as well with only blunt rusty swords and knives as weapons.

The area had a campfire set up with a pot over it, boiling soup with a mix of meats and herbs. The site also contained seats and improvised bedding. It was clear that someone was living here, very recently.

Lordan moves over to a nearby chest that was near the site and opens it. It had contain only clothes and supplies, nothing resembling a shackle or out-of-place catches his eye.

Nope. Not here. He closes the chest and sees another one nearby. He starts moving towards it while looking around the area, keeping watch for any traps.

" Well, well, well? Thought you did just help yourself to a man's personal belongings? " Lordan stops halfway upon hearing a voice from behind him, it sounded from high up. He turns around to see a man jumping down from a higher part of the cave. He was wearing leather armor with a tower shield and spear, his bald head was the main highlight of his appearance.

"You scheming little thief! The gods demand repentance! Cough out your runes! All of it!" He raises his shield up front and charges Lordan.

Patches The Untethered

Bald guy? Yep. Dead giveaway. He notes on the feature that Blaidd mentioned in his letter to confirm that this is the bandit that has the shackle. Lordan starts moving backward to create distance while Patches moves closer, raising his shield for cover.

Patches deliver several thrusts with his spear while behind his shield, the thrusts were easily defected by Lordan using the technique taught by Yura. He deflects all attacks in rapid succession which causes Patches to retreat.

With the distance created between, Patches downs a flask and spits out a murky gas that covers the area in front of Lordan, concealing himself from view. He rushes through the smoke with his shield for a ram but Lordan easily sidesteps to avoid the attempt, Patches soon trips on a rock and falls from his charging motion.

Is the guy serious? Lordan thinks to himself as he observes what is possibly the worst attack attempt he ever saw. He moves to Patches fallen position with his shield at the ready. Patches from his laying position throw several knives at Lordan, all attacks were again easily defected with his sword and shield.

Really? Playing dirty? Lordan rolls his eyes at the attacks as Patches gets on his feet. Patches soon throw some sand onto Lordan's face to distract him, he approaches Lordan from his distracted state to try and attack with his spear.

Seeing Patches approach, Lordan delivers a front kick to his shield when he got close. The kick makes him lose balance and Lordan delivers multiple slashes and stabs combinations, making Patches block the attacks with his shield desperately as he was beginning to stagger from the constant assault.

Patches soon swipe his shield and stop Lordan's assault. He quickly runs away to a distance to avoid more attacks. The two fighters circle each other, with Lordan being completely unfazed and ready while Patches breathing heavily from the fight, he was not expecting the fight last this long.

"Well... You are... Quite... The fighter, eh?" Patches speak in-between his breaths, exhausted from the fight already despite it only being less than ten minutes. "Tell you what, friend... You just... Go about your way... And I... Will forget this minor... Misunderstanding..." He makes Lordan an offer of ceasing their fight.

"Nope. You started it." Lordan takes a battle stance with his sword and shield, taunting Patches to attack. "Come on, then. It's your move." He offers, hoping Patches would take the bait.

Patches laughed at the offer, amused by Lordan supposedly being too cocky. "Haha... Hehe... You are too kind my friend." He takes a moment and charges out of a sudden. "Now die! And give me your stuff!"

Got you. Lordan waits for the spear to land a hit. He swings his shield at the very last moment before a blow lands, parrying Patches to stagger him. He rushes and grabs the spear before delivering a hard knock with his bodyweight by his shoulder to disarm him. Patches fall backward from the knock, his spear now in Lordan's hands.

Lordan keeps the spear in his enchanted bag, intending to use it later as it seemed to hold a sharp edge. He moves to Patches slowly, his shield at the ready for any more tricks.

"Oh... Shit..." Patches raise his shield while on the ground and Lordan starts attacking. His blows were unrelenting, aiming to ensure Patches gets overwhelmed by his constant attacks. Each blow lands on the shield on purpose as a way for Lordan to exhaust Patches.

Patches start to falter under the constant stress created by Lordan's assault. He eventually speaks out in desperation for him to stop. "Wait, wait, please! I surrender! White flag and all!"

Not yet buddy. Lordan continues his attacks without care, intending to tire out Patches some more to ensure there would be no more dirty tricks from him.

"For Pete's Sake! I concede! No one likes a bull-headed brute, you know! I yield, yield! You can't harm a yielding man!" His tone was now more desperate than before.

Lordan finally decides to stop after getting in one final strike that knocks away his shield. He points his blade near Patches throat which gets him to raise his hands. "Alright, then. I win."

"Yes, you did... Yes... You did..." Patches reach behind his lower back and grab a dagger. He charges up in a last-ditch effort to surprise Lordan. "HA! DIE YOU SHIT!"

Completely ready for another surprise attack, Lordan simply grips Patches hand as the dagger thrusts towards him, stopping the attack before it makes contact. He then forces Patches onto his feet and punches him hard in the jaw, knocking him out cold.

ENEMY FELLED

"Hells, what a prick..." Lordan remarks on all the tricks and unfair tactics Patches employed to try and win. He sees some rope on the side of the campsite and takes a bunch to use, restraining Patches by his arms.

Lordan sits by the campsite and waits for Patches to reawaken, taking a nearby bowl and scooping himself a portion of soup from the pot nearby.

After two hours, Patches finally begins to wake up. "Hmmm... What... Huh?" He finds himself tied up in a sitting position. Lordan sits to his opposite nearer to the campfire, a bowl in his hand.

"What? Where is? Hey! Untie me, kid!" Patches shout out to Lordan, he ignores him while taking another sip of soup from the bowl, soup that patches made for himself. "And stop drinking that! Took me hours to get the meat to make that soup!"

"Too bad, baldy. Your soup tastes bland anyway." Lordan pours the remaining contents of the bowl to the ground and tosses the bowl aside. He stands with his sword at the ready, moving towards Patches. "You have something I need. Something important."

"Well untie me and we can work something out!" Patches suggested as Lordan shakes his head.

"After what you just pulled. Nope. You are staying right there."

"Come on! Seriously! This is a mistake! I mistook you for a thief. It happens!" Patches try to justify his actions. " Alright, I admit! I got little... Carried away. But what did you expect!"

"I expect a civil conversion? Maybe don't attack people on sight next time?"

Patches nod and agree to the comment. "Of course! Of course! Give a man a chance to change his ways, would you? As another fellow Tarnished in arms?"

Lordan rolls his eyes at the comparison, not convinced in any way that Patches won't try to backstab him. "Fine. You have something I need."

"Do I? Well, let's make a deal then. How much for this... thing?"

"Me not taking your head off. That's how much I offer." A threat is issued to Patches.

"Come on now! You can't expect me to give away my stuff for free! It's my livelihood!" Patches tried to talk his way out of the problem while trying to close a deal with Lordan.

Not being impressed by the statement, Lordan decides to make the item he needs to Patches known. "I'm looking for a magical shackle. One used to bind Margit before."

"Shackle?! Do I look like I have-" Patches stops midway when he figures out which item Lordan was referring to "OH! That shackle! Yes, I have it with me!" He looks back at the chest on the other side of the cave. "It's in that chest right there."

"That chest?"

"Yep. Stored it safely away. Got it cheap from a merchant up north. Said it was useful if the Omen paid me a visit." He explains how he obtained the shackle for himself. "Go ahead. Take it. Consider it a... Peace offering for my bad. Hehehe..."

Lordan looks to the chest and starts moving towards it. He takes a few steps before stopping upon thinking about something.

Traps. They were set up throughout this cave. The chest that Patches seem so eager to let Lordan open could be another one.

"Well? What are you waiting for? It's just-" Patches was interrupted when Lordan grabs him and drags him along to the chest. "Hey! what are you?! Hey!"

He places Patches right in front of the chest and draws his sword fully. "You open it."

"Me? How? I'm tied up!"

"Then I will open it behind you." Lordan pushes Patches closer to the chest and positions himself behind him. He was able to reach the chest and open it fully despite Patches being in front of him.

"Hey Now! There's no need for this! The shackle is in there! Just open it yourself and see!"

"Going once."

"Hey! Hey! Hey! There is no need for this-"

"Going twice."

"I'm serious! Just open it yours-"

"And open..."

"ALRIGHT! ALRIGHT! It's a trap! A trap! You got me! The shackle is in my bag! At the campfire, Alright! For Pete's sake! Don't open that chest in front of me!" Patches confess before Lordan could lift the chest open. He stops and throws Patches to the side, moving away from him to find the bag he mentioned.

He grabs the enchanted bag on the floor and reaches in while thinking of the shackle. He eventually grabs hold of an item that felt rough and pulls it out. It was a black stone with runes written on the surface, a faint golden glow was present on the shackle. He Lordan keeps the item in his own bag.

"Thanks." Lordan says absently while moving to the exit of the cave, leaving Patches behind still bound in his restraints.

"HEY! You just gonna leave me here like this?!" Patches call out to Lordan as he was leaving.

"Your still alive right? Then, you can take of yourself." Lordan gives his final words and leaves without looking back.

Patches struggle with his bindings as Lordan moves away. "HEY! KID! GODS, DAMN IT! WHAT A SHITSHOW!" He screams and curses as Lordan moves out of view.

WEEPING PENINSULA, THE BRIDGE OF SACRIFICE

Lordan makes his way to the south by following the route shown on the map, he rides Torrent with haste to reach the bridge that separates Limgrave and the island.

A blockade was set up by soldiers he encounter earlier to stop any from crossing. Torrent manages to skid around the attacks from the soldiers with Its speed and agility while Lordan dispatches them on horseback. They made a good team while riding.

Upon reaching the other side, Lordan spots another site of grace to his right while a woman sits on a log near the main path to his left. He dismounts Torrent and touches grace to recover before moving over to the woman on the opposite side, looking around at the same time to ensure there are no threats in the area.

"Hello? Is somebody there?" She calls out upon hearing Lordan's footsteps. Her eyes were covered and she was not looking in Lordan's direction, indicating that she might be blind despite her attire of a noblewoman. "Might I bend your ear for a moment, please?" A request is made when she feels that Lordan was close enough to her.

"Sure. But are you alright?" He asked, noting that the area around her was littered with corpses of soldiers and mutant creatures that seem to have fought each other to a bitter end. He thinks that these soldiers might have been escorting her before they were attacked by the mutants. "You seem rather calm from what happened around you."

"I am well. Thank you." She clears her throat and sits up straight. "My name is Irina. I've escaped from Castle Morne to the south."

"I'm Lordan. I'm... New around here." She responds with a nod. "What are you doing here anyway? Are your eyes alright?"

"The servants there...have rebelled. I-I can't be sure what it is; my eyesight's been weak since birth you see... But I swear I heard frightful howling from all over."

"From these creatures your soldiers killed?" He points out the bodies around her.

She shakes her head. "No... They were from the castle, down south. My good father secreted me out but decided to stay. He says it's his duty, as commander." She trembles from what she just said, fearful of losing her father.

"I... I fear for my father's life. The servants are full wroth. Filled with hatred for every one of us. They've since come for every one of the companions I escaped with. They haven't spared a soul. I fear it's no different at Castle Morne..."

She reaches into her dress's pocket and pulls out a piece of cloth, a Gorgeous silken handkerchief, lightly stained with blood. Words can be made out within, her own handwriting despite being blind.

"Please, I implore you. Would you mind taking a letter to my father, at the castle?" She lifts her hand up to Lordan's direction that she assumes he was when he last spoke. "My sole wish is that he escapes, even if his honor should be the price. Please... I just want him to be safe..."

Lordan takes the letter and keeps it safely in his pouch, accepting her request as he was also headed to the southern castle. "Of course. I'm heading there anyway."

"Oh! Thank you! Thank you, Lordan!" She grabs his hand and hugs him as thanks for his acceptance to help, grateful that a kind soul was willing to help despite the difficult odds.

"Uhhhh... Sure." Lordan quickly stops her and looks around once more, noting that she was alone and appeared defenseless. "Why don't I take you someplace safe first? In case those things come back?"

She shakes her head and rejects the offer. "I appreciate the offer, Lordan. But I must stay here to wait for him."

"But... It's not really safe. If I take you to the Roundtable Hold, you can stay there safely and wait for him there. Trust me, it's much better." He makes the offer again but she shakes her head in rejection again.

"I'm sorry, Lordan. But I want to stay here. Please... Let me wait for him. He is... All I have left. And I am all he has."

Lordan sighs, clearly he was going to change her mind. Letting her stay alone was a big risk for her but I couldn't force her to leave. He reaches into his enchanted bag and pulls out a dagger, one fit for a none combatant to use.

"Alright... I not going to force you. But you should keep this just in case." He hands over his dagger, she reaches out to take it as Lordan puts it in front of her. " If anyone attacks you or approaches you that isn't your father or me, use this to defend yourself."

She grips the dagger closer, keeping it close like a lifeline. "Thank you. But... I don't know how to fight."

"Just stab and swing forward or in any direction that you hear." He gives his advice to Irina. He takes one more look around to ensure there are no dangers to her.

Lordan soon gets back on the main path to summon Torrent and mount up to travel south. He takes one last look at Irina. "Alright. Stay safe, Irina."

"And you, Lordan. May the stars guide you to succeed. I will pray for your safety and luck." He nods to her and moves off, his katana at the ready for mounted combat.

He rides for a bit before deciding the scout the area near Irina, intending to eliminate all threats to her before moving down south. A ride that may take him at least five days.

"Alright, Torrent. We are making a detour. A few detours." It huffs in acknowledgment.

"That's my boy." He pets Torrent's mane while riding as they advance forward.

CASTLE MORNE

ENEMY FELLED

The Misbegotten lets out a soft dying roar towards Lordan as it's greatsword was currently embedded in its shoulder, the blade had carved through its body halfway to expose its organs and bone from its torso. Lordan had disarmed it and used its own sword to deliver a downwards strike that was the killing blow.

It moves back slowly as it tries to make a final attempt to flee. The misbegotten soon falls to the ground from the blood loss, it goes limp after a few twitches and dies. Runes appear to float out of its body and move towards Lordan, disappearing upon impact.

Lordan takes out his red flask and sips on it to recover, his wounds heal and he feels lesser pain than before. He takes a look around the shore to find Edgar laying on his side, holding his stomach for the pain caused by the last blow the creature had inflicted on him.

"Edgar!" Lordan calls out while moving towards his position, he reaches to him and offers a hand. "You good?"

Edgar takes the hand and allows Lordan to help him up. "Yes... Young man. Very good. Seeing that beast fall was a miracle if I ever saw one." He gets on his feet and begins rubbing off the sand around his armor.

The pair approach the dead creature and Lordan pulls out the greatsword in its shoulder with two hands, the weight of the sword almost causes him to fall when it comes out of the wound. "Oof... Got a little weight on you." He remarks on the weight of the Grafted Blade Greatsword, a heavy and unbalanced Colossal sword made from the claimed swords of an entire clan of warriors.

He flips the sword slowly to point the blade towards the ground, offering its hilt to pass to Edgar. "Here. The sword you wanted, in exchange for the beast's Runes."

Edgar takes the sword and observes it for a moment, he passes back the blade to Lordan who takes it with a confused look. "You keep it, Lad. This sword was my duty. I was to make sure it did not fall into the wrong hands. But now it seems it has found the right hands, yours in fact."

"Me? You sure?" He questions Edgar's intent, knowing that the sword is an heirloom that is not easily replaced. "By right, it's yours. I just used it for a while."

Edgar waves in the attempt to return it. "No. You keep it. Do whatever you want with the sword. A gift from Godrick is no gift at all." Edgar sighs in a long breath of relief, one that he was holding in for years.

"I'm in your debt, Lordan. I'm no longer bound by duty to Godrick. Once I've rescued Irina, I will spend and devote my remaining days to her." He gives Lordan a small bow in thanks.

Lordan nods at the gesture and proceeds to keep the Colossal sword in his enchanted bag, its opening spreads out wider to fit the sword's width while its length disappears into the magical storage.

"Ok. Now... We should get back to the bridge where Irina is. It's going to be at least a five-day ride. Three, if we push it." Lordan makes a rough estimation of the time taken to travel back to the main bridge that separates the Limgrave and the island.

He hopes that Irina would still be there unharmed from when he last saw her. He had taken a few hours to scout the area around her for potential danger, these detours saw him taking out a dozen groups of Misbegotten that roam a bit close to her location. He only moved on to the south once he had checked on Irina one more time.

But that was five days ago. Things could be different now. Getting Edgar to Irina successfully was now a priority for him.

Edgar nods at the suggestion and they move to the gate that leads back to the castle. Intended to reach the stables for Edger to find a mount.

Upon reaching the stables, Edgar moves to the side and picks up a heavy object. "Here. This might be useful for your journey." He hands over a large weapon to Lordan.

The weapon was a Hand Ballista that was made to be handheld. An unconventional ballistic device modeled after a weapon used to besiege castles adapted into a portable form, perfect for reckless acts such as storming a castle or facing an entire army alone.

Lordan examines the weapon as he held it, it was heavy and required both hands to carry and fire. Useful for long-range but risky at close quarters.

"Damn. What did your people use this for?"

"Castle defense, at the main gates. Instead of bringing a giant ballista that requires three men to operate. We let one man carry this" He explains a short use case for the weapon. "The bolts it fires tear through almost anything made of flesh, especially up close."

"Up close, huh?" Lordan imagines how he could use this aspect of the weapon. An idea pops up in his head for possible use, he would need to visit Hewg later for it.

It was not the first time he sees a weapon that was adapted into smaller forms. The middle, eastern, and western lands of the known world had started using matchlock weaponry to replicate the usage of a cannon on a smaller scale, firing small marbles made of metal at a long range. The inventors of Yharnam were the pioneers of such technology.

He keeps the Ballista in his enchanted bag before continuing on. They found one horse for Edgar that was still alive and healthy enough to mount.

"Looks like we will have to ride on one horse. Hop on, Lordan." Edgar offers a hand to Lordan while mounted.

"No need. I got a ride." Lordan blows the whistle on his ring and jumps up to allow Torrent to be summoned below him, instantly mounting on his steed.

"Well... another surprise from you." Edgar looks to Torrent, noting that it was not a usual horse that one rides. The both of them move with their mounts to the castle exterior, facing the field in front of them.

"Alright. We ride hard, Lordan. No delays to reach her." The both of them soon charge off from the castle, with Lordan holding Torrent back to match Edgar's speed. They leave the castle behind, none of them intending to return.

WEEPING PENINSULA, THE BRIDGE OF SACRIFICE

After four days of hard riding, they finally reached the bridge. They start slowing down on their mounts, letting their steeds rest a little from the long trek. Lordan looks to the area where Irina sits to find that she was no longer there.

Is she gone? Damn it... Don't tell me...

They reach the mid-point of the area and stop. Edgar looks around to see no one currently in the vicinity. "Well? Where is she? She's supposed to be here right?"

"Yes... She waited here... I even came back to check on her once." Lordan looks around as well, no one was around the bridge or the site of grace either.

Edgar dismounts and draws his weapon, moving to the site of grace. "I will check that side, Lordan. Be on your guard." Lordan dismounts Torrent as well to investigate the area where Irina used to seat.

"IRINA! IRINA! ARE YOU THERE?! IT'S ME! YOUR FATHER!" Edgar shouts around to try and get her attention.

Lordan moves slowly to the rock Irina used to sit, looking around for traces of struggle or clues as to where she might be. Upon reaching closer to the stone fence of the road he notices a foot that was visible to the side, it was the feet of a woman that they weren't able to spot just now due to the fence blocking it from view.

Oh no.... No... No... NO.

He moves slowly to the other side of the fence to get a closer look. His worst fears were confirmed.

It was Irina laying on the ground, completely stripped naked with bruises on several parts of her body, her eyes and mouth were still open as if she was in shock and fear but completely lifeless. Bite marks made by human teeth were around her shoulders, breasts, and thighs. Large bruising on her neck indicates that she was strangled to death with great force that must have broken her neck. But the worst detail was the large traces of white dried-up stains that were around her mouth, chest, belly, and lower parts of her body.

Irina was killed and her corpse defiled by an unknown attacker.

"Fuck..." Lordan falls to his knees and places his palms on the eye openings of his helmet, letting out a rageful shout at the display. "FUCK. FUCK! FFFFUUUCCCKKKKKK!"

He had made a grave error. Thinking that Irina would have been safe alone after he cleared the area of enemies that were close to her location. This mistake cost her life and honor.

"GODS! HEAVENS! HELLS!" He punches the ground in his raging state, not caring for the pain it caused. His constant shouting and actions cause Edgar to notice, prompting him to move closer.

"Lordan? What is the mat-" He stops his question when he reaches near Lordan. His eyes were now on the body of his daughter. He drops his weapon and had his mouth agape, not knowing how to process the state he found her in.

Lordan looks up and finally notices Edgar. "No... Edgar... Look... Look away..." He ignores Lordan's pleas and moves to Irina's side, taking both knees as he slowly picks her up in his arms. Tears began welling up in his eyes.

"Irina... How could this be..." He speaks in disbelief and despair as he helplessly holds her close. "My daughter deserved better..."

Lordan slowly gets on his feet with regret and guilt hindering his movements. "Edgar... I'm sorry. I... Fucked up." He should have insisted to bring her to the hold.

Edgar sobs softly. "The fault lies...with me. I chose duty over my daughter's safety. And that is how fate has answered..." His sobs soon become harder and were replaced with anger and hatred instead.

"I'll find them. The foul wretches responsible for this. I'll hunt them down, and exterminate every last one of them! Rest assured, Irina. It will be done."

Lordan could not find the words to say at this moment. No amount of apologies was going to make this situation better. He watches on helplessly as Edgar picks up Irina's body and moves to his horse, using his cape to cover her up in the process.

"Edgar... I..."

Edgar stops him halfway with a raised hand, not wanting to hear any more from Lordan. "I must... give her a proper burial... Besides her mother."

He begins moving off without a care in the direction of the castle. "For your sake Lordan... I hope we never meet again. I don't know what I would do if that happens." He issues a warning with a hint of regret, partially blaming Lordan for Irina's death. "Please... Leave us be. Never come to Castle Morne again."

Edgar rides off with Irina's body back south. Lordan watches on as he slowly moves of view. He sighs and moves back to Torrent who allows Lordan to pet it for comfort.

"Damn it... Why am I so fucking weak... And stupid..."

LIMGRAVE, AGHEEL LAKE NORTH

Resting at the site of grace in the north of Lake Agheel, Lordan sits by the light with a notebook and pencil to sketch out a diagram of the ballista he was given at the Weeping Peninsula. It had been two days since the events back at the island which he was still mulling over, stressed and hurt from his failure to save Irina.

He sketches the details of the ballista's parts and inner workings. Making some notes on the design and functionality of each component. He identified the significant parts that make up the weapon's usage, drawing them out in detail. He had learned the basics of weapon engineering and forging during his travel with Vargram years ago, understudying under a few blacksmiths in between.

"So four reinforced springs create the stopping power to match an actual ballista's power. But what if I decrease it to two... " He ponders on the design a bit more, making new notes for each change or alteration that could be made. He would have visit Hewg soon to discuss the idea he has.

He decides to finish up on his sketches and keeps the notebook in his bag. Lordan soon lays down flat on the ground and lets out a breath, his muscles and bones ache from the travel in the last few days. He observes the stars in the night sky, wondering how many stars populate the sky.

Lordan ponders on his current failures in the lands between so far. One involving his failure to stop Vyke from harming Melinda and the other being Irina's death, the latter could have been avoided if he took the steps to ensure she was in a safer place. He wonders about the other failures he once faced in the past, some of which caused the lives of people that he considered friends.

He raises a hand to reach out to the skies above, blocking some of the starlights from view. He turns his hand to examine his gloveless palm, it was rough and calloused from the constant stress and usage of weapons. He can't actually remember the last time he took a break from any fighting, his whole life he had held a sword as a way of living, he had no other purpose at this point.

Even with all the skills and knowledge I have. I'm still useless... He sighs from the thought, the guilt from Irina's death was taking its toll. Sleep was not going to be an option tonight.

Lordan gets on his feet and moves closer to the sight of grace, reaching out the light to feel its warmth. He decides to gain strength from the power of runes that he currently possesses. Thinking of the aspects that he wanted to improve, he finalized his decision and feels his runes imbuing into his body permanently.

He soon decides to move on to his next location, referring to his map once more to check on the direction to move. Once he had his next area decided he left the site of grace and step onto the main road.

Torrent was summoned with his whistle and he mounts up. He starts riding north and eventually reaches a bridge. Torrents starts to slow down on its own near the start of the bridge, as if aware of something that was amiss.

Lordan checks on Torrent due to its sudden stop. "Torrent? What's wrong boy?" Torrent makes a movement with its head to signal forward towards the other end of the bridge. Its behavior was now defensive as if preparing for a fight.

Following the direction Torrent gestured to, Lordan looks up to the front and spots another rider with a much bigger horse at the other end. The rider was dressed Chad in black cloaks and plate with his horse wearing a matching color,  blended with the darkness of the night.

Lordan draws two swords from his bags as the rider follows suit by preparing a giant flail that was spiked and heavy. He rides towards Lordan slowly with each step picking up speed, his flail dragging along the ground to create sparks on the bridge's floor.

Wait. Is that? Lordan takes a close look as the rider approaches at a distance. Realization soon hits him as he recognized the rider from before, anger and rage soon built up within him from the memory.

This was one of the riders who attacked the mercenary band he traveled with a month ago. This was one of the culprits who cause his whole situation here in the first place.

Night's Cavalry

"Son of a bitch..." He charges forward at full speed with Torrent towards the cavalry, no hesitation was displayed by Torrent as it follows its master into battle. "Son of a bitch!"

The Cavalry begins turning his flail in circles above his head to prepare a heavy attack. The two riders close in on each other and were about to exchange blows.

The Cavalry takes a swing with his flail that misses as Lordan ducks while riding by. He takes a few swings at the Cavalry as he passes to Little effect as the plated armor protects the Cavalry greatly. They ride away from each other in opposite directions before turning back again for another exchange of blows.

They meet in the middle of the bridge at great speed and clash once again, They take swings at each other as their steed circle around to keep moving.

Lordan dodges many of the attacks from the Cavalry's flail by ducking or dashing away with Torrent, facing many near misses that see the flail missing him by an inch.

The Cavalry on the other hand is struck many times by Lordan with his dual swords. His plated armor was efficient in protecting him against the slashes of the swords, with many blows bouncing or sliding out upon impact.

On horseback, they were more or less equally matched, with Lordan able to dodge many of the attacks from the flail and the Cavalry able to take many of the hits delivered by the dual blades.

Lordan dashes on the side of the Cavalry to ride off behind him, keeping his swords and taking out his katana. He makes another turn and charges towards the Cavalry again with a new weapon in hand. He passes the Cavalry several times with Torrent dashing through each time and delivering single slashes swiftly with each pass. The katana was not able to cut through the plate of the Cavalry but was able to create larger dents as compared to his swords.

Noticing the damage caused by the katana, the Cavalry changes his tactics. After they make another pass, the Cavalry decides to chase Lordan down. His steed was able to keep up to Lordan and Torrent even with its larger size.

Once side by side, the Cavalry begins his attack with a series of smaller swings with his flail. Lordan was surprised by the move and quickly tries to create distance by moving away but could not as the Cavalry persists and stays to his side, not letting him catch a break.

He decides to make a risky move.

Lordan changes the direction Of the Torrent back to the bridge, with the Cavalry following closely to his side. He charges towards the side of the bridge that leads off the cliff. Lordan continues on with the Cavalry slowing down slightly as he hesitates to follow.

The Cavalry eventually stops midway by braking his horse hard. Lordan follows through with his intention with Torrent jumping off the cliff edge at the side of the bridge. Torrent then followed up with a second jump in mid-air back to the bridge, allowing Lordan to land at the bridge safely. He rides Torrent to the end of the bridge, with the Cavalry on the other end.

Lordan then keeps his katana and changes to a spear. He points the spear forward and charges forth towards the Cavalry with Torrent's best speed. The Cavalry also charges forth as fast as his steed could, swinging his flail faster and harder. The both of them close in and eventually make contact.

The spear pierces the Cavalry's plate armor in his shoulder and injures him, breaking in half upon contact. While the flail hits Lordan's chest with great force to knock him off Torrent's back. The Cavalry moves on with a spear in his shoulder to a safe distance and Lordan falls to the ground of the bridge in the middle.

The Cavalry removes the half-length spear from his shoulder, blood spews out from the wound. He makes another charge towards Lordan with the best speed from his steed without swinging his flail. His intention was to simply run Lordan over while he was laying on the floor.

Lordan feels the pain from the hit he suffered earlier, assessing that a few of his ribs must have been broken from the impact. He sits up and sips on his red flask and the pain disappears almost instantly. He bears the steps of the Cavalry's horse closing in on him and realizes he was going to be trampled by a giant horse once again, like his previous death from the Tree Sentinal.

"Oh... For fuck sa-"

Torrent leaps over Lordan from behind and lands in front of him. It turns around in rapid succession and delivers a high kick with two of its back legs, the horse runs into the kick at the right moment of impact. Its neck breaks from the kick instantaneously due to the combined force of Torrent's kick and the full speed of the Cavalry's horse. The horse slowly goes limp and falls to the side with the Cavalry falling off as well.

Lordan looks at the display with glee as Torrent had even the playing field. "HA! Well done, Torrent!" He praises his steed while it moves back to him. Lordan then recalls Torrent back to safety and it disappeared as he intended to finish this fight on foot.

The Cavalry now on foot gets to his feet with his flail in hand while Lordan draws his katana that he used earlier. The two fighters size each other up and clash once again, this time on foot without steeds.

The Cavalry delivers many swings and slams with his flail in wild motions without restrain, attempting to hit Lordan with the flurry of strikes. Lordan side-steps and dodges many of the swings with ease as they were slower and easier to read as compared previously.

On horseback, the Cavalry was the superior fighter. On foot, the tables are turned greatly.

Lordan soon counters with his katana by performing swift slashes and stabs in between the Cavalry's swings. His hits land most of the time but could not penetrate the plate armor.

Lordan and the Cavalry soon create distance among themselves. Each taking time to recover from their dance of weapons. Lordan sips on both his red and blue flasks to regain himself while looking at the armor of the Cavalry at their stand-off distance.

He notices the dents in his armor caused by his katana were not in any way close to making an opening to actually hit him, so his previous strikes were useless. But he also notices gaps in between the moving parts of the armor that allows the Cavalry to maintain mobility.

Those gaps are exposed but small. I need to be more precise in my strikes.

He allows the Cavalry to move first and take a few swings at him, which he dodges with ease. He eventually makes his first move with a swift slash to a small opening in the Cavalry's armor.

The Cavalry makes a grunt in pain and swings his flail to deter Lordan. He swings his flail a few more times before Lordan gets another hit at one of his armor's gaps, causing him actual damage.

Lordan continues his attacks, in the same manner, allowing the Cavalry to attack and damage him using his katana to strike gaps in his armor. This process continued for a good ten minutes with Lordan managing to deliver dozens of hits on every available gap in the Cavalry's armor.

The Cavalry was now badly injured and overwhelmed by pain, the gaps of his armor leak blood from the wounds within. His attacks and movement were becoming sluggish and slow, creating more openings for Lordan to attack.

Lordan holds his katana close with both hands and prepares a stabbing attack on a smaller gap he sees, intending to end the fight. The Cavalry delivers a downwards strike with his flail which misses as Lordan backsteps before it lands.

He returns to his original stance and stabs forward with his katana, aiming for the Cavalry's head. The katana stabs through the left eye slit of the helmet and through the Cavalry's head, with the tip going all the way through. It was a killing blow.

"Feel that? That's for me. And everyone you murdered." Lordan pulls the katana from the helmet and slashes the throat of the Cavalry with all his strength. Blood gushes out from the throat and eye of the Cavalry as he goes limp and falls forward.

A few more twitches come from the Cavalry's body before they cease.

ENEMY FELLED

Lordan swings his katana lightly to shake the blood off the edge. He keeps the sword back to its sheath and lets out a breath of relief as the runes from the Cavalry are absorbed by him.

He looks at the body of the Cavalry and inspects the armor, impressed by its build and quality. He begins removing the armor set to keep for himself.

Once the armor was kept, he summons Torrent with his ring, it appears instantly and moves towards him. Lordan gives it a stroke on its neck and feeds it some berries, thankful for Torrent's assistance in the fight.

"Ok... You are the best steed. Ever. No more horses for me." Torrent huffs in agreement and Lordan laughs. His mind is now cleared from stress at the moment. The victory was a great motivation for his quest, allowing him to forget his failures for a brief time.

Melina watches from afar at the aftermath of the battle between Lordan and the Cavalry. She smiled brightly at his success, one that seemed to be common these days. He was developing a reputation around Limgrave for falling many great adversaries in the region.

He was doing this all without her help or guidance. She had been following him secretly to observe his progress over the last few days, hoping he would be able to continue without her due to her uncertainties to face him after the last incident.

She got her answer in the form of a yes. He was making way to becoming strong enough to face Margit in an equal fight in both skill and strength. He was winning more battles and becoming used to the lands between, all without a single advice or word from her.

While pleased at his progress, a small part of her felt sad, as it was now evident that he doesn't need her at all.

Melina sighs knowing that their last encounter with Vyke may be the last time they speak, should he choose to continue without her. An option that was now on the table and looked more obvious with each passing day.

Well done, Lordan. You are the one we needed after all. I wish you all the best.

She observes him a while longer as he starts to ride off on Torrent's back, moving to his next location as it seems. She worries that he was not resting enough and pushing himself too hard in this endeavor.

A blue mist forms beside her and the snow witch stands to her side. Observing Lordan's departure with her.

"Greetings, Melina." The snow witch offers a greeting.

"Ranni."

"Int'resting. He seemeth to be progressing well." Ranni compiments as Lordan move out of view. "Thou art not speaking to each other? didst thee has't a falling out?" She questions the lack of conversation between Lordan and Melina.

"No. I... cannot speak to him at the moment." Melina folds her arms in discomfort. "I... I have failed him."

Ranni looks at Melina with raised brown on her projected face. "Truly? How so?"

Melina closes her eyes and lets out a sigh, ready to confess her troubles to Ranni as she often did in times of doubt. "He faced... An old enemy of my... And nearly... Lost his life for good. All because I was too scared to fight." She rubs the scars on her hand for comfort.

Ranni pauses and begins questioning her doubts. "But has't thee did betray him?"

"No." Melina responds to the question immediately.

"Hast he hath shown signs of resentment 'gainst thee?"

"No."

"Then doth thee still careth about him?"

"Yes." Melina responds to the question immediately as well. Surprisingly even herself.

"Then what is thy worry? Speaketh to him and asketh if he is well." Ranni makes a suggestion to Melina. "He cares about thee too. Enough to respect thy wishes and waiteth until thou art ready."

Melina ponders at the suggestion for moments in silence. She eventually makes a decision in her mind.

One more day. One more day and I will speak to him.

"Thank you, Princess Ranni. For giving me insight on this matter." Melina thanks with a small bow. Ranni responds with a bow as well, despite her status as a royal.

"T'is alright now, sister. You will always have my adviseth at which hour thee require it. T'is the least I can do, for thy mother."

The two women stand together for a while longer, thinking about the Tarnished warrior that they are guiding and the great challenge that he faces ahead. All while enjoying the company of friends, as they used to do since they met as children a long time ago.

1998 YEARS BEFORE THE SHATTERING

"Fuck."

"Balls."

"Cunt."

"Cum."

"Cock."

"Bollocks."

"Arse."

"Tits."

"Cum... No wait! I meant Shit! AH, Shit!" Marika facepalms from her mistake. "ARGH! Gods I'm out."

Rags marks another streak in his notebook, indicating the score between him and Marika, he was currently in the lead with Marika not winning a single game.

"Six to zero, Maiden. Six night watches. That's what you owe me." He keeps the notebook in his bag. "Why are you so obsessed with cum anyway? " He asks about the word she keeps using that cost her a few games already.

"I AM NOT OBSESSED WIT-" She raises her voice at the accusation before stopping herself, remembering that was no reason to lash out over a game. "It's the easiest word to remember, Rags. I don't have an obsession with... IT." She folds her arms and faces the other way while they walk, hiding her blush from the embarrassment.

"Sure... " Rags remarks with a frown, not convinced by the reason she provided. He lets out a laugh and displays a small smile, one that catches Marika's attention.

Rags... Smiling? That's a rare sight. And... Rather handsome, too... Marika thinks to herself at the sight of his smile.

The game they were playing was simple. Each would speak a swear word after the other says one during their turn. One would only lose on two conditions, repeat a word spoken by one earlier or not speak a word within five seconds.

They had started this game two weeks ago, Marika had suggested they do something to pass the time. And so Rags decided to teach her this game that was often played among the commoners, as well as all the swear words usable within it.

It was rather improper for her to learn such vulgar and uncivilized language, but she did not care. She was going to have as much fun as she could before time runs out.

Time. That was currently what Marika was running out of, time with Rags. They had recently received information from a traveler that an envoy force from the Golden Order was waiting in a location up north, awaiting the arrival of any empyrean candidates that were traveling to the Sacred Land.

This means she would be escorted by The Golden Order's own forces, a measure that was now employed due to the Dragon Order's increasing attacks against all regions that refuse to bend the knee. It was only because of the uneasy truce made by the two Elden Lords of two orders that another great war was not ongoing between the two superpowers of the known world.

The truce, however, does not apply outside of their borders. Meaning the Dragon Order was free to pursue anything it wants outside of the Golden Order's protection, including anyone outside their borders.

Marika knows what it means when she reaches the envoy force. It means her journey with Rags would effectively be over. He would have fulfilled his end of the contract he has taken.

Meaning Rags would be leaving her. Alone.

The thought makes her uneasy and sad, the idea that she was going to lose the only companion she had for the past year. Rags had only recently begun to open up after the incident, and now he was going to leave once they reach their destination.

It was an eventuality, he had his own life to live, one that does not involve her and does not suit her. She was potentially going to be the new ruler of Leyndell beside the Elden Lord and he was just another mercenary for hire, their paths do not match.

But she doesn't care. She would follow him forever if fate permitted.

They continued walking in silence side by side before Marika decides to ask the dreaded question that seem to plague her.

"Rags?" She begins to slow down a bit from their matching pace to lag behind him.

"Hm?" He responds while walking.

"Are you... Leaving once we reach the envoys?"

The question makes him stop while his back was turned to her. He lets out a sigh from the question and slowly turns to her.

"I think I am. That was the agreement in my contract." He responds truthfully while minding his words, knowing that the fact might hurt her.

Marika shifts on her foot, getting the answer that she expected but did not want. "Oh. I see... It's just that... "

"Just what?" Rags asked to get a reaction out of her. She swallows some courage and begins making a request. One that he might not accept.

"Just... Would you... Consider staying? With me?"

She realizes the words she just spoke and quickly begins to panic, noticing that Rags had a small reaction to what was just said. She asks a rephrased version of her question.

"I mean! um-I... I... I meant with the Golden Order. There is room for someone like you. The Golden Order always needs warriors with your talent and skill." She comes up with another version of her request, one that sounded less personal. She looks down to the ground and closes her eyes, hoping for a positive outcome

Rags remain silent on the request. Carefully considering a response. "Marika... I don't think that's a good idea."

Marika looks up to him with a disappointed look, clearly not understanding why he would reject such a privilege.

"But why?" She asks as he turns around to look away. Rags look to the sky and sighs, knowing that he has to tell her another harsh truth about why he cannot follow.

"Because I'm not suited there. And because you can't be seen with me." Rags explain while Marika feels the hurt from his words. "You are the candidate for leadership over a whole religion. If I'm there by your side... You will never be chosen."

Marika thinks of all the reasons to tell him that he could be wrong but couldn't. What he said was the truth. He cannot be seen by her side, It would hurt her chances of being selected greatly.

"So... That will be it then?" She asks in a resigned tone. "You... will leave once we reach the envoys?"

Rags stay quiet for a moment before continuing on. His decision was made, leaving Marika was the correct choice. Even if she didn't want him to.

"Yes. I'm leaving." His answer creates sadness in her. She turns around to look away from him, not wanting him to see her on the verge of tears.

"I'm sorry. There's... no other way."

"I know, Rags. I know." A single tear falls on her face but she quickly wipes it off.

"I can change myself in many ways. But I can't change the world."

But I could. If given the chance. She thinks about the ways she could solve this if she gets selected.

Rags start walking on the path again, with Marika following close behind. She catches up to his pace and walks beside him, taking his hand as they walk. Rags soon hold it back as they walk together with their hands joined.

So they make their peace with this situation. Both knowing that their time together will be coming to an end.

They traveled for another three days before reaching close to the meeting place. It was to be on an open field outside a forest.

Rags check his map to ensure that they were in the right direction, with Marika also helping him by the side.

"Ok... So we are currently at the location and we need to travel... eastwards a bit more."

"Are you sure, Rags? We seem to be in the wrong location. We aren't even seeing the field yet." She points out the current view in front of them which lacks the field they were looking for.

"You are right... But the map say-" Rags narrows his eyes at the map as he spots an error. He flips the map to the other side and spots his mistake.

"Oh. My bad. It's eastwards." The mistake causes Marika to roll her eyes as this was not the first time he led them in the wrong direction because he read the map wrongly.

They correct their direction to the east and finally find the field that was mentioned. In front of them on the field was a convoy of soldiers that were dressed in golden accents with royal surcoats and armor. Their banners display a crooked tree beneath an orange sun, the banner of the current Elden Lord for the Golden Order.

Rags and Marika stand together at the view to take a moment, understanding that this is where they depart. Marika takes his hand again and grips on harder, not ready to let him go.

"Ok. This is it." Rags look at her and give her a moment to calm down. "You good?"

Marika softens her grip and let's go, looking back at him with a smile. She was not ready to let him go but accepts it anyway. Grateful for their time on the road.

It was not lasting but she treasured it anyway.

"Yes. Rags. I am ready." Rags nods and offers her his hand to hold. She takes it and they approach the convoy together.

Their presence was soon acknowledged by the convoy and its soldiers stand at attention. A gold-plated knight walks toward them alone and stops at talking distance.

"Greetings, mercenary. Are you here to deliver the maiden?" He asks the pair.

"Yeah. I am." Rags look around to notice that the other soldiers had begun to move around differently as if taking positions to surround them.

Something is wrong. Very wrong. He thinks to himself.

" Ah. Well done then. You have fulfilled your contract. " The knight takes out a bag of gold and passes it to Rags while turning his attention to Marika.

"And it is a great honor. To stand before an empyrean, my lady. We have waited a long time for this moment." He takes a kneel on a single leg towards Marika. "We are now your humble servants. Here to escort you to the Lands of Gold, for your chance to stand before the Gate of... Well, you know the rest."

Marika bows at the knight to return the gesture. "Thank you, brave knight. It has been a long journey."

"Of course, my lady." The knight soon turns to Rags again. "And thank you for your service. The lady is safe now. You may leave her to us. She will be safe. I assure you."

Rags looks around again, noting the positions of the other soldiers and the fact that they were all holding their sword hilts that hangs on their waist as if preparing for a fight. These actions were red flags in his eyes.

Marika notices his silence and gives him a poke to try and get his attention. Confused about why he was so silent and tense.

"Rags? Are you alright?" She whispers to him and he turns slightly to her.

"Marika. Do you see the soldiers to the right and left?"

Marika looks around the field to the soldiers he mentioned, also noting their positions as weird. "Yes. Why?"

"Get ready to cast your spells. When I move." His response confuses her as Rags talks to the knight.

"So... You are taking her to the east? For another five-month travel period?"

"That is the plan, yes. Travel by foot is the safer way at the moment due to the recent attacks." The knight responds with a confident tone, perhaps too confident.

"That's funny. Because I was told the "Sacred Lands" Were actually islands in the west." Rags point out the mistake by the knight which causes him to tense up, clearly not expecting Rags to call him out for the lie.

The other soldiers soon ready their hands to draw their weapons as they slowly move closer to the pair. Marika notes the move and takes out her seal and places a hand on her dagger.

"Rags?" Marika whispers as he stands a bit closer to Marika in front of her while looking around.

"What gave me away?" The knight asks with a low tone, clearly not caring about his disguise any longer.

"Hmmm. That helmet seems pretty tight." Rags respond sarcastically to the question. "There's also the small bloodstains and cuts on all your uniforms. And... I also happen to spot some undressed corpses on the way here."

The knight scoffs, knowing that his trick is up. "You are clever, sellsword. And much smarter than the previous escorts. Their oversight allowed us to capture many empyreans without resistance."

"What have you done to them?!" Marika asks with anger in her voice.

"Whatever our Elden lord demands. As a vessel or binding." The knight moves his hand to his sword-hilt. "For he is the true master and power of the known world. Not the Golden Order. Not Elden Lord Solras."

Rags moves his hand to his claymore's hilt and grips it, prompting the knight to grip his sword hilt as well.

"Step aside. The Dragon Order's business is with the empyrean. Not you. You may leave." The knight makes an offer of peace to Rags. "This is your last chance."

"And if I don't?"

"Then you die. And the crows can have you."

The soldiers move closer slowly and begin drawing their swords. Marika draws her dagger as well. She looks to Rags and he nods to her, understanding that she was ready. He lets out a sigh at their situation.

"Yeah... Fuck it, let's fight."

Rags pulls his claymore into a downwards slash towards the knight. He raises his sword to block but the claymore breaks the sword, carving into his shoulder to kill him instantly.

Marika raises her seal to cast lighting that strikes from above on multiple soldiers around them at once. They get shocked to death from the strikes that conducted electricity on their metal-plated armors.

The rest of the soldiers let out war cries as they charge Rags and Marika from all sides, their swords and shields raised to battle.

The pair stand back to back and defend themselves from the assault. With Rags's claymore carving most them easily and Marika's incantation spells doing damage at long range with lighting or golden conjured dagger that she throws.

They soon separate and begin taking on multiple soldiers on their own. Marika summons a golden sword on her seal to fight the soldiers head-on, her speed and use of spells allow her to match their raw strength. She also switches between a golden spear for long-range attacks, a golden hammer for heavy attacks, and her dagger that creates golden projectiles in the form of energy waves to cut through limps and their bodies.

Rags on the other hand was a pure force of strength and carnage. His claymore combined with his unrestrained strength from the power of runes allows him to cut through their armor with ease. And even while holding a bigger sword, Rags could maintain a speed that allows him to dodge and move around the fight with ease. Most of the soldiers he fought were killed off rather quickly.

They eventually kill off the entire convoy of false soldiers to the last man. Rags and Marika were both bloody from the fight that ensured, most of the blood that stained their attire was not even theirs.

"The Dragon Order... Here? How did they know about this convoy?" Marika says loudly while breathing hard from their fight.

"I don't know. But we need to-" Rags was interrupted as an arrow strikes his back shoulder. A few more arrows soon fly past, forcing them to take cover by laying on the ground.

The arrows stop, and they get on their feet to see more men coming out of the forest, a small army with at least a few hundred. All dressed in the grey colors of the Dragon Order.

"Do we run or fight?" Marika asks Rags who pulls out the arrow from his back. He grips his claymore harder and takes a battle stance beside her as the army approaches them.

"Both."

FIN

Chapter Text

ARC I:

CHAPTER 4:

THE STRONGEST OF ALL

LIMGRAVE, WAYPOINT RUINS

Mad Pumpkin Head

Lordan dodges to the left of the Pumpkin Head to avoid its frenzied attack, which sees it slamming its head to the ground with great force due to its hard oval shape helm.

He sips on his blue flask to regain focus while two-handing his curved greatsword. He performs a dash with incredible speed that fades him from view for a few seconds, the same dash Darriwil performed during their fight a month ago. This ability was imbued into the Bloodhound's Fang with an Ash Of war, allowing him to use this skill effectively without the need to learn it.

Lordan dashes through the attack to slide in between its legs to perform a rotating slash that slices both its legs. The Pumpkin Head staggers from the attack on its legs and falls to its knees.

Lordan dashes in front of the Pumpkin Head and delivers a downwards slash to its head. The attack fails as his sword bounces off the oval helmet, as it was not able to penetrate the helmet.

"Ah! Shit!" The Pumpkin Head recovers and punches Lordan hard which sends him flying to the wall behind. He falls to the ground and leans against the wall while the Pumpkin Head recovers to its feet. It then charges to the wall where Lordan was leaning against with its head pointing forward, intending to slam Lordan with its hard helmet.

Lordan dashes out of the way at the last moment and the Pumpkin Head slams itself to the wall, hard. The slam causes it distress as the helmet was vibrating from the impact.

Lordan then dashes behind the Pumpkin Head and climbs on its back. He takes out two throwing knives and thrust them into the Pumpkin Head's throat, blood spills from the knife wounds as it roars in pain.

Lordan jumps back to the ground and ready a dash attack. He dashes alongside a leg and uses the speed to deliver a strong slash, it severs one leg of the Pumpkin Head and causes it to fall to its back.

The Pumpkin Head struggles on its back in pain while Lordan jumps onto its torso. He points his sword downward and stabs down to its chest, hitting a vital spot.

The Pumpkin Head starts to slow its movements and struggle. It soon ceases and dies from the fatal blow.

ENEMY FELLED

Lordan pulls his sword out and feels runes rushing to his body. He examines the room to see a door in front of him and moved over to it. Upon examining the door, he sees that it can be opened by lifting it from below.

Once the door opens, he sees a blue and red-robed woman that was studying a scroll on her desk, she wears a stone mask that resembles a woman with green gems on top her head.

The woman notices Lordan at the door and stands to face him. "Oh. Tarnished, are we? A wonder you should turn up here." She speaks out in a calm manner, clearly not worried about danger from Lordan.

"Yeah... I was just... Taking on that thing." He gestures with his thumb to his back. "Was it one of yours?"

She looks at the body and shakes her head. "No. That thing was merely here as insurance. There are many things in this land that I rather not be bothered by. So I made an agreement to let it stay if it keeps anything out of my way." She sighs at the sight. "Clearly, it was not capable as I thought."

"Well... Are you going to attack me?" Lordan asked while bracing for another fight as he was the intruder to her quarters.

"Do I have a reason to? Are you here to harm or rob me?" He shakes his head in response. "Then we are now associates. I am Sellen, a sorcerer, quite plainly."

"Lordan. Mercenary... Plainly."

Sellen shows interest in his name. "Lordan? Named after the nameless undead hero in the books I presume." She observes him by scanning him head to toe. "Hmmm... Yes, you certainly look the type."

"Look like what type?"

"Like the type to be constantly underestimated. But rise to challenge anyway, despite the overwhelming odds." She makes a compliment before returning to her usual curious but guarded behavior. "Now... Care to explain why you are here?"

Lordan shrugs as he couldn't think of an alternate explanation, he could only give his most simple one. "Honestly? I'm just roaming around for runes and looking for anything that can help. I really didn't think anyone else would be in here."

"Runes and anything that helps? You expect me to believe that you risk life and limb just for runes?"

"Yeah... That's really it." His answer makes Sellen cautious as she had been tricked before. She decides to trust him after seeing that his body language did not indicate signs of lying.

"If you seek something that helps. Then might I suggest glintstone sorcery?" She makes a suggestion while taking staff to her side.

"Sorcery?" Lordan had only read the theories and concepts of the magical arts but never practice nor dabbled in it. "Yeah... Could be useful, but uhhh... I never actually practice it. Can I even use such a thing?"

Sellen moves closer to him and makes a request. "Well, your aptitude does appear...passable. But there is an examination I must make." She stop in front of him, her height was only at his shoulder and it causes her to look up. "Take off your helmet."

"My helmet?" She nods and her request confuses Lordan. "OK... I guess?" He follows her request and takes off his helmet to reveal his face.

Sellen holds his jaw light to slightly turn his face to inspect it. "Hints of Numen features, most likely ages of descendant. mixed with common features from outside this lands. Very little, very little reedlander. Very petty as well."

"Uhhh... What are you-"

She lets go and grabs his arm, squeezing his forearm and bicep to feel its firm form beneath his armor. "Strong of arm, capable of a fight without magic." She then moves her hand to his chest and pushes against it, Lordan does not budge from the push. "Strong of body too. Yes... Very strong..." Her tone had a hint of sultry which makes him uncomfortable.

"OK... I think... I think that's enough." He starts to panic when he observes her hand moving down and almost touching his crouch, paranoid after the last incident Gideon told him about between the hold's four women. "OK. THAT IS... That IS enough." He grabs her hand lightly and lets go once it was raised.

Sellen moves back slightly as while Lordan puts his helmet back on to cover his red face. She nods in a satisfying motion at him. "And very vigorous as well... Yes. You are teachable. I just needed to make sure that you had other qualities." She would need to test his Vigor later if possible.

"Quantities that observed from my face and body?" He does not understand the purpose of her physical examination.

"I needed to make sure that you were strong enough to survive the usage of my teachings in battle. I refuse to teach anyone who dies from a single hit." Her reasoning for her examination was explained. Sellen had taught many Tarnished before who focused on magic usage greatly but were too weak to endure a single sword strike. She had often called these students "Glass Cannons".

Sellen then walks over to a shelf and takes out a couple of scrolls to lay out her table. She also passes the staff to Lordan, who catches it without any trouble. "Very well. I will teach you the combat arts of glintstone sorcery to aid your quest. But before we start, one must choose one's masters wisely."

"What do you mean?"

"I was exiled from the Academy of Raya Lucaria, as a reviled, apostate witch. Do you still wish to learn from me?" She asked without hesitation, wondering if Lordan would reject her offer. Most do once they hear of her true identity, and she does not blame them for it.

Lordan shrugs from the reveal, not knowing what she was even talking about. "Honestly, I'm not sure about the whole witch thing. But choosing between learning from a bunch of old men or a woman? Seems like an easy choice."

Sellen laughs from the comparison. "Well, you are a piece of work. Very well. You are now my protégé in glintstone sorcery. But I refuse to coddle. Or cast kind words. Never. Anticipate grievances, young apprentice."

She switched to a serious tone to start her lesson. "First things first. You are a tadpole when it comes to magic. Infantile. Without the legs to walk."

"Obviously... Magic is not exactly my area of expertise."

Sellen nods at the admission. "Exactly. To become a sorcerer, you must first face your ignorance. Now, shall we start learning?" She takes out the first scroll to teach Lordan the basic spell, Glintstone Pebble as it was scripted.

Art by Kranjas

Lordan nods and begins holding the staff forward. Sellen moves to his back and adjusts the position of his arm to match the pose drawn in the scroll.

"Now, focus on the movement of your staff to mimic the actions written down."

They begin their lesson. Lordan would spend a day with Sellen to learn a total of three spells.

THE ROUNDTABLE HOLD

Lordan returns to the hold after a few more days out in Limgrave. He patrolled the fields in search of more enemies to face. Taking their runes for himself and turned them into strength as Melina suggested to him. He visited caves, ruins, catacombs, and the open fields in his hunt.

He was now stronger than when he first came here. Stronger than in all his 25 years of age. A quarter of a lifetime of training, skills, and knowledge is all gained within the span of a single month and a half.

He moved around the hold to reach Hewg. Intending to use his services for improvements to his weapons and armor that he salvaged. While walking to the smith he noticed Roderika sitting down on the side, she had set up a mat with books and scrolls laying around. She was currently focused on a scroll and did not notice Lordan approaching, he clears his throat and speaks. "Roderika? What are you doing?"

She looks up in surprise, clearly a bit disturbed by his bloody armor state. "Lordan! Oh! Sorry, I didn't see you there." Roderika soon covers her mouth due to a smell that came from Lordan's current clothes. "It's good to see... You... Ummm... Lordan, I think you should-"

He sighs, well aware of what was bothering her. "Take a bath? Because I literally smell like a dog that hasn't bathed in months?" She nods at the suggestion for himself, not wanting to say it outright to not be rude to her savior. "Yeah... I um... Noticed."

Lordan takes a whiff of himself and groans from the smell. "Yep. Definitely noticed..." He reeked of death and was incredibly filthy due to his time spent outside. Around all of the places he went and rolled in. OK. A bath is required at this point. REALLY.

Roderika nods before asking a question. "Um... Yes. Before you go, Lordan. Are you interested in spirit tuning?" She asks to provide a service to Lordan.

He tilts his head from her offer. "Spirit tuning? You mean for my wolves?" He puts the two facts together and Roderika nods. "Well... I should probably clean up first before I come and learn how to-"

Roderika waves her hand from the idea. "Oh! No no no. Not about teaching Lordan. I can help you increase the potential of any spirit ashes you possess. I am not really at the level to teach yet..." Her tone expresses a form of regret for her lack of abilities. "I can help you. I just require a bit of time and some Gloveworts. They are flowers that bloom within catacombs."

Lordan reaches into his bag and retrieves some white flowers to pass to Roderika. "I assume you mean these flowers?"

Roderika takes the flowers in amazement. "Yes... How did you get them?"

"I kind of uhhh... Went grave robbing in some catacombs." He rubs his head in embarrassment of the confession. "Found some stuff and noticed these flowers. Wanted to give them to you... and to all the ladies who took care of me while I was near death." He turn a bit red from embarrassment on the confession.

Roderika also blushes from his intent with the flower, clearly not expecting such a gesture from him. All she really did at the time was sit beside him and read aloud some stories, hoping he would respond to them.

"Oh... Oh... I... um... Thank you, Lordan. Really. That's rather sweet of you to think of such a thing." She continues blushing from his words. "But um... Maybe it's not a good idea to give flowers to the others that grow from the ashes of the dead."

"Oh." The origin of these flowers causes him a bit of shock. And to think I was going to give to the rest. What a jester I am. "Uhhh... Sorry. My bad."

"It alright, Lordan! I know you meant well." Roderika waves off any concern he has. "But maybe give me any gloveworts you find? They don't last very long once plucked."

Lordan then takes out the rest of gloveworts in storage passing all of them to Roderika. "Here. Just do whatever you need to do. Take your time, I might be here a while."

"Of course, Lordan. And thank you. For saving me."

"No worries." He prepares to leave but decides to ask her about her new prospect. "So... Spirit tuning? Is that what you used to do?"

Roderika shakes her head from the assumption. "I'm still looking for my own purpose. It's not easy, by any means, but it's what I must do. So I started talking to Hewg."

"Hewg? He taught you all this."

"Yes. He told me that I possess some kind of gift? I didn't believe it at first. But... If I do have this talent, and goodness knows it would be my first... I suppose I should try to hone it. Shouldn't I?" She looks to Lordan for her reasoning for learning this talent.

He nods and smiles clearly at her intent, happy that she had found her calling. His thoughts about Irina still haunt him, so a positive outcome for someone he helped was good for him.

"So, I can happily announce that he has taught me the noble toil of spirit tuning. I'm as yet unsure of what I might be able to accomplish, but if I might be any help to you all, I'd certainly like to try." She hesitates on the next words but resolves to continue. "And if there's and a chance to ease the suffering of my dear men who were grafted... Well, I certainly must try."

"Of course, Roderika. I'm happy to have your assistance. Anything helps."

She blushes again from his complement. She gets to her feet and performs a curtsy "Well... Roderika the spirit tuner prentice. Pleased to make your acquaintance. Again." Lordan follows with a small bow.

He decides to move on to his guest room where a bathtub would be available to use. "Well... I gonna clean up. Before Hewg chases me down with a hammer." He remarks on the last time Hewg worked on his armor while it was dirty.

They exchange goodbyes and Roderika returns to her seat. She takes a small bunch of gloveworts and places them in a jar while using the rest to begin the tuning process of the wolves ashes. She smiles with affection for the gift Lordan had intended for them

She had told a small white lie to Lordan about the gloveworts, they do last long, forever in fact. This allowed will now allow her to be given flowers on a regular basis, from Lordan most importantly.

Lordan took some time to clean up, perhaps a bit too long. Enjoying a bath was something he often couldn't do, so taking his time was normal when it came to that.

After that, he cleaned his armor with great effort to get rid of all the accumulated dirt, ensuring that every part of it was ready for Hewg to work on. He remembered the last time he presented Hewg with his armor when it was dirty, the Smith was annoyed to no end.

Once done, Lordan made his way back to Hewg with his cleaned wolf armor, along with the other armor sets he retrieved from the Night cavalry and the bloodhound.

He reached in front of the Smith and places the armor sets down at the side of the anvil, while Hewg continues hammering down on the weapon he was currently working on. The action catches the smith's attention, he once again displays his annoyed look to Lordan.

"Well, where've you been hiding? I took you for dead."

Lordan rolls his eyes at the comment, it was not the first Hewg said this. "I'm pretty sure I won't die that easily."

Hewg scoffed at the response. "Not so sure about that, a week ago you were half-dead." He mentions Lordan's incident with Vyke, the incident that almost killed him. "No matter. It's all the same. Lay out your arms, then."

His request prompts Lordan the retrieve his weapons for his two thigh weapon bags. He places the weapons and some smiting stones on the table while placing his curved greatsword on the anvil, wanting Hewg to work on that one first. Hewg takes the greatsword and inspects it with great interest.

"Hmmm... This is well made. The bloodhounds had some fine work done for their weapons." He looks to the remaining weapons include two longswords, a katana, and another greatsword. "Is this all then?"

"There's also my armor." Lordan brings his main armor on the anvil as well. "You think you could use the parts of these two sets to reinforce my own?"

Hewg inspects the two additional sets of armor and comes out with ideas from the top of his head. "These are well made. I suggest you keep them intact in case your main set breaks again. But what I could do, is reproduce the design and some parts from these two to attach to yours. Besides, most of those parts will ruin the weight distribution you are going for."

Lordan was impressed by the offer. "You could do that?"

"It will take time and some extra runes, but sure." Lordan accepts the offer and Hewg moves to start his works. He then remembered about a special request he wanted the Smith to take a look at.

Lordan takes out his notebook and the hand ballista from his enchanted bag, placing the weapon down while holding up his notebook. He flips to find the page he drew the last time.

He finally finds the page and flips the notebook in Hewg's direction. "Hewg. What do you think about making this? Is it possible?"

The book gets Hewg's attention and he takes it to read, his eyes squint to read the descriptions written by Lordan. He focuses on the notes and drawings for a while, reading them with great interest and a hint of amazement. "This is... Very well designed. You drew these?"

"Yep. So do you think?"

Hewg returns the notebook and takes the hand ballista to his workbench, he looks for some tools below and takes out the ones he needs. "Well, I'm no engineer of siege equipment. But based on those diagrams... It could work. We just have to make the parts for it, based on the one we have."

"Don't suppose you want some help?" Lordan offers assistance, clearly interested in the making of his own design.

"You know smithing?" Lordan nods at the question. "It's been a while since I had an assistant. But considering that this is your design..." Hewg sighs but gives in to the idea of another person using his tools for once. "Fine. Then we do this first. Your weapons and armor can wait."

With his permission, Lordan and Hewg get to work on the new weapon they were about to make based on the drawn designs. with Lordan using the workbench to crave out the wooden parts using the ballista as reference and Hewg starting on the smithing of the metal pieces.

The duo worked on the first design for hours, then a few more for the prototype, then a whole day before succeeding in a fully functional model. After which, Hewg started work on Lordan's weapons and armor, leaving Lordan to wait for their upgrades to be completed before he left for the next destination in Limgrave.

LIMGRAVE, CHURCH OF ELLEH

Lordan rides on Torrent to reach the church again, intending to seek Kale for more goods to buy. He was currently preparing to face Margit again, after so many weeks of waiting and training. He was now certain that he had what it takes to face him in a fight. He was also wearing an upgraded version of his armor. The "Hardened Wolf Armor" as he dubbed it, was reinforced with the new parts Hewg made with the two armor sets as reference.

But first, It was important for him to prepare. And also test his current strength. And he had the perfect candidate to try it on.

He reaches the church and dismounts Torrent, feeding it berries before it disappears into blue mist again. He spots Kale in his usual spot and calls out to him. The merchant notices him and waves a greeting, happy that Lordan has returned after a long time.

"Lordan. It's been some time. Was beginning to think you forgot about me."

"Of course not Kale. I'm one of your investments, remember? Of course, you are going to get some returns." The merchant laughs at the remark with Lordan and they exchange greetings with a handshake.

"That's very good to know. Now, are you looking to buy or trade, my friend?" He makes an offer from the current items on display, sticking to his profession as a merchant despite the special occasion.

Lordan looks at the display and did not see the items he needs, so he makes a request. "Do you sell bolts, Kale?"

"Bolts? For crossbows? Of course, just let me get th-"

"No. Bolts for a ballista. I need a few of them. The best ones you have."

Kale looks up in surprise at the request. "Ballista bolts? Ah. Yes, I have some. A moment please." He reaches his hand into his mule's saddlebag and pulls out about a dozen bolts that look the same and one that looks different than the rest.

"Here, the few that I have." He takes the special one and holds it up to show. "But this one, I only have one."

"What's so special about it?"

"It's explosive, Lordan."

"Explosive?" Lordan takes the bolt to view it, seeing a clump of Explosive Stone shards on its tip. "Damn, Kale. You never cease to amaze me with the things you can pull out of your ass."

"I always provide my customers with the best services, Lordan. My own policy of quality." He remarks in a proud tone, satisfied by Lordan's complement. "So? How many do you want?"

"All." Lordan makes his purchase request which causes Kale to smirk. "How much is it then?"

"For you, Lordan? Half price." They shake hands to exchange runes and Lordan keeps the bolts in his enchanted bag.

Lordan prepares to leave before Kale interrupts with a question. "So... Where are headed off to next?"

Lordan stops before moving from the question. "I'm going to... test myself on the rider that patrols these parts. Then, it's off to face Margit."

"Margit? You are going to fight him?" Kale asked in surprise. "Well... It's about time someone dealt with that murderer."

Lordan's attention was caught by Kale's awareness of Margit. "You know him? Who did he kill?"

Kale breathes out loudly from anger, anger that was towards Margit. "My people, Lordan. He led a crusade against our great caravan. Killing our young, elderly, ill, and anyone that tried to defend themselves. All because we followed no religion, declaring us as heretics." Kale shifts slightly from the uncomfortable topic. "We were nomadic people. Selling wares as we travel together. We had nothing but each other. But after he and his Night's cavalry hunted us unrelentlessly with raids and ambushes. And after some time... We... Truly lost everything..."

"I'm sorry, Kale. For what they did." He offers an apology for the tragic end of his people. The last part about the Night's Cavalry catches his attention. "Night's Cavalry? You mean riders dressed in black like their horses?"

"Yes... They hunt in groups. picking us off, slowly. Like a wild dog pack, playing with their food."

The revelation that Margit was the leader of the Night's Cavalry enrages Lordan. "Fucker..." He now had another reason to fight him.

"If you truly intend to face him, then I wish you all the best. It is my hope that one day, justice will be served to those who wronged us. Please, Lordan. Make him suffer for all the pain he caused."

Lordan nods at the request, his fight with Margit was now personal, very personal. They exchange their goodbyes and he proceeds out of the church. He moves along the side of the main route that he once traveled before, avoiding any enemies that were currently roaming around.

He soon hears the galloping noise he was searching for, he uses the nearby bush for cover to observe his target that was roaming the area.

The Tree Sentinel, the rider that he once faced at the beginning of his journey and die. The Sentinel was still following its usual route that Lordan once traveled, patrolling to find any intruders in Limgrave.

Lordan checks through his equipment to prepare for a fight. He plans out the best weapons effectively match the Sentinel in battle, choosing weapons that were swift but damaging. He settles for his two longswords, a shield, a katana, and the Bloodhound's Fang.

Lordan steps out of the bush and moves to the main route, the Sentinel facing away from him. He takes out a knife and throws it toward his head, it bounces off the Sentinel's helmet and catches his attention.

The Sentinel turns around from the hit in annoyance to see Lordan with his two swords ready at a distance from him. He prepares his Halberd and gives it a twirl to prepare his arm. The Sentinel rides his horse towards Lordan and proceeds to start their second battle.

Tree Sentinel

Lordan charges into the fight and moves towards of the horse, delivering several slashes to its side while avoiding attacks from the Sentinel as he swings his halberd. They pass by once after their first clash and the Sentinel prepares another charge to pursue Lordan.

His horse charges on at full speed, intending to run down Lordan. They miss again as Lordan dodges to the side, throwing a few more knives their way to further antagonize them. Lordan runs away from him towards the main field, hoping he would take the bait and follow. "That's it. Follow me..." He speaks to himself and summons Torrent to mount and ride.

The Sentinel was surprised by the appearance of Torrent, he had thought that he was the only one with the advantage of a mount. He shakes his head at the display with frustration, knowing that now he was going to be evenly matched in terms of speed.

The Sentinel pursues Lordan as he hoped, trailing behind them from a distance. Lordan maneuvers Torrent towards higher ground. He allows the Sentinel to catch up for a moment before he executes his plan.

The Sentinel closes in behind Lordan and swings his halberd, Lordan ducks his head to dodge the attack as he delivers another swing. He swings multiple times while moving beside Lordan and Torrent to no effect as his attacks miss.

Looking forward, Lordan sees stone fencing ahead as he predicted, a detail the Sentinel did not notice. He speeds forward and Torrent jumps the fence while the Sentinel tries to stop his horse in time. He fails and crashes through the fencing, inflicting some damage to his horse and himself from the impact.

The Sentinel was slightly stunned by the crash and stops for a moment to clear his head. He fails to notice Lordan charging from the side in time. He swiftly brings up his shield to defend but was surprised when he sees Torrent jumping over his head, with Lordan delivering a strike to his helmet with his two swords when crossing over them.

He was staggered from the attack and was hit again on the side where he held his halberd, it was not protected by his shield. Lordan speeds off with a dash from Torrent before the Sentinel could react, starting another chase between the two.

The chase between the two riders ensured with Torrent ahead as it was the faster and more agile steed, the horse of the Sentinel was trying to keep up to no avail.

They reach another spot where the bottom of a stone cliff looms in front of them. Lordan charges the stone wall of the cliff while the Sentinel slows down, not wanting to be tricked again from the first attack.

In a swift motion, Torrent jumps once and turns back in mid-air with its back legs on the wall. It kicks off the stone wall and launches them towards the Sentinel. The Sentinel brings his shield front to block and received a blow from Lordan again that breaks his guard due to the combined force of Torrent's launch.

With the Sentinel staggered from the attack, Lordan rides Torrent to make another pass around the Sentinel. He dashes by and delivers slashes to the Sentinel and his mount from the side, going in and going out of danger with a series of dashes after an attack. His speed allowed him to make several passes which the Sentinel cannot avoid due to his horse starting to panic from the constant attacks and the rapid rate of them.

The Sentinel becomes desperate and tries to swing his halberd to knock Lordan off his steed in any direction that he comes from. The attempt fails again and again as Torrent's speed combined with Lordan's precise timings make them a difficult target to hit, it did not help that his horse was also too distracted to move. He continues to swing and blocks any attack the best he can as he becomes more tired and his horse becomes more uncontrolled.

He soon manages to swing a heavy attack sideways that hits Lordan while he was passing by again for another attack, the swing lands on Lordan's chest and send him flying back and dismounted. The Sentinel uses this chance to ride off to a distance and prepare for another charge.

Lordan falls to the ground hard. He takes out his red flask for a sip and sees the Sentinel charging at full speed, clearly wanting to kill him in the same way last time. He gets to his feet and retrieves his katana while taking a blocking stance.

Block just before the attack lands. The force created by it will be used against the enemy, their own actions will be their downfall.

Yura's teachings on the art of deflecting echo in his head. Lordan takes a deep breath and strengthens his stance. The Sentinel moves a bit to the side and brings his halberd down for an upwards attack, the halberd drags along the ground to create sparks and debris due to its length. Their distance starts to close in and their clash soon occurs.

The Sentinel swings his halberd when near Lordan but was foiled as Lordan fully deflects the attack upon contact to parry him, deflecting the full force of the charge. His guard breaks from the action and his horse brakes suddenly from it due to his halberd hitting it by accident.

Lordan then follows up with a downwards slash towards the Sentinel's hand that was holding the halberd, the slash cuts his wrist, and blood spills from the wound. The Sentinel grunts in pain from the attack and drops his halberd to grip on the wound, riding away from Lordan in the process.

Lordan gives chase on foot and whistles with his mouth loudly and shouts out a command. "Torrent! Ram! Ram!". The Sentinel rides away and turns around once at a safer distance. His intent was to retrieve the halberd he dropped and use it with his other hand. He discards his shield and rides in the direction of the halberd while riding around Lordan to avoid him.

Torrent, who was attracted by Lordan's whistle charges toward the Sentinel from his side at full speed. It remembered the idea Lordan told it earlier in the event that he was dismounted and how it could assist him in the fight.

With the Sentinel fully focused on the halberd on the ground, Torrent manages to start its command. It performs one last dash towards the Sentinel and jumps with great speed and momentum towards the Sentinel from the side. The Sentinel notices this at the last moment but was too late, Torrent rams him directly with its head and horns in mid-air. The impact causes him to fall off his horse and slam to the ground as Torrent made its way back to Lordan.

"Well done! I will take it from here!" Torrent disappears into a blue mist and Lordan switches to his curved greatsword before charging toward the armored horse. The horse of the Sentinel begins its own charge towards Lordan to run him down.

He closes in on the horse and dashes like a bloodhound towards the horse while performing a sideways slash. The slash connects and cuts off two legs of the horse and it falls to the ground, crying out in pain while moving frantically on its side.

Lordan walks over to the downed horse and stabs its neck with a dagger to put it out of its misery. He sees the now dismounted Sentinel picking up its halberd with his other uninjured hand. This was now going to be a fight on foot. The two fighters then charge toward one another.

The Sentinel slams down his halberd forward and misses while Lordan sidesteps with a rotating strike that hit his side. He follows up with several swings sideways and downwards which Lordan avoids with a combination of dodges, blocks, and deflects with his greatsword. They continue their dance of blows, each getting in a hit in between the exchange.

The Sentinel soon grabs Lordan by the neck and throws him aside. He swings his halberd down to his lying position but Lordan brings his sword up to block just in time, leaving them in a locked position.

Lordan musters all of his newfound strength from runes to push the Sentinel away, the Sentinel staggers back from the sudden push which breaks their hold. He gets to his feet and uses the bloodhound's ability to perform an upwards slash with a backflip that hits the Sentinel and moves him to a distance. He follows up with a dashing strike that lands again, as the Sentinel staggers once again.

The Sentinel struggles to stay on his feet as he started to feel tired and in pain from the damage dealt by the constant attacks, with Torrent's attack being the most severe blow he received. He performs a series of wild strikes forward to try and overwhelm Lordan.

Lordan dodges the strikes with ease by dashing around the Sentinel, getting more hits in with each window of opportunity. The strikes soon get slower as the Sentinel tires from the pain and fatigue. It was now the time to deliver his killing blow.

He dashes to a distance and starts running to the Sentinel. He performs another dash and thrusts forward. The sword stabs right through the Sentinel's torso with ease due to the speed of the dash. Blood leaks from the Sentinel's chest wound caused by the impaled sword.

Lordan then grips the sword and performs a backflip while holding it to slash upwards, the move carves open the Sentinel's chest and shoulder causing blood to spill out from the gaping wound.

The Sentinel reacts slowly to the wound as the pain was now screaming through his body. He falls to his knees and sees Lordan charging again. Lordan swings his sword one last time to behead the Sentinel. His head falls to the ground and his body follows, both becoming lifeless.

ENEMY FELLED

Lordan flicks his sword around to clear off the blood. He feels a rush of runes entering his body, the Sentinel's strength was now his. His mood was now greatly improved and he lets out a laugh in disbelief, still unable to believe that he had made it this far.

He thinks of how he fought earlier and was proud of the results. He had delivered attacks that were hitting harder, moving at a faster pace, dodging at precise and calculated moments, lasting longer in a fight, and was capable of thinking of more complex strategies on the fly. He was now truly stronger than before. And yet, a question remains in his mind.

Is he still too weak to fight Margit?

This thought lingered in his mind but it was now clear that he had advanced far enough to rise up to the challenge. He had spent a long time gaining this level of strength. He would not know the answer unless he tries it. It was now or never. "Alright, Margit. I guess it's time."

He summons Torrent and mounts up while sipping on his red and blue flask to recover. He rides away towards the path to Stormveil Castle. Ready to face the Omen once again in battle. But a thought came to his mind, a nagging want that he needs to do before going into the battle he waited so long to do.

He needed to speak to Melina.

STORMHILL, CASTLEWARD TUNNEL

Lordan rests at the site of grace in the tunnel once again, intending to turn his new batch of runes into strength. He closes his eyes while holding a hand over the light to think of an aspect to improve. He pondered his choices for a while and finally decided on using all the available runes to improve only one aspect, one that he considered being more important than the rest. The runes imbued into his body to improve his aspect permanently.

He takes a seat back down and looks at his equipment again, ensuring everything was ready for his long-awaited fight. He uses his whetstone to sharpen all his blades to be used and inspects the new supplies he brought from Kale.

He soon takes out the new weapon that he and Hewg crafted at the hold, making sure that it is fully functional. He tests the gear and trigger by nocking it and releasing it, it fires off successfully. He keeps the weapon in the enchanted weapon bag on his right thigh, keeping it for later when he needs to use it for his strategy.

He gets on his feet and checks everything a final time. His loadout was now ready. He just needed to do one more thing.

"Melina? Are you there?" He calls out to her but receives no response. He sighs at the result but does not give up.

"Look... I need to talk to you. I really worried about you, you know? That fight with Vyke ended badly but..." He pauses to think of the right words. "I don't blame you. Not even once. It's nobody's fault, alright? These things will happen once in a while."

He looks around again to see no one appearing, he wasn't even sure if she could hear him. Fear lingered in his mind that she might already to gone. "Just show up and I will... Say what I need to say. Then you can leave if you want, OK? "

"Melina... Come on... Please? Just talk to me?" He pleads to her to appear, a part of him was already losing hope. "I can't do this alone. I need your help, Melina."

"Please... Please don't leave me alone..."

No response or appearance from her ensured. He looked around again and waits for a few more seconds and decides to give up. It would seem that he will need to go on alone, much to his dismay.

"Lordan..."

He turns around quickly at the voice to see Melina standing behind at the tunnel's entrance. Her attire was the same and she was completely unharmed. He breathed out in relief that she wasn't gone as he feared.

"Oh thank gods... You are still around." He approached her but she backs away when he moves closer. A look of fear and shame was displayed on her face as she looks down to try and hide it, he could tell that she was on the verge of tears as her eyes were watery.

"Melina?" He moves slowly this time, ensuring that he doesn't scare her off. He finally reaches in front of her and he places his hands on her shoulders. "Melina... Come on... Talk to me."

She slowly looks up and starts to tear up, violent sobs soon erupted and she leans into his chest. Lordan slowly eases her into a hug as she cries with no restraint. Her hands gripping his armor for dear life. He was now really worried.

"Lordan... Oh, gods... I... I'm so sorry." She lets out a few words between her sobs and struggles to stay composed. "I didn't mean... I didn't mean it... I was just... Scared... I didn't mean for any of that to-"

Lordan interrupted her words with a tighter hug, making sure that he gets her to stop feeling this way. "Hey. Hey. Hey. Calm down... Alright? It's alright. It was my bad, OK? Not your fault. " He often blames himself for even letting Vyke near her.

"But it is... " Her grip becomes harder and her sobs grow louder. "I was supposed to guide you... Protect you from harm... But instead... I almost got you killed... With no way of coming back..."

Her tears start running down her face, staining the cloth parts of his armor. "You haven't even... Got a single great rune yet... And I already failed... I'm so... Useless."

Melina had promised herself to speak to Lordan the day after her conversation with Ranni. But when she had try to approach him a few days earlier, she hesitated. Due to fear of rejection and anger from Lordan. Her cowardice left her ashamed.

He starts rubbing her back to comfort her, even though it seemed useless. He allows her to continue crying on his chest. A part of him promises himself that he would never let anyone reduce her to this state again.

"Please... Lordan... Continue without me... I don't deserve to be your maiden..."

The words that Melina just said bother Lordan greatly. He did not want her to feel this way at all, to think herself unworthy because of his weakness. He was the indirect cause of her distress. If only he was strong enough to fend off Vyke at the time, none of this would be happening.

He gently pushes her back to make her stand upright and uses his hand to push her chin up to face him. "Melina. Look at me."

Melina tries to look away but Lordan continues his attempt and places a hand on her cheek to let her face him, rubbing away any tears with his thumb at the same time.

"Listen. That's not going to happen, OK? We made a deal. I am bringing you to the Erdtree, and that's final."

"But... I..."

"No buts. You are my maiden. I don't intend to continue this journey without one. And the only maiden I will choose is you." He declares his choice, making Melina at a loss for words. "It will always be you. Do you hear me? I will always choose you."

Melina takes a few moments to calm down, she wipes her tears and faces Lordan again. Slowly she starts to smile through her sadness. She holds his hand and their fingers cross. "I... I hope I deserve this."

"You do." He replied with no hesitation. Her heart flutters at his words and they continued to hold each other.

Melina looks to Lordan while holding on as her heart beats faster. She looks to his eyes, they were soft but hardened. She looks at his face, rough yet beautiful like an imperfect diamond in the rough. She looks to his lips, thinking about its softness against hers.

She cares for Lordan, dearly. She had never expected to feel this way about him, despite her instruction to simply help him on his journey and the short duration since they met. He had already done more for her than anyone has in the brief time they spent together, more than anyone else for the past few thousand years.

She reached out to his face and cupped it with affection, feeling warmth despite his cold exterior. He holds her hand on his face and returns the gesture of affection. They both stare into each other's eyes, both knowing what they wanted to do but both were hesitant to move at first.

Melina yearns to lean in, to give in to her wants and his, to take the first step and give in to their feelings. All she had to do was step forward, reach out, and kiss him.

But. She couldn't.

It would be wrong, immoral, cruel, and selfish. She knows too well what it would do to him if she let them go down this road. It was a path of reckoning, one that could break him and the known world itself. She was also told to not let this happen, and the two reasons why it cannot happen.

Melina let go of his face and stepped back, she could feel the disappointment from the breath he let out after their moment. They stand apart for a while before Lordan awkwardly clears his throat.

"So... Uhhh... We good?" Lordan rubs the back of his head while looking down, wondering if he came on too hard. Maybe he had been reading the wrong signals. Hope I didn't screw my chances up with her.

"Yes, Lordan. We are... Going to be fine." Melina reassures him, she was now fully calm and back to her usual self. Her smile was back to its full brilliance and her eyes were no longer filled with sadness. Looking just as beautiful as the day he first saw her.

Lordan lets out a breath of relief and gets back to the task at hand. "Good... Good... Because I think I'm about to freak out." He looks to the exit of the tunnel that leads to the castle, aware that his greatest foe so far was awaiting him.

Melina walks to his side and places a hand on his back. "It is time, Lordan. You are stronger now, stronger than most other Tarnished that came to this point." Her words slowly fill him with determination. "This strength you gained... It is not given or inherited, this is the strength you earned."

"You can do this. I know you can. Bandish the Elden Ring, for all of us."

Lordan takes another breath and starts walking slowly to the tunnel exit. Each step he took fills him with dread as he remembers all the times he experienced death in this area alone. He stops just at the edge of the exit to draw his two longswords and equip his helmet.

Put these foolish ambitions to rest.

The words of Margit echo in his mind and he begins to panic. His hands shake while gripping the swords tight and his breath starts becoming rapid from fear. Thoughts of the deaths he experienced begin to fill his mind, and the idea of a hundred more deaths by Margit terrorized him to the core.

What if I'm not fast enough? What if he comes up with something new? what if the weapon doesn't work? What if-

His thoughts were interrupted when he feels two hands gripping his right to stop the shaking. Melina stands beside him and holds on, he starts feeling at peace and calms down.

She removes his helmet to allow him to breathe better for a moment, before reaching up to place a kiss on his cheek. Lordan looks at her from the action and was unable to speak with his mouth open, caught off guard by the display of affection.

"For luck." She places his helmet back on and gives him a hug. He returns the gesture and lets go to face the exit once again.

Gonna marry her...

He lets out one last breath and moves forward, no longer as slow as previously. Determine to beat the Omen. Today.

"Vargram... Please help me... One more time."

Lordan walks to the bridge of the castle and sees the familiar battlefield again. It was completely untouched as if no battle between them had occurred due to the time loop.

He looks around at every spot where he died, knowing the way and pain of each death to the fullest detail. He shakes his head to refocus on the task at hand.

He looks to the castle's walls and waits for the moment. He soon spots the golden light that indicates the arrival of Margit.

"Foul Tarnished."

His words echo again, as they always do when their fight starts. From Margit's perspective, this would always be the first time they meet.

Lordan freezes at the words and begins to breathe louder. He started shaking again, but not out of fear.

"In search of the Elden Ring."

He grips his swords harder and the shaking becomes more unsteady. He was now feeling something more uncontrolled than fear.

Unbridled Rage.

"Emboldened by the flame of am-"

"GET DOWN HERE AND FACE ME, MARGIT! ARE YOU A COWARD?!"

Lordan shouts out in anger to the castle with a volume that was louder than Margit. The words stop and Margit takes his leap, landing in front of Lordan on the bridge with a huge crash.

"So... I see the runt hast bared his fangs..." Margit slowly stands to his feet with the help of his cane. "Greetings... Lordan."

The use of his name surprises him, this has not happened in the previous loops. "You know me?"

Margit grips his cane harder and responds. "I do. Thou art the only one born accursed." He places both hands on the tip of the cane to support his standing. "Falling one of mine own soldiers wast impressive. And so mine own attention did point towards thee, the tarnished who even the odds, the weakling who becometh stronger."

Lordan braces himself for any attacks and takes a battle stance. "My only curse is you. And I'm pretty fucking tired of it."

"Indeed... How many loops did it taketh I wonder? How many times didst thee die by mine own handeth?"

"Too many." Lordan spits out the answer.

"Nay matt'r... I knoweth what I must do." Margit takes the cane by the end and holds it like a sword, taking a battle stance of his own.

"Upon mine own father's nameth. Upon the nameth of Queen Marika. I, Margit shall putteth an endeth to all the heretics that roam our home. I, shall deliver thee death, thee who heralds the Godless Age and the coming of another Ragnarok. Until madness 'r hopelessness doth take thee whole."

Margit swings the cane in a rotating motion and holds it straight. preparing for battle.

"Nay longeth'r, shall the Black taint our Golden Order. Nay longeth'r shall the shepherd be another wolf that led our sovereign astray." He speaks his words with venom and anger.

"Prepareth yourself, Dread Wolf."

Lordan prepares a charge to initiate the fight, determined to end this conflict. Today.

"Oh. I'm ready. How about you?"

Arts by Harart

Margit, The Fell Omen

Their clash begins and the two fighters charge forth toward one another. Margit swings his cane forward for a horizontal slash which Lordan rolls to dodge before delivering two blows to Margit's legs. He recovers and deflects a few blows from Margit with his two swords, each deflects staggers him due to the inhuman strength Margit possesses.

Margit soon conjures his golden sword for a series of faster attacks. His sword and Lordan's clash in a series of deflects that made Margit unable to land a hit, much to his surprise as Lordan was successfully deflecting each blow with ease.

He decides on a new strategy and delivers a swing with his cane in the midst of his sword attacks. Lordan dodges by backstepping but was caught off guard when Margit delivers another attack in succession by whipping his tail around, knocking him down to the ground.

He then sees Margit conjuring his golden hammer and dodges by rolling back before the hammer slams down on him. Margit takes a few more swings with his hammer by slamming downwards multiple times, each causing large impacts on the floor. Lordan dodges each of the slams with careful precision by backstepping, he eventually creates distance between himself and Margit.

Margit then throws his golden daggers towards Lordan but misses as Lordan sidesteps in between them while charging. They clash again up close with Lordan delivering rapid attacks with his dual swords.

Their exchange of blows lasted for a while before Margit grabs Lordan by his leg and slams him around a few times like a ragdoll. He throws Lordan to the ground again and looms over him.

Margit raises his cane and thrusts it down towards Lordan's torso while he was laying on the ground after the last attack. Lordan manages to catch the upper part of his cane's tip to stop the attack, he struggles to keep the cane from thrusting into his chest as Margit continues to push down with inhuman strength.

"Enough, Lordan. Thy fate is sealed." Margit responds to Lordan's resistance by pulling the cane up swiftly, but to his surprise, Lordan holds on to the cane with great strength. He pulls harder and tries to make Lordan release the cane to no avail.

"Let go, You insolent fool! Let go!" Margit continues their struggle by using more strength, as Lordan predicted.

"OK." Lordan lets go of the cane while Margit was pulling hard. The sudden release causes him to fall back a hard fall. This was the first time Lordan managed to make him fall to the ground.

Lordan gets to his feet and delivers slashes to the fallen Omen. Margit takes most of the blows without a hint of pain and defends himself with his golden sword. He conjures his golden spear and thrusts toward Lordan, which he blocks with his sword before retreating to a distance.

Lordan reaches for his enchanted quick items bag and pulls out the shackle he obtained. He takes the shackle and slams it to the ground to create a golden rune mark. The mark appears below Margit's feet in a form of a seal and he falls down hard on his front as if being pulled to the ground by chains.

Lordan switches to his curved greatsword and summons his three wolf spirits. They run to Margit while he was trapped and begin biting and scratching on several parts of his body, causing him to let out several shouts in pain.

"Damn these- INFERNAL CHAINS!" Margit slams the seal a few times and breaks it. He shakes off the wolves and manages to take one to throw down the cliffside, leaving only Lordan and his two wolves to battle.

He sips on his red and blue flask to recover and commenced his new assault. Lordan dashes forward with the bloodhound's ability while his wolves scatter to different sides to attack Margit.

He makes several passes on Margit with a combination of slashes while dashing to avoid many attacks from Margit's weapons. Most of the attacks were simply phrased through him due to the speed of his ability. His wolves also managed to get in blows of their own by focusing on Margit's legs to slow him down.

They continue their unrelentless assault before Margit manages to take out the other two wolves after some time. Lordan makes a retreat to a distance and sees a sight that amazed him.

Margit was tired and hurt. The wounds on his body were now more pronounced. His last attempts in the fight have not reached the point where he could reduce him to this state. He was now in a position to actually win this round.

Lordan sips on his blue flask to recover while Margit gets to his feet after recovering. They were in a standoff where both fighters were now wary of one another, a first for Margit.

"Well... thou art of passing skill..." Margit speaks out with hard breaths in between. "Warrior blood must truly run in thy veins, Lordan... As I suspect'd..."

"The fuck's the matter, Omen? Getting tired? Can't keep up with a Foul Tarnished?" Lordan issues his taunt while exchanging his curved greatsword with his Lordsbound greatsword, this one being heavier as compared to the bloodhound's fang but causing more damage.

Margit was agitated by the taunt and returns to his feet, conjuring his golden hammer in the process. "Such arrogance... It shall thy downfall!" He leaps into the air and raises his hammer for a downwards slam.

Lordan sees the attack from below and moves around to try and gauge where the attack would land. He sees Margit starting to descend and prepares to dodge.

He rolls as the slam lands but the large force causes him to lose balance as he timed his roll incorrectly. Smoke was created by the debris and it conceals Margit for a short time while Lordan gets to his feet.

A hammer suddenly slams down in front of him from out of the smoke, barely missing him. Margit advances forward with a series of slams, each one faster than the last.

Lordan keeps on dodging by backstepping constantly and eventually reaches the cliff edge. He looks back for a moment and Margit swings his hammer again. He blocks at the last second and almost loses his balance as his guard breaks. He sees Margit preparing another swing and decides to try a risky move.

He takes a guarding stance with both hands on his greatsword, awaiting Margit's attack to land. Margit proceeds to swing his hammer from above with all the force he can muster.

Lordan guards with his greatsword at the moment of impact, deflecting the hammer with all its force going back to Margit. The move causes Margit to stagger back as the force was too great for him to withstand.

Lordan rushes to his back and lands several hits with his greatsword. He managed to hurt Margit greatly before he was interrupted by a whip from his tail.

Margit turns around and thrusts his can into Lordan's chest to push him back. He then follows up with his golden sword and delivers fast attacks that hit Lordan, before finishing with a kick that sends Lordan flying to the gate's wall.

Lordan hits the wall behind him and lands on the ground. Pain and fatigue course through his body like they once did before. He takes out his red flask and sips on it twice, noting that he only has one use left, one more safety bearing for this round.

He sees Margit approaching slowly with signs of limping, he was seriously hurt as compared to all of their previous fights. But Margit carries on, having the same drive as Lordan to win the battle.

"Nay more games. This ends now!" Margit charges with the remaining strength he has with his cane and golden spear at the same time for a combined thrust. The attack misses as Lordan moves to the side just in time to avoid it.

Lordan makes some distance between them and prepares to execute his plan, he sips on the yellow flask given by Blaidd and moves on. He attacks Margit head on while looking for an opening to use. The pair clash their weapons for a time before Margit swipes his tail again to break Lordan's guard.

The stagger allows Margit to grab Lordan by his torso, causing him to drop his sword. He sticks his can to the ground while Lordan struggles in the grip of his hand. Unknown to Margit, this was a part of Lordan's plan.

Closer! Just a little closer! He continues to struggle as part of the act while reaching into his weapon bag. Margit conjures his golden sword and angles Lordan for a stab.

Just a bit more!

"Thee has't fought well. But tis over..." Margit drives the sword into Lordan's left chest, it goes straight through his armor, and blood spills from the impaled wound. Margit holds Lordan closer as he watches him die from the blade.

"Put these foolish ambitions to rest."

Margit then feels Lordan's hand grabbing his that was holding the impaled sword. He watches in confusion as Lordan drives the conjured sword deeper into his chest while grunting in pain, the blade moves all the way up to the hilt. He pulls out the weapon from his bag and smirks from beneath his helmet.

"No... You."

Margit hears a nocking sound from below and looks down to see the weapon Lordan was holding in his right hand, it was pointed straight at his lower chest.

It was a smaller version of the Hand Balista, one that can be operated with a single hand. And it was nocked with an explosive bolt.

Lordan pulls the trigger and it fires off the bolt, creating an explosion upon impact. The attack causes large damage to Margit's torso, creating a gaping wound where blood and smoke come out of.

"GAHHHH! WHAT DIDST THEE DO?!" Margit throws Lordan to the side as he clutches the wound, shouting and coughing out blood while falling to his knees.

Lordan musters all his remaining strength to take a last stand. He gets to his feet and sips on the last use of his red flask, his wounds heal to a certain degree for him to keep going.

His strategy had been really simple. Use the yellow flask's properties which allowed him to withstand more pain and heal passively for a short period to get the ballista up close once an opening presented itself.

The grab from Margit was unplanned but made for a better alternative, allowing him to get even closer despite suffering a painful stab that would have killed him last time, had he not decided to increase his vigor with all the runes from the Tree Sentinel.

Lordan retrieves his greatsword and keeps it to exchange for his dual swords again. Margit gets to his feet with his cane supporting him while still holding his wound. Both fighters were now pushed to their limits, only one could survive.

Margit holds the cane up as a sword again and screams out a warcry, now more furious and enraged than before. "LORDAN... LORDAN! THEE DIES! TODAY!"

Lordan follows with his own warcry. Ignoring all the pain and fatigue for the last dance to death. This must be his last encounter with Margit.

"COME ON THEN! COME ON! COME ON!!!!"

They charge forth and clash with great strength and speed, creating sparks and debris each time their weapons collide. With Margit using his cane to match Lordan's swift attack speed, and Lordan using his swords to match Margit's inhuman attack strength.

It was a rare sight to see, a battle between the two. Both are dammed by the same outer god, yet standing at opposite sides. One against and one for the Greater Will.

It was a battle history shall never record.

A battle between two would be gods.

The Dread Wolf against The Fell Omen.

Lordan deflects the majority of the attacks from Margit's cane with great success, he was getting more tired from the constant movements and the lack of respite. In between the deflects he was able to get some stabs in that damage Margit more and more, chipping away at his now injured state.

Margit tries his best to get a hit on Lordan, but constant dodges and attacks in between make it difficult to switch between attacking and defending. It did not help that Lordan was also a smaller and more mobile target.

Lordan eventually manages to roll forward to crouch in between Margit's legs. He then drives his swords into Margit's left thigh and causes him to fall to one knee. Lordan rolls out of the way before Margit swipes him with his tail again.

"Nay... NAY... This cannot be... Thou... Thou art supposeth to be the weakest among us... The WEAKEST 'mongst us..." Margit begins muttering words that Lordan could not understand nor care about. He prepares his greatsword and holds it tight with two hands.

He takes a deep breath and strengthens his stance, letting out a scream of frustration, anger, and desperation as he charges to deliver a running thrust.

He stabs forth upon reaching Margit and pushes forward with all his strength. The sword impales Margit on the other side of his chest all the way to the hilt. Lordan then pushes forward again while holding the impaled sword to lead Margit to the cliff's edge.

Margit grabs the impaled sword while being pushed to the edge of the cliff by Lordan. He stops the push with his tail and grabs the sword with both hands, looking directly at Lordan with rage and disbelief. He did not expect to be beaten.

"HOW... DARE... THEE...!"

"YEAH... FUCK YOU TOO!"

Lordan lets go of the sword and leans back to the right to leverage his body strength. He then delivers a punch with all his might to Margit's face, the punch was so strong that breaks both the horn on Margit's head and Lordan's hand upon impact.

Margit staggers from the punch and loses balance, it causes him to step back and slip off the cliff's edge. He starts falling to the abyss below to his death.

"ARGGGGHHHHHHH!!! LORDANNNNNNNNNNN!!!" He screams on the way down from the fall as Lordan observes the Omen falling down. He hears a loud crash that echoes from below to confirm that Margit has reached the bottom as the screaming cut off suddenly.

This was his 93rd fight with Margit. And he won.

GREAT ENEMY FELLED

Runes begin to emerge from the abyss and make their way to Lordan, making Margit's strength a part of him.

Lordan falls to his knees and carefully removes his helmet. He breathes hard from the aftermath of the battle and looks around, unsure of what he just did, still trying to process the outcome of the fight. A part of him thinks it is just a dream, a cruel trick that his mind was playing on him.

He slowly feels pain returning from his fading adrenaline to confirm that he is indeed awake and had completed his first obstacle. He has indeed defeated Margit.

He was no longer a weakling. He had become stronger, as Vargram said he would.

Tears pool up in his eyes from joy and he laughs loudly despite the pain it caused. He starts shouting in a tone of happiness, and relief. All his efforts were not in vain.

Lordan slowly calms down as his view started blurring a little, due to the injuries he sustained and the fatigue that had built up from the fight.

"Lordan?" He turns around to see Melina walking toward him. She was in disbelief as well while displaying a small smile that slowly fades as she moves closer.

"You are hurt..."

Lordan limps to her slowly with all his energy left while crutching his broken hand. "You... Should have seen... The other guy..."

He falls forward and tumbles hard, causing Melina to rush to his side. His head becomes heavy and his vision starts to darken.

"I did it... I did... I did it..."

Listen to me, Lordan. You do not know it yet. But a day will come.

"Shhh... Shhh... Rest, Lordan. It's alright. The grace will heal you." Melina holds his head and eases him to rest. His body touches the newly formed grace and it begins to heal his body.

You will be faced with a challenge. A challenge so difficult, It will break you. over and over again.

"I'm not weak... I'm not weak... Anymore..." Lordan begins to faint as his fatigue catches up to him.

So I will train you. To fight. To struggle. To fall. To stand. Just as I was trained before, by my master.

"Vargram... I did it... Thank you..."

And when the time is right. I swear. To all the gods. Past and present.

"Vargram... Vargram..." Lordan closes his eyes and slumbers.

You will be...

"Var... Gram..."

The strongest of them all.

I swear it, Lordan. I fucking swear it.

For I am your Shadow. And you, My Empyrean.

THE GODLESS AGE

ARC II

THE GOLDEN BLOODLINE, TAINTED

1998 YEARS BEFORE THE SHATTERING

"Where are they?!"

"They killed some of our men! Over that side!"

"Fan out! Search the forest! All of it!"

"The woman must be taken alive!"

The Dragon Order's soldiers shout out amongst themselves and begin to move on. Rags listen out to them while waiting for them to pass, he was currently hiding below an exposed tree root of a fallen tree, seated down with his claymore hidden.

He waits for a few more moments and soon the group leaves to the other way, allowing him to stand back up and carefully move on in the opposite direction.

He examines his current wounds and pulls out another arrow that was in his forearm, grunting from the pain as it was removed. It was one of many arrows he was struck by today.

How many arrows hit me? Around 70? 80? He lose count of the number of arrows he was struck today alone. Most of them hit his back, arms, legs, and chest with some almost hitting his face.

Rags checks his flasks to find them all empty, used up from the earlier encounters when he and Marika faced off with the bulk of the force that the Dragon Order sent to pursue them. He was now running on flumes with his body full of injuries that cause pain when moving and was exhausted from the constant fighting and running he did.

After making a break into the forest, Rags forced Marika to separate from him, saying that he was going to distract them while she makes a run for it to the other side of the forest. They were going to meet there once he manages to confuse them by making them think that pursuing him was going to lead them to Marika.

His trick had worked and now the entire force was busy pursuing him alone, completely unaware that Marika was already safe on the other side of the forest and he was simply bait.

So he led them on a merry chase that lasted for hours, picking them off when they spread out into smaller hunting groups. The sight of their men being killed in the most painful ways Rags could inflict made them more aggressive in their search.

This plan was not without its drawbacks though. Facing them all alone means that Rags was effectively outnumbered a few hundred to one. Stealth and surprise attacks only worked for some time before the soldiers started forming into larger groups to avoid ambushes, each comprising eight to twelve men.

Each encounter also left Rags with new injuries that range from minor to severe. The built-up of injuries was starting to affect him greatly as he was losing too much blood to keep going, combined with the fact that he had been moving and fighting for almost six hours by now.

Rags uses his claymore as support and begins moving off. He was now deciding between meeting Marika at the point they agreed on or staying for a least another hour to ensure that the soldiers were moving and searching at the wrong place. He soon decides on the latter.

One more hour... Just one more hour and I can- His thoughts were interrupted as another arrow strikes his back, forcing him out of his trance. He turns to see another patrol group that just arrived. "AH! Fuck!"

"THERE HE IS! KILL HIM!"

The group's archers begins firing off more arrows while their infantry charge towards Rags with their swords and spears. Rags deflects the arrows and ignore the pain to attack. He swings his claymore with all the strength he has left to cut down the charging soldiers with ease, carving them in half or taking off a limp. He kills the last of the infantry by slicing open his abdomen and pulling his guts out.

The remaining archers fire more arrows while some draw their own swords as Rags approaches. Some arrows manage to hit his shoulder as he fails to deflect them. He reaches the archers and cuts them down quickly before they could respond to his close-quarter attacks.

Rags lean against his claymore and slowly pulls out the new arrows that hit him. He stands weakly and falls to a single knee. It was now clear that he was not going to be able to make it.

"Ah... Shit... Fuck me, this hurts..." He clutches the wound on his lower stomach that he sustained earlier from a knight that was difficult to kill due to his plated armor.

Rags try to get on his feet again, knowing if this was his end, he was going to be going out fighting and taking out as many as he can. He musters the last of his strength and stands with an unsteady motion. Gripping his claymore up with two hands and pointing it towards the direction of more movement.

Two more groups of soldiers soon appear, attracted by the sounds of battle between Rags and the previous group. They charge with their infantry again while more archers take the higher ground.

They attack Rags and try to overwhelm him with their numbers. He fends them off and kills a few of them while more arrows fly his way. They eventually manage to knock Rags down and hold him to the ground while a pikeman takes position to stab him with his spear.

The spearman delivers the thrust but Rags catches the spears tip with a hand he freed from one of the soldiers holding him down. He holds on with great strength as the rest of the soliders push him down to stop his struggle.

"Hold him down!"

"Stab him! Stab him already!"

"Cease your struggle!"

Rags hold on as he feels his strength fading, his grip on the spear was starting to losen as pain and blood loss was too much for him to handle. His vision fades as he was on the verge of passing out.

Dammit... Sorry, Marika... He wonders on which site of grace he will reawaken at. It might be at a location far from her.

His thoughts were interuppted when the pikeman was struck with a golden dagger that was thrown into his chest. The rest of the soldiers turn to the direction of the thrown dagger and were hit by lightning bolts that kill them instantly.

Rags turn in the direction of the new fighting to see the other soldiers fighting Marika, with her golden sword and dagger in hand. She moves gracefully to dodge and avoid their attacks with taking them out with a combination of spells and physical attacks.

She fights the last infantry and kills him by smashing his head against a tree with a conjured golden hammer. She turns to the archer and hurls lightning bolts towards them, they die from the attack.

The last archer of the group comes out of his cover and fires off an arrow toward Marika, it lands on her shoulder and she cries out in pain.

Upon seeing this, Rags pushes himself up with all his might and throws his claymore toward the archer. The claymore sticks into the archer's chest and he falls forward to the lower ground.

Marika looks at the arrow and snaps its tip, pulling out the shaft from the other side. She groans out a sound of pain and moves over to Rags's position in a hurry, worried for his health.

"Rags?! Thank gods! You are alright!" She examines his wounds and notices that he was in a near death state. "Come! There's a sight of grace nearby! Come on!" She supports him by putting herself under his arm and getting him to his feet the best she can.

"I... I TOLD YOU... TO RUN! " He speaks out with impatience in his tone.

Marika ignores his lecture and moves them over to the claymore Rags threw. "And leave you to fend for yourself?! Don't be a fool! I won't do that to you!"

Rags sigh in frustration and let's the matter slide. He limps to the claymore with her help and retrieves the claymore. They soon move at their best speed in the direction of the grace Marika guided.

Rags tries his best to stay awake and move along with Maria's speed. He feels his legs starting to give way and lose feeling, no doubt from the blood loss from all his wounds. The grace was the only thing that could save him now, he just needed to reach it.

They soon reach a small clearing in the forest and Marika moves to a spot in the middle of the clearing. She lets Rags down slowly and reaches out to an empty space, as if reaching out to something.

"Alright, here we are! Rags, touch the light of grace!"

Rags look around to see nothing in the clearing, not knowing where the grace is. "Where... Where is it?"

"What do you mean where is it?! It's right in front of you!"

"I... I don't see it..."

"What?!" His answer causes her alarm. Grace was his last chance to survive his wounds.

"I can't... I can't see it..." His vision starts to blur and he feels himself fading away. "I can't... I..." He tries his best to hold on but could not, falling forward to the ground.

"Rags?! RAGS?!" Marika moves to his fallen side and flips him to make him lie on his back. She shakes him a few times and prepares a healing incantation.

"Hold on! Do you hear me! Whatever you do, stay awake!" She casts the spell and some of his wounds start to mend. But it was no use, his wounds were too great and the healing process was too slow to help him recover.

"Rags! Rags! Stay awake!" He hears her in a muffled tone as his vision continues to fade. "You need to tell me what to do! Tell me what I should do!"

Run. Leave me. RUN. Rags try to speak out the words but nothing came from his mouth, all he could make were grunts and groans that sound like nonsense. More voices could be heard, mostly from more soldiers that found their way here.

He sees Marika as she panics from the situation they were in, unable to decide what to do. She eventually gets to her feet and summons her golden sword, preparing to make her final stand.

NO. NO. NO. NO... NO. She was going to defend him to the end, making her capture imminent. A fate worse than death awaited her once she loses. Rags muster any strength he has to try and get up one more time but fails, nothing would allow him to move anymore.

"Rags... If we don't make it... Know that I will always-" He hears the words she speak becoming unclear, reduced to only muffled words. Rags could not hear the last words she speak. All he could see and hear now was nothing.

Nothing but pitch black.

So this is what dying feels like? It's pretty shitty...

HOW INTERESTING.

A voice speaks in the back of his head. Its tone was demonic and unnatural. And he feels a presence invading his thoughts.

What?

DO YOU WISH TO SAVE HER?

The voice speaks again. It's presence become more pronounced. An image of what appears to be a wolf forms in his mind, shadows cover the details of its form.

What? Who are you?

DO YOU WISH TO SAVE HER?

It asks again without explaining itself.

DO YOU WISH TO SAVE HER?

Yes...

THEN LET ME IN.

GIVE IN TO YOUR HATE.

GIVE IN TO YOUR ANGER.

AS YOU DID BEFORE.

He starts seeing visions of himself killing the soldiers with no restraint from his point of view. He sees himself cut them down with his claymore with ease, tearing them limp from limp, crushing their heads in, chasing them down to the last man as they try to run.

These images continue for a time before he is left with a final vision that sees himself in front of a pile of bodies, all torn and broken with their faces frozen in terror.

THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT.

He soon turns around to see Marika standing among the bodies. Her face displays fear when looking at him. He slowly approaches her while she steps back with her hand raised, saying something that he cannot hear.

What? What am I doing?

WHAT YOU WANT.

WHAT YOU NEED.

He rushes to Marika and pins her down to the ground, she struggles in his grip and screams out words that he once again cannot hear. Tears well up in her eyes as he starts ripping off portions of her clothing.

No... No... NO. NO.

THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT.

He chokes her by the neck to cease her struggle and sees his view shifting up and down in sync with her while feeling a built up of lust and pleasure. More images show up detailing him violating her in different ways, methods, and positions with no restraint.

NO. STOP.

THIS IS WHAT SHE OWES YOU.

A SMALL PRICE TO PAY FOR HER LIFE.

NO. NO WAY. I WOULD NEVER WANT THIS.

A final vision appears in the form of Marika fully naked with wounds around her body while she lays down helplessly in a broken mental state, her eyes lifeless despite her being alive. White fluids were present and stained her body, with some leaking out from her womb.

TAKE WHAT YOU WANT.

TAKE IT.

TAKE HER.

LET ME IN.

LET ME IN.

LET ME IN.

LET ME IN.

Rags becomes distressed as the visions repeat to show the scenes of Marika's violation again and again. He was unable to take it anymore.

NO. NO. NO. NO. NO. NO. NO. NO.

LET ME IN!

ᛚᛖᛏ ᛘᛖ ᛁᚾ!

⸌ᛁ⸍ ⠃ᛁ ᛁ⸜!

ᛚᛁᛐ ᛙᛁ ᛁᚿ!

ᛚᛁᛏ ᛘᛁ ᛁᚾ!

ᛚᛖᛏ ᛗᛖ ᛁᚾ!

NO! NO! NO! FUCK OFF!

The voice goes silent and the visions cease. No words come for a while as darkness once again fills his vision.

SO BE IT.

WE WILL MEET AGAIN.

FACE TO FACE.

IN THE HOLLOW EARTH.

WHEN THE TIME COMES.

UNTIL THEN.

I SHALL WAIT.

RAGS.

The voice fades completely and Rags feels the presence leave his mind. He starts to regain some sense of awareness as Marika's healing spell takes effect to keep him alive.

He felt cold. Cold like death was on his doorstep. But the cold becomes colder and also warmer. Like both sensations mixed into one despite being opposites.

He starts to regain his sense of hearing and hears the screams of men in pain, panic, and confusion among the voices.

He starts to open his eyes weakly to see Marika holding on to him tight while the area around them burns in flames. Flames that seemed unnatural asd their colour were black and white instead of orange like normal flames.

"Rags?! Just hold on!" She notices his awaking and covers him from the flames. They seem to be avoiding them directly and only burned the soldiers around the area.

After a short while, the screaming ceases, due to the soldiers dying from the fires or them running away far enough. A breeze of cold air soon blows through the area to put out all the flames in an instant.

The air grows colder to the point where their breaths were visible, even when there was no snow in the area. The tone of the environment also becomes a blueish hue.

Marika looks around to check for any more enemies. She lets Rags down slowly and gets to her feet, conjuring her golden sword to prepare for anyone else that might attack.

The sound of footsteps made by a mount could be heard and she turns to the source with her sword raised. The steps get closer and reveal a great elk with a rider on top of it'd back.

"Stop! Whoever you are, do not come any closer!" Marika issues a warning to the rider and the elk stops in its place.

"Stay your hand, maiden. I mean no harm." A female voice speaks out from the rider as she raises a hand to ease Marika. "I am here to assist you. As I just did." She speaks of the flames that helped them fend off their remaining attackers.

Marika takes a moment to ease herself and lowers her sword, it disappears from her hand as she lowers it down. The woman takes the sign as an indication of peace and starts moving forward slowly. She moves into the light to reveal herself.

The rider was a woman dressed in grey robes with a witch's hat that covers her face unless she looks up. She had smooth pale porcelain skin and raven black hair. Her body was slim but robust, and she had a slightly shorter height than Marika.

"Who... Who are you? Why did you help us?" Marika asks the woman. The question causes Rags to look in the direction of their savior while he continues laying on the floor, still weak from his unhealed wounds. His eyes and the woman meet, allowing him to fully see her face.

She was a woman of divine beauty and had gloomy blue eyes. She looks to him with interest and reconition, as if aware of who he is.

She looks back to Marika and begins to speak. "I apologise for the intrusion. I had hear tales of a man wielding a greatsword traveling alongside a maiden who seeks passage to the Sacred Lands. And upon hearing of the Dragon Order's army making an appearance in this area, I suspected it might be because of you."

"How did you know of us?"

The woman brings her fingers together at the question. "I have my ways. But for now, his survival is of the highest importance. So we must leave. Now. Else, they return with a larger force."

Hesitation stops Marika from imminently accepting but she looks to Rags and decides to trust the woman. For now. "Fine... Fine. But first, tell me your name. I need to be able to trust you."

"Very well. If that is what it takes." Rags hear the last of the conversion and start to fade again. His wounds were healing slowly but the pain and fatigue had now caught up to him. He hears the woman's last words and loses consciousness.

"I am the Snow witch, Renna."

FIN.

Chapter Text

WARNING

EXPLICIT CONTENT AHEAD (NSFW)

SCROLL BELOW ONLY IF YOU ARE FINE WITH NUDITY, SEXUAL ARTS, ETC

ARC II:

CHAPTER 1:

VICTORY ACHIEVED

THE ROUNDTABLE HOLD

"Ahhhhh... Fuck, yes... That's good... " Lordan lets out a sigh of comfort as he lays down into the bathtub that he prepared for himself with heated water created by the Hold's boilers that dispense water through pipes hidden in the walls in another room, as crafted by engineers that the Hold's custodian hired when it was being built.

He lays there for a few moments to let his body soak in the temperature, its heat loosens and releases the tension in his muscles.

Letting out another sigh, he closes his eyes to relax with his head laid back on the edge. Not caring about anything at the moment but the break he is taking, gods know he could use one.

"One down... More to go..." Keeping a count of the number of great enemies he faced so far was a thing he did since he felled the first one, a dragon of all things. His current count was 17, not great, not terrible.

He soon dips his head under the water for a moment, resurfacing after he runs low on air. With his face and hair now wet, he starts wiping and brushing them with his hands ensuring that he was properly cleaned.

Hope there's no more blood in my hair... It's a bitch to get it out.

After a few minutes of cleaning, he decides to get out of the bath. Wasting time with procrastination was something Vargram often warned him about.

The less disciple you have, the lesser freedom you will have as well.

His words ring in Lordan's mind again, which caused him to sigh and roll his eyes. Even seven years after last seeing Vargram, the man continued to guide him as if he was a handbook written in his mind. The only annoying part of this was the fact that his guidance was often in the form of lectures, very annoying lectures.

Lordan steps out of the wooden bathtub and drys himself. He moves to the side to get his clothes and puts on his bottom first. The reflection of himself catches his attention on the wall mirror. He steps closer to observe that his body was different compared to last time.

His muscles were now more firm, built, slightly bigger, and very defined noticing that some veins were now visible unlike previously. He was also a bit taller for some unexplained reason.

So the usage of runes changed me physically? Interesting...

He feels his new body by pressing his bicep while flexing to feel its stiffness, it was greater than before. Lordan was by no means a weakly built man but was not as built as other warriors who were bigger than him.

Hmmm... Some big changes... He thinks to himself and becomes a little curious about whether there is another part that grew as well. He looks down and pulls his pants slightly apart confirming his theory.

Wow... Big change. He notes the decent size increase and lets out a small laugh, like a boy discovering something inappropriate for the first time. I gonna increase my Vigor again.

Putting on the rest of his clothes, Lordan made his way to the door to exit his guestroom, Intending to find Hewg to retrieve his equipment that was in need of repair.

Once he reached the smith, he could see the weapons and armor that he left to be already in mint condition, as if it was brand new. The smith worked fast, repair work that needed days to complete was done in mere hours.

Lordan approaches Hewg who was still smithing another weapon, one to add to the pile of weapons he made, tested, and discard as they fail to live to his measure. He clears his throat and the smith looks up and stops with an interesting look in his eye.

"Now, look at you. Those eyes tell a story. Of a challenger, who's felled his mark. Fine and well." Praise comes from Hewg that catches Lordan off guard, he did not expect news of his victory to spread this fast.

"How did you know?" It has only been a day since Margit's defeat, Lordan asks while he thinks of all the people that could have spread word of his victory.

Hewg lets a out hearty laugh while resuming his work. "Your friend Kale passed through here while you slept in. Started celebrating the defeat of the Omen with some other merchants. I admit... I am impressed as well. Most Tarnished gives up out of frustration with Margit in their own timeline."

"Well... He was a pain in the arse."

"But not anymore." Hewg motions to the new weapons laid on the other table. "There. The new weapons you asked for. Two longswords and a greatsword to replace the ones you lost."

Lordan moves to the table and picks up the weapons one by one to test them by giving them a few twirls and waves. They were balanced well and weight appropriately. They were a dual set of Noble slender swords and a Flamberge greatsword.

"These are fine weapons." Lordan complements while holding the greatsword with one hand on the hilt and another on the ricasso to mimic the Half-sword technique. Hewg does not respond to the words and mutters under his breath.

"I need to do better than that... Those will never kill a god..."

The words get Lordan's attention. "Excuse me?"

Hewg continues his work with no interruptions. "Don't pay me any mind, Lordan. It's not important. By the way. Gideon asked for you, at his study."

Lordan gets the message and does not push any further to respect his privacy. He takes the weapons and places all of them into his enchanted bag to sort out later. He dons the repaired armor and moves on while greeting Roderika on the way, letting Hewg continue his work.

"Damn it, Lord Radegan... How in hells am I supposed to create a weapon that can kill seven gods? Doesn't Queen Marika know that it was not a weapon that helped you succeed? It was all just you... You were just... Too... Strong..."

Hewg whispers while focusing on his next weapon that nears completion. He would discard it as well, as it once again fails his test.

Lordan made his way to the study once again, noting that Ensha was now missing at the doorway. He opens the door to see Gideon near the fireplace with the lamp containing the frenzied flame.

He keeps a distance while Gideon casts a spell to light the fireplace with another type of flame, one that was black and white in color. He holds the lamp close to it and it begins vibrating, trying to force itself away from the fireplace.

"Ah. Not a fan of the Gloam Eyed Queen's power are you? And here I thought you would embrace another remnant of the first flame..." He holds the lamp back and places it on the ground, just in front of the fireplace. "Behave. Or else." Gideon threatens while moving back to his table.

He takes his usual position and gestures for Lordan to come over. "Well now... Someone's been getting a lot of attention." He started speaking while Lordan moves to the front of the table. "I was curious about your abilities to live up to the challenge, but it seems like a rare instance of me being wrong has happened again."

Lordan folds his arms at the comment while rolling his eyes. "Rare instance... Would it kill you to admit that maybe you are just like the rest of us? Maybe you got it wrong?" Lordan leans his head forward a little to rub it in. "Again?"

Gideon stares at Lordan, unfazed by his passive-aggressive taunt. "Spare me your childish antics, boy. I called you here for important business, not a game of words."

The comment once again gets a rise out of Lordan and he decides to respond sarcastically. "Fine... So what do you want? Perhaps some tea? Or maybe a downing worth full of shit?" He cannot help himself from getting in a few more taunts.

Gideon once again stays unfazed, it was the first time he encountered such rudeness. "I want to offer help, you imbecile. As it currently stands... You are now the second closest Tarnished to reach the mantle. To become Elden Lord."

The last part catches Lordan's attention. "Become Elden Lord? You do you mean?"

Gideon was surprised at his confusion. "That is the goal of your quest, yes? To brandish the Elden Ring and take the mantle of Elden Lord? As the other Tarnished aim but failed to do?"

Gideon's words cause Lordan concern, the part about becoming Elden Lord was something he did not know of, even Melina did not inform him of this condition. "The person who brandishes the Elden Ring becomes Elden Lord?"

"So Melina chose a Tarnished who knows nothing?" Gideon sighs in a disappointed tone and shakes his head. "By all the outer gods... Queen Marika must be rolling in her grave right now... It seems you need more help than I thought."

"Hey, wait a minute. What happened to not helping until I get an audience?" Lordan calls out Gideon's hypocrisy once again for going against his own words when they first met.

Gideon stares on for a moment, not particularly happy about being called out again. "Then perhaps I should repeat myself yet again. I said that I would have nothing for you to do or help with until you become an official member of the Hold, which requires you to have an audience with the Two Fingers. But I didn't say I would not offer assistance to ensure it, why do you think you are still alive? After your fight with Vyke that nearly caused you a permanent death."

As much as Lordan did not want to admit it, Gideon was right. His assistance after Vyke allowed him to survive. If he did not intervene, the flames that inflicted him would have not been removed.

"Fine... Fine... I suppose I need all the help I can get." Lordan begrudgingly admits to Gideon's logic and asks for his next intention. "So what's this about? "

Gideon takes out a map of the region of Limgrave and lays it out on the study table, it has several markers placed on points of interest throughout the map, points that Lordan recognized as places he visited.

"Now. Based on the information I gathered from my scouts, Limgrave is currently in a state of disarray. Its Lord has abandoned all efforts to properly govern it, therefore it is becoming a contentious ground with many factions clashing with each other. Obviously, this is not beneficial to us and the Hold, therefore I propose a plan to dispose of the ruler of Stormveil Castle and replace him with another one."

Lordan listens in with interest, a new ruler could make the area of Limgrave safer to travel, if he or she has the proper mindset and manpower to ensure it. But he wasn't so sure of the candidates to fill in this role. "So you have someone in mind?"

"Unfortunately I don't have someone to choose, I only have someone left. A noble of the house Haight still resides in Limgrave. Reports say that he is currently in the upper eastern north of the region."

"And he is a suitable person for the job?"

Gideon sighs and lets out a doubtful explanation. "He's the only one we have at this point. All the other nobles have either been killed during the war or killed by Godrick as part of his sick grafting ritual."

"So Godrick is the current Lord of Limgrave? In Stormveil Castle?" Lordan makes the assumption from the use of the name, that who else could do such a thing to nobles but their own lord.

"Yes. Godrick the Grafted, Lord of Stormveil. Despite being the blood of Godfrey, the first Elden Lord, he's a grotesque old fool, grasping for power. His castle lies upon the cliff to Limgrave's northwest, but I suspect you know that well enough already, considering your encounter with Margit."

So he has one of the great runes... The Lord of Limgrave being a demigod meant that this plan and his quest were currently aligned. "Alright, fine. I will follow your plan... For now. If it goes sour, that's on you. Hear me?"

"Crystal. Now if you have anything else to say, I suggest you make it quick. For I have two pieces of concerning news to relay to you."

"Bad news? What is it then?" Lordan asked with a curious tone.

"Yes... Vyke has escaped from his Evergoal prison."

"What?!" The news causes him to jump to attention. "How?! When?! Is he coming to-" His concerns and panic were due to the idea that Vyke was now after Melina.

"I do not know. I only know that he is now lose and a danger to you and the girl, so be prepared for another fight if he shows himself." Gideon reaches under the desk to take out a talisman. "This amulet has been enhanced with a charm that will help you resist the effects of the Frenzied Flame, to a certain extent. Use it well, I may save your lives."

Lordan reaches over and takes the amulet to wear on his neck. "And... the other bad news?" He asked with a feeling of dread in his tone.

"The version of Margit you faced at Stormveil Castle is an illusion, The real Margit is still alive."

"You are joking... After all That? He is still ALIVE?!" Lordan sighs with a defeated tone in disbelief, if a false version of Margit already gave him so much trouble, what could the real one truly do?

Could this day get any worse?

"And the number of Night Cavalry riders have increased in all the regions. They are hunting for you, Lordan."

Me and my big fucking mouth...

Lordan now had three things that hinder his quest. Vyke, Margit, and the Night's Cavalry. All three he faced before are now coming to hunt him personally.

"Fuck me... This is hard to process..." In the span of a single conversion, Gideon had already made Lordan distressed with the news of enemies and the idea of becoming Elden Lord. He was not prepared for any of them, not in the slightest.

He would have to deal with it later. Right now, he had a job to do.

"Alright... I will find this nobleman you said. Then it's off to Stormveil Castle. I have waited long enough and spent enough time in this lands."

Gideon nods at his intentions. "Agreed. Once you reach Stormveil, look for a warrior named Nepheli Loux, she is under my wing. She may help you if you asked." The older man lets out a sigh when thinking about his Foster daughter. "Ensure she is safe, Lordan. For she is my daughter. If anything happens to her, I hold you responsible. Are we clear?" A grave tone highlights its importance, prompting Lordan to nod at the warning with a serious stance.

"Good. Now off you go. Don't let me hinder you any further." Gideon dismisses Lordan but was soon interrupted when the lamp containing the Frenzied Flame falls over and begins rolling over to Lordan at an abnormal rate. Gideon cast a spell with his seal that creates frost to immediately freeze the lamp in place, it fails to reach Lordan at a dangerous distance.

"The fuck?! I thought it's contained!" Lordan inspects the frozen lamp from a distance, the memory of the flames almost killing him resurfaces in his mind.

Gideon walks over to the lamp without a care, as if he did this before. "It is contained. My apologies. Little pest just likes you a bit too much." He picks up the frozen lamp and places it below the desk. "Don't worry... I intend to educate it. Ensuring it behaves in the future."

"How in heavens and hells are you going to do that?"

"Pain is a useful form of motivation, Lordan. And pain is what it can understand."

Lordan couldn't decide if Gideon was the weirdest man he ever met or the most sadistic. He decides not to pursue the matter and turns to leave the room. "Alright, I'm off. Thanks... I guess..." He gives thanks to Gideon in the most reluctant way possible, not wanting to give the man the satisfaction of receiving praise.

"You are welcome, and I wish you luck on your journey. May you complete your great God hunt, Lordan, as Radegan did." Gideon responds to the thanks and was left alone in the room. He looks down at the lamp and takes it up to observe it for a moment.

"Now... What lesson in pain can we learn today?"

Lordan moves back to the Hold's great Hall while thinking of the new pieces of information he had received, pondering on what to do with each of them. He also thinks of the locations in Limgrave where he could search for this noble that Gideon spoke of, thinking of starting in the North of Limgrave before moving down south.

He soon thinks of the mantle of Elden Lord, the title that he is apparently fighting to earn. It was a strange idea to him that a title can be inherited from achieving a quest that involved killing gods.

He also thinks of the chances of him actually achieving it, it seemed impossible when fighting Margit a day ago. But was now a possibility due to him actually beating him, despite the version of Margit being a mere copy of the real one that he has yet to face.

All the thoughts of the title of Elden Lord were useless to him, however, as he was already against the idea upon hearing Gideon mentioning it. He was not interested in inheriting this kingdom or its position as a leader, he just wanted to leave when he finished his quest.

Because for Lordan, all he wanted was freedom, not power.

Elden Lord Lordan... Bad idea.

He reaches the great hall to see Melina standing near the table of swords while looking up at the five paintings, the painting of Renna in particular. Her single eye was fixated on the image of the witch's portrait, looking at it with great focus, with a hint of sadness in her mood.

Lordan moves over slowly to stand at her side. "Melina?" He speaks out to catch her attention, but she only responds after a few more seconds.

"Lordan. I see you are restored. Are you feeling well?"

"Yup. twelve hours of sleep did magic for me." Lordan responds while stretching his arms. He looks up to the portrait Melina was looking at earlier. "So, What are you looking at?"

Melina looks back up to the painting and speaks. "Renna The Gloam. One of the five figures that shape the lands. It is said that she was a queen as well, equal to Queen Marika. Before her demise at the hands of the queen's shadow."

"So they are enemies?"

ART BY B_Astora

"Not at first. They were allies, friends, and even close like sisters. Fighting alongside together to defeat the Dragon Order a few thousand years ago." Melina pauses midway as the next part was difficult to speak of. "But became bitter enemies in the end. Their friendship turned into hate."

"Why?" Lordan asks, now curious about the story.

"Both wanted something for themselves. And both blamed each other for different reasons when he-... It. Was lost forever to both of them. Thus, Renna began plotting a rebellion against Marika, while Marika herself raised a campaign with the sole purpose to kill Renna."

"Marika succeeded in her campaign to defeat Renna and end her life, but was left in shambles after discovering Renna's final blow towards her."

"Which is?"

"No one knows. But it was said that after the war with Renna, Queen Marika was never the same. She became the obscure and mysterious god Queen, that many see today. Cruel but beautiful."

Melina ends her story and the both of them continue to look at the painting before Lordan breaks the ice.

"So... Elden Lord, huh?"

Melina looks to Lordan, cautious with her next words. She did not want to risk him being angry at her, for choosing not to disclose the detail of becoming Elden Lord.

"Yes... The Tarnished who bandishes the Elden Ring becomes Elden Lord, as they have proven their worth to the lands that they are worthy of the mantle."

She observed Lordan carefully, wondering what his reaction would be, a negative was what she expected but did not hope for. He eventually sighs and takes a seat at one of the table's chairs, dragging its direction to slightly to face her.

"it's... A horrible idea, Melina. Me as Elden Lord? I am the least qualified person to be a king or Lord..."

Melina joins Lordan by taking another chair from the table, shifting it nearer to him. "Why do you say that?"

"I mean... We gotta think rationally here..." He shifts in his seat as he starts pouring out his thoughts on the matter. "I'm a mercenary, Melina. My job doesn't match the description of a ruler. I don't know the first thing about governance, armies, economics, politics, and even... This land's history. I mean I don't even live here! Why would I be a candidate for lordship in a place I don't know about... "

Melina silently sighs in relief, his concern was about the logical parts of being a Lord. He was not like the other Tarnished she had met, all of them wanting the title for different and personal reasons, some being some sinister than others.

She shifts a little closer to him. "There are many who will guide you should the time come, Lordan. You would not be alone to deal with this. And you are by no means an unintelligent man, I am confident you will have the means and knowledge required to fulfill the role."

Lordan shakes his head at the remark, not entirely convinced by the encouragement. "Don't be so sure, Melina. Sometimes I even have trouble figuring out which boot goes to which foot..." A small flaw that Lordan often has, which resulted in uncomfortable travel at times.

"Ah. Don't worry about that. There are dressers that will help you with fitting when you become Lord."

"Not helping, Melina... "

"Sorry."

"Not your fault..."

Lordan sighs again, as he already had a decision on the idea of lordship. "I... I don't want to be Elden Lord, Melina."

Melina nods in an understanding tone but maintains her eagerness for him. She smiled as she was now sure that she had found the right person. "Which is why you might be the best one yet."  Her words have no effect and she decides to help him open up. "But what do you want?"

You... A thought suddenly surfaced in his mind about Melina herself, he turns away to hide his embarrassment and thinks of an answer to provide. He comes up with one on the fly. "At the moment... Sleep. Lots of sleep. And place for me to lay low, outside the lands between."

"That's all?" The simple answer gave Melina curiosity, most of the other Tarnished she met often had lofty and grand goals as their wants.

Lordan pauses for a moment as the true answer starts developing in his mind. He speaks out slowly about his desired goal. "I want... Freedom. Freedom to do as I please. Without being weighed down by the burdens and responsibilities of the world. I want to live like every single day is my last, seeing every part of the known world and all the people who live there. And then when I'm done... Who knows? Maybe I will sit down in a garden, look at the sunset, and rest."

His goal was a simple one that was personal rather than one that would affect the world, for he had no interest in power as he believed power makes one a slave to it.

Melina nods again in understanding. "It is a fair want. To have the freedom to choose." She places her hand on his to reassure him. "Therefore, should you choose not to take the mantle of lordship... Perhaps you could renounce the title to another? After you claim it, of course."

Lordan looks up in surprise. "I can do that?"

"Of course. It would have to be someone worthy of your judgment and measure. But again I implore you, Lordan. I believe you to be the most suitable choice."

Her words of encouragement allow Lordan to think a bit better of himself. The title of Elden Lord was something he was going to claim in his quest, but what to do with it? He was only going to think of that more seriously once he actually managed to claim the throne, for now, he had more issues to deal with.

Lordan gets to his feet and decides to move off back to Limgrave, the North of the region was his first place to look. "Well... I suppose I should be getting on." He moves away for a few steps and remembered something Gideon mentioned. "Melina. Gideon said that we are now possibly being chased by-"

"Gideon has told me earlier." Melina interrupts his words as she already knows who he speaks of, Lordan could see her become a bit uncomfortable with the subject due to Vyke being one of them. "I will... Be more careful. Do not worry for me, Gideon is ensuring that he stays away from either of us."

Lordan once again had another thing to thank Gideon for, even if he didn't like it. "OK... Just... If he shows up again, I want you to run. I will deal with it, OK?"

Melina nods reluctantly as the two of them start departing ways. "I will stay in hold for now. Call upon me at any time if you require me."

"Alright then. So... What are you planning to do here?"

"For now. A bath sounds nice. Do you mind me using the one in your guestroom?"

Lordan scratches his head as he remembered himself using up all the heated water. "Sure. But uhhhh... I think I may have used up all the hot water... Sorry."

"Ah. No matter, Lordan. I will wait for it to be restored. Perhaps tell me earlier next time, I might have joined you to share."

He processes her words and immediately starts feeling himself getting red in his face, blood rushes down to his manhood as dirty thoughts of Melina appeared in his mind, most of them about her being wet.

ART BY Vandi

"That was a jest, Lordan." She clarified herself. Why am I leading him on?

Lordan turns away from her and wears his helmet to cover his heavily blushed face. "I gonna... Uh... Go now... To bath-" He slaps his helmet upon saying that. "I MEAN LIMGRAVE... I gonna... Bye!" He decides to rush off before he makes a fool of himself, and also to hide the growing length in his pants.

Melina observed as he walked away from the hall. She quietly laughed to herself at his folly, thinking that it was cute. A part of her feels bad for giving him the wrong signals, and the other part feels happy. She would soon have to decide if she wanted to continue indulging his advances or reject him completely, another conflict that she will have to solve before it goes too far.

Lordan makes his way to exit the hold, adjusting his pants while he walks due to his current standing state that caused him discomfort from tightness. "Ah. Shit! Just stay down, would you!"

Perhaps increasing Vigor does have a disadvantage after all.

STORMHILL, AGHEEL LAKE NORTH

Nope, Nope, and Nope. Lordan crosses out another marker on his map as the location once again contains no one he was looking for. He sighs while checking the map again to decide on the next area to search, noting that northern Limgrave was now completely searched through.

Damn it. Where is this man? Frustration was building up in his mind as he had spent the last few hours running around on Torrent's back, searching for signs of the nobleman Gideon mentioned with no success. He had searched the nearby churches, ruins, abandoned settlements, and even some catacombs despite knowing the chances of finding him there were very low.

He thinks carefully of the next part of the region he could search while Torrent trots on its own along a path. He observed the map for more locations that he previously marked out, noting that he only had a few unexplored places left. A part of him was worried that the noble was already dead.

He continued moving along the path and finally chose his next spot to search, somewhere a bit more south of the region.

Alright... One more stop. Then it's off to-

"Hello-o? Can anyone hear me? Help me! I'm stuck!"

The voice of a man snaps Lordan out of his thoughts. He looks around where he was to locate the source of the voice in distress.

Weird... Could have sworn I heard someone. He looks in the direction where thinks the voice came from to see no one, only a giant pot on the ground. He turns away to look at another spot.

"Hello? Hellooo! Anyone!" The voice speaks in the same direction he previously looked. Lordan stares at the pot to examine it more closely.

Wait... Are those... Arms? He noticed two rock-like arms that stick to the sides of the pot. Lordan gets a bit of a shock the moment the arms start moving in an effort to get itself out of the ground by pushing against it.

"Oh for the love of the GODS! Someone help me! I'm stuck!"

Lordan looks around the area to check for danger and dismounts Torrent once the coast was clear. He approached the living pot carefully as he did not know if it was unfriendly. "Hello?" He speaks out to the living pot and it turns itself a little as if trying to look at who it is despite not having eyes.

"Who is- Oh my stars I'm so happy to see you!" The pot lifts its hands slightly at the appearance of Lordan. "Wait, you are friendly aren't you? You are not like one of those Tarnished who think I have something valuable in my vessel to steal? Right?" A tone of uncertainty was within the pot's voice.

Lordan shrugged his shoulders at the question. "Last I checked... Nope, I don't attack people or objects for no reason." He assured the living pot that he wasn't one of those people, especially the ones that roll into objects just to break them for fun.

"Ah! Thank goodness! I am Alexander, also known as the Iron Fist. And as you can see, I'm stuck here. Please, can you help me out of this?"

Lordan checks the base of the hole that Alexander was currently stuck in to assess the problem, he could not see the bottom of the pot and assumed it was completely stuck in the hole. "Uhhh... Not really sure what I could do. You seem pretty well dug in."

Alexander moves in what appears to be in a nodding motion at his assessment. "Yes, but I'm pretty sure I'm almost lost. Come on, give me a good smack from behind with something nice and big.

I'll pop clean out. I'm sure of it!"

"Smack? With what?"

"Anything my friend! Just hit as hard as you can, I will take it! "Alexander braces himself by closing his arms to his pot body. "Put those doubts to rest, I'll be just fine. I'm very well trained. Give it your all, I say! "

Lordan shrugs again and decides to try and help. He reaches into his enchanted bag and thinks of the biggest weapon he could find and pulls out the Grafted Blade Greatsword, almost losing balance from its sheer weight. He takes his position behind Alexander and prepares himself for an upward swing, something he is now capable of since improving his raw strength with runes.

"Ready?"

"Of course! Strike true my friend!"

Lordan slightly lowers himself from his stance and swings up the greatsword with all his might. The hit makes an impact and sends Alexander flying out of the hole while Lordan falls backward from issuing the attack due to the sword's weight combined with the swinging momentum.

"Ah! Ouuch! Ahhh!" Alexander grunts upon landing on the ground.

"Oof! Shit!" Lordan grunts out as well from his fall.

The two warriors soon get to their feet. Lordan retrieves his greatsword and keeps it back into his enchanted bag.

Damn. Need to get more strength to use that properly. He notes to himself to increase his raw strength in order to wield a colossal greatsword effectively. It would be one of his next priorities on aspects to improve.

Alexander makes his way to where Lordan stood and folded his arms in a heroic pose. "Ahh! Well played my friend! Well Played! Though that mighty wallop of your almost spelled the end of me!"

Lordan shakes his head as he doubts the attack would actually hurt such a giant pot, Alexander was just being nice. "I'm pretty sure that attack won't break a pot like you."

"A pot? Me?! I'm a Jar! I'm not like of those weaklings that call themselves pottery!"

"Oh? Uhhh... Sorry? There's a difference?" He thinks about the difference between the two types.

"Of course, there is a difference you dullard! How dare you insult my kind!" Alexander takes a battle stance in front of Lordan and issues his challenge. "I demand retribution for that insult! Prepare yourself, Warrior!"

Shit! Lordan steps back and prepares to draw his new greatsword for battle, he takes a battle stance of his own and readies himself for a fight.

Alexander stays still for a moment in his battle stance as the two waits for their first attack. It never happens though, as Alexander start emitting a burst of loud laughter while folding his arms again. The development left Lordan really confused.

"HAHAHA! I jest my good man! I jest! Oh! You should have seen yourself!" Alexander laughs for a few more moments before settling down. "My apologies, friend. I just couldn't help myself."

Hahaha... Really funny... Lordan thinks to himself and sighs as he lowers his greatsword and keeps it, clearly he was getting too jumpy from his journey. "Right... Good joke... I'm Lordan by the way."

"Well met, my fellow warrior. And I again, I'm Alexander, a Warrior Jar. Born and raised in the village of Jarberg."

Jarberg? What's next? Cuptown? Lordan thinks on the naming of Alexander's hometown, noting its literal usage of the word 'Jar'. "and I'm a mercenary... Basically, a warrior that fights for gold and stuff..."

"A soldier of fortune? Ah! A rare breed in the lands. No doubt you came from outside these regions."

"Yup. I didn't come here until... Recently." Lordan tries his best to keep his personal information to himself, for now, not knowing who in this lands to really trust yet, with the exception of Melina. "Don't mind me asking but what's the deal with you not liking pots?"

"Ah, yes! A bit of a long explanation, but to summarize. Pots always think us jars inferior to them. Honestly... They are an annoying bunch. And they don't even have warrior pots!"

Wow. Even objects practice racism towards each other.

"But, I'm out now, and that's what counts. I thank you, and as a token of my appreciation, I'd like you to have this." Alexander reaches into his lid and pulls out an Exalted Flesh to hand to Lordan, which he accepts reluctantly.

"Uhhh... Thanks?" Lordan observes the piece of flesh he was just given and wonders what it's made of, hopefully not human flesh.

"The pleasure is mine." Alexander folds his arms once again to adopt the heroic pose he usually sticks to. "I journey to the east, where I intend to further my education in the ways of war. Beyond these lands lie the scarlet rot-blighted Caelid Wilds, in which a festival of combat is being held."

He starts laughing in joy. "I'd heard whispers of such festivities before... Doesn't the notion set your breast aflutter! Ha ha ha ha!"

Festival? In a time like this? Lordan's interest was gained by the news of the war festival. "Where is this festival exactly?"

"Eastward. To Redmane Castle on the southern edge of the scarlet rot blighted Caelid Wilds. I've heard that's where a festival is to be held."

Lordan takes out his map and marks a spot on the most eastern side and writes notes beside the marking. He takes a last look around and decides to ask for information. "Well, if you have been traveling in these parts. I don't suppose you have seen any nobles in the area? or along the way."

Alexander tilts his body upwards as if he was thinking. "Hmmm... I'm afraid I haven't met any- Oh wait! There is a man that was dressed as a nobleman and was being escorted by a caravan recently. Run away with his man upon seeing me." Alexander rubs his lid while remembering that incident. "And all I just wanted to do was say hi."

"Where? Did he leave already?" Lordan gets anxious about a possible lead that will help him stop his endless running around the region.

"I last saw him... about a day ago. Moving south to Mistwood forest. I overheard his men talking about taking back their fort."

Lordan looks to his map again and marks several spots outside the northern parts of the Mistwood. He keeps his map and prepares to move off, not wanting to waste his time and lose the nobleman's trail. "Alright! Thanks, Alexander. Sorry, but I gonna go before I lose him."

"Of course, I understand. Thank you again, Lordan! I hope to fight alongside you one day!"

They exchange goodbyes and Lordan summons Torrent to move off quickly. He rides hard and fast as he usually does, leaving the warrior jar behind in a few moments.

LIMGRAVE, MISTWOOD OUTSKIRT

"Hello?! Is anybody there?! Someone who might be interested in rescuing the great Kenneth Haight?"

"Servant to the true Order, and celebrated repudiator of the false!"

Kenneth shouts again atop the ruins acting as an improvised bridge, hoping someone hears his plead for help, he would need it after the demise of his men at the hands of demi-humans.

"O Erdtree! Grant me succor! Hello?! Is anybody there?! Anyone who can-"

"Hey. You the nobleman?"

Lordan speaks out from behind Kenneth which causes him a shout-out in fear and surprise, as he did not expect anyone to be up there with him. Kenneth takes a moment to catch his breath from the sudden shock and addresses Lordan.

"Goodness! You give me quite a scare! Where did you come from anyway?!"

Lordan points behind him while still looking at Kenneth. "From behind you. Heard your preaching from a mile away."

Kenneth finally calms from his shock and stands proper to observe Lordan, noting his appearance as a sellsword. "Ah, you've come to lend me your aid, have you? Well, that's very kind, but, um..."

"But? " His tone of hesitation catches Lordan's attention, and he knew what Kenneth was unsure about.

Oh. He's one of those guys... There are always nobles who disapproved of the ways of warriors by trade and based on his reaction, Lordan knew that Kenneth was one of them.

Kenneth quickly tried to mediate his show of insincere intent. "No, no. Th-the help is very much appreciated. Even from a Tarnished and a sellsword. Despite appearances, nobility is no prerequisite to serving the true Order. You might have heard of me. Kenneth Haight. Next in line as the rightful ruler of Limgrave."

Lordan sighs and decides to give Kenneth a fair chance, he was the last choice after all. "I'm Lordan. Heard about you. Was wondering if you are interested in governing Limgrave."

"Given the current state of the region and the complacency of Godrick, I would gladly step in to help." Kenneth makes his opinion of Godrick known, even if he is a vassal to the Lord of Stormveil. He hesitates for a moment before deciding to make his request known. "But first, Young Tarnished, I would have a boon of you. I want you to take back my fort. It lies to the south, beyond the Mistwood."

"A Knight commander from Stormveil took it. A fool, and plumb mad to boot. Simply obsessed with blood!"

Lordan shifts on his foot as he hears the request, obviously not happy with yet another side errant to get his objectives done. "Well? What does he want?"

"To punish me of course! Due to my lack of faith in Godrick." Kenneth starts huffing from thinking of Godrick as his Lord. "Honestly, Godrick’s no more than a jumped-up country bumpkin. Lord? HA! Don’t make me laugh! He is but a lowly descendant of one of Godfrey's many bastards! Who was lucky enough to be recognized and taken ward by Prince Godwyn!"

"First he hid himself amongst the womenfolk to flee the capital, then hid from Radahn in that castle… Then he insulted Malenia, lost to her in battle, only to lick her boots rather than die like a man. Has he no shame, the big girl’s blouse?"

"And to think, he has the blood of Godfrey! Last of the golden lineage, though you almost wouldn’t know it to look at him due to his sickly appearance. I almost feel sorry for the chap the more I think of it."

Kenneth finishes his rant as Lordan focused on the possible details of attacking a Fort, alone. He thinks of any backup he could possibly call for. Melina, Blaidd, Yura, and even Alexander which he only met recently could help.

Vyke is still roaming around, so Melina shouldn't come... Blaidd, Yura, and Alexander could help... But where are they?

His options were limited as he had no way to call for the backup he needed. He decides on another strategy that requires lesser manpower and would cause less attention.

That strategy was stealth of course, where he would kill off most of the men guarding the Fort with sneak attacks and face the commander alone.

Lordan takes out his map and moves to Kenneth's side to show it to him. "Alright, fine. Where is it then?"

"It's just right... Here! Just right along the east of Mistwood." Kenneth points out the location of his Fort on the map for Lordan to mark.

Lordan prepared to move off by Kenneth interrupted him by speaking. "Lordan, young man wait. Allow me to furnish you with a little advice. I would take great care to avoid Godrick's Tarnished hunts, were I in your shoes. That depraved lot are obsessed with sacrificing Tarnished like you for the sake of grafting."

The mention of grafting makes Lordan think of the first creature he encountered a month and a half ago in the gouge full of blood. He wondered what type of grafted monsters he would face in the castle.

With the information he needed to carry out Kenneth's request, Lordan takes a turn to move off. "All right. I will get the Fort back. Just stay alive until I do."

"Of course, young man. And as a reward for your services. I will allow you to take the valuable items within one of my personal chests. It's located in one of the upper towers." Kenneth pulls out a key to pass to Lordan. "You will find that the contents of the said chest are more than enough as compensation for your services. Mercenaries do expect payment first am I right?"

Loran nods at the assumption and takes the key to keep. He makes one last look at the area to ensure that Kenneth would be safe at the ridge. He finally takes off in the direction of the Fort, leaving Kenneth to himself to observe the area around him

"What a mess you have made, Godrick. Hopefully, the reclamation of my Fort will be the first of the problems to be solved..."

LIMGRAVE, FORT HAIGHT

Lordan swings down his Katana into an opening of the knight's armor to deal a death blow to his opponent, ending the duel for the Fort. He had successfully taken out most of the guards of the Fort by luring them into a fight with a pack of demi-humans that were seeking revenge for the death of their leader.

He allowed the fight between the two groups to play out as he observed from afar and only went in stealthily once the fort's guards had defeated the demi-humans while taking heavy losses. Once he had carefully taken out all the remaining guards with stealth, he faced the commander of the Fort in single combat.

And now he was successful in retaking the Fort as the commander was killed by his last strike. He pulls out his Katana and cleans the blade with the Cape of the fallen Knight before sheathing it.

Lordan observed the top of the Fort to look for more enemies. Once he had assessed that the Fort was indeed cleared, he proceeds to the tower Kenneth mentioned and moves into the room to find the chest that was promised to him.

He find the chest almost immediately upon entering the room and approached it. He almost opened the chest upon unlocking it but stops when he noticed that the chest was making movements as if someone was hiding inside of it.

Another one? Well lucky me. Lordan takes out his greatsword and takes a stance in front of the chest, ready to deliver a downwards slash to break it and kill whoever is hiding within it.

"Come out now. Whoever you are." He issues a threat but gets no response, prompting him to raise his sword and prepare his attack. "Going once... Going twice... And here I-"

The chest opens suddenly with a man raising his hands to surrender. "ALRIGHT! ALRIGHT! Don't kill me, friend! I'm just trying to-" The man stops mid-sentence as he recognized Lordan, and Lordan remembered him as well, he could never forget the bald head man he tied up.

"You?! The baldie from the cave!"

"YOU?! Just my luck!" Patches sighs in relive from Lordan's appearance, happy to see another face other than Godrick's soldiers. "Was beginning to think no one would come! I have been stuck in that chest for half a day!"

Lordan grabs Patches by his shirt and drags him out of the chest and out to the roof of the Fort. "Hey! Hey now! There is no need for that! I'm a changed man! Really! No more attacking people for no reason!"

"Why should I believe that? You gods damned bandit."

Patches frown at the name he's called. "Firstly, my name is Patches, nice to meet you. And secondly, I didn't attack you this time. Don't I deserve a chance to prove myself?"

Lordan considers the words Patches gave. It was a fair point, Patches had only been hiding from anyone that came to the Fort. So Lordan against his better judgment decides to let Patches go, for now. But before he does, he needed to ensure a few things.

Lordan released his grip and keeps a hand near his weapon bags to prepare for any tricks. "Fine... Fine... Where the fuck are you doing here anyway?"

Patches pat himself a few times on his body to clear off the dust, he laughed with his usual scheming tone and settles down due to Lordan's stare. "Well, finally come around, have you? I knew you would. You're a man of reason, through and through. Ha ha ha..." He managed to suppress his laugh and explained his new venture. "Well, you see... I'm a changed man. Frankly, I'm ready to wash my hands clean, and set up a legitimate shop."

Lordan scoffed at his words. "You a merchant? Oh Yes... And I'm Queen Marika's Long lost bastard son... Or cousin... Or sister's roommate brother... Or something... " He replied sarcastically and asks about the bandits' Patches used to run with. "You expect me to believe that? What about those guys you used to run with? And what you actually doing here?"

"Ah yes, Yeah, I had those bandits make a clean break. Now they're all suppliers, and good ones at that. I mean, they don't understand a word I'm saying, but it hardly matters, we have a natural connection." Patches laughed again at what he just said. "Now it's a bit ad hoc, but I finally have a good sales pitch! Patches' Emporium! Where you won't need a refund, 'cause everything's top notch!"

Lordan rolls his eyes at the things he just said, not believing a single word he said. "And let me guess... You sell stolen items? Like the items you nicked in this Fort?"

"Well come on, kid. Nobody is using them anyway... A man has to eat you know." Patches attempt to explain himself after Lordan assumes his intentions. "Besides... It's not like I'm hurting anyone with my looting. Seriously! I haven't killed anyone to take these items!"

Lordan rolls his eyes again, clearly not convinced by Patches and losing patience. He was going to have to shake Patches down to make him return the items he stole from the Fort.

Patches noticed Lordan's growing impatience and decides to make a peace offering. "Now, as a show of my good faith. I will forget the incident in the cave, where you tied me up and left me. Remember? " Patches takes out an item from his own enchanted bag and hands it to Lordan. "Here. An item for your journey, or should I say an item important for you. Can't get to the capital without it."

Lordan takes the item and examines it. It was a large left half of a medallion depicting the Erdtree, it was clearly incomplete and would not be usable at the moment. "What does it do?"

"Well based on what I heard. Brandishing the medallion with both halves together will activate the Grand Life of Dectus. Essentially required for you to continue your path to the ring."

Lordan looks at the item and decides to keep it, he also decided to let Patches off this time. "Fine... Get out of here. Now. Anything you stole here... I don't wanna know. Just go, with me. Now." He decides to escort Patches out of the Fort to ensure no more items would be stolen, Kenneth will have to make do with some things gone.

"See! I knew you would see reason. All right, off we go then." Patches walk off to the stairs that lead down to the Fort's entrance and Lordan walks along behind him. They reach the ground level and Lordan watches on as Patches prepared to leave.

"All right here we are. Now get-" Lordan stops his sentence midway as he felt a sense of dread suddenly overwhelming him. As if he had been invaded by an unknown presence, he had only felt this way once before.

Wait... It can't be... It's?!

Lordan turns around to look back and sees a red presence forming itself in the form of a knight, a knight that shares the same type of armor that Darriwil wore during his last encounter in the Evergaol. The knight draws his dual swords and prepares for battle, intending to destroy the target that was currently Lordan himself.

Baleful Shadow, Bloodhound Knight Kanin

"What the actual FUCK are you up to now?!" Lordan shouts to Patches upon seeing the appearance of the Shadow, thinking that this was another trap set by the man.

"Me!? I don't know anything about that guy! Honest!"

"You little FUCKING SHITBAG! I'M GONNA KILL YOU!" He grabs Patches in anger but was interrupted by the shadow that dashes towards them with great speed and swings his blades in swift motions to hit them both at once.

The Shadow then dashes away as Lordan swings his Flamberge greatsword in his direction, he then dashes around the pair in circles to confuse them with his afterimages created by the bloodhound's technic of dodging.

"Damn! Another dodgy bastard!" Lordan looks for an opening between the dodges but finds no opening. He then sees Patches also in focus to get a hit into the Shadow with his spear, confirming that he indeed was not in cahoots with the shadow. "Patches! You wanna earn your keep and keep your head?!"

"Do I have a choice, Kid?! What's your plan?!" He shouts back at Lordan as they stand back to back, trying to see a window where the shadow slows down.

Lordan continues looking for a window while formulating a plan. "We watch each other's backs and attack when he closes in! Get ready!"

The pair then braces themselves as the shadow starts his assault. He dashes to Patches first who dodges out of the way to allow the Shadow to hit Lordan. Lordan gets knocked down by the hit and the Shadow once again dashes away, this time towards Patches.

Patches thrust his spear forward but miss due to the Shadow ducking slightly. The Shadow then grabs Patches and uses the speed of a dash to ram him towards a wall. Patches get slammed on the back and the Shadow pins him down with a barrage of attacks from his swords that he barely blocks with his greatshield.

Lordan gets to his feet and sees the event, he intervened by charging toward the Shadow and grabbing him to pull him away from Patches. The two opponents soon clash their weapons, creating sparks in between.

The Shadow tries his best to deflect and block but was losing ground and energy from the constant attacks from Lordan, the greatsword he wields was not easy to block due to its bigger size. The Shadow decides to retreat and sips on his own blue flask to recover his focus.

Lordan sips on his flasks as well and switches to one of his new longswords and staff from Sellen. "Alright, Patches. We need to- Patches?" He looks to the spot where he last saw the man to see him gone. Soon he heard the slamming of a door and the sound of it being locked, as Patches had locked himself in the armory of the Fort for safety, effectively leaving Lordan to fend for himself.

"Are you HIDING?! What the fuck?! Get out here and fight!"

"Sorry, kid! Every man for himself!" Patches emit laughter from behind the door. "Hehehehe... Now hurry up and die so I can take your stuff."

Lordan grunts in frustration and refocused on the Shadow. The Shadow starts his dashes again to confuse Lordan which works to a certain degree.

Lordan attempts to try the strategy he used earlier with the help of his spirit wolves but was interrupted by the Shadow who knocks his bell away when he tried to use it. Lordan dodges the remaining attacks before the Shadow dashes away again to create distance.

Alright. Time to try some spells. He takes his staff in his left hand and waves it in the same way Sellen thought him. Lordan casts his first spell in the form of Glintstone Stars, the projectiles pursue the Shadow as he dodges them.

Seeing the effect of his spell, Lordan decides on his new tactic. He casts spells in between his movements while closing in on the Shadow. He eventually managed to close the distance.

The two clashed their blades as the Shadow was now tired from dashing too much. Lordan manages to keep in sync with the Shadow's rapid and unrelentless attacks with deflects using his sword, even with one hand as he had improved his agility from the runes.

They get into a lock with their blades, with the Shadow using his two swords and Lordan using his longsword with the staff to brace the sword. Lordan then moves the staff to the Shadow's lower body for his second spell.

He swings his staff towards the Shadow with another spell, it creates a blue projected sword. The Shadow dashes back to break the lock and avoid the magic sword, a spell called Carian Slicer that Sellen taught for Lordan to surprise enemies up close.

Lordan then charges the Shadow with attacks with his sword and slicer that match the Shadow's dual blades. The shadow keeps up with the new combination of attacks, he dashes once in a while to break off their clashes and returns once regaining stamina.

Lordan then employs another spell to counter the dashes, it was a spell called Swift Glintstone Shard that fires projectiles at a faster rate and can match the speed of the Shadow. He continues their fight with a mix of the three spells, glintstones at range and the slicer with his sword at close quarters.

Their fight continues for a few good minutes, with both fighters equally matched in speed. The Shadow then makes a dash and tackles Lordan to the ground. He then pins down Lordan to the ground and raises up his sword to thrust down and finish the fight.

Lordan catches the sword by the blade with two hands, gripping it tightly while bleeding from grabbing the sharp edges. He grips on tight and thinks of a way to buck off the Shadow.

He allows the Shadow to slowly stab him through a non-lethal part of his body, grunting in pain as the sword implates him on the ground. He then points his staff directly at the Shadow's torso and fires off glintstones at point blank while laying down, prompting the Shadow to let go of the impaled sword.

The Shadow moves back from the attacks and sips on his red and blue flasks to recover. He pulls out a dagger to replace the sword he lost while Lordan removes the impaled sword and gets to his feet. The fighters get ready for their renewed clash and wait for the other to move first.

"Oi. Muppet." A voice speaks out to get their attention, which was closer to the Shadow. "Fetch."

The Shadow sees the flat side of a colossal greatsword swinging towards him and fails to process the attack in time. It hits him and sends him flying towards Lordan, Lordan dodges just in time to avoid the Shadow's body that hits the wall behind him and looks to see the person who assisted him.

"Blaidd?!" He see the half-wolf with his greatsword with great surprise. Blaidd moves to Lordan's side and nods as a greeting while resting his sword on his shoulder.

"Heya, mate. It's been a while, glad to see you still kicking."

"You too. And thanks for the assist."

"No worries. Now... He's in a lot of trouble." The pair looks to the Shadow that was getting to his feet. They both take a battle stance to prepare for another clash.

"Another dodgy bastard, eh?"

"Yup. We need to-"

"Gentleman! Please, allow me!" Another voice calls out to them and they turned around to see a giant jar spinning towards them , it was Alexander. The pair dodges out of the way and jar collides with the Shadow against the wall, crushing him to the surface that now has a crack and hole.

"That enough out of you, pesky shadow!" Alexander grabs the Shadow and lifts him up with both. He begins slamming the Shadow on the wall and the ground with great strength as the two warrior wolves look on while winching from each slam, imagining the pain Alexander was inflicting on the man.

"Uhhh... Should we stop him?"

"Are kidding mate? This is a good show."

Alexander delivers a few more slams and throws the Shadow to the ground for the last time. The Shadow tries to move his broken body but fails and eventully dies from his injuries, fading into a red mist.

INVADER VANQUISHED

"Well. That does it then." Alexander flicks his hands with each other and move to where Lordan and Blaidd were standing. "Good to see you again, Lordan."

"And you, Alexander." Lordan looks between his two companions and try to introduce them. "Oh. and this is my friend-"

"The Half-Wolf Shadow Blaidd, Sword and Shadow of the Lunar Princess." Alexander finishes on his behalf.

"Alexander the Iron Fist. Warrior Jar." Blaidd speaks out as well, clearly knowing who he was. He offers his hand to shake. "Good to see you again, again old chap."

"And you wolf! Nice to see you finally venturing out of your lands."

"You guys know each other?" Lordan notices the familiarity they shared.

"Yup, the Jar is my neighbor. Toughest bunch of warriors I ever seen."

"Yes. And Blaidd here fends off poachers that prey on my hometown on occasions."

Lordan nods at their explanations and sips on his flask to heal the stab wound of the sword. "Well... Thanks for the assistance, both of you. What are you doing here anyway?"

Alexander speaks out first. "Well, I was travelling along the way and heard the casting of spells in this Fort. Saw the both of you staring down that Shadow and put two and two together. Thus, my surprise attack to end him was delivered."

Lordan turns to Alexander on the mention of the Shadow. "Shadow? That's what attacked me?"

"Aye, Mate. Baleful Shadows. And have been tracking them throughout all the lands. Nasty cunts, these lots are." Blaidd cuts in on the conversion to explain his purpose. "Heard about a Shadow lurking around these parts, so I went hunting as usual. Came to the fort after a tipoff from Kale. That's when I saw you, fighting the bugger. Quite impressive, Mate. You were keeping up to him."

"Thanks, but why did he attack me in the first place?" Lordan asks the question as he doesn't know why the Shadow would attack him.

"Baleful Shadows act as assassins for the Two Fingers, to carry out their will against enemies that require dealing with." Blaidd thinks of a reason on why Lordan would be attacked by a Shadow. "As to why one attacked you... Don't suppose you offended anyone lately? Anyone important?"

Lordan thinks of the possible people that could match the requirement and settles on only one person. "Margit. I beat him... a few days ago."

"Margit? Oh yeah, heard about your dance with him. Nice job, Lordan." Blaidd offers praise on news of Lordan's victory. "Well... not sure why a Shadow would be under Margit's command. But, I will do some digging on this Lordan."

"Thanks, Blaidd, Alexander." Lordan looks around at the two of them and wonders on the next step. "So... Now what?"

"Unfortunately, I must carry on my friends. The travel to Caelid is long and I must be making haste."

"Same, Lordan. I got more Shadows to find. They have been popping up more recently."

Lordan nods at their reason and prepares for their departure before a small request comes up in his mind. "Wait. Alexander, can you help me with that door? Blaidd, you should be here too." He points to the door where Patches lock himself in to hide.

"Of course! On my way." Alexander makes his way to the door while he and Blaidd followed along. The trio stops around the door and Alexander grips the stone frame to start pulling it loose.

"Alright then, what are we here for, Lordan?" Blaidd asks on the purpose of them standing around the door.

"Remember that bald head bandit, you mentioned in your letter?"

"Yeah, what about- Oh... I see." Blaidd puts the situation together and nods in understanding.

The door frame comes loose and expose the armory, where Patches sits up against the wall. The trio consisting of Lordan, Blaidd, and Alexander surrounds Patches which causes him to gulp down. Lordan approaches Patches with his sword in hand, it trembles from his grip due to rising anger.

"Well... What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Uhhhhh... Well done? And... Sorry?"

1998 YEARS BEFORE THE SHATTERING

Water fills a basin as Rags looks into the mirror in front of him, observing his face after cleaning up. He noticed he had grown a full beard stubble, no doubt from being unconscious for a week and a half. He sighs and decided to leave it alone for now, perhaps a new look would be required for when they next move out.

He dips his hand into the basin and starts washing his face, making a small mess around due to the splashing. The water drains out and he moves his hand over the small funnel above the basin, making water pour out from it.

Rags wasn't sure how most of the things in the room he currently stays in work, a lot of items here tend to be automatic. Simple things here seem to be enchanted by magics that serve a different function.

Like the windows have covers that open themselves when he was near to reveal a landscape that seems to change into different views, a smaller room that allows one to bathe without drawing a bath as water would come from a group of small holes from above, and even the privy chamber has a system that disposes of his waste by sucking it down with water to clean it.

The specifics of how these things work did not interest Rags at the moment, as he needed him and Marika to move on from this place. He leaves the garderobe and moves back to his bedroom. That was plainly decorated with all the required things he needed for his stay, his comment about the room previously being too fancy for his taste had caused the witch to change the design instantly with the use of magic.

Rags moves over to the table at the side to examine the new light-plated armour that was provided. It was of fine quality that was built to provide protection to the upper body while not limiting mobility with the implementation of minimal leg armor. The right arm of the armor was not armoured as much to give the user freedom of movement on his sword arm. It also includes a new helmet that had a retractable front face, the shape of the helmet also resembles a wolf with two tips on the back of it on each side to mimic wolf ears.

Rags equip the armor and adjust all the straps to properly fit himself to it. He moves around a little upon fully donning it to test his movements and was impressed with how smooth he could move, no signs of tightness hindered his motions.

Not bad... Not bad at all.

He then retrieved his claymore to examine it closely on the blade and noticed some damage. The middle had a crack that was visible and the edge of the blade was filled with jagged edges. It was not a usable and fighting condition, he had overused it during his last fight in the forest.

"Damn... Took quite a beating." He performs a few swings to test his right arm that was injured from the fighting, he could feel soreness from the overworked arm when performing the actions. He then performs a few twirls with his hand to test it overall flexibility.

Rags then feels a sharp pain that crippled his entire right arm, making him lose his grip on the claymore while twirling to drop it. He grips his right arm tightly as it locks up from the pain, pain that was numbing to the point where he lost sensation and control of his right arm.

He takes a few deep breaths and slowly the pain fades. He moves his fingers first and then his elbow and hand to ensure his entire right arm was again functional. He sighs at the new limitation that he will have to work with in the coming journey.

Deciding not to think about it further, Rags makes his way to the exit of his room after holstering his claymore and taking his supplies. He leaves the room and walks along the hallway towards the exit of the building he stayed in.

Rags opens the door of the building and was greeted by the sight of an almost endless field of Reeds and poppies, with giant trees that reached up to the sky out in the distance. It was also currently day with the sun in the sky and the moon at its side, a sight that was divine yet impossible.

Where the hell are we? He looks back to see that the building he left was a small hamlet that resembled a humble countryside home, its size was too small to fit the interior that he had just came from. He assessed that the hamlet was enchanted by some form of magic that makes the interior of the building much larger than what is possible for its size.

He looks over to his left and sees a tower that was housed among the reeds, as if it was out of place. It was a high rise tower with the design of Liurnia origins, a region in the lands between famous for its academy of that teaches magics to all who show the attitudes and talent for it.

Rags moves closer to the tower and see a young man with grey hair leaning against the wall beside the entrance, reading a book with great focus. The man was dressed in attire that he did not see before, a coat with long sleeves and had its overall length stretched down to his knees and a leather hat that was pointed in the front. The man was also equipped with a curved blade and a long staff on his back, signs indicating that the two can be joined together to make one weapon.

The man looks up to Rags as he gets closer, putting away his put book into the pocket of his coat to greet him. "Ah. You have awaken. The mistress will be most pleased." He turns to face the door of the tower and opens it with a slight push, gesturing for Rags to enter the tower with him. "Please, follow me to meet the mistress with your maiden. There is much for her to speak of."

Rags looks around for a moment and decide to follow the man, he needed to see Marika and ensured that she was safe in this tower. The two enter the tower and the door closes behind them.

THE REALM BETWEEN THE REALMS, RENNA'S RISE

Rags walk with the man for a while and observe the place around them to once again assessed that the interior of the tower was much larger than the tower itself. They walk up several stairways within a grand library to reach an elevator that takes them even higher to the top tower, higher than the actual physical tower that he saw outside.

Rags decide to ask about the place from the man. "So where in the hells are we now? This place I never heard of from anyone."

The man looks back at Rags slightly and does not show much reaction to the question. "That depends... Where do you think we are?"

"I wouldn't know. All of the place around here seem to be like a dreamland or something."

"Then perhaps it is a dream. A dream that allows one to inhabit it physically." The man looks back to his front. "The question you should be asking is not where are we. It's when are we."

Rags gets confused by the words of the man. "What does that even mean?"

"You would not understand... for now. Your eyes are yet to open, all of you are yet to open your eyes. And you are not ready to, none of you are." The man finishes his word with a cryptic message. They reach the top and another door was in front of them.

The man opens the door to reveal another exterior that did not match the tower's design. It was a small estate that housed a garden and several tombstones around the area. Rags wasn't even sure that he was in the tower anymore, it was as if the doors lead to an entirely new area.

The man escorts Rags to the estate building and opens the door to the living room, where Marika was currently sitting near the fireplace, reading a book with many others placed on the table near her. The sounds of footsteps attract her attention and she looks up to see Rags, causing her to stop reading and gasp in surprise.

"Rags?!" She stands from her seat and runs into him, hugging him tightly. "Oh thank the will! You are so much better!" She looks up to him and places a hand on his cheek to observe his face. "Are you alright?"

Rags nods and grabs her hand to release it. "I'm fine... Just... Tired. Really tired." They release their embrace and Rags notices a difference in Maria's appearance, that she was now wearing a new traveling attire and had braided her hair. "Hmmm... I like the hair."

Marika smile and blushes from the comment and notices his change as well. "I like the beard. It's very... mountain man-like."

"Don't get used to it."

The pair stare at each other for a while before the man clears his throat to get their attention. "Sorry to interrupt. But we should see the mistress now. She has been waiting for some time."

Rags and Marika nods at his request and he escorts them to a room that served as a lounge to the estate. Within it lies Renna, who was currently sitting near the room's own fireplace, and was now dressed in a black casual dress to enjoy the comfort of her home.

"My lady. The maiden and her swordsman. As you requested." The man bows to Renna while introducing the pair to Renna. She waves off his bow to acknowledge it.

"Thank you, Gehrman. You may leave us. I will speak to them in private." Gehrman nods and leaves the room to wait outside. Renna looks to the pair and gestures them to several chairs near her. "Please. Take a seat, there is much to discuss."

Marika moves to the seat closer to Renna while Rags moves to stand beside her. "I will stand. Thanks." He makes his choice known and was knocked by Marika's elbow as she nudged him. "What?"

"Don't be rude." She makes her disapproval of his choice while looking at him with an annoyed face. Marika turns back to Renna and expresses her regret at his display of bluntness. "Sorry for my companion, he is a little too honest for his own good." Her statement cause Rags to roll his eyes.

Renna shakes her head with a small smile. "It is all right, you are guests in this domain. And I understand his distrust of me at the moment." Renna sits straight and prepares to converse with them. "I trust the accommodations provided are up to your likings?"

"Yes, very much so. This place is amazing." Marika responded with wonder in her tone at the workings of where they are currently at. "I have never seen some of the things here before. A bathtub with its own funnel to create water? and lamps that require no flames and lights up by simply turning a button? What kind of magic is this?" She inquiries on the source of magic that allow some of the objects to function here.

Renna shakes her head at the assumption. "It is not magic that fully empowers the things you speak of, maiden. It is also technology and engineering that I enchanted, the implementation of the designs that inventors made. In this case, majority of what you used in this place was made possible by Gehrman. He designed almost all the facilities in this domain."

"He made all this? How?" Marika was amazed at how one man could think of making all of this possible.

Renna thinks for a moment about an answer to provide without giving away too much. "Gehrman comes from a place... Far from here and a very long time later, that is not easy to travel to at the moment. He seeks to understand how I made the space around us a possibility and is currently my understudy, in return I asked for his expertise on improving the facilities of my home."

"But let us speak of more pressing matters at the moment. I assume the both of you have questions." Renna braces herself for more question as she eyes Rags who was ready to speak. "Very well. I am ready to answer all of them."

"Who are you really? And why did you help us? What's your game?" Rags speaks out before Marika could say a word, earning him another nudge from Marika. "Again... What?" He responded to her latest nudge with annoyance in his tone.

"Don't. Be. Rude." She drags out her words to enforce her point while Renna looks on amused by their exchange.

Renna looks to Rags and confidently smiles at his question. "I understand that you and I have not been properly introduced. Very well. Once again, I am the Witch Renna, and some have called me The Gloam."

"The Gloam? You mean... Like the Gloam Eyed Queen?" Marika cuts in upon learning the similar name she and another figure shares.

Renna stops her words for a moment from Marika's assumption. "Now there is a name that I have not heard for a long while. Unfortunately no, I have no relation to her. As to why I helped both of you... " She crosses her fingers together and prepares her own question. "Tell me. What do you know of the current Elden Lord of the Golden Order in the current age?"

Art By Elzdraw

Marika looks to Rags and he gestures to her to answer. "Elden Lord Solras. Wielder of the Sun. The most powerful Demi-God to currently exist." She explained the brief history of Solras. "It is said that he proved his strength to the Greater Will by flying to the sky with his wings and touching the sun itself. It burned him and imbued him with its power, forcing him to encase himself within a golden armor and use prostatic wings to mimic his old ones that were burned as well. As his current form would burn others around him."

"Yes... Elden Lord Solras... It is said that his power allows him to channel sun beams from his eyes to burn his enemies, even cutting them in half from a single look." Renna starts forming an uncomfortable face at the mention of the Elden Lord. "But what history did not speak of was his crimes against the innocent. For he led a crusade across his Lands to purge all non-believers to the Greater Will, those who submit were spared, those who resisted... Are no more."

Marika looks at Renna from her response, with disagreement from her words. "That's not true. Solras led the crusade to ensure his people's safety by the order of his Queen. Before her death."

"Does that include the murder of children?" Renna throws back a question to Marika and she could not think of a response to justify that fact. "Solras was efficient with his great purge, killing all who followed another religion in his lands, even the next generation. Enforcing the Golden Order as one of the high powers of the known world. Matching the Dragon Order in strength and influence."

"Which brings us to our current situation." She looks over to Rags. "Tell me, Rags. Do you know why you are bringing Marika to the Sacred Lands? Where Solras currently rules from?"

Rags shrugs and responds with only the answer he was given. "I'm supposed to bring her to stand before some giant tree. Apparently, she is supposed to become a leader... Or something."

"Yes. Your maiden is an Empyrean. A candidate to replace Elden Lord Solras's Queen. As a new vessel to the Greater Will." Renna looks to Marika again and reveals another fact of his quest. "If she is chosen. She becomes Queen. And Elden Lord Solras's fifth wife."

Rags looks to Marika at the reveal, a part of him thinks that she already knew this long ago, and she had not tell him this on purpose. She looks back to Rags and turns away sadly in shame, not being able to face him at the moment.

She becomes Queen... Of course she will.

Who was I kidding... A guy like me, would never stand a chance.

Renna observes the two and continue to ease their uncomfortable situation. "But as it currently stands, that is not possible. For Elden Lord Solras has fled the capital and is now an enemy to the Greater Will."

"What? Why?" Marika was surprised at the development and did not see this coming.

"He has committed an act of heresy in the eyes of the Greater Will, an act that many dared not to take as it would make one a direct enemy of an outer God itself."

"He attempted to forge... His own Elden Ring."

The reveal causes Marika to be shocked, as such an act was considered one of the highest forms of blasphemy. A signal to declare oneself as a challenger towards an outer god. No one, not even a Demi-God was allowed to do that.

"And so that realm is without a ruler. The two orders of the world are now in open war, and the truce between the Golden Order and the Dragon Order is broken. And The Golden Order is also in a state of civil war. One side loyal to Solras, One side loyal to the Greater Will."

Marika sighs at the current situation she was hearing. "Then... it is over. All our efforts have been for naught." She leans back on the chair at disappointment from the news, prompting Rags to place his hand on her shoulder to comfort her.

Renna continues on words as she knows that their journey is far from finished. "Quite the opposite in fact. The journey to the Lands between for the both of you is now more important than ever. For you, Marika. May be one of the last remaining hopes to restore the Golden Order. To continue your quest to the Erdtree, with haste. Time is of importance."

Rags then cut in to point out their coming journey. "Yeah well... Here's the thing. We are being hunted by those Dragon cunts. They are chasing us like mad. If she is not safe, then I won't allow her to travel for now." He makes his stand clear to Renna.

"And what if I tell you that is not an option due to the severity of the situation?"

"I would tell you to shove it your cunt and fuck off."

Marika nudges Rags again, this time harder due to his insult towards the one that saved them. Renna raises her brow from the sudden swear and lets out a small laugh due to being amused by his bluntness.

"Quite the rowdy fellow aren't you?" Her remarks makes Rags fold his arms and look away while she looks at Marika. "I can see why you like him, aside from his rough but handsome looks." A blush forms on Marika's face as Renna's comment left her embarrassed.

Renna holds her chin and thinks on the way to ease their journey. She had already come up with solutions but now needed more due to Rags's insistence on Marika's safety. "Very well. I cannot guarantee the safety of your journey, but I can increase your chances greatly and increase your speed of travel. Would that be a compromise you can accept?"

Rags thinks about the offer and also remembers another fact that hindered him. "Well. Aside from the fact that I lost sight of grace. If it helps out greatly then I accept. But this better not be a trick, witch."

"Of course not. I do not dabble in lies, Rags." Renna responds to his accusation and enquires about the grace he lost. "As for your loss of grace... Do you know why that happened?"

"Not sure. It just disappeared from my sight."

"I see..." She comes up with a few theories on why he lost it, a clue could be found in the agreement he made to take Marika to the Lands. "Do you remember what your objective was? Word for word?"

Rags recall the words he was told when took this job. "I am to bring the Maiden, in this case, Marika, safely and unharmed to... The Lands?"

"And was she harmed in any way?"

"No. She barely has any-"

"An arrow." Marika spoke up upon remembering herself getting hurt during their last fight. "An arrow hit me in my shoulder when I was... Trying to save you." She looks down upon realizing that she was the indirect cause of his problem. Losing grace was a big disadvantage for one to have, especially if said one was a target for the Dragon Order.

Rags place his palm over his face after realizing that he missed this fact for days. He did not think that the words of his task would come back to bite him this badly, and the fact that the outer god who granted him grace would be this specific in its words.

Really? One arrow is enough? Fuck you Greater Will...

"And that answers the question then." Renna then reaches into a pouch she was carrying and hands over the two flasks that Rags used to heal and recover focus, the flasks now had new runic markings on them. "I have modified your flasks to be usable once more without grace. You will only be able to use them ten times per day, each before they replenish themselves on midnight."

"Ten times per day? That's it?"

"There are limits to even what I can do." She states her limitations and stands to retrieve an enchanted bag that was placed on a table. She reaches in and takes hold of a silver colossal sword hilt that was hidden by the bag's magic. "I have also noticed your weapon is currently faulty, therefore I will temporarily bestow upon you the Godslaye-"

"Not interested." Rags declined the offer of a new weapon, still being attached to the current claymore he uses. He takes out his claymore with the tip downwards and holds it out to Renna. "Don't suppose your magic can fix this?"

Renna looks to Rags with a raised brow due to his rejection of her sword, a sword that contains great power of black flames. She respects his decision and keeps the sword back into the bag, inspecting the weapon of Rags as he requested.

She looks over to the clearly visable cracks and chippings in the blade and clasped her hands together while closing her eyes. Black flames soon emit lightly from her hands and her gestured for Rags to hold his claymore higher. She slowly moves her hands along the blade and it begins to repair itself, returning the claymore to a pristine and unused state. As if it was freshly forged.

He looks over the blade and smirks, happy at the repairs that Renna performed. Rags keep his claymore to his back holster and returns to Maria's side. "Thanks. So... What now?"

"Now, the both of you must depart. You are now behind time and time is what the world is currently running out of." Renna looks at Marika with an expected look. "Marika, do you remember what we discussed earlier days ago?"

"Yes, I am aware of what I must do." The two women talked about something that Rags was unaware of, most likely a conversation they had when he was still bedridden.

"Good. Then you know it must be done, regardless of the state of the Lands." Renna then removes a ring from one of her fingers and presented it to Rags, it was a delicate goldwork ring that can be used as a finger whistle. "And I give you this final gift, Rags. Use it to call forth a Spectral Steed to travel great distances and heights. Treat the steed with respect, Rags. He may become your greatest ally."

Rags takes the ring and hang it on a chain to wear around his neck. Renna stands and approaches the pair, intending to send them away to their destination. "Now, I will send the two of you to the last place we met, where you will continue your journey as previously intended. Best of luck to both of you, all of us may need it." She holds out her hand and expects them to place theirs upon it. "When you are ready, let my hands rest upon yours, for but a moment."

Marika offers her hand and looks over to see Rags hesitating. She places her hand on his shoulder and gets his attention. "Rags? Are you ready?"

He snaps back to attention and nods at her before looking back at Renna with a bit of remorse, kicking himself for being quite unfriendly to her. "Yeah... And uh... Renna. What I said before was-"

"It is all right, Rags. You are wise not to trust others so easily. I have learned that before, the difficult way." Her words had a hint of bitterness to them but she ignored her problems and focused on them at the moment.

With her final words, Rags nods and places his hand on one of Renna's. Both of them closed their eyes as they felt a sense of warmth and their bodies slowly fading into a blue mist, transporting them away from Renna's domain.

Renna was left alone in her room and thinks of the meeting with the traveling duo, with Rags in particular. She had often wondered if his journey would stay its course, whether her divination of him would be true. A part of her wished it wasn't.

For a cruel and terrible fate awaited him at the end.

HELADIN, THE NORTHEN REGION

The pair opened their eyes and found themselves back at the forest where Renna recused them, at the same exact spot where the Dragon Order's hunters were forced to retreat.

Rags takes hold of his claymore's hilt and scans the area for more enemies. He lets his guard down after a few moment as no one else was in the area except for them. The bodies of the soldiers that were slain here had already decayed, indicating that they were now at a point in time weeks after their fight here.

Rags and Marika stand for a moment in silence before she speaks out. "So... Are we still going to travel together?"

"Yes." Rags respond almost immediately.

Marika thinks of asking about his intent to leave once they were done but was afraid to anger or annoy him. She decide to go ahead with it, however, as she wanted to know if he would change his mind.

"Then... Will you be leaving? Once we reach the...?" She braces herself for the dreaded answer again, trying not to break down.

Rags remain quiet while she waits for his answer. His face remains neutral, and he finally responds.

"...I will think about it."

Marika was caught off guard and a sense of happiness fills her as Rags had given her the possibility of him staying. She smiles and nods at his response while Rags moves to the direction of their destination.

Rags examine the ring Renna gave and sees that it functions as a whistle. He takes the ring near his mouth and blows it to create a loud whistling sound. Blue mist appears in front of him and a horse that had horns and ears of a goat with a saddle for two passengers to ride.

Rags look to the steed with confusion about what type of horse it was, clearly not convinced that it will make their trip faster. "A goat... Really? We are going to ride thousands of leagues... On a goat."

Marika moves closer to the steed and raises her hand to touch its mane. The steed leans into her touch and she begins stroking its neck with affection. "It's not a goat, Rags. He is a noble ancient sprit that will carry us to our destination."

"Well... It looks like a goat... It smells like a goat... It's a goat."

"His name is Torrent. And he thinks your remarks are very offensive."

Rags tilt his head at what she said. "You can talk to it? how?"

"I just can. I also know that he will be a great addition to us." She then grabs the saddle and mounts up on Torrent effortlessly, looking to Rags to join her. "Well? Get on. We need to get moving."

Rags shake his head at her intent and reluctantly gets on the back seat of Torrent, his taller height towering over behind her. He looks for something to grab on before Marika takes his hand to hold her waist, much to his discomfort.

"You sure you can ride well?"

"Of course I can. I practiced greatly back in my homeland."

"And what happens if I fall and break my neck?"

"Then it was nice knowing you, Rags." She responds with a sarcastic tone to his dark humor. Marika urges Torrent forward and the steed takes off at full speed, even with the weight of two persons.

"Shit! Marika! Slow down!" Rags hangs on to the best he can from the surprising speed of Torrent.

"Are you joking?! This is great!" She ignored his plea and rides on with glee. Torrent soon reaches a separate cliff and leaps up to the air, With Marika cheering in joy and Rags hanging on for dear life.

"AH! FUCK!"

FIN

Chapter Text

ARC II:

CHAPTER 2:

THE FALSE LORD OF ALL THAT IS GOLDEN

LIMGRAVE, FORT HAIGHT

"Disgraceful! Absolutely disgraceful! The state of this Fort! What those thugs did to this place!" Kenneth ranted his disappointment with the Fort's current state after the occupation of Godrick's men. The Fort was left in a state of disarray and disorder that was a far cry from when Haight bannermen still controlled the place.

"The level of incompetence that was put into maintaining the Fort in their control! It's just-! By Godfrey! What an utter embarrassment to his bloodlines!" His rant continues while soldiers and workers under his service worked to clean up and re-establish the Fort into an active fortress.

Lordan was still around, following Kenneth to get details of how he intends to overthrow Godrick as Lord of Limgrave. He had stayed to secure the rest of the Fort before sending word to Kenneth with a messager bird, he then waited for three days before Kenneth appeared at the Fort with a small garrison of at least 50 men at his back.

So here he was, following Kenneth around to Fort while he rants on about the state of the Fort. A rant that had lasted for at least an hour with Kenneth pointing out every single little detail that he finds fault with, with the most obvious being the armory door that Alexander had ripped out earlier.

Lordan could not remember how many times he rolled his eyes today, he lost count but it was definitely a new record for him. All the things Kenneth mentioned were minor problems that seem to be major in the noble's eyes.

For fuck's sake... He was going to lose it if he heard another hour of the ranting. Eventually, Kenneth walked around the entire Fort and finally finished his rants, shifting his focus back to Lordan after remembering Lordan's quest for Stormveil Castle.

"I suppose you must realize by now, yes, the sorry state of my fort? Oh, indeed, it is a foul fate for a land, to be without a ruler. One must be found, with haste. And not that Awful Godrick."

The one part of the sentence made Lordan confused, Kenneth was supposed to be the next Lord in line for that role. "Must be found? What do you mean? You're the one that will replace Godrick, right?"

Kenneth stops at the assumption Lordan makes. "Me? Oh goodness, no! I haven't the proper authority to take over the reign of Stormveil. It must be someone of great strength and mind. No one but a true and stalwart Lord of the proper lineage can take the reigns of Limgrave. I, Kenneth Haight, despite my noble lineage, cannot inherit the throne of Stormveil or Limgrave."

The statement was a mental kick to the guts for Lordan. Not only did he spend the time to clear the Fort of enemies with great effort, but he also had to deal with the invader and Patches. And now he is being told by the man who was supposed to be the next lord of the region that he will not be the one. All his efforts seemed to go down the gutter with that one line.

Are you kidding me? He can't do it? Damn it, Gideon! You send me on a goose chase!

Lordan places his palm over his helmet face, thinking of all the other things he could have done instead. Anger starts building up in him due to the trouble he had to went through to take back this Fort. "You couldn't have said that earlier?! Do you know the trouble I had to went through to take out the Fort! ALONE?!" His voice was raised to surprise Kenneth, prompting the noble to step back shocked.

The other men around the Fort looked on and went about their business when they saw that Lordan was on the verge of an outburst. They did not want to interfere as they were well aware of what Lordan was capable of in a fight.

Kenneth steels himself and prepared an apology for his mix-up, clearly, he had not been honest with Lordan. "Yes... I may have left that detail and allowed you to pursue this endeavor under false pretenses, but I fully intend to ensure that Limgrave is secured and safe as I previously said. I will not allow the region to be given away in its current state." Kenneth then offers a sincere bow to Lordan. "I apologize, Lordan. You have done me a service and I have not been returning the flavor, please do forgive me. It was a wrong decision."

Lordan starts to calm down with deep breaths and sighs from the apology that Kenneth gave. Although he was upset, he knew that Kenneth did it because he was out of options. "Fine... Whatever. You have the Fort and you want to take down Godrick. Just like me. So we a plan, fast or I'm going to lose it." At the moment, the two shared a goal and wanted the Lord of Stormveil disposed of. So Lordan decides to put aside his frustration of being used, for now.

Kenneth agreed fully and thinks up a plan. "Exactly! As it stands, Godrick is a menace to everyone in the region. Therefore, it is imperative that he be forced out of Stormveil and his men put to the sword." Kenneth then gestures to Lordan to follow him.

The two men walk to a room in the Fort that resembles a meeting room with a war table that has a map of Limgrave with several markers in the form of miniature banners. Kenneth searches for something on the nearby rack while Lordan examines the war after removing his helmet for a better view.

"Now where did I put the scrolls of the castle layout... Ah! There it is!" Kenneth finds the items he is looking for and lays them out on the table. They were maps of Stormveil Castle, each scroll depicted a layout of one of the castle's levels. "Here is a completed layout of the Castle, from top to bottom. Everything we need to know on how to effectively lay siege to the castle is here."

Lordan looks to the layout and starts forming a route in his head, noting how to travel within the castle to reach Godrick. He then notices a giant flaw in planning a siege. "Kenneth. The castle is seated on a cliff and the entrance om a single bridge. We can't effectively have a siege if we don't have the places to station siege equipment." He points out an obvious oversight that the noble failed to see.

"Ah... Blast it, You are right! And to think I was going to order my men to move catapults to Stormveil." Kenneth shakes his head at his own failure to see Stormveil's current position which makes it a difficult place to mount a full-on assault. He tries to think of an alternate way to plan a siege while Lordan was still looking on at the layout, ideas slowly forming in his head.

Lordan then traces his finger along the layout of the courtyard, thinking of the route to the throne room where Godrick was most likely at. He then matches the layout with another that shows the sides of the castle and how the interior interconnects. An idea formulates in his head and he finally knows how to break apart the castle's defenses, from the inside. "Kenneth, look here. At the route to the throne room from the main gate."

"Yes? It's a straight and direct path with no stops. What about it?"

"Let's just say... If an army were to march through the main gate and rush to surround the throne room while the others attack the castle interiors along the way... Would that effectively mean we could win the castle without a prolonged siege?"

Kenneth looks at the route to the throne room that Lordan pointed out and sees the logic of his plan. "Yes, it could work, If we force ourselves into the castle in a straight shot. But there is a high chance that many defenses are set up along the route. Godrick may be a coward, but he is a coward that preserves his own hide very well."

Lordan had predicted this as well, there is no way an obvious route to the castle's throne room would not be defended to the fullest. The main purpose of defenses that would be set up there was to ensure no army would be able to cross the path at all. The biggest flaw of those defenses on the route lies in one thing, however.

How do they defend against someone already inside?

"So how about I enter the castle first? From the side." Lordan points out a depiction of what seems to be a cliff face that leads to the side of the castle's interior. "A single person could force them to pay attention elsewhere. I could also scout the castle and open the gate. Then, signal your forces to attack when the defenses are lowered or weakened."

Kenneth ponders the idea and sees the advantage it has. "Yes... Yes! If Godrick is alerted that an intruder has invaded the castle, he will force his men to reposition. Taking away manpower from the defenses, allowing us to push hard and swift!"

Lordan then marks his own map on the side of the castle to locate the possible entrance to the side. "Alright. Then it's settled. I break into the castle, make some noise, sound a signal for you to attack then..."

"You confront Godrick and take his great rune. While allowing us control of the Castle and the region itself." Kenneth finished the sentence for Lordan which earns him a nod. "I must say lad, you have a mind for war tactics! Where did you learn all this?"

"I didn't. My master made me read 'Sun Zu Bing Fa' over fifty times. It was filled with stuff that talked about this."

Kenneth then takes out a war horn to pass to Lordan, an instrument that is used to signal out from large distances. "Here, use this to signal us when the gate is up and the guards in the castle have lowered the defenses to the point where things are easy for us. I will be here to raise an army with my remaining men and soldiers who defected from Godrick's service."

Lordan takes the horn and offers a suggestion. "You could also try getting those Kaiden mercs in on the fight. Overheard some of them saying they weren't being paid by Godrick. You could tell them to... Take payment directly, if you catch my meaning."

"An idea I can work with. I could also try convincing some of the Demi-humans to join us... And Gideon's own men could help out." Kenneth lists more men that could join the fight.

Gideon's men... He did say that he had a person inside. Nepheli Loux. His daughter.

Lordan notes down on the side of his map marking the woman that was currently in the castle, thinking she could join his efforts to overthrow the castle. "Well, that's it then. We both know what to do and how to do it. We just need to prepare, carefully."

"Yes. I will begin the mustering of forces. I will have it done within five-no four days." Kenneth corrects himself as he calculated the time required to muster his forces. Lordan takes the scrolls of the Castle's layout and starts leaving for the Roundtable Hold.

Lordan then remembered something before he leaves the room. He removes one of the extra enchanted bags he was holding that he took from Patches. "Oh yeah... Here, take this Kenneth. It should have everything valuable that was at the Fort and then some."

Kenneth takes the bag with a confused look as he did not know why the Fort items would be stored there. He takes the bag and places it on the side. "I see... May I ask why they are all in this bag?"

"There was a thief, I took care of him and got the bag."

"Ah. He was killed then? "

"Nope. I let him go. After I took all his valuables." That was the condition Lordan gave Patches when he begged for a chance to live, give up all his items on the spot, including his clothes. It was an offer Patches could not refuse, as he was surrounded by three warriors that were above his skill to trick.

Kenneth accepts the explanation and sees Lordan off. They reach the Fort's exit and Kenneth offers his goodbyes. "Again, Lordan. I am sorry to have lifted your hopes. The Great Kenneth Haight issues his sincerest apology. But for now, we must focus on the defeat of Godrick, the man is too far gone and must be put down for the sake of the region."

"Then, I must begin my search post-haste. For a true and stalwart Lord of the proper lineage to take the reigns of Limgrave. And once the dust is settled, know that I and the new lord of Limgrave will support your bid to take the Throne as Elden Lord."

Lordan nods uncaringly at the vow as the mantle of Elden Lord was something he was still reluctant to take. "Sure... If it happens of course... " That's a Big if.

He summons Torrent and mounts up, riding away at great speed while Kenneth looks on. Kenneth returns to the Fort and begins forming plans in his mind, counting the number of men he can muster with all the forces that would support them in his mind.

He thoughts then when back to Lordan, the Tarnished warrior who assisted him and volunteered to break into Stormveil. Although Lordan seems uncaring to the idea of lordship, Kenneth knew that he may have found the proper candidate that would be suitable for the mantle of Elden Lord. Because unlike the majority of the Tarnished that roamed the lands in the past and present, Lordan had one thing that separates him from the rest.

He was willing to fight for the sake of others over himself. Even if he doesn't show or admit it.

STORMVEIL CASTLE, MAINGATE

Five days had passed since Lordan had left Fort Haight, he had stayed at the hold and prepared himself by upgrading his weapons and reinforcing his armor. He also spend time going through the maps of the castle layout that Kenneth provided to plan a route and positions to attack, positions that he suspected may have defenses set up to deter an invasion.

Once he had everything he required, Lordan made his way to Stormhill and traveled to a location where Kenneth told him to go. It was the gathering place of the forces that were ready to take the castle once Lordan had given the signal. The majority of the soldiers had set up camp to prepare their weapons and armor with all of the additional forces that joined the fight.

He went around the camp to investigate the army that was going to invade the castle. The majority of the forces under the army were of Kenneth's own men and former soldiers of Godrick, which include knights and infantry that defected once they believed their Lord had gone astray. There were also many bands of Kaiden Mercenaries that seek to plunder the castle due to their anger against Godrick who did not pay them fairly and a few tribes of Demi-humans who are here to seek revenge on Godrick for his endless raids against their kind.

He also sees some of Gideon's men at the camp, members of the Roundtable Hold. They were the few dozens of Tarnished who remain alive despite losing grace. They were warriors from every part of the world with some from the past, present, and even future that were all called by the light of grace to the lands between.

Some of the warriors among this group were under the lead of Nepheli Loux, warriors from the badlands that were there to assist the battle out of loyalty to their leader.

Once Lordan had met with the commanders of the army, he made his way back to the tunnel that leads to the castle. He approaches the bridge carefully, stopping in the middle of it to observe the battlements of the castle above. A part of him was dreading the reappearance of Margit, he hoped that he was not going to meet the Omen again at the same spot he defeated him for the first time. He waits for a few moments while hovering a hand over his weapon bag to draw any weapon at his disposal.

After a short few minutes of fear, Lordan lets out a breath of relief as no sign indicated that Margit was going to make a reappearance. He moves on to the castle and touches the site of grace near the gate that was currently lowered to deny entry.

Lordan then moves close to the gate and peeks into the opening to get a sensing of the resistance they will be facing. He peeks from one of the openings while staying close to the wall on the side for cover.

Just as he suspected, the entire entrance was fortified with siege weapons and barricades with dozens of men at the ready. Ballistas were placed around the sides and manned with archers at the operator's sides, shield barricades with holes that have men behind them, and plenty of soldiers with red hoods and cloaks armed to the teeth with spears and axes.

If the entrance itself was already armed to the teeth, there was no doubt the rest of the route to the throne room would be the same. All these defenses to protect one feeble man.

Damn. They overcompensated. Godrick is definitely the cowardly sort.

He stops his observation and moves to the side entrance of the castle. It was the entrance that most servants, maids, and slaves would use as they were not allowed to enter via the main gate.

Lordan enters the castle and sees a man with pale skin standing by the side. He looks around and speaks up for Lordan to come over quickly and quietly. "Hey. You. Come here, quietly..."

Lordan looks around the room and moves to converse with the man while keeping a hand near his weapon bag to prepare for any surprises. He gets close and speaks to the man who seemed like a servant for the castle and was missing an arm, indicating that he was punished for the crime of thievery. "Don't shout out. I will drop you before they hear." Lordan issues his warning to ensure that the man wasn't a rat that will alert the guards, drawing a sword from his bag to indicate his seriousness.

The man raises his hand as a sign of surrender to indicate his peaceful intent. "No! No! Nothing like that! I want to help. My name's Gostoc, I am the gatekeeper." The man continued raising his hands while Lordan pointed his sword at his neck.

Lordan eventually lowers his sword once he confirmed Gostoc meant no harm, for now. The servant breaths in relive as Lordan becomes neutral. "You're Tarnished, aren't you? Here to take Godrick's head? About time the old bugger got his due."

Gostoc looks around again before he continues, worried that someone else may be listening. "I would advise against taking the main gate into the castle. It's tightly guarded by hardened old hands. All of them are waiting for an invasion to come, a long time coming if you asked me." He then points to an opening in the room that looks to be old damage to the walls from siege equipment. "Try the opening right here. The guards don't know about it yet. You'll breach the castle undetected, just like that lady and wizard before you."

"Lady and wizard? There are people here already?" Gostoc mentioned two other people that were already within the Castle. Lordan knew of Nepheli being in the castle but the wizard was a mystery to him. "How long have they been in there?"

"A few days now. The lady came first before the wizard. She is a feisty and exotic one, the woman. You will like her." Gostoc laughs to himself upon thinking of Nepheli. Perverted and sickening thoughts came to his mind of the women warrior and the things he would do to her. "Ohhhh... How wonderous she would look without those clothes. Hehehehe..." He laughs again after whispering, which annoyed Lordan as he overhears the words.

Lordan then moves to the opening to see that it has an open ledge that was wide enough to walk to the side of the Castle which consists of several small island pathways, it confirmed his theory of a side entrance to the castle via the cliffsides. He then moves back to Gostoc, intending to enquire about his role as the gatekeeper. "The main gate. Can you get it open? There's gonna be an invasion coming. If you want Godrick's head to be spiked, an army marching in here is the best bet for that to happen."

The news of an army coming to invade the castle causes concern to Gostoc, he thinks for a moment of the events that will occur once the invading army tears through the castle. "An invasion?! That-that would mean... They will come in and kill everyone?!" A small panic rises in his thoughts as he was terrified of being targeted. "That would mean people in the castle will be killed, with their things still in their pockets... Oh... Oh hohoho, I see..." Ideas on how to take advantage of the chaos during the invasion pop up in his mind, he already had a few marks in mind.

Lordan was annoyed once again by the gatekeeper's implied intent to loot from the dead during the chaos of the invasion. He didn't want to waste any more time on this man and wanted to move on. "So can you do it or not? Get the gate open?" He asks a bit louder with a small tone of anger in his voice.

Gostoc snaps back to attention as he realizes Lordan getting impatient with him. "Oh! Yes, of course! I will have them open the gate, while you enter from the side. Quietly, of course. Don't want the guards to come marching through this room."

Lordan accepts the help from Gostoc but knows he cannot trust the gatekeeper that easily, he would need to watch his back as Gostoc knows the route he was taking from the side and could follow him if he wanted to. "Fine. Get that gate open and make sure it stays that way until I sabotage the gate's mechanism. If I find out you betray me in any way, I will lob off the other hand. And then some." Lordan points his sword towards Gostoc's crouch, threatening to cut off a specific part a man needs.

"Of course! Of course! No worries from me. I wish you luck in killing that miserable old bastard." Gostoc assured Lordan that no mischief would come from him, as he had already tried it with the woman warrior and the wizard but failed as they survived his antics. He moves to the entrance that leads to the gate to ensure no one had overheard their conversation. Once he checked that no one had noticed him taking to Lordan he gives a signal to let Lordan leave. "Alright. Off you go! Before someone sees you!"

Lordan leaves through the opening and walks along the path on the side of the castle's wall, carefully avoiding falling down below.

"THE GATE! OPEN THE GATE!"

A shout can be heard from Gostoc as he shouts out to the other gatekeepers to open up the castle's gates. It was then followed by the sound of metal chains pulling a heavy object and the ratting of metal as the castle's gate opens.

With the issue of the gate partially solved, Lordan made his way around the side of the castle while fending off some guard eagles and soon find an opening to the castle. He draws an additional dagger to dual wield with his sword as he sees some guards stationed at the side entrance.

He would need to take them out as quietly and quickly as possible to find the gate's controls while causing some damage to the castle's defenses along the way.

STORMVEIL CASTLE, THE GREAT HALL

Lordan thrusts his entire sword into the chest of his opponent after parrying him with his dagger, lifting him up a little before slamming him down to the ground to kill him.

He looks around the corridor and checks for any more guards around, hoping that no alarm was raised to alert the entire castle. He had been lucky so far to meet little resistance in the guards and knights that gave him a bit of trouble, sticking to the interiors of the castle to keep out of view from the larger force that was standing by outside.

He had been making good progress by sabotaging the gate's system, forcing it to stay open. He had also been luring away men from the main defense force by quietly killing them in hidden and out of the place areas, slowly chipping away at the manpower that defended the castle.

Lordan made his way down a stairway to what appeared to be the castle's kitchen that was merged with a dining hall. He steps into the kitchen and starts hearing two voices speaking to each other.

"That was a risky move, Rogier. It could have taken an arm off if you stayed a moment longer." A female voice speaks to another, a man based on the name she speaks.

The man groans as the woman puts pressure on his wound to stop the bleeding. "Well... At the time, it seemed like the logical option. But now... Yes, I could have been more careful. But we won, so... Big risk got us a big reward." He speaks with regret in his tone, considering options that could have spared him from injuries.

Lordan moves to the nearby wall to take cover. He prepares his katana and prepares himself for a fight against two possible foes. He takes a deep breath and moves out of cover to expose himself to the pair.

He sees the dining hall section of the room stained with blood that most likely came from the creature that resembles the Grafted Eater he first fought, except this one was grafted with all human parts and limbs. The creature lies dead with several of its limbs cut off and its body damaged by slashes and burns.

In front of the creature was the man who was seated and injured with a woman by his side to aid his injuries, they looked bloody and injured from the fight with the grafted creature with the woman more coated in blood than the man.

Lordan stares at the sight of the aftermath of a fight that was between the duo and the creature. He observed their clothing and assumed them to be the woman and wizard that Gostoc spoke of that came in earlier than him.

His presence soon catches the attention of the woman who stands to her feet swiftly and draws two axes to form a battle stance in front of the wizard. Lordan raises his katana in defense and holds up a hand to indicate his neutral intent. "I'm friendly! I'm here to fight Godrick! Just like both of you."

The woman slowly lowers her axes while keeping her guard up to ensure there were no tricks played. She soon holster her axes while Lordan did the same. "Well, who do we have here? Tarnished, are you? Clearly not one of Godrick's lot." She observed Lordan from head to toe and slowly recognized his armor and identified him. "You must be Lordan, I presume."

"Yeah, I am. And you must be Nepheli Loux, right?" Lordan presumes her name and inspects her appearance. She was dressed in the garb of a Badlands Warrior and had tanned skin while her body was built and defined like a fighter but still preserved her feminine features clearly, very clearly. She was a beautiful woman despite her rough and weathered look.

Lordan could not help but look up and down at her appearance due to her attire being very minimal which exposed most of her upper body. His focus shifted to her defined mid-diff and her chest which was well sized, the blood that covered her body helped make them look more appealing.

"Yes, I am. Daughter to Gideon. Foster Daughter. I'm here by decree of my father. To take down Godrick, he said you were coming..." Nepheli stops her words as she observed Lordan staring at her, at two specific areas which men normally look, not that she cared of course. She snaps her finger and clears her throat to catch his attention. "Eyes up here, hungry wolf."

"Huh? I... Uhhhh... Um..." Lordan shakes his head and refocused on Nepheli, looking at her face instead to avoid looking inappropriately. He feels a tightness in his pants and tries to move a little to ease the discomfort. His actions catch the attention of Nepheli who smirks at the display while looking down at his crotch, seeing his standing state again with interest. "Uhhh... Sorry. My bad."

She shakes her head and chuckles at his apology, clearly amused. "It's fine. Most men have the same reaction. None of them pretty like you though." A hint of flirtation was in her voice as she turns around to introduce the wizard. "This is a sorcerer I met along the way. Here for another reason though."

The wizard or sorcerer gets to his feet and offers a hand to Lordan. "Ah, nice to meet you. The pleasure's mine. Rogier's the name. A sorcerer, as she said."

Lordan shakes the hand and offers his name as well. "Lordan, a mercenary by trade." He lets go and moves to inspect the body of the Grafted creature that was killed by the both of them. He sees the body that was grotesquely mixed with many human bodies and limbs, with the head of a child that served as its main head. "What the fuck is this thing?"

"Ah. Yes. This... thing found us while we traveled along the castle." Nepheli explains while stretching her arms to ease some soreness from the swinging of her axes. "Gave us some trouble and almost torn off Rogier's arm. A bit of a bother, to be honest." She speaks of the creature with an annoyed tone as it got in their way and wasted some time to kill it.

Roger moves to Lordan's side to explain the creature they just killed. "It's a Grafted Scion. A grotesque mass of grafted bodies made by the grafters under Godrick's service. Most of them were prisoners, smallfolk, and other tarnished captured and reused to make... These things." He finished his explanations with a disturbed tone, uncomfortable with the usage of grafting to create such monsters. It was a form of magic that many outlawed and condemned in the lands.

Lordan inspects the Scion closer, observing all the parts and bodies that were used to create the creature. Disgust and anger filled him as he observed the bodies and limbs of children being used as part of the grafting result. There were many lines that one, even mercenaries should not cross in the wars they fought.

Children were the absolute line that he would not tolerate. That many do not tolerate.

"Son of bitch..." He makes his anger known to both of them, who shared similar sentiments to the Lord of Stormveil. "Godrick did this? Fucker..."

"Yes. How utterly repellant this is..." Nepheli nods at his assumption. "This "grafting" of Godrick's ill befits a Lord, especially one with Godfrey's blood. He's tainted the very winds."

"It's more than that, he committed a blasphemous act. The usage of the dead for such acts of magic is a sin. The Golden Order would not tolerate this." Rogier explains the act further. "Lord Godrick would have been brought to justice if the Golden Order were still in power. Or perhaps the Abyss Walkers would have hunted him." He mentioned the group of warriors who delivered retribution to those who defiled the dead, warriors who followed Radegan's visage and fighting style as they believed him the second coming of Artorias.

"Lord Godrick? He is no lord. He is a bastard who deserves death, nothing more." Nepheli spits upon the mentioning of Godrick's name, resentful against his acts against the weak. She herself was a victim of such acts when she was an infant so many years ago. Any event that reminds her of the day created great anger in her.

"Agreed, which is why I'm here." Lordan gets to his feet and fills himself with resolve to avenge the victims of Godrick. "There's an army outside to raid the castle, once the defenses are weakened. They will take the castle, and I will take his head." Lordan looks to the pair, thinking that they may be of help in the planned siege. "Don't suppose you guys one to pitch in? Could use a few warriors by my side."

Nepheli shrugs and prepares to offer her help. "If you intend to challenge Godrick, I ask you take me with you. The winds run could with his deeds. I'm certain father would permit me to aid the fight, especially with you." She then looks to Rogier, who is here for a different purpose. "What about you sorcerer? You joining in?"

Rogier shakes his head and reluctantly rejected the call to help. "I can't, I'm afraid. I'm looking for a little something, here in the castle. When I'm not hot-footing it from the troops, that is. I have been told it's in the lower sections of the castle. So... I'm not exactly going the same way. Sorry." He looks to Lordan and feels some magical energy emitting from him. " Still, I'm privy to a few magical battle arts, Lordan. Would you care to learn what I know? As a fellow Tarnished, once guided by grace, I'd love to still help you out, if it please."

Lordan nods as he could use more spells to earn an advantage in battle, he was also interested in incantations which will be his next skill to start using once he became comfortable with spells.

Rogier shares his knowledge for at least an hour while Nepheli looks around to ensure they would not be interrupted. The pair finished their session and Lordan starts telling his plan to Nepheli while Rogier listens on the side. "Alright, the plan is simple. We gonna make as much noise as possible to draw men away from the main route that's from the gate to the throne room. Once the army comes in, they will start the raid on all interiors of the castle, taking over it eventually. Letting us take on Godrick without resistance."

Nepheli thinks about the plan with a hand on her chin. "Yes... Could work. There are a few places where we could do some damage to attract their attention. We should do it at multiple places at once, forcing them to spread out thin." The idea of splitting up was brought up, an idea Lordan was hesitant to do but was sure Nepheli could take care of herself.

"I also have a few places in mind for an act of sabotage." Rogier comes in to add his support despite not being in the plan. "I could, perhaps, sabotage them along the way? Allowing the two of you to cover more ground. The castle is a big place."

Lordan nods and prepares to move out. "Alright, then. We got our roles to play and places to be. We move in and hit hard, without being cornered of course." It was a risk for each of them to carry out the actions alone, as any one of them could be surrounded on short notice should the guards converge on a single location.

"Right. Once we are done, we should regroup somewhere safe." Nepheli thinks of a spot that she and Rogier passed earlier. "There is a chapel in the inner grounds, the roof of the building will be safe from prying eyes and give us a view high up."

With their plan made and routes chosen, the three Tarnished went their separate ways to sabotage the castle for the coming siege. Lordan takes a path to what he believes to be the armory, which he plans to resupply some items and set it on fire to create a distraction.

After a few hours and locations that Lordan sabotaged, the castle was in complete chaos from the many alarms that were raised in multiple locations. The castle's guards and men scramble between finding the intruders within their walls and putting out the multiple fires that were started at key locations such as the armory, stables, and barracks.

Lordan scales the chapel by jumping down the side of the castle's battlements, landing on the roof safely. He looks around to ensure no one was in pursuit of him like earlier, when he was almost cornered by a patrol of knights looking for the intruders out of the castle.

He looks down from the roof while keeping hidden in a prone position, observing the soldiers scramble in different directions while leaving their defensive positions to the throne room. The plan was working to a certain extent, but still not enough to ease the burden of the coming army.

A little more ought to do it. But where should I hit?

He continued to watch the commotion from above and soon hears an impact on the roof that was behind him, causing him to draw his katana out of the instinct of an attacker. He eases himself upon seeing it to be Nepheli, covered in more blood and some ash that was probably from being near the fires she started. She settled near him in a lying position and lets out a breath of relief.

"You good?" Lordan inquiries while seeing her breath loudly from fatigue. Nepheli takes a few moments and takes out her blue flask to sip and recover her focus.

Nepheli turns on her front to adopt the same prone position as Lordan beside him. "Yes. A few knights gave me chase. Had to cut them down and run due to larger group behind them." She looks down below as well to see the activities of the castle's guards. "Looks like we have kicked the hornet's nest. Everyone is up in arms now, looking for us."

Lordan nods in agreement while thinking of their next course of action. Their sabotages have been creating the effect he wanted but were still not enough to lower the overall defenses that will threaten the army's success to take the castle. "We did good, but not enough. There's still a whole bunch of them manning those ballistas and firespewers. If the army marches through here, more than half are gonna be ganked."

Nepheli then pats Lordan to get him to look in another direction. "Don't worry. Rogier got something big. Any minute now."

"Well, whatever it is, it better be-" His sentence was cut off after an explosion goes off in the distance, shaking the entire castle grounds. The explosion came from the basement of the castle and smoke can be seen coming from the direction the duo faced.

"Big... Enough." The sight left Lordan speechless as the majority castle's forces begin running in the direction of the explosion, all of them shouting words of panic and urgency. "What the hells was that?!"

"Black power storage, beneath the castle. Fools stored them all in one place. Rogier had the idea to blow it up to create a distraction for our exit." Nepheli smirks at the display of chaos, her theory of the black power cache being important to the castle was proven right due to the amount of men who rush to the scene, abandoning their pose to help negate the damage caused by the explosion.

The both of them look on for several more moments as the defensive positions of the soldiers soon became more vacant, leaving the route from the main gate to the throne room of the castle lightly guarded with lesser manpower. It was now time to enact the plan with the signal.

Lordan takes out the warhorn given by Kenneth and they move slowly to a higher position on the chapel's roof while staying at an angle to avoid being seen from by those below. He takes a standing position and looks around once more to ensure no one was looking at him. "Well... Here goes. You ready?" He asks Nepheli once more to prepare her for the execution of the plan.

"Yeah, let's do it. It's about time this castle falls."

With her approval, Lordan raises the horn upwards and takes a deep breath to prepare himself for a huge blow into the horn. He places his mouth on the mouthpiece and lets out all his breath within two blows.

VMOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

VMOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

The horn echos loudly twice in the air to cover the entire castle and some distance outside, causing some of the soldiers to look up at the source despite not seeing Lordan. Silence fall around the castle for a time as all of Godrick's forces turned their attention to the direction of the main gate which was left wide open with few guards on station.

Lordan and Nepheli stayed low and move away from the chapel's roof to jump to the battlements to get a view of the main from above. Sounds of galloping can be heard coming towards the castle while shouts from the soldiers below echo with instructions to return to their positions for a siege.

Both of them view from a distance as cavalry comprising of hundred of Kenneth's forces and Kaiden Mercenaries rush out of the tunnel at full speed on their horses. They rushed into the castle like an endless stream of horses for a few minutes that was followed by the sounds of swords clashing and men screaming from pain and fury. Once the cavalry had all entered the castle more forces emerged from the tunnel in the form of infantry, foot soldiers, and any other fighters on foot. All of them shout their warcries as they enter the castle to join the fray.

Lordan and Nepheli watch from above as a battle between Godrick's forces and the army that came to usurp him wages below. The cavalry advanced swiftly throughout the outdoor grounds of the castle, taking out anyone and running through them with ease. The remaining infantry from both sides clashed brutally, no quarter or mercy was to be given. Godrick's forces all advanced in the direction of the main gate to battle the invaders and attempt to return to their defensive equipment.

Nepheli looks on as adrenaline builds up within her from the sight of the battle, it had been a long time since she took part in the siege of a fortress. "Right. I going down there." She gets her axes ready and gave them a twirl each.

"What? Why? We are here for Godrick." Lordan asked with a disapproving tone on the idea, not wanting to waste time on the battle due to the great rune he wants to claim from the demi-god.

Nepheli scoffed at his question. "And miss out on this? Nope. Godrick can wait and hide while we take out the fodder. Nothing more suitable for practice, fun, and runes than a group of ill-trained soldiers."

"Fun? You think sieges are fun?"

"Of course they are. Nothing more satisfying than a battle to win and the spoils that come along with it." Nepheli thinks about what the castle has to offer once the battle was won. Her thoughts were on a place she could enjoy rather than an item or loot to plunder. "I heard Godrick's got a personal bathhouse with a huge pool of heated water in his main building. I might take a dip in it once we're done with the man. Don't suppose you are interested in joining me? We could let off some steam and... Then some." She makes a suggestive proposal to Lordan and he reddens underneath his helmet as he understands the meaning of her words.

"Uhhh... No thanks. I'm... Clean enough."

"Pity. We could have had some fun." She notices Lordan's hesitation to join the battle and teases him with a flirt. "Come on wolf. Show a lady a good time, would you?"

Lordan laughs shortly at the tease and returns the favor. "Oh? I didn't realize I was talking to a lady. That explains your good looks." He replies with a playful flirt as well, making Nepheli blush a little despite her rough demeanor.

"I will take that as a compliment. Don't tell Melina though." She teases him back on his obvious signs of affection for his maiden, issuing a wink as well to further reinforce it. "Alright. Let's go kill someone who deserves it."

They both make their way down the battlements and move to join the battle in the courtyard. Once reaching the first level, they prepared themselves and look for an opening to enter the battle.

With an opening found, the duo makes their presence known and start cutting down some of the castle's defenders by flanking them as they join the chaos of battle.

STORMVEIL CASTLE, SECLUDED CELL

"Be proud. You were a fine warrior. Your only mistake was your choice of master. Let the winds lift you, to a higher place." Nepheli speaks a silent prayer for the knight captain that she had just killed, a fine warrior who showed honor by ensuring the smallfolk that his lord imprisoned were freed when the invasion started.

Lordan waves his katana to swing off all the blood that was currently stained on it. He inspects the blade once more and used the clothed part of his sleeve to clean the remaining blood residue before keeping the katana.

He turns around to touch the grace that was in the cell they currently resided in, feeling his body heal and recover focus from its warmth. He looks to Nepheli to see her still kneeling on a leg beside the fallen knight. "We can bury him later. Right now, we gonna move. The battle is not won yet." He offers her a hand to stand on her feet, which she grabbed and pull herself up swiftly.

"You are right. I'm being distracted." She closed her eyes and sighed, a slight regret filled her for killing the captain. She shakes her head to refocus on the task at hand. "We are close now. Prepare yourself, Lordan. Godrick's known to be the weakest Demi-god to still exist. But he is still a Demi-god, still a being of great power in possession of a rune."

Lordan shrugs at her words while he prepares his equipment for their fight. "Well. If he breaths, demi-god or not, he can be killed." He settles for his katana, curved greatsword, a medium shield and sword combination, and his staff for spells that Sellen and Rogier taught him.

The duo make their way through the cells towards the throne room where Godrick is supposed to reside, fighting can still be heard from outside as the last of Godrick's forces slowly diminished in numbers from the overwhelming invasion.

Upon approaching the corridor to the throne room, a group of Kaiden Mercenaries was seen looting the bodies of several soldiers that they killed. The group gets to their feet and gets into defensive stances which Lordan and Nepheil follow suit.

"Ты с Годриком? или против него?" One of the mercs speak a foreign language towards the pair with a rough accent which was directed toward Nepheil who was standing in front.

"Excuse me?" She replied to the group with confusion about their words but was interrupted when Lordan steps forward slowly to approach the group.

"Против. и казна там, если вам нужна ваша оплата." Lordan replied to them with the same language, causing the group to lower their weapons slightly and look in the direction that Lordan gestured.

"А. Спасибо друг. Удачи Господу, волк." The group nods toward Lordan as thanks as they move off to their intended location. "Идем! Давай возьмем акции, которыми он владел!"

Nepheil looks on with wonder and amazement at Lordan's handling of the situation, unaware that he was able to speak the same tongue as the northern mercenaries. "Not bad, Lordan. Didn't know you could speak like them."

Lordan shrugs as he explains the mercenaries' intentions. "They are Kaiden Mercs from the far northeast of the known world. Most of them speak Rus as their main language. They were looking for their payment." He smirks a bit from a memory of one of his travels with Vargram. "Me and my master traveled to their lands once. The Russos make the best alcohol ever. Vodka, they called it." A part of Lordan misses the burning taste of the drink that was mixed with hardened snow in a small cup that one downs in a single gulp.

They make their way to the exit of the castle grounds that lead to the throne room, the two of them draw their weapons as they move out to the open, with Nepheil and her axes, and Lordan with his sword and shield combination.

The path to the throne room was a garden littered with gravestones of all the former nobles that once ruled the castle. In the middle of this path lies the body of a dead dragon, impaled to a pillar and rotting away with maggots and flies hovering over it. It was being kept there as a figure of worship for the current lord of the castle.

In front of the dragon's body was a giant and grotesque being that moves closer to its corpse, he wears a cloak with the castle's banner and had white pale skin and hair. He was a sickly old man that was grafted with the bodies, limbs, and parts of the warriors and Tarnished that were captured for the purpose of grafting.

"Mighty Dragon, thou'rt a trueborn heir." The grafted man speaks to the body while caressing the face of the dragon. "Lend me thy strength, o kindred. Deliver me unto greater heights." He speaks with a delusional voice as he prays to the dragon for strength to be granted.

The man turns towards Lordan and Nepheil with little concern, as if not caring for their presence. He turns his entire body and holds two greataxes with his attached arms that were stronger than a normal person due to them being mixed with the arms of the strongest warriors the grafters could find.

"...Well. A lowly Tarnished, woman... And a stray wolf... playing as lords."

Lordan and Nepheil take their battle stances to prepare for their battle against their first demi-god, a battle that both of them had both dreaded and awaited for when they were branded Tarnished. "Do we look like we are playing? We came for your head, Godrick. You old and sad sadistic fuck." Lordan taunted and raises his shield and sword.

"Aye. Thee cameth to die and beest damn'd. For thou art both unworthy of the mantle. Both art but pests to be crushed." Godrick moves his cloak back to reveal more grafted arms that take the great axes and point them downwards.

He takes the axes and slams them to the ground which creates debris and shakes the ground. "I command thee, KNEEL! I am the lord of all that is golden!" He raises his great axes and begins to move towards them with killing intent. "Lowly Tarnished! Both of thee! Thou'rt unfit even to graft! Thee shall beest meat for the dogs, and the wild bitch mine own slave for pleasure!"

Lordan and Nepheil charge Godrick and begin their fight against the bastard demi-god. To claim the great rune, at long last.

Godrick the Grafted

Godrick takes a leap forward as they advanced to slam the ground in the middle of the both of them with his great axes, creating a strong impact that stops the duo dead in their tracks. He then swings his greataxes towards Lordan who blocks with his shield, staggering from each hit due to Godrick's inhuman strength from grafting.

Nepheli goes low and delivers attacks swiftly with her axes to Godrick's lower body, darkened blood spills from each wound as the grafted body of Godrick protects his real one through the body armor created by the flesh. Godrick turns around with a swing that knocks her back but Nepheli managed to stay balanced from the attack.

Lordan goes in for his own assault as Godrick was turned away from him. He delivers slashes and stabs with his longsword to little effect as the grafted body was effective at protecting Godrick from actual harm. He tries to angle his attacks towards Godrick's head but was deterred as Godrick once again refocused his attention towards him, swinging his greataxes wildly to throw Lordan off balanced.

Lordan guard breaks from the constant assault and was left open. Nepheli then interrupted Godrick from furthering his attacks by carving into his arms that held his greataxes, allowing Lordan to recover and join her in a two way attack.

Godrick fends them off for a few moments and swings his greataxes in a circular motion to create a heavy gust of wind that staggered both of his opponents. He then rolls away in a heavy and clumsy motion to create distance between his opponents, following up by hurling two wind attacks that came from his greataxes.

The attacks knock Lordan and Nepheli to the ground as it was difficult to dodge in time. The two of them get to their feet and sip on their flasks before charging the demi-god again.

Godrick sees the pair coming in fast and points his greataxes downwards, the golden axe glows a faint of gold at its top. "KNEEL! KNEELLLLLLLL!!!" He shouts out his wordS and slams the tip of the greataxe to the ground.

The slam creates a small earthquake that stops the both of them as they tried to stay balanced. A second slam was delivered and another earthquake created kicks up dust and debris which hurt Lordan and Nepheli as they felt the painful force of the slams emit through the ground. Godrick delivers a third slam that erupted the floor around them and sends them up in the air for a few moments before landing hard.

They struggle to get on their feet, prompting Godrick to move toward Nepheil. He strikes his greataxes downwards to where she was but Nepheil dodges back in time to avoid it. Godrick starts his wild strikes against the warrior as she moves back while deflecting the strikes with her dual axes, tiring from each impact as his strength of Godrick was overwhelming.

Lordan gets to his feet and sees the attack on his partner, he switches to his katana and staff. Using the spells Rogier taught, Lordan summoned a magic greatsword with the staff and swings it down to the back of Godrick. The demi-god grunts in pain from the slash as it strikes a weak point of his actual body.

He just winched in pain... He has a weak spot!

His thoughts were interrupted as Godrick delivers a sweeping strike that knocks both Lordan and Nepheil down at his front and back. Godrick then proceeds to attack Lordan where he was lying with a downwards strike.

Lordan blocks the attack by raising his weapons to stop the greataxes before it lands, stopping just before the axes carved his head in. He pushes up with all his might and manages to push Godrick's axes off and get to his feet. The clash between the two continued as Lordan deflects attacks with his katana while casting glintstones at multiple points of Godrick's body to figure out his weak spot.

One of the glintstones strikes Godrick on a point near his body and he cries out softly in pain and annoyance. Lordan could see the faint outline of a smaller body within the grafted mass of bodies that indicates that he had just struck a spot on Godrick's real body.

"ARGH! How dareth thee striketh a god! Thou shal-" Godrick's words were interrupted as Nepheil jumped on his back and strikes down on his shoulder. He cries out more as she struck his actual body at another spot. Godrick then grabs Nepheil and throws her towards Lordan, he catches her and falls back from the impact of her landing on him.

Godrick summons another wind attack to push them away from him as he rolls back to recover from the damage. Distance was created between them as Godrick approaches them to renew his assault.

Both Lordan and Nepheil sip on their flask a few times to recover from the fight as Lordan seeks to tell Nepheil his discovery. "Nepheil! We gonna strike his real body! it's on the front, the outline near his head!"

Nepheil sees the outline of the body Lordan spoke of and nods at his assessment. "Right! We attack him from two sides! Go in fast and pull out when he attacks anyone of us! Then we swap!" Nepheil shouts her warcry and taunts Godrick to get his attention while running toward him. "FALL TO ME! YOU INCESTUOUS BORN BASTARD! COME ON!"

The taunt manages to rile up Godrick as he leaps up in the air towards Nepheil, slamming down his greataxes upon landing but misses her as she dodges in time. Godrick unleashes a furry of strikes that swing wildly to try and strike Nepheil as she backsteps with great pace.

Lordan runs to the flank of Godrick and prepares his curved greatsword to replace his katana. He casts a few glintstones towards Godrick to get him to turn around for his next attack, a backflip upper slash using the bloodhound's ability. The attack slices upwards to another point where Godrick's real body was attached to hurt him further.

Godrick winches back from the attack as Nepheil rush him in front to deliver more blows to his real body, she follows up with a lighting attack from her axes that stunned and hurt Godrick. Nepheil dodges to the side as Lordan dashes in for a downwards slash with his curved greatsword that creates another wound near his real body.

Lordan retreats by casting his magic slicer sword to fend off Godrick as he backsteps, joining Nepheil's side. He sips on his blue flask and continues with Nepheil on their plan. The duo attacks Godrick again, getting in hits on his real body by taking turns to dodge and attack to throw off the demi-god's focus.

Godrick was now getting overwhelmed by the duo and slammed his greataxes to the ground to create earthquakes again, forcing Lordan and Nepheil to retreat by jumping back before the ground erupts like last time. He retreats by rolling and delivers wind attacks to push them away from him.

Godrick breathed heavily as he had sustained damage from the attacks, inspecting his left arm. It had been damaged from the fight and was no longer usable. Godrick screams with fury and brings down his greataxes to carve the grafted hand, blood spills from the wound as cries out in pain to rip the hand off and throws it towards Lordan.

Lordan dodges the thrown arm and looks on with disgust alongside Nepheil as they watched Godrick perform self-harm to himself. "What. The. Fuck."

Godrick raises his now severed arm to the sky and looks at the dragon's body in desperation. He approaches the dragon and says a few words to the body. "Ahh, truest of dragons. Lend me thy strength..."

"Nnngh!" He rams the stump of his severed hand into the dragon's neck and cries out as the grafting process of his body begins to bind the entire head of the dragon to his left arm.

Lordan and Nepheil look on as Godrick rips the entire head of the dragon from its neck, it was now a part of his arm. The head starts twitching and moving on its own as it was being reanimated by the grafting magic that Godrick.

"Is he going to-" Nepheil asks as realization dawns on her on what Godrick was doing. "This is bad. VERY BAD."

"Ah, Fuck." Lordan remarks as his mindset were the same as hers, they were in trouble.

The dragon's head fully comes to life and spews out fire from its mouth. Godrick raises his new dragon arm and it breathes fire to the sky, renewing his strength to continue the fight.

"FOREFATHERS, ONE AND ALL! BEAR WITNESS!"

Godrick, The Lord Of Tainted Gold

Godrick brings down his dragon arm and points it to the both of them and it spews a column of fire towards them. Lordan dashes towards Nepheil to tackle her down to avoid the incoming fire. They get to their feet after Godrick ceases the flames and starts moving toward them.

"Now what?!" Lordan shouts to talk as the noise from the dragon's head creates noise that deafens their hearing.

"Stick to the plan! But avoid the head! We are almost there!" Nepheil gets to her feet and Lordan follows along to renew their assault.

They reach Godrick and try to deliver attacks to his real body but was deterred by his new arm, the dragon head was far more swift and dangerous compared to his greataxes. The both of them were forced to dodge constantly as the head swiped and attempts to bite them as they move near, it was far too fast for them to avoid and attack at the same time.

Damn it! The arm needs to go! Or we are FUCKED!

Lordan tries to attack the dragon head directly but was knocked down hard by a swipe delivered by Godrick. Godrick then refocused his attention on Nepheil with a combination of swipes with his greataxes and dragon arm.

Nepheil dodges and deflects all of the attacks she could handle before her stamina runs out, causing her to stagger. She was then knocked to the ground by a thrust from Godrick's greataxe, he follows up with a slam downwards which she avoids just before it lands.

Lordan gets to his feet after some time and sees Godrick prepare his dragon arm for an attack. He rushes to his feet and charges toward Nepheil, intending to help her avoid the attack.

"NEPHEIL! MOVE!"

He pushes her out of the way of Godrick's attack and was caught in the jaws of the dragon arm. Fire starts spewing from the head while Lordan was in its grip, he screams in pain as Godrick burns him in his grip.

Lordan tries to free himself but was too late as Godrick slams him down and uses his dragon head to begin incinerating him. He screams out as the fires start killing him by burning him alive.

"Lordan?! LORDAN!" Nepheil looks on helplessly as his body burns in the jaws of the dragon's head, while Godrick laughs at his victory.

"Great Godfrey! Did'st thou witness?!"

DEATH

"ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! HUGHHHHHHH?! FUCKKKKKKKK!!! AHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Lordan shouts out as he awakens at the grace located in the cells, the grace he touched earlier to recover. He clutches and pats his body as if he was still on fire, remembering the feeling of burning alive just moments ago.

Nepheli looks on as Lordan was in a panicked state at the grace and breathed hard with uneven breaths while tossing around on the floor. She rushed to his side, fully aware of what just happened in his point of view. "Lordan? Lordan! Calm down. Breath, just breath, nice and slow." She holds him still to stop his panic.

Lordan counts within his head as a way to relax himself, taking a few moments to calm down while laying on his back. "I... Shit. That was fucked up..." He gets up to his feet with Nepheli's help and looks down at himself to once more confirmed that he is not currently on fire.

Nepheli gives him time before asking about what he just experienced. "How bad was it? We both die?"

Lordan pats himself a few more times out of instinct and answers her question. "Just me. I... Got burned alive."

"Burned alive? Godrick used fire magic?"

Lordan shakes his head at her guess. "No, he used a dragon head as his arm."

"A dragon head... For an arm." Nepheli thinks about the information Lordan provided. "Then we take out the head first. Anything else I need to know? Any weaknesses?"

Lordan nods at her assessment. "Yeah. His real body can be seen in an outline, it's grafted to a mass of bodies. We can hurt him badly if we attack it instead of his grafted flesh, it will save us time too."

"I see..." Nepheli takes note of the newfound information and has it idea in her head. "I have a plan then. We can discuss it on the way. Or do you need a break first, Lordan?" She suggested as she was currently worried about his mental state of mind.

Lordan shakes his head and moves to leave the cell. "No. I wanna kill him. NOW." He speaks with anger about the fact that Godrick had constantly used Nepheli as bait in the fight, a cowardly move to throw him off. He reaches for his enchanted bag and takes out his one-handed hand ballista and keeps it in his weapon bag, intending to use it later against Godrick.

Nepheli wanted to speak out to make him take a break before their battle against Godrick but decided against it as she knows that he was currently too angry to listen. She follows Lordan as they made their way to the throne room, again from Lordan's point of view.

Godrick raises his now severed arm to the sky and looks at the dragon's body in desperation. He approaches the dragon and says a few words to the body. "Ahh, truest of dragons. Lend me thy strength..."

Lordan looks at the sight and instantly takes out his hand ballista, loading it with explosive bolts. He aimed it towards the head of the dragon carcass and fires out a bolt straight to the jaw of the dragon head.

Godrick looks on as the bolt lands on the jaw of the dragon's head. "What-" An explosion goes off in front of him, causing Godrick to stagger back while blocking his view of the bright explosion. "NO! NO STOP-" Another bolt fires straight into the neck of the dragon, causing another explosion that separates the dragon's head from its body.

Godrick sees what remains of the head that he was going to use, it was now mutilated to the point of no return with its jaw and brain blown off. Lordan's attack on the head had rendered it completely unusable for the grafting process.

Nepheli grins at the side of Lordan as she sees their discussed plan playing out in their flavor. "Nice shot, wolf. Now he's just another grafted monster to kill."

"And with one hand." Lordan felt proud of their plan as they had tricked Godrick into severing his hand for nothing. They had used the lord's desperation to win against him. "Now, the rest is up to you Nepheli. I will get his attention." Lordan keeps his remaining weapons and switches to his curved greatsword for the next part of their plan, the bloodhound's ability was an important part of it.

Both of them charged toward Godrick at different sides to execute their strategy, each taking a different side to give him a harder time. Godrick snaps out of his shocked state and refocused on his intention to kill them with only his greataxes in one hand. "NAY MATTER! GODFREY GRANT ME STRENGTH!"

Godrick swings his greataxes as Lordan runs towards him, the attack phrases through Lordan as he used the bloodhound's ability to dash through the attacks. He swings his greataxes wildly in all directions he could at any gace of Lordan's form, trying to get a hit on the man who dashes through all his attacks.

"BE STILL! I COMMAND THEE TO" His words were interrupted as slashes from Nepheli's axes hurt his real body. She quickly dodges away before Godrick could react as Lordan delivers attacks while dashing to keep the focus on him, allowing Nepheli to come in to attack and pull out when Lordan takes over.

Godrick tries his best to ignore the constant attacks and refocus his attention to Nepheli, knowing that Lordan would jump in the way to save her from harm. "Come here, you little bitch! When I tear those rags off, I'm going to fuck you se-" His words stops mid-way as Lordan performs a backflip slash upwards to hurt him gravely.

"DON'T. BE. RUDE!" Lordan spits out while dashing in between his attacks and issuing his own. The both of them continue back and forth on Godrick as he slowly becomes weakened, the pain from their attacks were slowly building up as his real body was the constant target for these attacks.

In an act of desperation, Godrick slams his greataxes down to create an earthquake that staggers both of them, allowing him to roll away. He raises his greataxes and charges straight to Lordan to deliver his best killing blow. "NOW! THEE DIES!"

Nepheli rushes to Lordan's side and braces for the attack, both adopting a battle stance with their weapons raised. Lordan looks to Nepheli as she nods, their final play was coming.

Godrick brings down his greataxes while two of them swing theirs with all their might.

CLANG!

Both Lordan and Nepheli deliver a deflecting blow to the greataxes of Godrick at the same time as he swings it down, staggering him so hard with the combined force as he lets go of his greataxes and steps back to maintain his balance. The greataxes fly backwards and stick into the walls behind him, too high up for him to retrieve.

"HOW DARE THEE! BOTH OF YOU! I AM THE LORD OF ALL THAT IS GOL-"

Lordan shouts in rage and runs at full speed, tossing his curved greatsword aside. He reaches Godrick and delivers an uppercut to his face to knock him back before jumping up to climb on his back. Lordan then grips Godrick by the head and starts pulling upwards with all his might.

"WHAT?! NO! GET OFF ME! GET OFF!" Godrick moves around in erratic motions as he attempts to shake Lordan off, his grafted arm was not able to reach his back as Lordan angles himself to avoid being grabbed.

Nepheli runs to Godrick's front and begins carving into the outlines of the grafted body, an outline that indicates the true shape of Godrick's body that controls the grafted one. Godrick attempts to fend them off and move away but could not as Nepheli constantly slashes his legs to limit his movement.

Their plan was now in motion, to rip Godrick from his grafted body. A process that will effectively kill him.

"NO! STOP! YOU CANNOT DO THIS TO ME! I AM A DEMI-GOD!"

The sounds of flesh ripping can be heard as Lordan pulls up harder, with Nepheli slowly carving away at Godrick's body. Blood begins to spill violently from the ripping, staining both Lordan and Nepheli.

"NO! NO! STOP IT! STOP IT! STOP ITTTTTTT!!!"

Godrick falls to the ground as his grafted body begins to lose control due to him currently being ripped apart from it. He struggles all he can in Lordan's grip to no avail. More ripping sounds were heard as his end draws near.

"I WILL GIVE YOU ANYTHING! PLEASE! PLEASE! MERCY!"

He screams in pain as he slowly starts separating from the grafted body, blood from both him and the grafted body spills out more as Lordan continues to rip him out.

"NOOOOOOO!!! PLEASE! NOOOOOOO!!!"

The ripping sounds becomes more violent as Lordan was almost done with his execution. He grips on harder and prepares one final pull with a warcry.

" GODFREY! HELP MEEEEEEEEEE! "

With one more hard pull, Lordan rips Godrick's original body out of the grafted one fully, blood splatters more on both him and Nepheli after the final pull. He jumps off the grafted body as it falls to the ground, now nothing but a fleshly husk.

"Mercy? No. YOU GET YOU FUCKING DESERVE!"

Lordan throws what remains of Godrick to the ground. He lands violently and lies on his front. Unable to move due to his missing arms and leg from his grafting acts.

Lordan and Nepheli stand side by side as they wait for a few moments to look at the defeated lord, wondering if he had any more tricks.

"...I am Lord of all that is Golden.... ...And one day, we'll return together... ...To our home, bathed in rays of gold..."

The both of them stand victorious as Godrick was now completely defeated.

Lordan had now completed his first step to the Elden Ring. The first labour of his quest.

He had killed a Demi-god.

LEGEND FELLED

ᛏᚺᛖ ᛒᚨᛊᛏᚨᚱᛞ ᚷᛟᛞ

Countless runes start rising from the grafted body of Godrick and fly towards Lordan, giving him the strength that Godrick stole from the bodies of those that he grafted. Lordan takes a moment to feel the rush of runes enter his body, it was the largest amount of runes that he had ever gained from a single enemy.

Nepheli lets out a sigh of relief and starts wiping herself with her hands to clear the blood that stained her body and clothes, with her face first to clear her vision. "Yup. Definitely using his bathhouse..." She makes a remark on what she told Lordan earlier about the spoils she would enjoy.

The both of them walk towards where Godrick lies, he was still alive but on the verge of death. They surrounded him as they figure out the best way to deal with him.

"You... The both of you... Please... Spare... Me..." He begs in desperation, using his face to very slowly moving himself forward.

His begging earns him a kick in his torso from Nepheli. "Spare you? Like how you spared the children? The women? The warriors whom you captured?" More kicks come his way as Nepheli was frustrated by his request. "What happened to you is NOTHING compared to the horrors you brought upon your own people."

"Please... I am... Lord... I cannot... I don't want... To die..." Lordan stops Nepheli from her kicking, intending to end Godrick once and for all, in the quickest and most painful way possible.

"No. You are no lord. You weren't a Demi-god. You aren't even a man." Lordan steps closer to Godrick, flipping him on his back. "You are a rat. Running away while putting everything and everyone between you and danger to save yourself."

Lordan raises his foot and stamps down on Godrick's throat, Godrick coughs out blood from the impact. "But do you know what's the most pathetic part about what I just said?" He rubs his feet against his throat to inflict more pain on Godrick, intending to make his last moments the worst of his life.

"Rats... Were far more fucking troublesome than you."

Lordan shifted his body weight forward and puts pressure on Godrick's throat, choking him to death. He weakly struggles in the chokehold and slowly starts to lose his will to live, the image of Lordan stamping down on his throat was the last thing he sees before his vision starts fading into darkness.

Godrick died as he lived, weak and miserable.

Lordan delivers a final stamp to the throat, a crack can be heard as Lordan dislocated his neck to ensure his death. "You reap what you sow..." He steps back from the corpse of Godrick as a ring of light starts to emerge from his torso.

Lordan stares with wonder as the rings of light fully form itself and floated in front of him, it forms a giant circle with smaller ones within it. An instinct within makes him reach out to the base of the ring, it resonates to his hand's proximity.

Lordan then closes his fist sharply and the ring impoles in from the action, golden dust from the ring flows into his body as he experienced a power that he never felt before, the power that not even the runes he turned into strength could feel.

Power beyond mortal imagination.

SHARD ABSORBED

ᚷᛟᛞᚹᛁᚾ ᚷᛟᛚᛞᛖᚾ ᚺᚨᛚᚢᛖᛞ ᚱᚢᚾᛖ

Lordan falls to his knee as the great rune enters his body, a presence was felt within his mind as the great power that he just received almost overwhelmed him. Nepheli rushed to his side and supported him as he falls back to the ground.

"Lordan. Are you... How do feel?" She asked him as he sweats for the event that just happened, his breaths heavy and his eyes blank. She started to worry as she did not understand the effects of absorbing a great rune. "Lordan, come on. Talk to me."

Lordan clutches his head in pain as voices could be heard from within his mind, voices that he does not recognise. A unique voice among the rest can be heard that sounded demonic, talking to him directly as if it was aware of his presence.

TAKE THE RUNES.

MY EMPYREAN.

TAKE THEM ALL.

FROM YOUR KINDRED.

TEAR THE HEAVENS...

ASUNDER.

ASUNDER.

ASUNDER.

He grips his head tight and closes his eyes hard as the voice loops the same word over and over. It goes on for awhile and slowly fades to nothing. An image of a great black wolf with red eyes formed in his head, it looms behind a man dressed in clad black jagged armor wearing a wolf-shaped helmet with a giant sword on his back. It was an image Lordan sworn his could have seen before but did not know where or when he did.

The voices and images fade, with Nepheli's voice becoming clear again. She had been calling him for some time with no response. "LORDAN! LORDAN! SNAP OUT OF IT!" She shakes him for a while as he slowly becomes aware again.

Lordan shakes his head and fully regains himself, getting to his feet and removing his helmet to receive more fresh air. He looks to Nepheli who stared at him with great worry.

"I... I'm fine. I'm fine." He takes a moment to get his bearings in order. He performs his breathing exercises again and slowly but surely becomes normal again.

Nepheil sighs and lets him go. "I hope so. You have been muttering to yourself on the floor for almost ten minutes."

"Ten... Minutes? What...?" The amount of time that Nepheli mentioned scares him, it had only been a few seconds in his perspective. "What... What did I say?"

"The same thing again and again. Empyrean."

Empyrean? What's that? The news of him using the word left him confused, it was a word he never heard or known of before this incident. "Well, I guess we should-"

"HAHAHAHA! WELL DONE, FRIEND! BOTH OF YOU, WELL DONE!" He was interrupted as Gostoc appeared from the entrance and cheered at the sight of Godrick's dead body. He moves to it and gives it a few kicks out of spite and anger. "Take it! Take it all! Not so high and mighty now are you?!"

"What a pathetic excuse for a Lord you were. Craven to the bone. Pushing me about like that. And after all that grafting? Where did that get you? Look down on me, would you? Godrick? You filthy slug. Feel it! Feel it! Feel my bloody wrath!" He stamps down with all his might to deliver weak stomps on the head of Godrick. Repeating the actions over and over.

Both Nepheli and Lordan look on as the gatekeeper let's his anger loose on the corpse of Godrick, or at least what remains of it. "Should we stop him?" Nepheli asks while looking at Lordan.

"Leave him be, they deserve each other." Lordan responded with a tired tone, exhausted from the fight and choses to ignore Gostoc. He takes out his blue flask and sips down all the remaining uses to regain his focus and stamina. "So now what?"

"The battle outside is still ongoing, but they can handle it." Nepheli looks to the throne room of Godrick, her intent on using his private facilities still in her mind. "As for me, I'm taking that bath in his bathhouse. He owes him for all this blood." She looks down herself to see all the blood of Godrick staining her entire body and clothes. "Sure you don't want it to join?"

"I'm good, thanks."

"Had to try." She shrugs at his rejection and offers him instructions on what to do next. "Well, since you have claimed the great rune. Its time for your next step, Lordan. As father instructed me to tell you."

"Which is?" He became curious at the information that Nepheli provided from Gideon. Although Lordan did not like the man, he still admits that Gideon had been helping him in his own way.

"Return to the Roundtable Hold, and make your audience with the Two Fingers. As a shard bearer, you have earned that right."

Lordan nods and starts to make plans for his next move. " Right. Thanks, Nepheli. You have been a great help." He offers his hand and she shakes it with a firm grip. "We should probably wait till the army is done and join the clean-up."

"I would leave it to them, clean up is not exactly our job or expertise."

"True. But we still need an excuse to not join them." Lordan sighs and thinks of the only way he can avoid the duties in the aftermath of battle. "Alright... I think I will join you... But no... Any of that... You take one side of the pool and I take the other. And I will... Face the other way." You make his conditions known as he did not want to disappoint Melina by engaging in sexual acts with Nepheli, as much as the dirty part of his mind wanted to.

"As you wish. Besides, it wouldn't have meant anything. It's only for fun." Nepheli walks towards the building with the throne room to search for the bathhouse she mentioned while Lordan follows from behind. "And you are worried about seeing me naked. You should know that by doing that, I would be returning the flavor."

Lordan stops midway from what she said to process the meaning. "What... What does that mean?"

"It means... I have seen bigger."

Lordan was left stunned as he starts to comprehend what Nepheli said, making her laugh at the display of his dismay.

"Wait... What?!"

1997 YEARS BEFORE THE SHATTERING

"Stop moving, goat. I'm almost done." Rags attempts to reach the last patches of dirt with his moist cloth, trying to get Torrent clean before the day ends. "You and her decided it would be a good idea to ride through that swamp, so this is the result."

Torrent huffs in annoyance as Rags had been cleaning it for hours using the water from the stream that they were camped beside. The lack of grace for Rags meant that all sites were now useless to him. Therefore, he and Marika would no longer be resting near them. It was a blessing in disguise as the sites of grace were now an indirect danger to them, due to the Dragon Order using the sites to search for Numens.

Marika watches on at the campsite, resting near the fire while reading a book that Renna gave to her for their travels. She sees Torrent unwilling to let Rags finish his cleanup. It was an amusing sight, to see him struggle on such a simple task, despite the fact he was able to take on a small army single-handedly.

"Alright, enough! Just stop winching for a sec-" Torrent ignores his request and makes a swift turn that splashes water upwards, getting Rags wet again. "You little furry SHIT!" Torrent trots away from Rags without care, forcing him to follow as he wanted to finish his cleanup. "GET BACK HERE!"

She laughs quietly at the sight and finds it endearing. Although Rags had been receptive to Torrent at first, she knew that they were getting on well. Remembering the times that Rags went out of his way to ensure Torrent was fed and cleaned properly. He cared for the spectral steed, even if he refuses to admit it.

Rags sigh loud enough for her to hear and he blows his whistle, making Torrent fade into blue mist. He moves back to the campfire and takes a seat on Marika's opposite side. "That... Goat. Will be the death of me..."

Marika frowns while holding her book down to stare at Rags with annoyance. "He's not a goat. And you are being mean."

"Being mean? I'm trying to clean him up, that's being mean?"

"If your cleanup forces him to stand at a spot of chilling water for three hours... Then yes. That's unreasonable." She stated her fact and rolls her eyes. Rags followed suit as he found it ridiculous that she would side with a goat over him.

"I wouldn't have to do that if someone didn't choose to ride through that swamp..."

"It was the fastest way to leave those woods. I saved us two days."

"And then you used those two days at the tavern to bathe and wash your clothes because we fell off the goat, and into the muddy waters. Which I told you was possible..." Rags replied with words that were full of sarcasm, earning him another eye roll from Marika.

"Would you rather we smell like... the sewage for the rest of the journey?" She makes a point about the benefits of cleaning up themselves before moving on. A silence was observed as Rags tries his best to issue a rebuttal, not wanting to lose out on Marika's fact.

Rags let out a sigh as no response came. "...That's fair..." He admits her point was making sense as Marika smugly emailed at his folly. They sit in silence as both of them think about what to say next, each second passed to create an awkward atmosphere around their campsite.

Marika decides to break the tension first as she remembered something important that she needed to tell Rags, an important instruction that Renna had warned her about. She decides against telling him directly so as to not anger him unnecessarily due to the nature of what she will share. "So... How far along are we to the Lands at this point? Torrent seems to be useful at bringing us there faster and further."

Rags looks up to the night sky as he calculated the amount of time needed to reach the capital on horseback, a very faster horse that could jump small mountains in a single leap. "If we stop taking detours... We don't bump into any of the Dragon wankers or anyone else... And we use the fastest speed the goat can go... " His fingers move as he estimated the amount. "Eight months? Ten? Maybe even seven if we force march. And don't forget, we need to cross a sea for it."

Marika sighs in relief, the time taken to get to true safety was now shorter due to Renna's assistance. Her provision of Torrent and advice on the route to take made the journey shorter and safer than before. She had also been taught several incantations by Renna that will allow them to conceal the area around them from view, a useful spell that saved them from encounters the past few times.

"Still, we might take longer if something comes up." Rags state another issue dismissively and take a ration of dried meat from his enchanted bag, eating it slowly as his supper. "You should probably eat something before turning in for the night. You gotta wake up in six hours for your watch." He reminds her of their timings for the night watch, splitting it in two to fairly allocate time between them.

Marika gets to her feet and steps to Rags side at a distance. "Rags, could you help me with something? Stand up with your claymore."

"Why?" He asks with an annoyed tone.

"Just do it. Come on, you need to see something." She requests again and Rags slowly gets to his feet, claymore in hand as Marika gestures for him to stand a little further from his. He gets to his position and Marika holds out her hand with her seal to cast a spell for him to see.

A barrier of gold forms around her after she casts the incatation, a barrier that was translecent and seemed to resemble glass. "Rags, use your claymore and strike the barrier as hard as you can." She notices his hesitantion as he did not want to hurt her by accident. "Don't worry and trust me. It will hold."

Rags sighs and draws his claymore to a striking position. He angles his blade slowly to avoid striking her if the barrier actually breaks. Rags raise his sword and wait for a moment while looking at Marika to continue, a confirmation was given to him with a nod from her.

He swings his claymore down with all his might, light emits from the point of impact on the barrier.

PING!

His claymore bounces back violently as it recoils from the impact. The vibration of metal from his claymore emits in the air. Rags steps back to maintain his balance as Marika lowers the barrier, it disappears after a few seconds.

"See? It holds. It's supposed to be indestructible, based on what Renna said."

Rags keeps his claymore and shakes his head to clear his mind from the impact. "Well... It's useful I guess. So you waited till now to test it?"

Marika stays silent from his question, not knowing how he will respond to the next words she will say. "I... Already tested it. I just needed to show you how it worked." She reaches into her pocket and retrieves a crossbow bolt that was engraved with magical runes. She walks to Rags and passes him the bolt, the only one that Renna gave her as a last resort. "This is the only thing that can pierce through its layer. Use it on your crossbow when you need it."

"Ok... Why are you giving this to me?" Rags asked with concern as an assumption on the usage crosses his mind, but he still denies it. "Marika, what is this for?"

Marika looks to the ground with her eyes closed, keeping quiet for a few moments before she sighs and starts to explain. "The barrier is my last line of defense. If I'm overwhelmed, the barrier will protect me from all threats but it will also leave me trapped until I lower it willingly." She move a little closer to him to have a closer look at his face, his expression was a mix of hurt and disappointment as he was aware of what she was implying. "And that's where you come in. With the bolt and crossbow that can pierce the barrier without resistance. "

Rags frowns at her request, refusing to accept what she asked of him. "Marika... Why are you telling me this? What is the problem? There's no way I'm going to use this, no way I need to use this."

Marika shakes her head as she knew he was in denial. "Because we are being chased unrelentlessly by one of the most powerful religions of the known world, anything can happen if we are not careful. And we have been careful, but... Its still possible we might make a mistake. A mistake that will cost us everything if we lose."

"So... I need you to promise me something... "

She shifted her feet uncomfortably and let out a breath to look up back at Rags, her eyes full of resolve as she needed to ensure that he agreed to carry out her request.

"If... We are overwhelmed... If we... Get cornered and cannot escape... If we are in a fight that cannot be won, and my capture is imminent and cannot be stopped... "

She let out another sigh, knowing that her next words were not going to be pleasant for Rags to hear.

"You won't let them take me."

Rags sighs from her request. "Of course, I'm not gonna let them take you, why would I allo-" His words were stopped as Marika places her hand on his cheek, forcing him to look into her golden eyes out of instinct.

"I need you to understand and accept... What I am asking for..."

She released her hand from his cheeks and uses both of them to take his, moving them up to her neck and forcing his hands to grab it lightly. "So I need you to promise me. "

"You. Won't. Let them. Take me."

Rags grunts and quickly pulls his hand out of her grip and turns away. Marika waits for a few moments as she observed him breathing heavily, she starts to worry that she may have pushed too far.

"Rags... I..."

He walks away in the direction of the designated spot for his coming night watch, not wanting to talk any further. Marika sees him griping his right arm tightly as if holding it in pain while avoiding her view.

"Rags? Your arm... What is-"

"I'm taking the whole watch tonight. Get... Some sleep... Even if you don't need it." She could hear him speaking in a pained voice that was restraining himself. Worry starts to build up in her as she suspects that he has hidden an injury that both she and Renna are unaware of.

"Rags, I can-"

"Just... Go to sleep. And leave me alone for tonight."

He speaks his last words for the night and walks away clutching his arm, leaving Marika alone at the campsite. She does not try to follow as she knows it was not the right time to do so.

Forgive me... Rags...

Rags sit at his position for the last few hours, his claymore in hand to prepare himself for any threats that may appear.

He had been griping his arm for a few hours now, sipping on his red flask in intervals to endure the pain, using it up fully for the day.

With no uses left, Rags simply sat and breathed slowly to try and make himself more relaxed. The pain was slowly subsiding as the hours went by.

He starts going into his relaxed state and feels his eyes becoming heavy, fatigue was catching up to him due to all the activities he went through today. He starts closing his eyes slowly as his body demanded some sleep.

His eyes closed and only darkness filled his vision.

RAGS.

FIND ME IN THE HOLLOW EARTH.

The voice that plagued him reappears in his mind, causing him to wake up from alert. He grips his right arm again as the pain suddenly resurfaces, more unbearable than ever, forcing him to bite down as he holds in a cry of pain.

No... NO... You... What are you?!

The voice emits a small and demonic laugh at his question.

DO YOU REMEMBER?

YOUR FATHER?

THE NIGHT YOU KILLED HIM?