Even though they had not yet crossed the threshold into Caelid, Gundrik could see the swirling maelstrom of hate and rot on the horizon. Limgrave had not yet given way to the Scarlet Rot, and the Redmane army had done a fine job of keeping it at bay for decades, but it was only a matter of time; the Rot could be slowed down, but never completely stopped. Even after the Erdtree was revitalized and the former god of the Golden Order returned, time marched on, and so did the Servants of Kindred of Rot, toiling away in their fungal domain.

Gundrik did wonder what they would do, however; their bid for a god of a coming age had completely rejected them. Though Malenia was directly responsible for its incursion onto the surface world, she had purified herself of its influence completely and utterly, and sought to decimate them once and for all. If there was any sort of leadership within their fetid ranks, then they must have been dealt a serious blow already. And what with all of the forces Gundrik and Marika had on their side, the allies of Rot had to have been panicking.

Not that Gundrik would be surprised if they were as simple as they looked, although their movements and use of weaponry belied a fiendish intelligence.

The march to Caelid would be a slightly longer one than from Stormveil to Raya Lucaria. A small, skeleton garrison was stationed at the former academy to make sure the sorcerer threat was completely eradicated. Everyone else was marching toward the former fiefdom. The last remnants of Godrick's army had been destroyed, though the army was still bereft of customized armor, arms, or even standards and an emblem. All of it would come with time, but in that moment, the army Gundrik and Marika led was a thing of piecemeal make. They even had to cannibalize some of the cloth from Godrick's old tents in order to make their own; the tattered remains of the Beast-and-Tree emblem Godrick was known for littered the temporary lodgings of the soldiers.

They made camp around the ruins of the Third Church of Marika, using it as a staging area before pushing into Caelid proper. Before that, however, Gundrik met with Nepheli to discuss his plan.

"I want you to send messengers to Fort Gael and Redmane Castle," Gundrik ordered, standing before the entrance to the ruined church as rain fell upon them. He could hear the sloshing of the soldiers' footsteps as they moved to and fro among the camp. Nepheli stood in front of him, nonplussed by the downpour.

"Consider it done. What shall we say?" Nepheli asked.

Gundrik appreciated Nepheli's willingness. She hadn't even batted an eyelash when Gundrik told her what they were to do. A rock such as her was needed more than ever.

"I, and Queen Marika the Eternal, wish to extend an offer of peace, in the face of a common enemy," Gundrik said. "In short time, Order will be restored, and they can be a part of it and honor the sacrifice of General Radahn the Starscourge. We are to purify Caelid, ridding it of the Scarlet Rot they have fought against since the Shattering. If they refuse, then we demand they make way, for our mission is clear."

Nepheli nodded. "And a meeting place?"

"The Smoldering Church to the north," Gundrik replied. "As good a place as any, considering the circumstances."

"It will be done, my lord," Nepheli said, bowing. "I only hope our time is not wasted here."

"That depends if they decide to take us up on our offer or not," Gundrik said with a small chuckle, crossing his arms. "Why, just a short time ago I was at Redmane Castle. I fought General Radahn alongside many strong, capable warriors. He very nearly tore us apart, even with the Scarlet Rot infesting him and tearing his mind asunder. And then the light show afterwards! It was one of my more proud moments."

"I wish I could have been there," Nepheli mused, turning to the side. "To fight alongside other warriors, in pursuit of granting a man such as the Starscourge a proper death… such things only happen once in a lifetime. I will need to be proud of my own lot in life, regardless."

"My point is, even if some of them are crazy survivalists, they are an honorable sort," Gundrik said. "As honorable as their general was, even if his pride was partly responsible for Caelid being the way it is."

Nepheli closed her eyes. "There is some truth in what you say. Pride is a powerful emotion, one that could lead you to great heights, or bottomless depths."

"Now, I did not want to start a philosophical conversation with you," Gundrik chuckled, waving a hand. "Especially not in this weather. I trust Kenneth keeps you occupied with such things in Stormveil."

Nepheli groaned. "Do not get me started, Gundrik. Kenneth has my respect and trust, but he is a peacock of a man."

"That, I shall not deny. Anyway, the hour grows late. Get some rest, my friend. There's a long few weeks ahead of us," Gundrik said, turning around.

"Ah, before that, Lord Gundrik," Nepheli interrupted. "How are you? And how is Marika? Or Radagon, if he is in control."

Gundrik stood stock still, as if the question was enough to turn his mind into a blank canvas.

After a moment, he turned around, his expression hidden by his helmet. "I am fine. Marika is… well, she is Marika. As enigmatic as ever. I do not think she is used to being out and about like this."

"I think it shall not be a common occurrence, but these are delicate days," Nepheli said, "Please, extend my well wishes."

Gundrik nodded. "That, I can do. Goodnight, Nepheli."

"Goodnight, Gundrik."

With that, Gundrik entered the church, and he heard Nepheli's footsteps behind him. He let out a sigh, looking up through the shattered ceiling of the church, wondering if he was truly worthy of his title.

Then, of course, he looked down to see Marika, looking upon her own statue. He had always been curious about the statues; while most of the churches scattered throughout the Lands Between had long become nothing but gravestones and animated skeletons, the statues always remained, as if in defiance of the passage of time. While they were things of beauty, they could not hold a candle to the woman herself.

Or at least, that's what Gundrik thought. The same applied to Radagon.

"Messengers have been sent to the two major Redmane strongholds," Gundrik reported, "if they are willing, they will bolster our forces considerably."

Marika turned her head slowly, looking upon Gundrik as if she had just woken up.

"General Radahn was one of the strongest of our offspring," Marika said quietly. "His army is no different. If they wilt not join us for the glory, then they wilt join us in honor of his death. I am told he hadst been infected by the Rot, devoured from the inside out. Such destruction in his bid to become a true Lord. But the honor 'twas never to be his, it seemeth."

"No, instead that honor fell to me," Gundrik shrugged. "Disappointed yet?"

"Quite the contrary, Lord Gundrik," Marika replied, turning around fully, her golden eyes almost seeming to glow in the low light. "Thou hast proven thyself an effective commander thus far. I am pleased to see thee amongst the troops, playing to thine strengths and covering thine faults with others. It didst not escape mine notice what thine true goals were at Raya Lucaria, though I am disappointed to see that it did not proceed the way thou wanted."

"I should have expected it. Queen Rennala remains in our debt, at least, so we can hopefully count on her help in the future," Gundrik explained, crossing his arms as he looked past Marika, toward her statue. "Were you ogling yourself?"

"Hardly!" Marika scoffed, turning around quickly and glaring up at her statue. "No doubt many prayed to this statue and all the others when the Shattering destroyed their lives. Where hadst their god retreated to, they wondered? Why hast their prayers gone unanswered as causality collapsed around them? The Erdtree's glow and luster faded, all centered around my pursuit of the truth, demystifying the Order in which I championed and built a civilization. The Fire Giants to the northeast, the Carians to our southwest, all attacked and destroyed, all for the damnable Order. And mine children, scattered and taken from me due to impurities, their birth a fell omen upon the land! Nay, Lord Gundrik, this statue remaineth a blemish upon all, a destructive curse to all who toiled away while we languished under the guard of our captor."

"They had faith. I regained mine. It's why I'm here," Gundrik said, rolling his shoulders as he moved forward to stand beside Marika. "The Erdtree is back, and under our control. The Greater Will is gone, and nothing is in its place but you. You are a god still, even with the Mending Rune I used. You are in control. It does not have to be that way anymore."

"Thy words art full of wisdom. Art thou sure thou art a warrior? Perhaps thou should have become a philosopher," Marika replied, a mocking smile on her face as she looked down at Gundrik.

Gundrik grunted. "That is just the way I see it, Marika. You are here now, ridding the lands of the remnants of other outer gods, under no one and nothing else's banner, except your own. The Shattering was your fault, but considering the circumstances- well, the people can still blame you, but perhaps in the end, they will understand."

"Understanding dost not return their broken loved ones," Marika said, crossing her arms over her chest. "Understanding wilt not restore these lands."

"No, it doesn't. But the fact you're even thinking about that is proof enough to me that you are not an evil person. Are you a good person? No, but you are not a villain," Gundrik replied, turning to look at her. After a moment, he took off his helmet, and let his black hair fall to his shoulders. "I feel like we have had a conversation like this before, on the way out from Altus. Maybe you are beyond redemption, according to some, but the fact you're even trying means, to me, that you should be given the chance regardless. And didn't you say that you would take whatever life remained within you and use it to make sure your creation outweighed your destruction?"

Marika stared at Gundrik for a few moments, so intensely that Gundrik began to fidget and play with the metal plates of his armor, wondering if he had said something wrong. He had gotten used to speaking, perhaps too used to it, if Marika was looking upon him with such intensity.

"Well, that's just my perspective on it, considering our past conversations, yeah?" Gundrik said, looking away. "Faith is what we make of it, right? It was faith that things could be better that led me here, allowed me to move past my misgivings and ensure the lives spent in my wake were not in vain."

The ruined church was eerily silent, and as the seconds ticked by the more Gundrik thought of the person next to him as a replica of the statue before them both. Gundrik swallowed a lump in his throat.

When he finally looked upon Marika's face again, however, he noticed the way her lips curved upward; she was smiling. He winced and looked away, expecting to be mocked, but nothing of the sort came.

Instead, he felt her hand against his shoulder, slowly turning him toward her.

"Thou art a strange one, indeed. And yet, here I remaineth, looking upon ye and feeling a fondness I have not felt in an age."

Gundrik didn't know how to respond to that. He would be the first to admit he had little experience in matters of the heart; such things were never a priority to him, and even though he was Marika's consort, he did not feel any different than usual. He had no strong urge to seek her out, bask in her or Radagon's presence, yet when he found himself with them regardless, it was hard to ignore the beating of his heart, or the blood rushing through his veins.

Although, Gundrik had to wonder: was it a part of her plan? Act graciously and feign interest in him so that he would be more subservient to her? He was already underneath Marika; The Elden Lord was a lord above all, but how could a mere lord of anything compare to a god? One of his biggest fears was being manipulated. Even during his journey as a Tarnished, he did everything within his power to understand his situation, reading all that he could find on the history that had passed since his departure.

Even then, the desire for companionship, in whatever form it took, was strong, and even if his suspicions were confirmed, and it was all a ploy to garner favor from him, he had to admit, Marika made it feel real, and Gundrik would be lying if he said some animal, primal part of him didn't want to just embrace it, despite the falsehood.

"Thou hast frozen. Do mine words shock thee?" Marika asked, her smile fading away as she tilted her head to the side, perplexed, before realization dawned on her, and it returned. "Ah, I see. Thou art wary, even still. I do not blame thee for such; despite thine words, thy journey hast been one of hardship and loneliness, and it was one I sent thee and thine fellows on."

Gundrik closed his eyes. "I'd be lying if I said that wasn't a part of it."

"Mmm," Marika hummed, trailing her hand up Gundrik's shoulder until it reached the side of his neck, and he shivered at her warm touch. Her fingers gently laced against his black hair. "Thou art scared of mine machinations, of how deeply they runneth beneath the surface. Thou needn't worry; everything of which I speak is genuine. In truth, I have been fond of thee since the beginning."

Gundrik's brow furrowed. "What?"

"It was thee who freed me from the Erdtree, and brought me back together. Everything I hast set in motion was not in vain. Thou couldst say that it was thy actions that led to the possibility of mine redemption, if such a thing is truly possible," Marika said, her smile softening as her hand trailed up Gundrik's neck, before finally landing on his cheek. "Is it any wonder, then, why I look upon thee and feel warmth again? Godfrey shall remaineth in my heart, such as it is, but 'twould appear thou hast wormed thine way into it as well."

Gundrik shut his eyes so tightly he began seeing spots. He brought his own hand and pressed it against hers, not wishing for the contact to end.

"If it's a lie," Gundrik said, sniffling, "when it comes to light, would you do me one honor and kill me?"

"Nay, for 'tis not a lie. Shalt I provide thee a demonstration?"

He could feel her breath upon his face, as warm as a summer wind, and then the softness of her lips against his he had only felt once before. Unlike last time, however, he would not simply passively accept it. Instead, he followed his instincts, and reached his arm up and wrapped it around Marika's waist. A pleased hum came from her at this as he reciprocated. The only sound beyond that Gundrik could hear was the blood rushing in his ears, and the falling rain, still a downpour, just off to the side where the ruined ceiling covered them.

For a long while, they stood there, and Gundrik did not care to count how long they were there; he was above such things at that moment. He never wanted it to end. But of course, such sweet things were fleeting, and eventually they parted. Gundrik opened his eyes and looked upon Marika again, without the veneer of suspicion he had always held, and realized that she was likely the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, even with her scarred skin. If anything, the scars only made the beauty stand out more.

"I, um," Gundrik fumbled, trying to find his words as his mind came rushing back in to consciousness. "I will admit, I'm not sure where to go from here. I've never, ah, I've never been in a situation such as this. I mean, if this is all just a ploy, you are doing a damn good job of convincing me."

"'Tis a good thing to know I can receiveth such a rise out of thee, Gundrik," Marika laughed, before her eyes settled on something far away, just above Gundrik's head. "Ah, and the leal hound- Oh, is that true?"

Gundrik blinked.

"Ah, 'tis nothing to worry about, Lord Gundrik. Merely the leal hound making his opinion known."

Gundrik pursed his lips. "He doesn't approve?"

Marika gave Gundrik a half-smile, as she let out another chuckle. "On the contrary… Nay, I shalt let him speak, when the time is right. For now, let us enjoy this moment. Such things are rare, doubly so, in these trying times."

Then, happening so quickly Gundrik almost didn't realize it, Marika embraced him, pulling him into her arms and squeezing him tightly, though not enough to cause pain. Instinctively, he did the same, wrapping his arms around her in turn. The size difference meant that his head was in the crook of her neck, and he could hear her humming just above him as she laid her cheek on the top of his head.

Gundrik realized, then, that even if it was all a lie, it was a lie he did not want to end. And perhaps that was the trap he had sprung.

But, if only for a brief moment, he would allow himself to believe.

"I'm telling you, Blackguard, I think I am losing my mind."

"Mate, I dunno how to tell ya this, but I reckon you lost yer mind years ago."

The crackling of the fire in front of them only served to heighten Gundrik's awareness of his slipping psyche, and the cricket chirping all around them, even with the armored footsteps of soldiers and knights around them, Gundrik felt it as surely as if he was being dragged along a river's current.

At least Blackguard had a number of prawns still left over; there would not be many within Caelid, and if there was, Gundrik very much doubted they would want a bite out of them.

"You are very funny, has anyone ever told you that, Blackguard?" Gundrik asked, tapping his helmet several times before slamming a fist against the ground. "Sometimes I wonder, you know, just how crazy all of this is. I never told you this, but I was a sickly child, once. I looked up to those shining Leyndell knights and the dragons that soared above them, with their gold and red lightning and their glorious fire."

"Mhm. Crazy as a loon," Blackguard replied, humming as he nodded. "Gatherin' all these goddamn armies, lettin' that demigod live - we Tarnished were s'posed to kill 'em all, yet here we are, makin' the world a better place, eh?"

"Yes, that is why I think I am crazy," Gundrik grunted, letting out a breath.

"Ya gave a prisoner like me a damn fine job. Least you're the good kinda crazy," Blackguard chuckled.

Gundrik sighed and looked up to the Erdtree, shining in all its restored splendor, and the stars and moon behind it, no less brilliant. He wondered where Ranni and Rennala had gone. Were they battling Outer Gods? Waiting for their plans to finally come to pass? It would be a long time before the Lands Between would be ripe for their plans, but Gundrik wondered if other places in the world would be more willing to receive them.

He doubted he would see either of them again, though it did not stop his mind from wandering.

"This bloke tells me he wants to talk, then he starts staring off into space!" Blackguard exclaimed. "Yer a crazy sonuvabitch, yeah."

"Oh, definitely. I'd never argue that," Gundrik replied, "then again, you just outlined it for me; I was not a very good Tarnished, was I? We were not supposed to succeed."

Blackguard shrugged, and Gundrik could barely see a bemused expression behind his cast iron mask. "Shit, I don't think it mattered. Whatever's 'bove Marika ain't around no more, so I'm not complaining, and neither is she, by the sounds of it."

"And that's another thing," Gundrik murmured. "How much of what she said is the truth? Where do the lies end? Where does the truth begin? I feel like I'm playing a game, and I'm wondering if there even is a game to play."

"There's always a game to play, mate," Blackguard snorted, crossing his arms. "Just matters you know which game it is, yeah? If yer sittin' there playin' cards, while everyone else is 'round kicking a ball, yer gonna have issues."

"Let it never be said that a former prisoner with a piece of wrought iron on his head never has anything good to say," Gundrik said.

Blackguard's sole visible eye narrowed. "That you mockin' me, mate?"

"Ah, no, though it does sound like I am, huh?" Gundrik replied, "I do appreciate you, Blackguard, as rough as you are. And Nepheli, too. And Kenneth. You all survived where others perished. All of you are all I have left."

"Well, that's depressin'." Blackguard grumbled. "And I barely got any prawn to make it better. Marika's ti- Ah, 'scuse me."

"Nothing to excuse. The curse is, uh, well-earned," Gundrik said, whispering the last part. "Anyway, Blackguard, I don't think I'll ever be able to express just how much you all mean to me, after all of this."

"Could ya build me a castle? A nice one, right by the sea? I think that oughtta show just how much I'm 'preciated," Blackguard asked.

Gundrik laughed. "A veritable fountain of wit, you are? Always with your jokes!"

"Who's jokin'?"

"Give me a few decades and I'll see what I can do," Gundrik sighed.

The closer to Caelid the army came, the more the sky became a hideous, rotten red. Whatever plant life was around began to dry out, and Gundrik could hear the crackling of it underneath his feet. Though the Erdtree still dominated the sky, its glow was enshrouded in a cruel crimson that somehow made it look far more sinister; like the tombstone of a long-dead civilization, and if Gundrik looked closely, he swore he could see the ruins of Leyndell, still buried in ash.

Thankfully, Gundrik remembered, it would not be that way for much longer. While Caelid was almost certainly to be lifeless once they were done, it would be given the chance to recover. And the Outer God that had brought the Scarlet Rot to the Lands Between, cursed Malenia, and the one responsible for untold amounts of suffering that would go nameless forever, would be purged from the surface, with the Lake of Rot, far below Liurnia, as its only stronghold.

The Lake of Rot would have its time, Gundrik was certain.

Gundrik could see how the invitations Nepheli sent out were responded to: he could see the march of hundreds of soldiers, clad in scorched red armor, and alongside them rode massive flaming chariots, with the face of a Fire Giant upon each one. Having faced the last of such Giants in battle a long while before, Gundrik couldn't see much of a resemblance. Not that he was complaining; if the Redmane army were not there to do battle, then having such war machines on their side would be a tremendous boon.

Of course, that was under the impression that they were, in fact, there to talk, and not to fight. Gundrik was confident they could at least retreat if such a thing came to pass, but it would put a damper on their plans to purify Caelid.

Due to her history with the Redmanes, Malenia stayed behind, though Gundrik knew they would not be able to hide her involvement forever. It was a gesture of good faith that they were not bringing her along, as if to intimidate whoever was in charge of the Redmane army. With that in mind, only himself, Nepheli, and Marika were going to the Smoldering Church.

The church itself was nothing to write home about, if Gundrik remembered correctly. He had been ambushed by a brute of a woman wielding an iron cleaver there once, but she had been felled easily enough, though she did have the misfortune of not staying dead. It was at the threshold of Caelid, right where Limgrave met the rotted fiefdom, and nearby, a firewall still remained, keeping the Scarlet Rot at bay.

Luckily, even as the trio made their approach, flanked on both sides by Banished Knights, the Redmanes made no move to attack. No swords were drawn, no fires lit. In the end, they made it to the church unmarked.

Gundrik did not miss the way Marika eyed the torches that some of the Redmanes carried.

When they entered the ruined building, whatever reservations Gundrik harbored, thankfully, were put to rest. A familiar man with flamboyantly colored cloth beneath and around his armor stood there, the tip of his flamberge upon the ground as he held onto the grip. A fake nose and beard poked out from a red hood.

"Ah, now there's a face I had always wished to see again. I almost thought the name was a ploy," the man said, chuckling. "It's good to see you again, old chum."

Gundrik held his arms out, much to the confusion of Marika beside him as she looked between the two questioningly. "Jerren! I'd recognize that nose anywhere!"

Moving forward, his flamberge still planted in the ground, Jerren took Gundrik's hand and gave it a hearty shake. "Believe me, chum, this old geezer has a fair few oddments that make him easier to spot than most. Ahh, but when last we met you were a worthy Tarnished, though far from the Elden Throne. And now here you stand, Elden Lord of all. I always knew the man who gave our General his final deathblow had a greater destiny than to become a part of the Erdtree's roots."

"And I thought an old Witch Hunter would retire once his last quarry was laid low," Gundrik chuckled, "yet, here you are, leading the Redmanes again. What, did they need a leader again that badly?"

"Perhaps the Rot spreadeth still, past the smoldering walls thou hast erected," Marika supplied, causing Jerren to look up to her. "Thy efforts art not in vain, it seemeth; the Rot is potent still, but it is because of thine efforts that only Caelid is lost. Though, not for overlong."

Though Jerren's eyes were concealed beneath his mask, Gundrik could physically feel the gears turning in his head.

"I suppose that makes sense," Jerren finally said. "When I saw the Erdtree aflame, its golden leaves falling like ash, I wondered what had happened. Never did I believe me, a simple Witch Hunter, would be in the presence of a god. And there I was, a fool, as I looked upon the messages you sent me with my disbelieving eyes."

"I am a simple warrior myself. I have grown used to it," Nepheli added.

"Indeed? Good. Warriors are what is needed now, if you intend to do what we could not," Jerren replied, "And about that, I am curious. How do you intend to do it? You said, chums, that you wished to purify Caelid, purging the Scarlet Rot from this last, great battleground. An accomplished warrior, a god, and Elden Lord though you may be, we have beaten back the Rot for as long as many of us can remember. Heroes as great as you have succumbed to it. How is it you will do this great, impossible task?"

Gundrik paused for a moment, turning to Marika. Her golden eyes met his for a brief moment before she nodded once. He sighed, and began.

"What do you know about Malenia, Jerren?" Gundrik asked.

Jerren whistled. "Now there's a question, old chum. A question that tells me much of the situation at hand. I know she is a demigod, and carried a Great Rune. She fought our general in this very land, and it was she who unleashed the Scarlet Rot upon its inhabitants. Do not forget, I was there on that day. I watched as Caelid, Sellia, and the Dragonbarrow were swallowed up in the Rot. I can only imagine, if a moment you may grant me, as to how she is involved with this business."

Gundrik grunted, crossing his arms. "Well, Witch Hunter, who better to purge the land of the Scarlet Rot, than the very person who unleashed it in the first place?"

Jerren was as still as a statue at that. Nepheli to his side had her hand on one of her axes, and Marika looked on impassively, though Gundrik could tell by her closed fist that she was ready at a moment's notice, if things went south.

"She lives? And is among you?" Jerren asked quietly.

Gundrik nodded. "She herself has been purged of the Rot, and has dedicated herself to expunging it from the surface. With this in mind, will you join us? We will march into the Heart of this infected land, and tear out the Scarlet Rot by the roots."

"You would ask me to fight alongside the woman who cursed our General, my friend, all in favor of resolving a problem she caused?" Jerren said, his voice betraying no emotion.

"...Yes." Gundrik replied succinctly.

He could hear Marika sigh beside him, and he felt like banging his head against the stone wall near him.

"Let me rephrase that, before you leave us here having refused," Gundrik quickly amended. "I realize the history between the two of you. If Malenia had not unleashed the Scarlet Rot, we would not be here. But this new Order we have founded, free of true gods and other falsehoods, will become a reality with the purging of Caelid. If you do not believe in her, which I do not blame you, then believe in me. Believe in us. It will be many years before Caelid can return to what it was, but if you and your fellows set aside your hatred for just a moment, this nightmare can be over. All I need is your help."

The Smoldering Church became eerily quiet after that, as no side made a move. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Jerren breathed in sharply.

"Very well. You have it."

Well, a cliffhanger. Not a big one but it's there. I kinda like these small-ish chapters and at the rate it was going, this Chapter would've been longer than the last, lol.

Anyway, yeah, some more relationship building between Gundrik and Marika. Don't worry, Radagon will get his chance soon - although I wonder how many of you are actually looking forward to it lol.

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Thanks to GrandPaladinTyrux for being my beta, as always!